On Monday, November 11, 2024, Fillmore hosted its annual Veterans Day Parade at 10am on Central Avenue. Classic cars cruised downtown Fillmore as folks waved and thanked our local Veterans for their service and sacrifice, a longtime Fillmore tradition. On Saturday, November 9th, folks gathered in front of Fillmore City Hall for the Veterans Day Celebration in the Park, also put on by the Veterans Day Celebration Committee. From 4pm to 7pm, the community came out to listen to music, enjoy food and dance the night away. Photo credit Angel Esquivel.
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Pictured is Fillmore VFW Post 9637 proudly displaying every military branch flag along with the carrying of the American flag to get the Veterans Day parade started. Above and below photo credit Angel Esquivel.
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The band “Heart & Soul” grooving away as folks dance Friday night at the Concert in the Park. Photo credit Fillmore Veterans Day Celebration Committee.
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Fillmore High School Marching Band showed off their skills at the Veterans Day Parade on Monday. Photo credit Gazette Staff.
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Photo credit Fillmore Veterans Day Celebration Committee.
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The Veterans Day weekend kicked off to a great start with its Concert in the Park last Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 4pm to 7pm. Everyone had a great time with about 80 attending the concert featuring “Heart and Soul” at City Hall. Many were Fillmore and Piru Vets enjoying the music. The City of Fillmore proclaimed the month of November as “Veterans and Active Military Month” honoring those who served and are serving our country.

On Wednesday, Nov-ember 6th, at 8:51 a.m., the Ventura County Fire Department was dispatched to a brush fire reported near 7930 Balcom Canyon Road and Bradley Road.

The fire was located, quickly growing to hundreds of acres in size during Santa Ana conditions. The Public Information Officer for VC Fire was reporting as of 9:23am that 148 firefighters and 58 units had already arrived.
Additional resources, including aircraft and units, were ordered. The www.vcemergency.com website was reporting the following evacuation orders as of 11/06/24:

* Unincorporated Somis

* West to: Saticoy Country Club

* East to Balcom Canyon Road

* South to Highway 118

Firefighters were conducting structure protection for numerous residences with reports of fast approaching fire.
As of about 11:00am, VC Fire was reporting that the fire had jumped the 118 Highway headed towards the Camarillo Heights area. Per radio traffic, notifications were being made to the affected areas.

As of 11:17am, VC Fire was reporting that the fire was expected to impact the entire area of Camarillo Heights. Law enforcement was being requested in the area of West Loop for traffic control. Anyone calling from this area is being told to evacuate and that the priority is life safety and not property.

***

5:50pm, multiple houses have burned, including in the area of Valley Vista Drive in Camarillo. The fire was estimated at over 10,000 acres with no containment. Ventura County authorities held a press conference with additional information, found at the following YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/live/5QIUgGrdh8c

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According to www.vcemergency.com , the following evacuation orders had been issued as of 9:18am on November 6 of 2024, for a brush fire call starting in the area of 7930 Balcom Canyon Road near Bradley Road:

Zone 1 – North of Somis: areas north of East Los Angeles Avenue/Hwy 118, west of Balcom Canyon Road, and east of La Vista Avenue

Zone 2 – Saticoy Country Club: east of Los Angeles Ave/Hwy 118, and south of the Santa Clara River and north of Beardsley Road

Zone 3 – Areas south of Hwy 118, west of N. Lewis Road, north of North Loop Drive and Mission Drive, and east of Fairway Drive

Zone 4 – West Camarillo (Las Posas/Spanish Hills areas): north of Las Posas Road, south and east of Central Avenue and Beardsley Road, and west of Anacapa Drive

Zone 6 – The area extending south of Santa Clara River, east of Los Angeles Avenue, north of Saticoy County Club, and west of Briggs Road

Zone 7 – The area north of Hwy 101 and south and east of Beardsley Avenue, and south of Central Avenue

Zone 9- The area east of Santa Paula Community Golf Course, north along Santa Clara River, west of San Cayetano Street

Zone 10 – The area south of the Santa Clara River, north of the ridge bottom of South Mountain at the rock quarry, west of Grimes Canyon Road, east of San Cayetano Street

Fire conditions are heavy and fast moving, and have consumed residences. Firefighters and emergency resources responding to help you during imminent conditions will be at risk.

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By 5:50pm, the fire was estimated at over 10K acres burned with 0% containment.

Originally beginning near the 7900 block of Balcom Canyon Road near Bradley Road near Somis and Moorpark, the fire moved quickly towards the Camarillo Heights area.

Several homes were consumed by the flames, including along Valley Vista Drive. The fire continued towards the area of the 101 Freeway and Central Avenue with smoke heavily impacting the area.
The county website, www.vcemergency.com , outlined evacuation warning information and resources available to affected people. A press conference held by the Ventura County Fire Department gave more information, and can be seen at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/5QIUgGrdh8c

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Over 20,000 people were estimated to not have power.

Air resources had been limited due to the strong winds. Due to the size and severity of the fire, the primary mission of the firefighters was to save lives over structure protection.

Multiple calls of people being trapped at their property had come into dispatch. Multiple ambulance transports had occurred in the morning with some people becoming injured.

Traffic jams in the evacuation zones were quickly responded to with additional law enforcement aiding in clearing the people out of the fire’s path.

The fire fight was continuing through the evening, night, and for the foreseeable future until it can be contained and handled.

***
As of 10:00am on Thursday, November 7 of 2024, the Ventura County Fire Department was reporting that the Mountain Fire that began the previous day near Moorpark and Somis had consumed over 14,000 acres. The containment remained at 0%.
Evacuation orders and warnings, shelters, and additional information, can be found at the County website, www.vcemergency.com .

Sheriff James Fryhoff has issued a Local Emergency Proclamation and has requested California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaim a State of Emergency for the areas impacted, according to the website. These emergency proclamations are vital steps to activating state and federal assistance programs for both fire suppression efforts and assisting residents, the website said.

The fire was actively hitting the Santa Paula area with evacuation orders found at the County website.
Multiple fire agencies are fighting the fire, and will be for the next several days.

***
As of about 5:00pm on Friday afternoon, November 8 of 2024, www.vcemergency.com reported that the Mountain Fire was currently estimated at nearly 21,000 acres consumed. More than 2,500 personnel in total had responded to the fire.
Containment was reported at 7%. As of Thursday evening, over one hundred homes had been reported lost, with nearly another hundred damaged by the incident.

Numerous evacuation orders, listed on www.vcemergency.com , were still in effect Friday evening. Firefighters were working perimeters in Somis, Camarillo Heights and Santa Paula.

Ventura County Voter Turnout (51.69%)
Registered Voters 516,989
Ballots Cast 267,226
Fillmore Unified School District Trustee Area 3
Brandy Hollis 287 (37.52%)
Olivia Palacio 478 (62.48%)
Total Votes 765
Fillmore Unified School District Trustee Area 4
Tricia Gradias 463 (64.76%)
Andy Klittich 252 (35.24%)
Total 715
Fillmore City Council, District 1
Luis Alberto Rodriguez 286 (100%)
Fillmore City Counciul, District 2
John L. Garnica 423 (55.66%)
Mark Austin 337 (44.34%)
Total 760
Fillmore City Council, District 5
Gary A. Cushing 391 (53.34%)
Christina Villasenor 342 (46.66%)
Total 733
Fillmore City Clerk
Olivia Carrera Lopez 3,041 (100%)
Fillmore City Treasurer
Jaquelyn Magdaleno 2,995 (100%)

On Friday, November 1st, at 2:30 a.m., Ventura County Fire Department, AMR Paramedics, and California Highway Patrol were dispatched to a cell phone crash notification on Highway 126 near Camino Del Rio, just east of Piru, near the Los Angeles County line.

Arriving firefighters reported a solo vehicle overturned with one person trapped and unresponsive. Per CHP, the driver, who was alone in the 2019 Jeep Wrangler, was pronounced dead at the scene. In an update Friday afternoon, CHP officials said a 29—year-old Fillmore woman was driving the Jeep and had travel onto the right shoulder, which was covered with dirt and brush. It wasn’t immediately known how fast the vehicle was going or why it went off the roadway.

The Jeep continued on the shoulder until it struck a drainage culvert, authorities said in a news release. The Jeep flipped over onto its roof and came to rest on the right shoulder west of the culvert. The vehicle sustained major damage. The driver’s name wasn’t released pending notification of family.

Investigators don’t yet know whether drugs or alcohol were a factor, according to the release. The accident remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about Friday’s collision is asked to call the CHP Moorpark-area office at (805)553-0800.

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Channel Islands Restoration (CIR) hosted a family-friendly volunteer day at Lake Piru to clear Tamarisk and other invasive weeds in Piru Creek on October 26th. Tamarisk can consume up to 200 gallons daily, threatening local biodiversity and harming wildlife. Removing these weeds can help restore the forest’s natural beauty and ecological health.

Agenda for the day was Volunteer Work: Teamed up with fellow environmental advocates to remove tamarisk and other invasive weeds; Educational Talks: Heard from experts about the native ecology of the Piru Creek Watershed; Food and Refreshments: Enjoyed lunch and snacks thanks to CIR.

It was a chance to make a tangible difference in preserving the local environment, and to protect and nurture a riparian zone. Volunteers brought their enthusiasm and commitment!

On Tuesday morning, November 6, the Santa Ana winds kicked up and started early with gusty winds expecting to be 30mph-55mph. A fallen tree branch was spotted off of 3rd Street & Mountain View. Due to the high winds Ventura County is on a Red Flag Warning until Friday. Photo credit Angel Esquivel.
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Courtesy https://www.vcemergency.com

SantaAna Wind Event & the Potential for Public Safety Power Shutoffs Updated 11/6/2024 at 7:58amVentura County Sheriff’s Emergency Services and the National Weather Service are currently monitoring a significant Santa Ana wind event forecasted to impact Ventura County from Wednesday morning, November 6, through Friday, November 8. Gusty northeast winds can be expected with sustained speeds ranging from 30mph-55mph. Gusts as high as 100mph are possible in wind-prone mountainous locations. In addition to windy conditions, low relative humidity with poor overnight recovery is expected. A Red Flag Warning has been issued starting Wednesday at 4am through Thursday at 6pm for all areas of Ventura County. Due to the high fire danger, 46 Southern California Edison electrical circuits are being monitored for potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). The period of concern for PSPS extends from November 6 at 3am to November 7 at 9pm. Should conditions in any area exceed Southern California Edison’s safety thresholds, electricity may be temporarily shut off to minimize the risk of ignition of a wildfire. Areas at risk for shutoff may change as conditions evolve. Individuals that rely on electricity to power medical devices are encouraged to plan ahead now and take steps to ensure your safety and well being.

For a map of impacted circuits, please click on the Realtime Incident Dashboard below.https://vcoes.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/e15ca0d2737d43cea6514 043e61f1a7c. For more information on the weather forecast, please visit The National Weather Service online. https://www.weather.gov/lox/.To file a claim for losses associated with Public Safety Power Shutoffs, clickhttps://www.sce.com/customer-service/request-support/claims. For the latest updates visit https://www.vcemergency.com/.

On Saturday, November 9th and Monday, November 11th, the City Fillmore will honor its Veterans with its annual Veterans Day parade and celebration. Saturday will be the Concert in the Park from 4pm to 7pm at 250 Central Avenue. With live music put on by the Veterans Day Celebration Committee. On Monday, November 11th, there will be a Veterans Day parade at 10am from 2nd Street to Santa Clara, with a BBQ to follow and a ceremony at Fillmore Middle School at 1pm with music and speakers, as well as a salute to the military branches.

This year’s Veterans Day Parade Grand Marshal is Reynaldo Luis “Willie” Rivera. Reynaldo was born in Santa Paula and was raised in Fillmore. His uncle, Frank Borrego, a World War II Veteran who fought in the European theatre, saw Reynaldo right after birth and immediately gave him the nickname Willie. That nickname was in honor of Frank’s best friend Willie who was killed in action. He attended Fillmore elementary schools, junior high and high school. After graduating from Fillmore High School, Willie worked at the Van Nuys General Motors Plant building Chevrolets and Pontiacs.

Willie was drafted in June of 1965 and sent to Ft. Polk, Louisiana for basic training. He completed basic training and won the Physical Combat Proficiency Test. He was then sent to Ft. Gordon, Georgia for Military Police (MP), where he was recognized as the best pistol shooter in his company. After completing training, Willie was assigned to the 534 MP Company in Panama where he served under the two best officers in the US Army, Lt. Wills, Commanding Officer, and Lt. Rogers, Executive Officer. As a Spanish speaker Willie was able to assimilate with the local population and culture and has fond memories of Panama, a beautiful country.

He was selected to do the news in Spanish on the Armed Forces Radio and TV Network. Willie was even offered the chance to go to West Point but turned it down as it would mean additional years of service.

Willie landed in Vietnam’s Tan Son Nhut airport and was assigned to Charlie Company of the 716 MP Battalion in Saigon. His tours in Louisiana and Panama enabled him to easily endure the extreme heat and humidity in Vietnam. Willie’s duties as an MP included patrolling the city on foot and by jeep, escorting convoys, guarding installations, assisting the Air Police at Tan Son Nhut and more. Willie also guarded Bob Hope, Jayne Mansfield, Nancy Sinatra and other celebrities there with the USO. The 716th MP Battalion earned the nickname Saigon Warriors for successfully defending the city during TET on January 31, 1968. Twenty-Seven MPs were lost that day and 44 wounded.

After being discharged in 1967, Willie graduated from San Jose State with the assistance of the GI Bill which enabled him to have successful careers in civil service. He has been married to Patricia (De Los Santos) for 55 years and is blessed to have three children and five grandchildren.

Looking back on his service, Willie can truly say it was an adventure and sometimes good except for Army food. Whenever Willie had a chance, he would eat at Air Force and Navy mess halls as their food was 5 stars compared to the Army slop. “To all my brothers who served, I salute you for what we endured and suffered and continue to do so because of our service”.

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Tim Gurrola’s presentation to Fillmore City Council:

My name is Tim Gurrola, a lifelong resident of Fillmore and a board Member of Tender Life Maternity Home. I’m here on behalf of Jim Duran, Executive Director of Tender Life, who regrets he cannot be present tonight because he is currently serving the City of Ventura as one of their elected officials.

As many of you know, the blessing of pregnancy is often accompanied by joy and celebration. But for women caught in cycles of poverty, addiction, or abuse, pregnancy can feel like a burden, leading to fear, abandonment, and despair. That’s where Tender Life Maternity Home steps in.

Since 1985, Tender Life has served as a beacon of hope for at- risk pregnant women, empowering them to overcome their challenges and embrace the journey of motherhood. Our mission is to equip these women with the tools they need to become confident and capable parents, who can also thrive as members of society.

We aim to break generational cycles and create brighter futures for both mothers and their children. The impact of this work extends far beyond the walls of our home, touching future generations and our broader communities.
Tender Life operates from a beautiful home in downtown Ventura, where we house up to eight mothers and their babies. Our faith- based approach offers women love and support in a structured, safe space. Our 24-hour on-site house manager and case management team work closely with each woman to ensure she has everything she needs to succeed.

In just the past five years, 49 babies have been born at Tender Life, each entering the world with the hope for a better tomorrow. The transformation these women experience is life-changing, and we are deeply proud of the progress they make.
Now, I am thrilled to share the great news: Tender Life is expanding into Fillmore with a graduate home! This new home will host two mothers and their babies who have successfully completed our program and are now in our graduate phase.
These women are gainfully employed, own their own cars, maintain savings accounts, and are working to become debt-free. Importantly, they are on their way to being completely independent, without the need for government assistance. These graduates will be valuable contributors to the Fillmore community.

We would love to invite you to join us for a Meet & Greet at our new Fillmore graduate home (237 Fillmore St.) on Friday, November 15th, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. This will be a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Tender Life, meet our residents, staff and Board of Directors, and tour the property. Refreshments and light appetizers will be served, and we hope you can join us to see firsthand the difference this new resource will make for the City of Fillmore.

Thank you for your time, your support, and for welcoming Tender Life into the Fillmore community.

On Saturday, October 5, 2024, Fillmore’s Matthew Ramirez competed in the Jiu-Jitsu World League Championships and was named champion. Above is Matthew after his final match. Photo credit Coach Michael Torres.
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Pictured above is Matthew Ramirez, representing the Fillmore Jiu-Jitsu Club with his medal after winning the Jiu-Jitsu World League Championships in the purple belt division. Photo credit Coach Michael Torres.
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Courtesy Coach Michael Torres

On Saturday, October 5, 2024, UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion was alive with excitement as the Jiu-Jitsu World League Championships drew competitors from around Southern California. Among the standout performers was Matthew Ramirez, representing the Fillmore Jiu-Jitsu Club, who emerged victorious in the purple belt division.

Ramirez, under the coaching of Professor Michael Torres, a Gracie Humaita black belt, showcased remarkable skill and determination throughout the tournament.

“Matthew’s dedication and hard work paid off,” Torres stated proudly, “securing his place as the champion in a tough field of competitors.” For Ramirez, a UCLA graduate, the accomplishment of winning at his alma mater was doubly gratifying.
The event not only highlighted individual talents but also underscored the growing prominence of local clubs like Fillmore Jiu-Jitsu in the competitive landscape. The team trains out of Perce’s Kenpo Karate Studio on Highway 126 and offers classes for kids and adults throughout the week. Call or text Professor Michael Torres at 805-443-8501 for more information.

Fillmore City Manager, Dave Rowlands
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Fillmore City Manager Dave Rowlands, 56, will be resigning as of November 29, it was announced at city council, Tuesday evening.

Rowlands has been in the position for 11 years; he is leaving for the same position in Santa Maria after more than 11 years with the city of Fillmore.

Fillmore City Council discussed forming an ad hoc committee for next steps in hiring a replacement. Councilmembers also discussed appointing Asst. City Manager Erika Herrera-Terriquez as the interim city manager.

Herrera-Terriquez has worked with Rowlands for five years, and Rowlands recommended her to be the interim city manager, and for the permanent position as Fillmore City Manager.