LOS ANGELES, CA — IRS Free File, which has been making taxes a little less taxing for a decade, opens today, Jan. 17. More than 33 million returns have been filed through Free File since its debut.

Everyone can use Free File, either the brand-name software offered by IRS’ commercial partners or the online fillable forms. Individuals or families with 2011 adjusted gross incomes of $57,000 or less can use Free File software. Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms, has no income restrictions.
“Free File truly helps make taxes less taxing. Taking advantage of this program means you can prepare and electronically file your tax return, for free,” said IRS spokeswoman Anabel Marquez. “It’s great because the software helps you find any tax breaks you are due.”

Seventy percent of taxpayers – 100 million people - are eligible for Free File software. It’s perfect for first-time filers, families looking to save money or older Americans adept at using the Internet.

The easiest way to locate a software provider is to use the online “get help” tool at www.irs.gov/freefile that, with a little of a taxpayer’s information such as income, age and state residency, can identify matching free-file products. Or, taxpayers can review all providers and their offers. Some software providers also offer state income tax preparation for free or for a fee.

For taxpayers whose incomes are more than $57,000, there’s Free File Fillable Forms, available only at the IRS website. This program is best for taxpayers experienced in preparing their own federal tax returns. For people who prefer doing their taxes the old fashioned way – by paper – this is an electronic alternative.

Taxpayers must access the free-file products through IRS.gov to avoid any charges for preparing or e-filing a federal tax return.

Once taxpayers have selected a Free File software product, they will be directed away from IRS.gov to the partner’s site to prepare and e-file their returns. The IRS does not retain any personal information from the taxpayers.

The IRS also encourages businesses, state and local governments, charities and churches to inform their employees, clients and customers about Free File.

International Service is one of the five avenues of service that the Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers participates in yearly. This year the Sun Risers have joined other Rotary clubs and organizations to reach out internationally. In October 2011, the Club made a $1,000 donation to the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise toward their ongoing clean water project in Kenya. Santa Barbara Rotarians partnered with Engineers without Boarders (based at UCSB) in 2010 to build a much needed water well in Kenya. The Fillmore Rotarian’s donation will help this project continue and expand.

Fillmore Sun Risers have also joined the Rotary Club of Ventura and the Ventura Rotaract Club on their wonderful projects in Nicaragua. On Tuesday, January 17th members of the Rotaract Club will be making a presentation about their travels to Nicaragua in November 2011. The Fillmore Sun Risers helped sponsor the Rotaract by applying for a travel grant through Rotary District 5241. If you are interested in seeing this wonderful presentation please contact Cindy Blatt at 906-4114. The presentation will be at El Pescador Restaurant at 7:00 AM.

Another ongoing international project and fund raiser is the sale of Green Mountain Coffee. Green Mountain Coffee is high quality, organic and Fair Trade in origin. The program provides revenue for the Fillmore Rotary Sun Risers (for international and community projects), for Rotary International and for the Rotary Foundation’s Clean Water for Coffee Producing Countries Donor Advised Fund. Six countries have benefited from the efforts to provide clean water to coffee producing countries: Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Bolivia, Haiti and Honduras. 1.1 billion people still do not have access to clean water. Bags of coffee are only $10. Contact Rotarian Kyle Wilson at Edward Jones in Fillmore. There are a variety of flavors.

Upcoming events/fund raisers and speaker: 1) Tuesday, Jan, 17th – presenation on Nicaragua project; Annual Casino Nite Fund Raiser at El Pescador, Friday, April 27th. Tickets will be available soon; Heritage Valley 10/5k Run/Walk on Saturday, May19th.

For more information about the Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers, call Sean at 796-0276.

Sacramento, CA – Board of Equalization (BOE) Chairman Jerome E. Horton is urging fellow Californians to band together to combat the abusive practice of illegal human slavery and observe National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on Wednesday, January 11, 2012.

“Human trafficking erodes an individual’s most basic human rights,” said Horton. “Our increased awareness may be the key to bringing these cases to light and giving freedom to countless victims who have suffered under this horrible exploitation.”

Horton’s comments come on the heels of last weekend’s Los Angeles Freedom Walk where he told participants that it is unacceptable to have people in our own country subjected to this heinous crime, where they are confined, forced to work under threats of violence, and isolated from anyone who can help them escape.

In an effort to address this growing problem, Chairman Horton plans to sponsor legislation he hopes will eradicate human trafficking. He said this activity is a large and growing part of California’s underground economy, a crisis that robs our state of an estimated $8 billion in revenue annually and undermines legitimate businesses.

Horton’s initiative is to create a multi-agency California Tax Agencies Human Trafficking Task Force, designed to increase communication between state tax agencies and streamline the sharing of information, resources and enforcement efforts. Horton is also reaching out to other state agencies and departments with similar missions to serve as partners.

This partnership’s goal is to sift out horrific situations of human slavery and trafficking by unscrupulous employers who engage in illegal tax evasion by failing to pay their employment taxes, insurance, income tax, sales and use tax.

In March 2010, Horton launched a statewide human trafficking initiative creating a partnership with the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Human Trafficking (CAST) to provide training and education for Investigators from all three state tax agencies, Board of Equalization (BOE), the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and the Employment Development Department (EDD), to recognize signs of human trafficking. The training has empowered them to proactively assist in state and national efforts to eradicate human trafficking.

“We applaud Chairman Horton’s leadership on this issue,” said Kay Buck, Executive Director of the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST). “His dedication to working on a state-wide level to address this modern-day slavery, and ensure our government is really doing all it can, is truly commendable.”

FACT: Los Angeles is one of the top three destination cities in the United States for human trafficking. California is one of the top four states. Employers who abuse workers in this way inevitably engage in illegal tax evasion that impacts sales and use taxes, income taxes, employment taxes and insurance; contributing factors to the underground economy.

Ventura County Animal Services Shelter
600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo, CA
January 26th, 2012 at 9:00 A.M.

Residents of Ventura County and members of the rescue community interested in a No-Kill county shelter will rally at the Camarillo facility on Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 9AM. The Ventura County Animal Services Commission will be conducting a public meeting at this time. On the agenda, members of the local rescue community will be presenting a series of documents detailing current conditions, procedures and protocols at the shelter that contribute to the continued use of euthanasia as a population management tool.

An average of 50 to 100 adoptable dogs and cats are euthanized every week of the year at the facility. The general public and rescuers are demanding that immediate changes be implemented at the shelter to reduce and then eliminate their continued killing. There is a proven combination of programs called the “No Kill Equation” that over time will accomplish this goal. (www.nokilladvocacycenter.org)

Taxpayers in Ventura County should be able to expect our shelter to do these things (and more) with the $5.5 million annual budget granted to the Camarillo facility.

Apart from the humane concerns, it is bad business to kill adoptable animals. It is a waste of taxpayer money to expend resources killing thousands of animals that, with the implementation of life saving programs, would generate income for the county and for the local business community.

It doesn't make sense to spend taxpayer money to euthanize perfectly amazing companion animals when puppy-mill pet stores are selling pets. It’s better that the public adopt pets at the shelter, which will (1) save pets' lives, (2) save taxpayer money that would otherwise be spent on housing and euthanizing pets, and (3) put the inhumane puppy mills out of business.

These issues and others will be the topic of discussion at the Commission meeting on January 26, 2012. Everyone who is interested in how our county shelter can more effectively utilize taxpayer dollars and kill fewer animals is urged to attend this most important meeting and rally in support of No-Kill. Supporters are asked to wear yellow and blue ribbons pinned to their lapel as a visual show of support. For more information visit http://www.vcpapa.org

What: 10 Warning Signs and Communication and Behaviors

When: Wednesday, January 18, 2012, 1 to 3 p.m.

Where: The Alzheimer’s Association, 80 North Wood Rd., Suite 302, Camarillo, Ca 93010

Join us for a FREE workshop on recognizing the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s disease, tips on communicating with someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, and gain an understanding of behaviors related to dementia.

To register please call Carol Swinney at 805.484.6028 or carol.swinney@alz.org.

Location: 725 E. Main Street, Santa Paula
Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center
805-933-8452

Wednesday, January 18 - Resumes that Sell, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm - Hands-on workshop providing assistance in completing a resume, cover and thank-you letters. Walk away with a portfolio that shows off professional skills and experience. Career Shops are offered at no cost to Job Seekers. Space is limited. Prior registration required by calling the Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center at 805-933-8452 to enroll.

Monday, January 23 - Power of VOS (Virtual OneStop), 9:00 am – 12:00 noon – Learn about the Virtual OneStop website and how you can use the various tools in the system to build your resume and customize your job search to a specific location and occupation. Must have basic computer skills. Career Shops are offered at no cost to Job Seekers. Space is limited. Prior registration required by calling the Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center at 805-933-8452 to enroll.

Wednesday, January 25 - Winning Interviews, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm - Supplies the tools to make a lasting first impression when interviewing. Career Shops are offered at no cost to Job Seekers. Space is limited. Prior registration required by calling the Santa Clara Valley Job & Career Center at 805-933-8452 to enroll.

Career Shops are presented in partnership with Ventura County Job & Career Centers and are sponsored by the Human Services Agency and the Workforce Investment Board. Equal opportunity Employer/Program/Service – TDD/TT Inquiries call 1 (800) 735-2922. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individual with disabilities.

This is the 5th One-Per-Member-Mini-Show of original art by local artists on the north wall inside the Library. The Library is located at 502 Second Street. It is open Monday and Tuesday 2-7, Wednesday 10-5, Thursday through Saturday 12-5, Sunday closed.

Livingston Memorial VNA & Hospice conducts various adult grief support groups to help those who have experienced a loss. Explore and express feeling, understand the grief process and receive emotional support. Free of charge, all are welcome. The groups are: held:

Weekly: Wednesday; 3:00 – 4:30 pm @ The First Presbyterian Church, 850 Ivywood Drive, Oxnard

Weekly: Wednesday; 6:30 – 8:00 pm @ Livingston Memorial VNA, 1996 Eastman Ave (#106), Ventura

Bi-Monthly: 2nd & 4th Tuesday; 3:00 – 4:00pm @ The Townhouse, 4900 Telegraph Rd, (7th floor), Ventura

Monthly: For the newly bereaved; the second Tuesday; 6:00 – 7:00 pm @ Livingston Memorial VNA, 1996 Eastman Ave (#106), Ventura

For more information call: 642-0239

Sandy Morse, RN
Director of Community and Professional Relations
Livingston Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice
1996 Eastman Ave, Suite 101
Ventura, CA 93003
www.livingstonvna.org

Santa Clara Valley Disposal will maintain its regular Friday trash and recyclables collection schedule in Fillmore on Jan. 20, during the week of Martin Luther King Jr.

For more information, call 647-1414.

Sheriff Geoff Dean

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Foundation presents Lunch with the Sheriff

Thursday, January 19, 2012 11:30am
North Ranch Country Club
4761 Valley Spring Drive
Westlake Village, CA 91362
Tickets $35

Sheriff Geoff Dean will be the guest speaker at the Foundation’s First Annual Briefing Luncheon. Sheriff Dean will look back at 2011 and brief us on his plans and goals for the future of law enforcement in Ventura County for 2012. Foundation memberships will be available at a discounted rate. Tickets for the luncheon are $35 and may be purchased by visiting www.VCSheriffsFoundation.org. Tables for 10 with program recognition and sponsorships are available by contacting Nancy Frawley at 805‐492‐4398.

On Tuesday, Dec. 20th the Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers heard a presentation from FHS juniors Cassandra Galvez and Laura Garnica about their experience at RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). The Sun Risers sponsored Cassandra and Laura for this four day camp. They attended the camp in April 2011 at Camp Ramah in Ojai. Each year, thousands of young people take part in RYLA program worldwide. Young people are chosen for their leadership potential to attend an all-expenses-paid camp to discuss leadership skills and to learn those skills through practice. RYLA aims to provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders; encourage leadership of youth by youth; encourage youth to make a difference in their communities through volunteer work and social responsibility; and demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth. Cassandra and Laura told the Sun Risers that they felt the came back with more confidence and with the desire to help make Fillmore a better place.

On Tuesday, Dec. 27th Rotarians welcomed Marty Estrada from the Ventura County Human Services Agency. Marty is a Career Center Coordinator. Marty told the Club members about the resources like computer, printer and fax machine use that the Career Centers provide to job seekers free of charge. The Centers help with workshops, employment assistance and VOS (Virtual One Stop) Online resources. The Career Center in Fillmore is located in the Ventura county building on Ventura Street. The Santa Paula Career Center is located at 725 E. Main Street.

Upcoming Rotary events include: picking two students to attended 2012 RYLA program; 2nd Annual Casino Night (April 27th); Heritage Valley 10/5K run and fun walk (May). Upcoming speakers: Greg Abrams from Ventura Rotaract Club to talk about Nicaragua project (Jan. 17); Santa Barbara Sun Rise Rotary Club on Kenya Clean Water project; Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks on Cancer Clinic for children project in Tijuana.

The Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers meets weekly at El Pescador Restaurant at 7:00 AM. For more information about attending a meeting and about the Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers, call Sean at 796-0276.

Wells Fargo store managers select 52 local nonprofit organizations to receive $1,000 in unsolicited grants at company’s annual Community Support Breakfast.

Wells Fargo awarded 52 nonprofits with $1,000 in unsolicited contributions as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to support the communities it serves. The gifting ceremony was held at the Westlake Village Inn on Oct. 20. Organizations receiving the grant money included: A Foundation for Kids; Animal Regulation Volunteer Auxiliary; Arts for Action; Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Clara Valley; Boys & Girls Clubs of Ventura; Calabash Charter Academy; Camarillo Hospice; Causes from the Heart (Alexandria House); Chabad Israel Center; Children's Learning Center; Citrus Glen Elementary; Community Leaders Association; Conejo Elementary; CSU Channel Islands Foundation; El Centrito Family Learning Centers; Envision Center – MOPS; Farming Independence; Fillmore Middle School; FOOD Share; For the Troops; Friends of the Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library; Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County; Hope Ranch Animal Rescue; Interface Children & Family Services; Joy of All Who Sorrow; Kessab Educational Association of Los Angeles; Kidsave; Little Edwin's Triumph; Loving Heart Hospice; Malibu Foundation for Youth & Families; Mattel Children's Hospital; Muscular Dystrophy Association; Ocean Charter School; Oxnard Police Activities League; Piru Youth Sports/Piru Neighborhood Council; Roosevelt Elementary School Booster Club; Say No to Drugs Race; School on Wheels; Senior Nutrition Action Council; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Stillpoint Family Resources; Stitches from the Heart; Tender Heart Haven; The Lighthouse Christian Academy; the Wellness Community; Triunfo YMCA; Ventura Education Partnership; Ventura Family YMCA; Ventura Wildcats; Virginia Avenue Project; and Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology.

Wells Fargo & Company invested a record $17.3 million in 1,600 schools and nonprofits in Greater Ventura and Los Angeles counties in 2010 – up 16 percent from 2009. In addition, Greater Los Angeles Wells Fargo employees contributed more than $5 million and 27,724 volunteer hours to local nonprofits and schools to help their neighborhoods and communities succeed. Total investments in the community by Wells Fargo and its employees exceeded $22 million in 2010. Nationwide, the Company invested a record $219 million in grants in 19,000 nonprofits, and team members contributed more than 1.3 million volunteer hours around the country. For more information, please visit: www.wellsfargo.com/about/csr.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 23 on Fortune’s 2011 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

Ventura, CA - The California Central Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council has honored Community Memorial Health System with its 2011 Green Healthcare Award.

CMHS was cited for its state-of-the-art and environmentally-friendly Vineyard Center for Family Health office in Oxnard which opened in November 2010. Located at 2361 East Vineyard Ave., the office has previously earned LEED Gold in the Healthcare category – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – certification from the United States Green Building Council.

To earn LEED certification, CMHS designed and built the Vineyard CFH using diverse green strategies in key areas of human and environmental health, including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

In honoring CMHS, the California Central Coast Chapter of the USGBC commended its Vineyard CFH office specifically for:

 Saving energy by 21 percent;
 Saving 12,500 gallons of water per year;
 Using local building materials that support the local economy and reduce the amount of embodied energy for transportation;
 Selecting a location for the office to minimize transportation impacts on patients.

At over 10,000 square feet, the Vineyard site also is nearly twice the size of the CFH Citrus Grove office it replaced, with more work stations and larger waiting rooms. And unlike its previous location, the Vineyard office offers primary care and special care services in separate areas of the building. Specialty areas include: internal medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatric and women’s health, cardiology, psychiatry and rheumatology.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and ten family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

See beneficial insects and learn about the destructive Asian citrus psyllid, when the Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula offers a tour of the oldest insectary in the United States on Saturday, January 21 at 10 a.m. Participants should meet at the Agricultural Museum, then walk or carpool to the nearby Associates Insectary. After the tour, they can return to the museum to enjoy the exhibits. The tour is included in the museum’s admission price, free to museum members.

Up to two million beneficial insects and mites are produced at the insectary every day, and liberated over 10,000 acres of orchards owned by the facility’s grower members in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The Associates Insectary, located at its current site in Santa Paula since 1928, is a grower-owned cooperative raising beneficial insects and other organisms to help fight destructive pests, especially those which threaten citrus and avocado crops.

The Museum of Ventura County’s Agriculture Museum is located at 926 Railroad Avenue, Santa Paula, California, in their historic downtown, near the Depot and next to the railroad tracks. Hours are 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 children 6-17, free for Museum of Ventura County members, and for children ages 5 and younger. For more information, go to www.venturamuseum.org or call (805) 525-3100.

Fillmore Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for Citizen of the Year. Nominations forms are available on the Chamber’s website www.fillmorechamber.com or at the Chamber office 557 Ventura St.