In response to the growing need to provide young women with the necessary skills to “say no” to drugs, alcohol and premature sexual activity at an early age, the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley is introducing SMART Girls.

The goal of the SMART Girls program is to help girls develop healthy attitudes and lifestyles. To accomplish this, the program addresses health and social issues that are specific to female Club members. SMART Girls is designed for two age-group levels, 8 to 12 and 13 to 17, according to their physiological, mental and emotional needs. In addition, the program is intended to help girls make positive decisions at this critical stage in their development.

“SMART Girls is exactly the kind of program we’ve been looking for to reach our younger female members,” said Buddy Escoto, Site Director of the Boys & Girls of Santa Clara Valley, Fillmore Clubhouse. “We have a great deal of confidence in the effectiveness of SMART Girls because it’s based upon the award-winning SMART Moves program that has been developed and tested for many years by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and is currently in use in several of the Boys & Girls Clubs in Ventura County.”

SMART Girls takes the skills, mastery and resistance training concept even further by providing gender- and age-specific information to help young women develop the necessary skills to have a long and healthy life. The specific curriculum for SMART Girls teaches young women how to do the following:
• understand and appreciate the CONTINUED »

The Artists Guild of Fillmore is presenting its first Show and Sale at Giessinger Winery located at 365 Santa Clara Street in Fillmore. The Show is scheduled for Saturday, March 27, 2010 and Sunday, March 28, 2010 from 11am – 4pm both days. Members of the Guild are all local artists and will be showing original art work selected from their respective repertoires. Visit the Guild’s website: ArtistsGuildofFillmore.org The Guild also has plans for future events that will support and focus on art and artists within our community. All are invited to come and enjoy the art work, meet the artists, and stroll the grounds of the Winery.

Grades 5 – 12 Invited to Illustrate “Western Nights and Carnival Lights”
The 2010 Ventura County Fair Poster Contest is accepting entries. The contest is open to young artists in grades 5 – 12, who reside in Ventura County. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, March 13.
The theme of the 2010 Fair is “Western Nights and Carnival Lights” and will serve as the guideline to the imagery. Artwork may be created in any medium but may not be 3 dimensional.
Rules, deadlines and other information can be found on the Fair website, www.venturacountyfair.org. For more information about the contest call 648-3376 x 110 or send an email to contest@venturacountyfair.org.
The Ventura County Fair will begin its annual 12-day run Wednesday August 4 and continue until Sunday, August 15.
For more information about the Fair, or the poster contest, please call the Ventura County Fairgrounds at 648-3376 x110 or visit www.venturacountyfair.org.

Beverly Haase was pleased to receive the Vision 2020 Civic Pride Committee “Yard of the Month” award for March from Linda Nunes, committee member. She has lived in her home on Mallard for 10 years and only began removing the front yard and side yard grass two years ago with the help of her gardener, Arnaldo Salazar of Arnaldo Salazar Landscaping.

Mature White Birch trees, a fruitless pear, pink & yellow mature hibiscus were left to frame the xeriscape design and then the earth was mounded and surrounded with a mixture of fake boulders along with real river rock from a friend’s ranch to form a dry stream bed. A bridge over the “stream” was built by Arnaldo.

Decomposed granite with a barrier underneath covers the exposed areas and flagstone forms a small patio with inviting wooden bench to observe birds visiting a birdbath nearby. Large and small cacti specimens were obtained from a grower on Grand Avenue.

Bronze flax, purple Dutch Iris, pink & purple marguerites and lavender plants add bright touches of color.
Beverly says the landscaping has dramatically lowered her water bill to a minimum.

Otto & Sons Nursery has generously donated a $25 gift certificate to be enjoyed by the award recipient.

Local artist, Wana Klasen, will be exhibiting select pieces of art from her collection, EARTHSONG, at the Proverbs Coffee House during the month of March. The gallery is located at Peace Lutheran Church, 71 Loma Drive in Camarillo, and will be open Fridays and Saturdays of March from 1-4PM. Admission to the exhibit, entitled "Embellished Reflections", featuring the work of four artists, is free, and all are invited to the Opening Reception on Saturday,March 13, 2010 from 1-4PM.

Kindergarten registration will be held on March 22– April 1, 2009, at San Cayetano School, 524-6040, Sespe School, 524-6161, Mountain Vista, 524-8302 and Piru School, 521-1709. Piru residents may register at Piru School. Parents are to register at the school site within their boundaries.

In order to complete registration, parents must have birth certificate, verification of adequate immunization for their children, verification of address (such as utility bill or driver’s license).

Parents must provide documentation that their child has completed a Physical Examination; (physical need to be dated after March 1st, 2010), and Dental/Oral Examination. All four elementary schools have a supply of the physical examination forms and forms for the dentist.

Immunizations: Required doses of Polio, DPT, MMR, Hepatitis B and Varicella vaccines.

For additional questions, contact the elementary school sites, or M. E. Romero, R.N., District Health Coordinator at 524-6029.

All around town, people are asking, “So what happened to the Piru Charter Plan? Is it over? Is it gone?” The answer is no. The Piru Charter Petition is just where the petitioners expected it to be…awaiting review by the California Advisory Commission on Charter Schools, before heading to the State Board of Education for the authorization process. The Petition will be heard on April 6 before the Advisory Commission, and in May before the State Board of Education.

Will it be authorized? The petitioners do not know. What they do know is that all nine petitioners and former Principal Richard Durborow, working with dedicated parents and community members, have given their best this year to create a school that will make life better for the children of Piru and the surrounding areas. The Piru Charter Plan offers the community smaller class sizes for their children, local control of elementary learning, and an opportunity to have one of the most beautiful and highest achieving schools in Ventura County. Many in Piru hope the state chooses to authorize it!

There is a flier going around Piru that states CONTINUED »

1. There is no mandatory volunteer work.
2. There is no tuition to be paid.
3. Charters schools are eligible to receive all Federal and State funds that the District receives (such as Migrant Program, School Lunch Program, and the After School Program).
4. A temporary Board of Directors will be appointed.
5. The majority of the Board will consist of parents, community members and business owners.
6. Parents will not be responsible for cleaning restrooms, classrooms or maintaining the campus.
7. Transportation will be provided.
8. Teachers will not lose their jobs.

**Take action to improve your school. **

If you have any questions or concerns please call us at (805) 428-9473.
We will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

***********************************************************************
Padres de Piru Charter School

1. No es CONTINUED »

The California State Board of Education will soon decide on whether to approve the Piru Charter School petition, converting Piru Elementary into an independent school of choice. This exciting change will bring much-needed educational reform to our community. Now is the time to express your support for the right of parents to choose where they send their children to school. We are asking you to take just a few minutes of your time and write a letter or email urging the State Board of Education to approve Piru Charter School.

Please send all messages of support to our mailing address or email address by Wednesday, March 17th.

By mail:
PCS
P.O. Box 555
Piru, CA 93040

Email:
pirucharterschool@earthlink.net

For questions, email us or contact the Piru Charter School Petitioning Group at:
Phone: 805 428-9473
Email: pirucharterschool@earthlink.net

We would like to invite you to a meeting. A group of Parents went to the Charter School Conference in Sacramento on Tuesday March 2, 2010. We would like to share with every parent all the great information we learned about what it is to be a Charter School. Please join us to learn more about how this could be a great opportunity for Piru School. If you have any concerns, questions, or issues you would like to address, this would be a great opportunity to have those answered.

Open your mind and heart to a new kind of education.

When: Monday March 15, 2010
Where: Piru Community Center
Time: 6:45 p.m. (Presentation starting @ 7:00p.m.)

Padres Apoyando Piru Charter School

Queremos invitarlos a una junta. Un CONTINUED »

Cindy Diaz-Telly of the Fillmore office of Troop Real Estate.

“You can be passive. Or, you can be part of the solution.”

It’s a guidepost that has played a central role in bringing Cindy Diaz-Telly of the Fillmore office of Troop Real Estate, Inc. a successful residential real estate career. This was underlined recently with her designation as “REALTOR of the Year” for the Ventura County Coastal Association of REALTORS.

The coveted designation also accents Diaz-Telly’s ongoing involvement in her profession and community, something she’s convinced enables her to better serve her clients. Previously, she served as president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals of Ventura County, and is a current member of the Real Estate Fraud Advisory Team (REFAT). Diaz-Telly also serves as the 2010 secretary/treasurer of VCCAR as well as being a member of several other committees.

“When I first became a REALTOR, my broker Bob Harrison (Troop’s West County Regional Manager) taught me the right way to do things. He showed me that the successful brokers were the ones that were informed as well as involved.

“I’ve made a point of serving my industry CONTINUED »

Lake Piru’s Bass Tournament will be held March 21st, 2010. Day Tournament Location: Lake Piru Marina, Target: Bass.

April 24th, 2010 Night Tournament, Location: Lake Piru Marina, Target: Bass. May 7th, 2010 Night Tournament, Location: Lake Piru Marina, Target: Bass.

All tournaments are open to the public call ahead and register with the front office at (805)521-1500 (X 500); Boats are available for rent during tournament hours; All California boating laws apply; Location is available for private tournaments as well public. Day or Night (805) 521-1500 (x 500).

The Fillmore Ebell Club will be entertained this month by The Razzmatappers, a tap dance troupe, at the Veterans Memorial building on March 23, 2010.

Formed in 1998, this lively troupe of seniors perform for charitable organizations and events, clubs, fairs, retirement and nursing homes and private events. The Razzmatappers' repertoire includes upbeat tap routines using their favorite music from Broadway shows, the 30's, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Their members include performers who have appeared on Broadway, TV, variety acts and dance competitions. Some have owned dance studios and have been instrumental in developing many of the fine performers active in the dance world today. Others started dancing later in life, but all share their love of dance and performing.

In July 2000, 6 members of the Troupe traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the North American Tap Dance Festival. Their routine to “Green Eyes” won them 1st Place and a Gold Medal in the Senior Category, and Choreographer Lee Olsen won 2nd Place over all the other competitors for her choreography.

The Troupe rehearses 3 times a week at California Dance Theater in Agoura, and can be reached at 805 381-9080 or 805 376-0153, for more information, or to arrange for a performance.

Anyone interested in more information, or becoming a member of the Fillmore Ebell Club, may call Trisha Armstrong at 727-1901.

DeAnna Villagomez

DeAnna Villagomez is being recognized by Soroptimist International of Fillmore for her volunteer service and her deep commitment to her community. She has volunteered for four years as well as being a captain for Relay For Life to raise monies for cancer research and treatment. In addition, has been a Big Sister for two years in the Big Brother Big Sister of Fillmore/Piru for a Fillmore Middle School Youth. In 2009 she was mentor of the year. Through Big Brothers Big Sisters/One Step a la Vez, Ms. Villagomez was able to attend a Just Communities leadership camp (CommUnity Leaders Institute) in the summer 2009. Ms. Villagomez states, “I had no idea what I was getting myself into and how this could affect me. Little did I know how oppression was occurring all around me, every day.” Following the camp, Ms. Villagomez and other attendees at the camp formed a group to stop bullying and harassment of youth at Fillmore High School as well as giving twice monthly workshops on social justice issues and equality.

The Violet Richardson award is an award given out yearly honoring young women who have made a difference in their community. Soroptimist International of Fillmore is honored to have Ms. Villagomez as the 2010 awardee.

Welcome to the second February 2010 Ventura County Sheriff Farm Watch.
Uniting farmers, ranchers, supply houses, nurseries, oilfields and our entire agricultural community.
For our newest members, remember you will never get spammed. You can un-subscribe any time, just send us an email.
Congratulations Farm Watch members!
What a perfect Saturday morning to be writing our newsletter.
We just broke the 500 member mark.
Who would have ever thought 500 ranches farms, nurseries and such..?
500 different sets of crime fighting eyes, keeping Ag-crime abated in Ventura County and joining one another in an entire virtual rural community.
Be on the Lookout (B.O.L)
Ag Commissioner Henry Gonzales and his team of investigators, combined with the Farm Bureau, state and federal scientist are looking for a fugitive called the Asian Psyllid. This critter is trying to destroy our California's $1.2-billion Ag-industry.
Just as the Asian Psyllid silently prepares to strike local farmers, so does another element of well organized fugitives.
We have recently been contacted by CONTINUED »

Conway Spitler

How many of you, in the City of Fillmore, remember the "Statement of Vision" from the Fillmore Vision 2020 Steering Committee? This was when a group of leaders in Fillmore worked on a vision plan needed to bring Fillmore's Future into Focus!

There were seven key areas of focus for Fillmore: Keeping agriculture economically viable; Recreation opportunities; Keeping agriculture economically viable; Recreation opportunities; The need for neighborliness and civic pride; Shared responsibility to the community's health, education and safety; the importance of community volunteerism and finding an economic balance involving agriculture, tourism and small, local businesses.

It was stated at the time: "The Vision Committee wants to emphasize that this is an open process. We are open to a variety of ideas and we will listen to what the public has to say. The challenge is advancing these wants and needs in a way that is most beneficial to everyone in the community. But we shouldn’t be afraid to aim high."
Where do we stand now?