Our program last week was presented by Danny Haro, Executive Producer of Higher Ground Entertainment. He related a story about a young man who came to America for a better life. He started as a farm laborer, went to night school, on to college and finally became a brain surgeon. Dr. Q, his nickname, wanted to give back so be began Mission Brain, where he could perform brain surgery all over the world for free. The doctor will be going to Mexico City on Dec. 17th to perform brain surgery, and Danny Haro will be going along to make a documentary film of the surgery. This will be used to inspire young people to get involved in medicine and STEM. Courtesy Rotarian Martha Richardson.

By Linda Nunes

Candi Tovar, of 342 Palm Drive in El Dorado Estates, was chosen the Civic Pride Volunteers’ “Yard of the Month” winner for November. Candi has lived in Fillmore for 15 years, after growing up on a ranch in Newhall; her family still owns that ranch. She gathered many vintage farm implements and interesting items like wagon wheels, and old saws from her father’s barn to display on her fence and boulders, and rocks to arrange next to nine or more old roses and pots of cacti and succulents. Among the plants were scented rose geraniums, blooming epiphytes, asparagus fern, several Crassula and Kalanchoe varieties, Echeveria in bloom, and a large unusual grey cactus that we couldn’t identify. Candi expressed over and over how much she “loves her yard” and was delighted to tell the stories behind specific plants. As she talked, she touched her plants like “old friends” and was so happy to receive the $50 gift card from Otto and Sons Nursery to add to her collection. Civic Pride Volunteers appreciate the generosity of Otto & Sons Nursery which has provided the awards since the beginning of the Yard of the Month project. The next award will be for holiday decorations in December.

By Linda Nunes

Civic Pride Volunteers have chosen Lilia and Marco Martinez’s yard at 1372 Waterford to receive the $50 “Yard of the Month” award, generously given by Otto & Sons Nursery.

The family has lived at this location for about 20 years, but never had visited the nursery, so they will enjoy the amazing park-like setting while they shop.

Marco wisely designed and installed, a drought tolerant yard using decomposed granite pathways with weed barrier cloth and river pebbles in circles of varying sizes. They were planted with purple flowering, Buddleja davidii or Summer Lilac (Butterfly Bush), Ponytail Palm (Elephant’s Foot), and a Grevillea tree as the focus of the circles. Beneath these are succulents like Stapelio gigantea known as Carrion plant because of the rotted flesh smell of the unusual flowers. Their plant has two large buds ready to open. Blue agave and other cacti, Milk Weed, Acacia Saligna, Lemon Grass, Red Crown of Thorns and Salvia add interest.

We were surprised and pleased to see a native bee condo from our Fillmore Flower Show boutique in the middle of the Salvia bush!

For vertical balance, they had Epiphytes and three types of Passionflower vines growing up a trellis and the fence.

Drive past their yard and see how attractive a drought tolerant landscape can be.

Last week the Rotary Club speaker was Nicholas Cochiolo, a swordsmith who has been featured on the History Channel. He began in Martial Arts when he was young and in time became fascinated with Medieval Martial Arts, swords, helmets and armor. He is an artist and welder and taught himself how to make replicas of dueling swords and helmets. A helmet may take 70 hours to perfect and the weapons and sword’s from 40-100 hours. Each sword has a specific purpose and are balanced to perfection.

The Historic Fillmore Theater will open its doors on October 15, 2022 for a FREE screening of the movie “ . . . and the earth did not swallow him”. The movie is a portrait of the life of a poor Mexican American boy and his migrant farm worker family as they struggle to adjust to life in American society. Many of the scenes were filmed in nearby Piru.

Adapted from the novel “. . . y no se lo trago la tierra”, written by Tomas Rivera and published in 1971, the film was produced for American Playhouse, PBS’s weekly drama series. Tomas Rivera was once a migrant worker, and later went on to become the highest ranking Mexican American in higher education as the Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside. It is truly an inspiring film.

October 15 is also the last day of National Hispanic American Heritage Month 2022. The film is dedicated to the Mexican American Community in Fillmore. There will be two free showings: A matinee at 4:00 p.m., and a 6:00 p.m. showing. The 6:00 p.m. showing will also feature the Los Rayos Mariachi band, and many of the actors in the film will be available for a Meet & Greet, and will be available to answer any questions about the movie. Free popcorn will be available.

Author, Tomas Rivera, was himself a migrant worker as a child, and later went on to become the highest ranking Mexican American in higher education as the Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside. Told through the eyes of Marcos, a twelve-year-old boy, the film emphasizes Marcos’ desire to educate himself. Through its many human stories of growing up as a Mexican American, the story exposes the rich cultural traditions which have given shape to life in the American Southwest.

You are cordially invited to join us Saturday, October 15, 2022 at noon on the Saint Francis of Assisi Church patio for the Annual Rosary Rally. Our prayers are for peace and for the well being of all residents and participants. We include a Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and a procession once around Two Rivers Park with mounted statue of our Blessed Virgin Mary. The church is located at Highway 126 and C Street. For more information, please call Maggie at 805-524-1306 or Darlene at 805-524-9929.

The Rotary speaker last week was Shanti Sandosham from The Abundant Table. It is a non-profit which grows vegetables and donates to those in need. She attended UC Davis and majored in farming and graduated from Channel Islands Univ. When she found this organization she knew this was her calling. They are now farming on the King & King Ranch on Guiberson Road. They grow tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, fennel, etc. They box up the vegetables and deliver them all over the county. They hope to give tours to students, teach them about growing and even let them harvest.

Ventura County Fair 2022 Up-and-coming ranchers and future farmers in the Ventura County 4-H, Grange, FFA and individual youth programs have spent the better part of a year raising, grazing and tending to market animals for exhibition and sale in the Toyota Livestock Area at the 2022 Ventura County Fair, August 3-14.

Everyone including community members and businesses are encouraged to bid on and buy the locally raised lambs, hogs, goats, poultry and beef in support of local youth at the Ventura County Fair Junior Livestock Auction, Friday, August 12.

If you have never attended an auction, we encourage you to attend, The expert auction staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have and walk you through the process.

When you buy an animal, you can stock your home freezer with top-quality meat, great to have for that backyard barbecue or block party, you can share it or give a one-of-a-kind gift to a friend, family member or to FOOD Share to show your community support.

Participants follow quality production practices in nutrition, health, care and handling of their livestock to assure the meat meets high quality standards. The 4H, Grange, FFA and individual livestock projects are valuable tools for teaching life skills and responsibility to youth, who dedicate their own time and resources to care for an animal and learn a sustainable business practice. As exhibitors graduate and conclude their livestock showing careers, they use the skills learned and the connections made at the show into college and their professional careers.

Interested bidders can register at the auction. There will be a new buyer registration table in front of the Clark Pavilion. There is no registration fee. Once registered, you are given a buyer card. All buyers can park in the main lot and there will be shuttles to take eyou to livestock. The auction begins at 9am with lunch being served from 11am-2pm. All champions will be auctioned at noon.

To bid, simply raise your hand as the exhibitor leads their animal into the auction arenaand a spotter will call on you. The spotter will go back to them and ask if you want to raise the bid if another buyer is bidding against you.The highest bidder buys the animal.

The Ventura County Fair Junior Livestock Auction, presented by Gold Coast Toyota Dealers, will begin at 9AM on Friday, August 12. For more information visit www.venturacountyfair.org

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Fillmore neighborhoods are invited to participate in National Night Out, on Tuesday, August 2, 2022 from 6 pm to 8 pm. This is an opportunity to engage in relationship building with deputies and other selected representatives.

National Night Out is an annual crime prevention event and community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie that make our neighborhoods safer all year round. National Night Out is a community building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships.

“National Night Out is a great opportunity for residents to meet and greet different team members assigned to various Sheriff’s Specialized Units for an evening of activities,” said Fillmore Police Chief Garo Kuredjian. “Community policing is more critical than ever before. It’s important for our residents and students to engage with our team in a positive environment and know that we are truly here to serve them and keep them safe.”

The City of Fillmore, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Fillmore Police Department is committed to maintaining the safety of all residents by continued community partnership.

The Fillmore Police Department invites the community to come out and ask questions, get crime prevention advice, and get to know the officers in your neighborhood. Together, we are making communities safer, more caring places to live.

To learn more about National Night Out in the City of Fillmore, contact Sergeant Will Hollowell at the Fillmore Police Department, 805-524-2233.

Prepared by: Sergeant Will Hollowell
Approved by: Captain Garo Kuredjian, Fillmore Police Chief