Ventura County Library now offers their library card holders Freegal, free and legal downloadable music. Freegal, from Library Ideas, offers access to over 3 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. All tracks are MP3 format. Registered library card holders may download three (3) tracks each month at https://vencolibrary.freegalmusic.com/. Freegal Music apps are available in the Apple® App Store and Google Play®.

Freegal allows Ventura County Library to increase the size and diversity of its collection by offering free access to over 10,000 music labels from 65 different countries.

“We have been waiting a long time for a service like this that delivers great music, compatibility with lots of devices and simplicity of use. We think this will be incredibly popular with our patrons and will help the library in marketing all its services to the community,” said Jackie Griffin, Director of Ventura County Library.

The Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.

Camarillo, CA - Co-chairs Betty Bright-Martinez and Kay Wigton have announced that the gardens have been chosen for the 17th annual Camarillo Hospice Spring Garden Tour on Sunday, May 5, from 12 to 4 PM. “Put it on your calendar now, and get your tickets,” says Bright-Martinez, “because you do not want to miss this Tour!”

The five private gardens in Camarillo featured on this year’s Tour belong to: Eliane and Malcolm Jordan, Nedra and Jim Kindig, Susan Naumann, Diane and Doug Off and Esper Petersen. Original artwork by local artists will be on display and local musicians will provide live music. There also will be a boutique, opportunity drawings and refreshments.

Major sponsors of the event are LM Storage, Platinum; Union Bank/Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, Gold; Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union and Ron D. Speakman, C.P.A./Speakman Wealthcare, Silver; Darancare and Karen Knight, Bronze; and B & B Do It Center and Valenzano Insurance Services, Garden.

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If you were one of the hundreds who attended the Santa Clara Valley Railroad Historical Society's Rail Fest... you had a blast! If not... you missed a toot... er... hoot! Actually both! Speeder rides, the Frontier Gun Fighters, scrumptious barbie, entertaining music, arts & crafts, pony rides and of course...train rides by the Fillmore & Western Railway... featuring the star of the show... #14, the awesome 1913 Baldwin steam locomotive.

Indisputably... railroad aficionados are born train chasers. I know this because I'm one. It's addictive. There's something about the massive machines called locomotives... especially steam engines... that is indescribably fascinating. My high school yearbook states my career goal: Railroad engineer. Yep. But that didn't happen. Happenstance... the military draft... stepped in with a different idea. Or was that destiny. At any rate... with #14 Tresa Jean running... of course off I go... camera in tow... chasing to and fro. But I digress.

On the first day of the festival... besides all the usual activities...I noticed something unusual... and interesting. It was #14's first run of the day... from Central Station down to the fish hatchery... charge back up the hill... and stop at the west end of the Disney tunnel west of Hwy 126. Everyone would disembark... the train would back through the tunnel... and then come charging through the tunnel... billowing a huge cloud of black smoke... steam whistle blaring... yes... that's a photo op complete with goose bumps! So far... that's all normal. What was not normal was that in the engineer's seat was 86-year-young Vincent Cipolla.

Back at Central Station, prompted by a glimpse of his storied history... I captured a photo of visiting engineer Luke Johnson and engineer Vincent Cipolla shaking hands with his protegé Andy Wilkinson of the Fillmore & Western Railway. Afterward I learned of Cipolla's enduring and fascinating railroading life.

First a little historical background. The railroad seed was planted in Cipolla about the age of 8 when he was at a railroad yard with his father. He was invited into the cab of a steam locomotive and instantly fascinated with the firebox, the myriad controls, the sounds and smells. Perhaps that's when destiny took control. Later, at the age of fifteen, being a big guy for his age... he was successful at passing himself off as 18 when he approached a yardman and asked for a job. For whatever reason, Southern Pacific bought his story and the rest... well you know... is history.

At the Taylor roundhouse... he started out learning about locomotive electrical systems and such. But back during the war years, Cipolla explained you did everything in the yard to keep the locomotives running. And everybody backed up everybody else. Get the job done was priority #1 and he was the big kid eager to learn... and learn a lot he did... fast!

Later on, Cipolla became a fireman on Southern Pacific trains running to various points north. After thirteen long years as a fireman... the big day! Cipolla was awarded his railroad engineer's license on June 13, 1951.

Beginning ranked 389 on the Southern Pacific's seniority list... by 1984 he worked his way up to #1. With a higher ranking came the more... ahem... plush runs. Eventually... diesel locomotives came along and he was transferred to engineering coastal trains running from L.A. up to San Louis Obispo. Ah yes... the banker's run he declared... leave L.A. 8:30 a.m... arrive in SLB 2:30 p.m.... spend the night... leave SLB 2:30 and arrive back in L.A. 5:30 p.m. the next day.

Through all the years... Cipolla was always mindful of his beginnings... at a very young age... and all those that came along and helped guide his career. Accordingly, one day the usual run became unusual. He was engineering a train south and got word about a young boy eager to ride a train. At the stop in Oxnard, Cipolla met the lad and his mother. When asked if the boy would like to run the train... the boy beamed. Up in the cab he went. After showing the boy the throttle, the horn, whistle etc... he had him push the throttle forward and the big engine roared to life. Getting the highball... off they went... the boy blowing the horn at all the appropriate times. After dropping off passengers in Glendale, with the young boy again at the controls... they took the train at track speed to the yard in Burbank where they met the boys mother. As they pulled into the yard... all the tower operator could only see the boy at the controls... Cipolla behind him unseen. Surprised... the tower operator notified the higher authorities... and the yard superintendent, and assistant superintendent and others were there to meet them. Upon handing the boy off to his mother, Cipolla asked him his name. Henry Kaiser Jr. the boy proudly proclaimed. No one fussed about the boy being at the controls.

In 1982, Cipolla explained, Amtrak came along taking over passenger trains. Because Amtrak needed engineers, Cipolla rounded out his long railroading career as an engineer instructor, retiring in 1989.

So he thought. After retirement... the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) came calling. He went back to work for the FRA... again as an instructor through the late 90's. In the meantime, he was also running short lines part time.

As an extraboarder, Cipolla sometimes engineered a train to Fillmore... leaving the L.A. area, going over the hill to Saugus, and then into Fillmore. Most times spending a night or two in town in the area of Santa Clara Street and Central. After swapping around some freight cars... he headed back to the L.A. yard where the fruit was chilled for the long ride back east. So Fillmore was not strange territory when the line was an active branch connected to the big world.

Then one day not too long ago... in the Fillmore & Western yard... Cipolla noticed a young man... Andy Wilkinson... idling passing time. Remember, Cipolla readily concedes that a lot of good people played a big hand in guiding his career. They were all there... always... to teach him and help him at every opportunity. A facet of his life that he's never forgotten... or taken lightly... to this very day he told me. So... as his character dictates... Cipolla wasted no time planting the seed... so to speak. Let me show you something, urged Cipolla, teaching young Andy a thing or two. And the training began. Over the years... Cipolla taught the eager-to-learn Andy much about steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, their electrical systems, mechanical operating systems, rules-of-the-road and all other things a competent railroad man needs to know. To this day, Cipolla remains Andy's mentor for all things associated with railroading.

As Andy explained: “My parents (Dave and Tresa Wilkinson) own the Fillmore & Western so I'd come out here to the yard. One day Vince came by and said... 'hey, get your hands out of your pockets and get to work.' And that's how I met him. I was seventeen at that time. From then on, he came out on weekends and taught me how to run engines. He (Cipolla) took a hold of me and showed me everything and I'd began to love doing it. Because of his dedication and encouragement, I was rewarded with my engineer's license on my 18th birthday.” But he stated that it wasn't a cakewalk. Vince, Andy explained, was a very stern teacher... “it was his way or no way.” But along the way... “a lot of life's memories made right there that I won't forget. I still talk to him to this day. You're always learning (doing this work) and I still have questions so I call him and say... 'hey... I had this happen and what can I change about it' and he'll tell me ways about doing it. Now... I enjoy everyday doing this work... the kind of job where I look forward to going to work.”

After a railroad career spanning many decades.. Vincent Cipolla proclaims that he's seen it all... done it all... and enjoyed every minute of it. Railroading has been a wonderful life he states. Cipolla may not be on an active payroll but this engineer remains active. Don't be surprised to seem him beaming in the engineer's seat next year.

After high school, before Cipolla came along, Andy thought he was going to work on offshore ole rigs. Was Vince and Andy's chance meeting in the railroad yard happenstance... or destiny? Hmmm.

WHAT: Citrus Blossom Century and Metric Century Ride offers cycling enthusiasts and fans the opportunity to ride one of California’s prime agricultural regions while supporting youth mentoring programs of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Smell the fragrant fruit blossoms as you tour agricultural highlights of Ventura County. The route winds up Grimes Canyon through the Los Posas Valley, Somis, Camarillo, Oxnard Plains, East Ventura Foothills, Santa Paula farmlands, Bardsdale orchards and Fillmore fields. The day begins at Two-River Park in Fillmore. The metric century route takes in the Fillmore Orchards to Camarillo Foothills / El Rio Strawberry Fields and follows the foothills of Ventura and Santa Paula, before returning to Fillmore. Elevation gain is 2,756’. A 5-mile family ride is also available.

HOW: Register online or by mail. $55 for Century and metric century; $25 for Family Ride before April 1st, 2013. Late registration is $65; event day registration is $75. Visit http://www.active.com/cycling/fillmore-ca/fillmore-citrus-blossom-centur... or www.bbsvc.org to register. Registration includes: route slip and bib number; SAG stops with food/water/bike support. Jerseys available for purchase, BBQ available after the ride. If registration is by mail, make checks payable to Big Brothers Big Sisters and mail to 445 Rosewood Ave Suite Q, Camarillo, CA 93010

WHY: 100% of all proceeds will benefit the mentoring programs of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, an organization dedicated to changing the lives of children and youth facing adversity for the better, forever. Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than 1,500 youth and their families in Ventura County and neighboring communities, and is the top ranked youth mentoring organization in the country by Guidestar’s Philanthropedia, because of its evidence-based mentoring model with proven youth outcomes.

WHO: Come out and enjoy the best farmlands of Ventura County alongside fellow riders and at the same time support the efforts of mentors and youth programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters. The Citrus Blossom Century ride is supported by the Fillmore Rotary; both organizations work together and help children navigate into adulthood responsibly.

WHEN/WHERE: The Citrus Blossom Century will take place on Saturday, April 6 starting at 8:00 a.m. Event begins at Two Rivers Park, 1300 River Street, Fillmore. Two Rivers Park is at the west-end of Fillmore. You can access it from Highway 126 in Fillmore. Either take D Street or C Street, south to the park. A Google earth KMZ route file to see the elevations and course is available upon request. Helmets required for ALL riders.

We invite individuals, companies and local businesses to consider advertising and sponsorship opportunities by contacting Lisa Meeker at 805.484.2282 x 18 or by e-mailing lmeeker@bbsvc.org.

Visit our website at www.bbsvc.org or call 805.484.2282 for additional event updates. Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/bbsvc/events

The long valued Fillmore Flower Show, to be held April 13-14, 2013, at the Fillmore Senior Center, 533 Santa Clara Street, Fillmore with the theme, “Fiesta of Flowers”, will provide an opportunity for all gardening enthusiasts and even some non-green thumb types to show off their creativity and beautiful blooms. The warmer weather that we had recently is bringing many roses and iris as well as other spring blooms into blossom.
Young people should bring their flowers and supplies to the center between 7:30am and 9:30am so they have ample time to make their arrangement in the youth room without interference.

The show is free and open to the public from 1-4 pm each day. A Garden Boutique with plants and door prizes will be available and a door prize raffle for lovely items donated by supportive merchants such as roses from Otto & Sons and a beautiful solar light sculpture from Treasure Station. We will also have a 50/50 cash drawing with the winner receiving a check for half the proceeds of this drawing.

Joy Asenas will be playing music on Saturday and Barry Cooper will play guitar on Sunday.

Entry is open to all, but competitive entries are limited to residents of Fillmore Unified School District area which includes Piru, Bardsdale & west to include the Little Red School House students. Entries will be received Saturday morning from 7:30am to 10:30am. Youth entries are free and adult entries (unlimited) for $5.00.

For more information, please contact Joanne King, 805-524-4904 or Linda Nunes, 805-524-3021.

On Tuesday, February 15th, Fillmore Women’s Service Club president Michelle Smith and member Valerie Richards attended the Ventura County Board of Supervisors Donor Recognition Event and accepted a certificate from Ventura County Children and Family Services and the Children’s Services Auxiliary. The certificate was awarded to Fillmore Women’s Service Club for their contribution to the 2012 Holiday activities for Ventura County’s abused, neglected, and needy children. Fillmore Women’s Service Club, established in 1964, provides support to Fillmore’s seniors and youth. We recognize our community’s educators and award numerous scholarships each year. Prospective members are encouraged to join us at our next meeting to be held on Wednesday, April 10th, 7:30 PM at the Fillmore Senior Center.

http://www.homelessresourcesca.org/

Santa Barbara, CA - California Homeless Resources is a new database which lists basic services for people in need. This up-to-date website (www.homelessresourcesca.org) is simple to use and lists current names, addresses, phone numbers and website links for vital services that are available to help people now.

The creator of the California Homeless Resources site is Matthew S. Kennedy, who was working in the Real Estate industry prior to the decline of the economy in 2008. For the last 2+ years, he created this website for people in California that want to get the help they need so badly all in one place.

Matt spent over 1,000 hours creating the California Homeless Resources database. In fact, still currently living in his vehicle (1990 Ford Van) in Santa Barbara, he uses the free internet service at McDonald’s and the Library to add cities to the website every day. On December 15th, he finished adding the final city - #481. Please share this valuable resource with people in need: www.homelessresourcesca.org

Ventura County Library announces the Axis 360 digital media library, now available to all cardholders through the Ventura County eLibrary. Axis 360 provides a state-of-the-art system for circulating ebooks and Blio ereading software.

Jackie Griffin, Ventura County Library Director states, "Adding the Axis 360 platform will enhance our current ebook offering of OverDrive and EBSCOhost. This additional partnership will give us a wider range of selection for our patrons who are clearly sending the message that more downloadable content is desirable."

Axis 360 offers a dynamic presentation of titles on their Magic Wall as well as book reviews and recommendations for further reading. Cloud-based delivery greatly simplifies the process of downloading onto patrons preferred devices, including iOS, Android and Windows tablets and smartphones.

Axis 360 is available now on the Ventura County eLibrary page under eBooks.

The Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.

Ventura, CA - Community Memorial Hospital’s Cancer Resource Center is offering a free class on Monday, April 15, to help insured cancer patients and their families understand their insurance benefits and assure they are being billed correctly by hospitals, doctors and labs.

Wendy Gorrell, a certified public accountant and cancer survivor, along with Jody Giacopuzzi, a licensed clinical social worker, will conduct the class. Wendy learned by experience how to keep the financial stress under control while undergoing cancer treatment and will share that knowledge. The class will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the CMH Cancer Resource Center. Teaching points include:

 Understanding your Explanation of Benefits (EOB’s)
 Not to paying more than required
 What to keep and for how long
 How to organize your medical bills and information
 Dispute resolution techniques

The Cancer Resource Center is located at 2900 Loma Vista Road, Suite 105, in Ventura. For more information or to RSVP, call 805/652-5459.

Community Memorial Hospital is a member of Community Memorial Health System, a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 11 family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

FHS Junior, Niki Spencer to do the Avon two day Walk for Breast Cancer. Spencer's Grama was diagnosed and passed away with breast cancer before she was born. Niki has dedicated her walk especially to her grandmother Gladys and hopes her endless dedication will aid others with this form of cancer from her fundraising for the walk. She is due to do the event in Santa Barbara on the weekend of September 7-8, 2013. If you would like to donate the cause and help Niki reach her goal go to http://info.avonfoundation.org/goto/nikitosave and click "Donate Now".

The Fifth annual Fillmore Flower Show, to be held April 13-14, 2013, at the Fillmore Senior Center, 533 Santa Clara Street, Fillmore, California, 93015, with the theme, “Fiesta of Flowers”, recognizes the effort by Vision 20/20, Civic Pride Committee to bring back, yet again, this long valued community tradition of 75 years, with intermittent breaks for World War I, World War II and a break in the late nineties through 2008.
The Civic Pride Committee members were able to revive this well respected and well attended show in 2009 after searching through a treasure trove of information in the meticulously kept scrapbook belonging to Conway Spitler, who had been a chairman of the event, and by reviewing a scrapbook held at the Fillmore Historical Museum. Many community members also stepped forward to volunteer their expertise from previous years, their props & velvet drapes and their labor to bring the show back again each of these years.
The show is free and open to the public from 1-4 pm each day. A Garden Boutique with plants and door prizes will be available.
Musicians, Joy Asenas and Barry Cooper, will add ambience with lovely melodies on piano (Saturday) and guitar (Sunday).
Entry is open to all, but competitive entries are limited to residents of Fillmore Unified School District area which includes Piru, Bardsdale & west to the Little Red School House. Entries will be received Saturday morning from 7:30am to 10:30am. Youth entries are free and adult entries (unlimited) for $5.00.
For more information, please contact Joanne King, 805-524-4904 or Linda Nunes, 805-524-3021.

VENTURA, CA - "Beauty," a new awareness campaign by the Ventura County Community for a Clean Watershed, will get underway next week. Designed to celebrate the natural beauty of Ventura County, it also reminds residents that we must all do our part to keep our local streams and creeks clean of pollution. The Ventura Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program, made up of the County of Ventura, the 10 Ventura County cities and the Ventura County Watershed Protection District, is funding the campaign.

"We are fortunate to live in such a pretty part of California," says Arne Anselm, Ventura County water quality monitoring manager. "One way to keep Ventura County beautiful is to ensure our system of natural waterways is kept clean. Everything that flows into our neighborhood storm drains from our yards, driveways, streets and sidewalks travels through the county watershed systems of creeks and rivers and eventually ends up in the ocean. Any polluted surface runoff degrades creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands and can cause health problems for people and wildlife."

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Livingston Visiting Nurse Association will hold the following Joint Replacement Class to prepare you for total knee or hip replacement surgery. Home preparation, exercises and rehabilitation information will be discussed. Open to the public and free of charge, the class will be held:

April 3, from 10:00 – 11:00 am @ Cypress Place, 1st floor private dining room, 1200 Cypress Point Lane, Ventura, RSVP Diana Davis @ 642-0239 x 739

April 10, from 10:00 – 11:00 am @ Pleasant Valley Hospital, 3rd floor Classroom, 2309 Antonio Avenue, Camarillo, RSVP Barrie Gilster @ 797-7699

April 10, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm @ Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital, 401 E Rolling Oaks Drive, Thousand Oaks, RSVP Barrie Gilster @ 797-7699

April 17, from 1:00 – 2:00 pm @ Sunrise Senior Living, Activity Room, 190 Tierra Rejada Road, Simi Valley, RSVP Barrie Gilster @ 797-7699

"Meetings with Uncommon Women" will be performed by Leia Morning at the Memorial Building Tuesday March 26th at the Ebell Clubs monthly meeting. Luncheon cost is only $12.00 for reservations call Glenda at 524-4949.

Harriet Tubman known for her work in the underground railroad, Clara Barton, Founder of the Red Cross and G.I. Jill a composite of women currently serving in the military.

Leia Morning has many degrees and a recipient of many grants for her work portraying women of history. She is also a professional singer-songwriter, musician of many instruments, a ceramist, artist and still has time to teach English at San Marino High School.

All the ladies are looking forward to her program. This is not the first time she has visited the Fillmore Ebell Club. Her programs are always lively, historically correct, and fun.