Trash Collection Schedule Unchanged During Week of Presidents Day

Santa Clara Valley Disposal will maintain its regular trash, recycling and yard/organic waste collection schedule in Fillmore during the week of Presidents Day, Feb. 18-24.

Remember that Harrison’s residential customers can place all three carts curbside every week, as Harrison collects all waste weekly – including food waste, which is now recyclable. All food waste should be placed in closed paper or plastic bags and the bags should be tossed in the organics waste cart.

Harrison Industries serves the cities and surrounding unincorporated areas of Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo as well as the unincorporated areas of La Conchita, Lake Sherwood, Lynn Ranch, Ojai Valley (Ventura River Valley), Oxnard Plain, Newbury Park, Piru, Pt. Mugu, Rancho Matilija, Rincon, Santa Rosa Valley, Somis, Santa Paula, Upper Ojai, Yerba Buena, the Channel Islands Beach Community Services District, and the city of Carpinteria as E.J. Harrison & Sons; and Fillmore and surrounding unincorporated areas as Santa Clara Valley Disposal.

For more information, visit www.ejharrison.com.

The Ventura County Garden celebrates its 100th Year Season in 2024. The Club will be holding its annual Valentine's Day Luncheon at noon, on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, at 117 N. 7th St., Santa Paula. There is a planned art project (paint a porcelain pendant), with instruction/materials supplied by member, Jill Sepulveda (suggested $3.00 donation). There will also be a board meeting at 10:00 a.m. Bring items to sell and exchange at the Plant Table. Organized by Santa Paula Director, Alicia Ferreria. We welcome new members. For more information, visit our website at VenturaCountyGardenClub.com.

Pictured (l-r) is Fillmore Rotary President Scott Beylik presenting a mug to Rotarian Reverend George Golden for sharing his story with the club. Photo courtesy Martha Richardson.
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Rotarian Reverend George Golden was the speaker on January 17, 2024. He was born in Texas and never went to church until he was 16. As a young man he rode Brahma bulls, played softball, knew Larry Gatlin and the Oak Ridge Boys; one of them is his cousin. He modeled clothes for a few years and was a stand-in in movies for a while. After he became a Christian, he went to college to become a pastor; he was 55 when he got his Doctorate. For several years he worked with churches to raise money for their projects. He also raised money to build a water well in Africa as well as solar for electricity. George was a pastor in Ventura for 28 years, Fillmore for 15 years and will be starting a new church in Ventura soon. George and his wife Dorthy have been married 69 years, have five children and 44 grandchildren. George likes to say, “Your past makes you what you are now”.

VENTURA, Calif. – District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Vidal Vargas Morales (DOB 12/30/60), of Fillmore, was sentenced on January 23, 2024, to two years state prison and is required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Penal Code section 290. Morales was previously convicted on December 12, 2023, of one felony count of lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. The special allegation that he took advantage of a position of trust and confidence to commit the offense was also found true by the court.

In 2013, Morales worked as a youth coordinator for a church in Fillmore. During that time, he met the victim who attended catechism classes. Between October and November 2013, Morales began inappropriate communications with the victim, both verbally and through text messages. In early
November 2013, Morales grabbed and fondled the victim. The crime was reported years later.
Other victims who had similar experiences with Morales testified during the trial.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Kern, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office
Sexual Assault Unit, prosecuted the case.

“The defendant used his position of trust and authority as a respected member of the church and Fillmore community to inflict emotional, spiritual, and ultimately, sexual abuse against the victim,”
Mr. Kern said. “The severity of the sentence reflects the severity of the conduct. And while this sentence can never fully remedy the harm suffered by the victim in this case, hopefully it serves as one step in this continued healing process.”

Morales will be back in court for a restitution hearing scheduled for January 31, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 14 of the Ventura County Superior Court.

Release No.: 24-006
Case: 2016023855
Defendant Information:
Vidal Vargas Morales (DOB 12/30/60)
Fillmore
Charges Convicted of:
• PC 288(c)(1) – Lewd act upon a child
Special Allegations:
• CRC 4.421(a)(11) – The defendant took advantage of a position of trust and confidence to commit the offense

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Rescue Team is seeking qualified SCUBA divers who are skilled and reliable and willing to volunteer their time, resources, and efforts in a commitment to their community.
Prospective candidates must attend the orientation session for the Underwater Academy on Friday evening, March 8th, at 7:00 PM, at the Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center, located at 106 Durley Avenue, on the grounds of the Camarillo Airport. Water evaluation will be on March 10th, at 8:00 AM.
To be eligible for team membership, candidates must demonstrate a mastery of advanced diving skills by successfully completing the training program. Classes are held on select Friday evenings and Sunday mornings, from March 8th through August 25th, 2024.

Candidates must:

• Be 21 years of age
• Own their personal dive equipment
• Be a resident of Ventura County or immediate vicinity
• Hold an Advanced Diver Certification
• Possess a Rescue Diver Certification (may be obtained concurrent with the dive academy)
• Possess a valid Driver’s License
• Meet all background check requirements of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
• Demonstrate strong watermanship skills and a commitment to the program
• Possess a current First Aid/CPR Certification (may be obtained concurrent with the dive academy)

Course Fee: There is a $250.00 fee to offset the cost of the training.

Location: Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center (106 Durley Ave)
Date & Time: Friday, March 8th, 2024 @ 7:00 PM

Prepared by: Deputy Maxwell Ellis
Approved by: Captain Downard

CAMARILLO, Calif. – In honor of Transit Equity Day and the birthday of civil rights leader Rosa Parks, the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and the county’s transit operators will provide free bus rides on Monday, Feb. 5.

Participating operators are Camarillo Area Transit, Gold Coast Transit District, Moorpark City Transit, Ojai Trolley, Simi Valley Transit, Thousand Oaks Transit, Valley Express and VCTC Intercity.

Camarillo Area Transit and Valley Express will provide free on-demand dial-a-ride services on Monday, Feb. 5.

Transit Equity Day honors Rosa Parks' birthday on Feb. 4 and highlights Parks’ role in igniting a change to advance a more just and equitable public transit system for all. VCTC is observing the day on Feb. 5 to ensure all local operators can participate.

“Transit Equity Day is an opportunity for VCTC to put our values into action by honoring those who have worked to ensure equity in transportation. On this day, we are reminded that VCTC must continue to fulfill our core mission, which is to create a more connected, resilient, equitable and user-friendly transportation system for Ventura County,” said VCTC Public Transit Director Claire Grasty.

Transit Equity Day is part of VCTC’s new Free Fare Days Program, which began in September 2023. The pilot program allows people to ride any bus service within Ventura County for free on designated days through June 2024. In addition to Transit Equity Day, the remaining Free Fare Days are Earth Day on April 22, 2024; Bike to Work Day on May 17, 2024 (only for those who are also biking); and Dump the Pump Day on June 17, 2024.

“Our Free Fare Days Program is just one of our many projects that focuses on ensuring fair and equitable access to high-quality transit service for all residents and visitors who travel within Ventura County and beyond,” Grasty said.

The Free Fare Days program is funded by a grant obtained and administered by VCTC from California’s Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP), a part of the state’s cap-and-trade program. LCTOP provides funds to public transportation agencies for investments in capital projects and services that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve mobility. Other local programs supported by LCTOP are Youth Ride Free, College Ride and Metrolink’s Ventura County Line Weekend Train Service. For more information about the Free Fare Day Program, visit goventura.org/free.

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About the Ventura County Transportation Commission
The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.

Trash Collection Schedule Unchanged During Week of Presidents Day

Santa Clara Valley Disposal will maintain its regular trash, recycling and yard/organic waste collection schedule in Fillmore during the week of Presidents Day, Feb. 18-24.

Remember that Harrison’s residential customers can place all three carts curbside every week, as Harrison collects all waste weekly – including food waste, which is now recyclable. All food waste should be placed in closed paper or plastic bags and the bags should be tossed in the organics waste cart.

Harrison Industries serves the cities and surrounding unincorporated areas of Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo as well as the unincorporated areas of La Conchita, Lake Sherwood, Lynn Ranch, Ojai Valley (Ventura River Valley), Oxnard Plain, Newbury Park, Piru, Pt. Mugu, Rancho Matilija, Rincon, Santa Rosa Valley, Somis, Santa Paula, Upper Ojai, Yerba Buena, the Channel Islands Beach Community Services District, and the city of Carpinteria as E.J. Harrison & Sons; and Fillmore and surrounding unincorporated areas as Santa Clara Valley Disposal.

For more information, visit www.ejharrison.com.

The California Water Commission today approved a white paper that contains potential strategies to protect communities and fish and wildlife in the event of drought. The white paper is in support of Water Resilience Portfolio Action 26.3, and will be shared with the Secretaries for Natural Resources, Environmental Protection, and Food and Agriculture, who requested the Commission’s engagement on this topic.

California is a drought-prone state. Climate change exacerbates drought conditions in California by creating hotter and drier baseline conditions, leading to more intense droughts. Additionally, climate change is creating the conditions for “weather whiplash” – a phenomenon California experienced in the 2022-2023 water year, swinging rapidly from severe drought to record-breaking precipitation events and flooding. To ensure California’s people and environment have sufficient water during times of drought, the State will need to adapt to this new normal of ongoing weather extremes.

“California has experienced two of the worst droughts in our state’s history in the last decade alone,” said Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “While we’ve invested billions across the state to become more drought resilient in light of this new reality, there’s more we need to do to prepare for the next drought, whenever it comes. These thoughtful recommendations by the Water Commission point the way forward and I’m eager to explore how these ideas can be applied in coming years.”

The Commission’s work on drought is forward-looking. The strategies proposed by the Commission integrate months of conversations with State agencies, experts, Tribes, water users, interest groups, interested parties, and the public. The Commission has taken the input it received and charted a through-line, developing four key strategies for augmenting California’s communities’ and fish and wildlife species’ drought resilience.

Scale up groundwater recharge. During flood events, when all other water rights and environmental needs are met, channeling excess flows to groundwater recharge can build drought reserves. The State can help scale up groundwater recharge by planning and preparing for recharge during times of high flow, promoting recharge efforts through outreach and financial incentives, efficiently permitting recharge projects, supporting the infrastructure needed to conduct recharge, and continuing to apply lessons learned.

Conduct watershed-level planning to reduce drought impacts to ecosystems. To enable fish and wildlife to be more resilient to drought, the State must support fish and wildlife during drought and work to recover ecosystem function during non-drought periods, supporting viable populations that can weather the next drought period. The State can help reduce drought impacts to fish and wildlife by improving water availability for species, advancing habitat restoration and conservation projects, integrating forest management into drought planning, and creating a plan to protect species during drought emergencies.

Better position communities to prepare for and respond to drought emergencies. During drought, communities need resources to ensure that vulnerable community members are safe in times of crisis. In advance of drought, they need support to help abate future vulnerabilities to water scarcity by improving water systems and integrating water use into land use planning. The State can help communities prepare for and respond to drought by offering climate disaster funding, ramping up efforts to improve water system resilience and regional water solutions, and supporting integrated land and water planning.

Support improved coordination, information, and communication in drought and non-drought years. In California, droughts need to be dealt with as a chronic phenomenon and not an occasional emergency. The State needs to continue to align its staff capacity, improve its data collection, and contextualize its drought communication, moving from a crisis mindset to recognizing drought as a natural and inevitable element of the state’s hydrologic cycle.

“Groundwater recharge to replenish our aquifers is a key water strategy for a hotter, drier future,” said California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. “It provides important ecosystem benefits, protects drinking water wells, and supports climate-resilient agriculture for healthy food production and thriving rural communities.”

The strategies and actions outlined in this paper are additive to the important work already underway by State agencies. The Commission expects State decision-makers to weigh whether and when to move forward with these suggested strategies.

“Drought impacts all of California’s water users, but some – small, rural communities and fish and wildlife – are particularly vulnerable,” said Commissioner Sandra Matsumoto. “The strategies proposed by the Commission will help the State protect these vulnerable water users in the event of drought. To move forward, water sectors, users, and managers must work together to minimize the impacts of drought on all Californians.”

The final white paper can be viewed here: https://cwc.ca.gov/-/media/CWC-Website/Files/Documents/2024/01_January/D...

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The nine-member California Water Commission uses its public forum to explore water management issues from multiple perspectives and to formulate recommendations to advise the director of the California Department of Water Resources, and as appropriate, the California Natural Resources Agency, the Governor and Legislature on ways to improve water planning and management in response to California’s changing hydrology. For more information regarding the California Water Commission visit cwc.ca.gov.

HELP WANTED - Camlam Farms is seeking a Farm Mechanic for their family-owned farm in Camarillo. They are seeking candidates with 2 years of experience. Employee/Family Housing is included. Interested - call 805-377-8602. (2/1)

Se Busca Ayudante - Camlam Farms está buscando un mecánico agrícola para su granja familiar en Camarillo. Buscan candidatos con 2 años de experiencia. Camlam Farms ofrece viviendas para empleados y familias. Para más información, llame 805-377-8602. (2/1)

Last week the Fillmore Historical Museum hosted a Virtual Zoom presentation on the 1994 Northridge earthquake that rocked through Fillmore 30 years ago in January 1994. Inset, guest speakers Pat Askren, 1994 Fire Chief, and Dick Diaz, 1994 Chief of Police, as they share their stories during the virtual presentation. Above are folks who attended the open house at the Fillmore Depot which was held Saturday afternoon. Photo credit Fillmore Historical Museum.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

January 17 was the 30th anniversary of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that rocked the city of Fillmore. Sixty homes were destroyed, many more badly damaged and downtown lay in ruin. It is the mission of the Fillmore Museum to provide the people of Fillmore with records of historical events. Sue Zeider and Christine Villegas, volunteers at the museum, made preparations for the commemoration.

Mud Turtle Production, assisted by Paul Neuman and Ms. Villegas, produced a documentary showing the devastation and personal memories of several citizens. Ms. Villegas presented a slide show at the Fillmore Rotary meeting on Wednesday. Thursday evening, January 18th, as part of the ongoing virtual series, Ms. Zeider organized a Zoom presentation of the 1994 Huell Houser public television episode of his Fillmore visit. Guest speakers, the former Police Chief Richard Diaz and former Fire Chief Pat Askren gave their accounts of the events. Over 50 people participated in the virtual event.
The commemoration culminated on Saturday afternoon, January 20th, with an Open House at the Fillmore Depot. The two videos were shown and information on earthquake preparedness was shared. Despite the rain, many people attended.
You can view the videos on the Museum’s website:

https://www.fillmore historicalmuseum.org/items-5/shaken%2C-rattled-and-reconstructed%2C-january-18%2C-2024
And https://www.fillmore historicalmuseum.org/items-5/%22fillmore-earthquake %2C%22-1994
With the growth in population over the last 30 years, it is understood that many of our citizens are unaware of the devastation Fillmore suffered and are unsuspecting of the potential danger of future earthquakes. Hopefully this commemoration will raise that awareness.

Above is Fillmore Rotary Club guest speaker Chris Villegas and past President Renee Swenson. Photo Credit Martha Richardson.
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At last week’s Rotary meeting Chris Villegas was the Rotary guest speaker. Her presentation was a reminder of the January 17, 1994 Northridge Earthquake. She showed pictures of the damage in downtown Fillmore as well as homes that fell off of their foundations. Chris also talked about the steps you can take to make your home safe and also what is needed for an emergency kit. For more information plan to attend a virtual event, January 18 at 7:00, put on by the Fillmore Historical Museum called Shaken, Rattled and Recovered. To register and receive the Zoom link go to https://www.fillmorehistorical museum.org/event-details/shaken-rattled-and-recovered-fillmore-and-the-1994-earthquake.

Pictured are Troy Spayd, Jacob Coffman, and Martin Arias with the Fillmore Public Works Department. Photo credit Brandy Hollis
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Article by Brandy Hollis

During summer we watched Fillmore's Public Works Department do double duty. It was refreshing to see objectives met, fields with holes filled in, the landscapers working too, and practice spots for teams would be trash free thanks to the hard work from these guys. Municipal Services Director Troy Spayd came to the City of Fillmore in December 2022.
His first order of business was the sewer breach at C Street. What a welcome for him. While it was a huge inconvenience for most people with lots of complaints, he was ensuring it was done right to stand the test of time and in a timely manner. Troy not only made sure the project was completed but he worked diligently to get over 93% of the costs picked up by FEMA without the need for the city incurring loans and interest. He is looking out for the city's best interest. Council Member Christopher Gurrola said he hopes Troy never leaves, but he should write a manual on how to properly handle these types of situations. He obviously comes with the experience, the follow-through and the drive the city needs.
Troy is ready to listen to the concerns of the public and understands the importance of sports fields for Fillmore. If you see a “Park Closed” sign, don’t be annoyed; it takes some closure to make changes. He is applying for grants to get the parking lots fixed, make the fields playable, and bathrooms safe and working. If it seems like things are happening out of order, those are merely the processes for grant funding for the city, outside of the city budget. The city is working with different sporting organizations to make sure everyone is equally served, and their objectives are met.
Also of importance to the city and the community is graffiti removal. If you see graffiti, email Shannon Godfrey-Prentice at sgodfrey@fillmoreca.gov and they will schedule its removal. Community involvement is a key factor.
A shout-out to Assistance City Manager Erika Herrera for organizing the giant Christmas ornament for family photos with Santa in Central Park. And a big Thank You to the whole city team for December’s downtown Christmas decorations!
Troy relies on a great team such as Jacob Coffman, who joined in May of 2023, and Mark Arias, who has over 21 years of experience understanding the city's ins & outs. There are many others servicing the city's Parks & Rec Department, and a big Thank You to all of them!

If you want your voice to be heard, attend city council meetings; the next one is Tuesday, January 23 at 6:30 pm, Fillmore City Hall. Fill out a speaker card and turn it in to the front before the meeting. It takes a village, and it takes work. Be part of the change you want to see.