Every day we should think about what we eat and how it will affect us short term and the duration of our life. March is National Nutrition Month, and Soroptimist invites you to “help your health” as we learn what we should eat and why. Lois Zsarnay, a Registered Dietitian from Ventura, will be our nutrition guide and speaker.

Please join us on Wednesday, March 21st at noon at El Pescador Restaurant in Fillmore (1305 W. Ventura Street) across the breeze way in the over flow room. If you wish to eat, the cost of lunch is $10.00 and may be paid at the door.

Soroptimist International of Fillmore is a woman’s group that works to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. We also raise money to give scholarships to students in our area.

If you have any questions please call: Jane David / Vice President of Soroptimist International of Fillmore at (805) 727-1145 or E-Mail Jane.David@ventura.org

Chappy Morris with William L. Morris Chevrolet has donated a Chevrolet Volt for 5 days to help support the FHS Athletic Booster Club. The Booster club will be selling raffle tickets for $5.00. The winner will have a chance to drive a Chevy Volt for 5 days beginning March 19th (certain restrictions will apply). Tickets can be purchased at the FHS Student Store or any Athletic Booster Club member. The winner will be announced at the FHS Athletic Booster Club Casino Night on March 17th. The winner does not need to be present to win. For information contact Liz Hinklin @ 805-905-9742, Susan Golson 216-4013

Applications are now available for the Fillmore Women's Service Club Educational Scholarships. Any graduating High School Senior going to a Public or Private School, who RESIDES within the Fillmore Unified School District and is continuing on to a College, University or Trade School can apply. Applications are available at Fillmore High School or by telephoning Susan Banks at 551-3862. Deadline is April 2nd, 2012.

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SACRAMENTO, CA – Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and state public health officer, today warned consumers not to eat three candies, after tests conducted by CDPH found that all three exceed state standards for lead. The candies are:

Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy imported from Pakistan
Shah’s Deer Brand Revdi (Sesame Candy) imported from India
Shah’s Deer Brand Revdi (Gud) (Sesame Candy) imported from India

The companies are voluntarily recalling these products. Consumers in possession of these candies should discard them immediately.

Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy was distributed by R&R Importers in Montclair, California. The two Shah’s Deer Brand candies were distributed by Shah Distributors, Inc., in Gardena, California.

Recent chemical analysis by CDPH showed Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy, Shah’s Deer Brand Revdi (Sesame Candy) and Shah’s Deer Brand Revdi (Gud) (Sesame Candy) contained as much as 0.12, 0.40, and 0.35 parts per million of lead, respectively. California considers candies with lead levels in excess of 0.10 parts per million to be contaminated.

Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy is packaged in a 7 oz. semi-round, clear plastic container with a red twist-off lid. The front label is light brown with a green border. “Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy” appears in the center of the label. The oval-shaped candy is light brown and coated with sesame seeds.

Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy is packaged in a 7 oz. semi-round, clear plastic container with a red twist-off lid. “Chef’s Pride Rewadi Candy” appears in the center of the label.

Shah’s Deer Brand Revdi (Sesame Candy) and Shah’s Deer Brand Revdi (Gud) (Sesame Candy) are packaged in 14 oz. clear plastic bags. Near the top of the package is an orange circle containing a white deer. “Shah’s Deer Brand” is written above the circle.

The specific candy name appears in a gold rectangle below the circle. Both candies are oval-shaped, light brown and coated with sesame seeds.

Pregnant women and parents of children who may have consumed these candies should consult their physician or health care provider to determine if medical testing is needed.

Anyone finding this candy for sale should call the CDPH Complaint Hotline at (800) 495-3232. More information is available on the CDPH Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Page.

Ventura County, CA - Goodbye, Pyramid. Hello, plate. The Food Guide Pyramid, a symbolic guide on healthy eating, has been replaced with a new symbol: a plate. It’s called MyPlate, a user friendly tool that includes the five food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy) to help people to prioritize their choices and build nutritious, balanced meals.

Creating healthy, balanced meals can be challenging. Many people struggle with lack of time and tend to choose convenience foods, which typically contain high amounts of fat, salt, and sugar. MyPlate is a tool created to teach and remind us to build healthy plates for ourselves and our families. So, for March, National Nutrition Month, “Get Your Plate In Shape!”

Current U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines provide factual information and practical advice on eating a healthy, balanced diet; eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; and incorporating physical activity into our daily routine. Here are some helpful tips:

1) Choose one food item from each of the 5 food groups to create a balanced plate;
2) Try topping your breakfast cereal with fresh fruit like blueberries, strawberries or bananas;
3) And incorporate exercise by taking a 10-15 minute walk during work breaks.

Every person has different nutritional requirements depending on age, gender and activity level. You can find more information for you and your family about MyPlate and building a balanced meal at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

“Get your plate in shape” for National Nutrition Month, March 2012!

The Ventura County Rose Society will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, March 22, 2012, at the Ventura County Office of Education Conference Center at 5100 Adolfo Rd., Camarillo.

The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for advice from Consulting Rosarians and refreshments, and our speaker presentation will begin at 7:30 pm.

The VCRS meeting will feature Baldo Villegas, a 2011 retiree from the CA State Dept. of Food and Agriculture for 35 years, specializing in the field of biological control programs. Baldo Villegas will be speaking on "Pests and Diseases in the Rose Garden". He will also engage in the identification of pests, diseases, and weeds, so participants are encouraged to bring bugs, unknown plant diseases or weeds, in closed jars or ziplock baggies. Mr. Villegas will get back to you with a diagnosis and remedy. He is an excellent, dynamic speaker who grows 1500 roses, fruit trees, annuals, perennials and vegetables. His vibrant website www.sactorose.org is a first choice for assistance with rose problems.

Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact: Janet Sklar at 818-337-9970 or Dawn-Marie Johnson at 805-523-9003. Our website is www.venturarose.org

On Saturday, March 24th the Lady Flashes Softball program will be hosting an Alumni game fundraiser. There will be a 30 and over team and a 29 and younger team. The first game is scheduled for 10 AM at the high school softball field. We are asking for a 20 dollar donation which includes a t-shirt. Please contact Liz Hinklin at 805-905-9742 if you are interested in playing.

Camarillo, CA - The Business & Technology Partnership (B&TP) at CSU Channel Islands (CI) will host a networking breakfast on Thursday, March 8, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in Malibu Hall 100 on the CI campus. The event is open to the public.

Along with a breakfast and opportunity to network, there will be a panel of industry leaders who will present a program entitled: “Business Along the 101 Corridor- There’s Room for Optimism.”

Mel Sheeler, Chair of the B&TP, will welcome guests followed by a panel discussion. Panelists include Reid Dammann, Patent Attorney of Musick, Peeler, & Garrett; Mark Levinson, Shareholder, Corporate & Securities of Greenberg Traurig; James Schultz, President of Schultz Management Group (SMG); and Robert Steenberge, Vice President and Chief Technical Officer for Teledyne Technologies Incorporated. Serving as moderator will be Henry Dubroff, Chairman and Editor, of Pacific Coast Business Times.

Admission is $25 per person for B&TP members, CI faculty, staff, and Alumni & Friends Association members. Admission for non-members is $35 per person. There will be an additional charge of $5 per person for walk-in reservations on the day of the event. Parking is complimentary. Attendees should follow signs to designated parking lot.

Online registration is available at https://csuci.wufoo.com/forms/business-101-breakfast-briefing/. For additional information or to register by telephone contact Alissa Larreta at 805-437-8916 or alissa.larreta@csuci.edu

The event is sponsored by Airborne Technologies; Fishman, Block, + Diamond, LLP; the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics; Wasserman, Comden, Casselman & Esensten, LLP; and FDSI Logistics.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research.

What: Book Drive to collect books for San Cayetano Elementary School, in Fillmore

Who’s Collecting the Books? Starbucks in Fillmore, in partnership with The Heart of America Foundation®’s Books From The Heart® program

Where Can I Drop Books Off? New and like new children’s books can be dropped off at the Starbucks in Fillmore. The book drive is ending on March 4th. Books should be appropriate for students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Please see specific wish list from the school, below.

If You Would Like to Give Specific Books: If you are able, the school has requested the following titles and genres.

· Goosebumps series, by R.L. Stine

· Magic Tree House series, by Mary Pope Osborne

· Junie B. Jones series, by Barbara Park

· Genre and General Requests:

o Picture books, fiction chapter books, and non-fiction for all grade levels

o Solar system books

o Earth science books

o Non-fiction books about animals

o Mystery/Scary books

o Fairytale/Tall tale books

o Action adventures

o USA historical figures, from early explorers to Presidents

About Starbucks
Located at 650 W Ventura St. Fillmore
From the neighborhoods where our stores are located, to the ones where our coffee is grown – we believe in being involved in the communities we’re a part of.
We've always believed that businesses can - and should - have a positive impact on the communities they serve.
So ever since we opened our first store in 1971, we dedicated ourselves to earning the trust and respect of our customers, partners and neighbors. How? By being responsible and doing things that are good for the planet and each other.

About The Heart of America Foundation®
The Heart of America Foundation®, a national nonprofit headquartered in Washington, D.C., uniquely promotes volunteer service and literacy. The organization inspires acts of service and a love of reading by building community and providing children in need with the tools to read, succeed and make a difference.

Committed to education and volunteerism, The Heart of America Foundation® engages volunteers through putting books into the hands of children who need them the most. Through the Books From The Heart® and READesign® programs, The Heart of America Foundation® revitalizes school libraries and reading spaces in under-resourced communities into vital and vibrant centers of learning that become the heart of a school.

Since 1997, The Heart of America Foundation® has provided children living in poverty with over 2.5 million library and take-home books. And, the organization has engaged volunteers in more than one million hours of service to communities nationwide. For more information, please visit www.heartofamerica.org.

The Class of '65 will be celebrating their 65th birthdays together on Sunday, June 10, at The Rancho Camulos Museum. Invitations have been sent, but the following classmates are missing Betty Pardenberry Adams, Brenda Moore Austin, Willadean Cummings Been, Allen Currier, Janice Collier, Linda Cox Gilmore, Juanita Gothard, Dennis Hardin, Vivian Townsend Hoy, Janet Caponi LePera, Bill Legan, Martin Munoz, Laura Castorena Rodriquez, Carole Strong, Patti Taber, Jerry Taylor, Denny Thomas, Fred Walters, Terry While, Janece White, and Linda Jones Wojcek. For information on the event or if you know the whereabouts of these classmates please contact Martha Headley Richardson at 524-5099.

In August, high school exchange students from around the world will arrive in the U.SA for the 2012-13 school year. Would you share your home with one of these students?

AFS Intercultural Programs/USA has led student exchanges for more than 61 years. We know family life makes all the difference for a young visitor. When you open your home and heart to a child from another country—even temporarily—you introduce the world to your children and family and give your AFS student the opportunity to take back a piece of America.

Please visit afs.org to complete a Hosting Interest form, and let us know that you are able to host an AFS Exchange Student. Thank you for helping us welcome outstanding exchange students with caring American families like yours! Visit our local website www.afsccc.org to see information about AFS and view photos of our current students having fun.

The Fillmore Chamber of Commerce is having an art contest. We will be celebrating the 100th year anniversary for the May festival. The May Festival dates will be May 17, 18, 19, & 20. This year's theme is fortune favored Fillmore and due to the 100th year, purple is the traditional color for that celebration. So purple it is! We are asking all artists to participate in the art contest. You can use pencils, crayons, oils, water colors, etc... The size of your artwork is to be on 8x11 size paper. Please turn it into the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce located at 557 Ventura Street, Fillmore, CA 93015 no later than Monday, March 19, 2012. The top 10 entries will be posted at this year’s community awards dinner on March 22 where we will allow voting from the public. If you have any questions please call 805-524-7706.

Purchase your tickets for the event of the year! The Fillmore Community Awards Dinner will be held Thursday, March 22nd 5pm-6pm (social hour and cocktails) 7pm dinner and program at The Memorial Building. Ticket $25 each. Dress: Western Call 805.524.0351 for ticket info. Honorees: Lifetime Achievement Citizen: Marie Wren, Lifetime Achievement Business: Wm L. Morris Chevrolet, Citizen of the Year: Buddy Escoto, Non Profit of the Year: Lions Club, Teacher of the Year: Raina Arellano/Mountain Vista School, Student of the Year: Vanessa Villa, Officer of the Year: Gabriel Gonzales, Fireman of the Year Rob Rolfe, Explorer of the Year and Business of the Year to be announced!

Sacramento, CA – The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and the California Tax Education Council (CTEC) remind the 65 percent of California taxpayers who use a paid tax preparer to be cautious when choosing a professional.

CTEC and FTB partner to educate taxpayers about tax preparers’ legal responsibilities, and to make sure preparers are complying with the law. CTEC is a nonprofit corporation that registers individuals who assist or prepare returns for a fee and are not licensed Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Enrolled Agents (EA), or attorneys. CTEC was founded under the California State Legislature in 1997 to promote proficient tax preparation within the state.

The IRS/FTB joint brochure, FTB Publication 982, How to Select an Income Tax Return Preparer can help people when choosing a tax professional. The IRS also has tips for choosing a tax preparer.

The following organizations provide information about licensed and registered tax professionals in California:

· California Board of Accountancy dca.ca.gov/cba.
· California Society of Certified Public Accountants calcpa.org.
· State Bar of California calbar.ca.gov.
· California Society of Enrolled Agents csea.org.
· California Tax Education Council ctec.org.

Taxpayers are cautioned to avoid tax preparers who:

· Claim they can get bigger refunds than other tax preparers.
· Base their fee on a percentage of the refund amount.
· Refuse to sign the tax return as the paid preparer even though they are required by law to do so.
· Do not provide a copy of the tax return for the taxpayer’s records.

CTEC-registered tax preparers must complete courses on federal and state tax laws each year, plus obtain a $5,000 surety bond to protect clients against fraud. Unregistered individuals are issued a $2,500 penalty, which doubles if they continue to prepare returns. Other regulated tax preparers such as CPAs, EAs, and attorneys have their own industry requirements.

Last year, FTB assessed penalties on 113 preparers for failing to be properly licensed or registered. If taxpayers suspect a tax preparer is fraudulent, they should inform FTB online at ftb.ca.gov by selecting “Report Tax Fraud” under the online services, or by calling 800.540.FILE (3453).

The March 9th meeting and BBQ of the Piru Petroleum Club will be dedicated to the memory of Malcolm Jackson.

Malcolm Jackson was one of the founding members of the Piru Petroleum Club many years ago. One of his last great joys was attending their Friday BBQs at Britt Park in Piru twice monthly.

The meeting on March 9th is open to all friends of Malcolm Jackson and those whose lives he touched during his 94 years.

All proceeds from the day will go to Piru Petroleum for a memorial high school scholarship in Malcolm's name as well as general fund. Piru Petroleum Club currently gives out several scholarship awards each year to graduating seniors from Fillmore High School.

Raffle tickets will be available for a number of great items with the highlight being a guided fishing trip on Bridgeport Reservoir. The winner and their guest will be guided by Mundo Robles of Stay Bent Guide Service for one day of fishing, receive 2 nights lodging, and 2 dinners at local restaurants.

Danny Torres and his guitar will be there to provide entertainment and sing Malcolm's favorite song "El Paso". The Rib Eye Steak BBQ tickets will be $10 at the door. Doors open at 11am, BBQ served at 12.

Ventura County Irish farming families will serve as grand marshals as the 24th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade marches down Main Street in downtown Ventura on Saturday, March 17. The theme of the parade, which starts at 10 a.m., is "Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day."

This year’s Grand Marshals are a familiar sight in the St. Patrick’s Day parade because many of the families are regulars in the line up. The McGraths have led a huge contingency of their family members in what has become one of the largest entries in the parade. Martin McGrath, a major organizer of the previous entries is delighted to be recognized this year along with many other farming families—the likes of which are the McCormicks, the Laubachers, the Aggelers, the Grahams, the Coutlases, the Clarks, the Leonards, the Morrises, and the Donlons Their commitment to preserving the farmlands of Ventura County and feeding the residents of California and around the world is long overdue for the honoring of being grand marshal.

The entry deadline is fast approaching and parade organizers are inviting additional Irish farming families to come forward.

Judging the parade will be: Trudy Arriaga, Ventura Unified Schools superintendent; James Lockwood, Ventura County Fair; Sue and Victor Georgino, Georgino Development; Captain James McHugh, retired Commander Navy Base Ventura County, and Philip J. Conron, AFC National Adjutant Legion of Valor.

Parade entries are being accepted until March 9. Parade organizers invite bands, dancers, acrobats, clowns, horses and organizations to participate in the county’s greenest event! Entry forms can be downloaded from the Parade’s website, www.venturastpatricksdayparade.com or by calling Jim Monahan, Parade Chairman at 643-4275.

WHAT: 24rd Annual County Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade
“Everone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day"

WHEN: Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 10 AM

WHO: Grand Marshals: The Irish Farming Families of Ventura County

WHERE: Main Street in downtown Ventura, beginning at the Mission San Buenaventura, ending at Laurel Street

INFO: www.venturastpatricksdayparade.com or 643-1356.

Fillmore Vision 2020-Civic Pride Committee has selected Chris and Brittney Patterson of 264 4th St. as the Yard of the Month for March 2012, for their lovely and serene yard. The family includes two children Dylan and Makoa both 5 years-old. The family has lived in the house for 1 year.

The yard is surrounded by White Birch, Maple and Pine trees. A meandering border of red bricks undulates and separates the lawn from the attractive greenery and decorative rocks.

The Patterson family enjoys sitting in their front yard to relax and enjoy the birds taking a drink from the bird bath. Sometimes from the inside of their home they see an occasional wild animal go by. We don't doubt that as the greenery in the front yard is both peaceful and attractive.

The family received an Otto & Son's Nursery gift certificate for $25.

Fillmore Vision 2020-Civic Pride's Statement of Vision is to "Foster a thriving small town atmosphere in which civic pride, personal well-being and a balanced economy are nurtured and protected. The committee meets on the third Wednesday of the month at Fillmore City Hall (upstairs conference room) at 1:30pm. The public is welcome. Please call 805.524.3841 for more information.