Since both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Sunday this holiday season, Santa Clara Valley Disposal will maintain its regular Friday trash collection schedule in Fillmore during the weeks of Dec. 25-Dec. 31 and Jan. 1-7, 2012.

As a special holiday feature, residents may put out twice the amount of trash at no extra charge during the two weeks following Christmas. Please make sure the trash is in bags. We will also collect extra recyclables, but please make sure to flatten all boxes.

Also, Santa Clara Valley Disposal is making it easy for their customers to recycle their Christmas trees. All customers need to do is remove the ornaments, hooks, lights, tinsel, bows, nails and tree stand, then cut the tree into sections no more than 4 feet long and place in the yard waste barrel on their scheduled pickup day.

Please note, however: Flocked trees cannot be recycled.

For more information, call 647-1414.

The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley is pleased to announce that their new CEO is Jan Marholin. Jan is currently an elementary Principal in Fillmore. She will be retiring from education in December and taking over the CEO position in early January 2012. Jan brings with her the educational, management and organizational skills needed for this position. She has had experience being on other non-profit boards and understands the need for both community and business relationships. She has written many grants and has relationships with many foundations. Jan is very excited and looks forward to being part of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley. When Jan isn’t working she loves traveling and finding restaurants that have been showcased on the Food Network. Jan loves sports and loves to be outside with her cocker spaniels.

The last eclipse of 2011 is a total lunar eclipse that takes place early Saturday morning December 10th. This will be a very unusual total lunar eclipse because it takes place just before sunrise and will set in the west in totality. Last year we had a total lunar eclipse, but it was raining that night, but the weather is predicted to be clear, but very cold for this lunar eclipse.

Here is the timing of the event...Partial phases begin at 4:45a.m. Astronomical twilight begins at 5:22a.m. Totality begins at 6:06a.m. Greatest phase of eclipse at 6:31a.m.

Sunrise at 6:51a.m. Moon set at 6:55a.m. Totality ends at 6:57a.m.

Look for a good western horizon to view the setting of the moon in totality. If you want to try and photograph this event, it is best to use a long telephoto lens. Try frame the eclipsed moon with a palm or other large tree, or the edge of a mountain. Be imaginative and try to get a picture of this very unusual total lunar eclipse. Just imagine trying to take a picture of a giant orange-colored peach setting in the west. Or just go out, bring a blanket or bundle up and find a nice seat and look to where the sun usually sets and see a fantastic looking moon. The next one, for us, won’t happen until April 2014!

Carmelita Miranda, Dreamweaver Observatory

It takes a community conscious real estate company, its untiring agents, their clients, caring corporate sponsors and regular citizens to bring smiles to the needy of the village during the holidays.

That’s the message drawn from last week’s 12th Annual “Turkey-A-Thon” conducted by Troop Real Estate, Inc. throughout Ventura County.

The event raised over $55,000 from these sources, enabling the Troop family and its affiliates to distribute turkeys and Thanksgiving dinner trimmings to a record 22,000 people representing over 2,750 families, reports Troop Agent Alex Gandel, event chairman. The “Turkey-A-Thon” was held in cooperation with Care & Share/The Salvation Army, Food Share, Manna, and the Moorpark Food Pantry.

“This is an event whose growth has been driven by the support of the Troop family of agents and affiliates, as well as the generosity of outside volunteers plus additional community financial support from local businesses and individuals. As the need for our assistance throughout the community has increased, all of this kindness and energy has been harnessed to provide meals for those in need, and it continues to illustrate the fact that inside of everyone lies a gentle heart that when called upon is there for the giving,” Gandel said.

The Troop “Turkey-A-Thon” food distributions were held in Simi Valley, Conejo Valley, Moorpark, and in the West County communities of Ventura, Ojai, Santa Paula, and Fillmore. Food was distributed to Help of Ojai in Ojai and the Boys and Girls Club in Santa Paula and Fillmore.

As a long line of food recipients encircled Troop’s offices in Simi Valley one Troop agent reported that an elderly lady who arrived at the front of the line at 7 a.m. stated that it was “the only healthy meal she gets during the year.”

Typical of the special outreach of the “Turkey-A-Thon”, another Troop agent assisted care taker Anna Munoz of Simi Valley and her daughter, Helen, 12, who picked up Thanksgiving groceries for an elderly local woman.

Commenting on the event, company President Brian Troop said: “The effort of our volunteers was amazing because it was difficult to get sponsors and donors since so many are unemployed today. But it all came together because our agents and sponsors stepped up.”

In West County, Troop Regional Manager Bob Harrison added that Food Share had so many needy this year they had to conduct a drawing. “We also provided an additional 300 military meals this year and fed a record of over 6,000 people this year in West County alone,” Harrison said.

Troop’s “Turkey-A-Thon”, which has now fed over 135,000 for Thanksgiving during its 12-year run, attracted a distinguished list of corporate sponsors this year. They included Simi Valley Hospital; First Automotive Group of Simi Valley; William L. Morris Chevrolet, Simi Valley; Kirby Auto Group, Ventura and Simi Valley; Infiniti of Thousand Oaks; Bunnin GM Superstore, Ventura/Oxnard; Simi Valley Buick/GMC; TRC Medical, Simi Valley; the Simi Sunset Rotary Club; Simi Hills Golf Course Men’s Club; Simi Valley Police Officers Association, the Elks Club of Ventura, and Santa Paula Rotarians. Additionally, traditional event sponsors were All Valley Escrow, CFC Mortgage Bankers, and Consumers Title Company of Ventura County.

To help pets get a home for the holidays, County Animal Services is discounting all dog and cat adoptions for one day only! On Saturday, December 10th from 10am until 4pm, Santa Barbara County Animal Services will be discounting all dog and cat adoptions 50%. By adopting your perfect match you can add a family member and save a life this holiday season.

This Saturday, December 10th, Santa Barbara County Animal Services will be hosting adoption open houses at all three shelters. Come join us for a festive day celebrating the animals in our shelters whose only wish this holiday season is for a home to call their own.

During this day long promotion, a dog adoption will be $45 and a cat adoption will be $32. For the reduced adoption fee you will receive a precious companion that has been spayed or neutered, is current on all vaccinations, and ready to bring an abundance of love as well as a complimentary bag of Science Diet Food.

Bring the whole family and start off your holiday by opening your home to a new pet., “Our staff and volunteers work very hard throughout the year to find loving permanent homes for our animals. Our hope is that we can get as many animals as possible into loving homes in time for the holidays,” said Jan Glick, Director of Animal Services.

This is also a great time of year to make sure your pet’s license is up to date and your pet is wearing its tag. A license is your pet’s ticket home and we want to be sure they spend the holidays where they belong, with you! If you are looking for the perfect gift for your pet this year consider a microchip. For just $20 you will be giving your pet the gift of permanent identification. Visit your local shelter for more information.

Come join our festivities and meet our adoptable pets at one of Santa Barbara County’s three animal shelters; The Santa Barbara Shelter at 5473 Overpass Rd, the Lompoc Shelter at 1501 West Central, or the Santa Maria Animal Center at 548 West Foster Rd. Bring a little love home for the holidays!

SACRAMENTO, CA – With weather forecasts calling for nighttime temperatures to drop near freezing in parts of California, Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and state public health officer, today urged Californians to protect themselves and their families from the hazards of extreme cold.

“Cold temperatures threaten individuals, their pets and their homes,” Chapman said.
“Exposure to severe cold temperatures can cause hypothermia and other serious health problems. Those at greatest risk are people who work outside, seniors, infants and people with chronic conditions.”

The warning signs of hypothermia are shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. For infants, the warning signs are bright red, cold skin and very low energy. If you notice any of these signs, take the person’s temperature. If it is below 95 degrees, seek medical attention immediately and get the individual to a warm room or shelter.

Chapman recommends dressing warmly, eating well-balanced meals, and avoiding alcoholic or caffeinated beverages, as they cause the body to lose heat rapidly. Because cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart, he cautioned people with heart disease or high blood pressure to avoid overexerting themselves outside.

Chapman said it is important to plan ahead for possible power outages by keeping several days’ supply of food, water and medicine at home. Bring pets indoors or provide adequate shelter to keep them warm. Use space heaters and fireplaces appropriately to avoid household fires and the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Visit CDPH’s Be Prepared California website for additional safety tips and information. www.cdph.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO, CA – Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and state public health officer, today urged Californians to get immunized against influenza as part of National Influenza Vaccination Week, Dec. 4 to 10. Each year in the United States more than 200,000 people are hospitalized, and as many as 49,000 people die after contracting influenza.

Flu season begins each year in September and ends in March, and influenza vaccination is recommended for all Californians six months and older. This year’s vaccine will protect against the H1N1 strain, as well as H3N2 and influenza B.

“As this is National Influenza Vaccination Week, it is a perfect time to remind Californians to get a flu shot to protect themselves and others,” said Dr. Chapman. “Since the flu season typically peaks in December and January, I urge people to get immunized now.”

In conjunction with National Influenza Vaccination Week, CDPH released its annual report on vaccination rates among health care employees across the state. The report found that the employee vaccination rate has increased slightly from 62.6 percent in the 2009-10 flu season to 64.3 percent in 2010-11 for reporting hospitals. The report also shows that hospital reporting compliance grew to 98 percent in the 2010-11 flu season from 80.9 percent during the 2009-10 season.

“Vaccination of all health care workers is strongly recommended in order to prevent transmission of the illness to patients, especially those with long-term medical conditions who are at high-risk for serious complications from the flu,” said Dr. Chapman.

Agencies across the state are joining Dr. Chapman in promoting more vaccination of health care workers, through a letter distributed to all hospitals, long-term care facilities and physician groups throughout the state. Those joining Dr. Chapman including the California Hospital Association, California Association of Health Facilities, California Medical Association and organizations of health care professionals.

The report released by CDPH offers the following recommendations to improve influenza vaccination coverage among health care professionals.

· Hospitals should consider more rigorous influenza vaccination policies, such as mandatory participation or vaccination, to increase influenza vaccination percentages.

· Hospitals should ensure that influenza vaccination status is a requirement of contracts with physician groups, registry organizations, fellowships, and student training programs.

· Hospitals should account for the vaccination status of all non-employee healthcare personnel, including registry and contract personnel, students, and trainees.

· Hospitals should implement robust data collection and management systems to document the vaccination status of all healthcare personnel.

The Influenza Vaccination Report for 2010-11

Influenza Information

Joint letter

www.cdph.ca.gov

GOLETA, CA - Los Padres National Forest officials announced plans to hold a job fair at the Temescal Fire Station at 4640 Piru Canyon Road in Piru on Saturday, December 17, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. The job fair is free of charge and open to all members of the public seeking information about seasonal wildland firefighting jobs with the U.S. Forest Service.

Representatives of Los Padres National Forest fire staff will share information and answer questions for anyone interested in pursuing a career as a wildland firefighter. Suppression equipment such as fire engines and other specialized gear used by wildland firefighters will also be on-hand. Information about vacant temporary and seasonal positions will be available along with instructions on the Internet-based application process.

The U.S. Forest Service is committed to recruiting highly skilled, competent and diverse workforce that reflects the publics we serve. The U.S. Forest Service is an equal opportunity employer. For additional information on the Temescal job fair, please contact the Temescal Fire Station at (805) 521-1707 or visit the Los Padres National Forest website at http://www.usda.gov/lpnf.

County Treasurer-Tax Collector Steven Hintz is reminding property owners that the first installment of 2011/2012 Secured property taxes must be paid on or before Monday, December 12, 2011 this year, since the normal due date of December 10 falls on a Saturday.

Those who wait until one of the last few days can expect to find long lines if paying in person. Budget limitations have greatly reduced the number of seasonal personnel that have traditionally been used to help with the increased volume of work. “This cycle, we are hiring only 3 temporary staff, for an estimated seven days of help,” said Hintz.

The Internet has played a large part in the ability of the Tax Collector’s office to cope with staffing reductions. Last year at this time, the electronic payment option was quietly introduced to those who visited the department’s website. The choice allows taxpayers to have the convenience of printing out a receipt of payment from their computer for a modest transaction fee. The office website is www.ventura.org/taxcollector.

Property owners who mail in their payments are asked to send their payments as early as possible for most efficient processing. State law requires that the postmark be used to determine if a payment was timely.

National Kidney Foundation Serving Southern California and Southern Nevada Offers Free Health Screening in Santa Paula Through Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP)

What: A free health screening for people at risk for kidney disease – area residents with diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease. A health risk appraisal, blood pressure measurement, blood and urine tests will be conducted on an anticipated 85 people throughout the day.

When: Saturday, December 3rd, 2011 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Where: Santa Paula Community Center; 530 West Main St. Santa Paula, CA 93060

Who: Anyone over age 18 showing risk for Kidney Disease (above)

Why: Twenty six million Americans have chronic kidney disease and most don’t know it. In the Tri-Counties, one in eight people are suffering from chronic kidney disease. Early detection and treatment, including lifestyle changes and medications, may SLOW or PREVENT its progression to kidney failure and lessen the risk of cardiovascular disease.

"I owe my health to these screenings," Cynthia Mullon told us with great relief. "They're comprehensive and helped me catch my kidney disease before it was too late."

Cynthia, a diabetic for over 20 years, attended a free National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP®) screening recently in Newburgh, NY. "I found out that my GFR-a measure of kidney function-had declined immensely since the last screening," she reported.

"It showed that in the course of one year, I had gone from being healthy to being in stage two kidney disease." She is now working with her doctor and following a diet plan and exercise regimen to help prevent or slow further kidney damage.

Cynthia's story is just one of thousands. NKF has provided free early detection screenings to more than 155,000 people at risk for kidney disease. And for each of them, these screenings can be life-changing events.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Oakland, CA - When it comes to winter flooding, there are two things that many homeowners should know about their risk. First, the dangers of severe weather and related flooding do not end when colder weather begins. Floods are a year-round hazard, and they can be especially dangerous in western states - including Arizona, California, and Nevada - due to recent wildfires and the upcoming rainy season.

Second, most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage, which resulted in an average claim of nearly $27,000 in 2009. In most cases, flood insurance made available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the only protection against the financial costs of flooding.

"Virtually every home and business owner faces some risk of flooding, which can stem from events as commonplace as broken sewer lines, slow moving rainstorms, or even a new real estate development that alters drainage patterns around a property," said Nancy Ward, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Region IX Administrator. "Everyone should have a flood preparedness checklist, and for many people, having flood insurance can be as important as having an emergency supply kit and knowing where to go if they need to evacuate."

Specific dangers facing western states during the 2010-2011 winter season include:
RISKS FROM HEAVY RAINFALL: Floods are a particularly common and costly hazard in Arizona, and can be caused by heavy rain and the remnants of tropical storms. Even mountainous areas are at risk, as higher grounds tend to funnel water down into canyons. In California, heavy rains through the winter and early spring are responsible for most of the state's yearly rainfall, causing cresting rivers, back-up storm drains and saturated ground, all of which can lead to devastating floods. Nevada also has a significant winter rainy season due to intense storms that originate over the Pacific Ocean.

INCREASED RISKS FROM WILDFIRES: Large scale wildfires during the summer and fall months have dramatically altered ground conditions in communities in Arizona, California, and Nevada. The charred ground that these fires produce lacks vegetation that typically helps absorb and slow excess water, increasing the likelihood of flooding and mudflows and causing significant damage to nearby properties.

In 2010 alone, more than 142,000 acres in Arizona were severely damaged by wildfires, including the Schultz Wildfire in June, which burned more than 15,000 acres. Just one month later heavy rains brought severe flooding to the Flagstaff area. In 2009 the "Station" fire in Los Angeles County, Ca burned more than 160,000 acres. Residents in Nevada should also be aware of the flooding dangers associated with wildfires, which damaged more than 28,000 acres in 2010.

Residents in every state and nationwide should know that flood insurance policies typically take 30 days to become effective, so the time to get protected is now.

FEMA offers interactive tools to help homeowners understand their risk. For more information visit www.floodsmart.gov.

Individuals should visit FloodSmart.gov or call 1-800-427-2419 to learn how to prepare for floods, what to do if their area has been flooded, how to purchase a National Flood Insurance policy, and the benefits of protecting their home and property against flooding.

For additional information, or to speak to FEMA representative, call the FEMA Newsdesk at 202-646-3272. For media inquiries specific to California, Arizona or Nevada, contact John Hamill at 510-627-7054.

The Fillmore Lions club has announced that this year’s Student Speaker Contest will be held on Monday, February 6, 2012. The topic will be “What could the America of Yesterday teach the America of Tomorrow.” The topic is very interesting and will be important to the students and citizens of Fillmore. Chair Bill Edmonds states that the total prize money will be over $21,000 in college scholarships. The Fillmore winner will get $75 and advances to the next round. Runner-ups will receive $25. The winner goes on to compete with the winners of other local Lions clubs. All high school age youth who live within the Fillmore Unified School District boundaries are eligible to compete. This includes home taught students as well as Fillmore residents who attend other high schools as well. This also includes foreign exchange students as well.

Students who wish to enter may contact Bill Edmonds at 524-4839 or Josh Overton the FHS drama and language arts teacher. Edmonds emphasized that this public speaking exercise will be very worthwhile to the students and interesting to their parents and to the community. Public speaking competition will also look very good on college applications and resumes. Students should get started early because it takes time to develop and practice a good speech.

This October and November, Soroptimist of Fillmore held their first annual Woman of Influence Art Contest. Boys and girls, ages 4 to 18 years old that attend school or live in the community of Fillmore, were asked to draw a picture of a real woman that has touched their hearts. They were also asked to write in 50 words or less why this woman has had a positive impact in their life.

Judging was delightfully “eyed” by three local artists. Two of the judges are professional artists, Judy Dressler and Wana Klasen. The third judge is a former art instructor, Sarah Hansen.

All of the entries were winners in the hearts of the judges, so choosing first, second and third place was difficult. The winners were pleasantly surprised in their classrooms last Friday, November 18th with a gift card given to them by Soroptimist members. Here are the winners:

1st place winners are Emma Myers, Jennifer Orozco, and Angie Vidal.
2nd place winners are Nevaeh Romero, Ismanay Alday, and Natalie Parrish.
3rd place winners are Jordi Malagone, Ashley Yepez, and Anthony Estrella.

All of the entries were on display at the Soroptimist Fashion Show on Saturday, November 19th.

Thank you to all of the students and judges for participating in recognizing and praising a “Women of Influence” in your life.

It’s time again for the 2011 Annual Fillmore Christmas Parade sponsored by the Fillmore Lions Club.

On This Saturday December 3rd at 1:00 PM the parade will proceed south on Central Ave. from the Library at Second Street down to City Hall on Santa Clara Street.

Immediately after the parade Santa will be available for pictures, (if you bring your own camera), at the Fillmore Museum, near the train station.

There is no cost to enter the parade. Parade check-in is at 11:30 AM on Second Street, in front of the Memorial building. The Parade is open to all groups or persons wanting to celebrate the season with a “themed” entry.

The parade route will be posted with “No Parking Signs” from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM the day of the parade. The Lions Club requests the cooperation and patience of Fillmore residents for this event to ensure the safety of all involved.

This is the 11th year the Lions Club has sponsored the Annual Fillmore Christmas Parade. The Fillmore Lions Club’s continues to sponsor the parade in honor of long time member, the late Henry “Hank” Carrillo. Hank urged the Club to assume the responsibility of the parade when it was in danger of losing sponsorship.

Chief Rigo Landeros and Captain Al Huerta will be escorting Santa Clause down the parade route to the Train Station where Children can have their picture taken.

See you all on December 3rd! AND don’t forget your camera!