Learn about Ventura County agriculture, take home farm fresh produce for your dinner, and have fun at the same time! Join us at the UC Hansen Agricultural Center (UCHAC) for Saturday at the Farm—Harvest Day, July 23rd from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Our first Harvest Day program will include: farm fresh produce—you harvest, we provide bag, vegetable cooking demonstration and samples, Faulkner House and farm tours. VC Master Gardeners will also hold a plant sale. Participants are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the farm.

Space is limited, registration required. Please call 805-525-9293 ext. 214 or email sbmiller@ucdavis.edu. Free.
UCHAC is located at 14292 W. Telegraph Rd. (corner of Briggs Rd. and Telegraph Rd.) in Santa Paula. Admission to farm and parking are free. For more information, visit our website at www.uchansentrust.org.

California Coastal Cleanup Day, the state’s largest volunteer event, has been shown to be an effective method for educating participants about the harmful environmental impacts of marine debris, a statewide survey has shown. Cleanup organizers announced the results of the survey, taken after the 2010 Cleanup, in anticipation of the upcoming 27th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day, which will take place on Saturday, September 17th from 9 Am to Noon. The event will take place at more than 800 locations around the state, comprising the largest single effort to remove the debris that has accumulated on California’s beaches and inland shorelines over the past year.

In a survey of over 1,000 participants in the 2010 Cleanup, dramatic increases in knowledge of the causes and impacts of marine debris were shown as a result of participation in the event. 83.1% of respondents considered themselves either “knowledgeable” or “very knowledgeable” about the causes of marine debris after the event, as opposed to only 58.9% before the event, a 24.2% increase. Similarly, 77.7% of all survey takers considered themselves “knowledgeable” or “very knowledgeable” about the impacts caused by marine debris after the event, as opposed to 61.2% before the event, an increase of 16.5%.

“The results of the survey confirm CONTINUED »

The Ventura Family YMCA is hosting its 11th Annual Fun & Fitness 5K on Saturday July 30th. This event is family oriented with a wholesome and positive emphasis. We plan to have live music, a pancake breakfast, a raffle, and lots of family fun! All of the proceeds from this event go to help the seniors, adults, and families in our community. This event is definitely for anyone who wishes to run, walk, compete, or even just walk their dog. Registration can be found online at ciymca.org/ventura.

All ages are welcome to participate in the race or join us for a pancake breakfast after the race.
WHEN: Saturday, July 30, 2011, Race begins at 8 a.m.
WHERE: Ventura Family YMCA
3760 Telegraph Road
Ventura, CA 93003
WHY: The event proceeds will go towards the YMCA's Open Door Program providing critical support for childcare, aquatics, camping, teen leadership and youth wellness programs for those in the community.
CONTACT: Rich Gross
805.642.2131
Rich.Gross@ciymca.org

Graffiti, trash and weeds litter the neighborhood near A Street and Blaine Avenue.
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Trash left uncollected near A Street and Blaine Avenue attracks flies rodents.
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I just wanted to let your readers know that the city of Fillmore is not doing their job. I've called in the past about graffiti removal at A Street and Blaine, and no one would return my call so we would paint the graffiti ourselves.

Now we have a problem with trash not getting picked up and weeds growing everywhere; and now people don't care and dump their trash wherever they can.

I've called the city today along with the health department so I'm hoping someone will respond to this disgusting matter. We have flies, dirty diapers, mice and I'm sure rats will want to move in soon.

I would appreciate you printing this matter. Just because we live in North Fillmore doesn't mean we can't be clean and keep up with our yards. I can't believe the people in this apartment complex have not complained to their landlord about their living conditions or maybe they have??

Anyways, I live close to this and I need something done ASAP. Thank you for your time.
Diane Espinoza
Fillmore

Have you ever had a brush with kindness? Just down the street from two new Habitat homes under construction in Piru, Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County will start the summer off by serving an additional family with A Brush with Kindness, a component of our new Preserve a Home program. The exterior of this home will receive some TLC as 50 volunteers work together with a senior homeowner to complete landscape work and add a fresh coat of paint to revitalize the home.

“A Brush with Kindness is part of our larger neighborhood revitalization initiative and Preserve a Home program. This initiative gives us a great opportunity to help more families as well as have an impact on the entire neighborhood,” said Stacy Swanson, Executive Director. “Helping people repair and maintain their homes fits in seamlessly with our core mission of making decent, affordable housing available to families in need.”

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County and Valspar, Habitat for Humanity International’s national paint sponsor, will outfit volunteers with paint and supplies in order to complete improvement projects utilizing no-interest loans. These loans will cover the repairs up to $5,000 and re-payments from these loans will be returned to Habitat to fund future home preservation work in our local communities.

WHEN: Friday, July 1 and Saturday, July 2 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. Media welcome on both days!

WHO: A group of dedicated and caring volunteers from the Christian Church of Thousand Oaks, Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, staff and committee members will work alongside the homeowner to complete the repair work and landscaping. Demetrio Silva, a Habitat for Humanity homeowner from Oxnard, will provide a catered lunch on Saturday.

WHERE: 453 Temescal Street, Piru, CA 93040

Do you have a home or know of one that needs some work? Applications for A Brush With Kindness are available on our website located at www.habitatventura.org. Would you like to volunteer on A Brush with Kindness home? We welcome all volunteers as young as 14 years of age on our sites. Each individual can have a large impact. You can sign up and become a volunteer through our website at www.habitatventura.org.

American Red Cross of Ventura County

Warm weather means it’s time to head outside and cook up a great meal on the grill. This fun seasonal ritual has a flip side, though—namely, an onset of injuries and home fires due to careless cooking practices.

NFPA® Grilling Safety Tips

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments in the U.S. respond to thousands of home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues every year. Home fires involving grills can start on a patio, balcony or open porch, such as a deck. These fires cause millions of dollars in property damage, and can result in severe injury or even death.

The American Red Cross has some tips you can follow to stay safe while enjoying those tasty treats at your cookout.

Pick the right location

· Never grill indoors – not in your house, camper, tent or any enclosed area.

· Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use, and make sure everyone (including pets) stays away from the grill.

· Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, the deck, tree branches, or anything that could catch fire. Hot grease or ashes could spill from the grill onto the wooden deck or into dry leaves or grass.

Use the proper tools and techniques

· Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill.

· Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.

· Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using grills.

· Be ready to close the lid and turn off the grill to cut off the fuel if necessary.

· Keep a fireproof pan under the grill to catch any falling ash or grease.

· Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.

Before you even start grilling, be sure to follow food-safety practices, too—wash your hands in hot soapy water before preparing food, after each time you touch raw meat, and after any interruptions such as using the bathroom, handling pets or interacting with children.

The Red Cross teaches people the skills they need to prevent home fires. For more information on how to keep you and your loved ones safe, visit www.arcventura.org

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, more than half a million volunteers and 30,000 employees helped victims of 70,000 disasters nationwide; and taught lifesaving skills to millions. Locally, the American Red Cross, Ventura County Chapter provided services to more than 50,000 members of our community and distributed disaster preparedness and health and safety materials to thousands of school children, seniors and community members. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. For more information, please contact the American Red Cross, Ventura County Chapter at (805) 987-1514. You can now follow the American Red Cross, Ventura County Chapter on Twitter for up to date information: @RedCrossVentura.

Ventura, CA - Community Memorial Hospital’s New Parent Resource Center has earned international recognition for its excellence in lactation care.

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners and International Lactation Consultant Association honored the Center for providing a lactation program that is available at least five days a week for breastfeeding families. It also was cited for hiring International Board Lactation Consultants (IBCLC), who provide training for nursing, medical and other staff that care for breastfeeding families.

The New Parent Resource Center, located at 2809 Main Street, offers complimentary services to patients who delivered at CMH. Within the Center is Prenatal Education, including childbirth and new parent classes, as well as breastfeeding supplies and support. Its “Breastfeeding Boutique” offers breast pump sales and rental along with sales of breastfeeding bras and other supplies. The Center also provides a Breastfeeding Support Group as well as individual breastfeeding consultations.

CMH is one of only 16 hospitals in California that are on the IBCLC Care Award Directory list.

For more information on the Center and its services, call 805/667-2838 for breastfeeding support and supplies and 805/658-BABY for class registration, or visit www.cmhshealth.org/mch.

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 nine family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

Charles Morris of KSSP Photographic Studios in Fillmore has earned the Certified Professional Photographers (CPP) designation from the Professional Photographic Certification Commission.

Morris earned this designation after meeting rigorous requirements measuring his artistic and technical competence. This included passing a comprehensive written exam, having a portfolio of images judged on photographic excellence, and adhere to a stringent code of conduct. The Professional Photographic Certification Commission currently recognizes less than 2,000 Certified Professional Photographers. There are less than 100 CPPs in California and only 3 in Ventura County. There are no other Certified Professional Photographers in Fillmore or Santa Paula.

“Unlike other professions, photography does not require any type of education or proof that you actually know what you are doing. Because of digital cameras, almost anyone can call themselves a professional photographer these days. Unfortunately, the quality of photography that is produced by many so-called professional photographers is quite poor” Morris explained, “Completing the certification process demonstrates excellence in photographic techniques and gives our clients confidence that they will only get the highest quality results”

Principal photographers at KSSP are Carmelita Miranda and Charles Morris. KSSP is a full service photography studio specializing in portraits and weddings. KSSP Photographic Studios is the school photographer for Fillmore High School, but photographs high school seniors from all over Ventura County. For further information, please contact KSSP Photographic Studios at 524-6400 or visit http://ksspphotostudios.com.

Ventura, CA - United Blood Services is experiencing a critical shortage in type O-negative blood. The shortage has hit just as blood bank officials are gearing up to prepare for the next long summer holiday weekend, over July 4th. United Blood Services is urging O-negative blood donors to donate immediately and for other eligible donors to remember to give before July 4th.

While donations of all blood types are encouraged, donors with type O-negative blood, or those who have never donated before, are especially needed. Holidays such as this bring an increased risk of emergencies and accidents, and it is O-negative blood that is often used to help patients when there is no time to determine their own blood type. As a "Universal Donor," blood type O-negative can be transfused to anyone. As a special way of saying thank you, each volunteer blood donor will receive a certificate for a medium one-topping Domino’s Pizza!

Donations may be made at the UBS Center in Ventura at 2223 Eastman near McGrath, or any of a number of community blood drives happening throughout the county. Donors are asked to make an appointment by contacting United Blood Services toll-free at 800-715-3699; or online at www.Blood4Life.org. Just click on “Donate Blood” and type in your zip code to find a list of drives nearby. Appointments are appreciated, but not necessary. Walk-ins are also welcome, and will be honored as our appointment schedule allows.

You may donate blood if you are over age 16, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in good health. Additional height/weight requirements apply to donors 22 and younger.

Ventura Center Hours:

Monday and Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Pizza served 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday)

Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Closed Monday, July 4th in observance of the holiday.

Fillmore’s Aquatic Center has summer schedule set and ready!

Lap Swim hours are from 6:30 am to 8:00 am. Monday through Friday and 5:45 pm to 7:30 pm Monday through Thursday. Saturday Lap Swim hours are from 8:30 to 10:00 am. The cost is $4.00.

Recreation Swim is now daily! Starting on Monday and going through Saturday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Cost is $2.00.

Friday Night Family Night is every Friday at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Cost is $1.00.

We also have Teen Night the first and third Friday of every month from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Cost is $1.00.

If you would like information about swim lessons please call the Aquatic Center during the above mentioned hours at 524-4902.

Chamomile tea for your tummy aches, oregano and sweet basil for your tomato sauce, whatever your herb needs, you can find them at the Fillmore Community Farmer’s Market. You can purchase the herbs you need from ABC Farm.
The ABC Farm is a family owned business. The business began in Santa Paula where they primarily grew rhubarb. In the late 1980’s, they sold their property and moved ABC Farm to thirty one acres in Fillmore where they began growing different varieties of herbs. At the farm they grow oregano, basil, dill, thyme, rosemary, cilantro, the list goes on and on. As I toured the ABC Farm with Albert, the eldest Baltazar son, he explained to me how the business has grown. Years ago, Albert would sell 5 bundles of watercress at each market, but today currently sells over 50 bundles a market. Why the sudden increase in watercress sales? Apparently Dr. Oz had a TV episode on watercress and its health benefits which prompted costumers to ask for more watercress. Other than watercress, their top seller is mint. Albert told me that the herbs they sell are not only used for food but some costumers choose to use herbs like rue, chamomile and aloe vera for their medicinal benefits. To help keep their herbs organic they grow the plants on top of mulch piles instead of the ground. ABC Farm is in the process of being certified organic, they currently do not use any fertilizer or sprays on their plants. It takes approximately four to six years to become certified organic and ABC Farms have about 18 more months until the process is finished. They have a certificate that allows them to sell at farmer’s markets. Each year, an inspector from the Ventura County Agriculture Department comes to the farm to make sure they are growing what they are selling at the farmer’s markets. Albert sells to markets around Ventura County, but his daughter-in-law Sandra helps with the sales at the Fillmore Community Farmer’s Market. Albert enjoys the farmer’s market because he meets many people of different cultures. Albert’s goal for the next year is to grow more Asian and Persian herbs. In the mean time, stop by for a bundle of Rue, Albert tells me it’s a great natural air freshener. The Fillmore Community Farmer’s Market is every Wednesday from 3:30-7pm. Hope to see you there!

On Tuesday, June 21st, the Rotary Club of Fillmore Sun Risers presented a check to Pierre Gerardy of AYSO to fund membership for two AYSO participants. The Sun Risers support many community and International projects including: Dictionaries to all 3rd grade students in FUSD (we hand them out annually); scholarships to FHS and Sierra H.S. seniors; child safety car seat project; FHS Career Day; RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) leadership camp; Relay for Life; Condor Track Team; FMS Youth Act Club; FHS Interact Club; Piru Elementary Leadership Camp; San Cayetano Robotics, to name a few. International Projects include water project with Camarillo Rotary Club and PolioPlus project to eradicate Polio worldwide.

The Club meets every Tuesday morning at 7:00 AM at El Pescador Restaurant. For more information call Irma at 794-2353.

The Sun Risers will be working in their annual Fireworks Booth from June 28th through July 4th. This is a major fund raiser for the Club and helps to support many community and International project. The Sun Risers booth is located in the McDonald’s parking lot. Please visit the booth and help support many worthy projects, including AYSO.

Rotary International is the world's first service club organization, with more than 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs worldwide. Rotary club members are volunteers who work locally, regionally, and internationally to combat hunger, improve health and sanitation, provide education and job training, promote peace, and eradicate polio under the motto Service Above Self.

VCHCA Las Islas Mobile Medical Clinic & Ventura County Public Health Immunization Program have partnered to offer low cost or no cost Tdap vaccine for students entering 7th - 12th grade this year.

WHEN: Thursday, June 30th 4pm-7pm

WHERE: Santa Paula West Clinic 254 West Harvard Blvd, Santa Paula, CA (In the parking lot behind the Clinic and DMV)

. Parent or legal guardian must be present for children under 18 years

. Bring child's insurance card or Medi-Cal card

. Bring all immunization records (yellow immunization card)

For more information about this upcoming "LOW Cost or NO Cost Tdap Vaccine Clinic," please contact the Immunization Program at Ventura County Public Health: 805-981-5211 or Immunization.Program@ventura.org

For more information on the event, go to our facebook: http://on.fb.me/TdapVaccineClinic

Ventura, CA - United Blood Services is experiencing a critical shortage in type O-negative blood. The shortage has hit just as blood bank officials are gearing up to prepare for the next long summer holiday weekend, over July 4th. United Blood Services is urging O-negative blood donors to donate immediately and for other eligible donors to remember to give before July 4th.

While donations of all blood types are encouraged, donors with type O-negative blood, or those who have never donated before, are especially needed. Holidays such as this bring an increased risk of emergencies and accidents, and it is O-negative blood that is often used to help patients when there is no time to determine their own blood type. As a "Universal Donor," blood type O-negative can be transfused to anyone. As a special way of saying thank you, each volunteer blood donor will receive a certificate for a medium one-topping Domino’s Pizza!

Donations may be made at the UBS Center in Ventura at 2223 Eastman near McGrath, or any of a number of community blood drives happening throughout the county. Donors are asked to make an appointment by contacting United Blood Services toll-free at 800-715-3699; or online at www.Blood4Life.org. Just click on “Donate Blood” and type in your zip code to find a list of drives nearby. Appointments are appreciated, but not necessary. Walk-ins are also welcome, and will be honored as our appointment schedule allows.

You may donate blood if you are over age 16, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in good health. Additional height/weight requirements apply to donors 22 and younger.

Ventura Center Hours:

Monday and Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (Pizza served 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday)

Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Closed Monday, July 4th in observance of the holiday.

Fillmore/Piru Relay for Life fundraising is off to a roaring start! Gilbert’s Legacy Relay team is having a fundraiser in the quest to fight this terrible disease that has touched so many lives!

Come and join us for good food and friends on Sunday, June 26, 2011, dinner pick –up is from 3:00pm to 5:00pm in front of the Fillmore Fire Station, 711 Sespe Place. A delicious Enchilada Dinner, with enchiladas, rice, beans and a dessert will be hot and ready to enjoy!

A $10 donation is suggested for each dinner. To purchase tickets, or to make a donation to the
American Cancer Society Relay for Life, please send an email to: relayforgilbertslegacy@gmail.com or call 805-524-5241 for more information. Hope to see you there!!

The present social justice include the SuperFund Clean Up Site Committee, our goals include getting the superfund site cleaned up. The site is north of hwy 126 and east of Pole Creek. Recently there has been evidence of a plume of contaminated soil from the Superfund Site. This might indicate a contamination of the underground water sources. The SUPERFUND CLEAN UP SITE Committee meets every Thursday at 4:00pm. One Step A La Vez would like to invite the community to a special presentation by EPA Community Involvement Coordinator- Alejandro Diaz on Thursday June 16 at 4:00pm, 600 Saratoga Street, Fillmore, CA. For more information contact Youth Adelante! Advocate, Daniel Gonzalez: daniel@myonestep.org or (805)298-2237.

One Step A La Vez Teens have a voice in Fillmore and Piru. They discuss what areas need to be changed and they work hard to improve their community. If a teen has an idea about a change that needs to happen in their community and they want help with making that change, they are invited to come to the One Step Board of Directors to discuss their concern and their plans. The Board listens, asks questions and decides if that particular concern fits within the Board's recognized need for social justice. The Board sponsors community activism training each year that such features as: public speaking, learning how to advocate effectively, building partnerships, and meeting management.

One Step A La Vez program provides services to youth 13-19. Services include youth activities, youth development, and mental health referrals. Daily attendance rages from 15-40 youth. Staying true to our motto “Making changes poco a poco” we strive to ensure that youth are healthy (physically, mentally), empowered and educated, thus changing our community One Step and One Person at a time!

600 Second Street, Fillmore, CA 93015
805.516.9336 or 805.910.6642
www.myonestep.org