Valentine’s weekend bring your special someone to Rancho Camulos Museum National Historic Landmark to experience "Romance at the Rancho". Docent-led tours will focus on the love stories of couples associated with Camulos. Bring a picnic and blanket and spend some quality time with each other enjoying the beautiful setting. A special tasty treat will also be provided. The suggested donation for this romantic stimulus package is $14 per couple. Call 805-521-1501 to make a reservation. Rancho Camulos is on Highway 126, 2 miles East of Piru and 10 miles west of the I-5 at Santa Clarita and will be open for Romance at the Rancho as well as our regular tours, 1- 4 , Saturday, February 13 and Sunday February 14.

Celebrate Valentines Day with Old Time Fiddlers, District 8, Sunday, February 14 at Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road, Oak View. 1:30-4:30. A sweetheart waltz will be feature of the day. Join fiddlers for an afternoon of family oriented music and dancing. Free admission and parking. Refreshments available. Information: 640-3689 or 517-1131. Non-profit number available if needed.

Piru’s Railway Café & Gifts has fresh new look, Mouthwatering menu and more.
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Situated on Center Street and just across from the Piru Depot and Gazebo Plaza Park, owner Edith Smith has seen her dream café and shop open this week with a sparkling new kitchen, upgraded flooring, a fresh coat of paint and home-style décor. Edith and her colleague’s have also focused on getting the menu fine tuned and featuring the freshest and highest grade meats, produce and delicious home-baked treats.

This long-time Piru establishment, formerly home to the Blue Bird Tavern, has been transformed these past months to meet the highest quality standards around.

Morning offerings include fresh brewed coffee, pies and baked-goods made fresh daily, and good ‘ol comfort food like biscuits and gravy, French Toast, fresh fruit bowls and a host of other American staples. Joining Smith in this venture are locals Joy Zavala preparing some of the best baked goods around. I was privileged to “sample” the daily peach cobbler and can’t wait to taste her next offering.

At 10 am the crew shifts to daily lunch and dinner specials. In the kitchen, associate Jeff Peterson was noting the prime meats he will grind daily for the 8 ounce burgers, and even offered some insight to his cooking secrets. Grade A meats are featured in choices ranging from tri-tip, pot roast, meatloaf and great burgers. JP’s bar-b-q specials feature all the trimmings. All bar-b-q specials, sandwiches and dinners come with choice of salads or baked beans as side dish.

Their hours are Wednesday through Friday, 6 am to 8 pm. Saturday and Sunday hours are 7 am to 8 pm. Monday and Tuesday they head to market to pick up the freshest, locally grown produce and choice meats. They are also available for groups and other events, and will work with event planners to even open on any day for the right cause and with ample notice.

Railway Café & Gifts is located at 3989 Center Street at Via Fustero. Come on down and treat yourself and your family to some rib-sticking treats. The phone number is 805-398-5031.

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Location: El Dorado Mobile Home Park, 250 E. Telegraph Road, Fillmore

The Fillmore Lions Club has once again teamed up with the City of Fillmore Fire Department in effort to provide local senior residents of the El Dorado Mobile Home Park the opportunity to have their smoke detector batteries changed and inspected as part of the Lions Club International Day of Service. The International Day of Service is an annual event held by Lions Club chapters throughout the United States who participate in hands-on service projects geared to better communities’ world wide.

Smoke alarm battery maintenance and inspections will be conducted on Saturday February 27, 2010 between 10AM-2PM. The service is being conducted FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF EL DORADO. To schedule an appointment please call Fillmore Fire Department at 805-524-0586.

Artist, Historian, Entertainer, Mr. George S. Stuart.

Artist, Historian, Entertainer, Mr. George S. Stuart will speak at the Fillmore Ebell Club, at the Veterans Memorial building, on February 23, 2010.

For more than fifty years George S. Stuart has been capturing the essence of history's most famous and infamous personalities. Rarely have art and history been melded so exactly in works of such breathtaking realism.

To date, he has created more than four hundred Historical Figures that have been exhibited in the Smithsonian and private collections.

Viewing a Group of Historical Figures gains special significance when accompanied by Mr. Stuart's informative, entertaining monologs about the personages and their times. Mr. Stuart presents monologs several times each month at the Museum of Ventura County and other venues.

George Stuart’s magical Historical Figures and entertaining historical monologs have inspired people of all ages for decades. The Historical Figures Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling that interest in history and art by bringing Stuart’s work to the public worldwide.

In his Ojai, California studio, Mr. Stuart continues to model Historical Figures. He is also very active in preservation and restoration of existing Figures.

For more about Mr. Stuart and the Historical Figures, go to his website: www.galleryhistoricalfigures.com

Anyone interested in more information, or becoming a member of the Fillmore Ebell Club, may call Pat Murray at 524-1825.

James and Christina Hernandez of Shadow Hills are the proud parents of Miss Kiara Leilani Hernandez, age 5, who has been chosen as a State Finalist in the National American Miss California Pageant to be held August 7, 2010 at the beautiful Marriott Hotel in Anaheim. The pageant is held for girls ages 4 through 18.

The winner of the pageant will receive a $1,000 cash award, the official crown and banner, a bouquet of roses, and compete in the national pageant at Disneyland in California.

The National American Miss pageants are dedicated to celebrating America's greatness and encouraging its future leaders. Each year, the pageant awards thousands of dollars in scholarships and prizes to recognize and assist in the development of young women nationwide. All activities are age-appropriate and family-oriented.

Families interested in learning more about this unique and outstanding youth program may visit www.namiss.com.

The National American Miss pageants are for "Today's Girl" and "Tomorrow's Leaders". The pageant program is based on inner beauty, as well as poise and presentation, and offers an "All-American spirit of fun for family and friends". Emphasis is placed on the importance of gaining self-confidence, learning new skills, learning good attitudes about competition, and setting and achieving personal goals. The pageant seeks to recognize the accomplishments of each girl while encouraging her to set goals for the future.

Miss Hernandez' activities include: ice skating, cheerleading, T-ball and gymnastics. She recently ran in The Lupus Race for Life Law Enforcement Charity Event and will also participate in The Ride to Arrest Cancer to raise awareness. Miss Hernandez is the youngest of 5 children. At this point in her life her dream is to be a "Mom". She also enjoys baking chocolate chip cookies and BBQ's at home with the family. Miss Hernandez' sponsors include The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 33 and various entities within The Los Angeles Police Department.

Fillmore High Alumni Association

At last Wednesday's basketball game, which Fillmore won 49 to 47 over Santa Paula, Fillmore High School Principal John Wilber, presented a plaque of appreciation to the Fillmore High Alumni Association for the assistance they have given to the school to help carry on some of the traditions in the 100 year history of the school. Singled out was the effort put forth by Marla DeZavala in the improvement of the gym, which consisted of refinishing the floor, repainting the emblem, providing pads at each end of the court and the dividers placed between the balcony and the lower level. Marla recruited many alumni members to help finance these improvements, and she is to be commended for her efforts. Also provided by the alumni were the two new banners in the gym, one with the words to the alma mater and the other with the words to the fight song. It was rewarding to see so many students at the game singing both songs as they were played by the band. Another activity being supported by the alumni association is the growing of Shasta Daisies for the graduation arches, which is being carried on by Kirk Richter and his Horticulture class. It is hoped that there will be enough flowers available for this year's graduation ceremony, which will be the 100th for this school.

Joe Woods, class of '79, is developing a committee to establish a Fillmore High Athletic Hall of Fame to recognize the outstanding individual players, teams and coaches during the past 100 years of the history of Fillmore High. The committee will consist of three men and two women, who are alumni members, to get the ball rolling on the project. The first task will be to determine the criteria for selecting each individual, team or coach. Once the criteria is established, input from alumni members and community members will be requested in order to come up with the most qualified individuals to be selected. The first group to be selected will be from 25 to 30 selectees since this covers almost 100 years of athletics, but for the following years, the number to be selected will be reduced so five to ten recipients will be honored. The committee will change every two to three years so others who wish to be on the committee will have the opportunity to do so. Joe is hoping to be able to have an awards dinner to recognize each group of inductees, with plaques presented to the individuals or their family, as well as having a display in the gym. Any comments on this proposal will be appreciated and can be sent to the alumni office, P. O. Box 385, Fillmore, CA 93016-0385 or e-mail at: staff@FillmoreHighAlumni.com.

The Fillmore Lions Club has teamed up with the City of Fillmore Fire Department in effort to provide local senior residents of the El Dorado Mobile Home Park the opportunity to have their smoke detector batteries changed and inspected as part of the Lions Club International Day of Service. The International Day of Service is an annual event held by Lions Club chapters throughout the United States who participate in hands-on service projects geared to better community’s world wide.

“Smoke alarms alert residents to the danger and make a difference between life and death” said Fire Chief Rigo Landeros. “Install and maintain a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and replace the battery twice each year.”

Smoke alarm battery maintenance and inspections will be conducted on Saturday February 6 between 10AM-2PM. The service is being conducted FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF EL DORADO. To schedule an appointment please call Bill Edmonds at 805-524-4839 or the Fillmore Fire Department at 805-524-0586.

The Fillmore Women’s Service Club is starting off the 2010 fund-raising year with their preparations for the ANNUAL SPAGHETTI DINNER slated for February 20th at the Fillmore Memorial Bldg.

The Fillmore Women’s Service Club has been active in their Fund Raising since 1964 . The group’s main goal is scholarships for Fillmore High School students each year and in 2009 they raised and gave $6500 in scholarships for high school seniors. There was also a scholarship for Women in returning to a trade or community college of $1,000. At the end of the year the Club sponsors a recipient and family luncheon which is the culmination of a year of fun and hard work.

During the year the Club also supports local organizations with donations, such as:

Bananas for local Senior Center and Meals on Wheels; donations to Rescue Mission, Salvation Army, Light Up a Life, Ventura County Food Share, Hospice, Christine Warring Scholarship Fund, Misc. donations for Xmas Baskets done at St. Francis, Members Friends of the Library, Toys for Children’s services Auxiliary, Senior Center Activity Fund, Books for Teachers (as part of Teacher Recognition program donate for books & classroom supplies), Fillmore Food Pantry and Grad Nite Live.

It’s not all work however, and plenty of fun for all as the members also enjoyed themselves during the year by attending:

Night out at the Sespe Players, Eastern Star Pancake Breakfast, a visit to the Love House Gardens, Ghost Walk at Santa Paula Airport, Ventura Botanical Gardens Tour, Tomato Mania at Otto & Sons Nursery.

The annual Fund Raisers which the support the Club are: Spaghetti Dinner, Rummage Sale and 4th of July Fireworks Booth. . “ It is with the support of the community that we are able to continue our scholarships and donations,” said Jeanne Klittich, this years club President.

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Rotary Sun Risers upcoming activities are: Feb 2: Dan Tappe United States Fish and Wildlife, Hopper Mountain Director. Feb 9: Dr. Mark Pratt, Oat Mountain Paragliding in Fillmore Feb. 16; Dan Lengning, Fish and Game Warden will be our speaker. Fillmore Sun Risers meet every Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. at El Pescador, for information about Rotary please contact Joe Aguirre, President at 524-2096.

Achievement Award for 2009 - one of only 121 hospitals nationwide and one of 5 in California to do so. The award recognizes CMH's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients, and signifies that CMH has reached an aggressive goal of treating coronary artery disease patients with 85 percent compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

Created by the merger of the American College of Cardiology Foundation's NCDR ACTION Registry and the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-CAD program, ACTION Registry-GWTG combines the best of both programs into a single, unified national registry.

To receive the Gold Performance Achievement Award, CMH consistently followed the treatment guidelines in ACTION Registry-GWTG for 24 consecutive months. These include aggressive use of medications like cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, and anticoagulants in the hospital. "The American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association commend Community Memorial Hospital for its success in implementing standards of care and protocols," said Dr. Christopher Cannon, ACTION Registry-GWTG Steering Committee Chairperson and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Associate Physician in the Cardiovascular Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

"The full implementation of acute and secondary CONTINUED »

SANTA PAULA, CA - A ten-year effort to establish a permanent home for Santa Paula’s renowned art collection is about to succeed, as the sparkling new Santa Paula Art Museum is set to open its doors. The opening exhibit, Celebrating the Founders: Organizers of the Santa Paula Art Show, will showcase the artists who started the Santa Paula Art Show in 1937, and which resulted in Santa Paula’s amazing collection.

The Grand Opening will be held on Sunday, February 14th , from 1:00 – 5:00pm, at the Museum’s new home in the historic Limoneira Building on 10th Street. A traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 1:00pm, attended by the Museum’s Board of Directors, dignitaries from City Hall and friends and supporters of the Museum from all over southern California. The public is encouraged to come and share in the excitement.

“We finally did it!” exclaimed an exuberant Mary Alice Henderson, Chair of the Museum’s board. “We’ve come so far, and we have so many people to thank for making this dream come true. The biggest thank you goes to the Limoneira Company, whose vision and generosity have allowed us to transform their magnificent building into a showplace for great art.”

The iconic Limoneira Building, designed by celebrated Santa Paula CONTINUED »

Santa Clara Valley Disposal will maintain its regular Friday trash and recycling collection schedule in Fillmore on Feb. 19, during the week of Presidents’ Day.

For more information, call 647-1414.

The Humane Society of Ventura County is seeking volunteers to help with the on-going operation of its Ojai animal shelter as well as to assist the private nonprofit organization with its off-site fund-raising activities.

Volunteers are needed for the following tasks:

* Participating in animal yard checks (applicants must first go through training with Humane Society officers);
* Performing clerical work at the shelter and answering phones;
* Manning HSVC informational booths at local community events;
* Meeting with HSVC officials to create fund-raising events;
* Locating sites to sell walnuts donated by Black Mountain Ranch in the Upper Ojai;
* Collecting cash donation boxes for the HSVC on routes in Ventura County. Drivers needed mostly in Santa Paula, Fillmore and Moorpark.

Applications are available at the HSVC shelter, located at 402 Bryant St. in Ojai, or online at www.humanesocietyvc.org. Click the “Get Involved” icon for the application. For more information, call Volunteer Coordinator Suzanne Soprano at 666-5031 or 646-6505.

The Piru Cemetery Board met on Thursday, January 21, 2010 with an agenda packed with actions to increase community participation as they move forward with much-needed improvements at this nearly 100-year old institution. In November 2008, voters overwhelmingly approved Measure M. This $25 per parcel annual tax will provide necessary funds to enable the district to better maintain this important part of Piru’s heritage as well as expand to allow for the future operation.

One action taken at this month’s meeting was to move to expand the board of trustees from its current 3 member board to 5 members. This will result in greater community input and involvement. The Ventura County Board of Supervisors must first formally approve this change. Following their action, expected in February, the County and District will begin advertising and accepting applications from interested persons from within the community. This was part of the overall refinement of the board’s by-laws and strategic plan.

Another action taken was to open the gates on Saturdays and Sundays to allow cars to enter the cemetery grounds. In the past, nighttime vandalism prompted the former board to keep gates locked. While the pedestrian gate remained open, this offered limited access, especially for elderly visitors to the cemetery. Local and family members are now welcome to pay their respects in a much more accessible manner. These gates will be open from 7 am to 5 pm on weekends.

The board also moved forward with plans to CONTINUED »

Hey Fillmore! In case you hadn’t noticed, there are exciting new happenings at the Fillmore Senior Center. Starting in February, you can take a meditation and/or yoga class in the evening! Come on over and decrease stress while increasing your health and well-being! These two classes are available to adults of all ages, no experience necessary.

Classes begin Thursday, February 4 at 5:30 p.m. Meditation, taught by Valerie Brinton is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; then yoga, taught by Janine Rees, is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. They will continue on Thursdays throughout the year. Also, the morning meditation class will now be offered on Thursday mornings from 8:00 to 9:00 prior to the Thursday morning yoga class.

Valerie has taught Taoist Meditation for over 20 years. This approach is simple and gentle. The benefits include reduced conflict and tension, with an increase in resilience, calm focus, self-esteem, and vitality.

Janine has taught Iyengar for fifteen years. This type of yoga emphasizes correct alignment and proper breathing coordinated with gentle stretching as well as strength and balance building. All levels of ability are welcome to attend these hour-long class. Each class is a $2.00 donation, only.

We welcome all you stressed, weary, stiff folks out there who work out of town and can’t get to the center for daytime classes. Now there are classes for you too! Plus, new classes are being added all the time so check your Gazette regularly for updated schedules. See you there. Janine Rees, 524-4856