The Fillmore Citizen Patrol Free showing of "Madagascar 2" on Saturday, December 13, 2008, was a complete success. Both showings were popular with many compliments and thanks from the attendees. As the people were leaving the theatre, they were handed a candy cane and wished a Merry Christmas. The Citizen Patrol has been making these free showings available for many years. Our thanks to the "Gazette" newspaper for placing our ad in their Thursday, December 11, 2008 publication.
Helen M. Lidamore,
Secretary, Fillmore Citizen Patrol

Sat. Dec. 20th at 12noon
“Celebrate Christmas-Piru Style”
Parade Check-In at 9am
Corner of Center & Park St

Vendors check-In at 9am
Corner of Center & Piru Square

Horseshoe Tournament
Check-In at 10am
Piru Gazebo
Information/Rusty 521-1040

Schedule of Events At Piru Gazebo
12Noon Parade
1PM Horseshoe Tournament
1pm Vendors Open
1pm-5pm DJ Music
2pm Awards Ceremony
6pm-9pm Danny Torres &
Piru River Band

For more information call
ChaCha 521-0527/Catina 279-1758
Laura 521-1145/Irene 521-0752

For more information go to www.pirupress.com

Discover the rewards of foster parenting at a Foster Parenting Informational Meeting. Learn how you can provide the healing, support and guidance that can transform a child at risk into a self-assured, successful adult. More than 600 children are currently in foster homes in Ventura County, and every day, another child is removed from their home because they have been neglected, abused or abandoned. By being a foster parent, you have the opportunity to make the difference in a child's life. English only. For more information call Human Services Agency, County of Ventura, 805.654.3456 or go to vchsa.org/foster.

Bill Faith and Janine Rees, owners of The Scented Path.

For this season of giving, you are invited to become a Salvation Army “Angel” by picking up an “Angel Tag” at The Scented Path Apothecary located at 338 Central Avenue.
Each tag lists the name and age of a needy Ventura county child along with an age appropriate gift suggestion. After you purchase a gift, return it to The Scented Path in Fillmore or to The Salvation Army at 155 S. Oak Street, Ventura. Gifts will be then be sorted and made available for qualified families at A Toy and Joy Shop in Ventura. Food donations are also being accepted for the Salvation Army food drive. All donations should be received by December 17th, 2008.
For your convenience, The Scented Path has extended hours for the Christmas donating and buying season: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you’re looking for something in the unusual or healthy- natural realm, The Scented Path is an excellent option. Proprietors Bill and Janine have almost thirty years of perfume blending experience and can custom design any fragrance body care product to suit your gift-giving needs. Call 524-4856 for more information and don’t forget to pick up your Angel gift card and bring in your food donation.

Conway Spitler

An innovative research project puts new focus on California’s 446 Billion-a-year Problem. An “average” high school graduate earns $290,000 more over a lifetime—and pays $100,00 more in federal, state and local taxes—than a high school dropout.

Between 26 percent and 35 percent of all teenagers in California today are high school dropouts.

One of every three students who dropped out of 10th grade in 2004 was doing nothing four years later—neither going to school nor working.

The problems costs the state’s taxpayers $6.4 billion annually (from UC Santa Barbara Today).

Where: North Fillmore Police Storefront
642 Lemon Way
When: Monday, December 22, 2008
3pm – 6pm
Free Polaroid Picture with Santa Claus
One Picture per Family
Toys Given to Children
Residents of Fillmore, Piru & Bardsdale only
Proof of Residency may be Required

Thanks to our Sheriff’s Department for recently issuing citations to four men selling toys on Central without a city business license. A group of these L.A. hard core peddlers shows up in our town from time to time. They are very aggressive, to the extreme of being brazen, tactless and very bold. Hopefully anyone approached by peddlers will demand to see their Fillmore, up-to- date business license and call City Hall should they refuse. On a similar note, it’s time that the combined City Council and School Board take a stand against the absolute garbage that’s being peddled outside our schools. Here we live in a valley with magnificent fruit and produce growing abundantly; and our students get released from school to see peddlers selling fake flavored chicharrones with 15 or more artificial colors, preservatives and worse. I’ve looked and read the labels on some of this stuff. It’s like reading the glossary in a chemistry textbook. License or no license, these school peddlers must be restricted.

“31st Annual Piru Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival Set for Saturday, December 20th”
Community organizers in Piru are pleased to announce this year’s Christmas Parade will be held Saturday, December 20th in this historic town. This year’s theme is “Celebrate Christmas Piru Style”.
The day’s events will kick off with our annual parade, which will kick off at noon that Saturday. Our parade route will be begin at the Piru Elementary School and continue though downtown on Center Street. Judges viewing stage and announcers will be set up at the beautiful Piru Depot Plaza and Park. Following the parade will be a day full of activities at the downtown Depot and Park.
This year’s Grand Marshals are Julian and Margaret Rangel. These lifelong Piru residents will celebrate their 70th Wedding Anniversary in April 2009. Julian Rangel celebrated his 90th birthday this past June and Margaret is proud to announce she will turn 90 this February.
This beautiful couple have both resided in Piru their entire lives. Julian was a foreman for years with the Fillmore-Piru Citrus Association; Margaret is a homemaker and incredible cook and gardener. Their daughter is Delfina Beltran, married to John Beltran. They have two grand children, and two great grand children.
Following the parade will be vendors, exhibits and other activities in the beautiful Piru Depot and Gazebo Plaza Park. Activities will include the always popular Horseshoe Tournament and variety of vendors offering their unique items just in time for the holidays. Local DJ Paul Viaz will be mixing your favorite tunes all day.
That evening we will feature hometown favorite Dan Torres and the Piru River Band performing in the Gazebo Stage. Dan and his family always gets the crowd on their feet for what is sure to be another memorable holiday celebration in our beloved town. Please join in this always festive, fun and family celebration. For more information call 521-0527 or visit www. Pirupress.com

Enjoy free admission, cookies and cocoa at the Rancho Camulos National Historic Landmark Holiday Open House Saturday December 13. Visit the Museum Gift Shop and gently used book emporium for some unique holiday gifts from 11-3. Shop at the Camulos Antique and Craft market for reasonably priced treasures and quality holiday crafts from 9-4. Mrs. Santa will be there too. There is something for everyone at the Rancho Camulos Museum. Enjoy our unique setting and selection. Proceeds benefit our non-profit’s historical preservation, restoration, and educational efforts. Shop where the history, myth, and romance of old California still linger.
Rancho Camulos Museum is on the south side of highway 126, 2 miles East of Piru and 10 miles west of the I-5. Phone: (805) 521-1501. See www.ranchocamulos.org for details.

Conway Spitler

Always interesting to look back in history so as to remind us of "What was" and "What is"? The first teachers at Fillmore High School in 1913 were L. J. Clary, E. K. Durkee, G. A. Willett and H. Barr. These names were obtained from the school annuals. In the year 1921 Marie Schibsby came to Fillmore High with teachers Whipple, McGree, Davis, J. A. Galvin, Converse, Manske, Vine, Homrighausen, Milligan and Parker being colleagues. Year of 1938 was my graduation year and had these teachers at the high school: J. Alman, E. Jarrett, E. Kennedy, D. Main, C. Mitchell, W. Ross, M. Schibsby, B. Seimears, A. Smith, H. Bigger, A. Hansen, H. Kershner, W. Marple, L. Smith, W. Tilleson, M. Von Kanel, F. Walker, A. Case, V. Fremlin, E. Graham, and W. Knight. When we look back, too many of us, it seems like so many years since graduation, yet when you have a reunion those memories of teachers come back very quickly.

Ventura County, Calif. – The American Red Cross of Ventura County invites children from 3rd to 5th grade, to participate in the free Safe Kid’s Day on Saturday, December 13 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at Jack Boyd Community Center in Sarzotti Park, Ojai.

Hosted by the American Red Cross of Ventura County Youth Services Program, children will learn all types of emergency training during the day-long event. Highlights include the four-step Emergency Action Plan where kids learn what to do in an emergency, how & when to get help and what to do when help arrives. In addition, students will be trained in Water Safety, learning ways to prevent drowning and using safety precautions and rescue procedures for water activity. The Fire Safety segment will help kids understand how to prevent fires, the importance of controlling air flow to fire and developing ways to prevent burns.

Students will also learn ways to avoid motor vehicle injuries during the Safe Wheels training and learn the importance of using safety belts, cycling helmets & knee pads. Rules for school bus safety and preventing bicycle injuries will also be presented.

Other training includes Lost & Found, which outlines ways to prevent getting lost, and teaches kids how to make a preparation plan if lost. Students will also learn how to prevent choking and first aid procedures during All Choked Up.

The emergency training is conducted by high school students in the American Red Cross of Ventura County Youth Services Program. To prepare for training, high school students undergo First Aid Training and other emergency preparedness programs to instruct kids 7-11 years of age in safety skills.

To register for the event, call the American Red Cross of Ventura County at 805-987-1514, ext. 304 or email to youthvc@usa.redcross.org.

Since 1917, the American Red Cross of Ventura County has been meeting needs throughout the communities it serves. Each year, more than 1,200 local volunteers respond to more than 50 local disasters, teach tens of thousands of individual’s vital lifesaving skills, and support the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces. The American Red Cross is not a government agency.

Fillmore, CA…..Santa is gearing up for his famous Christmas Eve journey to the homes of children all over the world. But first, he is making a few stops along the way, most notably on the Fillmore & Western Railway’s variety of holiday trains.

There are still seats available for families on the North Pole Express Wednesdays through Sunday evenings, Nov. 28-Dec. 26, with trains departing at 6:00pm and 7:30 pm. The one hour train ride journeys to the North Pole east of Fillmore, where it picks up Santa Claus, who climbs onboard to visit with all the children. Elves are onboard each railcar and entertain passengers by reading a Christmas story and leading everyone in singing Christmas carols. The jolly elves distribute a Christmas cookie and chocolate milk to everyone during the trip. Once back in town, Santa poses for photos with children and happily accepts their Christmas wish lists. Families are also invited to stroll through Santa’s Village in Central Park, downtown Fillmore, where there are craft and Christmas vendors, a Carousel and a food booth available.

The Christmas Tree Train runs on Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 29 through December 21 with two departures each day at 10:00am and 2:00pm. The 2-1/2 to 3 hour train ride takes passengers to a private Christmas Tree Farm, where they seek out and cut down their “perfect Christmas tree”. The tree is then loaded onto a flatcar and transported back to town. Santa visits with children and their families onboard the trip over and sits on the backporch of the business car while at the farm to pose for photos and collect wish lists. An onboard restaurant is also available during the trip.

“Dinner With Santa” trains depart on Friday and Sunday evenings at 5:30pm, Nov. 28 through Dec. 21. Families get to dine with the ole’ gent himself during the two hour trip.

For more information or to book passage on one of the Christmas Holiday Trains call 805-524-2546 or visit Fillmore & Western’s website at www.fwry.com All Aboard for Christmas Fun!

The Ventura County Library community libraries will be closing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24, and will be closed Thursday, December 25, for the Christmas Day holiday.
The libraries will also be closing at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31, and will be closed Thursday, January 1, for the New Years Day holiday.
In addition, the Piru Library will be closed on Wednesday, December 24 and Wednesday, December 31.
The fourteen Ventura County Library community libraries include Avenue Library, Camarillo Library, Fillmore Library, E. P. Foster Library, Meiners Oaks Library, Oak Park Library, Oak View Library, Ojai Library, Piru Library, Ray D. Prueter Library, Saticoy Library, Simi Valley Library, Albert H. Soliz Library, and H. P. Wright Library. Books may be returned to the bookdrops at any of the community libraries.
The Ventura County Library is available via the internet, 24 hours a day, at www.vencolibrary.org.