FOOD Share, Inc., Ventura County’s Food Bank, received a donation of $10,000 from Wells Fargo in response to increasing demand for food assistance in the county.

“On behalf of all the agencies we serve I’d like to extend our gratitude to Wells Fargo,” said Fran McNeill, interim CEO. “With the enormous increase in the cost of living over the last six months, these funds are truly needed to keep the food flowing through FOOD Share to the hungry in our community. In our history of food banking, this is by far the most drastic, across the board, increase in demand for emergency food assistance I’ve ever seen.”

Despite a challenging economy in 2007, Wells Fargo’s charitable donations to non-profit organizations based in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties went up nearly 10 percent compared to grants given by the company the previous year. Last year, Wells Fargo awarded 149 grants and $400,170 to non-profit organizations throughout the Pacific Coast region.

"With demand soaring and donations declining, our local food banks are in desperate need of support,” said Marla Vasquez, Wells Fargo Pacific Coast Community Bank president. “Wells Fargo is encouraging corporate leaders in Ventura County to donate time and money to the regional food banks to see them through this crisis."

On September 13, 2008 a fundraising event for Officer Tony Pedeferri will be held at Coach Patty's School of Gymnastics in Camarillo. The event, which is open to children from ages 4 to 12, will start at 5:30 p.m. and will end at 9:30 p.m.

There will be several activities for children such as arts and crafts and movies which will be shown on a 35-foot movie screen. Dinner will also be given to those who attend. Reservations for the event are recommended.

For more information and to make reservations, please call Patty Sylvis at (805) 383-9460.

On December 19, 2007, Officer Pedeferri, a twelve year veteran of the California Highway Patrol, was on a traffic stop on the US 101 when he was involved in a traffic collision involving an impaired driver. The collision critically injured Officer Pedeferri and left him paralyzed. A second victim was killed as a result of the collision.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The County of Ventura is taking part in a nationwide coordinated effort to encourage individuals, families and organizations to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools. September is National Preparedness Month and the County of Ventura will be joining a wide variety of national, state and local organizations, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in educating the public about preparing for emergencies.

The County of Ventura has continued its commitment to educating residents and improving operations during a disaster. In September, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services has partnered with the Ventura County School Districts and will be hosting four disaster preparedness multi-media art contests to educate students of all ages on how to be prepared at home. In addition, County of Ventura employees will also be participating in voluntary American Red Cross training and completing a survey to measure their level of personal preparedness in the event of a disaster.

Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count. Some simple steps residents can do to prepare for the unexpected include making an emergency supply kit, developing a family communications plan and staying informed on the local hazards in our community.

By taking some simple steps now, we can protect our family, community and ourselves. As a community, all residents are welcomed on the front line of this effort and in observing September as National Preparedness Month.

For more information, please visit the County of Ventura website at www.countyofventura.org and click on the Disaster Information link. This website will display current information in the event of an emergency, educate residents on the hazards in our area, and provide a resource on how to prepare, respond and recover from a disaster in our area.

The Ventura County Fire Department is inviting the public to tour the newly remodeled Fire Station 28 in Piru. The department will host an open house on Saturday, September 6, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

At 10:30 a.m., Supervisor Kathy Long will speak along with Ventura County Fire Department Deputy Chief Kevin Nestor.

In 1931, the Ventura County Fire Department built a fire station on Market St. in Piru, making it the third station in the county fire district. The department recognized the need for fire protection in Piru then, and remains committed to that protection today.

The current fire station was built in 1950, and by remodeling it, the department has renewed its dedication to serving the citizens of Piru and the surrounding area with well-trained, professional firefighters. The open house is an opportunity for the public to see how Piru’s firefighters live while on duty.

The station doors will open at 10 a.m. with the Welcoming Ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m. There will be station tours, refreshments, displays of firefighting equipment, information on preparing a Wildfire Action Plan and fun fire safety materials for the kids.

Stacey Mutz will reopen Fillmore Sidewalk Cafe on Tuesday September 2. Fillmore Sidwalk Cafe' has been known for outstanding American Food with great prices. Hours of operation will be Tuesdays through Sundays 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Fillmore Sidewalk Cafe' is located in downtown Fillmore across from City Hall. 454 Santa Clara St.

On Sunday, August 31st from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm in the parking lot of Super A Food next to Jiffy Lube team Young’Ins will be putting on a car wash to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The team is made up of high school students wanting to help make a difference. Prices are $7.00 for cars and $10.00 for trucks, vans, and SUV’s.

Jim Sasser

It’s Jim Sasser’s 75th birthday on September 6th! You might wonder who in the world is Jim Sasser? Many in Fillmore, who were around from 1979 through 2003 knew Jim as the owner of Jim’s Union Gas Station and Towing Service, and enjoyed the excellent service he and his staff provided. Not as many people knew of Jim’s positive presence in the community beyond his business activities.

James Sasser was born the eldest of three children, in Dyersburg, Tennessee in 1933. He attended school while working to help support his family during those difficult times. Seeking work, he moved to Chicago at the tender age of sixteen, where he met and married his wife Patricia in 1954. Shortly afterward, the U.S. Army knocked on his door, and he served a tour of duty in Wiesbaden, West Germany, where the young couple’s first child, daughter Donna, was born. Upon his discharge, the Sassers relocated to Baltimore, Maryland and added two boys, James W. and David, to their family.

There, Jim opened his first business, a full service gas station and towing service in 1970 and operated it until 1979, when he relocated to Ventura County, CA. He opened Jim’s Union Gas Station and Towing Service at A Street and SR 126 in Fillmore the same year and brought AAA® service into the area.

Through his years in our area, Jim’s eye was not only on business. His numerous philanthropic activities included contributions to the Boys and Girls Club; providing tow trucks to Fillmore High School for parades; offering summer jobs to high school students; volunteering at the Commission of Human Concern of Ventura County by providing transportation for the homeless to shelters, and working with the Food Share Program. In addition, he was a great mentor to many local youths.

After retiring, and selling the business in 2003 to his long time friend and partner, Zahid Shah, the grandfather of four remained an advisor until 2005, subsequently returning with Patricia to Tennessee, and numerous family and friends. Nevertheless, Jim Sasser’s friends and co-workers in Fillmore still remember and miss him. They, and especially the staff at Jim’s Fillmore Towing and Auto Repair (located at 1515 Ventura Street), including Zahid, Bobby, Javier, Dino, Poncho, Adrian, Janet and Kris, wish him the happiest and healthiest of 75th birthdays, and a giant cheer for each quarter century of his amazing life.

A hungry crowd enjoys a beautiful evening under the sycamore tree at Otto & Sons Nursery to honor Bardsdale 4-H fair buyers and members achievements.
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Bardsdale 4-H held their annual Appreciation Banquet last Saturday to thank their Fair animal buyers and to highlight the members achievements. A crowd of over 80 enjoyed a warm evening Tri-tip BBQ by Andy & Danny Klittich and Brian McKeown. Special thanks to El Pescador for supplying the rice, beans, and salsa; to Beylik Farms for tomatoes and tables; to Rigo Landeros for the BBQ grill; and to Otto & Sons Nursery for the beautiful location. The Fair Buyers were presented with framed pictures of the 4-H members and their animals, and an awards table displayed crafts and projects entered at the Fair. (Look in the Patterson Hardware window downtown to see a sample of their great work!) The evening concluded with the installation of officers and a slideshow of annual highlights compiled by Jessica Raye. Thanks again to all our Fair Buyers, community supporters, adult leaders, and active members who made such a great year possible!

Conway Spitler

In 2001, Denmark elected the most conservative government in some 70 years—one that had some decidedly non-generous ideas about liberal unfettered immigration. Today Denmark has the strictest immigration policies in Europe.
Today Denmark has the strictest immigration policies in Europe. (Its effort to protect itself has been met with accusations of "racism" by liberal media across Europe—even as other governments struggle to right the social problems wrought by years of too-lax immigration.
If you wish to become Danish, you must attend three years of language classes. You must pass a test on Denmark's history, culture, and a Danish language test. You must live in Denmark for seven years before applying for citizenship. You must demonstrate intent to work, and have a job waiting. If you wish to bring a spouse into Denmark, you must both be over 24 years of age, and you won't find it so easy anymore to move your friends and family to Denmark with you.

My prayers go out to those of us who live on River Street!
Central Avenue and River Street have been closed so we now have to go east on River Street to get to the city.
Then we put our lives in jeopardy crossing the highway. The autos coming from the east just speed along and then you watch the ones coming from the west which are going at a better pace since they had the stop light at Central Avenue. In fact it is putting anyone in jeopardy just to join the fast moving vehicles going east and west on the highway.
Perhaps we need a highway patrol vehicle sitting in the area--this would at least slow them down a bit.
It is realized that we need the sewer, but couldn't more thought be given to the people who live in the area and something worked out to make driving safe in the area?
The big question is: "How long is it going to take to get all this done so life can return to normal, especially in the Central and River Street areas?

On September 2, United Water Conservation District will begin its annual fall release of water held behind Santa Felicia Dam in Lake Piru. From September 2 into early November, United will release 48,400 acre-feet of water -an acre-foot represents the amount of water sufficient to cover an acre of land to a depth of one foot and is the amount generally used by two average households in one year. This annual operation, representing the primary reason for the dam's construction in the 1950s, is essential for providing for the water needs of the Santa Clara River Valley and the Oxnard Plain.
This year's release, the largest since 1995, will lower the lake level approximately 60 feet from its current level. About half of the water will recharge groundwater supplies between the dam and United's Vern Freeman Diversion Dam at Saticoy, and the other half will supply surface water to agriculture on the Oxnard Plain and will be spread to replenish coastal groundwater supplies.
The release will provide a welcome supply of water to the ecology of the Santa Clara River Valley during a time of year when the river would otherwise naturally be dry. It will also provide United staff the opportunity to conduct studies relative to fish passage, percolation rates of groundwater basins and river channel cutting.
In speaking about the release United's General Manager, Dana Wisehart, noted, "Water supplies in Ventura County are currently sufficient to provide for our needs, but if this next winter is another dry one our supplies will begin to be seriously strained. It is important to do what we can to conserve now. We need to be sure that we continue to have enough water to provide for people and the environment in our area."

The Ventura County Library Commission met in their regular session on Thursday August 21, 2008.
Among the agenda items approved by the commission was one which directed the Library Director, Jackie Griffin, to work with the County Executive Office and the City of Thousand Oaks to look into the possibilities of ending library fees between districts in the county.
The fourteen libraries of Ventura County give free library service to anyone in the state of California, as do the cities of Oxnard, Moorpark and Santa Paula. The City of Thousand Oaks charges most residents of Ventura County, outside the city limits, $80.00 annually for a library card. In addition, the County Library also pays the City of Thousand Oaks approximately $187,000 annually to provide library service to residents of Ventu Park, Newbury Park and Lynn Ranch.
In the last two years, 1,578 residents of the unincorporated areas have used the Thousand Oaks Library, while 2,600 Thousand Oaks residents have used the Ventura County Library.
In 1998 when Ventura County agreed to pay Thousand Oaks for unincorporated residents to use Thousand Oaks libraries, the Ventura County Library was unable to provide adequate library service in those areas. In recent years, Ventura County has built a new community library in Oak Park and the new Camarillo Library has opened. In addition, the Ventura County Library offers many online services that all residents of Ventura County (including residents of the City of Thousand Oaks) can access online for free including e-books, homework help and 47 databases.
“We appreciate the service that the City of Thousand Oaks offered unincorporated residents when there were no other libraries in the area” said Director Griffin, “but times have changed and we’re all on a level playing field with library service wide-spread throughout the county. It would be great if Thousand Oaks would join the rest of the libraries in Ventura County in providing free library services to all residents.”

VENTURA, CA - On September 6th 2008, from 2:00 – 5:00 pm, the Ventura Family YMCA will host its 2nd Annual Back to School Backyard Bash to promote a safe and healthy 2008-2009 school year.

School may be back in session but that doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. The Backyard Bash will feature activities for the whole family including jolly jumps, games, aquatics and sports activities, FREE food, music, special educational guests and a healthy recipe contest.

The Back to School Backyard Bash will also feature an array of special guests like Sandy Curwood, Nutritional Director for the Ventura Unified School District; Mike and Traci Lamm, owners of Channel Islands Kayak, who will provide a kayak demonstration in the YMCA pool and educate children on water safety; Game Crazy, a local video game distributor who will educate children and parents on the rating system and provide information on how video games can be a great source of exercise; Rabobank will be educating parents on the importance of saving for college and providing information to establish the right type of savings account for their family; Valerie Zeko owner of VenturaParent.com will provide information about their online guide to family resources and activities in Ventura, Oxnard, Ojai and Camarillo. Representatives from the Ventura Family YMCA will also be available to discuss the YMCA’s No Join Fee for all new members as well as scholarship options for individuals and families in the area. Plus, the Ventura Police and Fire Department will make a special appearance to educate children on back to school safety.

The event will also feature a “Healthy Recipe Contest” where participants have the opportunity to bring their favorite healthy dish to share and event attendees vote on the evening’s best dish. The contest winner will enjoy a FREE 6 month family membership to the YMCA (a $500.00 value) and dish recipes will be available for all food dishes that are entered. For more information on how to enter visit www.venturaymca.org.

Come see how we’ve been building strong kids, strong families and strong communities for Ventura since 1887 and join us in a new generation of health, family and friendship at the YMCA!

About the Ventura Family YMCA
The Ventura Family YMCA serves over 20,000 individuals annually through facility memberships, before & after school childcare, day & resident camps, youth sports, swim lessons, teen programs, and many more healthy lifestyles and community enriching programs throughout Ventura, Oxnard, Ojai, Santa Paula, and Saticoy. The Ventura Family YMCA is located at 3760 Telegraph Rd., Ventura, CA 93003. Visit www.venturaymca.org or call (805) 642-2131 ext 24 for more information.

“Art About Agriculture” is an agricultural art exhibit which will be held September 6th through November 16th at the City of Santa Paula’s California Oil Museum, 1001 E. Main Street in historic downtown Santa Paula. The purpose of the exhibit is to promote Art About Agriculture by exploring all the facets of agriculture from workers to water, from machinery to soil and to the food that goes on our plates.

The public is cordially invited to the opening reception on Saturday, September 6 from 4 to 7 p.m. with music and refreshments for your enjoyment. All work in the exhibit will be for sale.

Art About Agriculture features art by 35 artists working in both two and three-dimensional media who create art that in some way draws its inspiration from our agricultural heritage and/or contemporary agriculture. That inspiration includes, but is not limited to, depictions of rural landscape, farm animals, farm products, rural life, and art that in a more abstract way deals with issues and ideas related to agriculture.

In addition to the first, second and third prizes there will be the prestigious Limoneira Purchase Award of $1,000.

The Ag Art Alliance was formed in 2007 by Gail Pidduck and John Nichols. Jennifer Heighton joined them recently. For more information on the exhibit and future activities visit www.agartalliance.com.

WHAT: Ag Art Alliance 2nd Annual Exhibit “Art About Agriculture”
WHERE: California Oil Museum, 1001 E. Main St. Santa Paula, CA
OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, September 6th from 4 to 7 PM
EXHIBIT DATES: September 6 - November 16, 2008

Shown above are Fillmore Lions President, Bill Edmunds and keynote speaker, Ted Fusco, Past International Director.
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“March of the 2008-2009 District Cabinet Officers” took place on Saturday, August 16, 2008, hosted by the
Fillmore Lions Club. The full day event held at the Veterans Memorial building was coordinated by Fillmore
Membership Chairman, Lion Jim Austin and his wife Phyllis, and included seminars and meetings. It concluded
with dinner, prizes and a Candlelight Ceremony installing District 4A-3 Officers. Nearly 100 were in attendance.

Secure free booth space for Sunday, November 9th , to sell two-dimensional Fine Art at the Fillmore Annual Home Tour sponsored by the Fillmore Historical Museum, 350 Main Street. A 10% commission will be charged. There are 10 booth spaces available indoors in the newly renovated Fillmore train depot, 4 spaces in the outdoor gazebo and 10’x10’ outdoor spaces on the depot grounds. Ribbons will be awarded. Set up and judging time 9-11, open time 11-4.
For applications: Luanne Perez 524-0925 or Joanne King 524-4904.

Fillmore High Alumni Association

The Fillmore High Alumni newsletter, "Flashbacks" was put in the mail last Friday by the hard working group of volunteers made up of Joyce Basolo, Jane Johnson, Maxine Merry, who brought along her brother, J. C. Taylor, Jolene Stethem and Em Wendel. By the time you read this, hopefully you will have already received your copy of the August issue, but if not, please contact the alumni office at 524-0416 or at staff@FillmoreHighAlumni.com. Kathleen McCreary has done another wonderful job of putting together this issue, which includes letters regarding the Gritz Brothers of the 1960's, a great article from Doug Gibby about his days at Sespe Elementary, class reunion notices from Conway Spitler for the class of '38, Florene Campbell Ernst for the class of '48 and Bob Horn for the class of '58. A recap of the alumni dinner, along with a number of pictures of attendees at the dinner are also included. More pictures from that dinner will be appearing on the alumni website shortly, as well as in the November issue of "Flashbacks". Be sure to look for it, and if your subscription runs out this year, please send in your renewal before December 31.
The quarterly alumni board meeting was held Monday evening, August 18 at Mark Ortega's home with eight members in attendance. Two new members, Glenda DeJarnette and Tricia Urea-Gradias were elected as new members and were welcomed to the board of directors. The 2008 alumni dinner was discussed and all agreed it was a huge success.
The 2009 alumni dinner will be held Saturday, June 6 at the Memorial Building. Plans for this dinner will be discussed at a later meeting, but the dinner will be catered by Gary Laird, class of '76. The alumni scholarships were discussed, and continued discussion will take place at the Scholarship Committee meeting in September. Decisions will be made as to how the scholarships will be distributed and if more emphasis will be placed on the Continuation Grants. Work is progressing on getting the Shasta Daisies growing again on the school farm to be used once again on the Junior arches for graduation. The alumni association will again be present at the home football game between Fillmore and Santa Paula, to hand out information and memberships to alumni. The latest issue of the "Flashbacks" was handed out to each member present. The next board of directors meeting will be held on Monday, November 17.

2008 PiruFest set for Labor Day Weekend Attracts More Sponsors, Exhibitors and Events:
Event Planners report that Saturday, August 30th Festival continues to catch the attention for music, art, food and assortment of vendors and entertainment.
Planning and scheduling efforts for the 8th Annual PiruFest continue to take shape as this Saturday, August 30th event approaches. The day will kick off at noon and continue until 10 p.m. at the beautiful Piru Depot and Gazebo Plaza Park on Center Street in the historic downtown district. This year’s event will offer entertainment, an assortment of vendors, a horseshoe tournament, community art project and other activities that promise to be enjoyed by all ages.
The Piru Neighborhood Council, with support from private and community partners, organize this exciting annual festival. Event planners are proud to announce that other area organizations are joining to ensure this affair is a success. The Piru Petroleum Club, Lake Piru Recreation Area, Fillmore-Piru Citrus Association, Piru Parks Commission, Laverne Nursery, Rancho Temescal, Poncho’s Restaurant, Bennett’s Honey, Supervisor Kathy Long, Ventura County Redevelopment Agency, Pacific Beverage Company, and International Paper Company have come on board to support the day’s attractions.
The PiruFest 2008 Organizing Committee, chaired by Stephanie Acosta, continues to work with vendors and exhibitors to make this festival a memorable one. A just-announced exhibit and sponsorship by Lake Piru Recreation Area will include an opportunity for two lucky festivalgoers to win a half-day rental of one of their popular and brand new pontoon boats. Other exhibitors and vendors range from tasty food choices, local crafts, music, and popular clothing items. Health and nutritional representatives as well as educational resources available in the Heritage Valley will provide valuable information for sustaining a healthy community.
According to Committee Chairwoman Acosta, planning efforts are moving forward at a rapid pace as this Labor Day Weekend event nears. With this in mind, it will feature young performers from Inlakech Cultural Arts Center. These young performers are sure to bring the Piru Depot and landmark gazebo plaza to life as they gracefully dance, perform and entertain the crowd with their beautiful and rhythmic dances and music.
Later that evening, the popular Dan Torres and the Piru River Band will headline from 6-10 pm. Known for their variety of current and “oldie” tunes, Dan and his band always get the crowd on their feet and on the dance floor. They have performed in the valley for many years and have always included family, including wife Irma, their sons and other local artists. Torres and his band have a 30-year history of memorable shows, including past performances with Little Joe & La Familia among others. This year’s event will also showcase one of the band’s newest musicians. Their 10-year-old grandson, known locally as “D-3”, will join in on lively precision tunes showcasing his amazing percussion talents.
Throughout the day, a group of young students will embark on a community art project to transform a local wall from a graffiti target to a tasteful representation reflecting the area’s diverse and rich background. Students from Piru and Fillmore schools will get involved in the development and “hands-on” experience for this effort. This activity will take place along a section of the pedestrian trail that parallels the valley’s historic railroad line in Piru. Carlos Callejo, an experienced and recognized artist, will coordinate work on this project. Callejo was recently selected by the County of Ventura to develop a significant public art project along another Piru stretch of the trail.
All are invited to join in on what is sure to be a wonderful celebration of this unique and family-oriented town and its rich contributions to the region.