Ventura, CA - Community Memorial Hospital has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines –Stroke Bronze Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes CMH’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care by ensuring that stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and serious, long-term disability in the United States. On average, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds; someone dies of a stroke every four minutes; and 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

“With a stroke, time lost is brain lost, and the Get With The Guidelines–Stroke Bronze Quality Achievement Award addresses the important element of time,” said Stephanie Lara-Jenkins, RN BA, Stroke Coordinator for Community Memorial Health System.

CMH has developed CONTINUED »

For the past eight years Troop Real Estate Santa Paula, through their Troop Turkey Drive, has been making Thanksgiving extra special for the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley. Thanks to their generous donation, this year families of eighty-five club members will receive a turkey, stuffing, potatoes and all the delicious fixings to enjoy a memorable Thanksgiving meal. The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley serves the communities of Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula.

Come join the fun on Saturday, November 30th and bring a unwrapped toy to these various locations where Fillmore & Western Railway will be stopping to pick them up with Santa Claus.

Each year Fillmore & Western Railway joins forces with the Ventura County Sheriff's Association to distribute toys to needy children for Christmas. Help us spread the Holiday Love & Cheer across Ventura County by donating a toy. Bring your toys to our first stop at Montalvo 5:15pm, then Montgomery/North Bank 5:45pm, then Saticoy at Alelia Avenue, then Santa Paula Depot 6:50pm and last stop at the Fillmore Depot 7:45pm.

Cal Fire

Sacramento, CA – With the Thanksgiving holiday just days away, CAL FIRE is reminding Californians about the dangers that home fires pose during the holiday season. Holidays are a time of food, fun and festivities; but they are also a time to be extra cautious as thousands of home fires across the nation are caused from holiday cooking.

Most home fires begin in the kitchen as a result of cooking. During the holidays with friends and family visiting, it’s important to not get distracted and to be aware of your cooking activities.

Thanksgiving Day is often one of our busier days responding to home cooking fires,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE Director. “Practicing a little extra fire safety can prevent a cooking fire and leave your Thanksgiving to enjoy with your family and friends.”

“The leading cause of home fires is cooking fires. That is why it is important to “keep an eye on what you are fry” and not leave cooking food unattended,” said Chief Tonya Hoover, State Fire Marshal. “You can reduce the chances of a home fire.”

To help reduce the chance of fire and injuries associated with holiday cooking fires, CAL FIRE would like to offer the following tips:

• Don’t leave cooking unattended and keep an eye on what you fry. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Someone walking by is less likely to bump them or pull them over.
• Food preparation and cooking should always be supervised by an adult.
• When using a turkey fryer, be sure to follow instructions closely. Don’t exceed the recommended oil level and only use the device outdoors!
• Make sure a fire extinguisher is handy at all times. Never use water to put out a grease fire.
• Ensure you have working smoke alarms installed throughout your home.

Watch this short video from CAL FIRE for some more tips on cooking safety at http://www.youtube.com/v/f6msytP37fk. or visit www.fire.ca.gov.

The nine members of the Artists Guild of Fillmore agree to arrive at 11:30 am on a Saturday morning, four times a year, in front of the Fillmore Library, located at Central Avenue and Second Street. Each artist brings an artwork to create a new Exhibit of available art upon the clock wall inside the library. They work out the arrangement of where to hang each piece, there usually is one item per artist. Lady Jan Faulkner is the master hanger. The community is invited to come and view the artworks shown. A new Artists Guild sign has been hung in the long window to the left of the main library door with the added words: Art Inside.

“One Idea Can Change the World,” says Priscilla Van Gundy in honoring women who shine in Ventura County with her Community Gems Award. On November 7th the 3rd annual Community Gems were announced for 2013-14. Each recipient honored for outstanding community service will wear a sparkling diamond necklace for one month of the year.

The Fillmore Women’s Service Club recognized the outstanding service of Lynn Edmonds and her on-going involvement with our community’s youth: currently with the One Step a la Vez program as well as past achievements. Lynn will shine with this year’s sparkling honorees. Lynn joins past Fillmore award recipients Sarah Hansen (2011-12) and Donna Voelker (2012-13) who each have been acknowledged with wearing the beautiful diamond necklace for their unique month. Look for glamorous Lynn in June 2014.

VENTURA, CA - The Resource Conservation District of Ventura County and FOOD Share held their 4th Annual Ventura County Excellence in Agricultural Stewardship and Sustainability Award for 2013 at a luncheon last week at the Crowne Plaza in Ventura. The event, attended by over 250 people, brought together local agricultural agencies, local dignitaries and politicians, farm families, agricultural associations and others to honor nominees who included Phil McGrath, Esper Petersen, Casey Houweling, Jurgen Gramckow, Elaine Krankle, Emily Ayala and Tom Deardorff.

Winner of the 2013 Excellence in Agricultural Stewardship and Sustainability was Phil McGrath who has been farming for over 40 years and a descendent of a local storied farming family. He was recognized for not only his transition of conventional to organic farming in over 85 percent of his 300 acres but also for his commitment to agricultural practices and education. He also manages his own operations allowing him to market his produce at an on-site produce stand all while producing local, sustainable and fresh produce for many markets. By farming seasonal crops he reduces his dependence on pesticides and fossil fuels.

Phil said “it CONTINUED »

Camarillo, CA - Vocalist Eric Petrucci and musician Dominic MacAller are pleased to announce a concert of classical music to Camarillo Hospice on Sunday, December 1, 2013, at 3 p.m. at Padre Serra Catholic Church.

The concert is free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged to support Camarillo Hospice’s programs of practical and emotional support and counseling to the seriously ill and grieving.

The concert, titled “That I May Cease to Mourn” was designed by Eric as a tribute to his mother, Jean, who passed away on December 1, 2010. According to Eric, “The caring staff of Camarillo Hospice has made a world of difference in making my grieving process bearable. I couldn’t imagine an organization I would rather support!”
Eric holds a B.A. from The University of Notre Dame and a Master of Music from New England Conservatory, both in classical vocal performance. Dominic MacAller serves as the director of Music and Liturgy at Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo, where he has worked since 1999.

Founded in 1978, Camarillo Hospice has remained a non-profit, volunteer hospice and grief counseling center that provides practical and emotional care, comfort, support and counseling to individuals and families who are facing a life-limiting illness or the grief of losing a loved one and education on end-of-life issues to all. There is no requirement of a doctor’s referral to qualify for the services of Camarillo Hospice, no time limit on services, and all services are free.

For more information regarding the benefit concert or the programs and services of Camarillo Hospice, please call the Hospice office at 805.389.6870, email info@camarillohospice.org or visit the hospice website at www.camarillohospice.org.

The Share-iff’s Toy Drive has been a tradition in Ventura County for 28 years. Many families do not have the resources to provide their children with a traditional Christmas celebration. Each year, thousands of children experience a Christmas morning with no gifts to open.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office respond to calls throughout the county and encounter families without the means to exchange gifts during the holiday season. Some of the families contacted by deputies during the course of their duties will be the recipients of gifts this holiday season, thanks to volunteers who participate in the Share-iff’s Toy Drive.

The Sheriff’s Office will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for children ages 16 and younger. All of the toys will be distributed to children within the cities of Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Fillmore, Ojai, and the unincorporated areas served by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

All of our patrol stations will have boxes where staff members and the public can leave their unwrapped toys Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm between November 21st and December 18th.

On December 21st, members of the Sheriff’s Office will deliver some Christmas magic to those who need it most – children. For more information about how you can help, please contact Corina Lozano at corina.lozano@ventura.org Victor Flores at victor.flores@ventura.org or Tim Lohman at tim.lohman@ventura.org.

Toy drop off locations:

Camarillo Police Department – 3701 Las Posas Road, Camarillo (805)388-5100

Thousand Oaks Police Department – 2101 E. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks (805)494-8200

Moorpark Police Department – 610 Spring Road, Moorpark (805)532-2700

Fillmore Police Department – 524 Sespe Avenue, Fillmore (805)524-2233

Ojai Police Department – 402 S. Ventura Street, Ojai (805)646-1414

Sheriff’s Headquarters – 800 S. Victoria Avenue, Ventura (805)654-2304

Nature of Incident: Sheriff’s Office to kick off 28th annual “Share-iff’s” Toy Drive
Location: Countywide
Date & Time: Nov. 25, 2013 through Dec. 18, 2013
Unit(s) Responsible: All Sheriff’s Facilities
Prepared by: Sgt. Eric Buschow
Media Release Date: Nov. 20, 2013
Follow-Up Contact: Sgt. Eric Buschow (805)947-8129
eric.buschow@ventura.org
Approved by: Capt. Ross Bonfiglio

Ventura, CA - November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know?

•Lung cancer is the second most common cancer found in men and women (not counting skin cancer);
•About 228,190 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed this year;
•Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men and women;
•Smoking is the leading risk factor for developing lung cancer;
•There are more than 400,000 lung cancer survivors in the United States today.
*Statistics are according to the American Cancer Society.

Symptoms of lung cancer may include nagging cough that does not go away or gets worse with time, coughing up blood, chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing or hoarseness, weight loss and loss of appetite, and repeated respiratory infections, including pneumonia and bronchitis.

Community Memorial Health System wants you to protect yourself and learn your risk. CMHS offers a free Lung Assessment online screening tool which takes just seven minutes and provides information about your personal risk for lung disease. Answer a few simple questions, and you will be provided with a report of your risk factors and recommendations for improving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. To find out if you are at risk go to www.cmhshealth.org/healthaware.

In addition, CMHS offers a lung cancer screening program to aid in the early detection of lung cancer. This helps doctors treat the disease in its early stages. Often times, lung cancer is detected in its later stages, making it difficult to treat after it has compromised other parts of the body. Talk to your doctor to see if you're a good candidate for the screening.

Community Memorial Health System is a not-for-profit health system, which is comprised of Community Memorial Hospital, Ojai Valley Community Hospital, and 11 family-practice health centers entitled Centers for Family Health. The health system is located in Ventura County, California.

The December 4th meeting of the Ventura County Garden Club will be a Holiday Luncheon at St Paul's Episcopal Church located at 117 7th Street in Santa Paula. This will be followed by a presentation on 'The Winter Garden' by Scott Klitich from Otto and Son's Nursery. The festivities will begin at 11:30 with a time to socialize and potluck luncheon will follow at 12:00 noon. For the potluck those from Santa Paula are requested to bring appetizers, those from Camarillo, Ojai, Oxnard and Ventura should bring salads, and those from Fillmore are asked to bring Desserts. Please bring food ready to serve and utensils for your dish. Beverage will be provided by the club. The luncheon will be followed by the presentation by Scott Klitich at 1:00pm. So, don your festive holiday attire and bring non perishable food or money donation for Food Share. For further information or questions please contact: Carol Cutright at 805-525-2383.

A message from Detective Ray Dominguez:

Charlotte Crocker, the Program Manager of the “Ag Pass Program” at the Central Ventura County Fire Safe Council has requested that I send a reminder out reference this program and their office hours for November & December. Please see the attached document for additional information.

The following advice is always wise if you suspect illegal activity on your property:
• Call the Sheriff’s Office immediately at 911.
• Be a good witness
• Note suspect descriptions such as age, height, weight, facial hair, clothing, and shoe type.
• If a vehicle is involved, obtain a license plate number and note vehicle color, body damage, bumper stickers, camper shell, after market tires and wheels, etc.
• Provide the dispatcher with information about the time and last known direction of travel.
If you are not sure of how to address the problem or would like additional crime prevention tips please contact your local Sheriff’s Office substation or contact me directly at (805) 384-4726 or by email at ray.dominguez@ventura.org.

Contacts:
Camarillo Detective Robert Shirk, robert.shirk@ventura.org
Fillmore Detective John Fox john.fox@ventura.org
Ventura Detective Dennis Smith dennis.smith@ventura.org
Agricultural Crimes Detective Ray Dominguez ray.dominguez@ventura.org

Be alert and stay safe!
Ray

Geoff Dean - Sheriff
John Crombach and Gary Pentis - Assistant Sheriffs

***

Ag Pass Update
As a reminder, CONTINUED »

for Fillmore
In Memory of:
Walter Taylor
Steve Wren
Ralph Crawford
Paul W. Smith
Hank Carrillo
Jeri Schleimer
Walter Taylor
Steve Wren
Derek DeJarnette
Amy DeJarnette
Claude Lee
Mary R. Lee
William Haynes
Olen Core
Sue Core CONTINUED »

In observance of Thanksgiving Day, the employees of Santa Clara Valley Disposal are taking the day off on Thursday, Nov. 28. As a result, Fillmore residential customers will have their trash and recyclables collected on Saturday, Nov. 30, one day later than usual.

The regular Friday schedule will resume the following week.

For more information, call 647-1414.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The busiest shopping days of the year are upon us. Malls, retailers, and grocery stores will be more crowded than usual with busy shoppers. Whether you are about to celebrate a holiday in the coming weeks or not, keep the following in mind when going out to shop (and the rest of the year, too):

1. Please remember to lock your vehicles. Whether you are at the shopping mall or parked in your own driveway, lock and remove your valuables from your car.

2. Keep careful track of your bags and other packages. If you leave something unattended, it could get stolen or discarded.

3. Tell a security guard or store employee if you see an unattended bag or package. The same applies when taking mass transit: report any unattended packages to security or staff.

4. Be sure not to buy more than you can carry. If your packages are making it hard for you to walk upright or see, ask a store employee to help you carry them to your car.

5. Check receipts to see whether your full credit card number appears. If a receipt has your full number on it, take a pen and thoroughly scratch it out.

6. If at all possible, do not let your credit card out of your sight. You swipe your card or watch the sales person do so.

7. Double check that you have your credit cards and check book after you pay for your items and don’t forget your purse and wallet from the shopping cart or counter.

8. Remember that the bad-guys may be watching you store your packages in your car and then go to another store. That’s when they break into your car and steal what you just placed inside. Be vigilant of your surroundings, paying attention to people and vehicles which may be following from location to location or home.

If you go shopping with children over the next several weeks, keep the following advice in mind for everyone’s safety:

1. Ensure that any children with you know your cell phone number. Give cards with contact information to any who don’t.

2. Make a plan with children in case you get separated. Have a central meeting place, and review with your children who they can turn to for help if they find themselves alone.

3. Go over the dangers of strangers with them so that they know who not to talk to or follow.

By following this advice, you can reduce the stress of shopping during the particularly busy season. As always, keep your personal safety in mind and be on the lookout for fraud and identity theft.

Nature of Incident: Holiday Safety Tips
Location: City of Moorpark
Date & Time: Monday, November 13, 2013 at 11:00a.m.
Unit(s) Responsible: Moorpark Police Beat Coordinator Unit
Prepared by: Sr.Dep Beat Coordinator Bob Berger
Media Release Date: Monday, November 11, 2013
Follow-Up Contact: Bob Berger (805)299-1504
Approved by: Stephen Wade, Captain

Camarillo, CA - Camarillo Hospice is pleased to announce a benefit concert on Sunday, December 1, 2013, at 3 p.m. at Padre Serra Catholic Church. The concert will feature vocalist Eric Petrucci accompanied by Dominic MacAller on piano performing sacred arias and art songs.

The concert is free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged and gratefully will be accepted to support Camarillo Hospice’s programs of practical and emotional support and counseling to the seriously ill and grieving.

Eric, who has availed himself of Camarillo Hospice counseling services relative to the losses of his father in 2003 and of his mother in 2010, planned the concert in honor of his mother, Jean. December 1, 2013 marks the three-year anniversary of her passing. He titles the concert, “That I May Cease to Mourn” and comments, “The caring staff of Camarillo Hospice has made a world of difference in making my grieving process bearable. I couldn’t imagine an organization I would rather support!”

Eric holds a B.A. from The University of Notre Dame and a Master of Music from New England Conservatory, both in classical vocal performance. Dominic MacAller serves as the director of Music and Liturgy at Padre Serra Parish in Camarillo, where he has worked since 1999.

Founded in 1978, Camarillo Hospice has remained a non-profit, volunteer hospice and grief counseling center that provides practical and emotional care, comfort, support and counseling to individuals and families who are facing a life-limiting illness or the grief of losing a loved one and education on end-of-life issues to all. There is no requirement of a doctor’s referral to qualify for the services of Camarillo Hospice, no time limit on services, and all services are free.

For more information regarding the Memorial Service or the programs and services of Camarillo Hospice, please call the Hospice office at 805.389.6870, email info@camarillohospice.org or visit the hospice website at www.camarillohospice.org.

If a home in your neighborhood looks like no one is home for an extended period of time, do humanity a favor and knock on the door. It is possible someone is behind those closed doors living with unhealthy fears and behaviors.

In more cases that you would think, people are living and dying alone, surrounded by untold collections. Popular television programs have taken the lid off the topic of hoarding but not the mystery. All compulsive behaviors have causes and unpleasant side effects.

In almost a dozen recent properties that have been referred to me for sale, they were occupied by hoarders whose lives were driven by the passion of surrounding themselves with perceived comfort in the form of “things”. Unfortunately this can include pets.

There are five classifications of hoarders according to the National Study on Chronic Disorganization. The specific areas deal with Structure and Zoning, Pets and Rodents, Household Functions, Sanitation and Cleanliness
Hoarding can include excessive attachment to possessions, extreme clutter throughout the home’s living spaces, inability to discard items and the stacking of magazines, newspapers and junk. Hoarders will move items or trash from one pile to another, without ever discarding anything. They will acquire seemingly useless items, including trash. They have organizational difficulty or perfectionism, exhibit difficulty permitting others to touch or move accumulated items; put off doing what they know needs to be done; have difficulty making decision and managing daily tasks, and have limited or poor socialization skills.

Based on the level of hoarding identified, it may be best to contact the County’s Mental Health Department or in some cases the local police for a “well-being check”. If extreme Level 5 has been reached, it is recommended that clean-up be left to professionals who have the proper safety equipment and anti-bacterial chemicals and licenses.

You can help prevent this sad outcome in your neighborhood by watching for the lonely looking home where lack of yard care is evident; where few visitors are noticed except for regular deliveries from United Parcel of Fed-Ex, trash buildup and general lack of activity.

When the residents of these homes have passed away or moved to safer living situations, a REALTOR® with experience in clearing and cleaning such a home should be called in to assist in rehabilitating the property for resale and utilize appropriate marketing strategies and disclosures.

Ventura, CA - Community Memorial Hospital’s Cancer Resource Center is offering a free discussion group on Wednesday, December 11, for cancer patients and their families to discuss what the Affordable Care Act means for people with cancer.

Jody Giacopuzzi is an oncology social worker at the CMH Cancer Resource Center. The group will be held from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. at the CMH Cancer Resource Center. Discussion points include:

 An overview of the ACA.
 Six ways the ACA is helping cancer patients.
 ACA and expanded Medi-Cal.
 How to review current insurance options under the ACA.

The Cancer Resource Center is located at 2900 Loma Vista Road, Suite 105, in Ventura. For more information or to RSVP, call 805/652-5459.

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