Oklahoma woman’s Change.org petition urging lawmakers to create “Caylee’s Law” attracts more than one million supporters in less than a week; at least 18 state legislatures will introduce proposal

WASHINGTON, DC – In less than one week, more than one million Americans have joined an Oklahoma woman’s Change.org campaign calling for the creation of “Caylee’s Law,” which would make it a felony for a parent to fail to report a missing child to law enforcement -- resulting in the introduction of “Caylee’s Law” legislation in at least 18 states.

The New York Times reports that the Change.org petition "calling for action from everyone from state representatives to members of Congress to President Obama" has been the driving force behind legislation.

Oklahoma State Representative Paul Wesselhoft told ABC News that the Change.org “petition has forced action” in his state.

The million-person movement on Change.org advocating for “Caylee's Law” is a sign that people who have been following the case want to do more than just express their frustration -- they want to do something about it.

“This is the most positive and productive reaction I have seen to the not guilty verdict of Caylee's Mother, Casey Anthony. Let's prevent this from happening to any other children in the future,” said Judi Siciliano, a 58-year-old grandmother of four from Bayville, NJ. “In Caylee's Memory, I choose to sign the petition.”

Tiffany Borders of Columbus, OH, signed the Change.org petition and wrote, “I am a mother of 3 beautiful girls, and if for any reason they were gone for even an hour and I didn't know where they were I would be frantic and call the police, the national guard, the news media, anyone who could help me. I hope this petition changes the law and helps hold parent[s] accountable.”

The campaign’s momentum continues to grow. More than 18 states are considering a version of Caylee’s Law. Legislators in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia have all announced that they are drafting versions of “Caylee’s Law” prompted by the petition on Change.org.

State legislators in Massachusetts (Bradley H. Jones, Jr. - R) and Tennessee (Mike McDonald - R) have also told Change.org members they are considering proposing “Caylee’s Law.”

“It’s remarkable to see how this Change.org petition has had such immediate practical impact in state legislatures across the country,” said Change.org founder Ben Rattray. “It’s a clear demonstration of how Change.org’s online platform enables people to take powerful collective action on the issues that are important to them in everyday life.”

The Washington Times has described Change.org as a way to ”convert...passion for causes into action that makes a difference.” The Sacramento Bee writes that “Change.org...is revolutionizing how ordinary people can effect social change by starting online signature campaigns targeting lawmakers, companies and nations.” And a New York Times feature highlights how Change.org’s “profile has skyrocketed with its involvement in several high-profile issues.”

Live signature totals from the “Caylee’s Law” petition on Change.org:
http://www.change.org/petitions/create-caylees-law

Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 300,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.

About Change.org
Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change. We send occasional announcements about innovative, compelling or successful social change campaigns we think may be of interest to the media. We try our best to inform you about campaigns that fit your beat and/or geographic region. If we got it wrong, please click reply to let us know and we'll set you up to receive announcements that match your beat. If you simply wish to unsubscribe, please email ca+unsubscribe@change.org.

Free Diabetes Classes by Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association. Emphasis is on an individual plan that includes diet, medication, exercise and blood sugar monitoring. No registration necessary but for additional information call 642-0239, x 723.

Ventura: First Tuesday of each month from 1:00 – 2:30 pm @ Livingston Conference Room, 1996 Eastman Ave, #101

Camarillo: First Wednesday of each month form 2:30 – 4:00 pm @ Camarillo Community Center Room # 3, 106 Burnley Street

Thousand Oaks: Fourth Wednesday of each month from 1:30 – 3:00 @ Goebel Senior Center Foothill Room, 1385 E Janss Rd

Simi Valley: Frist Wednesday of the month from 10:30 – 12;00 @ Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi

The Brain Injury Center of Ventura County is inviting people with a brain injury and their families to attend a special forum later this month to help set the organization’s direction for the future. The first Ventura County Brain Injury Forum will take place July 23 from 9:30 to noon at BIC’s offices in the Camarillo Health Care District complex. There is no charge to attend.

The forum will conduct separate sessions for brain injury survivors and family members/caretakers in order to assess what is most needed to meet the many challenges of living with a brain injury. BIC services presently being provided will be discussed and the hope is that ideas for new programs and services will emerge

“We exist to serve the needs of the brain injury community here in Ventura County,” said BIC Executive Director Joan Moore. “We need them to be full participants in this community – and so we want to ask them to help guide us in our planning for the future. Where are they finding holes in Ventura County as far as obtaining services and vital therapies? How can we adjust our programs and better advocate for the services they need within the greater society?

“We’re hoping to make contact with people affected by brain injury who have not yet interacted with the Brain Injury Center,” added David Wilk, BIC president. “Certainly we have not yet interfaced with every survivor and family in Ventura County. This forum offers a great chance for new people to talk about their problems and see what we are doing to help.”

Lisa Hayden, Psy. D and a clinical psychologist who treats people with neurocognitive related disorders, will facilitate the brain injury survivor session. Hayden is a member of BIC’s Professional Advisory Council and has conducted workshops for survivors in the past.

Bob Cole, a long-time Ventura County business leader, will conduct the family and caretakers session. Cole recently retired after starting and running several successful companies in the county, where he also helped found a number of charitable corporations. He has been active in the brain injury cause for over 15 years.

The Brain Injury Center currently offers separate support groups for survivors and families in several VC cities, provides free monthly workshops addressing specific challenges of living with brain injury, hosts the annual Ventura County Brain Injury Conference, offers advice and referrals via telephone and visits to its offices and makes presentations throughout the county to raise awareness about brain injury.

The July 23 forum is free and a continental breakfast is being supplied by Care Meridian. For more information and registration, call the Brain Injury Center at 805.482.1312 or visit the organization’s website at www.BrainInjuryCenter.org.

Relay for Life of Fillmore/Piru would like to invite cancer survivors in the city of Fillmore and Piru to a very special luncheon at El Pescador Restaurant in Fillmore on Saturday, July 16th from 1pm-3pm.

Please call Tony Gaitan to RSVP 805.524.3607

Grad Nite Live's summer fundraiser is with "Double A Restaurant". We are serving a Pasta Lunch and Dinner for $10.00. Spaghetti with Pesto or Marinara Sauce, Green Salad, Garlic Bread and Soda/Ice Tea. Only on Thursday's beginning July 14th Lunch and Dinner. PASTA THURSDAY!

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.