Prom Dress Project” is at it again, and this time, with the help of Big Brothers Big Sisters, distributed over 120 free prom dresses to students in Fillmore and Santa Paula.
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Prom Dress Project” is at it again, and this time, with the help of Big Brothers Big Sisters distributed over 120 free prom dresses to students in Fillmore and Santa Paula. The Prom Dress Project is a community collaboration that brings new or used prom dresses to underprivileged girls who could not otherwise afford a prom dress.

“For more than four years, the Prom Dress Project has collectively brought together the caring power of our community by bringing light to the need of providing prom dresses to young girls who could not afford a dress due to tough economic conditions. “We started helping out students at Pacifica High School in Oxnard and expanded our operation countywide,” said Nancy Rodriguez, Founder of the Prom Dress Project.

Thanks to our very generous community, over 500 dresses will be available for High School girls attending prom this year, along with make-up and hairstyle demos, gift cards and discounts provided by local vendors. Thanks to local business partnerships, prom dresses were collected at locations countywide through March 24, including B95.1 Studios, Salzer’s Records, The Massage Place (Fire House Plaza), The Wooden Hanger, JDK Shoes, and Camarillo Bridal.

“We are delighted to support Nancy Rodriguez, a mentor at our Montalvo school-based mentoring site in her efforts to bring a smile to students at Fillmore High School and across the county. The Prom Dress Project is a unique way for our community to flex its charitable muscle,” said Pedro Chavez, Director of Education & Public Affairs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County. “The expense of going to prom can be overwhelming for many families living with limited resources. These young women shouldn’t be denied a memorable experience simply because they can’t afford it. Some memories especially those that we all know will last a lifetime should never be denied!”

"Prom Dress Project" came about in 2009, when Nancy Rodriguez and her friends realized that there were many struggling families in the Ventura County. By working together, they realized they could make a positive difference. Nancy Rodriguez linked up with Cuba Montero, a counselor at Pacifica High School, who had started an in-house prom dress-recycling program for her students. Nancy felt very passionate about the cause, and wanted to offer the same type of program to girls throughout Ventura County. And so, with the help of friends, family, and the local community, "Prom Dress Project" was launched and has been a successful venture.

The Fillmore City Council unanimously determined Tuesday, April 23, 2013 to fill its current Council vacancy by appointing a citizen to the seat, and is inviting interested persons to apply for the position.

Citizens have until Tuesday, May 7th at 4:00 p.m. to file an application and FPPC 700 Form with the City Clerk’s office. Applications and 700 Forms are available at Fillmore City Hall at 250 Central Avenue and on the City’s website www.fillmoreca.com. The resident appointed must be at least 18 years old, live in the City limits and be a registered city voter at the time of appointment. They will be appointed to complete a term that will conclude after the November 2014 City Council elections.

The person selected will occupy the seat held by Eduardo Gonzalez, who announced his resignation from the City Council by letter dated April 15, 2013. Citing health reasons, Gonzalez’s resignation took effect immediately.

The City Council is expected to interview candidates and make a decision on the appointment at its May 14th regular meeting.

The City Council chose to fill the vacancy by appointment rather than calling for a special election. City staff informed the Council that calling a special election would cost an estimated $18,000.

For more information on the application process, please contact Deputy City Clerk, Diana Impeartrice at 524-1500, extension 211.

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Message from Detective Ray Dominguez:

Folks, I’ve got just a couple things to report in this edition of Farm Watch. First, I want to mention a recent success story involving an arrest and recovery of stolen horses and tack. In March, Senior Deputy Marc Cargnel of the Camarillo Police Station worked with a victim who reported having his horses and tack stolen from a ranch located off Highway 118 in the Somis area. Marc received information from a diligent victim who had been conducting some follow-up investigation of his own. The victim reported that he had located what he believed to be his own stolen horses, and those of another victim he knew had horses stolen recently as well.

Through further investigation, Marc was able to establish there was sufficient probable cause to make an arrest. Marc arrested the suspect and recovered several horses, stolen saddles, and other tack from the location in the unincorporated area of Camarillo. It just goes to show how working together we can accomplish great things. Great job by all parties involved!

On a second note, it appears that thefts of fertilizer/pesticides have begun this season. I have already seen one report come in within the last couple of weeks. This case involved the theft of over $20,000 worth of various pesticides and fertilizers stolen from a ranch in the unincorporated area of Oxnard. There are no suspects identified in this case, and little in the way of physical evidence. Please take this as a reminder to not stockpile your supplies, and order only what you intend to apply. These steps will help you from becoming the next victim of such a theft. If you have questions about site security and need help, please don’t hesitate to give me a call at (805) 384-4726.

Anyone with information CONTINUED »

SANTA CLARITA, CA - Letter carriers care about the people in the communities they serve, and on the second Saturday in May for the past 20 years they have done a lot more than collect and deliver mail. They have picked up non-perishable food donations left at mailboxes as they visit every home in the nation.

This year will be the 21st Annual National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Food Drive — the largest one-day food drive in the USA. The U.S. Postal Service and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association join NALC as official sponsors in this effort to ‘Stamp Out Hunger.’ Other sponsors include Campbell Soup Company, Feeding America, Valpak, AFL-CIO and United Way of America.

It is a very simple and easy concept: the public is asked to leave non-perishable food in a sturdy bag by their mailbox on Saturday, May 11, 2013. That food will be collected by letter carriers and distributed to local charities that provide it to people who need it — right in the same community.

Hunger and under-nutrition in America are much more serious problems than most people realize. With current economic conditions and high food prices, more families than ever struggle to keep food on the table. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual study measuring food security in the United States, the number of Americans living in food insecure homes is more than 50 million, with approximately one in every three food-insecure Americans being a child (17.2 million).

Through a lot of hard work, dedication and compassion, and the support of customers in the communities they serve, letter carriers collected over 70 million pounds of food last year -- the ninth consecutive drive surpassing 70 million pounds collected. The total donations received since the drive began in 1993 now stand at nearly 1.2 billion pounds of food. They are counting on the public’s generosity once again to help feed the hungry this year.

Piru Neighborhood Council Meeting
PO BOX 162, 802 0rchard Street, PIRU Community Center‐ 805‐521‐1333
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 7:00 P.M.

AGENDA
Call to order: C. King
Pledge of Allegiance
Roll call:
OFFICERS
President: C. King Vice President: Rita Avila Event Coordinator: Antonina Henderson
Secretary: Yvonne Gonzalez Treasurer: Jazmin Gonzalez
Approval of minutes: February and March 2013 meeting minutes
Approve Agenda:

Crime Report: Deputy Oriee/ Capt. McGrath
Fire Safety Report:

Presidents Report:

New Business:
A. Piru Mansion & VCP: Events permit
B. Food Truck Event: April 26, 2013 4-8pm
C. Gun Range Planning Permit update
D. Bike path from Piru to Rancho Camulos
E. ASERT & CAUSE: update on recent transportation efforts in the Santa Clara Valley

Old Business
A. Principal, Diana Vides update re: school scores
B. CEDC i. Valle Naranjal posted Monthly Calendar
ii. “Bridgeview Apartments” Response to PNC Letter

Treasurer’s report
A. PNC Account Balance $2184.09
B. PNC taxes have been filed
C. Scholarship fund Balance is $950.00
D. Deposit scholarship donation in the amount 0f $200.00 from FangBanger Productions

Public comments:

Next Meeting: Wednesday May 15, 2013 @ 7pm Meeting adjourned:

SAN FRANCISCO -- Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced California’s National Mortgage Settlement Grant Program has awarded $9.4 million to 21 organizations in order to assist Californians affected by the state’s foreclosure crisis.

“The foreclosure crisis has inflicted wide-ranging and deep harm to California homeowners and communities,” said Attorney General Harris. “These grants will give homeowners and families the financial and legal tools they need to recover.”

The grants will benefit many of the state’s neediest homeowners and families by providing or expanding access to free legal assistance and representation, foreclosure intervention aid, homeowner education and financial literacy clinics, blight remediation services, fraud prevention education and employment support services.

Many of the organizations receiving grants focus on underserved and disproportionately impacted populations, including agricultural workers, communities of color, the disabled, the elderly, immigrant communities, Native Americans, rural homeowners, veterans and active-duty military. Services will be offered in more than a dozen languages, including American Sign Language, Armenian, Cantonese, Farsi, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

Grant recipients will begin to implement their programs immediately.

In March, Attorney CONTINUED »

The Fillmore Chamber of Commerce announces Business of the Month for March. The award goes to BH Mailstop, located at 618 W. Ventura Street in the Vons shopping center. Owner Harprit Chohan opened her business in 2012. Her slogan is "one stop for many services". Harprit is a notary public and also services passport needs. Other services include: FedEx, DHL, U.S. Postal Services and private mailboxes, packing/moving supplies, full color printing, scanning, computer rentals, kodak pic printing, money orders and sending money. BH Mailstop is also a sponsor for the Fillmore May Orange Festival and has created and printed the posters for the Chamber. If you have any questions you can reach Harprit at 805-265-7826 or visit her on the web at: www.bhmailstop.com. Hours are Mon-Fri 9:00am to 6:00pm, Sat 10:00am to 3:00pm and closed on Sunday.

Nan Drake, governmental affairs and public relation director for Harrison Industries, has been named one of the Top 50 Women in Business in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties by the Pacific Coast Business Times for the sixth consecutive year.

Drake and the other 49 women were honored at an evening awards reception at the Bacara Resort and Spa in Goleta on April 11.

Drake is the voice of one of the largest family-owned trash- and recycling-hauling companies in the United States. She also represents Gold Coast Recycling & Transfer Station and Agromin Premium Soil Products. Her tireless commitment to recycling has made Ventura County the most lauded and praised county in California. All of Harrison’s franchise clients – the cities of Ventura, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Ojai, Fillmore and Carpinteria in Santa Barbara County as well as the County of Ventura – have consistently surpassed the state’s strict waste diversion goals.

Drake was a member of the Ventura City Council from 1985-89 and also served on California’s Integrated Waste Management and Los Angeles Regional Water Quality boards. She currently serves on the executive board of the Ventura County Economic Development Association as well as on the board of directors of the Economic Development Cooperative, Ventura County, and the Ventura and Carpinteria Chambers of Commerce. In addition, Drake is co-chair of the Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee.

Drake also is the 2013 recipient of VCEDA’s Carl Lowthrop Golden Eagle Award for outstanding public service.

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Do you have a horse crazy kid? Are you, or somebody you know interested in learning more about horses? Kings Corner Pony Club Riding Center can help.

Kings Corner Pony Club Riding Center is part of the United States Pony Club, a National Non Profit Educational Organization, with 600 clubs and riding centers across the United States, and is recognized in many countries througout the world.

Members learn complete horsemanship, including grooming, feeding, stable management, health care, sportsmanship and safety. The US Pony Club has a proven structure for developing independent, well rounded horse people.

Kings Corner Training Stables, located in Bardsdale, has a long history with the USPC. Owner, Taurie Banks is a graduate Pony Club member and has been involved at the Club, Regional and National level, as an instructor, coach, examiner and judge.

“Pony Club is an amazing organization,” Taurie said. “There is so much to offer all ages, levels of ability, and interests.”

USPC has traditionally been and English riding program, with an emphasis on Dressage, Eventing and Show Jumping, but has recently added a Western program. Kings Corner Pony Club Riding Center has been approved to offer this new Western program.

Membership requirements vary by club and riding center. Kings Corner trys to make membership easy and affordable. Horse ownership is not required. Lesson horses and equipment are available.

“We welcome horse lovers of all ages and abilities,” said Miss Banks. “We have a junior program for really young members, regular membership for those up to the age of 25 , and we are starting a Horsemasters program for adults.”

For more information, please contact Kings Corner Training Stables at (805) 727-3444, kingshorses@hotmail.com, or go to the website at www.kingscornerstables.com.

Kings Corner Pony Club Riding Center will be at the Fillmore Farmers Market this Friday.

USPC Mission Statement
The United States Pony Clubs, Inc. develops character, leadership, confidence and a sense of community in youth
through a program that teaches the care of horses and ponies, riding and mounted sports.

Edison International is partnering with the Ventura County Sheriff's Foundation in bringing Emergency, Electrical Training to the Sheriff's Department DART teams and VIP Units.

These volunteers are often on scene with emergency first responders and Edison will teach the basics of what to do with downed power lines and other electrical emergencies.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Foundation supports the Sheriff's Department with funds for special equipment and projects that are not covered in the County budget.

The Foundation also works to enhance public awareness of, and provide education concerning, safety issues, and community outreach.

Thursday, April 25th one of the Sheriff's Department contract cities, Thousand Oaks, will be presenting the electrical training to their DART Team in the Community Room at the East Valley Station, 7:30 pm.

The roaring twenties in fortuned favored Fillmore will be presented by the Fillmore Historical Society at the Ebell Club Luncheon Tuesday April 23rd.

Sue Cutress and Martha Gentry will be narrating the program. It promises to be a delightful and interesting historical program of early Fillmore.

If you would like to join the Ebell ladies for lunch and this wonderful meeting call Glenda 524-4949 for reservations. This luncheon will begin at 12:30pm in the Veterans Memorial Building at 511 2nd Street.

(l-r) FWSC member Toby Bowers, President Michele Smith, Board President Donna Voelker.
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Michele Smith, President, Fillmore Women’s Service Club again proves the community spirit of this remarkable group of women with a $2,000.00 grant to the Fillmore Senior Center. Board President Donna Voelker accepted their generous donation on behalf of Fillmore’s seniors, and stated that it would go a long way to help defray the expense of utilities for the Center. FWSC has supported the Center’s nutrition program and salad bar over the last few years, as well as providing drivers for the Hot Meal homebound program, and this donation is just another example of the many good works they do in our community.

Pre-Sale Carnival Ride Tickets now on sale at the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce office located at 211 Central Ave. DOLLAR DAZE THURSDAY--Entry only $1.00 ages 1 & UP!!! There will be $1 RIDES / $1 GAMES / $1 FOOD at the Carnival Food Vendors. NOTE: PRE-SALE CARNIVAL RIDE TICKETS NOT VALID ON $1 DAY!!! WRISTBANDS--$30 PRE-SALE (unlimited rides from 12-6pm). NOTE: GOOD FOR SATURDAY OR SUNDAY ONLY. Limited number of pre-sale ride and attraction tickets available. ALL SALES ARE FINAL (NO EXCHANGES.) For more information: call 805.524.0351 or visit www.FillmoreMay Festival.com

Fillmore, CA - On Sunday, April 28, license ambassadors from Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) will go door-to-door in Fillmore to check that pet owners are up-to-date with their current State of California animal licensing requirements.

VCAS license ambassadors will verify the status of pet licenses, sell and renew licenses at the door and distribute dog spay/neuter vouchers that reduce the cost of pet sterilization.

To help prevent the spread of rabies, the State of California requires all pet owners to vaccinate against rabies and purchase a license within 30 days of acquiring a new dog, or with a puppy, after it is four months of age. A rabies certificate is valid for a minimum of 12 months and is required to receive an actual license tag.

The fees for purchasing a Ventura County animal license are $20.00 for spayed/neutered animals (with proof of sterility) or $75.00 for unaltered animals. A 100% penalty applies to all delinquent licenses.

To obtain a new license, pet owners can:

1. Visit the VCAS Camarillo Animal Shelter, 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo

2. Go to www.vcas.us, click on dogs & dog licenses, print the license application form and mail it to the VCAS Animal Shelter

3. Visit their local veterinarian to complete the paperwork. Check www.vcas.us for a list of participating vet clinics.

For more information on licensing, call: (805) 388-4341, Option 5 and, for information on VCAS low-cost rabies clinics, go to: www.vcas.us and choose rabies vaccine clinics on the VCAS Services and Directory page.

About Ventura County Animal Services

Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS) is a division of the Ventura County Public Health Department; a department of the Ventura County Health Care Agency.

The mission of VCAS is to improve the lives of animals under their care, be timely and compassionate in response to customers, educate through community outreach and public awareness and provide for the health and safety of the citizens and animals of Ventura County.

VCAS rescues, impounds and treats stray, abandoned and sick animals, conducts license sales and rabies clinics, conducts nuisance animal investigations, provides euthanasia and disposal services and assists with animal evacuations during disasters. The agency’s Camarillo Shelter houses impounded, stray, abandoned, lost and homeless animals and provides veterinary care, housing and board while the animals await reclaim or adoption.

For more information, call 1-888-223-PETS (7387) or 805-388-4341 or go to www.vcas.us.

The Rotary Club of Fillmore honored the three 4-Way Test Essay Contest winners on Thursday. The purpose of the Rotary Essay Contest is for the students to think about the meaning of the Rotary 4-Way Test and write an essay telling how they can apply these principles to their own lives. The 4-Way Test of things we think, say or do is: Is it the Truth?, Is it Fair to all concerned?, Will it build Good Will and Better Friendships? And Will it be Beneficial to all concerned?

The three winners from Fillmore Christian Academy are: Chloe Richardson, 8th grade, Remy Richardson, 6th grade and Kaitlin Jowers, 4th grade each one was awarded $50 and a Rotary coin inscribed with the 4-Way Test. Remy Richardson and Chloe Richardson's essays will be sent on to the Rotary District 5240 contest.

The Ventura County Rose Society will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, April 25, 2013, at the Ventura County Office of Education Conference Center at 5100 Adolfo Rd., Camarillo.

The doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for advice from Consulting Rosarians and refreshments, and our speaker presentation will begin at 7:30 pm.

The VCRS meeting will feature Dr. Anthony Hepton speaking on "Roses Suitable for Ventura County". Dr. Hepton was born in the United Kingdom and received a Ph.d from Cornell University in Plant Physiology and Anatomy. His career includes being a Director of Agricultural Research for Castle & Cooke in Hawaii, and Vice President at Dole Foods in charge of Quality Assurance. He is a Master Gardener and gardens in the Lake Sherwood area. Dr. Hepton is noted for his informative lectures on Ventura County horticulture.

Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact: Janet Sklar at 818-337-9970 or Dawn-Marie Johnson at 805-523-9003. Our website is www.venturarose.org

Ventura County, CA - April 14 to 20 is National Library Week. Beginning Sunday, Ventura County Library joins libraries nationwide in celebrating National Library Week, a time to highlight the value of libraries, librarians and library staff.

Libraries today are more than repositories for books; they are often the heart of their communities, serving as a meeting place for young parents connecting at story time, to small business owners looking to network, and even teens meeting up after school to do homework in an environment that promotes discovery and learning.

In addition to celebrating our physical library locations, this year, Ventura County Library features online resources found in the Ventura County eLibrary. Ventura County eLibrary offers library card holders over 18,000 free downloadable books, 105 free online magazine subscriptions, almost 3 million free downloadable music tracks, and over 12,000 streaming videos. Additionally, newspapers, encyclopedias, and phone books are all available free, online. Language instruction, career and resume help, practice tests, legal forms, and auto repair are just a few more of the resources available online at no charge. Our eLibrary is an online branch that’s open 24/7.

A Ventura County Library card is free. Find out how to get one at: http://www.vencolibrary.org/card. Our Library Catalog is also online; you can check it to find out if a book is available, or to renew a book.

“Service to the community has always been the focus of the library,” says Jackie Griffin, Ventura County Library Director. “While this aspect has never changed, libraries have grown and evolved in how they provide for the needs of every member of their community.” Indeed, librarians work with elected officials, small business owners, students and the public at large to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

Celebrate National Library Week, and you’ll discover the best story in the library is the library.

Your Ventura County Library is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.