Conway Spitler

The National Garden Club says to celebrate the month by offering tasty options for our feathered friends.
Blue jay, Chickadee, Finch, Mourning dove, native sparrows, nuthatch robin, and woodpecker are about.
Items to offer to these various birds are: peanut kernels, sunflower seeds, cracked corn, unsalted nut meats, raisin, suet, millet, and for the robin—any type of fruit.

How often do you tell your spouse “I love you”? Austrailia 65% France 57% Italy 50% Turkey 44% Brazil 56% Greece 51% South Africa 70% United Kingdom 65% Canada 55% India 47% Spain 60% United States 67%

The Ventura County Library community libraries will be closed Monday, February 16, for the Presidents’ Day holiday.

The fourteen Ventura County Library community libraries include Avenue Library, Camarillo Library, Fillmore Library, E. P. Foster Library, Meiners Oaks Library, Oak Park Library, Oak View Library, Ojai Library, Piru Library, Ray D. Prueter Library, Saticoy Library, Simi Valley Library, Albert H. Soliz Library, and H. P. Wright Library. Books may be returned to the bookdrops at any of the community libraries.

The Ventura County Library is available via the internet, 24 hours a day, at www.vencolibrary.org.

Dean Regan to entertain Ebell Club.

The Fillmore Ebell Club will be entertained this month by stage, Broadway and concert performer, Dean Regan, at the Veterans Memorial Building on February 24, 2009.

Dean Regan comes to us via stage performances on Broadway, concert performances across the nation, and appearances on television and film.

Dean has received both the Garland Award and the "Drama Log" Award and has performed in a Command Performance at The White House.

The Los Angeles press announced “when Regan sings...it tears your heart out” and dubbed him “charming, handsome, foot-loose and fancy-free.” His lively concerts enchant the most discerning audiences and bring them to their feet in exuberant appreciation. His melodious voice, bewitching style and comic timing have inspired audiences to dub him an exhilarating mixture of “Romantic Crooner” and “Court Jester of Song.” Dean's unique style brings both a heartfelt, romantic depth, as well as a fast-paced, comic energy across the footlights. Each concert is full of musical variety crafted from America’s Popular Song Book (Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Dorothy Fields) and Broadway’s Greatest Hits (Rodgers and Hammerstein, Kander and Ebb, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber)...as well as a few surprises. Check out Dean’s website at www.deanregan.com.

Anyone interested in more information, or becoming a member of the Fillmore Ebell Club, may call Trisha Armstrong at 805-727-1901.

Remember the grand Fillmore Flower shows that were held for more than 60 years? Civic Pride members with the help of other interested parties would like to bring it back. Now, it is well on its way to becoming "alive" once again thanks to the leadership of Linda Nunes and Joanne King.

Recently, a group met with the idea that the Fillmore Flower Show will be held this year, April 4th & 5th at the Fillmore Community Center (Senior Center). The show will be open to the public from 1-4pm each day. Entry times will be Saturday April 4th from 7:30am-10:30am.

The flower show committee, hoping the show to be well attended, is working to organize the details. Some of the tasks left include judges, brochures, newspaper articles, to inform interested groups (Boy Scouts, FFA, and other youth groups), and informing all the interested gardening advocates within the city and Fillmore area.
Planning meetings will be held Mondays at 1:30pm in the city hall conference room, each week until the show. An exception will be February 16th, due to the Presidents Day Holiday. Instead, the meeting will be Tuesday at 1:30pm, same location. CONTINUED »

Curves of Fillmore is rolling out the red carpet to members of the award-winning Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program, the nation’s leading exercise program designed for older adults. Beginning January 1, 2009, SilverSneakers members are eligible to join Curves of Fillmore at no cost.

"We are so pleased to welcome local SilverSneakers members to Curves of Fillmore," said club owner Denise Johnson. "As you age, your risks for debilitating disease increase, and being overweight or obese significantly adds to that risk. At Curves of Fillmore, we have programs that help women of all ages do the three most significant things they can do to decrease their risks -- manage their weight, exercise regularly, and eat healthfully."

Stop by club at 410 Central Ave or call 805 524-0337. CONTINUED »

Charles Morris won in the Fashion/Editorial classification (which includes glamour) for a portrait of former Miss California Teen, Taylor Atkins, entitled “The Look.”

Two photographs by KSSP Photographic Studios have received merit awards at the quarterly print competition held by the Channel Islands Professional Photography Association (CIPPA) on February 9. Carmelita Miranda won a merit award for her print entitled “Colorful Neighbors” in the Landscape classification. Charles Morris won in the Fashion/Editorial classification (which includes glamour) for a portrait of former Miss California Teen, Taylor Atkins, entitled “The Look.” This print tied in points for best in category.

CIPPA is a local affiliate of the Professional Photographers of California. In recent state-wide print competition, CIPPA photographers secured top photographer awards in seven of the 20 categories. Many of the best photographers in the state work in Ventura County.

Professional photographers compete in print competitions to see how they compare with other photographers and to improve their techniques . Merit judging is performed by three independent judges from outside of the group. The judges do not know who took the photographs being judged. Only about 1 in 5 prints earn a merit award.

Principal photographers at KSSP are Carmelita Miranda and Charles Morris. KSSP is a full service photography studio specializing in portrait, wedding and quinceanera photography (and video). KSSP is the Fillmore High School photographer..

For further information, please contact KSSP Photographic Studios at 524-6400 or visit http://ksspphotostudios.com.

Time Warner Cable will offer 40 One-Cent Movies On Demand to help customer save this Valentine’s Day

As part of an effort to show customers just how much they care, and to offer a cost-saving alternative for Valentine’s Day, Time Warner Cable will offer customers the “1 Cent Love N’ Movies Deal” in honor of Valentine’s Day Weekend.

For Valentine’s Day Weekend, beginning 12:01 AM, Saturday, February 14th through Sunday, February 15th 11:59 PM, Time Warner Cable will offer all digital cable subscribers a special catalog of 40 current and classic box-office romance, action, drama, thriller, comedy, children and family hit movies, exclusively On Demand, for one cent each. CONTINUED »

California Highway Patrol

The California Highway Patrol is offering a traffic safety program for teenage drivers and their parents. The Start Smart Program is aimed at helping future and newly licensed teenage drivers become aware of the responsibilities that accompany the privilege of being a licensed California driver. The program is designed as an educational tool for parents and teenagers in an effort to reduce the number of teenage injuries and deaths resulting from traffic collisions. Traffic collisions are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds. The primary objective of the program is to provide teens and parents with an understanding of how poor choices behind the wheel can affect the lives of numerous people. The Start Smart program also provides teens and parents with information on defensive driving, traffic laws in California, dynamics of traffic collisions, tips on avoiding traffic collisions, and DUI awareness.

Officer Pedeferri, who was critically injured by a driver who was under the influence of drugs, will once again be the guest speaker at this month’s presentation. The collision also killed an innocent party, and left Pedeferri as a paraplegic. “Officer Pedeferri has had a tremendous impact with our presentations, and his participation has only helped to increase the numbers of attendees,” Officer Untalan, PIO for the Ventura Area stated.

Smart Start classes are free of charge. The next class will be on Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 6:30 pm. For more details, and to make a reservation, please call Officer Mike Untalan at (805)477-4130.

A free, five-day Job Search Workshop for unemployed professionals is offered by OPEN (Outstanding Professionals Employment Network), a chapter of Experience Unlimited, sponsored by California EDD.

This workshop includes tips on writing resumes and cover letters, interviewing, networking, online job search and more. The workshop begins Monday Feb. 9 and runs through Friday, Feb. 13 (2009) from 8:30 a.m. a.m. to 1 p.m. in Simi Valley.

Register at www.eu-open.org. For questions, call 805-526-6349.

I was born there in Fillmore, by accident on December 27, 1926.....My parents were visiting some friends, Mr. and Mrs. O'Neill, who were also the parents of my Aunt Mary,-- Mary was married to my maternal uncle, Everette Huckaba and they lived in Saticoy..The O'Neill's lived in a large two story home in the middle of a citrus grove between the Sespe Ranch and the river (On Santa Paula side of river) At the time, my parents lived (I think ) in Montalvo--- They called the nearest doctor, who happened to be Dr. Osbourne...So my birth certificate says "Fillmore" is the place of my birth, but I was raised in Santa Paula and consider SP as my home town..

Those were days of the Great Depression, so due to my dad having to move because of work, we did end up as residents of Fillmore for about a year.. I did my seventh grade there, in 1938/39, in , I think, the first year of the new Junior High addition at the high school...

I remember going to Dr. Osbourne's house with a bunch of beggars for trick or treat that Halloween..The Osbournes lived on the corner of the main thoroughfare into Fillmore--Where the stop sign was-Turn to the left to go over the Canejo to Thousand Oaks or turn to the right to go to Santa Paula. Their son later lived in the same house and was also a doctor--probably during your time there. Anyway,back to my story--Mrs. Osbourne gave each of us scalawags a nice treat. While thanking her, I told her that her husband had delivered me..She asked my name, then told me to wait a minute..When she came back to the door, she gave me a BIG BAG full of goodies as I was one of her husbands "Babies"--I remember the bag had a candied apple, candied popcorn ball, cookies, balloons,and lots of stuff...When I saw my bonanza, I told her that I sure was glad that my father had evidently paid the bill for my delivery !!! She laughed and said, "Yes, My dear, Mr. Bunch paid for you in full. " CONTINUED »

Conway Spitler

To all the kids who survived the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank, while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paint.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.
As infants and children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the street lights came on.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were OK.
We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find our we forgot the brakes after running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendos, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD;s, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms...
WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!
Little League had try outs and not every one made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law as unheard of. They actually sided with the law!
These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problems solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT All.
If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATION.
You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids,d before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.
While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.
Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?
The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:
"With hurricanes, tornado's, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?

City of Fillmore

The Fillmore Park & Recreation Commission is soliciting potential names for Fillmore’s new community park, currently being constructed at the corner of C and River Streets.

Submittals will be accepted until 5 p.m. on March 6 and may be turned in at City Hall, attention Recreation Department. The winning entry is scheduled to be announced at the March 24 City Council meeting. The winning entry will receive $50 from the City of Fillmore.

For more information please contact Angela Mumme at 524-1500, extension 214.

Taylor Atkins

The annual Miss Greater Ventura USA® Pageant is now accepting applications. Toay Productions has been providing young women with the opportunity to be the ambassador for the county of Ventura for over 10 years. The Teen and Miss titleholders will both receive over $5000 in entry fee/scholarship and prizes. These prizes will include a photo shoot from KSSP Photography, website designed, a custom gown, make-up, jewelry and many other gifts from local sponsors. This year the pageant is geared toward giving young women a choice to compete at a state pageant or receive a 500.00 cash scholarship.

We are thrilled that Taylor Atkins was crowned Miss California Teen 2008 and made the top 15 at the Miss Teen USA Pageant, which was held at the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas. Additional information regarding the Miss California USA & Miss California Teen USA pageants can be found at http://misscaliforniausa.com/

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen never married or pregnant must be a resident of California for the past 6 months. Applicants attending college out of state may enter if their primary residence is in California.
The practices for the pageant will begin on February12th, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at Brekke Elementary School, 1400 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Oxnard, CA. The participants will be taught communication skills, the importance of character, walking techniques and stage presence. CONTINUED »

We have had some great ones in the past and want to have a great one this year.

Have you missed the show? Why not come forward and help get the show going again.

There is a small group of people that would guide you in starting a small, but great, garden show once again.. Many items (equipment, signs, etc.) have been "lost", or stored, from previous garden shows. These need to be found. So, anyone out there who has output wants to assist, etc., please contact Linda Nunes to help get things rolling again.

We have the Bible from previous shows! What we want are volunteers interested in getting the show going again!

Family Feud

The Bacon Family of Fillmore are ready to battle for a win when they play against The Stringham Family of Costa Mesa, CA on the nationally syndicated Family Feud, beginning on Thursday, February 12. The high-stakes game where contestants must guess the most popular answers to survey questions posed to 100 people in order to win big money airs Monday-Friday at 6:00 p.m. on KCAL (Channel 9).

The Bacon Family – which includes Aaron, a new dad who serves in the Navy; sister-in-law Alisha, a dedicated mom and sales representative; sister-in-law Jessica, a veterinary technician and all around animal enthusiast; father-in-law David, a manager and driver for a trucking company; and wife Brittney, a fun-loving and energetic wife and mom – will be the ones to beat when they face off with The Stringham Family in America’s favorite family game show.

“We have always watched Family Feud, so one day we thought we’d try and get on the show,” said David. “If we win, we’re all taking a family cruise.”

“This family has a big heart,” said host John O’Hurley. “Let’s hope that they can pull through for a win.”
Will Fillmore’s Bacon Family win enough to take a family cruise? We’re not saying, but viewers can find out by tuning in beginning Thursday, February 12.