Our way of life in the “Land of the Free” is becoming less free every day; not because people force their wills upon us, but because we sit back passively and allow it to occur. We as a nation achieved greatness through a system of laws and traditions that encouraged independence, responsibility, morality, diversity, and the ability to succeed or fail according to our own accomplishments. The Founding Fathers recognized that to achieve such greatness freedom of speech was absolutely essential. Those who attempt to control or silence our freedom of expression endanger our basic rights as free men and women.

In the past year we have been treated to some pretty lively debates in the Editorial and Letters to the Editor sections of our local newspaper. Battle lines have been drawn. Sides have been chosen.

Many different opinions have been presented as to who is right and who is wrong. I would submit this to those who question who is right and who is wrong in such situations – it is never wrong for either party to express his/her sincerely held beliefs. In our country we are not required or expected to accept or reject one opinion over another. However, if only one opinion is allowed to be expressed with the opposing opinion silenced, we are deprived as a society from making rational and educated decisions. As Walt Lippman so aptly put it, “When all men think alike, no one thinks very much.” CONTINUED »

Between May 1 and June 30 unknown suspect(s) placed “skimmers” on credit card readers on the gas pumps at Valero Gas Stations in Fillmore and elsewhere. The information gathered is used for fraudulent purposes.
Enlarge Photo

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department’s Ojai Station Detectives are investigating the use of fraudulent credit cards. Between May 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009, unknown suspect(s) placed “skimmers” on credit card readers on the gas pumps at Valero Gas Stations in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.

Criminals have been attaching “skimmers” to obtain account information and create fraudulent cards with the stolen account numbers. The “skimmer” reads all of the account information encoded on the card’s magnetic data storage stripe when swiped through the reader. In this case, the fraudulent credit cards are being used in Los Angeles County and other outlying areas of California and Nevada.

Valero Gas Stations are taking a proactive approach to combating the thefts by conducting visual checks of all the gas pumps throughout the day. When using your credit card at any card reader, look to make sure there is nothing else attached to the reader.

If you believe you might be a victim of identity theft by someone using your credit card, please contact your local law enforcement agency.

Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau will open its new office on July 31st.

The Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau (HVTB) lost a significant portion of its budget, but plans to proceed with marketing as usual by making cuts in staffing and rent. Its mission is to promote tourism in the Heritage Valley, which includes Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, and Rancho Camulos. In April, the Santa Paula City Council voted to sever its relationship with HVTB by withdrawing financial support. Executive Director Della Reyes said that HVTB is undergoing an identity crisis as it reacts to Santa Paula’s $25,000 cut. HVTB’s fiscal year started July 1st.

HVTB currently has a budget of approximately $42,000, according to Interim President Kathleen McCreary. She explained that Fillmore is contributing $25,000 (Fillmore and Santa Paula had been equal contributors), the Ventura County Redevelopment Agency is contributing $10,000 on behalf of Piru, and the remaining funds come from advertising partners and memberships. Businesses can pay additional fees to become advertising partners and appear in certain advertisements. Reyes pointed out that Santa Paula businesses and organizations have shown that they value HVTB by renewing their memberships. Reyes explained that in a weak economy advertising becomes more, not less, important. The organization has increased its general memberships by at least 10% from last year. HVTB has reduced staff hours and will be moving to a new location.

Reyes’s hours have been cut from 30 hours per week to 18 hours per week. The HVTB office is currently open Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reyes is optimistic about the change, but said that finishing all her work in just 18 hours per week is a challenge. CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Fernando Cervantes, 44 of Fillmore, was arrested on suspicion of molesting five female relatives under the age of 14, allegedly between 1997 and 2008. Five counts were brought against Cervantes on July 16th in Ventura County Superior Court. A hearing date has been set for August 28, 2009.

Cervantes’ sons Francisco Cervantes, 22, and Oscar Cervantes, 21, both of Fillmore, were also arrested and charged with molesting the female relatives. Francisco is charge with molesting one female relative, allegedly from 2002 to 2008. And Oscar allegedly molested three female relatives from 2002 to 2007. Most of the alleged molestations took placer in the defendants’ home and some took place when the men would visit the victims during the holidays in the Lancaster-Palmdale area.

Fernando Cervantes is possibly facing a sentence of 75 years to life in prison if convicted of the crimes. Some of the victims were molested by all three defendants.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Date & Time: July 17, 2009, 0630 Hrs.

On July 8, 2009, at approximately 2200 hrs. deputies from the Fillmore Station responded to a shots fired call in the 300 block of Clay St., in Fillmore. When deputies arrived they found that rival gang members had confronted the victim, a known gang member. The rival gang members shot at the victim as he was driving away.

On 7-17-09 at 0630, the Fillmore Special Enforcement Detail with the assistance of deputies and officers from the Santa Paula Police Department and Ventura Police Department, conducted search warrants at four locations in the City of Fillmore and one location in the City of Moorpark. This was in response to the gang related shooting that occurred on 7-8-09. The following persons were arrested as a result of the search warrants:

Valerie Sanchez, 06-07-1981
Charges: 11377 H&S possession of a controlled substance, 11550 H&S UI controlled substance
Juan Perez, 07-20-1986
Charges: 422 PC criminal threats (related to a prior incident)
Miguel Perez, 11-27-1983
Charges: 422 PC criminal threats (related to a prior incident), 11377 H&S possession of a controlled substance, 11364 H&S possession of pipe, 11550 H&S UI controlled substance, 186.22 PC, gang enhancement and a 14601 CVC driving on a suspended CDL warrant.
Ricardo Magana, 04-14-1984
Charges: 12020 PC possession of nunchaku.

Also Martin Gonzales 09-13-1984 was cited and released for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

500 block of E. Telegraph Rd. Fillmore, CA 93015
Date & Time: 07/19/2009 Approximately 3:00 A.M.
Unit Responsible: Sheriff Major Crimes Unit

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department responded to a residence in the 500 block of Telegraph Road reference a report of people fighting and several injured victims at the location. Deputies from the Sheriff’s Department’s Fillmore, Headquarters, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, and Moorpark Stations were dispatched to the call. Responding deputies were confronted with a large crowd and numerous victims. Due to the size of the crowd and large crime scene, officers from the California Highway Patrol and the Santa Paula Police Department responded to assist.

Multiple ambulances and County Fire units were dispatched to treat the victims. Eight victims were transported to four local hospitals and two victims were treated at the scene but refused medical assistance. The identities of the victims and their medical status are not being released at this time.

Anyone having information regarding this crime is asked to call (805) 477-7032.

Anyone wishing report information and remain anonymous can call Crimestoppers at 800-222-Tips (8477). Information resulting in the arrest and prosecution may receive up to a $1,000.00 reward.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: 704 Ventura St., Fillmore
Date & Time: 7-9-09 / 4:30 p.m.
Unit Responsible: Fillmore Station Detectives

(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (W)itnesses, Address, Age
(V)Fillmore Chevron gas station, 704 Ventura St., Fillmore, CA.
(S)Rene Martinez, Santa Paula, 19

At approximately 4:30 p.m., deputies from the Fillmore Police Department responded to a call of a robbery at the Chevron gas station in the City of Fillmore. When they arrived, they learned a suspect, later identified as nineteen-year-old Rene Martinez of Santa Paula, had stolen two 18-packs of beer from the store. When confronted by the store employee, Martinez produced a handgun and threatened the employee. Martinez fled the area in a silver Nissan with three other men. The Nissan was registered to a Santa Paula address.

At approximately 4:48 p.m., officers with the Santa Paula Police Department stopped the suspect vehicle at 12th St. and Ventura St. in the City of Santa Paula. Martinez and three other men were detained during the stop. During the investigation, Martinez was positively identified as the robbery suspect. A handgun was recovered in the vehicle along with the merchandise, which had been taken.

Fillmore deputies arrested Martinez for 211 PC – Robbery and booked him into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility, Ventura. The other men were not charged and were released.

For over two hundred years a true “government by the people” has been diligently sought after by the American people. When the U.S. Constitution was adopted, only white male property owners were granted the right to vote. Since the original Bill of Rights was enacted there have been only seventeen Amendments to the Constitution; seven of them concerned voting rights. In 1810 the last religious requirement for voting eligibility was removed. The requirement for ownership of property was suspended in 1850. Former slaves were given the vote in 1870; women in 1920; and Native Americans in 1924. Poll taxes and literacy tests were banned in the mid-1960’s. The voting age was set at 18 in 1971.

The right to vote is a right that patriots have fought and died for throughout our country’s history. It is each citizen’s main vehicle for having his/her voice heard concerning the terms, conditions and direction the country establishes that will govern his/her way of life. It is a precious gift that should be utilized with great care and a deep sense of responsibility. We as a people need to be diligent in our scrutiny of candidates for public office. We need to determine if they steadfastly defend our interests; if they follow our wishes or their own agendas when representing us in the halls of congress; if they do what they promised us they would do. We need to be astutely aware of who has the greatest influence on these candidates; is it big business, labor unions, special interest groups or the people who elected them into office. Each candidate’s honesty and integrity should also be carefully considered. CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

At approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday July 11, A strong arm robbery occurred on the 200-300 block of Saratoga St. Rigoberto Santa Rosa 31, was walking north bound on Saratoga Street from a local market. He was approached from behind and knocked to the ground by two suspects. Hispanic male 18-20 years. They then stole his wallet, his beer, and a cell phone. SantaRosa was able to flee uninjured. The suspects are at large. Gang Unit will investigate. Courtesy of Fillmore Police Department.