Michael Castro

Story courtesy the Castro Family

The journey began sophomore year for Michael. I sat him down one day and asked what his future plans were? Teenage answer. I don't know dad. I then told him he should start looking into either sports scholarships or try for an academic one. He then said, I think I'm going to join the Military. I was a little shocked at first this had not been brought up before and of course this was NOT on my list of things for him to do after graduating high school. I sat back and thought, well it's only his sophomore year I'm sure he'll get over it. I said well you think about that and we can talk about it later. But every time we did it was the same he was joining the military. He was part of the Navy Seal Challenge that year, he loved it. He began to bring to bring military brochures home he began talking to recruiters and shortly after senior year started he began to go with the Marine recruiters to do physical training. I sat him down once more and asked him what it was he wanted to do after graduation? His answer, I'm Joining the Marines I want to do something that's not just for me. He was part of the Navy Seal Challenge once again. He became more involved with Marines then graduation came, next thing I knew he was off to boot camp!

His journey for a title that few can claim began on Sept. 14, 2015 as a youth he played soccer and then football. In high school he was a football player first and then became a wrestler but he always kept his priorities straight he was passionate about whatever it was he was doing as long as he liked what he was doing he was relentless and would leave everything out on the field to win. He knew going in this would be a challenge unlike anything he had faced before he and all the other young men and women who volunteer to be put through 13 weeks of grueling mental and physical conditioning also know that someday they be called to defend us to put their lives on the line in some foreign country, knowing all that going in they are still willing to raise their hand and swear to protect us. Well there's just no words for that! My son has always been my hero from his first tackle to his last high school wrestling match! Love you Kidd. Always wants to be the best!

The Bardsdale Cemetery District has added a Columbarium as another option for the final resting place of a loved one who has chose cremation. A Columbarium is a structure that contains niches, secured space, for the housing of cremation urns. The Columbarium contains sixty niches. Prior to the addition of the Columbarium families using the Bardsdale Cemetery were only offered In-ground Cremation Urn placement.

Surrounding the Columbarium is an attractive concrete open patio area with four black colored concrete bench seating to accommodate visitors to the Columbarium. The concrete walking area has black pebbled flex placed into the gray concrete. The black design on each side of the Columbarium reflect where future Columbariums would be located if needed. Colorful flowers will be planted at each end of the open patio and maintained by Cemetery staff according to Doug Basolo, Manager of the Bardsdale Cemetery.

The cost for construction of the Columbarium and patio area was approximately $70,000. The patio area can accommodate two additional Columbarium's of the same size for a total build out of 180 niches. Depending on demand for the Columbarium it is estimated that this Columbarium could take ten years to fill all sixty niches.

The cost of the Niche Wall Inurnment at the Columbarium is $1,975 for a single Urn and $2,425 for a double urn in a niche for residents of the Fillmore and Bardsdale area. Non-residents are charged an additional $750. A resident is a person who resides or pays property taxes within the district at time of plot purchase. A non-resident is a person who has a near relative buried in the cemetery; or a near relative of a resident of the district; or a police, fire or military person at time of plot purchase.

Located nearly in the middle of the main portion of the Bardsdale Cemetery the Columbarium was placed strategically there to take advantage of the majestic views of the Santa Clara Valley which are also visible from most areas of the Bardsdale Cemetery. A daily Coastal breeze will be a comfort to visitors sitting near the Columbarium on one of the four concrete bench seating areas.

The Bardsdale Cemetery District Board of Trustees is committed to managing the Bardsdale Cemetery in the most efficient means possible to offer a comfortable and full-service cemetery to those living within the District boundaries. The new Columbarium is just another means to offer residents an option when looking for a final resting place for a loved one.

American Red Cross of Ventura County

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood to support cancer patients and others needing blood products.

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the U.S., with one in eight developing invasive breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer patients may need blood products during chemotherapy, mastectomy surgery or treatment of
complications.

Blood donor Mary Thorngate Hall is one such example. She was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in 2010.

"I began treatment (with) my first round of chemotherapy lasting six hours.
My body did not tolerate it, and I began to hemorrhage," she said. "I needed blood to survive. I cannot express my gratitude to the people who donated their lifesaving blood."

Volunteer donors are the only source of blood products for those needing transfusions. Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB blood.

To make an appointment to donate blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores or text BLOODAPP to 90999 to receive a download link, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

American Red Cross Donation Center

American Red Cross Woodland Hills Donation Center
6338 Variel Ave.
Woodland Hills, Calif. 91367

Monday and Tuesday: 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Saturday: 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Additional blood donation opportunities:

Camarillo
10/26/2015: 10 a.m. - 4:15 p.m., Santa Cruz Village, 1 University Drive
10/28/2015: 10 a.m. - 4:15 p.m., Santa Cruz Village, 1 University Drive

Oak Park
10/27/2015: 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Oak Park High School, 899 North Kanan Road

Oxnard
10/21/2015: 9 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Oxnard College, 4000 S Rose Ave
10/22/2015: 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Oxnard High School, 3400 W Gonzales Rd

Simi Valley
10/17/2015: 9 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Simi Valley Rancho Santa Suzanna Community,
5005 E Los Angeles Ave
10/23/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Rancho Santa Suzanna Community Center, 5005-C Los Angeles Ave
10/30/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Simi Valley Rancho Santa Suzanna Community,
5005 E Los Angeles Ave

Thousand Oaks
10/19/2015: 9 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Xirrus, 2101 Corporate Center Drive
10/21/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
10/26/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
10/28/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
10/30/2015: 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Thousand Oaks High School, 2323 N Moorpark Rd

Ventura
10/20/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street

How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in California), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.

High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

The Diaz family, Richard and Carolyn, with US Navy Chief Phillip Diaz, and his sisters Arron Diaz and Julia Fitzgibbons (Diaz).
Enlarge Photo

United States Navy Chief, Phillip Diaz, was promoted to Chief Petty Officer (ITC E-7) on September 16, 2015 during an official Navy Pinning Ceremony in San Diego, California. In attendance were his proud parents, Richard and Carolyn Diaz, Sisters Arron Diaz and Julia Fitzgibbons (Diaz), Uncle Michael Diaz and Aunt Karen Diaz. Richard and Carolyn had the honor of pinning on Chief Diaz's Navy Chief Anchors to his uniform shirt lapels.

Chief Diaz, 29 years old, is a 2004 Fillmore High School Graduate. All of Chief Diaz's education was within the Fillmore Unified School District attending K-5 at Piru Elementary School, 6-8 at Fillmore Middle School having been part of the first 6th Grade Class to enter the Middle School. He went on to attend FHS where he played baseball and and football, graduating in 2004! Chief Diaz was also active in the Bardsdale United Methodist Church, and local 4H Clubs where he had the honor, at age 9, of having his pig "Tomasina" being selected as the Grand Champion at the Ventura County Fair.

Chief Diaz began his career in the Navy on October 31, 2005 attending his basic training at the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois where he graduated in the top ten percent of his class receiving a meritorious promotion to Seaman Apprentice E-2. Chief Diaz's job specialty is Information Technology. In addition to his current instructor assignment at the Center For Information Dominance, Point Loma, San Diego, Chief Diaz was previously assigned to the U.S.S. McFaul (DDG 74), an Arleigh Burke class of guided missile Destroyer in Norfolk, Virginia. And, at the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Expeditionary Support Unit-2 (EODESU-2), in Little Creek, Virginia. Chief Diaz has been on three deployments; two to the Persian Gulf aboard the U.S.S. McFaul and in Afghanistan with the EODESU2, prior to his assignment in San Diego as an instructor.

On August 24, 2008, while assigned on the U.S.S. McFaul, the McFaul was to first United States Vessel to arrived in Batumi, Georgia, as part of Operation Assured Delivery to "deliver humanitarian relief supplies, as part of the larger United States response to the government of Georgia request for humanitarian assistance" in the wake of the 2008 South Ossetia war. The McFaul offloaded nearly 155,000 pounds of supplies—including hygiene items, baby food and care supplies, bottled water, and milk.

Chief Diaz has received numerous awards during his Naval service. According to Chief Diaz, "I am ready to be a Navy Chief! I look forward to guiding the sailors under my command to some day being successful as future Navy Chiefs!" Chief Diaz will remain at his current assignment for the next 1 1/2 years, but after that he will serve "At the convenience of the Navy!" Chief Diaz hopes to spend more time in San Diego, but is excited to serve where the Navy needs him.

The citizens of the Santa Clara Valley are proud of Chief Diaz's service, congratulate him on his promotion. We thank Chief Diaz for his service and sacrifice to maintain the freedoms all of us enjoy as American citizens. Chief Diaz is truly an American Hero!

A 3-judge Ventura County Superior Court appeals panel struck down the eviction of the Fillmore and Western Railway by the Ventura County Transportation Commission who owns the tracks the railway operates on.

The panel released the decision on Tuesday, September 22, 2015. It ruled that the VCTC used an incorrect legal procedure to evict the railway, and the judge who upheld the eviction error in backing the eviction based on the incorrect legal procedure.

It remains to be seen if VCTC will appeal this ruling to a higher court, or return to the trial court to seek a legal eviction.

The VCTC filed a lawsuit in March 2014 against the Railway when they ignored the agency’s demand to stop running the train operation. The Railway countersued, claiming the Commission terminated its 20-year lease wrongly. The popular tourist train remains in operation for now.