As a result of VISTA’s annual schedule adjustment process, area bus riders will have additional travel choices as well as revised travel times. Additions to VISTA service include two additional trips on the popular Coastal Express service linking Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, as well as additional Dial-A-Ride service in the Heritage Valley communities of Fillmore and Piru.

“Thanks to a slight rebound in local sales tax revenue, VCTC is able to introduce additional service in response to growing bus ridership. We are proud ridership on VISTA is increasing and are continuing our efforts to serve that growth,” observed Darren Kettle, VCTC Executive Director.

The new weekday Coastal Express trips depart the Ventura County Government Center at 8:00 a.m. and Goleta at 6:25 p.m. There will be as many as four Dial-A-Ride vehicles available for service within the Heritage Valley on weekday evenings. “While the number of actual vehicles in service will vary based on customer demand, this is an important development given the service cuts imposed last spring,” noted Kettle. “As the county’s regional transportation planning agency, VCTC recently embarked on a planning study to identify the most effective ways of providing public transit service in Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Piru. We encourage Heritage Valley residents to participate in the project though surveys, community workshops, and local focus groups.”

While service to CSUCI will remain unchanged during the school year, the CSUCI route will undergo slight reductions during school breaks. During CSUCI’s winter and summer breaks, the last bus will leave the Camarillo Metrolink station at 5:30 p.m., while the last bus will depart C Street in Oxnard at 5:00 p.m.

Additional information regarding VCTC and its programs and services is available either online at goventura.org or via phone at (800) 642-4860.

Councilmember Sipes
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(l-r) Vance Johnson, City Clerk Clay Westling
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Publisher’s note: Due to the absence of our city hall correspondent this week we regret that we have no story
covering last night’s council meeting. A few highlights are covered in the Realities editorial and Channel 10 will broadcast full coverage. The Gazette’s video highlights of the meeting will be posted here Thursday afternoon. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience. Councilman Sipes and Brooks argued for council action to seek new legal counsel for the city. The distinguished law firm of Myers, Widders, Gibson, Jones and Schneider has handled the city’s legal matters for nearly 20 years. Until the election of Sipes and Brooks to the council there have been no complaints about the quality of work. Councilman Conaway praised Schneider’s work, and cautioned against such a move. Neither Brooks nor Sipes could articulate a reason, other than personal reasons, for launching their attempt to replace the Myers firm, which failed 3-2. Great concern was expressed by resident Vance Johnson for delinquent minutes of council meetings. City Clerk Clay Westling did not respond to the criticism. Mayor Washburn and City Manager Quiring attempted excuses which Johnson and others found insufficient.

Pictured above is the new principal at Sespe School, Scott Carroll. Carrroll was previously the assistant principal at Fillmore Middle School. A picture of Piru’s new principal Diana Vides was unavailable.
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When school starts on Tuesday, August 16, 2011 students at Piru and Sespe Elementary Schools will be meeting new principals. Scott Carroll, previously the assistant principal at Fillmore Middle School will be taking the top administrative position at Sespe, and Diana Vides, new to Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) will be principal at Piru. FUSD Director of Human Resources Todd Schieferle commented that in filling these positions the District was “looking for experience in working with diverse populations, administrative experience, and a clear understanding of the process for improving achievement for all students.”

The vacancy filled by Carroll was created when the District noticed Rosemarie Hibler near the end of last year that she would no longer have a position within FUSD. When asked why Hibler received a notice, the only principal to receive one, Schieferle responded “Other than budget reductions, I am unable to discuss personnel issues.” During Board meetings late last school year several parents spoke in support of Hibler asking the Board to reconsider letting her go. In explaining why Carroll is a good fit for Sespe, Schieferle reported that Carroll has served as a sixth grade teacher, sixth grade department chair, AVID coordinator and Response to Intervention (RTI) Coordinator in addition to an “administrator” in the District. “Scott Carroll has a strong background in teaching… he is very familiar with the student population and community of Fillmore. Scott has a great reputation with students he encounters and has been highly respected by parents and staff.”

Responding to questions about why there was a vacancy at Piru, Schieferle replied “[Mrs. Godfrey] requested a reassignment.” Godfrey replaced Leticia Ramos, both of whom served as principal for just one year at Piru. Prior to being Principal at Piru, Godfrey was Assistant Principal at Fillmore Middle School. Schieferle confirmed that Godfrey will be working in the Independent Studies program at Sierra High School.

Vides will be the fourth principal in as many years at Piru and comes to FUSD from Los Angeles Unified School District. Her most recent position was as Coordinator for Categorical Programs at Alta California Elementary School (previously called Valley Region Elementary School #6) in Panorama City, a new school that opened last year (2010-11) serving 734 students, grade K – 5, with 95% of the student population of Hispanic/Latino descent. Generally a Coordinator of Categorical Programs oversees and administers programs for English learners, students from migrant families and special education. FUSD Interim Superintendent Dr. Alan Nishino reported that Vides herself comes from a migrant farm-worker background bringing a unique and important perspective to her job. Piru parent and a member of last years School Site Council Fred Galan commented that “[we are looking forward] to working with the new principal [to benefit the students].”

BJ Norris is the new Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Champ, held August 18-21 in Piru. The competition has grown to one of the largest professional pistol competitions in America.

The Steel Challenge is a speed shooting championship and governed by the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA). The competition was founded by Mike Dalton and Mike Fichman. The targets, made of steel, range in size from 10" round plates to 18"x24" square plates. The match is held every year in Piru, California and draws shooters from around the world.

Competitors are scored based solely on the time it takes them to shoot each stage. The last target that is shot is known as the "stop plate", which stops the timer. All primary target hits made after the stop plate has been struck, will be scored with a 3 second penalty each. The maximum time permitted for a run is 30 seconds and a competitor will be stopped and asked to reload if they reach the 30 second limit. Each competitor shoots each stage five times, with their slowest run dropped, excluding the stage Outer Limits where only four runs are shot and the top three counted. The competitor's best four out of five runs are totaled for their stage score and the eight stage scores are added together to establish the competitor's match score. The winner is the competitor with the lowest overall time.

Seventy shooters competed in the first Steel Challenge in 1981. John Shaw claimed the first ‘World’s Fastest Shooter’ title along with his share of the $20,000 in cash and prizes.

In the winter of 2007, Dalton and Fichman sold the Steel Challenge to the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) which is the US sanctioning body of IPSC.

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I wish to express my profound apologies to the Fillmore Chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars for the wrongly identified photo of Eagle Scout Sean Chandler receiving an award plaque for constructing his Walk of Honor at Bardsdale Cemetery. The caption reads “Chandler receives Lions Club honor". This was an award issued by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Again, my apologies to our VFW for this inexplicable mistake.

Maybe it’s time for me to retire – it is, after all, the Gazette’s twenty second anniversary.

Also...

The Gazette has learned, by an irate citizen, that an Aztec-like picture was recently placed on the rear alley (east) wall of the old bank building (Main Street near Central Ave.). We later learned that this was allegedly approved by the owner of the building. We don't know if the city was aware of it. It is, therefore, not a gang related picture. The police department has verified that it was painted with permission, and has no gang connection. It is difficult to understand what relevance such a public display has in the middle of Fillmore’s tourist center. This picture can be seen from two blocks away. A reasonable person, especially a tourist, would question the meaning of this work at this location. No matter how well done, a talented work in the wrong place (next to the Fillmore Tourism Bureau), giving a mistaken impression of criminal activity, unrelated to our downtown tourist efforts, is in my opinion, a mistake. It should be removed.

THIS JUST IN: We have learned that this was a paid commercial. It was painted on Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 47 with permission as stated. No one bothered to tell the citizens of Fillmore. It is ironic that it was painted directly across from a newly sprayed bicycle storage container on Main Street, which is a criminal offense.

"Oink!"
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Alexus Galassi,16, Vice Presidentof Fillmore FFA is pictured with her heifer Talula and the baby Kaliapi who was born at the fair this past week.
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Marc Zavala, 17, Fillmore FFA, stands with “Zeus” a pig who won Reserve Grand Champion at the fair.
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Micah Chumley, 16, Fillmore FFA, stands with “Kevin” replacement heifer who also won Reserve Grand Champion at the Ventura County Fair. Several Fillmore kids participated in this year’s auction.
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Story and photos by Bob Crum

Little Bo Peep, Zeus and Kevin, outstanding specimens all, were bestowed top honors at the Ventura County Fair. Accordingly, their caretakers – Macie, Micah and Marc – relished reaping the rewards for their time and efforts.
With dozens of excited people in attendance... Talula was also rewarded with baby Kaliapi. To just see Kaliapi is to instantly love her! But I digress.

Macie Wokal, 14, Fillmore FFA, raised a replacement heifer named Little Bo Peep. However, weighing in at a hefty 1,082 pounds, there's very little that's little about Little Bo Peep. Her status is even bigger than life. Little Bo Peep was awarded the FFA Grand Champion Replacement Heifer award. Sweet!

Macie is no stranger to the award circle. Though her entry last year didn't win an award, her entry in 2009 was awarded Grand Champion Replacement Heifer. Not an easy achievement considering that the odds might not be much better than winning the lottery every other year.

What was it like raising Little Bo Peep? “When I first saw her”, said Macie, “she was crazy and later, when I would walk her, she made dinosaur noises as if she was making fun of a cow. That was pretty funny”, Macie said. Proof that one can never predict what a cow will say.

What was the biggest problem raising Little Bo Peep? “Trying to get her halter on” Macie immediately replied. “She was stubborn and wouldn't cooperate very often so it was a lot of work.” OK... but once the halter was in place, how was she to take for a walk? “Crazy”, Macie said. Why? “Because”, said Macie, “she was barely halter trained when I got her so she was on the wild side... I guess you can say.” Somehow Macie tamed wild and crazy Little Bo Peep because the heifer appeared to be on her best behavior at the Fair.

Based on Little Bo Peep's enormous size, what did her diet consist of I asked. “She eats a bag a day of grains and alfalfa and a bag costs about $14.00.” Oh my! Perhaps taking Little Bo Peep to a Chick-fil-A restaurant would be cheaper?

At the auction, the high bidder won Little Bo Peep for $3,400. Plans for the heifer include munching scrumptious Piru pasture grass and motherhood.

And Macie's money? “It goes into my savings account for college”, said Macie. Upon graduating high school, Macie is planning to attend California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Having been raised in a farming/ranching lifestyle... Macie's aspirations are to become an agriculture teacher. No doubt Macie will excel!

Micah Chumley, 16, Fillmore FFA, also raised a superb replacement heifer. So superb is Micah's heifer, Kevin, she won FFA Reserve Grand Champion. Umm... Kevin... a boys name? “I named her Kevin because of the movie Up”, explained Micah... adding... “the flightless bird was named Kevin who was thought to be a boy but turned out to be a girl... oh Kevin's a girl!... so that kind of stuck for my heifer.” Makes perfect sense.

Kevin is not Micah's first heifer. He raised a heifer four years ago. Last year he entered a steer that was not bestowed an award. So... this year he went back to raising a heifer and was rewarded with a championship.

Was it fun raising Kevin? “The most CONTINUED »

There were some new faces at the first 2011-2012 Fillmore Unified School District Board Meeting (FUSD). Dr. Alan Nishino was introduced as the Interim Fillmore Superintendent along with Michael Johnson as a new Assistant Superintendent. Also introduced was Scott Carroll new position as Principal of Sespe Elementary School and Sammy Martinez the new Associated Student Board (ASB) representative.

Nishino brings years of experience having worked at Morgan Hill, Castaic, Alameda, and Hueneme High Schools. When discussing his goals Nishino highlighted students’ need to be productive citizens “driven to be the best” going forward.

Johnson discussed the many years he has worked under Nishino and spoke of his confidence in Nishino’s leadership as the reason he came to work at FUSD. He addressed the needs of Fillmore’s large migrant population with over five hundred migrant students in school and a goal of speaking to every family. Johnson is also planning a newsletter to be sent to the students’ families to keep them informed of meetings and events associated with their children.

Martinez, who grew up in Fillmore, is a junior at Fillmore High School and was an ASB member while attending Fillmore Middle School. Martinez is known as ‘Speaker of the House’ made his first official presentation to the School Board Martinez presenting the students’ new campaign “Make Every Minute Count-63,197 Minutes in a School Year.”