Special Education Director Mary Williams and Program Specialist Krystal Sarabia-Rocha presented the Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board an overview of FUSD's Special Education Program (SEP). FUSD has a total of 540 SEP students throughout the district.

Since 2002 the FUSD student percentage with disabilities has increased by 11.8%. The largest increases are in Autism (12X). Autism continuing to be on the rise with a 2009-2010 survey indicating Autism is 2.9% nationally, and a 9.9% population in California. Boys are four times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with Autism. Orthopedic Impairment (3X) is FUSD's second largest increase and Intellectual Disabilities (2.5X) the third.
The categories of disabilities range from physical impairment to learning disabilities. FUSD's largest three are; Specific Learning Disability with 292 students (54.1%), Speech and Language Impairment with 106 students (19.6%) and Intellectual Disabilities with 42 students (7.7%).

Special Academic Instruction at FUSD serve both mild-moderate and moderate-severe disabilities and is styled to meet each students' needs. Through the Resource Specialist Program the student receives intensive instruction in specific areas, such as math and English, for part of the school day and attends regular class the remainder.

With the Special CONTINUED »

The American Red Cross encourages individuals and organizations to give something that means something this winter by making a lifesaving blood donation or hosting a blood drive.

Blood donations often decline from now to New Year’s Day when holiday festivities pull people away from their donation appointments. Seasonal illnesses, such as colds and the flu, can also have a serious impact on blood donations

In addition, there are fewer blood drives during the winter months when many hosting organizations postpone drives while people are traveling for the holidays. Severe winter weather may also cause scheduled blood drives to be canceled.

Despite the busy holiday season and threat of extreme freezing weather, the need for blood remains steady. Organizations can help by hosting a blood drive during the winter months, and eligible donors are encouraged to make an appointment to give blood. Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB blood.

Visit redcrossblood.org to learn more about hosting a blood drive. To make an appointment to donate blood, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can now use the Blood Donor App to access their donor card and view vital signs from previous donations.

Red Cross Blood Donation Centers:

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.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Simi Valley
12/11/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Rancho Santa Suzanna Community Center, 5005-C Los Angeles Ave

Thousand Oaks
12/7/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
12/9/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd

Ventura
12/15/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 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 some states), 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.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

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.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Each year during the holiday season law enforcement sees a substantial increase in burglaries. Over the last few years this trend has evolved into mail and package thefts. During the month of December the US Postal Service and entities such as UPS deliver millions of packages to mailboxes and porches. Now, with the convenience of online shopping more people expose themselves to opportunistic criminals driving through neighborhoods looking for unattended packages and full mailboxes. We have received information about solicitors knocking on doors, possibly casing residents, while at the same time grabbing Christmas cards, checks and gifts cards from mailboxes. We also receive calls for suspicious vehicles following delivery services and stealing packages after porch delivery.

Here are a few tips to protect your deliveries during the holiday season:

1. Assure someone is at the residence if a delivery is expected. If this is not possible have the delivery sent to a place of employment or request the package is held at the Post Office for pickup.

2. Tracking numbers, most agencies will send you a tracking number to allow you to see where your package is and when it will be delivered.

3. Promptly retrieve packages and mail from your residence.

4. Drop off outgoing mail at the Post Office or hand the mail to the Postal Service delivery person.

5. Encourage your Neighborhood Watch group to call the police for any unusual activity in your area. People in your neighborhood usually know who resides and visits your residence. Neighbors should be calling law enforcement if unknown people are seen going through your mailbox or loitering around your residence.

6. Most importantly be aware of your surroundings, protect yourself and your property by locking doors and windows and making it harder for criminals to steal your valuables.

Have a wonderful holiday and call the police department for crimes or suspicious activity in your neighborhoods.

Nature of Incident: Holiday Mail and Package Thefts
Location: City of Camarillo
Date & Time: November 30, 2015 1:00 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Community Resource Unit
Prepared by: Deputy Mario Molina
News Release Date: November 30, 2015
Media Follow-Up Contact: Deputy Mario Molina (805) 388-5155
Approved by: Captain Cory Rubright

The Fillmore City Council is deciding on a couple of issues in the next few months. One is an upgrade to the water treatment plant, the other is selecting someone to operate the Fillmore Equestrian Center.

Water Treatment Plant:
Fillmore is inquiring on a new technology that proposes to lower the utility costs of the Fillmore Wastewater Treatment Facility (FWTF). Pasteurization Technology Group Inc. (PTG) gave a presentation at the November 10, 2016 Fillmore City Council Meeting outlining their M-1000 System and its capabilities. CEO & Co-Founder Greg Ryan stated the technology combines eco-friendly wastewater disinfection with the generation of renewable energy would save about $20,000 per month and grow to over $50,000 per month.

Ryan presented a chart with presumed savings per household based on a 1% increase in Fillmore's population. After seven years the savings is reported to be $19 per year. At eight years it climbs to $172 per year and continues: nine-$250, ten-$334, eleven-$423, 15yrs.-$837, 20 yrs.-$1,512.

Presently the FWTF meets California Title 22 which is the California Code Regulations of the California Department of Public Health related to recycled water. The M-1000 System also would comply with Title 22.

The process is claimed to generate approximately 192 kW of electricity and disinfect up to 1.0 million gallons of wastewater per day, with the intention of offsetting the operational cost of the FWTF. The saving is due to taking the Ultra Violet (UV) System now being used and putting it offline. The M-1000 system uses both the heat from the turbine and the heat from the exiting treated sanitized water. Two pre-heater units will pre-heat incoming wastewater by transferring thermal energy from outgoing heated and disinfected wastewater prior to discharge. The waste heat recovery unit increase temperatures of pre-heated wastewater by up to 3 degrees to the level required for disinfection.

How the pasteurization CONTINUED »

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten has announced that Brock Gustin William Baker and Mark Stephen Avila, pled guilty to failure to warn of a concealed danger, a felony violation of Penal Code section 387(a); interference with enforcement, a misdemeanor violation of Health and Safety Code section 25515.4, and two misdemeanors in violation of Labor Code section 6423(a)(2), related to storage of hazardous substances and repeated failures to communicate with employees about hazardous substances.

Baker and Avila’s guilty pleas were entered as to charges in the indictment returned by the Ventura County Grand Jury in connection with their involvement in an explosion that occurred at Santa Clara Waste Water Company located at 815 Mission Rock Road in Santa Paula, California on November 18, 2014.

Baker and Avila will face sentencing on June 1st, 9amm courtroom 12 of the Ventura Superior Court.

Cases against the others are pending.

UPDATE: District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that California Department of Justice will be formally joining the Ventura County District Attorney in the ongoing prosecution of multiple individual and corporate defendants charged with environmental and other crimes related to the November 18, 2014, explosion at the Santa Clara Waste Water Company facility located in Santa Paula, California. This joint prosecution effort will include all aspects of the case as well as the ongoing investigation into the storage of thousands of gallons of chemicals recently discovered through execution of a search warrant on November 5, 2015, at the company’s facility in Santa Paula.

Santa Paula Police Department

On Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at approximately 4:32pm, Santa Paula Police Dept. dispatch received a report of an injury vehicle vs. pedestrian traffic collision in the 700 block of E. Main St., Santa Paula. Responding officers arrived on scene and the investigation into the collision began. At this time it appears the 69 year old pedestrian was walking south across Main Street to her vehicle when she was struck by the westbound vehicle, driven by a 26 year old female. At this time of day, the setting sun can be blinding to westbound drivers. According to the female driver, the sun was bright and making it difficult for her to see while driving her vehicle when suddenly she "hit something".

The pedestrian sustained severe injuries and was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center. She is currently listed in critical condition.

The investigation into the collision is on-going, however, it does not appear that alcohol or drugs were a factor. Anyone who witnessed the collision is encouraged to contact the SPPD.

Prepared by Sgt. Jeremy Watson