Fillmore Unified School District

Diana Vides was born on November 15, 1970 in Kingsburg, CA. and is the eldest of five children born to an immigrant from Abasolo, Guanajuato, and a Texan father. She was raised in Orosi, California, a small rural community between Dinuba and Visalia, California. Orosi is an agricultural town that cultivates a myriad of crops including grapes, oranges, and peaches.

As a child she has very fond memories of working alongside her parents in the fields. Most memorable of these is picking olives in October right before the Fresno Fair and wrapping up her summers by picking table grapes, or better know as "la tabla". She worked in the packing house in high school and cleaned apartments in college. Working difficult jobs has molded her into the person she has become. She knows the value of hard work and understands the struggles that it takes to get ahead.

Coupled with these valuable lessons was the privilege she had to count on nurturing parents that showered her with love and support. She was always given an opportunity to focus on education. She enjoyed competing with other students in high school and thrived on receiving report cards with straight A's. Consequently, she finished as salutatorian in her graduating high school class.

A graduate of UC Davis with a Bachelors in Spanish, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1993 to enter the credential program at CSUN. She worked as a bilingual teacher in an LA Unified school and taught for 7 years. She has been an intervention teacher, ELL/ Title I coordinator, literacy coach, LEAD intern and assistant principal.

She has the honor of being the principal at Piru Elementary school, her little paradise. She is extremely honored to be the recipient of the ConnectED Apple award. This grant will give equity and access to her community at large and create a change in teaching and learning through the use of devices. Every Piru student will receive an iPad and every credentialed teacher will receive a MacBook. She is ecstatic at the possibilities it presents her students and the prospects that it gives her create an institution that embraces technology through transformational learning.

Fillmore also presented her with the honor of becoming the coordinator for the migrant program. This program supported her as I a child and now supports children that travel the same path she once followed. Every day she has the opportunity to give back to the community all the support and resources that were given to her. She is an example of how hard work, motivation and determination can get you anywhere you want to go in life.

March 17, 2015 - The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood during National Volunteer Month this April and make a difference in the lives of patients in need.

The Red Cross salutes the hundreds of thousands of volunteers who help fulfill its lifesaving mission and encourages others to join their ranks as volunteer blood donors. Volunteer donors are the only source of blood products for those in need of transfusions.

Donors of all blood types - especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative - are needed to help ensure blood is available for patients this spring. Those who are unable to give blood can support blood donations and invite others to make a lifesaving donation by creating a SleevesUp virtual blood drive at redcrossblood.org/SleevesUp.

To make an appointment to give blood, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

American Red Cross Blood Donation Center

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

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities

Thousand Oaks
4/1/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
4/6/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
4/8/2015: 1 p.m. - 7:15 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd

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.

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.

I have attached a Scam warning that was attempted to one of our residents in Fillmore. They provided the call back number to me and I called people representing the Department of Treasury. They hung up on me twice when I represented myself as law enforcement. I then went on-line and found this warning by the IRS of this exact scam. This represents exactly what occurred. Be suspicious of anyone attempting to represent themselves as a government agency that demands money over the phone.
Captain David R. Wareham
Fillmore Police Chief

Complaint Review: IRS: Department of Legal Affairs

I was contacted multiple times on my home phone with (recorded) messages from a woman with a heavy Indian accent claiming to be Alicia Rodriguez. She stated her name and that I needed to immediately call her back as strong legal action was being taken against me by the US Department of Treasury.

Upon calling the number back, a man with a thick Indian accent picked up. I asked to speak to Alicia Rosario and was told she was not available. He identified himself as Russel Reid and asked for my home, work, and cell numbers. I asked what this was regarding and he said that he needed my information first. I started to get suspicious and said I wanted to know what this was about. He became rude and told me he couldn't tell me anything until I gave him my information. This went back and forth until he told me this was just an incorrect call to a wrong number and then promptly hung up.

Upon calling again, a man with a thick Indian accent named Robert Marcus picked up the phone and spoke to me, I informed me that this was all a mistake and that it was a call to the wrong phone number. I asked how that could be when they contact me specifically and used my name by which he kept repeating that it was a wrong number and then hung up. I called back and told him I wanted to speak to his manager/supervisor. He then told me that no one was available. I asked him how no one else was in his office for me to speak to and he hung up again.

I called again several times and was hung up on. Finally, another man with a thick Indian accent picked up who identified himself as Robert's manager Samuel. I asked him his last name and, after a suspiciously long pause, he told me that his last name was Hernandez (Samuel Hernandez). I asked what was going on and he said that I was in legal trouble. I told him to identify himself and the address of his location. He informed me that he was part of the IRS, Department of Legal Affairs: US Treasury and said that he was located at 300 North LA Street in Los Angeles, CA 90027. Upon further questioning, he too hung up.

After calling back (yes, I am persistent), I only received voicemails to what appeared to be a cell phone for Russel Reid who identified himself and which gave his employee ID as 11738.

I gave out my cell number and home number (which they already had) but did not give out my work number. I suggest anyone reading this does not give out any information whatsoever.

Franciso Vazquez, owner of FV Drafting Services is the son of Francisco and Esther Vazquez. He was born in Jalisco, Mexico. At the age of 7 his parents and siblings migrated to US and grew up in Canoga Park, Ca. There he attended Canoga Park High School and got his AA in Architectural Technology from Pierce College.

While at Pierce College he started working for J.M. Nolan Architects and then with JituMetha Engineering. After finishing College and while still working for this firm he started doing work for friends and found that drafting was his passion and in 1987 started his own business FV Drafting Services.

Francisco was introduced to drafting while in the 10th grade in high school when he took a drafting class without really knowing what drafting was at the time. Little did he know that drafting and design would be his passion.

In 1993, Francisco moved to Fillmore after marrying his wife Linda who grew up in Fillmore and they have three sons Juan, Alejandro and Adrian. With Francisco moving to Fillmore he moved his business. Shortly after the majority of his clients were and have been from Ventura County. The dedication he has with his business, clients and community is admirable shows with the majority of Francisco’s business coming from client referrals.

Fillmore is moving forward. This was evident at the recent Fillmore City Council Meeting, where a new fire rescue vehicle was approved along with a Mid-Year Financial Report that showed the City on a sound footing.

The meeting began with a presentation of the City's new mobile application. Ventura County Information Technology Services Chief Information Officer Mike Pettit and Deputy CIO Kevin Coe gave a demonstration of the application which includes contact information on City staff in alphabetical order, links for emergencies such as VCAlert and non-emergency contacts such as DialARide, and abandoned shopping cart collections. It is user friendly and is expected to increase speed of City services.

The Fillmore Fire Department (FFD) asked for a new rescue vehicle to replace the present one which is inoperable, and it was approved. The 2000 year Ford F-550 FFD was using had reached the end of its useful life and was no longer reliable, costing more to repair and maintain than its value. FFD is presently responding to rescue calls using a pickup truck which does not have the capacity to hold all the items needed to properly respond to rescues.

The new vehicle is a 2016 Freightliner M2, slightly over 22 feet in length, weighs 25,000 pounds and has a 42 gallon fuel tank. It comes at an estimated cost of $230,000 which will be paid by a combination of Federal Community Development Block Grant Funds of $160,000 which are available July 1, 2015 and General Funds that were part of the 2014-15 FY Budget.

It was proposed CONTINUED »

City of Fillmore Two Rivers Park - Pump Track / Bike Park 1120 River Street, Fillmore, CA 93015 “Grand Opening” Saturday, March 21st 12:00 p.m.

The City of Fillmore, City Council and Parks & Recreation Commission would like to invite you to the Pump Track / Bike Park Grand Opening on Saturday, March 21st at 12:00 p.m.

Pump Track / Bike Park is a professionally designed facility giving cyclists a safe, off street place to learn to ride, practice and increase cycling skills. The track consists of pump tracks, skills areas, trails area, practice trail and jump line.

The skills, trails and Jump areas will contain feature designed to build riding skills such as balance, pedaling, shifting, braking, etc. in a safe, controlled and progressive environment.

Everyone from the age of 2 – 102 that can ride a bike, come out and use the Pump Track /Bike Park.

Jesus Mora, Fillmore, 25

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Today at 0900 AM, a deputy from the Fillmore station ran a routine records check on a parked vehicle. The check revealed the vehicle was recently stolen out of the Palmdale area of Los Angeles County. While he was watching the vehicle, (S) Jesus Mora got into the car and drove away. The deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on Mora at 2nd St. and Island View, but Mora accelerated and started a vehicle pursuit. They traveled to Second St. and Mountain View and fled south on Mountain View through a school zone. Speeds were estimated near 60 MPH as Mora drove through the intersection of Sespe and Mountain View, passing a vehicle that was stopped to make a right hand turn onto Mountain View. This action, in addition to the dip in the roadway intersection and the wet surface, appear to have caused Mora to lose control of the car. He sideswiped a parked vehicle and started to rotate 360 degrees. The rear bumper then collided into another parked car, totaling it, and pushing it more than 50 feet south on Mountain View. The vehicle’s rear passenger’s door collided into an electric pole, pushing it 18-24 inches into the vehicle, and causing the vehicle to spin in the opposite direction into a block wall and knocking it over, finally coming to rest into a residence’s driveway on the west side of the 400 block of Mountain View.

The deputy, who pursued with lights and sirens, saw the vehicle lose control and slowed, seeing the collision unfold before him. The sole occupant and driver, who was partially ejected through the passenger’s front window, was able to immediately get out through the window and flee over one fence, into the backyard, and over the rear fences of the 400 block of Mountain View.

The deputy attempted to chase the suspect, but injured his knee while running and had to discontinue the foot chase. A security perimeter was quickly set up around the neighborhood. San Cayetano Elementary was locked down during the search. A School Resource Officer was assigned to maintain the perimeter of the school and ensure the safety of the students and faculty until the end of the incident or school.

The Sheriff’s helicopter, a K-9, additional deputies from other areas and citizens patrol members arrived to help secure the perimeter and execute the search. A detailed search was conducted of backyards, garages, and open residences without initial success. After nearly four hours of searching, the suspect, Mora, was located in a locked garage within the perimeter. Mora had changed clothes and was hiding under blankets and behind objects in the garage. Mora was taken into custody without further incident. He will be charged with felony evading in a car, possession of a stolen vehicle, burglary into a dwelling, and hit and run. Mora suffered minor injuries from the collision and was booked into the Sheriff’s Pretrial Detention Facility after receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.

Nature of Incident: Suspect arrested for a Stolen Vehicle, Felony Evading, Hit and Run, and Burglary
Report Number: 15-4808
Location: Mountain View and Sespe Ave.
Date & Time: March 3, 2015, 1030-1430 hours
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
Jesus Mora Fillmore 25
Prepared by: Captain Dave Wareham
News Release Date: March 2, 2015
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Javier Chavez Cell 947 -9128
Approved by: Captain Reilly

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).