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By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
 Two people were injured in a motorcycle accident at the intersection of Highway 126 and the railroad tracks Saturday at about 2:30 p.m. Reports indicate the cyclists both struck a railroad crossing arm. Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies were investigating the incident. Highway traffic was obstructed for about one hour, and the tracks were reported closed until 4:20 p.m. Reports show both cyclists were taken to an area hospital. “A helicopter was initially called but canceled when crews determined the injuries were not life-threatening,” according to the VC Star. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
 The Fillmore Sheriff’s Department donated $10,000 to the Fillmore-Piru Boys & Girls Club last Saturday at a organizational meeting. The Club will benefit greatly from this gift as it is busy adding new space to the Boys & Girls building and increasing its teaching projects. Enlarge Photo |
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By Martin Farrell — Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
Publisher’s Opinion The worst housing plan in Fillmore's history is about to be inflicted upon our town. The KB Home company has begun tussling with the Fillmore City Council over the design of its proposed 104-unit condominium complex at the southern end of Central Avenue. 375 residents are expected to be living there. "This is calculated based upon 3.61 person per household and there are 104 units." Four of these proposed units will be small studios. According to our City Planning Department, Kevin McSweeney, concerning new cars "... there will be a two garage [units] for each unit and a total of 33 guest parking spaces on the street. That comes to 233 new cars." "There is no parking within the development for guests. Residents will park in their private garages. Guests will park on the street." The Council was notified April 6 that KB had filed a lawsuit to push approval of the plan; the City has not as yet been served. Another major concern of the Council (which should also concern all residents) is the number of 3-story units - 77. Three 3-story units along River Street, which do not face River Street, are planned. The side of these units face River. There are 10 units facing River Street that are 2-story. The Council has a right to be alarmed about this proposed plan. Imagine adding 233 new cars to River Street! This plan is zoned high density, but there should be reasonable limits to density. This proposal will flood the area with too many cars. And any such structures can be assumed to last for at least 75-years. This proposal would change forever the friendly character of our town. I urge our City Council to resist this plan forcefully. It is unreasonably high density. The City of Fillmore seems to be targeted recently with nightmare proposals, sand trucks by the thousands and now crowded, high density living units within adequate parking for hundreds of new cars. KB Home has a right to build housing units of reasonable size with reasonable parking. It will build and later leave the scene. What they leave behind will impact our city for nearly a hundred years. I foresee 77 three-story units in such a small area as Fillmore's twenty-first century tenements. I hate to use a "progressive" word, but it's time to RESIST - mightily. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
 Fillmore Unified School District Board Recognition Measure E Bond Oversight Committee 2015-2016 Annual Report Apple ConnectEd Update Local Control Accountability Plan Update 2017-2018 Enrollment Personnel Recommendations Adopt Resolution 16-17-17– Staff Appreciation Week May 15-19, 2017 Support the James Jimenez Foundation |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
 Rotary Club Donates to FHS Swim Team. Fillmore Swim Team members Jose Ruiz, Luke Myers, and Aviana Ramirez receive check for $500 from Rotarian and Swim Coach Cindy Blatt. Submitted By Martha Richardson. Enlarge Photo  Fillmore Rotary Club Welcomes New Member. Rotary President Julie Latshaw inducted new member Renee Swenson. Enlarge Photo  Fillmore Rotary Club Host Guest Speakers. (L-R)Julie Latshaw, Esmeralda Simental, Alicia Hicks, Program Chairman. Esmeralda Simental from the Ventura county Probation Agency was the guest speaker at Rotary. She related the various positions she has held over 24 years as a Peace Officer most dealing with youth. Enlarge Photo  Fillmore Rotary Club Host Guest Speakers. Alicia Hicks introduced Marcy Schneider from the Human Services Agency adult Protective Services. They help in cases of elder abuse which can be anything from physical abuse, self neglect to financial abuse. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
 On Thursday, April 13th, Fillmore Fire Department along with Fillmore Sheriff’s Department barbecued hot dogs for some of the students who raised the most money for patients at the City of Hope Cancer Research Foundation. Photo By Sebastian Ramirez. Enlarge Photo |
 Photo of the Week: "Fence Post and Poppies" by Bob Crum. Photo Data: ISO 200, 16mm, f/22 @1/10 sec. Enlarge Photo By Bob Crum — Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
Poppies and a bean bag
 Bob Crum Being Saturday morning, 4/15/17, I'm writing about the past weekend that isn't here yet. It's not easy saying what I don't know I'm going to say. It goes without saying but if you expected anything less, I'd be speechless. Or not. Anyway, as you read this on Thursday, 4/20/17, I'll be packing and loading my F-350 for a trip to Reno, NV. Leaving Fillmore Friday morning. My daughter will be flying to New Zealand and some things at the house need addressing. Debra has cats. Being such a cat lover I cannot think of anything else that I'd rather do more than cat sit. Ummm, wait... there is one thing! Photographing Lake Tahoe mermaids! Do you think I'd be in Reno and not tour Lake Tahoe... the most photogenic lake west of the Monongahela River? Not only that but I'm considering trying something I've not yet done: Time-lapse photography. It may be a treat... or a bust. Much depends on the weather. A clear blue sky does nothing for time-lapse photography. I need lots of cumulus clouds floating over Emerald Bay. A flock of pink flamingos flying overhead would add a nice touch. With a little luck, the tour boat will appear to circle Fannette Island. When it comes to weather, ya know... fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 429,638 times and you're the weatherman! **** Well folks, the wild flower season in the lower elevations is about done. However, I selected Fence Post and Poppies for Photo of the Week. Little things, like the fence post, add a little extra interest to a photo of just poppies. But it took some ingenuity to capture the composition because of other distracting elements around the scene. If they were in the frame, it would have ruined what I wanted to convey. I used a Tokina 11-16mm ultra-wide angle lens on a Canon 7D. Though this lens is great for landscapes, rendering very sharp images, it does not have image stabilization. Hence... must use very fast shutter speeds or a tripod. One other thing; I visualized the composition in my mind but I couldn't use my tripod to get the desired perspective. So, instead, I rested the camera on a bean bag to hold it steady for the slow shutter speed I had to have. Where there's desire, the will and a bean bag... it gets done. Most times. For the website, fillmoregazette.com, there are a few more poppy photos and of couple photos taken on the way home. Obviously, I could not resist shooting a photo of that awesome tree loaded with character. The field of pretty petite lavender flowers topped off a fabulous day trip photoing wildflowers. Happy photoing. Email comments, suggestions or questions to: bob@fillmoregazette.com |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 12th, 2017
 Members of KB Homes speaking to Council. The Fillmore City Council waived certain temporary use permit fees and banner hanging fees for local service clubs and organizations. Public Hearing Modification #4 to the project approved for tract Map 5353 for development permit 15-03 zoning ordinance amendment 15-02 and variance 17-01 sought by KB Homes was discussed. 104 units near Central Avenue and River Street include 3-story residential units. 33 condo-style and duplex units with granny flats are included. The meeting with KB Homes was overshadowed by the lawsuit it filed against the City of Fillmore that day. During public comment time, three residents of Edgewood Drive expressed serious concern about the size of the project adding too many cars on River Street. Ron Howard worried about quality of life issues with school children and traffic. River Street becomes an "Autobahn" at certain times of the day. He cited too many units as a cause of alarm. Also cited the 3-story units as not fitting into the area well with their 35-foot height. Robert Espinosa worried about possibly 200 more cars, the traffic and parking problems. All residents cited the narrow streets, especially River Street. Councilwoman Diane McCall was passionate about what she found as deficiencies in the plan. She was particularly critical about the shadow of a lawsuit by KB Homes against the city (which the council was informed of that night) had been filed that day. She found the architecture to be too similar in design, color, like a "collection." "They all look the same" according to McCall. "This town is Craftsman" she stated, recalling a 1930s style. All council members agreed the design did not fit Fillmore's look. Councilman Minajares found the plan "woefully inadequate" in design. He also was concerned about inadequate parking in time of growth. Councilman Holmgram "was 'no' from the start". He found the design "Too Santa Clarita", lacking the Fillmore style, "too boxy" looking too much like Irvine. He also worried about traffic problems which he thought would be caused by the size of the project. The plan also looked too much like a "collection" to him. Mayor Carrie Broggie thought a lot of work needed to be done but that "we can get there". The council was unanimously in agreement about problems with density, 3-story units, parking, and inappropriate architectural style for Fillmore. Representatives of KB Homes agreed that they and the city might work-out the differences of opinion. But the lawsuit has been filed. |
 On at least two occasions during the past several weeks much of the fencing along the bike path on Old Telegraph Road (parallel to railroad) has been destroyed. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, April 12th, 2017
Many thousands dollars worth of damage has been done by someone tearing down posts and crossbeams. This damage extends for several hundred yards. The lumber is expensive, weather treated wood which will require many hours to remove and replace at taxpayers expense. The Gazette will offer a $100-dollar reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this felony level act of vandalism. We also encourage others, individuals and organizations to contribute to this reward fund to make it more effective. The bike path is heavily used daily and is a greatly valued city asset. |
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By Bob Crum — Wednesday, April 12th, 2017
The 2017 Fillmore Flower Show. Photos by Bob Crum
Another Fillmore blooming success. A great variety of delightful flowers of every hue and color filled the main room of the Active Adult & Community Center last weekend. On display, gorgeous flowers of all kinds including bouquets and single stem entries. Youngsters of various ages also submitted floral masterpieces and works of art. As usual, there were lots of blue ribbons scattered about. Except for intermissions during war times, the prestigious Fillmore Flower Show has roots dating back to the early 1900s. Through the years, hundreds of gardening enthusiasts, young and old, relished the opportunity to show off their gardening and creative skills in arranging displays, bouquets and single stemmed flowers. Co-chairpersons Linda Nunes and Joanne King produce and coordinate this relished tradition. But it could not happen without a bevy of dedicated volunteers and dozens of gardeners competing for the grand prize. Planting, nurturing and presenting their championship flower is the goal. But will the flower bloom right at showtime? To the chagrin of many gardeners, their plants didn't check the calendar thus blooming too soon or not at all. C'est la vie. As in every flower show, there is one grand champion: The Best of Show. While it might appear that judging such a grand display of so many beautiful flowers and arrangements is a judge's nightmare, they must do the deed. They did. By unanimous decision, this year's Best of Show was a fantastic dish garden produced by Carmen Zermeño. Zermeño's entry was no small feat. Besides the grasshopper, there are many intricate miniature plants assembled in a most artistic way as to amaze. For that reason, and others, it's the Best of Show. Given the quantity of quality flowers in several classes, declaring blue ribbon winners was no small task. Obviously, Fillmore has no shortage of green thumbs. Also, no telling how much Miracle Grow was used in producing the prodigious flowers on display. There isn't a year when a magnificent collection of beautiful flowers aren't on display at the flower Show. But aren't there any Fillmore men with green thumbs? And year after year, one wonders why never any petunias? Ever! 2017 Flower Show winners are: Carmen Zermeno, Best of Show Joanne King, Division I, single stem cut rose Julie Latshaw, Division II, ruffled white Carolyn Lasky, Division III, calla lily Bene Ambrasid, Division IV, bouquet, white watsonia Joanne King, Division V, floral arrangement, roses and alstroemeria Lone Larson, Division VI, tiny pink roses Amelia Aparicio, Division VII, potted plants Carmen Zermeno, Division VIII, dish gardens Brenna Larson & Anna Walls, Division IX, youth floral arrangement Giselle Lozano, writer, & Sissy Valencia, illustrator, Division X, youth composition Samantha Martinez, art winner Congratulations to the blue-ribbon winners and to all the green thumbs that entered the results of their gardening efforts. Great flowers, great show and great gardeners all! Til next year, green thumbs up! |
