"Join the City in front of City Hall for a tree lighting ceremony at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, December 8th"?

Now in its third year the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley’s First Lego League Robotics Program has a solid group of true robotics lovers and keeps adding to their program with new youth! Club members from both Santa Paula and Fillmore sites form the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley’s Robotics Team, The Stompers. The Stompers went back to basics and taught new members the ropes as they prepared to enter the 2016 First Lego League Challenge. With the guidance of coaches, Lorenzo Manzano and Manuel Ortiz, practicing for the challenge included preparing for the robot game, project and core value portions of the competition. While at the First Lego League Challenge they put their science skills to use and utilized robotics and technology to discover innovative ways to help solve the problems associated with the current handling of trash and recycling. For their project portion of the competition the team chose to focus primarily on how to spread awareness on the importance of recycling. Coach Manuel Ortiz explains, “Through their research The Stompers came up with the idea to create a recycling program that would be created by students for students.”

With twenty-five teams competing, The Stompers impressed the judges during the core value presentation with an amazing display of teamwork while explaining their recycling solution. Jan Marholin, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley proudly states, “It is exciting to see our youth embrace robotics and the critical thinking skills that go with it. Whenever youth are engaged in a project, their passion and investment in it shows.” Recognizing the importance of hands-on science, technology, engineering and math learning opportunities, Time Warner Cable through its Connect a Million Minds Initiative, is the proud sponsor of The Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley First Lego League Robotics Program.

About Time Warner Cable’s Connect a Million Minds
Time Warner Cable's (TWC) Connect a Million Minds (CAMM) is a five-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative to address America's declining proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), which puts our children at risk of not competing successfully in a global economy. Using its media assets, TWC creates awareness of the issue and inspires students to develop the STEM skills they need to become the problem solvers of tomorrow. Program highlights include: original PSAs that challenge public perceptions of STEM; a unique website, www.connectamillionminds.com, and "The Connectory", a one-of-a-kind online resource that makes it simple and easy for parents and students to find informal science and technology learning opportunities in their communities. Local TWC markets have activated CAMM across the country with community-specific programs and partnerships.

To promote safe riding and the wearing of safety equipment, the Fillmore Police Department will be holding a Bicycle and Skateboard Safety Rodeo on Saturday, December 12th, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. The event, which is free to the public, will be held at Two Rivers Park (River St. at D St., Fillmore) and will feature safety instruction, an obstacle course, bicycle and skateboard safety inspections, and proper helmet fitment. The park also features a BMX track and a skate park for all to enjoy.

Thanks to the generous help of the Fillmore Fire Foundation, Fillmore Police Department’s Citizens Patrol, First 5 Ventura County – Fillmore, Fillmore Lions Club, Fillmore Rotary Club, Fillmore Women’s Club, Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Ragatz Performance Bicycles of Santa Paula, and SkateLab of Simi Valley, there will be free helmets for children who do not have them and raffles for new bicycles and skateboards.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Millions of Americans ride bicycles, but less than half wear bicycle helmets. For example, a national survey conducted in 2001-2003 found that only 48% of children ages 5-14 years wore bicycle helmets when riding. Further, older children were less likely to wear helmets than younger children. In 2010 in the U.S., 800 bicyclists were killed and an estimated 515,000 sustained bicycle-related injuries that required emergency department care. Roughly half of these cyclists were children and adolescents under the age of 20. Annually, 26,000 of these bicycle-related injuries to children and adolescents are traumatic brain injuries treated in emergency departments.”

California state law (21212 VC) requires all bicycle riders and skateboarders, under the age of 18, to wear helmets.

The City of Fillmore Municipal Code (14.60.020 FMC) also requires that all bicycles be properly licensed. Doing so aids law enforcement in identifying owners of lost or stolen bicycles and, to aid Fillmore residents in complying with this ordinance, free bicycle registration will be available (with proof of residency), as well.

Prepared by: Sergeant Kevin Vaden

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