By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
On November 22, 2021 at about 2:27 a.m., deputies were dispatched to a report of a suspicious vehicle near Carnation Street and Buttercup Street in Fillmore. Deputies located the vehicle and attempted to contact its occupants. The vehicle failed to yield, and a short pursuit occurred. The suspicious vehicle collided with a block wall and the occupants fled on foot. The occupants were not located, and the abandoned vehicle was later determined to be a stolen flatbed truck from the Sylmar area. The bed of the truck contained numerous items that included a blue Graco bag with an Ultra sander and Dewalt charger inside, potted plants, two rolls of black roofing material, several pieces of 2 x 4 lumber, black rubber boots, Whirlpool microwave oven trim kit, brown construction work belt, two sledgehammers, red Porter Cable air compressor, red gas can, plugin industrial light, one Red Eagle crawfishing kit, black Titan toolbox, and one yellow Karcher pressure washer. These items are currently being retained at the Fillmore Police Station. Several Fillmore residents have already come forward and identified some of the property not listed above as belonging to them after discovering they were victims of theft. The Fillmore Police Department is asking residents who may have information about these crimes or if it is believed any property listed above belongs to them to call the below listed telephone numbers. The Fillmore Police Department encourages citizens to immediately report suspicious people and vehicles, and to promptly report any crime they come across by calling 911. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their ongoing support and help in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships. Join us in the fight on crime by following us on Twitter @VENTURASHERIFF, Facebook, Instagram @ VCSHERIFF, and with Nixle by texting your zip code to 888777 to receive local law enforcement and public safety alerts and advisories. Report Number: 21-156064 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). |
![]() Fillmore’s Michael Camilo Torres who finished in 16th place in the California Southern Section Division 4 State Cross Championships in Fresno this past weekend. Photo courtesy coach Kim Tafoya. Enlarge Photo By Epi Torres — Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
On Saturday, Michael Camilo Torres, joined 211 of top distance athletes on the starting line at the California Southern Section Division 4 State Cross Championships. Qualifying runners in this division, toed the line at the renowned Woodward Park course in Fresno. In a highly competitive meet, Camilo ran in about 20th place through the mile marker in about a 4:48 mile split. At the two mile he had moved into 12th place in the high 10:30’s. Camilo says he tried to move into the top ten, but was unable to move into that group. He finished in 16th place running his second best time on this course in 15:53.0. Camilo has had a tremendous season. At many of the major meets, he has finished among the leaders. We are proud to have been part of his journey. Thank you for putting us on the map this season Camilo, we are honored. Thank you to all those who have supported us during the season, parents, family, staff, and others. Looking forward to track season. |
By Gazette Staff Writers — Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
![]() Back in June 2021, Fillmore’s Rite Aid closed due to severe flooding. Pressurized water rose through the floor, according to Fillmore Fire Chief Keith Gurrola, possibly compromising the foundation. The rising water was 4 to 5 inches below the electrical outlets and was monitored by Fillmore Fire. Since then, the store pharmacy has been open, with the store itself blocked off. Enlarge Photo |
![]() The well known F on hill in Fillmore in 1986, which went up back in May 1936. Photos courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. Enlarge Photo By Gazette Staff Writers — Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum Recently museum staff was sorting files and found the following story about the Fillmore High School “F” up on the hill. The following story was written by Dorothy Lynch for the Fillmore Herald January 10, 1980. We hope you will enjoy it. One of Fillmore’s best kept secrets has to be the origin of the big white “F” on the hill east of town. Everyone we asked was eager to tell us how the letter is limed annually. But had a soul known of its beginnings. Until a call to Joel Schwartz ended the search. “Frank Morales built it,” his daughter told us. And so he did. Mr. Morales, who recently retired from the Fillmore High School custodial department, tells it this way: “The letter went up on May 10, 1936. My cousin, Leonard Riesgo, a friend, Mike Sanchez, and myself were chatting. We knew Santa Paula had letters. It would be nice if we could make an “F” for Fillmore. So we started looking. At first we thought we would make it where the star is now. But that was quite a ways to climb. Then we decided to put where a cross was then. We thought we could see all the valley from there. We took some tools and went there around noon that day and started working. Then went back the next day to finish. It was a pretty good-sized letter. The funny thing is, the city didn’t say anything. They never said anything at all.” In searching through newspaper copy for May and June 1936, there is indeed not one word regarding the new letter on the hill. The letter, however, has not always gone unnoticed. Edith Jarrett told us that the Fillmore High School Alumni Association had hunted for information several years ago. Records at the Museum were gone through. People got out old pictures. And finally, Mr. Morales himself offered a $10 reward to whoever could find the builder and the date. Nobody could and the prize was never claimed. “I finally told Charlie Mozley that I did it. It’s nice to look at it. You can see it from Santa Paula and, on a clear day, if you stand by the letter, you can see the ocean,” Mr. Morales said. The letter was originally a just a bare spot and burned off at least once in a fire. Morales, Riesgo and Sanchez vowed to always keep the letter neat, and that they did. One year, however, it snowed on the hill and as the snow melted the deeper snow on the “F” remained, leaving a beautiful sight. It is believed this started the tradition of having the students lime the letter to keep the look of the snow. Mr. C. J. Herrill, Fillmore High School student advisor, told us, “The work is done the first Saturday in May each year by the freshman class. They lime the “F” and have a class party afterwards. It takes 50 sacks of lime, which are paid for out of the district budget for educational expenses. It takes about two hours of cleaning and liming. This is not a required subject, it’s extracurricular. The “F” is about 50 yards long and 30 yards wide at its widest point. Work is done when the growth is finished and the rainy season is over. We figure it probably won’t grow much until they do it again next May.” He keeps a record of the time it takes from the first hoe to the last liming, and they are back on Highway 126. Then they take a look at it and deduct points if it’s not a good job. “It’s a tradition and the students like to do as good or better job than the class before them,” said Mr. Herrill. Harry Bigger, principal from 1955 to 1967, told us that Mr. Herrill’s students developed a unique method of painlessly and hurriedly finishing the lime job. Each student would hold a sack of lime on his or her back and stand at the top of the hill. Then someone would slit the bottom of the bag and the student would run toward the bottom of the letter neatly depositing the lime in the chosen path. Rumors regarding the “F” on the hill are many. The most common story has it that the lime was not put on the hill during the war so as not to attract attention. Access to the letter is either by climbing or by driving (as the freshman class does) through Texaco back roads, which is private property. Considering the fact that all residents of Fillmore live under the “gaze” of the great letter “F” on our hill, and are guided homeward by its presence, we for one are pleased to know its origins and thank Frank Morales, Leonard Riesgo and Mike Sanchez for their contribution to Fillmore history. Long may it stand. |
By Gazette Staff Writers — Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
![]() On Wednesday November 18th, 2021, at 4:56pm, the Fillmore Police Department, City Fire and AMR paramedic were dispatched to a reported traffic collision located at 1154 W. Ventura Street. Arriving fire crews reported two vehicles with all occupants out, no ambulance transport was made. Photo courtesy Angel Esquivel-AE News. Enlarge Photo |
By Gazette Staff Writers — Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
![]() Don’t forget to come out for the Annual Fillmore Lions Club Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 4th at 10am. Enlarge Photo |
By Gazette Staff Writers — Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
![]() Speaking at Fillmore Rotary last week was Simone Alex, the newest member of Fillmore City Council. As a young girl she participated in competitive figure skating and was heading toward the Olympics when an injury, at age 14, changed her plans. After some ups and downs in her life she decided to audition for a play and that turned her life around and gave her something positive to focus on. At age 29 her life changed again and she found she had a gift to share and encourage teenage girls and decided to dedicate her life to service. When asked what led her to Fillmore she said after living in Van Nuys for years she wanted to live somewhere quiet and peaceful. She said she has a “heart for people”, wants to know what Fillmore people want to improve, stay the same or do something different, and what is our vision? She likes the idea of keeping it small, but making it better. Enlarge Photo |
By Gazette Staff Writers — Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
![]() The Fillmore Library Expansion Project began back in October and workers are making major headway. Tractors and dozers are working to make ready for building the new study rooms, classrooms, meeting rooms and more. Enlarge Photo |
By Gazette Staff Writers — Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
![]() Pictured above and below is the soon to open Grocery Outlet at the corner of C and Ventura Street. Construction crews have made great progress on the building and seem to be working on the parking lot. Enlarge Photo |