Fillmore Condors Destina Guzman who placed 12th overall, and 11th individually and Lucy Zuniga who placed 23rd overall finish and 19th individually, for the 10-year-olds.
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Courtesy Fillmore Condors Cross Country President Erika Arana

The Fillmore Condors Cross Country team concluded their 2021 season by participating in the AAU National Cross-Country Championships on Saturday, December 4th, 2021. Although USATF was our first option, with Covid restrictions still stricter in Kentucky, we decided as a conference to travel to Charlotte, North Carolina instead. Roughly 2,000 athletes followed, to compete at the 114+ acres, known as the 5k Championship Cross-Country course at McAlpine Creek Park. This serene multi-use park has the deepest history of any course in North Carolina, and arguably of any course in the Southeast. It is legendary for its flat, fast surface that produces remarkable times, although it does have one steep decent-sized hill. Weather conditions felt just like California.

This year we were able to have a full season, with athletes racing every Saturday to create an elite National team, based off rankings within the Valley Youth Conference. Our eighteen local Fillmore Condors joined other area runners to form Valley United Striders. Condor representatives were Leah Barragan, Mila Castro, Destina Guzman, Robert Marin Jr., and siblings, Abel, and Itzel Arana; Giovanni, and Sophia Cortez; Diego, and Santiago Felix; Kaylie, Kenzie, Kirsten, and Kristen Theobald; Athena, and Coraline Villela; Lucy and Zoey Zuniga.

Beginning the day with the oldest division was the girls 13 and 14-year-olds, with 184 runners. Leah Barragan 137th overall and 88th, individually for the 13-year-olds; Leah had a time of18:17.65. The boys 13 & 14-year-old division had an impressive field of 219 runners. Diego Felix placing 143rd overall and 68th individually, for the 14-year-olds; PR 15:55.21. These two ran their last youth 3,000-meter (2.48 mile) race.

Following were the girls 11 and 12-year-old division, which consisted of 217 runners. Kaylie Theobald placed 111th overall and 68th individually, for the 12-year-olds; 12:53.01. The boys 11 and 12-year-old division race, was the largest race of the day, stacked with 227 runners. Santiago Felix finished strong with a time of 11:42.78, placing 73rd overall and 41st in the 12-year-olds, individually. Right behind him, was teammate Abel Arana who crossed the finish line with a time of 11:50.42, placing 80th overall and 35th individually, for the 11-year-olds. Abel and his Strider teammates ran away with a 3rd place podium title, all running a 3,000-meter (1.86 mile) race.

169 runners toed the starting line in the girls 9 and 10-year-old race, with four of the Striders being Condors. This Strider team was favored to win, and that they did! 1st place National Champions podium appearance. Destina Guzman, was a completely different runner this season. She raced with confidence, placing 12th overall, and 11th individually for the 10-year-olds. Lucy Zuniga, behind her teammate, crossed with a time of 12:24.49 for a 23rd overall finish and 19th individually, for the 10-year-olds.Theobald sisters, Kirsten ran 12:36.36, 31st overall and 24th individually; Kristen struggled behind to hold onto her sister, running13:14.8, 63rd overall and 41st individually, both for the 10-year-olds. First time cross-country runner, Giovanni Cortez, raced against 167 runners. His time was 14:58.53, placing 145th overall and 63rd individually, for the 9-year-olds. This division ran the 3,000-meter race (1.86 mile) race.

Itzel Arana was our top Condor and Strider runner all season, and she did not disappoint at Nationals, in the girls 7 and 8-year-olds division. She peaked a season PR time of 8:28.48, placing 12th overall and 9th individually, for the 8-year-olds. Teammates, and sisters, Caroline, and Athena Villela, also first time cross-county runners were in the same race of 105 runners. Caroline crossed the finish line at9:35.58, placing 58th overall and 41st individually, for the 8-year-olds. Her sister Athena placed 99th overall, and 37th for the 7-year-olds, running 11:20.60. Both sisters also hit season PR’s. Itzel and Caroline earned a 2nd place podium finish in their 2,000-meter (1.24 mile) race.

The last combined race of the day concluded with the 6U’s, in a field of 67 boys and girls. The girl’s first National experience was one to remember, as our Condor girls took home a National Champion team title. Mila Castro speed her way to a time of 5:08.34 for a 13th place finish. Seven seconds behind in 18th place, was Sophia Cortez; 5:15.83. Teammates, Zoey Zuniga, and Kenzie Theobald paced off each other to finish milliseconds away from one another. Zoey 21st; 5:25.32, and Kenzie, 22nd,5:25.82. The only Condor boy to represent was, Robert Marin Jr. who finished 22nd for the boys; 4:57.58. All the 6u’s ran 1,000-meter (.62 mile) race.

Fillmore Condors Cross Country is a non-profit organization under Heritage Valley Blazers Inc. We are the only cross-country team in Fillmore; we represent our city with pride. The Condors are coached by Gerardo Flores, Jared Perez, Jessica Huerta, Angel Venegas, Sandy, and Felix “Punkie” Zuniga. “Every year is a new experience. We are always amazed to see what these athletes’ minds and bodies endured in the 4.5 months of training for Nationals. They never disappoint!” Condors President Erika Arana and board members would like to thank the following for sponsoring our athletes this memorable cross-country season: Fillmore Lions Club, Fillmore Rotary Club, Heritage Valley Blazers Inc., and the Fillmore Community for purchasing Jamba Juice cards from our athletes. For more XC or Track info, contact 805-624-1129. FOREVER CONDORS!

(above & below) photos Courtesy PNC.
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Courtesy Piru Neighborhood Council

The Piru 43rd Annual Christmas parade and festival drew most of the town out to celebrate this past Saturday. The VFW Color Guard led the procession of over 20 entry's included Parade floats, fire station 28, Ventura Sheriff Search and Rescue, and United Water Piru Lake vehicle and rescue boat, Fillmore High school band, local 4-H Club, Boys & Girls Club and multiple other entries. ROKK Plumbing float, The Grinch float, Ruiz Family float and the FHS Marching Band were the parade winners. Following the parade, music was provided by: Mariachi Los Rayos from Fillmore High, Piru River Band, Hard Water Band, and DJ Dan Ibarra. Food trucks and local eateries were on hand, as were multiple vendors featuring a myriad of crafts and other items. Phil's animals oversaw the arrival of Mrs. Santa Claus and a few of Santa’s favorite reindeer who hung around so the children could have their pictures taken with them. The event was hosted by the Piru Neighborhood Council and several community volunteers. The afternoon included a Camoulus local history tent, Ventura County Library van, a corn hole tournament, toy give away by the Carnales Motorcycle Club, and more. The afternoon was well attended and this year's ever honored Michele McKinley in appreciation for her passion for our community, along with her continuous efforts to promote the rich history of Piru. The event received several local Business and personal donations to fund the event, most notably over $2,500 that was donated by a few recent film productions.

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Fillmore Civic Pride Committee is pleased to award the Holiday “Yard of the Month” to Roy, Raquel, and Irma Hernandez at 969 5th Street.

The Hernandez family has lived in their home since 2009 and they enjoy being in an area where lots of people pass by, walking their dogs or going to the park. They take great pride in their yard and want people to enjoy it. They like hearing people commenting on their beautiful flowers. Irma said they especially love roses and had been saying they needed to get more for the yard.

Both Roy & Raquel are retired, so they do all the gardening, but Irma, having been trained in design at Brooks College, likes coming up with the design & even climbs on the ladder to get it put up.

The Hernandez family were very happy to receive the $50 award provided by Otto & Sons Nursery. They are certain to be amazed when they see the fantastic selection of roses &other plants available, as well as the new demonstration gardens to walk around. Otto & Sons Nursery has generously been supporting our “Yard of the Month” awards since they began in 2003.

This year there were so many neighborhoods lit up with beautiful displays. We try to spread the awards around the community. Please take your family out for sightseeing and be sure to check out former winners on Sespe St, Robin Court and Edgewood in the Bridges. Other noteworthy streets would be C St., Parkhaven, Mockingbird and Meadowlark, Mountain View, Lora Lane, Saratoga, Foothill and Shady Lane in the Traditions neighborhood.

Civic Pride Committee invites all who are interested in beautifying our community, to our next meeting, January 19, 2022, at 1:30pm in the City Hall conference room.

Fillmore Unified School District

Dear FUSD Community,

Please see the message below from Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Cesar Morales regarding social media threats and bullying across Ventura County.

We ask all families to have conversations with their children regarding social media use and report any inappropriate activity to school personnel. The safety of our staff and students are our number one priority and we take all threats and bullying incidents seriously. Additionally, when we are made aware of any inappropriate social media sties, we immediately notify the social media platform administrators and law enforcement, as appropriate. We are also very fortunate to have counselors at all our school sites and a new Wellness Center with a licensed social worker at Fillmore High School. Let’s continue to work together, build relationships, and strengthen our school environments so students feel safe, cared for, and supported.

Thank you,
Christine Schieferle, Superintendent

Responding to Social Media Threats and Bullying

Across the country and here in Ventura County, schools are seeing a concerning increase in students making inappropriate and potentially dangerous posts to social media, particularly on Instagram. These posts have included threats of violence and embarrassing pictures of students and staff members who didn’t know they were being photographed. In some cases, students create accounts that fraudulently appear to represent their school.

Just yesterday, a social media threat created a significant disturbance at Oxnard High School and led to the suspension and arrest of the student suspected of posting it. With help from the Oxnard Police Department, the Oxnard Union High School District determined the threat was not credible. However, the disruption it created for students, staff and families is very real, as are the consequences students can face when they are caught engaging in inappropriate social media activity.

“Students need to understand that posting threatening and harassing material to social media is no joke,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “I urge all parents to talk to their children about this issue and explain that inappropriate online behavior can have serious consequences in the real world. Working together, educators and families can help ensure that schools are safe and supportive places for students to learn and grow.”

Schools do report inappropriate and fraudulent accounts to the social media platforms, but there is often a delay before they are taken down, and sometimes they are not removed at all. Here are some steps that parents, guardians and caregivers can take to help address this problem:

Be aware of your child’s online activity; they may have multiple accounts on the same platform.

Remind students that while they may feel anonymous online, their identity can be revealed through technological means and if other students report them.

Let students know that they should inform a trusted adult if they’re aware of inappropriate social media activity.

You can find additional tips on talking to students about social media from Common Sense Media at www.commonsensemedia.org/social-media.

It’s also important for families to be aware of their school and district’s authorized social media sites. The Ventura County Office of Education has created a list of the official social media accounts for all of the county’s 20 school districts, which is available at www.vcoe.org/vc-districts.

Japanese bunkhouse/dormitory, circa 1914. The bunkhouse housed unmarried Japanese workers, and the dormitory was opened to the outside rather than to an interior hall. Photos courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum.
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Bunkhouse Rules
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Japanese bathhouse 1914.
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Rancho Sespe Headquarters with Bunkhouse #2 facing north and Bunkhouse #1 facing east, circa 1925.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

The Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse #2 is one of thebuildings at the Fillmore Historical Museum and houses a major portion of our collection. It was moved to its current site in 1995 having been donated to the Museum by James P. Finch who had bought the Rancho Sespe headquarters parcel.

As the name implies, this was not the first bunkhouse on Rancho Sespe, in fact it was the third. All of the bunkhouses were built while the property was owned by Eudora Hull Spalding who had inherited half the property from her father and had subsequently bought out her brother’s share and became the sole owner of the 2,200 acre tract. By the time of her death in 1942 the ranch had been expanded to 4,300 acres and had become an internationally known showcase for its advances in citrus cultivation. Besides citrus, it grew walnuts, hay, beans and other crops as well as including pasture lands for its horses and cattle. It was a self-contained community which employed over 200 people.

From 1911 to 1919 three bunkhouses were built to house unmarried workers. The architecture firm of Greene and Greene of Pasadena was hired to design Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse #1 which still stands at the former headquarters site approximately 4 miles west of Fillmore. The actual design was probably done by a draftsman at the firm which was best known for designing Craftsman style bungalows such as the Gamble House in Pasadena and not utilitarian bunkhouses. The primary builder of the bunkhouse was Harry Peyton who had come to Fillmore with the Southern Pacific Railroad.

In the March, 1918 edition of California Citrograph, Sespe Ranch Manager Walter H. Fleet described the bunkhouse as a“two-story building, 80ft. by 45 ft., and consists of a large living room, dining room for the general class of employees, private dining room for officials, kitchen, washroom, three bathrooms, three toilets, linen room, storeroom and 20 separate sleeping rooms on the second floor…. Each room has a large window and is furnished with following: one iron bed and springs, one mattress, two sheets, two blankets in summer and three in winter, one pillow, one white pillow cover, one bedspread, one chair, one table and closet with a curtain as dust protector…. Clean sheets for the beds are furnished twice a week, and clean towels in the washroom are furnished every day…, Hot water for the baths is furnished twice a week. The method of heating is by stove distillate burners, which heat a 200 gallon tank very quickly. In the living roomthere are card tables, a large library billiard table and large wood heating stove.”

For its time, the Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse #1was an especially comfortable bunkhouse with modern conveniences.

We do not know as much about the second dormitory’s history but know it was built by 1914. This bunkhouse housed unmarried Japanese workers. The dormitory was similar to Bunkhouse #1, but the rooms opened to the outside rather than to an interior hall. Again according to Walter Fleet:

“The building contains a living room, dining room, large kitchen with Japanese cook stoves, 10 sleeping rooms upstairs and four downstairs….The ranch furnishes one bed and springs, one mattress, one table, one chair. The occupants furnish their own bedding and board themselves. In the dining room are two long tables and seating benches for 50 people. One feature of the Japanese quarters is their large bathhouse. This building is 40 ft. by 27 ft. with cement floor throughout. Here are located the toilets and washroom, and in the center is a large concrete tank for bathing 10 ft. by 3 ft. deep. Hot water is furnished by a wood or oil heater which heats a tank of 300 gallons. There are also two shower baths in the building.”

The third bunkhouse, Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse #2 which now is part of our Museum, was built in 1919. Again we believe that Harry Peyton was the primary carpenter but this has not been confirmed. The twenty-eight sleeping rooms were similar to the ones in Bunkhouse #1. Toilet facilities were provided in Bunkhouse #2, but the workers used the dining, recreation and shower facilities in Bunkhouse #1.

In 1937, Edward Wyman Spalding, a cousin of Keith Spalding, had just gotten out of the Navy and came to work as a ranch hand at Rancho Sespe. He lived in one of the bunkhouses and in the Ventura County Historical Quarterly, Volume 38, 1993, described the experience thusly:

“We all breathed the same air. And heard the same sounds. At least on Sundays. Each of the other men, it seemed, had his own radio, little things – we’d call them antiques now – and all through the week when we weren’t at work, each of those radios would have its own music, what we’d call “country” now. It was fairly chaotic. But not on Sunday. Sunday all of those little jobs would be tuned to Aimee Semple MacPherson’s “Foursquare Church,” and Aimee’s voice would be echoing off the rafters. Loud. Very Loud.”

Change the music being played and the Sunday sermon, and it sounds very much like a college dormitory.