Pictured is Micheline G. Milglis who spoke to the board about the Low-Performing Students Block Grant and the progress that has been made thus far.

Board meeting highlights for the Fillmore Unified School District

Approve Restricted Lottery Budget Allocation for TK-5 English Language Arts Instructional Materials, $325,000
The Governing Board approved a $200,000 allocation of Restricted Lottery funds in 2018-19, and an additional allocation of $125,000 in 2019-20 for the purchase of English Language Arts instructional materials adoption for Transition Kindergarten through 5th grade. These materials will be vetted through a curriculum adoption process, inclusive of teachers, site administrators and district office representatives, with the intention of having materials available no later than the 2020-2021 school year.

School Accountability Report Cards
The Governing Board were presented with information regarding the School Accountability Report Cards. Information presented by Assistant Superintendent, Micheline G. Miglis

Low Performing Students Block Grant Plan
The Governing Board were presented with information and approved the Low Performing Students Block Grant Plan. Information presented by Assistant Superintendent, Micheline G. Miglis

Adopt Resolution No. 18-19-10 Authorizing the Issuance of Fillmore Unified School District (Ventura County, California) 2016 Election, General Obligation Bonds, Series B, and Actions Related Thereto
The Governing Board adopted Resolution No. 18-19-10

Personnel Recommendations
The Board approved all personnel recommendations including new hires, promotions, resignations, and leaves.

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Submitted by Jan Lee

Again this year, Fillmore residents, both young and old, will share the beauty of their gardens with the community. Plan to attend and participate in the Fillmore Flower Show on April 13 and 14, 2019.

First, a correction from the article last week and an apology to all baseball fans who know that it was the Boston Red Sox who traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919.

As your garden begins to bloom and you think about what you might enter in the Flower Show, here are a few of the categories: Single stem cut roses, single stem cut iris, other single stem cut flowers, bouquets and arrangements. In other words, look around your garden, find a pretty bloom, cut it off and bring it to the Active Adult Center to enter the Fillmore Flower Show. It really is just that easy!

To quote from the Fillmore Herald, May 4, 1926, “the floral exhibits are always a magnet for lovers of seasonal blooms of all kinds which grow in such luxuriance here and in the country.” The rain we have enjoyed recently should produce lush, abundant flowers. The Civic Pride Committee has planned many special activities for the Flower Show this year. You will want to attend.

This is the 1st Annual City of Fillmore 5k Shamrock Run/Walk + Beer Garden, & Cornhole Tournament partnered with the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department!

It’s all happening on March 16 2019 in Central Park, 250 Central Avenue Fillmore CA 93015. 5K starts at 9am in front of
Central Park, Beer Garden & Cornhole Tournament begin at 10am.. there will also be live entertainment, food trucks, shop vendors, a kids fun zone area!

Register for the 5k & cornhole tournament at Fillmore City Hall, registration packets are available upstairs with the Parks and Recreation Department.

Pricing: $35 dollars to register for the 5k run/walk, it is $50 a person to register for the cornhole tournament (2 person
team), Kids Fun Zone allaccess/all-day wristbands available for purchase at $15 a wristband; prices guaranteed until March 14th. Day-of prices may be raised.

Please call 524-1500 ext. 713 for more information.

Bob Crum

If camera talk is of little interest, I won't be disappointed if you prefer to read the legals.

Well, no sooner did I present the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X Camera last week, along comes Canon announcing their latest EOS-RP mirrorless camera. In addition, Fujifilm and Sony announced new cameras. Harrumph! Seems like as soon as I write about new gear, it's old news!

A brief review. Convinced the micro four-thirds sensor size offers particular advantages, Olympus is content to perpetuate the format. Because of the smaller sensor size, their new M. Zuiko Ed 12-200mm f3.5-6.3 lens on the M1X is the equivalent to 24-400mm on a full-frame camera at half the weight! Advantage indeed!

The new Canon EOS RP camera is a full-frame mirrorless camera featuring a revolutionary RF lens mount. The latest EOS RP camera comes to market at a lower price than the “R” model to appeal to new-to-photography photographers. For full-frame fanatics, the RP uses a 26.2MP full-size sensor with a body-only MSRP of only $1,300. Hurry and preorder!
Canon says the EOS RP is designed to take advantage of future large 54mm RF mount lenses. A 12-pin communication system optimizes data transfer between camera and lens for sharp, stable and responsive performance in a wide variety of applications. Good news because fast & accurate focus is imperative!

Are full-frame frame mirrorless cameras superior to M-4/3 cameras? Yes and no! One advantage of a larger sensor is its ability to gather more light meaning the camera can produce images made in dim light with lower digital noise. Technically speaking: A better signal-to-noise ratio. That may or may not be important depending on your photographic genre and requirements. Candlelight boudoir shoots?

Canon also introduced new lens mount adapters for the EOS R and RP cameras. To paraphrase Canon, the mount adapter 'EF-EOS R' delivers seamless connections between the EOS RP camera and existing EF and EF-S lenses with all functions intact! That's slicker than silicone on Teflon! It means that I can use all my existing EF & EF-S lenses on the 'RP' saving me a ton of money. Hallelujah!

I previously said that I was without budget-busting GAS (Gear Accumulation Syndrome). For now. Besides the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X and the new Canon EOS RP, there are two other exciting new entries: Fujifilm XT-30 and Sony A6400. A shopping spree is becoming more tempting than beloved salted caramel butter pecan ice cream. Only a lack of funds is preventing GG (Ghastly GAS).

Specifications are one thing, hands-on experience is another. I look forward to field tests and reviews of the new cameras. My trusty Canon 7DII is field proven. However, if something should go awry, Canon has a company-owned service facility in Costa Mesa, CA. Service is second to none. When I needed my seven-year-old 7D camera sensor cleaned, I shipped it UPS on a Monday, got it back on Thursday. No other camera manufacturer that I know of can provide competent service in less time. It's important to me because no camera-no assignments, no assignments-no pay! Y'all know that I enjoy getting paid as much as, well, salted caramel butter pecan ice cream!

The photo of the week is a follow up to the hawk visit last week. After the hawk's portrait session, it promptly flew away. I couldn't see where it went. But within a couple of minutes, it swiftly reappeared about 50 feet away where it found and captured a chubby mouse (see hawk's left foot?). The pounce was swift and exciting to witness. The photo proves that serendipity is prodigious. Stay vigilant! Happy photoing.

Send comments, questions or suggestions to: focusonphotography@earthlink.net

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) reported revenue numbers today for cannabis sales for the 4th quarter of 2018. Tax revenue reported by the cannabis industry totaled $103.3 million for 4th quarter returns due by January 31, 2019, which includes state cultivation, excise, and sales taxes. It does not include tax revenue collected by each jurisdiction.

As of February 14, 2019, California’s cannabis excise tax generated $50.8 million in revenue reported on 4th quarter returns due by January 31, 2019. The cultivation tax generated $16.4 million and the sales tax generated $36.1 million in reported revenue. Retail sales of medicinal cannabis and medicinal cannabis products are exempt from sales and use taxes if the purchaser provides a valid Medical Marijuana Identification card and valid government-issued identification card.

Previously reported revenue for 3rd quarter returns was revised to $100.8 million, which included $53.3 million in excise tax, $12.6 million in cultivation tax, and $34.9 million in sales tax.

Revisions to quarterly data are the result of amended and late returns, and other tax return adjustments.

In November 2016, California voters approved Proposition 64, the Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Beginning on January 1, 2018, two new cannabis taxes went into effect: a cultivation tax on all harvested cannabis that enters the commercial market and a 15 percent excise tax upon purchasers of cannabis and cannabis products. In addition, retail sales of cannabis and cannabis products are subject to state and local sales tax.

To learn more, visit the Tax Guide for Cannabis Businesses on the CDTFA website.

The production of last week’s edition of the Gazette was challenged by the fact that the printing company, where we have been printed for many years, decided suddenly to go out of business. No employee at that business, nor any of its customers, was given notice. We had to scramble to find a new printer and set-up a new schedule for printing and distribution.

At the present time, the newspaper will be in newsstands on Thursday, and delivered by the post office on Friday. This is the first time in 30-years that the Gazette has mailed for delivery on a Friday, of necessity. So please don’t be alarmed at the Friday receipt of you paper. We very much appreciate your patience and your loyal support.

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Santa Felicia Dam Constructed 1954 – 1955.
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As a result of the recent storms in January and February, United Water Conservation District has successfully harvested 18,000 acre-feet of water—enough to serve 72,000 households in Ventura County for a year.

United Water’s Lake Piru rose 24-feet over the last two months and is now 30% full. According to water experts at United Water, this is double the amount of water that was previously in the lake.

United Water Conservation District collects stormwater in Lake Piru and strategically releases it into the Santa Clara River and diverts it at the Freeman Diversion facility where it is used to replenish underground aquifers and to deliver surface water.

The storms of 2019 have been good for Ventura County. According to United Water Conservation District, the first two months of rain have provided 10% of the needed water volume for complete drought recovery within Ventura County.

But officials caution that Ventura County is still not out of the drought. In fact, it would take 10 more storm events like the ones that occurred during the first two months of 2019 for Ventura County to be out of the drought all-together.

“January and February storms have allowed United Water to harvest 18,000 acre- feet of water, which were collected in Lake Piru and diverted to our Freeman Diversion Facility,” explains Mauricio Guardado, General Manager for United Water Conservation District. “And while this is more rain than we have seen in a long while, we would need 180,000 acre-feet more water to be completely out of the drought,” he continued.

United Water Conservation District: Who we are, what we do and why it matters:
Since 1927 United Water Conservation District has served as a leader among water agencies by managing, protecting, enhancing and securing the water resources of the Santa Clara River and Oxnard Coastal Plain. The District works to protect the environment’s natural attributes and conserves runoff from all major tributaries of the Santa Clara River including Piru, Hopper, Sespe and Santa Paula Creeks.

United Water Conservation District is committed to managing the area’s water supplies through groundwater replenishment and construction and operation of efficient water supply and delivery systems. The District serves as the conservator of groundwater resources that are utilized by the cities of Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura, Santa Paula and Fillmore, as well as several mutual water districts, farms and individual pumpers. United Water also provides surface water for agricultural irrigation and treated drinking water to the cities of Oxnard and Port Hueneme.