Bob Crum

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First, upside-down weather! This past winter's rainfall debacle discombobulated the spring wildflower bloom. Normally hundreds of acres of California poppies bloom around Easter in the Antelope Valley and around southern California. This year, nada!

Last Friday I drove to Ojai on State Road 150. Whoa! Just past the top of the hill and around the bend, glorious majestic poppies. Bunches in and around trees burned from the Thomas fire. Excited, I parked, surveyed the area and began photoing. Oh joy!

Not only a fantastic photo op, it also afforded me an opportunity to make photos that I'll need for future photography instruction. For instance, photographing wildflowers with & without a polarizer. Photos at both wide open aperture as well as f/11 to illustrate the difference the aperture makes regarding depth of field.

For wildflower photography, the trip up Hwy 150 from Santa Paula to Ojai is sweet. Drive leisurely. Before St. Thomas College, on the south side, a hillside full of wild yellow flower blooms (mustard?). Stop on the right road shoulder and gaze. Not far past the college, on the right, a lovely field of grape-soda lupines. For a background and color contrast, you'll see more fields of yellow wildflowers up on the hillside. Stop and make photos. Further up, another huge expanse of yellow flowers on the right with the Topa Topas as a background. Then, just after the lookout at the top of the hill: Poppies! Go! Photo tip: Watch your histogram. Best to under expose an f/stop or two so the flower colors are not washed out from the bright sun.

Tip #2: If you have a circular polarizer filter for your lens, use it. Most times it helps the flower's colors pop. Remember, polarizing most effective when the lens is pointed 90 degrees from the sun. Tip #3: During post processing (editing) enhance the flower's colors by decreasing the green foliage luminous value to reduce their objectionable glare.

Y'all know my photographic work is mostly photojournalism. However, I'm also a Fine Art photographer. Yep! The full package: Capture the photo, post process (edit) the photo and print the photo!

It's relatively easy to make a photo look respectable and nice at a low-resolution for the Internet. But to make an image look great in print involves a whole other skill set. Challenge accepted... prints made!

Unlike “virtual” images, a photographic print will always be the most realistic representation of an image as it is the only medium that is truly tangible and actual. As a 'photographer', from my perspective a photograph isn’t truly finished until it’s in printed form. Hmm. Your thoughts?

That said, I delight in informing you that I personally printed five fine art photographs and framed them for an art show. A thrill times 10! I went to Ojai last Friday to join the Artist Guild of Fillmore members, of which I am a proud member, to hang art! Lots of wonderful art – mine included – on display at the show!

Therefore, I extend a special invite to attend the Artist Guild of Fillmore Art Show Reception this Saturday, May 12, 2018, from 1-3 p.m at the Ojai Center for the Arts, 113 Montgomery Street. Meet the artists, discuss their awesome artwork and enjoy some fine wine. Most importantly, purchase a masterpiece, or more, that suits your fancy. A great opportunity to adorn your home with Fine Art from local artists. See you there! Here's a video of the Artist Guild of Fillmore members at the hanging party. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/1fxItJKG9oo

Photo of the Week: Poppies! Naturally!

Send comments, suggestions, questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

Ventura County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Wright presented an Active Shooter training session for the City Council at Tuesday’s Special Meeting. He advised everyone to be prepared for any shooting event.

A Special Meeting of the Fillmore City Council was held Tuesday, May 1 during which the Council approved a project list to be funded by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, and a contract for construction of pavement resurfacing SPEC No. 16-02, FEDERAL PROJECT No. 16-02 STPL 5222 (021). Portions of approximately 23 streets will be resurfaced. The City of Fillmore is projected to receive $260,433 in RMRA funds in Fiscal Year 2018-2019. Additional funds of $20,900 were also approved.

An ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING presentation was delivered by Ventura County Sheriff's Sgt. John Wright at this Tuesday's meeting.

Sgt. Wright reviewed specific ways of responding to an active shooter situation in multiple areas, including public and private spaces. He emphasized the importance of learning and reviewing particular defensive techniques in the event an armed assailant should enter a building.

Call 911 quickly. Generally, all efforts should be made to run from the danger area if possible. Secondly, targeted individuals should hide, shelter in place behind a barricade from the shooter and remain quiet so not to reveal their location. Lastly, where no other option remains, every effort should be made to defend yourself, have the mindset to fight for your life. Where possible others should join in an aggressive, offensive reaction, attacking the shooter to disable him. Do not find yourself freezing in place with shock.

Wright advises people to think and discuss such emergency situations with fellow workers, and to encourage violence drills. Most shooters have "done their homework" before attacking.

He also advises everyone to take threats seriously; if you see something, say something. Building security is very important, as is knowledge of the workplace area. Wright reminded the Council that active shooter incidents occur more than two times every month nationally.

Wright emphasized the importance of having a well-stocked emergency first aid kit available; with tourniquets, heavy gauze, and other items, not just Band-Aids, to treat serious wounds, He also advised keeping a first aid kit in your car.

Pictured from left to right: Carrie Broggie (Fillmore City Council Member), Jeff Teubner and Phil DiFiore (Rotocraft) and Ari Larson (Rotary Club of Fillmore). The helicopter parts and service company reps spoke at Rotary Club of Fillmore on April 25th. Welcome to Fillmore! Photo courtesy Ari Larson.
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The new private heliport for a maintenance and repair facility for helicopters project is going to be constructed in two (2) phases. Phase 1 involves the construction of a 67,872 SF hangar, parking spaces, retaining walls, public improvements on River St. and constructing the full width of the D St. extension (from River Street to 460 feet south of River Street). Phase 2 consists of constructing a 45,066 SF hangar for the future undetermined tenant. The businesses would like to be allowed to operate from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays with allowance to perform work on Sundays during times of emergencies. The project site is 10.52 acres and can accommodate one landing pad with eight (8) helicopter parking areas. The flight paths will occur along the Santa Clara River with the helicopters approaching the site from a southerly direction. The flight paths will not be over the residential areas of Fillmore. Prior to flying helicopters from the property the Applicant is required to obtain approvals from the FAA, Caltrans (the Division of Aeronautics) and The Airport Land Commission. The project is providing a 10' concrete bike path on the south side of River Street in compliance with the Business Park Master Plan’s requirement for bike paths. A noise study was conducted which determined that the sounds anticipated to be generated by the project are at an acceptable level per the City Zoning Ordinance. Additionally, the Planning Commission recommended that a noise monitor be placed close to the helipad. Two Rivers Park will be protected by a buffer zone with employee and customer parking along D Street.

Fillmore Unified School District

Management/Confidential/Supervisory Salary Increase
The Board of Trustees approved the Classified Confidential/Supervisory Employee Salary Schedule.

Award Bid to Replace Roofing on Annex Building at Sespe Elementary School
The Board of Trustees awarded the bid to replace roofing on annex building at Sespe Elementary School.

Award Bid to Replace Carpet in Buildings A, B, C, D, and E at San Cayetano Elementary School
The Board of Trustees awarded the bid to replace carpet in specific buildings at San Cayetano Elementary School.

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

Bob Crum

It happened again. Total capture count: 972. I love it! No point in making excuses so I won't. Besides, I have an exquisite alibi. Genetics. My DNA has a photographic gene that forces the right hand index finger to keep pushing the shutter release button the second I pick up my camera.

The occasion was the recent Fillmore Railfest. As expected, the star was the majestic Baldwin #14 steam engine. Photo ops aplenty even just sitting pretty on the tracks and occasionally blowing off some steam. Running she's like the most lifelike, exciting and endearing of all the machinery man has created. How can anyone watch a steam-powered iron horse rumbling down the tracks and not be in awe. Listen! The profound gong of the bell! The whistle... oh that enchanting whistle. The chuffing-chuffing as she picks up speed. The smoke bellowing from the glorious smokestack. Awesomeness!

Back in the day, as staff editor/photojournalist for the Southern Star magazine, I shot at least three times as much film as other staffers. I had to, to beat the odds. Couldn't review the photo in the field like now. Because success was paramount, always experienced a tinge of insecurity. What if? Pressure and expectations created reasonable anxiety. Yet, a benefit. The experience I gained taught me to trigger the shutter more instinctively. A valuable asset. Remember, there are no re-dos regarding special moments that cannot be predicted or repeated. Photography, to paraphrase author Steve Simon, from his book 'The Passionate Photographer', is a bit like trying to anticipate the future to trigger the shutter just at the exact right moment. Still, there are a ton of misses. The future is elusive. But the robust shooting ethic is rewarding when it works. The reward: I got the most cover photos! It's still a formula that increases the odds that I get the best image out of every assignment. This practice continues, which is obvious. Furthermore, I encourage all event photographers who desire (strive) to capture the ultimate photo to shoot more, regret less. The photo op missed is gone forever. Shoot till your shutter release finger is cramping. But you're not done until it's calloused. Got it?

When #14 runs the photo options are voluminous. But they're not all going to be great moments. For full effect it helps to have steam emanating from various ports and smoke bellowing from the smoke stack illustrating that the machine has the high rail and running strong. It would help if the engineer would turn some knobs and kick up some smoke when seeing a photographer camera up but that's wishful thinking. Anyway, smoke is not continually belching from the stack nor the locomotive expelling steam. What to do? Chase it. And keep chasing it! Success demands that you be on the scene to make the ultimate photo. Shoot a lot. With luck, one of every 10 photos will make the cut. I chased. However, a lung impairment slowed me down considerably. Translated, I couldn't get (hike) to all my secret spots for the photos I envisioned because I couldn't move fast enough to get back to the truck and drive to the next spot in time. Nevertheless, I survived and delightfully accumulated, you know, a few hundred photos. After all... it's fun!

The photo of the week was made at the iconic trestle bridge over Sespe Creek. Didn't matter that I couldn't descend the hill for a frontal coming out of the bridge because the area was littered with phonetographers. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Happy photoing!

Send your comments, suggestions or questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

Ventura County Department of Public Health

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today warned consumers to avoid eating raw oysters harvested from south and central Baynes Sound, in British Columbia, Canada. The raw oysters are linked to an outbreak of norovirus illnesses.

In California, as of April 27, approximately 100 individuals have reported illness after they consumed raw British Columbian oysters sold by restaurants and retailers throughout the state. Laboratory testing has confirmed norovirus infection in several patients from both California and Canada. Although the number of reported new illnesses has decreased during the last week, the investigation is ongoing.

Canada has reported 172 cases of gastrointestinal illness linked to consumption of raw oysters.

Four oyster farms in the south and central Baynes Sound area of British Columbia that were linked to illnesses were closed between March 23 and April 13, 2018, and remain closed at this time. Restaurants and retailers should not distribute or serve oysters from these farms, which can be recognized by the following landfile numbers located on the shellfish tags: CLF #1402060, CLF #1411206, CLF #1400483, and CLF #278757. Restaurants and retailers are encouraged to check Canada’s above website for closure statuses and notices of re-opening.

Anyone who eats raw oysters should visit their doctors if they become ill, and should report the incident to the local health department.

“Avoid eating raw and undercooked shellfish, including oysters, to reduce your risk of illness,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. “If you do eat shellfish, cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145°F. Quick steaming isn't sufficient to kill norovirus.”

Norovirus is highly contagious and can spread easily from person-to-person through contaminated surfaces, and by eating contaminated food, including raw or undercooked oysters. Symptoms of norovirus usually begin 12 to 48 hours after a person has come in contact with the virus, and can last for 1 to 3 days. Common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps. People who develop symptoms of norovirus infection should consult their health care providers. For more information on norovirus, please see CDPH’s Norovirus Web page.

The most current information on shellfish advisories and quarantines are available at CDPH’s toll-free Shellfish Information Line at (800) 553-4133. For additional information, please visit the CDPH Marine Biotoxin Monitoring Web page.

City of Fillmore

ORGAN DONATIONS ENCOURAGED:
At Tuesday's regular City Council meeting, Mr. Richard Aidem addressed the need for organ donations to save the lives of those facing life-threatening organ failure. Mr. Aidem spoke about his own life-saving heart transplant five years ago. The Council read a proclamation announcing the importance of DMV/Donate Life California Month. Organ donations can only be accepted when the donor has passed away in a hospital.

VC ANIMAL SERVICES AGREEMENT:
A report was received on the 2018 Ventura County Animal Services Agreement. Discussion involved increased cost of animal adoption which makes it more difficult to adopt. The declining number of volunteers was also noted as well as an increase in the number of animals to be cared for.

LEVY ASSESSMENT:
A public hearing was approved to consider the adoption of Resolution 18-3639 confirming the engineer's annual levy report and ordering the Levy and collection of assessments for the Fillmore Storm Drain Maintenance Districts in fiscal year 2018/2019. The motion was passed unanimously.

FILLMORE VALLEY PARKS FOUNTAIN ENTRY FEATURE RENOVATION PROJECT:
A motion authorizing change orders for the Fillmore Valley Parks Fountain entry feature renovation project was passed. A contract going to California Waters Development Inc. was also approved for the maintenance of Heritage Valley Parks Fountain Entry Feature, at a cost of $33,000 for the first year.

RIVER STREET EXTENSION:
The City Council approved Final Tract Map No. 5844 and authorized the Mayor to sign the map and the City Clerk to record the map with the County Recorder's office. This action will facilitate the connection of El Dorado Mobile Home Park to River Street.