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Once again the Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board had an overflowing crowd that attended the May 3, 2016 meeting. Of the 90 or so attendees about one third were the Migrant Speech/Debate students, their coaches and families. Most of the remaining attendees were FUSD teachers who once again came to address the Board regarding contract negotiations.

During Public Comments the Board heard from FUSD teachers along with students' parents regarding salary contract negotiations. First to speak was Mountain Vista 4th grade teacher Janet Bergamo, who stated, "It's not just about salary increases....(referring to the elementary level teachers) we're concerned with the class size." Mark Sebek who teaches math at Fillmore High School (FHS) spoke of the 20 furlough day’s teacher gave up and the extra hours teachers work.

FHS 9th grade math teacher Brian Ricards read a written statement that conveyed his stress of receiving numerous layoff notices and the unusual situation he experienced while attending a layoff hearing. He learned how layoffs were chosen when there was a "tie" between some teachers based on the FUSD's point system. The solution was to put numbers on paper, then into a hat and then have the teachers who "tied" for seniority pick a number out of the hat. Those with the higher number would be given a higher rank of seniority. This was done while the layoff notice hearing was in progress. Ricards continued stating, "I knew at this point that there was something drastically wrong with our school district. I found out later that the district had a budget reserve of over three times the state-required amount during the same year that we were picking numbers out of a hat at the layoff notice hearing to determine our position on the seniority list."

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This June 11th, they celebrate their 30 year Class Reunion! Plans have been in the works now for over one year to plan a 30 year class reunion. You all know how that drill goes. Where do we have it? How much do we charge? Who's going to cook the meal? Who is decorating? blah, blah, blah. Their committee was invited to attend the 2015 Alumni Dinner to see if this was the answer to their questions for 2016! And VIOLA!!!! They commenced, laughed, danced their tails off, and it was confirmed. "The 2016 30 year Class Reunion will be held at the Alumni Dinner/Dance on June 11th, 2016!" Hooray!! all exclaimed. They won't have to lift one finger to celebrate at this reunion. As a matter of fact, they are in the lead with the most prepaid dinner reservations as of this week, however, they do have some competition from the class of '66 (50th reunion) and the class of '71 (45th reunion). We will see where this ends up. Remember all Fillmore High Alumni are invited to attend the annual Alumni Dinner. There is memorabilia put out for everyone to see going back more then one hundred years. The Alumni Assn invites all alumni to attend this year. Happy hour is from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. Dinner is at 6:00pm, then after dinner and desert, we meet this years Scholarship Recipients, it's a party like no other as they have a DJ inside playing all the jams for the Kids from the 50's, 60's, & 70's. Later in the evening the YOUNGER kids hit the floor with their Jams from the 80's, 90's and up. If Dancing is not your scene, then gather your friends and meet up at the new Patio Social Lounge Area. It's a very relaxing area for those conversations with old friends going on well into the night. Seats are being reserved daily. Come be a part of the 103rd Fillmore High Alumni Dinner/Dance. Click here to reserve your seats today. http://www.fillmorehighalumni.com/events/2015/11/27/103rd-annual-fillmor....

American Red Cross of Ventura County

During Trauma Awareness Month in May, the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to give blood and help ensure a sufficient supply for patient emergencies.

Dennis Weidner knows how critical blood products are in trauma situations. In 1996, part of his left leg was amputated following a farming accident. “Through the surgeries, I received 13 units of blood,” he said. Weidner now gives blood as often as he can.

Donors of all blood types are needed this May. Every day, the Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood donations to meet the needs of trauma patients and others with serious medical conditions.

Schedule your appointment to give blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can then also visit redcrossblood.org/cedarfair to enter to win one of two grand prize packages for four to Knott’s Berry Farm in California or Cedar Point in Ohio.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities

Camarillo
5/26/2016: 2 p.m. - 8 p.m., St Mary Magdalen School, 2534 Ventura Blvd

Oxnard
5/25/2016: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Oxnard High School, 3400 W Gonzales Rd

Simi Valley
5/21/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Rancho Santa Suzanna Community Center, 5005-C Los Angeles Ave

Thousand Oaks
5/18/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
5/23/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd
5/25/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W Thousand Oaks Blvd

Ventura
5/17/2016: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Ventura City Hall, 501 Poli Street
5/24/2016: 8:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Ventura High School, 2 North Catalina

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 and learn more, 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 cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

SACRAMENTO – California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith today announced that the annual quarantine on sport-harvested mussels gathered along the California coast will begin May 1, 2016. This quarantine applies to all species of mussels sport-harvested along the California coast, as well as all bays and estuaries.

“The quarantine is in place to protect the public against poisoning that can lead to severe illness, including coma and death,” said Smith. “It is critical that the public honor the quarantine because the toxins found in mussels have no known antidotes and they are not reliably destroyed by cooking.”

This quarantine is intended to prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and domoic acid poisoning (DAP) in people who might otherwise consume sport-harvested mussels. Both of these toxins are linked to plankton consumed by filter-feeding animals such as bivalve shellfish, including mussels and clams. The majority of human cases of PSP illnesses occur between spring and fall.

Commercially harvested shellfish are not included in the annual quarantine because all commercial shellfish harvesters in California are certified by CDPH and are subject to strict testing requirements to ensure all oysters, clams and mussels entering the marketplace are free of toxins.

Early symptoms of PSP include tingling of the lips and tongue, which may begin within minutes of eating toxic shellfish. These symptoms are typically followed by a loss of balance, lack of muscular coordination, slurred speech and difficulty swallowing. In severe poisonings, complete muscular paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.

The December 9, 2015 Health Advisory warning consumers not to eat recreationally harvested razor clams from Humboldt and Del Norte counties remains in effect due to continued high levels of domoic acid. Symptoms of DAP, also known as amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms disappear completely within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience difficulty breathing, confusion, disorientation, seizures, permanent loss of short term memory, coma and death.

More information about the quarantine, PSP and DAP can be found on the CDPH Annual Mussel Quarantine - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Web page.

For updated information on quarantines and shellfish toxins call the CDPH Biotoxin Information Line (1-800-553-4133).

Bob Stroh addressing the council about SOAR (Save Open-Space and Agricultural Resources).

The meeting on April 26th was originally scheduled to be a joint meeting with the Fillmore Film Commission, but was rescheduled to a later date. Captain Dave Wareham, the Chief of Police for the city of Fillmore, started off the meeting with a presentation that summarized the efficiency and effectiveness of the Sherriff’s Department. Wareham was very proud of his role with the City of Fillmore and said of his vision for the city, “If we can fulfill this, I feel like we can make Fillmore the last, best small town.” Wareham had high praise for the benefits of contracting with the Ventura County Sherriff’s Office. Among the benefits stated were: cost efficiency, labor negotiations and relations, and the recruitment and hiring of applicants. Wareham acknowledged that safety is his first priority. He admitted that officers do make errors, and that there is a disciplinary process that will be used if necessary. Fillmore boasts the lowest budget in Ventura County, just behind Ojai. Fillmore also has one of the most cost efficient usages of their budget in the county. Wareham applauded the School Resource Office (SRO) as being very helpful with solving and preventing crime. Without the SRO, major incidents would tie up the Sherriff Department and cause inefficiencies. Wareham praised the VSCO Major Crimes Unit and Western County Gang Unit for logging over 6,000 hours and achieving a successful 85 arrests and a seizure of 50 guns.

There are also plans for station upgrades that will allow the citizens to take greater pride in the local police station. That means better technology, safety, and an overall aesthetic appearance. The public will also have access to the mailbox of each deputy, providing better relations between the department and the public. Wareham brought up the fact that Fillmore was voted the 17th safest city of 2014, and that we are getting back to that this year. The plan to do so is backed by a desire for more effective patrols and preventative measures that will decrease the amount of crime altogether. Councilman Douglas Tucker commended Wareham on his hard work and credited the success in part to Wareham’s successful implementation of data to help give an accurate representation of what is going on in Fillmore. Wareham agreed with his sentiments and wanted to mention his goal to “reach out and make contact with those uncomfortable with men in uniform”. Mayor Pro-Tem Carrie Broggie gave the police department her full confidence and asked Wareham what he would change if he could. Wareham asked for more patrol officers which would lead to a better quality of life. He mentioned, “Crime is at an understandable, but not acceptable level”. Both Councilmen Manuel Minjares and Rick Neal noted that they have always felt safe in town. Neal would like the volunteer patrol to garner more support as he believes they are an underutilized resource. Finally, Mayor Diane McCall stressed the importance of how efficient the department is being with the money and translating that to effective safety in the community.

The public comments CONTINUED »