Toni Galvez along with Eli, one of the Semineries that visited during the festivites.

Story courtesy of Galvez Family

On Saturday July 23rd, the famous phrase by St. Augustine came true: “He who sings, prays twice”; that was very evident at San Salvador Mission in Piru at the church choir festival “Animate, Let your Faith Shine”.

This is the third year they have celebrated such a festival. What really stood out this year was great Christian music, friendship, prayer, happiness, good food and families coming together to praise the Lord. Bishop Thomas Curry added to the festive atmosphere of the day by celebrating an outdoor Mass to about 800 people. Alongside Bishop Curry was Father Barney Gatlin, Pastor of San Salvador Mission and St. Francis of Assisi Church in Fillmore. The Fillmore/Piru Church community felt blessed by having such a beautiful religious experience.

For almost nine hours this religious event brought church choirs that ministered through Christian music, which made the crowds dance, jump, yell, sing and pray to their contagious beats and songs. The presence of choirs from Fillmore, Saticoy, Oxnard, Fullerton and of course Piru, came together as one Catholic Community. As a special guest the young people of Verbum Dei, a music ministry from Monterrey Mexico, came specifically for this occasion. Finally, the highlight of the day was Yesenia Flores, a professional recording artist who has given her life to Jesus Christ. Her energy, enthusiasm and love for the Lord and musical talent was an example for all those who attended.

Besides all the great music, there was time to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament, which was orchestrated by the religious sister, Consuelo Contreras from “La Casita de Oracion” in Oxnard. Our local seminarian, Luis Fernando Mejia Zaragoza, who studies at the seminary in Monterrey Mexico, led a discussion regarding “Faith” and the relationship to music. The discussion was very appropriate considering the day’s event.

This event would not have been possible without the many people who helped make it a great success; especially Juan Arredondo who received a well deserved acknowledgement from Father Barney during the Mass. Juan’s excitement almost brought him to tears, when he stated: “It makes me very happy to see so many people gathered here today, all the work was well worth it.”

“We want to thank all those who helped with the preparing and selling of the food, the sound engineering and all those who cleaned up after the event. Moreover, we want to thank Ray Galvez and his family for their hospitality in housing all 15 choir members from Monterrey and hosting a party for all the participants the next day at their home. Thank you to all of you who helped and may God bless you!”

There are not enough words to express and describe the emotions that were felt during this special day. Maybe you will run into someone who attended the event so they can tell you about their experience and invite you to next year’s event. Get ready, it will be a memorable one, do not miss it! Meanwhile, “Animate” and let your faith shine!

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

In an effort to provide the community with easier access to information and to assist in the often confusing and emotional aspects of civil processes, the Sheriff’s Office has added a Civil Processes link to their public website. The link can be accessed by going to www.VCSD.org and scrolling to the Public Resources tab at the bottom of the page, then clicking on the Civil Processes tab.

The Civil Unit of the Sheriff’s Office receives, serves, and executes over 15,000 civil documents annually. The law requires that any civil process brought to the Sheriff for service must be valid on its face, issued by a competent authority, and accompanied by adequate legal instructions.

The new link is designed to help assist the public with information on Civil Process Services offered by the Sheriff’s Office. The site contains general information on the types of services offered, the forms needed, applicable fees, links to other self-help resources and frequently asked questions (FAQ) associated with civil processes. Some of the types of processes include evictions, restraining orders and levies.

The public is encouraged to use the Sheriff’s website and the Civil Processes link as a resource to assist them with information related to the service and requirements for civil processes. The information contained in the Civil Processes link should not be construed as legal advice. If you have a legal question, please contact an attorney.

The Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships celebrate their 30th anniversary this year and once again the fastest pistoleros from around the world will converge on Piru, Calif. on August 18-20 to determine which of them is truly the fastest of the fast.

Among those gunning for speed shooting glory will be local top guns Terry Olson of Fillmore, Chuck Richards of Ojai, Taran Butler and Scott Druyun of Simi Valley and Brad Simpson of Thousand Oaks.¬ More than 150 speed shooting experts from across America, Australia, Canada, Japan and the Philippines will compete in the three-day match.

Since the first Steel Challenge in 1981, the World Speed Shooting Championships have determined who within the shooting sports community is the fastest in the world by utilizing an eight stage course of fire featuring five steel targets per stage. Shooters are required to draw on the sound of a buzzer and shoot the five targets in the fastest possible time.

The shooter’s best four of five runs on seven stages, and three of four on one, are combined for their overall match time, with the difference between champion and runner-up often measured by just a few hundredths of a second.

The fastest recorded winning time was set in 2008 by K.C. Eusebio, three-time World Speed Shooting Champion, who finished in an amazing 79.16 seconds. That's 155 shots fired, including 31 draws from the holster, in less than a minute and 20 seconds.

The Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA), the national governing body for the sport of Speed Shooting and organizer of the Steel Challenge, estimates that upwards of 50,000 rounds will be put down range during competition, and well in excess of three times that fired in practice leading up to the championships.

For more information on the Steel Challenge Shooting Association visit www.SteelChallenge.com. To stay on top of this year’s match news follow @SteelChallenge on Twitter, find the ¬Steel Challenge on Facebook or visit the Steel Challenge blog.

Captain Monica J. McGrath

Depending on what you are doing, three months can be a long time, or it can go by so fast that just saying it amazes you that it has really been that long! It was the latter response that I got from Fillmore's newest sitting police chief as I sat down in her office to welcome her to Fillmore and to interview her on her newest assignment in the twenty-four years she has been a deputy with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. The first impression you get from Captain McGrath is the ease of her smile and warm relaxed presence she has. Her people skills are nice to see and will be of value as she manages law enforcement services for the Santa Clara Valley Area Station.

Captain Monica McGrath is not a California native and until 1986 she called her home Glen Gardner, a Borough located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The size of Glen Gardner, approximately 2,000 residents, helps Captain McGrath in understanding the personality of a small town and what makes small towns like Fillmore unique. Although her home town is only about fifty miles from New York City Captain McGrath tells me she lived in a very rural area, with a small police department and very little crime. Captain McGrath moved to California in 1986 while working for New York Life Insurance and worked out of offices located at Hill Street and Telephone Road across from the County Government Center and the Headquarters of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. While working there she told me she always wondered what the large brown buildings were across the street and in August of 1987 she intimately learned what they were when she entered the Ventura County Sheriff's Academy as a new Deputy Sheriff's Trainee.

Since her career began Captain McGrath has had many assignments; with Detention Services at the former Branch Jail Honor Farm in Ojai, patrol deputy/special enforcement detail with the Camarillo Police Department, Academy Instructor teaching Juvenile Law and Vehicle Operations, Youth Officer with the Camarillo Police Department, Academy Recruit Training Officer, Human Resources Background Investigator, Sexual Assault Investigator for East Valley Police Services, Sergeant within Detention Services, Sergeant with West County Patrol Services in the City of Ojai, Internal Affairs Investigator, Supervisor Sheriff's Personnel and Human Resources, Detective Sergeant for the City of Camarillo, Patrol Watch Commander, Administrative Captain with the Camarillo Police Department and the surrounding unincorporated area and now her current assignment as Captain/Chief of Police for the Santa Clara Valley Area Station.

The Santa Clara Valley Area Station is CONTINUED »

Dr. Alan Nishino

The Fillmore Unified School Board is pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Alan Nishino as Interim Superintendent. Dr. Nishino will serve the district until the Board searches and selects a new superintendent spring 2012.

Dr. Nishino has served for 14 years as a school district superintendent. He was the superintendent of Morgan Hill Unified School District in Morgan Hill, California, and Alameda Unified School District in Alameda, California; both are K-12 districts with approximately 10,000 students. He was the superintendent of Castaic Union School District in Castaic, California which is a smaller K-8 school district with approximately 2,500 students.

Dr. Nishino was the 2007 San Jose Educator of the Year. He has served on advisory committees for California State University, Northridge, the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles County Sheriff. He was a master teacher for student teachers from USC, CSU Northridge and Chapman College.

Many of his early years in education began right here in Ventura County at the Hueneme Elementary School District where he was a teacher, assistant principal and principal. Dr. Nishino has lived in Oxnard since 1980.

His many leadership strengths as a district superintendent include increasing district wide test scores and decreasing high school drop-out rates; increasing student passing rates on the California High School Exit Exam; increasing the number of students taking Advanced Placement Classes; implementing a significant number of technology based services for students, staff, and parents; significantly increased the number of middle school students in Algebra and successfully connected the school district to community and civic leaders.

Board President, Virginia De La Piedra, stated, “Dr. Nishino impressed the Board with his passion for academic excellence. He is ready to be a partner with the Board in ensuring that all the students in Fillmore receive the highest quality education. His experience in a wide variety of districts and communities will go a long way in assisting us to positively move forward. The Board believes that we have many strengths in the district but there are also areas where we can improve. We believe that Dr. Nishino will help us develop a road map for that improvement. One of his former board members stated that his absolute strength is that he will always focus on and make decisions on what is best for kids and that is what we want for Fillmore Unified students.”

Dr. Nishino will begin working in the school district on July 28, 2011. To assist with a smooth transition, during the first few weeks he will meet with the Board to clarify key district objectives, meet with teachers, parents, staff and administration to introduce himself, and review data that will help define responsibilities and timelines.