At 7am Sunday, a game warden found a dead Black Bear two miles east of Piru on Highway 126. The 300 pound-plus bear had been hit by a car. The car left the scene. The adult male bear was returned to the wild to let nature take its course.

The wind is one of those “Good News, Bad News” occurrences! For some areas the good news is that the wind will blow the fouled polluted air from your community to another unfortunate community downwind! I am sure we all remember “Egg City” and the stench that blew into Fillmore in the evening from the drying heaps of chicken manure! In Fillmore and all of Ventura County the local citrus crop can be damaged by the wind by scarring the fruit making it bad news when selling that crop!

For me the bad news about the constant wind we have been experiencing this year is that the wind has created havoc with my flying of the American Flag and the flags representing the the military services of my only Son, Phillip Diaz, and first born Grandson Michael O'Neal. Phillip is in the Navy and Michael the Army. The flags fray quickly because of the strong winds and on Tuesday, April 10th, in what turned out to be a very windy day, my 20' telescopic flag pole reached the end of it's life! The strong wind caused damaged a part inside of the telescopic pole which then separated the pole into two pieces! Not to worry though because today I went to Harbor Freight and bought another pole! Since I order my flags in quantity I always have a fresh flag to fly! So bring it on WIND!

In my travels around town I have noticed a number of other homes that proudly display the American Flag, or in some cases the flag of one of the military services. But, these homes are few! I have also noticed some perfectly good flag poles prominently displayed in the front yards of some homes without flags proudly flying from them. There is a house on lower Foothill with two substantial flagpoles in the front yard without flags! And, the flagpole at the FUSD Maintenance Yard remains empty after a controversy that I didn't really understand between employees and FUSD Administration regarding flying the American Flag and the POW Flag! If it had to do with the cost of maintaining the flags I will gladly purchase four American and four POW flags a year to fly again on that pole! If that isn't the problem then I hope whatever it was can be worked out and the flags can again fly proudly!

In addition to the Military Banners proudly on display in Fillmore, I would like to encourage the residents of Fillmore, as well as the FUSD Maintenance Yard employees, to at the minimum to start using existing flagpoles to proudly fly the American Flag as a sign of support for the men and women from our community that are currently serving and for those serving in the Middle East! I have to say that I feel guilty each day I move about Fillmore involved in my daily routine of riding my bicycle, motorcycle, meeting for coffee with friends and planning other activities that surround family and fun. I think nearly every day of those young men and women serving in the war zone and the sacrifices they and their families are making for all of us! I wish for them daily to come home safely to this community and to their families!

My Grandson Michael is currently serving in Afghanistan and my Son Phillip will be deploying in early June to Afghanistan. I am committed, despite the wind, to flying their military service flags below the American Flag until they both return home safely from their deployments! I encourage other residents and families of currently serving military members to fly their flags also as their show of support for their family members! I know Fillmore can do this! Let's all support our own American Heroes who have sacrificed so much for us all! Let's make Fillmore a standout community for the support of our troops by making it the norm to see the American Flag flying proudly from not only existing flag poles, but also from newly placed flag poles! If any readers would like to share a picture and story of their display of the American, or any service flag I would be honored to place a picture in the paper with your story. Please email me at dickdiaz@roadrunner.com and I will begin the story!

Ari Larson updated the council on the upcoming Chamber of Commerce events.

This April 24, 2012 the Fillmore Senior Center Board of Directors joined the Fillmore City Council to report on the Center’s financial status. Also on the agenda was approval of a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission encouraging the Adoption of a No-Cost Opt-Out Provision for Smart Meters.

Fillmore Senior Center is feeling the pinch of a poor economy and cutbacks from just about all of its funding sources. In the past the Center had a $100,000 budget provided in part by Fillmore Redevelopment, the United Way and various other organizations such as the Lions and Soroptomists. Today the Center’s budget is $20,000 and much of that coming from the 4th of July Fireworks sales. This has resulted in an 11% cutback in the lunch program along with reduced home delivery of meals to seniors that depend on the service. There are many activities offered such as computer classes, yoga, various art classes such as sketching and watercolors, WII Bowling, various exorcise classes, Tai Chi Classes, line dancing, support groups, casino trips just to name a few. The Center is vital to many of the seniors in town with a monthly average of 750-800 participating in the various activities. The Center recently opened a boutique room offering handmade knitted and crocheted items for sale and has received a new pingpong table that had Mayor Gayle Washburn challenging anyone to a game. Washburn commented that Fillmore spent millions on a skate park, pool and a baseball field, adding that we need to take care of both our young and our old and that the old took care of us in the past, now it’s our turn to take care of them. The Center is a 501c3 Nonprofit and run by volunteers with only one paid part-time office staff that does most everything. The Board consists of seven members: Vivian Johnson, Neva Picketts, Alternate Scott Painter, Treasurer Iris Martin, Secretary Gloria Hansen, Vice President Don Murphy, and President Donna Voelker. The proceeds from the sale of fireworks will help keep the Center open and there is a need for volunteers this 4th of July to work the booth. Any extra help will go a long way.

Anna M. Frutos-Sanchez CONTINUED »

The Sheriff’s Office is providing a valuable resource to the community by setting up disposal bins for the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, which takes place this Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The event is a collaborative effort between local law enforcement agencies and the Drug Enforcement Administration to encourage residents to properly get rid of their expired or unused drugs.

The goal is to keep these products out of the hands of children. Many household pharmaceuticals are sold and traded among teenagers, who often help themselves to their parents’ medications. The consequences of medications getting into the wrong hands and being abused can be deadly.

Preventing a tragedy CONTINUED »

Angel Nolasco

In July 1982, Ronald Reagan was president, the space shuttle Columbia was landing at Edwards Air Force Base following its fourth mission, and a southern California truck driver, frustrated in his dream of becoming an Air Force pilot, went airborne in the skies over San Pedro with the help of a lawn chair and 42 helium-filled weather balloons.

Meanwhile, in the heart of Los Angeles’ downtown, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Park, the 36-piece band from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro played the National Anthem just before 80 Hispanic youth held up their right hands and were sworn into the Navy. Then they boarded buses heading south to San Diego to the Naval Training Center for boot camp.

The special all-state, all-Hispanic, all-city recruit company, “Los Marineros” (The Sailors), was conceived as a way to commemorate the outstanding achievements of Hispanic members of the Navy – Mayor Tom Bradley even issued a proclamation calling the day “Navy Hispanic Heritage Day” – and the event was seen as a valuable recruiting tool and a way to stimulate interest in Navy careers within the Hispanic community.

One future Sailor, Angel Nolasco, the first CONTINUED »

The April 17, 2012 Fillmore Unified School District Meeting began a half hour later than usual. The School Board took the first half hour to attend the Fillmore High School’s (FHS) Art Show at the Memorial Building. Upon returning the Board approved the unpleasant task of teacher layoffs.

The 45-day layoff notice will be sent out this week to 17 classified teaching services used throughout the District. Those receiving the notices will complete the present spring 2012 semester, but in fall 2012 they will work less hours or not be returning. These cuts were necessary due to lack of funds or the work was no longer needed.

The schools affected by the cuts are: Piru Elementary, Mountain Vista Elementary, San Cayetano Elementary, Sespe Elementary, Fillmore Middle School, Sierra High School, and Fillmore High School (FHS).

Superintendent Dr. Alan Nishino showed ‘Smarter Classroom, Smarter World,’ a 1990 video produced at Blackstock Jr. High School in Point Hueneme, depicting the classroom of the future. The video started out by saying it was February 2012, but that was just a coincidence. Nishino has been promoting integrated networks for many years, and believes computers can improve learning. “How do we engage kids when they’re ready, not when we (the teachers) are ready?” Nishino stated. The integrated network is designed to meet each students’ needs by allowing gifted students to advance at their own pace, and allowing those students that need more time to grasp a concept the ability to slow the pace.

FHS’s Speaker of the House, Sammy Martinez, made a brief appearance to announce the Mountain Vista Rally is in the works and a time and date will be announced soon.

FHS’s 14th Annual Art Show was a huge success with about 300 attending during the two hour showing. The 500 art pieces are the work of students from Ms. Mitzenmacher’s art classes. The exhibits had a wide array of genres such as wood carving, quilting, sketches, acrylics and more. When asked how the show is coordinated, Mitzenmacher said everything is student-run and there is no judging, similar to an art gallery opening.

Tatiana Lesario and Brook Alvary along with 23 other students started setting up at 8am Tuesday morning. Many of the pieces were for sale at modest prices. The first $10 of each sale is donated to replace the classroom art supplies with the remainder going to the student artist.

Art student Francisco Ortiz, a senior at FHS, was proud of his sport themed acrylic painting. Ortiz said he showed an interest in art at the age of 10 and looks forward to attending College of the Canyons for an AA Degree in Art after he graduates.