At Tuesday's regular city council meeting, Harrison Industries was recognized on its 85-year anniversary. Both the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce and the City Council presented the Harrisons with plaques.

Adoption of ordinance No. 17-878 to authorize a permit process for parking in front of private driveways was unanimously approved.

Funds were approved for the purchase of a new wood chipper for the city. The cost is $36,468.00.

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Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Conner McGregor have had setbacks. They all became better because of that. Well now Jose “Froggy” Estrada has had a setback. At the Ventura Fairgrounds on Cinco de Mayo. Froggy, now 3-1 as a pro and undefeated the last eight years, lost to Emilio Chavez, now 12-9 with a rear naked choke hold in the first round.

Before the fight Froggy was ready for his fight. He could not wait to get it going. “I am ready Coach! This what I have trained so hard for.” Then Chavez walked by us. “That’s him! Man I am ready to take him out!” I gave him our special handshake since his time at Fillmore High School and said I will see you soon. “Coach come back before I go out and tell me ‘The Story’ before I fight,” said Froggy. I said I would.

Combate Americas had a great line up on the card and gave me and my guests (my wife Judy, and Froggy’s English teacher Josh Overton) press passes and great ringside seats. The fights were great. The fighters both male and female gave everything they had. After about four fights, it was time for the Main Event of the night.

As I said I would I went to the warm-up room, and told Froggy “The Story.” After that it was game on, and time for the sellout crowd to see their friend, family member, and hero come out to fight. Froggy entered to the roar of the crowd. ‘’FROGGY, FROGGY, FROGGY!” and blew the roof off the place. The fans were so loud you could have heard them in Fillmore if you had your windows open.

The crowd booed just as loud for Chavez. At this time I gotta tell you folks, knowing and loving Froggy the way I do, this was a hard thing to go through. My wife saw my nerves and gave me a hug and we prayed together for Froggy and the other fighter’s health. Thank you Judy.

When the bell rang for the fight Froggy took a swing at Chavez. Then Chavez went for a leg shoot and got Froggy to the ground. Chavez had control of the fight from there. Froggy fought with guts and grit to get out of the hold. The young man showed the crowd what he was made of. He almost got to his feet, but then Chavez cinched the rear naked choke hold. Without air Froggy had to be smart and tap-out to be able to fight another day.

Then the crowd found out what class was, while Chavez acted in victory, with gestures and classless acts. After that the Combate Americas interviewer was talking to Chavez, the crowd started up again “FROGGY! FROGGY! FROGGY!’’ and was so loud you could not hear what he was saying.

When they talked to Froggy on T V Froggy, full of emotions and tears streaming from his eyes, first went to shake the hand of Chavez. Then said, “I am sorry I lost tonight. I wanted this here in my hometown. I will be back for all of you. This is a setback but I will be back.” The crowd went wild. Combate Americas owner Campbell McLaren and President Former WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio told the crowd that they are backing Froggy and will support him because they believed in him.

After the fight Judy and I went backstage to talk to Froggy, with tears still flowing down all of our cheeks. Froggy gave me the special handshake we share and hugged me. I said a few words. I told him that Fillmore will still and always love him. Froggy said, “This is hard. I wanted this guy. I will be back Coach.” I will tell you this folks, I believe him. Later in the evening Froggy came out to hug and thank the people in the crowd during the late fights. This is what I call class.

Fillmore let me tell ya this, Froggy will be back in the cage soon. He will work hard and learn from this. I am so proud of him. He showed more class in defeat, than some men show in victory. Froggy will leap again.

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There will be a gathering of old friends and Alumni at the 104th Alumni Dinner/Dance. Among them will be the FHS Class of 1972. The Fillmore High Alumni Association designates special areas for classes celebrating their reunions at the dinner/dance, and that individual class not only gets to see their classmates, but they get to see all other alumni from good old Fillmore (Union) High School. What a fun way to celebrate a class reunion. There will be many from the Class of '72 traveling long distance to attend and we hope all local Alumni plan to join in. All FHS Alumni and Class of '72 members can easily reserve their seating at the June 10th event by going to www.fillmorehighalumni.com and click on Events. You can also pay for this special evening in Fillmore at Patterson Hardware store, open 7 days a week. Every year, the Alumni Dinner/Dance attendance grows, so don't miss out. Congratulations FHS Class of 1972! Has it really been 45 years?

Information Courtesy Moorpark CHP

On May 5, 2017 at approximately 6:08 A.M., an injury traffic collision occurred on SR (State Route) 126, at Center Street near the community of Piru.

Mr. Alexander Medrano, 41 years old, of Santa Paula, was driving his Nissan sedan eastbound on SR 126 approaching Center Street at an unknown speed. Mr. Freddy Carias, 29 years old, of Palmdale was driving a Volvo semi-truck, pulling two "bottom-dump" type trailers, westbound on SR 126, just past Center Street at a stated speed of 50 miles per hour. As Mr. Medrano approached Center Street, he fell asleep and allowed the Nissan sedan to cross over the double yellow lines into the westbound lanes of SR 126. The left front of the Nissan collided with the left front of the Volvo semi-truck. As a result of the collision, both vehicles became disabled blocking all lanes of SR 126. The Volvo semi-truck blocked the two westbound lanes and the Nissan blocked the two eastbound lanes. Mr. Medrano received major injuries and was trapped within the Nissan. The Ventura County Fire Department responded to the scene and extricated Mr. Medrano from the Nissan.

Mr. Carias was able to walk away from the incident and did not have any visible injuries. The Ventura County Fire Department, and AMR (American Medical Response), responded to assist with the extrication, medical care, and transportation of Mr. Medrano to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Caltrans and The Ventura County Sheriffs Department responded to the scene and assisted with traffic control while the investigation was completed.

This incident resulted in a three and a half hour closure of SR 126 traffic lanes. Westbound SR 126 traffic was being diverted through Center Street and the community of Piru. Eastbound SR 126 traffic was being diverted through the right shoulder of SR 126. No arrests were made and alcohol/drugs are not suspected to be a factor in this collision. This collision is being investigated by the California Highway Patrol's Moorpark Area office.

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Saturday, June 10th, 2017

Hello FHS Alumni. The Alumni Board of Directors and Officers want to invite you to attend this year’s Alumni Dinner/Dance on June 10th 2017 at the Fillmore/Piru Veterans Memorial Building. You can make your reservations online at www.fillmorehighalumni.com (click on Events) or you can pay for your reservations (7 days a week) at Patterson Hardware store in beautiful downtown Fillmore. Dinner will be prepared by DJ's California Catering. If you been to an Alumni Dinner in the past, you know how delicious DJ's food is. On the menu this year will be Wood Fired Prime Angus Tri-Tip with Creamed Horseradish, Roasted Chicken Breast with Wild Mushrooms in a Porcini Béchamel, and Penne Mozzarella with Fresh Basil and Heirloom Tomato in a Belvedere Pink Sauce. All this served with: Rustica Salad (a mix of Select Baby Lettuces with Crisp Fuji Apples, Smoked Gouda, and Cranberry Raisins with Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Herbed Basmati Rice, Roasted Baby Carrots, Organic Green Beans with Fresh Herbs and Butter, and Parmesan Garlic Rolls. Save room for dessert! Dessert includes Warm Peach or Apple Cobbler with McConnell's of Santa Barbara Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Whew! Now don't panic. You’ll be able to dance this all off on the dance floor. Yes, there will be music and dancing up to midnight. We hope you make plans to join your fellow Alumni and celebrate our alma mater and the community of Fillmore. By attending the Alumni Dinner/Dance you are directly contributing to the Alumni Scholarship Fund that directly helps Fillmore High graduates achieve their higher education goals. You know our slogan...."Onward and Upward" with the FHS Alumni Association.

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So many questions I'm exhausted at the outset! Worse, the 5-Hour Energy Boost lasted only five minutes. I get more energy from cantaloupe. Nevertheless, onward!

First question: “Why do you list the Photo of the week photo data?” A mermaid's suggestion.
By now, those of you who have been faithfully reading this column know that there is more than one camera setting to get a proper super-wet mermaid exposure.

Remember the Digital Pixel Psalm ISO 200:f/11.1/60 I presented a few weeks ago? To refresh: “There shall be three Wise Elements in the Mighty Trinity of Exposure; Aperture, Shutter Speed and the Holy ISO.” Understanding the psalm will help you get perfectly exposed photographs. More importantly, once you understand the relationships you can begin to exert 'creative artistic license' to your photography. That's when photography gets very interesting.

For example, Brush Creek falls north of Kernville. I can photograph the falls to show the flow realistically or add a creative touch by giving the water a more silky look. If I choose blur for the silky effect, I need to increase the exposure time by slowing down the shutter speed.

However, reducing the shutter speed too much will result in an over exposed image. Lowering the ISO which decreases the camera sensor sensitivity is one way I can compensate. What if I'm at the lowest ISO setting? Then I close the aperture a few “f” stops to decrease the amount of light entering the lens. If neither work, I either throw a temper tantrum or throw the camera at the falls. Both are refreshingly therapeutic.

Look at the photo of the week (if not here, online at fillmoregazette.com) Notice that I chose a creative touch... a blur effect to the water fall. The data is ISO 100, 18mm (wide angle) f/19 @1/8 sec. 100 is my camera's lowest ISO value. At a slow 1/8 sec shutter speed I had to stop the lens down to f/19 to prevent an overexposure. This illustrates the ISO/Shutter/Aperture relationship. I could have attached a 'neutral density filter' (subject for another time) but chose not to.

The realistic waterfall photo data is ISO 320, 18mm, f/11 @1/60 sec. The 1/60 speed portrays a more realistic water flow but I have to open the aperture to f/11 to prevent underexposure. I selected f/11 to maintain the depth-of-field (DOF) and further compensated for underexposure by increasing the ISO to 320. It's all about the Mighty Trinity of Exposure.

Caution: In addition to blur, real slow shutter speeds and shaky hands most often create fuzzy photos. Hence the need for a monopod or tripod. Actually, after a couple of strawberry margarrrritas, my blurry and fuzzy photos look like some of my most creative work!

Understanding the digital pixel psalm enables you to program the camera to obtain exactly the kind of photo that you mentally envision. Practice!!! Practice!!! Practice!!!

Now you understand that you can interpret my photographic decisions by the photo data. For example, an f/4 aperture (wide open) indicates intentional background blur (bokeh). An f/ll or smaller will indicate that I intended maximum DOF. Slow shutter speeds to indicate movement. Fast shutter speeds to freeze the motion. Decisions, decisions, but unlimited variable options present exhilarating opportunities.

The ability to “create” a photograph as desired by programming the camera is an extremely fulfilling aspect of photography. And you wonder why I'm so fanatical?

Sorry folks but no space left for the other 258 questions!

Happy photoing!

Email comments, questions or suggestions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

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Video by Sebastian Rameriz.

Froggy

Story by Joe Woods

The time is here! When you ask? May 5th 2017. Where? Ventura County Fairgrounds, Ventura Ca. the 805! Time? 6 p.m. What is it? Combate Americas M.M.A.! Who is fighting? Jose “Froggy” Estrada with a 3-0 record vs Emilio Chavez with an 11-9 record.

Jose “Froggy’’ Estrada is from Fillmore. This will be his fourth pro fight and his first one in Ventura County. To everyone who knows Jose they know him as Froggy. He got the name when he was playing football for The Fillmore Raiders youth football team, and it has been his name since then.

Now Froggy is fighting on the biggest stage in Combate Americas history. The Ventura Fairgrounds will be sold out with a lot of Froggy’s friends, family and fans. This young man is shooting up in the M.M.A. ranks as fast as you can take a shot of Patron on Cinco de Mayo. And that’s what some people will be doing this fight night in Ventura.

Froggy has been training for the last seven weeks. Cardio, kick boxing, boxing, diet and living in the gym, this is his life. This is his job, 24/7. “Combate Americas is giving me a chance to live my dream,” said Froggy, “This is my life. This is what I do. I am thankful for the chance I have.”

There are no days off. It’s road work and cardo for 2 hours and then about 5 hours in the gym working on his skills as a fighter. Diet is always on his mind. Froggy eats the right foods for him every day. On the day we talked he had a small piece of fish and a very small salad, and all the water he could drink. “I am on track to make weight. The diet is a huge part of my training,” said Froggy. I asked what food did he miss, and he said, “A Hamburger, a good one. But no more of that for me.”

Froggy is very proud to be fighting for the Combate Americas. “They all treat me great. They cover me on T.V. and social media. They fly me out to other fights and believe in me. Mr. Campbell McLaren is a big support to me. He thinks I can be the next big thing for Combate Americas.”

With the support of his teammate Michael Reyes, Coach Brian Espinosa and Coach Janik he cannot lose. “With my family, friends and Coaches I have all the support I need. And now add my Grandma, she will be there for her first pro fight.” “Her name is Teresa Ramos. Her and my grandfather ‘Tata’ who will be there in sprit have always been there for me. I will be thinking of them both when I come out to the ring.”

I asked Froggy what does Emilio Chavez bring to the fight? “He has a good kick to the head, I need to look out for that. And a lot of ring experience. But I will do what I need to do and fight my fight.”

I also asked him what is going through his mind when he walks down and to the ring? “Man, the roar of the crowd! It gets me going. There is no turning back and it is time to do what the Frog does! Time to take this guy out and win the fight!”

So Fillmore and the rest of the 805 get ready because The Frog is coming and there will be no holding him back. “I will be a World Champion! I want to do it for Combate Americas. I want it and nothing will get in my way. I will be the next big thing in the M.M.A. world! Look out Froggy is here and I am ready!”

Froggy would like to thank all of his Coaches, his family, his friends, and all the sponsors who support him. “Without my support team behind me I would not be here. And thank you Combate Americas for this chance, and I will not let anyone of you down. I will always work hard, and give it all I got in the cage.”

So now you know all the where’s, who’s, and what’s. It’s fight time and now it’s time to do what The Frog does. Happy Cinco de Mayo Ventura County. And enjoy the fight live or on T V and watch Fillmore’s own Jose “Froggy” Estrada become the next big thing.

Eagle Scout, Johnathan Freeman

Submitted By Sharon Overall-Freeman

Johnathan Freeman has successfully met all of the requirements for Eagle Scout. For his Eagle Project, Johnathan led members of Fillmore Boy Scout Troop 411 and the community in replacing the large fence around the historic Camulos Ranch Cemetery. Over 500 hours of service were given to this project. An Eagle Court of Honor will be held on Friday, May 12th at 7:00 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Fillmore Ward Building, located at 1017 1st Street in Fillmore, California.