The Fillmore Lions Club Christmas Parade is right around the corner. This year’s Christmas Parade will be held on Saturday, December 2nd. Please note that this year’s parade will begin at 10:00 am, three hours earlier than previous years. As always, Santa will trade in his sleigh for the morning and make his special trip down Central Avenue aboard a Fillmore Fire Department fire truck. At the end of his ride, Santa will make his way to the depot to take photos with the kids, so make sure to bring your camera to take pictures.

The Christmas Parade is open to individuals, businesses, civic organizations, school bands, church groups, car clubs and equestrians. Just about any group or person who wants to celebrate the season with a “themed entry” is welcome and there is no cost to enter the parade. To be a part of the Christmas Parade, send an email to FillmoreChristmasParade@gmail.com and an application will be sent to you. For questions or additional information, please contact Lion Scott Lee at 524-1896.

Please remember that the parade route will be posted “No Parking” from 8:00 am to approximately 12:00 pm on the day of the parade on Central Avenue from Third Street to Santa Clara. Cooperation from residents is needed in order to keep vehicles off of the parade route during that time for the safety of parade participants and spectators.

Although the Fillmore Christmas Parade has a long standing tradition in Fillmore, it was in danger of being cancelled in 2001 when the parade lost its’ sponsor. The late Hank Carrillo suggested the Fillmore Lions Club assume the responsibility for the Christmas Parade as a service to the community and the Lions Club continue to sponsor the Parade in Hank Carrillo’s honor. Fillmore Lions wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and look forward to seeing you on December 2nd!

On 11-21-17, deputies went to a residence in the 700 block of B Street as part of an investigation into a violation of a domestic violence restraining order. The suspect, (S) Eduardo Jimenez, was at the location and found to be under the influence of a controlled substance, as was (S) Xochitl Cervantes. During a search of the residence pursuant to a search warrant, methamphetamine, marijuana, three firearms (a pistol, a shotgun, and an AR-15 rifle), ammunition, and money were located and seized as evidence.

Jimenez was booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on the following charges and has a bail of $60,000:
• Penal Code Section 273.6(a) – Disobeying Domestic Relations Court Order (Misdemeanor)
• Penal Code Section 27545 – Unlawful Transfer of Firearm (Felony)
• Health and Safety Code Section 11550(e) – Under Influence with a Firearm (Felony)
• Health and Safety Code Section 11378 – Possession for Sale of a Controlled Substance (Felony)
• Health and Safety Code Section 11370.1(a) – Possession of a Controlled Substance with Firearm (Felony)
• Health and Safety Code Section 11364(a) – Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Misdemeanor)

Cervantes was booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility on the charge of Health and Safety Code Section 11550(a) – Under Influence of a Controlled Substance and later released on her own recognizance.

Prepared by: Sergeant Kevin Vaden
Approved by: Captain Todd Inglis

Enlarge Photo

Enlarge Photo

Ground breaking work has begun on the Rotorcraft Support, Inc. site at the southwest corner of River and D Streets. Rotorcraft plans on developing a private heliport for a maintenance and repair facility for helicopters to be located within the Business Park Master Plan area on property owned by an affiliate of the Applicant. Two companies propose to locate at the site: Rotorcraft and The Guardian. Rotorcraft employs 58 full time employees who will relocate to Fillmore from Van Nuys. The Guardian is a fire helicopter company that is contracted to fight forest fires and has approximately 15 full time employees. The Guardian helicopters will be at fire sites 9 months out of the year. When not attending to fires, the Guardian employees will be in Fillmore training. Both of these businesses would move to the property in Phase 1. The project is to be constructed in two (2) phases. Phase 1 involves the construction ofa 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.

Thanksgiving came and went. Then Black Friday came... and went. Before I could say aye cheewawa... Cyber Monday! Whew... was there anything not on sale?

Anyway, how did you do photographing your Thanksgiving festivities? Perhaps a few photos leave a little to be desired? I know about the bummed-out feeling. I felt it back in the fifties when I tried to play photographer with a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye with the fabulous Meniscus lens and 1-speed rotary shutter. Processed film at Woolworths 5¢ and 10¢ store. A bit of history. But I digress.

Folks, Christmas means thousands of photo ops. Accordingly, writer Liesel Schillinger recently penned a piece titled: "Take a moment to write holiday cards." “With Thanksgiving 2017 done and over, how will you use this post-feast glut of leisure? Can there be any question? This is the moment to write holiday cards – sending loving messages to friend and family near and far, filling them in on the highlights of your year.”

Schillinger concludes: “For me, this tradition is a tribute to the singular endurance of communication on paper. These cards are artifacts of meaning. The pleasure of them is that they take time. The pleasure of them is that they are done specially. The pleasure of them is that each one is a memento of a fixed moment, and an expression of the year that produced it. I will give and receive many gifts in the coming month, but my favorites will be the ones that ring in at 49¢ each.”

How's that for a magnificent idea? In the age of Instagram and Facebook, millions upload a staggering gazillion photos. Photos here today... poof... gone tomorrow. Instead, why not celebrate the season with a family photo card? Show everyone that they're in your thoughts with a merry personalized greeting card. Traditional or modern, fancy or casual, create a beautiful photo Christmas card that will hold a place of pride on everyone's mantle.

It's not too late. Costco can have your photo Christmas cards ready in 5-10 days says their website. https://www.costcophotocenter.com/Greetings/Search/MerryChristmas. Other online card printers offer similar services.

You all know that I'm tasked with weaning you from the cell phone (phonetography) and making photos with a real camera. Regardless, even cell phone photos can be uploaded to Costco for inclusion in your personalized Christmas card. Also, if you posted a family photo on social media, you can use that photo to upload to Costco for your Christmas card. Can't get any easier!

This year... why not start a new family tradition: Personalized Photo Christmas Cards? Include a personal note and you will have created a treasured memento recipients will love and cherish.

It's not necessary to pose the kids and/or adults for the photo... candid photos are most often the best for your photo Christmas card. Or why not a selfie? Make & upload a photo! While waiting for the cards to arrive, prepare your mailing list. Imagine how shocked the millennials in your family will be upon receiving a physical Christmas card instead of an eCard!

Bulletin: Christmas parade Saturday 12/2/2017, 10 a.m. down central Avenue. Santa arrives on a fire truck. Afterward, Santa will be at the pagoda at the Historical Museum to listen to kids tell him that they have been very good all year. Sure! Then check out the Christmas Boutique at City Hall. Later Saturday night, about 8:30 p.m., Santa returns on the Fillmore & Western Christmas train stopping at Landeros Lane (Sespe Place) and Old Telegraph Road passing out candy canes. Ho... ho... ho!

Photo of the week is jolly ole Santa arriving in Fillmore last year. Happy photoing!

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

December 16, 2017 Is The Date!!

Please support Santa Clara Valley Legal Aid's Coat Drive to raise enough money to put a coat on every child that comes through the line this Christmas in Fillmore.

This project idea started when I was watching the kids waiting with anticipation to see Santa at the North Fillmore Community Storefront for the Fillmore Volunteer Fire Department toy giveaway. Looking at the line, none of the kids had on coats. My mind judged immediately “Did the children forget their coats? They knew it was cold and that the wait was long.” The line snaked as the little boy tucked into his mother and the realization hit me like the cold wind - The little boy didn’t forget his coat. He doesn’t have a coat.

Please join Santa Clara Valley Legal Aid’s Winter Coat Drive. In December we will be giving away brand-new warm winter coats to needy children of the Santa Clara Valley who are standing outside in line in Fillmore to receive their toy from Santa. There are no “administrative” costs. You send the money and our teams go and buy the coats.

As Marion Wright Edelman, the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund says:
“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”

When you place a warm coat on cold little shoulders, you know that a warm coat makes a big difference.

Go to www.youcaring.com/CoatsForFillmoreKids.

Laura Bartels, Director
Santa Clara Valley Legal Aid

Hello, this is my daughter Carolina Garcia. She is 11 years old from Fillmore, a small town in Southern California. This is her 1st year in Cross Country. After all her hard work and determination, she has earned a spot to compete in the Junior Olympics in Tallahassee, Florida on the 9th of December in 2017. We want our daughter to experience the opportunities that we never had. Were asking for any donations to help fund her trip to Florida. We thank you in advance.

Visit https://www.gofundme.com/4qj97r4 to support Carolina.