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By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 4th, 2021
 Christine Schieferle, Superintendent, Fillmore Unified School District Dear Families, Welcome to the 2021-22 school year. I am honored to serve as the Superintendent for the Fillmore Unified School District and look forward to meeting with staff, students, families and the community to acknowledge and listen to what you love most about our school district and to identify areas of growth and improvement. I am excited to share that we are preparing for a full in-person return to school on August 19, 2021. Our goal is to return our schools to as close as pre-COVID normal as possible. This includes scheduling Back-to-School Nights, parent trainings, in-person meetings, and bringing back the after-school Bridges program for students in grades K-8. In addition, students will participate in before and after school activities, athletics, clubs, and extracurricular activities on our campuses. In order to do this, the District is required to follow COVID guidelines from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Ventura County Public Health (VCPH). Our district nurses and administrative staff are in frequent contact with both agencies and the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). We will adjust our protocols accordingly as guidance changes. Updated information will be shared with students, staff, families, and the community through our district communication system, district and school websites, and social media. We will always prioritize the safety of our staff and students and are working diligently to ensure all schools are ready for the first day of school. Below are some of the changes for the upcoming school year: • Per CDPH guidelines, masks are required to be worn indoors by employees and students at all school sites, with exceptions per the CDPH face mask guidance. For more information, please see the FUSD 2021-2022 COVID-19 Return to School Protocols document located on our district website. We know the last 16 months of school closures and distance learning programs have been challenging for our students and their families. We look forward to providing additional academic and social and emotional supports to make this return to school experience as smooth as possible and will take measures to respond to the needs of our students. To begin, all schools will have full-time counselors and additional tutoring and credit recovery opportunities for students. Additional teachers have been hired at all elementary schools to provide intervention support and to address learning gaps. A new Wellness Center at Fillmore High School will provide counseling support for students and serve as a resource for families. Family workshops will be provided in English and Spanish to share strategies to support students at home. We look forward to hearing from all our families on how we can best meet your child’s needs and work together as partners in learning. I realize there are still many uncertainties and questions as we return to school. However, we do celebrate bringing students back into our schools and classrooms. We are confident that, working together, we can make this school year a safe and positive experience for our students. This is what we do best in Fillmore: we take care of our kids! Proud to be a part of FUSD, |
 (l-r) Damian Barron, 22, Bakersfield, Dequon Dillard, 21, Bakersfield, Marquishon Hughey, 22, Bakersfield. Enlarge Photo By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, August 4th, 2021
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department Three men robbed a Camarillo AT&T store at gunpoint Thursday evening before fleeing with cash and merchandise. The suspects left in a stolen vehicle at a high rate of speed. AT&T staff was able to track the stolen phones and provide responding deputies with a location and direction of travel. The suspects drove from the northbound US 101 to eastbound S/R 126 toward the city of Fillmore. Deputies in Fillmore spotted the vehicle and initiated a pursuit of the suspects. The vehicle eventually traveled on city streets until it struck a parked car in a residential neighborhood. All three suspects fled on foot, but two were quickly apprehended. Deputies located the third suspect in the backyard of a nearby house with the assistance of sheriff K-9 units and a helicopter. Cash, stolen phones, and a handgun were recovered in the stolen vehicle. The three men were booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura on charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, and conspiracy. Community: Camarillo - Armed Robbery of AT&T Store |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, August 4th, 2021
Ventura County Sheriff's Department A 15-year-old Fillmore resident was arrested for possession of a stolen vehicle. On 07/25/21, a Piru resident reported his vehicle stolen. The vehicle was left unlocked with the keys inside. The stolen vehicle was recovered at the Pacific View Mall in Ventura and Detectives obtained video surveillance of the suspect. The Fillmore Detective Bureau worked collaboratively with the Ventura County Auto Theft Task Force on this case due to a recent rise in the number of vehicle thefts in the area. Detectives identified the suspect in this case as a juvenile resident of the city of Fillmore. On 07/26/2021, Fillmore Detectives located the suspect and arrested him for felony possession of a stolen vehicle. The juvenile was lodged at the Juvenile Justice Center in Oxnard for the violation. The Fillmore Police Department has seen a significant increase in vehicles being stolen from the city of Fillmore and surrounding area. In several of these cases, the vehicles have been left unlocked with the keys inside. The Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to be aware of these crimes and is encouraging vehicle owners to park in well-lit areas or inside their garage, to lock their vehicles, and to retain possession of their vehicle keys when the vehicle is parked or unattended. The Fillmore Police Department encourages residents to immediately report suspicious or criminal activity by calling 911. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their on-going support and due diligence in providing information to assist in the solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships. Join us in the fight against crime by following us on Twitter @VENTURASHERIFF, Facebook, Instagram @ VCSHERIFF, and Nixle. Text your zip code to 888777 to receive local law enforcement and public safety Nixle alerts and advisories. Community: Suspect Arrested for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 4th, 2021
 On August 3rd, 2021, at 1:22pm, the Ventura County Fire Department, CHP and AMR paramedics were dispatched to a traffic collision at the intersection of North Main Street and Torrey Road, Piru. Arriving fire crews (ME28/29) reported three vehicles with collision damage. Fire crews on scene also requested an additional ambulance for a possible seconded patient. California Highway Patrol was needed for a possible DUI suspect. Around 1:40pm one patient was transported to Henry Mayo Hospital, code3 (lights and sirens). The additional ambulance was cancelled. Fire crews were cleared before 2:15pm and the incident was handed to CHP. No additional information was given. Photo Fillmore Gazette-caption courtesy Angel Esquivel-AE News. Enlarge Photo |
 Candalaria, the last Chumash basket maker. Photos courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, August 4th, 2021
 A Chumash house built at the Ventura County Fair, 1923. Harrington Papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution. Enlarge Photo Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum In 1769 Gaspar de Portolá and his expedition were the first Europeans to visit this valley which they named the Santa Clara River Valley. They found small bands of indigenous people living in settlements along the river. These were the Piru, Sespe and Mupu bands of the Chumash people.The inhabitants lived in caves along the Sespe River, Piru Creek and on the banks of the Santa Clara River. They were self-sufficient, gathering acorns from the oaks, hunting local game, and eating the edible berries and nuts found in great abundance. And there was always water available in the Sespe, the Santa Clara River, and Piru Creek. In addition, a lively trading tradition with other Chumash bands on the coast as well as other tribes in the area. At the time of actual physical contact with Europeans (1769) their numbers are estimated to have been somewhere between 15,000 and 25,000 people. With the arrival of the Missions, most of the Chumash were forced to live near the Missions and become laborers for the Fathers. A few were able to retain their independence in the far reaches of the valley. One of the last Chumash (or part Chumash) residents of our area was Candalaria Valenzuela (at the time of her death she was married to Jose Valenzuela). A member of the Sespe Tribe of Chumash Indians, she was born in about 1840 on Lord’s Creek, 5 miles west of Fillmore on what was to eventually be known as Rancho Sespe. She was raised by “Captain” Luis Francisco, a Chumash Shaman, who was also a “Mayordomo” at Mission San Buenaventura. In the early 1900s she was interviewed by George Henley (see https://www.fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org/stories-2/george-henley-and-ses...)and a representative of the Smithsonian Institution who was studying Chumash culture and language. Henley explained that, “As the old Indian could only talk her dialect and poor Spanish, I got her interpretation in Spanish and afterwards turned into English.” Candalaria described the time of Mission rule as slavery. The priests dominated the entire area. The indigenous people were required move near to the Mission, to attend Sunday mass and to convert to what was to them an alien religion. They were made to work in agriculture which was not how they had lived previously.Despite or perhaps because of the strictness of the regime, there was no revolt in Ventura County as there was in Santa Barbara County area in 1824. According to Henley’s account, Candalaria said the Chumash initially saw the Americans as liberators. As the American forces approached the Mission, the priests told the Chumash that the Americans would kill everyone if Ventura fell into their hands. The Spanish and those of mixed descent were under arms, but broke and fled at the sight of the Americans. This is what George Henley reported as Candalariatelling him and one or the other of them mayconfused it with Battle at Cuhuenga. Less questionable is Henley’s report on Candalaria’s description of how the Chumash lived within her memory. She was interviewed her about her language, legends, songs and customs. She, along with her friends, Petra Pico and Maria Marta, were master basket makers . She told Henley that she had taught several young American girls the art of Ventureño basket making. Candalaria’s baskets are on display in many museums. Here are a few of the things Candalaria shared about Chumash life with Henley: The Sespe river was a source of trout for the band. As soon as the water became clear they would go to the area above Devil’s Gate and camp. Numerous grinding holes in the rocks can be seen where they would have camped. Fish were dried in the sun without smoking. Another food staple was acorns. They were left in the sun to partly dry and crack at which time the shell would be picked off. The acorns were then ried completely in the sun, ground into flour and put in an olla (large pot) and covered with water. This would stand for 10 hours, be drained, and then soaked again. The soaking would remove the bitter taste from the acorns. The acorn mash was then cooked with wild game. Material for arrowheads and spearheads was obtained at “Grimes Pass”. Henley refers to this as obsidian but in fact it was probably fused shale. On Thursday afternoon, 18 March 1915,Candalaria died of burns when the oil stove she attempted to start with kerosene exploded and caught her clothes on fire and burned her so badly she never recovered. She had been working on the Peirano Ranch on the Santa Ana Creek, now under Casitas Lake, and died at the home of Henry Leyva. She was considered the last Chumash basket maker. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 28th, 2021
 On Wednesday, July 28th, while Sheriff Ayub was visiting the Fillmore Police Station, a community member named Marissa came by and graciously gifted the deputies and the Fillmore Fire Department with handmade bracelets. We so appreciate the continued support from our communities! Enlarge Photo |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, July 28th, 2021
 On July 21, 2021, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU) concluded an investigation into Fidel Duran, who was wanted in connection with his sale of narcotics to a Fillmore resident which resulted in an overdose. On June 12, 2021, Fillmore Patrol deputies were dispatched to a residence in the City of Fillmore reference a non-fatal drug overdose. PCU detectives handled the investigation and identified Duran as the suspect who sold fentanyl to the victim. On July 21, 2021, PCU detectives located Duran in the City of Camarillo and arrested him. Detectives served a search warrant at Duran’s residence in the City of Santa Paula. During the service of the search warrant, detectives seized evidence related to the original narcotics sale, as well as a loaded handgun with a removed serial number. Duran is a convicted felon and currently on State Parole which prohibits him from possessing firearms. Duran was booked into the Ventura County Jail for 11352 HS- Sales of a Controlled Substance, 29800(a)(1) PC- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, 23900 PC- Possession of a Firearm with an Altered Serial Number, 30305(a)(1) PC- Possession of Ammunition by a Felon, and 3056 PC- Parole Violation. Duran is ineligible to post bail due to his CDCR Parole Hold. He is scheduled for arraignment on July 23, 2021 in Ventura County Superior Court. The public may contact investigators from the Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit at (805) 383-8700 or pharm.tip@ventura.org with additional information about this case, or any other information related to narcotics. The Ventura County Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit is a task force made up of members from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Thousand Oaks Police Department; The primary mission of the task force is combatting the transfer of legal prescription medication and fentanyl to the illegal market. In addition, the task force works to identify and stop new trends of abuse among the younger population and investigates overdoses due to both prescription medication and illicit drug use. Nature of Incident: Firearms Arrest Related to Narcotics Overdose Investigation |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, July 28th, 2021
 A 41-year-old transient was arrested for brandishing a knife, throwing a cement brick at multiple people causing one of the victims to sustain minor injuries, malicious mischief, and warrants. On July 21, 2021, at approximately 12:50 p.m., deputies responded to a report of a man that brandished a knife in the 4300 block of Santa Clara Street. The suspect left and returned a short time later with a cement brick that he threw toward multiple people. The cement brick struck one of the victims causing minor injuries. During the investigation, deputies also learned the suspect entered a nearby vehicle without the owner’s permission and then left the area on foot. Deputies and detectives connected the suspect to a possible vehicle and immediately began searching for him. During their search, Santa Paula Police Department received a call of a reckless driver and found the involved vehicle unoccupied in the 1400 block of Harvard Blvd in Santa Paula. Detectives established this was the same vehicle associated with the suspect and responded to the vehicle’s location. Detectives conducted surveillance and waited for the suspect to return. The suspect identified as Jason Hughes later returned and was taken into custody. Hughes was arrested and booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility for assault with a deadly weapon, exhibiting a deadly weapon, malicious mischief, parole hold, and a felony warrant. Hughes remains in custody with his bail set at $50,000. His next court date is set for July 23, 2021. Anyone with information pertaining to this crime is urged to contact Detective Pewsey at the below listed number. The reporting party may remain anonymous. The Fillmore Police Department encourages citizens to immediately report suspicious people and vehicles, and to promptly report any crime they come across by calling 911. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their on-going support and due diligence in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships. Nature of Incident: Suspect Arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Exhibiting a Deadly Weapon, Malicious Mischief and Warrants Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 28th, 2021
 Fillmore Unified School District The Fillmore Unified School District is looking forward to having students return to school on August 19, 2021. They are planning for a full-time, in-person school day. School schedules and a Back to School letter are coming soon! For more information visit https://fillmorehighschool.fillmoreusd.org/apps/news/article/1468403 |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, July 28th, 2021
 On Monday, July 23, 2021, at 12:05am, the Ventura County Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure on fire in the 2700 block of Grand Avenue. Arriving fire crews (VCFD RE27) reported a barn fully involved, with exposures threatened with power line hazards. Units on scene also requested Fillmore City Fire to respond to the scene. There were reported diesels tanks on fire; crews were having difficulty in accessing the area with multiple exposures. At 12:30am fire crews were making good progress; fire was knocked down before 12:37am with fire crews remaining on scene for about 2 hours. No injuries were reported at the time of the incident. Photo courtesy Angel Esquivel-AE News. Enlarge Photo |