COVID-19 has infected 595 Ventura residents, with 11,854 being tested as of May 5th--13 of those are in Fillmore.

Ventura County Health Care Agency has announced free tests to residents who meet the specified criteria, which varies with symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The process to test front line workers and the rest of the public differs.

Front line workers, grocery employees, food-supply chain employees, utility works, etc, can visit https://lhi.care/covidtesting to fill out a questionnaire or call 1-888-634-1123. A physician’s referral is not necessary.
All other residents must call the county’s Ambulatory Urgent Care hotline at 805-652-7660 to be pre-screened and to make an appointment.

Fillmore Testing location: Family Medical Group, 828 W. Ventura St., Fillmore. Hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday thru Friday.
Residents who believe they have the coronavirus must have respiratory symptoms such as cough or shortness of breath, or have two of the other symptoms; fever greater than 100.4, chills, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, and loss of smell or taste.

Asymptomatic residents may be tested up to two times if they have been in close contact with a lab-confirmed COVID-19 positive case. Close contact is defined by living or staying at the same residence or being an intimate sexual partner. It can also mean staying within six feet for more than 10 minutes while an infected person is not wearing a mask; having direct contact for any amount of time with the body fluids or secretions of an infected person through cough or sneeze, from the use of shared utensils, in the care of or have provided care to an infected person without wearing a mask, gloves and gown.

Once the close contact criteria are met, the asymptomatic person can be tested at the beginning of the 14-day quarantine. If the person tests negative, then he/she may be tested a second time at the end of the quarantine.

County residents will not be charged for the test and are not required to have health insurance, but they will be asked for insurance information if available.

County health officials are hoping to increase testing from an average of 1,500 per week to 4,000 per week.

https://vcportal.ventura.org/covid19/docs/2020-05-03_Covid19Testing.pdf

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On May 4, 2020, four occupants of a vehicle were arrested for forgery, counterfeiting of seals, possession for sales of methamphetamine, being under the influence of a controlled substance and being a convicted felon in possession of a loaded handgun. Arrested were Marco Jimenez, age 20 of Fillmore, Alexis Medellin, age 21 of Hollywood, Luis Eduardo Rivera, age 22 of Santa Paula, and Alondra Espinoza, age 32 of Oxnard.

At approximately 8:45 a.m., a patrol deputy from the Camarillo station observed a vehicle parked in a no parking zone in the area of 9000 Pacific Coast Highway in the unincorporated area of Ventura County. The deputy contacted the driver Alondra Espinoza, who appeared under the influence of a controlled substance. There were three additional occupants inside the vehicle.

During the contact, the front passenger Alexis Medellin appeared to be having a medical emergency. Deputies began to render aid to the passenger and discovered he was in possession of a loaded handgun. After a thorough investigation, all four subjects in the vehicle were arrested for a variety of crimes including, forgery, being under the influence of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession for sales of methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a loaded handgun.

Medellin is currently in custody at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility and his bail is set at $60,000.00. Medellin is scheduled to appear in court on May 6, 2020. The driver and two other passengers were cited and released after booking.

Prepared by: Sergeant Timothy Ragan
Approved by: Captain Shane Matthews

Courtesy Fillmore City Council Member Manuel Minjares

Feeding the Frontlines was at it again in Fillmore on Friday, May 1st. Rick Castaniero and Adam Vega came through with more produce for our farmworkers families that weren’t able to get food on Monday, April 27th and for our farmworkers at the Fillmore farmworker labor camp.

The City of Fillmore Active Adult Center was also presented with a donation for $500 by Kaiser Permanente Thrive Kaiser Permanente Ventura 2601 East Main Street Medical Offices. Ventura County Fire Department station 27 was kind enough to present the check to us.

It takes a lot of time and effort to make this happen and I appreciate everything they are doing for us. A big thank you is also owed to Norma Perez-Sandford and her volunteers for distributing the food. Also, a big thank you to City of Fillmore staff members Marie Garfio, Victor Casas (Amalia N Victor Casas), and Billy Gabriel.

The Ventura County Fairgrounds Board of Directors has voted unanimously to cancel the 2020 Ventura County Fair. The action comes amid unprecedented community stay-at-home and social distancing guidelines and was made to protect guests, vendors, staff and others during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Board considered ongoing guidance and updated information from State and County health care and government officials about the status of the coronavirus pandemic and the improbability that mass gatherings like the Ventura County Fair could safely and responsibly take place this summer.

“Every year thousands of happy faces come through the fair gates to enjoy the County’s most timeless tradition,” said Barbara Quaid, Fair CEO, “It is because of those smiling faces that we are completely comfortable with this decision. We are already looking forward to welcoming everybody back in 2021 when we will resume the 145thVentura County Fair. We encourage our Ventura County neighbors and friends to continue adhering to all public health guidelines so that we can all come together again in 2021.”

The Ventura County Fair began in 1875 and has returned annually, except during WWII when the Fairgrounds was commandeered by the United Stated military to protect the west coast. The 12 day VC Fair welcomes nearly 300,000 fairgoers each year and has an immeasurable economic impact to Ventura County.

“We are thankful to the healthcare workers and those who are on the front lines making extraordinary efforts to help others during this great time of need,” said Quaid, adding “ We are currently on standby to be utilized for emergency operations services at any time. We’ve partnered with Food Share to serve as a food distribution site and will continue looking for ways that we may serve the community.”

The Fairgrounds will begin hosting and planning future events once it has been deemed safe to do so. For more information and for updates regarding the fairgrounds please visit www.venturacountyfair.org or call (805) 648-3376.

Bob Crum

Too many cases of COVID-19 confirmed here in Fillmore. I hear the Space Station is virus-free. But according to SpaceX, I am #2,946,012 on the ticket waiting list. Hmm, that's only 32 less than my readership. Interesting.

'Tis the season for prime wildflower or wildlife photography. I'm looking at four pages of ads featuring 'photography workshops' in my April issue of the Outdoor Photographer magazine. The following describes a few such photographic workshops.

~"James Kay photography workshops-New Zealand, Glacier National Park, Zion Nat Park, Canadian Rockies/Banff NP, Telluride, Grand Staircase-Escalante NM and Bryce Canyon NP." I want to go!

~"Jim Steinberg Photo Tours-Fall in the Colorado Rockies-Experience the beauty of the aspen and alpenglow in the San Juan and Sneffel Mountain ranges as photographer Jim Steinberg guides you on a journey to capture mountains ablaze in orange and gold." I want to go!

~"Strabo Photo Tour Collection-Northern lights & icebergs from Nuuk, Western Greenland. Your journey to Greenland goes through Iceland, making this an amazing adventure in which you will be immersed in the wild beauty of both countries." I want to go!

~"Russ Burden Nature Photography Tours - Join Burden on nature tours to an iconic US destination or the Serengeti in Tanzania. Russ is intimately familiar with every tour location. He'll teach you how to read light, create optimum compositions and improve your technique. Experience his contagious enthusiasm, motivation, knowledge and passion." Are we there yet?

I don't need Burden's enthusiasm or motivation, but the fact that he is intimately familiar with select prime locations excites me.

While living in Florida, I participated in a fishing tournament in South Carolina. The grand prize was $5,000, but I knew nothing about the lake. Fishing was from Friday to Sunday. I left Florida on Tuesday that week. At a local fishing camp, I hired a fishing guide that knew the lake. On Wednesday and Thursday, we fished at locations marked on his map of the lake. Ready? At the tournament's end, I finished second pocketing $3,000. Not possible without learning about the lake and its underwater topography from someone who knew the lake. Location - location - location. Landscape photography is not different.

When I see a great landscape/waterscape photo, whether online or in a magazine, I get antsy. I want to go there! The Internet and Google Earth Pro are handy planning tools. However, nothing done remotely (at home) can equal boots on the ground. A long time ago, around 1904, I learned that little is known about a location until you visit. Once there, I need to learn where I need to be to get the best photo of the iconic scene. I could learn on my own, and exploring is sometimes fun, but also time-consuming.

Knowing the best location from where to make once-in-a-lifetime photos is a tremendous benefit. There's value in a workshop leader who knows 'secret' photographic places. But I don't need their photographic expertise. I can compose and expose photos quite well on my own. I only want their invaluable guide service. And I'd rather the latter be on location to facilitate my getting a giraffe's portrait in the Tanzania Serengeti. Excuse me; I need to start a gofundme account.

The hay rake among the poppies, the photo of the week, which I took five years ago, was an irresistible photo op. I located the property owner who granted me permission to trespass. Driving by the property this year, I saw that the rake is gone. Happy photoing.

Send comments, questions or suggestions to: focusonphotography@earthlink.net

Enlarge Photo

The Corona Virus Crisis has underscored more than ever the importance and value that Farmworkers represent in Ventura County. Farming and farm-dependent businesses provide an estimated 43,000 jobs in the County, generating $2.2 billion in revenue and $76 million in indirect business taxes annually. One in 10 county residents rely to some degree on income derived from farming.

The impact Farmworkers have in our economy and the job they are performing during COVID19contribute mightily to our collective well-being. They areas important and essential as the job other first responders are performing to save lives during this pandemic. Regrettably, there is little acknowledgement of the vital role Farmworkers have played historically and certainly during this unprecedented COVID 19 pandemic.

For this reason, a group of business owners and community leaders from Ventura County have joined forces to provide food, support and recognition to the thousands of Farmworkers providing essential duties during COVID19 in Ventura County.

Feeding the Front Lines seeks “to feed our Farmworkers” by visiting farms during business hours to provide lunch or dinner for free to Farmworkers, as well as providing boxes of essential products and healthy boxed food to those who have not stopped their duties while the rest of Ventura County residents have to stay at home.

“Imagine that you don’t have hand sanitizer at home because you can’t find this product anywhere, imagine you don’t have a Costco membership to stock up on toilet paper or even have the money to be able to hoard anything! Imagine having to look over your shoulder in case ICE is in the area. Imagine you are the invisible people in your city, county, state and country, but you get up every morning to toil in the fields because you have to feed your family, pay your rent and do it everyday, whether you feel well or not. Imagine knowing you must work because you will not get unemployment benefits, a stimulus check and the president wants to cut your already low salary. Pressure, that is what our farm workers feel from sun up to sunset. Feeding our farm workers is the least we can do to recognize, appreciate, and acknowledge the work this “invisible” population justly deserves. They feed our country and the world and are the least appreciated workers in the country. The public needs to support our farm workers,” says Roberto Juarez, one of the volunteer business leaders who visited different farms to provide assistance and recognition to the Farmworkers.

On April 28th, the campaign Feeding the Front Lines will host a drive-thru food distribution for Farmworkers at Two Rivers Park in Fillmore, CA 93015. Following the social distance rules established by the County of Ventura officials, a group of volunteers will bring food trucks to provide hot meals, conjunto music, and boxes of fruits, vegetables, and assistant information for Farmworkers to take home to their families.

Volunteer Miguel Rodriguez stated, “Farmworkers are the front line that feeds our country. During the COVID-19 crisis, they have continued to work under conditions and wages that most people have avoided. We wanted to thank them by providing good food and live music as they continue with their difficult daily work. We also distributed food boxes and bags of fruit for people to take home because pantries providing meals have service hours between three and five pm, which may not be accessible for Farmworkers because they are working during these hours. It is very fulfilling to be able to appreciate the workers whose dignity is reflected on the very fruit we consume.”

The idea initially came from Restaurant Owner John Hinojosa from Ruby’s restaurant and Chef Juan J. San Juan III from Gloria’s restaurant, and immediately other community leaders, volunteers and business joined forces; even owners from restaurants that are closed donated resources. Feeding the Frontlines plans to continue regular food distributions specifically for Farmworkers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and possibly beyond.

Student of the Year
Isabella Palazuelos, Fillmore High School
Fillmore HS Principal, John Wilber, shared: “Isabella is the number one ranked student in the Fillmore High School Class of 2020 with a cumulative 4.51 Grade Point Average and is the first Fillmore High School National Merit Scholar in memory. This is quite incredible when you take into account Isabella's involvement in school activities and sports. Isabella does not merely participate in her sports and activities, but she is a leader and an exceptional performer in all that she does. Finally, her peers and the staff at Fillmore High School respect Isabella as a student of the highest integrity.”

Teacher of the Year
Marsha Sisolak
Marsha is a First Grade Teacher at Rio Vista Elementary, and has been an educator for 44 years. She has taught in Fillmore Unified schools for 34 of the 44 years. For the majority of her career, she taught kindergarten, however she has also educated second graders, worked as a district Instructional Coach, and is currently a first grade teacher.
Mrs. Sisolak is an innovative teacher and consistently goes the extra mile for her students. From designing creative learning opportunities that engage the entire class to using technology in a meaningful way in the classroom, Mrs. Sisolak guides her students to achieve their best each day.

Administrator of the Year
Beverly Garnica
Beverly Garnica is the proud principal of Rio Vista Elementary School. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership in her role as the Principal and achieved success in creating a student focused school community. She is a leader committed to student success and increased positive outcomes for her staff. Through her leadership, the campus created a “Kindness Initiative” involving all employees and students. Prior to becoming a Principal, Beverly has served with distinction as a Middle School Assistant Principal, and accomplished classroom teacher.

Classified Employee of the Year
Amelia Dominguez
Amelia provides inspired service as the Office Manager for FUSD Preschool. She can be trusted to the right thing for children in all situations. Amelia takes full ownership and responsibility for numerous daily clerical and office-related duties to ensure the smooth and efficient operations of all Preschools across the District. Her co-workers describe her as fair, knowledgeable, informed, steady, and possessing outstanding organizational and communication skills. Parents are grateful for her efficient, personable and respectful demeanor.