Victim was found dead in the 900 block of Lewis Lane, Fillmore
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Ventura County Sheriff helicopter is assisting in the investigation.
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Investigators setup a mobile crime lab on Ortega Street in Fillmore continuing to investigate the homicide.
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Sheriff's deputies responded to 9-1-1 calls of citizens reporting someone shot on Lewis Ln. Deputies arrived and discovered an injured male adult on the ground in front of a residence. The male, identified as Ricardo Gonzalez, was treated at the scene by Fillmore Fire personnel and was pronounced deceased due to apparent gunshot wounds.

Sheriff's Homicide investigators are continuing the investigation. Anyone with information to report about this crime can call Detective Brian Richmond at (805) 384-4725.

Nature of Incident: Homicide in Fillmore
Report Number: 12-18032
Location: 900 block Lewis Ln., Fillmore
Date & Time: 8-9-12 @ 9:45 p.m.
Unit Responsible: Sheriff's Homicide Bureau
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(V) Gonzalez, Ricardo Unk. 41
Deputy Preparing Media Release: Captain Don Aguilar
Media Release Date: August 10, 2012
Follow-Up Contact: Captain Don Aguilar (805) 797-7349
Approved by: Commander Cheryl Wade

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).

Gregorio Aguilar (DOB 10-20-89), of Fillmore.

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced on August 6th, 2012, that Gregorio Aguilar (DOB 10-20-89), of Fillmore, was found guilty on August 3,2012, following a jury trial, of the first degree murder of Sean Odle, the special circumstance that the murder was committed during the commission of an attempted robbery and the special allegation that he personally discharged a firearm causing death. Aguilar was also convicted of robbery with the use of a firearm of the Shell Gas Station in Fillmore on December 11, 2008, and attempted robbery with the use of a firearm of the Central Market in Santa Paula on December 12, 2008.

Aguilar, carrying a rifle, entered the Circle K convenience store with an accomplice at 4:23 a.m. on December 26, 2008, and demanded that Sean Odle give him money from the register. Odle called 911 and Aguilar shot him in the chest and fled the scene, taking nothing. Two weeks prior, on December 11, 2008, Aguilar, acting alone, entered the Shell Gas Station in Fillmore at 11:00 p.m., carrying a rifle, and demanded money from the clerk. The following night on December 12, 2008, at 11:00 p.m., Aguilar, carrying a rifle, and an accomplice, attempted to rob the Central Market in Santa Paula, demanding money from the clerk.

Sentencing is scheduled on September 4, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 45 before Ventura County Superior Court Judge Charles Campbell.

City of Fillmore

CITY COUNCIL
Jamey Brooks Pulled 7/16/12 Filed 7/23/12 Certified 7/27/12
Richard L. Neal Pulled 7/23/12 Filed 8/7/12
Douglas Tucker Pulled 7/24/12 Filed 8/8/12
Manuel Minjares Pulled 7/24/12
Alex Mollkoy Pulled 7/26/12
Sandra Pella Pulled 7/30/12 Filed 8/2/12
Gayle Washburn Pulled 8/6/12
CITY CLERK
City Clerk Clay West//ling Pulled 7/16/12 Filled 7/19/12 Certified 7/20/12
Nancy Meyer Pulled 8/8/12
CITY TREASURER
City Treasurer Grace Donahue Pulled 7/26/12 Filed 8/2/12
Shannon Godfrey Pulled 8/2/12

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I was so happy to get an email from Fillmore Native, and United States Navy Lieutenant Commander Frank Solorzano this morning! But when I read it I knew writing articles highlighting our currently serving Fillmore and Piru men and women has some value! LCDR Frank Solorzano's email:

“Sir,

My name is Frank Solorzano, and I just read the subject article this evening (your morning). I have a flag just down the road from the Police Station and got to see it before I deployed. I'm really proud to say I am from Fillmore, and I let everyone I meet in my travels know it. Being one of the troops, I can say we appreciate the recognition.

Respectfully,
LCDR Frank Solorzano
US Navy
Camp As Sayliyah Qatar”

I know what LCDR Solorzano means by his being proud to be from Fillmore! My Son, Phillip recently bumped into another Fillmore Native, Ryne Galvan, and posted this picture of them in Afghanistan! What draws these two American Servicemen together, besides their service in Afghanistan, is the strong bond they have for each other from their connection to this Community of Fillmore!

Phillip wrote: “Look who I found in Afghanistan. Long way from Fillmore.” US Navy, Phillip Diaz on the left and US Army, Ryne Galvan on the right.

We in Fillmore are proud of their service! We thank them and their families for their sacrifices now and for the sacrifices they will make in the future! The next time you pass by LCDR Frank Solorzano's Banner on Sespe Avenue please give him a shout out of appreciation for his service! All the men and women currently serving are truly American Heroes!

Fillmore High School’s new principal Russom Mesfun

The first Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board Meeting of the 2012-2013 school year was held August 7, 2012 and with it the announcements of new changes to school principals, the Discovery Communications pilot program and free breakfast and lunch provided to all students.

The first day of school is Wednesday August 22, 2012 and with it comes a few new changes in school administrators at FUSD. Russom Nesfun, who worked with Oakland Unified School District, is Fillmore High School’s new principal; Gary Mayeda will now be principal at Fillmore Middle School; Chrissy Schieferle has transferred from Mountain View Elementary to San Cayetano Elementary as principal and John Wilber has transferred from Fillmore High School to Mountain Vista Elementary as principal. Todd Schieferle, FUSD’s Human Resource Officer said there are a few more positions left to be filled but did not specify what positions.

Superintendent Dr. Alan Nishino is bringing FUSD classrooms into the digital age. As promised last semester, Nishino has purchased Discovery Education as a one year pilot program in two 6th grade science classes. FUSD is the first district in Southern California to have the interactive program which is designed to accommodate each child’s learning level with virtual labs that help students learn to interpret data, draw conclusion and aid in math skills. The program, started in 2001, replaces the standard textbook with digital resources and over 10,000 videos, along with translations in Spanish to aid parents who do not speak English. Another added feature is that current events are available the next day.

There is still a CONTINUED »

Pictured above is the staff at the Movie Train Cafe (l-r): Randy Balades, Max Gabriel, Alex Melendez, Chris Escotto, Sassy Wright, Cody Balades, Jessica Givans, Brian Cook, Ariel Bernett, Diane and Liz Wareham.
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Patrons enjoying the Movie Train Cafe’s grand opening.
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Some things are downright annoying. For example... gnats buzzing around the ears. Another example... hunger pangs... also known as 'growlies in the tummy'. Hark... for herewith is great news! There's a new, fabulous eatery in town... the Movie Train Cafe. Sorry I can't do anything about the gnats but growlies in the tummy are now a thing of the past! The restaurant is located on the corner of Santa Clara Street and Central Avenue.
If you happened to drive by the restaurant on the evening of July 26, you might still be wondering about all the oooooohs and aaaaaaahs you heard. Those wondrous bellowings of pleasure were emanating from throngs of people who attended the Movie Train Cafe grand opening celebration. Yes... the food was soooo scrumptious I was also one of the many bellowing aaaaaaaaah.

OK... another restaurant you say. Whoa... not so fast. Of course it's a brick and mortar building but the food produced inside... well... isn't that something determined by the chef? OK... let's find out. Sassy Wright is chief chef and general manager of the Movie Train Cafe. Most chefs have a particular 'style' of cooking and chef Sassy is not an exception. On the other hand there is an exception which is exceptional as you'll soon discover.
How do you describe your particular style of cooking, I asked? “Southern... with love,” Sassy promptly said. That's the 'exception' I mentioned! Naturally this deserves an explanation. “We lost the love in our food,” Sassy said, adding “think back to when grandmother used to make homemade buttermilk biscuits. (I remember!) You'd be in the kitchen as she made that pan gravy. And you really didn't like it as a kid but because she put so much love in it... it filled you up... it got you through the day. So I cook southern-style food... with love... that keeps you going through the day... food like your grandma and great grandma used to cook.” And you thought this was just another 'restaurant' in town?

And what chef doesn't have a favorite dish? “My favorite dish is chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes smothered with mushroom gravy,” Sassy said with a big grin. Ahem... do I hear a big 'YUMMY'? Trouble of it is... withdrawal pains can be worse than hunger pangs so best to order doubles... one order for carry out! You see... the Movie Train Cafe isn't open seven days a week... yet!

Sassy briefly described the regular menu which consists of goodies such as tri-tip, pulled pork (barbecued on the premises), biscuits and gravy. For breakfast... eggs cooked to order the way you like them, home-made hash browns with sausage or bacon. For lunch Sassy said: “We do fresh tuna, home-made potato salad, home-made pasta salad and home-made macaroni salad as well as hamburgers and cheeseburger.” “'Fifties-style cheeseburgers,” Sassy quickly added. Notice all the 'home-made' goodies?

Besides the regular menu, CONTINUED »

City of Fillmore

CITY COUNCIL
Jamey Brooks Pulled 7/16/12 Filed 7/23/12 Certified 7/27/12
Richard L. Neal Pulled 7/23/12
Douglas Tucker Pulled 7/24/12
Manuel Minjares Pulled 7/24/12
Alex Mollkoy Pulled 7/26/12
Sandra Pella Pulled 7/30/12

CITY CLERK
City Clerk Clay Westling Pulled 7/16/12 Filled 7/19/12 Certified 7/20/12

CITY TREASURER
City Treasurer Grace Donahue Pulled 7/26/12

Fillmore Unified School District

Two positions on the Fillmore Unified School District Board of Education will be on the November 6, 2012 ballot. The terms of office for Board Members Virginia de la Piedra and John Garnica will end December 2012. The new terms of office will run until December 2016. The current Board Members have the option of running again.

Candidates interested in running for the School Board should pick up filing materials from the County Clerk Elections Division or the Fillmore Unified School Districts Office beginning July 16, 2012 and must deliver the completed materials to the Ventura County Elections Office no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 10, 2012.

If a candidate wishes to publish a statement in the sample ballot pamphlet, it will be the candidate’s responsibility to pay for the statement fee. However, once a candidate has properly filed a Declaration of Candidacy with Ventura County Elections Office and qualifies for the election, the Fillmore Unified School District will provide space in a local newspaper for candidates to publish a statement at no charge to the candidates. Statements published in the local newspaper will have to comply with the same rules that would apply had the candidate filed a statement with Ventura County Elections.

Questions may be addressed to the County Elections Division at 654-2664 or the District Superintendent’s Office at 524-6038. Anyone wishing to pick up materials from the School District Office at 627 Sespe Avenue should call first to be sure that either Cynthia Padilla (524-6038) or Susan Leon (524-6034) will be available to provide the filing materials and instructions.