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As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, Fillmore residents are preparing to celebrate with BBQs and family get-togethers. Unfortunately, these celebrations can quickly turn disastrous, especially when children and teenagers are injured while discharging fireworks. Common sense and wise judgment are paramount to a safe holiday celebration.

The City of Fillmore Fire Department wants to ensure that Fillmore citizens enjoy a safe Fourth of July holiday. Residents are reminded that California State Fire Marshal approved “safe and sane” fireworks sold in Fillmore are legal between June 28 12:00pm – July 5 12:00pm The use of any type of non-approved firework is illegal and will result in criminal charges and fines in excess of $1,000. If you witness any illegal activity in the Fillmore area please report it. Please call 805-524-1500 ext. 350 with any information you can provide. An illegal fireworks enforcement team dedicated to responding to fireworks related calls for service will be on hand to insure violations are resolved both quickly and safely.

Below are several safety tips to insure you and your family enjoy a safe Independence Day celebration.
Fire Safety
• If you witness a crime or fire in progress involving illegal fireworks, call your local authorities by dialing 9-1-1.
• Only Safe and Sane fireworks bearing the seal of the State Fire Marshal are legal in California. All other fireworks, including altered Safe and Sane fireworks and those that explode or leave the ground are illegal.
• Kids should not play with fireworks. Fireworks are intended for use by adults in open spaces with plenty of active supervision for every child present.
• Always have a bucket of water on hand to dispose of fireworks and a hose connected to water ready in case of fire.
• Fireworks, including sparklers and flares, can cause serious burns as well as blast injuries that can permanently impair vision and hearing. Teach your children what to do if their clothing catches on fire — “stop, drop and roll” — and how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

A detailed "Farm Watch E Newsletter" will be sent out in a week or so. We wanted to get these important details out to you fast.

BURGLARY WARNING

If you have rural farming, ranching or nursery property in the Las Posas Valley, Tierra Rejada Valley , Oxnard Plains, Santa Rosa or Santa Clara River Valley.

In the last 7 days the Sheriff's Department has responded with our deputies and CSI Unit to a sudden increase in rural burglaries at nurseries and farms. We believe that at least two of them are connected and are located 7 miles apart.

Here are the Highlights:
Waters Road - Barn - Horse Equipment
Sunset Valley Road-Tierra Rejada - Barn - Special Event Equipment
Balcom Road - Shed - Landscaping Equipment
Balcom at South Mountain Connex Boxes Ranch Welding Equipment
Bradley Road - Barn - Landscaping Equipment
Bradley Road- Nursery Grounds - 350 flats of plants
Pancho Road -Pancho Road - Trailer and Pipe
Berylwood Road- Diesel Fuel
Los Angeles Ave- Somis- Connex Box- Gardening Equipment
Foothill Drive- Santa Paula / Ventura- Forklift

What does all this mean?
The suspect(s) are using the concealment of darkness and targeting the rural locations and standard "Connex type" 20 and 40 foot boxes at unattended locations.

Who are they?
They are bold, aggressive in technique and any property is fair game. They likely blend in using farm type trucks.

What do we know about them?
They will likely have bolt cutters in their trucks. We know the same crook has hit multiple locations in the same night and that the victims have unrelated agriculture activities.
These miscreants are criminal foragers, opportunistic and will take what ever they can find.

What can you do?
Be extra vigilant, block remote access gates with heavy equipment that cant be hot wired and stolen. Install camera systems (Although one was stolen, we will mention that in our newsletter later). Teach employees to report any suspicious vehicles, often the drivers ask for casual farm work and they may also be crooks casing out your farm.
Install Motion Lights, Driveway electronic detection systems, Alarms and Reenforce your storage sheds.

ALSO:
Cancel the lookout for the White Pick Up Truck that was a suspect in last month's large diesel theft.
We had 3 Farm Watch members email tips in, and we located the truck and suspect.
We couldn't have solved this caper without your Farm Watch tips!

Be safe Farm Watch!
Tim Hagel
Captain
Ventura County Sheriff Department

Ruben Sauceda speaks to the school board during the June 3rd meeting.
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FUSD Board Resolution Page 1
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FUSD Board Resolution Page 2
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In a special meeting held on Thursday, June 3rd, the Fillmore School Board of Trustees unanimously approved Resolution 09-10-25. By passing this Resolution, the Board has granted themselves the ability to circumvent part (Article 10) of their collective bargaining agreement with the Fillmore Unified Teacher Association (FUTA), and thus giving themselves “sole discretion” in making transfers and reassignments “to and from” Piru Elementary School for the 2010-2011 school year. In letters dated June 4, 2010 five teachers at Piru Elementary School were notified of their reassignments. Four of these teachers were petitioners in the effort over the past year to convert the school to a charter school; these four teachers are Mrs. Susan Jolley, Ms. Shara Elliott, Ms. Jill Kelley and Mr. Chris Pavik. A Piru second grade teacher, Mr. John Schaper who was opposed to the charter petition has also received a transfer notice. Schaper did not respond to requests for comment. The letter to teachers signed by Superintendent Jeff Sweeney states that this action is “non-disciplinary”, and does not signify that the District is charging any teachers with “specific acts of misconduct”. Sweeney states in the letter that this is “one of a number of changes that will be made to begin the healing process of the Piru school community…” At press time Sweeney was unable to respond to comment requests due to not having enough time with end of year business. School Board members did not respond to requests for comment made via contact information provided on the District website.

The text of the Resolution contains 14 paragraphs describing why the Board feels action must be taken. Nine of the paragraphs clearly make reference to the fact that certain teachers were part of the charter petition over the last year. The Resolution states “fifty percent of Piru Elementary teachers submitted a petition to the District…seeking to convert Piru Elementary school to a charter school”…”the petition to convert Piru Elementary to a charter school was opposed by other Piru teachers, many classified staff and a majority of Piru parents”…” throughout the entire hearing and appeal process, both proponents and opponents vigorously advocated their position”…”on June 1, 2010 the District received a petition signed by 97 parents, expressing and requesting the removal of certain Piru Elementary teachers who were proponents of the charter petition.” The entire text of the Resolution is available to the public at the School District office.

The bargaining agreement between CONTINUED »

Announcements
Fillmore High School Graduation is this 7 pm Thursday, June 10 at the Fillmore Football Stadium.

Presentations
Mayor Patti Walker presented a proclamation to the Fillmore High School Fillmore Flashes Cheerleading Squad in recognition of their winning track record at numerous competitions including March’s California State Championships, where they won First Place for the third consecutive year. Of over 30 squad members, 16 are on the Competition Team. Walker commended coaches Katrina Tafoya, Eddie Rios, and Katie Aguilar “for motivating the cheerleaders to be champions.”

Public Comments
Councilwoman Laurie Hernandez announced a slow pitch softball tournament fundraiser for the Amber Leon Memorial Fund at 9 am Sunday June 13 at Shiells Park. Cost is $300 per team. Please support the Leon family with the cost of Amber’s memorial service. Contact Melissa Long: 794-5280.

Fillmore Chamber of Commerce President David Crockett announced an open house at the Fillmore Family Medical Group to be held 5-7 pm on the first floor at 828 Ventura Street.

Crockett also gave a CONTINUED »

Noah Stoessl, 8, of Fillmore, was airlifted by a VC Fire Department helicopter out of a remote section of Los Padres National Forest, Saturday, north of Fillmore. As of Sunday Stoessl was in good condition at the Ventura County Medical Center. He had been hiking with his mother and a group of people on a trail above the U.S. Forest Service’s Oak Flat Ranger Station, when he fell about 10 feet, hitting his head on a rock. He has been reported in good condition.

Mike Saviers

Mike Saviers’ grin was audible through the phone, and now his self-deprecating humor comes through from the other side of his sunglasses. The sun’s higher in the sky and he’s no longer sitting in the shade; would he like to move? “Oh, I could use some color on my head,” he laughs as he runs his hand over his shiny scalp. Powered by a can of Diet Coke, he thinks through his answers yet displays a surprising degree of candor, remaining patient through equipment malfunctions, flying papers, and a deluge of questions; he’s an advocate of the slow pace of small town life.

It’s what he likes about Fillmore, where he moved his family in 1991; the city is about the same size as Santa Paula when he was growing up there. “I’m as local as you can get without being from Fillmore,” he jokes. Saviers waves back to someone rolling by in a sedan, “The people here are awesome. It’s fun to walk around; people know each other. Before we lived here in Fillmore, we lived in east Ventura. Life is different—it’s more kick-back and relaxed here.”

After thirty-some years in law enforcement, Saviers appears to fit the bill of a capable cop—approachable, but someone you don’t want to mess with. When asked how he ended up the provisional school board member, he seems surprised himself.

Saviers originally wanted to go into CONTINUED »

On Thursday, June 3, Fillmore River View LLC, the partnership made up of several developers responsible for the Fillmore Business Park Project held an informational meeting for the community at the Senior Center in Fillmore. Over 30 residents and local business owners came to hear the presentation. Presenter, Ray Harper of KDF Communities, one of the developers, believes that Fillmore with the addition of this Business Park is ideally situated to attract some large and diverse companies, bringing with them jobs at all levels of pay, expertise and skill.

What Happens Next?

As the development phase of the project is complete, the phase of a joint venture group taking possession in now in process. The project is currently in escrow with a joint venture group consisting of PacTen Partners and The Southwest Carpenters Pension Fund. According to Harper, both of these groups fund their projects with cash, so there is no dependence on approval from any lender or need for a line of credit. If things progress on schedule escrow will close in the next few months, and at that time the venture group will begin the process of developing building plans, obtaining contractors, and receiving necessary permits from the City for Phase One of the project. Phase One will consist of nine separate buildings on 7.76 acres; totaling 122,162 square feet of interior space being built according to previously approved master plans. The process of obtaining permits generally is a back and forth ongoing event between the City and the venture group that may take several months of negotiating.

How will this project benefit Fillmore?

Fillmore residents and CONTINUED »