Updated

September 16, 2020

Interim Halloween Guidance

As fall approaches families start to plan for the upcoming holiday season beginning with Halloween. Since some of the traditional ways in which this holiday is celebrated does not allow you to minimize contact with non-household members, it is important to plan early and identify safer alternatives. The Ventura County Department of Public Health would like to share information on how to take part in this holiday in a manner that reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19. Since some of the traditional ways in which this holiday is celebrated are not permitted this year, consider some safer alternatives that are listed below.

The State of California is also expected to come out with guidance on this topic.

Halloween Activities
Not Permitted (gatherings and events are not currently allowed under the State Health Order)
- Halloween gatherings, events or parties with non-household members are not permitted even if they are conducted outdoors.
- Carnivals, festivals, live entertainment, and haunted house attractions are not allowed.
Not Recommended
- Door to door trick or treating is not recommended because it can be very difficult to maintain proper social distancing on porches and at front doors, ensure that everyone answering or coming to the door is appropriately masked to prevent disease spread, and because sharing food is risky.
- “Trunk or treating” where children go from car to car instead of door to door to receive treats is also not recommended, particularly when part of Halloween events, since it is difficult to avoid crowding and sharing food.
Permitted and Recommended
- Online parties/contests (e.g. costume or pumpkin carving)
- Car parades that comply with public health guidance for vehicle-based parades including:
a. Drive by events or contests where individuals dress up or decorate their vehicles and drive by “judges” that are appropriately physically distanced.
b. Drive through events where individuals remain in their vehicles and drive through an area with Halloween displays.
c. Drive in events where individuals can receive a treat bag (limited to commercially packaged non-perishable treats) or take away item from an organizer while the participants remain in their vehicle.
- Halloween movie nights at drive in theaters (must comply with the public health drive in movie theater guidance).
- Halloween themed meals at outdoor restaurants (must comply with the restaurant protocol).
- Halloween themed art installations at an outdoor museum (must comply with the public health museum guidance.)
- Dressing up homes and yards with Halloween themed decorations.

Personal Protection Measures
Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Halloween it is important to keep the following in mind:
1. Correctly wear a cloth face covering to prevent disease spread1 when outside your home and around others that are not part of your household
2. Avoid confined spaces - Actively stay away from indoor spaces that don’t allow for easy distancing of at least 6ft between you and others
3. Avoid close contact — Stay at least 6 feet away (3 or more adult steps) from all other people who are not part of your own household, especially while talking, eating, drinking, and singing.
4. Wash or sanitize your hands often.
5. Clean frequently touched items regularly.
6. If you are sick, or you have been in contact with someone who is sick with COVID-19 or has symptoms of COVID-19 stay home, and away from others.

Know where to get reliable information. Beware of scams, false news and hoaxes surrounding novel coronavirus. Accurate information, including announcements of new cases in Ventura County, will always be distributed by Public Health through press releases, social media, and our website. The website has more information on COVID-19 including FAQs, infographics and a guide to coping with stress, as well as tips on handwashing.
Website: www.venturacountyrecovers.org
Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, Instagram @CountyofVentura
Other reliable sources of information about novel coronavirus are:
¢ California Department of Public Health (CDPH, State)
o https://www.cdph.ca. gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx
¢ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, National)
o http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/novel-coronavirus-2019.html Questions? Please call 2-1-1 24/7 or the Public Information Line: 805-654-2640
Other Public Health resources include the following sites:

¢ California Department of Public Health (CDPH, State) — https://www.cdph.ca.gov/

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, National)

http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/novel-coronavirus-2019. html

National Voter Registration Day is celebrated each year in September. This nonpartisan civic holiday celebrates our democracy and encourages us to use our voice and VOTE! Are you registered to vote? Have you checked your registration for correct address and language preference? It is easier to do than you may think. To get ready for the Nov 3 election, The League of Women Voters Ventura County reminds us there are many on-line options that are quick and simple to use. Register to vote:
Registertovote.ca.gov or lwvventuracounty.org Check your Voter Reg Status: voterstatus.sos.ca.gov or call (800) 345-VOTE (8683) or: Ventura County Clerk-Recorder: www.venturavote.org or 805-654-2664
Teresa Camarillo
Oak View, CA

Enlarge Photo

Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

In 1930, the Piru News ran a series of articles entitled, “What Piru Has….” The paper described the series as “a series of weekly articles describing the various industries, products, organizations, schools, business houses of Piru and vicinity.” Two of the articles addressed the businesses that were in Piru. Below is the second of the two articles.
You can read more of the Piru News at https://cdnc.ucr.edu/

Piru News, Volume IV, Number 41, 20 November 1930
The United Mercantile store is a branch of a Fillmore concern of the same name. Here it had its origin in the Ventura County Cooperative association, organized by W. G. Cornelius and Hugh Warring and which for a time operated three stores in this district.

George Alltis is the present store manager. A general line of dry goods, clothing, notions, shoes, groceries, paints and hardware is sold.

What is now the United Mercantile store was started more than a quarter of a century ago by W G. Cornelius and Hugh Warring.
Cornelius explains that after the Piru Land and Oil company bought the interests of David C. Cook here, a general merchandising store was started by the company with W. H. Fleet as manager.

Then Cornelius and Warring, who already operated a store at Buckhorn, came into Piru and launched a general store and butcher shop. Fleet sold his interests in the company store to a firm called La Point and Lawrence.

A price cutting war ensued between the two stores with Cornelius and Warring meeting the competition with even lower prices until finally such a method was deemed folly and La Point and Lawrence sold their store to Cornelius and Waning.

Lacking funds sufficient to carry on the new owners organized the Ventura Cooperative association with twenty-five members paid up at $l00 each. Cornelius acted as store manager.

The enterprise proved highly successful and it expanded and opened a branch at Fillmore after buying the stores of George Tighe at Fillmore and Sespe. Many new members were then taken into the association from Piru. Fillmore and Bardsdale.

In later years and under new management the concern was incorporated, and it became the present United Mercantile company.

The Pioneer Market which recently was purchased from A. Nelson by Clays and Nary and which later was bought by Clays and Clays, sells all kinds of fresh and alt meats and vegetables and ice. Mr. and Mrs. Clays owned the market some four years before it was sold to Nelson.

Belty’s Barbershop, R O Belty claims to have been operating a place of business longer than any other person in Piru. He has been in the barber business here for 31 years. Belty has three pool tables, two barbershops and sells candy, cigars, hair tonics, etc.

The Mission Inn operated by Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Clough is located on Center street at the Intersection of Telegraph road in its own building. The Cloughs were proprietors first nine years ago and then were out a year They returned in January of this year. Four years ago, the owners doubled the size of the building. Short orders, meals, soil drinks, candies and cigars may be obtained here.

The cook is Miss Lillian Davis and Miss Elizabeth Wagener is the present waitress.

Next down the street Is the Piru Garage operated by J. P. “Slim'’ Davis, handling Standard and Edington gasoline, Willard batteries and doing a general auto repair Davis has been in the garage business there for two and one-half years. The garage is headquarters for the Piru volunteer fire department, the apparatus being housed there gratis.

Ruiz' Barbershop: For three years G. T. Ruiz has been conducting a pool room, barber shop, soft drink place and card tables in a building belonging to the Eastside Brewing company. Tobaccos, cigars and candies also are sold there.

Highway Market: A general line of groceries, meats vegetables, fresh fruits and nuts are sold at the Highway Market, of which Clyde E. Spencer is the proprietor. A real estate and insurance business is also conducted in this store. Spencer, who formerly was the local bank manager, has considerable trade from motorists as well as townspeople living in that section of town. He takes a pride in keeping his store looking ''shipshape" and clean.

The Bowdle and Bowdle service station is 100 per cent Richfield in gasoline and oils. Tires and various auto accessories also are sold there. Five cabins for tourists are operated in connection with the service station and during the tourist season a rood business is done in rentals. The Piru dance hall is situated on the Bowdle property. This structure is 40 x 80 feet in dimension.

Across the bridge from Bowdle's a gasoline station was installed this summer and is operated by Tom Dominguez.

Harry’s Lunch: "T-Bone" Harry Ridenbaugh conducts a restaurant at the intersection of Telegraph road and Center street. Meals and short orders, soft drinks and ice cream products are sold here.

Opposite Harry’s lunch is Stewart's Garage, oil station, and machine shop. The proprietors are Albert and his father, A. J Stewart. General automobile repair work is done here.

The Ramona Garage which soon is to be the home of the Piru Ford automobile agency in a new building now under construction. is conducted at the Telegraph road and Main street intersection by James and Ace Wallace, brothers. This is another 100 per cent Richfield station.

In addition to doing a general repair business, soft drinks, candies, tobaccos and oranges are sold here.

Tate's Garage: On the dairy road south of town, Oliver Tate does a gasoline, oil and automobile repair business at a place known as Tate's garage.

La Victoria Store is a Mexican chain store is situated on Main street doing business in a general line of groceries.

One of the latest additions to the business section is a physician’s office which was opened a few months ago by Dr. Hart D. Wilson, a young man who came here after serving his internship in an Oakland hospital.

For twenty years William Chessani has had a shoe repair and harness shop in Piru His shop is now on Center street. He formerly conducted the business in a room at his home.

Missing Person: Bertha Zermeno DeLara, 73, Fillmore.

At 5pm today there will be a community meeting in St. Francis church parking lot for Bertha DeLara.

Experienced walkers, hikers and truck owners are greatly appreciated.

If you must bring children, please be prepared to walk through neighborhoods and businesses with flyers.

BRING MASKS.

Bertha was last seen at her residence in the 400 Block of Mockingbird Lane in the City of Fillmore.

She answers to “Mom” and may be hiding.

She is known to hold on to cars when walking and could be in a state of fear.

Please immediately offer her water and food if located.

Bertha prefers to speak English and will not respond easily to Spanish

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for help in locating an at-risk elderly Fillmore woman who walked away from her house late last night.

Bertha Zermeno DeLara is 73-years-old and suffers from dementia. She walked away from her residence located in the 400 block of Mockingbird Lane. Bertha is described as a Hispanic female, 5’4” 170 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing dark clothing.

Anyone with information about DeLara’s whereabouts should call the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office at (805)654-9511.

Nature of Incident: Missing Person At Risk
Report Number: 20-130504
Location: 400 block of Mockingbird Lane, Fillmore, CA 93015
Date & Time: September 20, 2020 @ 12:00 AM
Unit(s) Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent, City of Residence, Age
(MP) DeLara, Bertha Zermeno, Fillmore, 73
Prepared by: Sergeant William Hutton (805)881-3438, william.hutton@ventura.org
Media Follow-Up Contact: Sergeant William Hutton (805)881-3438, william.hutton@ventura.org
Booking Photo Release: Captain Garo Kuredjian

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).

A hearty welcome to our new BUNNIN CHEVROLET dealership.

Bunnin Chevrolet of Fillmore opened August 14, 2020. This is Leo Bunnin's third Chevrolet dealership. The others are Bunnin Chevrolet and Cadillac in Santa Barbara, Bunnin Chevrolet in Santa Paula (opened November 2019) and now Fillmore. Due to covid restrictions, no date has been set for the official grand opening party, but everyone is welcome to stop by and look at the newly renovated showroom, complete with the newest Chevrolet models on display, including the all new Chevrolet Corvette, coming soon.

Bunnin's goal is to reopen the dealership's Cafe as soon as possible and safe to do so. It will be called LEO's Cafe and will include breakfast and lunch favorites that Fillmore residents were used to.

Leo Bunnin is a third generation car dealer whose family has been in the automobile business for over 70 years, and "we salute the Morris family who started this dealership in 1929. We plan to give "back to the community" which has been a long standing business credo for Leo Bunnin and his dealerships. We are so happy and proud to be your new hometown dealership and look forward to seeing everyone here whether it be for Service, Parts, Sales (new and used as well as medium to heavy duty trucks)."

Leo Bunnin - Owner and Dealer Principal.

David W. Rowlands, Fillmore City Manager.

The City Council of Fillmore wants your input. The City, working with the Conflict Resolution Institute, will be hosting a virtual Community Conversation, on Saturday, September 26 from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. Small break out groups will be used and we will have English and Spanish language groups and interpreters. You may participate via phone or computer.

The community conversation is designed to see how the community feels, highlight specific experiences, and understand what the next steps envision. The City Council is committed to making life better for everyone in the community. The only way that the City Council can know your experiences and thoughts is through your participation.

To register for this event the link is, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-city-of-fillmore-virtual-community-conv...

Registration is also available on the following city social media platforms – city web page, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Let’s work together to keep Fillmore the “Best Last Small Town.”