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July 30, 2013 at approximately 6:53 pm, a motorcycle traveling approximately 65 miles per hour westbound on Main Street at Saratoga Street collided with a Honda Civic that was making a left turn from Saratoga Street onto eastbound Main Street. The collision occurred in the intersection causing the driver (29) and passenger (29) of the motorcycle to be ejected. The driver of the motorcycle was wearing a helmet and sustained moderate injuries. The driver of the motorcycle was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center for treatment. The passenger on the motorcycle, 29-year-old Francisco Andrade, of Fillmore, was not wearing a helmet, sustained major injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver (24) of the Honda Civic sustained minor injuries and was transported to Santa Paula Hospital for treatment. The other passengers in the Honda Civic did not sustain any injuries. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office will be conducting an investigation to determine the cause of death.

At this time the cause of the collision is under investigation. The Fillmore Police Department and Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision to call the Fillmore Police Department at 805-524-2233.

Fillmore High Alumni Association

Besides the fourteen scholarships awarded to members of the 2013 graduating class from Fillmore High, the alumni association has also awarded 19 $1000 Continuation Grants to former Fillmore High graduates who are continuing their education at universities, colleges or technical schools. Receiving these grants for the 2013-2014 school year are:

Anthony Chavez, 2010 graduate who is attending U.C. San Diego, majoring in Political Science; Corey Cole, 2011 graduate who is attending Concordia University in St. Paul, MN, majoring is Physical Education and Elementary Education; Sean Conaway, 2007 graduate, attending B. Y. U. majoring in Business Management; Amy De La Piedra, 1993 graduate attending Moorpark College working for her Registered Nursing degree; Vincent Ferguson, 2009 graduate, attending Cal State Channel Islands, majoring in Mathematics; Jaymee Harter, 2009 graduate, attending Cal State Northridge, majoring in Public Health Promotion; Chloe Keller, 2011 graduate, attending Cal State Channel Islands, majoring in Liberal Studies; Jaynessa Lopez, 2012 graduate, attending Cal Lutheran, majoring in Biology; Kelsey MacDonald, 2010 graduate, attending San Diego State, majoring in Public Health; Kellsie McLain, 2010 graduate, attending U.C.L.A., majoring in American Literature;Moneh Magdaleno, 2010 graduate, attending Vanguard University, majoring in Psychology with a Religion minor; Roberto Munoz, 2012 graduate, attending Grinnell College, majoring in Psychology; Mariah Perez, 2011 graduate, attending Cal State Bakersfield, majoring in Criminal Justice; Grace Simon, 2011 graduate, attending Cal State Northridge, majoring in Communications Disorders;Troy Spencer, 2011 graduate, attending Cal Lutheran, majoring in Accounting; Karissa Tarango, 2011 graduate, attending Cal State Northridge, majoring in Psychology; Jenna Wilber, 2012 graduate, attending Westmont College, majoring in Liberal Studies; John Wilber, 2012 graduate, attending Ventura College, major undecided; Riley Wright, 2011 graduate, attending Cal State Channel Islands, majoring in Liberal Arts.

Upon enrolling for the fall term at the school of their choice, recipients are to send proof of enrollment at the school, along with a short note letting the Scholarship Committee know how the first few weeks of college have gone for them. At this time, one half of their grant will be sent. The second half will be sent upon their enrolling for the second semester.

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Taurie Banks, of Fillmore, returned home from the 2013 Pinto Horse World Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with two World Championship titles and three Reserve Championships.

Riding the Black and White Stallion, See En Magic, Owned by Sue and Richard Fleczok of Simi Valley, she won the Open First Level Dressage. She received a World Championship Buckle, Ribbon and a World Championship Jacket. See En Magic Went on to make the Top Ten with a Sixth Place in Open Hunters Over Fences and Fifth Place in the Open Jumpers. He also placed Fifth in the Open Hunter Hack.

“I am so happy with Wizard (See En Magic)!” Banks said. “It has been a lot of work to get here, but Wizard was amazing. He really showed he trusted me in the ring, and relaxed, and gave me his best! I didn't know we had won, but it felt like a World Championship Ride!”

She went on to add, “In the jumping, he was so relaxed and easy to ride. I really was able to enjoy the whole World Show experience”.

Sue Fleczok, owner of See En Magic stated, “I am so glad that we found Taurie. She has the patience and the ability to read the horses, and work with them through any issues they might have.”

Taurie also rode her American Paint Horse Stallion, Tribal King, winning the OpenWestern Dressage Level 2 World Championship Title and Reserve Champion.

“This is a fairly new discipline in horse sports and I am very excited about it's future.” Taurie said. “My horse and I pushed ourselves to compete in the highest levels currently offered for Western Dressage and it paid off! Tribal King is such a supple, and flexible horse, he makes these harder tests a lot of fun.”

Tribal King also won Reserve World Champion in the Open English Dressage Second Level the day before, and was Reserve World Champion in the Open Jumping, missing the World Championship title by just a few seconds. He also placed Fifth in the Open Working Hunters.

“This was an amazing experience!” Taurie gleamed. “I had the opportunity to ride two amazing horses, in three completely different disciplines. My goal was to try and make the Top Ten in all my classes and I came home with Five Champion and Reserve Championship Buckles, and all my rides were in the Top Seven.”

Tribal King was also awarded Reserve Show Champion for the Open Hunter Type Horses for the entire two week show, even though he only competed for three days.

Taurie would like to thank Richard and Sue Fleczok for the opportunity to ride See En Magic and support they have shown in making this show a possibility. She would also like to thank her amazing, hard working groom, Bailey Brantley, who made sure the horses needs were always taken care of.

Taurie Banks is the Owner and Trainer at Kings Corner Training Stables in Fillmore. For more information about Taurie and her horses, riding lessons or summer camp, please contact her at www.kingscornerstables.com or call (805) 727-3444.

Fugitive Andres Rene Rodriguez, 28 of Oxnard.

Fillmore Sheriff Department was out in force Saturday night in the Los Serenos track. Fugitive Andres Rene Rodriguez, 28 of Oxnard, wanted for homicide, was reported in the area. Sheriff’s officers followed up on the lead. He was not captured.

Rodriguez is wanted in an Oxnard shooting, and the shooting death last week of Angela Bryant, 33, of Santa Paula. Bryant was found in her home Wednesday night with a gunshot wound to the head. She later died at Ventura County Medical Center.

Santa Paula Police and Oxnard police are also involved in the investigation.

Rodriquez has a long criminal history in Ventura County and has warrants out for his arrest. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Steve Stewart and Tom Petersen introduce the Pilot Program to charge for portable toilet waste, during Tuesday night’s council meeting.
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The July 23, 2013 Fillmore City Council Meeting was completed in less than an hour. The agenda items addressed included approval of the pilot program to charge for portable toilet waste disposal, new upgraded copy machines, and an appointment to the Planning Commission.

The four month pilot program to accept portable toilet waste at the Fillmore Water Recycling Plant was approved by the Council. It was scheduled to begin on September 3rd but those working on the project are pushing for an earlier date. The test trial will start at accepting 3/10th of 1% the facilities capacity at 15 cents per gallon. The plant currently uses only 55% of its permitted capacity. Its total capacity is 1.8 million gallons per day which is about double the amount of residents/customers it services.

There are other facilities that accept portable toilet waste and charge less per gallon, such as Lancaster (10.1 cents), Saugus (9.7 cents) and Carson and Pomona (5.7 cents); but for businesses such as local agriculture, construction and outdoor events here in Ventura County using Fillmore's facility makes better economic sense considering the travel time and cost of gas. An informal telephone survey revealed that business located in within the vicinity of Fillmore generate approximately 15,000 gallons per day, which equates to approximately .833% of the plants total capacity.

One portable toilet supplier is ready to participate in the trial program; which is expected to generate $30,000 in revenue every four months. The associated costs for staff and legal services needed to initiate the program is expected to be approximately $4,000 with American Water's fee at approximately $4,500, netting the City in the range of $22,500 for the first four months. If the test trial shows no impact on the facility's operating capacity other portable toilet supplies will then be allowed to use the facility up to 1% of its capacity; which has the potential of generating well over $200,000 for the City. American Water, who runs the plant, will receive 15% of any revenue received under the program.

Another agenda item was approving a new member of the Planning Commission. The new member is Jayme L. Laber, who has a Bachelor of Science degree in Watershed Sciences (surface water hydrology) and over 20 years of experience in water resources, flood control and public works related projects. Laber has resided in Fillmore 11 years and stated his reason for applying for the position was, "I would like to give back to the community of Fillmore in some capacity."

The City will soon be upgrading and replacing most of its copy machines. A diligent city staff member, City Treasurer Shannon Godfrey recognized the cost savings to the City by changing lease providers. Godfrey spent over three months in contract negotiations with DocuProducts and Canon Financial Services with the final contract expected to save the City $560 each month. Godfrey told the Council the City makes about 30,000 copies per month and is also paying for repairs of the City owned equipment, which Godfrey said is quite often. With the new contract the City will have more copiers, which are internet connected (except those at the Police Station and Planning Department), repairs are included in the contract and copiers that are user friendly. Acting City Manager Rigo Landeros made a point of thanking Godfrey for all the effort she put into arranging the new contract that is upgrading City equipment and saving the City $6,720 per year.

There are many “Only in Fillmore” and “Hometown boy makes good” stories to recount, but the one about Fillmore's own Rigo Landeros deserves mention in both those categories! If I didn't live in Fillmore and personally know Rigo for over 20 years I would be suspicious myself that in today's environment anyone would be asked to do what he was asked to do; or that he could accomplish what he did these past 11 months as interim city manager. But to really understand how this happened, and how it actually worked, you really have to know a little background about Rigo, Fillmore’s Fire Chief.

Except for being born in Ventura, Reguberto “Rigo” Landeros, 49 years old has lived all his life in his hometown of Fillmore. He has been educated in Fillmore Unified School District Schools; San Cayetano and Sespe Elementary Schools, Fillmore Junior High School (now Fillmore Middle School) and he graduated from Fillmore High School in 1982.

Rigo is the son of Nicholas and the late (2001) Gabriela Landeros of Fillmore. Rigo's father was a hard working family man who toiled in the orange orchards until age 70 as a laborer. Rigo is the youngest of six Landeros children; Brothers Nick 59 years of Ventura, Frannie, 56 years of Fillmore, Chris, 54 years of Fillmore and sisters Abbagail, 58 years of Pearblossom, CA, Annaberta, 52 years of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Josie, 51 years of Lancaster, CA. His father-In-Law Tom and mother-In-Law Jan Petersen also live in Fillmore.

Rigo is married to CONTINUED »