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Courtesy FHS Alumni Office

If you are a current Senior at Fillmore High School, and will be enrolled at a four year University, Community Collage, or Trade School in the fall of 2021, you may apply for the Fillmore High Alumni Scholarship starting Tuesday, February 16th by picking up an application at the High School in the main office. Deadline to hand in will be March 31st, 2021. You can hand in at the High School or by dropping off the application in the front door of the Alumni Office at 559 Sespe Ave. (Mail Slot on Front door)

The FHS Alumni Mission:
Since 1913, The Fillmore Alumni Association has been bringing people together to support education, students and the community of Fillmore. Our mission is to provide scholarships to seniors and any graduate seeking to continue their education. Join us today by becoming a member.

FHS Alumni office has help many of Fillmore Students obtain Scholarship money if they plan to attend a four year University, Community College or Trade school this years window to apply is February 16th to March 31st.

Above is the interior of the Artists’ Barn which opened in November 21, 1936.
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Pictured above is the Artists’ Wall today with a close up of local teacher, writer and artist, Harriet “Petey” Weaver’s square in the top right hand corner.
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Fifteen years ago, the tree split in two and it was advised to remove it. The current owners carefully nurtured a sprout coming up from the remaining roots, and here it is today.
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Art Lyceum 1937 Schedule which was a monthly event where speakers would come and speak about art.
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Courtesy Fillmore History Museum

One day in 1936, while visiting her in-laws, Ira and Kate Hinckley, Mildred Coombs Hinckley noticed a derelict barn, 50 feet long and 20 feet wide, on the two acres the Hinckley's owned off First St. The idea struck her that the barn could be converted into a home and studio. Her enthusiasm for the idea carried the day and Labor Day saw a family barn raising. One thing they didn’t immediately get was a new roof. The night of the first rain found the couple marshalling anything which could hold water to catch the water from all the leaks in the old barn’s roof.

By the fall, the newlyweds had a new home (with a new roof) and Fillmore had an art gallery, the Artists’ Barn. The gallery opened on November 21, 1936 and would be a landmark on Bard Street in Fillmore until 1961. Opening day saw exhibition of not only Hinckley’s work but Jesse and Cornelis Botke, Robert Clunie and Douglas Shively, all of Santa Paula. Also included from the beginning were wares of local craftsmen. The couple had expected a few dozen guests for the opening. Instead, they had over three hundred. Instituted the first year was the Art Lyceum, a monthly event with a speaker on something related to the art world. The cost? $5 per event. No one knew what sort of audience this would draw in the rural community, but like the opening event, it was soon had a waiting list for tickets.

When it opened, the Artists’ Barn was the only art gallery in the county. It became a meeting place for the community and for the art world. The Hinckleys drew artists from throughout the United States to the small community. The community became more knowledgeable and interested in art as a result. Besides artists, the Barn drew tourist buses as it made a good place to break the long drive between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. It was estimated that in the first five years it was open; it had an attendance of 20,000 people.

Eventually, the Hinckleys had to enlarge the home to accommodate the art studio and gallery. One aspect of the home was the Artists’ Wall where visiting artists would leave signed works that became a permanent part of the home.

Things slowed down during World War II and Lawrence went to work at Douglas Aircraft making charts for the Air Corps. The Hinckleys moved to Los Angeles, renting the Barn to Beatrice Albright, a schoolteacher. Agnes Ashby kept the gift shop running in their absence.

After the war ended, they returned to the Barn and began a new phase, ceramics. They made figures and kitchen items such as spoon rests (the first of its kind), match holders and funnels. Lawrence insisted that anything they produced be of the best quality and quickly disposed of flawed items. The current owners tell of when gardening finding unbroken ceramics buried in the dirt – Lawrence’s rejects.

Also, immensely popular were the classes that were held at the Artists’ Barn. Many residents remember taking classes there.

Their ceramics line was phased out as imports began to flood the market. In 1961, the Hinckleys closed the Artists’ Barn, converting it back to a private home. Lawrence continued to paint and Mildred, now Dr. Mildred Hinckley, a Doctor of Theology, became the minister at the Church of Religious Science in Fillmore.

In 1981 the Barn and the massive pepper tree in the garden were both declared Ventura County Historic Landmarks. Lawrence Hinckley passed away in 1987 and Mildred in 1995.

A crew of catalytic converter thieves were apprehended after they stole from a Fillmore resident. Investigators suspect they might be involved in similar crimes occurring in the region.

In the early morning hours of February 8th, a Fillmore resident heard a loud noise coming from her vehicle that was parked nearby. Upon further examination, the victim discovered her catalytic converter had been removed from the vehicle and the suspects fled the area. The victim provided the vehicle information that was believed to be associated with the thieves. Deputies quickly responded to the area and noticed two vehicles fleeing. One was identified as a white Toyota Prius, containing three suspects and a yellow Chevrolet Camaro with two occupants.

Deputies coordinated a stop of both vehicles. Deputies immediately noticed the Prius had a catalytic converter that had been cut in the rear compartment. The deputies investigated deeper and located saws, a car jack and other items related to catalytic converter thefts.

All of the subjects associated in both vehicles were deemed to be working in concert to steal catalytic converters. They were arrested and transported to the Police Station.

As the investigation progressed, a second resident called and reported that the catalytic converter was stolen from her vehicle which was parked in the 900 block of Fourth Street. Investigators were able to link this theft with the suspects associated with the Prius and Camaro.

All five suspects were arrested and booked at the Pre-Trail Detention Facility for the following charges:
• PC 487 (a) Grand Theft
• PC 182 (a)(1) Conspiracy to Commit Crime
• PC 466 Possession of Burglary Tools

The suspects in this case are currently in custody pending a court appearance on February 10, 2021 and $300,000 bail.

Catalytic converter crimes are on the rise throughout county. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance with reducing these events. We encourage you to report suspicious activity in your neighborhood and help reduce your chances of becoming a victim by parking your vehicles in well-lit areas or secured garages.

Prepared by: Sergeant Vince Alvarez
Approved by: 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).

Daniel Gonzalez, 61, Santa Paula.

Santa Paula man arrested for possession of more than a ½ pound of methamphetamine.

During the past year, deputies received information regarding a local transient, Daniel Gonzalez, selling methamphetamine to area residents. This information came from multiple sources over a 13-month period.

On February 6th, deputies were conducting foot patrol of the district watershed area, in Santa Paula. While conducting their patrol, they contacted Gonzalez, who they suspected of trespassing. During their investigation, they determined Gonzalez was under the influence of a controlled substance and placed him under arrest. While conducting a search of Gonzalez’s personal belongings they discovered 246 grams (8.66 ounces) of methamphetamine.

The deputies arrested Gonzalez for violations HS 11550 Being Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance and HS 11379 Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Sales. Gonzalez remains in custody at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility awaiting arraignment. Gonzalez’s bail has been set at $60,000.00 and he is due to appear in court February 9, 2021.

Nature of Incident: Suspect arrested with over ½ pound of methamphetamine
Report Number: 21-16845
Location: The Santa Clara River Watershed – Santa Paula
Date & Time: February 6, 2021 / 2:00 pm
Unit(s) Responsible: West County Patrol Services – Santa Clara Station
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent
Daniel Gonzalez , 61, Santa Paula
Prepared by: Sergeant Daniel Blanck
Approved by: 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).

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services is in the process of updating the Ventura County Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). The EOP addresses the County’s planned response to emergency situations and natural, human caused or technological disasters, and requires reviewing and updating every three years.

We believe that emergency preparedness is a shared “whole community” responsibility, involving a broad spectrum of community interests, including individual members, businesses, faith-based and other community organizations, academia as well as the media and all levels of government. The public is invited to review the draft EOP and can download a copy by visiting www.ReadyVenturaCounty.org, www.VCEmergency.com or www.VenturaCountyRecovers.org and click on the 2021 EOP Update link at the top of the page.

Nature of Incident: Ventura County Emergency Operations Plan
Date & Time: February 2, 2021
Unit(s) Responsible: Office of Emergency Services
Prepared by: Bill Boyd, OES Emergency Manager
Approved by: Patrick Maynard, OES Director

The Canon circa 1935.
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The Veterans Service Club formed in 1927 in Fillmore, and in July 1928 the Veterans Service Club ordered a cannon as a gift to Fillmore from the Rartian Arsenal in New Jersey. Pictured above is Len Hawthorn firing the Howitzer in 1979.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

The Fillmore cannon? Well, actually, it’s not. It’s a howitzer, probably of French manufacture based on German plans. So how did it get to Fillmore?

In January 1927, a group of Fillmore veterans formed the Veteran’s Service Club. Membership was open to “all men who honorably served in the army, navy or marine corps of the United States or her allies as well as those who have served this country in former conflicts.” The first president of the organization was R. A. Fremlin, who served in the British armed forces during World War I. The American Legion accepted only those who had served in the US military.

The Club grew from a charter membership of 35 to 134 by the end of 1927. The group was active in the improvement of Fillmore, taking on sponsorship of the city park which be created near the Southern Pacific Depot between Main and Santa Clara Streets.

As a gift to the town the VSC ordered a “cannon” from the Raritan Arsenal in New Jersey. As it was war surplus, the “cannon” itself cost them nothing, but they had to pay $150 in for shipping. In July 1928, the “cannon”, a 150mm howitzer arrived was installed in the City Park which at the time was the area in front of the current City Hall.

The “cannon” was not the only thing the VSC were doing in 1928 (although some of their plans were interrupted by the sudden collapse of the St. Francis Dam on March 12/13). They were the sponsor of the spring and fall flower shows, they put on several stage plays. To complete the year, they donated and installed the neon “Fillmore” sign that still can be seen on Central.

The “cannon” was a “mobile” piece and on at least two occasions traveled. One story is that in the early 1950s, some fun-loving Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce) moved it to the Wm L. Morris lot, then on Central and Santa Clara. No damage was done and the cannon was returned to its home in the park.

It was a different story in 1974 when a “local prankster” hooked the howitzer up to his pick up and towed down the street. The wheels of the venerable gun broke under the strain. Retired cabinet make Fred Barger was commissioned to repair the wheels, which he did at no charge. The City Works department placed it on the southwest corner of the City Park so visitors were greeted by the “cannon” as the drove up Central Avenue.

The 1994 Earthquake changed many things and so it was with the “cannon”. With the construction of the new City Hall, the “cannon” lost its home. It was also in need of some TLC. Ralph Rees and Basil Dalsem undertook the job of restoring the cannon and when finished, it found its new home at the Veteran’s Memorial Building on 2nd Street where it remains.

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On January 27, 2021, the Ventura Sheriff’s Office, and all the cities that contract police services with the Sheriff’s Office, hosted a gun turn-in. This was an opportunity for citizens to turn in unwanted firearms, replica firearms and ammunition for destruction.

As a result, 60 guns were turned in for destruction as well as 7 replica BB guns and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition.

Nature of Incident: Gun Turn-In Results
Location: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Thousand Oaks Police Department, Moorpark Police Department, Camarillo Police Department, Fillmore Police Department and the Ojai Police Department
Date & Time: 1/28/2021
Unit(s) Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff’s Office
Prepared by: Senior Deputy Mike Baker
Approved by: Captain Shane Matthews

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).