SPC Altamirano in front of a runned down building that used to be a mural of Sadam Husein.
Enlarge Photo

by SPC Juanita Altamirano

In some ways my life could have consisted of going to college, filled with midterms and exams an the night life of parties.An 18yr. old Fillmore High School grad. I decided to go a different route. Two years ago on Sept. 11, 2006 I signed a contract, a contract that showed I was now part of the United States Army Reserves. Private First Class Juanita (Jenny) Altamirano, I was no longer just a civilian I was now a soldier. Attending my Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and continuing my Advanced training at Fort Lee, Virginia. After my training I was assigned to my Unit the 137th Quartermaster Co. in S. El Monte, CA. Just a little over my one year in service I was informed that my Unit was to be deployed to Iraq, and little did anyone know was that I was one of the few that had the choice on whether or not to go do to medical limitations.I chose to go. So there I was off to a country where no one wished to take part. Even though I made the choice to deploy, I admit I was still scared, I mean after all the news always gave us insight of what was taking place, which was not always positive for the most part.There I was now in Iraq living the truth of what I was told it would be like. Days that lasted forever, where everyday was a Monday,an weekends no longer existed. A change of pace I say, being in country has opened my eyes and made me see life a bit different.Made me see an realize that we as civilians and soldiers take to much for granted. Being in this country I don't have all the luxuries of home. For example my others cooking I truely miss.My meals consist of the same things everyday,and we always hope that we have bread an lettuce the next day.Where i rest my head at is what I wish to only be my own bed from home, bunked in a run down building with air conditioning and electricity not much but its my home away from home.With long 12 hour days this is my spot of rest an I am grateful.So here I am 7 months later with only 3 more months to go. I have only heard the bad an I am thankful not to have seen the worst. Living day to day with my fellow buddies an continuing on with the mission. I have come a long way it wasn't easy but with the support of family, friends, and supportive civilians I am making it through. But most of my thanks goes out to my mother Lorraine Perez of Fillmore an my closest friend Maritza Gutierrez also of Fillmore Who both supported me way back when joining was just a dream, Thanks for your support I love you both with all my heart.I would also like to give my prayers to the friends an family of my fellow Armed Force friends, Kailey Andrews, Josh Compos, Joseph Ponce, Philip Diaz, Micheal Edwards and to the rest I forgot to name, my love an support goes out to you.

On Sunday, October 12, more than thirty health care vendors will be on hand from 1P.M. until 5P.M., at the Santa Paula Community Center located at 530 W. Main St. in Santa Paula, for the “1st Annual Santa Paula Adult Health and Wellness Day”. The event will benefit area baby boomers, aging adults and caregivers. Administrators of The Gables of Ojai, and Santa Paula Healthcare presented the idea for the fair to hospital administrators also as a way to promote two-year-old Santa Paul Hospital. It has become a collaborative effort of local organizations, actively involved in aging adult and caregiver issues. They include the Santa Paula Senior Center, The Medicine Shoppe (Ojai and Santa Paula), Help Unlimited, Valley Care IPA, Casa Bella, Ventura County Behavioral Health, Twin Pines Healthcare, The Palms at Bonaventure, State Farm (Santa Paula), Secure Horizons and Scan. The goal is to provide aging residents of Santa Clara Valley with current news in health issues, exercise, resources for in-home support, mental health, hospices, pharmacies, adult day care, retirement communities, HICAP, Medicare and health plans, Alzheimer’s, Veterans affairs, home safety, disaster planning, conserving energy resources, fraud/scams and spiritual guidance. Additionally, blood pressure screening and free flu shots (limited supply) will be available.

This is the first event of its’ kind in Santa Paula, and the afternoon will be filled with crucial health related information, music, fresh veggies, food booths, raffles and fun. It will also be the day to become familiar with Santa Paula Hospital, “The Hospital on the Hill”. CONTINUED »

Fillmore Unified School District

Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) Board held the open session of its regular meeting October 7, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Room at the District Office. The Board heard an update from two school principals, discussed a Business Math Course, noted that volunteers are needed for the Bond Oversight Committee, and started a re-negotiation of the City-FUSD Joint Use Agreement.

At a previous Board meeting, the school principals reported on student achievement and school plans to increase student achievement. At this most recent meeting, Katy Hadley, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, announced that smaller groups of principals would continue to report at Board meetings to provide updates on student achievement, English learning, discipline and safety, and parental involvement.

San Cayetano Elementary School Principal Jan Marholin and Mountain Vista Elementary School Principal Chrissy Schieferle spoke about Response to Intervention (RTI), which is a data-based early intervention method, and teacher collaboration. San Cayetano and Mountain Vista both have "Program Improvement" (PI) status under the "No Child Left Behind" Act. San Cayetano is a PI 3 school, because it is in its third year of PI and Mountain Vista is a PI 1 school. PI schools must spend 10% of their Title I money on staff professional development. Marholin and Schieferle expect teachers to work out how to implement their professional development training during collaboration meetings. They require teachers to identify specific students that are having difficulty and expect instruction techniques to be adjusted for those children, so that the students will have progressed by the next meeting. Marholin meets with her teachers by grade-level every four weeks, and has arranged for three teachers each month to spend one day visiting other classrooms. Schieferle holds progress meetings every five weeks, and plans to visit a high-achieving school in Moorpark with her leadership teams, which include representatives from each grade. Teachers have collaboration time each week. CONTINUED »

United States Army Private Joanathan “Jon” Gerlach.

Joanathon “Jon” Gerlach, 18 years, is a 2008 graduate of Fillmore High School. Jon entire education was within the Fillmore Unified School District where he also attended San Cayetano Elementary School and Fillmore Middle School.

Jon enlisted in the United States Army in June 2008 right after graduation. His mother is Barbara Gerlach of Piru and his siblings are brother Niles Gerlach 31, of Piru and sister, Andrea Rodriguez 28, of Fillmore. Maternal Grandparents are Jack Sivils of Lake Isabella, California and the late Bonnie Sivils. Grandfather Sivils worked most of his life on the Vanonni Ranch in Saticoy. Jon’s Paternal Grandparents are the late Rudolph and Doris Gerlach of Ventura. Growing up Jon enjoyed wrestling and he loved basketball, a sport his Mother tells me he would play for hours. When Jon enlisted in the Army he knew he wanted to make the Army a career and he enlisted for 4 years. His goal is to become an Army Ranger.

United States Army Private Joanathan Gerlach graduated on Friday, September 12th at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. While he was in Basic Training he was assigned to Charlie Company 2-13 Infantry 3rd Platoon, Sky Reapers. At graduation he received a Marksmanship medal for his proficiency with a firearm. He will receive twenty-five weeks of advanced specialty training in Computer Detection Systems at Fort Gordon, Georgia. After completing this training he will then transfer to Fort Benning, Georgia for four weeks of Army Airborne Training. It is then expected that he will then be deployed. Private Gerlach is the first in his immediate family to enlist in the Army; however, his Grandfather Rudolph Gerlach was with the Merchant Marines during WWII and Uncle Rudy Gerlach was with United States Army’s 173rd Airborne and is a Vietnam Veteran.

Mother Barbara Gerlach and Private Gerlach’s fiancée Carmen Barocio attended Private Gerlach’s Basic Training Graduation. Jon and Carmen plan to marry this December. His Mother tells me, "He loved basic training!" She also told me, “I'm so very proud of Joanathan, as I am with all my children, they are good, kind hard working people. I'm also a proud Grandmother of 6 with 2 more on the way!”

All of us in the communities of Fillmore and Piru wish United States Army Private Joanathan “Jon” Gerlach safe travel, a successful career in the United States Army and we thank him and his family for their sacrifices to keep the United States strong.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On Friday, September 26, 2008, at about 3:30 p.m. Sheriff’s patrol deputies and investigators arrested Sergio Anguiano 32, and Alexis Ferreira Vasquez 26, residents of Los Angeles, for attempting to sell fake gold jewelry to a local Fillmore business.

The event began at about 1:50 p.m. when Anguiano and Vasquez entered the business located in the 300 Block of Central Avenue in Fillmore.

The two offered to sell gold necklaces to the business employee. The employee was aware of scams where fake gold is sold by thieves as real gold and suspected the necklaces Anguiano and Vasquez were selling were fake. The employee called the police, at which time Vasquez fled while Anguiano remained at the business.

Sheriff’s deputies and investigators arrived at the business and their investigation led to the arrest of Anguiano and Vasquez and the discovery of 27 pieces of fake gold jewelry Anguiano and Vasquez intended on selling to unsuspecting victims. The jewelry included necklaces, bracelets, rings and medallions made of copper and other inexpensive metals. Anguiano and Vasquez were booked into the county jail and charged with felony commercial burglary.

The public is reminded to beware of this and similar scams that include the offering of fake gold bars and/or fake lottery tickets for sale or trade. Any such incidents should be immediately reported to the local police.

Everyone enjoyed their BBQ.
Enlarge Photo

Fillmore City Council and Fillmore Unified School District (FUSD) School Board held a joint meeting September 30, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. at the School Farm. The Council and Board are working together to promote health, share resources, provide public access to a track, restrain street vendors, and honor individuals for their military service.

The Council and Board approved a proclamation declaring October 8, 2008, as Walk to School/Work Day in Fillmore. This is the first event sponsored by Fillmore's Wellness Committee. Fillmore Middle School (FMS) Assistant Principal Tricia Godfrey explained that this project is the result of collaboration between the City and FUSD. The idea is to promote physical activity, and for those who live too far away to walk to school or work, the Fillmore High School (FHS) track will be open for supervised walking before school starts on October 8th. Superintendent Jeff Sweeney will participate by walking to each school except Piru. Police Captain Tim Hagel will provide extra patrols for walkers' safety.

City and FUSD staffers had met to re-evaluate their joint use agreements regarding facilities and equipment. There are three such agreements: one for Mountain Vista, one for the pool, and a general agreement that includes the FMS gym being used for community basketball. Other shared items include the Senior Center, the Boys and Girls Club, and tree chippers. Assistant Superintendent Mike Bush said that FUSD staffers are gathering data about costs. According to Ristau, the agreements were reviewed four years ago and determined to be equitable. FUSD and the City will review the data to determine whether the agreements are still equitable, and will make adjustments next year if necessary. Mayor Steve Conaway commended both parties for creating such a beneficial arrangement and maintaining it through open communication and a willingness to work through issues.

Board Member Virginia De La Piedra wants to honor Fillmore residents in active military service with banners hung throughout town. Deputy City Manager Bill Bartels suggested that, because banners are susceptible to sun damage, engraved bricks arranged in an area in front of City Hall would be a less expensive option. Bartels stated that there are only 43 poles available for hanging banners, and there will be 35 to 55 people honored. Banners would have to be rotated, unless two could be hung on each pole. Council Members Patti Walker and Laurie Hernandez expressed a preference for banners instead of bricks. The Council voted to hang banners. Names will be gathered by application, and the applicants will be required to pay for the banners, but the city will hang and maintain the banners. The banners will go to the military person's family at the end of his or her active service or after a predetermined amount of time. Costs and design are still being determined. CONTINUED »

For many years, a modern, state of the art track and field was just a dream for the athletic youth of our City. Fillmore High School, the site of both the new and old facilities, was rated as the worst athletic facility in the County, in part due to the poor condition of the football field from over usage. Last year, CIF officials gave two visiting teams the option of having Fillmore forfeit their games rather than play on the badly degraded turf. The dream became a reality in April of this year when work commenced on a new field that boasts artificial turf manufactured with the latest anti-microbial materials, all weather track, new, improved lighting, extensive drainage system, refurbished sound system, landscaping and thanks to the Fillmore Lions Club, a brand new scoreboard!

Although still in need of some final touches, including correction of blemishes on the track surfaces and lane line painting (scheduled for early 2009 in between football and soccer season), the facility opened to an ecstatic staff and student body in early August. However, by August 19, due to the high cost of repairs from inappropriate use, vandalism and trespassing, the Board of Education felt compelled to limit field use to the Fillmore Unified School District and for Community Facility Permit access only. Organizations that wish to use the facility must apply in advance, pay a permit fee and show the appropriate insurance naming the School District as “additional insured”. Furthermore, a District staff member will provide on-site supervision at every function. Costs are $125 per hour for non-profit organizations and $300 per hour for semi-pro use, similar to Ventura College, Ventura and Conejo School District rates. There is an additional $95 charge for lights. Previously negotiated season rates will remain in effect throughout their current seasons. Total income this year from permitting fees was not available in time for printing. There is no charge for school related activities day or night, however if nighttime electricity use becomes too costly, it might become necessary to address scheduling changes. Operating costs are paid by the FUSD through the General Fund.

Destructive incidents have decreased with limited access, however, gum and stroller wheel marks have been found on the track as well as sunflower seeds in the artificial turf, presenting maintenance and health issues. The track and field requires maintenance in a similar fashion as carpet with every incident. Trespassing is still an issue. However, a sub group of the FUSD and the City Council are meeting to explore options of creating track venues with open access. Suggestions have included installing a crushed brick track at the Middle School and/or a longer path at the new park. CONTINUED »