County of Santa Barbara, California

The California Department of Public Health has found trace amounts of iodine -131 (radiation) in milk from dairy cows in San Luis Obispo County. The amount found was so low that it does not pose any risk of human health. The milk in San Luis Obispo and elsewhere in the US is absolutely safe for human consumption.

The California Department of Public Health samples milk, soil and vegetation on a quarterly basis. They have increased the frequency of testing to weekly due to the Japan incident. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency has also increased its nationwide monitoring of radiation in milk, precipitation, drinking water and other sources.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), the utility provider that operates the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, conducts regular testing in San Luis Obispo County where the nuclear power plant is located. PG&E split a recent milk sample from San Luis Obispo County and sent a portion to the California Department of Public Health for testing.

The level of radiation is very low, described as incidental. Officials say the levels are 5,000 times below levels of concern. The amounts detected are thousands of times less than what someone would receive from an X-ray or from everyday sources such as the sun, air, soil and television viewing. Air sampling has shown no activity for the past few days and the half-life of iodine -131 is short, meaning it will be gone in roughly one week. The actual impact of radiation diminishes daily.

Children are a bit more sensitive than adults, yet the amount found does not pose a health risk for children either.

Public health officials continue to recommend that potassium iodide not be taken.

With close testing by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, there is continued monitoring. The CDPH website provides Frequently Asked Questions about Radiation and regularly updated information at: www.cdph.ca.gov/Pages/RadiationFAQS2011.aspx

Charles Mozley (“Mr. Moze")

While there may be disputes about what makes a good or bad teacher, the Ventura County Educators’ Hall of Fame’s debate is over choosing the most worthy candidates among the best, brightest and/or the most beloved.

For this round of annual inductions, five educators of varied talents were selected, representing a historical look at the human foundations of Ventura’s educational system.

They are: Jim Lane of Oxnard, Andy McEuen of Oxnard and three who are being inducted posthumously, Leslie (Les) Meredith Jr. of Camarillo, Charles Mozley (Fillmore High School) and John Devine (Isbell School in Santa Paula).

All will be honored at a county-wide fete Friday, June 17th at the Courtyard Marriott in Oxnard, along with the Ventura County Teacher of the Year, who is chosen separately by the Ventura County Office of Education.

In contrast to the Teacher of the Year award, the Hall of Fame’s scope casts a wider net, as it may also honor administrators and classified employees, and takes in to account those working in higher education.

The idea for an Educators’ Hall of Fame was initiated in 2005 by Darrin Parrent, who was inspired by the experiences he had going through the local Ventura County school system. He contacted a number of prominent educators – notably former Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Chuck Weis – and together they formed a committee of 15 education and civic leaders to hammer out the details for the first induction in 2007.

“The Hall of Fame selects individuals to be honored for their outstanding contributions to the field of education,” Parrent said. Details about this year’s selections are:

√ John Devine literally lived education, going so far as bringing kids home and ensuring others that they had lunch money or decent clothes.

He spent much of his career at Isbell Middle School in Santa Paula, where he taught industrial arts and organized trips to sporting events. He passed away in 1982.

√ Jim Lane was born and raised in Oxnard, and he stayed local, becoming a business teacher and coach at Hueneme High School where he helped set up a student mentor program. His experience converted well into writing articles on education for the Ventura County Star.

Although he retired in 2002, he stays involved in the community, such as helping out the mentor project at Hueneme and developing a boys and girls club at Meiners Oaks Elementary School in Ojai. Aware of school cutbacks, he also helps raise money for athletic programs.

√ Andy McEuen began as a business teacher at Oxnard High School after serving in WWII in a combat battalion. His administrative skills as a principal were later tested and he was so good that he became principal of the new Hueneme High School in 1959, and later became superintendent of the Oxnard District until his 1980 retirement.
Under his direction, Hueneme became a state model for parent and student involvement.

√ Les Meredith Jr. was a teacher-principal at the Santa Rosa Elementary School and prior to that, an assistant principal at Los Altos Intermediate School, both in Camarillo. He developed 7th and 8th grade programs at Santa Rosa that included vocational and science instruction, the latter from grades 2-8.

He also became versatile in creating counseling and disciplinary plans and helped with teacher evaluations. Beyond the school, he was an instructor in scuba diving who ran oceanography workshops and served as a long-time member of the county sheriff’s Underwater Search and Rescue team. He passed away on July 17, 2009.

√ Charles Mozley taught at Fillmore High School, adult education in Ventura and Oxnard and even had a stint as teacher in the Youth Authority. Known affectionately by some as “Mr. Moze,” his grasp of issues was wide as he taught politics, journalism, psychology and consumer issues.

Clearly beloved, he was also well known as the announcer at football games and involved in pep squads, plays, graduation ceremonies and as an advisor. He passed away in 2007.

The Educators Hall of Fame dinner event Friday, June 17th at the Courtyard Marriott opens at 5 p.m. so that friends, colleagues and family members can converse before a dinner around 6 p.m. Tickets are $75 per person; the best way is to log on to the website, www.vceh.com, or you can call 805-482-1492 or email president@vceh.com.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

An attempted car jacking left a 30-year old Fillmore man stabbed early Monday morning in Oxnard, 4500 block Saviers Road.

At approximately 1:50AM, two men in their 20s approached the vehicle and demanded the Fillmore man and 27-year old Oxnard woman get out.

The man resisted and was stabbed; the assailants fled. The victims drove away from the area, and called 911. The Fillmore man was transported to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, where he was treated for a non-life threatening injury. The investigation is ongoing.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On March 28, 2011, at approximately 2:00 a.m., two victims were seated in a vehicle in front of a residence. Two male suspects approached the victims, brandished a knife and demanded money from them. The suspects fled in a white sedan without any money.

At approximately 2:30 a.m., city of Fillmore patrol deputies located the suspects in their white Hyundai traveling westbound on Highway 126 towards the city of Fillmore. Patrol deputies attempted to stop the vehicle but the driver refused to stop the car and a pursuit ensued. The fleeing suspect vehicle ultimately collided with a street sign at Burlington Street and Reading Street in Fillmore.

The male juvenile driver of the vehicle escaped on foot but was tracked and apprehended by a Sheriff’s K-9. He was lodged for felony attempted robbery charges into the Juvenile Justice Center in El Rio. The male juvenile passenger whowas trapped in the car due to the collision, was rescued and treated by Fillmore Fire Department personnel at the scene. The passenger was also lodged at the Juvenile Justice Center on felony attempted robbery charges.

Attempt Robbery- 400 Block of Simon Way, El Rio / Vehicle Pursuit -Fillmore
Location- Fillmore
Date & Time: March 28, 2011 @ 2:00 a.m.
Unit Responsible: Fillmore Police and Sheriff’s Gang Units
Report #: 11-6953
Arrestees: Address: Age:
Juvenile Santa Paula, CA 17
Juvenile Oxnard, CA 16
Officer Preparing Release: Sergeant Dave Wareham
Follow-up Contact: Detective Albert Ramirez (805) 524-2233
Date of Release: 03/28/2011
Approved by: Captain Tim Hagel

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FILLMORE, CA. - On 3/27/2011 at 11:15am the City of Fillmore Fire Department responded to a report of a possible structure fire at 436 Central Avenue in the City of Fillmore.

Upon arriving on scene, firefighters observed light smoke coming from the rear of a single story, single family dwelling. After forcing entry into the locked residence, it was determined the source of the smoke was a bedroom and contents that had ignited into flames. Firefighters quickly contained the fire and took immediate measures to prevent further damage to the structure. Smoke damage was present throughout the location however the integrity of the structure was untouched. Two adults and two children were displaced by the blaze but were left unharmed.

The cause of the fire was determined to be due in part to a clothes iron that was left on some 45 minutes prior to fire units being dispatched The occupant indicated he was ironing his clothing before leaving with his family to church when he placed the heated iron in a window seal inside the bedroom. It was later determined by Fire Investigators the iron was left in the on position igniting the adjacent curtains and room.

From our little town of Fillmore there are eight high school aged youngsters that began in September to prepare for the 2011 L.A. Marathon on March 20, 2011. They practiced here in Fillmore and in the Valley on some challenging practice runs. They participated in practice organized runs throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. They started with a 10K in La Puente; 9 miler in Encino, two half marathons in Pomona and Irvine; 18 miler at Hansen Dam in the Valley and then the L.A. Marathon. They ran these with SRLA (Students Run L.A.); yes they were out there with all those other kids with the bright green singlets that you saw on T.V.

These students ran the marathon under conditions that the L.A. Times stated “on what is believed to be the stormiest day in L.A. Marathon history”. Alexander Frias (16) has run the LA Marathon 4 other times, this was his 5th L.A. Marathon; Nico Frias (14) ran it one other time, this was his 2nd L.A. Marathon, missed the first one due to a broken arm; they are brothers. They have been trained for these last years by their dad, Joel Frias, who has been an SRLA leader for 11 years now. Sammy Martinez (16), friend to Alexander, ran it with him last year and this was his second L.A. Marathon. The following ran it for the first time: Vincent Chavez (16), Isaac Gomez (15), Anthony Rivas (15), Jovani (Geo) Rubio (18) and Carina Silva (18).

These outstanding young people deserve our congratulations and respect for their accomplishment of hard work and planning to complete an awesome goal of running a marathon (26.2 miles) (it’s like running from Fillmore to Ventura) and under such harsh conditions! Way to go!