The Fillmore - Piru Police Explorer Post competed in the Chandler, Arizona Explorer Competition from January 14 thru January 16, 2011. They received 1st place in a difficult competition. Yes, that is first place! Needless to say, there are jealous teen explorers across 5 states that now know of FILLMORE-PIRU. They arrived in Arizona as an underdog, unknown and green. This is the Fillmore teen’s first time attending this National Western competition. The Fillmore-Piru,Teen Explorer post has only been active since April, 2010. There were 9 local teen explorers who attended, along with 3 Sheriff advisors.

They competed in several events and competed against 50 other posts from various states. They competed in the many group events that challenged their team skills. The following explorers attended the competition: Sergio Cornejo, Khristian Felix, Josefina Fernandez, Jessica Givan, Eddie Gutierrez, Tyler Hackworth, Brandon Pina, Michael Topete and Briana Vazquez. The following advisors attended: Deputy Gabriel Gonzales, Cadet Leanne Thompson and Deputy Leonardo Vazquez. Our kids could have not done it without these dedicated Fillmore Officers. The competition was a learning experience and the local explorers enjoyed it. They learned how to work together as a team. The community is very proud of the teen explorers, their achievement winning a “First Place” and we all look forward to their future work in organizing the 2011 Fillmore Fourth of July Car Show and Chili Cook Off. Courtesy of Fillmore Police Department.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On Friday, January 7, 2011, at approximately 7:00 am, gang related search warrants were conducted at residences in the 600 block of Lemon Way and the 800 block of ‘B’ Street in the City of Fillmore by the Fillmore Gang Unit. The search warrants were in reference to an ongoing gang-related robbery investigation, which occurred in Fillmore. The two juveniles were arrested during the service of the search warrants for the following violations, 186.22(a) PC - Gang Allegation, 182(a)(1) PC - Conspiracy, 211 PC – Strong Arm Robbery, and 415(1) PC - Public Disturbance. Both juveniles were lodged at the Juvenile Justice Center.

Ariana Medina, Jesse Vasquez and Yvan Hernandez were at the residences during the search warrants and were found to be under the influence of a controlled substance and were arrested for a violation of 11550(a) H&S. The robbery investigation is continuing and additional arrests are expected.

Location: 600 Block of Lemon Way and 800 Block of ‘B’ St., Fillmore
Date & Time: Friday, January 7, 2011 at approximately 7:00 am
Unit Responsible: The City of Fillmore Gang Unit
Report: #10-31463

Arrestees, City, Age:
Juvenile, Fillmore, 16
Juvenile, Fillmore, 17
Medina, Ariana, Fillmore, 20
Vasquez, Jesse, Fillmore, 41
Hernandez, Yvan, Fillmore, 19

Officer Preparing Release: Deputy G. Cadman (#3960)
Follow-up Contact: Sgt. David Wareham (805) 524-2235
Approved by: Captain Mike De Los Santos #0730

Bert Rapp Receives Prestigious ACEC Award. Rapp lead the city in engineering excellence for 20 years. The American Council of Engineering Consultants 2010 Engineering Excellence Honor Award for the City of Fillmore Water Recycling Program was presented to exiting Public Works Director Bert Rapp after 20 years of excellent service to the city. Presenting the award was Mayor Gayle Washburn and Doug Haack, Construction Observer with AECOM.
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Bert Rapp being recognized after 20 years of service to the city of Fillmore.
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This Tuesday’s City Council Meeting was the first full meeting for Council Member Brian Sipes, Mayor Gayle Washburn, Mayor Pro Tem Jamey Brooks and the last meeting for Public Works Director Bert Rapp.

The meeting began with Proclamations for the Vision 2020 Civic Pride Committee and a posthumous proclamation recognizing the contributions of Roy Arnold. But the accolades going to Rapp for his almost 20 years of service to the City were so numerous it was hard to keep count.

One of the many beautiful plaques Rapp received at the meeting was from Jeff Gorell 37th District Assemblyman and presented by District Director Ernie Villegas. Rapp was thanked for his numerous contributions to the City that included hours of work helping obtain grants to improve the town, along with helping design our City Hall, bike path, flood protection levees, storm drains, water recycling plant, the downtown street design, raised bridges over gutters on Central to cross the street safely, and speed table in front of the Town Theatre to keep the traffic flow at a safe speed to name just a few. Many spoke of how easy Rapp was to work with and Laurie Hernandez, stated Rapp’s leaving was “a tremendous loss to our city”. Hernandez spoke of how much he will be missed and what a pleasure it was to work with him. Council Member Patti Walker stated Rapp always had “environmentally sound designs” and when the town was concerned with flood control problems Rapp was always out there keeping watch. He was so appreciated that every address brought a standing ovation from everyone in attendance.

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Taurie Banks, of Fillmore, has earned the Instructor Certification for the United States Eventing Association (USEA). She is one of 225 instructors in the nation, and the first horseback riding instructor in Ventura County to earn this recognition.

Taurie is the owner and operator of Kings Corner Training Stables in Fillmore and has been riding since the age of 7. She started with 4H and Pony Club and went on to compete nationally in Eventing, Dressage, and Show Jumping. She continues to actively train horses and compete.

She began teaching as a Pony Club member at the age of 10, and and continued after graduating as a Chief Instructor for River View Pony Club. She also became a National Chief Horse Management Judge at the age of 22, and was the Camino Real Regional Coach for Championships five times. She has been a Judge, Technical Delegate and Course Designer for Local Competitions. She established Kings Corner Training Stables in 1989, where she developed horses and riders from absolute beginners to competing nationally. She has produced Graduate 'A' Pony Club members, upper level Dressage riders, Event riders and successful English and Western horses and riders.

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The Major Crimes team arrested two of the primaries from the organized rural-theft ring.

Last week, the Major Crimes Unit served warrants and made an additional arrest. The Major Crimes Unit has been working non-stop on these cases.

Arrested was Jose Dominguez, 22 of Los Angeles, Osman Enamorado, 23 of Los Angeles, and Henry Briones, 26 of Los Angeles.

In July 2010, the Sheriff’s Department’s Agricultural Crimes Unit identified a pattern of activity related to burglaries at construction sites and farms located in the rural areas of Ventura County. A task force comprised of detectives from the Ventura, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Riverside County Sheriff’s Departments were formed to investigate this series of burglaries.

During the course of investigating the nearly fifty (50) burglaries in Ventura County alone, detectives learned that suspects were conspiring to commit these burglaries and were targeting “Conex” type metal storage containers.

The suspects used various cutting tools to force entry into locked storage containers to steal tools including air compressors, welding machines, water pumps, drills, saws, grinders, and various hand tools. The stolen property was being taken to a “fence” in Los Angeles County to be sold for cash.

Sheriff's Detectives investigating this series of burglaries identified four (4) primary suspects. Based on the evidence collected at the various crime scenes, detectives were able to link the suspects to in excess of fifty (50) burglaries.

The evidence used included, DNA evidence, fingerprint evidence, shoe impression analysis, and the use of various surveillance techniques.

On July 7, 2011, Ventura County Sheriff’s Detectives served Search Warrants & Arrest Warrants at the locations noted above.

Dominguez was arrested and charged with seventeen (17) counts of Penal Code Section 459 – Burglary. He was booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility.

Arrest Warrants were issued for the other three (3) suspects linked to this series of burglaries.

Briones and Enamorado are in custody for their part in a similar burglary in Riverside County.

Wilfredo Jimenez, 34 of Los Angeles, is still outstanding.

The most serious threat to our national security and that of our allies is Iran.

The Iranians are rapidly enriching uranium, and planning to use the uranium to build nuclear weapons. Time is running out. Iran in possession of nuclear weapons poses a threat that will have worldwide ramifications.

Israel cannot allow Iran the ability to have a nuclear weapon. Israel is Iran’s first stated target of attack, and then the United States. The Israeli’s will have to launch a preemptive strike before Iran’s ayatollahs give the order to destroy Israel; an easily achievable objective due to the small geographical size of Israel. Iran in possession of nuclear weapons will force the Arab states into a nuclear arms race so they can have the bomb as well. A point recently highlighted by the statements made by Saudi Arabia’s leadership regarding their concern of a nuclear armed Iran made public by the WikiLeaks documents.

If Israel is forced to launch a preemptive strike on Iran, what will immediately follow is retaliation by Iran and Syria, as well as the terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas, who are both proxy’s of Iran.

Not a single country in the region will remain unaffected. Iran will simultaneously launch attacks against oil fields, oil refineries, and shipping facilities throughout Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the Arab Emirates in the Gulf. At the same time, Iranian missiles will be hitting cities and military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Israel will not only be hit by hundreds of Iranian missiles, but also tens of thousands of missiles, rockets, and mortars from Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.

Suicide bombers will be released en masse throughout Europe and the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians will die; Jews, Christians, and Muslims. More will be left wounded and homeless. The United States will also be affected; sleeper terrorist cells in the U.S. will be activated, hitting American and Canadian targets.

The economic repercussions will be felt around the world, oil prices will skyrocket to two or three hundred dollars a barrel. Such a dramatic rise in oil prices that will occur overnight and may last for years could sink an already fragile global economy. Soaring energy prices would trigger hyperinflation, sending the cost of many goods beyond the capabilities of the poor and lower middle class. Millions of people would be pushed into poverty. People would stop spending money on almost anything but food and basic needs for survival; this would trigger massive business failures. Tens of millions of people would soon be out of work. As the dominos fell, a global depression could ensue.

And this scenario only includes conventional warfare, if nuclear warfare ensued, the above estimations could be like none other in modern history.

On Tuesday December 4, Fillmore Unified School Board President Virginia De La Piedra presided over a relatively short regular meeting, which was sparsely attended by the public. All members were present except for Lucy Rangel who is out of town.

Upon reconvening from closed session the board voted to approve recommendations of Superintendent Jeff Sweeney, resulting in one expulsion and a reinstatement of five students who have completed their expulsion period.

During Board reports Member David Wilde commented on his tour of Sierra High with Principal Cynthia Frutos that “Everything seems to be moving in the right direction [there]”, and he praised Frutos for her “specific goals” and enthusiasm. The Board then heard from Dave MacDonald from the Physical Education Department at Fillmore Middle School. MacDonald notified the Board of his being awarded a scholarship from the Monkey Bar Gym in Moorpark to attend a six day training and testing in April to become a Certified Natural Trainer. He requested from the Board financial support to attend the training in Madison, Wisconsin. He let the Board know that he is already committed to attend, and has already paid out of pocket for his travel expenses. MacDonald reported that he is one of 84 people in the world who are Level Two Certified through the International Youth Conditioning Association and that adding a CNT to his skills would benefit the students and allow him to continue to build on the changes he has made to the PE program at the middle school and if there is support to create a District wide program. He commented that the “program [he has] implemented is unlike any other I’ve seen… at a middle school.” In responding to question from De La Piedra about what exactly the changes are MacDonald explained “before… everything was group centered… and now we have benchmarks for each student.” MacDonald explained that it moves the PE class away from a focus on team sports, where some kids excel but others struggle, to a program that allows each student to find success and improve their fitness, strength and overall wellbeing. Board Member Tony Prado stated “I want to see health and wellness become dominant in our physical education program…can it be extended to [all grades], I know Piru was toying with that idea, the kids were running, walking and exercising every morning… that was fantastic, I wish we could mandate that through all our schools.” Prado continued, “I want to give you some money.” Board Member John Garnica expressed his support of the changes that are taking place and but mentioned the Board’s decision to not fund any conferences at this time. Garnica stated “I support what you are doing, I in good conscience could not support voting for dollars for a conference when I couldn’t [do the same for] another staff member.” Garnica proposed an idea that there may be another way “to help out.” De La Piedra mentioned a new recommendation from the E-Scrip program that 20% of funds be used for fitness and she stated, “This is exactly what [E-Scrip wants].” Prado explained “I’m opposite of Dave and Virginia I have no problem spending money on a case by case basis” he went on to comment that “There is money in the budget [for this] but Dr. Bush …has to balance the books, he gives us pros and cons of how money can be spent… again I understand there is money available… I see no reason why we can’t spend it for these types of activities.” Wilde stated “PE is in such dire straights across this country and at most schools sites I think it needs a boost and a change…I see that almost as important as curriculum.” De La Piedra asked Assistant Superintendent Mike Bush to comment about the available monies that Prado referred to. Bush stated that “[the Board previously heard from Assistant Superintendent Katy Hadley regarding] Title II monies available, however we’ve been living off of that carry over and it’s been dwindling every year… there is several thousand available, it’s the money we use to have speakers come in for staff development.” The Board was not slated to take action on this, and there will be further discussion at another time when they have more information on the State budget and any other possible funding sources. MacDonald did remind the Board that over the past four years the PE program has been entirely “self funded”. They have raised over $4,000.00 for needed equipment and “have received no funds to speak of from any budgetary source [within the District]”
The Board received a packet of information regarding the new mandates coming from the state regarding student fees. Sweeney commented on materials that the then Governor Schwarzenegger sent to all Districts reminding them of a recent ACLU case dealing with whether or not various student fees are allowed under the states guarantee of a “free public education”. Sweeney indicated that “we will be scrutinized, and we will have to change our practices.” The Board will be receiving more information on this as the outcome of the case is interpreted and explained for Districts.

All action items were approved and the Board adjourned to it’s next meeting on Tuesday January 18th at 5:30, which is a study session, open to the public on “Program Improvement; What it is? What does it mean? What are we doing about it?” with the regular meeting starting at 6:30pm.