Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On August 1, 2010 at approximately 2102 hours, Fillmore Deputies were dispatched to 353 Fourth Street, reference a dispute involving a boat. While investigating the incident, the Deputies learned that (S) Michael Elliot May 60, Fillmore, had battered one of the other involved parties. May was arrested for a violation of PC 242 – Battery. May’s vehicle was towed and during an inventory search of the vehicle, a concealed firearm was located in the glove box. May was also arrested for a violation of PC 12025(a)(1) – Possession of a concealed firearm in a vehicle. May was transported and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura.

Dr. James Howatt

Ventura County resident James Howatt M.D., Molina Healthcare’s chief medical officer, has been appointed as Adjunct Professor by Claremont Graduate University’s School of Community and Global Health (SCGH).

"We at the Claremont School of Community and Global Health are delighted to have Dr. Howatt join our faculty, said C. Anderson Johnson, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Community and Global Health. “His expertise in health maintenance and management of health systems for underserved populations brings an important element to our school. Molina HealthCare is one of our most valued partners and we are honored to have it represented by Dr. Mario Molina on our Board and Dr. James Howatt as a member of our faculty."

As chief medical director for Molina Healthcare Inc., Dr. Howatt is responsible for oversight of the medical management functions of all the Company’s health plan subsidiaries, including utilization management and risk management activities. Dr. Howatt received his Bachelor of Science degree and Medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and also holds a Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Health Management from the University of Phoenix. Dr. Howatt is a board-certified family physician and a member of the American College of Managed Care Medicine.

About Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH) is a multi-state managed care organization that arranges for the delivery of health care services to persons eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, and other government-sponsored programs for low-income families and individuals. Molina Healthcare’s licensed health plan subsidiaries in California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Washington currently serve 1.5 members. More information about Molina Healthcare, Inc. and Molina Healthcare of California can be obtained at www.molinahealthcare.com.

Situated about halfway between Moscow and Mongolia, Omsk is a modest city of 1.5 million people desperately in need of more vowels. The city will host the upcoming Siberian International Marathon, which will attract runners from throughout the world, including our own group of adventurers: Cops Running for Charity.

The group, led by Captain Randy Pentis, has traveled the world to participate in grueling foot races on several continents. Last year, the men ran a marathon on remote Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean. Previous adventures have taken them to Tunisia, China, Iceland, Chicago and New York.

Many of their previous trips were not traditional marathons. In the Sahara Desert, the men ran over dunes and Mars-like terrain in a multi-day race. In Iceland, they completed an ultra marathon over a volcanic landscape. When they went to China, the men ran a marathon on the Great Wall.

The ambassadors of pain and suffering will once again raise money for medical charities that focus on children.

The group includes Captain Randy Pentis, Captain Tim Hagel, Captain Dave Kenney, Sergeant Frank Underlin, Sergeant Paul Higgason, Sergeant Joe Devorick, and Pentis’ brother, Chief Deputy Gary Pentis, who is the “team mom.”

The team has raised an impressive $150,000.00 for local charities. This year, the goal is to raise $40,000.00 that will go to Childrens Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), ALS-Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

The men pay their own way when they travel, so 100 percent of the money they raise goes directly to the charities.

The team lives by Winston Churchill’s words, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

“What we do is nothing compared to what children and others have to battle with medical issues,” Pentis said.

While this trip is fairly straight forward…it’s only a marathon on relatively flat city streets, the preparation revealed some interesting obstacles. Getting their visas approved for the journey was complicated by the concern of Russian officials that the group was going to Siberia as spies.

The visa application didn’t help. It included questions about experience with bombs and terrorism training. Some of the questions prompted answers other than “no,” which raised more concern.

Captain Pentis had to meet directly with Russian Embassy officials to ease their concerns about the intentions of the group of runners from Ventura County.

“If the goal of a spy is to collect blisters on his feet and be attacked by mosquitoes capable of carrying off small children, then we definitely fit the bill,” joked Pentis. “If they’re still concerned, I hope the FSB can keep up with us, because we’re going there to run.”

Anyone interested in more information about CRFC can contact Captain Randy Pentis directly at (805)947-8067.

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After nearly 27 years of dressing the lovely ladies of Fillmore and the surrounding areas in the latest styles, Shirley Wright owner of Mirage clothing store, has decided to close up shop. Shirley’s impeccable fashion sense was first introduced to her lucky patrons when she opened shop in the “Old” Vons shopping center. She then moved on to the location of “Laura Smith’s Dress Shop” on Central and finally landed in the old Wm L. Morris Chevrolet dealership showroom on the corner of Central Ave. and Santa Clara St. Shirley’s beautiful window displays have caught the eye of passersby on both streets ever since. Shopping at the Mirage can be likened to taking a small vacation. The atmosphere in the store has always been upbeat and fun with selections of clothing available for women of all ages and sizes. Mirage has been like a small piece of paradise located right here in our quaint town. A couple of generations of women have passed through Mirage’s door - always looking for and finding that “just right” item.

Shirley’s customers have quickly become her friends. She is very appreciative of the support they have shown her throughout the years and will miss the contact that running Mirage has afforded her. Shirley is also grateful for the unwavering support of the Morris family.

Mirage’s anticipated closing date is October 1, 2010. Lay-aways will need to be picked up by that time and tanners will want to use their remaining minutes by then. Shirley welcomes customers old and new to stop by. Watch this newspaper for sales announcements as October draws nearer.

One cannot turn on the radio or television or read a newspaper in today’s environment without coming across some political advocate bombarding us with terms like redistribution of wealth and socialism. What do they mean? Are we a nation that is willing to be governed by these concepts and, if so, would that be a bad thing?
A fundamental belief of socialism is the redistribution of wealth. Under this concept the majority of the wealth is entrusted to the state which in turn redistributes it according to what it determines to be each individual’s best needs. That concept, in theory, would result in the elimination of the poorest and richest classes and the creation of a middle class that has a large degree of equality. But it is only a theory and it has never remotely approached reality.

One needs only to look at the countries that have operated under a socialist system for the longest periods of time. They all continue to maintain the “have and have not” classes. Some even have an alarming growth of the “will not class.” The elite still exist and the poor remain poor. Not all of them own a home. Not all of them own a car. Not all of their children go to college.

The preferred method of redistributing wealth is not by appropriating personal property but by placing an inordinate degree of taxes on earnings and property.

In many socialist countries well over 50% of a working person’s salary is withheld as taxes. A very significant “value added tax” is placed on most items not considered as necessities. That results in 60-75% of the proceeds of the workforce going into the government’s coffer who then determines who gets what.
A socialistic society strives to create equality, however, in doing so it must of necessity destroy individualism and initiative. The norm for virtually everything in a socialistic society must be the lowest acceptable performance.

A classic of this method is utilized by some organized labor in the United States. Unions want their employees to be paid equal salaries regardless of the quality or quantity of work performed. Union employees are discouraged from providing performance that might have the outcome of raising what is currently considered to be the lowest acceptable performance. Promotions and pay raises are to be determined by seniority and not by performance. Innovation such as new methods or technology that may result in loss of jobs is highly discouraged.

In a recent study of the nations of the world there was an attempt to identify the happiest people on earth. The results concluded that a small country in Europe, Denmark, was the overall happiest. Denmark has a socialist government and therefore one might argue that if it makes so many people happy a socialist government must be preferable to countries that have other types of governments. When questioned about what was responsible for the level of happiness in their country many of the Danes replied, “We don’t expect much and therefore we are seldom disappointed.”

Our beloved nation was built upon great expectations and a willingness to accept many disappointments on our journey to achieving our full potential. We have prevailed in so many ways because of our individualism, our unwillingness to let others think for us. Where much is given much is expected. We have been given the opportunity to live and thrive in this great land and we need to always endeavor to keep our expectations high and reject the mediocrity that socialism promises.

The following individuals have received papers to become candidates for Fillmore City Council in the November Election:

Brian Sipes on 07/12/10 (certified)

Bernardo David Lugo on 07/12/10 (certified)

Adrian Andrew Grimaldo on 07/19/10 (filed)

Marcoz Hernandez on 07/26/10 (certified)

Patti Sue Koger-Walker on 08/03/10 (certified)

Brian Sipes – Certified by the County
Patti Walker – Filed
Marcoz Hernandez – Filed
Bernado Lugo – Filed
Adrian Grimaldo – Filed
Antonio Hernandez – Withdrew on 8/5/10
Laurie Hernandez – Did not file

Because an incumbent (Laurie Hernandez) did not file by 8/6/10 the nomination period will remain open until 8/11/10 5:00 PM

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

In the night time hours of July 27, detectives from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department narcotics bureau, West County Street Team, conducted surveillance of clandestine marijuana cultivations in the backcountry of Fillmore. The Sheriff’s Air Unit, on a routine fly over, had discovered the garden. The garden was split into 2 sections separated by a drainage in the mountains off Squaw Flat Road North of the city of Fillmore. Squaw Flat Road is a single lane, rutted dirt road used to access the multiple oil pumps in the area and the condor sanctuary.

During this surveillance, detectives saw 5 male subjects walk from the direction of the gardens and secrete themselves in the heavy brush. A short time later, a vehicle approached this location and met with the 5 subjects. After a brief exchange, the vehicle left the area and the subjects returned the way they had arrived. The subjects approached the detectives and upon seeing them, scattered, dropping the duffle bags they got from the car. Two suspects were caught and arrested for conspiracy to cultivate marijuana and booked.

The car was followed for the 9 miles to a maintained roadway where a marked Sheriffs’ black and white vehicle was waiting. When the deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver refused to stop and drove an additional 2 miles. The car then pulled over and the driver fled, jumping a K-rail and over a cliff. An extensive search of the area failed to locate the driver. In the car, a rental, detectives located 78 pounds of processed marijuana. It is the investigator’s belief the driver brought food to the 5 subjects and they brought out the processed marijuana.

On July 29, detectives went to the garden sites to seize any remaining marijuana. There they found 1138 plants, but the majority of the plants had been harvested. Additionally, approximately 10 pounds of processed marijuana was located.

Alfredo Botello 22, Temecula, and a male juvenile were arrested at the garden site. This is the second cultivation operation this year where investigators found juveniles working in the gardens. The juvenile arrested during this investigation told detectives that he had been in the garden for about 15 days. Prior to this he lived in Mexico. Wanting to come to the United States, he hired a “coyote” to smuggle him across the border. He said he went to Arizona for 1 day, the coyote then brought him to the Fillmore grow site. He was told that he could pay his debt to the coyote by working in the garden. He told investigators that he did not feel he had a choice in the matter.