Information was presented regarding Santa Clara River Valley Higher Education Needs and Priorities to the Governing Board by Ventura College Interim President, Dr. Damon Bell, and Assistant Dean, Dr. Jesus Vega.

Board meeting highlights for the Fillmore Unified School District

Ventura County Community College District Presentation
Information was presented regarding Santa Clara River Valley Higher Education Needs and Priorities to the Governing Board by Ventura College Interim President, Dr. Damon Bell, and Assistant Dean, Dr. Jesus Vega.

Staff Appreciation Week May 13-17, 2019
The Governing Board approved Resolution 18-19-12 for the period of May 13-17, 2019 to recognize and appreciate staff for their contributions to the Fillmore USD.

Special Board Meeting
The Governing Board approved a Special Board Meeting for Tuesday, April 30, 2019. The purpose of the meeting will be to conduct a Board Workshop regarding Fillmore USD Facilities.

Personnel Recommendations
The Governing Board approved all personnel recommendations including new hires, promotions, resignations, retirements, and leaves.

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Two Santa Paula residents were arrested after being linked to a burglary that occurred to a Thomas Fire victim’s property.

The victims were residents of the unincorporated area of Santa Paula. Unfortunately, their home was completely lost during the Thomas Fire in December of 2017, however, a detached garage remained standing. The victims used the garage to store personal property. Because of the loss of their home, the family was forced to move to a different location in the area. Throughout 2018, the victims returned to the location to check on the property.

During the month of October 2018, the victims arrived at the property and noticed the garage had been broken into. The lock to a door was cut and several valuables were taken.

Detectives received information that the stolen goods were sold at a business in the city of Ventura. Acting on this tip, investigators were able to identify Joshua Draper and Elise Main as the suspects.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for Draper and Main’s residence. Investigators from the Sheriff’s Gang Unit and the Fillmore Detective Bureau served the warrant. The search of their property revealed additional evidence connecting the two to the burglary. As the investigation unfolded, detectives discovered that the suspects also had a storage locker in the city of Santa Paula. A search warrant was obtained for this location as well. The storage facility contained more stolen property from the Thomas Fire victims. Investigators also located several valuable construction tools and other property that appeared to be stolen but have not yet connected the property to a victim. The investigation is ongoing.

Draper was booked for violating California Penal Code Sections 459 PC / Burglary, 496(a) / Possession of Stolen Property and for violating Health and Safety Code Sections 11550 (a) / Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance and 11364(a) / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Main was booked for California Penal Code Section 496(a) / Possession of Stolen property and Health and Safety Code Section 11550(a) / Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance. Both remain in custody with bail set at $300,000.

Prepared by: Sergeant Vince Alvarez
Approved by: Captain Eric Tennessen

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).

Check out the refurbished information booth in Central Park! Thanks to Matthew Henschel, and his very supportive family, he will be earning his Eagle Scout rank under the Boy Scouts Organization. The Eagle Scout Service Project is the opportunity for a Boy Scout to demonstrate leadership of others while performing a project for the benefit of his community. Completing an Eagle Project is a requirement in order for Boy Scouts to attain the Eagle Scout rank. We are so grateful to Matthew and the Henschel family for their generosity to our community…we welcome anyone trying to come up with an Eagle Scout Project to complete, please reach out to the Parks and Recreation Department to discuss potential opportunities. Community postings: if you would like to post information in the booth, please contact Parks and Recreation department. 805-524-1500 ext 713 or email recreation@ci.fillmore.ca.us. Courtesy City of Fillmore Instagram.

Bob Crum

I previously introduced you to the new Canon Cliq+, a novel camera-and-printer-in-one. This week Canon introduced the EOS Rebel SL3, the smallest and lightest EOS dSLR camera to date. Yes, another new camera! Photography is alive and well!
Though cellphone camera technology continues to improve, forthright phonetographers will admit, albeit reluctantly, that cellphones frequently fail to capture challenging once-in-a-lifetime photos. Meanwhile, technical advantages of dedicated cameras empower a photographer to capture photos cellphones can't? Let's continue.

Available in traditional black or white, the EOS SL3 white model is cool and trendy, even au courant. Aha, got your attention, eh? It's physically compact but power-packed: 24.1 Megapixel (APS-C) CMOS Sensor, powerful DIGIC 8 Processor, and Dual Pixel CMOS Auto Focus (AF). Best of all, selfie shooters will love the vari-angle LCD! And 4K video recording plus 4K time-lapse movies is the cat's purr.

Want more? The SL3 includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Create a great photo with the SL3 and Bluetooth it to your cellphone and text it or email it out on the Internet. You can even remotely control the SL3 with your cellphone. The cat's meow!

The SL3 camera is also budget friendly. Note that lens selection need not be the same brand as the camera body. Third party manufacturers (Tokina, Tamron & Sigma) make a plethora of lenses for Canon camera bodies. If you regularly read the photo of the week data you've noticed that I mostly use a Tamron 16-300mm lens. The range of this zoom lens meets most of my needs. Not having to swap lenses frequently eliminates dust on the sensor.

Three photo shoots past weekend. Even though I exercise my shutter-button finger three days a week, it was taxed to the limit at the third shoot.

The first assignment was at the Fillmore Middle School where Josh the Otter appeared. Josh the Otter is the water safety & awareness project to educate children with an important message: “Stay away from water unless accompanied by an adult.” Kids loved Josh!

On Saturday, the lovable, huggable Easter Bunny appeared at the Fillmore Recreation chalk art contest and a free-for-all Easter egg hunt. What a hoot! Kids being little, I decided to shoot from ground level. Miraculously, I survived, untrampled. Nevertheless, I'm reviewing my accident/health plan coverage.

Though shooting at ground level seemed best, kids running helter-skelter created an unexpected dilemma: Who and what to shoot with dozens of kids running every which way? I resigned to just pressing the focus back-button and prayed that at least a couple of photos showed some kids snatching eggs! Next time I plan to put the camera in burst mode – 10 photos/second - and fire away. BTW, it looked like every kid participating was pursued by, ahem, a phonetographer. Seriously?

Then it was on to the 100th famous, fabulous Fillmore Flower Show, a two-day extravaganza of eye candy. Like the proverbial fly on the wall, I watched people stop and stoop to sniff the roses. Perhaps an irresistible instinct? Must be. I can no more greet a dog without patting its head than pass a rose and not have a quick sniff. C'est la vie!

Highlight May 1 through May 5 on your calendar, the dates of Fillmore's first exciting Art and Photography Exhibit. Sponsored by the Fillmore Art Commission, the free event held in City Hall. Artwork and fine art photographs from 20 local artists will be on display for your enjoyment, and purchase! Enter a prize drawing by voting for your favorite artwork and or photo. Happy photoing!

Send comments, questions or suggestions to: focusonphotography@earthlink.net

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Raelene Chaney, a long-time resident of Fillmore, passed away April 7th in her home surrounded by loved ones at the age of 90. After a short battle with Hodgkins Lymphoma, she has now joined her beloved husband Robert Chaney in Heaven.

Raelene was born in 1929 in Yelm, WA and was a graduate of Big Bear High School. Although she had a full and busy life, her life didn’t truly begin until 1964, when a big city girl moved to a small town called Fillmore. Robert & Raelene then adopted two beautiful girls, Chris-Anne in 1966 and Susan in 1969, to bring more light and joy into their lives. Raelene worked for the school district in many different capacities but was best known for being a campus supervisor. You could hear her yelling, “Don’t make me write you up, get to class NOW!” She did this for about nine years and then became the supervisor for In-School Suspensions for another five years. Even though she was a tough cookie, she loved her students like they were her children.

From the moment she stepped foot in Fillmore, Raelene was involved in many community projects and groups, including the Ebell & Optimist clubs, just to name a few. She helped start the FHS Soccer Club, raised money for her daughters' softball team, and even helped one of her students go to the Fiji Islands to run Cross Country. She participated in the annual Flower shows, bike rodeos and over the last few years volunteered at the Wednesday Food Share program.

After the towns devastating loss of a high school senior on graduation night, Raelene co-founded Grad Nite Live in 1990. Raelene and her husband Bob along with several Fillmore residents, worked with local businesses for donations. In later years, the Grad Nite Live Thanksgiving pie sale was born. Seniors sold pies to pay for a dinner cruise so they could have a safe, sober, and fun graduation night experience.

She was best known for driving around in her “Put Put” yelling, “Did you order your pies?” (therefore becoming “The Pie Lady”) which we’re sure you can hear even now. From an overnight dinner cruise to an early morning breakfast at Carl’s Jr., great memories were had by all.

Raelene also received the Making a Difference for Women & Citizen of the Year awards. Then in May of 2018, she was bestowed with Fillmore’s highest honor by receiving Fillmore’s “Lifetime Achievement, Citizen of the Year” award.

She has impacted so many people throughout her long life because she was always the life of the party and loved by everyone who met her.

Raelene’s greatest pride and joy were her six grandchildren, of whom she loved to no end. All of the kids helped her in some way with Grad Nite Live.

She attended all their sports games, picked them up from school, helped them with homework, and taught them to drive in her “Put Put” car.

Raelene leaves behind: Chris-Anne Barker, Susan (Patrick) Golson and Grandchildren: Tenea, Brandon, Zach, Johnny, Samantha, and Tyler. She leaves behind an incredible legacy that her family is proud of. She was a phenomenal woman who will be truly missed but will forever live on in our hearts.

A very special thank you to our Angels at Los Robles Hospice. We would have been lost without you.

A Celebration of Life will be held Thursday, April 18th 10a.m. at Faith Community Church: 355 D St., Fillmore, followed by a graveside service at Bardsdale Cemetery: 1698 S Sespe St., Bardsdale. Reception to follow and will be announced at service.

In lieu of flowers the family has asked to make donations to Grad Nite Live or FHS Soccer Club in her honor.
Funeral Arrangements are under the direction of the Family Owned & Operated ROBERT REY GARCIA JR FUNERAL SERVICES, Santa Paula, CA 805.229.7054.

A teacher’s aide from Fillmore High School was arrested for child annoying and contributing to a delinquency of a minor after it was reported that he was sending inappropriate messages to a student on a social media site and providing marijuana products to a minor.

At the end of the school day on 04/05/19, Fillmore Unified School District employees were notified of potentially inappropriate messages shared between a teacher’s aide and a student at the High School. Upon hearing about the allegations, the School District immediately notified the Fillmore Police Department and an investigation ensued.

Deputies responded to the high school to investigate the teacher’s aide, and found he had conversations with a student on the social media application, “Snap Chat.” The dialogue was improper and had sexual overtures. Deputies completed the investigation and concluded the employee, Ricardo Negrete, was annoying the student by sending multiple messages at various times of the day and night. Additionally, detectives discovered that Negrete sold a marijuana cartridge used in vape pens to a second minor not involved in the aforementioned incident.

Prior to arriving at work on 4/08/19, Negrete was arrested and booked at the Pre-Trail Detention Facility for Penal Code 647.6 (a)(1)- Child Annoying and Penal Code 272 - Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.

The Fillmore Police Department and the Fillmore Unified School District work together very closely and this cooperative relationship led to the quick identification and arrest of Negrete.

Prepared by: Sergeant Vince Alvarez
Approved: Captain Eric Tennessen