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By Dick Diaz — Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
How many phone calls can I get from one very proud Mother who now has three sons serving in the United States Army? Well she does have one more son left at home so my guess is maybe four! Proud Mother Donna Edwards (Smith) called to tell me that number three son United States Army Private First Class Anthony Edwards, 20 years, has graduated from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program ( RASP) and Airborne training! He is assigned to the 75th Ranger Regimental Special Troops Battalion (RSTB), Regimental Intelligence Company at Ft. Benning, Georgia. As a Ranger, PFC Edwards will be in the same job classification as his older brother Staff Sergeant Kevin “Buddy” Edwards as a Military Intelligence Analyst (MOS 35F). PFC Anthony Edwards is a 2011 Fillmore High School Graduate, graduating early in December 2010. He entered the United States Army on June 13, 2011 finishing his Army Basic Training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. After graduating from Basic Training PFC Edwards completed his advanced training at Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista, Arizona home of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center as a Military Intelligence Analyst. In this position he has obtained a “Military Top Secret Clearance.” The intelligence analyst supervises, performs, or coordinates, collection management, analysis, processing, and dissemination of strategic and tactical intelligence. PFC Anthony Edwards prepares all source intelligence products to support the combat commander. Additionally he assists in establishing and maintaining systematic, cross-referenced intelligence records and files and receives and processes incoming reports and messages. PFC Edwards assists in determining significance and reliability of incoming information, in integrating incoming information with current intelligence holdings and prepares and maintains the situation map. He contributes in the analysis and evaluation of intelligence holdings to determine changes in enemy capabilities, vulnerabilities, and probable courses of action. Other duties include the preparation of Order of Battle records using information from all sources and in the preparation of strength estimates of enemy units. PFC Edwards is also responsible for proofreading intelligence reports and assists in consolidating them into military intelligence. He prepares Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) products. Without a doubt for any military combat operation someone in the position of PFC Anthony Edwards plays a critical role on the battlefield. PFC Anthony Edwards CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
 A Sheriffs helicopter was circling Fillmore Monday night, searching for a man wanted on a warrant. The incident began in the 400 block of Saratoga Street at 6 p.m. The man took off on foot and was pursued by deputies. The helicopter was called in and maintained a search for two hours in the Saratoga and North Fillmore area. The suspect was not located. No warrant details were available at press time. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
 On Friday, Nov. 9th Fillmore Fire Department responded to a reported vehicle fire in the area of Fish Hatchery Road and El Dorado. Upon arrival, Assistant Fire Chief Bill Herrera reported a vehicle fully involved in fire. Upon further investigation it was determined that the vehicle fire was a result of a traffic collision and Herrera requested an ambulance to the location. Fillmore Fire Department was able to extinguish the vehicle fire within minutes and AMR ambulance assessed the passengers of the vehicles. Only minor injuries to report and no one was transported. Hats off to Fillmore Fire Department and AMR for a job well done. Enlarge Photo |
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By Joe Woods — Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
Fillmore, it is time to help one of our own and serve a great cause at the same time! Fillmore's own Hermanos Herrera will be playing at the Sespe Auditorium, 627 Sespe Avenue, on Sunday, November 18th at 2pm to help out Fillmore High School English and Drama teacher Josh Overton. Overton has been in a battle with cancer since August of this year. All proceeds will go to Team Overton for The Relay for Life. Hermanos Herrera is made up of five brothers; Jorge, Luis, Miguel, Juan, Jose, and little sister Rebeca Herrera. They all went to Fillmore High School and were top student athletes. They then all went on to great things at U.C.L.A. Hermanos Herrera have appeared in the U.S.A. and Mexico. They have appeared on Television National and International programs. They have also shared the stage with such great Superstars Linda Ronstadt, Los Lobos, and Jose Feliciano, and many many more great acts. Hermanos Herrera plan CONTINUED » |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Friday, November 9th, 2012
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department On November 8th, the Fillmore High School Resource Officer received information that a 15 year old female student was in possession of a firearm. The Deputy contacted the female student in class and discovered the firearm in her pocket. The student was arrested without incident. The student was booked at Ventura County Juvenile Hall for 626.9 PC (Loaded Firearm on School Campus) and 25400(a)(2) PC (Carry a concealed firearm on a person). The case is still under investigation by the Fillmore Police Department. Nature of Incident: Fillmore High Student Arrested with Firearm at School 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). |
 It was a clean sweep for Fillmore’s new candidates, with Mayor Gayle Washburn, Councilman Jamey Brooks, and City Clerk Clay Westling all swept out of office. New to the council are Rick Neal, Manuel Minjares, and Douglas Tucker. We also have a new City Clerk, Nancy Blendermann-Meyer, and a new city Treasurer, Shannon Godfrey. November 6 marked the end of the most bitterly contested city council campaign in city history. (Provisional votes to come.) Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, November 7th, 2012
FINAL ELECTION 2012 FILLMORE City Council 3 New City Council Members Elected Defeated Incumbents Defeated Candidates Total Votes: 9,087 FILLMORE City Clerk 1 New City Clerk Elected Defeated Incumbent Total Votes: 3,239 FILLMORE City Treasurer Defeated Candidate Total Votes: 3,190 |
 There was no love loss between El Dorado park owner’s attorney Mark D. Alpert and El Dorado resident Charles Richardson at the end of the November 2nd city council meeting. Enlarge Photo By Jean McLeod — Wednesday, November 7th, 2012
Lawsuit costs to continue
 El Dorado's attorney Mark D. Alpert made his case to city council members why the part should be subdivided into 302 resident owned lots. Enlarge Photo  Charles Richardson stated, “It’s all been a threat over rent control” and that the owner threatened if the residents voted for rent control the park would be turned into a family park; which it now is. Enlarge Photo With standing room only over 50 people, mostly residents of El Dorado Mobilehome Park, attended the Fillmore City Council Meeting on Friday November 2, 2012. Just about all had come to voice their opposition to the Park’s subdivision/vesting map hearing. The legal battle between the City of Fillmore and El Dorado Park began on March 5, 2009 when the owners of the park applied to subdivide the one 37.5 acre lot consisting of 302 mobile home spaces into 302 resident owned lots and the City denied the application. On September 28, 2009 a lawsuit was filed by the owners of the park. Later a survey of park residents was conducted, which was required by law, showing they overwhelmingly oppose the conversion. At the May 9, 2012 City Council meeting a proposal was made to the Council by the park owners to settle the court case, giving the residents some concessions that included five year leases offered to all residents with rent increases being equal to the change in Consumer Price Index (with a minimum of 3% and a maximum of 8% along with an application for a 10% rent credit to low and very low income households). This was rejected by Council Members Jamey Brooks, Eduardo Gonzalez and Brian Sipes with Mayor Gayle Washburn and Council Member Steve Conaway agreeing to the settlement. At the time CONTINUED » |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, November 7th, 2012
 On Tuesday, November 6, 2012, Fillmore Lions Club had Interim City Manager Rigo Landeros draw the lucky winner from Saturday’s Enchilada Dinner 50/50 raffle. A total of $628 was collected. The winner who wishes to remain anonymous won $314. Pictured above (l-r) Bill Dewey, Mary Tipps, Maria Toledo, Scott Lee, and Casey Spore (who is holding the winnings). The Lions Club International is asking all clubs in the U.S. to donate monies to the victims of Hurricane Sandy. The club had voted to send $1000 and its $314 will be added. All monies are directed to Lions Clubs in the affected areas. Enlarge Photo |
 An American Flag and Support our Troops flag are hung in front of the Spitler home in honor of our Veterans. Enlarge Photo By Dick Diaz — Wednesday, November 7th, 2012
About the time I was sitting down in the front patio area of retired city clerk for the City of Fillmore Shirley Spitler's house to talk with her about her display of the American Flag and a Support Our Troops banner, a news article, written by Robert Burns of the Associated Press, was arriving at my, and many of your homes. As Shirley and I sat on her white wicker patio furniture and I admired her fountain with a collection of ceramic turtles playfully perched at the fountain’s edge that article sat waiting for me to read in disbelief . The headlines, “One per day dying in Afghanistan” was sobering enough, but the article content was about more than that . It named names of fallen soldiers and it placed Americans in an awful light of complacency. The article said that the, “…war impact fades for some, but not for families.” That is right, for most Americans the War in Afghanistan is no longer thought about . But for those of us living in Fillmore and Piru, fathers, mothers, and other family members who have loved ones in that war right now, we think of the war every day . We wish for our loved ones safety and a return home to a better life . I know as I am talking with Shirley that she is not one of those Americans who has forgotten the sacrifices of our currently serving military as well as those who have served and have earned the honor to be called a Veteran. Shirley honors our currently serving members and Veterans every day with her display of the American Flag and Support our Troops banner . If you drive by 850 Oliver St. you will see two flags flying over the garage. One is the American Flag and the other a Support Our Troops banner. Both are on display 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is a practice started by Shirley's late husband Robert “Bud” Spitler many years ago. As Shirley looked fondly at the Flag and Banner she told me it was about time to buy new ones because they have begun to fade. Shirley told me her first husband and the father of her three children, Marion Woods, served in the Navy stationed in the Philippines during the Korean War. He was killed in a car accident in 1966 at the age of 31. Two years later she married her second husband, Fillmore Native, Robert “Bud” Spitler, who had been an Army Air Corps P-38 pilot in Italy during WWII. Bud Spitler was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as a Lieutenant in 1944 while serving with the United States Army Air Corps (now the United States Air Force) when leading his squadron of P38s over Austria while escorting heavy bombers, rescuing his comrades in a stricken and crippled P38, driving off vicious attacks of the enemy and then directing an entire formation to safety. Shirley told me Bud had many interesting stories of the time he served including flying home on one engine after an operation and flying so low over Japanese fishermen that their small fishing boats would capsize. Since Bud passed away five years ago Shirley has continued with the display of the American Flag and Support our Troops banner. It is for all American Veterans and closer to home Veterans like United States Korean War Veteran Marion Woods and United States Army Air Corps WWII Veteran Robert “Bud” Spitler that Shirley Spitler continues the tradition of flying both the American Flag and the Support Our Troops banner. Shirley Spitler is not one of those Americans described in the article as, “Americans in an awful light of complacency .” Thank you Shirley for your patriotism and honoring those men and women who have and are serving the United States of America. They are truly our American Heroes! |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, November 7th, 2012
 On Saturday several citizens came out to meet the candidates who were running for office. Tommy’s Burger was a big hit with their famous hamburgers. Pictured above were the only participants who attended this great function, (l-r) Manuel Minjares, Doug Tucker, Rick Neal, Nancy Blendermann-Meyer, Shannon Godfrey, and Alex Mollkoy. Enlarge Photo |