Beginning September 17, 2011 and ending on approximately October 23, 2010, United Water Conservation District will provide escorted access from its property to Piru Creek to whitewater boaters during the annual fall water conservation release from the Santa Felicia Dam located at Lake Piru. Access will be provided on Saturdays and Sundays only, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. when the dam is releasing water in excess of 200 cubic feet per second. Access will not be permitted without an advanced reservation. The first opportunity for whitewater boating will be Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18.

Boaters will be escorted by shuttle from the parking lot located on Piru Canyon Road, at the entrance to the Santa Felicia Dam, to the put-in site at Piru Creek. Boaters are responsible for getting themselves and their gear back from any take-out point along the Piru Creek to their vehicle. Boaters will not be allowed access through United Water Conservation District's property to Piru Creek without an advance reservations and a signed waiver form. Waiver forms can be obtained at the shuttle site or at United's Santa Paula office.

Whitewater boating and other related activities are inherently dangerous and hazardous recreational activities, and can lead to bodily injury, injury to property, and death. Inclement weather and water conditions may contribute to the dangers. Piru Creek may contain natural and artificial hazards, such as submerged and exposed trees, fences and wires. Also, measuring instruments have been installed in multiple locations in Piru Creek as a part of a required study plan to quantify the effects of the Santa Felicia Dam and water releases on steelhead habitat. Although the instrument has been flagged where possible, some may submerged in the creek and may pose a hazard. Whitewater boaters accessing Piru Creek from District property must sign a release waiver.

The Santa Felicia Dam was constructed to create the Lake Piru Reservoir with the capacity to store more than 100,000 acre-feet of winter runoff from Piru Creek and its tributaries. Its purpose is to recharge groundwater basins. Each fall, United Water Conservation District releases water from the Santa Felicia Dam down Piru Creek and into the Santa Clara River where it replenishes the Piru, Fillmore and Santa Paula groundwater basins. Some of water reaches the Freeman Diversion Facility in Saticoy where a portion is used to recharge groundwater basins on the Oxnard Plain. Whitewater boaters wanting more information about access to Piru Creek and water release flow rates can visit United's website at www.unitedwater.org call the Santa Paula office at 525-4431. For escorted access reservations to Pint Creek, please call 525-4431.

A 1979 ad for Pakistani Airlines promoting its flights to New York City.
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Not including the marriage to our spouse, or the birth of our children, many of us have dates and times in our lives that are imbedded in our memories forever! These are dates and times that we will always know where we were at that specific moment. For me there are two; November 22, 1963 and September 11, 2001.

The first, November 22, 1963 at about 10:30 am (PST) I was a high school sophomore and in my auto shop class at Sweetwater Union High School in National City, California when over the school public address system an announcement was made that the President of the United States John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas, Texas! I remember how surprised I was at the depth of pain and fear I, and my fellow students felt when we heard the news! For me it was the first time I had experienced an event that impacted not only the United States, but was felt world-wide and is still felt today!

The second date is September 11, 2001 and is now known as “9/11”! It was nearly 6:00 am (PST) and I was downstairs in my home preparing for work and watching the morning news. The regular programming was interrupted with breaking news to report on a plane that had crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City! The live picture on the screen and the initial commentary made it appear that this was some sort of an accident. My wife Carolyn was upstairs getting ready for her work-day and I yelled up to her to tell her about the plane crash! By the time she came downstairs another plane crashed into the second tower! We both did not realize, at that moment, our lives and the lives of all Americans would be changed forever!

My realization started when I arrived for work at the Courthouse in Ventura and I began locking down that building as word spread this was a confirmed terrorist attack on American soil! All of us would soon learn of two other hijacked airliners; one crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, DC and another into a field near rural Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The crash in Shanksville was the result of passengers on board the ill-fated aircraft trying to stop the hijackers from completing what we later learned was another well coordinated suicide mission being carried out by a total of 19 hijackers. Since 9/11 it has become more difficult for Americans to travel by air, my Son, oldest grandson, daughter-in-law, two nephews and many of the men and women from the communities of Fillmore and Piru have joined the military services and are currently serving in what now has been a 10-year war against Terrorism! I thank them and the many other men and women serving for their sacrifice and service!

Nearly 3,000 victims and the 19 hijackers died in the attacks on September 11, 2001! Their coordinated act of flying three of four hijacked commercial jetliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon spread terror in lives of all Americans. We now know American soil is vulnerable to terrorist attack! The impact of that horrific day continues today as fresh in the minds of all Americans as it was nearly 10-years ago!

Among the 2,753 victims who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center were 343 firefighters and 60 police officers from New York City and the Port Authority, and 8 private emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Another 184 people were killed in the attack on the Pentagon along with 40 crew and passengers who perished aboard Flight 93 when it crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. The overwhelming majority of casualties at the World Trade Center, however, were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries. There were an additional 6,000 Americans injured in this attack.

September 11, 2001 is also widely known as the reason the United States of America and our allies entered into the Global War on Terrorism on September 20, 2001. Since that time many more American lives have been lost and more American lives changed forever. They are the American soldiers and their families of those who have been killed, or wounded in action while serving in the Middle East to ensure there will never be another September 11th! The casualty numbers are staggering; since September 20, 2001 nearly 5,000 American military personnel have been killed in action and more than 60,550 wounded in action! There has been another 1,311 who have died of non-hostile actions while serving in the Middle East.

On Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 8:00 am the public is invited to attend a “10th Anniversary of September 11th Memorial Ceremony” to give the people of Fillmore an opportunity to pay their respects on the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001 and in remembrance of the fallen firefighters, peace officers and military personnel who lost their lives, or were injured during that terrorist attack on American soil. The Memorial Ceremony will be held in front of the City of Fillmore Fire Department, 711 Sespe Place located between Old Telegraph Road and “A” Street. This event will be hosted by the Fillmore Fire Department and the Fillmore Volunteer Firefighter's Foundation.

I hope the residents of Fillmore will take this opportunity to attend this event and show that Fillmore will never forget those who have fallen and those who continue to sacrifice so much for all of us! They are truly our American Heroes!

Yes Fillmore, we have another M.M.A. Champion! Jose "Froggy" Estrada is the new 155 lb. Combat Fight League Champion. He has now joins his brother Frank "Turtle" Estrada as Championship Belt holders. What a band of brothers we have here.

On August 19, the Woodland Hills Marriott was the scene of this great event. It was a full card of fights in the amateur M.M.A. ranks. Our new Champ was the main event in only his 2nd fight; with a huge crowd of fight fans to see Jose Froggy Estrada VS. Danny Pena for the C.F.L 155 lbs. Championship.

Froggy out of the West Coast and Cazadores Fight Team in Oxnard came in at 155 lbs. Young Mr. Pena out of the 10th Planted Gym in Van Nuys came in at a trim 154 lbs.

Froggy said, "I wanted this guy. He was trying to talk smack at the weigh-in. I could not wait to get to him." He also knew this fighter was one tough guy with a background in wrestling and striking. "I was ready for a war with him. I knew he had a good overhand right I had to look out for." I asked, what was your game plan? "Push his base. Stand up to him and go toe to toe with him. Bang it out with him. I knew I was stronger than him."
When it was time to fight I asked the Champ if he was nervous. "No not until I came into the arena for the fight and saw the crowd. It was a big and loud Fillmore and Van Nuys crowd." So what goes through a young fighters head at this time? "All I wanted to do was get into the cage and get this guy for talking so much trash to me at the weigh-in. I wanted to shut him up!"

The 1st round started with the two fighters circling the ring to get a feel for each other. "I was looking for the overhand right, and when he threw the punch I went at him with the 1-2-1-2 combo I worked on in training. Then I threw him into the cage and started giving him some knee kicks to the legs with some foot stomps." That was when the referee broke the hold of the two fighters. "That is when he clipped me in my eye. I could feel it starting to knot up" With no blood Froggy was relaxed and ready to get back at it.

"I said okay nice shot, now stay focused." With that the bell sounded to end the 1st of 3, 2-minute rounds.
In between rounds Froggy's coach's told him to get his hands up more. And that is just what he did. "Pena threw another overhand right, so I shot at his legs for a takedown." He did more than that, he slammed Pena into the cage, picked him up and slammed him hard to the mat. The crowd that was about 70% Fillmore and 30% Van Nuys went crazy for Froggy.

''I started my ground and pound on him," said the Champ. "He had a good chin. I think the bell saved him."
Before the start of the 3rd and final round Coach James "The Ghost" Toney said two words that stuck in Froggy's mind. "FINISH HIM!" The two fighters came into the last round ready to end the war.

"Close to the end of the round he went for a punch and went down and got up and hit me good. I fell on top of him and started a ground and pound on him. He tried to get up but I took him down." With time running down Froggy went in to finish it. "I was hitting him with all I had. I thought I had him out but then the bell rang.''
The fight was now in the hands of the judges. "My coach said I had this one in the books, so I started to take a victory lap around the cage."

And then the magic words came for the load speakers in the arena "AND NEW COMBAT FIGHT LEAGUE CHAMPION...JOSE "FROGGY" ESTRADA!"

"Turtle" his brother was the first to get into the cage to hug him, holding his own Championship belt with him. The Fillmore and the Froggy fans went crazy for the new Champ. "All I could think was I DID IT! Man it was a war!"

Froggy would like to thank The West Coast and Cazadores Fight Team, Coach James "The Ghost" Toney, Coach Brian Espinosa, Coach Fred Lemus, Brother and teammate Frank " Turtle" Estrada, Teammate Robbie Aguilar, all of his family, Mom and Dad, D.J. J. Scratch Strength and Conditioning Coach. Also thanks to his sponsors who made it possible; E.G. Fresh Cuts, Martin at Sugar Beets, Tin Energy.com, La Fondita, Upper Hand, and Killer Bees.

There will also be a fundraiser for our two Champions at El Pescador. You can contact them for tickets for meals at 805-794-3479. Fillmore, let’s get behind these two great young men, and buy some good food and help them out.

What is next for the two Champions? "Back to the gym, we got to get ready for our next fights. This is a fulltime job, and we need to be ready to go at all times," said Froggy.

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Ventura, CA - Freedom Ranch is proud to announce the creation of eastern Ventura County’s first Community Garden Project, established to help feed the hungry in Ventura County. Freedom Ranch has set aside approximately ½ acre of farmland to create a community garden for the residents of eastern Ventura County. Freedom Ranch and the Community Garden Project site are located at 3543 E. Telegraph Rd., which is approximately 1 mile west of the community of Piru, California. On August 30th, 2011, the Foundation, in collaboration with Food Share, harvested its first crop of lettuces.

The goal of the Community Garden Project is to “feed the hungry” in Ventura County, by providing a locally sustainable food source for area residents, food pantries and charities. Local residents, schools and charitable organizations will be encouraged to participate in the Community Garden Project by planting and harvesting vegetables. The Community Garden Project will also encourage elderly or mobility challenged persons to participate in the Community Garden Project and will provide assistance if needed. Transportation to and from the Community Garden Project site is available through the “Vista” transportation system.

The Community Garden Project will have 10’x 20’ plots available for local residents, schools and charitable organizations to grow fresh vegetables. The Community Garden Project will primarily be funded by “The Foundation”, but donations to help offset cost of water, tools and equipment would be appreciated. Although a donation is not required, to participate in the Community Garden Project, community gardeners will be required to donate at least 10% of their harvest to a local food pantry (Food Share of Ventura County) or charity, to help “feed the hungry” in our area. A collection box will be kept at the Community Garden Project site and volunteers will deliver the donations to the local Food pantries for distribution.

“The Foundation” has already planted over 200 plants (corn, green beans, tomatoes, cantaloupes, lettuces and cucumbers) at the Community Garden Project site and in cooperation with Food Share of Ventura County, celebrated its first harvest of lettuces on August 30th. The remaining vegetables should be ready to harvest in mid September and will also be donated to Food Share, to help “feed the hungry” in our area.

If you would like more information about the community garden project or if you would like to participate (gardeners or volunteers) in the community garden project, you are invited to contact Freedom Ranch for more information.

Freedom Ranch and Community Garden Project
3543 E. Telegraph Rd.
Piru, CA, 93040
(805) 521-1577

Fillmore Unified School District

On Tuesday, September 6 2011 the Fillmore Board of Education met for a relatively brief meeting. Following the quiet public comment portion of the meeting the student representative from Fillmore High School Sammy Martinez reported on the goings on at the school and the preparations for Homecoming Week that will take place the week of September 19 with the final event, the Homecoming Football game on September 23.

Next Board Member Tony Prado kicked off Board reports speaking about Back to School Night at Piru Elementary School. “[It was] very well attended. The principal [Diana Vides] did a good job in explaining to the parents her goals, her vision, her mission…very interesting to hear that she would be very transparent… and [will make sure that] the School Site Council and ELAC [groups] understand school budgets.” Prado commented that he was impressed with her ability to easily switch back and forth between English and Spanish so as to communicate effectively with all of the families of Piru School. “Right now it looks like we have a … good leader at Piru.” Later in the meeting Assistant Superintendent Michael Johnson introduced Vides to the Board. When she addressed the Board she thanked them for the opportunity, as this is her first time serving as principal. “One of the reasons the superintendent took a chance on me is because I was a migrant child myself, my parents were migrant workers, and I’m proof that the system does work…one of the things my parents always instilled in me is that education is very important.” She went on to explain that she connects well with Piru families because not only does she speak the language but she “has the same values, my parents went through the same…struggles that they [are going] through…If you hold education highly anything is achievable. I hope to make a big difference at Piru.” Prado went on to reiterate what he said earlier and stated, “I was impressed and I hope that you provide the desperate leadership that Piru needs.”

Board Member Dave Wilde focused on the Agricultural Advisory Council meeting he attended. Reporting on the continuing plans of Fillmore Middle School to allow 4H to use 2 ½ acres for its program. He reported on the upgrading of the greenhouse at the High School and plans of Future Farmers of America (FFA) to “[build] a meat lab so kids [can] learn how to cut meat”, the revitalization of the park area around the house at the FFA property, and plans to use vegetables grown by the students in the schools cafeteria. He also reported on the presentation of a plaque to long time Fillmore resident and veterinarian Dr. Charles “Doc” Nelson DVM for his long time support and help treating the animals.

Starting off the Superintendents report was FUSD Director of Business Services Dr. Michael Bush, “Rio Vista is going vertical,” he stated referring to the new school being built behind the Bridges housing tract. The construction is now in the framing phase, “the iron is up and they’re starting to put up the wood.” Bush reported “we are continuing to struggle with air conditioners” it seems that several administrative units at the middle school, high school and district office are on the fritz. He explained that one time insurance money would be used for the needed repairs. Regarding the budget “ [our] audited actuals … are pretty much on track…where we thought it would be, the State continues to struggle, [no extra revenue coming in] and there will be some sort of mid year triggers, they’re trying to push some legislation through… it’s a zero sum game if the moneys not coming in at the top it can’t go out at the bottom, it does look like we are going to have mid year cuts this year.” Director of Human Resources Todd Schieferle spoke next, reporting “We have two [teaching] positions [available] … at the Middle School a resource teacher [position] is vacant, we have received a bunch of applications and we’ll be filling that ASAP.” And there is a position for an English teacher at Sierra High School they are working to fill. Assistant Superintendent in Ed Services, Michael Johnson reported, “We are continuing to address the curriculum… in the district.” In the next two weeks he will be meeting with the Curriculum Committee that is made up of representatives from every school in the District to “[focus on] more than just textbook adoption…we will be addressing some of the systemic areas…that relates to curriculum, environment in the school [and so on].” He reported on the progress of the Essential Standards Committee made up of mainly elementary school teachers. Johnson will be working with them to “continue the work that has already been started in the area of Essential Standards benchmarks and… assessments.” He reported on the progress of the Alternative Governance Board (AGB) “later on [the Board will get] a road map of where we are, the process… [The AGB will be meeting with the staff at the schools] to give them an orientation … their [school] plans are going to be revised to address essential program components called ‘EPCs’.” He informed the Board that they would be updated regularly on the process and progress of the AGB. Johnson also told the Board that all principals were encouraged to attend an ELD (English Language Development) Training Session “not a conference, but a session offered at the County.” There will be four sessions they will be attending. “I’m so happy to see the enthusiasm of all the elementary [school principals] who have volunteered to attend those training sessions. After all, 80% of our students are ELD students, so this will give additional skills and knowledge on how to reach [them].” Johnson also commented on the Ag Commission meeting “I enjoyed [the meeting] particularly the ribs.” All who attended that meeting agreed the ribs were a highlight. Interim Superintendent Dr. Alan Nishino finished up the report by saying, “[I am] really pleased that our staff is working to focus on what is good for our students… [So they] have the opportunity to be as successful as they can be. Our clients are our students, and that’s our focus.” He explained that his hope is that “when [students] graduate from [FUSD, they say] ‘boy, am I glad I came to Fillmore…I’m proud I’m a Fillmore graduate.”

All agenda action items were approved unanimously including an Unaudited Actual Budget from 2010-11. Future scheduled meetings are September 20, October 4, October 18, public portion of the meetings set to start at 6:30.

(View the School Matters Blog for more school info at www.fillmoregazette.com/school-matters)

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Planning Commissioner Tom Fennell has tendered his resignation from the Fillmore Planning Commission. He is the fourth Commissioner to do so, citing unlawful interference, lack of cooperation, disrespect, and unprecedented meddling by the Fillmore City Council majority (Gayle Washburn, Patti Walker, Jamey Brooks, and Brian Sipes) in the Commission’s affairs.

The controversy between the Commission and the Council majority began in July after the majority attempted to appeal what they believed was a decision of the Commission to approve a Verizon cell tower in town near the railroad tracks. No such decision had been discussed, and the majority’s move to act against such an alleged approval was cited by Verizon’s legal counsel as a federal violation of the Telecommunications Act; a lawsuit was threatened against the city in a July 11, 2011 letter from Verizon’s attorneys.

The council majority denied any such attempt but at the August 23 council meeting, Washburn (appointed mayor) was finally forced to admit that her denial was false.

The council majority, particularly Brooks, Sipes and Washburn, made numerous disparaging comments about the Commissioners (all long-time volunteers) which were demeaning, false, and disruptive.

The city is now seeking four new Planning Commissioners to replace those who have recently resigned.

In a statement released on August 30, 2011 Fillmore Unified School District reported that during the June 28th 2011 meeting of its Board of Education, the District was “directed …to form an Alternative Governance Board (AGB).” In the minutes from that meeting it is reported that Human Resources Director, Todd Schieferle “shared the plan and information from Sanger Unified School District who came out of program improvement and went on to become distinguished schools.” Sanger is located in the Fresno area and in a report titled “Turning Around a High Poverty School District” by Bay Area Research Group, on the website of the U.S. Department of Education it is stated, “In 2004, the district [Sanger] was named one of the 98 lowest performing districts in the state, with seven of it’s schools identified to be in “Program Improvement” (PI) status.” The report goes on to state that in “just six years [Sanger schools] made staggering progress across the board, with it’s test scores outpacing average state gains each year since 2004. By 2008-2009 all seven schools in PI had moved out of the status, with four schools achieving “State Distinguished School” status.” According the report Sanger “faces many of the challenges associated with educating a high poverty student population…families who don’t speak much English, or families who haven’t had much experience with education.” According to the California Department of Education website six of the seven schools in FUSD are in PI status, only Sierra High is not in PI.

What is an AGB ? The five member AGB is made up of two FUSD administrators, Michael Johnson, Assistant Superintendent and Schieferle; Kelli Hayes a “district-level administrator” from Moorpark Unified School District; Anna Merriman, “a director from [the] Ventura County Office of Education”, and Dr. Michael Babb, Director of the Regional System of District and School Support. FUSD states that “[the AGB] will direct Fillmore Middle School [FMS] staff to plan and implement strategies that will support learning for all students, especially those student subgroups that have struggled in the past…The AGB will be a collaborative team that will report to the [FUSD] Superintendent and the FUSD Board of Trustees. The AGB will oversee school improvement efforts…until scores surpass Adequate Yearly Performance targets for two consecutive years.” Part of the process will involve the AGB helping to “shape the plan” at FMS to “change learning and teaching at the classroom level. Families can expect to see improvement strategies that support students who historically have struggled at [the school].”

Why Now? Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stanley Mantooth confirmed that the process of instituting the AGB began under the previous Superintendent for Fillmore Unified School District Jeff Sweeney to support Fillmore Middle School (FMS) in improving it’s test scores and coming out of PI. To get out of PI a school must meet the Academic Yearly Progress (AYP) proficiency targets in all subgroups for two consecutive years. Based on information at the California Department of Educations Data and Statistics website FMS has been in “PI” since the 2003-2004 school year. A school is designated as in “PI” when for “each of two consecutive years” it fails to meet the AYP targets in reading and mathematics as set by the State based on the Federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. Currently only schools that receive federal Title 1 funds are required to meet the AYP target criteria. The targets are set with the NCLB goal of every student achieving minimum proficiency or better in language arts and math by the 2013-14 school year. According to the U.S. Department of Education’s website “The purpose of (Title 1) is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.” The most recently reported test scores for FMS (from 2010-11 school year) show that in Language Arts 39.2% of students are “proficient or better”, meaning that 60.8% percent of students do not test at a minimally proficient level. In math, only 28.3% are proficient or better, with 71.8% failing to test proficient. School-wide scores dropped 8 points from 2009-10 to 2010-11 school year. FMS has not met the minimum state proficiency targets since 2001, was labeled PI in the 2003-2004 school year and so while it has not met targets for a decade, and has actually been in PI for nine years, it is labeled as PI Year 5 because there are no designations past Year 5 in the PI program. The “corrective actions” required by the State for schools in Year 3 of PI include the following “replacing school staff; implement new curriculum; decrease management authority at school level; appoint outside expert.” For Year 4 the State requires restructuring to begin and this is where “Alternative governance of [the] school” should occur; “[or] reopen as a charter, [or] replace all or most of staff including principal.” Once a school gets into Year 5 and beyond the plan developed in year 4 is implemented and the district must offer school choice and “supplemental services” until “school makes AYP for two years.”

Where is the Accountability? In the statement released by FUSD it is recognized that “[NCLB] specifies that schools in year 4 and 5 of school improvement restructure their learning programs and create an alternative governance structure to support restructuring efforts.” FMS has been in Year 5 for six years and the community may wonder why the District is just now implementing this action. According to page 14 of the FMS Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) which was approved for the 2010-2011 school year by the School Site Council (SSC) (an elected school group made up of staff, parents and the principal) funds in the amount of $92,119 were allocated for eight “sections” to hire “intervention teachers.” Instead of following the instruction of the SSC as the District and site administration is mandated to do, not all of those sections were funded and instead supplies and other tangible items were purchased at the end of the year. The failure of District and Site administrators to adhere to the SPSA prompted the filing of a Uniform Complaint against FUSD, which garnered the attention of the State. FUSD was unable to comment on this particular issue prior to print deadline.

Looking Ahead. Included in the statement prepared by FUSD was a quote from Interim Superintendent Dr. Alan Nishino “The Board’s major concern when I was hired was to address student achievement and insure the academic success of all students in the district. I believe this structure will provide that opportunity to accomplish this goal.” The action of the FUSD School Board on June 28th gave the AGB the ability to examine more than one school in the district and it is currently “considering elementary schools” which may come under it’s influence. For the 2010-2011 school year Piru Elementary was in Year 4 and San Cayetano was in Year 5 of PI.