To the Editor:
Congratulations to the Fillmore Gazette for 22 years of successful operation. To survive as a small-town newspaper in this day and age, especially considering the poor economy and so many competing sources for news, is truly a remarkable achievement.
I cannot help but reflect on a particular hot, dry August day some 20 years ago when a 21-year-old kid shuffled into the Gazette offices in the lower floor of the Masonic Lodge building at 400 Central Avenue, seeking his first job out of college. I knew almost nothing about Fillmore, other than the fact my grandfather had served as Chief of Police in the town in the late 1960s, before I was born. I did not think I would be able to get a job at a daily newspaper, so I tried first with the weeklies. I lacked confidence and experience but knew that I wanted to be a writer, a journalist, so I walked in the door and announced my intentions.
The man and woman behind the counter – publisher Martin Farrell and editor Julianne Smith – did not disappoint when I asked if they had a job available. I could start right away, I was told, and I did, at first primarily covering city council meetings. It seemed like fate then and still does –they needed me and I needed them. I will never forget the excitement of that day – it was the start of an adventure that would keep me in Fillmore for 17 years, six with the Gazette and 11 serving the City of Fillmore. It seems like yesterday when I first walked into that office, but how much the world has changed. And how much Fillmore has changed too. It seems now like an innocent age, but I guess at 21 years of age one’s naiveté shines through. Sometimes the more we know, the less we want to know.
Those early days in the Gazette were amazing. Martin and Julianne gave me the freedom to pursue stories I saw as compelling, and the discussion and conversations we had with each other and with members of the community were fascinating and thought-provoking. It was exciting for a young man to cover such events as the release of the Condors back into Sespe wilds, the fight over SP Milling (remember SMIRF, Stop Mining in Rural Fillmore?), Fillmore’s annual series of fires and/or floods, and far too many gory traffic accidents on Hwy 126, when it was still a real “blood alley.” Then came the Northridge earthquake in January 1994, less than a month into my tenure as Editor. The earthquake, which dominated the news in Fillmore until the city got “Back on Track” in 1996, resulted in the loss of the Gazette’s office in the historic Masonic Lodge building, which had to be demolished after the quake. The Gazette first worked out of a residence until we were provided space at the old Hurst concrete plant in north Fillmore at the end of “B” Street. (The plant was torn down to build homes in north Fillmore a few years later.) Through it all, Martin kept the paper going, despite desperate competition from the “other” weekly newspaper in town.
Fillmore had it pretty good in those days, even despite the setbacks of the earthquake, which caused the good people of Fillmore to rally together and make the best of the situation. The people of Fillmore were not about to let their town down, and the residents, businesses, city staff and council members all worked together on a common vision to advance the town. Sure, there were disagreements, but with a solid vision and solid leadership it got done. Fillmore rebounded less than two years after the quake, stunning experienced State and Federal disaster relief officials. Fillmore earned its motto as the “Last, Best Small Town in Southern California”. When I came to work for the City in 1997, this positive energy was translated into Vision 2020, Fillmore’s 20-year plan for the future. We don’t hear much about Vision 2020 nowadays, but it may be time to revisit the document and well as the positive energy behind it. I will never forget the first town hall meeting we held to gather community input on the Vision 2020 plan – we had so many incredible suggestions and goals for Fillmore – prompting one member of the audience to declare: “If we can only accomplish 25 percent of these goals, Fillmore will be great place to be in 2020.” And that’s what Vision 2020 is all about: inspiration, motivation and encouragement.
But I digress, so let’s get back to Gazette. Congratulations on 22 years in the business. Martin, don’t retire just yet. You never know what, or who, might next walk through your front door. Keep the faith.
Steve McClary
Editor of the Fillmore Gazette (1994-1997)

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To the Editor:
Mr. Farrell, and speaking of Graffiti as your 8/18/11 articles pointed out, allow me to expound on that subject and the lack of interest it seems, not to arouse in our community by our "civic leaders".
For months now, I pointed out to the county, city and ownership of Fillmore and Western, about the graffiti on the railroad span over Pole Creek. Also, the graffiti on the fence of the salvage yard adjacent to Pole Creek and the fact that the entire concrete structure lining Pole Creek has an enormous amount of graffiti lining its walls. All to no avail!
Supervisor Kathy Long says there is no money to remove the graffiti. I was told to send her a list of the various volunteer organizations in town and they'd be contacted. Still nothing happened.
I was told that the county would supply the materials but the "volunteers" would have to do the work. When I asked who'd pay the law suits, if say, a member of the Cub or Boy Scouts, or Boys and Girls Club fell in the channel while doing the work of removal? No response and that question was asked months ago.
I guess being way out here in Fillmore and being such a small town "we don't get any respect"! At least as far as graffiti is concerned. But they still want our votes!
Charles Richardson
Fillmore

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To the Editor:
Businesses with accounts at the Fillmore branch of Wells Fargo.
Does the Fillmore branch of Wells Fargo Bank value our business accounts?
Besides a personal account, A Street Storage has a business account at Wells Fargo. One significant reason was the Fillmore branch had a “Merchant's Window”. This obviously expedited making daily deposits by not having to wait in long lines of people doing personal banking often taking excessive amounts of time because of account issues.
Recently, the Wells Fargo Fillmore branch has arbitrarily eliminated the “Merchant Window”. This capricious act could easily be considered an indication that the Fillmore branch of Wells Fargo values personal account customers more than business accounts.
Perhaps a chorus of discontentment voiced by businesses with merchant accounts at the Wells Fargo Fillmore branch might change the status quo and bring back the 'Merchant Window'. If not, well, I'll have no problem taking my business elsewhere.
A Street Storage
Fillmore, CA