To the Editor:
Just a quick note to thank you for printing the articles about RailFest and Day Out With Thomas. In cooperation with the Santa Clara River Valley Railroad Historical Society, RailFest attracts many rail fans both locally and from the southern California region. We appreciate your coverage in the Fillmore Gazette and for publishing in the paper and many more on the fillmoregazette.com website, all the amazing photos taken by Bob Crum. He is truly an asset to the community with photographic coverage of events in Fillmore. In addition, he brings the events to life with his words. If I hadn’t been at each of these events personally, after reading about his perspective of them, it would make me want to attend.
Thank you again, and we look forward to seeing coverage of the many upcoming events during the remainder of the year.
With sincere regards,
Kathleen McCreary
Fillmore & Western Railway

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To the Editor:
My name is Kevin Genovese and I am the Director of Operations for the Museum of Ventura County Agriculture Museum located at 926 Railroad Avenue in Santa Paula, California. I am writing this email in regards to the possible closing of the Santa Paula Branch line that the Ventura County Transportation Commission will be deciding upon. I do not claim to know the current plans of the railroad or that of the Ventura County Transportation Commission in their decision making process. I am writing this email to let the individuals who are responsible for deciding the fate of the Santa Paula branch line and of Fillmore & Western Railway Company how the railroad and the business of Fillmore & Western Railway affect our museum. The Agriculture Museum is located right next to the historic depot in downtown Santa Paula is the stopping area for Fillmore and Western’s train that bring in large amount of tourist on Saturdays, and Sundays when they are running. We average anywhere from 500 to 1000 visitors per month many of them train passengers that decide to hop off the train during its stop to visit our museum. We also have a store (The Best of Ventura County Marketplace) located inside the museum that thrives from the tourist that want to quickly shop while the train is stopped. I am deeply concerned for our museum if the Santa Paula Branch line was closed and Fillmore & Western Railway ended train operations preventing hundreds if not thousands of tourist from visiting Santa Paula and the Santa Clara Valley. These tourist not only come for the train and small town feel, but they come to shop, eat, visit the historic sites and the museums. Many businesses in the area are greatly affected by the Santa Paula Branch line and closing that line will have a large economic affect on many of these businesses as well as local non-profits like us. In wanting to keep this message and email short, please consider all options in the decision making process in regards to closing the Santa Paula Branch line and thank you for taking the time to read this message.
Kevin Genovese
Director of Operations
Agriculture Museum

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To the Editor:
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation (CEDC)’s mission is to provide affordable homes and implement economic development activities that serve low-income communities. CEDC is grounded in the belief that we don’t just build homes – we build communities in Ventura County. Since 1981, we have provided thousands of individuals and families throughout Ventura County with quality and affordable homes. But we go beyond just building homes, we work with our residents by creating leadership development opportunities, opening doors to social and educational resources so that our residents and community members shape their future and address self-identified needs and issues in their community.
CEDC’s Community Engagement and Property Management divisions are working with CEDC residents to establish a Youth Leadership Anti-Bullying Flash Mob and Advocacy Project to stop bullying in all Ventura County schools by 2015. Our projects objectives are: 1. To provide community engagement training to the anti-bullying committees at CEDC properties and its local schools to encourage and excite participation, specifically around bullying and cyber-bullying. 2. Begin an anti-bullying advocacy campaign that will help advance the implementation of anti-bullying programs in all Ventura County schools by creating partnerships with the school districts, parents and students to mutually assess current anti-bullying policies and/or programs. 3. Anti-bullying committees will study current policy and revise implementation strategies to develop comprehensive and feasible anti-bullying program in schools. 4. CEDC youth leaders and other Ventura County youth along with their parents will increase leadership skills through civic engagement by advocating to local city councils, county supervisors, and school districts/administrations.
We are starting to launch a county wide campaign and we have organized several events in Ventura County On May 18, 2013 we will be hosting a Citywide Anti-Bullying Flash Mob at the biggest event in our city. These will be the kick off event for our anti-bullying advocacy campaign. When statistics state that 77% of students in school are bullied and half of suicides among youth are related to bullying, its time to mobilize communities and bring awareness on this issues as much as possible. You can contact me directly at 805-218-6180 or mcampos@cabrilloedc.org.
Best regards,
Monica Campos
Community Building Organizer
Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation