Ventura County Sheriff's Department

In order to keep children safe from convicted sex offenders and enforce Jessica’s Law, parole agents from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and law enforcement officials, including those from the Attorney General’s Office have launched “Operation Boo.”

“Trick or treating on Halloween is a fun night for children and the last thing a parent wants is for their children to be in harm’s way,” said State Senator Sharon Runner. “As the author of Jessica’s Law, I am relieved that the voters’ wishes are being enforced.”

Runner added, “I am glad to hear that corrections officials are taking extra precautions on Halloween so parents can be less anxious knowing that convicted sex-offenders are being monitored.”

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation monitors state supervised sex-offers closely to ensure that they don’t attempt to attract children to their homes.

On Halloween night, parolees must comply with the following conditions:

Ø Remain indoors from 5pm to 5am

Ø Can only address the door to respond to law enforcement during curfew hours

Ø Exterior lights must be turned off

Ø No distribution of candies and no Halloween decorations

Ø Transient sex offenders must report to a special center to spend the night under supervision

“Convicted sex offenders are conditionally released. If corrections officials feel that there’s a threat to children, then they should require convicted sex offenders to report.

Periodic reporting and curfews are a traditional part of parole supervision,” Runner stated.

Author of one of the nation’s toughest laws – Jessica’s Law – to protect children against sex offenders, Runner represents the residents of the Seventeenth Senate District, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern and San Bernardino Counties. Contact her office at 916-651-4017, or via email at senator.runner@sen.ca.gov.

By Ericka Andersen

The 39-story United Nations headquarters stands on the banks of the East River in Manhattan. But now the U.N. is planning the construction of a new building next door, with a price tag pegged at $400 million — and it could soar even higher. And since U.S. taxpayers pay 22 percent of the U.N. budget, the costs for that new building will come right out of your pocket, leading to a very serious question: Just how far should the United States go in supporting the U.N. and international organizations like it?

The issue of a new building in New York isn’t the only U.N. story to make the headlines this year. Take the issue of Palestine, which over the summer formally requested U.N. membership. If Palestine were to succeed in its unilateral efforts, it would be detrimental to U.S. interests in the region, isolate Israel, and deal a major setback to Israeli-Palestinian peace prospects. And all of that would come at the hands of an international organization over which the United States can exert strong influence but cannot control. If Palestine is granted member status at the U.N., American interests–along with those of its allies–will be seriously harmed, requiring an even greater vigilance and financial commitment to maintain leverage for U.S. priorities. Again, the question is posed: When does our commitment to an international organization become a problem?

In the latest installment of...http://blog.heritage.org/2011/10/28/morning-bell-should-america-carry-the-u-n/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

Written by By Jerry Seper

A U.S. Border Patrol agent has been sentenced to two years in prison for improperly lifting the arms of a 15-year-old drug smuggling suspect while handcuffed — in what the Justice Department called a deprivation of the teenager’s constitutional right to be free from the use of unreasonable force.

Agent Jesus E. Diaz Jr. was named in a November 2009 federal grand jury indictment with deprivation of rights under color of law during an October 2008 arrest near the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, in response to a report that illegal immigrants had crossed the river with bundles of drugs.

In a prosecution... http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/oct/25/border-agent-jaile-arres...

American students now pledge allegiance to Mexico. They sing its national anthem. And it is sanctioned by the state of Texas. Sound absurd? It is. Last month in a Spanish class at Achieve Early College High School in McAllen, Texas, students recited the Mexican pledge of allegiance and were instructed to memorize the Mexican anthem. Moreover, they had to wear red, white and green - the colors of the Mexican flag - as they fulfilled their class assignment. Public high schools no longer promote American patriotism, but they are doing a superb job of cultivating loyalty to Mexico.

Sophomore Brenda Brinsdon refused to participate. “I just thought it was out of hand; I didn’t think it was right,” she told the Blaze, which first reported the story. “Reciting pledges to Mexico and being loyal to it has nothing to do with learning Spanish.”

She’s right. When she complained, however... http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/oct/20/the-united-states-of-mex...

“Ehr Kumt” (Yiddish for “He’s Coming”)

I thought long and I thought hard on whether to deliver the sermon I am about to share. We all wish to bounce happily out of shul on the High Holidays, filled with warm fuzzies, ready to gobble up our brisket, our honey cakes and our kugel. We want to be shaken and stirred – but not too much. We want to be guilt-schlepped – but not too much. We want to be provoked but not too much. We want to be transformed but not too much.

I get it, but as a rabbi I have a compelling obligation, a responsibility to articulate what is in my heart and what I passionately believe must be said and must be heard. And so, I am guided not by what is easy to say but by what is painful to express. I am guided not by the frivolous but by the serious. I am guided not by delicacy but by urgency.

We are at war. We are... http://frontpagemag.com/2011/10/21/a-brave-rabbi-speaks-out/

Written by By Jerry Seper

The central characters in the failed “Fast and Furious” firearms investigation were 19 men and one woman, all legal residents of the U.S., accused of laying down hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit cash at Phoenix-area gun shops to buy an arsenal of high-powered weapons for Mexican drug smugglers.

Between September 2009 and December 2010, congressional investigators said, they purchased or aided in the purchase of more than 2,000 AK-47 assault weapons, Barrett .50-caliber sniper rifles, FN 5.7mm semi-automatic pistols and other assorted rifles, shotguns and handguns that later were “walked” into Mexico. About half the weapons remain unaccounted for.

They paid cash... http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/oct/17/fast-furious-how-a-botch...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over the past year, the Obama administration has made numerous announcements seeking to grant benefits to illegal immigrants and other removable immigrants without approval from Congress. These announcements are in defiance of both the constitutional separation of powers and the will of the American public. They are part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants.

From the outset, this administration has failed to adequately enforce our immigration laws.

What makes this worse is that supporters of comprehensive or targeted amnesties for illegal immigrants have consistently failed to win approval from Congress or gain support from the American people.

Since comprehensive immigration reform has failed to pass in the legislative branch, the Obama administration has now decided to implement various programs that will benefit potentially millions of illegal immigrants.

What the president is doing is unfair to the 26 million American workers who are unemployed or underemployed. Amnesty is also unfair to those who are waiting to legally immigrate to the United States.

These administrative decisions will only attract more illegal immigrants looking for the same opportunity, and take more jobs from American workers. This policy makes no sense during a time of economic hardship and high unemployment.

It is Congress’ job to create immigration policy and it is the President’s job to enforce it. The administration’s discretionary powers should be used only on a case-by-case basis in compelling circumstances. In its most recent announcement, the administration opened the door to the possible amnesty of 300,000 immigrants who are currently in the process of being deported. This is a clear abuse of discretion.

I, along with other members, have urged the administration to reverse this misguided policy.

Sacramento, CA – The California Taxpayers Association has given Sen. Strickland a perfect score on their annual Voting Record.

“I’m honored to have once again received a perfect score from the California Taxpayers Association,” Sen. Strickland said. “I have always been and will continue to be an advocate for taxpayers throughout California.”

“Hardworking Californians are continually treated like the government’s own personal ATM machine and it’s got to stop,” Sen. Strickland added. “We need to maximize the precious dollars that already do come to Sacramento and instead of raising taxes yet again, focus on job-creation and putting people back to work.”

Founded in 1926, the California Taxpayers Association is the state's largest and oldest organization representing taxpayers. Established as a nonpartisan, non-profit research and advocacy association, CalTax has a dual mission to guard against unnecessary taxation and to promote government efficiency. Their 2011 Legislative Voting Record is based on the bills which would most affect the health of California’s economy.

A copy of the California Taxpayers Association’s 2011 Legislative Voting Record can be found here.

Tony Strickland represents California Senate District 19, which includes portions of Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.

George Runner, Second District Member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), today announced an annual meeting of BOE Board Members and county assessors from each of California’s 58 counties. This year’s meeting will include panel discussions on embedded software and a split-roll property tax. Public comment on both of these topics is welcome.

What: Annual Meeting of BOE Members and County Assessors

Where: State Capitol, Room 4203

10th and L Streets, Sacramento

Streaming live at www.boe.ca.gov

When: Wednesday, October 19, 10:00 a.m.

Background:

The BOE is required by law to hold meetings with assessors at least once a year to discuss issues relating to the administration of assessment and taxation laws, and to promote uniformity of procedure in property tax matters throughout the state.

Elected in November 2010, taxpayer advocate George Runner represents the Second District of the Board of Equalization. Runner was sworn in as Second District Board Member on January 3, 2011. Prior to his election to the Board, Runner served twelve years in the State Legislature. As a thoughtful conservative, his legislative priorities included improving the economy, business growth, education excellence, and public safety for all Californians. As a member of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, Runner consistently led the fight against tax increases and supported tax relief for families and businesses.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects more than $50 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.

When I arrived in London in September it had been more than forty years since I had last spent any time in the city. If I hadn’t kept up with recent events through my British contacts, the changes would have been startling indeed.

The most popular tourist spots appear much the same, and the commercial areas are still thronged with shoppers. No matter where you go, however, the presence of Islam makes itself felt. With the rapid increase in the Muslim population over the past decade, the capital of Britain has moved that much closer to becoming an Islamic city.

The process... http://frontpagemag.com/2011/10/14/the-islamization-of-london-a-photo-to...

CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson, who has reported on this story from the beginning, said on "The Early Show" that the investigation into the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)'s so-called "Fast and Furious" operation branches out to a case involving grenades. Sources tell her a suspect was left to traffic and manufacture them for Mexican drug cartels.

Police say Jean... http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/14/earlyshow/main20120395.shtml

George Runner, Second District Member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), today announced an annual meeting of BOE Board Members and county assessors from each of California’s 58 counties. This year’s meeting will take place at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 19, 2011 in room 4203 at the State Capitol, located at 10th and L Streets in Sacramento.

“As chair of the Board’s Property Tax Committee, I look forward to a lively discussion of front-burning tax policy issues facing our state,” said Senator Runner. “Our goal must always be to ensure taxpayers are treated fairly and with respect by all levels of government. California’s county assessors are a vital partner in this work.”

The BOE is required by law to hold meetings with assessors at least once a year to discuss issues relating to the administration of assessment and taxation laws, and to promote uniformity of procedure in property tax matters throughout the state.

This year’s meeting will include panel discussions on embedded software and a split-roll property tax. Public comment on both of these topics is welcome.

Elected in November 2010, taxpayer advocate George Runner represents the Second District of the Board of Equalization. Runner was sworn in as Second District Board Member on January 3, 2011. Prior to his election to the Board, Runner served twelve years in the State Legislature. As a thoughtful conservative, his legislative priorities included improving the economy, business growth, education excellence, and public safety for all Californians. As a member of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee, Runner consistently led the fight against tax increases and supported tax relief for families and businesses.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects more than $50 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.

City of Fillmore

REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011 6:30 P.M.
FILLMORE CITY HALL CENTRAL PARK PLAZA 250 CENTRAL AVENUE FILLMORE, CALIFORNIA 93015-1907

Agenda

1. Call to Order: 6:30 P.M.

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call: Council Members Brooks, Conaway, Sipes and Walker, Mayor Washburn

4. Approval of Agenda

5. Presentations and Announcements

6. Public Comments

7. Consent Calendar

Recommendation for Items A through E is to Approve.

A. Warrant List for October 11, 2011.
B. Minutes for July 12, 2011(to be available by October 10, 2011)
C. Proposed City Council 2012 Meeting Schedule
D. Receive and File the Report to the Supplemental Law Enforcement Oversight Committee (SLEOC) for the period ending June 30, 2011
E. Authorization and Approval to Release Warrant Payments to Vendors during Council Dark Periods

8. Department Reports

City Manager

A. Presentation by Ventura County Health and Fillmore Family Coalition representatives regarding Reducing Youth Access to Tobacco

Finance

B. Consideration of 2010-11 Year End Budget Adjustments and Adopt Resolution 11-3323 Amending the City of Fillmore 2010-11 Budget and Resolution 11-253 Amending the Fillmore Redevelopment Agency Budget.

Recreation

C. Consideration and Direction to Staff Concerning the Proposal for Installation of Side Access Gate to Fillmore High School Track for Walking/Running Club Use at a Cost of $7,071 and the City to be repaid over time.
D. Financing Discussion Regarding Two Rivers Park Ball Field Improvements

City Council Subcommittee

E. Subcommittee Update and Power Point Presentation on Town Theater
F. Subcommittee Recommendations for Four (4) Planning Commissioners and One (1) Film Commissioner

9. Committee, Commission, and Board Reports

10. City Council Reports, Recommendations, and Comments

A. City Councilmember Travel Requests/Brief Reports

B. Any Councilmember May Propose Items for Placement on Future Agenda

C. Council Referrals/Brief Comments

11. City Manager

A. Follow-Up on Requests from the Public/City Council

B. Announcements and Upcoming Issues

12. Closed Session - None

13. Adjournment: City Council adjourns to a Regular Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 250 Central Avenue.

Upcoming Meetings and Related Agenda Items (Info Only)

Written By Richard A. Serrano

Reporting from Washington— High-powered assault weapons illegally purchased under the ATF's Fast and Furious program in Phoenix ended up in a home belonging to the purported top Sinaloa cartel enforcer in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, whose organization was terrorizing that city with the worst violence in the Mexican drug wars.

In all, 100 assault weapons acquired under Fast and Furious were transported 350 miles from Phoenix to El Paso, making that West Texas city a central hub for gun traffickers. Forty of the weapons made it across the border and into the arsenal of Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo, a feared cartel leader in Ciudad Juarez, according to federal court records and trace documents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The smugglers' tactics... http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-atf-guns-20111009,0...

It’s time for some blunt speaking: Pakistan is trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan and that is an act of war. The Pakistanis have tried to deny it altogether or blame it on rogue elements, but 10 years after 9/11, these “rogue elements” are as active as ever. Our troops deserve to be protected, and their attackers don’t deserve taxpayer money. It’s time to treat the killers as killers.

The crisis in Pakistani-American relations reached a new height when Admiral Mike Mullen​, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, accused the Pakistani ISI intelligence service of being behind the attacks on the U.S. embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul in mid-September. He also said the ISI orchestrated a truck bombing on September 10 that wounded 77 American soldiers and an attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul on June 28. The U.S. learned of the truck bomb headed towards its forces in advance, and two days before the explosion, asked the top Pakistani military commander to intercept it. Unintentionally confirming that Pakistan has the power to stop such attacks, he said he’d “make a phone call” to stop it. It wasn’t.

“The Haqqani network acts... http://frontpagemag.com/2011/10/07/pakistan%e2%80%99s-undeclared-war-on-...

Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed compromise legislation aimed at avoiding a costly ballot fight between Amazon and in-state retailers. This compromise opens the door for Amazon to build distribution centers in our state that could provide thousands of jobs for out-of-work Californians. That's very good news.

But it's hard to dismiss the nagging suspicion that while the "Amazon tax" saga created political intrigue and drew media interest, it has done little to move our state toward economic recovery.

The compromise measure, while welcome, provides only a short-term delay to a bad law that lawmakers approved as part of California's budget this summer. The constitutionally questionable law was supposed to produce $200 million a year in revenue by forcing more out-of-state online sellers to serve as California's tax collectors.

The law was doomed to fail from the start. It did not produce the revenue, or provide the level playing field, its proponents envisioned. Even so, it took a well-funded referendum effort to force lawmakers to negotiate a delay to allow time for Congress to act on the issue.

Absent a highly unlikely federal solution, we'll be right back in the same mess in a year. The state of California will again be killing jobs, driving away investment and inviting costly litigation.

A recent survey by the Performance Marketing Association found that in just two months, the Amazon tax wreaked havoc on an estimated 25,000 California-based Internet affiliate businesses: 37 percent lost more than half of their income, 22 percent closed their businesses, and almost 32 percent moved or plan to move out of state.

Given Amazon's plans to reinstate affiliates, some of these folks will soon get a new lease on life. But for the estimated 15,000 affiliates who don't have ties with Amazon the news means they will be able to work for an additional year only if they are reinstated. There's no guarantee that will happen.

Those who have already left California are unlikely to return. In early August, successful online entrepreneur Erica Douglass blogged "Dear California: I'm Leaving You. Here's Why." In her blog post, she describes several "examples of the crap" California's government has put her through. She writes that the Amazon tax was the "final straw" that prompted her to relocate her business from San Diego to Austin, Texas.

Julia Wessels founded the website "The Frugal Find" as a hobby, but it quickly became a full-time family business based out of her and her husband's home in Antioch. After losing 40 percent of their gross monthly income after the Amazon tax became law, they decided to move their kids and business to Oregon. In just four weeks they were gone.

These are just two of the many entrepreneurs who have decided to leave our state as a direct result of legislative malpractice. But each is a significant loss for our state.

Some might argue that the loss of these entrepreneurs is a small price to pay in order to achieve greater sales tax collection for the state of California. I disagree.

The only way to provide lasting revenue for our state's budget problems is by growing our state's economy and jobs. To achieve this end, we must provide a stable business climate that helps entrepreneurs like Erica Douglass and Julia Wessels stay, grow and thrive in California.

California now ranks a dismal 50th in net business creation; we have the second highest unemployment rate in the nation. If California's leaders spent more time talking to job creators instead of attacking them, they might find ways to legislate without inflicting pain on Californian entrepreneurs in the process. A jobs deal with Amazon and other companies could have easily been reached months ago – without an Amazon tax.

California once was a land of opportunity. Unfortunately, high taxes and excessive regulations have driven California's unemployment rate to record highs. Our state continues to chase out employers, entrepreneurs and even workers – just about anyone who can't afford to fund ballot measures to repeal the bad laws and regulations that drive them crazy.

It's a good thing Amazon is coming to California. Unfortunately, the Amazon compromise provides no model for our state's future job creation efforts. By creating an uncertain future for entrepreneurs and investors, it will only reinforce the notion that job creators enter California at their own risk.

George Runner, a former state senator, is a member of the Board of Equalization. For more information, go to www.boe.ca.gov/Runner.

by Robert Spencer

Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, the leftist American hikers who unwittingly ventured across the Iran/Iraq border and were convicted of espionage and imprisoned for two years in Iran, have been freed – and at a press conference Sunday, revealed that they were none the wiser for their ordeal.

They indulged in some moral equivalence: “Two years in prison is too long, and we sincerely hope for the freedom of other political prisoners and other unjustly imprisoned people in America and Iran.” They assured the right-thinking world that their hearts (obviously not their minds) were in the right place: said Bauer, “The irony is Sarah [another hiker who was freed earlier], Josh and I oppose U.S. policies towards Iran which perpetuate this hostility.”

They thanked... http://frontpagemag.com/2011/09/27/useful-idiots%e2%80%99-stockholm-synd...

Written by Daniel Pipes

In a Middle East wracked by coups d’état and civil insurrections, the Republic of Turkey credibly offers itself as a model thanks to its impressive economic growth, democratic system, political control of the military, and secular order.

But, in reality, Turkey may be, along with Iran, the most dangerous state of the region. Count the reasons:

•Islamists without brakes: When four out of five of the Turkish chiefs of staff abruptly resigned on July 29, 2011, they signalled the effective end of the republic founded in 1923 by Kemal Atatürk. A second republic headed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoDan and his Islamist colleagues of the AK Party began that day. The military safely under their control, AKP ideologues now enjoy can pursue their ambitions to create an Islamic order.

•An even worse... http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/09/27/daniel-pipes-is-turkey-go...

Written by Yoram Ettinger

U.S. President Barack Obama's speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday reaffirmed his world view on global affairs in general and on the Palestinian issue in particular.

For instance, the president reiterated his, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's, assessment that the seismic turmoil on the Arab street constitutes a “transition to democracy,” with “[non-violent] youth delivering a powerful rebuke to dictatorship.” Obama believes that “the patriotism that binds Bahrainis together must be more powerful than the sectarian forces that would tear them apart.”

In reality, the stormy Arab... http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=530

George Runner today issued the following statement in response to Governor Jerry Brown’s signature of AB 155:

“I’m glad the Governor signed compromise legislation today to help get some California affiliates back to work and bring thousands of Amazon.com distribution jobs to California. That’s very good news.

“Unfortunately, this legislation is by no means a cure-all. It does nothing to solve the long-term problems created by the Legislature’s botched efforts to compel out-of-state retailers to serve as California’s tax collectors.

“Absent a federal solution, which is highly unlikely in such a short time frame given all of the competing interests, we’ll be right back in the same mess in a year. The State of California will again be killing California jobs, driving away investment and inviting costly litigation.

“Let me be clear: this compromise legislation, while welcome, provides only a short-term delay to a bad law that will never produce the revenues, nor the level-playing field, its proponents imagine.”

Elected in November 2010, George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as a member of the State Board of Equalization. For more information, visit www.boe.ca.gov/Runner.