On March 10, 2017, at approximately 2:45 P.M., Mr. Anthony A. Becerra of Fillmore was driving a 2002, Tan, Chevrolet Avalanche in the driveway of his residence near State Route 126 (East Telegraph Road) and Powell Road. Rochelle Beserra, Mr. Beserra's 3 year old daughter, his daughter's mother and other family member were at the residence. Sadly, Rochelle Beserra was able to avoid adult supervision and wonder into the driveway. Mr. Becerra failed to observe his daughter ahead of his vehicle and collided with her. The parents picked up Rochelle Beserra, placed her in the vehicle and began driving toward Fillmore. Just east of Fillmore Mr. Becerra's vehicle became disabled. The parents were able to contact a relative in the area who responded and then transported all three of them to the Fillmore City Fire Department, Station 91. They arrived at the Fillmore Fire Department a few minutes after 3:00 P.M. and 3 year old Rochelle Besera was in respiratory and cardiac arrest (non-breathing and pulseless). Fire department personnel immediately initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and Rochelle Beserra was transported by AMR ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center. Hospital staff worked feverishly in an attempt to resuscitate Rochelle Beserra, but were unsuccessful and she died.

Alcohol and/or drugs are not suspected to be a factor in this collision.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) located and impounded the vehicle Mr. Becerra was driving as evidence.

The collision remains under investigation by the CHP Moorpark Area office. Anyone with information they believe might be helpful is encouraged to call the CHP Moorpark Area office at (805) 553-0800 or the CHP's anonymous "tip line" at (800) TELL CHP.

Upcoming Senior Nutrition Program Distributions In Fillmore:
1) Wednesday March 22nd from 9am-11am at the Fillmore Active Adult Center, 533 Santa Clara Ave. Fillmore, CA 93015.
2) Tuesday April 4th from 9am-11am at the Fillmore Active Adult Center, 533 Santa Clara Ave. Fillmore, CA 93015.

FOOD Share of Ventura County is one of just four California food banks recently selected in a competitive bid process to administer a USDA-funded Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for seniors 60 years of age and older. FOOD Share anticipates enrolling a monthly caseload of 3,500 seniors in the CSFP program and serving them through various distribution points across the county.

One in 12 seniors in Ventura County is hungry, a staggering statistic that is consistent with national numbers detailing the challenges faced by the nation’s fastest growing demographic group. Seven million seniors age 60 and older are served by the Feeding America network each year (Feeding America Senior Hunger Facts). 63% of this population reports choosing between medical care and food, 60% must sacrifice basic utilities or go hungry, and 58% forego transportation in order to eat (Baby Boomers and Beyond: Facing Hunger After 50, 2013). Perhaps even more poignant is that 77% buy cheap, unhealthy food in an attempt to meet their basic caloric needs (Baby Boomers and Beyond: Facing Hunger After 50, 2013).

FOOD Share’s administration of the CSFP nutrition program will address these specific senior challenges on a local level by providing “Senior Kits” on a once-monthly basis to qualifying participants age 60 and older whose income is equal to or less than 130% of the federal poverty level, or $15,444 per year. Food items included in the Senior Kits are specifically selected to fill the most common nutritional gaps experienced by hungry seniors. Working in collaboration with the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging, the regional food bank currently has five CSFP distribution sites in Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Fillmore, and Thousand Oaks. Additional distribution sites across the county are expected in the coming months.

Wholesome, quality nutrients are essential for overall health and wellness for people of every age. Conversely, a lack of access to the foods that provide these crucial vitamins and minerals can lead to the development of health issues and/or the exacerbation of existing conditions. Such adverse side-effects of hunger are even more detrimental for men and women over the age of 60. Feeding America’s study, Spotlight on Senior Health: Adverse Health Outcomes of Food Insecure Older Americans reports that hungry seniors are “60% more likely to experience depression; 53% more likely to report a heart attack; 52% more likely to develop asthma, and 40% more likely to experience congestive heart failure.”

“Seniors have always been a high priority for FOOD Share because we understand the significant challenges they face accessing the quality food sources and nutrition they need to live healthy lives,” said Susan Haverland, FOOD Share’s Vice President of Programs and Services. “The CSFP program will allow us to expand our outreach to this cherished population and to continue serving them with dignity.”

Seniors can enroll in the program during a distribution event and receive food immediately. Participation in the program requires a simple application, verification of age and residence using a photo ID and utility or other bill, and self-certification of income (no additional documentation required). Seniors who receive food from FOOD Share’s CSFP program are still eligible for CalFresh food stamp benefits. For more information on upcoming distribution dates and locations, seniors can contact their local senior center or visit www.foodshare.com.

Bob Crum

Photo by Bob Crum
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I should know better but... sometimes even I miscalculate. You'll see.

I received an email from Sespe Creek Mermaid Chantel telling me that she was swimming in from Hawaii and appearing at the Ventura Harbor Village on the 11th. Beautiful as ever and I could tell from the unmistakable aroma of her breath that she enjoyed a lunch of sardines and anchovies. Indeed.

In line were dozens of children waiting to chat with Mermaid Chantel. The Village put her in cramped quarters severely limiting a shooting position. My miscalculation? I had the 18-135mm STM lens on the camera because, please note, I planned to shoot video later. But for such close quarters, the 16-300mm lens would have been better. The difference between 16 & 18mm at the wide-angle end in such situations is often significant.

Though I had my camera bag, a great photo op was happening right then and there upon my arrival. I was ready to shoot but no time to change lenses. Rule #47: A photo op never waits for a photographer! Get some photos any way possible or go home. Going home not an option.

Did you know that mermaids are such fashionistas... seaweed-green tails are 'in' this year along with lovely tops of Tahiti beach sea shells. Very interesting.

Back to business. You now know that I have just five zoom lenses. They also work very well for all my beloved outdoor photography. To enhance landscape and nature photography, I often use a screw-on polarizing filter to reduce glare and/or enhance color. On occasion, for creative affects, I also use neutral density (ND) filters of varying strengths... screw-on types as well as slide-in 4” X 6” NDs in a Lee holder. You are listening, I hope.

Here's another mistake I made once. Not all lenses are suited for outdoor photography. Bought a zoom lens whereby the front element turned when zooming. Mount a circular polarizing filter and every time you adjust the zoom to adjust for composition, you have to readjust the filter. #Frustrating. Immediately sold that clunker.

Another issue is that all of my lenses require a different size screw-on filter. #Expensive! One size fits all is the cheap alternative. My Tokina ultra-wide 11-16mm lens requires the largest size filter of 77mm. So, all my screw-on filters are 77mm. For the lenses that require smaller filter sizes, I bought cheap step-down, or if you prefer, step-up rings. Thus, for about $32.00 for four adapter rings I can use all of my 77mm filters on ALL of my lenses saving me hundreds of dollars. I like frugal... not to mention the extra money with which to... ahem... wine and dine mermaids.

As you might imagine, mermaids need a minimum amount of water to frolic in. Lacking a snow pack on Ojai's Topa Topa Mountains (again!), there's no chance of a spring melt sufficiently filling Sespe creek. So, the infamous Sespe Creek mermaids can't return to Fillmore this spring. So sad! Wait... what if..... hmmm... I might have a plan. Stay tuned.

Ariel fans, take note. You know, Ariel, the mermaid princess who makes a bargain with an unscrupulous sea-witch in order to meet a human prince on land. Well, not Ariel herself but a look alike will appear this Saturday, 3/18, 1-4 PM at the Ventura Harbor Village. Very cool!

Happy photoing.

Email comments, suggestions or questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com

The Board of Trustees recognized the Fillmore Lions Club for their support of students, staff, and the district community. The Fillmore Lions Club was chartered almost 90 years ago in August 1927. During the last five years
they have averaged over $8,000 per year in monetary donations to directly benefit our students. Some of the activities the Lions Club has supported are; Band, Drama, Art Show, Athletic Booster, Student Speaker Contest, Peace Poster Contest, College Scholarships, Elementary PTA, Leo Club, Mock Trial and others. The Lions Club has donated over one-third of their spending budget the last five years to school activities.
Thank you Fillmore Lions Club!

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced on March 2, 2017 that David Joseph Wirsing of Ventura pleaded guilty to conspiracy to impede enforcement by Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Official, a felony offense.

Wirsing was the former transportation manager for Santa Clara Waste Water Company (“SCWWC”) located at 815 Mission
Rock Road in Santa Paula. He was indicted for his role in events leading up to an explosion that occurred on November 18, 2014, at the SCWWC facility. In July 2014, Wirsing and others at SCWWC negotiated a lease for an off-site storage yard located near Palm Avenue in Santa Paula. Wirsing’s indictment and guilty plea reflect his role in moving chemicals from the SCWWC plant to this offsite storage yard just prior to CUPA officials arriving to conduct inspections.

Wirsing is scheduled to be sentenced at 9:00 a.m. on August 28, 2017. It is expected that Wirsing will be placed on formal probation and face a maximum of 365 days in local custody.

Ari Larson from the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce presented the Greenfield Care Center of Fillmore their chamber
membership plaque. Greenfield will be offering Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training in the near future. They are situated at 118 B St. in Fillmore. For more information contact: Business Development Manager-Sandra Smith 805.524.5250

Fillmore Civic Pride and Theresa Reese partnered to donate a nice wood bench for the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley (Fillmore site) to complete the large Ventura County Garden Club plant and garden donation. “The kids are doing a great job keeping the plants healthy. With the addition of the bench, they will be able to further enjoy the pretty garden,” stated Ari Larson Board President of the BGC of SCV. For more information on the Boys & Girls Club of SCV (serving the areas of Fillmore, Piru and Santa Paula) call 805.525.7910. For information on Fillmore Civic Pride or the VC Garden Club call 805.794.7590.

Bob Crum

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As I go lightly into lenses, a caveat: There is not much here of interest this week if your camera is a point-and-shoot type with a fixed lens. But if I've got you so excited about photography that you're ready to step up to a dSLR interchangeable lens camera, pour some tea and let me entertain you!

There are essentially five types: Standard zoom, super telephoto, wide angle, macro and prime. Also various levels of quality within each class.

Prime lenses have a fixed focal length. Because they don't have moving parts they generally produce higher quality photos. But primes are not always the best choice. You, or the subject, has to move in order to fill the frame meaning your feet do the zooming. That's not quite doable while shooting a mountain goat from a cliff edge.

There are standard zooms and super telephoto zooms. Standard zooms like a 24-70mm are considered walk around lenses. Super zooms range from 55-200 and 150-600mm. I have photos of mermaids on Venus shot with a super zoom. But I digress. Note that I would not own a telephoto zoom lens that didn't have image stabilization (IS).

A popular lens category is wide angle. The smaller the number for focal length, the wider, i.e., 15mm is super wide. Any wider is considered a fish-eye lens. Macro lenses discussed another time.

I own only five lenses which are: Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, Tamron SP 70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD, Tamron 16-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC PZD and a Tokina ultra wide AT-X 116 PRO DX, 11-16 F2.8. All have IS except the Tokina. I use my Tokina lens a lot for landscapes. The 18-135 works well for my Sespe Creek mermaid boudoir photography.

Good as they are, I don't own a prime lens. Because of the challenges of photojournalism, i.e., nothing is within my control except my camera, I have to have the flexibility of zoom lenses. Lenses are tools and your specific needs (and budget) should dictate the best lens for the job.

Canon and Nikon are the lens behemoths but there are many great third party lenses. Tamron, Sigma and Tokina produce quality lenses of great value and often fill a void left by the big two.

Budget wise, a general rule is when funds are tight buy the best quality lens you can afford. A quality lens will generally outlast 2 or 3 camera upgrades. However, my lens collection does not include of top-of-the line lenses. Call me frugal if you will, but I'm about value. If a lens is reasonably well built, produces quality images and reasonably affordable, it has a place in my camera bag.

When not sure about one lens vs another, rent them first. When I shoot an air show, I rent a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II. A great lens that costs $2,200.00. A tad too much to spend for a lens I use only 4-5 times a year. Rent to try then buy it if you like it.

Also, research before you buy. There are many reputable websites that test photography gear. After checking a few websites, you'll know whether or not the questionable lens will fulfill your expectations and needs. BTW, all lens have some distortion of some type. Most times not noticeable so don't obsess about it.

When you buy a new lens, please don't buy and use a cheap "UV" protective filter. It will not only degrade your photos, they're useless for digital cameras. Secret: I have “clear” glass protective filters on all of my lenses.
Happy photoing!

Email comments, suggestions or questions to: bob@fillmoregazette.com

Hello all FHS Alumni.
Many classes are having a class reunion this year. Just to mention a few, we have the class of ’67 (50th), ’72, ’77, ’82, ’87, ’92, and ’97. If you’re in any of these classes, or even if you’re not, please email the Alumni Association and give us your current mailing address. Some classes are mailing out flyers containing specific information about their class reunion and if you haven’t updated your mailing address, you won’t receive the information. Email the Alumni Association at staff@fillmorehighalumni.com including your name as you were known in high school, and your class year.
Thank You,
Mark Ortega,
FHS Alumni President

The cause of the Sunday morning fire at the Christian Evangelical Church has been determined to be accidental. The pre-dawn fire started near its heating unit and quickly set the steeple in flames. The steeple and bell crashed directly down into the main body of the church. The church itself was a total loss.

Fillmore Fire Department

Fillmore Fire Department would like to remind you that it is daylight savings time on Sunday March 12th at 2am and that it’s time to Spring your clocks forward one hour. It is also time for the seasonal safety check on your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, the easiest way to check your smoke detector is to press the button and make sure it sounds if it hasn’t been replaced in more then ten years then it is time for a new one. We recommend replacing smoke and carbon monoxide batteries twice a year so celebrate the time change on Sunday with fresh batteries all around.

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Videos by Sebastian Ramirez.

The Soroptimist Club was presented with recognition from the City of Fillmore for promoting its "Stop Human Trafficking and Sexual Slavery Awareness Day." A long list of the sexual crimes they seek to make America aware of was read from the proclamation. The Club was congratulated for their important work on this issue.

At Tuesday's regular meeting, Joanne King spoke to the City Council about the annual flower show and the considerable voluntary work it entails. She thanked the council for providing the use of the Active Adult Center to stage the show, but "was dismayed by the sudden imposition of sign permits and paperwork required this year." According to Mrs. King, signs and banners are the most effective way to advertise the event. She asked the council for a waiver for city grant organizations to use banners and signs with less regulation.

Lisa Mahoney and Joe Bebe were appointed to the Public Arts Commission. Apparently neither of the new commissioners were present for recognition or a photo.

Options for authorizing a memorial for former Fillmore Fire Chief Rigo Landeros were discussed. Two bronze plaques were authorized to be placed at the Fire Station.
Mid-Year financial report.

A mid-year financial report for FY 2016- 17, approval of supplemental budget requests and review of the MID-YEAR accomplishments were presented, but the Gazette received no details. Mechanical problems caused difficulties with projection focus during the meeting. Details will be published in the next edition.

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the City of Fillmore with their Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget.

This award represents a significant achievement and reflects the commitment of the city council and staff to meeting the highest principles of government budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the City had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation.

This is the first time the City has received this award. “Receiving this award is another step in our continuous improvement efforts. Gaylynn Brien, Finance Director and her staff have done a wonderful job” said David W. Rowlands, City Manager.

The GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has released its 2016 Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) crime statistics for Part 1 Crimes (Homicide, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Theft and Arson).

The data represents the information collected from the five contract cities where the Sheriff’s Office provides police services and the unincorporated areas of the county. Those cities are Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Moorpark, Fillmore and Ojai.

Overall, reported crime is down 1% when combining all of the Sheriff’s jurisdictions. However, overall Part 1 Violent Crime increased by 1% or 6 total crimes. The increases in violent crime were reported in Rapes and Robberies. Only the city of Fillmore showed a decrease in violent crime (-49%). All the contracted cities and the unincorporated area showed decreases in Part 1 Property Crimes, with the exception of the city of Thousand Oaks (+7%).

Although there was a very small decrease in reported Part 1 crimes in 2016, since 2014 the overall crime total has increased by 5%. This equates to over 200 additional victims in our county. The most dramatic increase has been in the violent crime category, which has increased by over 30%, equating to an additional 130 victims. It’s too early to determine if this crime trend increase after the passage of AB 109 (Prison Reduction) and Prop 47 is leveling out, but we will continue to examine the data we obtain.

Proposition 47, which reclassified a number of felonies to misdemeanors in 2014, was expected to reduce the prison and jail population statewide. While some county jurisdictions have seen modest reductions in their jail population, Ventura County has not. Our inmate population remains at pre-Prop 47 levels. Our justice system has reoriented itself to address an increase in misdemeanor court cases and a reduction in felony cases. This is the second full year of post Prop 47 releases of offenders and the reduction of certain felonies to misdemeanors. Sheriff’s Office statistics show that 42% (1,840) of convicted offenders have reoffended since their release from custody since Prop 47 was enacted. That is a 10% increase over 2015’s reoffender list. We continue to evaluate crime and arrest data in an attempt to definitively measure the local effects of Proposition 47, it certainly appears that a review of the logical progression of a downward trend in crimes since 2007 and now a marked increase in 2015 and a similar amount of crimes in 2016 would make us believe there is a direct connection. Additionally, these crime statistics do not take into consideration any impacts from the recently passed Proposition 57, wherein current prison inmates convicted of non-violent crimes would be considered for early parole, as there is no statistical information available locally or from the state.

We also continue to encourage people to actively report suspicious and/or criminal activity immediately by calling 9-1-1. Non-emergency reports can be made through our Sheriff’s Communication Center by calling (805) 654-9511.

Bob Crum

Two photos for comparison. A straight out of the camera unedited jpeg and my processed/edited RAW version of the same scene.
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Pardon me, again. The plan was to discuss lenses this week. However, recall my discussion last week about editing the Photo of the Week? That got an interesting response that you might find interesting.

Everybody knows that cameras, and cell phones, universally generate jpeg photos. Accordingly, there's a group of straight-out-of-camera (SOOC) jpeg shooters. Their creed prohibits tweaking or manipulating photos in any manner out of the camera. One of them took me to the proverbial wood shed. I'll call him Tasker.

Tasker said: If you got it right in the camera in the first place, you wouldn't have to twiddle and piddle afterward. Well, Sir, I would if I knew how! (I hate confessions.) Of course I know how but couldn't. You'll see why shortly.

Of course some things are best done in camera. Proper exposure is always good. Also focus because it can't be fixed in post processing. I know that for a fact but don't ask why I know it.

The technology of modern-day cameras, and many cell phones, is so good that they're capable of producing some pretty good jpeg photos. But jpegs straight-out-of-camera are not without inherent limitations. For example, in the process of generating a jpeg, the camera compresses the image file by discarding a percentage of image data. Nevertheless, the compressed, lower resolution 72ppi image is necessary for email and the Internet.

Conversely, other purposes for photos require a higher resolution. While a 72ppi (or 96ppi) jpeg is best for the Internet, it's woefully insufficient for most publications. Photo resolution of 200ppi is required of me for newspaper printing, 300ppi for magazines. Many of my other clients also require 300ppi images at specific dimensions. This means I need the 300ppi RAW file from my Canon 7DMKII camera at the outset.

Technically, a RAW image simply converted before editing looks worse than a jpeg straight out of the camera. But after processing/editing, an entirely different image emerges. After initial editing, I export the processed photo to either Photoshop or Photoshop Elements for additional polish and resizing as needed. Then, the finished high resolution photos that I submit to a client, or for publication, are finalized in the... ahem... ready?... jpeg file format. But my jpegs are quite different than any straight-out-of-the-camera jpegs. (see accompanying comparison photos)

All photographers are entitled to do as they please, but I have one other niggly issue with straight of the camera jpegs. Aside from content and composition, SOOC photos, in my opinion, are boring. Look at a bunch of jpegs straight-out-of-camera side by side and they all seem to have the same bland same-old look. Besides adjusting for exposure, the camera does all the processing so photographer creativity is virtually non-existent. Bland is the norm!

Forget bland. Obviously, millions of readers of this column, like you, are interested in taking photography to a higher level. So, even if you only intend to deal with SOOC jpegs (for now), you can still improve your photographs by post processing (editing). You don't have to be satisfied with mediocre photos.

I leave Tasker this thought: Even though I get it right in the camera, a camera merely generates a data file... I create the image. The RAW file that the camera gives me is the canvas upon which I create my photographic art! That's why, as a photographer, post processing (editing) is not only an extension of my creativity, it's a joy... not a woe to be shunned. Try it, you too might like it.

Happy shooting.

Email comments, suggestions or questions to: bob@fillmoregazette.com