Bob Thompson.
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Recently retired Fire Captain, Robert “Bob” Thompson, was recognized by the Fillmore City Council on February 8th, for his fifty years of service to the Community as a member of the Fillmore Fire Department. It was particularly noted that Bob served with honor and dignity from February 1972 through February 2022. During his tenure Bob rose through the ranks of the Fire Department. Starting out as a Volunteer Firefighter/Engineer, Bob was promoted to Volunteer Fire Captain in 1980 and then in 1987 he was promoted to the rank of Volunteer Assistant Chief. Bob served as a Volunteer Assistant Chief until 2005 when he was hired as one of three fulltime permanent Fire Captains. On February 2 of this year, Bob retired as a fulltime permanent Fire Captain having served seventeen years in that position.

During his career, Bob had many positive interactions with the Community. Several highlights of his career occurred during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake that devastated Fillmore. Bob and his Crew were instrumental in saving numerous lives by performing heroic rescues and extinguishing blazing structure fires. Other highlights of Bob’s career included responding to, two separate hazardous materials fires within a few days of each other in which thousands of Fillmore citizens were forced to be evacuated away from the highly toxic smoke, these fires occurred in the late 1980’s. Besides responding to the common, large wind driven wildland fires that seem to hit California and Fillmore every few years, Bob was also instrumental in rescuing victims from the major floods that hit Fillmore in 1989 and 2005.

Not all of Bob’s career has been spent mitigating large emergencies, in his daily routine, Bob has trained hundreds of new rookie Volunteer/Reserve Firefighters, most of these Rookies have gone on to serve as Fulltime/Permanent Firefighters with municipalities all across the United States. Besides training, Bob has responded to thousands of emergency medical incidents, saving a high percentage of lives. Unfortunately, Bob has seen more that his share of death. On a positive note, Bob has also brought life into the world with several baby deliveries.

Bob is very proud of his accomplishments while serving the Community. During the years, he has proudly jumped in with his Crew to help out numerous non-profit organizations and/or individuals, anytime they needed someone to solve their problems. On his off-duty time Bob ran the very prosperous Dewey Auto Parts store on Ventura Street, he always greeted his customers with a smile and laugh. He is still remembered with his laugh as a member of the famous Fillmore High Football “Chain Gang”, a team of men who have been serving the High School for over 40 years, longest continuous team in Ventura County. Bob also served many years with his church, devoting his time to ensure that teens in Fillmore had a safe place where they could go after school and on weekends.

Bob will be missed as a fulltime Fire Captain, but he will still be available when the “Big One” hits. Bob will be assuming a position as a Reserve Battalion Chief. To quote Bob, “You can take me out of the Fire Service (retirement), but you can’t take the Fire Service out of me”!!!! THANK YOU BOB!!!

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

On February 8th, at about 5:20 PM, a 15-year-oldboy was walking home from school when he was approached by a male suspect who was driving a white older 80’s model Toyota Sport Utility Vehicle(a picture like the one driven by the suspect is attached below).The suspect attempted to lure the juvenile into his vehicle on Ventura Street near Mountain View Street in the City of Fillmore. The juvenile did not comply with the suspect, instead he said he was going to call the police, the suspect drove away from the juvenile, eastbound on Ventura Street.

The suspect is described as an elderly white male, approximately sixty-five years old, with red bumps around his nose and mouth area, the suspect was slender, had wrinkly skin, and balding with white hair around the sides of his head. The suspect was wearing a white shirt, dark colored shorts, and a black necklace.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact The Fillmore Police Station @ (805) 524-2233 or the below listed detective. The reporting party may remain anonymous.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public to speak to your children about “Stranger Danger.” If your child walks to and from school, or for any other reason, it’s always a good idea to have another person with them. We encourage the public to call “911” to report any suspicious behavior. When reporting suspicious behavior, please be a great witness and provide as much detail as possible. With so many individuals now having cellular phones with cameras, remember to take a photo if it is safe to do so, it truly helps.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Prepared by: Deputy Rubalcava #4459
Approved by: Captain Garo Kuredjian

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Five juveniles from Fillmore were arrested for graffiti vandalism and conspiracy to commit a crime after they were caught defacing property at a local Fillmore park.

During the month of January, there was an increase in graffiti vandalisms throughout the city of Fillmore. On February 11th a resident called the police to report several juveniles loitering around Meadowlark Park, a frequent target area of the vandals. Deputies responded to the park and located graffiti and initiated an investigation.

The graffiti vandalism was witnessed by a diligent resident who relayed valuable information to responding deputies. The investigation revealed that the juveniles had spray painted graffiti on the tables, benches, and playground equipment which caused hundreds of dollars of damage to the city owned property.

The investigation resulted in five juveniles being arrested for vandalism along with felony conspiracy to commit a crime. All the arrestees were cited and released to their parents pending a future court date.

Graffiti vandalism is an eyesore that directly affects the quality of life in our communities. If left unchecked, graffiti can decrease property values and lead to the deterioration of entire neighborhoods. Gang graffiti may also be the catalyst for additional, more serious conflicts between rival gangs. The removal of graffiti costs homeowners, business owners and taxpayers thousands of dollars each year.

The Fillmore Police Department encourages citizens to immediately report suspicious people and vehicles, and to promptly report any graffiti they come across by calling (805) 524-2233 or (805) 654-9511. Once the police have investigated these crimes, all graffiti should be immediately removed.

Anyone with information pertaining to criminal activity in the Fillmore area are urged to contact the Fillmore Police Station at (805) 524-2233 or the below listed detective. The reporting party may remain anonymous.

Graffiti Removal
The city of Fillmore removes all graffiti by either painting over it or by using a power washer to wash it off, the method of removal depends on the location of the graffiti. If graffiti is on private property the city secures a signed agreement from the property owner giving them permission to do the work. Call the city of Fillmore Graffiti Removal at (805) 524-1500 if you see graffiti within the city and they will take steps to remove it.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has established a secure database to log information about who has surveillance systems. If you would like to register your surveillance information and allow authorities to contact you, should a crime occur in/or near where your cameras are installed we kindly ask that you email the Fillmore Police Department at: fillmorePD.CameraShare@ventura.org.

Nature of Incident: Five Juveniles Arrested for Graffiti Vandalism
Report Number: 22-18608
Location: Meadowlark Park, Fillmore
Date & Time: February 11, 2022 @ 4:30 P.M.
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Detective Bureau, Fillmore Patrol Services, and Fillmore School Resource Officer
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
Male Juvenile Fillmore 14
Male Juvenile Fillmore 15
Male Juvenile Fillmore 14
Male Juvenile Fillmore 14
Male Juvenile Fillmore 14
Prepared by: Detective Sergeant Will Hollowell
Approved by: Captain Garo Kuredjian

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Submitted by Jan Lee

After two years, the Fillmore Flower Show will return on April 9th and 10th, 2022. Plan to attend and enter your beautiful blooms, pretty plants, attractive arrangements and excellent essays.

Since 1919, the Fillmore Flower Show has been a Fillmore tradition. Children and adults share flowers and plants from their gardens with the community. There are several different categories which are explained in the brochure posted at fillmoreflowershow.org. There is an essay contest for students. There will be a table where children can plant a succulent to take home. There will be a plant sale. There is always music during public viewing hours of 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, April 9th and 10th at 533 Santa Clara Street in Fillmore. Come and see what your neighbors have grown in their gardens. Share with the community what you can do with your flowers and plants. Everybody is welcome!

The theme for the Flower Show this year is, “Farie Tales and Flowers”. This theme opens the door for many whimsical entries. Use your imagination. Share your talent. Enjoy the beauty.

We are excited to again be able to gather for a community event. If you have felt isolated and separated, join the fun at the Flower Show this year. Flowers and plants show us the beauty of nature. If you are new in Fillmore, please come and meet some new friends. Participate in a 100 year old tradition. If you are a Fillmore native or a long time resident, be present at the Fillmore Flower Show.

Mark your calendar and plan to participate in the 2022 Fillmore Flower Show.

Constable J. P. "Jack" Trotter.
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J.P. Trotter's Stable circa. 1900.
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Men in front of Mack Wooldridge's Orange Leaf Café.
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Casner's Fillmore Stables.
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From “Old-Timers’ Tales of Fillmore” by Edith Moore Jarrett. Originally published in Ventura County Star-Free Press, January, 14, 1979

Crime and Punishment
Boxcars used to come in handy. Fillmore’s first depot was a boxcar. The second we used one for was a jail, and not the inside of it either. John Galvin, our city attorney for so long, used to say that the first thing he saw when he got off the train here was a fellow chained to a boxcar on the siding. No jail. The constable just hadn’t yet gotten around to taking the prisoner to the nearest one in Ventura. The third use we found for a boxcar is the 1953 model now parked on a bit of track to serve as the Museum annex [now used for storage for the Museum].

But back to the jail in this tale of early crime and punishment. Our first one, about 1902, was a shaky thing of wood, and any thirsty prisoner could rip off a board and escape. The handcuffs and leg irons Gerald Howard found under the family home on Ventura Street near the jail site are now a mystery item in the Museum, and it’s fun to think that maybe some escaping prisoner threw them there as he lit out for home and mother., Don’t ask how he got them off.

Our second jail, about 10’ by 10’, was of concrete and stood south of the Bungalow In site where the senior citizen’s housing complex is now [Fillmore and Santa Clara Streets]. The door swung open when it wasn’t occupied, and little boys would play in it. There was a window so sympathetic friends of the prisoner – usually picked up for being drunk in dry Fillmore – could pass him some hair of the dog that bit him.

When the jail, called the “cooler,” the “calaboose,” or the “skookum house,” acquired customers, their names might be casually mentioned in the next issue of the local weekly along with the society items. A drunk could get “$10 or 10 days” – or maybe 4 – and usually chose days because he had more day than dollars.

In 1916, our “new Marshal Cotton” made the Christmas edition by arresting “two bibulous men shooting it up at Mountain View and Main.” One of them, when he had done his days, “took the first Southern Pacific gondola that came by to get the quickest transportation out.”

We had one belligerent old settler who was jailed so often for fighting with his neighbors that Judge Barnes, who officiated from 1911 to 1927, made him post a peace bond of $500 to cool him off, since the “cooler” couldn’t seem to do it.

We tied our pre-auto horses to the hitching racks, where anyone could untie them, and walked away. Didn’t even have to take a key out of an ignition. One time in 1911 four teen-age boys wandered in from Los Angeles and were laughing about these “hayseeds” who rode in buggies instead of streetcars. It gave them an idea. They just selected a rig, untied the horse, and took off toward Santa Paula. Someone called Constable Jack Trotter, and with the fastest horse in his livery stable, he caught up with them out by the Rancho Sespe, gave them a little advice with his six-shooter, and took them to the state reformatory in Whittier on the next train.

If the constable wished, instead of arresting a stranger, he might give him a “floater” out of town for a year or warn him never to come back at all. The fellows running a “blind pig” up in the hills above the [former] Elkins Golf Course got the works. Somebody had found a long black hair in “his soothing syrup” and didn’t like it.

Besides the arrest for over-drinking, ourcars caused some adult delinquency, even if in 1916 the whole county had only 1,510 autos or “machines” as we called them. Those cars all had “cutouts” that disconnected the mufflers to give a bit more power, so it was a great temptation to use them. This was a no-no in town, and the price for a little cheerful noise was $5 or 5 days. When Mack Wooldridge of the Orange Leaf Café drove in 1915 Hupmobile down Central with the cutout open, he paid his $5 happily, remarking, to quote the Herald, “that sound is music to my ears and worth every cent of it,”

But when a city dad did it that same year, Judge Barnes decreed that the fine should be $7 instead of $5, “because a city lawmaker should set a good example for the rest of us.”

And when the high school’s “manual training” teacher rode his bike downtown after dark with no lights, the Daily Sun reported that it cost him $2.50. No choice of 2 ½ days instead. He had to be in school.

To be continued...

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to ratify and accept grant funding for the Gun Violence Reduction Program. The funds from the grant – which are provided by the California Department of Justice and total $652,575 – will support the efforts for the Sheriff’s Office’s ongoing Armed Prohibited Persons Program. The two-year grant will cover the salary and benefits for a full-time investigator dedicated to the program.

“We’re proud to partner with the California Department of Justice and support the efforts to keep our community safe,” said Sheriff Bill Ayub. “We’ve had great success in keeping firearms out of the hands of individuals who shouldn’t have them. The efforts to do so have contributed to Ventura County being one of the safest counties in the nation.”

The goal of the Sheriff’s Office APPS Program is to disarm prohibited persons within Ventura County. These prohibited individuals have been convicted of felonies, are subject to restraining orders, or have mental health prohibitions, amongst other prohibitions. The Sheriff’s Office detective will act as a liaison with the California Department of Justice and local police agencies in Ventura County to complete program goals. The program also enforces Gun Violence Restraining Orders to disarm individuals that have made threats of violence or are a danger to the community.

Over the past 30 months, VCSO deputies have completed 254 investigations and recovered 78 firearms. As a result, guns have been removed from the possession of 193 individuals who are prohibited to have firearms due to prior convictions or mental health issues. This funding will ensure the Sheriff’s Office can continue to work to remove firearms from individuals on the APPS list.

Brennon Ballard (right) and Jesse Segovia of Santa Paula CornholeBagggers, and one of Brennon's Sponsor.
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Brennon Ballard (right) and Nick Williams from Santa Barbara holding up 1 finger for 1st place (Nick just became a Pro in 2021, and starting his 1st season an ACL Pro).
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(left) Jesse Segovia of Santa Paula Cornhole Baggers, and Chris Plueger, both of these sponsors along with others are helping Brennon achieve his goal of becoming a Pro Cornhole Player.
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Fillmore’s Brennon Ballard is on his way to becoming a Professional Cornhole player through the ACL (American Cornhole League) and has an opportunity for a chance to play on ESPN in his first Pro Invitational this weekend, February 11th – 13th in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Brennon started playing about two and a half years ago and has competed in Florida at the Jacksonville American Cornhole League (ACL) Open February 26th – 28th 2021. In Jasksonville he competed in the Junior Singles placing 2nd, Normal Singles placing 9th, Doubles placing 7th, and in Crew Cup-a Four man team-placing 5th. In July 2021 Brennon and his teammate Hunter Thorne of Moorpark competed in the American Cornhole League (ACL) California State Championship in Sacramento. Brennon won the Junior Division State Championship, Doubles Division State Championship with partner Hunter Thorne, Runner up for Singles Division and placed 3rd in crew 4-man teams, which qualified him to compete at the 2021 ACL World Championships.

One of Brennon's first tournaments was played at the Fillmore-Piru Veterans Memorial Building Cornhole Fundraiser back in 2019. The Santa Paula Cornhole Baggers and Fillmore Parks and Recreations Krista Martinez and Sandra Edwards hosted a few cornhole fundraisers to "Raise the Roof" on the building. Brennon was one of the first players to arrive and on his skateboard, he would also play on Monday evenings at Garman’s in Santa Paula for Monday Cornhole. When Jesse Segovia of Santa Paula Cornhole Baggers first saw Brennon throw at Garman’s, he said “This kid will be on ESPN one day” and his day is almost here! A special thanks to Brennon’s local sponsors - Santa Paula Cornhole Baggers- Jesse Segovia and Santa Clarita Cornhole -Chris Plueger. Both of these sponsors along with others are helping Brennon achieve his goals to becoming a Pro Cornhole Player. Good Luck this weekend Brennon!

On January 27, 2022, at approximately 6:00 pm, a victim parked their vehicle at a business located in the 700 block of Ventura Street in the city of Fillmore. At approximately 6:25 pm the victim returned and discovered that their vehicle had been burglarized. An unknown suspect(s) shattered the window of the vehicle and stole a wallet containing credit cards and a laptop computer.

Immediately after this crime, the victim received notification from their bank regarding fraudulent charges made using the victim’s stolen credit cards at the Von’s grocery store located across the street from where the vehicle burglary had occurred. Detectives obtained video surveillance of two suspects responsible for making the fraudulent charges at the grocery store. Photographs of these two suspects are attached below.

The Fillmore Police Department is asking anyone who may have information pertaining to this crime or who recognizes these two suspects to call Detective Lemar at the below listed telephone number. The reporting party may remain anonymous.

The Fillmore Police Department encourages citizens to immediately report suspicious people and vehicles, and to promptly report any crime they come across by calling 911. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their on-going support and due diligence in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Nature of Incident: Request for Public Assistance / Attempt to Identify
Police Request Public Assistance Identifying Suspects
Report Number: 22-11693
Location: 700 block Ventura Street Fillmore, CA
Date & Time: January 27, 2022 / 6:00 pm - 6:40 pm
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Patrol Services and Fillmore Detective Bureau
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
Unknown, Unknown, Unknown
Prepared by: Detective Sergeant Hollowell
Approved by: Captain Garo Kuredjian

2018 Fillmore High graduate Kasey Crawford will graduate from Dixie State University in May with a BA in psychology and wrapping up a successful championship winning softball career for the Dixie State Trailblazers. Kasey was also on the Dean's List for the fall 2021 semester.

Dixie state will open up their season at the Fullerton tournament. February 10th at 3:00 against ole miss, February 11th @ 2:30 against cal bears, 7:30 against Fullerton. February 12th @12 against San Diego, 2:30 against Colorado State.

Dixie State will head back to California in April to play Cal Baptist.

Kasey batted an average of .288, Slugging % .417, with 12 doubles, 1 Home run, and 1 Grand slam. Kasey plays Right & center field.

At Fillmore High, Kasey earned four varsity softball letters, three-time first team All-League selection, garnered second team All-County honors, was two-time MVP, earned a Golden Glove award, and was a four-time academic All-League honoree.

Kasey is the daughter of Eric and Carina Crawford.

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Courtesy Coach Júnior Lomelí

I want to tell you a story about 12 girls. At 5-6 years-old they played against boys and just got hammered, but that didn’t stop them. At 6-7 years-old their season came to an end due to COVID-19. Then at 7-8 years-old they had to play against girls one year older than them because of the shortage of teams after COVID. They lost almost every game. They were just too small and not as fast as most teams they played. Yet again, that did not stop them from working hard. Now 8 turning 9 years-old they played competitively and went undefeated, getting crowned 1st Place in the Coast Soccer League. The past two weekends these girls have competed at the highest level for their age group in State Cup; they girls placed in the top 8 teams. The 12 girls, with Fillmore and Piru roots, have done something amazing playing against club teams that have an army of players to choose from, and well-established clubs.

12 girls born in 2013 from Fillmore and Piru, have made history. I read a great article from Coach Weis in the Fillmore Gazette stating a great quote, “One Town, One Team.”

I would only change “Two Towns, One Team”. The City of Fillmore and Piru have historically developed great athletes, his words make sense, and the power of our community’s volunteer work is evident.

I’d like to introduce you to these 12 hardworking ladies: #1 Bella Mendez, #2 Eden Sandoval, #3 Itzel Arana, #4 Kenia Hernandez, #8 Christine Beltran, #9 Annalise Castorena, #10 Aixa Lomeli, #11 Aaliyah Cervantez, #13 Siani Lomeli, #15 Sadie Manríquez, #23 Toni Cervantez, and #99 Marianah Arreola.

Beyond proud!

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Underwater Search and Rescue Team is seeking qualified SCUBA divers who are skilled, reliable, and willing to volunteer their time, resources, and efforts in a commitment to their community.

Prospective candidates must attend the orientation session for the Underwater Academy at the following location:
Friday, March 11, 2022 @ 7:00 PM
Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center (Sheriff’s Academy),
106 Durley Avenue, Camarillo CA.

Course Fee: $250.00 to offset cost of the training.

To be eligible for team membership, candidates must demonstrate mastery of advanced diving skills by successfully completing the training program. Classes are held on select Friday evenings and Sunday mornings from March 11 through August 21, 2022.

Candidates must:
- Be 21 years of age.
- Own personal dive equipment.
- Be a resident of Ventura County or immediate vicinity.
- Hold a current Open Water Certification (Advanced Certification is preferred).
- Possess a valid California Driver’s License.
- Meet all background requirements of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
- Demonstrate strong watermanship skills and commitment to the program.
- Possess First Aid / CPR certification (may be obtained concurrent with the Dive Academy).

For additional information concerning the Dive Academy please call:
Team Captain Larry Fuller (805) 746-3326
Team Administrative Officer Steve Giles (805) 910-8067
Sheriff’s Office SAR Coordinator Sergeant Kelly Roark (805) 388-4212.

Nature of Incident: Search and Rescue Dive Team seeks applicants for 2022 Underwater Academy
Location: Ventura County Criminal Justice Training Center
Date & Time: March 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Unit(s) Responsible: Sheriff’s Underwater Search and Rescue Team
Prepared by: Team Captain Larry Fuller
Approved by: Captain Randy Downard