 The Fillmore Train Depot back in 1910 during its heyday. Photos courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 30th, 2020
Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum Seventy-five years ago, Fillmore and the rest of the world were just coming out of one of the worst series of events man had ever known – the Great Depression and World War II. Here is an excerpt from an article written in January, 1946, about our town by an unknown author. “During the war everybody was expected to concentrate on winning for our side – and quite properly so. But now that the war is over – theoretically at least – it would seem the part of wisdom to get busy, total up our prospects, and get going in high gear as soon as is humanly possible. Suppose we start with buildings – both business and residential… There are some buildings that must be torn down to make way for progress… Why do we continue to tolerate the ancient edifice which is called by courtesy a railroad station? That rambling old wreck was built just after the Civil War, and is not getting any younger. When rain comes, the water naturally seeks the lowest level, which means that a good-sized pond is in evidence under the station floor for many days after each rain. The net result is rotting underpinning, so that when people walk into the depot they cannot be sure the floor will not give way and thus endanger life and limb. From the amount of business, the (rail) road enjoys, it would seem at least that could be done would be a station which would be a credit to the railroad as well as the community. Looks like a very proper function for the Chamber of Commerce would be to storm the railroad offices and keep storming them until something is done about the deplorable condition. Los Angeles has become so big that it is no place for people to live – so that many a business man has his business in Los Angeles, while his home is somewhere in the suburbs. Pretty soon many a Los Angeles business man will own a helicopter – and he will establish his home in Fillmore or some other suburban spot located in the fresh air zone. It will be a matter of ten or fifteen minutes to get home to Fillmore after closing hours…” Well, not everything has come to pass quite as was predicted in 1946. The railroad didn’t improve the depot; instead it was closed and later sold to Edith Moore Jarrett for $1.05. It was moved and renovated to become the home of the Fillmore Historical Museum. In 1995 it was moved back near the tracks a little east of its original location. Even though the depot is not in the same location as it was in 1946, when it rains, water does accumulate beneath it – but now there is a very effective sump pump. We do have helicopters flying over the town, but not for commuting business men. Not every businessman has his own helicopter, but with better roads and the move to telecommuting, Fillmore has become attractive to commuters, as can be seen with all the houses under construction. And the railroad has become a tourist attraction. We now enjoy the whistles and the sounds of the steam engine which reminds us of how it used to be all those years ago when the depot was the center of activity in town. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
 On Monday, December 21st at 9:15pm a crash occurred at E Street and Highway 126 near Jim’s Fillmore Towing. A white Tahoe was traveling west bound on Highway 126 when it off the highway, through the bushes, taking out part of the Jim’s Fillmore Towing sign and hitting the back end of a parked Nissan Sentra. Nobody was in the Sentra at the time of the crash. The driver of the Tahoe was traveling alone and was examined at the scene. Cause of the crash is still under investigation. Enlarge Photo |
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By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
 Ventura County Sheriff's Department On 12/10/20, at approximately 7:26 PM, deputies assigned to the Fillmore Police Station responded to a report of an injured person walking in the 1100 block of Ventura Street. Upon arrival, the deputies contacted an adult male and determined he had been stabbed multiple times. The man was in need of immediate medical assistance and was transported, via ambulance, to a local hospital where he was stabilized with serious injuries. During the course of the investigation, detectives determined the victim had been assaulted before he was transported by vehicle from the 1100 block of El Paseo Street in Fillmore to the area where he was contacted on Ventura Street. Detectives are seeking any witnesses or potential video surveillance footage of the vehicle, suspect(s), or the assault itself. If anyone has information regarding the incident, they are encouraged to contact Detective Javier Chavez, with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau, at 805-384-4725. Community: Fillmore Shooting - Request for Public Assistance 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). |
 On Saturday, December 5th, the Fillmore Youth Cross-Country Team, the Shockwaves, traveled to Tallahassee, Florida to compete in the Amateur Athletic Union National Cross-Country Championships. Pictured above is the Shockwaves tea: left to right-back row: Joshua Estrada, Julie Bakholdin, Emily Arriaga, Paola Estrada, and Niza Laureano. Front row: Aaliyan Tarango, Mason Arriaga, and Leah Laureano. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
Local Fillmore youth cross country runners competed at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday, December 5th. The group of local athletes competed and qualified for the event with the team known as the Pacific Coast Shockwaves which represent athletes from Fontana, Los Angeles, San Pedro, Victorville and Ventura County. The team is coached locally by Maria Elena Alcantara, Evelio Arriaga, Daniel Bakholdin, Israel Estrada, Temo Laureano, Juan Ruiz, Cynthia Tarango, and Juan Toledo. For more information on the team please call or text: 805-421-8741 or 805-258-3821. The results are as follows: Mason Arriaga, 4:12.46, Boys 1k Race: 6 years old & under, placed 15th overall out of a field of 50 runners, earned All American Honors, placing 7th in his age group. Julie Bakholdin, 11:43.08, Girls 3k Race: 11 - 12 year olds, placed 62nd overall out of a field of 240 runners, placing 21st in her age group, with her Shockwave team placing 3rd. Joshua Estrada, 14:28.79, Boys 4k Race: 13 - 14 year olds, placed 156th overall out of a field of 245 runners, placing 94th in his age group, with his Shockwave team placing 5th. Paola Estrada, 11:00.59, Girls 3k Race: 11 - 12 year olds, placed 15th overall out of a field of 240 runners, earned All American Honors, placing 4th in her age group, with her Shockwave team placing 4th. Leah Laureano, 8:55.25, Girls 2k Race: 7 - 8 year olds, placed 19th overall out of a field of 59 runners, earned All American Honors, placing 6th in her age group, with her Shockwave team placing 1st as National Champions. Niza Laureano, 15:43.42, Girls 4k Race: 13 - 14 year olds, placed 104th overall out of a field of 214 runners, placing 45th in her age group, with her Shockwave team placing 4th. Aaliyan Tarango, 8:49.25, Girls 2k Race: 7 - 8 year olds, placed 15th overall out of a field of 59 runners, earned All American Honors, placing 11th in her age group, with her Shockwave team placing 1st as National Champions. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
 Fillmore High began construction on their Career Technology Education (CTE) building sin the summer/fall of 2019. The plans are to build an Agricultural and Transportation SDSR (SDSR Systems Diagnostic Service and Repair) building. Above is the Transportation Building construction underway; the buildings expected completion date is July 2021. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
 Bestselling Author Brett Battles Brett Battles, bestselling author of nearly 40 novels, has moved to Fillmore. Born and raised in Ridgecrest, California, Battles lived most of his life in the greater Los Angeles area, but felt ready for a change. "I was looking for a place outside of Los Angeles, but close to Simi Valley, where my kids live," said Battles. "Ventura County seemed like the perfect solution. I checked out several places, and really liked the feel and size of Fillmore. Plus, one of my best friends lives here, so that was a bonus." Battles has sold over one million copies of his novels. He is a USA Today bestselling author of several series including the Jonathan Quinn series, the Project Eden series, and the time bending Rewinder trilogy. His debut novel, The Cleaner (A Jonathan Quinn Novel Book 1), was nominated for The Barry Award for Best Thriller, and The Shamus Award for Best First Novel. His second Jonathan Quinn novel, The Deceived, won The Barry Award for Best Thriller. Battles has traveled extensively to many international cities, Ho Chi Minh City, Berlin, Bangkok, Angkor Wat, Singapore, Jakarta, London, Paris, and Rome, all play parts in his current and upcoming novels. Although he enjoys traveling, Battles loves being at home to write and spend time with his three adult children, Ronan, Fiona, and Keira, who now enjoy driving up to Fillmore for visits and to play with Maggie, Brett's neurotic, paranoid, and very cute, Australian Shepherd. "I love the pace of Ventura County. It’s both energetic and relaxed, perfect for me. I feel like I’ve lived in Fillmore for years. It really feels like home. I’ve made some great friends here already, and look forward to making even more." Battles says, "If you like James Bond, Jack Reacher, or Jason Bourne, give my Jonathan Quinn series a try. I get the best feedback from Quinn fans. They seem to really love the main characters." Battles latest Quinn novel, The Vanished, was just released this December and has already reached #1 in several Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense categories on Amazon. You can lean more about Battles and his novels at his website www.brettbattles.com |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
During this time we would like to remember and honor those in our community. Santa Clara Valley Hospice has been sponsoring Light Up a Life for over 27 years. There is still time to make a $10 donation to add the name of a loved one. Contact: SCVH at 805.525.1333. IN MEMORY OF... In Honor of: |
 1960 Stockers Department Store Bill Stocker and Susan French. Photos courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 23rd, 2020
Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum Christmas is always an exciting time for children and their families. The children eagerly await the arrival of Santa and presents. Their parents spend an outrageous amount of time and money buying presents and attempting to hide them until late Christmas Eve when they can be placed under the tree for the children to find in the morning. Fillmore’s local merchants tried to outdo each other with festive store windows. The only newspaper in Fillmore added to the festivities with special, colorful, Christmas front pages. The photo of the front page from 1911 shows Santa, having swapped his sleigh for the newest invention, an airplane, dropping toys and candy to the children below. Christmas in the early years of the twentieth century were less complicated. There might be a small tree such as the one in the photo from 1913, decorated with popcorn strings, some tinsel, ribbons and a few presents. The piano was close by to allow for singing carols as the children impatiently waited for Santa to arrive. Sometimes there were parties where the children received an orange from California or piece of hard candy. In 1930 Fillmore celebrated with lighted Christmas trees placed in concrete pots down both sides of Central Avenue as well as trees in the center of the street placed at each crosswalk. These were all live trees as were all the trees for sale in every grocery store in town. There were at least 5 grocery stores on Central Ave with trees for sale out front on the sidewalk. Merchants in 1941 decorated their front windows with all those appliances they hoped a husband would purchase to make his wife’s life easier. To be festive Briggs Hardware added a garland with wreaths and bells to their window display. Note the date on the photo, Dec 5, 1941, two days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Christmas for the next few years would be very changed with consumer items restricted and young men off to war. The photo of the Christmas tree sitting on fake bricks is from 1942, “somewhere in the Pacific.” Christmas was celebrated even in a tent far from home during the war. By the 1960s outdoor decorations were popular at people’s homes. The photo of museum founder Edith Jarrett’s home on Foothill in 1963 is typical of the time. Also typical are the water thrifty plants and the rocky area in front of the house. In 1960, if you wanted to see Santa Claus you probably went to Stocker’s Department Store, It had almost anything a child could wish for. It was just south of Orin Eberly’s drugstore where you could get a great gift for mom and north of Champ Cochran’s men’s emporium where you could find a gift for dad. The Fillmore Theater was just up the street. It was the place to go for special Christmas movies and cartoons, a tradition begun for the children of Fillmore in the 1920s and originally hosted and paid for by Richard Stephens of Stephens Market. Christmas pageants were also part of the Christmas festivities. Not only were they performed in churches, they also were performed by the Fillmore High School students in the “state of the art” high school auditorium. The productions consisted of talented students dancing, singing, playing their musical instruments and performing skits. The final act was always a production of the journey of Joseph and Mary and birth of Jesus. After the high school building and its auditorium were demolished in the mid-1950s the pageant moved to the high school gym. The nativity scene took place on the south side bleachers with Joseph, Mary, Jesus and the angels, wise men and shepherds as seen in the accompanying photo from 1960. Many of you may remember teacher, Beatrice Albright, the guiding light for these productions. All of us have special memories of Christmases here in Fillmore when we were children. There were family gatherings, church programs, lights and music. We here at the Fillmore Museum wish you all a safe, healthy, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
 Kristian Fonseca, 22, of Fillmore Original Press Release: Update: District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced on Thursday, December 11th that Kristian Fonseca (DOB 10/07/98) of Fillmore, has been charged with the murder of Jose Estrada and Daniel Zuniga, both of Santa Paula. The complaint charges two counts of murder with a special allegation that Fonseca personally used a firearm in the commission of the crimes. Fonseca was also charged with one count of attempted murder with a special allegation that he personally used a firearm, for the shooting of Rafael Hernandez, of Santa Paula, in the same incident. Mr. Estrada and Mr. Zuniga were fatally shot on East Ventura Street in Santa Paula in the late evening hours of October 24, 2020. Mr. Estrada died that day, while Mr. Zuniga remained on life support for two weeks before he died. Mr. Hernandez was shot several times and survived his injuries. Fonseca is currently in custody for an attempted murder that he committed in the city of Ventura in October 2019. He appeared in court on December 10, 2020, and pled not guilty to the new charges. The case is set for an early disposition conference on January 27, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court. Fonseca is currently in custody at the Ventura County Jail with bail set at $3 million. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims. Follow the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on Twitter @VenturaDAOffice |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
On Friday, December 11th at 5 PM, a car crash was reported on East Guiberson Road, east of Highway 23 in Bardsdale. When California Highway Patrol arrived on scene they found a pickup truck in a ditch with a male victim outside the vehicle and unresponsive. Authorities closed Guiberson for several hours to conduct their investigation. On Monday, December 14th the Ventura County Medical Examiner identified the crash victim as Jose J. Gonzalez Sr., 57, of Fillmore. Authorities report that the pickup truck veered off the road and that the driver did not appear to have used his brakes before the crash, can was not |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
 Construction has been underway on the new FHS Career Technology Education (CTE) buildings since summer/fall of 2019. FHS will have a new Agricultural and Transportation Building as part of the funds Fillmore Unified was awarded in the November 2016 election on Measure V. Pictured above and below is the construction going on inside the Agricultural building. Enlarge Photo |
 Back in November of this year construction began on 77 affordable workforce housing units at the corner of Mountain View and Highway 126. Above is an architect’s rendering of the units. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
This housing project is a joint venture with the Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura. Funding sources for this project come from Ventura County Housing Trust Fund Acquisition Loan, County of Ventura CDBG Funds, State Funds, Area Housing Authority of the County of Ventura Permanent, Loan and Project Based Vouchers, Conventional Permanent Loan, and 4% Tax Credits + Tax Exempt Bond. The Community Amenities available will be Manager/Services Offices, Community Room, On-Site Library Services In, Partnership With The Ventura County Library System, Two Playgrounds, Outdoor Activity Center, On-Site Laundry, Community Gardens, Picnic/BBQ, Garage Parking and Guest Parking. For more information visit https://www.manymansions.org/properties-in-development/mountain-view-fil... |
 Fillmore’s Nova Storage has completed their Sespe label mural which Fillmore artist Gabriel Cardenas began back in November of this year. They plan to begin a third mural in January 2021. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
 Saturday, November 14th Fillmore artist, musician, and “artivist” Gabriel Cardenas began a new mural project for Nova Storage here in Fillmore at 455 A Street. Nova Storage reached out to the community by conducting an online poll where people voted on their favorite historic fruit label design. The community’s response was greater than expected and the winner was the SESPE label. Above is the is the second of three murals planned for the building. The first mural was completed back in April of this year. Nova Storage plans on beginning working on the third mural in January 2021. Nova Storage continues to be active in their local communities, with nine branches providing superior customer service and offering clean, safe and secure facilities at a great rate. Stop by one of their locations, like them on Facebook, follow on Instagram, and visit their website at www.Nova Storage.com. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
SoCalGas announces additional donation to the Gas Assistance Fund to help customers in need. There is still time for income qualified individuals and families to apply for up to $200 to help pay their gas bills. To learn more, go to https://sempra.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=19080&item=137863. Courtesy City of Fillmore. |
 James F. Mclntyre in the 1900’s smoking his bee hives. Photos courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum. Enlarge Photo By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 16th, 2020
Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum Honey bees were introduced into North America in 1622 in Jamestown and from there slowly spread across the continent. By 1850, bee colonies were appearing in the San Jose area and soon came south. By 1876, Robert Wilkin moved his apiary from Ohio to Sespe. Even without the orchards that would soon come to the area, the abundant native vegetation, especially sage, wild alfalfa and buckwheat, provided for the bees. This particular apiary was taken over by Mr. Wilkin’s son-in-law, James F. McIntyreshown here in 1900, smoking a hive to sedate the bees so the frames of honey comb could be safely removed. The process at the McIntyre apiary was explained in the October 10, 1891 issue of Pacific Rural Press (San Francisco). “The land slopes about ten feet from the back of the apiary to the honey house, which makes it easy to wheel the honey into the house. Two carts… are used to wheel in the honey. Each cart carries four "supers” full, or about 200 pounds at a load. When extracting, one man fills one cart with honey in the apiary, while the other extracts the other cart-load in the honey house. It takes from 20 to 30 minutes to fill a cart, and the man in the honey house can easily extract one in the same time. A three-inch pipe runs from a reservoir down through the apiary and connects with a Pelton water motor in the honey house, which furnishes sufficient power to run a small circular saw or the honey extractor. The honey runs from the extractor into iron tank, shown below the honey house, which hold 8000 pounds each, where It is allowed to stand for one or two weeks, and is then drawn off through a molasses gate into 60-pound cans for the market.” The entire McIntyre family was committed to beekeeping. They had 4 daughters and one son. The son was named Robert, the girls were all named after plants – Myrtle, Flora, Lily and Pansy. According to the San Francisco Call, October 31, 1906, Flora was paying her way through UC Berkeley by raising and selling queen bees at $1 each. “Her skill in handling the insects is such as to qualify her for rank with the entomologists of the university.” The McIntyres in Sespe were not the only apiarists in the area. Tommy Arundell became well known with his hives in Pole Creek. In 1893, he delivered a paper to the California Beekeepers Association on “Economy in Bee Keeping”. Nate and Al Stone, who are remembered as some of the hunters who supplied Fillmore with fresh meat, also conducted a thriving honey business in the 1910s and 20s. The Haase family had extensive honey operations at Oak Flat as did the Young family. Piru Canyon is still a major honey producing area. By 1910, Ventura County had over 11,000 hives of bees and produced over 400,000 pounds of honey, the majority of which was produced in the Fillmore area. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 9th, 2020
 On Sunday, December 6th from 4:30 PM to 7 PM at the Veterans Memorial building, Fillmore Fire Foundation hosted their Annual Toy Drive & Chicken Dinner. This year’s dinner was drive-thru style because of the COVID-19 pandemic. People were able to drive by and drop off an unwrapped toy and get a chicken dinner. The fundraiser is to help collect toys and funds for the Annual Community Holiday Giveaway to be held Sunday, December 12th. Photos Courtesy City of Fillmore Facebook page. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 9th, 2020
On Monday, December 7th at 11:44 AM a fire broke out in the Santa Clara riverbed south of Santa Paula, causing closures for both east and west bound lanes of Highway 126 at Briggs exit. The blaze is said to have been caused by a large tree falling onto power lines. With 35-plus mph Santa Ana winds it structures as well as agricultural operations. Evacuations were assessed |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 9th, 2020
 On Monday, December 7th gusty 35-plus mph Santa Ana winds blew through Fillmore leaving some destruction behind. In the 700 block of 3rd Street a tree was knocked down nearly missing a house. Enlarge Photo |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 9th, 2020
On Friday, December 4th at 3:46 PM a fire was reported north of Fillmore in the Sespe Wilderness near Four Fork Creek Road and Hopper Mountain. A helicopter was dispatched to Quarter Acre Brush Fire North of Fillmore the scene for water drops due to the remote location of the blaze, as well as fire engines on the ground. By 5:30 PM ground crews made a line surrounding the fire allowing them to cease water drops and contain the fire reported at a quarter acre. No damages or injuries were reported at the time of the incent; cause is still under investigation. |
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By Anonymous — Wednesday, December 9th, 2020
 The Fillmore Condors Youth Cross Country Team which competed at the AAU Youth Cross Country Nationals in Florida on Saturday, December 5th. Top row, left to right: Leah Barragan, Yarely Herrera, Coach Felix Zuniga, Noah Flores, Diego Felix, Diego Rodriguez, Coach Phil Ramirez, Lindsey Ramirez, Yarably Herrera. Middle row, left to right: Lucy Zuniga, Natalia Retana, Santiago Felix, Abel Arana, Itzel Arana. Bottom row, left to Right: Coaches Andrea Mendez and Gerardo Flores. Photos courtesy Fillmore Condors XC President Erika Arana. Enlarge Photo Courtesy Fillmore Condors Cross Country President Erika Arana The Fillmore Condors Cross Country team concluded their 2020 season by participating in the AAU Youth Cross Country Nationals on Saturday, December 5th, 2020. Although there wasn’t the usual number of runners, over 2,000 athletes still made the trip to Tallahassee, Florida to compete at the 100+ acres, known as the premiere cross-country facility at Apalachee Regional Park. This multi-use park includes one of the nation’s few sites designed specifically for cross country running. The pristine trail features numerous course/distance options through the rolling hills, lowlands and pine forests. The trail was designed to give runners the opportunity to run on several types of surfaces. For a few of our athletes, this was their second time racing at this very same course, back in 2017. Weather conditions were a lot better for our athletes, this time around. The Florida rain drenched the course the night before, forcing our athletes to run on some muddy trails. Overall, it felt like the California weather they were used to. This year, by far was the most challenging, due to Covid restrictions. Most of our season racing, were held as “Inter-Team Time Trials”. This is how national teams were determined at the end. Our fourteen local Condors joined other area runners to form Valley United Striders. Condor representatives were Abel Arana, Itzel Arana, Leah Barragan, Diego Felix, Santiago Felix, Destina Guzman, Yaraby Herrera, Lindsey Ramirez, Natalia Retana, Diego Rodriguez, Lucy Zuniga and sisters - Kaylie, Kirsten, and Kristen Theobald. With high school sports on hold, we welcomed three Condor Alumni’s to join our National team. The third race of the day was the girls 13 and 14-year-old, with 214 runners. Lindsey Ramirez 98th overall and 57th, individually for the 14-year-olds; Lindsey had over a 2-minute PR of 15:38.15. Her alumni teammate, Yaraby Herrera had been battling a hamstring injury 2 weeks prior and still managed to fight her way through it during her race. Yaraby placed 187th overall and 94th individually, for the 14-year-old girls; 18:29.26. The boys 13 & 14-year-old division had a stacked field of 245 runners. Alumni, Diego Rodriquez finished strong, placing 91st overall and 62nd individually, for the 14-year-olds; PR 13:37.66. Diego Felix crossed the finish line in a PR 15:02.03, placing 186th overall and 79th individually, for the 13-year-olds. Due to an injury, Condor Noah Flores had to withdraw his National team spot. These youth four, ran a 3,000-meter (2.48 mile) race. Following was the girls 11 and 12-year-old division, that consisted of 240 runners. Leah Barragan placed 160th overall and 96th individually, for the 12-year-olds; 13:08.41. Santiago Felix ran the boys 11 and 12-year-old division race, that saw 212 runners that morning. He finished strong with a time 12:27.39, placing 164th overall and 71st in the 11-year-olds, individually. Both Leah and Santiago ran a 3,000-meter (1.86 mile) race. 142 runners toed the starting line in the girls 9 and 10-year-old race, with four of the Striders being Condors. They pack ran the entire way to a 3rd team podium appearance. Theobald sisters, Kristen ran 12:28.55, 42nd overall and 11th individually, for the 9-year-olds; Her sister Kirsten behind with a 12:32.25, 49th overall and 13th individually, for the 9-year-olds. Lucy Zuniga, a second behind her teammate, crossed with a time of 12:33.14 for a 50th overall finish and 14th individually, for the 9-year-olds. Destina Guzman tried hard to hold on to her teammates to finish 76th and 24th individually, for the 9-year-olds; 13:05.36. Abel Arana was the Strider’s first runner to cross the finish line in the field of 137 runners. His time was 11:45.85, placing 39th overall and 28th individually, for the 10-year-olds. Abel and his teammates also ran away with a 3rd place podium title. This division ran the 3,000-meter race (1.86 mile) race. The last race for our athletes, was the girls 7 and 8-year-olds. Following in her brother’s footsteps, Itzel Arana also was the Strider’s number one runner to cross the finish line with a PR time of 9:18.30. Itzel placed 32nd overall and 11th individually, for the 7-year-olds. Her teammate Natalia Retana had a huge PR time of 10:44.33, placing 51st overall and 31st individually, for the 8-year-olds. This was the girls first National experience and together with their teammates, Itzel and Natalia earned a 3rd place podium finish in their 2,000-meter (1.24 mile) race. Fillmore Condors Cross Country is a non-profit organization under Heritage Valley Blazers Inc. We are the only cross-country team in Fillmore, we represent our city with pride. The Condors are coached by Philip Ramirez, Gerardo Flores, Jared Perez and Felix Zuniga. “Saying we are proud, is an understatement; especially this year. We had an unpredictable season and made the best of it. All we wanted was some normalcy for our athletes, and running has always taken us places. They come out, push through the pain, and train their minds daily with one goal in mind; December!” Condors President Erika Arana and board members would like to thank the following for sponsoring our athletes this unforgettable cross-country season: Fillmore Lions Club, Fillmore Rotary Club, Prancer’s Farm, Siena Floral Accent’s, Heritage Valley Blazers Inc. and the Fillmore Community for purchasing Jamba Juice cards from our athletes. For more XC or Track info, contact 805-624-1129. FOREVER CONDORS! |
