Cienega School, 1873
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San Cayetano School, 1889
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Mountain View School, 1892 (built in 1890)
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Sespe School, 1896 (built in 1889)
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Mountain View School, 1909
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The Old School on Central Avenue, 1930 (built in 1874)
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Fillmore Cafe the old school after the fire, 1936
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

By the 1870s more and more settlers were arriving and claiming land along the Santa Clara and Sespe rivers. These were families who had come from all over the United States looking for a new place to call home, settle down and raise their families.

In 1871, the Frederic Sprague family arrived at the Sespe from Placer County. The family included his wife, Clare, a son, Hartley, who drove one of the wagons, and daughters, Iva and her twin, Inez, and younger sister Nellie. They came by way of Santa Barbara and had to cross the sandy beach north of Ventura. They lost one of their two wagons in the sand that day and had to wait until the next low tide to retrieve it.

Sprague had filed a homestead preemption claim on 160 acres of the disputed Rancho Sespe owned by Thomas More. (He and More had an ongoing argument about Sprague’s claim and he will always be connected to the 1877 More murder. But that’s another story.) Once settled in the Sespe, the Spragues farmed and operated a small grocery store close to Atmore Road where stage drivers could stop and change horses. Within the first year, Iva’s twin sister, Inez and her sister, Nellie, died of typhoid fever.

Education was important to the settlers so in 1874 Frederic and his 13 year old daughter, Iva, and 14 year old son, Hartley, traveled by wagon to Ventura to purchase wood for the building of a school. The school he built was located on the north side of the Santa Clara River near the current north approach of the Bardsdale Bridge. It was 20’ X 30’ and, depending on teacher’s estimates, either 11’, 12’, or 16’ high.

Like all schools of the period it was one room with the teacher’s desk on a platform on one end very similar to the 1873 Cienega School. According to Clara Smith, a teacher in the district in 1886-1887, “a water bucket and tin dipper stood just inside the door…There was a bookcase on the left side of the door with 150 volumes many of which are above the ability of the children to read…The children sit in rows facing the teacher, whose chair and desk occupy a place on the platform at the other end of the room. To the right of the teacher stands a manikin which shows the relative position of the different organs of the human body. This is the nearest approach to the instruction in hygiene which the children will receive.”

In 1879 the little school was moved to the east bank of the Sespe just a little north of today’s railroad bridge where it served as both church and school.

The old school building was moved once again in late 1888 from the east bank of the Sespe to a location two lots south of Sespe St. on the east side of Central Ave where it served the Fillmore School District as an office.

By early 1889, the school district served enough children to split into 3 districts. They were the Sespe, San Cayetano, and Fillmore School Districts. The Sespe and San Cayetano districts built new buildings immediately, but the Fillmore district had to wait a bit for their new building.

With their old school moved to town and their new school being built, students attended the Cactus Flat School. Their parents loaned the boards for the temporary building but wanted them back uncut. So each board was numbered and eventually returned to the owner. The photo shows how irregular the building was. This little school was on the east bank of the Sespe north of Fifth Street and West of Goodenough Road, about where Candelaria and Catalano Streets are now in 2020.

In 1890, the children who lived on the east side of the Sespe moved to a brand new school located on the northwest corner of Sespe and Mountain View. It was used until 1909 when the larger Mountain View School was built on the east side of Mountain View between Main St. and Sespe.

In 1890, Dr. John Hinckley bought the old school building that Sprague built and moved it across Central Ave. to a lot on the northwest corner of Sespe and Central. He remodeled it, added a room, and used it as his office and Fillmore’s first drug store. He later sold the building to Owen Miller who turned it into a restaurant. Dr. Hinckley moved his office and home on the corner of Ventura St., now Hwy 23, and Central Ave.

Herky Villaseñor used the old school building briefly in the 1930s until he moved his tamale factory to Main and Clay St.

In 1936, Mr. O.M Topley took over the restaurant intending to open a beer parlor but in May, 1936 the building was destroyed by fire.

This building represented 40 years of Fillmore’s pioneer history from its beginnings as an unnamed dusty spot in the road to a thriving farming community. By 1936 the community was well established with schools, churches, businesses and about 2,800 residents. Within two weeks of the fire, Clara Ida Sprague Sheldon, who had told the story of the old school to the newspaper, had died. Two years later in 1938, Hartley Sprague who rode to Ventura with his father to buy wood for the first school, also died. The pioneer period was ending.

Reynaldo Hernandez, 54, Piru.

The Fillmore Investigative Bureau concluded an investigation into a Piru resident that lead to charges related to stalking, trespassing and theft. The suspect, Reynaldo Hernandez, was involved in targeting a woman who lives in Fillmore.

During the month of September 2020, investigators received information that Hernandez was involved in trespassing on a property in the 800 block of Blaine Ave. Hernandez had been caught by the homeowners on their property and had been asked to leave.

A subsequent investigation by detectives revealed Hernandez had trespassed onto the victim’s property and took woman’s underwear that were in an outside laundry area.

Detectives conducted a search of Hernandez’ residence and located evidence belonging to the victim. In addition, investigators located other woman’s underwear in his possession. Detectives also learned Hernandez had repeatedly unlawfully entered the victim’s property over the past few months.

The investigation led to Hernandez’ arrest for charges of 602.5 PC- Trespassing, and 646.9 (a) PC- Stalking. Hernandez remains in custody pending $200,000.00 bail.

The investigation is ongoing. Detectives believe Hernandez might have targeted other victims in the region. The Fillmore Investigative Bureau is requesting the public’s assistance for information related to the theft of woman’s undergarments or other related items. Please call one of the investigators listed below for information.

Prepared by: Sergeant Vince Alvarez
News Release Date: 10/20/20
Approved by: Captain Garo Kuredjian
Nature of Incident: Stalking / Theft Suspect Arrested
Report Number: RB# 20-123005
Location: 800 block of Blaine Street, Fillmore
Date & Time: 10/19/20, 3:05 P.M
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Police Department Investigations Bureau
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence, Age
(S) Reynaldo Hernandez, 54, Piru, Ca

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).

Last updated October 13, 2020 at 4:21 PM, https://covid19.ca.gov/holidays/

Holidays usually mean gathering with friends and extended family, attending parties, hosting dinners, traveling, and celebrating time-honored customs. But some holiday activities promote congregating and mixing of households, which increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19.

Enjoy your holidays safely. Follow guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and plan safer, alternative celebrations that don’t spread coronavirus to your family and in your community.

Halloween

Plan lower-risk celebrations, like:

• Joining online parties for costume contests or pumpkin carving

• Enjoying activities from your car like drive-through Halloween displays or drive-in movies

• Having fun at home with scary movies, a candy scavenger hunt, or turning your home into a haunted house

• Putting on costumes and going on a physically distanced walk with your household

• Dressing up your home or yard with Halloween decorations

Many traditional Halloween celebrations – such as parties and in-person, door to door trick-or-treating – pose a high risk of spreading COVID-19 and could put your family and loved ones at risk. These activities involve face to face interactions with people from different households, and if an infection is detected among a participant, it will be very difficult to find and notify those who may have been exposed.

For more low-risk Halloween activities, read CDPH’s Guidance for Safer Halloween and Dia de los Muertos Celebrations during COVID-19.

Día de los Muertos

For safety, celebrate Día de los Muertos only with other members of your household, or online.

Some low-risk activities are:

• Placing altars outside or in a front-facing window so they can be seen from a distance

• Creating virtual altars online that can be shared through email or social media

• Creating altar cards that can be sent in the mail

• Visiting cemeteries only with your household. Wear masks and physically distance from others. Limit time you spend there.

For more low-risk Día de los Muertos activities, read CDPH’s Guidance for Safer Halloween and Dia de los Muertos Celebrations during COVID-19.

Your local health department may have additional restrictions. Check your county’s COVID-19 website for information about Halloween and Día de los Muertos in your community.

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that county residents should be mindful of potentially unlawful social media posts during the current political climate. While we support a citizen’s right to free speech and the posting of personal opinions on the internet, there are risks and potential criminal liability associated with intentionally causing the harassment of others.

Electronically publishing a person’s personal identifying information for the purpose of causing that person to suffer fear or harassment may constitute a crime under what is commonly known as “doxing.” Any person who intentionally places another person in reasonable fear for his or her safety, or the safety of that person’s immediate family, by an electronic communication and for the purpose of causing that person unwanted physical contact, injury, or harassment by a third party, may be guilty of a misdemeanor. “Harassment” means knowing and willful conduct that is directed at a specific person, that serves no legitimate purpose, and would be considered as seriously alarming, annoying, tormenting, or terrorizing to a reasonable person. Personal identifying information can include a digital image, an electronic message of a harassing nature, a home address, or phone number.

The District Attorney wholeheartedly supports and defends our tremendous liberty and freedom of speech, and there are currently many subjects worthy of robust public debate in our community. However, residents should be aware that First Amendment rights are not unlimited, and we encourage the community to be mindful that the law prohibits doxing.

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.

Pacific Southwest Trust and Savings about 1923 when Stephens was vice president of the bank.
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Trinity Episcopal, circa 1940.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

Part 2

In the years before Stephen built his new store, the old-time lock boxes for the patrons of the post office were located on the outside of the building. The arrival of the mail was an exciting event. Rain or shine, everyone gathered outside the store to get their mail and exchange the latest news with their neighbors. On September27, 1907, the big topic of discussion was the electric light Stephens had strung across Central Avenue from his store to the store of Harmonson and Rood. This was Fillmore’s very first street lighting. Stephens’ new building, which opened on March 12, 1910, was a one-story structure of stucco over brick, designed mission-style and built by contractor J. C. Blair. The post office was separate from the store with its own entrance as well as an entrance from the store. Over the outside entrance to the post office, a flagpole was erected. This flagpole remains in place today (1988), though it is no longer in use. In addition to the post office, this modern store offered general merchandise, a meat market, a public telephone, and a small jewelry store run by John Lawton. A six-foot cement sidewalk, one of the first in downtown Fillmore, was put in at the new building. At the store’s corner entrance, which faced both Main and Central, the sidewalk at the threshold featured the owner’s name set in green and white tiles. The tiled name remains in place to this day (2020 – it is still in place).

Like most of the early businessmen of Fillmore, Richard Stephens was deeply involved in the affairs of the community. He was one of the organizers and a director of the Fillmore State Bank until 1913 when, with others, he organized the Fillmore Branch of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Santa Paula. After that institution was consolidated with the Pacific-Southwest Trust and Savings, Stephens became vice president of the Fillmore branch. In addition to many other interests, he owned several extensive citrus ranches He and his wife Stella, whom he married in San Diego on Christmas Day in 1903, were members of a group instrumental in bringing the Trinity Episcopal Church building from the Bard Estate in Port Hueneme in 1933, to land donated by Stephens.

Perhaps because they had no children of their own, Richard and Stella Stephens were most generous to the children of Fillmore. Each Halloween they opened their lovely home at 554 Central Avenue to the children of the community. Each Christmas they were hosts to all the children at a special picture show at the local theatre where the small guests were given treats and gifts.

It is appropriate to call attention to Fillmore’s past. Much of that past is vanished now, remembered only by words and pictures. But some of the past is still with us today, a part of our everyday lives. Nowhere is there a better example of this blending of past and present than the Fillmore Market (2020 Estella’s Market), Richard Stephen’s old store, still serving the people of Fillmore as it has since 1910. Next time you pass that historic northwest corner of Main and Central, look down to see the green and white tiles spelling out the name “Stephens”. Part of Fillmore’s past is still part of Fillmore’s present.

VENTURA COUNTY — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) announces a 57-hour weekend full closure of northbound lanes on State Route 23 (SR-23) from U.S. 101 to Janss Road in Thousand Oaks for pavement rehabilitation. The weekend closure includes southbound and northbound U.S. 101 connectors to northbound SR-23.

57-HOUR WEEKEND FULL CLOSURE 10/23 to 10/26:
• Fri. 8 PM until Mon. 5 AM: NB Lanes of SR-23 from U.S. 101 to Janss Rd
• Fri. 8 PM until Mon. 5 AM: SB + NB U.S. 101 Connectors to NB SR-23
• Fri. 8 PM until Mon. 5 AM: Hillcrest Dr on-ramp to NB SR-23
• Detour Signs Will Be Posted
• Southbound Lanes of SR-23 Will Remain OPEN

Residents and businesses located near the freeway may experience noise, vibrations and dust associated with construction activities. Motorists should expect delays and are strongly advised to use alternate routes. Real-time traffic information can be found at http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.

All work is subject to change due to weather or construction-related issues. More information about the SR-23 Pavement Rehabilitation Project is available at: https://tinyurl.com/yxst2dfh.

Caltrans reminds drivers to be “Work Zone Alert” and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

While Ventura County Public Works Agency’s  Engineering Services (VCPWA-ES) may not be familiar to the general public, their work managing capital construction, land development, and county surveying all contribute to many important community additions. Along with building the Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) Hospital Wing, their latest projects include working with the Health Care Foundation of Ventura County to build a Ronald McDonald Family Room at VCMC, a new conference room and computer lab for the Fillmore Library, as well as numerous construction projects for local fire stations and other facilities.

The Ronald McDonald family room at VCMC will provide support for families of pediatric patients to have a family dinner, do homework with their other children, and catch up on work while remaining close to their loved one. Construction began in July and will be the largest family room in the Ronald McDonald system, consisting of a kitchenette, large dining table, washer and dryer, play area, tv area, and workspace. In addition, there will also be a Respite Room for people to relax in quiet and rest.

“The new Ronald McDonald Family Room will be an incredible addition for VCMC and our patients,” said Dr. John Fankhauser, CEO at VCMC. “We greatly appreciate the work VCPWA-ES is doing to build this room and give families the space they need to relax and recharge.”

VCPWA-ES will also begin work in Winter 2020/21 to help build a new, versatile computer lab space and conference room for the Fillmore Library and their patrons. The project will nearly double the square footage of the existing library, providing added gathering space and bringing additional child and adult learning activities to the community.

“We are thrilled to be extending our support,” said Shawna Schlageter- Project Manager at VCPWA-EGN. “This project can be used as a prototype for future library expansions and bring hands on learning to the community.”

Other VCPWA-ES projects include a remodel of VCMC’s Pediatrics 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floor, Thousand Oaks Fire Station, Ojai Fire Station, a schematic review of Santa Paula Fire Station, and finishing up an office for Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VC APCD).

On Sunday, October 10th at single car crash occurred on Highway 126 east of Piru, near Pena Ranch Road killing one person. Moorpark CHP reported a 2020 Ford Sedan was traveling west bound on Highway 126 at an undetermined rate of speed, veering onto the shoulder and into a drainage culvert. It then flipped onto it’s roof and caught fire, according to authorities. When Ventura County Firefighters arrived on scene the car was fully engulfed in flames and crews had to remove the victim from the wreckage with heavy equipment. By 8:40pm crew were able to extinguish the flames and determined the driver DOA at the scene. Authorities closed down westbound traffic for four hours, diverting traffic to the center median. The Ventura County medical examiner later reported that the driver was 27-year old Tyler Moore of Sherman Oaks. Cause of the crash is still under investigation. It is undetermined whether drugs or alcohol were a factor.

There have been recent reports of groups promoting unofficial ballot drop boxes that are not affiliated with Ventura County Elections. In some instances, they are promoting these ballot drop boxes as “official” or “secure.” The use of unauthorized, non-official ballot drop boxes is prohibited by state law.

Voters who want to return their ballot at a drop box, should only use official county drop boxes. Official ballot drop boxes are clearly recognizable, designed to meet state standards for security, and bear the official Ventura County Elections logo. Ventura County’s Official Ballot Drop Boxes look like this:

Clerk-Recorder, Registrar of Voters Mark Lunn stated, “My office works hard to conduct fair and impartial elections and to provide safe and secure options for voters to return their ballot, to say I’m disappointed that people would make a concerted effort to deceive voters would be an understatement.

Elections are all about trust and unofficial drop boxes are not safe. There is no way for the voter to know if their ballot reaches our office as cast and this certainly undermines public trust. My message to those that are putting out these boxes is ‘cease and desist this activity, you’re not being helpful and you’re undermining the process.’”
Locations of official Ventura County Elections drop boxes can be found at VenturaVote.org.

Unofficial drop boxes should be reported to Ventura County Elections immediately at (805) 654-2664 or after business hours, elections@ventura.org.

Tips for voters:
- You can return your Vote By Mail using the prepaid postage return envelope or by bringing it to any official drop box, voting location, or the Ventura County Elections Division.
- Voters can also choose someone to return their ballot. Only choose someone you trust to return your ballot. You and the other person must sign the back of the return envelope. Never give your ballot to someone else unless you have completed, signed, and sealed the return envelope.
- Sign up for ballot tracking. You can sign-up at wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov to get automatic notifications by text message, email, or voice message about the status of your Vote By Mail ballot. You’ll be notified once your county has received your ballot, once it has been counted, and if there are any issues with the ballot.
- Get information on voting from trusted, official sources—the Ventura County Elections Division and the Secretary of State. Resources for Ventura County voters are available at: VenturaVote.org. The Secretary of State has resources for California voters at vote.ca.gov.

For more information, please visit the Elections Division website at VenturaVote.org or call (805) 654-
2664.

The Lions Club of Fillmore will be having the very first drive-by and pick-up dinner event on Saturday, November 7th from 5:00-7:00. Pre-sales required. Text 805-904-5424 or any Lions Club Member to pick up tickets or have them delivered. Due to the pandemic restrictions the menu has changed and the price of the ticket is lowered from $12 to $10. The menu is: 3 delicious meat enchiladas with rice and beans and a pandemic cookie.

Fillmore Lions Club has a long history of service to the community, starting in 1927 with the first enchildada dinner in 1948.. The profits of the meal will go to support local groups such as sports teams, the Fillmore High School Art Show, and local youth organizations, such as Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Club, the Mentor Program and the youth of One Step a la Vez.

Following Helen Keller’s recommendation, Lions provide service to persons needing help with their vision which ranges from getting glasses to providing medication in third world companies to eliminate childhood blindness.

In addition, the Lions Club sponsors a yearly Youth Peace Poster Contest and high school Speech Contest on a relevant topic as well as hosting the Annual Christmas Parade and college scholarships for youth living in the Fillmore Unified School District area.

If you are interested in becoming a member or visiting the club, please contact 805-904-5424 or any Lions Club Member.

Richard Stephens about 1912.

Photos and story courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

From “The History of Stephens’ Store” by Ellen M. Finley, July 1988

The northwest corner of Main and Central, now the location of the new Segovia’s Fillmore Market (2020 - Estrella’s), is one of Fillmore’s most historic sites.

Before the city was recorded in Ventura in 1888, one of the oldest of its few buildings stood on this corner, a large two-story rooming house operated by E. Bailey Turner. Since Turner was Fillmore’s first postmaster his building also housed the first post office, a front bedroom in the rooming house.

By 1898, Turner’s two-story building had been replaced by a one-story tin structure where Richard Stephens operated a general merchandise store. He soon purchased the entire corner property and in 1910 constructed a new building which still stands. Since that time, a period of 78 years, this building has been in continuous operation as a general store or a combination grocery and meat market.

Richard Stephens was one of Fillmore’s leading pioneers and an outstanding citizen. Born in Glasgow, Scotland on August 31, 1870, he left his native land in his early 20’s. After a year on a ranch near Hollywood, he came to Fillmore on April 6, 1895. His first job was that of a clerk in the general merchandise store of a fellow countryman, James Duncan, who conducted business at the northeast corner of Main and Central in the store built by C. C. Elkins in 1888. Popular with customers from the start Stephens soon acquired an interest in the business, becoming a partner in 1898. When Duncan died on November 17 of that year, Stephens became sole owner of the business. He was also appointed Fillmore’s sixth postmaster, ironically on the same day that Duncan died.

About this time, C. C. Elkins sold his store to C. A. Harmonson (2020 note – C. A.’s name was either Columbus Arizona or Columbus Augustus, little wonder he went by his initials). Duncan and Stephens moved across the street to the northwest corner, taking the post office with them. After Duncan’s death, the store was known as “Richard Stephens – The Post Office Store.” Just north on Central Avenue there was a large packing house. Stephens had long recognized that Fillmore needed a hall in which to hold meetings and entertainment, so he took over the packing house in the evenings. Stephens’ Hall, as it became to be called, used rows of packing boxes as seats. There was a stage about three feet high with a corner walled off at each side for dressing rooms. One popular early-day entertainer was Charles Heatherly who gave serious, humorous, and dialect recitations, with music by Arthur Sallee, pianist. Admission was 25 cents, with children 15 cents and reserved seats 35 cents. Dances were held frequently on Saturday nights – admission $1. When a traveling theatrical company came from a one-night stand in Santa Paul, the Fillmore Herald declared with obvious sincerity: “Fillmore is becoming more like New York City every day.”

To be continued……

On Monday, October 5th, at approximately 3:30am, Ventura County Sherriff’s were called to the 1000 block of Meadowlark Drive in Fillmore to follow up on an investigation of an accidental shooting. It was determined that a Fillmore boy accidentally shot himself. The boy was transported to an area hospital and is expected to recover. There was no additional information.

Today, Ventura County moved off the most restrictive tier of the state’s COVID-19 watch list, which means schools could soon have the option of reopening for in-person instruction at all grade levels. If Ventura County maintains its status for two additional weeks, schools may choose to reopen as early as Wednesday, October 21. However, it will be up to each individual school district to determine exactly when they can safely begin welcoming students back to class. Some schools may choose to reopen their campuses later than October 21 for a variety of reasons.

When they do reopen, schools will need to maintain strict social distancing, keeping students and staff at least six feet away from each other. This means classrooms can only be filled to a fraction of their normal capacity. Schools are also required to keep the same groups of students together to the greatest extent possible to limit the number of people each student is exposed to throughout the day.

In elementary grades, many schools will comply with these rules by bringing only a portion of students to class each day. On the days they are not in class, students will continue receiving instruction through distance learning. This hybrid approach will allow all students to have some in-class instruction a few days per week.

The situation becomes much more complicated in middle school and high school where students switch classrooms and mix with different groups multiple times a day according to each student’s unique schedule. Because of this and the fact that classrooms cannot be filled to capacity, it will be extremely difficult to create a workable in-person schedule at the middle and high school levels. As a result, some schools may determine that the best option is to continue with full-time distance learning.

In addition to scheduling and safety considerations, school districts need to ensure there are enough teachers available to resume in-person instruction. Many teachers are in high risk groups, which could prevent them from returning to class. Others may have reservations about being in a crowded school environment while the pandemic is ongoing.

Another issue that complicates reopening is transportation. Because of social distancing requirements, school buses will not be able to carry the usual number of students. It’s very likely there will not be a sufficient supply of buses and drivers to provide transportation to all students who may need it.

“We recognize that people have passionate feelings on both sides of the school reopening issue, and we want nothing more than to get students safely back to class,” said Stan Mantooth, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “I urge everyone to understand that school district leaders are working to reopen in the most responsible way, which may mean spending additional time on distance learning at some schools.”

All Ventura County schools have prepared detailed reopening procedures that will help ensure the safety of students and staff when they return to campus. They include:

• Face coverings will be required for all staff and for students in third grade and above.

• Classrooms will be arranged to keep everyone at least six feet apart.

• Students will be kept in consistent groups (cohorts) as much as possible.

• Parents will be instructed to keep students home whenever they have a temperature or show symptoms.

• Anyone experiencing symptoms at school will be sent home.

• Facilities and equipment will be disinfected on a regular basis.

• School officials will work with Ventura County Public Health on contact tracing if positive cases arise.

• Athletic training and conditioning are allowed with social distancing, but actual competitions are on hold pending further guidance from public health officials.

• Staff will receive COVID-19 testing as required by state and local regulations.

• Staff and students will receive health screenings on a regular basis.

Each school district is communicating independently with parents and students about their reopening timelines. For additional information about reopening protocols, see the Framework for Reopening Ventura County Schools at www.vcoe.org/framework.

Thanks to recent progress being made in the fight against COVID-19 in Ventura County, businesses such as restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, massage businesses and places of worship may now open indoors, following California Department of Public Health sector specific guidance for reopening, as of 12:01 pm today. The changes come after the County qualified to move into the less restrictive red tier of the State's four-tiered, color-coded reopening system. Until today, Ventura County had been in the state's purple tier, the most restrictive tier.

“This is great news for our County and our business community. We will continue to advocate for our local businesses and appreciate this opportunity to move forward,” said Mike Powers, County Executive Officer.

In order to move into the red tier, the County had to see average case rates drop below 7 per 100,000 people and testing positivity rates dip below 8%. For the past two weeks, Ventura County has met those benchmarks. As of Tuesday, the case rate is 5.5 per 100,000 people and the test positivity rate is 3.0%.

A new Ventura County Health Officer Order has been issued to align with the tier advancement.

Moving into the red tier means the following sectors can reopen with modifications:

• Places of worship, restaurants, movie theaters and museums can be operated indoors at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever is less.

• Gyms can reopen indoors at 10% capacity. 12 feet distancing required in Ventura County.

• All personal care services such as massage, tattoos and piercing salons can open indoors.

• Indoor shopping malls can operate at 50% maximum occupancy (instead of 25%). Food courts can also open following the state's guidelines for restaurants.

• Indoor retail stores can now operate at 50% capacity (instead of 25%)

"The credit belongs to our residents, who have made lots of sacrifices and worked hard to improve our community transmission metrics,” said Rigoberto Vargas, Public Health Director. “That same hard work must continue moving forward so that we don’t revert back to the purple tier and instead continue making progress towards the next tier, orange, so that additional businesses can reopen.”

Elementary and secondary schools can reopen for in-person instruction by October 21 if the county remains the red tier for two more weeks. Currently, elementary schools can apply for a waiver from Public Health to reopen.

“COVID-19 is still circulating in our County. It’s important that community members continue to take all the same precautions so that we can continue to move forward: wear face coverings in public, maintain physical distancing, wash hands frequently and stay home if you're sick,” said Doctor Robert Levin, Public Health Officer.

Community members who have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive person, who have symptoms or who have contact with others outside of their household for their work are encouraged to get tested. County testing sites are available 7 days a week at no cost with no appointment needed. Short wait times and results within 24 hours are the standard right now.

Businesses and other organizations should review their applicable industry guidance for reopening safely from the state. Businesses must also be registered to reopen at www.vcreopens.com. If a business previously registered, they do not need to register again.

The California Department of Public Health has also issued a new Health Equity Metric that goes into effect today. The goal of the metric is to prevent spread among disproportionately impacted Californians. The County of Ventura has been committed to equitable response and serving and protecting the most vulnerable since the beginning of the pandemic. These efforts have included free testing, expanded testing hours and locations, contact tracing, multi-lingual outreach, assistance programs for food, rent and household bills, waived clinic fees, hotel vouchers, permanent housing and more.

“Unlike several other counties, the case rate and testing positivity rates in our most impacted areas do not stand to hold us back from moving tiers. In fact, our positivity rate has improved significantly enough in these areas that we might be eligible for an “accelerator adjustment”, whereby we can move tiers based on that metric alone, even if our overall case rate was to keep us in a lower tier,” said Rigoberto Vargas, Pubic Health Director.

The Health Equity Metric requires that the lowest Healthy Places Index (HPI) quartile be below 8%. To enter the state’s less restrictive Orange Tier, it needs to stay under 5%. The County is currently at 3.6% positivity rate for the lower HPI quartile compared to 3.0% for the County as a whole. The County will continue to support health equity with expanded outreach and support throughout the County.

For more information about COVID-19 in Ventura County, visit www.venturacountyrecovers.org

The Fillmore Historical Museum at 447 Main Street.
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The Bunkhouse being moved.
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Damage from 1994 earthquake.
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The Museum today.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

The Fillmore Historical Museum, founded by Edith Moore Jarrett, will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Edith was born in 1898 in Sespe. She attended the University of Southern California and then returned to Fillmore where she taught high school Spanish for decades. As she taught, she saw a need for Spanish textbooks for high school students. El Camino Real parts 1 and 2 were the result. These were the first Spanish textbooks and were used throughout the nation by generations of students studying the Spanish language.

Edith loved travel and history, so it was inevitable that, in 1970, when the Fillmore Chamber of Commerce began to envision a local museum, they asked her to be its founder. Its first location was on the ground floor of the Masonic Temple building. She put out the word that artifacts were needed, and the locals turned up with hundreds of items from their homes and garages. Very soon volunteers were building cases, organizing the artifacts, and giving tours.

In 1974, Edith bought the Southern Pacific depot for $1 plus 5 cents tax. It was moved from the Southern Pacific right of way to the north side of Main Street near the former fire station where it became the new home for the Museum. When more space was needed Edith purchased a boxcar and filled it with railroad artifacts.

In 1994 the Northridge Earthquake severely damaged the buildings and items in the collection. Museum volunteers rose to the challenge and working with the City of Fillmore, the depot and boxcar were moved to the south side of Main Street. The Corl family donated the small bungalow home of Dr. Ira Hinckley and his wife, Kate and James P. Finch donated bunkhouse #2 from Rancho Sespe. The museum moved both structures and restored them. In 10 years, the Historical Museum had become an Historical Park.

The Museum is currently closed to the public due to Covid-19 but our volunteers have been working behind the scenes on the website, Facebook and on https://theclio.com/entry/99487.

As we work in the collection, we have discovered many hidden gems which we plan on sharing with our visitors. A new exhibit is being created honoring some of our early settlers. This will be ready whenever the museum can re-open.

The Museum receives no financial support from City, County, or State Governments. We are completely supported by donations from our community. The biggest contribution we receive are the many hours our volunteers give to keep the Museum running and welcome our visitors. We are always happy to get new volunteers.

As we approach our golden anniversary, we hope that you, the public will:

• Think about volunteering – there are many ways you can help.

• Add to our collection, we are particularly looking for:
Photos and stories of our military veterans
Photos, stories, and family histories on our settlers, especially those who arrived before 1900.
Oral histories from families – why did your family come to Fillmore, what were their experiences? (We can record/video them)
Photos you would like to share with future generations. We are particularly looking for photos of Piru, “Mexican Town”, Tipperary”, “Stringtown”, Cienega and other communities of our area.

The Fillmore Historical Museum is your community Museum and only exists because of community support. Please call 805 524 0948 or email fillmore.museum@gmail.com to help or to make donations of artifacts.