Mildred Wedding
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Card to Crusons
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The Artists Barn, that Lawrence worked at until it closed during World War II, when he left to work for Douglas Aircraft.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

Lawrence Hinckley was the oldest of Ira and Kate Hinckley's two children, born in 1900, four years before his sister, Hattie Mae. His artistic talents were manifested early and while his parents might have preferred him going into a more steady line of work, he enrolled in the newly opened Otis Art institute in Los Angeles. Over the next few years he plied his craft in Santa Barbara and Ojai.

In June of 1936 at the Fillmore Presbyterian Church, Lawrence married Mildred Coombs of Santa Paula. Mildred was a reporter and columnist for the Santa Paula Chronicle. She continued to write columns for the Chronicle through at least 1945.

At first they lived in a small beach house, but Mildred knew this was not practical for the long term. One day while visiting Mom and Dad Hinckley (Ira and Kate), she noticed a derelict barn on the two acres the Hinckley's owned off First St. The idea struck her that the barn could be converted into a home and studio. Her enthusiasm for the idea carried the day and by the fall, the newlyweds had a new home and Fillmore had an art gallery. The gallery would open on November 21, 1936 and be a landmark on Bard Street in Fillmore until 1961. Throughout its run, internationally known artists would visit the gallery as well as regular tourist buses which would stop on their way between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
During World War II, they essentially closed the Artists' Barn and Lawrence went to work for Douglas Aircraft heading a team or artists who did charts and technical drawings.

After the war, the Artists' Barn was again a Mecca for artists and art lovers but the Hinckley's expanded into ceramics. Some of the items were purely decorative, while others were also practical items like spoon rests or scissor holders.
One unusual item they made was Fundo the Elephant who was commissioned by the Republican's Women's Club of Santa Barbara. As Mildred Hinckley in her book "The Artists Barn", "The result was a cuddly little elephant about six inches long and half as high, with a tummy fat enough to hold a lot of dimes and quarters. His name was "Fundo"…On his white back was printed in red and blue, "Peace, Prosperity, and G.O.P." Production of Fundo had just started then President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack. The Club requested that Fundo be sent to the President in the hospital. Lawrence personally decorated on, adding the usual inscription "For Ike" and "Get Well Soon." I wrapped Ike's Fundo and mailed it to the hospital.

Mildred went on to write, "On the morning of November 11, Lawrence was downtown and stopped in a café for a cup of coffee….When he opened the Los Angeles Examiner and started reading the lead story under a double column headline he nearly spilled his drink. It read in part, " ...... all during his illness, it was revealed, [President Eisenhower] has been persuading visitors to his eighth-floor hospital room to put something into his personally sponsored kitty, an elephant made of crockery with a slot for the deposit of money….."

All the while the Artists' Barn was operating, Lawrence continued to paint and draw. Many local homes and businesses displayed his art work. He was especially know for his landscapes and for portraits of colorful characters.

In 1961 the Artists' Barn finally closed. Lawrence continued his painting and Mildred became even more involved than she had been with the Church of Religious Science. She was the founding minister of the Fillmore Church of Religious Science and was pivotal in the construction of their building on River Street. In recognition for her work she was awarded an honorary doctorate by Religious Science International.

Lawrence passed away in 1987 and Mildred in 1995. They were survived by their son, William, who is a professor of education and two grandchildren. The Artists' Barn was sold and is now a private home.

If you would like to see some of Lawrence's artwork, please visit the Hinckley House at the Fillmore Historical Museum when we reopen. A few of the Artists' Barn ceramics are for a sale in the Museum Gift Shop.

Naya Marie Rivera

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On Wednesday, July 8th 33-year-old Los Angeles actress Naya Marie Rivera rented a boat at the lake Wednesday afternoon and went for an excursion with her four-year-old son. The boat was found drifting in the northern portion of the lake with the child alone and asleep onboard. Rivera’s son told investigators that he and his mother had been swimming in the lake, and he got back in the boat, but Rivera did not.

Approximately 50 sheriff’s personnel, along with a helicopter, boat crews, divers, and unmanned aerial vehicles searched the lake for five hours Wednesday evening, but Rivera could not be found. The entire shoreline and surface of the lake were thoroughly searched. Divers also searched under water in the area where the boat had last been seen. However, there was no sign of Rivera. The search was suspended at 10:00 pm Wednesday night due to zero visibility in the water and dangerous conditions for the divers.

The search resumed Thursday morning with divers experiencing less than one foot of visibility in the water in daylight. The difficult conditions have made the recovery operation a very slow process. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is assisting in the search with divers and sonar equipment. Approximately 100 personnel are participating in the mission on Thursday, including resources from neighboring counties and the United States Coast Guard. Investigators believe Rivera drowned in what appears to be a tragic accident.

The search continued until the morning of July 13, when a body was recovered at Lake Priu. Later that day the Ventura Medical Examiner released the following statement:

The body of a woman found in Lake Piru on Monday July 13, 2020 has been confirmed as Naya Marie Rivera. The cause of death is drowning, and the manner of death is accident.

Naya Marie Rivera, Age 33
Date of Pronouncement: 7/13/2020
Cause of Death: Drowning
Manner of Death: Accident
On the morning of July 13, the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office was notified that the body of a woman believed to be 33-year-old Naya Marie Rivera was recovered from the waters of Lake Piru in Ventura County, California. The circumstances and visual characteristics all indicated that the body was that of Naya Rivera and the identity has been confirmed by dental comparison. The body has been x-rayed and a full autopsy has been performed. The autopsy findings are consistent with a drowning and the condition of the body is consistent with the time that she was submerged. No traumatic injuries or disease processes were identified at autopsy. There is no indication from the investigation or examination that drugs or alcohol played a role in the decedent's death, but specimens will be submitted for toxicology testing.

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Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley has officially started their summer program at all of their sites, including the Fillmore and Piru clubhouses. “It is with great excitement that I can share with you that all of our clubs are open in Santa Paula, Fillmore and Piru,” said CEO Jan Marholin. According to Marholin, the organization has spent over $20,000 for sanitizing supplies (courtesy of some specific grants) in all of the facilities for the safety of both staff and club members. In addition, all clubhouses are following rigid guidelines set by both CDC and Ventura County Public Health, and in doing so, they have implemented a strict ratio of 10 youth to one staff member, thus, reducing their total onsite capacity. Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley is committed to continuing to support the youth in our community through this challenging time. There are still a few open spots left in our summer program, visits www.bgCLUBscv.org to register online.

Written by Nancy Rodriguez Hernandez, Engagement & Marketing Coordinator.

Update on Reopening of Fillmore USD Schools
July 8, 2020

Dear Fillmore USD Families,
The purpose of this communication is to provide information to district families about ongoing actions to prepare for the reopening of schools in Fall 2020.

Thank you to all those families who took the time to complete the reopening survey. Your feedback is invaluable as we develop a plan to reopen our schools, keep students and staff safe, and ensure that student learning and development continues.

Reopening Schools Survey Results
As of 8:00 AM July 8th, we received 806 responses to our survey with submissions representing 1,487 students from every school site in the district. District families were asked to consider their support for three reopening models: In-Person Instruction, Distance or At-Home Learning and Hybrid or Blended Learning. Based on the results, our community responses have prioritized Distance or At-Home Learning, then Hybrid or Blended Learning and lastly In-Person Instruction. We are encouraged all families to complete the reopening survey which will remained open until Monday, July 13, 2020 to continue to allow our families the opportunity to provide feedback.

In-Person Instruction: 28.1% of families indicated that they would be very likely to support In-Person Instruction and 20.3% indicated somewhat likely, but 30.5% indicated they would be very unlikely to support it and an additional 12.6% said somewhat unlikely.

Distance or At-Home Learning: 47.5% of families indicated that they would be very likely to support Distance or At-Home Learning and 26.1% indicated somewhat likely, with only 10.5% indicated they would be very unlikely to support it and 8.3% said somewhat unlikely.

Hybrid or Blended Learning: 35.2% of families indicated that they would be very likely to support Hybrid or Blended Learning and 29.1% indicated somewhat likely, but 19.0% indicated they would be very unlikely to support it and an additional 8.4% said somewhat unlikely.

Ready to Commit to Distance or At-Home Learning?
If your family is ready to commit to Distance or At-Home Learning for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year due to the current COVID-19 circumstances, please complete the information below. A representative from the district will be reaching out to you to confirm your selection.

District Owned Devices for Distance or At-Home Learning
We are pleased to share that all students in Transitional Kindergarten through second grade will be provided with a district owned Apple iPad to support distance learning efforts. Information on requesting a device and deployment will be provided in the coming weeks.

In Spring 2020, students in 2™ grade were provided a district owned iPad device (if requested). All students who received an iPad last spring will continue to use the device as 3" graders. However, all students in grades 4 —12 will use district owned laptops for their distance or at-home learning.

Information on COVID-19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the following to protect yourself from Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19):

- Wash your hands often

- Avoid close contact

- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others

- Cover coughs and sneezes

- Clean and disinfect

- Monitor Your Health Daily

In closing, the work to reopen schools will include many changes to our daily routines.
Adopting the new routines outlined above by the Centers for Disease Control will be central to preserving health and safety for each of us and our loved ones. All of us can do our part to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Sincerely,
Adrian E. Palazuelos, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Fillmore Unified

On Sunday, July 12th at 3:53pm, a brush fire was reported near Goodenough and Burson Road in Fillmore, near underground fire in an oil-rich area. It was in a remote, rough area off Squaw Flat Road. By 4:30pm the fire reportedly burned about an acre, and helicopters were called in to help battle the blaze. Air tankers were called and cancelled after helicopters made their drops and crews were able to extinguish the flames. The fire was said to have started as a thermal anomaly, which is underground oil steam that burns and can flame at times, reaching the surface to ignite a fire.

8-year-old Noah wins Creative Builders Summer Contest.

Congratulations to 8-year old Noah with his theme “Fillmore”! Noah received a total of 272 likes/loves for his Creative Builders Summer Contest submission. He was awarded a summer-themed prize; The City of Fillmore will be contacting your mom soon, Noah! Thank you to all who participated in the Creative Builders Summer Contest. Courtesy City of Fillmore.

Fillmore Unified School District

July 9, 2020

INFORMATION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:

1. 2020-2021 Reopening Work

2. High School Athletics Conditioning and Skills Building, Summer 2020

3. Farm Activity Plan, Summer 2020

TEMPORARY PROCEDURES FOR VIRTUAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
Temporary procedures for virtual public participation in FUSD school board meetings will be held until further notice. Click link for more information: https://4.files.edl.io/476b/03/26/20/201809-8b82d5ff-0d3e-4c82-96e0-0193...

Catherine “Kate” Elizabeth Cruson of Bardsdale.
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Drug store at the corner of Central Avenue and Ventura street.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

Born in Connecticut in 1879, Ira Hinckley was the eldest of John and Cora Hinckley’s children. He moved with the family to first South Dakota and then to Ventura, California. Ira attended dental school at University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1899. Shortly thereafter, he married Catherine “Kate” Elizabeth Cruson of Bardsdale. The newlyweds originally lived near Dr. John Hinckley on Ventura Street, but by the 1930s they had moved to a home in the 400 block of First Street. Kate’s mother, Susan Crusan, lived next door to them. The house Dr. Ira and Kate Hinckley lived in is no longer there. It was damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the Corl Family donated it to the Fillmore Historical Museum. It now has pride of place at the Historical Park on Main Street.

Besides being one of Fillmore’s earliest dentists, Ira Hinckley also was a pharmacist. At first he had his office and pharmacy “one block south of Fillmore State Bank, telephone Black 233” according to an entry in the 1910 City Directory. He operated the drug store at the corner of Central Avenue and Ventura streets for many years. After retirement he would fill in as relief pharmacist at the Fillmore Pharmacy as well as at Clough’s Pharmacy.

Ira had other interests besides his profession. He was the violinist in the Harmonson Rood Orchestra. This was a group of around twelve musicians (the number varied) made up of members of the Rood and Harmonson families augmented by John B. McNab, A. J MacKenzie (pastor of the Sespe and Bardsdale Methodist Churches) and Ira Hinckley among others. They often could be found playing under the Sycamore tree on the McNab property at 411 First Street.

Like his father, Ira was a member of the Fillmore Masonic Temple and also served as Worshipful Master. The 1930 City Directory listed him as secretary of the Lodge rather than as dentist or pharmacist.

Also like his father, Ira had citrus groves and was a member of the Fillmore Citrus Association. By 1938 he was listing himself as a rancher.

Kate and Ira Hinckley had two children, Lawrence and Hattie Mae. Lawrence would become a well-known artist and put Fillmore on the map as a town which supported the arts. Hattie Mae married Chet Hanson, who was a boarder at Hattie’s grandmother Cruson’s house and worked at the refinery.

Ira died suddenly in 1939, only two years after his father, John P Hinckley. Kate lived to see grandchildren and great-grandchildren passing away in 1971.

Courtesy Martha Richardson

Rotary Club of Fillmore recognized the Community Award Honorees for 2019 at their Zoom meeting on June 24th. Fillmore Police Chief Garo Kuredjian introduced Deputy of the Year Diego Estrada, and Explorer of the Year Brianna Morfie. Fire Chief Keith Gurrola introduced Firefighter of the Year Austin Segovia. Ernie Villegas introduced the Business of the Year, Fillmore & Western Railway ( Dave and Tresa Wilkinson), and Citizen of the Year Ari Larson. FUSD Superintendent Adrian Palazuelos introduced the Administrator of the Year Beverly Garnica, the Classified Employee of the Year Amelia Dominguez and Student of the Year Isabella Palazuelos. Each of the Honorees will receive a certificate of congratulations from the Rotary Club.

Cora Hinckley
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First Hinckley home, John and Cora
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Second Hinckley home
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Vinnie Hinckley
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Dr. Hinckley's first car with wife Fannie (c) 1909.
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Fannie, Mary (May) and Dr. JP, (c) 1914.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

Three generations of the Hinckley family had impacts on Fillmore in very different ways.

Dr, John Powell Hinckley, his wife Cora, and their children, Ira, Eugenia, Mary and were the first to arrive. The family was originally from Vermont. In the 1870 census, John White Hinckley, John Powell’s father was listed as a blacksmith, later censuses listed him as a farmer. By 1876, John Powell Hinckley was in medical school at the University of Vermont. It’s not clear now what made him move west by 1880. Dr. Hinckley and family were now in Tulare, South Dakota, where he had set up a practice. Apparently the Great Plains didn’t hold him because by 1890 he was in Ventura County and in 1893 daughter, Vinnie, was born.

According to his obituary which was written by Dr. D. W. Mott of Santa Paula, Dr. Hinckley in 1890 was one of 10 licensed physicians in the county and was a charter member of the Ventura County Medical society. Dr. Mott and other physicians in the county often consulted with Dr. Hinckley because of his excellent training, clinical expertise and dedication to the profession.

John Hinckley was not important to our community just because he was our first physician. He was also one of the founding members of the Fillmore Masonic Temple and an early Worshipful Master. He was on the first board of directors of the Fillmore Citrus Association and a trustee of the Fillmore Grammar School.

Dr. Hinckley came to Fillmore permanently in 1904. Cora passed away in 1907. John married his second wife, Fanny Barnes in 1908. The family eventually built a beautiful two-story home at A St. and Ventura St. (Hwy 126). This home still stands but was moved and now is located on the east side of Central Avenue near Foothill Drive.

Of Cora and John's children, Ira, the eldest went to Berkeley School of Dentistry and after a few years practicing in Ventura, he to set up his shingle in Fillmore ... more about that later.

The eldest daughter, Eugenia, married James Sallee in 1910 and they had one son, John. Eugenia died in 1915.

Their second daughter, Mary "May", never married. The 1940 census lists her occupation as citrus grader. She passed away in 1962.

Vinnie the third daughter, was born in 1893, making her only 7 years older than her nephew, Lawrence Hinckley. By all accounts she was a popular young lady, but was taken from the family in the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Dr. John Hinckley practiced medicine until his death in 1933 serving the community in many ways.

Friday, June 26, 2020

The Fillmore Unified School District will be providing a weekly update to district families regarding actions to prepare for reopening of schools each Wednesday. On Wednesday, July 1, 2020 all district families will be provided with access to a survey regarding the reopening of schools. We invite all district families to complete the survey by no later than Monday, July 6, 2020.

We are working in close partnership with Ventura County Public Health and are sharing the following message prepared for our community.

The following is a message from Ventura County Public Health:
As Ventura County and Fillmore start to open up more businesses, the need for continued vigilance is more important than ever. Even though more businesses are open, this does not mean that you are no longer at risk for COVID-19. Ventura County
Public Health is concerned that Fillmore continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases and wants to ensure that all Fillmore residents have the information they need to prevent COVID-19 infection.

Here are some basic things that you can do to reduce your risk and the risk for others of infection.
1) wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
2) don’t touch your nose, mouth or eyes and teach your children to do the same
3) Maintain 6 ft. distance from others when in public areas.
4) Use face coverings when leaving your home and going out into public areas. This is State mandated.

If you think you have COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with it, get tested for free. There are various locations throughout the county.

Please go to venturacountyrecovers.org for all COVID-19 related information for Ventura County.

Thank you for your time and, above all else, please stay safe.