This year’s annual Fillmore Community Holiday Giveaway will be held Saturday, December 12th, from 9 AM – 12 PM at the City of Fillmore Fire Station, 711 Landeros Lane. If a child has a disability, they may register to participate on Friday evening, pre-registration is required for Friday evening. The Fillmore Community Holiday Giveaway is the annual event where holiday commodities are given to the children who reside within the Fillmore Unified School District boundaries. Commodities given will be age-appropriate toys, new jackets/coats, reading books and socks. As is customary, a holiday bag of groceries will also be available for each family while supply last. Santa Claus will be available for a picture with each child. As a reminder, this event is only for children who reside within the Fillmore Unified School District boundaries, you must provide proof of residency within the School District such as a utility bill, report card or driver’s license.
This year’s sponsors of the event include our local Fillmore Police and Fire Departments, Santa Clara Valley Legal Aid, One Step A La Vez, Soroptimist International of Fillmore, Rotary International of Fillmore, Fillmore Lions Club, Ventura County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Fillmore Citizen’s Patrol, Fillmore Friends of the Library, Super A Grocery, Estrella Market, Salvation Army, the Fillmore Fire Foundation and numerous other generous individual and business donors. Our sponsor list will be updated week to week.
If you would like to help donate to the Fillmore Community Holiday Giveaway, you may give new toys, socks, coats, reading books or canned food; drop boxes are located at the Fillmore Police Station, Fillmore City Fire Station, Bank of the Sierra and Diamond Realty. Monetary donations are preferred; checks may be made out to “The Fillmore Fire Foundation” with a notation of “Holiday Giveaway”. Donations may be mailed to Fillmore Fire Foundation, PO Box 331, Fillmore, CA 93016 or for drop off, stop by the Fillmore City Fire Station, 711 Landeros Lane. To arrange a pick-up of new donated items/checks or to answer questions, contact 805-815-0328

On Friday, November 21, at 9:30am, the Fillmore Fire Department cleared out debris that collected along the embankment at the bottom of the hill at A Street, south of 3rd Street, caused by last week’s rain. Photo credit Gazette staff.

November 21, 2025
Local police agencies are reaching out with helpful tips to make our community safer during the upcoming holidays especially for shoppers, retailers, and travelers.
SHOPPERS
• Beware of package thieves, also known as “porch pirates” who follow postal and delivery vehicles when they drop off packages on porches that are ordered online. You can set a shipping delivery time or have a message notification when your packages are delivered to reduce from becoming a porch pirate theft victim. Also, inexpensive surveillance cameras can be installed on your doorbell and other exterior areas of the front of your house.
• Be vigilant in crowded stores and shops for pickpockets that work in teams. In a common method, one suspect distracts the victim while the other suspect intentionally bumps the victim and removes a wallet from a back pants pocket simultaneously. Keep wallets in a bag snug close to your body or in a front pants pocket to avoid this.
• When shopping at malls or downtown areas, please observe all parking signs and park in well lighted areas at night. Make sure to lock your vehicle. Do not leave valuables in plain view in your vehicle and they become prime targets for thieves. It only takes a few seconds to smash a car door window to reach in and steal. Place your valuables in a secured trunk or take a break and make trips to drop off some of those gifts at home before continuing to shop.
• Online scams are growing. You may receive a text message, email, or phone call requesting your personal information to register an account or make a payment that is identified as unusual to a consumer. Do not provide any of your personal/accounts information and ask for verification of the requestor companies contact information and email.
• If possible, use the credit card “tap” option as opposed to the “swipe” or “insert” option. The “tap” option is faster and more secure due to modern chip technology, while “swipe” or “insert” options are less secure methods. If your card is lost or cared information is compromised, most credit cards provide protection for any fraudulent purchases over $50. With a debit card, if you don’t report the loss right away, you may lose all the contents of the bank account associated with the debit card.
• Please be cautious in observance of holiday traffic and allow for extra travel time to reach your destinations. If necessary, plan alternate routes to avoid traffic congestion to reach your destination safely.
RETAILERS
• Retailers look out for those using large amounts of cash for purchases. Make sure to thoroughly inspect large bills to prevent counterfeit fraud. Visit: https://www.secretservice.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2020-12/KnowYo...
• Make sure all surveillance video cameras are in operational order and are recording continuously. This is helpful to provide law enforcement in the event of a store burglary or theft at your establishment. Surveillance footage oftentimes leads to the identity of the suspect(s) and provide details so other technology can be used to apprehend offenders.
• To deter crime, consider hiring extra loss prevention staff or uniformed security officers during peak shopping hours.
TRAVELERS
• If you are traveling and will be away from your home, set some indoor lights on timers to show the appearance you are home. Also notify trusted neighbors to be vigilant for suspicious activity on the street while you are away.
• Do not post pictures on social media of you and your family/friends at travel destinations while you are out of town. Delay posting travel pictures until after you return home. Posting travel pictures gives the impression you are out of town and burglars will focus on that time to break in to houses.
** FOR ANY CRIMES IN PROGRESS OR TO REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY, IMMEDIATELY DIAL 911 **
Police Officers will be conducting saturation patrols during the holidays looking for those driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol/drugs. Please use rideshare or designate a during the holidays. Taking drunk/drugged drivers off the street saves lives and reduces traffic collisions.
The men and women of the Police Department encourage our residents and business owners to prepare and be vigilant while enjoying the holidays. We wish everyone a safe holiday season.
Press Release Prepared by: Don Aguilar, Chief of Police
***
Join us on Twitter @SP_Police, Instagram @SantaPaulaPoliceDepartment, FaceBook – Santa Paula Police Department.

Martha Gentry, from the Fillmore Historical Museum, was the speaker last week at Fillmore Rotary. She gave a brief history of the museum. Edith Jarrett, a world traveler and author of the Spanish book El Camino Real, which was used at Fillmore High School for many years, started the museum in 1970. It has moved several times over the years but is now in its permanent site at 350 Main Street. The entire museum is made up of the Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse, the original Fillmore Train Depot, the Hinckley House, and a garage housing the 1930 Model A pickup truck built by FHS teacher Lin Thomas. He taught his class how to build it, and all worked on it. When it was finished it was driven in The Great Race (1999) across the United States. You will also find the old Bardsdale Post Office. All of the buildings are open for tours. Martha also talked about the historic videos that can be viewed on Zoom. Some examples are Early Fillmore Schools, and Early Search and Rescue. To register for these and more go to Fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org. The museum has been given the 1925 Fillmore Fire Truck and they want to build a firehouse to display it, but there is a large Pepper tree in the area and the city doesn’t want to cut it down, halting plans for the construction.

Nov. 6, 2025
In observance of Thanksgiving, employees of Santa Clara Valley Disposal are taking the day off on Thursday, Nov. 27. As a result, during Thanksgiving week, Fillmore residential customers will have their trash, recyclables and yard/organics waste collected on Saturday, Nov. 29, one day later than usual. The regular Friday schedule will resume the following week.
Remember that Santa Clara Valley Disposal residential customers can place all three carts curbside every week, as the company collects all waste weekly – including food waste, which is recyclable. All food waste should be placed in closed paper or plastic bags and the bags should be tossed in the organics waste cart. This prevents food waste contamination because food waste and yard waste are processed separately. Even if you only have food waste bags and no yard waste, you can still put the food waste bags in your organics waste cart and take it to the curb every week for pickup.
Harrison Industries serves the cities and surrounding unincorporated areas of Ventura, Ojai and Camarillo as well as the unincorporated areas of La Conchita, Lake Sherwood, Lynn Ranch, Newbury Park, Ojai Valley (Ventura River Valley), Oxnard Plain, Piru, Point Mugu, Rancho Matilija, Rincon, Santa Paula, Santa Rosa Valley, Somis, Upper Ojai, Yerba Buena and the Channel Islands Beach Community Services District, as well as California State University Channel Islands and the city of Carpinteria, as E.J. Harrison & Sons; and the city of Fillmore as Santa Clara Valley Disposal.
For more information, visit www.ejharrison.com.

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Does the name Joel Roberts Poinsett mean anything to you? It’s a pretty good guess that he had something to do with what is now a Christmas season staple – the poinsettia. Poinsett was from South Carolina and could definitely be considered a polymath - a person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning. He had traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and South America and was the confidant of many of the world’s leaders. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives, as well as being a diplomat, he was also a physician and a botanist.
It was as a botanist where he became aware of and championed the plant with red and green leaves he saw growing in the wild in Mexico where it was called Flor de Nochebuena, Christmas Eve flower, or Catarina. Poinsett sent samples of the plant to his greenhouses in South Carolina and their popularity soon spread.
In the wild Poinsettias are shrubs or small trees. We see that here in Fillmore with the shrubbery gracing the Wayfarer’s Chapel on Central and 3rd Street.
Now you can share a bit of history with your own Poinsettia purchased from the Fillmore Historical Museum. The museum has been selling Poinsettias as a fundraiser for over a decade; this year is no exception. You can order beautiful red Poinsettias for $15 each and pick them up at the museum on Saturday, December 6. Use the form below and mail or drop off at the museum or order on their website at https://www.fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org/poinsettia-sale.

Nov. 20, 2025
CAMARILLO, Calif. – The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) is hosting four public workshops in December to hear from Ventura County residents about what improvements they would like to see at bus stops in the county.
The workshops are part of VCTC’s ongoing assessment of the nearly 1,200 bus stops used by the nine transit operators across the county. The assessment will evaluate amenities provided at each of the stops, such as shelters and benches, and will analyze barriers to getting to bus stops, such as the lack of crosswalks.
The study will also develop a prioritization system to help direct funding towards future stop improvements, such as new shelters, real-time arrival displays, and better accessibility for people with disabilities.
The meetings are scheduled for:
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 4, virtual. Meeting link at
https://www.goventura.org/vctc-transit/ventura-county-bus-stop-assessmen...
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 10, virtual. Meeting link at
https://www.goventura.org/vctc-transit/ventura-county-bus-stop-assessmen...
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, Thousand Oaks Library Community Room, 1401 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks;
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 16, Oxnard Public Library Meeting Room A, 300 W. Third St., Oxnard.
VCTC conducted an inventory of bus stops in September and October. The prioritization system is scheduled to be developed in January 2026, with a final assessment report to be released in April 2026.
More information about the assessment project can be found at https://www.goventura.org/vctc-transit/ventura-county-bus-stop-assessmen...
Questions may be directed to VCTC transit planner Dolores Lopez by email at dlopez@goventura.org or by phone at 805-642-1591, ext. 117.
***
About the Ventura County Transportation Commission
The Ventura County Transportation Commission is the regional transportation planning agency committed to keeping Ventura County moving. Program information is available at goventura.org.

FRIENDS OF THE BLANCHARD COMMUNITY LIBRARY
BACK STACKS Used Book Sales
The Back Stacks are OPEN and have loads of books for sale!
BIG SATURDAY SALE DECEMBER 6TH
10AM TO 2PM
DECEMBER Sale Items
50% OFF ALL Many Gift Items including Holiday Books, DVDs, CDs, Coffee Table Books, Puzzles and Games.
Do your Holiday Shopping early. The Back Stacks has a wide variety of book genres for every reading taste. Try us first when doing your book shopping.
We have stacks of gently used books at low, low prices.
If you miss the Saturday sale, our weekday hours are outlined below.
Wednesdays from 12 pm to 4 PM (except January 1st)
Thursdays from 12pm to 2pm
Fridays from 12 pm to 2pm
We accept cash, checks and credit cards.
We have a large inventory of Fiction and Non-fiction, as well as children’s books. Our collection features 1,000’s of used books from 50 cents to $2, as well as collectible books from $4 and up. 100% of book sale proceeds goes to support the Blanchard Community Library. PLEASE NOTE: We love receiving donations, and accept everything EXCEPT VHS, magazines or cassette taps. Also, we accept donations ONLY on days when the Library is open for business to ensure that your generous donation is not damaged or stolen.
Located at the Blanchard Community Library, 119 North 8th Street, Santa Paula,
LOOK FOR our BOOK SALE SIGNS on 8th Street

Courtesy https://fillmoreca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=252

Posted on: November 17, 2025, courtesy https://fillmoreca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=252
Get into the holiday spirit at the City of Fillmore’s Annual Tree Lighting & Night Market! On Sunday, November 30, from 5pm–8pm, Tree Lighting at 6pm, at 250 Central Avenue.
Enjoy festive fun for the whole family, a Gingerbread House Contest presented by Diamond Realty, a Snow Play Area presented by Lemon Tree Embroidery, and FREE photos with Santa! Come hungry and treat yourself to delicious food and desserts from our amazing vendors.
Let’s kick off the season together and make this a night full of joy, lights, and community cheer! Vendors: Jimbo’s Funnel Cakes, Mister Softee, Connie’s Hot Dogs, Vera’s Cheesecakes, J_K Catering.

Above is from last year's annual Holiday Toy Drive. Photo credit Angel Esquivel.

The Fillmore Fire Department in conjunction with the Fillmore Fire Foundation is kicking off the annual Holiday Toy Drive this week. Collection drop-off boxes for new toys are available at the Fillmore Police and City Fire Station, City Hall, local banks and Diamond Realty. As part of the Toy Drive, on Sunday, December 7th, the Fillmore Fire Foundation will be holding the annual BBQ Chicken Dinner Fundraiser to collect donations that are used to purchase hundreds of toys for children in the Fillmore/Piru area. A complete chicken dinner meal is prepared for anyone wanting to donate fifteen dollars ($15) or a brand-new toy valued at fifteen dollars or more. This year, the dinner will return to the Fillmore Fire Station located at 711 Landeros Lane. Dinner will be served from 5:00 -7:00 PM and you may drive through for takeout or choose to dine indoors at the fire station. The hundreds of toys purchased from this event will be combined with those that are donated by the Community and then distributed on Saturday, December 13, in a huge Community Holiday Giveaway event. To order your tickets for the December 7th BBQ Chicken Dinner call 805-524-1500 ext 226. or 805-815-0328 or stop by the Fillmore City Fire Station, 711 Landeros Lane. New Toys may also be dropped off at the Fire Station.

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The Reverend Robert M. Hammond (Bob), a Fillmore Rotarian and the Program Chairman for November, gave the program. In January 2024 he became a bishop in the Anglican Diocese of the West. He told the club that Jesus left the apostles to preach the gospel and later passed that onto the bishops. At a special ceremony other bishops laid hands on Bob and he was ordained a bishop. He showed the club his special ring given to him by his father, and the cross that he wears to services. He also showed the many different robes he wears for different ceremonies. It was very interesting. Article and photo credit Martha Richardson.

VENTURA, Calif. – The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office announced today that it has received a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to support a specialized prosecution team that handles alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases. The grant program runs through September 2026.
“We remain firmly committed to protecting our community from impaired driving,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Rachelle Dean said. “Support from the Office of Traffic Safety gives our prosecutors the resources they need to effectively pursue these cases and keep Ventura County’s roads safe.”
The specialized prosecution team will also partner with the statewide Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Training Program (TSRP) to train other prosecutors and investigators and collaborate with law enforcement agencies on best practices for handling and managing driving under the influence (DUI) cases.
“Through focused prosecution efforts and strong partnerships, we are working toward a future where all people will be safe on California roads,” OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty said. “Together, we’re holding impaired drivers accountable and encouraging safe, responsible choices that help build a culture where safety comes first.”
This is the fourteenth year the District Attorney’s Office has received funding from the OTS for a specialized DUI prosecution program. Last year, the prosecution team filed 1,668 DUI cases, including 172 DUI drug cases and 10 combined alcohol and drug DUI cases.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
***
Contact: Joey Buttitta
Title: Communications Manager/PIO
Phone: (805) 767-3400
Email: Joey.Buttitta@venturacounty.gov
Approved: SW
Date: November 14, 2025
Release No.: 25-137

Fillmore, CA — Victory Outreach Fillmore Followers presents our 3rd Annual Turkey Giveaway, continuing a heartfelt tradition of giving and community care. This Thanksgiving season, we are honored to serve 180 families with a frozen turkey and all the traditional fixings for a complete holiday meal.
This event reflects our mission to reach, restore, and uplift families in need throughout the Fillmore community. Volunteers, church members, and local supporters have united to ensure no one goes without a Thanksgiving dinner.
“Our goal is to share the love of God in a practical way,” said one organizer. “It’s more than just a meal—it’s a message of hope.”
The giveaway will take place on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 12 p.m. at Via Rodeo Park, 647 Lemon Way, Fillmore, CA. Families are invited to come and receive their Thanksgiving packages in a welcoming and uplifting environment.
Through acts of kindness like this, Victory Outreach Fillmore Followers continues to shine as a beacon of faith, hope, and compassion—reminding our community that together, we can make a difference this holiday season.

The regular Fillmore City Council meeting was held on Wednesday, November 12 at 6:30pm, due to the Veterans Day holiday. The meeting will be published in next week’s edition of the Gazette. You can watch the livestream at: https://www.youtube.com/@cityoffillmore1401. Photo and link courtesy https://www.facebook.com/cityoffillmore.

A low-pressure system will bring rain to the area later this week, peaking Thursday afternoon for northern areas and heading south Thursday night. There is also a 10-20% chance for thunderstorms Thursday into Thursday night for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties, and for all counties Friday. Potential Impacts: Travel delays and localized roadway flooding, increased flows in creeks/streams, and a chance for burn area flash flooding and debris flows. Photo and info courtesy https://www.weather.gov/lox.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Fillmore Piru Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (“Agency”) Board of Directors meeting scheduled for Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., has been CANCELLED.
The next Agency Regular Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 4:00 p.m., at the City of Fillmore, City Hall, Council Chambers 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA 93015.
Posted: (date) November 06, 2025 (time) 4:00 p.m. At: https://www.FPBGSA.org - (attest) Eva Ibarra
Posted: (date) November 06, 2025 (time) 4:05 p.m. At: https://www.facebook.com/FPBGSA - (attest) Eva Ibarra
Posted: (date) November 06, 2025 (time) 4: 10 p.m. (attest) Eva Ibarra At: 1701 N. Lombard Street, Oxnard, CA 93030
Posted: (date) November 06, 2025 (time) 4: 15 p.m. (attest) Eva Ibarra At: Fillmore City Hall, 250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA, 93015
Eva Ibarra, Clerk of the Committee

Vintage Pleasures Antiques & Collectibles is offering a monthly fire pit raffle to raise funds for one of their dealer’s medical bills (lung cancer remission). The artisan has a large variety of hand-crafted metal pieces, including yard art. He also makes unique fire pits that they both sell and raffle for $5 a ticket, or 5 for $20. So far there have been 52 fire pit winners, and someone wins about every 39 tickets sold! He also makes personalized items and will continue to do his artistic work as long as he is able. Come visit Vintage Pleasures, 326 Central Avenue, Fillmore, and see all his artistic work and join the raffle! Good luck and happy holidays to all.

Ventura County District Attorney’s Office

VENTURA, Calif. – The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is announcing today that it has concluded its review of the Balcom and Mountain Fires, finding no criminal liability for the October 30, 2024, and November 6, 2024, incidents.
After receiving a comprehensive investigation from the Ventura County Fire Department and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), which consisted of 360 gigabytes of data, 2,800 electronic files and several thousand pages of reports, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office assigned a team of prosecutors to carefully analyze the investigation for potential criminal charges. In doing so, the District Attorney’s Office learned that a tractor driver was clearing brush on the afternoon of October 30, 2024, on a hillside in unincorporated Ventura County near Balcom Canyon Road and Bixby Road in the community of Somis. He was using a four-wheel drive tractor with a flail shredder attachment to clear dry vegetation and prepare the area for cattle grazing when he noticed smoke and fire coming from the engine. The driver immediately drove the tractor to an area that he had cleared and called for help. Thereafter, firefighters responded and suppressed the 1.8 acre blaze by utilizing water hose lines, deploying hand crews and dropping 4,000 gallons of fire retardant from an air tanker. Ventura County firefighters, in conjunction with a nearby property owner, also utilized bulldozers to clear vegetation around the fire area to limit its spread.
In the intervening week between the Balcom and Mountain Fires, arson investigators, firefighters, and civilians visited the location of the October 30 incident.
On the morning of November 6, 2024, a nearby resident called 9-1-1 to report that smoke and fire were visible from the same area as the previous week’s fire. That morning and preceding evening were marked by an Extreme Red Flag Warning, also known as a Particularly Dangerous Situation, for its low humidity, dry conditions and forceful winds. Known as the Mountain Fire, it would go on to burn nearly 20,000 acres and damage or destroy 369 structures. Arson investigators determined that the cause of the Mountain Fire was heated tire debris from the Balcom Fire that became dislodged and dispersed into unburned vegetation downwind from the tractor.
The District Attorney’s Office arson team looked specifically at the facts, evidence and circumstances surrounding the October 30 operation of the tractor to determine criminal culpability in both fires. The conclusion is that the tractor driver acted neither maliciously nor recklessly to support a criminal filing. There is no evidence that the driver knew in advance that the tractor would catch fire and ignored that risk and used it anyway to clear brush. To the contrary, the driver was a 24-year labor contractor with extensive experience operating tractors and performing vegetation abatement in Ventura County. While the reason the tractor caught fire is unknown, there is no evidence that the operator drove it with the intention of starting a fire or operated the machinery aware that one could occur.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has closed its criminal review of the Balcom and Mountain Fires and wishes to thank the Ventura County Fire Department and Cal Fire for their comprehensive and thorough investigation.
***
Contact: Joey Buttitta
Title: Communications Manager/PIO
Phone: (805) 767-3400
Email: Joey.Buttitta@venturacounty.gov
Approved: SW
Date: November 7, 2025
Release No.: 25-134