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Coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of National Trails Day, Los Padres ForestWatch today released a report documenting the gradual loss of public access to several hiking trails leading into the Los Padres National Forest.

The report – titled Ten Lost Trails of the Los Padres – highlights ten trails across the Los Padres National Forest where historic public access has been restricted. Over time, as the forest’s neighboring land ownership changes, trailheads have been blocked off by gates and “no trespassing” signs, restricting the public’s access to public lands and funneling an increasing number of forest users onto a dwindling trail system.

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F.H.S. Alumni President, Mark Ortega '79, and Vice-President, Corinna Chandler Mozley '71, along with Gary Laird '76 (Lairds Butchers Shop) invite you to the 99th Alumni Dinner held Saturday, June 9th at the Memorial Building. Gary will serve up his F.H.S. Alumni Special of Bar B Q Tri-Tip, Chicken, and all the side dishes along with his famous sausages. Being the great alumnus he is, (for the month of June, 2012 only) he is offering a Fillmore Flashes special at his Butcher Shop in Santa Paula. If anyone goes into the shop and says "Fillmore Flashes!", they get 10% off a $50.00 or more purchase from his store. Thank You Gary! The cost for the Alumni dinner is as follows. $30.00 if your a Flashbacks subscriber (Alumni Newsletter), $35.00 if your not, and $40.00 at the Door. You may print out a reservation form by going to www.fillmorehighalumni.com, and click on "Applications and forms". The Alumni Office will be open Monday thru Friday, from 8:00am to 12:00 noon if you want to drop off your reservation form. This year the Alumni Association will honor the classes ending in 2, and 7, but all classes are invited to the dinner. Lately alot of classes are having their reunion in conjunction with the dinner, and why not? The association sets up and tears down. The classes have their own tables, and the building stays open until 11:00pm for reunion revelors to enjoy. The day starts out at 4:00pm, with Happy hour, and at 6:00 dinner is ready. at 7:00pm there is a short presentation as we introduce the 2012 Scholarship winners, and give away some goodies. The classes have the rest of the evening to reminese about the good ol days attending the Fillmore Schools. Alot of things change around Fillmore from year to year, but the Alumni Association can honestly say that for 99 years, they have put this meal on to welcome the new class, and present the Scholarship winners. We are already looking forward to the 100th, next year in June, 2013. F.H.S. ALUMNI Onword, and Upword!

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WELCOME FARM WATCH READERS!

The overall crime rate for this period vs. the same time period last year shows an increase, however, given the raw data, the increase is truly minimal. There were some outstanding arrests made as well as some on-going investigations with solid leads, so we are making definite headway. We always appreciate the assistance of our extensive agricultural community especially when we receive tips/leads that have turned out to be quite valuable over the recent years.

Agricultural Crimes Detective Ray Dominguez had the following update from his activities and investigations around Ventura County:

"In this edition of Farm Watch I’m very pleased to report that we can chalk one up for the good guys! Deputies from the Moorpark Patrol Station in cooperation with detectives from the Ventura Police Department apprehended a suspect connected to multiple fuel thefts throughout the county. The suspect arrested was David Matthew Martinez, a resident of Fillmore.

During the course of the investigation, Ventura Police detectives determined that Martinez made multiple illegal diesel fuel purchases from various commercial fueling stations using the victim’s stolen credit card. The credit card was stolen during a commercial burglary at the victim’s business, but it was not clear how Martinez came into possession of the card. Ventura Police detectives were able to secure video surveillance from the fueling stations that captured Martinez completing the illegal transactions and tied a white 2003 Ford F350 Pickup truck owned by Martinez to the crimes. Following a surveillance operation, Moorpark deputies assisted Ventura Police detectives with the arrest of Martinez. Martinez was later questioned and confessed to using the stolen credit card to make multiple illegal diesel fuel purchases totaling over 600 gallons. An inspection of Martinez’ truck revealed that he had two large auxiliary plastic storage containers he secured in the bed of the truck that he filled with the stolen fuel. Great job by all involved!

Another hot topic has been the rise in reported thefts of landscape equipment. Over the past couple of months, we have seen a sharp increase in the number of thefts reported involving professional landscape businesses being targeted in the county. Areas that have been hit recently include the Highway 118 corridor running between Somis and Moorpark. The suspects have been using cutting instruments including bolt cutters to force entry into conex storage containers. The suspects have been stealing mowers, trimmers, and the like.

Detectives from the various area stations are working together to identify possible suspect(s). In one of the cases, a vigilant neighbor provided some very promising information regarding a suspicious vehicle seen in the area around the time of the reported burglary. He provided a vehicle description including the license plate! Detectives are following up on this lead so I’m withholding the vehicle license plate information at this time, but the vehicle was described as an all-white “U-haul” style truck with a roll-up rear cargo door.

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Ventura County entrepreneurs have a host of free workshops they can attend hosted by the Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County’s Small Business Development Center of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. All workshops are held at EDC-VC, 1601 Carmen Dr., Ste. 215, Camarillo.

Introduction to International Importing and Exporting is presented by SBDC director Ray Bowman and is a practical introduction to the business basics of importing and exporting. The next workshop will be 3-5 p.m., June 20 and will be offered the third Wednesday of each month.

Consultant Support Group* is presented by SBDC advisor Joe Huggins and is an ongoing group for established consultants and those who are interested in entering the field. The next workshop will be 8:30-9:30 a.m., June 15 and meets the third Friday of each month. *Pre-approval required for participation.

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Bennett's Honey Farm, an agricultural icon in the Heritage Valley for over 30 years and Fillmore & Western Railway, home of "The Movie Trains", are co-producing the 1st annual California Honey Harvest Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 9th and 10th, 2012 in Fillmore's downtown Central Park.

Activities in the park include arts/craft vendors, food vendors, educational speakers on beekeeping and the importance of bees in maintaining balance and production of many of our agriculture trees and plants. Also scheduled on stage are musical entertainers such as The Old Time Fiddlers on Saturday from 9am to 11am. An MC/DJ will keep the action and music flowing throughout both days, announcing events, speakers and the train rides. There will be children's activities and local non-profit groups providing information about their organizations. The Frontier Gunfighters will "build" their backdrop of a western town and perform shows throughout the event.

On Sunday, the musical group "Border Radio" from the Topanga area of the San Fernando Valley will be performing from 12noon until 3pm. Since the branding of Bennett's Honey Farm honey is widely known as Topanga Quality, thus the band "Border Radio" is also quite well known in that area. Marie Cheatham, a veteran actress who appeared for many years as "Marie" on the still running soap opera, "Days of Our Lives" will be one of the speakers providing testimony on the benefits and high quality of Bennett's Honey Farm products. She also appears currently on the new night time TV drama, GCB and has been in countless television shows and feature films.

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Fillmore, CA – Fillmore Unified School District will hold its first annual Reclassification Celebration on Tuesday, May 29 at 6pm in the District Office Auditorium at 627 Sespe Ave in Fillmore. This event is typically held at each school site on a much smaller scale and the decision was made to bring this special ceremony to the district office where each student in grades 3-12 would be recognized for their achievement over the 2011-2012 school year. Dr. Alan Nishino, Superintendent of Fillmore Unified, states that… “This is a very special evening to celebrate the students who are Reclassified Fluent English Proficient.”

In order for a student to be reclassified from an English Learner to Fluent English Proficient, they must show that they are proficient in English. In order to do so, they must be at the mid-point of Basic on the CST (California Standards Test) in English Language Arts and/or Pass the CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam). In addition, they must score a minimum of Early Advanced on the CELDT (California English Language Development Test). Teacher and parent recommendation as well as grades are also taken into consideration before a final decision is made by the LAT (Language Appraisal Team).

This year, 138 students are being reclassified out of about 1,200 EL (English Learner) students district wide. “This is a major accomplishment and our goal is to have all of our EL students receive a certificate of accomplishment for their hard work” Dr. Nishino shared.

The reclassification celebration ceremony will feature Mr. Edward De La Rosa as the keynote speaker. Mr. De La Rosa holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego. He serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for the Yale School of Management where he was awarded the Dean’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2004. In addition, students and their families will enjoy hearing the 2012 Migrant State Speech winners, which include a student speaker from Piru School, Middle and High School. Each reclassified student will receive a certificate of achievement and a dictionary. After the ceremony, a brief reception will follow on the district office front lawn.

As the 2011-2012 Special Populations Student Support Coordinator, I couldn’t be more proud of these students and I look forward to recognizing their achievement at this special ceremony.

Contact:
Jennifer Weir, Special Populations Coordinator, jweir@fillmore.k12.ca.us (805) 524-8036

In collaboration with Fillmore & Western Railway, Bennett's Honey Farm is excited to present the first annual Honey Harvest Festival, occurring June 9th and 10th. This will be a weekend for families, friends, and honey
enthusiasts alike to gather for an educational and tasty experience.

Livingston Hospice conducts several adult bereavement support groups to help those who have experienced a loss. Explore and express feeling, understand the grief process and receive emotional support. Open to the public, free of charge, all are welcome. The groups are held:

Weekly: Wednesday; 3:00 – 4:30 pm @ The First Presbyterian Church, 850 Ivywood Drive, Oxnard
Weekly: Wednesday; 6:30 – 8:00 pm @ Livingston Memorial VNA, 1996 Eastman Ave (#106), Ventura
2nd & 4th Tuesdays; 10:30 – 12:00 @ Help of Ojai, 370 Baldwin Road, Ojai
Monthly: For the newly bereaved; 2nd Thursday; 6:00 – 7:30 pm @ Livingston Memorial VNA; 1996 Eastman Ave (#106), Ventura.

For more information call: 642-1608

Documentary Film and Discussion: Attend this free informative film “Consider the Conversation”, which examines how we view life’s final chapter and how talking about what we want, in advance, prevents unnecessary suffering. Sponsored by Livingston Memorial Hospice and Simi Valley Senior Center, the film will be shown on Wednesday, June 20, from 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm @ the Simi Valley Senior Center, 3900 Avenida Simi, Simi Valley.

A discussion will follow featuring Lanyard K. Dial, MD, Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice Medical Director. RSVP: (805) 583-6363

Adrian (AD) Robledo

A very musically talented young man won the Relay Idol competition this year at the Fillmore May Festival on Saturday, May 19, 2012. The event was sponsored by Relay for Life Fillmore-Piru (American Cancer Society). The winner was Adrian (AD) Robledo. He is 11 years-old and is in the 5th grade. Adrian sang It will Rain by Bruno Mars. Three judges deemed him the winner which not only won him a 1st place trophy, but will also have him singing the National Anthem at the starting ceremony of Relay for Life Fillmore-Piru on Saturday, September 15, 2012 to be held at Shiells Park in Fillmore. Adrian's family includes his father and mother Henry and Theresa Robledo and siblings, Leah and Christian all of Fillmore. When asked why he decided to enter the competition Adrian said, “Well, before my grandpa passed, he told me to find my talent and to do it with passion. Well, I did! I love to sing!”

This year's theme for Relay for Life is Don't Gamble With Your Health! The community is invited to participate in Paint the Town Purple on Friday, June 1st and Saturday, June 2nd where purple ribbons are distributed around Fillmore and Piru to help bring awareness to the fight against cancer. For more information on Paint the Town Purple or on how to be a part of Relay for Life please contact Josie Real 805.524.0149.

Police officers from across the county will staff a sobriety checkpoint on Saturday, May 26, in Ventura to mark Avoid the 14’s Memorial Day weekend crackdown.

The officers, from police departments including Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Ventura, will begin the enforcement event at 7 p.m. and end it at 3 a.m. Sunday.

“Funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and our tradition of multi-jurisdictional enforcement allow us to run this checkpoint,” said Sgt. Randy Latimer of the Oxnard police, Avoid the 14 coordinator.

DUI saturation patrols in Moorpark, Port Hueneme, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks are also on the enforcement schedule.

All available California CONTINUED »

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in a Job & Resource Fair Wednesday May 23rd at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Ventura. Representatives from the Sheriff’s Office will be on hand, announcing job openings for Deputy Sheriff Trainee and professional staff positions. The event hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Other local area employers will be also be present at the event. There is no cost to attend the public is also welcome.

Job seekers are highly encouraged to bring a resume and be professionally dressed.

Veteran Job Seeker Registration: 10:00 a.m.
Veteran Job Seekers: 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Open to the Public: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Nature of Incident: Ventura County Sheriff’s Job & Resource Fair Event for Veterans & the Public
Report Number: N/A
Location: Crown Plaza Hotel -Ventura Beach, 450 E. Harbor Blvd., Ventura
Date & Time: May 23, 2012, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Unit Responsible: Sheriff’s Administration
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
N/A N/A N/A
Deputy Preparing Media Release: Captain Don Aguilar
Media Release Date: May 21, 2012
Follow-Up Contact: Captain Don Aguilar (805) 797-7349
Approved by: Captain Ross Bonfiglio

Come one, come all to our alumni dinner held this year at the Memorial Building on Saturday, June 9th 2012. Happy time starts at 4:00pm, and Dinner will be at 6:00pm. Did you know that the Alumni Assoc has been putting this dinner on for 99 years? The Alumni Assoc has all the year books dating back to 1913, and it can be verified that they have been doing this dinner, the first Saturday after Graduation honoring the newly graduating class and their scholarship winners. Gary Laird (Fillmore High Grad 1976) of Larids Butchers Shop in Santa Paula will serve up his special Fillmore High Alumni meal. Of course it will include his famous homemade sausages that everyone raves about every year. Here's all the low down on the dinner details. If you subscribe to the Alumni Newsletter (Flashbacks), the cost is $30.00. If your not a subscriber, (and you should be)the cost is $35.00. If you want to pay at the door, the cost will be $40.00. You can down load an app by going to www.fillmorehighalumni.com , look under "applications and forms" and print out your reservation form, or call the Alumni Office and we'll mail one out to you. See you all on June 9th!

Jan Faulkner, left, has just mounted the labels for the paintings on the Fillmore Library wall and both she and Luanne Perez looks pretty happy about the current presentation.
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It was a Saturday morning and they stood outside the Fillmore Library before it opened, each artist holding one painting to redecorate the north wall inside the Library. Now completed, the next time you are there, go up close and take a good look. Titles include Carriage House, a Giclee, by Joanne King; Across the Valley by Virginia Neuman; Secret Garden by Jan Faulkner; Low Tide by Judy Dressler; Postal by Karen Browdy; Alice Studying by Lois Freeman-Fox; Solitude by Wana Klasen; It's Good Farming and Back on the Farm by Luanne Perez. Fillmore Library is open M,T 2-7; W 2-7; Th,F,Sat 12-5; Sun closed.

Ventura County Garden Club will hold it's next meeting on June 6th at the "La Dolce Vita" restaurant, 740 So. B Street, Oxnard's Heritage Square. This will be the installation luncheon to welcome in the new board and the last meeting of the 2011-2012 year.

Social time starts at 11:30, lunch at 12:00 and a "Vintage Fashion Show" by Annette Petit, all included for $25:00

Guests and new members are always welcome! Reservations must be received by May 23, please call Dorothy Allee at 805-525-8400.