The Humane Society of Ventura County is seeking volunteers to help with the on-going operation of its Ojai animal shelter as well as to assist the private nonprofit organization with its off-site fund-raising activities.

Volunteers are needed for the following tasks:

* Participating in animal yard checks (applicants must first go through training with Humane Society officers);
* Performing clerical work at the shelter and answering phones;
* Manning HSVC informational booths at local community events;
* Meeting with HSVC officials to create fund-raising events;
* Locating sites to sell walnuts donated by Black Mountain Ranch in the Upper Ojai;
* Collecting cash donation boxes for the HSVC on routes in Ventura County. Drivers needed mostly in Santa Paula, Fillmore and Moorpark.

Applications are available at the HSVC shelter, located at 402 Bryant St. in Ojai, or online at www.humanesocietyvc.org. Click the “Get Involved” icon for the application. For more information, call Volunteer Coordinator Suzanne Soprano at 666-5031 or 646-6505.

The Piru Cemetery Board met on Thursday, January 21, 2010 with an agenda packed with actions to increase community participation as they move forward with much-needed improvements at this nearly 100-year old institution. In November 2008, voters overwhelmingly approved Measure M. This $25 per parcel annual tax will provide necessary funds to enable the district to better maintain this important part of Piru’s heritage as well as expand to allow for the future operation.

One action taken at this month’s meeting was to move to expand the board of trustees from its current 3 member board to 5 members. This will result in greater community input and involvement. The Ventura County Board of Supervisors must first formally approve this change. Following their action, expected in February, the County and District will begin advertising and accepting applications from interested persons from within the community. This was part of the overall refinement of the board’s by-laws and strategic plan.

Another action taken was to open the gates on Saturdays and Sundays to allow cars to enter the cemetery grounds. In the past, nighttime vandalism prompted the former board to keep gates locked. While the pedestrian gate remained open, this offered limited access, especially for elderly visitors to the cemetery. Local and family members are now welcome to pay their respects in a much more accessible manner. These gates will be open from 7 am to 5 pm on weekends.

The board also moved forward with plans to CONTINUED »

Hey Fillmore! In case you hadn’t noticed, there are exciting new happenings at the Fillmore Senior Center. Starting in February, you can take a meditation and/or yoga class in the evening! Come on over and decrease stress while increasing your health and well-being! These two classes are available to adults of all ages, no experience necessary.

Classes begin Thursday, February 4 at 5:30 p.m. Meditation, taught by Valerie Brinton is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; then yoga, taught by Janine Rees, is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. They will continue on Thursdays throughout the year. Also, the morning meditation class will now be offered on Thursday mornings from 8:00 to 9:00 prior to the Thursday morning yoga class.

Valerie has taught Taoist Meditation for over 20 years. This approach is simple and gentle. The benefits include reduced conflict and tension, with an increase in resilience, calm focus, self-esteem, and vitality.

Janine has taught Iyengar for fifteen years. This type of yoga emphasizes correct alignment and proper breathing coordinated with gentle stretching as well as strength and balance building. All levels of ability are welcome to attend these hour-long class. Each class is a $2.00 donation, only.

We welcome all you stressed, weary, stiff folks out there who work out of town and can’t get to the center for daytime classes. Now there are classes for you too! Plus, new classes are being added all the time so check your Gazette regularly for updated schedules. See you there. Janine Rees, 524-4856

“A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Santa Paula”! To find out what it is, mark February 20, 2010 on your calendar to attend a Comedy Show featuring Patrick Hanifin. The proceeds from this show will go to the Santa Paula High School Music Program which includes the H.S. Cardinal Band, Jazz Band and Color Guard. The money raised for this specific fundraiser will go towards the expenses for bus transportation and lodging for the students to attend the Heritage Music Festival in San Diego this Spring. ( The cost of this Festival is close to $400 per student.)

Food booths before the Comedy Show will be open from 5:30 -7:00 PM and the Comedy Show will start at 7:00 PM. The SPHS Jazz Band will also be featured at the show. To see a biography on Patrick Hanifin visit his website: squeakycleancomedy.com.

Band students are selling tickets for $10 each. Tickets are also available at Tisa’s Hair Salon, Smokin’ Joes and Santa Paula Times all on Main Street in Santa Paula.

Thank you for your support and we hope to see you February 20th at the Freeman Eakins Auditorium at Santa Paula High School.

Location: El Dorado Mobile Home Park, 250 E. Telegraph Road, Fillmore
Date of Release: 1/26/2010

The Fillmore Lions Club has teamed up with the City of Fillmore Fire Department in effort to provide local senior residents of the El Dorado Mobile Home Park the opportunity to have their smoke detector batteries changed and inspected as part of the Lions Club International Day of Service. The International Day of Service is an annual event held by Lions Club chapters throughout the United States who participate in hands-on service
projects geared to better community’s world wide.

“Smoke alarms alert residents to the danger and make a difference between life and death” said Fire Chief Rigo Landeros. “Install and maintain a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and replace the battery twice each year.”

Smoke alarm battery maintenance and inspections will be conducted on Saturday February 6 between 10AM-2PM. The service is being conducted FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF EL DORADO. To schedule an appointment please call Bill Edmonds at 805-524-4839 or the Fillmore Fire Department at 805-524-0586.

Donate your shoes in fair condition this Saturday January 30th. from 12-3pm at the Piru Depot Gazebo. Please if you have shoes with shoelaces please tie shoes together. Volunteers needed to help that day organize boxes, shoes and load boxes. For more information please contact Lorena Cardenas @ 805-558-5708.

The Fillmore Library will provide special stories for Valentines Day on February 10, 2010, at 3:30. Bring the kiddies to hear three special heartwarming stories. Special treats will be furnished by the Friends of the Library. For information, phone 524-3355.

The up coming programs for Rotary Sun Risers are: January 26th: Don Gunderson will lead a Club Assembly mid-year review. Feb 2: Dan Tappe United States Fish and Wildlife, Hopper Mountain Director. Feb 9: Dr.Mark Pratt, Oat Mountain Paragliding in Fillmore. Fillmore Sun Risers meet every Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. at El Pescador, for information about Rotary please contact Joe Aguirre, President at 524-2096.

County Supervisor Kathy Long, 3rd District would like to announce to all residents of Ventura County that the next Santa Paula Tattoo Removal Clinic will be held on Saturday January 30th, 2010 from 8:30 am – 12 noon, no appointments necessary. Orientation for first time participants will be at 9 am located at 1334 E. Main St. the Santa Paula Family Care Clinic. Due to overwhelming response, spaces will be limited.

County Supervisor Kathy Long spearheaded this clinic in collaboration with the following agencies: Ventura County Public Health, Ventura County Probation Agency, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Santa Paula Family Care Clinic, Interface Children Family Services, and CalWORKS.

The clinic not only welcomes participants but volunteers to run the clinic. If you have any questions, or would like to find out how you can help, please call the Santa Paula Family Care Clinic at (805) 933-1242.

One day a year, what you wear speaks volumes. Wear Red and Speak Up on National Wear Red Day, Friday, February 5. Make a statement about heart disease, the leading killer of women over age 20, killing more women than the next five causes of death combined.

By wearing red, you can bring a voice to this silent killer. Listen to what your hearts are telling you, talk to your doctors and spread the word to your family, friends and community about making the right choices and taking action.

Soroptimist of Fillmore is encouraging local organizations, businesses, and individuals to participate by wearing red on Friday, Feb. 5 and donating $5 to the American Heart Association. To participate and make a donation, please visit one of the following businesses: Santa Clara Valley Bank, The Mail Stop, Curves, Santa Barbara Bank & Trust, or Aguirre Financial & Insurance Services.

All proceeds will go towards funding life-saving research and educational programs of the American Heart Association. For more information, please contact Terri Aguirre, 524-2096 or Eric Thompson, American Heart Association, 858-410-3822.

VENTURA, CALIF.—Young adults, ages 18 to 24, will have an opportunity for work experience at local businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations through a new, two-month California Youth@Work program. These paid positions are funded by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Workforce Investment Act. They will be administered by the Workforce Investment Board (WIB). Jobs run through March 31.

The program is an extension of the successful summer California Youth@Work program, in which over 600 Ventura County young people and over 100 public and private sector organizations participated. "The success of the summer program is an excellent example of how public and private sectors can play an important role in training our future workforce," says Steve Kinney, president, Economic Development Corporation of Oxnard and WIB chair. "We hope for the same enthusiastic participation for this shorter program."

Eligible youth who live in the cities of Ventura, Ojai, Oak View, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Somis, Moorpark and Simi Valley, can earn $9.50 per hour and work between 60 and 240 hours. All wages and employer payroll costs will be covered by the program. In addition, they will receive eight hours of training in career planning, teamwork, leadership, interpersonal skills and job search techniques.

"We are currently looking for employers who CONTINUED »

SANTA PAULA, CA – The Board of Directors of the Santa Paula Art Museum (SPAM) is pleased and proud to announce that the Museum will become the home of an important new collection of Latin American Art, to be known as The De Colores Collection.

The De Colores Collection is the brainchild of SPAM Board Member Xavier ‘Big X’ Montes, a Santa Paula native and well-known artist, musician and community activist.
Montes has been promoting and exhibiting Mexican and Latin American art since 1995, through his renowned and respected De Colores Art Show & Festival, and felt the time was right to establish in Santa Paula a permanent Collection of prominent Mexican and Latin American artists.

“My mission for The De Colores Collection, and the mission of the Santa Paula Art Museum, and are very similar”, noted Montes. “Both SPAM and De Colores desire to showcase and preserve the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Santa Paula, and collaborate with local schools to integrate art into the classroom. The new De Colores Collection will concentrate on the Mexican and Latin American influences of that heritage, and contain images with which many of the local population can identify. It’s a perfect fit.” Jennifer Heighton, Santa Paula Art Museum Executive Director agrees: “Santa Paula is the ideal place for such an art collection, and the Museum is the perfect collector.”

Montes is known throughout the state for his De Colores Arts Show & Festival, which will return to Santa Paula on September 4th for a 4-month engagement at the sparkling new Art Museum. “We are elated that the De Colores Art Show and Festival is returning to Santa Paula”, added Heighton. “To again have the color, flavor and excitement of the De Colores Show back in Santa Paula, and to stage it at our new Museum… it’s all very special.”

“This is a dream come true for me”, said a beaming Montes. “Everything is really beginning to fall into place. We’re going to have a brand new Art Museum, we now have a permanent home for the De Colores Art Show and Festival and we have the go-ahead to begin building The De Colores Collection of Latin American Art. The Board is clearly demonstrating inclusiveness and openness by being in support of the new Collection. It will definitely bring more visitor dollars to Santa Paula, and help the City’s economy. It’s all Muy Bueno!”

Ventura, CA. - United Blood Services Central Coast is continuing its appeal for all blood types, especially O-Negative. With the recent rains, donations have dipped when supplies were already strapped.

The blood bank has launched its annual Heart to Heart Blood Drive to encourage donations. As a special thank you, United Blood Services has teamed up with See’s Candies to provide donors with a 4-ounce box of Sees chocolates.

January also marks National Blood Donor Month. “January is usually an especially difficult time as we go into the cold and flu season,” notes Scott Edward, of United Blood Services. “We’d ask that anyone that is feeling well, to visit us in January and consider making a resolution to give three times in 2010. We would be especially grateful if businesses and community groups would hold at least three drives per year. That would be ideal to maintain a steady supply.”

Businesses and organizations are asked to call the Ventura Center at 654-1600 if interested in scheduling a community blood drive.

Donations may be made Monday through Friday at UBS Center in Ventura at 2223 Eastman near McGrath. Or there are a number of blood drives happening throughout the region. Appointments are appreciated, but not necessary. Walk-ins are also welcome. Donors are asked to make an appointment by contacting United Blood Services online at www.Blood4Life.org. Just click on the “Donate Blood” tab and type in your zip code for a list of drives. Donors may also call 800-715-3699 to make an appointment by phone.

Center Hours:
Monday and Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You may donate blood if you are over age 16, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in good health. Additional height/weight requirements apply to donors 22 and younger.

April Harter

Scribe Communications, a boutique public relations firm in the heart of San Diego’s Golden Triangle, has promoted April Harter to director of social media. With over 20 years of experience, the firm creates integrated communications strategies for an array of local companies and non-profit organizations.

“April’s experience and knowledge with online communications and social media are a great asset to the firm and our clients,” said Jan Percival Lipscomb, president of Scribe Communications. “Aside from being a dynamic and hard working professional, she adds a more youthful perspective and context as we analyze our client’s aspirations.”

Since joining the team in 2007, Harter’s responsibilities have grown to include: creating online communities for clients while utilizing appropriate applications, maximizing SEO opportunities for clients, distributing news to various online and offline outlets, website management, creating short, sharable videos, writing web content, and creating editorial submissions, among other tasks.

Among her current client responsibilities, Harter is showcasing the efforts of a non-profit organization in Southeast San Diego by reinvigorating their website and increasing their social media presence. Harter has consulted other clients on best-social-media practices as well.

Harter, a 2005 Fillmore High School grad, earned her bachelor’s degree in communication in March 2009, as well as a minor in sociology, from the University of California, San Diego. She also obtained a professional certificate in sustainable business practices from UCSD Extension in December 2009.

Recently, Harter was named 2010 Board Liaison for the New Pros Committee, a division of the Public Relations Society of America, San Diego chapter. She is also a member of the San Diego Press Club and the San Diego Delta Gamma Alumni Chapter.

Founded in 1986, Scribe Communications is a boutique media relations firm headquartered in the Golden Triangle. With deep roots in San Diego, the Scribe team is comprised of former journalists and award winning writers.

Thursday, January 21, 2010
6:00 p.m.
Piru Community Center
802 Orchard Street

-AGENDA-
Call to Order
Roll Call
Public Comment: For items not on agenda. Limit to 5 minutes.
Review minutes of previous meeting(s)
Discussion/Action on Board Membership Status
Discussion of expansion of board from 3 to 5 Trustees
Status of board members
Receive and adopt new By-Laws
Receive and discuss Strategic Plan and tasks for 2010
Update on “Measure M”: Piru Cemetery Ballot Measure
Review items provided to County Assessor/Consultants
Discuss priority list of improvements CONTINUED »

For the second year in a row, there will be no need to auction off any Ventura County properties to satisfy delinquent property taxes, announced County Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Matheney. A concerted effort by the staff of the Tax Collector’s Office was successful in resolving a number of issues that threatened local property owners with the loss of their properties. A total of 276 properties were identified on July 1, 2009, as requiring public auction. Under California law, the Tax Collector is obligated to sell property on which property taxes have been delinquent for 5 years. Payment on the last remaining property awaiting sale, a commercial property in Oxnard, was completed on Tuesday (1/12/10).

In one particularly compelling situation, staff learned that the reason the property taxes had gone unpaid on one parcel is that the owner, a 108-year old former Ojai woman, had been living out of the county in a care-facility. Using skip tracing skills, Public Services Manager, Jennifer Smith, located the woman’s son in another state and advised him of the threatened loss of the property. The son was able to take care of the accumulated taxes and penalties and save the property from auction.

Several of the identified reasons for nonpayment of CONTINUED »