LOS ANGELES -- About 1 out of every 4 taxpayers, including nearly 4 million Californians, wait until the final week to do their taxes. If you’re one of those taxpayers, here are a dozen Q&As to help you meet the Wednesday, April 15 deadline.

1. Where can you get IRS forms and publications?

Go to the official IRS web site at www.irs.gov for tax forms and publications which can be downloaded 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many libraries and post offices also provide free tax forms.

2. How can you get your taxes done for free?

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites help those making up to $42,000. VITA sites usually serve walk-in visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. AARP Tax Aide sites help seniors who have less complicated tax returns and usually require an appointment. CONTINUED »

In the midst of national and local economic difficulties, the Tax Collector’s office is seeing property taxes being paid at a higher rate than in the last several cycles. Heading into the week of the April 10 deadline, Ventura County property owners have paid approximately 144,000 bills of the county’s 244,054 taxable properties. Last year at this time, fewer than half the bill payments had been received.

Several possible reasons for this unexpected collection pace were offered by Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Matheney: “We suspect that part of the higher collection rate is due to the increased number of bank-owned properties in our area. These banks want the taxes to remain current while they are reselling their properties." Matheney continued, "But it appears to go deeper than the paying habits of banks. As a group, Ventura County homeowners have so far been able to make spending adjustments at an admirable level. However, the hardships faced by our families should not be discounted for a moment. Struggling and juggling define many of our neighbors.” CONTINUED »

Many readers here on The Fillmore Gazette’s website may be experiencing a situation where the most recent stories and photos do not appear on the Front Page. If you do not see any recent stories dated within the past week or so on the Front Page, please click on your browser’s “Refresh” button. If you are using “Internet Explorer” the button typically looks like two small green arrows, one arrow pointing up and the other arrow pointing down. If you are using “Firefox” the button typically looks like a blue circular arrow. In both browsers, the button is located near the top and will say "Refresh" or "Reload current page" when you hover over the button.

If you would like to know more about the details about why this happened, I interviewed myself for this story, and here is what I had to say. Question: “Scott, what caused this problem to occur?” Answer: “The website has become very popular over the past 6 months and the current traffic volume is frequently overloading the web server. To optimize the website I am in implementing a page caching system. The system has a bug that causes the Front (or home) Page of the website to not update automatically. All other sections of the website appear to be updating normally and working OK.” Question: “Scott, are you willing to personally help any of the 25,000 people that regularly visit the website if they need any help solving the problem?” Answer: “Yes. If you are not seeing the most recent photos and stories on the Front Page after pressing the Refresh button and need any help with the above instructions, please email me at scott@fillmoregazette.com and I will help you fix the problem. Thank You.”

Fillmore & Western Railfest smelled pretty darned good over the weekend. Tri-tip was on the barbecue, a fundraiser for the Fillmore Historical Museum. Below, a tiny train was enjoyed by the mostly out-of-town crowd.

SEARCH WARRANT
03/04/09
1400 block Ventura St.
03/04/09
1100 block El Paseo St.

HIT & RUN NON-INJURY
03/04/09
900 block Central Ave.
03/05/09
N. C St./Meadowlark Dr.
03/08/09
900 block 3rd. Street

VANDALISM
03/04/09
500 block Mountain View CONTINUED »

Artists living in Fillmore want to find ways to promote their artwork. Some are talking about organizing together to know other in-town artists. The idea for such a group originated the day of the Fillmore Heritage Valley Fine Art Sale last November at the Fillmore Historical Museum Depot. Further information will be forth coming at a later date.

The Santa Paula Society of the Arts 72nd Annual Art and Photography Exhibit recently closed with Luanne Perez being awarded first Honorable Mention in Watercolor and Jan Faulkner also awarded first Honorable Mention in Mixed Media. Wana Klasen currently has a Solo Show at the Harbor Village Gallery, 1591 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura. Lois Freeman Fox's second place merit work in ink is also on display at the Harbor Village Gallery.

Conway Spitler

You want to enter your prize flower in the Fillmore Flower Show for the fist time! What do you do to enter that prize Rose, Iris, Lily or other flower?
Two days ahead you look at your flowers and choose the best specimen for entry and tag it prior to picking. The day ahead or the day of the show, take a container of water and trash basket to put leaves, etc. into. Immerse flowers in water as soon as possible.
For example: Cut Roses, put in water, take Rose in had and pull the discarded petals off. This could disqualify the entry.
Also if the Rose has a bud, carefully pluck it off. Many a Rose has been disqualified form getting a blue ribbon because the bud was left on the stem.
You clean the Rose and the leaves and remove any sub foliage with your thumb. Remove water spots with water or a little milk on a cloth.

Saturday night, March 25 or Sunday night, March 26, two banners were stolen (Dodgers and 7-11) from the Fillmore Little League Field. They are worth approximately $107. each. Please return no questions asked. Call 320-6364 if you have any information.

April 4-5, 2009 at the Senior Center at 533 Santa Clara Street, Fillmore, will be the revival of this 60+ year annual event which drew the community, young and old, together to celebrate beauty, creativity and the pleasure of growing things in our good earth! What better time to get young people involved in appreciating the pleasures of gardening and the sustaining power of knowing how to grow your own plants for food and landscaping, than this time of economic challenge.

Consider the fun and satisfaction of entering this show with your own garden flowers. Entries will be accepted Saturday, April 4, between 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. with judging to follow. The show will be open free to the public between 1pm-4pm both days. Music of violin and mandolin will add enjoyment, Saturday from 1-4pm.

Entry divisions are: Single stem cut roses, Single stem cut Iris and Lilies, Single stem cut “other” flowers, (VASES will be provided for single stem categories.) Arrangements in a single container(Bring your container.), Bouquets, Miniature Arrangements and bouquets (not to exceed 4” x 4”), and Youth arrangements. Youth may enter all categories to compete, but the Youth alone, entry categories allow them to bring containers and flowers and receive assistance with a table, clippers for trimming and some advice in grooming and presentation.

“Arrangements” are items presented on a tray or board along with flowers, stones, driftwood, etc to present a theme or idea, whereas bouquets are mixed flowers or flowers of one type with greens or twigs, presented in a vase or water holding container.

Please be part of this great community event and show off your flowers and artistry! For information, please contact Joanne King, 805-524-4904.

Have you been taking yoga classes but can’t remember what to do at home?

Or perhaps you’ve dabbled in yoga a few times but would like to establish it as a more regular part of your daily routine. The Body Image Gym is now offering a special yoga class for you on Saturday, April 18 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. to introduce The Mother Sequence into your yoga practice. This sequence is a series of 36 yoga asanas
(positions) practiced in coordination with breathing and movement.

You will learn: the sun salutations (10 asanas),; the five Tibetans; two standing, three seated, four inverted and five finishing poses as well as three poses for relaxation all using breath to move into, out of and to hold the poses. The Sequence takes about 2 hours to complete and it is recommended that you have had 3 or more months of prior yoga practice.

Throughout the Mother Sequence the focus is on correctly aligning each asana while maintaining a serene, joyful and nonforced mental and physical attitude. Lengthened breath and smooth slow movement will be emphasized. A handout with the sequence will be included with the class.

Please call the instructor, Janine Rees, at 524-4856 or 524-2520 with questions. Sign ups are at the front desk of The Body Image Gym and the class fee is a one time $10.00 charge.

On April 3rd, 31 Fillmore High School students will travel to Northern California on the annual AVID Junior trip. The AVID program is designed to help students be more successful in their academic endeavors and to prepare them for the transition to college. Fillmore High School has had a successful AVID program since the early nineties when it was started by Mr. Joe Torres, who retired in 2006. Since that time, Ms. Erin Moriarty and Mr. Paul FitzGerald have continued the program at FHS and it was reintroduced to the middle school this year by Mr. Scott Carroll and Me. Heather Atwood. AVID has helped countless Fillmore students to successfully transition to four year universities.

This year, the Avid Junior class trip will take a whirlwind tour of 5 universities in three days. Students will visit Fresno State University, UC Merced, UC Berkeley, Stanford University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo University. They will tour the campuses, see the dorms and get important information on admissions requirements, financial aid, and college life.

The AVID Junior class has worked very hard this year to raise money for this event. They have also received generous donations from the Montana Expedition Fund, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Wells Fargo, Tim and Stephanie Hagel and most recently the Central Station Bar and Grill. The AVID Junior Class would like to thank all of their sponsors, especially Frank Ramirez and Cynthia Garcia-Espinoza from Central Station for their continued support of the AVID program at Fillmore High School.

For more information on how you can help the FHS AVID program, email Paul FitzGerald at pfitzgerald@fillmore.k12.ca.us.

Applications are now available for the Fillmore Women’s Service Club Educational Scholarship for Adult Women continuing or returning to college or trade school. Applicants must reside within the Fillmore School District. For information and an application form please telephone Susan Banks at 524-1470.

Attention all Artists, those whom love to draw, color, oil paint, watercolor, color pencils, crayons, well you get the idea, anyway, it’s that time to enter your artwork into the Fillmore May Festival Poster Art Contest. This year the winner will take home $50.00! here are no age limits, we just ask that you do your artwork in color and on a 8x11 piece of paper.

This year’s theme is “Bringing Back Tradition”. This festival has been going on for 97 years now. It first started as a Farmers Market downtown and now has grown to be one of the largest Events in Ventura County. The 4 day Festival offers a carnival, food, arts & crafts, games, bingo, live entertainment & bands, train rides and a parade. The May Festival offers that small town enjoyment for the entire family . Not to mention our town is one of the last best smallest towns in Southern California.

The Deadline to turn in your work in is Friday April 24, 2009. Please take your work to the Fillmore Chamber Office located on Hwy 126 at 557 Ventura Street or call Cindy. The winner will be awarded after the parade in front of City Hall.

If you have any questions please feel free to call Cindy Jackson-Bires at 805-524-7706. Good luck and have fun!

It all started in 1988 when brothers Sam, Walter and Husam Hishmeh purchased a Domino’s Pizza store in Santa Paula, California. And now, 20 years later, Hishmeh Enterprises has grown to a Domino’s Pizza franchise of sixteen stores with over $13 million in sales annually.

A family business, Hishmeh Enterprises is operated by brothers Sam, Walter, Husam, Nick, Bashar, Tareq and Ghada, their wives and their parents Mitri and Rima.

Named the large business of the year by the Ventura Chamber of Commerce in 2008, Hishmeh Enterprises employs 400 residents of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.

“We pride ourselves in not only providing our customers with great food and great service at a fair price,” said Sam Hishmeh, president of Hishmeh Enterprises, “we also believe it is important to be a community partner that gives time and resources to various organizations such as Food Share, the Boys and Girls Clubs, the Strawberry Festival, the Salsa Festival, and the Santa Paula Police and Fire Foundation.” CONTINUED »

Ventura, CA – Every year, Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast honors women who embody the values of Girl Scouting - values such as leadership, courage and community service. All honorees are outstanding achievers as well as generous and compassionate contributors to Ventura County.

Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast 2008 honorees include Cheryl Lambing, M.D., Frances Prince, J.D., and Yvonne Bodle Farris, Ph.D.

Three new Women of Distinction will be honored at the annual Women of Distinction luncheon on September 18th, 2009 at Las Posas Country Club beginning at 10:30 with champagne and silent auction followed by the luncheon at 12:00.

Nomination forms can be obtained from Girl Scouts website at www.girlscoutsccc.org. Nominations are due May 15th,2009.

Tickets are $45 and reservations can be made by going to Girl Scouts website at www.girlscoutsccc.org.

Ventura County Public Health celebrates the successes of the past – elimination of polio, fluoridation in drinking water, passage of seat belt laws, among others – and looks to the future as the county celebrates the accomplishments of Public Health during National Public Health Week 2009, April 6th – 12th.

This year’s events, which are part of the American Public Health Association’s (APHA’s) annual celebration of the role of public health in our communities, serves to draw attention to the need to protect and improve our nation’s health. This year’s theme for Ventura County is Building a Foundation for a Healthy Ventura County.

“From the clean water we drink, to the seat belts we wear in our cars, to the many programs promoting physical activity, public health has a positive affect on our communities,” said Dr. Robert Levin, Ventura County Health Officer. “By recommitting ourselves to support our nation’s public health system, we can build on our accomplishments and establish a solid foundation needed for a healthy Ventura County.” CONTINUED »

We all are aware of the tough times some of us are experiencing due to the current economic downturn: housing, unemployment, health insurance issues, and more. We at the Ventura County Library would like to let you know that you can rely on us for information needed to navigate this situation. Visit the Library website at www.vencolibrary.org and you will see links to websites such as the Ventura Job and Career Center, the California Employment Development Center, and the Foundation for Health Coverage.

The Library also offers free internet access, databases for researching anything from jobs and career to auto repair, test preparations, and free eAudiobook downloads. Visit your local library and you will have access to books, newspapers, magazines, CDs, DVDs, Homework Centers, and much more.

The Ventura County Library has 14 branches that include the Avenue, H.P. Wright, and E. P. Foster libraries in Ventura, the Camarillo Library, Fillmore Library, Meiners Oaks Library, Oak Park Library, Oak View Library, Ojai Library, Piru Library, Ray D. Prueter Library in Port Hueneme, Saticoy Library, Simi Valley Library, and the Albert H. Soliz-El Rio Library, and is available 24/7 at www.vencolibrary.org.

March 30, 2009 (Ventura, CA) The Ventura County Fair is an annual celebration of agriculture; of cultivating the land, producing crops and raising livestock. With that in mind, the 31st District Agricultural Association, who organizes the Fair is pleased to announce that the theme of the 2009 Ventura County Fair is “Purebred and Home Grown”.

“For 12 magical days we will present the community with an educational and fun look at agriculture, Ventura County’s principal industry. It is our wish to teach our children, and those who are new to the county, how important agriculture is to each of us, and how it can help us to better our lives,” said Barbara Quaid, the Fair’s CEO and General Manager, adding “Purebred and Home Grown” is a perfect theme that will enhance the Fair’s distinct character.”

Within this celebration visitors will also enjoy competitions in the various arts divisions, free entertainment, the fun of the carnival midway, the fabulous fair food we all enjoy once a year and many untold surprises!

The Ventura County Fair will open Wednesday, August 5 with fun for the whole family until Sunday, August 16.

For more information about the Ventura County Fair, please call (805) 648-3376 or visit us at www.venturacountyfair.org.