Thanks for remembering
To the Editor:
On December 6, 2010 I came across an article written in the Santa Paula Times, which brought me to tears of joy and to this public “Thank You” to the Santa Paula City Council for the honoring of the proclamation to Services United and Benito Juarez for the many years of service. I especially want to thank Councilman Dr. Gabino Aguirre for remembering my father, Frank Marquez.
It pleased me to read that my father is still remembered after so many years have passed. My five siblings and I thank Gabino from the bottom of our hearts, for the loyalty. In the process of contacting Dr. Aguirre I found that his term as councilman ended the day I called and that this article was a year old, originally printed in the September 25, 2009 issue of the Santa Paula Times. It was suggested to me that I write this letter to the Editor to express my gratitude.
I came across the article online as I was reminiscing about my dad and the program he founded and his dedication, and selfless contribution to society. I miss his wonderful words of wisdom more so now as I plan to open my own program in Las Vegas, NV on December 14, 2010. Reading this article and remembering his passion for helping those who struggle with addictions was no coincidence, it let me know that everything is going to be ok and there is no need for me to fear.
My dad has always been my inspiration. He was a very important part of my life, he was my anchor, my mentor, I looked up to him daily for guidance and in many ways I still feel his support. He is still so alive, I just can’t see him.
One of the countless and priceless things my dad would say is, “We need to focus on the next generation” and that for many people alcohol and drugs are only the symptom and that their environment and lack of living skills was the bigger problem. He said “We need to learn how to live, and change our thinking.”
My program will be geared towards children ages 12-17 and it will be called “School for Thought”. I will be teaching life skills and character building, impulse control, anger management, drug education and many other life-changing skills.
I am my father’s daughter and I will keep his name alive. My father’s picture will hang on the wall with an inscription that will read, Frank Marquez “His Legacy Will Live On,” Founder and Director of the First Bilingual Counseling Center in Ventura County, CA. In the future there will be another Frank Marquez Counseling Center.
Peace and Love,
Beatrice Marquez, MA, CDVC, CADC-I, MFT-I
Las Vegas, NV
A clear choice
To the Editor:
IF the Santa Paula City Council decides to go with a private company for our residential trash and recycling services, I believe that Harrison Industries should receive the contract from the City of Santa Paula. My experience with this company goes back many years. Before I moved to Santa Paula 7 years ago, I lived in Carpinteria for 4 years and Ventura for 10 years. Harrison was my trash company for those 14 years and not once did I have a complaint. In fact they were always efficient and courteous.
Harrison Industries employs members of the Santa Paula community and has been a very generous benefactor to all events in our town. During my four years as Events & Marketing Coordinator for the SCV Boys & Girls Club, I cannot think of one Auction, Golf Tournament, Taste of the Valley or Speaker Breakfast that was not sponsored by Harrison Industries’ division, Santa Clara Valley Disposal.
Since my time with the Boys & Girls Club I’ve been involved with the Citrus Festival, the Citrus Classic Balloon Festival and Moonlight at the Ranch and Harrison Industries has always sponsored and supported these events. This year’s Moonlight at Limoneira Ranch raised over $60,000 for the Santa Paula Police and Fire Foundation and the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce. In addition, they support Chamber of Commerce events such as the Annual Mayor’s Address & Awards Luncheon and Golf Tournaments. Harrison Industries is a well-established, 78 year old, community-minded family business.
These are just some reasons why I think the Santa Paula City Council should contract with Harrison Industries. But the biggest reason why is that Harrison Industries has a proven track record. It has been in business since 1932 and is already fulltime providers of five local cities – Ventura, Camarillo, Fillmore, Ojai and Carpinteria – and parts of Thousand Oaks. All of these cities have exceeded the mandates of Assembly Bill 939, the California law that requires all cities and counties to cut the amount of trash they send to landfills in half. They have led the way in recycling efforts in Ventura County!
Harrison Industries is the clear choice for this contract.
Barbara Kroon
Santa Paula Resident & Homeowner
You are remembered!
To the Editor:
I would like to take this time to grieve for our classmate of 1957, David Castenada Sr. We were the best in 1957 – David the Lord be with you always.
Class of 1957
Alice Lopez Herron
Santa Paula
P.S. You’ll never be alone! From the Class of 1957 – all the Class of 1957 love you. Peace be with you.
Thanks for support
To the Editor:
The Santa Paula Veterans of Foreign Wars Mercer-Prieto Post 2043 held their annual Christmas Dinner on Thursday, December 9, 2010. The dinner was at the St. Paul’s Lutheran and Episcopal Church hall and many thanks go to Pastor Ron Dybvig for all his support.
Very special thanks go also to all our Post members, their wives and families for all their support, the excellent food and dessert dishes provided for the dinner. Sincere thanks to our local merchants: Santa Paula Chevrolet, Seeber’s Pharmacy, El Pescador, La Cabaña and Familia Diaz restaurants for their generous donations. A special donation was also provided to the Post by Trader Joe’s of Ventura. These donations are the highlight to our Post no-cost raffle for our members and family.
Richard C. Ruiz
Post 2043 Quartermaster/Adjutant
Santa Paula
Grateful for giving
To the Editor:
In this season of giving, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to those who have given so much to Blanchard Community Library this year. Carol Hardison and Pat Alderson planned so many marvelous events for our Centennial Anniversary Year, and we are so appreciative to them for their many, many hours of hard work. James Arellano, Candy and Glenn Hackworth, Carol and Logan Hardison, Sharon and Mark Hurd, the Heritage Valley Quilters, Elaine Hunt, Loyal Friends of Santa Paula, Sean Miller and his 4th grade students at McKevett School, National Charity League, Gennie and Art Reich, Santa Clara Valley Hospice, Santa Paula Optimist Club, and the Friends of the Library all donated money to supplement our children’s book budget, and we feel so fortunate to be able to purchase new books thanks to their kindness and generosity. Dahlia Lavigne, Donna Nelson, and Sandra Perello have been incredibly generous with their time and resources as well.
I also want to thank the members of our community who gave so generously in support of our Teen Summer Reading Program. We are so very grateful to have received such wonderful support from Ellen Brokaw, Jerry Burns, Joyce and Ernest Carlson, Susan Cox, Familia Diaz, Fillmore & Western Railway, Shirley and Robert Hargarten, Mary Alice Orcutt Henderson, Elaine Hunt, Island Packers, Jeff at Target Ventura West, Doris Jones, Molly King, Knights of Columbus, William Orcutt, Paschen Management, Carolyn Purdy, Justin Reyes, Round Table Pizza of Santa Paula, Ellen Ruby, Scott Rushing, Santa Clara Valley Bank, Santa Paula Kiwanis Club, Santa Paula Rotary Club, Santa Paula Super Store, Skating Plus, and Elizabeth and Margaret Watts.
John Corona, Cathy Johnson, Craig Held, Rae Krueger, Jesus Pozo, the FLAIR tutors, and our Friends of the Library continue to devote many hours volunteering in the library each week and help us in so many ways. We are also grateful to our many wonderful patrons who have supported the library all year. We are especially thankful to those who generously brought books or sent monetary donations to enhance our collections.
Thank you for giving so much to our library and making such a tremendous difference to our community!
Ilene Gavenman
Children’s and Young Adult Librarian
Blanchard Community Library
Water/Sewage rates
To the Editor:
As I opened my December water bill, I was dumbfounded at the increase in the sewer rate, which added approximately $20 more to my bill.
We live in an over 55 HOA community where in most cases there is one or two residents. We are on fixed incomes, most on just Social Security and we have received no COLA for last year and will receive no COLA for 2011.
It is ludicrous to expect senior citizens to pay this much more per month for water usage. Are we paying the same as the people in the huge homes on the hill or in the Oaks?
The City of Santa Paula needs to be accountable to its citizens for this outrageous rate hike and it needs to be sure it is equitable to all people based on where they live in the city.
Is this a sign that we can expect more rate hikes in the future to make up for poor planning?
I believe the City owes its citizens an explanation.
Helen Zillmer
Hillview Estates
Santa Paula
Congratulations!!!
To the Editor:
Californians have cast their ballots for our public servants that will represent us in the future. We had the opportunity to vote for proven employers (Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina) but out voters rejected them. What is it about bankrupting our state the voters don’t get? The nurses union hired Gloria Allred to help defeat Meg Whitman with an illegal alien, Nicky Diaz. Who is supporting Nicky Diaz today, is it the Nurses Union? I don’t think so - it’s you and me! Some believe California can economically support the huge cost of an unlimited number of “illegal”, their housing, medical care, education, including college, and criminal incarceration. But, California can’t even afford to support the criminal population that we currently have in our jails, so it looks like we will have to put some of the inmates back on our streets, around 40,000 is the number. That is about 1/4 of the current total California prison population! The Federal Government refuses to protect our southern borders, this places another financial burden on California’s taxpayers, along with unfunded mandate after unfunded mandate. We are headed for a real crash 2 to 5 years down the road and then maybe the voters will wake up - hopefully it won’t be too late to salvage our beautiful state.
Are you ready to pay the price with higher taxes? Do you think California has committed economical suicide?
David Kaiser
Santa Paula
Camarillo Christmas Parade
To the Editor:
My family attended the Camarillo Christmas Parade this past Saturday to watch the marching bands from Santa Paula High School and Isbell Middle School. At the parade there were many other marching bands from within and outside of the county. Because it was a very warm day most of these bands chose to change from their formal marching uniforms into jeans and t-shirts during the break between the early judging competition and the public portion of the parade. The Santa Paula schools were two of three bands that stayed in their uniforms for the parade. The Isbell and SPHS bands were about ten entries apart. While the other schools marched the parade looking like they were at a practice, the Santa Paula schools not only sounded great but also looked great. They did a wonderful job representing our City. I know that the kids were hot and thirsty but they looked and sounded very professional. Congratulations to the band members, the band directors, and the parents who helped that day, for an impressive performance.
Cathy Fernandez
Santa Paula
