An episode of "Ghost Adventures" will center on the historic Glen Tavern Inn in Santa Paula “There’s a presence at the Glen Tavern that is undeniable,” said Monica De La Torre whose family owns the hotel and purchased it in the early 2000s visitors have reported paranormal experiences at the inn Viewers of the show will see evidence and firsthand accounts of supernatural encounters Host Zak Bagans will lead the group and use investigative techniques to uncover the inn’s mysteries will be a guest investigator for the episode In the 20 years that her family has owned the hotel De La Torre said she has experienced dozens of unexplained ghost encounters One of her first experiences with the paranormal was in 2004 when she was putting away supplies in the inn She thought one of the housekeepers had walked into the room but instead saw a “solid human being” dressed in vintage clothes who looked at De La Torre adding she has not witnessed anything as traumatic since A recent photo of three women shot at the hotel shows a shadowy figure lurking in the background When did 'Ghost Adventures' first visit the Glen Tavern Inn?De La Torre, who is a director of events and runs the inn’s gift shop, said this was the second time “Ghost Adventures” featured the hotel. The first time was in 2013 we definitely saw an increase in bookings and a lot of phone calls “We’re excited to see what the second episode reveals.” In 2022, television personality Sharon Osbourne was hospitalized with an injury at the inn. It occurred during a filming of “Jack Osbourne’s Night of Terror.” She was taken to Santa Paula Hospital and later discharged, according to her son but no additional details were provided about her medical circumstances “My mom (owner Rosanna Jennett) was just in shock We’ve never had anyone have a physical reaction to whatever is here ever,” said De La Torre adding it is unclear what exactly happened De La Torre said they are grateful Osbourne has recovered and hope she returns For more information, visit officialglentavern.com or discovery.com/shows/ghost-adventures Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes. Print David Lane Braff of Thousand Oaks was originally accused of molesting eight young studentsFive more accusers have come forward against Braff A former Ventura County school counselor who was arrested in November on suspicion of molesting eight young children has been charged with 14 additional felony counts of lewd acts upon a child after five more victims came forward of Thousand Oaks now faces 31 counts of child molestation involving a total of 13 male and female victims according to an amended criminal complaint filed Tuesday by prosecutors from the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office He is set to be arraigned on the new charges on May 21 Braff was initially accused of molesting eight students ages 6 to 10 in a school office at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula, where he worked as a counselor from 2015 to 2019. In November he pleaded not guilty to 17 felony counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 years old, according to court documents. He is currently being held in Ventura County jail in lieu of $3-million bail. “The defendant is now accused of molesting even more young victims across multiple years and locations,” Ventura Dist. Atty. Eric Nasarenko said in a statement. “Our investigators and prosecutors remain committed to uncovering the full extent of this defendant’s crimes, and we urge anyone with information to contact our office.” Over the last 24 years, Braff has worked at 10 different school districts and youth sports facilities in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, prosecutors said. He has held numerous positions including counselor, sports coach, child-care assistant, substitute teacher and behavioral therapist. At the time of his arrest, Braff was working as an assistant principal and school counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Winnetka, prosecutors said. He faces sentencing enhancements alleging that he took advantage of a position of trust, preyed on particularly vulnerable victims and committed the crimes with planning and sophistication. Prosecutors are continuing to seek additional victims and encourage anyone with information related to Braff’s alleged abuse to contact Investigator Greg Webb at (805) 477-1627. Braff’s former places of work include the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Moorpark Unified School District, the ABA Network, Inc., Bright Star Schools, Rio School District, Sports Academy Thousand Oaks and the Ventura Unified School District. Clara Harter is a breaking news reporter at the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she covered politics and education for the L.A. Daily News. While at the Daily News, she published a series on fentanyl addiction that won a first-place investigative journalism award from the L.A. Press Club. Harter majored in political science and Middle Eastern studies at Columbia University. She loves surfing and, when not reporting, can most likely be found in the ocean. World & Nation California Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Santa Paula is set to celebrate its new 37-acre sports park "This is a really big deal for our community," said Mayor Pedro Chavez The grand opening for Santa Paula Creek Sports Park is set for 11 a.m A ribbon cutting will kick off the event with a community celebration at 11:45 a.m Santa Paula's youth softball and soccer teams will perform drills and demonstrations train rides for kids and other activities are planned The venue features multiple sports courts and fields an inclusive playground and an amphitheater Shaded picnic tables are set up near a barbecue area The park is within the master-planned Harvest at Limoneira community now being built along the north side of Highway 126 The sports park is being constructed in phases vice president of regional planned communities for Lewis Management Corp. The first phase cost approximately $13.5 million with Lewis Limoneira Community Builders LLC contributing $8.3 million and the city paying $5.2 million A second phase is expected to have tennis courts pickleball courts and lighting for fields and courts parks and recreation director for Santa Paula Lewis Limoneira will return to the City Council if the second phase design is different than what was approved and possibly for interim designs and budget approvals The company will contribute $4 million and the city will contribute $1 million in funds received from the state The council approved the project in September 2020 and construction began in March 2022 The mayor said the park is providing something new for the area "It's just really increased our capacity to have green spaces available for our residents and their families to enjoy," Chavez said The facility also serves visiting families The park has been open for about two months but it has taken a little longer to get the grass ready for the soccer fields a lot more people are going to know about it and it's going to be great for everybody to come and enjoy all this green space," Chavez said Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes The Santa Paula Canyon trailhead at Thomas Aquinas College on Santa Paula-Ojai Road An injured hiker was rescued by helicopter on Thursday on a trail below the Punch Bowls area above Santa Paula firefighters responded to Santa Paula Canyon for a man who had reportedly suffered some minor injuries but was unable to continue hiking down the trail according to Ventura County Fire Department Public Information Officer Andrew Dowd A second hiker with the victim was able to make contact with responders and a helicopter with the Ventura County Air Unit was launched along with firefighters on the ground hiking to the victim’s last known location Copter 9 spotted the victim and firefighters determined the safest way to move him was to hoist him aboard the helicopter The victim was flown to a nearby helispot and was then taken to an area hospital by ground ambulance He was reported to be in stable condition with minor to moderate injuries is a popular recreation spot due to the Punch Bowls area with its natural swimming holes and water slides Email notifications are only sent once a day or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments One subscription gets you full access to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun coverage daily online Subscribe today for as little as $1.12 per week Thank you for supporting local independent accurate View archived e-Editions of Ojai Valley News Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Subscriber digital copy of Friday's newspaper Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account A Firehawk makes a drop on the Acacia Road fire in Santa Paula on Wednesday, Jan. 22, between about 7 p.m. when the fire was reported, and 8 p.m. when it was mostly under control. To view the Ventura County Fire Department video of the drop, visit HERE was reported in Santa Paula on Acacia Road near Todd Road at about 7 p.m Forward progress was halted on the Acacia Road brush fire according to the Ventura County Fire Department a "wet line" was put down with hoses around the fire VCFD reported: "Firefighters made a quick and aggressive attack on this fire with multiple engines and coordinated water drops by our Firehawk helicopters "Crews will be remaining on scene another one to two hours mopping up hot spots across the fire footprint." Firefighters stated on the scanner that the fire at 7:10 p.m was estimated to be at 2 acres and projected to have the potential to reach 5 acres due to heavy fuels in the river bottom A first-alarm brush fire response was requested Copter 4 was released from the Acacia Fire at about 7:35 p.m to go to a remote rescue off Maricopa Highway at Wheeler Gorge the call for the helicopter was canceled about five minutes later NOTE: This article is provided free. Please subscribe to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun to help provide this important news reporting. SUBSCRIBE HERE Additional charges involving five children who were allegedly molested by a man who worked as a school counselor in Santa Paula and a recreation employee in the Conejo Valley have been filed In an amended criminal complaint filed April 29 against David Lane Braff Jr., the Ventura County District Attorney's Office alleges Braff molested 13 children in all, up from the eight alleged in November Prosecutors say four of the newly identified victims were students at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula where Braff worked as a school counselor between 2015 and 2019 They say the fifth was a youth who was allegedly molested between 2004 and 2005 while Braff was employed as a part-time gym attendant and part-time recreational leader in the Conejo Recreation and Park District Braff was charged in November with the molestation of eight other McKevett students They were identified by the prosecution as girls in the first through fifth grades whom he allegedly molested in his school office The newly identified McKevett students were three boys and a girl The victim at the Conejo recreation district was a girl The new set of charges brings the total number of alleged violations to 31 counts of child molestation is scheduled to be arraigned on the amended complaint on May 21 in Ventura County Superior Court could not immediately be reached for comment Braff is being held without bail in county jail DA officials said the investigation is ongoing on the man who worked around the county "Our investigators and prosecutors remain committed to uncovering the full extent of this defendant’s crimes and we urge anyone with information to contact our office," District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said in a statement Braff was employed as an assistant principal at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles when he was taken into custody in November The initial charges also included allegations that Braff took advantage of a position of trust and confidence that the victims were particularly vulnerable and that he committed the crimes with planning and sophistication which can bring a heavier sentence if a defendant is ultimately convicted mental health and local government issues for the Ventura County Star Authorities in Santa Paula are seeking the public's help as they try to identify the person behind an attempted kidnapping after a teen reported an incident on the morning of April 9 The 15-year-old girl had been walking to school alone around 9 a.m The area is west of Harding Park and Santa Paula Creek The teen told police she was verbally contacted by a Black man driving a black pickup with tinted windows She declined the man's request and continued walking approached the girl from behind and tried to grab and hold onto her physically hit the man and ran to a safe location to report the incident The man was described as in his 30s and about 6 feet tall with an average build He was said to be clean-shaven with short black hair police investigators continued to gather information and search for evidence The department has beefed up visible patrols around schools during drop-off and pick-up hours Officers were canvassing the area and collecting surveillance video as well as exploring other technology that might help identify the man Police are also in communication with nearby law enforcement agencies about other incidents that could potentially be related Anyone with information about the incident, including residents with home or business surveillance video, are asked to call Detective Yvette Solis at 805-826-7512 at ysolis@spcity.org (This story has been updated with new information from Santa Paula police.) Santa Paula authorities said they made an arrest in a stabbing case that injured two teens Thursday The incident was reported shortly before 3:50 p.m near Seventh Street and East Virginia Terrace Officers determined there had been a fight and that two male victims, age 15 and 17, had been stabbed. Both are Santa Paula residents, department officials said in an update Friday Aguilar previously said the fight took place outdoors in public One of the injured teens was at the scene bleeding from a serious stab wound An officer applied a tourniquet until paramedics arrived and took over care The youth was taken by ambulance to a hospital the second victim showed up at Santa Paula Hospital seeking help for stab wounds Aguilar said both victims were in stable condition and the wounds did not appear life-threatening Department detectives took a 37-year-old Santa Paula man into custody and ultimately arrested him on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon He remained housed at the county's Todd Road Jail outside Santa Paula Friday night with bail set at $60,000 was arrested on violation of state parole terms in connection with the incident Aguilar said in Friday's update the stabbing incident may be gang related Anyone with information can contact Detective Yvette Solis at 805-826-7512 or ysolis@spcity.org Violence also erupted in Oxnard during the week when three teens were injured by gunfire Tuesday night The injuries were not life-threatening police said (This story has been updated with new information from Ventura County Fire.) An unknown odor prompted evacuation of the Goodwill store in downtown Santa Paula midday Friday The incident was reported shortly after 11:45 a.m according to Ventura County Fire Department dispatch reports and agency spokesman Andrew Dowd All had evacuated the store before firefighters arrived Firefighters assessed six others who all declined additional medical treatment personnel had been called to the scene as a precaution to help evaluate the hazard Standard monitoring equipment carried by firefighters had not immediately detected any of the four standard gases Santa Paula Police Chief Don Aguilar said officers provided traffic control during the incident (This story has been updated to correct the address for the dry cleaning business.) accused of ramming car into other vehicleA 26-year-old man was arrested after allegedly ramming his vehicle into another car near Santa Paula and a host of other suspected crimes Deputies with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 19000 block of Telegraph Road around 9:48 p.m April 24 after the man reportedly drove his vehicle into a car occupied by two adults and two children The incident occurred in an unincorporated area east of Santa Paula Deputies from the Fillmore station investigating the incident identified the driver as a 26-year-old from Santa Paula who was on probation for domestic violence and had an active The man is also accused of robbing a person who had a domestic violence restraining order against him the man was located as a passenger inside a vehicle in Santa Paula around 7:40 p.m and was taken into custody after a traffic stop The man was arrested on suspicion of multiple felonies including four counts of assault with a deadly weapon and first-degree robbery He also faces misdemeanors for child endangerment and disobeying a domestic court order He was booked in Ventura County jail with bail set at $250,000 He is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court April 29 The owner of a closed Ventura dry cleaning business agreed to pay more than $32,000 for improperly disposing of hazardous waste from the business in 2024 The Ventura County District Attorney's office said in an April 22 news release it reached a civil settlement with Shija Cho the former owner of Unique Cleaners at 2307 E after an investigation into hazardous materials found abandoned in Los Angeles County The business closed in June and the next month two 55-gallon drums labeled as hazardous waste from Unique Cleaners were reported abandoned in an alleyway in Reseda One drum contained perchloroethylene or PERC a dry-cleaning solvent regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency The second drum held used filters and sludge from dry-cleaning operations The agency's Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit investigated the case showed that the drums were unlawfully transported and abandoned off-site Unique Cleaners failed to provide legally required documentation showing that the waste was collected or disposed of through a licensed hazardous waste hauler “This case reinforces the responsibility business owners have to manage toxic waste responsibly from generation to final disposal,” said District Attorney Erik Nasarenko in the news release Individuals and businesses that generate hazardous waste are responsible for its proper storage transportation and disposal through licensed facilities under state law Cho agreed to pay $32,065 in civil penalties and costs The settlement also includes court-ordered terms requiring compliance with hazardous waste laws at Cho's new dry-cleaning business in Camarillo The burglary took place at the pro shop at 4761 Valley Spring Drive shortly after 6:30 a.m. the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office previously reported The sheriff’s office is contracted to provide police services for the city of Thousand Oaks Deputies at the scene learned that two suspects had just broken into the building and stolen property before fleeing in a stolen vehicle The vehicle was not reported stolen at the time of the alleged burglary Investigators located the vehicle and the two suspects in Los Angeles around noon the same day with help from Los Angeles Police Department were arrested on suspicion of felonies for burglary and conspiracy to commit a crime The 61-year-old was also arrested for a felony warrant from outside the county The men were booked into the Ventura County jail with bail set at $300,000 each They were scheduled to appear in court April 28 The sheriff’s office is investigating the incident and anyone with information is asked to call 805-371-8396 Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center officials say they have stopped accepting animals as of Friday and will no longer operate as a shelter after talks with the city about building a new facility failed "Our facility is no longer fit for its purpose," said Nicky Gore-Jones director of development for the no-kill SPARC shelter will still be open for adoptions of animals currently housed there The nonprofit has asked the city to build a new shelter but there has been no progress after multiple meetings "We just never move ahead," Gore-Jones said the city of Santa Paula will take responsibility for municipal animal services and will provide more details on plans in the coming weeks officials said in a news release issued Friday said the city had asked the nonprofit for financial documentation and a budget on how potential city funds would be used but has not received the information "They haven't come back to the city with those documents," he said "We told them what they need to do and they sat on it." said her organization has provided the documents and has met with officials the city has provided financial support to the SPARC organization Shelter officials said in a release the city provides less than 8% of the facility's operating expenses The organization notified the city two months ago it would stop taking animals at the end of January According to the shelter's 2023 tax filings the organization ran a deficit of $567,974 for the year Public filings for the nonprofit showed total revenue of more than $1.8 million the bulk of it from contributions and grants and total expenses of more than $2.4 million The group ended 2023 with net assets of more than $571,000 total revenue was significantly higher at nearly $2.8 million The organization ended that year in the black Figures for the 2024 tax year aren't yet available the city acknowledged residents’ concerns over the issue saying it has worked with the organization to find solutions "While SPARC has stated that contract negotiations have stalled we have consistently expressed our willingness to discuss funding and service adjustments," the release said a study session with both sides resulted in "no successful outcomes," the document noted Gore-Jones said the center plans to discontinue its services unless the city floats a bond for a new shelter small and wasn't originally built to be a shelter Since the message went out to the community via social media on Thursday Gore-Jones has heard from a lot of emotional people Gore-Jones said she believes residents will go to Ventura County Animal Services The facility will review how it can move forward and will focus “very strongly” on becoming a spay and neuter program Mayor Pedro Chavez said in a text message it was "truly unfortunate" that SPARC made its decision to end its relationship with the city Residents with animal-related concerns are asked to contact the Santa Paula Police Department’s Animal Control Officer at 805-525-4474 A 111-unit affordable housing development in Santa Paula got a boost through a $1.5 million loan from a housing nonprofit Housing Trust Fund Ventura County announced the land acquisition loan to support Topa Vista Villas planned in the 550 block of West Harvard Blvd The loan will be combined with $3 million in funding from Century Housing for a combined $4.5 million to start the multifamily project The total project cost is estimated at $81.4 million The Housing Trust loan is for three years at the below-market interest rate of 5% "These deals require multiple layers of funding (public and private loans and grants) to pencil out," she wrote Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026, according to a news release Completion and occupancy could happen in early 2028 Braunschweiger said in response to a question about delays over construction costs or possible federal funding issues that the developers understand the market and prepare budgets based on years of experience no question these are tricky times and construction delays are a concern as in escalating costs," Braunschweiger said "Our loans have an approved automatic six-month extension in the agreements if needed." Topa Villa Vistas was previously known as Santa Paula 112 The development will feature 28 three-bedroom 28 two-bedroom and 55 one-bedroom units along with a three-bedroom manager's unit The complex will serve households earning 60% or less of the area median income Some 35% of the units will be reserved for formerly homeless households earning 30% or less of the area median income In Ventura County the area median income is currently calculated by the state as $125,600 for a family of four A four-story building will provide 126 parking spaces and 5,900 square feet of community space The development is a collaboration between Homes & Hope in Ventura in Ventura and the Santa Paula Housing Authority "Affordable housing projects like this are vital to Santa Paula because it allows our essential workers and families to live with dignity and remain part of the community," said James Mason community and economic development director for Santa Paula and keeps Santa Paula vibrant and diverse." The project is in its beginning stages as far as city entitlements and approvals The city is in the process of completing a concept review A brush fire started up Wednesday evening in an area of Santa Paula between the Santa Clara River and Highway 126 The blaze was first reported shortly before 7 p.m The fire was quickly estimated at 2 acres with the potential for 5 began as another fire took off just across the Ventura County line earlier in the day The Hughes Fire started in Castaic around 10:30 a.m Wednesday and by nightfall had reached nearly 9,400 acres according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection In Ventura County, an evacuation order had been issued on the eastern side Lake Piru to the Los Angeles County line and several additional areas were under evacution warning because of the Hughes Fire The order and warnings were expected to stay in place until 7 a.m A hiker who died Sunday at the Punch Bowls area near Santa Paula has been identified The 44-year-old Oxnard man was identified Monday as John Antonio Madrigal by the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office The agency found the cause of death was drowning with other significant conditions such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease Although preliminary information from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office indicated that Madrigal had fallen into the water a fellow hiker told The Star Monday that Madrigal dove into the water and could not get back out The other hiker said he jumped in the water twice to try to save the man he identified as his best friend He then ran to find a signal and texted 911 (This story has been updated with new information.) A house fire in Santa Paula Wednesday morning left three people with minor injuries They were initially told a resident was trapped inside a Ventura County Fire Department engineer paramedic and spokesperson Crews mounted an aggressive response and forced entry to the home as they searched for a possible victim it turned out everyone in the house had gotten out on their own Firefighters encountered heavy smoke and fire when arriving to the blaze at the city's north end They described finding "confirmed pack rat" conditions inside the home Two of the patients were taken to local hospitals and the third was treated at the scene The main fire had reportedly been knocked down by around 9 a.m firefighters were checking on extension into the attic area Fern Oaks Drive remained closed by the incident as of 10 a.m Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com A pedestrian critically injured by a car in Santa Paula Tuesday has died Santa Paula Police Chief Don Aguilar said in a news release Thursday Villanueva died at Ventura County Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon The accident took place shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Santa Barbara and Davis streets A woman in her 70s was driving westbound on Santa Barbara Street He was taken to the county medical center in critical condition The intersection has stop signs only for northbound and southbound traffic There is no stop sign for eastbound and westbound drivers on Santa Barbara Street The driver stopped and cooperated with police Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Yvette Solis at 805-826-7512 orysolis@spcity.org Editor's note: This story is one in a series on the Nov. 5 general election. For more coverage, visit vcstar.com/news/elections Santa Paula voters will choose two council members in the November election In the city's first district elections, voters will pick a candidate in two of its five newly drawn districts Voters cast a ballot for just one council candidate The other three districts will be up for election in 2026 Gabriela Ornelas is the only candidate whose name will appear on the ballot for District 1 east of Santa Paula creek and north of Main Street Three candidates are running in District 5 will face challengers Christina Eilar and Timothy Eubanks Council members set policy for the city of roughly 31,000 taking action on legislative matters from adopting local ordinances to approving budgets and housing developments Below are responses to The Star's questions in the candidates' own words They have been edited for clarity and space but The Star asked candidates and checked public voter rolls to include party registration information for readers Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot Occupation: Travel counselor and owner of Santa Paula Travel Service Education: Bachelor's degree in bilingual education Elected office and years in office: Santa Paula City Council Campaign website: Leslie Cornejo for Santa Paula City Council Facebook page what’s your top priority and how do you plan to accomplish it In the almost four years I have been on the Santa Paula City Council improving infrastructure and economic development While we have corrected and shored up our police department with many newly hired officers and increased training we have authorized and completed several major paving we still need to focus more attention on economic development As one of only two cities in our county that are growing in population I will work to attract solid businesses to the downtown district along the Hallock-126 corridor and the West End Business Park to serve our residents and produce more tax revenue I will use my wide experience in business and community to continue partnering with county state and federal legislators on additional funding for infrastructure projects and work to improve the quality of life for all residents of Santa Paula Education Bachelor's degree in mathematics Campaign website: christinaforsp.com My top priority is to invest in the future Together we can build a future full of opportunity and stability for our early professionals I focus on housing as a fundamental need and plan to push housing policies to give residents options and to prevent homelessness or residents moving away Our positive growth needs a base of quality education and I will continue to advocate for accessible education for every kind of student through the community colleges and other development programs walkable and inviting cityscape with consistent attention and resources to infrastructure Campaign website: Facebook page of Tim Eubanks for Santa Paula City Council District 5 my top priorities will be: Public safety: Fully staff our police department enhance officer training and explore grants for public safety funding to ensure our community's well-being Infrastructure: Conduct thorough assessments prioritize projects and explore funding options to revamp our crumbling infrastructure Responsible spending: Eliminate wasteful spending implement zero-based budgeting and increase transparency in spending decisions establish community benefit standards and prioritize citizen benefits Economic expansion: Conduct economic development studies offer business incentives and enhance workforce development programs No new taxes: Explore alternative revenue streams implement cost-saving measures and enhance tax collection efficiency ensuring transparent decision-making and collaborative governance Fire crews battled a blaze at a business near the Santa Paula railroad tracks Saturday night The Ventura County Fire Department responded to report of smoke at a lot at the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Railroad Avenue around 8 p.m. The fire was in a central area of the city adjacent to the Museum of Ventura County's Agricultural Museum vehicles and tires on fire and fought to extinguish the blaze The business was described as a commercial outdoor storage yard and it is unclear whether the business was open at the time of the fire No surrounding structures were affected by the fire and it was extinguished shortly after 10 p.m. (This story has been updated with new information from police.) A worker at a Santa Paula discount retailer suffered life-threatening injures when he was shot on the job Wednesday evening Santa Paula Police Department officers received a call just before 6 p.m from a clerk at the Thomas 99 Cents Plus store saying he had been shot on a mostly commercial stretch east of South Steckel Drive No other employees or shoppers had been in the store at the time of the shooting The 50-year-old Ventura man suffered a single gunshot wound The man was transported to a local hospital after being treated by Ventura County Fire Department and AMR ambulance crews The victim remained in critical condition as of Friday morning The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived Aguilar declined to release additional details including a possible motive for the shooting saying the matter was still under investigation It wasn't yet clear whether the two knew each other The department asked anyone with information about the incident to call Detective Yvette Solis 805-826-7512 Members of the Santa Paula school community rallied around a former elementary school principal who was initially listed in critical condition from the Dec. 24 crash on Highway 126 east of Fillmore The man was identified by the Santa Paula Unified School District as Alfredo Varela Glen City Elementary Global Steam Academy's principal for two years until June his family and the families of those who tragically lost their lives in the accident," Superintendent Jeffrey Weinstein said in the post Varela's condition was described by hospital officials as stable as of Tuesday evening He started working for the district in 2017 as a Spanish teacher for Santa Paula High School until moving into administration He is employed as an assistant principal for Lake Elsinore Unified School District according to his LinkedIn profile and the Lake Elsinore district website The two-vehicle collision happened around 2 p.m Christmas Eve after the 2024 Volvo SUV Varela was driving veered across the center median and crashed into a 2019 Lexus heading eastbound the California Highway Patrol had previously reported Varela was flown by helicopter to Ventura County Medical Center while the other two occupants of the Volvo were transported to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital by ambulance with moderate injuries The crash also killed Santa Paula residents Carlos Otoniel Perez, 39, and Maria Guadalupe Ceja, 31 The couple had been together for over a decade and were beloved by their community owner and director of Robert Rey Garcia Jr Memorial services for the pair were set to start Friday in Santa Paula and finish with a funeral mass Saturday morning, according Garcia and Perez's obituary Editor's note: This story was updated with the final election results on Dec In Santa Paula's first district elections council member Leslie Cornejo kept her seat on the dais in the only competitive City Council race and a sales tax ballot measure sailed through according to the final election results on Tuesday Cornejo won with 47.6% of the 2,157 ballots counted Christina Eilar had 38.2% and Timothy Eubanks 14% The district includes the city's west side Gabriela Ornelas ran unopposed for the District 1 seat north of Highway 126 Voters approved Measure R, a one-cent sales tax increase that will allow the city to collect $4.5 million a year indefinitely had 60% "yes" votes out of 10,018 ballots counted What to know about the Santa Paula City Council raceThe city has approximately 31,000 residents. In the city's first district elections, voters pick a candidate in two of its five newly drawn districts Cornejo has been on the council since 2020 it needs at least 50% plus one vote to pass Proponents say the money is needed to pay for much-needed street repairs filling potholes and preventing sinkholes more quickly than current funding would allow Opponents say the measure would not expire until voters repeal it and go into the city's general fund and be spent on any city expense For more coverage of local races in the Nov. 5 general election, visit vcstar.com/news/elections A farm machine was reported to fully involved in flames in a dirt field at Santa Paula Street and Cummings Road at about 1:35 p.m Crews responded to a smoking mulch pile in the 200 block of Grand Avenue in Fillmore on Saturday A farm machine was fully involved in fire in a dirt field at Santa Paula Street and Cummings Road in Santa Paula at about 1:35 p.m The call came shortly after three fire engines dozer and water tender were putting out a smoking mulch fire in Fillmore at 2278 Grand Avenue reported on the WatchDuty fire app at 12:56 p.m The Fillmore fire was initially reported as a vegetation fire Following the discovery of the smoking mulch fire a few minutes later the calls for other firefighting apparatus were canceled An inmate in Ventura County's jail system died last month during a hospital stay had been admitted to Santa Paula Hospital on Jan the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Wednesday Meade died the following evening after receiving advanced medical care The Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office on Wednesday reported the cause of death as pneumonia influenza A and Staphylococcus aureus with other significant conditions as congestive heart failure Aaron Grass said Meade had been taken to the hospital for previously existing medical conditions unrelated to his jail stay He had previously been housed at Todd Road Jail outside Santa Paula. A major upgrade project finished in 2023 installed a new unit at the facility for treating medical and mental health issues Ventura County Superior Court records show Meade had a few misdemeanor convictions in recent years including a misdemeanor elder abuse and drug possession case from November He had pleaded no contest to the two charges on Dec was released on 36 months probation with a suspended sentence after county probation officials reported violations The sheriff's major crimes bureau is investigating the death In November, double-murder defendant Tony Garcia, 70, died in custody after being severely injured in county jail in April Garcia was left comatose after allegedly being attacked by another inmate He had died at a Simi Valley hospital after being transferred from a care facility The Santa Paula High girls water polo program had never won a playoff game the Cardinals are in a CIF-Southern Section final 9-6 win over Hemet in the Division 5 semifinals Tuesday night at Rio Mesa High Santa Paula punched its ticket to the championship game Saturday at Mount San Antonio College An elated Santa Paula team shoved head coach Trevor Dasnoit into the pool in celebration of a success that was a long time coming “We just keep reminding ourselves that we want it more that we can do hard things,” Santa Paula utility player Julianna Magana said The Cardinals (17-12) will play El Dorado on Saturday at 10:50 a.m It was a historic day in the pool for area teams Nordhoff advanced to a CIF-SS girls water polo final for the first time in program history with a 7-3 victory over Palm Springs in a Division 6 semifinal at Villanova Prep Cali McDaniel had three steals and an assist Cynthia Fregoso had two steals and an assist More: Five local girls soccer teams advance to CIF-Southern Section semifinals Nordhoff will play Anaheim on Saturday at 1:30 p.m Oaks Christian reached a CIF-SS Open Division final for the first time in program history with a dramatic 12-11 win in double overtime on the road over top-seeded Mater Dei and Alex Stoddard saved two 5-meter penalty shots including one with five seconds left to end the game in double overtime Oaks Christian won all three of its games in Pool A to reach the Open final whose only CIF-SS title came in 2019 when they beat Mira Costa 9-8 to capture the Division 3 crown will play Newport Harbor on Saturday at 12:10 p.m but missed out on the playoffs in its first few seasons Dasnoit built the program up to make a strong run into the playoffs in 2018 but the Cardinals suffered an 11-8 loss to Paloma Valley in the first round “It was just a massive heartbreak,” Dasnoit said ‘Oh my goodness,’ because it was so much work to realize we were still a first-round elimination.” More: Boys basketball: St. Bonaventure, Oak Park reach Division 2A semifinals to help prepare youth players for the high school level the Cardinals’ playoff struggles continued The Cardinals program had zero playoff wins as they headed into the 2025 postseason Santa Paula broke the playoff curse this postseason winning the first playoff game in program history against Fontana on Feb and rode that wave to the championship game “They caught the bug and the excitement of it,” Dasnoit said they are really good teammates and they want to keep playing That is the thing — more than they want to win The team’s will to keep playing together was tested Tuesday night when Hemet’s Bouquet Vinyard scored to tie the semifinal game in the opening minutes of the final quarter A goal from Magana just 22 seconds later put the Cardinals back on top goal) scored with four minutes left to give Santa Paula a two-goal buffer at 7-5 Magana found the net twice more in the back half of the quarter nullifying a late Hemet goal as the Cardinals prevailed When asked what clicked for Santa Paula over the back half of the game “Julianna just gives us that extra push that we need.” Her success scoring inside came after Hemet stopped double-teaming as tightly close to the goal over the course of the second half “The drop definitely loosened up and they were smart enough to see it and execute,” Dasnoit said “We started hammering the ball inside and once that happened I think the game started to really take off.” assist) scored first for the Cardinals off an Elyssa Garcia assist four just three minutes into the game Hemet responded with three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead Scores from Magana and Deana Soto tied the game at halftime Deneef traded a goal with Hemet's Claire Fredricksen in quick succession in the third quarter before another Magana goal gave Santa Paula a short-lived 5-4 lead heading into the fourth goalkeeper Charlotte Powell had 12 saves and two steals Powell’s play in the net is a big reason Santa Paula is headed to the final she has just gotten better and better and better,” Dasnoit said Santa Paula’s defense forced Hemet into shooting from the perimeter She made three saves in the fourth quarter as Santa Paula dominated on the offensive end Powell splashed her arms into the water in growing anticipation of the final buzzer “I just knew that I didn’t want to give up and I really wanted to win.” Santa Paula hasn’t won a sectional title in any sport since 1994 “We hope we can bring it home for our program the whole school and the town,” Cortez said Dominic Massimino is a staff writer for the Star He can be reached at dominic.massimino@vcstar.com follow @vcsdominic on Twitter and Instagram And a major renovation project is in the works the Santa Paula City Council voted 4-0 to approve the landmark designation for the theater at 982 E with Councilmember Gabriela Ornelas absent The ordinance will return to the council on Feb The venue was Ventura County's oldest purpose-built movie theater as well as the city's last single-screen theater, according to a city report "My goal is to revitalize it and bring the theater back," said owner David Berger making it a landmark and really respecting the building and its history." The Ojai Playhouse, which was closed for 10 years, reopened in November after receiving $10 million worth of upgrades The Santa Paula theater is similar to the playhouse in that the building needs to be restored and will take a few years before it opens "It's in a place where it can be restored back into a cinema," Berger said of the Santa Paula venue marquee and murals remain intact from a renovation in that era The historical designation requires the owner to maintain the landmark in good condition charging repair costs as a lien against the property The designation will also allow the owner to receive tax breaks for certain maintenance Any significant changes to the building would be subject to a public hearing by the Historic Preservation Commission The theater changed its name multiple times over the years, according to the history provided in the application for landmark designation The movie house began as the Elektra Theatre from 1911 to 1919 It became the Mission Theatre for much of the 1920s the Fox West Coast movie chain transformed the building renamed it the Tower Theater When the theater was known as the Mission Theatre Spanish-language programming launched around 1925 actively reached out to the city's large Mexican community Mexican cinema and Hollywood movies with Mexican stars Councilmember Carlos Juarez said in the early 1910s and 1920s Santa Paula was segregated "It's a welcome sight to see that they built a theater for the Mexican people and obviously they gravitated to it," Juarez said The theater's history shows Teatro Mission apparently was operated as a nonsegregated venue said he watched Mexican movies there before it closed in 1972 "I look forward to it being designated a historic landmark because it's a very unique building," Juarez said Councilmember Leslie Cornejo said she has seen the building for nearly 40 years and has always wished something would be done about its condition because of its historic significance to preserve the history of the theater as well as the architecture is really Scan through the Ventura County basketball statistical leaderboards and you’ll find one name repeat itself near the top of almost every list: Valdovinos Santa Paula High senior floor general Jose Valdovinos ranks second among local players in assists while the Cardinals freshman sharpshooter Andrew Valdovinos leads in 3-pointers made Jose learned the game from his brother Froy Valdovinos Froy played basketball at Santa Paula and graduated in 2005 basketball was the name of the game in the Valdovinos family “My brother always says he took (Andrew) to the park to play pickup and he has touched the ball since he was like 2,” Jose Valdovinos said “I never liked toys,” Andrew Valdovinos added with a grin Andrew and Santa Paula sophomore David Alvarez the third attacking guard in the Cardinals’ potent trio this season He mentored them on all aspects of the game teaching the importance of proper shooting mechanics and hustle Hustle was particularly important for Andrew who was smaller than most of his competition Playing up in higher age groups alongside Jose “That’s what helped me — you have got to hustle everybody and be the best one on the court.” Their three-year age difference also meant that Andrew and Jose weren’t able to play basketball together in middle school Only in AAU ball and in training could they share the court Andrew knew would finally get the chance to play alongside his uncle for their school provided he earned a spot on the varsity team Santa Paula head coach Scott Hannah spotted a kid practicing his jump shot from across the gym “He would sit there and make 30 shots in a row,” Hannah said Fast forward just a few short months and Jose Andrew and Alvarez have led Santa Paula to its third consecutive playoff berth and a runner-up Citrus Coast League campaign The Cardinals (16-10) will travel to California Academy of Math & Science (11-6) for a CIF-Southern Section Division 4AA first-round game Wednesday at 7 p.m Andrew was leading all local players in 3-pointers made per game at 4.8 Having gotten to see the younger Valdovinos’ shooting talents up close this season Hannah has grown more impressed than he was that first day in the Santa Paula gym “I don’t know that there is anybody better in this county than Andrew at shooting the ball,” Hannah said Andrew and Alvarez all rank in the top 10 among local players in scoring and are among the top 15 in 3-pointers made “They came in being really good shooters,” Hannah said “They are playing at the park all the time They come in and spend a lot of time on form shooting The Cardinals’ run-and-gun offense relies heavily on the shooting the trio provides Jose was double-teamed out of a ball screen he swung the ball over his head into the waiting hands of Andrew But chemistry doesn’t always mean effortless buckets Jose kicked the ball to Andrew in the left corner opting to drive baseline and take a contested layup “I treat him like every other one of my teammates,” Jose said “I hold him to high standards because I know he has potential out there.” “We really have confidence in each other when we are playing,” Alvarez said “As soon as (Jose) thinks we were able to create a play or we should have shot one The feedback and the example his uncle sets are fuel for the freshman’s fire “I have got to push myself to be better than him,” Andrew said I am going to try to be like him one day.” Ventura County authorities say a former school official at a Santa Paula elementary school allegedly molested eight children while previously working there Thousand Oaks resident David Lane Braff Jr. was arrested Friday morning and subsequently charged with 17 felony counts of lewd acts on a child younger than 14 Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko's office announced Friday evening Braff was employed as a school counselor at McKevett Elementary School from 2015 through 2019 part of the Santa Paula Unified School District Prosecutors allege Braff molested students age 6 to 10 in a school office The DA's complaint included special allegations that the crimes involved planning and sophistication and that the victims were particularly vulnerable Such allegations can bring heavier sentences if a defendant is convicted the school district said officials were aware of the recent arrest of a former employee concerning allegations of sexual abuse "while the individual was employed with the district" in 2018 the district took immediate action by launching an internal investigation and working in close collaboration with law enforcement," the statement read closing with a comment: "We are horrified by this incident and remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all students and staff." along with prosecutors with expertise in child sexual abuse launched an investigation of Braff last month in consultation with the Santa Paula Police Department Santa Paula Police Chief Don Aguilar on Friday deferred to the DA's office for comment Braff was working as an assistant principal and school counselor at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles The school issued a statement Friday night attributed to William Toomey "Ingenium Charter Middle School is devastated to learn of the recent allegations Upon learning of the allegations from McKevett Elementary in Ventura County Ingenium took immediate actions to ensure the safety of its students," the statement said adding the school is working closely with authorities to support the investigation and we are dedicated to taking all necessary steps to uphold the trust and safety of our students Ingenium encourages any individuals with relevant information to cooperate fully with law enforcement and to contact the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office." who are still looking into the defendant's employment history believe he worked at other Southern California schools and may have volunteered for youth organizations “The defendant is alleged to have molested multiple elementary school children over a number of years shattering the trust placed in him by parents and the public,” Nasarenko said in a statement “We intend to vigorously prosecute this case and encourage others to come forward who may have information about additional victims and crimes." Given Braff's history of having access to children the investigation and prosecution remain ongoing Braff remained in Ventura County jail custody Saturday morning with bail set at $3 million Arraignment is set for Monday afternoon in room 13 of Ventura County Superior Court Authorities said people who believe they were victimized by Braff or who witnessed suspicious conduct can contact DA Investigator Greg Webb at 805-477-1627 Potential witnesses and victims outside Ventura County are also encouraged to contact Webb Santa Paula/s Tower Theater first opened in 1911 It’s also the city’s newest historic landmark The Santa Paula City Council this week gave landmark status to the 114 year old theater After starting out during the silent film era it eventually became known for its Spanish language offerings The downtown Santa Paula theater is currently owned by David Berger an investor and theater enthusiast who spent millions redoing and reopening the historic Ojai Playhouse He’s now in the process of restoring the Tower Theater A judge ordered a former Santa Paula school counselor suspected of molesting eight students held without bail Monday and rolled over his arraignment on the charges for a month The order by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Russel-Paul H cannot be released from county jail at least for now had originally been allowed to be released if he could raise $3 million in bail made his first court appearance Monday in connection with the case He did not enter a plea as is common at this early stage of the proceedings in a major criminal case when a hearing on the cancellation of bail is also scheduled Kawai appointed the Ventura County Public Defender's Office to represent the defendant who appeared in a secured area of the courtroom for inmates The District Attorney's Office charged Braff last week with 17 counts of lewd conduct upon children under age 14 between 2015 and 2019 at McKevett Elementary School in Santa Paula The alleged offenses occurred in Braff's office Prosecutor Brent Nibecker said the victims were girls in the first through fifth grades The DA's Office asked the judge to order the defendant held without bail based on the number of victims and the defendant's apparent access to children an attorney with the Public Defender's Office objected to the DA's proposal to refuse bail He argued that no hearing had been held and that $3 million was sufficient Kawai stood firm but said he was willing to revisit the matter at the Dec Nibecker said the DA's office has received tips that the defendant may have molested children in areas outside Santa Paula since the agency issued a news release Friday about the allegations He was working as an assistant principal at Ingenium Charter Middle School in Los Angeles when he was arrested last week Investigators in the DA's office believe he had also worked in a number of school districts around Ventura County and for a recreation district Reach her at kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com or 805-206-8805 Organize Nurses and health care workers from Ventura County will hold an informational picket and address the Board of Supervisors on Sept to oppose the board’s approval to close the Santa Paula Hospital intensive care unit (ICU) and obstetrics units announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) Staff from Santa Paula Hospital in Santa Paula will be joined by staff from Ventura County Medical Center Nurses are keenly aware that serious problems can arise and when laboring mothers or critically ill patients are forced to transfer from one hospital to another because of service shutdowns at their local facility patients are often already forced to wait long periods for an ambulance when we are dealing with emergency situations we have seen people wait too long for ambulances to take them to Ventura County Medical Center from Santa Paula,” said Mary Ann Chase a registered nurse at Santa Paula Hospital and a CNA union member “This problem can only get worse if these units end up closing This is unacceptable when we are talking about people’s lives and well-being These proposed closures will overwhelm other surrounding area hospitals and put the Santa Clara Valley patients at risk of delayed life-saving care.” Who: Nurses and healthcare workers from Santa Paula Hospital and Ventura County Medical Center What: Informational picket and address before Board of Supervisors against unit closures at Santa Paula Hospital When and Where: Tuesday near the Ventura County Government Center at 800 S CA Board of Supervisors Meeting: 9 a.m. Hall of Administration building at the Ventura County Government Center we take our duty to serve the public seriously and we expect the same from hospital administration and especially our elected officials,” said Jon Serano a registered nurse at Santa Paula Hospital and a member of CNA “The unit closures could be the beginning of the end for our hospital we anticipate an overall drop in morale and increase in unsafe working conditions that will negatively impact the recruitment and retention of experienced nurses and health care professionals We know that experienced nurses are critical to providing the highest quality of care that our patients deserve Our community deserves a full-service facility with no cuts to staffing or services Cuts to patient care services at Santa Paula Hospital will have negative long-lasting impacts for our communities.” CNA represents over 800 Ventura County health care workers and licensed vocational nurses who work at two hospitals including the Ventura County Medical Center and Santa Paula Hospital California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and nearly 225,000 RNs nationwide CE courses are free to National Nurses United members See all classes If you’re interested in organizing a union at your facility Contact us See all issues © 2010 - 2025 National Nurses United    |    Privacy Policy Large black tarps draped the sides of kindergarten classrooms shrouding two recently painted murals at Glen City Elementary Global STEAM Academy in Santa Paula Tuesday morning on the lawn in front of the roughly 32-foot-by-10-foot murals brought in more than 40 people involved in the project and local officials Students from fifth and sixth grade classes recited a poem in both Spanish and English during the ceremony The crowd mimicked drumroll sounds while a group of students untied the rope holding the tarp letting it drop and revealing the colorful background The first mural depicts monarch butterflies in different stages of their life cycles flying around a lemon tree the second mural depicts smiling students gathered around a book surrounded by different scientific symbols Both works were made mostly using spray paint by local artist Sergio “Checko” Martinez He has painted other murals across the city including one at El Capricho Restaurant and Cantina Capping the celebration was a performance by 10-year-old Abril Lopez who performed a traditional folk dance in the center of a circle formed by attendees of the event Kindergarteners from the school joined her in the center during her performance The dance was meant to showcase the importance of the community rallying around and uplifting children "People in the community are meant to drive by and see the mural and talk about it and through that get the discussion around early childhood education going," Aguirre said The community aspect of the Isabella Project is important to the over 125 members who work on it The group is comprised of community leaders who work in different organizations around the county "They each give their own perspective and input on how best to steer the program and provide high quality early childhood education," said Vanessa Bechtel CEO and president of the Ventura County Community Foundation There are about 900 children in Santa Paula between ages 3 and 4 and fewer than about one-third of those children can afford early childhood education The Isabella Project would add as many as 150 jobs to support families through childcare Given the state and federal funds for early childhood education the project aims to build the infrastructure so the money can flow in "The Isabella Project will be just another strong example of what Santa Paula can accomplish together," said Jack Hinojosa, co-chair of the project and CEO of Childhood Development Resources of Ventura County A Santa Paula housing project for farmworkers and low-income residents is seeking additional applicants for remaining spaces has received nearly 890 applications so far "All were processed but not all applicants qualified," said Nicole Ramos, chief human resources and administration officer of People's Self-Help Housing, the nonprofit San Luis Obispo-based developer behind the project Challenges have included people not responding or no longer being interested Other obstacles include finding qualified farmworkers or potential residents who meet income requirements Applications will be accepted on a first-come 21 are set aside for farmworker households and one for a manager The first group of residents moved in Sept People’s Place serves families and farmworkers earning between 30% to 60% of the area median income In Ventura County a one-person household earning $29,950 annually is considered at 30% of the area median income said in March the project has had some delays since May 2020 when the Santa Paula Planning Commission approved it COVID-19 delayed a state administered tax-credit program for several months getting electrical equipment added another four months to the timeline How much did the project cost?The project’s total cost is about $37 million including $25 million in construction costs state and county funding sources contributed to the project which was also aided by tax credits and other loans For more information on the application process, visit pshhc.org/PPL. If you’re unable to complete forms online or have questions, contact 805-229-1995 or email ppl@pshhc.org for special assistance Students wave flags and hold signs during a Feb 3 protest at the Vons shopping center in Santa Paula opposing recent orders issued by President Donald Trump about immigration policy A Santa Paula housing complex for farmworkers and low-income residents celebrated its opening Tuesday The 69-unit People’s Place, at 710 W. Harvard Blvd. serves families and farmworkers earning between 30% to 60% of the area median income In Ventura County a one-person household earning $29,550 annually is considered at 30% of the area median income On-site amenities include a community center Residents also have access to free supportive services The first group of residents moved in on Sept The total project cost from nonprofit People's Self-Help Housing, the San Luis Obispo-based developer, is about $37 million, including $25 million in construction costs. For more information, go to pshhc.org A Santa Paula doctor received two years in federal prison Monday for his role in bilking Medicare of more than $3 million who pleaded guilty to health care fraud in July was also ordered in federal court in Los Angeles to pay nearly $3.3 million in restitution for billing medically unnecessary services through two Pasadena hospice companies Federal prosecutors said Contreras and two others accused in the scheme — Juanita Antenor of Lancaster — submitted $4 million in false and fraudulent claims through Arcadia Hospice Provider Inc Black allegedly recruited patients for the companies in exchange for illegal kickbacks She has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to go to trial on March 4 Medicare only covers hospice services for patients who are expected to live six months or less To make patients eligible for hospice services covered by Medicare Contreras falsely stated on claims forms that they had terminal illnesses often using hospice workers' diagnoses and without verifying they were true He was not the patients' primary care physician and had not spoken to their doctors about their conditions The justice department said Medicare paid on the claims supported by Contreras’ false information Contreras is still a licensed physician in California but has been on probation with the state licensing board since 2015 He is subject to limitations on his practice Simi Valley man convicted in child molestation caseA Simi Valley man was convicted Friday in Ventura County Superior Court on two felony counts of inappropriate acts upon a child A jury found 53-year-old Antonio Canseco guilty of lewd acts upon a child that grew out of an investigation into a January 2020 incident where he was reported for molesting an 8-year-old a spokesperson for the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Investigators with the Simi Valley Police Department also found evidence of additional inappropriate acts with the child from a year prior Prosecutors said Canseco gained access to the victim through a familial relationship Jurors also found true special allegations that could add to Canseco's sentence Included were that he took advantage of a position of trust and that the victim was vulnerable according to a news release from the DA's office Canseco is free on $50,000 bail until his sentencing on Jan He faces a maximum of 10 years in state prison A 17-year-old from Simi Valley is facing 22 felony counts related to child pornography The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office has filed a juvenile petition against the teen for possession or control of child sexual abuse material or child porn distribution and possession with intent to distribute the materials to an adult and using a minor for sex acts The teen is also charged with two special allegations of possessing more than 600 illegal images some of which include sado-masochistic acts The district attorney's office said the investigation started after receiving several tips from multiple electronic service providers and social media sites The online material involved the exploitation and sexual assault of children as young as infants The probe led to 17-year-old from Simi Valley The DA's special investigation unit worked with its counterparts in local and federal agencies to serve a search warrant Dec He was arrested and taken to Juvenile Hall The teen appeared in juvenile court Thursday when the case was set for a pretrial conference on Dec Editor's note: This story is one in a series on the Nov. 5 general election. For more coverage, visit vcstar.com/news/elections If Santa Paula voters approve a one-cent sales tax increase on Nov the city could collect $4.5 million a year indefinitely The proposed sales tax has no expiration date voters would need to end the tax in a future election Proponents of Measure R – called the City of Santa Paula Streets City Services Measure – say the money is needed to pay for much-needed street repairs The funds also could be used for expenses related to 911 emergency response retaining local businesses and senior or youth programs the revenue could be used for those or any other city program or service The funds would go into the general fund of the city of roughly 31,000 A "yes" vote on Measure R would OK the additional one-cent tax Locally, only Port Hueneme and Oxnard top Santa Paula's current sales tax of 8.25% Santa Paula would have a sales tax of 9.25% until the city's previous tax measure expires What is Measure T?Eight years ago, Santa Paula voters supported the previous one-cent sales tax measure that is still in effect officials had initially estimated the general sales tax could generate roughly $2.1 million annually totaled more than $4 million in recent years the funds were credited with carrying the city through difficult financial times The money has been used to support the police department public works projects such as street repairs parks and recreation services and other expenses The measure passed with 58% of the vote in November 2016 The 20-year sales tax is set to expire in 2036 Who opposes Measure R?Measure R would not expire until voters repeal it a board member for the Ventura County Taxpayers Association He called it a great-grandchildren tax – "great-grandchildren will still be paying it," he said The association wrote a rebuttal to the argument in favor of the measure which appears in the voter information guide one problem is that the money would go into the city's general fund and be spent on any city expense The measure specifically lists items such as street and pothole repairs could be used for any general city purpose." How many votes would pass Measure R?Arguments in favor of Measure R say the sales tax comes with accountability requirements including public disclosure of spending and financial audits the cost does not only apply to local property owners but on anyone who makes purchases in the city "We just need that extra infusion to do some local improvements that are long overdue," said Kay Wilson-Bolton a longtime Santa Paula resident and local business owner It will be up to all residents to hold elected officials accountable and make sure the money is spent on what they voted for who signed onto one of the arguments in favor of Measure R The measure needs a simple majority or 50% plus one vote to pass How to vote: Early voting started in person on Oct. 7 at the elections division in the Ventura County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave. in Ventura. Ten additional vote centers will open throughout the county on Oct Voters also can return ballots by mail, at an official drop-off box or the county elections office. Ballots need to be signed and dropped off by 8 p.m. on Election Day or postmarked by Nov. 5 if returned by mail. More information is available at venturavote.org Voter registration: Those eligible can register in person to vote all the way through Election Day. Called conditional voter registration or same-day registration the state allows eligible voters to fill out a ballot and a registration form at the same time Track your ballot: Voters can track their ballot at california.ballottrax.net/voter to see when it is mailed Latest election news: vcstar.com/news/elections/ Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.