Saturday Feb 27 at North Mountain Hambuger Bash

For more than 20 years the San Jacinto Community Builders has hosted an annual Hamburger Bash to raise money for local youth to pursue their academic dreams.

This year's event will be co-hosted with the San Jacinto Education Foundation. It will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 27 at North Mountain Middle School, 1202 E. Seventh St. in San Jacinto. For $5, diners will get a hamburger with all the trimmings, potato salad, chips and salsa, dessert and a beverage. Take-out is also available.
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2 Jazz Concerts at Mt. San Jacinto College

"I am tasked to tell the story of the Army to America," says trombonist-vocalist Jeff Adams, a Hemet native who performs with the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors.
A musician for the U.S. Army, Jeff Adams has played for audiences from all over the country. On Saturday and Sunday, he will be playing at Mt. San Jacinto College for people from his hometown.

Adams, 42, is a trombone player and vocalist for the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors, a prestigious band based in Fort Meade, Md., outside of Washington.

He spends about 100 days each year, traveling around the country to tell local communities about the Army through music.
"I am tasked to tell the story of the Army to America," Adams said. "To put a human face and touch to the Army uniform."

Adams graduated from Hemet High School in 1985, received a bachelor's degree from Cal State Long Beach in commercial music and taught at high schools in the San Jacinto Valley in the mid 1990s.

This weekend, Adams will be playing with the MSJC Golden Eagles Big Bands directed by Bob Waner, who was Adams' music teacher and the person who introduced him to the trombone in elementary school.

"He was one of the students who did everything I asked him to do," Waner said. "And it paid off. He turned out to be a great musician."

Some of the music Adams and the Golden Eagles plan to perform include "Fly Me to the Moon" and "It Had to be You."

As a part of his visit back home, Adams has been conducting band clinics at high schools in Hemet and San Jacinto this week.

Though Adams is not foreign to talking to students about music and the Army, he said it's nostalgic to visit the schools where he once learned and taught.

"I want to paint a realistic picture of being a musician for the kids," Adams said. "It can be really tough. And you have to hustle. But the payoff is very rewarding."

The concerts are set for 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the theater of Mt. San Jacinto College, San Jacinto Campus, 1499 N. State St.

Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for seniors, $5 for students in the college's Associated Student Body and free for children under 18. Reservations: 951-487-3790.
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11,500 Home Project OK'D west of San Jacinto

Riverside County supervisors on Tuesday again will consider a plan to build 11,150 homes in a scenic valley between Perris and San Jacinto, creating a new community of some 30,000 people on what is now mostly farmland.

The supervisors held a public hearing in December but postponed a decision on the proposed Villages of Lakeview. They asked staff to answer questions about a buffer zone between the homes and the neighboring San Jacinto Wildlife Area, where hunting is allowed, and to gather information about the county's existing stock of homes and approved developments.

Randall Lewis, executive vice president of Upland-based Lewis Group of Companies, expressed confidence in the development.
"This project has gone through many public hearings and significant reviews," he said.

The 2,786-acre development is opposed by environmentalists and some Lakeview-area residents, who say it would ruin the rural character of the area and harm the state-owned wildlife area.

Sue Nash, a member of Friends of the Northern San Jacinto Valley, said Thursday that the noise, traffic, lighting and stray cats and other pets from the new community would not be compatible.
"It would destroy the wildlife area," she said.

California Department of Fish and Game officials have said they are concerned that a portion of the project would put 1,780 homes between the wildlife area and Ramona Expressway. Future residents there most likely would be uncomfortable with hunting so close and could lobby to ban it, the department said in a comment letter.

The developer and Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley, who represents the region that includes Lakeview, have countered that a 500-foot buffer zone between homes and the hunting area would adequately separate the two land uses.

The development proposal is on the supervisors' afternoon agenda, starting at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Riverside County Administrative Center, 4080 Lemon St., Riverside.
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Ramona Bowl enlisting volunteers

FIX-IT LIST: Wish list of repairs compiled for 163-acre property
The Ramona Bowl has made a call for volunteers that isn’t just about getting people to make repairs. It’s about getting people involved at the Bowl. Period.

“How many people in the Valley have never been up here?” said Bob Fifield, a member of the Ramona Bowl board.

Fifield and longtime volunteer Al Cordova recently spent four hours walking the Bowl’s 163 acres and taking photos of the fixes that need to be made.

“We had a walkabout of the Bowl,” Cordova said.


The photographs were divided by area, such as cast house, seating, and hacienda, and are being used as an enlistment tool in presentations to service groups.

Repairs include replacing broken tiles, repairing damaged ceilings, and installing new doors. Floors need to be redone, sunshade fabric in the sky boxes replaced, and wheelchair signs refreshed.

It’s not only individual volunteers and service groups that can help. Cordova said the projects would be ideal for potential Eagle Scouts.

Over the years, “I’ve had about 15 to 20 Eagle projects up here,” Cordova said.

Among the projects Scouts have worked on was the installation of an area where people in wheelchairs could watch shows at the amphitheater.

The wish list is part of a tradition of the community helping at the Bowl, Fifield and Cordova said.

“The Bowl belongs to the community,” Fifield said.

That ownership extends to new residents.

“We want to make new people in the community feel like this is their heritage also,” Cordova said.

Though the two found much to repair in their walkabout, Fifield said they didn’t discover anything overwhelming.

“What surprised me was we don’t have anything big,” he said.

The walk had another benefit. Though the two have volunteered at the Bowl over decades, their search for repairs introduced them to areas they don’t normally work in.

“You get a different view of what it takes to keep this thing going,” Cordova said.

To sign up for a project on the wish list, call the Ramona Bowl at 658-3111. Financial donations for repairs are also welcome.

Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre
27400 Ramona Bowl Road, Hemet CA. 92544
Toll Free: 1-800-645-4465 / 951-658-3111or email: ramona@ramonabowl.com
The Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable corporation Federal Tax ID #95-1132365
Copyright © Ramona Bowl

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Little Lake Refilled

Little Lake is full again thanks to recent rains. It was drained for renovation by the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District.

Little Lake is brimming again.

This month's rain dumped so much water in the San Jacinto Mountains that the Lake Hemet Municipal Water District was able to fill the renovated and very pretty reservoir. The five-acre Valle Vista lake is part of the agency's historic irrigation flume system.

Little Lake was drained after district officials opted to end its longtime fishing concession in 2008 to remove junk that accumulated on its banks, dredge muck and improve a pumping system so it could be used to irrigate Valle Vista citrus groves.

"Little Lake is full," said Tom Wagoner, the district's general manager. "We're going to figure out what to do with it now."

Little Lake was called Anglers Lake by its amiable operators, Scot and Robyn Hochstetler, because they thought out-of-town fishermen would be reluctant to travel to a lake with little in its name. They stocked catfish in the summer and trout in the winter until the district ended fishing to clean up the lake.

Fishermen used to line up at its gate before dawn to claim parking spots at their favorite places on the lake's eucalyptus-shaded shore.

Fishermen complained loudly when it closed. District officials listened.

They hired a consultant to outline possible uses for the lake that is on 30 acres of district-owned land. It could be managed by a park district or as a private concession.

In March, they expect to review options such as fishing and a suggestion by Coral Hawley to create a walking path around its shoreline. Establishing callisthenic stations with equipment on the path also was suggested.

The lake was dry before winter, but was able to be filled because of the heavy flow of the San Jacinto River caused by recent rains. The district's flume system draws water from the river.

I, of course, have a better idea for recreation use of Little Lake. I won't charge even a penny as a consultant fee, though I might consider a free margarita.

Metropolitan Water District's much-larger Diamond Valley Lake was declared a no-touch reservoir of drinking water. Perhaps Little Lake, which holds only irrigation water, could fill Hemet's aquatic recreation void.

I suggest that the Lake Hemet district install a beach on its banks, including a tiki bar featuring reggae, Jimmy Buffet and Kenny Chesney tunes.

Besides fishing, sports such as windsurfing and beach volleyball could be offered.

Twin brothers Dave and Dennis Washburn of Washburn Ranch, who seem capable of having more fun than any farmers I've met, would be ideal managers of what could be known as Tiki Bar Beach.

Not only could the lake be a fun place, the water district could become the most profitable, and popular, public agency in the world.

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Season of Scholarships in the San Jacinto and Hemet area

Yvonne Pope, top left, Wanda Souza, right, and Betty Barney of the Valley Quilters Guild put finishing touches on "Floral Fantasy," the quilt that raised money for scholarships for local students. Each year the guild awards five $1,000 scholarships.
With winter coming to a close we can look forward to the next season. Spring? Nope, it's scholarship season. This is the time of year when students in our valley can reap the opportunities harvested by local nonprofit organizations.

For more than 20 years the San Jacinto Community Builders has hosted an annual Hamburger Bash to raise money for local youth to pursue their academic dreams.

This year's event will be co-hosted with the San Jacinto Education Foundation. It will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 27 at North Mountain Middle School, 1202 E. Seventh St. in San Jacinto. For $5, diners will get a hamburger with all the trimmings, potato salad, chips and salsa, dessert and a beverage. Take-out is also available.
I have attended the bash several times in the past and always enjoyed the food, the atmosphere and the opportunity to see familiar faces, such as co-chairs Nancy Warneke and Dee Cozart.

I have watched the kitchen bustle with activity as volunteers dish out potato salad and cooks stand over a hot grill flipping burgers at a fast pace. Bob Schroerlucke will serve as head hamburger chef again.

Kitchen supervisor Sharon Terracciano and dining room supervisor Cathy Schroerlucke will definitely have their hands full.

Bash traditions of opportunity drawings and boutique tables with handmade items for sale will be back, along with live music by the Biscuit Hill Band led by Rick and Sandy Van Der Linden. Table coordinators are Joan Rhodes and Sandy Weedman and Betty Garcia will coordinate the drawings.

Rose Salgado will supervise the dessert table. In the past the choices were cakes and pies of all kinds. It was very hard to decide on just one.

"This is a wonderful time for the community to come together and support the youth of our area," said Warneke.

Information, 951-654-4550.

Stitching for students

The recent Valley Quilters Guild 30th annual Quilt Show displayed "Floral Fantasy" -- an 88-inch by 88-inch quilt created by guild members during the past several months. Each year the group sells tickets for a chance to win a philanthropic quilt and the money goes into its scholarship fund to award $1,000 each to five students.

"Last year our totals were down because of the economy and we only had enough for four scholarships," said Valley Quilters Guild president Rose Rhoads. She said a guild member anonymously donated $1,000 so the group could continue its tradition of giving out five.

"We accept scholarship applications from local public and public charter schools in the Hemet-San Jacinto area," said Rhoads. "A 3.0 or higher scholastic average is expected. Applicants must be majoring in art, textiles or teaching."

The win-win opportunity quilt drawing will help local students keep on track with their education and it will also keep the winning ticket holder warm.

"The husband of a guild member won the quilt," said Rhoads. "It's always exciting when someone we know gets the quilt."

This year's Opportunity Quilt winner was James Fidler, of Hemet. His wife is Mary Fidler, a former guild president and past quilt show chair.

It will be May before we know which students win -- or rather earn -- scholarships awarded by Valley Quilters Guild.

Information, www.valleyquilters.org

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TV Commercials becoming popular at local venue

Advertisers are increasingly using the Western Science Center, designed by Michael Lehrer and Mark Gangi, for photo shoots. Companies include Allstate, Chevrolet, Lexus and Toyota.
The museum formerly known as the Western Center for Archaeology and Paleontology and its twin water-museum building continue to be photogenic.

The stunning museums near Diamond Valley Lake by Hemet provided the setting for a Cadillac photo shoot that wrapped up Friday.

A photographer shot pictures of several new Cadillac models at the museum campus.
The archaeology and paleontology museum's name was changed to the Western Science Center, which reflects its exhibits from a wide range of scientific fields. Its archaeology and paleontology collections of artifacts found during the construction of Diamond Valley Lake remain highlights.

Metropolitan Water District changed it admission-charging Water Education Center in the adjoining building to a free visitors center for the lake.

Photo sessions, often staged in the dramatic courtyard between the museums, are not just a matter of photographers arriving with a big set of cameras.

The productions involve semi trucks hauling cars, lighting experts and other members of a location crew, including a catering service. Last week's caterer took advantage of nice weather and barbequed.

Sue Tatosian, special events coordinator at the museum, said that photo shoots for cars are becoming more frequent.

It is a welcome activity because it garners income in location fees and provides exposure for the Western Science Center and the MWD building.

She said the crews told her they found the museums by surfing the Internet to view projects by architects they like.

Michael Lehrer and Mark Gangi designed the museum, making dramatic use of rectangle shapes and towers.

Other photo sessions included the Chevy Volt, Mercedes, Lexus and Toyota.

Allstate recently shot a commercial featuring the familiar, deep-voiced spokesman for the company, actor Dennis Haysbert.

"Oh, what a doll he is," said the slightly star-struck Tatosian, who was too bashful to chat with the approachable Haysbert. "He was congenial to everyone around him."

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Mt. San Jacinto class focuses on solar panel design

The sun is one of California's greatest assets and a new class at Mt. San Jacinto College will help students tap into it.

The course, titled "Renewable Energy: Photovoltaic Employment Training," will teach students to design, build and install solar panel systems, said Mark Hedges, who will teach the class.

Each student has a different reason for taking the class.
"The younger group, they're into the green movement. The older students, they need an industry that's going to carry them for the next 15 year," said Hedges, the president of UManageIt & Associates.

Students completing the 80-hour course will receive a certificate of knowledge.

The class is based on curriculum designed by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, an organization that aims to standardize renewable energy credentialing programs, Hedges said.

Kazen Sharifan, a Temecula resident and one of nine students in the course, said he wants to help people be energy independent.

That reason brought him to the United States from Iran in 1976. He came to learn how to run Iran's then-newly nationalized oil industry, he recalled.

Then the Islamic Revolution happened, and he decided to stay in the U.S. Now, he wants to rid the U.S. of its dependence on his former home's oil, he said.

"When I see somebody in a big SUV pumping gas, I just want to grab the nozzle," Sharifan said.

Other students hope to help the environment.

"We need to do it for ourselves, for the planet, for the future," said Fernando Cortez, a student from Menifee.

Cortez, who likes nature and hiking, said he has "always been green-minded."

He has a hybrid car and has a solar panel system on his 1,400-square-foot home.

Cortez said he has paid nothing for electricity since he put 32 photovoltaic panels on his roof.

"I know it works. It's 100 percent viable," he said.

Hedges agreed.

"For Californians, for us, it's a hot industry -- no pun intended -- but we got great sun," he said. "We're wasting one of our greatest resources."

Hedges, a retired Navy construction battalion chief, has been teaching classes on renewable energy for private companies and Riverside Community College for the last two years. He got involved in the business five years ago.

The class will meet twice a week for four hours at 6 p.m. and finish with a daylong field trip to a solar panel project site. The field trip will not only let students see what they learned in use, but it will help them make connections.

"A lot of them, because of the reputation we have and because of the site visits, the contractors will ask for a resume and (students) go to work for them," Hedges said.

The teacher's goal is to help students create resumes highlighting their skills with renewable energy technology.

Not only are designers and installers in demand, but other contractors with knowledge of renewable energy technologies are too, Hedges said.

"Like any business, it has a ripple effect," he said.

Chris Smith, a Moreno Valley contractor and a student in the class, is counting on the demand to help him get work.

"In California, you can't find a job with anything right now," he said.

Smith said he thinks renewable energy has a promising future and he hopes to be part of it.

"I don't want a job," he said. "I want a career."

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NHRA Winternationals in Pomona hope to set Records

San Jacinto's own EJ Veenstra says this is the year for Record Breaking.


POMONA - It was probably appropriate that Doug Kalitta picked up the win when the skies finally cleared over Auto Club Raceway. There's been a dark cloud hanging over him and his family for long enough.

Last June, Kalitta's cousin Scott Kalitta died when his Funny Car crashed during a race in Englishtown, N.J., triggering a wave of sorrow throughout the sport.

But when Doug posted an elapsed time of 3.822 seconds in the Top Fuel finals of the NHRA Winternationals on Tuesday -- besting Antron Brown's 3.847 and earning his first event victory since Scott's death -- it signaled, at least to some extent, a new beginning.

"I think of Scott when I'm up there on the line. Those thoughts are the ones that motivate you to get behind the wheel," said Doug Kalitta, who joined Scott and Scott's father, Connie, as the third Kalitta to win at Pomona. "I think he's proud that all three of us have won at the Winternationals. He's looking out for us for sure."

With rain plaguing the event since Thursday (the top two classes completed only one round of qualifying), the Winternationals concluded two days after the originally scheduled date. The top classes completed one round Sunday and three Tuesday.

But the delay probably didn't bother the winners too badly, considering how long it had been since their last victory.

Kalitta hadn't won since October 2007. As for Funny Car driver Ron Capps? Try May 2007.

But after cruising past Jim Head in the finals with a time of 4.154, the Carlsbad native's 2009 got off to a particularly auspicious start. Even so, his thoughts were with Kalitta.

"It was emotional, especially with Doug winning in front of me," Capps said. "I could imagine the emotions Connie and that whole group was going through. I was fighting back tears watching that."

To reach the final, Capps, 43, downed Funny Car power Robert Hight in the previous round. It was an intriguing semifinal, but perhaps not as compelling as the one between Head and Gary Densham, who were each competing without sponsors.

And had Head gone on to win the event, it would have been his first career victory. He's 60.

Kalitta's road to the final Tuesday included a win over Cory McClenathan in the quarterfinals and Upland resident Morgan Lucas in the semis. Five-time defending Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher lost to Brandon Bernstein in the quarters.

Jason Line won the Pro Stock division, beating Mike Edwards in the final. But the day belonged equally to Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson, who set a national record with an ET of 6.528 seconds in the quarterfinals.

2010 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Schedule
50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals Feb. 11-14 Pomona

Full Event Tickets
Top Eliminator Club (Best Value) $325.00
4-Day Reserved Seat (available via phone only) $150.00
4-Day General Admission $130.00
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Adult General Admission $25.00
Junior General Admission (6-12 years) $10.00
Friday, February 12, 2010
Adult General Admission $30.00
Junior General Admission (6-12 years) $10.00
Adult Reserved Seat $40.00
Junior Reserved Seat (6-12 years) $15.00
Child Reserved Seat (5 years & under) $10.00
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Adult General Admission $50.00
Junior General Admission (6-12 years) $10.00
Adult Reserved Seat $62.00
Junior Reserved Seat (6-12 years) $20.00
Child Reserved Seat (5 years & under) $10.00
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Adult General Admission $50.00
Junior General Admission (6-12 years) $10.00
Adult Reserved Seat $62.00
Junior Reserved Seat (6-12 years) $20.00
Child Reserved Seat (5 years & under) $10.00

Children 5 and under admitted FREE
to general admission areas.

EVERY TICKET'S A PIT PASS!
Upgrade to the Top Eliminator Club!
The Top Eliminator Club is the ultimate way to enjoy NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Upgrade to the Top Eliminator Club and enjoy prime starting line seating, access to the members-only TEC Hospitality Center, daily complimentary refreshments, complimentary catered meals on Saturday and Sunday and a special gift bag. Top Eliminator Club members also enjoy special appearances by drag racing stars of today and legends of yesteryear. The Top Eliminator Club is the best value in drag racing. Capacity is limited. Call 800-884-NHRA today or click the TEC logo to purchase your Top Eliminator Club tickets.

Group Tickets Start at $17.50
A day at the races is a great way to entertain clients, employees or friends. Ticket discounts of more than 30% are available to groups purchasing 20 or more tickets for any single day of the Kragen O’Reilly NHRA Winternationals presented by Valvoline. To place your group ticket order or for more information call Mike Fornataro at 626-250-2210 or email Mike at mfornataro@nhra.com.

How To Purchase Tickets
Individual event tickets may be purchased by calling the NHRA Ticket Office at 800-884-NHRA, on-line at Ticketmaster.com or at any Los Angeles area Ticketmaster outlet including Macy’s Stores.

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San Jacinto High Fox Club

More than 50 years ago, Fox Club members included from left, Blayne Wilson, Jim Quast and Wayne Wilson.
Schools offer students lots of opportunities to get involved in extracurricular activities. In 1955, a group of friends at San Jacinto High School formed an informal club to "bring together the young men that had the same interests in athletics and cars."

The Fox Club required its members to belong to the high school's Letterman's Club.

Ron Chapman, said they were also expected to maintain an acceptable grade point average and attend weekly meetings and study sessions.

"The new inductees that were invited to join each year were required to go through a rigorous initiation and had a probation period before becoming a full-fledged member," said Chapman, of Glendora.

Jack Bloggit was the club's sponsor who oversaw its activities with help from elected officers. The group disbanded after the class of 1958 graduated.

"Everybody was in the sports program so that was one of our big things," said Frank Lunsford, of Colton. "We helped each other see how good we could get -- and we ended up pretty good."

Lunsford said the club was named -- and formed -- on the day a group of them found a fox stole by the side of the road. Not recognizing it as a fashion item worn by women of that era, they picked it up and decided to become a club they would call The Fox Club. The Foxes' emblem adorned members' jackets and car plaques.

Although the club doesn't hold official reunions Chapman said many of them meet annually at "The Old Jocks Luncheon," an event open to anyone from San Jacinto and Hemet. He said club members, coaches and friends still in the area get together almost every year.

Several members attended the recent induction of Lunsford into Edward Hyatt Athletic Hall of Fame held by the San Jacinto Education Foundation/Alumni Association. Past members who received the same honor were Stanley Bottom in 2007 and Blayne and Wayne Wilson in 2008.

Original Foxes included Walt Chapman, Don Goforth, Jim Quast, Albert Reed, Woody and Larry Rodriguez and Eldean Rose, along with Lunsford and the Wilsons. Later members were Leroy Bailey, Ron Chapman, Jerry Curtis, Jerry Daniel, Martin Flores, Robin Hoffman, Roy Howe, Bob Moore, Bob Roenicke, Leo Rose, Jerry Towner, George Wright and Bottom.

Anyone interested in contacting the group can e-mail Chapman at chapmanrd@msn.com.

Staging Memories

San Jacinto High School Principal Garry Packham is looking for residents who can contribute ideas to the advanced theater class for a play about the city of San Jacinto.

It will start with Juan Bautista de Anza's discovery of the valley and bring it to current times.

"We are in the process of gathering information and creating a timeline of events in San Jacinto," said Packham. "What we still need are the stories that go with the events that can make the scenes real and entertaining. We need the names and events with real people so that we can put humor or drama into the scene."

This school year will be spent writing the script and the play will be produced next year. Deadline is March 1.

Information: 951-654-7374 ext. 2998 or gpackham@

sanjacinto.k12.ca.us

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West Valley beats Hemet High in Academic Decathlon

RIVERSIDE - The topic was the French Revolution, and West Valley High in Hemet kept its seat on the throne in this year's Riverside County Academic Decathlon.

West Valley's team of nine students scored an overwhelming victory in the county's 27th annual decathlon, which concluded Tuesday with an awards ceremony at the Riverside Convention Center.

With shouts of joy, team members and coach Billy Valenzuela accepted their medals and trophies for the second year in a row.

West Valley scored 41,798.4 points to beat Hemet High, which had 39,916.1 points. Elsinore High School was third at 36,115.1.

Before last year, Hemet High had won 10 county decathlons in a row.

The most decorated and boisterous student was West Valley's Kaylee Felguim, the only returning participant from last year's county champions.

Kaylee, a senior, scored 11 medals in the 10 events held over the previous two Saturdays.

"Last year I only got 10 medals and I didn't get a trophy," Kaylee said. "This year I got almost all gold except for one bronze."

West Valley will receive a $1,000 stipend from the county for its trip to the state competition next month.

"From the principal down to the janitors, the whole school worked for this. I feel like a million dollars," Valenzuela said.

Hongyu Chen, a senior at North High in Riverside, received a perfect score for his interview and won the economics contest, both in the honors division.

Pam Desert High senior Tanushree Vernia presented her winning speech. She spoke against keeping animals in the confined quarters of zoos.
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Quilters from San Jacinto and Hemet mission for Troops

Maze Stone and Valley Quilters Guild members Suzanne Wade, left, Rose Rhoads and Gayle Asebedo display their work.
A joint effort by Maze Stone Quilters and members of the Valley Quilters Guild has resulted in lots of patriotic quilts being donated to the Quilts of Valor Foundation program.

"We have a specific mission and that is to cover our wounded warriors," said Suzanne Wade, who has been involved with the program for about five years. She is the Quilts of Valor Region Coordinator serving California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.

"We tell veterans: you served, we're grateful and this is our piece of gratitude."
Wade collects the names, rank and branch of service of veterans in her Hemet neighborhood for inclusion on the list of quilt recipients. She also offers them as raffle prizes at veterans events to increase turnout.

"I've sent quilts all over the world," said Wade, who moved from Maryland about a year ago. "The soldiers themselves usually request red, white and blue patterns."

Wade said she loves to quilt but her family was overwhelmed with all her handiwork and crafts. Once she found out about the foundation she could quilt to her heart's content. She has made about 275 quilts, each measuring 50 inches by 60 inches.

Community members who want to contribute their time and sewing talent to the cause are invited to join the two groups at Valley-Wide Recreation Center at 901 Esplanade Ave. in San Jacinto on Mar. 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. and the San Jacinto Senior Center at 625 S. Pico Ave. on Feb. 16 and Mar. 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For donations of fabric, batting or money contact Maze Stone President Rita Silvas at 951-260-0504 or Valley Quilters President Rose Rhoads at 951-301-6169.

Information on the national program can be found at www.qovf.org

Members of the Valley Quilters Guild are also preparing for its 30th annual quilt show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $6 for the event at Valley-Wide Recreation Center, 901 W. Esplanade in San Jacinto.

Nancy Williams is in charge of quilt acquisitions.

"We have 126 quilts at this year's show -- and there are a lot of big ones," said Williams, of Hemet. She has been a guild member for about three years and as the show's organizer she helps decide where the quilts will hang.

"We group certain colors or types together to complement each other," she said. "We have art quilting which is more contemporary but also lots of traditional works. We have a lot of hand quilters which is rare to see at most shows."

An opportunity drawing for the group's annual philanthropic quilt will fund five scholarships to local high school students.

"This is a big part of what we do -- trying to give back to the community," said Williams. "And I love every minute of it."

Information, 951-927-4348 or www.valleyquilters.org

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Highway 74 from Hemet to Idyllwild washed out

Highway 74 took a wallop from flooding and slides in the San Jacinto Mountains. The highway was shut down Saturday from Hemet to Route 243 west of Idyllwild after the road washed away over Strawberry Creek, leaving a gaping hole about 40 feet wide and 30 feet deep, said California Highway Patrol spokesman Officer Scott Beauchene.
Drivers traveling between Hemet and Idyllwild will need to loop through Banning on I10 on Highway 243

It was not immediately clear how long it would take to repair the damage.
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Hemet council to be updated on air ambulance

Hemet Fire Chief Matt Shobert will update the City Council on Tuesday about negotiations with Medical Air to base an air ambulance at a Hemet fire station, according to the council agenda.

Shobert previously said Mercy Air's decision to relocate a helicopter from Banning to Thermal left a void in the region. Bringing a helicopter to Hemet would improve some transport times and provide additional income from renting a spot for the aircraft.

Shobert will provide the update in a work study session immediately after council members' reports.

The meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. in council chambers at 450 E. Latham Ave.

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San Jacinto considers skate park design

San Jacinto City Council will meet at 7 tonight to evaluate what could become the design for the city's first skate park. One San Jacinto skateboarder, Carlos Aquino, said that when he heard about the proposal last year, "To be honest, I didn't think they were serious."
Input from young skateboarders and parents at two community forums led to designs that the San Jacinto City Council will consider tonight for the city's first skate park in Sallee Park.

The city hired Grindline Skateparks Inc. of Seattle, Wash., last year to come up with conceptual designs based on results of one community forum.

At a second forum last month, lead designer Micah Shapiro of Grindline presented three alternatives.

Based on skateboarder feedback, Shapiro came up with a hybrid design that incorporates a bowl with what are called "street elements," like rails, stairs and a quarter-pipe ramp. The proposal is for a 6,700-square-foot design near Sallee Park's Jim Conner Youth Center on Idyllwild Drive.

"Because it's all street, there's a lot more ledges and rails. I think it will be fun for everybody," said Kevin Valenzuela, 17, of San Jacinto, at last month's forum. Shapiro and users talked about incorporating features to appeal to skateboarders with different levels of experience.

Valenzuela and his friend Carlos Aquino, 19, of San Jacinto, skateboard at skate parks in Chino, Palm Springs and Riverside. They use streets in town but at places like Valley-Wide Regional Park and San Jacinto High School, he said, "We get kicked out of some spots."

Aquino is encouraged by the city effort. "To be honest, I didn't think they were serious," he said, when he heard about the proposal last year.

The council has about $100,000 in the 2009-10 budget for the skate park, and Riverside County 3rd District County Supervisor Jeff Stone committed $10,000 in assistance, according to a staff report by Mike Emberton, public works director.

Depending upon the elements chosen, the skate park is expected to cost between $150,000 and $200,000, Emberton noted in the report. Additional money would come from a city redevelopment account.

The council meets at 7 p.m. at San Jacinto Unified School District offices, 2045 S. San Jacinto Ave.

The park will be the only one in the San Jacinto Valley. The cities of Beaumont and Banning opened skate parks in 2007.

The design alternatives can be seen on the city's Web site: www.ci.san-jacinto.ca.us. The hybrid design is a part of the online council agenda.

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Restaurant, jazz club envisioned for Odd Fellows Temple in downtown Hemet

Hemet restaurant owner Greg Rich, left, talks with Matt McPherson inside the Odd Fellows Temple in Hemet that is under renovation. McPherson and his friend, Jason Strain, want to convert the building to a restaurant and music club.
Jason Strain and Matt McPherson sat side by side as saxophonists in the Hemet High School jazz band.

Now, years later, they are a duet hoping to reinvent a historic Hemet building and bring soul to downtown.

Strain has his sights set on a summer opening for the Allegro Eatery & Music Venue in the Odd Fellows Temple on Harvard Street.

Strain said downtown really needs something.

"If you live in Hemet, you have to go to Temecula or Riverside to listen to music or have a good meal," he said.

Even though the Hemet residents are longtime friends, their collaboration began only last year and was formed out of separate and symbiotic agendas.

Strain, 34, has worked in the restaurant business and played in bands -- he is a member of three in the San Jacinto Valley -- since he ended his seven-year hitch in the Air Force in 2001. He is the general manager of Romano's Macaroni Grill in Corona and has toyed with opening a place that would combine his two passions.

He had been looking for a building to lease or buy when he reconnected with McPherson, whom he had not seen in 10 years.

McPherson, 34, had become a school teacher in Hemet. He had seen the Odd Fellows building for years "and finally decided to see what it was about."

He learned that the Odd Fellows group was formed in 17th century England when, according to the Odd Fellows Web site, it was odd to find people organized for the purpose of giving aid to those in need and of pursuing projects for the benefit of all mankind.

McPherson said his family practices those tenets. When he discovered last October that the local Odd Fellows lodge was in danger of losing its charter because it was down to three members, he recruited two dozen friends and relatives to join.

"Here's an organization that represents what we have already been doing," McPherson said.

Soon he became the Noble Grand in charge of the Hemet order, which occupies a building that was constructed in 1927. It is in physical decline and is being used only twice a month for meetings. Not long after, McPherson learned that Strain was looking for a building to lease.

McPherson said he had just the place.

The restaurant and jazz club would be built in the 4,000-square-foot downstairs. Odd Fellows members would still meet on the second floor, which could be rented out to groups.

Permits are needed and wiring, plumbing, drywall and the ceiling still must be repaired. Strain said he expects to spend $2 million and is seeking private and corporate investors.

Steve Harding, an assistant city manager and a jazz enthusiast, has said that entertainment would lead any awakening of Hemet's sleepy downtown.

"What a beautiful area it is," Strain said. "It just needs a little TLC to come back."

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Gold against emerald means water savings for Soboba golf course

Swaths of turf have turned golden brown at the Country Club at Soboba Springs golf course, but broken sprinkler heads aren't to blame.

The color, which became noticeable in December, is intentional, part of a multiyear plan by the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, who own the course.

The tribe is trying to conserve water by reducing the irrigated acreage at the course, converting some areas to more water-efficient Bermuda grass and switching from lush turf to native plants in other places.

The look will be reminiscent of the PGA West course in La Quinta, according to Bryan Addis, club general manager. The conversion at the 160-acre course will be gradual.

"I think the process is going to be over the next few years," he said.

The tees and fairways will continue to be seeded with rye grass in the winter for that lush emerald green look but the rough areas will be allowed to go dormant in winter, he explained. When finished, it will look "like you're playing a golf course out in the Coachella Valley," Addis said.

In a previous project about three years ago, about 25 acres of the fairways were converted from a hodgepodge of grasses to Bermuda grass. Bermuda uses less water than other grasses and thrives in hot, dry summers.

Now about 90 acres of rough areas, that are bordering fairways, will be converted this summer by hydro seeding with Bermuda.

"That will take us through the summer to the Soboba Classic," Addis said. The Classic is a PGA Nationwide Tour event, now in its second year, scheduled Sept. 27 to Oct. 3.

The tribe does not have a projected time to plant native plants but tribal leaders have visited some courses in the desert to get ideas, Addis said. About 50 acres eventually will feature native plants.

The course has mature cottonwood and olive trees, man-made waterfalls at bridge crossings and a lake that attracts waterfowl.

Officials studied the course to determine which areas could be converted because they would be out of the playing area. "We definitely didn't want to introduce cactus in an area where guys are going to hit golf balls in," Addis said.

The plant conversion will also mean going from 30 gallon per minute sprinklers to a drip system.

Officials don't yet have an estimate of the cost savings from using less water, fertilizer and chemicals.

"It will be a nice change that will allow us to cut back a ton on our water," Addis said.

He said the Soboba tribe is committed to creating a model of conservation in the forefront of golf.

"I think it's a model not only for the environment, but the economy that we're in," said Jennie Hanks, acting tribal administrator.

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'Ramona' puts out call for community's help

Cesaria Hernandez and Duane Minard will return as Ramona and Alessandro in the 87th presentation of the play "Ramona" at the Ramona Bowl in Hemet. They're married in real life.
As the principal actors were announced Saturday, leaders of the Ramona Outdoor Play called on the community to pitch in to prepare for the 87th presentation of its signature play.

The request was made as more than 50 people, including representatives of the San Jacinto Valley's service clubs, attended a luncheon where Ramona Bowl President Andrew Kotyuk said the organization is seeking funding to expand what is available at the bowl, possibly a component highlighting California history.

"We have a group out pushing for corporate sponsorships," Kotyuk said.
It also was announced Saturday that Cesaria Hernandez and husband Duane Minard will portray the lead roles of ill-fated lovers who meet on a Southern California rancho in the late 1800s in this year's presentation of "Ramona".

It is the fifth time that Hernandez will take on the role as Ramona and the second time Minard will portray Alessandro. Hernandez said she and her husband, both of Hemet, were asked to reprise their 2009 roles for this year's presentation.

"It is quite an honor," Hernandez said.

The play is scheduled for April 17-18, April 24-25 and May 1 at the Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre in Hemet.

During the luncheon, Al Cordova, president of the Ramona Bowl Music Association, called on residents to look for ways to help by doing everything from painting the seats in the amphitheater to repairing concrete. Several such projects were on a list handed out to the audience that included photos showing the years of wear on the bowl.

"Everything we do to the bowl needs to be repaired," Cordova said. "Take these projects back to your clubs."

In calling for help, Cordova pointed to the long history the bowl has in the area and how that history includes many years of community support.

"The bowl belongs to the people of Hemet and San Jacinto," Cordova said. "The bowl needs you."

Hernandez cited the history of the play in calling on the community to resume its supporting role as a way of paying it back for drawing tourists to the area.

"The play was started in the 1920s specifically to draw visitors in the valley," Hernandez said.

Where:
Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre
27400 Ramona Bowl Road, Hemet CA. 92544
Toll Free: 1-800-645-4465 / 951-658-3111or email: ramona@ramonabowl.com
Web site http://ramonabowl.com

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