By DAVID ROSS
Attempts to delay widening VC Road were sunk at Monday night’s planning group meeting.
In probably the final showdown before asphalt is spread, VC planning group, which advises the Board of Supervisors, voted 8-4 (with an abstention) to support County plans for a four lane road from Woods Valley Road to Cole Grade Road.
VC residents have been promised the improvements for over two decades; many public meetings have been held during those years, and planners have reaffirmed support several times.
That the vote took place at all was due to community activists Jon Vick and Lael Montgomery. They lobbied for months for the group to revisit the issue and last month mustered about 20 residents to press the issue.
This time, although VC Community Hall was packed with over 100 people, most wanted no further delays.
That was especially true of business owners, like Steve Flynn, chairman of the newly formed VC Country Town Property Owners Assn., who said, “We don’t want to see this money go away. We are all business owners along VC road. Our properties are directly impacted. We are the ones having our properties taken to put the road in. Any attempt to change this at the eleventh hour will jeopardize safety.”
Planner Mel Schuler’s motion was “that we stay with the existing project and design so that it won’t affect the date or funding.”
Planner Rich Rudolf’s rival motion was to set up a committee to review modifications, work with the County and return in two months with recommendations for lowering speeds and making the road more pedestrian friendly.
“I have no problem with reducing speed. I do have a problem giving it to a committee,” said Schuler.
Rudolf’s outnumbered supporters pressed their case. Rick Landavazo pleaded, “If the road is not pedestrian friendly we won’t have a town. . . .I ask taking a few more months to allow the public that is trying to be heard to be heard.”
They were tossed a bone, of sorts, with the creation of a committee, chaired by Todd Ruth, to study road safety, but with the stipulation that it not add to the cost or create a delay.
Both sides emailed and phoned to muster bodies for this meeting, which was seen as taking the town’s temperature.
If so, then most at the meeting were hot to get on with the road. But most also want to keep traffic at 45 mph. That is probably inconsistent with a major road, said County Dept. of Public Works officials at the meeting.
Before the vote planners heard a presentation from a San Diego planner, David Schumacher, on how to implement “traffic calming” to create a more pedestrian-friendly road and a report from Doug Isbell, deputy director of the Dept. of Public Works.
“This definitely has been a long project,” said Isbell, who noted it was slow-tracked while the sewer issue was decided.
Building is in two phases, with the southern leg (from Escondido to Banbury) divided into two parts. That (the non-controversial leg) goes to bid in July with construction starting this fall.
The northern leg from Banbury to Cole Grade is completely designed and certified by the Board of Supervisors, said Isbell.
Alignment is similar to the existing road, except at Calle De Vista.
“We are not straightening this road out. The pioneers went around the rocks and through the bends and we aren’t a whole lot smarter,” said Isbell.
It will be two lanes in either direction, with one lane 12 feet wide and one 14 foot wide, and a graded ten foot shoulder on both sides except for commercial where it will be concrete.
A 14 foot median will accompany 2/3 of the road. One third will have a raised planted median, “if we can find funding,” he said.
The road is designed for 55 mph, except at the curve at Miller, where speeds will be reduced to 50 mph.
It will be built by public standards. State law requires that speed limits be set according to how fast most motorists drive on a road.
“If you have narrower lanes or sharper curves, then the County has put itself in a position of liability. “We design to public road standards. We are a long way down the path on this road. “We need to get this built,” said Isbell.
The project is funded from Transnet funds, deriving from a one half cent gasoline sales tax approved by voters 20 years ago and expiring in 2007.
A sampling of Monday’s comments:
Oliver Smith: “The road going through this town is not our road, it is the County’s road. The County and State have chosen that road to be a major road. Going against that is to knock our heads against the wall. We need to fight the battles we can win.”
Jon Vick: “ In order to have 45 mph you will have to change the design. It’s my understanding that the only way we can lose the funding is if we say we don’t want the road widened. I think the modifications can be made quickly.”
Mary Meade: “When the new road is built how many businesses will be able to stay?. That’s good news for the builders of corporate malls. . .”
Allen Olson: “What we have is not a perfect plan, but we have to take this money now or we may lose it.”
Patsy Fritz: “The idea that we’re going to come to the little boutiques and walk like they do in Santa Barbara is ridiculous. I’m not gong to take my pickup down for a little walk in downtown Valley Center. I can take a walk in my grove.”
Roger Ingraham: My principal concern is maintaining the environment in Valley Center that I moved here to enjoy. I don’t want Poway or Fallbrook here.”
Cal Townsend: “We have a split between some well- meaning people living in the past and those who realize that the future is upon us and that progress is coming.”
Lael Montgomery: “If we can build a safe four lane road through VC we ought to do it.”
Wayne Reilly, (responding to a plea that VC Road be made safer for children): “I can never ever remember my children asking me if they could go down and play at VC road. I don’t think the safety of the children is an issue.”
Art Weller, “I’ve heard a lot of things said that I would have said and a lot of things I wouldn’t have said. So I surrender my time.”
Phase III
A third phase of VCr Road, from Cole Grade to Rincon Reservation is being studied. The tribe has agreed to contribute enough money for a design and environmental review, said Isbell.
DPW will make a presentation to the group on this project in about 90 days he said.
“You can count on us being here before this group, as we did many times before for this road,” said Isbell.
The Valley Center Marshal’s Posse has learned that a group of lower than snake bellies known as the Under the Hill Gang plans to disrupt Western Days with larceny, assault and whatever they think they can get away with.
On Thursday, May 23, the word on the street is that these varmints plan to disrupt folks having a fine meal at Papa Bear’s at about 5 p.m.
From there it is on to VC Foods (maybe to pick up some soda and deodorant, which would be nice). Then it’s on to Fat Ivor’s for some libations and to see what kind of trouble they can stir up with the locals.
On Friday, May 24, they plan to crawl out from their gopher holes somewhere in the vicinity of Snappy’s or the Deli or Pala Vista gas or the store. “We do know that at 5 p.m. they plan to rob the bank,” says a member of the posse.
Then it’s on to Pepperoni’s. From there they plan to hit Lungren’s (maybe they think that they can sing their way out of a good old western hangin’). If they make it they will head for VC Community Center for the mayor’s race.
Knowing the reputation of this low life, the Marshal’s Posse is prepared for running gun battles.
Citizens, rest assured that for over two decades the marshals and the high sheriff have kept out Western Days celebration fun for the whole family.
An old friend of Valley Center’s has returned to be one of two sheriff’s sergeants at the new VC substation.
Darrell Carr, a VC resident since 1980, is now stationed up here again.
Why two sergeants? The Sheriff’s Dept. in November approved a second slot because of the increased work load and more deputies assigned up here.
“We’re expanding and growing,” says Carr.
There are two sergeants, an administrative sergeant and a patrol sergeant. Carr is the administrative sergeant.
Carr is a veteran of 28 years with the department. He was promoted to sergeant in 1995.
When he was a deputy in VC in 1980 there were just three deputies, Don Continelli, Bob Baker and Carr.
“It was nice. We were resident deputies, we worked a day shift. We were on call at night. We weren’t as populated as we are now,” he recalls.
How are things different today (aside from the added population)? we asked.
“There’s more people. There’s more of the crimes you would associate with the city: property crimes, domestic violence, family, disturbing the peace. The job itself is a lot more technical. We have computers in the car, advanced radio systems, less lethal weapons. There’s more tools for us to use.”
The sergeant has been pretty much glued to his seat since the new substation opened. “But I hope not to be stuck there all the time,” he says.
Although things are a little more complicated in VC (where Carr requested to be), “It still has a rural flavor. There’s still plenty of spaces between people. It’s still not a city.”
Valley Center has its own challenges. “Some of our major problems are the traffic and congestion. While we’re not the highway patrol I see the sheriff’s office getting more involved in traffic enforcement because it’s a necessity,” he says.
“We get get people coming in complaining about the traffic and saying that ‘this red Mustang ran me off the road.’ There’s more people than the roads can comfortably handle right now.”
The substation will have a grand opening around the end of this month, he said.
“ The new station will be much more accessible. We’ve got a regular front door rather than a trailer where you figure out which door do I knock on.”
Darrell Carr has been married 31 years. He and his wife, Lari, have two sons, 21 and 18. His wife is a payroll technician at the school district office.
Carr is a member of VC Kiwanis Club and was, at one time, involved with Little League and the Boy Scouts.
His hobby, when he has time to have one, is riding his 1999 Russian built motorcycle with a sidecar.
The parade route for Western Days 2002 on May 25 has been announced.
The parade begins at 10 a.m. and runs along Valley Center Road, beginning at Cole Grade and ending at Old Road.
The parade usually lasts about two hours. Once the parade is over, it’s time to make your way to VC Community Center for all the festivities.
Reminder: There is no parking for parade spectators at the staging areas. Staging areas for the parade participants are as follows:
Gate 1 (Horses) this year form at Gang Ranch on Cole Grade Road.
Gate 2 (Autos - classes 19 thru 24) form at County Road Dept. on Cole Grade.
Gate 3 (Floats and others - classes 1 thru 18; 25 & 26) form at school bus road on north side of VC Road and east of Cole Grade.
Gate 4 (Shriners and Al Bahr & Tin Lizzies) form on south side of Cole Grade off Valley Center Road.
Road Closures
From 9:30 a.m. till the end of the parade the following area is closed to traffic - Valley Center Road from Woods Valley Road (south); Lilac (west to Betsworth); Cole Grade Road (east) & then to Fruitvale (north). All streets, private roads and driveways along the parade route are also closed.
Detours
Suggested detours are:
Northbound - Woods Valley east (right) from Valley Center Road to Lake Wohlford Road. Then north (left) on Lake Wohlford to Valley Center Road. West (left) on Valley Center Road to Mactan Road. Mactan north (right) to Fruitvale Road. Fruitvale Road west (left) to Cole Grade Road, north (right) on Cole Grade which will connect with the 76 in Pauma Valley.
Southbound - Cole Grade Road to Fruitvale Road, east (left) on Fruitvale to Mactan. Mactan south (right) to Valley Center Road. Valley Center Road east (left) to Lake Wohlford Road. Lake Wohlford Road south (right) to Woods Valley Road. Woods Valley Road (right) to Valley Center Road, or continue down Lake Wohlford Road, past the Lake to intersection of Valley Center Road at the bottom of the grade.
One of the most dangerous, yet necessary jobs on a rodeo is that of the “bullfighter,” the man whose job it is to keep the bullrider from being trampled.
One of the men, wearing clown make-up, but in the chute for a very serious reason in our own upcoming Bulls & Barrels Rodeo will be Brian Barnhart.
Barnhart, who, for his day job is a lance corporal with the United States Marines at the Twenty-Nine Palms base, has been around livestock “dang near” all his life, as he puts it.
“My cousin is a PRCA bullfighter and I just always loved the idea of being in front of a bull or being in trouble,” he says.
The horns on the bull are not just for show, and many a bullfighter, both the rodeo kind and the South of the Border variety, have been “hooked” in the groin or stomach.
“I’ve been hooked up a couple of times pretty good, but, knock on wood, never done in any time in hospitals,” says Barnhart.
To prevent such injuries, rodeo clowns and bullfighters wear a considerable amount of protective gear. These include pads to cover the groin and hips and thighs. Barnhart himself wears a Kevlar vest.
Barnhart used to also ride bulls, “But I got out of that situation,” he says.
He’s been a bullfighter for five or six years and he’s only 21. But he concedes that it is a young person’s avocation, “although it depends on how motivated and dedicated to the sport you are. My cousin is 38 and he’s still fighting a little bit. But for the most part it still is a younger person’s job.”
Although a Marine now, Barnhart plans to go into rodeo fulltime when he finishes his stint.
Originally from Harlowton, Montana, a town of less than 1000 people, he grew up on one of the biggest ranches in the county. His dad was as a ranch hand.
Familiarity with the bulls rather than macho bravery is the key to being a good bullfighter.
“The bullfighter usually sticks with the stock contractor and that way he gets to learn the bulls. When the ride starts the cowboy will come out and bullfighter is there to turn the bull, turn him out of the spin, and if the bullfighter gets caught up in the bull rope (called getting ‘hung up’) it’s his job to get him unstrung,” says Barnhart.
How does the bullfighter get the bull to buck? “Just being around the bull long enough gives you the knowledge on how to get the bull to buck.”
The most valuable skill for a bullfighter is speed, which, Barnhart admits, doesn’t do him any harm in the Marines, where he is a motor transport driver.
Is bullfighting “fun”?
“I get a humongous thrill!” says Barnhart. “It’s an adrenaline rush higher than anything else I know.”
The La Jolla Indian Reservation plans to open a mini-casino by the end of May. It will be the smallest Indian casino in the state, with about 30 slot machines.
The casino, about the size of a 7-Eleven store, will be more arcade than casino, at least by the scale of its neighbors. Tribal leaders reportedly jokingly refer to the casino as “The mini-C.
The tribe already operates a successful water park, Sengme Oaks, every summer, and also does a brisk business in river recreational activities.
The new casino is all about economic development for the tribe, officials say.
The tribe signed a gaming compact with the governor in 1999. Since it won’t have enough slot machines to qualify as “a gaming tribe,” it will still be able to collect revenue sharing funds collected from other tribes in California.
The Valley Roadrunner
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Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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