Renowned artist Robert Freeman, whose studio in Pauma Valley has been a local landmark for many years, has been named this year’s Western Days Parade Grand Marshall.
Freeman, whose painting was used as the model for this year’s Western Days t-shirt, was honored last year for designing the state seal honoring the Native Americans of California. His design is one of two bronze commemorative state seals that are side by side with the official state seal.
Robert Freeman was born on Rincon Reservation in 1939. He is a self-taught artist who claims to have had no art training except high school art classes.
He has experimented with an array of media and styles and mastered most of them.
He has executed dozens of major projects during his career, including an illustrated book, The Luiseño People and received many public mural commissions, won top awards at the National Indian Art Exhibit in Scottsdale, Arizona and exhibited at several important museums.
Freeman’s works are sold and VERY well known in New Mexico and over the Southwest.
In addition to abstract sculptures, Freeman is considered the first Native American cartoonist, specializing in a form of the art known as “Indian Humor.”
For the next two months he is the artist in residence at the University of San Diego.
Friday morning two dangerous and abandoned wells were capped. One well was near a children’s day care center, the other was just a few feet from busy Valley Center Road.
The action was a combined effort by the County of San Diego, private business, trade associations and landowners.
Fifth District Supervisor Bill Horn witnessed today's efforts. “I’m pleased these wells were capped, however, there are many more abandoned wells throughout the County that we don't even know about. Until we take care of them all, there remains a major threat to the lives of people, animals and the environment.”
Sponsors of the action today were the California Groundwater Assn. (CGA), the Southwest Chapter of California Environmental Health Assn. (CEHA), and the County of San Diego.
A well near the Valley Center Day Care Center was about 20-feet deep and contained considerable debris. The Valley Center owners have decided to reactivate the well and use it for irrigation in the future.
Until then, a temporary concrete cap, much like a manhole cover has been placed on top.
CGA and CEHA donated labor and material to cap the well.
The owners of the second abandoned well, an Escondido couple, will pay to have it destroyed.
A camera inserted into the well in the 27800 block of Valley Center Road could only penetrate 12-feet because of debris. After debris is removed, the well will have concrete pumped inside and the top permanently capped.
The danger of abandoned wells was seen a few months ago when a 5 year old boy fell through a make shift cover at an abandoned well near Woods Valley Road in Valley Center. He was rescued by his family; scratched, scared but not seriously injured.
Landowners are urged to walk their property, looking for abandoned wells and improperly secured wellheads. Liability for accidents and environmental damage can be considerable. Costs to cap or destroy these wells range from $600 to $5,000, depending on diameter and depth.
Information can be obtained from John Kratz, California Groundwater Assn. (800) 351-0508 or Jack Miller, County of San Diego, (619) 338-2201.
Good citizens of Valley Center as you know it is time for Western Days and once again, as usual a group of unsavory lizards and coyotes known as the Bonsall Bandits are making their way to town to cause hate and discontent by holding up such fine businesses on Thursday the 22nd like Snappy’s at 4 p.m. and then on to Country Junction Deli at 4:15 p.m. From there they are planning to rob the California Bank and Trust at 4:30 p.m.; next they are going next door to the Town Center Market and Pala Gas at 5 p.m. Then on their list is Pepperoni’s at 5:30 p.m. Now it’s around the corner to Valley Center Foods at about 6 p.m. Across the street they go to hit Papa Bears at 6:15 p.m.
The Marshal’s Posse is hot on the trail of these filthy scum and according to Calico Craig they will be apprehended before they reach the city limit sign. At which point they will be dispatched with swift Western Justice by our Judge Greg “Hang’em High” Elam (The best hanging judge west of the Mississippi). The judge indicated that he has bought a new rope for this year.
The Marshals will be at the Community Center on Friday the 23rd for the mayors race to make sure that it is honest and above board!!!
So fear not good citizens of Valley Center, Western Days will be fun for all. ENJOY!
If you missed the Big River Band and the Shake Band last year, you‘re going to get a second chance to hear them perform.
Big River blends the sounds of authentic traditional country music with the more aggressive high-energy style so popular today. Their versatility is even more evident when they go into classic rock mode, with songs ranging from the Rolling Stones to Van Morrison to Steppenwolf. Big River is a five (5) piece country and classic rock band. Originally formed in 1995 by two members of “Silverado” (a long time favorite country band in San Diego), they perform for the hottest, most popular clubs as well as smaller venues.
A new member this year is Penny Shepard (the Diva), she provides lead vocals. Ernie Driggs (the Troubador), is the group’s manager who also provides lead vocals and acoustic guitar. “Texas” Tom Almaraz (the Axeman), provides lead guitar and vocals. Ray Vorlicek (the Wildman), provides drums and percussion. Tom Perry (the Thunder), provides bass and sound engineering. Big River band will perform Saturday, May 24 from 2:30-6:45 p.m. This performance is free with general admission to Western Days.
Also performing this year, the Shake Band. The Shake is one of San Diego’s premier bands. This five (5) piece band offers up an eclectic blend of both classic and contemporary sounds and styles. From Disco to Classic Rock to Motown to R&B and all stops in-between.
They have performed at some of the finest venues in San Diego Country, including Humphrey’s By The Bay, The Catamaran Resort, The Barefoot Bar & Grill, 4 Season Aviara, and Torrey Pines Resort, just to name a few.
The Shake Band will perform on Friday, May 24 from 7:30 p.m. till midnight. This performance and all events Friday night are free to the public.
All performances at this year’s Western Days Festival are sponsored in full by Valley View Casino.
This year there will also be live entertainment on Sunday, May 26th from noon to midnight. So dust off those boots and hold on to your hats, you’re in for a full fun-packed weekend of entertainment at VC Community Center.
For the first time in perhaps 15 years, certainly since the days of Supt. Harry Weinberg, the VC-P school board Thursday night actually had a split vote.
Trustee Lori Johnson voted no on a proposal supported by the other four trustees to authorize AT&T to put a cell tower at the VCHS football stadium.
The proposal, backed by the administration, passed and the school district will collect $1200 a month in rent from AT&T for changing one of the existing light poles for another light pole that will also have a cell phone relay on it.
A no vote by a school trustee might seem like a trivial matter, and in most school districts it’s not uncommon to have entire meetings where school trustees split.
On the VC water board an occasional no vote crops up. Ditto the fire board. The VC planning group would be delighted to have an evening where its board only had one negative vote on any matter before them.
But it is as rare as a blue moon and scarce as hen’s teeth on the VC-Pauma School Board.
Mrs. Johnson, who is also the finance director for the Yuima Municipal Water District recently had some experience with a similar offer from AT&T
For about half an hour she grilled the representative of AT&T about the 30 year contract, which she said was too long; about the fact that the amount paid the district only increases 7.5% ever five years; and about the possibility that AT&T would be able to sell the rights to place a tower at the high school if it decided not to within the next six months.
“I’m just not ready to enter into a thirty year lease without having more questions answered,” Mrs. Johnson told fellow trustees, adding that she also wanted to make sure the district was indemnified against any damages that might result from the cell tower.
Although Mrs. Johnson wanted more time to have her questions answered, other trustees were happy with the deal.
Graduation Requirements
High school Principal Lucy Haines recommended that the district adopt new graduation requirements that would apply to incoming freshmen this yea.
The board will consider for one month the proposal to increase English requirements from 3.5 to four years and math from two to three years.
This would require reducing electives requirements by ten credits including taking away the requirement for practical art.
“This will give seniors and their teachers enough time to cover the standards, and ensures that exiting seniors will continue with English development right up until graduation,” said Mrs. Haines.
The new math requirements will also help students to adequately prepare for the new state tests that are being introduced.
“The outcome is pretty much in line with other schools are doing. It puts us right where most of the other schools are,” she said.
The art teaching staff was concerned about the requirements for art from 80 units to 70, but right now there aren’t 80 arts units available to take, she said.
State college bound students are already taking three years of math, and are bound by those requirements, no matter what graduation requirements the school adopts.
The Valley Roadrunner
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