When flags sprouted up and down Pauma Vista Drive it gave some residents goosebumps. It inspired others to call the family who put them up and exclaim: “God Bless America!”
The flags were planted along the street in honor of the visit this week of U.S. Army Specialist Brian Lee. He returned for a short time after serving 15 months in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, most of that time in Baghdad.
He is being redeployed later this week to Fork Polk, Louisiana with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
The family hopes that doesn’t mean that he may have to be sent overseas again, but they don’t know.
He is the son of Bob & Becky Koishor of VC and Robert & Suzie Lee of Katy, Texas.
Lee was raised in Valley Center and is a 2000 graduate of Center City High School. He joined the Army in February 2001 and completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He completed his MOS training as an 88M (Motor Transport Operator) at Fore Leonard Wood, Missouri.
Part of the visit included being reunited with his bride of three years, Leah (Weimer). During a brief visit home in June of 2001 they were married.
They have been apart for two of their anniversaries.
Bob Koishor and a friend, John Smith, borrowed the flags from Boy Scout Troop 673 and Mark Thornton, their leader. The banners should be familiar to Valleyites since the boys put them out along Valley Center Road on each patriotic holiday.
The family told The Roadrunner, “We are so proud of Brian and Leah and the other young men and women supporting the War On Terror. We think of them and their families several times a day and pray for their safe return.”
By TOM HICKEY
For several months it has been a quiet mystery in Valley Center. The mystery of the “missing links.” Whatever happened to the golf course at Woods Valley?
This week we found out.
* * *
In the past several weeks, The Roadrunner has received phone calls and e-mails from readers concerning the golf course at Woods Valley.
After making repeated calls to the phone number listed in the phone book and multiple messages left and ignored, we contacted Newland Communities, the developer of Woods Valley.
Four weeks ago on a weekend we drove by the course. We saw flags cut into the green that are visible from Valley Center Road and from Woods Valley Road. What was missing were the golfers.
Another curious sight was two by fours screwed across the entrance and windows to the temporary club house (the boards have been removed since then). This piqued our interest.
The first person that we were able to talk to was golf course project manager Jim Steward.
He was very willing to answer our questions. When asked about the delay in reopening the course, he replied, “There have been several issues such as the getting approvals for our club house and for use of the ground water. We had to fulfill a lot of environmental and health related issues with the County.”
Steward confirmed that Newland was responsible for the golf course and that we would have to talk to someone at Newland to get the final word on what was going on.
For a long time, is seemed that no work was being done to the course.
Steward assured us that work was being done to the wells and water distribution systems.
“There are certain requirements that the state and county health departments require we meet as for use of the recycled water. We have a water reclamation plant out there which will supply some of the water for the course,” said Steward. “These requirements and the fact that the roadwork wasn’t complete to the front of the club house really slowed us down. We need safe sight distance before we could open.”
Our inquiry on the course prompted a phone call from a public relations firm for Newland. They promised to set up an interview with someone high enough at Newland to answer our questions.
A few days later, the staff at The Roadrunner was able to interview Gina Nixon, regional marketing director for Newland Communities.
She confirmed that Newland did indeed have control of the golf course and is in the process of getting it ready for play.
She elaborated that the delay in re-opening the course was due in part to water issues but also the need to pull a permit for the new temporary clubhouse.
County requirements for occupancy meant the building must be up to code with regards to electrical and Americans with Disabilities Act codes.
At the time of the interview, Nixon was confident that the required work would be done in 45 to 60 days. That would make the re-opening of the golf course sometime at the end of October or early November.
She added that her company was looking to either sell the course or hire a golf course management company to take over the day to day running of the course.
Through our sources in the real estate business we were able to confirm that some time in the last few months the course was put up for sale. It had at least two letters of intent from buyers. Nixon did not deny these claims. The course was pulled off the market before it was sold.
As for the progress on the course, Newland’s intent, said Nixon, is to open the course as a public course that will use all electric equipment. The open areas between and around the fairways have been planted with native plants in an attempt to conserve water.
The original layout of the course has been modified by a consulting company to improve drainage and make the course play a little more fairly for the average golfer.
Nixon also conceded that their placing of flags on the course was done for marketing purposes.
“We admit that the flags were put out on weekends as a marketing ploy,” said Nixon. “We were also photographing the course for advertisements. In addition, we wanted the owners in the Woods Valley community to see the progress that we have been making on the course.”
The course will play a little over seven thousand yards from the tips when completed. Your sports editor, Tom Hickey, requested a preview of the course the closer they get to opening. He will bring the detail when they are available.
Steward summed it up best when he said, “We know that a lot of people are excited to play the course. It’s a gorgeous course. We have a lot of charitable groups that we want to line up and we want the community of Valley Center to embrace the golf club. By the same token, we need to get everything right and safe with the County before we can open.”
jack leroy root
Aug. 14, 1921-Aug. 2, 2004
Long time Valley Center resident and local celebrity, Jack Root, died Aug. 2 after a long illness. For those who knew him, his talents and optimistic spirit will sorely be missed.
Mr. Root was always there for a quick caricature study or cartoon of most anyone in town. Many Valley Center residents have napkin or card stock drawings of themselves or their children!
He liked to hang out at the old Stagecoach and Papa Bear’s, where he would spend hours drawing whomever happened to be there. He particularly loved to draw children. His booth was especially popular with the kids at Western Days and the Halloween Carnival every year.
Even after suffering multiple strokes, Mr. Root made sure he was at his booth and ready to draw each year. It wasn’t until 2003 that he became too ill to continue his beloved drawings at Papa Bear’s. He shared his talents with all who knew him, and many who didn’t! All he needed was a napkin, a pen and a face…so many have been immortalized by his creativity, which he so freely shared.
Jack Root was a very talented painter. He started drawing at a very young age. By the time he was a teen, he was selling his sketches, portraits, and caricatures down by the Pike in Long Beach.
He joined the Navy during WWII. He was a trained aviator and flew Corsair fighter planes. The Navy quickly learned of his artistic talents and he became a medical illustrator. The Navy still uses some of his illustrations to this day. After the war ended, he went to Hollywood and was hired as a cartoonist for MGM Studios, where he worked with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera drawing Tom & Jerry. This experience was one of his fondest memories.
Jack married Arlene Jones in 1945. They were married 59 years at the time of Arlene’s death last Dec. 29. He is survived by his two sons, Steve (Allisa) and Chris, three grandchildren, Christopher, Stevie, and Lauren, and four step-grandchildren, Aimee, Michael, Jennifer, and Stephen Tabler.
Mr. Root spent his final months being cared for by Steve and Allisa, and their family in their Valley Center home. His love and happy disposition brought great joy to Steve and his family during this time. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the wonderful people of San Diego Hospice who made it possible for Mr. Root to remain at home with his cherished family throughout his illness.
A Mexican potluck memorial party to honor Jack and Arlene is planned for Saturday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. at 12588 Palos Tierra, Valley Center, at the home of family and friends. The community is invited to bring their favorite Mexican dish, fond memories, and perhaps one of Jack’s drawings to share. For further information, call Steve Root at 749-6009.
Another area Indian tribe is entering the California casino gold rush. Although, since the La Jolla Indians already had a convenience store sized “casino” it’s more accurate to say that they are reentering gaming in a big way.
Last week it was announced that the 700-member La Jolla tribe had reached an agreement with Nevada Gold, a Texas-based company, for a $25 million casino resort that will include a 75-room motel. Nevada Gold will develop and manage the casino, which will have 12 gaming tables and 349 slot machines.
NOTE: The significance of the 349 slot machine number is that according to Section 4.3.2 and Section 5.0, of the California State Tribal Compact a “Non-Compact Tribe” operates fewer than 350 slot machines. Such tribes are eligible for money from a revenue sharing trust fund contributed to by gaming tribes that have more than 350 slot machines.
The two parties had been talking about the development for two years.
The five-year agreement could be extended by an additional two years.
A ground-breaking is expected before the end of the year. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2005. The construction could help bootstrap the tribe into other developments, such as a larger casino, a hotel, golf course and restaurant, according to H. Thomas Winn, CEO for Nevada Gold. About 400 jobs could be generated by the new casino, according to Winn.
“There are a lot of casinos in Southern California,” Winn was quoted this week by Multi-Housing News. “It's a deep market with additional opportunity to add to the properties currently there.”
The tribe has nearly 10,000 acres, which makes it one of the larger reservations in area in this part of the County.
Currently La Jolla’s casino, with 30 slot machines, is the smallest Indian casino in the state. The tribe also operates campgrounds and a water park along the San Luis Rey River.
Nevada Gold has developed casinos in Colorado, California and Nevada. It also helped the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians develop and finance their Sonoma County gaming palace, River Rock Casino.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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