The Catholic community of Valley Center finally celebrated their long awaited ground-breaking ceremony for a new church edifice this past Sunday, Oct. 3.
The event was officiated by the Most Rev. Bishop Salvatore Cordileone and St. Stephen's pastor and Rev. William Kernan.
The celebration, which started with a church service, was attended by over 600 parishioners as well as the architects and representatives of the contractors on the project.
St. Stephen’s Catholic Church first became a parish in February 1981.
The ground-breaking represented a key milestone towards building the new church building, traditional in style, featuring a domed entrance nave, stained glass windows and seating for 600. The church is expected to be completed late in 2005.
Bishop Cordileone blessed the site for the church so the parish can celebrate the sacraments in a new temple.
He pointed out “. . .that although we are surrounded by stone and bricks — the church is really built with living bricks [the parishioners] for it is they that makes up the church of Christ.”
When time came to “turn the spade,” Bishop Cordileone turned over the first mound of dirt followed by John Jackson, chairman of the building committee. Finally, Father Bill Kernan sent a shovel full of dirt flying overhead to loud cheers from delighted parishioners.
Festivities included a program of appropriate songs: Me Alegre, I Was Happy When They Told Me, Let’s Go To The House of the Lord, A Edificar La Iglesia, To Build the Church of the Lord, Brother Come and Help Me, and others.
A fiesta style luncheon, featuring carnitas prepared by the Latin community of St.Stephen’s, concluded the celebration.
By DAVID ROSS
Recently longtime VC resident Lynne Wilson-Theaker discovered a treasure trove of election campaign left behind by her grandfather, who was a famous judge in New Jersey in the 1930s.
Mrs. Wilson-Theaker, who has lived in VC for 26 years, called The Roadrunner to ask if we knew anyone who might be able to value the collection. We said we didn’t, but asked if we could come by and take pictures of the find.
Mrs. Wilson-Theaker discovered perhaps a couple of hundred buttons, most of them for Democratic candidates, that included William Jennings Bryan, Democratic standard bearer for President in 1896, Alton Brooks Parker, who lost to Theodore Roosevelt in 1904 as well as President Woodrow Wilson. There are buttons for his election to governor of New Jersey as well as his two campaigns for president.
There’s also quite a few ribbons commemorating reunions of several Civil War regiments.
The memorabilia were collected by Judge Erwin Marshal, who died in 1944. Judge Marshal was involved in the infamous Lindbergh Baby kidnapping investigation. If the baby’s body had been found in Mercer County, the judge would have been the presiding judge over the trial of the kidnapper.
Marshal got into politics to run for a judgeship, but, according to his granddaughter, “got out because it was so dirty.”
Mrs. Wilson-Theaker obtained the collection when her mother died in 1972, but she didn’t really delve into the contents until recently.
Although her grandfather was a lifelong Democrat, Mrs. Wilson-Theaker has always been a Republican. She worked as a young volunteer in the campaign of Gov. Thomas Dewey when he ran against Franklin Roosevelt in 1944.
This year five candidates are vying for two seats on the Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District board.
Candidates are incumbents Wendy Zeugschmidt and Patrick Simpson and challengers Mike Morasco, Don Martin and Dennis White.
The Roadrunner interviewed the candidates. The interviews follow below.
DON MARTIN
Don Martin, who retired last year after nearly three decades as a high school ag teacher, was asked why he is running for the board.
“The best answer I can give is that with my experience in education for 28 years I may be able to present an insight that might not have been considered before.
“Also, I really enjoyed my years of teaching and would like to be able to give back.”
According to Martin, the issues for the election, for all grade levels, “would be to maximize each student’s learning potential. Therein lies the challenge in that we have so many students with different modes of learning and different abilities to learn.
“The tough issue facing all teachers in all grade levels is how to maximize the kids’ potential. We all know that Suzie needs this and Johnny needs this and George needs something else. How do you put that into a class lesson?”
If elected, Martin’s goals are: “1) to see all students experience and appreciate their successes in the classroom. 2) Equally as important is that every teacher is happy being in the classroom that they are in. If kids are having success the teachers will enjoy being there, facilitating that success. That’s what the job is about.”
The candidate has no major disagreements with the current board, “but I don’t know all of the issues either. If I get on the board that will be the first thing, to become conversant with all of the issues from a student and teacher, and administrative perspective.
You can contact Martin at donpalms@aol.com
Donations to his campaign may be made to: Don Martin, POB 1307, Valley Center, 92082.PATRICK SIMPSON
This is Patrick Simpson’s 12th year on the board. He has been involved with the Optimists, girls’ tennis, Boy Scouts, and has coached soccer coach and Little League. He also plays men’s softball. He served on the Valley Center revitalization committee. Right now he is serving on the Yes on Prop. CC phone bank.
Simpson wants a fourth term because “I enjoy being on the board and the sense of teamwork that we have with staff and the community. There’s still a lot that I’d like to see completed. We’ve gone through a lot of changes and we are continuing to change and I’d like to see be part of that.”
Simpson argues for the continued stability on the board. “I’d like to continue the board makeup right now and the harmonious direction that we are traveling.”
Election issues, he believes include test scores and the district’s practice of hiring most of its administrators from within. There are also issues involving the building projects that the district has begun. “The budget is certainly going to be an issue.”
He adds, “As we move forward the issue of limited English speakers will become more important, particularly how we address that. That is why we are failing in terms of the federal ‘No Child Left Behind,’ program”
Simpson disagrees with the premise of that federal program.
“We are not created equal. We are not the same, and that’s what makes us special. Do I believe that all kids should have the basics? Yes, we should all learn how to read and write and do math, but I don’t think we are all going to reach that same level. That’s what makes us unique.”
If he is reelected, Simpson supports the district continuing to follow tried and true methods.
“We as a district have tried to stay on a middle common ground. We try not to swing one way or another with issues as they come up. We try not to be a lead on things, but to be wait and watchful. I think that’s a smart thing. You don’t want to be the first to take full language and throw out phonics. We try to find out what works and run with that. I like that philosophy and think it has been successful.”
The board is occasionally referred to as a “rubber stamp” because there are so few public disagreements.
He answers that criticism. “Do we always agree. No. But what we do is defer to people’s strengths. That’s a unique part of our board. We have an administrator, one teacher, a budget person, and we tend to defer to those people on those areas. But we also have a strong relationship with the staff.”
Simpson believes that the VC school district is unique. “The more people I talk to at school board conventions, the more I realize that we are unique. It’s amazing to find out how many are not getting information from the superintendent or having to force it from the superintendent with a vote.
“We are a team.I think that’s a win win for everybody.
“Because we have been a conservative district with our money we have been able to save, and even in tough times to build and to maintain our upkeep and to add new programs, such as an arts program, and improving the drive way at Pauma Elementary and making it safer for the kids.”
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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