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2016 was an eventful year in Wildomar
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| One of the many great views seen in Wildomar during 2016. |
As the old year ends and the new one begins I thought I'd highlight some of the things that went on in the city of Wildomar. No point in going into great detail here, you either already know what happened or you don't really care. ☺
• Right out of the chute we saw a successful attack on the way we elected our city council members.
A rapacious law firm from LA sent a menacing letter at the end of 2015, hoping it would get lost among the end of the year holiday hoopla.
After many months, and many thousands of dollars, the city avoided a losing court battle by adopting districts. Which only gave the residents LESS representation at city hall, reducing them to just one council member they can vote for instead of five.
What nutjob would think such a thing would be a good idea?
What nutjob would think such a thing would be a good idea?
• 2016's promised El Niño was a bust. We were promised a Godzilla El Niño, yet we ended up with something closer to a blind puppy El Niño, with far less than our average rainfall.
To be prudent, the city held several sandbag events for local residents. Primarily because they were egged on by the huge fuss that had been made in the media.
To be prudent, the city held several sandbag events for local residents. Primarily because they were egged on by the huge fuss that had been made in the media.
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| By the final sandbag event, the crews had it down to a science. |
Despite those same "experts" declaring that this year will be dryer than usual (whatever that means in the real world) I'm cheering for a continuation of the rains we've been having, and looking forward to the prognosticators being served another large helping of crow.
There were many events in the city
• 2017 will see a new Mayor at the dais, Tim Walker, and I'm sure that he'll keep a sharp eye out for things that concern the residents of Wildomar and handle them with alacrity.
But I wouldn't bother sending your facebook missives, about the parks being out of TP, to him. I'm guessing such things will only serve as a catapult to first string on the nonstarter special olympics team.
• Something that only touched Wildomar indirectly, although it directly affected one of our city council members, Ben Benoit, is the passing of Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit, Ben's father.
He died the day after Christmas, just a day shy of his 65th birthday, after having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just a couple of months earlier.
Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out the the Benoit family.
Mayor Bridgette Moore presided over a very busy year. I'm sure there are plenty of things that I omitted, such is often the case when putting together a blog like this. Please leave a comment about the items that should have been included.
- Eggstravaganza Egg Hunt
- ALS 5k and community health fare
- Relay For Life (EHS)
- Rotary BBQ
- Mayor's Prayer Breakfast
- Memorial Day Observance
- Flag Day Observance
- City Birthday Bash which had a circling helicopter over it as a suspected shooter was being sought.
- NAACP Community Meeting
- Anit-Bullying Meeting
- Wildomar Night at the Diamond (Storm Game)
- Resource Summit (dealing with homelessness)
- State of the City
- Mayor's Event (Wine Pairing)
- Trunk or Treat
- Breakfast With Santa
Along with several movies, concerts, and an astronomy night in the park.
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| One of several rockin' concerts held a Marna O'Brien Park in 2016. |
Let's not forget the 2017 calendar contest, where participants were given a copy of the calendar for entering, and the rest were given out at the State of the City and subsequent events.
Other notable things that happened during the year included Ashley Fox as Mayor for a Day, Chords and Vines radio show broadcast from the Corporate Room, and the opening of several businesses: Yellow Basket; Discount Tires; Go Nutz Donuts among them.
• The much needed drainage improvements (lateral C-1) off of Palomar were completed.
Other notable things that happened during the year included Ashley Fox as Mayor for a Day, Chords and Vines radio show broadcast from the Corporate Room, and the opening of several businesses: Yellow Basket; Discount Tires; Go Nutz Donuts among them.
• The much needed drainage improvements (lateral C-1) off of Palomar were completed.
• There were many Eagle Scout projects completed around town.
Including, but not limited to, dugout coverings on one of the ball fields at Marna O'Brien park; installation of the Justin Hunt Memorial at the cemetery; enclosure around the porta potty at Windsong Park.
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| Ryan Bellinghousen, Brandon Benline, Mayor Bridgette Moore, Mario Herrera of Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez's office. |
• When it came to politics, we saw Jerry Brown veto Wildomar again; Wildomar voting for a school bond; 53% voting in favor of legalizing the devil's weed (cannabis for the squares out there), the election of a new city council member (Dustin Nigg), and the end of an era when Bob Cashman retired from the council.
• On November 2nd, there was a well received Donald Trump rally at the corner of Clinton Keith and Hidden Springs Rd. Though one disgruntled Hillary supporter did try and cause some trouble and the cops had to be called.
• On November 2nd, there was a well received Donald Trump rally at the corner of Clinton Keith and Hidden Springs Rd. Though one disgruntled Hillary supporter did try and cause some trouble and the cops had to be called.
• We said goodbye to police chief Captain Lennie Hollingsworth, and also hired a CSO (Community Service Officer).
• We endured another false alarm to the grand jury, where a citizen complained that the various city meetings weren't publicized at the post office or library to their liking.
• Walmart successfully defended a bogus lawsuit (the judge threw the case out), only to see the out of town lawyer wait until the final day to file an appeal. The case is still pending, as are the various improvements to Bundy Canyon Road that are direly needed.
Just remember this handy little truism, nothing gets built without funding, and without development there is no funding.
Ground breaking will most likely occur in 2017.
Just remember this handy little truism, nothing gets built without funding, and without development there is no funding.
Ground breaking will most likely occur in 2017.
• We saw several fires in town
El Comal restaurant, and several house fires that displaced families. It was good to see the community rally around the families in question, helping out the best they could with donations of goods, food, gift cards, money and personal time.
El Comal restaurant, and several house fires that displaced families. It was good to see the community rally around the families in question, helping out the best they could with donations of goods, food, gift cards, money and personal time.
• The Brown House got a lot of attention this year, and though it looks as if its days are nearly over, the development known as Baxter Village has made room for it in a key spot, if the Wildomar Historical Society can raise half a million dollars in the next two weeks*.
*Since they haven't been able to raise jack diddly squat over the last ten years, it's a safe bet that the Brown House will only survive in photos by mid 2017.
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| Someone needs to write a countdown to removal app for this. |
• 2017 will see a new Mayor at the dais, Tim Walker, and I'm sure that he'll keep a sharp eye out for things that concern the residents of Wildomar and handle them with alacrity.
But I wouldn't bother sending your facebook missives, about the parks being out of TP, to him. I'm guessing such things will only serve as a catapult to first string on the nonstarter special olympics team.
• Something that only touched Wildomar indirectly, although it directly affected one of our city council members, Ben Benoit, is the passing of Riverside County Supervisor John Benoit, Ben's father.
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| John Benoit |
He died the day after Christmas, just a day shy of his 65th birthday, after having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just a couple of months earlier.
Our deepest sympathies and condolences go out the the Benoit family.
Mayor Bridgette Moore presided over a very busy year. I'm sure there are plenty of things that I omitted, such is often the case when putting together a blog like this. Please leave a comment about the items that should have been included.
Happy New Year to all the Wildotuckians out there, and may the new year be the path to your better tomorrow... or some other such flowery nonsense. ☺
• • •
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Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
– Robert Burns, 1759-1796
Wildomar Rap thinks that some acquaintances should be forgotten, auld lang syne notwithstanding.
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne?
– Robert Burns, 1759-1796
Wildomar Rap thinks that some acquaintances should be forgotten, auld lang syne notwithstanding.
You forgot the glorious re-installation of the "Freedom Swing" for a cost of $31,573.80. Our current mayor, for a few more hours, proclaimed in facebook post back on April 21 “This swing opened up in my city last Saturday, it was a Girl Scout Silver Award project". Anyone who tries to use this swing will find it padlock (8 months later). They will also find that handicap access to the tot-lot in the same park is still gone from the first failed attempt to install the "Freedom Swing" when the ADA ramp was removed.
ReplyDeleteAs for the new mayor, I can't wait for his acidulous comments from the dais. His already expressed views on an Marijuana Ordinance whereby he will do what he sees fit rather than what is in the best interest of the city are but a preview.
I'm not a fan of "swing by appointment". I've never seen the swing used in its new location, or the gate unlocked, even at park events when plenty of people would be around to deter vandalism.
DeleteThough I think it is the wrong course to prevent the sale of marijuana in town, since all that will do is make people get it in the next town —or the black market, making Wildomar lose out of much needed revenue, I've yet to see any acidulous comments from Tim Walker. He is assiduous in his approach to the job as a member of the city council, and he's definitely shown passion from the dais, but acidulous? I have to disagree, but will settle for impassioned, emphatic or vehement.
Sometimes I am reminded of your infamous "beat a dead horse" blog...
ReplyDelete