I try to avoid all "panhandlers."  I don't like being confronted when I need to get my groceries home before they melt  (i.e. ice cream).  I've complained to management because of people outside grocery stores:  "support adults against kids taking drugs" and "sign my petition to help the youth" and "help for veterans" and "Jesus loves you and needs your support."  I feel like I'm under siege.  I'm a liberal and want every one to have food and shelter.  California has hundreds of programs that do that.  I pay taxes - a lot of taxes - to help make that happen.  Why do parents send their kids out to assault me for money?

I'm kind of in the same boat.  I don't give to the scruffy guy standing outside the store, I give to the homeless shelters, food banks, etc.  I'll even buy a meal for someone that is hungry, but I'm not going to give money to anyone with a sign and a can.  I encourage everyone else to do the same:  give to causes that are close to your heart, but give to the accredited organizations that HELP people, don't waste your money giving to someone who may not even be needy (there are, seriously, those that make their living out of lying about where the money in the coffee cans goes).

longtimeresident - of where? Obviously not Sand Canyon. You don't know jacksquat about SCVFD. If you did, you wouldn't be spouting off like a jerk. These are hard working men who go the extra mile for the residents. They are not panhandlers posing as firefighters - you might want to be careful with your slanderous words.They are selling raffle tickets, not just asking for money. We have to raise our own money to even exist. Just so you know jackarse, we sold all our tickets (only 50 left) and got some generous donations to boot (hey, good pun).

Christi, you disappoint me, you're the last person I though would be judgmental based on their appearance. Yes, some of them are a little "scruffy" - they are mountain men who love this canyon and are trying hard to put the fire department back together.

Do any of you complain about the Girls Scouts pushing their overpriced ($4.00 a box) sugar laden cookies? I used to be a GS leader, let me tell you, the girls don't see that money...

Why don't you call and talk to our chief, Bill Bender, or Mr. Maben instead of just mouthing off in a blog?

Shame on all of you!

Joty, I'm not sure you want people calling Maben's office. According to them the SCVFD was not able to get workman's comp insurance. No one would cover them. So they are saying it's not even a MONEY issue!!  They are also saying that because of this they were going to take back the money promised to SCVFD for a temporary shelter.

Now who do I believe? Maben's people or you and your chief because no one seems to be on the same page.

Perhaps longtimeresident needs to volunteer with something...perhaps he has too much time on his 'hands' and he feels the need to fill his time by criticizing people who are out volunteering and making a difference...My mother is a volunteer in the Sand Canyon Volunteer Fire Department, as well as my step-father, and they both have put in uncountable hours in training, etc, to make a difference along with all the other volunteers.  What kind of sourpuss agenda is this to attack the volunteers - what's next?  Meals on Wheels?  Christmas Carolers?  Good neighbors who shovel snow from neighbors driveways?

Perhaps you need to go read to old folks in an old folks home, or volunteer to drive for Meals on Wheels...We all live in communities, for gosh sakes, be nice! 

Laurie Nelson, a "scruffy" mountain girl

Countygirl, I have no idea who "they" are, but whoever "they" are, "they" obviously don't know what "they" are talking about which is pretty typical for any politician's office. So you're right, maybe people shouldn't contact Maben's office since his staff can't find their a** with a flashlight in both hands. None of them live up here either!

You don't live up here, it's not your concern unless you've been supporting us in our efforts, but hell yes, it most certainly is a MONEY issue! It is an outright LIE stating "no one would cover them". You think for one minute our guys want to stand out in front of stores in town every weekend so people like 'concerned' and 'longtimeresident' can bad mouth them? Thank GOD most of the people in Tehachapi treat us as part of the community and are generous with their help be it outright donations or buying a raffle ticket. And THAT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE GRANT FOR THE FIRE STATION (not a temporary shelter) and no, they are NOT taking the money back which is already in our possession. The County is holding up the ground breaking for the building over a land split.

In closing, I do not give the proverbial rat's a** who you believe.

Another month, another load of libel against the dedicated men and women of Sand Canyon.  We got it already, you don't like the SCVFD.  What, did one of them spit in your cheerios twenty years ago?  Get a new focus, you're demeaning yourself.  And why not stand up and give your name?  Afraid someone will know you and know exactly why you hide behind an anonymous moniker? 

Joty, I don't know what is libelous. I had panhandlers ( Panhandler- noun- one who approaches strangers and asks for money)

asking me for money. I consider that act panhandling.

You're right, the word is libel since you wrote it for the world to see. Libel (n): action, crime, or an instance of injuring a person(s) reputation especially by something written ~(v) libeled, libeling: make or publish a libel. You sir, are guilty of just that. "...a bunch of panhandlers posing as firefighters trying to make a buck."

It's been explained a couple of times why we are not operating at this time. And as I said previously in a comment - Thank GOD the majority of people in Tehachapi are supportive, generous and care about their neighbors in SC.

Panhandle=to stop or accost people on the street and beg for food or money (Merriam-Webster)

Was this on the street? No, this was on private property.

Was the request for food or money? No, the request was for "support" which can take many forms other than cash. 

Equating the fundraising activities of organizations like the Scouts with panhandling is ridiculous.  Do those little girls really scare you so much that you feel accosted when they sell cookies?  Get a grip.

Joty - I am still waiting for answers to my questions, you throw accusations around, but never answer any questions. So why don't you take a shot at answer these questions, maybe this time I will get and answer. Maybe you could talk to your Chief and see if he can answer these questions.

"I find it funny that joty says I could not have a valid rebuttal but time and time again I posted material backed up by national recognized standards, and joty would not answer the questions. The only way you try to get your credibility is by trying to make the person you are arguing with look stupid, but you do not answer any of the questions. I am still waiting for an answer to my questions.: Why can the SCVFD not enter a burning building without breaking the law? Is it because their turnouts, SCBA's, apparatus are outdated and out of compliance? Is it because the members lack the necessary training to run a fire incident? Do you carry automatic defibrillator's on your equipment? Do you keep track of your monthly training, and submit it like you are supposed to? Do you keep track of the incidents you go on, do you fill out the required incident reports and submit them for tracking to the proper agencies? Does the SCVFD have a physical fitness program, do they track and monitor the health of the volunteers, to make sure that the volunteers are fit for duty? Who dispatches the SCVFD to their calls, are they even dispatched or do you just listen to the scanner and jump the call when you hear the county fire dept responding? Why is the SCVFD not recognized as a volunteer fire dept? Is it true that if you are a Sand Canyon resident and trapped a burning house, or you are having a heart attack you will have to wait for the county fire dept to show up to be saved. I have no problem with volunteer fire depts as long as they meet the safety requirements, have the proper training and qualifications, and show up on scene and make a difference and don't contribute to the problem.  I have worked with some great ones in the state of California, If any of you are curious look up NFPA Standard 1500 it spells out requirements for every aspect of health and safety in career, volunteer, private, and military fire departments. NFPA 1500 covers everything from training, vehicles and equipment to protective clothing, emergency operations, and incident stress. Or NFPA 1720 This document specifies organization and deployment standards for initial attack structural fire suppression capabilities in volunteer fire departments. NFPA 1720 also provides guidance for those volunteer departments that provide emergency medical services and special operations. Then call the SCVFD and see for yourself if they are in compliance with recognized safety standards, and training requirements."

Also a friend of mine said that the Chief of SCVFD told him that he had a meeting with Maben and the Chief of the county fire dept today, maybe you could tell us what happened at that meeting. Also in the same conversation with the Chief he said that they (SCVFD) finally found someone that would cover them for workmans comp insurance. So why is your Chief saying one thing and you are saying another. Also according to Mabens people, they have not yet given the SCVFD the $40,000 yet, and they are re-evaluating if they are going to still give it due to the circumstances surrounding the SCVFD at this time, It seems to me joty that you don't have a clue what is going on, nobody is backing you up on your claims, not your Chief, not Maben. So who should we believe?????

Again, I don't give a rat's a** who any of you naysayers believe. Read my comment about "Maben's people" above. Gee, I wonder where that $42K came from that is sitting in our special building fund account? Hmmm, thin air I guess. I live here, am a member I'm well aware of what's going on.

If you care so much...why don't YOU call Chief Bender and ask those questions of him? Why do you have such a hair up your arse for our fire department? (and by the way, we've figured out who you are) If indeed, we aren't recognized, why do we have a number? And I don't mean telephone number. Why doesn't your "friend" who supposedly lives up here answer the questions for you? Or is he another complainer that doesn't bother to join?

If you lived in Sand Canyon, I would gladly take the time to answer all your questions. I'm not going to repeat myself with explanations for the likes of you. Go get some anger management, or better yet, offer to help the SCVFD with all your "expertise"....LOL!!!!!!

Joty countygirl talks out of her azz because her meal ticket is a county fireman. BIG WHOOPI. She needs to get her own identity. Kern county firemen are over paid whiners that assist Hall ambulance. If you want to find a fireman just look in one of our fine restaurants and you are sure to see them eating food that they mooched. SCVFD are a bunch of scroungy looking fellows, so what! They are there to help the neighbors and i feel that is a good deal. There is a lot of false information out there and the last thing we need is for an unemployed wife of a overpaid county fireman bad mouthing the SCVFD.Volunteers are what makes small towns like ours great.

I don't know that much about the Kern County firefighters, but I do know that my son-in-law who is a Captain up in the Sacramento area holds them in high esteem. He says they are the best at fighting wildfires.

Thanks for the kind words about SCVFD. I like scroungy scruffy mountain men, lol, my husband being one!