Ashley Rugh and Adam Phillips Engagement Announcement

Lori and Bob Rugh are delighted and proud to announce the engagement of their daughter Ashley Rugh to Adam Phillips, son of Christina Phillips and Scott Phillips, all of Tehachapi.

Ashley is currently attending Orange Coast College with a major in Anthropology and Adam is a Communications/Network specialist and Lance Corporal in the Marines. Their wedding is set for December 20, 2008 and they will reside in New Orleans, LA, which is Adam’s current duty station.

CFL Danger

Compact-Flourescent light bulbs CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS!!!

Read: Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break (The Boston Globe).

Way back in 1982, the Mother Earth News article: THIN-FILM, AMORPHOUS-SILICON PHOTOVOLTAICS inquired:

"But is it really possible that solar cells will sell for $.70 per watt in the next few years?"

Read:

New Thin-Film Solar Panels: Fast, Simple & Smart (Mother Earth News),

Thin Film Solar Power--Cheaper than Coal? (The Oil Drum).

Here consider how the Colossal Magnetic Levitation Wind Turbine's output equals that of a small nuclear power plant--though providing power at $.01 per kilowatt hour (it low-center-of-gravity = perfect for offshore = unlimited potential).

Read:

Nader opposes nuclear, coal, oil energy, supports wind, solar,

The Dirty Truth About Clean Coal (BusinessWeek),

King Coal's Latest Con Job, Clean Coal is Not Clean (CounterPunch),

Ethanol vehicles pose significant risk to health, new study finds (Stanford News Service).

Here consider how:

"... residents in Illinois voiced their outrage two years ago upon learning that the Exelon Corp had not disclosed radioactive leaks at one of its nuclear plants. ... Mr. Obama introduced a bill ... Mr. Obama eventually rewrote it ... The rewritten bill also contained the NEW WORDING SOUGHT BY EXELON MAKING IT CLEAR THAT STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES WOULD HAVE NO REGULATORY OVERSIGHT OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. Exelon's suport for Mr. Obama far exceeds its support for any other presidential candidate." (Nuclear Leaks and Response Tested Obama in Senate, NY Times).

Read:

Obama's Sub-Prime Conflict (CommonDreams)(regarding Penny Pritzker--Obama's Finance Chairman):

"... if you traced today's sub-prime crisis back to its origins, you would come upon the role of the Pritzkers and Superior Bank of Chicago."

The Real Legacy of the Reagan Revolution (CommonDreams)(regarding Phill Gramm--McCain's Campaign Co-Chairman):

"Enron, lest we forget, was their baby. ... Here is a man whose legislation created what financial guru Warren Buffet termed 'financial weapons of mass destruction.'"

John McCain and the USS Forrestal Fire:

McCain crashed 5 jets, plus was responsible for the Forrestal fire. ... McCain deliberately 'wet-started' his A-4E Skyhawk to shake up the guy in the F-4 Phantom behind his plane."

Finally, consider how Pres. Bush never actually won a Presidential Election (See The US Commission on Civil Rights Report on the Irregularities of the 2000 Florida Presidential Election, and Rolling Stone article: Was the 2004 Election Stolen?)

Complaints about our corrupted election process can be addressed to the UN: 1503@ohchr.org

Fun now comes with a price:

KEEP IT FREE! I live in New England now and we have alot nicer skateparks here and they are Yes you know it FREE! Our kids that live in Tehachapi have little to do as it is and to do this to the kids and parents is just wrong. Don't the people of Tehachapi pay through property taxes to keep up the City? So now you want to charge them to use a facility that should be FREE! So why not charge mothers taking thier kids to the kiddie parks to play on the swings, slides....whats the difference they also can get hurt! the city has to carry some sort of liability insurance right?

TCT HITS KEY FUNDING MILESTONE

Tehachapi Community Theatre president Karl Schuck has announced that TCT has reached a milestone figure of $50,000 to complete and equip the BeeKay Theatre, currently undergoing reconstruction.

“It’s delightful to be only $10,000 from our final target. The citizens and merchants of Tehachapi have been unbelievably generous,” Schuck said.

The City of Tehachapi has combined a National Park Service grant with redevelopment agency funds in order to reproduce the theatre’s structure. TCT, designated as the primary user of the facility, is responsible for completing the project, including interior finishes, chandeliers, chairs, risers, murals, tiling, carpeting, curtains, lighting and sound equipment.

TCT’s most recent fundraising effort was an opportunity drawing which climaxed at the recent Mountain Festival as over 20 winners were drawn from a drum full of tickets sold over the previous months. Naming rights for chairs and other fittings continue to be available from the theatre, call 822-4037 for more information.

Although TCT will be the primary user, and will operate the building on the City’s behalf, the venue will be available for many other events and performing arts groups, as well as proving a comfortable location for City Council meetings, probably beginning in January.

A Holiday Sneak Peek is planned for Christmas Parade Day on December 6, as local performing arts groups will be invited to take the stage throughout the day. Also planned is a New Year’s Eve Gala and grand opening parties for volunteers and benefactors. The first full TCT production will be the musical “Oliver!” scheduled to open in February.

Prize winners and gift donors included a mini home theatre system from Hook Me Up Satellites claimed by Heather Ringle; a gas bbq from K-Mart and services by Sparkle Steam Carpet Cleaning both to Monica Nadon; Albertson’s Gift Card, Barbara Shacklock; Save Mart Gift Certificate to J. Alvord, Mama Hilly Bean’s Gift Certificate Anne Peper; Tastefully Simple Gift Baskets by Valinda Jockinsen went to Valerie Christy and Janice Miller; The Body & Bath Boutique Gift Basket, Donald Peck; Books and Crannies Gift Certificate, Penny DeHart; The Heat Source 5 piece fireplace tool set, Veronica Miller; Don Juan’s Grill Dinner Gift Card and Nature’s Pantry Gift Certificate to Ray Bilger; Olan Mills Portrait Sitting, Holly Hughes; Don Juan’s Grill Dinner Gift Card Karen Fisher; and hand-made afghans from Barbara Chugg of BJ Creations went to J. Alvord, Mark Williams and the Ziegler family.

Tehachapi Furniture Store donated a Recliner that went to Kim Vespa; Tehachapi Community Theatre 10 free tickets, Madeline Smith; Sue Zhou, CMT 1 Hour Massage to Cindy Latham; Disneyland donated 2 One Day Passes for Robert Lugibihl,; Picture Perfect and Stamps of Approval Gift Certificate was awarded to Scott Ringle.

Golden Eagle sighting

On the afternoon of March 18th, I was looking out the window and wondered what had caught the attention of our horses. Since one of the horses was nowhere in sight, I assumed that they were all watching him down in the pasture, that's when I spotted something very dark and large moving on the ground. My first thought was that it might be a vulture. I grabbed my camera and ran down to take a look, moving slowly through the sage and rabbit brush, I was able to sneak up close to observe this Golden Eagle eating a ground squirrel! Just as I got within about 25-30 feet, it noticed me, I had only enough time to quickly stand up and take a photo just as it was spreading its wings to fly off.

ELK HERD HEARD EARLY

Bear Valley Elk images by Denis Mayberry

Local man heads out for one year in Baghdad

United States Air Force Airman First Class Ryan A. Sibley was deployed to Baghdad Iraq on Aug. 20. Ryan is the son of La Bella Amore Italian Bistro owner Cathie Sibley, of Tehachapi, and Rhon Sibley, of Quartz Hill. Ryan is a 2005 graduate of Quartz Hill High School and will celebrate his 21st birthday in Baghdad. After his one year deployment Ryan plans to return to California, complete the California Highway Patrol academy, and become a CHP officer. Please keep Ryan and all of our troops in your prayers.

Tehachapi Torah Center, Kern Kehilla, Tehachapi Jewish and Friends, open house

view existing and planned facilities.

meet friends, neighbors, with brief discussion on importance of Torah study and observance of our respective Mitzvot, over refreshments.

reserve for High Holiday services.

participate in, volunteer, and or contribute, to learning and service.

All ages welcome, please be sure children properly supervised.

Ladies! You're invited to a One Day Retreat at Country Oaks Church

Country Oaks Women’s Ministry invites you to a One Day Retreat - Loving Well with video messages from Beth Moore

Saturday, September 13, 2008 at Country Oaks Church

The retreat will begin at 8 a.m. and will finish up at 5 p.m. A continental breakfast, lunch and snacks will be served. No childcare is available.

Cost is $25 if you pay by August 31 or $30 thereafter.

Please call the church at 822-1379 or stop by Country Oaks Church office at 20915 Schout Road in order to register.

Congratulations to Jonathon & Ashley Trone

Longtime Tehachapi residents, Bret & Denise Trone would like to announce the marriage of their son, Jonathon Trone, of Tehachapi, California, to Ashley Cunningham, of Reno, Nevada. The event was an amazing family wedding/reunion, held in Carlsbad, California, on June 28th, 2008. Jonathon's grandfather, Pastor Dan C. Fore, married them in a rose garden, overlooking the ocean. Jonathon and Ashley are still residing in Tehachapi. We would like to wish them well on their new journey!

Heritage Oak School Parent Orientation Night

Heritage Oak School held its annual Parent Orientation Night on Friday, August 22 . The event gives new and returning parents an opportunity to meet teachers and staff, discuss events for the upcoming school year and fellowship. School will begin for all grades on Tuesday, September 2. Pictured are the teachers for the 2008-2009 K-12 school year. For additional information and upcoming events, please visit heritageoakschool.com.

Cummings Valley Back to School Night

Back to School Night for Cummings Valley Elementary will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 3rd, from 6-7 p.m. This great event lets parents meet the teachers , see the classrooms, and find out what to expect for the 2008-2009 school year. In conjunction with this event will be the first Little Cesars fundraiser of the year. Your CV PTO will also be there with bottled water and Spirit Wear for sale, along with information about the PTO. We look forward to seeing you there !

Is there a hole in this story?

The lawyer for one of the defendants charged in connection with the fire that leveled the historic Tehachapi train depot claimed in court last week that the clean-up of the charred site has destroyed evidence.

“The whole area is bulldozed,” attorney Jeffrey Brodey told Superior Court Judge John Olgesby August 20 in the East Branch courtroom in Mojave. “There's a big hole there. It's a matter of destruction of evidence.”

Brodey represents defendant Jason W. Watson, who, along with Brian O'Donnell, is charged with “unlawfully and recklessly” setting fire or “causing to be burned” the old depot, which was in the process of being renovated.

Both men have admitted to setting off fireworks that night, but their lawyers are challenging the charge that the fireworks actually were the cause of the June 13 fire. At what was scheduled to be the pre- preliminary hearing, Oglesby granted the defense request for more time to investigate and delayed the pre- preliminary proceeding until September 24.

Deputy District Attorney Ronald Taylor, Jr., who filed the original felony complaints, indicated the allegations of evidence destruction were not bothersome.

“I don't put a whole lot of stock in the comment,” Taylor said. “I anticipated that. It's all part of the legal process. You take it step by step.”

Brodey said at the August 20 proceeding, “Multiple things were seized. We don't have all the evidence. We can't do our investigations.”

Olgesby, kept waiting for an hour for the arrival of West Los Angeles-based Brodey, said, “Full investigations are not required prior to a preliminary hearing. The law does not require a full investigation by either side.”

Tyson Beers of Palmdale, attorney for O'Donnell, said, “There are some things for us to look at… items seized from the location, flammable things, whatever substances were on those things. We have to find out what the reports show.”

He said the defense team wants to look at inspection reports by the Tehachapi building department and construction sprinkler plans as well as photos and videos taken by citizen witnesses.

Brodey said the defense aims to prove “not whether they shot off the fireworks but whether the fireworks were actually the cause of the fire.”

If there are admissions by the defendants that they shot off the fireworks, Judge Oglesby said, “Maybe I'm missing it - why do you need more discovery?”

Challenging the defense lawyers to “persuade me” to grant a new investigation before the formal hearing, Olgesby said, “This case will proceed, not drag along.”

Brodey said, “Whether the fire was started by the fireworks is the issue here…We can't tell that until we have our own experts. We just want to be able to present our issues to court.”

Olgesby said, “The matter was set for preliminary hearing August 22. I am not sure what you thought would happen today.”

Brodey said, “I thought we would have the opportunity for further investigation.”
The judge responded, “You haven't articulated it. You said 'We hope to find something.' The law does not require me to continue this hearing ad infinitum.”
Brodey asked for “a short time to have counsel look at the evidence. We ask for the 10th or the 17th.”

Olgesby said, “I don't like this idea of imaginary dates…I expect counsel to be ready to present the case.”

The judge granted the defense request for more time to inspect the evidence, saying, “If you need more time after the 24th, I expect it to be in writing.”

å

There’s always another ramp

The State Route 58 lane and ramp closures should be less confusing to
motorists after Tuesday (Aug. 26), according to the construction company
doing the work.

“Today’s [Tuesday] kind of a tough day because we have so many contractors
working,” said William Duford, paving superintendent for Granite Construction Company, of Watsonville, the primary contractor.

On Wednesday, he said, in the late morning and early afternoon, lane stripers will force the alternate closures of the eastbound ramps at State Route 202 (Tucker Road) and Mill Street.

“That’s pretty much going to be it,” he said.

Duford said that the changeable electronic signs tell motorists what is
closed, not what is open.

“Caltrans does not like us to put too much information on the boards,” he
said.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) assures motorists who
are confused by ramp closures on State Route 58 this week that contractors
are instructed not to close consecutive ramps.

“We don’t allow contractors to close two consecutive ramps in a row,” said
Jose Camarena, public information officer for Caltrans district 6 in Fresno. “They [motorists] need to know that the next one will be open.”

Duford explained that if the eastbound off-ramp at State Route 202 is closed, for example, “We have to leave the off-ramp at Mill Street open. If we close the off-ramp at 202, the only thing we can close at Mill is the on-ramp.”

Alternating closures may not follow a strict schedule.

“The nature of the work is dynamic,” Camarena said. The contractors will be working on the Tehachapi segment of State Route 58 for a week, he said, “working on all the ramps.”

Camarena said the signage is the responsibility of the contractor.

Dennis Wesley, branch manager of the Bakersfield office of Granite Construction, said, “They are moving from ramp to ramp. We can only close one ramp at a time.”

Wesley agreed that the rolling closures are challenging to motorists.

“I’ll talk to my people about the signage so it will be a little less confusing,” he told the Tehachapi News.

An Aug. 21 Caltrans Commuter Alert said the pavement rehabilitation project on State Route 58 will continue through Aug. 29 through the Tehachapi stretch of highway.

The alert read:

“The eastbound State Route 202 on/off ramp may be intermittently closed for up to four hours a day during construction the week of Aug. 25 through Aug. 29. In addition to the ramp closure, motorists should anticipate lane closures on SR-58 in the Tehachapi area throughout the week. Work hours are from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This $8.5 million project will rehabilitate a 30-mile segment of SR-58
about two miles east of State route 223 to the Cache Creek Bridge.

Granite Construction Company was awarded the project that began in early
June and is expected to be complete late September 2008. During construction, motorists will be altered to lane/ramp closures via construction signage and electronic message boards along SR-58 and near freeway interchanges within Tehachapi.

Caltrans thanks the motoring public for their patience as we work to
rehabilitate this segment of SR-58. Motorists are reminded to allow
additional travel time and drive with extra care through construction
areas.”

Four ramp interchanges provide access to the Tehachapi area from State Route
58 -- State Highway 202 (Tucker Road, exit 148), Mill Street/Capitol Hills
Parkway (exit 149), Monolith/Tehachapi Summit (gives entry to Tehachapi
boulevard, exit 151) and Sand Canyon (exit 156). There are several more
State Route 58 interchanges on the west side.

Daily closure Information from Caltrans will be posted on this web site as it becomes available.

Fall Harvest Faire

Fall Harvest Faire - a handcrafted only faire. This is a well established faire, well known for its high quality vendors of fine art, photography and handcrafted creations. Food, Music, and great shopping in lovely Tehachapi. Cool breezes, and a jump start on your Christmas shopping! Join us.

Recent Posts : Tehachapi News

Ashley Rugh and Adam Phillips Engagement Announcement

CFL Danger

Fun now comes with a price:

TCT HITS KEY FUNDING MILESTONE

Golden Eagle sighting

ELK HERD HEARD EARLY

Local man heads out for one year in Baghdad

Tehachapi Torah Center, Kern Kehilla, Tehachapi Jewish and Friends, open house

Ladies! You're invited to a One Day Retreat at Country Oaks Church

Congratulations to Jonathon & Ashley Trone

Heritage Oak School Parent Orientation Night

Cummings Valley Back to School Night

Is there a hole in this story?

There’s always another ramp

Fall Harvest Faire