TehachapiNews.com

Explore nature at Descanso Gardens

Matthew Martz, Tehachapi News

Just over 100 miles from downtown Tehachapi is a 150-acre gem that highlights the beauty of nature through an internationally renowned botanical collection and a variety of seasonal horticultural displays.

Once owned by newspaper magnate E. Manchester Boddy, Descanso Gardens in the La Canada neighborhood of Los Angeles County stands as a symbol of one man's love for botanical plants.

Remembering junior high and enjoying the work of young artists

Lisa Burt, Contributing Writer

Do you remember 8th grade? Don't answer too quickly. Take a moment to think back and recapture a moment. It's noisy with chatter, laughter, and at times chaos and yet somehow a small town school teacher is able to teach 20-plus kids enough to pass the "big test" to get into high school: The Constitution Test.

I still remember the big moment; looking down at my grade... 99 percent. What question did I miss? Was it how many votes needed to get a bill through the Senate? No. I keep scanning the test, what could it be?

Pen in Hand: Al Crisalli Jr. The very finest of men

Jon Hammond, Contributing Writer

One of the finest men who has ever lived in the Tehachapi Mountains left us unexpectedly on Monday, May 6, when Al Crisalli Jr., passed away in his sleep. Al, 60, was a former general manager/publisher of the Tehachapi News and a longtime Realtor, most recently with Keller Williams. Al was one of the most beloved residents of Tehachapi, a wellspring of kindness, understanding and encouragement, and many hearts are broken at his untimely passing. I know because mine is one of them -- he and I were the best of friends, and no one knows better than I do just how rare and exceptional Albert Salvatore Crisalli Jr. was his entire life.

Al was born on September 20, 1952 in Van Nuys, the firstborn son of Al and Alyce Crisalli. He was a joy to his mother, with his perpetually sweet temperment, and something of a puzzle to his father, who couldn't always relate to his son who would rather be exploring nature and catching lizards and frogs, rather than playing team sports or getting into trouble like average kids. Al had a lifelong love of the outdoors, and was an excellent birder, a good amateur botanist, and had an overall affection for virtually every living thing, from dragonflies to golden eagles, from lichen to giant sequoias.

Camp Kiya adds new faces to the teaching staff

Deborah Hand, Contributing Writer

Camp Kiya will be adding some new faces to the teaching staff this summer as well as instruction in additional instruments. This will be the fifth year for the traditional music camp, which will take place in Tehachapi Mountain Park July 21-25. The camp has something for everyone in the family, whether beginning players or advanced, adults, teens or young children.

This year, workshops in harp, mountain dulcimer, old-time fiddle and bluegrass banjo will be added to the schedule. Fiddle, guitar, cello, ukulele, accordion, clawhammer banjo, and mandolin will again be offered, as well as singing and several styles of dancing.

8th grade students from Carden visit Washington D.C.

Sarah Bekker, Contributing Writer

During Spring Break, six 8th grade students from Carden School of Tehachapi, their teacher, a friend from Jacobsen Middle School and a chaperone embarked on a cross country journey.

They journeyed to our nation's capitol, Washington, D.C., to discover our country's rich history and expand their horizons. They were part of a travel group organized by the educational travel company, World Strides, which specializes in developing travel itineraries for school groups to tour influential, historical sites throughout the United States of America. From March 25 until March 30 the Carden school group traveled with three other school groups from Southern California around the Washington, D.C. area to gain a greater perspective of our nation's rich history as chronicled in the preserved sites of our nation's beginnings. They visited our first President's residence, the museums along the National Mall, our Capitol building, and the various memorials dedicated to important historical figures, like Presidents Lincoln, Kennedy, Jefferson, Roosevelt, as well as Martin Luther King, Jr. and others.

Symphony to perform May 19

Karen Condor, Contributing Writer

The Tehachapi Symphony, directed by Dr. David Newby will perform on Sunday, May 19. The concert begins at 4 p.m. at Country Oaks Baptist Church, located at 20915 Schout Road. This year's Young Artist Competition winner, Anna McCoy of Bakersfield, will perform Saint-Saëns, Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor. The Tehachapi Symphonic Chorus and director Kathy Kelly, will join the symphony for Verdi's Va, Pensiero, Wagner's Pilgrims' Chorus, and Verdi's Libiamo. Brahms' Symphony No. 2 in D Major will also be performed.

After the intermission, there will be a drawing for the yearly fundraiser, for which tickets may be purchased from any Tehachapi Symphony member, board member, or Tehachapi Symphonic Chorus member. The grand prize is $1000.

Mormon 'Helping Hands' assist camp spring cleaning

Pat Waring, Contributing Writer

Wearing the familiar yellow "Helping Hands" vests of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 50 plus local members met at Kern County's Tehachapi Mountain Park for a fun volunteer work day on Saturday, April 27.

Beekay Theatre gets a touch up

Tehachapi News

David Reed adds fresh color to the facade of the Beekay Theatre as the building approaches the 5th anniversary of its renovation

I watched it fly: Observer reflects on historic SpaceShipTwo test flight

Neil Brunett, Contributing Writer

The morning of April 29 in Mojave was calm and warm. It was a perfect day for flying. A certain excitement filled Mojave Air & Space Port even as I arrived for work at 5 a.m.

Pen in Hand: The Rankin Ranch,150 years and thriving

Jon Hammond, Contributing Writer

One of the oldest business enterprises in Kern County, a family-owned ranch now home to the sixth generation of the same family, recently marked its 150th anniversary with a celebration and a new historical marker. The Rankin Ranch, a 31,000-acre cattle and guest ranch in Walkers Basin about 30 miles northwest Tehachapi, was founded in 1863 by Walker Rankin Sr., and has been in continuous operation by the Rankin family ever since.

On April 28, a dedication was held at the crossroads outside the 1870s Rankin Ranch main house, to officially unveil the plaque installed by the Peter Lebec 1866 Chapter of E Clampus Vitus. The plaque, attached to a monument built mostly of rocks from Kernville and Twin Oaks, contains a brief history of the ranch and its founding. A small gathering of family and friends joined for the short ceremony, under blue skies with a few attractive white cumulus clouds for contrast.

THS student to direct 'The Beatles Slept Here'

tehachapi news

Tehachapi High School student Nick Tanaka is an avid Beatles fan.