Palomar Mountain News

 From: Mike Johnson

I was sorry to see that Palomar weekender Jerome Lipetzky passed away.   We have one of his beautiful paintings of the East Grade hanging in our entryway.

Mike and Kelly Johnson

“Jerry and Lynn purchased acreage on the eastern slope of Mt. Palomar and built a small cabin that overlooked Lake Henshaw and the cattle ranch where as a teenager Jerry felt privileged to work for room and board in an environment of oaks, grasslands and small streams. It was uniquely Californian landscapes such as this that he loved so much that became the heart of his later works as an artist.”

Jerry donated some of his beautiful art work to the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Auction and it is treasured by quite a few Mountain folks.  Just a few months ago, my husband was on the East Grade on his horse looking for cattle and saw Jerry out enjoying the views on his land.  They had a nice visit.   – Bonnie Phelps

Click for more on Jerry’s life, an on-line Guest Book, and service info for Saturday, October 2nd.

See also http://www.mypalomarmountain.com/tributes/

Many long time Mountain folks knew Ed and Darlene Lewis, and their children Lori and Chad, when they they lived on the Mountain in the 1970’s. They owned a cabin on Bailey Meadow Road. September of 1972, they poured cement for a new basement floor and had their children make their handprints.  The present owners provided the treasured photo for Darlene who still has their family home at the base of the Mountain.  Her son Chad started Kindergarten at the one room Mountain School when there were about 30 kids attending.  In his teens, both he and Lori worked with their dad at the Palomar Outdoor School Camp Kitchen, and served with the Volunteer Fire Department.  Baiting his first hook with Dad at Doane Pond began his love for fishing that he also shared with his sons. Chad had a big kind heart and was always there for his family and friends. 

Here is more from Darlene, including information about Chad’s Memorial Service, this Saturday, September 17 and an online Guest Book:

Read More…

From: editor@valleycenter.com

Subject: PALOMAR BBQ IN PAPER

Bonnie, your readers might be interested in knowing that this week’s Roadrunner (on the stand now) has a front page picture of last weekend’s barbecue plus several photos inside.

Regards,

David Ross

Editor

Valley Roadrunner

760-749-1112

 “I can handle big news and little news. And if there’s no news, I’ll go out and bite a dog.”

  Share your musical talent with mountain friends and professionals from down yonder or come and be the audience. We’ll be playin’ and singin’ some Patriotic songs in remembrance of 9-11 plus your favorite tunes.

Saturday 9-11 at 6 pm

Wine, beer, apple cider etc tasting with favorite appetizer/dessert that compliments your beverage

Location:  Dale and Michele’s

Directions: Go to the end of Crestline, turn right.  Turn left at the four way stop, then right at the next opportunity.  Fourth home down on the left. Carpool if possible.

Bring appetizer or dessert to share, beverage, folding chairs, jacket, musical instrument, voice, and a big smile! 

Questions-Call Dale and Michele at 760 742-2312

Power outages are pretty much promised on the Mountain during the fall.  Plan ahead if you are a weekender – might want to keep your refrigerator/freezer cleaned out.  Full time on the Moountain?  If you don’t already have a generator, you might consider having one of our locals set you up – find their contacts on our Mountain Yellow Pages. 

Thanks to Rosemary Johnston for passing on the new SDG&E website that will post the planned power shut offs.

 http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/sep/01/sdge-unveils-fire-weather-website/

Sisters Ann and Catherine Wood taken many years ago.  Catherine wrote a wonderful historical book about Palomar.  Last week I met Ann’s son, Bill, over the phone.  They are planning to clean up and use the family cabin the sisters enjoyed so much on their beloved Palomar.

You should be able to find a copy on line through a used book store.  Happy reading!

Bonnie Phelps, Realtor

We just got new windows in our Round House.  WOW!  What a big difference – makes it sooooooo much cooler and look so nice.

Thought someone out there might want a great buy on new windows too.  I got this contact from another Realtor in my office who uses them often for remodels in the cities.  Jim at Window Solutions is glad to serve you in the city or come on back up to Palomar Mountain.

Our windows are double pane, and for high altitude (very important on Palomar!) with a “Low E”.  Made a huge difference in a few hours!  Pleasure to deal with and after checking around, these Milgard windows were a good buy.

Call Jason for new windows at 619 888-9981

For many decades Oliver Brown has been a “landmark” on Palomar.  I’ve often referred to him as “The Mayor of the Mountain”. He  managed the Lodge for many years, operated his Cabin Security Business, and always smiled and waved at folks as they drove by his cabin on Crestline. 

Yesterday I visited him at Palomar Continuing Care and he said “Life is better than ever!’  Born in 1918, his birthday is Saturday, September 4th.   Will you send him a card?

When I arrived, the nurse said she would help me find him because he is rarely in his room as he knows everyone there and is usually out visiting.  (Why are we not surprised?!)  The last decade or so on the Mountain, Oliver has been in a wheelchair, but at PCC, but he is now WALKING a lot, although he prefers his wheel chair since he can go faster! 

Sharp as a tack, visiting with Oliver has always been a pleasure.  Over the years I have figured out that Oliver’s favorite words are “friends, marvelous, tremendously, fun, and delighted”.  The many times I’ve stopped to visit, he has always wanted to know what is going on in my life, what is the latest on the Mountain, and what is coming up so he can pass it on to others. 

So here are some tidbits from our fun conversation yesterday: 

Since I had to start first, I shared that my latest news was that I went to my 40 High School Class Reunion last weekend.  Oliver smiled real big as he told me he had just received a letter from his high school teacher!  At this point I thought, “Ohmygoodness, Oliver is loosing it!”  But, that is not the case!  He went on to say,  “Nanny Tracy is 103 years old and lives in a Board and Care Home in Kansas City.  She marveled that I was still kicking around and causing trouble.  She said in her letter to me that she always knew I’d be successful, even if it was in getting old!”  Oliver went to high school in Springfield, MO and must have graduated about 1934.  So, Oliver’s 80th Class reunion would be coming up pretty soon and just think, I’m only at the half way point!  Oliver “enjoyed school tremendously and had marvelous teachers”.

What is Oliver’s secret in growing old?  “Most of it is liking people”, he said.  “Not too long ago, a man came over to me in the dining hall.  He was here visiting his wife and asked me if I lived on Palomar, I told him I did.  We didn’t know each other the man said, but he felt he knew me because I always waved when he drove by”. 

“Relax and enjoy getting to know people”, Oliver went on to say.  “I worked hard all my life.  I did what was available to do and made the most of it. I’m delighted that I’ve lived this long.  It has been no effort and it’s been fun!”

Oliver loves visitors and you are invited to stop by anytime.  Phone calls are great too but you may miss him since he is out and about – keep trying.

 Here is where you can send that card:

Palomar Continuing Care Center

Oliver Brown Room 17

1817 Avenida Del Diablo, Escondido CA 92029

Oliver’s Room 760 739-2217

Front Desk 760 739-2217

Happy Birthday Oliver!

Bonnie Phelps

From: Rob & Brenda Hawk  

Needed: One or two fir logs, approximately 12 + inches in diameter, 6-8 feet long, as uniform as possible.   We are hosting a wood-working Merit Badge workshop for  Boy Scout Troop 51 in La Mesa.  One of the activities will be a log-sawing competition using a two-person cross-cut saw.  I’ll be happy to pick up anywhere on the mountain I can get my 4WD & trailer into, and will cut to fit.  I’ll be happy to drop the tree as well, as long as it isn’t near anything valuable (like your cabin). Burned trees are preferred.

Thank you.

Rob Hawk

Birch Hill

From: Cor V. Shaffer
Subject:  Palomar Casino? 

La Jolla tribe plans casino, hotel at Palomar Mountain

By EDWARD SIFUENTES – esifuentes@nctimes.com | Posted: Thursday, August 26, 2010 8:01 pm

PALOMAR MOUNTAIN —- The La Jolla Band of Mission Indians is proposing to build a casino and hotel on its Palomar Mountain reservation, according to an environmental study of the project.

The proposal calls for a 480,000-square-foot gambling and hotel facility, according to the study. The proposed hotel would have 200 rooms with six separate villa suites and a parking structure.

Officials with the La Jolla tribe and its partners, Panther Partners, LLC, could not be reached for comment on the project. A website for Parther Partners in Boca Raton, Fla., says the proposed casino is expected to open in January 2012.

The study was prepared for the National Indian Gaming Commission, the federal tribal gambling regulatory agency. The report addresses the casino’s environmental impacts, but it does not say how many slot machines or table games the casino would have.

Under its 1999 gambling agreement with the state, the La Jolla tribe is allowed to build up to two casinos with a total of no more than 2,000 slot machines.

In September, the federal government announced the tribe was awarded $22.6 million in tax-exempt bonding authority for economic development as part of the federal economic stimulus package.

While the bonds cannot be used to fund casinos directly, the bonds can be used to build tourism facilities such as hotels, golf courses and parking structures.

The 700-member tribe ran a 30-machine slot arcade, once San Diego County’s smallest tribal gaming operation, in a convenience store next to Highway 76. The arcade opened in 2002, but was overshadowed by larger neighboring casinos at the Pala, Pauma, San Pasqual and Rincon reservations and later closed.

In 2004, the tribe announced a $25 million deal with a Texas-based management firm called Nevada Gold to build a casino and hotel. The plan called for a 35,000-square-foot casino with 500 slot machines, a restaurant and 150-room hotel.

The tribe could not be reached for comment on why that project was not built.