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PERMIT NO. 30 JULIAN, CA
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ESTABLISHED
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Serving the Backcountry Communities of Julian, Cuyamaca, Santa Ysabel, Shelter Valley, Mt. Laguna, Ranchita, Canebreak, Sunshine Summit, Warner Springs and Wynola.
Julian News
PO Box 639 Julian, CA 92036
1985
Change Service requested
DATED MATERIAL
The Newspaper of Record.
For the Community, by the Community.
Wednesday
May 5, 2021
Julian, CA.
Volume 36 — Issue 40 ISSN 1937-8416
www.JulianNews.com
Spencer Valley Construction Reaches Half Way Point
Back Country Covid-19 Vaccines Delivered
(as of May 1)
Julian 92036 - 1344 Ranchita 92066 - 101 Santa Ysabel 92070 - 427 Warner Springs 92086 - 330
Positive Tests
as of May 1*
(weeks new positives) Julian = 109 (+0) ** Ramona = 2,537 (+44) ** Mt. Laguna = 2 Ranchita = 13 (+0) ** Warner Springs = 66 (+11)** Santa Ysabel = 64 (+1)** Borrego Springs = 133 (+0) ** Descanso = 79 (+1) ** Alpine = 1,108 (+2) ** Poway = 2,426 (+26) Lakeside = 1691 (+9) ** Total Confirmed cases in Unincorporated San Diego County = 38,821 a total rise of 225. If you believe you have symptoms please get tested. Most testing locations do not require an appointment. To find information on a testing location near you or call 2-11 (toll free) or on the web 211sandiego.org.
State Statistics
State Officials Announce Latest COVID-19 Facts SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released the most recent statistics on COVID-19 and updates on the state’s pandemic response. Statewide COVID-19 Data as of Today California has 3,642,480 confirmed cases to date. Numbers may not represent true day-over-day change as reporting of test results can be delayed. There were 2,254 newly recorded confirmed cases Saturday.
The Spencer Valley School Community celebrated the construction of its new annex building on Wednesday, April 28. Students, parents, staff and community members contributed to the festivities which included a narrative history of the school as well as rousing version of the school song sung by all. The highlight of the event came as two of the construction workers brought the flagpole to the top of the newly installed steel beams while the Star-Spangled Banner played for the audience. The event marks the halfway point of construction on the new facility which is adjacent to the original single room school that dates back to 1905. The Spencer Valley School District was founded 1876 and is one of the few one-school districts that still exists in San Diego County. The new building, currently being constructed by CUUBE, was designed to house a state-ofthe-art kitchen, classrooms, flex space and bathrooms. Spencer Valley School is planning to use some of this new space to provide a preschool program for the area. Although the school community was not able to celebrate the traditional groundbreaking due to COVID, the time was right to celebrate the mid-point of the construction now that the steel is in place and the weather was cooperating. Students were delighted by the delicious schoolhouse-shaped cookies that were served up at the conclusion of the event, and even more so because they were able to reconnect with retired Superintendent Julie Z. Weaver. Julie was on hand to receive the Presenting of the Flag by the American Legion and Sons of the American Legion Post 468.
Nature Center, Trails Now Open
by Albert Simonson
The new Santa Ysabel Nature Center has reopened after a covid-19 shutdown, welcoming visitors to some great trails and meeting places. At the Center there is a steep uphill trail and also a level trail, with information kiosks at both trailheads. Farther north along Highway 79, but before the mission chapel site and cemetery, is a third trailhead, better for anyone preferring both a moderate uphill walk and grand views. This trail climbs to Kanaka Flat, a slang reference to 1850s Hawaiian sailors living on the broad sunlit uplands which seem today like a grassy world apart from time and humanity. The trail starts eastward along a creek which the mission Indians called Jamatai ( water – land – much ) then turns southeast following an 1870's track of little Jeff Swycaffer and an Indian vaquero driving cattle up to Kanaka Flat and then on to hungry miners of Julian City. At the top you can connect to the 1870's Coleman Toll Road, named for ex- slave Fred Coleman, his native wife Maria, and their 11 children. Or you can return the same way, enjoying your view of the once successful mission cattle rancho named for a beloved Spanish-born queen of Portugal. It had a vineyard, grain fields, diverse garden crops, and several named villages both downstream and upstream. There is an 1853 woodcut engraving print showing the chapel and other buildings already in disrepair, and a 4-horse stage on the road. In that year, the US Army had just withdrawn from their sprawling multicultural tent camp along the creek. Their primary orders, under Major (later General) Heintzelman, were to support teamsters and wagon trains supplying the major's famous and strategic Fort Yuma, in order to keep open river crossings of the Gila and Sonora trails. Gradually, better flatbottom steamboats replaced the wagon trains, and conflict with Quechan Indians of the river subsided. The army withdrew, but a succession of officers and ferrymen continued ranching with the native people. A renowned army landscape artist did the woodcut. He was attached to Lieutenant Williamson's railway survey party. The railway was to cross your path on the east margin of the valley, gradually ascending behind the chapel. The grades proved to be too steep for light engines of that time. After that bit of exercise, you might well like to relax at the Nature Center viewing the wildlife displays, which are very good. Do lunch, too. Do it all this year before the downhill hikers find out about it.
Southern Fire In Shelter Valley Grows To 5100 Acres in 24 hours
The 7-day positivity rate is 1.2%. There have been 60,514,937 tests conducted in California. This represents an increase of 249,137 during the prior 24-hour reporting period. There have been 60,748 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic. As of May 2, providers have reported administering a total of 30,412,414 vaccine doses statewide. The CDC reports that 38,560,120 doses have been delivered to entities within the state. Numbers do not represent true day-to-day change as reporting may be delayed. For more vaccination data, visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Data Dashboard. Blueprint Summary (as of April 27) 0 counties in the Purple (widespread) Tier 13 counties in the Red (substantial) Tier 41 counties in Orange (moderate) Tier 4 counties in Yellow (minimal) Tier
A vegetation fire that ignited west of Julian in the Shelter Valley area around 5 o’clock exploded in size overnight and continued to spread to more than 5,180 acres on Sunday, driven by strong winds that refused to let up. Cal Fire San Diego and AnzaBorrego firefighters had the fire about 25% surrounded by 2 p.m. Sunday. At least three structures had been destroyed, Cal Fire said. The Shelter Fire first broke out at around 5.m. Saturday on Great Southern Overland Stage Route south of State Route 78, in an area known as Shelter Valley
east of the Anza-Borrego State Park. Within two hours, the winddriven fire had grown to somewhere between 800 and 1,200 acres. But flames grew out of control overnight as winds ramped up to the 40 to 60 miles per hour range, pushing the fire to at least 2,900 acres by Sunday morning. Cal Fire said the fire was burning eastward towards Imperial County. An evacuation warning was issued for the community of Shelter Valley and the Butterfield Ranch campground was under evacuation orders, SDSO said.
Those evacuated are being told to go to Agua Caliente Campgrounds on 39545 Great Southern Overland Stage Route where the Red Cross of San Diego and Imperial Counties had set up a temporary evacuation site. About 500 residents in the area near the fire were evacuated Saturday evening, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said. The Red Cross said at least 70 people were utilizing their services. Evacuated animals can be sheltered at Vallecito County Park located at 37349 Great Southern Overland Stage Route.
San Diego Humane Society E m e r g e n c y R e s p o n s eTe a m worked into the night supporting @SanDiegoCounty’s Dept. of Animal Services with #SouthernFire animal evacs. They rescued rabbits, goats, a donkey, horses, chickens. If you need help w animal evacuations call Dept. of Animal Services at
DEHSILBATSE
0781
SRAEY
www.visitjulian.com
619-236-2341. The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services said the Southern Fire was affecting air quality to the east of the mountains. The department said smoke was blowing into the southern portion of Anza Borrego State Park. They recommend if you smell smoke, to limit physical and outdoor activity. Stay indoors as much as possible, especially those with respiratory or heart disease, the older population and children. Areas to the west of the mountains will not be heavily impacted. CalFIRE could not put a time on when major containment would occur. Saying only that weather would be a determining factor how fast they could work.
Wishing all you deserving moms out there a wonderful Mother’s Day!