Anza Events Calendar, A-2
Sculptor Ricardo Breceda faces Vail Lake Sculpture Garden eviction, A-4
More of my favorite plants, trees and large shrubs, B-1
ANZA VALLEY
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August 21 – 27, 2015
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Local
Celebrate the end of summer Hawaiian style with the FUN Group
Volume 15, Issue 34
Annual ‘From the Heart’ Backpack Giveaway helps local students
Jodi Thomas Area Manager It has been about two years since Donald Seddon emailed the Anza Valley Outlook sharing good news about the FUN Group. He told us who they were and about their end of the month Free Community Dinner. see page A-3
Local
Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest goes digital
More than 25 volunteers came to help make the Backpack Give-A-Way Event run smooth for the community’s children.
BORREGO SPRINGS – In 2006, Anza-Borrego Foundation launched its first Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest to celebrate the unique and natural beauty of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. In the ten years since then, the contest has grown to draw in new Park visitors, repeat photographers, and the youth contestants from the local elementary school in Borrego Springs.
Almost 250 excited faces, happy people, parents, guardians and children gathered Saturday at the Hamilton High School Gym for the Annual “From the Heart” Backpack Give-A-Way event. “From the Heart (FTH) Christian Women’s Ministries” made up of ladies from across the Valley, work throughout the year to raise funds
see page A-4
Local
August update for Anza VFW Post #1873 and its auxiliaries Tonie Ford Special to Anza Valley Outlook I want to thank everyone who came to the annual “Thanksgiving in August” turkey dinner. We had a full house. Remember folks, our meals help keep the post going. And, a reminder that everyone is invited to join us. You don’t have to be a member.
Anza Valley Outlook
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID FALLBROOK, CA PERMIT #499
see page A-5
Jodi Thomas Area Manager
to be able to provide needed items for economically challenged kids. The Backpack Give-A-Way is just one of the ways they help. This is the special events tenth year and the ladies are well organized. Each station was manned and a plan for crowd control was in place. Over 27 volunteers helped with the event. Men and women from local churches come together to help FTH ministries on this day. One young girl, upon entering
the room and seeing the backpacks all neatly lined up in a row, remarked with glee, “There are so many!” Another parent checking in her young son told the ladies, “He could hardly sleep. He was so excited about today.” This sentiment was echoed throughout the day. Preparing the children for the first day of school Monday, Aug. 10 was made less stressful for the children and their families. Not only do children receive backpacks
Jodi Thomas photo
filled with school supplies, but also a new pair of shoes. The special shoes for the children are colorful and fun. One mother, fitting her three girls with the shoes, shared how hard it was with four children, after the bills are paid and food purchased, to fulfill their extra needs for school. “This event really relieves some of that pressure,” she said with a smile.
see STUDENTS, page A-5
Moderate El Niño predicted for this winter, ‘not likely’ to correct drought conditions say NOAA officials Kim Harris Managing Editor
While El Niño predictions for the upcoming season still falls in the moderate category, all signs are pointing to the strongest El Niño since 1950, according to predictions made by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With all of the talk of what this year’s weather pattern could bring in the form of rain to the droughtstricken landscape of California, Valley News decided to look into El Niño and get the facts first hand. Predictions for El Niño According to NOAA Climate Prediction Center Deputy Director Mike Halpert, El Niño is best explained as a disruption of the ocean atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific that has important impacts for weather and climate. This year’s system, while still be categorized as moderate, could potentially be the second biggest El Niño ever
recorded, he said. “NOAA first started watching the Pacific for the development of El Niño last year and declared its arrival in March of 2015,” Halpert said. “Since March, above normal sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific have continued to increase. This month’s El Niño forecast update continues the expectation of a strong El Niño during the late fall and winter with El Niño likely lasting into the spring.” Halpert said that this month’s prediction shows it could be the strongest El Niño on record dating back to 1950. “This is because three months average sea surface temperatures in an area of the pacific that we call the Niño region located in the east central equatorial Pacific could potentially reach or even exceed two degrees Celsius above normal, which is 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal” he said adding, that increase is a value that has only been recorded three times in the
last 65 years. “That occurred during the 1972-73 episode, the 1982-83 episode and the 1997-98 episode.” Halpert said it is critical to realize the climate system is more complicated than just El Niño and that none of the typical impacts are ever guaranteed. “Currently the only notable impact anticipated for the next few months that would impact the United States is hurricane season in both the Atlantic and the Pacific,” he said. “To date, we have seen those impacts with a suppressed season so far in the Atlantic and enhanced activity in both the eastern and central Pacific.” Most of the impacts will be felt through the upcoming winter and could bring above normal precipitation to the area, Halpert said. Below average temperatures are also expected. “It’s also important to remember that just because something is favored, it doesn’t guarantee it would happen,” he said. “More
importantly for California, even an above normal season with regards to rain and snowfall next winter, one season of above normal precipitation is very unlikely to erase four years of drought.” El Niño and the drought NOAA’s Western Regional Climate Services Director Kevin Warner said that while El Niño tends to bring above normal precipitation to Southern California, there isn’t much correlation to El Niño in the upper and northern part of the state and the upper Colorado River basin where California gets much of its water supply from. “This is important because much of the water resources for the state originate from the much wetter mountain areas in the central and northern part of the area as well as the Colorado River basin,” he said. “It’s important to bear in mind that the correlation between
see NIÑO, page A-3
First Anza Renaissance Faire set for Nov. 14 Tony Ault Writer The Anza Renaissance Faire is coming to the village Nov. 14. Word is going out to local churches, schools, civic groups, businesses, service clubs, musicians and reenactors to join in the fun on the second Saturday in November when the faire begins, said its organizers Robyn Garrison and Lorraine Elmore. The two local residents are members of the faire’s organizing committee who, with other community leaders, organized last year’s successful luau that brought hundreds of local residents and visitors to the Village Park, Community Hall and other downtown locations. “This year we are planning a renaissance faire,” said Garrison at planning meeting Aug. 11 in the ERA Reality building. “The date is set for November 14.” It will be in the Park and other nearby locations. The committee is calling on those who participated in last year’s luau and others in the
community to help out with equipment, supplies and talent. The event will be free to residents and the general public. Two of the many events planned are called Drench a Wench and Soak a Bloke, Elmore said. “It should be lots of fun.” Other events, based on the Medieval Era, are planned. The events may include children’s games such as Nerf noodle jousts, puppet shows, jesters (clowns), cake walks and a pie-eating contest. Adults and teens may enjoy falcon training videos by local falconer Albert Rodriquez, stick fighting, archery, arrival of the king and queen and the royal court, a knighting ceremony, equestrian events, dancing maids, plays, readings and costume contests. General entertainment and shopping may include food and goods vendors, strolling minstrels, guitarists and other musicians, bake sales, carnival-like games and other events from nonprofit groups and churches. “It will be fun for everyone,”
Garrison said. The planned event will also include a traditional United States flag burning ceremony performed by local Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 1873. Post Commander Bob Cobb said the post collects any worn out, torn, or damaged flags from the public all the time. The damaged flags are honored, retired and then burned in a special ceremony. Many posts will offer to replace the flags being retired free. Proper flag etiquette requires that flags, when they are retired, should be first folded properly. The individuals or individual should then place the flag on a fire large enough to consume the material. They then back up and salute the flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and have a brief period of silent reflection for those who have served our nation in the military. The ashes of the flag then should be carefully gathered and buried. VFW Posts consider this ceremony as one of the most important in which they participate. “We invite and encourage all
Courtesy photo
our post members to attend this ceremony,” Cobb said. The post has more than 100 members, but more war veterans in the area are urged to join. For information or to participate in the faire, call Garrison at (805) 312-0369 or email robynsong@ aol.com.