June 24, 2016

I'M GLAD SUMMER FINALLY ARRIVED!!  The heat during the last days of Spring was killing those of us in the Southwest.  I didn't suffer too badly here in Pacific Beach.  Nancy and I couldn't find parking at the Waffle Spot last week, so we returned to PB to breakfast at The Truck Stop.  No parking there either, so we settled for lunch at Beachtown BBQ at the other end of the lot.  You may remember it as Tony Roma's.

Speaking of Summer, Ralph Vartabedian wrote a fascinating article in the Los Angeles Times entitled The Sunset That Takes An Hour To Go From Date Palms To Redwoods  He notes it's a big state -- that the sun set at 7:49 in Bard, on the Arizona border and 8:49 in Crescent City -- and that "six state capitals lie west of Los Angeles".  He didn't give the answers, so I had to do some research.  Turns out I couldn't name the capitals of any of the states I thought might be part of the answer, so I had to start there.  Click HERE to see what I came up with.

Joe Dyke '65 and Doug Kvandal '66, who've made music together since their days at Horace Mann, will be performing with Jazz West as part of the "Sunday at Six" concert series in La Mesa's Harry Griffen Park.

Nelson Moore '61 forwards a photo of some of his classmates who gather on a regular basis for lunch. Click HERE to look at a larger photo with captions.

When I asked on Facebook where folks were on December 7, 1953 I was hoping someone would tell me there were in the photo with Smokey Rogers.  No such luck.  Owen Western reminded me that he had sent samples of Smokey singing a couple of songs.  I've added that link to the page that has Smokey Rogers on it.  Click HERE to take another look.

Speaking of consolidation, I've placed seven different Oscar's Drive-In references onto one Oscar's Page.  Click HERE to check it out.

June 17, 2016

THIS ALL STARTED some years ago at a barbecue hosted by Nelson Moore '61.  I took a fancy to a shirt Larry Wickstrom was wearing and asked where he got it.  Turns out wife Beverly Swaim Wickstrom got it for him at the Del Mar Fair.  I've been ordering them on line ever since.  Last week the Wingo Women attended the fair, and Nancy bought three shirts for me, one of which is called Arizona Vistas.  The Arizona flag on the shirt took me back to 1968, I think, when I was living in Mission Beach within earshot of the Roller Coaster.  At the nearby Bahia Hotel, the owner Bill Evans ran up the Arizona flag to welcome the Zonies to San Diego.  It may have been Evening Tribune columnist Neil Morgan who noted that Bill was getting nasty phone calls for displaying the Viet Cong flag while our troops were fighting in the jungles of Southeast Asia.  Here are both flags so you can compare and contrast.

Do you watch Big Bang Theory?  Some of my "friends" compare me to Sheldon Cooper.  Suffice it to say that the time on my microwave and the time on my oven were different and it was driving me crazy.  Turns out the new microwave was accurate and the oven needed to be reset.  I couldn't figure out how to do it and grudgingly decided to consult the instruction manual.  That didn't work either, possibly because it was the instruction manual for the microwave.  Good news.  I downloaded the Whirlpool instruction manual and reset the clock.  All's Right In God's Heaven -- for now.

Speaking of appliance confusion, I sat down in the easy chair Wednesday at noon to eat a sandwich and watch a little TV.  When the phone rang I was deep asleep -- and having trouble hearing the person on the other end.  Turns out I was shouting into the television remote control.

I've just learned that Joe Dyke '65 will be sitting in with the band at the Amigo Spot tomorrow night.   Keyboardist Doug Kvandal '66 and Joe have played together since they were students at Horace Mann, so they might not need to practice.  I hope Joe's wearing the Liederhosen I last saw him in. That may have beet at Karl Strauss ten years ago.  Downbeat is 6:30 PM.  The Amigo Spot is at the King's Inn, Hotel Circle South, Mission Valley.

Greg May posted three photos of Smokey Rogers taken by Bill Reid on December 7, 1953.  Maybe you're one of the pictured tykes.  Click HERE to check out the images enlarged -- and read a couple of stories.

If you're one of the people who thought Tom Ault had changed over the years, that's because it was Bob Grender.  Earl Altschuler has asked me to make the change.  Click HERE to take another look at the Crawford Baseball Reunion photo.

Ken Daly has been working with me the past month piecing together information on his buddy Scott Graham '63, who left Crawford in his senior year to attend Snyder Continuation, then returned to Crawford the following year.  At any rate, he passed away March 15th, and appears in both the '63 and '64 yearbooks.  Read Ken's remembrance on the Class of '63 Obituary Page.

Terry Hall '64 sends word of the passing of his classmate Don Graham on May 13th.  Click HERE to read a full obituary.

June 10, 2016

Nancy and I put the June issue of the quarterly newsletter in the mail Monday so, if you're a subscriber, your copy should be at hand.  They've finally got the "new" Midway operation the way they want it I guess.  You still have to deposit your bulk mail check at the main office, then swing around the back to unload the newsletters.  There are two ways to go, both of which require pushing a button and waiting for the gate to open.  If you head south from the office you'll need to turn right at the "No Right Turn" sign.  If you go north you'll need to turn left at the "No Left Turn" sign.

Crawford’s Women’s JV Basketball team will be able to attend USD’s 2016 Team Camp thanks to $25 donations from the following: Miriam Aftreth Keesey ’72, Les Bunnell ’67, Dick Cloward ’60, Colin Cole ’62, Sharon Culver Considine ’60, Lynn DeWoskin Covarrubias ’66, Barbara Earley Powell ’64,Jerry Ellis ’61, Larry Guske ’62, Susan Kitaen Rhea ’66, Bob Lawrence ’64, Richard Mannix ’67, John Markey ’67, Mike McKittrick ’60, John McMullen ’63, Rondey Mitchell Garrison ’71, Bruce Parker ’62, Rodger Pogue ’71, Marcia Sanders ’64, Lynn Routt Swanson ’62, Mary Jo Schmith Grubbs ’62 and Linda Zweig ’75

RuPaul a Colt?  Diane Bell's U-T column on June 3rd asked the question:  What do concert pianist David Geist, actress-comedian Kathy Najimy, Christian music singer Sandi Patty and drag queen artist RuPaul have in common? All attended Crawford High School.  Pianist David Geist '80 performed at the June 1st Crawford fundraiser.  Wikipedia says drag queen RuPaul Andre Charles attended Patrick Henry.

Monica Pacheco Zech '72 was the Keynote Speaker at the 55th Grossmont College Graduation Ceremony AND he first recipient of an honorary Associate of Arts degree from the college.  Click HERE for all the details.

Dick Cloward '60 hopes you'll stop by the current exhibition at the Map and Atlas Museum of La Jolla.  It's called Art Meets Cartography: The World of McDonald Gill    Click HERE for information on hours and location.

Boy, that went fast!!  Click HERE to read the final Golden Anniversary Pacer for the Class of 1966 -- the 8-page June 8, 1966 Graduation Issue.  Chris Benson was voted Coed of the Year and Donna Hashaguchi was headed to DC to work with Congressman Lionel Van Deerlin.  And that was just the front page.

I'm guessing John Watt '66 attended Euclid Elementary, then moved to John Marshall when it opened. At any rate he's sent me a Map of Euclid Elementary and a School Staff list from Marshall that also lists the Principal of Euclid.

Greg May's Vintage San Diego Facebook page posted this ad from the February 15, 1985 Daily Aztec.  As long as I can remember Nickelodeon Records, partly owned by Betsy Scarborough '63, has been at 3335 Adams Ave.

June 3, 2016

THE SUN'S ALMOST UP IN PACIFIC BEACH and we're expecting warm weather through the weekend.  If Memorial Day marked the official kick off of Summer, maybe everyone went to the beach.  There sure wasn't much happening for inclusion in the Colt Corral.  Summer crowds may prevent Nancy and I from breakfasting at the Waffle Spot.  Last week we took a detour to Patty's Cafe, in the Big Lots shopping center on Lake Murray Blvd.

Nathan East '73 was one of the members of The People Movers band expected to show up last night for a reunion at the Mission Bay Hilton.  Click HERE to read about it in the Union-Tribune.

I reached WAY back in the time machine for this KCBQ "Hit Parader Survey" issued on this date in 1958.  You'll have to do the math.  I can't figure out how many years ago that was.  Click HERE to check out an enlarged version.

May 27, 2016

Memorial Day has snuck up on me again.  Click HERE to take another look at the Crawford High Graduates Who Died In Vietnam page -- and remember them.

Nancy and I DID travel to the hinterlands for breakfast last Friday.  We dined at Major's Coffee Shop in Pine Valley.  Lulu Anaya Bayless '63 asked what hinterlands meant.  I assumed meant the boonies. Turns out it also means "away from the coast" -- so I nailed it.  Remember, even a broken clock is right twice a day.  Well, maybe not a digital clock.

Earl Altshuler hosted a Crawford Baseball Alumni Party on May 14th.  Click HERE for a bigger picture -- and names.  Yes, Bill Sandback is in there.

Click HERE to read the Golden Anniversary Pacer from May 26, 1966.  Von Jacobsen and Nancy Miljas were the Senior Sketches subjects.  There's a nice photo of Richard Robinette directing the band, plus all manner of tux and corsage ads for the Senior Prom.

I don't have a follow-up, but I thought you might enjoy this photo of Lloyd's Furniture, 4275 El Cajon Blvd, that popped up this week on Greg May's Vintage San Diego Facebook page.

Remember Cinema Grossmont?  Apparently it's not there anymore.  Click HERE to look over some artwork from the theater's opening.  Do you remember what year that might have been? You'll find out when you click the link.

Lots of folks weighed in on the 395 and Highway 80 photo, some of whom pointed out the Helms Bakery on the left.   Click HERE to revisit the page, read about the Helms delivery trucks, listen to the Helms whistle, and look at a Howard Rozelle photo of the Mrs. Conkling's delivery truck.

A number of you pointed out that I neglected to share the graduation year for the late Cecilia Abbott. She was Class of '59.

May 20, 2016

Information on reunions for the above classes can be found on the Reunions Page of this web site.

Speaking of the Class of '61, click HERE to read the program from the Senior Play

Greg May posted this photo on his Vintage San Diego Facebook page as the intersection of Highways 80 and 395 in the 1950s.  Looks like Fairmount Avenue to me.  Was Fairmount ever 395?  Click HERE to read more and peruse an enlarged version of this photo.

This photo of the Rancho Drive-In popped up on Greg May's Facebook page this week.  It appears to be the same one taken by Pat Patterson, uncle of Julie Eskew Daniel '64 and posted on my web site. Click HERE to see it slightly enlarged.  Click HERE if you have Facebook and want to see some other Rancho photos.

Ken Daly '63 shares a remembrance of Scott Brown on the Class of '63 Obituary Page.

Ardis Waymire Brown sends word that her classmate Cecilia Abbott Kounaris passed away January 9, 2016.

May 13, 2016

Happy Friday the 13th!!  Looks like it'll be a beautiful day.

I thank you and Chassion thanks you!!  The Crawford Soccer GoFundMe account reached its $2500 goal late last Sunday.

Terry Walker '62 (that's him below) will be hosting the 2016 San Diego Follies at Helix High School June 16-19th.  Click HERE for details.

Here's the May 12, 1966 Pacer from 50 years ago.  Click HERE to check it out.

I was perusing the San Diego Historic Neon Facebook page when the familiar photo above popped up.  Seemed like as good an excuse as any to revisit the Don Jose's Mexican Food page.

Turns out College Avenue and 60th Street aren't the same street.  That's just one of the things I learned when folks got back to me about "King" Arthur's Court.   Click HERE to learn more.   I've included links to the Aztec Drive-In and Aztec Motel.

May 6, 2016

Am I the only one who thinks Ron Howard and Padres' Manager Andy Green are twins separated at birth?

Chassion Griggs, the new soccer coach at Crawford, is working to get college scholarships for players he thinks can play at that level.  An important step in the process is for them to be able to participate in "Club Soccer" after school and on weekends.  San Diego United Club has agreed to accept Chaisson's best players at a stunningly-reduced entry fee.  He has set up a GoFundMe account in hopes of raising the $2500 that will cover the cost for six students he's got his eye on.  Click HERE to read more and -- hopefully -- help out.

You are invited to an evening of musical entertainment featuring pianist David Geist '80 and Hannah Kornfeld in the Crawford High Auditorium on Wednesday, June 1st.  Click HERE for information on how to support this Crawford fundraiser.

This fun map of San Diego, created in 1928, showed up on Facebook this week.  I've enlarged it and put it on my web site for those of you who don't "do" Facebook.  Click HERE to check it out.

Also appearing on Facebook was this postcard of "King" Arthur's Court, a "motor lodge" at Highway 80 and 60th St -- El Cajon Blvd and College Avenue in modern parlance.  Click HERE if you'd like to see it enlarged.

A final Facebook entry is this seven minute computer-generated video showing the history of the late China Camp Restaurant from its beginning as Tops.  Click HERE to watch -- and prepare to turn down the irritating music.

April 29, 2016

Ay Caramba!!  If my calculations are correct, next week's Colt First Thursday Fiesta will take place on Cinco de Mayo.  That's May 5th, by the way.  No matter how early you arrive, there will be Crawford people already chatting and dining.  Amigo Spot • King's Inn • Mission Valley

Dave Palmer was looking for information on the Class of '66 Reunion and found my website.  He's now listed on the Class of '66 Email Page.

Renewal notices for the quarterly 12-page alumni newsletter have gone out to those who subscribe from the Class of '71.  Click HERE if you'd like to subscribe.

Here's the April 28, 1966 issue of the Pacer.  Click HERE to read all six pages.

George Sorensen '69 was Huck Finn in the 1966 Horace Mann production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  Apparently he forgot to return his 56-page songbook.  I've excerpted the first five pages.  Click HERE to check them out.

Johnny Long '61 passed away April 21st, says his sister Barbara Long Van Pelt '64.  You can sign the Guest Book via the Class of '61 Obituary Page.

Rona Goldfarb '62 died April 23rd in Los Angeles from leukemia.