July 3, 2015

I got a kick out of this Bizarro cartoon from last Friday.

Greg May has added this photo to the Sports Arena Album on his Vintage San Diego Facebook page. I like it because you can spot the old Midway Drive-In at the left and, if you really blow it up, you can see that hamburgers are 22¢ at the Jack-in-the-Box just out of the picture (and still in business) to the left.

 

Members of the Class of '61 and '64 who subscribe to the quarterly newsletter should get renewal notices this week.   I really appreciate your support.  I no longer send subscriptions to all class members so, if you're interested in subscribing, click HERE for information.

Monica Pacheco Zech '72 got some ink in Diane Bell's Column yesterday with her snippet about ducklings being rescued in El Cajon.

Maurice Barringer is somewhere in Asia, but reads the Union-Tribune on line and spotted the obituary for his classmate Bob Fortin, who died June 13th.  Click HERE to go to the Class of '64 Obituary Page.  You can read what Maurice had to say -- and sign the on line guest book.

Counselor Lois DeLay passed away October 3, 2014, according to Joanne Dewey Urban '72.   "We shared the same birthday (different years), so I had the pleasure of celebrating many times with her."

June 26, 2015

Here's a photo Nancy took from the ferris wheel at the fair on Wednesday

A couple of weeks ago I shared a cartoon from Harry Bliss.  My other favorite cartoon is Bizarro, by Dan Piraro.  Here's one from Tuesday of this week.

The following snippet in Monday's San Diego Union caught my eye:  "A 23-year-old motorist was killed Sunday when he drove off the road and his car struck a fire hydrant and a tree before overturning in Alpine."  I might have inserted "Alpine" earlier in the sentence.  It sounds like he struck the tree in, say, Pine Valley,before overturning in Alpine.  (Please God, don't let the deceased driver be a friend or relative of someone who reads this)

The First Thursday Auto Show on July 2nd at the Amigo Spot will feature Barry Penn’s 1950 Ford Woodie, Phil Piscopo’s 1947 Jeep Willys Wagon and Earl Asbury’s 1966 Cadillac Convertible.  We have room for a couple more cars if you have one you’d like to show off.

The Class of '70 Reunion Committee continues to meet.  Pictured above are John Pacheco, Rene Hansel Clay, Debbie Chmidling Elmore, Roxanne Shard Rusing, Kris Pruski Wood, Debbie Picon Lessard, Denise Daniels Casinelli, Sally Willett, Jane DeBolt Blackwell

The July 25th function is $60 per person if you pay by June 30th.  Email Rene Hansell Clay or Kris Pruski Wood.

Ray McFarland  ’68 passed away June 6, 2015.  A native San Diegan Ray, was actively involved at St. Therese Parish, and a Fourth Degree Knight. Ray was also a devoted Marine, Raider fan, and Harley enthusiast.   He was buried at Miramar National Cemetery.  Click HERE if you'd like to sign the on-line Guest Book.

June 19, 2015

The Summer Solstice will occur at 9:38 AM Pacific Daylight Time on Sunday.  I'm pretty sure that means it'll be Spring when I enter Starbucks at 9 and Summer when I leave at 10.

Roy Boughton '59 wonders if Chuck Woolsey was the Music Appreciation Teacher at Hoover that Elaine Robinson Davis liked so much in Summer School.  Elaine has dug into her oldest records and retrieved the correct answer.  It was Mr. Julian who she liked so much in the Summer of 1958.

Steve Brownell '64 and wife Sandy are moving to Brevard, South Carolina from their long time abode in Orange County.  He says this will give him a chance to realize a lifetime dream -- owning a tractor.  

Here's a photo of my sister Vicki and I on OUR tractor in Spring Valley circa 1949.

Sharon Stevens Leibl '62 and Dick are making a shorter move -- from Long Beach to Los Alamitos.

Here is one of the interesting ads in the October 15, 1964 Homecoming Issue of the Pacer loaned to me by Marv Abrams '65.  Click HERE to read all six pages.

June 12, 2015

IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE to sit at the counter at the refurbished Waffle Spot.  It'll be even nicer when the city inspectors sign off on the lobby.  My summer fun is watching hotel guests take the Great Circle Route to the bathrooms with little kids who need to go right this second. 

 The June Alumni Newsletter went out Monday so, if you're a subscriber, look for it in the mail.  Click HERE if you're interested in subscribing to the 12-page quarterly publication.


Stan Keniston '66 forwards a KPBS video about the New Arrival Center at Crawford.  A really sweet interview with Smoh Lau who, four  years ago was in a refugee camp in Thailand and spoke not a word of English.  Click HERE to watch.

Steve Hembera '66 got a nice mention in the Prep Sports Section of Monday's Union-Tribune (or whatever they're calling it now).  Click HERE to get started.

Elaine Robinson Davis '61 just got a chance to check out the Hoover High YouTube video and wonders if anyone remembers the name of the wonderful Music Appreciation teacher she had there the Summer of 1958.

Remember the State Theater?  How great is it to see it in living color.  Turns out Greg May has a State Theater Album on his Vintage San Diego Facebook page.  He also has a Google Street View link if you want to see what's there now.  Click HERE to check it out.

I never DID find what I was looking for in the 1965 Centaur -- but I came across three gorgeous color photos.  Click HERE to take a look.

The Crawford Alumni web site reports the death of Stuart Rivers '69 on May 19, 2015.  I sure would like to have proof before I post it on the Class of '69 Obituary Page.

Mary Ann Edwards Morago ’59 died peacefully in her sleep June 3, 2015.   Click HERE to sign the Guest Book.

Glenna Morrow Jacket '63 passed away June 6th.  Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 18, from 5-9 PM at The Little Chapel of the Roses, 3838 Bonita Rd, Bonita, CA 91902-1233.  Funeral services will take place the next day at noon, also at The Little Chapel of the Roses.  Click HERE to sign the Guest Book

June 5, 2015

Harry Bliss tickles my funny-bone.  I'll share one with you from last week.  We'll see how many folks THIS week ask to be taken off the email list.

Looks like Crawford's finally going to get a football stadium, with lights and everything.  Click HERE to read the article in the Union-Tribune.

Let's see if I've got this straight.  The ankle-biters who were in First Grade when I graduated from Crawford in '62 will be celebrating a mass 60th birthday party on August 8th.   Email Debbie Leimbach Ciccati '73 at dciccati@gmail.com if you'd like to be added to the invitee list.  I think it says something about a sleepover.  Maybe I'll dig out my Dr. Denton's and try to sneak in.

Marv Abrams '65 answered the call and mailed me a copy of the June 9, 1965 Pacer.  He also has the Homecoming Issue, which I'll share at a later date.

Rose Aftreth ’73 passed away peacefully from peritoneal cancer on May 27th.  Services will be held at El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley on Friday, June 5th, at 1:00 PM.  A celebration of life will follow at La Valencia Hotel.   Click HERE to sign the Guest Book

Kenneth R Andersen '67, according to a recent email from his son, died of cancer on November 15, 2014

Durwood Bruce '70 passed away January 2, 2001.  His son Michael says I can take him off the Missing List.

May 29, 2015

I'M PRETTY SURE I KNOW WHAT NANCY AND I will be eating at the Waffle Spot this morning. Kitchen Manager Beto braced us last night at the Amigo Spot.  "How come you haven't ordered the Machaca con Huevos?  I put it on the menu just for you."  I'm a little concerned that my eating habits are being monitored by someone. They DID install security cameras last year.

SOMEONE is going to be looking for a babysitting job.  The 14-year old girl who pleaded guilty to starting the Coco's Fire has promised to repay $6 million to the county.

Dottie Johnson Vargas '60 can now go to the post office and buy a sheet of stamps with her husband's picture on it.  Click HERE for the details.

Observant Muslim students can now eat Halal meals once a week in the cafeteria at Crawford.  Sure is different from when WE were in school.  Oh, wait -- I just had a Fish Stick Friday flashback.  Click HERE to watch the KPBS video.

Dennis Bishop '61 shares another video featuring his brother Stephen Bishop '69.  Get yourself a beverage before you sit down.  This one is an hour long and starts with a mention of his high school group.  Click HERE when you're ready.

Ted Crooks and Betty Lewis were Mr and Miss Clean Campus, Jim Nettles and Jane Peters were featured in Senior Sketches and Bob Jordahl’s ’63 Chevy was May’s Car of the Month in the May 27, 1965 Golden Anniversary issue of the Pacer  Does anyone have the 1965 Graduation Issue of the Pacer?  I'd love to be able to share it on this site.

May 22, 2015

I'm still not sure how this can be Memorial Day Weekend -- and May 30th is NEXT weekend.  Oh, well.  Once again I hope you will take time to remember on those who made the ultimate sacrifice.  Click HERE to go to the Colts Who Died In Vietnam page, HERE to watch the video put together by students at Crawford, and HERE to read about my pal Ron Davidson, who coached some of you at Horace Mann.

Remember School Savings Stamps?  I just came across these, and some Green Stamps and Blue Chip Stamps.  Click HERE to take a look AND to read about the history of School Savings Stamps.

It doesn't look good for Anthony's on the Wharf.  The Port District is entertaining proposals from other eateries that can bring in more dough.  I'm trying to recall all of the Anthony's I've dined at:  La Mesa, Chula Vista, downtown La Jolla, Golden Triangle, and the wharf.  And that doesn't count the Fishettes.  Never made it to Star of the Sea or the one that's now Ruth's Chris Steak House.  Oh, I almost forgot -- click HERE if you want to read the article in last Saturday's UT.

Ernie Cowan '62 wrote a nice article in last Saturday's UT on the local Bushtit.  Click HERE to read all about it.

Joseph Coyne was San Diego's first police chief.  Detective Laura McGowan '78 is his great-granddaughter.  She joined the San Diego Police Department in 1986 and will be retiring in December.  Click HERE to read the article in the UT San Diego.

May 15, 2015

HAPPY 51515!

IT'S WET OUTSIDE IN PACIFIC BEACH and supposed to get wetter.  Nancy and I may end up in line at McDonald's just so we don't have to get out of the car for breakfast.

As near as I can figure Nancy Taylor '72 is a STEM mentor, and we have a chance to vote on the project her kids produced.  Click HERE to watch the video and vote.  Voting is fairly complicated. You have to click on the Public Choice button, decide whether you want to use Twitter, Facebook or email to vote, make your choice, and then wait for them to send your ballot.  After I voted they wanted me to add them to my contacts list to make sure my ballot would get through their firewall.   Today is the last day ballots can be submitted.

Why am I showing a photo of our hated rival Herbert Hoover High School?  Turns out a whole bunch of Colts fondly recall summer school classes at the OLD three-story building.  Click HERE to watch a YouTube video taken in 1975 just before the old school was demolished.

"Wooly Bully" and "Gloria" occupied the top two spots on KDEO's Top 40 chart for the week of May 8, 1965.  Obviously, the Golden Age of music.

Wanna know what Bob Boone, Jim Cassie, Rod Collier, Bill Gore, Jack Watson and Lyn Upshaw had in common?  If nothing else they were School Representatives for Bob Coffman’s Tuxedo Shop.  Just one of many things I learned in re-reading the 6-page Pacer from May13, 1965.  Click HERE to read it for yourself.

Some of us still recall what used to occupy the site where the Campus Plaza Shopping Center sits today at 62nd and El Cajon Blvd.  Click HERE to read the article I snagged off Greg May's Vintage San Diego Facebook page -- and tried to put together on my web site.

May 8, 2015

THE NEWLY-REMODELED WAFFLE SPOT had its Grand Opening yesterday.  I suspect that Nancy and I will check it out this morning, icky weather permitting.

I have the Class of '66 on a May-May billing cycle for the quarterly newsletter, so regular subscribers from that class should have gotten their reminder.  Click HERE if you've been thinking about subscribing and want more information.

Dave Sleet '61 is looking for annuals from his three years at Crawford.  Email him at dds6@cdc.gov if you have any suggestions.

I think Johnny Downs went by "Johnny Jet" earlier in his career.   Here’s my certificate for being a "Clean Your Plate Club" member from Johnny Jet back in 1954 --  Norm Black ’68

Norm Black '68 attended Marshall Elementary in 3rd Grade when he lived at 5343 Streamview Drive. The family then moved to the Territory of Hawaii for a year and on to Memphis, Tennessee. The Black family returned to San Diego and Norm was part of the first 8th and 9th grade classes at Pershing Junior High. Then it was on to Crawford and, after that, San Diego State.   Click HERE to see an enlargement.

Mike McKittrick '60 shares a couple of postcards from his days working at Mickie Finn's.  You can actually spot him in the middle, left in white sleeves, black vest and straw hat.  Click HERE to go to the Mickie Finn's Page and see both postcards enlarged.

Frequent contributors Sharon Cramer Sceper '68 and Bob Richardson '61 pose for a photo at the Sceper Ranch and Museum in Hayfork, California.  If I understand this correctly, Bob made the trip from Sacramento because they are both interested in genealogy -- and may have had ancestors who lived in the area.

Having worked with many reunions, I think the Class of 1970's choice of Marina Village for its function on July 25th is outstanding.  Committee Members Denise Daniels, Jane De Bolt Blackwell, Rene Hansell Clay, Kris Pruski Wood and John Pacheco pose for a snapshot.

Rick Cohen '66 sends word of the passing, on April 21st, of his classmate and friend of longstanding, Mark Kessler.  You'll want to read Mark's heartfelt memorial on the Class of '66 Obituary Page.

Linda Parker Smith '70 has passed away, according to her friend and classmate Linda Knott.  Private services will be held today.