By PATRICIA MOONEY
Happy New Year and happy new decade. “2020” has a nice ring to it, intimating that the year will bestow perfect vision upon all of us.
Since this is the time of year when we are all treated to lists of 2019 highlights, people who passed, celebrities who made their mark, movies that reigned at the box office, etc., I thought I’d share my list of top 10 San Carlos moments.
1.?The Mission Trails Interpretive Center concert series ended due to parking concerns in December 2018. The inaugural Second Sunday Concert Series kicked off at Mission Trails Church (4880 Zion) on Jan. 17, starring troubadour and crowd favorite, Gregory Page.
2.?In March, our speaker, Professor Emeritus Rolf Schulze, propelled us all back to when he was a child in late-1930s Germany when Hitler rose to power. He spoke to a rapt audience and later autographed some of his books for interested SCAC members. “Dangerous Delusions” is available on Amazon.com.
3.?Assembly member Shirley N. Weber and the California state Assembly honored me with an award as Business Woman Leader in the 79th District. A few months later, Dr. Weber honored San Carlos Area Council President Mark Schulze as Male Business Leader in the 79th District. Congratulations, Dr. Weber, on being honored as San Diego Union Tribune’s 2019 San Diegan of the Year for her work on AB 392, which was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in August. This legislation changes when California police officers can use deadly force from when it is “reasonable” to when it is “necessary” to prevent imminent death or serious bodily injury to the officer or to another person.
4.?At our meeting in May, cannabis nurse Elisabeth Mack, RN, MBA, spoke to a riveted crowd with not an empty seat in the room. Nurse “E-Mack” delivered information valuable to all interested in improving our health and well-being without succumbing to prescribed drugs that address certain symptoms while creating unwanted side effects.
5.?The sunshine along with a breeze off of Lake Murray, the music, the food and drinks, the scent of kettle corn wafting through the park, the sounds of laughing children — it added up to a fantastic Fourth of July for all. President Schulze and I ran into Jay Wilson at the Allied Gardens July summer concert the following evening. Jay said that the Lake Murray Fireworks committee had met its $85,000 goal by the end of the evening.
6.?At our August meeting, City Council member and mayoral candidate, Barbara Bry, spoke about her history as a San Diegan, journalist and City Council member for District 1. She’s focused on short-term vacation rentals and their impacts on our communities, the controversial scooters that crisscross and litter the San Diego cityscape, and the future status of Balboa Park. She vows to fight the commercialization of the park and says parking should remain free for park visitors.
7.?The 2018-19 winter rains brought us a golden array of California poppies everywhere. A photo I shot of Cowles Mountain overlooking waves of poppies was featured on 9-21-19 day at the U.S. Post Office, Navajo Station on a commemorative envelope. On that Saturday, when the date coincided with our ZIP code, our Navajo post office celebrated with a few words from SCAC President Mark Schulze and Postmaster Lisa Baldwin, followed by refreshments and a special cake.
8.?President Schulze and I enjoyed a night at the theater watching “33-1/3: House of Dreams,” a life’s work of San Carlos dentist, Brad Ross. His father was Stan Ross, who was the proprietor of Goldstar Records, which churned out hit after hit for 33-1/3 years of its existence. “33-1/3” is also a reference to the speed at which a vinyl record would rotate on a turntable. It was a remarkable play with all the music we grew up to: Cher, Tina Turner, Ricky Valens, The Beach Boys and so much more.
9.?Supervisor Nathan Fletcher spoke to us at our meeting in November about all the issues that the Board of Supervisors has been working on. This includes homelessness, mental health, veteran affairs and increasing ridership on MTS. Studies have found that expanding the freeway merely leads to an increase in usage and congestion. Seattle provides an example of light rail bussing, bike lanes, with walk paths and housing closer to where people work. Solving our traffic congestion problems will also address air quality issues.
10.?In December, the SCAC hosted a Holiday Potluck party as a nice wrap-up to the year.
So farewell, 2019. We are looking forward to a lovely 2020. Please join us at our next meeting on March 4, at 6:30 p.m., at the San Carlos Branch Library, 7265 Jackson Drive.
If you wish to be added to the Interested Persons List, have a topic you would like to learn or give a presentation about, please contact San Carlos Area Council Vice President Patricia Mooney at [email protected].
— Patricia Mooney is vice president of the San Carlos Area Council. Email [email protected].
