By Shain Haug
First Friday concerts
Our final concert on Oct. 7 was once again a delightful experience. Theo and the Zydeco Patrol regaled 2,500 of our community with throbbing beats that drew us to the dance floor and a conga line. It was an exciting way to complete our second and very successful season of concerts and picnics in the park. The folks from Ideal Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Electrical greeted us with smiles and treated us to hot dogs, chips, and dessert; and Mission Trails Church made sure we were well hydrated.
We are planning the concerts for the Summer of 2017. What did you like and dislike about the 2016 series? What do you want next year? How can we enhance this experience? Drop a line to the email address at the end of this article.
Concert sponsors
Our sponsors make the series possible. Please give them the patronage they so very much deserve.
This month we offer our special thanks to Superior Ready Mix Concrete, L.P. for its generous contribution to the First Friday concert series. Superior began operations in Escondido in 1957 and expanded to Mission Valley in 1981 with the purchase of McCoy’s Ready Mix. In 1991, they purchased the 180-acre quarry north and east from Old Cliffs Road. In the long term, after quarry operations end, the property will be developed as a mixed-use community. With operations in San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside counties, Superior is a major supplier of concrete and asphalt materials. Because most of our buildings and infrastructure are constructed with rock, concrete, and asphalt and because Superior employs over 600 people, the business is a major contributor to our economy. In addition to support of our concert series, Superior donates materials to the Mission Trails Park and other local organizations. We are proud to have this outstanding business in our community.
And our very special thanks to Anthony Wagner whose dedication and leadership made it all happen.
AGGCC Town Hall meetings
At the Sept. 27 Town Hall meeting, SDPD Liason Officer John Steffen introduced Capt. Richard Friedman who recently took over as the Western Division Patrol Captain and gave a rundown on policing of our community. Liz Saidkhanian of Councilmember Sherman’s office brought us up to date on the status of the work on Mission Gorge Road. Kathryn Johnson from the Benjamin Library brought us up to date on the many activities for both young and not so young at the library. Featured speaker Julio DeGuzman educated us on the organization and functions of the San Diego City Attorney’s Office. The minutes of the meeting will be in the November 2016 newsletter.
The AGGCC holds a town hall meeting on the fourth Tuesday of each odd-numbered month at 7 p.m. at the Ascension Lutheran Church. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, Nov. 29 (a week later than usual because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday). We plan for our featured speakers to be SDPD and SDFD representatives who will discuss personal and home safety and security.
AGGCC board of directors meetings
The board of directors meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Ascension Lutheran Church. Some of our many projects include the Holiday Festival at Lewis Middle School, the holiday lights on the flyover bridge, the Christmas tree at the triangle, traffic issues, the establishment of a community web or social media site for our affairs, and advice to the Navajo Community Planners, Inc. (MCPI) and the city. We try to keep an eye on the conditions of our neighborhood and to look for situations where community action can be effective. There is a place on the board for your participation, so please join us at our next meeting on Nov. 7.
—Shain Haug is the President of the Allied Gardens/Grantville Community Council. He can be reached at [email protected]. Your suggestions for Town Hall meetings and any topics that you feel the community council should address will be much appreciated.
