By Patricia Mooney
Join us at the next San Carlos Area Council (SCAC) meeting on March 6. Professor Emeritus Rolf Schulze, retired from SDSU, will discuss his childhood in Berlin, Germany during the Nazi period, some of his postwar experiences and the lessons drawn during subsequent years living in various countries. He is the author of a book called “Dangerous Delusions” (available on Amazon).
Troubadour and crowd favorite, Gregory Page, performed on Jan. 17 at the inaugural concert of the Second Sunday Concert Series. The series concluded its 2018 season in December at Mission Trails Interpretive Center. The new venue, Mission Trails Church at 4880 Zion Ave. in neighboring Grantville, is spacious with comfortable seating and lots of parking. Concert producers Chuck Carter, Jay Wilson and Mits Tomita, were gratified to see a packed house. It looks like the Second Sunday Concert Series is off to a great start. Page was wonderful, and the February concert promises to be a good one as well. Jazz pianist Yuko Maruyama will perform on Feb. 10 with her multi-instrumental band including piano, bass, drums, accordion, percussion and vocals. These concerts are free. But please show your gratitude with a donation. Or purchase a CD or two. Let’s all support these local artists who are so generous with their time and talents.
I rode my bicycle over to City Heights from San Carlos last weekend to represent our community during the swearing in ceremony of new County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher.
It was the first “road ride” I have taken in years, since I’m a passionate mountain biker and any injuries incurred in the “outback” are usually by my own doing. I rode south down Navajo to College Avenue, then west on El Cajon Boulevard with a zigzag to University Avenue with my heart in my mouth. Navajo was beautiful with its designated bicycling lane. But starting at the College Avenue and Waring Road intersection, it felt like I was constantly in danger of getting run over or someone in a parked car opening their door just as I passed by. I came home from City Heights via Fairmount and then Mission Gorge Road, which was a much friendlier route. It even includes a bicycle/hiker bridge from Fairmount to Mission Gorge. It is a real head-scratcher to me that streets where thousands of college kids live and probably ride bicycles are so unsafe. San Diego, we can do better than that.
At the swearing-in ceremony, I ran into our old friend, the tax collector himself, Dan McAllister, with whom I had a photo taken. He quipped, “This is a ‘Beauty and the Beast’ situation.” He mentioned he would be delighted to speak at a future SCAC meeting.
In a recent internet surf session, I discovered this quote from San Diego Public Library Director Misty Jones about our long-anticipated new San Carlos branch library: “The completion and opening of the new Central Library caused such a buzz and really renewed excitement in the community surrounding libraries. I am thrilled that we are now able to focus on the needs of our branch libraries. Recent city infrastructure bonds funding has been allocated for four new branch library projects. The library is proud to be such an integral part of the city of San Diego’s economic recovery and support our neighborhoods through life-long educational endeavors and community engagement.”
That is great news — and rather old news, as Ms. Jones’ statement hails from 2015.
At that time, San Carlos Branch Library was one of four new branch libraries slated to be built. The others were Skyline Hills (opened in 2016), Mission Hills-Hillcrest (opened this January) and San Ysidro (now under construction; completion expected later this year). I, for one, would love to see our new San Carlos Library before I’m dead. Let’s go, San Diego.
Follow SCAC on Twitter at twitter.com/CouncilSCA.
— Patricia Mooney is vice president of the San Carlos Area Council. Have a San Carlos story to tell? Email [email protected].
