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*
(28th)
Brother Marty
also grew up in Paso
but never saw a plane land or blimp moored at
Sherwood Field. It was called the Naval Outlying
Field in those days. Read all about it here: 
Thanks, Marty, for forwarding this story to me.
*
(17th)
A few more
hectic days before Christmas.
Paso Robles is in the swing of decoration, especially
on Vine Street. In Sacramento, a gentleman spent over
$92,000 on his lights and decorations. His electric
bill must be a mere pittance for him, but a year's worth
for us poor folk.
*
(17th)
The inattention
given to the website is again
due to overtime distractions. Any volunteer elves
out there to help with providing content? A story
on the reindeer population in Paso might get some
attention.
*
(30th)
Poor Paso's
clogged roadways problem has led
to a boom in bladder relief products for your car
or truck. No need to get to where you're going before
taking that all-important break. Seriously, the best
brains in town are continuing to work on this dilemma,
and its big sister problem: PARKING. Read about
it here:
*
(21st)
The Paso
Gathering was a great success. We'll have event pictures up soon. I've
just finished sorting
over 600 photos of our vacation, including lots of the Gathering for your
perusal. Thanks to everyone who
made us feel like real Roblans for a week!
Here's a sneak
peek.
*
(21st)
Lucas was kind
enough to include a link to
this website on his Paso
Robles Wineries
site.
If you look hard enough you'll find their link in the
center column conglomeration.
*
(2nd)
To get you in
the mood for the Paso Gathering festivities at the Pioneer Museum
this weekend,
here is a dose of cowboy
love poetry
that's sure to
please all you lonely rangers out there.
*
Just one more
week before another great event
happens ---The
Paso Gathering at
the Pioneer Museum.
This is your opportunity to support Western Art and
Artisans and the local roots and history of
Paso Robles that the museum provides. It's not too
late to plan for a great weekend, Nov. 5 and 6.
*
Overtaken by a
wave of nostalgia, Paso High alumnus, Don French, gives tribute to that
memorable and wonderful teacher,
Miss
Catherine Easterling.
Thanks, Don, for reminding us of
those unforgettable years.
Attention all
alumni
---
Please
send me your stories and I'll
consider posting them as well.
*
Montage-a-Google
is a creative approach to
finding images on the Web and making a 108 photo
'quilt' of almost any word or name you key in.
Try keying 'wordydave' and see who you get.
*
Local demographics
taken from the 2000 census
for Paso Robles can be found at epodunk.com.
Thanks to Gary Smith and Kim Komando for this link.
*
Pictures of the big
event are in. See some of the
Pioneer Day festivities here:
*
Be sure to visit
Paso's Pioneer Museum south of the
fairgrounds after you watch the parade and eat
your beans Saturday the 8th. There will be a 2 p.m.
dedication of the newly restored Geneseo country
school house among other great events and stuff.
*
Paso's Pioneer Day
replays in another week.
I have to miss it this year, so if anyone wants to send
me a few photos of any of the events, I'll post them.
*
In 2003 Michael
Crichton addressed the
Commonwealth Club about environmentalism as
a religion. His most intriguing statement is,
"environmentalism has already killed somewhere
between 10-30 million people since the 1970's."
This is a must read that is found on his website:
*
JOELLE SMITH FUND
RAISER: We
are sad to
report the loss of one of our Paso Gathering Artists and
friend, Joelle Smith. A fund raiser and silent auction
to help cover her medical and other expenses is being
held in Santa Clarita September 17.
http://www.cowboypoetry.com/joellesmithbenefit.htm
http://www.calclassics.net/benefit.htm
Joelle's
website is
http://www.joellesmith.com/
For
information call:
209-239-4556
*
Congratulations are
in order for:
1.
The newest Grand Marshal and Queen for this
year's Pioneer Day festivities,
Bob and Alberta
Lewis.
2. The
new Pioneer Day Belle, Kayla
Roth.
3.
Matthew Fox,
new editor or the Paso Robles Press.
4.
Hwy 46 East
widening to start.
5.
Paso's David
Opferman,
Police Officer of the Year.
6.
A successful 2nd annual Main
Street Olive Festival.
and 7.
Our friend, Kathy
McIntire's
retirement after
30 years in the hair-raising business.
Looks like a lot of good things are happening in the
culture center of the Central Coast.
*
For those old timers who are interested: Bob Lewis
graduated with my dad, Don Skinner, in 1939 in San
Luis Obispo. I inherited a copy of the program that
you can see here:
Patriotism was high in those days
as you'll see.
* Mayor
Gets Revenge!
Paso's celebrated mayor has
more to celebrate with his first book publishing deal.
Hints: Mix a neurosurgeon, fisherman, a
district attorney and a man who is curious about
the smell of sidewalk cement together, and what do you get? You'll have to
find out for yourself. Hats off to
Frank Mecham and his current Paso passion.
*
Wow! I missed it! National
Punctuation Day
was
yesterday the
22nd. Me, of all people! Shame, shame on me, myself and I! This is
a fun site for all you word
nerds out there. You can get humorous t-shirts,
ideas on what to do on NPDay and my favorite:
You can take a picture of any punctuation errors you
might see around your town, and this guy will post
them for the world to see! Pretty cool revenge for
us loony, lexicon lover types. (Now, please don't
send me red-penciled notes highlighting the errors
you see on this page, like using too many
exclamation marks --- thanks!)
*
Thanks to Matthew
Fox for a great sports article and
photos in the Aug. 17 issue of the Paso Robles Press.
It highlights the local
karate dojo
and its sensei,
David Rogers. David, you're looking great at 60!
*
Thanks, surfers, for
making your pasorobles-usa.com
site one of Google's
Gold Hat
sites. The guys from
the Black Hats websites are jealous. Just key
in Paso Robles History or Paso Robles USA in a Google search and see what
is first on the list.
*
The 2005 Mid-State
Fair has now melted into
history. Next big and exciting event is Pioneer Day,
so make your plans now! In what other California culture center can you
wear that cowboy hat, boots and bolo tie without being branded insane?
*
Now that the days
aren't as blistering, there's
no excuse for missing the second annual Paso Robles Olive Festival in the
city park on the 27th. Lots
of stuff to see and taste.
*
Earthquake watchers
and awaiters. Good news
from the Parkfield.
*
Get ready for
another wave of legal immigrants
to Paso Robles as it is being touted as the 3rd
best
place to live in America. Remember, I'm just the
reporter. I apologize if this is old news.
*
Guess I missed this
story about Camp Roberts back
in May when those 25 stolen vintage wallets were discovered in an
air duct. You can read about it here:
*Thanks
to the many loyal patrons of this website
as visits reached 50,000 this month. What an honor
for a country bumpkin like me!
*
Hot enough for you?
One week of over 100 degrees
is taxing on us old fogeys who grew up with air
conditioning (at least after the Oak Park days).
How would you like to cool
your house
or commercial
building in the summer for next to nothing?
*
Local photographer
Ginnie Guffey and hubby Jack
enjoyed a brief visit to
Mexico
with two other
couples. Here's a sample of the sights.
*
A day trip to the
Sierra was a wonderful
time to explore Hwy
88 and Hope Valley.
*
Some of us are
shedding a few tears hearing that
the old high school is being demolished due to
earthquake damage. This place was more
than bricks, mortar and a few facelifts. It was
that home away from home where you learned life
lessons, fell in love for the first time, and
glimpsed the future with new eyes.
To the powers
that be: Please
make some old bricks
available as keepsakes for the old alumni crowd.
And, yes, we'll pay for them.
*
Another July 4th
celebration is here. Raise those
flags and hearts in memory of those who took action
and created the greatest government the world has
known - one founded on Biblical principles -
and one that will cease to exist without them.
*
The California
Color page
has been updated a bit.
Sorry, but I sneaked in a few photos of Tennessee.
*
Wow! Check out all
those Paso and Templeton
High graduates in the Paso Robles Press.
Congratulations to all (Shandon High, too).
See a sampling of faces and enter the contest here:
*
Paso will soon be on the world map when the BBC
will televise a
series
highlighting great California
wine and food destinations. This 13 part production
will also be seen here on Great Chefs TV and on selected airline flights.
I'd say something really sarcastic here, but I don't want to rock the
canoe.
*
Paso Robles has its share of listed sex offenders
that you should be aware of. No, this isn't the
perfect place to live and certainly isn't the nice
little town we grew up in.
The latest to find himself under the public microscope
is complaining about the reception he's getting.
Details in the
Tribune.
In the
Press.
*
We're back from vacation, trying to get adjusted
to California life again. Nothing like paying $1.88 per
gallon for gas in Tennessee.
*
Don Wilson has updated his
Highway 101 Project
website again with more old and new photos (and
great stories to go with them). Please visit
and send him an appreciative e-mail.
*
Can anyone tell me what the latest status is on
Paso's culture war between vintners and ranchers?
Seems there is still a bit of animosity in the discussion
about who's more important and what's best for the
area.
*
Imagine that your pool service costs $250,000
per year. That's what Paso pays for their two pools,
and now there is a move to add another, bigger one.
Read
the story
and see what you think.
*
Congratulations to the
Paso Robles Pioneer Museum
as they celebrate a newly designed website. Be sure
to visit the NEWS page and enter their Treasure Hunt
contest. A
HUGE
thanks goes to Milene Radford for
helping me with all the details.
*
So you think living in the desert is the pits?
Here's another reason to stay away from those sandy
landscapes, especially at a base in Iraq.
*
Happy Birthday to my most better half, Barbara.
She's the greatest, there's little doubt.
*
Thanks to Betsy Wood for submitting this story
about the infamous Dalton
Gang
brothers who visited
the Cholame and Estrella areas in 1891.
*
Former Roblan and cousin, Paul Cockrell, is one of
three air tanker pilots who died while testing a P-3 Orion in
Lassen National Forest
Wednesday. His brother, Gary Cockrell, was killed in 1995 piloting
an air tanker in Southern California. Here is a picture of
the plane, T26. You can read or add your condolences
here:
*
"Author! Author!" cried locals a few weeks ago
as Author's Day was celebrated in San Miguel. Over
a dozen local writers were featured at this
premier event, including former test pilot, George
Marrett, who has published The Aviator,
a biography of Howard Hughes. You can read the
whole story here:
Congratulations to all.
*
More
backyard close-ups,
including those
little critters you don't want crawling on you.
*
Happy April
No Foolin' Day.
To celebrate,
you Roblans need to join the local SLO
Freecycle
Yahoo group and learn to participate in a save-the-earth
endeavor. The idea is to start giving away all of your
unwanted junk (or not) to anyone in the are who will
take it (and probably sell it on eBay). Or vice versa.
*
Another
Resurrection Morning
to celebrate on
the 27th. We live a hopeless existence without this
wonderful and true miracle of life.
*
Paso's Mayor Frank Mecham takes pen in hand
to write
a wonderful tribute
to his longtime friends.
May we all be so blessed in our own friendships.
*
You might want to search the
Paso Robles Press
classifieds online so you can return that Rolex watch
you found and receive $1000, or buy that California Valley home east of
Paso for only $275K.
*
It's
California Wildflower Month,
so get out there
and get your money's worth out of that digital
camera you never use anymore. There won't be another
month like this in your lifetime, most likely. Take
your kids and grandkids with you, too. Just don't tell
them all of those stories about when you were a REAL
Flowerchild. (I don't think it's really Wildflower
Month, but it
should be)
*
Enjoy a sampler of Atascadero's foremost
wildflower photographer here:
*
The
SLO Tribune interview
of yours
truly that never was is now available for your perusal.
They were interested until hearing that Wordydave
isn't a local yokel. Hey, it's only the Tribune, right?
 *
Here we go again. More buying opportunities for
Paso Roblans as the new Kohl's Department Store
opens its doors. This is the place to visit if it's beneath
your social status to shop at K-Mart or WalMart. It's all about
image, you know. According to the local
news article,
store manager Jackie Piper says, "there's a lot of potential in Paso
Robles." Translate that 'money.'
*
The old
Geneseo school clock
is back home,
but this time on Riverside Avenue, where the historic
school resides these days at the Pioneer Museum.
The restoration project is going smoothly. Just look at
the guys they've got working on it!
Click here
to see Dave Steaffens, Bob Bryant, Gary Smith, Jack Guffey and Bill
Minshull
horsing around.
*
Not much to do here but enjoy the rain after
viewing The Aviator, except take some pictures
on the way back from the theatre. This was one
beautiful storm.
*We're
still taking pictures here and there for
my sister to critique. Not really. The latest few are
at the California
Color/Artsy
page.
* Congratulations
to little Bobby
Allison who
retired
from the auto parts world last month after 40
years. There's a great article at the
PR Press Online
site.
* Here's
a wonderful site constructed by Don Wilson
highlighting the original trail of Hwy
101.
Great
photos and text reveal the remnants and history
of this famous cement roadway. Thanks, Don, for
preserving this part of our past and present.
* Congratulations
to Mayor
Frank Mecham,
Paso's Roblan
of the Year.
This is one busy guy
who has a big heart for Paso and its people.
* Just
because you might live in a small California
town doesn't mean there aren't any sex predators
nearby. Please use the Megan's
Law website
to see (literally) who might be living by your kids
and grandkids.
* In
order to facilitate this page's loading speed, I've
archived the past two year's monthly updates on
separate pages --- linked in the center column under
2004 and 2003 archives. The existing links have
been better organized and a lot of them deleted.
Newer ones are now yellow.
* Some
of you like poetry, but few read
the
Central Coast
poets. You might be surprised.
* I'm
happy to see that the Paso
Robles Press
is
publishing their full articles online now, so you don't
miss a word of the latest news and views. There's
a link in the first column on this page.
* If
you can help -- Sylvia Gonzales, a young Paso
resident is being treated for diabetes after slipping
into a coma in December. She has kidney failure
and is on a breathing machine. Friends of the family
are asking for donations to help with the costs.
Contact Citibank--Medical Relief Fund in Atascadero.
Account # 270252794.
*
Happy,
blessed and wonderful New Year to you all
from Wordydave and family.
* Another
year is slapping us in the face and
yelling, "Outface the brow of bragging horror!"
Actually, it was Shakespeare who said it,
King John, Act V, Scene 1
*
Keep those resolutions flowing, friends. Here are
a few you may not have thought of:
* Resolutions
for your Computer
* Resolutions
about Politics
* Resolutions
about Personal Development
* Resolutions
about Smoking
* Reminder
Service to Keep Your Resolutions
*
NBA
New Year's Resolutions
* Resolutions
for Helping Animals
*
New Year's
Resolutions for CIO's
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