April 2009 Archives

Word is that Chef Christophe, the talent behind French/Italian restaurant Le Bellisimo, will lead a new restaurant in downtown Upland.

Colleague David Allen heard the news from the Upland mayor at the State of the City last night.

Le Bellisimo was the upscale eatery at Masi Plaza that closed in January. Lots of luck to Christophe. The new restaurant will be on Second Avenue, the site of D'Uplanders.

Update: Chef Christophe wrote in an e-mail he's aiming to open the restaurant by the end of the year.

The City Council wants to expand the smoking ban. What do you think?

Tonight's 6 p.m. workshop will be at David Dreier Hall in the senior center. If you can't make it, there will be another one on May 27.

The goal of the workshops is to gather input from residents and business owners about banning smoking in places like dining patios, bus stops, ATM lines and sidewalks. The City Council is also mulling an ordinance that would require landlords to set aside a certain percentage of non-smoking units in apartment buildings.

Another way to put your two cents in is to fill out the survey found on the city's Web site. You can also pick up the survey at any city facilities including City Hall, Central Park and the two libraries.

City staff members will compile input from the workshops and the surveys and draft an ordinance some time this summer.

Yesterday, I went the whole day without being asked what my accomplishments were in the last 100 days. Nobody, not even all the inquisitive reporters near me, asked what I was enchanted by or what I thought about Pakistan's arsenal. I too had hand-washing tips to give.

In the last 100 days, I've written 152 blog entries and averaged five newspaper articles every week. I also started writing the Sunday Read, an A1 human interest feature that runs -- you guessed it -- on Sundays. I am proud but not content.

I watched three movies ("Waltz With Bashir," "The Watchmen" and "State of Play"), 15 episodes of "Lost" and dozens of Laker games. I read five books (Dan Savage's "The Commitment," Mike Davis' "City of Quartz," John Steinbeck's "Log From the Sea of Cortez" and "Grapes of Wrath" and Nick Hornby's "The Polysyllabic Spree") and am 14 pages away from finishing Azar Nifisi's "Reading Lolita in Tehran."

Fourteen of those 100 days were spent in pre-swine flu Mexico, where highlights included petting a reef shark and working on my tan.

For the record, I was enchanted by the chicken mole in Cabo San Lucas, I'm distantly worried about the potential of Pakistan's arsenal and I recommend carrying hand sanitizer in addition to washing your hands.  

                                                                                Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/Staff Photographer

If you're not a City Council meeting watcher you might not know that Run For The Wall, the annual cross-country ride to Washington that starts at Victoria Gardens, is May 13. Jim "The Mayor" Frost has been giving short presentations about the event at nearly every meeting since last winter.

Hundreds of motorcycle riders will leave from the JCPenney parking lot starting at 7:45 a.m. May 13. Some of the participants who want to go "all the way," by starting in Rancho Cucamonga and ending in Washington D.C. are already making their way here. Last year, I met a gentleman who rode his motorcycle from Florida just so he can start the ride with everyone in Rancho Cucamonga.

You can send off the group by showing your support on the day of the event at Victoria Gardens. The 501-C3 organization also welcomes donations. Send them to John King, RFTW treasurer, P.O. Box 279, St. Michaels, AZ 86511.

  

Frame-Art, a gallery inside the Sunrize Center on Baseline and Carnelian, is hosting an open house Saturday featuring art by June Carey. Wine and snacks will be served from 2 to 7 p.m. Carey's work centers around the California coast and wine country. There will be a chance to win a gift print.

The Upland-based Foothill Family Shelter is facing near empty shelves in their food pantry and needs your help. Canned food and boxed dinners are welcomed at the city's Chamber of Commerce Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The chamber office is at 7945 Vineyard Ave., Suite D-5.

Last month, the shelter provided 317 families and individuals with food from its pantry.

You're already too late.

An Air Quality Management District lawn mower exchange program mentioned earlier in this space is sold out. The program lets residents trade in their old mowers with zero-emission models. According to an AQMD release, 4,000 of the new mowers were spoken for just three days after registration opened.

Rick Brown, left, and Bill Fisk, right, were among the 30 who participated in the Alta Loma Emergency Response Team's third annual poker ride at Heritage Park last Saturday. The ride and barbecue
helped raise funds for the all-volunteer organization. The money will go toward new equipment for large animal rescue.

The response team, under the direction of the city's fire department, took part in evacuating horses during the 2003 Grand Prix fires. For more information, visit the riding club's Web page.

The city is considering expanding its smoking ban to places like bus stops, Victoria Gardens, restaurant patios and other places. About time? Too much government interference? What do you think?





"I think residents want their children to be protected from second hand smoke no matter where that occurs."

-- Mayor Don Kurth





"We absolutely believe there's no place for government to say you can not smoke outdoors. We certainly don't want cigar smoking where there's families but certainly in outdoor patios or a cigar store ... that should be left to the owner's peril."

 -- Brian Berman of Cigar Rights of America

... that the library has three, count 'em, three blogs.

Children's Happenings lists various events for youth as well as links to science news and NPR stories on children's books.

Rancho Reads! is library related news for grown ups with information on book clubs and suggested readings.

The Green Vine is the earth-friendly blog administered by "Healthy Librarian." This one hasn't been updated in awhile though. Maybe "Healthy Librarian" has been busy with Earth Day.

Suggestion: An occasional "staff picks" entry to see what librarians and other staff members are reading. That should get book worms to start commenting.

WeTip thinks so.

Last night, the crime reporting resource group named Don Kurth "Mayor of the Year" at its annual dinner in Riverside. What do you think? Does Kurth deserve it?

According to an A1 story by Lori Consalvo and Melissa Pinion-Whitt today, a spate of burglaries has hit the city leading to 11 arrests in two weeks. Suspects are knocking on front doors and kicking them in when nobody answers, a crime that officials are calling "a new trend."

Anyone with information should call the police at (909) 477-2800 or leave an anonymous tip at 1(800)78-CRIME.

Central Park's aquatics center is nowhere close to being built. In the meantime, there are some swimming options this summer at local high schools.

The city is accepting registration for the Learn to Swim program to be held at Alta Loma and Etiwanda high schools. There will also be open swim hours Monday through Friday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Alta Loma High. Pool party rentals are also availabe on the weekends.

Swim season is June 15 through August 7.

Find out more at RCPark.com.


 

City Council is expected to discuss the 1,200 acres project at a special meeting on June 1. It could make its recommendation that day or continue the meeting on June 3.

The project is the undeveloped land north of Los Osos High that the county wants to sell to a developer. The city will pick two of five developers vying for the project to recommend to the county. The county will pick one of the two unless the board of supervisors don't like the city's suggestions. By a unanimous vote, the county can toss out the city's picks.

June's special meetings will hopefully shed some light on how the city will make its decision. Will the council base its decision on the developer with the best resume? Or how about the developer with the most money? Or perhaps the developer with the prettiest brochures?

All of the developers' proposals, available for view at the city clerk's office, are fancy and flashy. My favorite is the Richland/Toll Brothers proposal, which promises an ampitheater at the golf course's 18th hole.

"This seating will also be perfect to catch the sunset with a lover, watch your friend be married or celebrate Fourth of July with the Philharmonic," according to the brochure.

The romantic in me thinks the city should pick Richland/Toll Brothers. Who doesn't love watching a sunset with their lover?

It's certainly sweeter than Rancho Alliance, a developer proposing a lake among other ammenities.

Their brochure wants the city to "explore the potential synergistic relationship between the lake park, 25-acre recreation complex and the village core."

No thanks, I'd rather listen to the philharmonic on the Fourth of July.

Mayor Don Kurth was faster than the City Hall's press release creators when he broke the news on his Twitter feed that the library just received a $40,000 grant for the next Big Read. "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "The Maltese Falcon" were the books from the last two reading initiatives. I wonder which book we'll pour over this year.

Kurth's Twitter also talked about the unveiling of next season's lineup at the Lewis Family Playhouse. The schedule has not been officially released but I hear Judy Collins and The Pointer Sisters will lead the lineup.

The Alta Loma Emergency Response Team, a volunteer group under the direction of the city's fire department, is hosting a fundraiser poker ride Saturday at Heritage Park on 5556 Beryl St. The group, started in 2001 to offer an organized evacuation plan for horses and other large animals in an event of a natural disaster, is raising money for new communication equipment and other supplies.

The four-hour horseback ride starts 10 a.m. Cost is $25 and includes lunch. Prizes include a 50/50 split, power tool set and gift cards. To RSVP, call (562) 233-1265. 

The southbound 15 Freeway will be closed from Foothill Boulevard to the 10 Freeway starting tonight at 10 p.m. Road work is supposed to be complete by 4 a.m. Wednesday. As a detour, exit Foothill and use Milliken to get to the 10 Freeway.

On Thursday, the northbound 15 Freeway will be closed from Jurupa to the 10 Freeway from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next day. The suggested detour is to exit Jurupa and take Etiwanda Avenue to the 10 Freeway.

The closures are part of a $52 million Caltrans project to widen bridges, replace pavement and make other improvements to the 15 Freeway from the 60 Freeway to Sixth Street.

Information: (909) 383-6291

The extreme heat yesterday and today caught most of us off guard, including those at the Red Hill Coffee Shop on Foothill and Grove. The air conditioner gave way just as temperatures inched toward 100. Owner Jim Moffatt had it fixed and the diner was back in order today.

One thing that kept Moffatt smiling was the arrival of his residual check from "Jerry Maguire." The part-time actor has played many bit parts in films and television shows throughout the years including the popular Tom Cruise flick. He's been getting residual checks every six months for the last 12 years. The total of this recent check -- $10.

In other heat related news, the strawberry patch across the street from the coffee shop is in full swing. But if this hot weather keeps up, it won't be opened for long. High heat kills the plants. Last year, the farm closed June 1, a month earlier than usual because of the heat. Let's hope we get a mild summer this year for the farm's, and my sanity's, sakes. 

You know you've got them -- dusty discmans, clunky computers. Get rid of them at Terra Vista Elementary Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The PTA will be collecting unwanted TVs, computer monitors, printers and other electronics. The school is located 7497 Mountain View Dr.

Information: (909) 390-2299

The high's will reach 100 today, perfect timing for a free cone at Ben & Jerry's. The offer is from noon to 8 p.m. today. They're located at the Chaffey Town Square at Victoria Gardens.

Local comic book shop 4 Color Fantasies will take over the Edwards 22 in Ontario for the midnight showing of "X-Men Origins Wolverine" on April 30. Limited tickets, at $19, are available and include a commemorative T-shirt and goody bag. The first set of tickets were sold out which allowed 4CF to upgrade to a larger theater. Send an e-mail to Chris or call (909) 563-8751 for more information.

The annual student invitational at Chaffey College's Wignall Museum starts today, showcasing works from the digital media, photography and art departments. "Simplexity" is through May 23 with an opening reception on April 29 from 6 to 8 p.m.

The museum is near the north parking lot on Wilson.

Information: (909) 652-6492

Headlines, schmedlines, say the City Council.

When it comes to making a decision on who should develop the 1,200 acres north of Los Osos, the council members say they can only trust the facts, not the recent headlines on the county's deal with the Colonies.

Jeff Burum, one of the Colonies partners, is also one of the partners on Rancho Alliance, a consortium of developers vying for the 1,200 acres project. Burum has become ensnared in a probe on the Assessor's Office after giving Jim Erwin, former assistant assessor, a Rolex watch and a trip to New York City for aiding the Colonies settlement.

Councilwoman Diane Williams said the news of these gifts came as a shock to her but she's not going to let it cloud her judgment on Rancho Alliance.

"I won't say I'm not disappointed," Williams said. "It's an awkward situation."

"I don't think there's any doubt, we follow all these developments with interest," said Mayor Don Kurth. "But we've got to make decisions based on evidence and facts."

A Grand Jury is currently investigating the evidence and facts surrounding the 1,200 acres project, as reported in the paper on Saturday. City Manager Jack Lam, Councilman Rex Gutierrez and Kurth have all been interviewed.

Gutierrez was asked whether he felt there was a sweetheart deal between the county and Rancho Alliance.

Councilman Sam Spagnolo, who was not interviewed by the Grand Jury, said he doesn't have any suspicions of such a deal because he trusts Lewis Homes, another partner in Rancho Alliance.

"I would have to put my trust and faith in the group headed by the Lewises," Spagnolo said. "Things of that nature would not be tolerated. The Lewises have a very solid reputation."

A candlelight memorial and a healing Mass ceremony are among the events planned for National Crime Victims' Rights Week in San Bernardino County starting April 26.

The San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office will host a candlelight memorial at the Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center, 10500 Civic Center Drive, at 6 p.m. April 30. District Attorney Michael A. Ramos is scheduled to speak at the event, District Attorney officials said.

A healing Mass will be 3 p.m. April 26 at Sacred Heart Church, 12704 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga.

Remembrance boards will be on display in the lobbies of the District Attorney's offices in Victorville, Barstow and Fontana during the week.

melissa.pinion-whitt@inlandnewspapers.com

The Air Quality Management District is offering a lawn mower exchange program, encouraging residents to trade in their gas guzzlers for zero-emission models.

On May 9, residents can drop off their old lawn mowers and exchange them for one of three models for the price of $100 or $160. But you must pre-register for the mower of your choice by calling (888) 425-6247 or visiting the AQMD Web site. Registration begins 8 a.m. on April 22.

The models available are:

Neuton CE 5.3 with 14-inch cutting width for $100 (retail price $399)

Neuton CE 6.3 with 19-inch cutting width for $160 (retail price $499)

Black & Decker CMM1200 with 19-inch cutting width for $160 (retail price $499)

The trade-in on May 9 is from 8 a.m. to noon. The Epicenter is on 8408 Rochester Ave.

The council seems to have a soft spot for the old gas station on Foothill near Archibald. All five voted to give the property historic landmark status last night even though the property owner, Lamar Advertising, objected.

Councilman Dennis Michael said the station delivered fuel to the seven-acre orange grove his parents owned in the 1950s. The fuel was used to heat his home.

"I remember the truck trudging up Ramona Avenue," Michael said.
 
Mayor Don Kurth said he tried to buy the property 25 years ago when he first moved to the city and owned a landscaping contract company. The property wasn't for sale then, even though it ceased being a gas station in 1972.

"The first time I laid eyes on it, I fell in love," Kurth said.

The mayor was also enamored by the old photos displayed at the meeting showing the gas station with arches.

"What's it going to take to get it to look like that again?" asked Kurth.

"A lot of money," said Councilwoman Diane Williams. 

Crystal retailer Swarovski has opened at Victoria Gardens near the Macy's Mens and Home store. This Victoria Gardens location is the company's 222nd store. Swarovski is promoting its watch collection by offering a free gift if you try on three watches. The flier does not say what the gift is or what happens if you try on just two watches or six.

Another newcomer is Bare Escentuals, a mineral makeup boutique that's expected to open tomorrow. H&M will open in June.

I was just about to doze off at around 9:45 p.m. at the City Council meeting last night when Mayor Don Kurth spoke about the crowd at the recent job fair and how he posted the L.A. Times photo of the Central Park event on his Facebook page.

That woke me right up. My lap top nearly fell off my lap.

First off, since when did the mayor get a Facebook page?

But more importantly, why didn't the mayor think of the local paper that covers him?

It slipped his mind, I keep telling myself. Perhaps he didn't catch our staff photographer Jennifer Cappuccio Maher's photo here, which was shown on this blog and in the online gallery last week. There's always room for more pics on your Facebook page, huh mayor?

Any readers out there been friended by Kurth, other than Dick Armey, that is? Peruse his page here to find out what other figures Kurth admires other than Sean Hannity and Newt Gingrich.

                                                                               Thomas Cordova/Staff Photographer

Reading everyone's T-shirts and signs at the anti-tax rally on Foothill and Day Creek today was a hoot.

Several anti-tax advocates with an entrepreneurial spirit sold T-shirts in the REI parking lot. One shirt had the recognizable "O" of Obama's campaign logo with the words "This change sucks."

Another gentleman held up a giant "Ron Paul for president" sign and it didn't look dusty. (Gosh, his supporters are ardent, aren't they?)

Some signs were kinda PG13, not quite appropriate for the young children who showed up with their parents protesting high taxes. Also at the REI parking lot was a man who wore the message, "I don't need sex. The government screws me every day." 

Library Director Robert Karatsu announced the family fun night at tonight's City Council meeting and also spoke about the need for public libraries in a tough economy. Karatsu said if you've been reading newspapers recently, like the L.A. Times, Wall Street Journal or the Sun, you might have read about the role libraries play in a rough economy.

Ouch! The Daily Bulletin ran a front page story today about this very topic.

It slipped his mind, I'm sure. Karatsu is a big supporter of the local paper and this blog. Plug us next time, Robert. 

First graders at Victoria Groves School braved the elements this morning on their park safari. Their mission was to identify and classify all the stuffed animals that the teachers placed throughout the park under extremely windy conditions.

They came in their fancy cardboard Jeeps. One girl's vehicle had a license plate that read "GR82BME." Another girl had a pair of pink dice hanging in her make-believe rear view mirror. One boy came in a camouflage Hummer.

Brad Buller, former planning director for the city, was named Alta Loma School District's newest board member, according to the Education Now blog. Buller replaces Peter Peterson, who stepped down last month. Buller lost a bid to the school board in last November's election. He will be sworn in tonight at the 7 p.m. board meeting.

Buller is owner of local real estate company Land Matters and a consultant to the Rancho Alliance team, one of the candidates hoping to develop in the 1,200 acres north of Los Osos High School.

It's tax day today, do you know where your wine collection is?

To soften the tax blow, The Wine Tailor is offering their wines sans tax all week. The winery on Foothill and Vineyard is also offering a 10-minute massage on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.

These are just some of the unusual specials at the Wine Tailor. To stay in the loop about these events and others, join their text messaging service by texting "GOTWINE" to 313131.

Information: (909) 481-5050

The old gas station on Foothill and Archibald has seen better days. The property is currently vacant with a chain link fence around it.

But Sam Grasso, 88, remembers it being the talk of the town. Some time in the 1930s, Grasso arrived to an opening celebration at the station with his family in a 1929 Chevrolet. That day, the station had a search light on announcing the party.

"It was like downtown Hollywood," Grasso said. "The owner of the station gave out a can of grease as gift."

Grasso likely attended a grand re-opening. The station dates back to 1915 and likely switched ownership in the 1930s. The property is currently owned by Lamar Advertising.   

Community events that will be announced at the meeting tonight include the Tip a Cop dinner at the Claim Jumper on Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m., the family fun night at the Biane Library on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. and the Earth Day celebration at the Cultural Center courtyard on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.

The City Council will also consider granting the old Cucamonga Service Station historic landmark status. Fearing the Route 66 station could face demolition, the Planning Commission voted in March to designate the 1914 building as a historic landmark despite objection from the owner. Lamar Advertising, which owns the property, said such a status would reduce its property value. The designation needs final approval from the City Council tonight.

Simone, a 32-pound Beagle mix, recently survived a harrowing ordeal.

A member of the city's graffiti clean-up crew found the brown dog with 13 stab wounds to the neck and torso. Simone had to go through two hours of surgery at the Animal Care and Services Department. After 23 staples and sutures later, Simone is recovering.

The sheriff's department is currently investigating this crime, which happened some time before 8:11 a.m. April 5 near the intersection of Red Hill Country Club Drive and Carnelian. Anyone with information should call the police station at (909) 477-2800 or 1 (800) 78-CRIME. The city is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator.

The Animal Care and Services Department is also accepting donations for Simone's care. Checks made out to the Community Foundation can be sent to The Animal Care and Adoption Center, PO Box 807, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729-9963. Put "animal center" in the memo line.

Information: (909) 466-PETS

The city is hosting a Healthy RC Earth Day celebration at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center courtyard on Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be crafts, games and prizes at the family friendly event. The first 200 attendees will receive a free Healthy RC reusable shopping bag.

Information: (909) 477-2720

On Monday I drove by Nancy's, the diner on Archibald and Arrow that recently closed, and saw all its furniture out in the parking lot. It was either really good or really bad news, I thought.

According to Dan and Cheree Griffith, commenters on this blog, it's good news. The restaurant will open back up April 20 with the same witty menu. See tomorrow's paper for more about Nancy's in David Allen's column.

Giselle Rodriguez, left, and Adrian Armendariz play around during a rehearsal for a Star Performers show to be staged Saturday. Star Performers are a group of special needs students and adults who put on a singing and dancing show twice a year at Central Park.

"Welcome to Our Cabaret" will be staged at the senior center 3 p.m. April 19. A donation of $20 will be appreciated.

Information: (909) 944-9929

To celebrate national library week, the city will host an Arts and Literature Family Fun Night Friday at the Biane Library from 7 to 9 p.m. There will refreshments, performances, storytelling and caricatures drawn by artist Angelique Cicone.

Free tickets can be picked up at the Biane and Archibald libraries.

Information: (909) 477-2720 

I was never that into science growing up. Maybe it was because I didn't have Chris Schrempp as a teacher. The Los Osos High School chemistry teacher really likes blowing things up and lighting things on fire. Watching him at work sure beats memorizing the periodic table.

Schrempp and his high school students went to Alta Loma Junior High School today as part of an outreach project to get young learners excited about science. It was a magic show of sorts. One contraption he created was a book that shoots out flames when opened. He hollowed out the pages and inserted an ethanol soaked rag with a hidden starter. Cool experiments and burning textbooks ... some students thought it was their dream come true.

"Those English teachers ... they have no idea how to make their books burn," Schrempp said.

As an English major myself, I must admit, it was pretty cool.


 

The L.A. County Fair is looking for a few good heroes.

Nominations for the fair's annual Community Hero celebration can now be submitted with a deadline of May 30.

The winners will be honored at their respective community celebrations at this year's fair, which begins on Sept. 5.

Last year, Los Osos student Mary Faheem and Bob Curtis of the Friends of the Pacific Electric Trail were honored as Rancho Cucamonga's heroes.

Community Heroes this year will be in the categories of young adult, adult and seniors.
A nomination form can be printed from the fair Web site, under the category of community days.
 
The forms should be mailed to Community and Government Relations Department, Fairplex, P.O. Box 2250, Pomona 91769-2250.

It also can be faxed to (909) 865-3602.

Information: e-mail hatcher@fairplex.com or (909) 865-4648

In order for Fresh & Easy to come to the Thomas Winery Plaza on the northeast corner of Vineyard and Foothill, two buildings will have to be demolished.

That means, Italian restaurant Antonino's and Japanese eatery Yatai, will be moving. But they won't go far. Both are heading to a bigger location in a different building but at the same plaza.

Antonino's will close on April 18 for just a week, said restaurant owner Sartaj Singh. It will reopen the following weekend (the exact date to be determined) at the site of the former Zendejas restaurant.

Yatai, a small sushi joint will close on April 25 and will reopen some time in June near the Souplantation restaurant.

Other businesses including a nail salon and a chiropractor office have allowed their leases to expire. The building facing Foothill, occupied by Coffee Klatch and Wine Tailor, is not affected by the renovations.

There's no set date for the arrival of Fresh & Easy at the Thomas Winery Plaza. There's no set date for the grocer's opening at Day Creek and Foothill either but that location will surely be the first.

RC Family Resource Center is hosting a night of Italian food and Bunco to raise money for its services. I have no idea what Bunco is but I'm guessing it's kinda like Yahtzee but British? If anybody can shed some light, it would be appreciated.

The Bunco fundraiser will take place 6 p.m. April 15 at the resource center on 9791 Arrow Route. The cost is $30 at the door; $25 in advance and includes a catered dinner. You must be 18 or older to play. On-site child care will be available for $7 per child.

Last June, the center opened at the site of the former senior center and billed itself as a one-stop social services hub. Among the services offered are domestic violence counseling, parenting classes and food and clothing assistance for the working poor.

For tickets, call (909) 477-2781.

                                                          Jennifer Cappuccio Maher/ Staff Photographer

About 3,000 people showed up to the job fair at Central Park this morning looking for some good news. More than 60 employers representing local government, health services and retail were there with more than 1,000 openings. U.S. Border Patrol alone had 7,000 openings across the country.

I spoke to one job seeker who said Coca-Cola was there with one opening. Gentex, a Rancho-based manufacturer of breathing apparatuses for military pilots, had two openings.

So the lesson of the day is, if you want a job, consider border protection.

The van tour that the City Council took to the 1,200 acres of undeveloped land north of Los Osos High School yesterday was kick started by City Manager Jack Lam. He encouraged the group of city and county staff to proceed to the vans by saying, "Let's get loaded!"

This got everyone excited as none of us knew it was a 21 and over meeting.

But Lam corrected himself, "I mean let's get loaded up."

The tour was meant to give the council an idea of the topography of the last major development project in the city. This is unincorporated county land that will eventually be filled with homes, parks and neighborhood stores. Eventually the land will be annexed to the city.

Rex Gutierrez, the most eclectic council member of the bunch, joined the tour in his own unusual way. Gutierrez couldn't make it to City Hall in time to catch the vans so he stood on the side of the road near Los Osos High School with his tie waving in the wind, hoping to be picked up.

Our driver, a county official, nearly passed him until I suggested we should probably pick up the councilman.

Gutierrez, along with the rest of the council, will be selecting the top two developers to lead the 1,200-acre project in coming months. The county will then pick one out of the two.

An Easter hunt aimed for children under 10 years old will be held at 9 a.m. at Central Park on Saturday.

The "Cucamonga Cotton Tail Easter Egg Hunt," organized by Councilman Rex Gutierrez, will feature grand prizes for two children who find the golden tickets. There will also be free photo opportunities with the Easter bunny but there is no information about who will be the Easter Bunny. At the last City Council meeting, Councilwoman Diane Williams told Gutierrez, "You'd be a cute Easter Bunny."

No offense, Rex, but I completely disagree.

Register for the event at Rex's Web site.

Don't tell Jim Moffatt, council gadfly and Red Hill Coffee Shop owner, but I was mighty sad to learn that Nancy's closed while I was out of town. I've heard about the diner's popularity for years and enjoyed my first breakfast there recently. It was "pick up sticks," french toast cut into strips and buttered on all sides. It was one of those breakfasts that you eat at 10 a.m. and then feel the first pangs of hunger 12 hours later. Nearby, I watched an elderly couple enjoy an early lunch. They were probably regulars. The woman spread a healthy dose of mayonnaise on her club sandwich after every bite.

Nancy's is not the place for egg white omelets but comfort food goes down well in this town. According to commenters on David Allen's blog, the closing might be the result of a divorce as opposed to the economy. If that's the case, a Nancy's comeback is possible. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

The group 4 a Safe Ride Home will hold its annual Bingo night on April 17 to raise money for its taxi service. The event will be held at the Central Park community center with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.

The Plummer family started the nonprofit organization in 2006 after Dustin Plummer died on the 210 Freeway in a drunken-driving accident. The group provides free rides to those who need them in an effort to prevent accidents like the one that killed Dustin. The Bingo night will raise money to pay for the rides, which to date have totaled more than 2,400.

Bingo tickets are $15 and prizes include a bicycle, restaurant vochers and a flat screen television.

For tickets, call (909) 481-8300 or send an e-mail to d_plummer1@yahoo.com

The job fair that Rep. David Dreier announced via teleconference at last month's City Council meeting will take place 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Central Park community center.

The event hosted by the county, city and Dreier's office will feature more than 60 employers looking to fill full- and part-time positions representing health services, sales, information technology and other fields.

Information: (909) 575-6226

Despite the scary headlines of the drug war south of the border, this blogger survived a two-week vacation to Baja California without a severed head or even a skinned knee. I'll spend the next few hours trying to figure out what happened in R.C. while I was gone and what's going to happen in R.C. and blog about it.

Thanks for reading.