Rim High and Mtn. High Graduations Right Around the Corner!

It’s that time again when high school bands “brush off” the music to Elgar’s famous “Pomp and Circumstance” because they want to make sure they can play their important part in graduation ceremonies that students will remember the rest of the lives.

Fortunately, Rim High School has an award-winning band so as graduation begins and the band strikes up the first few notes to this famous melody, parents and friends sitting in the bleachers cheer and scream and let the graduates know how happy they are.

Rim High’s graduation will be held Thursday, June 14 at 5 p.m. on Townsend Field at the high school. Parking is always an issue and if the district does what it has done several times in the past, parking will be available in the village and people will be shuttled to the school.

The previous day, June 13 at 2 p.m. graduates of Mountain High School will be in their caps and gowns during their exciting graduation. This event will be held in the Rim High Performing Arts Center at 2 p.m. I don’t believe, because it is a smaller graduation, that shuttle service is required so all attendees will park in the school’s parking lot.

Congratulations to the Mountain and Rim High graduates of the class of 2012. We’re proud of all of you! You’ve worked hard and deserve a great day! Enjoy the ceremony because it’s over before you know it. Have fun, enjoy “your” day.

Mary Putnam Henck Intermediate School will not hold any type of “graduation” or “promotion” ceremony this year but a dance will be held at the Lake Arrowhead Country Club on June 13 from 7 to 10 p.m. The charge is $30 which will include food, dancing, etc. Tickets will be for sale at the school starting June 1 and the last day to purchase them is June 10 and all dance tickets will be sold only at lunch. All students need to file a permission slip with the school so be sure to do that.

Best wishes to all of you who are completing your years at the junior high level and who are moving up to high school. You will enjoy being a Rim High “Scot” so congratulations!

Hearts & Lives Moving to New Location in Crestline on July 2

Come Monday, July 3 the non-profit organization, Hearts  and Lives (H&L), won’t be found at the old Mary Tone Elementary School in Crestline because they are moving to a new location, centrally located for Crestline residents, on July 2.

The new location will be 24028 Lake Drive, across the street from Sleepy Hollow Cabins. I spoke with Hearts and Lives Executive Director David Stuart and he said when the H&L board was considering a move they were determined to remain in Crestline due to the number of families who utilize the services. They located a building, directly across from Sleepy Holly Cabins, which is on a MARTA route, so in some ways it is seen as the ideal location……right in “downtown” Crestline. Stuart told me that some clients have to walk to the current Mary Tone location, and some have to walk along narrow, heavily used, steep and narrow roads. With the new location, those concerns will mostly disappear because clients can either walk in a safer area and/or take MARTA to get to the new location.

This new location will be much closer to the community’s services, including the post office, Arrowhead Bank and it is right on a MARTA bus route. Some of the decisions to move came about due to the uncertainties involved with the old school building and the county’s issues with the school district over requiring the buildings to be brought up to code, which if it could even be done would be, all these years later, prohibitively expensive. Although he thanks 2nd District Supervisor Janice Rutherford for her support he said “the county” simply will not recognize that the current old Mary Tone Elementary  site could be used as a civic center housing multiple community services.

“The continued uncertainty regarding the Mary Tone property, coupled with San Bernardino County comments regarding zoning requirements for this location, does not allow for any assurance that we will be able to remain at this site,” said David Stuart in a May 30 letter to Rim of the World Unified School District Superintendent Donna Kellogg.

Stuart said that since moving to Crestline from Blue Jay in 2011, Hearts and Lives has experienced a large increase in the number of clients they serve and the H&L board directors wanted to see that H&L would maintain their presence in Crestline. “Hearts and Lives continues to be committed to the vision of having a “one stop shop” for mountain residents who need assistance. In addition to Hearts and Lives, the Women,Infants and Children (WIC) program will also move to the new Lake Drive location.

H&L is in the process of working toward having a presence in Running Springs and is currently looking for additional office space to better serve the Rim Mountain communities.

Stuart said that on the day the Hearts and Lives offices move to Crestline they would welcome volunteers to help make the move easier. Individuals and service groups as well as anyone interested in volunteering would be welcome. Any group out there need some “points” for volunteering? Boy or Girl Scouts? Church programs?  Soroptimists? Service Clubs? Call Joy or Dave at (909) 589-0723. We all know that the work becomes lighter for all when more people volunteer.

Services set for Pastor Charles Van Kirk

At only 65-years-old longtime Running Springs resident Charles Van Kirk went to be with his Lord on May 25 at 1:30 p.m. after a valiant four and one-half year battle with mesothelioima cancer. His memorial service will be held at Calvary Chapel Camp at 32355 Green Valley Lake Road at 10 a.m. 0n Saturday, June 2.

Pastor Van Kirk was loved by his parishoners and mountain friends. He was honored by the Running Springs Area Chamber of Commerce in 2010 and while everyone knows he’s in a peaceful place now his absence in the community will be felt for many years. He was the guiding light of Rim of the World Community Church from 1985 to 2010 when he retired. He and his wife Diane moved to Running Springs so he could serve as Senior Pastor. The couple raised their daughters in the mountains  and the girls attended local schools.

Pastor Van Kirk is survived by his wife Diane, their twin daughters Krista Moorman of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Kelly Marten of Lake Elsinore and their daughter Lindsey Ferronato who lives in Running Springs. The Van Kirk’s have been adoring grandparents to their six grandchildren.

Pastor Van Kirk enjoyed skiing, hiking, woodworking and driving his Shelby convertible. He was a much-loved pastor who led his congregation by example to be prayer warriors and to reach out in love to everyone. He was such an example of practicing what he preached and he always welcomed new friends with enthusiasm . A tall, strong man, his hugs and automatic laugh and joy of living were some of the characteristics that made him much beloved by the community he served, and not just by his parishioners. Always an active man, the pastor enjoyed skiing, hiking, woodworking and driving his Shelby convertible. He was a much-loved pastor who led his congregation by example to be prayer warriors and to reach out in love to everyone. He was a Godly man who loved Jesus with all his heart, soul and mind.

During the Vietnam War Pastor Van Kirk served  in the U.S. Navy, often in terrifying and horrifying situations as the small boat he was on with his other “Navy” buddies saw a lot of action.

At the time of his death he was only 65 years old. He was born in the Panama Canal Zone on Nov. 4, 1946 to Mande Elizabeth and Thurl C. Van Kirk Sr. He grew up with his sister, Silvia Peterson in Denver, Colorado where he graduated from Lincoln High School and the University of Colorado. He married Diane Kay Lentzner on December 5, 1969 in Denver and the couple moved to Pasadena where he graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary. In 1985 they moved to Running Springs so he could serve as Senior Pastor at Rim Community church.

Pastor Van Kirk was a tall large man, with the most wonderful laugh and voice and he was gifted with a sense of fun and a wonderful  sense of humor. Adults loved him but so did children, partly because when you would hear that big barrel laugh he had, you couldn’t help but laugh right along with him. About two years ago the Running Springs Area Chamber of Commerce honored him at a dinner at Snow Valley Mountain Resort for his years of serving the communities in many different ways.

He truly was one of a kind and was loved and respected by people throughout the Running Springs, Arrowbear Lake and Green Valley Lake  communities.

Memorial donations may be made to the Mesothelioma Research in the name of the Van Kirk family.

We all have the ability to affect other people; either by our experiences and empathy and love, or conversely, by our exclusion and bitterness. He certainly chose the path of reaching out, supporting people, stretching his long, strong arms out to people in need, either spiritually or by physically helping them. Either way, he leaves this life with people adoring him and his principles and being grateful for his life on this earth and all he accomplished in a very small town called Running Springs.

To say that his death leaves a void in the community is such an understatement  and at times they this, words often fail us.

“This one is for you, dear friend…..”

Do not stand by my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am the thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush, I am the quiet, uplifting rush

Of gentle birds in circled flight, I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand my grave and cry, I am not there….I did not die!

………………………………………………………………Author Unknown

Board of Supervisors Extends Temporary Ban on Sober Living Centers

During action at the May 22 San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors hearing the board unanimously voted to continue the temporary urgency interim ordinance dealing with sober living facilities  that involve seven or more patients. The board’s original decision to put a temporary halt to the facilities came after many mountain residents and businesses in the unincorporated areas of the mountains were alarmed at the continuing problems that are arising in residential areas where the facilities are located or will be located.

The county’s hands are tied in many ways on this issue because the state has control over the “prisoner release” program that involves inmates leaving the jail system to go to “rehab” homes and/or sober living center facilities. During the April 27 board of supervisors hearing many residents told the county board members about the problems of having the sober living facilities in populated residential neighborhoods. Some of the issues include patients who “hang out” in the residential neighborhoods, abusive language and having little or no concern for residents’ rights, the fact that property values decline in an area where sober living facilities are located. By law realtors must disclose the whereabouts of a sober living center to prospective clients and many of those clients don’t want to live in areas where the homes or centers are located.

The board’s May 22  action was predicated on the fact that supervisors  wanted more time to consider appropriate amendments to the county’s development code.

R.S. Live Oak Repaving Projected to Start May 29

The entire length of Live Oak Drive in Running Springs is set to be repaved by the County’s Department of Public Works, with the construction project set to begin on or near May 29. The board of supervisors awarded the over $1 million contract to Matich Construction and it calls for a 40 day project. Work is expected to take place from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and during the construction period traffic will be able to use the road but will be guided through with pilot cars and flagging. If weather or other complications become an issue the times as well as the estimated completion date of July 12 can be adjusted, if necessary.

 

In addition to the Caltrans work the Running Springs Water District will be replacing the district’s manholes so they will be at the same level as the new asphalt. This manhole replacement project is not expected to add any additional days to the overall project completion date. The reason the water district will be raising the manholes on this busy throughfare between Hwy. 330 and Hilltop Blvd. (Hwy. 18) is because it is the logical time to raise them so they are on the same level as the new  asphalt.

Caltrans Reminds Drivers about road closures for Amgen Tour

AMGEN (Bike Race) – Friday, May 16, 2012

Traffic control on SR 2, SR 138, SR 18, and SR 38 – from Palmdale to Big Bear between the hours of 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Use alternate routes to avoid delays.

http://www.amgen.com/

Rim Schools Will Close on May 18 For Amgen Bicycle Race

The Amgen Bicycle Race will be coming through the Rim of the World communities for the second year in a row and all schools will be closed on Friday, May 18. Do not take your children to school or take them to the bus stop because, due to the course, from Crestline to Big Bear, none of the schools will be open.

While the race is really exciting and a lot of fun logistically it presents many challenges for the school district so the district does not hold school when it comes through the Rim communities.

See you at the race. Have fun. Take the kids to see it as it comes through Crestline, along Highway 18 to Big Bear. It really is thrilling!

 

New R.S. Dental Office Means Great Service Locally!

Dr. Dhaval Shah knew from the time he was a little boy that he wanted to be a dentist. While many people’s childhood “dreams” of what they will be never materialize, his did, which is only one of the ways this Indian born and raised local dentist is different. His father was a dentist for 50 years and his brother is also a dentist. To say “dentistry really runs in the Shah family” is certainly not an exaggeration.

Dr. Shaw attended  dental school in India in 1995 and he graduated in 1998. He came to the United States and took the California Dental Boards and graduated in 2000.

The personable dentist opened his Running Springs office last December because he visited the town and felt there was a lack of dental facilities in the local community. Since December he has established quite a practice that includes not only “local” patients but Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead residents as well. The office is located on Highway 18 and Sunset Drive (directly across the highway from Goodwin’s Village Market).

Dr. Shaw is currently at the facility two times a month, the rest of the time he is at his dental office in East Highland. He anticipates that eventually he will  be in his mountain office four times a month and with all he’s accomplished of his “dreams” he’ll do it. In fact, many of his mountain patients have happily driven back and forth to Highland so this factor came into play when he decided to open a mountain office last year. His Running Springs office  hours are the first and third Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Although the mountains are rural the equipment he has in the office is high-tech. For instance, he has a dental x-ray system that reduces the normal radiation level by 87 percent. He also has an intra-oral camera that takes photos of the entire mouth, not just sections of the mouth. Patients can see the inside of their mouth by looking at a screen mounted on the wall while they sit in the dental chair and Dr. Shah said his patients really like to see the entire inside of their mouth. The   screen has a dual purpose because patients can also watch videos or listen to music which makes a visit to the dentist less stressful.

In addition to basic services Dr. Shah also does a variety of dental implants which often relieve patients of wearing ill-fitting and often uncomfortable dentures. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and can do single to full mouth implants. “Dentures are like walking with crutches but implants are closer to nature,” he said. He added that in his opinion dentistry  is not only a science but it is an art.

Before our interview concluded he said that over the last 10 years people want whiter and whiter teeth. Dentists and their patients decide what shade of white would look best on them. He told me that in the past 10 years ago the desired shade of the color of teeth has changed and generally speaking, patients want their teeth to be eight to ten shades lighter than they would have in past years. “It’s a trend,” he said.

The dental office accepts PPO insurance and union plans but not Medicare or Medi-Cal plans. Currently new patients pay only $99 for x-rays, an exam and teeth cleaning.

For more information or to schedule an appointment call (909) 939-0888 or call the Highland office at (909) 864-2002. Dr. Shaw is accepting new patients.

On a personal level, Dr. Shah was my husband’s dentist and because Peter was totally paralyzed it required extra time from Dr. Shah getting my husband in and out of the dental chair. Dr. Shah was reassuring, friendly and I personally can’t say enough good things about him…..not only as a dentist but a human being. His staff was exemplary!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter’s Over (I Think….) so Things are Popping in Green Valley Lake!

* A work day for residents who are part of the new community garden will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 5 at the garden site at the entrance to “the village” on Green Valley Lake Road. A potluck will follow at 3 p.m.. Be sure to take a rake and gardening gloves (for the work party, not the potluck). If you don’t have a “plot” yet in the garden but you want one you can call Jan at (909) 939-0183. Have fun…get muddy…..it’s spring!

*May 19 a town meeting will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. where San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Ells will (finally) get to talk with residents about crime and other important issues in the community. He is expected to discuss how residents can form a Neighborhood Watch group if they want and find out about the “Citizen on Patrol” program. Due to inclement weather this event has been rescheduled a couple of times this year. The meeting will be held at the water district clubhouse on Green Valley Lake Road, next to the lake.

*Good news for Green Valley Lake residents and those who love to visit……the lake will open (how does it do that?) on May 18 for the upcoming season. If you haven’t visited Green Valley Lake take a drive up and enjoy. There’s a beach with children’s playground equipment, a lifeguard on duty, platforms for resting if you’re out swimming in the lake and there are even some BBQ’s. Take your fold-up chair, your blanket or beach towels and enjoy. There is a charge and I’m not sure what it is but it’s nominal. It’s a great place for families and even birthday parties. One of my granddaughters had her birthday there a few years ago in the summer and the kids had a ball! I’ve forgotten what it cost but it wasn’t expensive and it was a wonderful way for the guests to have fun, get exercise, go swimming and for my daughter, clean-up was almost non-existent.

* Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 26, 27 and 28 the town comes alive with their popular Artisan’s Tour. It’s a wonderful way to spend a few hours, or the entire day, going from studio to studio to review and/or purchase some great artwork, jewelry, etc. Maps are available at all the Green Valley Lake businesses, so come on up and enjoy the fun. This year a great rummage sale is being planned. If you have items to donate please take them to Diane at The Pantry on Green Valley Lake Road. All proceeds go toward a scholarship (or scholarships) for graduating Rim High School students who are going to college after they graduate.

* A rummage sale will be held Saturday, Sunday and Monday of Memorial Day weekend at the Lilleberg Museum and Community Center on Green Valley Lake Road (past the “downtown area”). Saturday, the 26th the sale will be open from noon to 5 p.m. (although I’ve heard a rumor that “early birds” will be admitted). Sunday and Monday hours are 9 a.m. to  5 p.m.

Wow! There’s going to be a lot of tired, but happy, Green Valley residents following the busy weekend. Have fun!

Rocky’s Roadhouse Opening Saturday in Running Springs

Rocky’s Roadhouse will open on Saturday, April 28 and the community couldn’t be more excited. The new restaurant, located on Hwy. 18 next to Blauer’s Ski Rental Shop, will be holding its opening on Saturday, April 28.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. but the great “fun” will be going on from noon to 4 p.m. Rocky’s will be selling a Boar’s Headhot dog lunch with chips and a drink for $3 and all the proceeds will be donated to the Running Springs branch library. What a great idea.

The fun will include Porsche race car drivers Eric Ovlatt and Regan Steedman who will take their Porsche boxcar race cars. Also, silent auction sponsors will include the Oak Trunk, Eric Oviatt (who will offer a one-on-one racing lesson). All the proceeds help the library.

 

Let’s all turn out to celebrate this new restaurant in Running Springs and show them our “town” support.

About two weeks ago the new wooden tables were installed on the patio and trees were planted. The site should be "spiffed up" for the opening on Saturday, April 28.

The owners have been busy doing a huge renovation of the site, both upstairs and downstairs, so it should become a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.

This restaurant is the “sister restaurant” for the Rocky’s in Skyforest. Throughout the years it has been open on Highway 18 and Kuffel Canyon, it has been one of the most popular restaurants “on the mountain” so the fact that the owners are opening in Running Springs bodes well for the community.

Residents are excited to have a new restaurant in town and will welcome the owners with open arms.