Thursday, October 30, 2008

Yucaipa Music & Nightlife: Halloween Edition

Halloween is once again upon us, and this it year it falls on a Friday night, meaning there are plenty of activities for kids and grown-ups alike. Have fun!

Note: all entries subject to change. Call to confirm the bands and cover price.

Buy tickets for upcoming events:.
This Week in Local Theater :
  • nothing this week
Friday, October 31 (Halloween)
Saturday, November 1
Sunday, November 2
  • Nuthin'
Monday, November 3
  • all quiet
Tuesday, November 4 (Vote!)
  • Angel's Roadhouse: karaoke
Wednesday, November 5
  • Bailey's: karaoke
Thursday, November 6
Where to find Yucaipa music and nightlife this week (MAP)
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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Yucaipa Music & Nightlife: October 24-30

So, last weekend we headed out to the Live Oak Canyon Pumpkin Patch, and it's well worth the trip if you are willing to battle the traffic jam at the Oak Glen/I-10 interchange. They have great bands playing in the afternoons, the seating is in the shade, and you can even bring a picnic. Can't beat that for free.

Also if apples are your thing, there is still fruit to be picked up in Oak Glen. The Riley's Farm newsletter also says:
As always, in October, we have great music with the Bost Family Traditions singing gospel and bluegrass in the Packing Shed and House & von Arx providing classical and folk in the Colonial Public house.
So get out and enjoy some music this weekend!

Note: all entries subject to change. Call to confirm the bands and cover price.

Buy tickets for upcoming events:.
This Week in Local Theater :
  • nothing this week
Friday, October 24
Saturday, October 25
Sunday, October 26
Tuesday, October 27
  • Angel's Roadhouse: karaoke
Wednesday, October 28
  • Bailey's: karaoke
Thursday, October 29
Where to find Yucaipa music and nightlife this week (MAP)
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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Yucaipa Music & Nightlife: October 17-23

So we still aren't into fall, weather-wise. I find it hard to get into the mood for pumpkins and harvest festivals when the thermostat is still hitting the 90s. I'm hoping for a cold front soon! Anyway, if you want to get into the autumn mood, one of the Oak Glen events might just do it for you.

Note: all entries subject to change. Call to confirm the bands and cover price.

Buy tickets for upcoming events:.
This Week in Local Theater :
Friday, October 17
Saturday, October 18
Sunday, October 19
Monday, October 20
  • last day to register to vote!
Tuesday, October 21
Wednesday, October 22
  • Bailey's: karaoke
Thursday, October 23
Where to find Yucaipa music and nightlife this week (MAP)
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Thursday, October 09, 2008

Yucaipa Music & Nightlife: October 10-16

It's cooled off a wee bit this week, and it's almost starting to feel like fall. I'm thinking it's time to head up to Oak Glen for some apple pie (our fave is the Mile High Apple Pie from Apple Annie's bakery).

Note: all entries subject to change. Call to confirm the bands and cover price.

Buy tickets for upcoming events:.
This Week in Local Theater :
  • Yucaipa Little Theatre: Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, September 25-October 12, starring Jessica Bridgeman
  • Heartland Players: The Importance of Being Ernest, October 3-19
  • United Methodist Church (43177 Beech St.): The Theatre Ala ModePlayers from the Yucaipa First Baptist Church present "Courtships, the Musical", October 11, 3pm and 7pm
Friday, October 10
Saturday, October 11
Sunday, October 12
Monday, October 13
  • all quiet here
Tuesday, October 14
  • Angel's Roadhouse: karaoke
Wednesday, October 15
  • Bailey's: karaoke
Thursday, October 16
Where to find Yucaipa music and nightlife this week (MAP)
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West Nile Hits Yucaipa: Beware the bite!

I was a bit dismayed to read the headline in today's News Mirror that the West Nile Virus infection has been confirmed here in Yucaipa - one person is sick and one horse has died. There is no treatment for West Nile Virus infection: unlike bacteria, viruses are not affected by antibiotics. The good news is that less than 1% of people who are infected will develop a severe illness, but among those who do, the fatality rate is between 3% and 15%.

West Nile is transmitted from infected birds to humans by mosquitoes, so the best protection is to not get bit:
  • Wear insect repellent, especially if you are outside at dusk or dawn.
  • Make sure there is no stagnant water in your yard
  • Be sure you have window and door screens that prevent mosquitoes from entering your home
And if you find a dead bird or squirrel, report it via the California dead bird hotline.

Stay safe!

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Saturday, October 04, 2008

Q & A with City Council Candidate Erik Sahakian


Election season is upon us, and there are a number of candidates running for Yucaipa City Council. With that in mind, I've asked the candidates to answer a few questions.

Q&A with candidate Erik Sahakian is the first in the series:

How long have you lived in Yucaipa?
I moved to Yucaipa in 2006.

What do you like best about living in Yucaipa?
What I love most about Yucaipa is that it is a family-oriented community with gorgeous natural surroundings and a "small town" rural feel.

Even though you obviously care about Yucaipa enough to run for office, no city is perfect. What do you like least about living in Yucaipa?
The biggest problem I see with Yucaipa is that we lack the appropriate infrastructure for a city our size. We have far less police officers than we actually need, poor streets, no sidewalks in most of the city, no animal control, a run down library, and few locations to shop. It's painfully frustrating to watch "our" potential sales tax revenue being effectively donated to Redlands, Beaumont, and San Bernardino for them to use to improve the infrastructure within their own city for their own citizens with our money.

Do you currently have children enrolled in the Yucaipa-Calimesa Unified School District?
My five year old daughter is currently enrolled in kindergarten in the Yucaipa-Calimesa Unified School District.

What do you think are the most important issues facing Yucaipa over the next five years?
The most important issue facing Yucaipa is the choice of what direction we're going to take regarding commercial development and sales tax revenue. The choice is whether we're going to continue to focus on our past and resist responsibly developing this community for the benefit of future generations or whether we're going to seize the opportunities before us to effectively ensure that Yucaipa's future is one of economic health, longevity, and success.

How do you envision Yucaipa ten years from now?
I would love to see a "future" Yucaipa that is considered the "crown jewel" of the Inland Empire. My vision is of a "small town" city with good streets, low crime, plenty of parks, high property values, diverse community involvement, a state-of-the-art library, sidewalks, proper animal control, plenty of convenient shopping, and a solid financial foundation for generations to come.

According to the Yucaipa City Budget (http://www.yucaipa.org/cityBudgetCip/index.php) the majority of city revenue comes from taxes. What do you think is the best way for Yucaipa to meet it's budgetary needs for the near future?
As new housing development begins to draw to a close the City can no longer afford to rely so heavily on Development Impact Fees (which are one-time fees) for revenue. Furthermore, cities are on the bottom of the totem pole when property tax revenue is divided up. The time has come that Yucaipa realize what almost every other city in America already knows, and that is a significant portion of revenue must come from sales tax, which is an ongoing source or revenue.

It seems to me that in the current economic climate there is a real risk that new housing and retail developments might be abandoned before completion (hopefully not the case for the Chili's on Yucaipa Blvd.). Do you agree that this is a potential problem? What can the city do to help prevent that from happening?
Unfortunately, this isn't a "potential" problem anymore because it's already happening. There is a large strip of land that is less than a mile from my home which was supposed to be developed as condos but instead has been abandoned by the developer for the last 2 years. This poses an interesting challenge for the City. I'm not sure the City can prevent this from happening but they can certainly do a better job of discouraging it from happening. Any development should be treated as an "interest" of the City since it either positively or negatively impacts our community. Obviously half-built or vacant buildings are a negative impact because they cause blight and are targets of potential vandalism and other crimes. The City needs to take a more active role and see themselves as more of a "partner" when it come to stalled development. By communicating frequently with developers issues may come to light that the City can perhaps help remedy.

Yucaipa is home to a wide range of demographic groups, from seniors on fixed incomes living in rent-controlled mobile home parks to more affluent young families living in Chapman Heights and other recently built housing developments, plus lots of people in-between. How can the City of Yucaipa assure that everyone's needs are adequately served by city services?
For one, by ensuring adequate representation for all those groups. According to the 2008 Housing Element approximately 60% of Yucaipa is under the age of 44. The City does a good job of serving the needs of certain groups of individuals but not everybody. Bringing more diversity to the City Council will be a step in the right direction for actually providing representation for "all" citizens. Once we have a Council which reflects the diversity of our city, we'll be in a much better position to ensure that everyone's needs are being adequately served by city services.

There seems to have been a lot of local crime in the news of late, from drug labs to armed robbery. Do you think crime is becoming a problem in Yucaipa? If so, what can be done to improve the situation?
Crime is most definitely becoming a problem in Yucaipa. One needs only to read the newspaper on a regular basis to realize that criminals are becoming more and more bold and brazen in the crimes they commit. I strongly feel that we have half as many police officers on the streets as we need. Currently, we have one of the lowest crime rates in San Bernardino County but that is no excuse to let our guard down or to pat ourselves on the back. I believe that one of the basic responsibilities of government is to provide for the safety and security of its citizens. This is why we need to hire more police officers to patrol our streets. A stronger police presence will make criminals think twice about committing a crime in Yucaipa.

Reading the letters to the editor in the News Mirror, I get the sense that there are numerous teenagers just hanging around and getting into trouble. Do you think the city should provide more recreational options for its teenage residents?
Absolutely. I have heard firsthand from many teenagers who live in Yucaipa that there isn't anything to do here. It's good that we have a skate park, community center, and sports facilities but we need more recreational choices. I would love for there to be a movie theater, a bowling alley, and more focus on cultural development. This is a lofty dream but can you imagine one day having a civic theater with ample seating for plays and concerts?

What would you bring to the Yucaipa City Council that the other candidates do not?
The unique combination of my educational background and work experience makes me stand out from all the other candidates. I have an undergraduate degree in political science/public administration, an M.B.A., and work experience in both the public and the private sector. I have worked for municipal as well as county government, and I have owned my own business. I've been responsible for such tasks as implementing million dollar budgets, supervising employees, successfully managing projects (always under budget), building a new business from the ground up, and managing millions of dollars worth of real estate.

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You can find out more about the Sahakian campaign at www.erik2008.com

All the candidates will be appearing at a candidate forum sponsored by the News Mirror and Yucaipa Valley Chamber of Commerce on Monday at 6pm at City Hall.

Note that I'm still in the process of contacting candidates. If you are a candidate and haven't heard from me, you can contact me at either aroundyucaipa@gmail.com or peggy.kolm@gmail.com

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Thursday, October 02, 2008

Yucaipa Music & Nightlife: October 3-9

It's the first week of October and the rumor is that the weather is going to cool off over the weekend. I'm hoping that turns out to be true, because I'm tired of the hot weather. I'm also feeling like I should be hitting up WallyWorld for Halloween decorations. In my neighborhood the skeletons, fake gravestones and giant spiders far outnumber the political signs. I need at least a pumpkin just to fit in. Fortunately, there are pumpkins galore, both up in Oak Glen (I know Riley's Farm has them) and at the Live Oak Canyon pumpkin patch. I may be checking them out this weekend.

(Also, don't forget that Friday evening is the Past Pleasures Car Club Classic Car Cruise in the Ross/Vons center parking lot.)

Note: all entries subject to change. Call to confirm the bands and cover price.

Buy tickets for upcoming events:.
This Week in Local Theater :
Friday, October 3
Saturday, October 4
Sunday, October 5
  • all quiet on the entertainment front
Monday, October 6
  • nope, nada
Tuesday, October 7
  • Angel's Roadhouse: karaoke
Wednesday, October 8
  • Bailey's: karaoke
Thursday, October 9
Where to find Yucaipa music and nightlife this week (MAP)
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Did You Feel It?


The earthquake was 6 miles NE of Yucaipa (red star)

That wasn't too bad an earthquake - 4.1 on the Richter scale according to the USGS - but it was right in our backyard. Tell the USGS whether you felt it.

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