The Cambrian

More than 1,300 people enjoyed the 19th annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner Thursday at the Cayucos Veterans Memorial Lions Hall. Another 150 meals were delivered.

A packed house filled the Veterans Memorial Building on Wednesday, Nov. 11, as Cambria celebrated contributions of those serving their country on Veterans Day. The pledge of allegiance was led by a local Boy Scout. The First Baptist Church Quartet opened the service with the ‘Star- Spangled Banner.’ The Cambria Chorale sang stirring renditions of ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ and ‘God Bless America.’ Keynote speaker Jill Turnbow, a comedian who served on a cruise ship where soldiers went for ‘R&R’ (rest and recreation) during the first Gulf War, combined fun, reverence and celebration in keeping the audience in a flux of laughing and crying. She closed her presentation with a touching story of how she would end her show with the audiences of servicemen and women singing ‘God Bless the USA.’ The curtain opened to reveal Al Curtice of Cambria standing in front of a 12-by 18-foot, brightly lit American flag, singing the song, as uniformed representatives of the six U.S. armed forces entered up the center aisle. Every veteran was presented with a small flag and a carnation. A community hamburger and hot dog barbecue was served after the ceremony. Above from left to right are Jerry McKinnon, Alan Doctor, Louis Fedor, Buddy Campo, Mel McColloch, Fay James and Brian Griffin. Below, Don Bowman Patriot of the Year Curtis Rhone is escorted to the podium by past-Post Commander Karina Tiwana.

A panel of citizens and emergency response officials will review who provides emergency fire and medical services for Cambria, Cambria Community Services District directors decided Monday, Nov. 16.

An environmental document for Fiscalini Ranch Preserve, including a community park on the eastern portion of the ranch, has been approved. Cambria Community Services District directors unanimously authorized updated environmental documents on Monday, Nov. 16. Directors also for the first time formally approved the conceptual plan for the community park, including playing fields, walking paths, a childrens playground and a dog park. Implementing any part of those plans will require further approvals.

Camp Ocean Pines will soon set the stage, literally, for performances by musicians, singers, actors, sculptors and other artists, speakers and others.

THURSDAY 11-19

Football

Booksigning for Cambria author set for Nov. 28

Unless indicated, all meetings are open to the public. Some are available for later viewing on Charter Cable channel 21. Check www.slo-span.org

Events

Iknow you’re going to want to rap me up ’long side the head, and I wish you would, but the big day just crossed my lips today. Yes, you know, the one that gets more and more expensive as the kids get older. The one hat loses a little sparkle until, perhaps, there’s the pitter-patter of little grand-feet down the hall again.

If the Landwatch v. CCSD lawsuit was not such an enormous, unnecessary waste of Cambrians’ water rate and tax dollars, the Viewpoint article on the purported justification for the lawsuit authored by Land- Watch San Luis Obispo County attorney, Cynthia Hawley, in the Nov. 5 edition of The Cambrian, would be humorous.

After more than a decade of drought and huge losses to the local sheep and cattle ranchers, the Piedras Blancas, Santa Rosa and San Simeon Mexican land grants were sold to the public in 1860.

or months, we had chuckled and clucked occasionally about the latest, oh-so-chic, mismatched furniture fad — a long dining table book-ended by two “head” chairs and flanked by two or three matching smaller chairs on one side and a long bench on the other. Interesting.

Sad, but necessary

I know that I’m not the only gardener in town who has noticed the abundance of wildlife in our yards this year. Seven years ago, a single quail couple hatched chicks in the open space behind our property and used the fenced portion of our garden as their playpen. The family of 15 ended up being a family of four, but those are considered good odds in the quail kingdom.