Marine Corps Museum Offers Historical Perspective
Plus: LV News Briefs; Boys and Girls Club in LV; Poetry and Parking; and Garden Inspired Recipe for Cookies.
There are two notable military-related days coming up next week. First, November 10 happens to be the Marine Corps Birthday, a day to celebrate the 249th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps. Then, on November 11 we observe the national holiday of Veterans Day that honors all U.S. military veterans.
Based on these two occasions, we thought it timely to venture a couple miles beyond the southern border of Linda Vista and down the Pacific Coast Highway, to let readers know about the Command Museum on the grounds of the historic Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego. Located directly north of the airport, MCRD San Diego is where all recruits arriving from this side of the Mississippi River go for basic training in order to qualify as Marines (its counterpart on the East Coast is located at Parris Island in South Carolina). The Command Museum, which is open and free to the public, is a great place to gain an interesting grasp of U.S. Marine Corps history.
This museum provides large galleries full of exhibits that paint a picture of the Marine Corps’ experiences in our country’s many conflicts, and also details the development of the Marine Recruit Depot, the grounds of which were first broken in 1919.
The exhibits dealing with World War II and Korea provide a wealth of information, to include artifacts representing uniforms, equipment used on a daily basis during the extreme rigors of combat, and various weapons. The large photos accompanying each display are vivid reminders of what individual Marines experienced in wartime. The exhibit room featuring the Vietnam War includes much information about the strategy and tactics employed by the Marine Corps, and explains how Marine Corps unit participation grew from 1965 to 1968 and then was gradually reduced during the 1969 to 1971 timeframe.
Space in the museum is also devoted to more recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of course, visitors to the museum will also learn about how recruits train during basic training. There are numerous photos of what MCRD and recruit training facilities looked like during different historical eras.
In each room, Medal of Honor recipients are honored from our different wars. Each of their award citations tells an impressive story of bravery.
The Command Museum is open on Monday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.; Tuesday to Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm; and Saturday 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. If you are a history buff or someone who just wants to learn more about the U.S. military, we recommend you tour the museum. The address for the museum is 1600 Henderson Avenue, Building 26. It is so conveniently located to Linda Vista.
The Marine Corps Recruit Depot, with its attractive Spanish Colonial Revival style architecture, is always an interesting place to visit. It possesses quite a historic vibe. The weekly graduation parades (held on most Friday mornings) are very stirring events. And though they look and sound quite intimidating, Marine Corps drill instructors in their distinctive campaign covers (or hats), do not yell at civilians, so unless you plan on enlisting, no problems if you can’t do a pull up or run through an obstacle course. You will be excused.
LV News Briefs:
—$20.00 Adoption Fees at SD Humane Society: Just in time for the holidays, SD Humane Society is reducing adoption fees to $20.00 for adult dogs and cats from November 8 to November 30. SD Humane Society invites community members to find a companion for the season. With more than 465 dogs and cats awaiting homes, there is a perfect match for everyone.
—City Leasing Building in MV: The City of San Diego will be leasing a 73,970 square-foot building at 7650 Mission Valley Road in Mission Valley Heights, and will spend 2.8 million on remodel work. The building will serve as the primary headquarters for staff in San Diego’s Development Services Department who need to interface with the public. You can read the story here in this SD Union-Tribune link: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/10/31/city-spending-2-8m-on-remodel-of-future-mission-valley-office/
—Kearny High in CIF Football Playoffs: The Kearny High Komets football team play Santana High School in the first round of the Division V CIF Football Championship Playoffs. This playoff game will be played Friday November 8 at 7:00 pm at Santana High School. Kearny finished the regular season with a 7-3 record.
—Francis Parker in CIF Football Playoffs: The Francis Parker School Lancers play Coronado High in the first round of the Division V CIF Football Championship Playoffs. The game will be played Friday November 8 at 7:00 pm at Coronado High School. The Lancers finished with a 4-6 record.
—SDPD Women’s Hiring Expo: The San Diego Police Department is holding its 4th Annual Women’s Hiring Expo this Saturday November 9 at Police Plaza (4020 Murphy Canyon Road, San Diego 92123). This expo will allow potential candidates to get an inside look at SDPD career opportunities. The event is free and open to anyone 18 years and older. Attendees must register ahead for the event by going here: https://sandiego.seamlessdocs.com/f/womensexpo2024
—Tree Planting Event: Check out the below flyer for details on how to register for the tree planting event this Friday (tomorrow) at Linda Vista Park.
Boys and Girls Club in LV Offers After-School Care
A critical service required for many families with school-age children is after-school care. As many two-income families struggle to hold down jobs, while at the same time attempting to ensure the safety and success of their children, finding an economical and convenient after-school program can be quite a challenge. Though some schools offer such after school programs, there are other organizations in the community that also provide safe, supervised environments. These organization also aim to further develop the skills and knowledge obtained during school hours. The Ron Roberts Family Branch of the Greater San Diego Boys and Girls Clubs, located at 2230 E. Jewett Street right here in Linda Vista, offers such an environment.
This Boys and Girls Club, tucked away a block behind John Baca Park, provides valuable after-school care for approximately 100 kids—kindergarten through 8th grade—during the school week. The program provides these services from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Most of these children attend Linda Vista Elementary, Chesterton Elementary, or the San Diego Cooperative Charter School. Those students from San Diego Cooperative Charter School are provided daily bus transportation from the school down to the Boys and Girls Club, while students from Linda Vista Elementary are walked by a supervisor to the club.
As stated on the Greater San Diego Boys and Girls Clubs web site, the organization is committed to “promoting academic success, healthy lifestyles, and character development for our youth. Our programs provide a safe, fun, and supportive environment where every child can thrive.” Their programs for kids are described as “fun & exciting, while also being thoughtfully crafted to support learning and growth.” The mission of the organization is to “inspire and enable youth to achieve academic success, build good character and responsible citizenship, and make healthy lifestyle choices.”
Inside the Boys and Girls Club in LV, one can see there are plenty of opportunities for kids to stay safe and busy during after-hours. For example, the Club has a large indoor basketball court area that can be used for a number of activities, a game room, a STEM room full of computers, an arts and crafts room, and an outdoor play area. The Club is working on developing a gardening area as well. Kids are provided with the opportunity to work/play in these areas under the supervision of team leaders. Of course, in doing so, they are able to work on homework and get tutoring help. Touring through the rooms you will see a variety of equipment, from computers to ping pong tables to painting brushes.
The Boys and Girls Club is a Linda Vista institution that has existed in the community since 1955. The facility was rededicated as the Ron Roberts Family Branch in 2005 to honor the former County Supervisor who grew up in a Linda Vista neighborhood.
In addition to the after-school program, the Boys and Girls Club also has a summer program that provides all-day services when school is out.
The Club’s new director, Cam Morales, a graduate of UC Riverside, is an energetic and enthusiastic individual who is intent on remodeling/updating some of the rooms to ensure a bright, welcoming environment for kids. She has not hesitated to take a hammer and personally punch holes in walls in order to speed up these remodeling efforts. When you visit the Club, you will see her darting in and out of rooms, closely observing all activities, making sure every kid is provided with the opportunity to take full advantage of the time spent at the facility. She let us know that there are still spaces available for more kids in this popular after school program.
Readers interested in securing a spot for their child/children in this after school program can check out the membership/ after school pricing schedule by clicking HERE.
Poetry for Parking
LV Poetry Corner
Parking continues to be one of the frequent concerns expressed by Linda Vista residents at local civic meetings. There just doesn’t seem to be enough spaces for all the cars. Residents blame a number of different factors for this situation.
This lack of parking is often seen as an emotional/frustrating one. After all, no one likes to drive around endlessly looking for a parking space. No one likes the parking hog that keeps his/her car parked in the same space for weeks at a time. No one likes to see valuable parking space “disappeared” by little used bike lanes. Accordingly, we thought a light hearted poem might be the best way to approach this controversial subject. We hope you enjoy the poem below.
Parking on the Streets of Linda Vista
From behind the wheel,
open space swiftly appears
like a prize apparition.
Alongside the curb
lies a vacancy waiting
to be occupied.
Unfortunately,
the car crawling ahead veers
right and denies you.
Conduct another
spin around the block; pinpoint
a slot for your car.
Both sides of the street,
crammed to the hilt with engines
of independence,
mobile convenience.
Creatures natural to this
state as sequoias.
But supply/demand
makes parking spaces glitter
with newfound value.
Blame developers,
City Hall accomplices
eager to approve
zoning permits for
more apartment complexes.
Simple disregard
for crucial ratios
between renters and car counts.
They turn a blind eye
in the interest
of affordable housing…
and profit margins.
Add accessory
dwelling units, the landlords
providing shelter.
Don’t dismiss bike lanes,
slicing capacity to
create empty voids.
All could be at fault.
Nevertheless, neighborly
tension must be minimized.
So, be Captain Kirk
orbiting a moon, in search
of a landing spot.
Imagine yourself
a looping NASCAR driver,
eyeing a pit stop.
A daily scramble;
tight fit in the ‘hood these days.
The pursuit of space
assumes new meaning.
Parking — the final frontier.
Look, there on the left.
Eureka! Found one.
See? A place for every car;
cars in every place.
Day of the Dead Event
Recipe Ingredients From the Garden
Recently, we were invited to attend a pot luck at the new Linda Vista Community Garden. This was put on by the Linda Vista Grows Steering committee made up of Amy Zink, Kim Hanson, Emalyn Leppard, Alyssa Harrison, Diana Gonzales, April Mae Bartelme and Kobe Blankson. The potluck was held in conjunction with Dia de los Muertos and was the first in what is hoped to be a continuing quarterly celebration for years to come at the Garden. Approximately 50 gardeners and guests enjoyed the festivities. Participants were asked to help build the Ofrenda (altar) or bring an Ofrenda to place in their garden plot, and to bring a garden-inspired dish to share with a recipe card showing the ingredients. Folks were also asked to bring in their Halloween pumpkins which the Garden could use for compost.
The Ofrenda at the entrance to the garden was beautiful, as you can see by the photo above. The table was set with numerous delicious looking dishes including items such as Massaged Kale (outstanding), Crepes, a mole chicken prepared by Chef Christine (which I could not eat because of the meat, but cheated by tasting the sauce which is my all time favorite thing), rice, many vegetable dishes and of course desserts.
I wanted to pick out one recipe to put in the Update which I thought most of us could make and enjoy. That was lemon-lime basil shortbread cookies. Seems like everyone in Linda Vista with a garden has lemons, limes, and basil, so you already have the main ingredients. These cookies were brought by Emalyn Leppard, gardener extraordinaire, and they were delicious. Hope you enjoy making and eating them.
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar
½ cup (1 stick) chilled butter cup into cubes
2 tbsp finely sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp grated lime zest
¼ tsp kosher salt
Sanding sugar (optional)
Methodology:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until large moist clump forms. Measure out a tbsp and roll between palms to form balls and put on a large baking sheet 2 inches apart. Press balls with a spoon or bottome of a flat measuring cup dusted with powdered sugar to keep dry. Sprinkle 2” cookies with powdered sugar.
Bake 14 to 15 minutes until edges are brown. Place cookie on cooling rack and dust with sanding sugar if desired.
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