Bits and Pieces 4

This past weekend ended with Amalfitano Bakery still being prepared for its opening. I still don't have an opening date to post and I think it could be within a month or maybe a bit longer.
For those of you who may remember Ramona's Bakery in San Pedro, the Amalfitano family closed that shop several years ago and many residents were sad at it closing. Having Mr. Anthony Amalfitano and his family bringing back a Bakery for all of us to enjoy is a good thing for our community and our taste buds.
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There is a group of what I consider a bunch of old retired fellows who are members of Palos Verdes Peninsuly Watch, or PVPWatch. It is an organization I have know about for several years and have seen some of their 'handiwork' in play, not all that long ago.

This group is made up of members who do not share my political views and I felt then as now, they wish to have more influence in the governing and government of Rancho Palos Verdes than other groups I have encountered.

It is still curious to me that PVPWatch deals with matters related to Rancho Palos Verdes much more than they do with the other cities on the peninsula and the community of San Pedro, which must also be included because a good portion of it sits on the peninsula.

The group seems to have hand in the Palos Verdes on the Net issues when a request for public information was filed with the city of Rancho Palos Verdes and the late Councilman Dr. Peter Gardiner's tussles with other members of the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council.

The Web site for PVPWatch carries the majority of the group's negative attitude towards the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council but doesn't seem to populate its site with negative comments and issues it disagrees with for the cities of Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, or the city of Rolling Hills.

I do know that several, if not all, of the Editorial Board of PVPWatch are residents of Rancho Palos Verdes so I should think the group could probably change its name to RPVWatch as it seems to do so much of the time and space of its Web site.

Another group linked on the PVPWatch Web site is Peninsula Patriots. That group's Web site makes it look to me like another 'tea party' group has sprung up in the area.

With all the retired aerospace workers living on the peninsula having been paid by companies which have or had giant Federal Government contracts, it still seems a bit odd to me that folks who received or still receive income based on Federal defense contracts are quite enjoying biting the hands that feed or fed them, in my opinion.

Now my disclaimer to both groups. If any member of PVPWatch lives in a house within a planned tract of housing like in an area such as Mediterriania, Crestridge, or other tracts, I have more time in this area than any of them do. Members who live in a custom-built home like so many of the homes in Miraleste area or ones we call McMansions, might have a longer seniority in what is now R.P.V., but I bet my 55 years, two months, and 8 days, beats them all and I can suggest that I have a good right for my comments, too.

For the Peninsula Patriots, I noticed many photos of folks they seem to mention as members who don't look like a veteran of the United States military, which I am a veteran of. Not that anyone must be a veteran to be a patriot, mind you. I just think it is one think to talk a talk, but it quite another thing to swear an oath on your life to protect and defend the United States of America and its people and then do that with honor, respect, and by choice.
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It is still a wonderful thing to visit the Terraces Cinemas and find the same usual ticket prices charged since its opening but after all the great renovations made to the six theatres and lobby along Western Avenue.

To remind folks, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, all day, tickets are just $4.00 each. There is always a $2.00 surcharge for 3D movies, thought. On Wednesday's, old folks like my, get in for $4.00, but regular Senior ticket prices are just $5.00 all other days and times.

The highest non-3D ticket price is just $9.00 and that is during evening hours after 6:00 PM. I don't know of any other multi-plex that charges those great ticket prices anywhere else in the greater South Bay and Long Beach areas for first-run movies.
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I hope parents of students who attend or attended Miraleste Intermediate School are proud that their kids make complete shambles of all records in terms of the number of books checked out and read from that school's library.

There are three intermediate schools withing PVPUSD and the yearly checkout rate of library books from both Ridgecrest and P.V.I.S. combined total around 5,000 books per school year.

For the recently ended school year, just over 10,000 books were checked out of the Miraleste Intermediate School library! It is thought that more books were checked out at Miraleste than either of the two large high schools, too.

Disclaimer: I volunteer at the Miraleste I.S. library at the beginning and end of each school year and have done so to help my wife Terri and Ms. Melanie Edelstein, the two library aides, for about 5-6 years not. So being objective about my pride and the success of the students at that school is absolutely out of the window. I think Melanie and Terri have provided exceptionally care in selecting books students enjoy reading and they both offer insight to all students in types of reading they get interested in.

I know times are tough financially and the stock market is not helping investment portfolios. I hope everyone considers making a donation or five to the Peninsula Education Fund as it help all schools within the District.
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The San Ramon Canyon stabilization issues and the Terra Paca landslide will have another meeting to seek community input on July 21 at Miraleste I.S., beginning at 7:00 PM.

I think this matter should be very important to residents of eastern R.P.V., especially those living in Miraleste because Palos Verdes Drive East is the most important roadway through Miraleste and any disruption of service anywhere along that road would create great hardships for all.

For Eastview residents like me, please consider what drivers who normally use P.V.D. East to get to P.V.Drive South would have to take if a portion of P.V.D. East becomes undriveable due to its failure in the switchbacks.

So for all of us not living on the west side of R.P.V., not fixing San Ramon Canyon and the landslide is not really an option we can put off any longer. Things need to be fixed NOW and permanently so no disruption or alternate routes for driving comes to pass. ________________________________________
I'm still waiting for reaction to Mayor Pro Tem Tom Long's letter to the State Bar.
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Trivia: Who said, "You can't stop a scorpion from being a scorpion--but a board should get decent advise."