Certain vehicle laws apply specifically to pedestrians, i.e.,
Section 219954: PEDESTRIANS OUTSIDE CROSSWALKS:
(a) Every pedestrian upon a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway so near as to constitute an immediate hazard.

Section 21955 CROSSING BETWEEN CONTROLLED INTERSECTIONS
Between adjacent intersections controlled by traffic control signal devices or by police officers, pedestrians shall not cross the roadway at any place except in a crosswalk.

Section 21956 PEDESTRIAN ON ROADWAY
(a) No pedestrian may walk upon any roadway outside of a business or residence district otherwise than close to his or her left-hand edge of the road.

It goes without saying that the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian approaching thereon. Drivers do not ordinarily aim to run a pedestrian down, but all too often a pedestrian will challenge a 3500-pound piece of metal and become an accident victim despite all the rules.

Why do pedestrians do that, you ask?
Because a jaywalker adapts him or herself to the habit or is in a hurry or simply expects some angel from above will stop an oncoming vehicle from seriously harming or even killing them.

Then there is another reason. A new game has been developed on Florida Avenue, especially around Weston Park on the near east side of town. Some idiot will jump off the sidewalk at a vehicle slowing passing in the curb lane and hope to do an easy bounce off, go to the E.R. and then call the first ambulance chaser lawyer in hopes of ripping off your insurance company. This is a dangerous game but it quite popular in Hemet.

You say, there was a witness who said it wasn’t my fault. That should exonerate you of blame. Good luck with that one. If you ever so much as had a simple ticket for jumping the yellow light it will be held against you by the so-called victim’s lawyer in a courtroom.

I questioned an insurance agent in the home office of a major personal insurance carrier and was told, “The suits in the executive offices don’t trust juries in personal injury cases when it comes to being hit by a car or truck. They will pay off because a jury might feel sympathy for the plaintiff and bring back a million-dollar verdict because the so-called victim seemed believable. Indurate companies don’t like to take chances.

So, the next time you see someone standing in the middle of a street gazing ever so longingly at the other side, that person may be playing the game, or perhaps it is someone not even thinking of profiteering at your expense. No sir. They may just be giving themselves the right of way with rolling traffic be damned. So be forewarned.

When in doubt, slow down and wait for them to make up their mind. Just sayin’.
rustystrait@gmail.com

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Grandfathers for Golf is a non-profit, charitable 501(c)(3) program. They are staffed mostly by senior citizens, all of which are volunteers. The organization currently has 40-50 volunteers, all dedicated to teaching Golf to young children that come from both low-income families and financially solvent families, all at no cost. They are partnered with Golden Era Productions to use the Golden Era Golf Course in San Jacinto, as well as with Valley-Wide Recreation to use the Echo Hills Golf Course, in Hemet.

Everyone that is a part of Grandfathers for Golf is there for the betterment of the children’s lives, as well as to be a part of something bigger than the individual. President of the organization, Tony Viola, describes, ” I’ve noticed a phenomenon over the years that I have been here, and that is the fact that all of these volunteers out here have bonded together and become a family. They became their support system, helping each other throughout senior citizenship”.

He continued, adding, “The kids and volunteers all come from different backgrounds and cultures, and they’ve meshed very well. They learn from each other’s differences and use them to have a great experience”.

Another volunteer, Bob Wadlow, has volunteered with Grandfathers for Golf for three and a half years. He tells of his experience, “Helping the kids every day gives us a chance to give back. I’ve been volunteering my whole life, helping children, and not only is it a good experience for us but at the same time, we are helping these children learn the game of golf, the proper etiquette of the sport, the behaviors, and mannerisms. It gives life a purpose”.

The Grandfathers offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced classes. They have programs every season of the year. For the fall, winter and spring programs, their charter partners with the San Jacinto Unified School District to have busses at every middle school in the valley to provide the kids with transportation to every class.

Once enrolled, GFG provides every child with a golfing hat, shirt, and their own set of clubs, free of charge. Parents are always welcomed to come to watch and can be down on the course, taking every step of the session alongside their children.

A new volunteer, Ron Davis, found a few hours of his time that he could dedicate to such a positive and impactful cause. Davis, who lives in Huntington Beach, called the organization, “inspiring” and “welcoming.”

Many of the volunteers, like Davis, found out about the organization through their Men’s and Women’s Club, where adults gather and hang out, around the game of Golf. On Thursday mornings, they meet at the Golden Era Golf Course, at 7:30 a.m. For the mere price of $25, you will receive a continental breakfast, lunch, and 18 holes of Golf. $5 of the $25 is entered into a prize pool, while the rest of the proceeds go directly to Grandfathers for Golf. This is a great way to meet the volunteers and gather more information on what the Grandfathers are all about.

Another option, as Davis suggests, is, “…to come down and hang out. See everything that these guys have going on here. You see the difference it makes for these kids once you’re here helping them out”.

Viola praised his volunteers, but also the donors, stating that, “Golden Era Productions, San Jacinto Unified School District and Soboba are our main contributors, along with the many other individual donors here in the valley.”

He also spoke on the lasting effect that his organization has had on families. He described a young boy with autism, whose parents signed him up with Grandfathers. He was nonverbal, and they took him in and taught him Golf. He was able to socialize with the children, as well as with the Grandfathers. In the end, they helped him towards becoming verbal. Years later, Viola receives a call from the boy’s parents, saying that he is doing well and has a job. They credited the Grandfathers for Golf as the ones who changed that boy’s life, forever.

This one example is a perfect representation of what Viola, Wadlow, Davis, and the rest of the organization stands for. They wake up each morning, looking forward to walking onto the course, and sharing their knowledge and wisdom with the children of our community. Seeing the smiles on the faces of our youth is their biggest goal. As they put it, “Volunteers come in all types: men, women, older, younger, liberal, conservative. The core value that unites them all in a single purpose is that they want to make a difference in a child’s life”.

The Grandfathers for Golf are always looking for more volunteers, and are ready to welcome you to the golf course. They plan on pursuing future growth, changing their official name too, “Grandfathers for Golf, Inc.” If you are interested in volunteering or getting your children involved, please visit: www.grandfathersforgolf.org

The author of this story can be contacted at villalobos3fidel@gmail.com

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He was always involved and working hard. He wasn’t just hiding in his office and impossible to reach; many people had his cell-phone number, and he would make sure to answer their calls regularly. He spent his free time as a referee for the organization; he also would coach teams in various sports usually.

If you ask him why he didn’t have kids, he will give you a look of confusion and respond with something along the lines of “what are you talking about? I have thousands of kids.” Even though it’s impossible for him to remember every single kid he has affected while working at Valley-Wide, he treats them all the same. Over the years, he has helped kids get jobs, encouraged them to focus on their school work, and invested time to help kids who didn’t have anyone else to help them.

I’ll share a personal story of mine and my experience with Michael Paul. I was in 8th grade and playing my last year of flag football against his team. The score was tied, and we were taking the field with an opportunity to score and win the game. My quarterback Threw an Interception to one of the best players on the opposite team, and I took off after him. Running as fast as I could, I caught up with him about 30-feet in front of the endzone.

I dove and grabbed the kids’ flag, but in the process, his cleat smacked against my face, one of my teeth were knocked out, and my nose was bloody. I was trying my best to hold in my tears, but I was not very successful at it. I started to walk off the field with my head down. Michael Paul ran over to me from his sideline put his arm around me and said, “that was a heck of a playing kid, I know you’re in pain, but don’t let anyone see that. That’s not what football is about. You walk off this field with your head held high. Don’t ever let your opponent see that you are in pain. When you get home, then you can cry, but while you are on the field, you act as tough as you possibly can.”

Those are words that have stayed with me throughout my football career, construction career, and something I instill in my kids/players I coach. That night Michael Paul made a difference in my life, and I’d be willing to bet he doesn’t even remember that because he has probably said something similar to many different boys.

Valley-Wide came together to honor him by renaming the Gymnasium after him, that doesn’t even begin to touch what the community owes a man who dedicated most of his life to helping raise their children, but it will do. Michael Paul was at the ceremony and thanked everyone who showed up. There was loud applause for him, and tears spread around the crowd. We hope that his predecessors to half as good of a job that he has because his presence is already deeply missed around the facilities.

Thank you, Michael Paul, for your dedication to our community!

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I almost laughed. You see, Gary has Cerebral Palsy, and his stance was not exactly stable. Then he smiled and said, “Some people don’t believe me.” Then I realized that Gary Oakley was extremely serious…and an incredibly positive person.

Gary, his wife Cheryl and I met again at the Tuesday’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at The Destination Coffeehouse (see that story elsewhere in today’s edition). “I was born with CP as a 3-pound premature baby in 1950. Far from holding me back, my parents did more than ignore my physical challenge…to them, it didn’t matter. They truly made me realize that everyone has challenges…and I’m no different. In that, I’m just like everyone else.”
If you need to laugh or get a daily dose of positive thinking, look up Gary Oakley.

“I wanted to play baseball…and my parents made sure I played baseball. I ran around the neighborhood with the other kids, just like every other kid. About the only thing that worried them is when I wanted to make some money by getting behind a gas-powered lawnmower,” he jokes.

When Oakley finally decided to ask his mom some personal questions about his physical challenge, he was in his mid-40s. “She said, “Gary, you’re the most amazing person I ever met. I know I’m your mom, but I mean it.” They told me that when I was born, they had two ways to look at this: they could’ve looked at it as “This is Gary, our disabled son, “or, “This is Gary, our son. They looked at me as their son…and so, I didn’t give a damn that I was a bit slower than the other kids. I just tried harder.”

As a child, Gary didn’t like school, and at age eight or nine, he found out that he could leave school at age 16. “Oh boy, that was for me,” says Oakley, adding, “but my parents asked, “How are you going to support yourself?” “What they were trying to show me is that, no matter what I wanted to do…I had to be self-sufficient. My dad told me I wasn’t cut out for diggin’ a ditch. He meant I had to go to school and excel.”

Oakley seriously pondered public service and even the Presidency. “My parents never once put a limitation on me…and I never have either. My parents encouraged anything that I wanted to do.” One day Gary walked into his chiropractor’s office and told the chiropractor he wanted to go rollerblading. “I usually don’t hear the word can’t very well, but he made me realize there’s a difference between “can’t” and “smart.” I chose to be smart, but, it has always seemed to me that a lot of times, people say can’t when what they really mean is “won’t” because they’re afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone.”

While Oakley has learned to be smart with his “challenges,” he never gives up stretching the boundaries of his mind and body. “When I went to medical specialists some years ago and told them that I wanted to get into distance running, they said to me, “What do you want to go and do that for? I felt like saying, “Why did you want to become a doctor?”

Since then, Oakley has run five full marathons, including 3 New York marathons. Yes, you read that right. “I could never have done that without Cheryl and the many others who have always supported anything I wanted to do,” says Oakley, adding, “I call those people my “supporting cast.”

Oakley calls his wife, Cheryl his “Sherpa.” “I carry the water, the toilet paper, and anything else he might need. He has a guide that runs with him, his “supporting cast” …but he does it all himself, and I’m there to be his support and cheerleader.”

Oakley’s last marathon was in 2010, “I could never have gotten through that without Cheryl.” Oakley never says he has a “disability.” “I’m just me. I’m at a point in my life where I can be thankful for every day and grateful to be able to give back to others. I’m also thankful that my parents set the bar so high.

Cheryl and I are a team, and we live our lives now trying to pay it forward. ” Oakley has a list of things he wants to finish before he’s done, but he doesn’t call it a “bucket list.” “I call it an “Opportunity list.” It’s all about creating opportunities, first for others …it’s about making a difference. We’ve been married for ten years, and that’s been the central theme of our lives. We’re very happy in sharing our lives, and we want others to come along the journey with us. We both believe strongly in giving back, and we believe it’s our purpose to give back. We’ve been through some interesting things together,” says Oakley, adding, “I want to run out of life before I run out of list.”

Oakley has been an inspirational speaker at many conferences, several of them as a keynote speaker at national conferences. Of their lives together and their mission, Cheryl Oakley says, “You never know the positive impact you may have. You might never know how you have positively impacted even one person, but, if that person impacts just one other person and they keep it going…you’ve reached hundreds and hundreds if not thousands of people. That’s what we do with our card business. It’s all about creating connections.”

The Oakley’s greeting card business, www.sendoutcards.com/yeahbaby has become “kind of, our ministry. With any cell phone, you can take a picture, and in 30 seconds you can have an order ready. The first card is free. You can send it anywhere in the world and then send it through the mail…and tell people that you’re thinking about them,” says Cheryl Oakley, adding, “First you think about them, and then, when they receive the card in the mail, they’re thinking about you. It’s beautiful.”

Of their lives together, Gary Oakley says, “We love being able to share our lives with other people, and that gives me…gives us, a sense of purpose.”
If you meet Gary or Cheryl Oakley once… you can tell right away that they live their purpose. And what a beautiful purpose it is.

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Hundreds of visitors of all ages started arriving when the gates opened at 11 a.m. and stayed until after dark when a fireworks show was presented for their enjoyment. The spectacular skyward light show was based at Soboba’s solar energy farm, with a great view from the Sports Complex. Food vendors, artisans, bouncers and music by DJ Mike “Da Chef” were going strong throughout the day.

There were contests such as a cakewalk, and prize raffles also held on an ongoing basis.
But the highlight of the day saw firsthand the upgraded facilities and new features. A Splash Pad water feature was constructed outside the fenced-in swimming pool area. Just under 100,000 square feet of new turf was laid throughout the park’s area. Almost 60,000 square feet of asphalt was poured to provide new parking spaces, and 98,000 square feet of existing parking was slurry sealed and striped.

The playground now boasts two tot lots, and a peon and multipurpose area of 25,000 square feet were established. Shade covers were renovated, and a new 40-foot full gazebo was added. Wood trellis shade areas at the playground and Splash Pad areas were added above permanent tables and benches for the comfort of families watching their children play.

There are now two snack bars with restrooms located behind home plate at both ball fields. One is entirely new, and the other was renovated to match.
Jacob Briones, who was at Friday’s event with fellow Soboba Fire Department colleagues, said everyone he had talked to seemed to like the new look.

“It’s a great layout,” he said. “The kids love the Splash Pad.”
One of the four teams playing softball during the afternoon was Savage Crew, led by team manager Frankie Morreo. He said everything he had seen so far looked very lovely, and he felt the new features would attract a lot more people to the park.

Parks and Recreation Director Andy Silvas, who played on one of the softball teams, said he had received a lot of encouraging feedback in the days since the relaunch.
Ricardo Macias, the Lead of Recreation Aide for Soboba Parks and Recreation, said it was hard to pick just one thing as the best addition.

“I like the fact that it wasn’t expanded to cater to just one age group – the design touches on everybody, with something for everyone; it’s very diverse and family-oriented,” he said. “And it looks good, too.”

A designated horseshoe pit has been constructed next to the main parking lot, and about ten teams competed against each other during the reopening day festivities. A $500 prize went to the tournament’s winning team.

Lucille Briones was at the event with her sister (Freda Miranda) and seven of her eight grandchildren, ranging in age from 5 to 17.
“I think everyone is enjoying it here,” said Briones, who arrived at 1 p.m. and planned to stay for the fireworks show. “They were all super excited about the pool reopening.”

The Sports Complex had a complete overhaul in 1999 and has served the community well with its two baseball fields, outdoor basketball court, pool, playground, and gymnasium. But the new features will provide more shade, more grassy areas, and designated playgrounds for younger and older children to best meet the needs of a growing family-oriented community.

The new design was approved in November and construction began in January. Workers
experienced some significant delays due to inclement weather, especially during February.
“We did delete some smaller items to keep us within budget, but it’s pretty much what we wanted,” said Tribal Council Vice Chairman Isaiah Vivanco, who was also involved with 1999 renovation. “Not only did it meet our expectations, but it also exceeded them. I spoke to many tribal members at Friday’s event, and the overwhelming response was positive. It is a great addition to our community.”

Soboba Sports Complex hours are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with gates being locked at 9 p.m. The pool will be open Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 5 p.m. The Splash Pad is open every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. All times are subject to change.

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Some people get too impatient trying to get to work, get home, or get tired of looking at the same set of brake lights in front of them. No matter the reason, it is never an excuse to drive irresponsibly on any road or on that particular highway. With so many blind turns, there are very few safe places to pass on the road. Most of the highway is only two lanes with minimal shoulder area on either side. At some point, it is needed to sit back and think if is it better to show up fifteen minutes late or die 30 years early.

So what is being done about this? First of all, they installed a traffic light midway through the highway where Bridge street is. This security measure should help the people who are merging out of bridge street onto Gilman Springs. In the past, some people get impatient waiting for a legal opening and instead try to squeeze through a gap that was not ideal for the situation causing many opportunities for car accidents.

Personally speaking, I spent the better half of my construction career driving through that road at 3:00 in the morning, and coming through their after it got dark. It could be frustrating to being so close to home, yet it feels like it is so far away, but that does not make it worth it.

It seems that the community’s pleas were heard because they are adding a barrier in between the lanes now. Unfortunately, it is not the kind of barrier the community wants. It is what we call in the construction industry a false sense of safety. The nine-mile highway will get a center barrier of cones that should help guide distracted drivers and prevents them from crossing over to the other side. It is going to cost over 100k in materials but should take too long to perform.

The problem with these types of barriers is that they are only a visual deterrent. A drunk driver can easily still cross over to the other side of the road, causing severe accidents.
Ideally, the road needs an extension and a concrete barrier. This project sounds better than it is practical. In order to place a concrete barrier, the lanes would need to be nearly doubled what they are right now.

For that to take place, multiple pieces of private property will need to be purchased, and then there is the actual construction of the project. Even though it is not necessarily steep, still there are parts of the highway that have cliff type edges. Massive columns, stem decks, and bridges would have to be installed in order for the road to be widened and center medians installed. We are talking about a project that would cost millions of dollars and a couple of years to finish, having only two options to get out of town in that direction, Lambs Canyon or Ramona Expressway — talking about traffic issues.

In conclusion, all these options are possible, but are they logical? For sure, Things need to change on the highway, either a future construction, more police force, or people paying more attention to their surroundings.

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Angela spends many hours throughout the week going above and beyond what is expected making sure her customers are satisfied and feel special, and that they know their business is appreciated. When customers drop off their RV with Angela they can rest assured that her employees will do great work and that Angela will oversee everything making sure that it’s done correctly before she signs off on it.

Her business isn’t her life though, Angela is a mother to nine children varying in age. Her kids have blessed her with 13 grandchildren and she loves having them around, You may even get the chance to see a couple of them playing basketball or helping around at the shop any given day.

Angela has been a force in this valley for many years, starting her first business in 2005, a coffee shop by San Jacinto High School called Ramona Espresso which quickly became popular among high school students and was a regular “kick it” spot for many. This lead Angela to having a positive impact on a lot of different kids lives in the valley. Various people around the valley refer to her as “Mom” or “Tia” who have no blood relation to her, but she has always been there for them if they need someone to talk too.

Angela aspires to having many more businesses, being a firm believer of “multiple streams of income” and already has a few business models written up for her future companies, She loves being an entrepreneur and even though she has felt like quitting on multiple occasions, she never will, because she simply doesn’t believe it’s an option.

In ten years Angela sees herself as a business mogul who wants to help build the Hemet & San Jacinto community to be seen as something great. Angela is thankful to God for all of her success and for having her back, “He is my backbone, if it wasn’t for him there is no way I’d be in this position,” she said.

Angela is a prime example –  if you are willing to put in the work you can achieve your dreams no matter what your story is. Angela loves to listen to the famous Rocky speech to remind her that life will beat you up but it doesn’t matter how hard you can hit, what matters is how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle would like to honor Angela Saenz for her accomplishments and looks forward to the amazing achievements in her future.

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The special people are usually grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and friends whom the students hold close to their hearts. The children have an option of bringing a picnic lunch for themselves and their guests, or purchase some burgers or hot dog combo plates prepared at the event. The eighth-grade class prepares these lunches as a fundraiser for their graduation.

All throughout the afternoon, guests could purchase raffle tickets for various raffle prizes. Most were donated by our wonderful sponsors including Sea World, Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, In-N-Out Burger, and Target.

Each grade also comes up with a class project. Different art pieces created by the students are assembled into art projects that are also raffled off.

A special dance presentation is given by our very own Ballet Folklorico Dance Group, led by the group’s Director, Maria Aguilera and her husband Daniel.

The Ballet Folklorico Mexican Dance Group, led by their Director Maria Aguilera, demonstrated folk dances that originated in various regions in Mexico. Aguilera said, “The St Hyacinth Academy Ballet Folklorico Mexican dance group has been a part of the school for over 13 years. They perform dances from the State of Jalisco and Veracruz, Mexico. The dance group has performed throughout the valley at various events, as well as in the outer cities. The two most distinguished events are the Hemet Christmas parades and pre show entertainment, and at the Ramona Play, which is the longest outdoor running play in California.”

Overall, our celebration of Special Person’s Day on May 3rd, 2019 is one that has brought our whole little church community together…breaking bread, sharing laughter, and conversations that go beyond just the classrooms. It is a time when the children feel as a special part of a bigger family that cares for and loves them … the same family that wants them to be the best version of themselves.

St. Hyacinth Academy opened their doors to the community in the fall of 1946. It is located at 275 S. Victoria Ave., San Jacinto CA 92583. Tel: (951) 654-2013. Web: www.SHAEagles.org. Come check out the only Catholic school in the valley where faith, academics, and service are at the heart of the formation of the children.

Grace Lacsamana is Principal of St. Hyacinth Academy co-located with St. Anthony Catholic Church in San Jacinto. Reach her at: glacsamana@sbdiocese.org.

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