My neighbor asked me about one of our more colorful locals. The bleached blonde (former red head…and who knows the true color…) has not been seen around town in some time and he is not the first to ask.

Unfortunately, she was involved in a traffic collision that had other complicating factors. One of the locals told me he ran into her at the courthouse and that she looked great. She is serving time and will probably emerge again sometime next year.

I don’t know her full story but one of the last times I saw her broke my heart. She and I were gathered with others out in front of the Moose Lodge. She shared that there were only a few people who bothered to say hello and chat with her. Many others seemed cold or ignored her. Her history of behavior and substance use certainly contributes to the issue, but it struck me as very sad that she felt so ostracized.

I believe humans often forget how their behavior affects others. We get so involved in our own “stuff” that we forget to be compassionate or at least view others through another window. We all have our opinions and bad days but I wanted to mention the person and what she shared.

Other Side of the Story?
As usual, the Fawn Park issue remains a hot topic around town. Yesterday someone shared that the park owner was upset over some of the vandalism at the park. I believe they are referring to the permanent marker notes made by some kids on the workout stations.

Public areas (like our triangle toilets) are often the targets of bad behavior. I know some of the young delinquents are currently providing community service as part of the terms of probation and as consequence of their poor choices. They keep getting popped because the local community always knows what they are up to. Imagine the down-the-hill problems since nobody really knows the delinquents…

For the person who asked about the toilet maintenance crew…the guys at the fire station said to call down to the 5th Street office to find out who was awarded the clean up contract.

Friends of Fawnskin
It was great to see everyone yesterday at the massive Friends of Fawnskin yard sale. The group raised a bunch of money and even received a $2500 donation from a new neighbor who wanted to support their work.

In between attending having coffee with the boys, a neighborhood brunch, and the Moose BBQ, I popped into the sale a few times. Sandy says to let the person who left the comment about the Friends of Fawnskin website know that they have arranged to have it updated on a regular basis. Good going!

Moose BBQ
Wow, was the BBQ great! They usually start the spit in the early morning hours and slow cook beef and pork all day. My neighbor Jerry, who just got back from two months in Alaska, was there celebrating his birthday with twin brother Tom. HB2U!

Down N Out Burgers
I had heard some scuttlebutt about it but just so everyone knows, Sarge from CATS owns the property location where Down N Out burger is located. Erik is donating a portion of the proceeds from the business to support the local theater arts group. The place is located in Big Bear City but many of our Fawnskin residents are active with the group and so we have to mention it here!

Okay, I mentioned that Erik opened his Down N Out burger place last week. Today we stopped by for lunch. The buzz has spread through the valley and the crowds reflect it. Good burgers and good fries BUT be prepared to wait. We waited about 40 minutes for our meals, others waited and hour or more.

Anyway, they are looking for good experienced help–if you know of anyone who fits the bill. I figure they will get the serving time kinks worked out shortly–the food was good. Great job guys! Word on the street is that they are open until 10pm but the traffic out on the South Shore is already crazy. Use North Shore to Division and hit them up via the side streets.

Over the past several weeks I have heard some disturbing scuttlebutt. Some valley residents mistakenly think that the Fawnskin Fire Department is no longer serving their area. This is not true. What has happened is that some well-meaning citizens in the Baldwin Lake area have launched a volunteer fire department.

I am on my way over for a gander–but apparently they have their own truck and a building. The concern is that these volunteers have not been professionally trained and are not working with area agencies. This sanctioning and training is vital, not only to the safety of those volunteers, but to the community at large.

It is my understanding that part of the reason that this group started is because it takes a while for local agencies to arrive and address issues in outlying areas. If you know of this group or are a member, please take a moment to fill us in.

Captain John’s
Bear Valley News recently received a letter to the editor concerning Captain John’s. It was emailed to me and says:

Aug. 18th
Dear Captain John’s:
Just a note of thanks for your effort and honesty in returning our son’s wallet and his hard earned camp cash.

He will be spending another 2 weeks in Running Springs and is looking forward to the excitement of rowing once again at Captain John’s.

From the parents of Elisha Brenton,
Tamara & Mike Brenton
Anaheim, CA

We don’t always hear the good news. Did you know that Camp Whittle and Captain John’s go out of their way to help disadvantaged or low income kids attend camp? They offer low fee or no fee services just so the kids can have a camp experience. Thanks guys, this is really why we love this town.

Where is that smart a** posting?
For those of you still waiting for my smart a** posting. Community leaders have advised me against it. They report negative experiences and excessive communication by the park owner. In this light, I believe I need to post it since I believe in freedom of speech as you might have read in the First Amendment Issue (Volume II Issue 1 in the January Archives) . The commentary is based on facts–so stay tuned.

On that note, watch and listen to this great commentary by Keith Olbermann sent in by a Bear City resident. Once there, click on the “Feeling Morally, Intellectually Confused?” link where it says “Free Video.”