Courtesy of UCCA President Barry Bernstein:
“Those April showers that bloom in May”… albeit small, topped-off most of California’s water storage facilities and brought the extra greenery this month to our hillsides and canyons. I can’t remember such abundant wildflowers and birds in our Rose and Marian Bear Canyons. It made “Earth Day” that more meaningful. What a great time to be living in University City. I hope your Easter and Passover Holidays brought you and your families closer, ( a huge crowd of children, parents, and grandparents at the Standley Park Spring Egg Hunt), and that you managed to get your taxes mailed in before the April 18 deadline.
The UCHS Musical Showcase on April 14 (co-sponsored by UCCA) which was held in the JCC’s Garfield Theater, was a smashing success…what talent! And how do you like those Padres…surprising us with some great baseball.
And for this May, a big UCCA “shout-out” and sincere well-wishes to all of our UC Mothers, (Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 14th). Special thanks to those wonderful “moms” that volunteered, starting fifteen years ago, in the production of our monthly newsletter.
*At UCCA’S April meeting, California State Senator Toni Atkins (pictured) was our guest speaker. Senator Atkins spoke to two main topics: The Education Code as it relates to the required March 15 termination deadline, and San Diego Unified School District’s large deficit and its impact on our newest teachers. The recently passed Senate the gas tax legislation was also explained. She is working on legislation related to the statewide affordable housing problem and the development of a single-payer healthcare plan for all Californians. Sen. Atkins was optimistic that more funds would be forthcoming from the Governor’s preliminary budget then was originally proposed.
UCCA approved donation requests for EdUCate, UCHS Grad Nite, and Marcy Park Improvement. Bridger Langfur, Barbara Bry’s community representative, reported that as expected, the Mayor’s preliminary budget was based on a 3.5% cut from all depts. The City’s pension fund deficit and longevity factors were the causes for this action. The good news for U.C. residents (in particular the “ImagineUC 2020 and Marcy Park Improvement projects) is that Barbara Bry has met with key city officials from the budget and city attorney’s offices to pursue making North University City DIF (development impact fees) monies available for community-wide projects that meet identified criteria. We applaud Councilperson Bry for doing this.
Our County grant applications for street and Standley Park banners (for summer concerts and the 4th of July), are in process). Diane Ahern, our vice-president, is working closely with Standley Park Recreation Council and the County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar’s community representative to UCCA, Corrine Buta, to provide input and technical assistance with our grant applications.
Mike O’Sullivan, the local organizer of “UC Coffee and Cars” announced April plans for the popular community/car event, as well as plans for a display at Standley Park’s 4th of July “Celebration”.
Have a wonderful month of May. Congratulations and thank you to all those wonderful volunteers, from our past to the present, who have been associated with providing our community, FOR FIFTEEN YEARS, with a free, monthly UCCA newsletter. Remember, University City “is more than just a neighborhood.
For more University City News, visit https://www.universitycitynews.org/
To view 15 years of University City history as told through our newsletters, visit https://www.universitycitynews.org/ucca-newsletter-archives/
