Property of Fullerton Public Library, Local History Room Community & Fine Arts Calendars Pages 11-14 1 | | . MAR 0 2 »99 G O C D C O C D O C D ullerton Ubserver Fullerton’s Only Local, Independent Newspaper • Est. 1978 (printed on recycled paper) No. 314 March 1,1999 O Orange County INSIDE Waterworld Students Seek Help for in the Trip to China Page 2 Desert? Sang C h u ’s Garden Chuck Greening Is Orange County, as claimed, “The Perfect Southern California County?” Page 18 Maybe, maybe not. But in matters of water supply, our county is singu­ larly well situated in relation to the rest o f our water-starved end o f the Boys & Girls Club state. Ron Wildermuth, Public Infor­ mation Officer for the Orange County “Youth of Water District, explained how this has come about, in a fact-filled, fast- paced presentation to the North Or­ The Year” ange County League of Women Vot­ ers luncheon on February 25. As might be expected. Orange County’s favor­ Awards able position is due in part to a for­ ward-looking board of directors, but Oeventy youth were recognized for also in part due to an accident of local good choices, positive attitude and com ­ geology. mitment to the Boys & Girls Clubs at the But first, what is the Orange County 43rd Annual Youth o f the Year Awards Above: Ballroom Dancing at the Senior Center Tuesday Nights © 1999 Photos Christopher Wagner Water District? It is an agency which held Saturday at Fullerton’s Ebell Club. was created by special legislation in The ceremony was witnessed by 170 com ­ 1933. It was to be governed by a munity members, including parents, Coming Soon To a StoreFront Near You board o f seven directors, elected by Board members, club staff, civic organi­ the district. Initially, Fullerton, Ana­ zation representatives and school person­ heim and Santa Ana chose not to join, nel. The top two honorees were Victor Theatre W hereabouts feeling they were adequately sup­ Becerril and Krysta Gustafson, named as plied (remember, this was the 1930’s Youth o f the Year from the Common­ Cherie Lutz Pizarro when towns didn’t amount to much in wealth and Richman Branch Clubs, re­ a dominantly agricultural county). spectively. Becerril and Gustafson were Later, as expectations of the future A here’s something new on the creative horizon skills and build self-awareness and self-esteem. chosen from among three finalists for grew and the price of waterpurchased in Fullerton. Whereabouts can you find it? At The­ Drama lessons and puppetry classes will be offered each branch who competed in a process from LA’s Municipal Water District atre Whereabouts - on Amerige just east of Harbor for children from third to eighth grades. The theater which required them to complete an ex­ went up, they reconsidered and were in downtown Fullerton. Today, the brick walls hold also hopes to house a rotation display o f artwork, tensive autobiographical application as included. Each of the tree cities was little more than newly installed wooden flooring, starting with works by Fullerton schoolchildren. well as go through an interview with a to have one Director, appointed by sawdust, and lots of dreams. But if Anne Dunkin and While still in this start-up phase, Dunkin and Willis the City Council. Brad Willis have their way, the site will soon be a plan to schedule time for playwrights to read their The OCW D acts as the producer hub o f artistic activity - with children and adults original plays. And after that? Puppet shows, cham­ and distributor o f water to the local participating in dance, theater and puppetry. ber music, poetry readings, and if all goes well, full water districts in the county. The Artistic directors, Dunkin and Willis have as­ play performances. agency is headquartered in Fountain sembled a talented faculty. Dunkin has been in­ O f course, Theatre Whereabouts is itself a work in Valley, which is also the site of Fac­ volved in dance all her life, touring and teaching progress. The theater has received non-profit status, tory 21 - the water treatment giant of across the country before joining the Theatre and but Dunkin and Willis still need Board members, California. The agency reports to the Dance Department at Cal State Fullerton. Willis is and their plan is to apply for grants in a few months. Board o f Directors, one o f whom is an award-winning playwright; his background is in They are also looking for original scripts from Fullerton’s Mayor Jan Flory. the technical aspects of theater, and he does every­ playwrights, actors and directors who want to par­ The crucial geologic advantage thing that goes on behind the scenes from writing the ticipate, and a visual artist to coordinate adult art­ which Orange County has, by good play to designing the lighting. Dunkin’s focus is work. Call the theater for details at 871-1517. luck, is that it sits above a remarkable ballet and modern dance; other faculty members Dunkin and Willis chose Fullerton for the site of aquifer. The actual water content of a specialize in jazz, African, Polynesian, and ball­ their theater because Fullerton has traditionally subterranean aquifer is notoriously room dances. They’ve got a drama teacher waiting supported the Arts, and because they love the down­ difficult to determine with precision, in the wings, and Lois Harmeyer, President o f the town ambiance. They will be introducing them­ but “our” underground supply is esti­ Orange County Puppetry Guild, is also on staff. selves to Fullerton residents at an Open House on mated to hold between 10 and 40 Dunkin and Willis have big plans. They hope to Sunday, March 14th from 2-5pm at the theater at million acre-feet. This is enough to begin with classes in dance, drama, and puppet 112 East Amerige. Visitors will get a chance to meet cover our half-million acre county in making. Group lessons followed by performance the staff, and children will have the opportunity to 20 to 80 feet of water! We (Fullerton) recitals will be available for both children and adults, make a puppet, refreshments are provided and currently get about 75% of our water with youngsters three to five years old starting in children’s artwork will be on display. creative movement classes designed to develop motor Continued on Page 17 Teen Director, Al Arevalos presents Victor Becerril with top award. panel of three judges. Among the final­ Rosa Parks • A Legend Comes to Town ists were Juan Becerril and Jasmin Every year legend, Rosa Parks, the Mother of the Civil Rights Luther King Jr. and others to end apartheid in the USA. The following Flanagan for the Commonwealth Branch Revolution, comes to town to visit relatives and stop in at the Friend­ year desegregation began as well as the passive resistance that and Cilena Monarrez and Johnny ship Baptist Church on Bastanchury, home of our areas fabulous 175 brought on the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960's. Villalobos for the Richman Branch. voice gospel choir. Dr. King once called her "the great fuse that led to the modern stride Six youth also received departmental On December 1 st, forty four years ago Mrs. Parks refused to make toward freedom." Today in her 80's, living in Detroit, she has contin­ awards: Sha’ non Daniels, Alex Gutierrez, a move that put her in the history books. She refused to move to the back ued her activist work with young people as well as working with her Anthony Richardson, Pete Liapis, D’ anna o f a Cleveland Avenue City bus and give up her seat to a white man church. She also still accepts speaking engagements because she Wysinger, Javier Arias, and Juan Becerril. as was required by law. She did not cry, scream, whine or threaten, she wants to help "young people grow, develop and reach their potential." All recognized youth received framed simply would not move from the 'white section' to the 'black section1. It is rumored that she is considering a trip to Africa with her son to certificates of recognition and the thanks She was arrested, jailed, and brought to trial while the rest of the black begin learning centers there. We hope to have more on this in our next o f the community they are part of and are community and other supporters began the Montgomery bus boycott. issue. Stay tuned! working to make a difference in. Becerril Mrs. Parks was an activist at the time working closely with Dr. Martin and Gustafson received a special plaque from Boys & Girls Club of America, Boulevardier Page 2 $100 gift certificates, recognition from PLEASE RETURN TO MAIN LIBRARY Congress and lifetime memberships to FULLERTON PUBLIC LIBRARY Bulk Rate Council Notes Page 4 the club. 353 W. COMMONWEALTH AVE. CAR-RT FULLERTON, CA. 92832-1796 FULLERTON OBSERVER U.S.Postage PAID School Subjects Page 5 Post Office Box 7051 Permit No. 1577 Movie Review Page 13 Fullerton, CA 92834 Fullerton, CA Property of Fullerton Public Library, Local History Room Page 2 FULLERTON OBSERVER OPINION/FEATURE Community Opinions More on page 19 Above: Part of the Choir reherses - Fullerton College’s Concert Choir has been honored by an invitation to visit China, but they don’t have the money to go Invitation From A Berry Correction Good Old Grocery Days I would like to call your attention to two errors in the Feb. China And Plea For 15th edition o f the Observer, namely The Last Boulevardier by Chris Beard.