Congressman’s statement about deporting children of illegals stirs debate

   U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter’s statement in support of deporting U.S.-born
children of parents in the country illegally is attracting a great deal
of attention, including on the Sean Hannity radio show on Monday.
   Hunter’s comment was in response to a question posed by Dave
Patterson of Ramona during a tea party meeting in Ramona on April 24.
   “Would you support deportation of natural-born American citizens that
are the children of illegal aliens?” Patterson asked.
   “I would have to, yes,” the Republican congressman responded. “And
let me tell you why. You can look and say, ‘You’re a mean guy, that’s a
mean thing to do, that’s not a humanitarian thing to do.’ We simply
cannot afford what we’re doing right now. We just can’t afford it.”
   Patterson posted a video of his question and Hunter’s answer on
YouTube.

Sentencing delayed in fraud case

   A former Ramona financial planner, Rollo Richard Norton II, will be
sentenced June 14 for mail fraud after he received another sentencing
delay because he is testifying in a civil trial, according to court
records.
   Norton, 53, was to have been sentenced March 22 for a scheme in
which many people lost approximately $20 million over investments in
condominiums. Both the prosecutor and defense attorney agreed to have
the sentence delayed in U.S. District Court because of the ongoing
civil trial.
   Norton is described as a principal witness in a civil case in San
Diego Superior Court with 19 plaintiffs. The trial began in March. The
case is related to the charges that Norton faces.
   “There is concern that any press reports on the instant sentencing
could adversely impact…the civil trial,” wrote Norton’s attorney,
Thomas Warwick.

VFW pig roast May 1

   Ramona Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3783 will hold its 21st biannual Pig Roast fundraiser for the 1st District VFW and its Auxiliary at the DaleMar Ranch on Saturday, May 1. 
   The roast will start at 1 p.m. Pork, turkey and beef with a variety of side dishes will be ready on the buffet line from 3 to 5 p.m. It’s an all-you-can-eat or drink fundraiser. No dogs are permitted. 
   The public is welcome to come and enjoy the picnic-style setting with karaoke by Mike & Ike from 1 to 5 p.m. and live music by the Rockhounds from 5 to 10 p.m. 
Donations are $25 for adults, $15 for 13- to 18-year-olds, $10 for ages 7 to 12, and free for ages 6 and younger. 
   The event is free to all active military, police  and firefighters.
   Dalemar Ranch is at 17067 El Sol Road, exactly one mile northwest from the intersection of Highland Valley Road and Highway 67. Motorhome and tent camping space is available. 
   For more information, call VFW Post Commander Dale Smith at 619-247-0535.

Jewish congregation to hold Sabbath services in Ramona Town Hall May 7

 In an effort to attract new members, Congregation Etz Chaim is trying something new.
   The monthly Sabbath services on May 7 will be held in historic
Ramona Town Hall at 729 Main St., instead of in the home of members.
Victoria Supply Company donated the use of its parking lot if on-street
parking is not available.
   It is the hope of the officers of the congregation that meeting in a
centrally located public venue will encourage potential members who
might hesitate to enter the home of someone they don’t know, said Rhoda
Hamburger, congregation president.
   Services will start at 7:30 p.m. and be led by Rabbi Leslie Bergson assisted by Cantor Mary Baron.
   Refreshments will follow during the Social Hour.

Victorian High Tea in Verlaque parlor

   The parlor of the 1886 Verlaque House on the grounds of the Guy B.
Woodward Museum will be the setting for the fourth annual Victorian
High Tea.
   Presented by the Ramona Pioneer Historical Society, the event will
be on Saturday, May 8. Two seatings are planned, the first at 11 a.m.
and the second at 1 p.m.  Tickets are $30 per person.
   The tea will feature table settings with appropriate linens and
china. Ample servings of tea, finger sandwiches and cookies will be the
bill of fare. Waiters dressed in regal attire will include Ron Peterka,
Don Bartick, and Jim Hurlburt. 
   Ken Woodward, museum director, will lead tours of the Verlaque
House, Millinery Shoppe, one-room  schoolhouse, and the museum grounds.
The museum is at 645 Main St.

Glassblowing open house, demonstration set for May 8

   Liquid Glass Co. in Ramona has scheduled a Glassblowing Open House and Demonstration Event at the glass studio at 15250 Oak Valley Road from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 8.
   Owners Greg Hosterman and Dan McStocker invite the community to join them at the free open studio event.
   “Check out the only hot glass studio in Ramona, enjoy some beautiful glasswork, and get up close with live glass blowing demonstrations,” they said. “Bring family, friends, and kids.”
   More information is available from Hosterman at 760-666-8779 or McStocker at 760-484-1008.

Hospital district seeks nominees for citizen oversight committee

   Palomar Pomerado Health Board is accepting applications to fill
three vacancies on the Palomar Pomerado Health Hospital, Emergency
Care, Trauma Center Improvement and Repair Measure Bonds Independent
Citizens’ Oversight Committee.
   One vacancy is an at-large seat, one is for an active member of a
business organization and one must be filled by a nurse or a physician.

   Deadline for submission of applications is May 14. Applications
received from qualified applicants will be reviewed by the Board
Finance Committee on May 25. Recommendations will be made to the PPH
Board at its June 14 meeting.
   General qualifications for membership are briefly described on the
application form, with a full description available in the committee’s
§§5.2 and 5.3 of the Procedures, Policies & Guidelines. Both
documents may be reviewed and downloaded at
www.pph.org/PPHContentPage.aspx?nd=116.

Marketing by handshake

What’s the key to business success?
Jay Newman

   A firm handshake.
   The handshake originated as the conferring of power from the gods to
an earthly ruler in ancient Egypt. It later appeared on the ceiling of
the Sistine Chapel.
   Later still, handshakes became the way for medieval villagers to
show strangers they were unarmed. With the bulk of society having a
right-handed bias — and with that hand primarily used for sword battle
— extending the right hand showed you had no weapon. This tradition
carried forward to modern times.

Four seniors ending RHS softball careers

   Four seniors are finishing their softball careers at Ramona High
School. Two will play in college next year. All four will continue
their educations at four-year universities in the fall.
   Courtney Fick and Tory Roberts are completing their fourth year on
the Lady Bulldog varsity softball team. Both will play college
softball.
   Fick will be traveling to Southern Utah University, where she is
getting an athletic and academic scholarship. She picked SUU for
several reasons. She loves the town, Cedar City, Utah. She likes the
size of the campus. It has a great criminal justice department and she
will have a chance to compete for a starting job her frosh year.
Roberts will attend Princeton University in New Jersey. Ivy League
schools do not give athletic scholarships, but she will be going out
for the softball team. She chose Princeton because she wanted to attend
an Ivy League school and wanted to continue her education on the East
Coast. Her sister, Dana, is playing at Harvard and recently bought Tory
a stuffed Tiger (Princeton’s mascot) with a Harvard shirt. The two will
never play against each other in college.

Bulldog boys outswim Knights, fourth in Ironman relays

   Ramona High School’s boys swim team defeated San Marcos in a Valley
League meet April 20 at home and then participated in the Ironman
Relays meet April 24 at Del Norte High School, where the Bulldogs’
highlights included fourth place among 18 schools in the two-man relay
division and third place in the co-ed division.
   Ramona won 10 of the 11 events in the dual meet against San Marcos.
In a dual meet, schools enter up to three swimmers for each of the
eight individual events, although Ramona does not have enough varsity
swimmers to enter three boys in all eight events. 
   “I’ve got some really good second and third swimmers,” said Ramona coach Frank Yturralde.
   Ramona had the top three scoring positions in the 100-yard
breaststroke, which also saw junior Chris Casteen earn his first-ever
varsity win. The Bulldogs also swept the top three 100-yard backstroke
positions, led by first-place finisher Alan Williams.