Community Bulletin Board 12-7-2012

- Se Renta un Cuarto, Para Persona Sola o con un nino, dentro de mi casa, bano y concina, somas; compartidos, familia decente, 760-540-9912, Corta Temporada - o como guste. Con Cuarto Amueblado, cable, internet, SRA. MORA. $350. por mes.

- BRAND NEW FOR SALE. EverFlex Cardio Strike Bag, Call 356-2267.

- YARD SALE: Saturday the 8th, 7-11 a.m. @ 490 Palo Verde Ave. Christmas Stuff, Toys, Clothes, Mary Kay and More.

 - YARD SALE: Friday 12-7-12, 745 Brentwood, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

 - YARD SALE: Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7&8, 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., 741 Wooldridge

- BIG YARD SALE, Thursday and Friday, 2308 Olive Ave. Lots of everything.

- Se Renta Studio Con Estufa. Refigerador, TV, Utilidades Incluidas. Informes (760) 540-6804, (760) 540-6812, (760) 356-9910. 1 & 2 personas $425, Persona Extra $100. Deposito $150.

- YARD SALE: Sat. Dec. 8 7 a.m., 813 Brentwood Ave.

- YARD SALE: 1632 E. Alamo Rd., Friday 7, Saturday 8, from 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

- SALE: 1976 Motor Home. For $3,850 or Best Offer or trade for car. Value $7,000. Can see picture on craigslist and information x Sept. 30, or can see at 515 W. 9th St. in Holtville. Call 760-235-2195. Good Condition. 760-356-5835. (49,000 Miles. Runs good.)

Community Bulletin Board 11-30-2012

- YARD SALE!!! 705 Fern. Saturday, December 1st.

- IMPERIAL VALLEY TAXI 24 hrs., (760) 540-8585, 710 W. Main St. El Centro, CA 92243.
Promocion: $4 Trip El Centro Only. 

- YARD SALE, 754 Holt Ave. Fri. 11/30, Sat. 12/1, Sun 12/2

- YARD SALE, Saturday, December 1, 6 a.m., 1630 Zenos Rd.

- YARD SALE, 625 E. 3rd St., Fri., Sat. & Sun., 11/30, 12/1, 12/2, 7 a.m.

- SALE: 1976 Motor Home. For $3,850 or Best Offer or trade for car. Value $7,000. Can see picture on craigslist and information x Sept. 30, or can see at 515 W. 9th St. in Holtville. Call 760-235-2195. Good Condition. 760-356-5835. (49,000 Miles. Runs good.)

- YARD SALE 2315 Olive Rd. Friday Only. Nov. 30. 6 a.m. - 12 p.m.

- YARD SALE: 1313 E. 7th Street, Space #95. 11-30-12. 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

- FOR RENT: 877 1/2 Pine Ave. 1 Bd. $550 Deposit/$550 Rent

- Se Renta Studio Con Estufa. Refigerador, TV, Utilidades Incluidas. Informes (760) 540-6804, (760) 540-6812, (760) 356-9910. 1 & 2 personas $425, Persona Extra $100. Deposito $150. 

- YARD SALE: Fri. Nov. 30, Sat. Dec. 1st, 7 a.m., 528 Wooldridge. 

Holtville's Halls Thoroughly Decked

PHOTO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Holtville today as crews from the Public Works Department began hanging colorful holiday wreaths and garlands over several intersections in town. 

Portion of Ninth Street to be Closed for More Than a Month

WORDS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   The City of Holtville issued a press release this week warning residents that a section of Ninth Street will be closed for more than a month while construction crews work on improvements in the area.

   Ninth Street between Beale Avenue and Slayton Road road will be closed beginning today, November 9, and will remain closed until the project is finished on January 11 of next year. In that time, crews will widen that section of Ninth Street and will also install new curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

    Garbage and recycling pick-ups will take place at the edge of the road closure for residents in the affected area and construction workers will be on-hand to help move the bins during pick-up days.

   An engineer from The Holt Group will also be on-hand to answer any questions residents might have, or they can also call the Resident Engineer at (760) 337-3883.

   This section of the street has been dangerously narrow for as long as I can remember and I'm very happy to see this project get started, but it's a shame that it's going to take so long. I'm sure it's going to be a big pain in the neck for parents who drop kids off at the Middle School and probably for a lot of other residents in the area too. Does it really take that long to lay down some new asphalt and cement?

City Developing Plan to Allow Golf Carts on Holtville Streets

WORDS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   The Holtville City Council took another step Monday toward changing the law to allow golf carts and other electric vehicles on the streets of Holtville and adjacent county areas.

   The council voted unanimously to give City Manager Alex Meyerhoff direction to draft legislation to allow electric vehicles in the city and adopt a Golf Cart and Neighborhood Electrical Vehicle Master Plan that was drafted by an outside firm earlier this year.

   Meyerhoff also told the council that the city would be working over the course of the coming year to acquire right-of-way on the abandoned Union-Pacific railroad tracks between the city and Barbara Worth Resort, and between the resort the U.C. Davis Agricultural Cooperative Extension on Meloland Road in hopes of someday building an electrical vehicle lane along the route.

   Mayor Jerry Brittsan also mentioned the fact that Barbara Worth Resort hopes to open a new RV Park at some point in the future and pointed out that an electric vehicle lane could bring visitors at the resort into Holtville where they would presumably spend money on goods and services, possibly giving the city a sales tax boost.

   Council member David Bradshaw voiced his support for the project and said he wants to keep the momentum going.

   "Enough people have talked to me about this that I think it's in our best interest to keep it going," he said.

   In his written report to the council, Meyerhoff also said that the project would help the city meet it's goal of developing a balanced, multi-modal transportation network and could also "positively impact the environment through the reduction of air pollutants caused by combustion engines."

City Council Member Reads Resume Out Loud During Meeting

WORDS & PHOTO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   At a meeting of the Holtville City Council Monday, outgoing council member Colleen Ludwig inexplicably read her resume out loud to the council during the public comments portion of the meeting.

Colleen Ludwig

   Ludwig told the council that she wanted to share her resume to show that she "has other interests besides the city council".

   Ludwig went on to share a long list of impressive accomplishments including serving as a Den Mother for Holtville's Cub Scouts, co-owning a local antique shop, working for Barbara Worth Country Club, serving on the Imperial Valley Film Commission and the Imperial county Dairy Task Force, and serving as Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce. Ludwig has also maintained membership with the local Soroptimist Club and the Beta Sigma Phi sorority.

   Ludwig also mentioned her involvement in a deal between the city and Union-Pacific Railroad to purchase a large swath of land along the Alamo river-bottom about nine years ago as another major accomplishment in her career.

   "I just want my message to be clear," Ludwig said. "There is life before and after the city council."

   It was the second-to-last council meeting for Ludwig and her fellow council member Jerry Brittsan, who lost their seats on the council in the November 4 election to newcomers Jim Predmore and Ginger Ward.

    I didn't agree with every action taken by either one of these council members, but I do salute them for their hard work and dedication over the years. It's easy to see that both Mrs. Ludwig and Mr. Brittsan care deeply about this community and gave a great deal of their time and energy to making sure that Holtville remains a great place to live. Let's hope our new council members do the same.

Helen Wilson: Holtville's Walking Lost and Found

WORDS & PHOTO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   If you've lost anything in Holtville in the past couple of decades, there's a pretty good chance that Pine Avenue resident Helen Wilson might have found it.

Helen Wilson

   For the past 22 years (since 1990) Wilson has been walking the streets of Holtville every morning, up to eight miles a day, and almost every time she leaves the house she finds something of value. Cash, cell phones, jewelry, keys, knives, blank checks, $100 bills, wedding rings and just about anything else you can imagine too. Anything valuable that she find in Holt Park she turns in to City Hall and the rest goes to the Sheriff's Office. Except for small amounts of change which she keeps.

   A couple of years ago Helen decided to save all of the cash that she found for a one-year period, from January 2011 to January 2012. At the end of the year, she had found $140 mostly in coins, but a couple of larger bills as well.

   "I find money almost every day," she said. "People don't look for money, but it's there. I've found a lot on Holt Ave."

   Helen says she finds the most coins just after dawn when they tend to shine in the bright morning light, especially on mornings when the street cleaner is running.

   "The street cleaner can't pick the coins up so it just cleans it and spits it out and I walk along and pick it up," she said with a laugh.

   She also once found two $20 bills in the same day independent of one another, one on the sidewalk and another several blocks away in a gutter.

   Wilson can be seen walking the streets of Holtville nearly every morning, her gaze turned downward as her eyes search the sidewalks, gutters and streets for whatever they might find. She says she learned the habit of looking things when she was a young girl and her father would take her to the desert to search for screws and other scrap metal. From that point on, she's been finding all types of different things.

   And it's not just money and valuables that Wilson finds either. She says she routinely removes nails and other debris from the streets of Holtville and also uses a stick with a poker to pick up trash when she finds it. She's also turned in lost dogs and cats and even removes the bodies of animals that have been hit by cars.

   "I don't want to let people just keep running over them and running over them. I hate that," she said.

    And once when a pet owner wouldn't let her remove the body of their dead dog, she stood in the street and guarded the body until the police arrived.

   "I just said I'll be damned if I'm going to let anyone run over that dog again," she said.

   Helen is so good and finding things that her friends and co-workers often recruit her to look for their own missing items. She works at the Finley Elementary cafeteria where she once found her boss, Isabel Jesse's lost diamond earring and also once found co-worker Kimmy Lee's lost antique ring pressed into one of the cafeteria's rubber floor mats.

   She's also found her own lost items. Once when she arrived home from a walk, Helen realized that her earring was missing. She began to re-trace her steps and found the earring on the sidewalk after walking about a block.

   Helen says her main hobby now is hunting for interesting rocks and old railroad spikes in the empty lots on Fourth Street where the old railroad line used to run through Holtville which she uses to make wind chimes.
 

Child Air-Lifted to Hospital From Barbara Worth Resort

WORDS & PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

A small child was air-lifted by Care Flight helicopter from Barbara Worth Resort this morning at approximately 10:30 a.m. after reportedly suffering a seizure. No other information was immediately available.

Joe Patzloff Honored by Holtville City Council

WORDS BY LUKE PHILLIPS & PHOTO BY ELIZABETH ENRIQUEZ-PHILLIPS

Joe Patzloff, left,  with Holtville Mayor Jerry Brittsan.

  Holtville Mayor Jerry Brittsan read a proclamation honoring former city council member Joe Patzloff for his years of service at a meeting of the Holtville City Council Monday.

   Brittsan said that the idea to honor Patzloff came from council member Mike Goodsell, but that he wanted to be the one to read the proclamation because of his history serving on the council with Patzloff in the past.

   “You’re how I got started here,” Brittsan told Patzloff. “You were instrumental. I remember coming to council meetings and watching you go round and round with Linda Britschgi because she hated your pipe.”

   The city’s proclamation honored Patzloff for his years of service as a member of the city council, the Centinela Prison State Advisory Committee, the local Optimist Club and as a frequent announcer for Holtville High School football games.

   “It’s been a long time. Thank you for your service,” Brittsan said.

City Council Firmly Rejects New Bike Lane in Holtville

WORDS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   Holtville City Planner Justina Arce introduced a proposal to the city council at their meeting Monday that would have created a new bicycle lane along a portion of Main Street, but the proposal was soundly rejected by the council.

   Arce presented several different options for the eight-foot wide bike lane, but the council was unanimously unhappy with all of them. One of the proposals would have eliminated 130 parking spaces along Main Street to accommodate the new lane, and others would have eliminated one travel lane in each direction.

   Arce pointed out the drawbacks and benefits of each plan, saying that elimination of travel lanes would calm traffic and make Main Street safer, but could also lead to more congestion in the downtown area.

   The proposed project would have cost the city approximately $90,000 for a traffic study, sandblasting, new striping and signage.

   Mayor Jerry Brittsan led the opposition to the proposal, saying that he would be opposed to losing even one parking space. That sentiment was echoed by council member Colleen Ludwig.

   “If we’re trying to encourage business I wouldn't want to lose any parking spaces,” Ludwig said.

   City Treasurer Pete Mellinger was also vehemently against the creation of bicycle lanes, pleading with the council to forget the project.

   “Please don’t spend all that money on a bike lane to plug up the community,” Mellinger said. “What kind of stupid thing is that? What are you thinking? Leave it as it is for goodness sake!”

Sheriff's Deputy Randy McCoy No Longer on Duty in Holtville

WORDS & PHOTO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

Deputy Randy McCoy

   As part of his report to the city council Monday, Holtville Police Chief Manual DeLeon announced that Deputy Randy McCoy has been transferred to new duties in El Centro.

   Deputy McCoy has served in Holtville for approximately 2 years and has built a reputation as being somewhat un-friendly. I personally know several people that will be glad to see him go and will say good riddance to his heavy-handed policing style.

Deputy McCoy's favorite hobby seemed to be harrassing the youth of the city, but I also know several adults who had unpleasant encounters with him as well. I'm sure Deputy McCoy was only trying to do his job, but this is Holtville, not Compton, and his over-bearing tactics were just not a good fit for our peaceful little town. Cheers to the leadership at the Imperial County Sheriff's Office for recognizing that fact and moving McCoy to a more suitable assignment.

   DeLeon also announced that McCoy will be replaced by 15-year Sheriff's Office veteran John Higgins, whose father once served as a police officer in Holtville.

"Full circle," Higgins told the council with a chuckle.

Holtville: Back to the Good Old Days #2

WORDS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

This 1958 advertisement for Holtville's Imperial Hardware store marked the 50th Anniversary of the retailer's
 1908 opening. Imperial hardware is still open in Holtville today, (although it has since moved to a different location) making it one of the oldest continuously operating businesses in the city. The location of the store shown in the photo is now the home to the 99 Cent Plus Center and the Imperial Hardware Do-It Center is located at the northwest corner
of Fern Avenue and 5th Street. I love the window displays shown in the photo and I wish Holtville still had more of that kind of thing. Main Street is starting to look a little worn down these days, especially the block where this store used
to be located.

Having a movie theater right here in Holtville would have been a dream-come-true for me as a child. I was a movie addict and we always had to drive all the way to Calexico or El Centro to get my fix. I can only imagine how awesome it would have been to have a theater here in town. I would have been there for every show. Unfortunately the Alamo Theater was destroyed in a fire before I was even born. My mom remembers attending shows at the theater though and she's told me plenty of stories, like how you used to be able to trade in bottle caps to see a show instead of paying. Oh, what an age that must have been! If anybody out there has memories they'd like to share about the Alamo Theater, please leave a comment in the comments section below!

Television star Willard Waterman, who portrayed Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve (Gildy) on the show 'The Great Gildersleeve' dresses for his performance at the 1958 Holtville Carrot Festival with some help from his co-star Stephanie Griffin who portrayed is niece Marjorie on the show. Movie stars and other celebrities regularly made appearances during early days of the Carrot Festival, often serving as the Carrot Parade Grand Marshall. 

Holtville Police Beat Oct. 25 - 31, 2012

Editor's Note: 
   We are very pleased to present the first entry in our new feature 'Holtville Police Beat'. Former Holtville Tribune reporter Shawn Carroll wrote the 'Police Briefs' section of the paper through much of the 1990s and gained a faithful readership with his entertaining take on the law enforcement happenings of Holtville. When he left the paper in the early 2000s, the quality of the article took a nosedive and many stopped reading. Well, we're pleased to report that Mr. Carroll has come out of reporting retirement to write this article for us on a regular basis. So with no further ado, here's the first entry:

WORDS BY SHAWN CARROLL

October 31
- At 5:15 p.m. a deputy reported an incident while conducting a compliance check in the 700 block of Wooldridge Avenue . When he walked up to the front door, the resident’s dog ran out the screen door, tried to bite him and tore his pant leg. The owner of the dog reportedly said that it was up to date on its vaccinations.

October 30
- A car was reported to be taking up two handicapped parking spaces outside an apartment on East Fifth Street shortly after 1:30 a.m. A deputy issued a citation to its owner.

- An East Eighth Street resident called at 10:56 a.m. to complain that a postal carrier had pepper sprayed a dog. A deputy talked with the person and said that the local postmaster was the one to talk to about the incident.

- A motorist was cited for a traffic violation and failure to provide proof of insurance after a deputy reported witnessing the driver burning out at Fifth Street and Holt Avenue at 8:45 p.m.

October 28
- A vehicle was pulled over at East Seventh Street and Towland Road at 1:54 a.m. The driver was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and driving without a license. The vehicle was impounded.

- At 4:25 p.m. a resident of the Browning Trailer Park on West Fifth Street called to report that there was a disturbance taking place at a neighbor’s residence. Deputies made contact with the man, who said that he had been yelling at his daughter for being out in the street. He asked for extra patrols of the area to make sure she wasn’t hit by a car.

- A motorist reportedly found to be driving while under the influence was pulled over and arrested at Evan Hewes and Highway 115 just after 10:00 p.m. The vehicle was impounded and towed.

October 27
- A fight was reported to be taking place outside Hot Rods & Beer at 1:27 a.m., with one injured person said to be lying on the ground. Deputies were quickly on the scene and reported in that the situation was under control when they arrived.

- At 11:43 a.m. a deputy reported pulling over a driver spotted on his cell phone at Fifth Street and Holt Avenue . The deputy told dispatchers that he had to ask the driver to hang up the phone so they could discuss the infraction. The man was cited.

- An injured owl was taken into the Holtville substation at 10:15 p.m. Fish and Game officers were called but said they would be unable to pick up the bird until the following day. The man who found the owl said he would care for it until then.

October 26
- A Cedar Avenue resident reported that a neighbor’s smoke alarm had gone off at 5:49 p.m., and the elderly woman wouldn’t answer the door. Deputies found no one home, but the stove had been left on. It was turned off and the house was secured.

- An East Seventh Street resident reported finding a front window broken at 9:34 p.m. The damage was estimated at $100 and the homeowner didn’t have any ideas on who might have done it.

October 25
- A Palo Verde Avenue resident reported going outside shortly before 8:00 a.m. to find that her car had been keyed sometime during the night.

- At 8:35 a.m. Omar Francisco Aguilera, 30, was arrested on an outstanding warrant related to previous traffic violations.

Pancho Villa Salad: Re-Creating a Holtville Cafeteria Classic

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   Since I was a small child one of my favorite foods in the entire world has been a dish that many Holtvillites are probably familiar with: The Pancho Villa Salad served at Holtville school cafeterias.

   My mom has been the cook at the school district's kitchen for the past 16 years and she says that Pancho is by far the most popular dish served at the cafeteria. She says that people who have graduated and gone away to college have come back to the cafeteria just to eat Pancho again. People also ask her how to make it all the time, so I thought I'd share the recipe. I've made it a few times at home and I've been able to replicate the cafeteria version pretty closely.

   The dish is fairly simple, consisting of seasoned ground beef served over corn chips and topped with shredded lettuce and cheese, but in order to make it taste like the version served at the cafeteria a few key elements must be in place.

   Start by taking a couple of pounds of ground beef and smooshing it up with your hands so it has a smoother consistancy. You want the finished product to be fairly thin and saucy so it will spread onto the chips properly. This step is important and is overlooked by many attempting to replicate the recipe.

   Brown the beef, making sure to chop up any remaining lumps with a wooden spoon, drain the fat, then add a can of tomato paste, a cup of water and at least two tablespoons of red chile powder (I like mine spicy, so I usually add a little more chile powder, around 4 or 5 tablespoons.). You can use the California or the New Mexico style chile powder, but I recommend the California style for this recipe. You also want to add a few tablespoons of dehydrated onions, another ingredient that is essential for getting the flavor right, but is sometimes overlooked. Continue to simmer the meat over low to medium heat for another 10-15 minutes.

   Spread a couple handfuls of white tortilla chips (I like the Mission brand ones) on a plate and top with the meat sauce, shredded chedder cheese and finely-chopped iceburg lettuce. And that's all there is to it!

   There are tons of possible variations to this recipe, adding salsa, jalapenos, sour cream, etc., but I really like it without anything else added, just the way Holtville schools have been serving it for more than 30 years.

VIDEO: Viking Band of Pride Performs During Axe Game Half-Time Show

Holtville Keeps the Axe, Wins 35-19 Against Calipatria

WORDS & PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   The Holtville Vikings dominated over the Calipatria Hornets on the gridiron at Holtville High School Thursday night, winning the annual Axe Game 35-19 to keep the axe in Holtville for another year. After a scoreless first quarter, Holtville made three touchdowns in quick succession in the second quarter, followed by one touchdown from Calipatria, putting the score at 21-7 going into half-time.

   The Hornets managed one more touchdown during the third quarter, but couldn't hold off Holtville as the Vikings scored twice more in the fourth to put the final score at 35-19.

   The game was a rough one with two of the Vikings sustaining minor injuries and one Calipatria player being taken off the field in an ambulance after suffering an apparent neck or back injury.

   It was also a treat to see a military osprey aircraft fly low over the game with green tracer lights on the tips of their propellers, creating giant green circles in the sky. Guess they must be Vikings fans!

Holtville: Back to the Good Old Days #1

WORDS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

Hello friends and neighbors and welcome to the first entry in our new feature Holtville: Back to the Good Old Days. One of the reasons I wanted to start this Web site was to preserve all of the pieces of Holtville history that I come across in the form of old news clippings, photos, stories from old-timers etc. so that they will be available to future generations in a format that's easily accessible to everyone. So let's get to it:

This photo, taken Sunday, February 16, 1958 shows a group of drag racing fans looking over one of the cars being entered in a drag racing event at the Holtville Air Strip as part of the festivities for the 11th Annual Carrot Carnival celebration. The event was sponsored by the Holtville Lions Club and the Imperial Valley Timing Association (not quite sure what the I.V.T.A is, but I gather that it was the organization in charge of the time trials). I wish we could still have things like drag racing and tractor pulls at the Carrot Festival, but I think the insurance costs involved would probably be prohibitive. Insurance and lawyers are ruining our world. 

This photo, also from 1958, shows Roy Dillon who was the owner-operator of the Holtville Hobby Shop on Holt Ave. The shop closed sometime in the 1970s, but in it's heyday the store supplied Holtville with a huge variety of different hobby supplies including model airplane and car kits, beads, paint sets, woodburning sets, leather kits, and photography supplies, but they also sold a variety of other goods including magazines, toys, candy and cigarettes. It's a shame that Holtville doesn't still have any shops selling this kind of stuff. Now all that money goes to Walmart.  

This photo shows one of the first Carrot Parades rolling down Main Street. I'm not entirely sure which year this is from, but I know it's from one of the first 10 Carrot Festivals, sometime in the late 1940s or early 50s. The Chamber of Commerce Building (at right) hasn't really changed much over the years. 

PHOTO SLIDESHOW: Halloween in Holtville 2012

   Check out the video slideshow below to see photos from the Holtville Halloween Carnival at Finley Elementary School, Holtville Trick-or-Treaters, the Collins Family's haunted house and more!

Haunted Holtville: The Scariest House in Town?

WORDS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   When I was in my early twenties my family moved from our home of 17 years on Kamm Rd., about a half-mile outside of Holtville, to a new home on the edge of town.

   Across the street and slightly to the east of our new home was an older house surrounded by a fence made of railroad ties driven into the ground. Time had taken a toll on the wooden beams and the entire fence leaned slightly inward toward the house, giving it a very guarded feeling from the outside. The place gave off a weird vibe right from the get-go, but at that point we had no idea just how strange the place truly was.

    The house was empty when we moved into the neighborhood and remained that way for some time. A couple of different people moved into the house, but no one stayed for long. They mostly waited until their six-month lease was up and quickly moved out. One of those people later became a family friend and shared some truly creepy stories about their stay in the house, but they don't want to be identified in this story, so we'll just call her Mrs. Smith.

   Mrs. Smith moved into the house with her family and quickly discovered that it was not a fun place to live. She reported feeling something or someone sit down on the edge of her bed at night when she knew no one was there. She experienced strange sounds and touches. And most disturbing of all, she was once pinned to her bed by an unseen force, unable to move and heard a voice whisper in her ear "Tell them I love them."

   I had moved away and was living in Arizona when all this happened, but as soon as I moved back to Holtville in 2009 I had my own experience involving the house, the only experience that I've had in my life that I'm absolutely sure was supernatural.

   My wife Liz (then my fiancé) and I were looking for a place in town to rent and momentarily considered the creepy old house across from my parents. Keep in mind that this was before we heard the ghost stories from the previous tenants. We called the number on the rental sign out front and strangely enough, the realtor told us that they didn't know anything about the house and that they didn't even handle any homes in Holtville. We tried for about two weeks to find the actually management company or individual that was renting the house, but to no avail. It kind of felt like the house didn't want to be rented. As strange as that sounds, that's the feeling we both got.

   Since we couldn't find anybody to show us the house, and we knew it was empty at the time, we went over by ourselves one evening to have a look around the outside. The house seemed to be oddly laid-out and constructed and we discovered that there's actually a hidden garage door built into the side of the house. As we made our way around one particularly dark corner of the house, Liz and I both started feeling light-headed and dizzy and very, very unwelcome. We got out of there and decided we didn't want to rent the place after all.

   A few days later Liz and I were sitting in front of the fence of my parents' front lawn late at night, not far from the house across the street. We heard rustling sounds in the yard behind the railroad tie fence, coming from the same corner of the property that had given us the willies a few days earlier. My first thought was that a small animal of some sort was scuffling around, but then we heard a door slam loudly and an angry old woman's voice distinctly yell: "Get outta there!" Then in a split second everything fell silent.

   You might say what we heard could have been anything or anyone, and you may be right, but I'm certain enough in my own head that what we heard was a ghost.

   I knew I wanted to write a story about a haunted house in Holtville for Halloween this year and this was the only one I could think of, but I’m sure there are plenty more. Have you experienced a haunting or any other ghostly activity here in the Carrot Capital? Tell us about it in the comments section below!

Halloween 2012: Holtville's Best Decorated Homes

WORDS & PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   Last night we drove up and down every street in Holtville, stopping at what we considered to be the best decorated homes this Halloween. Here are our top 5 favorites:

#5 - This display at 1112 Eighth Street was simple, but beautiful with wonderful color choices
for the lights and intricate spider-web work.

#4 -This home at 829 7th Street featured a jolly-looking inflatable pumpkin witch as a centerpiece, but it was the small touches that put it on our list, including a spider that was back-lit with a strobe light.

#3 - This home at the southwest corner of Palm Ave. and Eighth Street was super simple featuring
nothing more than a green light, some spider webs, a spider and a jack-o-lantern, but it was spooky
and atmospheric and quite stunning, even from a distance.

#2 - This display, found at 605 Maple Ave., would have taken the top spot for it's pure spectacle, featuring a whole mountain of light-up, inflatable decorations, but it wasn't quite as creative as our first-place winner. These decorations are all store-bought and slightly generic, but it's how the decorations were placed that made the display standout.

#1 - Our favorite display this Halloween can be found at 954 Beale Ave. The homeowners who created this set-up clearly went above and beyond, showing a ton of creativity, unique decorations, a pleasing lay-out, and plenty of small details in their haunted graveyard-style display. I took photos of this home around midnight Tuesday and the owners were still busy working on it, adding last minute touches including a caged-skeleton which screamed and begged to be let free. The display was already awesome, but I’m sure it will be even better tonight when it’s completely finished. Don’t miss it!

Scientists Say Brawley Quake Swarms Caused By Active Volcano Under Salton Sea

WORDS & PHOTO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   Scientists announced today that the Salton Buttes, a series of volcanoes under the Salton Sea are much more active than previously thought and are responsible for the swarm of earthquakes that recently struck Brawley and for the rotten egg stench that recently covered much of southern California for a number of days. And not only that, but the USGS has now listed the volcanoes as having a high threat potential for future volcanic blasts. You can read to the full story here: http://news.yahoo.com/salton-sea-volcano-mystery-solved-182258381.html

Video: Big Bad Wolf Live at Barbara Worth Resort

 

   PHOTO & VIDEO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   

   Holtville's own Big Bad Wolf took to the stage at Barbara Worth Resort Friday night for an acoustic set, followed by a full-band, electric performance. Watch the band play 'Take it Easy' by The Eagles below: 

El Centro Police Chief: Halloween Disguises Won't Work on Cops

   BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   The El Centro Police Department just issued a statement warning drunk drivers to stay off the roads of Imperial County this Halloween to avoid DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols, but the statement is kind of oddly-worded, warning Halloween revelers that their "disguise won't make them invisible to the Police," and the ECPD Police Chief actually says, "If you really want to be scared this Halloween, try getting pulled over by a police car that suddenly appears out of nowhere." Is he actually suggesting that we need to be afraid of the police? Wow. Just wow. Here's the rest of the statement:

   [El Centro, CA]— If you think a Halloween costume will disguise your drunk or drug impaired driving, the Avoid the 8 – Imperial County DUI Task Force has a message just for you – “keep the party off the road.”

   The Avoid the 8 - Imperial County DUI Task Force will be deploying additional officers on DUI Saturation Patrols supplementing routine patrols in several communities in the county.  

    “Local revelers should be aware that their Halloween disguises won't make them invisible to the Police, Sheriff or CHP officers who will crack down on drunk and drug impaired drivers throughout the region with an aggressive Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement effort,” said Police Chief Jim McGinley.

In fact, Chief McGinley noted, its law enforcement officers who are more likely to be ‘invisible’ to partygoers who have had too many drinks or take drugs to be driving.  “If you really want to be scared this Halloween, try getting pulled over by a police car that suddenly appears out of nowhere,” Chief McGinley said.  “Of course, one thing is for sure, the police arresting drunk or drug impaired drivers this Halloween will be visible enough, and they won't be mistaken for treats by folks who may think they are fine to drink and drive,” he added.

   Nighttime is always a dangerous time on the road, but Halloween can be particularly scary if you get behind the wheel drunk or find yourself around a drunk driver.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 41 percent of all highway fatalities throughout the nation during the Halloween period in 2010 (6 p.m. Oct. 29 to 6 a.m. Nov. 1) involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. 

   “The scariest parts of Halloween aren’t the spooky costumes and scary pranks,” said Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. “It’s a fact that too often drivers don’t plan ahead and end up turning reality into something much worse than the worst horror movie.”

   To keep safe this Halloween, The Avoid the 8 Coalition recommends these simple tips:
            
• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
• If you are taking medication or using drugs; beware! They can impair your driving, and 
especially never mix with alcohol.  
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver, and leave your car keys at home.
• If you’re impaired, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public 
transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, Call 911!

   Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Community Bulletin Board 10-26-2012

   There's no longer any need to leave your home to check the Holtville Community Bulletin Board on Holt Ave., now you can check it right here on This is Holtville every Friday!

1996 Vogue Motorhome, 49,000 Miles, 440 Dodge Engine, Has new brakes, tires, plugs, holding tanks, toilet, rebuilt generator, ceiling A/C with heater, water pump. For info call 1-760-235-2195. $4,000 or Best Offer. Can see pictures on Craigslist Sept. 30, or can see at 515 W. 9th Street, Holtville. 356-5835.

FOR RENT, for more information call 356-4110 or 562-1980.

YARD SALE. Viernes 26 Oct. 554 Grape. En Frente De Finley. 6:30 a.m.

YARD SALE. 705 Palm. Friday. 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Next to the High School.

WANTED: YOU! You're invited to Cornerstone's Fall Round-Up, October 28th at 10:15 a.m. 125 E. 6th St., Holtville (760) 356-1061

ASHLEY'S HOME CLEANING SERVICE. Call (760) 751-1129. Let Ashley clean your home.

1 RECAMARA, 1 BANO FOR RENT. 743 Palm.

RENTA STUDIO AMUEBLADO CON ESTUFA,  MICROONOAS, REFRIGE, RADOR Y TV. 2 personas $400, Persona Extra $100, Deposito $150. Informes Al (760) 356-9910, (760) 540-6804, (760) 540-6812.

YARD SALE. 567 Figueroa St., Friday, Oct. 26, 7 a.m.

YARD SALE. 320 W. 9th Street. Behind 875 Cedar Ave, House next to alley. Friday, October 26 & Saturday October 27. 6 a.m. -??

GARAGE SALE. 815 Beale Ave. Thursday & Friday, October 25 & 26, Starting at 8 a.m.

MOVING SALE: Electronics, speakers, stereo, computer, TV, Tools, Clothes, Furniture, Car, Motorcycle & Gear, 1654 Zenos Rd., Saturday October 27, 6 a.m.

YARD SALE: Lunas 29 Oct. Calle 6 y Grape Fronte a FINLEY apartments. de 7 a 10 a.m.

Holtville Girl Scouts Learn All About Bullying, Pizza

Imperial County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Coordinator Aide Flores-Gallegos teaches
Holtville's Girl Scout troop how to prevent bullying at their meeting today. 

WORDS, PHOTOS & VIDEO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   Holtville's Girl Scout troop learned all about how to prevent bullying at school from Imperial County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Coordinator Aide Flores-Gallegos. Flores-Gallegos taught the girls different tactics for dealing with bullies and how to stand up for themselves. 

   The girls also tried their hand at making their very own personal pizzas under the supervision of troop leader Georgina Camacho. Check out the video below for a short photo slideshow of the girls' activities, followed by footage of Flores-Gallegos giving her talk:

$24K Turbine Pump at Holtville Waste-Water Plant Broken Again

BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   A high-water alarm was sounded at Holtville's wastewater plant on Kamm Rd. last week after a turbine motor shorted out and stopped working inside one of the water filtration wells at the plant, according to City Manager Alex Meyerhoff.

   Meyerhoff told the city council Monday that the turbine pump started smoking and had to be shut down and temporarily replaced by a rental pump from Rain for Rent. Meyerhoff also informed the council that the plant's current pumps are only 2 years old, but are unfortunately no longer under warranty.

   Turbine pumps have had a troubled history at the plant, having to be re-built several times after they were first installed in 2003 and then eventually having to be replaced in 2010. With a $24,000 price tag for each pump, the problem is a costly one and city officials are now looking at how to circumvent the problem when planned upgrades to the plant are being constructed.

   City Engineer Jack Holt told the council that pumps could be placed closer to intakes in the new wells to prevent damage from vibration, which is what has caused most of the problems in the past, or the wells might possibly be removed altogether.

   Holt says that a different treatment system may be used for the new plant, eliminating the need for turbine pumps, and bypassing the current system in favor of an ultra-violet light disinfection process. Holt says that the turbidity of the water coming from the plant would have to be very low for the plan to work, but it could also save the city on electrical costs as well.

   The item was for information only and no action was needed by the council.

Flooded Mess at Holt and 10th to Finally Be Fixed?

WORDS AND PHOTO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

The Eternal Flood at the Corner of Holt Ave. and 10th Street.

   Anybody who's lived in Holtville for any amount of time (and has been paying attention), will know that the intersection of Holt Ave. and Tenth Street gets flooded fairly frequently. Recently, however, the intersection has remained flooded almost constantly.

   Holtville City Council member Richard Layton brought up the problem at a council meeting Monday, saying that the construction of the nearby Holtville Gardens apartments and all the landscaping that goes with it have exacerbated the problem by keeping the ground saturated and further preventing proper draining.

   Layton also told the council that one group of concerned citizens has been considering solutions to the problem. Layton reported that local residents Harry and Jim Nelson have been working with County Public Works Yard Supervisor John Burnworth to find a way to fix the problem and have agreed to supply all the necessary equipment and labor if the county is able to supply the materials.

   "They're willing to do all the work and that's commendable," Layton said.

   I also find the civic-mindedness of these men to be commendable and I hope they're able to find a solution to the problem. The gathered storm waters that sit in this intersection and grow stagnant and stinky have been a problem ever since I can remember and it's about time it got fixed. Stagnant water is stinky and gross, but it's also a public health hazard considering that several cases of West Nile Virus have been confirmed in the county this year and the mosquitoes that carry the virus love stagnant puddles.

City's Newly-Reconstructed Water Tank Nearly Ready to Go Online

Members of the Holtville City Council, along with City Manager Alex Meyerhoff and Water Dept. employees
gathered to break ground on the city's 4.5 million-gallon water tank earlier this year.

WORDS AND PHOTO BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   More than two years after Holtville's reserve water tank was knocked off line by the Easter Sunday Earthquake in 2010, City Engineer Jack Holt is reporting that the tank's replacement is ready to go into operation.

   At a meeting of the Holtville City Council Monday, Holt said that contractors will be finishing the last of the construction work on the tank's new ultra-violet light filtration system this week and inspectors from the Department of Public Health will be making their final checks before the system is brought online.

   Holtville City Manager Alex Meyerhoff told the council that the city will be planning a "valve-opening event" to celebrate the tank's completition.

   "The project is pretty much right on schedule," Meyerhoff said. "I think it was a monumental accomplishment that was made in record time."

   Holt also told the council that work will begin on November 5th on a project to fix a leaking pipeline that's located underneath one of the filtration structures at the city's water treatment facility.

   When asked by Mayor Jerry Brittsan whether or not the leak was also caused by the earthquake, Holt said that the earthquake was not the original cause of the leak, but might have made it worse.

   "The earthquake could have aggravated it, but this has been going on for a long, long time," Holt said.

Preview of Tomorrow's Holtville City Council Meeting

The Holtville City Council will meet Monday, October 22 at 6 p.m. at City Hall to discuss the following items. (My explanations appear in Red):

- Discussion/Related Action To Authorize The Emergency Repair Of A Collapsed Manhole At Kamm Road. Manhole collapses have become a very common occurrence along Kamm Rd. as the city's sewer outfall main continues to deteriorate. The 80+ year old pipeline, which runs approximately three miles from Holtville to the city's waste water treatment plant on the Alamo River, badly needs to be replaced. The city has been working for years to secure funding and easements for the project and construction should begin sometime in the next few months.Ultimately the residents of Holtville will probably be paying for the project through increased sewer rates. If the city decides to adopt recommendations in a recently-completed Sewer Rate Study, residents could see their sewer bills almost doubled by 2017.

- Discussion/Related Action To Adopt RESOLUTION 12-60 Awarding The Ninth Street (Between Slayton And Beale) Project’s Construction Contract. This project will widen the small portion of 9th Street that runs between Slayton Rd. and Beale Ave., an improvement that has been badly needed for some time. The thin strip of street has presented a safety issue in the area as traffic bottlenecks during high-traffic times, especially when parents are picking up/dropping off their kids at the nearby Holtville Middle School. I'm glad to see that something is finally being done about it and I hope the west end of ninth street (between Cedar and Melon) gets the same treatment soon because it's just as dangerous, if not more so.

- Discussion/Related Action To Adopt RESOLUTION 12-61 Awarding The Fifth Street Sidewalk Project’s Construction Contract. I must admit that I don't know a lot about this project, but it seems to be a simple sidewalk improvement. I'll have more info after the meeting. 

- Discussion/Related Action To Adopt RESOLTUION 12-62 Accepting APN 045-600-003 Sanitary Sewer Pipeline Grant Of Easement And Approving The Certificate Of Acceptance. Both this item and the next concern the city's final approval of  two easements for the new sewer outfall main that the city obtained through eminent domain, meaning an agreement couldn't be reached with the property owners. The land will now be used to build a portion of the pipeline and the property owners will be paid fair market value for the land.

- Discussion/Related Action To Adopt RESOLUTION 12-63 Accepting APN 045-080-056 And APN 045-080-002 Sanitary Sewer Pipeline Grant Of Easement And Approving The Certificate Of Acceptance See above.

Holtville Fire Chief Honored At Burn Institute's Fire Ball

Holtville Fire Chief Alex Silva holds up a plaque he received from Mayor Jerry Brittsan at the
Burn Institute's annual Fire Ball event yesterday at Barbara Worth Resort.

WORDS & PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

   I had the pleasure of attending the Burn Institute's annual Fire Ball event at Barbara Worth Resort last night and had a wonderful time talking with all the firefighters, participating in the silent auction and showing off my lovely wife Liz who bought a pretty new dress just for the occasion.

Holtivlle Mayor Jerry Brittsan reads a prolamation
honoring Fire Chief Alex Silva.

   A handful of Imperial Valley firefighters were honored with 'Distinguished Service Awards' (including Holtville firefigher Ivan Gonzalez)  and it was great to see these hardworking men and women get the recognition that they deserve (especially our friend Rosa Hernandez!), but the highlight of the evening for me was a proclamation read by Holtville Mayor Jerry Brittsan recognizing the hard work and dedication of Holtville Fire Chief Alex Silva.

   Chief Silva does a great job for the city of Holtville and it's not hard to see how dedicated he is to the community. He's always busting his butt at city events, lending a hand where he can and serving as a great mentor for Holtville's younger firefighters. He always has a warm demeanor, a great attitude and truly seems to be concerned about the well being of those around him.

   Congratulations Chief Silva, this proclamation couldn't have gone to anyone more deserving.

Restaurant Review: The Fields Steakhouse at Barbara Worth Resort

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY LUKE PHILLIPS

Caprese Salad

   Note: In the interest of Full Disclosure, I must mention that I am now employed by Barbara Worth Resort. However, I wrote this review of the resort's Fields Steakhouse several weeks before I was even considered for my current job and I can assure you that this review presents a completely unbiased opinion:

   My wife Liz and I finally had the opportunity last week to try out Holtville’s newest eatery, The Fields Steakhouse at Barbara Worth Resort, and we were quite frankly blown away. The food was beyond amazing, the service was friendly and prompt and the environment is elegant and relaxing. I really think it’s wonderful that we now have a restaurant of this caliber in our little town.

   The Fields is definitely an upscale place, but considering what you get for your money the prices are very reasonable. They have plenty of meals under $20 and none cost more than $30. I applaud the management for keeping the prices fairly reasonable which makes the restaurant much more accessible to more people in our community.

Double Bone Apple Brandy Glazed Pork Chop

   The Fields food is undeniably great, and we’ll get to that in a minute, but for me it was the little touches that made my dining experience truly great. A single red rose and a lit candle adorned our table along with cloth napkins, fine china, and a real table cloth, unlike the cheap plastic ones found at most restaurants in town. Big band music played softly in the background the golf course and nearby pond make for a lovely view from almost anywhere in the house.

   My amazement with the quality of the food began when our bread arrived. Freshly baked, soft on the inside with a nice flaky crust, the bread was to die for. It was quickly gone and we moved on to our salad. We ordered the Caprese Salad, one of my old favorites, and it also was outstanding. The tomatoes were perfect, red and flavorful, and the basil was nice and pungent. The only thing lacking at all was the mozzarella which was good, but not as fresh as it could have been.

Shrimp Scampi

   On the chef’s recommendation I had ordered the Double Bone Apple Brandy Glazed Pork Chop and as soon as my meal arrived, I knew I had made the right choice.

   I don’t hesitate in the least to say that this was by far the best pork chop I  have ever had in my life. Every bite was tender and flavorful. The glaze was perfect, not too sweet and it didn’t overpower the wonderful flavor of the meat. In fact, the Apple Brandy Glaze almost reminded me of pork chops with applesauce, one of my favorite parings. I offered Liz a bite of my pork chop and she was instantly sorry she hadn’t ordered it too, although she did enjoy her Shrimp Scampi. At $17, this piece of pork is worth every penny.

Mashed Potatoes and Mixed Greens

   We both ordered the same sides, mashed potatoes and mixed veggies, and they too were delicious. The vegetables included collard greens with shredded carrots and squash with a hint of lemon added.

   For desert, Liz had a New York Style Cheesecake which she enjoyed very much, and that’s coming from a genuine New Yorker. I had the chocolate ice cream, because I am an unrepentant ice cream addict, and it was awesome. Real, rich, delicious ice cream, not that cheap soft-serve crap found in most restaurants.

   If you’re tired of the restaurants in Holtville and looking for something different, and you don’t mind paying a little more, check out The Fields. I personally can't wait to go back and try a few more of the dishes.