Ramona, CA

For Love of the Game Bunco Group Rolls the Dice for Decades By Regina Elling       My husband calls it giggle-dice," says Terri Struiksma. And after attending just one Bunco night, it's easy to see why. The dice roll and the laughter flows at least once a month, when a group of Ramona women get together to play Bunco. Even after nearly 30 years of the monthly meet... More ... A Valentine Jubilee By Tracy Rolling       Inside the cathedral walls of a San Diego Methodist Church on August 14, 1947, Reverend Warmer asked a 26-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman if they promised to love and cherish each other, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, all of the days of their lives. More ... The Village Smithy By Darrell Beck       In early Ramona, as in all frontier towns, the open doors of the blacksmith's shop offered a friendly gathering place for villagers who were attracted to the sound of the smith's hammer striking the anvil, ringing out on the town's quiet street. The cheerful sparks flying from the forge wer... More ... Fire Survivors Group Offers Help and Hope By Regina Elling       One of the worst wildfire disasters in San Diego history is fast becoming a memory for some Ramona residents. But for those who were directly affected, every day brings new obstacles and hurdles they must continue to negotiate. The local fire survivors group is doing everything they ... More ... FEMA Still Assisting Fire Victims       The FEMA deadline to register after the October fires was Jan. 9, but FEMA is still helping victims. Under certain circumstances, some fire victims may still register with the agency. FEMA urges residents to call its helpline, 800-621-FEMA (TTY 800-462-7585) Monday through Saturday from... More ... Fire Safe Council Offers Free Chipping Service       The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County, in partnership with the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County, is offering a no-cost chipping service for fuel reduction to property owners in Ramona, Julian, Santa Ysabel, Warner Springs and other communities in the county. More ... Michael Richard Chappelle April 14, 1943 - January 9, 2008       Michael Richard Chappelle died on January 9, 2008, at the age of 64. Born on April 14, 1943, in Glendale, CA, he lived in Ramona for 10 years. A successful insurance agent with Farmers Insurance for 40 years, he graduated from Newport Harbor High School and attended Orange Coast College and... More ... Gary Luce 1946-2008 In Building for Others, He Built a Legacy By Regina Elling       With a cheerful "we can build that," Gary Luce proceeded to build it-whatever "it" happened to be. Despite a lengthy hospitalization, until his passing in January 2008, Luce kept right on building things. "Gary just wouldn't let anything stand in his way," says his wife of 40... More ... John Pickle A Lifetime of Cars, Art and Horses April 16, 1947- Jan 2, 2008       Ramona resident and businessman John Pickle died on January 2, as the result of a brain hemorrhage. Pickle was born April 16, 1947. Pickle was the owner of the Toy Box, located on D Street. Here, he completed work on rods, customs and restorations. A lifelong lover of cars, he was th... More ... Experts Expect an Eclipse By Tracy Rolling       Wednesday, Feb. 20 is predicted to be unlike any other Wednesday of the year. Scientists say a total eclipse of the moon will occur at 7:01 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. The eclipse will last approximately 50 minutes, with a partial eclipse that will be difficult to see because it oc... More ... Gwynn Says He Had Suspicions About Steroids By Johnny McDonald       Tony Gwynn spoke before his legion of admirers about the steroid era and another Aztec baseball season and he applauded the entry of two former Padres' selection into the Hall of Fame. Once again, the man who played 20 seasons for the Padres drew the largest luncheon audience (Jan. 8)... More ... Keep The Car Longer And Save Money By Johnny McDonald       Maybe this is bad timing since the auto industries are filling showrooms to pitch sales for their 2008 models, BUT... Consumer Reports magazine takes a longer outlook by revealing you can save nearly $31,000 by keeping your car for 15 years, or 225,000 miles of driving. More ... Business Briefs       New Online Booking Service for Rain Salon Rain salon offers hair styling services, tanning beds, permanent makeup and an oxygen bar. And as of February, Rain offers online appointment booking service. Owner Dianna Berg said, "My idea was to bring something different and unique to Ramona... More ... www.RamonaEvents.com       SUPPORT GROUPS Al-Anon Al-Anon Serenity Group meets at 8 a.m. Saturdays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at North Rural Recovery Center, 323 Hunter St. Visit www.alanon sandiego.org. Alzheimer's Support Group The Alzheimer's Support Group meets the third Wednesday of each mont... More ...      The preschoolers of Busy Bee Day Care Center recently toured a local fire station, where they met fire fighters and tried on the fire-fighting gear. More ...