Fire on Garey

UPDATE (10:11 pm)

Garey is still closed from Alvarado to Pearl with more fire engines than I think I've ever seen in the area outside a major forest fire.

Just got back from the 2nd Saturday Art Walk and the fire was the topic on everyone's lips. Here's what I heard:

The Garden is completely destroyed as are Pam Henry's two homes on the lot next door. It looks like the Victorian to the north of The Garden has only peripheral damage.

Reports are that the fire actually started in a tree a couple blocks away on Park Ave, but then skipped over Gordon Street and, carried by the high winds, caught at The Garden. I'm sure that there will be further updates on this as information comes in.

Thanks to all those who have responded. I spoke with Meg and she definitely wants us to use this blog for anything that will help. Johanna, thanks so much for letting us know that Pam and her family is safe. I know that Dawn and Fred were out of town when all of this occurred.

Original Posting

This just in. There is a fire burning just off Garey Avenue at about Kingsley. A report from a neighbor on Jefferson was that it's the property of Dawn and Fred Van Allen's home, The Garden, and some adjacent structuress. At this point it's completely unknown what's going on.

I was unaware of it from my home but a short drive down Bradford to Jefferson saw a huge plume of black smoke coming from the south and when I got to Jefferson and Garey it looked to be a very large fire, but I couldn't see much from that angle.

Please let us know anyone out there who has information.

Let's all hope for the best for Dawn and Fred, and their neighbor Pam Henry, as well as the buildings adjacent owned by the First Baptist Church.

Students Shine.........in Pomona?

OK, OK, here I'll go, and admit that I am a parent of PUSD students. I know what you might be thinking...........Are you a lunatic, naive, or just an irresponsible parent? I forgot economically-challenged (PC for being too poor to pay for private schools). Since apparently, participants in blogosphere shouldn't disclose too much personal information, let's just say I might be all four, or I might not. **And please don't go asking my kids!**

But enough about me. Really I just wanted to pass along a couple of "news" stories I read on the PUSD website.

Garey High: Jesus Cueva, Arlene Cortes, Claudia Serrano, Marlen Mendoza, and Alexis Armendariz volunteered their time and artistic ability to paint a ballwall at Mendoza Elementary. And to you pundits out there, no, they didn't get arrested for graffiti. Who would guess such civic-minded young people call Garey High School.....their high school.

Garey High and Ganesha High: For you soccer fans, Garey High School boys soccer team won the Baseline League title, while Ganesha High School won the Valle Vista title. All three, Pomona, Ganesha, and Garey made it to the postseason play in boys soccer.

Ganesha and Diamond Ranch: Not to be outdone, almost 30 students from these two high schools volunteered their time at "Storybook night" which was put on by the Ranch Hills Elementary PTA. My hats off to the individual(s) that came up with this idea and to the teenagers that participated.

Diamond Ranch and Village Academy: US News and World Report has selected these two high schools in its list of outstanding schools. Can you imagine that?

Emerson Middle School: This one might be my personal favorite. A group of students from Michael Konick's class "edged 300 other California middle schools to reach the regional finals of the Future Cities Project competition with a positive -- and positively exciting! -- vision of Pomona's future." You can find an article on these students in the Daily Bulletin. And just think, this accomplishment from students a local realtor recently described to me as looking "rowdy".

Marshall Middle School: 47 students recently moved from the category "English Learners" to "Fluent English Proficient". Wow, I wish could brag about being fluent in two languages. Now I almost feel like contacting my old Spanish teachers just to apologize.

I guess you can't always tell what's on the inside when you're only looking from the outside.