Senate Takes The Bite Out of AB 1077

In their July 6, 2011 regular session the California Senate amended Assembly Bill 1077. The amended bill no longer prohibits incompatible development within 2 ½ miles of the boundary of Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park. The amended bill only requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to notify the State Parks and Recreation Commission about any proposed Development that may impact the park; and for the commission to hold a public hearing. Approval of development projects will still remain with the Tulare County officials.

Stephen Hill, Sr.

Midge Williams



No, that’s not English. It’s Midge Williams, granddaughter of Joshua Singleton owner of the Singletons Grocery Store in Allensworth, singing Lazy Bones in Japanese. She recorded this song while touring China and Japan.

Born in 1915 Virginia “Midge” Louise Williams lived in Allensworth until she moved to Berkeley, California in 1929. She began her career with the Williams Quartette; Midge and her three brothers, John Lewis Jr., Robert, and Charles.

After touring the Far East Williams returned to the United States and performed with jazz greats like Fats Waller, Glen Miller, and Louis Armstrong. Her own band, Midge Williams and her Jazz Jesters, performed at the Apollo Theater and the Savoy Ball Room.

Midge Williams passed away in 1952from tuberculosis.

You can read more about her career on Wikipedia and you can purchase her music on Amazon. You can also hear more samples of her songs on YouTube.



Stephen Hill, Sr.

Allensworth Teacher Moves to Ghana

Thirty-six years after completing a three year post-graduate teaching program with the Peace Corps, former Allensworth teacher, Herman Davis moves back to Ghana. When he came back to the United States he got a job teaching at Allensworth. He told Press Telegram reporter Bob Keisser that he was the “principal, teacher, and bus driver”.

After leaving Allensworth Davis worked at a number of other schools before he landed a job as a math teacher and assistant football coach at his alma mater Long Beach Polytechnic High. Other alumni of Polytechnic High, “home of scholars & champions”, include tennis legend Billie Jean King, baseball hall of famer Tony Gwyn, actress and former model Cameron Diaz, and rapper Snoop Dogg.

Coach Herman Davis is a major character is the 2003 book “One Great Game: Two Teams, Two Dreams, in the First Ever National Championship High School Football Game”, a story about the October 6, 2001 game between two football powerhouses. Ranked by USA Today as the two top high school football teams; De La Salle a predominantly white, all male, catholic high school and Long Beach Ploy a racially diverse inner-city high school; face off in a highly emotional game.

In 2005 Long Beach Poly was number one on the Sports Illustrated list of “The 25 Best High School Athletic Programs”. The Jackrabbits football program has had over 50 players go to the NFL, including; Brandon Whiting-San Francisco 49ers, Omar Stoutmire-New York Giants, Samie Parker-Kansas City Chiefs, Kareem Kelly-Baltimore Ravens and Margues Anderson-Oakland Raiders.

Over his 27 years as assistant coach of the Jackrabbits Davis has become “an institution memory of the football program” and one of the most respected men in Long Beach.

Stephen Hill, Sr.

“Scat To Rap” Music Festival

After years of being shuffled from foster home to foster home an estimated 5,000 California youth are emancipated or “age out” of the foster care system every year. Within six months of being released from the system 50% of them will be living under highway overpasses, in abandon cars, and in tent cities, not knowing when or where their next meal will come from.

The West East Community Access Network Foundation (WE CAN Foundation) in association with other California community groups are having the Allensworth “Scat To Rap” Family Music Festival to raise funds to assist the emancipated youth of Los Angeles, Tulare, and Kern counties.

 

Festival entertainment will include Gospel, Jazz, Blues, Reggae, Spoken Word, and oral history narratives. The “Allensworth Trading Post” will have food, arts & crafts, vendors, exhibitors, and children’s activities.

 

The general admission ticket price is $15.00 (provide your own transportation), $30.00 (vanpool), or $45.00 (charter bus). Vanpools and Charter buses in Los Angeles will be leaving the Leimert Park parking lot adjacent to 4329 Degnan promptly at 8:30 AM. For attendees from Northern California, Amtrak has a direct stop at Allensworth. Call the We Can office for further details at (323) 293-9845.

 

Purchase tickets at:

•  www.brownpapertickets.com/event/162407
• Bless-Ed Love at 1404 W. Vernon Ave., Los Angeles 90062
• Ackee Bamboo Jamaican Cuisine, 4305 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles 90008

For vendor or volunteer information or overnight camping call WE CAN Foundation at (323) 293-9845 or Kimberly and Robert Garcia at (323) 292-5214. http://doo-wop2hiphop.com/

 

 
What: Allensworth “Scat To Rap” Music Festival

 

When: Saturday, September 10, 2011

 

Time: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

 

Where: Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park

 

Cost: $15.00 general admission
          $30.00 vanpool
          $45.00 charter bus
      

 

 

 

Evening Under The Shooting Stars

Come enjoy an evening under the shooting stars of the Delta Aquarids meteor shower with the interpretive staff of Colonel Allensworth State Historic park. The Delta Aquarids meteor shower typically reaches a hourly rate of 10 and occurs each year from July 16 to September 10 in the northern hemisphere.

The program will start at the visitor center parking lot at 9:00 pm with a brief description of constellations and the life cycle of the meteor.

Bring your lounge chairs, binoculars, flashlight, water and refreshments and enjoy an evening under the shooting stars.

When: Friday, July 29th

Where: Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park

Time: 9:00 – 12:00 pm

Cost: $6.00 per car

For more information call (661-849-3433 or (661) 849-3443

 
 
Stephen Hill, Sr.