Leona Heights Neighborhood News

by Gordon Laverty

Saturday, October 9, was a great day in the eastern part of the Leona Heights area at the Leona Neighborhood Party. Marilyn King headed up a sterling committee to provide a 1-to-5-p.m. "Fun with your neighbors" get-together. About 60 new and old neighbors attended, taking time to chat in the shade and eat on a lovely afternoon at the King residence. Pedro assembled his barbecue pit, supplied tri-tips or ribs, and barbecued them on the spot. Bob provided great baked beans, and many others brought side dishes, salads, and desserts (all nonfat). Marilyn was helped by Monica, Christy, and Pedro's wife, Auricelli. Nametags celebrated the number of years different people had lived in the area. And a table displayed information on earthquake safety, health, and neighborhood watch subjects. Home-watch signup sheets were available to help reinstitute our home-watch cell organization. Music, both live and recorded, made for good humming and conversation background. One attendee, Lucy Suchan Smith, whose family came to Leona in 1929, made an ecstatic assessment of the event. Later she said, "Our neighborhood get-together was wonderful. Everyone was so happy and joyful! Old neighbors shared stories and history with new neighbors in a marvelous experience. I remember Leona with horses, rabbits, and other animals ... and am so glad most are still enhancing the nature of our area. Identity and belonging are a vital and memorable part of our neighborhood. I do hope we can do this again." So, thank you, Lucy, Marilyn and committee. It was great! And now for an update on the Leona Quarry housing project. Several significant landslides have been observed as the grading for the roads and building sites continues. One slide appears, at this writing, to be serious enough to affect street and building site location as originally planned, especially if winter rains hasten and aggravate soil stability further. Some of us "told you so" during planning arguments last year. Meanwhile, with construction of the enlarged runoff stabilization basin moving along, we certainly hope it can perform well.