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Hughson Chronicle/ Denair Dispatch, Hughson, CA (2024)

09/11/2015

Hughson Youth Football junior varsity defensemen limited their opponents to 19 points in Hughson’s Aug. 29 rout of Riverbank. The HYF varsity team also overwhelmed their northern opponents. (Photo by Frank George)

Hughson Youth Football sweeps Riverbank
By Frank George
Whatever it was Hughson Youth Football had to work out, they sure worked it out. The varsity, junior varsity and novice teams swept their Riverbank counterparts Aug. 29, 32-0, 48-19 and 19-0 respectively.
“Basically, I’m happy because we did what we were supposed to do as a team,” varsity coach Derek Ross stated. ’”Cause the week before we did not play well. So we just got back to basics and the kids played better. They played a lot better.”
Hughson lost to Argonaut 35-12 Aug. 22.
“But I would like to see them again because I think we can beat them,” Coach declared. “It just wasn’t our time yet.”
Ross has a young team this season consisting mostly of seventh-graders. That doesn’t mean they’re inexperienced.
Lineman Brighton Price roughed up Argonaut from both sides of the line while tight end/defensive end Clay Doughty also played outstanding, according to Ross.
“JC Davies, fullback and defensive end, he had a big run for a touchdown,” Ross added. “Our tailback, Zander DeLaCruz, he plays outside linebacker and tailback, he played well on both sides of the ball.”
Quarterback Kendall DeLaRosa also had a better week. He led the team much better than the week prior and played well on defense (outside linebacker), Ross noted.
Ross has been coaching Hughson Youth Football since 1989. He likes coaching at this level because eighth-graders are “out there and they want to get better.” They want to work hard and he watches them grow as players and young men.
“And they make you laugh every day because really they’re kids,” Ross stated. “They’re 12 and 13 year olds. It’s just fun to coach them.”
Joining in the fun are assistants Paul Gose, Norm Fahey, Jason Davis, Scott Summers, Oscar Ramos, Eric Banuelos and Adan Padilla; a huge staff for a Pop Warner team.
“I’m telling you everyone has a role,” Ross explicated. “We all do. Coaching different groups, it’s kind of awesome.”
Hughson went 9-3 last season, losing in the Motherlode Valley Football League Superbowl to Calaveras, 6-0.
“It was a good game,” Ross recalled. “We definitely had our opportunities to win and didn’t, but we only have two returning players from that team so we’re still getting to know the kids and we’re getting better every week and they’re working hard and that’s what I love.”
Meanwhile junior varsity coach Jeff Rawe said his offensive line did “an awesome job” Aug. 29. Lineman Julian Rivera, Joshua Muzquiz, Ryan Wheatley, Duggan Osborne, Baltazar Negrete and Andew Seniseros led the way for running back Nolan Rawe. Rawe rushed for an incredible 350 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
ALSO IN THE SEPTEMBER 15 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH:
• Hughson JV football
• Hughson Youth Football
• Denair Municipal Advisory Council
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

09/11/2015

Monserrat Baryjas smiles with the Sony PlayStation 4 she earned by winning the Stanislaus County Library’s Teen Summer Reading Challenge. The 12-year-old also enjoys drawing and painting. She makes pillows, she loves gaming and she watches comedy sketches on YouTube. (Courtesy photo)

Reads over 140 hours at the library
Ross middle schooler wins county wide reading challenge

By Frank George
Monserrat Baryjas, age 12, can’t resist reading, even in the middle of an interview.
And why not? The Emilie J. Ross Middle School eighth-grader just won Stanislaus County Library’s Teen Summer Reading Challenge and she’s got a Sony PlayStation 4 to prove it. Monserrat logged 140 hours at the library over the summer.
“That’s about a week’s reading, non-stop,” Hughson librarian Heather Bailey pointed out.
The contest ran May 2-Aug. 4. Adult and children summer reading challenges coincided. But none of the children read more books than Monserrat.
The tween said she likes the stories found within the pages. She finds them fascinating. She enjoys fantasy. Lately she’s perusing “The Hobbit.”
“I also just like, I just read a lot of different kinds of books,” she continued. “I can’t keep up on what types of books I’m reading.”
Jose and Bernice Baryjas’ daughter also enjoys drawing and painting. She makes pillows and of course she loves gaming and she watches lots of comedy sketches on YouTube.
Like many artists, “Monse” as she prefers to be called, admits she’s not great at math. She wants to become a veterinarian or a “YouTuber” when she grows up. YouTubers are compensated for the videos they post. She has two brothers, 14-year-old Kevin and Manuel, 16.
In the meantime, how’d she the name?
“It came from French,” she explained. “It’s an island, it’s a city and it’s a volcano. I just like thinking it’s a unique name.”
ALSO IN THE SEPTEMBER 15 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH:
• Hughson JV football
• Hughson Youth Football
• Denair Municipal Advisory Council
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

09/11/2015

HAIL CESAR! Cuevas leads Huskies past Vikings

By Dick Griffin
Using a stubborn, hard nose defense and an offense that struggled in the first half and then exploded in the second, Hughson won their football season opener against Johansen High from Modesto 34-0. The Huskies saw Cesar Cuevas and Justice Futch score a pair of touchdowns in the second half after quarterback Walter Fountain scored on a seven yard run in the second quarter for a 7-0 halftime lead.
The Hughson defense turned in a sterling performance, as they held the Vikings to but 188 yards and were completely in control on this hot night. The Vikings seemed to tire in the second half, and the Husky defense, led by Futch, D.J. Sexton, Richie Herrera, Logan Rawe, Michael Stewart, and Logan Novotny, prevented any sustained drive by Johansen.

ALSO IN THE SEPTEMBER 15 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH:
• Hughson JV football
• Hughson Youth Football
• Denair Municipal Advisory Council
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

09/02/2015

Students and faculty participate in Club Rush Week at Hughson High Aug. 27. Somewhat similar to fraternity and sorority rush weeks at colleges and universities, students were encouraged to sign up for on campus organizations such as HOPE, Hispanic Youth Leadership Club and Mock Trial, in which students will be participating through Stanislaus County court. (Photo by Frank George)

Club Rush Week
Getting involved is a way of life at Hughson High

By Frank George
It was Club Rush Week at Hughson High with a record number of clubs (14) in the quad recruiting students.
“We're especially excited about some of our new clubs, like Model United Nations and a new program called ‘Life of a Husky’ that might be worth checking out,” noted Brooke Nawrocki, Associated Student Body public relations officer.
Booths were set up during both lunch hours as students pondered membership in the searing heat. The Chronicle and Dispatch talked to some of the club leaders about their passion.
Representing FFA, chapter president Mark Borges:
“Our membership I think is over 350 people. It’s a club and it’s also kind of like a program here on campus. So once you’re in an agriculture education class you’re automatically enrolled in FFA. With being in FFA there’s a lot of different community service events, leadership development events; all kinds of things that FFA comes with. So we have our first school meeting next week. The freshmen, I know some are going to what’s called ‘the green hand leadership conference,’ a green hand is just a first year ag member. And so they’re all going to the green hand leadership conference to basically kind of get their feet wet in FFA and really kind of learn about what it is. And so with FFA there comes all these leadership development events and conferences and other stuff.”
Brooke Nawrocki, Help Our Planet Earth:
“HOPE is a newly implemented program at HHS for sustainability. Someone started a recycling program last year and the HOPE club helps out by sorting through their recyclables, doing all that stuff. And then, me and one other person, Ricardo Ramirez …so we actually have a class period second period where we go through the school and collect all the recyclables, paper and plastics and cans every day. And then once a month we’re going to have sorting days, where our whole HOPE club comes together and sorts. And we’re also going to be doing some river cleanup days, stuff like that. So we’re hoping to get like a greater green image at our school. This year we’ve had so far about a dozen people sign up. But we’re going to go talk to Greg’s club, which is Community Service Club and get them involved in our club. It’s going to go back towards the HOPE club to buy recycling bins, stuff like that.”
Greg Ga***rd, Key Club/Model United Nations:
“Key Club International, which is a community service club where we like to better our own community and communities around us through community service and volunteer work. So whenever someone needs an event or something we kind of go and do the grunt work where we set up tables. We cooked hot dogs at one event. And that’s a great club it’s an international club and we have monthly meetings with our district. We have 75 kids that singed up as of now. Model United Nations, it’s one of my favorite clubs personally, just because I’m a big debate guy and I want to go into poly-sci. I got a good list of people signed up. So as soon as people commit I can get a list of people and then we can sign up and get our countries. But the earlier we sign up the better country we get. I was Russia one year and that was really cool.”
Kenadee Valencia, California Scholarship Federation:
“It’s a club that just kind of honors and rewards kids that are having good grades. So you have to have a 3.5 or better to qualify and you have to be a second semester freshman to get in. My GPA? Currently, well, last semester, I had a 4.25. You need to have to have one semester of your transcripts from high school so that you can qualify for the club. And in previous years it’s just been all about saving our money to get scholarships. So this year we want to really focus on having you know having scholarships to reward students but as well as we want to do little prizes and rewards and do trips to give everybody something to reward them for getting their grades. Because we work really hard for what we do. Last year we had around 40 and this year we’re just recruiting we have our first meeting next Friday. I would expect probably 50 there. I know a lot of people are interested. I think all of us who are in the clubs we work really hard to do what we do. Because it is a small school we all sort of intermix in our clubs. So I think that’s a really cool aspect about going to a small school. I may be president of CSF but I’m also going to be involved in HOPE Club and Model Un and I’m the vice president of Key Club and I’m part of the Spirit Club and all of us kind of intermix like that. So I think it’s just really cool that we all kind of borrow ideas and we all kind of reflect ideas off of each other and see what’s working for other clubs to better ourselves.”
Keona Estevam, Spirit Group and Life of a Husky:
“I’m also involved in other club such as CSF HOPE club and Key Club Spirit Group FFA it’s more of a group as a whole, as a school. So we encourage students to follow Life of a Husky. And Life of a Husky it’s pretty much implemented from a few years back. We had a giant presentation from these marines. What the basis of that was to live, healthy alcohol and drugs free. So we’ve implemented that into Life of a Husky. So we encourage our students to live that way to live that way as well, just to live a healthy life style and just to be AOD free. But Spirit Group goes along with that as in we want to live up to our Husky expectations. We don’t want to be below average we want to be as spirited as we can and just go to as many school functions. Life of a Husky you have to sign a pledge. We have Leadership Academy which is really centralized on LOH, all about learning it and living it.

ALSO IN THE SEPTEMBER 1 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH:
• Hughson girls golf
• Husky volleyball
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

09/02/2015

Hughson Council concurs with grand jury findings on prison realignment and Prop. 47

By Frank George
Hughson City Council on Aug. 24 unanimously supported the civil grand jury’s response to local affects from prison realignment and Proposition 47.
Both measures are not popular with local law enforcement and Council Member Jill Silva had a lot to say about them. Silva is chief probation officer for the county and she chairs Stanislaus County Community Corrections Partnership. The CCP was formed in 2011 to respond to prison realignment.
Silva said realignment basically transferred state prisoners to local jails. The CCP subsequently located funding to add almost 500 beds to Stanislaus County Jail.
“What’s probably been the silver lining to that now is with the number of drug offenders that can no longer be held in custody, those offenders of the worst crimes are being held for more time,” Silva added.
Silva said police are seeing significant increases in domestic violence throughout the county. And as felonies downsized to misdemeanors, it’s been harder to convince some drug offenders to accept treatment.
“They’re happy to spend a couple weeks in jail and get out and be done with it,” Silva said. “And they’re no longer supervised in our community.”
In background, the city received the Stanislaus County Civil Grand Jury report on the effects of prison realignment and Proposition 47 back in June. Hughson city officials were asked to respond and make recommendations to Stanislaus County Superior Court.
The grand jury looked into the consequences of Assembly Bill 109, commonly referred to as “prison realignment.” Passed in 2011, AB 109 shifts responsibility for incarceration, treatment, monitoring, and supervision of some low level offenders from the state to the counties. Then voters approved Proposition 47. Unlike AB 109, Proposition 47 was effective immediately and it reclassified some crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The grand jury found both AB 109 and Proposition 47 may have some effects on public safety including increased property crimes. These are compounded by law enforcement budget cuts and Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors and city councils should restore budgets and expand police services. Community-oriented and problem-oriented policing in particular should be expanded to respond to potential challenges from AB 109 and Proposition 47.
City Manager Raul Mendez discussed the report with Mayor Matt Beekman, City Attorney Dan Schroeder and Hughson Police Services Chief Larry Seymour. They generally agreed with the findings, noting Hughson has been relying on Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services since 2001. And in the past five years, the annual actual costs (and staffing level) associated with the agreement have stayed at just under $1 million, increasing slightly each year. The four agreed the city and Hughson Police Services have worked closely with the community, local businesses, and partner agencies to maintain a very low crime rate in town. As additional public safety needs arise, the city council will have the opportunity to allocate resources accordingly, the quartet concluded.

ALSO IN THE SEPTEMBER 1 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH:
• Hughson girls golf
• Husky volleyball
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

09/02/2015

Bulbs appear to be missing from these lights at Lebright Fields. Public Works Superintendent Sam Rush said vandals have been shooting the lights at Lebright Fields, where Hughson Youth Football & Cheer is now practicing. And since it’s getting dark earlier, the lights must be fixed. (Photo by Frank George)

The future looks bright for Lebright Fields

By Frank George
Hughson Youth Football and Cheer is practicing at Lebright Fields and it’s getting dark earlier and earlier. Hence Hughson City Council agreed to fix the aging lights and make the turf safer for the young athletes.
City staff got prices for refurbishing the stadium lights and Layman Electric Inc. of Modesto got the nod. About 50 percent of the lights still work while some of the rest just need a new bulb.
Layman is replacing all the bulbs (75) with quartz style lamps. Fuses and an electrical panel will be swapped. The $5,740 cost covers parts, labor and the rental of a 125-foot cherry picker.
Public Works Superintendent Sam Rush told the Aug. 24 Hughson City Council the lights are about 100 feet in the air, hence the boom is necessary. He said many of the lights have been shot out, most with pellet guns.
“But if some of those lamps have had a bullet go through and repairing them is not feasible we’ll have to replace them,” Councilman Bud Hill observed.
Rush said no one can be sure what the extent of the damage is until someone gets up there to see.
Noting the city leases the property from Hughson Unified School District, Council Member Jill Silva wondered if the school district could chip in if costs get too high. City Manager Raul Mendez said Superintendent Brian Beck was aware of this item on the agenda and the city will ask for help if need be.
“Is there anything we can do so someone can’t shoot them out again,” Mayor Matt Beekman wondered, “Some sort of bullet proof plastic?”
Rush said Lexan lights will be installed and they tend to be a little tougher. Young wanted to know if there’s a way to make the equipment more secure. He said a lot of people will steal anything they can get their hands on.
Rush concurred, saying thieves managed to swipe wiring from poles at Rolland C. Starn Memorial Park.
“They’re creative,” Councilman George Carr acknowledged.
Rush said the city fought back, filling electrical boxes located in streets (the ones that look like water meter boxes) with gravel and/or concrete. These are the access points to electrical infrastructure to run city street lights, etc.
“It’s been successful anyplace we’ve done that,” Rush noted. “It deterred them from doing it again.”
Young agreed the light repair at Lebright is a good idea, while the fact that the lights need to be fixed “is a good indication that we have kids out there practicing. It’s a good sign that we’re using it. I would say we need to move forward with this as soon as possible.”
Later in the week Community Development Director Jaylen French said work on the lights at Lebright Fields is expected to commence late this week.

ALSO IN THE SEPTEMBER 1 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH:
• Hughson girls golf
• Husky volleyball
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

08/28/2015

Denham opens lottery for tickets to see Pope Francis

U.S. Representative Jeff Denham (R-Turlock) has opened a lottery for 10th district residents to receive tickets to see His Holiness Pope Francis of the Holy See following his address to Congress on September 24, 2015.
Following his address during a Joint Meeting of the Congress at 10 a.m. PT, Pope Francis will make a brief public appearance on the steps of the U.S. Capitol facing the West Lawn. The event is historic in that it will be the first time a reigning pontiff has addressed Congress.
A limited number of tickets are made available to each Member of Congress to distribute to constituents. These tickets are for standing-room admission to the West Lawn during the simulcast of Pope Francis’ address.
Requests for tickets will be accepted until September 4, 2015 at 5 p.m. PT. Constituents selected will receive further information regarding ticket pick up and event timing.
Ticket holders are responsible for their own transportation to and from Washington, D.C., lodging, and other trip expenses.
For more information, please visit http://denham.house.gov/pope-francis-visit.

READ MORE IN THE AUG. 25 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH
Also in the August 25 Chronicle And Dispatch:
• Denair Charter Academy awarded
• Hughson United Methodist gets a new pastor
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

08/28/2015

A decades old wood shop machine languishes at Hughson High. The old equipment will soon be surplused or recycled to make way for the upcoming Hughson High fitness center. (Photo by Frank George)

School board considers new fitness room at Hughson High
By Frank George
A new fitness center is in the works at the high school and coaches, district officials and PE teachers alike are excited. Hughson High Principal Debra Davis said Hughson Athletic Boosters approached her with the new idea for the old wood shop, a 45 by 100 foot hall with concrete and hardwood flooring.
“We don’t have a fitness center so anything that we do is going to be a step up from what we’re doing now,” Davis said late last week. “But yeah, there’s more ways to become fit than just running laps.”
An ad hoc committee consisting of coaches, teachers, athletic boosters and district personnel is being formed to get the project going. Davis told the Hughson school board PE classes and Husky athletes will be the chief beneficiaries of the new facility
“We walked the building with the booster club and we were really excited about doing a little bit of remodeling,” Davis noted at the Aug. 11 school board.
Davis said stations stocked with exercise routines based on age and skill could be installed.
“We were thinking if we were going to make changes, ‘Let’s go big,’” she stated.
They might go small with weights in the room. Olympic bars and the like will stay in the existing weight room and two pound dumbbells will go into the new fitness area.

READ MORE IN THE AUG. 25 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH
Also in the August 25 Chronicle And Dispatch:
• Denair Charter Academy awarded
• Hughson United Methodist gets a new pastor
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

08/28/2015

A road sign redirects traffic along Leedom Road at one of the almond orchards by the City of Hughson. The city is making two blocks of Non Pareil and Price trees available to interested farmers. (Photo by Frank George)

City looks for famers interested in farming city land

By Frank George
The City of Hughson is looking for farmers wanting to develop, manage and maintain a city owned almond orchard off Leedom Road. The tentative lease start and end date would be Nov. 1, 2015 and Dec. 31, 2040 respectively.
Earlier this month the city issued a Request for Proposals for farming this property near the waste water treatment plant. About eight acres had been farmed the past six years by Michael Noeller. But Hughson City Council asked staff to look into other options. These include replanting the older part of the orchard and a longer lease arrangement. The parcel contains two blocks of Non Pareil and Price varieties planted in 1975 and Butte and Padre varieties planted in 2000.
“The current agreement calls for 20 percent of the gross proceeds,” City Manager Raul Mendez stated, asked what the city will get out of the deal. “The RFP proposes a 25 percent receipt by the city and assumes replanting of the 1975 block and a longer term agreement.”
Mendez said Noeller is interested in the new offer.

READ MORE IN THE AUG. 25 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH
Also in the August 25 Chronicle And Dispatch:
• Denair Charter Academy awarded
• Hughson United Methodist gets a new pastor
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

08/20/2015

Looking at the camera in the Fox Road Elementary School cafeteria are Logan Lawler, Xavier Diep and Quinn Alvine. School started for Hughson and Denair students last Wednesday. (Photo by Frank George)

First day of school goes smoothly in Hughson
By Frank George
School started Aug. 12 for all Hughson and Denair schools and it’s a long haul now until about the 27th of May. The traffic nightmare expected at Hughson and Seventh due to roadwork, turned out to be a daydream.
“Well it was very busy and crowded,” commented Debra Davis, Hughson High principal. “But I think it went quite smooth. We had campus supervisors and administration staff out there helping.”
Meanwhile, Matthew Lawrence, a fifth-grader at Fox Road Elementary School in Hughson, commented on his first day back.
“It feels a lot different seeing all the smaller kids in fourth grade,” Matthew observed. “And now I know how it felt with the other fifth graders when I started fourth grade; how it was a lot different for them.
Matthew said he went swimming a lot over the summer and to the beach in Monterey and Santa Cruz. Also in the fifth grade at Fox, Isabella Nogues went swimming and spent a lot of time with her kittens, all of which are named after fruits and vegetables: Prune, Raisin, Huck and Olive.
“I’m happy to be back because summer was fun but there wasn’t a lot to do,” Isabella explained. “‘Cause normally we go camping. But we didn’t get to since we had the kittens.”

READ MORE IN THE AUG. 18 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH
Also in the August 18 Chronicle And Dispatch:
• New houses going up in Hughson
• A Sportside gam
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)

08/20/2015

Keith Early, American Legion Scranton & Qualle Post 872 commander, poses with his Victory Cross Country Tour. Early and his bike are headed to the American Legion convention in Baltimore and will be participating in legion events along the way. (Photo by Frank George)

Local legionnaire rides cross country for children of heroes who died in action

By Frank George
Keith Early of American Legion Scranton & Qualle Post 872 is taking his Victory Cross Country Tour motorcycle on a cross country tour.
Early rode away Aug. 17 on the Annual Legacy Run to the legion’s 97th National Convention in Baltimore. Over 500 riders from throughout the US are participating and many, including Early, are taking part in a bike rodeo along the way.
“It’s to see how your skills are on a motorcycle,” Early explained. “Riding as slow as possible, you know, weaving through cones.”
Proceeds from the charity run go to scholarships for children of American military personnel killed in action. Anyone wishing to donate can send checks to American Legion Post 872, P.O. Box 178, Hughson, CA 95326.
“We’ve never had anyone from our legion attempt this,” noted Roy Santiago, judge advocate for the Hughson post. “This is a one of a kind from our town and also the only one form the state going so far.”
Four others from 872 are headed to the Aug. 28-Sept. 3 convention, but not on a motorcycle. They include Santiago, David Smith, John Saenz and Walt Butler of the Sons of the Legion color guard. The quartet won their eighth consecutive championship at their state convention in Ontario in June and now it’s on to nationals.
READ MORE IN THE AUG. 18 HUGHSON CHRONICLE AND DENAIR DISPATCH
Also in the August 18 Chronicle And Dispatch:
• New houses going up in Hughson
• A Sportside gam
• Hughson police log
(Copies of the Chronicle and Dispatch are available in Hughson at Hughson Shell, Hamilton’s Café, Bob’s Coffee Shop, Sav-Mor Market, Main Street Deli & Bakery and Quick n Save Food Mart and in Denair at Denair Market, Denair Community Services District, Village Market, Oasis Grill & Deli, Denair Food Center and QuikStop)