Meet Me in the Stairwell
A tribute to 9-11-01

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news on Sept. 11, 2001. Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke-filled room with a man who called his wife to say “Goodbye.” I held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, “Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK. I am ready to go.”

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to me for help. “I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!” I said. “Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in me now.”

I was at the base of the building with the priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan. I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know me.

Some met me for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear me calling to them through the smoke and flames: “Come to me... this way... take my hand.” Some chose, for the final time, to ignore me. But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you. But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are “ready to go.”

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

Attributed to Tom Cusack
Forwarded by Rachel

Public Services Are Cut First

Mission Viejo City Hall might be short on cash, but it continues to roll out a glossy magazine. The fall/winter edition of “Mission Viejo Outlook” arrived in residents’ mailboxes last week. Even in the best of times, taxpayers should protest such waste – puff-piece articles with no substance.

Calling it a cost-cutting measure, the city recently reduced the number of Planning Commission meetings to one a month. While demand for permits and other approvals is down with the economy, essential public services should not be the first to go. Residents are enduring cuts, but City Hall is preserving its magazine and other fun stuff – staff parties, the character program and awards and gifts city employees bestow on each other.

The hidden costs of the Outlook magazine go beyond photographers, writers, editors, producers, printing and postage. Staff members – full-time employees with benefits – work on the magazine. Much of the rewritten drivel in the Outlook has already appeared elsewhere: online, Saddleback Valley News, the electronic message board and flyers distributed at the library and community center.

On page 7 of the Outlook, under the heading “Bulletin,” a photo of houses in a flood could have referred to the Planning Commission’s July 11 approval of UDR Inc.’s 320 apartments below an earthen dam on east Los Alisos Blvd. Instead, the article touts guidance from FEMA. According to Jay Leno, FEMA stands for Fix Everything My A**. The city certainly “fixed” north Mission Viejo with UDR’s project. The article on page 7, “Flood insurance may be right for you,” is timely with the Planning Commission’s 3-2 decision to approve the apartments and the council’s 3-2 decision to deny the appeal ( http://www.missionviejoca.org/News/2011_Q3/2011-08-20/article1/article1.html ).

The city looks hard up for material to fill the current 16-page Outlook. On pages 12-13, residents can read about Saddleback College students in a cooking class, which has nothing to do with the city. Pages 8-9 are about business renovations around town – private enterprise unrelated to City Hall. In contrast, the city’s big “accomplishments” are the pricey brown pots and banners along Oso and the further esthetic assault of Crown Valley. The pillars and medians are a mess. No wonder City Hall is attempting to slip in Saddleback College and the private sector – taking credit for things it didn’t do.

The real story – throwing away money while cutting public services – wasn’t published.

Non-government Events

Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private enterprise.

Kaleidoscope, Mon., Sept. 5, activities throughout the day at the center’s shops and restaurants include the 6:00 p.m. Derby Deli & Dueling Piano Bar’s “West Coast Hot Dog Eating Championship,” 27741 Crown Valley Parkway, Mission Viejo, http://gokaleidoscope.com

Hyundai Hope on Wheels, Mon., Sept. 5, 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., 5K Walk and Celebration of Life Family Fun Day, benefiting Children’s Hospital Orange County. Rancho Santa Margarita City Hall, 22112 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita, http://www.hyundaihopeonwheels.org

Toshiba Tall Ships Festival, Fri.-Sat.-Sun., Sept. 9-11, Dana Point, (949) 496-2274, http://tallshipsfestival.com

Silverado Reality Mud Run, Sat., Sept. 10, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Irvine Lake Park in Silverado, to benefit Survivor/Stand Up 2 Cancer. Food and beverage vendors. Register or get information, (949) 515-9540. http://www.irvinelakemudrun.com/realitymudrun

Doheny Days Music Festival, Doheny State Beach, Sat.-Sun., Sept. 10-11, entertainment, exhibits, vendors, food and more. Information about the festival: http://dohenydays.com
Doheny State Beach, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, (949) 496-6172, http://dohenystatebeach.org

Annual Taste of Newport, Fri.-Sat.-Sun, Sept. 16-18, Fashion Island, 600 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, (949) 729-4400, http://tasteofnewport.com

Lake Mission Viejo JazzFest & Taste of the Lake, Sat., Sept. 17, 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Lake Mission Viejo, (949) 770-1313, www.lakemissionviejo.org

Oktoberfest at St. Kilian, Sat.-Sun., Sept. 24-25, St. Kilian Catholic Church, 26872 Estanciero Drive, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-4440, http://www.stkilianchurch.org

Dozynki Harvest Festival, Sept. 17-18, Pope John Paul Polish Center, 3999 Rose Dr., Yorba Linda, (714) 996-8161, http://www.polishcenter.org

“Lake Eerie,” Lake Mission Viejo, Fri.-Sat., Oct. 21-22. Details to be announced. (949) 770-1313, http://www.lakemissionviejo.org

Farmers Market (ongoing each week), nearby locations:
Tues., 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Irvine, Farmers Market, 13042 Old Myford Road
Wed., 9 a.m.-1 p.m., RSM, Farmers Market, Dove Cyn Dr. at Plano Trabuco Rd Wed., 3-7 p.m., San Juan Cap., Farmers Market, El Camino Real & Yorba St.
Fri., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Laguna Hills, Laguna Hills Mall Parking Lot
Sat., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Dana Point, La Plaza Park at Golden Lantern
Sat., 8 a.m. – noon, Irvine, Bridge and Campus Drive, across from UCI
Sun., 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Irvine, The Great Park, Marine Way off Sand Canyon
Sun., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Laguna Niguel, Plaza de la Paz Shopping Center
Sun., 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., San Clemente, Avenida del Mar at S. Calle Seville

Political and Government Events Calendar

10th Anniversary Remembrance of 9/11, Mon., Sept. 5, to Sun., Sept. 11, with a week-long series of ceremonies, patriotic concerts and a special display with regard to the 9-11-01 terrorist attacks and the effort to combat global terrorism, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 993-5075, http://nixonfoundation.org

South Orange County California Republican Assembly, Thurs., Sept. 8. Attendees arriving for dinner prior to the meeting should be there between 5:30 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Featured speaker will be Greg Powers, who serves as SOCRA’s VP. Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot, 26701 Verdugo St., San Juan Capistrano, (949) 493-9593. RSVP to Denise Hickey at mdcthick@cox.net or (949) 395-1049

Rush Limbaugh Club Orange County, Sat., Sept. 10, 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Casta Del Sol Golf Club, 27601 Casta Del Sol Road, Mission Viejo. Featured speaker will be Lisa Snell, director of education and child welfare at the Reason Foundation. RSVP to (949) 487-5288, http://www.rushlimbaughcluboc.com

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, regular meeting Mon., Sept. 12, 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Community Relations on Wed., Sept.7, 9:00 a.m., Engineering and Operations on Mon., Sept. 12, 9:00 a.m., Finance and I.T. on Wed., Sept. 14, 9:00 a.m. and Board of Directors on Thurs., Sept. 15, 5:30 p.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx

Orange County Board of Supervisors, Tues., Sept. 13, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. No Aug. 30 or Sept. 6 meeting. September meetings will be held on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20 (but not on Sept. 27). http://www.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors

Saddleback Valley Unified School District board meeting is scheduled Tues., Sept. 13, 6:15 p.m., 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo,(949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., Sept. 15, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Featured speaker Dr. Uwe Siemon-Netto will discuss the unaccounted for Iraqi biological weapons. Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, (949) -360-1717

Performance by concert pianist Michael Sellers, Sun., Sept. 18, 2:00 p.m., Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Free concerts are held Sundays, except when otherwise noted, and are open to the public. Doors open at 1:15 p.m., and concerts begin at 2:00 p.m., 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://events.nixonfoundation.org/concerts/

South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, Mon., Sept. 26. Meeting times unless otherwise posted: open session convenes at 5 p.m.., followed by adjournment to closed session, open session reconvenes at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., adjournment by 9:00 p.m. Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room, Room 145, Health Sciences/District Offices Building, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4999, https://www.socccd.edu

Taste of Capo, Capistrano Valley High School, Oct. 21, 6:00 p.m., $15 presale and $20 at the door. More than 20 booths, good-size samples of food from each restaurant, 26301 Via Escolar, Mission Viejo, (949) 364-6100.

El Toro Water District Community Advisory Group Meeting, Thurs., Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch served at 11:30; meeting starts at noon, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com

The Buzz

From the Sept. 2 Patriot Post: The Foundation, "Here comes the orator! With his flood of words, and his drop of reason." --Benjamin Franklin

“The economy added no jobs in August, the first time net job growth has been zero since World War II -- when everyone had jobs. … Barack Obama has been gracious enough to return from vacation at Martha's Vineyard, golf clubs in tow, to bless the nation with his teleprompted wisdom. In fact, so great is the moment and so deep are his thoughts that the president started a political football game with his request for yet another speech before a joint session of Congress.” Read the article at http://patriotpost.us/edition/2011/09/02/digest/

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The economy has fallen and it can’t get up. Neither can Obama: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking _poll

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High numbers of English-learning students left California schools when their immigrant patents returned to their native countries to look for work. For amusement, consider the claims from school superintendents and other spinners who are taking credit for improved test scores, as if “new methodologies and educational leadership” are really paying off.

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Update from Tea Party Patriot Robert Homesley, “Ann Barnhardt and Orly Taitz will join us on Thurs., Sept. 8, ( www.longliveamerica.com ) to discuss the atrocities taking place within our courts to prevent anything being discovered about Obama's obviously fake Connecticut Social Security Number. Any doubters please go to http://longliveamerica.com/long-live-america-media/  and examine it yourself. Please tune in, www.longliveamerica.com .”

LONG LIVE AMERICA is on from 8:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. on KCEO AM 1000, and all info about the show is at www.longliveamerica.com . Please call in to be part of the show, (760) 931-1604.

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Here’s an excerpt from OC Supv. Bill Campbell’s Sept. 2 newsletter. “Orange County Transportation Authority Public Member Appointment Update: The OCTA Executive Committee held a special meeting to interview five additional candidates for the vacant Public Member position on the OCTA Board. The applicants interviewed were Hamid Bahadori of Mission Viejo, Michael Hennessey of North Tustin, Justin McCusker of Rancho Santa Margarita, Eddie Northern of Coto de Caza, and Michael Ward of Anaheim. Following the additional interviews, the Committee recommended Roy Shahbazian, Eddie Northern and Michael Hennessey to the full Board for consideration for the public member seat. The Board will interview and consider these individuals for the vacant position at the September 26th OCTA Board meeting.”

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Also from Campbell’s Sept. 2 newsletter, a special Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for Tues., Sept. 6, 10:00 a.m., to discuss the Strategic Real Estate/Facility Issues and Board Policy Directives for addressing workforce facilities and master planning, county land development opportunities and capital improvement projects. Also during this meeting, the second public hearing and Ordinance reading for Orange County redistricting will take place. If the Ordinance is approved, the new county districts will take effect on Oct. 6, 2011.

The next regular OC Board of Supervisors meeting is Tues., Sept. 13, 9:30 a.m.