The Julian News 3
February 28, 2018
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THEJULIANTREECOMPANY
Local Experience Since 1988
* Tree Consulting and Inspection
* LongTerm Forest Maintenance and Planning
* Hazardous Removal and Precision Felling
* Ornamental Pruning and Lacing
* Brush Clearing and Chipping
FREE ESTIMATES
Licensed and Bonded
Fully Insured for Your Protection
ERIC DAUBER
H: 760-765-2975
C: 760-271-9585
PO Box 254
JULIAN, CA.
92036 WE-8690A
License #945348
Julian FFA Update
The Mountains are Calling
by Tom Webber
A narrow swath of uplifted, creased earth, splashed with green,
brown, yellow and (occasionally) white, bulging up like an island
chain between coastal suburbia and the Colorado Desert. That’s
what our San Diego mountains look like from the window of a cross-
country passenger jet. Every hour of each clear day a traveler looks
down from 30,000 feet and daydreams about spending time here,
maybe buying a cabin in the woods.
Meanwhile, a few miles from Julian, someone on the way to work
takes a quick glance at a group of deer in a roadside meadow and
wishes she could stop for a closer look.
Flat-landers and mountain dwellers alike, we get stuck in our daily
routine and rarely have (or take) time to linger by the roadside, to
enjoy our fascinating backcountry. But when we decide to pause,
even for a brief time-out, we’re rejuvenated by the brisk mountain air,
the aroma of pine and sage, the views to the peaks, the chattering of
squirrels and birds. We begin to relax by hiking a few yards away from
the pavement, or simply by sitting at a picnic table and observing the
plant and animal life teeming around us.
Why not take that restorative
Nature break more often? We
don’t need to drop everything
and quit our jobs, just squeeze
an extra day or two of wildland
relaxation into the schedule. With
a minimum of planning, almost
anyone in San Diego County can
flee the urban traffic, noise and
stress, and, in about an hour,
experience a completely different
world of oaks, manzanita and
tranquility along a gently curving
two-lane mountain highway.
Several local resources make
it easy to immerse ourselves in
the natural world almost anytime.
The San Diego County Parks
Department provides three
beautiful options within just a few
minutes of downtown Julian:
William Heise County Park
is a well-maintained mountain
gem, all set up for family
enjoyment or quiet individual
meditation. Take a ramble
among the centuries-old live
oaks. You’re almost guaranteed
to be entertained by high-energy
wildlife: squawking Steller’s Jays
or Acorn Woodpeckers, frisky
gray squirrels, and strutting wild
turkeys are constantly going
about their business on a branch
or in the leaf litter, paying little
attention to the visiting two-
legged mammals. Near dusk or
dawn you might see a timid mule
deer staring back at you from the
edge of a meadow.
Cedar Creek meanders in
the shade, back and forth
across hiking trails. The stream
continues on downhill to help form
the San Diego River. This same
river courses through the foothills
down to Mission Trails Regional
Park before being walled in by a
civilized concrete channel on its
way past shopping centers and
apartment complexes, to end in
the broad Pacific.
Loitering beside a creek,
temporarily free of mundane
responsibilities, it’s easy for
the imagination to spin like a
soaring red-tailed hawk up into
the high cool mountain air. I’ve
often fantasized about planting a
miniature camera inside a ping-
pong ball, dropping it in one of our
mountain streams, and recording
its journey toward the salt water.
Heise Park has plenty of
conveniences for us modern-day
woodsmen, woodswomen and
Julian Dark Sky Network Presents:
The Movie - “Hidden Figures”
March 10 at 1pm, Julian Library
Please join us at the Julian Library on Saturday, March 10 at 1
pm to experience the true story movie of African American women
mathematicians at NASA in the 1960s. The movie HIDDEN
FIGURES drew critical acclaim when it was released in 2016. We
will also have a discussion with women scientists from UCSD and the
San Diego Zoo.
“Hidden Figures” includes an all star cast, and presents the
inspirational story of highly qualified African American women
mathematicians who made space flight possible in the 1960’s
at NASA, despite overt racial and sex discrimination. It’s hard to
imagine an era when women of color could not borrow books from
the library to further their education; or experience the determination
of a woman mathematician who had to seek court orders to allow her
to enroll an in a night school program so that she could qualify as an
engineer; or experience the frustration of having to run a mile (in high
heels) within the NASA campus in order to use the color-segregated
bathroom facilities. The list of impediments to the success of these
women goes on, but they were ultimately successful, and made
space flight possible at NASA.
If you have not yet seen HIDDEN FIGURES, don’t miss this
program! If you have already seen HIDDEN FIGURES, come and
see it again because there are many pieces of this inspiring story that
you may experience more profoundly. Be inspired! Refreshments
served. See you there!
Roman Sanders
As the Julian FFA season
gets into full swing, we would
like to say there are 20 active
members participating in judging
teams, small engine repair team,
public speaking, leadership and
livestock. These past couple
of months have been busy and
productive for the Chapter.
In January, Roman Sanders
received the State FFA Degree,
which is the highest degree
bestowed on an FFA member,
only 3% of the members receive
this degree. To earn the degree
they need to have more than
500 hours in their FFA projects,
participate in leadership activities
and promote the FFA program.
Roman will receive his degree in March at the state banquet. At the
banquet Yvonne Fleet will receive the Star Supporting Staff Award for
supporting and promoting the Julian FFA.
On February 13, the Chapter took 4 members to the San Diego
Section FFA public speaking competition, where Rylie Boyd took
9th in the Impromptu competition, Nikolas Carniero took 9th in the
Advanced Prepared Speech and Nicole Arias took 3rd in the Job
Interview Contest. Nicole will represent Julian at the Southern FFA
Region competition at Cal Poly Pomona in March. The Chapter is
growing and is proudly representing the Julian Community.
Don't Overpay Your Taxes
Commonly Overlooked Credits
And Deductions
(Family Features) With tax season in full swing, take time to consider
how to get the most out of your tax return, which includes finding all
the credits and deductions available to you. While many taxpayers
claim common deductions, such as home mortgage interest and
self-employment expenses, there are additional tax deductions that
can lessen your final tax bill or increase your refund. These often-
overlooked tax breaks could potentially save you hundreds - maybe
even thousands - of dollars if you itemize deductions.
To start, get to know the difference between tax credits and tax
deductions. Tax credits reduce the amount you owe in taxes. In some
circumstances, tax credits allow a refundable credit, meaning you
may not only reduce the amount you owe to $0, but you can also
get money back. Deductions, on the other hand, simply reduce your
taxable income. Both can have a potentially significant impact on your
taxes and are often worth the extra effort to include on your return.
Some commonly overlooked credits include:
1. Child and Dependent Care Credit
You can claim a credit of up to $2,100 for day care for your
dependents so you and your spouse can work. Qualifying dependents
include children under 13 and parents who are no longer able to care
for themselves.
2. Earned Income Tax Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal tax credit based
on your income and the number of qualifying children living with you.
Nearly 1 in 5 people who qualify fail to claim the credit, worth up to
$6,318. Just because you didn't qualify last year doesn't mean you
won't this year; one-third of the EITC-eligible population changes
each year based on marital, parental and financial status.
3. Saver's Credit or the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit
Make sure you "pay yourself first." Even if it is only $20 each pay
cycle, make sure you are putting some money into a retirement fund.
If your company offers a retirement savings plan, like a 401(k), it is
