DELANO RAMBLINGS: Theft leaves Delano Stallion Youth football cheerleaders $3,000 short - The Bakersfield Californian

October 25, 2019 at 03:16AM

Delano Stallion youth football cheerleaders have been struck by a theft that has left the organization about $3,000 short in its fundraising.

A shipment of supplies for the Stallions was to be left at the home of the coach but instead was handed over to a person in the coach's driveway — but not the coach.

Thus, the package fell into the wrong hands and has not been recovered.

Past fundraising through the generosity of the community has helped pay for insurance and competition fees, individual expenses for those squad members who cannot cover the entire cost of uniforms and so on, transportation, snacks for game days and season supplies. Expenses also include shirts, poms, bows and other items worn for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Persons interested in coming to financial aid of the squad may contact Nikki Guillen, cheer adviser, at 661-474-7961 or 229-5977 or email nikkiguillen@ymail.com. Another contact is Stallion representative Josef Lopez, 661-667-6071 or angelfans9@gmail.com.

Guillen and Lopez can also make available the Stallion tax ID number.

°°°

Delano Youth Foundation treasurer Stu Collins reports it is "last call" for persons in the community to send in their 2019 dues of $25 to Delano Youth Foundation, PO Box 135, Delano, CA 93216.

A listing of members for the year will appear in the printed program for the annual Delano Sports Dinner, which is tentatively set for Feb. 29, 2020, at Delano's Elks Club.

The speaker will be Mario Millan, head football coach at Robert F. Kennedy High School which appears on its way to its first South Sequoia League football crown and possibly an undefeated regular season. Though the Thunderbirds have won section championships in their division, they have previously not won a league title. This year they have been moved up to Division IV where they join Delano's two other high schools, Cesar E. Chavez and Delano.

°°°

Three-year varsity football starter Christopher Permejo was crowned king and Analia Hernandez was crowned queen at Delano High's Homecoming.

Other senior nominees were Kyle Duncan, Juan Hernandez, Bianka Casillas and Janna Talabong.

Junior royalty was Prince Diego Quintero and Princess Nitzia Rojas, sophomores were Santiago Ontiveros and Alondra Salas and freshmen were Angel Garcia and Kaelynn Hernandez.

The night's only negative was that the Delano Tiger football team lost to league opponent Monache.

It was the 14th straight varsity football loss for Delano, dating back to the final six games of the 2018 season.

Delano's enrollment is the lowest of the six teams in the East Yosemite League which Delano has attempted to leave but will not have another chance of being placed in another league for two years when realignment is again considered.

°°°

I hope that retirement is all that it is cooked up to me for two persons whom I consider friends.

I recall that the former Lucich Farms of Delano in the last couple of years has changed its name to Grapeman Farms and instead of being located east of Delano is now headquartered in Bakersfield.

It was years back when by letter I requested the business' consideration to advertise in the Philippine Weekend and Harvest Holidays souvenir programs published by Delano High cheerleaders.

I was surprised a few years back to see a note from the firm signed by Benjamin Miramontes. He was a former student of mine at Delano High School on the school newspaper staff, and if I recall correctly, he was quite a chess player.

I just got a note from him that he is retiring. Congratulations, though I can't believe he's old enough to retire!

Another gentleman who is on the Delano High staff dealing with students in the field of discipline is Don Chandler.

Don is not a Delano High grad, but his wife, the former Ann Wiley, is a DHS graduate and was a student of mine in freshman English. Her whole family was well-known in Delano — her parents and athletic stars Marlin "Poncho" Wiley and Alford Wiley, a three-sport star, her sister, Irene, who was a singing gem in the community many years ago, as well as other family members.

Don coached Tulare Western High to many league and section basketball championships and then came to Delano as a security guard at Cesar E. Chavez High where he also coached at least one league title team and then to Robert F. Kennedy High where he coached an unbeaten frosh boys' basketball team and a couple of league varsity champions, as well as coaching some golf and baseball.

Everytime I joke with Don that he is probably ready to get back into basketball coaching, he quickly responds that when December comes, he is retiring.

°°°

At the recent board meeting of the Delano Joint Union High School District, the board approved at Kennedy High Kevin Vue as band director and color guard adviser and Christopher Anfoso as credit recovery program teacher and special education home instruction teacher.

Athletic coaches approved at RFK were Karina Fernandez as assistant varsity girls soccer coach, Miguel Angel Rosas Vasquez as assistant varsity boys soccer coach, Breanne Farinas as head JV softball coach and Guadalupe Morales as volunteer varsity girls basketball coach.

Male campus security approved were Estefan Alcocer and Tony Zarate Jr. at Cesar E. Chavez High and Jose Pena at Delano High.

Carlos Carrillo was approved for moving from security at Chavez High to athletic equipment and facility utility worker at RFK.

°°°

At Delano High School the new class presidents are Itzel Heredia for seniors, Nitzia Rojas for juniors, Natalie Lara for sophomores and Veronise Diaz for freshmen.

°°°

Kennedy cheerleaders recently met for a couple of days of intense practices to learn their competition routine for winter presentation.

Squad members are seniors Abigail Rodriguez, Ashley Zermeno and Breanna Marin, juniors Karissa Sernas, Chloie Sanchez, Samantha Gonzalez, Anell Lopez, Samanta Zermeno and Michelle Ruiz, sophomores Divina Davila, Madison Myrick, Laney Tincher, Kimberly Ramirez and Meshelle Calderon and freshmen Nayeli Rios, Jennifer Parra, Sadie Baldone, Esmeralda Rodriguez and Alexis Balles.

°°°

I was not a bit surprised when I learned of Gov. Newsom taking funds meant for road repairs in Central California and placing them in a fund of his choosing. That's why I voted against the special tax that was on a past state ballot. I knew there was no guarantee that money from such a bond would go where it was supposed to go.

Newsom has also signed a bill that bans public high schools from starting the day before 8:30 a.m. and middle schools from beginning before 8 a.m.

I agree with opponents who said that local boards should make such a decision, especially considering the needs of parents who often have to leave early for work and are unsure if their kids will actually depart for school or have transportation to school that was possible at an earlier time.

There was some leeway in the bill considering "rural" schools, but I am not sure if that relates to Delano schools.

Currently the three local high schools of the Delano Joint Union High School District have "zero" period for athletics and band. I wonder if there is some small print that would allow students to attend "zero" period if it was their choice — as if there was really a choice.

My belief is that if school starts later, the activities after school will just continue a half hour or hour later.

Delano Stallion youth football cheerleaders have been struck by a theft that has left the organization about $3,000 short in its fundraising.

A shipment of supplies for the Stallions was to be left at the home of the coach but instead was handed over to a person in the coach's driveway — but not the coach.

Thus, the package fell into the wrong hands and has not been recovered.

Past fundraising through the generosity of the community has helped pay for insurance and competition fees, individual expenses for those squad members who cannot cover the entire cost of uniforms and so on, transportation, snacks for game days and season supplies. Expenses also include shirts, poms, bows and other items worn for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Persons interested in coming to financial aid of the squad may contact Nikki Guillen, cheer adviser, at 661-474-7961 or 229-5977 or email nikkiguillen@ymail.com. Another contact is Stallion representative Josef Lopez, 661-667-6071 or angelfans9@gmail.com.

Guillen and Lopez can also make available the Stallion tax ID number.

°°°

Delano Youth Foundation treasurer Stu Collins reports it is "last call" for persons in the community to send in their 2019 dues of $25 to Delano Youth Foundation, PO Box 135, Delano, CA 93216.

A listing of members for the year will appear in the printed program for the annual Delano Sports Dinner, which is tentatively set for Feb. 29, 2020, at Delano's Elks Club.

The speaker will be Mario Millan, head football coach at Robert F. Kennedy High School which appears on its way to its first South Sequoia League football crown and possibly an undefeated regular season. Though the Thunderbirds have won section championships in their division, they have previously not won a league title. This year they have been moved up to Division IV where they join Delano's two other high schools, Cesar E. Chavez and Delano.

°°°

Three-year varsity football starter Christopher Permejo was crowned king and Analia Hernandez was crowned queen at Delano High's Homecoming.

Other senior nominees were Kyle Duncan, Juan Hernandez, Bianka Casillas and Janna Talabong.

Junior royalty was Prince Diego Quintero and Princess Nitzia Rojas, sophomores were Santiago Ontiveros and Alondra Salas and freshmen were Angel Garcia and Kaelynn Hernandez.

The night's only negative was that the Delano Tiger football team lost to league opponent Monache.

It was the 14th straight varsity football loss for Delano, dating back to the final six games of the 2018 season.

Delano's enrollment is the lowest of the six teams in the East Yosemite League which Delano has attempted to leave but will not have another chance of being placed in another league for two years when realignment is again considered.

°°°

I hope that retirement is all that it is cooked up to me for two persons whom I consider friends.

I recall that the former Lucich Farms of Delano in the last couple of years has changed its name to Grapeman Farms and instead of being located east of Delano is now headquartered in Bakersfield.

It was years back when by letter I requested the business' consideration to advertise in the Philippine Weekend and Harvest Holidays souvenir programs published by Delano High cheerleaders.

I was surprised a few years back to see a note from the firm signed by Benjamin Miramontes. He was a former student of mine at Delano High School on the school newspaper staff, and if I recall correctly, he was quite a chess player.

I just got a note from him that he is retiring. Congratulations, though I can't believe he's old enough to retire!

Another gentleman who is on the Delano High staff dealing with students in the field of discipline is Don Chandler.

Don is not a Delano High grad, but his wife, the former Ann Wiley, is a DHS graduate and was a student of mine in freshman English. Her whole family was well-known in Delano — her parents and athletic stars Marlin "Poncho" Wiley and Alford Wiley, a three-sport star, her sister, Irene, who was a singing gem in the community many years ago, as well as other family members.

Don coached Tulare Western High to many league and section basketball championships and then came to Delano as a security guard at Cesar E. Chavez High where he also coached at least one league title team and then to Robert F. Kennedy High where he coached an unbeaten frosh boys' basketball team and a couple of league varsity champions, as well as coaching some golf and baseball.

Everytime I joke with Don that he is probably ready to get back into basketball coaching, he quickly responds that when December comes, he is retiring.

°°°

At the recent board meeting of the Delano Joint Union High School District, the board approved at Kennedy High Kevin Vue as band director and color guard adviser and Christopher Anfoso as credit recovery program teacher and special education home instruction teacher.

Athletic coaches approved at RFK were Karina Fernandez as assistant varsity girls soccer coach, Miguel Angel Rosas Vasquez as assistant varsity boys soccer coach, Breanne Farinas as head JV softball coach and Guadalupe Morales as volunteer varsity girls basketball coach.

Male campus security approved were Estefan Alcocer and Tony Zarate Jr. at Cesar E. Chavez High and Jose Pena at Delano High.

Carlos Carrillo was approved for moving from security at Chavez High to athletic equipment and facility utility worker at RFK.

°°°

At Delano High School the new class presidents are Itzel Heredia for seniors, Nitzia Rojas for juniors, Natalie Lara for sophomores and Veronise Diaz for freshmen.

°°°

Kennedy cheerleaders recently met for a couple of days of intense practices to learn their competition routine for winter presentation.

Squad members are seniors Abigail Rodriguez, Ashley Zermeno and Breanna Marin, juniors Karissa Sernas, Chloie Sanchez, Samantha Gonzalez, Anell Lopez, Samanta Zermeno and Michelle Ruiz, sophomores Divina Davila, Madison Myrick, Laney Tincher, Kimberly Ramirez and Meshelle Calderon and freshmen Nayeli Rios, Jennifer Parra, Sadie Baldone, Esmeralda Rodriguez and Alexis Balles.

°°°

I was not a bit surprised when I learned of Gov. Newsom taking funds meant for road repairs in Central California and placing them in a fund of his choosing. That's why I voted against the special tax that was on a past state ballot. I knew there was no guarantee that money from such a bond would go where it was supposed to go.

Newsom has also signed a bill that bans public high schools from starting the day before 8:30 a.m. and middle schools from beginning before 8 a.m.

I agree with opponents who said that local boards should make such a decision, especially considering the needs of parents who often have to leave early for work and are unsure if their kids will actually depart for school or have transportation to school that was possible at an earlier time.

There was some leeway in the bill considering "rural" schools, but I am not sure if that relates to Delano schools.

Currently the three local high schools of the Delano Joint Union High School District have "zero" period for athletics and band. I wonder if there is some small print that would allow students to attend "zero" period if it was their choice — as if there was really a choice.

My belief is that if school starts later, the activities after school will just continue a half hour or hour later.

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