Meet Your New Neighbors

Kathi and Scott Chattin have just settled into their home in Bear Valley. Kathi had been commuting from Lancaster, Calif. daily since June when she began her job as Administrative Assistant for the Bear Valley Springs Association. They had been in Lancaster for a long time. Scott had been there for 12 years and Kathi since 1989 but they knew they needed to make the move. She had previously been the office manager for Mission Linen Supply in Lancaster, Calif. but before that had worked in aerospace for Raytheon. Scott has worked for the Union Pacific Railroad as a conductor and engineer since 2003. When I asked him if he had ridden over the Tehachapi Loop, he said, “Oh yes, lots of times”. He did his engineer training on the Loop.

Neither of the Chattins were born in California. Scott is from Mechanicsburg, Penn., which is near Harrisburg. His dad was in the military so he spent many of his early school years in Germany. The family returned to the United States in 1976. He spent four years in the Navy as a mover and driver. Most of his family is still in Pennsylvania. His parents have a home at Underwood Lake and his brother and sister are also there.

Kathi comes from Montana where she grew up on a 16,000 acre ranch with lots of cows and about 50 broodmares. The horses were bred and broken for sale. Her parents and two sisters still live there.

The Chattin’s have four daughters between them. Scott’s youngest is in Pennsylvania but the remaining are in Lancaster, Calif. Kathi has two daughters and four grandsons between the ages of three and 18 who are also nearby.

They both have individual hobbies. Scott is into cars and fishing and Kathi is into crafting and sewing clothing and purses. However they both share a passion for football, and it is no surprise that Scott is a Steelers fan. Most of all, I was surprised to learn that they are tournament bowlers. They just returned from Las Vegas where their Lancaster team placed a respectable 53 out of 202 teams. Kathi also claims that one of her hobbies is also her two dogs, four-year-old Spaniel Buddha and a 14-year-old Shepherd-mix Pepper. They make quite a household and we are very happy to welcome the Chattin household to Tehachapi.

In December, when Charlotte Ruse and Tommy Baker bought their Tehachapi house, no one would have guessed that three months later it would be a lovely view home. Now there is no sign of the house I saw in pictures – the house that had been used in a porno-horror film. Tommy said it took a long time to clean up the fake blood. Copper wiring had been stolen as well so he really had his work cut out for him. The outside still needs some work and that is now his current focus.

Charlotte and Tommy had lived in Lake Isabella for ten years on family property and felt they needed to be away on their own. Tehachapi was an ideal move as Charlotte’s son lives here and they also had good friends here to encourage them. Besides, ”It’s cooler here with more work and more people and more to do.”

Charlotte is a legal documents assistant and has opened an office on Robinson St. (in downtown Tehachapi), while keeping a space at Lake Isabella and visits weekly. Tommy has been in construction for many years; it runs in his family. His grandfather was a plumber, his father was a plumber and his cousins are electricians.

The couple met in Forestville, Calif. where Charlotte ran a coffee shop called “A Mindful Cup” and made jewelry. Tommy’s two daughters, Lilah and Dolly, are still in that area along with his two grandchildren. Charlotte’s daughter, Kathy, is in Bishop, CA, her son, Sean, is in Michigan and her son, James, is here in Tehachapi. Charlotte also has two grandchildren and two great grandchildren. We also can’t forget their three household cats named Bear, Wolf and Junior. That is really quite a family.

In his free time Tommy is a gunsmith and enjoys hunting and fishing while Charlotte still makes jewelry and indulges in fiber arts and painting. She has joined the local Chamber of Commerce, has connected with the art association and is fast becoming an active member of our business community.

Charlotte, Tommy and company, “Welcome to Tehachapi!”

If you have moved to the Greater Tehachapi Area within the last six months and would like to know more about your new community, call 661-822-8188. We will be happy to make an appointment for a hostess to come by and give you lots of helpful information, some valuable coupons, gifts and much more. Many families and individuals who come to the area are pleasantly surprised with the amount of knowledge they gather about their new home. Publishing your welcome article is completely voluntary and is not a requirement of being welcomed.