Forde Shorts

Tompkins rocks! –The Tompkins Parent Teacher Group, whose president is Amanda Schmidt, purchased a programmable sign that is now installed in front of the school. School staff is just learning how to program it, which at present gives the time and temperature and welcome. The group paid $12,000 for the sign. They also bought the Buddy Bench for the playground, where lonely or disengaged youngsters can sit and wait for a friend or staff (see cover photo), and paid for the big Tompkins Tigers sign painted on the front wall.

Estate wines – At the Dec. 3, 2014 breakfast meeting of the Greater Tehachapi Economic Development Council at the Original Apple Shed, vintner Annie Arnold of Triassic Legacy Vineyard (with her brother Jim Arnold and his wife Sally) announced they now have five estate-grown wines, the latest three introduced at Thanksgiving—a 2012 Syrah, a 2012 Zinfandel and a 2013 Viognier.

Real estate prices up – Sally Lawrence, president of the Tehachapi Area Association of Realtors (TAAR), told the EDC that home prices in the area MLS listings are up 10.8 percent from a year ago. The average median listing price is now $270,000 (“Pretty awesome,” she said) but houses are on the market 9 percent longer. Last year there was an inventory deficit and now there are more listings.

Girls athletic scholarships – Tehachapi High School senior Destiny Julye earned a volleyball scholarship to the University of Washington and senior Kendall Kapitzke will attend Southern Utah University on a softball scholarship.

Post Ouch Office - For the third time in about a year, vehicles have smashed into the front of the Tehachapi Post Office in the same spot. See photo of the latest.

Fantastic -- Joel Beckmann of the Arts, Science and Technology Educational Corporation of Tehachapi (non-profit) secured a $50,000 grant for a three-D printer and computer access for a community think tank facility.