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Here is a place where you can bitch and moan, give praise or just vent some steam.

Great news to all the Cruisin Grand fans, Steve is back and attendance is way up from last year. The Little Guys shared Broadway, south of Grand with the Country Gents on May 1st and both clubs will be back again and again. One event upset a lot of us. Some person in a green MOPAR thought it necessary to do a burnout on Grand near Broadway. This behavior is juvenile and unacceptable and hopefully if this (pardon my French) Ass Hole does it again I hope there is a patrol car close by and he gets arrested and his vehicle impounded. There are places for burnouts, but Cruisin Grand is not one of them. That is the type of activity that can take away this venue from all of us. Thanks to DBA for coming to their senses and bringing back Steve.

December 14, 2008

Letter to the Editor:

Our Fruitcake Version of Illinois Politics

The Downtown Business Association (DBA) and the Business Improvement District (BID) are trying to run one of their own out of town. Without Steve Waldron there would never have been a “Cruisin’ Grand”. He volunteered his time and efforts for 8 years and never expected to get paid for the professional art work he gave to the city. Steve lives and breathes all things automotive and his “Top End Tees” is in the BID. Steve understands the people for whom collector cars are the same as life blood.

The DBA knows more about what is good for “Crusin’ Grand” than anyone else and froze Steve Waldron out as if he doesn’t exist. They won’t talk to him, and his company pays its share of the fees for the benefit all of the BID businesses. Now, when the city is laying off workers, they are going to pay someone else to design the art work for 2009. Word is they intend to go outside the community to get the T shirts for the events too. Stupid!!!

The DBA should be fired! They are incompetent, abusive, and hurting one of those they are supposed to help. The mean spirited petty politics stink. Escondido deserves better.

Jerry Heiss

Valley Center

POSTER CONTEST

What a surprise it was to start getting phone calls from people upset that the DBA had gone elsewhere for the poster and tshirts for Cruisin' Grand. I had not gotten any previous notice from the DBA nor had any discussion been presented to me that this was being discussed. I have already started working on the poster art as I have done (FOR FREE!) every year. What a slap in the face to see that now in this economic time the DBA sees fit to pay someone $500 to create the poster art and also pay additional to cover any changes and revisions to the art, when I did this for 9 years for FREE. And while we did not have a contract to perform this function, it was a joint effort that we worked on.

The hotrodders have used these posters as collectibles and desire a hand-drawn look as done in the old days. Anyone can do a computer art design and so can we. However, we were not contacted that a new look was requested or that there may have been a problem with the designs in the past. We could have negotiated a deal with the DBA to buy booth space or something. In the past, my booth was there as we were a sponsor of the event (just as Kragen, etc. have booths) - because I donated $800+ artwork for FREE and also had volunteered all those years in working the event. We can create computer art, handart (pencil, oil paint, watercolor, acrylics, etc.).

In the normal course of business, the cry of fairness and preventing a monopoly on any enterprise would seem to make sense. By opening up the poster/tshirt part of the Cruisin' Grand event to outsiders and businesses outside the BID is NOT FAIR. Here is why:

The Business Improvement District (known as the BID) which is funded with fees by the businesses located in the district, is set up to directly benefit the businesses in the BID. The DBA always says the purpose for all the events they do is to "put feet on the street to benefit our businesses".

Cruisin' Grand is a DBA event supposedly created to benefit the downtown. Why in the world would they take the t-shirts/poster design away from a business in the BID who specializes in this(who has paid into the BID for years) and open it up to anyone? Does this not make the DBA hypocrits? Their mission statement then does not apply here. In other words, the DBA has violated its mandate by directly hurting a business in the BID financially. Why is my business being picked on? I am forced to pay the high BID fee here.

Our business's main function is design of custom hotrod and racing concepts, art, posters and putting that art on magnets, dash plaques or t-shirts, etc.

The argument might arise that Cruisin' Grand was not created to benefit exclusively one business. However, the "Restaurant Week(s)" and "Tour de Fork" events are created directly to benefit restaurants IN THE BID, and the various promotions for galleries/restaurants and hair salons benefit them. There is some ancillary carry over to other businesses, but the majority are closed in the evenings when these events are held.

If the t-shirts and the poster art is taken away from my business and opened up, then food booths from outside businesses featuring pizza, sub sandwiches, coffee, hamburgers and ethnic foods must be allowed to set up during the event as well as antique vendors from San Diego and interior decorators from Cedros and car dealerships from Vista and National City. There should be no protections for any business in the BID.

All this goes without saying that I not only worked to create Cruisin' Grand and presented it to the DBA to run from the beginning. I had volunteered full time for 8 years, many times closing my shop to attend meetings for years, MC'ing the awards, (which I suppose is the next thing to be taken away) etc, etc, etc,. Since hotrodding is a major part of my life and is the main part of my business, I am amazed that the DBA keeps pushing me out of the event I worked so hard to create and maintain to mutually benefit the car people, the BID businesses and the citizens.

While there are many mistruths used against me, I am open for anyone to come directly to me to get the truth on any issue regarding my involvement. I will show you the letter signed by Scott Peck directly rejected my requests and offerings to come back and work with the DBA as we had since I brought the event to them 9 years ago.

Since the Cruisin' Grand event takes a substantial amount of city taxpayer money, I repectfully request information on when the decision was made to go out to open contest and what the role call vote of the committee and Executive Board was to implement this contest. Consider this a public records request.

Sincerely,

Steve Waldron

Owner, Top End Tees

Escondido BID member

Not sure if you received the last e-mail about CRUISIN GRAND? So here is the letter we sent. We need to flood Mike Peters with letters, as he has approached Steve, but he does not know how the Classic car owners feel. If we want CRUISIN GRAND back as it was, PLEASE write Mike. PLEASE pass this on to other Classic car/truck owners.

We are writing you about CRUSIN GRAND. We own a pre 1974 Classic car and used to attend CRUSIN GRAND every Friday. The crew that worked on it, Steve Waldron and all the volunteers did a fantastic job. We looked forward to every Friday, having a good time with other Classic Car owners and having dinner at one of the many restaurants located on Grand or one of the side streets.

This year there were many changes, bringing in new cars, LEXUS, CORVETTS, and low riders, used cars for sale, “rice rockets” as we call Toyotas, Nissan’s, and other cars the kids are driving, and more motorcycles. This all took away the whole idea of CRUSIN GRAND, CLASSIC Pre 1974 cars and trucks.

The Classic car owners would eat dinner, have ice cream or yogurt, sodas and go in the businesses that were open and look and maybe buy or go back another time and buy something. We all spent money.

Now because of the changes, we do not go to CRUSIN GRAND and we understand many others have stop going as well, as it is not enjoyable. We ask that you PLEASE bring back CRUSIN GRAND as it used to be, CLASSIC PRE 1974 VEHICLES. This will bring back Classic car owners and money to the merchants.

Some of the Classic car owners are going to Temecula on Fridays and other towns are interested in starting a CRUISE NIGHT in their towns on Fridays. This will definitely take away attendance from CRUSIN GRAND even more.

The DBA has made Classic car owners feel unwelcome with all their new changes and that our money we spend is not good enough. We are sure if CRUSIN GRAND was changed back to the Pre 1974 cars as it was originally, that all the Classic car owners would come back before the other towns get their shows going. We believe that if CRUSIN GRAND was back to the way it used to be, that the attendance would increase and they would also be spending money.

I'm not a religious person, but I can't help but take a few minutes to give thanks for all the great friends I have made since joining this car club. I look at the roster and there isn't a single name there that I don't consider to be a good friend and a richer person for knowing them. Never have I met a nicer group of people who are always ready and willing to help another. I wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years.

I was looking over the car events of the last few months and some of the flyers for those in the days to come. It seems that every Saturday and Sunday there are at least a half dozen car related events that are close enough to consider attending. There are also the weeknight events like Cruisin Grand, Chicken Pie Shop, etc. Maybe it's time to become a little more selective as to which ones should receive the support of the specialty car enthusiasts. I offer some suggestions, some pet peeves and some ramblings.

First of all, what is a special interest car? Is it a factory showroom new PT Cruiser with some stick-on graphics or maybe a '07 Chrysler 300 with some 22 inch after market wheels? Or is it something originally built before 1974 that is either a muscle car or a modified AMERICAN MADE car or truck? Many of the shows today are "open all years, makes and models", I just don't feel that these brand new factory original cars belong parked with the cars that were originally built before Reagan was president. New Corvettes and Porsches are nice cars, I would love to have one, but do they belong with the streetrods and muscle cars? I don't try to park my Studebaker along side them at Corvette or Porsche shows, and I don't take my German Shepard to cat shows, so why do they feel they have to invade our events? I absolutely love Cruisin' Grand, but every Friday night there are more new Mustangs, Corvettes, tuner cars and other new cars taking the spaces intended for the streetrods and muscle cars. Perhaps these folks could start their own events where only new cars are on display, oh wait they already have that, it's called a New Car Dealership.

What about the cost of the event. Is there value for your dollar, does it support a worthwhile cause or does it just line the pockets of some promoter? It seems that every flyer I get has an increase in the cost of participation from the one before it. Why do we spend more money than our wives think we should to build our cars and then pay money to have other people come by and scratch the paint, spill food or drinks on the upholstery or criticize some feature of the car? I remember 40 years ago we would be paid by the promoter to bring our car to the show and the spectators would pay to look at them.

With so many events to choose from it's time to become more selective which events we support. In my opinion one the best values around is the Country Gents Pepper Tree Frosty Burger Run. I have been to at least a dozen of them and they are always lots of fun, great tee shirts (I'm wearing one as I type this), dash plaques and always awesome trophies. I don't know how Joe does it (yes I do, he digs deep into his pockets to subsidize it), but this has to be the best value for your dollar all year.

Another great event is John Daly's Beach'n 101 Cruise. Here you actually drive your car up and down the coast. Spectators line Coast Highway in lawn chairs and cheer you on. Great prizes are given; instead of another set of car ramps or a bottle of car wax, John gives away CASH. Great fun and you get to drive them.

Any show that supports our military or worthwhile charity also gets my support. The runs at Camp Pendleton and Miramar Marine Air Station are first class events and the gratitude expressed by these great American Heroes will humble any of us. A special recognition must go to the Over-The-Hill-Gang for what they do for the wounded heroes at the Streak, I salute them.

The Street Masters have a great Christmas Cruise for the Kids., a toy or a cash donation is all that is asked to participate in this fun event.

I am alive and well in Austin, Texas. Every time I get to San Diego I stop at Moma's and Papa's and leave a business card on the photos. I have not been there when the meetings were held or I would have shown up. Maybe next time. I sure had a great time being part of the Little Guys family all those years.

I still have the 65' Chevelle and the 55' Ford pick up. I just sold the 67' Mustang to my Son Scott (for a great father to son price). Some of you may remember Scott and Brian as I used to bring them to the meetings. I also still have my Little Guys car plaque hanging up.

Some of my favorite memories of my life have been with my friends in the club. Really glad to see the continued involvement with helping the Special Olympics. That always made me feel we were making a difference in the world.

Marc - great photo in the newspaper article! Bob, I'll bet you are a great president. You have probably held every officer position there is.