My Little Richard Story

Richard Wayne Penniman, better known as Little Richard, died yesterday, May 9, 2020. I once had the pleasure of talking with him.

In September 1997, my company sent two co-workers and me to a two-week training class in Los Angeles. There were perhaps twenty students in all. The company put us up in a nice hotel on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. There were two students to a room, and the rooms were along one hallway. In a suite at the end of the hallway resided Little Richard.

We students often left our doors open so we could easily visit each other. From time to time Little Richard passed by with his small entourage, likely security or business associates. Little Richard would wave to us in our rooms and say hello.

The training ended October 3. While I sat in the hotel lobby waiting for my co-workers, for us to take a taxi ride to the airport, Little Richard arrived with his entourage, and he sat near me. We started to talk. He asked me where I was from and about my visit to Los Angeles. I asked him about where he was from. It was an ordinary conversation. I asked him for an autograph for my older sister, and he gladly gave it. He then handed me a small religious book called Finding Peace Within and a photo of himself. The inscription on the photo was pre-printed. He then got up to leave. We wished each other a good day, and he and his entourage were off.

Whitney Pyramid Tomb

By Pleasant Grove Creek in the city of Rocklin, surrounded by houses and a golf course green and Monument Park, is a granite pyramid containing the bodies of Joel Whitney and members of his family. The tomb has a perimeter of 40 feet and is 15 feet tall. Its construction date is unknown. It was situated on Whitney's large Spring Valley Ranch. Whitney, who arrived in the Gold Rush and died in 1913 at age 78, was the first occupant of the pyramid. The Whitney descendants sold ranch parcels and the family mansion, keeping the one acre fenced plot with the pyramid. Being very accessible to the public, the pyramid gets many visitors.

Next to the pyramid is the top of a granite pluton with bedrock mortars deepened over centuries by Nisenan women grinding acorns into meal. Plutons form deep underground, meaning a mountain once stood here. The mountain stood next to the ocean. Over time it wore down to almost sea level, its remnants filling the present-day Sacramento Valley.

Truckee Trail - Overland Emigrant Trail

Today I drove to Nevada County where I visited portions the Truckee Trail, part of the Overland Emigrant Trail network. The Truckee Trail opened in 1845. Those arriving to the Sacramento Valley via the Truckee Trail added to the American population in California, so the trail played a small part in the United States wresting control of California from Mexico in 1847. Three cheers for the Truckee Trail! The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad led to a steep reduction in trail traffic. I have no idea when the last wagon passed over this route..

Conestoga Road off of Highway 49 follows directly over a section of the Trail.

The Trail crosses modern sections of road in many spots. Using the Truckee Trail and Nevada City Road Driving Guide from Trails West, Inc., I drove to two Trails West markers along the Trail.

These parts of the Sierra foothills are rural and privately owned. No Trespassing signs abound. I greatly prefer poking around the National Forests, where I can get out and stretch my legs and not see a single other person.

Kennedy Assassination

I saw no mention in the press today of this being the anniversary of President Kennedy's assassination. Then again, I have not been online much today. But I do remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news. I was in the second grade, playing marbles with my classmates during recess, when a student walked up to tell us the president had been shot. When we returned to the classroom, our teacher told us the same thing. That is all I remember of that day. It was long ago and I was very young.

Ham Radio Contact

Today I made a 20 meter SSB contact with an operator in Massachusetts. We discussed the usual boring things, what radios we had and the weather conditions, and then I commented that today was the anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord. (I had happened to read this earlier on the History.com website.) The other party said he wasn't aware of this, he didn't follow history. He lives some 30 miles from Lexington. Hopefully his comment was just about not knowing the date of the battles. I live about 25 miles as the crow flies from Coloma, and while I know that James Marshall discovered gold there in January 1848, I can never remember the exact day, the 24th. Living where I do means I should know about James Marshall and the mill site and most importantly the impact of the find. And someone from the Boston area should be familiar with the words Lexington and Concord. We Americans should have a basic understanding of our history.

Alyn W. Butler

Private Alyn W. Butler, Company M 110th Infantry, fell in battle in Fismes, France one hundred years ago today. He was the only Roseville resident killed in action in World War I.

His remains were returned in 1939 and interred in Roseville Cemetery. The American Legion's Alyn W. Butler Post No. 169 in Roseville is named in his honor.

The 110th Infantry in the World War by Francis Earle Lutz details the actions of the regiment. It can be found online in Google Books. Private Butler is named as killed on page 118.

On the coming September 15, the City of Fismes will dedicate a memorial to those who served defending their city. Meadville, Pennsylvania and Fismes are sister cities, as many residents of Meadville and Pennsylvania served in the defense of Fismes. Representatives from Meadville will attend the ceremony.

Post Script, September 7, 2018: I marked the anniversary on my calendar over a year ago. About two weeks prior to the anniversary, I notified the Roseville and Granite Bay Press Tribune of the upcoming anniversary, as it was only fitting that Roseville should remember. Reporter Brody Fernandez called me for details. The newspaper ran an article on August 31. However, it got Alyn's age wrong (20 years old) and his unit wrong (110th Infantry Division). It also referenced a great-grandson Harry Butler, but I have found no record of Alyn Butler being married or having any children. He was 19 when he died.

On September 5, I sent an email to the City of Fismes noting the anniversary, adding the photograph and newspaper clipping above. I ended: "God bless the City of Fismes. May the friendship between the United States and France last forever." Later that day, I received a nice response from Denis Queva, General Director of Services, City of Fismes. He mentioned the strong bond between Fismes and the United States, a bond forged from two World Wars, and that he would pass the message on to the neighboring town of Fismette and the Memorial committee. I also received an email from Andy Walker, City Manager of Meadville, Pennsylvania. He said he was part of a group that would travel to Fismes for the memorial dedication, to represent the City of Meadville, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the United States of America.

My email to Fismes, including headstone photo and newspaper clipping, made it to the Fismes Memorial 18 Facebook page, with my message translated to French. From there, it went into an article in the September 6 edition of the L'Hebdo de Vendridi.

Immigration Protest in Sacramento

I read about the folks in the far left all the time, and today I drove to Sacramento to see them up close and in action. This event was one of the several Families Belong Together demonstrations being held throughout the country. For over two hours I heard their calls to abolish ICE, end deportations, and welcome immigrants and refugees. I hope these people get plenty of media coverage, and the Democrats fully adopt their message, to help the Republicans in the coming elections.

The demonstration was held in front of the US Citizenship and Immigration Building on Capitol Mall. I have no idea of the crowd size, but people lined both sides of Capitol Mall between 5th and 7th Streets. With demonstrations in Vacaville, Stockton, and Grass Valley, this event largely drew people from the greater Sacramento area. Things kicked off at ten o'clock.

I saw two American flags and one was being flown upside down. There were plenty of red flags. Guess what they represent? And while there were banners and signs for Industrial Workers of the World, Brown Berets, and Party for Socialism and Liberation, most banners I saw were for Democratic Socialists of America. I think Democratic Socialists of America is gaining some traction.

Here is a sampling of the signs people held: Defund ICE / No US Government Child Abuse / The GOP Supports Internment Camps for Kids / No Ban. No Wall. Not Now. Not Ever. / Workers Without Borders / Abolish ICE / Fuck Trump.

Chants from a sheet handed out by organizers:

Up, up with liberation!

Down, down with deportation!

Resistance is liberation

Break the chains

No Ban! No Wall!

Sanctuary for All!

Parents protesting the treatment of illegal immigrant children in detention centers had their very young children with them in the uncomfortable heat (high 90s) and intense sunlight.

While the speakers went on about this and that, a splinter group headed up 7th Street to protest in front of the Sacramento County Main Jail on I Street. This caused much work for the police, who had to divert traffic and otherwise keep things under control. This splinter group returned as things were winding down. 

By now it was 12:15. I had seen enough for one day. I headed home.

Self Portrait