It was a full house at the Wells Education Center board room Nov. 6 as the Tehachapi City Council honored the sponsors and 263 volunteers who have made the Tehachapi GranFondo cycling event No. 13 in the nation. Local non-profit organizations received checks for a total of $22,000 for their work supporting the popular event and providing volunteers. Below left, attorneys Maricela Marroquin (left) and Youstina Aziz, both of the Los Angeles firm Richards Watson Gershon, are of counsel to the city -- Marroquin on the marijuana cultivation issue and Aziz on the district-based election issue. With the unexplained absence of councilpersons Ken Hetge and Dennis Wahlstrom on Nov. 6, there was no quorum, and following the GranFondo presentations, at 6:30 p.m., Mayor pro tem Susan Wiggins announced there could be no City Council meeting and sent everyone home. A final public hearing on election district-based boundary and a cannabis cultivation ordinance were on the full agenda. "I'm embarrassed [by the absences]" Tehachapi City Manager Greg Garrett told Forde Files. "It's very unusual, It's out of character. I hope everything is OK." Mayor Ed Grimes was away on a pre-planned absence.

Tina Fisher Cunningham

GrandFondo sponsors