Please come back and visit the Friendly (eclectic) Village!

I was looking at the Opinion section of the news when I ran across the letter “I will never return to Fallbrook.” I was sad to see William return to our village (after having been away so long) and leave with nothing but derision for our little town. Then I realized all he did was drive through one section of town; he did not stop to walk or even to talk to people.

Unlike William, who lived here for 40 years, my family and I have only lived in Fallbrook for the past seven years, so you can call us “newbies.” Different from William, I find Fallbrook charming, friendly and growing. The real treasures of this town, though, are the people. Where else can you go on a Friday night in summertime and hang out at the town square drinking beer and wine, eating BBQ and listening to a western band one time and a reggae band the next time (Hot Summer Nights), while standing and talking to an avocado farmer, a CEO of a company, a heavy metal band singer and a tattoo artist, all about your kids in Pop Warner Football or in Little League Baseball? I don’t know of a place like ours (in Southern California) where there is a Christmas Parade at night with Mickey Mouse as the Grand Marshal next to Santa Claus leading over 200 entries that include everything from dogs pulling wagons to military vehicles wrapped in Christmas lights.

I see Fallbrook not as a barrio with illegals loafing around but an eclectic village made up of shops that offer everything.

As to ‘rising up,’ I have sat in on a few village planning meetings and I will tell you I can see it being a thankless job that no matter which way they go someone will be unhappy. Regardless, they do the best can; they do this because they care, just like the people who set up Hot Summer Nights (Connections) and the Christmas Parade (the Chamber).

So, I invite you (William), to please revisit us and come in and talk and walk and see all the changes that started with our founding fathers and continue with us.

Frank E. Westall