New Ramona Library Opens to Public Tuesday

Ramonans young and old came to see the big red ribbon cut at the new library on Main Street Tuesday. County Supervisor Dianne Jacob was the headliner of a group of dignataries which also included Jose Aponte, the San Diego County Librarian, and Elyse Kuhn, of Friends of Ramona Library, whom Jacob credited with "nagging" her to get the new library built.

"If anyone wants lessons in how to nag, you can take them from her," Jacob joked as she handed Kuhn a plaque and told the crowd that she was proclaiming Tuesday as Elyse Kuhn Day in San Diego county.

Vases of pink lilies, trays of frosted cupcakes, live music, wide-eyed children, and curious adults filled the new building. Among them were local planning group members and the school district superintendent. A therapy dog, Lila, took a short nap in the children's section then made her way through the throng, garnering strokes along the way.

"She'll be back later to work with the kids," owner Sue LeClair of Ramona said. "She helps them do homework."

Local historian Darrell Beck quipped, "I think more people turned out than were at the opening of the town hall."

The town hall opened in 1894.

"We probably had the same amount of people here today who were living in the whole town back then," he said.

And what would a Ramona grand opening be without Sheriff's Department volunteers on horses.

Jacob and Aponte told the crowd how pleased they were that the community was able to open a library during a time when so many budget cutbacks are having to be made everywhere. Aponte talked about how his mother raised him and two siblings spending time at the public library. 

Mac MacWilliams represented Rep. Duncan Hunter at the event.

The smallest dignataries were Alexavia Zetterberg and Olivia Jensen of Ramona. Alexavia is Miss California Junior Princess and International Junior Miss. Olivia is Miss California Pre-teen.

The library will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday, with programs all day.