LUCERNE— While most institutions of higher learning in the region are offering some kind of distance learning curriculum or online instruction, the one exception is Lucerne’s New Paradigm College which has decided to focus on construction since the physical space closed down earlier this summer according to college officials.
Shanna Faye, secretary and treasurer of the college, said via email that college officials have been busy both raising funds and completing construction of fire egress for the facility formerly known as the Lucerne castle, in addition to remodeling a subset of dorm rooms, and kitchen. She added that the college offers tours by appointment and may introduce some outdoor gatherings for the local community.
Faye noted that in light of construction and COVID19, the college had no plans to offer classes or workshops this fall. “We may offer workshops once large indoor gatherings make sense, depending on construction plans. Some outdoor permaculture demonstrations are being planned.”
The college board raised $111,874 from 228 donors in 2019. The college director cited on their website the completion of the first Permaculture Design Certificate intensive course, developing the plans for the four phase Kitchen remodel to be completed next year, the operation and maintenance of the 90 year-old facility for 2020, and the implementation of a plan for marketing the venue to develop a steady cash flow to cover operational costs going forward among its achievements for the previous year.
The college also started to negotiate an agreement with an accredited university for additional certificate programs and course offerings at the facility. The college offered a myriad of lectures in 2019 including: Listening to the Land, Creating Local Economy, and Local Resilience, but the coronavirus health crisis, coupled with the ongoing construction and improvement projects have put a halt on these types of activities. The college also underwent a restructuring of its administration.
The college’s co-founder Denise Rushing said the college is in a new phase of development with news leadership and she is no longer involved with the institution. “I will be focusing on my own projects through Dancing Tree People Farm and New Story Center. In the future, once COVID restrictions lift and the Castle has reopened,” she added, “I look forward to collaborations with New Paradigm College. Plus I really need to spend time with my new grandkids and finish my next book.”
Possible site for PG&E substation?
PG&E representative Deanna Contreras recently stated during a community radio interview that the utility company was working on a microgrid in Lucerne, meant to power up certain clusters of downtown areas and unincorporated parts of the county like Lucerne. The grid is in the early phases and it is not expected to be up and running until next year.
Contreras said there is a substation planned at Waterfront park across the intersection of Foothill Drive and Highway 20, but it is also not expected to be ready this year in time for fire season. Contreras added they were evaluating the college which is served through an overhead line located in a high-fire threat area so system hardening of lines needs to take place there in order to include the college and the area into a microgrid. This entails thicker poles and more fireproof equipment to build a more resilient grid.
Faye noted that the college had not yet been approached by PG&E to become a substation in the area for backup generation during a power shut off in Lucerne. “We are evaluating self-generation (and demonstration) energy options for the site itself and will consider other opportunities as they arise, but nothing concrete is being proposed at this time.”
