First off:

The Fresno Philharmonic, which looks like it has a snazzy new Web site, just recieved a $1 million gift from Peter and Angela Dal Pezzo, who were part of the ownership team at Pelco, which you may remember was sold to the French last year.

Via a Fresno Phil press release:

Mr. and Mrs. Dal Pezzo, citing the sale of Pelco, said being blessed with good fortune allowed them to share with the community. They indicated that their enjoyment of the Philharmonic, the high caliber of guest artists brought in by Maestro Kuchar, and the orchestra’s excellence were all factors that motivated them when considering the gift. They also said that “great cities are defined by the value they place on the arts.”

Board President W. F. Docker called this a transformational gift for the organization. “This gift allows us to act upon our future, not just dream about it.” Music Director Theodore Kuchar, momentarily speechless upon receiving the check backstage following last month’s holiday concert, was profuse in his appreciation and called the gift a validation and recognition of the orchestra’s artistic growth and achievement.

The Philharmonic, enjoying the recent successes of performances with violinist Joshua Bell and a week of school and family concerts that served over 6000 valley children, is in the process of creating a new strategic plan. Mr. Docker indicated that the gift would assist the organization’s efforts to adapt to a rapidly changing Central Valley, and help the Philharmonic serve a broader community. The Philharmonic operates on an annual $2.4 million budget. The 2007-2008 concert season includes eight weekends of subscription concerts performed in pairs and a week of youth and family concerts.

The Philharmonic’s Executive Director, Don Reinhold, who also serves as President of the Board for the Fresno Coalition for Arts, Science, and History (FCASH) said, “There is a growing realization nationwide that arts and culture impact communities in significant ways that define the very essence of a community’s identity. A gift such as the one by Peter and Angela Dal Pezzo can galvanize a community into greater support of its precious cultural resources, leading to a higher level of cultural, educational, and economic benefits for the broader good.”

This is how America is supposed to work, the people who can, supporting the things they love. Giant thumbs up to Peter and Angela.

On a different and totally unrelated note: AttyKendal makes some great points about the Fresno PD's DUI obession. Scroll down a bit, it's there, promise.