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Beating a dead horse is an unhelpful analogy in this context.

Color me....intrigued...

All I can say is -- wholeheartedly agree. Crown fans should book their hotel rooms for Indy. Don't want to miss this one!

Perhaps a version of this presentation could be made public as well for the transparency?

Keeping this on topic: If we're looking at a possibility/probability of a financially-choked (or otherwise hindered) 2024 tour, then history has shown that it's members that get the brunt end of such challenges. Just like in 93. Just like 2003. Likely other years too. I hope the new safeguarding work pays off. The CEO alluded to caring about the safeguarding of current members and alum in our communications. Wish alum also took on that responsibility but perhaps they will start to now. That would be great. I very much long to experience that signature class within the Vanguard community again.

https://www.reddit.com/r/drumcorps/s/LPWTTgiVUS Except for at least one young, anon soul out there who thinks us a "sketchy corps." I feel for those members already contracted too. How conflicting things might feel rn. Welcome/welcome back to the family. 😪 On the plus side, I communicated with the CEO about a concern and appreciated his response. It was unrelated to topics discussed herein (and still confidential atm.) But I will happily give credit when due.

From what I see on CA DoJ website it seems nothing has changed. CA DoJ counts; Reddit doesn’t.

Crown fam, happy new years! May this year bring you all amazing things and a championship to our favorite corps!

From what I've heard, indeed it will be.

i hereby announce my willingness to accept facts and documents like i did in 2010.

sometimes being right makes one an insufferable ######## to some. i've been an insufferable ######## on here before....because i was right. it's a cross to bear

I’m not agreeing it’s an ego or “cause” thing with him, as much as it is information he has put forth, that no one else would have. Had he not provided the detail and research, no one on here would have been aware of the depth of the issues and apparent illegalities that have been ongoing and unresolved for the past few years. SCV is rife with noncompliance with State of Cali requirements and follows it all up with a lack of openness and honesty when questioned. A sad state of affairs.

K, you’re sounding mighty bullish on CrownSTOCK for ‘24. Better get on the phone with my broker ASAP. To paraphrase Bud Fox, in 1987’s classic Wallstreet, “Blue Horse Shoe loves Carolina Crown.”

Doesn't sound like a DCI organization who has shown nothing but class for decades.

I look every day. I don't expect anything new from the DOJ until after two months from the last November notice. The only thing new would have to come from SCV, and what has happened recently is: 1) 2019 was finally submitted (the original reason for the delinquency) with an audit. The audit itself was completed in 2022, so they were literally sitting on it more than a year before it was submitted. If they submitted it when they first could have then I would have never known they were delinquent to begin with. 2) 2020 was submitted, but never required an audit because based on self reporting they only earned 1.95M in revenue (below the $2M audit requirement). 3) 2021 was submitted with an attempt to submit an audit, but it turned out that audit was a duplicate of 2019. I notified the state, and while the registration was submitted, they still need an audit for 2021. This is still in process, and the wrong forms were submitted. The DOJ gave them first notice of this late filing in August of 2023, and had they submitted the 2019 filings long ago when they could have this would have been the first time I would have been made aware they were ever delinquent and this whole mess would seem to only be newly recent (not going back to March of 2020). 4) 2022 was submitted and was rejected for lack of audit. The renewal itself has the 2022 990 attached to it. The impression I get from the 2022 990 is that SCV's operational troubles were from a collapse of Bingo Net Profitability in the face a dramatic Bingo Revenue Increases. While expense management wasn't stellar they would have been fine if the Bingo profitability hadn't tanked when bingo operations changed hands after the long tenured bingo manager retired. ************** Summary: 2019 was the original reason for the start of the delinquency. 2021 and 2022 are the cause of the continued delinquency. SCV is two weeks out from the state's timeline when it can act against nonprofit status. Actually, the state also left open a window to act on any previously given notice going back to 2020. Additionally, the State Tax Board has also been brought into the decision process as well as of the November notice. So two different state agencies can act independent of each other (the DOJ, and the Tax Board). If they magically get cleared of 2021 and 2022 then 2023 will be due in March, and late in September and it will probably start all over again (if they make it that far).

Yes, we are 2 weeks until the last 60 day notice to revoke nonprofit status expires. At which point the DOJ can pull the plug at any time. I want to further mention, in my efforts to understand the DOJ process I've looked up data from other defunct nonprofits to get a sense of the timeline. When the DOJ acts upon it's warning letters is very inconsistent. HOWEVER, many other organizations that were on their last breaths submitted requests for appeal or wrote the DOJ for more time. Those correspondence were uploaded and made public by the DOJ. SCV does not appear to have any such requests on their behalf. It appears SCV is just letting the clock run out. I think the DOJ will get to SCV in due time, and I think based on the enforcement actions of the DOJ of other organizations they will do so when everything is wrapped up nice and pretty. Some cease and desists are a simple letter, some cease and desists are a legal brief. I suspect SCV is deserving of a legal brief based on their longevity (to when the decision comes the DOJ will have made a much stronger case for the action). There is only one entity in the cast of actors that is executing their responsibility according to their role in this circus: 1) I reached out to management int he warmest nicest way possible when the Vanguard Cadets were terminated. I was blown off. 2) I reached out to the board (nearly every single one of them individually) in an escalated manner as appropriate and was blown off, and pathetic attempts to intimidate me with legal action were 3) I reached out to DCI and learned they are nothing more than very similar individuals from other corps running on the edge of collapse as well. They have done nothing. 4) I reached out to the Santa Clara Police (the authority over SCV's bingo license) and I can't say they are going anything or not, but it doesn't appear so. 5) It appears only the State of California is doing anything. They do it slow, but they have the least vested interest in doing anything. It is not their job to ensure the four prior mentioned actors do their job. The state merely plays the roll of warning the general public about SCV's non compliance. 5a) So it appears the CA DOJ will just eventually get to SCV, pull the plug on Nonprofit status, and by default as a requirement of state law Bingo will have to be shut down based on an enforcement action of the State, and the Santa Clara Police will be irrelevant as well. I think 2024 is that year for SCV. It can happen as soon as 17-JAN-2024, or from the looks of things the state takes sever more weeks than that. When everyone was operating under COVID it looked like the DOJ was slow to get to things. The last November notice was based on a previous notice from August as a result of 2021 being late (which still requires an audit). They they were given 60 days from August's 2021 first warning. Then with a much improved time line the second warning came in November, and another 60 days were given (which has us all talking, and that will be up in mid Jan). ******************* Now............... mechanically this doesn't stop idiots from running a tour. It's not against the law to get on the busses and tour until the money runs out. It also doesn't stop SCV from running bingo until someone with badges and guns comes to the front door and forces them to stop. They have been operating bingo illegally for a few years at least anyway, so why would they stop on their own. So this will probably drag on much longer than I might expect. Everyone should realize................... that the only actor doing their job (the State of CA) considers the start of this nonsense back to March-2020 and they will probably use that in consideration with their decision. ************ Now, this can all magically fix itself if by some chance SCV is holding in hand all the required filings and audits, but why are they dragging it out things so long?

I have an answer, but I’m not certain I looked in most up-to-date place. There are others here, one especially so, that is far more familiar with the online databases.

Happy New Year! 2024 is going to be great!

I'd give you mine if I still had it. The only problem is it would be a bit charred as it went up in smoke while on tour when our uniform truck caught on fire in the middle of tour...lol

Hahahah! We got this! It’ll be worth the wait!

Starting to see Crown share posts of people receiving contracts on their story. I am getting antsy already and we are still five months out from anything of significance happening haha.

Still sore from that top branch.

I think Rick will work well with the current design staff. Let’s hope this new collaboration brings some fresh ideas to the field.

We ❤️ the BOD, Staff, and officers of PR!

Merry Christmas one and all.

Wasn't it George Z. who said he writes drill after he has the music, not the other way around.

I completely agree. Klesch is a musical genius and I hope he remains with the program for at least the next two decades. One of the really cool things about him is that he continues to evolve as a writer, he doesn't hold on to tendencies for too long, at least not anymore. This ensemble is really pushing the activity musically even now, and I am here for it. Music is the entire basis of this activity, after all, even over the marching. The best part is his music almost ALWAYS matches what is happening on the field. I love that.

I share your excitement. Was just listening to some audio and was struck with the sophistication of the arrangements. There's no one out there doing what they're doing. Yes there are other excellent drum corps performances out there -- settle down people. But Klesch's skill at arranging is aging like fine wine and the percussion writing last year was phenomenal. Kind of scary to think what things could be like in 24.

The direction the ensemble went this past season has had me incredibly excited for the talent pool and the direction of the ensemble this year.

Big turnout at camp. Sousaphones were out and the gym was packed. Heard someone mention that well over half the hornline was filled, not sure about percussion but there was a lot of talent at this camp overall. Hornline played through a Christmas tune as well as a little unnamed something, and let’s just say… Michael Klesch is proving once again why he’s the best brass arranger in drum corps. Crown will be sounding better than ever in 2024.