“Pick On Someone Your Own Size!” says Herb Gura (Observer-American opinion letter not too long ago). The Konocti Unified School District board member assails Darrell Watkins for writing about “bottom of the barrel” test scores of his KUSD kids. Watkins said test scores will go up when more students do their home work and pay attention in class. Gura disagrees. Watkins also said, spanking delinquent kids and sending them back to class is better than suspensions and expulsions. Punishing kids by keeping them out of school is the nastiest kind of child abuse. Again, Gura disagrees. He wants to expel and suspend kids but never spank. He’d like to see Watkins arrested and put in jail.
Watkins would like to see Gura get out of the teaching business. He can’t teach kids to read, write and do arithmetic. He won’t answer questions about the test scores of his students. His letters are filled with typical Gurarian propaganda. He also has a bad case of spankophobia. Spanking is “violence,” Gura writes, with the connotation that violence is evil (apparently, it’s not violence when they send out swat teams to shoot down delinquent kids grown up). He also says spanking is “children smacked around” and describes spanking as “daily beatings.”
Gura’s rhetoric is good. Unfortunately, he watches too many Hollywood movies. A Hollywood spanking is a 6-foot, 6-inch six lumberjack (without shirt or shoes) holding a beer can in one hand, clutching a huge belt in the other and going after a trembling child praying by his bed. Hollywood never shows a terrified mother swatting kids who made a campfire under the house when she taught them not to play with fire.
Spanking is the “Gospel according to Watkins,” Gura writes. Spanking, however, is not Watkins’ gospel at all. Spanking is a 400-year-old American tradition taught by wise men and still, thank God, widely practiced. Wise men say, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.“ Gura’s Hollywood ideas don’t educate children and provide discipline for Konocti classrooms.
Little Deer: Thoughts on supervisors' cell tower rulings
Written by Cheryl Little Deer
Wednesday, 08 August 2007
I was asked by the press what my thoughts and feelings are regarding the July 24 Board of Supervisors 3 to 2 decision NOT to honor my appeal of the US Cellular 120-foot-high tower in Upper Lake.
First of all, I want to express what an awesome experience it was to have the Board of Supervisors truly hear the concerns of myself and numerous other community residents. This is a very complex issue. The Board of Supervisors granted more than six hours to listening to our concerns during the two hearings devoted to the appeal. They requested a crane simulation be conducted by US Cellular for public viewing. They spent many more hours reviewing documents and scientific research which we presented to them at the hearings, as well as the time spent in consulting with county counsel and weighing this difficult decision.
I've been working on raising awareness of this issue, with the public and decision makers, since 1989. In all that time, I've not seen such consideration from a decision making body. Our Board of Supervisors were exemplary in their willingness to fully consider this appeal.
I am aware that the management of electromagnetic pollution is a political hot potato and am also aware that the Federal Communications has negated the public's welfare, health and safety by adopting the section in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which says state and local government may not "regulate the placement, construction and modification of telecommunication facilities on the basis of environmental effects of radio frequency emissions" if the facilities comply with FCC regulations with respect to such emissions. There are currently lawsuits in the courts regarding the constitutional violations this act represents.
With this in mind, we presented extensive scientific research in support of the appeal and challenged our Board of Supervisors to stand up to their responsibility to protect the local citizens and environment from known and suspected hazards from chronic exposure to electromagnetic / radio frequency / microwave radiation. Their action to unanimously adopt an immediate urgency moratorium ordinance for Lake County (in regards to telecommunication applications) was a wise and prudent decision by the Board of Supervisors. This will allow time to develop a comprehensive telecommunication plan and update the ordinance that governs the wireless facilities in our county.
However, to deny my appeal (concerning this 120-foot cellular tower in Upper Lake) during the same sitting of the Board of Supervisors, and to allow two other cellular tower applications (still in the planning process) to go forward, doesn't make a lot of horse-sense to me.
Yes, during the hearings, US Cellular's attorney did indicate the potential for a lawsuit against the county, should my appeal be upheld on the basis of my concerns for the health of my community. So what! There were other grounds adequately presented – such as aesthetics alone – that could have been used as basis for a favorable decision supporting my appeal, while holding the county immune to lawsuit.
Also the legal question of the Initial Study not being presented to the Planning Commission with the Staff Report (a California Environmental Quality Act violation) as well as the "less than one mile from the town limit of Upper Lake" (code violation?) were valid reasons to deny the use permit. I truly expected more from the Board of Supervisors on this. It really doesn't sit well with me.
In any case, l sincerely want to publicly thank Denise Rushing and Anthony Farrington for their supportive votes for the appeal.
In conclusion, there are other thoughts I've had on this issue:
While these multibillion dollar international corporations are bullying their way into our community, resulting in a potentially hazardous impact on our quality of life here, where is the money trail? Yes, the county makes a minimal fee through the application process, the land owner(s) make their lease monies, but then what?
For example, in the case of the cell tower site I've questioned, the landowner doesn't even live in Lake County. The cellular company applicant is based out of state. All money generated from local customers will end up out of state with little or no support to the local economy. The land value of the property the cell tower would be housed on, as well as the surrounding properties, would decrease and result in a lower tax-base revenue to the county.
And, who's going to compensate those land owners for their losses? Who's going to pay the medical bills for those people, living nearby, who develop illnesses from chronic exposure to cell tower emissions? Who's going to pay their basic living bills when they can't even work anymore because of those related illnesses? The taxpayers?
If you're concerned about this issue, call your supervisors and let them know. Educate yourself further by reviewing the extensive body of scientific research. Hopefully you'll make the decision to use a land line for most of your calls – use your cell phone for emergency only – and never let one near your children.
Written by Barbara Christwitz, JoAnn Saccato, Greg Peters and John Snell
Monday, 06 August 2007
What does it say about America when even 9/11 rescue worker heroes aren't able to afford adequate health care, while some were able to receive excellent health care in Cuba – the same as any Cuban citizen – for free?
For a surprisingly entertaining, cool, affordable afternoon delight check out the movie “Sicko” at the Lakeport Cinema 5. We would like to take this opportunity to thank theater manager Justin Hamaker for going through the extra effort to bring Michael Moore's “Sicko” to Lake County.
Be sure and go right away because it will only be shown daily through Thursday, Aug. 9 at 12:15 p.m.
Barbara Christwitz, Clearlake; JoAnn Saccato, Clearlake Oaks; Greg Peters, Lower Lake; John Snell, Nicasio (Marin County).
On Thursday, July 26, I had the good fortune to be able to attend a presentation at the Calpine Visitor Center concerning the future of the Calpine operation at The Geysers. It really is encouraging to see through a slide show presentation as well as hear from local residents in the audience how Calpine responds to needs within the community – be it a tremor or an unpleasant odor permeating the air.
Without a doubt, the biggest problem at The Geysers is one which has nothing to do with steam, but everything to do with safety. The problem? In a word, Securitas. Unfortunately, Securitas is still handling clearance and traffic security. That means the security operation at The Geysers is more cosmetic than it is real. In a post-9/11 world, this kind of bogus operation should not be tolerated.
One can only hope the security mess at The Geysers is NOT typical of other power plant operations across our county. If it is, we have a national problem – not just a local one. But, I believe the good people of Lake County will NOT continue to tolerate the cosmetic brand of security promoted by Securitas. No, I believe they will demand security be responsive to their needs.
It is understandable that Calpine may be too preoccupied with getting out of bankruptcy to notice ALL the Securitas deficiencies. Calpine is not a security company, but an award-winning supplier of geothermal power. Therefore, it is up to the good citizens of Lake County and all those who care about the area to take proactive action.
What kind of action? Demand that all three guard locations be linked through a network and have traffic records accessible via a database at the click of a mouse button. No more of this ridiculous reconciling and filing of handwritten traffic records eight to 24 hours after-the-fact. And, there should be a clearance backup procedure to make sure no contractor scheduled to work within The Geysers is denied access.
Here are some folks who need to hear your concerns:
Ed Robey, Lake County District 1 Supervisor, P.O. Box 796, Lower Lake, CA 95457.
Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. There is also a comment line: (202) 282-8495.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, State Capital Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814.
Fox News Channel. Call 1-888-369-4762. (Be sure to thank Fox for coming to Middletown for "Middletown Days" in 2006.) Encourage them to send a camera crew to The Geysers to report back to the American people what they see.
The world's largest geothermal operation deserves the best security money can buy for its employees, guests and property owners. But, they don’t have it. They have Securitas, instead. The Geysers deserves better. Let’s help them get it.
I post a list of persons that have property coming to them from the state. This list is posted at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center on Saturdays between 8 a.m. and noon. I also post the list at the Lakeport Senior Center at their breakfast on the third Sunday of each month. The purpose is to inform residents that the state is holding property for them and also to raise funds for the senior center.
I call this listing "The Lake County Wall of Money." The listing is on poster boards that I hang from a framework that is 24 feet in length. The posters hang from the front and back of the framework. So far I have over 5,000 names listed with over $1 million coming.
I've completed the listing for all the Lake county towns except the city of Clearlake. I'm working on Clearlake. They have over 3,000 people with money coming to them.
Some of the people have moved from the area, others may be deceased. People visiting the senior center and observing the list sometimes recognize people that they know and provide me with information as to their present status or address.
I cannot claim the property for an individual but I will assist anyone in making their claim. All I ask is that when they receive the property that they make a donation to the senior center.
Needless to say, this information is on the Internet but not in the concise town-by-town layout that I have provided.
One beneficiary of my search is the County of Lake that had about $2,000 coming unknown to them. I would really like to find the couple from Lower Lake who has over $50,000 due them.
Anyway, come have breakfast with us (it's only $6 for a great breakfast) and check out the "WALL OF MONEY.”
Glenn Trumble is unclaimed property liaison for the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center. He can be reached at 274-8851.
