Reading experiences wanted

By SUZANNE MEYER

In honor of Mothers’ Day, I reread The Measure of our Success, written by Marion Wright Edelman, head of The Children’s Defense Fund. This short, dense and immensely inspirational book gives her philosophy of life, written as a message to her sons. In summary, she tells them:

Be reliable. Be faithful. Finish what you start. Be honest. Never work for just money or power, They won’t save your soul, or help you sleep at night. Be a can-do, will-try person. Don’t be afraid of taking risks or being criticized. Be confident that you can make a difference. Don’t ever stop learning and improving your mind. Use your political and economic power to help the community and others less fortunate. Remember your roots, your history, and the forebears’ shoulders on which you stand. Listen for "the sound of the genuine" within yourself and others. Always remember that you are never alone. You have our love and the love of family and friends with you every minute of every day.

BY CAROLINE MITTON

An April 17, 2000 public meeting considered the Tuolumne River Regional Park plans. The plans were not changed much from the previous meetings. The boat ramps were taken out, but there are people access points about the same size in their places. The access near Legion Hall was recommended for boat launching instead, with take-out by Carpenter Rd.

The amphitheater was moved closer to the Tuolumne River, but is still on the edge of Dry Creek. The planner envisions carving a bowl-shaped area, 150 by 300 feet, into the bank of Dry Creek to make a seating space for 5,000. Packed dirt will, evidently, be used. You’ll never notice it, he says and it should drain well after Dry Creek floods. There will be lighting and sound utilities available in flood-proof boxes and set back from the edge of the water about fifty feet. Nothing was said about erosion with rain and use. The resulting damage from trash and overuse was ignored.

The city is quite firm in their belief that the festivals should be held in the parks, and if not at Legion Park, then at Gateway. This, they insist, is the best use for this piece of property. They do not ask the basic question of whether a park is the proper setting for festivals. And extending the riparian habitat along Dry Creek did not enter into their equations, either. The planner kept saying that the amphitheater was to be used once a year, but the park director is talking about the 8 to 10 festivals held in the park and obviously hoping to get more. That will mean that the area will barely have enough time to recover from one festival to another.

The loop road remains a straight one-way, with parking along the outer edge, coming off of the Tuolumne Boulevard Extension without a curve until it is almost to the river. This will encourage speeding in an area where pedestrian paths cross the road. Parking inside the park itself will detract from the park’s enjoyment. The planner said this extension of the city streets was needed for handicapped access and maintenance. One person responded that an extension could be accomplished with a short road proceeding toward the river, ending with a handicapped parking area.

The "plaza" was cut in half and said to be "armored" somehow, possibly with "bands of rock." It is still 200 feet on a side. The planner said people like to go to the point to look at the river, and they can stop out of the way of bikers and hiker on the paths. The belvederes planned for the new Ninth Street Bridge are almost eight feet deep and are for the same type of purpose. This spot at the confluence is well within what is supposed to be restored riparian habitat.

Someone suggested that some of us wanted the whole area to be left completely natural, with no public access at all. That is absolutely not the case. A park, by definition, is partially developed for people to use. My vision of the Gateway Parcel is that roughly the 200 feet along the river should be restored to riparian habitat. The terracing and trails braiding through it, with the Class I trail on the street side of the strip as planned, are all fine. But, I feel very strongly that the main body of the park should have trees and picnic areas, with several open areas for informal family games. It should be a quiet, low-keyed area to restore our spirits. If the city feels the need for festival grounds, they should be looking for a more appropriate spot than a unique piece of riverfront property.

Gun laws survey reveals states’ wide diversity
(Source: The Center on Crime Communities & Culture of the Open Society Institute)
Washington, D.C.

A disturbing national picture of "severely low levels" of gun control laws emerges from the first comprehensive survey on firearm laws in all 50 states. A total of 42 states—more than four out of five—lack even "basic gun control laws," the report finds, and "fall below minimum standards for public safety".

The study represents the first comprehensive snapshot of the nation’s gun laws, profiling each state’s laws and rating each state based on 30 weighted gun control measures. Only seven states scored above 30 percent. The report rated 42 states under 20 percent. The average state score was only 9 percent

The seven top-rated states in the study were: Massachusetts (76 percent, Hawaii (71 percent), California (53 percent), Connecticut (50 percent), Maryland, (43 percent), New Jersey (35 percent), and Illinois (35 percent).

The dramatic disparity between the top seven states and the rest of the nation, is based on a core of "fundamental" firearm laws, most importantly, registration and licensing. Thirty-five states have neither registration nor licensing for any type of gun, while 31 states have no waiting periods for handguns. The lowest-ranking states have virtually no firearm laws of their own, and received negative scores because they undermine minimum federal gun laws.

Other major findings include only two states—California and Connecticut—have banned private sales of assault weapons. 43 states allow sales of assault weapons with no registration or licensing, 46 states have no limit on gun purchases, making it easy for traffickers to buy guns in volume. SIX STATES HAVE NO MINIMUM AGE FOR A CHILD TO POSSESS A HANDGUN.

The study reports over a third of all guns used in crime were bought legally less than three years prior to the offense, suggesting that implementing licensing and registration now is likely to have an impact within three years. Especially if enforcement is carried out!

"Opponents of gun control claim we don’t need new gun laws because there are plenty already on the books, " stated Rebecca Peters, program director of the Funder’s Collaborative for Gun Violence Prevention, "That study clearly debunks that myth, revealing just how few laws exist nationwide to prevent gun violence."

A copy of the report is available at the Peace Life Center in Modesto.

Million Mom March: sensible gun laws, safe kids

Every day, 12 children die from gunshot wounds. Each day there is no action on this issue, we lose 12 more children. It is the horror of events like Columbine that grab the news headlines, but these daily deaths are even more commonplace than a dramatic school shooting-they are happening in everyone's backyard.

These children are crime victims; wrong place, wrong time victims; unlocked-and-loaded-in-the-house victims; neighbor accidentally killing neighbor; and suicides...all with one major factor in common: death. Lives are destroyed because a gun fell into the wrong hands.

The Million Mom March was conceived in the fall of 1999 by a New Jersey Mom who had enough. Donna Dees-Thomases received a wake-up call while watching the footage of the Granada Hills Day Camp massacre. She says "she cried watching the little kids crossing that street in a daisy chain with police crouched down ready to take a bullet for them."

Her young children were untouched by gun violence, and she was fiercely determined to keep them that way. Her hope was to harness the passion of hundreds of thousands of people who are determined to keep our kids safe.

Thousands of women and their families will rally on the Mall in Washington, D.C. for the Million Mom March , and local events and rallies in a number of cities throughout the country will occur on Mother's Day, May 14, 2000.

The Million Mom March is not about banning but about common sense gun laws — specifically they are urging Congress to require that all gun owners be licensed and registered, including mandatory safety training.

The hope is that this Mother's Day, from every part of the country, a voice of reason will ring out demanding that Congress take action this session.

By ALEXANDER BRITTAIN

Those of us who teach middle school students know that many students don’t like to read, especially as they get older; few have models of reading at home, and motivating students is often difficult.

So, I had an idea. I wanted to share what reading has meant to me, and to other readers, with my low-motivated readers. Depending upon the response, I’d like to share any responses with a wider audience than my own students. Perhaps you’d be interested in the outcome of this project yourself.

If you would share a meaningful reading experience, I know that students would be very interested in what you have to say. Any single anecdote, short or long, or any number of different meaningful reading experiences would be welcome. It’s the personal touch that would be nice, sharing with them your experiences of the power of reading. Hand write it, type it, even draw it. And please don’t worry about spelling or grammar; we’re not all writers. I’ll transcribe and edit for correctness (only), so if you’re not perfect, only I will know. Single drafts are fine.

What stories do you have about your early experiences in learning to read? What books or stories have affected you deeply in some way, or have changed you or the way that you understand the world? How has reading affected your life? What role does it play in your life? Do you know anyone whose lack of reading skill has held them back in their life?

My students would love to hear your thoughts and feelings about your reading experiences (and I’d be darn interested myself).

Send stories to me at Winton Middle School, P.O. Box 1299, Winton, CA 95388, or via email to: <alexander@elite.net> or <alexandernb@hotmail.com>

State Theatre sets fundraiser

A benefit for Modesto’s State Theatre will be staged on Saturday, May 6. Two performances by a star of Rock and Roll, Rita Coolidge, are scheduled for 7 and 9 pm. The ticket for $60 includes dinner, an outdoor concert and dance.

Rita’s two shows accompanied by a light dinner buffet, dessert, coffee and no host bar. There will be dancing in the street under a big tent on Thirteenth Street to the Cajun Zydeco sounds of Modesto’s own Blues Band. Food from downtown restaurants will be featured.

The State Theatre is struggling to fulfill its mission to restore this historic art-deco theatre to its former glory. The theatre can thus continue to enrich our community year round by bringing in quality films, children’s theatre, and concerts both classical and popular.

The State Theatre was opened Christmas Day 1934 and went through quite a checkered career to emerge (we hope) victorious as a restored community asset. So, as a community, don’t let this process down!

For tickets call 527-4697.