Leters to the Editor 2-20-14

Community Unity Day volunteers
Editor:   
Please accept our warmest thanks for your past support of the Cloverdale High School Community Unity Day. This year will be the 19th year for Community Unity Day. As you know, Community Unity Day must rely on the generosity of patrons like you to keep this annual tradition alive. Once again we are turning to our community supporters volunteers and for donations to finance the day. This year Community Unity Day will be held on May 9, 2014. A BBQ of hamburgers, hot dogs, with all the condiments and dessert will take place at City Park in the afternoon for volunteers, students and staff. Students and staff look forward to this day each year.
There are over 30 planned projects that will help make our community shine! Some of the local projects include a community food drive, spring cleaning of local parks, Cloverdale Senior Center and of course school campus projects. Many merchants and supporters generously donate food and supplies for the event, and others make cash donations. If you wish to help this year please contact the school office for more information at 707-894-1900. Monetary donation/checks may be made payable to CHS ASB Community Unity Day.
We wish to thank everyone in advance for continued support of this very eventful day.
Theresa Burke, Principal
Cloverdale High School
Thanks from the Wallace House
Editor:   
Since 1984, when Wallace House was founded, volunteers have been key to its success helping those who come to us for assistance. Our program began as an all volunteer organization. Members of the steering committee as well as people in our community, answered phone calls for the emergency shelter, opened the doors to Wallace House in the evening and locked up the next day. Local business people and community members continue to generously offer their services to assist Wallace House, as we offer our clients opportunities for a positive future.
 I know I speak for everyone connected with running Wallace House—Board members, staff and clients when I extend thanks to all those who support Wallace House programs with their time, talents and gifts.  
One example of this volunteer spirit readily comes to mind. For at least a year now, Lavonne and Jim Nameny have been preparing a special lunch for our Emergency Shelter, Transitional and Supportive Housing clients on a regular basis.  
There is always wonderful food and fellowship at these luncheons. Jim and Lavonne also make a point of connecting these meals with stories of their many trips around the world, or through stories of childhood experiences around the family table. Such was the case recently with Jim’s Hungarian family heritage theme. They prepared a delicious meal of chicken paprikash, Hungarian noodles, cucumber salad, and a delicious dessert with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. These parties are a wonderful opportunity for our clients to socialize, feel connected to a community rather than isolated and alone.
All who are connected to Wallace House offer thanks to Jim and Lavonne for their generousity. It is good to be part of such a caring community.
Virginia Greenwald, President
Wallace House Community Services Board of Directors
Ruined weekends
Editor:   
We’ve had some pretty nice weather lately and, like many others, I have been out in the yard enjoying the early spring getting some work done, listening to the birds chirping, the breeze in the trees and the peace and quiet of this bucolic area we all choose to call home. Unfortunately my yard is on the flight path from the airport, so there is no peace and quiet. Every twenty minutes or so, every weekend I am subject to the sound of the jump plane run by Cloverdale Skydiving. The noise is literally so loud it is impossible to have a conversation until it passes on its circuit to gain height as quickly as possible, in order to return and pick up more passengers. In order to do so, it has a special propeller that lifts the plane quickly and makes an unbearable noise doing so. I have called the operation 3 times with zero satisfaction; today they didn’t have the decency to return my phone call. I have spoken with the City Council who manage the airport and issue the business license for this operation. I was told there is nothing the city can do because once a plane leaves the ground it’s the FAA’s responsibility. I called the FAA, Oakland office, and FAA representative Barry Frankfling told me that is not true, that as the owners of the airport and the issuers of the license, the City of Cloverdale has complete control over the operation.
This has become a serious quality of life issue for anyone on the flight path, which must include hundreds of homes. The operators of this plane know it’s a problem, it’s been discussed many times, yet they ignore public opinion and continue ruining our quality of life. I have no problem with anyone making money, more power to them. But not at the expense of the quality of life for the local residents. So we have a problem. The operator will do nothing, the city refuses to help and the FAA says it’s the city’s responsibility. I believe in the power of public opinion. We have recently seen public opinion persuade the city to make a dangerous crosswalk safe. I believe public opinion can influence the city to use its power to restrict excessive noise from the airport.
I am certain I am not the only person affected by this noise, and I urge people to contact me so we can develop plans to stop this intrusion on our quality of life. My email address is [email protected], my home phone number is 894-0313. If you are affected, please contact me with your name, address and contact information.
Stephen Nurse
Pine Mountain