Letters to the Editor 3-7-13

One for one
Editor: I would like to draw your attention to the efforts of Analy High School’s 1-4-1 Club, resulting in over 2,000 local middle and high school students listening to nationally-recognized youth speaker Calvin Terrell.
Over the past four years, increasing numbers of 1-4-1 students have attended the National Teen Leadership Program hosted by the University of California, Davis. There, they heard the positive messages delivered by Calvin Terrell; messages of understanding, living an authentic life and avoiding impediments to a healthy and fulfilling life, such as drugs and alcohol. Knowing how deeply these presentations touched their lives, the students endeavored to bring Calvin to Sebastopol.
They reached out to the West County Coalition for Alcohol and Drug Free Youth and the Sebastopol Police Department.
They made presentations to the administrations of the Sebastopol Union, Gravenstein, Twin Hills/Apple Blossom, and High School districts’ administrations, obtaining commitments from all four districts to host Calvin. This shared effort across district boundaries is an accomplishment unparalleled in living memory.
They obtained funding from over 20 sources, including the school districts, parent groups, local businesses, parents, the Police Officers’ associations and service groups.
They coordinated the logistics of six formal presentations at five school sites over two days as well as smaller classroom and small group meetings, followed by a community-wide meeting.
They accompanied Calvin to each site and event, introducing him and providing support.
They staffed the community-wide meeting and following pasta feed, connecting with other student volunteers to make it happen.
And all of this was accomplished within four months; the idea was first broached in October and the presentations were held on Feb. 20 and 21.
Through their efforts, a positive, life-affirming, healthy living, anti-drug/alcohol message has been effectively delivered to our local middle and high school students.
And our 1-4-1 students, under the leadership of their co-presidents, Zac Parenti and Monica Cropsey, aren’t done yet. They are already making efforts for Calvin to return to the area, possibly to spend time with local educators and teen leaders. Additionally, efforts are underway to bring another nationally-recognized speaker on the impact of marijuana on the developing brain to the Sebastopol area.
Anyone worried about the future of our community, state, country, or world need only look at the wonderful and compelling work of these outstanding 1-4-1 students for reassurance. The future is in good hands.
Jeff Weaver
Sebastopol Chief of Police
Thank you GUSD voters
Editor: We just wanted to say thank you to our constituents for passing Measure M, the local school improvement measure on the Nov. 6, 2012 ballot. With the passage of Measure M, we will be able to provide better facilities and learning experiences for the children within the District.
Also, the District recently refinanced outstanding general obligation bonds, which will save the district’s taxpayers over $100,000. The refunding bonds, totaling $1.1 million, were originally authorized by more than two-thirds of voters at the District’s November 1997 election that were used to repair, renovate and construct new classrooms and facilities for Gravenstein elementary schools.
The interest rates on the outstanding bonds from the 1998 authorization ranged from 3.60 percent to 5.10 percent. The interest rate for the new bonds issued in October of this year will be 3.20 percent, a difference that will save property owners over $100,000.
The passage of time and a lower interest rate environment provided the opportunity to refund the old bonds. The Board felt like if they have an opportunity to save local taxpayers money, especially in this economy, they believed they should do it. They felt as stewards of tax dollars, it was the right thing to do.
We believe it says a lot about our community the amount of support we received for Measure M. We hope to provide our students with a great learning environment and to continue to provide a desirable education for our local children.
Thank you again for your support.
Linda LaMarre, Superintendent, Gravenstein Union School District
Sandra Wickland, President, GUSD Board of Trustees
Please stop
Editor: I live southwest of the town of Sebastopol. Since two days before last Thanksgiving, someone in the area has been playing music almost 24 hours a day, every day. The bass notes are booming throughout the area, through my dual-pane windows, walls, doors, etc. I work at home but haven’t been able to get much done with this audio torture going on, drowning out my own music and everything else I try to mask the sound with. I have to leave my house for several hours a day to get away from the noise. I have driven countless hours and walked miles trying to locate the source, with no result. It is now 2 a.m. and I can’t sleep because the sound goes right through my earplugs. Someone must know who this person is and can do something about this. Please do something.
Karen Cooper
Sebastopol