CUPERTINO SCENE September 2003 Vol
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CUPERTINO SCENE September 2003 vol. xxvii no. 1 A monthly publication of the city of Cupertino Cupertino Teen AccessCupertino is Online Issues Forum The city of Cupertino has inaugurated Following are excepts from the summary report of AccessCupertino, a means for residents to access the main points that were covered at the and track service requests, questions and com- Cupertino Community Forum on Teen Issues last plaints 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. This web- April. The complete summary is available at based service enables residents to submit any type www.cupertino.org. of concern to city government at a time that is Teen Issues convenient for the resident. AccessCupertino is a Participants made the following points in re- powerful tool to augment existing means of com- sponse to the teen issues that were identified by municating with city hall. “Our goal is to make the students in the first fishbowl discussion. Ques- public input as convienient and comprehensive as tion posed to the groups: “What did you find possile,” said Cupertino City Manager, David most surprising or interesting about what the stu- Knapp. Try AccessCupertino by visiting our dents said...?” · The prevalence of alcohol and website at www.cupertino.org. drug use, especially on campus during school. · How easy it is for teens to get alcohol, ciga- rettes, marijuana, and other drugs. Garbage Rate Increase · The lack of parenting and adult supervision, The Los Altos Garbage Co. has received a contributing to off-campus partying and alcohol 2.56% cost-of-living increase as of August 1st. and drug use. A typical monthly single-can residential bill will · The intense pressure that students are under increase from $17.22 to $17.66. from both their parents and their peers to get good grades (example of the 4.1 GPA) and get into a good college. · There is a need to establish communication · The intense stress that students are under, and links between teens, adults, schools, and commu- how it contributes to other problems such as al- nity services. cohol, drug use, social isolation, and cheating. ·Take proactive steps to better understand dif- · Parents, teachers, and the community at large ferent cultural customs through staff training and are in denial or they simply choose to ignore teen other educational opportunities. problems; the issues are downplayed. · There is a need for “parent programs” to edu- Actions and Recommendations cate them about teen issues and how to commu- nicate with teens. Participants made these points in response to · There is a need for preventative education pro- the following question: “What can the city, the grams that focus on the consequences of alcohol, schools, and the community do to improve the drugs, smoking, and sex. way that teens issues and problems are addressed?” ·There is a need for “real life” education pro- · There are not enough services and programs grams, emphasizing such things as life skills and at the schools; it is more effective if the programs how to apply for college. are school specific. Special thanks to forum participants, Teen · There should be a closer connection between Commission members and participants in the city Parks and Recreation Department and the Tomorrow’s Leaders Today. Future columns will schools; they should complement and overlap one discuss initiatives coming from this forum. another; for example by using school facilities for See page 5 for information on Tommorow’s city services and programs. Leaders Today. In This Issue Cupertino Temporary Teen Forum .............................1 Library is Open Garbage Rate Increase ..........1 New Library Hours Cupertino Library ...................2 Monday 12 to 9 (new hours) California Elections ................3 Tuesday 12 to 9 (new hours) ‘The Better Part’ ......................4 Wednesday 10 to 9 Wireless Master Plan .............5 Thursday 10 to 9 Friday 10 to 6 CCS 30th birthday ..................5 Saturday 10 to 6 Winter Art Fair .........................5 Sunday 1 to 5 (new hours) Tomorrow’s Leaders Today ..5 The Cupertino Temporary Library is located Simply Safe..............................6 at 10441 Bandley Drive, one block west of Rebate for old Fridge .............7 De Anza Boulevard between Lazaneo and Citywide Garage Sale .............7 Mariani. Parking / Entrance at the back of TV Recycling Costs Less ......7 the building. Computer Recycling ..............7 Start a Compost Pile...............7 Library telephone numbers are: General Library Number (408) 446-1677 Caring for Wisteria .................7 Accounts, Billing (800) 286-1991 Cupertino HS Alumni Assoc. .8 Dial-in Catalog (877) 471-3349 Payvand Festival ....................8 TeleCirc (800) 471-0991 De Anza College......................9 The library has a Web Catalog at http:// webpac.santaclaracountylib.org/, as well as a Environmental Volunteers ....9 Telnet Catalog at telnet://library. Roots: William Smythe........ 10 santaclaracountylib.org, and a Dial-in Catalog. A Community’s History ........11 Bookmark these library web addresses: Writers Club ..........................11 Santa Clara County Library Web Site: http:// Senior Center News .............11 www.santaclaracountylib.org: Teen Page Web Site: http://www.santaclaracountylib.org/teen: Kids Community Calendar .......... 12 Page Web Site: http://www. santaclaracountylib. Council Actions ................... 14 org/kids. Agenda Previews ................ 14 Teen Photo Contest AccessCupertino ................ 15 The Library’s Teen Photography Contest win- City Meetings ....................... 16 ners will be announced the week of September 9th. Prizes, donated by the Friends of the Cupertino Library, will be awarded at the library at a reception during Teen Read Week on Wednes- day, October 15th at 7 p.m. Chinese Storytimes The Cupertino Scene is published monthly ex- Children and their parents are invited to cel- cept in August and distributed to all residents and ebrate the Moon Festival with a special series of businesses in the city. Information may be submit- storytimes in Mandarin Chinese. Librarian Bonnie ted via e-mail to [email protected]. Questions Wang will share stories, puppet shows and crafts may be directed to the Public Information Office at Thursday evenings September 11, 18, and 25, at 7 City Hall, 777-3262. Deadline is the first Wednesday p.m. of the month for the next month’s issue. -2- Children’s Storytimes Making Sense Bedtime Storytime (age 3 years and up) Tuesdays, 7 p.m. of California Elections Toddler Storytime (ages 2-1/2 to 3-1/2) The Easy Voter Guide helps make sense of the Wednesdays, 10:15 a.m. October 7th special election. There is unprec- Twos Storytime (ages 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 edented coverage about California’s special elec- Thursdays, 10:15 a.m. tion on October 7th but many people are still Parent-Child Catalog/Internet Classes confused about what is on the ballot and the sub- Parents of schoolchildren may schedule ap- stance of the issues. You can play an important pointments with a children’s librarian for either role by making certain you are prepared to par- introductory Internet (exploring web sites for chil- ticipate with nonpartisan information about the dren) or library catalog instruction. The classes are choices you face. Remember, the last day to open to parents alone or with their children. To register to vote for the October 7 special elec- schedule an appointment, call (408) 446-1677, ext. tion is September 22. 3310. Community organizations and public agencies can order free copies of the Easy Voter Guide in Teen Database Classes English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese (with Database instruction for teens, thirteen to nine- free shipping and handling). An order form can teen, is available at the library by appointment. If be downloaded at www.easyvoter.org. Formerly you would like to schedule an appointment to known as the Easy Reading Voter Guide, the Easy learn about the library’s subscription databases Voter Guide has been produced for every state- please call the Reference Desk at (408) 446-1677. wide election since 1994. Internet Basics for Adults The nonpartisan 8-page guide explains the spe- Basic Internet classes for adults are held at the cial election, covers the candidates for Governor library every Saturday, 10 to 10:30 a.m. These and offers a concise overview of the two impor- drop-in classes are limited to five participants and tant statewide propositions that will also be on are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Par- the ballot. The guide’s layperson language and user- ticipants must be able to use a computer keyboard friendly layout have made it popular with new and mouse. Those interested should come to the voters and busy voters alike. This nonprofit guide Adult Reference desk at 10 a.m. on Saturday morn- is being produced and distributed with support ings. from the California State Library, in partnership with the California Secretary of State’s Office, the Internet Classes in Mandarin Chinese League of Women Voters Education Fund and Beginning classes on how to use the Internet The James Irvine Foundation. are available in Mandarin, by appointment. If you Requests will be filled on a first come, first served would like to schedule an appointment, please call basis. Guides will be shipped by UPS in early Sep- the library’s Reference Desk at (408) 446-1677. tember. To expedite timely delivery, shipping pri- Bestseller Collection ority will be given to orders of 500 or more. Funded by the Friends of the Cupertino Li- There is a 50 minimum per language. For smaller brary, the Bestseller Collection is a special brows- quantities, visit your public library or download a ing collection designed to make it easier than ever PDF copy at www.easyvoter.org. to find a bestseller on the library shelf when you In addition to HTML and PDF versions of the visit the library. The books are available on a first- Easy Voter Guide, the www.easyvoter.org website come, first-served basis (no reserves).