Property of Fullerton Public Library, Local History Room Community and Fine Arts Calendars p. Fullerton Observer Fullerton’s Only Local Independent New spaper(printed on recycled paper) No.266 October 1,1996 ...... .. it was High Noon in the Prestigious Appointment Not So Okay Corral... Fullerton, the education and tree city, may now become the “Sign City” as po­ litical wars spill into council chambers. By Jack Harloe doing that. We’ve received 106 complaints about signs in town.” Local businessman Chris Beard, his hands The Observer learned from Council- low, stalked into the council chambers Tues­ member Jan Flory that they were filed by day evening and commanded the podium at Alan Morton. Councilmember Flory had ex­ public comment time. pressed skepticism about the genuineness of Why, he wanted to know, was he the target such a volume of complaints. of a letter from city code enforcement direct­ As Beard was reaching for his Colt .44, ing him to take down a “Fullerton for Mayor Norby said “I’ll fight for your right to PLEASE RETURN TO MAIN DESK Hardwick for Fullerton” City Council cam­ put signs up all over the city. Let 1,000 signs FULLERTON PUBUC LIBRARY paign poster in front of his place of business bloom.” 353 W. COMMONWEALTH AVE. at Berkeley and Harbor, on land he partly Acting city manager Dudley later told the FULLERTON, CA 92632 owns. Observer that it was a “routine notice” and Beard pointed out that he had been display­ that city officials did not realize that Beard’s Orangethorpe School teacher Gretchen Francisco (left) accepts Certificate ing signs and banners there for years to pub­ banner, though it now displayed a Hardwick of Commendation from Fullerton School District President of the Board, licize such public benefits as a hunger walk, message, was the same location he had used Rosamaria Gomez-Amaro, for her selection as one of only 20 teachers a Rotarian luncheon,an art show put on by in the past to promote other city benefit statewide to participate in a prestigious Teachers’ Colloquium in Sacra- elementary school students, and other com­ events. mento on “How Teachers Are Trained and How to Improve the Process.” munity spirited events without any objec­ tions from city hall. Beard reminded the Council that Hardwick, for whom Beard is campaign Might There Be a Daytime Curfew manager, is supported in his candidacy by such pillars of the community as Ernie Chapman, Molly McClanahan and A.B. “Buck” Catlin. He was particularly angered that Mayor Ordinance in Fullerton’s Future? Chris Norby was displaying “Norby Works By Ralph A. Kennedy for Fullerton” signs on property owned by are prime candidates for dropping out. facing is more insidious: that of parents who the High School District, by the County of What would you think if someone told you Again, to those for whom this doesn’ t seem don’t take the responsibility of getting their Orange, and by the United States Corps of that a kindergarten child had missed 87 days to be a problem, what kind of jobs will these young children (kindergarten through sixth Engineers. of school by March? What about a first young people be able to hold? What kind of grade) to school regularly. grader who missed 104? What chance would citizens will they be? Generally, such unedu­ The primary years, especially, are a crucial City Settles With Young Ho Choi such a child have of being prepared to move cated or undereducated students grow up to period in which the building blocks of basic City officials confirmed Saturday, on to first grade at the end of the year? be a drain upon their families and society. As literacy, math computation, and spelling are Sept. 21 that a cash settlement “in the low For those whose reply is, “Well, just flunk parents, will they ensure that their children laid. It is very difficult for a teacher to teach 5 figures” had been made with Young Ho them, or hold them back another year,” the attend school regularly? Or will the cycle a child to read if he/she is not in school. Choi for his erroneous arrest following question is, how many years is it logical to continue? Needless to say, students who are chroni­ the brutal slaying July 13 of CHP Officer keep a student back until he/she can move on One family had 5 children who ranged cally absent are a great frustration for teach­ Don J. Burt in the parking lot of Coco’s to the next grade? And is al 5-year old likely from kindergarten to high school, none of ers and administrators. One student, a second Restaurant in Fullerton. A public apology to stay in school if he/she’s only in the 4th whom attended or attend school. After offer­ grader, was referred to the School Atten­ by Fullerton Police Chief Pat McKinley grade? ing numerous excuses (“We were all sick for dance Review Board (SARB) when she had had previously been made. When contacted by school personnel seven weeks,” “The kids have head lice and missed 43 days, or 8 weeks, of school. about their children’s excessive absences, we can’t get rid of them,” “Grandmother When brought before the 15-member “Why is it that the Mayor can so flagrantly some parents offer excuses which range from died,” “Grandmother’s going blind,” “We’re SARB panel (which includes representatives break the law and I get cited” he wanted to their children having colds or asthma attacks moving,”) they moved, evading organiza­ from the parents, schools, police, probation, know. Acting city manager Paul Dudley said which last for several weeks to “I slept late tions which were attempting to assist them. district attorney, and social services), the it was a “routine letter,” not a citation. and we just couldn’t get there.” The parents were uneducated, and the chil­ father’s only defense or excuse for these Beard asked Mayor Norby if he realized There are an increasing number of parents dren have already begun to repeat the cycle. absences was “Things happen.” his signs were posted illegally. Beard wanted for whom school attendance apparently isn’t This family receives public assistance, and Before referral to SARB, the school has Norby to answer whether he felt it okay for a priority. Unfortunately, with each absence, most likely will repeat that cycle into future exhausted all of the resources available to it. the Mayor to have illegal signs up while the student falls farther and farther behind generations. Part of the tragedy is that all of These include inviting parents and student to requiring Beard to take his down. until it is almost impossible for them to catch their children professed to enjoy school when a School Intervention Team (SIT) meeting to Norby replied “I don’t believe it’s the up. they were there. discuss absences and how the school can case. You’re up here to berate me. I have With high school students, the hope of When the average person hears the term assist the family. volunteers put up my signs.” graduating with their classmates disappears, “truancy,” they probably think of high school Again, we need to consider the future im­ Dudley chimed in with “It’s the Council’s as credits needed for graduation aren’t students “ditching” school for a day. But the pact upon society of uneducated, unskilled order to respond to complaints and we’re earned because of absences. These students type of truancy that districts are increasingly Continued on p. 7 MORE INSIDE Parks Junior Is Orange County Transit Authority Backing Away from Light Rail? Page 3 High Students Culver - 28 Years of Up-through-the-Ranks City Clerk Experience Page 8 Celebrate Unity Young James Dasney Off to a Life of Adventure and Service Page 17 Day p.i4 California Civil “Rights” Forum Identifies Victims, Confuses Others Page 20 Bulk Rate Commentary Page 3 FULLERTON OBSERVER CAR-RT Sort Council Doings Page 4 POST OFFICE BOX 7051 U.S. Postage PAID School Subjects Page 5 FULLERTON, CA. 92834 Permit No. 1577 About Fullerton Page 6 Fullerton, Ca. Classifieds Page 15 Property of Fullerton Public Library, Local History Room Page 2 FULLERTON OBSERVER NEWS October 1,1996 all at no charge. It’s all paid for through that $ 1,00 assessment the 1997 Plan!! This is something that Orange County EV Charging, NGV motorists pay when they register their cars. interests have been working hard to achieve. That $1.00 pays for a great deal of peace of mind along I believe that this will go a very long way towards our freeways and has been a godsend in enhancing motorist helping business in the Basin, as much of the former uncer­ Fueling Sites on Web safety and improving mobility. Just under 10,000 call box tainty regarding potential regulations will be eliminated. A valuable new resource for clean-fuel vehicle drivers calls are made each and every month. The draft plan is scheduled to be released near the end of is now available on CALSTART’s Internet World Wide The vast majority of these calls are for mechanical July, and will be followed by meetings and workshops in Web site - graphical maps for locating California electric problems but as many as 15 percent of the calls are made to August and September. The plan will show that measures vehicle (EV) charging and natural gas vehicle (NGV) refu­ seek emergency assistance. outlined in the 1994 AWMOP are more than enough to attain eling stations. The “clickable maps” allow individuals the Countless hours have been saved thanks to call boxes federal health standards for fine particulates and ground- opportunity to “zoom in” on California regions and local and the Freeway Service Patrol.