COMMUNITY Fullerto♥ n bsCeALErNDAvR Peage 1r 3-15 O EAR FULLERTON’S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS • Est.1978 (printed on 20% recycled paper) • Y 39 #9 • MID MAY 2017 Submissions: [email protected] • Contact: (714) 525-6402 • Read Online at : www.fullertonobserver.com School Board Does Not Support “Safe Haven” Resolution by Jesse La Tour Given the current presidential adminis - tration's stance on immigration, Fullerton School District students and their fami - lies, as well as community members, have expressed concern about the safety/depor - tation status of these young people and their family members, and the mental health impacts such uncertainty can have on them. At the April 25th meeting, the school board discussed, and then did not support Trustee Jeanette Vasquez's proposal of a "Safe Haven" resolution that would have expressed local protection for students from federal immigration officials. Before hearing arguments on both sides of the "Safe Haven" resolution, Dr. Chad Hammitt gave an in-depth presentation regarding student mental health and immigration issues. Topics included pro - cedures in the case that federal agents arrive at a school, and immigration resources for Fullerton schools. Some of the 80 people present at the event included Kat Lapuz of Future in Humanity, Briana Stickney of Coast to Coast, Director Larry Haynes of Mercy House, and Austin Drissen of Mercy House. PHOTO BY JERE GREENE continued on page 8 FIRST YEAR -R OUND HOMELESS SHELTER OPENS 7 with preference given to individuals who . The County of Orange opened its first Spitzer, who spearheaded the location in A 7 S D . 5 C I year-round, 24-hour emergency shelter his Anaheim district. have ties to north OC cities. Clients may D 1 U A E . N P and service center in Anaheim on May In June 2015, the Orange County stay up to 180 days and during that time, T D O O E R R N T 4th. Bridges at Kraemer Place will ulti - Board of Supervisors approved a purchase onsite assessments will connect the indi - G A O R T A S D I E mately provide year-round shelter and sale agreement for the vidual to employment, housing, and other T E L N S M R L A and services to 200 individuals property and broke ground on services. O P R T U P E A recent S F each night who are experiencing renovations to the 6,000- The project includes federal funding P homelessness. UCI study square-foot building in 2016. from the Department of Housing and The recently released 2017 OC found that Phase One, now complete, Urban Development, $10 million from Point in Time Count revealed a providing provides bed space and servic - the county, $500,000 each from the cities 7.6% increase in homelessness housing es for up to 100 single men of Fullerton and Anaheim, $150,000 since the 2015 count. Of the for the and women, a dining area, and from La Habra, continued on page 10 4,792 people experiencing home - outdoor restrooms and show - lessness, 2,584 are unsheltered - homeless ers. Phase Two, expected to be with the remainder housed in cut costs completed by summer 2018, OC Supervisors Approve T emergency or transitional shelters. by half. will add an additional 100 ICE Detainee Expansion N The new homeless center will go beds, along with an onsite E L A unanimous decision by OC Board of L towards bringing that number kitchen, interior restrooms D A Supervisors at the May 9th meeting grant - I C down and “create a pipeline to permanent and showers, a laundry, meals and a S 2 E ed OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchen’s request S E 0 R supportive housing for the homeless,” said multi-service center with a health clinic. I to expand Immigration and Customs E 4 R T V Mercy House Executive Director Larry No walk-ins will be allowed, instead a 6 R Enforcement (ICE) detention in county - R T E Haynes. “good neighbor” policy requires individu - E 5 V jails. County jails currently hold a maxi - S N 2 D “Bridges at Kraemer Place provides a als be brought to and from the shelter by B E 5 mum of 838 detainees. The decision A - R O bridge from homelessness to self-sufficien - shuttle at designated times. Clients are 4 allows an additional 120 detainees to be O R E 1 cy,” said 3rd District Supervisor Todd referred by partnered program providers T held for ICE federal agents. Hutchins said 7 U H T C that the expansion will bring $5 million in N I new revenue to the county without R 79th Annual Memorial Day May 29 O adding staff. Celebrating the United States Air Park. Members of the public, and all vet - About 40 members of the public spoke Force’s 70th anniversary is the focus of a erans, especially Air Force veterans and against the item saying that families special salute Monday, May 29, at the their families, are invited to attend. would be harmed and crime victims 79th Annual Fullerton Memorial Day Ed Paul, of the American Veterans would be afraid to call police for help due Observance. The program begins at Memorial Association will MC the event. to fear of deportation. 10am, at Loma Vista Memorial Park, 701 Patriotic music will be sung by Dave Shawn Nelson - the only supervisor E. Bastanchury Road in Fullerton. Deno, Kristen Romero, and Steve and making a comment - said that ICE Special guest speaker Brig. Gen. James Ana Plett, Fullerton police and fire offi - already detains people and that it was bet - Dawkins Jr., the Deputy Director for cers, members of American Legion Post ter that they be detained locally rather 4 Nuclear, Homeland Defense and Current 142 and more. Prior to the ceremony, than taken far away. 3 8 N 2 Operations for the Chair of the Joint individual photos of Air Force veterans As the votes came in the audience began R 9 1 O 5 E Chiefs of Staff, will be escorted by will be taken by Brian Knott and com - chanting “Shame!” Board Chair Steele A 0 T V 7 C JROTC cadets from Fullerton and Troy memorative pins presented by the Rotary called a recess and ordered the chambers R R X N E E O high schools. Club. Prior to the event, community vol - cleared. Reporters remained to lawfully O L S B T document officer actions in removing R Free to the public, the annual program unteers place flags and religious symbols L B O E P U L is sponsored by the nonprofit American on the over 4,200 graves of veterans at the audience members. Officers who attempt - O L F ed to remove reporters were stopped by U Veterans Memorial Association, the City cemetery. Call (714) 871-2412 if you F of Fullerton and Loma Vista Memorial would like to volunteer to help out. county spokesperson Carrie Braun. Page 2FULLERTON OBSERVER COMMUNITY OPINIONS MID MAY 2017 Tree Trimming Job on Raymond Avenue: Fullerton Bad for birds, bad for trees, & bad aesthetically Observer Trees all along Raymond Ave between ing people not to trim trees between Chapman and Dorothy Lane were February 1- August 15 unless absolutely The Fullerton Observer Community trimmed yesterday, May 9, 2017, in the necessary. Newspaper, founded by Ralph and Natalie middle of nesting season for birds. (See If you're interested in more information Kennedy and a group of friends in 1978, is staffed by local citizen volunteers who create, photo at right.) on best practices, see their website at publish, and distribute the paper throughout There are state and federal laws in place http://www.lagunabeachcity.net/civicax/file - our community. to protect birds and their nests from bank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=16090 . This venture is a not-for-profit one with all exactly this type of thing. I would like to know why the decision ad and subscription revenues plowed back into Per the California Fish and Game Code was made to trim the trees in Fullerton in maintaining and improving our independent, non-partisan, non-sectarian community news - 3503, "it is unlawful to take, possess, or the middle of nesting season as opposed to paper. needlessly destroy the nest or eggs of any three months ago, or three months from Our purpose is to inform Fullerton residents bird." Breaking this law is punishable by now, if indeed they need to be trimmed. about the institutions and other societal forces fines or prison. Furthermore, as a concerned citizen, I which most impact their lives, so that they may Because of this code, as well as the was appalled at the way the trees along be empowered to participate in constructive ways to keep and make these private and public Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Orange Raymond were trimmed. They were entities serve all residents in lawful, open, just, County's chapter of Audubon, Sea and lopped off half way up, in a way that is and socially-responsible ways. Sage Audubon ( seaandsageaudobon.org ), not only unsightly, but terrible for the tree Through our extensive local calendar and states that "tree trimming in spring and itself. Eagles need open spaces and large trees to other coverage, we seek to promote a sense of early summer is irresponsible and possibly We have lots of amazing assets in North community and an appreciation for the values thrive. About a year ago, I was walking on of diversity with which our country is so illegal." Orange County, but one thing we are a street in Raymond Hills in Fullerton, uniquely blessed.