Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/6054
I don't know about you but there sure seems to be a great deal of confusion in Tehama County regarding school zone speed regu- lations, which is a particularly annoying and dangerous situation when schools are adjacent to high- ways. Two areas of specific con- cern are along State Highway 99E at Antelope and Lassen View schools. Both schools have signs indicating a 25 mph speed with a smaller sign below stating "When Children are Present." Seems clear enough, but wait what does "Present" mean in this context. According to Webster it means "being in view or at hand." Just to be sure one might go to the California Driver's Handbook and find the following paragraph: "Within 500 feet of a school while children are outside or crossing the street, the speed limit is 25 mph, unless otherwise posted. Also, if the school ground has no fence and children are outside, never drive faster than 25 mph. Always drive more carefully near schools, playgrounds, parks, and residential areas because children may sud- denly dart into the street." Aha, but alas this guidance includes the words "unless otherwise posted" so we are back to Webster, or are we. Like many other commuters I thought that the quandary was solved at Antelope school with periodic flashing yellow lights on the school zone signposts. What an enlightened idea I thought – have the school staff indicate when children are likely to be outside the building so drivers can slow down when necessary. But alas this $70,000 plus taxpayer expense served only to further complicate the situation as CalTrans had other ideas – programming the lights to alert drivers of when to be particu- larly aware of cars entering and exiting the school to convey chil- dren. Antelope Principal Earnie Graham, who was part of the com- mittee to get the flashing lights installed, is frustrated that the lights have not deterred drivers from speeding through the school zone. Apparently his and the chil- dren's safety interests would have been better served by fencing the playground at considerably less expense. According to a statement by CHP Officer Phil Mackintosh quoted in the Thursday Daily News: "All drivers should be slow- ing down between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. regardless of whether the lights are flashing. The hours of enforcement extend into the evening because of after school programs." I would suggest that regardless of what we think, this is the rule of the land – at least at Antelope school insofar as this officer may be writing you a tick- et. Sadly however, how in the heck is the travelling public supposed to know when a particular school is in session given the numerous training and other school days-off. Fur- thermore I had no idea that afterschool activi- ties continue until 6:30 at Antelope, and still have no idea what the situation is at Lassen View Elementary as my attention is directed to the roadway and not the distant playgrounds behind the school. Studies of the effec- tiveness of school zone limits have generally found poor driver com- pliance, particularly when the limits are set very low, and there is no apparent relation- ship between pedestrian crashes and the special limits. Along Cali- fornia highways the problem is compounded with regulatory con- fusion. It is imperative we rectify these problems before another child is injured or killed and a tor- rent of law suits are filed due to well intentioned, but demonstrably ineffective, traffic management. To this end let me suggest what I believe to be a simple and effective solution that should be applied at every school zone in California. Install solar powered LED signs to indicate the speed limit at school zone signs as set by the school administrators. The signs can be controlled with radio signals from the school office to simplify installation and program- ming. As a failsafe the signs would default to a flashing 25 mph if no signal is received. Other- wise the current safe speed limit will be dis- played so that trucks and commuters need slow only when warranted. The technology is readi- ly available, easy to install, affordable and reliable. If you agree this might be a prudent investment to increase commuter efficiency, regulatory effectiveness, and safety please tell the Depart- ment of Transportation at http://www.dot.ca.gov/pioform.ht ml. Richard Mazzucchi is a retired research engineer specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los Molinos, where he is striving to manifest a sustainable and spiritual lifestyle. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. 4A – Daily News – Monday, January 18, 2010 A MediaNews Group newspaper Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer's home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 Opinion Jumping from the pages of the Daily News over several days last week (writing on the 13th), were stories about legal clubs. We're not talking about clubs like those devoted to chess, fly fishing, hik- ing or cards – these are more like the violent kind: the billy club, bat or tire iron. In the case of legal clubs, how- ever, the violence is less physical but still has the effect of forcing and intimidating compliance from free citizens or entities, which have rights and liberties to make their own choices under the Constitu- tion. The tools, or weapons if you will, are complaints, writs, judg- ments and orders, often wielded in unfair tactics and to malign ends. First, the Thursday, Jan. 7, edi- tion reported that the usual local crusaders are still tilting at the Walmart windmill over their silly issue of truck noise ("Walmart gets nod, opponent vows appeal") when all they really want is for Walmart to unionize or die. All other arguments are irrelevant dis- tractions to the real obsession to stop the expansion of a successful American business here in Red Bluff. Get over it. Below that report, coincidental- ly, was a reminder ("Fish passage on track") of the power of a few words in federal legislation, the Endangered Species Act, com- bined with lawsuits and legal clubs, to force massive changes in Red Bluff's life and economy. Never forget that, were it not for the obsession with removing dams by the feds, the $150 million price tag for lift pumps could have con- structed a bypass, as I wrote last year, and left our year-round beau- tiful water feature. The efforts of BANANAs (Build Absolutely Nothing Any- where Near Anybody) were on display in the weekend, Jan. 9-10, edition under the title "Sun City setback." You might think it was about oak trees (no, new ones can be planted and grown) or the envi- ronment (Environmental Impact Reports are just a legal club to let opponents of any project tie it up in court) or proper procedure (sup- posedly, "the county failed to incorporate advice from a hired consultant"). No, no, no – obstructionists are using anything they can, I believe, in a disingenuous attempt to even- tually force abandonment of the project. They will never admit that but if it gets delayed long enough, or if the mandates become too onerous for economic viability, legal clubs they use become a major disincentive to build – game over, purpose served, another notch in the win side for the BANANAs. And another loss for free enterprise and private proper- ty. The federal courts are the venue for attempting to wield a legal club to the heads of opponents of gay marriage ("High-stakes gay marriage trial to begin," Friday, Jan. 8). The next day, the use of legal and physical violence against gay marriage opponents was on display ("Gay marriage foe wants out of case," Jan. 9-10). An American citizen, who was "serving as an official litigant" to the suit, "asked a judge to remove him from the lawsuit because he feared the trial would generate publicity that could endanger him and his family… (He) told the court that he was harassed and his proper- ty vandalized during the campaign, and feared similar retribution if he continued to represent gay marriage foes …" Let me just say that the liberal left in America is playing with fire when they resort to threats, intimidation and vio- lence against opponents in their pursuit of politi- cal causes. Finally, let the record show that Mr. Alan Abbs was right when, as Air Pollution Control officer, he explained that the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency would be imposing more restric- tive standards on "smog-forming pollution." Sure enough, in the Jan. 8 Daily News, a report ("EPA poses stricter smog regulations") revealed just that news. These are only proposals; it can only be hoped that, in calm, reasoned analysis, Tehama County is not economically crippled in the process. Make no mistake – the machinery, the legal clubs, of fed- eral regulatory and judicial power will not be lightly used. The Tehama County Tea Party Patriots gave a warm reception to Mr. Dave Meurer, a happy warrior on Congressman Wally Herger's staff, who works in both the Wash- ington, D.C, office, Mr. Herger's local offices and on field outreach. Column dead- line and space limit what I can share today but some of his comments and answers were note- worthy. He was thrilled to be around "normal" peo- ple, meaning folks not part of paid or orga- nized opposition that often show up to turn meetings into political theater. Briefly, retiring House and Senate Democrats suggest a political cycle favor- able to Republicans. Mr. Herger would replace the Bay area's left wing Rep. Pete Stark as head of the powerful House Ways and Means commit- tee, and would be in a position to stop tax increases from seeing the light of day. More on Mr. Meurer's appear- ance, including an explanation of why Herger worked with Democ- rat Senator Barbara Boxer on a Sacramento River recreation pro- ject, will come next week. Don Polson has called Red Bluff home since 1988. He can be reached by e-mail at donplsn@yahoo.com. Legal clubs; hearing from a good guy Commentary N EWS D AILY RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Don Polson The way I see it Richard Mazzucchi Positive Point STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Your officials School zone schism – To slow or too slow?