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Opinion Kudos for kindness and boos for bad behavior
Kudos for kindness and boos for bad behavior
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Maybe Random Acts of Kindness Week, formally celebrated by Calaveras County schools and observed more casually elsewhere, had something to do with it. For whatever reason, a cooperative, collegial atmosphere has seemed to prevail here in the foothills of late. Which made today’s chapter of Bravo and Barbs, The Union Democrat’s occasional compendium of the good, the bad and, sometimes, the ugly, difficult to put together. There weren’t enough bad guys. But Sacramento, Tucson and Manteca came to the rescue, filling out the tail end of the February edition. Without further ado, let’s start with the good. Bravos • For Sierra Pacific Industries’ 306-home Peaceful Oak Estates project, which not only won a unanimous endorsement from the Tuolumne County Planning Commission, but support from the Tuolumne County Building Industry, Citizens for Responsible Growth, the Me-Wuks and, believe it or not, the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center. John Buckley’s environmental outfit backing a development proposed by state’s largest timber company? Dedicating 100 acres of open space, cutting project size back from an original 1,000 units and preserving a generous number of old-growth oaks turned the trick for SPI. • For hands-on Angels Camp City Councilmen Jack Lynch and Rick Downey, who determined that faulty water meters at the municipal treatment plant were responsible for incorrect flow readings, unwarranted citations and state demands that a new, $1.5 million filter be installed. Once this came to light, the California Public Health Department dropped its citations and withdrew its demands. “We dodged a $1.5 million bullet,” exulted Councilman Craig Turco. • For the Tuolumne Utilities District, whose board wants more communication with the county; for the Jamestown Sanitary District, whose board wants to work more closely with TUD, and for county supervisors, who via meetings and an on-line survey aimed at getting input for a five-year strategic plan, seems to be reaching out to everyone. • For Republican State Senate candidate Heidi Fuller, who sued primary election opponent Tom Berryhill, alleging that he doesn’t meet district-residency requirements. Although her suit has not yet been resolved and residency law is complex, Fuller’s point is well taken. In this era of carpetbagging and office shopping, candidates should have a stake — and a home — in the districts they hope to represent. • For the Boy Scouts’ Greater Yosemite Council, which has lined up former Cal quarterback and football coach Joe Kapp as guest speaker for its fund-raising Friends of Scouting Breakfast, scheduled Friday. The Sonora Oaks conference room meal kicks off a 2010 fund-raising campaign with a $20,000 goal. • For the Mark Twain St. Joseph’s Hospital and Foundation, which recruited gold medal-winning U.S. figure skater and breast cancer survivor Peggy Fleming as the March 3 speaker for its Let’s Talk Health series. She will key on heart health and breast cancer awareness in her Ironstone Vineyards talk. Barbs • For the Schwarzenegger administration and the state Department of Corrections, whose plan to release more than 24,000 “low-risk” inmates to save money immediately came home to roost in Tuolumne. A serial drunk driver was arrested for his fifth DUI in Sonora about a week after he was released from prison, and put in jail — where the county will cover costs. • For the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity, which from afar filed a lawsuit aimed at halting a state fish-stocking program that keeps Tuolumne and Calaveras county lakes and streams rich with trout and anglers. The stocking plan has been extensively studied and without it Tuolumne County’s $6.2 million fishing industry would suffer. The Arizonans should pull up their lines and head home. • For the Valley Oak League-leading Manteca basketball team, which came into Sonora High’s Bud Castle Gym last week talking trash to both Wildcat fans and players. To their great credit, Coach Rick Francis’s team not only played clean but gave the Buffaloes a heck of a game. |
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