The Buzz

Additional show times have been added following last week’s television premiere of “Not as Good as You Think: The Myth of the Middle Class School.” With 50 percent of the state budget going to education, this film is an eye-opener. It will air on the “OC Channel,” PBS Orange County (Channel 810 on Cox Cable). Show times are Mon., Mar. 15, at 5:00 p.m. and Wed., Mar. 17, at 4:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

***

Mission Viejo’s volunteers at Modjeska Ranch Animal Rescue are planning a garage-sale fundraiser on Sat., April 3. Watch The Buzz for announcements about the start and end times and location to drop off donations.

***

Blog readers emailed last week, asking about the purple banners alongside the electronic sign at La Paz and Marguerite. One reader thought the city had posted the banners to mark the Lenten Season. No, it didn’t. The city announced long ago (ex-city manager Dan Joseph) that it was “getting out of the religion business.” The remark back then caused a furor, and the Nativity Scene at the Four Corners was the subject. Purple flags were posted last week in connection with the June Relay for Life at Saddleback College.

***

When it comes to emergency preparedness, no one does it better than the Church of Latter Day Saints. The church held a family conference on March 6 to promote emergency preparedness, and more than 500 people attended.

***

Residents continue to compile lists of streets that range from fair to poor condition. Homeowners surveyed their streets in an area off Olympiad between La Paz and Jeronimo. Streets in immediate need of repair include the entire length of Lucero, Gallina, Festivo and Ruisenor. Also on the list are many portions of Clavel, Canella, Nevado, Clima, Encanto, Pasatiempo, Bellota, Reflejo, Agrado, Quetzal, Hayuco, Bocino, Faroles, Isabella, Graciela and Sadaba. The residents said they found almost no street without significant damage, including potholes, deep and wide cracks with vegetation growing in the middle of the street, crumbling asphalt, cracks going down the entire length and/or width of streets and areas where top layers of asphalt are worn away.

***

City Hall has indicated another shortfall of $500,000 because of dwindling revenue. If anyone wants to offset the difference, how about axing the proposed basketball courts to the east of the tennis center off Marguerite Parkway on Casta Drive. Users of the tennis center have made clear with comments on other blogs that they don’t want the basketball courts, and Casta del Sol residents don’t want them. Who is driving this waste of money? When the proposal came before the council, the basketball courts were removed from the tennis center project. Without explanation or even a question about the need for basketball courts, why are they back in the plan?