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City Hall’s Story Room Redecorating a small room in the library cost half a million dollars, and that’s no joke. According to city hall’s Outlook Magazine, the garish decorations in the Storytime Room are the centerpiece of “reading comprehension and a love for reading.” City hall’s fluff writers should stick with what they know – bureaucracy. When they venture into such subjects as parenting and education, they embarrass themselves. A blog reader who reacted to the article in Outlook Magazine is a retired reading teacher. She said, “The success of telling a story is with the storyteller, not the room. If the visual environment doesn’t relate to the story, it’s more a distraction than anything else. I found the quotes in Outlook Magazine to be contrived. A ‘stimulating surrounding’ does not ‘spark the children’s interest in reading.’ In the article, I saw no justification for spending a fortune to redecorate a room.” The cover picture of activity in the Storytime Room is revealing. More than a third of the children in the room aren’t looking in the right direction. The story reader holds up a book that’s difficult to see from the back row. Rows of crates for seating don’t make sense, as the photo demonstrates. The design and paintings are amateurish and flat. The $500,000 room remodel was a wasteful project with an unaesthetic result. The room decoration doesn’t stimulate interest in reading any more than the pillars on Crown Valley stimulate interest in art. |
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ACT for America The Mission Viejo Chapter of ACT for America will hold a General Meeting on Mon., May 12. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m. Community members are invited -- bring a friend and share your concerns with others. Keynote speaker Brigadier Gen. Nick Halley (U.S. Army, Retired) will present “Iran … Our Next War?” This terrorism expert will discuss the risk of a nuclear theocracy. The Iranian rulers say they need nuclear power for medical research and domestic electricity generation. But everyone knows they want a doomsday bomb to terrorize the world into submitting to their 8th century political/legal system. What can we, America, and other countries do? Can we keep them from building and using atomic bombs? If they do go nuclear, what does that mean to us? We all know one thing: Iran is up to no good. Now, we need to know more about America's options and what to expect. General Halley will discuss:
General Halley is an army paratrooper, Army Ranger, and Special Operations veteran. He has been awarded many significant decorations, including two Silver Stars for bravery in combat actions, four Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts for wounds received in combat operations. General Halley is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Army War College. He holds a master's degree in nuclear physics from the University of Virginia. He is the author of two new books, "Leadership Under Fire!" and "Terrorism -- The Target Is You!" He will speak for about 50 minutes, followed by about 20 minutes for questions. Sign up for ACT! for America chapter announcements at www.act4oc.org |
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Non-government Events Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private enterprise and non-profit groups. Crossline Church is offering classes on finance, with the next one on Tues., Apr. 23, 7:00 p.m., “Relating with Money.” Learn how to beat debt and save money. Location is 23331 Moulton Pkwy., Laguna Hills, (949) 916-0251, http://www.crosslinechurch.com Big Bucks Bingo, Wednesdays, 6:15 p.m. early bird and 6:45 p.m. regular games, Mission Viejo Elks Lodge, Marguerite and La Paz, Mission Viejo, (949) 830-3557. Dance Ensemble (Theatre) at Concordia University, Fri., Apr. 26, 7:30 p.m., 1530 Concordia West, Irvine, (949) 854-8002, http://www.cui.edu/?gclid=CMyjsdWOt7YCFQ3qnAod9CoA4w Laguna Playhouse presents “Steel Magnolias,” Apr. 30 – May 26, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd., Laguna Beach, (949) 497-2787, ext. 1, http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com Michaels, ongoing and new classes include Chain Maille earrings and scrap-booking, 25310 Marguerite Pkwy, Mission Viejo, (949) 770-5001 Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, ongoing and new classes include knitting, cake decorating and flower necklaces, 26672 Portola Parkway, Foothill Ranch, (949) 588-7420, http://Joann.com Soka University’s 12th Annual International Festival on Sat., May 4, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Fun With Chalk on Sat.-Sun., May 4-5, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4278, http://www.performingarts.soka.edu “Elegant & Enchanting Rose Garden Tours,” Sat., May 11, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., visit five rose gardens in Laguna Hills, San Juan Capistrano, Capistrano Beach and San Clemente. Hosted by the Rose Society of Saddleback Mountain, (714) 731-9242, http://www.rosesrosesroses.org/gardentour2013.php Recycling Drive at St. Kilian’s Church, Sat., May 18, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, held on the third Saturday of each month. Organized by Knights of Columbus; acceptable items include aluminum, paper and plastic. No glass or cardboard. Lower parking lot, 26872 Estanciero Drive, Mission Viejo, (949) 472-1249, http://www.stkilianchurch.org |
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Political and Government Events Calendar Orange County Board of Supervisors will meet on Tues., Apr. 23, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://ocgov.com/cals/?ViewBy=7&CalDate=1/15/2013&EventDateID=89649 Santa Margarita Water District Board of Directors on Wed., Apr. 24, at 7:00 p.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees will meet on Wed., Apr. 24, 7:00 p.m., district office, 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano. Agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com/ California Republican Assembly Convention, Fri.-Sun., April 26-28, Doubletree San Francisco Airport, Burlingame. For information call (650) 697-1964. Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will meet on Tues., Apr. 30 “if necessary,” 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/ Orange County Parks Commission will meet on Thurs., May 2, 7:00 p.m. The commission meets on the first Thursday of every month. Irvine Ranch Historic Park, 13042 Old Myford Rd., Irvine, (949) 923-3741, http://ocgov.com/cals/ OC Veterans Advisory Council Meeting, Wed., May 8, 6:00 p.m. The council meets on the second Wednesday of each month. Veterans Service Office, Conference Room A/B, 1300 S. Grand Ave., Building B, Santa Ana, https://cms.ocgov.com/gov/occr/occs/veterans/advisory/default.asp Mission Viejo Chapter of ACT! for America will hold a General Meeting on Mon., May 13. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m., Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. Capistrano Valley Republican Women Federated, Wed., May 15, 9:00 a.m., at the Marbella Country Club, 30800 Golf Club Drive, San Juan Capistrano. CVRWF meets on third Wednesdays. Call (949) 496-2525 for reservations, http://cvrwf.org Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., May 16, 7:00 p.m. SRA meets on third Thursdays (except in December, July and August) at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Jacaranda Room-B, Mission Viejo. For information call (949) 360-1717. Meet Donald Rumsfeld, Mon., May. 20, 7:00 p.m., Richard Nixon Presidential Library, Distinguished Speakers Series. Price ($48 general admission; $43 members) includes lecture ticket and autographed first edition of Rumsfeld’s Rules. Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://nixonfoundation.org |
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The Buzz At a political meeting last week, the guest speaker was OC Register writer Brian Calle, head of OCR’s opinion department. In past years, the OCR staff didn’t endorse candidates in local races, but they did it for the November 2012 election. Mission Viejo watchdogs viewed the OCR endorsements of Frank Ury and Wendy Bucknum as support for the county’s corrupt power clique. The paper’s rationale for endorsing the two evolved as the election grew closer. By Election Day, OCR’s sole reason for endorsing Ury and Bucknum was “they didn’t accept union money.” NO CANDIDATE in Mission Viejo’s 2012 city race accepted union money, and shame on OCR for implying they did. At last week’s event, Brian responded to a question from the audience, indicating he doesn’t like the big political donors “who want a redistribution of wealth to themselves.” Ury and Bucknum’s campaigns were funded almost entirely from donors such as the south OC trough feeders, utility companies and housing developers. If Brian understood the situation and made the right call in San Juan Capistrano, why didn’t he get it in Mission Viejo? *** On Apr. 19, Gov. Deval Patrick ordered the entire city of Boston to stay inside during the manhunt for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Sean Hannity opened his radio talk show that afternoon by saying, “How many Boston liberals spent the night wishing they had a gun?” *** Alert from Tea Party Patriot Cliff Sumrall: “Common Core is being implemented in California. No one has stepped up here to stop it.” Cliff forwarded a video that presents concerns about this federal program, which is a radical restructuring of educational standards. Full implementation is moving forward and taking people by surprise, including parents, teachers and state legislators. Citizens are now learning about this federal takeover of education, which is a complete perversion of the Constitution, to implement mediocre standards and impose decisions that should be made locally. Common Core offers experimentation without evidence of effectiveness or success, and at tremendous cost as an unfunded mandate. Where will the money come from? View the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODz4X0GO-Fk&feature=youtu.be and also read http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/338428/common-core-corrupts-michelle-malkin *** Mission Viejo City Hall placed its quarter-page Earth Day ad in the Apr. 19 Saddleback Valley News. Residents remember the city’s fiasco several years ago, Easelgate. Hundreds of easels were dumped on a hillside on Apr. 22, Earth Day. Trashed signs mixed with the easels included such sayings as “Be a Green Machine.” Other messages in the trash heap encouraged residents to “walk to downtown Mission Viejo,” in a master-planned community with no downtown. While the rest of the planet marks Apr. 22 as Earth Day, the city’s pseudo-greens will take over a city park on April 27.The city’s newest assault on taxpayers is to add more permanent monstrosities on medians. *** James Dobson of Focus on the Family is credited with saying, “If the lottery becomes the source of revenue for education, it will become the downfall of education.” Educators, parents and other citizens were deceived if they thought the lottery money would bring additional funds to schools. Instead, lottery sources replace (they do not add to) other funding from the state. Dobson writes, “Be assured, the net societal impact of gambling is negative, as social costs outweigh the state gambling-derived revenues by a ratio greater than three to one.” ( http://www.focusonthefamily.com/socialissues/social-issues/lotteries/our-position.aspx ) |
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