Mirador 11/6/09 News 5

State Water Supplies Remain at a TrickleCalifornia’s lack of water storage leaves state congress probing for solutions

Panel Debunks Myth of Underage DrinkingOrinda community leaders work with Healthy Choices, raising issues regarding alcoholby Caroline Cook

“Ever since last spring, underage drinking has been the number one topic at OPD,” said Orinda Police Chief Bill French.

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, alcohol experts and leaders of the Orinda community came together to share their knowledge of underage drinking with parents in a talk entitled “Underage Drinking in Our Community: Myths and Reality,” from 7-9 p.m. in the Miramonte Theater.

Speakers included Principal Adam Clark, French, Contra Costa County Defense Attorney Ted Cassman, Dr. Jan Gurley, and the Director of Youth Development at the Center for Human Development, Emily Justice. Clark began the session by outlining the Healthy Choices framework of issues in the Miramonte community.

“This year the administration has set out to communicate with students about establishing goals for the community,” said Clark.

Along with topics of underage drinking

and drug use, the framework acknowledged issues such as student stress and peer relationships, in addition to school plans for alcohol intervention.

These plans include Red Ribbon Week, a drug prevention campaign, in addition to a 90-minute online alcohol intervention course.

“Community events are important to establish who and who can’t drink,” said Justice.

Many strategies were offered to deal with teen alcohol abuse including teaching students to trust their gut feelings, and suspending extra-curricular privileges.

Chief French said that if someone furnishes alcohol to a minor at a party, it is a misdemeanor and the Orinda Police Dep. will prosecute them.

Clark proposed that athletic team captains and coaches encourage responsibility for creating a law-abiding atmosphere and promoting healthy choices.

“We want to help our students understand issues regarding alcohol,” said Clark.

by Katrina Kovalik

Many California communities haven’t felt the full force of a real drought. Especially not here in Orinda where every time we turn on the faucet or jump in the pool we are taking our readily-available water for granted.

Despite the torrential downpour in mid-October, California’s water deficiency is still creating serious problems for Californians as the state congress leaves the drought issue unresolved for the third consecutive year.

Although 2006 was a year with above average reservoir surplus, it ended with an unusually low snowpack runoff. Consequently, according to California’s Department of Water Resources, the following year had only 78% of the average storage of water in reservoirs while 2008 had a mere 57%.

This year has a slightly more optimistic outlook than did last year with a tentative 68% water storage so far, despite an uncharacteristically dry January.

Although water rationing has been used sporadically in different counties and water districts, California lawmakers have not come up with a solid plan to resolve California’s water supply shortage.

At one point in early October, Governor Schwarzenegger threatened Congress with a mass veto of over 700 bills if the legislature did not come up with an agreement on the water problem.

Many solutions have been proposed but each proposal has faced strong opposition due to a high degree of factionalism facing water issues.

Heated debates have ensued between environmentalists, agriculturalists, industrialists and even owners of private residences who just want to water their lawns.

California’s inability to combat the drought crisis is causing severe damage to the state’s main industry: agriculture. Each year California’s agricultural industries bring in about $31.8 billion, more than any other state’s revenue in the nation.

Environmentalists are also up in arms because diversion of waterways is endangering certain aquatic species such as smelt and salmon. One proposal by Schwarzenegger to construct a peripheral canal around the delta could possibly endanger smelt populations, but would ensure water delivery to Southern California.

Due to poorly executed attempts to take water from local resources, waterways have been damaged and the Obama administration has deemed the San Francisco Bay and the Delta nationally important waterways in need of

restoration.Desalination plants produce clean drinking water out

of salt-water resources, such as the bay, and would be one possible solution to California’s present and future water shortages.

According to Executive Officer of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Control Board Bruce Wolfe, California’s water districts are trying to find a backup water supply that is sustainable.

“It makes sense that they’re looking out the window at the ocean and saying, ‘Well, look at all that water,’” said Wolfe in the San Francisco Chronicle.

A number of Bay Area water districts including the Contra Costa Water District and EBMUD have agreed to collaborate on running the Bay Area Desalination Project, which is only in its pilot testing stage.

Desalination plants have the potential to prevent or lessen the effects of future California droughts by creating surplus water storage. They would also ensure emergency water supplies during seismic and other disasters.

Some also commend desalination efforts because they would enlarge California’s available water supply in order to sustain its growing population.

Critics of the plan predict that an increased water supply would draw in a larger, and in their eyes, unwelcome, population. According to the 2000 census, California’s population is just below 34 million people and is definitely still growing.

Besides creating clean water, desalination plants are also highly expensive and consume large amounts of energy, thereby producing more greenhouse gas emissions. Unless other renewable energy sources can be applied

to power the plants, this solution would go against California’s Energy Policy Act of 2005 and California ’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 which both aim to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Desalination plants are only one of many possible solutions to California ’s water storage issues. Meanwhile, the state congress is still debating proposals for a unified effort to combat the shortage.

Photo: Mct/Andre Vieira

Harsh droughts create catastrophes for farmers as their lands become sucked dry of moisture.

by Elizabeth Lenczowski

On Oct. 21, the Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board recognized Ina Pavey as a 2009 Su Stauffer Friends of Education honoree. Each year, the district and each school acknowledge members of the community who exemplify Stauffer’s legacy of supporting public education.

Over the past 7 years, Pavey has volunteered her time at Miramonte, working with various organizations within the school.

“I really enjoyed working closely with the Principal and being the VPA President,” said Pavey. “I don’t have a single [position] that was my favorite.”

Pavey has been actively involved with Matador Marketplace, VPA, Parent’s Club, the Survey Committee, the Nominating Committee, Post Senior Day, Junior Prom, Senior Ball, and Grad Night, to name a few.

Besides the desire to better our

school, Pavey’s motivation to help out is rooted in her determination to be involved.

“I appreciate knowing the inner workings of the school,” said Pavey. “It gives me a global sense of what is happening.”

According to Pavey, the best way to make a difference is simply to get involved.

“Forget about being asked to come [to a meeting],” said Pavey. “Just show up and help.”

After her daughter, Morgan, graduates this June, Pavey will let other parents fill the various positions she holds.

“There is that saying, you can’t get in if there isn’t room,” said Pavey.

Overall, Pavey appreciates the collaborative aspect of her work at Miramonte.

“I like working side by side [with people],” said Pavey. “It really brings the community together.”

Miramonte Parent Earns Su Stauffer Friends of Education AwardIna Pavey is recognized after seven years of volunteering at Miramonte