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Three Chico State University students, including a graduate of Amador Valley High School, were arrested last weekend after their house caught fire in Chico.
According to a report, the three were trying to cook up hash oil on their kitchen stove when they set the house afire.
The Amador grad, a 21-year-old man, was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance, along with two housemates, both 19.
A Chico police officer cruising past the house in the 1000 block of Warner Street near the college at about 10:15 p.m. spotted the fire and watched the three run outside. The Chico Fire Department responded and put the fire out within minutes. No one was injured, but the home was severely damaged.
“We recommend that people don’t try this kind of silly thing, ” Chico police Sgt. Billy Aldridge told News 12, the CBS affiliate in Chico.
The three were booked into the Butte County Jail and are being held on $100,000 bonds.
Editor’s note: This story has been edited to remove arrestee names in light of the resolution of the criminal case.
Not a surprising response to rising tuition costs.
Mike
True. If the tuition was not as much, they would probably be able to afford safer equipment.
I guess the counter to this is if they raise taxes, we should expect to see more of this. A lot more people are affected by raising taxes than raising tuition.
Why am i not surprised. Money. Pleasanton. With all the churches, where did Pleasanton fail?
Please, don’t tell me it was liberals. P-town is so conservative it makes Orange county look like Berkeley.
I think one way pleasanton fails is with all the teens, there is nothing for them to do… no place for them to hang out- no youth center. They end up hanging out in the jack in the box parking lot… If they had healthy alternatives for kids, we would have less problems with our teens and drugs. Plus, the number of parents who don’t feel drinking and drug use are a big deal. There are plenty of houses where kids hang out where the parents don’t care what the kids are doing or are doing it right with them.
Build a teen youth center, bring in businesses that give the kids something to do- music and hang out places with food- that’s what the kids want/need.
Lol, went to school with this kid. Totally chill guy. Sadly, butane hash oil is illegal hence the charge and very dangerous when you dont do it properly. Most likely got impatient waiting for the butane to evaporate and put it over the stove to heat it up and increase the evaporation speed.
Ironically, if people took their head out of their rear ends we could legalize marijuana so that things like hash oil could be produced in a safe manner (C02 hash is better and way safer, but super expensive to make). But no we have to keep fighting the “drug war” which was a complete failure and will continue to be a complete failure.
This is not “Pleasanton’s fault” and didnt occur in Pleasanton. More churches, youth centers, ect are not going to stop teen drug use. Ask any student at Amador and Foothill and I bet 90% of them can get weed in under 6 hours but I bet a shockingly low number will be able to get alcohol any faster than 24 hours. Regulate, tax, and control substances if you want abuse to go down especially with minors.
Keep taking your prescription anti depressants, pain killers, and alcohol. MAybe one day you will wake up and read some scientific studies on the “harms of marijuana” and learn that its substantially more safe than the manufactured crap you all put in your bodies.
Pleasanton is the most hypocritical, sheltered little town. That generally has the reverse effects on people, especially college kids, when they learn how not dangerous marijuana is.
Take a long look in the mirror before you judge “pot heads”. Many of the issues caused by it would be solved with regulaation. Keep fighting the solution
These kids had the advantage of growing up and going to school back when class sizes were kept small, they had helpers for special needs kids, and there were still art and music classes.
Wait until the new generation of kids grows up without all these benefits. Pleasanton is going to look like the wastelands from Mad Max. Mark my words.
Amazing, it’t always sombody elses fault, how about just not doing drugs.
I must disagree in response to Nicole’s post…
During the days of my youth in Pleasanton, it is true we did have a Teen Center (in between where the former library and pool now reside at Aquatic Park), but virtually no one ever used it. Conversely, Jack-in-the-Box WAS our Fri-Sat night meeting place, from where we dispersed to whomever’s home was “parentless” that evening.
My point being, the problem is not what some government-funded babysitting locale (or the lack thereof) does or does not provide for our children. The answer is so simple, it is just that no one wishes to address it:
Parenting.
I can site case after case of children whom have graduated from both AV or Foothill over the last 15 years where there is, almost without exception, a direct correlation between parents who were consumed with their own interests and indulgences and children to whom mischief and poor outcomes have been the result. On the flip side, parents who were attentive and placed the upbringing of their children as their top priority, now have children who are productive members of society, in large part because they received continuous support of value and worth.
It’s not about what the “community” isn’t doing for our kids. It’s about what we as parents do not make the time for.
Herp Derp,
YOU TELLEM! I’m glad there are other people on here that actually get it. Unfortunately, you are also around my age, as I also knew the kid and he is a great guy, so that’s pretty unfortunate. Last time I chimed in on a conversation about drugs I was reamed with replies about the dangers of marijuana abuse. We are not advocating the use of the drug, just advocating a system that is HONEST with students so that when they find out what this drug is really like, they don’t feel as if they were lied to during drug education and health classes. One of the things people kept telling me to do was to go look up negative side effects of marijuana, well here:
-constipation
-aggressiveness
-worsening of depression
-persistent or severe ringing in the ears
-persistent, painful erection
-red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin
-seizures
Oh wait! Oops! I made a mistake, those are actually side effects of the completely legal, oft prescribed Zoloft! Wake up people!
I agree 100% with DJ. Parentling is not the responsibility of the community but the responsibility of the parents. I was questioned many times by parents saying isn’t it killing you having to stay home with your grounded child or isn’t it hard to say no. It was but it paid off. My kids are grown and all productive members of their communities. We were not rich and I worked full time and still managed with my husband to put the raising the kids first. it can and should be done by all parents. Being a responsible parent doesn’t require a certain level of income it just requires your time.
… and if the parents can’t do the job and their children grow up hurting other people, well, then the community can blame the parents. As far as the community helping with the raising of kids, forget about it. If one parent can do it, they all can, and if they don’t we can just blame the parents. End of problem! See how easy these matters are?
yet another reason why drug sniffing dogs NEED to be in the schools. and what the hell does church have to do with drugs? I smoke weed so I can’t go to church? WTF?
Intelligent post Herp derp…..I’m a parent, grew up in the 70’s. Hopefully the law will see the difference between this kid and a loser who really does “manufacture a controlled substance” ie methamphetamine. What a HUGE difference! I feel so bad for this kid and his parents. I too have heard that he is a really good kid. My heart goes out to them and I’ll wish and hope for the best.
I have known this family for many years. This young man’s parents are smart, saavy, highly educated, attentive, hard working and caring. The kid made a poor choice, but is sweet, sensitive and caring. No one wins playing the blame game.
Staci, Drug sniffing dogs in high schools wouldn’t have changed this outcome as the incident occurred at the man’s private residence, not at the high school from which he graduated four years ago.
On another note, I’m still trying to make the connection between pot and church . . . perhaps the holier-than-thou could benefit from lighting up???
Great post, DJ.
Pleastonkidsondope, you obviously don’t read these forums very often if you think Pleasanton is mostly conservative….it probably used to be that way at one time, before morals and common sense went out of style. That was also a time when most parents weren’t too busy to raise their own kids and teach them the difference between right and wrong.
Here come the bleeding hearts telling us that we are ALL at fault for what one mixed-up young man, with low standards, DECIDED to do. What happened to personal responsibility???
Actually, maybe it is the fault of ALL Chico students and alumni — the reputation they have left behind is not the highest, as we all know. Somehow, that doesn’t work for me either….
Oh, well,let’s try blaming the staff…………….or………..???
I am actually shocked to see that people agreed with me. Usually the comments on these articles get out of control.
To clear up the bible situation here is a little bible verse I enjoy.
God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth.…To you it will be for meat.” … And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:29-31)
The Bible predicts some herb’s prohibition.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall … speak lies in hypocrisy … commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (Paul: 1 Timothy 4:1-3)
So I guess God created weed and by smoking it I am doing his bidding….at least thats my interpretation
Marijuana, opium, mescaline, psilocybin, lsd, glue…. God created it and by using (and dealing) these drugs I am doing his bidding.
Pleasanton Weekly -you disgust me. I called at 12:30 today and asked PW to remove this from their Top Posts and was told they “would look into it”. It’s now 7:50 pm. I asked it to be removed because, and I think most people would agree, this is no-one’s business but this family’s and they are doing their absolute best to manage this entire situation… I know this because we are very good friends of theirs. My wife and I know the range of emotions they are going through right now and it is, in my mind, totally irresponsible on the part of the PW not to have removed this ‘thread’ and certainly not a decision that reflects well on a “Community of Character” . The PW has done themselves a huge disservice by allowing a public blog to remain on their site, opening up for discussion, speculation, and opinion to the entire community, an issue their family should be allowed to cope with in private. Given the on-going, vicious tone of the threads and lack of oversight that exists on this site, why does the PW feel it’s acceptable to leave this up? Ever heard of common decency? I guess that doesn’t exist in local journalism.
And to Steve and DJ, and anyone else who feels the need to comment and pass judgment regarding parenting skills, question involvement in an unknown child’s life, and how “most parents weren’t too busy to raise their own kids and teach them the difference between right and wrong”. You don’t know these people, you certainly don’t know how they have raised their kids, you don’t know this young man, and writing on the PW blog certainly doesn’t give you the right to comment and pass condemning judgments -you are nothing more than sanctimonious, arrogant, mean-spirited, anonymous p–cks. Shame on you and it’s about time this community and the PW takes a serious look at themselves in the mirror.
Since when is committing a crime a private matter for the family? And did you just call Steve and DJ peacocks? I don’t think that was called for. Let’s try to keep it civil.
@ennis & linda
this man, no matter how good, decent, blah blah, blah committed a public offense (crime). Why should this post be removed, and not all the crime posts? I am positive all of the offenders listed in other articles/posts have wonderful families too. He is an adult, and will pay the consrquences. Get off your high horse.
Ennis and Linda, You wreak of Pleasanton’s entitlement syndrome. I agree with Nancy S. The PW is reporting about a man who broke the law. They have been running stories such as these for years. Can you explain why this story shouldn’t be news and many others were? Oh, because yours and your tree-lined friends reputations may be tarnished? Gimme a break! Maybe this decent young man will learn from this and actually grow up!
We need to remember that this isnt a child or even a teen, he is a grown man over 21 years of age. He may have had a great upbringing. But as an adult he made the choice to break the law. His family will support him and get through this, it is not their fault, it is HIS, and as an adult he will suffer the consequences of his actions.
Points to an interesting phenomenon. When people are ‘close’ to criminals they tend to have seen their good side as well as the bad. Might know the family, strains upon them, and what a prison term might do to them. Such is why I guess judges tend to become more liberal over time. They get to see the human dimension of criminality in all its complexity, and hence they temper their view of the criminal. It’s a lot more complex than the authoritarian Republican approach which is ‘They broke the law so throw the book at them.’ (Of course I’m referring to “street criminals,” not corporate criminals which Republicans view as their idols.)
Ennis and Linda are certainly right about this, though: “writing on the PW blog certainly doesn’t give you the right to comment and pass condemning judgments.”
It’s the Constitution that gives that right. One person’s sense of “common decency” is not grounds for censorship, at least not in the USA. That’s what makes America so great!
“I think most people would agree, this is no-one’s business but this family’s”
WRONG! This is not a private family situation, this kid committed a crime and our local newspaper reported it, and you ask for the forum to be removed just because they are your friends?
I think most reasonable people would agree that this is NOT a private affair, as you can see from the countless media outlets that have reported it. Here are a couple of examples:
http://www.krcrtv.com/news/30857579/detail.html
http://www.chicoer.com/breakingnews/ci_20355017/students-arrested-after-allegedly-setting-home-ablaze
What? Are you going to ask every newspaper to remove their articles and blogs? Give me a break!
ennis, I wonder if the owner of the house these adults damaged would think it was just a private matter….or the police…or the fire dept…..or the D.A…..all using public funds to fix the damage caused by a stupid, illegal act that not only endangered themselves, but their neighbors and many public servants. Private matter my a$$…..
I wonder what constitutes a public matter in your mind? You can’t cover this up or wish it away just because you want to protect your cronies….the public always has a right to know about illegal activities being conducted in their midst…why do you think the paper publishes a police blotter? Elitist p__k
In reference to Herp Derp’s use of scripture to defend the use of marijuana and other consumption of the herb’s of the field.
In the NIV translation of the Genesis 1:29 it states “They will be yours for food.” (to nourish the body) and the 1Timothy 4 reference is also discussing food to nourish the body but more importantly, in v. 1 Timothy is being warned that “some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits” (i.e. using the bible to justify abusing drugs) and if you read a little further in the chapter you are encouraged in v. 6 “If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you followed.”
Also keep in mind that Paul wrote to the Corinthians to warn them about their attitude regarding their freedom to choose God’s way or the way of sin. (1 Cor. 10:23) “”I have the right to do anything”, you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but not everything is constructive. So although we all have the freedom–especially here in the U.S.–just because you can doesn’t necessarily mean you should or that it will be a good choice or good for your health.
I am sorry that sometimes we have to learn our lessons the hard way. I hope and pray that the young people will realize there are better choices to be made and also that the parents will allow their children to learn from their mistakes.
Personally I don’t think this article is a “news” story for Pleasanton. The alleged crime did not occur in Pleasanton. One of those charged grew up in Pleasanton. Is the weekly going to follow news from all over the world and if somebody is charged on something, and they were from Pleasanton, it will be published in the weekly? I consider this gossip. People are already jumping to conclusions on this although the person has only been charged, not convicted. I am sure if this person is found not guilty that it will not be news in the weekly. Printing articles about somebody being charged with an offense that did not occur in Pleasanton does not benefit our community at all. It just harms the person and their family reputation and creates an uncomfortable environment for them.
To”posted by local”..THANK YOU. Exactly; this is just sensationalistic news. People seem to forget that this could have been YOUR child who made a stupid mistake. My child certainly has made stupid mistakes, but thankfully, none have been life altering. Where’s the sense of compassion and community support? I feel very fortunate that I grew up in an era and in a place that was much more supportive and forgiving than Pleasanton seems to be. As I posted yesterday, my heart goes out to this young man and his family. I have a feeling that this family has a lot more going for them than you rigid, judgmental people who are criticizing them on this blog.
“People seem to forget that this could have been YOUR child who made a stupid mistake. ”
And if it were my child or the child of someone I knew, I would not expect the media to stop reporting it just because it is someone I know! Would I be sad and somewhat embarrassed? Absolutely! Would I expect the media to stop reporting or people to stop giving opinions? NO!
“. I have a feeling that this family has a lot more going for them than you rigid, judgmental people who are criticizing them on this blog. ”
The family’s situation is not what made the news. It was their ADULT “child” who committed a crime and made the news. This is about a college student who engaged in criminal conduct, not about whatever is going on in his family.
And fyi, this is not the only forum where people are entering comments. There are plenty of newspapers (online) where people are making comments about this.
The Pipes are out of line for wanting a newspaper to delete a story/forum just because it happens to be news about someone they know. The PW has reported stories about crimes/incidents outside of Pleasanton before, and I don’t remember the Pipes making an issue about it or requesting that the news/forum be removed. The following happened outside of Pleasanton (at UC Davis)
http://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/show_story.php?id=7170
and did we hear the Pipes complaining and requesting the post to be removed? I don’t think so, so why should we now treat an article/forum differently just because it talks about someone the Pipes know and feel bad about? Nonsense!
I hope the PW ignores the Pipes. If they do what the Pipes are asking, the PW would lose many readers, because what would they report then? Only stories about Linda Pipe’s recycling efforts? How boring!
Did I miss the trial? I hear a lot of presumption from ANGRY white people. I’m old and have trouble remembering things but I could’ve sworn we’re innocent until proven guilty. Based on the article, there has been neither an arraignment nor an indictment. But, hey, Steve and DJ, don’t let THAT spoil your fun.
How can you tell they’re white?
Sounds like you have more troubles than just remembering things…
Some Dude, you sound angry too!
Pleasanton disgusts me for this article. Luckily I was born and raised in Massachusetts and honestly when I moved to Pleasanton, it ruined my life. I can not believe something that did NOT HAPPEN IN PLEASANTON IS BEING REPORTED LIKE THIS. ONE PERSON FROM PLEASANTON IN IT AND THIS HORRIBLE, JUDGEMENTAL, COOKIE CUTTER, BORED, PATHETIC TOWN THINKS IT IS OK TO RELEASE INFORMATION THAT DID NOT EVEN OCCUR THERE. THERE IS ALREADY ENOUGH PUBLICITY IN CHICO, DO YOU REALLY THINK HIM OR HIS FAMILY NEED THIS TOO? I have known this guy and family for years and they are one of the most caring, compassionate, smart, loving, understanding people unlike the people who find this ok what so ever. You make me sick. Thank god we got out of there at least.
I’m confused. Did you ‘get out of’ Pleasanton, or are you a resident of the Amador Estates neighborhood? And if you left this town that somehow ruined your life, why are you hanging around the Town Square forum?
When it comes to ‘releasing information that did not even occur’ here, well…ever picked up a newspaper? They’re full of that kind of thing. It’s weird, but sometimes they even write about far away places and events, even the ones more remote than Livermore and Dublin.
The people on this forum calling for the removal of this story are doing this man a huge disservice. He is alleged to have been manufacturing drugs. MANUFACTURING DRUGS!! He burned down someone’s rental property. Someone nice enough to rent their home to college students. Ennis, of you truly cared about him, Instead of coddling him you should be at his house knocking some sense into him. I’m sure his family and friends see him as the nice boy they watched grow up. Charged with manufacturing DRUGS!! The majority of decent young adults know better than this! PW, I appreciate you running this article. Maybe the actions of this young man will cause others to examine their kids.
“. I can not believe something that did NOT HAPPEN IN PLEASANTON IS BEING REPORTED LIKE THIS.”
Wow! I cannot believe you actually said something so silly!
Well, imo, with all these people surrounding this family, no wonder the “kid” felt empowered to engaged in conduct that is not considered legal…imo, he probably knows that all the family friends like the Pipes and Milano will jump to his defense, make excuses, blame the world, harass people for even talking about it, request that the media does not report the facts, all just to protect the “feelings” of someone who is being accused of a crime and the feelings of his family….instead of seeing how they can help (legal defense, drug treatment, etc, these friends are here in this forum blaming the world for their current “sadness”)
Yeah I did get out I am FROM here, unfortunately. And I am looking and commenting on this forum because this is one of my really close friends. “DRUGS”? its called marijuana hash oil. I’m sure all of the older people on this have smoked loads of marijuana and trust me, 90% of your kids are smoking hash oil. It’s called an ACCIDENT. I am sure ALL of you have made accidents, you were just lucky enough to get away with it. Please just focus on your own problems, your family problems, and your friend problems. HE has nothing to do with YOU.
Everyone has a sad life, but it is clear whose lives are truly more sad looking at these comments. We are standing up for people we love and care about. You, on the other hand, are causing harassment and pain due to your own boredom and constant quench for drama. It truly makes your personality look disgusting. Bottom line, focus on your own problems.
I’m confused. Were you born and raised in Massachusetts, or are you from Pleasanton? Maybe I haven’t been smoking enough hash oil, but your story seems to change.
Thank you, Hannah Milano, for providing the wonderful parents of Pleasanton the stats that 90% of kids are doing drugs. I’m sure your parents are very proud that you feel that doing drugs is normal and almost burning down someone’s house is ok…just an accident, people. With friends like you this young man will surely continue down the path of destruction.
“We are standing up for people we love and care about”
No, what you are doing is making excuses for someone who did something wrong. That does not help him.
I lived in Massachusetts til I was ten and then I transferred to Pleasanton. Do not even try to say I’m stupid because I know marijuana is smoked by the majority of California. I am not trying to make excuses, I am trying to get you all to stop being so rude about it and making it worse. He did make a mistake, no excuse to it, everyone makes mistakes.Does that automatically give you the right to be so down right disrespectful? You are all just so close minded, you really need to open your eyes to the REALITY WE ALL LIVE IN. I know people who smoke weed everyday, are straight A students, have steady jobs, are athletic, talented, and 100 times more caring, compassionate, non-judgmental, open minded, and loving than any of you are making yourselves out to be right now.I don’t know you, but really, open your eyes. ACCEPT LIFE.
I know you are all strictly abiding citizens So I see your point. But really, there are a lot more messed up people who are out there, good people who mess up do not deserve jail. It is torture. And do you honestly believe the law is even on our side and protecting us…? Really, open your eyes.
“. I know people who smoke weed everyday, are straight A students, have steady jobs, are athletic, talented, and 100 times more caring, compassionate, non-judgmental, open minded, and loving than any of you”
Do these people you know who smoke marihuana go around burning down a rental house? If you read the article (follow the link I posted above), it says that marihuana use is legal for some under prop 215 (medical need), but that making oil from it is NOT, and it is in fact, a felony.
So there is a difference between the people you know who smoke weed and this Chico student friend of yours who chose to go beyond that and do a dangerous thing that resulted in the burning of a house, thus putting not just his life in danger, but the lives of others (did you read the neighbor’s comments about how bad the fire was), as well as destroying someone else’s property.
Quit defending his actions, there is no defense to what he did. Maybe many smoke marihuana as you say, but not many go on to do something as dangerous as what your friend did.
Smoking marihuana is bad, but those who do so only put their own health at risk. Your friend put in danger the lives of others (fire), and destroyed someone else’s property (fire)
Memo to Hannah Milanos parents, Your daughter needs your help. Memo to Ennis Pipe. Your I’m a big bully act only added fuel to the fire (no pun intended)
My neighbors accidently burned down their house while deep frying some tacos. That wasn’t a felony, though. But one of their kids stole a motorbike next door and took it on a joy ride. I argued that the entire family should have been put in jail. Wrong is just wrong. There is no gray area.
OH MY GOD STOLE A MOTORBIKE!!!?? Nonsense!! Worst crime I have EVER heard. That poor kid and his family they need soooo much help. GOD DO YOU PEOPLE NOT KNOW WHAT GOES ON OUTSIDE OF YOUR TINY MAKE BELIEVE BUBBLE CALLED PLEASANTON? Seriously, read the news, be THANKFUL this is all that goes on in that town. Once again, open your eyes to REALITY.
At this point the article is already out in the open, can you just please stop being so rude now? Just stop. Drop it. Find something better to do to fill your shallow minds than harass and make cruel judgments when you really do not know any better. Just be good people and stop.
Dear Hannah,
You are the one who should stop. In fact, you shouldn’t have started in the first place. I know this family, and to suggest that they condone this behavior, (btw, that means they were aware of what their son was doing, as you suggest when you state that, “they actually know each other and are aware of the good and the bad”, but did nothing about it), is irresponsible of you. You actually did this family more harm than good. Please be a good person and stop.
It’s funny that those who continue to be so rude do not reveal their identity… oh the irony
Hash oil? Oh, the horrors.
How many of you regularly ingest alcohol and have it in your homes?
That’s a recreational drug.
It’s a drug that causes many deaths every single day in this country.
With all the churches where did we go wrong-are you kidding me?
As if church attendance and virtue had any correlation at all.
Blind ignorance.
Are you suggesting there’s a moral hole somewhere? It sure sounds like it. A Chico college house burned down! I don’t ingest alcohol, and I’ve never broken the law. At all. My church tells me pot smoking is really bad. I don’t need to hear any more than that. It’s against the law. It’s immoral, as any moral person without a moral hole will tell you. Wrong is wrong. It’s like child abuse. They’re just the same.
“Hash oil? Oh, the horrors. How many of you regularly ingest alcohol and have it in your homes? That’s a recreational drug.”
The difference is that alcohol is legal after you are a certain age; hash oil production is a felony, regardless of your age, and it is illegal even for those who can use marijuana under prop 215. And by drinking a glass of wine, you do not set a house on fire. By trying to make hash oil, these students set a house on fire. Big difference.
“Blind ignorance”
Agree, you sound very ignorant.
“youthful wrong doing is a part of the journey of growing up”
Actually, not all young people do something so dumb. These guys set a house on fire. They went beyond the “youthful wrong” of doing drugs. They destroyed someone else’s property and put the lives of the neighbors in danger (by causing a bad fire)
They are kids who screwed up and they will deal with the consequences. You “Resident” are toxic!
“They are kids who screwed up and they will deal with the consequences. You “Resident” are toxic! ”
It is this kind of attitude that keeps adults like these doing things they should not. (because the Pleasanton “kid” is already 21 years old, according to the articles).
Calling me names does not erase the fact that these students burned down a house and are facing felony charges.
Here is another take on the above comments and the Pleasanton Weekly Town Square forum in general. First I do agree that this story should be reported whether or not it occurred in Ptown. Stories from around the world are reported, many of which are sad, uncomfortable and include Pleasantonians. I do not believe in media censorship. What I do question is having it on the Weekly Forum and here is why…
In the olden days before blogging and the Pleasanton Weekly Town Square forum, this (and many other stories) would have found their way into the printed paper and been read by the populace at large. DJ and Steve and others would have read the paper while drinking coffee and made their comments about bad parenting, lack of parenting, whatever to their spouses and that would have been that. Oh, perhaps they might have had enough attention span to then also gossip maliciously with a friend or two over drinks or at a coffee house. Maybe, just maybe they would have felt strongly enough to write a letter to the editor. But probably not, because they wouldn’t be able to do that anonymously and it takes time to craft a response, email it in and wait for the call giving permission to print. So in the end, the story is properly reported, read, tsk-tsked to friends about and everyone moves on – including the family the story is written about.
Fast forward to the Pleasanton Weekly Town Square forum. Same story, same reporting, but now DJ and Steve can share their ignorance immediately and publically without the filter of even a few seconds and without regard to how this may affect others. Where it was once contained griping within the household or simple malicious gossip between friends of a feather, now it is broadcast to all and to what purpose? These writers do not know anything about the parenting of these people…why? because they aren’t them, they aren’t part of their parenting process and therefore…ignorant. They really don’t know anything about what happened in Chico…why? because they weren’t there, they aren’t these young adults and therefore, they are writing from… ignorance. And “ignorance is bliss” only if the rest of us are blissfully unaware of their ignorance.
We caution our children about cyber-bullying, yet the Pleasanton Weekly Town Square Forum is simply permitted cyber-bullying in a semi-civilized skin. We attempt to help our children deal with bullies, then we allow cyber-bullies like DJ and Steve and the like to bully at will via the forum. I have yet to read comments on the forum that are universally positive…even if the article itself is positive in nature. Forum comments are almost always negative and, yes, bullying in nature. What a sad commentary on a wonderful community like Pleasanton. I only take solace in the thought that only a small segment of our community write in and cyber-bully via the forum. Perhaps my mom’s rule of “if you can’t say something nice, perhaps you should say nothing at all” is old fashioned, but I will continue to teach that to my children and perhaps Pleasanton will once again be…well, pleasant.
Whatever, Lou. Five voluminous paragraphs of holier-than-thou irrelevant minutiae and a lot of name-calling to boot. I resent your bullying attacks upon Steve and DJ. They’re among the very few on these threads who don’t have a moral hole in their head.
So Lou, do you think you are qualified to judge Steve and DJ? How
do you know that they aren’t psychologists? Friends of the family? Knowledge of this young man? Why is it ok for you to get on this forum and bully them?
This story has little to no relevance to the Pleasanton Weekly. Is news in town THAT slow that you have to fill the paper with this supposed crime that took place in another county, hundreds of miles away? Stick to schilling for Realtors and hiding comments you don’t like Pleasanton Weekly, not dragging people’s name through the mud for a little filler content between your advertisements.
Wow, some of these comments are super judgemental and disrespectful. What happened happened and whatever happens next is NOT going to reflect the forum of the Pleasanton Weekly. I hope some of you (parents) are proud for attacking some of the youth in Pleasanton who thought they were just voicing their opinion in a SAFE environment (because the Pleasanton weekly could never be thought of as anything else). And I just have to wonder what you think about abuse and safety of the web. IF he does choose to follow this “destructive” path, I hope it’s in Pleasanton so you guys can be first on the scene! I hope you teach your children to not talk as much sh*t as you!
“So Lou, do you think you are qualified to judge Steve and DJ? How
do you know that they aren’t psychologists?”
Exactly. I don’t know DJ, but I’ve often thought Steve was either a psychologist or a philosophy professor. I think Lou has a moral hole in his head.
It seems that in affluent communities such as Pleasanton our youth remain young? 21 is now considered a “youth”. Back in the day 21 year olds were married and raising families.
First of all, any parent whose kid is enrolled in Chico ought to be embarrassed for the poor job of parenting they have done. Cooking hash oil? What other alternatives are there for youths who are locked into a student ghetto that has no academics to speak of and everyone around is getting plastered?
21 is young. Brain scientists now tell us that our brains remain immature into our late 20’s. So, yes, 16 year-olds can make mistakes because their brains haven’t yet sufficiently developed. (Punching holes in tires anyone?) And, yes, 22 year-olds can make the same kinds of mistakes for the same reasons. Unfortunately, our laws in this regard are archaic and haven’t yet caught up with modern science.
Kids marrying at 21 and starting a family? Surefire recipe for all kinds of familial breakup and other forms of disaster. (See the catastrophe Booby above.)
by the way there is so much stuff to do in this town. You are 45 minutes from surf, have several local skateparks and hiking/biking mountains, an awesome movie theater just over the freeway, tons of places where you don’t get mugged, local junior college, a MALL, and every possible advantage a kid could ever want. i was just relocated to a place that has at most a quarter of the amenities i had as a kid back in Pleasanton. Please take advantage of what you have now. Start some silly dodge ball league at THE SPORTS PARK (oh dear another awesome place). Make ships inside of bottles or bottles around ships (not sure how they do that), or go snowboarding, or go to the city, or drive to santa cruz. You all live in one of the most bountiful places on earth and i would kill to be back there. Just because there aren’t parties every night doesn’t mean there is nothing to do. Get wreckless, just not incarcerated.
@Shredder,
Hope you’re not representative of Pleasanton: you hung out all THROUGH high school, what stoners do with THEIR lives, everyone is entitled to THEIR own opinion, and hope YOU’RE safe.
It is always the holier than thou types with all the parenting answers that are scared to comment using their real name. Why is that?
People make mistakes, sometimes big ones, just be thankful nobody got hurt. I’m sure the kid is going to pay for this many times over, quit piling on anonymously via Internet, go outside, or even talk to your perfect little children. Maybe they aren’t as perfect as you thought, and that is why you are scared to leave your real names?
Let’s see a student at Chico who graduated from Amador in 2008 (it’s 2012 so that probably makes him – 24!!!!) Who was a “good kid” as described from his peers in these comments…is among those arrested in a drug bust in CHICO (not P-Town) and we are blaming Pleasanton community, society, schools AND his parents!!!! Get a life guys – at some point a person (Young Adult) becomes responsible for their own choices and has nothing to do with where they grew up or their parents!!! He’s been at college for 4 years – could it not be Chico’s problem not P-towns??? How about just chalking it up to the kid making his own (albeit bad) decisions? EVERY community has drug issues – some more than others – like poverty and prostitution it will never go away – doesn’t mean we don’t fight it, but at 24 it’s the person’s decision not a “rich p-town, parent” bashing issue.
It’s sad people in Pleasanton have nothing better to do than track down the problems of old residents. This happened in Chico, leave it in Chico and focus on Pleasanton. All this shows is marijuana should be legalized so people don’t have to resort to making their own medicine. My heart goes out to these people.