Letters Letters (June 25, 2004)

Prison term counterproductive

Editor,

Your article hit home about Brendon Rose's situation. My son was involved in a fight at a local party several years ago. Coincidentally, it was with a member of the wrestling team that included Brendon, my son and the "victim" of the altercation. Like many of these incidents, it began with trash talking, resulted in a fight and ended with the parents of the loser of the fight preferring charges.

Our schools spend significant time and resources teaching our kids about the dangers of drugs. At the same time, our children spend twice the time watching violent movies, TV and playing video games featuring fights and machine gun killings of the opposition. In my son's case, the district attorney chose not to pursue the case because there was no permanent injury and the "victim" initiated the altercation. Young men have been fighting since the beginning of time and some go to jail for it.

In Brendon's case, due to the severity of the injury, he is doing hard time. I am confident that the parents of the young man who was kicked in the head are as pleased with the sentence as the Rose family is displeased. Two things should be learned from this experience: Glorifying physical combat is bad and incarceration in lieu of more progressive alternatives is worse. A sentence of eight years in a maximum-security prison is excessive and will undoubtedly ruin his life. A criminal justice system that lacks flexibility and a rehabilitate objective is truly flawed. Whether 16, 17 or 18, these are our children; they deserve a chance for a normal life. The jail term is a mean-spirited and a counterproductive solution to this problem. Name withheld by requestPleasanton 1st Wednesday needs Journey

Editor,

I am deeply disappointed with a change in the First Wednesday Street Fairs by the Pleasanton Downtown Association this year. We have lived in Pleasanton for four-and-a-half years and have thoroughly enjoyed the fairs. I have two daughters, ages 2 and 7, and the highlight has been the booth operated by the Journey Church Community, usually near Angela. I have enjoyed the smiling face of their minister, and my kids always loved getting a balloon from Ravioli the Clown and their face painted by Penelope the Clown. The lines have often been long, but we have never minded because the people were so friendly, they offered cotton candy while you waited, and it was all free!

When we attended First Wednesday, we went all up and down the street looking for their booth, but they were nowhere to be seen. The only things for younger children were rides you had to pay for, a jumpy house you had to pay for, and Twee Twee the Clown who charges $2-$4 for a balloon. My kids and I were disappointed in the whole evening.

I ran into the Pastor and he told me that because his church is a nonprofit organization and in Dublin, it had a lower priority and there was no room for them this year, even though they have been participants for the last four years. I hope that other parents who have enjoyed the warmth and entertainment brought to our street fair by this congregation will join me in thanking them for what they have contributed over the past four years. And I beg the PDA to reconsider allowing them to operate a booth for the remaining fairs this summer. Kate PotterPleasanton Editor's note: Pat Murray, coordinator of First Wednesday for PDA, said that all the spots for nonprofit groups had been filled by the time Journey called for reservations. She said that Journey had mistakenly thought that returning vendors had priority. Don't let Chamber damage quality of life

Editor,

The Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce is partnering with business to run the city their way. The residents of Pleasanton should be so grateful of the tax revenues and fees paid by business, we should defer to them and the chamber, on decisions directly affecting our neighborhoods. That's the message the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce has been sending out at City Council and Planning Commission meetings. Now the chamber is going to back up their comments with the new Business and Community Political Action Committee (BACPAC).

Steve Clarkson, chairperson, executive board of the chamber, said, "The community was doing things that didn't make sense for the community as a whole or for business." In order to help the community correct the perceived deficiencies that adversely affect business, the BACPAC plans to "systematically endorse candidates and causes" which are funded by, and in support of, Pleasanton businesses. At the March 9 City Council/Planning Commission Workshop, Dave Bouchard, president of the chamber, presented the chamber's position on traffic circulation. He spoke out against a biased neighborhood point of view that doesn't see the "bigger-picture" and the benefits to "overall development and future of Pleasanton" that building cross-town expressways through residential neighborhoods brings. It seems the greater good the Pleasanton chamber wants to accomplish is for everyone else in the Tri-Valley except Pleasanton residents.

Pleasanton residents must have a deciding voice in the input and planning of our residential neighborhoods. We must not allow business and the chamber to buy this city and negatively impact our quality of life. Billie OtisPleasanton Cleaning gutters, etc.

Editor,

The Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley would like to thank the Pleasanton Rotary Club for its recent hard work and long hours spent cleaning, repairing and maintaining the home and yards for some 70 Pleasanton seniors last month. This annual project is a major effort of Senior Support, and Pleasanton Rotary provides the energy, enthusiasm and muscle to make it happen. The collaboration between the two organizations has benefited our senior community in many ways.

The goal of the Senior Support Program is to keep seniors living independently in their homes for as long as possible. Some seniors are physically unable to carry out important household tasks like cleaning gutters, moving heavy furniture and getting up on ladders to wash windows or change light bulbs. Left undone year after year, the accumulation of jobs like these can damage the spirit as well as leaving the home unsafe. Pleasanton Rotary can be proud of its contributions to this effort and to the quality of life in the Pleasanton community. Marlene PetersenDirector, Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley

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