Foothills Sentry August 2023

Foothills Sentry Page 6 August 2023 Family. Friends. Community. We’re all in this together. State Farm, Bloomington, IL 1801073 Ron Esparza, Agent Insurance Lic#: 0C79663 827 S. Tustin Ave Orange, CA 92866 Bus: 714-505-3400 ron@ronesparza.com Go (away), Speed Racer “He’s a demon on wheels. He's a demon, and he's gonna be cha- sin' after someone.” Yes, and a re- cent acceleration of speeding rac- ers’ demon behavior has caused multiple accidents involving oth- er vehicles and cyclists, too. On the evening of July 3, racers sped to the end of Silverado Canyon, then roared through Modjeska. A few weeks later, a Modjeska resi- dent endured a demonic attack when a grey Porsche and a white Mercedes chased after somebody or other --- or only their own tails --- at high speed, landing him in the ER. Joanne Hubble’s request of Supervisor Don Wagner resulted in an electronic mobile message board parked at the entrance to Silverado: “Illegal Street Rac- ing Prohibited. Enhancement Enforced.” Of course, if demons slowed down to read signs, they’d be angels. Hubble wonders out loud why DA Todd Spitzer’s Street Racing Task Force hasn’t done more to address the problem, admittedly countywide, perversely celebrat- ed on social media, and partially inspired by automotive or only autoerotic action films. Trabuco residents complain that stretches of road near their homes have been repeatedly commandeered for racing and donuts, leaving only exhaust and skid marks. Slow and furious In response, an angelic group of Modjeska Canyonites met to de- velop modest deterrent strategies. Tentative plans include strategi- cally posting two yellow triangle signs on private property, one do- nated by Silverado allies, reading “License Plate Cameras in Use.” Some residents have installed Ring cameras, and pledge to re- search speed bumps and a per- manent stop sign at the four-way intersection of Modjeska Canyon Road, Modjeska Grade and Shad- owlands. Meanwhile, residents are en- couraged to record license plates and call 911 on scofflouds, err, scofflaws. This comes as the Board of Sups votes soon on fi- nally lowering the official speed limit from 55 to its currently post- ed 35, a vestigial law from days when, indeed, Modjeska Canyon Road was Santiago Canyon Road. Defensible space In firefighting and habitat de- fense news, Danny Graham reported to the Inter-Canyon League that 32 locals graduated from the first Community Emer- gency Response Team (CERT) class offered in the canyons, sponsored by OC Fire Authority. And the ICL voted to use a por- tion of SoCal Edison grant money for advertisements inviting your unshy participation in beating the oak borer infestation. Go, borer, go away. And in branch library news, an Irvine Ranch Conservancy volun- teer presents on all things spider, starting (of course) with a story and a trail walk to meet a few of our friends who go by arachnida. Related craft activity to follow. Thursday, Aug. 31, 11:30 a.m. Defendable space Thank goodness nobody is burning books or attacking school curricula or removing texts from schools or public libraries or harassing Black or queer writers. If you laughed sardonically or only grimaced just now, plan now for this year’s American Library Association (ALA) Banned Books Week, Oct. 1 – 7. Themed “Let Freedom Read,” it defends our rights, and celebrates libraries and threatened books, including one about, that’s right, book burning, “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. Summer concert series This month’s Saturday, Aug. 19, show features two acts. Wild Adults bills itself as “Orange County's only emergency band,” so absolutely perfect for CERT- qualified volunteers, anti-speed- ing activists, borer fighters and intellectual freedom defenders. Playing with them is the legend- ary Bobby Gray, a veteran local player who’s been on stage at the Sawdust Festival, OC Fair and Coach House. Mo is less There's disappointment aplenty at the transfer of Ranger Katelyn McKay from Arden, a national historic site where her scholar- ship, professional training and expertise made her a much-ap- preciated host, docent and ar- chival curator --- jobs for which she was unusually well qualified. In other Madame Mo news, the restoration of the historic Arden Modjeska Stone Cottage nears completion. Which side are you on? Ubiquitous, if sometimes invis- ible or taken for granted, canyon residents relied bigtime on deliv- ery drivers during COVID, their labor only increasing since then. You know some by name, but might not know that FedEx, Am- azon and UPS drivers are consid- ering strikes after long contract negotiations and labor justice struggles with their corporate bosses. UPS rank and file are challeng- ing a two-tiered salary system, long hours, dangerous working conditions, and exploitation of part-timers. OUSD Board will fly American, state flags only at district facilities By Tina Richards The Orange Unified School District Board approved an Education Code amendment requiring only the American and State of California flags be flown on district property. The Education Code already states that “the governing board of each school district shall provide for each schoolhouse under its control, a suitable flag of the United States, which shall be hoisted above each schoolhouse during all school sessions and on school holidays, weather permitting" It further states that each school district shall provide smaller and suitable U.S. flags to be displayed in each schoolroom during school sessions.” Board President Rick Ledesma and Trustee Madison Miner, both facing a recall, presented an amendment to that policy at the June 20 board meeting, stating that “The United States and California flags shall be the only flags displayed on district/school flagpoles.” Why now? It was the timing of the amend- ment that caught constituents’ at- tention. Introduced during Pride Month, when public displays of the Pride flag were being debat- ed, it appeared that Ledesma and Miner were targeting that particu- lar banner. At least that was how the first few public speakers saw it. “Ban the Pride flag,” a speaker en- thused. “These are acts you con- done if you don’t pass the reso- lution.” “There is no pride in sexually exploiting children,” an- other said. Both were cut short by Ledesma, who insisted the discus- sion was about the American and state flag only. “We’re not men- tioning any other flag,” he said. Skirting his admonition to restrict comments to the American and California flag, the next speaker noted that, “The 'other flag' represents the other community and those in favor of grooming and sexual exploitation. We need to unite behind the American Flag.” "The American flag is what you should be teaching,” another said. “Anything else should not be part of the school district. We are Americans first, Californians sec- ond, and nothing else.” Looks can be deceiving Ledesma continued to steer comments away from the Pride flag, leaving the rest of the speak- ers to voice their support for the American flag, what it represents, and how important it is for the dis- trict to fly it. No one disagreed. One speaker, a Navy veteran, provided some context. “I object to the use of the flag by people in power to stay in power. It distracts the public from more important issues. It’s cynical and self- serving. I hope everyone is this room sees this resolution for what it is, self-preservation disguised as patriotism. It’s a well-worn chapter in a politician’s playbook. "We have real issues to be han- dled, instead you’re engaging in debates that only shore up politi- cal support.” “The first few speakers gave the secret away,” said another. President Ledesma began the board discussion by making sure that the agenda accurately reflected that he and Madison Miner recommended approval of the American/state flag-only code amendment. Was it ever a problem? Andrea Yamasaki reiterated that both flags already fly on dis- trict flagpoles. “I proudly support flying the American flag in our schools,” she emphasized, “but I believe this action is performa- tive and unnecessary. It is already in the education code. Having it brought up here with your names on it tells me this is being done purely for political reasons.” Kris Erickson reported that in the decades she’s been in OUSD, she’s never seen any flag other than the American flag flown in front of schools. She asked if there has ever been another flag flown on school flagpoles or if anyone had ever asked to fly a different flag. The answer was no on both counts. “This is a creative misconception of something that doesn’t exist,” she concluded. “We’re just being proactive,” Angie Rumsey explained, “rather than being reactive.” Ana Page cut the discussion short. “We have a limited time here,” she said. There are so many other real issues that we could use our time on. So let’s just vote.” They did; 7-0, in favor. Burning issues: rubber, brush, books