BMX Alley

In San Lorenzo, California, there was an abandoned alley. It was filled with garbage and hadn't been cleaned up in a long time. Then the BMXers moved in.

The alley was bought by Psykopath Industries, a 30 member BMX bike club. Soon they brought in dumpsters. The garbage was hauled out. After everything was cleaned up, they made a track complete with jumps.

A fence was constructed and only those who belong to the club there are admitted. They have their own rules of conduct and safety so no one gets hurt. The club is respectful of the neighborhood and has instituted a curfew. Riders are on the track only a couple of hours a day. There have been no problems with drugs or violence. The bikers just want to ride.

The neighborhood isn't quite sure what to make of the new residents. And, the County Supervisors aren't sure how to handle the club. No one has attempted to build a track in the middle of a neighborhood before. There have been a couple of complaints of noise, but most of the residents have no complaints.

The bikers have cleaned up the alley and made something useful of the spot. While there maybe some issues to iron out, isn't it better to have a the BMX club use and manage the site, then have it revert back into the dumping ground it once was?

[Photograph courtesty of: Marco Microbi Reckmann, www.sxc.hu]

Fossil Find

Allen Cook owns a ton of land in Wyoming. 120,000 acres to be exact. He decided it was time to sell some of his land, but before he did that, he gave a wonderful gift to science.

Cook has decided to donate 4,700 acres to the University of Pennsylvania. The land is rich in dinosaur fossils. The land will be used as an educational site. Professors and students will be able to examine and analyze the hidden treasures. The land holds interests for a variety of fields including paleontology, archaeology, and geology.

The ranch is situated near the spot of one of our famous fossil discoveries. In 1899, a skeleton of Diplodocus carnegii (named so because the Carnegie Museum was a part of the discovery) was found. The skeleton, which was almost complete, is still a crown jewel of the Carnegie collection.

Although the land was donated to the University of Pennsylvania, it will be shared by three organizations including the University of Wyoming and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

[Photograph courtesy of Kevinzim, www.sxc.hu]

From Civil War to College Student

Juliette Richards had a bit more than her fair share of trials and tribulations. Richards was born in England and sent back to Liberia to be raised by her grandparents. She was only three weeks old. Her mother was in college and couldn't raise Richards alone.

It seemed like a good decision until civil war broke out in Liberia. The family found themselves in the middle of a war zone. The fled to Ivory Coast. Richards went to school and later found work. It seemed like life was working out. But, the respite was brief. Civil war soon found them in their new country.

While Richards and her grandparents were trying to find safe haven, her mother had left England and settled in Hayward, California. When life got too hard, Richards made the decision to migrate to America.

Richards went to live with her Mother in Hayward. Her grandparents went back to Liberia where life was returning to normal.

It was a big change for Richards. America was something different all together. She enrolled at James Logan High School and found a place on the track team. The basketball coach noticed the 6 foot plus track star and convinced her to try out for the team. She had never played the sport but gave it a go.

Richards is now in her junior year at Chabot College. She's a starter on the basketball team and has an excellent academic career ahead of her. She still remembers her younger days, running from war. Now, she has a her future at her feet and she's ready to follow her dreams.

Piedmont's First

Lisa Ravazzi of Contra Costa County, California, has worked hard throughout her life. Whether as a college student or police department employee, she has worked to obtain her goals. She has another achievement to add to her list. She's been selected Piedmont's first female police chief.

Ravazzi started as an intern with the Pleasant Hill Police Department. After earning her degree at Sacramento State in 1976, she worked for the Pittsburgh Police Department as a dispatcher. She also worked as a dispatcher and volunteer reserve police officer for the Antioch Police Department.

In 1981, Ravazzi signed on with Piedmont. She held the titles of sergeant and captain. Since July of 2004, she has held the post of interim police chief after the previous police chief retired.

Some of Ravazzi's goals are to work with communities to build relationships. This would include school programs created for teens. It would also include better community policing which creates a positive relationship between residents and the police force. She is also working with city departments on improving emergency preparedness.

Stolen Car Returned

It may not be all that amazing that a stolen car has been returned. But, it sure is a story when it's returned 37 years later!

Alan Poster of New York had is Corvette Mako Shark stolen in 1969. The car turned up in California by Customs officials. It was being shipped to an owner in Sweden who paid $10,000 for the beauty. Officials went through 10,000 unsolved investigations to find Poster's original complaint.

Almost four decades later, car and owner have been reunited. Poster who is now 63 describes it as "the only car I ever really loved".

Driving Seniors Around Town

At some point in an person's life, they have to decide if they should still drive their car. Loss of independence must be weighed against personal safety. It isn't always easy for someone to admit they are too old to drive.

Portland, Maine has come up with an innovative solution. Senior citizens can join a program whereby they donate their old car in exchange for free rides. This is how it works. You donate your car to the program. The value of the car is put on an account for the person who donated it. The car becomes part of the car pool and is used to pick up program participants. Participants pay for the pickup service through their account. Friends and family can donate to the account to keep it active.

The program is working quite well. Because it's run completely on donations and volunteer service, no state money has been needed. All a participant has to do is call for a driver to pick them up. They can then go do their grocery shopping, go to doctor's appointments, or visit friends. They retain their independence and their family members don't have to worry about them being on the road.

The program is the brainchild of Katherine Freund who knows firsthand about elderly drivers. In 1988, her three year old son was run over by an elderly driver. The man didn't even see her son and was convinced he hit a dog. Her son was in a coma, but eventually recovered.

Freund realized this was a community problem. Seniors who were incapable of driving still needed to get out and about. She pitched her idea which became the "Independent Transportation Network". The 1 year pilot program has been a huge success. Other states are looking at the program as a solution to the growing needs of their elderly citizens.

One Thousand Laps

If awards were handed out for perseverance, John Stumpf would earn one. He set a goal for himself in 1994. He wanted to run 1000 laps around Lake Merritt in Oakland, Calfornia before he was 60.

On Saturday, 3 years shy of the deadline, he made his goal. Decked out in a tuxedo, he and his dog, Milo, set out for the last 3 and a half mile jaunt. The tux was a salute to his family who dared him to wear one way back in the beginning. It wasn't the best day for jogging. Rain pounded the pavement along with Stumpf's shoes. Bemused runners got a kick out of their friend decked out in such fine attire.

At the end of his run, his family had a celebration. He children, now grown, gave speeches. They all then went home to get dry.

Stumpf took his goal very seriously. He kept track of the laps on a chart in the hallway. Meeting his goal isn't the end of it. He's now decided to shoot for 2,000 laps by the time he is 70. I wonder what his family will make him wear next time?

Landfill Crafts

We all have alot of junk. Some of it recyclable, some heading for the landfill. Would't it be nice if some of that junk could be used to create something useful?

Shoshana Berger and Grace Hawthorne have created a magazine just for that purpose. It's called "ReadyMade". The concept is to reuse those throwaways and create something new. It takes the the "do it yourself" concept to the recycle bin. Each issue is filled with ideas on how to take everyday items and make something else from them.

Berger and Hawthorne are sort of the Martha Stewarts of the budget crowd. The ideas are highly creative but also functional. They've created lounge chairs out of plastic water bottles and murals from old CDs.

Coach Carter Returns

Did you see the film Coach Carter? It's about Ken Carter, a man who returns to his former high school to coach the basketball team. The school is one of the worst in the state. Teachers expected little of the students and many slipped through the system. When Coach Carter took over, he made academic achievement as important as winning games. When his team went 13-0 but did not meet his academic requirements for playing on the team, he shut down the season. Many were angry over the decision, but Carter knew that giving these kids a free ride did them a disservice. They needed to get to college if they wanted to make something of themselves.

Carter left Richmond High a couple of years later, but he never left the kids. He set up the Coach Carter Foundation which helps students and schools meet academic goals. This week Carter went back to Richmond High to speak to the students and to hand out thousands of dollars in scholarships. He brought with him former students and a couple of the actors from the film. He continues to work with students in Richmond and other poor districts. He hopes that by sharing his philosophy that they can succeed, they will. He backs it up with money for schools and scholarships.

We need more Coach Carters. For some kids, sports seems like their only way out. Too often we set low academic expectations for kids because of where they live or their background. We don't even give them a chance as if by doing so gives them false hope. If we give them a boost of self esteem as well as the assistance they need to meet academic standards we can break the chain of despair. The more kids who graduate from high school and college benefits all of us and it's a goal that we all should work towards.

Smart Cart A Success

Students at James Logan High School were sick and tired of cafeteria food. They complained that the food was greasy and there were no healthy choices. Alot of them brought their own lunches.

Members of the Youth Humane society, a student club, took action. They lobbied the school administration for six months. The administrators finally caved in and decided to humor the teens. They'd give allow them to sell some healthy items and when they failed they wouldn't have invested much in the program. They knew students would not buy healthy food.

The Society was given "the Smart Cart" which was loading with healthy food including vegan items. The cart was sold out within 10 minutes of opening for business on the first day. Administrators were shocked! How could a teenager chose soy milk and beans over soda and sloppy joes? The school's director of food and nutrition was baffled. It didn't make any sense.

Although most of the 4,000 study body avoided the cart, there was more than enough interest to make the Smart Cart a success. The school has decided to end the Smart Cart experiment. The healthy food choices will now be offered as regular fare from the school cafeteria.

Volunteers Repair Damage to Cemetery

The Plainfield Cemetery located in Unadilla Township, Michigan, was established in 1845 by the Plainfield Burial Ground Society. The group is still in charge of the cemetery's care.

In October 2005, vandals attempted to obliterate 160 years of history. Tombstone were rent from their moorings and crushed. Chunks of stone were thrown everywhere. 108 were damaged when it was all said and done. Police have no idea who would desecrate the burial site.

Since October volunteers from the society and the community have been trying to put the cemetery back together. They are putting together each tombstone piece by piece. The vandals were not neat and tidy. Chunks are mixed together and can be found anywhere in the cemetery. It is a slow, painstaking process. They must sift through the debris matching shapes, colors, and wording. Each piece is glued together with a special expoxy that takes 24 hours to dry. Each piece must be glued separately, so one tombstone could take several days to repair. Since October, they've been able to complete 30 grave markers and return them to their grave sites.

As this is an old cemetery, many of the early stones tell tales of history long forgotten. Some date back to individuals born in the late 1700s, a couple are from men who died in the Civil War.

An act of vandalism such as this can tear a community apart. There cemetery work is bringing this community together. Not only are they doing right by those who are buried in the cemetery, but they are learning their stories and remembering their roles in local history.

The Furry Monkey Website Helps Cancer Survivors

Karen and I have been penpals for over 20 years. When Karen announced that she had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma a couple of years ago, I was shocked and saddened. She is a dear friend. She was constantly in my thoughts and prayers.

Karen went through hell. Instead of wallowing in despair (though I'm sure she had her down times), she decided to share the experience. The Furry Monkey website became her new home. She keeps a diary of her treatment and daily challenges. She posts links to information to help others going through the same trials. Her writings are insightful and worth the read for anyone who has cancer or is dealing with a loved one who has cancer.

Karen's outreach program isn't limited to the web. She has written for offline newsletters and works with organizations serving those dealing with Cancer. And, now she is working on homemade crafts to help charities! I only have arthritis and I wish I had half her motivation and energy.

Karen's life isn't easy. She must go for medical tests constantly. She always carries around with her the thought that it may return. While there is nothing uplifting about cancer, Karen has managed to keep her head above water and to keep a healthy attitude. Her website is wonderful and all can benefit from her experience.

Powered-Up!

We know that there are many of talented teenagers out there. Unfortunately, many never get to pursue theirartistic interests because the funding for arts in public schools has been cut drastically. Some schools don't have programs at all so students never get the necessary credits to further their art education in college.

Groups in San Francisco and Richmond are looking for ways to offer art classes to teenagers and fill the gap left by public schools. The San Francisco Art Institute's City Studio art education program gives teenagers a chance to earn credit and learn about art. The program is comprised of smaller projects that includes video, photography, multimedia, and other forms of expression. One project was called "Super Fly Wallpaper" and taught storytelling through digital photography.

This years program culminated in a showing at "Galeria de la Raza" in San Francisco. The exhibit titled "Powered-Up: Youth Chronicles" gives the students a chance to show what they've learned.

City Studio goes into communities to find eligible students. They hope to expand recruitment this year. By bringing their program to the community, they allow teenagers to explore their artistic side. This is an area that has been lost in the current education environment.

A Slow Week

With the mining tragedy in West Virginia, the skating rink catastrophe in Germany, and the countless scandals mounting in Congress, I've had a heck of a time finding good news this week!

So...I thought I'd use this space to promote my new blog (a little selfish self promotion...LOL) You may have visited my website: www.chroniclife.com. I have created a blog called "Stories from the ChronicLife" where I recount my experiences with chronic disease. The stories attempt to show the human side of life. They can be about my frustrations, daily life, or humorous episodes. It can be rough getting through the day when you don't feel well or have constant pain. It helps to share these experiences so we don't feel so alone.

Looking for good news for tomorrow :) Until then...

Fighting for Veterans' Rights

Scott Cameron is a Vietnam Veteran. After becoming fully disabled during the war (he was shot in the back and since has had 46 operations), he learned that the promises a government makes and the one's they actually keep are two different things. He is disturbed by the Iraq war and how the country is unprepared for the problems associated with a new veteran population.

Cameron put a sign in front of house. It was titled "Remember the Fallen Heroes". It includes the number of war dead and wounded in Iraq. It's his way of honoring their service by not forgotting them. He also uses the sign as a way to remind people that our veterans need to be taken care of when they come home.

The sign has started a bit of controversy. Cameron need to move the sign. Since there was space at the Governor's candidate office where he volunteer, he asked if he could put the sign out front. The candidate agreed. Cameron never gave the location another thought. But, next door is a military recruiting office. Some of the occupants are not happy with the sign. They feel advertising the war's casualities only makes their jobs more difficult. Cameron takes a different view. He says that he is pro veteran and that he only wants people remember those who have served.

Cameron wants to honor those in service. He's been there and only has a deep respect for their commitment to their country.

Cameron recently spoke on the Ed Schultz radio program. He said that he'd to take things further and promote the creation of a Veteran's Bill of Rights. Those currently serving in Iraq will return home some day. They will need our support, our services, and a hand up. Instead of ignoring our returning soldiers, we need to step up the plate and help them get back to their lives.