Page 5 - Sonoma County Gazatte May 2017

LETTERS cont’d from page 4
still - the truck traffic, especially during peak road repair season, is intense. And yes, both quarries not only use the highest technology in their equipment and trucks, but they also place limits on trucks that come and go. Roads are dirty. I doubt there’s a way to build and maintain them in a totally clean way. ~ Vesta
Celebrating teachers &
classi ed staff
deliver true protection to the people and the earth.
We are now at a grave time in history where the environment needs to be healed before its inhabitants can become whole and healthy.
Gail Adams, Monte Rio
Lynda Hopkins has jumped in full force to tacklle many problems in the 5th district, I am very grateful to have her in the job and to the Gazette for providing a venue which allows constituents to follow some of the major tasks she is addressing.
BoDean Ads
Hello. I’m reading April’s edition and found BoDean’s ad on page 15. While it’s kind of them to support your Gazette, we folks in SR West End have been trying to get them to move their smelly and carcinogenic asphalt operation out of our fairly high density and close to several schools and childcare places. This month’s gazette seems to support cleaning up the environment- it’d be great not to have your gazette supported by one of the very worst polluters in Santa Rosa. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely, Kate Sholl
Education is a force for good in the lives of Sonoma County children. Our teachers and school support staff constantly adapt to best fit the needs of our changing student population and prepare them for success a rapidly evolving world.
Charlene Stone, Santa Rosa
Sorry this took so long to get back to you. I went to BoDean and did a tour of their upgrades. I wanted to see for myself. They were not operating that day so I will have to go back when they are in full swing.
A series of teacher appreciation posters on the back of Sonoma County Transit buses are now being displayed throughout Sonoma County. The posters include photographs of 13 educators chosen to represent their colleagues for this promotional campaign. The teachers are from local elementary schools and SCOE special education programs. (Last year’s teacher appreciation week promotion featured middle and high school teachers.)
Considering that they are grandfathered in - they will continue to be in that location for a long time. The neighborhood grew up around them over time, but when they were established it was clearly an industrial section of town. The upgrades are very impressive on many levels. Like I said, I’ll go back when they are operating, but right now, I’m feeling like they are doing as much as they can to mitigate the nature of their business.
The bus poster project was coordinated by SCOE and supported by community partners, including Clover Stornetta Farms; Community First Credit Union; Exchange Bank; Girard, Edwards, Stevens, & Tucker LLP; Kaiser Permanente; Ray Morgan Company; Redwood Credit Union; Redwood Empire Schools’ Insurance Group (RESIG); Santa Rosa Junior College; School & College Legal Services; and Sonoma Clean Power.
For this reason, the Sonoma County Office of Education (SCOE) applauds the hard work of Sonoma County’s 3,700-plus teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 1-5. SCOE also celebrates the county’s dedicated classified school employees during the week of May 21-27. This week provides an opportunity to appreciate the important contributions made by non-credentialed employees, such
as the bus driver who brings your child to school, the friendly face who greets her in the front office when she arrives, and the person behind the lunch counter who serves her a warm meal.
I know they have done many upgrades, but I didn’t know they are so extensive. You may want to do a tour yourself.
As you may know, asphalt is a hot product and must be used within a short distance from where it is made. Our roads depend upon this plant - which is one of two in Sonoma County. I have not been
to the other plant which is owned by Ghilotti. If it’s anything like this one, I’d be surprised if they could do more to make this product in a cleaner a process. From fans and filters, to noise reduction, they’ve paid attention to the entire process to be quieter as well as cleaner.
I believe it’s important for all of us to let Sonoma County’s teachers and classified school staff know that they are appreciated and valued. They are an essential part of our children’s lives and their work is key to the future of our communities.
I live where there are two rock quarries that supply aggregate for our roads. They have much less control over what goes into the air, but it is natural rock dust. But
Steven D. Herrington, Ph.D.— Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools
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