Page 30 - bon-dia-aruba-20200807

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 7 august 2020
'Rebuilding Paradise' looks at emotional toll of deadly fire

Associated Press elsewhere in the area after
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — the fire. She worked with
Almost two years since a other school districts to find
wildfire swept through his space for Paradise students
mountain town and vir- to stick together, and by
tually wiped it out, Steve the end of the school year
"Woody" Culleton got to she pulled off a high school
put the final touches on his graduation ceremony
new home. many thought was impos-
Two redwood trees were sible six months before.
planted in the ground, a "The kids lost everything:
new lawn and stone patio their homes, their sports
transformed the once bar- teams, their stuffed ani-
ren yard into a green ref- mals," she recalled. "Why
uge. would we take away their
"We're happy," he said. teachers and their friends?"
"We're totally home." A few days after the gradu-
The landscaping marked ation, John's husband died
the final chapter of a long of a heart attack. She at-
ordeal that was captured This image released by National Geographic shows documentary subject Steve "Woody" Culle- tributed his death to the
in "Rebuilding Paradise," a ton rebuilding his home in Paradise, Calif., in a scene from "Rebuilding Paradise." trauma of the fire.
new documentary direct- Associated Press "There's no doubt in my
ed by Ron Howard about mind that the stress of the
the aftermath of the most doubts when he went to Can it even rebuild?" the crisis and school work- fire and his overall sadness
destructive wildfire in Cali- Paradise to witness the While it touches upon the ers who fought to keep about what happened
fornia's history. devastation. He knew the failings of Pacific Gas & classrooms together. contributed," she said. "His
Filmed over the course of town, having visited a Electric Corp., the utility Put through what he called heart was just broken."
a year, the documentary couple of times when his whose equipment sparked a cruel test, Howard said Now retired and living in
focuses on the colossal mother-in-law lived there, the wildfire, and chang- their struggles became a Reno, Nevada, she said she
cleanup and rebuilding ef- and he was overwhelmed ing climate conditions case study for "what sur- still talks frequently with her
forts after the Nov. 8, 2018, by what he saw. that caused the flames to vival looks like, and the former colleagues to guide
inferno that killed 85 peo- "I just thought, 'Well, how spread at extreme rates, possibilities for real healing them through the new hur-
ple and destroyed some are they going to come the documentary mainly and also the inevitability dle: how to help students
19,000 buildings. It follows back on this?' I mean, focuses on the emotional of deep wounds and real amid the coronavirus pan-
several wildfire survivors as here's a region that is just toll of rebuilding. pain that can't be avoided demic. She bought a new
they piece their lives back getting thrown so many Howard's team became in every circumstance." property in Paradise and
together and offers signs body blows, death blows," close to displaced families Michelle John, the schools plans to live there at least
of the town's resilience de- he said. "How do you re- going through the trauma superintendent in Para- part time. "It's difficult be-
spite many uncertainties spond and recover? And of losing their homes, a po- dise, was under immediate ing away because I want
about its future. the idea of rebuilding Para- lice officer whose marriage pressure to shut the school to be there to support peo-
Howard said he had his dise became the question. fell apart under the strain of district and enroll students ple," she said.q

Former President Bush pays tribute to immigrants in new book

By HILLEL ITALIE four-color paintings of im- in 2007, with opposition companion to an up- lion copies, and his other
NEW YORK (AP) — A new migrants he has come to coming from both liberals coming exhibition at the books include "41," about
book by former President know over the years, along and conservatives. George W. Bush Presiden- his father, former President
George W. Bush will high- with biographical essays he "While I recognize that im- tial Center in Dallas. George H.W. Bush; and a
light an issue which now wrote about each of them. migration can be an emo- "Both 'Out of Many, One" collection of paintings of
sets him apart from many Bush, who served as presi- tional issue, I reject the and the exhibition of the military veterans, "Portraits
of his fellow Republicans — dent from 2001-2009, has premise that it is a partisan same name will include of Courage."
immigration. often praised the contribu- issue. It is perhaps the most bold, principle-based solu- He will donate a portion of
Crown announced Thurs- tions of immigrants, a no- American of issues, and it tions that comprehensively his "Out Of Many, One" pro-
day that Bush's "Out Of table contrast to President should be one that unites address the current debate ceeds to organizations that
Many, One: Portraits of Donald Trump's rhetoric us," Bush writes in the new on immigration," according help immigrants resettle.
America's Immigrants" will and policies. As president, book's introduction, noting to Crown. "At the heart of Financial terms were oth-
be published March 2. Bush supported a biparti- that he did not want it to the recommendations is erwise not disclosed. Bush
The book includes 43 por- san immigration reform bill come out during the elec- the belief that every year was represented by Robert
traits by the 43rd president, that narrowly failed to pass tion season. Bush has not that passes without reform- Barnett, the Washington at-
endorsed Trump or his pre- ing the nation's broken sys- torney whose other clients
sumptive Democratic op- tem means missed oppor- have included former Presi-
ponent, former Vice Presi- tunities to ensure the future dent Barack Obama and
dent Joe Biden. prosperity, vitality, and se- former President Bill Clinton.
"My hope is that this book curity of our country." The book will be released
will help focus our col- Bush has become a dedi- as a standard trade hard-
lective attention on the cated portrait painter and cover and in an auto-
positive impacts that im- best-selling author since graphed deluxe edition,
migrants are making on our leaving the White House. listed for $250, that will be
country." His memoir "Decision Points" clothbound and contained
The book will serve as a has sold more than 3 mil- within a slipcover.q