Volume XX
Number 22

Tuesday
Nov. 2, 2004

Coming Programs Every Tuesday Nov 2 Dr. Larry Jebrock How to Improve Your Reading Concentration and Memory Nov 9 Andy Bartlett Youth Exchange Program Nov 16 Andy Bartlett Youth Interact - Rotary Youth Leadership Nov 23 Bryan Tong Elder Abuse Identification Fraud Nov 30 Joice Beatty/Natalie Klug Rotary Festival of Brotherhood Coming Events Nov 5-14, 2004 Festival of Brotherhood Guadalajara, Mexico May 19, 2005 Centennial Celebration Doubletree Hotel Rohnert Park, CA Birthdays Nov 10 Willis Blakewell Nov 13 Ron Sculatti Nov 24 Jim Wright Nov 29 William Butler Wedding Anniversaries Nov 30 Joel Toller (Lisa Anthony) Club Anniversaries Nov 1, 1971 Wendell Dinwiddie Nov 1, 1972 Richard Shurtz Nov 1, 1984 Mark Terrell Nov 4, 2003 Polly Keegan Nov 12, 1991 Margo Kennedy Nov 21, 1995 Craig Anderson Nov 25, 2003 Loren Gardner Nov 25, 2003 Jim Haslip Nov 25, 2003 Norman Mitroff Nov 26, 2002 Ron Clark Nov 26, 2002 Jim Meehan Nov 26, 2002 Michael Njo Nov 26, 2002 Sean Wickersham

ELECTION 2004 IS HERE
By Steve Yost
 

October 26, 2004  –  Wow! The political wars are finally at an end and soon we will know whether George Bush or John Kerry will be our president from 2005-2009. In the meantime at our meeting of October 26 we were treated to plenty of political talk.

STEVE YOST

But first Lisa Marie Andersen showed us a short tape edited down from 3 hours of filming at the Winter Ball last February. It shows what the event is all about and maybe used as an advertising tool. A couple of the scenes depicted people enjoying a fling at the crap table or watching the spin of the roulette wheel. Wouldn't you know none other than Napa County's District Attorney Rotarian Gary Lieberstein was visiting from the Napa Sunrise Club? As he took the mike he said he was unaware St. Helena had a casino!

Then Gary addressed the group on the issue of whether or not Proposition 66 on the state ballot is good—this is the possible changing of the "3 Strikes Law". Gary is definitely against any change and told us the rest of California's DA's agree with him (very unusual to get so many lawyers to agree on anything!).

KAREN SCALABRINI Finance Director for the City of St. Helena

Gary was followed by our guest speaker Karen Scalabrini, Finance Director for the City of St. Helena, who told us over the last 20 years the state has found numerous ways to invade local funds which, she thinks, rightfully should stay here and be used for our community purposes. Our local government revenues are at risk so Karen suggested the solution is for people to vote in favor of Proposition 1A on our ballot. California's governor and others support the passage of 1A. Karen feels it will help protect our city from losing monies needed here. If you are interested in the many ways the state has raided our treasury you can contact her at 968-2758.

Enough on politics!

Election 2004 Is Here ... Continued

KATHLEEN PATTERSON Club President 2004-2005   PHIL TOOHEY   ROB ANDREAE   PAUL KRSEK

Our president Kathleen Patterson called on new member Tracy Calkins to tell a little about himself. It seems he traveled with his military family and then has worked all his young life and is now an executive with WestAmerica Bank. Any deposits you may make will be appreciated. Easy, Jim and Jeff , it will be OK.
 

Bob Herrick announced the American Red Cross will have a fundraiser November 13^th. Check with him for details.
 

On November 6^th Phil Toohey is leading a hike out of Stinson Beach on the Dipsea Trail. Check with him for details.
 

Jim Wright had a very good chance to pick the black marble but alas it came up white -- so this week the raffle winner will have even a better chance.
 

Kathleen announced there was no finemaster so she took it upon herself to fine Rob Andreae and Paul Krsek for being featured in a North Bay Financial Magazine. Paul generously said they would donate $500.00 to the Centennial Project. The question is did he consult Rob about this?
 

Dick Rogers asked a question many of us have wondered about. Why is the audio system so messed up? Jerry, did you answer?

CHARLOTTE WILLIAMSON   MIKE THOMAS   NATALIE KLUG

BELLRINGERS:

Charlotte Williamson is celebrating the 6^th anniversary of her successful stem cell treatment.

Mike Thomas got a high five from past president Phil for the article about him in the recent St. Helena Star.

And lastly, Natalie Klug told us how delighted she and her girls were in entertaining our exchange student Mo last weekend. Have you considered doing this yet? Call Andy Bartlett for details.

IF YOU HAVEN'T VOTED YET,
DO IT THIS AFTERNOON!

From Tutors to Roads
By Dick Osborn
 

DICK OSBORN

October 19, 2004  –  This week's Rotary meeting highlighted a dilemma I would face four hours after the meeting ended. I have to chair a Pacific Union College Assembly meeting with our faculty until 5:30 P.M. and then need to catch a Southwest Airlines flight out of Sacramento at 8:45 P.M. How shall I go? My usual route would be to go south on the Silverado Trail now slowed by re-paving, get on Route 29 and take the Jamieson Canyon Road (Route 12) to Route 80 and head to Sacramento. However, at that hour of the day the back-up will probably be close to the six mile length of the Jamieson Canyon Road meaning I would possibly miss my flight.

What's my second alternative? I can go over the treacherous road from PUC to Pope Valley heading south around Lake Beryessa to Winter and Woodland. With the intense rains and less light, is that a good alternative on a stormy day?

John Pont representing himself as a private citizen rather than in his usual role as an employee of the Napa Valley Transportation Agency urged Rotary members to support Measure W on the ballot which is an advisory vote asking that Jamieson Canyon Road be broadened to four lanes.

Pont must be a futurist because he admitted that if all the environmental studies came through on time and if the $30,000,000 required from Napa County was raised it would still be seven years before completion. The upside is that this would provide a solution until 2030 to the transportation issues across a road traveled by 33,000 vehicles each day including 2,400 trucks.

My dilemma highlights the problem for citizens, fifty percent of them commuters many of them trying to avoid the high cost of housing in the Napa Valley. The current road also presents a safety hazard with 17 individuals killed between 1994-2003 and 579 injured in collisions. When an emergency occurs during rush hour, the response time increases to 15 or 18 minutes compared to the light traffic response time of 3 to 5 minutes.

Pont argued that the road should be widened for three major reasons– safety, capacity, and commerce. He sees no other solution than to widen the road.

Members of Rotary pushed him on whether widening the road would just encourage more commuters. Some suggested that mass transit should be used as a solution but he felt that given American's love of automobiles, something Jeff Epps, loudly applauded, widening the road would be the only solution. Pont argued that you really need high population density for a successful mass transit system, an impossibility given Napa County's rural nature. A study focused on the possibility of taking existing railroad tracks to use this form of mass transportation found it would cost $200,000,000 and wouldn't carry that many people, leaving Measure W as the only solution for giving an advisory opinion to the county Supervisors.

SUZAN RADA   JEFF EPPS   DAVE BROTEMARKLE   JIM HASLIP

Before the major speaker of the day, President Patterson luxuriated in the Paul Harris awardees at the most recent Rotary meeting. Tracy Calkins from West America Bank was inducted as a new member. He talked about the joys of being a father to two daughters bringing back memories for many in the audience of the time when their little girls were just learning how to walk and talk. Joice Beatty announced the November 4-15 trip to three cities in Mexico and urged members to bring gifts. Jeff Epps and David Brotemarkle contributed $98 to help Suzan Rada reach the $1,000 goal for the St. Helena School InterAct Club. Jim Haslip talked about two major projects. One focuses on being tutors for elementary school children. He mentioned that two months of growth can be experienced by those being tutored with only one month of tutoring. He also emphasized the organ donor program. Mike Thomas was congratulated for the 520-mile bike ride he recently completed to raise money to find a treatment for the disease which killed his daughter. Tim Coon, the finemaster, enjoyed fining himself for recent indiscretions in his fining methods of various members. He concluded by asking David Brotemarkle to identify the newest member of the J.V. David correctly guessed Tim's son, but based on good Rotary tradition, David was probably fined anyway.

Coming to Rotary always represents a time for me to get away from the pressures of being a college President and focus on community needs. I'm so proud of what this Rotary Club accomplishes that I frequently brag on my travels about the service orientation of this incredible club.

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