Red Line (Aug. 31)
All comments are edited for length and content. Because of content or space limitations, some comments may not be published. More than one comment from the same person during the same week will normally not be published. Please limit calls to two minutes or less.
+ + +
A woman asked, “Do you remember when the teachers took all those furlough days? That means they don’t work and they don’t get paid? Just like the reason the lines are so long at DMV.
“I took my granddaughter her lunch pail and I’m finding the size for students in a classroom is 34, some are 32. It’s not 28-to-1. Boy, we’ve all been lied to and so have the teachers. I don’t know what’s going on with the school district, but it’s a mess.”
(Editor’s note: The 28:1 student-to-teacher ratio was for K-3 classrooms, not for all grade levels. This was reported when the Madera Unified Teachers Association and the school district reached their agreement in June.)
“They are getting money to hire a lot of teachers back,” said a woman. “Madera Unified School District needs to add all five days they took away from the kids.”
(Editor’s note: The $1.2 billion that the federal government gave to California for schools may be used by Democratic state legislators to reduce the massive state budget. If that happens, MUSD will receive no extra money. Regardless, the state plans to start issuing 90-day IOUs to schools and counties in September, a month earlier than expected, because of its tardiness in passing a balanced budget.)
A woman responded to a message last week “in regards to Alice and CSEA (California State Employees Association). What I’m concerned with is: she was president of CSEA and quit three times. Why do we want her again?”
Another lady said, concerning the layoffs, “It looks like we are going by the merit system. If we didn’t have that merit system we probably wouldn’t have people going where they shouldn’t be (within the district).”
A man’s “kids play sports at Madera High. I recently learned from them that coaching positions were being cut. Specifically at junior high, frosh, and JV levels. I can’t believe it. There is more direct contact with kids than coaches.
“I’m ashamed to learn that Madera would do such foolishness because of the hundreds of employees in the district that don’t have any contact with the children. I can’t understand cutting coaches in a city filled with gang violence, tagging, and pregnancy problems.” He said, “Madera should not be second class.”
A woman said, “As a Madera resident, I would like to see more stories about Madera wineries; how they got started, etc.”
A man responded to the woman who said that at a county office “they would not give her a pen to write a check.” This week’s caller suggested, “Go in and pay them with pennies and I bet you things will change. Pay them with pennies. I will.”
On the same subject, a caller said, “That person has been writing checks for 30 or 40 years and still can’t remember to carry a pen in her purse?”
A man replied to last week’s caller who said he was against the casino. “Almost everyone I know is in favor of the casino. We think it will bring jobs. It will bring transients here, transients being people who have money and can spend it here. I hope the person isn’t narrow-minded and sees what the casino is going to do.”
A woman said, “Supervisors should think about a Target or Kohls instead of a casino. Money goes into gambling interests, not Madera. It just pulls money out.”
“I enjoyed the article of Aug. 23 on police checkpoints,” said a man. “But can you tell your readers where north Yosemite (Avenue) is?”
(Editor’s note: Good catch. Yosemite Avenue nominally runs west to east, although in truth it is more like southwest to northeast. So the northern part of it would be more properly known as East Yosemite Avenue.)
A woman “wanted to comment on the Pee Wee football teams. They are so cute and they practice at Thomas Jefferson. They try so hard and the coaches are doing a really great job.”
A man said, “Jefferson, against his better judgment, purchased Louisiana for $5 million. We have spent to upwards of a hundred billion dollars trying to take care of New Orleans. There is something wrong here.” (Editor’s note: Actually President Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 for $15 million, which would be the equivalent of $211.7 million in today’s dollars.)
An online reader, self-identified as Tara Brown, wrote, “Why is it that the City of Madera never hires African-Americans? Three of my friends and I all put applications in at the same time. My two Hispanic friends both were called for interviews. I was not. We all had the same qualifications for the job but I never even received a phone call. … I know several other African-Americans that have applied and the same thing has happen to them.”
Another Internet visitor, responding to a previous Red Line comment that criticized the public use of Spanish, wrote, “This country still does not have an official language. This means that you can speak whatever language that you want to.”
+ + +
Thank you for your calls. Remember, the Red Line is open for your messages 24 hours a day by calling 674-4478 or by visiting maderatribuneredline.com on the Internet.
The madera high north has a ticket policy in effect if you are late to class and by the 5th you end up at the board they send you there when there are alot of absences from school now your kid is in school you have to go to the board still what if your child is slow or overweight? then the delay start mondays is stupid
In regards to the publishing of public employee salaries that is making the news up and down the state of California. All city, county and state employees should not think it is embarrassing that this information is public knowledge.
As a public servant – it is everyone’s business. They should be able to satisfactorily answer any neighbor, friend, or guy on street the who asks about what they do for a wage.
Should the County Board of Supervisors live in the district they represent?.. all the attention Fresno is getting sounds good.. and why are Supervisors getting paid so much money…
what does the madera high baseball coach have against babe ruth baseball? the word is out that babe ruth will not be allowed to use the varsity diamond next coming season! come on coach its not just your field ! it belongs to the people of madera! I hope this is just a rumor and not a fact.
I would like to take just a minute and set the record straight. I, too, have heard that Babe Ruth baseball will not be allowed to use the Madera High School varsity field. At face value, that sounds like a selfish decision on the part of Coach Murrietta.
True, Madera HS was one of only a couple varsity fields in the state that ALLOWED (let me repeat) ALLOWED Babe Ruth to utilize the field. Now they are no longer allowing this to take place. WOW, that sounds bad on Coach Murrietta’s part. No so fast my friend! Point of fact, each season since Kenny Taylor passed away the field has required major work as a result of the lack of field care from Babe Ruth’s Board. I personally observed the Babe Ruth President attempt to dry the infield dirt and the first baseline with chalk. Did they have drying agent? No, but they should. Did the run to SaveMart and get oderless kitty litter for $2.00 a bag and dry the field with that? No, but it would have been cheaper than chalk and looked somewhat professional. I watcher in disbelief as the field was dragged at Mach III speed, as the dirt was being pushed to the infield and outfield lip. This required the school to pay for a tractor to come in and scrape both lips and then re sod it so it would be playable for Coyote Baseball. Every evening there was trash in the dugouts and in the stands. This required either the MHS players or maintenance to clean up. When the Board was approached and told they could no longer utilize the field, it is my understanding that they were told of the concerns. The President acted out in a way that is typical of past practice and the Madera School Board, MHS Pricipal, Athletic Director and Coach Murrietta all agreed that the only viable option was to follow what was in the best interest fiscally and for the future of the field. They advised they could use the JV field and/or Freshman field and they were abruptly told no. When Babe Ruth came in and retrieved what was rightfully theirs, they took more than their share. Rather than cause a stir, Coach Murrietta took the high road, which is probably why the Board never saw it or understood it, and said while some of the equipment is shared just take it and we can end on a peaceful note.
The reality of this is that the Board is the sole cause and reason this has taken place. Money given to the league for SPECIFIC purposes never made it past the Board. Money donated to the Kenny Taylor memorial fund (specifically for a new score booth) never made it past the Board. This was approximately $8,000.00. Money donated SPECIFICALLY for the 13 yr old All Start team, so they could travel to the Western Regional Championships never made it past the Board. This was to the tune of a couple thousand dollars and was RAISED by the kids and their parents. I agree that something smells, but it isn’t the attitude of Coach Murrietta but rather the Board’s ethics and lack of care for what so many worked so hard for so long in making MHS the envy of most Babe Ruth Leagues. Props to Coach Murrietta and those making the decision. They chose the harder right, rather than the easier wrong.
Questioning someone’s integrity without checking the facts is known as slander. The likelihood of any of the above having factual basis is more likely that of a parent who is upset because their child was not chosen for an All-Star team. In any organization, all monies spent but be done in accordance with organization regulations.
hey just the facts guy, how bout u stop being a (PROFANITY) and say ur name, ur a (PROFANITY) idiot u dont no whats going, all your doing is (PROFANITY) coach murriettas (PROFANITY) so ur piece of (PROFANITY) baseball player son can make a (PROFANITY) team, so (PROFANITY) u haha
I don’t have a son in Babe Ruth Baseball, but I am aware of the innerworkings of the local Babe Ruth. My response was just my observation and that which I know to be truthful. Zach, I’m sorry you have so much hatred and I hope you find peace with yourself. I will continue going out and watching Babe Ruth Baseball games, because it’s inexpensive entertainment. I may not know baseball the way Zach does or even the President, all I know is good baseball is fun to watch.
I know for a fact that Zach Anglin is not the person who posted this response and I am disappointed that the Madera Tribune would allow postings such as this without verifying the facts or authenticity of the sender. Anyone can post a response with a name and that does not mean that is the person posting – all you need is a name and email address. Destroying the character and integrity of a child by allowing these posting is disgusting. Enough is enough….whoever you are should let it go or get involved.
WEBMASTER’S NOTE: The Red Line has no way to verify any names or nicknames that someone chooses to use when posting, which is why if any of the comments are published in The Madera Tribune newspaper we often introduce the author’s name with “self-identified as” to clue people that there is no way to guarantee the person’s identity.