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The Bakersfield Voice Sunday, March 14, 2010
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YOURPETS
Conflicted over pet abuser registry A
nimal welfare sites and newspaI love the idea of a registry. I love that othpers across the country have been er people love the idea and would love to all atwitter this week about Senator see it come to fruition. But I can’t, in all Dean Florez’ latest legislative prohonesty, say that I’m for it. posal: SB1277, a pet abuser registry First off, there’s the tax issue. Don’t get me in California. In a nutshell (in case you were wrong, I have no problem with paying out to sea and missed it), Sen. Florez wants more taxes for services, especially animal individuals convicted of felony animal welfare services, but given where California abuse to have to register, much as sex is financially as a state, if there’s going to be offenders currently do, and to create a web- a new tax created, I’m not sure that tax site where shelters and other pet sellers can should apply to one specific program — check before even a program I like. adopting/selling/giving away Or if we are going to create a companion animals. specific tax for an animal welfare The registry and its upkeep program, how about creating a would be funded by adding a tax tax to provide funds for low-cost to the sales of pet food. spay/neuter programs, someTo say that I’m conflicted thing that California — particuwould be an understatement. For larly the Central Valley — has all of the usual (and usually wellneeded for decades? deserved) scorn politicians, Paying an extra few cents for a including Sen. Florez, receive, let bag of food in exchange for getme go on the record as saying ting something as desperately that when it comes to animal needed as better subsidized welfare, I believe that Dean Flospay/neuter is something I’d rez is completely sincere in his more than willingly do. At least desire to make California a better Pet columnist I’d know that my money was state for animals and a leader in going towards something that animal protection in the country. would truly have an impact. I further believe that in my voting lifetime Which brings me to point number two. In there has not been a politician in California my heart of hearts, as much as I wish it who has tried to do more for animals — weren’t so, I do not think that a registry will both companion and livestock — than Sen. be an effective tool for preventing animal Florez. Would that I could live long enough abuse. Registering an offender certainly to find dedication like his on animal welwon’t stop them from having a spouse, fare issues to be more the rule than the cousin, child or friend acquire animals for exception. them, if they truly wish to get one. It won’t
VICKY THRASHER
CASEY CHRISTIE / FILE PHOTO
The needs of companion animals, especially in the Central Valley, are so great, yet gravely underfunded.
stop them from trolling the “free to good home” ads that populate Internet sites and newspapers, where the folks giving away pets aren’t as picky about prescreening adoptive homes as are local shelters. And it won’t stop anyone from picking up strays
on the side of the road, of which there are many. The needs of companion animals, especially in the Central Valley, are so great, yet gravely underfunded. If we are to create a new tax base for a companion animal
cause, let’s make it one where the animals truly win and fund a program for low-cost spay/neuter instead. Have a pet-related question or comment? E-mail Vicky at:Vicky@pawprintcity.com or go to: www.pawprintcitytimes.com.
YOURSCHOOLS
YOURCELEBRATIONS
Olive Knolls Christian School find a ‘sticky’ solution to help raise money for cancer fund!
Students win first place with ‘beautiful’ performance!
BY WENDY MAYES
e would like to congratulate both Mahima Vyarawala and Paityn Boyt for winning first place in the Kern County Oral Language competition for their serious duo interpretation. We are all very proud! Mahima and Paityn represented Ronald Reagan Elementary School. They were competing in the category for serious duo interpretation. Both girls beautifully performed, “I Wish I Were a Butterfly” by James Howe. Mahima is a fifth grader and Paityn is a fourth grader at Ronald
Community contributor
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Community contributor
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tudents at Olive Knolls Christian School love making a difference in the lives of others. They proved this recently by helping kids diagnosed with cancer. OKCS teamed up with School Youth Programs and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s program “Pennies for Patients.” This was their first year in participating in the program and the students loved it — and became very active in raising money to help the families with the care of their child and to find a cure. My heart was warmed to see the excitement the students had in helping these families and the generous donations that helped make this fundraiser a huge success. A huge thank you goes out to those that matched what individual classrooms raised: Frye Construction, INC., Grijalva Builders and Cheapska8ter.com, and Vineyard Engineering, INC. Along with accepting donations and collecting change in the classrooms, our school used one “sticky” way to help raise money. Our principal, Suzanne Hunter, was a great sport and agreed to be taped to a bench. This is how it worked: For the three weeks of our fundraiser, we sold “Stuck A Buck” tickets for $1 — and for every ticket purchased, you received one foot of duct tape. We used over 100 feet to stick her to the bench! The students really enjoyed seeing their principal
BY NIYATI VYARAWALA
Reagan. This was the first time for both Paityn and Mahima to compete in the Oral Language Festival. Mahima has just recently moved here to Bakersfield from New York about six months ago. The girls journey began after they won first place at their school and then first place in district and finally in county. The girls’ coaches were Kimberly Boyt and Jeanette Toelke. Both ladies are teachers at Ronald Reagan Elementary. They have worked day and night to achieve this tremendous goal. I commend them for their hard work. Congratulations again! Keep up the good work!
COURTESY PHOTO
Paityn Boyt and Mahima Vyarawala, students at Ronald Reagan Elementary School, won first place in the serious duo category at the 39th annual Kern County Oral Language Festival held Feb. 20.
Congratulations to gold and silver medalists! COURTESY OF HAN’S TAEKWONDO ACADEMY
A COURTESY PHOTOS
Suzanne Hunter, principal of Olive Knolls Christian School, is “ducttaped” to a bench for the “Stuck To Help Find A Cure” fundraiser. stuck for over an hour. special program and can’t wait to Olive Knolls Christian School help next year! was able to raise over $1000 for this Way to go OKCS!
t the Nevada State Qualifier in Las Vegas, Han’s Taekwondo Academy qualified eight athletes for the 2010 Junior Olympic and Senior Nationals to be held in Orlando, Florida on June 29 through July 4. The top two fighters of each division earned a qualifying seed to participate in the World Class Division of the National Event.
COURTESY PHOTO
Han’s Taekwondo Academy athletes went to the Nevada State Qualifier in Las Vegas to qualify for the 2010 Junior Olympic and Senior Nationals, which will be held in Orlando, Florida June 29 through July 4. Julian Esposo, Kristian Phounsavath, Kitisha Phounsavath, Patrick Matsuda, Joey Stieger, and Mark Agbalog
are Nevada State Champions (Gold Medalists). Alexandria Carino and Rhoda Hernando are Silver Medalists.
Frontier High band students selected for California All-State Honor Bands BY STEVE SANDERS Community contributor
Students at Olive Knolls Christian School help their principal, Suzanne Hunter, stay cool while being taped to a bench for a school fundraiser.
T
he Frontier High School (FHS) Marching Titans Band Boosters is proud to announce that four FHS students have been selected to participate in the 2010 California All-State Honor Bands: Emily Benjamin (French Horn); Isaac Meyer (Harp); Trevor Myers (Trombone) and Jason Perez (Tuba). The FHS Marching Titans are
under the direction of Band Director Douglas A. Kelley. There were approximately 1,600 students from schools throughout the state who auditioned for the 2010 AllState bands and only the best students were selected. FHS’s four students are the most students from any high school in the Kern High School District. Emily Benjamin, Isaac Meyer and Jason Perez performed in Fresno the weekend of Feb 18-21. Trevor Myers performed in
Sacramento March 11-13. The All-State Honor Bands are under the direction of the California Band Directors Association. All-State Honor Bands showcase California’s top student musicians. The FHS Marching Titans Band Boosters joins our community in recognizing these gifted students and the tremendous leadership of Douglas A. Kelly, Frontier High School Band Director.