GBU Mountain News XLII Jan 13, 2014 (PDF)

GBU Mountain News

GBU Mountain News

January 13, 2014 XLII
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independent - unbiased – professional
January 13, 2014 XLII

The Flu –
A Deadly Disease?
On Tuesday (Jan 7) the Kern County Public Health
Services announced the county's first flu-related deaths.
A 30 year-old and a 62 year-old female, both hospitalized
with Influenza like symptoms, had perished. In one case

the H1N1 virus was confirmed. Several deaths have
already been reported throughout Southern California
and at least 30 people have been hospitalized due to an
influenza infection in Kern County alone. Each year in
the US, nearly 20,000 children under age 5 are
hospitalized due to flu-related complications.
In order to prevent getting the flu, it is important to
understand what causes the flu. The Flu, a.k.a. influenza
is caused by a variety of viruses. Types A and B viruses

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are responsible for the yearly flu epidemics, and the type
C flu virus causes sporadic mild illness. Type A flu virus
is further divided into different subtypes based on its
chemical structure. Type B flu virus has no subtypes.
Type A flu viruses are found in many different animals,
including ducks, chickens, pigs, whales, horses, and
seals. Influenza B viruses on the other hand circulate
only among humans.
The flu is a highly contagious disease meaning it spreads
very easily from human to human. The virus is spread
when
o you inhale infected droplets in the air (caused by the
coughing or sneezing of an infected person coughs or
sneezes)
o you come in direct contact with an infected person's
secretions (by kissing, touching, sharing objects such
as spoons and forks).
o your hands touch smooth surfaces such as
doorknobs, handles, television remotes, computer
keyboards, and telephones that have previously been
touched by an infected person. When your hands
then touch your own nose, eyes, or mouth, the flu
virus gets absorbed into your body.
The spread of the virus can also happen when people
(particularly children) share pencils at school, play
computer games and share the remotes, or share utensils.
A person is contagious (meaning able to infect others) for
up to seven days after the first symptoms of the flu show,
but a person might transmit the flu virus a full day before
flu symptoms even begin.
Subsequently, the main reason for catching a flu (or a
cold) virus is "other" people. The following places are
the most critical places, a.k.a. the most germiest:
o Public restrooms: Bacteria and viruses thrive in a
moist place, such as sinks, soap dispensers, and toilet
seats;
o Your child's school or day care: many kids together
create lots of opportunities for germs to spread;
o Public transportation: "The closer you are packed
together with other people, the more likely you are to
spread germs to one another," subways, buses, trains,
and airplanes are likely spots to pick up germs.
o Health care providers and facilities: Some, if not
many, people in the waiting room may have a cold or
the flu;
o Other public places: "Places like malls, food courts,
libraries, museums, sporting events, and concerts --

anywhere big crowds of people gather -- are prime
sources of germs”, any place where many people are
pushed together in the limited space.
Flu outbreaks occur more frequently in the winter
months, because flu viruses survive for longer periods
indoors since the relative humidity of indoor air is very
low in comparison to the outside air. Also, during the
cold winter times humans tend to be indoors more and
thus have closer contact with each other in winter,
allowing for the flu virus to spread easily.
To prevent the flu, you
need to keep your hands
clean by washing them
frequently and you need
to get a flu shot. The
Center
for
Disease
Control and Prevention
(CDC) develops every
year a flu vaccine based
on the type A strain that
is believed to be the most
prevalent in the coming
flu season. This is the
vaccine you will get with
the annual flu shot or via
FluMist nasal spray. The
CDC recommends that all
people ages 6 months and
older receive the flu vaccine to protect them against flu.
Pregnant women and caregivers of children younger than
6 months or children with certain health conditions
should be vaccinated. According to the CDC, the Flu is
more likely to cause severe illness in pregnant women
than in women who are not pregnant. Changes in the
immune system, heart and lungs during pregnancy make
pregnant women more vulnerable, leading to
hospitalization or even death. A pregnant woman with
the flu also has a greater chance of serious problems for
her unborn baby, including premature labor and delivery.
The main influenza symptoms include a high fever, chills
and shakes, body aches, sore throat, headaches and a dry
hacking cough.
The best way to treat flu symptoms are plenty of rest and
plenty of liquids.
Over-the-counter medications to treat flu symptoms
include acetaminophen or ibuprofen to lower fever and
reduce aches. Do NOT give aspirin to children or
teenagers. Aspirin may increase risk of Reye's syndrome,
a rare disorder that can cause severe liver and brain
damage. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines

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should not be given to children under age 6. Therefore,
talk with a physician, preferred a pediatricians before you
give your child an over-the-counter cold or flu medicine.
Antibiotics are NOT effective against the flu. Antibiotics
are useful to treat bacterial infections. However, the flu is
a viral infection and antibiotics will not help. Antiviral
medicines are sometimes helpful for high-risk patients if
they are started in the first two days of getting sick. They
generally only shorten the duration of the flu of one to
two days.

Content
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The Flu – A Deadly Disease?
News from the El Tejon Unified School District
o
Frazier Mountain High School
o Sports
El Tejon School
Frazier Park School
o Frazier’s Finest for Jan 9
o Principals Report
Gorman School
All Things Local
o The "Dumping" Story continues
o Upcoming MCCASA (Mountain Communities
Coalition Against Substance Abuse) Meeting
o Bakersfield Vet Center brings services to Frazier
Park
o Fire Restrictions Take Effect in Los Padres
National Forest by Andrew Madsen
o Homeless Census Count & Breakfast
o
o People
Law Enforcement Corner
o Kern County Sheriff’s Office
o Incidents Dec 29 – Jan 6
o KCSO
seizes
20
pounds
of
methamphetamine
o Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
o California Highway Patrol
o New Laws Affecting Motorists by John
Price, CHP
Animals Matter
Our Library
o Calendar
Incidents & Accidents in our Region
Arts – Music – Theatre
Frazier Park Weather Forecast

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Business Affairs
o Ralphs Store in Castaic will close in March
o Changes to California Law will affect Employers
and Employees in 2014
Teens
o Free Games at Computers & Games
Technology
o Keep Your Eye on Target by Eric Rand
Kern County
o Board of Supervisors Meetings
Upcoming Events
Safety & Disaster Preparedness
o Flu Vaccines Still Available by Kim Rodriguez,
Kern County Public Health
o Earthquake Preparedness
o Why Drop, Cover, and Hold On?
Where to Go – What to Do
o The Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar
Op-Ed
o Chamber lauds Board of Supervisors vote to
develop local investment policy by Cynthia D.
Pollard
Legislative Affairs
o Upcoming California Senate Legislative Activity
by California Senate Republican Caucus
Where to Go – What to Do
o The Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar
Business Directory
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

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News from our El
Tejon Unified School
District
The August 22, 2013 School Board meeting can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgfk4tRnn64
The September 12, 2013 School Board meeting can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCsl0WlCv7Q
The September 26, 2013 School Board meeting can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErTw1mBqsT4
The October 9, 2013 School Board meeting can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOIlyTv9jDc
The October 23, 2013 School Board meeting can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFZ2nYv7s3I
The December 12, 2013 School Board meeting can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZYOSem5-Ao
The January 9, 2014 School Board meeting can be viewed at
https://plus.google.com/events/cse3uo3vqrv32f39s6evi719jhg
Photos from thev 2013 FMHS Homecoming can be seen on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.635176606505317.1073741838
.109453262410990&type=3

Snap, the free piano lessons on Saturday morning and the
Reading of the Classics on Saturday afternoon.
Learning Sign Language is a new event that will start on
Jan 17 with teacher Shanene Laudenberg.
Marie Smith invited teachers to visit the library with their
classes on field trips. She offered a Scavenger Hunt
method to learn the Dewey Decimal System for
exploring all of the areas of the library, and to turn
students on the fun world of information researching! For
the younger grades, the library can create a story time
which supports teacher’s curriculum. The library, with its
large and state-of-art meeting room as well as the
beautiful Frazier Mountain Park across the street, has
great resources for any type of learning. Marie Smith
urged teachers to please call the library at 245-1267 and
schedule a day to come in and tear up the place
researching for information!

Frazier Mountain High
School (FMHS)

Jan 9, 2014 Board of Trustees Meeting
The El Tejon Unified School District (ETUSD) held its
first Board of Trustees meeting in 2014 on Thursday, Jan
9. All five trustees and the Student representative as well
as the new Superintendent Rodney Wallace attended.
Reports were given by the Principals of all three Schools,
the Union representatives, the Superintendent, as well as
the Frazier Park Library Manager. Architect Anthony
Palazzo provided an update on the District's Building
Master Plan, focusing on a new multi-purpose building
on the Frazier Park School Campus.

“We are still in Hell”
Marie Smith describing the current status of the “Reading
of the Classics” group

Marie Smith, Manager of the Frazier Park Library
introduced current and upcoming activities to the School
Board, including the Wednesday Chess program, the
Thursday reading program with therapy dog Ginger

Principal’s Response to Student Arrests
GBU Mountain News had reported that Sheriff’s
Deputies had arrested two students arrested at the FMHS
on December 17, 2013. A 16 year old was found to be in
possession of 14 Percocet pills, cut in half, and a 17 year
old student was intoxicated on alcohol.
Asked for a comment FMHS Principal Sara Haflich
respond quickly stating: “Unfortunately, due to the
confidentially of students involved, I can not comment on
what the school plans on doing with the two boys. I can
assure you, however, that the disciplinary procedures
of FMHS and the El Tejon Unified School District for
this type of offence are being strictly enforced. We also
have very specific policies in place if any student is
suspected of having any connections with drugs or
alcohol on the campus, which ultimately led to us
catching the students in this situation first thing in the
morning.
FMHS offers
on
campus
counseling
through
Sierra Clinica Vista as well as a drug and alcohol matrix
class for any student who faculty feels needs this support
for various reasons. It is always the goal of FMHS to
help support all of our students in any way possible, but
ultimately keep the campus safe and drug free.”

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Sports
El Tejon Middle School

Frazier Park School
Frazier Park’s Finest for Jan 9, 2013
Info & photo provided by Michelle Penner

Back Row, L to R: Antonio Lopez, Natalie London
Front Row, L to R: Hayden Marcotte, Frank Gomez

Principal’s Report
Principal Keri St. Jeor made the following report at the
School Board meeting on Thursday (Jan 9):
o The PTSO has been able to raise $978 by running
Santa’s workshop during December and by
sponsoring the Reindeer Run on Friday the 12/13.
There are still funds coming in for the Reindeer Run
and that figure could still go up.

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Frazier Park School’s Christmas Program on
Monday, December 16 at the High School was a big
success with many of parents in attendance.

Character Counts Program – For the month of
January we are focusing on the character trait of
“Fairness.”
The transition into the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS) continues. The next training is scheduled for
January 14. We are also working on getting our
teachers up to speed on using the updated
Renaissance Learning programs of Accelerated
Reader and Math and Star Reading and Math. The
Star Reading and Math will be very helpful in
guiding instruction as we begin using the new CCSS.
Fire Drill – next fire drill is scheduled for Monday,
January 13.
School Site Council (SSC) – next meeting is
scheduled for January 21.
Truancy Reminder – We are continuing with our
monthly truancy explanations going home. We are
also continuing with the weekly robocalls reminding
parents how much an absence costs the school along
with other information for the upcoming week. As a
result of our efforts we are seeing a reduction in the
number of absences, parents are apologizing when
they do have to take their students out of school, they
are trying to get their students to school for part of

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the day if they do have to pull them and there has
even been a reduction in the number of tardies we
usually have. One more thing we are doing to reduce
tardies is that students who arrive late get peanut
butter sandwiches for lunch instead of the hot lunch
that is on the menu.

Gorman School
The "little" school in Gorman is its own district, headed
by Superintendent and Principal Joe Andrews. Currently
99 students in five clases, from kindergarten to eighth
grade are istructed by five teachers. The school services
students from both Kern County and Los Angeles
County. Some of those students ride the bus for an hour
to get to school each day. According to the district's
Website a large percentage of our population is from the
lower socioeconomic level, and twenty one percent of
Gorman students are English language learners.
However, what appears
from the outside like a
school during the late
19th century right out of
the TV series "the little
house of the prairie" is
filled inside with stateof-art hightech. Each of
the classrooms has a
smart board, and a 20seat computer lab offers
A Smart Board or Interactive whiteboard (IWB), is a
large interactive display that connects to a computer. A
projector shoots the computer's desktop onto the board's
surface where users control the computer using a pen,
finger, stylus, or other device. The board is typically
mounted to a wall or floor stand.
Those boards are used in a variety of settings, including
classrooms at all levels of education, in corporate board
rooms and work groups, in training rooms for
professional sports coaching, in broadcasting studios, etc.

The crew from Los Angeles County Fire Station 77 “The last
Outpost” came with their Fire Engine and brought Santa Claus –
who had become was lost in the mountains- to the school

Following see some images from the school’s Holiday
performances and program on Dec 17:

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All Things Local

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Preparation for upcoming 5 year Drug Free
Communities Grant Application
Local Leadership Camp planning
Carryover approval from coalition; $26,640
Medication Take Back Collection Box
Matrix Referral System

Bakersfield Vet Center brings services to
Frazier Park!
Announcement by the Mountain Communities Family Resource Center

Cuddy Canyon Road: Loading dry brown materials into a
white trailer on Saturday afternoon, January 11

The "Dumping" Story continues
On Saturday afternoon (Jan 11) another "transfer" of
materials was observed at the location. The site is located
at the corner of Frazier Mountain Park Road and Cuddy
Canyon Road across the street from Alpine Ready Mix.
A single operator was seen loading dry brown, and
obviously organic, materials in a large trailer pulled. The
truck showed a decal "J Velasco Trucking - Delano, CA"
on the doors. After loading the driver left the premises
and stopped outside to lock the gates. The driver
approached the photographer on Cuddy Canyon Road, in
what can be conceived as a threatening manner,
demanding "no pictures - no pictures."
There was a slight “stench” in the air, and all the
circumstances of those dumping/transfer activities may
appear questionable or suspicious. Kern County
authorities are currently conducting an investigation, and,
until then, we don’t know whether any of those activities
were missing a permit or even illegal.

Upcoming
MCCASA
(Mountain
Communities Coalition Against Substance
Abuse) Meeting
Announcement by the Mountain Communities Family Resource Center

The next MCCASA meeting will take place this
Thursday (Jan 16) from 5 to 6:30pm at the Family
Resource Center in at 3015 Mount Pinos Way in Frazier
Park
Agenda items include

The Mountain Communities Family Resource Center
(MCFRC) is excited to announce that we will have Joe
Acosta, Team Leader/Counselor from the Bakersfield
Vet Center in our office every 4th Thursday of the month
from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. beginning January 23, 2014.
Joe, who served with the 75th Ranger Regiment, is also
available to present on Vet Center services and Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to any forum in our
community.
The Vet Center program was established in 1979 to assist
veterans who were experiencing readjustment problems.
Today, the goal of the Vet Center program is to provide a
broad range of counseling, outreach, and referral services
to eligible veterans and their families. The Vet Center
provides counseling services for individuals, groups,
family members, marital counseling, PTSD services, and
bereavement counseling. The Vet Center also provides
medical referrals, assistance in applying for VA benefits,
employment and career counseling, alcohol/drug
assessments, community education, and other
information and referral services. Eligible veterans
include those who served in Vietnam, Lebanon, Grenada,
Panama, the Persian Gulf War, Somalia, Kosovo/Bosnia,
WWII, Korean Combat Vets, Operation Enduring
Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraq Freedom (OIF), and
Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). Vet Center services
are extended to surviving parents, spouses, children, and
siblings of service members who died of any cause while
on active duty, to include federally activated Reserve and
National Guard personnel. These services are provided at
no cost to the veteran or family.
If you or anyone you know would like more information
regarding the counseling services the Vet Center program
provides or would like to make an appointment with Joe
Acosta, please call (661) 323-8387 or 8388. Vet Center
Brochures are also available at the MCFRC.

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Fire Restrictions Take Effect in Los
Padres National Forest

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By Andrew Madsen, PIO, Los Padres National Forest

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GOLETA, CA, January 10, 2014…Due to extremely dry
vegetation and an increasing fire danger, Los Padres
National Forest officials today announced that Level III
fire restrictions will go into effect beginning tomorrow,
January 11, 2014.

Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the national
forest except within an enclosed vehicle, building, or
designated Campfire Use Site.
Operating or using any internal or external
combustion engine without a spark arresting device
properly installed, maintained and in effective
working order on roads and trails specifically
designated for such use. (This restriction is in effect
year-round.)

For further information regarding current conditions and safety
tips, contact your nearest Forest Service office or visit the Los
Padres National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.
A list designated Campfire Use Sites is available at
https://www.facebook.com/pages/GBU-MountainNews/1400308640212535 or can be requested via
GBUmountainNews@gmail.com.

Homeless Census Count & Breakfast
Announcement by the Mountain Communities Family Resource Center

30,000 acres “Powerhouse” Fire in June 2013;
destroyed 53 structures, including 24 homes
The following restrictions will be rigorously enforced
until this Forest Order expires:
o Wood and charcoal fires are prohibited in all areas of
Los Padres National Forest except for designated
Campfire Use sites; however persons with a valid
California Campfire Permit are allowed to use
portable stoves and lanterns using gas, jellied
petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel outside of
designated Campfire Use Sites. California Campfire
Permits are available for free download from the Los
Padres
National
Forest
website
(http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf). You must clear all
flammable material for a distance of 10 feet in all
directions from your camp stove, have a shovel
available, and ensure that a responsible person
attends the stove at all times when it is in use.
o Recreational target shooting is prohibited in all areas
of the National Forest unless specifically authorized
by a special use permit with the Forest.
o Hunting with a valid State of California hunting
license during open hunting season is exempt from
this restriction.

In partnership with the Kern County Homeless
Collaborative (KCHC), the Mountain Communities
Family Resource Center (MCFRC) is sponsoring a meal
for the homeless residing in our Mountain Communities.
Participants will be asked to take a survey developed by
the KCHC. The KCHC receives funding from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
agency each year and it is this annual census that
determines how much funding is allocated to Kern
County to help our homeless families.
What’s the definition of homeless?
An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and
adequate nighttime residence on the preceding night (A
place not designed for sleeping, i.e. parks, alleys,
abandoned buildings, automobiles or other places not
meant for human habitation). The local count is a
snapshot of homelessness over a 24-hour period, and is
required by the US Department of Housing and Urban
Development to receive federal homeless funds. Kern
County agencies may possibly receive up to $4 million in
2013 through HUD grants for existing and new
programs, including permanent housing, case
management, transitional housing, and job development.
All HUD-funded projects are monitored to gauge their
success on decreasing homelessness in the community.
This event is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. at the MCFRC office at 3015 Mount Pinos Way in
Frazier Park. If this describes a situation of an acquaintance,
friend, or family member, they need to be counted. Please
direct them to the MCFRC to complete a survey and have
some coffee and breakfast on us!

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www.antiochlandscape.com
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