Resident’s group sues school district over environmental concerns

Ocean View School District’s plans to build 18,000-square foot

gymnasium/auditorium/locker room facilities for its four middle schools

has been an ongoing debate for some time.

The debate has to do with the district following the California

Environmental Quality Act law, says Stefan Rubendall of the residents

group, Neighborhoods for Education First.

“We’re not attempting to stop or delay these gymnasiums from

happening, what we want is for the district to follow proper [California

Environmental Quality Act] process,” Rubendall said.

The resident’s group followed the City of Fountain Valley in filing a

lawsuit against the district on Aug. 10.

At this point the lawsuit is in its early stages, said Stephen Miles,

the lawyer representing Neighborhoods for Education First.

“We’re in the initial stages of the [environmental quality act]

lawsuit and the next step is to try to establish a settlement

conference,” he said. “Hopefully that will be held sometime in

September.”

Miles said that the conference will have all involved parties sit down

together and discuss ways to settle the suit.

“[The California Environmental Quality Act] mandates that parties meet

in good faith and attempt to settle their differences,” he said. “If the

school district can address legal and general concerns of the impact of

the project itself and if they make adjustments, then we could likely

reach a settlement and dismiss the lawsuit.”

Miles said that neighborhood group had several significant concerns in

regards to environmental issues such as increased traffic in the areas

surrounding the middle schools, reduced parking on streets surrounding

the schools, aesthetics, lighting and water sources. The group wants the

district to appropriately analyze the environmental impact of its

project.

Last year, district officials approved the $12-million project to

build gymnasiums/auditoriums/locker rooms at Marine View, Mesa View and

Spring View middle schools in Huntington Beach and Vista View Middle

School in Fountain Valley.

The facilities not only would house various youth sporting events but

provide a venue for student assemblies and concerts as well.

Miles said the lawsuit filed on Aug. 8 by the City of Fountain Valley

is similar to the one filed by Neighborhoods for Education First, but its

main focus, he said, is “the school gym [at Vista View] that is being

constructed within their jurisdiction. It has to do more with that one

school and not all four.”

Perry School students in for a surprise

Christmas will come early for Perry Elementary School students, who

will arrive back on campus next week and find a big surprise awaiting

them: a new computer lab.

“The computer lab will provide Internet access for all of its students

and will be used to introduce a majority of our students to the idea of

working and learning on a computer,” said Principal Elaine Keeley.

The computer lab would not be possible without the work of a crew of

Verizon employees, who donated their time to help get the special

classroom ready for the fall semester.

“We are very excited about this lab,” Keeley said. “To have a large

corporation such as Verizon come forward and donate their time, well,

that’s just terrific. They are going to make a lot of young kids very

happy.”

The majority of the students at Perry don’t have computers at home,

Keeley said and 45% of the student body qualify for the federal free

lunch program.

“Not all of our children have computers or Internet access at home so

this lab will give them the wonderful opportunity to learn how to use a

computer,” she said.

In addition the Huntington Beach School District has lent its support

to the computer lab by providing the school with extra electricity.

Golden West College offers online registration

Students enrolling in community service programs at Golden West

College can now register from home or work, thanks to a new online

service launched by the community services office, the school announced

Monday.

For the fall semester, community services is offering online

registration for more than 200 fall programs.

“We’re thrilled to offer this new service and didn’t anticipate just

how popular it would be,” said Candy Lundell of Golden West College’s

community services staff. “Online registration gives participants an

opportunity to sign up for their programs without confining them to the

hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.. Our participants now have another

registration option available to them and one that doesn’t conflict with

their daily lives.”

With online registration capabilities, participants can now access

program information, register and pay online for activities. The

community services department also offers parenting programs and

year-round College for children and teenagers.

Program listings and registration can be accessed from the college’s

community services Web site. For more information, call (714) 891-3991.