Gains and losses

GAINS

MAN RESCUES NEIGHBOR FROM FIRE

David Silva’s decision to work at home Friday enabled him to save a

neighbor’s life when a kitchen fire broke out in the 9200 block of Anson

River Circle at 10:42 a.m. When he smelled smoke, Silva pounded on his

neighbor’s door, and after it opened suddenly, he saw Dieu Ma standing on

the other side. Ma is blind and speaks only Chinese. If Silva hadn’t been

on the scene to help her, she might have passed out and could have died

from smoke inhalation or the fire itself.

STUDENTS WALK FOR THE ARTS

Students of the Academy for the Performing Arts raised $16,000 in their

Walk for the Arts to help fund the 10 productions that will hit the stage

this year. About 300 students, faculty, staff and parents participated in

the walkathon, which started at Huntington Beach High School and ended at

the base of the pier. Ruby’s Diner provided hamburgers and fries for the

participants. Several other Downtown merchants donated raffle prizes,

drinks and fund-raiser T-shirts.

20-1 RATIO GOOD FOR STUDENTS

Many Plavan Elementary School parents agree the new morning- and

afternoon-track kindergarten program is what is best for the students.

Plavan, Tamura and Newland elementary schools are participating in the

pilot program, which allows the schools to maintain a

20-student-per-teacher ratio all day instead of half of the day. The new

program allows the morning track students to begin their school day at

about 8 a.m., while the afternoon track starts school at around 11:30

a.m. Teachers are also required to spend about 50 minutes helping other

teachers when needed.

SCIENCE TEACHING GRANT

The $200,000 Beckman@Science Incentive Grant given to the Huntington

Beach City School District this summer will be distributed to all

district schools over a four-year period. It will be used to fund teacher

training, science materials and program coordination to enhance the

schools’ science program.

TOSSING HIS HAT IN THE RING

Democrat Andy Hilbert, a 33-year-old La Palma resident, is unopposed so

far in his bid for the 67th Assembly district, which includes Huntington

Beach. He’ll probably have to wait until after the March Republican

primary before facing a challenge.

LOSSES

NO FREE RIDE

The Huntington Beach City School District school board voted in favor of

charging students $1 a day to ride the bus because the district is

spending $120,000 more than what the state provides for bus

transportation. Passes will be sold in December, and the program begins

Jan. 3. The first year cost will be $90 for the remainder of the year and

$45 for students who qualify for reduced-price lunch. Special education

students will ride for free. While it may mean a savings for the school

district, it will mean money out of the students’ -- and their parents’

-- pockets.

DAUGHTER FEARS RETRIBUTION

Mary Spadoni removed her mother, Ann Stone, from day care 10 days early

Monday. Spadoni said she doesn’t trust the staff to treat the 89-year-old

Alzheimer’s patient kindly after Spadoni staged a protest during the

facility’s open house Sept. 12.

‘SECRET’ SETTLEMENT COULD COST CITY MILLIONS

The City Council secretly authorized its outside attorney to settle a

multimillion dollar lawsuit involving salary “spiking” by city employees.

The council approved the authority in July, but a Sept. 10 meeting raised

the concerns of some council members after the $15 million price tag was

kicked around.

TAX IS ‘ILLEGAL’

On Aug. 16, the council voted 5-2 to continue collecting a property tax

at a fixed rate of about 5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to help

pay for retirement benefits of city employees. The tax will raise about

$7 million this year and, because property values are rising, about $7.5

million next year. The city’s charter authorizes the council to continue

imposing the levy for pensions, a city official said. But two councilmen

and a member of the city’s volunteer finance board argue that state law

requires the tax be approved by two-thirds of the city’s voters.