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The aim of "environmental strategies" in substance abuse prevention is to create an environment that prevents substance abuse. One strategy is to reduce access and availability to young people, who, studies show, increasingly drink to get drunk. Most of those underage drinkers access alcohol mainly at their own homes or the homes of their friends. Morgan Hill student responses to the California Healthy Kids Survey, taken every two years, show Morgan Hill students report lifetime use (asked "have you ever…?"), binge drinking (five or more drinks), and being drunk or high on campus at higher rates than the state averages. Adding to these discouraging statistics are the responses routinely heard from parents: "yes, they're drinking. It's better that they drink here at home where they have supervision."  

Are you ready, people? Time to strap on your aprons!

It's time for a periodic roundup of news items that make me roll my eyes, shake my head and utter a dramatic, two-syllable "Puh-lease."

Recently, headlines in this newspaper recounted stories of high schoolers partying with liquor at parents homes. Now, the Morgan Hill City Council wants a stronger "social host" law to fine an adult who hosts a party with three or more underage revelers drinking alcohol.

Who Will Run Iraq When America Pulls Out?

Starting in the late 1940s, most public school systems in the U.S. included the kindergarten program as a part of their regular 12-year sequence. Kindergarten (translation: a child's garden) was intended to build certain skills that would better prepare children to function as group members. In the early 1960s, the Ford Foundation developed programs to serve pre-kindergarten children who resided in low-income urban areas. They were designed to enhance nurturing activities that would put them on even footing with their pre-kindergarten peers. Initially, this effort only included the summer session that preceded the kindergarten year. One of the programs became know as Head Start.

Recently we enjoyed some gloriously balmy days in our corner of the world, which means it must be January. Well, no – all that glory and balm had nothing to do with the fact that it is January. Soon enough we got back to freezing off major body parts while begging our significant others to hoist the thermostat upward just one minuscule degree because doing so couldn't possibly cost more than, say, the federal budget deficit.

As fellow members of the Morgan Hill Times Editorial Board, Lisa Pampuch and I are often at odds with one another. It was with great pleasure that I read her recent column on separation of church and state and found myself in complete agreement with her.

Our family recently got together for a nice lunch. The first time since Christmas. We, our children and grandchildren, gathered at our twin son's home in San Jose. The only one missing was the other twin in Michigan, who happened to call and we all talked to him. He had been home for Christmas. It was a fun time. Get-togethers are really so nice.

Volunteers, Community Support Are Essential for School Success