What we've done during July

A couple of days after I made that last post about Independence Day, Kathleen and I left for the high Sierras. It was our goal to go over the Sonora Pass on the way to Las Vegas. In the past Kathleen and I had been as far as the Strawberry Inn and the snow mobile area a a couple of miles beyond that, but because of snow the CHP had always locked the gate to automobile traffic when we were up there. But Strawberry is at about 5,000 ft elevation and the Pass is another 4,000 feet above that.

We had lunch in Sonora (Thanks, Jeff, for the resaurnt recomendation.) after lunch we fun looking in some antique stores. And I showed Kathleen where I panned for gold when I was a little boy. Then we headed up to the pass. One of the neat things was stopping and wading in the headwaters of the Stanislaus river, and then, once over the Pass, seeing another river, the West Walker flowing to the east and, eventually, into Mono Lake.

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Oh, I should mention the lightning storm we ran into at the Pass. Lots of rain and snow and lighting. The wind was so stong and visibility was so low we had to pull over to the side of the road for a little while.

We spent that night at the Willow Spring Resort in Bridgeport. I liked it. We didn't use the fishing pond but I saw one Dad with two little kids fishing in it. The rooms for rent are clean but nothing special. I think the real attractions t Willow Springs Resort are the plentiful RV hookups and the proximity to good fishing places. But we were just passing through.

After that we went to Mammoth Lake to find some breakfast but it was super crowded with people, like all ski resort towns, I guess. So we skipped breakfast and went on down the road. Crossed through a Shoshone reservation and wound up in the town of Beatty, Nevada where we happened upon Smokin J's BBQ. HUGE PORTIONS OF MEAT. It ws excellent and it was enough to feed us that day and the next two. I should mention all the wild donkeys just south of town. You have to be careful not to hit them while driving.

The next three nights were spent at a resort in Las Vegas. It was our second time to go there and sit through their sales pitch in exchange for a three night stay. We mostly slept and watched C-Span for 3 days but we did buy into Blue Green this time. We weren't going to but two of the locations are marveolus. Golfing and hunting got us. So we are Blue Green "owners" now. It isn't really owning anything, rather it is pre-paying stays at a couple of hundred resorts. If I live 7 more years, I think, it should pay for itself. The salesman said 4 but, I think, 7 is more realistic.

We drove home over the Tehachapi Pass to the south. It was fun for Kathleen. She didn't know that the Sierras get taller and steeper the farther south you go. And she got to see the oil fields near Bakersfield, something she lectures about in her history classes but had never seen. And we stopped at Casa de Fruta for dinner while driving from the San Juaquin Valley through the Pacheco Pass and into Gilroy.

Oh, while driving over the Tehachapi Pass we came across a radio station playing a decades old recording J. Vernon McGee. I hadn't heard him since 1990. It was Kathleen's first time hearing him. She said, "This is what you listened to on the radio when you were a kid?!" Then a few days after that I took Basil fishing at Pillar Point. And then a few days after that I took Kathleen fishng there and then to The Moss Beach Distillery for fish tacos and iced tea while watching the sunset from the cliffs.

And today I finished all the paperwork for my candidacy and took the oath that qualifies me to run for school board. They make candidates hold an American Flag when we recite the oath to defend the Constututions of the U.S. and the State of California.

Matt Karnes for Alum Rock Union School District Trustee

For, at least, 30 years Alum Rock Union School District has been troubled. For example, reading proficiency has never been above 50% and the school board was seen as a stepping stone to higher office, so board members came and went on their way to city council, planning commision, water board, or other local, county, or regional offices. Thus the mission of the School District was neglected by the board.

When I first moved into this school district 10 years ago it was about the time some of the corruption was being exposed. Since then sutudents and parents have been staging protests, there has been fraud in no-bid contracts, public confidence in the district has eroded, there have been Grand Jury investigations, bonded indebtednes of the district has increased, property taxes to pay for the school district have increased, the county is threatening to take over the district's finances because of a $20,000,000 budget deficit, and worst of all reading proficiencey levels in all grades have decreased, with 80% of the district's students leaving the 8th grade not able to read and write English proficiently. Nevertheless the Alum Rock School District claims to be "Celebrating 90 years of Service, Perseverance, Love, Trust, and Equity!"

What I will try to accomplish by working with other board members includes the following:

1. While not neglecting the State of California's standards in social studies, math, science, et cetera, or cutting any legally required spending, I want to redirect every penny possible and every instructional minute possible to emphasize English language reading proficiency in all classes.

2. To avoid a cycle of failure that sends kids to highschool where they will only fail for lack of preparation, I will put forward a policy of advancing students to the next grade only when they have met grade standards for math and English.

3. I want stop using borrowed money to pay for opperational costs and when I an on the board I shallll always vote against that kind of irresponsible spending.

4. De-emphasize the use of technology in the classroom and return to the use of books to increase facility with the written word and reading comprehension.

5. Implement a Parental Choice policy that includes all district-run schools and high performing charter schools, while revoking the charters of schools that do not perform at district average or higher, as measured by standardized tests.

6. End the practice of keeping students who are proficent in English in the English Language Learner (ELL) designation. Administer the ACCESS test to every ELL every year and move those who pass the test out of the ELL designation and into regular English classes.

7. Implement a totally transparent bidding process that requires a minimum of three bids on every project.

8. I will not vote for a budget or project that relies on state or federal money that the district does not have in hand.

It is very expensive to run for office in Santa Clara County and Alum Rock Union School District. Just getting my name on tha ballot and voter guide costs $2,600.00 For the sake of the kids in my school district I am asking you to support my candidacy. I would appreciate a donation of ANY amount up to the legal limit of $520.

Two ways to Donate now!
Text "read" to (888) 444-8774 or go to our donation website.

Thank you for your support.

Summer School, Pentecost, Independence Day, and more.

I finished teaching summer school on July 3. I was mainly working on the period from the War of 1812 through Lee's surrender to Grant at Appomatox. It was much time and many people and events to cover in 4 weeks but we did it. The highest grade in the class was a B- while the lowest grade was a C-. I also supervised some ESL students from Vietnam who had to read They Shoot Canoes, Don't They? and write responsive essays.

On Pentecost Kathleen and I went to the Festal Vigil at the Cathedral in San Francisco. It was good to be in service with Archbishop Benjamin again. Pentecost was his last time to preside at the Divine Liturgy. He is too ill to continue. The next morning Basil and a friend went there for Divine Liturgy. Basil said it was sad to see Archbishop Benjamin, who Baptized Basil, take off his miter and give it to someone else.

On Independence Day, Kathleen, Maximo, Basil, and I were going to go to a minor league baseball game and see fireworks after. When we arrived at the stadium we learned that the baseball game was the day before. It was a good fireworks show though. They set the outfield on fire.

Today, for the shared meal after the Divine Liturgy, I made Texas Caviar but I subtituted one can of corn for one of the cans of black-eyed peas. I thought it would be nice with a little bit of sweetness. It was. I've been a member of the American Legion for years but until today had never been to a local post (my membership was only with the national organization). Today, after church I transfered my membership to the Post in my neighbrhood, Post 791, the oldest American Legion post in the Bay Area. Then, Kathleen and I visited it and really enjoyed meeting all the people there. Kathleen is already calling it "our new hang out."