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Speak Out
Paper speaks for WG
The WILLOW GLEN RESIDENT again proves to be a strong community advocate and voice for our neighborhoods, and we appreciate the dialogue made possible within Willow Glen as the result of your work. In particular, we are very pleased with the responses we have received due to an Aug. 15 article you published discussing the Broadway Avenue Rezoning issue titled: "Residents say WG's charm and character threatened."
Although we are strongly opposed to the development and rezoning plans that Emily Chen has proposed for Broadway Avenue, and to the way in which she has been seeming to manipulate our city offices (building and planning departments), we did find the DeCinzo cartoon published Aug. 15 to be deeply tasteless.
Even though the issue of "money" or "income" differences that DeCinzo raises is an important one, and that the actions of Chen and other developers continues a process of removing middle-class neighborhoods from Willow Glen, we would rather engage Chen and our city departments in a dialogue that is both respectful and professional, with the aim to bring more harmony to our neighborhood--not to divide it further.
Of final note, in your article of last week, there was a typo in the email address for our project. The email address should have been SaveWillowGlen@yahoo.com (with no hyphen between "Willow" and "Glen"). Thank you, again, for the chance to express our concerns about changes in our Willow Glen neighborhood.
Juli and Michael Moultray
Broadway Avenue
Developer offends WG
As a resident of Willow Glen for more than 17 years, I was pleased to see the WILLOW GLEN RESIDENT addressing the problem of the area's newest "monster" home being built on Broadway Avenue. Even though I live on Broadway Avenue I see this problem as affecting all of Willow Glen.
Emily Chen, like so many developers before her who have built in the Willow Glen community, has demonstrated absolutely no respect for our neighborhood. Not once has Chen ever bothered to discuss her development plans with the people who it will most impact: the neighbors of Broadway Avenue.
All I ask, and I'm certain that many of my neighbors will agree, is that developers show our Willow Glen community the respect of discussing their plans, of building to improve and enhance our neighborhood, acting in good faith with the building and zoning officials, and maintaining the architectural integrity of our neighborhoods by building in a manner that is harmonious with the existing neighboring homes. Like most of my Broadway Avenue neighbors, I also have a lot, which by most suburban standards is considered quite large. While my home feels at times quite small, I don't believe that I will ever be tempted to remodel our bungalow home into a "monster" home. Frankly I have too much respect for my neighbors and the Willow Glen community to ever do so.
I would also like to comment on Steven DeCinzo's cartoon of Chen. Even though I am opposed to Chen's development on Broadway Avenue, I am even more opposed to what is so obviously a racist portrayal of an Asian. That cartoon was too reminiscent of the hateful cartoons that so popularly denounced Asian land ownership in the United States at the turn of the 19th century.
Bart Willner
Broadway Avenue
Stanford 9 test is bad
The Stanford 9 test has been given for four years to our state's students. The test is part of California's Standardized Testing and Reporting, or STAR, program of exams. It's Gov. Gray Davis' plan to reward schools that improve student performance and assist those that lag. But the Stanford 9 test is the worst in the nation.
The test ranks California students against a national group of test takers. A percentile rank of 50 is considered equivalent to the national average.
Teachers know how to prepare their students. Teachers teach for the test. The state offers teachers $677 million, up to $25,000 per teacher.
My wife and I didn't receive the test results until Aug. 15. The test was given in the spring. If my children lacked in certain areas of the test, I'm unable to help them since the summer is gone. Why must the test go back to Arkansas to be graded? To what extent is my child's report card to be trusted?
How well could I do if I received the same test and I know what the exact questions would be? I believe that the money involved is too much. This leads to corruption and cheating! The public then does not value the results! I know my wife and I do not give the test any value.
What we find important are SAT scores! Only the private schools are seeing their SAT scores go up! The SAT does not give teachers the same test every year. Teachers would have to teach for all elements of the SAT.
The Stanford 9 test is a joke. The SAT test gives parents a better understanding of what their child knows. Don't allow school districts to spin parents regarding the Stanford 9 test. The test should be called the "California public school re-test." It does Stanford University an injustice!
Michael Johnson
San Jose
Focus on cancer cause
Those offended by Steven DeCinzo's cartoon in the Aug. 1 issue of the WILLOW GLEN RESIDENT should heed the real message. Until nonprofit organizations start working on the cause instead of the cure of cancer, there will be no real progress. Just think how many millions of dollars these organizations have collected. How many years have they been in operation? Is there a cure for cancer? No.
According to the National Cancer Institute, as many as 80 percent of all cancers are due to identified factors, and thus are potentially preventable. Thirty percent are due to tobacco use, and as many as 35 to 50 percent are due to foods. It is easy to control these and other risk factors with prevention. Don't smoke and eat foods that will deter cancer cells from multiplying, such as vegetables, foods with fiber, and fruits and grains.
I am a cancer survivor who had a very bad prognosis. It's been four years since my surgery, and my doctors think my lifestyle of a strict vegetarian diet and regular exercise is keeping me alive and healthy.
The American Cancer Society and the Avon Breast Cancer Walk should be actively encouraging a healthy diet and exercise. Prevention is cheap.
Judy Jones
Minnesota Avenue
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
