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Drug Store Project Comes To Cardozo
|  | | During the Drug Store Project aimed at warning youngsters against substance abuse, Deputy Rob Beuttler and paramedics arrive at a simulated teen party where a youth has reverted to drug use and collapsed on a couch while fellow partygoers try to hide the alcohol and drugs. The deputy places them under arrest for underage drinking while the victim is taken to the emergency room.
JOHN BRANCH/THE NEWS
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Two sheriff's deputies were lecturing students on the dangers of drugs, showing them tabletop pictures and even packages of dope. One deputy suddenly held up a baggie of methamphetamines and claimed a youngster had taken it from the table. The other deputy quickly clapped handcuffs on the youngster and led him from the tent.
There was a moment of stunned silence among the children parading past the table. They were not sure if this was real or not. But while they soon guessed this was a simulated situation, the initial shock caught their attention. They were primed to see the possible consequences of illegal drug possession in frightening detail.
The Drug Store Project is a middle school drug prevention program designed to educate youth on the dangers of substance use and abuse. Brought to Cardozo Middle School on Wednesday, May 9 by combined law enforcement and school authorities, this year's program was aimed at fifth to seventh graders who came from Riverbank Language Academy and Mesa Verde and California Avenue Elementary schools besides Cardozo.
Sometimes dubbed drug enforcement's answer to the "Every Fifteen Minutes" program on drunken driving for high schoolers, the program showed more than 630 local students the consequences of illegal drug use and played out for a whole six hours in large tents set up on Cardozo's sports fields behind the school.
The project presents a series of scenes or stations starting with "The Pharmacy" or drug display where a preselected student is "arrested" for taking a bag of dope and a group of about 30 fellow students moves from tent to tent to follow his subsequent fate.
"Juvenile Hall" is the next station. Here students observe a probation officer fingerprinting, photographing and booking their classmate and learn how unpleasant it is to reside in juvenile hall.
In "The Courtroom," a judge explains how the legal system deals with those found guilty of drug possession, places the offender on probation and orders the student to seek rehabilitation through probation and drug counseling.
"The Party" pictures the offender, who has broken his promise to stay clean, taking drugs and alcohol at a party until he collapses from an apparent drug overdose. Police officers and paramedics arrive, perform CPR and take the victim to the next station.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 |
News at-a-glance 05/16/12 to 05/23/12
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| Opinion
| | Community Corner -
Focus On Women's Health | Curves women's gyms in the Oakdale-Riverbank-Escalon area will give a free 30-day membership to any non-member who visits a club during regular operating hours throughout National Women's Health Week, May 13-19. This annual awareness week, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office on Women's Health (OWH), begins each year on Mother's Day and brings together communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups in an effort to promote women's health. Curves International has partnered with the OWH to help promote National Women's Health Week and to provide health and wellness programs and materials to women throughout the country.
In further support of this partnership, Curves announces the inaugural National Curves Day celebration, which will occur annually on the Thursday of National Women's Health Week. Curves International aims to give away one million free 30-day memberships at participating Curves gyms throughout the United States and Canada during the week-long event. Any non-member who visits a participating Curves club during National Women's Health Week will be eligible for this free membership offer.
Curves gyms in the area will hold week-long Open House events during National Women's Health Week to encourage interested women to check out their local club, pick up free health information from Curves and the OWH, ask questions, get a free fitness assessment and take advantage of the "one million free 30-day memberships" offer. Visitors may also sign up to attend a special program on National Curves Day, Thursday, May 17, featuring messages from health experts and fun activities designed to raise awareness of small, practical steps women can take to get healthy.
The theme for the 13th annual National Women's Health Week is "It's Your Time." National Women's Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages women to take the following steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases:
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 |  |
| Sports
| | Bruins Fall Just Short Of Playoffs, Stacked For 2013 |  |
If the world ends in 2012, it will be a crying shame, because Riverbank High's varsity baseball team is loaded for a terrific 2013.
The Bruins (8-13 overall, 5-7 Trans Valley League) were downed in back-to-back games to Hughson on May 8 and 10 to see effective elimination from the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoff race. Had Riverbank won both games, they would have forced a tie for third with Hilmar, who ultimately won a tiebreaker with Hughson.
"Playing for something at the end was exciting for the kids, but it didn't end the way we panned out after getting swept by Hughson," Riverbank coach Ismael Mercado said. "But for the most part we were in it and made it interesting."
While the Bruins may be licking their wounds from a disappointing finish to conference play, they certainly can't ignore potential for big time accolades next year.
Riverbank graduates only centerfielder Bruce Gong from the 2012 starting lineup, leaving both aces and a full barricade of hitters to tackle conference foes in 2013.
Escalon (23-1, 12-0) and Hilmar (13-7, 7-5) graduate three of their top four players while Ripon (10-7, 8-4) says goodbye to three strong starters and Hughson (11-11, 7-5) will suffer when two of their top three pitchers leave the team to graduation.
The roster hits should open the door for Riverbank to build upon a sharp 2012 season and the momentum created by standout pitchers Antonio Perez (junior) and Noel Sanchez (sophomore).
"We are very excited and the kids know we have a lot of potential next year," Mercado said. "The TVL is a tough league and it won't be an easy thing by any means, but we certainly have the bodies to make a run at it."
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 | | | Division Track Showdown
Concludes Thursday |  |
The road to a California Interscholastic Federation Track and Field Championship qualification in the 1600 meter race traverses through the Vista del Lago varsity roster.
The Folsom school is just five years old, but has already developed serious elite talent for postseason competition in the Sac-Joaquin Section, and the Eagles' best sport may be best on the all-weather track. Vista del Lago sports three standout distance runners and both of the top-two recorded times in the girls 1600 this season.
Since the SJS sends only three 1600 runners to state (unless they reach difficult at-large marks), there is virtually no room for error when VDL runners toe the starting line.
Riverbank's spectacular sophomore distance talent, Mikayla Florez, will get her second shot at Vista del Lago's top 1600-pair (Madeleine Ankhelyi and Clare Carroll) during the SJS Division IV-V finals on Thursday, May 17. Ankhelyi and Carroll edged Florez by 15 and five seconds respectively on April 20 as the three went 1, 2, 3 in the prestigious Woody Wilson invitational (a VDL runner was also eighth).
Florez kicked to a personal best in the race, and will need a similar feat to stay in competition with the VDL girls expected to run away with the Division title.
Florez can finish top-six or reach a manageable 5:20.13 time to guarantee her spot at Masters on May 25, where one race will decide entries to state.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 | |
| Obituaries
| | Jose Salazar | Jose Leonel Salazar, 81, of Riverbank died of heart failure in his sleep on Saturday, April 21at his Riverbank home with his family.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012 | | | James Trujillo | James Trujillo, 57, died Thursday, April 5.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | | | Alfred Martinez | Alfred Richard Martinez, 64, died Monday, March 26 at his home in Chicopee, Mass., surrounded by his loving family.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | | | Wanda Wallace | Wanda Lee Wallace, 77, died peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 6 at her Riverbank residence.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012 | |
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