SanTan Sun; 07-18-15: Opinion

Opinion

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July 18 - July 31, 2015

39

Community Commentary

What every child needs to succeed School District and other nonprofit In a perfect world, every child would agencies to reach out to more families. have the opportunity to grow up in a Early literacy is a key component loving, nurturing environment and be of First Things First’s childhood equipped with tools to become the development initiatives. Through Read best he or she can be. First Things First, On Arizona, cities such as Chandler a statewide, voter-approved initiative, have committed to encouraging funds programs to support young caregivers to read to children from children and their families to achieve the time they are born. The Chandler this crucial goal. Every child, up until libraries offer an array of programs to the age of 5, can benefit help families develop from First Things First’s a love for learning and services, regardless of reading from infancy to the parents’ income adulthood. level.

Raising young children Scientists recognize can be a challenge, that 90 percent of especially for firsta child’s brain is time parents or those developed by the working fulltime. A free age of 5. During this helpline, (877) 705time, a child needs KIDS, is available to proper nutrition, sleep, all families looking for health screenings and information about child related treatments, development. Registered and brain stimulation nurses, disability through nurturing and specialists, mental health educational activities counselors, early literacy Nora Ellen. Submitted photo to thrive and be ready specialists and child to succeed in school. development experts Because the most are available to answer questions from important developmental years of a 8 a.m. until 8 p.m., Monday through child begin at birth, it is critical that Friday, except on holidays. all parents and caregivers embrace and For more information about First take full advantage of the many free Things First and related programs, call resources very early on. the helpline, or follow the agency First Things First partners with on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ community organizations to offer azfirstthingsfirst. Every child deserves a programs and services in areas that have great start in life, and we are fortunate the greatest needs. In Chandler, the to have outstanding resources in CARE Center and Chandler Christian Chandler that are entirely free. Let us Community Center (CCCC) are two ensure that every parent and caregiver of the sites where families can take takes advantage of these opportunities. advantage of activities led by staff and volunteers in English and Spanish. In Nora Ellen, whose term expires in addition to storytimes and parenting January 2017, can be reached at nora. classes, the CARE Center and CCCC ellen@chandleraz.gov. offer free dental screenings, food and diapers. These organizations also collaborate with the Chandler Unified

BY COUNCILWOMAN NORA ELLEN

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Bicyclists depend on the connectivity of bike routes more defined bike lanes and multiuse I’ve been following the new trails. To date, staff continues to follow construction plan for the South Mountain this as a guide for future bike lane and Freeway section of Loop 202 that will run path development, including necessary along Pecos Road, continuing north, and amenities like secure bike lockers and connecting the two ends of Interstate 10. refuge islands. It also outlines plans for This project is managed by the Maricopa bike lane connections to neighboring cities Association of Governments (MAG) and as well as the regional bike route system. the Arizona Department For more information on the of Transportation regional bike route system, (ADOT). Sadly, during visit www.azmag.gov. the planning efforts, Bike lanes along arterial bike lanes were not streets have been installed for recommended and are commuter bicyclists wanting currently not included. direct connections to major The addition of bike employers and retail centers. lanes would be a great Chandler continues to invest enhancement for in the necessary infrastructure bicyclists that use Pecos during new street construction Road and ride around or street improvements. There the South Mountain are more than five miles of area. I strongly believe new bike lanes planned for that a well-planned and the coming year. Staff will also cohesive bike route Rick Heumann. Submitted photo be working on a connectivity system is important to project that will remove gaps daily commutes and within existing bike lanes. quality-of-life. Hopefully, MAG and ADOT The Paseo Trail and Western Canal will agree before the project gets built. provide multiuse paths for those looking Luckily, Chandler knows the importance for recreational cycling experiences. In an of a well-designed bicycle network and is effort to increase safety along these paths, continuing its efforts to grow and sustain bike/pedestrian crossing signals were its bike-friendly status. The League of recently installed at several arterial street American Bicyclists recognized Chandler crossings. Depending on the route you as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” in take, you may find yourself in Gilbert or 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013. Bicycling is a Tempe, but remember Chandler is home. great form of exercise, a fun way to spend As an avid bicyclist, I’m proud of the time with family, and for some, a means efforts the City has made and continues of transportation. In Chandler there are to make to ensure the residents have the 327 miles of paved bike lanes and multibike routes and amenities they need for a use paths for bicyclists of all abilities and pleasant experience. For more information levels. on the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, The 2010 City of Chandler visit www.chandleraz.gov/transportation.

Transportation Master Plan Update provides guidance and insight to the Councilman Rick Heumann, whose term goals and objectives of achieving an expires in January 2017, can be reached at integrated bicycle network. The plan rick.heumann@chandleraz.gov. identifies corridor and focus areas needing

BY COUNCILMAN RICK HEUMANN

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July 18 - July 31, 2015

Opinion

Community Commentary

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Opinion

Risks of drinking reclaimed water low Library needs improvement reclaimed,” Jain said.

The summer sun is hot and it is possible Jain added: “All the water from the to run out of water. That happened to my sewage system goes to our water treatment son, Sean, who drank melted water from an plant. There is another kind of water that ice chest on a golf course. He didn’t realize it is from dishwashers and washing machines, wasn’t meant for quenching one’s thirst. that is called gray water that does not go “I didn’t see through treatment. the red and white Most of the water sign,” he said that you see around, of the posted at golf courses and warning on the that, has gone through back of a golf cart. our waste water “A buddy treatment plant. It has pointed it out to gone through rigorous me on the next treatment and is all hole.” reclaimed water.”

The small The waste water is sign, covered by collected and treated, Signs at golf courses, parks and green belts straps holding then tested daily, indicate the water is reclaimed and shouldn’t the ice chest in she said. Most of the be consumed by humans or pets. place, read: “Ice contaminants test STSN photo by Tracy House not for human most of the time at the consumption.” drinking water quality Sean made himself vomit, hoping the level. The water also meets the bacteria water wouldn’t have any ill effects. level, after being disinfected with ultra violet As a dutiful mother, I called poison light. control and urgent care, and looked up “City of Chandler’s reclaimed water is info on the Web, but couldn’t find any Class A plus,” she said. “If you were to drink instructions about what to do. We finally water right out of the treatment plant it called Sean’s doctor, who told him he’d would not harm anybody. It meets all the probably done the right thing by making contaminant levels, as well as the bacteria himself vomit, and then prescribed an levels. It would not harm.” antibiotic. She told him if he got sick, to Jain said the water in the parks and golf call back. Luckily, he didn’t develop any courses comes from suppliers that contract symptoms with the City to purchase the water. While it Later, Sean realized that the ice and is aesthetically pleasing, her concern is that melted water probably wasn’t made from the water has been sitting and is open to reclaimed water, but was thankful we called contaminants. the doctor anyway. It just shows that you “When we send it to them it meets all the need to be sure to carry plenty of water out criteria,” she said. on the course, but it got me thinking, what Once the company gets the water, “My are the dangers to humans and animals if concern is the bacteria. My concern would they were to drink non-potable water? not be the contaminants. If a kid or a pet As it turns out, the risks of drinking drinks it, if they are not sick within 48 or reclaimed or non-potable water are low, 72 hours, it’s not harmful at that time. The but probably not the best option to stay incubation period is 48 to 72 hours.” hydrated during the summer season.

Jain compared reclaimed water to the Reclaimed water is used at parks, golf water in a lake where you might accidently courses and green belts throughout the city gulp a mouthful while swimming. But in the and is identified by purple signs, pipes, valve event that someone does get sick, such as boxes and sprinkler heads. a fever or upset stomach, it’s suggested to Water from the tap or a hose, as well contact a doctor right away. as water used in dishwasher or washing Visit www.chandleraz.gov/water for a machines, is not reclaimed water.

PDF with more information about Chandler’s Anupa Jain, water quality adviser with reclaimed water.

Chandler Municipal Utilities, clarified that non-potable water has two categories: gray Tracy House is a freelancer for water and reclaimed water. “We do not SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at have a lot of gray water in the city. It is more news@santansun.com.

BY TRACY HOUSE

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I recently had an opportunity to tour a couple of out-of-state libraries and was amazed at the wonderful things going on, besides reading. Other libraries have group activities, classes, game nights, coffee/chat clubs, drop-in meet ups, genealogy classes, board game nights, many different types of book clubs, based on genre, fiction or nonfiction and other interesting programs including authors. Some even have support groups.

We have nothing like this. Is it a lack of money or what? Chandler is big enough to take notice and do some work on their libraries.

Our libraries also are in need of comfortable seating which would encourage more people to come and read or take out materials. Why were new chairs put into the Hamilton Library that have desktops and not overstuffed, comfy cushioned chairs? I don’t usually stay very long because it’s so uncomfortable sitting there.

My last comment is that too many of the shelves are empty. We can use a lot more books in our libraries.

Barb Hedstrom Chandler

Library responds to criticism Thank you for providing Chandler Public Library with the opportunity to share some information about the many diverse programs and services offered to Chandler residents and visitors. Our dedicated library staff strives to provide our patrons with an enjoyable experience, and we thank Ms. Hedstrom for sharing her concerns. In addition, we think each of our four unique locations is pretty amazing, and we encourage customers to explore all of them to find the programs, environment and user experience that best meet their needs.

While a variety of activities take place in each location, the following highlights include more Hamilton and Downtown programs, because those are the nearest locations to Ms. Hedstrom’s address.

Some highlights include: • Electronic device assistance—for those wanting to learn more about eReaders, eBooks, tablets, downloading digital media or streaming video—is available @ Java Spot, where library staff provides coffee and donuts while answering your questions.

• Book Discussion Groups—throughout the system there are six book clubs offered—some in the evening, one at lunch, another for mothers and daughters, one for teens, one for families. It includes several genres, including fiction and mystery.

• Get Reel, the documentary film series, is showing award-winning documentaries on Tuesday evenings this summer at the Downtown Library in collaboration with PBS and the series POV. It includes, “The Storm Makers” (chilling exposé of Cambodia’s human trafficking underworld); “Beats of the Antonov” (explores how music binds a community in the war-ravaged Sudan region); and “Neuland” (“New Territory” immerses

viewers in a Swiss integration class).

• Creative Aging in America’s Libraries programming (through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in collaboration with Lifetime Arts) is presenting “Myths & Masks” by master teaching artist Will Clipman. This nine-week program incorporates art, mask-making, poetry and public performance.

• Programs range from “Computer Basics Bootcamp,” to “Line Dancing for Adults,” to “Stitch’n Time,” for those who love to knit or crochet, quilt or embroider.

Events include the Acoustic Blend music series with Brian Kabala, the Fall Seed Swap for local gardeners, and the VERTEX: Maker Day featuring hands-on activities for the whole family. There is also the Job Center, the Learning Lab, and Talk Time, an English conversation group meeting to improve English speaking and listening skills and learn about American culture.

To find more information about our book collection, programs, and services, please speak with a librarian at any of our locations, or you can visit www.chandlerlibrary.org.

As for seating in the Chandler libraries, spaces are designed with multipurpose functionality in mind. At Hamilton, it was recognized that customers with laptops and other devices would benefit from the attached “tables” for using such equipment. Soft seating is available in the magazine area and along the south wall of the Downtown Library. Likewise, there are soft seating areas at the Sunset and Basha branches.

Warm Regards, Kris Sherman Assistant Library Manager Chandler Public Library