SUPERVISORS SAY ‘NO’ TO OLD MOBILE HOME — Last week supervisors denied Michael McIntosh’s appeal to place a mobile home that was considered too old in Coarsegold. The Madera County Planning Commission had already denied McIntosh’s request, saying the 12-year-old manufactured home did not meet the 10-year-old standard adopted by the supervisors. McIntosh told the board that he had entered into escrow on July 17, 1989, and the ordinance was adopted on July 25. Board members said they were sympathetic to McIntosh but added that a variance would open the door to other older mobile homes, which didn’t meet the ordinance.
FLORES SAYS EDUCATIONAL MYTHS MUST BE SHATTERED — Educational myths have kept Hispanic and other minority children from achieving mass success, a native Maderan who is an expert in literacy told the crowd gathered in Courthouse Park for Cinco de Mayo festivities Saturday. Barbara Flores, who has taught at CSU San Bernardino for 10 years, cited five myths that must be shattered. They include: 1) Bilingualism is a sign of education deficiency; 2) the belief that “minority children in my school are not my problem; 3) Limited English speaking children must be segregated from English speaking peers; 4) Limited English speaking children have a problem learning because they lack experiences; 5) Minority children can’t read in their first or second language because their parents are illiterate.
TRUSTEES TO VOTE ON NEW CONTRACT FOR TEACHERS — Madera Unified School District trustees will be asked tonight for approval of a tentative salary and benefit agreement with the Madera Unified Teachers Association for the 1989-90 and 1990-91 school years. Contract negotiations between the two sides ended in an agreement April 28. The package was accepted by MUTA members last Wednesday when 85 percent of those who voted gave approval. Major issues included 15 percent salary increase for teachers over a two-year period and a benefit package in which the district pays 90 percent and the employees pay 10 percent. The agreement also includes a limited agency shop fee in which teachers hired after Sept. 1 will be required to join MUTA or pay a representational fee to the organization.
TRANSPORTATION CENTER MAY COME TO DOWNTOWN — Early designs have been completed for a $1.2 million transportation center in the heart of Madera. Train, bus, taxi, and Dial-A-Ride service along with a travel agency and restaurant are to be drawn together in a plaza-style atmosphere on North E Street and Yosemite Avenue. “It is the heart of Madera; it is a transportation center; it has significant history; it has played an important role in the development of Madera, and it is presently in a very neglected condition,” said architect Al Lafon. City officials have backed a transportation center since 1985...