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FAST FACT In response to a doctor shortage expected to affect most of the United States by 2020, the regents of the University of California authorized UC Riverside to begin with the next phase of planning for a School of Medicine. A final plan is due by the end of the year. Information: newsroom.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/display.cgi?id=1463 SAFE CITY Murrieta gets the big nod Murrieta was recently ranked the safest city in Riverside County and the 11th safest in California, according to a crime study conducted by Morgan Quinto Press, an independent research publisher. The study also ranked Murrieta as the 39th most crime-free U.S. city with populations of 75,000 or more. Murrieta scored higher in this study than such communities as Newport Beach and Carlsbad. Murrieta Police Chief Mark Wright credits a community-wide effort with this favorable ranking. “There are many factors that contribute to a city’s safety – demographics, the local economy, and the relationships between citizens and their police,” he said. Wright cites several community crime-reduction programs, including Gang Reduction and Intervention, School Resource Officers, and good working relationships with community service organizations and the local business community as contributing factors to the low crime rate. The Morgan Quinto survey compares rates for six major crimes – murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, and auto theft – with national averages in order to establish its rankings. Corona and Temecula ranked 99th and 116th safest in the nation respectively according to the survey. The survey named Brick Township, N.J. as the safest city in the country. Don’t play ball Little League clamps down on offenders Little League International, the overarching organization for the youth leagues, late last year voted to require checks of the National Sex Offender Public Registry for managers, coaches and other volunteers who come into regular contact with player. The registry, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice, is a cooperative effort between the federal government and the states that host public sexual offender registries. This would include California. The registry, which became available in July 2005, features a web-based search tool allowing the user to submit a single query to obtain information about convicted sex offenders in nearly every state. It now includes all states. Use of the registry is free: nsopr.gov. “Little League commends the Department of Justice and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on taking this important step,” Little League President and CEO Stephen Keener said in a statement. Little League is the largest organized youth sports program in the world with more than 2.6 million players and 1 million adult volunteers. In 2003, it became the first national youth sports program to require checks of state sex offender registries for its local leagues. Information: littleleague.org. Character In Riverside County, character really counts Seven Riverside County youngsters were recently honored at the Character Counts! Awards Ceremony for turning their lives around with the help of mentors and involvement in Youth Opportunity Centers of Riverside County (YOC). They are Katherine Tanner, Maria Martinez, Esteban Hernandez, Edward Max, Kody McQueen, Silvia Ortega, and James Lockhart. In addition to her Character Counts! Award, Maria Martinez also received a $500 scholarship from the Riverside Community College Foundation to assist in purchasing textbooks and other services while attending the school. The award recipients have overcome many challenges to achieve success. The YOC program is available to youngsters ages 14 to 21 and includes seven education modules to develop character. These modules involve peer-centered leadership and community activities. The six pillars of character developed by Character Counts! founder Michael Josephson, are fairness, trustworthiness, caring, respect, responsibility and citizenship. Information visit rivcoeda.org or call 951.955.3108. - By Michael J. Medley Boo! HALLOWEEN’S OVER, BUT DEBATE IS NOT Now that you’ve put the skeletons and superhero costumes away…as Halloween grows from a minor event a generation ago to a certified major holiday today, many Americans are objecting. Some 27% of people who attend religious services weekly object to the one-day event “on religious grounds,” according to a new Gallup Poll. About 1,000 adults were questioned just before the Oct. 31 celebration. Nationwide, about 11% object for the same reasons. But that doesn’t keep people from participating in some way. Of those polled, 2-of-3 say they pass out treats and 1-in-6 attended a Halloween party. |
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