Major Reworking Of Orange County’s Emergency Response Network Rides On Irvine Decision
A report found that Irvine pays more for the Orange County Fire Authority than it receives in services, and will have to decide if it wants to stay in by June 30.
Orange County Register:
Irvine Could Blow A Gaping Hole In O.C.’s Emergency Response System
Irvine soon might pull out of the Orange County Fire Authority, a move that could force an expensive and litigious reworking of the county’s emergency response network, according to a grand jury report issued Tuesday. At its heart, the issue is this: Because of rapid growth, increasing property values, and a locked-in property tax formula, Irvine pays far more to the OCFA — which provides fire and emergency services to 22 other cities and the county — than it gets back in services (Sforza and Shimura, 3/20)
In other news from across the state —
East Bay Times:
Fremont: Sexual Education Stirs Debate At Board Meeting
A sex education course that touches on such personal matters as wet dreams is too explicit for children in grades 4-8, some angry parents told the Fremont school board last week. But many other of the 60-plus speakers at the March 14 meeting supported the new health, puberty and sexuality curriculum, saying its focus on inclusiveness of different genders and sexual orientations is critical to developing empathetic, well-informed adults. They also pointed out there’s no need to scrap or modify the lessons because parents who are concerned about the material can opt out of having their kids taught it. A note or an email to the student’s teacher suffices for opting out. (Geha, 3/20)
Los Banos Enterprise:
Delhi Unified School District Offers Free Health Care Services To Students
One local school district in Merced County has started offering in-school healthcare services free of charge to students and parents who opt-in, according to school officials. The new service is costing the Delhi Unified School District nothing for its 2,600 students this year, Superintendent Adolfo Melara said. (Shanker, 3/20)
The Mercury News:
Would Another Brain Death Test Harm Jahi McMath?
As the Jahi McMath lawsuit inches closer to a hearing on whether she is dead or alive, attorneys for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland want to perform another brain death test on the Oakland teenager. But her family’s attorney thinks it would damage her heath because it requires her breathing machine be turned off for 10 minutes. ...Jahi was 13 in late 2013 when she began bleeding profusely and went into cardiac arrest following nose, mouth and throat surgery at the Oakland hospital. She was later declared brain dead. Three tests that are considered the national standard have shown Jahi has irreversible brain death. The last test was performed in September 2014. In October 2014, her family released an MRI they say shows she has brain function, even if very limited, and is alive. They also played videos of her moving specific fingers when commanded to do so. (Debolt, 3/20)