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The Sacramento Bee, Calif., Diana Lambert Column: Elk Grove City Listing of Fire Department Has Chief Burning Up

Posted on: Sunday, 5 March 2006, 15:00 CST

By Diana Lambert, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

Mar. 5--Chief fired up: There it is, in a city press release dated Feb. 21. The city of Elk Grove lists a fire/parks department in its new building at 8401 Laguna Palms Way. Everyone knows the city is forming its own parks department, but fire department? But other matters seemed to have stirred the pot at the Elk Grove Community Services District, which runs the fire department. Elk Grove Fire Chief Keith Grueneberg shot off a letter to the city Feb. 27 complaining that it is "publishing misleading or incomplete information" regarding the department. He points to the city calendar and news-letters as examples. Both offer a listing for the 'fire department.' He says they suggest it is a city department. The chief wants the city to list the fire department as the Elk Grove CSD Fire Department. "We in public service should make it easier for the public to contact their emergency agencies, not more difficult," stated the chief in the letter. No problem, city spokeswoman Michelle Smira told this column Friday via e-mail. She said she can't do anything about the calendars, but will be "happy to accommodate his concerns with the city newsletter." Next, I think the chief had better worry about the fire offices going in at City Hall. ...

Remembering Mrs. Rice: Cynthia Hasegawa misses Sharon Rice. Cynthia was the room parent in her kindergarten class last year. The beloved teacher died Jan. 29 of breast cancer - on the eve of her 54th birthday. She never told anyone she was sick, just took a leave of absence Jan. 3. "It was shocking," Cynthia says. The entire school is shaken by the loss. They want to be sure the dedicated teacher is remembered. The plan is to install a bench in the kindergarten play area in her honor. The red bench will be encircled by the handprints of her last kindergarten class on a concrete slab. Shade trees will be planted and a rock will bear a statement that Mrs. Rice made during her job interview with Principal Bob Roe: "I still find it exciting to share the joy and wonder of learning with my students. It's almost magical. I feel honored to be a teacher." The cost of the project will be about $400. Cynthia is hoping the community will help. The bench is expected to be dedicated at the school's Health and Safety Day on June 2. ...

Pizza powered: Skillful soccer play led to a day of pampering for a group of 11-and 12-year-old girls recently. Members of the Elk Grove Select Girls Under-12 soccer team were surprised with manicures and pedicures before being whisked off by limo to a dinner celebrating their new status as Northern California Champions. The girls earned their day on the town. During the season, parents contributed 25 cents to a kitty every time their daughter put the ball in the goal. The team amassed $1,000. The girls' skillful kicking also earned them a season that ended with 47 wins, three ties and three losses, says proud dad Craig Potter. So what's the secret to their success? "The girls had grown together as a team and had matured," says Craig. It could also be the pizzas. The girls ate 236 of them together during the season. ...

Marines save the day: Bob Brown of Elk Grove and the Marine Corps League of Yolo County thought they'd give Melissa Withrow of Wilton a little help. The 14-year-old's campaign to collect suitcases and backpacks for foster children was featured in this column recently. Bob and his fellow Marines offered up 18 backpacks, two duffle bags and 40 toothbrushes for the effort. "I thought that was great," says Bob. "We could do that." ...

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Sacramento Bee, Calif.

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Source: The Sacramento Bee

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