October 22, 1975 (8 pages)

October 22, 1975 Wed., The Nevada County Nugget 3 a _ Riding the bus _ “Good morning Ada, be careful the bottom step isn’t out today.” — That’s a typical Joe Fichera_ greeting to one of the regular riders on his Gold Country Stage route six days a week. . ‘‘He’s really kind to old ladies like me,” Mrs. Ada Constantine said. “You’re not old,” Fichera coun ters, “I’m just practicing so when you do get old in about 20 years I'll know what to do.” Mrs. Constantine is one of many ‘regular riders on the stage who are very pleased with the Nevada County bus service. Like many other women she has but lots of friends to visit and car no places to go. Without the bus she would quite often be stuck at home, she said. “Without the bus service I couldn’t , ; go anywhere,” Mrs. Jeane Higgins said after boarding the stage near her Grass Valley home. Before the buses began making their rounds in April, Mrs. Higgins said she could go no further than walking distance from her home. Now she rides wherever she wants or needs to go two or three times a week. Mrs, Clara Gjevre, a newcomer to Grass Valley, finds the bus rides to be “quite an adventure” as she sits back and leaves the driving to Fichera or one of the other regular stage drivers. “T ride everytime I want to go someplace..except Sundays,’’ she said, “But I guess even bus drivers ‘have to rest sometime,’”’ she added. . As Fichera makes his rounds he keeps his eyes open to make sure he doesn’t miss one of his regular riders who. may be a little late getting to the bus stop. He isn’t about to drive off and leave one of “his ladies” standing in the street. As Mrs. Constantine put it, ‘‘Joe is very accommodating.” If he can save someone a walk by making an extra stop that will not knock him off his daily schedule he’s always glad to do it, she said. The recently expanded bus schedule is ‘fixed just about right” for most people, according to Mrs. Jesse Jean who depends on the stage to get around. Even people who are not dependent on the bus are finding out it can be a better way. to travel. Mrs. Connie Barrett began riding at least once a day while her car was broken. Now she rides anyway because it’s cheaper and she doesn’t have to hunt around for a place to park. Unless it’s an emergency she now prefers to take the bus, she said. vice. To Burr's right are regular stage riders Mrs. Bank Streets, where the bus stops four times daily, is Bob Burr, a relief driver for the county bus ser Of course everyone is not completely happy with the bus service. ‘All the drivers are courteous and nice as could be with the exception of one who just goes wherever he pleases,’ according to Mrs. Myra Ogden. She rides the bus to her job at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital every day. . Her major complaint was that one of the drivers pulls into the hospital lot from the opposite direction that the others do and is not seen by those waiting for the bus. She also. thought that the commuter service that begins at 4:30.p.m., upon the conclusion of regular routes, could stand to: be improved. Relief bus driver Bob Burr agrees that the commuter service is just a little ‘‘goofed up.’’ He points out that right now the bus goes from Nevada City to Glenbrook Plaza where the regular route ends. It then returns to Nevada City which means some people have to ride through Nevada City twice before going to Grass Valley, he said. County’s top priority “Alcoholism is the single : r County,”’ according to Rich Soha pews ag higg Womack, acting chairman of the Nevada County Council on Alcoholism. In his address to the Grass Valley Rotary Club Monday, Womack said the magnitude of the problem can be measured by the fact that 70 percent of Superior court are also tied to alcohol. : nt appared This same trisen throughout the country, he explained. There. are 10 million alcoholics nationwide -: but only about five percent of _ those fit the stereotype image of the skidrow derelict. The remainder are scat tered through society in all problems Gevsice i. one or ’ more areas of his life. Intelligence or education has nothing to do with the problem, Womack noted. It is an illness that must be treated. He explained the functions of the council and the Alcoholic Service Center. These organizations are available to help and assist alcohol an_ with those problem. The phone number is walks of life. .He defined an alcoholic as one, who ,views, , . in the directory and help is justice court are related to available’ to those who wish it, alcohol as a major part of his liquor; approximately 40. °°’ °° stressed he living with the result that percent of the cases heard in the cases before the local Jesse Jean and Mrs. Ade Constantine. Specialist joins alcohol abuse Recognizing alcohol abuse as a growing problem among the youth in Nevada county~ and throughout the nation, By working with them he hopes to learn. about all community problems and their relation to alcohol, he said, His goal is the formation of a Youth Self Help has obtained the services of a specialist in the development of alcohol community. program for the and drug abuse control prevention of ‘irresponsible _ G@rinking’”’. The NIAAA grant programs. Cleve Cunningham has allows him three years to work joined the local organization with this community in aimed at delinquency -coordination with Youth Self prevention through a grant Help. from the National Institute on Before he can begin his task Alcohol Abuse Abatement Cunningham : said he must “listen a lot”. He wants to (NIAAA). © The retired Army Lt. Col. hear the problems of the youth Cunningham brings with him jin Nevada county. He also some impressive credentials. wants to work with all comIn 1971 he formulated, wrote munity lJéaders and groups and managed the U. S. Army that are concerned with the Alcohol and Drug Abuse problems of the community. The cooperation of the Control Program for the Sixth’ Army, which covers 13 Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, County Council on western states. During his six months as Chief, Sixth Army Drug Abuse Program, Cunningham used Army newspapers throughout the world and conducted community relations and social service operations at many bases in Asia and Europe. Aleoholism, Alcoholics Anonymous and Sierra View Mental Health Clinic have already been promised him, he said. Although the program is to be: aimed at teens and preteens, Cunningham stresses that irresponsible drinking is a community problem of con Cunningham said that he was impressed. with the cern to everyone. dedication of the. Youth Self. , . Help. staff, based‘ at ,Nevada. ', %' City’s. Old ‘Seven Hills School. : /

October 22, 1975 Wed., The Nevada County Nugget 3 a _ Riding the bus _ “Good morning Ada, be careful the bottom step isn’t out today.” — That’s a typical Joe Fichera_ greeting to one of the regular riders on his Gold Country Stage route six days a week. . ‘‘He’s really kind to old ladies like me,” Mrs. Ada Constantine said. “You’re not old,” Fichera coun ters, “I’m just practicing so when you do get old in about 20 years I'll know what to do.” Mrs. Constantine is one of many ‘regular riders on the stage who are very pleased with the Nevada County bus service. Like many other women she has but lots of friends to visit and car no places to go. Without the bus she would quite often be stuck at home, she said. “Without the bus service I couldn’t , ; go anywhere,” Mrs. Jeane Higgins said after boarding the stage near her Grass Valley home. Before the buses began making their rounds in April, Mrs. Higgins said she could go no further than walking distance from her home. Now she rides wherever she wants or needs to go two or three times a week. Mrs, Clara Gjevre, a newcomer to Grass Valley, finds the bus rides to be “quite an adventure” as she sits back and leaves the driving to Fichera or one of the other regular stage drivers. “T ride everytime I want to go someplace...except Sundays,’’ she said, “But I guess even bus drivers ‘have to rest sometime,’”’ she added. . As Fichera makes his rounds he keeps his eyes open to make sure he doesn’t miss one of his regular riders who. may be a little late getting to the bus stop. He isn’t about to drive off and leave one of “his ladies” standing in the street. As Mrs. Constantine put it, ‘‘Joe is very accommodating.” If he can save someone a walk by making an extra stop that will not knock him off his daily schedule he’s always glad to do it, she said. The recently expanded bus schedule is ‘fixed just about right” for most people, according to Mrs. Jesse Jean who depends on the stage to get around. Even people who are not dependent on the bus are finding out it can be a better way. to travel. Mrs. Connie Barrett began riding at least once a day while her car was broken. Now she rides anyway because it’s cheaper and she doesn’t have to hunt around for a place to park. Unless it’s an emergency she now prefers to take the bus, she said. vice. To Burr's right are regular stage riders Mrs. Bank Streets, where the bus stops four times daily, is Bob Burr, a relief driver for the county bus ser Of course everyone is not completely happy with the bus service. ‘All the drivers are courteous and nice as could be with the exception of one who just goes wherever he pleases,’ according to Mrs. Myra Ogden. She rides the bus to her job at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital every day. . Her major complaint was that one of the drivers pulls into the hospital lot from the opposite direction that the others do and is not seen by those waiting for the bus. She also. thought that the commuter service that begins at 4:30.p.m., upon the conclusion of regular routes, could stand to: be improved. Relief bus driver Bob Burr agrees that the commuter service is just a little ‘‘goofed up.’’ He points out that right now the bus goes from Nevada City to Glenbrook Plaza where the regular route ends. It then returns to Nevada City which means some people have to ride through Nevada City twice before going to Grass Valley, he said. County’s top priority “Alcoholism is the single : r County,”’ according to Rich Soha pews ag higg Womack, acting chairman of the Nevada County Council on Alcoholism.

In his address to the Grass Valley Rotary Club Monday, Womack said the magnitude of the problem can be measured by the fact that 70 percent of Superior court are also tied to alcohol. : nt appared This same trisen throughout the country, he explained. There. are 10 million alcoholics nationwide -: but only about five percent of _ those fit the stereotype image of the skidrow derelict. The remainder are scat tered through society in all problems Gevsice i. one or ’ more areas of his life. Intelligence or education has nothing to do with the problem, Womack noted. It is an illness that must be treated. He explained the functions of the council and the Alcoholic Service Center. These organizations are available to help and assist alcohol an_ with those problem. The phone number is walks of life. .He defined an alcoholic as one, who ,views, , . in the directory and help is justice court are related to available’ to those who wish it, alcohol as a major part of his liquor; approximately 40.. °°’ °° stressed he living with the result that percent of the cases heard in the cases before the local Jesse Jean and Mrs. Ade Constantine. Specialist joins alcohol abuse Recognizing alcohol abuse as a growing problem among the youth in Nevada county~ and throughout the nation, By working with them he hopes to learn. about all community problems and their relation to alcohol, he said, His goal is the formation of a Youth Self Help has obtained the services of a specialist in the development of alcohol community. program for the and drug abuse control prevention of ‘irresponsible _ G@rinking’”’. The NIAAA grant programs. Cleve Cunningham has allows him three years to work joined the local organization with this community in aimed at delinquency -coordination with Youth Self prevention through a grant Help. from the National Institute on Before he can begin his task Alcohol Abuse Abatement Cunningham : said he must “listen a lot”. He wants to (NIAAA). © The retired Army Lt. Col. hear the problems of the youth Cunningham brings with him jin Nevada county. He also some impressive credentials. wants to work with all comIn 1971 he formulated, wrote munity lJéaders and groups and managed the U. S. Army that are concerned with the Alcohol and Drug Abuse problems of the community. The cooperation of the Control Program for the Sixth’ Army, which covers 13 Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, County Council on western states. During his six months as Chief, Sixth Army Drug Abuse Program, Cunningham used Army newspapers throughout the world and conducted community relations and social service operations at many bases in Asia and Europe. Aleoholism, Alcoholics Anonymous and Sierra View Mental Health Clinic have already been promised him, he said. Although the program is to be: aimed at teens and preteens, Cunningham stresses that irresponsible drinking is a community problem of con Cunningham said that he was impressed. with the cern to everyone. dedication of the. Youth Self. , . Help. staff, based‘ at ,Nevada. ', %' City’s. Old ‘Seven Hills School. : /