For tattoo Removal
L.A.
City wants to make a point of helping troubled youth
By Lola Sherman
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
January 28, 2006
OCEANSIDE – Clusters of three to five churches would “adopt” five targeted
neighborhoods to help stem gang violence under a proposed Ten-Point Plan that
the City Council will consider Wednesday.
The council discussed various gang-prevention programs for more than two hours
Thursday. It did not get into the details of the plan but voted unanimously to
put it on next week's agenda.
As explained in a handout presented by Councilwoman Esther Sanchez, the program
would focus on primarily Latino, Samoan and black gangs in Eastside, Crown
Heights, Libby Lake, the area around the Back Gate at Camp Pendleton and the
Tri-City area.
Under the first point of the plan, churches would be asked to partner with
neighborhood and recreation centers to provide safe places for troubled youth.
The second calls for creating a mentoring program involving the courts and for
meetings between school officials and black, Latino, Samoan and other pastors.
The third suggests commissioning “young adult evangelists” for one-on-one
outreach to youth on drugs.
Included in subsequent points – often more than one item to a point – are:
Neighborhood Watch groups.
Graffiti removal and programs to divert the young artists to more positive
endeavors.
Counseling for families.
Abstinence-oriented education programs focusing on the prevention of AIDS and
sexually transmitted diseases.
Convening youth rallies to develop “Christian brotherhoods and sisterhoods,”
free tattoo removal and new “culturally relevant” programs such as classes in
the Samoan language.
The council voted unanimously on Thursday, with Mayor Jim Wood absent, to
rebuild Partners for Healthy Neighborhoods, a once-active collaborative of
dozens of governmental, community and service organizations, to coordinate all
anti-gang efforts in Oceanside.
The Ten-Point Plan would incorporate the much-publicized TenPoint Coalition,
which originated with pastors in Boston and emphasizes the work of
African-American ministers as counselors.
Margery Pierce, city director of neighborhood services, said the local chapter
of the TenPoint Coalition will be asked to serve on the board of the revived
Partners organization.
The similarity in names can cause confusion.
County Supervisor Bill Horn, who supports the TenPoint Coalition, said available
federal funding is for “faith-based” efforts. He said that despite keeping
“Ten-Point” in the name, the proposed plan might not qualify for such monies.
Also Wednesday, the council is scheduled to consider naming a park at College
Boulevard and the San Luis Rey River, now informally called River Park.
The public has suggested a dozen names: Noble Park, Pendleton Crossing, River
Park, River Trail Park, Riverside Park, Riverwalk, San Luis Rey Soccer Park,
Sunset Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Blue Willow Park, Buchanon Park and Veteran
Park.
The city's Youth Commission recommended Andrew Jackson Myers Park, after an
Oceanside pioneer.
Council members meet at 5 p.m. in chambers at 300 N. Coast Highway.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20060128-9999-1mc28oside.html
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Lola Sherman: (760) 476-8241; lola.sherman@uniontrib.com
