Mayor Don Pellegrino has declared October to be Drug Abuse Education Month. Dr. Robert E. Bell, president of Parent Alert, discusses the group's programs and activities. Talks are scheduled at PTA and service club meetings.
Police Chief Charles Mitchell praises the work of the community based parent group Parent Alert. He discusses drug abuse in the area and the Police Department's role in helping prevent drug abuse.
Mayor Don Pellegrino has declared October "Drug Abuse Education Month" in Arcadia. Presentation by Carla Lowe discussing "Current Drug Issues and What We Can Do About Them". Ms. Lowe is on the Board of Directors of the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth.
Don Fickas, president of the Arcadia Board of Education, praises Parent Alert's drug abuse education and prevention programs. He describes the schools' efforts at teaching students about the dangers of drugs.
The Arcadia Council PTA in cooperation with Parent Alert has organized evening programs for parents of all 5th and 6th grade, junior and senior high school students. The programs are designed to offer education on drug abuse.
Members of Parent Alert accused the Board of Education of dragging their feet in developing curriculum aimed at educating students on substance abuse. Such a curriculum is required by the California Health and Education Code. The district has been out of compliance with the code for more than 3 years.
The Arcadia City Council & School Board members have decided to cooperate on an anti-drug crusade involving the possible resumption of the "cop on campus" program at the Junior high schools and declaring October as drug abuse awareness month.
A group of Arcadia parents have quietly formed and organization to try to reduce teenage alcohol and drug abuse. Still in its formative stages, the yet-unnamed group has proposed serving as chaperones at teen functions, distributing a "caution statement" to local liquor stores, and to establish drug and alcohol-free contracts between parents and teens.
Marijuana is the subject of this first article in a new weekly column on the problems of drugs and their effects. The articles are researched and prepared by Parent Alert.
Parents attending the school board meeting pressed for increased substance abuse education. The board expressed a reluctance to expand the program at the expense of more basic courses.
Project Alert, a drug education and referral service, offers assistance to teenagers with drug problems. Available 24 hours a day, the officer on duty at the Sierra Madre Police Station will provide a referral to a volunteer staff of professionals.
A representative of an as-yet unnamed local anti-drug group has been told by the City Council that teen centers have been tried in Arcadia and haven't worked.
Discussion of Parent Alert's activities including their 24-hour hotline (574-0600). The group, with 500-600 members, has been active for 10 years. REACH (Responsible Educated Adolescents Can Help) is an arm of the organization which is primarily concerned with drug and alcohol abuse among young people.
A new group called Parent Alert is being formed by local parents concerned with drug abuse in Arcadia. A phone number (447-6758 AM to PM) is currently open for information queries. The group hopes to see a hotline established. They are also encouraging the school board to develop drug education programs.
Arcadia Chief of Police, Neal Johnson, has been appointed chairman of an anti-drug program sponsored by the San Gabriel Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America.