This year the city of Calabasas, LVUSD and the CHS administration will implement several new policies affecting CHS students.

California raises texting and driving fine

A new law went into effect on Sept. 30, 2012, raising the fine for texting and driving in California by $10. Since January of 2009, the Calif. state government has fined individuals $20 for the first offence of texting and driving and $50 for all following offences. However, the recent growth of the use of technology, primarily among teenage drivers, prompted the increase of fines. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 25-30 percent of crashes nationally are at least partially attributed to distracted motorists. Fines in Calif. have therefore been raised to $30 for the first offence of texting and driving and $60 for all following offences. With the possibility of additional court fines, the total cost of a texting and driving ticket could now amount to $370. The law is expected to decrease the use of cell phones and other hand-held devices among drivers, particularly teenagers, and the steep new fines are intended to protect pedestrians as well as drivers. Not only will the law punish the individual who is fined for texting and driving, but it will also discourage others from using any electronic device that is not hands-free while behind the wheel.

Written by Cydney Hayes – Staff Writer/ Photo courtesy of Google images

CHS mandates community service

This year CHS made it mandatory for students to complete a minimum of 60 hours of community service in order to graduate. Students in the class of 2013 will only need to complete 15 hours of service, those in the class of 2014 will need 30 hours, those in the class of 2015 will need 45 hours completed and those in the class of 2016 will be required to complete 60 hours of service. Students must complete the hours with a minimum of 15 hours each year. Also starting this year, students will need to have their required 15 hours of community service hours pre-approved. In a new aeries portal, students will find an entire list of approved organizations. The hours that students collected over the summer and after the cutoff date of last year will not count toward this year’s required hours but will still be recognized by CHS for college purposes. The deadline for service hours is the end of the school year. In the past, community service hours were optional and recommended but not required. Due to the mandated hours, however, there will no longer be community service awards at Senior Awards Night starting with the class of 2013.

Written by Madison Hatfield – Staff Writer/ Photo courtesy of Ivory Ventura – Photographer

Calabasas increases public transit fees

The Calabasas City Council approved significant transportation fee increases for the Calabasas Peak-Hour Public Transportation system for the upcoming year. New passes became available to the public on September 24, 2012, and cost $80 instead of $50. Also, transit tickets cost $1 this year rather than 50 cents. These changes were implemented to maintain the expenses of running the shuttles throughout the city. An estimated $20,000 will be earned for Calabasas as a result of the price increase. The 2013 transit schedule, like the 2012 schedule, will have seven lines, each traveling to a different location. Stops include A.E. Wright Middle School, Bay Laurel Elementary School, Chaparral Elementary School, Lupin Hill Elementary School and CHS, among others. The shuttles operate Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and all rules regarding the 2012 shuttle are still applicable with the 2013 lines. Applications for a new pass are now accessible at the city of Calabasas website, www.cityofcalabasas.com. Because of the change in prices, until Oct. 8, people may ride the Peak-Hour transit system without showing their passes.

Written by Laure Mishkin – Staff Writer/ Photo Courtesy of Sam Cohen – Photographer

Measure G introduces school repairs

Throughout the 2012-2013 school year CHS will complete many new repairs on campus funded by Measure G. The most significant of the repairs include replacing the portable toilets at the baseball fields with real restrooms, installing brighter, more useful lights in the student parking lots and adding new handrails near the science building, library and student center to help beautify the school and create a safer environment for the students. Measure G was adopted in 2006 by the Las Virgenes Unified School District Board of Trustees, which mandates the repairs of facilities on the LVUSD school campuses. After evaluating how few resources were available for the many repairs, the Board of Education rallied for funds from the community. At CHS, Measure G assigned over $20 million of improvements. The measure has already accorded funds for repairing the tennis courts, swimming pool, football stadium and Performing Arts Education Center. With the remaining funds LVUSD plans to implement additional reforms throughout its elementary, middle and high schools to benefit students and enhance learning programs.

Written by Sophia Rome – Staff Writer/ Photo Courtesy of Google Images