-
Dec 3, 2024 | 
medium.com | Carol Kocivar
Carol Kocivar·Follow4 min read·--I usually give books to my grandchildren to celebrate the holidays. In anticipation of 2025, I am making some strategic choices. This year, I am considering books about values. Remember those things? Truth, kindness, empathy, good choices, equality, and patriotism. Based on the news in the last couple of months, there seems to be some confusion over what these words mean. The book list contains lessons we all need to learn.
-
Nov 23, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Quentin L. Kopp |Richard Knee |Glenn Rogers |Carol Kocivar
• • • • • • • • • • July 10, 2024 • • • • • • • • • • “The men the American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.” Thus spoke H. L. Mencken, a voice from the past.
-
Nov 20, 2024 | 
medium.com | Carol Kocivar
Carol Kocivar·Follow6 min read·--by Carol KocivarIn the eyes of the public, patterns of low test scores indicate failing schools. That’s wrong. To be clear, test scores matter, but the real culprit may not be schools. Schools with a pattern of low test scores nearly always have a lot of families living in poverty. Poverty has a profound influence on how well students are prepared for school. To do well, students need basic economic and social support, and so do families and schools.
-
Nov 20, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Glenn Rogers |Richard Knee |Carol Kocivar |Steve Lawrence
• • • • • • • November 20, 2024 • • • • • • • Many members of the Coastal Commission live outside San Francisco and may not be aware of the foibles of the SFPUC. This Open Letter to the Coastal Commission is an opportunity to showcase the poor management of that department and ask the Coastal Commission to no longer give deference to the decisions of the SFPUC.
-
Nov 20, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Kelly Waldron |Richard Knee |Glenn Rogers |Carol Kocivar
• • • • • • • November 20, 2024 • • • • • • • Reprinted by permission from Mission Local Four years ago, when Myrna Melgar ran for District 7 supervisor, she won the race with 53 percent of the vote. This year, she’s in the exact same spot: Winning with 53 percent of the vote. “It’s official — I’ve been re-elected District 7 Supervisor!” Melgar wrote in a statement shared with Mission Local.
-
Nov 19, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Richard Knee |Glenn Rogers |Carol Kocivar |Steve Lawrence
Separation of church and state, shaken • • • • • • • • November 19, 2024 • • • • • • • • Our country’s political divisions are again raising basic questions about American values, including the separation of church and state. Religion and public education have long been kept separate in America, like oil and water. What are the rules about religious freedom and our schools? Should all students be required to say a prayer specified by the state?
-
Nov 10, 2024 | 
ed100.org | Carol Kocivar
Should California schools favor a particular religion?
Our country’s political divisions are again raising basic questions about American values, including the separation of church and state. Religion and public education have long been kept separate in America, like oil and water. What are the rules about religious freedom and our schools?
Should all students be required to say a prayer specified by the state? Can the Bible, Talmud, or Koran be mandated parts of the school curriculum?
-
Nov 5, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Quentin L. Kopp |Richard Knee |Glenn Rogers |Carol Kocivar
Editor’s Note:The Westside Observer does not endorse candidates or issues, opinions of its authors and reporters are their own, not the Westside Observer. • • • • • • • • • • September 2024 • • • • • • • • • • Separation of church and state in the United States of America, California and San Francisco could hardly be more complete.
-
Nov 5, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Quentin L. Kopp |Richard Knee |Glenn Rogers |Carol Kocivar
• • • • • • • • • • August 6, 2024 • • • • • • • • • • Over five years ago, I opined in these pages about then-U.S. Senator Kamala Harris and her dishonesty in securing $97,000 from California taxpayers as a member of the California Unemployment Insurance Board to which she was appointed in 1993 by her boyfriend Willie Brown, then-Assembly Speaker, while simultaneously paid by Alameda County taxpayers as an Alameda County deputy district attorney, supposedly a full-time.
-
Oct 29, 2024 | 
westsideobserver.com | Glenn Rogers |Richard Knee |Carol Kocivar |Steve Lawrence
• • • • • • • October 29, 2024 • • • • • • • In the Board of Supervisor Meeting on October 1, 2024, numerous cab drivers spoke about their plight. In 1999, there was no charge for a medallion which would allow a cab driver to operate. In 2010, the SFMTA launched its medallion program. Cabbies were forced pay $250,000 to obtain a medallion to operate a cab in San Francisco. Uber and Lyft drivers do not have to pay fees to provide the same transportation services.
