The Star-News from Chula Vista, California • Page 4

LOCAL NEWS It's good to have a place like Sunrise for our sunset years A tween 75 and 84 years of age with the majority being women. According to the American Health Care Association there are approximately 17,000 nursing homes in the United States with the numbers rising. I had the chance to tour one of these facilities the other day. This is a brand-new establishment just built on Bonita Road not too far from Glen Abbey. This is the Sunrise Assisted Living facility with a motto that says "Quality Care with a Heart for Service." My guide for this tour was Kristen Cram the director of community relations.

The day I was there, the painters and the carpet layers were present en masse putting the finishing touches on what will be a very imposing and attractive building. Built on the concept of dominating towers, each one boasts better than average living quarters for residents with common rooms and dining rooms that are aesthetically inviting and extremely functional. Sunrise, we learn from Ms. Cram, was designed by two of the pioneers in the industry, Terry and Paul Klaassen. They opened their first Sunrise community in 198L Their ultimate mission was to change the way America ages by providing a better quality of life for seniors.

They have since erected more than 173 more in the U.S. Canada and the United Kingdom. Sunrise in Bonita is divided into two parts. I toured part of the section known as the Reminiscence Neighborhood. This section provides care for those who are memory impaired The concept here is that the staff learns the unique life story of each resident By knowing the details of each person's life they create pleasure days based on individual preferences.

The other portion of Sunrise is for those folks who may have some ailment that is not serious enough for hospitalization. In this environment the resident has full care regarding meals, household chores, including laundry and still maintains the independence of private quarters. Staff persons are there ready for any contingency that might arise. Many of my generation, and I suppose one or two on either side, are not ready for assisted living. We look upon such establishments as part of the general scene but are reluctant to become part of it It is very gratifying, however, to know that places like Sunrise Assisted Living are out there ready when our time comes.

Sunrise is located at 3302 Bonita Road Ms. Cram tells me that they accept visitors at any time during working hours. SEE PENA, PAGE 9 The terms "assisted living" and "nursing homes" are two expressions that have crept into our way of life unnoticed, but, at present, are a very important segment of our society. Nursing homes and the like are residences that are equipped to provide care for people with minor to serious medical conditions. They are designed to provide food, shelter and medical care for their residents.

In addition they furnish the individual with social, civic, creative and LEGACY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 those comments indicated as quotations. Nor at any time did I make any of those comments." Sweetwater Authority board member Mitch Beauchamp, who attended the breakfast meeting, said Padilla had implied he wanted to hear from the silent majority that was in favor of this major development. Beauchamp said he recalled Padilla saying "Those who organize best are heard loudest." "He couched his words carefully so as not to offend the environmentalists in their opposition," Beauchamp said "He's just hearing from the nay-sayers and the environmentalists." Padilla was making the presentation to an audience of prominent South County business leaders and elected officials that including County Supervisor Greg Cox and Sweetwater Authority and Otay Water District COMMUNITY MORTUARY FD-1682 Family Owned Operated 855 Broadway Chula Vista 426-2006 vilvrfiiK TAKING CARE It RICHARD PENA intellectual activities. Most of these residents are elderly. According to the literature the largest group is be board members.

"Those people at the meeting were those people he wasn't hearing from So it hit the right audience," Beauchamp said Cox said he recalled Padilla saying something about people always being opposed to change. Burgess also quoted Padilla paraphrasing Pericles at the breakfast meeting. But Cox said he didn't hear all of the quote because of a conversation at the table. Burgess said he stands by his quotes and characterizations of Padilla's comments. "The mayor has attacked my professional integrity," Burgess said yesterday.

"If he's saying my editorial did not give a fair and balanced account of his country club speech, he should publish the text. And then everybody will know who is lying." Padilla denied saying anything Burgess attributed to him after resident Lupe Jimenez, of the Green Pary, chastised the mayor for not working with the community. Jimenez, a member of the Green party's local chapter and Citizens Against Retail Expansion, a grassroots group, is calling for less dense development as being proposed for the Mid-Bayf ront, a 120-acre parcel of private property west of Interstate 5 and between Lagoon Drive, and the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Jimenez told Padilla that he's misunderstood the message of the community. "You state our message is, 'All change and any change is she said.

"We carry a complete line including I 1 TV have never said that We say that we are opposed to the dense Hong-Kong-like plan that was offered and we offered three different plans for development" Developer Ashok Israni and his company Pacifica have drawn up proposals for hotels, high-rise residential condominiums, other housing and open space for the proposed Bayfront Village. The city has given the developer exclusive rights for twc years to create a plan for the property. Padilla was probably referring to a history of opposition to any development on the bay front or Mid-Bayf ront Cox said "There was a bayfront plan approved by the coastal commission in 1984 that included portions of Gunpowder Point," Cox said. "The plan was challenged by the Sierra Club." Four years later the property owner deeded about 400 acres for a refuge in order to settle the lawsuit. The Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1988.

The land was bought by a Kuwaiti consortium that hired a developer to create a proposal to develop what remained of the Mid-Bayfront property. The California Coastal Commission approved the plan in 1992. "It was fairly intensive development," Cox said It also proved to be economically unfeasible. "Now the city's back to what is the right balance between development and preserving and protecting the environment and what is financially feasible," Cox said. IF it fife ft -J Vr 1 'I nesent mis coupon to yoitr our income tax return to your reruna as little as I day.

From left, Stella Sutton, Lisa Moctezuma, Clarke Dennison, Dr. Steve Wachs, Donna Vignapiano, Carl Harry, Byron Estes, Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla, Anthony Janus, The Star-News publisher Linda Rosas Townson, Dr. Richard Freeman, David McClurg and David Rossi attended the Chula Vista Downtown Business Association board of directors installation luncheon Feb. 19 at the San Diego Country Club. OF BUSINESS Se Habla Espaflol.

OFF TAX PREPARATION YOU WANT TO SAVE MONEY, RAISE YOUR HAND Szaman Poz domxtnmi Co. CUSTOM DESIGN I "SST jW MEMORIALS Jfl it SINCE 1936 Af'f Statue 1 1 1 3893 Imperial Avenue fC" 11 rp -JLs San Diego -J 619-264-1933 www.seamanpoe.com ACCEPTED AT ALL CEMETERIES (THEN BRING IN THIS COUPON) LIBERTY TAX SERVICE 794 BROADWAY CHULA VISTA, CA 91910 619-422-5030 Houfs: M-F: 9-9, Sat: 9-6, Sun: Call for hours DISCOUNT CIGARETTES By Mail We i PATRICIA L. BRENTS, EA GENERAL MANAGER all major brands. Cigars! Snuff! Chew! Pipe Tobacco! We have 'em! Stop paying those high retail prices! Have your order of fresh Indian Reservation direct smokes shipped automatically! Never run out again! Give us a call toll free at 1-077-234-CIGS(2447) www.senecasmokes.com tax preparer and Liberty Tax Service will prepare satisfaction, guaranteed. Apply for a RAL ana get 1 Call today for an appointment 619-422-5030.

I Not valid with other offers. Expires 41503. I PACE 4 THE STAR-NEWS FEB. 21, 2003.