The Star-News from Chula Vista, California • Page 11

flY BlESSgl -ft- wit A happier holiday season 1 Lowell BLANKFORT hi i Off My Chest There goes the judge and why You are 40 years old with a wife, two teen-age sons and a steady job. Your whole life you've been a good citizen, never once in trouble with the law. But you do a dumb thing. Somebody offers you $500 to help unload a boat full of narcotics in San Diego Bay and you accept. The boat is raided, the drugs are dumped overboard but are recovered by police and everybody gets busted.

You plead guilty and are sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without possibility of parole. The man who pronounced that sentence who had to watch as the shaken defendant and his wife and children break down and start sobbing in the courtroom was Federal Judge J. Lawrence Irving. He hated himself for what he had done. Two years earlier he might have sentenced this 40-year-old first offender to six months, or even probation.

But, under new federal "guidelines" (which actually are mandatory sentencing rules) Judge Irving had no choice. He had to put the man behind bars for 10 years. It's the law. By Ruth Lepper Lifestyles Editor Bringingjoy to the hearts of children ranks at the top of the wish list during this holiday season. For members and friends of Bonita Optimist Club, this wish has come true.

The annual trek to Orphanage Deluz in Rosarito Beach not only warmed the hearts of the children but also for Santa and his helpers. Santa, who answers to the name of Bill Seffers at other times of the year, was accompanied by 18 other people. Seven vehicles loaded with toys, clothing, 500 pounds of chicken and boxes of canned foods made the trip. Before arriving at the orphanage, the caravan stopped at two villages along the way to deliver their goods. 'This has grown from about three families at each place to about 50 families," said Art Mays, organizer of the goodwill project.

"We give out chicken, toys and clothing to the families. They were very happy." When they arrived at the orphanage, the 40 resident children were attending church service. 'They brought them out of church and they all sang a song for Santa and said a prayer for him," said Mays, who admitted the only Spanish this particular Santa knows is, "Ho, ho, ho" and "Feliz Navidad." While they were at the orphanage, the Optimist members became aware of another problem where they could lend a hand. "We found out they didn't have any heat at the orphanage," said Mays, "so Tony Starts and I werit back down Tuesday morning." Taking along necessary tools and equipment, Mays and Starts not only fixed the heating system but checked on all the plumbing as well. Staff photo by Anthony Yarantino Bonlta Vista High School Octagon Club members, from left, Mike Ibay, Monti Rlcasa and Derv Ise Gray help wrap gifts for children of Orphanage Deluz In Rosarito Beach.

'This has grown from about three families at each place to about 50 families. We give out chicken toys and clothing to the families. They were very Art Mays Taking along necessary tools and equipment, Mays and Starts not only fixed the heating system but checked on all the plumbing as well. Mays started visiting the orphanage 15 years ago. When he and his wife, Bev, moved to Bonita in 1978, he talked the Optimist Club into hejpirfg him out.

The members start collect ing toys and clothing around September each year, counting on other organizations, businesses and individuals to pitch in. This year one of the main contributors was Bonita Valley Tennis Club, which raised $1,500 for the project along with donating numerous toys for the children. The night before Sunday's trip, the Optimist Club hosts a pot-luck dinner and "wrapping party" at its clubhouse on Sweetwater Road. About 60 people attended this year, including members of Bonita Vista High School's Octagon Club, a service organization for teen-agers which is sponsored by the Optimist Club. Museum shows Ellery Thorpe dolls Elizabeth Ann.

Then there's Little Mischief, Ann Ardin, Ka-tnna Denise and Michael (three Michaels, actually). "She made all child-like figures from children she knew in her said Lindemann. "She used beautiful eyes from Ger many, you can't get them any more." The Ellery Thorpe dolls will be on display through February. The museum is located at 1315 E. Fourth St.

It is open 11 a.m. to 4-p m. Sunday, Monday and Thursday. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children. Group appointments may be made by calling Lindemann at 477-7489.

Museum of American in National City, is currently displaying numerous dolls from the Ellery Thorpe collection. In aildition, cards, book plates and paper dolls designed by Thorpe are available in the museum gift shop. Shirley Lindemann, director of the museum, has also selected several oil paintings by Thorpe to display other parts of the museum The dolls and paintings are on loan to the museum by Edwin Thorpe. The Thorpe dolls are given individual names that may have been inspired by real children, such as Joy, Sara Elizabeth. Gaye, Lillian, N'eysa, Manel and By Ruth Lepper Lifestyles Editor The art of doll-making is one that dates back centuries, a craft that covers a wide variety from cornhusk dolls to delicate bisque dolls, from Kaggedy Anns to plastic Barbies.

All dolls are beautiful when they are made with love and made to be loved. The loving skill of Ellery Thorpe shows through in every doll she has created. Thorpe, who died in 1985, made her first doll in 1951. Originally, she had made a ceramic figurine. When it broke, she saved the head and made a new body for it.

That was the beginning of more than 30 years of doll-making for her. Her husband Edwin, who is now made the wigs for the dolls in the early days. It wasn't long before he taught his wife how to make the wigs and turned the job over to her. I 1 i Next Monday, the last day of this year, is the last day that Larry Irving will have to bite his lips and feel his insides wrenching while he pronounces sentences he knows are unfair. At 55, after eight years on the federal bench, after presiding over many of San Diego County's most celebrated cases and becoming one of the California's most respected judges so respected he even was seriously considered to head the FBI he is giving up a lifetime job that pays $96,000 a year and was due to go to up to 120,000 in February.

He is not trying to be a martyr or a political crusader. He just can't take it anymore. Constant security shadowing of him and his family was a factor (he has put behind bars for long terms many major drug dealers). But mostly it has been the new "guidelines" justice without a soul that is administered on a point system (so many points for various violations of this or that code section) with little regard to the crime's extenuating circumstances or the defendant's background and with virtually no discretion for the judge. "Some cases really get to you," Judge Irving said over lunch the other day.

"But I can't do anything about it and that's why I'm resigning. I've heard that some judges simply tell defendants to go write their congressman. But that's not me." His resignation is the first specifically blamed, in a split decision, ruled 23 months ago that "numbers game" justice was constitutional. He did not resign to make a political statement, but the impact of his resignation may. It has brought Irving publicity all over the country, an article in the New York Times, an editorial praising him in the Los Angeles Times, awards from attorneys' associations, an essay in the prestigious Yale Law Journal, worldwide television coverage on CNN.

Mandatory sentencing by points was intended to eliminate disparity in sentencing by judges. But it has brought a new kind of disparity among prosecutors Irving explained, for it's up to the prosecutor now to decide the specific code section under which a defendant will be charged and therefore the number or points that will determine his sentence. With prosecutors, in effect, acting as judges, the new law is a major reason federal prisons are overtaxed. A 10 percent increase in sentencing had been predicted, Irving said, but last year the number of federal prison years sentenced almost doubled. Then there is this irony.

Since under the new rules a defendant can substantially red uu- a liafsh cn tence only by fingering other offenders, Irving pointed out, drug kingpins who sing end up with five year sen1 tences while minor bit players like the 40-year-old man cited at the beginning of this article can end up with 20 or even 30 years because they don't know anybody to finger. In fact, the only reason the 40-year-old first offender didn't get 20 years, Irving said, was that a "merciful" prosecutor settled for 10 in, return for a guilty plea and the offender waiving his right to appeal. Does harsh and rigid sentencing serve society? Irving cites the case of a 19-year-old charged with cocaine possession and intent to distribute it. A few years ago Irving sentenced him to six months in prison with five years probation making it clear that if he violated probation he'd go back to prison to serve out his term. "He did his six months and after that he remained free of drugs we know this because I required regular testing," Irving said.

"He completed his education, got married, had a child and became a productive, taxpaying member of society." was before January, 1989, when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the new sentencing rules. Today Irving notes, he would have had to sentence Mr. Jingles disappears This ceramic doll, made in 1951, was the first one made by Ellery Thorpe. That intrepid cat, Mr.

Jingles," has vanished again, this time from in front of the home he shares with his owner, Sue Jung, Children's librarian at the Chula Vista Public library. Mr. Jingles' exploits have provided Story Hour children with hours of amusing and exciting stories, as well as being the topic uf whlftisB-BttlmfnAm Some favorite Mr. Jingles' stories include the time he attilT the bottoms of a bag of doughnuts, leaving the frosted tops for his owner; climbing aboard a water softener service truck and only coming down when lured with a breast of turkey sandwich; and climbing an artificiat silk tree and rolling it down a flight of stairs On a sadder note, Mr. Jingles was wounded by a BXt-gun pellet in his shoulder and had his face torn open in as encounter withanepossujiiY '0 Mr.

Jingles, of course, was the subject of a school district-wide writing contest after he ran away from his cabittei's house I while his owner was on Over 825 children entered the "Where Was Mr, Jingles?" writing competition, where numerous prizes were awarded for the most imaginative answers. Mr. Jingles' curiosity may be responsible for his latest esca pade, especially if he climbed into a nearby parked car, truck or van and was driven away from his home. There have been two unconfirmed sightings of Mr. Jingles in the Del Sol area.

His name and Jung's phone number are cn the blue collar he 'a wearing. His owner is ofTering a generous reward for Mr. Jinxes' safe "Having Mr. Jles back will be 'try lt CrLlrr.rj present this year," says Jil-j. "Ar.i I know ho'il juit love UtUnj the or- on my tree.

trU; 3-1 ta nil lil! It impossible ta ct in the heart. a vt Staff photo by Ion Mot "Bulah" shows off her delicate features as she rocks In a doll-size chair. Please see Blankfort: B-3.