Santa Maria Times from Santa Maria, California • 46

10-B Sunday, Sept. 30, 1984, Santa Maria, Timtt se preocupa por la juventud Policia C-j lla ha oTdo las acu- sadonet del juventi antes lla die que pfbWe las oytra an I future. "Tu no sates lo que es vfvlr en ml vecindad," dice el juvenll "usted nuca a tenido las problemas que yo tengo." Ella tambiln dijo que se 'preocupa por los Jovenes que tiene que arrestrar que tlene que Interrogar has UtsM a ayudarlea. "Les dijo, 'Cren que es chlstoso ahora pero esperanse hasta que estan mayores va ser muy deficit para urted van a desear que nuca se metieron en ella dijo. propk.

EUa dijo que sus experlencias de su Juventud comfetaado con su habiWad Wlingue le. han ayudado en su trabajo. Sus pericias su saber tambien le han ayudado mejor entender las problemas de la poblacion de Latinos en Santa Barbara. "Nunca olvidando de donde yo soy es la cosa que ma's me a ayudado en mi empleo," Funaro dijo. "Al mismo tiempo que no mf quieren estos jovenes, porque no quieren a ninguno policfa, ellos mfrespetan.

Ellos saben que yo ha pasado por la mismas cosas las mismas situaciones que ellos se hallan en. A veces, ella esplico, la mandan a ella a interrogar a juveniles Latinos a interpreter para sus superiores cuando estan trabajando en un caso. Por causa de su talento bilingiie, asf como actuacion en su empleo, ha tenido buen e'xito Funaro. tratar con, Funaro ha dejado sus experlencias trabajar por ella yna contra fla. "Ye entre a ste trsbajo de pollcfa porque ye crela que vo pod fa ser un of iclal que dara a todos la misma oportunidad, dijo Funaro que tiene 25 anbs de edad.

Una agente, de policia para la cludad de Santa Barbara, Funaro dijo que una de sus funclones es patrullar las ve-cinldades pobres de la cludad, donde hay grande poblacidn Latina. Funaro, cuyos. apellido de soltera' era Lopez, vivio'en una "vecinidad correoso" en Santa Maria durante su juventude. Ella dijo que aunque ha veces iba por mal camino, nunca de vista del hecho que tenia que trabajar con la sistema para mejorarse a ella misma. Trabajando de policia ha ayudado Funaro realizar no solo su meta de ser la ley ma's justa para toda la gente, pero-tambien a dejado que ella haga ma's firms su amor Youth experiences assist officer ---Vv 4- 1 Pero Flora Isabel Funaro solo vuelve su cabeza de un lado a otro cuaodo oye las aousaclones det juventi porque ella sfha tendto tot mismos problemas durante su juven-tude.

A dlferencia de unos de los juveniles que ha tenido que why we have to work hard against it." The survey of California voters showed that among those who have heard of Proposition 38 which declares English to be the state's common language and requires Gov. George Deukeme-, aian to lobby for a cnange in it and 13 percent are opposed. Of the other "tour evil propositions" as Chaves called them are propositions 36, 39 and 41. Prop. 36 calls, for a $1.7 billion refund to one-third of the state's property owners and imposes severe restrictions on the ability of local government to increase taxes and fees.

Text: Jesse Chavarria Photo: Brad Bisquera "Algunas veces veo algunos de los riinos que ha interro-gado ellos mf hablan. Mu-chas veces tienen mas edad han mejorado de conducta. Me dicen, 'Usted tenia razon, yo deseo que nunca me a metido en "Pero," Funaro dijo, "otras veces veo a ninbs que no han mejorado. "Solo puedo hacer tanto," ella dijo. vance on the job, her four-year career has been successful.

Funaro said that, at times, she- worries about the youngsters she arrests or has to interrogate, and she said' she tries to reach out to them. "I tell them 'You may think it is funny now, but wait until you get older, it's going to be hard and you are going to wish you never got into she said. She added, "Sometimes, I see some of the kids and they come up to me. They are usually a little older and have mended their ways and they say, 'You were right I wish I had never gotten into "But," Fifnaro I see kids who don't change and they get worse. "You can only do so much," Funaro said.

Hurricane Norbert hit the Baja California sula.wiping out two small fishing villages, leaving peoplehomeless and nine fisherman lost at seafa lewspaperJeportecLIhurs- day. Hurricane Norbert bashed the coast of Baja California Wednesday with winds of 90 mph, capsizing the boat of nine men fishing for lobster and destroying 90 percent of construction in two fishing villages, officials said. She said her knowledge of street life and her bilingual background have helped her perform her duties and gain insight into problems that exist, in the Latino areas of Santa Barbara. "I think never forgetting where I have come from has helped me the most in my job," Funaro said. Often she is sent to interrogate Latino juveniles or is asked to act as an interpreter for superiors when they are working on a case.

"At the same time some of these kids may hate my guts, because they hate all cops, they also respect me because they kriow I've gone through thelsame thing they are going through," she said. As a result of her bilingual talents as well as her perform- 1 POLICE officer Flora Isabel Funaro has experienced the harsh side to Latino juvenile life. TimesBrad Bisquera 'Four evil' measures attacked by Chavez (3 he has heard the Latino juvenile's story before and she knows she will hear it again. 'You don't know what it's like to live in my she says in repeating the accusation. 'You've never had to put up with the problems I But Flora Isabel Funaro can shake her head to such arguments because she had to face the same problems during her adolescence.

However, unlike some the juveniles she has to deal with, she has let those experiences work for her. "I got into police work because I felt that I could be the type of officer that would give everyone a fair chance," said the 25-year-old Funaro. As police officer for the City of Santa Barbara, Fuanro patrols low-income neighborhoods of that city where there is a concentration of Latinos. Funaro, whose maiden name was Lopez, grew up in what she describes as a "rough neighborhood" in Santa Maria's northwest side. She said that, although there cence lead her astray, she never lost sight of the fact that she had to work with the system in order to better herself.

Becoming a police officer allowed her to accomplish not only her goal of making sure all people are treated fairly, but the career has also built up her self-esteem. News from Mexico SAN JOSE (UPJ) United Farm Workers union leader Cesar Chavez has launched a campaign to -unite Latino voters against four "evil propositions" on the November ballot. The campaign, spearheaded Dy tne. newiy tormea nispan-ics say 'No' Committee," is dealina with bilinaual ballots welfare cuts, reapportionment and the Howard Jarvis initia- tiuo tr Hnco pniirt-imnnsed "loopholes" in Propositon 13, which passed in 1978,: "I'm not surprised" by a California Poll indicating wide disfavor for bilingual ballots, Chaves said after a short news conference last week. "That's MEXICO CITY (UPI) -Damages to Mexican crops resulting from weeks "of heavy rains and hurricanes could reach $60 a government agricultural in sura nee company sat Thursday.

The principal crops that suffered damages are corn, beans, wheat, rice and sorghum, said Manuel Torres Partida, director of the company. 'MEXICO CITY (UPI).