School Bus Breakdown
At the Shelter Cove Fire Department, 33 miles from Miranda, Stark releases his last few charges into the gale-blown elements of a raging downpour. Parked parents wait behind windshields nearby.
After a break to stretch, Stark settles back behind the wheel and heads the bus back up the hill, back across Bear Creek, toward a particularly hairy hairpin turn.
“On the way down you can keep the bus in your lane,” he says. “But on the way up you have to look up the hill to make sure no one’s coming, then get in the ‘wrong’ lane and make the turn. And do it slowly.”
At a crawl, he intensely eyeballs the road up ahead. It’s clear, so he takes over the curve’s outside, on-coming lane. A rain-swollen waterfall cascades next to the bus on the uphill bank; and, from around the bend up ahead, a truck comes slowly downhill in the bus’s temporary lane. Everyone’s paying attention, wheels roll into rightful places, and nothing goes wrong.
Later, on a flat stretch near Briceland, Stark pulls over one last time, letting a trailing car pass by. “I hate driving behind buses,” he says.
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Along the Eel River, along the Klamath River, and in rural districts throughout the state, people are getting behind school buses. After the abrupt detour of the triggered cuts, there’s no sign on the road ahead that offers much hope for next year. Communities worry that the impacts of major reductions in school transportation will create a downward spiral:
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on the cover
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Today
44th Annual Kinetic Grand Championship Race
STAFF PICK / events, art, outdoors, sports, for kids, free / 9 a.m.-6 p.m. A 3-day, 42-mile kinetic sculpture race over land, sand, mud and water! LeMans start at the Noon Whistle on the Arcata Plaza. Follow the race through Manila, Eureka and into Ferndale on Memorial Day for the Glorious Finish. kineticgrandchampionship.com. 889-3024.
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STAFF PICK / events / 8 p.m. Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. Student designed and produced clothing. Fundraiser for Arcata Arts Institute. $35/$25 students. artsinstitute.net. 822-1220.
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Lanphere Dunes Restoration
STAFF PICK / outdoors / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet at Pacific Union School. Help remove non-native invasives at the Lanphere Dunes Unit of the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Tools and gloves provided, wear work clothes and bring water. Carpool to the protected site. 444-1397.
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FOUR Comments
Comment / By General Fadi Basem / Feb. 9, 12:52 p.m.
Ten page reloads for one article? Get a “one page” button.
Comment / By Kym Kemp / Feb. 10, 5:19 p.m.
Thank you for this well-written piece—the condensation on the windows and the problems facing rural kids came into focus. Well done.
Comment / By Diamond / Yesterday, 1:57 a.m.
Damnit, I don’t care if it was used in Super Troopers or not. That quote is from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Comment / By local dude / Today, 4:31 p.m.
I was left wondering if all the non taxed income in So Hum contributes to the state of their schools. The article mentioned things like people paying for their kids to ride the bus unless they qualify for free service because of a lack of income. Once again, with a high (no pun intended) percentage of growers in So Hum, their will be many people who qualify as people living in poverty. I just was curious if the lack income tax base adversely affects what the schools receive from the local tax base.