Housing, mental health top priorities for tornado survivors

Even weeks after a devastating tornado swept through several towns neighboring Central, survivors of the twister are still picking up the pieces of their lives.

Many of those who lived were left with only the clothing on their backs and what they could salvage from the destroyed skeletons of their homes.  While some areas were spared or just barely touched by the disaster, others were entirely obliterated.  Images of the later evoke thoughts of the recent tidal wave which created an international crisis in Japan, a chilling reminder that disasters can strike anywhere.

Emotional Health Services, an organization based in Los Angeles which provides free mental health services to victims of crimes and disasters has set up a temporary branch just outside of Central to provide care for any survivors seeking help.  EMS board member Mary Landerson told the Central Times in a phone interview, "We have counselors, psychiatrists and psychologists on staff at our Central-area location, ready to help any of the affected who need our assistance in dealing with this tragedy."

One survivor who had come to Central after the tornado admitted that running a club in Central High was the only thing keeping him from turning to drugs to deal with the loss of his home.  His words serve as a reminder of how important mental health services are for those who have lost everything in this disaster.

Perhaps one of the few things more important than dealing with grief and trauma from the tornado is finding a place to live.  Even after the real estate bubble popped in 2007, home prices in Central continued to rise, meaning that survivors without much money may have trouble finding housing or even rebuilding their own homes.

To help, the state of California has kicked in $5 million in housing assistance for those whose homes were destroyed in the disaster, allowing families to find temporary housing in Central and other towns.  Several apartment complexes are advertising in force and many have filled up already, leaving fewer and fewer options every day.

Help for tornado victims is available in many forms from government funds to smaller local groups and funds, showing that Central and California can pull together to help those in need.

Welcome!

Hi there Centralites!

When I was asked to take over as the new editor of Central High's newspaper, I was shocked.  Honored, of course, but shocked.  In the storied history of our school a Sophomore has never been editor of the paper and being considered skilled enough to not only write but trusted to edit the articles of other students is a huge honor for me.

If you don't know me already, I'm Shelby Vaughn.  I was one of the founding members of Merton Middle School's paper, The Merton Review, and served as their editor in eighth grade.  That paper is still going strong two years later and while I'm not the founder of our good paper here, I hope to continue the storied and incredible history of the Central Times.  I've also helped bring it into a new digital format, as you know if you're reading this.  School budget cuts may have slashed our print version but it's offered an incredible chance to gain experience in the new digital age.

We already have an amazing lineup of writers and columnists but we're still seeking more.  You don't have to be a member of the Newspaper Club to write for us - just send in a story and we'll see to having it edited and published.  If you're not a great writer but still want to contribute, that's fine!  Please come to our office in the East Wing and post an idea onto our leads board so our writers can cover it.  We welcome just about anything, from school events to fashion tips and much, much more, so please make a contribution.

What are we planning to do now?  I'm hoping the paper can put together a fundraiser for the victims of the recent tornado disaster which destroyed several neighboring towns.  Many of the survivors have nothing but the clothes on their backs left and need our help.

As always, I welcome letters to the editor and will be publishing them as they come along.  Any letters can be sent here.

Here's to our future as a school, a community and a paper!