Mr. Sam LaCara, Principle of Schnell School, Placerville, CA...

Sam LaCara passed away on Feb. 2, 2011 at Marshall Hospital after a fatal gunshot wound to the chest**. He is survived by his wife and their three daughters. He will be missed greatly as he left a lasting impression in the minds of many students, parents, staff and community members from his several years at the Placerville Union School District. Mr. LaCara had been principle at Schnell School for eight years after being assistant principal at Markham Middle School in Placerville before that.

Although Mr. LaCara's professional life was in Placerville, he and his wife Lisa lived in Sacramento with their two youngest daughters. The oldest daughter attends college at Brigham Young University-Idaho, according to friends of the family. A representative for LaCara's family issued the following statement Wednesday evening:

The family of Sam LaCara would like to express their gratitude for the outpouring of love and support for their family at this difficult time. Sam will be remembered as a very loving husband and father who was devoted to his wife and 3 daughters. Sam loved his job and especially the children, parents and staff members he worked with on a daily basis. The school children meant the world to him. The family would appreciate privacy as they go through the grieving process at this difficult time.

Reaction:

- Parent Robin Gallemore wrote: When Sam La Cara was killed today, not only the students of Schnell were effected, but the entire community. For many years, Sam served as the Assistant Principal at Markham. For 6 years I would pull in to drop my kids to a smile and a "Hey Gallemore". He was firm but fair. He filled many positions to his students. Then his transfer to Schnell sent excitement through the area because of his reputation. I will pray for his family, the family of his assailant, and the people of Placerville ...

- Lynette Logan, who says she has known Luebbers since childhood, said she is stunned by his arrest. Logan said he and LaCara were very good friends who went golfing most Sundays. She said they even shopped for guns for protection together. "They went together shopping for these recreational weapons and I do believe they both purchased one," Logan said. "They did it together as friends ... not to use those weapons in a disgruntled fashion." Logan added she can't imagine why Luebbers allegedly took such violent action against anyone, let alone his friend.

- Terry Wenig, the superintendent of nearby Buckeye Union School District, wrote to parents: In El Dorado County, we consider all of our schools/districts part of a close knit community. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by this incident. When something like this happens, it causes us all to stop and reflect. Please be assured that the safety of students and staff is our top priority. For this reason, we practice emergency drills throughout the year and constantly update our procedures. A number of factors affect how a child will react to a crisis event. These include how friends, family and teachers are reacting. If they see us expressing our feelings, doing what we can to help others, reaching out to others when we need support and encouragement, children are likely to follow our lead. Perhaps the most important message we have to give our children is to reassure them about their safety and encourage them to share their feelings. Again, our hearts and prayers are with the Placerville community.

- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson stated: "I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Principal LaCara and the students, teachers, staff, and parents of the Schnell Elementary School community in the wake of this tragic loss. "Our schools should be safe havens from guns and violence, and I'm deeply saddened when harm comes to anyone working to educate California's children. I am grateful to the school staff members at Schnell and the public safety officers of Placerville and El Dorado County for quickly securing the campus and keeping the students and teachers safe."

**The shooter, John Luebbers, age 43, a custodian at the school was taken into custody at his residence on Skycrest Drive in El Dorado, CA.

Aromatherapy During Labor...

The use of Aromatherapy and Essential Oils during Labor:
The benefits of aromatherapy during labor are immense. Essential oils can make the experience as pleasant and easy as possible for both the mother and the baby by creating a relaxing, comfortable and stress-free environment for labor. Essential oils diffused in the delivery room will help cleanse the air and provide a familiar and welcoming scent for the baby.

Recommended Oils to be used during childbirth are:

Lavender and Clary Sage are essential oils that promote peace and relaxation. Inhale this oil between contractions for enhanced strength, stamina and endurance levels during delivery.

Labor Massage:As soon as contractions set in, ask your partner or friend to help you with a firm massage onto your lower back.  The combination of aromatherapy and massage will help ease muscular pain and impart a feeling of confidence and reassurance. Have this blend of oils ready at least one week before your due date.

4 oz of carrier oil
8 drops lavender
8 drops clary sage
8 drops geranium
5 drops fennel
5 drops grapefruit

Pour ½ teaspoon of your LABOR BLEND on the palm of the hand and massage the lower back as often as needed. I first discovered the therapeutic benefits of this aromatherapy blend when I gave birth to my son. Ever since, I have been able to help many women cope with pregnancy and delivery.  The results have always been consistent – women have reported a general feeling of well-being and confidence.  The aromatic oils infuse a sense of self-assurance and minimize the pain.  The essential oils in this aromatherapy blend  are helpful because they:

Relieve anxiety and fear

Improve circulation and breathing

Infuse a feeling of “I can do it!”

Provide pain relief

Help induce contractions

The Blogger's Rights re: Privacy of People Blogged About...

Bloggers' FAQ on Privacy & the rights of people in blog postings.

What are private facts?

Private facts are personal details about someone that have not been disclosed to the public. A person's sexual orientation, a sex-change operation, and a private romantic encounter could all be private facts. Once publicly disclosed by that person, however, they move into the public domain.

Can I be sued for publishing somebody else's private facts?

Some jurisdictions allow lawsuits for the publication of private facts. In California, for example, the elements are (1) public disclosure; (2) of a private fact; (3) that is offensive to a reasonable person; and (4) which is not a legitimate matter of public concern. Publication on a blog would generally be considered public disclosure. However, if a private fact is deemed "newsworthy," it may be legal to print it even if it might be considered "offensive to a reasonable person."

What is offensive to a reasonable person?

To state a claim, the plaintiff must show that the matter made public was one that would be offensive and objectionable to a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities. For example, disclosing that the plaintiff returned $240,000 he found on the street was held not to be offensive, but the publication of an "upskirt" photo would likely be found to be offensive to a reasonable person.

How do I know if a private fact is "newsworthy"?

A private fact is newsworthy if some reasonable members of the community could entertain a legitimate interest in it. Courts generally recognize that the public has a legitimate interest in almost all recent events, even if it involves private information about participants, as well as a legitimate interest in the private lives of prominent or notorious figures (such as actors, actresses, professional athletes, public officers, noted inventors, or war heroes). Newsworthiness is not limited to reports of current events, but extends to articles for the purposes of education, amusement, or enlightenment. However, a court may look at whether the private fact is pertinent to an otherwise newsworthy story.

What is "intrusion into seclusion"?

Intrusion into seclusion occurs when you intrude upon the solitude or seclusion of another person or his private affairs or concerns, if the intrusion would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. It generally comes up in the context of paparazzi photographing celebrities, but covers any reasonable expectation of privacy that is intruded upon. If the person intruded upon gave you consent to do it —i.e., gave you permission to take his picture or write about him —then you have a defense against this claim. Interception of an electronic communication (i.e., an email or IM chat) can raise additional legal issues, such as federal wiretap laws.

Support bloggers' rights by spreading the word!

You Have the Right to Blog Anonymously. EFF has fought for your right to speak anonymously on the Internet, establishing legal protections in several states and federal jurisdictions, and developing technologies to help you protect your identity. With your support, EFF can continue to defend this right, conducting impact litigation to establish strict standards to unmask an anonymous critic in more jurisdictions.

You Have the Right to Keep Sources Confidential. In Apple v. Does, EFF is fighting to establish the reporter's privilege for online journalists before the California courts. With your support, EFF can defend news bloggers from subpoenas seeking the identity of confidential sources in more jurisdictions.

You Have the Right to Make Fair Use of Intellectual Property. In OPG v. Diebold, Diebold, Inc., a manufacturer of electronic voting machines, had sent out copyright cease-and-desist letters to ISPs after internal documents indicating flaws in their systems were published on the Internet. EFF established the publication was a fair use. With your support, EFF can help fight to protect bloggers from frivolous or abusive threats and lawsuits.

You have the Right to Allow Readers' Comments Without Fear. In Barrett v. Rosenthal, EFF is working to establish that Section 230, a strong federal immunity for online publishers, applies to bloggers. With your support, EFF can continue to protect bloggers from liability for comments left by third parties.

You Have the Right to Protect Your Server from Government Seizure. In In re Subpoena to Rackspace. EFF successfully fought to unveil a secret government subpoena that had resulted in more than 20 Independent Media Center (Indymedia) news websites and other Internet services being taken offline. With your support, EFF can hold the government accountable for investigations that cut off protected speech.

You Have the Right to Freely Blog about Elections. EFF has advocated for the sensible application of Federal Election Commission rules to blogs that comment on political campaigns. With your support, EFF can continue to protect political blogs from onerous campaign regulations.

You Have the Right to Blog about Your Workplace. EFF has educated bloggers on their rights to blog about their workplace and developed technologies to help anonymous whistle bloggers. With your support, EFF can help shape the law to protect workplace bloggers from unfair retaliation.

You Have the Right to Access as Media. EFF has educated bloggers on their right to access public information, attend public events with the same rights as mainstream media, and how to blog from public events. With your support, EFF can fight for bloggers' right to access as media.