Pacifica Riptide

And Bush Still Can't Find Osama bin Laden

STOP GOP
“The Bush answer to our oil shortage was to make war in the region we most need to make friends with, and gasoline prices soared. He wrongly reduced taxes on the rich, and disastrously borrows $10 billion a month to finance his [meaningless] wars. In response to rising crime rates, the Bush-appointed Supreme Court [majority] permanently misinterpreted the Constitution to encourage private gun ownership. The Bush mismanagement of the home-loan industry hurt both borrowers and lenders, and is now spreading to taxpayers to bail out the mess. And Bush still can’t find Osama bin Laden.” (Jim Heldberg, Pacifica Democrats newsletter editor)

Happy Birthday, Bob Pilgrim!

"The picture was taken by Stella's younger sister at Crystal Springs Lake during the summer of 1958. I look in the mirror now & wonder who I'm looking at; life goes on." (Bob Pilgrim)

Stella and Bob Pilgrim are longtime Pacifica residents, active in the arts and politics. Bob celebrated his 76th birthday on July 21, 2008. Happy birthday, Bob, from all of us at Pacifica Riptide!

Opinion: Potemkin Village

At the July 14, 2008, Pacifica City Council meeting, council voted 3-2 to move oral communications to after the public hearing section of future council agendas. Council members Hinton, DeJarnatt, and Lancelle voted yes and Mayor Vreeland and council member Digre voted no. A second motion to bring this action back for reconsideration at the first meeting in September passed unanimously. The change will mean a longer wait for anyone wishing to speak to the council on any item not on the agenda when there is a public hearing scheduled. As it was, oral communications did not start until almost 9 p.m. during the July 14 meeting.

During oral communications, the first speaker attempted to address this issue and was shut down immediately by the mayor for the technically correct reason that the item was already on the agenda. But the item was about oral communications specifically, and this represented the last time that members of the public could expect to speak at a reasonable and predictable time during council meetings.

The following is a letter written by my wife, a journalist with 30 years’ experience in covering meetings of public agencies, including city councils. I cosigned this letter but was not allowed to read it during oral communications:

Members of the City Council:

I want to register my strong opposition to moving oral communications to near the bottom of the City Council agenda, as recommended by the city manager.

Any reasonable person who has been present at recent council meetings, or who's watched them on video, as I have done, knows there's a problem with one individual who insists on being disruptive. But this proposal is not a reasonable—or fair, or even necessarily effective—solution to the problem. The city manager's Draconian solution would deprive the rest of us of the chance to publicly address matters of concern not on the agenda. And let's be honest: That will be the result of this change, because most of us can't stick around for an indeterminate amount of time on a Monday night to have our three minutes at the podium.

The appropriate reaction to bad behavior that results in the disruption of the council's business is to be more resolute in demanding that the offender stop being disruptive, and more prompt in calling for the police chief or his stand-in to remove him from the chambers if he continues. You've had to do it before; you can continue doing it. It's the fair and responsible thing to do.

To take the action being proposed would be a gutting of the democratic process, and would kill a long, valuable tradition followed by most, if not all, cities and special districts: allowing the public a forum to speak directly to you, our elected representatives, at a reasonable and predictable time—near the beginning of each meeting.

In addition to the proposal itself, I'm also protesting the maneuver of placing this important item at the end of the council agenda. To my knowledge, there has been no public discussion of this proposal, at least recently, and to take it up at the end of the night's business smells bad. Frankly, I was shocked and disgusted by this maneuver, and profoundly disappointed in the city manager and this council.

Please don't undermine the public process in this town. Dump this proposal where it belongs.

RENEE BATTI
LIONEL EMDE

Democracy by the Sea

Liberte! Egalite! Fraternite! In the spirit of democracy, revolution, and good French bread, all red-blooded citizens should attend Pacifica City Council meetings on Monday evenings. City Council chambers are in the old wastewater treatment plant across from the Sharp Park fishing pier. Go there around 7 p.m. to see something like democracy in action. This council, with its environmentalist majority that many of us have helped elect and re-elect, finds itself embroiled in various controversies that you may have read about here on Riptide and in the Tribune: Rockaway Quarry, Whole Energy Fuels, Pacifica Biodiesel, Peebles Corporation, Coastside Scavenger, Realtors, developers, tree huggers, unruly speakers, podium karaoke, mayhem, chaos, scandal, melodrama, and all of it broadcast live on Pacifica Community Television cable channel 26 (great for those of us who like to watch at home and then zip over to the meeting when needed).

JOHN MAYBURY

July Is "Love Your Enemy" Month in Pacifica

I am a little behind the curve since I decided I enjoy gardening a whole lot more than "virtual reality." But I did want to comment on the discussion about the painfully unproductive fighting that goes on in my hometown of Pacifica. In the past few years I have literally gone way out of my way and my comfort zone to try to blur the lines between the supposedly warring  "Pro" and "Anti" development "camps," so much so that I created suspicion in my own green "camp."

I spent months working closely with developers, including Don Peebles, Rick Lee, and Stuart Newton, with varying degrees of success and civility, but always with best intentions and desire to find middle ground, hoping to help create a model for cooperative dialog. I also have been trying to develop a project that I hoped would be a bridge and to find support from both pro-development and green advocates: the biodiesel facility in the parking lot of the Calera Creek wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).

Where has it gotten me/us? Well, I'm very tired and I have a few healthier relationships I may not have otherwise had. There are four or five individuals and the above-named developers that I can now have a meaningful conversation and friendly exchange with (except maybe Mr. Peebles because he has filed a claim against the city). But other than that, the battle lines are so ingrained that each of the developers I worked with (at their request) said to me that they were shocked at how much hatred some people expressed at the mention of my name (these were people whom I had mostly never even met or spoken with).

One person told me of being scared and intimidated to speak to me because of hearing such horrible things about me. Now we laugh about it because it is obvious that I am just a bumbling, insecure, overly sensitive human being like everyone else, just trying to do my best to be honest and loyal to my passionate love of the earth and desire for its protection.

Some people on the "other side" kind of freak me out, too, but I have always put my hand out and been willing to talk. Sadly, they have canceled meetings at the last minute and other people flat out refused to speak to me, while others were shunned and mistrusted in their "camp" for having the heart to engage with me beyond their borders. I have been getting semi-frequent visits and calls from someone who is supposedly an "enemy" and I am forbidden to ever mention it because this person does not want to be ostracized from the group this person belongs to.

It's all just plain ol' human prejudice fueled by fear and a desire for power that we think will protect a cherished way of life. We all are vulnerable to our lower nature, which would have us behave badly toward anyone we feel threatened by or do not see as "like-minded." This happens to many others I know, but I share my own experience to show how unwell and blindly determined we have become.

We all probably regret how we have spoken to someone sometime in the past. It is NEVER too late to apologize. What if we decide that July is "Love Your Enemy" month in Pacifica? Take someone you are afraid of or think you strongly disagree with out to lunch or a walk on the beach, and try to get to know and understand that person a bit.

I believe we are called to evolve beyond this idiocy. Love or perish, that is where we are. Call me at 650-359-2073 if you want to have lunch/drinks/a pie fight/a good cry/a good laugh (no anonymous, nasty phone messages, please). It would make a great story if nothing else, and might build a lasting desire to be kinder, try harder, and do better.

NANCY HALL

Pelosi Names Speier to Top Watchdog Committee

Washington, D.C. – Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday that Peninsula Congresswoman Jackie Speier will join the House of Representative’s top watchdog and investigative body. “Congresswoman Jackie Speier will draw on her wealth of experience as a powerful voice and a tireless advocate for her constituents and the American people as the newest member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee,” Speaker Pelosi said.

Led by outspoken Chairman Henry Waxman of Los Angeles, the committee has jurisdiction to investigate any federal program and any matter with federal policy implications. Within the past month, they have examined the White House policy of deleting sensitive e-mails, examined the toxicity of FEMA trailers provided after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, subpoenaed the Attorney General for transcripts of the FBI’s interview with Vice President Cheney about the leak of CIA agent Valerie Plame’s identity, and called for the declassification of documents concerning US military bases in Iraq.

“Since taking charge in 2007, Chairman Waxman has worked diligently to hold the administration, federal contractors, and Congress itself accountable for how it does the people’s business and spends taxpayer’s money,” Rep. Speier said. “I am honored to join his committee and can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and work with Congressman Waxman and the other members to help root out waste, fraud and corruption in the federal government.”

While in the California legislature, Speier chaired the Senate Select Committee on Government Oversight.  Under her leadership, the committee uncovered tens of millions of dollars of fraudulent charges within the state prison system, investigated the rampant misuse of state vehicles and encouraged whistleblowers throughout state government to come forward without fear of retribution.

Jackie Speier is also a member of the House Committee on Financial Services. Because it is an “exclusive” committee, its members usually get only one assignment, so the Congresswoman requested a waiver to get an additional appointment.  ]“I’m grateful that Speaker Pelosi has allowed me to serve on this committee. I take all of my responsibilities in Congress very seriously, and while this additional assignment will mean more work and longer hours for me and my staff, I know that we are all up to the task. Throughout my campaign, voters demanded better accountability in government. I am now in a position to help push in that direction."

BARBARA ARIETTA





                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Join New Pacifica MoveOn.org Local Council

SIGN UP FOR PACIFICA LOCAL COUNCIL HERE

The home page has a "search" facility. Enter the zip code plus search to get to the list of local councils, then there is a JOIN button to punch. Follow instructions from there. And welcome to the Pacifica local council of MoveOn. Our first public action was July 9 at Highway 1 and Linda Mar. We let motorists know that we support an oil-free White House with President Obama and no oil drilling on our coast. We look forward to organizing future events and activities with your help. Sign up today.

Pacifica Resource Center Advisory Board

WANTED: PACIFICA RESOURCE CENTER ADVISORY BOARD VOLUNTEERS

Pacifica Resource Center, a project of the Tides Center, provides emergency assistance to families in need. Just during 2007, this community-based nonprofit charity helped more than 1,000 Pacificans with food, utilities, and rent, as part of the countywide core service agency network.  This is truly “neighbors helping neighbors,” and a safety net for lower-income and special-needs residents of Pacifica. Resource Center advisory board comprises committed volunteers from the community who serve as advocates for the center and help with fundraising in close cooperation with center staff. Advisory board meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p,m. If you would like to find out more about being an advisory board member, please call 650-738-7470 or email pat@pacresourcecenter.org for an application.

Opinion: Keep Oral Communications First

Item No. 15 on the City Council’s July 14 agenda—the last item on the agenda—is a shocker: The staff is asking the council to approve moving oral communications to the last item on the agenda. I think we can safely assume that the maneuver is an attempt to thwart the person who’s been disrupting the meetings with his bad behavior. Some people may even sympathize with the council and city staff for considering this ploy. But I don’t. In fact, I think it’s outrageous.

The oral communications segment of the council meeting is designed to give the public—that’s you and me—the chance to talk about any issue that’s not on the agenda. It’s an item that is traditionally scheduled near the beginning of public meetings—in all cities and all special districts—before other council business, because those items can go on and on and on. And most people can’t stick around until midnight to have their three minutes at the podium.

Moving our opportunity to address the council to the end of the agenda would be a slap in the public’s face and a blow to the democratic process. We need to contact council members and let them know this maneuver is not acceptable. And the sneaky maneuver on the part of city staff to place consideration of such an important matter at the end of the agenda is shameful.

RENEE BATTI

Pacificans Fight the Power: No Oil Here or in D.C.

Nicki Godwin joined the rally Wednesday for No Drilling on Our Coast. Then she shot these photos of some of the people who took an hour out of their day to speak up for our environment and for a petroleum-free president.

More Images from No-Drill Rally in Pacifica

Photos by Alex

Pacifica Peace People & MoveOn Join Hands

Bill Collins photo

MoveOn/Riptide/Pacifica Peace: No Drilling Here

Enid Emde (above) and 20 other concerned citizens rallied July 9 at the busy intersection of Highway 1 and Linda Mar to tell rush hour motorists to oppose oil drilling on our coast and oil gouging in our White House. Pacifica Riptide and MoveOn co-hosted the rally, with the support and participation of Pacifica Peace People. (John Maybury took it with his BlackBerry.)

Letter to Canada: Let War Resisters Stay

COURAGE TO RESIST Info: Adam Seibert, 510-488-3559, courage@riseup.net

On June 3, the Canadian Parliament passed a historic motion to officially welcome war resisters! But it now appears that the Conservative government may disregard the motion. Iraq combat veteran turned courageous war resister, 25-year-old Sgt. Corey Glass of the Indiana National Guard, is still scheduled to be deported July 10. We will ask that the Canadian government respect the democratic decision of Parliament, the demonstrated opinion of the Canadian citizenry, the view of the United Nations, and millions of Americans, by immediately
implementing the motion and cease deportation proceedings against Corey Glass and other current and future war resisters. Join Courage to Resist, Veterans for Peace, and Project Safe Haven at Canadian Consulates across the United States. We mailed and delivered more than 10,000 of the original letters to Canadian officials. Please sign the new letter, "Dear Canada: Abide by the resolution. Let U.S. war resisters stay!" LETTER TO CANADA

Progressive Book Club

PROGRESSIVE BOOK CLUB

Guantanamo West?

Hello, John:

I was down at the beach this a.m. and the pen is coming down. My neighbor is a former police officer, and he said it was a temporary jail for Fourth of July detainees. Don't know what the kiosk is all about.

And speaking of fences, have you looked at the work being done at Terra Nova? The field is gorgeous, but they are putting up so much cyclone fencing around it, it looks like a prison exercise yard. All that's missing is razor wire and a guard tower.

DOLORES DE CABEZA

Annual Armageddon

I sympathize with our overwhelmed, understaffed police and fire departments, which tried to cope with Fourth of July scofflaws setting off illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July. The $1,000 fine apparently was little deterrent. I phoned and emailed several reports of illegal fireworks, but it didn't seem to do any good. Were any tickets written? Was anyone cited? I thank Lionel Emde and the other fireworks task force members for their hard work to prevent this annual Armageddon, but clearly it was not enough. I don't know what the answer is. Maybe Deadeye Dick Cheney could come here next year and supervise our fiasco with his blunderbuss.

JOHN MAYBURY
Editor and Publisher
Pacifica Riptide

$1,000 Fine for Illegal Fireworks in Pacifica

BY LIONEL EMDE
Riptide Correspondent

Pacifica City Council recently passed a revised set of ordinances governing sale and use of legal fireworks (commonly known as "Safe & Sane") and stiffening penalties for illegal fireworks. The new fine for using illegal fireworks is "a misdemeanor and shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 and/or 6 months in jail."

The newly revised laws are the work of the Fireworks Task Force assisted by city staff. (Full disclosure: This writer is a member of the task force.) Pacifica citizens and fireworks industry representatives participated in a series of meetings, with Pacifica Police Chief Jim Saunders acting as chair/facilitator/city liaison.

Pacifica police, firefighters, and additional law enforcement will be out on the streets in record numbers for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, enforcing the new law. The task force, appointed by City Council to deal with increasingly out-of-control "celebrations" of July 4th, represents a last-ditch effort to prevent loss of life and property damage caused by the dangerous combination of pyrotechnics and alcohol.

The extent of the problem was detailed in a report written by Pacifica Police about enforcement during the July 4, 2007 holiday: "...we have seen normal law-abiding citizens use alcohol, handle dangerous explosives and then turn on the police officers when they try to intervene. In fact, supervisors have ordered officers out of a particular area because we could not safely enter and deal with the violator(s). ...All in all we were overwhelmed with the calls for service, the number of 'hot spots' and the lack of cooperation by the citizens. This was one of the worst years I have experienced in Pacifica in the 26 years I have been on the police department."   

Nonprofit community groups make money selling legal fireworks every year, and their voice on the task force was ably represented by Terra Nova football coach Bill Gray. Gray revealed that over time his group has been able to reduce fireworks income to 25 percent of total fundraising revenues, but that he and others have not been able to come up with a substitute for the present amount generated by fireworks sales.

Phone in tips about illegal fireworks to Pacifica Police non-emergency numbers 650-738-7314 or 650-738-7312. During the July 4th holiday weekend, the city Web site might be a faster way to notify police. Click CITY OF PACIFICA  and look under the "Department" heading. Click "Police" in the left column under "Contact Information," then click "Online Tip Form."   

Michael Pollan: Don't Give Up

Do you feel it's a waste of time trying to prevent climate change? That reducing your carbon footprint is pointless when someone else is happy to increase  theirs? That changing light bulbs is a futile gesture? Well, don't give up, says Michael Pollan, because even small changes in your lifestyle—and your thinking—can help save the world. Click the link below to read Pollan's essay in the Guardian (thoughtfully forwarded to Riptide by Annabel Parker).

DON'T GIVE UP

Pete McCloskey Peppers Pacifica Democrats

Pete McCloskey, former Peninsula Republican Congressman turned thorn in the side of Republicans, gave a characteristically peppery and candid talk to the Pacifica Democrats on June 21.

McCloskey said the term “politics” comes from “politic,” meaning “not to offend.” “So how can you be honest if you’re worried about that?” he asked. It’s apparent that McCloskey isn’t worried about offending anyone, and has lost none of his passion for politics, although he abandoned the GOP a year ago because he said he “can’t stand the bastards.”

Two years ago, McCloskey ran for Congress against Richard Pombo of Stockton, rabidly anti-environment chair of the House Energy and Resources Committee, weakening the incumbent in the GOP primary. Pombo was defeated in the general election. “Taking on Pombo may have been the best thing I’ve ever done,” McCloskey said, noting that Speaker Nancy Pelosi now hugs him in appreciation.

He said that it’s essential to elect “every Democrat we can” to give President Obama the Congress he needs to “reverse the damages.” McCloskey challenged the audience to travel to competitive districts to help Democrats Charlie Brown in CD 4 and Jerry McNerney in CD 11, who defeated Pombo and will be targeted by the Republicans for defeat. When a woman complained that both parties are disappointing, McCloskey shot back, “What are you doing about it?”

McCloskey opined that: “Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto is a first-rate Congresswoman and Jackie Speier will be one, too”; President George H. W. Bush was “a great guy, but his son’s an idiot”; and former House Republican Leader Tom DeLay “was one of the greatest crooks of all time.”

McCloskey said that combat veterans become pacifists. He also endorsed public financing of election campaigns. McCloskey still practices law and farms, but he said he’s moving to New Mexico to help elect Mark Udall to Congress.

SAMOS

Great News: Aerial Spraying Program Bugs Out!

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Former Mayor Peter Loeb Gets First Hate Call

After former mayor Peter Loeb wrote a letter to the editor of the Pacifica Tribune last week (see below), he received a crank call on his home phone answering machine. Listen to it by clicking Download lte_hate_call.mp3 or you can read the transcript by scrolling down past Peter's letter to the editor here:

"Horse laugh" test

Editor—Let me get this straight: Peebles Corp. filed a claim against Pacifica because the city did NOT fill in and grade over wetlands and habitat in the quarry. It's a reverse Half Moon Bay, with a back flip. The lawyers must have spent a lot of late nights coming up with this one. Nice try, but it doesn't pass the horse laugh test.

The claim letter says it wasn't until February of this year that they "discovered that portions of the flatlands remain wet and poorly drained long after rainfall" and that water is "ponding in those areas." Well, duh.

The wetlands are well-known and documented. They're in the Trammell Crow EIR, and known to the previous owner and to the California Coastal Commission, the California Department of Fish and Game, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and just about anybody who ever took a look at the land. If Peebles Corp. "recently discovered" the wetlands, they haven't been paying attention.

As the Tribune article points out, they have to say it was recently discovered or the statute of limitations would bar the claim. But if the conditions were only recently discovered, that means they didn't do their due diligence when they bought the land. Whose fault is that?

It strains credibility that Peebles did not know about the wetlands. All those presentations and promises and pretty pictures, but they never looked at the land? Well over a million dollars spent on an election to approve 355 housing units in the quarry, but they never considered the condition of the land?

Peebles must have assumed he could get around state and federal regulations about wetlands and habitat when he bought the land. The claim looks like a legalistic ploy to do just that.

Peter Loeb
Rockaway Beach

-------------------------

Peter adds, in a note to friends:

I've been writing letters to the Trib for 30 or more years. Tonight when I got home I was treated to my first ever LTE hate call on my answer machine. Thing is, the voice sounds familiar. I'm wondering if any of you who have been to too many Council  meetings recognize it. Not that it matters - I'm just curious. Also, I can't figure out the last thing that he says. I've attached an mp3 file if you care to hear it. Most people's computers can play an mp3. If you can't or don't want to bother, but you're the slightest bit curious about what he said, here's a transcript:

"Hey, Peter Loeb, I read your article in the paper and y’know something, once again you’ve proven that, I thought you were a lot more of a higher intelligence kind of species considering that you’re a dirt eater and a surfer from Pathetica, California. But this article about Peebles is just, that’s pathetic and you’re really steppin’ down if you’re actually a higher level of intelligence.  And I can’t believe  that you put that stuff in the newspaper, man, ‘cause, y’know, Peebles has 20 times the amount of money than you could ever think of having and the power. And this is gonna change. And it’s too bad that your, um, you and some of these other people out here in Pathetica are so stupid to just keep trying to write that stuff in the newspaper." [Last sentence is unintelligible.]

Graffiti Busters to the Rescue: Can You Help?

I was considering hosting a "Graffiti Removal Party" sometime, perhaps next weekend, depending on work schedule. Not so much for the labor, but more for creating awareness. Plus, I need to do some research. If possible, I would like to avoid the use of harsh chemicals on the living trees. If you know anyone with ideas, I'm open.

CHRIS OBERMEYER
Vallemar

Please send referrals/suggestions to Chris in care of editor@pacificariptide.com

Forever Frank: Emperor Winston Stonewalls

In the interest of national security, Frank Winston tells us that he can neither confirm nor deny that he has been declared Emperor of Pacifica in perpetuity.

Richard Holober: One campaign ends, the campaign for justice continues

June 4, 2008
Greetings!

We are waiting to learn how many absentee ballots were turned in at polling places on Election Day. County elections officials will count these late absentee votes over the next couple of days. They will likely reflect the same candidate preferences as Election Day voters, who gave Jerry Hill a narrow edge over me. It is certain that these uncounted late absent votes will not erase the 2400 vote gap that separated me from my opponents among early absentee votes.

Last night I called Jerry Hill to congratulate him on his apparent win, and to pledge my commitment to work constructively with him on the tough issues that our community faces.

We knew from the beginning that my major challenge was to introduce myself to voters and to tell them my story. We accomplished that by Election Day, but not in time to compete successfully for the vote by mail ballots that were cast as we were just starting to get our message out.

Friends are asking me what I would do next. My answer is simple: I'll keep on fighting for justice.  My life has been a series of campaigns, on occasion for candidates, but mostly for the same issues that were my focus in this race - building a society that honors and rewards hard working people, that educates our children, that supports the disadvantaged, that decides once and for all that health care is a human right, that protects our civil liberties, and that provides wise stewardship over the planet.

I am very proud of the campaign that we ran. We kept our message positive. We went toe-to-toe with two well known and better funded candidates. We proved that progressive politics is alive and well on the Peninsula.

My hope is that we will continue to build on the spirit of this campaign - and create a strong and independent progressive presence on the Peninsula - one that is not based on any candidate, but on the issues. I welcome your ideas on how to move forward.

During the campaign we had tremendous support from hundreds of volunteers, donors and individual and organizational endorsers. My supporters are too numerous to name. These include many in the labor movement, environmental leaders, teachers, nurses, school employees, union members in many trades, educators, consumer attorneys, parents, students, community leaders and Democratic and progressive activists.  In the days ahead, I will try my best to thank each of you personally.

I am blessed to have a wonderful family. Nadia, Reuben and Evan stood by me and encouraged me during many many grueling months.  My sister Peggy, and Nadia's parents Laura and Tony were tremendously supportive.

Dominic Chan, our campaign manager, Rob Dickinson, our field director, and my son Reuben who took off from college to volunteer full time on everything, were a fabulous campaign team, performing superbly with an amazing work ethic and highly professional skills.

My consultant Steve Barkan, of SG Campaigns, created the best campaign mail to tell my story to the voters, and he provided rapid responses to attacks pieces against me that were funded by Philip Morris, Chevron and Blue Cross, among others.

This summer and fall, we have big tasks ahead of us - electing Barack Obama, defeating a ballot measure that would deprive gay and lesbian Californians of equal rights, protecting the Coastal Act, and insisting that Sacramento provide the funding we need for our schools and health and human services. I will continue to focus on my duties as your elected Trustee and President of the San Mateo County Community College District, which is a gem in our public higher education system.

Thank you to all of you who participated in this campaign. I am fortunate to have so many wonderful friends and allies. Sincerely, 

Richard Holober

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Search Engines

We all love a good fight, don't we? Just look at the Pacifica Tribune letters to the editor or the Recent Comments here on the left side of Pacifica Riptide. Lots of angry gnashing of teeth and foaming at the mouth. Believe it or not, half of what you read in our Comments section ends up on the cutting-room floor, because I have always preached and practiced from the beginning a strict philosophy of NO NAME CALLING and NO PERSONAL ATTACKS. I especially believe that is important for those of us who live and work together disharmoniously here in Pacifica. We all agree to disagree, whether we be journalists or carpenters, secret agents or real estate agents, developers or environmentalists, renters or homeowners, teachers or students, plumbers or planners, commuters or retirees, artists or merchants, parents or children, atheists or believers—whatever (please don't be offended if I mentioned your category or not, I am not running for elected office, so I don't really give a damn). You can say anything you want to another Pacifican to his or her face, but when you are speaking here in the pages of Riptide, please stick to the facts (see recent posts by Jeff Simons and Lionel Emde directly quoting campaign literature). Those carry much more weight than labels and libels. Thanks for expressing your opinions and passions here on Riptide, but please keep it civil. Support your feelings with facts. I will do my best to edit all sides fairly and consistently, and feel free to complain and call me names. Hey, I have a Delete button!

JOHN MAYBURY
Editor and Publisher
Pacifica Riptide

Brave Nation Films: Activists' Life Stories

BRAVE NATION FILMS

Typobuster Odyssey: The Adventure Continues

THE CONTINUING ADVENTURES OF JEFF DECK AND TEAL

Roslyn Zinn: Social Activist, Artist

ROSLYN ZINN: SOCIAL ACTIVIST, ARTIST

Pacificans Help Set Global Coffee Break Record

Mission: Guatemala helped set a worldwide coffee break record by hosting a coffee break at its office at the Linda Mar Educational Center, 830 Rosita Rd. in Pacifica for World Fair Trade Day, May 10. A small but enthusiastic group (Kathleen Bissell, Kathy Green, Lenny Balbus, Mary McArdy, Theresa Kannengeiser, Mar Kaden, Kay Sweeney, and Shiela Harno and her husband) joined 12,128 worldwide Fair Traders who sipped coffee at 12 noon Pacific Time to set an all-time record. Plan to join us next year on World Fair Trade Day 2009 to make it even bigger.

Kay Sweeney
Managing Director
Kateri Tekakwitha Fund/Mission:Guatemala
PO Box 906
Pacifica CA 94044
Phone & Fax: 650 738 9551
missionguatemala@hotmail.com
MISSION GUATEMALA
Everything is possible with a little help from a friend!

Spider Named for Neil Young, Peace & Justice

SPIDER NAMED AFTER NEIL YOUNG, CRUSADER FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE

Senator Yee Receives Asian Heritage Award

SACRAMENTO – For his work on behalf of California children and working families, Senator Leland Yee was honored with the Special Recognition Award at the Fifth Annual Asian Heritage Awards on May 10 in San Diego. The formal event marking Asian Heritage Month also honored achievements in 12 categories, including community service, education, legal/government affairs, art/philosophy/literature, performing arts, cultural preservation, technology/research, health/medicine, entrepreneurship, business enterprise, media, and youth leadership.

Each year, Asia Media Inc., publishers of ASIA, The Journal of Culture & Commerce, invites members of the community to nominate candidates in the aforementioned categories. After a screening from a nominations committee, the nominations are published on the Asian Heritage Award website at ASIAN HERITAGE AWARDS and in newspapers. The public then votes on the website or by mailing in the ballot.

In addition to the announcement of the top honorees, the highlight was the Special Recognition Award presented to Senator Yee. “In addition to being a man of many firsts, Leland Yee is, above all, close to the people,” said Rosalynn Carmen, president of Asia Media Inc. and co-publisher of ASIA. “You can see that easily in his public persona. And people truly love him. Once, while taking us through his neighborhood, a young man approached to say how much he admired him.”

“I think that says so much about the man,” added Carmen, who said she was also impressed by Yee’s eagerness to reach out to Asian Pacific Islander Americans throughout California, in particular traveling many times to San Diego to learn about the concerns of the API community. “For his achievements on behalf of California’s Asian Pacific Islander community and the greater community of all Californians, we are proud to present Senator Yee with the 2008 Asian Heritage Special Recognition Award, presented to an outstanding individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and significant contributions to the Asian American community.”

Yee is the first Chinese American ever elected to the California State Senate and first Asian American elected to the Legislature’s upper house in 40 years. Yee is also a member of the Senate Democratic Leadership as the Assistant President pro Tem. During his tenure in the Legislature, Senator Yee has fought for children, mental health services, working families, open government, consumer protection, the environment, and civil rights. He has been named “Legislator of the Year” by the California Association of School Psychologists; California School Nutrition Association; California Psychiatric Association; Faculty Association of California Community Colleges; California Independent Grocers; California Mental Health Directors Association; Associated Students of UC Davis; and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. In addition, he was named “Person of the Year” by GamePolitics.com, a leading video game news site.

Since 2003, Yee has one of the best track records in getting his bills passed and signed into law. In fact, he has successfully passed 76 pieces of legislation, of which 59 have been chaptered into law. In the State Assembly, Yee became the first Asian Pacific American to be appointed Speaker pro Tempore, the number two position in the California State Assembly. Yee was also elected and still remains the President of the National Asian Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators. Prior to serving in the Legislature, Yee spent eight years on the San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education and six years on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Yee emigrated at the age of 3 to San Francisco from China. He was educated in San Francisco's public schools, and received his bachelor’s degree from University of California at Berkeley, and his master's degree from San Francisco State University. After earning his doctorate in child psychology at the University of Hawaii, Yee worked in various mental health and school settings. 

Adam J. Keigwin
Office of Senator Leland Y. Yee, Ph.D.
Assistant President pro Tem
California State Senate, District 8
(916) 651-4008
YEE