CALIFORNIA FOCUS: Blogs, Stonewall Democrats, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

BLOGGING CALIFORNIA: Here are some blogs covering California Politics

Calitics is an open source news organization for California.

The Liberal OC covers politics in Orange County.

LeftyBlogs California is the place to find out what's happening in the progressive blogosphere across California.

The California Progress Report is published by Frank D. Russo, a longtime observer of and participant in California politics.


Some articles of note:

Iowa recognizes all California marriages...isn't it kind of amazing that Iowa is so far ahead of California on this issue?

State Budget Cuts Will Be Devistating

California to close 223 or more State Parks...Wow, that is SERIOUSLY messed up!

Equally if not MORE stupid: CalWORKS. We lose $3.7 bln in federal dollars to save $1.8 Bln in state dollars.

Governor Hoover's Plan To Weed Out The Sick

Will the California Farm Bureau Join the 21st Century?

Shiva Farivar to declare for Irvine City Council

Rush Limbaugh goes after Arnold for "ruining California" by going moderate....Yep, I guess right wing extremism has done SO well for the Republican Party these days.

Barbara Boxer and Al Franken have teamed up their fundraising...which I am sure is making right wing extremist heads explode.

OC Labor Honors the County’s Outstanding Women

Nearly 2 Million Californians Could Lose Coverage Under Governor's Proposed Health Budget Cuts

CA-32: Judy Chu Wins Primary Election!

Don't Forget The Governor Vetoed A Budget That Passed

Liberal Talk Radio is Back in San Diego

Save $1 Billion In Five Years—End The Death Penalty In California

Critical responses from Democratic Leaders and Progressive Groups to Governor’s Proposals For Dealing with Deficit


Democracy for America Campaign Training in Redding

Event Date: Jun 27, 2009
Event Time: 9:00 AM PDT (12:00 PM EDT)
Venue Name: Shasta College
Address: 11555 Old Oregon Trail
City: Redding
State: CA
Zip Code: 96003

Agenda:

Ten reasons to attend the DFA Campaign Academy training in Redding this June 27th & 28th:

1. Learn how to plan and run a winning grassroots campaign
2. Meet and hear from local progressive candidates
3. Learn from trainers with decades of experience
4. Mingle with other local progressive activists at social events
5. Get a copy of our 180 page Grassroots Campaign Training Manual
6. Set goals and make plans to pass progressive legislation
7. Re-connect with old friends from the campaign
8. Help elect progressive mayors, city council members and other municipal
offices in 2009
9. Learn to organize your neighborhood or precinct
10. Look for a new job or volunteer opportunity

Click here to see the training agenda and meet some of our trainers.

Invite Your Friends on Facebook!

All we ask is a small contribution of $60 to DFA to help us cover our costs. Don't worry if you can't afford it, you can always find someone to sponsor you through our training scholarship fund and we offer reduced tuition rates to those in need.

Space is limited so reserve your seat today!

For more info on our trainers, curriculum, and history visit our training homepage at: www.democracyforamerica.com/training.

If you have questions you can email us at training(at)democracyforamerica.com or call our DFA Training hotline at: 802-651-3200 x191.


STONEWALL DEMOCRATS and related organizations in California:

Stonewall Democrats of Los Angeles

Central Valley Stonewall Democratic Club
Stockton, CA

Desert Stonewall Democrats
Cathedral City, CA

Eleanor Roosevelt Stonewall Democrats of Orange County
Santa Anna, CA

Fresno Stonewall Democrats
Fresno, CA

Sacramento Stonewall Democrats
Sacramento, CA

San Diego Democratic Club
San Diego, CA

Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento
Sacramento, CA

Stonewall Democrats of Ventura County
Ventura, CA

Stonewall Alliance of Chico: The Stonewall Alliance Center offers a range of services to help connect people to their community. Volunteers staffing the Center provide information on activities and events and offer referrals for services. Our Education & Outreach give community members access to the Harlan Adams Memorial Library, Out Education classes, we deliver speaker’s panels to local colleges and presenters to area organizations and groups.


Alternative Energy in California:

Some statistics from Repower America:

# California is ranked 3rd in the nation for its 2,517-megwatts of installed wind capacity. The state’s 60 wind farms are in 5 major wind resource areas and 4 new projects are underway.

# Southern California Edison and Florida Power & Light are operating the largest single source of solar energy in the world at 310-megawatts in the Mojave Desert.

# Solel and Pacific Gas & Electric will begin operating a 553-megawatt solar plant in 2011. When completed, the 6,000-acre solar field will bring power to 400,000 PG&E homes in northern California.

Alternative energy and YOUR energy bill: YOU can be part of the solution for America by signing up to purchase your energy through a Green Power Provider. My wife and I have been doing this in NYC for years. All our energy usage is provided through wind energy generation on American farms. So we use clean energy AND help American farmers. It costs us three cents per kilowatt-hour more per month, but we feel great about it. Although our actual energy may come from anywhere, we are paying to purchase wind energy for the energy grid. Each state has different programs available, usually through yuor existing energy provider right on your existing energy bill. To find such options in California, go here and pick your energy provider from the list. If you need help, you can email me and tell me who you get your bill from (don't give me any other info!) and I can tell you who to contact to go green through that energy provider. Or you can do the same thing using Renewable Energy Certificates through an organization that works with utility companies, though in this case it is a separate bill. One off the cheapest (.4-1 cent per kilowatt-hour), but still e-Green certified, ways to do this is through Good Energy. Or, for about half a cent per kilowatt-hour you can purchase renewable energy certificates through Carbonfund.org. ANY of these ways you do it, you are helping the environment, helping America, and helping cut carbon emissions.

Here are some Biodiesel Cooperatives in California. If you have a diesel truck or car, joining one of these co-ops can help you drive more green.

The Berkeley Biodiesel Collecctive
Berkeley, CA
email: berkeleybiodiesel_at_yahoo.com. Or check out their website.

The Biofuels Research Cooperative
Sebastopol, CA
email: veggieoilcoop_at_yahoo.com.

I also want to highlight Conserv Fuels in Los Angeles, which offers a selection of alternative fuels (biodiesel and ethanol included) as well as pretty cheap regular gasoline. Joy and I buy our fuel (whatever we need) when we are in Los Angeles.

And Propel Fuels have several stations around California that offer biodiesel (and, according to a reader, they also offer E85 ethanol blend): (I discovered them when I saw they did carbon offsets)

* Rocklin
6700 Five Star Blvd
Sacramento, California 95677

* Citrus Heights
7741 Auburn Blvd
Citrus Heights, California 95610

* Sacramento, Folsom Blvd.
8090 Folsom Blvd.
Sacramento, California 95826

* Sacramento, Norwood Ave.
4200 Norwood Ave
Sacramento, California 95838

* Sacramento, Florin Road
8062 Florin Road
Sacramento, California 95828

* Elk Grove
9190 E Stockton Blvd
Elk Grove, California 95624

* Roseville
999 Sunrise Ave
Roseville, California 95661

* Placerville
151 Main St
Placerville, California 95667


Here are other alternative energy resources for Califorina:

San Francisco Community Power pilots innovative programs that improve our neighborhoods' environmental and economic conditions. We help small businesses and low-income families lower their expenses and reduce their ecological footprint. Our work provides policy makers with demonstrative ways to solve complex resource allocation issues.


California for Democracy:
Here are some local Democracy for America groups (click on the link for more info)

DFA Marin

Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley

Democratic Club of Coarsegold

DFA - Central Coast

DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties

DFA-CFD of Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties

Democracy for Monterey County

DFA-Orange County

East Bay for Democracy

Sacramento for Democracy

San Diego for Democracy

(San Fernando) Valley Grassroots for Democracy

San Francisco for Democracy

San Mateo County Democracy for America

Santa Barbara Progressive Coalition

Sonoma County DFA


Here are some local political meetings in California:

San Fernando Valley Young Democrats: San Fernando Valley Young Democrats shall endeavor to stimulate in young people an active interest in governmental affairs, increase the efficiency of our government, maintain the viability of our free institutions, and contribute to the growth and influence of the ideals and philosophy of the Democratic Party. Check their calendar of events here.

Pasadena Young Democrats:
PYD welcomes students and young adults from throughout the region to join us. The mission of PYD is to encourage young people to participate in the political process, support progressive ideals and Democratic candidates and have a lot fun in the process!

If you are actively looking to find out about the local scene, get involved with a campaign, or even if you are just looking for some fun progressive people aged 14-35 to hang out with, we encourage you to join PYD and attend one of our meetings or events. Check out their calendar here.

Orange County Young Democrats: We are young workers, young families, college and high school students--ages 14-35--who are commited to the Democratic values that make America strong and provide opportunity for all. As the official voice for young people in the Democratic Party of Orange County, OCYD is a network of Young Democrat activists around the county that are helping to provide a Democratic presence around Orange County and around college and high school campuses. Check out their calendar here.

San Ramon Valley Democrats Meetings
We are a group of dedicated Democrats living in the San Ramon Valley who have come together to support and promote the progressive social and political principles that always have been fundamental to the Democratic Party. The San Ramon Valley is comprised of Alamo, Blackhawk, Diablo, Danville, San Ramon, and southern Walnut Creek, and members of our club come from each of those communities. We meet once a month for an educational program at Mudd's Restaurant in San Ramon, alternating between lunch on the second Tuesday, and appetizers (no-host bar) on the evening of the fourth Thursday (6:30 PM). We register people to vote, walk precincts to arouse voters, raise money for candidates, and enjoy the opportunity to socialize with people of common interests. Go here for more info.

Our meetings are lively and our programs are focused on issues of concern to Democrats, locally, statewide, and nationally. Our speakers are chosen for their astute insight into the problems before us as citizens and as voters. We socialize before and after the formal meetings, and enter into animated discussions about the topic of the day. In the process we become fast friends.

Mudds Restaurant
$22 per person (meal included)

Democrats of North Orange County
Bill Daly, President
714-990-6767
Bruce Sandercock, Vice-President
714-871-5244
P. O. Box 6597
Fullerton, CA 92834
Monthly meeting: First Thursday, Sizzler Restaurant,
1401 N. Harbor, Fullerton; 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. meeting

Santa Clara County (San Jose) Democratic Party Meetup
We meet at 7:30pm on the second Tuesday of each month at the Dem Party Office, 2102 Almaden Road, Suite 114, San Jose, 95125. Feel free to bring snacks to share.

Brought to you by the Santa Clara County Democratic Party (http://www.sccdp.org).... Please join us to learn ways to help elect Democrats in Santa Clara County and beyond.

~~Together, America Can Do Better!~~

On Almaden ROAD (not Expwy), between Curtner and Canoas Garden. It's OK to park in the big lot, despite posted warnings.

Internet directions usually suggest taking Almaden Expressway, which is sometimes backed up. A lower stress route is to take Bird Avenue west from 280 and follow it all the way until it dead-ends at Malone. Left on Malone, Right on Almaden Road and 2102 is on the first corner on your left.

We meet in Suite 114, first door on your left as you enter the glass doors marked Main Entrance.


Drinking Liberally:

For those who like a more social, and beer focused, environment, there's Drinking Liberally. Here are the Drinking Liberally groups in California:

San Jose
* Second Thursday of each month, 6:30 and on
* Trials Pub in downtown San Jose, 265 N 1st St (main cross streets: W St James and W Julian)
* September is our first meeting with our new host! I'm looking for a co-host, so let me know if you are interested
* Hosted by Mia White, sanjose (at) drinkingliberally.org

Downtown Los Angeles
* Third Wednesday of each month, 6:00-8:00 pm
* The Edison, 108 West 2nd St
* We'll be in the area past the bar, known as the "Generator Lounge" (the entrance to the bar is through the alley off of 2nd street)
* Hosted by Vincent Jones, Cecilia Cabello, Becca Doten, Roxi Reeves and Jim Kennedy, downtownla (at) drinkingliberally.org

Hollywood
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 PM
* Molly Malone's Irish Pub, 575 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles 90036 (near corner of 6th avenue)
* http://www.mollymalonesla.com/
* Hosted by Vincent Jones, Jim Kennedy and Mary Jack, la (at) drinkingliberally.org

Pasadena
* Every Tuesday, 7:30-10:00 pm
* Madeleine's Wine Bistro, 1030 E Green St (between Wilson and Catalina)
* We'll start out in the wine bar, then move out to the front patio.
* Hosted by Asa Hopkins, pasadena (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Fernando Valley
* First and third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The White Harte Pub, 22456 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills (Two blocks west of Shoup Ave.)
* Hosted by Andy Beaton and Jon Hytowitz, sfv (at) drinkingliberally.org

Westside
* Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* Cock and Bull Pub, 2947 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica
* Hosted by Vincent Jones, Mary Jack, Robert Coyner, Gisele Perez, Jeremy Bloom, Tami Reiss, Marc Saltzberg and Jim Kennedy, westsidela (at) drinkingliberally.org

Monterey, California
* First Wednesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward
* Ol' Factory Cafe, 1725 Contra Costa St (In Sand City, off of Del Monte Blvd)
* http://www.olfactorycafe.com/
* Please note that The Ol' Factory Cafe currently only takes cash and local checks.
* Hosted by Annie Ho, monterey (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Ana
* Every Thursday, 8:30 pm onward
* Memphis Bar, 201 N Broadway (Artists Village)
* Hosted by Mike Lawson, orangecounty (at) drinkingliberally.org

Rancho Santa Margarita
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Canyon Fireside Grille, 22312 El Paseo
* Hosted by Gary Kephart, rsm (at) drinkingliberally.org

Huntington Beach
* First and third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co. - Out Back On The Patio, 19461 Main St
* Next Meeting will be on Thursday November 15th
* Hosted by Scott McKown and Louise Stewardson, huntingtonbeach (at) drinkingliberally.org

Sacramento, California
* Second Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* BJs Restaurant and Brewery, 3531 N Freeway Blvd (Natomas)
* Come check out our new venue and meet some new people!
* Hosted by Leslie Simmons, sacramento (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Diego, California
* Every other Tuesday, 7:30 pm onward
* Nunu's Cocktail Lounge, 3537 5th Ave (Between Brookes and Ivy Ln)
* We will also be meeting periodically at Firehouse in Pacific Beach for special editions of Drinking Liberally. 722 Grand Avenue Pacific Beach, CA 92109
* Hosted by Jesse Rubin and Jason Miller, sandiego (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Francisco
* Every Monday, 7:00-9:00 pm
* Nickie's, 466 Haight Street (between Fillmore & Webster) (Look for our red, white and blue striped bottle!)
* Hosted by Susan Harrison, sf (at) drinkingliberally.org

Oakland
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
* Luka's Taproom & Lounge, 2221 Broadway
* Join us for the Eating Liberally Oakland Brunch at Luka's
* Hosted by Cyril Allen and Philip Combs, oakland (at) drinkingliberally.org

Napa
* First and third Monday of each month, 5:00-6:30 pm
* Compadre's, 505 Lincoln Ave
* Hosted by Mick Winter and Lauren Coodley, napa (at) drinkingliberally.org


San Luis Obispo, California
* First and third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The Graduate, 990 Industrial Way
* Hosted by Lorrie Toles and Sergio Monge, slo (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Barbara, California
* Every Wednesday, 8 pm - 10 pm
* Elsie's Bar, 117 W de la Guerra St (behind Paseo Nuveo Mall)
* Elsie's is 21+ and cash only
* Hosted by Daryl Chrisman and Bart Woolery, santabarbara (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Clarita, California
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Mulligans, 25848 Tournament Rd (Near Cal Arts)
* Hosted by Michael Cruz, Bill Bailey and Minerva Williams, santaclarita (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Cruz, California
* First Tuesday of each month, 8:00 pm onward
* Cafe Pergolesi, 418 Cedar St (In the orange room to the right and back)
* Hosted by Brandon Smith and Natalie Rojas, santacruz (at) drinkingliberally.org

Stockton, California
* Third Friday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Stockton Grand Hotel, 2323 Grand Canal Blvd (Front of Bar)
* Grand Hotel tel. 209-957-9090
* Joel's Cell: 209-351-3397
* Hosted by Joel Carignan, stockton (at) drinkingliberally.org

Ventura, California
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 8:00 pm
* JJ Brewsky's, now and forever, 2344 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo (in the heart of Old Town Camarillo)
* Join us every second and fourth Wednesdays at 8:00 PM for a pint and some politics!
* Heather, Marie, Mark and Brian
* Hosted by Heather Schmidt, Marie Davis, Mark Eggertsen and Brian Mack, ventura (at) drinkingliberally.org