Orange County, CA Focus

Loretta Sanchez comes out for Public Option: I know some consider her too conservative, but I have always liked Loretta Sanchez. Not only did she defeat (twice!) one of the most insane right wing nuts ever (Bob Dornan) but she has a sense of style all her own. Here's the video:




Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats of Orange County: The Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats of Orange County are dedicated to the mission of electing LGBT and Pro-Equality Democrats in California and throughout the country.

The Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats of Orange County typically meet on the last Sunday of the month:

Local 50 Union Hall
527 S Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92805

Click here to join.


Orange County Biodiesel Cooperative: Working together to increase availability of biodiesel in the Orange County region. Biodiesel is better for the environment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel. It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar. Since it is made in the USA from renewable resources such as soybeans, its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy. Go to their website to sign up for more info.

And here are some other biodiesel stations in/near Orange County, CA:

Extreme Biodiesel: 1560 N Maple St, Corona, CA 92880, 888-998-7223. Offers B99.9 (nearly 100% biodiesel, good for newer diesel engines, some old engines not ok). MEMBERSHIP REQD

Nickey Petroleum: 925 S Lakeview Ave, Placentia,, CA 92870, 714-547-4123. Offers B20 (good for any diesel engine), B99 (ok for newer diesel engines). CALL AHEAD

Socal Biofuel: 1006 E South St, Anaheim, CA 92805, 888-888-4121. Offers B99 (good for newer diesel enginns, some old engines not ok). Open 8-4:30 M-F


I found this amazing round up of events in Orange County, California, thanks to Orange County Democracy
for America:

Aug 11 Tuesday 7pm, San Juan Capistrano: South Orange County Democratic Club: "Going Green, A Cost or a Saving?" Bob Smith, Chair of the Huntington Beach Environmental Board will be presenting an overview of how President Obama's environmental initiatives are being implemented by various agencies. He offers a unique view of how the new technologies are filtered by political processes resulting in significant organizational changes with economic consequences and the impact on you.
Gourmet Buffet Dinner 6pm $20 inclusive Cash please Meeting Only 7pm $3 Members, $5 non members RSVP's are required for dinner OR meeting only Reservations required by Saturday, August 8 Contact: kenton805@ cox.net or 949-498-1372 M 8-10am, Tu-Fr before noon As all reservations are guaranteed, if you can't attend, please phone in any cancellations 24 hrs prior. socdc.org
San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino Del Avion, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Aug 15 Saturday noon-4pm, Irvine: OC LGBT Pride Festival: Picnic in the Park with Pride 2009 William R. Mason Regional Park, on University Drive in Irvine The Festival will be centered at Shelter 6 in Mason Park Sponsored by the Orange County Equality Coalition Bring a picnic lunch. Admission is free to all. Families are welcome. Dogs are permitted. (But no alcohol please.) Carpooling is encouraged, as parking is limited and OC Parks charge for parking.
The After Party Steelhead Brewery at 4175 Campus Drive in Irvine welcomes the OC LGBT Pride After-Party from 4-8 pm Contact us at oclgbtpride@gmail.com or visit sites.google.com/site/oclgbtpride

Aug 12 Wednesday 1pm, Laguna Woods: Laguna Woods Democratic Club Spend a Cool Afternoon Watching a Cool Film PBS's Bill Moyers' show titled "Corruption in America's Banks?"

PLEASE NOTE NEW LOCATION AND TIME (this meeting only): Wednesday, August 12, Clubhouse 2, Main Room; 1 p.m.

Come watch guests William K. Black, Glenn Greenwald, and Amy Goodman on this TV show taped in April but with even greater relevance today. Bill Black was a tough regulator in the 1980's during the S&L scandals; his book, "The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One" was based on those experiences. Two Izzy winners (I.F. Stone awards) for journalism, Amy Goodman and Glenn Greenwald are also interviewed on this show. Goodman is executive producer and co-host of Democracy Now! on TV and radio and is an author. Greenwald, a constitutional attorney, whose blog Unclaimed Territory on Salon.com is one of the most highly read on the net, is also a published author. The meeting also features Club business and Legislative Action, refreshments and a raffle. For more information call Program Chair Betty Brodsky at 458-1075. lw-dems.org

Aug 13 Thursday 6pm, Fullerton: Democrats of North Orange County Meeting Sizzler 1401 North Harbor Boulevard Fullerton, CA
**Note that the meeting time has changes as a result of the Arianna Huffington Event. The Democrats of North Orange County meet on the 1st Thursday of every month at Sizzler, 1401 North Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton. Dinner is at 6pm and the meeting starts at 7pm. democratsofnorthoc.org

Aug 13 Thursday 7-8:30pm, Santa Ana: Equality OC It starts in our own community
We will be discussing the National March on Washington and related events (Oct 10th & 11th) including the cross-country caravan for equality. We will announce upcoming events/fundraisers; get feedback from those who spoke with their Congressional Representatives and discuss Orange County's involvement in the strides for equality.
Denny's 2314 E 17th Street Santa Ana, CA 92705

Aug 13 Thursday 7pm, Laguna Beach: Laguna Beach Democratic Club Meeting: Beth Krom Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 429 Cypress Street Former Irvine Mayor Beth Krom will speak about the issues in her campaign to unseat 48th District Representative John Campbell in the upcoming 2010 midterm congressional elections. Contact Debra Audrey 949-497 8768 dkquam@aol.com or lagunabeachdemocraticclub.com.

Aug 13 Thursday 7pm, Santa Ana: Orange County Young Democrats Bistro 400, 400 W 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701. ocyd.net

Aug 14 Friday 7pm, Laguna Hills: ACTION (AIDS Care Teams In Our Neighborhoods) will be showing the movie Milk St. George's Parish, 23802 Avenida de la Carlota, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 Doors open at 6:30; movie starts at 7pm
A $10 donation to ACTION includes unlimited popcorn, snacks & soft drinks PLEASE RSVP TO Julio@actionoc.org or call 949-494-5165

Aug 15 Saturday2pm, Irvine: Americans United for Separation of Church and State - Shabbir Mansuri: Institute on Religion and Civic Values Workshop; Historical Shifts on Religion in School Curriculum Shabbir Mansuri, founding director of the Institute on Religion and Civic Values will present a workshop on the historical shifts in K-12 education regarding religion in the public school curriculum. The workshop will focus on the development of constitutional-based guidelines for teaching about religion. These guidelines inform the production of textbooks and instructional materials. The workshop will show how these civic guidelines reflect U.S. leadership with respect to advancing religious literacy. The mission of the Institute is to strengthen civil society by exploring issues at the intersection of faith, citizenship, and pluralism and to serve as a catalyst to align public policymaking with our nation?s core values. Shabbir Mansuri has had a lifelong interest in studying the American institutional apparatus and policymaking system that has helped position the U.S. as a beacon of freedom, democracy, and opportunity. In 1990 Shabbir founded the Council on Islamic Education (CIE) as a non-advocacy vehicle and a scholar-based research institute dedicated to improving the coverage of world history and religions in the American education system. His experience with CIE has confirmed that Muslims, like other groups, have a place at the table and that the system accepts their contributions that strengthen and reinforce American core values. Please join us for what should be an interesting and informative workshop. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served.
Irvine Ranch Water District (Multipurpose Room) 15600 Sand Canyon Ave. (at Waterworks) Irvine, CA 92618 Admission is free and refreshments will be served. For information contact: Steph Campbell, (714) 299-4551, or e-mail orangecountyau@yahoo.com.

Aug 16 Sunday 1:30pm, Irvine: OC Humanists: Dr. Clay Costner on "The Art of Thinking" The talk will cover the advancement of critical thinking from the time of the Renaissance until the present and will include the concept of Cognitive Dissonance. Clay is a long-time teacher and coach at the High School, College and University level. Clay has a PhD in Education with a major in Physical education and a minor in Social Psychology. He has taught in the South and here in California. He was a Baptist before becoming a Humanist
Irvine Ranch Water District 15600 Sand Canyon Ave. Irvine, CA 92618 meetup.com/OCHumanists/calendar/11023130

Aug 20 Thursday 4pm-Sunset, Irvine: Humanist Association of Orange County Picnic meetup.com/OCHumanists Mason Regional Park 18712 University Drive, Irvine Chips and Salsa, Soft Drinks Deli Sandwiches Picnic Tables provided, or bring a Folding Chair $10.00 per person (plus $3 per car park entrance fee) Please RSVP to ochumanists@gmail.com or 714-446-9283 (cell phone 714-504-3857 on event day) Directions: 405 Freeway to Culver Drive, Right on University Dr., Left into the Park, Right to Shelter #1 ? Look for the HAOC signs.

Aug 21 Friday 9am-1pm, Fountain Valley: State Water Crisis Hearing On behalf of the members of the Assembly Select Committee on Regional Approaches to Addressing the State's Water Crisis, I would like to invite you to our first committee hearing. Details are as follows: HEARING: Friday, August 21, 2009 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. (including lunch)
LOCATION: OCWD / MWDOC Board Room 18700 Ward Street Fountain Valley, California 92708 California's water crisis deserves statewide attention to find solutions that work. Our select committee will conduct three or four hearings throughout the state to find best practices regarding local conservation projects, regional strategies to deliver new supplies of drinking water, and new ideas for the state to consider as it addresses current and future water shortages. I encourage you to join us at our first hearing. Panelists will include: * Darcy Burke, Director of Public Affairs, Municipal Water District of Orange County * Lucy Dunn, President, Orange County Business Council * Paul Jones, General Manager, Irvine Ranch Water District * Jeff Kightlinger, CEO, Metropolitan Water District * Scott Maloni, Vice President, Poseidon Resources * Michael Markus, General Manager, Orange County Water District * Michael Motherway, President, DXV Water Technologies * Steve Sheldon, President, Orange County Water District * Robert Wade, Director of Legislation, California Landscape Contractors Association For a detailed agenda see attached. Seating for the hearing is limited. Please RSVP by Tuesday, August 18th with my scheduler, Kim Nguyen, via e-mail at kim.nguyen@asm.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 319-2069.

Aug 22 Saturday 11am-2pm, Irvine: Women For: Orange County, Twenty-Ninth Annual Suffrage Day Celebration! University Club at UCI, 801 E. Peltason Dr., 11:00am to 2:00pm. This year's honorees are: Elaine Booth, Women For and OC progressive activist; Pam Allison, Project Hope; Chay Peterson, OC environmental and humanitarian activist, and Debbie Cook, Post Carbon Institute and former Mayor, Huntington Beach. The Suffrage Day Luncheon is open to all. Reservations with payment of $45 are due August 8th. Please make check payable to Women For: Orange County, and mail to: "Suffrage Day", 19192 Sierra Isabelle, Irvine, CA 92603. (To request a vegan meal, please write "VEG" in the memo line on your check.) Registration begins at 11:00am. Lunch will be served at noon in the Dining Room. Information 949.276.7298, womenforoc.org

Sep 2 (1st Wednesday) 7pm, Costa Mesa: Democracy for America - Orange County September General Meeting Karl Strauss Brewery, 901 S Coast Dr, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
We will NOT meet in August. We will resume monthly meetings on September 2 and we hope to see you there. If you have any questions, please contact Susan Kopicki at sckopicki@yahoo.com

Sep 13 Sunday 5pm, Newport Beach: Orange County Interfaith Committee to Aid Farm Worker Fundraiser-Dinner at St. Mark Presbyterian Church, 2200 San Joaquin Hills Rd, Newport Beach. our speaker will be the Rev. Noelle Damico of the Presbyterian Hunger Program To make a reservation, please make your checks out to the National Farm Worker Ministry and mail them to Suzanne Darweesh, 2104 Hilltop Ct, Fullerton, CA 92831. For more information please contact her at 714-738-1785 or sdarweesh@aol.com. Donations are requested at $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Sep 26 Saturday 10am-4pm, Huntington Beach: Huntington Beach Green Expo Sponsored by the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce and ?the City of Huntington Beach Economic Development Department. This was an excellent green expo in 2008 with a respectable amount of vendor booths and speakers throughout the day. Interested in being a vendor at this expo? Visit hbchamber.org for more information. HB Central Library 7111 Talbert Ave Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Sep 26 Saturday 6-9:30pm, Costa Mesa: Orange County Labor Federation 9th Annual Solidarity Leadership Awards Dinner -Honoring- Lifetime Achievement Award AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney César Chávez Leadership Award Ron Herrera Teamsters Local 396 Organizing Union Award UniteHERE Local 11 Delegate of the Year Doug Mangione IBEW 441 Phillip Burton Award Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez Model Corporate Partner Award Anderson and Howard Electric -Business/Dinner Attire- Go to link below for Sponsorships, Tickets, and Ad Rates. oclabor.org/images/docs/RESERVATION.psf.pdf
Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa, 3050 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 priscilla@oclabor.org

Oct 24 Saturday 9am-3:30pm, Orange: International Day of Climate Action Run, Walk, Bike, or Carpool (in your alternative fuel vehicle) to the Outdoor Education Center (located adjacent to Irvine Regional Park) 2 Irvine Park Road, Orange, CA For more information, to download the printable registration form, or to register on-line, please visit the registration website at WWW.OCICE.ORG Enter the 5K Walk, hosted by the UNA-USA, Orange County Chapter? Join in the hike, beginning at Irvine Regional Park, hosted by the Sierra Club Join an OC bike club on a ride (from various locations throughout OC) to the Outdoor Education Center Participate in the tree planting at the Outdoor Education Center Participate in the aerial photo of the number - 350 that will be uploaded to the 350.org website Houses of Worship - Ring your bells 350 times! Play on the Zip Line Guest Speakers include: OC Clergy who have signed the Creation Protection Agreement Local Politicians that are working to reduce their cities CO2 emissions Keynote address: Chris Prelitz, sustainable architecture, author, and activist Eco-Friendly exhibits-
This rally is a coordinated effort by the following organizations: www.350.org www.earthresource.org www.ocice.org www.unausa.org www.outdooreducationcenter.org www.sierraclub.com