Orange County, CA Focus

News from Orange County:

TheLiberalOC files federal cybersquatting and copyright infringement lawsuit

Santa Ana City Council to Historical Preservationists: SILENCE OR ELSE!

Investigation finds more Brown Act violations by GGUSD...more here: GGUSD and Brown Act Violations: A follow-up...background here: The Importance of The Brown Act: An Elected Official’s Perspective


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 round up of events in Orange County, California, thanks to Orange County Democracy for America:

Feb 10 Wednesday 7pm, Irvine: Laguna Woods Democratic Club Eric D. Knowles, UCI Assistant Professor of Psychology & Social Behavior with a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, is our special guest on Wednesday, February 10, 7 p.m., Clubhouse 3, Dining Room 2. Interested in political psychology, including how implicit intergroup biases shape perceptions of politicians and their policies and author of the article, "Racial Prejudice Predicts Opposition to Obama and his Health Care Reform Plan" (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology), Dr. Knowles can help the Club celebrate February, Black History Month, by sharing his expertise. For more information on this meeting, call Betty Brodsky at 458-1075. Meeting also features refreshments, a raffle, Club business and legislative action. Please bring nonperishable food items for South County Outreach. lw-dems.org

Feb 10 Wednesday 7pm, Huntington Beach: 67th Area Wide Democratic Alliance Speaker: Ralph Rodriguez
International Association of Machinists Hall, 5402 Bolsa Avenue, Huntington Beach. For more details see 67thad.com

Feb 10 Wednesday 7pm, Aliso Viejo: UNA-OC "The Khmer Rouge Tribunal-A first-person perspective" at Soka University una-oc.org

Feb 11 Thursday 5-7pm, Anaheim: UNION SOLIDARITY DAY Meet in front of Paradise Pier Hotel 1600 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim 92803
Join the Orange County Labor Federation along with other local unions, as we support the Disney Hotel Workers with a rally on Thursday, February 11th. The Disney Hotel Workers are fasting because they feel unsafe on the job. While the workers have been without the protection of a contract, workload and managerial pressure has increased and staffing levels have decreased. Workers have experienced heart attacks and serious muscloskeletal injuries at work. Help us show our UNION SOLIDARITY by standing with our brothers and sisters and letting Disney know that AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL! oclabor.org To view flyer visit: beta.oclabor.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=details&id=7:work-shoudnt-hurt&Itemid=97

Feb 11 Thursday 6:30pm, San Juan Capistrano: South Orange County Democratic Club Special Meeting Supporting Bill Hedrick This will be a special fundraising meetup in lieu of our monthly meeting. It will be held at the home of one of our members, Lindy Garber who lives in Laguna Niguel. There will be appetizers and drinks and Bill Hedrick who is running for the 44th congressional seat will be speaking to us. No donation amount has been set, but we ask that you contribute something so the 44 th district which encompasses parts of SJC, San Clemente, Ladera Ranch, Coto de Caza can get some real representation. If you are not in Hedrick's district, you know there is not a more critical time to get behind our Democratic Candidates and do all we can to get them into office. RSVP yes responses will be emailed the location address. democrat.meetup.com/42/calendar/12436100

Feb 11 Thursday 8pm-1am, Costa Mesa: Communities Helping Communities: Hope for Haiti Benefit Concert & Art Auction Detroit Bar, 843 W. 19th St, Costa Mesa
Ecofficiency.org presents: Communities Helping Communities: Hope for Haiti A Benefit Concert and Art Auction Please join us to help bring much needed medical relief to the people of Haiti. 100% of the proceeds from this event will go directly to Doctors without Borders. Live Performances By: * Marc B. (http://www.myspace.com/marcbmusic) * Pawnshop Kings (http://www.myspace.com/pawnshopkings) * The Knuckles (http://www.myspace.com/theknucklesmusic) * Emily Saterlee (http://www.myspace.com/EmilySatterlee) Art Auction Complimentary Haitian Hors d'Oeuvres Tickets: $15 - Purchase at the door (cash only) or ahead by emailing hello@ecofficiency.org Thank you for your support!!

Feb 12-14 Friday 2pm-Sunday 9pm, Garden Grove: Tet Festival 2010 Feb 20 Saturday 2pm, Irvine: Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Dr. Phil Zuckerman, professor at Claremont and prolific author. Also a contributor to The Huffington Post where he wrote on
"The Religious Support Behind Proposition 8." Dr. Zuckerman will be speaking on "The Separation of Church and State And What We Can Learn From The Least Religious Countries" Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine au-oc.org or call 714-299 -4551 for information.

Visit the Courage Campaign and Equality California booth (C29) at the Vietnamese Lunar New Year's Festival 2010 in Garden Grove. The event takes place for three days: Friday, February 12th, 2010, from 2pm to 10pm Saturday, February 13th, 2010, from 10am to 10pm Sunday, February 14th 2010, from 10am to 9pm Visit our booth to sign our marriage equality pledge, pick up some stickers and flyers, check out pictures/videos of our past activities, sign up for upcoming activities, learn how to canvass and most importantly be part of the team that is working to win back marriage equality in Orange County. We need a lot of volunteers to talk to masses of people walking by (especially if you speak Vietnamese!), so please email nguyentriminh@yahoo.com to sign up for shifts! couragecampaign.org/page/event/detail/wbv couragecampaign.org/page/event/detail/wbl couragecampaign.org/page/event/detail/wbq

Feb 12-14 Friday 5pm-Sunday 7pm, Laguna Beach: Green Valentine Festival Because our Mother is calling us to Action Now! Our children deserve it!
Bridge Hall, 340 St. Ann's drive, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
Friday February 12th, 2010, 5 pm to 11 pm: Fundraiser Dinner with Pachamama "Awaken the Dreamer" Symposium and Music including performance of the winner of "Green" Song Contest along with Green Hearts Awards.
Saturday February 13, 10 am to 8 pm: Festival with Speakers, Jason Feddy and other Musicians, Movies, Vendors, Food, Healing space and workshops plus kids corner fun with jumpy, popcorn and art tables.
Sunday February 14, 1 pm to 7 pm: A day of celebrating Mother Earth, sending love and healing to our small planet from diverse spiritual groups, chanting, dancing, experiencing kundilini yoga, healing ceremonies, with yummy foods and drinks ending with a fabulous drum circle from 6-7 pm.

Feb 18 (3rd Thursday) 7-9pm, Fullerton: Progressive Women in North Orange County Meetings are now being held the third Thursday of the month from 7 to 9 at Rutabegorz Restaurant in Fullerton. However, February meeting will be held at the Pam Keller campaign meeting February 18. The March meeting will be on March 19.

Feb 19 Friday 6:30-9:15pm, Anaheim: Potluck for Progressives: Nip global warming in the bud in Anaheim: Coal-less kickoff, potluck and information meetup Unitarian Universalist Church in Anaheim, 511 South Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, California (Located on the Southwest corner of Harbor Blvd. and Santa Ana Street) (714) 758-1050 uuchurchoc.org
You are invited to an unusual event happening in Anaheim this month! The Sierra Club is forming a coalition of interested groups and individuals who will come together to assist the City of Anaheim in reducing it's coal contracts and transferring it's energy needs onto renewable energy. The Friday night Potluck For Progressives held regularly at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Anaheim is hosting the kickoff for this project. Please join us for a unique opportunity to learn about the issue and see where you can fit into the process. (From bringing some food to share Friday night-to signing up to help educate the public about Anaheim's Dirty Secret - that we get 68% of our energy from dirty, polluting coal.) We can reduce our personal energy consumption by a huge percent, and it still doesn't hold a candle to halting the creation of carbon emissions at the source - the coal-powered electric plant. Wouldn't it be nice to use hot water and air conditioning freely without guilt? Come help us to work toward that goal in Anaheim. As a member of a city with a municipally-owned utility you have a direct say in the way the city invests. You are the shareholder.

Feb 20 Saturday 2pm, Irvine: Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Dr. Phil Zuckerman, professor at Claremont and prolific author. Also a contributor to The Huffington Post where he wrote on
"The Religious Support Behind Proposition 8." Dr. Zuckerman will be speaking on "The Separation of Church and State And What We Can Learn From The Least Religious Countries" Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave., Irvine au-oc.org or call 714-299 -4551 for information.

Feb 20 Saturday 5:30-7:30pm, Irvine: Orange County Equality Coalition General Meeting Irvine Range Water District 15600 Sand Canyon Avenue
Catch up with OCEC and watch A Jihad for Love. Fourteen centuries after the revelation of the holy Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad, Islam today is the world's second largest and fastest growing religion. Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma travels the many worlds of this dynamic faith, discovering the stories of its most unlikely storytellers: lesbian and gay Muslims. ocequality.ning.com/events/ocec-general-meeting-1

Feb 21 Sunday 3-5pm, Garden Grove: Prop 15 California Fair Elections Act Orange County Working GroupGrassroots activists from Orange County, community leaders and average citizens like you will be meeting to organize the local campaign for Proposition 15, the California Fair Elections Act. Would you like to get politicians out of the fundraising game so they stay focused on the job we elect them to accomplish? www.yesfairelections.org/contacts/civicrm/event/info?id=39

Feb 21 Sunday 1:30pm, Irvine: Humanists of Orange County: Dr Lori E. Greene "Solar Energy Technologies" Irvine Ranch Water District, 15600 Sand Canyon Ave, in Irvine, CA. Admission is free.
Dr. Lori E. Greene received her Ph.D. in Materials Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. At UCI, Dr. Greene is the Research Development Officer and Outreach Coordinator for the Center for Solar Energy in the School of Physical Sciences and leads the development of grant proposals, the graduate student lunch forum on solar energy, and university activities and community outreach programs relating to solar energy and other green technologies. meetup.com/OCHumanists/calendar/12346110

Feb 24 Wednesday 6:30pm, Fountain Valley: Democratic Club of West Orange County, Green Valley Community Center, 17250 Los Jardines West, Dr. David DiLeo "The Language of Limited War". As part of the Vietnam Generation, David DiLeo is a student of the evolution of U.S. foreign policy, and, recently, is particularly interested in the political vocabulary we employ to discuss and debate it. He will be discussing this political vocabulary in terms of our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. Social at 6:30, the meeting begins at 7:00 pm.

Feb 25 Thursday 7:30-9:30pm, Laguna Beach: Equality ~ Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann?s Drive, Laguna Beach
JOY Ministry (Justice, Outreach and You) and Pacific Shore NOW invites you to an evening of conversation about equality. From Marriage Equality to the ERA, Restore 2010 and HJ Res 61, its all about equality. Join us for refreshments and conversation. For information contact the church at (949) 494-8061 or contact Pacific Shore NOW.

Feb 26 Friday 7pm, Mission Viejo: Debate at Saddleback College sponsored by: Saddleback College Freethinkers, Saddleback College Campus Crusade for Christ, Americans United for Separation of Church and State Orange County Chapter. "Is God the Best Explanation for Moral values?" Debaters: Dr. James Corbett and Sean McDowell. Debate moderated by Dr. Craig Hazen, Director of the M.A. Program in Christian Apologetics at Biola University. Dr. James Corbett teaches Advance Placement European history at Capistrano Valley High School. He received his Ph. D from Ohio State University in communication journalism. Sean McDowell is the head of the Bible Department at Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, where he teaches courses on Philosophy, Theology, and Apologetics. He graduated from Talbot Theological Seminary with a double Master's degree in Theology and Philosophy. Debate is open to the public. Cost is $5 for the public and free for the Saddleback College community. For more information, email: feb26debate@gmail.com Garden Grove Park, 9301 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844

Feb 28 Sunday 4-6pm, Laguna Woods: South Orange County California Fair Elections Act Campaign Kick-Off Come to the local campaign kick-off for Prop 15! Join Californians for Fair Elections campaign chair Trent Lange and local elected leaders so you can help pass Fair Elections that money can't buy.
Laguna Woods Village Clubhouse 3, Dining Room 1 23822 Avenida Sevilla Register now: www.yesfairelections.org/contacts/civicrm/event/info?id=24