As the Senate takes up healthcare reform, phones will be ringing in Long Beach.
Volunteers for Organizing for America plan to call active Democrats -- the kind who write letters, make phone calls to members of Congress and stump for and donate to candidates -- and ask them to show their support for a debate on the Senate floor.
Senators are to vote today on whether to formally debate health-care reform. Democrats expect to get the 60 necessary votes to overcome a Republican block.
Callers, who are working Long Beach's 37th and 46th Congressional districts, are asking supporters to contact state Sen. Diane Feinstein and show their support.
"We're asking true believers to call and make a case," said Chris Robson, 64, a Rose Park resident who is leading the cell bank effort in the 37th Congressional District. "We're trying to maintain a presence in all kinds of actions and activities.
"Now that things are focused on the Senate, (that is where) we have focused a lot of our efforts."
Robson said the phone effort has been moving along since House approval of the reforms but will intensify after Thanksgiving and into the home stretch, possibly at the end of the year.
"We have these teams set up to respond when we know when a vote is coming up," said Emily Dulcan, spokeswoman at Organizing for America's Los Angeles-area headquarters in Culver City.
Organizing for America started as Obama for America, which campaigned for Barack Obama and switched gears to support his agenda after he became president.
On the national level, the group has some detractors. A Fox News blogger called Organizing for America videos "propaganda." And the group's efforts to raise money in response to Sarah Palin's book tour and label her as "dangerous" was called opportunistic by the right since she is no longer in office.
In Long Beach, however, efforts are focused on the phone banks. Members make calls on Sundays and Wednesdays. Volunteers also work the farmers markets along the Alamitos Bay Marina and in the East Village Arts District.
When healthcare reform was in the House of Representatives, members called Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach, who represents the 37th District.
"Even though Richardson is already on board, our calls amplified and thanked her for taking the position that she took," Robson said.
The 46th Congressional District is represented by a Republican, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach. Targeting only Democrats, the group did not call his office.
Outside of town, Long Beach volunteers have met with Feinstein's staff in West L.A. to urge her support for the package, as well as provisions dear to Democrats.
And members from Long Beach have also gone to demonstrations to counter conservative protests.
"We've got people on the ground doing the work," Robson said.
From downtown to uptown to Belmont Shore, there are several small-scale efforts under way this weekend to improve the environment in Long Beach.
Starting things off at 9 a.m., Council members Robert Garcia and Suja Lowenthal plan to participate in an effort to plant trees in and around downtown. Garcia's 1st District and Lowenthal's 2nd both encompass the city core.
"We're doing over 100 trees in downtown Long Beach, which is pretty significant all in one day, including areas that have never had trees before," Garcia said.
The goal is to plant in every open tree well.
Though Garcia and Lowenthal plan to get their hands dirty by planting an aristocrat pear tree on The Promenade and Third Street, the success of the event also relies on volunteers.
Support is also coming from Downtown Long Beach Associates and the city's Redevelopment Agency.
Volunteers will plant until noon.
Over in the Shore, community organizer Justin Rudd is hosting his regular 30-Minute Beach Cleanup -- the 125th consecutive one over more than 10 years -- at 10 a.m. Volunteers can park for free in the beach lots at 1 Granada Ave.
And, finally, those interested in organic produce may head uptown to the new farmers market is opening in California Heights, which is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays on the Longfellow Elementary School, 3800 Olive Ave.
For information, visit LongBeachSundayMarket.com or call 562-528-6259.
California legislators, the governor and other elected officials are facing an 18 percent pay cut in December as the face grapples with yet another crippling deficit.
State Attorney Gen. Jerry Brown ruled that the state's compensation commission can legally cut the pay of lawmakers midterm.
Base pay would drop from $116,000 to $95,000 on Dec. 7. Legislators also receive per diems for the days they work, car allowances and other forms of compensation.
At least one local legislator signaled that she is OK with the pending pay cut.
"I'm not in this for the money - I never have been," said Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach. "I won't spend a lot of time thinking about this. I'm just going to stay focused on the hard work that needs to get done."
State Sen. Alan Lowenthal said he is leaning against a run for statewide office and will likely complete the remaining two years of his term.
The Long Beach Democrat began exploring a bid for lieutenant governor in January and formed a committee to raise money but said in an interview this week that he is more inclined to finish out his Senate term in 2012.
"I'd rather be in the Senate for the next couple of years," Lowenthal said, "if I was going to have to decide right now."
Work with legislators to solve California's budget crisis -- the state is $20.7 billion in the hole and public colleges are poised for fee hikes -- is his pressing concern.
"I just think I can do more in the Senate," he said. "I am so worried about where we are now."
Lowenthal said he is in a better position to protect "my city," Long Beach, and the others in his district from his position in the upper house.
The lieutenant governor has limited powers. The state's No. 2 serves as president of the Senate and can cast a vote to break a tie. The lieutenant governor also runs the state while the governor is traveling or ill and sits on the state Lands Commission, which has jurisdiction over port-area Tidelands property in Long Beach, and the boards of the California State University and University of California systems.
Though he was close to making a decision, Lowenthal said he was not ready to rule out a run.
The former state assemblyman and Long Beach councilman has never lost a local election, but his popularity has not been tested statewide.
Two Democrats, Los Angeles Councilwoman Janice Hahn, who lives in San Pedro, and Dean Florez of the Fresno area, have announced bids for lieutenant governor in 2010.
The position is currently vacant. Former Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a Democrat, was elected to a Bay area Congressional seat this month.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not yet appointed Garamendi's replacement but he has said he intends to and the short list of candidates reportedly includes Sens. Dave Cogdill, R-Fresno, and Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, and Assemblymen Mike Villines, R-Clovis and Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego.
State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, is running the state this week as Schwarzenegger travels.
Some have asked if ailing California even needs a No. 2 position that pays $160,000 a year for a limited range of duties.
The office only takes about 50 calls a day -- mostly from people who cannot reach the state unemployment office, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday.
A new farmers market is opening in California Heights. The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays on the Longfellow Elementary School playground, 3800 Olive Ave. For information, visit LongBeachSundayMarket.com or call 562-528-6259
Working with the California Water Service Co.'s "Operation Gobble," Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, D-Long Beach, has arranged for distribution of 100 gift checks to charities that serve needy families in Long Beach and San Pedro.
The Thanksgiving gift checks are good for the purchase of a turkey and will go to five area charities: Harbor Interfaith Services, YWCA, and Justice for Murdered Children in San Pedro, Centro Shalom in Long Beach and Soledad Enrichment Action. All serve families in Lowenthal's 54th Assembly District, which includes Long Beach, San Pedro, Signal Hill, Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates and Catalina.
Gift checks provide flexibility for the families receiving them, so that if they choose to use them on something other than a turkey, they can do so.
A new farmers market is opening in California Heights. The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays on the Longfellow Elementary School playground, 3800 Olive Ave. For information, visit LongBeachSundayMarket.com or call 562-528-6259
The area where the San Diego (405), San Gabriel (605) and Garden Grove (22) freeways meet in and near Long Beach is often backed up in rush hour. A story in today's Los Angeles Times, however, explains how differently Los Angeles and Orange counties see gridlock solutions. Los Angeles is moving toward an emphasis mass transit and is reluctant to widen the 405 on the county line. Orange County tends be more committed to widening the freeway, according to the Times.
Members of the Long Beach City Council plan to participate in a panel discussion on students, the local economy and where city and campus life intersect at 10 a.m. Thursday at Cal State Long Beach.
"A City and its Students: A Day to Reconnect," will feature Long Beach Council members Gary DeLong, Robert Garcia, Tonia Reyes Uranga, Gerrie Schipske and a representative for Councilman Patrick O'Donnell. (Full disclosure: I went to CSULB and have taught journalism there.)
The focus of the discussion will be on the state and city budget problems and how they impact CSULB students, said Matthew Barnett, secretary for city affairs for the Associated Students Inc., or ASI.
In addition, he added, there are plenty of places where city decision-making overlaps with student life, particularly when it comes to parking near the campus and and traffic.
Students, many of whom live off-campus, were also active in discussions to reroute Long Beach Transit bus service to and from campus and weigh in on public safety, roadwork and related issues.
"I've been really involved in Long Beach politics for awhile now," Barnett said. "And I grew up in Long Beach, so I pitched the idea to bring the council members to hear the students and address student concerns as well."
Barnett brought the idea of inviting the council members to the student body president, Christopher Chavez, who agreed.
The gathering represents a homecoming for Garcia, a CSULB alumni who served in the student government.
"I got my political start at Cal State Long Beach," he said. "It was incredible experience, serving as student body president there (in 2001), and you learn a lot about people ... It first opened my eyes to the good work you can do in public service. Any time I can help out Cal State Long Beach and the student government I am happy to do it."
Though the officials will speak at 10 a.m. various events for "A Day to Reconnect" are scheduled from 9:15 a.m. to noon starting with a meet and greet in the ASI Government Office, USU-311.
The events are geared toward students but open to the general public. CSULB is located at 1250 Bellflower Blvd.
For more information, please contact Barnett at 562- 682-4467 or Mbarnettcsu@aol.com.
A new law written by state Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, is included in a 600-word write-up on breast-cancer screening in O: The Oprah magazine published by Oprah Winfrey. The law requires those provide mammograms to display inspectors' report of their equipment in conspicuous places so that patients can learn of equipment violations. The article is particularly timely, as the health advocates on Monday revised recommendations for breast-cancer screening.
