SBCAN editorials

Some progress on issues in 2012

Submitted by admin on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 18:25
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Every new year brings renewed hope for the future — hope for cleaner air and water, free public trails for hiking, biking and riding horses, homes that working people can afford to live in, transportation alternatives that do not pollute the air or clog our highways, equal opportunities for all members of the community to attain an excellent education and participate fully in meaningful employment.

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Some progress on issues for 2012
Date: 
23 Dec 2011 - 12:00am

HOT Issues in the Santa Maria Valley

Submitted by admin on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 22:19
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By Joyce Howerton, Executive Director

 

For many years, the Santa Barbara County Action Network has held HOT — housing, open space and transportation — meetings in Santa Barbara.

This is a coalition of community organizers, government and business members who come together to network, educate ourselves on issues facing the community, and offer information and support to each other.

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Working on HOT issues in SM
Date: 
25 Nov 2011 - 12:00am

HOT Roast of Dick and Mickey Flacks celebrating SB CAN's 10th Anniversary

Submitted by admin on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 22:23
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By Joyce Howerton, Executive Director

 

 

Santa Barbara County Action Network is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It was started by a group of 30 activists who met in Dick and Mickey Flacks’ living room in 2001 for the first discussions.

SB CAN is a countywide, grassroots, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting social justice and preserving our environment and agriculture through an integrated, regional approach.

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HOT Roast for SB CAN's birthday
Date: 
14 Oct 2011 - 2:00am

Serious consequences for public safety

Submitted by admin on Tue, 12/06/2011 - 22:29
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By Joann Marmolejo, President

In June, Santa Maria City Manager Tim Ness reviewed for the City Council a 22-page report — amendments to the adopted 2011-12 city budget — with serious consequences for public safety.

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Serious consequences for public safety
Date: 
9 Sep 2011 - 12:00am

More discussion needed on fracking

Submitted by admin on Fri, 08/12/2011 - 05:38
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By Joyce Howerton
SB CAN Executive Director
 
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors is considering options to address the future demand for hydraulic fracturing — fracking — in the production of oil and natural gas. Supervisors have been reviewing the issue since May, and will address the issue again during a board meeting on Sept. 20.
Fracking recently became an issue locally after Venoco drilled two wells in Los Alamos. Both property owners have told the county they are concerned with environmental impacts.
Gerard and Kathleen Kilgallon are worried that Venoco’s operations will pollute their water supplies. A June 6 letter from the Kilgallon’s attorney, Brian McMahon, states fracking causes risks in underground oil and gas wells, on the surface around the well site, in the transportation of fracking fluids and in disposal wells, and that it uses enormous amounts of fresh water and is much noisier than usual drilling.
He contends the county “has not been sufficiently vigilant in monitoring oil and gas drilling operations and in enforcing its regulations, given the environmental risks that fracking creates.”

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More discussion needed on fracking
Date: 
12 Aug 2011 - 12:00am

Targeting Unions? The field is huge.

Submitted by admin on Wed, 06/29/2011 - 05:09
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By Joann Marmolejo

SB CAN Board President

 

Hardly a day goes by that we do not hear or read something about how unions give millions to political campaigns, and spend millions lobbying elected representatives.

Mostly we hear how union members’ wages, health-care costs and especially pension costs, are the main reasons all the cities, counties, state and federal budgets are in a deficit.

But what unions are people talking about? Merriam/Webster’s Web site has one definition of a union as “... a confederation of independent individuals ... for some common purpose.”

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Targeting Unions? The field is huge.
Date: 
24 Jun 2011 - 12:00am

Considering the Ag Futures Alliance

Submitted by admin on Wed, 06/15/2011 - 07:59
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By Joyce Howerton

June 10, 2011

 

Santa Barbara County Action Network is proud to be a member of the Santa Barbara Ag Futures Alliance, working to build bridges between environmentalists and agriculturalists.

The group seeks to educate members of the public about the realities facing agriculturalists and to preserve farming and farmland for the future.

At a recent community forum, Robert Abbott, an organic farmer based in Carpinteria and a member of AFA, said, “Farming is something people like to romanticize or demonize. There's not a lot of middle ground. We want to be honest about the facts and pressures, both economic and societal, and we want to tell people how great it can be, too.”

The alliance began an education program in March with community forums in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria that examined food and farming practices in Santa Barbara County, including production, processing, distribution and consumer perspectives.

The second part of the Farm-to-Fork Series was a bus tour of Las Varas Ranch in Gaviota, Givens Organic Farm in Goleta and Farmers' West Flowers and Bouquets in Carpinteria on June 4.

A tour of North County farm operations is scheduled for Sept. 10 and will include the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, Los Adobes de Maria farm worker housing and a large-scale farming operation. To register for the tour, visit http://santabarbaracoafa.org or call 886-0355.

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Considering the Ag Futures Alliance
Date: 
10 Jun 2011 - 12:00am

Saving Bailey Avenue Farmland in Lompoc Valley

Submitted by admin on Thu, 05/26/2011 - 09:09
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Saving Bailey Ave. good move
Date: 
13 May 2011 - 12:00am

Taking Part in Community Planning

Submitted by admin on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 14:14
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by Joyce Howerton, SB CAN Advocacy Director

 

Date: 
11 Apr 2011 - 3:20pm

Positive Steps in Preserving Affordable Housing

Submitted by admin on Fri, 04/08/2011 - 14:10
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By Joyce Howerton, SB CAN Advocacy Director

Date: 
11 Mar 2011 - 4:20pm