Hello Fellow Greens, Don't forget the February General Meeting this Wednesday! In this update: Call for New County Council Members News Events CALL FOR NEW COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS The San Francisco Green Party County Council is seeking up to three additional members to finish the current term ending in March 2006. Obligations include, but are not limited to, an interest in and commitment to forwarding the agenda of the Green Party, attending a monthly meeting held the second Wednesday of every month and also attendance at the General Membership meetings held on the third Wednesday of every month. Work on various committees and occasional facilitation of both County Council and GM meetings is also required. In between meetings, participation in on-line discussions, consideration of proposals and voting by email is also often necessary. Interested parties are asked to send, via email, the answers to the following questions: Why do you want to be a member of the County Council? What additional specific contributions do you feel you can make to the County Council? Please describe your current involvement in the Green Party. Depending the number and quality of applications received, persons may be asked to attend an upcoming County Council meeting for additional questioning by current members. Positions are opened until filled at the discretion of the County Council. The General Membership has final approval of candidates recommended by the County Council. Please email responses to the above questions and your contact information to Maureen DeBoer at maureen_deboer@hotmail.com. This search committee consists of Maureen DeBoer, James Collins and Micheas Herman. NEWS: San Francisco Green Party Transportation Working Group Co-Chair Sue Vaughan was featured in the San Francisco Examiner as part of a protest against MUNI fare hikes. http://www.sfexaminer.com/articles/2005/02/14/news/20050214_ne04_muni.txt Green Party of California Applauds Bold Universal Health Care Plan http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1297 Big business front group SFSOS is sending wasteful blast faxes to the Board of Supervisors. http://www.sfexaminer.com/articles/2005/02/14//news//20050214_ne07_faxes.txt "Paper, Plastic, and Cash" Check out previous media coverage of reducing the use of environmentally harmful plastic bags. http://www.sfusualsuspects.com/ SFCall.com has published some more articles from our own SFGP County Council member Kim Knox. http://www.sfcall.com/ Green Party member and recently re-elected school board member Mark Sanchez was quoted in a recent article about Superintendent Arlene Ackerman's latest tantrum. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/15/BAGU1BB0J81.DTL KGO-TV/ABC-7 Reporter Carolyn Tyler covered a new angle on the anniversary of gay marriages in San Francisco. Apparently, Mayor Newsom stated at a press conference last Thursday that some Greens have been calling his office and asking him to register Green. Many of us were puzzled by this, since Mayor Newsom does not share our values. San Francisco Green Party County Council member Dr. Paul Quick was quoted in the television news story, setting the record straight by saying there is absolutely no official effort by the Green Party to court Gavin Newsom. Green Party member Aimee Allison is running for the Oakland City Council. http://www.AimeeAllison.net Wal-Mart Gets Caught, and Gets Special Privileges http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/12/national/12wage.html?oref=login EVENTS: Tuesday, February 15 Please attend the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) hearing in Room 400 at 4 PM and/or the February 28 MTA hearing in Room 250 (Board of Supervisors chamber) at 2 PM to protest MUNI fare hikes and service cutbacks. Also contact directors of the MTA: Cleopatra Vaughns, Chair 401 Van Ness Avenue, #334 San Francisco, California 94102 e-mail: Roberta_Boomer@ci.sf.ca.us Wednesday, February 16 San Francisco Green Party General Meeting will be held at the San Francisco Green Party office, located at 1028 A Howard Street, between 6th and 7th Streets in San Francisco. Meeting will be held from 7:30 – 9:30 PM. The agenda is posted on the web site. http://www.sfgreenparty.org/events/events-itemfromhome.gem?idx=1203 Thursday, February 17 Please come to a farewell celebration honoring Lateefah Simon and the young women of The Center for Young Women's Development (CYWD). Lateefah Simon has been the Executive Director of the Center for Young Women’s Development for the past 8 years — since she was 19 years old. Under her leadership, CYWD has developed one of the first peer-run education, employment, and community reintegration programs for system-involved young women. Event is being held from 6 – 9 PM at the West Bay Conference Center, located at 1290 Fillmore Street in San Francisco. A $25 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. For more information about the event and to become a sponsor please contact Eleanor Palacios at 415-252-7239 or email, eleanor.palacios@sbcglobal.net. Visit the website at http://www.CYWD.org. Friday, February 18 There is a critical hearing on the case of Sheila DeToy, a 17-year-old girl who was shot to death in 1998 by Gregory Breslin, a San Francisco Police Officer. If the cops get their way, the Superior Court will dismiss the cast against Breslin. The Office of Citizen Complaints found that Officer Gregory Breslin is responsible for Sheila's death. The OCC also sustained complaints against the other officers involved in the killing. In 2003, the San Francisco Police Commission decided they wanted to file charges against the officers, but the Police Officers Association is trying to get Breslin off on a technicality. The hearing is scheduled for 9:30 AM in Superior Court at the Civic Center Courthouse, located at 400 McAllister Street, Dept. 301. CASE # CPF04-504029 For more information call Bay Area Police Watch at 510-428-3939. Friday, February 18 Join us at the kick-off party for Green Party member Aimee Allison, who is running for Oakland City Council! Party starts at 5:30 PM and takes place at 531 Valle Vista Avenue in Oakland, near the Grand Lake Theater. For a map and more details go to http://www.AimeeAllison.net. Tuesday, February 22 People who oppose military recruitment in the schools are asked to attend and speak at this San Francisco Board of Education meeting, which begins at 7 PM. The board meeting will be held at 555 Franklin Street, 2nd floor. For more information, contact Bay Area United Against War at: giobon@sbcglobal.net. Wednesday, February 23 Please join the SF Public Utilities Commission in charting the course for San Francisco's future water supply. Attend the upcoming public workshop series: Expanding San Francisco's Water Supply Options to help shape the development of SF Integrated Water Resources Plan. Learn about water supply options, find out about the challenges facing SF and what choices we have to meet future water demands, provide input during the plan development process. Workshop #1 will be on Wednesday, February 23rd from 6 – 8 PM at 1145 Market Street in the Hetch Hetchy Conference Room (1st Floor). For more information, contact Karen Hurst at khurst@sfwater.org or 415-551-4637 or Suzanne Gautier at sgautier@sfwater.org or 415-554-3204. http://www.sfwater.org Thanks to all of our members for your continued support! Warm Regards, Erika McDonald To have an item included in this newsletter, send email to erikasf@aol.com. No attachments please.