If you already have DACA status and it expires between September 5, 2017, and March 5, 2018, you MUST apply to renew your status BEFORE October 5, 2017, in order to protect yourself from deportation.
Alliance San Diego is sponsoring DACA workshops this month to assist with the application process. [Read more…]
San Diego City Councilwoman Georgette Gomez’s resolution opposing the construction of a border wall was approved by a 5-3 vote on Tuesday. Saying the border wall to be detrimental to San Diego’s environment and tourism, the motion asked for public disclosure of all companies involved in financing or construction of the proposed project.
Gomez left nothing to chance in shepherding the largely symbolic declaration, contacting a wide range of activist organizations asking for support, holding a press conference in advance of the Council meeting, and negotiating adjustments in the wording with the City Attorney’s office.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer issued a statement later in the day saying he would not support the resolution because “it includes language that could blacklist businesses based on the political leanings of the city council majority.” According to a Tweet from KPBS reporter Andrew Bowen, no veto is expected. [Read more…]
By Kilian Colin
A couple of days after the Battle of Baghdad in April 2003, after the fires had ceased, my father, Adam Colin, took me with him to downtown Baghdad to look for a job. We rode the bus for nearly an hour to the outer border of Downtown before having to continue on foot since the streets had been damaged during the invasion days earlier.
We headed to the Al Rasheed hotel, which was where the U.S. military had taken up headquarters. The hotel was surrounded by heavily armed vehicles and the scene looked like it was straight out of a Star Wars movie.
It wasn’t long before my dad told me to turn around, that we should head back home because the situation might be too dangerous for me. I told him not to worry, that because of my size I could sneak in between the hundreds of people protesting the occupation and lack of jobs outside the hotel to the front. [Read more…]
One hundred and fifty Escondido residents gathered on Saturday to roll out the UnWelcome mat for Library Systems and Services at the Escondido Public Library.
They made calls and videos, collected petition signatures, and sang a special song in support of keeping our public library operated by, for, and accountable to the public.
A city council majority including Mayor Sam Abed along with Councilmen John Masson, and Ed Gallo voted last month to develop a contract to outsource the library with Library Systems and Services (LS&S). [Read more…]
Last week here at the San Diego Free Press, Sharon Carr provided a nice overview of Naomi Klein’s new book No Is Not Enough: Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need. These next two weeks, I’d like to follow up Ms. Carr’s good work by underlining what I see to be the two central insights in Klein’s book and why they matter.
In essence, Klein’s book is centered on two key points: 1) Despite all the drama and spectacle, Trump is nothing new; and 2) Neoliberal incrementalism is a dead end and we require bolder vision and practice to win the world we need. This week, we’ll consider the first proposition. [Read more…]
By Dale Williams
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve just north of San Diego is a majestic wilderness with views to the ocean, scenic sandstone cliffs and is home to one of the world’s rarest pine trees, the Torrey Pine. Anyone who has visited Torrey Pines Reserve in the past two years will have seen the large numbers of trees that died. You see them along both sides of the main road to the visitor center, along Guy Fleming Trail, and several other locations. As I watched them die, I wondered why nobody was testing the soil, analyzing tree samples, or doing anything that might help determine the cause. I wanted to do something but didn’t know what. [Read more…]
Here comes the blizzard of baloney* from defenders of San Diego Gas & Electric.
City News Service reports a coalition of business and civic leaders are now working to undermine Community Choice Energy (CCE) programs.
CCEs –where power is purchased by public entities– across the state offer electricity with significantly more renewable content and comparable or lower costs. Customers can choose to stay with the status quo, if wanted.
The ‘Clear the Air Coalition’ would like to halt the move toward the cheaper, cleaner, and locally generated electricity in San Diego because of “uncertainties.” [Read more…]
By Mark Sumner / Daily Kos
On Wednesday evening, stories broke that Donald Trump had reached agreement with Democratic leaders on a plan for restoring DACA and keeping Dreamers in the United States. For a few hours, hundreds of thousands of young people directly affected—and millions of Americans who support them—felt a tremendous sense of relief.
And then …
Trump’s morning twitter session brought the idea of a rational solution crashing down. White House aides from Wednesday’s meeting indicated that Trump and Democrats had reached a bargain that would protect the young immigrants whose lives were upended when Trump dismantled DACA. It was understood that Trump would continue to go after his much-discussed “wall” however … [Read more…]
By Sharon Carr
“NO is Not Enough,” subtitled “Resisting Trump’s Shock Politics and Winning the World We Need,” describes our current political dilemma (precarious) but also inspires us with concrete suggestions on how to step up and take our country back.
Klein is well-suited for this task as she has written three international bestsellers: “No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies,” “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism” and “This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate.”
Donald Trump, a billionaire (or so he would have us believe), is the son of Fred Trump, a real estate developer and Mary Anne MacLeod, a Scottish immigrant. At age 13 his parents enrolled him in military school; he was known for his mischievous behavior and thirst for attention which often lead him into trouble. As an adult, Trump never tires of the spotlight and his favorite subject: Donald.
The book describes how Donald Trump ascended to the presidency. It’s divided into four main sections. [Read more…]
By Celeste Oram / SanDiego350
More than 400 San Diegans arrived at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Hillcrest Thursday evening to hear an energetic message on clean energy and climate action from advocate and philanthropist Tom Steyer.
Organized by the grassroots climate action organization SanDiego350, the talk was open to the public and co-sponsored by more than 20 local community groups. In a week that brought devastation from natural disasters — hurricanes Harvey in Houston and Irma in Florida; wildfires on the West Coast; flooding in Pakistan and Bangladesh; and landslides in Sierra Leone — and controversial political announcements, the clarity of Steyer’s clean energy mission was warmly received.
After a moment of silence for the victims of the recent natural disasters, Steyer — the epitome of the casual Californian dressed in a t-shirt and slacks — began by noting the irony that hurricanes Harvey and Irma struck big oil and gas regions, the home of climate denial.
“This is not a phenomenon that will spare you just because you don’t believe in it,” he said. “Let’s not waste the pain.” [Read more…]
By Sher Watts Spooner / Daily Kos
Let’s look at the other set of natural disasters that is being exacerbated by climate change.
Major wildfires are burning in British Columbia in western Canada and in at least nine states throughout the American West: California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. California, Montana, and Oregon are bearing the worst of it. So far in 2017, more than 8 million acres have burned. More than 26,000 firefighters are working on controlling the roughly 80 major fires still burning. Homes are being evacuated or burned to the ground. It often rains in Seattle; it does not, however, usually rain ash.
The state of Montana is being described as a fiery apocalypse. Wildfires have been burning for months across the western half of the state, over 1 million acres have burned, and two firefighters have died. Gov. Steve Bullock has declared a statewide fire disaster, having already declared state fire emergencies in July and August. Bullock has deployed the Montana National Guard as firefighters. “Montana is in one of the worst fire seasons in modern history and on its way to becoming the most expensive,” he said in his declaration. [Read more…]
During an interview, Iowa Republican congressman Steve King speaking on the adoption of DACA stated “I don’t think we thought through this very well.” I believe he’s egregiously dismissive of the consideration that was indeed given to the issues regarding the implementation of DACA. Ironically I believe his statement more accurately reflects the situation regarding the repeal of DACA. The military has nearly 900 individuals serving in the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) Pilot Program. If they are indeed “vital” then what happens if they can no longer serve? And in this short piece The Atlantic raises the question about the status of DACA recipients working in the health care field. [Read more…]
