WIND ENERGY TAX CREDITS SHOT DOWN
By Miriam Raftery July 14, 2012 (Washington D.C.) –Efforts by the wind industry to amend the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act (S. 2237) have failed. The industry had sought to insert language to extend until 2014 the wind production tax credits set to expire at year’s end .Those credits allow wind developers to write off 2.2 cents of every kilowatt-hour produced. The proposed amendment would also have extended an investment tax credit covering 30 percent of costs for a wind development. Democratic leaders refused o allow a vote on the amendment offered by Senators Michael Bennett (D-Colorado) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas). Several prior efforts to extend the renewable energy tax credits have also failed. Republicans have typically opposed credits for renewables, while Democrats have sought to pay for renewable tax credits by ending some existing credits for the oil industry. The Senate voted to end debate, invoking cloture and thus enabling the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act to be brought up for a vote by the full Senate—without the extension of tax credits for wind projects. Wind industry insiders have voiced high hopes that tax credits will ultimately be extended after the November elections by a lame duck Congress. Opponents of industrial wind contend that extension should be rejected amid growing concerns over the negative impacts of wind turbines on health and the environment, questions over the viability of some massive wind projects, and inadequate oversight of wind energy projects on federal lands.
“BE COOL” BANDIT WANTED FOR COMMERCIAL ROBBERY SERIES
July 14, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) — San Diego Police Department Robbery Unit detectives, in cooperation with detectives from the National City and El Cajon Police Departments, are investigating a series of commercial robberies that began in May, 2012. The same suspect is believed to be responsible for at least 9 commercial robberies throughout the county. Four cases occurred in San Diego, four cases occurred in National City and one case occurred in El Cajon. The most recent case occurred on July 11 at about 5:40 a.m. when the suspect robbed the 76 Gas Station located at 3252 University Avenue in North Park. The suspect was holding a black semi-automatic handgun when he walked into the convenience store portion of the station and approached the clerk at the counter. The suspect demanded money from the register and the clerk complied. The suspect walked westbound out of the store and was last seen driving northbound on Bancroft Street in a light-colored sedan. The suspect is generally described as a black male, between 28 and 40 years of age, 5’ 8” to 6’ with a muscular to heavy build, wearing a dark beanie cap. In most of the cases, the suspect wore a heavy black jacket with a hood with a gray lining, black and white athletic shoes and dark gloves. He is also described as having a dark complexion with a flat nose. In one case, the victim believed he was missing two upper teeth. The suspect was captured on nearby surveillance video just prior to committing the latest robbery. Copies of the video are available at the San Diego Police Department Headquarters Broadway customer service counter. Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department’s Robbery Unit at (619) 531-2299 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.
KENSINGTON COMMUNITY CHURCH TO HOST ‘THE SHOWER OF STOLES’ JULY 22
Open House Highlights the Role of LGBT People of Faith July 14, 2012 (San Diego) — To draw attention to the role of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of faith around the country, Kensington Community Church in San Diego will host an exhibit of liturgical stoles called “The Shower of Stoles” at a community-wide open house on July 22nd. The national project represents more than 1,000 clergy members of more than 30 religious denominations on three continents, including many who have been excluded from serving in their church because of their sexual orientation. “This collection celebrates the gifts of LGBT persons who serve God in countless ways, while also lifting up those who have been excluded from service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Debbie Loomis, chair of KCC’s Open and Affirming Committee. KCC is an Open and Affirming congregation, welcoming to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community as well as to people from all walks of life. Fifty stoles from the Shower of Stoles will be on display at a KCC open house on Sunday, July 22nd at 11 a.m., immediately following the 10 a.m. service. As part of its commitment to social justice, KCC welcomes the entire community to both the service and the free event. Each stole – a long scarf usually worn with ministerial robes – will be accompanied by the story of a clergy member. Attendees can walk through the exhibit, where each stole will be hung with its accompanying story. A documentary film, “So Great a Cloud of Witnesses: The Story of the Shower of Stoles Project,” will play continuously. In addition, on Thursday, July 19th, KCC invites members of local United Church of Christ (UCC) Partnership churches to another open house with a dessert potluck from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Partnership members can take in the stoles and their stories while making a colorful craft to carry in the annual Pride Parade on Saturday, July 21st. Along with KCC, the Partnership churches include University City UCC, Christian Fellowship UCC, La Mesa UCC, Mission Hills UCC, and Pioneer Ocean View UCC. The Shower of Stoles collection tours constantly around the country, being exhibited in local congregations, universities and seminaries, and regional and national denominational gatherings. The project’s mission is to end religious discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. For more information, visit www.welcomingresources.org.
SOHO WILL LEGALLY CHALLENGE COUNCIL DECISION ON BALBOA PARK
July 14, 2012 (San Diego) – Save Our Heritage Organization will legally challenge the San Diego City Council’s July 9 approval of a proposal that SOHO says would irreparably damage Balboa Park and could jeopardize its status as a National Historic Landmark District. The lawsuit will be based on the City’s violations of the San Diego Municipal Code, the 1870 Trust Dedication of the Park as "free" in perpetuity, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in approving the plan. After almost two years of public and agency discussion and recommendations for viable project alternatives to remove cars from the Plaza de Panama, the City Council agreed to implement the plan in a 6 to 1 vote with only Councilmember Sherri Lightner providing leadership in her elected duty to protect and serve the public. SOHO successfully challenged the City Council’s 2011 approval of an illegal Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the Plaza de Panama Committee. “It is now spearheading this litigation on behalf of the thousands of San Diegans that objected to this flawed proposal for nearly two years, and whose concerns and suggestions were ignored by Mr. Jacobs and the City Council,’ a release issued today by SOHO stated. Bruce Coons, executive director of the nonprofit SOHO, San Diego’s only countywide preservation group said: "Balboa Park – a national treasure established by state statute in 1870…to be held in trust forever…as a free and public park…and for no other and different purpose…deserves all of the protections of local and state law." Community leaders and authorities most expert on planning, design, transportation, sustainability, economics, and historic resources from all over the region joined SOHO in arguing that there are many alternatives to the Jacobs plan that will protect and enhance the park and comply with applicable laws. The plan has been promoted as a means of getting vehicle traffic out of Balboa Park’s core area and making the park pedestrian-friendly. SOHO supports the widely shared goal of removing parking from the Plaza de Panama in time for the centennial of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. But according to SOHO, the Jacobs plan is indefensible in terms of minor net parking gains, huge public costs for construction and maintenance, and the introduction of paid parking for park visitors. In addition to financial drawbacks for the city, it is undisputed that the Jacobs plan would irreparably damage the iconic 1914 Cabrillo Bridge by cutting through its historic fabric for a new, freeway off-ramp style bypass bridge and road system that wraps around the historic entry buildings. The plan would also encroach upon Alcazar Garden and Palm Canyon and alter the aesthetics and park experience of Balboa Park. The City concedes that the new bypass bridge will significantly impact a historic landmark, as confirmed by the Environmental Impact Report, but contends that such impacts are justified by project benefits. SOHO and thousands of San Diegans disagree. SOHO is seeking donations to help with the legal campaign to protect "the people’s park." A successful outcome will prevent re-approval of this project, since local and state laws disallow the project in its current form, according to SOHO. To make a tax-deductible donation to help save historic Balboa Park click HERE, or contact SOHO at (619) 291-9327. "SOHO expects a strong response in support of its legal action based on the outrage shown by the public toward the Jacobs plan and the love San Diegans have demonstrated for the park for a century," said Jaye MacAskill, SOHO president.
MEDIA WATCHDOG GROUP WARNS OF “SMALL BUSINESS BALONEY”, SAYS MEDIA FAILED TO FACT-CHECK GOP TAX CLAIMS
July 14, 2012 (New York)– Barack Obama’s July 9 announcement that he would extend the Bush tax cuts for income below $250,000 prompted Republican politicians and presidential candidate Mitt Romney to claim the policy is a tax increase on small businesses." “That is false. But most news reports won’t say so,” advises a news release issued by Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a nonpartisan, 501c3 nonprofit media watchdog organization. Below are details provided by FAIR: The New York Times (7/10/12) told readers that Obama said that 98 percent of households and 97 percent of small businesses would receive a tax cut under his plan. But Republicans said the president’s proposal would amount to a broad tax on small businesses because many business owners report their profits as personal income. In the Washington Post (7/10/12), readers learned that Republicans "charged that the president’s plan would raise taxes on small-business owners." That point was illustrated by quotes from House Speaker John Boehner and and a representative for the Romney campaign, which were balanced with the statement that "Obama said his plan would cover 98 percent of the working public and 97 percent of small-business owners." The headline of a USA Today story (7/10/12) captured the same spirit: "Obama Seeks to Extend Tax Cuts for Middle Class; GOP Critics Say Plan Will Hurt Small Business." On ABC’s Good Morning America, Jonathan Karl (7/10/12) reported, "Romney says raising taxes on those with higher incomes means raising taxes on small businesses." Newspaper stories the following day followed a similar pattern: Republicans say this is a tax on small businesses, while Obama says it is not. In the Washington Post(7/11/12), Romney "said the president’s plan would keep taxes at the same level for many Americans while raising taxes on what he called ‘job creators and small businesses.’" The Los Angeles Times (7/11/12) added another layer of inaccuracy by reporting that Obama’s plan "would extend George W. Bush-era tax cuts for those making up to $250,000 a year but not for upper-income Americans." That is incorrect; wealthy Americans will also receive a tax cut on the income they earn up to the $250,000 level (Citizens for Tax Justice, 6/20/12; NYMag.com, 7/9/12). This Republican small business argument is a familiar one; in 2010 Republicans sought to portray any increase in taxes on income above $250,000 as a tax on small-business owners (FAIR Action Alert, 9/13/10). Then, as now, the argument is almost entirely bogus. The share of filers who could qualify as small business owners is tiny–about 2 percent of small business owners, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. The increase would affect, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation, about 3 percent of filers who claim any business income (Think Progress, 7/9/12). So why don’t reporters just say that? Some who try to put the numbers in context seem afraid to call out one side for being deceptive. On CBS Evening News(7/9/12), Norah O’Donnell reported the story this way: Mitt Romney said today that the president’s proposal would mean a massive tax increase on job-creators and small businesses. Many of those small businesses pay at an individual tax rate. But the president said it would affect just 3 percent of small businesses. Still, Scott, that would affect about 250,000 small businesses. Turning the tiny percentage into a number that sounds impressive seems a pretty clear attempt to make viewers think the Romney campaign had a point. One part of the newspaper did explain the dispute clearly: The New York Timeseditorial page (7/10/12), which called the Republican argument about small business "nonsense." But the corporate media’s bias toward giving credence to official claims from both political parties means you have to treat that question of fact as a matter of opinion–which, of course, is a problem, if you think that separating fact from misinformation is a key part of a journalist’s job. And the failure to challenge Republican distortions gives them no reason to stop making them. As the Los Angeles Times reported (7/10/12), "Polls also show that Republicans do better when they frame upper-income tax increases as a threat to small businesses, a group that voters tend to like." That is especially true when media don’t tell the public that the claim is almost entirely bogus.
ESCONDIDO POLICE OFFICER’S ASSOCIATION HOSTS MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNAMENT TO HONOR FALLEN CADET
The annual “Cops for Kids” Tournament Celebrates the Life of Luis “Frank” Romero July 14, 2012 (Escondido) – The Escondido Police Officer’s Association has announced that their annual “Cops for Kids” golf tournament will be rededicated as the Cadet Luis Romero Memorial Golf Tournament, to be hosted at the Vineyard at Escondido Golf Course on Monday, July 16 at 1 p.m. The event celebrates Luis “Frank” Romero, an aspiring law enforcement officer who succumbed to a Glioblastoma Multiforme brain tumor earlier this year at the age of 18. Romero was 16 when he joined the Escondido Police Explorer Post, a program designed to give young adults hands-on experience with law enforcement duties. Romero volunteered nearly a thousand hours of his free time to the program with the ultimate aspiration of earning the title of Escondido Police Officer. Upon his diagnosis with a terminal brain tumor in 2011, Romero vowed to continue his law enforcement studies at Cal State San Marcos once he regained his health. Tragically, he lost his year-long battle in April, prior to realizing his dreams of joining the force. After his death, Escondido police chief Jim Maher named Luis an honorary police officer, presenting his family with Badge No. 456. Proceeds of this tournament will allow current Escondido Explorers to participate in an upcoming Explorer Police Academy, a week-long event that Romero remembered as “one of the best weeks of my life.” Registration begins at 11 a.m. and the registration form can be found at http://www.escondidopoa.com. For more information, including details about sponsorship opportunities, contact Lt. Neal Griffin at 760-839-4703.
THE SUBTROPICAL WEATHER HEADS EAST
FILING PERIOD OPENS FOR CANDIDATES IN LOCAL RACES
July 14, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Want to run for office? There are many seats open for local candidates, from planning groups to school boards and city councils. Candidates for planning, water, recreation, fire, and school districts must file to run between July 16 and August 10: http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/voters/Eng/reports/General_Election_candidate_schedule.pdf . For election procedures, visit http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/voters/Eng/rov_highlights.shtml Candidates for city council or mayoral races should contact individual cities (including El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, Poway and Lemon Grove in our county’s inland regions) for rules and details. Seats in which primary races were held, such as San Diego’s City Council, are not accepting candidate applications. For more information, look at the Registrar of Voters site at http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/voters/Eng/rov_highlights.shtml
LEGAL OPPONENTS OF FIREWORKS DISPLAYS SPARK CONTROVERSY
By Miriam Raftery July 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) –Coast Law Group, which represents the Coast Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF), the organization that has sued to halt fireworks shows in San Diego and led to cancellation of the Lake Murray Fireworks in East County, has sparked new controversy. On July 4, an attorney representing CERF was caught sneaking into a fireworks staging area and reportedly jeopardized the safety of herself and others. San Diego Police and Fireworks American confirm that Livia Borak, attorney for CERF in litigation against the City of San Diego and the La Jolla Community Fireworks Foundation, “purposely evaded security guards and breached the La Jolla show’s security fencing (or jumped a barrier wall) to enter the restricted launch zone, where she secretly assumed a hidden position with a video camera during the performance,” Robert M. Howard, attorney at Latham and Watkins, wrote in a letter to Marco Gonzalez, founder and executive director of CERF and attorney at Coast Law Group. “In so doing, she put both her own safety and the fireworks crew’s safety in serious peril.” Borak wore no protective clothing, hearing or eye protection during her July 4 incursion, Howard wrote. A fireworks crew risked their own safety to remove her from the “danger zone”; minutes later a mortar tube five feet from her hiding spot exploded, injuring a Fireworks America staffer. The explosion “would have seriously burned or killed Ms. Borak,” wrote Howard, who denounced Borak’s conduct as “unethical” as well as risky. Accentuating the potential danger, a fireworks display on San Diego Bay went awry on July 4, with all fireworks exploding simultaneously in a giant fire burst within the first 15 minutes of the show. CERF has won three legal actions against the City of San Diego seeking to halt fireworks displays in the city; an appeal is pending. ECM has asked Gonzalez for comment but thus far has not received a response. In another media outlet report, Gonzalez claimed that Borak was justified in her actions and that past photography has shown “burning embers, pieces of fireworks going directly into the water and onto the bluff.” Marianne Bates, a staffer at Fireworks America, told La Jolla Light that she is angry at putting her life at risk to remove Borak from the area. She suggests an ulterior motive. “I don’t know if she was there to take pictures, I don’t know if she was there to sabotage the show,” said Bates. In East County, the Lake Murray July 4 Music Fest and Fireworks show was cancelled this year due to threats made by Gonzalez to organizers. “Marco sent us an e-mail in 2010 giving us a ‘pass’ as he called it for 2010, but he said point blank, either comply with CEQA [California Environmental Quality Act] requirements or we will sue you,” John Pilch, treasurer for the Lake Murray July 4 Fireworks Committee told ECM. Lake Murray, a reservoir, is a source of drinking water for the region. The park is also home to wildlife including fish, birds, and mammals potentially impacted by noise, chemicals and debris from fireworks. Compliance with CEQA would cost at least $25,000 and probably more, he estimated. Compliance would require hiring a consultant to study the lake and surrounding park, then prepare a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A scoping meeting, public comments and responses to each comment, following by preparation of a final EIR. In recent years, the Lake Murray event organizers have struggled to raise funds for the show in the struggling economy, hosting fundraising events and scaling back to fireworks only without music. A permit from the state Water Quality Control Board cost $1500 and required eight hours of cleanup of shoreline and water. Raising $25,000 is currently prohibitive, Pilch said. “We can’t just print up money.” “Lots of people were disappointed,” Pilch said regarding cancelling of this year’s fireworks show. But he added that at a Navajo Planning Group Meeting, residents expressed opinions on both sides of the issue. “Some people were complaining about what fireworks do to domestic animals and to the wildlife,” he noted. Pilch noted that Gonzalez has previously told media that he didn’t sue the Lake Murray group “because we didn’t have any money,” said Pilch, who questions CERF’s motivations. “Is it money or is it the environment?” Some critics have also asked why Coast Law resorted to forming CERF, a pseudo-environmental foundation operating out of the law firm’s office, with officers at the same address. Is the firm motivated by profit, or altruism for the environment? The litigation also raises a question of economic fairness: will future fireworks shows be restricted only to wealthy enclaves such as La Jolla that can afford pricey CEQA compliance, while middle class and economically disadvantaged communities do without an American Independence Day tradition? Despite this year’s fizzled fireworks show, Pilch remains hopeful that the Lake Murray Fireworks will be revived in the future. He concluded, “We’re optimistic that a settlement will be reached.”
GAME3R-CON OFFERS MORE TO COMIC-CON ATTENDEES
By Nadin Abbott Photos by Tom Abbott and Nadin Abbott July 13, 2012 (San Diego)–If you are going to attend Comic-Con this year, you should know there are many side events outside the Convention Center. One of them is Gam3r-Con, located on the 10th Ave Theater, which is on 930th, Ten Avenue. So what is different or interesting about this small Con running concurrently with Comic-Con? Live theater. When we attended for this review we were treated to Gamers: The Play, co-written by Brian Bielawski and Walter G. Meyer, an ECM book reviewer. So what is this one man show about? Imagine being a worker, at an IT support center, and at the same time organizing the largest raid of one realm on another in an internet Multi Player Game. Oh and you could not get the day off? The play, which is funny from the moment it starts, is full of pop culture and gaming references. Some of them are more obvious than others. Examples include Con badges and bottles of Mountain Dew. The former are decoration of the cubicle, the latter are… well integral to the plot. (And if you know gamers, you know Mountain Dew or other refreshing, caffeine laden, sometimes sugary, sodas.) It is a funny look at gamer culture, where the game takes over the life of players. If you are a gamer, the jokes will make you laugh. If you are not, it’s a good in-look at this sub-culture. What else is the Con about? Gaming–both electronic and table top. Coleman University is sponsoring the Computer gaming room, with many a station where players can try commercial games, such as Tom Clancy’s “Ghost Recon,” or student projects, or both. They also have a room dedicated to old systems, such as the Sega 64 and the Atari. This is the “retrograde game room.” According to Meyer, not just a co-writer of the play, but one of the founders and organizers, this room is popular with fathers and sons. Here they can both play what dad used to play when growing up. “Young kids are now enjoying the games of their parents.” Then there is the tabletop room, where people can bring their own games, or use whatever the convention brought to have a good time. This year they are being sponsored by USAopoly, who is putting out specialized monopoly games, such as HALO, and other video game ties. This year they are also launching “Telestrations” a new version of broken telephone and charades using texting. The Con also includes an art gallery where all the art has ties to the pop culture. Paintings include themes familiar to gamers, and they have mats where you can go look. It will take hours to find all the pop culture references in them, they range from Donkey Kong to The Simpsons. The Con is growing and last year it first got sponsors. According to Meyer, in the first year, “nobody could believe they could do this.” Now it is in third year and growing. It is also “filling a gap that Comic-Con does not.” He also said that Comic-Con is glad that these side events exist, not because they are competition, but because they get people off the Convention center for a few hours. Tomorrow they are going to have a concert on the rooftop, where they hold events every evening, last night it was a comedy show. Tomorrow’s concert will benefit the “Get well Games Foundation.” This foundation helps to get kids who are in the hospital video game systems, so they can pass the time, especially kids who are in the hospital long term. So if you are into Filk Music, come by. The musicians tomorrow will be Evan Brooks, Allison Landsdale and Mark Kramer. If you did not get tickets for Comic-Con but still want to enjoy some of the atmosphere. Or you got tickets to Comic-Con, but need a breather from the thousands of people, check out Gam3r-Con.