Meeting 7-9:30 p.m. – Quaker Meeting House – Lake Worth
1. Riviera Beach Marina: The activists in Riv. Beach have attained the necessary 2600 signatures to get a referendum on the ballot in November to stop the waterfront from being developed into an
industrial and big boat boatyard and destroying the waterfront. They've asked for help from
PBCEC to bring awareness to this issue. They have a weekly meeting on Monday (next one is 8/16) at 7 pm at the Blue Heron Church, 2600 Avenue A, Riv. Bch.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/opponents-of-riviera-beach-marina-deal-file-petitions-852283.html
2. Scripps/Briger Tract Development: Dates are being set for the petitioners who won a hearing from the S. Fl Water Mngmt District and Dept of Community Affairs. Aug 23rd. as a pre-hearing stipulation meeting for SFWMD and DCA determined that the main obstacle is no representation from people living in the area (we have since refiled our petition to show the PBCEC's support from Gardens and surrounding area). He is also proposing a demonstration at the FAU campus in PBG Friday
8/27.
keep up with the administrative/legal process here:
SFWMD
http://www.doah.state.fl.us/internet/search/docket.cfm?CaseNo=10-003100
DCA
http://www.doah.state.fl.us/internet/search/docket.cfm?CaseNo=10-005608
(the newly revised petition can also be viewed here in a PDF link)
3. Clean Energy Coalition: This newly formed group meets in Dania every two weeks, Sat. at 11:00 a.m. at the St. Maurice Catholic Church 2851 Sterling Road. Suki attended last meeting and gave
report. They are planning an action for
August 21st at Port Everglades US 1 & Hwy 84 – Welcome Park) to protest the BP oil spills and our dependence on fossil fuels. There is a flotilla planned as well as an on-shore protest. It's at Noon, Saturday, August 21st at the corner of US 1 and Rte. 84. If you need more information about this event, contact is
mrrratpp@aol.com.
4. Move to Amend South Florida Tour: Nancy Parker of PDA spoke on this issue. Green Party is also sponsoring this event. David Cobb, the 2004 Green Party Candidate for President is coming to FL for a week to speak on the need to change the Constitution to reflect the fact that CORPORATIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE. Similar to separation of church and state.
PBCEC feels very strongly about this issue and voted to endorse the MTA Tour. Endorsement gives us the opportunity to table at the events in North Palm and Boca Raton and gives us 5 minutes of time to talk about the negative impact corporate personhood has had on the environment in South Florida. Cobb will be here Sept. 14, 7-9 pm at the First UU Church of the Palm Beaches - N. Palm Beach, 635 Prosperity Farms Rd and Sept. 15, 7-9 pm at St Andrews Estates South, Boca Raton, 6045 Verde Trail South. David is a dynamic speaker, should be good. For more info, contact is Bonnie Redding (Green Party) 561-762-8191. Also visit
www.movetoamend.org.
5. In a related issue, 2 reps from MoveOn, (Ruthie Cassidy & Peter Becker), attended with a petition to sign against corporate personhood.
PBCEC endorsed this petition as well, although NOT
endorsing MoveOn per se. The Petition is called, "The other 98%".
6. Reef Rescue: Sea turtles are suffering on Ft. Lauderdale beach because of the lights. Ed Tichner asked for help from
PBCEC to file an intent to sue letter. Reef Rescue will help with funding for a
suit/legal action, but wanted to make sure there is someone who can do the research necessary within 60 days after the intent to sue letter is written. Specifically, there is a need to find out why the Ft.
Lauderdale ordinances about lighting mitigation near the beaches aren’t being enforced since they are in place as a result of the Endangered Species Act. S.T.O.P. (Sea Turtle Oversight Protection) is
working with him on this. Ruthie Cassidy offered to help with research. Bobette will forward her contact information for Stacie-Lee Sherwood (S.T.O.P.) and others involved in this situation.
7. 10/10/10 Global Work Party: This is sponsored by
350.org and Bill McKibben. Bobette spoke, said everyone try and do something on that day to show their support for getting off of fossil fuels.
PBCEC will put together an event for that morning as yet to be determined. Please put on your thinking caps and keep it at a neutral location (a park?) Bobette personally invited everyone to the Network of Spiritual Progressives 10.10.10 Festival for the Planet which will be held from 2-5 pm at Church of our Savior, 2011 S. Federal Hwy, Boynton Beach.
PBCEC can table there – Greenpeace will be tabling there too. At that “work party” the group will install a timer and insulation on
the hot water heater at the MCC (to help them reduce electricity that is wasted heating water when the building isn’t being used) and will be doing a veggie meal cooked on a solar cooker in the parking lot.
Richard WhiteCloud’s “off the grid” airstream will be there too (runs on solar panels and wind turbines).
Christian mentioned that he might like to try to organize a bike event that day. Send other ideas to
bwolesensky@gmail.com.
8. The Riviera Beach contingent revealed that the Riv. Bch city commissioners had renewed FPL's lease for the aging power plant there for 30 years. They have already signed on to it.
PBCEC will be kept informed of any actions that come up to turn that plant into a solar power plant instead of another fossil fuel oil and water guzzler.
9. NORML representative, Chris Alford will get back to us re
PBCEC endorsing their movement to legalize hemp and medical marijuana (or make possession a misdemeanor). Carol Strick pointed out that 65% of prisoners are locked up for drug charges. The coalition feels that this is something we should support.
10. LW Casino: There is some controversy in Lake Worth over a casino, late hours and other activities that go along with a casino as it relates to sea turtle nesting/hatchlings. Christian brought the
issue up and said he would get back to us with details. He suggested we may want to have someone from the LW City Council join us for our next meeting. He will extend that invitation.
11. March Against Wal-Mart: Bobette revealed the Wal-Mart's master plan is to have a Wal-Mart every 5 miles up U.S. 1 from Miami to who knows where. Maine? They are presently asking for a zoning change in Delray and there a protest August 16th, beginning at Old School Square in Delray Beach from 5 pm marching to city hall. The Planning & Zoning Commission meets at 6 p.m. on August 16th, and the march will end at the meeting where people will speak out against the zoning change Wal-Mart has requested. Info:
www.auroasvoice.org or
bwolesensky@gmail.com.
12.
PBCEC has decided to endorse a few worthy candidates IF (and only IF) they endorse Amendment 4. Barry Silver will see if the following candidates pass this litmus test:
Just a quick note to confirm that the following candidates were “conditionally” endorsed at last night’s meeting. Barry is going to follow up with ALL of them today to confirm the details of the
conditional endorsement and is going to do media announcements, organize a press conference, etc.
State Rep Endorsements which will be made ONLY IF the candidates go on record as supporting Amendment 4 when they are contacted by Barry Silver. (Barry will do WRITTEN contact – email.)
• District 86 – Carole Kaye
• District 88 – Mark Pafford
Congressional Rep Endorsements which will be made ONLY IF the candidates go on record as supporting Amendment 4 when they are contacted by Barry Silver. (Barry will do WRITTEN contact – email.)
• District 16 – Ed Tautiva
• District 23 – Alcee Hastings
County Commissioner Endorsement which will be made ONLY IF the candidate goes on record as supporting Amendment 4 when contacted by Barry Silver. (Barry will do WRITTEN contact – email.)
• District 6 – Jess Santamaria
County Commissioner Endorsement suggested by members of the Riviera Beach Community Task Force and which will be made ONLY after research by Barry Silver AND only after the candidate goes on record as supporting Amendment 4; only after the candidate completes the Candidate questionnaire; and only after the candidate completes the Declaration of Fossil Fuel Independence. Emma Bates from the RB Community Task Force will also contact Ms. Taylor to ask her specific questions about these issues and will report back to Barry (
barryboca@aol.com)
• District 7 – Priscilla Taylor
C. M. offered the following information:
"SHAC has received a number of leaked documents detailing the purchase of hundreds of monkeys from China by Huntingdon Life Sciences between 2006-2008. The documents reveal, once again, how HLS, Primate Products, Inc and its customers are directly responsible for the horrible suffering of monkeys trapped for the international primate slave trade.
If the FL Scripps Research Institute Phase2 is built, Donald Bradford, and all the other higher ups in his company (all listed on the S.FL. anti HLS blogspot) will make a killing adding them to their
customer lists (for all we know they already are supplying Phase1). We have to shut these monsters down!
We, the organizers against Primate Products, call on every compassionate person to show their anger and disgust at Primate Products, Inc. for their continued involvement in the primate slave
trade."
What: Protest against Primate Products, Inc.
Where: Primate Products, Inc. Live Animal Division
7780 NW 53rd Street
Miami, FL 33166
305-471-9557
305-471-8983
lad@primateproducts.com
When: Wed., Aug. 11. 4:00 pm
More info: Christian Minaya 561 541 7049
http://smashhls.blogspot.com/
That's it! See you at the next
PBCEC meeting September 13, 2010.
Suki deJong
filling-in co-chair for this meeting
