Three Little-Known City Council Candidate Forums Coming Up Fast + a Copwatch Confab

THOSE ELUSIVE CITY COUNCIL FORUMS

Tomorrow--Tuesday October 7th, The Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Association are throwing a forum at the Main Library downtown 10 AM to noon. I assume this is open to the public, since their forums usually are, and it's being held in the public library.

Later tomorrow night (as posted in the Calendar), "The Next" is throwing a forum for the candidates 7:30-9 PM at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center (320 Cedar St. #2). It will be held after a live screening of the presidential debate between the two wings of the War Party (the Demopublicans) from 6 to 7:30 PM.

On Wednesday, October 22nd the Santa Cruz Neighbors throw a candidate forum in the community room of the SCPD police station at 7 PM. More info at http://www.santacruzneighbors.org .


BAD SEASON FOR PUBLIC FORUMS AND PUBLIC INFO ON CANDIDATES

The SCPD Candidate Forum of several Fridays ago turned out to be closed to the public. So not only is it really really difficult to get public records from the SCPD, but you don't get to hear what they ask the candidates and what the candidates say in response. Craig Canada, however, extensively answered their questionaire (then was not invited to their "private" meeting). Hopefully he will post his extensive response to the SCPD questionaire on-line, if he hasn't already (I haven't been able to find it.)

Community TV fell down bigtime and didn't video or record the most important forum of the season--the Progressive Forum (People's Democratic Club [PDC], Santa Cruz Action Network[SCAN], and Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender[GBLT]). For details go to http://brattononline.com/index.php?p=289 .

Jeff Smedberg of the SEIU [union] Forum banned any recording and nearly half the candidates apparently weren't even invited. Bonnie Morr, who master-of-ceremonied the forum seemed apologetic afterwards, but did nothing to assure that union members not present would be able to hear the proceedings later (by allowing recording, or putting it up for a vote). There was also some funny business about Ryan Coonerty getting his father, Neal the Supervisor, to intervene on his behalf and change the vote later in executive session giving him an endorsement.


LAST CHANCE TO GET IN ON THE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE DEAL

For those interested there's also a Planning Session of the Coalition for a Countywide Community Dialogue on Race, Poverty, Equality & Justice at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 7, City Council Courtyard Conference Room (the room next to City Council chambers towards the City Council offices at 809 Center St.). They ask you call (831) 425-7618 or (831) 459-9349 or email them at skenyatta [at] cruzio.com or parnold [at] bridgemysteries.com or carliecarlota [at] yahoo.com to let them know since seating is limited.

On Saturday October 18 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM at the Cabrillo Horticultural Center 6500 Soquel Dr. in Aptos, Pat Arnold writes, the Coalition will be "working toward solutions at a county-wide dialogue event...to develop actual plans to address institutional racism in Santa Cruz County. During the past four months, public hearings on Racism have been held in four different locations in Santa Cruz County. Testimony was given on experiences of racism in six areas: Police, Immigration, Education, Employment, Housing and Health Care. This conference will address the issues raised at those public [meetings.]"


KENYATTA AND CABRERA INTERVIEWS ARCHIVED

Cabrera was interviewed by Thomas Leavitt and me yesterday and the show is archived at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb081005.mp3 (download and go past the first hour of the show).

Kenyatta was interviewed by Becky Johnson, with occasional questions from me and Whitney Wilde. That interview--in the second hour of the audio file--is at http://www.radiolibre.org/brb/brb081002.mp3 .