Click here to call your representatives, and then tell us how it went.

Or use this info:
Sen. Dianne Feinstein's San Francisco office at (415) 393-0707
Sen. Barbara Boxer's San Francisco office at (415) 403-0100
Rep. Sam Farr's Salinas office at (831) 424-2229.

At the next meeting of the Carmel Area Democratic Women's Luncheon Club, Delaine Eastin will discuss democracy at its most basic and powerful - engagement of citizens. Ms. Eastin is a former four-term Assembly member and Chair of the Assembly Committee on Education, and former two-term State Superintendent of Schools.

Whether you are actively involved with your government, need inspiration to get more involved, or would like to learn what your role could be, we hope you will join us for this essential event! Watch her video on leadership and educational justice.

When: September 17th, 11:30 social hour, followed by lunch at noon.
Where: La Playa Hotel, Poseidon Room, 8th Avenue, Carmel.
How: Lunch is $28 per person. Advance reservations are required for lunch. Deadline for lunch reservations is 5 pm, Friday, September 11th. Contact Carol at (831) 649-6894 for more information. Anyone who wishes to "audit" the meeting by joining us for the presentation without eating lunch is welcome to attend. Cost for auditing is $10 per person.

As if being our Congressman, the Director of the Office for Management and Budget and Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff had not been enough, now Leon Panetta has been called to serve the nation again - this time to straigthen out the CIA after the Bush years. That service is just one of many reasons Mr. Panetta will be honored as this year's Blue Shining Star by the Salinas Valley Democratic Club at their annual dinner September 12. This will be your opportunity to mingle with many of our electeds and other fellow Democrats at the National Steinbeck Center.

What: Salinas Valley Democratic Club's 5th Annual Blue Shining Star Dinner.
When: September 12th from 5:30 to 9:00 pm.
Where: National Steinbeck Center (1 Main Street, Salinas).
Tickets:  $50. There are only very few left. For sponsorship opportunities and to order tickets, contact Teri Short at (831) 210-6116 or freeforever44@comcast.net, or Bettye Pina at (831) 247-7023 or brpina@comcast.net.

This fall voters in some Monterey County communities will be voting on very important local ballot measures. Monterey County Democrats have studied the measures carefully and make the following recommendations, based on our principles of good governance, local control, and fiscal responsibility.:

Carmel Valley: Yes on Measure G - Keep Carmel Valley Rural
This measure is one of those rare opportunities where local residents can take hold of their own destiny, by gaining local control over land development, open space preservation and traffic control. We note that the opposition is funded primarily by developers. For more information, to donate, or to volunteer with the campaign, please visit http://citizensforcarmelvalley.com.

City of Carmel: No on Measure I - Keep Mission Trail Park Whole
Measure I is a plan to remove the heart of Mission Trail Park and put it up for sale: gone forever, in exchange for a short-term gain the city does not even need. It would set a terrible precedent and it would be irreversible. For more information about the property in question, please visit the Flanders Foundation website.  To volunteer or if you have questions, please e-mail the Committee to Oppose Measure I.

City of Pacific Grove: Yes on Measure J - Keep Pacific Grove Libraries Open
Measure J, at its core, is an up or down vote on the Pacific Grove Library. If Measure J succeeds, the library will stay open. If it fails, it is almost certain the library will close next year. PG voters have a chance to say "I will not let the library close - not in our town."  For more information on the Pacific Grove Library, visit its website.

City of Salinas: Yes on Measure K - A Penny for Peace
Measure K expands gang prevention programs, in-school anti-gang education, after-school recreation, tutoring, mentoring and job training programs that keep youth on the right track and away from gangs and drugs.

Measure K hires more police officers and implements a new, neighborhood-oriented policing vision for Salinas. It expands community policing and more effectively brings neighbors, businesses, and youth together over the long-term to fight gangs and violent crime.

Measure K is A Penny For Peace. All funds stay local - nothing can be taken by Sacramento or Washington.

For more information, visit the Yes on K campaign website.