Past Meeting Minutes

February 21, 2016

Topic: Climate Change: The Effects of El Nino

Speakers: Tanya Finney, Superintendent, South Coast Botanic Garden

                Kristi Fera, Education Coordinator, Marine Mammal Care Ctr

January 17, 2016

Topic: Local Issues and Upcoming Elections

Speakers:
Tom Long, former Mayor, RPV

         Erik Bauman, Chair, LA County Democratic Party

         and Vice Chair of the California Democratic Party

November 15, 2015

Topics:

Policy & Political Issues Impacting Voters Over 50

and Common Causes’ Legislative Priorities

Speakers:
-Ernie Powell, Senior Votes Count

-Sylvia Moore, Common Cause, Southern California

October 18, 2015

Topics: Port of Los Angeles Environmental Issues and      Health Hazards at the Exxon/Mobil refinery in Torrance

Speakers:

-Christopher Cannon, Director of Environmental Management and Chief Sustainability Officer, Port of Los Angeles

-Connie Sullivan, Torrance Refinery Action Alliance

September 20, 2015

Topic: Groundswell Rising (a documentary)

Speakers:

This documentary describes the negative effects of fracking, and the positive actions residents have taken in response to this destructive activity in their neighborhoods.

August 16, 2015

Topic: 2015 Supreme Court Rulings

Speakers:

Back by popular demand, former RPV mayor and attorney Tom Long wi used Erwin Chemerinsky’s annual SCOTUS review to present the ramifications of the 2015 Supreme Court decisions.

June 14, 2015

Topics: “Carbon Fee and Dividend” and “Community Choice Aggregation”

Speakers:

-Edric Guise, Citizen’s Climate Lobby, described the bipartisan appeal of charging a fee at the source of carbon extraction, and then returning that money to the citizens.

-Joe Galliani, Clean Water Working group, explained the benefits of allowing consumers to choose clean electricity options through the regular power grid.

May 17, 2015

Topics: Pay2Play: Democracy’s High Stakes

This powerful documentary highlights the undue influence of money in politics.

April 17, 2015

Topics: “Marine Protected Areas” and “California Water Crisis”

Speakers:
-Mike Schaadt, Director, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, described the protected areas off our coast.
-Harold Williams, Director, West Basin Water District 1, explained the recycled water his agency provides.
-Jim Knight, Mayor, Rancho Palos Verdes, described his city’s response to the state water mandates.

March 15, 2015

Topics: The Disclose Act; The Armenin Genocide

Speakers:
-D’Marie Mulattieri, Field Organizer for the California Clean Money Campaign, spoke about AB 700 The California Disclose Act.
-Frank Zerunyan, Jr., USC Professor, spoke about the Armenian Genocide