Calhouns Can(n)ons

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

No Water! No Water Nowhere!

Press release on upcoming Stop Wasting Water, Y'all event. Please plan to attend, pluuuueeeze, pretty plllueeeeze?

PRESS RELEASE

WH2O, Water Health 2 Outreach
Contact: WH2O
Phone 805-534-9890
Email eventinfor@wateroutreach.org
PO Box 6576
Los Osos, CA 93412

WH2O Announces Water Conservation and Water Quality Event

“SAVING OUR WATER… ONE DROP AT A TIME” – The public is invited to attend a water conservation event, held on Saturday, September 13, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM at the South Bay Community Center on Los Osos Valley Road.

Hosted by WH2O, a non-profit group of volunteers committed to preserving our future water quality and supply, this free event will provide information and inspiration on how we as individuals can conserve water and protect the future of our coastal communities. It will host a variety of exhibitors, including water purveyors, related businesses, and non-profit groups, such as SLO GreenBuild, Surfrider, Sierra Club, and ECOSLO. Displays and information will include indoor and outdoor water use, cost effective ways to reuse and reduce water usage, responsible purchases of appliances in the future, and local services and products that support water conservation. There will be many door prizes and a grand prize of an Envirocycle Composter valued at $189.

A potluck dinner and ice cream social will follow the exhibits from 4:45 to 5:45. At 6:00 we will screen the movie “FLOW” (formerly FLOW: For Love of Water), a documentary about the global water crisis and how humanity and water are inextricably interrelated. Noah Smukler will lead the discussion to follow.

This event is free to all but donations will be welcome to support future efforts. For a complete list of participants, please contact Karen Venditti at: kjvenditti@sbcglobal.net .

32 comments:

Maria M. Kelly said...: Hi Ann,
For over 18 months myself and others have enjoyed work efforts to support water conservation in LO. This recent effort started in April and has culminated in an incredible event. I asked Karen to work with us on this in June, as she has a good skill set and a genuine care for the community.

My goal was to not have conservation be used as a political vehicle the way the sewer was and how those political actions ultimately helped undermine the fabric of the community.

It has taken the full 18 months to make positive contact with and gain full support from the CSD, Golden State and S&T. Golden State now has a full time conservation person that covers our area and he has been great to work with - these things take time, patience and persistence and we are much appreciative of their support.

When Karen got involved in June, she was concerned about me using this event to further myself politically and I explained that my intentions were to not use conservation as a vehicle to win but I notice you took off my name as contact but left my phone number, left her name and then asked people to vote for her in the next breath.

Put my name back in so people know who they are calling and if you received this press release without my name then this was not the final one that I was in agreement with.

For more complete information about WH2O and our work efforts, please go to: www.wateroutreach.org

Thank you,
Maria M. Kelly; 7:39 AM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: My goal was to not have conservation be used as a political vehicle the way the sewer was and how those political actions ultimately helped undermine the fabric of the community.

Thank you,
Maria M. Kelly

I Love LO...It should be the poster child for communities struggling with the infrastructure issue(s)

Here are two links for your review and consideration:
http://www.wef.org/AboutWater/ForThePublic/WaterisLife/

http://www.wef.org/Wil/home; 8:13 AM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: Every kind of a group under the sun looks at the small picture, its own personal interests. But you happen to be on the cutting edge of something that is going to affect my four grandchildren. It's going to affect future generations and we need you to look at that bigger picture and to say what people can do to contribute.

http://www.irrigation.org/ibt/0002/agirr.htm; 8:20 AM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bkP0YFZMT4; 8:28 AM, August 26, 2008
Billy Dunne said...: Funny how Low rears his ugly head from time to time here. The once proud Wrecklamator travelling sales person and all-around apologist for all things Tom Murphy suddenly quits, disappears, then is accused by Murphy himself of stealing his technology, or something like that. Yet here he is again, regaling all of us with his opinions of Los Osos. What a guy.

Think embarrassment here. Think laughingstock. Think zero credibility.

PG-13 asked you a number of questions a while back (July 31: "76 Trombones Led the Big Parade") I guess you've thought it best not to answer any. Go figure.

Maria, if watching the neo-con hatchet machine the past 8 years has taught me anything it's that when facing a determined foe, you have to fight fire with fire. The vocal minority of obstructionists in this town have always understood this, and have held this town hostage with that knowledge. Politics is a contact sport, especially in LO. I wouldn't expect anything less.; 8:51 AM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: Funnier still is an annonymouse(very weak indeed)who boasts an 8 year track record but uses a profile less than 2 months old.
So bitter, Gad Fly (Pandora) is that you?

Why not use your real name?
What are you afraid of?; 10:24 AM, August 26, 2008
Billy Dunne said...: Marcus, you always did seem just a step behind on this blog. The 8 years I refer to is, of course, the 8 years of Bush/Cheney rule, which taught us all very well the power of political attack and partisan politics. Jeeez.

Did you check with Ron about using Pandora as your catch-phrase-obsession? I think that belongs to him.

The name's Billy Dunne. Actaully William. Has been for the past 42 years, 20 of them in Los Osos. How long have you lived here?

I'm afraid of very little. But I do have a huge disdain for snake oil salesmen who prey on the unsuspecting and less informed.; 10:39 AM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: Willy wrote:
"you always did seem just a step behind on this blog." ...But your handle was created in July 2008 and is annonymous.

I Love L.O.; 11:03 AM, August 26, 2008
Realistic1 said...: Gee Ann,

It's ok for "Karen the Candidate" to have her name on the press release, but not "Maria the Candidate"?

Hmmmm....Maria's been on this project since it's inception, Karen only since June....

Maybe it's just me, but it looks like Karen jumped on the conservation bandwagon just in time for election season.; 12:48 PM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: Maria demanded:Put my name back in so people know who they are calling and if you received this press release without my name then this was not the final one that I was in agreement with.

Pease tell us what happened to your manners?; 3:09 PM, August 26, 2008
Howie said...: Gee Riohard,

You could say the same thing about Maria.

I know it's not just me that notes the only ones crying for credit and playing politics around here are you and Maria.

Unlike Maria, Karen is no political animal and doesn't do cheap shots. On the other hand, Maria has never stopped running since she lost, kissing every patuti in the county along the way, carrying the mail for Taxpayers Watch.

Maria can't benefit from running as "the stranger" this time around. Everyone now knows she is Gordon and Taxpayers Watch, the gum-chewing giggler in the back row on TAC.

Karen will knock off either Maria or Marshall, sentencing one of them (perhaps you), to two glorious years of Siberia on the board...in the true minority role they (you, Dreamer) represent in the community.

Good luck with your and Maria's campaign to foment disunity and politicize the weather in LO. It won't work. Karen only travels the high road.

But don't stop running, Maria (or hoping, Richard). You might have better luck in 2010.; 3:37 PM, August 26, 2008
Realistic1 said...: I'm not Richard. He posts using his own name.; 4:30 PM, August 26, 2008
Unknown said...: I'm terrified of another amateur eco-activist with no managerial or financial experience being elected to the Board... We're finally going to be rid of the 2 least prepared Directors and now must elect integrity and experience... Maria and Marshall each have both...; 7:19 PM, August 26, 2008
Ron said...: I love Los Osos elections. All the "thumbs on the scales," and all the "behavior based marketing." Ah, they're the best.

Remember when Maria wrote a few months back:

""Whatever the county will be able to offer us, in my opinion, isn't comparable to the old mid town site project."?

And, in response to that nonsensical statement, I wrote my story, "S.S. TAC, Taking on Water! Time to Abandoned Ship?"

It's linked here: http://sewerwatch.blogspot.com/2008/04/ss-tac-taking-on-water-time-to.html

yea... that was fun. Good times.

Now, Maria writes:

"When Karen got involved in June, she was concerned about me using this event to further myself politically..."

That makes two of us.

Mike wrote:

"I'm terrified of another amateur eco-activist with no managerial or financial experience being elected to the Board"

"Terrified," huh? Wow.

Hey, M. Gates. You see, there are these things called "computers," these days, and this thing called "Google," and... uhhh... never mind.

According to a 10 second Google search:

"Karen Venditti, a retired financial representative."; 9:13 PM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: The Los Osos Community Services District has two four-year director seats open.

The candidates are David B. Duggan, an audio video technician; Maria M. Kelly, a community volunteer; Marshall E. Ochylski, an attorney and land planner; Alon Perlman, a health care provider; and Karen Venditti, a retired financial representative.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/story/439881.html

Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.
Plutarch
Year of Birth:
46
Year of Death:
120; 10:56 PM, August 26, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: Open channels key to watershed success
Better communication between local water and government agencies is needed to preserve the Nacimiento and San Antonio River watersheds, according to a new plan.

Too bad that the citizen/customer has been left out of the "new plan".

Individual consumption and reuse onsite will have the greatest impact upon conservation.

Leaky, energy intensive sewerage is so "last century".

Did anyone read Senator Paul Simon's piece yet? http://www.irrigation.org/ibt/0002/agirr.htm; 6:15 AM, August 27, 2008
Churadogs said...: Good Lord. I see paranoia is apparently getting the best of everyone.

Maria, #1. Karen sent me a Press Release. I posted the Press Release STET.That means, I changed NOTHING. Whatever contact #s were in it, that's what I posted. I ALTERED NOTHING. If you had sent me the Press Release I'd have posted it STET as well. I presume official Press Releases have in them the correct contact information the group or person wants to be in there before its sent out. If Venditti sent out the wrong press release, then you and she and whoever else is in the group (or whoever's in charge of Press Releases) need to have a little sit down chat.

#2. PZLDF, I think, or maybe it was the Wimers? sent me a press release concerning a Kick-off party for Venditti. I printed the info, with a sub-heading saying "Any CSD candidates running, please send me info on your campaign events and I'll post it here." If you had (or will) sent me a press release on a campaign shindig you were or are having, I'll be happy to post it. Ditto for all the other candidates.

I was unaware that the Water Thingee was "political." Or that the press release listing Venditti's contact number was "political." (Contact #s are there so if anybody has any questions about the event, they can call somebody and get the info.)

Announcements of CSD campaign shindigs ARE political and let me repeat, I'll be happy to post notices of same for candidates who send them to me.

Y'all need to get a grip. Water is too important to start this ridiculous fence fighting. And I'm delighted that anybody is running for the CSD. I say, hooray for them. Meantime, will all you people take a deep breath?; 8:54 AM, August 27, 2008
Maria M. Kelly said...: Thank you Ann and good advice. I was just curious and you answered my question and I appreciate it.

People have worked too hard and committed to much to have it side lined by particulars. I'm certain you can appreciate some level of my concern and at times over protection of keeping away from "ridiculous fence fighting".

All is well among the committee, we continue to work to achieve a productive and informative event.

Thank you,
Maria; 9:58 AM, August 27, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: Smiles, SMILES everyone! Welcome to Fantasy Island; 1:04 PM, August 27, 2008
Ron said...: Maria wrote:

"All is well among the committee, we continue to work to achieve a productive and informative event."

uhhh... has anyone but me taken a peek at Maria's "committee"?

Good god, it's a who's-who of Taxpayer Watchers.

Just Google the names with "Taxpayers Watch" in quotes.

Sylvia Smith was on the initial LOCSD Board, along with Pandora Nash-Karner, Gordon Hensley, and San Gustafson, where they wasted two years chasing Nash-Karner's "better, cheaper, faster," dead-on-arrival, sewer project.

Maria's web site even states, "We are the education and outreach arm of the San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper."

Gordon Hensley IS the arm of the San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper." It's just him.

Carol Comeau, in an endorsement for County Supervisor Bruce Gibson, wrote, "We were at Debby Cardinali's coffee. I watched 3 of the candidate forums on the computer. John and I believe Bruce has the best experience. We like his conservation work and his stance on the LO sewer situation. (to relook at TRI W if needed)."

Huh.

And I just published a piece over at SewerWatch, titled, "Unlike My Mom's Garden Club, Taxpayers Watch Doesn't Have a Web Site"

I might be wrong there. Taxpayers Watch DOES appear to have a web site. It's: www.wateroutreach.org; 1:21 PM, August 27, 2008
Realistic1 said...: Ron,

LAFCO belabored the process. They had no intention of dissolving and should have said "no" on day one. LAFCO drug out the process and drove up the cost simply because they didn't know what to do.

TPW is paying their bill. Perhaps not as quickly as you would like, but it's getting paid. Get over it.

Gordon, Joyce, Sharon and Bob are the primary players for TPW, but they have thousands of supporters in the community. Richard is one of those supporters, just like me. Agreeing with their position and supporting it in a public arena does not mean one is an organizer or a spokesperson.; 2:21 PM, August 27, 2008
Unknown said...: ...and does Ron Crawford even live in Los Osos...???

...is Ron Crawford going to pay a sewer bill or proerty taxes in Los Osos...???

...of course not, simply a pot stirrer... still living in the past...

If Ron is so interested in seeing TW pay off the somewhat over-charged bill from LAFCo, then he should sent a couple thousand US Dollars to TW... I'm sure they would be happy for his contribution...; 4:16 PM, August 27, 2008
Osos Change said...: I can confirm that Taxpayers Watch is not even paying the $1,000/month payment that the LAFCO board specifically requested -- so here they have a predicament since they've been trying to weasel their way out. Michael Drake or Waterworth can easily cut them a check and alleviate at least 50% of the total cost, but they clearly have a lacking of financial accountability. Then they have the nerve to call themselves Taxpayers Watch.

Maria Kelly has actively participated in Taxpayers Watch events, gatherings and meetings. She has also donated money to Taxpayers Watch. She has a direct conflict of interest, which is a problem. She's running, but like her comrades-in-arms Richard and Gordon, she's laughing at the law and what makes matters worse, she's breaking it.

Maria will lose this election.; 7:12 PM, August 27, 2008
Churadogs said...: Maria sez:"People have worked too hard and committed to much to have it side lined by particulars. I'm certain you can appreciate some level of my concern and at times over protection of keeping away from "ridiculous fence fighting"."

Wierdly, if you hadn't posted your comment/complaint nobody would have paid the slightest attention as to who was or wasn't listed on that press release as "contact" person. Everybody reading that posting would have figured it's a non-political event, no fence-fighting. Irony indeed that your perception seemed to bring about the very thing you feared.

Maria sez:""All is well among the committee, we continue to work to achieve a productive and informative event."

I'm glad to hear it. I've got some miscellaneous new info postings and I'll note that your name should have been on the "contact" for that press release.

Osos Change sez:"Maria Kelly has actively participated in Taxpayers Watch events, gatherings and meetings. She has also donated money to Taxpayers Watch. She has a direct conflict of interest, which is a problem"

See what I mean, regarding self-inflicted can of worms? Any citizens is free to attend TPW meetings, donate money and support that organization so it can spearhead an effort to go hell bent for leather to destroy the CSD -- have LAFCO take it out -- and then personally sue CSD Board members --and so forth. But to later run for office in that very same CSD seems odd to me. Why run for an office you've been trying to take out? That's very Groucho Marxian.

Of course, if a frontal assault on something doesn't work, the next smart bet is to work from the inside to get a board majority so you can place a petard and blow the CSD to smithereens from inside the wall. That would certainly work, especially in a community that isn't paying attention or doesn't much care.

Or one could certainly have had a change of heart, a Saulian tumble on the road to Damascus, so to speak, and decide, Aw heck, if you can't destroy 'em, might as well join 'em.

Ron writes,"Maria's web site even states, "We are the education and outreach arm of the San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper."

"Gordon Hensley IS the arm of the San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper." It's just him"

Oh dear. That could get a bit sticky. If H2O wants to appear to be non-political, non-partisan,a sort of Kumbaya Coming Together In The Light! The Light! then that certainly could be a bit of a problem, the old "Lay down with dawgs, get up with fleas" issue.

Well, politics makes for strange bedfellows.

Hope you all go to the H2O event, leave your swords at the door, and make the event a big success.; 5:33 AM, August 28, 2008
Watershed Mark said...: But to later run for office in that very same CSD seems odd to me. Why run for an office you've been trying to take out?

2 POINTS- Mother Calhoun!!!

" It's just him" & That could get a bit sticky.

Dawg- 2 more for MC!

We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.
Diogenes
Year of Birth:
412 BC
Year of Death:
323 BC; 6:42 AM, August 28, 2008
Ron said...: Osos Change wrote:

"I can confirm that Taxpayers Watch is not even paying the $1,000/month payment that the LAFCO board specifically requested"

Even better: It wasn't the LAFCO board that specifically requested the $1k/month -- it was the Superior Court of California that ordered it.

If they are not paying it, they are breaking the law.

So, what I would LOVE to see is the source for this:

"I can confirm that Taxpayers Watch is not even paying the $1,000/month payment."

Please confirm here.

Ann wrote:

"If H2O wants to appear to be non-political, non-partisan..."

Welcome to Behavior Based Marketing 101. It's ALL about appearance, baby -- just start some cutesy, folksy "citizens group," mix in a few "ice cream socials" and whamm-o... now you can start swinging your wrecking ball around from the inside, while everyone on the outside (i.e. voters) still thinks you're that cutesy, folksy "citizens group."

Works every time. Just ask the "Solution Group," and "Celebrate Los Osos!"; 9:44 AM, August 28, 2008
Shark Inlet said...: Jeeze ... have you people forgotten that at the LAFCO meeting, Maria's comments were in opposition to dissolution of the CSD. Unless she has stated otherwise somewhere since then, it would be best not to assume she's trying to "take out" the CSD ... in fact, it would appear to be little more than an attempt to mischaracterize her positions.

Lastly, when Ron writes "Welcome to Behavior Based Marketing 101. It's ALL about appearance, baby -- just start some cutesy, folksy 'citizens group,' mix in a few 'ice cream socials' and whamm-o... now you can start swinging your wrecking ball around from the inside, while everyone on the outside (i.e. voters) still thinks you're that cutesy, folksy 'citizens group.'" I must wonder who he is writing about. After all, these comments apply more clearly as a description of CCLO than anyone else.

What is cute here is than Ann and Ron, while pretending to be above the fray are slinging mud as fast and as furious as anyone else ... but then they're pointing dirty drippy fingers at others screaming "mommy, she threw mud at me". It is funny when toddlers to this, but pathetic when adults stoop to the same level.; 10:20 AM, August 28, 2008
Sewertoons AKA Lynette Tornatzky said...: Ann,

What do you mean by, "work from the inside to get a board majority so you can place a petard and blow the CSD to smithereens from inside the wall?"

That is what the present board is doing! They have bankrupted the community and are talking of dissolution! Why would anyone bother to run for office to do that -- it is happening with NO WORK on any candidates part! Do you think that the candidates could be running for another reason than blowing up the CSD?

What you say just sounds nasty and makes no sense. Certainly the 4's (minus Joe) policy to spend, spend, spend before they had any idea of what was in the bank is not acting responsibly!; 10:51 AM, August 28, 2008
Osos Change said...: Actually, there are Taxpayers Watch members that have vocally opposed the dissolution of the CSD. In reality, they were not completely united with that position and there was even some in-fighting amongst some of the core supporters.

Maria Kelly actively engages in this "web of deceit" and if one were to illustrate all her connections, all roads lead to Taxpayers Watch -- so it's impossible to say that she has no connection, it's impossible to say that she doesn't have blood on her hands and she takes his deceiving, "high-road" position of saying, "I keep away from 'ridiculous fence fighting,' when in reality, she's incited much of that fence fighting. The irony is suffocating.; 10:11 PM, August 28, 2008
Churadogs said...: Actually, I think we should rename Los Osos, "IronyVille." There so much of it here, most of it tragic and unnecessary.; 7:17 AM, August 29, 2008
Shark Inlet said...: No offense, Osos Change, but you've offered us only charges against Maria but you've offered us no evidence.

To me it seems pretty likely that Joe and Maria are, indeed, principled people who, after reviewing the available information have adopted a position which just happens to be convenient for TPW (even though both of them opposed dissolution which TPW supported).

If you have evidence that Maria is causing problems, trot it out. Until you provide evidence, it would seem that you are doing little more than trying to "stir the pot" as it were ... which makes your comment on irony ironic itself...; 9:05 AM, August 29, 2008
Maria M. Kelly said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4:56 PM, August 29, 2008

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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

32 comments: