Festival Aquifer Overdraft Forces Pump Limits & Increased Water Cost
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Courtesy of the Local History Room, Fullerton Public Library COMMUNITY & ARTS CALENDAR Page 12-15 __ PERIODICALS ullerton’ 11 A Observerm ^1 «y 1 2 200: Fullerton’s Only Local, Independent Newspaper • Est. 1978 (printed on recycled paper) VOLUME 25 #9 • Mid-May 2003 FULLERTON OBSERVER FULLERTON OBSERVER MID MID MAY 2003 Focus on “Citizen Soldiers” “Faces Of for 65th Memorial Day Service “America’s Citizen Soldiers” Fullerton” the men and women of the Army and Air National Guard will be the focus of this year’s Festival 65th Annual Fullerton Memo Dubbed “Faces of Fullerton,” a com rial Day Observance. munity party is planned Saturday June The program begins at 10am 7th from 10am to 3pm at the Plaza next on Monday May 26th at the to the Museum on Wilshire in down Loma Vista Memorial Park lo town Fullerton. The day will be fun for PLEASE RETURN TO THE cated at 701 E. Bastanchury all ages featuring a variety of activities’ FULLERTON PUBLIC LIBRARY Road, east of Harbor Blvd. entertainment and food at no cost. Guest speaker Major Gen 353 W. COMMONWEALTH AVE. Festivities will include music pro eral Paul D. Monroe Jr. adju FULLERTON CA Q?ft3 9 -1 7 Qfi vided by The Relics - 50s & 60s Rock tant general of the National Major General Monroe ‘n Roll, the Second Half Band, Ladera Guard and director of the State Vista Band, Vocal music groups, the of California Military Depart Wars Post 11390, CalState Valencia Community Center Folkloric ment will arrive aboard an OC & Fullerton High Army Dancers, Irish Dancers from a local stu Sheriff’s Dept Helicopter. ROTC Cadets, DAR, Boy dio, the Fullerton College Dance Group Kristen Romero of the Ful Scouts and more. and more. Performances will include lerton Police Dept will sing. Retired Navy Submarine something for everyone. Fullerton PD and Fire Depart Commander Buck Catlin Local organizations will offer activi ment will participate as well as will serve as master of cer ties and information. Each will feature Fullerton Emblem Club 469, emonies. The program is favorite books and literary themes and Fullerton American Legion sponsored by American Vet “take-home” items for all. Post 142, Fullerton Ebell & erans Memorial Association Planning is underway to include a Elks Clubs, Veterans of Foreign and the City of Fullerton. pancake breakfast in the morning in ad dition to hot dogs and soda that will be available for lunch at no cost. 93 Communities Reject Interactive games, raffle prizes, mu sic, food and special surprises will all USA PATRIOT Act come together to make the day a fun The Hawaii state legislature people, elected officials in community event. has become the first in the na 93 communities in 23 states This free event is sponsored by Stand tion to stand up for the rights have passed similar resolu For Children and the Fullerton Collabo of individuals by passing a joint tions. This is a significant rative, a non-profit dedicated to bring resolution affirming and pro grassroots movement that ing resources together for a better fu tecting the individual liberties has grabbed the attention of ture for our community. of all the people of Hawaii and national lawmakers who calling for the repeal of the have started to sit up and Above: The 27th Annual CROPWALK this year was held in memory of most egregious provisions of take notice as more and California Submits the USA PATRIOT Act, which more concerned citizens re Quentin Edwards. Pictured are Quentin’s wife Mary and grandson Jacob contains many provisions that alize they can speak out and Evidence to Feds Calhoun who joined 200 other walkers including other Edward’s children, erode checks and balances on do something to ensure that grandchildren and great-grandchild. Proceeds from the Annual walk law enforcement and threaten our country remains both On Widespread combat hunger locally and worldwide. (more on page 8 & 9) personal privacy and civil lib safe and free, http:// Electricity erties. www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/ Representing 7.8 million Manipulation Aquifer Overdraft Forces Pump (more page 10) Filings by a coalition including the Revenue Boosters Neglected In state’s two largest utilities and govern Limits & Increased Water Cost ment agencies presented the Federal Favor of Cutting City Services Energy Regulatory Commission com by Joyce Rosenthal pelling new evidence that power trad Fullerton is not alone in fac can expect some reduction responsible for replenishing and ing a budget deficit. Other cit ers manufactured California’s electric Orange County Water District staff pre in services, increases in fees, ity crisis and should return $7.5 billion, maintaining the groundwater basin ies are facing similar predica sented evidence at a Public Hearing show and elimination of city sup in profits earned, to the state. under north and central Orange ments and many are looking port of some programs. In ing that for the past ten years more water “This evidence should force FERC to County which serves residents and into adjusting oil extraction, addition Departments will has been taken out of the basin (aquifer) recognize, at long last, just how egre- businesses in twenty-one cities. The hotel occupancy and other fees be forced to reduce person giously and extensively California was underlying Orange County than has been District holds the rights to all Santa to make up for budget short nel at the same time the city plundered, defrauded and ripped off by replenished. The accumulated overdraft is Ana River flows reaching Prado Dam falls. City Manager Chris is growing -putting more the energy pirates,” said Attorney Gen currently 442,000 acre feet. and this source, plus imported water Meyer said that Fullerton staff pressure on employees. eral Bill Lockyer. The over 1,000-page Up to now cities and water agencies purchased from the Metropolitan Wa would not be looking into mea The City Council could filing cites widespread market manipu could draw as much 75% of their needs ter District (MWD), is used to re sures that could boost revenue direct staff to look into ad lation that artifically drove up prices, from the basin. The hearing was held to charge the basin. Water from the Santa unless directed to do so by the justing fees, that have been and shows coordination and profit shar change that percentage as well as the price Ana River is high-quality and pro City Council. set lower than those of ing agreements between traders. per acre foot (1-acre-foot serves 2 fami vides three quarters of the recharge Instead, in order to offset the neighboring cities, as a pos The coalition which includes South lies for a year). water. deficit, each city department sible source of additional was required to submit a 2003- ern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Speakers included representatives from OCWD monitors the amount of revenue that could help in 04 budget with a reduction of Electric Company, the California Attor cities and Water Districts and two resi groundwater taken out of the basin these tough times. ney General’s Office, the California 5%. If the State budget, ex dents. The residents objected to any in each year by cities and water districts Public Utilites Commission and the pected in September, further crease because the basic problem of the and then assesses these users in order Public Hearing on California Electricity Oversight Board reduces revenue to cities - overdraft wasn’t being addressed and if to have funds for both operating ex the City Budget believe that their filing reveals “just the approved, the higher cost would be passed even deeper cuts will be nec tip of the iceberg,” of evidence that sell penses and the cost of imported re essary. In anticipation of that June 9 & 10th on to the consumer. plenishment water. 4pm & 7:30pm ers manipulated the California power There was a lively discussion with the possibility, Meyer directed de The information was provided at a partments to submit additional City Council markets. Board divided on both the percentage and Sellers are fighting to keep the infor public hearing, held at Orange scenarios cutting budgets by the rate. Finally $146 per acre foot price Chambers mation confidential while the coalition County Water District headquarters 7.5%, 10% and 15%. was adopted by a 6-4 vote. The percent on April 23rd. has petitioned FERC to make all of the The Budget, a two inch thick Copies of the Budget will age of water that each city will be allowed document prepared by City information public - as they believe the be available at the Fullerton public has a right to know what hap to draw from the aquifer was then quickly staff, will be presented to the Public Library and City pened in California. established at 66% by a 9-1 vote. See related story on MTBE & City Council and if the over $2- The Orange County Water District is Perchlorate page 10 million in cuts pass, residents Clerk’s office at City Hall. FULLERTON PRESORTED OBSERVER STANDARD U.S. PO Box 7051 POSTAGE Fullerton CA PAID 92834 Permit No. 1577 525-6402 Fullerton, CA I I Courtesy of the Local History Room, Fullerton Public Library Page 2 Fullerton Observer COMMUNITY OPINIONS Continued on page 3 & 8 MID-MAY 2003 Bait & Switch Manipulation of “Me, my mouse, Sugar, and my lizard, Rumba u lle r to n Americans by Genevieve b se r v e r History, if honestly written, will show that the American People were consis The Fullerton Observer, founded by Ralph Kennedy tently lied to and manipulated by a mis in 1978, is a group of local citizen-volunteers who guided group hell-bent on establishing a create, publish and distribute the Observer through U.S.