Public hearings on nuclear weapons development in the Bay Area

In February 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a draft Site Wide Environmental Impact Statement (SWEIS) for the Livermore nuclear weapons laboratory (LLNL). The SWEIS describes new, dangerous projects LLNL would like to start in the next decade including more work with nuclear materials—more work on bombs and more contamination and waste in the communities.

DOE states that the 50-mile radius surrounding LLNL is the population affected by environmental impacts from routine operations. That spans an area from San Jose to Stockton to Berkeley to San Francisco.

Are you concerned about any of the following impacts of LLNL:

• a million curies of low level radiation being released in the Bay Area,

• long term storage of thousands of pounds of nuclear waste and materials,

• elevated levels of plutonium in a playground adjacent to an elementary school,

• genetically modified anthrax and plague that is aerosolized,

• vaporization of plutonium,

• the transport of plutonium and transuranic radioactive waste on a freeway near you, or

• elevated levels of skin cancer in Livermore's children?

If any of the above points disturb you, attend a public hearing on nuclear weapons development at the Livermore nuclear weapons lab (LLNL). It is your chance to demand that the U.S. government stop developing new and modified nuclear weapons, which pollute our communities and endanger our health.

For example, LLNL wants to more than double the limit for plutonium at Livermore Lab from 1,540 pounds to 3,300 pounds. 3,300 pounds of plutonium can make more than 300 nuclear bombs. Further, one microscopic particle of plutonium, if inhaled, can cause lung cancer or other diseases. Chances are if the plutonium is imported on site, large quantities of plutonium will remain in Livermore indefinitely without a plan for ultimate disposal.

a bomb production plant! the sweis proposes that livermore lab become the place to test new technologies for manufacturing plutonium pits for nuclear weapons. (A pit is the softball-sized piece of plutonium that sits inside a modern nuclear weapon).

In addition, the SWEIS reveals LLNL's plan to play a key role in preparing for a return to underground nuclear testing. livermore lab's plans to develop diagnostics to "enhance" the nation's readiness to conduct full-scale underground nuclear tests. this is a dangerous step back to the days of unrestrained nuclear testing.

Overall, Livermore Lab's plans to increase the development of new and exotic nuclear weapons supports the Bush Administration's explicitly offensive nuclear weapons programs, which undermine global security, endanger community health and pollute our environment.

Join us at a public hearing or offer written comments. The hearings will be held in: Livermore, CA: Tuesday, April 27 at 1 PM and 6 PM at the Double Tree Club Hotel at 720 Las Flores Rd, Livermore (925) 443-4950; Tracy, CA: Wednesday, April 28 at 1 PM and 6:30 PM, Holiday Inn Express at 3751 N. Tracy Blvd. (209) 830-8500; and Washington, DC: Friday, April 30 at 10 AM, DOE Headquarters, 1000 Independence Ave., SW (202) 586-3012.

Public comments are due by May 27 and should be mailed to the DOE:

Livermore Site Office Document Manager, Mr Tom Grim, NNSA; 7000 East Ave; MS L-293; Livermore, CA, 94550. (925) 422-0704.

    - Mahatma Gandhi

A Day of Hope

By JOHN BLACK

“A Day of Hope: To Instill the Message of Hope in Mental Health Consumers, Family Members, Service Providers and Educators of the Central Valley” is scheduled for May 13, 2004 at the Seasons 945 Mc Henry Ave. This event is a collaborative effort of Telecare Corporation, Modesto Junior College Psychology Department, The Downtown Arts Project, and the local chapters of Stanislaus County Mental Health Consumers and the National Alliance for Mentally Ill (NAMI).

After registration from 9-10 a.m., Jasbir Dhami, RN from the Wellness Recovery Center will welcome everyone.

Day of Hope Co-founders will share their personal experience and inspirational message of recovery. Ramiro (Ray) Guevara, a National NAMI consumers advocate, program director of NAMI National “In Our Own Voice,” and one of those spotlighted in the film "Hope on the Street,” will recount his inspirational journey of recovery.

Telecare consumer employee, John Black, will share his powerful message of hope as a consumer who has recovered from a devastating mental condition.

Tina Wooton, Consumer Advocate/Liaison, Division of Mental Health, Sacramento County MHA Sacramento Chapter, and her colleagues from the California Coalition of Consumer Survivors in Mental Health Management will conduct a workshop entitled, “Successful Employment, Successful Recovery.”

Facilitated by Telecare Shop consumer employee Thelma Carver, our panel presentation will include Stanislaus County Behavioral and Recovery Services and its Consumers who have developed a view regarding the recovery process. The group joins our celebration with their introduction of the “Eight Milestones to Recovery for Mental Health.” The group, is sure to instill their vision, “That recovery is possible.” A group of NAMI members will share in an interactive panel discussion of issues related to Family

There will be a continental breakfast and lunch as well as special guests and musical performances throughout the day. Registration is free to mental health consumers. General registration is $10.00.

ACTION: For more info email johnb@telecarecorp.com, or call 209-491-5111; or Thelma Carver, 209-341-1824

CSU Stanislaus VDAY names first Vagina Warriors

By TINA ARNOPOLE DRISKILL

Yvonne Allen, April Dunham-Filson and Guadalupe T. Rios have been recognized by California State University, Stanislaus as the university’s first annual Vagina Warriors for “their commendable efforts towards ending violence against women.”

The awards have been instituted as part of the VDAY celebrations which honor women activists involved in the struggle to end “emotional, intellectual, spiritual (and) physical“ violence on this planet.” The awards are based upon the indigenous concept of warrior as “one whose basic responsibility is to protect and preserve life,” and upon Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues” in which she calls upon society to “Celebrate Vagina Warriors. Let them be honored and seen. Let more be born.”

Yvonne Allen, formed the Modesto chapter of NOW (National Organization for Women). Feeling “silence is a killer,” she encouraged law enforcement to keep statistics on the numbers of battered women in the Modesto area. Often meeting with much resistance and personal character attacks, she continued “the good fight” by writing a grant to create one California’s first women’s shelters in Stanislaus County. She took a two-year leave of absence from teaching to act as executive director of Haven Women’s Center. In 1980 she was awarded a Stanislaus County Outstanding Woman of the Year Award, which, she feels, earned her even greater respect from her students. The co-founder of People for Choice and founding member of Planned Parenthood says, “You can’t get anything done unless you have vision and focus. If we don’t relentlessly speak out about violence against women, as women, we only hurt ourselves.”

April Dunham-Filson has served as president, vice president and current advisor for the CSUS chapter of the Rainbow Alliance, a student organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and intersexual (GLBTI) students and their allies. She co-founded Campus Allies Unified in Support of Equality (CAUSE), an organization for staff, faculty, students and administration that advocates for GLBTI individuals. During the last five years she has been an integral part of the Haven Women’s Center culture and diversity training program. As a fully trained volunteer, she has spent more than 200 hours in hospital response for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. She has earned a place on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women for CSUS, and serves as a steward for the university’s chapter of the California State Employees Association (CSEA). Vagina Warriors are “the many women and children who have risen above being victims of violence and are now survivors,” she says.

Guadalupe T. Rios, MSW, directs counseling services and the Alternatives to Violence Program for A Women’s Place in Merced County. She works primarily with sexual assault victims, adult women who were sexually abused as children, and victims of domestic violence. The single mother of three strives “to continue fighting for the freedom and empowerment of women.”

ACTION: VDAY is a globally organized response against violence toward women. Find out more at: www.vday.org/main.html

MJC Guitar Orchestra strikes chord with local musicians

By CHELSEA FEENEY

You might see him walking down the halls of the Modesto Junior College music building like an ordinary instructor, but his students can assure you that David Chapman is an extraordinary man. As head of the Guitar Department at MJC and a dedicated instructor, Mr. Chapman has given himself quite a reputation at the college. He has created the Modesto Junior College Guitar Orchestra.

Mr. Chapman started playing the guitar as a child, and began teaching the guitar at age 10. He also played in a South American guitar chamber orchestra as a child, which inspired him to form an orchestra consisting entirely of guitars and guitar-oriented instruments. After he met the man who put together the US-Mexican Guitar Orchestra, he organized the MJC Guitar Orchestra. In September 2001, Mr. Chapman started teaching at MJC. When asked how many hours each day he practices on average, he responded, “Each day, average, between 12 and none...as an average, I would say probably three or four hours.”

The guitar orchestra consists of guitar-oriented instruments from around the world, including the tres Cubano from Cuba, the balalaika from Russia, the laud Español from Spain, the charango from Bolivia, the contra bass from Portugal and Spain, the requinto from Latin America and Mexico, the ukelele from Hawaii, the steel string from the United States, the regular classical guitar, and, of course, the electrical guitar from the US.

Mr. Chapman arranges every piece for the guitar orchestra, including “Malagueña”, “Summertime”, “Mission Impossible”, and Copland’s “Rodeo”. The skill level of the guitar orchestra members varies anywhere from novice to those who have been playing for several years. Mr. Chapman would like each member to have a chance to play a different instrument. There are about 20 members this semester, and his goal is to have 40 students. Anyone interested in the guitar can participate in the orchestra, and people of all ages can become members.

The guitar orchestra is funded through performances by both Mr. Chapman as well as the entire guitar orchestra. We also do gigs, and are willing to perform at different places such as convalescent homes and weddings, just to let people know that the orchestra exists. We are also willing to donate our services. The orchestra is also funded by those who appreciate our music. “Any donation is very welcome,” Mr. Chapman added. Donations help buy or rent special instruments. The orchestra is trying to raise $10,000 for this purpose.

Guitar Orchestra as well as other guitar classes will be offered at MJC during the 2004 Summer semester.

ACTION: Mail checks for contributions and donations made out to “MJC Guitar Orchestra” to the Arts and Humanities Communication Division (AHCD),Modesto Junior College, 435 College Ave., Modesto, CA 95350. For more information, call 575-6081 or visit www.mjcguitar.com.