Category Archives: Progressive Democrats of Benicia

Air Monitoring, Benicia elections, Lori Wilson CA Assemblywoman, Progressive Democrats of Benicia

3 Important Benicia Meetings this week, Wed., Thurs., Fri.

[Sorry for short notice. Here are 3 great opportunities to help shape Benicia’s future THIS WEEK! – BenIndy]

WEDNESDAY SEPT 4 (7pm tonight!)– Zoom in on School Board Candidates AND Ballot Measures!

The Progressive Democrats of Benicia (PDB) are hosting a candidate forum on Wednesday, September 4, at 7pm via Zoom (sign-in details on the PDB website).   This virtual event, which is free and open to all regardless of city of residence or political party, will feature interviews with Democratic candidates vying for local office.  (Find out more about the candidates on the PDB website.)

This is YOUR opportunity to engage with local Democratic candidates and gain insights into their positions on key issues affecting Benicia and to learn about the important measures on this fall’s ballot.  Everyone is welcome.

THURSDAY SEPT 5 – Air District hosting Informational Webinar on Refinery Corridor Air Monitoring Community Workgroup

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is launching a new program to take the first step to improve air monitoring during unplanned incidents at the Bay Area refineries.

We are hosting a webinar this Thursday (9/5) from 4-5 pm to provide community members with an overview of the particulate monitoring program and ways to get involved, including a community workgroup that will guide the program’s development and implementation. See the email below for additional details.

If you are interested in attending, you must register in advance using this link. Please also feel free to forward this message to others who may be interested in attending.

If you have any questions, you can reach us at bayaircenter@baaqmd.gov.

FRIDAY SEPT 6 – Assemblywoman Lori Wilson available for conversations in Benicia

Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson, California 11th District

Benicia’s Assemblywoman, Lori D. Wilson, along with her district and capitol staffs, will be at Benicia City Hall for a District 11 event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept 6.

There are two options to meet with Wilson’s office:

    1. Wilson’s staff will be on site for drop-in discussions between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
    2. If you wish to speak with Wilson herself, you can schedule a 10-minute, one-on-one meeting between 1 and 4:30 p.m. Reach out to Tisha Simpson to schedule your time by emailing:  tisha.simpson@asm.ca.gov. Click here to send email.

All events are at Benicia City Hall chamber, 250 E. L St.

From Assemblywoman Wilson’s invitation: This event offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with your elected representative, where our dedicated District and Capitol staff will be ready to hear and address your concerns, ideas, and feedback.

  • 10:00 AM – 10:55 AM City Departments and Special Districts
  • 11:00 AM – 11:55 AM Local Businesses and Nonprofits
  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Lunch
  • 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM Scheduled one-on-one appointments (no drop-ins)

Wilson’s website is https://a11.asmdc.org. You can link to her legislative proposals on the page.

Wilson is seeking her second full term in the Assembly. She is in a runoff election on Nov. 5 against Republican Dave Ennis.

Air Monitoring, Air Quality, Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), Good Neighbor Steering Committee, Progressive Democrats of Benicia, Refinery emissions, Valero Benicia Refinery

Reminder! Zoom in tonight at 7pm for an Air District panel on refinery violations and ‘community payback’

[Note from BenIndy: A quick reminder, shortened a bit from the first posting. This meeting is free and open to all, regardless of Party preference or city of residence. This should be a fascinating discussion.]

Smoke from the Valero Benicia refinery wafts over residential neighborhoods  during a 2017 incident. | Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

From Progressive Dems of Benicia Meeting Notice, sent April 2, 2024:

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), or “the Air District,” is our local regulatory agency when it comes to air pollution.  It’s been around for decades, but its mission and activities are a mystery to many.  Luckily, our amazing panel of Air District representatives will be on hand to guide us through what it does, how it does it, and what it’s working on to keep Bay Area residents healthy and safe.

Air District Panel

We are pleased to share that our panel will include BAAQMD’s Executive Officer/Air Pollution Control Officer, Dr. Philip Fine, formerly a presidential appointment to the EPA and the South Coast Air Management Quality District; Deputy Executive Officer of Public Affairs; BAAQMD Board of Directors member and Benicia Mayor Steve Young; and BAAQMD’s Community Advisory Council Co-Chair Ken Szutu, who also founded the  Citizen Air Monitoring Network in Vallejo before serving as its director.  We also expect that other staff members of the Air District will join us.

Zoom Details

Topic: PDB General Meeting
Time: April 9, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86273821941?pwd=WktDazJLaTJHVTBPNWd3dzlXaGd2Zz09
Meeting ID: 862 7382 1941
Passcode: 528756

 

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US (San Jose)
+16694449171,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US

For more information, check out the Progressive Democrats of Benicia’s website.

Air Monitoring, Air Quality, Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), Good Neighbor Steering Committee, Progressive Democrats of Benicia, Refinery emissions, Valero Benicia Refinery

Benicia Dems hosting Tues., Apr. 9 Air District Zoom panel on refinery violations and ‘community payback’

[Note from BenIndy: This is a fantastic opportunity to learn from Air District insiders what the District does, how it does it, and what might be next. This is a free public meeting open to all, regardless of party preference or city of residence.]

Smoke from the Valero Benicia refinery wafts over residential neighborhoods  during a 2017 incident. | Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

From Progressive Dems of Benicia Meeting Notice, sent April 2, 2024:

Dear members and supporters—

We’re delighted to share more information about our April 9th meeting at 7pm, which we revealed last week will focus on the quality of our air – a hot topic given the warming weather and the recent Level-3 Incident at a local refinery. (The picture here is not from that incident, it is from a 2017 incident; click the image to be redirected to a YouTube news report.) 

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), or “the Air District,” is our local regulatory agency when it comes to air pollution.  It’s been around for decades, but its mission and activities are a mystery to many.  Luckily, our amazing panel of Air District representatives will be on hand to guide us through what it does, how it does it, and what it’s working on to keep Bay Area residents healthy and safe.

Air District Panel

We are pleased to share that our panel will include BAAQMD’s Executive Officer/Air Pollution Control Officer, Dr. Philip Fine, formerly a presidential appointment to the EPA and the South Coast Air Management Quality District; Deputy Executive Officer of Public Affairs Viet Tran; BAAQMD Board of Directors member and Benicia Mayor Steve Young; and BAAQMD’s Community Advisory Council Co-Chair Ken Szutu, who also founded the  Citizen Air Monitoring Network in Vallejo before serving as its director.  We also expect that other staff members of the Air District will join us.

Zoom Details

Topic: PDB General Meeting
Time: April 9, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86273821941?pwd=WktDazJLaTJHVTBPNWd3dzlXaGd2Zz09
Meeting ID: 862 7382 1941
Passcode: 528756

 

One tap mobile
+16699006833,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US (San Jose)
+16694449171,,86273821941#,,,,*528756# US

For more information, check out the Progressive Democrats of Benicia’s website.

Progressive Democrats of Benicia

Statement from Progressive Democrats of Benicia

The following is a statement from the Progressive Democrats of Benicia regarding recent untrue allegations made against them:

An individual’s allegations that the Progressive Democrats as an organization had anything to do with their firing are untrue.  As an organization, we did not write any letters or contact their employer.  The letter that was written to a local paper was not written by a member.  A letter to their employer was written by a member, but under the member’s own name.  We do not require our members to seek club approval before exercising their free speech rights and we do not control our members’ activities.

This club was not consulted and did not approve of any letters regarding the person in question.  In short, the Progressive Democrats of Benicia had nothing to do with their being fired.

The Progressive Democrats of Benicia do firmly support LGBTQ+ rights and recently had a speaker about the current threats and attacks on that community.  The individual’s website promotes the views of the American College of Pediatrics, which has been labeled a fringe anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

As a club, we believe people need to know the truth, and the truth is we had nothing to do with their firing.  But we wish they would not promote hate groups on their website.