THE ROADRUNNER

November, 2000

Volume 48 Number 10

A Monthly Publication

of The Kern-Kaweah Chapter Of The Sierra Club

Box 3357, Bakersfield, CA 93385-3357
(661) 323-5569

E-mail: kern-kaweah.chapter@sierraclub.org

November 2000 Calendar of Events

Every Thursday Evening Conditioning Hike. 4-5 miles in northeast Bakersfield area. Meet at 7 pm at the Casa Ramos (formerly Cadillac Ranch) parking lot just east of Mesa Marin on Hwy 178. Call Leaders Eva & Gordon Nipp (661) 872-2432 or Larry Wailes, (661) 861-1186 for details.

Nov. 17, Fri. Chapter Dinner Social Bill Lee's Chinese Chopsticks, 1203 18th St. (Bakersfield). Social hour, 6 p.m., dinner, 7 p.m., program at approximately 8 p.m. Our speaker, Sandy Hare, a botanist and photographer, will give a slide presentation on the "Middle Knob" an area of public lands east of Tehachapi rich in plant and animal life. The dinner will consist of a 5 entree Chinese dinner. To reserve send $14 (includes tax & tip)per person to Georgette Theotig,, P.O. Box 38, Tehachapi, CA 93581 (661-822-4371). Reservations must be received by Monday, Nov. 13.

Nov. 18 (Sat.) A trip to the Kern Plateau or the Desert, depending on conditions, for a peak climb. Meet at Ridgecrest Cinemas at 7:30 am. Leader: Dennis Burge760-)375-7967.

Nov. 18 (Sat.) The Kern-Kaweah Chapter Ex-Com will meet at noon at the Bakersfield Beale Library.Those who wish can join us 11:00 at the Sequoia Sandwich Shop at 18th & L for some preliminary sustenance. Agenda will include the newsletter, election of new officers, new member banquet, email decision making, plus anything submitted from the membership. All members are welcome to attend. For more information contact Glenn Shellcross, Chair, Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club (661) 832-3382 shellcrossg@earthlink.net.

Vote for the Environment

The Sierra Club endorses Al Gore for President. Remember - a vote for anyone else will help George W. Bush become President.

George W. Bush has stated that he would reverse National Monument Status for our new National Monuments including Giant Sequoia! Think about that and let your head help your heart when you cast your ballot!

From the Chair

Be careful. When you get those "slate" recommendations in the mail advising you how to vote, take a close look at them. They are often not what they seem. For example, suppose you happen to be a Democrat and you get a mailer that makes a number of high profile Democratic Party selects as recommendations for your vote. You might think the piece is from the Democratic Party and use it as a guide in filling out your ballot. That is what the issuer of the piece hopes you will do. If you look carefully at the small print you may discover that the mailer does NOT represent the Democratic Party but is an attempt to trick you into voting for issues that are not in your best interest. The mailer might recommend you vote for school vouchers, for example. Whether you are for or against school vouchers is not my point. The mailer causes you to think that the Democratic Party is suggesting you vote in the manner suggested. Please look at these mailers closely. You don't want to be bamboozled.

The pollution breathed by many in this country shortens their lives up to several years. States like Kentucky and West Virginia rely on coal burning for their electricity. Old coal-burning power plants were built before the Federal Clean Air Act of 1970. They burn on and consequently people die earlier.

As the Chinese population expands and becomes wealthier, the demand for shark- fin soup grows. A bowl of shark-fin soup can sell for $100. It is estimated that 60,000 pacific sharks are killed yearly for their fins. The sharks are being pushed toward extinction.

Once there were 100,000 grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. Now there are less that a thousand. Some would get rid of them too if it would free up land for logging, development, mining or off-road vehicles.

The good news is we environmentalists are here to do what we can to see that things don't get worse. Robert Kennedy said, "The problem of power is how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public." We need world leaders with vision and passion for the public good. You make the men of power through your vote. Use it wisely.

-Glenn Shellcross

Sierra Club Calendars

Sierra Club Engagement Calendars are $11 and Wilderness Calendars are $12. Contact Dennis Burge, 760-375-7967; Louann Nickerson, 661-833-1734; Pam Clark, 559-784-4643 or Georgette Theotig, 661-822-4371.

Roadrunner Editor Needed

A small stipend may be available.

Contact Glenn Shellcross 661-832-3382 shellcrossg@earthlink.net

Midgebuzzings

In Washington DC in October I had my first experience as a neophyte lobbyist in the office of Senator Diane Feinstein. (I had been unable to gain an interview with the environmental aide in Senator Barbara Boxer's office in spite of several attempts to do so.) Congress was in session and the halls of the Senate Building were quiet; thus I missed what might have been the headier experience of a rich mix of people bustling about. Still, I learned a great deal from the experience...more, as it happened, than I wanted to know.

I went in with a brief outline arguing against the acceleration of traditional logging practices in the national forests as a means of fire prevention. My folder included photographs of the slash piles left by workers for the timber industry in the Sequoia National Monument adjacent to a logging road, from which they could be so easily ignited by a careless match or a spark from an improperly equipped vehicle. The pictures clarified more adequately than words can this dangerous logging practice.

I had hoped to make my argument before consideration in the Senate of the plan proposed by President Clinton for removing 20 million acres worth of small trees, brush and other vegetation that have been declared in danger of catastrophic wildfire. Of great concern to environmentalists has been an amendment to the plan, called by some a "salvage rider" and proposed by Senator Pete Domenici, which calls for severe restriction of the time period in which environmental impacts of the project can be analyzed by federal managers and reviewed by the public.

But I had arrived too late to be heard as an opposing voice. The plan, with the rider, had been proposed as a bill in the Senate, and had been passed and signed. President Clinton, having come under heavy election year pressure in the wake of the fires, was anxious to have his proposal approved.

But more disappointing was my discovery that the amendment, so friendly to the timber industry and so fraught with potential for business as usual, if not worse, had been co-authored by Senator Feinstein. When I asked what safeguards were in place to prevent the kinds of practices illustrated by the photographs, the aide looked at them again with obviously genuine concern, and said that she was sure the timber industry would do better in the future and not continue to "ruin the forest", as three pictures of slash and one of clearcut debris so clearly showed they had done. Somehow I do not feel reassured.

On a lighter note, my Washington host told me that tradition requires dressing up for a visit to a senator's office. I thought my modest heels, neat trousers and colorful top were good enough. But I was urged to buy a jacket as well. In a Pendleton Store I found a wool blazer for the occasion. For a thrift shop buyer, this was quite a sacrifice, but anything for the cause.

So in I went, looking respectably expensive and traditional. And out came the pleasant young aide dressed in jeans and a casual top. Twice before I have been similarly admonished by traditionalists, and both times I found myself similarly surrounded. That settles it. From now on it's instinct over tradition for me!

Officers and Committee Chairpeople

Executive Committee (All but noted codes are 661)

Chair: Glenn Shellcross, shellcrossg@earthlink.net 832-3382; Vice-Chair: Monte Harper; Secretary: Bonnie East, 832-9775; Treasurer: Gordon Nipp; Assistant Treasurer: Larry Wailes; Conservation: Ara Maderosian sfa@lightspeed.net; At Large: Arthur Unger, , Mary Ann Lockhart; Richard Garcia, Gordon Nipp.

RCC Delegates: Bonnie East, Glenn Shellcross;

Alternates: Neil Fernbaugh, Lorraine Unger

Committee Chairpeople: Conservation: Ara Maderosian; Membership: Lorraine Unger, 323-5569; Political and Compliance: Harry and Kathy Love; Council Rep: Arthur Unger; Outings: Theresa Stump, 559-781-0594; Publicity: Paul Gipe; State and Local Government: Neil Fernbaugh; Legal:Georgette Theotig; Fundraising: Richard Garcia; History: Michelle Hoffman and amp; Ann Williams; Environmental Ed.: Joe Fontaine, ; Phone Tree: Mary Ann Lockhart; Air Quality: Art Unger; Biodiversity: Harold Wood; Endangered Species: Art Unger: Energy: Paul Gipe; Environmental Justice: Art Powell; Forest Organizer: Ara Marderosian; Population Growth: Glenn Shellcross; Urban:Lorraine Unger; Wilderness/Parks/Refuges: Joe Fontaine and Gordon Nipp; Waste: Lorraine and Art Unger.

Kaweah Group (Porterville, area code 559)

Chair: Theresa Stump, 781-0594; VC: Diane Jetter; Conservation: Carla Cloer; Outings: Jim Clark

Mineral King Group: (Visalia & Hanford, 559)

Chair: Harold Wood harold.wood@sierraclub.org
Vice-Chair: Mary Moy sierraprimrose@ca.freei.net (559) 625-0287
Conservation Chair: Neil Fernbaugh, marmot@lightspeed.net (559) 798-0343
Membership and Social: Beverly Garcia gmachine@psnw.com (559) 592-9865
Outings: Brian Newton xchiker@lightspeed.net (559) 627-3571
Secretary: Nina Stone (559) 734-7362
Treasurer: Janet Wood jswood@mediaone.net (559) 739-8527
Fundraising: Richard Garcia gmachine@psnw.com (559) 592-9865
Environmental Education and Webmaster: Harold Wood harold.wood@sierraclub.org

Owens Peak Group (Desert Area Code 760)

Chair: Dennis Burge, 375-7967; V.C.: Steve Smith; Conservation: Jeanie Haye; Treasurer: Dolph Amster; At Large: Dororthy Vokolek; Outings: Don Peterson, 375-8599

Condor Group (Frazier Park & Pine Mountain)

Chair: Chester Arthur ches@frazmtn.com ; Membership: Barbara Matthews; Outings: Ray Albridge & Harry Nelson; Conservation: Kevin Royle; Hospitality: Elsbeth Feldman; Publicity; Karen Cotter: Treas: Jean & Ed Rustvold; Ast Treas: M Albridge; Newsletter: Mary Ann Lockhart; At Large: Marta Bigler

Editor: Andy Honig (661) 325-0026. Contributions of news, articles, press releases, opinion, art and photographs (black & white), letters to the editor, should be sent to: andym@lightspeed.net.

Want to submit an article for the Road Runner or express opinions?

Suggested length: 650 words or less. Thats about a column or 2 12 pages double spaced.) Deadline: 15^th of the month BEFORE desired month of publication-mail

Copyrighted articles, graphics and photos can only be reprinted with the owners permission.

Published 12 times per year by the Kern-Kaweah Chapter of the Sierra Club, Bakersfield, CA. All non-copyrighted material printed in the Roadrunner may be reprinted in any Sierra Club publications with acknowledgement.

The Kern-Kaweah Chapter newsletter is available at the Sierra Club website. You can save the Chapter mailing costs and save a tree by notifying us if you want your paper copy discontinued. Please e-mail Lorraine Unger at alunger@juno.com with your name and your membership number (found on the label). Any one who wants an extra hard copy anytime call (661) 323-5569.

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