Listen to the 46th Congressional District Debate

Ernst Gastreiger (Libertarian), Dana Rohrabacher (Rep.), Tom Lash (Green) and Debbie Cook (Dem.) debated Oct. 21 at Orange Coast College. Photo by John Earl

The four candidates in the 46th Congressional District race debated each other on Oct. 21 at Orange Coast College to an audience of several hundred people. The candidates are Debbie Cook (Democrat), Ernst Gasteiger (Libertarian), Tom Lash (Green Party) and the incumbent, Dana Rohrabacher (Republican). You can hear the candidates’ opening statements and answers to 7 questions. Answers to part of the 7th question and the entire 8th question as well as closing statements are not included because the recorder ran out of disk space. Audio recordings for each question are listed in order below.

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H.B. Car Show Revisited

By Chris MacDonald
Special to the OC Voice

Mayor Debbie Cook supports H.B. High School Pepsters

On Saturday Sept. 13, the 2nd Annual Huntington Beach High School Pepsters Classic Car Show took place in the back of Worthy Park. There were approximately 30 classic cars on hand from Woody’s to Chevelle’s to hod rods. Several vendors were also on hand at the event including the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. Congratulations to Chris Young for winning a ribbon for his 1932 roadster. This even was made possible through the efforts of Pat Maddams, who is president of the Huntington Beach High School Cheer Boosters Club. I’d also like to recognize Huntington Beach Mayor, Debbie Cook, Huntington Beach Assistant City Manager, Bob Hall, and Huntington Beach Planning Commissioner Joe Shaw for taking the time to come to the event. Also on hand from the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum were Community Ambassador Chris MacDonald, Membership Director Randy Lyford and Volunteers Miff Clowe And David Partridge. Huntington Beach Host Lions member Lee Love was also there. For more information on the Huntington Beach High School Pepsters please look at their website which is: http://www.hbhspepsters.com.

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Huntington Beach City Council election issue: Water privatization and the Poseidon desalination plant.

By John Earl
OC Voice Editor

Based on information taken from a variety of sources, including the H.B. City Council Candidates Forum held on Sept. 18, as well as from Voice news stories, interviews and from campaign literature provided by the candidates.

Desalination plant

Q. How would you solve the potential water shortage crisis in Huntington Beach and should ocean water be privatized for corporate profit? Is the Poseidon desalination plant (planned for southeast Huntington Beach) a good idea?

Kalmick: Conservation. Encourage but not mandate people to get rid of their lawns. Desalination for Huntington Beach is the wrong solution. The location is wrong and no one has offered to buy the water yet. Poseidon Inc. hasn’t successfully built a plant yet. Its Tampa Bay desalination plant went through two bankruptcies before the municipal water district had to take it over. And the H.B. plant would be twice the size. We don’t need it. Privatized water sets a bad precedent for water wars that are allegedly coming in the next 20 years. A 2007 Coastal Commission report raises questions about the project that Poseidon hasn’t answered. Electricity costs for running the plant are double what Poseidon said. Doesn’t make sense financially to build it.

Fact check: The Poseidon plant will be built with private funds, although the company seeks government subsidies in order to keep a lower price for the water it will sell.

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Huntington Beach City Council election issue: Senior Center

Based on information taken from a variety of sources, including the H.B. City Council Candidates Forum held on Sept. 18, as well as from Voice news stories, interviews and from campaign literature provided by the candidates.

Q. How would you speed up construction of the new senior center on 5-acres of land in Central Park?

Pacific City present time. Photo by John Earl

Issue background: Makar, the developer that agreed to build the senior center in Central Park in lieu of providing park space in its downtown mixed-use development, Pacific City, is behind schedule in construction of the $22 million structure, according to the city’s interpretation (opa-correspondence1)of the Owner Participation Agreement (OPA). The $22 million construction amount (or fee if the developer backs out) is based on an appraisal of the Fair Market Value the Pacific City site, located downtown at PCH and 1st. The city appraised the land for about twice that amount, but a court ruled that its appraiser was under qualified and Makar’s appraisal technique was more accurate (makar-park-fee-arbitration-award2).

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Huntington Beach City Council Election Guide 08: Part 1

By John Earl
OC Voice Editor

The following city council election guide is based on information taken from a variety of sources, including the H.B. City Council Candidates Forum held on Sept. 18, as well as from Voice news stories, interviews and from campaign literature provided by the candidates.

The guide is divided into two parts. The first part provides some general background information about each candidate. The second part provides their detailed stands on two main issues. Contact information for each candidate is provided so you can ask them any follow up questions you like.

You can vote for up to three candidates to fill three openings. The top three vote getters win. Register to vote by Oct. 20. Vote Nov. 4.

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Adam Ho! Rising star brightens downtown Huntington Beach

By Lyn Jensen
Special to the OC Voice

Every Tuesday night from 5 – 9 the first three blocks of Main Street, just inland from the Huntington Beach Pier, are closed off to automobiles for the Surf City Nights street fair and come alive with friendly pedestrians listening to the sounds of music.

Adam Ho performing on a recent Surf City Night. Photo by Mark Dimalanta

For at least one night a week you can forget the popular image of downtown Huntington Beach as an overcrowded cruising center, tourist madhouse or brawl-infested beer mall, watched over by platoons of police standing on street corners.

Smell the odor of kettle corn, cinnamon bread and salt air all mixed together while you hear some music you didn’t know you didn’t know, as the nineties-era radio ad used to say.

Promoter Steven Bradford of Bayside District books Surf City Nights shows featuring some of the finest local entertainment, ranging from breakdancers to young guitar heroes like Adam Ho, who is 19 years old and is probably the best pop act to come downtown since city officials foolishly tore down the world class Golden Bear night club more than two decades ago.

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