Reggie Bundekis, member of the Orange County Fairgrounds Preservation Society, connects many a local dot between the privatization attempts at the OC Fairgrounds and the privatization outcome at the OC Great Park. State Assembly bill 2490 would expand conversions of county fairgrounds throughout the state. ocfpreservationsociety.com or the facebook page Derail the Sale provide updates on the Costa Mesa property. This program will cover future developments with additional members of the society and Fair Board members past and present.

A Tale of Two Parks – Tales of More Perks?

Bill Cook, district commander of 29th District of the American Legion in Orange Co., advocates for the Veterans Cemetery at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Base also known as the Great Park. Tonight, 7-22-14, the City Council will be voting on a resolution of whether to designate a specific 125-acre parcel at the Great Park — known as the “ARDA Transfer Site” future conveyance to the State of California in order to establish the Southern California Veterans Cemetery. The agenda item is available on the city of Irvine website: www.cityofirvine.org/council/agenda.

Next, Cherall Weiss and Minna Donatucci, coordinator and tutor respectively, present the Newport Beach Library’s adult literacy program, initiated in 1986 in Irvine. Prospective adult learners or tutors can get information about this program either at: www.newportbeachlibrary.org/literacy/adults or 949-717-3874.

Bill Cook; OC’s Monument Man AND Adult Literacy, Read All About It

Leanne Brown, advocate for better food systems and author, talks about her latest publication, “Good an Cheap,” a low-cost cookbook for households making due on food stamps.   The source of her free pdf of this publication and other undertakings is available at: www.leannebrown.ca/cookbooks.

Dick Ackerman, former California Legislator, now lobbyist, recently launched “Irvine Cares,” a venture that has consequences for both planning in and around the Great Park and this year’s municipal elections.

Recipes at $4 a Day AND Bend it Like Ackerman

Taking you far from the deep fried zone at the Orange County 2014 Fair are: Blackmarket Bakery proprietor and chef Rachel Klemek; catering consultant, blogger, and Orange County Fair culinary manager Renee Fontes. This year the fair runs from July 11- August 10th. Information about all events, hours, and promotions is available at: www.ocfair.com.

Inaugurating the U. C. Irvine Claire Trevor School of the Arts, summer Artists in Residence are guests: artists Selwa Sweidan, Óscar Castrellón, and curator Laura Maurer. Their installation/exhibition themed “Caesura, A Transcendent Pause,” starts with an open house July 12th from 4-8 pm. Later opportunities for viewing continue until July 26th, at the University Art Gallery. Stay tuned to www.air.splashthat.com for more details.

Food Tent at OC Fairgrounds AND UCI Artists in Residence

Evan Hafer, Co-Founder and CEO of TwistRate, launches on July 4th, this first investment portal solely dedicated to veterans. The range of enterprises will surprise you: from security services to fine art. D’Marie Mulattieri, campaign finance reform activist; and Trent Lange, President and Executive Director of Clean Money Campaign; talk about several measures in the CA legislative process, including: recently enacted SB27, reforming the Political Reform Act of 1974 to further regulate campaign financing; SB52, the California Disclose Act intended for this November 2014 ballot; SB 1272, also intended for this November ballot, for the California Legislature to ratify, an amendment to overturn Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission; and AJR1, applying to the US Congress to call a constitutional convention to propose an amendment to the United States Constitution that would limit corporate personhood for purposes of campaign finance and political speech and would further declare that money does not constitute speech and may be legislatively limited. More information is available at: CAclean.org.

New TWIST for Veterans AND California Campaign Clense