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Contents © 2000
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

MARCH 2000 LITTLE NOTES

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"Unfortunately, around 1930 the original face of the Virgin had to be retouched to restore some damage endured throughout the centuries and great deal of the original beauty of Our Lady of Guadalupe was hidden under a layer of paint," said Miguel Vazquez, founder of www.originalguadalupe.com. "Our work consisted in recuperating the face that God created. The value of the image that we are introducing is that it shows the true face of Our Lady of Guadalupe, such as it was before being retouched."

The image size is 8 x 10 inches, printed on fine 11 x 14 inch paper, and is also offered framed in a gold leaf finish. For further information, visit the website, http://www.originalguadalupe.com or write to: Original Guadalupe, 2310 M.L. King Ave. Calexico, CA. 92231, Telephone (760) 768-9309, email: originalguadalupe@email.com


EL CAJON BUSINESSMAN Steve Klein, 49, hopes to capture the District 3 seat on the San Diego County Board of Education during the March 7 primary election. The seat, which became vacant after the death of Eugene Brucker in June, includes the East County communities of Alpine, El Cajon, La Mesa, Jamul, Pine Valley, and Spring Valley, as well as neighborhoods within the eastern limits of the city of San Diego. A former Marine Corps officer and Vietnam veteran, Klein is making his first bid for public office against opponents Ernie Dronenburg and Bill Young, with a platform that "will center on parental rights, local control, and the teaching of skills that made the United States the envy of all nations in terms of literacy and education."

In addition to favoring the teaching of phonics-based reading, traditional mathematics, computer technology and higher science, Klein also prefers a Constitutionalist approach to education, where powers not enumerated to the federal government are left to the states. "I believe in the strict construction of the Constitution and see no role for the federal government. All educational standards have declined since schools began accepting federal money." Unlike Young and Dronenburg, Klein does not favor the acceptance of federal grants.

Klein, who is married with two adult children, notes that Dronenburg, who is temporarily filling Seat 3 until the primary, opposes Proposition 22, the Knight Initiative. "He voted against protecting the definition of marriage, stating it is not part of the Education Code. Neither is murder -- it doesn't have to be." In January, Dronenburg, along with fellow Board trustees John Witt and Nick Aguilar, also voted to reject the Parent Involvement Initiative, which would give parents more control over what their children learn in school. Klein has been endorsed by Assemblyman Steve Baldwin (former chairman of the Assembly Education Committee), Senator Ray Haynes, Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian, and incumbent Board of Education members Jim Kelly and Susen Fay.


IN HIS CAMPAIGN against liberal Democratic congressman Bob Filner, Alex Sorongon, a conservative, pro-life Republican candidate, reports being pleasantly surprised by the support he has received from the South Bay's conservative Democrats. Sorongon, from a Filipino background, is campaigning on a full-time basis and met with Filipino-American organizations. Filipinos make up 27 percent of the South Bay's population. Sorongon estimates that the Filipino community is 90% conservative Democrat and 10% Republican. Despite this conservatism, Sorongon says while walking precincts he often hears statements such as this: "I won't vote for Republicans, because Republicans are for the rich." However, he says, once he challenges people to think about the results of long-term Democratic control and explains what his beliefs are, they express some willingness to give him a chance.

Sorongon has also met with two local Catholic priests, whom Sorongon says were excited about South Bay voters having a pro-family alternative to Filner's anti-family politics and were hopeful that, as part of an ethnic minority, Sorongon could draw additional votes from conservative, minority group Democrats. Filner has been a strong supporter of pro-abortion and homosexualist lobbies. The priests were also concerned about the shortage of single-family housing for their low and moderate income parishioners and what they perceive as social engineering in public schools.

In the March 7 primary election Sorongon will be competing against two other Republican candidates, James Good and Bob Divine, whom Sorongon describes as socially "very moderate." Sorongon is appealing for volunteers and donations, especially for volunteers to assist with his phone bank from mid-February through early March. For more information, contact Sorongon for U.S. Congress -- 50th District, P.O. Box 211511, Chula Vista, CA 91921 / (619) 656-1037 / www.sorongon.org / e-mail: congress50@home.com.


INCUMBENT CONGRESSMAN Brian Bilbray was scheduled to debate challenger Susan Davis on the Roger Hedgecock Show on Friday, February 11. Davis didn't show, so Bilbray took questions from callers alone. One caller asked him about his position on Proposition 22, the Protect Marriage Initiative. While saying he plans to vote for the initiative, he also said it is divisive and that he is upset with Pete Knight, the author of the initiative, for introducing it without having a clear follow-up plan. When another caller asked what he would do on pro-life issues if re-elected, Bilbray admitted that while he is a "practicing Catholic," the abortion issue is divisive and the government should stay out of it altogether.


THE LA PROVIDENCIA retreat center was forced to leave its landscaped outdoor labyrinth behind when the house it rented for eight years on North Glen Oaks Drive in Alpine was sold in August. Since vacating the property, Sister Patricia Hanson and Sister Millicent Peaslee have been house-sitting the home of Pat Kinsey while they seek a new permanent location.

Following the sales announcement the sisters have postponed several retreats and workshops "until we can find a place to hold them." One of these is the Seasonal Wellness Series, described in La Providencia's Summer 1999 newsletter as "a series of four Saturdays, one [for] each season, which will explore aspects of Holistic Health, the Mind, Body and Spirit in relation to the Earth and the Season in which we are. The physical organ of Fall is the Lung/Large Intestine."

While La Providencia has not yet found a place to hold the Seasonal Wellness Series, they have fared better with other events, thanks to their patrons' generosity. The winter 1999 La Providencia newsletter announced, "People around the world have been invited to join together and walk the Labyrinth on New Year's eve [sic] to pray for world peace. Our canvas copy of the Labyrinth on the floor of the Chartres Cathedral will be on the grounds of Queen of Angels Church, Alpine, from 12 noon to midnight on New Year's eve for anyone to walk."

The "Friends of La Providencia" (persons and organizations which have contributed services and/or monetary gifts) listed in the winter 1999 newsletter include Queen of Angels Church in Alpine and its pastor, Father Matt Spahr, listed as an individual donor. Newsletters from the autumn of 1996 to the winter of 1999 indicate that the retreat center has received donations of services and/or money from Father Spahr and Queen of Angels parish during that time. Father Spahr eulogized the two sisters in a homily delivered last April at a Mass in honor of their 50th and 60th jubilees. Moreover, Sister Millie told a News Notes writer in September 1999 that the pastor visited the sisters regularly.

The winter 1999 newsletter indicated that the sisters continue to be involved in ministry to St. Vincent de Paul Village's homeless residents and planned to resume giving Reiki classes in February.

Sisters Pat and Millie are noted for their unconventional spirituality, described by some as being heavily influenced by the New Age movement (see News Notes, September 1999). While located in the house on North Glen Oaks Drive La Providencia offered seasonal celebrations, labyrinth walking, observances of astronomical events, Reiki massage and training (which relies on the use of spirit guides), spiritual direction and retreats, many of which with environmentalist flavor. Awakenings, its newsletter, promotes nature-centered spirituality, "the new cosmology," environmental activism, and changing one's lifestyle to benefit the environment.

The contemporary promotion of the labyrinth as a spiritual tool traces to Lauren Artress, an Episcopalian priestess at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral (where defrocked, ex-Catholic priest Matthew Fox holds his "Planetary Masses") who there launched the Labyrinth Project in 1991. In her 1995 book, Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool, Artress provides this description on page 67: "The labyrinth is a large, complex spiral circle which is an ancient symbol for the Divine Mother, the God within, the Goddess, the Holy in all of creation."

The diocese continues to list La Providencia as a Catholic retreat center, as can be seen in the 2000 edition of the diocesan directory. For his part, Father Spahr was recently elected as vice-chairman of the diocesan Presbyteral Council, according to the February 10 issue of the Southern Cross. The diocesan organ explained, "The Presbyteral Council assists the bishop in the governance of the diocese."


FOR MANY YEARS, Dr. Allan Zarkin has worked off and on at the Choices Women's Medical Center in Queens, New York, which performs abortions. On November 1st last year, he became the clinic's medical director. However, almost 2 months later, Zarkin was dismissed when it was discovered that he was accused of carving the letters "A Z," his initials, into the stomach of a woman on whom he had just performed a Caesarean section. He does not deny the charge. After the New York Times reported the incident, someone from the New York affiliate of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) sent in a letter assuring people that "abortion services in the United States are of the highest quality." Dr. Zarkin's lawyers claim the macabre incident was a manifestation of Pick's disease, an Alzheimer-like degeneration of the frontal lobe of the brain.


THE PREDOMINATELY GAY AND LESBIAN San Diego Democratic Club fielded a successful slate of delegates at the various delegate selection caucuses held in each Congressional District on January 23. A total of twelve SDDC members placed in their respective caucuses, more than any other Democratic Club in San Diego County. Two separate caucuses were held concurrently in each of California's 52 Congressional districts on January 23 -- one caucus for delegates committed to Al Gore and one for delegates commited to Bill Bradley. To assure gender parity, females and males are ranked separately by votes. The results of the March 7 Presidential Primary Election in each Congressional district determine how many of that district's delegates are awarded to Gore and Bradley.

SDDC's biggest victories were in the 49th Congressional District. In the Gore caucus, all six of the top vote-getters were SDDC members. The top males were Charles McKain (192 votes out of 336 voters), Gerry Senda (129 votes), and Phil Kinoshita (91 votes); the top females were Gloria Johnson (143 votes), Joanne Clime (108 votes) and Harmony Lee (103 votes). In the Bradley caucuses in the 49th Congressional District SDDC President Craig Roberts was first among the male candidates (49 of 90 votes); Jeri Dilno was first among the female candidates (35 votes) and Paula Rosentstein second (31 votes). It seems likely, therefore, that regardless of the outcome of the primary, all of the Congressional District-level delegates for the 49th District will be SDDC members.

Other SDDC members who placed in their respective caucuses were Poppy DeMarco Dennis (first place female, Gore caucus in the 51st Congressional District), Ed Lehman (second place male, Gore caucus in the 51st Congressinal District), and Doug Case (second place male, Bradley caucus in the 52nd Congressional District).


ACCORDING TO A JANUARY 18 STORY in the Los Angeles Times, the New Majority Committee, a group of business executives, "has raised more than $500,000 by charging $10,000 per member to promote its own brand of Republicans for office in Orange County and California. The group hopes to broaden the party's appeal by encouraging candidates who focus on economic issues rather than often-divisive social issues, such as abortion rights and gun control."

A partial list of the group: Zee Allred, CEO Pool Water Products, Irvine; George Argyros, chairman and CEO Arnel & Affiliates, Costa Mesa; Don Beall, former CEO Rockwell, Newport Beach; Donald Bren, chairman the Irvine Co., Newport Beach; Derek Clark, vice president Hambrecht & Quist, Newport Beach; Ben Du, former president Flojet Corp., Foothill Ranch; David Dukes, former Ingram Micro executive, Santa Ana; Stephan Erkelens, owner Centrica Venture Capital, Newport Beach; David Fife, owner Fife Waterfield & Co., Irvine; Paul Folino, CEO Emulex Corp., Costa Mesa; Robert Follman, president and CEO RA Industries Inc., Santa Ana; Doug Freeman, president Freeman, Freeman & Smiley; Pacific Symphony, Irvine; Jim Freeman, Day Runner Inc., Irvine; John Garrett, partner Pillsbury Madison & Sutro, Costa Mesa; John Ginger, president John Ginger Masonry, Riverside; Albert Goh, physician, Tustin; Mike Gordon, chairman The Gordon & Morris Group, Newport Beach; Frank Greinke, CEO South County Oil, Silverado; former mayor of Tustin; Terry Hackett, Hackett Management, Newport Beach; Terry Hartshorn, vice chairman Pacificare, Buena Park; Larry Higby, president and chief operating officer Apria Healthcare, Costa Mesa; Ken Himes, president and CEO Himes Peters Jepson, architects, Tustin; David Horowitz, owner Horowitz Management, Laguna Niguel; Gary Hunt, executive vice president the Irvine Co., Newport Beach; Mark Johnson, president Chapin Medical Co., Corona; Parker Kennedy, president First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana; Roger Kirwan, president Woodside Financial Services, Newport Beach; Mike Lutton, president and CEO PLC Commercial, Newport Beach; William Lyon, William Lyon Cos., Newport Beach; Richard Marconi, Global Health Sciences, Orange; Rick Muth, president Orco Block, Stanton; Steve Myers, president SM&A, Newport Beach; Richard Rodnick, Equico Resources, Irvine; Henry Samueli, founder Broadcom Corp., Irvine; Nicolas Shahrestany, founder Procom Technologies, Irvine; Ron Simon, president and CEO RSI Home Products, Newport Beach; Ted Smith, chairman Filenet Corp., Costa Mesa; Dorothy Stillwell, philanthropist, Newport Beach; Ron Tendler, J. Edward Co., Newport Beach; Thomas Tierney, chairman and CEO Body Wise Inc., Tustin; UCI Foundation; Thomas E. Tucker, JenStar Capital, Newport Beach; Larry Werner, president Werner Corp., Corona; Franz Wisner, vice president the Irvine Co., Newport Beach; Robert Yellin, Calprotection Sales, Newport Beach.

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