Category Archives: Activism

Activism, Tobacco

Union City Call to Action for Tobacco Retail License in

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I’m returning to my old stomping grounds on Tuesday, December 12, to speak about a timely Tobacco Retail License update for that city. My alma mater, James Logan High School is there (the only high school in town still), so many formidable years of my life were shaped by Union City, where I also lived.

Cumulatively I also lived in the adjacent cities of Hayward and Fremont for decades. The goal is to thwart Big Tobacco from continuing to sell poison to youth illegally.

Even if one child is spared the addiction of nicotine addiction for his or her life, this journey to the East Bay will be worthwhile.

Unless one’s looking for it, one cannot imagine what branding is being used to market to kids, becoming environmental waste clogging our waterways, manufactured with cheap metals, plastics, battery acid, and other toxic, carcinogenic, leaking substances, including containers that will take thousands of years to decompose. Even if one child is spared the addiction of nicotine addiction for his or her life, this journey to the East Bay will be worthwhile.

Activism, Holidays, Pets

2023 Photos with Santa Part 2

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Thanks to the volunteers who helped out and donated their time, including my husband, Shando. He brought Snoopy and Peaches in the morning.

This video also gives some perspective of the fabulous space we were graciously permitted to use for our event, Tony’s Cakes is going to move to 418 Georgia Street, Vallejo from their current location on Springs Road. This is all of course for the benefit of HSNB.

I’m grateful that every year we have at least one family bring cats for HSNB’s Photos with Santa. This year was no exception. Santa was absolutely fawning over this kitten and another cat that this family brought.

Santa almost made Mrs. Claus jealous when he danced with his neighbor. Uh oh! Drama!

I stole this idea from Mrs. Claus and Trundy, but the Santas gave me a chance to do a cute ELF MOMENT with my husband.

Vallejo Mayor Robert McConnell, adorned in his Madhatter Parade garb, joined the Santas for some photos.

This is a group of photos with some of the kids and families I photographed myself. Some of these kids start as super shy, so we try to bring them casually up to the Santas to meet them, offering to allow them to remain with their parents if they prefer. Meanwhile, other kids run over and immediately reach out to hug the Santas, which just “sleighs” me. I have so many good memories from these events. I just wished I could capture more of these moments, but we were very busy on a good day to raise funds for homeless cats and dogs in our area.

Here are some of the other precious dog pictures from yesterday with the Santas for HSNB in Vallejo. The grey Pit, Misty, was adopted from HSNB when she was 4 months old. She’s now 11!

Activism, Holidays, Media Appearances, Pets, Street Fairs

Front Page Fundraising Article

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Brenda, Tom, and I are quoted in the article on the front page of the Vallejo Times Herald for the Photos with Santa event yesterday. Precious baby Rowan on the cover (with the pumpkin hat) is the child of a wonderful female couple who are both trained as vet techs and have a grown child. I told them about how I’m a gay dad myself. The article content is below with appropriate credits for photos and story:

Three-month-old Rowan takes a snooze as she gets her picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus in downtown Vallejo during a Humane Society fundraiser on Saturday. Santa will return for a second visit on Dec. 2. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)

By Thomas Gase | tgase@timesheraldonline.com | Vallejo Times Herald November 25, 2023 at 3:18 p.m.

Just two days past Thanksgiving, Saturday was officially the time to get that picture with Santa and break out that list: A new toy truck, doll, video game, book …Or a new pet, suggests the Humane Society.

Downtown Vallejo and Tony’s Cakes was the site for the annual Humane Society of the North Bay photos with Santa event, a major fundraiser for the organization to help spread awareness while also adding holiday cheer.

Vallejoan Olivia Lizotte showed up to have her picture taken as a walk-in appointment.

“It’s a nice event and it’s important to have our picture taken but it’s also important for the Humane Society, which I hear needs some help,” Lizotte said. “So it feels good to help out.”

Sarah Rojas was there with 4-year-old a clearly delighted Angelica Martinez, who was constantly jumping up and down with a huge grin after getting her picture taken.

The organization was asking for a suggested $25 donation for any pictures. Board president Brenda Mooney said that the group made approximately $800 last year in donations.

“I love being able to come her and see the folks of the community,” Mooney said. “We had nine reservations but much more drop-ins. It’s nice that Tony’s Cakes is allowing us to use their space and we have a ton of volunteers helping out. It’s a fun event and it all goes to benefit the animals and the shelter. We also have some books available at the tent that tell people about the animals we have ready for adoption.”

Mooney said that there are approximately 25 cats, 20 small dogs and 40 large dogs ready to be adopted.

While the organization has its share of walk-ins, treasurer Joseph A. Hayden said the event also has its regulars. “There was someone here at 9 a.m. this morning that said they had their picture taken on the cover of a Times-Herald newspaper last year, so they wanted to come again,” Hayden said. Hayden said that some people stop by and want to have their picture taken, but aren’t sure how their pet will respond to Santa.

A dog named Cow nervously sits with Santa and Mrs. Claus to get their picture taken as part of a fundraiser for the Humane Society of the North Bay on Saturday in downtown Vallejo. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)

“All we ask them is to please try,” Hayden said. “There was one dog that did not want to come inside and they were afraid. But we came out to them and then the dog went right to Santa.”

Thomas Bilbo, who is playing Santa in Vallejo once again, said it’s important for the staff to serve the needs of the pets visiting —not the other way around.

“We go to them. There was one dog that wouldn’t come inside,” Bilbo said. “But we went out to the street. We go to where the dog is mentally and physically. Some dogs get scared and it’s important to realize that pets are important creatures that also have feelings and fears.”

Bilbo — who has six cats with his partner — has been dressing up as Santa since 1995, and for this event since 2015.

“I did it first in Mississippi, then San Francisco, and now Vallejo,” Bilbo said. “I have 16 gigs this year, and it’s all for charity. It helps organizations with their money. If I’m out there raising awareness for their [sic] organization if they need help, then that makes me feel great.

“But the best part of the day for me is seeing all the kids and parents enjoying the day,” Bilbo said. “That and the camaraderie that goes on between the staff. We’ve been working with each other for years, not only at this event but also at the Mad Hatter Parade. We all get into the Christmas spirit.”

The Humane Society will continue the pictures with pets and Santa next Saturday — once again at Tony’s Cakes, located at 418 Georgia St. Pictures are available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Activism, Memoriam, Tobacco

33 years since Dad died of Nicotine Addiction

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Today is a grim 33rd anniversary of my father dying at age fifty from a painful, elongated death from his tobacco/nicotine addiction. I’m planning to write extensively about the gory details at some juncture. Like so many in countless families, my dad was gone too soon. Handed loose cigarettes while growing up in Hawaii at age 12, little did he know that he would grow up to die at the same young age that his mother would.

My dad and me:

At 55 I can safely say that my siblings and I have ensured that the “family tradition” of being addicted to nicotine and dying at 50 does not continue with us, since we remember how he suffered firsthand. Thankfully none of our kids smoke, but that doesn’t mean they were not targeted. They are definitely surrounded by their peers who have now normalized vaping in front of others. I am proud to be working harder than ever with my activism, one which was triggered when Dad died. I could think of no more noble cause at the time I entered law school than to save as many lives as I could, but Big Tobacco is still trying to addict new generations with vapes, even having the audacity to suggest they are smoking cessation devices! If that’s the case, why do some e-cigarettes have the equivalent of 400 cigarettes?

The biggest drug dealers in the world are making profits off of 22% of the WORLD population. Does this CARTEL deserve that? How many needless, preventable early deaths will they be responsible for throughout history? There is no depth to which this one industry will go, and yet it continues to prosper off the blood money of our families and now our youth. Big Tobacco is the enemy. Ask me how you can help.

Can you even tell which of these are vape pens? Neither can parents or teachers when they are consumed IN CLASS.

Activism, Tobacco

Benicia Town Hall on Vaping

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After the excellent presentation from youth activists, I joined a subsequent panel discussion, which included:

  • A few of the high school students
  • Benicia school principals, administrators
  • Trustees of the Benicia Unified School District
  • Representatives from Solano County of Education (SCOE)
  • Tobacco Free Solano (TFS) colleagues with Vibesolano/Solano County Department of Health

We addressed some successes and some warnings of the future with vaping among youth, particularly in Solano County.

Activism

We Need Safer Crosswalks for Local Elementary School

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This is a meeting with two Vallejo City Council members and two members of the Board of the Vallejo City United School District (VCUSD).  Glen Cove’s City Councilmember Mina Loera-Diaz, Councilmember J.R. Matulac (who mentioned he used to work at Glen Cove Elementary), GCCA’s own John Fox, is a Board Trustee, and City Manager Mike Malone, were all in attendance, among others. 

John Fox had suggested that my speaking as President of GCCA and Ralph, as Safety Director and Vice-President, would be a good idea. Indeed, we were well-received.  The equipment recommended includes solar-powered dots and signage to really draw awareness to the traffic, and to avoid further accidents.

Here was my presentation, which I mostly stuck to:

I’m here in my capacity as President of Glen Cove Community Association and as a resident of Vallejo who lives near Glen Cove Elementary.  I want to advocate for higher visibility of crosswalks near Glen Cove Elementary School.

There has been a marked increase in traffic on the main artery of Glen Cove which passes right in front of the school.  The downhill road sharply turns just as one approaches the school entrance across the street from the intersection of North Regatta.  

Because of the line of sight and downhill momentum, there are unfortunately many vehicles that speed on this road and may not understand what causes the traffic to back up when it’s time to dismiss students. 

Anything we can do with lighted warnings and crosswalk enhancements to provide more warning of what’s around the corner and the vulnerability of the pedestrians, which includes elementary students, can only help to avoid serious incidents from occurring.

Some of the reasons why there are exponentially more vehicles traversing Glen Cove Parkway are:

1.            the consolidation of Beverly Hills school students that now attend Glen Cove Elementary.

2.            several businesses now situated in the Glen Cove Landing commercial buildings, which includes North Bay Pediatrics and other medical offices.

3,            The shift changes for staff for the Glen Cove Lodge, not to mention all visitors to the senior memory living facility.

4.            Glen Cove Marina itself yields a lot of traffic due to the residents and boat owners, not to mention the Lighthouse meeting space, Marina club members and marina visitors such as the Solano Rowing Club, which I’m personally a part of myself.

5.            Pickleball courts at Glen Cove Park are also very popular.

Due to regulations that began during Covid that are still in place, there have also been some dismissal protocols that have caused traffic to back up onto Glen Cove Parkway on the bend as one goes downhill, and which has likely caused accidents on Glen Cove Parkway.  These could be mitigated.  Fortunately, no one has been killed, but cars speeding down the parkway have now run into and destroyed a fire hydrant right outside of the gates of Glen Cove Elementary at least five times that we’re aware of.

Other schools have staggered dismissal policies that help in mitigating the traffic and allowing for teachers and staff to be curbside with the students during pickup.  We’re confident that there are ways that the school can implement better policies to avoid vehicles of parents standing in no-parking areas, such as in front of the bus stop, along Glen Cove parkway and North Regatta Drive.  

Enhanced lighting of the crosswalks would make the roads and heightened risk of this congested area during that time of day far safer.      Thank you for your time.