December eNews
Hello Again,
It's the most wonderful time of the year! From parades and festivals, to shopping and gift ideas, my December newsletter includes some ways to make the most of your holiday season. While we don't have much snow in California, there are still plenty of ways to celebrate this season in sunny San Diego.
 IN THIS ISSUE:
A Note from Toni -
One of the best things about winter is its abundance of holidays. It’s time to gather our friends, honor our traditions, and hold our dear ones a little bit closer.
We look over the past with a gentler eye. And we look to the future with optimism, hope and determination to do what we can to make life better for others.
We in the Legislature look back, glad we passed the fourth consecutive on-time budget, paid off $12 billion in debt, and took action to stabilize our water supply. We put more money into education, repaired the teachers’ retirement fund, and set aside money for hard times.
Next year, we will strive to improve the economic prospects for women, increase access to affordable housing, and push back against biases that keep us from reaching our true potential. And we will continue to put students first by ensuring they have access to an affordable education at our world class higher education institutions.
However you mark this holiday season, please accept my wishes, and those of my family, that you have a wonderful celebration and a bright and peaceful New Year.
Warmly,
Toni G. Atkins
Speaker of the Assembly
78th Assembly District
Celebrate the holidays in San Diego – and do it for free!
December 3, Holiday Festival - A Family Celebration, Hotel del Coronado. Beachfront ice rink, visit St. Nick and his elves, and enjoy holiday games and prizes, hot cocoa, food booths, and fireworks. 4 to 9 p.m. Coronado school children perform holiday favorites onstage in Upper Grande Hall, the Vista Walk is transformed into Santa's Village. 6 to 8 p.m. Families enjoy complimentary ROAST - signature S'mores on the Beach, 6 p.m.: Mayor Casey Tanaka turns on 100,000 white lights on property from the top of the turret, 6:45 p.m.: Holiday fireworks display.
December 5, 39th Annual Coronado Christmas Parade & Open House
Parade and Merchants Open House takes place along Orange Avenue, followed by the traditional tree lighting of a 50-foot Christmas tree and free community concert in Rotary Park. Information: www.coronadochamber.com.
December 5-6. Join the festivities during Balboa Park December Nights, a two-day holiday celebration of food, entertainment and fun. Information: www.balboapark.org/decembernights.
December 6, 13th Annual Christmas Comes to Imperial Beach, 12 to 5p.m. at the Portwood Pier Plaza. Santa is scheduled to arrive at noon by fire truck! Several bands will perform throughout the day. Holiday crafts, face painting, children’s games, raffle gifts and much more.
December 6, 51st North Park Toyland Parade and Festival, University Avenue between Utah and Iowa Streets, Parade 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Festival 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Marching bands, upbeat dance groups, vintage cars, beauty queens, city officials and more. Santa Claus will be riding atop his merry red fire engine.
December 6, 35th Annual OB Holiday Parade, 5:05 p.m. Newport Ave. between Sunset Cliffs and Abbott, marching bands, troops of scouts, business-sponsored floats and local luminaries.
Listen to free organ concerts at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park each Sunday afternoon from 2 to 3 p.m. The Organ Pavilion features the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ, a San Diego landmark for nearly a century. Organists will be performing holiday favorites, as well as waltzes and show tunes from the organ’s monstrous 32-foot lead alloy pipes. Information: www.spreckelsorgan.org/
Enjoy festivities in Old Town State Park. For information call: 619-297-3100. They include:
Battle of San Pasqual December 7 (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.).
Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration Mormon Battalion December 12-23
Bonfire Nights. December 13, 14, 26–30.
Holiday in the Park, Saturday, December 13
63rd Anniversary Las Posadas, Sunday, December 14
A Christmas Carol at the Whaley House, Monday, December 16 & Tuesday, December 17. Information: www.oldtownsandiegoguide.com.
Discover The “Whoville” decorations in the plaza outside The Old Globe Theatre December 1-27, coinciding with the theatre’s annual holiday production of “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Information: www.balboapark.org.
December 7, La Jolla Christmas Parade and Holiday Festival 1:30 to 5 p.m. Girard and Prospect in downtown La Jolla. The event includes marching bands, floats, equestrian units, vintage automobiles and an appearance by Santa Claus. Information: www.ljparade.com/.
December 8, Pearl Harbor Memorial Service, 8 a.m., joint event with VFW Post 5477, American Legion Post 820 and FRA Branch 289 on the Imperial Beach Pier. This event celebrates the 73rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. Attendees are advised to dress warmly.
December 13, Mission Bay Christmas Boat Parade of Lights, 6 to 9 p.m. starts at Quivira Basin. More than 100 illuminated powerboats and sailboats parade along Mission Bay; the parade ends with a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Best viewing is from Crown Point, the east side of Vacation Island or the west side of Fiesta Island.
December 13, Pacific Beach Holiday Parade, 1 p.m. along Garnet Avenue. Ten thousand spectators will be treated to floats, school marching bands, color guards, children's marching groups, clowns and Santa Claus.
December 14, Gaslamp Holiday Pet Parade, 3 p.m. in downtown San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter. Owners and their dressed-up pets march down the decorated streets of the neighborhood, ending at a Pet Expo at Hilton Gaslamp Park, 1 to 5 p.m., featuring an award-ceremony for best-dressed pups. Information: www.gaslamp.org/.
December 14 & 21, 44th Annual Port of San Diego Parade of Lights. Shelter Island is the start of the parade at 5:30 p.m., moving to Harbor Island at 6 p.m., The Embarcadero at 6:30 p.m., Seaport Village at 7 p.m., and the Ferry Landing in Coronado at 7:30 p.m. More than 100 private decorated boats participate. Great views from Shelter Island and Harbor Island. www.sdparadeoflights.org.
December 26, Big Bay Balloon Parade. 3 p.m. Starts near the County Administration Building on Harbor Dr. and runs south, ending at the corner of Harbor Dr. and Pacific Highway near Seaport Village. Floats, balloons, and marching bands.
Snoopy License Plates
Whether you’re a dog lover, a Peanuts comic strip enthusiast, or a fan of California museums, there’s a way to show it on your license plate.
On October 5th of last year, California Governor Jerry Brown signed into law a bill that I wrote creating a Snoopy license plate, with proceeds from the plate going to the California Cultural and Historical Endowment to help museums make badly needed capital improvements.
Since Snoopy is someone who once had a Van Gogh in his doghouse (until the fire) and later an Andrew Wyeth, museums seem like a natural fit for him to lend his support.
The Snoopy image was donated for the California license plates by Jean Schulz, the widow of
Charles M. Schulz. In order for the Snoopy plates to be produced, 7,500 must be ordered. We have less than 2,800 to go. Once the plates are in production and people begin to see them on the road, we expect orders to increase exponentially.
With next year marking the 65th anniversary of Peanuts, and the 50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, we’re making a major push for orders so the plates can begin being issued in 2015.
As we approach the holiday season, let’s encourage even more California art lovers—and Snoopy lovers!—to join the cause by buying a Snoopy license plate to support the arts and sciences in our communities. There’s even a gift certificate option on the website.
Mr. Schultz himself said, “What’s the good of living if you don't try a few things?” So why not put a beagle on your license plate? You’ll be the talk of the highway, and you’ll help our state’s great museums. If you’d like more information about the Snoopy license plates or the Endowment, you can go to www.snoopyplate.com.
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National Homelessness Memorial Day
As we continue to see home foreclosures and unemployment rates stay stubbornly high during this holiday season, large numbers of people throughout California and the nation are homeless and hungry. Statistics also show that more and more families and individuals are living paycheck to paycheck and, in many cases, are frequently just one pay period away from being without shelter themselves.
Unfortunately, as states strive to deal with the worst financial times since the 1930s, we continue to see tremendous cuts in state programs that help our less fortunate fellow citizens. Ironically, Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day takes place on December 21st, right in the midst of what is supposed to be the most joyous holiday season of the year.
National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day is sponsored annually by the National Coalition for the Homeless and is a day to remember those who have passed away on the streets this year.
Each year since 1990, on or near the first day of winter and the longest night of the year, National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) has sponsored National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day to bring attention to the tragedy of homelessness and to remember our homeless friends who have paid the ultimate price for being homeless. This year, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) has joined in co-sponsoring this event. In an effort to maximize the impact of the day, NCH and the NHCHC have encouraged local and statewide organizations to hold memorials of their own.
“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.’”-Mother Teresa
Reminder: Covered California Open Enrollment
Covered California’s 2015 open enrollment period started last month, and ends February 15th, 2015.
If you’re applying for new coverage, looking to change your policy, or simply need to renew your policies, you can do so now. Policies will be automatically renewed by December 15th if you don’t specify changes to your plan. Be aware, though – plans have changed so you should check yours for any updates.
Covered California is the state’s health care marketplace that opened last year under the Affordable Care Act. During the first open enrollment period, 1.4 million Californians signed up for health care, indicating that the system is working and the demand and need for affordable health care is strong.
Covered California officials hope to increase enrollment, fix issues that consumers faced during the first open enrollment period and simplify the renewal process.
To learn more or apply for coverage, please visit www.coveredca.com today. The website contains a wealth of information on plan options, community organizations that can assist you with enrolling, and costs.
Celebrities and politicians are using social media to urge everyone to #GetCovered:
Warmly,
Toni G. Atkins
Speaker of the Assembly
78th Assembly District
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