Contest - Counter the TCA Lies

The TCA sent around a mailer to a lot of folks in South OC trying to drum up support for the toll road. The mailer is filled with lies about surfers trying to limit access to Trestles at the cost of traffic relief. Obviously improved coastal access is a major tenet of Surfrider's work.

Attached to the mailer is a postage-paid reply card. If you got one of these in the mail, mark up the card with your thoughts on the toll road and mail it back to the TCA!! But before you drop it in the mailbox take a picture of it and send it over to savetrestles@surfrider.org . We'll pick the most creative and send the winners a free Save Trestles t-shirt, and highlight them at www.savetrestles.org




So get busy with your markers and tell them what you think!!

Japan Knows the woes of Toll Roads on the Beach…

Check out these awesome Japanese Surfrider activists sporting the Save Trestles tee. They are standing under a toll road built directly on the beach in Japan.

Cheers to our Japanese Surfrider brethren!

Department of Commerce Hearing Events Update.

Due to the postponement of the Department of Commerce hearing at the UCI Bren Center we decided to postpone our "Hands Across the Toll Road" event scheduled for this Saturday, July 19th. This event is geared toward drawing attention to the importance of attending the Dept of Commerce hearing--and we want to hold this event in conjunction with the hearing. Since the hearing date/location is still up in the air, we are holding off on this demonstration until the Federal Government confirms a new location.

However, Surfrider and Sierra Club are planning a community meeting on July 24th to talk about what the possible postponement of the hearing means. Mark Massara, long time Surfrider and Sierra Club activist, (and attorney) will be on hand to discuss the current situation and answer questions. The meeting will take place on July 24th at the San Clemente Community Center at 7:30 pm. click here for directions

Don't forget... about all the work Surfrider Chapters are doing to raise awareness about the Trestles campaign. Many Surfrider chapters have events planed in local communities to raise awareness and inform people about the change in the venue of the public hearing. Please double check your local Chapter website for more details.

The Los Angeles Times released a great editorial today highlighting the fact that intense public interest demands that the hearing be rescheduled. click here

Update: Here is the official letter from NOAA

Eddie Vedder Says....

SAVE TRESTLES!!! Even though the Dept of Commerce hearing location and date is up in the air, Surfrider is still charging along...and so are our supporters! Thanks, Eddie!

Big News!! Toll Road Hearing Possibly Postponed

We were informed this weekend that UC Irvine's Bren Center will NOT play host to the Commerce Department’s public hearing on the 241 Toll Road on July 25th. They feared that the turnout from supporters of San Onofre State Beach and Trestles would overwhelm the facilities at UCI, estimating that over 10,000 of you would show up.

Clearly there is strong community opposition to this destructive highway project, and those voices need to be heard. Unfortunately no other venue has been identified, and the Commerce Department has made no definitive decision on how or when to move forward with the hearing. We will keep you informed as the situation develops, but for now we are assuming there will be NO Hearing on July 25th at the Bren Center.

In the meantime, make sure that the Commerce Department knows that you still want the opportunity to be heard. Send an email to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez demanding that they reschedule the hearing so that he can hear from the community on this issue. Copy and paste the text below or write your own letter, and send it to gcos.comments@noaa.gov

Dear Secretary Gutierrez, You previously promised to hold a hearing in Southern California to gauge the public's feelings on the proposed 241 Toll Road through San Onofre State Beach. The venue you chose for this hearing felt that the expected crowd was beyond their abilities serve properly. This intense public interest is even more reason for you to follow through on your promise and reschedule the hearing to an appropriate venue at a later date. As a member of the public I deserve the opportunity to have my voice heard on this issue. Please do not silence my voice on this important decision.

Sincerely, Your Name and Address

We will keep you informed about any changes. Thanks for your continued support to protect Trestles and San Onofre!!

Your pals at Surfrider,

Join us for Events to raise awarness about the Upcoming Hearing.

The "Hands Across the Toll Road" event scheduled for July 19th has been canceled. We want to hold this event in conjunction with the hearing. Since the hearing date/location is up in the air, we are holding off on the demonstration until the Federal Government confirms a new location.

However, our Chapter network is still busy raising awareness about the Save Trestles campaign. They will be talking about the Save Trestles campaign at the following events to make sure local communities are aware of the campaign and inform people about the change in the venue of the public hearing. Please double check your local Chapter website for details.


July 17: The Newport Chapter is hosting a Save Trestles art show at Havassy.
July 19/20: The South Orange County Chapter will have a booth at Ocean Fest in San Clemente
July 20: Don't miss the South Orange County Chapter's Save Trestles benefit concert at the OC Tavern (see flyer below)
July 24th: The West LA/Malibu Chapter is throwing their "Surfrider Summer Night at Air Conditioned" party and with a special Save Trestle theme.
July 24-27: US Open Surf contest in Huntington Beach. Surfrider activists will be educating contest goers and also gathering signatures to present to the Secretary of Commerce.



The San Diego Chapter of Surfrider recently took to the sky.....check out these savvy activists: click here And....coming to a TV station near you...our PSA regarding the July 25th hearing: click here Remember this is just a sampling.... There are several Chapters in Southern California that are keeping the pressure on the TCA by being visible in their communities.

Newport Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation--Trestles Benefit.

For Immediate Release:
July 10, 2008

Contact: marisamudge@yahoo.com

Havassy Art Show, "Feminine Waves" / Surfrider Foundation Save TrestlesBenefit:
http://havassyart.com/news_events/fem-waves.html
Thursday July 17th, 6-11pm.
Sol Grill 110 McFadden Place,
Newport Beach Ca 92663.

This coming Thursday, July 17th, reknown artist Robb Havassy will bepresenting an art exhibition and benefit, featuring more than 30 newpaintings and sculptures. The event titled "Feminine Waves" will showcaseHavassy's unique fusion of color and motion and the interplay ofmulti-media depictions of the feminine form incorporated into fancifulsurf-scapes.

The event, hosted by Newport Beach's legendary Sol Grill, (located at thebase of Newport Pier, next to Sharkey's), begins with an artist receptionfrom 6-7 pm, featuring complimentary food, Las Olas wine and Havassy's newsangria, Solgria. The show is open to the public from 6-11pm, with specialmusical performances by DJ Dave Onex from Elektrik Haze, as well an acousticset by Will Crum and other special musical guests.

The "Feminine Waves" exhibition will feature art for sale as well as araffle with 100% of the proceeds of the raffle, going to benefit theSurfrider Foundation's, Newport Beach chapter. The raffle items includeSector9 skateboards and apparel, gear from Hurley, Oneill, Atwater,Robert August Surfboards, Havassy's art, sandals, new 2009 Surf Odysseycalendar, gift certificates from Spa Gregorie and Sol Grill, Las Olaswine, and much more.This benefit event will not only help to raise money for SurfriderFoundation, but also increase awareness for the crucial "Save Trestles"campaign to save the state park.

Surfrider Foundation will be on hand toprovide information about the critical upcoming public hearing on thematter at UCI, July 25th. This hearing needs a huge show of public supportto stand against the private interests, namely the Transportation CorridorAuthority, that seeks to pave a toll road through an irreplaceableCalifornia resource.On June 25, the Secretary of Commerce announced that a public hearingregarding the controversial 241 Toll Road extension is scheduled to takeplace July 25 at the Bren Center on the campus of UC Irvine.

This hearingmarks the next battle between the Transportation Corridor Authority (TCA)and opponents over the continuation of the road, which would lead to theclosure of the popular campgrounds at San Onofre State Park and spoiling ofthe San Mateo Creek."The "Save Trestles, Save the State Park" campaign means so much to thesurfing community and surf industry. Imagine if we were to lose thesenatural resources! Thanks to Surfrider Foundation for their leadership infighting the building of the 241 Toll Road extension through the park.
However, it is an expensive effort, and this event will help raise money tosupport the cause. Thank you." Bob Mignogna, former publisher of SurfingMagazine.

For more information on the Save Trestles Campaign, go tohttp://www.savetrestles.org or http://www.surfrider.org.About Surfrider Foundation:The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit grassroots organization dedicatedto the protection and enjoyment of our world's oceans, waves and beaches.Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California,the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 50,000 members and 80 chaptersworldwide. For more information on the Surfrider Foundation, go towww.surfrider.org.For More information about the "FEMININE WAVES" event go tohttp://www.havassyart.com and http://www.solgrill.com.

Your Official Invite To The Biggest Hearing On Earth.

Bren Center at UC Irvine
July 25, 2008
10:30 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.

Save San Onofre PSA

Please attend the Commerce Dept. Hearing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7HbV_JvmXA

Write a Letter to Your Editor

Writing letters to the editor is a great way to raise awareness about the upcoming hearing. And most importantly, keep the pressure on the Secretary of Commerce to do the right thing.

Focusing on local papers is the best place to start. Please compose a quick letter, (no more than 125 words) to your local newspaper demanding the Federal Government uphold to the Coastal Commission’s ruling. Urge the Secretary of Commerce to stop this toll road once and for all. The route proposed does not relieves traffic, impacts the San Mateo watersheds, closes 60% of a beloved San Onofre State Beach, and is not environmentally sound.

OC REGISTER letters@ocregister.com
SD UNION TRIB letters@uniontrib.com
SCSUNPOST sunpostnews@ocregister.com
NO CO.TIMES letters@nctimes.com
LATIMES letters@latimes.com
DP NEWS apotter@ocregister.com
SADLBK VAL tcisneros@ocregister.com
SCTIMES ngarrett@sanclementetimes.com
rnordquist@sctimes.com

Save Trestles and San Onofre beach hike

Don't forget to go the Commerce Dep't Hearing July 25th at UCI!