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By BLEYS ROSE
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Thursday, October 8, 2009
A visit to Sonoma County Saturday by colorful and controversial Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank is attracting supporters who want to give him re-election campaign donations and detractors who want to give him grief for his outspoken views...
...Attorney Michael Fiumara, a friend of Frank’s who is co-sponsoring the congressman’s visit, said “it wouldn’t surprise me at all there will be protests because they don’t like what he stands for.”
Frank has been a leading advocate for gay rights, for legalization of medicinal marijuana and for restrictions on Wall Street executive compensation packages. Last August, his angry encounter with a loud protester at a health overhaul forum was a much-viewed clip on YouTube.
Fiumara said that he has known Frank for almost 20 years and that the congressman asked him to assemble a fundraiser in the county because of its liberal leanings...
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
By MARTIN ESPINOZA
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Many of the Sonoma County residents who forked over $50 at Rep. Barney Frank’s campaign fundraiser Saturday — and $500 at a later event — likely got their money’s worth.
Related Links: Frank tells gay rights supporters to lobby, not demonstrate
View Photos: Barney Frank Visits Sonoma Co.
The openly gay Massachussetts congressman’s morning appearance at Santa Rosa’s Flamingo Hotel was equal parts comedy routine and progressive call to arms.
“I am a member of a group that continues to be disrespected in our culture and particularly in the media,” he said. “I am a partisan Democrat.”...
...The fundraisers were organized by local attorney Michael Fiumara, a longtime friend of Frank’s who earned several congratulations for getting a man considered to be one of the most prominent members of Congress to come to Sonoma County.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE
February
26, 2008
The
Press Democrat
Sonoma County health
department officials are considering closing inpatient
alcohol and drug rehabilitation programs as part
of a larger cost-cutting effort.On the target list
is the 20-bed residential program at the county's
Orenda Center in southeast Santa Rosa where drug
and alcohol abusers can stay for a month during
recovery. The proposal comes
at a time when other health care providers such
as St. Joseph Health Systems are also closing
inpatient facilities for similar cost-cutting
reasons. ``It is evident that
existing revenue streams cannot sustain the current
level of programs and services,'' health services
director Rita Scardaci said in a letter that went
out this week to dozens of community agencies
that the county contracts for patient referrals.
"Reductions will need to be made to programs
and contracts.'' The proposals are prompted
by the prospect of declining funds from county,
state and federal government revenue. County officials said
they may look to nonprofit agencies such as the
Drug Abuse Alternatives Center to contract for
placement of clients if closure of Orenda Center
facilities is approved by county supervisors. Sonoma County spent
about $19 million on alcohol and drug services
last fiscal year, much of it in seven programs
that operate out of the Orenda Center at 1430
Neotomas Ave. Referrals to the Orenda Center often
come from court drug and alcohol diversion programs. Scardaci warned Monday
that cuts at the Orenda Center may be the first
of many public health programs that could be affected
as county officials cope with reduced revenues
from local property taxes, the governor's proposals
for cutting health and human services and declining
federal reimbursements. Word of possible program
cuts at the Orenda Center spread late last week
as health officials began talking with employees
and union officials about the impact of budget
cuts. Scardaci denied reports that Orenda Center
would close altogether. Scardaci said health
officials were in the midst of formulating proposals
for health service cuts that are tentatively scheduled
for presentation to county supervisors on March
18. ``We want to be transparent
in this process of looking at programs that can
be downsized,'' Scardaci said. ``As yet, we have
not picked the programs.''County administrator
Bob Deis said county-operated health and human
services likely will suffer the biggest program
cuts because so much of their budgets come from
revenue sources affected by the economic downturn. For example, half of
the county's $213 million expenditure on health
services comes from federal and state governments,
a third from a share of the state sales tax and
vehicle license fees, and about 10 percent from
the county general fund over which county supervisors
have discretion. Scardaci said none
of the funding sources have kept pace with program
costs and all are predicted to decline over the
next three years. She said the governor's
proposals are likely to push county officials
to trim programs by $2.5 million to $3 million,
with cuts being implemented as early as July 1. Deis said funding,
mostly from the state, for alcohol and drug rehabilitation
programs has been flat in recent years, making
programs such as those at the Orenda Center a
likely target for reduced funding or elimination.
Figures were not available Monday on how much
could be saved by closing the Orenda Center inpatient
program. Emphasis on community-based
treatment, usually in the form of counseling or
short-term residency in a facility, is prompting
county health officials to reconsider whether
maintaining taxpayer-supported institutional treatment
programs is viable in the long run, he said.
© 2008-
The Press Democrat
BYLINE: BLEYS
W. ROSE
Letter
to the Editor, Press Democrat, May 21, 2007
May
21, 2007
The
Press Democrat
The Press Democrat has seen it fit to report on
Bishop Walsh’s completion of Diversion an
alternative to filing criminal charges, as front
page news. However, all of this coverage missed
one major point. How many programs were available,
or even offered, to the real victims in this case;
the boys and young men who were molested and sodomized
under the Church’s nose? The answer is absolutely
none...until a lawsuit had to be filed. Don’t
blame the attorneys or the legal system. Although
it is far from perfect, in this case, however,
it got the ball rolling.
I was struck by Bishop Walsh’s quote, “I
have no power in Mexico.” First, the Bishop
and his predecessor Bishops got Father Ochoa from
Mexico. There is a very strong and historical
relationship between the Mexican and American
Catholic Priests and hierarchy. How else could
have the Santa Rosa Diocese gotten permission
to transfer Mexican born Priests here? Second,
we have not been informed that the Bishop even
attempted to make a trip to Mexico to do anything
to bring Father Ochoa to justice in Sonoma County.
The Pope and other members of the Catholic hierarchy
travel to Third World Countries, including Mexico,
to pressure elected officials to act on abortion
and other secular issues. This form of “power”
and persuasion cannot be overlooked especially
when the victims are seeking strong leadership
from their own Bishop. The victims tell me that
they do not want to hear their Bishop give up
so easily.
By:
Michael A. Fiumara
cc: Editorial Director, Pete Golis
Assistant Editorial Director, Paul Gullixson
Editorial Writer, Ann DuBay
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