FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

To:   All Local Media
From: GPHC Web Site Administrator
Re:   Recent General Assembly
Date: March 4, 2006

Local Issues Discussed at Green Party General Assembly

The recent Green Party of Humboldt County’s General Assembly was a big day for newly elected steering committee members. Measure T support, the March 18th Eureka Peace March, poverty and same-sex marriage were all addressed. Seven new steering committee members were elected during the Saturday, February 25th meeting in Garberville- including Arcata Greens Harmony Groves, Shaye Harty and Kyana Taillon. Four of the seven new members and half of the steering committee (12 seats) are women. Feminism is one of the Greens 10 Key Values.

Groves serves on the Arcata City Council. "A large number of Green Party members have stepped up to help the Green Party improve our public image and increase participation in our meetings,” said Groves. “I am proud to see the motivation of our Green Party members to get involved.”

Harty is this year’s Rutabaga Queen and active in the grass-roots campaign supporting Measure T. Shaye is also running for President in 2016. "I am proud to be a part of the resurgence of women in the leadership of Humboldt Greens,” said Harty. “The power of matriarchy is the most effective tool to counteract the policies of war and fear in the Bush administration.” Taillon is an HSU student, photographer, and graphic designer. Eureka resident and Democracy Unlimited staffer Hannah Clapsadle also filled a seat. J. Aaron Busalt, Budd Dickinson and Paul Dillon rounded out the steering committee selections.

Greg Allen, Heidi Calton, Martha Devine, Richard Parker, and Leo Powers are the other committee members. In December, the General Assembly approved the creation of five new seats that increased the total number to twelve. As reported previously, Green endorsement of Measure T passed by a wide margin. Allen is the chair of the party’s steering committee, the administrative body for local greens. The General Assembly is the governing body. A new steering committee begins it two-year term immediately after the June 6th election. Greens also endorsed the March 18th Eureka Peace March that begins at noon in front of the Eureka Muni on 1124 F St. Communities for Peace organizers say marchers will march down to the Gazebo in Old Town to the beat of drums and sound of as many musical instruments as people can bring.

Humboldt Greens created a new working committee called the Green Issues (GI) Committee. The committee is empowered to identify important local issues and begin the development of a county platform.

Local poverty concerns and higher education issues were acknowledged as important priorities of the committee by the general assembly. Paul Encimer and Michael Smith are the GI meeting callers. “Greens see the importance of building a local platform,” Smith said. “Exclusion of people and families in Humboldt County from true workforce opportunity and from CR and HSU need to be addressed by Greens.” The new county committee is to be modeled after the Green Party of California (GPCA) Green Issues committee.

Greens also found consensus with a “Resolution in Support of Marriage Equality”.

The General Assembly is comprised of active greens from across Humboldt County. “It was the best Green meeting I’ve ever been to,” said Green congressional candidate and long-time activist, Pamela Elizondo. “The new ideas are exciting and are an integral part of what the Green Party is all about.”

Media Spokepersons include Paul Encimer at 923-4488 and Heidi Calton 834-1978. For more information on the Green Issues Committee contact Michael Smith at 407-8962 or Paul Encimer at 923-4488. This press release was compiled by Michael Smith, Jesse Goplen and Kyana Taillon.