Saturday, March 10, 2-6pm

Wine tasting featuring Elk Prairie Vineyards and others,
local brews, Hors d’Oeuvers by Amelia’s
Silent and Live Auction – music and more!

(click for larger image)

$25.00
Tickets available at Amelia’s in Garberville, Signature Coffee Company in Redway, HPC (Humboldt Performance Cycle) in the Meadows Business Park, and Whitethorn Construction.

Or you can contact us or call 707 923 1013 and we will get them to you.

Hosting Committee:

John & Tersea Porter, Harold & Donna Mendes, Bob & Val McKee, Diane Lehman,
Bea Anderson, Lorraine Carolan, David & Kayrn Thomas, Greg & Meghan Phau,
Casey & John Schmidt, Brian Harper & Randelyn Perkins, Hank & Sharon Toberg,
David & Anne Katz, Peg Andersen and Yashi Hoffman

Commenting on this positive beginning Fennell said: “I am honored that so many share my vision of a strong healthy economy and environment, common sense land use policies and keeping our community safe by supporting public safety, fire protection and good roads. Of the money raised, she added, “It is heartwarming to see that even in these hard economic times, people are giving according to their means. Elections are expensive and I appreciate every dollar of support and am happy to report the donations have kept flowing.”

This early show of financial support shows the tremendous amount of confidence in Estelle’s abilities to be a strong leader and an effective representative for her community, her district and the County as a whole.

In addition to the strong financial support, Estelle is pleased by the hundreds of endorsements she continues to receive from a wide-ranging selection of Second District constituents. To name a few: Fortuna City Council member Sue Long, Fortuna Business owner Travis Low, Fortuna Planning Commissioner Darren Tomasini, Science teacher and Fortuna High football Coach Mike Benbow and Tracy Benbow, Ranchers Joe and Karen Russ, Signature Coffee Owners Karyn and David Lee Thomas, Physical Therapist John Schmidt and Casey Schmidt, Ranchers Dick and Phyllis Drewry, Dr. Wendy Joiner M.D, Dr. Roy Baker, and Janice Parakilas, Chautauqua Natural foods owner Peg Andersen and Yashi Hoffman.
“My commitment is to represent all the people of the Second District, and this is a pledge I reaffirm,” Estelle said.

Since the September announcement of her campaign, Estelle has been talking with community and business leaders and going door-to-door to meet with constituents. “Its hard work but I enjoy it,” she said. Over and over again, people have expressed a deep concern over the future of our district and our county. All of this input, she says, “Only serves to make me more determined to fight for the changes we all want.

Emphasizing economic improvement, public safety services and being a leader who “truly represents the district,” SoHum resident Estelle Fennell has announced her candidacy for supervisor.

Doing so at well-attended events in Fortuna and Garberville on Sept. 22, Fennell has described herself as someone who’ll balance the district’s diverse interests by “valuing the input of all sides of the community.”

Her experience in the district is also varied – formerly the longstanding news director for KMUD community radio, Fennell is more recently known for being the director of the Humboldt Coalition for Property Rights (HCPR), a post that’s she left as her campaign launches.

She also volunteers as a board member of the Briceland Volunteer Fire Department, the Healy Senior Center, the KEET TV Community Advisory Board and the Cape Mendocino Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Fennell’s campaign has already focused on specific issues and she’s expressed a general desire to improve the district’s representation. “I’m stepping up because we’re not getting the effective representation that we need,” she said. “We need somebody who’s strong and who’s willing and able to take a stand for our district.”

Fennell said that’s a response to what she’s heard from many Second District residents. Incumbent Supervisor Clif Clendenen – who Fennell ran against in the last election – has not effectively addressed many community issues, she said.

She named the county’s rejection of a proposal to create local General Plan Update community advisory committees as an example. “I will not automatically adopt staff recommendations,” Fennell continued, adding that her decisions would also be influenced by “thorough analysis and getting input from the community and advice from experts in the field.”

Fennell said that if she’s elected, a top priority will be improving a “stagnant” economy, with emphasis on “clean industry.” The county’s Community Development Services Department needs to be “more welcoming to people with good ideas,” she continued.

“I’d be a supervisor who welcomes new ideas, who thinks outside the box and who’s not afraid to embrace dynamic change,” said Fennell.
Attention to public safety services and “everyday issues” is also a main part of Fennell’s campaign platform. She said she supports a “sensible and practical General Plan Update that reflects the needs of the people who are the stewards of the land, as well as the environment.”

More community involvement would produce “a much better plan,” she added, and would have avoided some of its complications.

Fennell also wants to push for increased late fall and early winter flows into the Eel River. “There’s been a lot of lip service about bringing more water into the Eel but I want to see some political will put into it.” she said.

Fennell also advocates for enhanced access to county government. She said SoHum residents are interested in government issues but find it challenging to participate in hearings due to being distant from Eureka and she’d work to establish an interactive Internet link to supervisors meetings so residents could remotely participate in public comment sessions.

Fennell’s work with HCPR has broadened her political profile but some have been critical of the group, describing it as an interest group for monied landowners and developers.

“I’m actually quite proud of my work with (HCPR),” she said. “I think we’ve emphasized the need for community involvement and our membership is from all sides of the political spectrum.”

She added that through her work with the group, “I’ve learned a lot about working with people of different political backgrounds and it’s reaffirmed my belief about how decisions should be reached.”

Asked if her election odds have improved since her last run for supervisor, Fennell said she’s been active in the community and has clearly expressed her views. “I’ve had a chance to meet more people and people have had a chance to get to know me,” she said. “I think I’m better-known now and people have seen that I’m willing to take a stance for my community.”

Estelle Fennell, Redway resident and former HumCPR Executive Director, will formally announce her campaign for Second District Supervisor on Thursday September 22nd.

Estelle, who has received numerous awards in recognition of her decades-long service to her community, has a proven track record of doing the hard work and making the tough choices required of a good leader. Her strong desire to help has benefited residents throughout the district and beyond during times of emergency and natural disaster and has helped it through the numerous challenges that can face a rural county like Humboldt. She has been a tireless, strong leader fighting for our rights at the county level.

Estelle decided to run because she cares deeply about the 2nd District and is concerned that our current Supervisor has not effectively addressed the many larger issues facing the 2nd District much less the day-to-day issues/concerns brought forward by his constituents.

“Again and again, from Fortuna to Garberville and everywhere in between, countless Second District residents have told me that they do not feel well served at the County level. They are genuinely concerned that the current Supervisor is not a strong enough representative for these challenging times,” she said. “The Second District deserves better, Humboldt County deserves better.”

Longtime local rancher Joe Russ also thinks it’s time for a change; “We need a Supervisor who is willing to take a stand for our community. I am very confident that Estelle is up to the task.”

Karyn Lee-Thomas, owner of Redway based Signature Coffee Company who has known Estelle for years, remarked, “I can not think of anyone that would be more fair, open-minded and dedicated. I can only envision a positive change for the entire county with Estelle as our Supervisor.

During her announcement Estelle will lay out her priorities as Supervisor and how important it is to have a strong and effective leader given the critical issues facing the 2nd District and Humboldt County as a whole.

Estelle will kickoff her campaign at 11:45 AM this Thursday, September 22nd at the Veterans Memorial Hall in Fortuna. Later on Thursday residents of the Garberville – Redway area will have a chance to meet the candidate at her Southern Kick-off event in the Garberville Town Square beginning at 5:00 p.m.

[Estelle currently serves on several Board of Directors including: the The Briceland Volunteer Fire Department, the Healy Senior Center, the Cape Mendocino Lighthouse Preservation Society and the The Mainstream Media Project (http://mmproject.org/). She is also a Southern Humboldt representative on the KEET TV (http://www.keet.org/) and is Co-Administrator of SoHum Awareness -Facebook Page (a web-based community safety service) as well as former News Director of KMUD (1990 – 2007)]

Contact Info: Campaign – (707) 923-1013   contact@estellefennell.org