END THE WAR IN IRAQ, AND BRING THE TROOPS HOME! Anti-war activist CINDY SHEEHAN has been on a personal journey to END the war since her son CASEY was killed during his service in IRAQ on April 4, 2004. She attracted international attention in August 2005 for her extended demonstration at a camp outside President George Bush’s Crawford Texas ranch that lasted several weeks. Her GUTSY efforts caught this writer’s attention!

Sheehan, mother of several grown kids, is fighting for all mothers, families who have lost their sons and daughters to a senseless war! Last year she officially left the DEMOCRATIC PARTY after the Democratic-controlled Congress passed a bill authorizing CONTINUED FUNDING OF THE WAR IN IRAQ, and submitted her resignation as the “FACE” of the American Anti-War Movement!

“CINDY SHEEHAN FOR CONGRESS” kicked off AUGUST 9, 2007, as an INDEPENDENT, announced she was challenging incumbent U.S. House Speaker NANCY PELOSI for the U.S. House seat representing San Francisco in California’s 8th Congressional District. Like many disenchanted with Pelosi because the powerful speaker did not introduce article of impeachment against BUSH!

This writer had the opportunity to meet the courageous lady fighting for a cause she believes in LAST SATURDAY morning when I attended a BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER for SHEEHAN at the ASHBURY TERRACE home of community activist/retired educator JOANNE MARLOWE. Sheehan walked in with her small POOCH, flashed a friendly smile, comfortably sat in the spacious dining room, as many of us gathered around eating the delicious light spread. She talked about how she works 24/7 to defeat the third most powerful woman in the house.

Sheenan felt the House and Senate RAN THE BAILOUT “DOWN OUR THROATS” ! She’s running on a platform that INCLUDE repealing the PATRIOT ACT, ensuring all talks in the Middle East are fair to all parties, ending torture, ending the War on Drugs , ending NO Child Left Behind, legalizing gay marriage.

AMONG supporters who attended the breakfast were: community activist SHIRLEY GOLUB who Challenged Pelosi in the June PRIMARY ELECTION, surprising to many won 11% of the vote. Golub is a member of The HARVEY MILK Democratic Club; several educators - CAROL GLANVILLE, retired school administrator and President of the Mount Olympus Neighbors Association; ALICE MOSELEY, retired educator;
LYNN LAUPHEIMER; CAROLYN JONES, Addiction Specialist; and Mr. SHAWN.

LAST WEDNESDAY THE CITY PREACHER - REV. AMOS BROWN - OFFICIALLY OPENED THE OBAMA SATELLITE office on Fillmore within The Westbay Community Conference Center on Fillmore. Rev, FLOYD TRAMMEL, Executive Director, Westbay; computer specialist KEVIN JEFFERSON, and community activist ACE WASHINGTON direct the daily operation. Stopped in last Thursday afternoon to see what was going on, quiet until volunteers came in about 5 p.m. Advised several sent to Ohio, a key state Obama MUST win! Washington was on his way to pick up supplies from the Main Obama Campaign office on Market Street.

While in the area observed the old site of POWELL’S Place on Eddy near Fillmore, STILL vacant, blinds drawn; HEARD ELLA HILL HUTCH Community Center, on McAllister near Webster, was CLOSED!!!! WHY??? QUICKLY VERIFIED through Rev. Brown who sits on the board, NOT TRUE, Doors still open! PERHAPS, but HOWARD SMITH, newly-appointed Executive Director told me when I cell phoned him, BARELY, he has been trying to approach the City for funding!!! WHAT ACTION IS THE BOARD TAKING ??? THE CENTER MUST SURVIVE!!! STAY TUNED!!!

The Center, one time HEART OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY, named after ELLA HILL HUTCH the FIRST BLACK WOMAN ELECTED TO SAN FRANCISCO Board of Supervisors (2nd in the history of the board - Attorney TERRY FRANCOIS the FIRST to serve - both deceased).

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE!!! October 4th to be exact...checked out happenings on the San Francisco BLACK NIGHTCLUB scene! FIRST stop - legendary MONTE CARLO Restaurant and Bar for the THREE-FOLD CELEBRATION - CAJUN QUEEN owner THERESA DeROUN’s 60th BiIRTHDAY...THE FIRST YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY to the man who WON her heart, BIG BOSSMAN GARY LYNCH (a MAY/DECEMBER connection), and the CLUB’S 19th Anniversary! The Monte Carlo founded by she and her late husband JAMES KENNEDY who passed January 31, 1995. BOSSMAN has not only lit a flame in her heart BUT IGNITED NEW ideas in renovating the popular club! Members of both families traveled from as faraway as Georgia, Louisiana to attend the festive occasion.

FANCY SPORTS CARS parked out front - The event is always a TENT PARTY under the BIG WHITE TOP - taking up the side short street of Lane adjacent to the club decorated beautifully , resembled a hotel banquet room setting - marvelous Louisiana BUFFET Cuisine served; LIVE sounds by Solid Ground Band performed under the Tent; INSIDE DJ COWBOY spunned groovy sounds! NIDA sassy bartender whose Monte Carlo business card reads CEO, busy all evening!

Among guests on the scene: Delightful CAROLYN JONES (she HIPPED me to the Sheehan event), Addiction Specialist on staff at Dr. Oscar Jackson’s office in the City; joined the table of Mr. and Mrs. LONNELL HUNTER; NATE MASON, Executive Director EOC office in the Western Addition; CLARENCE BRYANT strutted in white jacket over Black leather pants; ...LINDA ROBINSON (the pleasant lady works the Parks office at Ocean Beach within lower floors where a popular Restaurant operates and at the time name escapes); LAURA MASON, HERB JOHNSON, DON JUAN, daughter MICHELLE; busy Bay Area Realtor JY LEBRAN and his lovely wife ERNESTINE; swinging couple - CATHY and ED “DOWNTOWN” BROWN; Chic CHARLOTTE SAFFOLD, .legendary DJ RANGATANG (ISIAH BRUCE)...49er ISAAC BRUCE his nephew. First HEARD ‘TANG at the Monte Carlo in the 80s when under different ownership.

ENDED the evening at San Francisco’s POPULAR BLUES HOUSE OF VELMA’S , home of the Sunday Blues ‘n’ Jazz Club, located on Jerrold on the edge of Bayview District, near 101. The evening CELEBRATED Velma’s FIRST ANNIVERSARY...Congratulation to VELMA LANDERS and partners son ERIC JONES, and CHESTER BILLINGER. During the month of August The JUS’ Blues Music Foundation VOTED Velma’s “2008 JOOK JOINT AWARD” for BEST Blues and Soul Club during Beale Street Week, in Memphis, TN.

During Velma’s brief comments at the mike, announced GOOD NEWS - The launching of “Velma’s YOUTH Music Mentoring Program”! Music in the schools suffer so this is a MUCH needed program that will involve Bay Area musicians. E-mail VELMALANDERS@aol.com.

LIVE BLUESY entertainment featured LADY BIANCA, MISSISSIPPI BLUES BOY WILLIE, undisputed King of the JUKE JOINT BLUES, MISSED both performers BUT caught my FAV - SOULFUL, DREAMY-EYED BLUES SINGER JOHNNY RAWLS STRAIGHT from the Mississippi Delta, giving up cuts from his NEW CD, entitled “RED CADILLAC,” and a smooth bluesy “BACK STREET” - hit popularized by the late Lil’ MILTON, and a real down groove whose title I’ve forgotten that saw a couple I love to see dance, FAITHFUL SBJC members CARLETT “DAN” DANIELS and his swinging FITNESS QUEEN - BARBARA STEWART - they should be on TV’s “Dancing with the Stars”;...AL AND RUBY DRAPER (such a fabulous dresser!!!); SMOOTH POPCORN (THURMAN AUSTIN) legendary SKYCAP at SFO Airport; THOMAS MAYFIELD and CARLTON STRAUSS bartenders of the evening! WHERE WAS WILLIE - THE FIREMAN????

Cancer survivor ETTA LUNDY...this past Sunday at Velma’s was Ms. Lundy’s ANNUAL BREAST Cancer Awareness Sunday that saw many survivors on the scene and others to release a PINK Balloon in honor of a LOVE ONE!

HEY, IT’S NICE TO BE NICE AND TO ALL OF YOU OUT THERE ... LOOK FOR ME ... I’LL BE THERE ...

E-mail Rochelle at iheard@earthlink.net