I am a teacher at Royal High School in Simi Valley. This note is to a family that I want to share my thoughts with in a public way.

CH and AH,

I have long admired your family and the values you have passed on to your children. Values including patience, compassion, hard work, modesty, humility, and faith. The quiet faith your family possess helps remind me of the great privilege and responsibility we as teachers are trusted with every school day.

As a young father your family serves as a role-model for what I want to be able to create and sustain.

Both of you have shared with me the high regard you have for me as a teacher. You have told me your children talk at dinner time of what we were studying and what happened in class.

I am thankful to your family for one of the greatest honors given to me during my time as a teacher.

Thank you for sharing your recognition of my work and my character with me.

Having your respect has been among the greatest honors I have been given as a teacher.

Knowing that a family I admire has such appreciation for my work gives me confidence and encouragement. I will endeavor to stay the teacher you have trusted so much in.

With all of heart,

Brian Dennert

Click here for more information.

The Democratic Singles group sent in a request to post their next event.

If you are looking to meet other single progressives this could be your opportunity:

Meet for fun and great conversation the last Friday of every month with the Democratic Singles of Ventura County. The next meeting will be on Friday, September 30th at 7pm at Party Headquarters located at 1760 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo. Doors open at 6:30pm. After a short meeting, the group will go out to a local restaurant to socialize. This group is for Progressive singles age 35 and over. Try a meeting for free and join later for $20 annual membership fee. For more information email DSVCdems@gmail.com.

As a standard practice I normally delete phone numbers from press releases and posts. Let me know when you send in a release if you would like the number posted.

I don't think Rep. Elton Gallegly is running for re-election.

I don't have any insider knowledge or solid proof. It is just my guess.

The other area Members of Congress release their schedule, update their social media pages, and hold townhall forums. Rep. Elton Gallegly doesn't do that type of stuff often.

He doesn't hold townhall meetings that are open and free to the public. But he does have fundraisers where you can pay to ask him questions. I'm surprised he is asking for donations when he hasn't announced if he is running again. Maybe this is a hint he does plan to run again.

Why is he always among the last local politician to declare if he is running again? The rumor is he doesn't want Tony Strickland to be able to run for his seat. What's your theory?

The top conservative political blogger on Californian politics has called on him to announce his intentions soon for the good of his party. Here is what Jon Fleischman told Ventura County Star Reporter Timm Herdt:

"Every other incumbent member of Congress is busy announcing their plans. What is it that's special about Elton Gallegly?" Fleischman asked. "Elton Galleglyland is the same place the rest of us live."

Fleischman said Republican activists statewide are watching Gallegly very closely because of the incident in 2006 when he announced at the last minute that he intended to retire, only to change course after discovering he could not have his name removed from the ballot because he had already submitted his declaration of candidacy.

"He no longer gets the benefit of the doubt after that shameful maneuver in which he clearly tried to pick his successor," he said.

Gallegly's indecision could hurt Republicans' chances nationally and statewide, especially if he ultimately decides to retire, Fleischman said. Such a move would cost Strickland months of fundraising and organizing time to put together a campaign for a vital congressional seat and, in turn, handicap Assemblyman Cameron Smyth in putting together a campaign for a critical seat in the state Senate.

"If he wants to run for re-election, he should announce that now, and I think he'd be the front-runner," Fleischman said. "It's irresponsible to make no decision."

Interesting that Jon Fleischman doesn't believe Gallegly had a health issue as he claimed when he tried and failed to get his name off of the ballot in 2007. Instead Fleischman is blunt and accused Gallegly of trying to rig the process to make it impossible for other candidates to run. To my conservative readers: Who do you believe more? Gallegly or Fleischman?

Click here for a link to his latest fundraiser.

http://tinyurl.com/pay-To-ask

The City of Ventura has a dedicated group of Tea Party activists.

They had gathered signatures to remove the parking meters in their town under a variety of arguments including it was a part of the United Nations Agenda 21 plan. It was going to be on the ballot but a Judge ruled the law didn't allow voters to choose rules over parking by ballot petition.

Now their leader, Carla Bonney , is running for the city council. Her Tea Party platform has created an energized base of supporters. But it has many critics too. A loyal reader sent in this picture, and there are more to go with it, of a sign placed in violation of The UN Agenda 21 The City of Ventura rules for political signs.

This isn't proof of any wrongdoing by the campaign. Often overzealous supporters place signs for a candidate without direction. Then they get upset when the signs are removed and assume they are stolen.

The City of Ventura has a great website with the relevant city code if you would like to read it for yourself.

I'm looking forward to an exciting city council campaign.

A reader of mine, Eryk, sent me a link to a great idea that has bipartisan support.

The Members of the Super Committee that are putting together the debt reduction package should have to disclose when they meet with lobbyists. Click here to find out more.

If you support this idea please call Re. Elton Gallegly and Rep. Lois Capps. Then post their responses here on my blog.

Rep. Gallegly:
Phone: 805 482-2424
FAX: 805 482-0024

Rep. Capps:
Phone: 805-985-6807
Fax: 805-985-6875

Thanks Eryk!

I went to David Pollock's campaign event tonight in Moorpark. Go to the Facebook page for my blog for pictures and more coverage.

Redistricting has created many competitive districts. David Pollock is running in the newly created congressional district that includes most of Ventura County.

It was a great event. Thanks for personally inviting me David!

Public officials should set good examples with the way they spend their office budgets and the vehicles they drive. Listening to the importance of taking action against climate change is less convincing coming from someone that isn't willing to take action on their own.

State Assembly Member Das Williams is driving a new Volt from Graham Chevrolet in Santa Barbara. With a new electric car and a safe Assembly District I am sure Das Williams is feeling good.

The group Westside Candidates Forum is putting together a great event for voters in Ventura. I appreciate that they are offering childcare to help make this a family friend event. Voters can go to their website to find out how to submit questions.

http://westsidecandidateforum.wordpress.com/

I will post videos of the event or other events if the organizers send me an email.

Bruce Springsteen's tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11 moves me.

It has been ten long years of war for our armed service members and their families. Their sacrifices haven't always been shared equally by our nation. We owe them our gratitude and a debt we cannot repay. I have watched many of my students as they have grown up and joined our worldwide efforts against the criminals that attacked us. We should be proud that so many of our people continue to answer the call to war.

I am proud to be an American. What unites us us much more profound than our petty political divides.

(Intern 1, Elton Gallegly 0)

The Middle-Class Defense Coalition tried to talk to Rep. Elton Gallegly but they talked to an intern instead. They want him to support a tax on Wall Street instead of cuts to important government programs.

Elton Gallegly is the only area legislator, of either party, that refuses to hold open and scheduled townhall events. If you want to ask him a question you could pay to attend a fundraiser. His party leaders including Eric Cantor and Paul Ryan both hold townhall meetings. A claim that he is busier than them isn't convincing.

With this type of attitude towards taking questions in public I don't think he will be interested in running against House Armed Services Chair Rep. Buck McKeon in a Republican district or running against a Democrat in a very competitive district. The competitive district is most of Ventura County excluding his home city of Simi Valley. After criticizing multiple opponents over the years for moving to a district to run is he really going to do the same? Besides, what type of candidate would he be if he won't take questions at public townhall meetings? That might have worked in a Republican district but it won't work in a competitive district.

Republicans donating money to him might want access to him but if they want to help elect a candidate that has announced future plans to keep running for office I would suggest State Assembly Member Jeff Gorell or State Senator Tony Strickland. Both have announced they plan to run again and could use the funds.

I am very impressed with the labor day bbq today. The turnout of elected officials, activists, and candidates showed it was successful. I will be posting pictures on the Facebook page for my blog.

I had a chance to talk with a few candidates including Fran Pavley, David Cruz Thayne, and David Pollock. I will post my thoughts on those conversations later.

Top Democratic political consultant Garry South will be the featured presenter at a training for area activists and candidates.

Click on continue reading for details.

Garry South is currently working for Congressional candidate David Cruz Thayne.

Having another top political consultant working in this area is a sign that Ventura County is going to be very competitive after redistricting.

The Ventura County Labor Day picnic put on by the Working Blue Democratic Club promises to be a huge event. This is going to be the start of an exciting campaign season. Redistricting has created new districts and opportunities for many candidates.

I expect this to be the largest gathering of Democratic Party activists and candidates this year. Any candidate that is serious about running for a legislative seat will have a presence there. The most organized campaigns will have booths.

The organizers gave me some free tickets to promote the event. There are only a few rules:

1. You must not have attended their event in a previous year.

2. The winner cannot transfer the tickets.

Here is contest number two. This picture of Tim Allison was taken today at a rally in Ventura County. What was the location of the rally. Post your answers in the comments section.

Congratulations to Suzanne Anders for winning the first competition. You won tickets for two to the event on Monday.