Stop Arnold Weblog

RN RV Road Tour Schedule

Tuesday November 1st

Santa Barbara, Santa Maria

Santa Barbara:
What: RN RV and mobile billboard- local RNs available for interviews
Place: University California Santa Barbara Student Health Center
El Colegio and Ocean (across from the Thunder Dome)
Time: Noon-1:00 pm

Marian
What: Nurses and Teachers Get Out the Vote Phone Bank
Place: Ca. Teachers Assoc. Office
2325 Skyway Drive, Suite A, Santa Maria, CA 93455
Time: 5:00 pm-8:00 pm

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Wednesday November 2nd

San Luis Obispo area Hospitals

What: RN RV and mobile billboard- local RNs available for interviews

Place: Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center (by Emergency Room entrance)
1010 Murray Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93405
Time 7:00 am-8:00 am

Place: French Hospital Medical Center
1911 Johnson Street, San Luis Obispo CA 93401
Time: 10:00 am-11:00 am

Place: Twin Cities Community Hospital
1100 Las Tablas Road, Templeton, CA 93465
Time: Noon-1:00 pm

“Nurses Say Vote No in November” Tour Against Governor’s Special Election

Media Advisory - Photo Opportunity
October 24, 2005

32 Cities 29 Days- Hundreds of Nurses
Standing up to Arnold Schwarzenegger

The California Nurses Association’s (CNA) statewide “Nurses Say Vote No in November” tour arrives in Lancaster and San Bernardino today part of a campaign to visit 32 cities in 29 days to rally support against Arnold Schwarzenegger’s special election this November.

The “RN RV” brings nurses across the state to meet with other nurses, talk to the public, and participate in rallies and phone banks to convey the nurses’ concern about the election. The RN RV is accompanied by a mobile billboard carrying the “Nurses Say Vote NO in November” message.  Similar billboards are up in dozens of locations around the state.

CNA is urging voters to reject all measures on the ballot to send a clear signal to Governor Schwarzenegger and his corporate donors. “The special election is illegitimate, 60 per cent of Californians opposed having an election, and a colossal waste, at least $45 million in public funds and hundreds of millions more in advertising are being wasted,” said CNA President Deborah Burger, RN.

Special emphasis is being placed on opposing Prop.75, which would stifle the voice of nurses in healthcare policy and political debates and Prop.78, which undercuts efforts to expand patient access to expensive prescription drugs.

“Proposition 75 is a tremendous threat to patients in California.  If nurses cannot engage in the political process, drug companies, HMOs, hospital chains, and nursing home corporations will have a green light to roll back vital patient protections,” said CNA President Deborah Burger, RN.  “Schwarzenegger doesn’t want to hear from nurses, teachers, firefighters, and cops and he doesn’t want the rest of California to hear from us either.  We urge Californians to vote NO in November.”

Redding to Chico

Wednesday, Oct. 12

Beginning at 6 am, the RV rolled up in front of Mercy Medical Center in Redding. We had coffee waiting while a nurse showed up with his son and a teacher who wanted to check out the rolling billboard.  The sun was not up but we were already getting business from RNs making their way down the hill to receive information and a cup of java.  The best part of the day was our location.  Members of the community stopped by throughout the day like we were some sort of a drive up political stop.  Most comments were “we hate that guy even though we voted for him at the time; give me a big sign to put in out in our yard” Lara Foltz from Enloe drove from Chico to join the tour for the day.  She was so much fun.  Lara grabbed donuts and election materials and went floor by floor with local Mercy Redding nurses Barb Cannon and John Snyder. We finished the day with a press conference in front of Redding’s City Hall.  Teachers, Fire Fighters and school employees joined us in support. 

By 5:30, it was time to head to Enloe Medical Center in Chico.  A little after 7:00 pm we pulled up in front of the hospital.  Situated on a narrow street in a residential area, we had been warned that a prime location would require some effort.  Good planning by nurses took care of that.  Kitty Courcier Paula Helmick had parked 2 vehicles on the street earlier in the day-reserved parking!  She also advised us that if we returned later that evening, we could reposition the billboard and RV for maximum exposure, in preparation for the next day.  At 11:00 that evening, to the delight of the night shift nurse we had a prime spot.

Eureka to Redding via Route 299

Tuesday, Oct.11

Its first trial, at 6am in dark and foggy Eureka outside St. Josephs proved a success.  A momentary glitch with the generator aside, in no time the RV was a well lit, warm beacon for nurses, who stopped in for hot coffee, donuts, and a chance to talk about the upcoming election, as well as their own contract negotiations.  Five hours flew by quickly, and it was time to head east, towards Redding.

People in Eureka talk of a sense of isolation from the rest of the state.  The isolation is real, given the few ways in and out of the area.  While the trip to Redding on Rt. 299 seemed from the map a short distance, everyone assured us that driving an RV as well as a mobile billboard would take at least 4 hours, even though we would be traveling a mere 130 miles.  Of course, the locals knew best.  While the drive over the mountains of the Trinity National Forest and along the Trinity River is indeed beautiful, one has little time to appreciate it as they negotiate the hairpins and switchbacks on the narrow road. We arrived at the Alliance for a Better California Coalition  (ABC) headquarters in Redding, where a number of phone banking teachers came out to greet us, and we discussed plans for our next day joint press conference in front of city hall.

First stop—Eureka !

Eureka, Monday, October 10

The RN RV is not your standard RV.  Outside, it is plastered with signs and banners, which cause motorists up and down the freeway to honk, and give thumbs up as they pass.  Inside, it is a mobile political machine, stocked with posters, lawn signs, flyers, picket signs, bumper stickers, banners, applications for absentee ballots and of course coffee and snacks.

Our arrival at 6 pm was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd, which related a successful press conference featuring our very own Katherine Donahue, newly elected CNA Board of Director member and St. Joseph nurse.   A California Teachers Association member out for the election campaign, was a gracious host. We then did a quick tour of St Josephs’ the CNA represented facility in town with Katherine, in preparation for a mourning visit with the nurses.

"Nurses Say NO in November" RN-RV Road Tour Dates

Please join Nurses in saying "NO to the special election" on November 8th and by standing with them in solidarity at one of the following locations.

Monday, October 24
Bakersfield
Place: Memorial Hospital
420 34th St
Bakersfield, California, 93301
Time: 1:00 PM

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Previous Stops

Wednesday October 19
Woodland
What:   RN RV and mobile billboard-local RNs available for interviews
Where: Woodland Memorial Hospital (in front of hospital)
1325 Cottonwood St, Woodland, CA 95695
Time  Noon

Thursday October 20
Manteca
What: RN RV and mobile billboard-local RNs available for interviews
Place: St. Dominic’s Hospital
1777 West Yosemite, Manteca, 95337
Time:  1:30-2:00 p.m.

Thursday October 20
Fresno
What: RN RV and mobile billboard- local RNs available for interviews
Place: Kaiser Fresno Medical Center
7300 North Fresno St. Fresno, CA 93720
Time: 4:00 p.m.

Thursday October 20
Fresno
What: Nurses, Teachers, Firefighters Protest Arnold Fundraiser
Place:  Home of Bob Smittcamp
2227 Bullard Ave. West, Fresno 93711
Time: 6:00 p.m.

RN RV Front and Center at Chico Hospital

"No in November" RN-RV Road Tour Update

Paula Helmich, RN Enloe Hospital, Chico
October 13, 2005

It was so exciting driving up to the hospital Thursday morning and seeing the RN RV parked right in front of the hospital, blocking the view of the VP of nursing, knowing that all day they where going to have to see the CNA trailer with Arnies picture outside their windows.  When I went to the local football game that afternoon, I got comments from my family and friends about the trailer in front of the hospital. 

All of my family is anti- Arnold. I come from a family of four sisters, all born and raised in California.  I’m a nurse, my one sister is a teacher, and another is an architect for the state.  Our family has been triple hit by Arnold.

My parents even have the CNA poster taped to their front window in Pleasant Hill.

Governor's outdoor reception proves chilly

Hundreds of boisterous protesters upset by Gov. Schwarzenegger's ballot initiatives targeting teachers' tenure, unions and school funding demonstrated outside the Mission Inn on Wednesday as the governor hobnobbed inside with donors who paid $2,500 or more to attend the private dinner.

A crowd of more than 400 teachers, firefighters, nurses, San Bernardino County sheriff's employees and other union workers swarmed Orange Street and Mission Inn Avenue, chanting "Recall Arnold" and "Shame on you" as donors arrived at the landmark hotel.

"This is a direct attack on public employees," said Craig Adams, a longtime teacher and president of the Alvord Educators Association. "It has nothing to do with reforming education or balancing the budget, although the governor would love to balance the budget on the backs of teachers and students."

Inside, Schwarzenegger met with donors for photos, cocktails and dinner during the fundraiser. Contributors paid as much as $25,000 for two tickets to the private reception and dinner at the head table, including a photo with the governor. A $5,000 contribution bought two tickets to the dinner. (read more)

Activists protest governor at Spanos’ fundraising dinner

"No in November" RN-RV Road Tour Update

STOCKTON--Government workers gathered at a billionaire’s home to protest an appearance by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his proposals for next month’s special election. Schwarzenegger is pushing several propositions that will go before voters Nov. 8, including provisions to make teachers work five years before earning tenure (Proposition 74), to require unions to get permission from members before using their dues for political purposes (Proposition 75), to set a state spending cap and give the governor more control over the budget (Proposition 76).

Deloris Foster was one of the hundreds of protesters outside the home of Alex Spanos, a real estate mogul who hosted a fundraiser for the governor Tuesday night. A teacher for 22 years at the Stockton Unified School District, Foster decried the measures Schwarzenegger supports. "This is totally unfair to us trying to make a living," she said.(read more)

Cold Reception -- 400 protesters greet governor at Stockton fund-raiser

"No in November" RN-RV Road Tour Update

STOCKTON -- Hundreds of protesters blew whistles, waved signs and chanted slogans declaring their opposition to ballot initiatives backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was the guest of honor at a Stockton fund-raising dinner hosted by Alex Spanos.

Nurses, teachers and other public employees made up the bulk of the roughly 400 people who lined the sidewalk along the intersection of West Lincoln Road and Pershing Avenue. The protest was organized to coincide with a $10,000- to $25,000-a-plate dinner being held in the Lincoln Road home of Spanos, an influential local developer and owner of the San Diego Chargers.

"It's really obvious where Schwarzenegger is getting his money," said Gary Price, a fifth-grade teacher in the Lodi Unified School District. "Hello? ... He's going to his money base." Price noted the school where he teaches, Julia Morgan Elementary School, is on A.G. Spanos Boulevard, a street named after the event's host. (read more)