Mayor Donohue to Speak at Bikers' Anti-Gang Violence Rally
Salinas, CA - May 30, 2008 - Mayor Dennis Donohue will speak at a bikers' rally against gang violence Saturday at Natividad Creek Park. Called "Neutral Ground", the rally will bring together motorcycle riders from across the Central Coast for a family-oriented day of food, games and music.
The Mayor will address the rally at 12:30 pm.
Mayor Donohue New Chair of Grower-Shipper Association
The Salinas Californian, May 29, 2008
Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue will take on a new post today: chairman of the Salinas-based Grower-Shipper Association of Central California.
During the association's annual meeting at Pasadera Country Club, Donohue will formally take the reigns from Chairwoman Kay Filice, who stays on the association board for one more year.
Full Funding for Libraries Protected in Lean City Budget
LIBRARIES GET WISH
The Salinas Californian, May 28, 2008
The Salinas City Council gave unanimous approval Tuesday to increasing public library hours from 117 a week now to 186 effective Sept. 1.
The new total will exceed the 177 collective weekly hours of service at the library's three branches before a funding crisis nearly closed them in 2005.
Dennis Donohue Becomes Grower-Shipper Chair
Salinas, CA - May 28, 2008 - Dennis Donohue will be installed as the new chair of the Grower-Shipper Association at the group's annual board meeting Thursday, May 29 at the Pasadera Country Club. Donohue, the Mayor of Salinas and the president of Salinas-based grower Royal Rose LLC, will succeed Felice Farms owner Kay Felice.
Mayor Donohue Joins Call for Peace in Salinas
The Salinas Californian - May 10, 2008
A group of Salinas mothers are planning a peace rally in east Salinas today in honor of Mother's Day weekend.
Strengthening Families and Time for Grieving will lead the peace rally, along with Councilwoman Gloria de la Rosa and Mayor Dennis Donohue, starting at noon at the corner of Jefferson and Hebbron streets.
Mayor Donohue Honors Salinas' Hometown Heroine, Monica Abbott
The Salinas Californian - May 24, 2008
Monica Abbott left her hometown on Friday night with her very own day to remember her stop in Salinas with the USA Softball Women's National Women's Team.
The North Salinas star was welcomed back to Salinas by a crowd of 3,500 fans cramming into the Salinas Sports Complex's Championship Softball Field to catch her in action.
Restoring Peace to Salinas: "We Know How To Do This"
From the Monterey Herald, March 7, 2008:
"We know how to do this," Donohue earlier said. "We know how to solve this problem. It will take time to work."
That is a call heard across the nation as more and more cities are turning to "evidence-based" solutions experts say have proven to lower gang-related deaths and injuries in neighborhoods from Chicago to San Jose...
The formula he referred to is a mix of police suppression and prevention with intervention programs that target known gang associates. Add to that an intense citywide effort to focus on specific neighborhoods using clergy, street-level outreach workers and others.
Library Cards for All Elementary Students
Salinas, CA - February 26, 2008 - Just a few years after nearly closing its libraries, Salinas has begun a program to give library cards to every elementary school child, putting the city in the forefront of literacy efforts nationwide. Elementary students attended today's City Council meeting as part of the city's celebration of progress in this area.
Background:
- The Salinas Public Library and School District Program is a key component of the city's Peace, Prosperity and Image strategy. Childhood literacy is a strong predictor of success in later life - children who read well are much better prepared to get good jobs, and much less likely to join gangs. A longtime exponent of literacy, Mayor Dennis Donohue highlighted its importance in his 2008 State of the City address, noting that "if you don't read, you don't succeed."
People of the year: Salinas mayor says there's work to be done
By DAWN WITHERS
The Salinas Californian, Friday, December 28, 2007
In his office at Salinas City Hall, Mayor Dennis Donohue has a wall covered with accolades and awards. The wall also features a poster from his mayoral campaign in 2006, when he asked voters to "Imagine a great city."
Donohue gets things going
Salinas: Mayor focuses on growth, safety in first year
By CLAUDIA MELÉNDEZ SALINAS
Monterey County Herald, December 9, 2007
It's Thursday evening, and after shaking hands with dozens of seniors at the Summerville assisted living community, and attending a meeting at the Grower-Shipper Association, Salinas Mayor Dennis Donohue sits down for a presentation at Sacred Heart Parish.
Communities Organized for Relational Power in Action, known as COPA, a faith-based organization that has pushed for issues ranging from health care to the Measure V tax initiative, asks Donohue to report on his efforts to control gang violence.
Donohue enlisted the help of Salinas Police Chief Dan Ortega and Community Safety Director Trevor Iida.
"We had asked the mayor, 'Can we figure this out together?'" says Joaquin Sanchez, COPA's main organizer.
It's been a year since Donohue took office, and while the city's finances are still high on most people's lists of concern, safety — or the perceived lack of it — is right up there too. Spikes in violence have resulted in 15 slayings so far this year, more than doubling last year's seven murders.
Still, few are disappointed with Donohue's performance in tackling the issue. And he continues to repeat the mantra of his successful campaign: "imagining a city at peace."
"I'd rather fail at 'imagining a city at peace' than succeed at containment," Donohue tells the COPA members. "That's not a goal worthy of Salinas."