Save Panhe and San Onofre Second Anniversary Coastal Commission 8-2 Vote

February 6 is the anniversary of the California Coastal Commission’s 8-2 vote to save the sacred Acjachemen site of Panhe and San Onofre State Beach and stop the toll road there.  Coastal Commission member Mary Shallenberger explicitly concluded that the impact on the Native American people alone was reason enough to vote against the toll road, citing the work of United Coalition to Protect Panhe and The City Project.  The United States Department of Commerce went on to uphold the Coastal Commission’s decision and ruled against the toll road in December 2008.

Acjachemen tribal members have produced a video of testimonials about the value of Panhe in their lives.  Singer Jodi Levine has produced a beautiful “Song for Panhe.”

Media attention has focused on the values at stake for the Acjachemen people.  David Reyes wrote about Panhe in the Los Angeles Times on August 20, 2007.  Dana Parsons interviewed Acjachemen grass roots leader Rebecca Robles in a poignant column in the Times on February 9, 2008.  Surfing Magazine covered Panhe and the Acjachemen people in October 2008, and Surfshot Magazine in June 2008.  The National Trust for Historic Preservation wrote about Panhe in February 2008.

The media coverage culminated with the Los Angeles Times Editorial about “The Acjachemen’s Victory” on December 27, 2009.

c Ricardo Duffy.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen — you know who you are!

Learn more at www.savepanhe.org and www.savesanonofre.org.