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California may be a big state, but we still only get two statues in the Capitol building’s Statuary Hall.  And now one of them is being swapped out:

After 78 years of standing in the Capitol, Thomas Starr King is about to be ousted by a better known Californian — Ronald Reagan.

….”Those of who us who love Thomas Starr King and know about his life are really sorry to see him go,” said the Rev. Roger Fritts, senior minister of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, Md.

….Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) launched a campaign nearly five years ago, shortly after Reagan’s death, to replace the statue of King, described as “the orator who saved the nation,” with one of “The Great Communicator.”

Well.  My mother attended Thomas Starr King Middle School in Los Angeles, so we take this personally around here.  I guess Unitarians just don’t have the clout they used to.

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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