Pleasant Hill

foster children DISCUSSION: Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, Executive Director Charles Mead will speak Thursday on the impacts of state budget cuts on foster children.

The free presentation is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Diablo Valley, Interfaith Council of Contra Costa and the social justice committee of Christ the King Catholic Church. It begins at 7 p.m. at the Christ the King church's parish hall, rooms A and B, 199 Brandon St. in Pleasant Hill. Refreshments will be served after the talk.

Blackhawk

Domestic terrorism TALK: Former FBI agent Donald Noel, who worked on high-profile cases such as the kidnapping of Patricia Hearst, is the featured speaker at the Thursday meeting of the Blackhawk Republican Women. Noel also investigated the Weathermen Underground, the hijacking of a PSA flight by Bulgarian terrorists, the disappearance of Teamster President James Hoffa and others.

The recipient of the Attorney General's Award of Distinguished Service will speak on "Domestic Terrorism: William Ayers and the Media's Refusal to Make the Connection."

Admission is $25 per person. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Blackhawk Country Club, 599 Blackhawk Club Drive in Danville. For details, e-mail rlyons1009@sbglobal.net

Orinda

majority vote initiative on agenda: Linguistics expert and UC Berkeley professor George Lakoff will speak at the Nov. 12 meeting of the Lamorinda Democratic Club about his ballot initiative that would eliminate the two-thirds voting requirement for a state budget or new taxes.

The social hour begins at 6:30 p.m. followed by the club's business meeting at 7:30 and Lakoff's presentation at 8.

Admission is $5 per person, and it is open to the public.

The group meets at the Orinda Community Church, 10 Irwin Way in Orinda. For more information, call 925-210-7337 or visit lamorindademoclub.org.

Orinda

lt. gov. candidate to appear: Republican lieutenant governor candidate and state Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Merced, is the featured speaker at the Nov. 19 meeting of the Lamorinda Republican Women Federated.

Social hour begins at 11:30 a.m. followed by lunch at noon and the speaker at 12:30 p.m.

Admission is $25 for lunch or $15 for the speaker only. It will be held at the Orinda Country Club, 315 Camino Sobrante in Orinda.

For information, contact Elsie Euing at 925-254-8617.

— Lisa Vorderbrueggen