Friday, March 10, 2017

A Brief Overview of Hawaii's Dog Fighting Laws


Frank Chenault of Big Sur, CA, formerly served Quantum Group in Santa Barbara as acquisition director. He now leads his own business in Big Sur, CA, Chenault Enterprises. Beyond his various outdoor interests, Frank Chenault is active with a number of international philanthropic initiatives. He is particularly passionate about combating dog fighting in Hawaii. 

As recently as 2010, Hawaii ranked among the worst states when it came to dog fighting legislation. In the summer of 2011, Governor Neil Abercrombie signed into action Senate Bill 1069, helping to significantly strengthen the state's penalties for individuals engaged in dog fighting and related activities. The bill, among other regulations, establishes the use of lost or stolen pets, known as bait dogs, to train animals for fighting as a Class C felony. Penalties range from up to five years in jail to a maximum fine of $10,000.

In addition to punishing individuals for the use of bait dogs, Bill 1069 allows law enforcement to arrest individuals for betting on dog fights or simply for attending as a spectator. Furthermore, the bill, which represents a collaboration between the Humane Society and local legislators, upgrades the crime of hosting or coordinating a dog fight on one’s property to the status of Class B felony, punishable by up to two decades in prison and $25,000 in fines.

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Surfrider’s Save Our Coast Campaign Aims to Protect California Coast


Frank Chenault is a professional surfer out of Big Sur, CA. As a lifelong surfer, Frank Chenault supports the efforts of the Surfrider Foundation, which is currently fighting to protect California’s beaches.

Surfrider’s Save Our Coast campaign aims to help protect the more-than 1,000 miles of California’s coastline. Legally protected by the Coastal Act, decisions regarding California’s coasts are decided on by California’s Coastal Commissioners. Surfrider fears these 12 commissioners do not have the public’s best interest at heart, claiming they allow special interests precedence over the act designed to protect California’s coastline.

In collaboration with Wildcoast and Environmental California, the Surfrider Foundation has launched ActCoastal, the California Coast Accountability Project. Hoping to remedy their fears of corruption on the California Coastal Commission, ActCoastal aims to increase accountability and transparency within the commission. More about Surfrider’s efforts to protect California’s coastline and information on how to stay up-to-date on the topic is available online at actcoastal.org.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Surfrider Foundation Seeks to End Sand Mining near Monterey, CA



A resident of Big Sur, CA, Frank Chenault operates Chenault Enterprises. An avid surfer, Frank Chenault started in the sport as a teen near Big Sur and Carmel, and maintains membership in the Surfrider Foundation.

Dedicated to protecting the oceans and beaches, the Surfrider Foundation includes a staff of nearly 50. Since beginning its work, it has counted more than 350 victories in coastal preservation, clean water programs, and ocean cleanup endeavors.

As of April 2016, the Surfrider Foundation was working on 28 separate campaigns, among them the efforts of its Monterey, California, chapter to halt development of a CEMEX sand mining plant in the town of Marina. According to the organization, CEMEX mines approximately 200,000 cubic yards of sand per year from the beach. Sand is a vital resource for the coasts, and CEMEX’s operations are believed to cause beach erosion in Monterey Bay.

Surfrider hosted a film screening for “Sand Wars” as well as a panel discussion on the impact of sand mining. It also is circulating a petition to give to the California Coastal Commission, asking it to take appropriate action against CEMEX.

Thursday, April 28, 2016

The Dimensions and Layout of a Tennis Court


Frank Chenault of Big Sur, CA, is the owner and acquisition director at Chenault Enterprises. Also a professional surfer, he enjoys the natural beauty of the Big Sur region and other California coastal areas. In addition, Frank Chenault plays basketball and tennis.

For those who are learning to play tennis or who have started watching it on TV, familiarity with the court layout is important. Tennis courts are rectangular, measuring 78 feet in length and 27 feet in width. The middle of the court is bisected by a net, evenly dividing the space into two identical sides. The sideline boundaries for singles run parallel to the doubles alley, which allows for 4.5 additional feet on either side of the court. Players who hit a ball into the net or wide of the sideline boundaries lose the point, though a ball that catches any piece of the sideline is considered in play.

The boundary line farthest from the net is known as the baseline, at the center of which is a small center mark, also known as a service mark. Players standing to the right of this mark when facing the net are standing on the deuce side of the court, while players to the left are in the ad court. The same deuce and ad terminology is used for the service boxes, two large squares against the net. Points begin with players serving from behind the baseline and to the right of the service mark into their opponent's deuce court, followed by a service into the ad service box, and so on until the end of the game.

The remaining court, situated between the baseline and service box, is generally referred to as “no man’s land.” Most individuals try to avoid making shots from this area of the court. Virtually all styles of play in tennis involve rallying from behind the baseline or attacking the net.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Surfrider Foundation’s 2015 International Surfing Day

A resident of Big Sur, California, Frank Chenault has built a successful career as an acquisition director through his time at Quantum Group and Chenault Enterprises. Outside of his business pursuits, Frank Chenault is a professional surfer and supports the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans and beaches.

On June 20, 2015, the Surfrider Foundation celebrated its 11th annual International Surfing Day (ISD) at events around the world. In the US, people hosted 83 ISD gatherings, including barbecues, movie screenings, and surfing contests. Participants everywhere also cleaned up their local beaches. Since its inception, ISD has motivated more than 1 million people to remove 70 tons of garbage from waterfronts in 30 countries.

This year, the ISD event at Huntington Beach, California, drew the largest crowd, with 229 people helping collect a total of 116.5 pounds of trash from the beach. In addition, 66 surfers garnered a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to simultaneously ride a single surfboard. Attendees also enjoyed live music and a number of prize giveaways sponsored by local vendors.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Improving Oil Paintings


Experienced businessman Frank Chenault serves as the head acquisition director of Chenault Enterprises, a tower industry company that he established based on his experience in a similar role with the Quantum Group. Currently residing in Big Sur, California, Frank Chenault enjoys a wide variety of hobbies, including oil painting.

A favored medium among many artists because its longer drying times allow color to be manipulated later, oil painting can be challenging nonetheless. Fortunately, there are several ways artists can improve their oil painting skills, including some of those provided below.

- Learn to draw. Although some of today’s artists go directly into painting, many art students in the past first had to learn drawing. By helping oil painters become more familiar with line and form without considering color, drawing can significantly improve oil paintings.

- Change brush size. Different brushes and brush strokes create hugely disparate effects on oil paintings. Rather than sticking with one size or one type of stroke, the integration of variety makes it much easier to differentiate between the painting’s various objects and planes.

- Create a concept. Artists are more likely to finish an oil painting when they begin with a clear idea of where they are going. Without direction, oil paintings may become haphazard in appearance or just end up unfinished.

- Use complementary colors. Complementary colors are those that are situated across from one another on the color wheel. Although they produce gray when mixed, using them side by side creates a clear contrast that can add depth to oil paintings.