This Wednesday is a Red Wednesday, which means curbside recycling collection.
An estimated 80,000,000 Hershey’s Kisses are wrapped each day, using enough aluminum foil to cover over 50 acres of space — that’s almost 40 football fields. All that foil is recyclable, but not many people realize it.
Given some earlier editorials, it makes sense to follow up with an announcement from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network:
On Saturday, March 24th, hundreds of Virginians will take a stand against fossil fuel corruption. Will you join us at the MARCH to End Dominion’s Power MADNESS?
For years, Dominion Virginia Power executives have been raking in millions while using their dirty energy money to buy political power. They’ve been making backroom deals to rig the rules for fossil fuels and for themselves. They generate ZERO electricity for us from wind or solar power but they’ve bamboozled our state-mandated electricity rates to include a whopping $76 million renewable energy reward.
We are outraged and Dominion needs to know it. If this is what business as usual looks like, then business as usual isn’t acceptable and has to stop before the planet cooks. It’s time for Virginians to stand up to Dominion’s exploitation and fight for a massive shift to wind and solar power.
Momentum is building for this action. Last week, leading climate activist Bill McKibben released a video urging Virginians to sign up for the MARCH. Will you join us?
When: Saturday, March 24th, noon
Where: Richmond, VA- Kanahwa Plaza across from Dominion’s corporate headquarters, which takes up an entire city block
What: A rally and march to take a stand against Dominion’s dirty energy money and for a massive shift to wind and solar powerJust last week, Dominion displayed its fossil fuel madness in a number of ways: Dominion lobbyists blocked a bill to expand solar power access for schools and churches, Dominion CEO Tom Farrell unveiled a proposal for another humongous carbon-polluting power plant and we learned that company executives sent a letter to the federal government opposing a transmission backbone for offshore wind power.
Please sign up to join us on the 24th. Together, we can fight back against Dominion’s corporate greed and take a stand to stop climate change!
From email announcement:
Please note that the MPACT/CAPS Meeting for Precinct 4, scheduled for Thursday, March 15th, has been cancelled. The next round of Community Conversations with the Mayor is quickly approaching and as soon as we have a date for Precinct 4, follow-up correspondence will be sent out. In the meantime, if there are any concerns or service requests, feel free to utilize the MPACT website, call 311, or reach out to your MPACT Co-Chairs (Charles Finley, Louise Caine, Horace Anderson and Barbara Abernathy).
On that note, the Mayor’s Food Policy Task Force is meeting next Wednesday:
Congressperson Bobby Scott sent notice to constituents about his upcoming health care forum:
This March marks the two year anniversary of Congress passing and the President signing into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. On Thursday, March 15, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., I will be holding a community forum in Richmond to provide an update on the implementation of the new health care reform law. The forum will be held at the General Assembly Building, Senate Room A, located at the intersection of Ninth Street and Broad Street in downtown Richmond.
Joinining me at the forum will be Ms. Joanne Grossi, the Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Ms. Jill Hanken, a health attorney at the Virginia Poverty Law Center. Director Grossi will provide information on what provisions of the Affordable Care Act have already been implemented and what the public can expect to be implemented in the next few years. Ms. Hanken will provide insight on what has been happening at the state level in regards to implementing the new health care law. We will also be joined by constituents who have already benefited from the Affordable Care Act.
Seating is limited, so those who plan to attend may want to contact his office.
In additional health care policy news, the Green Party had this press release (click on title for full statement):
From online poster:
In partnership with the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, the Library of Virginia, the Valentine Richmond History Center, Floricane is excited to present: RIC/RVA – 400 years of Revolution, Innovation, and Change in #RVA. It’s an i.e.* sanctioned series, and we think it’s going to change the way you think about #RVA’s past – and its future.
Presented in four separate events, beginning March 14th, RIC/RVA will introduce participants to a whole new way of looking at Richmond; past, present, and future. From the River City’s earliest drug lords to a celebration of our current creative renaissance, this event series will be part education, part creative engagement, and 100% entertaining!
Check out the details for each FREE event below, and get ready to see your city with new eyes!
FOUR WEDNESDAYS
5:30PM – 8:00PM
STARTING MARCH 14*
The third session on April 11 is at Tredegar.
Chris Maxwell reminded me that this is happening–
The Vicarious Traveler’s series offers an opportunity to travel and learn about customs and cultures around the world. Though shared pictures, stories, music and discussions we can start to understand how interrelated we are and our role in this world we inhabit. This experience will hopefully make us all better stewards of our land and cultures.
Saturdays in February & March
February 4: Easter Island- Kristin Smith, lifelong traveler, will talk about her trip to Easter Island and how to save money traveling abroad.
February 25: Jordan- Virginia Vasser will talk about her trip to Jordan and offer other insights into Muslim culture.
March 3: Mali and Senegal- Dr. Robin Poulton and Virginia Vasser discuss their visits to two former French colonies. Dr. Poulton’s recent book oabout Mali will be available for purchase at the hostel after the program.
March 31: Tanzania- Alice Baird presents slides of Tanzania’s gorgeous scenery and amazing wildlife.
3:30-5 p.m.
Richmond Main LibraryRefreshments provided by the Richmond Hostel Committee. Programs are free and the public is invited.
The series is part of Hostelling International’s Opening Doors, Opening Minds initiative, which brings into sharp focus a vision that hostellers can become caring world citizens who are catalysts in creating a more peaceful world.
Programs will be followed by an optional tour of the future Richmond Hostel under
development near the Main Library.
A couple of quick editorial notes/comments-
Segou, Mali is one of Richmond’s Sister Cities.
While the Times Disgrace continues to trumpet the corporate development plans, it’s things like the Sister Cities program and the future Richmond Hostel that really speak for sustainable, intelligent tourism in Richmond.
The 1-year-old nonprofit works with homeowners, businesses and organizations to “encourage high-quality community development and strengthen Richmond’s urban neighborhoods by providing access to design and planning resources.”
Giles Harnsberger, manager of Storefront for Community Design, explains that there’ll be no stops. “We’ll keep rolling to go by the 22 sites that Storefront has worked on.”She explains that Storefront is a workshop where anything goes. “It’s a place where people can come and work with a designer on a whole range of projects, which is what we’re showing with this tour.” Some of the projects are completed, while others are in the planning pipeline.
Some examples are the Wiliam Byrd Community House in Oregon Hill, where Storefront is assisting their plan for a nutrition center and a kitchen learning center.
From announcement:
Occupy Richmond answers the national call put out by Occupy Portland to
Shut Down the Corporations on Wednesday, February 29 with a day of action
against corporate influence in politics.At 1:00 PM, a press conference
will be held at the corner of N. 3rd
St. and E. Franklin St. in front of the Richmond Times Dispatch and Media
General buildings.Afterwards we will march to actions throughout the city to bring attention
to the ways in which bribery are business-as-usual in the corporate
world.This day of action focuses on the American Legislative Exchange Council
(ALEC) and one of its member corporations, Richmond-based Altria. Not
only is Altria one of the largest contributors to ALEC, but several
Altria executives occupy key positions of power in the organization. The
current National Chairman on ALEC’s corporate board is
Mr. W. Preston Baldwin III, a former tobacco lobbyist and Vice President
of State Government Affairs at U.S. Tobacco Inc., a company now owned by
Altria. Daniel Smith, a lobbyist, is Altria’s representative on ALEC’s
corporate board. Like other corporate members who spend thousands of
dollars to join, Altria lobbyists
use the platform provided by ALEC to develop special relationships with
legislators. ALEC works with corporate interests to craft
ready-to-introduce bills to provide
lawmakers. By providing cover for the purchase of influence in the halls
of government, ALEC whitewashes patronage and makes bribery seem
respectable.Event Schedule:
• Rally at the Media General/Richmond Times Dispatch corner at 12pm (N.
3rd St. and E. Franklin St.)
• Demonstration at Altria at 2pm (N. 5th St. between Leigh and Jackson)
• Rally at Richmond Federal Court House at 4pm (N. 7th St. and E. Broad St.)
Contact: Occupy Richmond Media Group
Tel: (903) 203 – 7358
Email: occupyrichmondva.media@gmail.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEResources for further information:
• http://f29.occupyrva.org
• http://www.facebook.com/events/253092951433469/
• http://www.shutdownthecorporations.orgAbout Occupy Richmond:
Occupy Richmond considers itself a part of a growing economic and human
rights Movement that recognizes and affirms the essential dignity and
inherent value of all human beings and life.
We seek to create a safe space for free speech and civil dialog because we
believe our society and the earth are in crisis, and we recognize the need
for imminent change.
About Shut Down the Corporations:
Occupy Portland calls for a national day of non-violent direct action to
reclaim our voices and
challenge our society’s obsession with profit and greed by shutting
down the corporations. We
are rejecting a society that does not allow us control of our future. We
will reclaim our ability to
shape our world in a democratic, cooperative, just and sustainable direction.# # #
* No one person has been elected to speak on behalf of the entire
organization. The contact information provided is
given only for verification and follow-up purposes.
I mentioned it before, but it was requested that I do it again:
Pescados China Street (that’s the Oregon Hill location) is showing a little love themselves and donating a percentage of sales to ART 180, a local non profit that provides after-school programs in creative expression to children living in challenging circumstances, giving them a voice through art! So grab a couple of coworkers or guy/gal pals for a lovely lunch, or take your honey or your best friend or your buddy to dinner. You’ll surely enjoy Pescados’ creative, seafood-oriented mix of Caribbean and Latin flavors, with fish that arrive daily. ART 180 will receive part of the proceeds from lunch, dinner, and even gift certificate or T-shirt purchases.
This Monday, stop by 626 China Street for lunch 11:30-2 or dinner 5-10 p.m. Visit their website to preview the menu, but make sure to check out the specials when you’re there.
For more information on ART 180, what they do and who they serve, or to donate personally, visit www.art180.org