Central Valley of CA: Progressive Upcoming Events – Mid February to Early March
Wednesday, February 15, Noon
Brown Bag Lunch Vigil (BBLV)
Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and our partners continue our Brown Bag Lunch Vigil (BBLV) campaign noon-time Wednesday, February 15th.
This effort--launched two years ago--brings us to the Fresno district offices of Representative Jeff Denham, located at 1040 E. Herndon Avenue (NE corner of Herndon and N. First St.), to demand action on key legislation. Will you join us? See our map, directions and RSVP at http://hq-salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/1987/p/salsa/event/common/public/index.sjs?event_KEY=66104 (Sorry, you’ll probably have to cut and paste.)
February 13 through March 9
Filing period for candidates wanting to serve on county governing body of their political party (Democrat, Republican, Green, Peace and Freedom, others). An excellent way to engage actively in our Democracy!
Within each political party there is an official county body that works to promote issues of interest and candidates for elected office. The people who serve on the body do much of the daily work of the party at the local level, and they also have a voice at the regional and state level.
You could be one of these people. What you must do is go to the Fresno County Clerk Registrar of Voters Office, take out papers to run for the position, get signatures from others in your party, and file them at the Fresno County Clerk Registrar of Voters Office, 2221 Kern Street, Fresno, CA 93721-2600 on or before March 9. For details call (559) 600-2575 , go to the web site for your party, and contact one of the leaders. He/she will be happy to help make the process easier for you.
Thursday, February 16 • 11 a.m.
Speak out against cuts to CSU-Fresno academic programs at the Satellite student union at CSU-Fresno.
Friday, February 17 • 6:30 p.m.
Dr. Cornell West will be speaking at West Hills College in Lemoore. Doors open at 4 p.m. with Dr. West speaking at 6:30 p.m. The ticket price is $55 and includes soul a food dinner and dance following the keynote. Tickets can be purchased at www.protix.com (search Dr. Cornel West) or call 1-866-977-6849.
Monday, February 20 • 11 a.m.
Rally to Stop Jail Expansion - tell Fresno County no to more jail beds. We need more…
• Community based rehabilitation
• New and existing community based treatment programs
• Mental health services
Use alternatives to incarceration by:
• Reducing pre-trial inmates through o.r.
• Implementing restorative justice
This event will take place in front of the Fresno County Jail at M street & Fresno Street. Sponsored by: California Prison Moratorium Project, Californians United for Responsible Budget (C.U.R.B.) NNIA, and many more community members and organizations.
Monday, February 20 • 6:30 - 8 p.m.
AB1148 is dead, but the fight for campaign finance reform will continue!
Assemblymember Brownley has already submitted the language for a new California DISCLOSE Act bill to the legislative counsel, with California Clean Money Campaign as the sponsor again. What that means is that we hope to have a new bill number by next weekend! "You can't stop the California Clean Money Campaign, its volunteers, and the movement for the California DISCLOSE Act!"
The group’s next meeting will be held at Denny's, 1110 E. Shaw (just east of First Street). Bring a friend!
Agenda will include update on current status of the new bill (which should move quickly through the Assembly with our support and on to the State Senate in June). Help make plans for our next efforts to make sure political ads show who really pays for them!
Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. (food will be served)
Building a Coalition with the Homeless in Fresno County.
Forum to engage groups, houses of worship, and individuals in beginning a strong Coalition with the Homeless in Fresno County. Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno, 2672 E. Alluvial (between Chestnut and Willow) at 6 p.m.
The Agenda includes a slide show to update you and your group on what has happened to the homeless, keynote speaker Paul Boden from the Western Region Advocacy Project (a homeless organizing group), a panel of currently homeless people will speak, and a call to action will be made.
We hope to leave the meeting with a strong coalition of stakeholders to immediately open warming shelters and safe, legal encampments until such time as we develop safe 24/7 emergency shelter, transitional shelter, and permanent housing options.
Please join us, send representatives, and consider actions that you are willing to engage in with the coalition. Much is needed. Invite your friends.
Edie Jessup for the Coalition With the Homeless in Fresno County organizing committee. 225-1438 ejessup.ccropp@gmail.com cell: 559-977-7438
Thursday, February 23 at 7 p.m.
“The Arab Spring and Palestine-Israel “Peace Process,” a talk by Ilan Pappe. Angela Price writes: We are very fortunate to have a speaker of his caliber in Fresno. Sponsored by Middle Eastern Studies at CSUF, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Reedley Peace Center, and the Fresno Center for Nonviolence. It is open and free to the public. It will be in the Leon Peters Auditorium, Student Rec. Center, CSUF.
Tuesday, February 28, 7:00 p.m.
Peace Fresno will host a discussion of Addicted to War: Why the U.S. Can't Kick Militarism - a non-fiction comic book that is packed with information about U.S. military history and foreign policy.
Come to the event and get your book - free to Peace Fresno members.
February 28 Membership Special! $10 for the book and Peace Fresno membership. If you want the book in advance, email president@peacefresno.org, include mailing address and phone number. Fresno Center for Nonviolence, 1584 N. Van Ness Ave. (SE corner of Van Ness and McKinley across from Fresno City College).
Tuesday, February 28 • 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Fresno County Supervisor, District 2 candidate forum. Confirmed Participants:
Andreas Borgeas
Larry Fortune
Deborah Harkness
This event is organized by PICO (a faith based organizing project). Some of the questions the candidates will be asked are:
Could you give us a brief description of your qualifications and background?
Briefly, what are your goals for District 2 and for the County as a whole?
Do you have anything you could share with us about your plans to manage or possibly increase County revenue streams?
What is your opinion of the 9% pay cuts for some county staff?
What are your plans for the County retirement system?
What is your opinion of combining the police and sheriff into one policing unit?
What ideas do you have about meeting the needs of the homeless?
Could you briefly address your thoughts on the proposed high speed rail line?
Are you willing to work with Faith in Community around issues effecting Pinedale?
This event will take place at:
St. Agnes Mission Church
111 East Birch Avenue
Pinedale, California 93650
Thursday, March 1, 8:30 p.m.
KNXT TV Channel 49 will hold a live panel discussion on the homeless issue.
Sunday, March 4, 1 p.m.
The Progressive Umbrella Group will meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno 2672 E. Alluvial Avenue, between Chestnut and Willow in Clovis. If you are interested in building unity and amplifying the voice of the progressive movement, you are invited.
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*Bills pending in the U.S. House of Representatives which will be supported at the Progressive Democrats of America Brown Bag Vigil - Wednesday, February 15 at Congressman Jeff Denham’s office.
• HR 780 - Rep. Barbara Lee’s bill to fund the safe and orderly withdrawal armed forces and defense contractor personnel from Afghanistan.
• HR 676 - Rep. John Conyers’s bill to establish an improved and expanded Medicare for All program.
• HR 1200 - Rep. Jim McDermott’s American Health Security Act of 2011 to deliver universal health care coverage by incorporating Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and TRICARE (the Department of Defense health care program).
• HR 870 - Rep. Conyers’s “21st Century Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment and Training Act” which would establish the National Full Employment Trust Fund to ensure than anyone who is able and willing to work can get a job.
• H.R. 2914 - Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s “Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act” to fund 2,242,000 positions during fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
• H.J. Res 88 - Rep. Jim McGovern’s constitutional amendment to overturn the US Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC ruling and to make clear that corporations do not have the rights the U.S. Constitution guarantees to human beings.
Partners in this effort include: National Nurses United, Democrats.com, U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW), the New Priorities Network, Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare, and Healthcare NOW!
Please join us Wednesday at Jeff Denham's office!
In solidarity,
Nancy Riggleman and Bev Fitzgerald
BBLV Co-Coordinators
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Online calendars are available:
1) The Peace and Social Justice calendar is a free service of the Community Alliance newspaper. To receive the Peace and Social Justice Calendar by e-mail, visit www.mailermailer.com/x?oid=32254t and follow the brief instructions. Web site: www.fresnoalliance.com/ . Phone: 559-978-4502. Fax: 559-226-3962. To subscribe to the Community Alliance newspaper, send $35 (regular) or $10 (low income) to P.O. Box 5077, Fresno, CA 93755. You can also subscribe online through PayPal at www.fresnoalliance.com/
2) CineCulture Club (Free movies at CSUF): http://cineculture.csufresno.edu/
