Local
This article first appeared on the Buckeye Flame.
Bans on conversion therapy on minors now cover 25% of the state’s population.
After doing some research on the topic during summer break, Lorain City Council unanimously approved an ordinance to ban conversion therapy on minors during the council’s regular meeting on Sept. 3.
“It was a great thing to do for the young people in our community,” said Council-at-large member Mary Springowski after the vote. Springowski had dedicated the ordinance to her brother Seán Donovan, who died in 2006 from an HIV-related illness. “I’m very glad that the council got on board with this.”
The Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR) has some good news and a few pointed critiques ahead of this November’s election. In a survey of states’ efforts to protect their voter registration databases from cyber-attacks, the group found election administrators have made great strides in protecting the voter rolls from outside threats.
CEIR executive director David Becker explained that in 2016, Russian actors briefly gained access to Illinois’s voter registration database. His organization has been surveying states about security protocols every federal election cycle since.
“Our nation and the 50 states are doing a very good job with voter registration database security,” he explained. “I think it’s one of the reasons that we’ve seen, to my knowledge, no real successful efforts to breach voter registration databases over the last several election cycles after the 2016 wakeup call.”
But at the same time election officials are thwarting threats from without, they’re also undermining voter confidence from within through last-minute, legally dubious audits and policy changes.
Wherever you live – whether it’s a Deep Red State or a Deep Blue State – you no longer have to feel the election has already been decided because you already know how your state’s going to vote. I am here to tell you, as you sit there 100 miles east of Bentonville, AR, or smack dab in the middle of the sweet aroma of Super Silver Haze in Berkeley, CA, you can have a powerful effect on this election!
Beginning today and running all weekend long (and throughout September), the Democratic Party is organizing virtual phone banks for the Harris-Walz campaign, and for other Democrats down the ballot.
Most of us believe in fair pay for honest work. So why aren’t low-wage workers better paid?
After 30 years of research, I can tell you it’s not because employers don’t have the cash. It’s because profitable corporations spend that money on their stock prices and CEOs instead.
Lowe’s, for example, spent $43 billion buying back its own stock over the past five years. With that sum, the chain could’ve given each of its 285,000 employees a $30,000 bonus every year. Instead, half of Lowe’s workers make less than $33,000. Meanwhile, CEO Marvin Ellison raked in $18 million in 2023.
The company also plowed nearly five times as much cash into buybacks as it invested in long-term capital expenditures like store improvements and technology upgrades over the past five years.
Lowe’s ranks as an extreme example, but pumping up CEO pay at the expense of workers and long-term investment is actually the norm among America’s leading low-wage corporations.
This article was first published by Policy Matters Ohio
In the 1960’s, my grandfather joined the United Steelworkers and together with my grandmother, a nurse, they changed the entire trajectory of our family through the stability and opportunities they earned. Almost 60 years later, my husband joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (shout out to Local 683!) after being a non-union journeyman for several years. In addition to better pay, his jobs are more secure, his health insurance more comprehensive, and his worksites safer. I worked in food service, retail, as a nanny, and as a home childcare provider before joining Policy Matters Ohio and the staff union. I have rights and benefits at work that I never even dreamed of as a low-wage hourly worker, like guaranteed wage increases and paid family & medical leave.
Everybody Knows plays on WGRN 91.9FM Friday nights at 11:00 PM, and streams live on wgrn.org.
This week Dr. Bob and Dan-o talk about and play songs by artists performing this year at the Hot Times Community Music and Arts Festival.
The show will also play Mondays at 2pm on WCRS 82.7 & 98.3FM and streams live on wcrsfm.org.
Archived shows can be found on the Free Press Network and SoundCloud.
Friday, September 6, 4-1opm
Saturday, September 7, 11am-10pm
Sunday, September 8, 11am-8pm
NEW LOCATION 2024 only: North Hamilton Park between E. Long St. and E. Broad St.
The Hot Times Festival is a community driven, multi-arts event and has been a project of the Arts Foundation of Olde Towne for over 40 years.
The festival has moved four times and now in 2024 the Festival makes a temporary while construction happens on the traditional site.
The Hot Times Art Cars will host two new vehicles traveling from Texas along with a host of regional and local cars and will be honoring co-founder Ramona Moon. There will be children's activities, food, drinks, music, arts and crafts and community booths.
LONG STREET STAGE
FRIDAY:
5:00. African Cultural Arts Institute
6:00. Mendelsonics
7:00. Austin & Syd Experience
8:00. Shaun Booker Dammit Band
9:00. Willie Phoenix
SATURDAY:
12:00. Wahru’s Drummers
1:00. Charles Grace Band
2:00. Billy Zenn & The Beatdowns
3:00. Gregg Swan & The Late Crew
SoulCall Global invites you to our fun Mystic Cafe Variety Show and Open Mic Friday October 18, 2024.
Help SoulCall Global raise money to feed and house the needy and enjoy an old fashioned variety show with everything from great music and comedy acts to who knows what. Performers are encouraged to sign up.
A keyboard accompanist is available.
Doors open at 6:00 pm
Performances 7:00-9:00 pm
Donation $15 (or more! 100% of profits go to our charitable programs)
Columbus Mennonite Church
35 Oakland Park Ave., Columbus OH 43214
Information at https://www.soulcallglobal.org
To secure a performance time slot, contact Bob Lipetz for a registration
form at bob@debchi.com, 614-906-4350.
Businesses interested in showcasing their services by becoming a
sponsor, contact Lisa Ferraro at Soulcallone@gmail.com
Thursday, September 5, 2024, September 19, October 3, and October 17 at 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Columbus Metropolitan Library: Shepard branch, 850 N Nelson Rd, Columbus, OH 43219
Also, on Zoom (link will be emailed to you after sign-up).
Description
A two month series of gatherings which teach new members about the basics of socialism, the details of the DSA organization with a focus on the local Columbus chapter. During these meetings, they will meet and mingle with leaders of the chapter as well as current membership.
The following are the topics of each of the gatherings we'll have:
Week 1 (Sep 5): Socialism Basics
Week 2 (Sep 19): National DSA Organization
Week 3 (Oct 3): Columbus DSA Chapter
Week 4 (Oct 17): Social - Hybrid, in-person location to be determined