Local

Yesterday, March 22, was a big day for labor in Columbus. Striking Starbucks workers shut down two locations, unions crowded two Statehouse hearings, and Wex Arts workers won their union, a struggle that took over two years.

Starbucks Strike

Thursday, March 23, 7pm

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Buckeye Environmental Network and Ohio Brine Task Force

Moderated by Athens County Commissioner Lenny Eliason, hear from experts Dr. Julie Weatherington-Rice and Fire Battalion Chief Silverio Caggiano about the hidden dangers of oil and gas waste. We will explore the radioactive and toxic properties of oil & gas waste, how it is widely spread throughout most of Ohio's counties, and it's effects on the body.

Today, Starbucks workers across the country went on a one day strike. The union Starbucks Workers United are demanding an end to the company’s union-busting campaign. 

Starbucks has launched a brutal campaign against unionization efforts in their stores. Raises were withheld from union organizers, union organizers were fired, and Starbucks locations where unions were established were illegally shut down.

But in recent months, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled in favor of workers. A judge from the NLRB recently ruled that Starbucks has to re-hire fired baristas and re-open closed locations, finding the company guilty of violating labor laws “hundreds of times.” But Starbucks has nonetheless continued their union-busting campaign.

It ought to be easy. Open bank vault, remove weapons dealers, close bank vault. In reality, we need a ton of tools, work, and luck.

In constant dollar terms, after Korea, Vietnam, Reagan’s second term, and Obama’s first term U.S. military spending went down, just never as much as it had gone up. So, ending wars, including Cold Wars, may help.

We now have a war underway in which the U.S. participation is understood as primarily spending money. Ending that spending could be expanded into reducing military spending more broadly.

March 21, 2-23

Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for joining me.

Andy Ginther just finished presenting yet another of his state of the city addresses. He repeatedly proclaims advancements in nearly every aspect of what impacts the lives of neighborhoods, individuals and working families both socially and economically. He once again paints a picture of neighborhood improvements across the city. He continues to make promises that Columbus’ great economic growth leads directly to well-paying jobs that are plentiful to everyone.

Andy Ginther’s regular refrain that never has any credible evidence-is, “he believes in doing the right thing, and not what’s easy or politically expedient” and “investing in roads and sidewalks that connect our community.”

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Sociologists Paul Ray and Sherry Anderson studied the values of Americans and discovered a new demographic they labeled "cultural creatives."

Join us to learn why Paul Ray believes we are undergoing a momentous historical transition to what he calls a new "wisdom culture." We will view a slide deck that describes their work and conclusions. Chuck Lynd will then lead a discussion about the cultural creatives. Are they a hope for a regenerative future?  

Tuesday, March 21, 2023, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
Join us for the National Day of Action to Stop Dirty Banking.  We will learn about JP MorganChase's support for fossil fuels and CUT UP our Chase credit cards. It's time to withdraw our money from the machine that props up climate disaster!  
Location:  Chase Tower, 100 E. Broad St., Columbus, Ohio.  
Register here. 

Along with a few dozen Columbus-area residents of diverse age, occupation, gender, and race, my wife and I delighted in the monthly First Things event on Saturday, March 18.

Sponsored by Four Seasons City Farm—“one organization, many growing sites”—First Things is a monthly “fund raiser and friend raiser” using the exceptional, truly historic rooms of the landmark, all but forgotten Old First Presbyterian Church on Bryden Road in Old Town East, Columbus.

First Things calls us to celebrate Columbus’ best preserved, if neglected, historic area. Missing from the embarrassing AIA Guide to Columbus, the church—the oldest in Columbus—was founded in 1806.

Now on the third Saturday of each month, from 7-11 pm, the church is home to First Things.

Not only have several major Columbus-based developers taken leadership roles for RAPID 5, but two major international developers are also playing a significant part in the reshaping of Central Ohio’s five major waterways and Metro Parks. AECOM, for example, which is helping design the newest Mall of Saudi (Riyadh North), has been tasked by RAPID 5 to envision the future for Alum Creek.

But a cursory look at AECOM’s future for Alum Creek (pictured above) suggests they will be more focused on East Main Street, specifically the stretch entering into Bexley and Capital University where the giant abandoned grain silos remain.

The American-based AECOM is referred to as a “global infrastructure consulting firm”. RAPID 5’s other major international firm is the Urban Land Institute (ULI), a research arm of the National Association of Realtors, with offices in Hong Kong and London. Those keeping a close eye on RAPID 5 have told the Free Press both ULI and MORPC (Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission) are the leadership behind RAPID 5.

The THC. Testing. Taxes. Testimony. Timeline.

There was a time, back in days of yore, when Ohio patients felt lucky to have just one medical marijuana bill introduced every other year, one in each of the General Assembly’s two-year sessions. Five bills in 10 years. All went nowhere.

What a difference a decade makes. The last two-year session of the Ohio legislature ‒ 2021-2022 ‒ produced eight bills: four adult use, two to revise marijuana penalties, and two to improve the current program. And, the 2023-2024 session started off with the almost immediate introduction of Senate Bill 9, essentially a reintroduction of S.B. 261 from last year that was a revision of H.B.523, the medical marijuana law passed in 2016.

This Mary Jane’s Guide takes a deep dive into S.B. 9 and its testimony thus far.

WHAT is S.B. 9?