Local
Tuesday, September 13, 5-9pm,
Studio 35 Cinema & Draft House, 3055 Indianola Ave.
The European Union, the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, and Ohioans To Stop Executions will host a private event on Ohio’s historic chance to end the use of capital punishment. The evening will feature a screening of the film “The Penalty,” a documentary following the extraordinary journey of three people at the center of America’s capital punishment crisis. The screening will be followed by a conversation with diplomats from the European Union, local experts, and business leaders. A reception will follow the screening of this film.
The European Union stands resolute in its opposition to capital punishment and supports the bipartisan effort to make Ohio the 24th state to abolish the death penalty. Please join us for an evening with the Delegation and local leaders working towards abolition to learn more about why Ohio’s repeal of capital punishment is important for human rights, trade, and investment.
What it is. What it does. What happened to it. Is there hope for it?
Cannabis in Ohio has suddenly gone quiet. For a time, the Statehouse buzzed with action. The House had H.B. 60 (medical marijuana for autism), H.B. 356 (lower marijuana penalties from felonies to misdemeanors) and H.B. 210, 382, 498, and 628 (all to permit adult use cannabis). Late last year, the upper chamber fast tracked its approval of Ohio Senate Bill 261 to improve the current medical marijuana program, sending the bill to the House where four hearings were held in the Spring. Nothing since. What happened? The game is called stall ball.
Where did S.B. 261 originate?
Sunday, September 11, 1-3:30pm., Nocterra Brewing Company, 41 Depot St., Powell, Ohio
He personified American folk music so let’s celebrate his 110th birthday.
When the Depression of the 1930s threw millions of Americans out of work and into poverty, Woody Guthrie told us their stories through song. He saw migrant workers slaving for pennies, penniless hobos riding in empty railroad boxcars, and the infamous Dust Bowl windstorms of Oklahoma stealing the land out from under the farmers.
Always for the underdog, Guthrie challenged America to right wrongs and to live by its ideals of hard work, compassion, equal opportunity, and fairness. His songs made us laugh, cry, remember, and question.
And so, in memory of all that Woody did, on September 11, a month after the 110th anniversary of his birth, Columbus will recall this common man troubadour. Together, we’ll sing some of his famous and unknown songs, hear details of the highs and lows of his life, and enjoy a visit from the spirit of Woody “himself.”
Saturday, September 10, 6:30-9pm, Hot Times Festival [in the Kid’s Tent], 240 Parsons Ave.
The September Free Press salon will be in-person, at the Hot Times Community Music and Arts Festival, on Saturday, September 10, 2022, 6:30-9pm.
We will gather in the tent near the Art Cars. There will be a Free Press banner on the tent. You may want to bring your own folding chair.
Speakers and topics:
• Trans organizing with Felicia DeRosa,
• discussion on Donovan Lewis’ murder by Columbus Police,
• First Collective and housing issues,
• and more!
We will be celebrating 45 Fabulous Hot Times Festivals! Art Cars, three stages, vendors, food, friends, family, and fun!
Hosted by The Columbus Free Press.
As expected, the “bad mayor” ads launched against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley by backers of her opponent Gov. Mike DeWine in early August are driving up negative sentiment toward Whaley, the former Dayton mayor.
According to CrowdSense.Live, a web site devoted to examining the metrics of political contests, the net social media sentiment on Aug. 1 was -58.2% for DeWine and -0.4% for Whaley. In other words, the public was down on DeWine while Whaley was breaking even.
But by Aug. 30 it had all changed, most likely because of the monthlong heavy rotation of the ads demeaning Whaley and her performance as mayor. DeWine improved to -38.5% while Whaley sank into negative territory at -31%.
Now a second bad mayor-themed ad campaign is running on Ohio TV screens, declaring that Whaley as governor would be “dangerously expensive.”
To Whaley’s brain trust’s discredit, they have chosen not to respond directly to the bad mayor charge. Ask Ted Strickland and Richard Cordray how not bright their failure to respond to critical ads was when they ran for governor.
Thursday, September 8, 2022, 5:30 PM
The ACLU is teaming up with friends at two partner organizations to cover the high-profile races for Ohio State School Board and Ohio Supreme Court – plus a bonus segment on the proposed constitutional amendments that will appear on our statewide ballot. Moderator: Collin Marozzi – ACLU of Ohio.
Panelists: Cynthia Peeples – Honesty for Ohio Education, Akii Butler – Ohio Organizing Collaborative, and Patrick Higgins – ACLU of Ohio. Register here.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, a worker uprising could soon boil over at Kroger stores throughout Central Ohio. The uprising is not only in response to their ultra-wealthy corporate leaders, but also towards their union, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 1059, headquartered on Columbus’ far east side.
Over the previous 45 days, Kroger associates, who’s current contract ended August 6th, twice voted ‘No’ to a new three-year contract. The “No” vote happened even though both contracts had been endorsed by UFCW 1059, as first reported by World Socialist Web Site or WSWS.org.
“This [second contract] was just reworded, but we all knew it was the same contract as the one we just turned down,” said a Kroger employee who refused having their name published out fear of retaliation.
Last Monday, Columbus Museum of Art employees including frontline and operations workers came together to urge the Museum's administration and management to voluntarily recognize their union - Columbus Museum of Art Workers United (CMA Workers United)
. These courageous employees believe the institution they love, has not been living up to the standards and values it claims to promote - and forming a union is the solution.
Hello Columbus.
After a much-needed sabbatical from writing about the social issues that I feel are important, not only to me in my present life, but to my children, and all of the grandchildren that will be from the seeds of my womb, I have decided it is time to start my articles again.
I spoke with a young man, doesn’t matter the race, who said he was twenty-eight years old. I don’t know how we got on the subject, but voting came up. He said it was a “waste of time to vote.”
I have learned that it is better to speak logical when speaking with young people in regard to political matters. In fact, in regard to anything that pertains to adulthood and life. I speak to them where they live.
Hello Columbus.
After a much-needed sabbatical from writing about the social issues that I feel are important, not only to me in my present life, but to my children, and all of the grandchildren that will be from the seeds of my womb, I have decided it is time to start my articles again.
I spoke with a young man, doesn’t matter the race, who said he was twenty-eight years old. I don’t know how we got on the subject, but voting came up. He said it was a “waste of time to vote.”
I have learned that it is better to speak logical when speaking with young people in regard to political matters. In fact, in regard to anything that pertains to adulthood and life. I speak to them where they live.