Local
The February Free Press Second Saturday Cyber-Salon started with some songs from local musician/activist Bill Cohen. He gave us a sample of the type of music and trivia we will find during his Annual Valentine's Concert to benefit Central Ohio Folk Festival, live-streamed on the “Bill Cohen Sings” Facebook page,Sunday, February 14, 7pm. Facebook Event
Bill will sing popular songs from the 1940’s, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, tunes made famous by John Denver, the Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke, James Taylor, Bing Crosby, Patti Page, Eagles, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, and others.There will be a lighter side too, with fun trivia questions about romance.
Admission will be free but donations are welcomed.
Save Kossuth Street Garden: Don't Let Developers Destroy Our Community!
Sunday, February 14, 4:30pm
614 E. Kossuth St.
Please register for this event here: https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/374283/
Kossuth Street Garden is a 15 year old community garden in a working class community of color. It won the Franklin Conservatory's 2020 Neighborhood Improvement Project of the Year award. This garden has been an educational and social space for the community.
Although the community that runs the garden had offered to buy the land, it was instead sold to developer Tracy Cohen for the same amount of money.
Now, the developer is planning on building expensive homes ranging from $250,000-$350,000. On top of contributing to gentrification, the future owners of these homes would likely receive tax abatements.
Save Kossuth Street Garden: Don't Let Developers Destroy Our Community!
Sunday, February 14, 4:30pm
614 E. Kossuth St.
Please register for this event here: https://www.mobilize.us/ourrevolution/event/374283/
Kossuth Street Garden is a 15 year old community garden in a working class community of color. It won the Franklin Conservatory's 2020 Neighborhood Improvement Project of the Year award. This garden has been an educational and social space for the community.
Although the community that runs the garden had offered to buy the land, it was instead sold to developer Tracy Cohen for the same amount of money.
Now, the developer is planning on building expensive homes ranging from $250,000-$350,000. On top of contributing to gentrification, the future owners of these homes would likely receive tax abatements.
Saturday, February 13, 7-8pm, this event will be occurring via Zoom
Since we aren’t getting together in person, we can gather for a couple of hours on the second Saturday night of each month, 7-8pm Eastern Time, on Zoom.
Speakers include:
• Bill Cohen with a promotion of his upcoming concert and a song.
• Marty Stutz with new ComFest updates.
• Stu Nicholson from All Aboard Ohio on the prospect of trains in Ohio — even in Columbus!
• Rachel Coyle from How Things Work at the Ohio Statehouse.
• A preliminary look at Bob Fitrakis’ new book!
• News from the Nina Turner for Congress campaign.
• And more.
Please use this Zoom link to join this event.
Hosted by The Columbus Free Press.
Saturday, February 13th, 12 PM
1Divineline2health Center, 2424 Sullivant Avenue, Columbus, OH
Columbus Stand Up and the 1Divineline2Health Center is convening a community conversation around mental wellness as well as a community meditation in commemoration of Black History Month. The event will be outdoors, adhere to social distancing protocols, and participants will be provided free hot coffee from Third Way Cafe to keep warm throughout.
Columbus Stand Up! is a non-profit dedicated to mobilizing people in Central Ohio to serve the community, engage in the political process, hold elected officials accountable, and advocate for policies that will ensure everyone in our community can lead a stable life.
1DivineLine2Health is a nonprofit organization fighting sex trafficking and serving vulnerable populations through grassroots movements in Columbus, Ohio and all over the world.
The recent wave of corruption among both Republicans and Democrats in Ohio – House Speaker Larry Householder and Cincinnati City Councilmembers being charged with bribery – along with the pandemic’s mishandling, could be the final straw for voters.
While the GOP might split and form a new right-wing populist party, the Democrats are already divided among the centrists and progressives with most progressives being endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
And with so many Trump voters from 2016 saying they would’ve voted for Bernie Sanders, can Democratic Socialists fill the populist void left by Trump with a party that represents working class interests?
Many on the left, especially those disenchanted with President Biden and the bulk of the Democratic Party, are taking a good look at the Democratic Socialists of America, which has grown to over 90,000 members with 71 members holding office (33 of those elected in 2020).
The recent wave of corruption among both Republicans and Democrats in Ohio – House Speaker Larry Householder and Cincinnati City Councilmembers being charged with bribery – along with the pandemic’s mishandling, could be the final straw for voters.
While the GOP might split and form a new right-wing populist party, the Democrats are already divided among the centrists and progressives with most progressives being endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
And with so many Trump voters from 2016 saying they would’ve voted for Bernie Sanders, can Democratic Socialists fill the populist void left by Trump with a party that represents working class interests?
Many on the left, especially those disenchanted with President Biden and the bulk of the Democratic Party, are taking a good look at the Democratic Socialists of America, which has grown to over 90,000 members with 71 members holding office (33 of those elected in 2020).
In recent days an alarming number of asylum seekers, including children and pregnant women, have been deported to Haiti despite efforts by the Biden administration to put a moratorium on all deportations. This is happening during a pandemic and a growing, violent political crisis in Haiti.
Take action: Urge President Biden to immediately halt deportations to Haiti
On a recent frigid early morning in a cramped, small-town Kroger twenty minutes outside Columbus, a long line twists and turns near the in-store pharmacy, one of 2,200 in-store pharmacies Kroger operates.
The line is somewhat socially distanced, mostly middle-aged men, some wearing camo, others sporting Harley Davidson logos, some have brought their own folding chairs. Fights have nearly broken out in the past over losing a place in line.
But this line of a dozen or so is not waiting for the vaccine. Kroger’s in-house state-controlled liquor store is mere feet from the pharmacy. They are waiting to find out if a high-end whiskey costing $400 a bottle has arrived or not.
When the liquor store’s door opens, the expensive whiskey did make it in overnight, and the line moves briskly with happy customers.
Standing not far from this scene is a long-time Kroger employee who spends her days stocking pizzas and other frozen goods into tall glass-doored freezers.
With tired eyes she glances at the absurdity of those buying $400 bottles of whiskey, then turns to a Free Press reporter.
