Local

COLUMBUS, OH – Joe Motil, candidate for Columbus City Council attended today’s public hearing at City Hall that was held by Councilwoman Shayla Favor for a proposed designated Kenny & Henderson Community Reinvestment Area (CRA). The CRA was initiated by developer Preferred Living who is seeking to purchase and develop the property where the Kahoots Gentlemen’s Club is located near the southeast corner of Kenny and Henderson Roads. Preferred Living would potentially replace the business with a 219 unit apartment complex. If approved, new construction in this CRA would be eligible for 15 year 100% tax abatements.

The Medicare for All Act of 2019, is scheduled to be introduced into the Congressional House by Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal of Washington State this coming Wednesday, February 27th. She hoped to have more than 100 cosponsors at the time the bill is introduced.

Wednesday, February 27, 12pm
Join us Wednesday, February 27 in front of the Franklin County Courthouse for a rally to have a visible presence during the grand jury. TIME TBD, WILL EITHER BE AT NOON OR 4/5pm PENDING THE STATUS OF THE GRAND JURY THAT DAY. Donna Dalton was killed by Columbus Police Officer Andrew Mitchell on August 23, 2018. CPD have completed their investigation of the shooting and the case is being presented to the grand jury during the final week of February.
We must make our voices heard and hold space for Donna Dalton and her family. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
We are also asking folks to call Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien once a day, every day, until the grand jury concludes, demanding he indict Andrew Mitchell for the killing of Donna Dalton. For details visit the Facebook call-in event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/327837431173682/?ti=icl

Saturday, February 23, 2019, 12:00 – 3:00 PM

I am responding to recent publicity about this byproduct of oil/gas drilling, AquaSalina being used by the Ohio Department Of Transportation (ODOT) on our roads.

Unfortunately, I have a history with this product and this company. In 2012 I was sued by the maker of AquaSalina in a $1 Million SLAPP lawsuit for trying to warn my city and community members that this product was potentially dangerous to us and the environment. At the time, I didn’t have access to the product to test it myself. But, after learning about the oil/gas drilling process and the hazardous byproducts it generates, I used common sense to deduce that this solution could not be good. There are radioactive elements at the 4,000–5,000 foot depth of the wells drilled in my community. Basic physics tells us that when you force chemicals, sand and water down at high pressure, radioactive stuff is going to come back up along with what you pushed down. I wish many of the lawyers, judges and electeds involved in my case had also used deductive reasoning.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019, 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Over 100 people gathered on a cold Monday morning February 18th -- President's Day -- in downtown Columbus to protest what they called Trump's fake emergency on the border to justify his spending more money to build a wall. They marched to U.S. Senator Rob Portman's office to appeal to him to stop the fake emergency to stop the wall. 

We believe it is time for every citizen and elected official to show up and find the courage to face the climate emergency. We urge you to seize this moment and stand with all of us by supporting the Green New Deal resolution.

The recent reports from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United States Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCS) confirm what our 2016 Democratic Party Platform had already declared - we are in a climate emergency and an urgent and immediate response is required. What is hopeful about these particular reports is that we have finally shifted from the abstraction of long-term timelines. They call for an emergency response now. This is the decade that matters.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY12) and our allies in the Sunrise Movement and The Climate Mobilization are leading the way forward with calls for real, bold, truthful action on climate; to turn away from gradualism. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has proposed a resolution calling for a new Select Committee for a Green New Deal.

Monday, February 18, 11am
LeVeque Tower, West Broad and Front Street, downtown Columbus
Trump declared a national emergency to fund a border wall for a fake crisis that he and his administration made up. Immigrants is what makes America Great and they aren’t a epidemic, they’re human. The true national emergencies we face are Reproductive Rights, Gun Violence, Climate Change, Infant Mortality, and the Opioid Crisis... oh and Trump.

On Valentine’s Day, Edith will have been in sanctuary for 500 days. At Edith's request, Solidarity with Edith Espinal, the Central Ohio Worker Center, and Columbus Mennonite Church have created a campaign to raise awareness and resources for Edith's ongoing fight to stay in the US legally. The campaign launches Monday, February 11 and runs through the end of the day February 14. Please share Edith's story on social media by using the resources at SolidarityWithEdith.org/valentines-toolkit, and following Edith on Facebook (@SolidarityWithEdith), Twitter (@LetEdithStay), and Instagram (@SolidarityWithEdith). Text "Edith" to 44-321 to give to Edith's campaign.  Edith wanted us to pass this message along: (Sp.) Gracias por sus donaciones en este día del amor al ser humano. Para mi es importante tener su apoyo como comunidad. (Eng.) Thank you for your donations on this day of love for humanity. For me your support as a community is very important.