Local

What’s in the air? The residents of Powhatan Point, Ohio deserve answers

Backs of two people standing outside on a hill pointing off to the distance down in a valley

After a gas well owned by XTO, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, exploded on February 15, it continued leaking pollution into the air for three weeks. The word “leak” is deceiving–what came out of the Schnegg well was a 100-foot vertical geyser of smoke, brine, and gases. Powhatan Point, Ohio residents 1.5 miles away could see the initial explosion, and continued hearing the ongoing eruption until XTO capped the well on March 6.

Enemy of the People: Mike DeWine

Smiling older white man wearing round black-rimmed glasses
After an appeal by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to an en banc session to review the unanimous ruling that blocked John Kasich’s unconstitutional 2016 bill to defund Planned Parenthood.   NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio Executive Director Kellie Copeland said:   Appealing this unanimous decision is outrageous. Mike DeWine would rather Ohioans not have access to the cancer screenings and HIV testing that keeps them healthy than allow Planned Parenthood to help them. He is fighting against funding for rape prevention programs. Mike DeWine is putting funds at risk that combat Ohio’s infant mortality crisis. He’s willing to do all of this just to further his anti-abortion crusade and to appeal to conservative Republican voters. Think about that.   The Sixth Circuit was very clear in their original unanimous ruling. Physicians must be able to provide health care and education to patients without unconstitutional restrictions on what they can say.

The Vegan Connection at the Solar Stage during Comfest 2018

Three happy people by a table outside that says VEGAN on a sign
June 24, 2018 @ 11:30 am – 12:15 pm
Goodale Park Comfest Weekend "Solar Stage" 120 West Goodale St.
While Comfest 2018 runs Fri Jun 22 through Sun Jun 24th this year, and we will have a Columbus Vegan Meetup and VeganShift booth there all weekend long, we want to make a special invitation to you to join us on Sun, Jun 24th as we will also be hosting the 8th annual "The Vegan Connection" presentation developed by veteran vegan Eriyah Flynn for Comfest. It is a free event hosted by local vegan community collaboration from nonprofit Vegan Shift and the Columbus Vegan Meetup group.

The Vegan Connection 2018 presents:

Noelle Bartholdi, a world-class competitive and winning vegan athlete, who lives in Columbus, OH. She is passionate about helping others achieve fitness excellence on a vegan (100% plant-based) diet!

Also presenting will be Kamal and Ami Panchal, of Banana Leaf Indian restaurant. This dynamic duo will delight our attendees with a demonstration of a delicious authentic Indian vegan cuisine recipe.

Visit the Free Press booth at Comfest

Wine booth at comfest

Friday-Sunday, June 22-24
Goodale Park
Come by and say Hi and buy some wine to support the Free Press and the Democratic Socialists of Central Ohio at Comfest! Our wine booth is next to the beer booth on Park near Buttles. Comfest is a free, non-corporate yearly celebration of Columbus' community organizations, performers, artists and volunteers. Music, food, social justice, and kids activities. 

Group files suit against Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Drawing of a buckeye leaf and nut on top of the state of Ohio

The Buckeye Environmental Network (BEN) has filed a lawsuit against the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) for withholding critical public information, violating Ohio law. Under public records law ORC 149.43, Ohio Department of Natural Recourses should have granted, but instead denied, a file review request by the group's Executive Director of ODNR files on AquaSalina, a product of oil and gas waste. The group requested to review all records held by ODNR as follows. "1. Records held by your agency regarding Nature's Own Sources/AquaSalina. 2. Communication between your agency and Dave Mansbery, owner of Duck Creek Energy, Inc." 

Rally to Keep Families Together: A Call to Action

Older white people in yellow shirts holding signs that say Stop Separating Families

Wednesday, June 20, 11am-1pm
LeVeque Tower, 50 W. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 
Why:  Because separating families is inhumane and immoral and we cannot be silent and complicit. Our government has instituted a policy of separating children from their parents at our borders.  This is inhumane and immoral and calls for action NOW!

One day each week for the past two weeks, First UU Columbus members have held a Solidarity Table outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in downtown Columbus at the Leveque Tower, offering moral support, cookies, water, and Know Your Rights information.  We will be back, again, this Wednesday, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. We are in public space on the sidewalk in front of the Tower (ICE's office is on the 4th Floor).  This week we are adding a rally.    Please join us for the Rally to Keep Families Together, as we protest ICE, as well as Senator Portman's office, just across the street.  Make your signs, invite one and all, and rally with us!  Families with children are most welcome.

The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War In The United States

Gray haired white man in a suit waving in front of a silhouette of the United States with photos of news people talking

Tuesday, June 19, 7pm, Northwood-High Building, 2231 N. High St., Rm. 100
Join the Progressive Peace Coalition for a screening of the documentary “The Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the United States.” Israel’s ongoing military occupation of Palestinian territory and its repeated invasions of the Gaza strip have triggered a fierce backlash against Israeli policies virtually everywhere in the world — except the United States.

This documentary takes an eye-opening look at this critical exception, zeroing in on pro-Israel public relations efforts with the United States. Narrated by Roger Waters and featuring leading observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. media culture, this film explores how the Israeli government, the U.S. government, and the pro-Israeli lobby have joined forces, often with very different motives, to shape American media coverage of the conflict in Israel’s favor.

Open discussion will follow the screening of this film (84 minutes) which will be free and open to the public.

Free parking is available in the “R” spaces — “R” for “Rardin Clinic” — behind the building.

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