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April 26 marks the 30th anniversary of the catastrophic explosion at theChernobyl nuclear power plant.

It comes as Germany, which is phasing out all its reactors, has asked Belgium to shut two of its nukes because of the threat of terrorism.

It also comes as advancing efficiencies and plunging prices in renewable energy remind us that nukes stand in the way of solving our climate crisis.

Since the April 6 occupation of Bricker Hall, a coalition of student groups has kept up the pressure on the university to end its plans to privatize its energy services and outsource more of its employees.

On April 21 the #ReclaimOSU coalition joined forces with members of Communication Workers of America (CWA), the labor union that represents many OSU workers as well as Verzion employees who are on strike. They gathered at the South Oval and marched to the Ohio Union, shouting, “Hey Drake, step off it! Put people over profit!”

 “When the university sells out energy, that is a direct attack on minority and other workers at Ohio State,” said Maryam Abidi of the OSU Coalition for Black Liberation during a speak-out in the atrium of the Ohio Union. “Privatization is also an attack on the minority communities of Columbus,” she said.

Congressional Briefing April 21, 2016: "How Voter Suppression Efforts Are Threatening Our Democracy"

"It is democracy time!" were words that led into this historic congressional briefing, "How Voter Suppression Efforts Are Threatening Our Democracy." Sponsors were the National Election Defense Coalition and Transformative Justice Coalition. The moderator of the distinguished panel and members of the Congressional Black Caucus was Barbara Arnwine, former Executive Director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and presently co-sponsor of the Transformative Justice Coalition. What does the dismal handling of the primaries and caucuses held so far bode for the U.S. Congress?

Arnwine listed members of the Caucus who were present: Reps. John Conyers (former Chair of the House Judiciary Committee), Sheila Jackson Lee, Terry Sewell, Marc Veasey, Maxine Waters, Elijah Cummings, Hank Johnson, and others. 2016 marks the fifth year of intensive voter suppression. Long lines have marred proceedings in so many of the primaries and caucuses. Too

The air crackled with anticipation on Wednesday evening as newly-elected members of the Franklin County Democratic Party (FCDP) Central Committee gathered outside Ohio Democratic Party headquarters. In a few minutes they would join a Central Committee meeting for the first time as voting members.

“We’re here because we deeply care about concretely improving people’s lives,” said Will Petrik, Central Committee member for Ward 18. “We believe in freedom, in democracy, in social and economic justice, and in making sure that everyone in the community can live a decent life.” Petrik is affiliated with Yes We Can Columbus, one of several coalitions who are trying to make the local Democratic Party more transparent and responsive to the needs of its constituents.

“I was elected because people in my neighborhood want a change,” said Mario Cespedes, Ward 40. “They want big money out of politics, and they want a debate around raising the minimum wage.”

Friday, April 22, 11am

Ohio State house one saatate capital 1 Capital square Columbus, Ohio 43215

Protestin unfair practices and bringing awareness.

Bob Fitrakis, Free Press Editor, will speak at this event at noon.

This evening, the Franklin County Democratic Party Central Committee is holding its first meeting since the primary election to appoint new leadership. Before the meeting, elected leaders from Yes We Can Columbus, Count Me In, the Unity Ticket, and Franklin County Democrats United came together to promote shared values and goals to unite the local party.

The following quotes can be attributed to Mario Cespedes, a Ward 40 Central Committee member and leader with Yes We Can Columbus:

“I was elected, because people in my neighborhood want a change. They feel like our democracy is broken and their voice isn’t being heard. The folks in my neighborhood want big money out of politics and they want a debate around raising the minimum wage and empowering our local neighborhoods in Columbus.”

The following quote can be attributed to Deb Steele, Clinton Township Central Committee member and leader in the Unity Ticket:

Wednesday, April 20  

11 am - 1 pm
Ohio Statehouse 
You/We CAN make a difference! 

 Simply Living is one of many sponsors of the Climate Action Coalition that  

is organizing a Rally and Lobby Day at the Statehouse. 

WHAT   Educational and advocacy event to learn more about legislative solutions to issues impacting women.  

WHEN Wednesday, April 20, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM

WHERE Trinity Episcopal Church - 125 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215 - View Map

Women United For Change, a coalition of a group of nineteen organizations, has joined together to create an educational and advocacy event opportunity to learn more about legislative solutions to issues impacting women. This event will also be an opportunity to learn tips on how to effectively advocate for legislation that positively impacts women at the Ohio Statehouse.

The last time there was a serious discussion about poverty in America was during the presidential campaign of 2008 when former United States Senator John Edwards (D-NC) announced his intention to run for the office from the back yard of a home in New Orleans. The city was still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005–the natural disaster that made poverty in America visible again.  Edwards had been identified as a champion for the poor throughout his legal career during which we successfully represented plaintiffs in seemingly unwinnable cases as they fought large corporations, physicians and others, winning multimillion dollar settlements for his clients.  He was also the director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Law.  During his political career Edwards had proposed that the government should place poor people in middle class neighborhoods through the use of one million housing vouchers.  The idea went nowhere, and once again, poverty fell off America’s agenda.

I was asked to write an article about “420.” Apropos, I guess, considering my name. So I began conceptualizing the piece. Perhaps a few interesting innuendos and stoner stories peppered with a traipse through time. As light-hearted as 420 seems to be, there are also uneasy overtones to this holiday of the high. Where to begin.

How about at the beginning. The vaunted Wikipedia confirms that “four-twenty” was coined at San Rafael High School forty-five years ago as clandestine code used by some students to denote a specified time and place for consuming cannabis – 4:20 pm in the shadow of Louis Pasteur. The term morphed to mean a need to find weed. Mushrooming through the local Grateful Dead culture, 420 landed in the hands of High Times’ Steve Bloom in the 1990s, pollinating globally through one of cannabis culture’s most time-honored magazines.

So with the approach of this hempy holiday, a happy 420 to you!