Local
Just who in the heck is Rick Kirk?
If Issue 3 indeed becomes law, and you reside in Franklin County and a marijuana user, Kirk is going to be growing your legal green, selling you your legal green, and taking your monetary green.
Kirk is one of the 20 primary investors aligned with ResponsibleOhio, the “AstroTurf” effort behind Issue 3. The Columbus-based strategy group has said it will spend at least $20 million to get the investor-backed constitutional amendment passed.
After getting injured while trying to make the Dallas Cowboys, Kirk embarked on a career in construction and eventually founded Hallmark Campus Communities, now headquartered in the Empire Building at 150 E. Broad Street. He’s the company’s CEO and also ResponsibleOhio’s lead investor for the Franklin County potentially massive indoor grow site planned for Grove City on Seeds Road (of all places), and just off I-71.
According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Kirk initially paid $4 million to become Franklin County’s future marijuana Kingpin. A pittance compared to what his investment could eventually return.
As Election Day draws near, a lot is at stake for working people in Seattle. But the outcome of Seattle’s City Council race will also reverberate in communities across the nation who want their city government to serve its constituents instead of corporate interests.
By making it the cornerstone of her platform in the 2013 City Council race, Kshama Sawant created the political will in a city controlled by the Democratic Party to raise the minimum wage to $15/hour. The Democratic establishment wouldn’t have got there on its own.
Sawant won the election for District 3, unseating a 16-year incumbent Democrat and making her the first independent Socialist in decades to be elected in a major U.S. city.
After years of stagnant wages and an ever-increasing cost of living, Sawant's minimum wage initiative was tremendously popular with working class voters. To maintain their image as the “progressive” party, Democratic mayor Ed Murray and the rest of City Council had no choice but to get on board with a city charter amendment to raise the wage to $15.
The Free Press celerated 45 years with over 100 supporters on October 19 at the Florentine Restaurant. Six local activists were honored at the dinner in a lively ceremony emceed by Editor Bob Fitrakis filled with positive messages about effective organizing and activism in Ohio.
The Free Press is now “Ohio’s oldest locally-owned news source,” since the Wolfe family recently sold the Columbus Dispatch. This October marks our 45th anniversary, and the paper has re-shaped political debate in Ohio’s capitol city since 1970.
A politically diverse coalition of concerned citizens and community leaders wants to make a foundational change to how Columbus City Council represents the people of Columbus. “We’re fighting to give every community a voice, end corruption in Columbus, and bring accountability back to city government by creating districts in our City Council,” said Represent Columbus co-chair Whitney Smith at a press conference outside City Hall Monday afternoon.
Represent Columbus is collecting petition signatures for a city charter amendment to be placed on the May 2016 primary ballot. The initiative would have ten City Council members elected by districts in which they live. Three at-large Council members would be elected to ensure that city-wide issues are addressed.
“It’s time to return government to the people of Columbus,” said attorney Bill Todd, former Republican mayoral candidate. “It’s time to create transparency, and a system that allows everyone in the neighborhoods to be heard.
Simply Living will hold its 10thannual fundraiser on Wednesday, October 28that the Boat House restaurant at Confluence Park in downtown Columbus, located at 679 W Spring Street. More than 300 people are expected to enjoy a complimentary luncheon in this beautiful setting where the Scioto and Olentangy rivers join.
This year the theme is Sustainable U: Learn, Engage, Transform! We will be highlighting our new initiative, Simply Living Sustainable University, which invites learners and instructors from the community to teach a wide variety of topics related to sustainability. Simply Living has earned a reputation as the hub of a wheel turning communities toward a sustainable future in central Ohio. The event is an opportunity to showcase the current work and future plans of Simply Living.
As the day of days nears for Ohio medicinal and recreational users of marijuana, questions and rumors about how exactly Issue 3 could affect their lifestyle are circling like clouds after a bong session.
Of course Issue 3 has to pass first, yet the fact Ohio marijuana users finally have a chance to vote for legalization is historical (at least for them).
And victory is possible as a Quinnipiac poll released October 8th shows 90 percent of Ohio voters support legalization for medicinal use and 53 percent support recreational use. But if it does pass, its fate is still in doubt as Issue 2, a constitutional amendment put forth by the Ohio legislature, could invalidate economic monopolies and was initiated in direct response to Issue 3.
A Kent State University poll released October 15th shows Issue 2 supported by 54 percent with 26 percent undecided, however.
Nevertheless, tried-and-true Ohio marijuana activists who for three decades have fought for legalization are concerned what the future will truly be if the Issue 3 passes and Issue 2 does not.
Mac Miller performed at the Promowest Pavillon Sunday. Miller just dropped a new album called “G.O.O.D. A.M” and is touring in support of it. He recently switched from Rostrum to his own REMember imprint through Warner Brothers.
They gave him 10,000,000. I actually sat here trying to figure out the mathematical equation on how to recoup 10,000,000. The first conclusion, I landed on was this is this is why I don’t have 10,000,000 dollars.
On the Big Sean record “Control,” Kendrick Lamar listed off who he considers his peers and competition. Mac Miller was listed next to J. Cole, Drake, K.R.I.T, Meek Mill. Pusha T, Tyler and more as contenders in barber shop arguments of “Where I’m From” or “Til My Lungs Collapse” listings of the current era of emcees.
Like Tyler, K.R.I.T, and J.Cole, Mac Miller also produces which I think shows a desire for sequencing as opposed to just rapping over some drums. I’m sure this not only aids in creativity, it also makes 10,000,000 dollars easier to recouped because Mac doesn’t have to pay for producers.
Joe Motil, Independent write-in candidate for the unexpired term race for Columbus City Council, commented on a recent Columbus Dispatch article entitled, “Columbus council candidate decides to campaign after all.” Ms. Ashley Wnek, who is technically also a candidate for the Columbus City Council unexpired term race claimed that, “I am working to let people know they have an alternative to my opponent, who is currently the subject of an ethics investigation.”
Buy tickets: http://bit.ly/1g5qVWX
Monday, October 19, 2015
5:30-9pm
Florentine Restaurant
907 W Broad St, Columbus, OH 43222
Free parking
Come in west side back door to party room area (ground floor)
Handicap accessible
$15 per person, $25 couple, $10 or negotiable, low income
Buffet dinner and awards ceremony
Vegetarian options
Honoring with the Free Press "Libby" Award for Lifetime Achievement in Community Activism:
Chuck Lynd
Julie Weatherington-Rice
Pranav Jani
Kenny Schweickart
DSCO Debs-Thomas-Harrington Award winner:
Fadhel Kaboub
Bill Moss Award for Outstanding African American Activist winner:
Torin Jacobs
Contact: 614-253-2571 or colsfreepress@gmail.com