Democracy in Ohio ain’t dead yet -- voters ensured that yesterday by overwhelmingly rejecting Issue 1. The people’s right to democratically amend the Ohio Constitution prevailed despite relentless attacks from far-right schemers and big business owners.

As of the morning after the election (August 9), the unofficial results from the Secretary of State (who, it should be noted, campaigned hard for Issue 1 to pass) show 1,315,346 votes in favor of Issue 1 and 1,744,094 against – showing that overwhelming 57 percent of voters said “hell no” to the Statehouse power grab.

These results are quite a debacle for Ohio Republicans. In January, they made August Special Elections illegal. They argued that, especially due to low turnout, elections in August were a “waste of money.”

Part Two

(Anti-)Zoning (Anti-)Enforcement, under the auspices of City Attorney and City Council, forms one leg of the evil, broken triangle, the misnamed Division of Public (aka Private) Service is the second.

Host of “Flashpoints” at KPFA-Pacifica/Berkeley, Dennis’s brilliant reporting led him to witness some of the real horrors at the devastated Hanford Reservation in Washington state.  

The fallout from the development there of the plutonium bomb that destroyed Nagasaki ruined the lives of thousands of innocent Americans, as Dennis powerfully explains.  

LINDAY SEELEY of the San Luis Obispo Mothers For Peace then updates us on the latest developments in the grassroots campaign to permanently close Diablo Canyon.

The two reactors on the central California coast 9 miles west of San Luis Obispo pose a profound, mega-lethal death threat to tens of millions throughout California and across the United States.

Seeley and many many others have long been working to finally get those reactor closed.  A critical chance will arise this fall, when Unit One may close for refueling.  

On August 6, 1945, the United States denotated an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. This was followed by the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9. These bombings resulted in the death and maiming of hundreds of thousands of people, and their effects are still being felt today.  

By the end of 1945, the bombing had killed an estimated 140,000 people in Hiroshima, and a further 74,000 in Nagasaki. In the years that followed, many of the survivors would face leukemia, cancer, or other terrible side effects from the radiation.  

You can watch the video, If You Love this Planet, with Dr. Helen Caldicott and an interview with Dr. Caldicott on her website. 

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is a coalition of non-governmental organizations in one hundred countries promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.  

Sunday, August 6, 12-6pm
Franklin Park Conservatory

Join Plant The Power for our 2nd Annual VegFest on Sunday August 6th from 12 pm to 6 pm at Franklin Park Conservatory for a day full of plant-based food, live music, family friendly activities, speakers, cooking demos, performances and more all with the intention to expose, educate and empower individuals on the holistic and intersectional benefits of plant-based living!

PBD Grey, hip hop lyricist, vegan activist and serial entrepreneur will be our headliner for the day traveling all the up from Atlanta, GA! Grey became one of the most talked about acts after his vegan thanksgiving freestyle and music vedoe that took the internet by storm went viral with 30+ million views catapulting him local stardom to the global stage. His music and clothing line, Plant Based Drippin, is creating a new energyin the vegan community and beyond!

All eaters are welcome! Flexitarian, Veg-curious, Vegan, and lovers of good food. This food and wellness festival will center the experiences and needs of communities of color, however is open and welcome to all.