Save Ohio Parks is a group of volunteer grassroots citizens in Ohio concerned about fracking in our state parks, forests, wildlife areas, and other public lands.  This year Gov. DeWine signed a law kickstarting fracking in our public lands. So far oil and gas companies have applied to frack two of our state parks (Salt Fork and Wolf Run), and two of our wildlife areas (Valley Run and Zepernick). Additional applications are submitted every week.  Save Ohio Parks has formed to push back on this. Our public lands are supposed to be protected spaces for people and wildlife. They are not meant to be exploited by extractive industries.  The Oil and Gas Land Management Commission is now taking public comments on these fracking applications:

Salt Fork State Park: bit.ly/nofracksaltfork

One. Never hesitating to get her name into print or what passes for City communications, councilor Barroso de Padillo subsidizes five e-bike sellers (Beechwold Bicycles, Franklinton Cycle Works, Johnny Velo Bikes, Orbit City Bikes, Paradise Garage) with public dollar handouts to private citizens for discounts on e-bike purchase.

The subsidy to the bike stores amounts to the City spending $250,000 for 100-150 residents. The handouts go to any household with an income of less than $150,000, far out of line with housing and other social assistance. This is capitalist socialism.

Readers: do the simple division of public subsidy to private interests for yourselves. Does this make economic sense for the public?

No mention is made that unlike its peer cities, Columbus’ own safe bicycle lanes system remains dramatically incomplete and unmaintained. Snow removal trucks fill the bike lanes. In the Columbus Way, the lanes stop and start at the behest of private businesses.

Friday, July 7, 7pm; Saturday, July 8, 4pm and 7pm; Sunday, July 9, 4pm; Columbus Performing Arts Center [Van Fleet Theater], 549 Franklin Ave.

Join us for the 11th year at the Columbus Black Theatre Festival this July in Central Ohio, downtown Columbus. The three-day theatre festival of short one-act plays returns this year with the theme “The Right to Choose.”

Our readers have selected seven plays:

(1.): “Daidy or Daddy with an I,” by Louis DeVaughn Nelson and directed by Julie Whitney Scott.

(2.): “Cowboy Chuck,” by Robb Willoughby and directed by Stephen Woosley.

(3.): “The Flash,” by Jasmyn Green and directed by Jasmyn Green.

(4.): “Mrs. Dunn,” by Marj O’Neill-Butler and directed by Alan Tyson

(5.): “I’m Not Buying It,” by Vickie G. Hampton and directed by Ariel Wiles.

(6.): “Bed of Rose Thorns,” by Julie Whitney Scott and directed by Julie Whitney Scott.

(7.): “The Wedding Ceremony,” by Marjorie Conn and directed by Ariel Wiles.