Sunday, February 24, 2013

Upcoming events for the Asheville area this week

From The Oscars in 1973:





UPCOMING EVENTS

02/25/13 PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING IN ASHEVILLE
This meeting will NOT be about the civil liberties resolution. Reportedly, that topic will be covered in March. And while members of Occupy Asheville have talked about this issue at our meetings and urged people to come, there has not been a endorsement from Occupy Asheville of this resolution (probably because the resolution itself has not been presented at meetings yet). Public Safety Meeting is at 3:30 PM at downtown Fire Station.

02/25/13 EARTH SABBATH
February Asheville Earth Sabbath is from 7 to 7:45 PM at St. Mary's Church (in new hall) on Charlotte Street. “The Inner and Outer Work of Building a Powerful Movement.” Jean Larson leading with guests Maggie Ullman, Emma Greenbaum and others. For more information, contact Jean at larson_jean@hotmail.com.

02/25/13 SPEAKERS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
The Academia and Activism Speaker Series will have a presentation by Catharine Stimpson at 7 PM in Jensen Lecture Hall. It is called “For the relief of the body and the reconstruction of the mind: Thought and Action in the service of Feminism”. For more information call 771-2083.

02/26/13 INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN TESTIMONY WORKSHOP
Transition Asheville will hold a mini-workshop, complete with sample position statements, for those who want to assemble oral and written testimony for the NC Utilities Commission (NCUC) meeting which is March 3 in Asheville. Time for the workshop is 6 PM to 7:30 PM at the West Asheville Library on Haywood Road.  For more info, contact chas.jansen@mtsu.edu, or call 768-1449.

02/27/13 TRANSITION BLACK MOUNTAIN MEETING
Transition Black Mountain will meet to discuss the future of the town at Black Mountain Library. Free. Info: www.facebook.com/TransitionBlackMountain.  Time is 7 PM.

02/27/13 ASHEVILLE SIERRA CLUB TRAINING
Asheville Rate Hike Training will be hosted by the Sierra Club. On March 5th, the NC Utilities Commission will be holding a public hearing on Progress Energy's rate hikes. They are raising our rates to pay for extending the lifeline of coal and gas in North Carolina. Instead, it should invest heavily in energy efficiency and renewable energy, which would cost less in the long run and protect human health and the environment. Please join us to learn what to expect at the rate hike hearing, and how we can amplify our collective voice at the proceedings. Location is 34 Wall Street, 3rd Floor, from 6 to 8 PM. FMI, please contact Emma at emma.greenbaum@sierraclub.org or 520-275-4812.

02/28/13 LECTURE AT UNCA
Evening Lecture with Dr. Yyvone Ortiz-Prince held at the Highsmith Student Union. Dr. Ortiz-Prince is the Executive Director for the AVID Higher Education Program.  She will be discussing the impact of economic class with peers for first generation college students. For more information email dmiles@unca.edu or call 828-232-5024.

02/28/13 SIERRA CLUB MEETING IN BREVARD
Pisgah District Ranger Ibarguen to Speak to the Pisgah Group of the Sierra Club in Brevard February 28. While he will provide a variety of information, logging in the Pisgah National Forest is expected to be one topic that comes up. A recent front-page story in the Transylvania Times noted that the U.S. Forest Service is seeking public input on a proposal to cut 450 acres of timber near Courthouse Falls in Pisgah National Forest. The meeting will be held at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship Church on South Broad Street in Brevard. There will be socializing at 7 p.m. The meeting starts at 7:30. Non-members are welcome; Sierra Club meetings are open to all. For more information, call 877-4070.

02/28/13 SAFE CAROLINAS OFFERING RIDE TO PUBLIC HEARING IN CHARLOTTE
There will be a Public Hearing on Duke/Progress Energy Plan on February 28 at 7 PM in Charlotte, NC. Location is Mecklenburg County Courthouse at 832 East 4th Street in Court Room 5310. SAFE Carolinas is offering a free ride to the hearing in Charlotte, leaving from Asheville at 3 PM. Meet at Westgate Shopping Center parking lot near TCBY. To reserve your seat please call Laura at 828-665-3668. Please include your cell phone number (if none then home #). A sandwich will be offered.  We are arriving around 6 PM for rally and to sign up for speaking.  Please bring a copy of your comments to give to the Commissioners.  Want more info about the meeting? Check out this post: http://quitcoal.org/blog/duke-energy-north-carolina-coal-legacy

03/01/13 JAVA FOR JUSTICE
Pisgah Legal Service celebrates 35 years of pursuing justice and fighting poverty! Pisgah Legal Services, Asheville Radio Group, The Van Winkle Law Firm and BMW of Asheville are partnering with great local coffeehouses to raise money for and awareness of the need for free civil legal aid, helping low-income people in Western North Carolina. Join them  on Friday, March 1st at any of these coffeehouses to enjoy a cup of java and some great company.  http://www.pisgahlegal.org/news-and-events/events-1/java-for-justice/java-for-justice-2013

03/02/13 OCCUPY ASHEVILLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Occupy Asheville will hold a General Assembly at 2 PM at Pritchard Park. All are welcome to come and participate.

03/02/13 URANIUM AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN OUR BACK YARD
There will be a public lecture and discussion on “Atomic Appalachia:  Uranium and Nuclear Weapons in Our Backyard - What You Should Know” Time is 7 to 9 PM and location of event is the top floor of the Battery Park Apartments in downtown Asheville. This lectures will focuses on Eastern Tennessee's uranium and nuclear weapons industry and community activism on public health around nuclear facilities.  Also touches on related impacts due to downwind and downstream movement of radioactive releases, transport of highly radioactive materials on our highways, regional importance to reprocessing, and permanent disposal problems. Presented by New South Network of War Resisters, email newsouthnetwork@gmail.com for more information.

03/02/13 BOYCOTT SODA STREAM IN ASHEVILLE
Western North Carolinians for Peace & Justice in the Middle East will hold a vigil for boycotting illegal settlement products. It will be at S. Tunnel Road (Best Buy). Time is 12 to 1 PM. For more information, contact Suchi at 669-2073.

03/04/13 to 03/31/13 PARALLEL JOURNEYS: EXHIBIT AT UNCA
From March 4 - 31, “Parallel Journeys: World War II and the Holocaust” tells the stories of dozens of teenagers who were witnesses, participants, and often victims of this brutal conflict. Profiles of well-known teens, not all of whom were heroic, are part of the exhibition. Elie Wiesel (Auschwitz survivor and Nobel Peace Prize winner), members of the resistance group the White Rose, and Traudl Junge (Adolf Hitler's secretary) will be included. Lesser-known teens, who survived the concentration camps, hid from the Nazis, led rescue efforts, served as soldiers, remained on the home front, or aided individuals who were targets of Nazi oppression, such as the handicapped, Jehovah's Witnesses, and political prisoners, will finally have their stories told. The "Parallel Journeys" exhibit invites visitors to contemplate ways in which their actions can make a difference in the world today. Located in UNCA Karpen Lobby. For more information email dmiles@unca.edu or call 828-232-5024.

03/04/13 GREEN PARTY MEETING
The Buncombe County GREEN Party's business meeting is open to the public. It is held on the first Monday of the month. Time is 6 PM and location is the Fortune Building (upstairs), at 729 Haywood Rd., West Asheville. Parking in back and on the street. Contact Ronald @ 828-LUCK-180 or Larry @ 828-225-4347 for more information

03/05/13 PUBLIC HEARING ON DUKE RATE HIKES
The Asheville Public Hearing by the NC Utilities Commission will be held at the Buncombe County Courthouse in the basement in District Courtroom 1. Time is 7 PM. Progress Energy/Duke is proposing a 14% rate hike, and their business plan does not include wind, solar or expansion of energy efficiency.

03/06/13 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Topic is North Carolina’s energy future, clean energy solutions and renewables. Time is 7 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Asheville (corner of Charlotte & Edwin). Contact: judymattox@sbcglobal.net, or 828-683-2176 for more information.

03/06/13 OPENING RECEPTION AND KEYNOTE FOR “PARALLEL JOURNEYS”
See description of this exhibit above under 03/04/13. Opening Reception is from 5:30-6:45 PM at UNC Asheville Karpen Lobby. Opening Keynote is at 7 PM at Highsmith Student Union Alumni Hall. “How the Holocaust Shaped My Life” is the topic with Dr. Walter Ziffer speaking. For more information email dmiles@unca.edu or call 828-232-5024.

03/07/13 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
Time is 6:30 PM and location is VFP HQ at the Phil Mechanic Studios: 109 Roberts Street in Asheville. VFP Chapter 099: http://vfpchapter099wnc.blogspot.com/

03/14/13 THE MOST IMPORTANT ERA IN US HISTORY YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TODAY
Dr. James Loewen will present a lecture on the subject presented above at 7 PM at Rhodes-Robinson Lecture Hall, Room 125 at UNCA.  Dr. Loewen is the author of the book “Lies My Teacher Told Me:  Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong.” For more information, please call 828.251.6304 or email amartine@unca.edu.

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ONGOING EVENTS
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MONDAY

TUESDAY
Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument

WEDNESDAY
Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville.

THURSDAY
Asheville Homeless Network meeting at 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe.

FRIDAY
Women in Black have a vigil at 5 PM at Pack Square (Asheville) on the first Friday of the month.
Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville

SATURDAY
Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard.

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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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FROM JILL STEIN, GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT

SIGN ON: Climate Voter Power Pledge

Therefore, I pledge that:
I will not give my vote to any candidate for legislative or executive office who supports the climate-destroying "all of the above" approach to energy.
I also will encourage candidates to support a Green New Deal, creating a zero-carbon, nuclear-free, full employment economy.

Sign here: http://www.jillstein.org/climate?recruiter_id=145701

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Action Alert: Contact Your Legislators and Governor About SB76!
               
Senate Bill 76 was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee on Feb. 21, and could get a vote by the Senate next week and head quickly to the House!
SB76 would set Mar. 1 of 2015 as the date when our moratorium on fracking permits would end. It would pave the way for offshore drilling while putting public health, water and air, and local economies at risk in NC!

Here’s where to get your Senator’s contact info, listed by county  and your Representative’s info.

Gov. McCrory, (919) 733-5811, though favoring drilling, must be told that rushing permitting will only result in accidents and contamination that his administration will take the blame for!

Key reasons to pull out all stops to fight this bill:
*Last year’s Senate Bill 820, which started the process of developing regulations for fracking, required one final vote of approval after seeing the regulations, BEFORE permitting could start. SB76 ignores this reasonable step and lets permitting start by default!
*It would put the livelihood of NC fishermen and coastal tourism at risk by promoting offshore oil and gas drilling
*It removes the requirement for “landmen” to register in North Carolina, leaving property owners vulnerable, and limiting public access to records about companies operating in NC
*It would legalize deep injection of oil and gas wastes, something that has never been allowed in NC, and had been kept OUT of S820 last year.

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