Sunday, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 3:00 – 5:00 PM and Monday – Saturday, 12 PM – 2:00 PM and 5:00  - 7:00 PM. Informational Leafleting at Verizon.

45,000 Verizon workers went on strike on Sunday, August 7th. On Saturday, August 20th, CWA and IBEW announced that they had reached an agreement on bargaining with Verizon.

The unions did not agree to any of the company’s concessionary demands to reach agreement. Instead, it was the solidarity we all showed that created the opportunity for progress. The strike brought Verizon to their knees and brought the company back to the table negotiate in good faith. Verizon workers need your help to keep the pressure on to help win a fair contract with decent wages, good benefits and job security. Mobilization continues. We will continue to keep the pressure on until a fair contract is won!

The informational leafleting at Verizon stores is back at the Taylor Park Verizon Store and a Grove City store. The Verizon wireless store in Reynoldsburg, Ohio is the location starting this weekend.
Demand Health Care for ALL!!  Location will be 2406 Taylor Park Drive (just north of I-70, at SR 256)
and the hours will be:
Monday to Saturday, 12 pm - 2 pm and 5 pm - 7 pm
Sunday, 11 am - 1 pm and 3 pm - 5 pm
Contact Diane Bailey, 614-477-8804, <diane.bailey59@yahoo.com> CWA, to coordinate a time to leaflet in Reynoldsburg.  There is also Grove City leafleting on Wednesdays, but you need to contact Allison Petonic, <allison.petonic@gmail.com> UFCW, to coordinate those times for leafleting.

Monday, August 29^th, 2011, 7:00 PM.  What is the meaning and significance of a DEBT CEILING?  Dr. J. Huston McCulloch, Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, will speak at the St. John's Church, UCC, in downtown Columbus on the meaning and significance of the American Debt Ceiling. Dr. McCulloch has written
about House proposed balance budget amendments within the past.  He is knowledgeable and experienced in discussions related to both debt ceilings and balanced national budgets.  Free and open to the entire community.  Location:  St. John's Church, 59 East Mound Street in downtown Columbus.  Free parking is available in the lot at the corner of 3rd Street and Mound Street. Refreshments served. All are welcome.  If you need more information, please contact:  Earl Wurdlow, Chair of the Currents Committee, (614) 296-6304. 

Tuesday, August 30^th, 2011.  Mosquito Spraying in Clintonville.  Columbus Public Health is planning to spray for mosquitos in the south-central Clintonville area (in an area with North Boundary- Blenheim Rd., East Boundary- Railroad Tracks next I-71, South Boundary- Oakland Park Ave., and West Boundary- N. High St. (map at http://g.co/maps/93a5).  Folks should take care to close their windows prior to the spraying as well as empty birdbaths, pet waterbowls, etc. after the spraying.  They may also wish to hose-off/wash childrens' play items that have remained outside. And most importantly, they should keep their pets inside during the spraying (some of the compounds can be especially toxic to cats).

Wednesday, August 31^st, 2011.  We Believe Ohio Press Conference.  We Believe Ohio, a coalition of faith leaders and people of faith who believe in an Ohio that follows the traditions of kindness and civility that the Abrahamic traditions, will host a kick-off press conference in Columbus on Wednesday, August 31. The press conference will reintroduce the organization to Ohio, and discuss the importance of respecting the labors of both the worker and management as Ohio prepares to celebrate Labor Day. All are welcome to attend.

10:00 am at Trinity Episcopal Church

(for those who wish to process to Trinity we will meet at 9:15 at

First Congregational Church at 444 E. Broad St)

Come call on Faith Communities to lift up labor concerns on Labor Day Weekend through prayer and remembering in our worship that weekend those who labor.

In the press conference we will lift what our faith traditions say about issues of labor. We will confess our failure to protect the rights of our public servants.

We will call upon our legislators to address labor concerns as it relates to Ohio’s budget in a civil manner by working in a bipartisan manner and inviting all sides to the table in developing legislation that is fair and protects the rights of the laborer.

Please invite your members and other clergy to join us in the

press conference. We will meet outside Trinity across from the State House. The press conference should conclude at 10:30.

Please consider going to our website and sign the Labor Pledge

http://webelieveohio.wordpress.com/sign-the-pledge

Friday, September 2^nd, 2011, 5:30-6:00 PM.  Fair Food Friday Event.  Members and allies of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers are holding Fair Food Friday demonstrations at Columbus-area Kroger stores in support of the rights of farm workers.  Location: Kroger’s at 2090 Bethel Rd.  Come straight from work!  Due to the location which offers little space for a demonstration, we'll visit in the store--the more the better though, since we may do a walk-around with some visuals.  For more information, contact:  Susan Carter, ohiofairfood@gmail.com

September 3^rd – 5^th, 2011. 2011 NAICCO Labor Day Pow Wow. The Drum Returns to THE Newark Earthworks. To celebrate, educate, and continue cultural traditions within the Native American community as well as an outreach to all peoples who would like to watch, learn, and experience. Open to public. This yearʼs special event is the new location itself. NAICCO is proud to be working with the Ohio Historical Society and the Licking County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to bring the sound of drums and the Native American presence back to the Earthworks. Worldwide and throughout time, the festival gathering of people in ceremony is our oldest tradition. We are all pleased to invite everyone to gather at this site built some 2000 years ago by Native Americans for ceremony, and the largest set of geometric earthworks built anywhere in the world. Selected head dancers will lead an opening procession daily. Song, dance, arts, crafts, food, informational resources and community sharing will continue for three days. Gates open daily at 11 a.m. Grand Entry of all dancers, along with song and drums, occurs twice daily at 1 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. (1 p.m. on Monday). Stay long enough to notice the many cultural exchanges taking place. Attending a pow wow can dispel many common misconceptions and negative images which

separate peoples from each other. Please help publicize this event so that people can learn and enjoy the Native American experience and more of the history of the land which we all now share. Admission: Adults $7. Seniors and students $3. Children 5 and under are free. Weekend passes are available for $15. Bringing a chair is encouraged. Sponsored by the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio. NAICCO is a member agency of the Franklin County ADAMH Board and Community Shares of Mid

Location: The Neward Earthworks, 455 Hebron Rd/SR 79, Newark, Ohio. For more information, contact: Marilyn McKinley, NAICCO PR Coordinator, (614) 395-1819.

Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio, Mitakuye Oyasin.

Sunday, September 4^th, 2011, 3:00-5:00 PM.  Screening and community discussion of “Hawo’s Dinner Party:  The New Face of Southern Hospitality.”  Economic anxiety and global tensions between America and the Muslim world provide the unhappy backdrop for frictions between Muslim immigrants and refugees in receiving cities and towns across the United States. Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, have not been exempt from those frictions.

Location:  Center of Science and Industry (COSI) at 333 W. Broad Street in downtown Columbus

(Please park in the lots on Belle Street on the West side of COSI, Parking is $5, cash only)

RSVP to hawosdinnerparty@gmail.com

As representatives of the Community Refugee and Immigration Services, the Somali Documentary Project, and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity, we believe well-structured, inclusive community forums can promote respectful community-building in Columbus. "Hawo's Dinner Party" is provided in partnership with Active Voice in association with the BeCause Foundation. Active Voice is a strategic communications nonprofit that "uses film, television and multimedia to spark social change from grassroots to grass tops."

Why this film? "Hawo's Dinner Party" is a 30-minute video module that has been adapted from the documentary Welcome to Shelbyville by Kim A. Snyder. By focusing on the experiences of several Somali residents in Shelbyville, Tennessee - including Hawo, a refugee and former nurse who now works at a local poultry processing plant - the module puts a human face on the complex issues we face in this time of increasing globalization. The story follows Hawo through ESL and citizenship classes, and a tense meeting with the local reporter who has little knowledge of the community he's reporting about. Most importantly, Hawo invites us into her kitchen as she reflects on her flight from the violence of civil war in her native Somalia, how it feels to live in such a radically different culture, and her vision for making this small town her permanent home.  Following the screening, we will have facilitated discussion groups that create space for participants to reflect on the film and the issues it raises, especially as they may resonate for us here in Columbus. Representatives from key Columbus service providers and community organizations will serve as resources. Our intention is to provide a venue where diverse members of the Columbus community will feel welcome and free to share their concerns, exchange valuable information, create new relationships, and deepen existing ones.

In light of the drought and famine hurting millions of people in Somalia, as well as Kenya and Ethiopia, the September 4^th event will also serve as a fundraiser, with proceeds going entirely to the American Refugee Committee. The American Refugee Committee has joined forces with the American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa to provide nutritious food for families in Mogadishu. In addition to food, they are distributing basic essentials like tents, plastic sheets, bedding, eating utensils, and soap. $100 provides a month of food for a family and 90 cents of every dollar donated to ARC will directly support people and communities in need.

To make an individual or organizational donation to the American Refugee Committee on behalf of famine and drought relief in the Horn of Africa, please visit www.ARCrelief.org/somaliafamine. Donations can also be sent directly to ARC headquarters at 430 Oak Grove St, Ste 204, Minneapolis, MN 55403. All gifts are 100% tax-deductible, as allowed by law.

Cost: FREE (light refreshments provided; parking at COSI costs $5) . Event Flyer - Event eFlyer

Wednesday, September 7^th, 2011.  Public Sector Collective Bargaining.  Stephen B. Hills, associate professor emeritus of management and human resources at OSU and author of the book, Employment Relations and Social Sciences will present the topic geared to ballot issue 2 (SB 5).  His presentation will be followed by moderated discussion.  Location:  Whetstone Library, 3909 N. High St. Sponsored by the Council for Public Deliberation. 

Also, see http://www.facebook.com/pages/Council-for-Public-Deliberation/118191408217990

Thursday, September 8^th, 2011, 6:30 PM.   Rain Garden Workshop Offered by Franklin Soil and Water.  The Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District will offer a Rain Garden Workshop at the Worthington Community Center.  Location: 345 E. Wilson Bridge Rd. Worthington, OH 43085. Cost of the workshop is $20 per person and covers the cost of the instructor and instructional materials attendees can take home. Participants will also have an opportunity to join CORGI (Central Ohio Rain Garden Initiative). Registration is available in person at the Community Center, or on the web (coming soon) at http://www.worthington.org. For more information about rain gardens, click here.

Thursday, September 8, 1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Eastern time.  Webinar:  Wake-Up Call to the Nation:  How to Use the New Poverty and Health Insurance Data.  On September 13, the Census Bureau will publish its annual survey of poverty, income, and health insurance coverage, including national and some state data for 2010. Then on September 22 a wealth of state and local Census survey data will be released. Last year, we learned the number of poor people shot up by 7.1 million from 2006 to 2009, that the number of people with private health coverage continued to plummet, and that one-third of our nation were either poor or near poor. Few expect improvement this year.
This new data should wake us to the need to rebuild our economy and protect our people. It’s hard to think of a time when the nation’s needs and the decision-makers’ nostrums were farther apart. The facts of September can help build the demand for real solutions.
This webinar can help you be an educator and an alarm-sounder. You’ll learn the best predictions about what the data will show. You’ll get a practical guide to finding and using the data quickly and accurately. And you’ll learn how the stories the data tell can help us fight the cuts threatened in Washington and in state capitals.
Register today!
Presenters:
Arloc Sherman, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: He has decades of experience mining Census data to reveal powerful truths about the impact of poverty.
Deborah Weinstein, Coalition on Human Needs: Census data jockey who will guide you straight to the data you need.
The Coalition on Human Needs appreciates the help of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in preparing this webinar, and the generous support of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, the ELCA World Hunger Grant Program, and anonymous donors.
How this webinar can help you:
• Show you how to get your state’s poverty and health insurance data as soon as it comes out, so you can comment to the press in time for the first coverage and help to shape the public’s understanding of what it means.
• Prepare press releases, blogs, letters to the editor, and other press pieces to tie the findings to their policy implications (protect Medicaid, SNAP/food stamps, unemployment insurance, etc.)
• Keep you up to date on the federal budget threats (lots) and opportunities (well, some) the new data relate to.
• Give you the opportunity to ask questions during the webinar and to get follow-up help when the data are released.

Register Today: https://chn.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=9173

September 9, 10, and 11, 2011.  Hot Times Art and Music Festival.  It's a mini-Comfest! Plan now to attend the Hot Times Festival the weekend of Sept 9-10-11. Art cars, two music stages, food vendors, art exhibits, kid friendly activities, and more. Friday night kicks off with the party for Comfest volunteers and a group picture. Also on Friday is the Simply Living Social event (see details in the Calendar). Click here for all the offerings and schedule of events. Location: 240 Parsons Avenue Columbus, Ohio 43215.  Website:   Hot Times Art and Music Festival

Friday, September 9^th, 2011, 5:30 - 6:30 PM.  Fair Food Friday Event.  Members and allies of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers are holding Fair Food Friday demonstrations at Columbus-area Kroger stores in support of the rights of farm workers.  Location: Kroger’s at 2090 Bethel Rd.  Please mark on your calendar and tell your friends.  We can really get public attention at this great location with busy street and visible public sidewalk.  It's ready-made for our first major demonstration, so I'll bring signs and banners and other ways to let Kroger know we're gathering strength in Ohio.  Location:  Kroger’s 1350 North High Street.  For more information, please contact:  Susan Carter, ohiofairfood@gmail.com
 

Saturday,  September 10^th, 2011, 6:30 PM – Midnight. Second Saturday Salon at the Free Press. Enjoy food, drink, music, art, good friends and acquaintances for socializing, networking, and just relaxing and having fun. Location: 1021 E. Broad St., east side door, parking in rear. Contacts: <truth@freepress.org> or call 614-253-2571

September 10^th, 2011.  UNA’s 13^th Model United Nations Symposium.  The goal of Model UN is to give students and instructors from different backgrounds the chance to debate issues of global importance, appreciate intellectuals of different mindsets, and work together to achieve international peace. The symposium is open to college students, college and high school faculty, and by invitation to high school students. They will acquire experience in debate, critical thinking and problem solving, delegation, and negotiation. Teachers will be provided a hands on experience, showing them how productive Model UN can be and the wonderful tools it provides to students. International awareness must be increased, especially for young students- they are our future! Come participate and help to learn and show how important the United Nations and international participation can be!

This will be a great networking opportunity, You will have a chance to speak to former UN employees, child soldier survivors, and many other students and instructors. We hope to hear from you soon regarding when we can come by to give a presentation to your students and register for the symposium.

Refreshments will be provided, and 4 CEU credits will be provided!

Contact:  Len Baldwin, President of UNA-Columbus, phone:  937-309-6500

Saturday, September 10^th, 2011, 7:00-9:00 PM.  1961 Flashback: the Hit Songs of Sam Cooke, Ricky Nelson, and the Everlys.  Travel back 50 years as Bill Cohen takes us on a musical journey to the early years of rock and roll. He’ll be strumming and singing about 20 hits made famous by Sam Cooke, the Everly Brothers, and Ricky Nelson.

The memory-filled evening will also feature a top-notch backup band – Brian Szuch on lead electric guitar, Renilda Marshall on bass, and Rebecca Stansbury on violin and percussion.

The concert, titled “50 Years ago,” will take place Saturday September 10 in the basement Fellowship Hall of the Overbrook Presbyterian Church at 4131 N. High in Columbus.  The show will run from 7 to 9 p.m. Plenty of free parking is available in the church lot and on nearby streets.

The songs themselves --- ranging from “Travelin Man” and “All I Have to is Dream” to “Chain Gang” and “You Send Me” – will be center stage. But Bill will also help turn back the clock with fun trivia questions about other 1961 hits and popular culture.

As usual, there will also be a couple of surprises, plus refreshments.

$10 per person donations are suggested at the door.  Proceeds will go to pay expenses for Bill’s wife Randi and their daughter Hannah to staff a volunteer medical mission to the Dominican Republic.  That’s where U.S. doctors, nurses, and medical students from the non-profit International Medical Alliance of Tennessee annually provide basic medical care for about a thousand Spanish-speaking villagers.  Next February, Hannah and Randi will serve as interpreters as they have before.

For more information, call Bill at (614) 263-3851. Or contact billcohen@columbus.rr.com

Sunday, September 11^th, 2011, 4:00-5:30 PM.  Ohio Interfaith Prayer Service.   On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we gather as communities of diverse faiths to:
- pray for all affected by the tragedy;
- honor the creative human responses;
- promote peace and interfaith harmony;
- and foster unity among people of Ohio.”

Location:  Atrium of The Ohio Statehouse, Columbus, Ohio.

Co-Sponsors:  Central Ohioans for Peace, Columbus Jewish Federation, Columbus Metropolitan Area Church Council, Council on American Islamic Relations – Ohio, Interfaith Association of Central Ohio, Ohio Catholic Conference, Ohio Council of Churches, Ohio Jewish Communities, Office for Social Concerns - Catholic Diocese Columbus, Muslim Students’ Association at OSU, Sikh Educational and Religious Foundation, and United Church of Christ, Ohio Conference.  For more information or to join as a co-sponsor of the event, please email iaco@iaco.org.

Monday, September 12^th, 2011 at 7:00 PM. Central Ohioians For Peace Meeting.  Special Program:  "Palestine’s Approach to the United Nations" with Professor John Quigley.  John Quigley is President’s Club Professor in Law at the Moritz College of Law of the Ohio State University. His specialty is international law, and he has written extensively on the Palestine-Israel conflict. His most recent book is “The Statehood of Palestine: International Law in the Middle East Conflict” (Cambridge University Press, 2010).   Location: Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park (one block north of N. Broadway), Cols., 43214.   Central The latest information about our upcoming meetings can be found on our new website at   https://sites.google.com/site/centralohioansforpeace/

Monday, September 12^th, 2011, 6:30 PM.  Franklin County Greens Meeting.  Open business meeting.  Location:  Location:  Northwood Building, room 100, 2231 North High St. (corner of Northwood and N. High St.), parking available in visitor spaces behind the building.  For more information, please contact fcgreenparty@gmail.com

Monday, September 12^th, 2011, 7:00 PM.  Federal Healthcare Insurance Mandate.  Francis Beytagh, Professor Emeritus from the Ohio State University Mortiz College of Law will present background information on the Federal Healthcare Insurance Mandate.  His presentation will be followed by moderated discussion.  Location:  Whetstone Library, 3909 N. High St. Sponsored by the Council for Public Deliberation.   Also, see http://www.facebook.com/pages/Council-for-Public-Deliberation/118191408217990
 

Monday, September 12^th, 2011, 7:30 PM.  Contested Streets.  Early Bird Screening for the Columbus International Film + Video Festival.  CONTESTED STREETS explores the history and culture of New York City streets from pre-automobile times to the present. This examination allows for an understanding of how the city - though the most well served by mass transit in the United States - has slowly relinquished what was a rich, multi-dimensional conception of the street as public space to a mindset that prioritizes the rapid movement of cars and trucks over all other functions.
Central to the story is a comparison of New York to what is experienced in London, Paris and Copenhagen. Interviews and footage shot in these cities showcase how limiting automobile use in recent years has improved air quality, minimized noise pollution and enriched commercial, recreational and community interaction. London's congestion pricing scheme, Paris' BRT (bus rapid transit) and Copenhagen's bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure are all examined in depth. New York City, though to many the most vibrant and dynamic city on Earth, still has lessons to learn from Old Europe.

Admission is $5.  This screening is co sponsored by the Sierra Club and MORPC.

Location:  Gateway Film Center , 1550 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio, USA 43215

September 15^th, 2011, 8:30-9:30 PM. Health Care for All.  Join host Debbie Silverstein every third Thursday of the month from 8:30-9:30 PM ET on WCAN radio for Health Care for All sponsored by SPAN Ohio.  This month’s  program will feature special guest Dr. Jonathan Ross.  Guaranteed to be informative and entertaining!  Find out why improved and expanded Medicare for All is JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERS. Listen live on line at  www.wcanradio.com

Thursday, September 15^th, 2011.  Palestine Is Coming to the U.N.!

Rally, Thursday, September 15, to demand:

Palestine: Sovereignty Now!

Palestine: Enforce the Right of Return!

Palestine: Full Equality for All!

5 pm: Gather at Times Square

6 pm: March to Grand Central and then over to the U.N., as we say:

End All U.S. Aid to Israel!

End the Occupation!

Support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions!

For more information, email palestineun@gmail.com

Sponsored by the Palestine U.N. Solidarity Coalition

Thursday, September 15^th, 2011,  7:00 PM.  Pax Christi Meeting.  Members of Pax Christi International, the Catholic peace movement, strive to create a world that reflects the Gospel by exploring and witnessing to the call of Christian nonviolence.  This work begins in our personal lives and is extended to all those we meet.  Pax Christi rejects war, preparations for war, and every form of violence and domination. We advocate peaceful conflict resolution, economic and social justice, and respect for all life and all creation.  Pax Christi works toward a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world.  The Columbus chapter meets the third Thursday of each month at 7pm at the St. Thomas More Newman Center, 64 W. Lane Ave.  For more information, contact Grace Rees at grace.rees2@gmail.com or at 614-784-9139.

Thursday, September 15^th, 2011, 7:00 PM.  Democratic Socialists of Central Ohio Meeting.  This is an open business/planning meeting for upcoming events and campaigns.  Location:  Northwood Building, room 100, 2231 North High St. (corner of Northwood and N. High St.), parking available in visitor spaces behind the building.  For more information, please contact smorgen@juno.com or website www.dsco.org     

Friday, September 16^th, 2011, 6-8:00 PM.  CSTB (Care and Share Time Bank) Potluck.  Meet your CSTB Community, share  a potluck, register (if you haven't already), discuss and add services,  brainstorm growing the TB, and earn 2 time credits. We'll introduce the new CSTB Web site!  September CSTB Potluck will be held Friday, September 16 at the Simply Living Offices, 2350 Indianola Ave (Maynard Ave UMC).  Bring your own table service (less to clean up afterward). Invite your friends who might be interested.

Saturday, September 17^th, 2011, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM.  Day of Mindfulness Will Discuss Reconciliation Approach of Thich Nhat Hanh.  We will be discussing the book Reconcillation: Healing the Inner Child by TNH. It is not necessary to read the book, in the event that you just want to join the discussion, come. You can order the book for $14.95 from . parallaxpress.org, the publishing company for Thich Nhat Hanh. "A simple but penetrating perspective on transforming our childhood pain and confusion into strength and clarity." — Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, offers unique insights on how mindfulness practice can encourage wellness and balanced mental health, and help heal childhood suffering and trauma. With personal stories, techniques for dealing with old and new situations, and advice for building strong and long-lasting relationships, Reconciliation is full of concrete practices for healing the inner child. Nhat Hanh shows how mindfulness can transform anger, sadness, and fear and allow joy and tranquility to flourish. Please bring a vegetarian dish to share. Bring an instrument to play. A voice to sing. A friend. And, a smile to give. Location: Unity Church, 4211 Maize Rd. 43224. Contact: Art Yoho <art@lovebarbecue.com>.

September 18-20, 2011. WAND/WILL Conference: Women at the Table of Power.

Come join us for an exciting and informative three days in Washington, DC! The biennial conference presents a unique opportunity to exchange strategies and ideas with fellow women state legislators and community leaders from across the country. Don't miss out on this chance to build your legislative skills, network professionally, and share in the WiLL expertise and energy! Please call 202-544-5055 for further information see: WAND/Will

Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 4:30-6:30 PM.  Rally for Ohio’s Energy Future.  Join us to stand up for Renewables, Energy Efficiency and bringing jobs to Ohio. Say NO to Fracking and YES to Wind and Solar at Gov.
12:00 pm - come out early and help promote the rally
4:30 - 6:30 pm - Main event with music, speakers and elected officials.
Kasich's Summit on Energy and Economy. RSVP via http://www.nofrackohio.com/

Location:  OSU Student Union, 1739 N. High St., Columbus

 

September 24^th, 2011, 12 Noon – 4:00 PM.  www.BIKE2thefuture.org – A Ride and Festival to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels.  Columbus will be a part in a worldwide gathering of tens of thousands of people, in hundreds of cities and towns from almost every country.  The action will be a mass bike ride to showcase alternative transportation that does not emit carbon dioxide.  The bike ride begins at12 pm in Franklin Park Columbus, OH.  The route will be approximately 8 miles starting and returning to Franklin Park Amphitheater.  At the amphitheater we will have a climate solution "party" with speakers, tables, music, and food to purchase.  Everyone in central Ohio is invited to be part of this worldwide event. The bicycle ride and celebration will be our piece in this global effort to mark one day to move beyond fossil fuels.  Sponsors:  350.org , Sierra Club Beyond Coal, considerbiking. 
To register go to Columbus 350 on Facebook.  

Saturday, September 24, 2011, 10 AM – Noon.  Hands Off Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid.  NO CUTS TO THESE VITAL SAFETY NET PROGRAMS!  Devastating cuts in benefits to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid recipients could be enacted within a few months following recent Congressional action. This would undermine living standards and health care coverage for over 100 million people.

The undemocratic Congressional “super committee” of 12 could do that, with Congress limited to voting “yes” or “no” on their recommendations, and with no opportunity to offer amendments.

Get the facts! Find out what’s going on! Learn what we can do to save our pensions, retirement security, and health care.

Speakers:

Norm Wernet, Field Organizer, Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans; Semanthie Brooks, Director of Community Advocacy, Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging; David Sheagley, Regional Vice President, SSA Field Offices Chicago Region, AFGE Council 220, AFGE Local 3448 SSA Field Offices, Ohio; Greg Coleridge, Director, Northeast Ohio AFSC; Rachel DeGolia, Director of national UHCAN, the Universal Health Care Action Network; Deb Silverstein, SPAN Ohio Regional Coordinator; Jerry Gordon, Secretary, Emergency Labor Network

Sponsors (partial list):

North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, Alliance for Retired Americans in Ohio, Cleveland Jobs with Justice, Antioch Baptist Church, American Federation of Government Employees, Emergency Labor Network, Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee, Single-Payer Action Network Ohio, Universal Health Care Action Network (National), Universal Health Care Action Network Ohio, Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice, Progressive Democrats of America Ohio Chapter, Cleveland Peace Action

Free Admission – Free Parking

More information: Jerry Gordon, 216-382-4597 / emergencylabor@aol.com or

Greg Coleridge, 330-928-2301 / gcoleridge@afsc.org

Location:  Laborers Union Hall, 3250 Euclid Ave., Cleveland (enter parking lot from Prospect Ave.)

Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com.

Location:  St. Elizabeth Church, 6077 Sharon Woods Blvd, Columbus (43229)

September 27^th, 2011, 6:30-9:00 PM.  Okla-Choctaw Wisdom Keeper Offers Teachings on Native American Spirituality.  Rainbow Eagle is a Wisdom Keeper, honored with the responsibility of an Ancient Native American Peace Shield. Now that the Seventh Fire of the Anishinabe/Ojibwa traditions has been lit, he is responsible for teaching the traditions of the peace shield. Rainbow Eagle has spent most of his life traveling and living among traditional Native Americans, both on and off reservations in the United States and Canada, sharing with traditional people, and learning from their most respected elders. He is a revered storyteller and teacher. All are invited to join Rainbow Eagle, Okla-Choctaw American Indian, for three evening teachings on Native American Spirituality. Location: Worthington Arms (Clubhouse) 5277 Columbus Pike (US 23), Lewis Center, OH 43035. Questions: Call 740-815-1643 or email gentleheart2821@yahoo.com or visit http://www.rainboweagle.com. Love Offerings will be appreciated.

September 28-30, 2011. SAVE-THE-DATE National Training Conference. “Informing Cultural Competence through Research and Best Practices—Eliminating Disparities across Systems.” CARE Trainings -- Register Now. The CARE training session(s) will help you increase your knowledge and understanding about the impact of cultural practices and beliefs on the patient/client - provider relationship, and provide opportunities for developing strategies to strengthen your cross-cultural skills. The training is targeted to behavioral/health care and human services professionals, as well as others who are interested in learning more about how to better serve the needs of our community's diverse populations. The cost of the CARE training Level I (3 hour session) is $35 for MACC members and $45 for non-members and CARE Level II (8 hours) is $120 and $150 accordingly. CEU’s are available for RNs/LPNs and LSWs/LISWs; application has been made for CEU’s for Counseling and Ohio Chemical Dependency professionals. Location: Embassy Suites, Columbus – Airport, 2886 Airport Drive, Columbus, OH 43219. Fax the registration brochure to 614-487-9320. For more information about CARE trainings click here. Sponsored by the Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence in partnership with the National Leadership Council on African American Behavioral Health.

Friday, September 30^th, 2011, 5:30 PM.  Critical Mass Bike Ride.  Meet at 5:30 at the statue in front of the Statehouse, and go for a bike ride at 6pm. Broad and High in Columbus. Protest the war for oil and smelly cars. It's tomorrow- Last Friday of every month!!  Contact:  cgadellnewton@gmail.com

Saturday, October 1, 2011.  Join rallies against more nuclear at Davis-Besse and Fermi!  Sierrans from Ohio and Michigan will participate with several other organizations in rallies in Monroe and Toledo. Kickoff is at 11 am at a public park in Monroe, MI, focusing on stopping development of a new Fermi 3 nuclear plant and on shutting down existing Unit 2. There will then be a carpool to Toledo where a rally will start at 1pm at Promenade Park, downtown across Summit Street from Toledo Edison headquarters. The rally will call for the immediate shutdown of Davis-Besse. There will be musical acts, great speakers and food at both events. The Nuclear Issues Committee is emphasizing the importance of Sierrans attending the Toledo rally to emphasize that a 20-year license extension should not be given to the accident-plagued Davis-Besse reactor. If you would like to carpool from Columbus either to Toledo or to both events, please contact Connie Hammond at cmhammond11@att.net or (614) 531-4146.

Wednesday, October 5^th, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com.  Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  All Saints Academy, 2855 East Livingston Ave., Columbus (43209) (Next to Christ the King Catholic Church)

Thursday, October 6^th, 2011.  Protest continued U.S. troops in Afghanistan in Freedom Plaza, D.C.  Take the Pledge.   "I pledge that if any U.S. troops, contractors, or mercenaries remain in Afghanistan on Thursday, October 6, 2011, as that occupation goes into its 11th year, I will commit to being in Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., with others on that day or the days immediately following, for as long as I can, with the intention of making it our Tahrir Square, Cairo, our Madison, Wisconsin, where we will NONVIOLENTLY resist the corporate machine by occupying Freedom Plaza to demand that America's resources be invested in human needs and environmental protection instead of war and exploitation. We can do this together. We will be the beginning."

For more information, see http://october2011.org

Thursday, October 6^th, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. 
First Unitarian Universalist Church Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).
93 West Weisheimer Road, Columbus (43214)

Monday, October 10, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  Congregation Beth Shalom
5089 Johnstown Road, New Albany (43054)

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church
1636 Graham Road, Reynoldsburg (43068)

October 11, 2011.  Stop the Machine! Create a New World!  A Call to Action in Washington D.C.

October 2011 is the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan and the beginning of the 2012 federal austerity budget. It is time to light the spark that sets off a true democratic, nonviolent transition to a world in which people are freed to create just and sustainable solutions.

We call on people of conscience and courage—all who seek peace, economic justice, human rights and a healthy environment—to join together in Washington, D.C., beginning on Oct. 6, 2011, in nonviolent resistance similar to the Arab Spring and the Midwest awakening.

A concert, rally and protest will kick off a powerful and sustained nonviolent resistance to the corporate criminals that dominate our government.

"Stop the Machine! • Create a New World!" is a clarion call for all who are deeply concerned with injustice, militarism and environmental destruction to join in ending concentrated corporate power and taking direct control of a real participatory democracy. We will encourage a culture of resistance—using music, art, theater and direct nonviolent action—to take control of our country and our lives. It is about courageously resisting and stopping the corporate state from destroying not only our inherent rights and freedoms, but also our children’s chance to live, breathe clean air, drink pure water, grow edible natural food and live in peace.

As Mother Jones said, "Someday the workers will take possession of your city hall, and when we do, no child will be sacrificed on the altar of profit!"

We are the ones who can create a new and just world. Our issues are connected. We are connected. Join us in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 6, 2011, to Stop the Machine.

http://october2011.org/statement

http://october2011.org

Tuesday, October 11, 2011. MORPC Summit on Sustainability & the Environment. Eco-Innovation Across Borders: Best Practices Here and Abroad. The Summit is MORPC’s signature environmental conference in Central Ohio each year, developed to aid community leaders, businesses and individuals in going green. The Summit offers a valuable learning experience with the opportunity to network and socialize with like-minded peers. This exciting event brings hundreds of people together from diverse backgrounds who share a common interest in making the world a better place for existing and future generations.

Event highlights:

Keynote by Amy Camacho, Secretary of Environmental Sustainability and Land Management of the State of Puebla, Mexico. The keynote is hosted in partnership with Columbus Council on World Affairs.

Engaging workshops on the topics of clean and efficient vehicles, greenways and trails, green buildings and climate change adaptation.

The second annual Sustainability Awards to recognize achievements in multiple categories of environmental stewardship. Stay tuned for more information and a nomination form in August.

Exhibit Hall to showcase environmental products and services to hundreds of attendees.

Pre-event reception on Oct. 10, 6-8 p.m. at the Wexner Center for the Arts, featuring environmentally-themed art exhibitions, hors d'oeuvres, and Green Pact signing ceremony.
Location: COSI, 333 W. Broad Street, Columbus, OH.

Pre-event Reception:
October 10, 2011 at the Wexner Center for the Arts, 1871 N. High Street, Columbus, OH

Registration page coming soon! Please email Shari Saunders for early registration.

Ticket prices:

Summit on Sustainability & the Environment (Oct. 11, 2011): $65
Pre-event Reception (Oct. 10, 2011): $25
Both Summit & Pre-event: $85
Summit keynote luncheon only: $50

Summit Sponsorship and Exhibitor Opportunities:

Each year, the Summit is made possible through the generous support of event sponsors. Sponsorship provides an opportunity for your business or organization to gain visibility and share your message with hundreds of attendees from the public and private sector.

Click here for a menu of Summit sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities. Contact Brandi Whetstone at 614-233-4174 for questions or to reserve your spot.

Thursday, October 14^th, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  Temple Beth Shalom, 5089 Johnstown Road, New Albany (43054)

Saturday, October 16, 2011, 12:30 PM. ANSWER march in Chicago on the 9th Anniversary of Afghanistan war. October 16 is being organized by dozens of antiwar and social justice organizations in Chicago and across the Midwest. Bring your signs and banners and join us in the streets. Assemble at Michigan & Congress, MARCH ON MICHIGAN AVE! For more information: http://www.chicagoanswer.net/October16.htm

Sunday, October 16, 2011, 12:00 noon - 3:00 PM. Faith Perspectives on Becoming a Peacemaker in Our Community Interfaith Association of Central Ohio (IACO)19th Annual Main Event Luncheon.

Location: University Plaza Hotel, 3110 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43202

Guest Speaker: Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana

President of the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education (SCUPE) in Chicago & Past Director for the Program on Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation, World Council of Churches (WCC) in Geneva, Switzerland
Registration Form:

Name(s) _________________________________ Phone number ______________________________

Address ________________________________City _____________ State__________ Zip _________

Email address _________________________________________ Faith affiliation: __________________

Cost: $30 per person: _______ dinners at $30 each = $ __________

Meal preference: None ____ Vegetarian ____ Vegan ____ Kosher ____ Halal ____ Gluten-free ____

Make your check payable to IACO and mail with this completed form to
IACO, 57 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215

Deadline for non-refundable reservations is October 7, 2011. Online reservations via PayPal at iaco.org/events. For more information, please contact us by phone: 614-849-0290, or e-mail: iaco@iaco.org

October 18^th, 2011, 6:30-9:00 PM.  Okla-Choctaw Wisdom Keeper Offers Teachings on Native American Spirituality.  Rainbow Eagle is a Wisdom Keeper, honored with the responsibility of an Ancient Native American Peace Shield. Now that the Seventh Fire of the Anishinabe/Ojibwa traditions has been lit, he is responsible for teaching the traditions of the peace shield. Rainbow Eagle has spent most of his life traveling and living among traditional Native Americans, both on and off reservations in the United States and Canada, sharing with traditional people, and learning from their most respected elders. He is a revered storyteller and teacher. All are invited to join Rainbow Eagle, Okla-Choctaw American Indian, for three evening teachings on Native American Spirituality. Location: Worthington Arms (Clubhouse) 5277 Columbus Pike (US 23), Lewis Center, OH 43035. Questions: Call 740-815-1643 or email gentleheart2821@yahoo.com or visit http://www.rainboweagle.com. Love Offerings will be appreciated.

Tuesday, October 18^th, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  McConnell Art Center, 777 Evening Street, Worthington (43085)

Monday, October 24^th, 2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  Congregation Tifereth Israel
1354 East Broad Street, Columbus (43205)

Thursday, October 27th,  2011, 6:30 PM reception, 7:00-9:00 PM program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  Torat Emet (Main Street Synagogue) 2375 East Main Street, Bexley (43209)

Friday, October 28^th, 2011, 9:00 AM reception, 9:30-11:00 AM Program.  Franklin county Consortium for Good Government’s Meet the Candidates Forum.  These events will feature candidates for statewide issues, county judges, local mayoral, city council, and school board races.  A map and calendar of the Consortium’s “Meet the Candidates” Forum events, directions to each event and lists of races scheduled and candidates invited to appear at each event are available at the Consortium’s Web site at http://franklincountyconsortium.com. Sites and dates may change. For complete and updated information, please visit the Consortium’s Web site or call Event Coordinator Debby Rosenthal at (614) 383‑VOTE (383-8683).  Location:  Jewish Community Center, 1125 College Avenue, Columbus (43209)

Saturday and Sunday, November 5^th and 6^th, 2011. Save the Date for the Columbus International Festival. Location: Veteran’s Memorial, 300 W. Broad St., Columbus. More information: http://www.unacol.org/international_festival.html

Saturday, November 5^th, 2011, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.  Ohio Street Protest For Gay Marriage!  There will be a street protest held in "Support of Gay Marriage."  On November 5th. 3 days before voting day in Cincinnati, OH.
It will be at Fountain Square in Cincinnati, OH.  You will want to make signs for the protest.   For this too work we will need a large amount of Protesters!  We will be meeting there at 11:00am.
TO HELP US IN OUR EFFORTS INVITE ALL YOUR FRIENDS!
Even if you cant make it we ask you invite your friends to help spread word!
Its time for Ohio to legalize "GAY MARRIAGE!"
If you coming shot us an email. Also if you have any questions email us!
rainbowmarriageohio2011@ya​hoo.com
I WILL SEND YOU REMINDER BEFORE THE EVENT AND INFORMATION ON THE EVENT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237526392953598

November 11 – 13, 2011.   UNAC national Conference TO BRING THE TROOPS AND WAR DOLLARS HOME NOW!  In the summer of 2010, 800 activists from peace, environmental, economic and social justice groups from around the country gathered in Albany for the largest movement conference held since 9/11 and the initiation of the so-called “War on Terror”. The conference presented a wealth of dynamic speakers and dozens of panels and workshops focusing on analyses, issues and actions in order to organize effectively for ending US wars and for social change. An ambitious action plan was adopted and a new national coalition, UNAC, the United National Antiwar Committee, was formed.

Since then, UNAC has implemented the action program, culminating in large bi-coastal mobilizations on April 9-10, 2011, and responded to the huge events of recent months: the popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and other North African countries; the fight backs to union-busting and cuts to social services in Wisconsin and elsewhere; the wars at home on communities of color, rising Islamophobia and racist attacks on Muslims and pre-emptive prosecutions; activists targeted by the FBI; attacks on civil liberties; environmental destruction and global warming; struggles to end the siege of Gaza, threats to Iran and No. Korea; the dangers of nuclear power; and the endless wars continuing in Iraq, Afghanistan, and now expanding in Libya.

As we see in Egypt and throughout history, all critical social change comes through the direct, massive, independent intervention of the people. This does not happen spontaneously.

It is time for a unified movement to meet again to learn, to strategize, to plan and to organize in order to take stock and to move forward collectively. Everyone attending this one-person, one-vote conference has an equal voice and responsibility for the direction of the movement and the development of an action program to carry us through 2012.

Location:  Stamford, Ct.  For more information, please contact:  UNITED NATIONAL ANTIWAR COMMITTEE (UNAC) www.UNACpeace.org UNACpeace@gmail.com 518-227-6947

November 18^th – 20^th, 2011. Commemorate the Martyrs, Celebrate the Resistance: Close the SOA! This November, the SOA Watch movement returns to the gates of Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia. We will strengthen and build alliances, remember our fallen sisters and brothers in struggle; demand the closure of the SOA/WHINSEC; and an end to oppressive U.S. foreign policy in the hemisphere. Our yearly vigil is a dynamic and transformative space, attracting thousands of all ages, colors, genders, and abilities, with last year's being the most inclusive and energetic thus far! For details, see: SOA Watch