Saturday, May 28, 2011

05-28-11 Activist Calendar

HUDSON VALLEY ACTIVIST CALENDAR
May 28, 2011, Issue #665
Send event announcements to jacdon@earthlink.net
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Dedicated to Helping Build  Activist
Movements  in  the  Hudson  Valley
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Editor's Note: Activist events are greatly reduced in June, July and August, usually resuming with a bang in September. Here are listings for early June. Next week we'll send the rest of the June events. The Activist Newsletter will be out in a few days.
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Thursday, June 2, NEW PALTZ: A public meeting will take place at New Paltz Village Hall at 7 p.m., to discuss the need for the U.S. government to take a firm stand in opposition to global warming along with adopting concrete goals and programs. This free event is sponsored by the Climate Action Coalition. There will be a presentation by coalition member and union representative Donna Goodman, followed by questions, answers and discussion. Goodman will note that while the U.S. is a major contributor to global warming Washington is not fulfilling its responsibility to reduce the nation's reliance on fossil fuels for energy requirements. She will stress the responsibility of citizens in a democracy to insist that their political representatives take action, and also to organize themselves into local groups dedicated to preserving the natural environment and to pointing out the dangers of climate change. The great majority of the world's scientists maintain that greenhouse gas emissions from the use of fossil fuels are leading to increased temperatures over the next decades that will cause havoc on weather patterns and living standards in most parts world. Village Hall is located at 25 Plattekill Ave., a block south of Main St. Information, (845) 255-5779.

Thursday, June 2, CORTLANDT MANOR: "Tell the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Why Indian Point is Not Worth the Risk!" That the call from the environmental group Riverkeeper to attended a public hearing on the "Safety Performance at Indian Point," the nuclear power station located in nearby Buchanan, just 25 miles north of New York City. The 6:30-9:30 p.m. event will be held at Colonial Terrace, 119 Oregon Rd. (Cordlandt Manor is a few miles east of Peekskill and of Buchanan in northwest Westchester.) According to Riverkeeper, "It’s the public’s last chance before the re-licensing hearing in the fall to make sure the NRC, and our local elected officials, hear loud and clear about our concerns following the Fukushima nuclear disaster." Information, info@riverkeeper.org, http://riverkeeper.org.

Saturday, June 4, NEW YORK CITY: A protest in support of imprisoned Army Pfc. Bradley Manning will begin at 12:30 p.m. near the Times Square Recruitment Center, 44th St. and Broadway. The action is in solidarity with a simultaneous rally taking place at Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas, where the 23-year-old Army intelligence analyst is being held in solitary confinement. Manning faces decades in prison for allegedly leaking a video of a U.S. helicopter attack that killed at least 11 Iraqi civilians to the website WikiLeaks. In addition, Manning is suspected of leaking the "Afghan War Diaries" — tens of thousands of battlefield reports that explicitly describe civilian deaths and cover-ups, corrupt officials, collusion with warlords, and a failing US/NATO war effort. The event is sponsored by World Can’t Wait, Veterans for Peace (chapter 034), CodePink NYC, and the Granny Peace Brigade, and is backed by the Bradley Manning Support Network. Information, (866) 973-4463, http://www.bradleymanning.org.

Saturday, June 4 to Sunday, June 5, ALBANY: "Are you a progressive organizer, activist or blogger? Do you want to learn how to beat back the forces of greed and win progressive victories in New York? Justice Works is for you!" That's the invitation from sponsors Citizen Action of New York and Public Policy and Education Fund of N.Y. to "an intense 2-day conference connecting progressive activists who are committed to a fair and just New York. We’ll coordinate campaigns, share strategies and train each other how to achieve justice for our children, at our workplaces and in our communities." The event takes place at Crowne Plaza Hotel, 40 Lodge St. (at State St.). For details about workshops, topics, costs, etc, go to http://justiceworksny.org/. Information, calbanetti@citizenactionny.org, (518) 618-2880.

Sunday, June 5, NEW PALTZ: Ellen Bernstein, acting co-director of IFCO/Pastors for Peace, will discuss the present situation in Cuba, concentrating on the recent proposed economic reforms, the Obama Administration's Cuba policy and related topics, including Cuba's famed Latin America School of Medicine. This free public event is sponsored by the Caribbean and Latin America Support Project (CLASP) and begins at 6 p.m. at New Paltz Village Hall, 25 Plattekill Ave., a block south of Main St. An optional potluck starts at 5 p.m. Information, (845) 255-0113.

Monday, June 6, STONE RIDGE: There will be a public hearing on Hudson River Valley Resort’s draft environmental impact statement for its private luxury resort, spa and large housing development at Williams Lake in Rosendale. The meeting is from 4-6 p.m., and resumed at 7 p.m. at the Quimby Auditorium in Vanderlyn Hall, SUNY Ulster, 491 Cottekill Rd. "This is a chance for the public to speak and to raise questions and concerns." Information, http://savethelakes.us, SavetheLakes@gmail.com, (845) 255-8004.