PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS: Blogs, May Elections, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Steel-City Stonewall Democrats Endorsements

The Steel-City Stonewall Democrats are the first group to announce their endorsement slate for the May 2009 Primary elections:

STRONGLY ENDORSED CANDIDATES

* Pennsylvania Supreme Court
o Teresa Sarmina - http://www.sarmina09.com/
* Pennsylvania Superior Court
o Ann Lazarus - http://www.lazarusforsuperiorcourt.org/
o Kevin McCarthy
* Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
o Barbara Behrend Ernsberger
* Allegheny Court of Common Pleas
o Hugh Fitzpatrick McGough - http://www.mcgough4judge.com/, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hugh-McGough/43836122521
* Allegheny County Sheriff
o Bill Mullen
* Allegheny County Council
o District 1 - Thomas R. Michalow
o District 13 - Amanda Green - http://www.greenforthirteen.com/
* Pittsburgh City Council
o District 4 - Natalia Rudiak - http://nataliarudiak.com/
o District 8 - Bill Peduto

RECOMMENDED CANDIDATES

* Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court
o Linda S. Judson
* Allegheny Court of Common Pleas
o Joe Williams
* Allegheny County Council
o District 3 - Jim Burn
* Mayor of Pittsburgh
o Patrick Dowd
* Pittsburgh City Council
o District 2 - Georgia Blotzer

HONORABLE MENTION

* Pennsylvania Superior Court
o Robert Colville
* Allegheny Court of Common Pleas
o Susan Evanshavik DiLucente
o Arnie Klein
o Don Walko
* Pittsburgh City Council
o Tonya Payne.

Completed questionnaires from all of the above candidates are posted in the news sections of www.steel-city.org


BLOGGING PENNSYLVANIA:

Lefty Blogs Pennsylvania: a roundup of Progressive News in Pennsylvania

Keystone Politics: Politics around Pennsylvania

Progress Pittsburgh is building a broad coalition of progressives to transform the governance of our city. Decades of mismanagement by directionless leadership and regressive machine politics have put our city at the brink of collapse. We need a transformation: new vision, new blood, and a new democratic process. We are working to make this transformation happen.

The Pennsylvania Progressive, brining you Pennsylvania News and Politics from a...well, PROGRESSIVE view.

THE HUDDLER: A Pittsburgh blog, political rag, cyber tabloid, and place to hear the word on the street, from the outside looking in


Some Stories of Interest:

Conservatives Lying About Healthcare...Why do Republicans just keep on lying? I guess they can't win honestly, so they resort to lying and dirty tricks. But I think American's aren't buying their lies anymore.

GOP Betrays Taxpayers & Votes Against Limiting Bailout Execs Pay...Yet again, Republicans only care about the rich no matter how irresponsible they are. What ever happened to fiscal responsibility?

The Nation Sums It Up.

Afghanistan Legalizes Spousal Rape...is THIS what our soldiers fought for?

Reform Funding Rules, State Agency Told

Teacher jobs for sale?

Rendell, Unions Agree on Furloughs

More Torture Confirmation...This is just plain immoral and it does NOT help keep us safe

Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and Campaign Finance Reform

Judge may Overturn Hundreds of Cases in Luzerne Scandal...This is what happens when corruption gets out of hand

Tell Your Representative to Support HB300

An Independent City Controller Is Crucial For Progressive Policies In Philadelphia

Pittsburgh Mayoral candidates jostle for reformer role

War on Drugs in Philadelphia: Local Effects, Awful Policies

AIG Bonuses and What They Tell Us About Modern Corporate America

Rendell Unilaterally Redirects Millions to Help Families

Who's running for what?- Controller, Prothonotary and Government Study Commission...and more election stuff: Who's running for what?- Plains Township and Wilkes-Barre Area School Board

Joe Terrana for Judge

Lehigh County Commissioner Race Heats Up


Alternative Energy and Sustainable Agriculture in Pennsylvania:

Some stats from Repower America:

* The Pennsylvania Solar Park, a 10.6-megawatt array of 50,000 photovoltaic solar panels in Nesquehonig, Carbon County, will be the nation's second largest solar PV farm to date.

* The 34.5-megawatt Casselman Wind Power Project near Garrett, PA will generate enough clean, renewable wind energy to sustain 10,000 homes in the tri-state area of southern Pennslyvania, northern West Virginia and western Maryland

* Pennsylvania has an alternative energy portfolio standard that requires all public utilities to generate 18% of their electricity from alternative energy resources by 2021, with at least 8% from renewable energy and 0.5% from solar.

Alternative energy and YOUR energy bill: YOU can be part of the solution for America by signing up to purchase your energy through a Green Power Provider. My wife and I have been doing this in NYC for years. All our energy usage is provided through wind energy generation on American farms. So we use clean energy AND help American farmers. It costs us three cents per kilowatt-hour more per month, but we feel great about it. Although our actual energy may come from anywhere, we are paying to purchase wind energy for the energy grid. Each state has different programs available, usually through yuor existing energy provider right on your existing energy bill. To find such options in Pennsylvania, go here and pick your energy provider from the list. If you need help, you can email me and tell me who you get your bill from (don't give me any other info!) and I can tell you who to contact to go green through that energy provider. Or you can do the same thing using Renewable Energy Certificates through an organization that works with utility companies, though in this case it is a separate bill. One off the cheapest (.4-1 cent per kilowatt-hour), but still e-Green certified, ways to do this is through Good Energy. Or, for about half a cent per kilowatt-hour you can purchase renewable energy certificates through Carbonfund.org. ANY of these ways you do it, you are helping the environment, helping America, and helping cut carbon emissions.


Biodiesel of Pennsylvania
We believe alternative energy is the way of the future! Biodiesel is AMERICAN made fuel that helps keep our air clean and helps out farmers...not Saudi billionaires.

Biodiesel of Pennsylvania, Inc.
61 Cat Drive
White Deer, PA 17887
570 538 1041 office
Email: kalin_at_biodieselpa.com

We are located one mile off the Route 80 / Route 15 intersection: Coming off Route 80 (major East/West highway) go North on Route 15; drive about one mile. Take the White Deer exit. At bottom of ramp, make a RIGHT. Go about 200 meters. On the RIGHT you will see our Biodiesel of Pennsylvania sign with pretty fir tree landscaping. Our large modern facility is right there on Cat Drive.

Please contact us if you are:
* A fleet manager and would like more information about adding Biodiesel to your fleet.
* A municipality looking to comply with upcoming changes mandating use of biodiesel.
* A heating and oil firm looking to satisfy customers who demand biodiesel.
* A biodiesel marketer looking for fuel.


Pennsylvania Incentives for Renewable Energy:

From the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency:

Pennsylvania's Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS), created by S.B. 1030 on November 30, 2004, requires each electric distribution company (EDC) and electric generation supplier (EGS) to retail electric customers in Pennsylvania to supply 18% of its electricity using alternative-energy resources by 2020.* Pennsylvania's standard provides for a solar set-aside, mandating a certain percentage of electricity generated by photovoltaics (PV). Pennsylvania's AEPS also includes demand-side management, waste coal, coal-mine methane and coal gasification as eligible technologies.

H.B. 1203 (2007) provided a more detailed solar schedule, clarified the force majeure clause, confirmed REC property rights for generators, added solar thermal to Tier I, clarified that AEPS RECs cannot have been retired for other purposes, and expanded the definition of customer-generator. Revised rules addressing these changes and other necessary clarifications became effective in November 2008.

Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies: Solar Water Heat, Solar Space Heat, Solar Thermal Electric, Solar Thermal Process Heat, Photovoltaics, Landfill Gas, Wind, Biomass, Hydroelectric, Geothermal Electric, Fuel Cells, Municipal Solid Waste, CHP/Cogeneration, Waste Coal, Coal Mine Methane, Coal Gasification, Anaerobic Digestion, Other Distributed Generation Technologies

Applicable Sectors: Investor-Owned Utility, Retail Supplier
Standard: 18% during compliance year 2020-2021 (8% Tier I and 10% Tier II)
Technology Minimum: Solar PV set-aside of 0.5% for June 1, 2020 and thereafter
Credit Trading: Yes
Website:http://www.puc.state.pa.us/electric/electric_alt_energy.aspx


Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) is a nonprofit organization working to improve the economic and social prosperity of Pennsylvania food and agriculture. We work with the farmers that grow our food, the consumers that eat the food, and those concerned with the ecological well-being of our environment and natural resources.

Alternative Energy Resources in Pennsylvania: a short summary of alternative energy resources for Pennsylvania. For more information on each technology, visit the State Energy Alternatives Technology Options page.


Here are some important progressive groups and events in Pennsylvania:

Progressive Majority Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania is the quintessential battleground state — it has been a swing state in every presidential election for more than 70 years. And it is a state where deep political work must be done to reverse the stranglehold conservatives have on the government, build a durable political infrastructure, and tip the state for progressives once and for all.

Pennsylvania is the slowest-growing of any major state in the nation. Since few new people move in, progressives must build lasting political relationships that address people's core needs and take into account their core values. Pennsylvania is a conflicted state — voters hold conflicting views on economic and social issues in different parts of the state. In short, a "one size fits all" political strategy will not work here.

That's why Progressive Majority's long-term, state-based approach to candidate recruitment and development is so well-suited to meet this challenge. Our work to identify community leaders and activists, authentic candidates who care about what's best for people and who will lead on a local agenda, is what's needed here.

Progressive Majority has leadership programs and can help progressive candidates run an efficient and successful campaign. You can sign up for email updates here.

Critical Mass
Monthly at 5:30 PM on the fourth Friday
Where: Dinosaur, Carnegie Library, 4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Description: Critical Mass is a celebration of bicycling as a pollution-free mode of transportation. Critical Mass is not an organization nor it is affiliated with any organization, it's an unorganized coincidence. It's a movement ... of bicycles, in the streets.

Pittsburgh Green Drinks
3rd Friday of every month
Check the website for locations & guest speakers:
http://www.biothinking.com/greendrinks/index.php?country=USA&city=Pittsburgh

Steel-City Stonewall Democrats Happy Hour
Monthly at 17:15 on the fourth Tuesday
Where: Images 965 Liberty Avenue downtown

Liberty City Stonewall Democrats

Peace Vigil Every Saturday, 10:30 AM
Intersection of Lincoln Hgwy & Oxford Valley Roads
Business Route 1 & Oxford Valley Road at the Closed Transmission Station
Langhorne, PA
Organized by Lower Bucks for Democracy


Here are a few Democracy for America groups in Pennsylvania:

Gettysburg Area DFA Meetup: will be held at the Lutheran Theological Seminary on Seminary Ridge in Gettysburg the first Wednesday of each month. We gather at 6:30 pm to chat and enjoy refreshments. Our meeting begins at 7:00 PM at the Seminary's Valentine Hall, Room 206 -- across from the Seminary Library. There is parking both in front of Valentine Hall (off Springs Ave) and in the Seminary lot next to the Library. Contact Elaine Jones for more information: elainelynchjones_at_gmail.com

Western PA DFA Monthly Meeting: second Thursday of each month, 6:00 PM, Rudy & Son Restaurant, 1641 Mercer - Grove City Rd

Philly for Change Meeting: first Wednesday of the month at 7pm. Find out more about the group at www.phillyforchange.com


Next, here are some Drinking Liberally chapters in Pennsylvania: second Thursday of each month,

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
* Third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The Orchards Restaurant, 1580 Orchard Dr
* Ask for the Drinking Liberally group and you'll find us.
* Hosted by Alice Elia, chambersburg (at) drinkingliberally.org

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
* Second Thursday of each month (next meeting December 13), 6:00 pm onward
* O'Rorke's Eatery & Spirits, 44 Steinwehr Avenue (second floor)
* New Location
* additional parking in National Park Service Visitor Center lot behind restaurant
* Hosted by Eileen H. Potemra, gettysburg (at) drinkingliberally.org

Lancaster, Pennsylvania
* Every Tuesday, 7:30 pm onward
* Lancaster Brewing Company, 302 N Plum St (corner of Walnut and Plum)
* Hosted by Jeff Fulmer, Monz Wenner and Cher Rineer, lancaster (at) drinkingliberally.org

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Center City
* Every Tuesday, 6:00-9:00 pm
* Tangier, 1801 Lombard St (at 18th St)
* Hosted by Brendan Skwire, philadelphia (at) drinkingliberally.org

Mount Airy
* Every Thursday, 6:30-9:00 pm
* Mermaid Inn, 7673 Germantown Ave
* Hosted by Adam Zion, mtairy (at) drinkingliberally.org

Reading, Pennsylvania
* Second and fourth Thursday of each month, 6pm onward
* Canal Street Restaurant & Pub, 535 Canal St (a few blocks past RACC along the riverfront)
* NEW LOCATION!!! Great local beer from Legacy Brewing Co. & a large selection of wines by the glass.
* NO Thanksgiving meeting, obviously. Enjoy your holiday and all those awkward political conversations with ornery family members!
* Hosted by Kim Stahler and Dan Sauder, reading (at) drinkingliberally.org

State College, Pennsylvania
* First and third Tuesday of each month, 5:30 pm onward
* Hi-Way Pizza, 428 Westerly Pky
* Hosted by Nancy Crane, statecollege (at) drinkingliberally.org

West Chester, Pennsylvania
* First Thursday of each month, 8:00 pm onward
* Ryan's Pub, 124 W Gay St (On Gay St. between Church & Darlington)
* We are still on the once a month format and we have changed the venue to Ryan's. We'll be meeting up on the 2nd floor near the bar.
* Remember, no need to feed the meters in town after 5pm- save that cash for drinks!
* Hosted by Jonathan Long, Daniel Tyman and Jamie Manos, westchester (at) drinkingliberally.org

York, Pennsylvania
* Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The First Capital Dispensing Company, 57 N Pershing Ave (We usually secure a large table or two in the back room.)
* Hosted by Phyllis Wise, Roland Rode and Craig Thomas, york (at) drinkingliberally.org