Progressive Democrat Issue 216

Obama's nomination of Sotomayor and the court decision in California regarding the Hate Amendment are big news this week. I address the Sotomayor nomination directly, and I address Prop 8 in some of my local pages.

Recently my coverage of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania primaries got a large amount of readership. I am not covering Virginia's primary as much not because I don't care as much about it (I care MORE about it and have been covering Virginia closely since 2004). But I have largely remained neutral in the Virginia primary, and Progressive Majority (one of my main sources) has not focused on Virginia, so I am staying low key on Virginia for now. But I have covered the race to some degree, gave my personal liking for Moran for Governor, but also covered extensively the many people coming out for Deeds. This has made me enthusiastic for EITHER Moran OR Deeds. So those are my recommendations for June 9.

I also have some personal appeals.

First, for my Virginia readers: VOTE on June 9...I urge a vote for Deeds or Moran, but whatever your inclination, learn about all the candidates and VOTE.

For all my Brooklyn, NY readers, I want to emphasize the close races in Brooklyn that need our attention. More than ANYTHING else, I urge my Brooklyn readers to team up with the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) to help them elect their slate of candidates. This year I am seeing some formerly reform and progressive organizations (like IND and WFP) sell out completely. So CBID is our best bet for real progressive reform in Brooklyn. So I am urging all my Brooklyn readers to help them out. This is one of the most important things you can do this year. JOIN CBID. They do a great job! And volunteer to help petition for their endorsed candidate (who I endorse as well and who are among the best running in the city this year). To help petition, please contact: prez@cbidems.org

Every hour of effort my Brooklyn readers can give to CBID this year between now and election day, the greater impact we can have on reform politics in Brooklyn. So please give them at least a few hours of your time. Your help can make a HUGE difference in local politics.

AND A PLEA FOR MY NYC READERS: once again, like I urge my Brooklyn readers to join/volunteer with the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats to help effect change in NYC, I want to strongly urge my NYC readers outside Brooklyn to help the efforts of Democracy for NYC. I also agree with their endorsed candidates and hope that my readers can help donate to their efforts and/or help them petition and campaign for some of the best candidates in NYC. Contact: info@dfnyc.org for more info. Please help out. Your help can really make my life in local politics so much easier and rewarding. Then I probably would have more time to focus on races across the country in 2010 rather than remaining bogged down in local politics.

And a PLEA FOR MY READERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY:

If any of my readers out there want to help reform Democratic politics in NYC, I ask for your help in supporting the following four candidates. If you can help, it would be GREATLY appreciated. All four have a tough battle against sleazy people to win the primary. These races are all REALLY important to me, so I really hope you can help.

Josh Skaller: a good friend of mine running for City Council. Josh is a strong environmentalist and has worked on the local Howard Dean and Barack Obama campaigns. His main opponents are heavily supported by corporate interests. One of them is anti-Israel, and the other is anti-choice. Skaller, despite not taking any corporate donations, is doing well in fundraising and can be considered one of the two frontrunners in the race. I will be working very hard for Josh, and I hope some of my readers will send him some money to help us along.

Norman Siegel: another friend, this time running for the citywide office of Public Advocate. With 40 years of impressive civil rights legal work under his belt, including as a former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Norm is an ideal candidate for Public Advocate. Of course most of his opponents are corporate funded because corporations want a Corporate Advocate, not a Public Advocate. Norm is so scrupulous I once heard him turn down a ride from another candidate because it would require he report it as an in kind donation! That is an almost unheard of level of integrity. You can read about his long record of public advocacy on his website. I think you will agree he is one of the best candidates to come around in a long time and deserving of our support. If you can help out, please give a contribution.

John Liu: John Liu is running for Comptroller, the position that keeps track of the city's money. He is one of only two candidates in the race who actually has accounting and regulatory experience. The other two candidates (including that shady David Yassky I mentioned earlier) have no monetary experience whatsoever and are merely developer-supported shills. If Liu wins he will be the first Asian-American to win citywide office in NYC. This has generated some excitement, including from Asian-American politicians like Mike Honda from California, who has endorsed him. I have met Liu a few times and, in fact, was the very first person to officially endorse him for Comptroller. I think both John Liu and David Weprin (the other candidate in the race who has accounting/regulatory experience) would be good Comptrollers. I chose Liu because he is the more progressive of the two and the more dynamic candidate. Please help us elect a progressive, qualified Comptroller and elect the first Asian-American to win citywide office in NYC.

Finally, I want to mention another friend running for City Council, this time in my own district: Jo Anne Simon. Jo Anne is nationally known as an advocate for the disabled. Her main opponent is a developer-supported protege of the local corrupt Party Boss, so Jo Anne is our best shot at preventing a takeover of the district by the local machine. Which is a constant battle reformers like joy and I have here in Brooklyn. Please help us keep corruption at bay in NYC.

If you can choose one or two of these candidates to support, it would be GREATLY appreciated. These candidates have a real chance, but only if local readers volunteer and national readers can donate even a small amount.

I also want to recognize the large readership I have in Mountain View, California and Atlanta, Georgia. PLEASE contact me by email or in comments on this blog to let me know how I can help YOUR efforts in YOUR local community. Outside of NYC Mountain View, CA and Atlanta, GA are the main areas I have readers. Texas too, but not yet sure if there is a particular area of Texas. So TALK TO ME. I want to help your needs.

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Reactions to Sotomayor Nomination

Burma Action: Free Aung San Suu Kyi

Brooklyn, NY Focus

Queens, NY Focus

Bronx, NY Focus

Rochester, NY Focus

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS

Silicon Valley, CA Focus

Orange County, CA Focus

San Diego, CA Focus

CALIFORNIA FOCUS

Georgia Wind Power

GEORGIA FOCUS

NJ-5: Retire Garrett

June 6-7: Newark, NJ Democracy for America Campaign Training

NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Houston/Harris County, TX Focus

Austin/Travis County, TX Focus

Dallas County, TX Focus

TEXAS FOCUS

Virginia Congressman Tom Perriello

VIRGINIA FOCUS

Progressive Wins in Pennsylvania

PENNSYLVANIA FOCUS

M Powering Madison, WI

WISCONSIN FOCUS

COLORADO FOCUS

ARIZONA FOCUS

ILLINOIS FOCUS

WASHINGTON FOCUS

FLORIDA FOCUS

MICHIGAN FOCUS

June 6-7: Charlotte Democracy for America Campaign Training

June 5: Boone, NC: Photovoltaics with Sharp Solar

NORTH CAROLINA FOCUS

NEVADA FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS

Reactions to the Sotomayor Nomination

The National Jewsih Democratic Council issued this statement regarding the Sotomayor nomination:

Obama Makes the Right Choice with Selection of Sotomayor to the Supreme Court

NJDC welcomes President Barack Obama’s selection of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to fill the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy. With the selection of Sotomayor, Obama has shown sound judgment and profound respect for our nation’s highest court by selecting an individual who has strong credentials, is highly regarded, and is committed to our constitutional values, rights, and liberties.

We are also proud of Obama’s commitment to have the Supreme Court reflect America’s rich and diverse population, by selecting the first Hispanic justice. More importantly, the President’s nominee has the intellectual capacity and real world experience to be a world class justice.

We applaud this selection and expect the nomination of Sotomayor to receive Senate confirmation in a timely manner.

Interestingly, back on May 15 the Supreme Court Blog had a deatailed article on Sotomayor discussing her rulings. READ IT. There is too much there for me to merely summarize. It covers abortion rights, first amendment rights, environmental law, etc. etc.

From MoveOn.org comes this list of Ten Things You Need to Know About Sotomayor:

Ten Things To Know About Judge Sonia Sotomayor

1. Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the bench than any Supreme Court justice in 100 years. Over her three-decade career, she has served in a wide variety of legal roles, including as a prosecutor, litigator, and judge.

2. Judge Sotomayor is a trailblazer. She was the first Latina to serve on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and was the youngest member of the court when appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of New York. If confirmed, she will be the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

3. While on the bench, Judge Sotomayor has consistently protected the rights of working Americans, ruling in favor of health benefits and fair wages for workers in several cases.

4. Judge Sotomayor has shown strong support for First Amendment rights, including in cases of religious expression and the rights to assembly and free speech.

5. Judge Sotomayor has a strong record on civil rights cases, ruling for plaintiffs who had been discriminated against based on disability, sex and race.

6. Judge Sotomayor embodies the American dream. Born to Puerto Rican parents, she grew up in a South Bronx housing project and was raised from age nine by a single mother, excelling in school and working her way to graduate summa cum laude from Princeton University and to become an editor of the Law Journal at Yale Law School.

7. In 1995, Judge Sotomayor "saved baseball" when she stopped the owners from illegally changing their bargaining agreement with the players, thereby ending the longest professional sports walk-out in history.

8. Judge Sotomayor ruled in favor of the environment and against business interests in 2007 in a case of protecting aquatic life in the vicinity of power plants, a decision that was overturned by the Roberts Supreme Court.

9. In 1992, Judge Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate without opposition after being appointed to the bench by George H.W. Bush.

10. Judge Sotomayor is a widely respected legal figure, having been described as "...an outstanding colleague with a keen legal mind," "highly qualified for any position in which wisdom, intelligence, collegiality and good character would be assets," and "a role model of aspiration, discipline, commitment, intellectual prowess and integrity."

Judge Sotomayor is an historic, uniquely qualified nominee to the Supreme Court. Let's get the word out and make sure we get a prompt, fair confirmation on her nomination.

Thanks for all you do,

–Nita, Kat, Daniel, Ilyse and the rest of the team

Sources for each of the 10 things:

1. White House Statement, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=1

2. White House Statement, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=2

3. Cases: Archie v. Grand Cent. Partnership, 997 F. Supp. 504 (S.D.N.Y. 1998) and Marcella v. Capital Dist. Physicians' Health Plan, Inc., 293 F.3d 42 (2d Cir. 2002).

4. Cases: Flamer v. White Plains, 841 F. Supp. 1365 (S.D.N.Y. 1993), Ford v. McGinnis, 352 F.3d 382 (2d Cir. 2003), and Campos v. Coughlin, 854 F. Supp. 194 (S.D.N.Y. 1994).

5a. "Sotomayor's Notable Court Opinions and Articles," The New York Times, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51454&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=3

5b. Cases: Bartlett v. N.Y. State Board, 970 F. Supp. 1094 (S.D.N.Y. 1997), Greenbaum v. Svenska Hendelsbanken, 67 F.Supp.2d 228 (S.D.N.Y. 1999), Raniola v. Bratton, 243 F.3d 610 (2d Cir. 2001), and Gant v. Wallingford Board of Education, 195 F.3d 134 (2d Cir. 1999).

6. "Sonia Sotomayor: 10 Things You Should Know," The Huffington Post, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51452&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=4

7. "How Sotomayor 'Saved' Baseball," Time, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51455&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=5

8. "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51453&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=6

9. "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51453&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=7

10a. Judge Richard C. Wesley, a George W. Bush appointee to the Second Circuit.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=8

10b. "Sotomayor is Highly Qualified," The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51456&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=9

10c. Honorary Degree Citation, Pace University School of Law, 2003 Commencement. Ten Things To Know About Judge Sonia Sotomayor

1. Judge Sotomayor would bring more federal judicial experience to the bench than any Supreme Court justice in 100 years. Over her three-decade career, she has served in a wide variety of legal roles, including as a prosecutor, litigator, and judge.

2. Judge Sotomayor is a trailblazer. She was the first Latina to serve on the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and was the youngest member of the court when appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of New York. If confirmed, she will be the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court.

3. While on the bench, Judge Sotomayor has consistently protected the rights of working Americans, ruling in favor of health benefits and fair wages for workers in several cases.

4. Judge Sotomayor has shown strong support for First Amendment rights, including in cases of religious expression and the rights to assembly and free speech.

5. Judge Sotomayor has a strong record on civil rights cases, ruling for plaintiffs who had been discriminated against based on disability, sex and race.

6. Judge Sotomayor embodies the American dream. Born to Puerto Rican parents, she grew up in a South Bronx housing project and was raised from age nine by a single mother, excelling in school and working her way to graduate summa cum laude from Princeton University and to become an editor of the Law Journal at Yale Law School.

7. In 1995, Judge Sotomayor "saved baseball" when she stopped the owners from illegally changing their bargaining agreement with the players, thereby ending the longest professional sports walk-out in history.

8. Judge Sotomayor ruled in favor of the environment and against business interests in 2007 in a case of protecting aquatic life in the vicinity of power plants, a decision that was overturned by the Roberts Supreme Court.

9. In 1992, Judge Sotomayor was confirmed by the Senate without opposition after being appointed to the bench by George H.W. Bush.

10. Judge Sotomayor is a widely respected legal figure, having been described as "...an outstanding colleague with a keen legal mind," "highly qualified for any position in which wisdom, intelligence, collegiality and good character would be assets," and "a role model of aspiration, discipline, commitment, intellectual prowess and integrity."

Judge Sotomayor is an historic, uniquely qualified nominee to the Supreme Court. Let's get the word out and make sure we get a prompt, fair confirmation on her nomination.

Thanks for all you do,

–Nita, Kat, Daniel, Ilyse and the rest of the team

Sources for each of the 10 things:

1. White House Statement, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=1

2. White House Statement, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=2

3. Cases: Archie v. Grand Cent. Partnership, 997 F. Supp. 504 (S.D.N.Y. 1998) and Marcella v. Capital Dist. Physicians' Health Plan, Inc., 293 F.3d 42 (2d Cir. 2002).

4. Cases: Flamer v. White Plains, 841 F. Supp. 1365 (S.D.N.Y. 1993), Ford v. McGinnis, 352 F.3d 382 (2d Cir. 2003), and Campos v. Coughlin, 854 F. Supp. 194 (S.D.N.Y. 1994).

5a. "Sotomayor's Notable Court Opinions and Articles," The New York Times, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51454&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=3

5b. Cases: Bartlett v. N.Y. State Board, 970 F. Supp. 1094 (S.D.N.Y. 1997), Greenbaum v. Svenska Hendelsbanken, 67 F.Supp.2d 228 (S.D.N.Y. 1999), Raniola v. Bratton, 243 F.3d 610 (2d Cir. 2001), and Gant v. Wallingford Board of Education, 195 F.3d 134 (2d Cir. 1999).

6. "Sonia Sotomayor: 10 Things You Should Know," The Huffington Post, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51452&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=4

7. "How Sotomayor 'Saved' Baseball," Time, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51455&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=5

8. "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51453&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=6

9. "Sotomayor's resume, record on notable cases," CNN, May 26, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51453&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=7

10a. Judge Richard C. Wesley, a George W. Bush appointee to the Second Circuit.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51451&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=8

10b. "Sotomayor is Highly Qualified," The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2009.
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51456&id=16223-5690110-I7ek7tx&t=9

10c. Honorary Degree Citation, Pace University School of Law, 2003 Commencement.

Glenn Greenwald over at Salon.com has a good rundown of the nomination. Worth reading, though it focuses more on the stupid tizzy that right wingers are getting into about her.

Catholics United had this to say:

“Catholics United welcomes President Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. We admire Judge Sotomayor's reputation for putting aside political beliefs in order to issue sound legal decisions, her commitment to religious liberty, and her significant federal judicial experience. These are precisely the qualities that Catholics look for in those we trust to interpret the law.”

“In addition to her distinguished professional career, Judge Sotomayor's own personal experience makes her uniquely suited to serve our nation in this important position. She has a first-hand understanding of the plights of America's immigrants and working families, having been born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in a housing project in the South Bronx. When confirmed, Judge Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. We wholeheartedly embrace this move toward a judiciary that better represents the diversity of the American people.”

“We call on other leaders within the Catholic community to join us in welcoming Judge Sotomayor's nomination and to approach her confirmation hearings with civility and reason.”

ALF-CIO's statement:

Praising her nomination, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says Sotomayor possesses a “direct and personal understanding of the struggles America’s workers endure every day.”

She grew up in public housing in the Bronx, the daughter of a factory worker, and understands the real world consequences of the decisions she makes from the bench...

Sweeney says Sotomayor “has consistently interpreted our labor laws in the manner in which they were intended.”

She has enforced the right to be free of all types of discrimination in the workplace, to be paid the correct wages and to receive health benefits to which employees are entitled. She has recognized that persecution for union activity can be a basis for granting asylum in this country.

Wade Henderson, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), says that along with her “common sense understanding of how laws affect the realties of people’s daily lives,

Judge Sotomayor is also the first Latino to be nominated to the high court. She is a first generation American and grew up in the South Bronx—fulfilling another of President Obama’s promises to add diversity of background to the Supreme Court.

So far sounds like an excellent choice by President Obama.

Burma Action: Aung San Suu Kyi's life on the line

Repeated from last week. This is a critical moment for Burma.

This comes from Amnesty International:

Aung San Suu Kyi faces her oppressors this week on charges that could land her in jail for five years.

The trial comes just days before she was set to be released from house arrest.

Her life is on the line. Aung San Suu Kyi's health is at risk, and five years of torture and abuse at the infamous Insein prison1 could spell disaster.

Our rapid response to these developments started last week in Australia (a member of ASEAN) when the Amnesty section there mobilized and generated over 7,000 letters to ASEAN.2 Just a few hours ago, the chairman of ASEAN called on Myanmar to release Aung San Suu Kyi.

With the international pressure snowballing,3 it's time to focus on General Than Shwe, leader of the military junta.

Please write General Than Shwe and urge him to release Aung San Suu Kyi and then forward this email to your friends and networks.
Help free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

We know influencing the general is an uphill battle, but you and I have faced these odds before. Last year, we sent tens of thousands of letters on behalf of Ma Khin Khin Leh, another prisoner of conscience in Myanmar. Today, she is free.

Now it's time for us to do the impossible again for Aung San Suu Kyi.

Will you forward this email to friends and to your networks, so we can reach at least 30,000 letters within the next 24 hours?

The stakes couldn't be higher: Aung San Suu Kyi's life is on the line.

Almost 20 years ago, Aung San Suu Kyi's party won over 80% of the vote, making her the rightful political leader of Myanmar. The military refused to hand over power, brutally oppressing any dissent, and imprisoning Suu Kyi for 13 of the last 19 years.

Since the elections in 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi's very existence has challenged the military's authority, and inspired the people of Myanmar to hope.

In her hour of need, will you do all you can? Will you write General Than Shwe and then forward this email widely to your friends and networks?

Aung San Suu Kyi has kept hope alive for the people of Myanmar, even when all hope was lost.

Let's do the same now for Aung San Suu Kyi.

Thanks for standing with us.
Jim, Nancy, Anil, Laura, Steve and the rest of the rapid response team

P.S. We are gravely concerned about the health of 10 other political prisoners in Myanmar. Our ability to mobilize today for Aung San Suu Kyi could shift the direction for these lives on the brink.

Let me also remind people that there is a boycott of Chevron because of their intimate dealings with the violent junta of Burma. Maybe it is time to emphasize this boycott once again...with a reminder that so far as I can tell, Citgo and BP are the best of the gas station companies, which may not be saying much. Or, for those who have one nearby, Conserv Fuel is a good option.

BROOKLYN, NY: Clubs, Candidates and Co-ops

DFNYC ACTION ALERT ON THE GOWANUS CANAL:

Action: Write the EPA About the Gowanus Canal & Should DFNYC Support Superfund?

It’s not only the banks who are getting stimulus money, the EPA has been given money which will allow them to create new Superfund projects, and the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn is one of the sites under consideration. In the EPA Hazard Ranking System, the minimum score of eligibility is 28.5. The Gowanus scored 50 out of 100 on the very first test.

From the EPA Website: “A result of years of discharges, storm water runoff, sewer outflows and industrial pollutants the Gowanus Canal has become one of the nation's most extensively contaminated water bodies. Contaminants impacting the canal include PCBs, coal tar wastes, heavy metals and volatile organics. The contamination of the canal poses a threat to the nearby residents who use the canal for fishing and recreation." http://www.epa.gov/region2/superfund/npl/gowanus/

So what is the issue? The Mayor and other politicians oppose the Superfund project claiming it may delay development along the waterway. According to them, the developers will do the cleanup in tandem with the city. However, advocates for Superfund argue that the developers will not do the necessary and thorough cleanup that the EPA would. The developers want to avoid the stigma of having the “Superfund” branding and are threatening to pull out of the development project if the Gowanus becomes a Superfund site.

From SuperfundGorwanus.org: “The EPA has the tools to lead a comprehensive and inclusive cleanup. Our community has known for generations that this is a toxic public health hazard. Spot cleanup by developers will not achieve the job necessary for a healthy environment.”

More Information:

Gowanus Canal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gowanus_Canal

Superfund: http://www.epa.gov/superfund/

NY Times Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/science/earth/24gowanus.html

Take Action:

Superfunding to clean up the Gowanus Canal will need Public Support from the community and a reasonable degree of Political Support from our elected officials. The EPA has a public comment period Comment Period which ends on June 8, 2009

1) Go to www.superfundgowanus.org and sign the online petition.

2) Write an email to the EPA (the EPA prefers electronic correspondence). Get instructions at www.superfundgowanus.org.

3) Contact your elected officials and ask them to support Superfund for the Gowanus Canal. Find out how to contact you representatives at: http://dfnyc.org/content/view/3/9/


PLASTIC RECYCLING IN BROOKLYN:

Recycling of plastics not accepted in the city recycling can be done at the Park Slope Food Co-op at 782 Union Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues)

Bring clean, dry plastic to the Coop's sidewalk during monthly recycling hours. We close up promptly. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the collection end time to allow for inspection and sorting of your plastic:

2nd Sat., 10 AM-2 PM
3rd Thur., 7 PM-9 PM
Last Sun., 10 AM-2 PM.

As of 2/16/09 and until further notice, we collect....

* #1 and #6 transparent plastics (Labels OK. Mouth is wide or wider than the body, meaning NOT bottles.)
* #5 plastic tubs, cups & specifically marked lids and caps. Must be especially clean and dry. (Discard any with paper labels, or cut the labels off.)
* Plastic film and bubble wrap. 100% transparent only -- must be able to see through the plastic. No colored or opaque. No paper labels. Minimal writing OK.

All the above must be brought to the Coop CLEAN AND DRY.

Note: We are no longer accepting #2 or #4 type plastics.

These changes result from a significant decline in the worldwide market for recyclable materials that has affected recycling programs everywhere. Please be patient and cooperate with us as we adjust to these changes, as well as to any further changes that may be necessary.

We are currently updating our literature and will make new fliers available as soon as possible. Or, contact us at plasticrecycling@foodcoop.com.

And on a related note, you can help increase the demand for recycled plastic products by shopping through these companies that specialize in recycled plastic products (including lumber!!).


Friends & Residents of Greater Gowanus (FROGG)

We are a community based grass-roots organization advocating for environmentally sound community planning for the Gowanus Canal neighborhoods.

The Gowanus Canal is a very unique resource for our community and all of New York. It has long historal significant as a pre-industrial and industrial transportation waterway in addition to playing a significant roll in the Battle of Brooklyn. This natural tidal estuary connects our urban world to the waters that surround us and opens our city to the natural habitat it was built upon. Even today, it provides an open sky, early industrial/estuary landscape that can not be matched anywhere in our city.

With extensive urban Brownfields and an Aquatic Brownfield standing, we work to see this water way brought back to life with water quality standards that sincerely meet state standards for fishable and contact use; not only for the community but also for local wildlife.

For more information: FROGGcommunity@earthlink.net


BROOKLYN REFORM DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATIONS:

Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats is a community-based Democratic club. CBID has fought for reform and progressive causes since 1968. As a Brooklyn-based Club, we have been instrumental in the election of many candidates for public office. Much of this success was a result of our question-and-answer forums with prospective candidates as well as our extensive on-the-street contact with our constituents.

Staunchly opposed to political corruption, we are proud of our independence and our commitment to progressive reform in city, state and national politics. We are a vehicle for citizen empowerment and making government more accountable to our neighborhoods.

We meet monthly, usually the fourth Thursday evening of the month in the basement of the Park Slope United Methodist Church, on the corner of 6th ave and 8th street, at 7:30pm. All are welcome.

New Kings Democrats (”NKD”) is a new, grassroots organization in Kings County (Brooklyn), New York whose primary mission is to recruit and prepare individuals to run for Kings County Democratic Committee. NKD hopes to achieve the goal of an inclusionary and participatory democracy by making it easy for individuals to run for local, elected office. NKD will serve as a training ground for individuals seeking higher office, and hopes to build and nurture a new group of Brooklyn Democratic leaders.

Democracy for NYC in Brooklyn:

Democracy for New York City (DFNYC) is a volunteer-driven non-profit politicalaction committee. We are part of a national coalition of local groups committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean.

We work both locally and nationally to ensure that fiscally-responsible and socially-progressive candidates win elections at all levels of government. We develop innovative ways to advocate for the issues that matter to our members and promote legislation which has a positive effect in our communities. We engage people in the political process and give them the tools to organize, communicate, mobilize, and enact change on the local, state, and national level.

Currently there is only one Brooklyn chapter:

Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn - Meets First Wednesday of every month. 7:00pm, Wyckoff-Bennett Homestead 1669 E. 22nd St. with host Annette Mont and Estelle Glasser.


CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES IN BROOKLYN:

TOP PICK:

Josh Skaller for City Council. Josh is a good friend of ours, a solid progressive, and about as honest as you can get. Josh is a long-time organizer for Democracy for New York City, was president of the Central Independent Democrats political club in Brooklyn for two years, and was an early organizer with Brooklyn for Barack. Without taking money from developers, PACs and lobbyists, and while a first-time candidate, he’s the leader in number of donors and second in total dollars in a large field of good candidates. I want to emphasize that this is an amazing accomplishment and shows his organizational skills and potential. I also want to emphasize that it is so rare that the best, most honest and most progressive candidate running is also able to raise the most money.

"Josh has always fought for fiscal responsibility and the progressive solutions needed to reform city government"

--Jim Dean
Chair of Democracy For America (DFA)

It’s a measure of Josh’s hard work, integrity, and just how much people like and believe in him. He’s smart, pragmatic, and works well with others. No small matter in getting it done. He has been endorsed so far by Democracy for NYC, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats, local activist and progressive favorite Chris Owens, civil rights attorney and Public Advocate candidate Norm Siegel, and State Senator Eric Adams, among others.

Here is a video from Josh's campaign:



Josh's eclectic background as the son of an environmental scientist and a teacher for the disabled, married to a science teacher, and himself once Associate Director of computer music at Harvard, informs his agenda concerns for education and the environment. He has proposed a green jobs based approach for revitalizing New York's economy.

Josh has been a strong voice against Ratner's plan for Atlantic Yards, as well as other unchecked and unwise development projects, believing environmental sustainability is the key to our prosperity. He advocates a stronger community voice in development decisions and making affordable housing a priority in its own right rather than as simply a bone developers throw the city in exchange for massive subsidies and tax breaks.

Josh alone of the candidates for this district has taken the position of cleaning up Brooklyn’s toxic Gowanus Canal before development progresses. In this he is the only strong candidate in this race I am aware of who is supporting Obama's EPA on declaring the Gowanus a Superfund site. All other candidates have either been silent on this subject or support allowing develpers to procede without clean up. You can read a bit more about this issue here (complete with some disgusting pictures my wife took of the canal).

I will say that I know all of the candidates in this race and respect them all. Originally I was supporting Josh mainly because he was a good friend who was smart and had some great ideas...but I wasn't expecting him to organize such an effective campaign. His fundraising and organization were so ahead of the other candidates that he was distributing buttons and had volunteers handing out literature on election day 2008 when every Democrat in Brooklyn seemed in line to vote. It was a brilliant way to meet the voters and get his name out there.

Here's Josh Skaller Speaking Up for Giving REAL Power to the Parents


Here are some more of my endorsements in Brooklyn:

33rd City Council District: Jo Anne Simon. You can read my detailed rundown of this race here. Jo Anne has been endorsed by Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats.

34th City Council District: Diana Reyna. The first woman of Dominican-American descent to be elected to NYC public office. Reyna is being heavily targeted by Brooklyn Boss Vito Lopez because she hasn't gone along with his corruption. Seems to me a certain Surrogate Judge had a similar experience and won when Vito tried to take his revenge. I think we can defeat Vito again. I don't consider Reyna my ideal candidate (she is one of the Bloomberg 29, for example), but I certainly won't support Vito's corruption candidate against her.

35th City Council District: Letitia James wholeheartedly. An amazing woman!

38th City Council District: David Galarza has dropped out for personal reasons. I heard the remaining challenger in the race, Robinson Iglesias, speak at CBID. He was not polished and he did not come of as a professional politician. But he came off dedicated, earnest and intelligent. For more about Robinson Iglesias, please visit his website.

40th City Council District: Rock Hackshaw. He is a fellow blogger and his knowledge of Brooklyn politics is amazing. I differ with this guy on some issues. But I know him and his honesty and integrity are exceptional and I think he would be an excellent City Councilman. Since he is running against a guy who lies about being a doctor and is as strange and squirrely as you can get, Rock would be a very welcome change. (No website yet?)

45th City Council District: Two candidates I like. First Terry Hinds. I have three people giving very good recommendations for this guy. But I also think Rod Daley is good and represents a chance to get another educator on the city council.


DRINKING LIBERALLY IN BROOKLYN:

An informal, inclusive progressive social group. Raise your spirits
while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher.
Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place
to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a
book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent
frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk
politics.

Park Slope
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:30-10:00 pm
* Commonwealth, 497 5th Ave (at 12th Street)
* Hosted by Anthony Accurso, Emilie Harkin and Emily Farris, parkslope (at) drinkingliberally.org


FOOD CO-OPS IN BROOKLYN:

Park Slope Food Co-op
782 Union Street
Brooklyn, New York 11215
Phone: (718) 622-0560
FAX: (718) 622-5685
linda_wheeler@psfc.coop
http://www.foodcoop.com/

This is the largest Food Co-op in America. Joy and I are members (as are City Council Candidates Ken Baer and Josh Skaller). Low prices and high quality even if it can be a bit inconvenient at times.

Flatbush Food Cooperative
1318 Cortelyou Road
Brooklyn, New York 11226
Phone: (718) 284-9717
FAX: (718) 284-9719
info@flatbushfoodcoop.com
http://www.flatbushfoodcoop.com/

Established in 1976, and located on Cortelyou Road in the heart of Victorian Flatbush since 1985, Flatbush Food Coop is a community-owned, full-service natural foods store specializing in organic products. We are committed to serving the diverse community in which we are situated, and beyond, by providing goods and services that promote personal and environmental well-being. Like the 300 food coops across the nation with which we are affiliated, we are open to all—it is not necessary to be a member to shop. By joining the Coop, however, you become a joint owner of our business and are able to take additional savings on your purchases. There are opportunities for varying degrees of involvement in the coop, and our member-owners are able to influence the direction of our organization. We are particularly proud that the dozens of ethnic groups in Brooklyn’s most diverse neighborhood are reflected in our staff, our close to 3,000 members, and countless shoppers.

QUEENS, NY: Democracy for America, Candidates and Drinking Liberally

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES IN QUEENS:

19th City Council District: Steve Behar. I have met Steve at several Democracy for NYC events. Great guy who has worked tirelessly for progressives in NYC and throughout the state.

Here's Steve discussing Small Business:



Here's an article from the Queens Tribune on Steve Behar (PDF)

And here's an article on Steve from the Epoch Times (in Chinese)

Steve Behar has been endorsed by the current City Councilman (and mayoral candidate) Tony Avella as well as by Democracy for NYC and 3-decade Civil Rights champion (and Public Advocate candidate) Norman Siegel.


Marquez Claxton for City Council: A former NYC Police Officer and co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, Marq Claxton is running for the City Council District 31 seat in Queens. He is currently the chair of the Public Safety Committee for Community Board 13. He has been endorsed by Eric Adams (who I know and respect) and is being considered by the Working Families Party as a candidate. Here is Eric Adam's endorsement statement:



And here is a statement by Claxton regarding inaccurate crime statistics in NYC.

MARQUEZ CLAXTON ON ROCKAWAY RADIO


Daniel Dromm for City Council: a public school teacher running for the City Council District 25 seat in Queens. He was a founder of the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens and chapter leader of United Federation of Teachers, PS 199Q. He has been endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers, Mark Green, and others. WFP seem to be considering him as well. Dromm received the "Community Service Impact Award" from the Times Ledger Newspapers (2006), the "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" PS 199Q Principal's Award (2006), and the "Citation of Honor" from the Queens Borough President (1995). Seems like exactly the experience we need on the City Council.

Here is a video of Daniel Dromm at Pride '09:



Here is a video of Daniel Dromm protesting the Con Ed rate hikes and inadequate service:




Mel Gagarin: 29th City Council District

This guys sounds pretty exciting given his experience. From his website:

Melquiades Gagarin was born in Elmhurst, Queens to a diverse family background. Mel was raised by his grandmother and mother, a nurse, who emphasized the value of hard work and service to others. Mel carries these values with him into his campaign to represent the 29th Council District.

Mel is a graduate of Archbishop Molloy High School, in Jamaica and received his degree in Political Science from the American University in Washington D.C. After graduation Mel worked for the National Foundation for Women Legislators, a non-profit organization that assists female state legislators develop leadership skills.

In the fall of 2005, Mel and his future wife Aleda returned to New York and moved to Kew Gardens where they would start their family. Mel served as the Communications Liaison to New York State Senator José Serrano before being hired by Congressman Anthony Weiner as his Community Representative. As the Congressman’s Community Representative Mel was dedicated to assisting constituents and working to solve their problems.

Mel now serves as the Media Manager for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, where he is responsible for spreading the organization’s message of equality and justice for all Americans. He lives in Kew Gardens with his wife Aleda, son Micah, and daughter Zoe Frances.

And a video from his website:



And another endorsement I am making in Queens:

24th City Council District: Jim Gennaro. Excellent environmental advocate pushing for more biodiesel in NYC to reduce pollution, and a strong advocate for preserving the safety of our drinking water. No campaign website that I can find, but he is a good guy.

Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens

The Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens (LGDCQ) is the only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender independent Democratic club in the Borough of Queens.

The LGDCQ was founded eleven years ago to increase the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in the political arena of Queens, New York City, New York State and the nation.

To receive the monthly newsletter or to be put on the Club's mailing list contact;
Democratic District Leader Daniel Dromm at
Write "LGDCQ Newsletter" in subject title.


Democracy for NYC in Queens:

Democracy for New York City (DFNYC) is a volunteer-driven non-profit political action committee. We are part of a national coalition of local groups committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean.

We work both locally and nationally to ensure that fiscally-responsible and socially-progressive candidates win elections at all levels of government. We develop innovative ways to advocate for the issues that matter to our members and promote legislation which has a positive effect in our communities. We engage people in the political process and give them the tools to organize, communicate, mobilize, and enact change on the local, state, and national level.

Currently there are three Brooklyn chapters: Each meets the First Wednesday of every month.

Astoria, Queens - 7:30pm, - Ommonia Cafe 32-20 Broadway, with host Jeremiah Frei-Pearson and Costa Constantinides.

Sunnyside, Queens - 7:30pm, Bliss Street Station restaurant, 47-02 Greenpoint Ave., with host Dan Jacoby.

Bayside, Queens - 7:00pm, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics.


DRINKING LIBERALLY IN QUEENS:

An informal, inclusive progressive social group. Raise your spirits
while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher.
Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place
to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a
book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent
frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk
politics.

Queens
* Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102 (group of young liberals taking up one lane)
* Hosted by Donald Graff, queens (at) drinkingliberally.org

Rochester, NY: Democracy for America, Drinking Liberally, Progressive Potlucks, Food Co-op

Here is a Democracy for America Group in Rochester, NY:

DFA Rochester is an organization founded upon the grassroots spirit born in Howard Dean’s campaign to take back our country. We have a year-long history as Rochester For Dean—the local group who concentrated on putting Howard Dean in the White House. While we are mainly Democrats, we welcome everyone.

DFA Rochester is an organization of grassroots leaders who strive to take back our country—one issue at a time…one neighborhood at a time. We work hard to support progressive, honest candidates. We perform community-enriching service through DFA Corps events. We are taking up residence on our town committees. Most important we are both individual voices and a strong collective of voices. Our voices are being heard!

Quite simply we are wherever you are. DFA Rochester serves the greater Rochester area which includes our very active Livingston County, NY group. We are also linked to groups statewide. At present our meetings take place monthly in Rochester and Geneseo. We encourage you to join us and plan meetings in your local area!

Want to get involved?

DFA Rochester is always looking to welcome new members.

Email us today at: dfarochester_at_gmail.com


DRINKING LIBERALLY ROCHESTER:

An informal, inclusive progressive social group. Raise your spirits
while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher.
Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place
to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a
book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent
frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk
politics.

Rochester, New York
* Every Thursday, 8:00-10:00 pm
* Monty's Korner, 355 East Ave
* Hosted by Tom Tucker and Tracy Logan, rochester (at) drinkingliberally.org


Potluck for Progressives Rochester:

Join us for a community dinner. Everyone is welcome. Bring a dish to pass & your own place setting. Enjoy the bounty that others bring as well.

Downtown United Presbyterian Church
121 North Fitzhugh Street @ 5:30pm
Across from Rochester City Hall.
Free parking in the City Hall parking lot.

At each Potluck we highlight a different Progressive organization and/or activist, talk about our successes, exchange ideas, help each other overcome challenges and/or plan actions together.

The Potluck for Progressives, founded by members of the Rochester chapter of the Alliance for Democracy, has been bringing committed activists together to break bread & coordinate action on a regular basis for the past several years with the goal of building a large progressive coalition in Rochester.

Activists who have a wide range of experience & who's concerns span the entire spectrum from environmental issues to social & economic justice find common ground in the dream of building a powerful local coalition here in our community. Every time we meet together we take another step towards our goal.

To get involved, email here: info@RochesterAlliance.org


Here is a Food Co-op in Rochester, NY:

Abundance Cooperative Market
62 Marshall Street
Rochester, New York 14607
Phone: (585) 454-2667
FAX: (585) 454-0343
info@abundance.coop
http://www.abundance.coop/

Open to the public 7 days a week, Abundance Cooperative Market is Rochester, New York’s only community-owned natural grocery store. We are located at 62 Marshall Street off Monroe Avenue, just 2 blocks from Strong Children’s Museum, with convenient access to I-490, the Inner Loop, and Downtown. Free WI-FI too!

Abundance product selection promotes healthy and sustainable food practices. We offer a wide selection of grocery items (with many vegan & gluten free options) including; bulk goods, fresh organic produce, housewares, health and nutritional supplements, natural body care products, books, gifts, and our own fresh and organic, eat-in deli.

They also have a good list of classes.

BRONX, NY: Green Collar Jobs, Food Co-ops, City Council Candidate

BRONX CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE:

Here is a City Council Candidate I am considering supporting in the Bronx

Jerome Rice: 12th City Council District (The Bronx)


Watch Jerome Rice in News  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Here is a statement from Jerome:

Hello, My name is Jerome Rice, I am running to be your next City Councilman for District 12. I am a family man and resident, that attends church in the Bronx, where I serve as both Trustee and Co-chair to Public Safety. I have a Master Degree in Business Administration from Monroe College. I have served 22 years in the New York Army National Guard, before retiring with the rank of First Sergeant. I have a total of 21 years in the NYC Department of Correction, holding the rank of Captain. I have spent the last 13 years in a Civil Rights organization known as 100 Blacks In Law Enforcement Who Care, where I serve as its Director.

I fought against: Wrongful Police Shooting & Policies such as Stop & Frisk, Operation Lucky Bag, Disparate Treatment against Blacks & Hispanic being arrested for lower crime, Privatizing and Re-Zoing of Harlem. Both your Civil Rights and the Bronx are not for sale.

I have been fighting and will continue to fight for those who can't.

Here are some of the concerns, I will address:
Affordable Homes: Why are we allowing homes to be built in our community, that we can't afford? Homes ranging from $350,000-$400,000 and the average income is only $40,000 - $60,000 a year. Lets make homes affordable. Also I will increase inspections and penalties on Landlord that refuse to provide you a comfortable living envirnoment.

Education: I have both created and facilitated informative survival workshops on issues affecting our community such as:
What to do, when stopped by the police
What to do, when you go to court "Because its Just-Us"
Gangs "Our community domestic terrorist'
Disaster awareness "Are you ready" and
Hunting Season "No where to run, No where to hide"

Our Youth should learn in a comfortable learning envirnoment, by ensuring that each school has enough School Safety Officers to patrol our school ground. I will also ensure that each school has Up-To-Date programs to prepare our youth for the REAL WORLD.

Economic Development: Bring in New Business and support existing business. Open more centers for both our senior citizens and youth.

Public Safety- I will call for increase in Police Patrol, in areas that are seriously impacted with crime. I will introduce new programs to educate our youth and senior citizens on issues regarding crime and health.

Here is State Senator Eric Adams' endorsement of Jerome Rice:


Watch Senator Eric Adams Endorses Jerome Rice in Activism & Non-Profit  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com


GREEN JOBS, NOT JAILS

This comes from Sustainable South Bronx.

The City of New York is still moving forward with their plans for a jail in the South Bronx. We’ve been hearing these rumors and plans for a while, but have recently been alerted that the approval proceedings are moving forward. This has to stop. At a time when folks are losing their jobs and prisons are shutting down, why would we still invest over half a billion dollars on a jail that stands to only result in the continuation of limited opportunity. To these ends, we have launched our Green Jobs Not Jails campaign on Facebook. Already we’ve collected over 600 signatures against the proposal. Please join the cause today and sign our online petition. Help us tell the City of New York that communities deserve green jobs, real alternatives to incarceration, not developments that limit our community’s future opportunities. Stay tuned for additional events for our Green Jobs Not Jails campaign.

As we continue to face the challenges affecting our communities, we should all give thought to the types of sustainable communities we can create. Communities filled with green jobs, clean tech businesses, green roofs, solar panels, healthy children, healthy food, clean air, healthy homes and trees. As our new president inspires us to face some of our country's greatest challenges, SSBx will continue to serve the South Bronx Community and share our work across the globe. We ask that you help us, work with us, support us, and join us.


La Familia Verde Community Garden:

La Familia Verde is a coalition of community gardens in the Crotona, East Tremont, and West Farms neighborhoods in the Bronx. Formed in 1998, our mission is to sustain the environment and culture of our neighborhood through education, community service, and horticulture.

La Familia Verde is part of a community gardening tradition in New York City that dates back over 25 years, when city residents first began taking control of abandoned lots left by the economic and social devastation of the inner cities. Since that time, community gardens have played an important role in helping revitalize some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. The gardens are not only pleasing to look at; they serve as educational, cultural, and social resource centers in traditionally underserved communities.

Today, La Familia Verde is comprised of more than ten community-operated gardens and various community based organizations. The gardens and community organizations help foster community pride, partnership, and activism.

You can read about their projects here.

La Familia Verde
2158 Mapes Avenue
Bronx, NY 10460
http://www.lafamiliaverde.org/


South Bronx Greenway Project

South Bronx residents have far less open space and waterfront access than other parts of NYC.

The South Bronx Greenway Project (SBG) is a community led plan for a bicycle/pedestrian greenway along the South Bronx waterfront, which will provide much needed open space, waterfront access and opportunities for mixed used economic development.

Majora Carter wrote a $1.25 M federal transportation planning grant to conduct a feasibility study for the Greenway to include the NYC Economic Development Corporation as the government sponsor, SSBx and The Point, CDC as the community partners, and landscape architects Mathews Nielsen. The study provided a unique opportunity for our community to impact design and policy. To date, nearly $30 million is secured for greenway related projects.

The South Bronx Greenway will create bike & pedestrian paths around the Hunts Point and Port Morris waterfront, as well as on-street connections including Hunts Point Riverside Park, the Bazzini Piers, Tiffany St. Pier, and Barretto Point Park, and a connection to Randall's Island Sports Complex.

One reason people struggle with obesity in the South Bronx is the lack of opportunity to exercise safely outdoors. SSBx is developing the South Bronx Greenway to provide safe public space, and create better transportation policy. Integrating traffic calming measures and truck routes that keep trucks away from the residential areas will help integrate physical activity into daily life.

Until the Greenway is built, we are getting people active now!

The South Bronx Active Living Campaign is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Active Living by Design Program. "Active Living" is a public health term which means incorporating physical activity into your daily life. SSBx is developing walking clubs for local residents, including one geared towards parents at PS 48 and one open to any resident who wants to explore Hunts Point history. We are working with local doctors and nurses to create Action Action Plans, similar to Asthma Action Plans that will include advice and information that our local doctors can share with residents about physical activity resources in the neighborhood.

Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects have collected background information on land ownership and site conditions, and conducted surveys and interviews with property and business owners. The City has approved over $10 million to be designated for the Greenway as part of the work of the Hunts Point Task Force, bringing the total of funding for greenway-related projects in the South Bronx to $28.5M over the next few years. SSBx looks forward to moving into the construction phases of the project. First phase projects will include intensive streetscape and bicycle path improvements on Hunts Point Avenue and Lafayette Avenue, two major thoroughfares in Hunts Point; a bridge connecting Randall’s Island and Port Morris under the Hell Gate span; and a new waterfront park adjacent to the new Fulton Fish Market in Hunts Point.

Office: 1231 Lafayette Avenue, 4th Floor • The Bronx, NY 10474
Mailing: 890 Garrison Avenue, 4th Floor • The Bronx, NY 10474
Phone: 646•400•5430 • Fax: 718•617•5228


SOUTH BRONX FOOD CO-OP:

The South Bronx Food Cooperative (SBxFC) is a green shopping alternative to the profit-oriented commercial food markets found in the Bronx. Founded and operated by committed residents, the SBxFC is dedicated to making a difference in the community by working together to provide healthy and affordable food to all who want it.

The South Bronx Food cooperative carries a wide variety of products, including local, organic and conventionally grown produce; pasture-raised, grass-fed and free-range meats and poultry; bulk grains, sugars, spices and pastas; fair-trade coffees and chocolate; environmentally safe cleaning supplies, and much more. All of this plus a selection of standard supermarket items makes the SBxFC a one-stop shopping destination. Sales are brisk at the SBxFC and inventory is replenished often ensuring that the products we sell are as fresh as possible..

As a member of the SBxFC you share ownership of the coop with fellow members. Members have a voice in the decision-making process and participate in directing the organization's future. Equally important, as a shopper you will know where your food choices come from. By becoming a member you and your family not only have access to fresh foods at reasonable prices, you will learn about our local farmers, organizations and vendors.

In addition to providing green/local products and democratic operations (common at most cooperatives), the SBxFC provides various health and nutrition services including workshops, cooking classes and education seminars. Our community education programs are designed and administered by local medical professionals and nutrition specialist. The goal of the SBxFC is to correct the various health disparities faced by Bronxites including diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.

They seem to even have an online shopping option (members only).

Hours:
11:00 am – 8pm, Thursday – Monday
CLOSED Tuesday & Wednesday
(Additional hours and days of operation will be added in the very near future)

Website: http://www.sbxfc.org/

Location:
3103 Third Avenue
Bronx NY 10451
(The corner of 158th St)

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS: Blogs, 2009 Candidates, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

Here are some articles worth reading:

Katz's conflicts-of-interes...well I've been saying this about Katz for months now.

REMINDER: The Better Schools Act Addresses Mayoral Control

Bloomberg is the REAL Disgrace...and: Bloomberg pisses off reporter

Atlantic Yards Developer Bruce Ratner Tries to Stiff MTA Yet Again...this guy screws taxpayers every chance he gets while begging us for money. Wow...reminds me of some of these banks we've bailed out.

Republicans Spread Misinformation On Rockefeller Drug Law Reforms...Gee, Republicans lying? That is just SO typical.

The Dallas Principles: Help Strive For Full Marriage Equality

WFP Joins IND in Bowing to Vito Lopez

Rattner: Toxic Conflict of Interest; Is the NYT at Risk?...I want to know if David Yassky's Rattner connections are ever going to hit the mainstream media...or even True News! I have blogged about them repeatedly, but no one else wonders if a Comptroller candidate should have such ties with someone involved in such a huge scandal. I should note than in addition to Steve Rattner's brother, another Rattner is helping organize a "women for Yassky" event, so the Yassky-Pensiongate connection seems pretty deep.

First Statewide Renewable Energy Feed-In Law in USA

And the "so what, big deal" story of the week: Weiner withdraws

Albany and the Pursuit of Integrity

Rock of Ages: A Manifesto for the City Council

Superfund Gowanus...more on the same: Senator Montgomery Supports Superfund Designation for Gowanus Canal...more on the same: EPA Reveals Gowanus Cleanup Could Cost $300 to $400 Million

Carlyle Lies Nobody Listens, Gets Away With Pension Crimes...and More on the Pensiongate Scandal and Pay-to-Play Politics...and more:Calif pension fund chief quits, cites New York scandal...so this scandal isn't just threatening politicians like the Hevisis, David Yassky and Brad Lander. It has reached from NYC to New Mexico to California.


NEW YORK BLOGGING:

The Albany Project gives excellent coverage of New York State politics.

The Daily Gotham covers both New York City (with a slight emphasis on Brooklyn) and New York State politics.

Reform NY is the blog of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

No Land Grab: News from the point of view of Brooklyn opposition to overdevelopment

True News from ChangeNYC.Org: ChangeNYC.Org is an organization unifying our City’s Democratic Party by welcoming all New Yorkers back into the political process. We are a coalition of real, everyday New Yorkers – young voters, progressives, neighborhood leaders, community bloggers, good government groups, and even conservatives – who believe that in cooperation we can bring the change to our City that together we have begun to bring to our nation.


Let me highlight some excellent candidates running in New York in 2009: (also see my borough specific sections where I also discuss candidates)

Norm Siegel for Public Advocate
For those of you who live in NYC, let me introduce you to Norman Siegel, one of America's top Civil Rights Lawyers, is running for New York Public Advocate. He has so far been endorsed by Democracy for NYC, Room 8 Blogger Rock Hackshaw, State Senator Eric Adams, and the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats.

Here is Norm Siegel's 14 Point Approach to the Public Advocate's Office:

The backbone of my campaign and my desire to serve as New York City’s Public Advocate is my vision for how this unique elected position – the only position in America that represents the people against the government – can operate as an example of democracy in action. No New Yorker would have to ask “what does the Public Advocate do?” if I were in charge of the office. The City Charter specifies in section 24g, “The public advocate shall establish procedures for receiving and processing complaints, responding to complaints, conducting investigations, and reporting findings, and shall inform the public about such procedures.” Accordingly, I’ve outlined fourteen procedures and approaches I would use to make the office more dynamic and accessible:

1. I will not only contact the appropriate city agencies when it is appropriate, but I will also connect concerned residents and community groups to the appropriate agencies, so they do not get the run-around when trying to deal with city bureaucracies.
2. The Public Advocate has access to the media, and he or she should use it. The Public Advocate’s office will put pressing issues into New York’s papers by writing letters to the editor and opinion editorials on a constant basis.
3. Similarly, our office will hold press conferences to keep New York’s journalists apprised of the problems people are facing, and the work our office and our partners are doing to fix them.
4. A Public Advocate cannot understand the concerns of the City without going directly to the people. That is why we will hold public conferences/town hall meetings throughout the five boroughs to allow residents to give feedback about the difficulties they are facing.
5. Not only will I hold meetings in all five boroughs, but I will also decentralize the office. I would establish satellite Public Advocate offices in each borough, not just the municipal building in downtown Manhattan. No advocate waits for people to come with their problems; advocacy is about taking the first step by reaching out to people in their own neighborhoods.
6. Once a problem has been identified, the Public Advocate’s office will designate a task force to speedily gather information, make recommendations, and if necessary, take action.
7. If a task force is insufficient, I will not hesitate to create Public Advocate Commissions that can hold hearings, issue reports, and bring additional media attention to an issue.
8. If our office identifies an issue that warrants substantial study, we will commission Special Reports and have experts look into those issues.
9. There will be times when new legislation will be required to solve the issues we face. Under my direction, the Public Advocate’s office will be aggressive in recommending and supporting new legislation.
10. As Public Advocate, I will encourage and participate in all protected First Amendment action events, including marches, rallies and protests.
11. One of the most important features of the Public Advocate’s office is its authority to hold public hearings. When dealing with City agencies accused of wrongdoing, one can be assured that holding hearings is a tool I will use liberally. Additionally, New York law allows the Public Advocate to petition for judicial public hearings when there has been any showing of government impropriety, which allows the public to hear the acts in a court of law. As a civil rights attorney representing taxpayers I used this process to bring public attention to the “slush fund” that had been funneling city money to fictitious organizations. That case is currently on appeal in the New York Appellate Division. The incumbent has never asked for judicial hearings, but I will show no such reluctance in exposing government improprieties, such as fraud and corruption.
12. I would create an Institute of Advocacy where the Public Advocate staff would quarterly hold weekend training sessions on the “art of advocacy.” The goal would be to create a citywide network of skilled advocates.
13. To this end, I would recruit, train and supervise hundreds of volunteers (assistant Public Advocates) to participate in weekly intakes at housing developments, public libraries, and senior centers, identifying the systemic issues and recurring grievances that are plaguing city government.
14. As a last resort, the Public Advocate’s office will engage in litigation. We will sue for declaratory judgments, injunctive relief, or, in state court, for a judicial public hearing.

Here's a link to Norm Siegel on NY1.

And here is Youtube footage of Norm Siegel and the NYC Coalition To Preserve Term Limits Press Conference:




More Races: Here is a Facebook Site highlighting some good primary challenges against those City Council members who voted themselves a pay raise then voted themselves a third term in the council over the vote and objections of the voters. In the future I will be highlighting some of these challengers, though for now electing Norm Siegel and Josh Skaller are my main efforts.


Alternative Energy in NY State:

Here are some stats from Repower America:

* A $2 billion investment by Spanish energy company, Iberdrola, will double New York's 1,000-megawatt wind capacity to 2,000-megawatts - providing enough electricity for nearly 600,000 homes.

* New York's energy efficiency programs save enough electricity to power almost 115,000 homes for a whole year, save almost $140 million in energy costs, and prevent the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking over 60,000 cars off the road. Although great progress, the state still has much more potential to increase its energy efficiency.

* The state has a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that requires all public utilities to generate 24% of their electricity from renewable energy resources by 2013.

What you can do for Clean Energy:

For pennies per month more than you currently pay for energy you can buy 100% green energy from Con-Ed. Joy and I have been doing it for years, seriously reducing our carbon footprint and giving NY State cleaner air. Here's how it works:

Clean Energy for Residential & Small Business Customers ConEdison Solutions is leading the way in promoting pollution-free electricity by offering WIND and GREEN Power - clean, 100% renewable power. Instead of drawing on traditional power sources, such as nuclear power and fossil fuel sources, GREEN Power is generated from regional wind and low-impact hydropower sources. GREEN Power is composed of 65% run-of-the-river hydro and 35% wind power. See content label WIND Power is composed of electricity exclusively generated from 100% wind power. The benefit of clean energy is that it produces none of the detrimental environmental effects associated with electricity production that results in air emissions.

ConEdison Solutions is committed to making a difference in the environment and together we have the opportunity to help make a powerful impact. The cost for renewable energy has fallen dramatically in recent years and is only a fraction higher than electricity generated from traditional power sources. ConEdison Solutions' GREEN Power costs only an additional one cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh) more than our standard offer and WIND Power is an additional 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) more than our standard offer. Upgrading to renewable energy makes a difference and is a very affordable way to show that you care about the future of our environment.

To sign up GO HERE. Or call: 1-888-320-8991. You won't regret switching.


Here are a handful of Organizations worth checking out:

The Environmental Business Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to supporting the growth of the environmental industry in New York State. Specifically, we help to promote and serve serving the industry sectors of Climate Change, Greening Communities, Energy and WALCE (Water-Agriculture-Land Use-Conservation-Environmental). News here. Events list here (not recently updated).

NY Citizens for Clean Elections: We are committed to passage of Clean Money Clean Election legislation in NYS that provides a non-partisan approach for full public funding of campaigns for all qualified candidates who refuse private money and abide by spending limits. We want to ensure that all Americans, regardless of wealth, have an equal voice in the political system and that qualified candidates are not discouraged from running because they do not have access to the money needed for a competitive campaign.

The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats is a community-based Democratic club. CBID has fought for reform and progressive causes since 1968. As a Brooklyn-based Club, we have been instrumental in the election of many candidates for public office. Much of this success was a result of our question-and-answer forums with prospective candidates as well as our extensive on-the-street contact with our constituents.

Staunchly opposed to political corruption, we are proud of our independence and our commitment to progressive reform in city, state and national politics. We are a vehicle for citizen empowerment and making government more accountable to our neighborhoods.

We meet monthly, usually the fourth Thursday evening of the month in the basement of the Park Slope United Methodist Church, on the corner of 6th ave and 8th street, at 7:30pm. All are welcome.

New Kings Democrats (”NKD”) is a new, grassroots organization in Kings County (Brooklyn), New York whose primary mission is to recruit and prepare individuals to run for Kings County Democratic Committee. NKD hopes to achieve the goal of an inclusionary and participatory democracy by making it easy for individuals to run for local, elected office. NKD will serve as a training ground for individuals seeking higher office, and hopes to build and nurture a new group of Brooklyn Democratic leaders.

Stonewall Democrats of Western New York is the GLBT Democratic voice in WNY. Our mission is to advocate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community within the Democratic Party and to encourage GLBT participation within the Democratic Party. Our membership includes representatives from State, County, and City government, and several Democratic committee members amongst the various County Committees in WNY.


DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA MEETINGS IN NY STATE:

Democracy For The Southern Adirondack/Tricounty Area. You can also check out their website here.

Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area

dfaROCHESTER. And you can check out their website here.

Democracy for the Hudson-Mohawk Region. And you can join their Yahoo group here.

Capital District of NY/GenDFA

Democracy for the Hudson Valley

Mid-Hudson Progressive Alliance

Democracy For Westchester

Democracy for Long Island. You can also join their Yahoo group here.

North Country Democracy for America

Central New York DFA

Eastern Long Island Democracy for America

Democracy For Saratoga Springs

Kingston Democracy for America

Democracy for Otsego and Delaware Counties

Philipstown for Democracy

DFA: Greene County

Livingston County for Democracy


DEMOCRACY FOR NYC MEETINGS:
First Wednesday of every month.

Upper West Side - 7:00 pm, The Parlour (back room) - 250 West 86th Street (btwn B'way and West End Ave.), with hosts Bernadette Evangelist and Sally Swisher.

West Village - 7:00pm, Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St. (near 7th Ave.) with host Tracey Keij-Denton.

Astoria, Queens - 7:30pm, - Ommonia Cafe 32-20 Broadway, with host Jeremiah Frei-Pearson and Costa Constantinides.

Sunnyside, Queens - 7:30 pm, Bliss Street Station restaurant, 47-02 Greenpoint Ave., with host Dan Jacoby.

Bayside, Queens - 7:00 pm, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics.

Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn - 7:00pm, Wyckoff-Bennett Homestead 1669 E. 22nd St. with host Annette Mont and Estelle Glasser.


DRINKING LIBERALLY MEETINGS IN NY STATE:

Clifton Park, New York
* First Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Old Dublin Inn, 130 Meyer Rd (Google maps is wrong, please contact me for directions.)
* Hosted by Chris Selkirk, cliftonpark (at) drinkingliberally.org

Ithaca, New York
* Every Wednesday, 6:30 pm onward
* Felicia's Atomic Lounge, 508 W State St
* Hosted by Joseph Cannon Murtagh, ithaca (at) drinkingliberally.org


New York City, New York:

The Original Drinking Liberally
* Every Thursday, 7:30 pm onward
* Rudy's, 627 9th Ave (between 44th and 45th)
* In the backyard, weather permitting
* Hosted by Justin Krebs, Matthew O'Neill and Katrina Baker, nyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Drinking Liberally Steps Out
* Third Tuesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* XES Lounge, 157 W 24th St (@ 7th Avenue)
* In conjunction with the Stonewall Democrats of New York City www.sdnyc.org.
* Hosted by Matthew Carlin and Greg Rae, outnyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Harlem
* Second Wednesday of each month), 6:30 pm onward
* Soundz Lounge, 3155 Broadway (between 123rd and 124th)
* Hosted by Yolanda (Shoshi) Shoshana, harlem (at) drinkingliberally.org

Park Slope
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:30-10:00 pm
* Commonwealth, 497 5th Ave (at 12th Street)
* Hosted by Anthony Accurso, Emilie Harkin and Emily Farris, parkslope (at) drinkingliberally.org

Queens
* Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102 (group of young liberals taking up one lane)
* Hosted by Donald Graff, queens (at) drinkingliberally.org

Upper East Side
* Last Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Doc Watson's, 1490 2nd Ave (at 77th)
* Hosted by Matthew Bachiochi, ues (at) drinkingliberally.org

West Bronx
* First and third Friday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* An Beal Bocht, 445 W 238th St (between Waldo and Greystone)
* 1 to 238th, turn left, straight on 238th, just past the top of the stairs
* Hosted by Jamin Sewell and Scott Kennedy, westbronx (at) drinkingliberally.org

Rochester, New York
* Every Thursday, 8:00-10:00 pm
* Monty's Korner, 355 East Ave
* Hosted by Tom Tucker and Tracy Logan, rochester (at) drinkingliberally.org

And then we have: Shooting Liberally
Tuesday, Feb 19
From your friends at Drinking Liberally comes the SHOOTING LIBERALLY...

For the First Amendment enthusiast ready to move on to the Second. A social evening at the gun range including training & weapon rental.

For more info and to reserve your spot, contact: Stanley Sherman - maskarts (at) worldnet.att.net