Proposed Foskett speckled dace endangered species delisting
I should have posted this sooner, but people might consider commenting on the proposal to remove this fish, found only in a tiny part of Oregon, from protection under the Endangered Species Act. I first heard about it at: www.counterpunch.org/2018/01/12/the-oregon-fish-trump-and-obama-want-to-de-list/ and for more information and commenting (deadline March 5th by 11:59pm EST) see: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/01/04/2017-28465/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-removing-the-foskett-speckled-dace-from-the-list-of
Anti-environmental actions by the NC DOT
I was planning to write more about endangered dwarf wedgemussels and other local environmental and water quality related issues over the next year or two, but public hearings and comments on the Southeast Extension of the Triangle Expressway, to complete 540, have come up already. The DOT and Federal Highway Administration are probably planning to use a route that would impact dwarf wedgemussels living in Swift Creek and possibly other endangered or threatened species (the website mentions Northern long-eared bats and Michaux's sumac), rather than the originally planned route that might have had less of an environmental impact, but has been impinged upon by a town's waterworks, etc., presumably knowing that a proposed freeway the town government supports was slated for the area. In researching the issue I heard stories about Governor Jim Hunt's actions against dwarf wedgemussels during the 90's, and these freshwater mussels live in several states, so this is a larger story than just what is happening in Wake County. If I remember correctly, dwarf wedgemussels might live in the Eno River in Orange and Durham counties.
There will be public meetings February 20th 6 - 8pm at the Holly Springs High School Cafeteria (5329 Cass Holt Road, Holly Springs), February 21 6 - 8pm at the Barwell Road Community Center (5857 Barwell Park Drive, Raleigh), and February 22 4 - 6:30pm (hearing at 7pm) at the Southern Wake Campus of Wake Technical Community College (9101 Fayetteville Road, Raleigh), and the presentation will be streamed live. Documents will be available for review at several locations and online at: www.ncdot.gov/projects/complete540/ To receive Spanish or other interpretive services, call 1 800 481 6494 and contact Jamille Robbins for ADA services.
For more information or to comment (by March 23rd) contact: Jamille Robbins at 1598 Mail Services Center, Raleigh, North Carolina 27699-1598; call 1 800 554 7849; go to ncdot.publicinput.com/complete_540 ; or email complete540 at ncdot period gov
Petition to drop charges against anti-base protesters in Okinawa
The Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases is circulating a petition (see noforeignbases.org/ ) demanding that the Japanese government drop charges against Hiroji Yamashiro, Hiroshi Inaba, and Atsuhiro Soeda. Okinawa is often treated as a colony by the Japanese government, and much of the US military presence in Japan is based in Okinawa, leading to social and environmental problems. I think Secretary of State Clinton's refusal to negotiate about the bases contributed to the collapse of the Democratic Party of Japan government a few years ago, allowing the Liberal Democratic Party to return to power and put Japan on a more aggressive course.
Don't fund Israeli military mistreatment of Palestinian children
The Carolina Peace Center is asking people to contact their Congressional representative urging support for HR 4391 Promote Human Rights for Palestinian Children ( www.facebook.com/CarolinaPeaceCenter/ ). Israel routinely arrests and prosecutes Palestinian children, and the announcement says that HRW and others have documented that some are tortured, beaten, and coercively interrogated, etc. while UNICEF found that children are being held for long periods without access to their parents or lawyers. To find your member of Congress: callyourrep.co/ Youth activist Ahed Tamimi turned 17 in an Israeli prison January 31st.
Free foreign language classes
The Carolina Asia Center is offering free classes open to the public in Bahasa Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai at the FedEx Global Education Center March 19, March 26, April 9, and April 9, 6-7:30pm each day. There will be refreshments. Register at: carolinaasiacenter.unc.edu/workshops/
There are free Chinese lessons every Friday afternoon at UNC's Student Union, but I will have to look up the details. The time might be 4:30 - 5:30, or maybe it was a little earlier.
There are local conversations groups in Japanese, French, and probably other languages on meetup.com
More than one story / Mas de una historia: 25 years of farmworker voices from SAF
UNC's Davis Library is exhibiting photos from the Student Action with Farmworkers archive in Wilson Library until February 2018. They are displayed in the Davis Library Gallery on the first floor [the east end of the ground floor, around a lounge opposite the main entrance]. For more information see: library.unc.edu/2017/08/more-than-one-story-mas-de-una-historia/ or www.saf-unite.org/http%3A//saf-unite.org/content/saf-2017-exhibits-events
Organic Revolution: A 9-day Trip to Cuba
The Organic Growers School, Food First, and Altruvistas are organizing a tour March 26-April 3rd to look at organic, sustainable, and agroecological practices in Cuban agriculture and food distribution. Tickets have to be paid for by March 1st. For more information see: organicgrowersschool.org/events/travel-to-cuba/
Fulgencio Batista was overthrown in Cuba January 1, 1959.
Pollinators of NC talk
There is usually a guest speaker at the New Hope Audubon Society's monthly meetings, and this month Chris Liloia of the NC Botanical Garden will talk about gardening with native plants for pollinators. The meetings are 7-9pm the first Thursday of the month at the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill and are free and open to the public. The February 1st meeting will be about the sea turtles found along the NC coast. For more information see: www.newhopeaudubonsociety.org
SEEDS NC New Year Plant Sale
SEEDS (706 Gilbert Street, Durham) is selling various herb plants and people can get a free seed packet January 6th, 9am-2pm. For more information see: www.seedsnc.org/2017/12/new-year-plant-sale/
Twitter Power Academy
The NC AFL-CIO and Social Movement Technologies will host seven classes on how to use Twitter "to shape news coverage, recruit influential allies to our community, and hold elected officials accountable." There will be a free introductory meeting on the past and future use of Twitter in organizing, Wednesday, January 10th 11-11:30am. It is open to organizers who are curious or want to participate in the entire course. To register, see: aflcionc.org/calendar/
Fair Courts Day of Action
Fair Courts Day of Action
There will be a day of action January 10th, 11am-5pm, against the proposal to end judicial elections. This is organized by the NC NAACP, NCVCE, Democracy NC, and Progress NC. There will be a press conference at Bicentennial Plaza (1 East Edenton Street, Raleigh); for more information see: www.facebook.com/events/1815507185187612/
Fairness and Accuracy in Journalism meeting
The monthly meeting will be Thursday, January 11th at 7:30pm at the Community Church, UU (106 Purefoy Road, Chapel Hill), and will be a discussion of news sources and activism for better news coverage. There will be copies of WCOM's Alternative Radio program (broadcast every Tuesday at 9am) featuring a talk by Duke's Nancy MacLean in Wisconsin on her book Democracy in Chains, discussing links between American economists, Chile under Pinochet, and rightist public policy in the US.
US Foreign Military Bases Must Be Closed!Fairness and Accuracy in Journalism meeting
The monthly meeting will be Thursday, January 11th at 7:30pm at the Community Church, UU (106 Purefoy Road, Chapel Hill), and will be a discussion of news sources and activism for better news coverage. There will be copies of WCOM's Alternative Radio program (broadcast every Tuesday at 9am) featuring a talk by Duke's Nancy MacLean in Wisconsin on her book Democracy in Chains, discussing links between American economists, Chile under Pinochet, and rightist public policy in the US.
Medicare for All Rally!
The Coalition for Health Care of North Carolina is organizing a rally for a better and inclusive health care system January 12th [actually the date is January 13th] 12-1:30pm at Durham's CCB Plaza (201 North Corcoran Street). Speakers include Rev Jennifer Copeland, Dr Aparna Jonnal, Rebecca Cerese, Rev Dr Carl Kenny II, Poet Darrell Stover, and the Reging Grannies. There will be free parking at the Corcoran and Chapel Hill Street City lots. For more information, or to co-sponsor, see: www.facebook.com/events/930107137143919/
There will be a national conference to discuss the problems caused by the expansive American military presence abroad, January 12-14, 2018 at Maryland's University of Baltimore. The conference is being organized by 13 national peace and justice organizations, including WILPF. For more information, see: noforeignbases.org/
Municipal Workers Bill of Rights campaign
United Electrical Local 150 (UE150) will march in Greensboro's Martin Luther King Day Parade (January 15th line up 9:45am, the parade starts at 11am, at Benbow Professional Plaza, 2031 MLK Drive, Suite A) and there will be a press conference at 5pm on the 16th in front of the Melvin Municipal Building (300 West Washington Street), before workers address a City Council meeting. This year is the 50th anniversary of the founding of UE150 and 50 years since Martin Luther King was killed while organizing for the rights of workers in Memphis. UE150 is launching campaigns for a Municipal Workers Bill of Rights, to end "'Right to Work' (for less!)," and to publicize the ILO ruling that North Carolina's ban on collective bargaining by public workers is against international law. A municipal worker, Anthony Milledge, died after 14 hours of work on a summer day, and UE says none of NC's cities had written policies regarding work in dangerously hot weather. For more information see: www.facebook.com/events/395068774261948/
Durham Garden Forum: Honeybees and Native BeesMunicipal Workers Bill of Rights campaign
United Electrical Local 150 (UE150) will march in Greensboro's Martin Luther King Day Parade (January 15th line up 9:45am, the parade starts at 11am, at Benbow Professional Plaza, 2031 MLK Drive, Suite A) and there will be a press conference at 5pm on the 16th in front of the Melvin Municipal Building (300 West Washington Street), before workers address a City Council meeting. This year is the 50th anniversary of the founding of UE150 and 50 years since Martin Luther King was killed while organizing for the rights of workers in Memphis. UE150 is launching campaigns for a Municipal Workers Bill of Rights, to end "'Right to Work' (for less!)," and to publicize the ILO ruling that North Carolina's ban on collective bargaining by public workers is against international law. A municipal worker, Anthony Milledge, died after 14 hours of work on a summer day, and UE says none of NC's cities had written policies regarding work in dangerously hot weather. For more information see: www.facebook.com/events/395068774261948/
Matthew Yearout of the Durham Beekeepers' Association ( www.durhambeekeepers.org/ ) will talk about bee biology, both non-native honeybees and native bees, important pollinating insects that are having problems, Tuesday, January 16th 6:30-8pm at the Doris Duke Center in Duke Gardens. This is part of the Durham Garden Forum, and is co-sponsored by NC Cooperative Extension - Durham County Center. Registration is not required, but participation will cost $10 dollars for non-members (Durham Garden Forum membership is $25 dollars for a year). There is free parking starting at 5pm. For more information, see: gardens.duke.edu/events/durham-garden-forum-honeybees-and-native-bees
Community Meeting on Sustainable Food Truck Certification
Don't Waste Durham is hosting a meeting on this sustainability certification program (www.dontwastedurham.org/sustainable-food-truck-program), Friday, January 19th, 11:30am-12:30pm at the Durham Co-op Market (1111 West Chapel Hill Street). The Facebook event is at: www.facebook.com/events/1783207281977725/
Anniversary Women's March on Asheville
There will be a march for women's rights January 20th 9am-1pm, from City Hall (Roger McGuire Green) to the Vance Monument. There will be music at 9am and the main part of the rally begins at 10am. For more information see: www.facebook.com/events/408751532894308/
Women's Rally in Raleigh
On the anniversary of the marches in 2017, there will also be a rally January 20th in Raleigh, at the Halifax Mall (6 West Jones Street) 9am-1pm. For more information see: womensmarchonraleigh.org/ or www.facebook.com/events/1611316172263531/
Triad Women's March on the Polls 2018
This rally will be January 20th 12-3pm at Corpening Plaza in Winston-Salem (231 1st Street West; for details see: www.facebook.com/events/162975924440724/
Women's March on Hillsborough - Orange County / March into Action!
This 2nd annual rally on issues important to women will be January 20th 3-5pm at the Historic Courthouse in Hillsborough (100 East King Street). There will be live music and an advocacy marketplace. Signs are very welcome. There are public parking decks at East Margaret Lane and South Cameron Street and at Nash and Kollack streets (the Eno River deck). For details see: www.facebook.com/events/284533385405088/
News Voices: Workshop on How to Access Local Media
News Voices NC Director Fiona Morgan will talk about how the public can get involved in journalism and influence the media, Tuesday, January 23rd at 6:30pm at Durham's Southwest Regional Library ( events.durhamcountylibrary.org/event/448743 ).
"Let's Tear Down the Worst Slavery-Era Monument: The Electoral College"
Frank Hyman ( frankhyman.com/index.html ) will talk about the harm caused by the Electoral College system and how to get rid ofv it, at Durham's Stanford L Warren Branch Library at 2pm January 27th (events.durhamcountylibrary.org/event/448780 ) .
The National Liberation Front's Tet Offensive began January 30, 1968 during the Vietnam War. [For more information see: michaelharrison.org.uk/2017/02/31st-january-1968-tet-offensive-vietnam/ ]
Guantánamo Protest in Raleigh January 30th
NC Stop Torture Now ( ncstn.org/ ) is organizing a protest of the Trump Administration's rumoured plan to keep the Guantánamo prison camp open (on land stolen from Cuba) and to send even more people there, Tuesday, January 30th 12-1pm outside Raleigh's Terry Sanford Federal Building (310 New Bern Street, at the corner of Person and New Bern streets). Trump will give his State of the Union address later that day at 9pm, and that could be when the expansion will be announced. Forty-one people are already been imprisoned there without trial, and some were long ago deemed releasable, but they have remained there for years. People should wear orange and bring signs.
"Conserving Biodiversity and Bird Habitat When Land is Developed"
North Carolina Cooperative Extension and University of Florida Extension are organizing a workshop Wednesday, January 31st on ways to reduce harm to biodiversity and natural resources as projects are designed, built, and after construction. The workshop will discuss "Building for Birds," an online system that lets people test how various amounts of forest fragmentation by roads, etc. and amounts of tree canopy will impact birds. There will also be discussion of conservation programs in Onslow County, NC and extension service programs. The workshop is free, unless participants want LEED CE or NC AICP credits, in which case there is a $20 dollar fee. It will be from 8:15am to 12pm at Onslow County Cooperative Extension (4024 Richlands Highway in Jacksonville, North Carolina). See this website for more information and registration. It would be very beneficial if more public planners and companies considered how their actions affect birds and other species; less and less "wild" habitat is left, so other species are forced to live around humans or go extinct, leading to the sixth great extinction.
An Assessment of Minority Voting Rights Access in the United States
The US Commission on Civil Rights, which monitors Federal government enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, will hold a public briefing and hear comments February 2nd at the Marriott Crabtree Raleigh Durham (4500 Marriott Drive, Raleigh). There will be expert testimony 9am-4:30pm, and the public comment period will be 6-8pm. Comments can also be made by email until March 19th. Participants should RSVP to publicaffairs [at] usccr [period] gov. The meeting will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/user/USCCR/videos. For more information see: www.usccr.gov/index.php and it can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Friends of the Durham Library Book Sale
There will be a one-day sale benefitting the Durham County Library system Saturday, February 3rd at Northgate Mall. It will only be open to Friends of the Durham Library (FODL) from 10am-12 (people can join on site), and open to all 12-4pm. For more information see: durhamcountylibrary.org/friends/
Other upcoming library book sales
Amazingly, FODL has already announced its book sales for the year, and there are many (maybe a lot of library books are being retired in recent years): March 17-18, April 28, June 9-10, August 4, September 15-16, October 27, and December 1-2.
The Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library book sales will be April 13-15, September 7-9, and December 7-9 ( friendschpl.org/wp/book-sales/ ).
The Friends of the Chatham County Community Library also has a sale coming up April 12-14 ( friendsccl.org/ ).
The huge Wake County Public Libraries book sale will be May 3-6 at the Expo Center at the State Fairgrounds (www.wakegov.com/libraries/events/Pages/booksale.aspx ).
There is probably an Information and Library Sciences student book sale coming up at UNC-Chapel Hill in the spring and possibly a library book sale in Lee County.
Town Hall Meeting with Congressman David Price
There will be a town hall meeting with Representative David Price (a Democrat, representing the 4th Congressional district) February 3, 10-11:30am at the Century Center Hall Auditorium (100 North Greensboro Street) in Carrboro. People are asked to register, but seating is not guaranteed. For more information see: www.eventbrite.com/e/town-hall-meeting-tickets-42101095510 and the Facebook event page is: www.facebook.com/events/275123666353240/ His Facebook page lists several town hall meetings last year, including one last April in Chapel Hill, but none in Durham.
There will be a phone conference February 3rd, 3-4:30pm EST to plan a national action campaign against the wars at home and abroad this spring: noforeignbases.org/
Rally to support immigrants and DACA
There will be a protest Tuesday, February 6th 11:30-12:30pm at 310 New Bern Avenue in Raleigh ( www.facebook.com/events/180799549357872/ ). This is part of the Tuesdays with Tillis protest movement that has been gathering every Tuesday 11:30-12:30 since Trump was inaugurated a year ago ( www.facebook.com/TillisTuesdays/ ).
February 5, 2003 Colin Powell spoke before the UN Security Council, claiming that Iraq had mobile biological weapon labs and was developing nuclear weapons, helping pave the way for the war the US and UK launched in late March.
The Orangeburg Massacre was February 8, 1968 at South Carolina State University, killing 3 and injuring 27.
Stop SB 145: A City-Wide Letter Writing Event
People will be able to go to several businesses in downtown Raleigh during the day on Thursday, February 8th and write letters to their representatives against SB 145. This NC Senate bill would force the UNC system to reveal student immigration status to police when asked (possibly violating the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), bar local police from accepting community IDs, require the Highway Patrol to join the 287(g) program, the NC Attorney General would have to investigate anonymous tips claiming that local governments were violating immigration laws, and if found in violation, local governments would lose transportation funds, etc. (but "sanctuary cities" are already against State law). This campaign is being organized by Trey Roberts, El Pueblo, the ACLU of North Carolina, and TIPS- This Is Proper Service. Volunteers from the ACLU and El Pueblo will be hand with pens and paper and will collect donations to help El Pueblo send a delegation to the Unidos US Community Leaders in Action Summit in DC. For details see: www.facebook.com/events/172986066653823/ For more information about SB 145 see: www.aclu.org/news/sweeping-anti-immigrant-measure-passes-nc-senate-committee and the text and current status can be found at: www.ncga.state.nc.us/
The annual HK on J demonstration in Raleigh will be February 10th (naacpnc.org/hkonj-peoples-assembly-coalition/ ). The Facebook page is: www.facebook.com/events/1841465486167557/
People can gather at 8:30am, there will be a pre-rally at 9, the march starts at 10, followed by a rally, and the events will be over around 12. For more information see: www.hkonj.com/ I think some public parking decks and spaces in downtown Raleigh and at NCSU are free on weekends. Here are some local buses:
Biodiesel buses chartered by NAACP-Durham, Durham People's Alliance, NC WARN, Recyclique, and Greenway Transit Events; one bus from the Durham Farmers' Market (intersection of Foster and Hunt streets) and another from Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (4907 Garrett Road, eruuf.org/event/6543-hkonj-march.html ), both leaving Durham at 8am and leaving Raleigh from the parking lot at the intersection of Jones and Blunt streets, behind the NC History Museum at 1pm; tickets $10 dollars and tips to the drivers and organizing groups welcome (sign up here).
Chapel Hill Carrboro NAACP buses from the United Church of Chapel Hill (1321 MLK Boulevard, next to Homestead Road); $15 adult/$10 child tickets: www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/2AmZdbH1xwM3G6
Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist (106 Purefoy Road, near UNC Hospital); $20 adult/$10 child, board 7:30, leave 7:45am, return around 2pm: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3319984
Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation Urban Stream Advocacy Training
Learn how to monitor and advocate for urban waterways in this free workshop February 10th, 9am-4pm at Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte. Lunch will be provided and there will be a field excursion. Funded by the Z Smith Reynolds Foundation. There will be another workshop March 10th, details TBA. For more information see: www.catawbariverkeeper.org/2018/01/09/urban-stream-advocacy-training-charlotte/ or www.facebook.com/events/181441362607044/
Rooted in Trees: Landscaping in Harmony with Our Native Environment
The Georgia Native Plant Society is hosting its 23rd annual Native Plant Symposium, this year focusing on landscaping with trees native to Georgia. It will be February 10th at Middle Georgia State University in Macon. For more information see: gnps.org/2018-georgia-native-plant-symposium-registration-open/ or www.facebook.com/events/1805099776227352/
Not a Crime to be Poor: A Conversation with Peter Edelman
Peter Edelman, a law professor at Georgetown University and a member of the JFK and Bill Clinton administrations (he resigned after Clinton endorsed welfare reform bills in 1996), will speak and sign books at MDC in Durham (307 West Main Street) Friday, February 16th 7:45-10am. There will be a reception with coffee and pastries 7:45-8:15, Edelman will speak 8:15-9:30, and sign books afterward (books will be sold at the event). Register here.
Crises of Citizenship: Global Spotlight Week 2018
There will be several events February 17 - 24 relating to "crises of citizenship and belonging across world regions," organized by UNC's six area studies centers. There are events that seem progressive, such as a screening and discussion of the film Documented February 19th at 5:30pm, while "Moment of Truth: How Russian-Style Reality Came to America" February 22nd at 7pm, organized by the rightist UNC Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies, seems like it will be a reactionary event to discuss how nefarious Russia is a threat to the world, so we need to increase military funding in preparation for a nuclear world war and remove speech that disagrees with the neoliberal government narrative conveyed by the New York Times, NPR (which is now starting to talk about alleged cultural influence by China as well), PBS, BBC, etc. There have already been attacks on well-known leftist websites such as www.counterpunch.org in this new McCarthyism.
Durham Confederate statue toppling trial and protest
There is a call for people to attend the trial Monday, February 19th at 8:30am at the Durham County Courthouse (510 South Dillard Street), and there will be a rally and march at 6pm at 200 East Main Street (www.doitlikedurham.org).
The last known Carolina parakeet died February 21, 1918 at the Cincinnati Zoo, apparently in the same place where the last captive passenger pigeon, Martha, died September 1, 1914. He was named Incas and died shortly after his mate Lady Jane. The last known wild bird was killed in Florida in 1904, though there were reported sightings in swamps near the Santee River in South Carolina, but of course the habitat was later destroyed.
National Invasive Species Week 2018 is February 26-March 2 ( www.nisaw.org/ ).
Valentine's Day is Wednesday, February 14th, and is controversial from a left or nationalist point of view in some countries (and a right or religious point of view elsewhere), according to Wikipedia. Apparently the 14th day of each month has romantic allusions in the ROK, and April 14th is Black Day, for people who didn't have a valentine.
WASTED! Film Screening and Sustainability Fair
The NC Botanical Garden, Don't Waste Durham, and Food for All are showing Anthony Bourdain's documentary Wasted! A Story of Food Waste Friday, February 16th 6-9pm. Groups organizing around food waste and sustainability will be tabling and dinner can be bought from Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe. The event is free, but registration is required, and as of this writing it is at capacity, but more spaces might open up later: ncbg.unc.edu/calendar/
Construction of the Soviet space station Mir (meaning peace) began February 19, 1986 and due to lack of funding it was de-orbited March 23, 2001.
Uncompromising Solidarity Against Fascism rally
I didn't know about it at the time, but there was a rally Wednesday, February 21st 2 - 3pm outside South Building, UNC-Chapel Hill's administrative building, in solidarity with faculty harassed by the alt-right. A flyer says an academic "was physically and verbally threatened on campus by two men," a Breitbart reporter and an alt-right activist in Chapel Hill who previously worked in a campaign to elect a Paul Nehlen in Wisconsin, on February 7th. February 16th some UNC students and faculty received emails from Identity Evropa and Kool Kekistani Kids (KKK) in Raleigh, threatening rightist protests against them. This sort of thing has happened at other universities, such as Texas State in San Marcos. I'm not sure that these events in Chapel Hill have been widely reported, so I am posting it here after the fact.
The Coalition Against US Foreign Military Bases is calling for a day of action against the US occupation of Guantánamo Bay on February 23rd, the 115th anniversary of the American takeover following the Spanish-American War, often considered the first US imperialist foreign war ( noforeignbases.org/ ).
International Polar Bear Day is Tuesday, February 27th ( polarbearsinternational.org/get-involved/international-polar-bear-day )
The siege of the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas began February 28, 1993 and came to a fiery end April 19th.
March 2nd is Tree Planting Day in DPR Korea. This is similar to Arbor Day and Earth Day and was instituted by Kim Jong Il. For more information see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Day#Korea nsnbc.me/2013/03/02/tree-planting-day-in-the-dpr-korea-embodies-socialist-and-traditional-asian-cultural-values/
Arbor Day in Durham
Durham is also celebrating Arbor Day on March 2nd, with speeches by Mayor Schewel and other leaders, tree planting, forestry technology demonstrations, and food trucks. It will be from 10am to after 12:30pm at the Durham Central Park. For more information and registration see: keepdurhambeautiful.org/tree-planting-at-durham-central-park
Anniversary Women's March on Asheville
There will be a march for women's rights January 20th 9am-1pm, from City Hall (Roger McGuire Green) to the Vance Monument. There will be music at 9am and the main part of the rally begins at 10am. For more information see: www.facebook.com/events/408751532894308/
Women's Rally in Raleigh
On the anniversary of the marches in 2017, there will also be a rally January 20th in Raleigh, at the Halifax Mall (6 West Jones Street) 9am-1pm. For more information see: womensmarchonraleigh.org/ or www.facebook.com/events/1611316172263531/
Triad Women's March on the Polls 2018
This rally will be January 20th 12-3pm at Corpening Plaza in Winston-Salem (231 1st Street West; for details see: www.facebook.com/events/162975924440724/
Women's March on Hillsborough - Orange County / March into Action!
This 2nd annual rally on issues important to women will be January 20th 3-5pm at the Historic Courthouse in Hillsborough (100 East King Street). There will be live music and an advocacy marketplace. Signs are very welcome. There are public parking decks at East Margaret Lane and South Cameron Street and at Nash and Kollack streets (the Eno River deck). For details see: www.facebook.com/events/284533385405088/
News Voices: Workshop on How to Access Local Media
News Voices NC Director Fiona Morgan will talk about how the public can get involved in journalism and influence the media, Tuesday, January 23rd at 6:30pm at Durham's Southwest Regional Library ( events.durhamcountylibrary.org/event/448743 ).
"Let's Tear Down the Worst Slavery-Era Monument: The Electoral College"
Frank Hyman ( frankhyman.com/index.html ) will talk about the harm caused by the Electoral College system and how to get rid ofv it, at Durham's Stanford L Warren Branch Library at 2pm January 27th (events.durhamcountylibrary.org/event/448780 ) .
The National Liberation Front's Tet Offensive began January 30, 1968 during the Vietnam War. [For more information see: michaelharrison.org.uk/2017/02/31st-january-1968-tet-offensive-vietnam/ ]
Guantánamo Protest in Raleigh January 30th
NC Stop Torture Now ( ncstn.org/ ) is organizing a protest of the Trump Administration's rumoured plan to keep the Guantánamo prison camp open (on land stolen from Cuba) and to send even more people there, Tuesday, January 30th 12-1pm outside Raleigh's Terry Sanford Federal Building (310 New Bern Street, at the corner of Person and New Bern streets). Trump will give his State of the Union address later that day at 9pm, and that could be when the expansion will be announced. Forty-one people are already been imprisoned there without trial, and some were long ago deemed releasable, but they have remained there for years. People should wear orange and bring signs.
"Conserving Biodiversity and Bird Habitat When Land is Developed"
North Carolina Cooperative Extension and University of Florida Extension are organizing a workshop Wednesday, January 31st on ways to reduce harm to biodiversity and natural resources as projects are designed, built, and after construction. The workshop will discuss "Building for Birds," an online system that lets people test how various amounts of forest fragmentation by roads, etc. and amounts of tree canopy will impact birds. There will also be discussion of conservation programs in Onslow County, NC and extension service programs. The workshop is free, unless participants want LEED CE or NC AICP credits, in which case there is a $20 dollar fee. It will be from 8:15am to 12pm at Onslow County Cooperative Extension (4024 Richlands Highway in Jacksonville, North Carolina). See this website for more information and registration. It would be very beneficial if more public planners and companies considered how their actions affect birds and other species; less and less "wild" habitat is left, so other species are forced to live around humans or go extinct, leading to the sixth great extinction.
An Assessment of Minority Voting Rights Access in the United States
The US Commission on Civil Rights, which monitors Federal government enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, will hold a public briefing and hear comments February 2nd at the Marriott Crabtree Raleigh Durham (4500 Marriott Drive, Raleigh). There will be expert testimony 9am-4:30pm, and the public comment period will be 6-8pm. Comments can also be made by email until March 19th. Participants should RSVP to publicaffairs [at] usccr [period] gov. The meeting will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/user/USCCR/videos. For more information see: www.usccr.gov/index.php and it can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.
Friends of the Durham Library Book Sale
There will be a one-day sale benefitting the Durham County Library system Saturday, February 3rd at Northgate Mall. It will only be open to Friends of the Durham Library (FODL) from 10am-12 (people can join on site), and open to all 12-4pm. For more information see: durhamcountylibrary.org/friends/
Other upcoming library book sales
Amazingly, FODL has already announced its book sales for the year, and there are many (maybe a lot of library books are being retired in recent years): March 17-18, April 28, June 9-10, August 4, September 15-16, October 27, and December 1-2.
The Friends of the Chapel Hill Public Library book sales will be April 13-15, September 7-9, and December 7-9 ( friendschpl.org/wp/book-sales/ ).
The Friends of the Chatham County Community Library also has a sale coming up April 12-14 ( friendsccl.org/ ).
The huge Wake County Public Libraries book sale will be May 3-6 at the Expo Center at the State Fairgrounds (www.wakegov.com/libraries/events/Pages/booksale.aspx ).
There is probably an Information and Library Sciences student book sale coming up at UNC-Chapel Hill in the spring and possibly a library book sale in Lee County.
Town Hall Meeting with Congressman David Price
There will be a town hall meeting with Representative David Price (a Democrat, representing the 4th Congressional district) February 3, 10-11:30am at the Century Center Hall Auditorium (100 North Greensboro Street) in Carrboro. People are asked to register, but seating is not guaranteed. For more information see: www.eventbrite.com/e/town-hall-meeting-tickets-42101095510 and the Facebook event page is: www.facebook.com/events/275123666353240/ His Facebook page lists several town hall meetings last year, including one last April in Chapel Hill, but none in Durham.
There will be a phone conference February 3rd, 3-4:30pm EST to plan a national action campaign against the wars at home and abroad this spring: noforeignbases.org/
Rally to support immigrants and DACA
There will be a protest Tuesday, February 6th 11:30-12:30pm at 310 New Bern Avenue in Raleigh ( www.facebook.com/events/180799549357872/ ). This is part of the Tuesdays with Tillis protest movement that has been gathering every Tuesday 11:30-12:30 since Trump was inaugurated a year ago ( www.facebook.com/TillisTuesdays/ ).
February 5, 2003 Colin Powell spoke before the UN Security Council, claiming that Iraq had mobile biological weapon labs and was developing nuclear weapons, helping pave the way for the war the US and UK launched in late March.
The Orangeburg Massacre was February 8, 1968 at South Carolina State University, killing 3 and injuring 27.
Stop SB 145: A City-Wide Letter Writing Event
People will be able to go to several businesses in downtown Raleigh during the day on Thursday, February 8th and write letters to their representatives against SB 145. This NC Senate bill would force the UNC system to reveal student immigration status to police when asked (possibly violating the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), bar local police from accepting community IDs, require the Highway Patrol to join the 287(g) program, the NC Attorney General would have to investigate anonymous tips claiming that local governments were violating immigration laws, and if found in violation, local governments would lose transportation funds, etc. (but "sanctuary cities" are already against State law). This campaign is being organized by Trey Roberts, El Pueblo, the ACLU of North Carolina, and TIPS- This Is Proper Service. Volunteers from the ACLU and El Pueblo will be hand with pens and paper and will collect donations to help El Pueblo send a delegation to the Unidos US Community Leaders in Action Summit in DC. For details see: www.facebook.com/events/172986066653823/ For more information about SB 145 see: www.aclu.org/news/sweeping-anti-immigrant-measure-passes-nc-senate-committee and the text and current status can be found at: www.ncga.state.nc.us/
The annual HK on J demonstration in Raleigh will be February 10th (naacpnc.org/hkonj-peoples-assembly-coalition/ ). The Facebook page is: www.facebook.com/events/1841465486167557/
People can gather at 8:30am, there will be a pre-rally at 9, the march starts at 10, followed by a rally, and the events will be over around 12. For more information see: www.hkonj.com/ I think some public parking decks and spaces in downtown Raleigh and at NCSU are free on weekends. Here are some local buses:
Biodiesel buses chartered by NAACP-Durham, Durham People's Alliance, NC WARN, Recyclique, and Greenway Transit Events; one bus from the Durham Farmers' Market (intersection of Foster and Hunt streets) and another from Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (4907 Garrett Road, eruuf.org/event/6543-hkonj-march.html ), both leaving Durham at 8am and leaving Raleigh from the parking lot at the intersection of Jones and Blunt streets, behind the NC History Museum at 1pm; tickets $10 dollars and tips to the drivers and organizing groups welcome (sign up here).
Chapel Hill Carrboro NAACP buses from the United Church of Chapel Hill (1321 MLK Boulevard, next to Homestead Road); $15 adult/$10 child tickets: www.emailmeform.com/builder/form/2AmZdbH1xwM3G6
Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist (106 Purefoy Road, near UNC Hospital); $20 adult/$10 child, board 7:30, leave 7:45am, return around 2pm: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3319984
Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation Urban Stream Advocacy Training
Learn how to monitor and advocate for urban waterways in this free workshop February 10th, 9am-4pm at Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte. Lunch will be provided and there will be a field excursion. Funded by the Z Smith Reynolds Foundation. There will be another workshop March 10th, details TBA. For more information see: www.catawbariverkeeper.org/2018/01/09/urban-stream-advocacy-training-charlotte/ or www.facebook.com/events/181441362607044/
Rooted in Trees: Landscaping in Harmony with Our Native Environment
The Georgia Native Plant Society is hosting its 23rd annual Native Plant Symposium, this year focusing on landscaping with trees native to Georgia. It will be February 10th at Middle Georgia State University in Macon. For more information see: gnps.org/2018-georgia-native-plant-symposium-registration-open/ or www.facebook.com/events/1805099776227352/
Not a Crime to be Poor: A Conversation with Peter Edelman
Peter Edelman, a law professor at Georgetown University and a member of the JFK and Bill Clinton administrations (he resigned after Clinton endorsed welfare reform bills in 1996), will speak and sign books at MDC in Durham (307 West Main Street) Friday, February 16th 7:45-10am. There will be a reception with coffee and pastries 7:45-8:15, Edelman will speak 8:15-9:30, and sign books afterward (books will be sold at the event). Register here.
Crises of Citizenship: Global Spotlight Week 2018
There will be several events February 17 - 24 relating to "crises of citizenship and belonging across world regions," organized by UNC's six area studies centers. There are events that seem progressive, such as a screening and discussion of the film Documented February 19th at 5:30pm, while "Moment of Truth: How Russian-Style Reality Came to America" February 22nd at 7pm, organized by the rightist UNC Center for Slavic, Eurasian and East European Studies, seems like it will be a reactionary event to discuss how nefarious Russia is a threat to the world, so we need to increase military funding in preparation for a nuclear world war and remove speech that disagrees with the neoliberal government narrative conveyed by the New York Times, NPR (which is now starting to talk about alleged cultural influence by China as well), PBS, BBC, etc. There have already been attacks on well-known leftist websites such as www.counterpunch.org in this new McCarthyism.
Durham Confederate statue toppling trial and protest
There is a call for people to attend the trial Monday, February 19th at 8:30am at the Durham County Courthouse (510 South Dillard Street), and there will be a rally and march at 6pm at 200 East Main Street (www.doitlikedurham.org).
The last known Carolina parakeet died February 21, 1918 at the Cincinnati Zoo, apparently in the same place where the last captive passenger pigeon, Martha, died September 1, 1914. He was named Incas and died shortly after his mate Lady Jane. The last known wild bird was killed in Florida in 1904, though there were reported sightings in swamps near the Santee River in South Carolina, but of course the habitat was later destroyed.
National Invasive Species Week 2018 is February 26-March 2 ( www.nisaw.org/ ).
Valentine's Day is Wednesday, February 14th, and is controversial from a left or nationalist point of view in some countries (and a right or religious point of view elsewhere), according to Wikipedia. Apparently the 14th day of each month has romantic allusions in the ROK, and April 14th is Black Day, for people who didn't have a valentine.
WASTED! Film Screening and Sustainability Fair
The NC Botanical Garden, Don't Waste Durham, and Food for All are showing Anthony Bourdain's documentary Wasted! A Story of Food Waste Friday, February 16th 6-9pm. Groups organizing around food waste and sustainability will be tabling and dinner can be bought from Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe. The event is free, but registration is required, and as of this writing it is at capacity, but more spaces might open up later: ncbg.unc.edu/calendar/
Construction of the Soviet space station Mir (meaning peace) began February 19, 1986 and due to lack of funding it was de-orbited March 23, 2001.
Uncompromising Solidarity Against Fascism rally
I didn't know about it at the time, but there was a rally Wednesday, February 21st 2 - 3pm outside South Building, UNC-Chapel Hill's administrative building, in solidarity with faculty harassed by the alt-right. A flyer says an academic "was physically and verbally threatened on campus by two men," a Breitbart reporter and an alt-right activist in Chapel Hill who previously worked in a campaign to elect a Paul Nehlen in Wisconsin, on February 7th. February 16th some UNC students and faculty received emails from Identity Evropa and Kool Kekistani Kids (KKK) in Raleigh, threatening rightist protests against them. This sort of thing has happened at other universities, such as Texas State in San Marcos. I'm not sure that these events in Chapel Hill have been widely reported, so I am posting it here after the fact.
The Coalition Against US Foreign Military Bases is calling for a day of action against the US occupation of Guantánamo Bay on February 23rd, the 115th anniversary of the American takeover following the Spanish-American War, often considered the first US imperialist foreign war ( noforeignbases.org/ ).
International Polar Bear Day is Tuesday, February 27th ( polarbearsinternational.org/get-involved/international-polar-bear-day )
The siege of the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas began February 28, 1993 and came to a fiery end April 19th.
March 2nd is Tree Planting Day in DPR Korea. This is similar to Arbor Day and Earth Day and was instituted by Kim Jong Il. For more information see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbor_Day#Korea nsnbc.me/2013/03/02/tree-planting-day-in-the-dpr-korea-embodies-socialist-and-traditional-asian-cultural-values/
Arbor Day in Durham
Durham is also celebrating Arbor Day on March 2nd, with speeches by Mayor Schewel and other leaders, tree planting, forestry technology demonstrations, and food trucks. It will be from 10am to after 12:30pm at the Durham Central Park. For more information and registration see: keepdurhambeautiful.org/tree-planting-at-durham-central-park
Nativars: Good, Bad,
or Just Beautiful?
International Women's Day is Thursday, March 8th.
Growing Color Symposium
The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville is hosting a symposium on creating a sustainable, plant-based dye industry in western NC, March 8th. For more information see: 4020a.blackbaudhosting.com/4020a/sp-18-growing-color-symposium
Russian revolutionary and Soviet statesman Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was born March 9, 1890.
The first human in space, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, was born March 9, 1934 and went into space April 12, 1961.
25th Annual Organic Growers School Spring Conference
The Organic Growers School hosts a conference every spring focusing on organic practices, permaculture, sustainability, urban farming, and rural homesteading. It will be March 9-11 at UNC-Asheville. For more information see: organicgrowersschool.org/conferences/spring/ or www.facebook.com/events/114411132528770/
US soldiers carried out the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam 50 years ago on March 16th (in 1968).
Arbor Day in Cary
It will be Saturday, March 17th 12 - 3pm at the Downtown Park.
Travis Beck, Director of Horticulture at the Mt Cuba
Center, will talk about research there assessing cultivated varieties
of native plants (nativars). Using native species in landscaping is usually assumed to be ecologically beneficial, but cultivated varieties might not have the same characteristics as the wild versions, something that I think was recently discussed on the Xerces Society's blog or in their printed newsletter. In addition there could be a lot of genetic variation between members of the same species from different areas and mixing them together could cause problems for a wild population that has adapted to local conditions. This event is part of the Chip Callaway Lecture Series at the Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden in Kernersville, North Carolina March 2nd, 12 - 1pm. Feel free to
bring lunch and the Garden will be offering drinks. For more information call
336-996-7888 or see:
cienerbotanicalgarden.org/kernersville-garden-horticulture-events.php
A Carolina Walk in the Woods
Wildlife photographer Mary Sonis will exhibit and discuss photos taken in Chapel Hill and beyond on March 4th 3 - 4:30pm at the Chapel Hill Public Library (Meeting Room B).
Friends of Bolin Creek included the above talk in its email newsletter and is also asking people to oppose the inclusion of a "Bolin Creek Trail (off-road)" in the 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (I think the comment period for this plan might be ending March 2nd): bolincreek.org/blog/write-to-the-carrboro-board-and-the-mpo/
Talks on environmental justice in March
UNC will host a series of speakers about environmental justice issues, organized by the Student Government undergraduate executive, Student Environmental Action Coalition, and the Campus Y.
Waterkeeper Alliance environmental lawyer Will Hendrick will speak March 5th at 5pm in Student Union Room 3205.
Naeema Muhammad, Director of the NC Environmental Justice Network, and civil rights and environmental lawyer Elizabeth Haddix will speak March 21 at 5pm in Student Union Room 2420.
US Representative David Price will speak March 28th [the correct date on the flyer is March 27th] at 5:15pm in Student Union Room 2420.
Talks on environmental justice in March
UNC will host a series of speakers about environmental justice issues, organized by the Student Government undergraduate executive, Student Environmental Action Coalition, and the Campus Y.
Waterkeeper Alliance environmental lawyer Will Hendrick will speak March 5th at 5pm in Student Union Room 3205.
Naeema Muhammad, Director of the NC Environmental Justice Network, and civil rights and environmental lawyer Elizabeth Haddix will speak March 21 at 5pm in Student Union Room 2420.
US Representative David Price will speak March 28th [the correct date on the flyer is March 27th] at 5:15pm in Student Union Room 2420.
The first woman in space, cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, was born March 6, 1937, and went into space June 16, 1963.
International Women's Day is Thursday, March 8th.
Growing Color Symposium
The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville is hosting a symposium on creating a sustainable, plant-based dye industry in western NC, March 8th. For more information see: 4020a.blackbaudhosting.com/4020a/sp-18-growing-color-symposium
Russian revolutionary and Soviet statesman Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was born March 9, 1890.
The first human in space, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, was born March 9, 1934 and went into space April 12, 1961.
25th Annual Organic Growers School Spring Conference
The Organic Growers School hosts a conference every spring focusing on organic practices, permaculture, sustainability, urban farming, and rural homesteading. It will be March 9-11 at UNC-Asheville. For more information see: organicgrowersschool.org/conferences/spring/ or www.facebook.com/events/114411132528770/
US soldiers carried out the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam 50 years ago on March 16th (in 1968).
Arbor Day in Cary
It will be Saturday, March 17th 12 - 3pm at the Downtown Park.
Durham Creek Week 2018 will be March 17-24th (events will be listed at www.keepdurhambeautiful.org). There was a Swift Creek Week in 2017 in Wake County, but there has not been an announcement for 2018 yet [updated: there will be events March 17-24th]: riverguardfdn.org/swift-creek-week.html
Forsyth Creek Week 2018 will be March 17-25 in Forsyth County (the Winston-Salem area); events will be listed at: forsythcreekweek.squarespace.com/
Cosmonaut Alexey Leonov stepped outside of his spacecraft, the first ever extravehicular activity (EVA) in space, March 18, 1965.
The annual Haw River Clean-Up-a-Thon will be March 18th ( hawriver.org/events/upcoming-events/ )
Chinese revolutionary and wife of Mao Tse-tung, Jiang Qing/Chiang Ching, was born March 19, 1914.
March 20th is the spring equinox.
The Iraq War began about March 20, 2003, though the US did not have peaceful relations with Iraq prior to 2003.
The Hungarian Soviet Republic was declared March 21, 1919, but was overthrown by outside military intervention in August 1919. It was led by Béla Kun, born February 20, 1886.
World Water Day is Thursday March 22nd.
Cosmonaut Alexey Leonov stepped outside of his spacecraft, the first ever extravehicular activity (EVA) in space, March 18, 1965.
The annual Haw River Clean-Up-a-Thon will be March 18th ( hawriver.org/events/upcoming-events/ )
Chinese revolutionary and wife of Mao Tse-tung, Jiang Qing/Chiang Ching, was born March 19, 1914.
March 20th is the spring equinox.
The Iraq War began about March 20, 2003, though the US did not have peaceful relations with Iraq prior to 2003.
The Hungarian Soviet Republic was declared March 21, 1919, but was overthrown by outside military intervention in August 1919. It was led by Béla Kun, born February 20, 1886.
World Water Day is Thursday March 22nd.
Farmworker Awareness Week 2018 is March 24-31 ( www.saf-unite.org/content/national-farmworker-awareness-week ).
The annual Pilgrimage for Peace and Justice walk across North Carolina will probably be in the week or two before Good Friday, March 30th, but I don't have details yet.
Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated April 4, 1968 while organizing in support of black public workers in Memphis.
The annual BW Wells Heritage Day will be April 7th at Rock Cliff Farm (I assume this is at the BW Wells access at Falls Lake State Recreation Area, where it has been held in the past).
April 9, 1948 a neutral Palestinian village near Jerusalem, Deir Yassin, was attacked by Zionist terrorist groups, which later became part of the Israeli military. The residents were killed during and after the fighting and later the Kfar Shaul Mental Health Center was built where Deir Yassin had been.
April 12th is the UN International Human Space Flight Day/Cosmonautics Day in honor of the first human space flight, in 1961. US Astronauts Day is the last Friday in January.
Earth Day Festival in Greensboro
The Kathleen Clay Library's annual Earth Day Festival will be April 14th 1-5pm. For more information see: www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=844&recordid=47750
Jordan Lake festival
Instead of having a heritage day in the fall, there will be an event April 21st at Jordan Lake State Recreation Area's White Oak access, off of Highway 64. It might be called something like a fishing day, but it will cover more than fishing. More information should be posted closer to the event at: www.ncparks.gov/jordan-lake-state-recreation-area/events-and-programs
Rivercane Rendezvous 2018
This gathering April 16-22, hosted by Earthskills Rendezvous, focuses on ancient skills, such as wild foods, stone toolmaking, and basket weaving. It will be in Westminster, South Carolina; for more information see: www.facebook.com/events/377066652741447/
NC Statewide Star Party
There will be stargazing events across the State April 20-21, part of the NC Science Festival throughout April. This year's theme is "Anyone Out There?" This is the 6th year for this annual event. For more, see: www.ncsciencefestival.org/starparty
The annual Party for the Pine at Weymouth Woods - Sandhills Nature Preserve will be April 21st ( www.partyforthepine.org/ ).
The annual Party for the Pine at Weymouth Woods - Sandhills Nature Preserve will be April 21st ( www.partyforthepine.org/ ).
April 22nd is Earth Day and Russian revolutionary Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov Lenin was born April 22, 1870.
Easter Rising for Irish independence began April 24, 1916.
Arbor Day is Friday, April 27th. Durham's Arbor Day celebration is usually in March.
The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan launched the Saur Revolution April 27, 1978, followed by US support for Islamist terrorists, prior to the Soviet intervention in December 1979 that overthrew the more radical faction of the PDPA.
Save the Frogs Day is Saturday, April 28th ( www.savethefrogs.com/d/day/index.html ).
Easter Rising for Irish independence began April 24, 1916.
Arbor Day is Friday, April 27th. Durham's Arbor Day celebration is usually in March.
The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan launched the Saur Revolution April 27, 1978, followed by US support for Islamist terrorists, prior to the Soviet intervention in December 1979 that overthrew the more radical faction of the PDPA.
Save the Frogs Day is Saturday, April 28th ( www.savethefrogs.com/d/day/index.html ).
Mother Earth News Fair
This convention April 28-29th near Asheville focuses on sustainable living, such as organic gardening, green building, alternative vehicles, etc. For more information see: www.facebook.com/events/977898782363729/
International Workers' Day / May Day is May 1st, a Tuesday this year. There will probably be events around the 1st, but I haven't come across any announcements yet.
The annual Haw River Festival will be May 6th in Saxapahaw ( hawriver.org/events/upcoming-events/ ).
Primary elections in North Carolina will be Tuesday, May 8th. Any runoffs will be June 26th or July 17th, and the general election will be November 6th (there is a schedule at: www.dconc.gov/home/showdocument?id=24338 ).
International Migratory Bird Day is Saturday, May 12th.
Mother's Day in the US is Sunday, May 13th and has pacifist and social welfare roots.
I've heard that this is also the time to see the mountain laurels blooming at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, south of Hillsborough, across the Eno River, and probably elsewhere along the Eno (www.ncparks.gov/occoneechee-mountain-state-natural-area ). The end of the ice ages left brown elfin butterflies stranded on Occoneechee, white pines at the White Pines Nature Preserve south of Pittsboro, and Eastern hemlocks at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve in Cary. In many cases species that live on mountains are very at risk from climate change, because they can only retreat up, and at some point there may be nowhere else to go. Non-native pests are also threatening the hemlocks.
May 13, 1985 police surrounded the MOVE house in Philadelphia and a few hours later bombed it by helicopter. In all, 11 members of MOVE, including 5 children, were killed, with 2 survivors (1 adult and 1 child), and around 61 houses in the neighborhood burned to the ground.
The last known sighting of a Costa Rican golden toad was May 15, 1989 and they are thought to be extinct. The species was first described scientifically in 1966. There is still debate about the cause, but this might be an early example of anthropogenic climate change killing a species. Possibly the cause was a chytrid fungus epidemic, possibly assisted by climate change, and a major threat to frog species in many countries.
Endangered Species Day is Friday, May 18th.
The 9th annual Longleaf Festival will be May 19th at Harris Lake County Park in Wake County ( www.wakegov.com/parks/harrislake/Pages/Longleaf-Festival.aspx ).
World Turtle Day is Wednesday, May 23rd.
During the Tulsa Race Riot May 31 - June 1, 1921 in Oklahoma there was fighting on the ground and incendiaries were dropped from private airplanes.
A Chapel Hill activist calendar:
World Turtle Day is Wednesday, May 23rd.
During the Tulsa Race Riot May 31 - June 1, 1921 in Oklahoma there was fighting on the ground and incendiaries were dropped from private airplanes.
A Chapel Hill activist calendar:
"Some Triangle Peace and Justice Events January 19 to 30, 2018
(Events listed in chronological order except for recurring event posted at end)
5 BROKEN CAMERAS Award-winning documentary, first-hand account of peaceful resistance in Bil’in, a West Bank village threatened by encroaching Israeli settlements, following Palestinian farmer, Emad Burnat, who films 5 years of village turmoil, in collaboration with Israeli filmmaker Guy Davidi. 6:30 p. m., Friday, January 19, Recyclique, 2811 Hillsborough Road, Durham (parking in Food Lion lot). $ 5 suggested. http://communecos.org/.
DISARM THE PATRIARCHY Women's rallies on anniversary of Inauguration. Movement to reject nuclear weapons and brinkmanship. Public pressure and grassroots mobilization historically most effective at moving needle against nuclear weapons. This January, thousands join again at anniversary marches and community events Saturday, January 20. Two nearby: 9 a.m - 1 p.m.,Halifax Mall, 16 West Jones Street, Raleigh. Chapel Hill carpool: 919-929-5983; 3 p.m., Old Orange County Courthouse, 100 East King Street, Hillsborough.
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WITH FOREIGN-BORN RESIDENTS OF CHAPEL HILL Opportunity for residents to share their experiences and recommendations for local government with conversations in Arabic, Burmese, English, and Russian Languages. Collaborative project of UNC-Chapel Hill, Town of Chapel Hill, and foreign-born residents to seek newcomer perspectives to improve leadership opportunities, communication, and services in Chapel Hill. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Saturday, January 20, Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Dr. To RSVP visit here or contact 919-962-5453.
AFRICAN AMERICAN SORORITIES Their history, accomplishments, and contributions to our communities. Dr. Mary Phillips discusses Delta Sigma Theta and Links, Inc., and Paula Newman describes AKA. 1:15 – 2:15 p.m., Monday, January 22, Carol Woods Assembly Hall, 750 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill. Elders for Peace, csmhubbard [at gmail period com].
Whose Streets? Documentary about Ferguson uprising and new wave of resistance screening followed by panel with Chapel Hill chief of police, staff attorney of Southern Coalition for Social Justice, criminal justice debt fellow for NC ACLU, and UNC student organizer for Silent Sam sit-in, moderated by James Williams, former public defender of Orange and Chatham Counties.
THE BLACK PRESS IN AMERICA Speaker Adria Jervay, publisher of The Carolinian Newspaper and Creative Director of The Jervay Agency. Currently The Carolinian is the only African-American newspaper published twice weekly in NC and remains family-owned and operated. 1:15 – 2:15 p.m., Monday, January 29, Carol Woods Assembly Hall, 750 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill. Elders for Peace, csmhubbard [at gmail period com].
THE EMERGENCE OF TERRORISM: A NEW PARADIGM Author Marc Sageman, currently a Senior Fellow at Foreign Policy Research Institute's Center for the Study of Terrorism, discusses various campaigns of political violence spanning two centuries and four continents. 5 p.m., Monday, January 22 , Duke’s Gross Hall Room 270, 140 Science Drive at corner of Towerview Road. Sponsored by Duke University Center for International and Global Studies. More information: visit here.
CATCHING THE SUN Screening of documentary about solar industry, followed by discussion of Clean Path 2025 with a NC WARN representative explaining plan to replace fossil fuels with solar power and battery storage. 7:30 – 9:15 p. m., Monday, January 29, Varsity Theatre, 123 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill. Needed ASAP, sale of more $ 10 tickets by January 22 to make this event happen. Purchase: www.tugg.com/events/catching-t he-sun-isqy. Host: ECO Committee, Community Church of Chapel Hill UU.
ESCAPE FROM HELL: BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF A SYRIAN POLITICAL PRISONER Book talk and signing with co-authors Zubair Rushk, a senior at UNC majoring in global studies, and Daniel Romm, retired physician who found Rushk through a newspaper article and offered mentorship. Arguments presented include US travel ban, torture in prison, war effects on health of children, and discrimination. 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, January 25, UNC’s FedEx Global Education Center, Room 1005, Pittsboro and McCauley Streets. Mideast [at unc period edu].
FREDERICK DOUGLASS AT 200 KICKOFF CELEBRATION Community-wide celebration of life and legacy of Frederick Douglass with an evening of art and song, featuring Tarish “Jeghetto” Pipkins with his newest creation, a Frederick Douglass puppet, and Mary D. Williams, gospel singer and scholar, who will sing story of African-American experience from slavery to abolition and beyond. 7 p.m., Thursday, January 25, United Church of Chapel Hill, 1321 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
REPAIRERS OF THE BREACH TRAINING 2018 Poor People’s Campaign with moral fusion organizing principles and stories of current faith-rooted organizing. Program led by Rev. Dr. William Barber and hosted by Duke Divinity School. 1-5 p. m., Saturday, January 27, Union Baptist Church, 904 North Roxboro Street, Durham. $15 pre-reservation by January 20 via https://tinyurl.com/theolo gy-activism or contact Duke: 919-660-3444 or stompkins@div.duke.edu. www.breachrepairers.org/#event s-resources-section.
MUSLIMS’ CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE MAKING OF AMERICA Speaker Amir Muhammad, author, historian, and co-founder of America’s Islamic Heritage Museum and Cultural Center. He and his wife, Dr. Habeebah Muhammad, have dedicated themselves to documenting untold stories of Muslim life in America. 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Sunday, January 28, The Vital Link Event Center, 1214 East Lenoir Street, Raleigh. $10 donation suggested. Information and to register, please visit here.
THE BLACK PRESS IN AMERICA Speaker Adria Jervay, publisher of The Carolinian Newspaper and Creative Director of The Jervay Agency. Currently The Carolinian is the only African-American newspaper published twice weekly in NC and remains family-owned and operated. 1:15 – 2:15 p.m., Monday, January 29, Carol Woods Assembly Hall, 750 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill. Elders for Peace, csmhubbard [at gmail period com].
WHOSE STREETS? Documentary about Ferguson uprising and new wave of resistance screening. Panel with Chapel Hill chief of police, staff attorney of Southern Coalition for Social Justice, criminal justice debt fellow for NC ACLU, and UNC student organizer for Silent Sam sit-in, moderated by James Williams, former public defender of Orange and Chatham Counties. 7 p.m., Monday, January 29, Varsity Theatre, 123 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill. Sponsored by Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP and Orange Organizing Against Racism.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY: A PATH TO SAFETY Invitation to hear civil and criminal remedies and resolutions for undocumented foreign nationals. Featured speaker : Jorgelina Araneda, immigration attorney for more than 23 years. 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 30, Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Drive. Sponsored by League of Women Voters of Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties' Violence Against Women Action Team and Immigration Study Group. Contact: arianne.hartsell [at gmail period com].
UNC STUDENT FIGHT AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACY Effort to educate public about Silent Sam statue and build support for its removal. Join Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom—Triangle Branch to vigil and distribute information about history of Silent Sam’s presence on UNC campus. Noon to 2 p.m., Wednesdays, Silent Sam, East Franklin Street by Pettigrew Hall. Community contact: ekkeel [at embarqmail period com] or 252-944-7474.
OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CHOOSING AND SHIPPING BOOKS TO NC PRISONERS Come to Prison Books Collective that has sent free books to people on the inside in North Carolina and Alabama, and magazines around the country, since 2006. Volunteer workdays are 1 to 4 p. m, Sundays, 4312 Etta Rd, Durham. Directions and information: http://prisonbooks.info/get-in volved/volunteer/ . Contact: prisonbooks [at gmail period com]."
OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CHOOSING AND SHIPPING BOOKS TO NC PRISONERS Come to Prison Books Collective that has sent free books to people on the inside in North Carolina and Alabama, and magazines around the country, since 2006. Volunteer workdays are 1 to 4 p. m, Sundays, 4312 Etta Rd, Durham. Directions and information: http://prisonbooks.info/get-in volved/volunteer/ . Contact: prisonbooks [at gmail period com]."
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