Friday, May 5, 2023

CALENDAR & NEWS ~ May 2023

 

Morning on the 1-mile long multi-use Bayfront Promenade

BIKE

May is National Bike Month

May 9 - Bike Safety In-Person 10am Lincoln Branch Library Erie PA Overview of bike safety w/ Q&A. Free, registration required, helmets are available to program participants upon request. Teens, adults, seniors. 

Bike Erie is a local group that does advocacy, awareness, and activities related aspects of cycling (commuting, recreation, cargo, etc.)

SSJNN Bike Program Sisters of St Joseph Neighborhood Network makes bikes and bike riding a reality for youth with "Earn-a-Bike," Bike Recyclery, and organized bike trips. 

Active Erie Plan:
Gaining Ground on the Active Erie Plan (Erin Phillips/Erie Reader)

ARTS & FESTS

May 9-10 - Living Voices: Through the Eyes of a Friend  Robert H Jackson Center Jamestown NY "live, interactive performance, the audience will bear witness to the world of Anne Frank and other young people living through the Holocaust, from the point of view of Anne Frank’s 'best friend.'"

May 11 - Annual Art & Spirituality Lecture: Bunbu Ryodo  Featuring Geoffrey P. Dunn, MD, FACS 7pm at Mount St Benedict 6101 East Lake Road Erie PA


Vintage audio: Joan Baez live at Gannon College, December 10, 1972 Came across this gem after watching her sing with Rep. Justin Jones. Sound quality is actually quite good. Side note: The day after the concert Joan went with a peace mission group to North Vietnam and the group ended up under heavy US aerial bombing (aka "Christmas bombing")

Community Art Events - Inner-City Neighborhood Art House  "In addition to our afterschool and summer classes for Erie's youth, the Art House is expanding our offerings to include daytime, evening, and weekend classes for learners of all ages. Classes are offered free of charge unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is required, and class size may be limited so sign up early and please remember to cancel your reservation if you are unable to attend! New class offerings will be added each month."

EARTH

Jun 2-4 The 65th Annual Allegany Nature Pilgrimage  Allegany S.P. Made possible by: Audubon Community Nature Center, Buffalo Audubon Society, Presque Isle Audubon, Burroughs Audubon Nature Club, Allegany State Park 

Applications open for Erie's new environmental advisory council   "The deadline to apply is May 22, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. ... For more information on the Environmental Advisory Council, contact Sarah Peelman, the City’s Sustainability Coordinator, at 814-870-1255 or speelman@erie.pa.us.

Goodell gardens launches Environmental Book Club

Erie Reader gathered a lot of local environmental coverage for April: 

Earthly Treasures: Three ideas to boost your eco awareness   (Liz Allen/Erie Reader)
Way Off Track: Weighing profit vs. public safety in wake of East Palestine train derailment (Jonathan Burdick/Erie reader)
Making Green Waves in Erie Composting (Jordan Coon/Erie Reader)
April 2023 Earth Day (Erie Reader) A Q&A with Jen Salem, horticulture specialist for the Regional Science Consortium
New Nonprofit Aims to Build a More Resilient, Just Erie from the Ground Up Groundwork Erie joins national network to address environmental justice at the local level (Ben Speggen) 
Protecting Wildlife Starts in Our Own Backyards  (Amy VanScoter) Tamarack tips

from Erie Times-News

ELECTIONS

Endorsements, Voter Guides, Scorecards
CAM Erie Access to Candidates Local candidates interviews and presentations Local candidates on Community Access Media
Democratic candidates for Erie City Council (Erie Times-News) Candidate info plus Questions answered by each candidate
Erie County PA voters guide (Erie Times-News)
Erie Co. judge candidates (Erie Times-News)
Erie County United endorsements races, candidates and issues
Erie Gay News Voters Guide Candidate responses to questions
PA Commonwealth & Superior Court guide (Spotlight PA)
PA Supreme Court Guide (Spotlight PA) 

JUSTICE

May 11 - You are More than a 'Break in Case of Emergency': Knowing the Value of Your Voice When Making Change in Your Community Distinguished Visiting Speaker: Precious McKesson 7pm Jefferson Ed. Society Satellite location Erie Center for Arts & Technology (ECAT)—650 East Ave. Suite 120, Erie. Free.

May 12 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Is It Just a #Hashtag, or Is It Real? Gary Lee, MBA 12pm Jefferson Educational Society - 3207 State St., Erie. Free, optional $5 lunch (must pre-register 24 hours in advance)

Erie police equipping all officers with body-worn cameras (Tim Hahn/ Erie Times-News) Also EPD is reviving Crisis Intervention Unit (ENN) "Ten selected officers have been training with mental health professionals since Monday. They will be responding to anything from domestic calls to homeless intervention; any situation that involves someone experiencing mental health issues."

Buffalo holds 5/14 Remembrance Weekend Of Reflection, Healing & Hope Events observing the anniversary of the racially motivated mass shooting at Tops market. Events observing the anniversary of the racially motivated mass shooting at Tops market. Also podcast roundtable discussion "Buffalo & Charleston: A Parallel Journey of Hope, Healing, & Reconciliation"  with more programming in the coming week on WBFO's "Buffalo, What's Next?"  .

Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts online videos "Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts is the only statewide organization working exclusively to improve our state courts. Our mission is to ensure that Pennsylvania has fair and impartial courts that serve all Pennsylvanians."


Erie County joins initiative offering aid over arrest to those battling drug use disorder  (Erie Times News) 

Video: Antonio Howard at JES 12/15/2022  About local artist and author Antonio Howard's book, "When a Child is Worth More than the Worst Mistake He Ever Made", which is his story as a juvenile "lifer".


LGBTQ+

May 13 - Erie's Queer Community Food Drive benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank   
11am to 2pm,  3104 State St, Erie, PA Non perishable food items or dry goods. Partners NWPA Pride Greater Erie Alliance for Equality, Central Outreach Erie, Erie Gay News, Journey to a Trauma informed Life, Community United Church, Transfamily of NWPA, Whee! Studios, Aging with Pride, Compton's Table and the Zone Dance Club.

May 13 - Stronger Than Silence: Buffalos Gay Men's Chorus Fredonia Opera House, Fredonia NY "Highlights of the program are songs from the Social Justice Songbook ... "

Erie Gay News Voters Guide Candidate responses to questions

Bill to broaden LGBTQ+ protections passes PA House (AP)

June Pride festivals:

REPRODUCTIVE  HEALTH

PA House Panel Hears Fixes On Black Maternal Health Crisis. (PA Dems) Hearing explores vision for Black maternal health

Supporting Reproductive Rights in Erie County Pamphlet by Erie County United, includes resources and PA law. Accessing Abortion Care in PA from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Statewide overview. 

SCHOOLS

Better PENNCREST   Guide to candidates for PENNCREST school board.

Opinion 'Something has to give,' Erie teacher says mental health crises at root of youth violence (Erie Times-News)

Ultra MAGA Butler Co Patriot Party co-founder resigns from school board following allegations of affair with teen (WTAE) Also founded the Grace Youth and Family Foundation. Updates and details from Facebook page The Butler Soapbox

Civics education in Erie school districts (Baylee DeMuth/Erie Times-News)

WORKING PEOPLE 

May 11 -  Film Talk: "Mighty Harlan County" Jared Hamilton discusses his new film "Mighty Harlan County" documenting the 2019 railway blockade by Kentucky miners seeking back pay. Link to film provided. By The Battle of Homestead Foundation.


Worker safety:

Pa. nurses, lawmakers rally for safe staffing levels (Penn Capital-Star) Hundreds of nurses from  unions and nurse advocacy groups were on the Capitol steps in Harrisburg to call on the PA House to support the Patient Safety Act and establish safe staffing standards for all PA hospitals
 Worker's Memorial Day thoughts  (ETN) from Brendan Claybaugh, director of OSHA area office in Erie. Worker's Memorial Day event in Erie (YourErie) 
Vintage music video pre-OSHA 1965 See if you can find the violations in this pre-OSHA music video as Martha & the Vandellas prance through an active assembly line at the Dearborn Mustang plant. Also note who was doing the most dangerous jobs.

GEMISH

May 21 Gun Violence Prevention: A Moral ImperativeSpeaker: Josh Fleitman 10:30am  Unitarian Universalist Cong. of Erie 7180 Perry Hwy The speaker will explain the efforts of CeaseFirePA and CeaseFirePA Education Fund to decrease gun violence by creating common-sense gun violence prevention strategies. What efforts are needed to get the legislation passed will also be shared. 

May 24 - MAGA Mess March Noon-1pm at Federal Courthouse, Erie PA "Join us in the par across from Mike Kelly's office" Organized by Oil Region Rising

Novel Destination book emporium to close (Post-Journal) 

PHOTOS

Above and middle: Deb Spilko
Mg Mess: Oil region Rising
Mail Ballot PSA: PA Dept of State


Photo: PA Dept of State


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Calendar and local news aggregator for people who believe "a better world is possible." Published monthly. Focus is local/regional. Not affiliated with any organization All upcoming event listings are nonviolent. Event submissions send to moonkat2014@gmail.com

IN MEMORIAM notices: I prefer being contacted by a loved one about notifying the community of a passing, preferably acting within the wishes of the person who has passed. 

For event listings, PLEASE visit original posts to assure most updated and accurate information. 


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