PeoriaStory

Rally Today

Locals Join 'Trump is Not Above the Law' National Protests; Demand Barr #MakeItPublic, Share Mueller Report with Public

WHAT: Protest to #ReleaseTheReport

WHO: Indivisible Peoria Area and area activists

WHEN: Thursday, April 4^th, at 5pm

WHERE: Federal Building, 100 NE Monroe Street, Peoria, Illinois

PEORIA, IL -- Activists in Peoria will join a nationwide protest to call on Attorney General Barr and Elected Officials to take decisive steps to make the findings of the Mueller investigation public. The investigation’s final report was released to Attorney General Bill Barr on Friday, March 22nd.

In the last 24 hours, investigators from Mueller’s team have made statements to the New York Times that Barr’s interpretation of the report, as reflected in his letters of the past ten days, create an inaccurate picture of the report’s findings – a picture that is inaccurately favorable to Trump -- making it more critical that Congress and the American people have access to the report and to the summary statements of the investigators themselves.

Over three hundred nationwide protests will be taking place in hundreds of cities and towns and is being organized by a coalition of dozens of public interest organizations. More information can be found at www.TrumpIsNotAboveTheLaw.org.

Note: This event is open to the general public. TV, radio, print, and online media outlets are encouraged to come.

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CAFOs again

PEORIA -- From a news release:

Right to Harm

Wednesday March 27th

7:00 PM

PEORIA RIVERFRONT MUSEUM

IMAX Theatre

222 SW Washington St.

Peoria Il

 

 

SYNOPSIS 

Through the riveting stories of five rural communities, RIGHT TO HARM exposes the devastating public health and social  impacts factory farming has on many disadvantaged citizens throughout the United States. 

 

Filmed across the country, the documentary chronicles the failures of state agencies to regulate industrial animal  agriculture. Known formally as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations – or CAFOs – these facilities  produce millions of gallons of untreated waste that destroys the quality of life for nearby neighbors.

 

The film features agricultural economist John Ikerd, who abandoned industry beliefs after a 14-year career  as a livestock marketing specialist. After the farm crisis of the 1980s he realized, “The farmers who were in the biggest trouble, were the ones doing the things we so-called experts were telling them to do.”

 

RIGHT TO HARM tracks the tribulations and triumphs of rural residents across America who are victims of  the past 50 years of agricultural consolidation and the consequential laws that now govern the land. Fed  up with the lack of regulation, these disenfranchised citizens band together to demand justice from their legislators.

 

Filmmakers Matt Wechsler and Annie Speicher skillfully weave together five stories that span eight states  from the Southwest to the Midwest to the Eastern Shore. Farmers, mothers, scientists and politicians share intimate stories of how their lives were forever changed by factory farming.

 

RIGHT TO HARM is an enlightening exploration that questions whether citizens are entitled to clean air and water, while examining the political issues that stand in the way of nationwide reform.

 

My take:  stop eating meat from CAFO animals. Support politicians who will outlaw or regulate CAFOs. Shut them down!

  -- Elaine Hopkins

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Healthcare Rally

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

WHAT: RALLY FOR HEALTHCARE: Anniversary of the ACA

WHO: Indivisible Peoria Area, local citizens/activists

WHEN: 12:00 noon, Saturday, March 23^rd, 2019

WHERE: Corner of University and Main Streets, Peoria IL

VISUALS: “An Apple A Day Is Not Enough/We Need Healthcare”

 

Celebrate the ACA as a Step On the Way to Medicare For All

Protest Proposed Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid

 

Citizens from Peoria and the tri-county area will gather on the ninth anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (enacted March 23, 2010) which guaranteed both 1.) that no one could be refused health insurance coverage for any reason (e.g. a pre-existing condition) and 2.) that plans must include Ten Essential Health Benefits.* This ground-breaking legislation put patients and the right to essential healthcare front and center for the first time, changing our national view to one of basic healthcare as a human right and NOT as a negotiable feature of an insurance plan – and has led to a movement toward Medicare For All.

-We will celebrate the ground-breaking character, the positive results and endurance of the Affordable Care Act, which continues to allow millions to access healthcare – despite two years of crippling sabotage of the ACA (after failed attempts to repeal it) from the GOP and the Trump administration.

-We will celebrate the change in our national vision of healthcare which started with the ACA and now propels us toward a system of healthcare for all citizens.

-We will protest the Trump 2020 budget, which calls for draconian cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

-We will inform about Medicare For All, a movement gaining momentum in our community and nationwide.

-We will call for no cuts/no sabotage to healthcare, and protection for Medicare/Medicaid while we move toward Medicare For All.

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/416049308956654/

 

#ProtectOurCare #MedicareForAll #Medicare4All #ACA #PreExistingConditions #TrumpBudget

 

*Ambulatory patient services (outpatient services)

Emergency services

Hospitalization

Maternity and newborn care

Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment

Prescription drugs

Rehabilitative and habilitative services (those that help patients acquire, maintain, or improve skills necessary for daily functioning) and devices

Laboratory services

Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management

Pediatric services, including oral and vision care

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Qatar: Kingdom of Contrasts

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

The small, but influential nation of Qatar, and its impact on American foreign policy in the Middle East, will be topic of a public forum hosted by the Peoria Area World Affairs Council at Bradley University.

Dr. Janice Jayes, a professor of Middle East history at Illinois State University, will join Don Samford, a recent guest of the government of Qatar and a national World Affairs Councils leader, and Julia Ghantous, a former Qatar resident, in exploring the country’s strategic importance, its enormous wealth and its application of Sharia law.

The presentation, titled “Qatar: Kingdom of Contrasts” will be Thursday, March 28, at Westlake Hall, Room 116, on the Bradley campus. Dinner is at 5:30 p.m., with the presentation beginning at 7 p.m.

As a small nation surrounded by much larger neighbors, Qatar has several complex foreign relations entanglements. It has defense agreements with the United States and Britain, but is broadening its relationship with China. U.S. allies Saudi Arabia and Egypt have imposed an economic and diplomatic embargo against Qatar. The country has the highest per capita income in the world, due in part to its large reserves of oil and natural gas.

Dr. Jayes is a teacher, researcher, writer and political risk analyst specializing in the Middle East and Latin America. She’s been an instructor at ISU for nine years, earning her doctorate in philosophy, history, U.S. foreign relations and Latin America from American University in Washington, D.C., and a master’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Samford is a retired social studies teacher at Eureka High School, and a former board member of the World Affairs Councils of America and former PAWAC president. He has traveled extensively in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Ghantous, a native of Lebanon, lived in Qatar for 23 years and visited frequently because her parents lived there until two years ago. She is an adjunct professor at Illinois Central College.

There is no cost to attend this discussion. Cost to enjoy the dinner is $30 for PAWAC members and students and $35 for the general public. All are welcome. To make dinner reservations, email director@pawac.org

The Peoria Area World Affairs Council is a community-based volunteer organization that brings the world to Central Illinois by holding a variety of forums on international history, culture and current events. Along with expert speakers, PAWAC offers guided travel opportunities, book club meetings and public discussion forums. In an era of increasing communication and globalization, the organization provides an interactive and engaging international perspective to our local community. The Peoria Area World Affairs Council held its first conference in 1970. PAWAC is affiliated with the World Affairs Councils of America.

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Rally on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release, action on President's Day:

>>> PROTEST! CALL OUT THE FAKE CRISIS & DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION

Yes, we are protesting the fake 'national emergency.'

Monday, February 18, 12:00 noon
Federal Building
100 N.E. Monroe, Peoria, IL

 

This is an event planned as a rapid response protest against the fake national emergency declared by Trump on February 15.

In the Peoria and multi-county area, progressives will meet at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Peoria. Park in parking areas open to the public, on streets or in parking decks. Carpool, too. Dress for the weather conditions. This is intended to be a peaceful event. Please be respectful.
Event is public.

RSVP here

https://www.crisisresponse.us/event/crisis-response/search/

 

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Black history: the real story

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: The Ongoing Legacy of Racism and Its Impact on Peoria

Free Public Forum:

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28

Illinois Central College, Peoria Campus

Arbor Hall, Auditorium, Room 111

5407 N. University St. Peoria, IL

Slavery, lynching, discrimination and injustice are not only rooted in America’s past but percolate into current events almost daily. Learn a truth about this country that history books rarely reveal and that pervades our contemporary world.

Two Peoria writers and a Peoria police officer traveled to Montgomery, Ala., recently to learn more about America’s redacted history. They will report on their trip and how what they learned can help Peoria address the institutional, systemic racism that’s the focus of unwanted national attention and that holds us back from becoming a healthy and vibrant community.  

A brief video and slide program will introduce the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Ala., and the two new museums it opened in April 2018 –

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice and The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration. These museums are unlike any in the country.

Audience members will be invited to question the panelists following the presentation.

Panelists are: Writers Sherry Cannon and Pam Adams; Peoria Police Officer Daniel Duncan; and Illinois Central College Professor Anthony White. Moderator is Rev. Marvin Hightower, president Peoria NAACP.

The forum is sponsored by the Peoria NAACP and the Journalism Diversity Fund created with assistance from Community Word. The forum is hosted by Illinois Central College.

Medicare for all on Feb. 9

PEORIA, IL. --  From a news release:

Medicare for All organizing begins Feb. 9

-- By Bill Knight

The National Nurses United labor union is spearheading a coast-to-coast effort in support of Medicare for All, and in Peoria, several progressive groups and individuals will meet in a “Barnstorming” meeting to organize local actions. 

The Peoria Chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America are hosting with the Black Justice Project, Peoria Area Green Party, Indivisible Peoria, NAACP Peoria Chapter and Change Peoria co-sponsoring this event.

Organizations and people in favor of improving Medicare and expanding it will meet at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 in the Auditorium of the Peoria Public Library’s Main branch on Monroe at Main Streets downtown, to plan events that could include canvassing and phone banking.

“It’s time to talk about where we are going and how we are going to get there,” said Bonnie Castillo, executive director of National Nurses United. “We cannot simply rely on the electoral process.”

• Much of the focus is on supporting the Democratic-majority House of Representatives’ HR 676, which would improve existing Medicare features and expand the popular program to include everyone.

The Feb. 9 Barnstorm will build on current support:

• 12 incumbent House Democrats have already co-sponsored Medicare for All legislation and 48 freshmen lawmakers campaigned on enacting Medicare for All (M4A);
• M4A is popular (a Reuters poll showed it’s supported by 84.5 percent of Democrats and 51.9 percent of Republicans;
• M4A is cost-effective (a University of Massachusetts study says it would SAVE Americans $5.1 trillion over 10 years, and even a study by the libertarian Mercatus Center (affiliated with the conservative Koch Brothers) conceded that its implementation could result in total health spending that’s $303 billion LOWER in 2031 than current projections). - 30 -

 

Journalists under fire

PEORIA, IL --  From a news release:

Two compelling documentaries and two journalists who have lived similar stories  will explore “Journalism Under Fire,” a program on the dangerous conditions facing journalists in the United States and around the world.

“Journalism Under Fire” begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, February 24, at the Peoria Riverfront Museum.

Sponsored by the Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC), “Journalism Under Fire” will feature a discussion with journalists experienced in covering conflict and two films about the personal risks facing members of the media in the world’s hottest locations.

“Journalists on the Frontline” – a 25-minute documentary -- highlights journalists who have died covering the most dangerous places in the world.  The video examines the dangers journalists face in Syria, Mexico and Sudan. Last year, 54 journalists were killed; the previous year 47 were murdered just for doing their jobs, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

“Fixers” – a nine-minute film -- looks at the people behind life-threatening news stories – the cameraman; the producer; the driver; and the fixer, the local person on the ground who secures a critical interview, gets access to the vital location, and understands when a situation is rife with local complexity.

Following the screenings, the discussion will include Jenni Monet, an award-winning journalist who faced personal danger covering the Dakota Access Pipeline; and Kristin McHugh, who covered several global crises for the Stanley Foundation.  Chris Kaergard, associate editor of the Peoria Journal Star, will serve as the panel moderator.

Monet, a newscaster, reporter and investigative journalist, was arrested, detained and strip-searched during her Dakota Access Pipeline coverage, even though she had press credentials that clearly identified her. A graduate of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, Monet’s reporting has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Center for Investigative Reporting, PBS NewsHour and Al Jazeera. She is currently investigating the extreme rate of violence and sexual assault perpetrated against Native American women.

McHugh has reported from five continents, winning several awards for her coverage about Russia, children in war zones, the United Nations relevance, and the rise of Arab media. She recently served as PAWAC executive director and is currently reporting for WCBU, Bradley University’s public radio station.

Kaergard covers local and state politics, and has worked on the Journal Star opinion page. He is an adjunct professor at Bradley and advisor to the school newspaper.

Tickets for this event will be $7 for general admission and $5 for museum members, PAWAC members, students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door or through the PRM website at https://cart.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org/performance.aspx?pid=36718

The Peoria Area World Affairs Council is a community-based volunteer organization that brings the world to Central Illinois by holding a variety of forums on international history, culture and current events. Along with expert speakers, PAWAC offers guided travel opportunities, book club meetings and public discussion forums. In an era of increasing communication and globalization, the organization provides an interactive and engaging international perspective to our local community. The Peoria Area World Affairs Council held its first conference in 1970. PAWAC is affiliated with the World Affairs Councils of America. – 30 -

Tasting India

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release, this looks like fun:

Taste of India Coming to ICC Peoria Campus 

The Central Illinois community is invited to celebrate the rich cultures and cuisines of India at “Taste of India: Celebrating Cultures and Cuisines.”  A collaboration between the Peoria Area World Affairs Council (PAWAC), the Illinois Central College (ICC) Culinary Institute, and the ICC International Education Program, Taste of India features a unique dinner, food preparation, and a brief address about educational opportunities for women in India.

A social hour with an introduction to spices, dress and accents of India, and tours of the Culinary Institute, begins at 5 p.m. on February 28.  Dinner follows at 6 p.m.  The cultural event will be held at the Culinary Institute in Dogwood Hall on the ICC Peoria campus.

“Taste of India: Celebrating Cultures and Cuisines” features a three-course meal prepared by students and staff of the Culinary Institute.  Diners will receive copies of Indian recipes and learn cooking techniques by watching the expert chefs create food throughout the evening. 

Dr. Vijayalakshmi Varadarajan, ICC physical sciences professor, will give a brief presentation on the educational opportunities for women in India, particularly in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields. 

Tickets are $35 for Peoria Area World Affairs Council members, students, and ICC faculty and staff; $40 for the general public.  The menu features traditional vegetarian dishes.  Online purchasing information is available via www.pawac.org.  Seating is limited. 

The schedule for this unique cultural evening follows:

5 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Opening Reception / Introduction to Spices, Dress and Languages / Culinary Institute Tours

6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Dinner and Exclusive Viewing of Meal Preparation

7:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Post-Dinner Presentation by Dr. Vijayalakshmi Varadarajan

All proceeds from “Taste of India: Celebrating Cultures and Cuisines” benefit ICC’s Culinary Institute, ICC international education programs, and the Peoria Area World Affairs Council’s education programs.

The Peoria Area World Affairs Council promotes a better understanding of world affairs among members, students, and the community through public programs in Central Illinois. PAWAC is nonprofit and nonpartisan. For additional information, contact the Peoria Area World Affairs Council at 309-677-2454 or email director@pawac.org. Information is also available via www.pawac.org.   

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Candidate Forum

PEORIA, IL -- From a news release:

Peoria City Council At-Large Candidates Forum Sponsored by Peoria NAACP and Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club

Date: Wednesday, January 16^th,   6 p.m. (to end at 8 p.m.)

Location: The Carver Community Center 710 West Percy Baker Jr. Ave., Peoria

Peoria NAACP and Heart of Illinois Group Sierra Club are sponsoring a Forum for Peoria City Council At-Large Candidates, Wednesday, 

January 16^th, at 6 PM at the Carver Community Center, 710 West Percy Baker Jr. Ave., Peoria.  

 

This forum focuses on environment, health and justice issues for the city.  NAACP President Rev. Marvin Hightower will be moderating. 

Questions will be taken from the audience. The public is invited to attend.

 

Environment matters: global climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather events from severe rains or snows to drought

and wildfires. Peoria faces major concerns regarding our combined sewer overflow. Some question how long it has taken for action on

our raw sewage going into the Illinois River, making us all part of the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

Peoria citizens with the least resources who live in our oldest neighborhoods face risks from lead water pipes and lead paint.  Air quality for Peoria has higher caustic sulfur dioxide levels and more health harming particulate levels than it should. The Forum will include ‘lightening round’ questions and longer answers for a variety of response opportunities from the candidates. The forum is free and refreshments will be available.