September 15, 2015

Anti-stadium groups keep the pressure on in Providence

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Though he stopped short of calling this a victory lap, Tim Empkie, one of the leaders of the effort to keep the Pawtucket Red Sox in Pawtucket, prevent the use of public lands in Providence for a new stadium and prevent any public money from subsidizing a new stadium anywhere in the state, is optimistic that the battle is just about won…

…but the pressure needs to be kept on.

In a rally at the corner of Hope St and Doyle Avenue in Providence, 25 people turned out over the course of two hours to hold signs in an event that was described as not “a protest of any kind, just outreach the public!”

At least three anti-stadium groups, from a variety of political perspectives, were represented at the rally, spurring organizer David Norton to exclaim on Twitter, “Unite the Clans!!!”

A similar rally held last week had just five participants. Organizers hope for even more participation next Tuesday at 4:30. They see signs that Governor Gina Raimondo‘s position on the stadium is evolving, and at least one of the signs echoed a new talking point out of her office, “Take a fresh look at Pawtucket.”

“This effort goes beyond baseball,” said Tim Empkie. “It’s not about just one stadium. It’s about the use of public money for the public good.”

2015-09-15 PawSox Protest 018 — Tim Empkie

2015-09-15 PawSox Protest 003 — David Norton

September 15, 2015September 16, 2015

ACLU celebrates Constitution Day with downtown Providence scavenger hunt

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As the state’s strongest defender of your rights and freedoms, the ACLU of Rhode Island is excited to announce our plans to celebrate Constitution Day this week by hosting a family-friendly scavenger hunt highlighting Providence’s civil liberties history. Constitution Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. Americans across the country observe the anniversary by teaching students about the Constitution and Bill of Rights. This year, the ACLU of Rhode Island is hosting a Constitution Day Scavenger Hunt on Saturday, September 19, to teach Rhode Islanders of all ages about civil liberties and local history.

The family-friendly scavenger hunt will highlight Providence’s civil liberties history, and we hope the event educates the public, and especially children and teenagers, about the Bill of Rights and importance of knowing one’s rights.

So, think you know your Rhode Island history? Want to learn how the Constitution applies to everyday life? Put on your walking shoes and head to downtown Providence on your own or with your friends and family on Saturday, September 19, to start the hunt!

We’ll start sharing clues on our Facebook and Twitter at 1 p.m. (Rain or shine). Use them to start a self-guided hunt for landmarks around the city. Once you arrive at a stop, snap a photo (selfies are encouraged!) and share it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #ConstitutionHunt. Make it to the final location to earn bragging rights and a small souvenir.

Constitution Day Scavenger Hunt

(RSVP On Our Facebook Page Here)

Saturday, September 19

1 to 3 P.M.

Downtown Providence

For more information and official rules, click here.

September 15, 2015September 17, 2015

National Grid lists groups that don’t exist in their Public Participation Plan

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The Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island (EJLRI) has revealed that the “Public Participation Plan” that National Grid submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) contains no actual community groups in its listing of “Environmental, Community and Neighborhood stakeholders.” The two groups that National Grid did included on the list, the South Providence Neighborhood Association and the Washington Park Neighborhood Association, don’t actually exist. Further, EJLRI points out that “dangerous oil and chemical facilities like Motiva, Univar, and Sprague Energy are counted as community partners.”

The nonexistent groups were listed with FERC as part of National Grid’s plan to build a LNG liquefaction system at the Fields Point LNG Plant on Providence’s South Side. The EJLRI and many other environmental and community groups oppose the expansion. The location of the Fields Point Plant, adjacent to low income communities of color, is seen as environmental racism. And investing in methane gas, which has been revealed to be worse for the environment than coal and oil, seems economically and environmentally catastrophic given the reality of global warming.

David Graves, who does media relations for National Grid, responded that, “The stakeholder list was first developed when both of these groups were active in the neighborhood. The list continues to evolve and contacts for various organizations have been, and will continue to be updated. We have not been successful in locating any other neighborhood groups in the area that have an organized board of directors or a published list of officers and, to my knowledge, we have not been contacted by any neighborhood groups asking to be included in the list of stakeholders. Despite that, our efforts will continue.”

Said the EJLRI, “…there are hundreds of thriving organizations in South Providence and Washington Park.”

September 15, 2015

Don’t miss the Progressive Dems annual fundraiser!

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The Rhode Island Progressive Democrats of America (RIPDA) are holding their annual fundraiser Thursday, September 17 from 5:30-8:30pm at Ogie’s Trailer Park, 1155 Westminster St in Providence. This year, they’re honoring Mike Araujo of the Restaurant Opportunities Center and the One Fair Wage Coalition with the Progressive Hero award.

In Rhode Island, Democrats have near total control over the state government, yet we see almost none of the economic advantages that other blue states, like neighboring Massachusetts and Connecticut, enjoy. Our General Assembly will not pass reasonable gun legislation, moves to prevent cities and towns from raising the minimum wage, passed the biggest tax cuts for the rich in the nation, slips anti-reproductive rights legislation into the budget at the eleventh hour (preventing real discussion around the issue) and is the only Democratically controlled legislature in the country to have passed voter ID.

In short, our Democrats are political and economic conservatives and on core issues of concern to progressives, have more in common with the national Republican Party than the national Democratic Party platform.

That’s why RIPDA’s voice is so important and deserving of support. They are the conscience of a political machine in Rhode Island that would much rather be unbothered by thoughts of the poor and vulnerable. They consistently fight back against the worst abuses of state government, and they do so with virtually no funding, just the dedicated work of a gung ho group of volunteers.

Mike Araujo, honored this year with the Progressive Hero award, worked tirelessly to eliminate the tipped minimum wage, which unfairly discriminates against women and opens them to sexual harassment in the workplace. After a year long battle the tipped minimum wage was increased for the first time in decades, meaning there is still much work to be done, and you can bet that Araujo will be leading that fight. He’s also a terrific speaker and advocate.

So come on down to Ogie’s Trailer Park Thursday night and enjoy some fine food and fine company. Think about joining the RIPDA and moving the Rhode Island Democratic Party out of the hands of neoliberal blue dogs and into the hands of the working class, where it belongs.

There’s work to be done, and the RIPDA is doing it.

Order your tickets here.