RIT Panel Discusses Drone Weapons
Rochester Institute of Technology hosted a panel discussion on March 31, 2011 attended by 40 people. The three panelists were Ed Kinane of the Syracuse Peace Council, Jack Bradigan-Spula, a local antiwar activist and musician, and Professor Vincent Serravallo, of Sociology at RIT. The topic of discussion was the drone weapons being used by the US in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere. Drones are remote-controlled small aircraft equipped with precision cameras and up to 3500 pounds of weaponry. Pentagon officials describe them as “Hunter-Killers†capable of seeking out and destroying individual buildings, vehicles or even people. They require no pilot or flight crew on board.
Education Summit Audio Reportback: Part 3 The Other Side
This is the third and last in a series of audio reportbacks from the summit. The report focuses on the other side. The corporate-based "education reform movement" — what it is, what it's goals are, and what we can do to affect it.
The Community-wide Summit for Educational Change, which took place on March 11th and 12th, was a culmination of over a year of organizing. Many of the groups who put on the summit, had already spent months fighting successfully to stop mayoral control of the Rochester City School District. After that battle was finished, they expanded their efforts to create an "inclusive, collaborative, real education reform effort in the Rochester City School District."
Previous Reports
March 30 Mass Action Against Austerity in New York: One Activist's firsthand report
On Tuesday the New York State legislature passed Governor Andrew Cuomo's austerity budget. 1500 children, parents, educators, students, and activists rallied outside the Senate and Assembly chambers to defend their interests. Citizen Action and other NPO lobbyists were kept out, 100 plus State Troopers were on duty, and anti-Austerity forces were literally swept underground. This was a teachable moment for the left, and a declaration of war upon the poor from the Powers-That-Be.
7 Arrested in Eviction Defense at 9 Ravenwood Ave.
At about 9:05am this morning about 13 police cars blocked off Ravenwood Ave. and stormed 9 Ravenwood Ave. to forcibly evict the Lennon-Griffen family from their home. Police put up crime scene tape and a group of movers with a U-haul showed up to empty the house. Around 10:30am a group of community members ran through the police crime scene tape and blocked the front door to the house in an act of civil disobedience. Five community members—Jake Allen, Emily Good, Crescenzo Scipione, Zora Gussow, and Ryan Gromkoski—were arrested and charged with obstruction of government administration and trespass. Currently they are being processed at the public safety building on Plymouth Ave. Jail support is scheduled to start a 1pm.
As of 11:15am, two more community members were arrested. Jake Spezio was arrested for trespass and disorderly conduct when he was caught cutting the corner of the police line (an honest mistake it seems) and the other, Liz Rich, a neighbor on Aberdeen St., (a 70 year old retired woman in her pajamas), was arrested for disorderly conduct when she was asking an officer why Spezio was being arrested. The police then forced all witnesses to the end of the street and threatened neighbors for walking by the house.
Take Back the Land - Rochester has been working with Catherine Lennon and her family to get Fannie Mae to renegotiate her mortgage. Public support and an eviction defense has been going on for the last two weeks.
A press conference is scheduled for 7pm tonight at 9 Ravenwood Ave. followed by a candle light vigil at 7:30pm. Please come down and show your support and outrage!
Update: Ravenwood Eviction: Negotiations with Fannie Mae Begin | Ravenwood 7 Arraigned in Judge Johnson's Court
Eviction and Arrests at 9 Ravenwood Ave.
Take Back the Land Rochester Press Conference, Speakout and Vigil on 3/28/11
Additional Information: Cathy Lennon is Still in Her House! Nearly 2-Week Old Eviction Blockade Working! The Struggle Continues!
Education Summit Audio Reportback: Part 2 Problems
The Community-wide Summit for Educational Change, which took place on March 11th and 12th, was a culmination of over a year of organizing. Many of the groups who put on the summit, had already spent months fighting successfully to stop mayoral control of the Rochester City School District. After that battle was finished, they expanded their efforts to create an "inclusive, collaborative, real education reform effort in the Rochester City School District."
This is the second in a series of audio reportbacks from the summit. The report focuses on problems in the district and plans for addressing them.
- Education Summit: Problems and Solutions (mp3 version)
- Education Summit: Problems and Solutions (ogg version)
Stay tuned next week for the final reportback.
Cathy Lennon is Still in Her House! Nearly 2-Week Old Eviction Blockade Working! The Struggle Continues!
Catherine Lennon and her family are still living at 9 Ravenwood Ave. in Rochester, NY after nearly two weeks of eviction defense and half-hearted attempts by marshals and movers to force her out. Against Fannie Mae's eviction orders, Lennon has vowed to stay in her home of seven years—a house that she and her husband and their family shared until he died of cancer.
Their mortgage lender and government bailout recipient, Countrywide—later bought by Bank of America just before it went belly-up—refused to renegotiate the mortgage, sending the family’s house into foreclosure. In 2010, Countrywide sold the house to Fannie Mae and now Fannie is seeking to evict the family of 11.
A call to action was heard by the community and nearly 80 people came out on Monday, March 14 to defend the house. Four people chained themselves to the front steps ready to engage in civil disobedience.
The Lennon-Griffin family and Take Back the Land - Rochester are calling on Fannie Mae to immediately suspend the eviction and renegotiate a reasonable settlement where the longtime residents can stay in their home and prevent the disintegration of entire family to homelessness.
Come out for an anti-eviction potluck and barbecue on Friday, March 25th, 4-7PM, at 9 Ravenwood Ave.
Week 1 of Eviction Defense: 9 Ravenwood Ave.
Updates: March 14th Update | March 15th Update | March 17th Update
Additional Information: Take Back The Land - Rochester | Local Family and Take Back the Land Announce Eviction Defense | "We got sold out; they got bailed out!" Anti-Eviction Rally on S. Goodman Street | Take Back the Land Rochester Calls for Protest against Eviction by Fannie Mae
Education Summit Audio Reportback (part 1)
The Community-wide Summit for Educational Change, which took place on March 11th and 12th, was a culmination of over a year of organizing. Many of the groups who put on the summit, had already spent months fighting successfully to stop mayoral control of the Rochester City School District. After that battle was finished, they expanded their efforts to create an "inclusive, collaborative, real education reform effort in the Rochester City School District."
This is the first in a series of audio reportbacks from the summit. The report focuses on building the movement necessary to fundamentally change education in Rochester and beyond.
- Education Summit: Building A Movement (mp3 version)
- Education Summit: Building A Movement (ogg version)
Stay tuned next week for a report on problems and potential solutions.
Video: Hydrofracking in New York State Forum
As the nuclear disaster in Japan continues and anti nuclear sentiment rises in the US, energy companies and the governments are sure to exploit this situation to push the need for hydrofracking in the Marcellus Shale.
Local Family and Take Back the Land Announce Eviction Defense
Video of Friday's Press Conference
A Press Conference was held Friday March 11, 2011 at 9 Ravenwood Ave, Rochester, NY 14619 where Catherine Lennon and her family of 11, including seven children announced they will stay in their home of 7 years.
After Catherine’s husband died of cancer, their mortgage lender and government bailout recipient, Countrywide refused to renegotiate the mortgage, sending the family’s house into foreclosure.
The Lennon Family also announced a public protest, with support of Take Back the Land Rochester, at noon on Monday March 14th at 9 Ravenwood Ave. to nonviolently block the impending eviction of their family.
Updates: March 14th update | March 16th update | March 18th update
Community-wide Education Summit To Promote Fundamental Change
Community-wide Education Summit
Join the Movement for Fundamental Educational Change
Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12, 2011
On March 11 and 12, a Community-wide Summit for Educational Change will take place. Will this be another talk session with inspiring words but short on follow-through and action? Over our dead bodies.
Everyone interested in inclusive, collaborative, real education reform efforts in the Rochester City School District will have an opportunity to contribute to the development of a realistic, focused plan.