Announcements for February 16, 2011

Of Civil Wrongs and Rights
The Immigration Information Response Team of Coastal Progressives is hosting a free screening of Of Civil Wrongs and Rights—The Fred Korematsu Story on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. in the conference room of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, SW 9th and Hurbert in Newport.
            The film documents the story of an American citizen caught up in the hysteria following the attack on Pearl Harbor that launched this country into World War II and changed his life forever. Korematsu was arrested for refusing military orders to report to a relocation center, along with 120,000 others of Japanese descent. With the help of the ACLU, this very ordinary young man defied the US government all the way to the Supreme Court because he knew it (the government) was wrong. His long and losing legal struggle was vindicated almost 40 years later with the overturning of his conviction for disloyalty and the awarding of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, for his stubborn defense of civil and human rights.
            John Nakada, a member of the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center in Portland, will be the guest speaker. Nakada frequently talks to groups and school classes to help educate the public about this sad event in our nation’s history. Nakada was eleven when he was sent with his family to relocation/internment camps in Wyoming and Arizona, where he spent the next four years of his childhood until the war ended in 1945. Like Fred Korematsu, who died in 2005 at the age of 86, Nakada’s purpose in telling his story is to try to prevent such a tragic injustice from happening again.
            This program is free and open to the public. For more information, call 541 265 6216 or visit http://coastalprogressives.org. Trailer available at http://vimeo.com/10392311

 Immigration Information Team meets Saturday
The Immigration Information Response Team of Coastal Progressives will meet this Saturday, Feb. 19, 11 a.m., at Centro de Ayuda, SW 9th and Hurbert in Newport. The agenda will include review and planning for the coming year. All persons interested in protecting human rights, justice, and civil liberty in Lincoln County are invited to join the “team.”
            See photos by Isaias Gonzalez from our “Who can be an American?” event in a slideshow format at http://s1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa409/RuralOrganizingProject/Who%20can%20be%20American%20Newport%20Event/?albumview=slideshow
           For more information, contact 541 265 6216

 Support farmers’ markets and family farmers today!
Today, Wednesday, February 16, the Oregon House will vote on HB 2336, the Farm Direct Bill. This bill clarifies and modernizes Oregon statutes around farmers markets and direct sales of farm products by farmers to consumers. It strikes a balance between food safety and allowing local products, such as dried herbs, jams and pickles, to be sold at farmers’ markets without having to be prepared in a "certified kitchen," which can be a prohibitive expense for a small, local farmer who just wants to sell their product on the weekend.
            Meanwhile, agribusiness lobbyists are in the Capitol opposing provisions of this bill. (Remember their opposition to our amendments in the federal food safety bill?) That's why Oregon Rural Action is teaming up with Friends of Family Farmers through the Oregon Grows Partnership to rally support for the bill. And we need your help now.
            In order to ensure that family-scale farmers can remain viable and sell you some of the freshest, healthiest food available, we need you to call your State Representative today and ask them to support HB 2336. Rep. Jean Cowan can be reached at (503) 986-1410 or rep.jeancowan@state.or.us.
--Shaun Daniel, Communications Director,Oregon Rural Action
Shaun_Daniel_Oregon_Rural_Action@mail.vresp.com

Proposed legislation would target citizen involvement          
For your information, several bills that have been proposed in Salem and came up for their first hearing this week that seek to limit the citizen involvement which has been the key to Oregon’s land use planning system (enshrined in Goal #1 of the statewide planning goals).  Land use regulations are one tool that CoastWatchers have available to exercise stewardship over their miles. If you are concerned about this issue and would like to keep this tool available, go to the Oregon Shores website, http://oregonshores.org/land_use.php5, for more information.

 Commissioner Bill Hall to address Democrats
On Wednesday, February 23, Lincoln County Democrats will host County Commissioner Bill Hall. He will speak on the state of the county, the effort to revive teen court and how an increase in volunteerism could be a huge help in times of public budget problems. A party business meeting will also occur. All this will start at 7 p.m.
            In the spirit of volunteerism, the Democrats will accept donations for Food Share. They invite all to donate some nonperishable food items.
            Meetings of the Lincoln County Democratic Central Committee are free and open to the public. Central Lincoln PUD is located at 2129 North Coast Highway, Newport (across US 101 from Safeway.)
            For more information, call Chair Dan Beck at 541-994-4694, or go to the group’s website, http://www.lcdcc.org.

HELP offers tutoring workshops
The Lincoln County School District HELP (Homeless Education Literacy Project) program is offering a free tutor training to any county community member interested in working with or already working with youth. This two- part workshop will be offered on February 23 and 24, from 4 to 6 p.m., at Yaquina View Classroom L, in Newport
            The training is open to anyone: HELP volunteers, people interested in volunteering and volunteers from other community/school programs.  Trainer, Vickie Meneses of Oceana Family Literacy will cover how to work with kids of all ages and learning styles, tutoring techniques and more. Food provided.
            Please call 541-265-4506 to RSVP or for more information
--Charla Guiwits 541-574-5824
West Area HELP Advocate, Homeless Education and Literacy Project
Newport Family Literacy and Resource Ctr.

 Photographers wanted to participate in King Tide Photo Event;
Photo viewing party to follow
Do you enjoy outdoor photography? The King Tide Photo Project needs your help. The MidCoast Watersheds Council (MCWC) is partnering with CoastWatch, a program of Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, to encourage people to participate in an upcoming photo documentation project. This project, sponsored by the Oregon Coastal Management Program, will help to identify areas of Oregon’s shoreline that are most vulnerable to tides and erosion. Upcoming high spring tides from February 16th to 19th provide a preview of what Oregonians might experience regularly in the future as a result of rising sea levels. Oregon is joining other west coast states to participate in a “King Tide” photo initiative to document these seasonally high tides.
            To find out more about the project and how to participate, visit this Coastal Management Program website: http://www.climateadaptationplanning.net/kingtides/
            MCWC and Coast watch are co-sponsoring a local photo viewing party following the “King Tide” in the Community Room (140) at the Newport Campus of Oregon Coast Community College, 400 SE College Way, on February 22 at 6:30 p.m. People can view their photos on the big screen, enjoy pizza and refreshments, and have an opportunity to share their thoughts and learn more.
            You can share photographs of the high tides in February by joining Oregon’s King Tide Initiative Flickr group and uploading your photographs of high tide levels. The best photographs of high tides will show tide levels and areas that are inundated, in particular areas where water levels can be gauged against sea walls, jetties, bridge supports, dikes, buildings, roads or other infrastructure or features. Join the King Tide Flickr group by signing up at Flickr.
           “Photos would be especially useful if someone stood in the foreground of the photo holding a range pole in direct contact with both the water surface and a measurable and clearly visible horizontal surface, like the top of a deck or piling. It's easy to make a range pole by painting or taping (with waterproof, electrical tape or duct tape) a broomstick or longer pole with alternating bands of black and white at 1-foot increments,” says Lisa Mulcahy, coordinator of the MCWC. Please check the King Tide Photo Initiative Flickr site to see what places have already been photographed to avoid duplication. For a list of special locations where we need photographs, visit The Yaquina Watershed Council Facebook site or call the number below.
            Tide information for locations along the Oregon Coast is available at: http://hmsc.oregonstate.edu/weather/tides/tides.html under “adjustments.”
            For more details visit the Yaquina Watershed Council Facebook site, email yaquinawatershedcouncil@gmail.com, or call Lisa Mulcahy at 541-264-0572.

Joanne Kittel to speak to League of Women Voters
On Thursday, February 17, at noon at the Newport Public Library, Joanne Kittel of Yachats will speak to the League of Women Voters of Lincoln County.
           Kittel will speak about the journey she started 24 years ago when she initiated several projects that became intersecting, growing circles.  These three projects were building and completing a section of the Oregon Coast Trail known as the Amanda Trail, co-authoring an article on the Aboriginal People of Yachats and the prison camp years when the near genocide of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Alsea Indians was perpetrated, and creating a conservation easement on her 27 acres next to Cape Perpetua.  The results grew into the community's education, awareness, and appreciation for aboriginal history of the Yachats area. The community embracing the tribal history and acknowledging truths has been a catalyst for connecting the native people to the non-native. There will be time for questions after Kittel's talk.
            The meeting is free and open to the general public.  For more information, contact Ruth Kistler, 541-574-8145.

 Art Show benefits Animals in Crisis
An artist's reception (with treats) for Chuck Hill will be held Sunday, February 20, from noon to 3 p.m. at Canyon Way Book Store and Restaurant. This year's theme is "Cotton Comes to Town," featuring paintings of iconoclastic rabbits. The art will be on display at Canyon Way through the rest of February. “Uneven Surface,” a local jazz quintet will provide music for the Artist's Reception, with vocals by Patty Egan.
            Animals in Crisis is a fund set up to help with the expenses for local animals in need. That need can come in the form of food, medical expenses or shelter. In today’s economy it can be very difficult for families to make ends meet, and there may not be enough money to cover all of the expenses that can arise with caring for a pet. Animals in Crisis lends a helping hand when it can and has also donated money to the local animal shelter and HALO for their support of the indigent animals in our neighborhoods. A portion of the proceeds from this annual art show goes to Animals in Crisis.
            For further information or questions regarding the Art Show or Animals in Crisis, please contact Chuck Hill at 541-563-4898.

I Love Mountains Day – by Wendell Berry
Listen to a great speech that applies to us all.
See:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgfMu2NxtZI&feature=player_embedded#at=180

Reminders:
Oregon physicians promote Single Payer Health Care for All:
Everybody in; nobody out!
There is still time to take in the rally tonight, Wednesday Feb. 16, in Newport in support of Oregon legislation for a publicly managed, privately delivered universal health care plan. This series of lively rallies on the coast was organized by the Corvallis Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program-Oregon (PNHP) and Mad As Hell Doctors (MAHD).
            After their presentation at the Yachats Commons at 2 p.m. on the 16th, they will bring their crew of medical personnel to the second-floor meeting room of the Visual Arts Center, 777 NW Beach Dr. in Newport, where they will have musical accompaniment from Frank Jones and Dr. Jerry Robbins. If you miss the rallies in Newport and Yachats, you can catch them again in Lincoln City at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 at St. Augustine's Catholic Church Community Center, 1139 NW Highway 101. All presentations are free and open to the public
            The local MAHD tour is co-sponsored by Coastal Progressives of Lincoln County, Coastal Peaceworks, and Physicians for a National Health Program-Oregon. For more information, contact Dr. Michael Huntington at 541-892-1182 or visit www.pnhp.org/states/oregon.

 Nye Beach Writers' Series Proudly Presents: CHERYL STRAYED
Cheryl Strayed's award-winning stories and essays have appeared in more than a dozen magazines, including the New York Times Magazine, The Sun, Washington Post Magazine, Allure, and DoubleTake. Her novel, Torch, published by Houghton Mifflin in 2006, was a finalist for the Great Lakes Book Award and selected by The Oregonian as one of the top ten books by Pacific Northwest authors.
            Raised in Minnesota, Strayed has worked as a political organizer for women's advocacy groups and was an outreach worker at a sexual violence center in Minneapolis. She holds an MFA from Syracuse University Graduate Creative Writing Program. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her filmmaker husband and their two children.
            The show begins at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 19, in the second floor meeting room of the Newport Visual Arts Center, located at 777 NW Beach Drive (across from the Nye Beach Turnaround).  General admission is $6 at the door, students always admitted free. Light refreshments will be available.
            For more information: http://www.cherylstrayed.com.

 “Song for the Blue Ocean” symposium this weekend
On Friday and Saturday, February 18-19, a symposium, “Song for the Blue Ocean:  Science, Art and Ethics,” will be held at the LaSells Stewart Center on the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis.  The free public event will feature a wide range of speakers, films, literary talks and musical events.
            For information, go to http://springcreek.oregonstate.edu/, or contact Charles Goodrich, Program Director, The Spring Creek Project, Oregon State University, (541) 737-6198.

SOME
 Some stood up once        and sat down.
Some walked a mile         and walked away.

Some stood up twice         then sat down.
               I’ve had it, they said.

Some walked two miles         then walked away.
                It’s too much, they cried.

Some stood and stood and stood.
They were taken for fools.
They were taken for being taken in.

Some walked and walked and walked.
They walked the earth.
They walked the waters.
They walked the air.
Why do you stand                they were asked, and
Why do you walk?

Because of the children, they said, and
Because of the heart, and
Because of the bread.
Because
The cause
Is the heart’s beat
And the children born
And the risen bread.
--Daniel Berrigan

"Eshked Heluwa El huriya"  (Arabic) Literally translates as "How beautiful is freedom."

* The mission of the Rural Organizing Project is to strengthen the skills, resources, and vision of primary leadership in local autonomous human dignity groups with a goal of keeping such groups a vibrant source for a just democracy. www.rop.org

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