6/30/2007 Community Gumbo

Listen | Democracy Now (6/27/07)

• With Release of “Family Jewels,” CIA Acknowledges Years of Assassination Plots, Coerced Drug Tests and Domestic Spying
• In Blow to Campaign Finance Reform, Supreme Court Throws Out Restrictions on Special Interest Campaign Ads

The Big Green Bus Tour

Listen | Part 1
Listen | Part 2

An interview with Brent Butler and Frances Vernon from Dartmouth College, traveling across the country on a recycled vegetable oil school bus to spread the message about alternative fuels and energy conservation to address energy supply issues and climate change. To find out more about their message, links to useful information, or to read their blog, visit TheBigGreenBus.org.

Announcements

Final UNOP Public Hearings Today
The New Orleans City Council's Recovery Committee will hold two public hearings Saturday on the Unified New Orleans Plan's citywide strategic recovery plan.

The hearings will be at 10 a.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, 2401 Gen. de Gaulle Drive, Algiers, and at 2 p.m. at the council chamber in City Hall, 1300 Perdido St.

It had been announced earlier that the City Hall hearing would be Sunday.

All New Orleans residents are invited to attend.

The council voted last week to endorse the citywide plan in principle, and on that basis the Louisiana Recovery Authority this week agreed to accept the plan and begin the release of $117 million in federal block grants for infrastructure repairs.

However, the council has yet to vote on an ordinance formally adopting the plan, which proposes recovery strategies and lists more than $14 billion in infrastructure and other recovery projects.

The council's hearings are expected to be the public's final chance to comment on the citywide plan. They follow a series of public hearings that the City Planning Commission held on the document.

CONTRACTOR FRAUD FAIR AND SEMINAR

-- Today, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., in the City Council chamber at City Hall, 1300 Perdido St.

UNIFIED NONPROFITS OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS

-- Mondays, 9:30-11 a.m., at Nonprofit Central, 1824 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. Call (504) 895-2361. All leaders of nonprofit groups invited.

ALLIANCE FOR AFFORDABLE ENERGY'S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE DAY

-- Tuesday, noon-7:30 p.m., at The Alliance for Affordable Energy at ArtEgg Studios, 1001 S. Broad St. Seminars and programs to demonstrate methods to make homes, businesses and the city more energy efficient.

Green Project Fashion Show
The Green Room (at The Green Project) 2831 Marais (map), 8 p.m.
recycle4thearts.org

6/24/2007 Community Gumbo

Listen | Democracy Now (6/20/07)

• Ex-Marine Josh Rushing on his Journey from Military Mouthpiece to Al Jazeera Correspondent
• War and Censorship at Wilton High: Connecticut High School Students Perform Play on NY Stage After Ban by Principal

Listen | Jerilyn Perine: Lessons for New Orleans in the Renaissance of New York's Blighted Neighborhoods (re-broadcast)

Listen | Democracy Now (6/22/07)

• As Concern Over Media Consolidation Intensifies, New Measures Could Bring Influx of New Noncommercial Radio to the Airwaves

6/16/2007 Community Gumbo

Listen | Democracy Now (6/13/07)

• Vanessa Redgrave Combines Lifelong Devotion to Acting and Political Involvement in New HBO Film “The Fever”

Listen | Anthony Tung: Preserving the World's Great Cities (re-broadcast)

Announcements:

From The Times-Picayune listings:

Soul Fest Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St. A celebration of African-American food, music with crafts by local and national artisans, Creole cuisine and soul food, children's activities and entertainment, 10 a.m.-6 Sat-Sun. Saturday music includes the Hot 8 Brass Band, 12:30, Wanda Rouzan, 2:45 and Irvin Mayfield and Purple Disrespect, 4:15. Sun features Phillip Manuel, 1, Yolanda Adams, 3, and Rebirth Brass Band, 4. By admission. Dads admitted free Sun. No outside food or beverages. Call 581-4629.

Juneteenth Celebration New Orleans African American Museum, 1418 Gov. Nicholls St. The event marks the announcement of the abolition of slavery in Texas and features guest speakers, an art exhibit, food, music by Bamboula 2000, Zion Trinity, Rudy Mills and the Caribbean Funk Band and others, 2-7 Sat. Free. Call 566-1138.

Charter School Applicant Workshops
The Louisiana Department of Education is hosting a series of Charter Applicant Support Workshops on June 23, July 14 and July 21. www.solutionwhere.com/ldoe

The Parents' Guide to Public Schools in New Orleans provides essential information that families need to chose and gain admission to the school of their choice. The guide, which was produced by a consortium of non-profit organizations, and is available at public libraries, public schools, United Way, and Head Start offices, offers detailed information about 68 public schools that will operate in the upcoming school year, including nine schools that the state has not yet assigned campuses. There are 10,000 printed copies, and parents seeking a copy can also call find the guide online at nolaparentsguide.org [more]

ERACISM DISCUSSION GROUP

-- Saturdays, 10-11:30 a.m., at 3606 Magazine St. Topic: race relations in New Orleans. Call (504) 866-1163.

LOWER GENTILLY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

-- Today, 11 a.m., at Kearny Hall on the Dillard University campus. Topics include Entergy and other utility bills, and policing and crime.

CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 'A' MEETING ON HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

-- Today, noon-2 p.m., at Grace Episcopal Church, 3700 Canal St. An informational town hall meeting.

CENTRAL CITY RENAISSANCE ALLIANCE

-- Today, 2-4 p.m., at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. An open community meeting. Call (504) 581-5301.

NORTHWEST CARROLLTON CIVIC ASSOCIATION

-- Today, 4-6 p.m., at Carrollton United Methodist Church, 921 S. Carrollton Ave. Call Karen at (504) 866-0985.

UNIFIED NONPROFITS OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS

-- Mondays, 9:30-11 a.m., at Nonprofit Central, 1824 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. Call (504) 895-2361.

CARROLLTON UNITED COMMUNITY MEETING

-- Monday, 5 p.m., at Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church, 8616 Hickory St., at Leonidas. Topics: update on Priestly School, Johnson Elementary summer activities, forming committees. Call Jean Fischer, (504) 861-1807.

GLOBAL GREEN PANEL DISCUSSION

-- Wednesday, 5:30-7 p.m., at Global Green Resource Center, 841 Carondelet St. To discuss weatherizing homes against storms. Contact John Moore, jmoore@globalgreen.org or Jeanne Nathan at nathan@creativeindustryusa.com.

CITIZEN'S ROAD HOME ACTION TEAM

-- Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., at the old Business Administration Building, Room 212, University of New Orleans. The advocacy group meets weekly. Visit chat.thinknola.com.

HOLY CROSS COMMUNITY MEETING

-- Thursdays, 5-7 p.m., at 5130 Chartres St.

EDGEWOOD PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION

-- July 7, 11 a.m., at Gentilly Presbyterian Church's Fellowship Hall, 3708 Gentilly Blvd.

Music Played:

Staple Singers, "Masters of War," Great Day, Milestone Records, 1975.

Amedee Breaux, et al, "Vas y Carrement," Cajun, Vol. 1 Abbeville Breakdown, 1929 - 1939, Roots & Blues, 1990.

6/09/2007 Community Gumbo

Listen | Democracy Now (6/05/07)

• John Perkins on "The Secret History of the American Empire: Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and the Truth about Global Corruption"

Listen | Poetry Slam (re-broadcast)

Announcements

The Parent's Guide to Public Schools

The Parents' Guide to Public Schools in New Orleans provides essential information that families need to chose and gain admission to the school of their choice.

The guide, which was produced by a consortium of non-profit organizations, and is available at public libraries, public schools, United Way, and Head Start offices, offers detailed information about 68 public schools that will operate in the upcoming school year, including nine schools that the state has not yet assigned campuses. There are 10,000 printed copies, and parents seeking a copy can also call find the guide online at nolaparentsguide.org [more]

Toy Camp

Opening Night for Toy Camp has been changed to Thursday June 14. All tickets purchased for the 15th will be honored on the 14th. The remaining performances will stay the same. All performances at the NORD Ty Tracy Theater, Gallier Halll, 1st Floor, 545 St. Charles Avenue.

Fridays, 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays, Noon.
Sundays, 3:00 p.m.

Founded in 1993 as the Summer Stages Children's Theater, we continue to provide performing opportunities for the young people of the Greater New Orleans area, now through year-round programming in partnership with the City of New Orleans Recreation Department (NORD) and the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana.

For more information, CrescentCityLights.org, 598-3800.

Music Played

Bob Dylan, "The Levee's Gonna Break," Modern Times, Sony, 2006.

Mark Bingham with A Particularly Viscious Rumor, "Fly on Home" (poem by R. Moose Jackson, Dirge for the Deluge, Piety Street Recording, 2006 (available at The Sound Cafe, 2400 Chartres Street).