The March 2016 issue of the Iguana is now available! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.
Posted in Articles, March 2016
There are two dates to remember regarding the Spring elections. One day is Feb. 16, and the other is March 15. Wednesday, Feb. 16 is the last day to either register to vote or change your party affiliation so you can participate in the presidential primary election, which is on Tuesday, March 15.
Since the presidential primary is limited to the voters registered to that party, anyone who is registered as No Party, Green, Libertarian or whatever, does not get to vote in the Bernie vs. Hillary race.
Posted in Articles, January-February 2016
Veterans for Peace Gainesville announces its 7th Annual Alachua County Peace Poetry Contest, where all students, grades K–12, are encouraged to submit one original poem focusing on the idea of peace and social justice.
The deadline for submitting a poem to the contest is March 21.
Proposed amendments to the county’s Comprehensive Plan are first considered by the Planning Commission, a citizen advisory board appointed by the Alachua County Commission, before going to the County Commission. After public hearings in November, the Planning Commission over-rode staff objections and voted 4-2 to recommend approval to the County Commission. The staff had recommended DENIAL. The circumstances surrounding the Planning Commission hearings are now raising serious questions about the fairness of the process.
The chair of the Planning Commission is Jennifer Springfield, a local attorney who has been hired by Plum Creek to assist with their development plans. Plum Creek has now annexed a part of their land into the city of Hawthorne, where it will be exempt from the county’s environmental safeguards. Springfield did not recuse herself from the planning commission vote, nor did she disclose her relationship with Plum Creek before voting to approve their application.
February is Black History Month, so keep watch for events in the community.
There are Black History Month events on the Civic Media Center website at www.civicmediacenter.org, and the Alachua Co. Library site at www.aclib.us. Many are on the Iguana’s calendar as well. There are also UF centered events. Highlights at press time include a program on the evolution of Black Media on Feb. 1 at 6:30 p.m., location to be announced; a concert sponsored by Student Government Productions at the O’Dome on Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; and a program on multiculturalism in the workplace on Feb. 23 from 6:30-8:30, at a location to be announced.
When people heard over the holidays that Donald Trump was planning to come to Burlington, Vermont, the universal reaction seemed to be, “What? *Why?!”* It’s not a popular campaign stop for those angling for the White House. And it’s also home to our own presidential hopeful, Bernie Sanders, and his campaign headquarters. It was pretty clear Trump’s goal was doing it simply to lift his leg on Sanders’ doorstep — ‘cause he’s classy that way.
It should be a surprise to no one that Trump blew into town and summarily pissed off city hall, the mayor, the entire police department, the staff of the Flynn, much of the Vermont Republican Party, and a majority of the residents.
Posted in Articles, January-February 2016
Tagged bernie, bernie sanders, donald trump, feel the bern, kelly mangan, presidential election, the donald, trump, vermont
by joe courterIf you noticed on the upper right corner of the cover of this Iguana, this is “Vol. 30, Issue 1/2.” That means that this year will mark the 30th year that the Iguana has been publishing. (Okay, we did take time off between Jan. 2010 and March 2011.) The math tells you that 1986 marks when we started, and since then a lot has taken place. Like a good percentage of you readers were actually born, a fact which kinda boggles my mind.
1986, and that general time period, was a major time for events which are still playing out in major ways. It was in the Reagan era that a lot of banking and finance laws changed which allowed massive mergers and creative financial practices which set the wheels in motion for the financial crash of 2008. See the documentary “Inside Job” which lays this out really well.
Posted in Articles, January-February 2016
Tagged Gainesville Iguana, Iguana, joe courter
The January-February 2016 issue of the Iguana is now available! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.
Posted in Articles, January-February 2016
The 2015 festival is on Saturday, October 24, from 10am-4pm. The 11th Annual Florida Bat Festival is an opportunity for attendees to view giant fruit bats, tour the conservancy grounds and enjoy the great outdoors while learning about how fruit bats benefit environments and ecosystems worldwide. Last year we welcomed over 4,400 guests and attendance is expected to increase this year. The conservancy is not open to the general public on a regular basis, so this event is a rare opportunity for wildlife lovers to see our bats up-close.
Posted in Articles, October 2015
Tagged bat festival, florida bat festival, lubee bat conservancy
Transcript edited by Pierce Butler.This is the 30th in a series of transcript excerpts from the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program collection at the University of Florida.
Dezeray Lyn was interviewed by Jessica Taylor [T] and Lara Alqasem [A] in 2009.
T: Where were you born?
L: In Hollywood, Florida [in 1978]. I had a lot of siblings and we had financial difficulties so we moved a lot and had a house foreclosed on. It was just difficult.
When I was in school and Desert Storm was going on was the first that I heard about war and conflict. But I wasn’t in the proper mental state to pursue any knowledge about the specifics. I felt very removed from what was happening.
Posted in Articles, October 2015
Tagged dezeray lyn, samuel proctor oral history program, spohp
Creeping up on the horizon is another round of elections and campaigning.
Coming on March 15 will be City elections, which will include a Mayors race that should prove interesting to say the least. Current Mayor Ed Braddy will face a challenge from Lauren Poe, a solid moderately progressive Democrat. Lauren’s campaign is just kicking off as we got to press. Another race will be for the good guy but term-limited Randy Well’s District 4 seat. John Uman, who challenged Keith Perry last election cycle, is one announced candidate but more are expected to join. Oh and then there is the Presidential Primary, of which we have one word: BERNIE!
Further down the road, Ed Emery will be challenging Ted Yoho, the tea party wacko who is thanks to gerrymandering our US Congressman. Others might jump in here, too; it is way early to know but, while up hill, is definitely worth to fight to get him out if we can.
Posted in Articles, October 2015
The Civic Media Center will mark the start of its 22nd year on Saturday, Oct. 17, with a fundraising (it just doesn’t stop!) event at one of the coolest and most community-friendly spaces in town, First Magnitude Brewing Company, 1220 SE Veitch St. It is one block east of S. Main and a block south of the Gainesville-Hawthorne bike trail, at the south edge of the soon to be Depot Park.
Our event will run from 5-8 pm, and includes dinner prepared from produce donated by various local farms including Frog Song Organics, Glades Ridge Dairy, Possum Hollow farm, Siembre Farm, and Farmer John as well as raffle and silent auction items from local supporters such as John Moran, Civilization, Crane Ramen, Whiskey House,Midnight, Frog Song Organics, North West Seafood and Loosey’s. Great beer will of course be available from our hosts at First Mag. Music and sound system by the Weeds of Eden with other performers TBA.
The Home Van Food Pantry is doing a very large business as things continue to go badly, both in terms of the economy and the access to food in the downtown area. The Salvation Army has stopped serving dinner except on Fridays and is planning to drop meal services all together at the end of the year. There are also people coming down from Dignity Village to receive food, since the kitchen at Grace is not yet operational. Although we are a food pantry for homeless people, some elderly people who have (thank God) a roof over their heads but not much else, are also coming to receive food. We do not discriminate. Some people would like to be going to Grace for meals but they’ve lost their bus pass (as you may recall, the city gave out permanent bus passes to homeless people earlier this year). They have been told that bus passes can’t be replaced. It is hard to keep track of one’s belongings living of the streets (it’s hard enough living inside, as I’ve discovered), and one’s belongings are much more likely to be stolen if you’re homeless. There is also the photo ID problem. If you lose your photo ID you cannot get service at a food pantry or many other places. That is bureaucratic cruelty. Under the Patriot Act photo IDs are very hard to get and even harder to replace. Is our society really going to let people starve because they don’t have the right pieces of paper? Sounds to me like something out of Germany in the early 30s. My Jewish friends often say that we must never forget history, particularly that history, because, among other things, it teaches the lesson that good people can be lulled, one step at a time, into unspeakable evil.
Posted in Articles, October 2015
Tagged gainesville home van, home van, home van food pantry, homelessness
The Voting Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th Amendment. The act significantly widened the franchise and is considered among the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. Part of the law was overturned by a Supreme Court decision in 2013.
Civil Rights Activist and Representative John Lewis (D-GA) will speak about the Voting Rights Act – its tumultuous beginning and the events leading to its passage, and the impacts it has had after 50 years. Rep. Lewis has recently introduced legislation that will update the Voting Rights Act making the law more applicable to the issues faced by contemporary society and overcoming the decision of the Supreme Court. John Lewis will speak on Friday, October 16 at 6 p.m. in the University Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. Information on how to obtain tickets will be forthcoming.
The Fest is an amazing Gainesville happening, wrecking Halloween for some, and largely a bro-fest. (A line of 25 guys was seen lining up to pee in Palomino, while women were just going in and out of their side.) You, Iguana reader, are again invited to spend a day or three at the acoustic side of the Fest, at the Civic Media Center. You will see performers from around the U.S. and beyond in short sets.
All ages are welcome with a $10 donation or free with a FEST 14 Pass.
The CMC doesn’t make anything from wristband wearers, the walk-up $10 is ours to keep. See the whole schedule at <www.thefestfl.com> and click on bands for background info.
Posted in Articles, October 2015
Tagged Civic Media Center, CMC, FEST, the fest, the fest gainesville
By a three-to-two vote after a long and varied discussion from citizens, the Alachua County Commission voted to offer the Confederate Soldier statue, which has been at the corner of Main St. and University Avenue since 1904, to the Matheson Historical Museum for placement on their grounds.
It was felt that the message of the statue, extolling the cause of the South which most historians agree was about perpetuation of the system of slavery, was not appropriate for land on which also had the Alachua County Administration Building, and that the museum was a more appropriate place. Keeping with the fact the statue was put up with private funds, it was decreed that private funds would also fund its move to the Matheson.
Posted in Articles, October 2015
The Gainesville Chapter of the United Nations Association
invites you to join us for our annual UN Day Meeting
Thursday October 22, 2015 from 9 am to 2 pm
at the Gainesville Woman’s Club
2809 W University Avenue Gainesville, Florida
Theme: “The United Nations at 70: Past, Present and Future.”
Focus: Sustainability, as the UN adopts the new Sustainability Goals.
Keynote Speaker: Cynthia Barnett will address the issue of water in a changing world and living more ethically with water.
Panelists: Barbara Oberlander will talk about Eleanor Roosevelt, the first Chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights.
David Price will present an overview of the UN’s 70 years.
Luncheon: Box luncheons are available at $17.00 each. Selections are: Veggie Wrap, Turkey Swiss Croissant, or Ham and Cheese Croissant
Please order by October 14, 2015 by contacting: Lisa Renner at ejrenner@hotmail.com or PO Box 358361, Gainesville, Fl. 32635-8361
The Association welcomes co-sponsors at $30.00 each. The Gainesville Chapter of the UN Nations Association is a 501 (c) (3)
In 2035, a sacred spring is threatened with pollution. A power-hungry ruler is blind to warnings about defiling Mother Earth. With their land in the midst of drought, people rally to save their water while aggressive reporters brag about “providing news that’s ‘Patently Palpable.’” A hip-hop chorus offers commentary and an old story is made new in “Oedipus at Ichetuckneea,” a re-imagining of the tragedy “Oedipus the King” adapted by Santa Fe College Theatre Professor Gregg Jones and English Professor Stephen Robitaille from a script by Ian Johnston.
Set in the midst of a water crisis in a place much like Florida, “Oedipus at Ichetuckneea” is an allegory for climate change. The play will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 15–17, in the Fine Arts Hall at the Northwest Campus of Santa Fe College, 3000 NW 83rd Street, Gainesville. Tickets are $15 main floor and $12 balcony for adults; $9 for seniors, children and University of Florida students; and free for Santa Fe College faculty, staff and students with college identification cards. For ticket information, call the Box Office at 352-395-4181 or visit the Fine Arts ticket website at: http://www.sfcollege.edu/finearts.
Pride Community Center of North Central Florida is sponsoring Gainesville Pride Days. For updates and more information see: gainesvillepride.org
Friday Oct 16, 6pm: Community Awards Dinner & Silent Auction
Sweetwater Branch Inn, 625 E University Ave. $45 tickets at Pride Community Center and Wild Iris Books
Saturday Oct 17: Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship offers marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples at no charge, 4225 NW 34th St. Ceremonies begin at 11am, in 1/2 hour blocks, each followed by a gala reception! Interested couples e-mail MarriageEquality@uufg.org by Oct. 12 to receive details
Saturday Oct 17, 5pm: Stonewall Democrats of Friendraiser
Happy hour at First Magnitude Brewery, 1220 SE Veitch St
Linda Lee ascends to the podium slowly, for her mobility is limited by her multiple health conditions.
Speaking before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States (OAS) on September 22nd in Orlando, she details her story of injustice. Her unassuming presence does not prepare you to hear her powerful words. Linda Lee speaks out frequently about farmworker rights, and getting justice in her hometown of Apopka.
She is a Farmworker Association of Florida member and she works tirelessly for the farmworker community and the community of South Apopka.
Posted in Articles, October 2015
Tagged farmworker association of florida, farmworkers, lake apopka, linda lee