[Durham INC] Fw: News From Durham People's Alliance

Sat Feb 7 23:36:40 EST 2009

Please see the People's Alliance's Statement-- against the Developer-paid Jordan Lake Survey -- posted in their Feb 5 newsletter (attached below). 

Shouldn't the INC make a statement on this issue at our Feb meeting? It would be best if someone other than me brought this forward, since I've already been at the helm of the resolution for responsible development as well as the petition for an Independent Jordan Lake Survey ( http://www.petitiononline.com/jrdnsrvy/petition.html )

Thanks in advance for your concern and help in this very serious matter! 
Melissa (Rooney)

Feb 5 Statement in the PA newsletter:
"Recently
the Durham County Commission voted, 3-2, to support a survey of the
boundary of Jordan Lake paid for by a developer who stands to benefit
from a change in the lake's official boundaries.   PA responded in a
letter to the County Commission:"The Durham
People's Alliance opposes modifications of the Critical Watershed Boundary of
Jordan Lake based on a survey paid for by a private developer with obvious
self-interest.  

 We
are disappointed that a majority of CountyCommissioners
voted to send to the state Water Supply Watershed Protection Program for
approval, a survey that a developer has paid for that coincidentally shifts the
normal pool boundary away from the developer's property, thereby increasing its
value many times over.  No matter the
accuracy or inaccuracy of the survey, this is a dangerous precedent and does
not serve the best interests of the citizens of Durham.  Any adjustments to the normal pool boundary
and critical watershed boundary should be made only on the basis of an
impartial and independent survey by a firm hired by the Durham County
Commissioners."
The full PA statement can be seen on the PA website:  www.durhampa.org."

--- On Fri, 2/6/09, Durham People's Alliance <durhampa at mindspring.com> wrote:
From: Durham People's Alliance <durhampa at mindspring.com>
Subject: News From Durham People's Alliance
To: mmr121570 at yahoo.com
Date: Friday, February 6, 2009, 11:05 AM

            Durham People's Alliance
Activist Agenda
February 5, 2009

                    In This Issue

                New Beginnings:  Dave Austin selected for PA Coordinator role

                PA Office -- Space to Share

                PA Website & Database Rejuvenation

                PA sustenance.  

                PA Advocates Against Electronic Billboards

                Jordan Lake Survey -- Unbiased? 

                Immigrant Solidarity Committee of Durham being Organized

                Third Annual NAACP HK on J March

                "Gotta Go:   Ethics in Exile" Film Series

                Hunger No More -- A hunger Crisis Conference

                Campaign for Decent Housing in Durham Feb Meeting

                Best Recent Read:  "Whatever Happened to the Jobs"

                Quick Links

                Quicklink 1
                Quicklink 2
                Quicklink 3

                Dear PA members, friends, sustainers

                The PA Activist Agenda will normally focus on upcoming events sponsored by progressive organizations in the community and state.   But in this issue we want to start with news from PA itself.   Thanks for hanging in there with us through the last few months while we dealt with some interesting issues.  We're back!!

New Beginnings:  Dave Austin selected for coordinator role

Dave Austin, who was recently selected to fill the Coordinator position, is a long-time PA member - a Coordinating Committee member for 3-4 years in the early 90s, and PA-PAC coordinator for 4-5 years in the late 90s.   An ex-Peace Corps volunteer  (Western Samoa '70 - '72), Dave worked in worker advocacy organizations - the Carolina Brown Lung Association and the NC Occupational Safety & Health Project (NCOSH)  for 10 years after graduating from the UNC SPH in 1976.  He then worked at the UNC Environmental Resource Project for a year, next created and directed the workplace-giving United Way alternative, N.C. Community Shares (still going strong), and then worked for 17 years at RTI, before leaving 2 years ago.  He and his wife Pam George have recently moved "downtown" (behind Duke East), and have one daughter, Kemen.   He's happy to have a closer connection to PA members, happy to see so many friends still on PA membership lists, happy to see
 lots of people he doesn't know on those lists (!) and happy to provide his youthful (??!!) energy and exuberance to this project. 

                PA Office -- Space to Share

            Dave is working out of  the PA office in the NC Democracy South
building at the corner of Broad and Iredell streets in Durham.    PA was sharing this small office, and its
cost, with one other tenant, who has now, unfortunately, left.   Sharing the cost was financially
advantageous to PA, so we'd like to find another co-tenant.   If you know someone or some organization who
would be content to share our small space for a small cost, let Dave know  (682-7777 or email:  durhampa at mindspring.com).

PA Website and Database Rejuvenation

The PA CC has hired Andy Edmonds to give the PA website a much needed overhaul, and to analyze database needs and capabilities.  

Andy grew
up in Pennsylvania and moved to Durham in 2005 after earning a Masters in
Geography from the University of South Carolina.  He and his wife, Jenny, were
married in January of 2006 and held their wedding reception in Bay 7 of the
American Tobacco Historic District.  Andy is currently a stay-at-home dad
with their first child, Robbie.  Andy's interests in theater, kayaking,
and hiking have led him to hold volunteer positions with the Carolina Theatre
and the Durham Open Space and Trails Commission.  He also sits on the
Preservation Durham Board of Directors and has coordinated, for the last three
years, the Saturday morning, historic downtown Durham walking tours.  Andy has led
over 20 tours and developed the organization's first Ghost [building] Tour, held
this past Halloween.  AND he knows websites and databases!

PA Sustenance

The abrupt loss of the previous PA staff person
in June, 2008, together with many demands on PA Coordinating Committee volunteers,
created a problem for PA's cash flow.  Because appeals were not regularly sent out,
money was not regularly flowing in. 
Surprise!   One
high priority is improving the system for reminding you what good work PA does,
how important your donations are, and how pleased we are to see them on a
regular basis. Not
the least reason of which would be to increase staff hours from 10 to a more
reasonable 12 hours/week.  Look for more
in the newsletter, and in your personal mail or email for our appeal for your
help to get back on track.  Soon.

              PA Advocates Against "Electronic Billboards"

At a recent membership meeting, Durham People's Alliance
voted to oppose a billboard industry initiative that would allow electronic billboards to be  installed along Durham
area highways.  These bills boards waste
energy, pose safety challenges, and reduce the quality of life for
neighborhoods that already put up with traffic noise.  IN addition, federal law requires that, if
future Durham citizens ever want.
to remove billboards they would have to reimburse the company for the costs of
the billboard AND the future revenue the billboard would generate.  The revenue generated by electronic
billboards would make such action cost prohibitive.  Electronic billboards would be here
forever.  

The full text of the PA resolution can be seen at www.durhampa.org , and the issue will be covered in more depth in the upcoming PA newsletter.  

            PA takes (some) County Commissioners to task for Jordan Lake survey vote

Recently the Durham County Commission voted, 3-2, to support a survey of the boundary of Jordan Lake paid for by a developer who stands to benefit from a change in the lake's official boundaries.   PA responded in a letter to the County Commission:"The Durham
People's Alliance opposes modifications of the Critical Watershed Boundary of
Jordan Lake based on a survey paid for by a private developer with obvious
self-interest.  

 We
are disappointed that a majority of CountyCommissioners
voted to send to the state Water Supply Watershed Protection Program for
approval, a survey that a developer has paid for that coincidentally shifts the
normal pool boundary away from the developer's property, thereby increasing its
value many times over.  No matter the
accuracy or inaccuracy of the survey, this is a dangerous precedent and does
not serve the best interests of the citizens of Durham.  Any adjustments to the normal pool boundary
and critical watershed boundary should be made only on the basis of an
impartial and independent survey by a firm hired by the Durham County
Commissioners."
The full PA statement can be seen on the PA website:  www.durhampa.org. 

            Immigrant Solidarity Committee of Durham being organized

            Immigrant Solidarity Committee of Durham being organized -- volunteers needed.   Inaugural meeting:  2/18/09.   

Immigrant
Solidarity Committee of Durham -- a project
of the American Friends Service Committee.  The objective:     Triangle residents working
together to promote welcoming and compassionate attitudes towards our immigrant
neighbors.

Inaugural
meeting: Wed. Feb. 18 from 6:30-8:30pm  (6:30 Meal
provided;  7:00 meeting begins)  Place:  Durham Friends Meeting -- 404 Alexander Drive, Durham, 27705Contact:    Lori Khamala     336-413-8905, LKhamala at afsc.orgPlease let me know if you are coming, so we can plan for food.  Call also
if you have questions or need child care.

Workplace
raids creating a culture of fear. Routine traffic stops leading to detention
for months. Deportations tearing apart families. Cities passing discriminatory
ordinances. Media pundits dehumanizing members of our community. People of good will throughout the
state are fed up with the hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric filling our airwaves
and the mean-spirited actions being taken against immigrant neighbors. Now is
the time to unite in support of our immigrant brothers and sisters and work
together to change the discourse into one that acknowledges the humanity of all
members of our community. 

                Third Annual NAACP HK on J March in Downtown Raleigh

            February 14, 2009 - 3rd
Annual NAACP HK on J March in Downtown Raleigh

HK on J: Historic Thousands on Jones Street 

So far, more than 75 organizations have joined together and thousands of North
Carolinians have marched and rallied in support of HK on J's
14-point civil rights agenda. In 2009, the HK on J coalition will commit even
more vigorously to this agenda, as well as reform of the criminal justice
system to prevent prosecutorial misconduct against any person, regardless of
race. See the entire agenda at http://www.hkonj.com/.

                "Gotta Go:  Ethics in Exile" Film Series

            2009 Ethics Film Series at
Duke University:  "Gotta Go: Ethics in Exile"  continues TUE 2/24.  7pm.   Griffith Film Theater, Bryan Center, West Campus, Duke University, Durham. 

The 2009 series features four documentaries about people forced into exile,
whether by political, economic, or natural causes. They find themselves questioning
what constitutes home, who constitutes authority, and where a sense of meaning
and truth resides. The films encourage us to consider the ideas of place and
displacement.  Free and open to the public. Free parking available in the BryanCenter
parking deck. Refreshments provided.  

**TUE 2/24 -- THE AXE IN THE ATTIC

**TUE 3/24 -- THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON)

**TUE 4/24 -- PRIMO LEVI'S
JOURNEY

For more detailed information: 919-660-3033 or kie at duke.edu

                Hunger No More -- A Hunger Crisis Conference.  2/27-28/09

Hunger No More - A Hunger Crisis Conference

The Catholic Community of St. Francis of Assisi, 11401 Leesville Rd., Raleigh

The Franciscan Coalition for Justice and Peace invites you to join us as we
host a hunger crisis conference on Feb. 27 & 28, 2009.  Entitled
"Hunger No More," this conference will assemble individuals from all over the
country to address ways people of faith and good will can respond to hunger at
home and abroad.   For more info or to register see -  http://www.franciscancoalition.org/HungerConference.php 
or contact 919-847-8205 ext 267, joseph.wolyniak at stfrancisraleigh.org  
Registration  - Regular  ($40.00); Student  ($20.00);
Hardship  ($20.00)

                Campaign for Decent Housing in Durham -- February meeting

Campaign
for Decent Housing in Durham.  

Meeting Tuesday,
February 17, 5:00-6:00pm

Place:   City
Neighborhood Improvement Services; Golden Belt
Building 2, 3rd floor; 807 E. Main St. on Morning Glory Ave.

Work on our
2009 Goals:  -
Foreclosure prevention  - Vacant
house reuse    -
Neighborhood planning  - Energy
efficient homes  - Housing
for people who are homeless.  Questions?  Contact:  Lorisa Seibel, Durham Affordable Housing Coalition:  683-1185.

                Best Recent Read:   "Whatever Happened to the Jobs" -- NC Justice Center

            Best Recent Read:  "Whatever Happened to the Jobs -- A Tale of Two Economic Cycles" by John Quinterno at the NC Budget and Tax Center of the NC Justice Center.   Go to www.ncjustice.org for the full report.

            Durham People's Alliance

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