If you missed the fun October 10 from 7-8:30pm on Zoom, there is a video you can view of the event.

The Columbus Free Press celebrated our 50th anniversary with a slideshow of images of people and Free Press covers throughout our 50-year history.

We were honored to present our 2020 “Libby” Award for Community Activism to Adrienne Hood. Adrienne is a Columbus native and a graduate of Columbus City Schools. Most of her life has been right here in Columbus with the exception of time serving active duty in the Army. She continued service in the Air Force Reserves and plans to retire in December of this year. She is the proud mother of three beautiful children whom she raised on the northside of town for the most part. She also now has three grandchildren to enjoy as well. We were able to meet two of her grandchildren during the salon. Her family is everything to her and have pushed her to continue moving forward. She is a college graduate and a social advocate. She believes everyone's humanness should be treated with dignity and love. When that doesn't happen people should be held accountable! It is for this reason that she will stay on the battlefield and fight for her son Henry Green V who was killed by two plain clothes officers who work for Columbus police department. 

“Libby” award winner Adrienne Hood turned tragedy into activism

Bob Fitrakis, Pranav Jani and Joe Motil spoke about Adrienne and then Adrienne addressed the group. She mentioned Issue 2 on the ballot in Columbus to form a Civilian Review Board of the Columbus Police.

Adrienne also mentioned Columbus Police Lieutenant Melissa McFadden’s book “Walking the Thin Black Line: Confronting Racism in the Columbus Division of Police” and the event happening on October 22 at the Columbus Police headquarters to support her.

Cathy Cowan Becker told us about Issue 1 on the ballot in Columbus and Issue 10 in Grove City. It is a clean energy bill that includes Columbus residents and small businesses coming together to purchase electricity as a group and use renewable energy.

Some important sites on this issue:

cleanenergycolumbus.org
https://www.sierraclub.org/ohio/central-ohio/readyfor100columbus

Pat Marida of the Sierra Club joined us to bring us the latest on repealing House Bill 6. This is a bill that spends our tax dollars to bail out dirty and broken down nuke plants in Ohio and a coal plant in Indiana. HB6 mainly benefits FirstEnergy – not a clean energy company. The story of the scandal behind HB6 by State Senator Larry Householder is here.

Pat suggested we contact our state senators to demand they vote to repeal HB6: 855-980-2397

Text HB6 to 69866

#RepealHB6

Other interesting and relevant websites:

followthemoney.org
nuclearplanet.com

Bob Fitrakis talked about the importance of voting at the Early Voting site if you can. Hours at the Franklin County Board of Elections, 1700 Morse Road are:

October 6 -16 weekdays only
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

October 19 – 23 weekdays only
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Saturday, October 24
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sunday, October 25
1:00 – 5:00 PM

October 26 -30 weekdays only
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Saturday, October 31
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sunday, November 1
1:00 – 5:00 PM

Monday, November 2
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

We also discussed how so many people in Ohio received the wrong mail-in absentee ballot. We were told to wait and the new correct ones will be mailed. We suggested that people drop off their ballot in the box outside the Board of Elections instead of mailing them in. Franklin County Board of Elections: 614-525-3100

If anyone is interested in helping be an Election Defender at the polls they should contact Pete Johnson, CICJ President.

Mark Stansbery reminded us that October 12 is Indigenous People’s Day.

Another upcoming event:

Thursday, October 15 (7-8 PM)--Move to Amend discussion on Voter Suppression. Tim Chavez will be the presenter. Check Facebook, Move to Amend Central Ohio for the zoom link. (Also see FB for November's talk on Tax Rebates in Columbus, featuring Joe Motil).