On Thursday, July 30, an estimated 2,000 people packed Upper Senate Park to demand that the House of Representatives pass HR 676, a bill to scrap Obama's capitalist health care "reform" and replace it with a single-payer system… Broadcast coverage via WSQT Direct Action Radio.

A crowd of approximately 20 people showed up in city court on July 28, 2009 to watch the proceedings in a case against Jesse Masengale, a member of the Save Haven Tent Community. After a group of homeless men and women had organized a tent city on the property of the Catholic Worker House in Champaign, two police officers arrived on the night of June 8 with a video camera to “investigate.” When Jesse questioned their intentions, he was detained and given two city tickets.

In court, Judge Richard Klaus read a summary of the two charges against Jesse: obstructing and resisting Champaign Police Officer Erik Bloom from “documenting evidence” when he put his hands in front of a video camera after he was told not to; and assault for allegedly throwing a cell phone at Champaign Police Officer Gregory Manzana.

Small crowds gathered on Thursday, July 23, in Denver, Colorado, at the offices of Senators Mark Udall (D-CO) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) to rally for health care reform of some kind, namely between President Barack Obama’s plan enshrined in America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, H.R. 3200, now being debated in Congress, and a universal single payer system.

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Low-income and Sec. 8 tenants held an informational picket Friday morning at 10am (corporate media invited, none attended) against so-called nonprofit slumlord Central City Concern.

With signs that read, "Defend Tenant Rights" and "Greg Must Go!" tenant organizers picketed the $33,000,000 per year, so-called nonprofit landlord, Central City Concern. For a year, tenants have protested, written and organized against CCC management practices. CCC has persistent pest control problems in many buildings (cockroaches, mice, bedbugs), crime and kickbacks inside the buildings to/by CCC staff (prostitution, drugs, etc.), sexual harassment of tenants by managers (the "Greg" in question, above), and lack of transparency and accountability: it is an 'oral preference' that CCC board meetings outlaw tenants attending, or speaking at, CCC board meetings -- and the board minutes are secret.

Today's picket was prompted by the reinstatement after suspension of Greg Green, a building manager who is accused by tenants of sexual harassment of tenants, along with promoting/getting kickbacks on drugs and prostitution inside the buildings. Read More | Related from Colorado IMC: Green Valley Ranch Citizens Confront Corrupt HOA Board

On July 22, 2009 approximately 300 members of the Green Valley Ranch community showed up in force to oppose a special assessment being levied against them by their Home Owners Association (HOA) Board. They also took that time to demand the resignation of long-time president T.J. Stone and all his cronies.

The HOA Board banned everyone, including members of the community and journalists, from covering the meeting. One community member however refused and took this footage clandestinely. read more & video

On Monday, July 20th, Oakland's Street Level Health Project held a community rally and press conference in response to the burglary and vandalism of the center that took place the night before. The perpetrators of the attack broke equipment, destroyed wall paintings and medical records, and stole three computers.The break-in took place while the security cameras were down due to repairs. This has forced SLHP to close down for a week and turn away people seeking health services.

http://denverfairfood.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-were-fair-food-activists-...

By Robert McGoey
Monday, July 20, 2009

The Campaign for Fair Food and the new documentary Food, Inc. share – by any objective observation – a common vision and common struggle.

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A Brief History of Ashland, Oregon’s Green Welcome and Sustainability Center

July 2050:

Looking back over forty years, things have certainly changed. In 2009, our country experienced an extreme shift in thinking as a result of a near financial meltdown and indications of impending climatic and resource consequences. During that time period people began to evaluate their individual and group actions and values and came to understand that they must begin putting back into the environment more than was being taken out.

It was difficult to return to conservative practices after people had grown accustomed to using the plentiful natural resources of the planet in frivolous ways. When the cost of cheap fossil fuels accelerated based on decreasing supply and increasing demand,other solutions became,at first,necessary, and eventually mainstream - even popular.

Advance the Struggle writes:"The murder of Oscar Grant set Oakland on fire, but who put the fire out? The working class people of Oakland, their consciousness set ablaze, found an inadequate set of organizational tools at their disposal to do the work that deep down we all know has to be done - confront the state (government) and its underlying property relations."

In a recent talk Bruce Sterling proposed that the environmentalists of my generation apply the "Great-Grandfather Principle" to their actions. "Stop acting dead," he said.

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On July 5th health care reform advocates counter protested a right wing "tea party" demonstration at a busy intersection in San Jose, California. The Raging Grannies, in colorful costumes and carrying "Patients Not Profits" parasols, joined members of other advocates of a single payer health care system. Angry "tea party" demonstrators, who said they are against any health care reform whatsoever, carried signs with their slogan Taxed Enough Already. Their t-shirts, buttons and placards proclaimed their anti-gay, pro-gun and pro free market health care position. Read More | Related: http://dc.indymedia.org/feature/display/131836/index.php

The national housing crisis has led to thousands of families losing their homes. The rise in homelessness has contributed to the increase in tent communities across the United States as a grassroots solution to the problem.

Even the most optimistic Obama supporter should cringe in response to the White House’s recent “bi-partisan immigration talks.” What could Democrats and Republicans possibly have in common over immigration? Quite a lot it turns out. An enormous sell-out is being prepared for the U.S. immigrant population and Latinos especially — who came out in record numbers in many swing states to vote for Obama last year. Attached to these votes are huge expectations.

The 20th Pastors for Peace Cuba Caravan, taking US citizens and humanitarian aid on a journey of solidarity and goodwill, will arrive in the Rogue Valley on Thursday July 9. Join us in welcoming them at the Bellview Grange, 1050 Tolman Creek Road, Ashland. The schedule is:
6:00--greet the Caravan members
6:30--potluck dinner--share your favorite dish
7:30--program about the Caravan--what it does and why
9:00--close and clean-up

By Linden Gawboy, MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout

On Thursday, June 25, friends and supporters gathered at the home of Rosemary Williams to plan for action after getting devastating news. That morning, in a conference call, Judge Lloyd Zimmerman sided with finance giant GMAC and against Ms. Williams, who has been engaged in an epic battle to save her home. We were trying to appeal the judge’s earlier ruling which had denied us a trial. Turns out we could appeal, if we came up with a $49,000 ‘bond’ in two days.

$49,000 is clearly an impossible amount for anyone to come up with. We should not have to pay almost as much as the house is worth to get heard in the ‘halls of justice.’ Since we don’t have that kind of money, we will have to act.