Homegrown Revolution

This wonderful little film is about a matter that is near and dear to my heart. Although, the film is about a family in California, it could just as well be about a family in Youngstown Ohio. There are of course numerous differences in the type of produce that can be grown, the growing season, and the need to learn food preservation, but do not doubt it, we too can grow our own food.

Grow Youngstown is presenting a two day workshop in permaculture on March 21 and 22, 2009. It will be held at the Davis Center in Mill Creek Park. If you too have an interest in the freedom that can come from growing your own food please contact Elsa with questions at csa@growyoungstown.org. Information about the course is posted below the film.




Introduction to Permaculture Design Instructor - Josh Benniston
A Weekend Workshop, March 21st and 22nd, at the
D.D. and Velma Davis Center, 123 McKinley Avenue, Yo. OhioWe will learn about:

* Practical design methods for gardens, farms,
buildings, organizations, communities, etc.
* Productive Edible Landscapes
* Principles of Ecological Design
* Urban Sustainability

Workshop cost is $70 per individiual for the weekend,
$60 ea. for two people and $50.00 ea. for three
people or more from the same organization. Depending
on enrollment, scholarships will be made
available based on need and community involvement.

Checks are payable to: Grow Youngstown
and should be mailed to
PO Box 1191,
Youngstown, Ohio 44501.

IMPORTANT: Please indicate the
names and number of people attending as well as
your email contact information.

Downtown Development Project - Where Less is More

Press Release from the Ohio Arts Council

The Federal Plaza Corridor is nothing short of “the key to revitalizing downtown Youngstown” Raymond John Wean Foundation

MAHONING COUNTY Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown in Mahoning County is shrinking. It has less than half the population it did 40 years ago. Where bustling mills once churned out sheet metal and tubing there are now abandoned buildings; busy streets once filled with children are now blighted neighborhoods of empty homes. But after waiting decades for boom times to return, the city is now trying a different strategy: through an initiative dubbed Plan 2010, the city is embracing contraction –“shrinkage,” with fewer residents, services and physical size – as a road to sustainability. Green space is being created. Incentives are offered to homeowners in sparsely populated areas to move to more densely populated ones. And the arts and cultural assets of the area, many of which receive operating and project support from the Ohio Arts Council, are being positioned to be at the center of the recovery.

The city’s rich past means it has abundant treasures worth celebrating. Federal Plaza and Federal Street are home to an amazing array of architectural jewels of early 20th century architecture, including the classical Sky Bank Building (1909), the neo-classical revival Reality Building (1924), and what was once a grand theatre. And today, the Raymond Jean Wean Foundation is funding “an exploration of the arts and culture in Mahoning County” – specifically the Federal Plaza corridor, once a thriving retail hub in downtown Youngstown. A large-scale project is being developed in the warehouse of nationally-known artist James Pernotto, where planners envision an adaptive re-use facility featuring artist live/work space, studios and shops. The Butler Institute of American Art is even considering a satellite exhibition space there. Nearby, over $12 million has been invested in a Tech Block business incubator for technology companies and other start-ups.

The Wean Foundation sees the Federal Plaza Corridor as nothing short of “the key to revitalizing downtown Youngstown.” The project is still in the conceptual stages but is gaining momentum and support. Change won’t happen overnight, but the mood is shifting – and you can feel it. Today Youngstown remains an example of rust belt glory days gone by, where streetscapes turned to eyesores and once-proud homes became empty lots. But tomorrow, with the vision of community leaders and an economic revitalization plan that embraces the arts, innovation and imagination, Youngstown’s best days may yet be ahead of it. YOUNGSTOWN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT Where Less is More We’re Building Ohio Through the Arts The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

Ohio Arts Council
727 East Main Street
Columbus, OH 43205-1796
614/466-2613
General Information:
614/644-9624
info@oac.state.oh.us
www.oac.state.oh.us
Ted Strickland, Governor
Susan Saxbe, OAC Board Chair
www.oac.state.oh.us/MakingTheCase Julie S. Henahan, OAC Executive Director

Riding on the WRTA

This photo by Tony Nicholas

















photo of the smiling bus driver by Tony Nicholas

















A good time was had by all who participated in the bus trip organized by Shout Youngstown. The Vindy did an excellent piece on the event, check it out here. Approximately 25 or 30 people met at the WRTA station in downtown Youngstown to take the Buckeye 33 to Casa Fiesta on Midlothian Blvd. The Casa Fiesta serves a wide range of Mexican dishes, in a bright and cheerful environment. (The pina coladas are to die for by the way)
















Yesterday's gathering was similar to a flash mob only on public transit. It was organized to show support for the WRTA and to bring attention to the fact that Saturday service has been restored thanks to the levy that recently passed. WRTA's current goal is to provide county wide service.

Bus schedules can be found at the WRTA website here. Riding the bus is for everyone. I have often heard people remark that riding the bus is for people in poverty, or disabled. Actually, riding the bus is not a "class" issue but rather an environmental issue. The more people using public transportation the better for our environment.

Yesterday was a first for a few of the participants. Some were a little nervous about the experience because they were uncertain how to ride the bus. The WRTA anticipating this feeling has posted a rider's guide to the bus system here.

More flash mob events on the WRTA are in the planning stages, the bloggers of Y-town will keep you updated. Hope you can join us next time! It is our hope that more and more people will become aware and make use of this wonderful asset in the Mahoning Valley.

The WRTA will be receiving 3.51 million dollars infunds from the Federal Stimulus Package to make needed improvements to the station and to expand service. WRTA can get a head start on making needed improvements by placing bus schedules in the station and fixing their change machine. It would also be wonderful if the WRTA window could be open on Saturday as well.

We do hope to see you all next time. It was a great way to get together with friends old and new, explore Y-town by bus, and have a wonderful lunch!

Cornel West - The Jazz Man of Ideas

I was blown away by Cornel West on February 26th at Stambaugh Auditorium. I personally think this was mutual as I think that Dr. West was also blown away by the crowd and the venue. It is not often that we are privileged to hear intellectual discourse such as that Dr. West provided the other evening. The philosophical conversation is something that is often missing from our day to day lives. After listening to his lecture the positive energy in the auditorium was palpable. The issues he discussed are those that concern many of us. If you missed it,I'm sorry. However, you may have another opportunity to hear Dr. West.

Dr. West is in a new documentary coming soon called The Examined Life Philosophy is in the Streets. If urge you to seek it out. It would be wonderful if we could get a showing of the film in Youngstown - perhaps we can work on that. After the theatrical opening dvds will also be available and you can get information about that here. There are special rates for schools and institutions as well. Here is a clip from the film.

Permaculture Workshop in Youngstown

Introduction to Permaculture Design Instructor - Josh Benniston
A Weekend Workshop, March 21st and 22nd, at the
D.D. and Velma Davis Center, 123 McKinley Avenue, Yo. OhioWe will learn about:

* Practical design methods for gardens, farms,
buildings, organizations, communities, etc.
* Productive Edible Landscapes
* Principles of Ecological Design
* Urban Sustainability

Workshop cost is $70 per individiual for the weekend,
$60 ea. for two people and $50.00 ea. for three
people or more from the same organization. Depending
on enrollment, scholarships will be made
available based on need and community involvement.

Checks are payable to: Grow Youngstown
and should be mailed to
PO Box 1191,
Youngstown, Ohio 44501.

IMPORTANT: Please indicate the
names and number of people attending as well as
your email contact information.

For More Information
Contact: Grow Youngstown at (212) 255-
3505 or csa@growyoungstown.org.

Please bring your lunch or purchase it at the Garden Cafe.

Grow Youngstown
Promoting the growth of food, forage,
forest and fuel within Mahoning County
and the immediate vicinity.
in partnership with Treez Please and Fellow Riverside Garden -
Mill Creek MetroParks present:

Meet Grow Youngstown

Meet Grow Youngstown – March 20, 2009.
The Garden Café
D.D. and Velma Davis Center
123 McKinley Avenue, Yo. Ohio

6:00pm – The event will start off with an Edible Hour featuring healthy locally produced food.
7:00pm – Auction of various special items valued from $50 to $350. 7:30pm – The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil (90 minutes).
Tickets at the door: $10.00

When Cuba lost access to Soviet oil in the early 1990s, the country faced an immediate crisis—feeding the population—and an ongoing challenge: how to create a new low-energy society. Cuba transitioned from large, fossil-fuel intensive farming to small, less energy intensive organic farms and urban gardens, and from a highly industrial society to a more sustainable one. This film tells the story of the Cuban people’s hardship, ingenuity and triumph over sudden adversity— through cooperation, conservation and community, told in their own words. As the world approaches Peak Oil, Cuba provides a valuable example of how to successfully address the challenge of reducing our energy use.

“Everyone who is concerned about Peak Oil needs to see this film. Cuba survived an energy famine during the 1990s, and how it did so constitutes one of the most important and hopeful stories of the past few decades. It is a story not just of individual achievement, but of the collective mobilization of an entire society to meet an enormous challenge.” –Richard Heinberg, author of
The Party's Over and Powerdown

This fundraising event for Grow Youngstown has received generous support from Fellows Riverside Gardens – Mill Creek MetroParks and Treez Please

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

A good friend called me a junkie yesterday when my posted status on facebook said that I was reading the stimulus bill. He may have a valid point. (I assume he was implying I am a political junkie.) However, you too can read the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 here on line.

I have mixed emotions regarding the Act. I am both worried and excited about the possibilities for the stimulus money. It is from this place of anxiety that I feel compelled to read the Act for myself rather than satisfy myself with the many interpretations I keep hearing in the media. Maybe it is the lawyer in me.

For example I remember when the Patriot Act was proposed. I read it immediately and then I was appalled when it passed. I swear to this day that our law makers didn't read it before they signed it. The same may be true for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. However, I admit I feel a lot better about this Act than I did the Patriot Act although I'm sure there are many who disagree with me.

Nevertheless, I think that we all have a responsibility to learn as much as we can about this Act that is putting future generations of our children deeply in debt.I worry that the monies will be spent frivolously. I think we have a tremendous responsibility to make certain the funds are put to good use. They should be used to make our country less dependent on oil and to generally make our country greener and more energy efficient.

I also think that it is important to know what it says so that we here in Youngstown can make certain that we understand what we need to do to help the city benefit as much as possible from the Act. The President is developing a White House Office on Urban Policy. There are funds available to support Regional Innovation Clusters. We here in Y-town must make certain that we are involved in this. There is a lot to do and we need to get a start on it now.

In addition to reading the act I have also found a website that is tracking the money from the stimulus bill. It is called Shovel Watch While checking out this website I came upon a curious fact. It appears that states that have less unemployment are getting more money than those that have much higher unemployment. If you take the stimulus money per state divided by lost jobs of those states it ends up that Wymoming and its neighbors are receiving five times more stimulus money than places like Ohio and Michigan. I'm truly at a loss as to why this is the case and what the thinking is behind the decision. Seems to me that Wyoming is Dick Cheney's state, right? Wyoming and its neighbors are some of the few states that have not been hit much by this economic meltdown. So if you know or have any ideas about why they are getting so much money please enlighten me. In the meantime I have sent my question to the White House and will await their response.

One of the things that I think is truly wonderful about the Obama administration is its commitment to accountability and transparency, The administration has set up a website where questions can be asked and comments made. You too can express your concerns about the Act at the White House website. I have already submitted my question about Wyoming. I hope to receive a response, When I do I will let you know what it is.

In addition, if you would like to make suggestions to the Middle Class Task force you can do so here.

Folks, I'm hoping this kind of transparency and accountability is for real. If it is, we are witnessing a paradigm shift in politics unlike any the world has ever seen. We are moving toward authentic participatory democracy. What is more we have the technology now to support such as shift. We can't sit back now, we must participate. There is a lot of work to be done.

One troubling footnote: It would appear that the anti-war candidate of last summer (Obama).especially in comparison to the "hawkish" Clinton, yesterday ordered an increase in airstrikes in the soverign nation of Pakistan.

MVOC Community, Faith and Legislative Luncheon with Lee Fisher - The Perfect Economic Storm

Yesterday the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative (MVOC) brought the community together to hear Lee Fisher, Congressman Ryan, and Mayor Williams discuss the vacant properties issue in Youngstown. Video of their speeches are below. The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative is a broad-based community organizing initiative established in March of 2008.

The primary focus of the MVOC is to unite groups throughout the community (Churches, neighborhood groups, parent/teacher associations etc.) to work together to increase the quality of life in urban neighborhoods in the cities of Youngstown and Warren, Ohio. The MVOC seeks to bring change to our community through neighborhood actions and campaigns.

Vacant properties have been an issue repeatedly raised as the MVOC has worked in the neighborhoods. Vacant properties significantly impact our neighborhoods. The MVOC did a citywide vacant property survey in which over 150 community leaders participated. The survey estimates the number of vacant properties in the city of Youngstown at 22,000 of which 4500 have structures. The current approach to addressing the problem is not effective. Vacant properties effect the quality of life here and discourages reinvestment in the city.

My prior posts outline the work of the MVOC as well as the outcome of the meeting they recently had in Columbus with representatives of the governor's office. It was at this meeting that Lee Fisher promised to come to the Mahoning Valley to meet the people and see the problem first hand.

Yesterday, Lee Fisher kept that promise. The meeting was held at the Union Baptist Church. The church was filled to capacity. I heard estimates that upwards of 600+ people attended. Many citizens took the afternoon off work to attend the event as they feel it is imperative that the politicians in Columbus understand that the citizens of this Valley are concerned and want the vacant properties problem solved. Youngstown needs funds to solve this problem and the Governor's office needs to heed our cry or our disappointment will be evident at the polls on election day.

For Valentine's Day

Bug at the Oakland

The Oakland Center for the Arts, 220 W. Boardman Street in Downtown Youngstown, is proud to announce its first show of 2009. Bug, written by Tracy Letts, opens Friday, February 20, at 8 P.M with a reception immediately following the performance. Local artist Gail Trunick, whose work was recently featured at The Butler Institute of American Art, is the featured Star Gallery artist.

Set in a seedy hotel room, this thriller centers on the blossoming relationship between Agnes, a divorced waitress, and Peter, a soft spoken Gulf War drifter. Agnes stays at a hotel in hopes of avoiding her physically abusive ex-husband, Jerry, who was just released from prison. On top of that, there’s a hidden bug infestation problem that has both Agnes and Peter dealing with scathing welts and festering sores. Their fears soon escalate to paranoia, conspiracy theories, and twisted psychological motives.

Robert Dennick Joki, known for such Oakland hits as The Full Monty, Bat Boy, and How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas, will direct. The cast includes Ron Aulet of Niles, Terri Labedz of Youngstown, Ric Panning of Hubbard, Lisa Skerkavich of Youngstown, and Jim Canacci of Boardman.

The show runs February 20, 21, 27, 28, March 5, 6, and 7 at 8:00 pm with a matinee on March 1 at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 55 years and over, and $10 for students with valid ID. Group rates are also available for parties of 10 or more.

For reservations, please contact 330-746-0404. For additional information, cast photos, blogs and more, visit oaklandcenter.com. Also check myspace.com/oaklandcenter for special discounts.