Tricounty DFA Update: Meeting Tuesday, Jim Dean Reminder, more
Hello Everyone!

It may be the summer season but things are hot politically--

In This Update:

1. Glens Falls DFA Link-up or "meetup" for Wednesday: "Taking The Hill" Video
2. Keehn and Dean For August 14th!
3. Queensbury Councilman John Strough Featured In Post Star
4. Gillibrand At Union Gables
5. Friday Night Film Fest


1. Glens Falls DFA Link-up or "meetup" for Wednesday: "Taking The Hill" Video

This Wednesday, August 1st, we'll be having our usual first Wednesday of the month meeting of Glens Falls and Tricounty DFA at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls at our usual time of 7pm. In July we met on the second Wednesday, because the first Wednesday was the 4th of July.

Since it's August we'll have a light schedule-- we'll talk about the major appearance in our area of Jim Dean, the Chair of Democracy For America at a fundraiser for the reelection of Val Keehn as Saratoga Spring's Mayor, what we can do to help, and a few other issues.

Then we'll watch a video recently distributed by Eric Massa, who is running for Congress in Western New York and lost in 2004 by only 3,000 votes. Eric spoke at last Spring's Democracy For New York conference, and he is sensational.

"Taking The Hill" follows a group of veterans when they try to run for Congress on the Democratic ticket, and the stumbling blocks they run into, many of which, very, very sadly, were created by certain individuals in our own party. It is a terrific video and a revelation. It's always often funny in inspirational.


2. Keehn and Dean For August 14th!

As noted above, Democracy For American Chair Jim Dean is coming to our area for a fundraiser for Val Keehn as Mayor of Saratoga Springs. Keehn was formally endorsed by Democracy For Saratoga Springs earlier this year. The event will be on Tuesday, August 14th from 5:30-7:30pm at the Inn At Saratoga, on South Broadway.

This event is open to the public and everyone in DFA, and all interested Democrats, liberals and progressives are invited to this event. Suggested contribution for entrance will be $50.

There is a strong possibility of other major guest speakers, and we will let you all know when details become available.

3. Queensbury Councilman John Strough Featured In Post Star

Queensbury Councilman John Strough was the subject of a major feature in the Sunday Post Star on his effort to save Blind Rock, which is both an historic site and artifact located in the Town of Queensbury just off Rt. 9 near Miller Hill. The rock was once the informal demarcation line between the French and British Empires in North America.

John spoke at our July meeting and recounted how an earlier effort to save Blind Rock got him involved in town politics. Now it is to become a Town Park. Strough was endorsed by Glens Falls DFA at our July meeting. For more:

http://www.poststar.com/articles/2007/07/28/news/local/d394fb3b52992a68852573250079cf3b.txt


4. Gillibrand At Union Gables

The Saratoga County Democrats would like to cordially invite you to a benefit reception for Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand at the Union Gables Bed and Breakfast, 55 Union Ave., Saratoga Springs on August 4th from 5:30 to 7pm. Tickets are $75 a person, $125 a couple. (Union Gables is in walking distance of the Flat Track.) Please make checks payable to Gillibrand For Congress, PO Box 15734, Washington, DC 20003. For info contact Anne Bradley at 518-751-2556 or anne@kirstengillibrand.com


5. Friday Night Film Fest


Finally the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe's Friday Night Progressive Film Festival continues with:

Aug 3 BROKEN RAINBOW (1985) Maria Florio & Victoria Mudd 70 min.
This film bears witness to the machinations of the energy companies and their government proxies as they eagerly cast aside the peaceful Navajo to make way for oil, gas, uranium and coal exploration. In their own words, elders and outside experts discuss the rich culture and history of the Navajo as well as their close friends and neighbors, the Hopi. The film follows these Native Americans as they take their protest to Congress and join with the militant American Indian Movement, turning their tragedy into acts of heroic resistance. Beautifully photographed and scored, the film captures the sweeping majesty of sacred Native American lands and the people who inhabit them.

Aug 10 BEST BOY (1980) Ira Wohl 105 min.
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Ira Wohl's BEST BOY remains one of the most beloved and critically-acclaimed docs of all time. Wohl's story centers around his 52-year-old cousin Philly, who has been mentally retarded since birth and has never lived apart from his parents, Max and Pearl Wohl. Now elderly, ailing, and concerned about Philly's future after their deaths, the Wohls are prompted by Ira to begin teaching their son self-reliance. As Philly moves from summer camp to training center and finally to an independent group home, BEST BOY becomes a stark but tender portrait of a family confronting life's impermanence and change.

I included the following week's video as an extra convenience: Due to the season I may only do an update every other week in August.

Many thanks, everyone! See you all Wednesday! Taking The Hill is worth the trip from where ever you are.

Larry Dudley
- posted by Larry Dudley @ 12:39 AM