Tricounty DFA Update: Keehn In, Vigil? Meetup Reminder, more
Hello Everyone;

In this extra update for June 26th, 2008:

1. Keehn Hat In Ring, Petitions Needed
2. Vigil? Saturday? Monthly? Let me know.
3. Meeting Reminder: July 2nd
4. Gas Gouging Enron Style
5. Friday Night Progressive Film Fest


1. Keehn Hat In Ring, Petitions Needed

Tuesday Night Sen. Joe Bruno announced his retirement after 32 years.

Today, former Saratoga Spring Mayor Valerie Keehn threw her hat in the ring for the 43rd Senate District seat. With Bruno's retirement, this seat is now in play, and could tip the New York State Legislature into Democratic hands for the first time in over 40 years, breaking the logjam that has prevented decades of reform. The era of "three men in a room" may be at an end, at last.

Keehn was twice endorsed by our DFA groups in Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs, and honored with a special, and rare, area appearance last year by DFA National Chairman Jim Dean. Keehn became something of a DFA star after leading the Saratoga Springs Democrats to a 6-0 sweep in 2005 after attending one of the first DFA Training weekends in Cazenovia, NY.

Val needs help right now, that is, this weekend: she is asking for people to circulate nominating petitions, which are required to get on the ballot. They must be completed and in before July 10th. She sent this message out for those who want to help:

"You can pick up my petitions, Democratic walk sheets and instructions at:
Ron Kim’s law office
36 Long Alley
(the alley just behind the Post Office on Broadway)"

"or on my enclosed front porch:
41 Benedict Street"

"If it will help, we can also drop off materials. Call or email. You can work Farmer’s Market and the upcoming July 4 events too. If you have contacts in Ballston Spa, Malta, Milton, Round Lake, Clifton Park, South Glens Falls, Stillwater, Hoosick Falls or in the Troy area, please consider enlisting them and getting us their info."

"Let us know that you're in! Conctact Brucie Rosch by email, brucie@brucierosch.com or phone, 583-2767."

"Thank you again for your support and friendship,

Valerie"


2. Vigil? Saturday? Monthly? Let me know.

I am still holding on a decision to call another vigil this weekend: I personally cannot be there, but a couple of you have responded, and a couple at last week's vigil wanted to continue.

Trudy made a very interesting suggestion to me yesterday: hold them monthly in the summer time. We can discuss it at next week's meeting, too.


3. Meeting Reminder: July 2nd

We will be having our next meeting of Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area next week, July 2nd, at the Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe in downtown Glens Falls at 7pm. The Cafe is on Elm and Exchange Streets and Hudson Avenue, one block west of the roundabout downtown.

I have heard from a number of you that you want to discuss Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand's controversial votes last week to fund the war in Iraq for another full year and also for the FISA bill, and we will.

I think we will also want to discuss the Bruno resignation/ Keehn announcement.


4. Gas Gouging Enron Style

I can't resist passing on a good "must read" and there is a terrific one on today's NY Times on how the current run up in gas prices is strikingly similar to Enron's ripping off electrical consumers in California. http://egan.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/25/the-petro-manipulators/index.html?ref=opinion

The whole gas crisis has been clearly manufactured by speculators, and enabled by government inaction.

5. Friday Night Progressive Film Fest

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

Fri Jun 27 7:30 pm Progressive Film Forum
I LIKE KILLING FLIES (2005) Matt Mahurin 79 min. RT Rating = 95 %
In his feature debut, noted artist illustrator and video-director Mahurin celebrates one of his favorite restaurants -- and ours -- Shopins, a Greenwich Village institution, much beloved by its loyal clientele for decades. With over 900 items on his menu, all conjured up in his Rube Goldberg-style kitchen the size of a walk-in closet, Kenny Shopsin is chef de cuisine and proprietor. When there is a lull in the cooking, he steps out from behind his Frankenstein stove and holds court, serving up morsels of wisdom and wit on life, death, sex, politics and even food. But, after 32 years in the same sheltered workshop, Kenny loses his lease and the family must now find a new location – a move vigorously supported both financially and logistically by customers who can’t bear the thought of life without Shopsins. Mahurin, himself one of the faithful, was asked to record the move for posterity, and what emerges is a hilarious and heartfelt hymn to individuality, independence, and idiosyncrasy – not just in the kitchen, but in life.


Thanks Everyone!

Larry

Labels: Democracy For America, Democracy For Saratoga Springs, Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area, DFA, Keehn, NY, Primaries, Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, Val Keehn

- posted by Larry Dudley @ 9:46 PM