This weekend: Forest hiking and keeping Louisville Gonzo

- This Saturday, October 15, is the 7th annual Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Hike at Jefferson Memorial Forest from 10am-2pm. There will be plenty of fun for people of all ages – including a children’s exploration area, Alpine Tower climbs, pumpkin decorating for the kids, hayrides, and canoe and kayaking demonstrations. There will also be a wide array of informational booths from local nature and hiking organizations promoting health, eating right, and living green.

The volunteer trail team and Forest staff will lead hikes at various skill levels and introduce visitors to the native plants and wildlife in the forest. The event is free to the public and the first 500 participants will receive a T-shirt. Mayor Greg Fischer will kick off the event before the hiking and festivities begin.  The hike will be located in the Horine Reservation section of Jefferson Memorial Forest (12304 Holsclaw Hill Road).

The Fall 2011 version of the Jefferson Memorial Forest newsletter is now online. Click here to view it and read about American Chestnut Plantings, the Clifton Heights Greenway update, available public programs, and much more. *Thanks to Vicki Welch's Office

- Also on Saturday is the 2nd Annual Gonzo Fest at the Monkey Wrench. Gonzo Fest is an annual tribute to the works and life of native Louisvillian and world-famous writer Dr. Hunter S. Thompson.

Come on out for a day of art, spoken word, and music. $20 in advance, $25 day of event, $15 with a discount card available at the Monkey Wrench. 21 and over. The Monkey Wrench is located at 1025 Barret Avenue.

Check out the event's Facebook page for more info.

Occupy Louisville begins Tuesday

Peaceful people of all ages and all walks of life will be convening Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 12 noon, on the corner of 4th and Jefferson Streets in downtown Louisville to begin an ongoing peaceful demonstration called Occupy Louisville.

The mission of the group, as developed by several participants who first met together on Sunday afternoon is simple:  

"Occupy Louisville will be an ongoing non-violent, civil disobedient demonstration opposing corrupt corporate influence in U.S. politics, the influence of money and corporations on democracy and a lack of legal and political repercussions for the global financial crisis. We will also be demonstrating our solidarity with those participating in Occupy Wall Street in New York, and like events all over our nation."

The group who came together and developed this mission also note their mission is subject to revision by a consensus of occupation participants as the action continues.

All participants who agree with the group's mission are welcome to join them, and any donations of food and/or public support from those who are unable will be much appreciated. The occupation, like other ones occurring throughout the country, is planned to continue indefinitely until concrete legislative changes are made that serve our mission.

"The smart rich know they can only build the gate so high. And, sooner or later history proves that people when they've had enough aren’t going to take it anymore." said filmmaker Michael Moore recently on Current TV's Countdown, who supports Occupy Wall Street.

Other celebrities who have already gave their support for Occupy Wall Street include Russell Simmons, Anti-Flag, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Noam Chomsky, Bill McKibben, Radiohead and U.S. Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders.

Contact: 

curtis morrison

a communications liaison for #occupylouisville participants

curtster3@gmail.com 502.403.9498

Facebook Pages:

http://www.facebook.com/OccupyLouisville

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Louisville-Solidarity-with-Occupy-Wall-Street/156082817815249?sk=wall

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Louisville-KY/286725418004602

Facebook Event: 

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144798655617077

Twitter hashtag: 

#occupylouisville

Shack in the Back Fundraiser for FHS Cheerleaders

Shack in the Back will be having a fundraiser for the Fairdale High School cheerleaders Monday, October 3rd.

A portion of sales from lunch (11am-2pm) and dinner (4pm-8pm) will help the cheerleaders raise money for warm ups, duffle bags, and a trip to Nationals. For this fundraiser, Shack in the Back is offering lunch deliveries. If your company is located in Fairdale, any number of orders can be delivered free of charge. Orders of 10 or more will be delivered anywhere in Louisville, including downtown.

Please CLICK HERE for the Meal Fax Form to order your meals in advance. Meals are only $6.00 and include a pulled pork sandwich, two homemade side dishes, a cookie, and your choice of tea or lemonade.

Car show to benefit Southwest Center October 15

The Seventh Annual Open Rod Run will be held at the Southwest Center, 8009 Terry Road, on Saturday October 15. This is always a huge and successful event. Come on out and have some fun, and help contribute to Southwest Louisville's premier charitable organization for individuals with developmental disabilities. Click HERE for the official flyer [pdf] for entry and event information!!

See you there!

2011 SW Festival schedule of events

 

The 2011 Southwest Community Festival begins Monday, October 3rd with the Kentucky Telco Southwest Festival Balloon Glow presented by Meijer, from 6pm-9pm in Meijer’s Parking Lot, 9905 Dixie Highway.

The festivities continue Thursday, October 6th with the Southwest Community Festival Spelling Bee at 6pm.The spelling bee is to be held at PRP High School, 5901 Greenwood Road, in the small gym.

The Southwest Community Ministries Pancake Breakfast will be held Saturday, October 8th from 8am-11am at Sun Valley Community Center, 6505 Bethany Lane. Proceeds benefit Southwest Community Ministries

The 26th Annual Southwest Community Festival is October 8th from 9am-5pm at Sun Valley. Festival events include: Hundreds of booths, River City Street Rods; Inc. Car and Motorcycle Show, Kids City sponsored by Valley View Church with free games and inflatables, along with arts, crafts, food and more.

Louisville’s own Monarchs will perform 3 shows starting at 12:30pm, 1:45pm and 3pm.

Board free shuttles, provided by Park Terrace, at the corner of Dixie Highway and Bethany Lane.

For more information call 502-368-1196 or visit the website at www.southwestfestival.org

Service Animals Only!!

Louisvillian heads to Canada to protest "tar sands" development

Today, hundreds of people from across North America gathered in Ottawa, Canada's capitol, to participate in a civil disobedience action to say no to the extraction of oil from the Albertan tar sands, and yes to a sustainable energy future respectful of the rights of indigenous people.

The Ottawa Action follows the Tar Sands Action, which concluded on September 3rd in Washington, D.C. The Tar Sands Action was designed specifically to remind President Barack Obama to honor his promises to address climate change, by demanding he deny the permit for TransCanada's proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

During the duration of that two-week action, 1,252 activists were arrested in front of the White House including my friend and fellow Louisvillian Curtis Morrison. Since the Tar Sands Action, President Obama has been greeted with ongoing Tar Sands Action rallies throughout his travels, including one that drew dozens of participants during his September 22nd Cincinnati bridge visit.

“The participants of the Ottawa Action are standing up for what we all know in our hearts is right," said Morrison.

Morrison was one of the many Louisvillians arrested during the Tar Sands Action who is now making the journey to Ottawa.

"The relocation of indigenous people, the raping of boreal forests, a ridiculous consumption of electricity, natural gas and clean water are consumed for the extraction process: this is what it takes to get to the oil out of the tar sands," Morrison said. "What is unthinkable for me though, once that dirty oil is extracted, transported, refined and burned, we'll be creating what NASA climatologist James Henson calls 'GAME OVER' for our climate. At the very time we must be decreasing the carbon dioxide level in our atmosphere, the radical extremists advocating for the development of the Tar Sands must be stopped."

"The purpose of my trip is to support those who are putting themselves on the line, and to help tell the world their stories," Morrison said. "I will be participating in the organizer's civil disobedience training session, the solidarity rally the morning of the action, and taking pictures while the participants are arrested."

For more information on the Ottawa Action against the tar sands, please visit http://www.ottawaaction.ca