Porchfest Returns

Binghamton Porchfest is, “A free celebration of community, music, and togetherness, Porchfest is the grassroots collaborative effort of hundreds of individual musicians and dozens of resident hosts of the West Side neighborhood of Binghamton (specifically the including and directly surrounding the historic Abel Bennett Tract) who get together on the last Sunday of every August […]

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Claudia Tenney—Her Record

Voted to repeal some of the Dodd-Frank Act, that was put in place after the economic collapse during President GW Bush. It demanded that large banks separate their investment side from the protected banking side. It was put in place to keep banks from making crazy bets on stocks and bonds, putting the bank at

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VINES FARMSHARES Available

Get a weekly box of fresh vegetables from your local farmer with VINES Farm Share! We offer lots of FLEXIBILITY with: Choice to pay twice a month, monthly or the whole season at once 10 distribution locations throughout Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott & Whitney Point 4 local farms to choose from Different size shares Offering

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2018 Phoenix Awards

This year’s Honorees are Amelia LoDolce, Alexis Pleus and Cecily O’Neil. The event is next Wednesday, June 13th @ 6:00 – 8:30 pm at Endwell Greens Golf Club Event Center, Endwell. You can purchase tickets and/or sponsorship online here: Tickets: https://secure.everyaction.com/Qx0eVXtu1k-9Fpgu5a7T4Q2 Sponsor: https://secure.everyaction.com/ZWw5JGNBhkSpSDmItp9zwg2 ALEXIS PLEUS (Truthpharm) The Founder of Truth Pharm, Alexis Pleus, works selflessly

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Memorial Day and Everywhere is War

As we begin Memorial Day weekend, I share an article I wrote at this time in 2014. Sadly, the US is lashing out more aggressively than four years ago and the world is an even more dangerous place as a result. As we relax and enjoy the long weekend, let's double down on our efforts for peace and justice. –Andy Piascik
 
            Summer approaches and the stench of war is all around. Or, as the great Bob Marley put it, Everywhere is War. Start with the commemorations over a five-week span of Memorial Day, Flag Day and Independence Day, all presented varyingly as celebrations of our war dead, symbols of our greatness, the freedoms we love so dearly and seek to export to every corner of the world and, perhaps most important, the unquestioned rightness of our cause.
            In reality, the celebrations are of imperialist war, with the talk about the hallowed dead just so much cover for the murderous nature of US foreign policy. Celebrating the dead – note that the dead celebrated are just the American dead, not any of the millions killed by US aggression or client states – is a no-lose proposition designed to render anyone who asks the wrong questions a traitor or a terrorist. The notion that the US regularly commits war crimes and that polished, well-educated men like John Kennedy and Barack Obama are war criminals is unthinkable; war criminals look like Osama bin-Laden and Saddam Hussein and those other nasty people far away, over there.
World War One Centennial
            It’s also the summer of the centennial of the start of what in its time was known as the Great War, the greatest blood-letting in history except for that of the Second Great War barely two decades later. Of one thing we can be sure and that is that the lessons drawn from mainstream discussions of World War One will be all the wrong ones. Worse, the spectacle of the intelligentsia waxing eloquent about the horrors of war while unflinchingly cheering on the warmakers in Washington will be accepted by one and all of their kind as perfectly reasonable – as beyond discussion, in fact.
            In recent weeks, meanwhile, mainstream commentators have been shocked to discover that things in Iraq are not alright, in fact are worse than at any time since the second US blitzkrieg in 2003. Gee, who knew. Who knew that an invasion predicated on a lie of weapons of mass destruction, designed to secure control of massive oil supplies, would go wrong? The political class and intelligentsia didn’t, or at least they pretended they didn’t, but millions around the world who demonstrated against the invasion in the weeks before it was launched certainly did. And one of the points those demonstrators underscored was that a US invasion would fuel sectarian divisions and violence, precisely as has happened. Al-Qaeda, which did not exist in Iraq prior to the invasion, now flourishes while a new group, the Islamist State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), rampages through the country.
            The response of many elites in the US, naturally, is for more war. Calls from certain factions for a third US invasion are growing louder and, true to his preference for violence over diplomacy, Obama has sent a strike force to Iraq. Whether the people of the United States can come together as we did last summer when we rose up and prevented Obama from attacking Syria remains to be seen. We must at least try.
Disgraceful Treatment of Veterans
            Also on the war front is the Veterans Affairs’ disgraceful neglect of ex-soldiers in need of medical care. For years, political elites have been slashing benefits for veterans while increasing spending on weapons and cutting taxes for the Super Rich. That the problem came to a head with a Democrat in the White House is simply an accident of timing, and it is especially outrageous that the most enthusiastic cheerleaders of the illegal Bush-Cheney invasions, as well as reductions to the VA’s budgets and the tax cuts for 1%, now pretend that they care about soldiers.
            Equally farcical is the commencement of yet another round of hearings on the deaths of four Americans in Benghazi. Such hearings would certainly be valuable if everything related to US actions in Libya since the launch of the 2011 assault were up for review, but there is virtually no chance of that happening. The deaths of tens of thousands of Libyans in yet one more illegal military strike, as well as the resulting chaos and violence in that country, is of no concern to those who long for the good old days of Bush-Cheney and are interested only in scoring political points.  
Bowe Bergdhal
            Then there is the saga of the much-vilified Bowe Bergdhal, a heroic young man who came to see the criminal nature of the US invasion of Afghanistan. The refusal of working class youth to fight for Empire is the ruling class’s biggest nightmare and the attacks on Bergdahl, like the show trial that convicted Chelsea Manning, show how far they will go to punish those in uniform who dare challenge their objectives. A hidden aspect of the movement that ended US carnage in Southeast Asia is that it was the widespread opposition of soldiers, both as embodied by organizations like Vietnam Veterans Against the War as well as active duty resisters, that decisively turned the tide.
            So alarming was this development that two massive disinformation campaigns were immediately launched: the myth of the hostility of the anti-war movement for returning soldiers that sought to drive a wedge between active duty and homefront resistance (see, for example, Jerry Lembcke’s outstanding book The Spitting Image: Myth, Memory and the Legacy of Vietnam); and the completely fraudulent MIA blitz (expertly exposed by Bruce Franklin in MIA, or Mythmaking in America) concocted by the Nixon Administration to shift attention away from the death and destruction wrought by the US to the plight of nonexistent prisoners of war.
            Because preventing any similar development of resistance among soldiers is central to imperial objectives, discussion has largely avoided what Bergdahl actually said about his service in Afghanistan, including his telling declaration in a 2009 e-mail to his parents, as quoted by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now!: “The future is too good to waste on lies and life is way too short to care for the damnation of others as well as to spend it helping fools with their ideas that are wrong. I've seen their ideas, I'm ashamed to even be American. The horror of the self righteous arrogance that they thrive in.” Rather than joining in the Bowe Bergdhal lynch mob, US soldiers everywhere, not to mention those with loved ones in the military, would do well to heed his words and experience.
The Supreme International Crime
            Lastly, the same standard that applies to the war crimes of others applies to the US. As articulated by Robert H. Jackson, chief US prosecutor at Nuremberg, a war of aggression such as committed by the US against Afghanistan and Iraq “is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime, differing only from all other crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole.” In such a circumstance, what Bergdahl did was proper and, it could be argued, obligatory for anyone party to war crimes. So amidst the flag waving and speechifying that glorifies imperialism, we should support him and prisoners of conscience like Chelsea Manning. We should demand that all services veterans require be provided, that US bases around the world be closed, that soldiers be returned home and that the US cease its campaign of endless aggression. And as enticing as the military may seem in such desperate economic times, we should counsel young people to stay away no matter how bleak the alternatives may be.     
           Andy Piascik is an award-winning author whose novel In Motion was recently published by Sunshine Publishing. 

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Local Church Celebrates 10,000 Dresses Made

Event Location: Whitney Point United Methodist Church, Whitney Point NY  Sunday, May 20, 2018 1:30pm

For the past 8 years the ‘Sew ‘n Sews’ have been meeting weekly at the Whitney Point United Methodist Church to sew dresses. They use pillowcases, sheets, and other donated fabric along with elastic and lace, to assemble dress kits which then get sewn together into dresses of all sizes. Every few months a volunteer takes several boxes full of completed dresses to Angels of Mercy in Rochester, NY where they get labels and are shipped out across the globe as part of the Dress A Girl Around The World program.

On Sunday, May 20th the church will be celebrate the completion of the Sew ‘n Sews’ 10,000th dress! There will be speakers from Angels of Mercy and Dress A Girl as well as a short video presentation showcasing some of the happy girls who have received dresses.

“We’ve never bought any fabric,” lead Sew ‘n Sew, Jean Ellis says. “Every time we got low another donation would come in.” Rev. Turnpenny says this is not just a celebration of 10,000 dress but 10,000 children being given dignity and protection. It’s also a celebration of the incredible community support we’ve received through countless donations of fabric and thousands of hours of sewing!

About: Dress a Girl Around the World is a Campaign under Hope 4 Women International (a 501c3 organization) bringing dignity to women around the world since 2006. For more information go to dressagirlaroundtheworld.com

Angels of Mercy is a Christ-centered organization (501c3) dedicated to helping women in need locally, across the nation and around the world. For more information go to angelsofmercyny.org.

The Whitney Point United Methodist Church has been an active part of the community since the 1800’s and prioritizes supporting children and feeding the hungry. For more information go to whitneypointumc.org.

 

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May Day: BU Students push on worker rights

In the name of "anti-Trump" and "progressive," SUNY-Binghamton Harvey Stenger and NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo are supporting and promoting sweatshop practices locally and across the state. We will release an open letter to all of the gubernatorial candidates. We want their supports to eliminate a sweatshop economy and not to continue the sweatshop policies that Cuomo started. We want the candidates to give pressures to Stenger to change his perpetuation of racism and the supports for sweatshop practices like mandatory overtime. Mandatory overtime and 24-hour shifts is modern day slavery!

An excerpt from the letter:

To demonstrate how the governor endorses sweatshop practices on the national level, we’d like to draw your attention to the cases of Adriana Moreno v Future Care Health Services, Inc., Lilya Andryeyeva v New York Health Care, Inc. and Nina Tokhtaman v Human Care, LLC. The plaintiffs in each of those cases were 24-hour home attendants who were not paid for the portion of their shift worked overnight. The courts upheld the home attendants’ right to be paid for all 24 hours, “regardless of whether they were afforded opportunities for sleep and meals,” but Governor Andrew Cuomo quickly undermined these legal victories through regulation changes in the DOL, and continues to support a 24-hour workday – with half of these hours unpaid – in the homecare industry. As a result, homecare agencies are now telling their workers to not care for patients at night. For example, if the patient falls down in the middle of the night, the workers are now supposed to call 911 rather than assist the patient. As our population ages, the demand for home healthcare workers will skyrocket up to 45% over the next ten years. We need to act now to ensure that home-care workers and their clients are taken care of.

Download the entire letter below.

 

 

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Exterminator: A Horse Celebrated in the Arts

‘Exterminator Extravaganza Month’ Begins in Binghamton

BCAC, County Executive Garnar & Mayor David Announce Events Commemorating Kentucky Derby Winner

(BINGHAMTON, N.Y.) — Broome County Arts Council Executive Director Nancy Barno Reynolds joined the Broome County Historical Society, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, Mayor Richard C. David and local officials at the Jeffrey P. Kraham Broome County Public Library today to kick off Exterminator Extravaganza Month, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the famous Kentucky Derby win by the Binghamton racehorse Exterminator.

“This year, our community will host a slate of fun events to celebrate the centennial of Exterminator’s legendary upset at the 1918 Kentucky Derby,” Reynolds said. “Not only was the racehorse beloved by the Binghamton community, his story is one of the most exciting pieces of local history, and we’re eager to bring the community together to celebrate with a series of great events.”

Exterminator belonged to Willis Sharpe Kilmer, the wealthy Binghamton newspaperman, who bought the horse in early 1918 to help his more-prized racehorse, Sun Briar, during workouts. When Sun Briar faced a medical issue ahead of the 1918 Kentucky Derby, Kilmer agreed to race Exterminator in his place. Regarded by Kilmer then simply as a workhorse, Exterminator “shocked the world” on May 11, 1918 when he overcame 30-1 odds to win the Kentucky Derby, according to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Exterminator competed in 99 races in his career, winning 50 of them and earning the title of American Horse of the Year in 1922. Nicknamed “Old Bones” for his scrawny appearance, Exterminator was eventually elected into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He was moved to the Kilmers’ Riverside Drive stable in Binghamton after his retirement and came to be adored by the community. Kilmer’s wife held a party for community members each May to celebrate the horse’s birthday.

“Binghamton’s history is full of fascinating characters and interesting stories, and Exterminator’s story gives us a reason to celebrate,” said Mayor David. “We are grateful to the Broome County Arts Council, the Broome County Historical Society and the other partners involved in the centennial celebrations. Their events in the weeks ahead are part of what makes Binghamton such a great place to live and visit.”

“Thank you to the Broome County Arts Council and Broome County Historical Society for commemorating this anniversary and the legendary racehorse Exterminator. Broome County is proud to be a part of this historical celebration and share this story with the community,” said County Executive Garnar.

A full schedule of events for Exterminator Extravaganza Month is below. For questions or more information, please contact the Broome County Arts Council at (607) 723-4620.

2018 Exterminator Extravaganza schedule:

Tuesday, May 1 through October: Broome County Historical Society photo exhibit of “Old Bones” at the Jeffrey P. Kraham Broome County Public Library

Tuesday, May 1st- Friday June 1st: Roberson Museum and Science Center: Historic photograph of Exterminator and actress Kay Gardner at Sun Briar Court, on display in the lobby; open to the public.

Friday, June 1 (First Friday) at 6-9 p.m.: “Willis Sharpe Kilmer: A Life of Success and Scandal” and footage from the Kentucky Derby Race – viewing at Cooperative Gallery, State St.

Saturday May 5th, 4-8pm, Remlik’s Derby Day: Themed food and beverage options.

Wednesday, May 16, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at WSKG: Talk by Eliza McGraw, author of “Here Comes Exterminator”

Friday, June 1 (First Friday), 6 to 9 p.m. at Broome County Arts Council, 81 State St. in Binghamton: Exterminator Exhibition with work from local artists and Kentucky Derby- themed activities for children (make-your-own Kentucky Derby hats)

Sunday, June 3 at 1 p.m. at Kilmer Mansion/Lew Hecht, Temple President: Reader’s Theater of Old Bones; performance by Bill Gorman and STARR performers; light refreshments will be served.

Open Year Round: Exterminator burial/marker; Whispering Pines Pet Cemetery; Gardner Rd, Binghamton, 13903

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Local History Conference Looks at Hidden Stories

The Bundy Museum, with the involvement of BU and other sponsors, brought people together to hear about local history with unexpectedly profound results. When Lisa Beal presented "History of Two Families, One Black, One Jewish" she discovered that her great grandfather and a participant's grandfather nearly went into business together: hers had a truck and the other had a dead cow to sell. Another remembered her grandmother from her childhood. And a young man expressed deep appreciation for meeting Lisa, whose activist mother was the inspiration for the Frances Beal Society, an activist coalition at Binghamton University fighting racism, sexism, queer/transphobia, corruption, ableism and other oppressions.

And that was just one workshop! Others that brought connections from those present were "Patterns of Immigration, Ethnicity, and Americanization in Early 20th century" buy Rachel Blaifeder, "Cold War Technology with Southern Tier Roots" by Susan Sherwood of Techworks, "The History of the Women's Center" by Peg Johnston, and "The American Dance Asylum" by Greg Bain. Again, just to name a few.

Prof. Gerald Zahavi of SUNY Albany detailed "Socialists, Patriarchs, and Spies: EJ Workers and the Question of Loyalty. The audience was surprised to hear that Binghamton was a hotbed of radical activity post WWI with many rival Socialist and Communist chapters and that George F. Johnson was tolerant of political diversity and called out the "false Americanism" of for instance, the Ku Klux Klan.

The new radio Bundy WBDY-LP at 99.5 FM will broadcast the talks in the coming months. Kudos to Andrew Pragacz and Diana C. Gildes for organizing this conference. More https://www.bundymuseum.org/perspectives/

 

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5th Mural Fest Returns to Floral Ave.

The Department of Public Art (DPA) will sponsor the 5th Mural Fest at Floral Ave. Park in Johnson City on Saturday May 5th from 11am – 4 pm. The Village of Johnson City has welcomed us back to continue to improve the park. “Mural Fest offers everyone a chance to paint—murals for adults and a Box City for children,” according to Peg Johnston of DPA. Organizers also plan to give away art supplies to neighborhood children in conjunction with a grant from the Chenango Co. Arts Council and with the help of The Bridge and Family Enrichment Network.

Mural Fest 2018 participants will work on four projects—improving the inside of the bathrooms, painting the outside of a shed, a mural on panels for the Renaissance Festival at Cutler Garden, and a Dinosaur mural for a factory on Avenue B in Johnson City.

Mural Fest participants will be entertained by a full roster of live music. At 11am Diana Tejera, an Italian singer-songwriter with a gold record will perform. Local band Voodoo Highway (blues-rock and more) starts at 12:15 pm. Adam Ate The Apple playing roots, folk, and rock play at 1:30 pm. Hot Dogs & Gin featuring Eamonn Hubert, a child prodigy guitarist play classic rock at 2:45 pm.

The Dept. of Public Art has created a “Box City” of upcycled cardboard several times so that children can paint and play in them, and take them home. DPA artists will also create cardboard animals for children to paint and keep. Volunteers will prep the cardboard houses April 17th and 24th from 6-8 pm at Avenue DIY, 19 Avenue D in Johnson City.

The Dept of Public Art is a volunteer group responsible for more than 50 murals in the area. The first two Mural Fests were on the MLK Promenade where 30 artists created temporary murals for blighted buildings and then the DPA sponsored Mural Fest on the Northside at Cheri Lindsey Park. In 2017 Mural Fest moved to Floral Ave. Park in Johnson City where four permanent murals were finished.

Mural Fest has received support from Chenango Co Arts Council (DEC NYS Council on the Arts) and the Hoyt Foundation, Town of Union Community Development, Golden Paints, Belknap Lumber, Kovarik’s Hardware, Daniel’s Paints, and other sponsors. Tabling by local groups is free. For more information or to volunteer email DeptofPublicArt@gmail.com or the Dept. of Public Art Facebook Page. See attachment for a DPA Wish List.

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