Local

https://worldbeyondwar.org/a-u-s-bank-closed-our-accounts-because-id-visited-cuba-six-months-ago/

Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 12:00 – 1:00 PM
West Lawn of the Ohio Statehouse

Across Ohio, parents are working hard and still feeling the squeeze. Families are dealing with soaring costs for childcare, groceries, and housing – and an unfair tax code, making it increasingly difficult for them to make ends meet. Governor DeWine has proposed solutions to provide tax relief and make childcare more affordable for working families through a new Ohio Child Tax Credit and investments in childcare. We are coming together to make sure children and families have the care and resources they need to thrive. We need to show lawmakers that Ohioans are paying attention—and we expect them to act.

1. Pacifica Finally Settles Its Long, Strange Legal Trip —
And Big Changes Are Coming

Dear Friends of Pacifica,

We come to you now not merely with news, but with the unfolding of a new chapter in a long and turbulent story—a story of ideals, of struggle, and, at times, of painful self-examination.

US Solar Cell Manufacturing Grows Despite Cloudy Days Ahead

The US doubled its solar cell manufacturing capacity and added 8.6 gigawatts in the first quarter of 2025, marking the third largest quarter for new solar manufacturing capacity on record.

According to a report recently issued by Wood McKinsey for the Solar Energy Industries Association(SEIA), new solar generating capacity totaled 10.8 gigawatts. That's 7 percent lower than installations for the first quarter in 2024, 43 percent lower than installations for the fourth quarter of last year.  It's still the fourth largest quarter of deployment on record according to the same report. 

The top five states for solar growth this quarter include Texas, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin. 

Despite growing demand for energy, the solar industry faces a rocky road over the next few years, particularly if the Senate concurs with the renewable energy tax credit cuts that have already been passed by the House.  

The images on TV news are misleading. They can’t be otherwise. TV news seeks out the most dramatic visuals, and those are likely to be small fires and burning vehicles, police cars damaged, and riot-clad police.

These are images associated with violence, with insurrection, with riot. They help create a narrative, but they do little to explain what is actually happening in Los Angeles — and elsewhere. They obscure the truth by eliding complex discussion. And they feed into right-wing talking points that Democratic cities and states like L.A. and California are ungovernable, and that the federal government has to step in to restore order and protect average working Americans from insurrection.

Let’s be clear about what is happening, however. Federal immigration agents — masked and in military-style garb — descended on Los Angeles and its surrounding suburbs to conduct workplace raids and the mass round-ups of undocumented workers. The communities responded with protests and active efforts to deny agents access to immigrant workers.

Watch the video of Friday's Ohio Statehouse protest by 50501 for No Kings Day, June 13, 2025

Video by Scot Lacy, Milo Pictures

This article first appeared on Ohio Capitol Journal

In August 2023, Ohio voters sent a clear message when they overwhelmingly rejected the legislature’s blatant attempt to undermine our citizen-initiative process. But instead of listening, politicians in Columbus doubled down. Their new targets? Everyday Ohioans who dare to collect signatures, knock on doors, and exercise their constitutional right to direct democracy.

Ohio Senate Bill 153 and Ohio House Bill 233 are the latest attempts to dismantle the people’s power. While headlines may focus on disingenuous provisions about voter registration and drop boxes, buried deep in these 204-page monstrosities are provisions specifically designed to intimidate, harass, and shut down grassroots campaigns before they ever reach the ballot.

Let’s be clear: these bills are an attack on the People’s Process — on your voice, your rights, your power.

This article first appeared on the Buckeye Flame.

The Ohio Senate has passed their version of the state’s two-year budget and left intact all of the anti-LGBTQ+ provisions passed by the House. 

The version that the Senate passed on Wednesday included:

Public media faces its most urgent threat yet.

Despite overwhelming public opposition, the House has passed a rescissions package that would eliminate $1.1 billion in already-approved funding for public media. If enacted, it would strip essential services from communities and could force rural stations off the air. The Senate will take up the bill next. Contact your Senators now and urge them to vote NO.

Email Your Lawmakers

The House has passed a rescissions package that would claw back $1.1 billion in public media funding already approved by law. If enacted, the impact on local stations would be swift and severe.

The Senate will take up the bill next. Send a message now urging your Senators to vote against rescinding public media funding.

Dr. Bob Fitrakis and Dan-o Dougan celebrate trains, especially older songs about trains when they really meant something! Listen to Trains Kept-a Rollin, Love Train, Downtown Train, Hobo Lullaby, Freight Train, Choo Choo Ch-Boogie and more!

Listen here

Listen live at 11pm Friday, June 13 and 20 streaming at wgrn.org or on the radio at 91.9FM
and
Monday at 2pm streaming June 16 and 23 at wcrsfm.org or on the radio at 92.7 or 98.3FM