Eesha Williams's Blog, page 72
September 1, 2018
Photo: Pied Billed Grebe
This photo of a Pied Billed Grebe was taken shortly before sunset in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Longmeadow borders Springfield. The photo was taken at Fannie Stebbins Wildlife Refuge. To enlarge the photo, click on it, then scroll down and click "see full size image."
photo by Joe Oliverio
To buy a print of this photo, e-mail him at joeoliverio@comcast.net or visit his web site www.JoeOliverioPhotography.com. The photo was taken on April 22, 2018.
August 29, 2018
2,000 Acres Close to Being Saved
In three towns that border Amherst, 2,000 or so acres of forestland is close to being permanently protected from development. The land is in the Massachusetts towns of Leverett, Pelham, and Shutesbury. The deal should be done within six months. Kestrel Land Trust is involved in the deal. Land trusts get much of their money from the government. The government invests a tiny amount of money in land protection compared to its investments in war, prison for non-violent people, and tax cuts for bi...
August 22, 2018
Critical Mass
Critical Mass bicycle rides started in 1992 in California and have since spread around the world. Hundreds of people ride together in a group on roads, forcing cars to go at bicycle speed. They often chant, “Critical Mass, don't use gas!”
August 15, 2018
50 Mile March to End in Springfield
People will march 50 miles over four days, ending at a rally in Springfield on August 26. The goal is stronger gun control laws. The march starts in Worcester, Massachusetts. "We're taking inspiration from the 54-mile Selma to Montgomery march for civil rights," Zoe Grover told the Valley Post. She is one of the march organizers, and the director of a Massachusetts-based group that has a web site at www.StopHandgunViolence.org. The public is invited to join the march for the final half-mile,...
August 8, 2018
A Victory for the Environment
The USA is losing 6,000 or so acres of open space every day. But here in the Valley, about 640 acres of farmland and forestland were permanently protected from development. A land trust based in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, about 9 miles from Greenfield, announced the news on August 2.
August 1, 2018
Local News Round-up
In Springfield, thanks to the work of housing activists, $10.2 million will be invested in renovating a 34-story apartment building at 10 Chestnut Street. The news was announced by city and state officials on July 27. The money comes from taxpayers. Raising taxes on billionaires is one way to create good-paying, union jobs for carpenters, painters, plumbers, and electricians. Women and people of color can get these jobs that have traditionally mostly been held by white men. Details are availa...
July 25, 2018
Protesters: "No Human is Illegal"
In Greenfield on July 20 about 100 people attended a rally for immigrant rights. The rally was outside Greenfield's federal jail for undocumented immigrants. Two groups organized the event. They have web sites at www.jwj.org and www.pvWorkersCenter.org.
It's easy for people from Mexico to enter Canada legally. The number of undocumented people from Mexico entering Vermont from Canada has increased dramatically this year as Trump makes it harder for undocumented people to cross the USA-Mexico...
July 17, 2018
Brattleboro Police Kill at High Rate
In the past 17 years, Brattleboro police shot and killed two men in the town. During that time in Brattleboro, five other people were killed by people who were not police. So 29 percent of these people were killed by police.
In 2015, the most recent year for which data was available, in the USA there were 15,696 or so murders. That year, police killed 1,186 people in the USA. So 8 percent of these people were killed by police.
