[CCPJ Update] February 15, 2012 Edition

Wed Feb 15 19:53:19 EST 2012

**
[image: CCPJ] <http://www.charlottesvillepeace.org/node/630>
*Charlottesville
Center for Peace and Justice   * [image:
CCPJ]<http://www.charlottesvillepeace.org/node/630>

...a simple truth that “*since wars begin in the minds of humans, it is in
the minds of humans that the defense of peace must be constructed…*”

WE are turning our community conversation toward peace and away from the
enmity and violence that dominate our lives. In these times of continuing
wars and public discord, envisioning peace seems like an impossible task.
But it is precisely in such times that the need for peace and non-violence
is greatest.

*Will you join us?*
 For a World of Justice and Peace for All.

*WEEKLY WITNESS FOR PEACE *

Join Us for weekly Thursday demonstrations from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. Come join
us at the corner of McIntire, Main and Water Streets, in front of the
Federal Building.  Drop-ins welcome! If we quit making war, we could stop
spending $735 billion every year for the military budget and fix our
deficits fast. Wouldn’t that be better than throwing our seniors, our kids
and our future under the bus?!!

*Charter for Compassion*

The Charter of Compassion is a cooperative effort to restore not only
compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the
center of religious, moral and political life. Compassion is the principled
determination to put ourselves in the shoes of the other, and lies at the
heart of all religious and ethical systems. One of the most urgent tasks of
our generation is to build a global community where men and women of all
races, nations and ideologies can live together in peace. In our globalized
world, everybody has become our neighbor, and the Golden Rule has become an
urgent necessity.

Watch the Video at Charter for Compassion <
http://charterforcompassion.org/site/> .

*Living Wage at UVA *

At our last CCPJ meeting on February 4, 2012, the Board and all
participants in the meeting voted to support a living wage at the
University of Virginia. It is our intent to better the lives of people in
the Charlottesville-Albemarle area by maintaining a minimum wage of $13.00
per hour for all UVA employees, including subcontractors. This contributes
greatly to the overall well being of this community and increases our
quality of life. This is a standard that the University can afford. Please
read the information below and participate in upcoming events:

*What is a Living Wage??*

 A living wage is calculated to reflect the basic needs of an average
family: a family of four with two full-time working adults and two
dependent children. The calculations account for a family‘s basic expenses
in seven categories: housing, food, transportation, health care, childcare,
taxes and a miscellaneous category that covers necessities like utilities
and clothing. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a nonpartisan think tank
based in Washington, DC, calculates that in Charlottesville a family needed
at least $4,000 per month to meet these needs in *2010*.

*This week*, Albemarle/Charlottesville groups have banded together to send
a community letter that the time is *NOW* to address a living wage at UVA
and that we support the student led group in it's efforts to obtain a
living wage of $13.00 per hour. The wage being called for by the students,
workers, faculty and community is adjusted to reflect current numbers from
the (EPI) and also adjusts for benefits paid by UVA to employees.

The community letter calls for:
- a living wage of no less than $13.00 per hour as the base pay for all
direct employees;
- cost of living adjustments that are automatic and annual;
- all contracts with University service providers to include a living wage
and cost of living adjustments

*Today*, after many years of negotiating with administrators, the Living
age Campaign issued a final ultimatum. Given the past several years of
efforts, these new demands reflect a changing tone in the campaign’s
history: *“if the University fails to explicitly address these concerns by
Friday, February 17, 2012, the campaign will take action to publicize the
unjust wages and employment practices currently in place at our
University.” ***
**
**

...and goes on to state, "*We stand with Workers And Students United and
fully support their demands as presented on February 8, 2012 and will stand
with them on February 17, 2012 and beyond if a commitment is not made to
ensure a living wage, safe working conditions, and job security for all
workers by that date."  *
**
*We are tired of this issue being in the news!!*
* Let's get it done, UVA!! *
*All the Waaaay, UVAAAA!!*
*Saturday, Feb. 18*
*12:00 pm*
*Madison Hall (University Ave. across from Rotunda)*
**
The living wage campaign will announce their Plans for Action if no
response is received from UVA on this matter. Stay tuned for further
information.

...PLEASE be ready to show the Board of Visitors that we want (a living
wage!) when they meet in Charlottesville* February 22-24. *Stay tuned for
more information on next week's events.

LOCAL AND STATE EVENTS

 *Saturday, February 18th:  AT from Dripping Rock to Humpback Mountain *

Time:  10:00 at Dripping Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Afton and
Reeds Gap

This will be an approximately six mile hike with an elevation gain of about
six hundred feet. We should have good views of the Wintergreen ski slopes
and the Rockfish and Shenandoah valleys. Good boots are essential and a
stick helpful if there is any ice, as the trail is rocky in places.  We
have the option of adding two miles total to include Humpback Rocks in our
itinerary.
Meet at 10:00 at Dripping Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Afton and
Reeds Gap.  The parking area is on the right headed north and about 5 miles
north of Reeds Gap. It would be best to approach the hike from Reeds Gap,
since if the parkway is closed because of ice or snow, we will park at
Reeds Gap and plan a back-up hike based on trail conditions.

Bring water, lunch, and clothing for winter conditions with wind exposure.
If the weather is questionable that day, call Janet (434 263-6199 ) that
morning for a recorded message.

*From our friends at Sojourners*:

*Sunday, February 19th: Meeting David Wilson*

Sojourners United Church of Christ will present the documentary *Meeting
David Wilson *February 19 at 12:00 pm. This is* *the story of a young black
David Wilson in Newark , NJ who researches his genealogy and discovers an
older white David Wilson in Caswell County , NC , whose family had owned
the younger David's family. When the two meet, their discussions and
developing friendship are inspiring. Please plan to attend this free
screening and facilitated discussion. Contact information: Sojourners UCC, 1017
Elliott Ave. , Charlottesville , VA 22902 ; 434-977-1481;
churchoffice at sojourners-ucc.org.

*Tuesday, February 28th: Public Planning Meeting for McIntire Park (East)*

The Charlottesvill Department of Parks and Recreation has scheduled the
next McIntire Park public meeting for *Tuesday, February 28th at 6:30 pm*at
the *MLK Performing Arts Center at Charlottesville High School*.  We will
be reviewing and discussing the revised concept plans from the previous
meeting.

After this meeting, the public comment and concept plans will be sent to
the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to begin the process of
consideration by appointed and elected bodies to include the Planning
Commission and City Council.

For more information, please visit www.charlottesville.org/mcintirepark

*March 7, 2012: Virginia Mountain Treasures*
* *
Time: March 7, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Location: McIntire Room of the Central Library at 201 E. Market Street in
Charlottesville.
Conservationist Ernie Reed will present the video "Virginia Mountain
Treasures" at the Sierra Club meeting on March 7.
This video slideshow highlights the outstanding wild areas of the George
Washington and Thomas Jefferson National Forests.
A must see for hikers and naturalists!
Sponsored by the Piedmont Group of the Sierra Club
Free! Refreshments & Door prizes.
For more information contact Tom at cruz.olivier at gmail.com or (434)
831-2408.
**
*Saturday, March 24th:  Howardsville Turnpike*

Time:  9:30 at Rockfish River Elementary School on Chapel Hollow Road just
off Route 151 in Nelson County

Join us for a six-mile hike and a smattering of local history on the old
Howardsville Turnpike.  The turnpike was built to carry goods from the
Shenandoah Valley to Howardsville for river transport on to Richmond.  It
was completed at about the same time as the Crozet railroad tunnel and was
thus obsolete before it ever really opened. There are wonderful rock walls
along the turnpike route.  The climb on this hike is gentle - think horses
pulling or walking in front of loaded wagons.
Meet at 9:30 at Rockfish River Elementary School on Chapel Hollow Road just
off Route 151 in Nelson County.  Chapel Hollow Road is about two miles
north of the intersection of Routes 6 and 151.  We will carpool from there
to the trail head, where parking is limited.

Bring water, lunch and clothing for the weather.  If the weather is
marginal that morning, call Janet (434 263-6199) for a recorded message.
Left-over snow piles may cause the hike to be canceled because parking will
be impossible.

*We are nonviolent. We are relentless.
*
**

There is now an Occupy Peace House in Washington, D.C., and it needs our
help and participation:

http://www.occupypeacehouse.org

*We're also needed here: *

Feb. 15-16, 2012, Washington, D.C., Forensic Evidence in the Fight Against
Torture <http://www.wcl.american.edu/secle/founders/2012/20120215.cfm>

*WE ARE EVOLVING!!*

Feb. 23, 2012, Fort Meade, MD, Arraignment of Bradley
Manning<http://www.bradleymanning.org/>
.

To urge the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award Bradley Manning the Nobel
Peace Prize, just email postmaster at nobel.no

**
*KEEP FIGHTING THE ROUTE 29 BYPASS!*

*Charlottesville 29 Bypass: A Road to Ruin.
*

Please sign this petition <
http://www.southernenvironment.org/cases/charlottesville_bypass>  to voice
your opposition to building the 29 bypass and your support for local and
state leaders to move forward with funding real solutions. And then forward
this link to your friends and neighbors.
The proposed bypass of U.S. 29 in Albemarle County is a colossal waste of
money, will not solve traffic problems for local drivers or
through-drivers, poses a serious health threat to our citizens, and will
forever mar our community. The bypass was a bad idea more than a decade
ago, when our local leaders voted against it and turned to pursuing real
solutions to traffic on U.S. 29. Despite the recent political rush to
revive it, the bypass is an even worse idea today. The 29 bypass is a bad
deal--but it's not a done deal!  Go to Stop the Bypass for more information
and to sign the petition <
http://www.southernenvironment.org/cases/charlottesville_bypass>  today!

For the last decade, the Charlottesville-Albemarle community has worked
hard to advance smarter, long-term solutions to the traffic on Route 29. A
number of major studies have shown that the best solutions focus on
addressing the sources of congestion rather than building an ineffective
bypass around it. The two most important ways to alleviate traffic on Route
29 are:

Build overpasses at the busiest intersections along Route 29 to eliminate
long traffic lights and backups; and

Complete a series of parallel roads along the corridor, including the
Hillsdale Drive Extension and Berkmar Drive Extended, to get much of the
local traffic off of 29.

In addition, we support better development practices on the Route 29
corridor that move away from big-box stores and toward pedestrian-friendly,
mixed-use developments that require less driving. Reliable and attractive
transit options will also help curb the number of cars on Rt. 29.

Please listen to NPR's article on VDOT's emails and efforts to mislead the
Public. Click this link. <
http://www.wvtf.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=768:emails-on-vdots-29-bypass&catid=48:wvtf-news&Itemid=119>

*KEEP THE BAN ON URANIUM MINING!!*

Ten months ago we launched the *Keep the Ban* coalition with a concerned
group of citizens, 1,000 signatures, 20 groups and one big goal: Keep the
Ban on uranium mining in Virginia. And while the industry spent millions in
lobbyists and trips this year, we were busy organizing and growing. Thanks
to you and your hard work, the uranium industry did not have the votes in
the General Assembly to introduce a bill to lift the ban. On January 19th,
Gov. McDonnell was forced to concede that a report from the National
Academy of Sciences identified “important questions related to the health
and safety of workers, the public, and the environment.” As a result, the
ban will stay in place for 2012.

At the same time, however, Gov. McDonnell directed Virginia’s health,
mining and environmental agencies to draft “conceptual regulations” for the
General Assembly to consider in 2013. Governor McDonnell’s directive to
create a draft statute and regulations, behind closed doors, is the first
step toward lifting the ban.

The uranium industry has yet to show the citizens of Virginia that uranium
mining can be done safely, and our legislators have not answered the
fundamental public policy question: does Virginia want to take on the
long-term economic and public health burden of mining uranium and storing
millions of tons of toxic waste in our state?
Before we create regulations, we need to answer the question: Is it worth
the risk to mine uranium in Virginia?

Call Governor McDonnell today. Tell him to Keep the Ban on uranium mining
permanent! (804) 786-2211.

We look forward to working with you to keep the ban on uranium mining
permanent. Stay engaged at www.KeepTheBan.org <http://www.keeptheban.org/> <
http://statevoices.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=62GKqHFkiaWkLSeXjR7TLp8YdQxyCzZa>
.

*PS Please help us spread the word by forwarding this email.*
*It's time for Virginia to be energy efficient!*

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is accepting public input on Dominion
Virginia Power's proposal to increase energy efficiency, giving us a rare
opportunity to demonstrate strong public support for energy efficiency, and
the public health and economic benefits it brings.

By expanding Virginia's energy efficiency programs, we'll save money that
would've been spent on dirty coal, reduce air pollution from coal fired
power plants, and help create jobs in Virginia. *According to a recent
report from the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, energy efficiency
policies could create as many as 28,500 new jobs in Virginia by 2020! *
**
The SCC should use all the tools at its disposal to advance cost-effective
efficiency investments in our state. Energy efficiency is the quickest,
cheapest, cleanest, and most abundant resource available to meet our energy
needs. Yet, Dominion is currently tapping only a small fraction of
available energy efficiency potential, which will not meet Virginia's 10%
efficiency goal by 2022.

Utilities like Dominion are in the best position to finance energy
efficiency programs because they already have extensive customer data and
engagement, and can affect large-scale improvements. As Virginia's largest
utility, Dominion can target energy efficiency services to customers that
use the most energy, and customers trust that they will deliver a good
product.
**
*Tell the SCC that you support Dominion's plans to increase their energy
efficiency programs, and you want to see annual increases to meet
Virginia's goal of 10% efficiency by
2022.<http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=acJNjcfDt5OtDVA2RVE4mQ>
*

Dominion is hooked on dirty coal, mined through mountain top removal, that
devastates Appalachian communities and environments and pollutes our air
and water. And the rising costs of coal will only become more of a burden
on local economies if we don't make the switch to clean energy.

Energy efficiency meets electricity demand at a fraction of the cost of
coal, and it's better for the environment and our health.

*Appalachian Voices Job Opening: Virginia Campaign Coordinator *

Appalachian Voices is seeking a talented and passionate professional with
environmental policy experience to help lead and execute our work in
Virginia from our Charlottesville office. Our Virginia program works to
move the Commonwealth toward a clean energy future by combating the social
and ecological impacts of coal mining, combustion, and waste disposal while
advancing energy efficiency and other clean energy alternatives.

Responsibilities include:

· Public communication and education on our issues, including media
outreach, online and social media tools, tabling, and public speaking
engagements

· Grassroots organizing and mobilization, both in-person and utilizing
action alerts and other online tools, including work with both our
statewide base and specific affected communities

· Communications with decision makers, including lobby visits, fact sheets,
and technical papers and reports

· Close coordination with, and outreach to, traditional and non-traditional
partners

· Campaign strategy and planning

Qualifications:

· Strong collaborative spirit, sound judgment, and leadership potential

· Excellent time management, work ethic, and organization

· Environmental policy experience

· Experience with energy and/or coal-related policy a plus

· Ability to understand and analyze complex technical and policy issues

· Aptitude for communication with volunteers, members, activists, media,
and the public

· Strong writing and oral communication skills

· Passion for the Central and Southern Appalachian region

Salary and Benefits:

Salary commensurate with experience and educational background. Benefits
include 3 paid weeks vacation, health insurance stipend, and 401(k).

*To Apply*: Submit a cover letter, resume, and three references by email
to: tom at appvoices.org. We will begin reviewing applications immediately and
will continue until the position is filled.

Visit www.AppalachianVoices.org <http://www.appalachianvoices.org/> for
more details on Appalachian Voices.

*UNION ORGANIZERS WANTED

* - Become a Union Organizer!-

Changing Our World Begins at Work!!

*Virginia Openings Available

*The AFL-CIO Organizing Institute (OI) is a paid job training and placement
program for people who want to fight for the rights of workers, immigrants,
women &people of color. Graduates of our training program are placed in
full time jobs as union organizers. The program has a 98% placement rate.

The OI is currently assisting our affiliate unions in hiring in Virginia.
You must have a driver’s license, be willing to travel and relocate in the
future.
Please send cover letter & resume to OIapps at aflcio.org <mailto:
OIapps at aflcio.org> . In your cover letter please answer the following
questions:

Why do you want to become a union organizer?

What has your role been in social justice or community work?

Women, people of color & bilingual speakers encouraged to apply. For more
information go to www.organize.aflcio.org <http://www.organize.aflcio.org> .

*CCPJ Mailing Address*:

The Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice

P.O. Box2012

Charlottesville,VA 22902

Email: ccpjnews at gmail.com <mailto:ccpjnews at gmail.com <ccpjnews at gmail.com>>

*CCPJ Board members *

William Anderson wha at virginia.edu <mailto:wha at virginia.edu<wha at virginia.edu>>

Kirk Bowers engineer1950 at comcast.net
<mailto:engineer1950 at comcast.net<engineer1950 at comcast.net>>

Brandon Collins brandoncollins at comcast.net <
mailto:brandoncollins at comcast.net <brandoncollins at comcast.net>>

Tony Russell taorivertony at gmail.com
<mailto:taorivertony at gmail.com<taorivertony at gmail.com>>

Virginia Rovynyak, Treasurer vgr4e at virginia.edu
<mailto:vgr4e at virginia.edu<vgr4e at virginia.edu>>

******************************************************************

 This E-mail comes from the Charlottesville Center for Peace and Justice
(CCPJ) at http://www.charlottesvillepeace.org <
http://www.charlottesvillepeace.org>

CCPJ's work depends on your participation and on your funding. Please
contribute what you can here: http://charlottesvillepeace.org/donate <
http://charlottesvillepeace.org/donate>

To submit Peace and Justice related events to the CCPJ website: Please use
the 'Submit Your Event for Listing' form at
http://www.charlottesvillepeace.org <http://www.charlottesvillepeace.org>
(Events submitted to the website will be considered for inclusion in this
weekly email newsletter.)

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