Sarasota Indymedia Top Stories

Orlando Food Not Bombs Members Found Not Guilty

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:46:24 -0700

Late this afternoon--May 9--a jury acquitted 5 members of Orlando Food Not Bombs--Ryan Hutchinson, Bryan Jones, Brett Mason, Eric Montanez, and Will Vertlieb--of charges they had violated a City of Orlando noise ordinance. The five were arrested in June of 2007 for drumming "too loudly" during a protest against the homelessness policies of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. (The State's Attorney dropped the charge against the 6th defendant, a juvenile, and refused to prosecute the adult defendants who were then prosecuted by the city prosecutor.) The protest took place outside of a restaurant where Dyer was having a campaign fundraising event. The defendants were able to reclaim their drums, which had confiscated as "evidence" by Orlando police, after their acquittals.

Activists Reclaim the Streets Against War

marlon — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:20:24 -0700

On May Day, international worker's day, activists in Sarasota held a Reclaim the Streets party to protest the US role in war at home and abroad. Protesters shut down the street outside Vern Buchanan's office in solidarity with workers all over the country who shut down ports and trucking routes in opposition to the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

Between 100-200 people participated in the festival of resistance, dancing, drumming, breaking piñatas, drawing on the street, and chanting. Police responded by arresting two people and eventually forcing demonstrators out of the street. A spirited spontaneous march through downtown followed the street party.

Video 1

Video 2

Anti-war Protestor Arrested For Climbing Lightpole

Two Arrested During May Day Street Party

More interviews, video, and eye-witness accounts will be added as they're posted.

CIRV Starts Second IRV Initiative, Moves to Ban Business and Corporate Contributions in County

viva la revolucion — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 02:11:53 -0700

SARASOTA COUNTY REGISTERED VOTERS: Download, Print and Mail your signature to CIRV! Get 5 of your neighbors to sign it (good excuse to meet your neighbors)!

The Coalition for Instant Runoff Voting (CIRV) in Florida has begun their second initiative in Sarasota County for Instant Runoff Voting (IRV). This new initiative will also limit contributions to "natural born persons," effectively excluding corporate and business interests from donating for county elections.

Earth Day Protest Against SAVE Act (video)

marlon — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:11:19 -0700

Activists in Sarasota, FL storm congressman Vern Buchanan's office on Earth Day to demand he withdraw support for the SAVE Act.

Newtown Redevelopment Plan Begins this Week

Isabel — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:50:19 -0700

On March 14th and 15th, the Sarasota Housing Authority (SHA) held a conference to educate residents and the public on the Newtown Redevelopment Plan. William Russell, director of the Housing Authority states that the plan will “replace 388 units of distressed public housing with approximately 850 units of housing that will be one-third public housing, one third affordable housing and one-third market rate”.
The conference was organized by Janie Poe resident council president, Valerie Buchand, and the Orange Avenue, Courts, and Bertha Mitchell resident council president, Jackie Green. Both presidents are long-term Sarasota residents working to help families in public housing relocate and stay connected. In an interview two months ago, Buchand explained, “There is a lot more to moving a family out of the community than you may think.” Residents recieve Section 8 vouchers to move to other public housing. Buchand said, “some moved out of the city, some moved to other public housing, and some moved to Northport or Bradenton."

All Power to Imagination! The Ivory Tower Meets Grassroots This Weekend at Conference on New College Campus

A Roc — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:51:31 -0700

Academia & Activism: The Unbridgable Chasm?

This is a source of constant debate amongst activists, academics and community organizers of all shapes and sizes. Do grassroots organizations have anything to learn from the Ivory Tower? Does the fact that an often-detached academia is two, five, ten years behind the times (when they don't miss the boat all together) make it irrelevant to movement? Does the nature of the division of labor in our society naturally create the unequal power relationship characterized by a 'vangard' of academics trying to direct the masses through policy and their 'superior knowledge'?!

There are no simple answers, and I will not pretend to try and tackle the issues here. Why would I when this weekend, there will be a powerful event in our own backyard that is down for the cause?

Anti-War Banner on US 41

Isabel — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:38:56 -0700

Film showing a banner drop on US 41 and Myrtle in Sarasota on the fifth anniversary of the occupation of Iraq.

Music by Snoop Doggy Dogg

Food for the People: Mad Farmer Liberation Front hosts Weekly Potlucks

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 07:05:47 -0700

by Jose Godinez 02/08

An Interview with spokeswoman Julia Onnie-Hay

The Mad Farmer Liberation Front (MFLF) is a group of activists that hosts a community potluck every Monday at Gillespie Park. In the words of potluck host Julia Onnie-Hay, “This is grassroots, anarchist social services.”The name Mad Farmer Liberation Front comes from the title of a poem by Christian farmer-poet Wendell Berry.

“The process [of how the Potluck originated] was really an act of the Divine that came through going to church and praying together,” acknowledges potluck cook Julia Onnie-Hay . However, Julia also acknowledges that spirituality is not a driving factor for everyone in the group. “When people ask us if we’re a church, [we tell them that] we’re not a church,“ says Julia as we chat in her house and I type her words into my laptop.

Secure Bicycle Parking is Approved in Sarasota

mikelmodem — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 09:23:44 -0700

On February 27,2008, the City of Sarasota Planning Board met to consider 15 changes to theCity Zoning Code. After apresentation by Bicycle/Pedestrian Advocates (BPA) staff and members, as wellas members of the Sarasota County Bicycle/Pedestrian/Trails Advisory Committee(BPTAC), the Planning Board directed City Planning staff to develop a zoningchange that requires secure bicycle parking, in the form of lockers, chain-linkcages, or locked rooms, in future city parking garages.

"Immigrants and the 2008 Elections: What is at Stake?": Commentary on Saturday's Immigration Forum

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:04:04 -0700

MISinformation. MISconceptions. MISdirection.

Such was the focus of Saturday’s Immigration Forum at First United Methodist Church of Sarasota (February 23, 2008) . Keynote speaker Maria Rodriguez, Director of the Florida Immigrants Coalition, presented the audience of eighty or so attendees with an array of facts and figures refuting claims propagated largely by political pundits. Informational booklets were handed out, presenting some of the well-known myths and realities about immigration, everything from employment to crime.

What of these MISs then?