community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Rustbelt Radio for July 16, 2007
by Pittsburgh IMC: Rustbelt Radio collective
Monday, Jul. 16, 2007 at 11:08 PM
radio@indypgh.org (email address validated) 412-923-3000 WRCT 88.3 FM
On this week's show... * local groups Just Health Care and the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Single-Payer Health Care organize around the film SiCKO * Anti-nuclear activist Corbin Harney passes away * A rare 1968 interview between author Julius Lester and poet and activist June Jordan * plus more in our local and global headlines
audio link: 
MP3 at 26.6 mebibytes
Welcome to this week's edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of the news from the grassroots, news overlooked by the corporate media.
On today's show...
Rustbelt Radio airs live every Monday from 6-7 PM on WRCT 88.3 FM in Pittsburgh, PA, and again on Tuesday mornings 9-10 AM. We're also on Pacifica affiliate WVJW Benwood, 94.1 FM in the Wheeling, West Virginia area, on Thursdays from 6-7 PM. And we're on WPTS, 10-11AM on Wednesday mornings at 92.1 FM from the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
We're also available on the internet, both on WRCT's live webstream at W-R-C-T dot ORG and for download, stream or podcast at radio dot I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot org.
We turn now to local stories.
The Pennsylvania state budget for fiscal year 2007, 2008 was supposed to be completed by July first. Sixteen days later, the budget is not complete, but some agreements have been made. The state budget deal reached July ninth will impact the Pittsburgh transit crisis.
Port Authority of Allegheny County Chief Executive Steve Bland said he is ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the deal will allow PAT to forgo the elimination of an additional thirty-four routes scheduled for September. [Quote], “It would allow us to not implement the September service reduction. The service out there now would be stabilized.” [End quote.]
The new transportation funding plan would provide 300 million dollars to bail out deficit-ridden mass transit systems, including the Port Authority of Allegheny County. The budget deal would create a fund by making I-80 a toll road. This fund would increase to 350 million dollars next year and 400 million dollars in two years.
Amanda Zeiders, of Save Our Transit, said [quote], “It took six years, but they’ve finally done something. It took the work and support of a lot of people to make this happen. They still have to finalize the vote, but everything looks good. It’s exciting.” [end quote] Save Our Transit is an organization of transit supporters demanding reliable public funding for mass transit.
Six House and Senate leaders met in a conference committee Sunday night to approve a 27.2 billion dollar spending package for the fiscal year that began July first. Both chambers could vote today, Monday, July 16. Treasury officials warned that paychecks for state workers may be delayed on Friday, July 20 if the budget is not completed today.
The Emerald Ash Borer, a beetle species introduced from Asia that fatally infests Ash trees, has been found in Pennsylvania. The ash borer was discovered in Michigan in 2002, although it probably arrived there at least ten years before, transported in wooden packing materials. It has almost completely eliminated ash trees in the lower Peninsula of Michigan, it has also spread extensively Ohio and Indiana, and it has been found in scattered locations in Ontario, Illinois, and Maryland. On June 21st the beetle was discovered in Cranberry, and in response the Natural Resources Conservation Service did an extensive field survey of the area. They found that hundreds of trees in northern Allegheny and Butler counties are infested. It also found strong evidence that the borers have been in the state undetected for more than a year and are spreading.
Pennsylvania has four species of ash trees- the green ash, the white ash, the black ash, and the pumpkin ash. The green and white ash are common in broadleaf forests, and the black ash is adapted to live in wetlands. Extensive stands of black ash are characteristic of many forested wetlands. While these species are widespread in eastern North America, the Pumpkin ash is geographically limited to the Great Lakes region, including Erie and Crawford counties in Pennsylvania. Ash trees make up 3-5% of Pennsylvania's total forest cover. Ash trees are also commonly used in landscaping, including in many areas of Pittsburgh. The ash is the latest in a series of human-introduced tree epidemics that have decimated many native tree species; previously lost from our forests and wetlands have been the American Chestnut and the American Elm, while the eastern hemlock, beech, and dogwood are currently declining.
The emerald ash borer kills trees within 3 to 5 years. The adults fly to new trees and lay eggs under the bark, where the larvae hatch and feed on the tree's inner bark. No control methods have been found that are both effective and environmentally safe. The adult beetles can travel only about half a mile; the rapid spread of the pest has likely been assisted by people transporting wood. To slow the borer's spread, State parks and forestry officials in Pennsylvania have now banned the transport of firewood anywhere in the state, and imposed a quarantine in Butler, Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties to restrict the movement of all ash nursery stock, green lumber, and any other ash material, including logs, stumps, leaves and wood chips. Because ash wood cannot easily be distinguished from other hardwoods, the quarantine applies to all materials that might contain ash.
With the spectre of near-extinction at hand for ash species, the U.S. Forest Service has started a program to collect ash seeds in order to preserve examples of its genetic diversity throughout the trees' natural range. Volunteers can take part by collecting the seed and sending it to a central repository. For more information, visit "emerald ash borer dot info"
For more on local news, you can visit pittsburgh dot I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot org.
You are listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news overlooked by the corporate media. We turn now to news from other independent media sources around the world.
Opposition to the War in Iraq has reached a record high with seven in ten Americans calling for the withdrawal of US forces, as stated in a recently released USA Today/Gallup poll. Poll results also show that George W. Bush’s approval rating has dropped from 33 percent in June down to 29 percent.
While many Americans have voiced their own opposition through protests and public rallies, two teenagers are taking an unique approach as they make a plea for peace. Ashley Casale, age 19, and Michael Israel, 18, are walking 3,000 miles from San Francisco to Washington DC on a March for Peace. Casale and Israel are using the march to promote several ideals including; nonviolent resistance, end of crimes against humanity, civil disobedience, ending nuclear weapon holding, and global citizenship
The two teenagers, who were strangers before the march began, united together after Casale made a public request for individuals that shared her vision to join her on the cross country trek. The march began on May 21 and the pair plan to arrive in Washington on September 11.
Casale talked with KGNU Community Radio about the purpose of the march and being stopped as they attempted to pass through the Rocky Mountain National Park:
That interview was courtesy of KGNU Community Radio’s Morning Magazine in Boulder, Colorado.
You can view a map of the travelers' completed route as well as their updated current location. For this information, more about the march, and ways that you can help, please visit www.marchforpeace.info
Last Wednesday, anti-nuclear activist Corbin Harney passed away from cancer. Harney, an elder and spiritual leader of the Western Shoshone Nation, helped to successfully halt plans for the Divine Strake, a high explosive test, in Nevada last year. More on Harney's life and work from Christina Aanestad of the Bay Area Independent Media Center.
That was Christina Aanestad of the Bay Area Independent Media Center. For more on the life of Corbin Harney, visit www.indybay.org.
You're listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
On Friday, June 29th 2007, Michael Moore’s film Sicko opened in theaters nationwide. The film, which documents the current state of the United States health care system, has helped many to take notice of the growing support for a single-payer universal health care system.
Locally, there are many organizations that endorse the national bill, HR 676 entitled “Expanded & Improved Medicare For All”. On April 17th 2007, the Allegheny County Council passed a resolution supporting the bill, joining many labor unions, religious groups, medical associations, and others.
One local group, the Western Pennsylvania Coalition for Single-Payer Health Care, has been working with lawmakers and the public to help garner support for HR 676, and to educate the public about a Single-Payer System. Rustbelt Radio spoke with two members of the coalition, Sandy Fox and Ed Grystar.
First, Sandy talks about the origin of the coalition and their goals.
Here's Ed on single-payer health care and the uphill battle against pharmaceutical and health insurance industries.
The Western PA Coalition for Single-Payer Heath Care and other groups have been passing out information at theaters where Sicko is shown. Again, Ed Grystar:
Sandy speaks about current health care myths, learning more information on a Single-Payer system, and how to get involved.
Just Health Care, another local organization, [Quote] “works to influence public policy and to educate, empower and mobilize citizens about the growing crisis in the U. S. health care system and encourage them to join and to support significant and meaningful health care reform.”[End Quote]. Not only does Just Health Care support a national single-payer plan, they also support state legislation. Rustbelt Radio spoke with Brian Stagno of Just Health Care and P.U.S.H., Pennsylvanians United for Single-payer Health Care.
One common myth is that Canadians come to America for treatment, because their wait lines are too long for non-emergency related visits. A 2002 study published in Health Affairs Journal found that, [Quote] “The vast majority of services provided to Canadians were emergency or urgent care, presumably coincidental with travel to the United States for other purposes. They were clearly unrelated either to advanced technologies or to waiting times north of the border.” [End Quote]
Brian Stagno:
More from Brian:
P.U.S.H. will be holding their monthly meeting on Monday, August 13th, 2007 at 6:15 PM at the First Unitarian Church, 605 Morewood Ave., on the corner of Morewood and Ellsworth avenues in Pittsburgh.
The Western PA Coalition for Single Payer Health Care will be handing out leaflets outside of theaters showing SiCKO. For information on volunteering, you can contact them at sicko@wpasinglepayer.org, or attend their meeting at the Sixth Presbyterian Church Squirrel Hill, on the corner of Forbes and Murray avenues, Tuesday July 24th from 7:00 to 8:30 PM.
For more information about Michael Moore's Film SiCKO you can visit www.michaelmoore.com/sicko .
From the Pacifica Radio Archives, we'll now hear a rare 1968 interview between author Julius Lester and poet and activist June Jordan. They discuss the political climate of the late 1960's, the struggles of oppressed peoples around the world, and strategies of resistance.
That was a Pacifica Radio Archives recording of an interview with poet and activist June Jordan and author Julius Lester. The piece was hosted by Brian DeShazor? and engineered by Christopher Sprinkle. For more information on this and other archival pieces, you may contact Pacifica at 1-800-735-0230 ext. 261.
And now we present the Indymedia Calendar of Events:
Thanks for tuning in to Rustbelt Radio here on WRCT Pittsburgh, WVJW Benwood and WPTS Pittsburgh.
Our hosts this week are Diane Amdor and Carlin Christy with contributions from Diane Amdor, Jessica McPherson? , Phill Cresswell, Vani Natarajan, and Veronica Milliner. This week's show was produced by Phill Cresswell, and Donald Deeley. Special thanks to all of our hosts, producers, and contributors.
You can get involved with Rustbelt Radio! To contact us, or to send us your comments, email RADIO at I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot ORG. All of our shows are available for download or podcast on our website at RADIO dot INDY-P-G-H dot ORG and this show can be heard again Tuesday morning on WRCT at 9 AM after Democracy Now!
Tune in next week at this time for another edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
Rustbelt Radio for July 16, 2007 (ogg vorbis)
by Pittsburgh IMC: Rustbelt Radio collective
Monday, Jul. 16, 2007 at 11:08 PM
radio@indypgh.org 412-923-3000 WRCT 88.3 FM
audio: ogg vorbis at 22.6 mebibytesaudio: ogg vorbis at 22.6 mebibytes
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