Rally for Clean Energy Jobs

As the city hunkers down to prepare for the G-20 Summit this week, State Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Pittsburgh) is revealing long-awaited plans for his intended use of Point State Park on the day before the Summit begins.

The festival-style event will focus on the need to create millions of clean energy “green” jobs in America, as well as show how Pittsburgh is a natural choice for leading such an initiative. Numerous speakers and musical entertainers of national and international acclaim are expected. Event details are below:

Name of Event: Rally for Clean Energy Jobs

Event Co-Sponsors: Senator Jim Ferlo (D-Lawrenceville), United Steel Workers, Alliance for Climate Protection, Blue Green Alliance, AFL-CIO

Event Location: Point State Park, City Side Festival Grounds - Pittsburgh, PA

Event Date: Wednesday, September 23
Event Time: 6-9 p.m.

Scheduled Speakers: Leo Gerard, International President, United Steel Workers; Carl Pope, Executive Director, Sierra Club; Richard Trumka, President, AFL-CIO; Maggie Fox, CEO and President, Alliance for Climate Protection; and more

Scheduled Entertainers: Da Flow Band, the Pittsburgh Gospel Choir, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Kathy Mattea, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers

“Our goals for this event are twofold,” said Ferlo. “First, this is a family-friendly event that hopes to draw the participation and interest of every Pittsburgher. Second, by mixing interactive entertainment and education into an overall program, we’ll provide a platform for the people of Pittsburgh to send a clear message to the world.

“I chose to focus on advocating for this issue during the Pittsburgh G-20 Summit, because transforming our economy through alternative energy investments that modernize infrastructure and the job market should be our top priority as a nation and a planet.”

The event is wheel chair accessible, free, and open to the public. Reserved seating tickets are available on a limited basis. For ticket information, email Mikhail at mpappas@pasenate.com, or call 412-621-3006.

City's Official G20 Website Announced

A website that will serve as the City of Pittsburgh’s official information for all traffic and safety information leading up to G20 has been announced. Please go to http://www.g20safety.org/ and sign up now to receive emergency and general information text and email alerts. As the City makes important decisions that will affect community members, such as permitted protest marches that may affect your neighborhood streets, we want to make sure that you are in the know.

Early in the week beginning Sept. 14, the City will be releasing its G20 traffic and transportation plan. All relevant information regarding this plan including parking restrictions, traffic detours, and road closures will be posted on the site. The goal is to give you all of the information in an easy-to-understand fashion. There will be maps to serve as guidance, and the City will announce a special G20 “311” information hotline that will be up and running before and during the summit to handle concerns regarding traffic and the like.

The People's Summit

In response to the G-20 Summit taking place in Pittsburgh on September 24-25, 2009, a broad partnership of educational institutions and social justice advocacy groups is organizing a People’s Summit to discuss global problems and seek solutions that are informed by the basic principles of genuine democracy and human dignity. We will draw together informed speakers and panels that will discuss problems we face and possible solutions. In addition we will organize interactive workshop discussions.

With the focus on issues of global justice and human development, linking the local, national, and global, the People’s Summit seeks to advance the:

1. elimination of hunger and poverty;
2. end to all forms of racism;
3. rights and dignity of labor;
4. freedom and empowerment of women;
5. education for all, especially for youth;
6. adequate health care as a basic human right;
7. creation of safe and inclusive communities;
8. end to war and to the conditions that cause war;
9. basic human rights of the vulnerable – refugees, immigrants, the disabled, etc.;
10. preservation of the planet’s ecosystem.

The People’s Summit envisions a world where basic rights—freedom of expression, freedom of thought and religion, freedom from fear, and freedom from want—are enjoyed by all people. Across a diversity and plurality of orientations, inspired by mutual respect and the spirit of solidarity, the participants of the People’s Summit give voice to an alternative world vision to the G-20 Summit, to the public officials, to all men and women of good will—a vision that will hopefully generate communal action and participation in Pittsburgh and beyond.

NEXT PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETING
Monday, July 6, 7:00 p.m.
Thomas Merton Center, 5125 Penn Avenue, in Garfield

For more information, contact Paul Le Blanc at 412-760-9716 or leblanp1@laroche.edu.