Striking a Blow Against Pet Overpopulation

My friends at Voices for Animals and the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA just released the final tallies from their 2007 Spay-Neuter Clinic program:

http://caspca.blogspot.com/2007/12/2007-spayneuter-clinic-totals.html

Since one unspayed female cat can produce 30 kittens a year, and each of her daughters can eventually produce 30 kittens a year...pretty soon you're talking about a whole lot of unwanted cats, many of whom do not find homes and end up being euthanized by the SPCA. So spaying or neutering 800 cats in one year is an amazing accomplishment. Thanks and congratulations to both organizations for taking this on.

The Spay-Neuter Clinics are always looking for volunteers (I've done it myself, it's a very well-run program), just call 979-1200 or e-mail feralcats@voicesforanimals.org to find out how you too can get involved. Scamperdude has a great photo essay that shows exactly what takes place at these Clinics: http://www.scamperdude.com/FeralClinic.htm

p.s. The sweet little kitten in the picture (Violet) is one of the lucky ones -- she and her sister Hermione found a good home last year through an ingenious/nefarious "2-for-1" adoption special at the SPCA -- how could I say no to that??

All I Want for Christmas is $75,000

We're heading into the busiest month of the year for PACEM, and last week we launched a fundraising drive to raise all the cash we need to keep our doors open through the end of our winter shelter season in March.

If anyone reading this is in a particularly charitable mood and/or is looking for a good end-of-year tax write-off, please keep us in mind! (I'm pleased to say that since we launched our drive we've already had about $20,000 in donations come our way -- not all of which were in direct response to this appeal, but still, every penny counts and every penny helps.)

Merry Christmas!

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December 18, 2007

PACEM Launches Month-Long Fundraising Drive to Ensure Winter Shelter for the Homeless

Group Seeks to Raise $75,000 by Mid-January So No One in Charlottesville Has to Sleep Outside this Winter

PACEM (People And Congregations Engaged in Ministry) has launched a month-long fundraising drive to ensure that no Charlottesville-area resident has to sleep outside this winter. "If we are able to raise $75,000 in donations and pledges from individuals, businesses, congregations and philanthropic groups by mid-January, then we will be able to keep our doors open to the homeless through the end of our shelter season in March," said Downing Miller, PACEM Board Chair. "All donations to PACEM are tax-deductible and are used in a cost-effective manner to provide shelter and support for those of our neighbors who would otherwise be sleeping out on the streets during the dead of winter."

Since its inception in 2004, PACEM has operated a low-barrier shelter program for homeless men and women who have nowhere else to sleep at night, with local congregations providing shelter space and meals in their fellowship halls for 1-2 weeks at a time during the cold winter months (November-March). PACEM also offers emergency lodging to homeless families with children through short-term stays at area hotels.

During its first three winters of service, PACEM provided over 16,200 nights of shelter and over 45,000 meals to over 500 different homeless individuals. On average, PACEM houses between 40-50 men and 10-15 women each night at two separate shelter sites. Over 50 Charlottesville-area congregations are involved with PACEM at some level. In the past three years, PACEM has raised over $500,000 from a combination of grants, congregational donations, and contributions from individuals, civic organizations and businesses.

"The money's been very well-spent," said Dave Norris, PACEM's Executive Director. "Last year it cost us $30.46 per person per night to ensure that each of our guests had a warm and safe place to sleep, three meals to eat, and year-round assistance in accessing vital community services. Compare that to the cost of keeping someone in a hospital bed (approx. $1,000/day), a mental health facility (approx. $750/day), a jail cell (approx. $80/day), or a hotel room (approx. $60/day just for the room), all of which are routinely used as 'shelter' for the homeless, and I think people will see that PACEM is a good investment on the part of our community."

Donations to PACEM can be sent to:

PACEM
P.O. Box 14
Charlottesville, VA 22902

Or you can make a secure on-line donation via Donor Town Square at:

http://www.donortownsquare.com/donate_redir.aspx?ai=415&qs=TMC3C

PACEM is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

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Best Blog Post of 2007, Hands Down

How can you even think of topping a blog post entitled "Happy Merry Cheer and Castration Proposal: The Real Story of Christmas"?? And it gets better from there. See for yourself. Three cheers for Maiaoming.

Mayor Norris

As Rick Sincere first noted, I did indeed announce on Coy Barefoot's radio show this afternoon that I will most likely be the next Mayor of Charlottesville, as of our Council meeting on January 7. I have big shoes to fill, including our current Mayor's and all of the other esteemed leaders before him (I doubt there are many cities in the U.S. that have as many living ex-Mayors as we do!). I am looking forward to working with our presumptive new Vice Mayor, Julian Taliaferro, and the other members of Council to continue making good progress on the many challenges before us, especially & including the primary issues that brought me to Council in the first place: affordable housing, environmental sustainability, youth development and poverty & race. If anyone wants to know what direction Julian and I will help to take the City in the coming years, our overall course has already been laid out: City Council 2025 Vision Statement. There's much work to do to realize that lofty vision, but I'm up to the task.

I will make mistakes as Mayor, I can guarantee you that. But I/we will get a lot done to make this a better community, I can guarantee you that too.

UPDATE: Seth Rosen has a good write-up about this over at DailyProgress.com.

"Postcards from Charlottesville," Show #3

The third edition of my new TV show, "Postcards from Charlottesville," aired last Friday (Dec. 14) and featured a discussion on clean energy and mountaintop removal coal mining with two Charlottesville residents who are leading the charge on these issues: Hannah Morgan of Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards/Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and Mike McCoy of Appalachian Voices. Click here for an on-line video version of the show:

http://charlottesville.granicus.com/ASX.php?publish_id=71&sn=charlottesville.granicus.com

Clean Energy for Cville & Beyond

At our City Council meeting next Monday, Dec. 17, we'll be considering a resolution that would bolster efforts to promote renewable energy and energy conservation & efficiency in Charlottesville and throughout the Commonwealth. The resolution also calls for a moratorium on the development or expansion of new coal-fired or nuclear facilities in Virginia, given the enormous environmental threats posed by each -- and given the fact that they could be rendered completely unnecessary if we just got a little smarter when it comes to conservation and efficiency. (It doesn't help that Virginia ranks LAST in the country in per capita utility spending on energy efficiency. First place? My mother's home state, Vermont.)

For more information on what you can do to help in the effort to curb "dirty energy" in Virginia, here are two sites to visit (note that the deadline for submitting public comments on the Wise County mountaintop removal coal-fired plant is TODAY):

Wise Energy for Virginia
No New Nukes

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Here is the text of the proposed City Council resolution:

RESOLUTION COMMITTING THE CITY OF CHARLOTTESVILLE TO THE PURCHASE AND PROMOTION OF CLEAN ENERGY ALTERNATIVES

WHEREAS, the City of Charlottesville has demonstrated its commitment to addressing the critical challenges of climate change and increased dependence on non-renewable, polluting energy sources by, among other actions:

• Implementing an Environmental Management System since 2003 with goals of compliance, pollution prevention, environmental improvement, and sustainability;
• Pursuing and promoting energy conservation and efficiency in City operations, resulting in substantial cost savings to City government and City schools;
• Signing on to the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in 2006; and,

• Adopting a resolution endorsing the development of renewable energy resources, including wind turbines, in Virginia in 2007; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement specifically commits signatories to:
• reduce global warming pollution;
• increase the use of clean, alternative energy;
• advocate for the development of renewable energy resources;
• make energy efficiency a priority in municipal operations; and,
• “help educate the public, schools, other jurisdictions, professional associations, business and industry about reducing global warming pollution”;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Charlottesville shall:

1. Express to the Virginia Energy Purchasing Governmental Association (VEPGA)/Dominion Virginia Power its interest in purchasing electricity from renewable energy sources generally, and from the Highland New Wind project specifically; and,

2. Explore creation of a municipal aggregation program to demonstrate community demand for renewable energy alternatives; and,

3. Explore creative options for development of local Renewable Energy Generation Projects (defined by Dominion Virginia Power, which seeks to partner in the development of such projects, as “energy projects derived from sunlight, wind, falling water, sustainable biomass, energy from waste, wave motions, tides, and geothermal power”); and,

4. Redouble its efforts to promote energy conservation and energy efficiency within City and School operations; and,

5. Develop and implement a high-profile campaign, similar to the “Fresh Aire” initiative in Arlington, which promotes energy conservation and energy efficiency within the community at large; and,

6. Petition the Commonwealth of Virginia to create a mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standard for public utilities and, further, to place a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants (such as proposed for Wise County) and expansion of existing nuclear power plants (such as proposed for North Anna) until there has first been a significant expansion of investment in energy conservation and energy efficiency efforts and development of renewable energy alternatives. Through these kinds of investments we can obviate (or at least substantially delay) the need to increase our reliance on non-renewable, polluting energy sources.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of December, 2007.

Mountaintop removal coal mining, in all its destructive glory

Random Photograph My Son Found By the Side of the Road the Other Day

You know this dog is just muttering under his breath, "Wolves....I came from wolves."

If you know the rightful owner of this photo or of this dog, let me know where to send the picture.

Me and Dennis Kucinich, We're Cousins

Dennis Kucinich came to Charlottesville yesterday and I was one of 500+ people who got to hear him speak at the Albemarle County Office Building. I decided some time ago that I would be supporting Barack Obama in this race, but I wanted to hear what Kucinich had to say and wanted to cheer him on for saying it. Dennis Kucinich is not just running for President of the United States. He is, more importantly, running to perfect the human condition by transforming the very basis of interpersonal and international relations to a new paradigm of peace, cooperation and non-violence. We need more politicians who speak unashamedly of such things.

Unlike Obama's fired-up pep rally at the Pavilion last month, Kucinich's talk was much more subdued...philosophical...real. Plus, Kucinich (unlike Obama) was remarkably approachable. After his speech, which he concluded with my favorite RFK quote*, he hung out in the lobby and made time to chat with whoever wished to make his acquaintance. I went up and introduced myself to him as "a fellow vegan elected official" (I don't know how many of us there are in this country, my guess is we could hold that convention in the checkout aisle of the health food store), and he asked me my name, what position I hold, etc. When I told him my name, he was pleasantly surprised; turns out his mother is a Norris too, Ms. Virginia Norris ("from County Mayo") to be exact. We jokingly decided we must be cousins somewhere along the line. When I told him I serve on the Charlottesville City Council, he said that's where he got his start too, as a City Councilor; he then asked if I would consider introducing a Council resolution supporting the creation of a federal Department of Peace and Non-Violence, as many cities across the country (including, most recently, Los Angeles) have done. I told him I would be happy to look into that. It was a very brief conversation but I was very impressed with his sincerity and good nature.

I may just have to add a Dennis Kucinich bumper sticker to my car next to the one for Barack Obama. You know, now that we're family and all.

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* "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." -- Robert F. Kennedy, Day of Affirmation Address, Capetown, South Africa, June 6, 1966

One More Good Reason (As If You Needed Another One) To Patronize Ragged Mountain Running Shop

Throughout the month of December, Ragged Mountain Running Shop on Elliewood Ave. is donating a portion of its sales to PACEM and two other wonderful non-profits (Shelter for Help in Emergency and the Food Bank). Mark and Cynthia Lorenzoni, RMRS' longtime proprietors, are true "pillars of our community" and even if they hadn't generously included PACEM in this effort I'd still be encouraging you to shop there. And while you're at it, go across the street and visit my friends at Sublime for the downright tastiest smoothies and juices and teas, oh my!

Curious Omission

There's been a good amount of commentary recently about the Republican Party of Virginia's controversial decision to institute a "loyalty oath" for voters in the 2008 Republican Presidential Primary, which the RPV subsequently overturned (to near-universal praise, as in this editorial in yesterday's Daily Progress). It's curious to me that there's been no mention (best I can tell) of the fact that the Charlottesville Democratic Party has for years required the very same kind of oath by participants in its nominating caucus. I've never liked it, frankly, for many of the same reasons that have been mentioned in opposition to the Republican Party's short-lived loyalty oath. Is it time for our oath to go too?