Category Archives: April 2016

Wild Iris Books celebrates Independent Bookstore Day April 30, 10 am – 4 pm

Independent Bookstore Day (IBD) is a national initiative that started in California and now includes over 400 indie bookstores across the nation. Every year they work with publishers to create special limited edition titles and merchandise and they encourage authors to partner with stores in their area to create a gathering centered around a love of literacy and community.

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Citizens group ‘Stand by our Plan’ defeats Plum Creek

On March 1, the Alachua County Commission voted to deny Plum Creek’s plan to destroy wetlands in our strategic Ecosystem east of Newnans Lake and the rural quality of life of our citizens that live there.

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History and the people who make it: Phil Fixico

Transcript edited by Pierce Butler.

This is the 34th in a series of transcript excerpts from the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program collection at the University of Florida.

Phil Fixico [F] was interviewed by Ryan Morini [M] in 2012.

M: Your date and place of birth?

F: July 23, 1947. Los Angeles, California. Racially, I’m African-Native-American. Culturally, I’m an aspiring Seminole Maroon descendant, but to the people of America who see me on the street, I’m just another flavor of black.

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David Swanson to speak on ‘War is a Lie’

Nobel Peace Prize nominee and activist David Swanson will speak in Gainesville, Sarasota and Jacksonville about the latest developments in the telling and the debunking of lies about wars. He’ll answer questions and sign copies of his new book, “War Is A Lie: Second Edition.”

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Veterans for Peace Memorial Day display on hold until next year

By Veterans For Peace, Gainesville

There will be no Veterans for Peace Memorial Day weekend display of tombstones this year in Gainesville.

We plan to come back next year, although the new design will condense the display and move it further from the parking area.

The former Gainesville City Commission voted to remake NW 8th Avenue into an ugly cement and asphalt speedway.

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All Joking Aside: An evening of short comedy skits presented by Sidney Homan and His All-Woman Company

A fund-raiser for the Doris Bardon Community Cultural Center, Friday, April 15, and Saturday, April 16 at 7:30 pm, donations at the door.  Suggested donations are $15 for the general public and $10 for students.  For more information call 352-378-9166.

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Gainesville Votes! pushes for city elections in the fall

by Harvey Ward

In times of deep political division finding common ground — even on local issues — is hard. We should be able to agree, however, that democracy works better when more citizens vote and that our government needs to be more efficient and less expensive.

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Keith Perry is coming for your utility

by Jason Fults

Feb. 25 was a great day for Florida Representative Keith Perry (R). Promising to “keep government off your back and out of your pocketbook,” he announced his bid for the newly-drawn Florida Senate district that includes all of Alachua and Putnam counties as well as part of Marion county.

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Post-election, pre-election

by Joe Courter

Yes we just had an election here in Gainesville, and it came out pretty well. With a higher voter turnout driven by contested presidential primaries, we saw Mayor Ed Braddy turned out of office by Lauren Poe, and Adrian Hayes-Santos score an overwhelming triumph in the City Commission race.

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Updates from Alachua County Labor Coalition

Fight for $15, Orlando — April 14

It’s time to take the Fight for $15 to the streets!

Nearly 64 million hardworking Americans make less than $15 an hour. That’s just not right – and on April 14, we’re standing together in Orlando to yell “enough.” Are you with us? We’re rallying to show that we support $15 and union rights for all working people. Fast-food workers will go on strike in 300 cities, including Orlando. 

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Editors’ picks: News that didn’t fit

Bernie Sanders, the Foreign-Policy Realist of 2016 by Robert English – Of all the presidential candidates of either party, Bernie is actually the most sober and clear-eyed.
http://www.thenation.com/article/bernie-sanders-the-foreign-policy-realist-of-2016/

Chomsky, Snowden, Greenwald on Privacy in the Age of Surveillance by Lauren McCauley – Panel discussion challenges the rhetoric that national security requires that governments can access individual communications.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2016/03/26/chomsky-snowden-greenwald-privacy-age-surveillance

Slain Activist Berta Cáceres’ Daughter: US Military Aid Has Fueled Repression & Violence in Honduras by Democracy Now! – This is a stunning and powerful segment of Democracy Now devoted to Honduras, and the political assassinations which have followed the coup that Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State allowed to stand.
http://www.democracynow.org/2016/3/18/slain_activist_berta_caceras_daughter_us?autostart=true

What’s the Matter with Liberalism? by Mike O’Connor Historian’s review of Listen, Liberal–or–What Ever Happened to the Party of the People?, Thomas Frank’s new book on how the Democrats came to represent yuppies rather than workers.
http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/162357

Why is Honduras the world’s deadliest country for environmentalists? by Autumn Spanne
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/07/honduras-environment-killing-human-rights-berta-caceres-flores-murder D

From the publisher: All we want is some truth, just give us some truth

2. Joe sketch with backSo the other night I got home about 9:45, and remembered the NCAA men’s basketball championship game was on. I flicked on the TV and started through the channels until I found it. As an underdog rooter, and not a big basketball fan, I was leaning toward Villanova, and my timing was great; score tied at 46 each in the second half.

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April 2016 Gainesville Iguana

April 2016 Iguana coverThe April 2016 issue of the Iguana is now available! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.