Blogs

Meet community activist Ruby Duncan

 

Black history is undeniably American history. The story of this great county is interwoven with the names, stories and accomplishments of Black Americans who gave everything they could to make this place a more tolerable place for ALL people to live.

 

In February America celebrates our Black History, recognizing the contributions, gifts and sacrifices that have helped move our country forward. In Nevada we are lucky to have a living legend, a mother who wanted a chance to work and earn a living wage to feed her family and ensure that the state was doing its due diligence.

Farewell to PLAN organizer Ikaika Regidor

 

One of my favorite quotes begins with "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." This, I believe sums up my experience working for PLAN. Coming on board in August of 2009, I feared being inadequate. I remember my first week in the office, I quickly became aware of the wealth of knowledge those around me possessed. 

 

In a sink or swim effort, I enthusiastically learned as quickly as I could, everything there was to know about Nevada politics.

Statement on foreclosure settlement

 

STATEMENT FROM THE CAMPAIGN FOR A FAIR SETTLEMENT

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 9, 2012

 

CONTACT: 

Mike Uehlein, Michael@berlinrosen.com, 317-506-3428

Bob Fulkerson, bfulkerson@planevada.org, 775-348-7557

Michael Ginsburg, mginsburg@planevada, 702-791-1965

 

FORECLOSURE DEAL PAVES WAY FOR FULL INVESTIGATION INTO BANKS OVER ECONOMIC CRASH

 

Imperfect Settlement Greatly Improved After Efforts by Key Attorneys General, Progressive Groups to Limit Legal Immunity for Banks, Strengthen Enforcement, Improve Benefits for Homeowners

 

New investigations by feds, states should

The largest toxic release generator in the US is still metals mining

On Friday Mineweb.com reported that according to the EPA’s Toxic Releases Inventory (TRI), metals mining is once again the “largest contributor of toxic chemicals released into the environment”:

The EPA's 2010 TRI data showed that 3.93 billion pounds of toxic chemicals were released into the environment, a 16% increase from 2009. "The increase is mainly due to changes in the metal mining sector, which typically involves large facilities handling large volumes of material," the agency said.

Weakening government oversight results in workers being hurt, not hired

Originally published in the Reno Gazette Journal, 12/01/2011:

 

 

The idea that government regulations stifle job creation is as pervasive and dogmatic as the flat-Earth theory was in 15th century Europe. And it's just as wrong.

 

High standards hold reckless corporations accountable and help businesses succeed by doing the right thing. But corporations from BP to factory farms to the mining industry would shelve these basic values in the name of ever-increasing profits for their top executives.

Bob's Mining Oversight and Accountability Commission testimony

 

Below is public testimony our executive director Bob Fulkerson delivered before the Mining Oversight and Accountability Commission this morning:
 
 
December 20, 2011
TO: Mining Oversight Advisory Committee Members
FR: Bob Fulkerson, PLAN
RE: First Meeting
 

First of all, thank you for your service to Nevada.


The Mining Oversight and Accountability Committee: The words “Accountability” and “Oversight” say it all. MOAC was established to stop the piecemeal approach to oversight of the mining industry in Nevada.

Occupy Barrick

Note: This is the second post of a three-part series about building strategic collaborations between existing social justice organizations the Occupy Wall Street movement in Nevada and nationally.  See the first post here.

As people all over the country are opposing economic inequality, greed, and threats to human rights, one multinational mining corporation operating in the American West has pursued a shameful legacy with little public notice.

Canadian-based Barrick Mining is the largest gold mining corporation in the world, producing 7.8 million ounces of pure gold in 2010 from 26 mines

Tags: 
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Building Collaborations with the Occupy Movement

A blog by our State Director, Bob Fulkerson

I’ve been part of building coalitions and campaigns around various social justice and environmental issues for almost 30 years. But this is the first time I’ve seen the synergy between various factions and issues and the organic way that a new movement is rising up with spontaneous energy at the grassroots level.



The Occupy movement has broken through the American consciousness around vast inequality thanks to the new lens of the 99%. It’s important that the professional left, like PLAN and national organizations, don’t attempt to co-opt or take

A tribute to Bob Fulkerson from Kalamazoo

Our state director Bob Fulkerson returned to Nevada last week after a 10-week sabbatical in Kalamazoo, Michigan where he was an Arcus Social Justice Leadership Fellow at Kalamazoo

 

Check out Megan Davis' "Love is What You Do" video and learn about Bob's time in Kalamazoo and his strong Nevada roots:

 

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And to keep up with our "Thankful" theme this month, Bob says:

"I'm thankful because I'm blessed to work with such talented and dedicated young leaders who want to make Nevada a more humane state."

Joe Edson, PLAN systems director on what he's thankful for

For the past nine years of the eleven that I have worked with PLAN, I have supervised the practicum student interns from the UNR school of social work, and I am most thankful for the dedication and vitality that these young adults are bringing back to progressive ideas for our society.


As a member of the boomer generation—a demographic that has always been subject to a 50-50 split in ideology since the Vietnam War—I have seen too much entrenchment in the status quo which, in large part, we have created.

Hey PLANistas, what are you thankful for?

For the remainder of November, PLAN staff will use this blog space to talk about what we're thankful for. The end of the year is a time to reflect on past victories, defeats and growth, and we want to share our thoughts with the people we are most thankful for, our supporters!

 

Mario Delarosa, our immigration rights activst, says he's thankful for:

 

“I am thankful we, progressives, were able to defeat all anti-immigrant bills this year!”

 

During the 2011 legislative session, Progressive helped defeat two anti-immigrant bills: AB252, the "e-verify" bill and AB430 that would require

We love good news! Progressives scored victories across the United States!

Last night Progressives stood up in solidarity and fought back against repressive laws.



Maine:
More than 60% of voters repealed a new law that took away access to same-day voter registration.

 


Ohio:
In an overwhelming victory for working families, 62% of voters (winning 82 of 88 counties) rejected their governor's attempt to destroy collective bargaining rights.

 


Mississippi:         
Voters rejected a wildly extreme measure that would give personhood to a fertilized egg, raising the possibility that if passed, it would be a crime to miscarry.



Michigan:
The voters of Traverse City fought

Stand up for small business, reject Wall Street greed

If you have turned on the TV in the last month, it will be no surprise that small businesses are hurting in Nevada.

 

Our unemployment rate is the worst in the nation and the “job-creators” don't seem to be creating those jobs they promised in exchange for their tax cuts. Both sides of the political aisle agree that small businesses are the way out of this economic hardship.

Water Grab Hearings Start on Monday in Carson City

Guest blog by Abby Johnson of the Great Basin Water Network

 

 

Water Grab Hearings Start on Monday in Carson City

On Monday, Nevada's state water engineer, Jason King, will begin a six week hearing to decide whether Southern Nevada Water Authority should be given permission to pump and export "unappropriated" water from Spring Valley, and Cave, Dry Lake, and Delamar Valleys in White Pine and Lincoln Counties. These hearings are a do-over, mandated by the Nevada Supreme Court based on lawsuits brought by Great Basin Water Network www.greatbasinwater.net and other protestants to question

Cuts to HHS and the tragic shooting in Carson City

 

Carson City -- A tragic event happened Tuesday in Carson City.  A mentally ill Nevadan opened fire in a public restaurant and parking lot.  People died during this rampage, including uniformed members of Nevada's National Guard, as did the shooter.  That afternoon, PLAN’s Economic Justice Committee along with the Human Services Network and the Nevada Values Coalition heard the results of the cuts to State services from the 2011 Legislative Session by Michael Willden, Director of the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. 

 

 

In spite of growing the Human Services budget from

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