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Something Stinks in San Fernando! September 26th, 2011
Eco-Alert for residents of Pacoima, CA:
All American Asphalt must be held accountable for the odors coming from their facility. We are taking action to make sure that our voices are heard loud and clear: eliminate the smells now!
South Coast Air Quality Management District, the organization in charge of regulating the asphalt plant’s emissions, has given us a number to call and report these odors. 8 calls a day are needed in order for them to take action against All American Asphalt. The number is 800-288-7664. Your call can make a difference!
ICCR and IAF Community Organizers Join Forces Against Foreclosures September 16th, 2011
Interfaith Center on Corporate responsibility (ICCR) members, including the Missionary Oblates, have been working with Metro Industrial Areas Foundation affiliates to get Bank of America & Wells Fargo to take action on foreclosure issues in Prince William County, VA and Milwaukee, WI. This collaboration has produced results:
- In Milwaukee, CommonGround, Metro IAF’s affiliate has organized successfully, forcing banks including Wells Fargo and Bank of America to commit $15.2 million to finance blight removal, a 100+ new Nehemiah homes development, and jobs in the Sherman Park neighborhood hard hit by foreclosure.
- In Prince William County, VA, Metro IAF’s affiliate, VOICE, organized and directly confronted Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan at the 2011 annual shareholders meeting. This resulted in Bank of America senior leadership requiring reform of loan modification practices that has resulted in 250 backlogged modifications being resolved. Bank executives also committed to negotiate on VOICE’s demands that Bank of America fund housing counselors and reinvest hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild Prince William County neighborhoods devastated by foreclosures.
VOICE is organizing a 1,000 person public action on Sunday, October 30th with Senator Mark Warner (Senate Banking Committee) and bank officials.
Watch this moving video of an anti-foreclosure rally organized by VOICE in Northern Virginia last April:
Oblate Center for Peace and Reconciliation in Jaffna Launches Peace Week Activities September 15th, 2011
September 15th – 21st is International Peace Week and we at the Center for Peace and Reconciliation declare this week as a ” Week of Relationship”
Let us try to do any small act of Charity with the greater Love. In order to commemorate the week, CPR has organized different activities in Jaffna, Vanni, Manner, Colombo and Vavunia in the schools and the villages with the children and teachers. On the 21st there will be a 3 hour cultural programme with all the religious and ethnic groups.
The Center calls on all to pray for lasting peace and a reconciled society.
“Peace is not the material thing that we can buy from the shop but it is valuable gift that you have within yourselves. Each one struggles for a peaceful atmosphere but never goes back to the inner self where he/she has the serenity. The struggle of the center is not to change the society but to change the individuals to realize the inner thirst for peace.”
Peace week begins on the 15th of September and ends with the Peace Day on the 21st. “We are in the 7th year of our peace week activities, and having worked for 4 years with the struggle of the people, I personally confess that it is not failure when we look back the past years in our peace struggle.”
“Appreciating the contribution that the young generation has extended during the past years to build up a better society, we are also able to convince many people to walk in the direction of peace and Reconciliation. Our conviction is to bring individuals into the web of peace in order not to be trapped into going against the path of Peace and Reconciliation.”
Parish Environmental Committee Fights Local Asphalt Pollution September 12th, 2011
The latest news on activism regarding the possible air pollution from the All American Asphalt Company in San Fernando, CA:
The agency that regulates air quality in Los Angeles (SCAQMD) requires that at least eight different people from different households call to report a problem in one day in order for them to take action. Whenever you smell something that smells like asphalt call 1-800-288-7664. You have to report the type of smell, the day and time, where the smell is coming from, and if it continues. You will be asked for your name and contact information but that will be kept confidential. Most likely the smell of hot asphalt comes from All American Asphalt located at 11549 Bradley Av, San Fernando, CA 91340.
The environmental committee of Mary Immaculate will have a meeting at the San Fernando Park on Saturday, September 17 at 9:30 a.m. (on the benches near the basketball court) to motivate and guide more people to call when they sense this bad smell.
Progress on Emissions Testing of Asphalt Plant in Pacoima, CA August 26th, 2011
This is the latest news from the group from St Mary Immaculate in Pacoima, CA who are concerned about possible toxic air pollution from a local asphalt plant:
“Our efforts for a better air in Pacoima continue. This week some of the leaders will meet with a South Coast Air Quality Management District (air pollution control agency). We are going to give them a history of what we have done, we will tell them about the medical problems that many people in the area are suffering from, and will also tell them about out tour to All American Asphalt. We are going to request that they test for emissions around All American Asphalt at a level of 3 ft. high, and to identify stationary sources of strange odors which is why we started the investigation.”
