Welcome to HotLines.  We send you HotLines, Benton county Democrats' subscriber e-letter, on the 1st and 15th of the month to let you know how you can keep the Democratic party strong here at the grassroots level.

Send us your announcements, news of events of interest, and needs for volunteers.  We'll pass them along.

1.  ACTION NEEDED
2.  ANNOUNCEMENTS
3.  EVENTS
4.  VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
5.  SUCCESSES
6.  THANKS
7.  SHORT TAKES

 1. ACTION NEEDED

APRIL GARAGE SALE:  Friday/Saturday, April 13th and 14th. Location:  Marion McNamara's home, 822 N.W. 36th St, Corvallis.  As you do your spring cleaning in March, please consider donating some items that can be sold at this event.   Contact Barbara Ross, (752-3605), or William Switzer  if you have items you would like to contribute or would like to have picked up.  This is our first fundraiser of the year.  Let's work together to make it a good one.

2. ANNOUNCEMENTS

Do you know a Corvallis business that would like to take out a small ad in our BCDems Blue Pages? We're hoping to defray the cost of printing and mailing to everyone listed in the directory. If you know of someone who'd like to take a small ad (at $30, $50, or $100), please contact Marion McNamara.  Our directory is a good working tool for grassroots organizing, and lists many important contacts for easy use. Please pitch in to help make this the best organizing tool we can manage to make it. For other questions, email Davi Richards.

 
From the BCDems' Chair (Sam Sappington):

BCDems may now congratulate the Democratic Party of Oregon's newly elected officers - Chair: Meredith Wood Smith, Male Vice Chair: Jesse Cornett, Female Vice Chair: Jill Thorn, and Secretary: Rebecca Gladstone.  For now, email comments, ideas, & suggestions for new officers to info@dpo.org.

Don't forget, TODAY, March 15th, is the filing deadline for candidates for the May 16 Special District Election Ballot, including our local school board, community college boards, water boards, and fire districts.  Filing forms are available online at the Benton County Elections Office web site. www.co.benton.or.us/admin/elections/index.php

3. EVENTS

DAILY VIGIL protesting the war in Iraq, 5-6 pm in front of the Courthouse on 4th Street.  Democrats gather there on THURSDAY each week, A NEW DAY TO COINCIDE WITH NEW WEEKLY "SURGE DAYS."

March 15, Thursday, 7:00 pm:  BCDEMS REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING, Grace Lutheran Church, Harrison and Kings, Corvallis.  Doors open at 6:30.  Program: "State of the City" presented by Charlie Tomlinson,  Mayor of Corvallis.  Bring your questions.

March 15, Thursday, 8 am-4 pm: PRO-CHOICE LOBBY DAY in Salem.  Join hundreds of pro-choice volunteers from across the State to advance reproductive justice right here in Oregon.  Location: First United Methodist Church, Micah Building, 600 State St. Hosted By:   Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon; contact publicaffairs@pphsso.org (541-342-6042 x-31) for more info.
 
March 17, Saturday (St. Patrick's Day): The Dem Party of Oregon sponsors a Portland fund-raiser to begin a campaign fund for our next US Senate candidate.  The program will include dinner, entertainment, silent auction, and live auction.  Tickets are $50 per person.  The luckiest bidder of all wins air fare to and lodging in Ireland.  Contact: info@dpo.org.

March 17, Saturday, 11:00 am:  PEACE MARCH to protest the Bush Administration's immoral war. Folks will gather on 1st St., behind the Super 8 Motel just north of the Harrison St bridge, at 11 am; the march will begin at 11:30 and end at the Benton County Courthouse, with one or two brief speakers and some appropriate music. Bring signs; wear color; beat drums. We're hoping for nearly 1,000 people.  More info about parade route and times, contact Dennis Dugan duganda@gmail.com. or Rich Daniels rdaniels@peak.org.

March 18, Sunday, 6:00 pm:  CORVALLIS BASIC RIGHTS ACTION TEAM will meet at the OSU Pride Center, 15th & A Sts. Update of SB2 and HB2007 in the Oregon legislature is on the agenda.

March 19, Monday, noon:  SILENT MARCHING VIGIL to mark the actual day of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.  Wear black or dark clothing for this respectful and silent vigil.  Gather at 12th & Monroe, across from the Methodist Church, Monroe/12th St.  Folks will dress in black (dark) clothes (in the mode of Women in Black)--signs and banners welcome--and will be led by a solemn drummer up Monroe to the Memorial Union steps for a silent vigil. 
 
March 20, Tuesday, 7-9 pm: TOWN HALL MEETING, Corvallis/Benton County Public Library: Senators ALAN BATES and BEN WESTLUND, Senate Special Committee on Health Care Reform, along with Sen. Frank Morse, will be in Corvallis, part of their state of Oregon travels in March, to explain their proposed legislation for winning health care coverag
e of all with reduced costs.  For more info see www.hopeforhealthyoregon.com

March 20, Tuesday, 7:00 pm: BILL LUNCH, OSU political scientist and Oregon Public Broadcasting political analyst, will speak on the 2006 elections and their consequences for Oregon’s future, as part of a series of community forums at the Venetian Theater, 241 First Ave. in downtown Albany. Sponsored by Albany Peace Seekers & LBCC Institute for Peace & Justice. For more details contact Doug Clark.   Free and open to the public.

April 2, Monday:  DENNIS KUCINICH will be in Eugene for a series of events. (Continental Breakfast -- Fundraiser for Dennis' Presidential campaign; lunch -- possibly a low-cost, brown-bag affair; 5:00 pm: student event, middle school to college age; 6:00-6:30 to 7:45 pm -- Ticketed public event.)  Kucinich will discuss his thoughts on the Department of Peace, the climate in Washington, and what we can do to get the legislation passed into law.  Most events: at First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street, Eugene.  Tickets go on sale on March 17; tentative cost, $10.  For more info:  contact David Hazen, Oregon State Coordinator, The Peace Alliance Campaign for a Department of Peace.

April 19, Thursday, 7:00 pm:  BCDEMS REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING, Grace Lutheran Church, Harrison and Kings, Corvallis.  Doors open at 6:30. MAUREEN BEEZHOLD,  Corvallis NW Earth Institute coordinator and assistant coordinator for the Corvallis Chapter of the Oregon Natural Step Network will share how we can take a grassroots approach to slowing down climate chaos and how we can become involved in moving our community to become an eco-municipality.

May 19, Saturday (date to be confirmed):  BCDems will host a Democratic Party of Oregon TRAINING SESSION  in Corvallis.  More later.

4. VOLUNTEER NEEDS

2007 BCDems VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE Dates and Venues (Please contact Carol Sweeney--753-2464--if you can help):

March 17, Saturday, 11:00-2:00: Benton County Courthouse/part of Peace March activities  (2 more volunteers needed)
April 9, Monday, 10:30-1:30: MU Quad with OSUDems  (2 more volunteers needed)
April 14, Saturday, 8:30-1:00: 2nd & Monroe near Farmers Mkt  (2 volunteers need for 8:30-11:00)

5. THANKS

...to Sen. GINNY BURDICK, Sen. VICKI WALKER, and Sen. FLOYD PROZANSKI who sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee and voted in favor of basic fairness for all Oregonians when they passed SB2 (the Oregon Equality Act) out of committee.  SB2 will now go to the Senate floor for a vote.

6. SHORT TAKES

If you want to check out legislative action affecting the immigrant community, go to Oregon's Immigrant Rights Coalition (CAUSA) website: www.causaoregon.org/action-center

Representative Diane Rosenbaum (Portland) recently introduced a bill to provide Paid Family Leave in Oregon (HB 2575).   If you're interested in reading the text of the bill, follow this link: http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measures/hb2500.dir/hb2575.intro.html

Need information about the American Disabilities Act?  www.ada.gov/

Ask Mayor Charlie Tomlinson about why the City Council opposes Senate Bill 400 which would raise public safety staffing levels in Corvallis at a cost to other vital services.  Charles.Tomlinson@ci.corvallis.or.us

VISIT AND USE BCDEMS WEBSITE
You'll find up-to-the-minute information about BCDems and useful links to other sites. Under the "News" headings, you'll find the current issue of BCDems HotLines. You can also get access to post your own information and opinion. For questions, ask Rachel Ozretich . 

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CONTACT THE BENTON COUNTY DEMOCRATS
Mail: P.O. Box 232, Corvallis OR 97339
Email: bcdems@bcdems.net
Web: http://bcdems.net
Phone: 541.752.4848

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Benton County Democrats - Bringing People Together
P.O. Box 232
Corvallis, OR 97339
541.752.4848