How many D.C. taxicab drivers on the D.C. Taxicab Commission?

Posted on September 26, 2010 by admin

(video excerpted from DC Gov)

Friday afternoon, at a hastily scheduled and poorly publicized roundtable hearing before Ward 7 D.C. Councilmember Yvette Alexander, D.C. taxicab drivers unanimously testified in opposition to the nomination of Elliot Ferguson to the D.C. Taxicab Commission. Taxicab drivers did not dispute the qualifications of Mr. Ferguson, who serves as CEO of Destination DC. Rather, taxicab drivers pointed to their lack of representation on the Commission: There is not a single taxicab driver on the D.C. Taxicab Commission.

Haimanot Bizuayehu is a D.C. taxicab driver and chairman of United Ventures Consortium, a federation of six cab companies. Mr. Bizuayehu said, “If the process moves forward and Mr. Ferguson gets confirmed, it will be a violation of the law… The 1985 Taxicab Commission Establishment Act clearly states that at least three of the DCTC Commissioners shall be representatives from the taxicab industry who advocate for the drivers. As of today, we, the drivers, are not represented on the DCTC.”

Pete Tucker joined D.C. taxicab drivers in calling on Councilmember Alexander to hold off on moving forward with the nomination of Mr. Ferguson until D.C. taxicab drivers are represented on the D.C. Taxicab Commission.

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Black Farmers Follow “Justice” to Capitol Hill

Posted on September 24, 2010 by admin
John W. Boyd Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, in discussion with Lawrence Lucas, as he drives “Justice” up Independence Avenue with dozens of fellow black farmers and supporters behind him.

LISTEN TO BLACK FARMERS JOHN W. BOYD JR. and GEORGE HILDEBRANDT HERE:

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As it made its way up Independence Avenue, dozens of black farmers and supporters marched behind John W. Boyd, Jr.’s trusted tractor, “Justice.” Thursday’s march began at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and ended with a press conference at the United States Capitol. In front of the Capitol, Boyd, the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, was joined by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The congress members called on their colleagues in the U.S. Senate to follow the U.S. House of Representatives and pass legislation to fund the black farmers’ $1.25 billion discrimination case against the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In February, the Obama administration announced a settlement to the suit, yet black farmers are still waiting to be paid due to the Senate’s failure – on eight separate occasions – to pass legislation funding the agreement, said Boyd. Continue reading →

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“Voices With Vision” on WPFW 89.3 FM, Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Posted on September 24, 2010 by admin

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Journalist Pete Tucker joined co-hosts Netfa Freeman and Naji Mujahid for a discussion on the controversies surrounding Hardy Middle School in Georgetown. Hardy students Miranda and Malachi Woods explained why they attempted a walk-out in order to highlight the loss of the popular principal Patrick Pope. The Woods siblings, and their mother Sherry, also commented on the questionable timing of the fire drill which forced students to leave the school building at the very time the walk-out had been called for.

"Voices with Vision" co-host Naji Mujahid.

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A Tax Break for Lockheed Martin?

Posted on September 22, 2010 by admin
LISTEN TO GEORGE GLUCK,  DELEGATE ANA SOL GUTIERREZ AND PATRICK McCANN HERE:

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Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez after testifying at the Montgomery County Council against a tax break for Lockheed Martin. (9/21/10)

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At a time when Montgomery County is furloughing firefighters, reducing library hours, cutting services for the poor, and even charging people a new tax to bring their dogs to the park, the Montgomery County Council is considering a bill to exempt Lockheed Martin’s hotel in Bethesda from the county’s hotel tax. This special tax exemption would cost Montgomery County $450,000 per year.

Last year, Lockheed Martin had $45 billion in revenues, and paid its CEO $22 million. On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Council held a hearing on this proposed tax break. Continue reading →

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DCTV’s “More Room On the Outside,” Tuesday, September 21, 2010: Statehood Green Party Candidates Speak Out

Posted on September 22, 2010 by admin

Journalist Pete Tucker joined “More Room On the Outside” on DCTV with co-hosts Dr. Baruch and Toussaint Tingling-Clemmons for an hour-long discussion on the upcoming November general election. Guests included D.C. Statehood Green Party activists and candidates David Schwartzman, who is running against Councilmember David Catania for the non-Democratic At large D.C. Council seat, and Rick Tingling-Clemmons, who is running against Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton for Delegate to the House of Representatives (and is Toussaint’s father!).

DCTV’s “More Room On the Outside,” Tuesday, September 21, 2010: Statehood Green Party Candidates Speak Out from Pete Tucker on Vimeo.

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An Advocate for Net Neutrality

Posted on September 20, 2010 by admin
Joseph Torres of Free Press lobbies on Capitol Hill to protect Network Neutrality.

LISTEN TO JOSEPH TORRES HERE:

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The principle of Network Neutrality is straightforward: there should be one set of rules governing the internet, not special treatment for the wealthiest. Net Neutrality supporters believe that the length of time it takes to upload a website should not be faster for those who are rich, and slower for those who are not. Despite being a simple concept, many members of Congress – as well as many unions and civil rights groups – are either against Net Neutrality or have remained on the sidelines of this fight for free speech in the 21st century.

Joseph Torres works for Free Press. He spends much of his time lobbying members of Congress on Net Neutrality. Torres is part of a significant and growing group of activists who refuse to sit idly by as the internet goes the way of prior media breakthroughs like radio and television, ending up in the hands of the most powerful. Continue reading →

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“Hope for Pope” at Hardy Middle School

Posted on September 16, 2010 by admin

LISTEN TO MIRANDA, MALACHI and SHERRY WOODS HERE:

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From left to right: Miranda, grade 8, Malachi, grade 7, and their mom, Sherry Woods, standing in front of Hardy Middle School. (9/15/10)

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Until he was “promoted” to a school that does not exist this summer, Patrick Pope was the popular principal of the high-achieving Hardy Middle School. Miranda Woods, an eighth grade student at Hardy, said of Pope, “He knew everyone by name and he knew everything about every single kid. He was just great. He listened to kids… He’s the perfect principal you could ever want.”

Malachi, a seventh grade student at Hardy, agreed with his older sister, “Mr. Pope, he was a very effective principal and every student, no matter who they were, they could be the slacker of the whole school, but everybody respected him. He was friendly. He wasn’t strict. Like Miranda said, he knew everybody’s name and he knew your character.”

Both Miranda and Malachi were part of group of students who attempted to organize a sit-in strike on Wednesday in order to protest the removal of Pope as principal, as well as other changes that have been made at Hardy which they feel have been detrimental. Continue reading →

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“More Room on the Outside” on DCTV, Tuesday, September 14, 2010 (Election Day)

Posted on September 15, 2010 by admin

Journalist Pete Tucker joined hosts Doctor Baruch and Toussaint Tingling-Clemmons for a discussion with guests Mama D and Bill O’Field. Mama D, an activist from New Orleans, discussed the man-made problems New Orleans faces five years after Hurricane Katrina. Bill O’Field, an elections expert who spent 13 years with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics and now blogs on elections issues, discussed his visits to polling places throughout the city earlier that election day.

More Room on the Outside broadcast from Sept. 15 w/ Mama D from Pete Tucker on Vimeo.

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Pete Tucker on “Voices with Vision” talking about education reform and Michelle Rhee

Posted on September 15, 2010 by admin

Netfa Freeman and Naji Mujahid, hosts of "Voices with Vision" on WPFW 89.3 FM.

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Journalist Pete Tucker joined “Voices With Vision” co-host Netfa Freeman on WPFW 89.3 FM on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 (election day!) for a discussion on Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.

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Michelle Rhee Unedited and Unapologetic

Posted on September 14, 2010 by admin

LISTEN TO CHANCELLOR MICHELLE RHEE HERE:

Channel 4 was given an exclusive to cover the IMPACT celebration. Since they didn't show, Rhee, Fenty Spokesman Sean Madigan and another government official discussed whether I would be allowed in.

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Friday evening, Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee hosted an upscale private celebration in the East Hall of Union Station for hundreds of District of Columbia Public School teachers. The DCPS teachers mingled and munched on hors d’oeuvres while speeches were given, including from WTU President George Parker, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Rhee herself, who was the keynote speaker.

Rhee held the occasion to celebrate the DCPS teachers whose IMPACT evaluation scores put them in the category of “Highly Effective Educator,” as their nametags stated. To much applause, Rhee announced that all of the teachers invited to the event would be receiving “bonuses” of between $3,000-$25,000, an overall increase in pay of 11 percent. Continue reading →

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