11/08/21 - Missouri Mondays - This week--Kevin Strickland Hearing / Protect Voting, and More!
This week--Kevin Strickland Hearing / Protect Voting, Initiative Petitions, Fair Maps / Honor Veterans / Celebrate Dem-Led Historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
KEVIN STRICKLAND HEARING SET FOR MONDAY NOV 8
After 43 years behind bars Kevin Strickland could get the chance to make his case for exoneration Nov 8 in an evidentiary hearing. “Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker’s office filed a motion Aug. 30 to set aside Strickland’s conviction and set him free” however Missouri’s Attorney General Eric Schmitt’s multiple motions fighting Strickland’s exoneration have caused repeated delays.
Read more here:
MSN / Associated Press Nov 7 2021 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/hearing-in-case-of-missouri-man-seeking-exoneration-set-for-monday/ar-AAQqmH8
FOX4KC Nov 4 2021 https://fox4kc.com/news/missouri-news/judge-rejects-missouri-ags-requests-to-restrict-evidence-in-kevin-strickland-case/
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DEMOCRAT LED INFRASTRUCTURE BILL HEADED TO BIDEN’S DESK IS THE LARGEST CLIMATE CHANGE INVESTMENT IN U.S. HISTORY
The U.S. House “passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that represents a key piece of President Biden's domestic agenda.” The president called it a "once-in-a-generation investment that's gonna create millions of jobs, modernize our infrastructure, our roads, our bridges, our broadband, a whole range of things, to turn the climate crisis into an opportunity. He also said it puts the U.S. on a path to win the economic competition of the 21st century."
“When the House of Representatives passed the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill late Friday night, it took the largest congressional action to confront climate change in U.S. history. The bill contains $150 billion for clean energy advancement and adaptation to the effects of climate change, surpassing the 2009 economic stimulus package, which spent $90 billion on clean energy development and deployment. The new package also includes $73 billion for modernizing the U.S. electricity grid. Among other things, that will help transmit wind and solar power from the places where it is generated to large population centers.“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will create a generation of good-paying union jobs, build better roads and bridges, ports and airports, broadband for all and electricity transmission to combat the climate crisis,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm in a statement released Saturday morning.”
Read more HERE: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/watch-live-biden-speaks-after-house-sends-infrastructure-bill-to-his-desk/ar-AAQmmfL
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MISSOURI’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON FAIR REDISTRICTING MAPS! EVERYONE MUST BE COUNTED NOT JUST VOTERS!
Missouri House and Senate redistricting is underway. New district lines must be drawn so that voters can pick our leaders ---and not in a way where politicians and political consultants are picking voters to advance their own agendas. Our commissioners need to hear from Missourians about how you live in community with one another, what are important aspects to consider when drawing district lines, or how current boundaries have had an impact. No one knows your community like you do, and we need you to share your story. Missouri's future depends on us demanding new and fair boundaries for our communities. These maps will decide how our communities get resources for the next 10 years! We must make our voices heard and insist that everyone be counted and not just voters! TELL THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION TO USE TOTAL POPULATION!
Public Hearings
Cape Girardeau: Nov. 9, time and location TBD
Kirksville: Nov. 10, time and location TBD
There are three ways you can participate:
Attend the hearing to simply show support and solidarity.
Testify in person at the hearing. See tips here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HKrD1Xnvdw8u4020PexHNwVQObIhNKpW_nKLVYCvTjk/edit
Submit testimony for the House Commission here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/0116499ac1dc4a95ab43a66e4c08ed8c
Submit testimony for the Senate Commission here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/22170d7eeba0491e9dd9d3dfce994745
More Redistricting Resources
Brennan Center for Justice - 6 Tips for Making Effective Comments at a Redistricting Hearing https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/6-tips-making-effective-comments-redistricting-hearing
League of Women Voters: link 1 https://lwvmissouri.org/fair-maps-2/ - link 2 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UR_WMHQfNsXdjJRuk-xQhyd0zY4b-oJh/view
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KC MAYOR QUINTON LUCAS ON 60 MINUTES DISCUSSING SURGE OF GUN VIOLENCE AND MISSOURI’S SECOND AMENDMENT PRESERVATION ACT WITH NORAH O’DONNELL
“Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is speaking out against a new Missouri law meant to protect the rights of the state's gun owners. He and a number of Missouri police, sheriffs, and prosecutors say the Second Amendment Preservation Act makes law enforcement think twice about cooperating with agencies like the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, to investigate crimes involving guns. Local law enforcement agencies have long depended on the federal government for extra manpower, superior forensic technology and stiffer penalties for those found guilty of serious crimes. Now representatives of these agencies say the new statute leaves members of Missouri law enforcement vulnerable to civil lawsuits and $50,000 fines for working with federal agencies. Missouri's homicide rate is already nearly twice the national average, and as Norah O'Donnell reports, some Missouri law enforcement officials, especially in the southeast part of the state, have essentially stopped working with their federal counterparts for fear of the law's possible consequences.”
O'Donnell's interview with Mayor Lucas aired on 60 Minutes, Sunday, Nov 7 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kansas-city-mayor-quinton-lucas-missouri-second-amendement-preservation-act-60-minutes-2021-11-05/
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HONOR OUR VETERANS ON NOV 11
On Veterans Day, Americans are encouraged to commit themselves to the cause of peace and to honor the Nation’s veterans for their courage, honor, patriotism and sacrifice. The WWI Museum and Memorial hosts commemoration events every November, highlighting the connections between Veterans Day and World War I.
Join the WWI Museum and Memorial in honoring veterans with special activities, free public ceremonies on the grounds and free general admission for veterans and active duty military to the Museum and Memorial, Thursday, Nov. 11 – Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021. In addition, general admission is half price for the public.
Find information and events for commemorating Veterans Day at The National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City HERE: https://www.theworldwar.org/veteransday
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UPCOMING EVENTS - MARK YOUR CALENDAR
TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO VOTE WITH THE MISSOURI VOTER PROTECTION COALITION (MOVPC)!
Weekly MOVPC Meeting
Monday, November 8
10 AM
Zoom link HERE: https://wustl.zoom.us/j/92149884120
Join the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition partners from all across the state to find out how you can help protect the right to vote!
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MO Jobs with Justice “Democracy For The People?” Virtual Discussion and Fundraiser
Mon November 8
6:00 PM
RSVP HERE: https://mojwj.org/2021BallotFund
“Democracy For The People?” A virtual discussion and fundraiser for the Missouri Jobs with Justice Ballot Fund. MON NOV 8th, 6:00 PM. Featuring: Russ Carnahan, former Missouri Congressman, Mike Wolff, Retired Missouri Supreme Court Justice, Brooke Adams, Movement Politics Director at People's Action.
MO Jobs with Justice has supported BIG wins for Missourians thanks to your support. We shut down "right to work", raised the minimum wage, and expanded Medicaid together. These big wins bring big opposition. We have successfully defended ferocious attacks to gut these wins - and attacks on our democracy as we know it. With the 2022 election just over a year out, we know that some of the worst attacks on workers and democracy are on the not-so-distant horizon. We have a plan and a strong coalition to defend the Initiative Petition process - but we need your investment to strengthen and resource this work. That is what this fundraiser is all about. $10,000 will allow Jobs with Justice to dedicate permanent staff capacity to build the coalition needed to thwart these attacks.
RSVP HERE: https://mojwj.org/2021BallotFund
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A (virtual) discussion with Missouri experts
Thurs. Nov. 11, 2021
7pm CT
Sponsored by Women's Voices Raised for Social Justice
Register HERE
https://movpc.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=90d5fdc569e873a58aff5887a&id=dcf3153c0d&e=16a5ca0c23
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What Racism Costs Everyone: A Discussion w/Heather McGhee
November 15, 2021
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Register HERE for the online event: https://buff.ly/3ahjUkQ
MISSOURI ACTION ALLIANCE is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event by the Missouri Workers Center
Racism is dividing and conquering working people all across America. Heather McGhee joins low-wage workers for a discussion about how racism hurts us all and our path to an economy that works for everyone. Heather McGhee is the author of New York Times best-seller The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together. The former president of the inequality-focused think tank Demos, McGhee has drafted legislation, testified before Congress, and contributed regularly to news shows including NBC's Meet the Press. She now chairs the board of Color of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization.
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NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH
What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.
Find more information and events HERE https://www.nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/
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FIND MORE UPCOMING EVENTS HERE:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19AZUdtRH5WXefOC4Q5D9u-HyuzhBEL8rYX9Ospn3n18/edit?usp=sharing
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MISSOURI COVID UPDATE - Week Oct 31 - Nov 7
CDC now recommends that everyone ages 5 and older get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.
Some COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients Can Get Booster Shots
People 65 years and older, 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions, or 18 years and older who live in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot.
People 18 years and older should receive a booster shot at least 2 months after receiving their Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
CDC Key Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines HERE: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/keythingstoknow.html
CDC COVID-19 booster information HERE: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
FIND COVID-19 Vaccines KC Metro - Statewide and COVID-19 Testing & Recovery Treatment (KC Metro) HERE https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i1vCikZiGfMulA8tFCDSJbEKV5N37S1JU_TSlgs699A/edit?usp=sharing
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Missourians Vaccinated - as of Sun Nov 7 The New York Times
57% of Missourians have received at least one dose - (67% at least one dose in the U.S.
50% of Missourians are fully vaccinated - (58% fully vaccinated in the U.S.)
Total COVID-19 Cases and Deaths in Missouri
708,638 confirmed cases and 12,225 deaths as of Sat Nov 6 MO Dept of Health and Senior Services
879,627 total cases and 12,932 deaths as of Sun Nov 7 The New York Times
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THANK YOU! for answering the Missouri Mondays CALL TO ACTION!
Invite your friends and neighbors to join us and sign up for Missouri Action Alliance and this Missouri Mondays email at moactionalliance.com/signup
