Good morning!
This is the weekly DKos Asheville open thread where we try to get together every Saturday morning around eleven, and then drift in and out throughout the day. We hope this group serves to reinvigorate us locally and regionally here on Daily Kos, building on the sense of community that's grown through our online engagement. DKos Asheville can give us all a better sense of connection, a better understanding of who these people are that we stand with, work with, and share with in the political process. We hope, through this community, that we can do a better job of leveraging our orange passion for progressive politics to help elect more and better Democrats.
If you would like to host a weekly open thread, please let us know.
We have set a date of Saturday, July 20, for the next meetup, with a start time of 1:00 or so; and we'll be at the Bywater once again. So, use the comment section for planning and for any questions you might have. If you're planning to come, or if you're a maybe, please let RandallT know so he can put you on our list of attendees. You can see the list on each day's "New Day" diary; currently we have eleven planning to attend and five maybe's.
As discussed in our diary this past Wednesday, we've decided to join Save Our Water, Asheville PARC, WNC-CLC AFL-CIO, and many others on a Moral Monday bus trip to Raleigh this coming Monday.
Today is the last day to register for the trip. You must register by 6:00pm today. So if you are able to clear your calendar for Monday, make your reservation now.
The last I heard, there are now two buses chartered for the trip; and the second one is filling up fast.
Apparently, WLOS has reserved two seats as well; so what we are doing here appears to be bringing much needed attention here in Western North Carolina to what's really going on in Raleigh.
We'll meet this coming Monday morning at 10:00 am at Innsbruck Mall on Tunnel Road. And we are scheduled to return around midnight.
You'll want to bring food for the day, water, comfortable protesting shoes, and perhaps a hat or umbrella. The current forecast for Raleigh Monday afternoon is for temps around 87, partly cloudy with about a 30% chance of thunderstorms. Those of you who like to take pictures - don't forget your camera.
Go here to http://www.saveourwaterwnc.com/. On that page you'll see a link to a flier (pdf) with the details. In the right hand column you'll see an orange paypal Donate button. The cost is $20. You'll need to make the payment to reserve your seat.
If you're planning to volunteer to be arrested as part of the protest, you'll need to carpool with others since you'll miss the return bus trip. Email the Save Our Water folks at the address shown on the flier for information about carpools being formed for this purpose.
That's about all I know at the moment. Some recent diaries by MsSpentyouth, James Protzman, and FishOutofWater, were republished to our diary list. If you haven't already read them, all are recommended reading on the Moral Monday activities and the responses the Republicans are making and the legislation we are protesting.
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So, what else is going on? Share with us what you are doing, and what events around the area you think we might be interested in.
And enjoy your Saturday!