Hello clean-air-and-climate friends: Tomorrow is the confluence of all sorts of goings-on regarding lawsuits, environmental issues, the play that based in part on the Clean The Darn Air campaign, and more:
1) On the legal front, the Salt Lake Tribune says that a decision in the gerrymandering lawsuit is coming tomorrow. It’s been a year since the Utah Supreme Court heard arguments in the League of Women Voters / Mormon Women for Ethical Government lawsuit about whether the state legislature was allowed to gerrymander political districts despite the 2018 ballot measure that created an independent redistricting commission. It’s a complicated issue (Dave Carrier and Yoram Bauman wrote a bit about it in a Tribune op-ed last summer), so fingers crossed for a good decision! PS. The fact that it’s all taken so long is a good reminder that the wheels of justice turn slowly; this is also true for our own lawsuit, about the Same-or-Similar Ban… so we hope to have more news about this next time!
2) Yoram is partnering with SLCC to teach a three-part workshop on environmental writing that starts tomorrow 6-8pm on the SLC main library campus. It’s very low-cost ($20), it’s called “Environmental Writing: Plays, Cartoons, and More”, and everyone is welcome! If you want to attend please register here. (Or just show up and register on the spot!) We will hopefully spend lots of time on environmental writing projects from workshop participants, but Yoram will also share his experiences with climate cartoon books and with the play he wrote that’s premiering on July 26 as part of the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival! Speaking of which…
3) Tickets should go on sale tomorrow for Seize The Initiative! (six shows July 26 – Aug 4). Starring five wonderful local actors and written by Yoram Bauman, this one-hour romantic comedy has its roots in the Clean The Darn Air campaign (the play started as a script for how to do volunteer signature-gathering) and our fabulous intern Lauren Reynolds will be working to use the play to promote the campaign! The show is part of the Great Salt Lake Fringe Festival happening July 26 – August 4 at Trolley Square, and you can get details and ticket information here. It should be great fun!
Finally, as one of the characters in the play likes to emphasize…
4) Tomorrow is 7-11 and so you can get a free Slurpee at any Seven-Eleven store! Unfortunately you have to register on their app, which is kind of a pain, but if you do get a free Slurpee (or even if you don’t) feel free to post a photo and connect on social media with the Seize The Initiative! play (@seizeSLC) and with the CleanTheDarnAir campaign (@CleanTheDarnAir).
In other news: Carbon tax champion Joel Briscoe (Democract repesenting SLC in the state House) lost a three-way primary race for his seat, but we are grateful for all of his efforts and are excited to see what he pours his energies into next! Jan recommends this June 28 Salt Lake Tribune op-ed about air quality by U of U PhD student Lorenzo Smith. And remember that (among other things on the ballot this November!) there is a state constitutional amendment about education funding and the state sales tax on groceries.
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