Green Resources

WVPE is your gateway to green and sustainable resources in Michiana. Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is accomplished by finding a balance between businesses, the environment, and our society (people, planet, and profit).State, National and International resources on sustainability include:The Environmental Protection AgencyThe Natural StepSustainability Dictionary45 Sustainability Resources You Need to Know Explore ways to support sustainability in the Michiana area through the Green Links Directory.Sept. 17, 2019 from 2-3:30pm"Global Warming: A Hot Topic"Sept. 17, 19, 24, and 26All sessions are from 2-3:30pmGreencroft Goshen Community Center in the Jennings Auditorium1820 Greencroft Blvd.Goshen, IN 46526The event will look at possible solutions and suffering as well as consequences beyond warmer weather. The event will examine what other civilizations have or haven’t done when faced with environmental problems. Plus there will be an exploration of the biggest unknown in the climate system: What will the humans do? Paul Meyer Reimer teaches physics, math and climate change at Goshen College. The events are presented by the Lifelong Learning Institute. The Institute can be reached at: (574) 536-8244lifelonglearning@live.comhttp://life-learn.org/

N.D. Judge Dismisses Riot Charge Against 'Democracy Now' Host

By Jeff Brady

Published October 18, 2016 at 4:18 AM EDT

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio

The Morton County States Attorney's Office is still reviewing the case to determine whether it will file different charges against Amy Goodman.

Amy Goodman — the host of the left-leaning Democracy Now news program — will not face criminal charges for her coverage of an oil pipeline protest in North Dakota last month. At least not for now; prosecutors say they may still bring charges later.

On Sept. 3, Goodman and her crew captured images of security teams with dogs trying to keep protesters from entering a pipeline construction site. She wanted to know whether security members were "telling the dogs to bite the protesters?"

Demonstrators — many from the local Standing Rock Sioux Tribe — crossed a fence when they saw bulldozers plowing over an area they say is a sacred site. It's on private property and authorities say the protesters were trespassing.

Goodman followed them to get the story. The prosecutor planned to charge her with criminal trespassing. But last week Special Assistant State's AttorneyLadd Erickson dropped that charge and pursued a riot charge instead. The judge determined there was not enough probable cause to pursue the case.

Outside the courthouse Goodman reacted to the decision:

"The state cannot stop this journalism. The state must not stop this journalism. Violating the First Amendment is not good for North Dakota. It's not good for this country."

The Morton County State's Attorney's Office is still reviewing the case to determine whether it will file different charges against Goodman. Meantime, Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeieraddressed claims that he was targeting Goodman for her coverage, which favors tribal concerns over those of the pipeline company.

"Any journalist who comes out here or news media outlet that wants to see what going on can definitely come out [to] do it," Kirchmeier said. "But while they are they there, they cannot break the laws, just like anybody else. So they can't trespass on private property unless they have permission and that type of thing. So that's what this is about."

The company building the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline has faced protests in the state of Iowa too. Last weekend, someone set several pieces of heavy machinery on fire, causing $2 million damage. Local, state and federal investigators have not arrested anyone yet in that case.