Framing the Issue
What, if anything, should our community do?
by Rodney Berry
Owensboro-Daviess County Asset Building Coalition
Contact: Keith Sanders (685-5707, keithsanders@omuonline.net)
- Making plans for an expanded program in 2007.
- Recruiting volunteers to help low-income people prepare tax returns and qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
- Developing financial literacy programs.
Bring Back Baseball Committee
Bruce Brubaker, chair
bbrubaker@champion-ford.com
- Sharing information about the group’s proposal (stadium, Frontier League franchise) with community groups and political candidates.
- Recent endorsements include: Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Corporation, Downtown Owensboro, Tourist Commission.
- Tracking state government legislation concerning tax increment financing.
Citizens Committee on Education
Marianne Smith Edge, co-chair
msedge@smithedge.com
Forrest Roberts, co-chair
robrook@adelphia.net
- Supporting the Higher Education Advocacy Group to facilitate increased local opportunities in undergraduate and graduate education.
- Supporting “The Learning Community” initiative that seeks to instill a higher value of education and lifelong learning into the fabric of community life.
- Tracking city-county school issues, dropout rates and more.
Citizens Health Care Advocates (CHCA)
Don Crask, chair
don.crask@grdhd.org
Meetings: Second Thursday of each month, 5:30 p.m., Green River District Health Department, Bedford Walker Community Room
- Continuing monthly programs on relevant topics and issues
- Tracking “Five Fields of Focus” for 2006:
- access to health care
- healthy lifestyles
- governmental affairs
- health care costs
- organizational development
- CHCA now has 121 members and 574 attendees and participants at meetings
- Meetings are broadcast on OCTV
Coalition for the Poor
Nancy Keeton, Keith Sanders, and Sharon Sharp (Steering Committee)
c/o Public Life Foundation, 401 Frederica Street, B203, Owensboro, KY 42301 (685-2652)
- Conducted an August 29 community forum around the broadcast of the PBS documentary, Waging a Living.
- Featured Terry Brooks, executive director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, on issues and state legislation affecting youth and families.
- Building a network of citizens who are concerned about the plight of the poor.
- Sharing information and concerns regarding the impact that government social program cuts have on the poor.
- Interested in leadership development programs that empower the poor.
dental task force
Rodney Berry
rodney.berry@plfo.org
685-2652
- Applied for a grant to retain the University of Kentucky Center for Health Management and Research to assist the task force and community organizations in developing an effective model for meeting the dental needs of disadvantaged youth: school-based (Foust model), clinic, etc.
Goodfellows Club
Bruce Kunze, president
bkunze1@aol.com
- Hosted a successful benefit tennis tournament (June 16-18); partnered with Luke Woodward Memorial Tournament.
- Participating in task force on youth dental needs.
- Raised $110,000 through 2005 “Roll Call” campaign.
- Recently named as a beneficiary in a will.
- Providing more than 1,000 children with winter coats, shoes, clothing and emergency assistance each year.
Owensboro Area World Affairs Council
Marc Maltby, Ph.D., president
marc.maltby@kctcs.edu
- Planning 2006-2007 series to begin in the fall.
- Recent programs: “Paradise Now” (film and discussion); Leonard Pitts, syndicated columnist; John Stempel, senior professor and former director of the University of Kentucky Patterson School of Diplomacy; George Russell, international elections consultant for the U.S. State Department.
Owensboro Neighborhood Alliance
Contact: Robin Cooper
cooperrw@owensboro.org
- Reviewed Germantown Park redevelopment proposal
- Conducting leadership training program through a Public Life Foundation partnership.
- Strengthening alliances, recruiting members, sharing information, and developing programs to improve neighborhoods.
PRIDE of owensboro-daviess county
Donna Risley, president
drisley@visitowensboro.com
- Developing cost estimates for the master plan for enhanced community entrances from the Natcher Bridge and West Parrish Avenue from the airport.
- Planning a follow-up forum on the riverwalk proposal to English Park.
- Committees active in areas of beautification, public projects, architecture, and more.
Unity Coalition
Hervey Howell, president
hervey@myway.com
- Held a public forum on immigration issues on July 11.
- Planning a follow-up forum on immigration on September 28.
- Presented a “Fair Housing” forum on February 16.