In case you missed the October 24 photo shoot of the Tucson 350.org event, part of the worldwide International Day of Climate Action, here’s one of the photos taken by Green Party activist Dave Croteau. The Tucson 350 event was held at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center on River Road.

Log onto 350.org for lots of amazing photos from all over the world, including one taken on Mauna Kea (White Mountain), on the Big Island of Hawaii, where I was born and raised.

“On 24 October, people in 181 countries came together for the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history. At over 5200 events around the world, people gathered to call for strong action and bold leadership on the climate crisis.”

350 Tucson taken by Dave Croteau

We all support public safety. But are you still debating over whether to support the so-called “public safety first initiative” or not?

If you missed the League of Women Voters’ forum on October 19 about the ballot propositions, here’s another chance to learn more about Proposition 200, the “Public Safety First Initiative”.

Go to Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. in the Tucson Convention Center downtown on Monday October 26, from 6 to 7 p.m. for an Arizona Public Media sponsored town hall.

Bill Buckmaster, host of “Arizona Illustrated” on KUAT Channel 6, Ann Brown, editorial page editor for the Arizona Daily Star, and Jim Nintzel, political reporter/commentator of the Tucson Weekly will be posing questions to the pro and con reps of Prop. 200.

Or, if you just want to educate yourself about the initiative online, here’s the links: Vote Yes, or Vote No. I’ve been watching those websites, and the list against 200 is growing. You can also watch a live stream of the town hall that evening at www.azpm.org.

Moreover, in the “Sample Ballot/Publicity Pamphlet and Instructions to Voters” sent for the City of Tucson Elections is the full text of Proposition 200, and arguments for and against on pages 13 to 21. It’s very illustrative to see who’s supporting this proposition and who’s not.

This Proposition has taken clear partisan lines with those running for City Council seats in Ward 3, 5, and 6: the Republicans say vote yes, and the Democrats and Green candidate say vote no.

The decision is yours — vote on or before November 3rd.

I was one of the lucky ones who saw a preview last night of “Amelia”, the new Hilary Swank/Richard Gere movie about the life (and death at age 39) of pilot Amelia Earhart.

In the audience were two rows of women pilots from the Tucson 99s, the local chapter of the International Organization of Women Pilots. Amelia Earhart was the founder and first President of this group, and was a leader in aviation education for women in America.

As for the movie, it is based on two biographies of the rise to fame of Ms. Earhart, the first woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. She was also the first person in 1935 to fly solo over the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii to California. The movie also chronicles her marriage to publicist George Putnam and her extra-marital affair with pilot Gene Vidal, an aviation pioneer.

Amelia Earhart

I grew up on Hawaii Island where there is a beautiful banyan tree in Hilo (on Banyan Drive), planted by Ms. Earhart herself on January 6, 1935, before her disappearance on July 2, 1937. There have been stories circulating for years out in the Pacific about her demise, and today there are still reports of plane wreckage and possible possessions of hers being found on Nikumaroro (formerly Gardner Island).

I recommend this movie about this legendary, courageous woman pilot and feminist, who believed in following her dreams, whose passion was flying. She wrote about the peaceful freedom she gained from flying, way up above the world.

“Amelia” opens in movie theaters tomorrow.