Hi folks - the election season is upon us!

• There are hotly contested state primaries for Governor, Lieutenant-governor, and state treasurer already underway!
• In the U. S. Senate race, we need to choose a candidate to send Liddy back to Kansas!
• And we need progressives to replace the Republicans as Labor Commissioner, Agriculture Commissioner, and Auditor.
• There is one Associate Justice seat on the State Supreme court up for election (and a progressive victory would tip the balance away from conservative Republicans), as well as 6 Court of Appeals seats, one of these is held by an appointed gay man, and several are occupied by Republicans who need to be replaced.
• Locally, we will have hot races for District Attorney and County Commission (with at least one incumbent not running) and district attorney, at least!
• Commission candidates (already filed) include (present or former) PA-Coordinating Committee members Fred Foster, Jr., Brenda Howerton, and Don Moffitt.
• And there is an open seat for Soil and Water District Supervisor!
• Not to mention three seats on school board...at least one apparently without an incumbent, the candidates include our own Leigh Bordley!
• And last but not least, a presidential primary that may make a difference this time!

It will be a wild and fun ride! The PA-PAC needs people who can:

• write and review questionnaires
• schedule the interviews
• conduct the interviews...
• compile the results and pre-digest them for the endorsement meeting
• help manage said meeting

In addition, we may have a gubernatorial candidate's forum!
Then we gotta get the endorsees elected!
Let me know ASAP if any or all of the above interests you!

-Submitted by Milo Pyne

This Agenda highlights some beginnings and some endings related to the PA. As we begin 2008, we welcome three new wonderful additions to the PA Coordinating Committee, Christina Rausch, David Harris and Gordon Mantler. You will be able to get to know more about them in the next newsletter. Congrats to the new 2008 CC!.

It is also a time to say good bye (or bon voyage) to me, your PA 'staff' of six years. I will be leaving my post as the 'Office Activist' at the end of March 2008 as my husband (and PA's webmaster) and I will be moving to France. I have seen the PA change and grow in so many ways and I have been honored to be a part of it...[read more]

Participate in the Political Action Committee!
Dabney Hopkins and Page McCullough are coordinating the interviews and endorsement recommendations for local school board races and the race for State Superintendent. Due to time constraints, the written questionnaires are going out this week. However, we value PA members' participation in this process.

Here are some ways to participate:
1. send your questions and issues to Page at page.mc@verizon.net. These items will be incorporated into the interview process.
2. attend any or all of the interviews. We will hold interviews the afternoon of March 22 and there will be notices about the exact time and place when we have nailed that down. We will meet 30 minutes prior to the first interview to allow time to review the questionnaires. We have five local candidates to interview.

We will send a questionnaire to the candidates for state superintendent, but it is unlikely that we will be interviewing them, so we encourage members to check for local forums where they will be speaking.

The completed questionnaires will be posted on the PA web site after the interviews have taken place. This prevents candidates from using others' material during the interviews.

Alternative Political Imaginaries at Duke 3/19:
On Wednesday 3/19 (6pm, 240 Franklin Center), Prof. Warner will participate in a public conversation on Alternative Political Imaginaries with Duke faculty Michael Hardt (Literature) and Robyn Wiegman (Women's Studies), co-conveners of next year's FHI Seminar (of the same name)...[read more]

Thanks for your membership in the Durham People's Alliance. This issue focuses on meetings! Our committees have been meeting and have more meetings scheduled. We hope to see you at any of our meetings or functions.

Please Attend The Durham People's Alliance...Winter 2008 Membership Meeting...

Highlights from the Fall 2007 Membership Meeting:
First we heard about zoning issues, then we voted on the PA and Food Co-Op Joint Membership Option followed by a meeting with Durham's new Police Chief Jose L. Lopez Sr. who...[read more]

Chief Lopez Q&A Highlights:
Chief Lopez graciously answered all the questions your fellow PA members asked him. For example, one member asked about programs for Durham's youth...[read more]

New! Durham...Co-operative...Alliance Membership Option

Economic Justice Committee Update:
PA has had a strong history of being involved in economic justice issues. In order to take a fresh look at the challenges facing working families in Durham and to develop a plan of action for PA, the newly re-energized Economic Justice Committee met on 1/30/08 at the PA office...[read more]

PA Housing and Planning Committee :
PAHC recently gave a presentation before the City Council endorsing the following items which were endorsed by the membership...[read more]

Please attend the next PAHC meeting on Tuesday, February 26, at 7:00 PM at John Schelp's home: 1022 Rosehill, Durham. For more info call: Dabney Hopkins, 286-9268.