indiegainesville

Home, sweet (local) home…

indiegainesville — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:21:44 +0000

We recently met with K to discuss a fun community project. During our meeting, K was explaining how much Gainesville felt like home and couldn’t stop singing its praise. We asked K to put this into words so we could share this with you all, and K kindly (and promptly!) did.

Thanks for the kind words on making Gainesville home, K And thank you for making us your home; we, too, are so glad you are here!

This June will mark the one-year anniversary of our move to Gainesville. Collectively, B and I are are from all over — Texas, Massachusetts, NYC, Maine, North Carolina, plus short stints in Paris, Puget Sound, Minnesota, Colorado.

We have had the good fortune to travel all over the world, alone and together.

It normally takes awhile for a new place to feel like home, if it ever does. But moving to Gainesville has been different.

It somehow feels like we’ve always lived here — and as a place-centric urban planner, this is a huge statement. Gainesville has a remarkable openness, an inherent welcome that even surpasses other college towns from our past. With growing careers and two small children, we are ready to set down deep roots. We feel deeply fortunate to be able to do so here.

In the meantime, stay tuned for some news about this collaborative project!

Worth It

indiegainesville — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:40:26 +0000

Infographic reprinted with permission of the clever folks of CustomMade.

Eat Local Challenge!

indiegainesville — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:50:20 +0000

Happy May Day–and welcome to the SIXTH (–are we counting right, Stefanie?) Annual Eat Local Challenge.

You can register and officially accept the challenge here.

Just email (HogtownHomeGrown@gmail.com) your:
First Name
Last Name
Email
Confirm Email
Phone
Zip code
Number of participants in household
Have you participated before?

Title the email “2013 ELC Registration” and hit send.

Suggested reading (aside from our previous blog posts about local food sources; and future ones–there will be plenty!):

Of course, there are thousands of other reasons to eat locally. But if you’re reading this site, we’re willing to bet you’re a big supporter of independent businesses, including supporting local food sources.

Feel free to share with us how you support local food sources. We can’t wait to hear from you and we’ll see you later today at Union Street Farmers Market, rain or shine!

It’s also National Bike Month and the start of the National Bike Challenge. Sign-up, download the app, share this post with all your friends, and lets show everyone how many bicycle commuter miles our quirky city pedals from May until September.

CISPA: Need to know.

indiegainesville — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:15:07 +0000

Learn more.

Red Letter Day!

indiegainesville — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:23:54 +0000

Two very important things this evening that will affect your well-being:

The mayoral race between Lowe and Braddy.
This is crucial for determining the health and vibrancy of our community.
PLEASE vote. Polls close at 7.
The BoCC will make a decision on Wage Theft tonight, and whether an ordinance should be passed (as it has been in several major cities. We heartily support this, and hope you can make the hearing at 5:30.

For more info, please read this and this.

Who: Alachua County Labor Party, Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force

Where: Alachua County Board of Commissioners Office Headquarters, 12 SE 1st St, Gainesville, FL 32601

When: April 16, 2013 at 5:30pm

What’s Going On

indiegainesville — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:56:23 +0000

Oh lovely Gainesville…we have missed writing here. It’s just, you know, life happens and we get distracted and are really busy.

Time to get back to basics: Posting!

What’s going on—in no particular order:

Tonight is . . . *drumroll* . . . The Conch in March!From 7-9 pm, folks gather at Lightnin’ Salvage to share a five minute true story. Each Conch has a theme, and tonight’s theme is: “Do You Believe in Miracles? Hope Springs Eternal.”
This is a fantastic monthly event. Try something new, at least go and listen. If you can’t make it tonight, then check out the previous Conch’s online.
You WILL enjoy yourself.
You, too, can “like” pubic lice on Facebook. We say algorithm fail.
Wage Theft and increasing minimum wage has been in the news lately. Does it pay off for a CEO of a big box to support an increase?
The locally owned businesses listed on this petition are against wage theft. Individuals may sign too *nudge*What IS wage theft? Read more here.
This Saturday is the 2^nd Food Truck Rally! Bring your cash and belly up to High Dive from 5-9 pm.
We cannot wait for Wild Iris Books to re-open in their new location by the Co-op, SAW, CMC, etc. Get your Wild Iris fix at their Equinox Potluck and Celebration next Thursday (March 21^st) and don’t forget you can still support your local bookstore during their move by going to their website and ordering books there.
The Doris is planning an installation of Reconstructed Wedding Fashion for June. They are looking for artist interested in producing a piece for the show. Email indiegainesville-at-gmail dot com and we’ll pass it on to the organizer.

Alachua County in National News: End Wage Theft!

indiegainesville — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:30:16 +0000

Wage theft tends to be a silent issue, but it remains a terrible wrong that affects countless people.

Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force is working diligently to get the County Commission to pass an ordinance that would make it easier for workers to recover unpaid wages from employers.

(That, in a nutshell, is what wage theft is. Read up on the issues here. Great sources!)

So how big of an issue is Wage Theft in Florida?

Pretty big. It even made The New York Times yesterday in an article titled, “A ‘Go Local’ Focus Is Used to Resolve Unpaid Wages.“

Alachua County and the inspiring activism here on this issue is mentioned!

Other excerpts:

Compared with many other states, Florida has not been hospitable to the cause of worker rights.

Unemployment benefits are among the lowest in the country. The state was the first to dismantle its Department of Labor, and the Republican-dominated State Legislature has been such a staunch defender of business that any pro-worker legislation has little if any chance.

. . .

In January, Broward County, which is largely Democratic, became the second in Florida to put into effect an ordinance to help workers recoup money they had earned but not been paid.

The ordinance passed despite strong opposition from business groups, which say it is duplicative and burdensome for businesses.

. . .

The problem of unpaid wages is significant. Since 2009, the Wage and Hour Division of the federal Labor Department has collected more than $859 million in back wages for more than one million workers. But most cases go unreported, and worker advocates say that in some cities the practice is endemic.

The worst offenders, studies have shown, are the construction and restaurant industries.

In Florida, the high number of immigrant workers complicates the issue. Because they tend to work in low-paid jobs and may lack English skills, know-how, money and legal status, immigrants are most vulnerable to being underpaid or not paid at all.

. . . .

Business trade groups say they are committed to dismantling the wage recovery ordinances, as well as a proposal that would require some employers to pay sick leave — another issue that has gained traction in Florida.

And we leave you this simple truth:

“We do agree it would be great to have something statewide, but something that is really going to do something,” said Jeanette Smith, who has led the effort to combat wage nonpayment here with South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice, a coalition of religious leaders.

“It’s not a complicated issue,” she said. “Someone works, you pay them.”

Read the article.
Check out the Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force.
And then, take action by adding your name in support.

This is, after all, your community. And chances are, someone you know is affected by Wage Theft.

What’s Going On . . .

indiegainesville — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:07:15 +0000

New art downtown! This afternoon, at 5:30 pm, there will be a Ribbon Cutting and chance to meet the artists and sponsors, a chance to check out the sculpture if you haven’t check them out yet, and drinks at Dragonfly Sushi. Thanks to Persona‘s owner, Nava O., for organizing this great art and this event.
The Hippodrome is looking for well-qualified and energetic interns!
Immediate openings: PR intern to work with our group sales and rental coordinator and a Development intern. We also have summer openings to work in the marketing department!
Sound interesting? Follow this link for instructions and information.
Happy Birthday to Tempo Bistro To Go‘s owner and indiegainesville friend), John! And watch for the chance to try a beet and strawberry salad (mmmmm…..) at TB2G’s this week.
Speaking of local eating…a couple of things:
- (Via and fb page for event)
  “Learn to make nutrition-packed soups that will make even the fussiest eater want to eat their veggies. We will make use of seasonal produce and other locally produced foods to create two vegetarian and one vegan soup.Information will also be available about Souper Fun Sunday taking place at St. Francis High School on January 27th.Presenter Stefanie Samara Hamblen, owner and creator of Hogtown HomeGrown, teaches private cooking lessons as well as doing talks and demos.She has a regular column in The Gainesville Magazine and is a founding board member of Blue Oven Kitchens.”Stephanie also hints that she’s cooking up something at Blue Oven Kitchens…and will share more tomorrow. Hm . . . Whatever it is, we’re sure it’s delicious.
- What local food blogs do you follow? Let us know in the comments or on facebook.
Florida and animals: two stories (so far) this week.
See here. And here.
Mark your calendars now for the 4th Annual Cinema Verde Environmental Film and Arts Festival from February 9-14!

Dignity and Livelihood of Workers

indiegainesville — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:08:14 +0000

On Tuesday, January 8th, the Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force, along with dozens of local business leaders, workers, religious leaders, and other members of the community will hold a presentation on Wage Theft-a national crime wave that costs thousands of Florida workers millions in lost wages every year- during the Community Outreach and Public Hearing portion of the Board of County Commissioners meeting at 5:00 pm.

Wage theft can, and does, affect everyone with no regard to age, color, creed, or gender. Wage theft is most simply defined as when an employer does not pay what is legally due to his employee, though may take several forms. Refusal to pay overtime, payment below the minimum wage, or forcing an employee to commit tasks off the clock are common types of wage theft – a practice that undermines both the dignity and economic livelihood of workers all over Florida.

According to the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division statistical research over 2,000 violations were reported between 2000 and 2010 in Alachua County alone, though reports by leading institutions on wage theft (Research Institute on Social and Economic Policy through FIU) have found this reported number to be 2-3 less than what was actually confirmed. This means that there were upwards of 3,610 victims of wage theft in Alachua County who sought no recourse for their lost wages during this time period. This failure to account translates to over 2 million dollars in lost wages for workers, uncollected county tax revenue and supports an unscrupulous business model that undermines small companies.

Community, business, union, student, and faith leaders from the Alachua County Labor Party, the Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, Students for a Democratic Society, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 1205 (see ACWTTF.org for full list), will join members of the Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force to make a public presentation to county commissioners about the issue. Wage theft victims will share their stories and, supported by the multi-organizational Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force, announce the framework for implementing a county-wide wage theft ordinance that will address the often unacknowledged crime wave in our community.

Who: Alachua County Labor Party, Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force

What: “Stop Wage Theft in Alachua County” Presentation to the County Commissioners

Where: Alachua County Board of Commissioners Office Headquarters, 12 SE 1st St, Gainesville, FL 32601

When: Tuesday, January 8th at 5:00pm

This, that, and more you should know. (Happy New Year!)

indiegainesville — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:51:58 +0000

First of all, happy 2013! We hope you have a healthy, happy year. We look forward to growing with you and thank you whole-heartedly for your support. Because of you, your love of independent businesses (or just goofing off on the internet), we had over 1.5 million hits last year.

Yes, you read that right:

Million.

WOW. And thank you, again.

Tut-tut, it looks like rain . . .

It’s a Florida-chilly rainy day here, so we’ll entertain you with some links we like. Some are silly, some are informative, and some help grow the indiegainesville community.

What will 2013 bring for small business? 13 proposals from Independent We Stand.
PCCNCF is having a membership contest to kick off the new year. Win cash and prizes by turning your friends on to membership in the community center. Look for details in the newsletter or send us an e-mail at pridectr@bellsouth.net
The Harn Museum of Art is excited (as are we) to announce that “The Modern Impulse” photography show has been extended through January 13th. Do yourself the favor and check it out.
Please, consider supporting our dear friends at SAW (The Sequential Artists Workshop). SAW is an amazing place, nestled behind the CMC and the Co-Op. It’s also brimming with talent and merely visiting will leave you feeling inspired.
Speaking of SAW, you know who their new neighbor is going to be? The fantastic Wild Iris Books, expected to re-open (better than ever) in February! Woot!
Offensive? Hilarious? Yes to both? The Worst Things for Sale. Enjoy. (Not safe for work, FYI.)
Fight for what’s right. Educate yourself on The (just) Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force.

The Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force was founded in 2012 with the purpose of getting a Wage Theft Ordnance passed for Alachua County. More information can be found at ACWTTF.org

Then consider attending this:

The Alachua County Wage Theft Task Force will be presenting to the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, January 8th at 4:45 PM. It is important that we fill up the room as a show of support. After the 30 minute presentation there will be time for a public comments.