journojames

No More Deaths Report

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 6, 2012
Post category:News

Originally published Feb. 28, 2011

LOS ANGELES, CA – A volunteer with a faith-based humanitarian organization said Thursday that he didn’t do anything wrong, even though he was arrested and convicted in federal court for leaving jugs of water out in the desert for thirsty illegal border crossers.

StatonWalt3 — Emrys “Walt” Staton, Photo courtesy of Big Bear Observation Post

Emrys “Walt” Staton, a member of the group No More Deaths and a graduate student at Claremont School of Theology, told a small audience at the University of Southern California that he was ticketed and arrested because of water bottles. He told the story of how he was cited for littering in December 2008; he put eight 1-gallon water jugs out in the Arizona desert near the U.S.-Mexico border. He said he regularly put water out to keep migrants from dying of thirst when crossing the border.

Staton said a federal court convicted him in June 2009 and sentenced him to 300 hours of community service. He said he appealed his conviction and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco eventually overturned it. He said his littering charges were finally vacated last month. (more…)

Tim Disney Profile

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 5, 2012
Post category:Entertainment & Culture Feature Interview

Originally published Feb. 20, 2011

LOS ANGELES – “It’s a David and Goliath story,” said Tim Disney, the executive producer of the environmental documentary “The Last Mountain.”

Scene from “the Last Mountain,” Photo courtesy of Fastertimes

The movie is about the Coal River Valley, West Virginia citizens’ fight to save one last Appalachian Mountain ridge from being blown up and strip-mined for coal. He said the movie was a “project of passion.”

Disney, who considers himself an environmentalist, told a group of USC Annenberg students during an interview session that the movie’s purpose was to give the people of Coal River Valley a voice.

“We tried to tell the personal stories of the locals who lived on the mountain. That was what was most compelling,” said Disney. “I’m very proud that I’ve been given the opportunity to do something like this.” (more…)

Olin And The Moon & Or, The Whale Concert Review

Post author:journojames
Post published:February 4, 2012
Post category:Entertainment & Culture Feature

Originally published Mar. 15, 2011

LOS ANGELES – Alternative country rock bands Olin And The Moon and Or, The Whale sang about love and heartache on Mar. 13 at the Satellite in Silver Lake, offering bittersweet stories with gritty guitars and warm harmonies.

lebreldavid — Lead singer David Lebrel, Photo courtesy of whenyouawake

“Let’s hang out and get weird,” lead singer David LeBrel of Olin And The Moon told the small crowd. He and the band then launched into “Terrible Town,” a foot-tapping country rocker with dirty-sounding guitars. The song sounded like it belonged in every small-town tavern jukebox.

The night didn’t get weird like LeBrel wanted, but it was somewhat odd and notable how often the baby-faced and undersized frontman — who was just a little bigger than his guitars — kept offering Olin And The Moon beer koozies that were for sale. (more…)