After relentless advocacy, the 82,500-acre Elliott State Forest in the Oregon Coast will remain in public ownership. To celebrate this environmentalist victory, Cascadia Wildlands, Mountain Rose Herbs and Thinking Tree Spirits are hosting a Victory Celebration for the Elliott State Forest from 6 to 10 pm Saturday, July 29. Musical entertainment includes Soul Vibrator, Tony Riedl’s La Famille and Norma Fraser Reggae Band, and there will be cocktails, food carts and face-painting for kids. It’s free and open to the public and will be held at Thinking Tree Spirits, at 88 Jackson Street.

On Saturday, July 22, there will be a protest in solidarity with the #DisruptJ20 defendants. These are the 214 protesters who were mass-arrested on inauguration day for “felony rioting.” The protesters face up to 75 years in prison for exercising the constitutional right to free assembly and free speech. The protest coincides with the Saturday Market and will take place at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza on the corner of Eighth Avenue and Oak Street from 10 am to 5 pm.

This Sunday, July 23, there will be a Buy and Trade Swap Meet for the unhoused. Those participating will have a blanket on the pavement of the plaza, and will display items they no longer need and swap for those others no longer need. The event will take place 3 to 6 pm in the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza at Eighth Avenue and Oak Street. Those lucky enough to have housing already are encouraged to donate goods for this event, either by dropping them off in plastic bags at the plaza between 1 and 3 pm on Sunday, or calling or texting Wayne Martin, 831-601-0022, to pick up items from your home. Volunteers are also needed to help the event run smoothly.