We just got word that there will be another rally for immigrants' rights this weekend, organized by the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project in Portland. This rally will happen this Saturday, April 22. Meet behind the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Congress Street at 10 am for a march down to Monument Square. The rally should last until around noontime.

The Portland City Council is gearing up to consider another limit on nightlife in the Old Port by preventing bars from staying open past 1 am. Gary Wood, attorney for the city, will propose a 180 day moratorium on after-hours licenses in the Old Port at the next council meeting tomorrow night -Wednesday, April 19, at 7 pm. If it passes, the city will likely use those 180 days to craft clearer, objective standards for the granting of after-hours licenses.

Note: The Iraq War forum will be held on April 21, not April 14 as originally posted.

A forum on the Iraq War appears not to be on the to-do list for all of the elected officials invited, but it will go on as planned anyway.

A coalition of more than 40 Maine peace and social justice groups are hosting a two hour town meeting on the Iraq War on Friday, April 21 at 6:30 pm, at the University of Southern Maine.

Monday April 10 is the National Day of Action for Immigrant Justice. If you want to throw in your two cents about this controversial issue, head down to Monument Square in Portland on Monday at noon for a peaceful rally to support immigrant rights. The Portland protest is organized by the Maine Civil Liberties Union; the national day of protests (which includes 30 cities in the US) is sponsored by the National Capitol Immigration Coalition (NCIC).

Owens, who is considered by some to be a possible nominee for President or Vice President in 2008 or 2012, helped pass the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) as a constitutional amendment in Colorado.

Spring has sprung and area activists are kicking into gear. Here are some events coming up that may or may not change the world:

FEELING CHATTY: On Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 pm, CitizenSalon will host Democratic US Senate candidates Jean Hay Bright and Eric Mehnert, both of whom have designs on Olympia Snowe's spot in Washington.

Portland Greens announced today which two members will run for city council in their bid to weaken the Dems' control over the city's primary governing body (see last edition's "Portland's Greens Go for the Council" by yours truly). Kevin Donoghue, the 27-year-old co-chair of the Portland Green Independent Committee and a student at USM's Muskie School of Public Service, will challenge incumbent Will Gorham, who has lately generated a lot of free press by advocating for fewer bars in the Old Port.