September 20, 2017: Berkeley "Free Speech Week" Organizers Plan to Host Events Despite Lack of Venues, South Korea Pushing to Ensure Safety at 2018 Winter Olympics, International Tourism to U.S. Was Down in Early 2017

1. BERKELEY "FREE SPEECH WEEK" ORGANIZERS PLAN TO HOST EVENTS DESPITE LACK OF VENUES: Organizers of the upcoming controversial “Free Speech Week” at the University of California at Berkeley still plan to host events, even though school officials said certain indoor venues couldn’t be rented. Washington Post: “’We’ll do it outdoors if we need to,’ said Pranav Jandhyala, a sophomore who is a member of the Berkeley Patriot, the student group that invited provocative writer Milo Yiannopoulos and others to campus. He said that conservative commentator Ann Coulter, frequent critic of Islam Pamela Geller and former chief White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon are all planning to speak there next week. Coulter, and a spokeswoman for Bannon, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday. Geller said she is planning to speak. University officials released a list of speakers they said had been confirmed that did not include Coulter, Geller or Bannon. The events were promised by Yiannopoulos after his own speech was canceled amid violent protests in February. When anti-fascist and other extremist protesters began smashing windows and lighting fires amid a large group of students peacefully protesting his talk, university police shut down the event.” http://wapo.st/2fhA0lD

2. SOUTH KOREA PUSHING TO ENSURE SAFETY AT 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS: In the middle of rising problems over North Korea's nuclear weapons program, South Korean President Moon Jae-In on Wednesday said the country is pushing to guarantee safety at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Reuters: "In a meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, Moon said South Korea has always hosted global sports events successfully despite being technically at war with the North, according to a South Korean presidential official. 'We are well aware of the concerns the IOC and the whole world have regarding the Korean peninsula,' Moon was quoted as saying to Bach at the New York meeting by the official. 'A successful hosting of the Pyeongchang games would erase worries over security and show the world regional peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.' Pyeongchang, the first Asian host of the Winter Olympics outside Japan, will stage the event on Feb 9-25. Bach, meanwhile, said North Korean athletes were so far competing in preliminary events, and would be able to compete in the Winter Games if they reached qualifying standards, the official said." http://reut.rs/2xvkB7D

3. INTERNATIONAL TOURISM TO U.S. WAS DOWN IN EARLY 2017: A new report from the U.S. Department of Commerce shows there were fewer international travelers in the United States during the first few months of 2017 compared to the same time period in 2016. The New York Times: “New figures released by the U.S. Department of Commerce show a drop in international visitors to the United States by close to 700,000 in the first quarter of 2017 compared to the previous year. European countries were down 10.1 percent, and Mexico was off 7.1 percent in the quarter. The largest drops were from the Middle East and Africa, though they represent a much smaller percentage of overall travel to the United States. Overall, 697,791 fewer foreigners visited the United States in the first three months of the year, down 4.2 percent to 15.8 million. As points of comparison, the first quarter of 2013, after the reelection of Barack Obama, international tourism was up 6.4 percent, and the first quarter of 2009, after President Obama’s first election (and during global recession that began at the end of 2008), it was down 14.3 percent. The question of whether the results prove a ripple effect from President Trump’s proposed travel ban on visitors from six majority-Muslim countries, an expanded wall along the Mexican border and anti-immigrant statements remains unanswered. … Some tour operators have already felt the freeze. Intrepid Travel reported a 24 percent decrease in bookings to the United States this year to date compared to the same period last year, while trips to Canada are up 40 percent.” http://nyti.ms/2yc04lW

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  The sixth annual Let’s Talk About Food Festival will take place Saturday at Copley Square. The event, which encourages open discussions about issues facing American food supply and food culture, is presented by the Boston Globe and Star Market. 

CHICAGO:  The inaugural Craft Beer Day in Long Grove will take place October 7. The event, which is organized by Buffalo Creek Brewing and the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association, will offer unlimited tastings from local brewers. 

LAS VEGAS:  Elixir—A Local Lounge will celebrate its fourth anniversary with a masquerade-theme party on Saturday. 

LOS ANGELES:  YouTube star Jon Cozart will host the 7th annual Streamy Awards, which will be held at the Beverly Hilton on September 26 and streamed live on Twitter.

The Paley Center will celebrate the 100th episode of The Goldbergs with a celebration on October 17, which will include a screening, panel conversation, and audience Q&A with the cast and creative team. 

Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs has appointed Karen Smith director of sales and marketing. 

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

NEW ORLEANS:  In 2019, the Southern Council of Optometrists, Inc. (SECO) will move its annual conference from Atlanta to the New Orleans Ernest Morial Convention Center, from February 20-24.

NEW YORK:  Citi and Live Nation will broadcast the Global Citizen Festival live in virtual reality for the first time on Saturday. The VR experience can be viewed with the NextVR app. 

Equality Now, an international human rights organization dedicated to ensuring that women and girls are able to live without violence and discrimination, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with the “Make Equality Reality” gala on October 30 at Gotham Hall. 

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

SAN FRANCISCO:  Virgin Sport San Francisco’s first-ever Festival of Fitness will take place October 14-15. The weekendlong festival will offer a variety of fitness events, including the SF Bay Half Marathon, the Twin Peaks Mile hill climb, and the Go Fit Yourself Lineup at the Civic Center, which will have a variety workouts from local studios and instructors. 

The San Francisco Proper Hotel has officially opened in the Mid-Market neighborhood. The 131-room hotel will serve as the first and flagship hotel from Proper Hospitality. 

TORONTO:  The fifth annual Buffer Festival, which showcases YouTube world premieres and panels with digital creators, will take place September 28-October 1 at Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  The Dulles Day Plane Festival at Washington Dulles International Airport on Saturday will offer a daylong schedule of activities for both adults and children. Nearly 100 teams from the community will pull two jet aircraft with ropes in a competition that originated at Dulles 25 years ago, and has raised more than $2 million for Special Olympics Virginia since the event’s inception. The event will feature travel-focused exhibits, more than 40 current and vintage aircraft on display, a classic car show, and more.

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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles, Mitra Sorrells in Orlando, and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Jill Menze, Rayna Katz, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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