Monthly Archives: January 2008

Green Notes for the week of January 20, 2008

GREENS SPEARHEAD COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT …The first meeting of a new Coalition for the Environment is Wednesday, January 23, 7:00pm, Southminster United Methodist Church, 2915 South 16th Street, Lincoln, in the lower level meeting room. The Coalition’s first collaborative project will be creating an Earth Day Celebration, Sunday, April 20, 2008, noon to 4:00pm at Lincoln’s Antelope Park. Environmental organizations, private businesses, visual and performing artists, and “green” advocacy groups are invited to join the Coalition. For more information contact barbvandenberg@hotmail.com.

Ann Bleed, Director of Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, will present “Formulating Policies for Future Water Use on the Great Plains,” Wednesday, January 23, 3:30-5:00pm, at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Lincoln. The UN-L Paul A. Olson Seminar in Great Plains Studies and a 3:00pm reception are free and open to the public.

WILL TIME WARNER REPAY CUSTOMERS? . . . The Cable TV Advisory Board will hold its annual meeting at 4 p.m. Thursday, January 24, 2008 in Room 113 of the County-City Building, 555 S. 10th Street. On the agenda is city negotiations with the cable company over the months-long service disruption last year known as the Navigator fiasco.

GREENS PROMOTE “MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE.” The play “My Name is Rachel Corrie” will be performed by the production company Countdown to Zero, with Julie Rada, Thursday, January 24, 2008, 7:30pm, First Mennonite Church, 7300 Holdrege Street, Lincoln. The arts inform people of important issues of the day. Sponsored and/or supported by the Nebraska Coalition for Peace, Nebraskans for Peace, First Mennonite Church of Lincoln, Friends of Palestine, The Angels Company, Nebraska Green Party, and many concerned individuals in the arts and peace community.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WEEK AT UN-L begins with a 2:00pm Chancellor’s Program at the Nebraska Union City Campus Auditorium, 1400 R Street, Lincoln, Monday January 21, 2008. “Martin Luther King Jr’s Expansive Dream” will be presented by Reverend Irene Monroe, religion columnist, public theologian, and motivational speaker. The week ends with the 13th Annual MLK Banquet, 6:30pm, Saturday January 26. Other events are listed at http://mlkweek.unl.edu/

GREENS ADVOCATE DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION…

In LINCOLN: Abolition Action Group Meetings are every Saturday, 11:30am, First Presbyterian Church, 18th & F Streets, to organize events, actions, and abolition awareness. Enter east doors. Follow the signs.

In OMAHA: Sunday, January 27, 1:00pm abolisionists meet at the Blue Line Cafe, 4924 Underwood Avenue. Contact Josh Cramer at 402-310-1096 for more details.

In GRAND ISLAND: Presentation of Living the Questions DVD featuring Sister Helen Prejean’s life journey and work for abolition. Sunday, January 20 and January 27, 2008, 5:00pm, Trinity United Methodist Church, 5th & Elm, lower level room 4. Enter East doors.

Sunday Forum January 20, 2008, 9:30am: ONE FAMILY CHOOSING FORGIVENESS, Trinity United Methodist Church Gollaher Chapel, 5th & Elm. Featured speaker: Kurt Mesner, murder victim family member from Central City.

MEET YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS at the Lincoln Neighborhood Alliance TOWN HALL meeting, Saturday January 26, 1:00-4:00pm, 1st United Methodist Church, 2723 North 50th Street.

A TOWN HALL Meeting focused on the future of State Fair Park, hosted by eight Lancaster County senators, will be Tuesday, January 29, 7:30-8:45am, Lincoln Public Schools District Office, 5901 O Street. Doors open at 7:00am. Admission is free. A light breakfast is available for $2.

GREENS INVITED TO COMMENT . . . Lincoln Electric System is seeking a 5.5% rate increase. Electric rates for residential customers are two to three times higher than for commercial and industrial users. Rates are not inverted as water rates are to encourage conservation. City Council must approve and may make changes. The Council public hearing is expected to be Monday, February 4, 1:30 pm, at County-City Building, 9th and K Streets. Rate schedules at http://www.les.com.

© Nebraska Green Party

Green Notes for the week of January 13, 2008

GREEN PARTY CO-CHAIR PRODUCES FILM… Steve Larrick and Janine Copple have produced “A Walk in Epworth Park” featuring a tour through Epworth Lake Park by Jim McKee. Historic Epworth is now known as Wilderness Park. Join Greens and Friends of Wilderness Park on Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 7:15pm, at Meadowlark Coffee Shop, 1624 South Street in Lincoln for a showing.

GREENS SPEARHEAD COALITION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT… The Nebraska Green Party is organizing a new Coalition for the Environment. The first collaborative project will be creating an Earth Day Celebration for the City of Lincoln on April 20, 2008 at Antelope Park, noon to 4:00pm. Environmental organizations, private businesses, visual and performing artists, and “green” advocacy groups are invited to join the Coalition. Contact barbvandenberg@hotmail.com for details about the first organizational meeting mid-January.

GREENS ADVOCATE DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION…
In LINCOLN: Tuesday, January 15, 2008, 7:00pm, Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street, Death Penalty Forum presented by the League of Women Voters of Lincoln-Lancaster County. J. Kirk Brown, Nebraska Solicitor General advocating retention V. Alan Peterson, Lincoln Attorney, advocating abolition. Q&A will follow. On Thursday, January 17, Nancy Field and Sister Elaine Herrold present on the death penalty at Lincoln chapter of NAACP, 6:00pm, the Malone Center, 2032 U Street.
Abolition Action Group Meetings are every Saturday, 11:30am, First Presbyterian Church, 18th & F Streets, Lincoln, to organize events, actions, and abolition awareness. Enter east side doors. Follow the signs. Contact information: (402)570-7951; jacksonmeg@hotmail.com.
In GRAND ISLAND: Presentation of Living the Questions DVD featuring Sister Helen Prejean’s life journey and work for abolition. Sunday, January 20 and January 27, 2008, 5:00pm, Trinity United Methodist Church, 5th & Elm, lower level room 4. Enter East doors.
Sunday Forum January 20, 2008, 9:30am: ONE FAMILY CHOOSING FORGIVENESS, Trinity United Methodist Church Gollaher Chapel, 5th & Elm. Featured speaker: Kurt Mesner, murder victim family member from Central City.

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WEEK AT UN-L begins with a 2:00pm Chancellor’s Program at the Nebraska Union City Campus Auditorium, 1400 R Street, Lincoln, Monday January 21, 2008. “Martin Luther King Jr’s Expansive Dream” will be presented by Reverend Irene Monroe, religion columnist, public theologian, and motivational speaker. The week ends with the 13th Annual MLK Banquet, 6:30pm, Saturday January 26. Other events are listed at http://mlkweek.unl.edu/

GREENS PROMOTE “MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE.” The play “My Name is Rachel Corrie” will be performed by the production company Countdown to Zero, with Julie Rada, Thursday, January 24, 2008, 7:30pm, First Mennonite Church, 7300 Holdrege Street, Lincoln. The arts inform people of important issues of the day. Sponsored and/or supported by the Nebraska Coalition for Peace, Nebraskans for Peace, First Mennonite Church of Lincoln, Friends of Palestine, The Angels Company, Nebraska Green Party, and many concerned individuals in the arts and peace community.

© Nebraska Green Party

Green Notes for the week of January 7, 2008

LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS Wednesday, January 9, 2008.

GREENS ADVOCATE Death Penalty Abolition in 2008 . . .

  • In Lincoln: Monday, January 7, 10am Nebraska State Capitol, New Voices from Mainstream Nebraska. State senators and media will hear Mimi Kelle, a murder victim family member and Lincoln Police Captain James Davidsaver call for abolition. The event will conclude by 11am. Friends of Abolition and Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty are invited to attend and show support for repeal in 2008.
  • In Lincoln: Tuesday, January 15, 7:00pm, Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street, Death Penalty Forum presented by the League of Women Voters of Lincoln-Lancaster County. J. Kirk Brown, Nebraska Solicitor General advocating retention V. Alan Peterson, Lincoln Attorney, advocating abolition. Q&A will follow.
  • In Lincoln: Abolition Action Group Meetings, every Saturday, 11:30am, First Presbyterian Church, 18th & F Streets. Enter east side doors. Follow the signs.

LINCOLN ELECTRIC SYSTEM PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED RATE HIKE . . .

Tuesday, January 8, 7:00pm, Walt Canney Service Center, 2620 Fairfield, Lincoln Electric System public hearing on the proposed 5.5% rate hike. And, LES customers may still advance the Green Agenda by filling out a survey of preferences for a proposed $1M Sustainable Energy Program. Under “other suggestions,” consider adding a moratorium on building coal-fired plants. Click the following links for the On-line survey. Mail-in survey. Background paper. News release.

GREENS VIGIL FOR PEACE . . .

Weekly Peace Vigils continue every Wednesday, 5:00 to 6:00pm at the Federal Building, 15th & O Streets, Lincoln. Weekly Nebraska Coalition for Peace meetings are Saturdays, 2:30pm, Crescent Moon Coffee House, 816 P Street. All are welcome.

DARFUR NOW, a documentary of hope in the midst of one of humanity’s darkest hours–a call to action for people everywhere to end the catastrophe unfolding in Darfur, Sudan–opens at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center Friday, January 4. It runs through Thursday, January 17. Show times are available at www.TheRoss.org.

Wachiska Audubon to Focus on Sandhill Cranes. Greens are invited to hear Nebraska photographer Brad Mellema discuss conservation on the Platte River with focus on sandhill cranes, Thursday, January 10, 7:00pm at the Dick Administration Building, Union College. For more information call 486.4846.

LARRICK QUOTE . . .

“…we must work diplomatically to end all wars and threats of war. Only then, can we redirect our nation’s energies toward meeting the environmental challenges of global warming and degradation. Only then can we become the peacemakers and environmental stewards upon which future generations are depending.””

© Nebraska Green Party