NEBRASKA GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES . . . Green Party candidates for 2008 in Partisan elections are Steven R. Larrick, U.S. Senate; and for Douglas County Board, District 1: Scott Hoffman; District 3: Derek Glaser; District 5: Susan Koneck. Laverne Thraen has filed for the Non-Partisan OPPD Board of Directors Metro District, and Doug Paterson is a candidate for Public Service Commission District 2 in Omaha.

GROW AND SHARE FRESH PRODUCE . . . Beginning Monday, July 14, 2008, area gardeners are invited to take excess fruits and vegetables to Campbell’s Nurseries, 2342 South 40th Street and 7000 South 56th Street, Lincoln, where it will be collected by the Food Bank and distributed to 100 agencies in Southeast Nebraska that serve low-income individuals and families. Produce may also be dropped off at the Food Bank, 4840 Doris Bair Circle (three blocks north of 48th & Superior Streets), 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. Do not pre-wash or refrigerate produce, and transport it in paper sacks rather than plastic bags to avoid spoilage.

VOTE FOR KIDS . . . Organizational meetings to help raise childrens’ issues in Nebraska are scheduled for Monday, July 14, 2008, in Omaha at the UN-O Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom, 11:00am to noon; in Lincoln, Tuesday, July 15th, 11:00am to noon at the Lincoln Community Foundation, 215 Centennial Mall South 5th Floor Conference Room; and in Grand Island, Wednesday, July 16, 11:00am to noon at the Saint Francis Memorial Health Center. For additional information, call Sarah Ann at 402-597-3100 or Terry at 402-477-7344. Online, visit http://www.everychildmatters.org/Nebraska.

LINCOLN CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT FOR ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN . . . Should seated City Council members be allowed to continue making money for themselves by contracting with the City? With 4,712 valid signatures of Lincoln residents, this question can be added to the November 4, 2008 ballot. Help gather signatures by circulating petitions available from organizers Patte Newman, former City Councilperson, and Vic Covalt. Signatures are needed by Wednesday, July 16, 2008. Petitions are available at Covalt’s office at 1045 Lincoln Mall, Suite 200 (free parking in the back), and a notary is available there when forms are returned. For more information, contact Covalt by phone at 402.436.3030, or e-mail vcovalt at ballewcovalt dot com.

FELLING OF LINCOLN HIGH TREES A DISGRACE . . . The Lincoln Journal Star Local View linked here provides background information about the destruction of numerous mature trees at Lincoln High School, some of which were planted as memorials to former principals, to honor Vietnam POWs and those missing in action, and to commemorate Lincoln High’s Centennial. In addition to sentimental, visual, and aesthetic value of the trees, there are other issues: the cost to maintain new vegetation, the ecological impact of removing trees that provided oxygen and shade, the fact that they also provided a noise barrier between traffic on Capitol Parkway and the school, the fact that removal of the trees west of the building will now expose it to afternoon sun requiring more of the cooling system, and the cost of uprooting these trees, buying new ones, and planting them. ACTION: Communicate opposition to a variety of people in an effort to persuade the Board of Education to discontinue this tree removal plan in favor of a more reasonable compromise. Write letters to the editor of the Lincoln Journal Star: oped at journalstar dot com. Call or write: Michael Wortman, Principal of Lincoln High School, 402.436.1301 or e-mail mwortman at lps dot org; Susan Gourley, Superintendent of Schools, 402.4361000, sgourley at lps dot org, and e-mail your School Board representative at http://www.lps.org/about/board/#members.

GREENING YOUR OFFICE 101: LUNCH AND LEARN . . . The Green Office will present a webinar on Wednesday, July 16, 2008, 11:45am to 1:15pm, at the Lancaster County Extension Office, 444 Cherry Creek Road, in Lincoln. The cost includes lunch. For more information, contact April Hilpert-Whitney, by phone at 402.434.7376, or e-mail ahilpert at wastecapne dot org.

WEDNESDAY PEACE VIGILS . . . Join weekly peace vigils at the Federal Building, 15th and O streets in Lincoln, every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Contact Mark at 402-499-6672 or mark at weddleton dot com for more information.

ALTERNATIVES TO THE MILITARY . . . Thursday, July 17, 2008, join Greens and Peacemakers from Alternatives to the Military for the annual ATM pot luck dinner to award Peacemaker of the Year. This year’s Honoree is longtime Lincoln activist Nan Graf, key advocate of Nebraskans for Justice for political prisoners Ed Poindexter and Mondo we Langa. Gather at Christ United Methodist Church, 45th & A Streets, Lincoln, 5:30pm. Bring a dish to share. Or, if you support alternatives to the military, just show up and meet Lincoln area Peacemakers. There is always enough food. RSVP: ruththone at msn dot com.

WACO WESTERN DAYS PARADE . . . Larrick for Senate will join the Waco Parade on Saturday, July 19, 2008, at 4:00 pm. Waco is west of Seward, about six miles east of York. To let Steve know you would like to support his campaign by joining him in the Parade, contact him at slarrick1 at msn dot com, phone him at 402.435.5612, or e-mail anthony.dicostanzo at gmail dot com.