Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

2010 EARTH DAY WEEK . . . Lincoln will celebrate 40 years of Earth Day Saturday, April 24, 2010, 2:00 to 6:00pm at Antelope Park, with evening activities in the Haymarket. Every day of this week there will be an Earth Day Event. Click here for a full schedule, and check Green Notes below.

THE NEW ARENA QUESTION . . . No2Arena informational materials will be ready for Saturday morning’s 10:00am meeting at Gere Library, 56th and Normal Blvd., April 24, 2010. (Due to road construction, enter on 56th Street.) See Green Notes below about how to help with distribution, about this week’s Neighborhood Association meetings, about Saturday night’s potluck fundraiser at the Unitarian Church, and other opportunities to learn *the facts* about a proposed arena in Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket District. A significant Local View in Lincoln Journal-star, Sunday, April 18, 2010, by Brian Chilcott is here.  It states: “Lincoln, if you will ever stop the “brain drain,” if you will ever be attractive to smart young professionals and the companies that employ them, you’ll have to be more visionary than your silly arena plan would suggest. Every well-educated Nebraskan I know lives elsewhere, and it is a sad condition. I wish you luck, but I certainly wouldn’t return to foot the bill for such nonsense.”
A series of live chats at www.journalstar.com will begin Monday, April 19th, at 10:00am. Arena related questions from readers will be fielded live online, starting with Pershing Center General Manager Tom Lorenz. This week’s Neighborhood Association meetings are listed in separate Green Notes below. An April 17, 2010 letter to the editor, “Get all arena facts first,” is here.
The proposed arena site is highly contaminated with toxic railyard waste. The City of Lincoln will be assuming liability for cleaning up ground contaminated with 130 years of toxins. The railroads will have no clean-up responsibility after this proposed deal. It is very unlikely that $7.5 million allotted for cleanup will be adequate. The City will owe $20
million per year in interest on the bond for 30 years. This raises the cost to $755 million with interest, without added contamination clean-up costs. Click here for a list of toxic contaminants at the Haymarket location site.
Phone Kathy at 402.202.8153, or e-mail KathyKBD [at] aol [dot] com to learn more and volunteer. No2Arena yard signs and bumper stickers are available at Saturday morning meetings, or by phoning 488.8519. Click here to become a “Vote NO to Lincoln’s Haymarket Arena” Facebook fan.     SAVE THE HAYMARKET.

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, from noon to 1:00pm, Nebraskans for abolition of the death penalty meet in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. The lunch-hour presence reminds senators and the governor of a constituency that does not want state killings. Weekly vigils have taken place year-round since July, 1991. All abolitionists are welcome to participate for a few minutes, or the hour. For information about Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, click here.

NO IMPACT MAN . . . Lincoln Earth Day 2010 and Cleaner Greener Lincoln will present a screening of ‘No Impact Man‘ on Monday, April 19, 2010, 7:00pm, at The Grand Theatre, 1101 P Street. The documentary follows the life of Colin Beavan and his family, who abandoned a high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle for a year of making no net environmental impact. Scroll down to view the trailer here. The free film is open to the public.

CIVIL RIGHTS PANEL . . The Dan Williams Civil Rights Lecture, honoring the founder of CARD, Citizens Against Racism and Discrimination, will be Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 5:15pm. A Panel discussing civil rights issues in Lincoln will be at The Cornhusker Hotel, 333 South 13th Street, Lincoln, timed in conjunction with the 2010 Civil Rights Conference, April 20 and 21, focusing on fair housing and employment discrimination. Hosted by Jose Soto, Southeast Community College vice president of diversity, multicultural education and affirmative action, the panel will include local Civil Rights Icon Lela Knox Shanks.  For more information, e-mail lwilliams [at] lincoln [dot] ne [dot] gov or phone 402.441.8691.

SOULFORCE IN LINCOLN . . . Soulforce will be visiting Lincoln on Tuesday, April 20 and Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Founded in 1998, Soulforce is based on the principles of relentless nonviolent resistance as taught and practiced by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Tuesday, April 20, 2010, Plymouth Pride Fellowship will host a 5:00pm potluck at First-Plymouth Church, 2000 D Street, in Pilgrim Hall, with a 5:30 panel of clergy. GLBTQs, Allies, and Equality (bus) Riders from different parts of the nation will share food, meaningful dialoge and support with local community activists and friends as part of work to end religious and political oppression. Soulforce will visit the Union College campus on Wednesday, April 21, 2010. There will be an open mic night at Meadowlark Coffeehouse, 1624 South Street, from 7:00 to 9:00pm. For more information, e-mail robin [at] outlinc [dot] org or click here.

SUPPORT NO2ARENA AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS . . . No2Arena spokespeople will meet with Lincoln Neighborhood Associations this week. Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 7:00pm, Kandra Hahn will be at the Meadowlane Neighborhood Association, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 1015 Lancaster Lane. Also on Tuesday, Scott Wendt will be at the Country Club Neighborhood Association meeting, Irving Rec Center, 2010 Van Dorn, at 7:00pm. From 11:00pm to midnight on Tuesday, Brad Carper will answer call-in questions at KZUM Community Radio, 89.3fm. Call 474.5086 with questions and comments.

LINCOLN PEACE VIGILS . . . Lincoln peace vigils continue at the Federal Building, 15th and O streets, every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Contact Mark at 402.499.6672 or e-mail mark [at] weddleton [dot] com for more information.

RECYCLED PLASTIC BAG PROJECT . . . There will be a discussion, open to the public, about the Doane College Plastic Bag Project, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 6:15 to 7:15pm, in Courtyard Lounge, First-Plymouth Church, 2000 D Street, Lincoln. Doane Professor Brad Elder will lead a conversation about reusing plastic bags in Kenya.

HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION . . . Friday, April 23, 2010, 9:00am to 1:00pm, Lincoln residents may bring household hazardous waste items for recycle or safe disposal to the 87th and Highway 2 Walmart. Click here for a list of accepted items. For more information, phone 402.44.8021.

LOCAL-LICIOUS DINNER . . . Nebraska farmers and gardeners of the Nebraska Food Cooperative will provide locally grown and raised foods for a Local-Licious dinner at the Country Club of Lincoln Ballroom, 3200 South 24th Street, Lincoln, on Friday, April 23, 2010, 6:00pm. Learn about statewide efforts to develop a local food system, have a great meal, and support the local food movement.  Reserve tickets online through PayPal here.

SAVE THE HAYMARKET . . . No2Arena will meet Saturday, April 24, 2010, 10:00am, at Gere Library, 56th and Normal. (Due to road construction, enter on 56th Street.) Volunteers are need to help distribute fliers with *the facts* from house to house in Lincoln. Packets and precinct maps will be available at this meeting. If you can’t be there, please phone Kathy at 202.8153 to volunteer help walking neighborhoods or making phone calls.

EARTH DAY WILDERNESS PARK CLEAN-UP . . . As part of Earth Day, Friends of Wilderness Park will meet in the Day Camp parking lot at 8:30am, Saturday, April 24, 2010, to pick up trash and litter along Park trails. Children are welcome. Adults only will form an additional group to gather litter along roadsides and possibly under bridges. The parking lot can be reached by turning south onto Park Boulevard from Van Dorn, then going south to 1st Street. Call 441.7895 before April 21st if you plan to help, and qualify for free pizza and soda after the clean-up is finished at noon.

BIRD FEEDING WORKSHOP . . . Pre-registration is required for an Earth Day Backyard Bird Feeding Workshop, Saturday, April 24, 2010, 10:00 to 11:30am, at Pioneers Park Nature Center in the Prairie Building Auditorium. Presented by the Wild Bird Habitat Store, the workshop will teach how to set up a sumer bird feeding program at home. There will be refreshments and door prizes. For more information, and to register, phone 441.7895.

PARTY FOR THE PLANET . . . Earth Day will be celebrated at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo from 10:00am to 3:00pm, Saturday, April 24, 2010. The Zoo is located on 27th Street between Capital Parkway and A Street at 27th & B Street.

WORLD TAI CHI AND QIGONG DAY . . . The 12th Annual World Tai Chi and Qigong Day will be observed in Lincoln Saturday, April 24, 2010, from 9:00am to noon, at the Antelope Park enclosed shelter. Beginning in the earliest time zones of New Zealand, Tai Chi and Qigong will be practiced at 10:00am worldwide. As Earth turns, a wave of positive Qi energy will be spread around the planet. All are invited to participate. For more information, phone Chris at 402.310.5990 or e-mail headlee1 [at] juno [dot] com

EARTH DAY ELECTRONIC RECYCLING EVENT . . . Saturday April, 24, 2010, noon to 5:00pm, Open Harvest will host a free Earth Day Electronics Recycling event in the store’s parking lot at 1618 South Street, Lincoln. Recycle anything with a plug or batteries for free with these exceptions: CRT TV’s and monitors under 21” will cost $10 per unit; those larger than 21” will cost $35 per unit. Phone Secure Recyclers, 402.420.1515, with any questions.

EARTH DAY TRAIL RUNS . . . Registration begins at 8:00am, Saturday, April 24, 2010, for 5K, 2 mile, and a 1 mile kid’s run (12 and under) starting at the Mopac East Trailhead on 84th Street near State Farm. All races will be run simultaneously. There will be a limited number of Open Harvest water bottles with early registrations. Register here.

EARTH DAY AT ANTELOPE PARK . . . From the Mopac Trail, Lincoln Earth Day Events will move to Antelope Park, 2:00 to 6:00pm, for a Celebration Festival. The community-wide zero-waste Event will include main stage entertainment (powered by solar power) from local bands and dance troupes, family activities, a kid’s Big Wheel race, an Alternative Transportation Expo, and an educational exhibitor booth fair. Artists for the Earth will present a Green Poster display, and the 4th “Style Your Sole” TOMS shoe decorating event will be hosted by local shoe store The Public. At 4:00pm, celebrated Lincoln photographer Michael Forsberg will present a keynote speech on how we can best conserve local natural resources, with photos, in the Auld Pavilion. There will be a Post Celebration Bike Ride to the Haymarket for a Green Meals tour. A variety of Haymarket restaurants will participate, offering featured sustainable menu items and drinks. Click here for a full schedule of Earth Day events.

SAVE THE HAYMARKET . . . A potluck fundraiser to benefit the No2Arena campaign will start at 6:00pm Saturday evening, April 24, 2010, at the Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street in Lincoln. There will be a Cash Bar, Live Music, Door Prizes, and Community Spirit for educating Lincoln about *the facts* before a May 11th vote on the arena project.

OPEN HOUSE AT SPRING CREEK . . . Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, 11700 SW 100th Street, Denton, will host an open house from 1:00 to 5:00pm, Sunday, April 25, 2010. The 808-acre tallgrass prairie nature preserve is located 20 minutes southwest of Lincoln. Click here for directions. Guided walks will begin at 2:00 and 3:30pm, and light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public.

COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS AVAILABLE . . . Community CROPS has garden plots available all over Lincoln for those interested in growing their own food locally. CROPS has a Community Supported Agriculture program offering subscriptions to boxes of locally-grown food, and also offers gardening classes. Click here to find links for applications to all CROPS programs.

ORDER NATIVE PLANTS TO SUPPORT FRIENDS OF WILDERNESS PARK . . . Orders for plants being grown by Finke Gardens and Nursery for this year’s Wilderness Park native plant catalogue must be placed by May 4, 2010. Native plants are naturally adapted to the local environment and native soil, naturally tolerant of pests, and require little water. Catalogues and order forms are available at Finke Gardens, Meadowlark Coffee & Expresso, The Mill, and Lincoln Parks and Recreation Center office at 27th & A Streets. Call 477.8282 and leave a message to place a phone order for a 2010 catalogue.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

Monday, April 17, 2010, 7:00pm, Great Escape Theatre, 7440 Crown Pointe Avenue, will premiere Wigger, a film written and directed by Omowale Akintunde, head of the UN-O Black Studies Department. The film, shot on location in Omaha, has to do with racial issues that exist across the country. Three of the film’s stars, Ana Maria Horsford, Meschach Taylor and David Oakes, will be present. The film is being shown as part of Omaha’s annual Malcolm X Festival and Conference, [pdf] April 18 through April 20, 2010. Call the black studies office, 554.2412, for more information.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, at StratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the UN-O campus. Free parking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is an Anti-War and Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Food Beware: French Organic Revolution.”  Food and drink is available. A lively discussion follows each showing. For more information, click here.  The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

OMAHA SIERRA CLUB MEETING . . . “Environment Omaha: Creating a More Sustainable City” is the focus of this months’ Omaha Sierra Club program, Thursday, April 22, 2010, 7:00pm, at First United Methodist Church, 69th & Cass Street (Enter north door education wing). Speakers will be Connie Spellman, Mick McMeekin, and Steve Jensen.  All are welcome.

UN-O EARTH DAY EVENT . . . The UN-O Ecology Club will host an Earth Day event on Thursday, April 22, 2010 from 10:00am to 2:00pm, in the Pep Bowl area behind Eppley Administration Building. There will be a live band from noon to 1:00. Stop by the Nebraska Green Party table and meet Omaha Greens.

NW-U EARTH DAY EVENT . . . Visit the Green Party table at Nebraska Wesleyan’s Earth Day event, Thursday, April 22, 2010, along the walkway between the Student Center and Smith-Curtis, from after 11:00am to 2:00pm.

WILDFLOWER HIKE . . . There will be a Wildflower Hike around the Great Marsh, Fontenelle Forest Wetlands Education Center, Bellevue, April 24th, 2010, at 10:00am. Meet at Wetland Education trail head by 8:15 to 8:30pm. For directions, more information, and to rsvp, e-mail bobbygoetschkes [at] hotmail [dot] com or phone 402.614.4788.

ACLU-NEBRASKA ANNUAL . . . The 2010 ACLU Nebraska Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet will be Saturday, April 24, 2010, at Cascio’s Steak House, 1620 South 10th Street, Omaha. A 6:00pm reception will be followed by dinner at 7:15. The Keynote Speaker, Ellery Schempp, will focus on “The Constitution, the Bible and the ACLU.”

IBRAHIM SBAIHAT PERFORMANCE . . . Saturday, April 24, 2010, 5:00pm, Palestinian Folksinger Ibrahim Sbaihat and his band will perform at a night of traditional Palestinian music and culture at First United Methodist Church’s Cary Hall, 7020 Cass Street (east entrance). The event will include a potluck dinner and Arabic food. Phone Musa al-Hindi at 402.708.9605 for more information.

HEALTH, WELLNESS & FITNESS EXPO . . . The 2010 Mind, Body, & Spirit Fair will be at Omaha Civic Auditorium, 17th and Capitol, Saturday, April 24, 11:00am to 6:00pm, and April 25, 11:00am to 4:00pm. The interactive community event will have seminars on various topics both days. For more information, phone Bob Mancuso, Jr. at 402.346.8003, or click here.

THEATER OF THE OPPRESSED WORKSHOP . . . There will be another Theater of the Oppressed  Workshop Sunday, April 25, 2010, 1:00-5:00pm, at the UN-O Student Center, 6001 Dodge, in the Nebraska Room.  The Facebook site is here.  Contact Colleen, codoherty [at] unomaha [dot] edu with any questions.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

PUBLIC NIGHT AT BEHLEN . . . The UN-L Behlen Observatory near Mead in Saunders County will be open for public viewing from 7:30 to 10:00pm, Friday, April 23, 2010. At 8:00pm there will be a presentation on Saturn. There is no charge for the public night. For more information, click here or phone UN-L astronomer Edward Schmidt at 402.472.2788.

GOING GREEN SUNDAY . . . Trinity United Methodist Church, 511 North Elm Street, Grand Island, will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day Sunday, April 25, 2010. Change the World Sunday is an invitation to Rethink Church: Go Green as an act of renewing creation in your life this spring. There will be a seed exchange, and seed packets for local gardens will be available free of charge. Phone Trinity UMC offices, Monday through Friday, 308.382.1952, for more information, or e-mail Maureen Vetter, mvetter [at] charter [dot] net.

PEACE WORKERS MEET . . . Central Nebraska Peace Workers will meet Sunday, April 25, 2010, 3:00 to 5:00pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 511 North Elm Street, Grand Island. EveryOne is welcome.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Until local markets begin again, farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople meet through The Nebraska Food Cooperative, an on-line, year-round farmers’ market and local food distribution service offering the best in local freshness. For ordering and pickup schedules, refer to the calendar here. Click here, for products and prices from North Star Neighbors, a Cooperative member that doesn’t therapeutically medicate or unduly confine animals.Click here for Tomato Tomäto, Omaha’s year-round indoor Farmer’s Market at 156th & West Center. Shop for fresh foods grown in or very near your own community at Open Harvest, Lincoln’s member-owned natural foods retail cooperative in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

HELP NEBRASKA GREENS WITH GOODSEARCH . . . Each time you search the Internet (or shop online at a participating store), a donation can be made to Nebraska Green Party at no cost to you! To help NGP in this way, enter Nebraska Green Party where it says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here.  Every time you use the GoodSearch toolbar, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. Download the GoodSearch Toolbar here.  THANK YOU for supporting Nebraska Greens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

THE NEW ARENA QUESTION . . . The fake democracy of a May 11, 2010 vote on a $25 million bond–only a small part of the “$344 million” project–is one of many reasons more people are getting involved with the No2Arena campaign. Other clearly documented reasons include concerns for lack of fiscal responsibility–the City of Lincoln will increase it’s debt burden tremendously; destruction of the historic Landmark District environment–a vibrant, creative mix of residential and commercial in cooperative neighborhood; disregard for the designated flood plain of Salt Creek; and lack of environmental vision for a more sustainable urban development.  The proposed site is highly contaminated with toxic railyard waste. The City of Lincoln will be assuming liability for cleaning up ground contaminated with 130 years of toxins. The railroads will have no clean-up responsibility after this proposed deal. It is very unlikely that $7.5 million allotted for cleanup will be adequate, not to mention $20 million per year in interest the City will owe on the bond for 30 years. This raises the cost to $755 million with interest, without added contamination clean-up costs. Click here  for a list of toxic contaminants at the Haymarket location site.
The first No2Arena billboard is up at 12th and K Street. The website has been updated to include a link for registering to vote. A potluck fundraiser at the Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street, is scheduled for Saturday, April 24, 2010, starting at 6:00pm (after Earth Day activities at Antelope Park). Some of this week’s letters to the Lincoln Journal Star editor are here,  here, here, and “Self serving vision” is here.  No2Arena spokespeople will present the opposition opinion at South Salt Creek and Hartley Neighborhood Association meetings listed in separate Green Notes below. A Sunday, April 11th LJS front page feature story “Calculating the costs and benefits of the arena project” is here.  Click here, phone Kathy at 402.202.8153, or e-mail KathyKBD [at] aol [dot] com to learn more and volunteer. No2Arena yard signs and bumper stickers are now available at Saturday morning meetings, or by phoning 488.8519. The 10:00am, April 17th opposition meeting will be at the Huntington Day Center, 4701 Huntington. Click here to become a “Vote NO to Lincoln’s Haymarket Arena” Facebook fan. SAVE THE HAYMARKET.

LUNCH AND LEARN . . . Reservations are due by noon Monday, April 12, 2010, for this month’s League of Women Voters “Lunch and Learn” presentation by Tom Davlin, project engineering manager at Lincoln Electric, Thursday, April 15, 2010. Davlin will give an overview of sustainable energy resource options in Nebraska, including wind, solar, geothermal and bio-mass. The event, open to the public, is at the 20th floor US Bank Building, 13th and M Streets, Lincoln. Phone 475.1411 to make reservations, or e-mail lwv-ne [at] inebraska [dot] com.

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, from noon to 1:00pm, Nebraskans for abolition of the death penalty meet in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. The lunch-hour presence reminds senators and the governor of a constituency that does not want state killings. Weekly vigils have taken place year-round since July, 1991. All abolitionists are welcome to participate for a few minutes, or the hour. For information about Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, click here.

BROWN BAG LUNCHEON LECTURE . . . Lincoln historian Jim McKee will present “Normal Nebraska and a Peek at College View” during the Preservation Association of Lincoln (PAL) Brown Bag Luncheon from noon to 1:00pm, Tuesday, April 13, 2010, at the Museum of Nebraska History, 15th and P streets in Lincoln.

SUPPORT NO2ARENA AT NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS . . . Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 7:00pm, No2Arena Spokesperson Brad Carper will represent the opposition group at a South Salt Creek Neighborhood Association meeting, Park Middle School, 855 South 8th Street, Lincoln.

LINCOLN PEACE VIGILS . . . Lincoln peace vigils continue at the Federal Building, 15th and O streets, every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Contact Mark at 402.499.6672 or e-mail mark [at] weddleton [dot] com for more information.

DEAD SEA SCROLLS LECTURE . . . Thursday, April 15, 2010, 3:30pm, UN-L professor Sidnie White Crawford will present “The Dead Sea Scrolls After 60 Years:  What Have We Learned?” in the Nebraska Union auditorium, 1400 R Street, Lincoln. Discovery, study, pulication, controversies and rumors surrounding the manuscripts will be discussed.

SUPPORT NO2ARENA AT HARTLEY NEIGHBORHOOD . . . The Hartley Neighborhood Association will hear both sides of the proposed Haymarket Arena issue at its 7:00pm meeting, Thursday, April 15, 2010, in the Hartley Elementary School gym, 33rd and Vine streets. You don’t need to be a resident of the neighborhood to learn more about the proposed arena project at neighborhood association meetings.

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA . . . The Most Dangerous Man in America opens at The Ross, 313 North 13th Street, Lincoln, on Friday, April 16, 2010. The story of how one man’s profound change of heart created a landmark struggle involving America’s newspapers, its president, and the Supreme Court, the film documents Daniel Ellsberg, a high-level Pentagon official and Vietnam War strategist, who concluded that the war was based on decades of lies and leaked 7,000 pages of top secret documents to The New York Times, making headlines around the world. Watch the trailer here.  Show times are available at The Ross film information line, 402.472.5353.

LEED BUILDING TOUR IV . . . Lincoln Green by Design will host a LEED building tour Friday, April 16, 2010, at the Meridian Park Office Building, 70th and “O” Street, 5:30 to 8:00pm. Businesses involved with Meridian Park’s operations and management will be present throughout the building to educate on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design on Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance, LEED EB O&M, an internationally-recognized green operating performance verification. The free event is open to the public. E-mail info [at] lincolnearthday [dot] org for more information.

DAY OF SERVICE . . . Preliminary to week-long Earth Day activities Monday through Friday next week, the City of Lincoln will participate in “Global Day of Service” on Saturday, April 17, 2010. There will be three community-wide service activities: cleaning up a stream at Antelope Park, planting trees at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo, and collecting items for recycling at Memorial Stadium during the Spring game. Click here to learn more, or e-mail info [at] lincolnearthday [dot] org.

NATURE’S MARKET . . . The third annual Nature’s Market will be Saturday, April 17, 2010, 9:00am to 1:00pm, rain or shine, at Pioneers Park Nature Center, located at the west end of Lincoln’s Pioneers Park. The free event will feature art, music, local food, children’s activities and a silent auction in a farmer’s market atmosphere.  Twenty-five artistic rain barrels will be auctioned at 9:30am.

NO2ARENA MEETING . . . Saturday, April 17, 2010, 10:00am, the No2Arena group will meet be at the Huntington Day Center, 4701 Huntington, in northeast Lincoln. Volunteers will soon be needed to walk neighborhoods with fliers presenting the facts, and to make pre-election phone calls. If a Saturday morning meeting doesn’t fit your schedule, phone 402.202.8153, or e-mail KathyKBD [at] aol [dot] com to volunteer.

COMMUNITY GARDEN PLOTS AVAILABLE . . . Community CROPS has garden plots available all over Lincoln for those interested in growing their own food locally. CROPS has a Community Supported Agriculture program offering subscriptions to boxes of locally-grown food, and also offers gardening classes. Click here to find links for applications to all CROPS programs.

ORDER NATIVE PLANTS TO SUPPORT FRIENDS OF WILDERNESS PARK . . . Orders for plants being grown by Finke Gardens and Nursery for this year’s Wilderness Park native plant catalogue must be placed by May 4, 2010. Native plants are naturally adapted to the local environment and native soil, naturally tolerant of pests, and require little water. Catalogues and order forms are available at Finke Gardens, Meadowlark Coffee & Expresso, The Mill, and Lincoln Parks and Recreation Center office at 27th & A Streets. Call 477.8282 and leave a message to place a phone order for a 2010 catalogue.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, atStratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the UN-O campus. Freeparking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is anAnti-War and Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening,7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Theevent is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “The Warning.” It examines the aftermath of the economic meltdown, looking back to discover early warning signs. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

WORK IN AFRICA . . . Fr. Peter Henriot, internationally recognized for many years of work in Africa, will speak at Creighton University April 14th and 15th, discussing the political and economic reasons why Africa is becoming increasingly important in the world, and about the strong faith reasons why Africa’s future is a critical issue for all of us. A lack of jobs, education hampered by poverty, the ongoing battle with HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, food shortages and the realities of life in Africa will be discussed Wednesday, April 14, 2010, 7:00pm, at St. John’s Parish Church, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha. Thursday, April 15, 2010, Henriot wil speak at a “Spirituality Plus” lunch, 11:30am to 12:30pm, at Skutt Student Center in the Ballroom. Both community events are free and open to the public. Click here for more information.

GANDHI SYMPOSIUM . . . The president of Family and Friends of Inmates in Omaha, Mel Beckman, will be honored during the 13th annual Gandhi Symposium, Friday, April 16, 2010, 9:00 am to 3:00pm at the Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine Street. Retired Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, a San Antonio native, is keynote speaker for the 2010 Award Luncheon honoring those who exemplify Mahatma Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence. For more information, phone 402.554.2793 or 402.554.3057.

EARTH DAY OMAHA . . . Earth Day Omaha 2010 will be Saturday, April 17th, 12:00 noon to 8:00pm, at Elmwood Park, 802 South 60th Street. Click here for a schedule of the day’s events.

DAY HIKE AT PLATTE RIVER STATE PARK . . . Rain or shine, hikers will meet at the Lincoln Journal lookout tower by the Walter Scott Jr. Lodge at Platte River State Park, Sunday, April 18, 2010, 1:00pm, to hike 4-5 miles including Owen Crossing and Ruthie’s Point Overlook. Hikers will return to the trailhead by around 4:00pm. RSVP to jamesphernetton [at] me [dot] com or phone 402.319.2322. Participants interested in carpooling should meet at the Super Saver Millard parking lot, 144th and Stony Brook Boulevard, at 12:30pm.

DUNDEE URBAN HIKE . . . There will be a two to five mile Historical and Architectural walking tour through the Dundee
Neighborhood on Sunday, April 18, 2010, leaving from the Dundee Dell, Underwood and 52nd Street, at 2:00pm. The tour will be led by Cate Kratville, of the Dundee Neighborhood Association. For more information, e-mail bobbygoetschkes [at] hotmail [dot] com or phone 402.614.4788.

ACLU NEBRASKA ANNUAL DINNER . . . RSVP by Monday, April 19th, for the 2010 ACLU Nebraska Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet.The event will be Saturday, April 24, 2010, at Cascio’s Steak House, 1620 South 10th Street, Omaha. A 6:00pm reception will be followed by dinner at 7:15. The Keynote Speaker, Ellery Schempp, will focus on “The Constitution, the Bible and the ACLU.”

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

MEET THE CANDIDATES . . . Citizens wishing to be informed voters in the May 11, 2010 Primary election can meet candidates on Sunday, April 18, 2010, 1:00 to 3:00pm, at the Community Room, 1405 Koenig Street in Grand Island. Rebekah Davis (Congress), Janet Stewart (Secretary of State), Annette Dubas (State Senator), Jane Kleeb, and other candidates, will be available for conversation from 1:00 to 3:00pm, with prepared remarks beginning at 2:30. There will be light refreshments and a free will offering. For more information, phone 308.381.6092.

SANDHILL CRANES ON THE PLATTE . . . Nebraska’s annual phenomenon of nature, the arrival of Sandhill Cranes in spectacular numbers, is in progress. The Nebraska Nature and Visitor Center, at the Alda exit 305 on Interstate 80, is open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm, with exhibits, art displays, and two types of guided crane viewing tours. Tour reservations may be made by phone at 308.382.1820. Click here for “Taking Flight,” a Lincoln Journal Star feature story on Nebraska’s Sandhill Cranes.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Local markets are over for now, but farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople still meet through The Nebraska Food Cooperative, an on-line, year-round farmers’ market and local food distribution service offering the best in local freshness. For ordering and pickup schedules, refer to the calendar here.  Click here, for products and prices from North StarNeighbors, a Cooperative member that doesn’t therapeutically medicate or unduly confineanimals. Click here for Tomato Tomäto, Omaha’s year-round indoor Farmer’s Market at 156th & West Center. Shop for fresh foods grown in or very near your own community at Open Harvest, Lincoln’s member-owned natural foods retail cooperative in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

HELP NEBRASKA GREENS WITH GOODSEARCH . . . Each time you search the Internet (or shop online at a participating store), a donation can be made to Nebraska Green Party at no cost to you! To help NGP in this way, enter Nebraska Green Party where it says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here. Every time you use the GoodSearch toolbar, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. Download the GoodSearch Toolbar here. THANK YOU for supporting Nebraska Greens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

NOW IS THE TIME TO DOWNLOAD THE GOODSEARCH TOOLBAR FOR NEBRASKA GREEN PARTY . . . For each toolbar that is downloaded between April 6, 8:00am and April 9, 2010, 8:00am CST, GoodSearch will donate $1 to Nebraska Green Party. The NGP toolbar is free and allows you to raise money for Greens every time you search or shop online at more than 1,300 stores, from Amazon to Zazzle. You may even save money, as the toolbar provides coupons and special deals. Each time you search the Internet, about one penny is donated to Nebraska Greens. The new custom toolbar will provide quick, one-click access to each week’s Green Notes. To help NGP in this way, enter Nebraska Green Party where it says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here.  Download the Toolbar here. THANK YOU for supporting Nebraska Greens.

Lincoln area: Congressional District 1

NEW ARENA OR NO NEW ARENA IN PROPOSED LOCATION? . . . Opponents of a proposed $344 million arena plan subsidized by Lincoln taxpayers will meet Saturday, April 10, 2010, at the Huntington Day Center, 4701 Huntington, on the southeast corner of 47th and Huntington, 10:00am. Opponents object to the proposed location for clearly documented reasons: Lack of fiscal responsibility–The City of Lincoln will increase it’s debt burden tremendously; destruction of the historic Landmark District environment, a vibrant creative downtown mixed residential/commercial neighborhood; disregard for the designated flood plain of the Salt Creek area; lack of environmental vision for more sustainable/green urban development; and the false sense of democracy being promoted with a May 11, 2010 vote on a $25 million bond–only a small part of the “$344 million” project.
The proposed site is highly contaminated with toxic railyard waste. The City of Lincoln will be assuming liability for cleaning up ground contaminated with 130 years of toxins. The railroads will have no clean-up responsibility after this proposed deal. It is very unlikely that $7.5 million allotted for cleanup will be adequate, to mention nothing of $20 million per year in interest the City will owe on the bond for 30 years. This raises the cost to $755 million with interest, without added contamination clean costs.      Listen to Scott Wendt and Brad Carper, No2Arena spokespeople, in a radio interview here.  Click here for the names of past and present City Council members who endorse this project.  Click here for “Grass-roots group opposes downtown Lincoln arena.” There is no Plan B. Cindy Lange-Kubick’s column addressed to the Mayor, “What’s your Plan B?” is here.  Click here for Deena Winter’s coverage of “Who’s who in the downtown Lincoln arena plan,” and here, for “Is arena vote a one-shot deal or not?”
Readers are invited to send questions about the arena to citydesk [at] journalstar [dot] com. Click here,  phone Kathy at 402.202.8153, or e-mail KathyKBD [at] aol [dot] com to learn more and volunteer help. No2Arena yard signs and bumper stickers are now available at Saturday morning meetings, or by phoning 488.8519. Click here to become a “Vote NO to Lincoln’s Haymarket Arena” Facebook fan.     SAVE THE HAYMARKET.

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, from noon to 1:00pm, Nebraskans for abolition of the death penalty meet in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. The lunch-hour presence reminds senators and the governor of a constituency that does not want state killings. Weekly vigils have taken place year-round since July, 1991. All abolitionists are welcome to participate for a few minutes, or the hour. For information about Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, click here.

SUPPORT SAVE THE HAYMARKET . . . Monday, April 5, 2010, 7:00pm, No2Arena spokesperson Brad Carper and a pro-arena person will be featured at the Clinton Neighborhood Association meeting, Cedars Place, at 27th & Holdrege Street, in Lincoln. You don’t need to live in the neighborhood to attend this public forum on the proposed arena project.

EARTH DAY 2010 . . . The 40th Anniversary of Earth Day will be celebrated in Lincoln on Saturday, April 24, 2010, 2:00 to 6:00pm at Antelope Park, with evening activities in the Haymarket. Earth Day planning meetings are every Tuesday, 5:30 to 7:00pm, at the Community Foundation Building, 215 Centennial Mall South, in the fifth flood conference room. To host a booth or exhibit, join a committee and help plan the event, or get involved in any other way, e-mail emilymckeone [at] yahoo [dot] com or phone 402.250.4100. Or just go to a Tuesday night meeting and get involved.

LINCOLN PEACE VIGILS . . . Lincoln peace vigils continue at the Federal Building, 15th and O streets, every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Contact Mark at 402.499.6672 or e-mail mark [at] weddleton [dot] com for more information.

GUANTANAMO AND THE RULE OF LAW . . . Wednesday, April 7, 2010, nationally known trial attorney Emmet Bondurant will speak at the University of Nebraska College of Law, 103 Ross McCollum Hall on UN-L East Campus, 12:00 noon, in the auditorium. That evening, 7:00pm at the Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street, he will discuss Guantanamo, American practices there and elsewhere, and their ramifications for our legal system, our society and our country’s place in the world. Both talks are free and open to the public. For additional information, call 402.310.8525.

AI ANNUAL BANQUET . . . The annual Amnesty International banquet will be Wednesday, April 7, 2010, 6:30 to 9:00pm, City Campus Union at UN-L. There will be a 6:30 showing of the latest Invisible Children documentary, “GO,” in the Union auditorium, followed by a discussion with a scholar from Uganda featured in the film, Pepito. The banquet, catered by Vincenzo’s and The Coffee House, will feature a silent auction of art by students and local artists. Purchase tickets at the door, or on campus Monday and Tuesday at the City Campus Union AI booth.

TOM ROBBINS AT DOANE . . . Legendary novelist Tom Robbins, author of “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” “Still Life With Woodpecker,” and “Another Roadside Attraction,” will speak and answer questions Thursday, April 8, 2010, 7:30pm, at Heckman Auditorium on the Doane College Crete campus. “Language is not the Frosting, It’s the Cake,” is the title of his Lucille Cobb Lecture, which is free, and open to the public.

ETHICS LECTURE AT NWU . . . Princeton University Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah will present a free public lecture “Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Stranges,” Thursday, April 8, 2010, 1:00pm, in Olin B Lecture Hall, 5000 Saint Paul Avenue, at Nebraska Wesleyan, Lincoln. Sometimes called a postmodern Socrates, he will explore central ethical questions of our time including race, ethnicity, religion and nationalism.

OPEN BOOKS OPEN DOORS . . . Friday, April 9, 2010, 5:00 TO 8:00pm, there will be a reception and book auction at Chez Hay, 210 North 14th Street, Lincoln, to benefit the Lincoln Literacy Council.  UN-L College of Journalism Professor Joe Starita will speak, the silent and live auction will feature autographed books by Joyce Carol Oates, Isabel Allende, Alice Hoffman and others, and there will be music, hors d’ oeuvres and a cash bar. For more information, phone 402.476.7323 or e-mail info [at] lincolnliteracy [dot] org.

NEBRASKANS FOR PEACE CELEBRATION . . . Sunday April 11, 2010, 1:00pm to 5:00pm, Nebraskans for Peace will celebrate their 40th Birthday and the launch of a new website at Meadowlark Coffee and Espresso, 16th & South Street, Lincoln. Local musicians joining the celebration in performance will be Gwen Meister and Bill Behmer; Dr. Diva aka Annette Murrell; Dr. John Walker and Jim Pipher; Dave Marsh and Terry Keefe; and The Wee Brazen Hussies. All proceeds will go to Nebraskans for Peace. A Sponsoring Partner is KZUM Community Radio, 89.3fm.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER MEDIATOR . . . Help bring about reconciliation, healing, and restoration. Lancaster County Juvenile Offender and Victim Mediation needs volunteer mediators. The program conducts face-to-face dialogues between juvenile offenders and their victims. Volunteers will receive Nebraska Office of Dispute Resolution approved basic mediation training, regularly an $850 course, free of charge. For more information, phone Juvenile Justice Coordinator Sara Hoyle at 402.441.8495.

CAMPUS WALKING TOURS . . . UN-L Lincoln Gardens will sponsor informal spring walking tours in the Earl G. Maxwell Arboretum on East Campus from noon to 1:00pm, every Tuesday through May 11, 2010. The tours, led by Emily Levine, research horticulturist with the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, will follow the progression of spring blooms. Meet at the Karl Loerch Gazebo, (pdf) one block east of the UN-L Dairy Store just off Holdrege Street. For more information, phone 742.6274, or click here.

Omaha area: Congressional District 2

WHITECLAY PANEL . . . Wednesday, April 7, 2010, there will be a panel discussion on the alcohol sales issue at Whiteclay, 11:00am, in the Hitchcock Humanities Center on the Bellevue University main campus, 1000 Galvin Road South, in Bellevue. A tribal president, a religious leader, an author and a filmmaker are among those invited to discuss “Whiteclay: The Next Generation.” Folk musician Michael Murphy will start the event, and Creighton Prep and Red Cloud Indian School students will contribute short videos on the theme of the next generation. Click here for a complete list of panelists. The event is free and open to the public.

OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, at StratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the Un-O campus. Free parking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For moreinformation, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is an Anti-War and Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068.

OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. The event is always free and open to the public. This week’s film is “Medieval Lives (the Knight, The Outlaw).” Terry Jones, best known as an alum of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, mixes goofy humor and scholarly inquisitiveness, bringing characters of antiquity to life in “Medieval Lives.” For more information, click here.  The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

ENVIRONMENTAL COLLABORATION . . . Friday, April 9, 2010, The Center for Collaboration Science Distinguished Lecture Series & The School of Public Administration Lecture on Community Engagement will present Dr. Connie Ozawa, from the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University. “Working with Science and Politics: Collaboration in Environmental Decision Making,” begins at 11:30am, followed by a panel discussion, in the CPACS Collaborative Commons. Free pizza will be available. RSVP to Ross Rippe by phone at 554.3010, or e-mail rrippe [at] unomaha [dot] edu.

PROGRESSIVE OMAHA MEETING . . . All are welcome at the next Progressive Omaha meeting, Saturday, April 10, 2010, 6:00 to 9:00pm, at 4924 Chicago Street in Dundee. Jo Peterson, Associate Professor of Social Work at Dana College, will present “Systems Theory & Organizing, Part 2: Self-Organized Systems.” Peterson worked for the women’s rights movement in the 1970s, and has challenged the United States government on nuclear policy, working with other social workers toward the successful ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty. There will be a potluck dinner, 6:00 to 7:00, followed by the speaker from 7:00 to 8:00, business items and social time from 8:00 to 9:00pm. E-mail kabrams123 [at] cox [dot] net for more information.

Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3

RETREAT AND LEARN ABOUT DOROTHY DAY . . . “Haunted by God – The Life of Dorothy Day,” will be Saturday, April 10, 2010, at the Saint Benedict Center, Schuyler, Nebraska. Dorothy Day was one of the most outspoken and influential Americans of the 20th century. The retreat starts at 10:00am; registration begins at 8:30am. An inspiring one-woman dramatic portrait performance by Lisa Wagner, founder and director of Still Point Theatre Collective in Chicago, is at 7:00pm. E-mail Retreats [at] StBenedictCenter [dot] com for more information, and to make reservations, or phone 402.352.8819.

SANDHILL CRANES ON THE PLATTE . . . Nebraska’s annual phenomenon of nature, the arrival of Sandhill Cranes in spectacular numbers, has begun. The Nebraska Nature and Visitor Center, at the Alda exit 305 on Interstate 80, is open daily from 8:00am to 6:00pm, with exhibits, art displays, and two types of guided crane viewing tours. Tour reservations may be made by phone at 308.382.1820. Click here for “Taking Flight,” a Lincoln Journal Star feature story on Nebraska’s Sandhill Cranes.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Local markets are over for now, but farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople still meet through The Nebraska Food Cooperative, an on-line, year-round farmers’ market and local food distribution service offering the best in local freshness. For ordering and pickup schedules, refer to the calendar here.  Click here, for products and prices from North StarNeighbors, a Cooperative member that doesn’t therapeutically medicate or unduly confine animals.  Click here for Tomato Tomäto, Omaha’s year-round indoor Farmer’s Market at 156th & West Center. Shop for fresh foods grown in or very near your own community at Open Harvest, Lincoln’s member-owned natural foods retail cooperative in expanded space at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente