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