Congratulations to British Greens on winning their first seat in Parliament last week. The Party’s leader, Caroline Lucas, overturned a 5,000-strong Labour majority to take the Brighton Pavilion constituency. From GreenParty.org.uk: “Hundreds of thousands of Green voters across the country now have, for the first time, a voice in parliament, and genuinely progressive views on issues such as the economy, health, and the environment will now be heard.” Watch video of Lucas after her “breakthrough victory” here and here.
HELP NEBRASKA GREENS WITH GOODSEARCH . . . Do you search and shop with Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox? If so, this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, GoodSearch will donate $1 to Nebraska Green Party for each new GoodSearch toolbar downloaded. Then every time you search or shop online at a participating store, a donation will be made to Nebraska Green Party at no cost to you! Enter Nebraska Green Party where it says WHO DO YOU GOODSEARCH FOR? here. Click here to download the toolbar. THANK YOU for supporting Nebraska Greens.
Lincoln area: Congressional District 1
HAYMARKET ARENA DEVELOPMENT: AFTER THE VOTE . . . 56% of voters supported the new local bond issue in Lincoln; 44% voted no in the Tuesday primary election. New arena supporters spent six years and at least $680,000, much from out-of-state developers, on their successful campaign. Opponents spent twelve weeks and less than $15,000 on educating voters with *the facts.* Greens are proud to be aligned with the educators. This was a David and Goliath effort of concerned citizens stepping up with their time, passion, comparatively little money, and determined energy. The historic charm and unique atmosphere of the Historic Haymarket District will now be a thing of the past. January 1, 2011 will bring new taxes, at first on every food and drink purchase at public places. Property tax increases are assumed to follow. Meanwhile, there is a green-light rush to buy contaminated railyard land the city was prevented from testing for toxins until after the purchase. Read “What happens next?” here.
The May 12th Lincoln Journal Star quotes an associate athletic director at Un-L as follows: “…it will be very noticeable that it is the University of Nebraska basketball arena. We want to brand it, inside and out, with our N.” That article is here. Click here for local tv coverage, including Nebraska Green Party’s Steve Larrick on concerns about building a 16,000 seat basketball facility in a flood plain. We will be watching what happens next.
Now Nebraska Greens will focus on helping prevent a “Pipeline to disaster” in Congressional District 3, where one of the dirtiest, most destructive projects on Earth is set to begin soon. Read about a massive pipeline, Keystone XL, designed to carry tar sands from Canada into the United States, here. Proposed to cut through Nebraska’s most precious water resource,a 254-mile portion of the underground petroleum line involves the Ogallala Aquifer.
LUNCH AND LEARN . . . Reservations are due by Monday, May 17th, for this month’s League of Women Voters Lunch & Learn, Thursday, May 20, 2010, at the 20th floor US Bank Building, 13th and M Streets, Lincoln. W. Cecil Steward, professor and dean emeritus of the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture, will present “Sustainability in Lincoln” at the noon event. Click here for “Sustainable landscaping the logical choice,” a Green Page article by Steward in the LJS Neighborhood Extra, Saturday, May 1, 2010. 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 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.
NATURAL LEGACY PROJECT . . . Public input meetings are being held statewide to help the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project update and improve the state’s wildlife action plan. In Lincoln, the meeting will be Monday, May 17, 2010, 6:00 to 8:00pm, at the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District office, 3125 Portia Street. Learn how to get more involved with protecting Nebraska’s wild places. Click here for news from the NRD.
WIND DISTRIBUTION WEBINAR . . . There will be a webinar to address interconnection, engineering, and operating issues with connecting wind turbines to distribution systems on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, from 9:00am to 11:00pm. Lessons will be presented based on actual case studies. This is the third webinar in the 2009 – 2010 series on the topic of Wind and Renewable Energy. View previous and upcoming webinars in this series here. To participate, click on the REGISTER tab here and choose “Transmission, Interconnection and Integration Issues.” You will receive an email with the webinar log-in details. If you have any questions, phone Garrett Shields, 303.425.6800 ext. 469.
WASTECAP ROUNDTABLE . . . Recycling Enterprises, 6100 North 70th Street in Lincoln, will host the Lincoln Green Team Roundtable on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 11:30am to 1:00pm. Learn what is being done to reduce environmental impact, what successes and obstables are being faced locally, and network at the free luncheon roundtable. Make reservations at 402.436.2383, or by e-mailing rbeckman [at] wastecapne [dot] org.
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.
WINONA LADUKE RETURNS TO LINCOLN . . . Activist, environmentalist, author and former Green Party vice-presidential candidate Winona LaDuke will give the Keynote Address at the fifth annual Chief Standing Bear Celebration Breakfast, Friday, May 21, 2010, at the Cornhusker Hotel Ballroom, 333 South 13th Street, Lincoln. Doors open at 7:00am for the 7:30 to 8:30am event. For more information, phone the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs, 402.471.3475, or e-mail scott [dot] w [dot] shafer [at] nebraska [dot] gov.
FRANK LAMERE ON WHITECLAY . . . Friday, May 21, 2010, 6:30pm, Native American activist Frank LaMere will speak about the Whiteclay situation at Goodrich at Dawes Middle School, 5130 Colfax Avenue, Lincoln. The public talk is sponsored by the Lincoln Public Schools Indian Education Program.
NEBRASKANS FOR JUSTICE BENEFIT . . . Saturday, May 22, 2010, 5:00 to 8:00pm, Nebraskans for Justice will host a wine and cheese reception for the benefit of political prisoners Ed Poindexter and Mondo we Langa at Gallery 9, South 9th Street, Lincoln. All proceeds from the sale of paintings by Sandra Steen will go to support the work of NFJ to free Ed and Mondo. For more information, e-mail mdickin [at] lps [dot] org.
LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are now available at Lincoln Farmers Markets five of the seven week days. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market will be open from 8:00am to noon. The Old Cheney Road Garden Market at 55th Street and Old Cheney Road (behind the Lincoln Racquet Club) is open from 10:00am to 2:00pm every Sunday through November 7th. Other Lincoln Markets include:
— Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, May 5 to October 27th.
— Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd. Saturdays 8:00am to noon, May 15 to September 18. Vendor spots available. Call Randy Nelsen at 467-2777.
— The Mid-Week Haymarket Farmers Market, 12th and R streets. Tuesdays in June from 5:00 to 7:00pm, in conjunction with Jazz in June.
— Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th and M streets, east side of the Nebraska State Office building. Wednesdays noon to 4:00pm, July 7 to August 25th.
— Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, June 3 through September 30, 2010.
— Backyard Farmer’s Market and Exchange, Tuesdays, 4:30 to 7:30pm, in the St. Paul United Church of Christ parking lot at 1302 “F” Street, June 1st through September 28, 2010.
Omaha area: Congressional District 2
OMAHA FARMERS MARKETS . . . Global research confirms food choices contribute the highest percentage to our carbon footprint; even more than transportation. The advantages of shopping locally go far beyond environmental impact. Farmers markets are the best way to choose local. Click here for Michael Braunstein’s reasons to shop farmers markets. Click here for a list of Omaha area Farmers Markets including Benson, Bellevue, Papillion, Auburn, Beemer, Bennington, Falls City, Plattsmouth, and Wayne, Nebraska; Glenwood, Council Bluffs, and Griswold, Iowa.
CECILE RICHARDS IN OMAHA . . . After-work cocktails & food will start at 5:30pm, Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at the Slowdown, 729 North 14th Street, Omaha. President of Planned Parenthood Federation, Cecile Richards, will be speaking at the event. Four Nebraska Senators will also receive special awards. There will be music and a cash bar. For more information e-mail gloria [dot] goodwin [at] ppheartland [DOT] org or phone 402.557.6680.
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 “The Murder of Fred Hampton.” Watch the trailer for this “chilling slice of American history” here. 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.
MALCOLM X CELEBRATION FESTIVAL . . . Omaha’s annual Malcolm X Birthday Celebration and African Festivial will be Saturday, May 22, 2010, Noon to 4:00pm, at the Malcolm X Memorial Birth Site, 3448 Pinkney Street. The day-long African culture and arts event will feature a marketplace, craft vendors, African games, drumming, dance, story telling, sing-a-longs, African attire and apparel, a flag display from African countries, African arts/craft making, music, educational workshops, and food. The African Cultural Connection, an organization of professional artists, will join the celebration. For more information, click here or call 590.7526.
Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3
NATURAL LEGACY PROJECT . . . The Kearney public input meeting for the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project is Thursday, May 30, 2010, 6:00 to 8:00pm, at Yanney Park ERC Building. Click here to learn about Nebraska’s blueprint for conserving wildlife and their habitats.
PEACE WORKERS MEET . . . Sunday, May 23, 2010, Central Nebraska Peace Workers, a Chapter of Nebraskans for Peace, will meet, 3:00pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 5th and Cedar Streets, in Grand Island. (Use northeast entrance, downstairs.) Everyone is welcome.
BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . 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.
We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente