NATIONAL BIKE TO WORK WEEK . . . In Lincoln, join the mayor and city-county officials biking to work as part of national awareness week. Businesses and individuals wanting to participate may contact Terry Genrich, 441.7939, or Mike Heyl, 441.3889, to join the organized action.
VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty vigil every Monday, noon to 1:00pm, in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. The legislature is expected to debate this session’s two related bills, LB 306 to repeal, and LB 36 establishing lethal injection, this week. Please contact your senators in support of ending state killing in Nebraska. Click here (pdf) for 2009 state senators contact information, listed alphabetically, and by district. Join Monday vigilers for a few minutes, or the hour. In case of bad weather, meet inside the State Capitol Building at the ground floor information desk. To contact NADP, phone 402.477.7787.
TAKING CHARGE . . . Residents of Lincoln have until 5:00pm Friday, May 15, 2009, to participate in an online survey that focuses on programs and services in danger of being eliminated or reduced in the 2009-2020 budget. Specific topics include library services, Parks and Recreation programs, health programs, and police services. Click here to begin. If you take the survey, you are also eligible to participate in an in-depth discussion about the budget on Saturday, May 16, 2009, 8:30am to 3:30pm, at the UN-L East Campus Union, for which you will be compensated $35. For more information about the discussion, click here, or phone 472.5678. Pre-registration is required. To register, take the survey.
LINCOLN 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 e-mail mark [at] weddleton [dot] com 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. 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 F**k: A documentary. 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.
SCIENCE CAFE IN LINCOLN . . . An informal science discussion co-hosted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center will be Thursday, May 14, 2009, 6:30 to 7:30pm, at red9, 322 South Ninth Street, Lincoln. This pilot event for Lincoln, open to anyone over the age of 18, is meant to increase science literacy in the community. Click here for more information.
WACHISKA AUDUBON PRESENTATION . . . Congress designated May Endangered Species Month in 2006. Thursday, May 14, 2009, 7:00pm, two of Nebraska’s endangered species of birds will be featured by UN-L Least Tern and Plover Conservation Partnership Program Coordinator Mary Bomberger Brown. “Terns & Plovers: Cooperation in Conservation,” will be presented at the Wachiska General Meeting, lower level Room 03, Union College Dick Administration Building, 3800 South 48th Street, Lincoln. All are welcome; refreshments follow the presentation.
PAINT EXCHANGE & HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTIONS . . . The spring usable latex paint exchange will be Friday, May 15, 2009 at EcoStores Nebraska, 530 West P Street, Lincoln, from 3:00 to 7:00pm. Paint cans must be at least three-fourths full with intact, readable labels. Paint must not have been frozen, and must not be lumpy when stirred. Anyone may take free paint from the exchange May 15 through May 17th. For more information, phone EcoStores at 477.3606. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department’s unwanted chemicals collection is Saturday, May 16, 2009, 9:00am to 1:00pm, at Pfizer Inc., 601 West Cornhusker Highway. For collections guidelines, phone 441.8021, or click here (keyword: household).
CURB DAY IN LINCOLN . . . Saturday, May 16, 2009, is Curb Day, curbday.com the world’s biggest giveaway. People everywhere are encouraged to take unwanted items to their curbs for others to pick up. Guidelines: no trash, no dangerous or illegal items. Click here for a list of acceptable items for Curb Day. For questions or concerns, contact Mike Morone, mike [at] curbday [dot] com, or call 585.749.5107.
WORKSHOP ON WHEELS TOUR OF NORTHEAST NEBRASKA . . . Natural building and renewable energy are the focus of a van tour to five sites in northeastern Nebraska on Saturday, May 16, 2009. The full-day tour will begin in Lincoln at 8:00am, stop in Fremont to join people from Omaha and other communities at 9:15am, and return to Lincoln via Fremont around 8:00pm. The five stops will highlight a biofuels operation and wind generator near Lyons, a straw-bale building with storm room in South Sioux City, two new straw-bale cabins at Ponca State Park, a barn kit plant in Wayne and nearby barn built using locally harvested wood. Call Joyce Coppinger, 402.483.5135, or email jc10508 [at] windstream [dot] net for more information, and to pre-register.
FREE FISHING AND PARK ENTRY . . . No park-entry permit or fishing license is required statewide in Nebraska Saturday, May 16, 2009. For questions, phone 471.1623, or e-mail suzanne [dot] ridder [at] nebraska [dot] gov.
KONZA PRAIRIE DAY HIKE . . . Sunday, May 17, 2009, Omaha hikers will carpool to Konza Prairie in the Flint Hills of Kansas, a 8,700 acre preserve with a herd of roaming buffalo in residence. For details about the 8 mile, mostly flat loop hike leaving Omaha at 7:00am, and to RSVP, e-mail bobbygoetschkes[at] hotmail [dot] com or phone 402.326.1775.
LUNCH AND LEARN . . . Reservations are required by Monday morning, May 18, 2009, for the May 21st League of Women Voters Lunch and Learn presentation “Human Rights: Positive and Negative,” by UN-L Political Science professor David Forsythe, noon, on the 20th floor of the US Bank Building, 13th & M Streets, Lincoln. E-mail rsvp to lwv-ne [at] inebraska [dot] com, or phone 475.1411.
BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL. . . . Farmer’s Markets are back in Lincoln. Click here for a complete list of Lincoln’s eight regular Markets. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community.
We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente