ANNUAL WITNESS FOR PEACE AND DIE-IN . . . For the fourth year in a row, Des Moines and Omaha Catholic Workers, Nebraskans for Peace, and the Omaha chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility will host a witness and “Die In” at StratCom’s Space Weapons Bazaar, the Strategic Space Symposium in OMAHA, November 2 through November 4, 2009. This yearly love fest between corporate suppliers of weapons and space technologies, StratCom, Military Space Commands and the “power elites” of Omaha will return to the Qwest Convention Center. Guest speakers will be Father Louis Vitale, nationally known peace activist/war resister, and Loring Wirbel, author of “Star Wars: US Tools of Space Supremacy.” Wirbel is the peace movement expert on all things having to do with space and the USA military.
Schedule of Events:
Monday, Nov. 2, 4:30pm: Legal demonstration at Qwest Center in Omaha for opening of Space Weapons Bazaar Symposium led by NFP and Omaha PSR. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7:00am to 9:30am: Legal demonstration at Qwest Center led by NFP and Omaha PSR. Tuesday, Nov. 3, noon to 4:00pm: Nonviolent Training and “Die In” planning session at Holy Family Catholic Church. Anyone considering risking arrest during the “Die In” must attend this session led by the Catholic Workers. LORING WIRBEL and FR. LOUIS VITALE will speak twice on Tuesday: “A 15 minute introduction to StratCom and its 8 Mission Commands” by Loring Wirbel followed by “35 years of resisting the missions and commands of StratCom” by Fr. Louis Vitale. Both talks are free and open to the public. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 3:30pm: at Creighton University Harper Center, Room 2067 (main floor of Harper Center on 20th Street – guest parking just south of the building). Contact person: Maria Teresa Gaston 280.1295. Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7:30pm: College of St. Mary Gross Conference Center, 7000 Mercy Road. Contact: 402.399.2400. Wednesday, Nov 4, 11:00am: “Die In” at Qwest Convention Center. For more info contact Andrew Jameton, ajameton [at] novia [dot] net, 402.559.4680; Mark Welsch, NFPOmaha [at] inebraska [dot] com, 402.453.0776; or Jerry Ebner, cwomaha [at] gmail [dot] com,402.502.5887.
CREATIVE WAYS TO FUND YOUR NON-PROFIT . . . A Workshop “How to Start Your Own Non-Profit Organization” will be Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 5:30 to 8:30pm, at the Omaha Public Schools TAC Building Board Room, 3215 Cuming Street. E-mail Willie Hamilton, willzzway2 [at] yahoo [dot] com with questions, and to register.
FILM SHINES LIGHT ON TORTURE . . . Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 7:00pm, the Unitarian Church of Lincoln, 6300 A Street, will host a presentation by torture survivor Elizabeth Dennis featuring a showing of the documentary “Breaking the Silence: Torture Survivors Speak Out.” The film was prepared by torture survivors from the U.S., Africa, the Middle East, South America and the Philippines. The Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International has a Nebraska chapter looking to connect with other survivors and supporters in the area. Contact tasscne [at] yahoo [dot] com for more information.
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.
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 Ma Vie En Rose. 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.
IOWA MEDICAL MARIJUANA HEARING . . . The fourth Iowa Pharmacy Board public hearing on the pros and cons of medical use of marijuana will be Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 10:00am to 7:00pm, Harrah’s Council Bluffs, Ballroom 1, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA. The Board could decide to make a recommendation to state lawmakers, opening the door to Iowa joining California, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, Maine, Nevada, Colorado, Hawaii, Vermont, Montana, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Maryland and Michigan, as the 15th state to allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes. click here for more information.
PASTOR TOM AT THE HUNGRY CLUB . . . Wednesday, November 4, 2009, noon, Tom Meradith, Director of the Men’s Center, Open Door Mission team, will speak at Big Mama’s Kitchen, 45th & Bedford, OMAHA. Pastor Tom has a wealth of information regarding homelessness, how it affects the community, and issues surrounding poverty. For more information, contact The Hungry Club founder Preston Love Jr. at 402.812.3324.
FUEL . . . Friday, November 6, 2009, 6:00pm, FUEL the Movie will be shown at UN-O College of Public Affairs & Community Service Collaborating Commons, 6320 Maverick Plaza, OMAHA, followed by a panel discussion with local people who drive vehicles using alternative fuel sources. The panel includes Julie Conway, Hydrogen Hybrid, from Green Future Technology; Eric Williams, BioDiesel, president of the Omaha BioFuels Coop; Bill Moore, Electric Vehicle, editor of EV World; and Robert Byrnes, who has vehicles that run on Hydrogen, Biofuels and seed oils, Founder of the Nebrasksa Green Fuels Co-op.
INDIAN CAVE DAY HIKE . . . Saturday, November 7, 2009, hikers will meet at Trailhead 4, 11:00am, in Indian Cave State Park to hike 6-8 miles from the Backpack Parking Lot, toward Rock Bluff Run, down to the river, and back to where we started, stopping for lunch at the Adirondack shelters, returning to the trailhead around 3:00pm. For directions, more information or to rsvp, e-mail jamesphernetton [at] me [dot] com or phone 402.319.2322. Carpool arrangements can be made as needed.
FOCUS ON ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT . . . The Middle Eastern Club at Lincoln High is hosting Movie Night on Saturday, November 7, 2009, 6:00pm, in the LHS Cafeteria, 2229 J Street. There will be a showing of the documentary “Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land.: U.S. Media and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” followed by a community discussion. Use the main door entrance for this free event, open to the public. Snacks and drinks will be provided. E-mail Greg Keller, gkeller [at] lps [dot] org for more information.
TIRE COLLECTION . . . A free tire collection weekend will take place in Lincoln from 7:00am to 8:00pm Saturday, November 7, and Sunday, November 8, 2009, at N.W. 38th Street and West Webster Road. Sponsored by the Emerald Sanitary Improvement District, the collection is funded by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality.
LOWER PLATTE SOUTH NATURAL RESOURCES DISTRICT DIRECTOR NEEDED . . . Applicants must live in Subdistrict 10, roughly between A Street and Pine Lake Road, and from 1st to 33rd Streets in LINCOLN. The appointment will run through the end of 2010, with the option to run for reelection. Application letters are due by November 20, 2009. The current board will fill the vacancy in December. For more information, click here and go to Board & Staff.
BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Local markets are over for the year, but farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople still come together 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 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 newly 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