EARTH CIRCLE . . . On the first day of each month, people around the world stop for five minutes to visualize peace and focus on new levels of kindness, understanding, and compassion necessary for collectively facing the challenges of the 21st century. NewDimensions invites peacemakers everywhere to join at 4:00pm Greenwich Mean Time, 10:00am in Lincoln and Omaha, 9:00am in District 3 where Mountain Time begins, on Friday, October 1, 2010, with the intention of deep healing for the Planet and all its beings. Click here for more information about Earth Circle.
UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE . . . On Saturday, October 2, 2010, a coalition of local and national Peace organizations in the U.S. will march in Washington D.C. as One Nation Working Together to end war, cut military spending, and fund jobs and human needs. The U.S. military consumes over 50% of our national budget – tax dollars that are desperately needed here at home to save jobs and support families. The U.S. war machine is a huge contributor to climate change. With over 700 bases around the globe, the U.S. foreign policy of endless war has wreaked havoc on people around the world. To maintain a nuclear umbrella of intimidation, war makers continue to build new generations of expensive weapons. It is time to stand up with our friends and allies in the labor, civil rights, immigrant rights and environmental movements. Click here to learn more, get involved, and join the Peace Table.
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . Nebraska rancher Teri J. Taylor’s Local View, “With pipeline plan comes an end ot complacency,” was published in Lincoln Journal Star September 22, 2010. Click here and scroll down the Green Notes Index to follow the TransCanada tar sands pipeline issue since May 30, 2010, if you are new to this website.
The Natural Resources Defense Council calls tar sands “the dirtiest, most destructive oil on the face of the Earth.” The Keystone XL pipeline would threaten Nebraska’s underground source of fresh water, the 175,000-square-mile High Plains Aquifer, that provides water to 1.9 million people and irrigation for thousands of square miles of farmland throughout eight states. Nebraska’s geologically unique Sand Hills, where many bird species rest during migration, would also be threatened. See CD 2 Green Notes below for this week’s Omaha demonstration against the XL project.
Nebraska has no legislation on the books for regulating the current Keystone I pipeline, nor the proposed XL sand tars pipeline. Nebraska’s Congressional delegation and the governor need to receive letters, e-mails and phone calls from constituents demanding regulation on the existing pipeline, expressing concern about more TransCanada construction in our state. Contact information for Nebraska Congressional Representatives is as follows: Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, CD-1, 1517 Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515, 202.225.4806, 402.438.1598 (Lincoln); Rep. Lee Terry, CD-2, 1524 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.4155, 402.397.9944 (Omaha); Rep. Adrian Smith, CD-3, 503 Cannon House Office Bldg., Washington, DC 20515, 202.225.6435, 888.ADRIAN7 (Toll Free); and Governor Dave Heineman, PO Box 94848, State Capitol Bldg., Lincoln, NE 68509, 402.471.2244. Senator Mike Johanns is at 202.224.4224, 402.476.1400 in Lincoln; and Senator Ben Nelson is at 202.224.6551, 402.441.4600 in Lincoln. Please tell them all that oil pipeline regulations need to be in place, not only to govern the existing pipeline, but also any future pipeline proposed by TransCanada or other environmental exploiters.
Click here to tell Secretary Clinton NOT to grant a permit to TransCanda, tell Gov. Heineman to put forth laws that protect our resources and economic activity and tell President Obama to live up to his promise of clean energy and energy independence. Click here for a Bold Nebraska XL Pipeline Action page with resources and background information. E-mail actions [at] boldnebraska [dot] org to get yard signs, bumper stickers and t-shirts, or stop by Bold Nebraska at 1141 H Street, 3rd Floor, Lincoln, 10:00am to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday.
Remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. “Help Save the Earth, Time to Subsitute Hemp for Oil.”
Lincoln area: Congressional District 1
BANNED BOOKS WEEK . . . Indigo Bridge Books, 701 P Street, Lincoln, will host a week-long series of events celebrating the freedom to read. Monday, September 27, 2010, 7:00 to 9:00pm, local poets will perform selections from classic and contemporary banned and challenged books. Tuesday, 6:00 to 9:00pm, the film “To Kill a Mockingbird” will be shown, followed by a discussion and snacks. Wednesday, there will be a panel discussion of censorship from 7:00 to 9:00pm. Panelists include Christy Hargesheimer, board member of Amnesty International Nebraska; Pat Leach, director of Lincoln City Libraries; and Amy Miller, legal director of ACLU Nebraska. Thursday, September 30th, is game night, 6:00 to 9:00pm, with banned books bingo and banned books trivia. Friday, 7:00 to 9:00pm, is Art Night, featuring locally created pieces with the theme of banned books. All events are free and open to the public.
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.
SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP . . . Local sustainability issues and how they relate to the Comprehensive Plan will be the focus of a Workshop on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 11:45am to 1:15pm, in Council Chambers at the County/City Building, 555 South 10th Street, Lincoln. The purpose of the workshop is to engage the public on local sustainability issues and how those issues relate to the Comprehensive Plan. There will be a presentation by keynote speaker Gayle Prest, Sustainability Director for the City of Minneapolis, and a question/answer period with a panel of five local experts. For more information about the workshop, click here.
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.
SAVE THE INDUSTRIAL ARTS BUILDING . . . Thursday, September 30, 2010, 5:30 to 9:00pm, there will be a “No Wrecking Ball” event at the Welfare Hall, 1430 North 10th Street, Lincoln, to educate about the University’s plans to demolish one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, the 97 year old Industrial Arts Building. There will be food and classic rock n’ roll with The Rockerfellers at the free event, but donations to help fund a publicity campaign to preserve the former Grand Exposition Center of the Nebraska State Fair are encouraged. Click here to sign a Save the IAB online petition. CLick here for other suggested actions on behalf of the building.
E.N. THOMPSON FORUM ON WORLD ISSUES . . . “Globalization’s Promise” is the theme of this year’s E.N. Thompson Forum Series. All lectures will be presented in the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 North 12th Street, Lincoln. All are open to the public without charge, but require a free ticket. To reserve tickets, call the Lied Center at 402.472.4747 or 800.432.3231, pick them up in person, or download an order form at enthompson.unl.edu. Speaking Friday, September 30, 2010, 7:00pm, will be Benjamin Skinner, author of “A Crime So Monstrous: Face to Face with Modern Day Slavery,” exposing the criminal industry of human trafficking.
“OH LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM” . . . There will be a free showing of “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem,” Friday, October 1, 2010, 7:00pm, at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street. The film follows the story of three men of three different faiths and their lives in Israel and Palestine. It explores each man’s choice of nonviolent action amidst a culture of overwhelming violence. The film examines the struggle to promote equality through nonviolent engagement in the midst of incredible violence that has dehumanized all sides. The public is invited.
WILDERNESS WALKABOUT . . . Friends of Wilderness Park are hosting weekly hikes through different parts of the Park, every Saturday at 3:00pm. The casual strolls will highlight the diversity of life in the Park. Meet at the Pioneers Blvd. Entrance on October 2, 2010. All ages are welcome.
GROW AND SHARE . . . Local gardeners can take excess fruits and vegetables to Campbell’s Nurseries, 2342 South 40th and 7000 South 56th Street, Lincoln, every Monday and Tuesday during summer. Food will be collected for the Food Bank of Lincoln, and distributed to 65 Southeast Nebraska agencies serving low-income people and families. Gardeners can also drop off produce at the Food Bank, 4840 Doris Bair Circle–about three blocks north of 48th and Superior, Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm. Click here for tips on how to process produce for sharing. For more information, contact Cory Priefert at Campbell’s, 402.423.4556, ext. 233; or Cheri Lawrence at the Food Bank, 402.466.8170, ext. 106.
LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are still available at Lincoln Farmers Markets. Saturdays through October 9th, the Haymarket Farmers Market is 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, through October 27th; Community Crops Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, 27th and Potter (2 blocks north of 27th and Holdrege), Thursdays, 4:30-7:30pm, through September 30th; and the 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, through September 28, 2010.
Omaha area: Congressional District 2
LITTLE STEPS, BIG IMPACT . . . The Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the City of Omaha and other local agencies are collaborating to launch a pilot program to maintain air quality in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area for ozone. Learn about ozone, how it affects health, and ways to be part of the solution at a presentation about the community based planning process to develop voluntary actions that will result in reductions of ozone levels on Monday, September 27, 2010, 2:00 to 4:00pm, at the Douglas County Extension Office, 8015 West Center Road, Omaha. For more information about this vital community process click here or contact Tara Ryan, MAPA Assistant Planner, 402.444.6866, or tryan [at] mapacog [dot] org.
“OH LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM” . . . Monday, September 27, 2010, 6:00 to 8:00pm, there will be a free showing of “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” at Eppley Auditorium, Eppley Administration Building, 6001 Dodge, UN-O, hosted by the Muslim Student Association. The documentary follows the struggles of three men in Israel and Palestine working to end violence and find a lasting peace. Open to the public.
“TURNING GREEN — ALEX’S ADVENTURES IN ECO-LAND” . . . Omaha playwright and activist Steve Thyberg will present a new one-act musical “Turning Green–Alex’s Adventures in Eco-land” on Tuesday, September 28 at 7:00pm; Wednesday, September 29 at 3:45pm; and Thursday, September 30, 2010, 7:00pm, at Bellevue West High School Auditorium, 1501 Thurston Avenue, Omaha. All performances are open to the public. Admission is by donation of your choice. All proceeds will benefit the West After School Theatre Program. For a map and directions, click here. “The play follows typical teenager, Alex, who doesn’t really get the “green” thing. His friends try to help him understand why being green is so important but it is his surprising trip to Eco-land that opens Alex’s eyes to the natural world around him and the effects that humans have upon it.” For more information, phone Thyberg at 402.593.1810, or e-mail incompassion [at] yahoo [dot] com
9500 LIBERTY IN OMAHA . . . The documentary 9500 Liberty. will show for the first time in a series of showings on Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 8:00pm at Midlands College, 2nd Level of the Student Center. Other showings are scheduled at Creighton University, McFoster’s, and more. From the website: “Prince William County, Virginia becomes ground zero in America’s explosive battle over immigration policy when elected officials adopt a law requiring police officers to question anyone they have ‘probable cause’ to suspect is an undocumented immigrant.” A 4:23 minute trailer is here. Contact Howard Dotson, 402.889.5410, or e-mail hr_dotson [at] yahoo [dot] com for more information about the schedule of future showings.
PROTEST KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . Guardians of the Good Life will rally to protest the XL tar sands pipeline on Thursday, September 30, 2010, 5:00 to 7:00pm, in the Old Market at the 11th & Howard intersection, Omaha. Meet at the northwest corner of the intersection by the big circular planters. Walk, bike, or carpool if possible. There are a limited number of evenings left before it will be too dark after work for a visible protest. Signs will be provided, or bring your own. Help educate and raise awareness of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline threat to the fragile ecosystem of the entire region. For more information, e-mail Jane Wilson, japlapoo [at] netzero [dot] net
NORTH OMAHA COMMUNITY FORUM . . . Redevelopment plans for North Omaha will be discussed at a North Omaha Village Zone Community Forum, Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 6:00 to 8:00pm, at North High Viking Center, 4010 North 36th Street (36th & Ames). A light supper will be available at 5:30pm. There will be an opportunity for feedback, ideas, and input from the community.
BLACK-WHITE DIALOGUES . . . The fall Black-White Dialogues public series, where people of the different races meet, listen to a short presentation, and then discuss the topic and other concerns, building connections in order to address and eliminate racism, continues Tuesday, September 28, 2010, with Chris Humphrey, Title 1 Facilitator at Northwest High School, Ollie Perryman, President of PFrontline, Inc.: Youth Decision Making Program, and students from North High Magnet School and Northwest High School,” from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street, in Omaha. Gather at 6:45pm. To get involved, phone Elaine Wells, 573-1720, or click here for information and registration.
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.
SUSAN JACOBY AT THE HOLLAND CENTER . . . The Holland Lecture Series will present Susan Jacoby, author of “The Age of American Unreason,” on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 7:30pm, at The Holland Center’s Kiewit Concert Hall, speaking on “The Dumbed-Down Politics of Unreason: Anger or Sheer Ignorance?” Jacoby will speak about what she calls “a mutant strain of public ignorance, anti-rationalism, and anti-intellectualism that has developed over the past four decades and threatens the future of American democracy.” The lecture is free, but tickets must be reserved by calling Ticket Omaha 402.345.0202, or by visiting the box office, 13th & Douglas Streets downtown. All ticket holders are invited to attend a post-lecture reception.
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 “This Emotional Life – Episode 3: Happiness.” For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.
SYMPOSIUM ON MATERNAL HEALTH IN NEBRASKA . . . There will be a critical discussion on improving maternal and child health at a Symposium on Maternal Health in Nebraska, Thursday, September 30, 2010, 11:00am to 4:30pm, at the Holiday Inn and Conference Center, 3321 South 72nd Street, Omaha. The Keynote Address by Dr. Jean Amoura, Medical Director of Family Planning at UNMC, will be followed by a panel discussion with representatives of Nebraska Appleseed, Voices for Children in Nebraska, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Building Bright Futures, the Nebraska Chapter of the United Nations Association, and others. Click here for more information, the day’s agenda, and to register online.
TABLE TALK DINNER . . . The registration deadline is Friday, October 1, 2010 for Omaha Table Talk, where EveryOne has a seat at the table. Strangers will meet in homes around Omaha, to share food and discuss the ways race and ethnicity affect their lives and their community. After the meal, they will leave as friends. Click here for more information, or phone A’Jamal Byndon, office, 561.7594 or cell, 980.9095. Online registration is here.
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 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.
Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3
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.
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. Bookmark the GoodSearch Homepage, or make it your own Home Page. Enter the url you want in the GoodSearch search box. Each time you do, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. THANK YOU for your support!
We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente