KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE UPDATE . . . The Lincoln Journal Star editorialized “Heineman should speak up about pipeline,” on Tuesday, October 12, 2010, saying “On major issues affecting Nebraska, leadership is expected from the governor. It’s his job. One of the big concerns for many Nebraskans these days is TransCanada’s proposal to build a pipeline through the Ogallala Aquifer and the Sandhills. The Journal Star editorial board two weeks ago took a stand on the project, calling for the pipeline to be rerouted around the Sandhills. We now call for Gov. Dave Heineman to take a stand.” Thursday, Senator Johanns sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton raising “significant concerns” about the route selection and permitting process for the Keystone XL Pipeline. “Pipeline analysis incomplete,” was published Friday October 15th.
In September, SolveClimate News reporter Elizabeth McGowan was in Nebraska investigating the Keystone XL pipeline TransCanada plans to build to carry the tar sands of Alberta to Gulf refineries in Texas. “Tribal Councils in US and Canada Uniting Against Oil Sands Pipeline,” is the resulting report published by TruthOut October 7th. Click here and scroll down the Green Notes Index to follow the 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. America’s First Oil Sands Project in Utah to Face Legal Challenges was published September 24th at SolveClimate.
A Proposed Dirty Oil Pipeline Would Put Americans at Risk for Cancer and Asthma–Why Are Senators Pushing For Its Hasty Approval? was published by AlterNet on September 23, 2010. ” …We know the Keystone XL pipeline would put American health at risk. In addition to threatening drinking water, processing tar sands oil releases pollutants directly linked to asthma, emphysema and birth defects. Refining tar sands crude from the pipeline would create far more air pollution in American communities that are already burdened with cancer and poor air quality as a result of the oil industry. We also know the pipeline would cross the most important source of agricultural water in the United States, the Ogallala aquifer. And we know pipeline disasters happen.” See CD 2 Green Notes below for the new week’s actions 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
ABENDMUSIK SWEATER DRIVE . . . . From October 22 to November 20, 2010, Abendmusik Lincoln will sponsor a drive for new or gently-used winter-wear followed by a special “Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” Concert featuring music of Mr. Rogers’Neighborhood on Sunday, November 21, 2010, 4:00pm, at First-Plymouth Church, 2000 D Street. Admission will be free, but a sweater donation is encouraged. Drop off sweaters at West Gate Banks at Hiway 2 & Old Cheney, 27th & Old Cheney, 17th & South, 27th & Cornhusker Hiway, 50th & O Street, 84 & Holdrege, West O & Capitol Beach; Runza Drive-ins at 27th & Superior, 33rd & Hiway 2, 56th & Hodrege, 70th & Van Dorn, 40th & Yankee Hill; and First-Plymouth.
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.
CIVIL RIGHTS SERIES . . . The Nebraska State Historical Society is beginning a series on civil rights called “We the People: The Nebraska Viewpoint — Civil Rights and Liberties: Understanding the Past and Looking to the Future.” The first event will be Tuesday, October 19, 2010, 5:30pm, at the Nebraska History Museum, 15th & P Streets, Lincoln, when US District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp presents “Women’s Rights: Fast Forward for Fifty Years.” Go here and click on “What’s New?” for the schedule of series events.
WELCOME TO SHELBYVILLE . . . Nebraska Appleseed will host a special free screening of Welcome to Shelbyville on Tuesday, October 19, 2010, 7:00pm, at the Bourbon Theatre, 1415 O Street, Lincoln. There will be snacks before the film at 6:30pm. Set against the backdrop of a shaky economy, “Welcome to Shelbyville” looks at small-town Shelbyville, Tennessee, as its residents – whites and African Americans, Latinos and Somalis – grapple with their beliefs, their histories and their evolving ways of life. Lincoln will be one of 15 US cities to host this film before a PBS broadcast in Spring of 2011. There will be a short panel discussion with immigrants and others involved in “Welcoming” efforts in Nebraska after the film.
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.
PUBLIC MEETING ON LES BUDGET . . . There will be a public meeting on the proposed 2011 budget and rate increase for Lincoln Electric System customers on Thursday, October 21, 2010, 7:00pm, at Southeast Community College, 8800 O Street, Room D10. (Enter through the south or east doors.) For more information, and to view the draft electric rate schedules, click here.
DEAD MAN WALKING . . . In preparation for an October 23rd Nebraska Retreat with Sister Helen Prejean, on Friday, October 22, 2010, 7:30pm, there will be a special free showing of the film Dead Man Walking at the St. Benedict Center, four miles north of Schuyler, Nebraska. Refreshments will follow the film. For more information, phone 402.352.8819.
RETREAT WITH SISTER HELEN PREJEAN . . . Saturday, October 23, 2010, internationally known death penalty abolitionist and bestselling author Sister Helen Prejean will present a one-day retreat titled “Dead Man Walking: The Journey Continues,” at St. Benedict Center, north of Schuyler. A Southern srotyteller from Louisiana, Sister Helen has been instrumental in sparking national dialogue on the death penalty, re-shaping the churches’ opposition to state killings. The experience of being spiritual adviser to a death row inmate resulted in her book “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States.” The book became a movie, an opera, a play and inspired a song. Her second book, “The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions,” will be followed soon by “River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey.” The Retreat will be from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Registration begins at 8:30am. For more information, and to register in advance, e-mail retreats [at] stbenedictcenter [dot] com
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 14th Street Entrance on Saturday, October 23, 2010. All ages are welcome.
LINCOLN FARMERS MARKETS . . . Locally grown produce and baked goods are still available at Lincoln Farmers Markets. 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. The Havelock Farmers Market, behind the businesses at 62nd and 63rd Streets and Havelock Avenue, continues Wednesdays 3:00 to 6:30pm, through October 27th.
Omaha area: Congressional District 2
CD 2 CANDIDATES DEBATE . . . October 19, 2010, 6:30 to 7:30pm, challenger Tom White and incumbent Representative Lee Terry will debate each other at the Bellevue University auditorium, 1000 Galvin Road South. The candidates will be taking questions, so voter will have an opportunity to ask about the XL pipeline.
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 “9500 Liberty.” In this documentary, 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. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.
PROTEST KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE . . . Guardians of the Good Life will rally to protest the XL tar sands pipeline on Thursday, October 21, 2010, 5:00 to 7:00pm, at 72nd & Pacific, in Omaha. Walk, bike, or carpool to the rally if possible. Help educate and raise awareness of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands pipeline threat to the fragile ecosystem of the entire region. A large crowd would be especially good, because Channel 7 plans to be there. For more information, e-mail japlapoo [at] netzero [dot] net
R.E.A.S.O.N. ANNUAL FALL FORUM . . . “Are you Smarter than a Blue Jay? The Evolution of Intelligence,” is the topic of the R.E.A.S.O.N. 11th Annual Fall Forum, Thursday, October 21, 2010, 7:00pm, at the Durham Research Center auditorium, University of Nebraska Medical Center, in the tower south of Farnam and east of Saddle Creek, Lecture Room 1002, Omaha. The Rationalists, Empiricists And Skeptics Of Nebraska Annual free event will feature UN-L Biology Professor Alan Kamil, a world-renowned expert on corvid intelligence, discussing the nature of cognition, sociality, and their evolution in other species, and is open to the public. For more information, phone Jim Bechtel, 402.556.8312.
Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3
CD 3 CANDIDATES DEBATE . . . A three-way debate between candidates for the US House of Representatives from the 3rd Congressional District will be Friday, October 22, 2010, 1:00 to 3:00pm at the Broken Bow Country Club, just west of Broken Bow, Nebraska, on Highway 2–the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway. Incumbent Adrian Smith will face Democratic challenger Rebekah Davis and Independent Dan Hill. Bold Nebraska will be outside the debate venue at 12:30pm with signs saying “Stop the pipeline!” EveryOne is welcome to join the demonstration of opposition.
INSPIRING COMMUNITY CONFERENCE . . . “Inspiring Community: Building a Better Nebraska for LGBTQ People” will be Friday, October 22, 7:30pm to 9:30pm, and Saturday, October 23, 2010, 9:00am to 6:00pm at Hastings College Hazelrigg Student Union, 9th & Elm Street, Hastings. Children and young adults are paying the price for prejudice and bigotry in Nebraska. Bringing about change will require community that says a different, better paradigm is needed. View the conference program, event details, and ticket information here.
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