FROM SAFE HAVEN TO SAFE HARBOR . . . The Nebraska Family Support Network will hold a Safe Harbor Rally on the north steps of the Capitol Building in Lincoln at 1:00pm, Monday, November 17, 2008. What the Safe Haven Law has uncovered is that many Nebraska families are in crisis. The challenges these families face will not go away with the repeal of Safe Haven legislation. Your voice counts. Make a statement in support of families with special needs children by attending this rally. Local and national media will be present.

“END OF BUSH PARTY” . . . Monday, November 17, 2008, there will be a party at Zen’s Lounge, 122 North 11th Street, Lincoln, 7:00pm, to celebrate the end of the Bush era, and new possibilities for change in this country. More than 600 such parties are being hosted nationwide through November 23. This is a Credo Action event. Find out more here.

HIV AIDS IN CENTRAL NEBRASKA . . . How to reach out to HIV AIDS survivors in Central Nebraska will be discussed at a one-hour meeting on Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 1:30pm, in the Parlor at Trinity United Methodist Church, 5th & Elm Streets, Grand Island. For more information, e-mail Maureen Vetter, mvetter [at] charter [dot] net.

“AMERICA AND THE WORLD, 1962 TO 2008: CONTRASTS AND CONTRADICTIONS” . . . Nebraska native Theodore ‘Ted’ Sorensen, former special counsel and adviser to President John F. Kennedy and writer on the presidency and foreign affairs, will present the EN Thompson Lecture on World Issues, Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 7:00pm, at The Lied Center for Performing Arts, 12th & R Streets, Lincoln. Free tickets are required. They can be reserved here. The lecture will be live on the web at http://www.unl.edu/ucomm/unltoday/, on Lincoln cable channel 21 or channel 5, NETSAT 104, UNL Campus Channel 8, and KRNU RADIO, 90.3FM. A pre-talk with Dr. Michael Wagner, assistant professor of Political Science at Un-L, will begin at 6:30pm in the Steinhart Room at The Lied.

TRANSPARENCY CONFERENCE . . . Nebraska’s first conference devoted to government transparency will be Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 9:00am to 4:30pm at the UN-L Student Union, 1400 R Street, in Lincoln. The luncheon Keynote Address, “Freedom and its Enemies,” will be presented by ABC tv’s 20/20 co-anchor, John Stossel. Click here (.pdf) for a conference brochure and registration form.

“FROM FIRE TO ICE: A GEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ONE BILLION YEARS OF LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION IN EASTERN NEBRASKA” . . . RM Joeckel, assistant professor, School of Natural Resources and Department of Geoscience at UN-L will present the Paul A. Olson Seminar on Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 3:30pm, at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Lincoln. A 30-minute reception starting at 3:00pm will be followed by the 90-minute lecture. Free and open to the public.

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 GREEN DRINKS . . . Green Drinks, an informal self-organizing network of Green Movement supporters, will meet in Omaha on Wednesday, November 19, 2008, 5:30pm to close, at Whole Foods Market, 10020 Regency Circle, in the education room near the restaurant seating area, across from the coffee bar. All are welcome. Click here for more information.

THANKSGIVING FOOD DISTRIBUTION VOLUNTEERS NEEDED . . . The Center for People in Need will provide approximately 4,000 low-income families in the Lincoln/Lancaster area with food items and grocery vouchers to buy additional Thanksgiving food through their annual Giving program. Volunteers to help with distribution are needed for Thursday, November 20, 2008, 1:45 to 5:00pm, and 4:45 to 7:30 or 8:00pm; Friday, November 21, 8:45am to noon, and 11:45am to 3:00pm;and Saturday, November 22, 8:45am to noon, and 11:45am to 3:00pm. For more information, or to volunteer, e-mail Susan Hale, shale [at] centerforpeopleinneed [dot] org.

RECYCLE CFLs NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 30 . . . WasteCap Nebraska is coordinating a pilot recycling program for individuals and businesses. Drop off burned-out compact fluorescent lamps at Ace Hardward stores in Lincoln, now through November 30, 2008. A 60 cent recycling fee per bulb will be offset by a 60 cent coupon toward the purchase of a new CFL. Learn the benefits of CFLs and how to safely dispose of broken bulbs here, or phone 1.888.E-Waste-9.

HELP CREATE A NEW STATE ENERGY PLAN . . . The Nebraska Energy Office is seeking comments on a 2009 State Energy Plan. Online submissions are being accepted until 5:00pm, November 21, 2008. E-mail comments to energy [at] nebraska [dot] gov or phone Jerry Loos, 402.471.3356, for more information.

We are not the alternative; we are the imperative.

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, from noon to 1:00pm, supporters of abolition in Nebraska vigil in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. Join them for a few minutes, or the hour. For more information, contact Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, 402.477.7787.

“THE GREEN BOOK” WRITER AT DOANE . . . Monday, November 10, 2008, 7:00pm at Doane College Heckman Auditorium, columnist and New York Times writer Thomas Kostigen will speak on how an individual’s everyday actions can affect the environment. Co-author of “The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time,” Kostigen’s new book is “You Are Here: The Surprising Link Between What We Do and What That Does to the Planet.”

STATE’S FIRST WIND ENERGY CONFERENCE . . . Nebraska’s first Wind Energy Conference is Tuesday and Wednesday, November 11 and 12, 2008 in Kearney at the Holiday Inn Convention Center.  Hosted by the Nebraska Wind Working Group and the Nebraska Energy Office, the Conference will feature national wind experts, industry exhibits, and sessions on small wind turbines, land issues, and financing. Pre-Register here.

“BATTLE FOR WHITECLAY” . . . Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 7:00pm, there will be a special showing of Mark Vasina’s original documentary about Whiteclay, “Battle for Whiteclay,” in the Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom at UN-O. After the screening, Vasina, the film’s producer, and Frank LaMere, Native American activist, will speak with the audience. The event is free and open to the public. Click here for background, and to order the film on DVD.

PEACE ACTIVISTS GO TO ARRAIGNMENT . . . Eight peace activists were arrested at a 30-minute Omaha Die-In October 8, 2008 outside the Qwest Center, including 90 year old Nebraska Icon of Peace Peg Gallagher. The demonstration symbolized the thousands of people who die each year at the hands of rampant global militarization promoted by STRATCOM. The Die-In was meant to “expose the lie of legitimacy given by the City of Omaha and the Qwest Convention Center to the 2008 Strategic Space and Defense Conference” weapons bazaar. The event was part of Keep Space for Peace Week, International Days of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space. Gallagher and the other Omaha activists will be arraigned Wednesday November 12, 2008, 1:30pm, at the Douglas County Court, Courtroom Number 27, 18th and Farnam Street, Omaha.  If they plead guilty or no contest, they may be sentenced after a short hearing.  If they plead not guilty, the judge will set a trial date.  Supporters are invited to attend the arraignment in solidarity.

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.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL GROUP . . . Learn about human rights violations around the world, and what is being done to address them, at a Letter-Writing Group, Wednesday, November 12, 2008, 7:00 to 9:00pm, Jones Coffee, 727 South 11th in Lincoln. For more information, call Matt Gregory, 402.570.7840, or e-mail phylas [at] hotmail [dot] com.

TIM WISE AT NWU . . . Tim Wise, activist author of the critically-acclaimed memoir White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son, will speak on “The Audacity of Truth: Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama” Thursday, November 13, 2008, 1:00pm, at O’Donnell Auditorium, 51st & Huntington on the Nebraska Wesleyan Campus, Lincoln.   Learn more about Wise, and read some of his essays, at www.TimWise.org.

WACHISKA AUDUBON GENERAL MEETING . . . “Multi-functional Rural Landscapes” is the theme of this month’s Wachiska meeting, Thursday, November 13, 2008, 7:00pm. Chuck Francis, Un-L agronomy and horticulture professor and renewable agriculture advocate, and Twyla Hansen, local poet and organic sustainability expert, will present on keeping farms and open space. The meeting is in Room 03, lower level, Union College Dick Administration Building, 3800 South 48th Street in Lincoln. For directions, click here.

“RENEWABLE NEBRASKA” . . . A Governor’s Conference on Rural development focused on building leadership, community and economic development will be at the Holiday Inn Kearney on Friday, November 14, 2008. The “Renewable Nebraska” theme will feature five “resource” tracks on renewables: technical, financial, human, natural and youth. Click here for conference agenda and to register. For more information contact Lindsay Papenhausen, Nebraska Community Improvement Program Coordinator, at 402.471.6587 or lindsay [dot] papenhausen [at] nebraska [dot] gov.

HAWKWATCH FIELD TRIP . . . The Annual HawkWatch Eagle Migration Festival begins at 1:00pm, Sunday, November 16, 2008, 20 minutes north of Omaha at Hitchcock Nature Center. Thousands of raptors migrate south across the Missouri River Valley “hawk highway” each year. A carpool from Lincoln will meet at the Wachiska Audubon office, 4547 Calvert Street, at 9:00am, to meet for the Hawkwatch at 10:30. There will be live raptor demonstrations, kids activities, programs and refreshments at the Festival. Click here for more information about HawkWatch. For directions, click here.

SUNDAY MATINEE: SECRECY . . . The Nebraska ACLU will present a panel discussion with refreshments immediately following a special screening of “Secrecy”  at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 313 North 13th Street, Lincoln, on Sunday, November 16, 2008 at 1:00pm.  The panel begins at 2:45.  The film “explores the tensions between our safety as a nation and our ability to function as a democracy,” focusing on classified government secrets. General admission. Bring a friend and the friend gets in free.

We are not the alternative; we are the imperative.

GREEN VOTES COUNT MORE THAN EVER IN THIS ELECTION!” –Steve Larrick

NEBRASKA GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES . . . Green Party candidates for 2008 in Partisan elections are Steve Larrick, U.S. Senate; and for Douglas County Board, District 1: Scott Hoffman. LaVerne Thraen is a candidate for the Non-Partisan OPPD Board of Directors Metro District, and Doug Paterson is a candidate for Public Service Commission District 2 in Omaha.

ELECTION DAY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2008 . . . Help keep Nebraska Green Party on the ballot in the next election cycle, and strengthen a new political party dedicated to ecological, pro-peace, and truly democratic values that doesn’t take money from corporations. Voting Green is an investment that will pay off as the Green Party grows and challenges bipartisan corporate politics in the future. Vote Green.

WATCH ELECTION RETURNS WITH GREENS . . . Nebraska Green Party and Larrick for Senate want to thank supporters at an election returns party Tuesday night, November 4, 2008. Join Steve and Greens at the Holiday Inn Downtown lower level, 141 North 9th Street, Lincoln, after 8:30pm. In Omaha, join Greens at McFoster’s, 38th & Farnam, after the polls close at 8:00pm.

“BATTLE FOR WHITECLAY” . . . Wednesday November 5, 2008, 6:00pm, there will be a special premiere showing of Mark Vasina’s original documentary about Whiteclay, “Battle for Whiteclay,” at the Un-L City Campus Union Auditorium, 15th & R Streets in Lincoln. After the screening, Vasina, the film’s producer, and Frank LaMere, Native American activist, will speak with the audience. The event is free and open to the public. Click here for background, and to order the film on DVD.

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.

LOWER PLATTE RIVER SUMMIT . . . The second biennial Lower Platte River Summit focusing on management and protection of the Platte River Basin will be Thursday, November 6, 2008, at Camp Calvin Crest near Fremont, Nebraska. The one-day event begins at 10:00am with tours of the Pahaku Sacred Pawnee Site and a Science Walking Tour. The Summit is from noon to 8:00pm. Click here for Summit Agenda and registration. For further information contact Rodney Verhoeff, Lower Platte Rriver Corridor Alliance Coordinator, 402.476.2729, or e-mail alliance [at] lpsnrd [dot] org.

CLIMATE CHANGE SYMPOSIUM . . . “National Climate Change Legislation and Opportunities for Nebraska” is the theme of a symposium at the UN-L City Campus Student Union Auditorium, 1400 R Street, Lincoln, from 1:30 to 5:00pm on Thursday, November 6, 2008. Featured speakers will be David Hawkins, director of climate programs for the Natural Resources Defense Council, and John McClure, vice president and general counsel for the Nebraska Public Power District. The event is free and open to the public. For details, click here.  In conjunction with the symposium, Michael Grunwald, author and reporter for the Washington Post and TIME, wil speak at 7:00pm, Hardin Hall, 33rd and Holdrege, Lincoln.

2009 STATE ENERGY PLAN . . . Nebraskans statewide are invited to provide input on a new State Energy Plan with three areas of focus: Energy Independence, Job Creation/Economic Development, and Energy Efficiency for Government. Scheduled Comment Sessions are as follows: Monday, November 3, 1:00-4:00pm, in Chadron, Chadron State College, Burkheiser Hall Room 109, 10th & Main Street; in Valentine, Cherry County Coop Extension Conference Room, 132 South Hall Street Suite 1; in Norfolk, NECC, Maclay Building Room 122, 801 E. Benjamin Avenue; Wednesday November 5, 1:00-4:00pm in McCook, McC McMillen Hall Room 208; in Hastings, Hastings Public Library 2nd Floor, 517 West 4th Street; Thursday, November 6, 9:00-11:00am in Riverview Lodge, Mahoney State Park; Friday, November 7, 9:00-11:00am in Nebraska City, Steinhart Lodge, 125 Steinhart Park Road. The 2009 Energy Plan is available here.  Written comments will be accepted through November 21 at energy [at] nebraska [dot] gov or to the Nebraska Energy Office by 5:00pm, November 21, 2008.

RECYCLE CFLs NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 30 . . . WasteCap Nebraska is coordinating a pilot recycling program for individuals and businesses. Drop off burned-out compact fluorescent lamps at Ace Hardward stores in Lincoln, now through November 30, 2008. A 60 cent recycling fee per bulb will be offset by a 60 cent coupon toward the purchase of a new CFL. Learn the benefits of CFLs and how to safely dispose of broken bulbs here, or phone 1.888.E-Waste-9.

STATE’S FIRST WIND ENERGY CONFERENCE . . . Nebraska’s first Wind Energy Conference is November 11 and 12, 2008 in Kearney at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. Hosted by the Nebraska Wind Working Group and the Nebraska Energy Office, the Conference will feature nationally known wind experts, industry exhibits, and sessions on small wind turbines, land issues, and financing. Registration is $75 per person. Pre-Register here.

THE DEATH PENALTY IN NEBRASKA: WHERE TO GO FROM HERE . . . Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty Board Chair Amy Miller will speak at a Forum in preparation for the 2009 legislative session at 11:30am, Sunday, November 9, 2008, at the Unitarian Church of Lincoln, 6400 A Street. Weekly Monday Vigils against the state policy of capital punishment are held in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. Everyone is welcome to join the vigil from noon to 1:00pm.

We are not the alternative; we are the imperative. ReShape ’08. Vote Green.

“The Nebraska Green Party is more than an “alternative” party. It is the IMPERATIVE PARTY.  It is imperative that we redirect our nation’s economy away from perpetual wars over oil. We need to redirect our nation’s resources toward renewable energy education so our young people can spend their lives inventing and building the clean and renewable Green Energy Economy of the 21st century and beyond. With a growing global population of more than 6.8 billion people and a declining natural resource base to work with, it is essential that we move as quickly as possible toward a clean and renewable Green Energy Economy to revitalize our family farms, rural communities, nations and global community. By voting Green, you are NOT throwing away your vote. You are building a global Green Movement working in over 80 countires for world peace and clean, renewable energy that meets the needs of current generations without depleting natural resources for future generations. GREEN VOTES COUNT MORE THAN EVER IN THIS ELECTION!” –Steve Larrick

NEBRASKA GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES . . . Green Party candidates for 2008 in Partisan elections are Steve Larrick, U.S. Senate; and for Douglas County Board, District 1: Scott Hoffman. LaVerne Thraen has filed for the Non-Partisan OPPD Board of Directors Metro District, and Doug Paterson is a candidate for Public Service Commission District 2 in Omaha.

LARRICK FOR SENATE YARD SIGNS and T’s AVAILABLE . . . Pick up a Larrick for Senate yard sign at 920 South 8th Street, Lincoln. Find signs on the front porch. Or leave a message with your phone number and address at 402.483.0425 to have signs delivered. If you can help place signs, especially on high traffic streets, or if you want a Larrick for Senate T-shirt, phone Steve at 435.5612. In Omaha, phone 402.561.9281 for pick up or delivery of signs and T’s. To help Steve purchase tv time, send checks to Larrick for Senate, 920 South 8th Street, Lincoln, NE. 68508. Financial assistance of any amount will go directly to tv outreach. The future of Nebraska Green Party depends on a 5% Larrick for Senate vote November 4, 2008. Help counteract the media blackout by spreading the word. Click here to learn about Steve’s background and issues positions.

BENSON CANDIDATES FORUM . . . Monday October 27, 2008, Omaha’s Benson Neighborhood Association will host a Candidates Forum at the Benson Baptist Church, 6319 Maple Street. Steve Larrick will be there. The other two active US Senate candidates are sending stand-ins. The event is from 7:00 to 8:30pm. There are is plenty of parking at the accessible meeting location.

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Death Penalty Abolitionists vigil every Monday from noon to 1:00pm in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. Make a simple sign, and join the vigil for a few minutes, or the hour. On Tuesday, October 28, 2008, Kathleen Hawk Norman, founder of Jurors for Justice and head of The New Orleans Innocence Project, will be interviewed by Molly Pitcher on KZUM’s Melting Pot, 89.3fm, at 9:00am. The interview will be streamed live at KZUM 89.3. Click here for an October 18, 2008 Omaha World Herald article on Ms. Norman. For more information, phone Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty at 402.477.7787.

DISTRICT 1 CHAPTER MEETING . . . Lincoln area Greens will meet at the home of US Senate candidate Steve Larrick, 920 South 8th Street, 7:00pm, Tuesday, October 28, 2008, for the October Congressional District 1 Chapter meeting. Plans for the last week of campaign activities in Lincoln will be finalized.

“DEMOCRACY AND RELIGION: AMERICA AND ISRAEL” . . . Tuesday, October 28, 2008, at 7:00pm, professor and author Ronald Dworkin will present the E.N. Thompson Lecture on World Issues at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 12th & R Streets, Lincoln. The lecture is free, but required tickets are available here.  There will be a follow-up discussion on Dworkin’s lecture, “Democracy and Religion: America and Israel,” led by Ron Hull, in rooms 155 and 157 at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 12th & M Streets, on Thursday, October 30, 2008, at 7:30pm. A recording of the lecture will be presented at 6:30.

PAKISTANI WOMEN’S ADVOCATE TO SPEAK IN LINCOLN . . . Shamsa Ali, an attorney and Fulbright Scholar, will speak on Women and Islam, Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 7:00pm at Notheast United Church of Christ, 6200 Adams Street, in Lincoln. After a brief presentation, Ms. Ali will answer questions. An informal reception will follow. The public is invited. For more information, click here.

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.

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACEWORKERS VIGIL . . . Congressional District 3 Greens and Central Nebraska Peaceworkers will meet for a one hour Peaceful Solidarity Gathering on Thursday, October 30, 2008, 5:30pm, at Webb and State Streets in Grand Island, Nebraska. Peace signs will be available, or bring your own.

THE FUTURE OF PERSHING CENTER . . . Lincolnites are invited to an open house and meeting on the future of Pershing Center, Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 5:00 to 7:30pm, at Pershing, 226 Centennial Mall South. Presentations on the history of event facilities in Lincoln will be at 5:15, 5:45, 6:15, and 6:45pm. The Mayor, Pershing Advisory Board members, and NU Athletic Director Tom Osborne will be present to hear from residents. The meeting is part of a Pershing Adaptive Reuse and Site Study being managed through the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department in cooperation with the Pershing Advisory Board and Pershing Center staff. The study includes a design contest for UNL architecture students. Student entries will be on display at the meeting.

FLIER LARRICK FOR SENATE AT “CAPITOL STEPS” . . . Political Satirists Capitol Steps will perform Thursday, October 30, 2008, 7:30pm at the Lied Center, 12th & R Streets in Lincoln.  Join Steve Larrick and Greens between 6:45 and 7:30pm to flier Larrick for Senate information as the audience arrives.

2009 STATE ENERGY PLAN . . . Nebraskans statewide are invited to provide input on a new State Energy Plan with three areas of focus: Energy Independence, Job Creation/Economic Development, and Energy Efficiency for Government. Scheduled Comment Sessions are as follows: Wednesday, October 29, 2008, 9:00-11:00am in Broken Bow, Custer County Fairgrounds Paddock Room, 1710 Cherokee Lane; Thursday, October 30, 9:00-11:00am in Scottsbluff, University of Nebraska Panhandle Research Center, Bluestem Room; Monday, November 3, 1:00-4:00pm, in Chadron, Chadron State College, Burkheiser Hall Room 109, 10th & Main Street; in Valentine, Cherry County Coop Extension Conference Room, 132 South Hall Street Suite 1; in Norfolk, NECC, Maclay Building Room 122, 801 E. Benjamin Avenue; Wednesday November 5, 1:00-4:00pm in McCook, McMillen Hall Room 208; in Hastings, Hastings Public Library 2nd Floor, 517 West 4th Street; Thursday, November 6, 9:00-11:00am in Riverview Lodge, Mahoney State Park; Friday, November 7, 9:00-11:00am in Nebraska City, Steinhart Lodge, 125 Steinhart Park Road. The 2009 Energy Plan will be available here after October 28. Written comments will be accepted through November 21 at energy [at] nebraska [dot] gov or to the Nebraska Energy Office by 5:00pm, November 21, 2008.

7 STEPS TO END WAR AND SAVE THE PLANET . . . Former Lincoln pastor Steve Ratzlaff will be in Lincoln to present his new book and lead a discussion at First Mennonite Church, 7300 Holdrege Street, on Thursday, October 30, 2008, 7:00pm. 7 Steps to End War and Save the Planet makes a passionate case for finding ways to stop war and global warming by working peacefully together. The public is welcome. More information is available here.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY . . . The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners is seeking community members to serve on the County Extension Board for 3-year terms beginning January, 2009. The Extension Board represents and assists UN-L Extension staff with Agricultural Profitability and Sustainability and issues concerning Children, 4-H, Youth and Families, Food Safety, Health and Wellness, Water Quality and the Environment. Monthly board meetings are usually at 8:00am on the second Friday. Registered Lancaster County voters must apply for an appointment by November 1, 2008. Applications are available here. (.pdf)

RECYCLE CFLs NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 30 . . . WasteCap Nebraska is coordinating a pilot recycling program for individuals and businesses. Drop off burned-out compact fluorescent lamps at Ace Hardward stores in Lincoln, now through November 30, 2008. A 60 cent recycling fee per bulb will be offset by a 60 cent coupon toward the purchase of a new CFL. Learn the benefits of CFLs and how to safely dispose of broken bulbs here or phone 1.888.E-Waste-9.

STATE’S FIRST WIND ENERGY CONFERENCE . . . Nebraska’s first Wind Energy Conference is November 11 and 12, 2008 in Kearney at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. Hosted by the Nebraska Wind Working Group and the Nebraska Energy Office, the Conference will feature nationally known wind experts, industry exhibits, and sessions on small wind turbines, land issues, and financing. Registration is $60 per person until November 1, 2008. After November 1, registration is $75 per person. Pre-Register here.

“I am running for the US Senate to help America become a world leader in peaceful economic development, renewable energy, universal health care, a just economy, and a model of democracy shaped by the people rather than by war profiteers and multinational corporations.”   –Steve Larrick

We are not the alternative; we are the imperative. ReShape ’08. Register Green. Vote Green.

LARRICK FOR SENATE YARD SIGNS and T’s AVAILABLE . . . Pick up a Larrick for Senate yard sign at 920 South 8th Street, Lincoln. Find signs by the garage at the end of the driveway next to the house. Or leave a message with your phone number and address at 402.483.0425 to have signs delivered. If you can help place signs, especially on high traffic streets, or if you want a Larrick for Senate T-shirt, phone Steve at 435.5612. In Omaha, phone 402.561.9281 for pick up or delivery of signs and T’s. To help Steve purchase tv time, send checks to Larrick for Senate, 920 South 8th Street, Lincoln, NE. 68508. Financial assistance of any amount will go directly to tv outreach. The future of Nebraska Green Party depends on a 5% Larrick for Senate vote November 4, 2008. Help counteract the media blackout by spreading the word.  Click here  to learn about Steve’s background and issues positions.

REGISTER TO VOTE GREEN . . . Fill out the voter registration form here. (pdf) Complete online, and print out a copy for your records. If you have questions about registering to vote, contact the Secretary of State’s office at 402.471.2555, or your local county election commissioner.

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES . . . The deadline for in-person voter registration is 6:00pm on Friday, October 24, 2008. The deadline to request an early voting ballot to be mailed to a specific address is 4:00pm on Wednesday October 29. In Lincoln, you can also vote in person at the Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s office, 601 North 46th Street. You cannot vote on-site on election day, November 4, if you requested a mail-in ballot.

CANDIDATES NIGHT IN SEWARD . . . Steve Larrick will join representatives of the other two candidates participating in US Senate debates on Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 7:30 to 9:00pm at the Seward Civic Center. For further information, contact Ellen Beck at the Seward County League of Women Voters, 402.646.9112.

WILLIAM F. SCHULZ AT DOANE . . . Former Amnesty International USA Executive Director William F. Schulz will speak at Doane College on Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 7:00pm, in Whitcomb Lee Conservatory. The peacekeeper and human rights advocate will present “The Final Test: Darfur, Genocide, and the Responsibility to Protect,” addressing the United States’ role in foreign affairs. He has been to Darfur leading an Amnesty mission to redress the humanitarian crisis there. Schulz’s presentation is open to the public and will be followed by a question-and-answer session.

LINCOLN GREEN DRINKS . . . Students and people working in the environmental field as professionals, volunteers, or activists are invited to meet at social networking, self-organizing events known as Green Drinks every fourth Wednesday of even months (June, August, October, December, February, April) in Lincoln at Lazlo’s Brewery & Grill, 210 North 7th Street, starting at 5:30pm. The informal, organic groups meet in 380 cities worldwide. The October date is Wednesday, October 22, 2008.

LES BUDGET MEETING . . . Lincoln Electric System customer-owners are invited to a public meeting to discuss the 2009 budget on Thursday, October 23, 2008, 7:00pm, at the Walter A. Canney Service Center, 2620 Fairfield in Lincoln. A public hearing before the City Council will be on Monday, December 15, 2008.

COUNTY BOARD CANDIDATES FORUM . . . Lancaster County Board candidates will meet in a Forum sponsored by the Bluestem Sierra CLub and Friends of Wilderness Park on Thursday, October 23, 2008, 7:00pm, at the Lincoln Unitarian Church, 6600 A Street.

OMAHA PANEL ON GREEN JOBS IN NEBRASKA . . . A Panel Discussion on Green Jobs in Nebraska will be in Omaha, Thursday, October 23, 2008, 7:00pm, at First United Methodist Church, 69th & Cass Streets. Panelists are State Senator Tom White, IBEW’s John Bourne, and Ken Winston of Nebraska Sierra Club.

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY . . . The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners is seeking community members to serve on the County Extension Board for 3-year terms beginning January, 2009. The Extension Board represents and assists UN-L Extension staff with Agricultural Profitability and Sustainability and issues concerning Children, 4-H, Youth and Families, Food Safety, Health and Wellness, Water Quality and the Environment. Monthly board meetings are usually at 8:00am on the second Friday. Registered Lancaster County voters must apply for an appointment by November 1, 2008. Applications are available here. (pdf)

RECYCLE CFLs NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 30 . . . WasteCap Nebraska is coordinating a pilot recycling program for individuals and businesses. Drop off burned-out compact fluorescent lamps at Ace Hardward stores in Lincoln, now through November 30, 2008. A 60 cent recycling fee per bulb will be offset by a 60 cent coupon toward the purchase of a new CFL. Learn the benefits of CFLs and how to safely dispose of broken bulbs here, or phone 1.888.E-Waste-9.

STATE’S FIRST WIND ENERGY CONFERENCE . . . Nebraska’s first Wind Energy Conference is Tuesday, November 11 and Wednesday, November 12, 2008 in Kearney at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. Hosted by the Nebraska Wind Working Group and the Nebraska Energy Office, the Conference will feature nationally known wind experts, industry exhibits, and sessions on small wind turbines, land issues, and financing. Registration is $60 per person until November 1, 2008. After November 1, registration is $75 per person. Pre-Register here.

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACEWORKERS MONTHLY MEETING . . . Many Central Nebraska Peaceworkers are Green Party members and supporters. This month’s regular meeting is Sunday, October 26, 2008, 3:00pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Grand Island, Nebraska. Nebraskans in Congressional District 3 are invited to CNPW meetings, and encouraged to get involved in local peace activism.

NEBRASKA GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES . . . Green Party candidates for 2008 in Partisan elections are Steve Larrick, U.S. Senate; and for Douglas County Board, District 1: Scott Hoffman. LaVerne Thraen has filed for the Non-Partisan OPPD Board of Directors Metro District, and Doug Paterson is a candidate for Public Service Commission District 2 in Omaha.

“The Nebraska Green Party is more than an ‘alternative’ party. It is the IMPERATIVE PARTY. It is imperative that we redirect our nation’s economy away from perpetual wars over oil. We need to redirect our nation’s resources toward renewable energy education so our young people can spend their lives inventing and building the clean and renewable Green Energy Economy of the 21st century and beyond. With a growing global population of more than 6.8 billion people and a declining natural resource base to work with, it is essential that we move as quickly as possible toward a clean and renewable Green Energy Economy to revitalize our family farms, rural communities, nations and global community. By voting Green, you are NOT throwing away your vote. You are building a global Green Movement working in over 80 countires for world peace and clean, renewable energy that meets the needs of current generations without depleting natural resources for future generations. GREEN VOTES COUNT MORE THAN EVER IN THIS ELECTION!” –Steve Larrick

We are not the alternative; we are the imperative. ReShape ’08. Register Green. Vote Green.

THE IMPERATIVE PARTY . . . “The Nebraska Green Party is more than an “alternative” party. It is the IMPERATIVE PARTY. It is imperative that we redirect our nation’s economy away from perpetual wars over oil. We need to redirect our nation’s resources toward renewable energy education so our young people can spend their lives inventing and building the clean and renewable Green Energy Economy of the 21st century and beyond. With a growing global population of more than 6.8 billion people and a declining natural resource base to work with, it is essential that we move as quickly as possible toward a clean and renewable Green Energy Economy to revitalize our family farms, rural communities, nations and global community. By voting Green, you are NOT throwing away your vote. You are building a global Green Movement working in over 80 countries for world peace and clean, renewable energy that meets the needs of current generations without depleting natural resources for future generations. GREEN VOTES COUNT MORE THAN EVER IN THIS ELECTION!” –Steve Larrick

LARRICK FOR SENATE YARD SIGNS and T’s AVAILABLE NOW . . . Pick up a Larrick for Senate yard sign at 920 South 8th Street, Lincoln. Find signs by the garage at the end of the driveway next to the house. Or leave a message with your phone number and address at 402.435.5612 to have signs delivered. If you can help place signs, especially on high traffic streets, or if you want a Larrick for Senate T-shirt, phone Steve at 435.5612. In Omaha, phone 402.561.9281 for pick up or delivery of signs and T’s. To help Steve purchase tv time, send checks to Larrick for Senate, 920 South 8th Street, Lincoln, NE. 68508. Financial assistance of any amount will go directly to postal or tv outreach. The future of Nebraska Green Party depends on a 5% Larrick for Senate vote November 4, 2008. Help counteract the media blackout by spreading the word. Click here to learn about Steve’s background and issue positions.

REGISTER TO VOTE GREEN . . . Fill out the voter registration form here. (pdf) Complete online, and print out a copy for your records. If you have questions about registering to vote, contact the Secretary of State’s office at 402.471.2555, or your local county election commissioner.

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES . . . The deadline for in-person voter registration is 6:00pm on Friday, October 24, 2008. The deadline to request an early voting ballot to be mailed to a specific address is 4:00pm on Wednesday October 29. You can also vote in person at the Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s office, 601 North 46th Street, in Lincoln. You cannot vote on-site on election day, November 4, if you requested a mail-in ballot.

PLEDGE TO WORK THE POLLS . . . Click here to sign up for Lancaster County election day poll work from 7:00am to 8:00pm, November 4, 2008. Payment is minimum wage compensation. There is a required training session before the election. The Pollworkers for Democracy website also links to other counties in Nebraska.

SPRING CREEK PRAIRIE HEARING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14 . . . Spring Creek Prairie Audubon and preservation supporters are asking the Lancaster County Commissioners to close a minimum maintenance dirt road to create and save a larger tract of important prairie habitat for future generations. A public hearing on the request will be Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 9:30am at the County-City Building, 555 South 10th Street in Lincoln. The public is urged to attend, contact County Commissioners in support of the closure by phone at 402.441.7447, e-mail commiss [at] lancaster [dot] ne [dot] gov, and write letters to the editor of Lincoln Journal-Star at oped [at] journalstar [dot] com.    Click here for a Journal-Star editorial “Protect the prairie from trash, traffic.” Phone the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center for further information at 402.797.2301.

OMAHA AREA GREENS CHAPTER MEETING . . . Congressional District 2 Greens will meet on Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th & Farnam.

GREAT PLAINS STUDIES SEMINAR . . . The second Paul A. Olson Seminar in Great Plains Studies of this season is Wednesday, October 15, 2008, 3:30pm at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Lincoln. Free and open to the public, local photographer Michael Farrell will present “Plain Speaking & Straight Shooting: Documentary Art in Flyover Country.”

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.

LARRICK IN GRAND ISLAND CANDIDATES FORUM . . . Steve Larrick will join the other two major party US Senate candidates on Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:00pm, at the Walnut Middle School, 1600 North Custer Avenue, Grand Island, for a Candidates Forum sponsored by the Grand Island Independent, KHAS TV, and KRGI 1430AM radio.  The forum will be broadcast live on KRGI, and taped for TV and websites.

11TH ANNUAL CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE . . . Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:30pm, there will be a Candlelight Vigil to remember victims of domestic violence on the front steps of Voices of Hope, 2545 N Street, in Lincoln. The public is invited to a Voices of Hope open house from 5:30 to 7:30pm, to tour the facility, meet the staff and learn about the agency’s services in the community fostering awareness of domestic violence and its impact. The theme of this year’s event is “Hope Speaks.” There will be readings, songs and brief remarks as part of the domestic violence awareness month event. For more information, contact Voices of Hope at 402.476.2110.

“MEET THE CANDIDATES: NEBRASKA’S SENATE RACE” . . . NET Television will re-broadcast a one-hour program featuring in-depth interviews with Steve Larrick and two of the three other US Senate candidates on Thursday, October 16, 9:00pm on NET1.

NEBRASKANS AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY ANNUAL DINNER . . . The 2008 NADP Annual Dinner is Friday, October 17, at the Roy G. Story Student Center, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 5000 St. Paul Avenue, Lincoln. Social hour and silent auction begin at 6:30pm, followed by dinner and program at 7:30. Kathleen Hawk Norman is the Keynote Speaker. She was a jury foreperson who helped send Dan Bright to death row in New Orleans, subsequently discovered he was innocent, and spend the next six years working, successfully, to have him freed. She founded Jurors for Justice, and is the Director of the Innocence Project in New Orelans. Phone NADP at 402.477.7787 by Tuesday, October 14, 2008 for reservations.

2008 ANNUAL PEACE CONFERENCE: THE TRUE COST OF WAR IN IRAQ . . . The Nebraskans for Peace Annual Conference is Saturday, Oct 18, 2008, 9:00am to 5:00pm, at First Lutheran Church, 1551 South 70th Street, Lincoln. The Keynote Speaker is Michele Chwastiak, Associate Professor, Anderson School of Management, at the University of New Mexico.  Download the Conference Brochure here. (pdf)  For further information, e-mail nfpstate [at] nebraskansforpeace [dot] org.

AN EVENING OF LOVE, RAGE & HOPE CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF HUMAN RIGHTS . . . Celebrate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Saturday, October 18, 2008, 7:30pm, at The Loft at the Mill, 800 P Street, Suite 301, Lincoln. Doors open at 7:00pm. Elena Dodd’s one-woman performance “Meet Eleanor Roosevelt” will be the featured event. The evening will conclude with a showing of youth-produced videos on human rights. Admission is Free, and refreshments will be available.

NEBRASKA GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES . . . Green Party candidates for 2008 in Partisan elections are Steve Larrick, U.S. Senate; and for Douglas County Board, District 1: Scott Hoffman. LaVerne Thraen has filed for the Non-Partisan OPPD Board of Directors Metro District, and Doug Paterson is a candidate for Public Service Commission District 2 in Omaha.

We are not the alternative; we are the imperative. ReShape ’08. Register Green. Vote Green.