All posts by Shane Pekny

Presentation on preserving native languages Oct. 1 in Lincoln

Events

From Nebraskans for Peace:

Don’t miss “The Seventh Generation,” a presentation by Barbara Salvatore, Thursday, October 1, 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Join the Peace and Justice Team of Plymouth Church and the Nebraskans for Peace, Lincoln chapter, to hear speaker Barbara Salvatore. In 2011, Barbara followed her dream to move her family 1100 miles to Nebraska to study the Omaha and Ponca languages and to become a Ponca language educator. As an author, artist, poet, visionary, and storyteller she has worked to preserve the language and culture of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska. This family friendly event will highlight the Native American cultures around us as we think together about how our actions today impact our world seven generations from now.

The event will be at Mayflower Hall, First Plymouth Congregational Church, 2000 D Street, in Lincoln.

 

Ending the Death Penalty in Nebraska: Time for the Next Phase

Action Alerts,

From Steve Griffith and Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty:

As I’m sure you have seen, earlier this week a group called Nebraskans for the Death Penalty submitted signatures to try to undo the death penalty repeal at the November 2016 general election. It won’t be official until the Secretary of State verifies the signatures, but it seems quite likely that they’ve gained enough signatures to send the issue to the ballot. I share your disappointment that our victory is under attack.

But I hope that you share some of my great hope. Nebraska’s history has shown that it is an uphill effort for ballot initiatives to succeed. Time and again we’ve seen that when given the facts people are not inclined to keep the death penalty. We have 15 months to share with our fellow Nebraskans what we already know: that our death penalty fails us. I believe we can win and make history again!

We’re certainly not alone in this effort. Yesterday the Catholic Bishops released a statement reiterating their condemnation of the death penalty. They are joined by dozens of other religious and secular groups who helped us win repeal and will continue to speak out to end the death penalty.

I am going to spend the next few days working closely with our staff, Nebraskans for Public Safety, and other partners to draft a plan to move us to victory in 2016. You can expect to hear more from me soon with ways we’ll need your help. In the meanwhile, as you are talking with friends and family, please let them know why you are opposed to the death penalty. Let’s keep the conversations flowing. Each and every vote will matter.

Get involved with NADP.

2015 Annual Peace Conference in Grand Island Oct. 17

Events, , , ,

The 2015 Annual Peace Conference, presented by the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Grace Abbott School of Social Work and Nebraskans for Peace, will be held October 17 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30. It includes a panel presentation by local experts on housing, economic opportunity, education, health, and legal rights issues. The event is free and open to the public; lunch is $10.

Read more and register with Nebraskans for Peace.

Journal Star: Death penalty repeal appears to be on hold

News,

From the Lincoln Journal Star:

Nobody really doubted the death penalty referendum petition campaign would have enough signatures verified to hold up the Legislature’s repeal.

The campaign turned in nearly 167,000 signatures, when it needed 113,883, and a state-required cushion of slightly more than 125,000.

It’s not yet official, but the Secretary of State’s office said Friday it appears enough petition signatures have been certified and verified to stop the death penalty repeal from becoming law until a vote of the people in November 2016.

Chris Peterson, who co-managed the petition campaign along with Jessica Flanagain, a privately paid senior aide to Gov. Pete Ricketts, said they only were surprised at the speed with which county clerks and election commissioners were verifying signatures. They had until mid-October.

“I’m guessing that must mean the county reviews of the petitions haven’t encountered many hiccups. That’s a credit to the hard work of our circulators and our petition drive’s focus on compliance,” Peterson said.

The senator who brought the repeal bill to the Legislature — Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers — even said it was a forgone conclusion the signatures would be obtained. But he’s confident, he said, that the repeal (LB268) will take effect.

The election will not turn out the way the Ricketts family wanted, and what they financed, he said.

“I feel a deep, settled sense of serenity and peace about the whole thing,” he said. “I’ve never had the sense of confidence and serenity that I feel now.”

Read the full story.

Attend public hearing in Sidney on fracking issues Sept. 22

Action Alerts,

From BOLD Nebraska:

Thanks to all of the citizens who have spoken out against importing fracking wastewater for disposal in Nebraska, the Legislature has scheduled a public hearing in Sidney on Sept. 22.

Citizens are encouraged to testify in person, or else submit written comments via the online form, which Bold Nebraska and Nebraska Sierra Club will submit at the hearing. (Another public hearing is slated to be held at the Capitol in Lincoln, but no date has yet been set.)

  • WHAT: Nebraska Legislature hearing: Oil & Gas Commission + Fracking Issues
  • WHEN: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 9:00 a.m.
  • WHERE: Performing Arts Center, Sidney High School, 1100 19th Ave., Sidney, NE

Learn more, RSVP, or submit a comment online.

Catch singer/comedian Roy Zimmerman in Lincoln Sept. 19

Events

Don’t miss this opportunity to laugh and sing along with musician and HuffPost blogger Roy Zimmerman:

What can one person do about climate change, torture, racism, gun violence, fracking, Congressional ineptitude, ignorance, war and greed? Write funny songs, says Roy Zimmerman. “The Faucet’s on Fire!” is ninety minutes of Zimmerman’s hilarious, rhyme-intensive original songs. His songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime. He’s shared stages with Bill Maher, Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, John Oliver, Kate Clinton and George Carlin. He’s been profiled on NPR’s “All Things Considered,” and he’s a featured blogger for the Huffington Post.

Watch some of his works:

Peacemaker of the Year potluck Sept. 24 in Lincoln

Events,

From Alternatives to the Military:

Save the Date: The 2015 ATM Peacemaker of the Year is Tim Rinne of Nebraskans for Peace. Tim is the creator of Lincoln’s community garden project, Hawley Hamlet. The Annual potluck dinner will be Thursday, September 24, at 5:30 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, 45th & A streets in Lincoln. Bring a dish to share and handouts if you want to distribute information about your current organizational involvements. And bring a friend! The food is always great.

Stand against the death penalty

News,

From Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty:

It won’t be official until the Secretary of State’s office confirms the signatures over the next 40 days, but it seems death penalty repeal will be on the November 2016 ballot. We are confident the more people learn about the death penalty the less likely they are to support it. Please stick with us through 2016 as we continue to spread the word about the realities of the death penalty.

Read the full statement from NADP.

 

Get together for Pope’s address to Congress on climate action Sept. 24

Events, ,

From BOLD Nebraska:

Join Nebraska Interfaith Power & Light, Bold Nebraska, Green Omaha Coalition, Citizens Climate Lobby, Nebraska Sierra Club, Nebraska Wildlife Federation, Protectors of the Ogallala, Nebraskans for Solar, and Nebraska 350 at Aksarben Cinema in Omaha for a group viewing of Pope Francis’s address to members of Congress on Thursday, September, 24. The Pope will speak to Congress in the morning, but we will show the Pope’s full speech that evening in the theater, followed by a group discussion with local members of the faith, science and environmental communities. Pope Francis’s address to Congress comes after the release of his papal encyclical “Ladauto si,” which calls for bold action to address climate change and poverty in our world.

  • Thursday, September 24, 2015 – 7 to 9 p.m.
  • Aksarben Cinema, 2110 S 67th St, Omaha, NE 68106

Register for free here.

Bill McKibben, 350.org founder, to speak in Lincoln Oct. 6

Events,

From UNL’s E.N. Thompson Forum on World Issues:

In the weeks before the world gathers in Paris for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Bill McKibben will provide an update on how the movement to slow global warming is progressing, both in the United States and around the world. He will share inspiring examples of grassroots climate-focused actions that have been launched by 350.org members in more than 188 countries; then, he will turn his focus to his host state and highlight ways in which Nebraskans can become involved in advocating and campaigning on global environmental issues.

Read more and get FREE tickets to the event.