Green Notes for Congressional District 1: Lincoln area

LINCOLN HAYMARKET OPEN HOUSES . . . The public is invited speak with members of the Lincoln Haymarket Arena project team at Open Houses on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 5:30 to 7:30pm, at The Falls Reception Hall, 5925 Adams Street; and Thursday, November 12, 5:30 to 7:30pm at Auld Pavilion, 1650 Memorial Drive, inside Antelope Park, Lincoln. There will be 9 “stations” where people can learn about the economic impact of the proposal, design concepts for the building and surrounding development, and the finance plan.

HELP HAITIAN ORPHANS . . . Make reservations by Tuesday, November 10, 2009, for a One Cause Lincoln benefit to help a new orphanage for 250 children in Gonaives, Haiti. “The Stars of the Night” will be at The Lodge at Wilderness Ridge, 1800 Wilderness Woods Place, Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 6:30pm. For more information, and to make reservations, phone 540.0073, or e-mail ONEcauselincoln [at] yahoo [dot] com.

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.

PHOTOS FROM 1961 FREEDOM RIDES . . . Mississippi journalist and photographer Eric Etheridge will present “Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders” on Thursday, November 12, 2009, 1:00pm, at Nebraska Wesleyan University Olin B Lecture Hall. Etheridge is a former editor at Rolling Stone, the New York Observer, and Harpers, and the initial editor of George. Two of the Freedom Riders Etheridge photographed will accompany him during the free lecture, open to the public.

BUY FRESH BUY LOCAL RECEPTION . . . Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska will celebrate the diversity in-season food local producers bring to the community Thursday, November 12, 2009, 5:00 to 8:00pm, at the Isles Reception Hall, 6232 Havelock Avenue, Lincoln. (Entrance off the north parking lot.) The benefit event will feature hors d’ oeuvres inspired by the local seasonal harvest, a cash bar, and live music by Dave Fowler and Swing Ambiance. For more information phone 472.5273 or e-mail bnemec2 [at] unl [dot] edu.

COFFEE WITH JOHANNS . . . Senator Johanns will host an open coffee in Lincoln to hear concerns about health care reform on Friday, November 13, 2009, 10-11:30am at Southeast Community College Gymnasium, 8800 O Street.

CRUDE AT THE ROSS . . . Three years in the making, CRUDE tells the epic story of one of the largest, most controversial legal cases on the planet. Crude is a real-life, high stakes drama involving global politics, the environmental movement, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, multinational corporate power, and the fate of disappearing indigenous cultures. The award-winning Joe Berlinger documentary explores a complex situation from all angles, bringing an important story of environmental peril and human suffering into focus. CRUDE is showing at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 313 North 13 Street, Lincoln, through Thursday, November 19, 2009. Click here for a 2:34 minute trailer. Click here for show times, consult your newspaper, or call the MRRMAC film information line at 402.472.5353.

ECOSTORES RESOURCE CONSERVATION WORKSHOPS . . .  EcoStores Nebraska is offering cutting-edge workshops on making buildings more economical and ecological.  Deconstruction and Construction Waste Reduction: Friday, November 13, 2009, 9:00am – noon, designed to inform builders, landlords, and other property owners on strategies to recycle and re-use materials where possible and deconstruct rather than demolish.  Retrofitting Buildings for Efficiency: Friday, November 13, 2009, 1:00pm – 4:00pm, designed to inform and inspire homeowners and business owners to retrofit buildings for greater energy and resource efficiency. Seating is limited. Print and return the registration form here (pdf) to EcoStores Nebraska, 530 West P Street, Lincoln, NE 68528, or e-mail ecostoresne [at] windstream [dot] net. Workshops will be held at the Lancaster County Cooperative Extension, 444 Cherrycreek Road, Lincoln.

PAINT EXCHANGE . . . EcoStores Nebraska, 530 West P Street, Lincoln, will host a usable latex paint exchange from 8:00am to noon, Saturday, November 14, 2009. Usable paint is free. A $2 fee will be charged for disposal of unusable paint.

LUNK OPEN HOUSE EVENT . . . The LUNk (Lincoln’s Underground Network) Collective will host an open house Saturday, November 14, 2009, 6:00 to 10:00pm, at their new space in the North Bottoms of Lincoln, 1213 North 12 Street, near 12th and Charleston. The house will serve as a hub for local progressives’ meetings, debates, potlucks, movie showings, etc., and will house a free store and radical lending library. LUNk Radio will broadcast with a low power AM transmitter. Any donations, or vegetarian food to share, will be welcome. LUNk House is a drug and alcohol free space. For more information, contact Brian Ellis, bpe3812 [at] yahoo [dot] com.

NAACP ANNUAL BANQUET . . . The NAACP Annual Banquet will be Saturday, November 14, 2009, 5:30pm, at the downtown Holiday Inn, 141 North 9th Street, Lincoln. The Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Anna Shavers, UN-L College of Law Interim Dean.  For more information, and to reserve tickets, phone Leroy Stokes, 402.430.7003.

AMERICA RECYCLES DAY . . . Lincoln will celebrate America Recycles Day Sunday, November 15, 2009. Residents may pledge to improve their recycling efforts and participate in special events. Prizes will be awarded at noon Saturday, November 14 at EcoStores Nebraska, 530 West P Street. More information about America Recycles Day is available here. (keyword: ARD)

FRIENDS OF WILDERENESS PARK MEETING . . . As part of Native American History month, noted archeologist Rob Bozell will speak about the pre-European Native Americans of Eastern Nebraska during the monthly Friends of Wilderness Park meeting Sunday, November 15, 2009, 3:00pm, at the Unitarian Church, 63rd & A Streets, Lincoln. There is no charge for the presentation, it is open to the public, and refreshments will be served. For more information, e-mail Michael Carlin, mcarlin [at] neb [dot] rr [dot] com.

Green Notes for Congressional District 2: Omaha area

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 Capitalism Hits The Fan.  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.

WINE, CHEESE & CHOICE . . . There will be a celebration for Pro-Choice Nebraskans sponsored by the Pro-Choice Coalition on Thursday, November 12, 2009, 5:30 to 8:00pm, at the First Unitarian Church of Omaha, 3114 Harney Street. To RSVP, or for more information, e-mail trustwomen2009 [at] gmail [dot] com.

AWAKENING THE DREAMER . . . An Awakening the Dreamer Symposium will be Saturday, November 14, 2009, 9:00am to noon, at the First Unitarian Church of Omaha, 3114 Harney Street. Designed with the collaboration of some of the finest scientific, indigenous and activist minds in the world, the Symposium explores the current state of our planet from a new perspective, and connects participants with a global movement to reclaim our future. Click here for a 4:24 minute video trailer. Click here to pre-register.

HOUSING INFORMATION SUMMIT . . . The First Annual Housing Information Summit will be held on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at the Omaha Opportunities and Industrialization Center, 2724 North 24th Street. With affordable housing, land use and relocation being major concerns of North and South Omahans, several groups have joined to provide information and resources regarding housing rights, assistance programs, and monies that are available for renovation, weatherization, repair and purchase. A “Community Awards” ceremony will also be a part of the Summit and refreshments will be served. For more information contact Jerome Drakeford, 402.619.8040 or Michel Payne, 402.991.5913.

OMAHA PV SOLAR PANEL MAKING WORKSHOP . . . A two-day “hands on” workshop on how to build and install your own electric PV solar panels will be Saturday and Sunday, November 14 and 15, 2009, 9:00am to 4:30pm, at Peter Kiewit Institute, 1110 South 67 Street, Room 118, Omaha. Contact Michael Shonka, 689-0463, for more information, and to register.

Green Notes for Congressional District 3: Greater Nebraska

WIND POWER 2009 . . . Monday and Tuesday, November 9 and 10, 2009, the Nebraska Wind Power 2009 Conference will be held in KEARNEY at the Holiday Inn Convention Center. The Conference will start at 8:30am, Nov. 9, with a general session on wind and public power basics. The two day conference workshops will include a wide range of topics with more than 70 experts on small and large wind. The early registration deadline has been extended to the end of October. For more information, and to register, click here.  Conference sponsor, the Nebraska Wind Working Group is a state and federal partnership funded by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America to help develop the state’s wind resources.

COFFEE WITH JOHANNS . . . Senator Johanns will host coffees in Grand Island, Lexington, and Kearney to hear concerns about health care reform. All events are open to the public. The schedule is as follows: Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 7:00-8:30pm, College Park Auditorium, 3180 US Highway 34, Grand Island; Thursday, November 12, 2009, 11:30am -1:00pm, Lexington Public Library, 907 North Washington Street, Lexington; Thursday, November 12, 2009, 3:00-4:30pm, Harmon Park Activity Center, 3100 5th Avenue, Kearney.

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

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

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES . . . Tuesday, October 27, 2009, “Black-White Dialogues” will end a series of six conversations meant to increase mutual understanding and respect between Black and White members of the OMAHA community. This week’s Dialogue, 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street, is “How to Be an Effective Agent of Change,” a workshop presented by Dr. Franklin Thompson. For more information, click here.

CREATIVE WAYS TO FUND YOUR NON-PROFIT . . . There will be a Workshop on How to Start Your Own Non-Profit Organization on 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 before Wednesday, October 28th.

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.

LINCOLN GREEN DRINKS . . . Green Drinks will meet in Lincoln on Wednesday, October 28 2009, 5:30pm until close, at Lazlo’s Brewery & Grill, in the Haymarket at 210 North 7th Street. Green Drinks is an informal social network now active in 630 cities around the world. Everyone interested in environmental issues is welcome.

LEGALIZATION FOCUS . . . “Heads vs. Feds: The Debate Over Legalization of Marijuana” is an hour-long interactive forum featuring former High Times editor-in-chief Steve Hager and a 25-year federal drug enforcement veteran, Robert Stutman. The free event will be Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 12:00 noon, at the UN-O Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room. Students, faculty, staff and members of the community are invited to attend.

HOPE FOR DARFUR . . . Wednesday, 28 October, 2009, 7:00pm, The Leonard and Shirley Goldstein Lecture on Human Rights Series will host Brian Steidle, co-author of The Devil Came on Horseback: Bearing Witness to the Genocide in Darfur, and Executive Director of HOPE (Helping Other People Everywhere)  at the Un-O Thompson Alumni Center, 6705 Dodge Street, OMAHA.

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 Rethink Afghanistan.  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.

SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIPS FORUM . . . The second Building Sustainable Partnerships Forum will be Friday, October 30, 2009, 1:00 to 6:00pm, at Hardin Hall on the UN-L East Campus, 3310 Holdrege Street, Lincoln. Sponsored by the School of Natural Resources, the Mayor’s Office/Mayor’s Environmental Task Force, and the Nebraska Rural Initiative, the Forum will focus on three key sectors: Business, Higher Education, and Community. Click here for information about speakers, the tentative agenda, and to register for this free event.

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACE WORKERS . . . Central Nebraska Peace Workers will meet on Sunday, November 1, 2009, 3:00pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 511 North Elm Street, GRAND ISLAND. Use the east basement door. All are welcome.

THEATER OF THE OPPRESSED . . . Sunday, November 1, 2009, 1:00 until 6:00pm, EveryOne who loves theater, ACTivistm, making a difference, or just having a good time is invited to the UN-O Milo Bail Student Center for a THEATRICAL DAY OF FUN with Theater of the Oppressed  –theater to enact change. Click here to learn background information about this form of interactive theater. Omaha’s Doug Paterson, current Nebraska Green Party Chairperson, will lead the day’s ACTivism. For more information, e-mail Colleen, codoherty [at] unomaha [dot] edu; or Doug, dpaterson [at] mail [dot] unomaha [dot] edu.

KNOW YOUR FARMER, KNOW YOUR FOOD . . . Sunday, November 1, 2009, 5:30pm, Energy Rescue, Inc. is supporting the First Community Dinner at “All About You Catering,” 6109 Maple, in OMAHA’s Benson Neighborhood nestled between The Benson Grind and Petals by Janet. Only local foods will be prepared. For more information, e-mail tward2u [at] yahoo [dot] com. One People, One Planet, One Purpose.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October.Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

NO IMPACT WEEK . . . The No Impact Week Challenge begins Sunday, October 18, 2009. If you take part, you will learn about your environmental footprint and reduce what you use and buy. The week-long project, in partnership with the Huffington Post, starts Sunday with a focus on consumption, the focus is trash on Monday, transportation Tuesday, food on Wednesday, Thursday is energy, Friday is water, and on the weekend you will spend one day volunteering in your community and one day unpluged from everything. For a full set of instructions, click here.  To formalize your participation, sign up here.

COX PUBLIC HEARING . . . There will be a public hearing on Omaha’s future cable related needs Monday, October 19, 2009, at the Omaha/Douglas Civic Center, 1819 Farnam Street, Legislative Chamber. The public is invited to attend, to offer comments regarding telecommunications needs, Cox Cable, and Qwest. Persons may speak at either 5:00 or 6:30pm, but not at both hearings. Omaha is currently engaged in a cable franchise renewal process with Cox and Qwest. A detailed needs assessment study is being conducted to determine future cable related needs of the City and its residents. The public hearing is required by federal law. For more information about why this is an important public hearing, click here.

NORTHEAST GREEN TEAM ROUNDTABLE . . . Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 11:30am to 1:00pm, WasteCap Nebraska’s Northeast Green Team Roundtable will met at a new training facility across from the ADM plant entrance at 3000 East 8th Street, COLUMBUS, NE. The Roundtable provides businesses an opportunity to network, and share green ideas, successes, environmental challenges and solutions. The gathering will begin with open networking, followed by a presentation on Carbon Foot-printing. For more information, or to register, contact Rozz Beckman, 402.436.2383 or e-mail rbeckman [at] wastecapne [dot] org.

MULTICULTURAL CONFERENCE . . . Tuesday, October 20, 2009, 7:30am to 4:00pm, clinical psychologist and author Mary Pipher will keynote the Fifth Annual One Day Grand Island Muliticultural Coalition Conference, “The Road to Inclusive Communities” at College Park, 3180 West US Highway 34, GRAND ISLAND. Click here (pdf) for Conference brochure and schedule. Phone 308.385.5242 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 Patti Smith – Dream of Life.  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.

MARRIAGE EQUALITY . . . There will be a panel discussion on “Marriage Equality for Same Sex Couples,” Thursday, October 22, 2009, 1:00pm, at the College of Law, Rm 113, on UN-L’s East Campus. Panelists are ACLU Nebraska Board Member Dave Moshman, Nebraska Family First Executive Director Dave Bydalek, Episcopal Pastor Father Don Hanway from St. Mark’s on the Campus, and Nebraska Family Council Executive Director Al Riskowski.

HIV CO-DISCOVERER AT NWU . . . Robert C. Gallo, a biomedical researcher who co-discovered HIV in 1980, will give a free public lecture at Nebraska Wesleyan’s O’Donnell Auditorium, 50th & Huntington Avenue, Lincoln, Thursday, October 22, 2009, 7:00pm. The topic will be “Viruses, Epidemics and the Prospects for their Control with Emphasis on HIV/AIDS.”

PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT . . . Friday, October 23, 2009, 10:00am to 3:00pm, agencies and individuals will gather (by shift) at the Center for People in Need, 3901 North 27th Street, Lincoln, to connect with Lincoln’s homeless population. The event is being organized by Nebraska Wesleyan University and the Lincoln Homeless Coalition. All are welcome to join this outreach project.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION . . . Saturday, October 24, 2009, will be the most widespread day of climate action ever. In more than 140 countries, people are organizing thousands of actions highlighting the need to reduce carbon levels in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million–the upper limit of what scientists say is safe. Lincoln events planned for International Day of Climate Action include Critical Mass 350 Bikers riding through downtown streets calling for a more bike-friendly city and encouraging individuals to make more environmentally-conscious decisions in their every day lives; and Husker Recycling.  350 Volunteers will help clean up, recycling products, before and after the Nebraska football game. Meet at 2:45pm by the columns on the east side of the stadium. Click here for details and to sign-up as a volunteer.

NEBRASKANS FOR PEACE CONFERENCE . . . Saturday, October 24, 2009, 9:30am TO 5:00pm, the NFP Annual Conference will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 5th & Elm Streets in GRAND ISLAND. The Keynote Speaker will be author and analyst Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies, Washington, D.C. speaking on “What a Just U.S. Policy in the Muslim World Would Look Like.” For information on how to register, contact the NFP State Office by e-mail at nfpstate [at] nebraskansforpeace [dot] org or by phone at 402.475.4620.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION . . . Saturday, October 24, 2009, 9:00am until 1:00pm, a household hazardous waste collection will take place at Woods Park, 31st and J streets, Lincoln. Items accepted include fluorescent bulbs and tubes, pesticides, paint thinners, stains, polishes and waxes, turpentine, oil-based paint, pool-cleaning chemicals, flea and tick powders, rodent poison, charcoal starter fluids, mixed or old gasoline, mercury-containing items including thermometers, upholstery cleaners, grease removers and brake and power steering fluids. Items that can be recycled or safely disposed of locally including latex paint, motor oil, gas grill cylinders, pharmaceutical waste, electronics and batteries will not be accepted.

HIKE THE WABASH TRACE . . . Saturday, October 24, 2009, there will be a 20 Mile Conditioning Hike along The Wabash Trace leaving from the trail head across from Iowa School for the Deaf at 8:00am. For more information, or to rsvp, contact Bob Goetschkes, bobbygoetschkes [at] hotmail [dot] com or by phone at 402.614.4788.

NORML NEBRASKA . . . The Nebraska Chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws will host a Meet and Greet on Saturday, October 24, 2009, 3:00pm, at McFoster’s, 38th and Harney, OMAHA. Phone 1.888.632.4842 to join NORML Nebraska, or click here for a membership form.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October.Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY . . . Monday, October 12th, 2009, 5:00pm, there will be a peaceful demonstration for the purposes of educating the public about atrocities committed by Christopher Columbus, the subsequent genocide of Native Americans, and the reasons why we should abolish Columbus Day. Also called Resistance Day, or Native People’s Day, participants will meet at the Lincoln Federal Building, 15th and 0 Street, to honor indigenous peoples and their struggles. After the rally there will be a march to the State Capitol with signs and banners. Everyone is welcome to join the demonstration. Click here to learn about the history of Native American Day.

GREENPEACE FUNDRAISER . . . “The Age of Stupid” will be shown Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 7:00pm, at The Joyo Theatre, 6102 Havelock Avenue, Lincoln. Doors open at 6:30.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES . . . Tuesday, October 13, 2009, “Black-White Dialogues” will continue a series of six Conversations meant to increase mutual understanding and respect between Black and White members of the OMAHA community. The Dialogues are at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street. Dr. Bonnie Perry of OPS & Rachel Wise of Building Bright Futures will focus on Education and Race from 7:00 to 9:00pm.

INSURANCE REFORM RALLY . . . There is one more opportunity to impress Senator Nelson with a collective presence for reform of the health insurance industry in this country. A ‘Whose side are you on?’ Rally will take place outside Nelson’s Lincoln office, 440 North 8th Street, Wednesday, October 14, 2009, at 10:00am. This will be a press conference event. A Green Party presence supporting Single Payer Medicare for All will be important at this moveon rally for a “public option.”

FOCUS ON PAYDAY LENDERS . . . “What’s the Matter with Payday Lending?” will be the focus of discussion at a Peace and Justice Series panel, Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 6:15pm at First-Plymouth Congregational Church, 2000 D Street, Lincoln, in the Courtyard Lounge. Un-L professor Vern Barrett will moderate panelists Deb Eagan, Peace and Justice Chair, and Dale Springer, president of People’s Choice Credit Union.

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION SEMINAR . . . Must conflicts between people and nations inevitably lead to broken relationships, strife, and violence? Daniel Buttry, Global Consultant for Peace and Justice with the American Baptist Churches, will speak about conflict transformation at a free seminar, “Mainstreams and Margins, Two Roles in Conflict,” on Wednesday, October 14, 7:00pm, at First Mennonite Church, 7300 Holdrege Street, Lincoln. For more information, click here.

GREEN TEAM ROUNDTABLE . . . WasteCap Nebraska’s OMAHA Regional Green Team Roundtable will be Wednesday, October 14, 2009, 11:30am to 1:00pm at WasteCap’s Omaha Field Office, 5002 South 24th Street, Lower Level Conference Room of the Old South Omaha City Hall Building. The gathering will begin with open networking, followed by a presentations on Carbon Foot-printing and a new Doorstep Recycling Service for apartments and small businesses in the Omaha area.For more information, or to register, contact Rozz Beckman at 402.436.2383, or e-mail rbeckman [at] wastecapne [dot] org.

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 Escape to Canada. 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.

LUNCH AND LEARN . . . Thursday, October 15, 2009, the League of Women Voters will host this months’ Lunch and Learn focused on health care for all Lincoln residents. Lori Seibel, CEO of Community Health Endowment, will discuss how city and county officials work with private providers to address local health care. Open to the public, the luncheon begins at noon on the 20th floor of US Bank, 13th & M Streets. E-mail the League office, lwv-ne [at] inebraska [dot] com, or phone 475.1411 to make reservations.

REASON FALL FORUM . . . R.E.A.S.O.N. (Rationalists, Empiricists, And Skeptics Of Nebraska) is an organization of pro-science activists dedicated to defending rational discourse and promoting critical reasoning in the public sphere. “Evolutionary Medicine: What Darwinian Thinking Has to Offer” will explain how evolution expands understanding of health and disease. Creighton Biology Professor James Platz will keynote the Forum on Thursday, October 15, 2009, 7:00pm, at the Durham Research Center auditorium, University of Nebraska Medical Center, in the tower southeast of Farnam and Saddle Creek, OMAHA. For more contact Jim Bechtel, 556.8312, or Laurey Steinke, 598.0229.

HONORING ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP . . . The WasteCap Nebraska Annual Member Meeting and Awards Luncheon will be Thursday, October 15, 2009, 11:30am to 1:00pm, at The Country Club of Lincoln, 3200 South 24th Street. The keynote speaker is Bill Witherspoon, founder and CEO of The Skyfactory.  Click here for registration information.

“PRAIRIE WIND” ON NET . . . “Prairie Wind: Nebraska’s Energy Harvest” explores legislative, technical and cost issues, how local communities could benefit from harnessing wind power, how farmers and ranchers could use wind energy, and how landowners could save money with a wind structure taking less than an acre out of production. The documentary airs Thursday, October 15, 2009, 7:00pm on NET1 and NET-HD, and at 8:00pm on NET2. It repeats throughout the month. Click here for more information on the NET production.

HEEEEER’S JOHNNY . . . Former Tonight Show producer Jeff Sotzing, president of Carson Entertainment Group, will join three former writers of the long running tv show for a lecture with video clips and behind-the-scenes stories on Friday, October 16, 2009, 3:30pm, at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center 313 North 13th Street, Lincoln.

GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE BUILDING . . . A 6-hour seminar providing an overview of straw-bale design and construction will be Saturday, October 17, 2009, 9:00am to 4:00pm, at Southeast Community College Entrepreneurship Center, 285 South 68th Street Place, Lincoln, Room 111. The Course Number is CNST-4001-ENFA. For more information phone Joyce, 402.483.5135, or e-mail jc10508 [at] windstream [dot] net.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October. Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES . . . Tuesday, October 6, 2009, “Black-White Dialogues” will continue a series of Conversations meant to increase mutual understanding and respect between Black and White members of the OMAHA community. The Dialogues are from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street. This week’s speakers will be Ed Leahy and City Councilman Franklin Thompson, discussing “Cultural Norms and Stereotypes.” For more information, click here.

ENCOUNTERING CHINA . . . Tuesday, October 6, 2009. 7:00pm, Kaiser Kuo will present the EN Thompson Forum on World Issues at Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 North 12 Street, Lincoln. The Lewis E. Harris Lecture on Public Policy is titled “Shouting Across the Chasm: Chinese and American Netizens Clash in Cyberspace.”

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.

HUMAN RIGHTS IN PALESTINE . . . Wednesday, October 7, 2009, Jonathan Kuttab will appear at the UN-L City campus Union, 1400 R Street, Lincoln, at 5:00pm. Room will be posted. Kuttab is a Palestinian human rights lawyer and activist. He studied in the US, is a member of the United States Bar Association, and returned to Israel/Palestine to join the Israeli Bar Association as well as the Palestinian Bar Association. He was a negotiator at the Cairo Peace Talks. He will be speaking on human rights and his life as an activist.

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 IOUSA.  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.

HUNGRY CLUB NEWS . . . Wednesday, October 7, 2009, The Hungry Club of Omaha will meet at Big Mama’s Kitchen, 45th & Bedford, at noon. The speaker will be Tor Mach Kuet, Director of the Southern Sudan Community Association. From south Sudan, Mr. Kuet has lived in Omaha since 1996. He will discuss the immigrant situation locally and nationally, with emphasis on the plight of Sudanese genocide.  For more information, contact Preston Love Jr. at 402.812.3324.

STRAW-BALE TOUR IN WEST CENTRAL NEBRASKA . . . Pre-registration and payment is required no later than Thursday, October 8, for a tour of two straw-bale buildings on Saturday, October 10, 2009. The tour will leave Lincoln at 8:00am, returning between 6:30 and 7:00pm. Those who wish to drive their own cars may join the tour at the Cozad site where an open house is scheduled from 9:00am to 4:00pm. For more information, and to register for the tour by van or drive along, call Joyce at 402.483.5135 and leave a message, or e-mail jc10508 [at] windstream [dot] net. All fees will be donated to The Green Prairie Foundation for Sustainability in support of The Last Straw, an international journal of straw-bale and natural building.

ANTELOPE VALLEY: AN UPDATE . . . Glenn Johnson, General Manager of the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, will be the guest speaker at this month’s Wachiska Audubon general meeting, Thursday, October 8, 2009, 7:00pm at Union College Dick Administration Building, 3800 South 48th Street, Room 03, lower level, Lincoln. Learn about the three components of Antelope Valley development: flood control, transporation enhancement, and community revitalization, at the free presentation, open to the public.

JAMES LOEWEN AT UN-O . . . Thursday, October 8, 2009, 6:00 to 8:00pm, best-selling author of Lies My Teacher Told Me, James Loewen, will speak at the UN-O Thompson Alumni Center, 6001 Dodge Street, OMAHA. The event is free and open to the public. For more information contact the UN-O Department of Black Studies, 554.2412.

JAMES LOEWEN AT UN-L . . . Author, sociologist and historian James Loewen will speak at UN-L on Friday, October 9, 2009, 7:00 to 9:00pm, in the City Campus Union Auditorium, 1400 R Street, Lincoln. Loewen will speak on topics covered in his best selling book, “Lies My Teacher Told Me,” answer questions, and sign books following the lecture. The event is free and open to the public.

FALL CLEAN-UP . . . The Lincoln City Parks Department has endorsed a Free Drop Off of limbs, brush and logs on Saturday, October 10, 2009, 8:00am to noon, at 2200 South Folsom Court. The site is located west of Highway 77 off of West South Street. Phone David Ensign at the Urban Development Department, 402.441.7864, with any questions.

ORGANIZING FOR BETTER TOMORROWS . . . Saturday, October 10, 2009, 8:00am to 6:30pm, the second annual Nebraska Student Organizing Conference, “Organizing for Better Tomorrows,” will take place at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln City Campus Union, 1400 R Street. Breakfast, lunch, and a light snack will be provided. The Conference is open to all. To pre-register online, click here.

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION SEMINARS . . . Must conflicts between people and nations inevitably lead to broken relationships, strife, and violence?  Daniel Buttry, Global Consultant for Peace and Justice with the American Baptist Churches, will talk about conflict transformation and its biblical roots in two free seminars at First Mennonite Church, 7300 Holdrege Street, Lincoln on Sunday, October 11, 2009, 7:00pm – The Bible and Conflict Transforming Initiatives; and Wednesday, October 14, 7:00pm – Mainstreams and Margins, Two Roles in Conflict. For more information, including a schedule of additional Sunday morning presentations, click here.

WHEN MARSHES MEET PRAIRIES . . . Tallgrass prairies reach the height of their beauty this time of year. Sunday, October 11, 2009, John Carlini will lead a Field Trip exploring meadow prairies bordering wetlands in the area of The Nature Conservancy’s Little Salt Fork Marsh Preserve.  Meet at 8:00am in the parking area. The Preserve is located east of Raymond on the north side of Raymond Road, several blocks west of First Street. Phone 475.7275 with any questions.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October.
Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

REPOWER NEBRASKA KICK-OFF . . . It’s time for comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation NOW. Find out how to get involved at the kick-off meeting of Repower Nebraska, Monday, September 28, 2009, 6:00pm at The Pizza Shoppe Collective, 6056 Maple Street, OMAHA. For more information, call Amy Kasselman, 402.578.9592, or e-mail amy [dot] kasselman [at] climateprotect [dot] org.

RALPH NADER IN OMAHA . . . Public advocate, presidential candidate, and bestselling author Ralph Nader will make two personal appearances in OMAHA on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, speaking about his new book “Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us,” an unprecedented genre-bending work of fiction in which Warren Buffett organizes a meeting of seventeen real life super-rich people to restructure their personal wealth and help the people of America. At 3:00pm, Nader will present “Imagining America – The Battle for Single Payer Healthcare” at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney. At 7:00pm, Nader will be at Borders, 7201 Dodge Street, to speak about and sign his new book. Both events are free and open to the public.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES . . . Tuesday, September 29, 2009, “Black-White Dialogues” will continue a series of Conversations meant to increase mutual understanding and respect between Black and White members of the OMAHA community. The Dialogues are from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street. This week’s speakers will be Rev. Dr. Kate Rohde, on “How the Church Has Perpetuated Racism,” and Rev. Keith Richardson, on “The Role of the Church in the Black Community.” For more information, click here.

NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY WEDNESDAY . . . No Timeline! No Exit Strategy! Stop the Funding! Congress is steps away from passing a $625.8 billion 2010 Defense Budget, which contains approximately $128.2 billion to conduct wars in Afghanistan and Iraq through September 2010. Wednesday, September 30, 2009, is a National Call-in Day for telling Senators and Congressional Representatives to vote against the Defense Appropriations bill, and urge them to co-sponsor Congressman James McGovern’s H.R. 2404 requiring President Obama to provide an “exit plan” from Afghanistan no later than December 2009. To reach the Washington Switchboard phone 202.224.3121 or 202.225.3121.

CENTRAL NEBRASKANS VIGIL FOR PEACE . . .  Central Nebraska Peace Workers will meet on Wednesday, September 30, 2009, 5:00pm, to Vigil for Peace at the corner of State Street and Webb Road, GRAND ISLAND.  Signs will be available, or bring your own. Everyone is welcome.

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 Unnatural Causes – Part 4. 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.

SPECIAL NADP EVENT . . . Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty will host a special event on Thursday, October 1, 2009, 6:30pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church in the Parlor, 511 North Elm Street, GRAND ISLAND. One of the Beatrice 6, Thomas Winslow, and Mirriam Thimm Kelle, whose brother was murdered by James Ryan, an inmate on death row, will be featured guests. Mirriam will speak on how the death penalty affects families of victims, and Tom will talk about innocent individuals who get caught up in the justice system.  Both speakers will present their stories on Friday, 7:00pm, at St. James Catholic Church, 3801 Avenue A, KEARNEY. The events are free and open to the public.

BANNED BOOK WEEK . . . Banned Book Week will be celebrated Thursday, October 1, 2009, at Duffy’s Tavern, 1412 O Street, Lincoln. There will be live music–banned because the words might be harmful–performed by the Academy of Rock, as well as clips from censored films, and books. Controversial art of all forms will be on display. The free public event is from 6:00 to 8:30pm.

KEEP SPACE FOR PEACE WEEK . . . Saturday, October 3, through Saturday, October 10, 2009 is the International Week of Protest Opposing Space Militarization. The Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space says it’s time to open our eyes and STOP the military’s use of space for war on Earth. Preserve space for peace. “Each minute, the last official figures say, the world gives $3 million to military expenses, for the industry of death. And each minute, fifteen children die from hunger or curable diseases. So we’ll march against it, because we believe another world is possible.” –Eduardo Galeano

OMAHA F.A.M. CONFERENCE . . . The 2009 Family Advocacy Movement Conference is at UN-O, Saturday, October 3, 2009. “Safe Haven Revisited: MENTAL HEALTH, CHILD PROTECTION, & CIVIL RIGHTS–A Call for Reform” will present a free Public Forum, 1:30 to 5:00pm. The evening Keynote Presentation by Speaker Karl Dennis, will be from 6:30 to 9:00pm. Register for the Conference online before Monday, September 28th for discounted admission here.  A follow-up event intended to continue expanding discussion on Sunday, October 4th, will be at Second Unitarian Church of Omaha. For more information, phone 402.640.7480 and leave a message for return call.

SOLAR HOME TOUR . . . Nebraska is participating in a solar home tour, part of the National Solar Home Tour sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society for the first time this year on Saturday, October 3, 2009, 10:00am to 2:00pm. Click here for details on tour sites.

VEGFEST SATURDAY . . .  “Marvelous Melons” will be celebrated at this year’s VegFest, Saturday, October 3, 2009, 2:00 to 6:00pm, Havelock Park, 63rd Street and Ballard Avenue, Lincoln.  Activities include a fruit and melon salsa contest, celebrity chefs, demonstrations, gardening booths, a rain barrell raffle and live music.  Local community radio station KZUM, 89.3fm, is hosting the event.

FULL MOON HIKE . . . Sunday October 4th, 2009, depending upon cloud cover, there will be a Full Moon Night Hike around the Great Marsh at Fontenelle Forest Wetlands Education Center, 103 Camp Gifford Road, BELLEVUE, starting at 8:30pm. This is a short ramble around some of the trails of Gifford Point. RSVP with first and last name, phone number, and email so you can be notified in case of cancellation, to Bob Goetschkes, bobbygoetschkes [at] hotmail [dot] com or phone 402.614.4788; 402-326-1775, cell.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October.Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE . . . Monday, September 21, 2009 is International Day of Peace, a global holiday when individuals, communities, nations and governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace. The Culture of Peace Initiative has advanced peace building activities around the world since 1983. Click here to learn more about the Initiative that encourages “Peace Day Every Day” throughout the world.

FUNDRAISER FOR HOSPITALS . . . Monday, September 21, 2009, 6:30pm, there will be a potluck fundraiser for al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza and the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem at Lord of Love Lutheran Church, 10405 Fort Street, OMAHA. Keynote speakers will be Bishop David deFreese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Nebraska Synod, and Arab American activist lawyer Huwaida Arraf, founder of the Free Gaza Movement, and the International Solidarity Movement.  Arraf and Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia Mckinney were hijacked and imprisoned with the group that broke a seige against Gaza this summer. Bring your favorite casserole or special treat.

MISSION TO PROMOTE PEACE . . . “Three Cups of Tea”  co-author Greg Mortenson will speak in Lincoln on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, at College View Seventh-day Adventist Church,4801 Prescott Avenue. Doors open at 6:00pm. Program starts at 7:00pm. Promoting peace through building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mortenson was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in January this year. There is a fee for his Lincoln appearance. For questions or tickets via phone, call 402.486.2973 and leave a message.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES . . . Tuesday, September 22, 2009, “Black-White Dialogues” will continue a series of Conversations meant to increase mutual understanding and respect between Black and White members of the OMAHA community. The Dialogues are from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street. Dr. Patrick Jones will present “The Architecture of Race in Urban America” on September 22. For more information, and to register, click here.

BESS STREETER ALDRICH FOCUS . . . Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 3:30pm, the Fall 2009 Paul A. Olson Seminars in Great Plains Studies Series begins with Melissa Homestead speaking on “Plains Regional Fiction and the National Literary Market: The Case of Bess Streeter Aldrich’s A Lantern in Her Hand.” Free and open to the public, the lecture is at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Lincoln.

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 Religulous.  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.

OMAHA GREEN DRINKS . . . Green Drinks will meet Wednesday, September 23, 2009, at Whole Foods Market Omaha, 10020 Regency Circle, in the education room across from the coffee bar. Starting time is 5:30pm. Green Drinks is an informal, self-organizing network, now in 604 cities worldwide.

GET INVOLVED . . . The Wachiska Audubon September Legislation Committee Meeting will be Thursday, September 24, 2009, 7:00pm at the Wachiska office, 4547 Calvert Street, Lincoln. You need not be an Audubon member to get involved with this Committee. For more information, e-mail wachiskaoffice [at] cornhusker [dot] net or phone 402.486.4846.

INNOCENT ON DEATH ROW? . . . Troy Davis was sentenced to death in 1991 with no physical evidence and no murder weapon. There will be a discussion about innocence and the death penalty Thursday, September 24, 2009, 7:00 to 8:00pm at Pius X O’Brien Parish Center, 70th & Blondo, OMAHA. For more information, e-mail jill [at] nadp [dot] net or call Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, 402.477.7787.

MALCOLM X TRIBUTE . . . Donor Bricks will be unveiled next to the Malcolm X Nebraska State Historical Marker at the Malcolm X Memorial, 34th & Evans Streets, Saturday, September 26, 2009, 2:00pm, in OMAHA. The event will pay tribute to Native Omahan Malcom X, and is open to the public. A reception will include refreshments, a silent auction and artistic presentations.

TWILIGHT ON THE TALLGRASS . . . Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center will hold its annual prairie festival Saturday, September 26, 2009, 5:00 to 10:00pm. Spring Creek Prairie is located 20 minutes southwest of Lincoln: Follow SW 98th Street south out of Denton for three miles. For a schedule of the evening’s events, click here.

OMAHA F.A.M. CONFERENCE . . . The 2009 Family Advocacy Movement Conference is at UN-O, Saturday, October 3, 2009, in the Milo Bail Student Center Ballroom. “Safe Haven Revisited: MENTAL HEALTH, CHILD PROTECTION, & CIVIL RIGHTS–A Call for Reform” will present a free Public Forum, 1:30 to 5:00pm. The evening Keynote Presentation by Speaker Karl Dennis, an international consultant on community-based programs, will be from 6:30 to 9:00pm. Register for the Conference online before Monday, September 28th for discounted admission here.  A follow-up event intended to continue expanding discussion on Sunday, October 4th, will be at Second Unitarian Church of Omaha, 3012 South 119th Street. For more information, phone 402.640.7480 and leave a message for return call.

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACE WORKERS . . .  Central Nebraska Peace Workers will meet Sunday, September 27, 2009, 3:00pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 511 North Elm Street, GRAND ISLAND.  (Use the northeast entrance.  Meet downstairs.)  Brianna Schweck, District 3 Community Organizer for Repower Nebraska–a grassroots campaign for switching to renewables, creating jobs, and helping resolve the climate crisis, and Tim Rinne, State Coordinator of Nebraskans for Peace, will be guest presenters.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Historic Haymarket Farmers Market, North Seventh between P and Q streets, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through October 10. During peak season, mid-June through mid-August, there are about 215 vendors.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October.
Community CROPS Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, North 27th & Potter Streets, 4:30 to 7:30pm, Thursdays, June through September. Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.
Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th & M Streets, noon to 4:00pm, Wednesdays, July 1 through September 30.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

PEACE WEEK AT UN-O . . . The BackBone Campaign will be at UN-O Monday, September 14, 2009, as part of Peace Week activities. The group will use Guerilla Theater to promote the Single Payer health care option. Click here to watch a video of their Procession for the Future. The Omaha performace will begin at noon in the Free Speech area mid-campus, weather permitting.

LUNCH AND LEARN ON IMMIGRATION . . . Reservations are needed by noon Monday, September 14, 2009, for the September 17th League of Women Voters Lunch and Learn on federal immigration reform at the 20th floor of US Bank, 13th & M Streets, Lincoln. The event is open to the public. For reservations, phone 475.1411, or e-mail lwv-ne [at] inebraska [dot] com.

BEREUTER ENCOUNTERING CHINA . . . Monday, September 14, 2009, 7:00pm, Doug Bereuter will present the EN Thompson Forum on World Issues at Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 North 12 Street, Lincoln. Click here to watch a video preview.

MISSION TO PROMOTE PEACE . . . “Three Cups of Tea” co-author Greg Mortenson will speak in Lincoln on Tuesday, September 22, 2009, at College View Seventh-day Adventist Church, 4801 Prescott Avenue. Doors open at 6:00pm. Program starts at 7:00pm. Promoting peace through building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mortenson was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in January of this year. There is a fee for his Lincoln appearance. For questions or tickets via phone, call 402.486.2973 and leave a message. For group rate information, call Caryl Guisinger at 308.357.1000, or e-mail caryl [at] designinsight [dot] net before Tuesday, September 15.

ETHICS LECTURE AT LIED . . . Tuesday, September 15, 2009, Harry Markopolos will present the UN-L College of Business Administration’s Annual Ethics Lecture “Blowing the Whistle on Bernie Madoff: Gift Wrapping and Delivering the Truth about the Largest Ponzi Scheme Ever,” at The Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 North 12th Street, Lincoln. The 3:30pm lecture by the man who fingered Madoff is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION SERIES . . . Tuesday, September 15, 2009, “Black-White Dialogues” will begin a series of six Conversations meant to increase mutual understanding and respect between Black and White members of the OMAHA community. The six Dialogues are from 7:00 to 9:00pm, at First Central Congregational Church, 421 South 36th Street. Dr. Zebulon Miletsky will present “Confronting America’s Racial Past: A Historical Primer” on September 15. For more information, and to register, click here.

NWU VISIONS & VENTURES SYMPOSIUM . . . The 2009 Nebraska Wesleyan Visions & Ventures Symposium will be held at O’Donnell Auditorium in the Rogers Center for Fine Arts, 50th Street and Huntington Avenue, Lincoln, Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17. The symposium is free and open to the public. Annie Leonard, author and host of The Story of Stuff, and Naomi Klein, author of international bestseller The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, both Bioneers, will be featured. The schedule of events is as follows: Wednesday, September 16, 7:00pm, Naomi Klein; Thursday, September 17, 10:00am, Annie Leonard; 1:00pm, Panel discussion, “Economics and the Constitution;” 7:00pm, Stephen Moore, writer of “The Road Back to Prosperity.” Click here 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 Inlaws and Outlaws.  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.

WORLD DAY ON THE MALL . . . Thursday, September 17, 2009 is World Day on the Mall, “The World in a Day.” The one-day celebration, 10:00am to 2:30pm, at Centennial Mall South,15th & M Streets, Lincoln, is an opportunity to share, experience, and value other cultures through ethnic food, music, entertainment, and information, increasing awareness, understanding, and cultural appreciation. Click here for a schedule of events and presentations.

TREE DEDICATION . . . Thursday, September 17, 2009, 5:00pm, the League of Women Voters will dedicate an oak tree in honor of former Lincoln Mayor Helen Boosalis on the Boosalis Bike Trail just north of Highway 2. Parking is available in the vicinity of 38th and LaSalle Streets. Speakers include Mayor Chris Beutler and former County Commissioner Jan Gauger, the first female to run for Lancaster County Board.

NADP ANNUAL DINNER . . . Friday, September 18, 2009, Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty and the Nebraska Innocence Project will co-host the 2009 Annual Dinner and Art Auction at the Georgetowne Club, 2440 South 141st Circle, OMAHA. Social Hour & Silent Auction begin at 6:30; Dinner & Program at 7:30pm. Keynote Speaker Randy Steidl spent more than 17 years wrongfully imprisoned, 12 of which were on death row. E-mail jill [at] nadp [dot] net to make reservations.

FALL MIGRATION AT FONTENELLE FOREST . . . A guided tour of the Missouri River flyway at Omaha’s Fontenelle Forest will begin Saturday, September 19, 2009, 8:30am, led by premier birder Justin Rink. Meet in the parking lot by Fontenelle’s Wetlands Learning Center, next to Gifford Farm. To caravan or carpool from Lincoln, meet at 7:15am in the Oak Lake parking lot by West Charleston Street and Sun Valley Boulevard. For more information, or directions to Fontenelle, phone John Carlini, 402.475.7275.

TALLGRASS BIO-BLITZ . . . Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center will hold its first annual BioBlitz, Saturday and Sunday, September 19 and 20,2009. BioBlitz is a public biological survey to collect data establishing baseline information on plant and animal species at the Center. Spring Creek Prairie is located 20 minutes southwest of Lincoln: Follow SW 98th Street south out of Denton for three miles. Contact Deb Hauswald for more information and to register, by phone at 797.2301, or e-mail dhauswald [at] audubon [dot] org.

2009 GREEN HOMES TOUR . . . The Green Omaha Coalition and U.S. Green Building Council, Flatwater Chapter, will host a Green Homes Tour of four West Omaha homes at Village Pointe, Saturday, September 19, 2009, 9:00am to Noon. Each home will feature a different theme. All are undergoing a series of green home improvement projects. For more information contact Ron Duce, Kiewit Building Group Inc., 402.977.4500, or e-mail ron [dot] duce [at] kiewit [dot] com. There is a fee for the tours.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Historic Haymarket Farmers Market, North Seventh between P and Q streets, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through October 10. During peak season, mid-June through mid-August, there are about 215 vendors.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October.
Community CROPS Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, North 27th & Potter Streets, 4:30 to 7:30pm, Thursdays, June through September. Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.
Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th & M Streets, noon to 4:00pm, Wednesdays, July 1 through September 30.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente

GREENING LINCOLN . . . Tuesday, September 8, 2009, 7:00pm, Milo Mumgaard will speak on “Sustainability Lincoln: Insuring a Growing and Dynamic City Today and Tomorrow,” at Hardin Hall, 33rd and Holdrege Streets, home of the UN-L School of Natural Resources, sponsor of the fall outreach lecture.

NADP ANNUAL DINNER . . . Friday, September 18, 2009, Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty and the Nebraska Innocence Project will co-host the 2009 Annual Dinner and Art Auction at the Georgetowne Club, 2440 South 141st Circle, OMAHA. Social Hour & Silent Auction begin at 6:30; Dinner & Program at 7:30pm. Keynote Speaker Randy Steidl spent more than 17 years wrongfully imprisoned, 12 of which were on death row. E-mail jill [at] nadp [dot] net to make reservations. E-mail jill [at] nadp [dot] net to make reservations by Tuesday, September 8th.

DINE OUT . . . The twentieth annual Dine Out to Help Out in Lincoln will be Wednesday, September 9, 2009. More than sixty community restaurants will donate ten percent of their day’s receipts to the Food Bank of Lincoln as part of September’s Hunger Action Month awareness. Click here for a list of participating restaurants.

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 Lake of Fire.  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.

COLEMAN MCCARTHY IN HASTINGS . . . Colman McCarthy, a syndicated columnist and editorial page writer for The Washington Post, adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center, and founder of The Center for Teaching Peace, will speak on “How To Be An Effective Peacemaker” at Hastings College Chapel, Wednesday, September 9, 2009, 7:00pm. McCarthy is a sought-after speaker on US campuses because he convincingly calls on students to defy the conventional by becoming citizens who are other-centered, not self-centered, teaching that each of us is called on to be a peacemaker in our personal and political lives.

WICHISKA AUDUBON GENERAL MEETING . . . Prairie Ecologist Chris Helzer will speak on “Managing Prairies for Biological Diversity,” Thursday, September 10, 2009, 7:00pm, for the Wachiska Audubon monthly meeting in Union College Dick Administration Building, 3800 South 48th Street, lower level room 03, Lincoln.

“FUEL” AT UN-L . . . Biodiesel Pioneer Josh Tickell will hold a screening of his soon to be released movie “Fuel” at the City Campus Nebraska Union Colonial Room, 1400 R Street, Lincoln, Friday, September 11, 2009, 6:00pm. “Fuel” is an insightful personal portrait of the consequences of addiction to oil and the surprisingly hopeful future of sustainable energy. Josh and his group will be staying in Lincoln en route to Washington DC with his ‘Veggie Van’ that runs on algae biodiesel. Admission to “Fuel” is free, but a donation is appreciated to help fund the cross country tour. For more information contact Robert Byrnes at waterdog [at] nerenew [dot] com.

2009 FARM WALK AND SOUP SUPPER . . . Friday, September 11, 2009, 5:00 to 7:30pm, Community CROPS and Sunset Community Farm will host a Farm Walk and Soup Supper celebrating local food at Southwest 40th and West F Streets, Lincoln. Click here for the All You Can Eat Supper menu and Farm Walk activities. To reserve meal tickets, call the CROPS office at 474.9802 or e-mail ingrid [at] communitycrops [dot] org.

WATERWAY LITTER CLEAN UP DAY . . . A community-wide OMAHA litter clean up event, Saturday, September 12, 2009, 10:00am to noon, will be held in concert with a worldwide effort, International Coastal Clean Up, focused on streams, ponds, park lagoons, and damsites. To volunteer, click here (pdf) and register. For more information, phone Kendra Sullivan at Keep Omaha Beautiful, or e-mail kendra [dot] sullivan [at] cox [dot] net.

WORLD O! WATER FESTIVAL . . . World O! Water is a free water education festival for families and adults from noon to 4:00pm, Sunday, September 13, 2009 at Lake Wehrspann, Chalco Hills Recreation Area, 154th Street and Giles Road in OMAHA. Activities include games, booths, animal presentations, music, and canoe rides hosted by members of the Papillion Creek Watershed Partnership and Keep Omaha Beautiful, Inc.

FEATURE 2009 . . . The second annual Film Streams’ FEATURE 2009 Celebration will be Sunday, September 13, 2009 at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 13th and Douglas Streets, OMAHA. Film Streams is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the cultural environment through presentation and discussion of film as an art form. Beginning at 6:30pm, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne and three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger will share the Peter Kiewit Concert Hall stage for a conversation about the actress’ career, with clips from her movies interspersed throughout the talk. Tickets for Feature 2009 can be purchased by phone at 402.345.0606, or in person at the box office inside Holland Center. Click here to purchase tickets online. Call Film Streams directly at 402.933.0259 for more information and to purchase tickets for the post-party celebration immediately following FEATURE 2009.

BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Join the local food revolution by shopping farmer’s markets and eating fresh foods grown in or very near your own community. Eating locally grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher. Click here for Nebraska Buy Fresh. Buy Local. information. Lincoln’s current Markets are as follows:

Old Cheney Farmers Market, 55th Street and Old Cheney Road, 10:00am to 2:00pm, Sundays through November 1.
Historic Haymarket Farmers Market, North Seventh between P and Q streets, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through October 10. During peak season, mid-June through mid-August, there are about 215 vendors.
Havelock Farmers Market, north parking lot behind businesses between 62nd and 63rd streets and Havelock Avenue, 3:00 to 6:30pm, Wednesdays through October 28.
Piedmont Farmers Market, 1265 South Cotner Blvd., parking lot of Piedmont Shopping Center, 8:00am to noon, Saturdays through September/October.
St. Paul United Church of Christ Farmers Market, 1144 M Streets, 4:30 to 7:30pm, Tuesdays through September 8.
Community CROPS Farmers Market, Pentzer Park, North 27th & Potter Streets, 4:30 to 7:30pm, Thursdays, June through September. Click here for a map of local Community CROPS gardens.
Centennial Mall Garden Market, 14th & M Streets, noon to 4:00pm, Wednesdays, July 1 through September 30.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative. –Rosa Clemente