2009 PEACEMAKING WORKSHOP PREPARATION . . . Anna Baltzer, a Jewish American writer and peaceworker documenting human rights abuses and supporting non-violent direct action in the West Bank will speak at a noon lunch in the Hastings College Cafeteria, HASTINGS, Nebraska, Wednesday, April 1, 2009. That night at 7:00pm, she will give a Sermon at the Lenten Service, First St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hastings. Thursday, April 2, Anna will appear at Doane College Whitcomb Lee Conservatory, Room 240, 3:00pm, in CRETE.  Anna’s Eyewitness Reports from Palestine: Stories & Photographs document human rights abuses in her work with the International Women’s Peace Service.  Thursday, April 2, 4:35pm, Anna will be spotlighted in an interview with Susan Risinger on WJAG 780AM and 105.9FM Radio. Live streams at www.wjag.com and www.kexl.com. Nebraska appearances are in conjunction with the 2009 Peacemaking Workshop in Lincoln, Friday, April 3 and Saturday April 4. Monday, April 6, Anna will speak at 3:30pm in the Hacks Landing Room at the Student Center, North East Nebraska Community College, NORFOLK. There will be a 6:15pm pot luck at Christ Lutheran Church in Norfolk followed by Anna’s presentation of “Life in Occupied Palestine.”

OMAHA’S WATER SUPPLY ON AGENDA . . . Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 7:00pm, former State Senator Don Preister will convene a public information meeting to address the issue of toxic ground water moving toward Omaha’s water supply in the Platte River. The open community conversation will be at the VFW Hall, 102 South 24th Street, ASHLAND, Nebraska.

2009 GRASSLAND FOUNDATION LECTURE . . . The Grassland Foundation’s 4th Annual Grassland Conservation & Sustainable Communities Lecture “Global Developments in Private Conservation: Do They Apply to the Northern Great Plains?” will be presented by Jeffrey Langholz of the Monterey Institute of International Studies on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Lincoln. A 3:00pm reception will be followed by the lecture with Q & A from 3:30 to 5:00pm. The annual lecture is free and open to the public.

THE BATTLE FOR WHITECLAY . . . A new Mark Vasina documentary, The Battle for Whiteclay, will be shown Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 4:00-7:00pm, at Hixson-Lied Auditorium in the Harper Center, Creighton University, OMAHA. The screening will be followed by Q&A with Frank LaMere and filmmaker Vasina. For more information, contact Rhonda Kodad, rkodad [at] creighton [dot] edu, or phone 402.280.2079. April 7, 6:00-9:00pm, LaMere and Vasina will appear for a screening at the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Headquarters, 1800 Syracuse Avenue, NORFOLK, Nebraska, followed by Q&A.

CHILD WELFARE CONFERENCE . . . Social workers, providers and therapists are invited to the first annual Child Welfare Conference, Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at the University of Nebraska-Kearney Student Union, 1013 West 27th Street, KEARNEY, Nebraska. For details, e-mail stuehmnj [at] unk [dot] edu,or phone 308.865.8738.

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 Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox.  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 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. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502-5887.

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.

LEAVE NO CHILD INSIDE . . . Bestselling author and journalist Richard Louv, Chairman of the Child and Nature Network, will speak at Countryside Community United Church of Christ, 8787 Pacific Street, OMAHA, on Thursday, April 2, 2009, 7:00pm. “Leave No Child Inside: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder,” will be the keynote address of Radical Amazement: The Spirituality of Childhood Conference April 2-3.  Click here for the entire brochure and complete ticket information or contact Cyndi Kugler, 402.391.0350 x121.

BIONEERS MEETING . . . Lincoln Bioneers will meet Thursday, April 2, 2009. Everyone is invited to a potluck before the meeting at 6:00pm. Phone 489.8669 for directions to the home of Carol Smith. Details for a Bioneers Earth Day booth will be worked out, and a spring/summer scheduled for meetings will be discussed.

GANDHI SYMPOSIUM . . . The twelfth annual UN-O School of Social Work Gandhi Award and Symposium, “Restorative Justice: What It Is, Why It Works, How It Applies to Practice,” will be Friday, April 3, 2009 at Thompson Alumni Center, 6705 Dodge Street, ONAHA. There is a fee.  Longtime Omaha peace activist Peg Fitzgerald Gallagher will receive the Gandhi Award at a 12:15pm luncheon with Keynote, “Advocacy for the Poor in Spirit: Vignettes from a Poor Person,” by A’Jamal Byndon. Click here for information about the event and speakers.

LEED CERTIFIED BUILDING TOUR . . . Friday, April 3, 2009, 6:00 to 8:00pm, the public is invited to tour The Sawmill Building, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) space on the corner of 8th and S Streets in Lincoln’s Haymarket. The environmentally-friendly building tour is being offered by the Building & Design Task Group of Lincoln Green by Design.

LABOR CONFERENCE: PROMOTING THE GENERAL WELFARE . . . The Tenth Annual Labor Studies Conference will be Saturday, April 4, 2009, 9:00am to 5:00pm, at the University of Nebraska-Omaha Milo Bail Student Center, 6001 Dodge Street. Same day registration starts at 8:00am. To pre-register phone 402.595.2344.

INDIAN CAVES OVERNIGHT BACKPACK TRIP . . . Indian Cave State Park is a pristine area devoted to camping, hiking and backpacking, with 3,052 rugged acres bordering the Missouri River. Hikers on the organized trip will backpack about five miles Saturday, and five miles Sunday, April 4-5, 2009. Contact John Calandra, hike leader, johndcal [at] cox [dot] net, or phone 402.991.8314 for more details and to rsvp.

There is WALK-IN VOTING NOW for the April 7, 2009 PRIMARY ELECTION, Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s office, 601 North 46th Street, Lincoln.

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

CESAR CHAVEZ CELEBRATION . . . Presentation of the documentary “We The People: An American Dream and Nightmare,” will be part of the Cesar Chavez Celebration at UN-L on Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 6:00pm at the Student Union Heritage Room, 15th & R Streets, Lincoln. The film will be followed by a panel discussion. Free and open to the public.

PANEL DISCUSSION ON DEATH PENALTY LEGISLATION . . . Tuesday, March 24, 2009, 7:30pm, there will be a panel with State Senator Brenda Council, J. Kirk Brown, Nebraska Solicitor General, and NADP board member Josh Cramer discussing LB 36 and LB 306, the state’s proposed death penalty legislation. Sponsored by Pi Sigma Alpha, political science honor society, the panel will be at the Nebraska Student Union Auditorium, 15th & R Streets, Lincoln. Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty vigil every Monday, noon to 1:00pm, in front of the governor’s mansion, 1425 H Street, in Lincoln. For more information, phone the NADP office at 402.477.7787.

COMMUNITY-BASED ENERGY DEVELOPMENT . . . “The Devil is in the Details” lecture series, sponsored in part by the Nebraska League of Conservation Voters, will examine energy topics in depth to provide citizens and lawmakers with accurate, timely information from experts in the energy industry. Tuesday, March 24, 2009, at 7:00pm, “How Nebraska Builds Wind” will be presented by Dan Juhl, Chairman and CEO of Juhl Wind Inc., at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus, Hardin Hall Auditorium 107. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Eva Sohl at 402.438.9341, or esohl [at] nlcv [dot] ogr.

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 PEACE WORKERS VIGIL . . . The monthly CNPW Vigil for Peace is Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 5:00pm, at State Street and Webb Road in GRAND ISLAND. Join Greens and Peace Workers for a few minutes, or for the hour from 5:00 to 6:00pm.

OMAHA GREEN DRINKS . . . Wednesday, March 25, 2009, 5:30pm to close, Omaha Green Drinks, an informal, self-organizing environmental interest network will meet at Whole Foods Market, 10020 Regency Circle, in the education room by the restaurant seating area, across from the coffee bar. Everyone interested in environmental issues is welcome. Green Drinks now meet in 437 cities worldwide. For questions or further information, phone Jean Waters at 402.554.6259, or e-mail jwaters [at] mail [dot] unomaha [dot] edu.

“ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: PATH TO CITIZENSHIP?” . . . Wednesday, March 25, 2009, the EN Thompson Forum on World Issues will present The Charles and Linda Wilson Dialogue on Domestic Issues at the Lied Center for Performing Arts, 301 North 12th Street, Lincoln, 7:00pm. In the second annual Wilson Dialogue, Dr. Michael Olivas, William B. Bates Distinguished Chair of Law at the University of Houston, and Dr. Vernon Briggs, Professor Emeritus in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, will discuss the issue of a path to citizenship as a means of immigration reform. For free ticket information, click here. Available live on the web, Lincoln cable channel 21 or channel 5, NETSAT 104, UNL campus channel 8 and UNL KRNU radio 90.3 FM.

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 film this week is Lackawanna Blues. The event is always free and open to the public. 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 DECISIONS SYMPOSIUM . . . Thursday, March 26, 2009, regional and nationally known speakers will cover topics such as economic viability and sustainability, development site and water decisions, energy conservation in designs and methods, and building standards/applications within the built environment. At the Gearing Civic Center, GERING, Nebraska, the Symposium is for anyone interested in learning more about sustainability. The registration fee provides a flash drive with all presentations making this a paperless conference. REGISTRATION CLOSES Monday, March 23rd, 2009. For more information and to register by phone, call Jennifer Rogers, Panhandle RC&D, 308.632.1311, or to register online, click here.

BICYCLING AS COMMUTING . . . The OMAHA Sierra Club will meet Thursday, March 26, 2009, 7:00pm at First United Methodist Church, 69th & Cass Streets. (Enter north doors.) The program, “Bicycling as Commuting,” will feature leaders with Activate Omaha and Bikeable Communities discussing bicycling as a means of commuting that will cut your carbon footprint, provide more physical exercise, reduce traffic congestion, and help reduce our collective dependence on foreign oil. The speakers are avid cyclists working to make Omaha a “bicycle friendly community.” For more information about the free meeting, open to the public, contact Mary Green, 402.556.1830, or mary [dot] green [at] nebraska [dot] sierraclub [dot]org.

DARWIN CONFERENCE TALK . . . Thursday, March 26, 2009, 7:00pm, University of Minnesota professor Randy Moore will present “The Creationist Down the Hall: The Extent and Impact of Teaching Evolution and Creationism in Public Schools” at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q Street, Lincoln. Moore is the author of Evolution in the Courtroom: A Reference Guide.

EARTH HOUR . . . Saturday, March 28, 2009, 8:30 to 9:30pm, millions of people will turn out their lights for one hour to make a statement of concern about our planet and climate change. Earth Hour is a global event sponsored by World Wildlife Fund. More than 250 cities in 74 countries have agreed to take part this year, including Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville in the US; Moscow, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai and Mexico City. Anyone can participate. Click here to watch a 3:13 minute YouTube video about the history of this worldwide unity event.

PREPARING LINCOLN BEYOND WAR RALLY . . . “Beyond War: A New Economy is Possible,” the sixth annual protest of occupation in Iraq, will begin at 12:30pm, Saturday, April 4, 2009, on the west side of the state capitol building. There will be an organized march to the UN-L Student Union, where Steve Larrick will speak about Martin Luther King Jr’s Beyond Vietnam speech of April 4, 1967. Also the date of Dr. King’s assassination, the rally will focus on taking a stand against the societal problems King emphasized: militarism, racism, social and economic injustice. HELP MAKE SIGNS FOR THE EVENT Saturday, March 28th, 3:00pm, at the studio of Ben Jones, above Duffys Tavern, 1412 O Street, Lincoln.

CRANE CARNIVAL . . . The Fourth Annual Family Crane Carnival at Rowe Sanctuary, will be Saturday, March 28 and Sunday March 29, 2009, 10:00am to 4:00pm. Learn about sandhill cranes with your family. Highlighted activities include Crane Jep-Birdie; Bird Bingo; Crane Dancing Lessons; walk and talk with Candi Crane; lunch at the Crane Cafe; Face Painting; a Crane Photo Wall; and more. The event is free to the public. For more information call (308) 468-5282.

CRANEFEST . . . The Annual Minden, Nebraska Cranefest will continue through Sunday, March 29, 2009. Art displays are featured at several Minden businesses, there are trivia and treasure hunt contests, and crane dances. A “Feathered Friends Finale” will be 4:00 to 7:00pm on March 29th at Burchell’s White Hill Farmhouse Inn.

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

LUNCH AND LEARN . . . Monday, March 16, 2009 is the registration deadline for a League of Women Voters’ Lunch and Learn event, March 19th, featuring Senator Kathy Campbell and former Senator DiAnna Schimek. They will discuss the question “Why Don’t More Women Run for Public Office?” Open to the public, the luncheon begins at noon on the 20th floor of the US Bank Building, 13th & M Streets, Lincoln. There is a fee. For more information and to rsvp, contact the League office at 402.475.1411, or e-mail lwv-ne [at] inebraska [dot] com.

WAGE PEACE AT OMAHA CROSSROADS . . . War Is Not Green! This month marks the 7th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Palestinian homes are still being destroyed on the West Bank. There is still a separation wall. More US troops are going to Afghanistan. US drones are bombing Pakistan. In Omaha, join members of UN-O Nebraskans for Peace, the UN-O Ecology Club, and unaffiliated peace wagers on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2009, 11:30am to 1:00pm, at the 72nd & Dodge Streets intersection for a “Go Green! Stop War!” peace demonstration. Signs will be provided. For more information, e-mail c [dot] ing [dot] the [dot] light [at] gmail [dot] com, or phone Candella at 712.520.4298.

“CANNABIS IS SAFER THAN ALCOHOL” . . . The Cannabis Team Omaha/SAFER will host a peaceful display of how Cannabis sativa is much less dangerous than alcohol on Tuesday, March 17, 2009, 12:00 noon to 1:00 or 2:00pm at the Courthouse, 17th and Farnam Streets in Omaha. Organizers are “unhappy that people are penalized for choosing to use a substance that is no serious threat to a person’s body or to society.” They “chose St. Patrick’s Day to demonstrate because of the large amounts of alcohol that will be proudly consumed.” Click here for action alert information.

EARTH DAY PLANNING . . . The next planning meeting for Lincoln’s Earth Day Celebration is Tuesday, March 17, 5:30-7:00pm, at the Lincoln Community Foundation Building, 215 Centennial Mall South, 5th floor conference room. Join one of the Committees listed in meeting notes here.  To sign up for a booth, sponsorship, or volunteer, click here.  For more information, e-mail lincolnearthday [at] gmail [dot] com, or phone Eva Sohl, 402.326.1375.

FRIENDS OF WILDERNESS PARK PANEL . . . Tuesday, March 17, 2009, 7:00-9:00pm, Kay Young, Robert Klein, and “Farmer Bill” Hawkins will hold a panel discussion on “How To Grow Native Plants In Your Own Yard” at the FWP monthly meeting in Lefler Middle School’s library, 1100 South 48th Street, Lincoln. Learn about the benefits and satisfaction of landscaping homes, schools, businesses and places of worship with native plants and grasses. The meeting and panel are free and open to the public. For more information contact Mike Carlin by phone at 402.420.9092, or e-mail mcarlin [at] neb [dot] rr [dot] com.

PRIMARY CANDIDATE DEBATES . . . The League of Women Voters of Lincoln-Lancaster County Primary Candidates debates will be Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The series of five debates featuring candidates on the ballot for the spring elections will run from 2:45pm to 9:00pm in the Bevins Family Life Center on the main floor of Saint Paul United Methodist Church, 1144 M Street, Lincoln. CITY-TV (Time Warner Cable channel 5) also will tape the debates for rebroadcast. All races are nonpartisan. Click here for complete schedule information. The primary is April 7th and the general election is May 5th.

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 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. This week’s film is Southern Comfort.  The event is always free and open to the public. 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.

LINCOLN BIONEERS COMMUNITY . . . The 30-minute Winona LaDuke DVD “Seeds the Creator Gave Us” will be shown at the next Lincoln Bioneers meeting, Thursday, March 19, 2009, 7:00-8:30pm, at Meadowlark Coffee, 1624 South Street. LaDuke, former Green Party Vice Presidential candidate, spoke about creating a “green economy” at Un-L on March 3rd. Click here to read local newspaper coverage. A Community Discussion will follow showing of the DVD. All are welcome at the free event.

GANDHI SYMPOSIUM . . . Registration deadline for the twelfth annual UN-O School of Social Work Gandhi Award and Symposium is Friday, March 20, 2009. “Restorative Justice: What It Is, Why It Works, How It Applies to Practice” will be Friday, April 3, 2009 at Thompson Alumni Center, 6705 Dodge Street. There is a fee. Longtime Omaha peace activist Peg Fitzgerald Gallagher will receive the Gandhi Award at a 12:15pm luncheon with Keynote, “Advocacy for the Poor in Spirit: Vignettes from a Poor Person,” by A’Jamal Byndon. Click here for information about the event and speakers.

SUSTAINABLE DECISIONS SYMPOSIUM . . . Thursday, March 26, 2009, regional and national known speakers will cover topics such as economic viability and sustainability, development site and water decisions, energy conservation in designs and methods, indoor environments with material uses and compositions, and community ordinances, building standards and applications within the built environment. At the Gearing Civic Center, Gering, Nebraska, The Symposium is for anyone interested in learning more about sustainability. The registration fee provides a flash drive with all presentations making this a paperless conference. REGISTRATION CLOSES FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2009. For more information and to register by phone, call Jennifer Rogers, Panhandle RC&D, 308.632.1311. Click here to register online.

RIVERS AND WILDLIFE CELEBRATION . . . The 39th annual crane migration spectacle will be celebrated Friday through Sunday, March 20-22, 2009, at the Kearney, Nebraska Holiday Inn. Speakers include Pete Dunne, author and renowned birder, and Joel Sartore, National Geographic photographer from Nebraska. The main attraction will be 500,000 Sandhill Cranes. Click here for a conference brochure and online registration. For more information phone 402.797.2301.

CENTRAL NEBRASKA PEACE WORKERS MONTHLY MEETING . . . This month’s CNPW meeting is Sunday, March 22, 2009, 3:00pm, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 511 North Elm Street, Grand Island, Nebraska. Greens and all peace workers welcome. For more information, contact Mena Sprague, mine71 [at] hughes [dot] net.

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

EARTH DAY 2009 . . . Coalition for the Environment and Earth Day (CEED) will host “A Time for Action,” Lincoln’s Earth Day Celebration, on Sunday, April 19, 2009. The next planning meeting is Tuesday, February 10, 5:30pm, at the Community Foundation Building, South 15 & N Streets, in the 5th floor conference room. Join one of the Committees listed in meeting notes here. Get involved. For more information, e-mail Eva Sohl, esohl [at] nlcv [dot] org or phone 402.438.9341.

F.W. DE KLERK AT THE LIED . . . Nobel Peace Prize winner F.W. De Klerk, former president of South Africa, will give the EN Thompson Forum Lecture on Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 7:00pm, at the Lied Center on UN-L campus, 301 North 12th Street. De Klerk released Nelson Mandela from prison and presided over the dismantling of apartheid. His speech will focus on “Bridging the Gap: Globalization Without Isolation.” Free tickets are available at The Lied box office.

RAIN GARDEN WORKSHOP . . . A half-day technical training session on rain garden design will address rain garden basics from 8:30am to 12:30pm, Tuesday, February 17, 2009, at the Lancaster County Extention Office, 444 Cherry Creek Road, in Lincoln. Information will be presented on how to design, install, and plant residential rain gardens. Organized by the City of Lincoln Watershed Management and UN-L Cooperative Extention, there is a registration fee. For more information, phone Steven Rodie, 402-554-3752. For website information and a registration form in pdf, click here.  Registration closes on Wednesday, February 11, 2009.

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 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. Food and drink is available. A lively discussion follows each showing. This week’s film is Born Rich.  For more information, click here.  The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

WACHISKA AUDUBON MONTHLY MEETING . . . Gordon Warrick, Habitat Program Manager at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center , will present “New Mexico’s Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge” on Thursday, February 12, 2009, 7:00pm, at the Wachiska Audubon  general meeting. Click here for program details, and directions to the Union College Dick Administration Building, 3800 South 48th Street, Lincoln. The meeting is in the lower level Room 03.

NEBRASKA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE SOCIETY (NSAS) CONFERENCE . . . Learn about sustainable agriculture from the fields to your fork at The Rural Advantage/Healthy Farms Conference, Midtown Holiday Inn, 2503 South Locust, in Grand Island. Keynote speaker Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D. Nutrition and Health Communication Consultant, will present “Feast or Famine: A Fork in the Road and the Crucial Farmer-Consumer Connection.” Sessions include workshops on beekeeping, organics, and food entrepreneurship. Click here  for Conference Brochure, including registration fees, in pdf. The Conference begins Friday, February 13, 2009, with 8:00am registration. An “All Nebraska Dinner” is at 6:30pm. Continuing Saturday, February 14, there is 8:00am registration with workshops until 4:00pm. Phone Gary Lesoing, 402-274-4755, for more information.

LINCOLN ELECTRIC SYSTEM SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PROGRAM . . . LES customers may offset the cost of making homes and businesses more energy efficient by applying for incentive payments to replace existing heating and cooling systems with more efficient pumps. Under the program, insulation, caulking materials, and pre-season cooling maintenance also may be subsidized. Click here for details of the program, application forms, terms and conditions.

LANCASTER COUNTY TOWN HALL MEETING . . . Friday, February 13, 2009, from noon to 1:00pm, join Mayor Chris Beutler and Senators Bill Avery, Kathy Campbell, Colby Coash, Tony Fulton, Ken Haar, Amanda McGill, Danielle Nantkes, and Norm Wallman for a Town Hall Meeting in room 1023 at the state capitol building. For more information, phone 402.471.2633, or e-mail nkanne [at] leg [dot] ne [dot] gov.

WEBCAST: SMALL TURBINES 101 . . . For an overview of small wind turbines, “Basics of Farm/Residential Small Wind Turbines” will air Friday, February 13, 2009, 11:30am to 12:30pm, at connect/extension.iastate/edu/nebraska. When logging on the webscast, click “click to enter,” under “Enter as Guest.” Enter your name to gain access to the meeting space. Further instructions will be on screen when you join the meeting. Topics will include applications, estimating wind turbine production, policies and economics, installation, components and technology. For more information contact John Hay, jhay2 [at] unl [dot] edu or phone 402.472.0408.

DARWIN RECOGNIZED . . . The scientific methods developed by Charles Darwin will be examined as part of UN-L activities marking his 200th birthday. On Friday, February 13, 2009, 7:30pm, George Levine, professor emeritus of English at Rutgers University, will lecture on “Darwin’s Prophetic Apprenticeship” in the Nebraska Union Auditorium, 1400 R Street, Lincoln. The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information on events recognizing Darwin’s birth, click here to visit the Center for Great Plains Studies website.

GREAT PLAINS TRAILS NETWORK ANNUAL MEETING . . . The GPTN is a nonprofit group that advocates and supports trails networks in Lancaster County and Nebraska. The public is invited to their 2009 annual meeting on Sunday, February 15, 2009, 1:00pm, at the BryanLGH College of Health Sciences, Room 204, 5035 Everett Street, Lincoln.  Featured speakers Lynn Johnson, director of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Susan Larson Rodenburg, former GPTN board member, and Terry Genrich, natural resources & greenways manager for Parks and Recreation, will provide details about Antelope Valley Trails, Union Plaza, the proposed Active Living Center, and the existing Lincoln trails system. Refreshments will follow presentations, awards and elections.

WINTER BIRDING FIELD TRIP . . . On Sunday, February 15, 2009, John Carlini and Shari Schwartz will lead a birding trip to Oak Lake, Branched Oak Lake, and Jack Sinn Wildlife Management Area beginning at 3:30pm. To carpool, meet in the east parking lot of Oak Lake located at Sun Valley Blvd. and Charleston Street. Although much of the trip will be done by car, wear warm clothing. For more information phone 402.475.7275.

LEARN MORE: CUBA AND LINCOLN . . . The Lincoln Unitarian Church Winter Lecture Series will focus on “Cuba from Slavery to Sanction and Beyond,” 7:00 to 9:00pm each Sunday through March 8, 2009. Sunday, February 15, Bryon Barksdale, a North Platte physician who leads the Cuba AIDS Project, will discuss Cuban health care, medical training and AIDS policies. The church is located at 6300 A Street. Lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, phone Dick or Karen Dienstbier, 402.489.7545 or e-mail rdien [at] neb [dot] rr [dot] com.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative.

THE BATTLE FOR WHITECLAY . . . “An inside look at an important contemporary conflict pitting American Indian rights against state and local governments in the United States,” The Battle for Whiteclay will show at The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, North 13th Street, Lincoln, through February 5, 2009. “See this film. And if you can’t see it in Lincoln, or somewhere near you, buy it.” –Ed Howard, Nebraska StatePaper News.

SOLDIERS OF CONSCIENCE . . . The documentary “Soldiers of Conscience” will be shown by UN-O Nebraskans for Peace, The People’s Film Festival, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, and the UN-O Student Government Association at UN-O Milo Bail Student Center in the Fireside Lounge on Monday February 2, Tuesday, February 3, and Wednesday, February 4, 2009, 10:00am to 2:30pm. “To kill or NOT to kill?” Click here to see the trailer.

VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . During winter months, every Monday from noon to 1:00pm, supporters of abolition in Nebraska vigil inside the State Capitol Building by the information desk on the ground floor, Lincoln. Join them for a few minutes, or the hour. For more information, contact Fran Kaye, fkaye1949 [at] yahoo [dot] com, or Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty,  402.477.7787.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION: ON RACIAL JUSTICE . . . The NAACP Lincoln Branch, Nebraska Appleseed, African American Studies UNL, and Lincoln Public Schools will host a free Community Conversation Monday, February 2, 2009, 7:00pm at the Malone Center, 2032 U Street, Lincoln.  The topic will be “The Obama Presidency: Is it the end of Black History Month?” For further information contact Rebecca Gonzales, rgonzales [at] neappleseed [dot] org.

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 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. This event is always free and open to the public. Food and drink are available. A lively discussion follows each showing.  This week the film is “The Time is Now.”  For more information, click here.  The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.

KZUM BOOK AND RECORD SALE . . . Nebraska’s only independent community radio station, KZUM, 89.3fm, will hold a book and record sale on Friday, February 6, 2009, 9:00am to 5:00pm, in the lobby of the Terminal Building, 10th & O Streets in downtown Lincoln.  Paperbacks are priced at fifty cents each.  Hardbound books are one dollar; VHS tapes are fifty cents; vinyl albums are one dollar and up.

SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE IN LINCOLN . . . Friday, February 6, 2009, 1:00 TO 6:00pm, there will be a “Building Sustainable Partnerships Workshop” at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Hardin Hall, 33rd & Holdrege Streets. The gathering is to foster awareness and networking among those interested in sustainability issues. Speakers include representatives from UN-L and the community. For free registration, click here. For more information, phone organizer Donna Woudenberg at 402.472.8287.

HELP PLAN A POWERFUL EVENT FOR LINCOLN . . . The Lincoln Chapter of Nebraskans for Peace will hold a first planning meeting for an event around the ominous 6th anniversary of the start of occupation in Iraq.  The meeting will be Saturday, February 7, 2009, 3:00pm, at the Anti-Oppression Art Gallery, 1416 O Street, above Duffy’s.  For further information, e-mail Jill Francke, jill [dot] francke [at] gmail [dot] com.

WACHISKAFEST . . .  Wachiska Audubon Society will hold the 5th annual Wachiskafest on Sunday, February 8. 2009, 3:00 to 5:00pm at Prairie Building Auditorium in Pioneers Park Nature Center. This year’s event features photographer and writer Michael Forsberg, poet Roy Scheele, and author John Price. For more information e-mail wachiskaoffice [at] cornhusker [dot] net, or phone 402.486-4846.

LEARN MORE: CUBA AND LINCOLN . . . The Lincoln Unitarian Church Winter Lecture Series will focus on “Cuba from Slavery to Sanction and Beyond,” 7:00 to 9:00pm each Sunday beginning February 8 through March 8, 2009. Sunday, February 8, Joe Starita, journalism professor at UN-L, will discuss Cuban culture based on a project that led to the book “Cuba: An Elusive Truth,” and the movie “Cuba: Illogical Temple.” The church is located at 6300 A Street. Lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, phone Dick or Karen Dienstbier, 402.489.7545 or e-mail rdien [at] neb [dot] rr [dot] com.

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

THE DEATH PENALTY IN NEBRASKA . . . Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty and others will host an Omaha discussion of why the only acceptable alternative to electrocution, now unconstitutional, is abolition–not lethal injection. Focus of the informational meeting will be the legislature’s death penalty related bills on lethal injection and abolition. The meeting is Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 7:00 to 8:00pm at Pius X O’Brien Parish Center, 70th & Blondo, Omaha. For more information, contact Jill Francke, NAPD statewide Coordinator, jill [dot] francke [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.477.7787. Vigil against the death penalty in Lincoln every Monday, noon to 1:00pm at the State Capitol Building by the information desk on ground floor.

“AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR” . . . A free showing of “At the Death House Door,” a film about Texas death row Chaplain Carroll Pickett, will be hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Nebraskans for Peace Chapter on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 7:00pm, in the Olin B lecture hall at the northern edge of campus near 52nd & Madison Streets, Lincoln. After witnessing 95 executions, Pickett’s message is clear: the death penalty is an irreversible mistake that must end. For more information, or to set up a showing in your area, contact Jake Hoy-Elswick, jake [dot] hoyelswick [at] gmail [dot] com, or call Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty, 402.477.7787.

LINCOLN EARTH DAY 2009 PLANNING MEETING . . . Nebraska Greens initiated 2008 Lincoln Earth Day planning and coordination. In 2009, Planning Committee Co-Chairs have scheduled a first meeting Tuesday, January 27, 2009, 6:00pm, at the Lincoln Community Foundation 5th Floor Conference Room, 215 Centennial Mall South. Agenda items include Purpose & Theme, Date/Time, Venue, subcommittees & chairs, initial timeline calendar, and future meeting dates/location. For more information contact Eva Sohl, esohl [at] nlcv [dot] org, or Julie Diegel, info [at] nlcv [dot] org.

“AT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR” . . . ACLU Nebraska Legal Director and NADP Board Chair Amy Miller will host a free showing of “At the Death House Door” on Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 6:00pm, at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, in Copeland room 142. Questions and answers will follow.

CONVICTED. SENTENCED TO DEATH. INNOCENT. . . . Randy Steidl became the 18th person to be freed from Illinois’ Death Row for a wrongful conviction, after spending over 17 years in prison. He will speak Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 5:00pm, at Creighton University Skutt Student Center, Room 104. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Rebecca Murray of the Nebraska Innocence Project, (402) 280-3062.

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 . . . Greens and Central Nebraska Peaceworkers will vigil for peace on Wednesday, January 28, 2009, from 5:00 to 6:00pm at Webb and State Streets in Grand Island, Nebraska. Peace signs will be available, or bring your own.

OMAHA GREEN DRINKS . . . Wednesday, January 28, 2009, 5:30pm to close, Omaha Green Drinks will meet at Whole Foods Market, 10020 Regency Circle, in the education room by the restaurant seating, cross from the coffee bar. Everyone interested in environmental issues is welcome. Green Drinks now meet in 461 cities worldwide. For questions or further information, phone Jean Waters at 402.554.6259, or e-mail jwaters [at] mail [dot] unomaha [dot] edu.

WEEKLY 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.  This week’s film is Strange Culture, about an artist accused of bioterrorism.  The event is always free and open to the public. 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.

THE BATTLE FOR WHITECLAY . . . “An inside look at an important contemporary conflict pitting American Indian rights against state and local governments in the United States,” The Battle for Whiteclay will show at The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, 313 North 13th Street, Lincoln, from January 30, to February 5, 2009. There will be questions and answers following the 7:00pm showing on Friday, January 30. “Movie Talk” with Director Mark Vasina, Frank LaMere and others will be Sunday, February 1, 2009, after the 1:00pm showing.

LINCOLN NEBRASKANS FOR PEACE MEETING . . . The new Lincoln Chapter of NFP will meet Sunday, February 1, 2009, 4:30pm, at the Anti-Oppression Art Gallery, 1416 O Street, above Duffy’s. For specific meeting information, e-mail Josh Cramer, jrcramer [at] gmail [dot] com.

We are no longer the alternative; we are the imperative.