TransCanada abondons effort to use eminent domain

News, , ,

From BOLD Nebraska:

TransCanada announced Sept. 29 that the company will pull out of the lawsuit filed by over 100 Nebraska landowners challenging their right to use eminent domain to seize land for the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. Facing mounting legal expenses and a likely loss in court, the company will instead go through the Public Service Commission (PSC) review process it had originally hoped to avoid.

The PSC process will take at least a year, and cannot move forward if and when President Obama rejects the federal permit for the pipeline.

“This is a major victory for Nebraska landowners who refused to back down in the face of bullying by a foreign oil company,” said Jane Kleeb, director of Bold Nebraska.

Read the full story from BOLD Nebraska.

Read related coverage in the Wall Street Journal.

Join a discussion of solutions to poverty and inequality Oct. 10 in Lincoln

Events, ,

From Nebraskans for Peace:

Don’t miss a daylong discussion of poverty, inequality, and solutions organized by local members of the Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, at Pioneers Park in Lincoln. The event will be Saturday, October 10, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lincoln, Omaha, and Central City Friends Meetings (Quakers) are hosting a day of challenge, inspiration, and community building with Don Reeves. Nebraska native Don Reeves brings a lifetime of experience working on issues around poverty and inequality. Don has served on the boards of Friends Committee on National Legislation, Bread For The World, and American Friends Service Committee where he also served as staff.

Morning discussion followed by lunch, small group discussion and music. Aaron Fowler and Laura Dungan, touring musicians, build community through songs that address issues of the time and matters of the heart. Lunch is provided by Nebraska Friends.

Suggested Donation: $10 (basket will be available at the event)

Questions? E-mail Jean, ludyeden@gmail.com (Please contact us by October 5th for childcare and lunch count)

Directions: Follow Van Dorn street to Pioneers Park and follow the signs. (For further Direction: Google “Pioneers Park Nature Center.”)

Film screenings in Omaha and Lincoln Oct. 7 and 8: Overcoming addiction on Pine Ridge

Events,

From Nebraskans for Peace:

Don’t miss these two screenings of Sober Indian | Dangerous Indian, a documentary about brave men and women on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation who have found empowerment through sobriety and those still struggling to overcome their alcohol addiction:

  • Wednesday, October 7, at the University of Nebraska Omaha
  • Thursday, October 8, at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln

Get more details on the film’s Facebook page.

Or check out the film’s website.

Hear an economic development success story in Lincoln Oct. 4

Events,

From Nebraskans for Peace:

Don’t miss “Building a Company and Rebuilding a Community,” part of the Sorensen Lecture series, on Sunday, October 4, at 7 p.m. Lance Morgan, President and CEO of Ho-Chunk, the award-winning economic development corporation owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, will tell the story of Ho-Chunk, Inc. and the Winnebago Tribe’s rise from economic despair to an international company with over $250 million a year in revenue in one generation, and its impact on a small, poor, rural community.

Morgan was one of the initial founders of Ho-Chunk, Inc. in 1994 and under his leadership, the corporation has grown to more than 1,000 employees across the United States and in nine foreign countries. For more information on Morgan and Ho-Chunk, check out www.hochunkinc.com.

Morgan’s talk will be at the Unitarian Church of Lincoln, 6300 A St.

Presentation on preserving native languages Oct. 1 in Lincoln

Events

From Nebraskans for Peace:

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

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

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

 

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

Action Alerts,

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

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

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

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

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

Get involved with NADP.

2015 Annual Peace Conference in Grand Island Oct. 17

Events, , , ,

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

Read more and register with Nebraskans for Peace.

Journal Star: Death penalty repeal appears to be on hold

News,

From the Lincoln Journal Star:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the full story.

Attend public hearing in Sidney on fracking issues Sept. 22

Action Alerts,

From BOLD Nebraska:

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

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

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

Learn more, RSVP, or submit a comment online.

Catch singer/comedian Roy Zimmerman in Lincoln Sept. 19

Events

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

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

Watch some of his works: