It’s a very busy week. Please put up a comment if you know of anything important going on that I’ve left out.
Tuesday, April 29:
IowaPolitics.com and Drake University are hosting a forum at which top leaders from Iowa’s House and Senate will discuss the 2008 session and election year. The forum will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Levitt Hall in Old Main at 2507 University Ave. on the Drake University campus. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. More details about the event and how to reserve a spot are after the jump.
The DNR will convene a stakeholders meeting at 1 pm and a public meeting at 6:30 pm in the Scott County Administrative Center, 600 W. 4th St in Davenport, to discuss air pollution in Scott County. A recent DNR report showed that fine particulate matter air pollutant levels in Scott County have exceeded Clean Air Act standards from 2005 through 2007. More background and details are after the jump.
Ed Fallon will appear on Mac’s World Radio Show, 98.3 WOW.FM (show starts at 2:45 pm)
Metro Arts Alliance of Greater Des Moines and other hosts present a reception to honor the artists selected for the City of Des Moines 2007 Performance Report, Following Your Lead: The Road Ahead, 5-7 pm 800 19th Street (corner of 19th and Center) in Des Moines
Sierra Club, Iowa Global Warming Campaign and I-RENEW present the Everyday is Earth Day event, featuring a free film screening of “Global Warming: the Signs and the Science,” 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cedar Falls Public Library, 524 Main St. in Cedar Falls (more details about this event are after the jump)
Wednesday, April 30:
The DNR will hold a stakeholders meeting at 1 pm and a public meeting at 6:30 pm to discuss air pollution in Muscatine County (more background after the jump). The meetings will be at the Muscatine County Conservation Board Environmental Learning Center, 3300 Cedar Street in Muscatine.
Tom Henderson, chairman of Polk County Democrats (live) and Comedian Jeff Kreisler (via phone) will appear on Mac’s World, 98.3 WOW-FM, 3 pm to 4 pm.
Thursday, May 1:
One Iowa presents May Day Mayhem–Free Food, Cheap Drinks with other LGBT and progressive professionals. Special guest Evan Wolfson from Freedom to Marry. Star Bar, 2811 Ingersoll in Des Moines, from 5 pm to 7 pm. Light appetizers, cash bar, and a chance to mingle with other LGBTA Professionals. Please RSVP by April 30th (288-4019).
Ed Fallon will be at Green Drinks, Saints Rest Cafe, 919 Broad St. in Grinnell, beginning at 7 pm
Friday, May 2:
Ed Fallon will be at the Eastside Senior Center, 1231 E. 26th St. in Des Moines, beginning at 11:45 am
Comedian Jeff Kreisler will do a show for the Polk County Democrats, Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines. Dinner will be served at 5:30 P.M., program begins at 6:30 P.M. Cash bar available. Regular tickets – $25.00 per person (Dinner and show only) 5:30 P.M. Host Reception with Elected Officials and Jeff Kreisler – $75.00 per person (includes dinner and drink tickets). Tickets are available by calling 515-285-1800; for $27.50 at the Val Air box office or through any Ticketmaster outlet.
Saturday, May 3:
Iowa Citizen Action Network 2008 annual convention, 10 am to 5 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn, 8600 North Park Drive in Johnston (suburb of Des Moines). Jim Hightower will be the keynote speaker. More details about the day’s workshops are after the jump, or you can see a flier for this event at
http://www.iowacan.org/ICANCON…
Iowa Corridor’s second annual Hike to Help Refugees in Iowa City (more details are after the jump)
Maifest parade in the Amana Colonies, starting at 10 am
I-RENEW is hosting a tour of the Clipper Turbine Works, the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the U.S., in Cedar Rapids at 1 pm. At 3 pm, Brian Crowe from Iowa’s Office of Energy Independence will speak about the agency’s activities at the Coffee Talk Café, located off Kirkwood Avenue down the road from Clipper. More details about these events are after the jump.
The Tulip festival in Pella runs from May 1 to May 3 as well.
From IowaPolitics.com:
:
IowaPolitics.com, Drake University and Mediacom will be sponsoring a special event, Tuesday, April 29th featuring top Iowa legislative leaders. We’d be honored if you can attend the event. It is free and open to the public, but please RSVP to me at rutz@IowaPolitics.com if you plan to attend as space is limited.
We’ll also serve free coffee and cookies.
Hope you can join us! Thanks, Julie Rutz, IowaPolitics.comPlease see news release below for details:
/NOTE: This release is also available online
http://www.iowapolitics.com index.iml?Article=123774Contact: Julie Rutz
515.226.8774
rutz@iowapolitics.com*Iowa legislative leaders to discuss 2008 session
*
(Des Moine s, IA) — Top leaders from Iowa’s House and Senate will discuss the 2008 session and election year at an IowaPolitics.com-Drake
University forum on April 29.Confirmed panelists include: Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs; Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck, R-Sioux City; House
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines; and House Minority Whip Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha. The program, sponsored by IowaPolitics.com, Drake University and Mediacom, will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29 at Levitt Hall in Old Main at 2507 University Ave. on the Drake University campus. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.The program, part of the Drake-IowaPolitics.com “Cookies & Conversation” series, provides a forum where major candidates, elected officials, and
other newsmakers can communicate directly with interested citizens as well as Drake students, faculty and sta ff. The series, launched prior to
the 2008 Iowa caucuses, also helps focus attention on major issues.IowaPolitics.com Des Moines Bureau Chief Chris Dorsey will moderate the program, and questions will be accepted from audience members. The panel
discussion will also be televised to a statewide audience on the Mediacom Connections Channel and will be available for On Demand viewing from Mediacom on Channel 1.For reservations call 515.226.8774 or e-mail Julie Rutz at rutz@IowaPolitics.com. Doors at Levitt Hall open at 10:45 a.m. Free parking will be available in Drake lots at 26th & University and 25th & Carpenter.
IowaPolitics.com is an independent, non-partisan news operation offering a free Web site at http://www.iowapolitics.com/ and paid subscriber products.
*FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Julie Rutz 515.226.8774 or
rutz@IowaPolitics.com–
From Iowa Global Warming:
Everyday is Earth Day
Film event brings together green activists and public
The Sierra Club, Iowa Global Warming Campaign and I-Renew are hosting a special green event on Thursday, April 29, which is open to members of the public. The event offers free admission and refreshments and will feature a film screening of Global Warming: the Signs and the Science a film that uses expert dialogues on global warming to talk ab out how we can reverse its course. After the film, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and participate in a discussion about the film and related issues.
WHAT: Everyday is Earth Day event featuring Global Warming: the Signs and the Science film screening and discussion. Free and open to the public.
WHEN: Thursday, April 29, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Cedar Falls Public Library, 524 Main St., Cedar Falls, Iowa
WHO: Sierra Club, Iowa Global Warming Campaign and I-Renew supporters and the public
The Sierra Club’s members and supporters are more than 1.3 million of your friends and neighbors. Inspired by nature, we work together to protect our communities and the planet. The Club is America’s oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.
The Iowa Global Warming Campaign seeks to have state and national leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, discuss publicly, frequently and specifically how they will address global warming, and pledge that they make that plan a top priority. Iowa Global Warming’s founding members are the Iowa Environmental Council, Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew), Environmental Law & Policy Center, League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, and Union of Concerned Scientists.
I-Renew (Iowa Renewable Energy Association) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1992. I-RENEW sponsors practical educational activities designed to reach individuals, farms, businesses, schools, and utilities, while also encouraging retail opportunities. The association is a vehicle for pooling and disseminating existing knowledge and experience in renewables and energy efficiency.
For More Info Contact:
Mike Carberry: Sierra Club State ExCom, 2029 Friendship St. Iowa City IA 52245 michaelcarberry@hotmail.com 319-594-6453
Neila Seaman: Director Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter 3839 Merle Hay Road, Suite 280 Des Moines, IA 50310 neila.seaman@sierraclub.org 515-277-8868
Carole Yates: Sierra Club contact in Cedar Falls carole.yates@cfu.net 319-277-4782
Press release from the Iowa Environmental Council:
April 23, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Alert: Air Pollution Meetings Scheduled
A recent Iowa Department of Natural Resources report showed that fine particulate matter air pollutant levels in Scott County and Muscatine County have been exceeding Clean Air Act standards (maximums) from 2005 through 2007. Fine particulate matter has been found to cause a variety of adverse health effects including asthma, bronchitis, cancer, respiratory problems, decreased lung function, and pulmonary health effects.
The Iowa DNR is holding stakeholder and public meetings in Scott and Muscatine Counties. The meetings are an opportunity for “stakeholders” like the Iowa Environmental Council and the industries causing the pollution, and the public to provide input as the Iowa DNR decides which regions in Iowa should be designated as in “nonattainment” with the Clean Air Act.
The meeting details are listed below.
April 29
1:00 p.m. Stakeholders meeting
6:30 p.m. public meeting
Scott County Administrative Center – Board Room
600 W 4th Street
Davenport, Iowa 52801-1030
April 30
1:00 p.m. Stakeholders meeting
6:30 p.m. public meeting
Muscatine County Conservation Board
Environmental Learning Center
3300 Cedar Street
Muscatine, Iowa 52761
For interviews call:
Amy Broadmoore, Air Quality Program Director
Iowa Environmental Council
Cell: (641) 821-0466
Meeting questions contact Jim McGraw at (515) 242-5167 or at jim.mcgraw@dnr.iowa.gov or Matthew Johnson at (515) 242-5164 or matthew.johnson@dnr.iowa.gov.
From an I-RENEW press release:
Clipper Turbine Works Factory Tour & Iowa Power Fund Discussion
The future of a greener Iowa is already here, starting with Iowa’s own Clipper Turbine Works, the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the U.S. On Saturday, May 3 starting at 1:00 p.m., I-Renew is offering a tour of one of our state’s leading green manufacturer. The tour will allow you to experience the assembly process where the Cedar Rapids business builds its full-scale Liberty 2.5MW wind turbine.
Immediately Follow the Tour Join us:
At 3:00, Brian Crowe from Iowa’s Office of Energy Independence will speak about the agency’s activities since its creation in May of 2007 at the Coffee Talk Café, located off Kirkwood Avenue down the road from Clipper. Brian Crowe is the Senior Planner at the Office of Energy Independence where he coordinates the distribution of the Iowa Power Fund, a $100 million dollar fund that was created to invest state dollars in renewable energy and energy efficiency throughout the State of Iowa.
The tour is open to all but because of high popularity and limited space we encourage you to register early in order to secure your spot.
To Pre-Register:
Download a registration form from I-Renew’s website at www.irenew.org
Or request one by emailing irenew@irenew or by calling (319) 643-3160.Cost:
$10 for I-Renew Members
$20 for Non-membersIowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew) is a membership based,
nonprofit organization dedicated to educating Iowans about renewable
and sustainable energy opportunities. The group’s website can be found
here: www.irenew.org.
From the Iowa Citizen Action Network:
WHO: Iowa Citizen Action NetworkWHAT: 2008 ICAN Annual Convention
WHEN: Saturday May 3, 2008 10 am-5 pm
WHERE: Hilton Garden Inn, 8600 North Park Dr. , Johnston , IA
This is your opportunity to network with other Iowa progressives and learn more about ways to improve our communities, state and nation. Come to share in the success we’ve all had in the past year, and find out new ways to make yourself more effective in your work.KEYNOTE SPEAKER: JIM HIGHTOWER
National radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the forthcoming book, Swim Against The Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow, Jim Hightower has spent three decades battling the “Powers That Be” on behalf of the “Powers That Ought to Be”- consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just plain folks.WORKSHOPS
In this pivotal year, ICAN is devoting its annual convention to building the skills of our members, affiliates and allies, and uniting and inspiring progressives to work together on our shared agenda. Attend one of our exciting workshops to sharpen your skills:
– Health Care Reform – This informative and interactive workshop will ground participants in the problems facing our country and more importantly how we can come together to solve one of our nation’s greatest challenges.
– On-line Organizing – This workshop by one of the country’s most respected on-line organizing strategists will train participants in the do’s and don’ts of on-line organizing.
– Election Activities for Non-profits – It has never been more important for progressive organizations to make their voice heard in state and national elections. This session by The Alliance for Justice, will cover federal rules for a wide variety of activities conducted by 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations.
See the flyer for this event at http://www.iowacan.org/ICANCON…
From an e-mail the Iowa Policy Project sent me:
Enjoy the outdoors and get together with friends for a great cause at
the Iowa Corridor’s second annual Hike to Help Refugees, Saturday May
3, 2008!You will be entertained by music and activities on a scenic 8 mile
route (2 mile alternate) ending with a family friendly festival of
music, Sudanese food, an international fair, and games for children.
The hike will start and end at the Riverside Festival Stage at City
Park in Iowa City.Each participant is asked to raise at least $80, which is enough to
provide shelter for a refugee family of five. One hundred percent of
money raised by hikers goes directly to providing the basic need of
shelter for refugees.UNHCR reported in 2007 that the number of refugees around the
world–most of them women and children–has increased to its highest
level in four years. Imagine being forced from your home with no
place to go; the Hike to Help Refugees website makes it easy for you
to make a difference for a family of refugees. Use our website to
send automatic emails to a list of friends and allow them to
electronically sponsor your hike.For more information, to register online, or to make a donation, visit
our website at: www.hiketohelprefugees.orgCan”t hike? Make a difference with your donation at:
www.hiketohelprefugees.org/donateA refugee”s road can be long. Join us on May 3, 2008 to help make it
a little shorter.—