It’s another busy week, so I’ve put the event details after the jump. Please post a comment or send me an e-mail (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com) if you know of an event I’ve left out.
Also please let me know of any Iowa organizations that post good event calendars on a regular basis. For instance, I hear about lots of things going around the state via the Sierra Club’s Iowa Topics e-mail loop and the websites of the Iowa Environmental Council and 1000 Friends of Iowa. Probably other groups I’m less involved with also post useful notices about upcoming events.
Monday, March 9:
The 2009 Iowa Water Conference will take place on March 9 and 10 at the Scheman Building, Iowa State Center in Ames. Entitled “Reducing the runoff: The agricultural and urban link to watershed improvement”, the conference will feature the Iowa Stormwater Conference and the Iowa Agriculture and Environment Conference. This year the Iowa Water Conference will include multiple half-day tracks designed for urban planners, farmers, and scientists, while the plenary presentations will focus on what we have learned from the 2008 flood and address best science, social, and economic based strategies to avoid similar outcomes in the future. Dr. Gerald Galloway, who led the White House sanctioned review committee assessing the causes of the 1993 Mississippi River floods, will be there. Dr Galloway will lead discussion on how well recommendations were followed and barriers to implementing them in the future. Tom Schueler of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network will also be presenting on building partnerships between local, statewide and regional groups in addition to an urban hydrology plenary session. For more information, please contact Pat Sauer, with the Iowa Stormwater Education Program, at PSauer@iamu.org or 800-810-4268; or Hillary Olson, with the Iowa Water Center at holson01@iastate.edu or (515) 294-7467.
The Mason City PFLAG meeting featuring Varnum v. Brien plaintiffs, David and Larry, will start at 7 pm at 1st Presbyterian Church, 100 S. Pierce St. in Mason City.
Tuesday, March 10:
From the Iowa Environmental Council bulletin:
“Living with Floods: From Science to Policy,” a symposium that brings together top academicians and agency representatives from across the country to consider the current state of flood “science,” impacts, mitigation, insurance, and policy. The symposium is especially appropriate for individuals affected by the flood, water resources managers, municipal and country leaders, and policy makers. Registrants will have an opportunity to ask questions and engage symposium panel members in active discussion. Keynote speaker Gerald Galloway, author of “The Galloway Report,” kicks off the symposium with a free public lecture titled, “When will we ever learn? The challenge of dealing with frequent flooding,” on Tuesday evening, March 10. The symposium follows on March 11-12. For more information, and to register, visit the the symposium website at: http://ppc.uiowa.edu/dnn4/Defa…
Also on March 10, the Johnson County Heritage Trust presents Prairie Preview XXVI featuring Dr. Bill Zales, retired college botany professor, now prairie restorationist and open lands advocate. His talk is titled “The (Lost) Hills of Western Iowa”. The event will take place at Parkview Church, 15 Foster Road in Iowa City, Tuesday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. Doors open to public to view exhibits at 6:30. The Prairie Preview program includes information and displays from your local environmental organizations and agencies. Refreshments provided. For additional information contact 319/857-4741 or www.jcht.org
The PFLAG Ames meeting starts at 7 pm at Youth and Shelter Services, 420 Kellogg Ave, 1st Floor, in Ames.
Wednesday, March 11:
The Living with Floods symposium will be held in Iowa City (see above) on March 11 and 12.
One Iowa is organizing a welcome reception for marriage equality activist Mandy Carter at 7 pm at the Ritual Café, 1301 Locust St in Des Moines. Background:
Since 1968, Mandy Carter has been one of the nation’s leading African-American lesbian activists. Mandy was a founding board member of the National Black Justice Coalition, a civil rights organization of concerned black lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-gender individuals and allies dedicated to fostering equality. (link to complete bio)
“Civil marriage between same-sex couples IS very much a matter of concern to our African-American community. Full equality is the right answer. We cannot go back to the days of separate and unequal. We should not render invisible the many African-American leaders and families who have spoken out in support of this issue loudly and clearly, and who should not be ignored or dismissed by the right-wing.”
– Mandy Carter
Along with the public events, Mandy will be meeting with members of the African American community in Iowa to discuss the importance of marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.
There will be a marriage equality town hall meeting from 7 to 8:30 pm, featuring “Freeheld” and “Our Story” at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 625 N. 6th St in Burlington.
Thursday, March 12:
From the Iowa Environmental Council bulletin:
REAP Lobby Day at the State Capitol
8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Organizations in the REAP Alliance will have displays on protecting Iowa’s natural and cultural resources. Alliance representatives will meet with legislators to urge support for REAP programs and funding. To learn more about REAP, go to www.iowareap.com. Contact: Steve Jordison, Iowa Park and Recreation Association executive director (REAP Alliance member) 641-236-3917 (office in Grinnell), jordison@pcpartner.net.
Plains Justice and Iowa Interfaith Power and Light are co-sponsoring an event in Cedar Falls:
Come to an evening of conversation about the Marshalltown coal plant with Carrie La Seur of Plains Justice, who helped stop the Waterloo coal plant, www.plainsjustice.org. March 12, Thursday, 7 – 9pm, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 2410 Melrose, Cedar Falls Iowa 50613 http://www.st-lukes-episcopal…. The evening will include a brief screening of Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars, the story of Texans fighting the battle again the 19 proposed coal plants, which includes a segment on the faith response, and will conclude with taking action by signing postcards and writing letters to the DNR. This event is co-sponsored by Iowa Interfaith Power & Light, creating a religious response to climate change, www.iowaipl.org and Community Energy Solutions of Black Hawk County. http://cleanairwaterloo.com. Questions: director@iowaipl.org
The Des Moines Public Library is hosting “Go Green with Alternative Energy Options,” presented by Innovative Kinetics, at 12 pm. MANAGE 2B GREEN are free lunchtime workshops to help you add some green to your workplace. The workshops are planned for at least one hour to accomadate lunch schedules. Visit www.desmoinespubliclibrary.com for complete details.
The PFLAG Omaha/Council Bluffs meeting begins at 6:30 pm at the First United Methodist Church, Mead Hall, 7020 Cass St., Omaha.
State Environmental Protection Commission chair Henry Marquard will meet with Iowa City area environmentalists to discuss their concerns from 7 pm to 9 pm in the Iowa City Public Library room B.
Friday, March 13:
One Iowa’s Happy Hour features Mandy Carter and will take place from 5 to 7 pm at Graze, 5513 Mills Civic Pkwy, Ste. 100 in West Des Moines. To RSVP click here:
http://eqfed.org/oneiowa/event…
I’M for Iowa is hosting the first of two house parties for Mandy Carter at 7 pm. You can find more event details and RSVP via Ed Fallon’s Facebook bage.
Saturday, March 14:
I’M for Iowa is hosting the second of two house parties for Mandy Carter at 1 pm. You can find more event details and RSVP via Ed Fallon’s Facebook bage.
From the Iowa Environmental Council’s bulletin:
Iowa Recycling Association Benefit
Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 14, 7:30 (North Ridge Pavilion, Coralville) for a social gathering and presentation featuring adventurer and author Alvah Simon. Tickets: $35. www.iowarecycles.org, or 515-265-1596. Alvah Simon has spent 13 years sailing the world, finding adventure in Borneo’s jungles, Africa’s deserts, and Cape Horn’s ship graveyards. Simon is best known for his death-defying voyage to the Arctic Circle. He shares these experiences, and the universal lessons learned, through his spellbinding presentation and spectacular photography. Experience this utterly unforgettable and moving story of courage, fortitude and discovery.
Sunday, March 15:
There will be a marriage equality town hall meeting from 3:00 to 4:30 pm, featuring “Freeheld” and “Our Story,” at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 701 Iowa Avenue in Decorah.