Stay tuned:
Senator Barack Obama’s postponed trip to Cedar Rapids has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 31st, 2008. Senator Obama’s visit to Cedar Rapids was originally scheduled for June, but was postponed due to the floods.
On Thursday, Senator Obama will host a town hall meeting on the economy in Cedar Rapids. He will also meet with Cedar Rapids residents affected by the floods. Further details of Senator Obama’s visit will follow in the coming days.
As always, post a comment or send me an e-mail (desmoinesdem AT yahoo.com) if I’ve left out any important events coming up this week.
Monday, July 28:
Representative Bruce Braley will hold a series of public meetings:
8:00am Bettendorf Congress on Your Corner
Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency
729 21st Street
Bettendorf , Iowa10:45am De Witt Congress on Your Corner
Frances Banta Waggoner Community Library
505 10th Street
De Witt , Iowa12:45pm Maquoketa Congress on Your Corner
Maquoketa Area Family YMCA
500 E. Summit Street
Maquoketa , Iowa
From the Center on Sustainable Communities:
Join COSC at our Site Preparation and Construction & Demolition Source Separation Workshop on Monday, July 28th, 2008 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the WDM affordable green demonstration home site – 927 Maple Street in Historic Valley Junction. This will be the first in our series of workshops at the affordable green demonstration homes in the Des Moines metro area.
To RSVP, contact Emily at 515-277-6222 or Emily@icosc.com.
Visit www.icosc.com for details.
Tuesday, July 29:
There is an open house/fundraising reception for Bill McCarthy, Democrat and candidate for Polk County Sheriff, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at the home of Jim & Roxanne Conlin, 2900 Southern Hills Circle in Des Moines. (Just head west on Park Ave. about a mile and a half west of Fleur Drive; turn north off of Park Ave. on Southern Hills Drive; drive north until you reach Southern Hills Circle.)
Contributions Appreciated: Checks may be made payable to: McCarthy for Sheriff
Or mail contribution to:
Bill McCarthy for Sheriff,
5201 SE 32nd St., Des Moines, IA 50320
* For questions or to RSVP, contact Linda at 205-4351 *
From the DNR:
BLACK HAWK COUNTY RESIDENTS ASKED TO SHARE IDEAS ON IMPROVING GEORGE WYTH LAKE
MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Berckes at (515) 281-4791 or jeff.berckes@dnr.iowa.gov or Charles Ikenberry at (515) 281-8753 or charles.ikenberry@dnr.iowa.gov.
CEDAR FALLS – Iowans interested in improving George Wyth Lake in Black Hawk County can attend a meeting July 29 to discuss and review a recent water quality study and its suggestions for improving the lake.
George Wyth Lake is on the state’s impaired waters list because of excess E. coli in the water, which may indicate the presence of disease-causing pathogens. Geese that reside in the park appear to be the primary contributor to this problem.
The study, or DNR water quality improvement plan, looks at the problems and potential solutions for the problems in George Wyth Lake. It is designed as a guide for improving the lake for local resource agencies, partners, stakeholders and residents.
“We are excited to inform people about the study and discuss how the DNR and George Wyth patrons can work together to improve the lake,” said Jeff Berckes with the DNR’s Watershed Improvement program. “This meeting is the first step forward in revitalizing a great Iowa natural resource and we look forward to working with local community members to incorporate their ideas on how to put an effective plan into action.”
The DNR will ask Iowans for their input at a July 29 meeting in Cedar Falls. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Hartman Reserve Nature Center, 657 Reserve Dr.
Staff from the DNR’s Lake Restoration program, Watershed Improvement program and Fisheries and Wildlife bureaus will also be on hand to answer questions.
Those not able to attend the public meeting can receive more information at www.iowadnr.gov/water/watershed/tmdl/publicnotice.html and submit comments on the plan by Aug. 19 via the following ways:
E-mail: jeff.berckes@dnr.iowa.gov
Telephone: Jeff Berckes at (515) 281-4791
Mail: Jeff Berckes, care of Iowa DNR, Wallace State Office Building,
502 E. Ninth St.,Des Moines, Iowa 50319After gathering Iowans’ comments, the DNR will forward the final plan, also called by its technical name of Total Maximum Daily Load, to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval. Local groups interested in helping George Wyth Lake can then use the plan to assist their improvement efforts.
Wednesday, July 30:
From the Center on Sustainable Communities:
Richard Louv Lecture
Hoyt Sherman Place
1501 Woodland Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50309
Wed, July 30
7:00 pmRichard Louv is an author and journalist focused on nature, family and community. His most recent book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, has stimulated an international conversation about the future relationship between children and nature, and has helped spawn a movement that is now moving into the international sphere. He serves as chairman of the Children and Nature Network, an organization helping to build the international movement to connect children with nature.
Visit http://iowagogreen.com/eventti… for tickets.
Tickets are free but seating is limited and may not be available at the door.
Thursday, July 31:
Barack Obama will hold a town-hall meeting in Cedar Rapids. I’ll post more details about this event when they become available.
One Iowa and Green Drinks are co-hosting a Happy Hour from 5 to 7 pm at the Hillside Condo Penthouse, 1902 Woodland Ave in Des Moines, suite 300 (the building next to the Gateway Market). Suggested donation $20, but no one is turned away. Please RSVP at oneiowa.org.
From Polk County Democrats:
You are cordially invited to attend a wine and cheese reception for John Scarpino, Democratic Candidate for Polk County Supervisor, at the home of Ray and Karen Blase, 913 NE 34th Street, Ankeny
Thursday, July 31 from 5:30 to 7:30 P.M.
Come and hear why John is a candidate for office
and enjoy a glass of wine with old friends.
Saturday, August 2:
From the Sierra Club e-mail loop:
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge – A Priceless Gift
A Presentation and Storytelling
about a very Special PlaceWhen: Saturday August 2nd, 2008, at 10:00 am
Where: Urbandale Public Library, Meeting Room A/B
3520 86th Street Urbandale, Iowa 50322The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of America’s premier wilderness
areas. The coastal plain of the Refuge has been threatened by oil drilling
many times in its 50 year history. Today, threats from Big Oil are greater
than they have been for over two decades. Come learn about the history,
it’s values, and how you can help protect this national treasure.This is a story, as well, of indigenous concerns, and about raising the
voices of those urging our government to recognize the rights of indigenous
peoples.For more information contact: Lois Norrgard 952-881-7282 lois@alaskawild.org
Presented by:
Sarah James, a Neetsaii Gwich’in Athabascan Indian from Arctic Village,
Alaska, raised in the traditional nomadic way. Sarah was one of the first
recipients of the Ford Foundation Leadership for a Changing World Award and
a co-recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for her work
with the Gwich’in Steering Committee to protect the calving and nursery
grounds of the Porcupine River Caribou Herd. The Porcupine Caribou Herd has
sustained the Gwich’in for over twenty thousand years.Lois Norrgard, the Upper Midwest Field staff for the Alaska Wilderness
League. She has worked for the League and Alaska Coalition for the past
three years, continuing to raise awareness about the values and threats
facing our beautiful wild lands in Alaska.Some places are just too special to destroy for a short term gain – the
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of these places