Highlights from this week’s calendar include the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement lobby day, the Iowa Bicycle Summit, the Women, Food and Agriculture Network’s annual conference, a “Hope for the Hungry” workshop in Des Moines, and the public meetings to discuss a new walkable neighborhood in central Iowa City as well as a possible bird protection area at Okoboji.
Event details are after the jump. Please post a comment or send me an e-mail if you know of something worth including on this calendar.
Tuesday, January 25
From Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement:
The Time to Act is NOW
Join us for CCI’s Rally and Lobby Day
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
10 am – 4 pm
Meet at the Wallace Building, E. 9th and E. GrandClick here for info on buses coming from your part of the state…
This session, powerful special-interest groups will be a the Capitol pushing their corporate agendas. That’s why it’s important that we make sure the interests of everyday Iowans are put first – because we deserve to set the agenda at the Statehouse. Decisions made at the Statehouse impact us everyday. That’s why it’s critical to have you and thousands of others standing up and making a difference.
Click here to register today!
Be there to show your support and tell state
leaders we want action on these important issues:Close Corporate Tax Loopholes
Local Control of Factory Farms
Strong Interest Rate Caps
Fair Treatment of All Workers
Big Money Out of PoliticsClick here to see our legislative agenda.
Mark your calendars now and plan to join us Jan. 25
for this important event and be a part of democracy in action!* This year, we’ll kick things off with a bang at the Wallace Building at 10 am, which is located at East 9th and East Grand Avenue. We’ll march to the State Capitol for our rally, then we’ll lobby our legislators and meet with key leaders.
* We’ll have a lot of fun! It is exciting to rally alongside hundreds of Iowans and stand up for what’s right. Our strong, visible presence at the Statehouse will encourage our legislators to stand up for policies that put people first.
* In groups with CCI members and staff, you will have the opportunity to lobby legislators face to face and tell them your story.
* You will meet with critical decision makers. We’ve invited Governor Branstad and Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal to meet with us. Together, we’ll urge them to take action on key issues impacting everyday Iowans.
* Take action and hold key leaders accountable on issues like Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICE), local control, homeowner protections and the rights of all workers.
Join us for:
CCI’s Rally and Lobby Day
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
10 am – 4 pmFor more information, contact Iowa CCI at 515-282-0484 or iowacci@iowacci.org
Thursday, January 27
From Iowa City’s planning department (more info here):
You are invited…
Presentation and open house featuring plans for the Riverfront Crossings District
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A
123 South Linn Street5:00-5:15 p.m. – Gather and enjoy refreshments
5:15-6:00 p.m. – Formal Presentation
6:00-7:00 p.m. – Open House and DiscussionCome view and discuss the proposed plans for transforming Riverfront Crossings into a walkable urban neighborhood featuring a new riverfront park. Planning consultants will give a formal presentation of the proposed plan, followed by an open house, where the public can review and comment on illustrations and preliminary redevelopment scenarios for South Gilbert Street and Kirkwood Avenue, a reconfigured street system for the area, a new waterfront park, and proposals to restore natural areas to better absorb flood waters from the Iowa River and Ralston Creek.
For more information contact Karen Howard at (319)356-5251 or karen-howard AT iowa-city.org
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is holding a public meeting to discuss a proposed Bird Conservation Area proposed at Iowa Great Lakes. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., January 27, at the Dickinson County Nature Center, 2279 County Home Rd., in Okoboji. Click here for more details and background.
Friday, January 28
From the Iowa Environmental Council newsletter:
Join the Iowa Women in Natural Resources (IWINR) and Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN) for a joint annual conference on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 28 and 29, at Wildwood Lodge, in Clive. IWINR’s theme for this conference is Women Blazing Trails. On Friday, Angi Bruce with the Wildlife Bureau and Sheila Cox from the NRCS will share their experiences “blazing trails” from the field into the upper management of their respective fields, their challenges and successes. Please join us for these speakers and others and a great day of networking with others in the natural resources fields. On Saturday, WFAN’s keynote speaker will be Temra Costa, author of Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat. Other workshops and presentations will include mother-daughter farm/rural business stories, preserving pollinators, electing more rural/farm women to public office, and an update on the Iowa Food Systems Council and WFAN programs. Local foods lunch, exhibitors, demonstrations and more! Visit www.iwinr.org and www.wfan.org for registration and sponsorship information. Discount rate for dual conference sponsorship.
Iowa Bicycle Summit
January 28-29, Des Moines
Antonio Rosell from Minneapolis and Andy Clark from the League of American Bicyclists will speak at this event. If you want to make an impact on bicycling in Iowa, attend this conference, being held at the Des Moines Events Center. http://www.iowabicyclecoalitio…
Saturday, January 29
The Iowa Bicycle Summit continues in Des Moines. Saturday evening the Des Moines Register will announce the 2011 RAGBRAI route at a reception following the bicycle summit.
The Healthy Living Expo takes place from 10 am to 6 pm at the Iowa Events Center – Hy-Vee Hall, Hall C, 730 Third Street in Des Moines. Admission is free for the public.
From the Iowa Environmental Council newsletter:
Women, Food and Agriculture Network Annual Conference
Jan. 29, Des Moines area
On Saturday, WFAN’s keynote speaker will be Temra Costa, author of Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat. Other workshops and presentations will include mother-daughter farm/rural business stories, preserving pollinators, electing more rural/farm women to public office, and an update on the Iowa Food Systems Council and WFAN programs. Local foods lunch, exhibitors, demonstrations and more! Visit www.wfan.org for registration and sponsorship information.Local Food Systems Training – Hope for the Hungry
January 29, Des Moines
Urban Ambassadors and Transition Des Moines are hosting the 2nd annual “Hope for the Hungry: Feeding Greater Des Moines” conference on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at First Christian Church near Drake University campus. Once again, local food organizations, and regular folks making a difference, will come together to train other residents and plug them into their local food system as a tool for ending childhood hunger by 2015. Opportunities to get involved include having a booth in the entryway, sponsoring the event, or being a “Friend” that donates $15 to cover one scholarship for another resident. There are two rounds of workshops to choose from on the following topics: community gardens, faith gardens, school gardens, urban farms, nutritious meal prep, urban chickens, farm to school, food rescue, food preservation, and local food policy. Register today online at http://www.MidwesTix.comLook for print registration forms soon on http://www.UrbanFoodDSM.org. For more information contact Adam Hammes at adamhammes@gmail.com or (515) 491-0706.
The Center on Sustainable Communities (COSC) presents two full-day Affordable Green Building Training workshops in Corning on Saturday, Jan. 15th and Saturday, Jan 29. The information-rich sessions cover 6 topics that are essential for any building professional looking to gain a comprehensive understanding of green building best practices. Visit icosc.com for details and register today by contacting Leslie Berckes at Leslie@icosc.com or 515-707-2787.
The Iowa Prairie Network is holding its winter meeting:
Sat, January 29, 12pm – 5pm
WhereDMACC Ankeny, Building 7Speakers: Chris Helzer, The Nature Conservancy Nebraska, “Using Prairie Reconstruction to Rebuild Remnant Prairie Viability”, Chris recently authored this book:
http://www.nature.org/wherewew…
Karen Viste-Sparkman, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, “Grassland Birds: habits, habitat”
Bob Jackson and Susan Chin, Tallgrass Bison: “Bison – Prairie Interactions”
http://www.newwest.net/city/ar…
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2649…
Linda and Robert Scarth, “Reverie – Images from the Prairies”, the Scarths recently published this book:
http://www.uiowapress.org/book…
Silent Auction: to support protection of the Tuttle Property, an 142 acre unplowed tract in Cherokee Co. This property is being purchased by The Nature Conservancy in Iowa and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Donations appreciated! Displays: a large room of displays and items for sale by many conservation organizations and individuals.
Monday, January 31
Sally Bowzer, chief of staff of Representative Leonard Boswell’s Iowa office, is retiring after 27 years working in state government and 10 years on Boswell’s staff. Boswell is hosting a reception in Bowzer’s honor on January 31 from 5 pm to 7 pm at Baby Boomer’s Restaurant at 303 East 5th Street in Des Moines.