Oshkosh Family Reunion Planning Committee
321 Market St.
Oshkosh, WI 54901
4/7/2006

To Our Valued Community Members:

For Immediate Release!!!

A children’s dance troop, community art projects, children’s games, a rock star juggler and Madison’s most fervent reggae band are descending on the Leach Amphitheatre to excite, entertain and tantalize the entire Oshkosh community.

Beginning at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, the Leach Amphitheatre hosts the Oshkosh Family Reunion. The day’s events will showcase the diverse talents of our friends and neighbors, with the help of a few guests from other Wisconsin communities.

The event will be free for children under the age of 12 and adults can enter the venue for $5 before 5 p.m. and $8 after 5 p.m. Watch the UW-Oshkosh Advance Titan and area retailers for free admittance coupons.

All the proceeds from the event benefit local non profit organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Winnebago County Literacy Council.

Festival-goers will enjoy a plethora of activities including fabulous carnival games; talented face painters and caricature drawers; public mural painting; hand drum workshops and yoga demonstrations. The main-stage entertainment in the afternoon includes performances by dancers from Julie’s Touch of Silver, local bluegrass band The High and Lonesome Boys and Oshkosh native and Rock Star Juggler Mike Price.

The night-time entertainment will kick off with a performance from local blues group Adam Douglas and the Deacons. Price will perform once again with his explosive night show complimented by a light show and the musical styling of Fat Maw Rooney. Natty Nation will put the finishing touches on the night with a fresh reggae breeze. The Madison-based band blends traditional reggae with soul and a little hip hop to produce a truly unique, musical experience.

Food and refreshments will be provided by local restaurants including the new Cranky Pat’s of Oshkosh and Jordy’s Beverage Mart. Sponsors of the event include UW-Oshkosh Credit Union and Progress Media.

For more information call Jenni Ryan 920.379.5746 and Ian Abston at 920.286.2123. Also visit the festival website at www.oshkoshfamilyreunion.info.

... This is the conclusion of Human Rights Watch on the negligent use of lethal injections in the US. In a 65 page report, HRW outlines the history of lethal injections, what happens when someone is executed using the chemical solution of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and potassium chloride.

In essence, this process either suffocates the individual or exposes them to excruciating pain without being able to move, while they slowly die. According to a quote found in an Amnesty International report, "From hanging to electric chair to lethal injection: how much prettier can you make it? Yet the prettier it becomes, the uglier it is."

This system of execution is barbaric and wrong. What is worse, individuals in Wisconsin are discussing re-introducing this into Wisconsin. Please take 10 minutes and read through these linked articles. Once you have a better idea of this subject, please contact your state assembly rep, your state senate rep, and your governor (while you're at it, contact his opponent as well) to let them know that you oppose taking these steps backwards.

Lethal Injection Resources:

- http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/04/24/usdom13241.htm

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethal_injection

- http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engACT500011998

- http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0414-04.htm

- http://www.counterpunch.org/jsmith04202006.html

From LWGP: Happy Earth Day Today! Congrats and Thanks to everyone involved with yet another successful Earth Week Celebration at UW Oshkosh.

Some important upcoming events (Media Reform Press Conference, and Good Night and Good Luck, Health Care Forum):

Media Reform Press Conference

Representative Terri McCormick (R-Appleton) will hold a press conference on Monday, April 24, at 10:00 a.m. at the Outagamie County Administration Building to make an important statement regarding the status of ethics reform in the State Assembly.
WHAT: Press Conference on Government reform package.
WHO: Representative Terri McCormick
WHEN: Monday, April 24 at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Outagamie County Administration Building 410 South Walnut Street Appleton, WI 54911
CONTACT: Jared Guzman Cell: (920) 213-5937

If possible, attend this to show your support for state ethics reform in WI

Murrow Vs McCarthy (Tony Palmeri vs Brian Farmer)

Free Screening of Good Night and Good Luck at the Appleton Public Library 225 N Oneida ST, April 27 at 6:30pm. Immediately following will be a lively debate between Palmeri and Farmer. http://www.valleyscene.com/murrow.html

WI Health Care Solutions Forum in Oshkosh

As part of 2006 Cover the Uninsured Week (May 1-7), The Earth Charter Oshkosh and the League of Women Voters have teamed up to organize "Curing the Sick - Health Care Solutions for Wisconsin". The program will take place Thursday, May 4 from 7pm - 8:30pm at the Coughlin Center, 625 E County Rd Y, Oshkosh. Presentations will cover 3 current Health Care proposals in Wisconsin:- Wisconsin Health Plan (2005 AB 114)- Wisconsin Health Security Act (2005 SB 388/AB 807)- Wisconsin Health Care Partnership PlanIn addition, there will be community perspectives offered from local business leaders and city government leaders.This event is free and open to the public.

Please pass this message on!

As part of 2006 Cover the Uninsured Week (May 1-7), The Earth Charter Oshkosh and the League of Women Voters have teamed up to organize "Curing the Sick - Health Care Solutions for Wisconsin".

The program will take place Thursday, May 4 from 7pm - 8:30pm at the Coughlin Center, 625 E County Rd Y, Oshkosh.

Presentations will cover 3 current Health Care proposals in Wisconsin:

- Wisconsin Health Plan (2005 AB 114)

- Wisconsin Health Security Act (2005 SB 388/AB 807)

- Wisconsin Health Care Partnership Plan

In addition, there will be community perspectives offered from local business leaders and city government leaders.

This event is free and open to the public.

The mayor of Oshkosh has NOT signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement--the first step to becoming a Cool City. I would argue that Oshkosh, other than a few steps by UW Oshkosh, has done nothing to address energy conservation, clean power, or efficiency.

A list of cities that have started the "cool" process:

Wauwatosa, Greenfield, Madison, Washburn, West Allis, Ashland, La Crosse, and Racine.

Here is the Sierra Club's "Cool City" fact sheet.

Who knows... maybe it is time for a "Green" mayor...................

There are many growing energy industries that are capable of providing sustainable and renewable power to our state. Yet, there are those who still refuse to look to the future in any degree and instead focus on unhealthy, environmentally destructive energy sources.

Example - Wisconsin Power and Light's (WPL) Coal Burning facility along the Mississippi River in Cassville. WPL has plans to add 300 of coal energy production to the facility, a production increase of 150%. This plant is already a top ten mercury pollutant coal plant in the state (though nowhere near as bad as WPL's Kenosha, WI plant). Wisconsin's current mercury emission levels exceed 2200lbs per year, according to the DNR.

According to Clean Wisconsin, "Wisconsin’s aging fleet of coal-burning power plants is responsible for thousands of tons of smog and soot-causing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and fine particle emissions, which worsen air quality and create breathing problems, especially for children and those with asthma and other respiratory illnesses. New coal plants, while somewhat less polluting than older units, still emit unacceptable levels of air pollutants, including mercury, a potent neurotoxin that has contaminated all of Wisconsin’s water bodies."

An alternative - expand the Cedar Ridge Wind Farm that WPL is purchasing to increase sustainable energy production. In addition, a similar wind farm could be developed on the west-central part of the state, creating clean energy and jobs.

For some decent information and statistics, check out this Natural Resources Board Report.

To learn more about Wind Energy in Wisconsin, check out these sites:

- WI Task Force on Energy Efficiency and Renewables
- Focus on Energy Renewable Energy One-Stop
- WI DOA Wind Siting Guidance Reports and Requirements
- American Wind Energy Association
- The Energy Center of WI
- Bay Winds of Appleton, WI
- RENEW WI Wind Farm Development Sites
- US Department of Energy -- WI Wind Power
- Wind Links

Also, it wouldn't hurt to contact your state assembly rep, your state senate rep, your local mayor, and your governor (while you're at it, contact his opponent as well) to let them know that you support wind power, clean air and water, and sustainable energy.

Babblemur asks on a recent post - what is the feasability of a North Central Ecotopia? Here is the outline of what the ecotopia would look like:

Winter heat - combine the traditional (native americans and early european settlers) with modern techology to come up with solutions: energy efficient housing (smaller houses, tightly sealed in winter); solar energy panels and wind farms to generate electric heat combined with traditional multi-use fire (heating and cooking); warm clothes and blankets (requiring furs, feathers, and potentially cotton production);

Food - assuming an end to food imports, to support current population levels there would need to be an increased reliance on fish (which requires mandating cleaning up the rivers and lakes - you can’t eat many of the fish in Wisconsin rivers and streams due to industrial and agricultural pollution) and game (which requires preserving and restoring traditional habitats for deer and other animals). Hunting and fishing are intigral to survival in this scenario. Large scale corporate farming is highly inefficent and would need to be eliminated. Smaller family or community farms would replace them - cows, swine and chicken are still sustainable - but only at levels to support families and small communities. All animal waste (manure) would have to be recycled for agricultural use. All pesticides and herbicides would have to be banned to protect the water and to keep food chemical free.

Communities - the smaller the better. Mixed communities that can support both independent food and energy production would be the goal. Remember - no gas = no cars and trucks. Importing goods would be a luxury - locally produced materials would be the most efficient and affordable. Every house or habitation should be within walking distance of a school, hospital or doctor, source of food, and source of energy.

Energy - mentioned above solar energy panels and wind farms, add to that water generated electricity through watermills and steam heat through corncob / pellet stoves. Note this still requires an electrical grid and the upkeep this requires.

READ ON HERE

I am wondering what are some things that we could possibly begin to do that would potentially lead to a more ecotopiash society.

Sen Kohl takes home over $23,000 a day!! Wow!!

I thought this was a pretty crazy paragraph: "Senator Herb Kohl, is the multi-millionaire owner of the Milwaukee Bucks and a former owner of Kohl’s grocery. He takes home over $23,000 a day! Senator Kohl and other Democratic Party leaders can intimately relate to the concerns and issues of the wealthy. It’s who they are, it’s who they have lunch with and it’s who they make backroom deals with (big money lobbyists)."

$23,000 is alot! I just can't relate. Check out http://voterae.org/blog/index.php?itemid=27#more

John Nichols stated it well in a recent column:

"Blind defenders of the war, who claim to be committed to spreading democracy in Iraq, continue to argue that democracy in America does not matter. For all their enthusiasm about elections abroad, they dismiss the will of the American people as expressed through ballot boxes here in the United States." -http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/nichols/index.php?ntid=79748&ntpid=2

Also speaking of Democracy, let us see what Iraqi citizens had to say about the US/UK occupation in Oct '05:

- 65% of Iraqis in the British-controlled Maysan province, in south-eastern Iraq, believe attacks against UK and US troops are justified

- 82% of Iraqis were "strongly opposed" to the presence of foreign troops

- less than 1% believed the troops were responsible for improvement in security

- 43% percent believed conditions for peace and security had worsened

(statistice from http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1599185,00.html)

Citizens in Oshkosh will be meeting Saturday to discuss the possibility of joinin Milwaukee and several other cities in Wisconsin that will have a question about the war on the November ballot. As shown several months back, there will be very minimal support from the Oshkosh common council, so this will have to be completely a citizen movement. The ABV will post more and will again be sending out regular emails to everyone interested in what is happening with the signature drive.

The Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based farm policy research group and organic food watchdog, is filing a lawsuit against the USDA, claiming they are withholding information and "important records that would help us and our farmer-members and consumers understand why the USDA has delayed enforcement of key federal organic farming standards for five years." - http://cornucopia.org/index.php/112#more-112

At issue is correspondence and discussion records between USDA staff and corporate lobbyists regarding organic factory farms (quite an askew concept) and requirements that organic dairy cows have access to regular pasture feedings. According the Cornucopia Institute:

"The lawsuit comes amidst a growing national debate occurring in the organic farming community over the rise of factory farms in organic dairying, milking 2000 to 6000 cows in confinement-type conditions, that provide little if any pasture for their milk cows. Public interest groups and farmers have accused the USDA of purposefully ignoring the matter for years—a fact that has allowed these gigantic farms to proliferate and gain a growing foothold in the booming organic marketplace"

The press release also states that "When the National Organic Standards Board was ready to close loopholes and tighten federal organic rules in August 2005, staff at the USDA unexpectedly and without explanation blocked action by their expert advisory panel."

GET ACTIVE: Mail the USDA a letter stating your support for transperancy in their organization. Let them also know that factory farm cage-raised cattle does not fit the organic philosophy. Rather, that the organic label must signify "an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony." - http://www.ota.com/organic/definition.html

USDA Organics Contact:
Mark BradleyAssociate Deputy AdministratorUSDA-AMS-TMP-NOPRoom 4008-South Building1400 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20250-0020

This is a GREAT RESOURCE -
Check out the Organic Dairy Report/Ratings Card

If you send a letter and want it posted here, email it to abvtimes@yahoo.com

Thank you Peg for joining the suit against the No Child Left Untested. While her Republican challenges are saying that this suit is a ploy to gain favor amongst liberals, the ABV applauds Peg for standing up against this terrible, unfunded legislation.

No Child Left Behind raises the standards for schools and measures these standards by requiring additional testing. When schools don't meet these standards, they are penalized. Meanwhile, no additional funding is offered to these schools to meet the demands of the legislation and to help serve the needs of students.

NCLB is basically an attack on schools that are already struggling. It adds additional emphasis on testing instead of educational quality. It would be a disappointment if our Attorney General didn't take a stand against this. Shame on Bucker and Van Hollen for turning this into a partisan game. They clearly have no knowledge of the education system or what it means to protect the citizens of Wisconsin.

The City of Vancouver is launching its "get your yard off drugs" campaign to help residents understand a new pesticides bylaw, which came into effect Jan. 1. The bylaw restricts the types of pesticides, insecticides and fungicides that can be used on private and public property.

According to the Vancouver "yard off drugs" website:

• With proper mowing, watering and fertilization you can produce healthier lawns that crowd out weeds and reduce pest damage.
• Choose more pest-resistant kinds of plants. Replace problem plants with heartier varieties, and clean up diseased or dead plants to cut down on areas where pests can breed.
• Use pesticides as a last resort. Try alternatives such as removing problem weeds by hand. If you must use chemicals, instead of spraying a large area, use a spot-spray herbicide. Always follow the directions for the use of pesticides carefully.
• Accept nature. Learn to live with a few weeds or imperfect plants.

Addional Tips for a quality, chemical-free lawn include:

- Mowing Tips
- Watering Tips
- Healthy and Nutural Soil Tips

Other internet resources found with a simple search include:

- King County, Seattle WA - Get your yard off drugs
- Earth Easy - Natural Lawn Care
- Organic Lawn Care for the Cheap and Lazy (Bob, this is for you..)
- Organic Gardening
- Organic Garden Tips - 300 natural gardening tips

As the upcoming gardening season is approaching, you should probably book-mark this page.