Earth Charter 2009

The 9th annual Oshkosh Earth Charter summit is set to take place October 9-15 on campus at UW Oshkosh. The event is a celebration and call to action for citizens of our global community to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace.

All events are FREE* and open to EVERYONE. The Monday banquet is open to all, but tickets will be required. There will be a suggested donation at the door. Locations of all events is at UW Oshkosh Reeve Memorial Union Ballroom 2nd Floor #227. For more info, check out their website at: http://www.uwosh.edu/earthcharter/summit09.php


SUMMIT EVENTS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2009 (Arts & Comm Bldg, Music Hall)
12:40 pm - Jonathan Overby, Wisconsin Public Radio "World Music"Event to be held in the Arts and Communication Building, Music Hall


MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009 ( Reeve Memorial Union Ballroom)
5:30 pm - Social. Earth Charter Calendar launch

6:00 pm - **Sustainable Food Banquet. Tickets are required for this event. Pick up your FREE ticket at Titan Central, Reeve Union main floor. A suggested donation of $5.00 for students and $15.00 for non-students is appreciated.

7:00 pm - Immediately following the banquet will be a presentation by Will Allen, Growing Power. You do not have to attend the banquet to hear Mr. Allen present. Additional seating will be available in the ballroom. Will Allen, an urban farmer, is the founder and CEO of Growing Power, LLC. He is a 2008 MacArthur Fellowship recipient


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2009 (Reeve Union Theatre)
9:00 am - 2:00pm Transportation Fair, Reeve Concourse

4:30 pm - Jim Evanoff, Yellowstone's Carbon Footprint

5:30 pm - Reception : Mr. Evanoff oversees Yellowstone National Park's sustainability initiatives and environmental programs.

6:00 - Dr. Michael Lizotte, Campus Sustainability

6:30 pm - Community Sustainability in Practice Panel: Challenges and OpportunitiesPanelists will describe initiatives underway at the University, the Oshkosh Area School District, and the City of Oshkosh involving sustainability planning, energy efficiency upgrades, and other efforts to implement sustainability principles at the local level. Discussion will follow.

Panelists are: Michael Lizotte, Director of Sustainability, UW Oshkosh Ronald Hardy, Chair, Oshkosh Sustainability Advisory Board (and Mainstreetoshkosh.com guy), Randy Johnston, Director of Building/Grounds, Oshkosh Area School District


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 (Reeve Union 201)
9:40 - 11:10 am - Green Career PanelPanelists are:Kerry Schumann, WIisconsin League of Conservation VotersSue Loomans, Wisconsin Green Building AllianceDan Hirchert, USDA Wildlife Services
(Reeve Union Theatre)6:30 pm - Reception for Dr. Rob Nixon

7:00 pm - "Slow Violence, Gender, and the Environmentalism of the Poor", Dr. Rob Nixon
Dr. Nixon, UW Madison English Department. He is the author of Dreambirds (a New York Times Notable Book of 2000), MacArthur Peace and Security Fellow, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times.

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More Terminations at City Hall

Today three more city staff were fired, following the termination of Jackson Kinney on Friday.

Allyn Dannhoff, Director of Inspection Services
Paul Spiegel, Director, Health Services Division
Susan Kepplinger, Principal Planner

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Nolan back to Chef'in

Congrats to Ryan Nolan and to the City Center Hotel for their new partnership - it appears as though Mr. Nolan will be the head chef at the newly organized restaurant at the hotel, bringing his fine American cuisine style that is much needed in downtown Oshkosh.

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Popular Teen Author Murdock Speaking in Oshkosh Sept 29

Sept. 25, 2009 – Popular teen author Catherine Gilbert Murdock will visit Oshkosh West High School and the Oshkosh Public Library on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to talk about her experience as a writer and the much-anticipated final installment in her Dairy Queen series.

Murdock will speak to West students and visiting students from other districts at Alberta Kimball Auditorium during the day and then appear for a public author talk and book signing at the library at 6:30 p.m. The events are presented in partnership with Apple Blossom Books LLC.

Murdock quickly became a favorite of young adult readers with her debut release, Dairy Queen (2006) and its sequel The Off Season (2007), which center on the experiences of straight-talking Wisconsin farm girl and sports star, D.J. Schwenk. The books have sold nearly 150,000 copies in hardcover and paperback and received numerous awards, including a Midwest Bookseller’s Choice Award, a Great Lakes Bookseller Award and a Borders’ Original Voices Award.

Murdock’s newest release, Front and Center, rounds out the trilogy and might never have been written if not for enthusiastic reader response. “I don’t know if it’s her personality or her voice or her ‘everygirl’ quality, but D.J. inspires the most passionate, heartfelt, unvarnished correspondence I've ever seen,” Murdock says.

Candy Pearson, owner of Apple Blossom Books, coordinated the author visit and is thrilled that Murdock fans in our area, who may have connected with her on Facebook or her web site, will now have the chance to meet her in person.

Pearson and children’s librarian Sandra Joseph have seen the appeal of Murdock’s writing – even among young people who typically aren’t avid readers. Joseph points to D.J. as the reason the Dairy Queen books hit home with so many teens.

“What I like about the books is how true the voice of the main character is,” explains Joseph. “She sounds like a real teenager; this could be a girl at any Oshkosh high school.”

Readers who would like to have books signed by the author can purchase copies of Front and Center and other Murdock titles at Apple Blossom Books, 513 N. Main St., or at the library event. For additional information about the author event, visit www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org.

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Bins in, Kinney Out, and I'm Home

I just returned from a week in downtown Chicago - a nice contrast to my home setting here in Oshkosh. Its always nice to see other communities - even the great ones - and see some other ideas for how a community could be. Three things stood out in particular - a nice public river walk, lots of outdoor seating at downtown restaurants on the wide sidewalk areas, and the superior quality of municipal "additions" including ornate park and walkway railings, beautiful plantings in large and numerous outdoor pots, and frequent and attractive garbage containers (as attractive as they can be I guess). The free Art Institute Thursdays was also a nice perk - I suspect occasional free days would greatly expand the usage of the Oshkosh museum and Paine as well.

Anyway, upon my return, it appears as though we've finally received those long-awaited recycling bins. They are nice. Larger than I thought, and more sturdy than I anticipated. This is a great step towards responsible waste management and environmental stewardship for the city/county. Well done.

And as the bins were coming, we received notice that Community Development Director Jackson Kinney is leaving. According to the ONW, "Kinney’s retirement does not become effective until Jan. 4, but a combination of vacation days and administrative leave granted as part of his severance agreement made Friday his last day on the job". The article cites city manager Mark Rohloff as stating that Kinney's departure "will give us an opportunity to make a fresh start". This would imply then that an outside search will occur for a new director, and the following are hopefully some of the key provisions of what a fresh director of development will bring:

• Mixed income development - high quality, attractive facilities utilizing a mix of private funding and community development dollars to develop housing facilities that help reduce the consolidation of wealth and/or poverty into distinct areas of our community. This is something happening in cities throughout the country with great success.
• Walkable / bike-able communities - this is too obvious to say much more
• Smart development (for example, working to not have Lowes, Menards, and Fleetfarm all within a 1 block area)
• Following what the residents of Oshkosh want - as identified in the Vision Oshkosh report and other important public input tools utilized by the city
• Implementation of strict requirements (that are successfully implemented by communities across the country) for new development, including health requirements (example lead abatement requirements), high energy efficiency standards (for example, LEED certification on developments that utilize city funding), and other similar provisions that utilize modern technology and proven principles for successful development.

Enjoy the Dragon Boats this weekend!

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Public Library Book Sale!

The Oshkosh Public Library's Book Sale is next Tuesday, September 29, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the lower level of the Library:

Sept. 21, 2009 – Variety is the order of the day at the Friends of the Library Used Book Sale, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the lower level of the Oshkosh Public Library. Anyone interested in learning more about the Friends and the activities they do in support of the library is also invited to attend the group’s annual meeting and luncheon at the library on Oct. 24.

New titles on the history of war, an influx of romance novels and a small collection of nicely bound westerns have been added to the shelves for the Sept. 29 sale. There is a selection of new cookbooks, as well as books on animals and pet training. Reference books include sets of encyclopedias and Oshkosh city directories from the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s. Check out the extensive collection of Large Print books as well as children's books and graphic novels, audio books, DVDs and music CDs. Bargain book bags offer a mix of titles at one low price.

Mark your calendars for the final 2009 book sale on Nov. 24. Sales are scheduled for early 2010 on Jan. 26, March 30 and May 25.

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Tour De Titan

"A Safe Family Friendly Ride to Make a Safe Bike Friendly City"

The Oshkosh Cycling Club Presents: UWO's "Tour de Titan" – A Ride for Bike Lanes & Bike Safety!

What: Tour De Titan is a 6 mile bike ride through one of the most unsafe cycling cities in the nation - But Safe!

How: Oshkosh Police Escorted! OPD’s Bike Patrol and OCCs finest will escort riders for Bike Safety! Helmets are required.

When: Oct. 17th, Sat. - 8:30 to 10:00 AM Reg, Free Continental breakfast, Music, Tours, Bike Safety Tips

Where: Student Rec. & Wellness Center, UW Oshkosh, 735 Pearl Av. Oshkosh, WI 54901 WVBO Music

Time: The Ride Departs 10:00 AM from the S.R. & W.C.

Registration: Only $10 with T-shirt (Pre Reg Only)! Only $5.00 without T-shirt! Free Breakfast

Either Way! Go to www.oshkoshcyclingclub.com for Registration and avoid lines!

Mission! Unite Oshkosh with UW Oshkosh for the first time to help pass the "Bike and Ped Circulation Plan" and bring bike lanes and bike & pedestrian safety to Oshkosh at last!
Featuring!

Prizes & Awards: Pre-Registered Door Prizes. Awards for: Best Costume, Best Decorations, Vintage Bike.

Why: Two more children were near fatalities last month. They sustained serious head trauma from being hit by motorists while riding bikes. These numbers keep mounting - needlessly. The "Bike and Pedestrian Circulation Plan" was designed in 1998 to solve this problem. It cost $22,000 to make. A vote to adopt it was never made. Countless injuries could have been prevented. Since then many more near fatalities have occurred and two fatalities.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Cities with bike lanes are far safer than cities without them. That same circulation plan is now being updated, only this time it will cost $45,000. If not adopted again even more time and money will be lost. The real cost however is to human lives. That’s the story not being told. Oshkosh is one of the few cities of its size with no bike lanes.

Tour de Titan is a Ride to make those Bike Lanes! If you ride it will happen! Exercise your voice with your legs! Help pass the "Bike and Ped Circulation Plan" into law. Make history Oct. 17th by making Oshkosh a safer, healthier place to live. That will be something we can all be proud of. The world is watching. Let’s make it happen! Let’s Ride!

Thanks,
Brian Kienert
Oshkosh Cycling Club
www.oshkoshcyclingclub.com

To check out the Bicycle and Pedestrian plan, go to: http://www.ci.oshkosh.wi.us/SustainableOshkosh/municipal.htm and check out the plans and codes section.

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Winnebago County Legislative Report

The Winnebago County League of Women Voters presents the Capital Commentary Legislative Report on Monday, September 21, 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Willow Room, Oshkosh Senior Center, 200 N. Campbell Road

Come to hear Assembly Reps. Spanbauer (R-Dist. 53) and Hintz (D-Dist. 54) give their views on League positions and their personal priorities for this legislative session. Audience questions welcomed at the end. Bring friends, neighbors. Find out first hand what is happening at the Capitol in Madison and how it affects our cities, towns, county, and schools.


FYI to the League - if you'd find it valuable, we at Mainstreet Oshkosh would gladly invite a member to contribute, providing a free avenue for publicizing events, etc.


While I won't be able to attend this program, I'd like to hear about what the political leaders are doing to address the failed dental care programming administered to low-income families here in Wisconsin - an insurance program that an exceptionally few dentists accept. A quick call to several dental providers in Oshkosh confirms the difficulty in accessing dental care if you are a low-income individual (for example, call and say you have medical assistance and a cavity - the common response is "we don't accept medical assistance or you as a patient").

Meanwhile, free/low-income dental centers (none located in Oshkosh) are drastically over-burdened due to such high demands placed on their services. Due to the limited funding and extreme demand at these facilities, the care received can often be limited and less comprehensive than needed. In the end, you have a large population of Wisconsin residents, many who work important low-wage service jobs in our communities, that have serious dental care needs that aren't being met.

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DR.KICKBUTT'S "Kick Savin' A Beauty" MOVIE RELEASE

Dr. Kickbutt and L. Foot are caught in peril as a disgruntle band member attempts to assassinate the Dr. After a few failed attempts rogue clowns are hired to finish the job in this hilarious and charming movie. 64 mins. G rated family friendly show.

http://www.timecommunitytheater.com/Event_Tickets.html

Two Showings:

Friday, Sept 11 2009 - doors open at 6pm

Saturday, Sept 12 2009 - doors open at 6pm

Location: Oshkosh Times Theater, 455 Main Street

Get advanced VIP tickets. $20 includes ticket (reserved seating), DVD, dr. kickbutt CD and a FREE POPCORN. $25 value. After movie will be a live proformance of Dr. Kickbutt's Orchestra of Death as well as other Bands.

Be there or watch your back !~

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How Much will it Cost to Kill Hintz's Payday Loan Bill?

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign reported yesterday that the Payday Loan Industry had donated over $140,000 in campaign contributions in 2008 to Governor Doyle and dozens of state legislative candidates.

The top 5 candidate recipients of campaign donations were:
1. Jim Holperin for State Senate (Dem - Conover) $10,500
2. Jessica King for State Senate (Dem - Oshkosh) $10,000
3. Sheldon Wasserman for State Senate (Dem - Milwaukee) $8,000
4. Scott Fitzgerald for State Senate (Rep - Juneau) $7,250
5. Tara Johnson for State Senate (Dem - Padesky) $6,000

Holperin won election but King, Wasserman, and Johnson lost their bids. Fitzgerald isn't up for election until 2010, so I guess his donation was an "advance".

If the $140,000 spent last year didn't ensure the payday loan bill would be killed, the Payday Loan Industry has already doled out $28,570 in the first half of this year, 2/3 of which is going to sitting state legislative Democrats. I bet Hintz isn't getting any of that money!

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Congrats to Dr. Lizotte

Email received from UW Oshkosh:

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh has named Dr. Michael Lizotte as Interim Director of Sustainability. Dr. Lizotte replaces Dr. Almut Beringer who has returned to Germany to conduct research in her field of study. Dr. Lizotte has been associated with UW Oshkosh since 1994, when he was hired as an Assistant Professor of Biology. He was instrumental in the 1990’s in establishing a new program in Environmental Studies, and has continued to teach courses in environmental science and ecology.

Dr. Lizotte most recently served as the first director of the Aquatic Research Laboratory, and is recognized as a leader in state and local lake and watershed organizations. Dr. Lizotte was co-captain of the team that wrote the Campus Sustainability Plan in 2008, and has served on the Campus Sustainability Council in its initial year. This summer he was assigned to develop university grant proposals for projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

As UW Oshkosh continues to put its ambitious Campus Sustainability Plan into action, Dr. Lizotte will provide leadership as the campus undertakes a number of key initiatives for 2009-2010, including:
- Review the Campus Environmental Audit to identify opportunities to conserve electricity, heat, and water;
- Develop pilot programs for sustainability leaders in departments, programs and student housing
- Establish student internship programs
- Integrate sustainability objectives into the Campus Master Plan
- Develop a Campus Transportation Plan and Climate Action Plan
- Review campus construction projects in design and build phases


Please join us in welcoming Mike as the new Interim Director of Sustainability

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Give Time Warner Cable a call - We Like Open Government Here

Time Warner Cable is refusing to fund Wisconsin Eye, resulting in the loss of this service to engaged viewers from Madison to Milwaukee through Oshkosh up to Green Bay. Charter Communications has signed a long-term contract to continue providing Wisconsin Eye to viewers in their service area at a very small cost ($0.05 per subscriber VS $0.60 for Fox News and $3.65 for ESPN).

Wisconsin Eye is an amazing contribution to Wisconsin, providing quality, unedited coverage of social and political affairs throughout Wisconsin. This service is supported and utilized by representatives of both major parties, and provides a direct link between government and the public through interviews, mini-documentary work, and coverage of legislative sessions.

To read more about the issue, go to http://www.wiseye.org/wisEye_about/NEWS-Time-Warner-Termination.html

If you haven't checked out the great WisEye website, do so. You can even check out our local politicians.


According to WisEye:

How can you help? First, if you’re a Time Warner Cable customer, let the company know that you value WisconsinEye and want us back in your channel lineup as soon as possible. Here’s who to contact at TWC:

Thomas E. Adams Regional VP Operations WisconsinTime Warner Cable1320 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Milwaukee, WI 53212
(414) 277-4032 (direct)
(414) 277-8049 (fax)
tom.adams@twcable.com

Second, let your elected representatives in Madison know, too, that you’re a WisEye viewer and want to see us on Time Warner Cable again. It’s important that state officials know that WisconsinEye is providing a valuable public service and has your support.

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Shall the President Speak to my Children

Last week, a letter came home with my child from school stating the following:

"Dear Parents and Guardians:

As you may be aware, the President of the United States will be speaking to students live on television on Tuesday, September 8, 2009....

[guts of letter cut for brevity]

...In the event you would prefer that you child have an alternate activity, please contact your child's principal Tuesday morning, September 8, 2009."

For some reason, this speech has been made 'controversial' by those who are opposed to President Obama, who seem to fear that President Obama will be 'indoctrinating' our children in Socialism.

If this were President Bush speaking to our children, I would want my child to watch/listen. That it is President Obama, I still want my child to watch/listen.

Did I drink the kool-aid? No - I didn't vote for Obama (but my daughter did at her school's mock election, which btw censored every candidate for President except for McCain and Obama...), I voted for Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party candidate.

I disagree with Obama's continuation of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I disagree with his health care plan which took single-payer universal health care off the table and instead devolved into a big corporate give away with punishments for no insurance. I disagree with his appointment of a Secretary of Education who was a leader in privatizing public schools in Chicago and who champions the voucher program. And I disagree with his continuation of the Bush Administration's bailout of a corrupt banking system in America.

But dag-nabbit, Obama is the President, and if he wants to speak to the children of the United States and encourage them to be better students, GO FOR IT.

I want my children to be civically engaged. I want them to listen to our "leaders" with a critical ear and learn to analyze and think for themselves. I want our second graders to know who the President is, what he stands for, and decide for themselves if they agree.

I read the letter from the school district to my 2nd grader and asked her if she wanted to watch the President at school or take an "alternate activity". Her answer: "So we have to watch it?" So soon the luster of the election wears off! Just 12 months ago my daughter begged for an Obama sign in the front yard to go next to my Green Party sign. Now, the shining knight wants to talk to her and her comrade students about taking control of their education, and I get "do we have to watch it?"

You go, Obama, and good luck. I may not have voted for you, but you are the President of the United States of America and you have every right to address the students of this country. But you may want to do it quickly before the public education system gets privatized (a decidedly NON-socialistic strategy, I might add...) or de-funded out of existence entirely. The clock is ticking.

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5 Bedroom Affordable Housing Unit

The Housing Partnership of the Fox Cities has a 5 bedroom upstairs apartment in Appleton that is available for immediate occupancy. It is located on N. Durkee St. between Winnebago St. and Commercial St. The school districts for this unit are Columbus/Roosevelt/West.

A qualifying household must have between 5 and 10 household members. Rent for this apartment is set at an affordable rate depending on the household circumstances. The household must also meet income requirements. Please contact us for exact minimum income requirements. The Housing Partnership’s screening process includes landlord reference checks, a criminal background check for all adult household members, verification that the household has no more than $600 in utility debt, and verification of income.

This apartment is an Affordable Housing Program unit, so the household cannot be homeless. Homeless families must apply to be on the Transitional Housing Program waiting list.

Please contact Jenni Kundinger at jenni@housing-partnership.org or (920) 731-6644 ex. 103.

Emma Reiser, Rental Program Manager
Housing Partnership of the Fox Cities
Phone: 920-731-6644 ex. 102
Fax: 920-731-7087
www.housing-partnership.org

___________________________________

Based upon my experiences, 5 bedroom units are hard to fill, but affordable housing for a large family that would qualify for a 5 bedroom is also tough to find. If you know of any larger family struggling or looking for an affordable housing option, I encourage you to promptly pass this information along.

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Labor Day Picnic

Sent in to Main Street:

The Winnebago County Labor Council invites you to join us in celebrating Labor in our Community. The annual Labor Day picnic will be at South Park starting at 11am and running until 5pm. The family event features food, music, raffles and guest speakers. The Car Show starts at 10am and runs until 4pm. Classic cars from area car clubs and vehicles used in the movie “Public Enemy” and been invited to show off at the event.

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Kitty

You've been considering a cat for some time now, and weren't sure until you saw the terrific kitties available at the Oshkosh Area Humane Society, including (but not limited to):


Wrangler:


Hillary:




Boston:

Of course there are many additional cats, and dogs, and other small mammals in need of a great home. Take a look at www.oahs.org to see.

And if you don't think that you can take on a new buddy at this time, consider a donation to help maintain the shelter and take care of the animals. The shelter also maintains a "needed items" list that you might be able to help out with - take a look: http://www.oahs.org/default.asp?id=163

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Women in Sports Symposium-"Empowerment. Social Change. Leadership. Awareness."

The Women in Sports symposium is a leading academic forum for both current professionals and students interested in the sports industry and is designed to educate participants by exposing them to top female leaders.

IOU Sports, the Lesbian Fund and Mount Mary College Leadership Institute invite the public to the 2009 Women in Sports Symposium - It Takes a Team, "Exploding the Myths."


ADVANCED REGISTRATION REQUIRED - Deadline September 10, 2009

IOU Sports mission is to provide sports education, fitness opportunities, career information, and charitable assistance to girls and women who participate in all levels of sport. Its purpose is to provide a Unique, Cultural, Educational, and Athletic Experience for Girls and Women.

Women in Sports Symposium It Takes a Team, "Exploding the Myths."Images of Us (IOU) Sports invites the public to listen to women leaders address the issues of diversity in women's sports. Homophobia and Discrimination pervades all of sport, influencing the lives of all athletes. IOU Sports is committed to creating an athletic climate that is respectful and safe for everyone and eliminating barriers to all girls and women being active and healthy.

It is our intent to establish a platform for women to address issues and conditions that impact our lives, to empower the diverse community of women, to have our voices heard; to provide education about and opportunity for actions which promote gender equity and promote career development and networking opportunities.

Event Info: This Event is FREE
Date: Thursday September 17, 2009
Time: 6 p.m. Reception / 7 p.m. Panel Discussion
Address: Mt. Mary College / North Dining Rm - Bergstrom Hall
2900 N. Menomonee River Parkway Milwaukee, WI

Free Parking / Refreshments / Book Signings

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Established in 2000, IOU Sports mission is to provide sports education, fitness opportunities, career information, and charitable assistance to girls and women who participate in all levels of sports. Our overarching goal is to empower girls using sports as an avenue that instills discipline, teamwork and physical fitness to create well-rounded individuals. We produce seminars, workshops, reading programs, and other educational events that are open to the public where ideas, opinions and other concerns relating to girls and women in sports can be expressed and shared with others in the community. In addition, we developed instructional camps and clinics that will feature community and national women leaders that will show the true meaning of role models. Images Of Us Sports Address: 4757 N. 76th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53218 Phone: 414-393-0773 | Fax: 414-393-0771 | Email: info@iousports.org

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