Friday, November 29, 2019

RUN FOR SOMETHING - La Crosse School Board

From the La Crosse School District:

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at an election to be held in the School District of La Crosse on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, the following offices are to be elected to succeed the present incumbents listed. The term of office for school board member is three years beginning on Monday, April 27, 2020.

OFFICE - INCUMBENT
School Board Member - Laurie Cooper-Stoll
School Board Member - Dave Rudolph
School Board Member - Connie L. Troyanek

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a Candidate Registration Statement and a Declaration of Candidacy must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 in the office of the School District Clerk, 807 East Avenue South, Room 105, La Crosse. The first day to circulate nomination papers is December 1, 2019 and the final day for filing nomination papers is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 in the office of the School District Clerk.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that if a primary is necessary, the primary will be held on Tuesday, February 18, 2020.

Information regarding school district boundaries can be obtained from the school district office.

More details at:
https://www.lacrosseschools.org/overview/board-of-education/

Monday, November 25, 2019

Forum for Workers' Healthcare

WORKERS' HEALTHCARE FORUM

Health care workers will join union organizers and members of the Coulee Democratic Socialists to discuss issues around rising health care costs and concerns over consolidation and cutbacks at a public forum at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Barney Community Center, 1000 E. Montgomery Street in Sparta. 


The event is free and open to the public and anyone with an interest in our healthcare system is encouraged to attend, ask questions and share their experiences. 
Speakers will include: 
  • Sharry Neidfeldt of Sparta, President of United Electrical Workers 1161. 
  • Joni Anderson, Vice-President of United Electrical Workers 1107 and candidate for State Senate district 14. 
  • Mark Taylor, a local behavioral health counselor. 
  • Mark Neumann, retired pediatrician, Congressional candidate for CD-3, and Medicare for All advocate. 
Issues such as the proposed Gundersen/Marshfield merger, the crisis in mental health and addiction services will be discussed, as well as rising costs and deteriorating working conditions for health care workers. A group discussion will be facilitated as well. 
Between constantly rising costs, shortages of necessary services, and political uncertainty, working people are being pushed to the brink when it comes to healthcare. The first step to building a better healthcare system, one that puts peoples’ health before profits, is sharing our stories and struggles with one another. If we want real change in healthcare, working people need to come together and demand a better system. We hope this event can be a first step in that direction.
For more information, call/text 608-632-6166 or email couleedsa@gmail.com

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Climate Strikes continue!

From La Crosse Students for Climate Future:  

The Strike CONTINUES!

STRIKE for our FUTURE

Friday, September 20 was our first strike. Led by the Fridays for Future, La Crosse chapter, we joined millions around the world to highlight the extreme crisis we face and called out elected "leaders" who are not doing nearly enough. More than 300 constituents signed a letter to US Rep. Ron Kind urging him to co-sponsor and support five specific bills. So far, he has not taken any action to cosponsor crucial climate legislation nor provided a date for a promised meeting with youth.

>> Please share <<


Print & post our flyers for November 29 and December 6.
November 29 and December 6 - on social media.
 

NOVEMBER 29
1) BOYCOTT BLACK FRIDAY from 7:30 to 8:30 at the intersection of La Crosse Street and Losey Boulevard. Black Friday themed signs will be provided, but please bring your own if you can.

2) STAND FOR CLIMATE ACTION WITH LOCAL STUDENTS from Noon to 2 p.m. on the west side of City Hall (along Third Street). People can join in whatever time they are able. BRING A SIGN if you can or use the extra signs available for anyone who needs one.

3) PLEDGE TO TAKE PERSONAL ACTION. Use our list of suggested actions below or come up with your own. Please pledge to take at least one action on this day in solidarity with Fridays for Future, Sunrise Movement, 350.org, Sierra Club, and more below. Our list will be updated as new ideas and resources are available.

 
 
DECEMBER 6

Please join us in another crucial push to make our U.S. elected officials pay attention to the climate crisis during the next global climate summit in Madrid from December 2 - 13 (a.k.a. COP25 at https://unfccc.int/cop25).

How? Sign up to strike with us at the La Crosse offices of U.S. Rep. Ron Kind and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin.
Where? 205 5th Ave. South, La Crosse, WI, 54601.

We will be striking at this location in order to follow up on our petition from the last climate strike on September 20th, 2019. We wish to show our representatives that we are not only able to show up on paper, but in person as well. We are asking you to sign up for the times that you are able to attend, so that we can keep the pressure on them ALL DAY LONG. Please sign up for more than one time slot if you are able! We will wear all black, in order to symbolize the danger and death that people and many living things face due to the accelerating climate emergency. We hope that everyone will bring signs as well. We suggest that these signs have clocks or other symbols of urgency on them--in order to show that there is little time left for strong action.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Action items for the week

This week is filled with public hearings and organizational meetings. There are many other great events happening, too, including speakers and films (see the calendar), but the events listed here are opportunities for the people to have direct interaction with the decision-makers.

November 12: 
* At 4 p.m. in the Council Chambers, City Hall, "The City of La Crosse's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program will hold a public hearing. All citizens are invited to comment on its Consolidated Plan, including community development issues and housing needs, overall CDBG performance, and impediments to Fair Housing. Draft results of the community needs survey will also be presented at this meeting and public will be invited to comment on the results of that survey. Comments can also be submitted to: City of La Crosse Planning Department (400 La Crosse Street, 3rd Floor) or on the City’s website www.cityoflacrosse.org/community."

* At 6 p.m., as noted earlier, "a Public Hearing will be held for any taxpayer on the Proposed 2020 Operating Budget of the City of La Crosse will be held in the Council Chambers, City Hall.  The proposed budget is available for inspection at City Hall Finance Department Monday through Friday from 1:00pm until 4:00pm.  Click here for a summary of the proposed General Fund Budget." This is very important - funds for an update to the city's 2009 Sustainability Plan were to have been in the 2019 budget but were pushed back to 2020. Now, we've heard that those funds will be pushed from the 2020 budget to the 2021 budget. This is unacceptable. In addition, funds for a very important greenhouse gas emissions assessment, which were to have been in the 2020 budget, are also pushed to 2021. Please attend or email our council and Mayor urging the restoration of these funds to the 2020 budget.

UPDATE: We have learned that the council will amend the budget at Thursday's common council meeting to include funds to begin the plan update and the GHG emissions survey in 2020 with the remainder of funds to be in the 2021 budget. This is great news. Thanks to those who contacted the Mayor and council!

November 13:
* At 12:30 p.m. a Town Hall Forum with Neel Kashkari, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "How does student debt affect La Crosse’s economy? How’s the job market for college grads? Why are wages low? Are we headed toward a recession? Here’s your chance to bring your questions and comments to a man in the middle of all those issues, and more." The event will be held in The Bluffs, UWL Student Union. See link for details.

November 14:
* From 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., a conference on Expanding and Strengthening Inclusive Communities, hosted by the Greater La Crosse Diversity Council, will be held at the Lunda Center, Western Technical College


* From 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., Chancellor Gow will hold an Open Forum in the Great Hall of the Cleary Center at UWL.

* At 5:00 p.m., a listening session with State Senator Jennifer Shilling and State Representative Steve Doyle will be held at the West Salem Public Library


November 16:
* From 10 a.m. to noon, a public interactive presentation, How Did We Get Here? The hidden impacts of racial disparity on the well-being of Wisconsin and La Crosse will be held at the English Lutheran Church, 16th and King.

Again, please check out the other events happening this week. And remember, if your event is not listed, please submit it for inclusion. If you would like to post a longer item about an event or issue you are working on, please email.





Saturday, November 02, 2019

Public comment on city budget

This is your chance! From City Hall:

11/12/2019 - Proposed 2020 Operating Budget Public Hearing
Notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at 6:00pm at the Council Chambers of City Hall a Public Hearing will be held for any taxpayer on the Proposed 2020 Operating Budget of the City of La Crosse will be held. The proposed budget is available for inspection at City Hall Finance Department Monday through Friday from 1:00pm until 4:00pm.  Click here for a summary of the proposed General Fund Budget.
:
UPDATE:  It appears that funding for an update to the city's 2009 Sustainability Plan which was originally to have been in the 2019 budget but was pushed back to the 2020 budget has now been pushed from the 2020 budget to the 2021 budget! This is bad news if you believe that the climate crisis is real and we must take immediate action to address it! In addition, we hear that funds for a planned greenhouse gas emissions assessment, necessary to establishing good goals for the plan, has also been pushed to 2021. This is unacceptable. Please attend the public hearing and advocate for the 2020 funding of these important sustainability items or, if you can't attend, email the council and the mayor urging their inclusion.