Saturday, December 23, 2023

Taking a break.

 But, everything must change.



“If animal agriculture were phased out over 15 years and all other greenhouse-gas emissions were to continue unabated, the phase-out would create a 30-year pause in net greenhouse gas emissions and offset almost 70 percent of the heating effect of those emissions through the end of the century.”

Animal ag is not only bad for global heating, it's bad for animals, especially species on the extinction escalator


Transportation is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector. Cars and light trucks make up more than half of transportation sector emissions. Are you driving a fossil-fueled vehicle? Stop. Just stop. Or at least cut back. Walk. Ride a bike. Take the bus. Share your ride and trips with others. Take the train or a bus for long distance travel. Stop flying. 

If the systems that help you reduce transportation-related emissions don't work for you, use your power/voice/privilege to insist that they improve. If they don't work for you, they don't work for a lot of people. Help improve the systems.







Thursday, December 14, 2023

3rd CD Candidate Forum

Who will replace the guy who yells at teenagers while hosting beer crawls through the Capitol?


Join Citizen Action for a virtual candidate forum on Sunday, December 17 at 6 p.m. featuring candidates challenging Derrick Van Orden for the 3rd Congressional District in Western Wisconsin. The forum will feature questions from Citizen Action Organizing co-op members who live in the Third Congressional District. Citizen Action has three separate organizing co-ops located in the district.

This forum is part of Citizen Action's endorsement process and will include a survey of attendees on their candidate preferences and if they think Citizen Action’s Board should vote to endorse in the Democratic Primary. All final endorsement decisions are made by their Board, but member opinions matter very much in that decision.

RSVP!


Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Just say no (part 2)

So, a legislatire passes and a governor signs  a budget, and then a gerrymandered legislator can put a hold on distributing the money? I don't think that's how it's supposed to work, but here, nothing's over until the MINjority twists the rules enough to "win."

Now, it looks like threats of not finalizing confirmation of one regent (another abnormal behavior by the hostage-takers) may cause her to switch her vote. Bad precedent. Bad governance. Still no input on the "deal" from students and staff. 




Monday, December 11, 2023

Everything must change

 





While 2023 is not yet over, a provisional report from the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that it is set to be the warmest on record, with global temperatures rising 1.4 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. ... From deadly Cyclone Daniel in Libya in September to devastating floods in the Horn of Africa following five consecutive seasons of drought and severe smoke pollution from Canada’s forest blazes, WMO’s report highlights the grim effects of climate upheaval on lives, health and livelihoods.  

Throughout the year, communities suffering from extreme weather around the world faced food insecurity and displacement. 




Final five voting

 


Join the League of Women Voters for their last program of the year, a look at a form of instant runoff voting known as Final Five voting. The guests seem to be connected to the American Enterprise Institute. The program is on December 13 from noon to 1 at The Waterfront OR on Zoom. (Lunch reservations are closed, but you can still attend the program if you wish.)

Final five/instant runoff voting has been touted as a way to make elections less contentious and candidates nicer (so voters might choose them as their second or third choice). But what if voters don't pay attention to what candidates really represent? 

Much more needs to be understood about how this could be hacked, and especially about how campaigns use psychology to  twist, distort, lie, and manipulate.

Register here: https://www.lwvlacrosse.org/content.aspx?page_id=4002&club_id=484247&item_id=2114519

Friday, December 08, 2023

Just say NO

 



On December 9th, the Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents will be meeting to vote on a resolution based on this proposal negotiated with Republican Legislators. This resolution would restrict diversity, equity and inclusion and further enshrine the far right's agenda at our educational institutions. 

Sign on to tell the Board of Regents that we need them to keep working for a better deal.

Students, say no.




Thursday, December 07, 2023

Transportation Input!

Two important opportunities to share our priorities and ideas about how we get around in our community are upon us.

For decades, cars have had priority--in funding, space, health, and safety. As we now know, car driving creates greenhouse gases that are driving the planet to uninhabitable extremes. Air pollution from fossil fuels, including cars, kills millions of people per year. The National Safety Council reports that 46,000 people died in traffic crashes last year and traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for children. Cars and car storage eat up vast amounts of public space that could better be used for housing, business, parks, play, and life. 

Budgets are skewed toward motor vehicles. The Sierra Club notes that, "Nearly half of WisDOT's $3 billion annual budget is spent on highway construction and expansion," nine times more than on public transit and rail. In La Crosse, we all subsidize free or low-cost public parking whether or not we drive cars. We all live with the mess, pollution, and danger of mostly free public street parking. We all lose out on the taxes, small businesses, housing, and green space we could have if cars didn't take up so much space. We all pay for the infrastructure that is almost solely for cars (Where are the safe bike lanes on Losey, South Ave., and La Crosse Street? Paint is not safe infrastructure.)

There are two chances to push for better funding, planning, and priorities for walking, biking, and taking the bus, the cleanest, safest, least expensive ways to get around.

First, on Thursday, December 14, Talk Transit with MTU staff and riders from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Southside Neighborhood Center, 1300 6th St. S. (accessible via #1 and circulators). Even if you are not currently a regular bus rider, your voice is needed. If reducing emissions and pollution, improving safety and equity, and boosting community cohesion means more people taking the bus, the MTU needs to hear, and be able to report, what changes are needed to get YOU on the bus. If you are a rider, feed back about what you love and what could be better. 

And, you are invited to "up and down vote" the suggestions neighbors have made as part of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan update. 

Review the comments added about walking and bicycling in La Crosse made by fellow community members and like or dislike those that you agree or disagree with. This will help the planners understand which issues are most important to La Crosse residents as they being to develop plan recommendations. Visit the site at https://lacrossebikepedplanupdate.altaplanning.cloud/
And, if you want to think more about it, read 


You can order it or borrow it (email).

Tuesday, December 05, 2023

What Happened to You?


 From La Crosse Waking Up White:

The last public presentation for the Regional Read of What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing is this Thursday, Dec 7 at 6:30 p.m. at The Nature Place, doors and music open at 6pm. We are having speakers from The Resilient Option in Rochester, MN come and speak about practical strategies to manage stress often caused by adversity to improve overall health and well-being.

Learn more here: https://driftlessregionalread.com

Friday, December 01, 2023

School District Candidate Training

The Board of Education for the School District of La Crosse will be hosting an informational meeting about the upcoming April election and available positions on the school board.

Those interested in serving students, staff, and the La Crosse community as a member of the Board of Education are encouraged to attend this meeting. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. and will be hosted at the Hogan Administrative Center in Room 209 located at 807 East Avenue South in La Crosse.

Residents planning to attend the workshop are asked to please RSVP to the superintendent’s office by sending an email to lsteiger@lacrossesd.org or by calling 608.789.7659 to register for the meeting.

An election will be held in the School District of La Crosse on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, for the following board of education seats. The terms of office for school board members include 3-year terms.

Incumbents are Annie Baumann, Brad Quarberg, and Jeff Jackson.

To be placed on the spring ballot, a Campaign Registration Statement, Declaration of Candidacy, and Nomination Papers must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, in the office of the School District Clerk, 807 East Avenue South, La Crosse.

The first day to circulate nomination papers was December 1, 2023.

Detailed information about the role of a Board member is available in the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) Guide for Candidates.


Nick Marcou | Communications Coordinator
School District of La Crosse
o: 608.789.8460 c: 608.498.9144

Vets for Voting Reform

 

Wednesday, 12/6 

- NOON -

ONLINE


Many people are expressing concerns about the electoral system in the United States, notably the partisan primary process. There is an active movement among military veterans to do something about these concerns. Panelists from Veterans for All Voters will discuss their efforts to build and mobilize a community of veterans to advocate for meaningful electoral reform, including Final Five Voting in Wisconsin.

To participate in this no-cost virtual program, click HERE.