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Reposting from 7/21
From Wisconsin Conservation Voters (and others):
July 31, 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at The Root Note
a FREE advocacy concert hosted by Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Opportunity Wisconsin, For Our Future Wisconsin, and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
We are building power and community around affordability and congressional accountability. Come listen to Luke Callen, Voulouse, and Humbird play at the Root Note on Friday, July 31!
A behind-the-paywall article in today's La Crosse Tribune describes the sudden renewal of efforts to add a $280,000/year city administrator to La Crosse's hierarchy. (Sometimes, a pay walled article that has been archived at https://archive.is is available to read.) You can read newspapers at the public library.
The article notes that, "The Aug. 5 Judiciary & Administration committee will be the first public deliberation of the idea since February, when the resolution narrowly failed to secure a council supermajority. In that time, council members’ positions appear to have shifted significantly — and in all directions.
"Of the six council members who voted “no” in February, two have signaled cautious support, two said they were staunchly opposed and two were unwilling to reveal their current position."
Proponents say an administrator will save money but offer no proof.
The position would add to the large personnel budget of a city with a budget deficit that is already not funding prior commitments like the Climate Action Plan. We have lost two libraries and a public swimming pool in just the last year. Our parks are underfunded and fees and utility costs are rising. While supporters say it will not diminish the role of the elected mayor, this powerfil, new, unelected person would assume mayor-like duties and report to the council. (Read the legislation below or at the legistar link).
The only opportunity to speak on this before a few council members is the Judiciary and Administration Committee on August 5 at 6 p.m. in the council chambers. (A data center moratorium is also on the agenda #26-0749 as well as the amended Bike-Ped Master Plan #26-0703) There are no opportunities for public input at meetings of the full council except by a special council vote.
There is also a District 12 Forum tonight at 6 p.m. at Central High School where CM Lisa Weston and the Mayor will be present.
People can contact the council members using an an online form and also email the city clerk and the Mayor (reference agenda item 26-0741). You can read the legislation and accompanying documents here: https://cityoflacrosse.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8140160&GUID=652A47C6-6752-4F09-8935-A78BAB40F26F&Options=&Search=
Supporting vision progtrams and services in our community and beyond.
More informattion: https://lacrosselions.org/
Register and/or donate: https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/lacrossewi/page-7.php
Join Indivisibles across the country for the kickoff call for Hands Off Our Vote, Indivisible’s national program to ensure all eligible voters get to cast their ballot, and that those ballots get counted. We’ll pull back the curtain on our strategy and theory of change, and walk through how you can step up to protect the vote no matter where you live. If you’re wondering how you can plug in to ensure free and fair elections this fall, join us July 30 and bring your friends, family, and fellow Indivisibles with you!
Register here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/986441/
Why vote early?
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CALL TO ACTION
“After months of uncertainty and waiting, an inquest (fact-finding proceeding) is scheduled for Monday, July 27th at 10:00 a.m. in the death of Tarianna Thompson, who was hit by the driver of a pick-up truck on May 18.
Monday, July 27:
8:30 Gather at crash site, Avon & St. Cloud St., decorate bikes
9:00 Depart from crash site
9:30 Gather outside of courthouse, 333 Vine Street, to show solidarity
Wear pink for Tarianna! Decorate your bike in pink!
Group Ride:
All
are welcome to join a group ride from the crash site at Avon & St.
Cloud streets to the Courthouse. Riders are encouraged to wear pink and
decorate your bike in pink.
In Solidarity with Tarianna’s family, please show up outside of the front entrance of the La Crosse County Courthouse (333 Vine Street) with signs and bicycles to show support and the power of our community’s demand for care and accountability in this case.
No bike? No problem, just meet at the courthouse at 9:30! OR rent a DriftCycle bike.
#JusticeForTarianna
#WatchForBikes
#SafeStreetsForAll”
From La Crosse Indivisible:
The final vote to confirm Todd Blanche as Attorney General of the United States is here, and the Block Blanche campaign is in its final stretch.
Join Legal AF and Not Above the Law, hostd of the live stream of a major “Block Blanche" event, Thursday, July 23 at 7 p.m. with Sen. Durbin, Rep. Khanna, Rep. McIver, Maya Wiley, Harry Dunn and other legal experts and frontline advocates, as they channel public outrage into calls to Congress to encourage the Senate to vote against Blanche’s confirmation.
Join Common Cause and other coalition partners to phone bank voters in key states to help stop Todd Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General.
Sign up now at https://blockblanche.org
When the very first cars rolled off production lines, they were a technological marvel, predicted to make life easier and better for everyone; yet a hundred years later, that dream is running on empty. Instead of unbounded freedom, the never-ending proliferation of automobiles has delivered a host of costs, among them the demolition of our neighborhoods, towns, and cities to make way for car infrastructure; an epidemic of violent death; countless hours lost in traffic; isolation from our fellow human beings; and the ongoing destruction of the natural world.
Cars as we know them today are unsustainable—but there is hope. Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, hosts of the podcast The War on Cars and the authors of the bestselling book Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile, will unpack the scale of damage that cars cause, the forces that have created our current crisis and are invested in perpetuating it, and the way that the fight for better transportation is deeply linked to the fight for a more equitable and just society.
TL;DR: Water bills are going up. "If the request is granted, the water bill for an average Residential customer ... will increase ... 64.69 percent." (But, apparently, the new proposed rates haven't been released yet.)
A public hearing will be held for community members at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 29 in the Black River Beach Neighborhood Center, Maplewood North Conference Room. Parties and PSC staff appear by Zoom. Parties and PSC staff may use the telephone connection as a backup or if no adequate internet connection exists.
Join by Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/my/pschearings
The PSC intends to livestream and record this hearing on YouTube. A member of the public may observe without participation any hearing session by:
1. Attending any physical location as noticed,
2. Watching on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@PSCWI-Hearings,
3. If no adequate internet connection exists, listening by telephone.
• Dial: +1 312 626 6799
• Enter Meeting ID: 809 513 2930
A person may testify in this proceeding without becoming a party and without attorney representation. A person may submit this testimony in only one of the following ways:
+ Web Comment. File a comment on the internet. Go to the PSC’s web site at http://psc.wi.gov, click the dropdown menu labeled “Commission Actions.” Select the item labeled “File a Public Comment.” On the next page select the “File a comment” link that appears for docket number 2920-WR-106. Web comments shall be received no later than Friday, July 31, 2026.
+ Live Comment. Make a live comment at the hearing. The ALJ may receive live comments from any member of the public in attendance after the close of any party and PSC staff testimony. The ALJ will receive such comments by stating the name of each member of the public connected to the hearing one at a time and asking if they would like to comment.
+ Mail Comment. Send a comment by U.S. Mail. All comments submitted by U.S. Mail shall be received no later than Friday, July 31, 2026 and shall be addressed to: Attn: Docket 2920-WR-106 Comments, Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 7854, Madison, WI 53707-7854.
To access the documents, schedule, and other information about this docket, go to the PSC’s web site at http://psc.wi.gov, select the dropdown menu labeled “eServices.” Select the item labeled “Docket Search (CMS).” On the next page, enter 2920-WR-106 in the spaces labeled “Docket ID” and select “Search.”
If you have any questions, please contact the La Crosse Utilities Office at 608-789-7536.
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Current Rates in La Crosse
As of now, I haven't been able to find the proposed rate changes. Calling the utility office didn't help. "Those rates are not out there yet." If anyone can read rate change applications and can find them, please contact so I can add them to the information.
*Here's a scary Stat from The Green Home Technology Center at Ohio State University Extension. "The average water use for United State's citizens is 100 gallons per day. According to the U.S. Agency for International Development, this is four times the minimum water requirement for a good quality of life (26.4 gallons). At home the average household uses 120,000 gallons each year (329 gallons per day). Each household could cut more than 60% of their water use with the implementation of water-efficient appliances and practices designed to reduce, reuse, or harvest water."
From Wisconsin Conservation Voters (and others):
a FREE advocacy concert hosted by Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Opportunity Wisconsin, For Our Future Wisconsin, and Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin.
We are building power and community around affordability and congressional accountability. Come listen to Luke Callen, Voulouse, and Humbird play at the Root Note on Friday, July 31!
We'll have some fun playing Dark Sky Trivia and those who make an online donation of $5 or more will receive a fun glow-in-the-dark sticker. |
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Visit theTeam pages to learn more and donate:
From Young Democrats of Wisconsin:
The Young Democrats of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin 3rd CD are cohosting a forum with the two Democrats running in the primary for the office of State Treasurer. It will be on Tuesday, July 21 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Concordia Ballroom , 1129 La Crosse Street.
Sign Up to attend here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1588129705999348/
More than 10,000 Europeans have died due to this summer's unprecedented but predictable heat wave.
You may have seen the harrowing footage of a train trying to make it through the flames in Ontario.
In Milwaukee, the Air Quality Index was reportedly off the charts, with Madison and La Crosse creeping toward don't go there.
Meanwhile, the Guardian (UK) reports that "Over 1,600 energy department webpages on utility bill savings removed as US temperatures soar. Guardian analysis found the removals coincided with the Trump administration’s push to weaken efficiency rules." And the billionaires backing Trump are building their bunkers and telling us AI will "solve" the climate crisis. These people are crazy. Who will stop them?
If you are a community leader or in elected office, this is your chance. Do not work to maintain the status quo that is leading to this hell. Do the right thing. Steer more money to real, impactful climate action (reducing emissions, changing policies and procedures, supporting lower-carbon transportation, food systems, events, and more). Prioritize actions that actually reduce emissions. Don't let those who want no change, like the parking ayatollahs, block climate action efforts. Pull your colleagues into climate reality.
We can do minor things, but major things are needed. We have to get rid of the evil clowns in the White House and Congress and those who enable them.
From Union of Concerned Scientists:
This August, members of Congress will head home for recess—they'll be in our communities, at town halls, and in our neighborhoods. This is one of the most powerful windows all year to make our voices heard.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) invites you to three Action Hour training webinars this July as we prepare scientists and science supporters, new and old, to take bold, hands-on action during August recess: collecting petitions, sharing stories, and showing up at town halls to protect science and democracy.
We suggest you register for the Action Hour focused on the action you're most interested in taking, to make the best use of your time.
Action Hour: Collecting and Delivering Petitions
Date: Tuesday, July 21
Time: Noon–1:00 p.m. CT
Register for the petition training.
Learn the tactics behind one of the most effective tools in our advocacy toolbox, collecting signatures and delivering them directly to your elected officials' offices.
Action Hour: Storytelling Through Social Media
Date: Wednesday, July 22
Time: Noon–2:00 p.m. CT
Register for the social media training.
Your story is a powerful tool for change. Learn how to use social media to share why science matters to you and help others see themselves in this fight too.
Action Hour: Engaging with Elected Officials at Town Halls
Date: Tuesday, July 28
Time: Noon–1:00 p.m. CT
Register for the town hall training.
Town halls are one of the few times all year you can speak directly to your legislators. Learn how to show up, ask sharp questions, and hold them accountable.
You don't need to be an expert to participate, you just need to show up. Each training is designed to meet you where you are and send you into recess ready to take action.
No matter who you are, where you sit, or what your personal tolerance for risk might be, there is something you can do. Join us as we stand united to protect the values we believe in: Science. Justice. Integrity. Democracy. And so much more. Together we are rising to meet this moment. Be part of it, register today!
Sincerely,
Melissa Varga
Associate Director, Scientist Organizing
Union of Concerned Scientists
Now available online.
Earth’s Greatest Enemy, the second feature film project by Abby Martin, is a groundbreaking anti-imperialist environmental documentary.
Exempt from international climate agreements and rarely scrutinized in mainstream reporting, the Pentagon is the world’s single largest institutional polluter—spewing carbon, contaminating water, and scarring landscapes across the globe. Combining investigative journalism, striking visuals, and stories from impacted communities, this film challenges audiences to rethink the hidden costs of a global military empire and its planetary consequences. Provocative, urgent, and eye-opening, this is a documentary that will change how you see both the military and environmentalism.
Watch online at Apple TV, Vimeo, Amazon, Watermelon
From Citizen Action of Wisconsin Health Care For All Co-op:
Join us Tuesday, July 14th at 6:30 on zoom!
6:30 to 7:00 p.m. BadgerCare Public Option Overview
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Whether you're brand new to the campaign or would simply like a refresher, this session will provide an overview of:
✔️The BadgerCare Public Option and why it matters
✔️Our strategic campaign and what we've accomplished during Phase 1
✔️A deeper look at Phase 2 and how members can plug into the work ahead
7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Strategic Campaign Update and Training
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We'll continue at 7:00 PM with our All Healthcare Team Meetings - for anyone interested in learning about or working on our BadgerCare Public Option Strategic Campaign
✔️Campaign updates and organizing successes from healthcare action teams across Wisconsin
✔️Stories from members who are building support for the BadgerCare Public Option in their communities
✔️A Mass Listening Training to prepare us for conversations with community members throughout the summer as we build relationships, gather stories, and strengthen our movement heading into the election season
✔️Opportunities to get involved with outreach, story collection, legislative advocacy, and coalition-building
Whether you've been organizing with us for years or you're joining for the first time, your voice and your leadership matter. Every conversation, every story, every petition, and every new volunteer helps us build the grassroots power we'll need to win the BadgerCare Public Option and continue moving Wisconsin toward universal healthcare.
We hope you'll join us on July 14 as we continue building a stronger statewide movement for healthcare justice. Please RSVP, and we'll send you the Zoom link the day prior to the meeting.
Together, we can turn this challenging moment into an opportunity to organize, grow our movement, and win meaningful change for Wisconsin families.
