by Denise Showers
Hello, Friends. It occurred to me that anyone can participate in service work in Janesville today, with just a few extra minutes and a couple bucks in their pockets. Times are getting no easier for charities and service agencies around the country.
Now is a fine time to pick up a few items at the grocery store and deliver them to ECHO. I hear they're in need of tuna, soup, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, canned fruit, hot stews, pork and beans. Household needs are toothbrushes, laundry soap, toilet paper, dish soap, bar soap and deodorant. We may not be able to emulate the Obama family and work on a building project today (though some of us may), but here's a meaningful way to pitch in, and it's always appreciated. There's always the option to give a monetary contribution too. Everything helps. And it's funny how a sense of hope moves through a simple act like this.
Many of us feel great hope and anticipation for the future. That future starts with small acts we share with one another. YOU are the one who will feel hopeful making your way through the grocery store, knowing you're making a difference. Thank you all, and enjoy tomorrow.
ECHO: An Idea For MLK Day
Workshop: Protect Working Lands
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
What: Workshop to Protect Working Lands
When: February 4, 2009, 9-3
Registration due by January 26th, 2009 ($10.00 fee, includes lunch)
Where: Pontiac Convention Center
Attached is an invitation for the upcoming Workshop to Protect Working Lands in Rock County!
Please pass this on to other interested parties, and consider attending, even if you aren't a rural land owner. Learning opportunity for everyone - how Agriculture benefits Rock County.
by Rock Environmental Network, Inc.
"When people lead, the leaders will follow."
The Environmental Cafe
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What: Environmental Cafe
When: February 3, 2009, 6 PM
Where: Hedberg Public Library Program Room (upstairs near the Children's Library)
Topic of Discussion: Recycling and related discussion
Guest Speaker: Percy Mather, DNR South Central Region (11 southwestern counties west of Dodge, Jefferson & Rock)
Recycling and Waste Management Specialist
Please attend our first Environmental Cafe - an informal discussion about environmental topics - with a cup of coffee or beverage. Held once monthly on different environmental topics - these discussions are open to the public, and encourage ideas and networking.
by Rock Environmental Network, Inc.
"When people lead, the leaders will follow."
Preservation of Farmland
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REN Action Alert
What: Janesville Sustainability Committee Meeting
When: Tuesday, December 16th, 6 PM
Where: Janesville Municipal Building, Council Chambers, 4th Floor
Info: Janesville's Sustainability Committee will be meeting next Tuesday night to discuss the City's Comprehensive Plan, which must be adopted by the City, before January 1, 2010. This plan will affect the direction and growth of the City, thus affecting surrounding Townships. The plan outlines projected growth for the next 20-25 years.
Agenda Items:
Chapter 2, Land Use Recommendations, page 23 (on top of screen) or Page 17 (on paper)here or here - try this site if the above link doesn't work, click on "Comprehensive Plan" on the Left, then "Plans", then go to "Volume 2, Policies and Recommendations". You can then scroll down through the chapters.
Chapter 3, Natural Resources
Chapter 4, Agriculture
The Sustainability Committee will be reviewing the Comp Plan, and sending recommendations to the City Council and Planning Commission for review.
If you would like to voice your opinion or make recommendations to the committee, please attend the meeting, or send an email back to this address.
Our Views: The Comprehensive Plan is allocating too much farmland for future annexation and development. Since the land to the East of Janesville, the Rock Prairie, is one in three areas on earth with the richest farmland available, we feel it should be permanently protected, and remain farmland. Some will say that landowners don't want to be told what to do with their property, that this is a property rights issue, yet the Comp Plan is doing just that - telling these landowners that they will no longer be farming in the future.
Please review the plan, and attend the meeting. Public comments are at the beginning of the meeting, if you wish to speak.
Rock Environmental Network, Inc.
"When People Lead, the Leaders Will Follow."
Important Rock County Meeting!!
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From: ROCK ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK
Where: Rock County Courthouse
When: Wednesday, Nov.5th, 2008 beginning at 6:00 PM
Dear Trail and Parks fans -
The American Transmission Company (ATC) is building a power line through Rock County. ATC is required to pay Rock County a one-time fee of $1.8 million for the environmental impact. By state statute, that money is to be used for parks and conservation efforts. There is, however, a provision that allows the County Administer to apply to the Public Service Commission for a waiver of use, allowing that money to be used for other public purposes. This waiver has already been attained.
Today was the Rock County Board of Supervisors Finance Committee meeting with the proposed budget on the agenda.
The proposed budget from the County Administrator suggests using this $1.8M roughly in the following manner.
$600.000 for a one time off setting of the 2009 County Parks operations budget
$161,000 for a one time off setting of the 2009 Land Conservation Department budget
$600,000 for a one time off setting of Human Services within the county government
$500,000 in miscellaneous capital improvement projects within the county government
There are other uses for this money.
We, as advocates for the parks system and conservation efforts, would like to see more of that money go to its intended uses – parks, conservation and wetlands. The power lines will be here forever (or close to it) and we would like to ensure that the parks and green space is also taken care of for just as long.
This is a one-time chance. If the money is lost to the general operating expenses instead of parks development, maintenance, land acquisition, etc., it will be lost forever.
This is where you come in! The next meeting to discuss the budget is at the public hearing on Wednesday, November 5th at 6pm at the Rock County Courthouse, in the Board of Supervisors’ 4th floor meeting room. At this meeting, anyone is able to speak to the Board of Supervisors. The board will not comment or vote that evening. This is a listening session. A few of us representing our organizations will speak.
You do not need to speak, however you will sign in when you arrive, and you can indicate on the sign-in sheet that you support the proposal to use the $1.8 million for its intended environmental, conservation and parks purposes.
What we are asking is that you attend this meeting. We need a lot of people (bring all your friends and neighbors!) there in support of leaving this money in the parks system.
· We have several knowledgeable people who will speak.
· What we need each and every one of you to do is sign in and comment that you are there in support of leaving the money in the parks on the sign up sheet but do not wish to speak. (If you really want to speak, you can; just be brief, positive and to the point).
· During one of the presentations, everyone who is there in support of the parks will be asked to stand up.
We hope that by seeing a lot of public support the county board will consider voting to leave most, if not all, of this money where it was intended to be.
You can also contact your county board supervisor and request that they support our position. Call your county board supervisor and ask for their vote. Look up your supervisor here.
There are 29 supervisors. We only need 15 votes out of 29. Supervisors respond to positive supportive requests.
Please be there.
Thank You.
Where to Vote Early In Janesville
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Voter Registration & Absentee Balloting Opportunities Planned for Nights and Weekends
The City of Janesville will hold special voter registration and absentee balloting opportunities at night and on the weekend during the month of October. Janesville residents interested in registering to vote or voting early through absentee ballot are encouraged to visit the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office in the Municipal Building (4th floor, Room 416, 18 N. Jackson Street) during the following special times:
* Tuesday, October 14, 4:30-8PM;
* Saturday, October 25, 8AM-noon; and
* Monday, October 27, 4:30-6:30PM.
Janesville residents may also register to vote or vote early through absentee ballot at the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office in the Municipal Building during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 7:30AM-4:30PM).
Democratic Party Corn Boil and Brat Fest
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Sunday, August 3, 2008 at Beloit Riverside Park on Highway 51
12 noon to 4:00 PM
Come one, come all and enjoy good political discussions with the candidates and your friends. This is a fundraiser for our local party candidates for the fall campaign.
Tickets at the door $10
Meet Congressional Candidate Paulette Garin
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Meet with Paulette Garin, Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives - 1st Congressional District Of Wisconsin.
Get Informed - Know Who You Vote For!!!
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Monday, July 14, 2008
11 AM - 1 p.m.
Janesville Senior Center
69 S. Water Street
Janesville, WI
Bring your friends. Please join us!
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Farmers Market Relocated
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The Janesville Farmers Market is going to be located at the upper parking lot of the Courthouse until further notice (when the water recedes, the street is cleaned and reopened).
Rock County Voters - Meet Paulette Garin
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Meet Paulette Garin, Democratic candidate for the House of Representatives - 1st Congressional District Of Wisconsin.
Fundraisers!!!
Get Informed - Know Who You Vote For!!!
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Tuesday, June 3, 2008
5-7 p.m.
29 South
29 S. Main Street
Janesville, WI
It's time to pick up Paulette's nomination papers! Please join us!
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