Huge Jobs Rally In Janesville

JANESVILLE — Both working citizens and the unemployed are being encouraged to attend a “Jobs Now!” rally on Sunday, September 5th at 5 p.m.

Held at the Laborfest Grounds in Janesville, the event will feature guest speakers including U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the Democrats’ leading gubernatorial candidate.

The event is sponsored by the Machinists Union, the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, the United Auto Workers Local 95 and the Rock County Labor Council.

In addition to the event in Janesville on Sunday, rallies will be held nationwide leading up to the Oct. 2 national rally in Washington, D.C.

Rock County Progressives - Meeting

The Rock County Progressives meet next on Wednesday, September 1, 6:30.

The meeting will be at the home of Ron and Marti, at in Milton Township at 10651 N Charley Bluff Rd, Milton. Turn North off County Road N at Snuffy Still, not far from where it intersects with 59. It's on the left not long after you turn on Charley Bluff. If you have any difficulty, call me at 608-322-2889

Hope to see you there,

Chuck

Netroots Wisconsin 2010 Conference

Netroots Wisconsin 2010 is the first Wisconsin regional conference of Netroots Nation. Netroots Wisconsin will be held September 25, 2010 at the Madison Senior Center, 330 W. Mifflin St., Madison, WI.

Netroots Wisconsin is the second of the regional conferences to be held in the US, and the 2010 conference is the first conference in Wisconsin. The conference will provide Wisconsin activists and netroots an opportunity to share ideas, interact with Wisconsin progressive politicians, and to participate in training sessions to learn how to be more effective at their work. Sessions will be Wisconsin-focused to promote the Wisconsin tradition of progressivism.

As The New York Times reported, Netroots Nation is "becoming as much a part of the Democratic political circuit as the Iowa State Fair." Netroots Wisconsin intends to do the same in Wisconsin by promoting the Wisconsin tradition of progressive politics in a new forum.

The conference is open to the public and to media coverage. Information, registration, and press opportunities are available at Netroots Wisconsin.

Contact: Steve Hanson shanson@netrootswisconsin.org 715-598-9206

EcoFair 360 In Elkhorn

Yes, it is mid-summer already! It's also a great time for getting outdoors and thinking green - or perhaps blue. We were definitely being green this last weekend at La Fete de Marquette where our volunteers did a great job of reducing waste by selling reusable mugs and pitchers to cut down on plastic waste. Thanks to all who helped, and we look forward to expanding upon this in the future.

The new Ecofair360 will be held this weekend in Elkhorn, WI and the Sierra Club will have a booth there to educate people and get signatures to move off oil and coal and towards clean energy solutions. This event features a multitude of exhibits and talks to learn more about various ways to be sustainable.

If you tend to think more about water in summer, the Yahara Lakes Partnership is asking for your input on our lakes and waterways system and it's a great opportunity to let them know your thoughts or to get involved. As we're learned in the Gulf, if we don't protect our precious waters, they can suffer great harm.

But the way to really celebrate summer will be at our annual Summer Soiree at (but not limited to) Lake Farm/Centennial Park on Lake Waubesa on August 1. We'll have a number of fun events to participate in, topped off by a grilled lunch in the Park. Please mark this on your calendar and join us that day.

Friday - Sunday, July 16 - 18
Walworth County Fairgrounds, Elkhorn, WI

Please join us at our booth at this new Ecofair in southeast Wisconsin. It's a great place to learn about really being green with energy, transportation, food, or other issues. The Sierra Club will have a booth there, so please stop by. If you'd care to volunteer (and get in free!), please contact Don Ferber at d_ferber@sbcglobal.net or 608-222-9376 or 608-217-2959 to sign up for a shift.

Shifts are:
9 - 12:30
12:30 - 4
4 - 7 (Friday and Saturday only)

More info on the fair is available here.

Campaign Finance Reform Presentation

The Rock County Progressives present:
BP, Goldman Sachs, Massey:… Corporations Putting Profit Before People
Making democracy work for people after “Citizens United.”

Presentation on Campaign Finance Reform by Mike McCabe, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, wisdc.org

Wed, July 28, 6pm-7:30, Basics Co-Op, 1711 Lodge Dr, Janesville

Contact -- rockcountyprogressives@gmail.com

Rock River Clean-up Effort

“Janesville Pride” has been a long standing motto here in River City. Those sentiments are still here and we all feel it-we all believe it. We would like to introduce an effort where our Janesville Pride can proudly be displayed again! Join us on July 31, 2010 as we show our pride by participating in the Rock River Sweep program where we all pitch in and clean-up areas along the Rock River. This participation will only ask for 3 hours of effort between 8:30 and 11:30 AM on Saturday, July 31.

Our local effort is called “Rock’n’Janesville” and we propose to clean-up both sides of the Rock River, from the south end of Janesville to the north end, and then also extending to Indianford. Local sponsors include Stateline Recycling, Harborfest Aquatics, The Tool House, Inc., and the City of Janesville. Additionally, our local effort is also supported by American Rivers and the Rock River Sweep organizations.

As co-directors, Dave Peterson and Dave Wirth will be heading this important annual project. The primary goal for 2010 is to raise the awareness of why cleaning up the Rock River is of paramount importance. We believe that since the Rock River was the natural focal point of a young Janesville it should come back full-circle and become the focal point again for the years to come. An attractive and beautiful river and riverfront can only enhance prospects of bringing people and business to our city.

To this end, we are initiating this clean-up effort this year by asking that service groups take ownership of a section of the river to clean-up. The requested area of the river can be large or small but it can become yours to clean. That’s the Janesville Pride we referred to earlier. Also, for individual civic leaders who want to help we will assemble a pool of people who can be assigned to assist volunteer service groups. As a service to you we would also be happy to present to your group a 10 minute show with images and information concerning this Rock’n’Janesville Project.

If you are interested and would like more information please join us, Dave Peterson and Dave Wirth, representing the Rock’n’Janesville Group for the July 31, 2010 Rock River Sweep Program, at 7 PM on July 6, 2010 at M&I Bank at 100 North Main Street. (Use the Parker Drive entrance to the bank.) In the meantime, please contact us at 608-290-8809 or 608-774-0141 for more information.

You can also find us on Facebook

Thank you for considering being involved in this important activity for the Janesville and Rock River area! Rock’n’Janesville has Janesville Pride!

Memorial Service For The Gulf

The Rock County Progressives present:

Memorial Service for the Gulf

11 workers dead. Wildlife devastated. Ecosystem destroyed? A way of life lost…

Join us as we mourn and celebrate the rich cultural and natural heritage.

Neil Dupree, retired pastor, First Christian Church, Janesville

Come prepared to share your recollections, reflections and feelings about this disaster.


Wednesday, July 7, Riverside Park, North Pavilion

2200 Parkside Dr, Janesville

6pm potluck PICNIC * 7pm Memorial Service

N Washington St (Rte 14), right at Golf Course Rd (park entrance), right at Edge Hill Drive, left at Riverside Park Rd, follow river north to end of park.


* * *


BP, Goldman Sachs, Massey… Corporations Putting Profit Before People

Making democracy work for people after “Citizens United.”


Presentation on Campaign Finance Reform by

Mike McCabe, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, wisdc.org

Wed, July 28, 6pm-7:30, Basics Co-Op, 1711 Lodge Dr, Janesville
rockcountyprogressives@gmail.com

3rd Annual YWCA 5K Pancake Run and Fitness Walk.

Plaese join us on June 19th for a great run or walk through a beautiful Janesville neighborhood. Bring the family and let the kids do the 1/2 mile Fun Run and receive a medal!

Event information is available here.

View course map here.

Buy Local Event

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Event: May 15, 10AM-3PM, Daniels Sentry East and West, Janesville

BUYING LOCAL: SUPPORTING JOBS, BUILDING OUR ECONOMY

It’s never been easier – here’s how.

The demand for local food is greater than it’s ever been, and it’s not just a “feel good” issue: there are solid economic impacts from supporting our local food producers. According to the federal government, Rock County spends $225 million each year on groceries. Imagine the impact if we met the state's goal of spending 10% of that on Wisconsin food products.

Seventy cents of every dollar spent locally stays local; compare that with only .40 cents of every $1.00 spent on non-local products staying in a community. Just by buying local foods, Rock County grocery shoppers would keep almost $7 million in the state's economy that would otherwise disappear. If every county followed Rock's lead, nearly $240 million would remain to circulate in Wisconsin’s economy.

To tap into this strong market potential and increase the local sales of local products to boost our overall regional economy, Thrive has partnered with the Wisconsin Grocers’ Association, the Wisconsin Department of Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the UW Agriculture Innovation Center (AIC) on the WGA’s Grocers Buy Local project. This innovative project connects producers, distributors and grocers under the state’s Something Special from WisconsinTM brand, making it easy for consumers to find and support local products.

Working with four stores around the region to promote these local products in day-long sampling events, Thrive and partners are introducing customers to the great taste and wide range of local foods, with the goal of increasing everyone’s bottom line, from producer to grocer. This Saturday May 15 from 10am-3pm we’re working with both Daniels Sentry stores in Janesville—two of our four pilot stores—for two simultaneous day-long sampling events.

“Our farm has been in the family since 1844, when Whilden Hughes first came to Janesville from Michigan,” said Willie (Whilden) Hughes VI. “Committing to support local business the way Daniels Sentry has gives the local economy the strength and diversity it needs to thrive.” Today, the Hughes’ farm has over 1,000 acres, which include production of the successful Blue Farm chips, which will be sampled at the event.

Featured vendors sampling their products include:
•
Berres Brothers Coffee
•
Blue Farm Chips
•
Emils Pizza
•
Koops Mustard
•
Klement’s (Westside store only)
•
Bucky Badger (L&L Foods)
•
Louie's Specialty Foods
•
Mac Farlane Pheasant (demo at Janesville East only)
•
Racine Danish Kringles
•
Schoep's ice cream
•
Shullsburg Creamery cheeses
•
Stump's Olives

Just these companies alone employ an estimated 950 full and part-time employees.
Also on hand to promote the event is this year’s Alice in Dairyland, Cheryl O’Brien. Cheryl will be at the east side store (2822 East Milwaukee Street) at 9am and the Westside store (2501 West Court Street) at 10:30am. Cheryl will be available for interviews at or prior to the event, as will Greg Lawless, Director of Agriculture Initiatives for Thrive and staffer for the Agriculture Innovation Center.
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Contact: Jennifer Smith, Communications, Thrive [608-443-1961 or jsmith@thrivehere.org]

Progressive's TownHall - Rock County

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Rock County Progressives & MoveOn present…

Town Hall on what can be done to stop corporate takeovers in Washington DC

Wednesday, May 5 6:30 PM-8:00 PM at Hedberg Public Library, 316 S. Main St. Janesville

Register for the event at the MoveOn website (seating will be limited).

Outraged by the recent Supreme Court decision unleashing a torrent of corporate funds in elections, corporate bailouts, rising foreclosures and other issues… we will be gathering to talk about what can be done to stop corporate takeovers in Washington DC.

A few relevant facts…

* The six biggest banks now control over 63% of Gross domestic product

* The financial sector spends more than $1 million per day lobbying Congress and fighting financial reform.

* ExxonMobil reported a record $45.2 billion profit & paid NO federal income tax in 2009.

We hope you’ll join us!

RockCountyProgressives@gmail.com