Looking for Volunteers!

Wanna volunteer? I can put you to work . . .

I'm currently looking for volunteers in a variety of areas for a variety of projects, if you are interested in any of these, please let me know.

DUMPSTER DIVING
Today, at 10:30 until we move another 2,000 carpet square. Anyone? My office manager Erika and I, with the help of SJC board member and former staff Rick Fairchild during his lunch break and after work, have moved 1,000 carpet squares so far . . . but we're no where near done.

Come on, doesn't it look like fun!

BLOGGERS
Anyone interested in doing some blogging? I can teach you and you don't have to do it every day or scribe meetings like I do, you can give opinions, report on issues of importance to you and your neighborhood. It's really up to you, I just ask you keep it local.

TELEVISION STUDIO CREW?
What are you doing Sunday nights at 7 or 8pm? Would you be willing to learn to help out in the studio, help line up guests, run cameras if necessary, etc. If you're interested in helping out a night or two a month, or learning to shoot video and edit it, let me know.

RESEARCH
Campaign finance reports, lobbying reports, statement of interest forms, school budget, zoning code rewrite, researching old houses, various housing issues, funding resources etc etc etc. It all needs some research and work to be done, if you're interested, let me know.

ORGANIZING/COMMUNICATIONS
Don't mind writing talking points, press releases, and email alerts? Good with twitter, facebook and social media? Can you help get the word out on various issues?

GARDENING
Both the Social Justice Center and the James Madison Park gardens could use some help throughout the summer.

LAYING CARPET TILES
The Social Justice Center is going to have nearly 3,000 of them to lay. It may include helping move things.

HOUSING COUNSELORS AND MEDIATORS
We're always looking for people interested in helping with housing counseling which we will train or trained mediators that are available to to to small claims court on Tuesdays.

So, did you see something that caught your eye in that blur of work, political and personal interest of mine? If so, email me at brendakonkel@gmail.com or . . . call me at 345-8720. Most of it you can be trained to do!
Read more!

EEEE Round Up: Everything Else Except the Edgewater

That title sounds like it should be sung to the tune from "All Along the Watchtower" . . . but yes, there are other things going on around town . . .

WORTH READING
Here's another take on why the city has a budget problem. Tho a few of us tried to address this a few times, it is something the council never seriously considers. Sanborn was the only one hammering on the Capital Budget this year, but if others had tried to cut roads, especially ones in his district, he would have voted for them.

Barry Orton, on Soglin's blog, does a good job summarizing where we are at with the Cable Competition Act . . . more broken promises. This is what led to the the defunding of WYOU (donate now!) and an average 21% rise in cable rates in two years.

Check out the drop in our air quality! Full Dane County Environmental Health Card Report Card here.

I appreciated this call to have the County Board members to stand up to the sheriff's department . . . and the understanding that it could have political implications if they were to do so.

ART GALLERY OPENING

The Jackie Macaulay Gallery is hosting an artist reception for Desereé Nehrkorn

Friday, December 4, 2009 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

Wine and hor'devours to be served.

Located in the Social Justice Center,
1202 Williamson Street, Madison, WI

WISCONSIN ONCE AGAIN SHOWING IT IS PROGRESSIVE
From the Democracy campaign:

Impartial Justice bill signed into law
The Impartial Justice bill is officially the Impartial Justice law. Governor Jim Doyle signed the bill this morning. The governor's signing statement is here.

With today's action, Wisconsin becomes the first and only state to enact public financing legislation this year and joins North Carolina and New Mexico as the only states to ever create public financing systems for judicial elections.

The Democracy Campaign thanks Governor Doyle and all the legislators who acted to make this long-sought reform a reality. WDC also thanks the many other groups that worked for the bill's passage, most especially Common Cause in Wisconsin and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. And we owe a great debt of gratitude to the countless citizens who took the time to contact their representatives and the governor to urge them to take this important step toward cleaning up state Supreme Court elections.

This historic breakthrough for campaign finance reform was a decade in the making, as the Impartial Justice bill was first proposed in 1999. It is the most significant campaign reform in Wisconsin since 1977.

WATER RATES GOING UP!!!
According to the letter from the PSC,

Our proposed charge for public fire protection provides an increase of approximately 27 percent compared to a 21 percent increase in general service rates.

There is a public hearing next Tuesday. You can comment here.

DID YOU KNOW . . .
County board elections are coming up? People can start filing for that and school board starting yesterday. Seems really, really, really quiet this year . . . so far, Melissa Sargeant is running for a seat being vacated by Dorothy Wheeler and there's some action on campus . . . but I haven't heard a whole lot more, but I haven't been paying a whole lot of attention either and there is a virtual media blackout at the county and school board levels, making it hard to find news . . . but, at the county level, if you don't like what happened to human services this year, or are concerned about the sheriff's office and the immigration issues, or are passionate about land use (yes, there are some of you out there!) or [insert issue here], you should consider running! It's not as much work as the city council and there are important issues that need to be addressed! School Board info here. County Board info here. Of course, if you are interested, you might want to talk to some folks . . . feel free to call or email me or find someone who you respect or agree with! Candidates needed!

SMALL BUSINESS BUS PASS PROGRAM
Sometimes those crazy Progressive Dane ideas can even be supported by Jenifer Alexander of the Chamber of Commerce . . . for more info to get involved in the program, see here.

STALLED HOTEL
Hmmm, not returning phone calls . . . hard to buy the initial excuses about product not being available given the news of liens being filed against the property.

AIDS QUILT IN MADISON TODAY AND TOMORROW"

Overture Center Main Lobby
201 State Street, Madison, Wisconsin

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
11:00 am - 10:00 pm

Thursday, December 3, 2009
10:00 am - 10:00 pm

The AIDS Memorial Quilt is an expanding memorial to the lives of people lost to HIV/AIDS, created by those who loved them. It is the largest community art project in the world, totaling more than 45,500 individual panels that commemorate more than 91,000 people.

View 21 12'x12' blocks of the captivating quilt in person, brought to Madison in recognition of World AIDS Day (December 1) by the UW Health HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Care Program, with financial support from Becker Law Office, the Wisconsin AIDS/HIV Program and our many generous allies and friends.

JUST A FEW DAYS LEFT . . .
Do some shopping, help the community, get a good deal!

Help Promote Sustainability Statewide and these Community Causes: Dane County TimeBank, WYOU Community Access TV, Community Groundworks at Troy Gardens

PEACE RALLY TODAY
Wednesday, December 2 – March of the Dead & Placing Demands on Sen. Kohls Office Door & Rep. Baldwin’s Office Door.

11:00 AM – Gather at Lisa Link Peace Park, State St., Mad., WI and march to Veterans Park at corner of State St. and the Capitol Square.

We will have a somber March of the Dead to the Capitol Square where we will remember and mourn the dead by reading their stories. Will arrive at the Square at NOON. We will deliver our demands to Senator Kohl’s office at approximately 12:30 to 12:45 and to Congresswoman Baldwin’s office at 1:30 or 1:45 PM, calling on our legislators to refuse to fund the escalation for the wars.

MADISON LOBBIES
Check out what the City of Madison is paying money to lobby on. The question that always bothered me is . . . who decides what we lobby on? In the last few years there has been a minimal effort to involve the council in the decisions, but it mostly is just a report on what has already happened and a request to give input once a year.

YOUR ALDER SAID WHAT?
As a side note to the above issue, check this out, the audio of the meeting is available. It's the last link at the bottom of the links here. It would be sooooooo totally cool if that was made available for every committee meeting. Tho, that would probably scare the bejesus out most elected officials . . . but it also might make them think a little more about what they say. I wonder why this audio is available and if they plan to continue doing it?

CASEY JONES, YOU BETTER WATCH YOUR SPEED
Ticketing for speeding is once again a priority, kinda. There used to be two traffic enforcement teams called TEST teams. I forget when and how it went away, but I remember council members being concerned at the time and we were told to mind our own business . . . I remember thinking that the cops at the time just didn't want to give tickets, they wanted to work on "real crime" because it was more exciting. Glad to see that preventative safety is back on their minds . . . but I'm also bracing myself for that ticket and when I get it, I won't have any good excuses besides I just have a lead foot! But then again, the enforcement is still probably so light, I might never even notice.

WTF?
This is an account of a beating on Halloween weekend, which I don't think we ever heard about:

Because of his injuries, which medical records show also include bulging discs, Miller was unable to complete the fall semester at UW-Parkside, and it is uncertain if he will be able to start a theater job in New York City scheduled to begin in January, he said.

Miller said he told a paramedic, whom he thought was a police officer, that he had just been beaten and could not get up. He said the paramedic told him to get up or he would be taken to detox then pulled him up and took him back to the house of the friend with whom he had been arguing.

Miller said the paramedic asked if he needed an ambulance, and he replied that he had no health insurance. The paramedic then questioned whether he was refusing medical treatment, but Miller did not reply, Miller said.

Amesqua said the paramedic, Gary Schreiber, denied that Miller told him he had been beaten. Miller also had no apparent injuries, she said.

Schreiber told a police detective that Miller refused medical treatment, Amesqua said.

A Fire Department report indicates paramedics responded to "a man sleeping in a alley. We were able to get him up and inside his house."

I'm freaking speechless.
Read more!

Help Paint A Mural!

Help paint a new Willy St mural!

Williamson Street Art Center announces public painting days at Wil - Mar Neighborhood Center.

You are invited to help paint a mural celebrating: “The History of Willy Street in the 70’s – Changing the World through Art”

Join us Sunday July 5 and/or Sunday July 12 at Wil - Mar Neighborhood Center, 957 Jenifer St from 1pm – 5pm

This project celebrates the history of Willy Street in the 70’s, when it was primarily a working class industrial area, a place where artists and social activists found cheap rent and minimal restriction on their artistic and political activity. The story of how Madison’s “skid row” became the “hippest” area in town is the story of community renewal that came about because of the value of the human activity that occurred here. This is the local history of a generation whose hallmark was hope.

This new community mural will be installed on the side of the Social Justice Center, 1202 Williamson St in the fall.

Call Sharon Kilfoy at 658-3736 for more information. Read more!

SJC turns 9, Honors Community Leaders

The Social Justice Center will be celebrating its 9th birthday tonight from 5 - 7 at Olbrich Gardens. Lee Rayburn will be emceeing the event as we honor Stuart & Jackie Macaulay and Leslie McAllister for their contributions to the community. Please join us.

LEGACY AWARD
The Social Justice Center Legacy Award will be presented to Stewart and Jackie Macaulay. Stewart and Jackie (until her death in 2000) were stalwart activists on social justice issues over the last 50 years and steadfast supporters of the organizations and people who have fought for progress on many fronts. Jackie and her daughter Monica participated in a “shop in” at Sears to protest the store’s refusal to hire blacks as clerks. Stewart, Jackie and their children participated in peace marches against the Vietnam War—and worked to keep the protests non-violent. Jackie worked on affirmative action cases starting in the 1970’s and she played a role in the creation of the Women’s Studies Department at UW-Madison. Stewart and Jackie were
frequent hosts of fundraisers for progressive causes and candidates. Stewart was one of the founders of Law & Society Association which focuses on the role of law in
social, political, economic and cultural life and looks at issues of social justice both nationally and globally. After Jackie’s death Stewart supported the creation of the Social Justice Center’s Jackie Macaulay Art Gallery to both recognize Jackie and provide a venue for art with a social justice focus. Whatever the issue, civil rights, affirmative action, support for those marginalized by society, Stewart and Jackie were there, ready to march, support, represent and raise money.

VISIONARY AWARD
Leslie McAllister will be receiving the Social Justice Center Visionary Award for her advocacy for low-income and homeless families. Most recently, Leslie worked as the Coordinator of the Weed and Seed Program in several challenged neighborhoods. Leslie helped people living in those areas organize to advocate for better coordination of services, identify gaps in services and integrate new services into the neighborhood. Earlier she worked for the Interfaith Hospitality Network as a shelter case manager and participated in local coalitions of organizations providing services to the homeless. Leslie has been active in the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Wisconsin Chapter where she has been involved in legislative advocacy at the state level.

PLEASE THANK OUR SPONSORS
JimAdney
Julie Andersen & Steve Greb
Anne Arnesen
Marian Ashman
Frances Bicknell
Mark Borns
Salvador & Susan Carranza
David Carrig
Carol & Peter Carstensen
Roger Chapman
Nan & David Cheney
Carin Clauss
Connie & Bill Clune
TomConrad
Dennis Coyier
Frances Didnell
Nancy & Bob Dott
Katherine Davey & Alan Ramsey
Buzz and Kay Davis
Anuj Desai
Marc Eisen & Connie Kinsella
Joann & Joe Elder
Frank & Dolores Emspak
Rick & Bonnie Fairchild
Drs. Linda & Gene Farley
Cindy Fesemyer & Rob Ferrett
Helen & Cecil Findley
Marc Galanter
Ed & Betty Garvey
Eunice & John Gibson
Mark Giese
Henry & Virginia Hart
Hatheway Hasler
Kathryn Hendley
Helen Hift
Patricia Hitchcock
Nancy Adams Johnson
Don Katz & Rebecca Krantz
Linda Ketcham
Robert Kimbrough
& Phyllis Rose
Paul & Atsuko Kusuda
Stewart Macaulay
Barbara & Don MacCrimmon
Marygold & Joseph Melli
Ellen Moore
Marvin Rabin
Mike & PamRewey
Anne Reynolds & TomLiebl
Juscha Robinson
Matthew Rothschild
Don & Joanne Schalch
Ed & Lynn Schten
Marc Siberman
Arlene Silveira
Chuck & Connie Smalley
Joe & Pauline Thome
Marian & A. Rowland Todd
Deborah & Patrick Turski
Dick & Margy Walker
Sally & Ben Washburn
Katie Wenban
Bill & Lynn Whitford
Marcia & Erik Wright
Dave Zweifel Read more!