Author Archives: WIRT

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About WIRT

The WIRT collective is part of an international, grassroots network of groups and individuals who take direct action to confront the root causes of climate change and to promote local, community-based solutions to the climate crisis.

Sentencing Hearing of March 4 Megaload Blockaders

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On Friday, April 6, at 1:00 pm, Cass Davis and Jim Prall will offer statements that describe their reasons for protesting and blocking three transports of tar sands processing equipment that traversed Moscow, Idaho, late on Sunday evening, March 4, 2012.  Idaho state and Moscow city police arrested, jailed, and charged Cass and Jim for disturbing the peace at the intersection of Fourth and Washington streets.  Represented by Dana Johnson of the Northern Rockies Justice Center, both defendants have pled guilty to their misdemeanors and will personally present their motives during their sentencing hearing before Judge John Judge in the Latah County Courthouse.  The officially recorded session is open to the public and reporters, but normal courtroom policy disallows recording devices such as cameras and camcorders.  Please join community members and friends at 1:00 pm on Friday afternoon for this hearing at 522 South Adams Street in Moscow. Continue reading →

Spokane Democracy School

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Please do not miss the Spokane Democracy School on Friday evening, April 6, and Saturday, April 7, described in the following message from Kai Huschke, who taught the Moscow Democracy School Workshop on March 23 and 24.  A video and website of its Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund instructors also reveal the crucial value of these sessions that empower citizens to institute their rights over corporate privilege.  Several Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) activists who participated in the Moscow workshop and are preparing to launch a Latah County community bill of rights will carpool to Spokane for the weekend training, departing Moscow on Friday, April 6, at 3 pm or earlier.  If you plan to attend the Spokane Democracy School, please contact Kai at kai@celdf.org, to reserve your spot, and WIRT at wild.idaho.rising.tide@gmail.com or 208-301-8039, to arrange Moscow carpools and Spokane lodging.  (Also listen to Kai on the March 29 and upcoming podcast of Democracy Matters. Continue reading →

Climate Justice Forum: Alma Hasse & Tina Fisher 4-2-12

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On the Monday evening, April 2, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted online and on-the-air by Wild Idaho Rising Tide organizers between 7:30 and 9 pm Pacific time, we talked again with anti-fracking activists Alma Hasse and Tina Fisher of Payette County, Idaho.  They discussed resident initiatives to counter emerging natural gas exploitation recently facilitated by industry bills and state rules enacted by the Idaho legislature and governor.  Alma also described the conflicts of interest and disregard of constituents’ concerns among myriad state legislators, agency personnel, and county officials.  Listen to an excerpt of our conversation, Little Regulation of Payette County Fracking Near Homes Expected, between 20:50 and 13:29 on the Tuesday, April 3, KRFP Radio Free Moscow Evening Report, Climate Change.  WIRT intends to edit the sound quality of all of the Climate Justice Forums and post links to each broadcast on our website.

Everybody’s Mama’s Got the Blues (First Annual Celebration of WIRT)

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Sharon Cousins introduced and performed her song, Everybody’s Mama’s Got the Blues, at the First Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT), a group of eco-activists centered in Moscow, Idaho.  WIRT confronts the root causes of climate change through direct actions such as demonstrations against tar sands megaloads.  Jeanne McHale, Joshua Yeidel, and Fritz Knorr accompanied Sharon for this rendition videographed by Liz Foster.  To view the lyrics or record this copyrighted music, please see Everybody’s Mama’s Got The Blues.

(Link provided by Joshua Yeidel)

First Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide 3-31-12

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Participants gathered near the Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) outreach display inside the 1912 Center Great Room entrance on a rainy Saturday evening in Moscow (Tom Hansen photo).

Jeanne McHale opened the musical entertainment for the First Annual Celebration of WIRT, with original, politically charged songs about corporate and government malfeasance and environmental mayhem (Tom Hansen photo).

WIRT volunteers shared and served beer and wine as First Annual Celebration guests arrived and mingled (Tom Hansen photo).

First Annual Celebration revelers exchanged stories and smiles as the festivities commenced (Tom Hansen photo).

Jeanne McHale played galvanizing dinner music for WIRT celebration attendees, while volunteers launched a slide show of our first year in pictures (Tom Hansen photo).

 

The Threat Level Purple singers joined Jeanne McHale in serenading First Annual Celebration participants (Tom Hansen photo).

As the 1912 Center Great Room slowly filled with party-goers, activists and supporters enjoyed a potluck dinner provided by participants (Tom Hansen photo).

Our conservation allies from around the north central Idaho region joined WIRT stalwarts in celebrating our resistance to dirty energy invasions (Tom Hansen photo).

Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney attended the First Annual Celebration of WIRT and offered her gratitude and congratulations for our activism in a speech (Tom Hansen photo).

Between musical performances, First Annual Celebration participants filled their plates, glasses, and hearts among friends (Tom Hansen photo).

Wild Idaho Rising Tide presented Cass Davis (left) and Jim Prall (right) with commemorative T-shirts honoring their megaload blockade bravery (Tom Hansen photo).

Sharon Cousins (left) and Joshua Yeidel (right) graced the stage during intermission with a single blues song accompanied by Jeanne McHale and Fritz Knorr (Tom Hansen photo).

WIRT organizer Sharon Cousins belted out "Everybody's Mama's Got the Blues" at the First Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide (Tom Hansen photo).

Joshua Yeidel played back-up guitar and vocals for the tune "Everybody's Mama's Got the Blues" sung by Sharon Cousins on Saturday night (Tom Hansen photo).

After recognitions and speeches and before the raffle drawing and Corn Mash's two sets of raucous music, WIRT leaders provided a musical interlude at their First Annual Celebration (Tom Hansen photo).

Jeanne McHale Music & WIRT Awards (First Annual Celebration of WIRT)

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Videos shot by Tom Hansen of Moscow Cares at the 1912 Center Great Room

during the First Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT)

on March 31, 2012

When the Saints Go Marching In

Too Many Cars

Little Baby Moon

Threat Level Purple

The Idaho Department of Imperial Oil Transportation (I.D.I.O.T.)

Turn This Country Around

So Now You Know

Award of WIRT Tar Sands Megaloads Protests T-Shirts

First Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide

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Please print on spring-colored paper and post liberally...

All are welcome at the First Annual Celebration of Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT), a Moscow group whose exuberant activism confronts the root causes of climate change.  On Saturday, March 31, WIRT’s one-year anniversary, revel in a benefit concert by Jeanne McHale and Corn Mash along with a potluck, beer and wine, and a slide show and videos to savor successes.  Participate in a parade through downtown with the Moscow Volunteer Peace Band, gathering by 7 pm in Friendship Square and joining the festivities at the 1912 Center Great Room at 412 East Third Street in Moscow, Idaho.  For $5 or greater voluntary admission/raffle donations, enjoy home-cooked food and no-host drinks provided by community members and businesses from 7 pm until midnight, politically-charged music by Jeanne McHale and friends between 7:30 and 8:30 pm, and the invigorating, danceable songs of Corn Mash from 9 pm to midnight.  For further information or to offer event support, contact wild.idaho.rising.tide@gmail.com or 208-301-8039.

Thanks to a member’s donation of 40 off-white, large T-shirts, WIRT will offer the displayed limited edition, collectors’ item design at our First Annual Celebration on Saturday, March 31.  We have reserved complimentary shirts for each of the 12 arrestees and the rest for purchase by Moscow area protesters, to be worn as honorable badges of intense, shared courage and history.  After vigilant activists deservedly receive the originals, we may print a second batch of megaload protest or organizational logo T-shirts, so please contact WIRT soon to request some of these $20 shirts.

Port of Lewiston Expansion Comments due Friday Night

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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) extended the deadline until March 30, 2012, for public comments about the environmental assessment (EA) and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) analyses of the proposed Port of Lewiston Dock Expansion and Storage Area Development.  This project specifically aims to accommodate larger cargo on a regular basis, like the Alberta tar sands megaloads that have invaded and damaged Highway 95, Moscow streets, and Highway 12 through the Wild and Scenic Lochsa-Clearwater river corridor.  Together, north central Idahoans have prevented and protested these transports on our roads; let’s flood the Walla Walla Corps offices with letters of continuing resistance and block megaloads in Idaho at their point of arrival.  Please write a few paragraphs to Corps officials, urging decision makers to choose the “No Action” Alternative 1 before midnight on Friday evening.  Ask your friends, co-workers, and family members to pen their opinions, too.  For suggestions of key points to include in your letter to the Corps, please peruse WIRT’s formal July 22 Port of Lewiston Permit Application Comments and consider the following arguments suggested by Fighting Goliath and Friends of the Clearwater.  Also see the Port of Lewiston category on the WIRT website for a recent project summary and government document links, additional talking points, and related news articles. Continue reading →

Climate Justice Forum: Dirty Energy Activists 3-26-12

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The Monday, March 26, Climate Justice Forum radio program hosted by Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) will feature local activists talking about Moscow and Spokane Democracy Schools led by the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, resulting initiatives, and YOUR insights on dirty energy resistance in Moscow and beyond.  Please call 208-892-9200 between 7:30 and 9:00 pm PDT, as we also cover news about recent tar sands protests in Cushing, Oklahoma, and Vancouver, British Columbia, and upcoming actions in Spokane, Helena, and elsewhere.  Listen to the show online at KRFP Radio Free Moscow or at 92.5 FM and adopt WIRT as your KRFP DJ!

Controversial Oil/Gas Drilling Bill, HB 464, Signed into Law

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Here’s a news item from the Associated Press: BOISE, Idaho ― Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter signed the bill restricting local control over the natural gas industry, putting the finishing touches to a measure that launched the Senate’s ethics investigation into Senator Monty Pearce.  The law, HB 464, went into effect Friday, forbidding local governments from enacting ordinances to prohibit gas drilling.  From now on, Idaho cities and counties can’t require exploration companies to secure conditional use permits for their projects.  Though the bill cleared the House and Senate on wide margins, it created a sensation in the 2012 Legislature when Democrats accused Pearce of not disclosing a conflict of interest.  Pearce has leased land to Snake River Oil and Gas, the company behind the bill.  He didn’t disclose his leases publicly until the final vote.  Wednesday, the Senate Ethics Committee dismissed the complaint.

(By Betsy Russell, Eye on Boise, The Spokesman Review)