May 27 Planning Meeting for the Tar Sands Solidarity Journey & Healing Walk

Palouse Environmental Sustainability Coalition (PESC), Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT), and 350 Boise invite community members to participate in the third Tar Sands Solidarity Journey during the last week of June 2014, to and from the fifth and final, annual Athabasca region Tar Sands Healing Walk on Friday through Sunday, June 27 to 29, near Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta [1-4].  The Idaho-based groups are coordinating carpools and caravans to Canada, to converge for ceremonies and workshops and to walk in solidarity with First Nations and Metis elders, indigenous residents, grassroots allies, anti-tar sands activists, and journalists from across the continent and world, at this hundreds-strong gathering.

Event coordinators enthusiastically encourage involvement in the solidarity journey, healing walk, and a local planning meeting at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, May 27, at Maialina Pizzeria, 602 South Main Street in Moscow.  Organizers welcome ideas for and co-leadership of actions in the Northwest concurrent with the healing walk, such as Native drum circles, round dances, or other demonstrations of solidarity.  After the Tuesday meeting, join local citizens at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center (508 South Main Street in Moscow) for the free, public, 7 pm screening of the weekly, climate change, television series Years of Living Dangerously.

For further information about the Tar Sands Solidarity Journey and Healing Walk, please view the linked websites, videos, photos, and articles.  Contact Pat Fuerst of PESC at 509-339-5213 and epfuerst@frontier.com and/or Helen Yost of WIRT at 208-301-8039 and wild.idaho.rising.tide@gmail.com and/or James Blakely of 350 Boise at 208-384-1023 and james.blakely@sierraclub.org, with your questions, suggestions, comments, and RSVPs.

Tar Sands Healing Walk & Solidarity Journey Background Continue reading →

WIRT activists, friends, and supporters,

Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) extends our gratitude to everyone who so effectively and passionately organized and participated in our successful Third Annual Celebration and Benefit Concert on Saturday evening, March 29, at the 1912 Center in Moscow. We heartily thank Jeanne McHale, who coordinated musical performers and circulated event flyers in Moscow and Pullman; Erik Jacobson, who created and revised beautiful posters for the occasion; Rob Briggs and Alan Solan, who served as bartenders; Ellen Roskovich, who hauled event materials and washed dishes; and several volunteers who diligently prepared tablecloths and napkins, provided potluck food, cleared tables and chairs, and assisted other arrangements. We greatly appreciate the talented musicians who exuberantly offered all of us an inspiring night of music: the Moscow Volunteer Peace Band, Matti Sand and John Fershee, Zack Degler and Bill Tracy of Mother Yeti, and Henry C and the Willards bandmates Terri Grzebielski, Donna Holmes, Jeanne McHale, Doug Park, Nels Peterson, and Henry Willard. We especially thank the Wine Company of Moscow for donating beer, wine, and a liquor service permit, and these 17 Moscow and Pullman businesses, which generously provided silent auction items together valued at $500.

B&L Bicycles: A bicycle pump

BookPeople of Moscow: A birthday party with pizza, cake, a movie, and reading

Brused Books: One gift certificate

Cowgirl Chocolates: Six assorted chocolate bars

Deadbeat Records: One gift certificate

Glassphemy: Four pairs of decorative Sock It To Me socks

Howard Hughes Video: Two movie rental gift certificates

Hyperspud Sports: A one-watt Luxeon LED flashlight

Maria Maggi: Four hand-painted watercolor greeting cards

Nectar: Dinner for two with an appetizer and two salads, entrees, and dessert

One World Café: Organic Landgrove coffee

Paradise Creek Bicycles: A Camelbak water bottle and a bike tune/rentals coupon

Paradise Creek Brewery: A beer growler, glass, and gift certificate

Patty’s Mexican Kitchen: Two gift certificates

Rico’s Pub: Two gift certificates

RicoShay: A hand-carved, wooden hand statue/cell phone holder

Tye Dye Everything: A tye-dye shirt Continue reading →

Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) and allies invite concerned regional citizens to attend four tar sands megaload/pipeline-oriented events planned for this week, between April 2 and 6.  On the evenings of Wednesday, April 2, and Friday, April 4, community organizers with offer presentations and inter-community discussions among Sandpoint and Plummer residents, Coeur d’Alene and Kalispel tribal members, and Moscow climate activists about the three heaviest, longest, and widest megaloads to ever travel on U.S. Highway 95 and either Idaho Highway 200 or Interstate 90 and East Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive, hauled by Mammoet USA South.**  On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, April 5 and 6, we will provide condensed workshops sharing non-violent direct action skills with people eager to learn about and confront these transports and/or who have signed the Keystone XL Pledge of Resistance.  These convergences could feature a regional issue slide show, documentary screening, and/or action-planning conversations, depending on participant interests.

Citizen, Tribal, & Climate Activists Gatherings about Mammoet Megaloads

* Wednesday, April 2, 5:30 to 7:30 pm: East Bonner County Sandpoint Library Rooms 103 & 104, 1407 Cedar Street, Sandpoint, Idaho

* Friday, April 4, 5:30 to 7:30 pm: Benewah Wellness Center Conference Room B, 1100 A Street, Plummer, Idaho

Direct Action Training Sessions for Mammoet Megaloads/Keystone XL Pipeline

* Saturday, April 5, 12 noon to 4 pm: Coeur d’Alene Library Community Room, 702 East Front Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

* Sunday, April 6, 12 noon to 4 pm: The Attic, up the back stairs of 314 East Second Street, Moscow, Idaho Continue reading →