This week in Iowa organizing…

Written By Katie Bryan

Last week brought more good news on the "people power" front and bad news for Bruce Rastetter. On Monday night, CCI members and residents in Osage celebrated when their city council voted unanimously to file an objection to Summit's proposed CO2 pipeline in Mitchell County.

Thanks to the over 200 Osage residents who signed their names on our petition to city council, and the dozens who took it a step further by personally contacting their council members, talked with their neighbors, and more.

Victories like these are a reminder that relationships with neighbors and your community can be a powerful force for change and everyone has something to contribute to making our communities stronger and vibrant. Because people power is how we win.

More opportunities to build connection and people power below, including our 50th anniversary convention where we'll take time to honor the past and organize for our future.

Onward,

 

Matthew Covington
Strategic Operations Director

Take action

Cancer in Iowa - 2 ways to take action

After being defeated in Iowa, Bayer and other corporate lobbyists have turned to the federal level to try to pass the Cancer Gag Act. They're trying to sneak language into an appropriations bill in the House that would protect pesticide companies from any liability for the harm they do to the health of people who use their products.

One of the next steps is for this bill is to be voted on by the full Appropriations committee which includes Rep. Ashley Hinson (CD-2). Please take a minute to send Rep. Ashley Hinson a message urging her to vote no on any bill that includes the Cancer Gag Act! 

Live in the Council Bluffs area or will be there on July 23rd? Then join Iowa Environmental Council and The Harkin Institute for their "Cancer in Iowa: Pottawattamie County Listening Session." More info can be found here.

July 25 & 26: CCI's 50th Anniversary Convention

Our annual convention is the one time of year when CCIers come together from across our issue campaigns and from across the state to connect and get recharged for the work ahead. 

Click here to register today for this amazing celebration!

Learn more about our speakers and workshops at iowacci.org/CCI50 or call 515-255-0800. We'd love to see you there!

Volunteers needed - Are you unable to attend CCI's 50th convention but want to participate in some way? Are you looking for some community and connection to boost your energy? Then join us Wednesday, July 23 at the CCI office between 10am - 3pm to help prepare materials for our 2-day event! Give us a call at 515-255-0800 if you're able to help out!

July 30: The big betrayal and how we fight forward livestream

The big, bad, terrible bill recently signed into law by Trump gave billionaires a $300,000 tax break—while slashing Medicaid, housing, and food aid.

On July 30, join organizers, impacted people, and movement leaders for a livestream that breaks down the truth behind the Big Ugly Bill—and lays out the path to fight back. More info and RSVP to join here!

August 4: Good Trouble Lives On day of action

Join representatives from The Harkin Institute for a presentation of findings from the Central Iowa Source Water Research Assessment (CISWRA) report—a groundbreaking scientific study that provides the most comprehensive analysis of water quality in the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers to date.

This event will feature a panel of scientists who were directly involved in creating the 227-page assessment, and provide an opportunity for residents of Polk County to get the information firsthand and to share their reactions. Event will be August 4 at 6pm on the Drake campus, info and RSVP here.

August 5: Let's get "back to school" ready

Thanks to your signatures, our Public School Strong school board resolution petition to win full funding for public schools and rein in private school vouchers is gaining momentum! We are poised to get funding resolutions on school board agendas this fall but we need your help, voices, and ideas!

Join us Tues, Aug 5 at 6:30 pm on zoom to hear exciting updates from leaders across the state, share strategies and timelines for the work, and more. Register to join us here!

Water Talk

Opportunities to learn more about water in Iowa - July 22 & 31

There is a tour of the Central Iowa Water Works facility in Des Moines tomorrow morning, July 22, at 9:00am. A couple of spots opened due to cancellations over the weekend. If you are you interested in joining, please click here for information and registration.

The water testing crew meets on the last Thursday of the month. Click here to get registered for our next monthly Zoom on Thursday, July 31 at 5pm. Our guest speaker will be Matt Russell - a fifth-generation farmer and the Interim Executive Director at the Iowa Farmer's Union. Matt co-owns and operates Coyote Run Farm in Lacona, Iowa. Hope you can join us to hear a farmer’s perspective.

Join CCI’s Citizen Science – click here for more info and to order a Nitrate Watch test kit

Resources:

Articles of Interest

What We're Reading

These are a few links that are informing our work - we've shared them so that you can read, too!

  • Funding, AEA switch, ESAs: 3 damaging winds batter Iowa public schools [Des Moines Register]

  • How Texas bullied big banks into dropping their climate commitments [Rolling Stone]

  • Names make it tough to ignore human impact of news [Bleeding Heartland]

  • Republicans' food aid cuts will hit grocers in many towns that backed Trump [Politico]

  • Solving fake problems leaves no time to clean up Iowa's water [Cedar Rapids Gazette]

Katie Bryan
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This week in Iowa organizing…