The Farley Center for Peace, Justice and Sustainability -- a WNPJ member group in Verona -- isn't just working to establish Dane County's only and Wisconsin's second green cemetery. They're planning to use the cemetery income "to fund an innovative farm incubator program ... [that] provides a livelihood to farmers who sell their vegetables, flowers and honey at farmers markets or to small grocery stores in the area. Most of them are immigrants who could never afford to farm on their own," reports the Capital Times.

WNPJ members are well-represented on the opinion pages of Wisconsin newspapers, both online and in print, with letters to the editor on a variety of topics. Here's a recent sampling:

Dave Steffenson: Fix infrastructure, but avoid expansion
Bonnie Block: War is a disaster for us and Afghans
Rev. Don Timmerman: Stop wasting money on the military
Emily Hansen: Colombia’s former president should not be on flotilla inquiry panel
Daniel J. Guilfoil: Nader’s right -- get out of Afghanistan
Susan De Vos: Snow removal should include bus stops
Steve Burns: Rage-aholics need their anti-biker fix

WNPJ member and Community Car founder Sonya Newenhouse has a new eco-friendly venture, kit-built houses with a drastically reduced need for energy. The "NewenHouses" will be sold as kits and feature 16-inch-thick walls filled with cellulose insulation and floors of polished concrete on a deep bed of insulation. All-solar hot water systems will be standard, and the houses will be sized at fraction of the size of the average American home, with a one-bedroom model at only 600 square feet. "We have to start building like this now if we're going to reduce our carbon footprint in the future," says Newenhouse.

From WBEZ, public radio in Chicago, and its After the Wars feature:

The ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have created a new generation of American war veterans. Today, we continue a special series that aims to preserve and share the stories of American war veterans from World War II to today.

After the Wars is a multimedia documentary project that combines photographs and recordings of ten veterans. The goal is to learn how war changed their lives and what their unique experiences can tell us about the country they served.

Today, Dennis Johnson tells his story. Johnson lives in Milwaukee. He's a veteran of Vietnam, who volunteered

What would a state platform for peace and justice look like?

The Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice's work groups and members have a few ideas. Wisconsin National Guard troops wouldn't be sent overseas for illegal wars. State drivers' cards would be available to all, regardless of immigration status, to improve public safety. Wisconsin would boost its energy efficiency and use of clean renewables, while maintaining its restrictions on new nuclear reactors.

In this election year, it's fair to ask candidates where they stand on these important issues. So that's what we did.

The five questions in the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice's first-ever state candidate survey are listed below.

If you want to know your local candidates' answers before you vote, please ask them to fill out our survey.

Register today - for this Oct. 2nd meeting. All welcome. $20/members and $25/non members, which includes speakers, lunch, breakout gorups, business meeting and Peacemaker of the Year Awards. Members will be asked to approve the slate of  2011 Board members as well as the 2011 Budget. Send your name, address, phone, & e-mail to WNPJ, 122 State St. #405A, Madison WI 53703. You may register and pay on-line at http://wnpj.org/Donate-Join or send us your registration by mail.

This event is welcomed by WORT 89.9 fm, Madison's community radio station.

This video from Rethink Afghanistan is a call to action.

Kristen Petrosius (center) at a civil resistance action in Arizona

Kristen Petroshius of the Madison Groundwork anti-racist collective was one of more than 80 people recently arrested in Arizona for engaging in acts of civil resistance against the state's new anti-immigrant racial-profiling law, SB1070. The Phoenix protesters targeted the Fourth Avenue Jail run by Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has led a wave of police repression against immigrants and people of color in the state. In deciding to risk arrest, Kristen had to confront the fears that keep many of us from taking action against injustice, and found inspiration and role models in those who shared her jail cell. Read and comment here...

Madison's Raging Grannies, a volunteer musical group that mixes humor with a political message, will be the winners of  the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice 10th Annual Lifetime Achievement award. 

Peacemakers 2009: Elaine Kinch (Racine), Jannet Arenas (Madison), Jason Moon (Milwaukee), Dartanian Lewis (Milwaukee), Don Hoffman (Wisconsin Rapids), Will Williams (Windsor), and Josh Bartz (Madison).

Peacemakers of the Year for 2009 were honored by the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice at a ceremony Oct. 3rd at the Goodman Community Center in Madison, following the WNPJ's annual fall assembly.....