Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who visited Gov. Heineman asking him to not "Be a Mean One" and to deny any route that crosses the Ogallala Aquifer. They gave him presents with the following requests:

1)    Pair of Flip Flops: Don't flip flop on protecting the Aquifer, deny the proposed route.

We’re bringing a couple of special friends to tell Governor Heineman, “Don’t be a mean one.” Cindy Lou Who and the Grinch are delivering presents asking Heineman to protect the Aquifer, honor our families’ legacies and turn the route review over to the PSC. You can join them on Chritsmas Eve at Noon at the Governor’s Mansion in Lincoln. Click here for details.

Then, on February 17th, we’ll be joining thousands of pipeline fighters in DC to remind President Obama that we need him to do the right thing for our land, water and health by rejecting the pipeline. We are forming a human pipeline with “oil spill” panels made by you. Click here for details.

President Obama got an invite from 18 US Senators, including Senator Johanns (R-NE), asking him for a meeting to approve the Keystone XL export pipeline. A bunch of us got together and thought if they are asking for a meeting we should too! Folks do lots of meetings in DC, so we also thought we should bring our meeting request up a notch--we are inviting the President to a "Tarsands Free Beer and Beef Summit."

Click here for PDF of the letter sent to President Obama.

The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who will visit Gov. Heineman's mansion on Dec. 24th (1425 H Street, Lincoln) at noon to ask the Governor the following:

1) Don't flip flop on protecting the Aquifer, deny the proposed route.

2) Honor our families legacies who gave their sweat and determination to homestead the land that is now threatened, promise landowners no eminent domain for private gain (or at the very least no eminent domain until/if they get a federal permit).

3) Deny the proposed route so the PSC can assess the route with clear standards and rules that are absent from the current DEQ process (that also has a clear conflict of interest by contractor HDR which does work for TransCanada).

The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who will have gifts that go along with each request.

FOR PRESS: Pictures of the event will be posted on our Flickr page and our Facebook page by 3pm ct on 12/24. Pictures should be credited to Mary Ann Andrei for Bold Nebraska. You can request high res versions by emailing info@boldnebraska.org.

Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

Bold Nebraska and allied groups have been working with landowners and citizens for over two years making sure our voices are heard on the concerns over the pipeline. Our goal is to stop the TransCanada pipeline. If we can't stop it, we want to make sure landowners rights are protected and our water and land are safe.

We have word that TransCanada is misleading landowners telling them "this is your best deal, if you don't sign TODAY we will take you to court using eminent domain and you will get nothing." This is 100% a lie from TransCanada. If you would like free information so that you are fully informed of your options and your rights please contact ben@boldnebraska.org right away or call NEAT at 402-705-8679. 

Last week I went on Huffington Post Live with landowners Julia and Gabe as well as General Anderson for a "boots vs suits" discussion. The host Alicia Menendez asked great questions which spurred the General to explain “Americans should be outraged” by the misinformation TransCanada states in their ads and to landowners. We agree. You can watch the 1/2 hour show below.

Other news developing includes the very tough landowner Mike Bishop in Texas taking on TransCanada as well as the Texas Railroad Commission in court. The Texas Attorney General is trying to throw Bishop’s case out saying he does not have “standing” to bring the case forward. Funny. That is the same thing Nebraska’s Attorney General cited for the citizen case brought against our state on LB 1161.

Read today's news from around the state and country. Each day in the Roundup we cover politics, always with a side of bold humor. We think politics should be fun, informative and encourage us all to take action.

Bold is part of a family called Progress Now that shares resources and ideas on how we can move our states forward on big issues. Today they sent out a resource for parents and educators as communities struggle to explain and make sense of the tragedy in Newtown, CT.

The National Education Association (NEA) wrote a research-based crisis guide as a tool for parents, educators, administrators and school board members to use during this type of tragedy, http://crisisguide.neahin.org/crisisguide.