LWVOC Blow By Blow Blog

The Outlook for Sustainability: Fishing in Florida's Waters and Beyond

 

Charley Williams, LWVOC Past President, interviews Cinthia Sandoval, Marketing Director, Wild Ocean Seafood Market, Titusville, FL - at community forum, Urban ReThink, downtown Orlando, May, 2011
 

First, how far out does the State of Florida control its waters for fishing?
United States control?

The state of Florida regulates fishing within the state and 3 miles off the coastline but federally regulated waters reach farther out (3miles to 200 miles). The United States Exclusive Economic Zone (via the Law of the High Seas Convention) is 200 miles from our coast, which gives us sole exploitation rights over that area. We can fish in international waters, but catch limits and regulations still apply to the fish that are brought back into the country. (On the west coast of Florida it’s 9 miles out for the state.)

How is Florida's fish population doing? Are we practicing sustainable catches? Are any species at crisis stage?

Depending on the species. Healthy would include Mullet, Sheepshead, Whiting, Spots, Bluefish, Cobia, Tilefish, Golden Crab, Canaveral White Shrimp, etc. Now, this is what we are seeing as a fish house. NOAA places Black Sea Bass, Pink Shrimp, Red Grouper, Red Porgy and Red Snapper as five of the most overfished species in the Southeast Atlantic. Mind you Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina are included within the Southeast Atlantic (North Carolina being a big harvester of Black Sea Bass and Red Porgies) so it does not necessarily mean this is happening in Florida. There is no doubting that Grouper in general is overfished in Florida and that is why last year they placed a Spawning ban from Jan.1 to April 31. I would say that Swordfish is also on that list.


We now know that many countries such Japan, China, Italy and less developed countries exceed the fishing limits set by international authorities. When we go to a restaurant, how do we know where the fish is coming from?

You never really know unless you ask and even then you can’t be sure. According to FDA reports from 2008, 80 percent of the seafood Americans eat is imported and I would say that most Florida restaurants sell a frozen product that comes from a box and they should be able to see the origin on the box (it’s the law). When it comes to shrimp, only 10 percent of shrimp sold within the USA is wild (mostly from Mexico), the rest is mostly farm-raised. Most Tunas come from Asian Countries where they are processed, CO2 treated, frozen and shipped out. A lot of fresh fish comes from Central and South America with a little bit coming from Africa.

It’s easier to know with the smaller restaurants, usually the higher end ones that market their sustainable fish menu know where their fish comes from. I would honestly stay away from seafood in the corporate restaurants and I even rarely order seafood out, I stay home and cook it because I know exactly where it is coming from.

What are the key questions to ask of restaurant ownership? Should they post their policy on their website? Is this a growing trend?

Where is your fish coming from? Who is your source? If a restaurant is serving a local, sustainable product, there is no doubt they will try to market it.

“What kind of steps are you taking in sourcing seafood from sustainable fisheries?” “Do you buy local fish?” “What kind of seafood do you serve? (just the predatory fish or smaller, sustainable fish), etc." They should post their policy. I think the growing trend for corporate entities is to pair up with organizations that certify sustainable fisheries (MSC, fishwise, Monteray Bay, Greenpeace, Cleanfish, etc) and get their approval/logo. Smaller, high-end restaurants are seeking more local seafood and some really adventurous ones are even using undesirable, sustainable fish on their menus (ex. Mullet). Mind you, since most of these businesses aren’t sourcing directly through the fishermen, even they can’t be 100 percent sure where it is coming from but hopefully they are dealing with fish houses that have trip tickets to prove the origin of their fish.

What report card grade should be given to Florida-based corporations like
Publix and Darden for their efforts to promote sustainable seafood catches/product?

I can tell you the Publix has yet to instill a sustainable seafood policy, and I rarely see any local product in their case. They are number 17 on Greenpeace’s redlist:  http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/Global/usa/planet3/PDFs/oceans/CATO_V_FINAL-scorecard.pdf. Now don’t get me wrong, there are several points I disagree with when it comes to Greenpeace, but comparatively, Publix is neither leading or following what seems to be the industry’s new standards. Like I said before, I am very surprised they haven’t jumped on the ball with this issue. Darden seems to have a new website listing their sustainability efforts: http://www.generationcommitment.com/.
 

Looking at the worldwide stage, is public opinion turning to make a difference in
salvaging declining fish populations? Or are we just beginning? What can we as
Floridians do to help?

There is no doubt we are just beginning. I think with documentaries such as “end of the line” people are starting to pay attention. There are 3 big things I tell consumers to do when buying seafood:

1.     Eat mostly from the lower Trophic levels (shellfish, mollusks, small, non-predatory fish)

2.     2. Diversify your pallet and be adventurous (we can’t keep eating only the same fish over and over again because something will have to give)

3.     3. Always ask where your seafood comes from and really steer clear of restaurants that do not buy locally or have a sustainable seafood policy (but more importantly that don’t buy local).

4.     If you want to be further informed, go on the NOAA website and look up their fishwatch section. There is a lot of information that you can sift through.

On a 1-10 scale, how well regulated is Florida fishing? United States in general?

Personally, I would say a 7 for Florida and a 6 for the United States and this is specific to the amount and intensity of regulations placed on fishermen, not necessarily on how well-managed the fisheries are.
A lot of species in the Northeast are mismanaged (especially the Cod) but there are steps in place to get back to stable populations.

They say that long-line fishing, conducted over a single year, could wrap around the
earth 550 fimes. Where is this decimating practice being conducted?

I can’t speak to that figure but long lining is a fishing method practiced all over the world including the United States. Long-lining itself isn’t the most horrid of fishing methods, it’s just the excess at which its practiced. The biggest issue with long-lining is the unintentional bycatch that is associated with it and how incredibly effective it is to catch a lot of fish. Ideally you want very few boats with this type of gear, very few species that can be caught with this gear and a lot of closures throughout the year.... But you don’t see that happening around the world. I can go into a whole 5 page answer about longlining (both good and bad), we will leave this for another day.
Here is a link to USA regulations for Highly Migratory Fish (Tuna, Sword, Shark, etc), over 35 pages of regulations... Just to let you know.
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/Compliance_Guide/Comm/Comm_Compliance_Guide_Total.pdf

 

PEW Center on the States.org summary: Florida Election Law

by M. Mindy Moretti

 

Florida counties brace for impact of new election-reform law

League of Women Voters considers litigation, vows to stop registrations

 

Following the disastrous 2000 election and the implementation of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), elections supervisors in the state of Florida have been faced with a host of election administration rules and regulation changes every election cycle and 2012 appears like it will be no different.

Today, Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed sweeping election-reform legislation that will decrease the length of time for early voting, create more reasons to cast a provisional ballot and will alter how third-party registrations are conducted.

“As a Supervisor of Elections in Florida, I had secretly hoped that there would be little to no legislation introduced this year that would have a major impact on elections and election administration,” said Linda Harrington, Lee County supervisor of elections.  “We have been dealing with major changes to our election processes and equipment on both the federal and state level since 2002 when the Help America Vote Act was enacted.  I don’t think any of us anticipated the enormity of these legislative changes to the Election Code.”

The legislation was controversial from the beginning because it was introduced late in the session and the debate was highly charged politically. The House version of the legislation (HB1355) was approved 77-38 along party lines while the Senate voted 25-13 with two Republicans breaking ranks to vote against the legislation.

"I want people to vote, but I also want to make sure there's no fraud involved in elections," Scott said at the time of the signing. "All of us as individuals that vote want to make sure that our elections are fair and honest."

Although the bill was highly partisan in nature, David Stafford, supervisor of elections for Escambia County did point out that it did include some provisions put forward by the Division of Elections and supervisors of elections. Still, Stafford and many members of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections were opposed to the legislation as a whole and not only testified against it, but also tried to work with their local electeds.

“I appeared before the legislature several times on behalf of our state association (FSASE) during consideration of a variety of election law changes,” said Stafford.  “We spoke out against specific provisions, several of which unfortunately were included in the final bill.  Among those were:  changes to early voting, forcing certain voters who change their address on election day to vote provisionally, enhanced powers granted to the appointed Secretary of State over the independently-elected supervisors of elections, changes to how constitutional amendments may appear on the ballot, and new and enhanced reporting requirements, to name a few.”

Provisional Ballots
One of the biggest concerns facing many elections supervisors is the increased number of provisional ballots this legislation will create. The legislation will require voters who have moved from one county to another within Florida to use a provisional ballot instead of a regular ballot if they want to update their name and address at the polling place.

“This is a procedural change that will affect instructions given to poll workers during their required training classes, which means that the instructional manuals we use for these classes will have to be redone,” said Harrington, “Each provisional ballot must be verified for eligibility of the voter manually and must be done within a very short period of time so that those ballots that are eligible can be included in the certification of results.”

Because of that, staff may have to work overtime to complete the verification process in a timely manner.   Increasing the usage of provisional ballots will increase costs because of the special envelopes required to provide elections supervisors with the information they need to verify each ballot and printed instructions given to the voters on how they can find out if their ballot was verified and accepted. 

Early Voting
Although Florida isn’t the only state seeking to decrease the time provided for voters to cast a ballot early, elections supervisors are concerned about the impact the decreased time and flexibility of time will have on voters.

Under the legislation, early voting will begin 10 days prior to each federal and state election and will last for eight days. Supervisors have the option of offering it for six to 12 hours per day.

“I can see issues and confusion if the county my north and the county to my south offer different hours than Sarasota,” said Kathy Dent, supervisor of elections for Sarasota County. “Especially in multi-county or state races.”

Although early voting times will change for all state and federal elections (primary and general) Dent said that the greatest impact will be on the general elections, noting that in 2008 and 2010 her county had lines for early voting even with two full weeks of time. In Lee County, Harrington said 66,000 residents voted early in 2008 with long lines at all five of the early voting sites.

“The decrease in the number of days we will be able to offer early voting next year, coupled with the increase in its popularity places us in a difficult position of trying to accommodate a large segment of the registered voters in a shorter span of time,” Harrington said.

Dent and Harrington said that keeping their offices open to accommodate more people in fewer hours will put a strain on their budgets for additional personnel costs, overtime and fees for facilities and equipment.

According to Stafford, one reform elections supervisors have advocated consistently, to no avail, is greater flexibility in the types of locations they can utilize for early voting.  Current law restricts early voting to elections offices, city halls, and public libraries.

Third-Party Registrations
The bill would require third-party groups such as the League of Women Voters, that sign-up new voters to register with the state, file regular reports and turn-in completed voter registration forms within 48 hours or face fines of $50 for each late form. The Florida League of Women Voters has said that it will cease registering voters should Scott sign the legislation.

“It’s because of the red-tape and the punitive restrictions that have been put in place,” Deidre Macnab, president of the FLWV said in a statement. “That, very candidly, we felt were designed not to control it as much as to suppress voter registration and to entrap groups and individuals.”

The League has an online petition opposing the legislation and calling on Scott not to sign it. To-date more than 15,000 residents have signed the petition. The League has also not ruled out the possibility of litigation to stop the legislation.

“We will indeed be exploring and investigating litigation which is the last route we wanted to take that ends up utilizing taxpayer money,” Macnab said.

The supervisors of elections that electionlineWeekly spoke with were uncertain exactly the third-party registration provision and the League’s threat to stop registering voters would impact their offices because many of their registrations come the department of motor vehicles.

Stafford did note that his county does see a spike in third-party registrations closer to elections — especially presidential elections — and that could potentially present added work during an already busy time.

Primaries
The legislation creates a committee of 10 people that has until October 1 of this year to select the date of the presidential preference primary for 2012. There has been a lot of discussion about Florida giving New Hampshire a run for its “first-in-the-nation” money and that has supervisors in the Sunshine state concerned about how they are going to pull this off.

“The primary could be anywhere from the first Tuesday in January [Jan. 3, 2012] to the first Tuesday in March [March 6, 2011],” Dent said. “This creates issues for the 67 supervisors in planning, especially for poll workers and polling locations.”

Dent also noted that the legislation moves the state’s primary from August 28 to August 14 which would mean that UOCAVA ballots must be mailed no later than July 1.

“Our candidate qualifying ends June 22. This leaves eight days to finalize the ballot, get it to the printer, proof and test, and get ready to mail,” Dent said. “It could be crunch time.”

Despite all the hurdles presented by the new legislation, elections supervisors seemed confident that some way they will make it all work.

“The simple fact is we provide the service according to the laws established.  If poor performance occurs it is either a bad law requirement or poor planning to the change requirements meeting the new law,” said Mark Andersen, Bay County supervisor of elections. “Somehow election supervisors always find away to meet the challenges.”

Democracy Under Fire

Speech opposing the Elections Bill approved by the Florida Legislature given by LWVOC President Ann Hellmuth at a rally in Orlando on May 10, 2011.

We VOTERS and all citizens of Florida are under attack - not from an outside enemy, but from many of our own State Legislators!!  These elected representatives, entrusted with our welfare, have passed bills that severely undermine our state election laws and your voting access.

 

It is time for us to act before the shadow of Jim Crow re-emerges in Florida.

 

We call on Gov. Rick Scott to veto the Anti-Voter Bill - aka HB1355.

 

As president of the League of Women Voters for Orange County. I would like to emphasize that the League is a non-partisan political organization, and the mission is to promote political responsibility through informed and active participation in government.

And while the League may hold positions on various issues, the League never supports or opposes any candidate or political party.

 

But for more than 70 years, the Florida League has been involved in voter education and voter registration drives.

 

However, if the Anti-Voter Bill becomes law, the League will cease voter registration efforts throughout the state. For while the League remains committed to empowering an active and informed citizenry, it will not place its thousands of volunteers at risk of financial and civil penalties that could be inflicted under this bill.

 

Nothing reflects this Legislature's disregard for the electorate as much as its effort to suppress voting by shrinking the window for early voting from two weeks to 8 days and embracing other limits that discriminate against young voters, minorities and the poor.

 

Voters seeking to notify the supervisor of elections at the poll on election day of an address change can be forced to vote on a provisional ballot — which is far less likely to actually be counted. And groups like the League of Women Voters seeking to register voters or collect signatures for constitutional amendments will face onerous and unnecessary regulation and fines. The time groups have to return registration forms would shrink from 10 days to TWO days. Workers returning late registrations would face stiff fines.

 

Instead of making access easier, the majority of Florida lawmakers were intent on making it more difficult to vote. Instead of removing barriers, they are erecting them. Instead of moving forward, they have taken a step back.

 

Sen. David Simmons of Apopka, said it was an excellent bill.

 

But Orange County Elections Supervisor Bill Cowles and Seminole County Elections Supervisor Mike Ertel have said there isn’t a fraud problem tied to updating addresses at the polls. And the Secretary of State reported that his office received zero notifications of voter fraud in 2010.

 

That's right - zero.

 

For the sake of our state and future generations, we must fight to keep the doors of the pollings stations open for all those qualified to vote. That's why the League is collecting signatures for a petition calling on the Governor to veto HB1355.

 

Please sign before you leave today.

 

For if Scott signs the bill, then to quote the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, Florida will rise to the head of the class when it comes to penalizing civic engagement.

 

Make no mistake about it - democracy is under fire and in retreat. We must fight to save it...

 

The League will not suffer in silence until the next election, nor should you!  We will be speaking EVERYWHERE on the importance of voting, asking everyone we meet to register and vote, to learn about what the candidates who ask for our vote REALLY believe, to ask candidates the hard questions and remind them WE WILL HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

 

 VOTER REPRESSION can work only if we let it. Do not let down on your passion, your enthusiasm and your belief in DEMOCRACY!  Ramp up your friends, engage others in this fight--make no mistake, this is a FIGHT!  The League of Women Voters has been fighting for over 90 years for what Superman called "Truth, Justice and the American Way!"  Our Legislators have given us high-octane fuel to fire up the battle for our rights as citizens.

Florida Compact guides immigration discussion

Over 150 concerned Central Floridians gathered in the St. Margaret Mary Church hall in Winter Park on May 4, 2011 to celebrate the FLORIDA COMPACT document. Being once an immigrant from Ireland, Pastor  Rev. Richard Walsh welcomed the group and stated his support for justice for the immigrant families. Rev. Russell Meyer, from the Florida Council of Churches, remarked that "Florida has a lot of problems.   Politicians are using immigrants as scapegoats to distract our attention from the problems that they have created."  He also stated that "the history of humankind is one of immigration, as peoples move across the planet in search of a better life, reflected in many stories in the Bible.  Rev. Terry Niziolek, from Good Shepherd Church/Catholic Diocese of Orlando, gave a faith reflection and quoted many passages in the New and Old Testament.

The Florida Compact articulates five principles to guide Florida’s immigration discussion. The five principles speak to the need for federal solutions to immigration policy, the need to have law enforcement focusing on criminal activities, the commitment to policies that support strong families, the desire to have immigration policies that create a favorable economic environment that encourages international tourism, and the importance of a humane approach to immigration in a free society. You can read (and sign) the document at www.floridacompact.com.

Several members of the LWVOC Immigration Committee, including Lynn Paredes, Sister Teresa McElwee, Elizabeth Garcia, Nancy Rudner Lugo, Kyle Miller, and Jeannine Walsh attended.  Many of the immigrants wore colorful masks symbolic of the need to not show oneself in an environment of fear for those who may be “suspected” of being undocumented.  As Reverend Meyer said, they among us who look different are at highest risk of interrogation for legal papers.  Dr. Rudner Lugo spoke of the core principles of the League and its positions, including the need for a clear path to citizenship, accountability of elected officials, appropriate use of resources, sound economic policies, and educational opportunities - values that are expressed in the Florida Compact.

One of the LWVOC’s most active committees, the Immigration Committee has been staying on top of the rapidly changing legislative front. In the 60 day session, several bills relating to immigration have surfaced.  Requiring electronic verification of immigration status through an underdeveloped system known as E-Verify was hotly opposed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and immigration rights groups.  Adding another barrier to employment in a fragile economy, e-Verify’s errors could slow down a business by blocking the hiring of qualified personnel every time the e-Verify system misidentifies someone’s legal status.  As of May 4, the Florida legislature had voted to require e-Verify to be used by state organizations hiring employees and to be a voluntary option in the private sector.

The group left the hall with enthusiasm and commitment to continue to work together to fight for justice. As one member said, “Thank you again for all your support and for never giving up. I am grateful to be part of this committee and to be part of the LWV because I got to meet all of you, who I believe that all of you have a heart of love for justice and for human rights. You are all my inspiration to continue fighting for justice and peace. I thank God for putting in my path such wonderful women that have shown me that it takes courage, confidence and hard work to continue life. Thank you for everything, and all of you are Super Awesome!!!”

PRESS STATEMENT: LWVF Will Stop Voter Registration in Florida

 

Tallahassee, FL -- Today, the League of Women Voters of Florida announced that it will cease voter registration in the state of Florida upon implementation of HB 1355. For more information, please see the statement below, from League president Deirdre Macnab:

 

It is with great regret that the League of Women Voters of Florida announces that we must cease our voter registration efforts in this state should HB 1355, the elections bill recently passed by the Florida legislature, become law.

 

Despite the fact that the League of Women Voters is one of the nation's most respected civic organizations, with a 91-year history of registering and educating voters, we will be unable to comply with the egregious provisions contained in HB 1355.

 

Not only does the bill make it more difficult for voters to participate in our democracy via a decrease in early voting and new policies regarding address changes at the polls, it also imposes an undue burden on groups such as ours that work to register voters.

 

Under the false pretext of reducing "fraud," Florida's legislative leaders have instituted a law that will shut down the efforts of groups such as the League, the Boy Scouts, student groups, civic organizations and others who undertake the important task of helping citizens get registered to vote.

 

While the League remains committed to empowering an active and informed citizenry, we cannot and will not place our thousands of volunteers at risk, subjecting them to a process in which one late form could result in their facing financial and civil penalties.

 

By passing HB 1355, the legislature has declared war on voters. Effective immediately, the League will begin to explore legal remedies. In the meantime, the League urges Governor Rick Scott to stand up for democracy and veto HB 1355.

 

Contact: Deirdre Macnab, LWVF President

Phone: (407) 415-4559

Email: FloridaLeague@earthlink.net    

 

Jessica Lowe-Minor, LWVF Executive Director  

Phone: (850) 228-3646                                          

Email: LWVFExecutiveDirector@gmail.com

Annual Meeting Makes Time for Some Serious Fun

By Sara Isaac

     Passionate civic-mindedness and a good bit of fun were on the agenda last month as the League of Women Voters Orange County gathered at the University Club in Winter Park for the 2011 annual meeting.

     New president Ann Hellmuth, a veteran journalist and native of England, accepted the gavel at the April 28 meeting with a stirring speech about the power of the vote that touched on the years she spent in South Africa during apartheid as well as her own experience voting for the first time in her 50s as a newly minted U.S. citizen.

     “I still remember how proud I felt when I left the voting booth,” she said.

     While the purpose of the meeting was serious as LWVOC members elected new officers, approved the budget, reported on committee accomplishments and voted on the “Local Program” of priority issues for 2011, organizers left plenty of room for levity.

     LWVOC recognized individual members for their hard work over the past year with gifts that included a camera, a flute, and a pair of identical dogs — all of the toy store variety — for awards such as Paparazzi Princess League photographer Sue Foreman; First Lady for the Evening, Who Does Everything Sara Segal; One Woman Band for her leadership with the Speakers’ Bureau Adrienne Katz Katz. The Bulldog Awards for their work on Fair Districts went to Nancy Rudner Lugo and Caroline Emmons-Schramm; From Possibility to Reality award went to Sara Au for her work with WFTV-Channel 9 on Central Florida Spotlight; Energizer Bunny award was given to Lynda Van Scoyoc for her work in editing and producing The Voter; Make It Happen award for running Adopt-a-Precinct, Laurie Wack; Pure as American as Apple Pie award for promoting voting registration in schools, Kaia Forget; Hot Momma Award for Hot Topics, Andrea Kobrin and Ann Hellmuth; and the Record Breaking Award to Sheriff Jerry Demings and Police Chief Val Demings for scoring the highest attendance at Hot Topics;

     Gregory Hess, a Merrill Lynch financial advisor who underwrote the League’s popular Hot Topics luncheons last year, received a standing ovation — and appreciative cheers  — as he accepted his honor: the League Sugar Daddy Award, which included a signed certificate and a movie theater-sized box of Sugar Babies candies.

     “Okaaay,” Hess said as he returned to his chair, chuckling. “That is too funny.”

     Outgoing-treasurer Vera Rushner received an award for her diligence, hard-work and initiative in keeping the League’s books well in the black.

     Outgoing President Charley Williams, the first man to lead the Orange County chapter since it was established in 1939, reviewed the past year’s hefty list of accomplishments and thanked members for taking a chance and putting him in charge.

     During the 2010-11 fiscal year, among other achievements, LWOC successfully pushed for passage of the Fair District amendments, provided in-depth news coverage in partnership with WFTV-Channel 9 on Central Florida Spotlight, and promoted participation in the 2010 Census.

     “You somewhat took a risk, letting a man into the League ranks,” Williams said, laughing. “It’s been a blast. It’s kept me very busy, to be honest.”

     Williams will rise to the state League board but plans to remain active with the local chapter.

     Williams also called on the League to broaden its appeal to younger members by using new information channels, such as Twitter, which are preferred by the under-30 set.

     League member Lynn Eberly noted during her Transportation Committee report that she has already jumped feet first into the new digital era in order to maintain the League’s effectiveness in reaching Gov. Rick Scott. She said Scott is less interested in email and letters than in Facebook and Twitter — and that his office counts tweets.

     “I sent four tweets. Four. Which I never thought I would do,” she said.

     The coming year promises to be just as busy as last year, Williams and Hellmuth noted, as LWVOC works to ensure implementation of the Fair Districts amendments and fights moves in Tallahassee to restrict voter registration, gut growth management, and ignore the needs of the community’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens.

     “I will be calling on you,” Hellmuth pledged to members. “Without you all this would be an impossible, impossible task.”

Parting Words from LWVOC President

Dear League Members...

I want to thank each of you for the privilege of serving as your League President during the past year. My year has now come to an end. I am proud to announce that I will be joining our LWV Florida Board of Directors as a new member and will be contributing my time to voter services activities statewide. We have a big year coming up in 2012.

For those of you who were not able to attend our LWVOC Annual Meeting on Thursday, April 28th, I am pleased to announce unanimous acceptance of our dynamic 2011-12 Slate of Officers. Please welcome:

    Ann Hellmuth, President

    Michele Levy, Vice President

    Sandra Powers, Second Vice President

    Nancy Rudner, Secretary

    Nancy Peed, Treasurer

This team is ready to roll! I look forward to supporting Ann as she continues the very impressive list of activities she is already undertaking for this League. More details will be forthcoming in the next issue of VOTER and, of course, Ann will be staying in touch via her President's Message.

 

LEGISLATIVE SESSION: FINAL DAYS

As of this writing, it is looking like session will adjourn by the end of the week. We are nervously watching several key pieces of legislation. Don't let your guard down: please stay tuned to our LWVF Action Alerts.

Your calls and emails have already made a huge difference. Please stay focused!

If you are not getting our weekly Capital Reports authored by our LWVF lobbyist Ben Wilcox, go back into our website and re-subscribe to League emails. If you are still not receivng these, contact me directly: cjwilliams@g-e-c.com. These reports come out on Friday: concise, informative and never dull! A full recap of the 2011 Session will be forthcoming.

 

Next week is a busy week for this League. Mark your calendars!

HOT TOPICS, MAY 11: Florida's Judiciary: Challenges Ahead

Sorosis Club, Downtown Orlando

On Wednesday, May 11, our monthly Hot Topics luncheon will focus on Florida's Judiciary, very much in the news lately:  Our panel will include U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Presnell, Circuit Judge Lisa Munyon and Mary Ann Morgan, Member, Florida Bar Board of Governors. Senior Judge Emerson Thompson, Jr. will serve as moderator. RSVP online at www.orangevoter.com. 

 

 

FRIDAY, MAY 13: League Winter Park Social Event, 6:00-9:00 pm.

Mayor Teresa Jacobs Is Confirmed

On Friday evening, May 13, the State League Board will be in Winter Park for a quarterly board meeting. In conjunction with this event, please join us for a social evening 6:00 to 9:00 pm. to be held at the lakefront home of Deirdre Macnab in Winter Park. We have confirmed League member and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs who plans to drop by and share her vision for Orange County. We will also learn more about the League's recent trip to Cuba (January, 2011). We'll have mojitos refreshments, Cuban food and music and a slide show presentation.

This event will be a fundraiser for the Florida LWV Education Fund. Tickets are $50; Host Committee tickets are $100; Donations are tax-deductible. We value your support! Registration details and directions at www.orangevoter.com. 

Join those of us already on the Host Committee for this event: Annie Betancourt, Sandra Colyer, Amanda Day, Lydia Galton, Elayne Goodman, Sarah Goodwin, Sharon Helsby, Greg Hess, Andrea Kobrin, Deirdre Macnab, Lisa Meyers, Ann Murrah, Kit Pepper, Elizabeth Pines, Eric Rosoff, Katie Ross, Sarah Sprinkel, Charley Williams and Marilynn Wills.

To join the host committee and contribution to our LWVF Ed Fund, just shoot me a note: cjwilliams@g-e-c.com.

 

With highest regards,

Charley

 

Charley Williams

President, LWVOC