By Janice Garry
Dear Alachua County,
Let’s begin this message with some inspiration. Jay Rosenbek, co-chair of our Natural Resources Committee, has been accepted to serve on the Alachua County Environmental Protection Advisory Committee (EPAC). That body “advises the County Commission on appropriate measures to safeguard air, water, and natural resources and on the responsible management of public lands and natural resources,” per the website. Jay inspires me by lending his expertise to our chapter and, as a community representative, to the county EPAC.
For additional inspiration, read Langston Hughes' poem, “Let America Be America Again", which was shared with the country by Cory Booker, US Senator, New Jersey, for the 4th of July holiday. In graceful terms, Mr. Hughes reveals the failings, but deep hope, for a more perfect democracy. I am grateful to our community partner, Nkwanda Jah, chair of the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, for passing on this beautiful work.
Last week I spoke with Tim Williams in the Supervisor of Elections office. Mr. Williams said that, for the time being, there are sufficient poll workers for the August 23 primary election. However, he offered that they appreciate having an abundant stash of election worker applications in the event of an urgent need, such as when COVID struck. Visit the SOE website to apply. If more workers are needed, additional training dates will be scheduled.
On June 26, thanks to the work of our Voter Services team and their partners at the UF Bob Graham Center for Public Service, we produced a successful Primary Candidate Virtual Forum. With record attendance, at least 350 viewers were able to hear the candidates for Gainesville Mayor and City Commission, Alachua County Commission and School Board, and Circuit Judge Group 12. Did you miss it? Not a problem. You can watch the recordings on our website at your convenience. The diligent hands and bright minds of the partners who produced the forum are an inspiration.
On a more somber note, it is hard to convey all the feelings that each of us experienced when Roe vs Wade was struck down by our Supreme Court. Let those feelings be a motivator for taking action. The national, state, and your local LWV will continue to support a women’s right to choose her own healthcare.
If you’re inspired to act on local issues, please join us for a tour of the Family Learning Center at Metcalf Elementary School on July 25, at 10:30 am. Mr. James Lawrence will be hosting us. We will learn about the vision of the center, the goals for the first year of operation beginning this fall, and whether our LWV would like to support this effort through an Action Team. If you would like to join the tour, please email me.
Finally, our Membership Chair, Sue Legg, will be stepping away from her role In September. That position welcomes new members through a monthly new member video presentation on Zoom and fields communications with new members. The fun is discovering the backgrounds and talents that each new member brings to our chapter. Please email me for more information.
In League,
Janice
[email protected]
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2022 Redistricting Summary
As of July 7, 2022
By Diane Dimperio
Every 10 years, after the census, the Florida Legislature is responsible for redrawing the Districts used for electing State and Congressional Legislators. At the start of the process, the LWV and other advocates were concerned that the maps might reflect political gerrymandering and limit the representation of minorities. Fair district advocates considered the final Senate and House maps to be reasonably free from political gerrymandering but were concerned they did not reflect the increased minority population experienced over the last decade. However, the maps were approved by the Florida Supreme Court and no lawsuits were filed.
The Legislature had posted a series of Congressional maps that many advocates found reasonable. They were politically balanced and retained existing minority access districts. Governor Ron Desantis, in an unprecedented move, submitted a map that was highly politically gerrymandered and reduced the number of African American access districts by half. These maps are considered to be non-compliant with the Fair Districts provisions of the Florida Constitution. The Legislature pushed back but, ultimately, gave in to the intense pressure and passed the Governor’s map. Voting rights organizations filed lawsuits but were outmaneuvered by the Governor who has managed to delay the hearings until after the 2022 elections.
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This will conclude our monthly updates on redistricting but you can learn more about redistricting in Florida and review the entire saga on the LWVAC Redistricting webpage. | |
New Member Movie Night:
7/25 @ 6:00 PM
New members are encouraged to join us by Zoom on Monday, July 25 at 6:00 p.m. where we will share our League orientation video and get acquainted. Find out how you can get engaged in League committees. There will be time for questions. Continuing members may also join us for ‘movie’ night. If you are interested in attending, please contact Sue Legg at least 1 day before the event to receive the Zoom link by email.
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At the Annual Meeting in May, it was agreed that the budget would be amended and shared with the membership. The amended budget is now available.
In addition, the Annual Meeting minutes, which were approved at the July Board meeting, are also available for review.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Janice Garry.
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The Latest From Your Committees | |
In this section, we bring you updates from your LWV Alachua County committees. Committees are the best way to get involved in LWV Alachua County and your local community. Feel free to reach out to the Committee Chairs to express interest, join their meetings, and get involved. | |
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Contact: Karen McCann
The education committee typically meets via Zoom on the second Wednesday of the month from 12-1:30 p.m. However, we are taking a break for the summer and our August meeting will be held on the third Wednesday, August 17, at 12 p.m. We hope everyone is having a fun and safe summer!
If you missed the live Virtual Primary Candidate Forum, be sure to watch the recordings of the School Board candidates. Four of five Alachua County School Board seats are open. The new board will be sworn in November 2022 and charged with hiring the Alachua County Public School superintendent. The candidate forum is a great opportunity for league members to hear from candidates.
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Contact: Jeff Shapiro
Our meetings are typically held on the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom; however, our July meeting is canceled so our next meeting will be on August 18. We look forward to seeing you there!
Contact Jeff Shapiro to join our meetings.
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Contact: Jay Rosenbek or Roberta Gastmeyer
For the past couple of years, the Natural Resources Committee has been asking GRU
to stop promoting fossil gas by providing up to $1600 in rebates to customers who
buy/convert to gas appliances. In the fall of 2021, the City Commission asked GRU to
review its rebate policies to see how eliminating the gas rebates would affect its income.
On July 19th, the Utility Advisory Board (UAB) will hear a presentation from GRU staff on gas rebates after which we expect the UAB will make a formal recommendation to the City Commission about whether to eliminate the rebates.
We need public pressure to ensure that these fossil gas rebates are eliminated once
and for all.
Please send a letter to the UAB, GRU, and City Commission and/or attend the meeting
on July 19th to voice your opposition to the rebates. There is more information as well as sample letters on our website.
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Contact: Bennett Brummer
The focus of SCJC is on improving the adult and juvenile criminal justice system. We emphasize deflection and diversion from the criminal justice system through prevention and treatment consistent with accountability and justice.
While the SCJC does not meet regularly, any LWV Alachua County member who would like a committee orientation or would like to initiate a new committee project (and who is willing to do the work to carry that project forward) is also welcome to consult the chair to screen and plan for that project.
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Contact: Gwen Wagner and Diana Boxer
We extend a huge THANK YOU to our Voter Services volunteers and everyone at the Bob Graham Center for Public Service who made our virtual candidate forum a huge success. We also thank every one of you who attended the live event, generating a record attendance. Thank you also to the candidates who participated. We appreciate hearing from each and every one of you.
If you were unable to watch the live event, the recordings are now available on our website. Share them with your friends, family, and neighbors ahead of the August 23 primary and Gainesville city elections.
While we are not hosting a meeting this month, please contact us to get involved!
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VOTE411 is Coming Soon
This year, LWV Alachua County is participating in the LWVUS VOTE411 tool to share our voter guide with area voters. Candidates are currently being given the opportunity to express themselves on issues important to our community, and the tool goes live on July 20!
VOTE411 is a “one-stop shop” for election information that will provide voters with simple, accessible tools to help them navigate the voting process. VOTE411 provides personalized candidate information, voter registration details, polling place locations, and other helpful election information for all voters nationwide. Watch for more information coming soon.
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Call for Volunteers
RSVP by 7/22
Each of us wants to make a difference. But with time constraints and other responsibilities, it’s hard to know how. Here’s a solution. Here’s how you may be able to help.
VOTE411 is a huge project for LWV nationally, in Florida, and this year it will be bursting forth from our Alachua County chapter. VOTE411 is a LWV national database that breaks down ballot information for each individual voter across the country. Our Voter Services Committee has entered questions on VOTE411 for each elected position that will be on the ballot this election season for Alachua County. Each candidate has been given an invitation and instructions on providing information on their positions on the VOTE411 site. For example, school board and county commission candidates can respond to questions online. We are aiming for 100% participation by candidates.
Sometimes folks need a nudge. The Voter Services Committee is looking for volunteers to connect with candidates who have not gone to VOTE411 to enter their information. Each volunteer will be assigned several candidates to contact to remind the candidate to provide their information on VOTE411. This is a benefit to the candidate. At no cost, they can reach voters and describe their positions on pertinent issues. If you have an hour or so that you could spend on this worthwhile task, please contact Gwen before July 22.
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Cybersecurity: 5 Common Mistakes | |
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The FBI’s latest Internet Cybercrime Report paints a bleak picture. Last year, Americans lost more than $6.9 billion to cybercrooks.
Don't think you're too smart to fall for their tricks. Even savvy people can get conned out of money before realizing what happened. Here are five common mistakes and how to avoid them:
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You think free means safe: Taking advantage of "free" Wi-Fi may cost you more than money. Public networks are unsecured and easy to hack. Airports, coffee houses, hotels, etc. *You can always use your phone as a hotspot.
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You skip updates: Are you notorious for rescheduling software updates but never actually installing them? If you often hit the "Remind me later" button, you ask for trouble. *Updates are annoying when you're in the middle of your workday, so schedule them late at night when you're not using your computer
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You pick up when a scammer calls: Sometimes those scam numbers are mighty convincing. You recognize the area code and maybe even the first few numbers or perhaps it's your phone number. You pick up. That’s when a scammer has a chance to get their claws into you. *If you see Scam Likely or whatever term your carrier and phone display, don't answer
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You have a bunch of old unused accounts: The more online accounts you have, the more at risk you are when hackers come calling. With a new breach around every corner, your usernames and passwords aren't safe. *This takes some time, and it isn’t always easy but it’s worth it. When the inevitable data breach is announced from a site you once used, you’ll be glad you did it
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You click agree: When was the last time you read a site or service’s terms and conditions? You’re not alone. It probably means you're allowing companies to collect your private data. *No one is proposing you read every word because that's not realistic. But there is a clever way to at least check a few things. Next time you run into a privacy policy, terms and conditions page, or lengthy terms of service agreement, use a keyboard shortcut to search for specific words. On a Windows PC, use Control + F. On a Mac, use Command + F. Now, type in terms like “third party,” “GPS,” “tracking,” and “data.” You’ll get a quick look at how your info is being used.
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LWVAC Leadership Team
President: Janice Garry
Vice-President: Deb Shimon
Secretary: Eileen Roy
Treasurer: Fran Towk
A full list of LWVAC Board Members and Committee Chairs can be found here.
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To avoid missing future LWVAC email, please add our email address to your Safe Senders List
or add the From address ([email protected]) to your Address Book or Contacts.
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