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Message from Co Presidents
by Fran Kapinos
Thank you Teuta Shabani Towler for all you have done for our League as my co-president. In her time as co-president, Teuta redesigned the web site, kept us current on post-elections results, posted our events on Facebook and other social media platforms, created flyers, wrote articles, helped us with online payments and the Square account and much more.
Teuta's Mitro Digital Marketing business is expanding. She has frequent trips to Raleigh and many more responsibilities. She will continue to be part of our board and help with social media and technology, but has resigned as co- president.
Judy Lotas has agreed to move
up to the Co- President Position
from VP.
Of course, she will continue with all of her
local and state activities on the ERA. Judy hosted an evening social for new members at her home on Jan. 23, with membership chair, Susan Merrill. Craig Merrill developed a Power Point presentation on the history of our League, national and local, as well as key issues that national is continuing to focus on. Go to
www.lwv.org
to explore the issues. It was a very informative, casual get-together with delicious finger foods and beverages, enjoyed by all who attended. Thank you Judy, Susan and Craig.
Our fellow member, Carole Burchett, previous co-president, and active p
articipant and supporter in our League activities over the years has passed away suddenly. It is with great sadness that I report this news, as she was a friend to many of us. If you'd like to send a card to her husband, Troy, and daughter, Suzanne, who is staying with Troy for a short while the address is: Dr. Troy Burchett, 37 Tenth Ave., Southern Shores, NC 27949. A Memorial Service is being planned for late March. A link to a reflection on Carole's life can be found HERE.
Our Holiday Lunch and silent auction were successful (see treasurer's report for an update). Thank you to Carol Butscher and Nancy Birindelli for coordinating this and to all the members who solicited and purchased items. Hampton Inn/Corolla donated a certificate for a TWO NIGHT STAY, (off season), which had a minimum bid of $200 and was not bought. If you could use it for clients, friends, family we would take $150. This will be added to our CEF fund, which is used for our Citizens Guide, Voter Forums, Video Taping Informational Sessions for the public. Please contact
fkapinos@aol.com
if you are interested.
The Red Cross Blood Drive is taking place at Holy Redeemer on Wednesday, Feb. 6 from 12 - 6 PM. If you can donate for this very needy cause, please make an appointment at 1-800 Red Cross.
Please click on the link below to see the minutes from our last meeting.
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Upcoming Events - February
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Lunch, Film & Fury
When: February 1, 2018, noon
Where: Rooster's Southern Kitchen, Kill Devil Hills
804 S. Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
What: First Friday Hot Topic Lunch: Why do we need the ERA?
Because women do not have Constitutional rights equal to those of men. Our ERA Chairperson, Judy Lotas, will update us on what is happening in NC, VA and across the nation. Join us for great food, a fabulous 30-minute film "LEGALIZE EQUALITY" and some very animated discussion.
The movie "On the Basis of Sex" about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, currently playing at KDH
theater
is about her fight for equal rights. It is terrific and a great complement to our discussion.
Forum on the 2018 Homeowners Insurance Filing
When: Wednesday
, Feb. 13th, 2019, 7:00 PM
Where: Kill Devil Hills Town Hall
102 Veterans Drive, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
What:
Willo Kelly, LWV member and Director of Outer Banks Association of Realtors (OBAR), will inform the public on the recent 2018 homeowners insurance rate filing submitted to the NC Dept. of Insurance in December. This proposed rate increase (30%) could have major ramifications if passed. Find out how the filing may impact your Homeowners and Wind Policies and what you can do about it before the public comment period with Dept. of Insurance by Feb. 26. A public comment forum will be held on Feb. 26 from 10-4:30 in Raleigh. Transportation to Raleigh may be arranged for those interested in attending.
Presentation on Seismic Testing and Off Shore Drilling
When: Wednesday, February 27th, 2019, 7:00 PM
Where: Kill Devil Hills Town Hall
102 Veterans Drive, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
What:
Michael Flynn of NC Coastal Federation will be informing the public on the state of things in this very crucial environmental matter affecting our coast. He is going to discuss what is being proposed and the regions affected; what the risks are; the current status of actions and lawsuits; and what citizens can do to stop it from happening.
Celebrate International Women's Day
When: March 12th, 2019 6:00 PM
Where: Mako's (formerly Mako Mike's)
1630 N. Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
What: Plans are underway for our league to join with members of the Virginia Dare Business & Professional Women's Club (BPW) on Tuesday, March 12 at 6 PM at Mako's. We are looking for a speaker or two who could speak on the status of women internationally. If you know of anyone in our area, the Elizabeth City or Tidewater area who we could ask to make a presentation on this subject, please let us know (
fkapinos@aol.com
or
judylotas@gmail.com
)
Please be sure to put these informative, important events on your calendars and plan on attending. Follow-up forums on Insurance Options, An Environmentally Sound Life hosted by the Coastal Studies Institute, and Telemedicine on the Outer Banks, are being planned for March, April and May.
See our full calendar of events for February and March 2019 HERE.
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Reminder - Membership Renewal
If you haven't renewed your membership yet, now is the time to do so! We need you!
$55 individual, $80 family
Checks payable to:
LWV Dare, PO Box 689, Kitty Hawk, 27949
You can pay online through PayPal
HERE. Follow the link to the page then scroll to the bottom.
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Membership Update
by
Susan Merrill
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Please click on the link below to view our presentation welcoming new members to the League. It's a good refresher on our history, who we are and what we do.
Welcome to the League
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Citizen's Guide 2019
By
Carol Butscher
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The 2019 Citizens Guide should be ready for distribution the week of Feb 10th . 7000 copies of the guide will be distributed throughout Dare County by League volunteers. Presentation of 20 guides will be made to each town council. Each town also receives 100 copies to distribute. Please look over our donors on the back page and our in-kind donors on page 48. Without their support, we would not be able to provide this service for our communities.
We will also publish 200 copies of a Spanish version called Dare County, North Carolina Your Guide to Community Services.
Thanks to all who helped this year, especially our proofreaders Lorelie DiBernardo and Glenda Keel.
Now we need YOUR help:
The 2019 Citizens Guide will arrive the week of Feb 10th. Volunteers are needed for the following jobs. A few people have already committed to certain jobs. The presentation to the town councils involves taking 20 copies of the guide to a council meeting and reading a prepared script at the public comments portion of the agenda.
Bundling: Approx 1 hour to count & box the guides for distribution. Need 5 or 6 people. (Janice Smith)
Distribution to towns or Presentation to town councils
Dare County - one stop at the administration building. They distribute to the departments
Duck
Hatteras Island - all the post offices
Kill Devil Hills- (Nancy D'Andrade & Laurie Martin)
Kitty Hawk
Manteo
Nags Head (need 2)
Southern Shores
Wanchese/Mainland - (Susan Merrill)
Board of Education presentation - Marion Midget
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LWV Treasurer's End of the Year Report
by Nancy Birindelli
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Happy New Year, Leaguers!
The financials for the end of calendar year 2018 indicate a healthy balance sheet. Additional fundraisers augment our operating budget allowing your League to continue its community activities and keep our dues at a reasonable amount.
Our Silent Auction, that is a tradition at the Holiday Luncheon, was a great success with $1,522.50 in purchases. For the first time, members were able to utilize their credit cards via Square - one third of the payments used this method. Many thanks to the members who donated their "gently used" items or obtained gift cards from businesses throughout the county to add to the wide array of offerings to be bid upon.
The Belk Charity Day Sale in Nov. netted your League $487.50 in proceeds. Although this amount was a bit less than previous sales, every little bit adds to the pot.
The fundraising activities in the community were really a success story this year! The donations that were made by the county, the six towns, businesses, organizations, and members added greatly to our tax exempt coffers. The balance at the end of the year was $7,281 which included donations from 35 entities! There were 12 sponsorships in the BLUE LEVEL of $250 or more; 7 in the WHITE LEVEL of $150 to 249, and 16 in the RED LEVEL of $100 to 149. Nine members were included in this sponsorship as well as 13 who made contributions of less than $100. The majority of these funds will be used to print and distribute
the 2019 edition of the Citizens Guide as well as the second edition of the Spanish version. The funds are also used to pay one half of our state and national dues. The balance of the fund can be used to offset expenses for voter service and other educational activities.
Many, many thanks to each of you who contributed to one or all of these
activities.
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Recommended Reading: 9th District Congressional Race
by James Cofield
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A North Carolina judge has denied a request from Republican Mark Harris' campaign to certify the results in the disputed North Carolina 9th District race.
The investigation and ensuing legal battle have left the results of last year's House race uncertain, with no official winner from the November election. Click the link below to read more.
9th District Congressional Race
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BE THE GREAT 38TH, NC!
Bills to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment will be introduced in early March. Between now and then, we need everyone who can type, dial or speak to contact SENATOR BOB STEINBURG
Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net 919.
715.8293 and REPRESENTATIVE BOBBY HANIG
Bobby.Hanig@ncleg.net 919.733.
5906
and tell them why you want our state to ratify ERA. The more personal and heartfelt, the better.
For those who simply can't imagine why this should not be a slam-dunk, you might want to read this. It is a recent article from the Washington Times newspaper that takes us right back to the bad old days of Phyllis Schlafly.
Schlafly's legacy marches on against latest push for ERA
By Rebecca Hagelin -
Sunday, January 13, 2019
ANALYSIS/OPINION:
Radical activists are attempting to raise the rotting corpse of the so-called Equal Rights Amendment, but thanks to the late, great
Phyllis Schlafly
, intelligent women are ready to drive a stake into the heart of the beast.
The ERA was never about gaining equality under the law for women. When it was debated and exposed from 1972 to 1982, Americans learned that the title was fraudulent, designed to cause people to nod in agreement at the mere sound of those beautiful words without ever bothering to ponder the amendment itself.
But
Schlafly
did bother to look behind the platitudes and then dared to take on the establishment and share the dangerous truth that the amendment was actually designed to create social chaos and give a power-hungry Congress near absolute control over every aspect of our lives.
Schlafly
's courageous efforts to protect American culture and time-honored truths inspired an army of women to rise up and fight the liars and their lies. When the ERA failed to be ratified by 38 states by the congressionally established deadline,
Schlafly
and her new organization, Eagle Forum, threw a huge banquet to celebrate its demise. I remember it well because I was fortunate enough to be there.
My mother was one of
Phyllis
' Eagles, and they inspired me to love and appreciate individuality and freedom. Most Americans enjoyed and cherished the God-ordained differences between the two genders. It was just a natural part of our psyche in those days to understand that men and women are equal but different. As a senior in high school, I traveled my home state of Florida celebrating these truths and speaking out against the ERA.
We won. They lost. But as has become their M.O. whenever they lose, power-hungry liberals are attempting to thwart the rule of law and, under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi, destroy justice and our Constitution and culture forever. They are hoping that Americans - who don't know even modern history or read beyond headlines and tweets - are ignorant and will support the ERA just because it has a pretty name.
Schlafly
said the ERA was falsely "advertised as a great benefit to women." Her brilliant and fearless daughter, Anne Cori, who today leads Eagle Forum with style and wisdom just as her mom did, explains: "The ERA does not put women in the Constitution; it puts 'sex' in the Constitution. 'Sex' has a lot of different definitions. The ERA would make women and men interchangeable in every single situation."
To her point, the word "woman" appears nowhere in the intentionally vague language. The first section reads: "Equality of rights under the law shall not be abridged or denied by the United States or any state on account of sex."
If the ERA passes, every single hard-fought legal protection that women have gained over the years will vanish. No longer will women be exempt from the military draft or from serving on the front lines of combat. Gender-specific prisons, locker rooms and sports teams will be illegal. Social Security benefits for stay-at-home moms will be gone; women's shelters will be shuttered; health care benefits specific to women will be declared unconstitutional. The financial loss to women will be devastating.
But there is an entity that will gain vast power: The federal government. Under Section 2 of the ERA, power that currently belongs to the states will be stripped away and given to Congress.
Perhaps the dirtiest little secret of the ERA is that it will enshrine in the Constitution a right to murder pre-born children - and with taxpayer funding. Pregnancy will be treated as just another health issue, resulting in court-ordered public funding of abortion on demand.
Thankfully, a cadre of warriors is assembling to advance a culture that treasures the differences between women and men, that protects life and that fights federal tyranny. They will meet the architects of social chaos and the politicians they frighten head-on this week in Virginia, as the state Senate foolishly considers ratifying the dead ERA.
The legacy of
Phyllis Schlafly
courses through the veins of women in organizations like Eagle Forum, Concerned Women for America, the Family Foundation, Students for America, the Family Research Council, the Susan B. Anthony List and Young Women for America, among others.
They will fight wherever the ERA attempts to rear its ugly head. Their battle cry is perfect: "Celebrate womanhood. Do NOT ERAse it."
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC.
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Letter from the Editor
by John Towler
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Thank you for asking me to take on the role of editor of your newsletter. I have enjoyed working with everyone involved.
We're always seeking new content for the newsletter. If you attend a League related program or even an event that you feel others would like to know more about, I invite you to submit an article. There's much going on, from the marches in DC to visits with legislators in Raleigh that need to be shared. You can submit content to me at by email at outerbankswriter@gmail.com. Pictures are not necessary but a nice touch if available.
I'm going to take advantage of my small soapbox here in the newsroom to pitch an idea to you concerning the naming of the bridge being constructed at Oregon Inlet.
I've been thinking on the bridge name since the community was told it had a voice in the choosing. Not to take anything away from Marc Basnight or his accomplishments, but I've nominated
Carolista
Baum with my ballot and I hope to nudge some of you to consider doing the same.
I think everyone knows who
Carolista Baum was
, but on the off chance you haven't heard of her here's the thumbnail history. Back in 1973 developers were eyeing chunks of Dare County to turn into housing subdivisions. Incredibly they settled on Jockey's Ridge and the plan was to pave the dune to the ground and put up homes.
Carolista
was having none of it and, like the brave man at Tienanmen Square decades later, stood herself in front of the bulldozers and refused to move. Ultimately she led the fight to preserve the dune and helped convince the Division of Parks and Recreation to designate it a state park.
I reached out to
Carolista
's daughter, Ann-Cabel, to find out other environmental efforts her mother may have been a part of. She referred me to a retired Park Ranger (George Grantham Barnes) who is apparently well versed in the history of the area. That conversation is on hold at the moment, but I have to assume that
Carolista
's activism, concern for green space and love of the environment did not end with Jockey's Ridge.
Aside from "Carolista" being an evocative name for the new bridge, there are exactly zero bridges named for women who have not been dead for more than 500 years in Dare County. I think its time that oversight was rectified.
Name submissions will be accepted until January 31st. You can click on the link below to find the form to submit a name online.
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