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"The Voter" Newsletter
March, 2023
(To see all the news, you must click above on "Display images below")
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President's Notes
xxxThis month, I am excited to write about two new members (they are from Constantine and St. Joseph) and a new board member (from New Buffalo) who is already helping plan meetings and working on the spring voter registration project. It is a pleasure to have such good partners in the work of LWVBCC. Thank you to current board members and alumni members.
xxxThe National Popular Vote (NPV) Zoom seminar held on February 27 was well attended and informative. I knew very little about the project until contacted by NPV, and I was encouraged to learn of the progress being made and that LWV was in full support of changing how we vote for the president. If you didn’t catch the seminar on February 27, please go to our website lwvbcc.org in a few days and click on the link to the recording or click here.
xxxTwo items to note from LWVMI:
xxx1) Action Alert for the National Popular Vote – go to lwvmi.org and click on Advocacy, then go to the first action alert listing and click on “Action can still be taken here.”
xxxDon’t forget to click on the preview button to
personalize and send your message to our representatives in Lansing urging them to act.
xxx2) LWVMI has published a Fact Sheet on the November Election. This document shows how people voted (in person, absentee), and it reports on recounts, audits, and how the proposals did. Go to lwvmi.org, click on Our Work, then Voting Rights, and you will see this very interesting document.
xxxWhat’s up in March for LWVBCC?
xxx1) On March 16 at 7PM there is a Town Hall Meeting at the Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship featuring Joy Guscott-Mueller, president of the League of Women Voters Lake Michigan Region (LWVLMR), and David Mueller on Climate change and how it effects our Great Lakes. Their presentation is in person and will be live streamed. Keep an eye on your inboxes for further information.
xxx2) Read or Ban? A group of LWVBCC alumni is planning a luncheon meeting (provided by Zoup) for March 29 at 12:30p.m. featuring Sarah Skinner, Head Librarian at the Bridgman Public Library. Ms. Skinner will help us decide and provide insight into what is going on in our area and nationally about efforts to limit what children and adults have access to read. To make a reservation: text or call Marilyn Klawiter (269) 362-1871. $10 at the door. Please call by March 22.
xxxWe are also working this month to firm up plans for our spring high school voter registration project. We have targeted the last week in April and the first week in May to schedule registration visits. Volunteers are needed to staff the tables! Please make room on your calendar for this essential role of the LWVBCC. Contact me or email lwvbcc@gmail.com to sign up.
Thank you for all you do.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIn League, Faith Schoon
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Book Group News
xxxT
xxxThe next LWVBCC Book Group will be held on Monday March 6, to review "And There Was Light". NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln, charting how—and why—he confronted secession, threats to democracy, and the tragedy of slavery to expand the possibilities of America. "In his captivating new book, Jon Meacham has given us the Lincoln for our time.”—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
xxxThe Next Book Group will be in Lakeside on Monday, March 6, 10 AM, at Mary Hayes’ home. xxxPlease call her/leave a message if you plan to attend: 773-991-3248. We look forward to seeing you.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------Mary Beth Hayes
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Environmental News
There were two lawsuits involving Enbridge and the Straits pipelines and efforts to move forward with the tunnel project.
xxxAs you will recall, the pipeline, referred to as Line 5, was built in 1953 with a 50-year operation agreement. It extends 645 miles across Michigan, starting in Superior, WI, and ending in Sarnia, Canada.
xxxOne lawsuit involves a law passed by the Michigan legislature in December of 2018 which created the Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority and authorized it to enter into the Tunnel Agreement with Enbridge to build a new tunnel which would be owned by the Authority. In response to questions raised by the Governor, the Attorney General issued a formal legal opinion that the legislation was not properly enacted under Michigan’s
Constitution and should be considered void. xxxEnbridge challenged that ruling. The lower court ruled that it had been properly enacted and that the agreements entered into pursuant to the law between the State and Enbridge were valid.
xxxThat decision was recently affirmed by the
Michigan Court of Appeals, and not appealed to the
Michigan Supreme Court.
xxxA second suit was brought in June of 2019 by the Attorney General against Enbridge seeking to void Enbridge’s use of the 1953 Line 5 easement and end its current use of the existing dual pipelines in the Straits. No decisions have
been reached in that proceeding at this time.
Chris
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INCIDENTALS
More Environment !!
Did you know that the LUXOR Hotel in Las Vegas has the brightest light in the entire night sky??
xxxIn general, our night skies are being brightened so much that bird, bat and insect migrations are being disturbed to an unsettling degree. This is
happening all over the world and is detrimental to life on our lovely blue planet. The Luxor Hotel light should never have been approved. I find it obscene.
xxxOn a Happier Note -- This past Saturday, I attended the Indiana Robotics State Championship
competition in Lafayette (Boiler Up!). What fun!! One of my grandchildren is the design engineer for her team's robot. There are actually two of these competitions. This one was for the "little robots. The next competition will be for the big robots on March 25, also in Lafayette..
xxxI was only there for the afternoon (final) competition. By this time there were "only" 12 teams competing. Each team has a bunch of members but only two are allowed to "run" the robot. The other team members yell encouragement and worry and cringe when things go wrong. Most of them are in the stands.
xxxMy granddaughter's team placed 4th, and they were sorely disappointed and sad but determined that next year they will win First Place. Believe
me, their robot was the most beautiful robot on the floor.
xxxRobotics competitions are a relatively new phenomenon and many of our local schools have teams. The participating kids learn teamwork,
advocacy, cooperation, communication skills, etc.
My granddaughter's team robot will now be used across Bloomington elementary schools showing the "next generation" of kids what's possible for them ... and then will be broken down into its many many parts to be used in next year's robot.
xxxIf you get a chance, GO to a competition.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxChris
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Calendar of Events
March, 2023
Women's History Month
Monday, March 6
Book Club 10 a.m.
Home of Mary Hayes
Please call her/leave
a message
if you plan to attend:
773-991-3248
<<<<More info
Thursday, March 16, 7p.m.
Climate Change Town Hall
Berrien Universalist Unitarian Fellowship (BUUF)
4340 Lincoln Ave., St. Joseph
<<<<More info
Wednesday, March 22
LWVMI Advocacy Committee meeting to update anyone interested in the legislative processes and League priorities. Details to be published on LWVMI website closer to the date.
Wednesday, March 29
Read?? Ban??
Luncheon Meeting with Head Librarian at Bridgman Public Library. $10 at the door. If you plan to attend: text or call 269-362-1871.
<<<<More info
Tuesday, Apr. 18
Town Hall on housing in Berrien County at the Bridgman Public Library
Details TBD
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LWVBCC
Board of Directors
Faith Schoon, President
Jane Raymond, Secretary
Merrily Smith, Corresp. Secy.
John Ripley, Treasurer &
Communications Coordinator
Audrey Lester
Mary Beth Mullenholz
Dorothy Parker
Charmae Sanders
Amy Scrima
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PLEASE
TELL THEM YOU SAW THEIR AD IN THE LEAGUE OF
WOMEN VOTERS NEWSLETTER!
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Joe Jilek
Insurance Agent
(269) 695-2200
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The League as an organization does not support or oppose any political party, candidate for elected office, or any group that supports candidates. As individuals, though, but not as representatives of the League, members are encouraged to participate in political activity and to run for office. Our non-partisan policy does require two Board members--the President and the Voter Service Chair--to totally abstain from partisan political activity.
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