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Date: 5/29/2021
Subject: LWVSC June 2021 Newsletter
From: League of Women Voters of the Space Coast



LWVSC bi-monthly Newsletter Header

We're Back in the World
 
About a half century ago, when I was a young man in uniform, I was preparing to leave home on a year-long assignment.  As I was departing, I passed my brother-in-law. He was lying on the couch watching basketball and we exchanged “Heys” as I exited.  Flash forward 13 months and I returned.  As I walked into the living room, I saw him still lying on the couch and still watching basketball.  For just a moment I thought, “Was this past year a bad dream, a hallucination, and I never really left?”  

Of course, I had been gone, gone for a long time.  And in my absence life had apparently gone on and a basketball season had come and gone and was back again and my brother-in-law was back on the couch watching a game. Time had passed normally for everyone I had left “back in the world” as we used to say. But for me there was a sense of no time having gone by because the situation I had been in was so different from normal life that it seemed I had just popped into and out of it and was back home with little time having passed for me.  

In a way it is the same sort of feeling I get with the pandemic lockdown.  Life sort of stopped its usual passage a year ago this past March.  And now it has resumed, more or less, its usual path.  At the Meet & Greet at Banana River Park we were “back in the world”, back saying hello and smiling at each other, having lunch and chatting, just like it was over a year ago.  

So, did we really spend a year in Zoomland?  Unfortunately, we did indeed.  But as things slowly return to some semblance of normal, I am hoping that members who found the virtual version of the LWVSC problematic will start to return to us and join in our activities.  I think we’ve all learned that there is value in continuing some of our work on Zoom.  Committee meetings are certainly easier to arrange and attend when no one has to spend time on the road. Zoom has been helpful for quick gatherings with a couple of members regarding something that needs immediate attention.  

But we will soon be returning to in person Board of Directors meetings.  Starting with the August 3rd meeting we will be back at Suntree Library each month and I invite any of our members to join us there and sit in with the Board.  For me it’s a 90-minute round trip, but worth every minute of that time on the road to actually get together with members.

As we head into the summer, we have quite a number of activities planned by our program committees.  Most of that will still be taking place in Zoomland.  Given our Florida summer temperatures, outside events are hard to manage.  I’m hopeful we will start to get out into the community again, meet with folks and have the opportunity to tell our story to a wider audience.   But probably only in air-conditioned rooms.  

So, thank you all so much for continuing our mission throughout what was a very difficult year.  By the way, many thanks to those who came to the Meet & Greet and helped us learn to erect our event tent.  As we slowly leave Zoomland in our rear-view mirrors and return to the world, this year will hopefully be much better than the last.  


In League,
Rob Grisar
LWVSC President

Voter Services

Voter Services Committee

Submitted by Diane Callier

 

It was wonderful, even for a dedicated introvert such as myself, to see so many LWVSC members in person at the recent Meet and Greet.  Now that so many of us have received Covid vaccinations we can start venturing out in public again.  This week I made my first in-person trip to the grocery store in over a year.  I still wore a mask, more in consideration of the staff than of any fear of contagion.  While it was great to be out doing “normal” activities again I was also reminded that I still hate to shop for groceries.

 

Now that we can begin to resume normal activities in our personal lives, we can also do so for our League activities.  This includes voter registration.  Even though this is not a Presidential election year there will be local elections in eight Brevard municipalities and two Brevard Recreational Districts in 2021. The LWVSC Voter Services Committee is dedicated to registering eligible Brevard voters and educating them on the new voting requirements recently enacted in Florida as well as the local issues and candidates in the upcoming elections.

 

To this end we plan to conduct several candidate forums at which the community can hear directly from the candidates on pertinent issues.  We will also resume our full scale in-person voter registration this year under some new requirements as a result of the recently enacted voting law in Florida.


In order to prepare our League members for these activities we are planning a voter registration training for July 22 at 6:00 p.m. for our members who have successfully completed the League voter registration quiz.  Due to the recent changes to the Florida voting law everyone will have to take a new voter registration certification quiz, even if you just passed it recently.  You can thank the Florida legislature and Governor.  The new link for the updated training is: https://lwvfl.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/LWV-Policies-Registering-Voters-in-Florida-May-2021.pdf and the new link for the updated quiz is :https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdIoZSflTLZE8jzCpcfm7R8kC73EoQSqyg-Sjd-KU4v3bfXbw/viewform
  

Our July 22 training will cover the new legal requirements for voter registration and advice by some of our members who have vast experience in voter registration.

 

Please join us in preparing to carry out this core mission of the League by taking the voter registration quiz and signing up for the LWVSC voter registration training on the website.


HELP WANTED
We could use your help.  Many of the things we do in the LWVSC are not within the technical comfort zone of the volunteers who do them.  So, I’m looking for occasional or even regular help in a variety of areas.  If you would like to volunteer your expertise [or know someone with expertise who would be willing to help us], please let me know. 
 
The areas we need help with include:
Publicity
Social Media
Bookkeeping/Accounting
Website Maintenance
Lobbying
Speakers Bureau members to provide talks on League priorities
Someone with a convertible or pickup truck for the Pridefest parade

Just drop me a line at robgrisar@yahoo.com or call me at 321-783-6995 and let me know your area of interest and what kind of time you would like to give us.  The pay isn’t great [well, it isn’t anything at all actually], but you will feel soooooo much better for doing it! 

 

Redistricting Process
 
The Local Government committee invites members to join in efforts to monitor Brevard County’s Redistricting which is taking place this year.
Our first meeting will be held Monday June 14th at 1PM with a zoom link being sent to those who register.
 
Thus far two meetings have been held in the county to start the redistricting process.  To watch the videos of the first two meetings go to:  03/16/2021 and 5/18/2021 on the link below. Click option of calendar view rather than list view.
 
brevardfl.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

For more information contact Terry LaPlante (321) 543-2156 or tlaplante2012@gmail.com 

One Community One Book


Committee Spotlights

In a recent meeting of the Brevard County Commission, a commissioner asked the Commission to approve the removal of fluoride from the water in Mims. Mims is a rural area with little access to dental care. The motion to remove fluoride passed in the last five minutes of the meeting without it being on the agenda or having a public hearing. There is some indication that this could be a recurring issue in Brevard County. 

The Social Justice Committee is concerned about several issues in connection with this matter. All too often, especially in low income and rural areas, there is a great shortage of dental care resources available. That is why the League of Women Voters supported a Dental Therapy bill in the last legislature that would have expanded access to dental care for many low income and rural communities. In fact, in some communities, there is not a single dentist.

Dental decay is the most prevalent disease of children in the USA. For many children and adults, fluoridated water helps prevent major dental problems such as abscesses, decay, and pain. The CDC has attributed the large decline in dental cavities in the United States since the 1960’s to community water fluoridation and has named it one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

The removal of fluoride from Brevard’s community water supply is an important issue that should not be undertaken without serious public research and comment.

For further reading please go to the American Fluoridation Society,
https://americanfluoridationsociety.org/about-us/.

Civics and the U.S. Constitution Instruction in Brevard Public Schools
 

Ms. Kimberly Garton, Brevard Public Schools (BPS) Social Studies Resource Teacher, grades 7 -12, was our excellent guest speaker this month. Ms. Garton also serves as the current president of the Florida Association of Social Studies Supervisors (FASSS). She shared information regarding what is currently being taught in BPS, and all Florida public schools, in civics and social studies. She also updated us on recent proposed revisions to Florida’s K – 12 Civics and Government standards. This article, condensed from a document provided by Ms. Garton, will give a brief overview of current civics/social studies instruction in BPS.

 

Florida is one of only 17 states whose state accountability system includes civics, citizenship education, or social studies. Between kindergarten and high school, BPS students receive instruction for approximately 150 standards on the U.S. Constitution through core social studies curriculum. Social studies electives and other content areas also include civics instruction. Florida’s Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) standards, which replaced Common Core Standards, includes a recommended civics reading list in the English/Language Arts Standards.  Students in grades K – 5 receive civics instruction every year in addition to grade specific social studies curriculum. In grades K – 5 the standards include Foundations of Government, Law, and the American Political System; Civic and Political Participation; and Structure and Functions of Government. There is a strong emphasis on Civics education in grades 5 and 7. The foundation of our government is a focus in 5th grade and is expanded upon in 7th grade. 

 

Every 7th grader in BPS takes a year-long Civics course that includes a state mandated end of course assessment. Instruction includes the roles and responsibilities of federal, state and local government and the meaning and significance of specific historical documents, such as the Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. In 2019, BPS ranked 13th out of all 67 counties, 1st among larger districts, for highest scores on the assessment. 11th graders in BPS must take a semester long U.S. Government course to meet the requirement for a standard high school diploma which includes one credit in U.S. History and one-half credit is U.S. Government. Students entering a Florida college or university by state law must pass a Florida Civic Literacy Test. In July 2019, Education Week called Florida “The Trendsetter” in an article focused on states and civics education.

 

Additional Note – We received information in April that The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) is now accepting scholarship applications for 2021-22. This would be suitable for a Brevard high school senior. For additional information or questions, please contact 321-236-3406 or email ncnwbrevardscholarship@gmail.com

 
Timely Hot Topic: Martin Luther King and the Struggle for Black Voting Rights is scheduled for July 17, 2021 at 2:00 via Zoom. Our presenter is the 2020 Florida History Teacher of the Year, Jennifer Jolley. Registration and other information will be coming soon.

 


The International Relations group has covered 5 of the 8 topics from Great Decisions 2021 so far this year. We will continue our zoom meetings in September.


January topic was Global Supply Chains led by Martha Bradshaw. Globalization emphasizes global supply chains of production, providing an ability to obtain goods and services from different locations for maximum benefit in terms of cost, variety, and quality. Over time production networks have become intricate and far-flung. On average a company can expect significant disruption every 3-10 years. Common disruptors have been natural disasters, weather events and labor disturbances

The pandemic has highlighted reliance on China and spurred companies to build resilience into their chains. Some economic nationalists want to rip up the supply chains that bind the United States and China together, a separation referred to as “decoupling.” Completely separating the two economies is seen as unlikely for several reasons including proximity to markets, varying labor costs, access to raw materials, and the cost of relocating production.


February topic was The End of Globalization led by Margee Smith. The International Relations Committee studied and discussed the history of Globalization and its impact on the United States and the rest of the world. Trade and specialization have resulted in exponential growth of wealth and economic well-being throughout the world, raising millions of people out of poverty and creating a global middle class. However, since the middle of the 20th century, globalization has also exacerbated the divide between rich and poor and between developed and developing countries. Globalization, and its pursuit of economic interests, has also largely ignored the environment and the damage being done.

 
Kathy Ebersberger led our discussion on  the Two Koreas. Our discussion of the Korean Peninsula noted that no Koreans were consulted when Korea was divided by the United States and Russia at the end of World War II. We learned of Korea’s historical domination by larger countries and the effect that continues to have on both North Korea’s and South Korea’s foreign policies. We discussed South Korea’s relatively new status as a democracy and some of the consequences of the Korean War, particularly in North Korea. We noted the tension in South Korean foreign policy caused by its need for security, which today is met by the United States, and its thriving economy, which is fueled by trade with China. Finally, we reviewed problems faced by President Biden in fashioning a new foreign policy for the Korean Peninsula and East Asia.   


Joyce Calese led our discussion on The Arctic. The Arctic region is heating up more than twice as quickly as other regions of the planet.  Temperatures in a Siberian town above the Arctic circle reached over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in 2020.   Changes to the ice coverage of the Arctic Ocean is leading to the possibility of a Northern Sea Route that could replace the Suez Canal transporting some 90% of the world's goods.  Nations around the world are interested in what happens in the region with China extending their belt and road project to what they call the Polar silk road.  Of course Russia with its large geographic presence in the region is a dominant player.

  

Chip Hine’s Powerpoint Presentation on Persian Gulf Security can be viewed by members at Persian Gulf Security


Committee Launches Sustainability Saturdays
by Terry Mott, Co-Chair Sustainability Committee
 
In keeping with our promise to provide educational webinars to promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Sustainability Committee is excited to announce the following events:

Sustainable Development Goal #15  Life on Land
 
Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Saturday, June 5, 2021  3 pm-4 pm  Restore Our Land (Part 1)
Guest Speaker:  Amanda Muzaurieta, Volunteer and Composting Coordinator for Keep Brevard Beautiful (KBB), will give a presentation on KBB’s new program promoting composting as a way to help reduce the volume of waste entering Brevard County landfills.

Saturday, June 26, 2021  10 am-11 am  Restore Our Land (Part 2) 
 
Guest Speaker:  Sally Scalera, Urban Horticulture Agent & Master Gardener Coordinator, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, will teach us how plants grow in natural areas and how we can work with nature to grow healthier plants, more nutritious food, and improve the water quality of the Indian River Lagoon.  We can simply use different products to get better results!

Sustainable Development Goal #8  Decent Work & Economic Growth
 
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.  

Saturday, July 24, 2021  10 am-11 am
  Sustainability Committee’s Book Club Meeting
Leigh Ann Lindsay, Co-Chair of the LWVSC Sustainability Committee will lead a discussion of the book Building the New American Economy: Smart, Fair, and Sustainable by Jeffrey D. Sachs.

Sustainable Development Goal #14  Life Below Water
 
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Saturday, August 28, 2021
  Time TBD  Restore Our Oceans
Guest Speaker:  Holly Abeels, Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent, Certified Climate Change Professional® (CC-P®), UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, Florida Sea Grant.

Sustainable Development Goal #11  Sustainable Cities & Communities

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021  Time TBD  Sustainability Committee’s Book Club Meeting
Guest Speaker:  Linda Seals, Community Development Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, will lead a discussion of the bookSustainability Principles and Practice by Margaret Robertson.

Sustainable Development Goal #6  Clean Water & Sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
 
Saturday, October 23, 2021  Time TBD   Restore Our Freshwater Systems
Guest Speaker:  Dr. Bonnie C. Wells, Extension Agent II, Commercial Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County, will teach us about the freshwater systems that surround us. 

All events are free and open to the public.  Please register at www.lwv-spacecoast.org  
For more information contact Terry Mott at: terrymott93@gmail.com

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Upcoming On Our Calendar

June Zoom Meetings
 
Tuesday, June 1st Board Meeting 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Monday, June 14th Local Government Committee Meeting 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday, June 16th Education Committee Meeting 10:00 a.m. to Noon
Monday, June 21st Social Justice Committee Meeting 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.


We Welcome our New Members
 
Mia Goforth
John Archibald
Suzanne Taylor
 
Enjoy pictures of our Meet and Greet Tent raising at Meet and Greet Tent Raising
 
 

Photos from May Meet and Greet

Jo Shim, Rob Grisar & Diane Callier
Linda Meeuwenberg & Molly Tasker
Donna Morris and husband Bob
Hilah Mercer & Tom Grotelueschen
Margee Smith, Marilza Novaes-Card & Joyce Calese
Barbara Dutton & Lucia Watson

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
 
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Visit our website at LWV-Spacecoast.org