L.U. 6 (c,i,st&u), SAN FRANCISO, CA—The JATC apprenticeship program recently held completion ceremonies at the apprentice graduation dinner. It was a lively evening and an enthusiastic celebration. Congratulations to the following graduates:

Inside Wiremen—Joel Bedolla, Brett Cendak, Liam Deely, Michael Erle, Paul Green, Dennis Hanley, Timothy Heffernan, Nicholas LaChapelle, Aaron Lloyd, David Morales, Joshua Murphy, Tom Nolan, Andre Ortiz, Eric Poppe, Brian Quinn, Lewis Reese, Filip Sugawara, Douglas Wydler, Ernie Yip, Eduardo Alcala, Richard Allred, Kimberly Blyschak, Michael Borghello, Christopher Cicero, Philip Crawley, Michael Echols, Steven Fink, John Heister, Damacio Hernandez, Kevin Jones, Anthony Maffia, Paul Merkouris, Eric Muther, Enrique Oropeza, Kevin Paul, Christine Peterson, Ana Valdillez, James Weigel, Ashley Wong, Josette Brown, Scott Cameron, Jorge Chavez, Byron Coyle, Fawn Gelpi, Danny Jones, Paul Menicucci, Jason Minjarez, David Nicholson, Timothy Rudder, Richard Burkett, Christopher Chang, Tim Cleary, Ralph Diaz, Ian Hearon, Steve McKenna, Vito Michelucci, Brendan Myers, Danny O'Shea, Mark Schalch and John Stephens.

Sound & Commmunications—Zachary Ball, Matthew Carlsen, Jacob Guaraldi, Charles Hicks, Bradley Jones, Nathaniel Michaels, Jorge Noguera, Edward Oakes, George Reale, Luis Reyes, Antonio Rosak, Christian Scott and Monte Simco.

Phil A. Farrelly, Pres.

L.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OH—In recent months, we have had some excellent social events. Thanks to everyone who participated in our Labor Day celebration. As always, we had a great showing at the parade. Our Entertainment Committee did an awesome job providing us with an outstanding Labor Day picnic, also.

A number of Local 8 golfers participated in the WGA tournament in August. It was especially enjoyable for those who brought home trophies, namely: the foursome of Greg Black, Marty Incorvaia, Pat Managhan and Danny Okane (Team Low Gross); Bro. Danny Okane (Super Senior Individual Low Gross); and Adam Sweeny (Individual Low Net). Way to go, brothers!

Weigh in for the Annual Perch Tournament in September resulted in the winning team of Joe Cousino, Jeff Cousino, Jerry Heminger and Shawn Robaszkiewicz.

Plan to bring your family to the Local 8 Annual Children's Christmas Party on Saturday, Dec. 12, beginning at noon. Also, share some holiday cheer with your union family at the Local 8 Members' Christmas Party, which will immediately follow our regular union meeting on Monday, Dec. 21.

We hope that we'll have good news with more work opportunities in 2010.

Have a safe and happy holiday season.

Ben "Red" Tackett, P.S.
Jim Kozlowski, B.M.

L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN—The IBEW congratulates graduates of the 2009 Inside Wireman program: Bryan Bittner, Chad W. Burleigh, Phillip A. Cessna, Andrew W. Eubank, Andrew T. Goebel, Christopher L. Guthrie, Ryan L. Hale, Robin R. Haskell, Jesse A. Hettenbach, Andrew J. King, Heath A. Libbert, Nick A. Muensterman, Charles C. Pace, Matthew C. Pyle, Aaron J. Scott, Bradley A. Shoemaker, Curtis M. Shore, Jason A. Staples, Jess M. Stuteville, Ryan M. Vollman and Todd Zimmer. Cody A. Clark and Jason D. Schmitt successfully completed the 2009 Residential Wireman program. Robin R. Haskell earned special distinction as the Scholastic Award winner.

The JATC decided to honor the late Bro. John D. Brenner, a 17½ year committee member, with an award in his name. After a class vote and a JATC interview, this unique recognition w ent to Nick A. Muensterman. Nick met the criteria of being: dedicated to the highest standards of the IBEW, committed to promoting the local through volunteerism, and being in the top third of his class. John's spirit of activism will always live through this award.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt,i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC—As everyone gets ready for the holidays, I hope you've planned to take an evening out for some brotherhood and holiday cheer by attending one of our Christmas party/meetings. The D.C. area event will be Dec. 4; Front Royal will be Dec. 11; and Roanoke on Dec. 18.

Local 26 is having its food drive again this year. Please remember the reason for the season and drop off non-perishable food items to any of our officers, or bring them to one of the Christmas parties.

We mourn the members who passed away since our last article: Bro. Paul D. Horsmon; and retired Bros. Paul R. Miller Sr., James F. Stephens Jr., Douglas A. Barkes, Peter O. Everly and Maurice J. Florus.

Best wishes to the following new retirees: James M. Bumbry, Howard W. Dennis Jr., Herndon R. Fortune, Wilbur C. Haley, George Journiette Jr., James F. Keaveney, Joseph F. Ludwig III, Richard G. McGowan Jr., Gordon W. Miles, Randall I. Mullins, Bernard G. Kalb Jr., Daniel F. Lemay, Ralph S. Pomeroy, Enriquez Tellez, Panayolis Balaras, Dennis W. Brightwell, Joseph M. Caetto, Alfred Dimuzio, Joseph Dollarton, Wayne P. Bennett, Richard I. Darling, Lawrence F. Middleton and Isaac L. Jacobs.

Charles E. "Chuck" Graham, B.M.

L.U. 34 (em,i,rts&spa), PEORIA, IL—We thank all traveling brothers and sisters who helped staff Local 34 projects the last few years. We could not have done it without you!

Currently much of the powerhouse work has been pushed back. The hospitals have had a few calls, but nothing going to Book II. Caterpillar is starting to release some work, with calls coming in for various plants. We are hopeful everything will rebound by the first of the year or early spring, and we will be glad to see you all again!

At this writing, 132 journeyman wiremen are on Book I and 488 journeyman wiremen on Book II. Please remember your re-signs—either in person or by postcard or fax every 30 days. You may send in re-signs one week before re-sign date. Hopefully soon you will be able to re-sign by Internet and check the book status. Please check out www.ibew34.org for info on referrals and other Local 34 information.

Local 34's 10th Annual Trap Shoot and Lee Hall Memorial Golf Outing held in September were fun events. Mark your calendars for next year.

Our condolences to the families of recently deceased Bros. Edward VanNattan Sr., Earl Gudeman, Ron Schraeder, Robert Harvey Sr., Albert "Bud" Sepich, Hugh McWhirter and George Cole. Our brothers are sadly missed.

Congratulations on their recent retirement to: Bros. Ron Corbin, Robert Molitor, Larry Geasler, Larry Waterfield, John Mester and James Brisco.

Paul O'Dear, P.S.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OH—Everyone had a good time at the second annual Local 38 minority picnic held at Euclid Creek Metro Park. The weather was beautiful and it was a nice turnout. Thanks to Examining Board member Jamie Davis and everyone who helped put it together.

Several upcoming projects in our area will provide some much needed man-hours for our members. ESI Inc. was awarded the second phase electrical package at Cuyahoga County juvenile detention center worth $6.9 million.

The GM plant in Parma will remain open and will be retrofitting the facility with equipment from other plants around the country that will close. This is a large project and should provide work opportunities for our members after the first of the year.

We negotiated a PLA with the Berea school board for a $23 million project that will bid soon.

As of this writing, we are all working hard to get Issue 3 passed in Ohio. If Issue 3 passes we will be building a proposed $600 million casino in downtown Cleveland, which would mean thousands of man-hours for our membership next year.

The Local 38 Family Christmas Party is Sunday, Dec. 13, at the Masonic Hall. The doors will be opened by Santa Claus at 1 p.m. and the show will start at 2 p.m.

Dennis Meaney, A.B.M.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO—Local 68 signatory contractor Empire Electric recently completed a newsworthy photovoltaic installation. This one is in Broomfield, CO, at Source Communications and the system was energized on Sept. 30.

The system is rated at 22.4 KW and will supply up to 50 percent of power needs for the Source Communications facility. Design and installation were by Empire Electric of Broomfield, and utilized Local 68 electricians and apprentices for the project. The solar modules were manufactured by Sharp in its Nashville, TN, plant, using IBEW union labor. This information and the accompanying photograph were provided by Local 68 member Butch Hueske, in conjunction with Empire Electric, a company involved in the preliminary stages of other installations. The company hopes to install many more systems in the future.

We extend deepest sympathy to the families of our recently deceased brothers: Dale Stagg, Patrick Van Sambeek, James Flynn and Harry Forsberg.

Ed Knox, Pres.

L.U. 76 (c,i,rts&st), TACOMA, WA—On Sept. 11, the Southwest Washington JATC held a dinner for the 2009 graduating class.

Local 76 welcomes our new journeymen. New inside construction journeymen are: Daniel Arthurs, Ryan Barber, Tim Bastron, Lot Boggs, Evan Boyd III, John Boyer, Jeremy Connolly, Daniel Gwartney, Ryan Headley, Philip Heitz, Aaron Hughes, Sean Inskip, Jerry Irwin, Andre Kelley, Jeffrey Logan, Michael Martin, Patrick Martin, William Mashburn II, Joseph Mundt, Justin Pearson, Charity Powers, John Sauter, Andrew Watts, Erik Whipple, Stacy Woodson and Sergey Zinakov. New residential journeymen are: Charles Amico, Tyson Bennett, Tysin Earp, James Eckley, Nicholas Filer, Dale Fix, Cody Jarvi, David Lichtenberg, Dwayne Lorenzo, Justin Morgan, Kevin Pinick, Ryan Pritchard, Justin Radle, Kevin Reynolds, Gabriel Ruiz and Chris Stone. We congratulate these new journeymen and wish them long and successful careers.

We also recognize Omar Trujillo for his service to our country with the Washington National Guard's Charlie Company 1-161 Infantry. Omar was not able to graduate with his class due to being deployed in Iraq for one year. We thank him for his service and dedication. [Please watch for an "IBEW On Duty" article in an upcoming issue of The Electrical Worker.]

Mac McClellan, P.S.

L.U. 80 (i&o), NORFOLK, VA—Work in our jurisdiction is slowly improving. Contractors are actively bidding any work they can right now. Several contracts have been awarded and should start putting some of our members back to work soon. Remember, if you plan to come to Local 80 to sign Book II, you must be registered in ERTS prior to signing.

The annual Local 80 picnic was held Sept. 26 at the Chesapeake campground. Everyone enjoyed the great food and the opportunity to catch up with old friends. Congratulations to Ron Gingras and Ron Gingras Jr. for winning the annual horseshoe tournament. A big thanks to Terry McPhillips and his wife, Maureen, for all their work preparing for the picnic. Every year it seems to get better and better.

Local 80 and the Tidewater JATC wish everyone happy holidays.

W. Dennis Floyd, P.S.

L.U. 86 (ees,em,es,i,rts&spa), ROCHESTER, NY—With the year almost past us, we can look back at accomplishments Local 86 members can be very proud of. In April, volunteers from Local 86 helped rebuild a house for the "Extreme Hope Project." In just five weeks our volunteers helped tear down and rebuild a 2,000 square-foot house for a family going through great hardship. Check it out at Web site www.extremehopeproject.org.

In May the Rotary Sunshine Camp's newest pavilion, "Union Station," was completed. Also, retirees and volunteers are working on completing a new office for the Eastern Service Workers Association. ESWA is a small volunteer organization that helps low-income service workers and their families with supplemental food, clothing, and information about job referrals and other assistance.

These are just samples of some of the projects Local 86 volunteers worked on this year. Thanks to everyone who helped. I hope this holiday season finds you and your family happy and healthy.

Ron Freida, A.B.M.

L.U. 90 (i), NEW HAVEN, CT—We had our summer membership outing in September. More than 230 members enjoyed a day of food, fun and laughter.

We held a fundraiser/raffle to raise money for the families of active members who retired early due to disability, or families of active members who passed away. The generosity of our members and contractors always amazes us. We raised $6,000 for Robert Montovani Jr. and William Palmer, who retired early on disability, and for the families of Gregory Wiltshire and Larry Zukoski, who departed early in life but are not forgotten.

In October we held our Retirement/25-Year Pin Dinner in Groton, CT. Attending were more than 150 members, who came to say goodbye to our nine members who retired this year and to applaud the 20 recipients of the 25-year pin. We thank our retirees for all they have done for our local and our Brotherhood, and we will miss them. They are: Ed Bauer, Gerry Bennett, Rudy Chieka, Carlos Duzant, Rich Lussier, Robert Mantovani Jr., Bill Palmer and Steve Rushford. Also, Int. Rep. Richard Panagrossi, former Local 90 business manager, retired Aug. 1 following 28 years' service as Second District International Representative. The entire membership, past and present, thank you all for your service and dedication.

Sean Daly, V.P.

L.U. 96 (i), WORCESTER, MA—In honor of Labor Day the annual state AFL/CIO breakfast was held. Rosaleana Denham, daughter of Bro. Donald Denham, was awarded the Francis J. Farrell Jr. Scholarship. Congratulations, Rosaleana, and best of luck!

The Annual Local 96 Golf Tournament was held Sept. 25 at Pine Ridge Country Club. The first-place team included Bros. Mike Catallozzi, Chris Chianese, David Hart and Fran Katinas. Special thanks to the Golf Committee for orchestrating this successful event.

Thank you to all members for supporting union-endorsed politicians with your votes; and special thanks to those who took time to hold signs, at high traffic areas throughout the city of Worcester, during the campaign season. The special state election for U.S. senator from Massachusetts is scheduled for Jan. 19, 2010. Visit Web site www.ibewlocal96.org for the candidate we are endorsing. Every vote counts.

Local 96 wishes a happy holiday and new year to all.

Luke E. Carpenter, Treas./P.S.

L.U. 146 (ei,i&rts), DECATUR, IL—Seasons greetings from Local 146. Let's all hope that 2010 is a year of prosperous opportunities for the IBEW.

We recently held our local's annual John V. Workman steak fry. The steaks were cooked to perfection and the weather held out for a beautiful day full of friendship and brotherhood. The eighth annual poker run was held in September and was a big success also.

Our deepest sympathies to the families of the following members who passed away: Bros. Bob Barnes, George Babbs, Charles Sampson, and fourth-year apprentice Josh Aughenbaugh. Our prayers and peace be with you.

Recent retirements include: Neil Reeser, Bill Mihal and Alan Holderfield. Congratulations to each of you.

Rich Underwood, R.S.

L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL—Over the past 12 months more than 300 members have taken classes offered by the JATC to update their skills. That is one-quarter of our local membership. This is wonderful and it is always good to take any opportunity to update our skills and knowledge. Watch the JATC Web site or your mailbox for more information regarding classes. Due to the current unemployment situation, more day classes are being offered. Our many thanks to the JATC.

Our softball team won the Midwest Softball Tournament again last summer. The team consists of Mike Curley, Chris Diggs, Bryan Jewell, Roy Potter, Phil Olson, Nick Potter, Casey Basseler, Andy Narlock, James Brenner, Chris Lahti, Keith Krause, Joe Grissom, Don Straight, Jerome Taylor and Steve Crutchfield. The coach is Tom Faust and the manager is Ed Moore. Congratulations.

As last year drew to a close we lost two retired members: Robert Dusek and Bill Jenko. This year we lost retired members Dan Murtaugh, Dick Cerk, Don Rowe, Carl Kohler, Tom Raven, Don Lahey, Frank Humer and Joe Palazzo. They were all good men and helped build our local into what it is today. Godspeed.

Enjoy a safe and joyous holiday season. Let's hope 2010 is better.

Wendy J. Cordts, P. S.

L.U. 158 (i,it,mar,mt&spa), GREEN BAY, WI—Local 158 was very fortunate to have some work this fall. We were able to see most of our members employed as well as many, many traveling brothers and sisters. We thank the travelers for helping us staff our work. Hope continues for an even brighter outlook in 2010. The uncertainty of the economy still has our members, as well as contractors, in a very speculative mindset. We could use a boost in our commercial as well as marine sectors.

Our local and our contractors who help fund the LMCC driven entity Tru Pro (www.trupro.org) were once again sponsors for the Green Bay Botanical Gardens holiday display of lights. This year we sponsored a 40-foot long caterpillar figure, standing 7-feet tall and 7-feet wide, dressed in 20,000 LED lights. This brought the total Garden of Lights display to 250,000 LED lights. It is an awesome outdoor, in-the-snow, event.

Local 158 wishes all IBEW members and their families a joyous holiday season.

Donald C. Allen, B.M.

L.U. 164 (c,em,i,o&t), JERSEY CITY, NJ—The Local 164 JATC was honored to host the 52nd annual National Electrical Training Directors Association (NETDA) conference in East Rutherford, NJ. By all accounts, the June conference was a huge success. The general session opened on June 22, with the Local 164 Pipes & Drums leading the keynote speaker, Gov. Jon Corzine, into the room. [Ed. Note: In a Nov. 3 election, Gov. Corzine lost his bid for re-election to office.]

Attendees and their families enjoyed an activity-filled week, including a trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Sunday evening cruise around Manhattan Island was a highlight, as were the Tuesday evening Mets game and the Wednesday evening gala. Thank you to all who attended. It was an honor and a pleasure to host some of the finest men and women in the entire IBEW.

The IBEW filmed a video of the work being performed at the new Giants/Jets stadium. The three-minute video can be viewed at Web site www.IBEW.org. Press the arrow on the right side of the video section and scroll to the selection. The segment shows the pride our members have displayed building this very successful Code of Excellence project.

John M. DeBouter
Pres./Training Dir.

L.U. 196 (govt,mt,o,t&u), ROCKFORD, IL—Congratulations to Edgar R. "Ed" Mings, former Local 196 business manager, on his appointment as International Representative assigned to the I.O. Construction and Maintenance Department. I am confident all brothers and sisters will benefit from his input at the International level.

Our outside construction work remains slow at this time. We currently have work going on at an area wind farm. However, we continue to have jurisdictional disputes with other unions, which is the case on this project as well.

Local 196 supported the wind project by attending public hearings, and by communicating with county board members to encourage approval of the permits and with the local media asking for much-needed community support for project. Our local's diligent efforts helped gain approval for this important wind farm project.

Eric Patrick, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 222 (o), ORLANDO, FL—As of this writing our work is very slow. For the first time in our young history, there are more that 50 members on the book; in fact there are 75 linemen on book one alone. However, there is evidence of some major transmission work starting up in the near future.

Two years ago Local 222 officers held meetings with the membership to discuss the need for more office space due to the positive growth in membership and the increase in the office staff. We diligently looked at several possible facilities and none of them had everything we were looking for and needed in order to function properly, so we decided to build our own and design it like we wanted.

The existing local union office had plenty of land around it that was already zoned properly, so it only made good sense to build a new facility directly behind the existing office.

Our new building will provide 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art office and meeting accommodations that should proudly serve our members for many years to come.

James M. "Mike" Bell, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 230 (c,catv,em,i,mar&u), VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA—The temperature in Nanaimo hovered around 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) on July 26, the city's busiest weekend of the year. It was Bathtub Race weekend, when the party starts days before and seems to go on for a week after. This international event attracts enthusiasts from all over the world. If you've heard of bathtub racing this is where in 1967 it all started, in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Early boats were whimsical and crafted from a variety of materials, whereas today most bathtub boats are mono-hull planers with outboard motors and racing propellers. Local 230 members this year can be especially proud as Bro. Shawn Lamoureux placed first, Bro. Aaron Froats placed second, Bro. Brandon Skipper placed fourth, and Bro. Justin Lofstrom was sixth in the "super-modified class." There is likely a lot to talk about on the job as all four of them currently work for Western Technical Installations.

The 1½ hour, 36-mile open ocean course was a really tight race as Bros. Lamoureux and Froats were neck and neck until the final leg of the race at only 14 seconds apart. Nice job, guys!

Phil Venoit, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR—Work is still slow in our area and Bus. Mgr. Tim Frew with his staff and officers are working hard to secure jobs for the membership. They have opened forums for crafting a "Small Works Agreement" to capture the market that we walked away from years ago. Membership involvement is crucial for developing a strategy and a workable Memorandum of Understanding for our contractors to compete with the nonunion. It is also crucial for the workers to have a livable wage and benefits package and not to start a "race to the bottom" that will erode what we have gained over the years.

Another progressive step our leaders are taking is an "Industrial Task Force" that will take a hard look at bidding the industrial sector that we used to control. Open shops like Murray, Olsen, Jimco, and TIC are getting a foothold in our paper mills and other large projects and we need an aggressive plan with our NECA contractors to recapture this work.

Many thanks to Locals 12, 112, 611, and many other fine locals for the work opportunities and fantastic brotherhood they have shown us in these hard economic times. We hope we can return the favor soon!

Jerry Fletcher, P.S.

L.U. 300 (govt,i,mt&u), MONTPELIER, VT—A cool, but sunny, late summer day set the perfect background for the celebration of Vermont Yankee's 11th Annual Safety and Human Performance Day. It also provided the occasion for the nuclear power plant's staff to proudly fly the Green Mountain Voluntary Protection Program STAR flag. IBEW Local 300 represents over 200 Vermont Yankee workers.

There was plenty of reason to be proud. A report released from Vermont's Department of Labor shows lost time due to on-the-job injuries at Vermont Yankee is well below the average for the nuclear industry for the time period of 2006-2008. That is a strong testament to the dedication of Vermont Yankee employees to work in a culture where their safety is the top priority.

Becoming a Voluntary Protection Program site depends on four core elements. These include: management commitment and employee involvement, work hazard assessment, hazard control, and employee safety and health training.

The recognition signifies Vermont Yankee's world-class safety and health management systems. Vermont Yankee now joins an elite group of seven Vermont companies with STAR status.

Matt Lash, P.S.

L.U. 306 (i), AKRON, OH—Our 2009 apprentice graduates were honored at a ceremony held at Todaro's Party Center on Sept. 25. New inside wiremen are: Phillip Bulgrin, Anthony Collins, Bryan Dudiwka, William Kinion Jr., Brian Magrell, Jesse McCoy, Rory McKeever and Michael Nelson. New residential wiremen are: Matthew Christy, Jason Heighley, Mark McGeorge, Carlton Pickelsimer, Matthew Robinson and Christopher Spry.

Highest Grade Point Average and High Achiever awards from Klein Tools were earned by Phillip Bulgrin and Matthew Robinson. Training Dir. Paul Zimmerman noted that almost half of the graduates had perfect attendance through their respective three- and five-year programs.

Opening remarks by Bus. Mgr. Mark Douglas were followed by an invocation offered by Matthew Christy. Guest speaker John Wagner, Tri-County AFL-CIO executive secretary, was introduced JATC Chmn. Larry Thompson. John gave an upbeat report on trade unionism in America and pro-labor efforts to provide a chance for the middle class in our nation.

Closing remarks by Tom Shreves, Akron Division NECA chapter manager, reminded graduates that completing an apprentice program creates many opportunities.

We mourn the loss of retired Bro. Daniel Vaughan and electrical engineers Ron Black and Richard Hofacker. Bros. Black and Hofacker taught apprentice and journeyman classes for many years.

Work Smart, Work Safe!

Bob Sallaz, P.S.

L.U. 332 (c,ees,i&st), SAN JOSE, CA—On Oct. 23, we held our 7th Annual ‘Old Timers' Dinner. We presented service pins to members with more than 35 years of IBEW service. More than 150 members received service pins this year and we had two 65-year members. The event was a great success and everyone had a wonderful time. Although the award recipients are too numerous to list in this space, we congratulate all those who were honored and thank them for their dedicated union service.

Among this year's service pin recipients are:
65-year members—William Cassalata and Robert G. Parish; 60-year members—John S. Basher Jr., George Berry Jr., Travis W. Brett, Clarence Fagalde, Royce M. Ford, Adrian Gettinger, Paul L. Gilbert, Ralph D. Giordano, George Harding, Willis O. Hays, John W. Jelesko, Claude Remillard, Robert Sappington, James Shields and Herbert W. Wilson; 55-year members—James Bright, James Buckmaster, Robert J. Buttazoni, Anthony J. Conrad, Larrie A. Dastrup, Billy L. Frasher, Walter F. Kromer, John M. McGhee, Thomas R. Nemanic, Armando V. Ocampo, Victor J. Pawl Jr., Donald E. Powers, Manuel Roman, Ronald E. Schutte, Dominic M. Speziale, David T. Strotman, Kenneth B. Weber and Steve G. Wright.

Gerald Pfeiffer, Pres.

L.U. 340 (i,rts&spa), SACRAMENTO, CA—I am proud to report that a Local 340 apprentice was awarded an Underwriter's Laboratory scholarship, which will pay for four years worth of textbooks! Bro. Andrew King, a first-year apprentice, is in the top 20 percent of his class and is well-respected by his peers as a hard worker with a positive attitude toward being a union electrician. We organized this brother in 2008 and he stands out as a leader. I am sure Bro. Andrew is happy with the choice he made to "go union" and I know we are as well.

The membership picnic in September was great fun for all! Hundreds of active and retired members and their families attended. The picnic was planned and staffed by the local's picnic committee and the 2009 apprentice graduates.

Our work picked up a bit in August and September, but there are still quite a few members on our out-of-work list.

We mourn the passing of active member Bro. John Tichenor and retired Bros. Floyd C. Anderson, Charles "Charlie" Mataya and Werner P. Schoenhoff.

A.C. Steelman, B.M.

L.U. 354 (i,mt,rts&spa), SALT LAKE CITY, UT—Happy holidays from Local 354. We wish everyone a safe and prosperous new year.

Work in this part of the country has been fair for local members, but not many calls made it into Book 2 last year. We hope things will improve in the spring.
The accompanying photo includes Local 354 retiree Milton Ouzts Sr., a 60-year IBEW member. The picture was taken at an Ouzts family reunion last summer and the members shown have a combined total of 194 years' service to the IBEW.

Please get involved with your local political action committees and make your opinions known to your elected legislators in Congress.

Organizing is still going strong—we welcome all our new brothers and sisters to the IBEW.

We mourn the passing of members Mark Goodsell, Orson "Art" Bohn, Dan Detmers, Rex Petersen, Tracy Jones, Curtis Jessop, Marvin Teuscher and Walter Froisland Jr. Local 354 sends heartfelt condolences to their families.

Manya Blackburn, R.S.

L.U. 364 (cavt,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL—The holidays are here and we have much to be thankful for even in these slow times. Local 364 members have exhibited much brotherhood helping each other get through these tough times.

The Local 364 children's Christmas party is Saturday, Dec. 5, and it should be a wonderful occasion.

IBEW Local 364 members and their families attended the Northern Illinois University Huskies tailgate party and football game. Before the game, attendees were treated to a cookout and terrific fellowship as well. Special thanks to the NIU brothers who threw the soirée. NIU walloped Western Illinois University by 41 to 7!

Labor Day was a fantastic success. Marching in our annual parade were 350 members and their families. We had the finest local in the parade and were well-represented by our members. In the Labor Day Queen competition, first-place winner was Kreila Cote, daughter of Local 364 member Greg Cote.

Thanks to Bro. Zach Spitzmiller and the apprentices who constructed this year's float. We finished first in judging of the participating locals that constructed their own floats. We met back at our newly renovated hall for our traditional Labor Day lunch after the parade, marking the first social occasion at our renovated space.

Ray Pendzinski, P.S.

L.U. 380 (ei,es,i&it), NORRISTOWN, PA—The Local 380 JATC held its annual graduation banquet to honor the class of 2009 graduates, who just five short years ago entered the electrical field with little or no electrical background. After countless hours of study, along with help from dedicated instructors in class and from foremen and journeymen on the job, this group of new journeymen is ready to accept the challenges and rewards this trade offers.

Each year the graduating class votes for one of their classmates to receive the leadership award. The class is reminded of all the outstanding qualities of a leader and instructed to choose someone who shows leadership qualities and potential.

This year the Stephen Malinowski Leadership Award went to Jonathan M. Ritrovato. Awards for perfect attendance in the fifth year went to: John Finley, Adam Heimer, Bryan Klock, Robert Siter and Justin Warnas. A perfect attendance award for all five years of apprentice training went to Daniel Keely. Overall achievement awards based on classroom grades, foremen's reports and attendance were presented to: Jonathan Ritrovato for third place; Justin Warnas, second place; and for first place, the James W. Mayall Award went to John Finley.

Scott R. Sheldon, P.S.

L.U. 388 (em,i,rts&spa), STEVENS POINT, WI—Local 388 held its annual picnic back in August. The turnout was great—it was nice to see so many retirees and the younger members show up with their families. Although the weather could have been better, it was a good time for all.

When the chance arises, give a heartfelt thank-you to a retiree for the sacrifices and hardships they went through to help make the IBEW the world's greatest trade union, allowing us to offer a better way of life for our families.

Work continues to be slow this fall and into the winter. Some members are finding work on the road. If anyone wants to travel to find work, please call the hall and we can help you in that search.

I wish to say thank-you and congratulations on a job well-done to Zimmer Electric, one of our signatory contractors. Steve Zimmer donated material and more than 40 hours of labor to wire the Kahle Memorial Field in Tomahawk, WI. The field is a memorial dedicated to a young man from Tomahawk who died in a construction accident in Alaska.

Guy Lepage, P.S.

L.U. 412 (u), KANSAS CITY, MO—After three years and many hours of training, Local 412 Bros. Jeff Schaffer and Ryan Agnew celebrated the successful completion of their apprenticeships and the beginning of their careers as journeyman machinists in the Central Machine Facility at KCP&L.

Among those who stopped in to celebrate with Bros. Schaffer and Agnew were: Local 412 Bus. Mgr. Bill McDaniel, Pres. Jim Williams, and CMF Foreman/ Training Coordinator Rick Huffman. Lots of other friends, fellow machinists and co-workers were on hand for congratulations and a celebratory meal.

It was a bittersweet day, because when Bros. Schaffer and Agnew began their apprenticeship in July 2006 there were three CMF apprentices. Jeff and Ryan lost their friend and fellow apprentice Norman "Rocky" Rothrock in April 2008 to a fatal heart attack. We can imagine Rocky smiling with them today. Great job, guys!

Many thanks to Deb Wilson, from KCP&L LaCygne generating station, who submitted information for this article.

Debi Kidwiler, P.S.

L.U. 494 (em,i,mt,rts&spa), MILWAUKEE, WI—When an apprentice begins the journey toward completing an apprenticeship, the road ahead may seem long. But soon the apprentice is mid-way there and then, before you know it, successfully arrives at the destination. Along the way there are ups and downs, as in life, but with the help of family, friends, union brothers and sisters and teachers, along with self-motivation, apprentices are able to achieve success.

The Local 494 Residential and Inside journeyman wireman apprenticeship class of 2009 was treated to a night out at Miller Park courtesy of the local JATC. The 47 graduates watched the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, making the night even sweeter. Apprenticeship graduation is truly a milestone and many people who helped along the way are deserving of a thank-you.

Best wishes to the graduates for continued success. Never stop learning and pass along your knowledge to future apprentices, so that this great union life we all share continues to be the best. Congratulations!

John Jacobs, B.R.

L.U. 502 (c,em,i,it&t), ST. JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA—Local 502 is very fortunate to welcome Bro. Jean-Marc Ringuette as our new Director of Training. Bro. Ringuette brings many years as an IBEW tradesman, as well as teaching and course development experience in the private sector, to our new training center.

The Pt. Lepreau Nuclear Station refurbishment continues to provide work for our local and valuable experience for our new apprentices. We look forward to a busy winter with the Potash Corp. mine in Sussex.

Sadly, we have seen the third tank at the Canaport Liquefied Natural Gas site be awarded to a Christian Labor Association of Canada (CLAC) contractor from Alberta; and to make matters worse they elected to bring their entire work force with them, undermining the local wage and benefit packages as well as the local economy. We will not sit idly by and watch as unscrupulous employers and "Alternative Employee Associations" pit workers against each other during this economic downturn simply to increase their own profits.

On a positive note, Local 502 extends sincere thanks to our brothers and sisters of Local 353 in Toronto for their generosity and hospitality to a family from the Saint John area. Bradon Gendron was in Toronto awaiting lung transplant surgery when he and his family were treated to dinner and a Leafs hockey game.

Dave Stephen, P.S.

L.U. 530 (i,o&rtb), SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA—On Sept. 7, Local 530 took part in Sarnia's annual Labour Day parade. With many members present, the parade and festivities afterward were a great success. The parade was followed by family fun day, which included lunch, face painting, bands, and a clown. Our Rec Committee should be proud of the job they did.

The weekend of Sept. 18-19, Sarnia hosted the annual Ontario Slo-Pitch Tournament. While the Local 530 members played their best, we settled for second place. Hats off to Local 773 Windsor for winning the whole thing. Special thanks to members' spouses and friends for all their assistance with cooking, etc. Without them, it wouldn't have been possible.

Local 530 wishes to thank Locals 529 and 804 for the work opportunities for our traveling members.

Al Byers, P.S.

L.U. 538 (i), DANVILLE, IL—The work situation continues to deteriorate in our jurisdiction. Many of our members are looking for work throughout the country. We are grateful to the locals that have provided our members with much-needed work.

Several members recently completed a 40-hour continuing education welding class: Greg Spain, James Garrett, Luke Modglin, Matt Hinchee, Brandon Ricketts, Chris Nelson, Mark Price, Scott Grubbs, Sky Bailey, John Moore, Shaun Starkey and Kim Millspaugh. Many of them certified with Sargent Electric on the AWS D1.1 examination. The JATC will host a NFPA 70e course soon; please contact the training office if interested.

The city of Danville revived the Electrical Commission, and I am happy to report that three of our members hold seats: Wes Anderson, president of Anderson Electric; John Risser, owner of Risser Electric; and Jim Ray. Also serving on the board is signatory contractor Kevin Mitchell of Glesco Electric. We hope good things will come out of this commission.

We mourn the loss of two longtime members, Eugene "Gene" Carpenter and Robert "Bob" Shaw. Gene was pictured in our October article receiving his 50-year pin. Bob was a 55-year member. Our prayers go out to their families.

Union meetings are the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. See you there!

Kathie Porter, Training Dir.

L.U. 540 (i), CANTON, OH—The East Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council is making news in Canton. After 20 years, Mayor William Healy and the Canton City Council have put into effect a citywide project labor agreement. A PLA is a comprehensive agreement between the unions and an owner. A typical PLA will establish uniform standards for working hours, overtime, holidays, grievance procedures, drug testing, jurisdictional dispute resolution, etc.

There is a lot of activity going on around the state because of this agreement. I commend the mayor and City Council for not falling for the myth that PLAs add 22 percent to the cost of a project. "There is absolutely not one study that indicates a PLA or paying prevailing wage adds to the cost of a project," said Dennis Duffy, Ohio State Building Trades president.

PLAs establish uniform terms and conditions of employment on city construction projects and enable the city to efficiently administer the construction and renovation of public improvements. "The nearly 4,000 men and women of the ECOBCTC wish to thank the Mayor and City Council for their support," said Michael McElfresh, Local 540 organizer and president of our building trades council.

Jerry Bennett, P.S.

L.U. 640 (em,govt,i,mo,mt,rts,spa&u), PHOENIX, AZ—On Sept. 26, we had our IBEW Local 640 Golf Tournament. It was a beautiful day for golf, with over 100 players turning out to support our Hacienda Healthcare charity.

Congratulations to the winners! First-place winners, with a 57 score: Mike Keenan, Jerry Culley, Fred Bunnell and Mike Keenan Jr. Second-place winners, with a 59 score: David Demery, Jim Waldon, Mike Wallen and Bill Lockard. Closest to the pin was David Demery. Longest Drive—Charles Melvin. Straightest Drive—Tom Gardner.

Special thanks also to all the fine companies that helped sponsor this event. Proceeds are used to provide Christmas presents for the severely disabled at the Hacienda Healthcare long-term care facility in Phoenix.

Frank Cissne, P.S.

L.U. 654 (i), CHESTER, PA—After nearly 15 years on the Executive Board, Bro. Bob Hochstuhl decided to step down. His years of service, both on the board and in the local, are greatly appreciated.

Bro. Dave Bonaventure, former recording secretary, was appointed to fill the new vacancy on the Executive Board. Bro. James Thompson Jr., former Examining Board member, was appointed to fill the post of recording secretary. Bro. Tom Heron was appointed to fill the vacant seat on the Examining Board. These brothers are all respected for the time and effort they contribute to the local and should fill their positions admirably.

We are all aware of the effect the staggering economy is having across the nation. Unemployment has continued to climb in what is viewed as the worst recession since the Great Depression. Use this time to improve your skills and be ready for opportunities when they arise. Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC) cards are needed for riverfront work, and Process Safety Management (PSM) cards for the refineries. When solar photovoltaic training or other courses are made available, make sure to sign up.

Local 654 mourns the passing of retired Bro. Tom Honey. We extend our sympathies to his brother Charlie Honey, also a Local 654 member, and the entire Honey family.

Jim Russell, V.P./P.S.

L.U. 684 (c,i,rts&st), MODESTO, CA—Thomas Ludwig, Local 684 member from Modesto, took top honors at the Western States Electrical Contest. This marks the third time in the past four years that a Local 684 journeyman won the first-place award in the highly competitive contest.

Held in Medford, OR, on Sept.19, the Western States Electrical Contest pitted 24 new journeymen against each other in several competitive events. Contestants came from Western states including California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Nevada, Idaho and Utah.

Local 684 Bus. Mgr. Billy Powell said it was "huge" for Modesto to win three out of the last four years. "I'm very proud of Tom and all our journeymen and apprentices," Powell said. "The IBEW and our NECA contractors work very hard to insure that our electrical workers are highly trained and highly skilled."

Our LMCC and members have continued their service to the community by donating and installing a new basketball scoreboard at Modesto Christian High School in September. Go, Crusaders.

Because of the current economic situation, Local 684 has changed our short call procedure to the "rolling short calls," which means short calls start after the person who took the previous short call. There is no limit to the number of short calls that can be taken.

Torrey Newton, P.S.

L.U. 688 (em,i,t&u), MANSFIELD, OH—We welcome journeyman installer technician Michael Dickman, who was inducted as a new member.

For the annual Mansfield Labor Day parade, IBEW Local 688 entered a float; Owens Electric entered a van and Lake Erie Electric a bucket truck. Members and their families who participated included: Brian Addington and family, Lance Biglin and children, Dustin Endicott, Mike Gressler and family, Dan Lloyd and family, Carl Neutzling, Rich Rondy and son, Al Smith and wife Linda, Willie Thompson and John Wallery.

Each year, Mike Huffman oversees the electrical requirements of the Marion Popcorn Festival. Volunteers who assisted Mike included: Fred Claus, Jeff Culler, Richard Eckard, Tom Estes, Don Geary, Richard Grossman, Dan Lloyd, Michael Neault, Todd Simmermacher, Dave Smith, Clarence Stipp, Jake Thompson and Bill Walters.

Congratulations to Mike Huffman, who was elected financial secretary of the Mid-Ohio AFL-CIO Council. Bro. Huffman also serves as Local 688 recording secretary.

Local 688 wishes Bros. Bob Crumm, Bruce Simmermacher and Greg Willis well on their retirement.

We are saddened to report the loss of Bro. Joie Saunier. We send our condolences to his family.

Dan Lloyd, P.S.

L.U. 702 (as,c,catv,cs,em,es,et,govt,i,it,lctt,mo,mt,o,p, pet,ptc,rtb,rts,se,spa,st,t,u,uow&ws), WEST FRANKFORT, IL—The Sporting Clays Shoot was held Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Rend Lake Shooting Complex. We had 98 registered competitors in the shoot. Included with the entry fee was a one-year membership to the Union Sportsmen's Alliance, along with a subscription to either Peterson's Hunting magazine or In-Fisherman magazine, and a free buck knife. A gun was raffled off at the shoot and the lucky winner was Local 702 member Lindell Fitch. The weather was nice, the food was good, and the time spent with fellow union brothers and sisters was great.

On Friday, Oct. 2, members from Egyptian Electric Cooperative and Southeastern Illinois Electric Cooperative placed second- and third-place overall in the Illinois Statewide Lineman's Rodeo.

The journeyman wiremen currently have 17 on the Book 1 out-of-work list and 878 on Book 2. Work continues to be steady with more proposed work for next year.

Bus. Mgr. Paul Noble proudly presented service pins to two retirees who attended the Oct. 2 local union meeting at West Frankfort. David Briddick received a 50-year pin and Floyd Lewis a 65-year pin. Many other members received pins but were unable to attend the meeting. Congratulations to all our retired members for their dedication to Local 702.

Always work safe and support your local union meetings with your attendance.

Marsha Steele, P.S.

L.U. 704 (catv,em&i), DUBUQUE, IA—A new Veterans Memorial Plaza was constructed on Chaplain Schmitt Island in the city of Dubuque. This memorial is a fitting tribute to all the war heroes and military veterans of the Dubuque area. The theme of "All Gave Some" and "Some Gave All" says it all. Thank you to all who helped with the project by donating time or materials.

Among the IBEW electricians who volunteered on this worthy project were: Bros. Ron Heitzman, Jason Cluff, Doug Blong, Charlie Sisler, Spencer Pins, Jeff Phillips, Ray Young, Mike Reinert and Marty Schiessl. The electrical portion of this memorial was coordinated by Bro. Jason Cluff. Special thanks to Jason for his dedication to this community service project.

In other news, our Labor Day parade participants enjoyed great weather with many people lining the streets to watch the annual tribute to working people of the tri-state area. Several of our contractors furnished trucks that followed behind the Local 704 banner. This is a great way to advertise our services to the people of Dubuque.

As of this fall writing, our work situation is slow. Approximately 12 percent of the local's members are on Book I.

Ron Heitzman, P.S.

L.U. 716 (em,i,lctt,rts&spa), HOUSTON, TX—I hope all had a happy Thanksgiving and everyone is doing well.

This time last year we were still dealing with the effects of Hurricane Ike; this year we are dealing with the effects of a recession. Here in Houston we have fared a little better than the rest of the country during the economic downturn. Our work situation is still holding steady and we have numerous projects that should start soon.
We have now partnered with the University of Houston and ISP Sports as a community sponsor. This is another way to advertise our local union and promote our craftsmanship. The University of Houston has several projects coming up and we hope they choose union labor.

Our Brotherhood Bash, Two Man "Toolie" Golf Tournament, and Labor Day picnic were all a great success. We are now preparing for our annual Christmas party for the children and the adults. Special thanks to members who volunteered their time for these local union functions.

As we enjoy the holidays, let's remember to say a prayer for our military men and women. May they all return home healthy and safe.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

John E. Easton Jr., B.M./F.S.

L.U. 776 (i,o,rts&spa), CHARLESTON, SC—We recently had a meeting at our local union hall with U.S. Rep. James Clyburn (D) of South Carolina and, thanks to the COPE-PAC Fund, passed along a check for $5,000 to help continue his great service to our state and country.

Rep. Clyburn is House Majority Whip for the 111th U.S. Congress and we are proud he represents South Carolina. His schedule stays busy so we were happy that he made the commitment to come by our union hall and discuss some of our concerns on the economy and workplace safety.

Chuck Moore, B.M.

L.U. 910 (i&rts), WATERTOWN, NY—We welcome our local's new Plattsburgh assistant. When you see Bro. David Hoover, please congratulate him on his appointment as assistant business manager/organizer for the Plattsburgh area. We are pleased to bring Bro. Hoover on staff to fill the position vacated by Tom Millea, who recently retired. Bro. Hoover was most recently employed by Triangle Electric. Please lend your support to Dave in his new post. Also, many thanks from the local to Bro. Millea for his longtime service to the IBEW.

Many thanks to all the active and retired members who attended this year's Solidarity Parade. Local 910 had approximately 25 marchers, as well as 10 members riding the horse-drawn wagon. The weather was ideal. Everyone had a great time. If you could not attend this year, please consider coming next year. It's a chance for union members to show their pride as well as share time with family and friends. Special thanks to all who assisted with the float decorations and set-up. Particular recognition goes to Sister Monica Stone for bringing her beautiful team of horses. Also thanks to Organizer John O'Driscoll, his wife, Lisa, and daughter Emily, and Pres. Elizabeth Cassada for arranging the picnic refreshments and candy handed out on the parade route.

Roger LaPlatney, P.S.

L.U. 1116 (em,lctt&u), TUCSON, AZ—Congratulations to our UES Gas members up north on another success with contract negotiations. Bro. Frank Gillis says, "It seems like yesterday that we won our [representation] election and negotiated our first contract, and now we have completed our second." I am happy to see a new version of the uniform shirts and hats that many of our members are now wearing with pride. I am really proud to see the IBEW label on all our hats and shirts. This is another victory we can all share in.

What is our local looking at for 2010? To continue organizing and to increase our input in company matters that affect our quality of life and that of our families in these tough economic times.

Thank you to all members who stepped up this year on committees—including the Contract, Safety, JAC and Picnic Committees—as well as all other union activities our members get involved with.

Solidarity among our members will need to press on for 2010, as our older members continue passing their experience to our younger members in their union crafts. This local cannot stress enough how important it is to: work smart, work safe, and take pride in the jobs you do. May everyone have a great holiday season.

R. Cavaletto, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NASSAU CHAPTER—Club members enjoyed the Nassau Chapter retirees 2009 annual picnic. The Nassau Chapter has the largest membership of all the chapters in New York City and Long Island. This year it was sort of a farewell to longtime chapter Chairman Vinnie Di Fazio, who along with chapter Secretary Eddie Miller, are both stepping down after many years of faithful service.

Robert Cooper, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NORTH NEW JERSEY CHAPTER—Our North New Jersey Chapter was joined by the Bronx Chapter for our stay at Local 3's new Educational Center at Cutchogue, NY, July 27-30. Our barbecue was a great success as you can see by our smiling faces in the photo below.

Our brothers tended the grill while spouses set up all the homemade goodies. The weather was great right on the bay. Thank you one and all for a great time.

Tony Mancini, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WEST-CHESTER/PUTNAM CHAPTER—Thirty-eight members and spouses attended Local 3's new Educational Center in Cutchogue, Long Island, in August. Members enjoyed a barbecue with the Staten Island Chapter and everyone had a great time.

A discussion was held by our pension director, Thomas Gallagher, about the new center and our benefits. Thanks to our director and planning board, our members have a beautiful center to be proud of.
Thirty members, spouses and guests attended a trip to Atlantic City. Everyone had a nice time, especially the winners.

Donations from officers and members were contributed to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. A flag that flew over the aircraft carrier Intrepid was donated to our chapter in appreciation for our contribution. The flag will be flown over the Local 3 Educational Center in Cutchogue on special occasions.

Condolences from the officers and members were sent to the family of Samuel Lehrer, a longtime member who passed away in February.

At press time, a Christmas/Hanukkah luncheon was being planned for December. Happy New Year 2010. Live for the day.

Edward A. Rubow, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 26, WASHINGTON, DC—The Local 26 Retired Members Club continues to pursue travel activities, and plans are already set to visit Alaska in August 2010. We will end 2009 with a trip to see a "Cowboy Country Christmas" and more.

In January our bowlers (both active and retired members) will again help our AFL-CIO Community Services Agency by participating in its annual bowling tournament. If you are available on Sunday, Jan. 31, to join us please do! (Contact club Pres. Bissell for details at flashmanbissell@aol.com.)

As more "baby boomers" retire, our club's membership continues to grow. [See photo, pg. 13.] However, we also lose some of our longtime friends, as they cross over the rainbow. We shall miss them, but they remain with us in spirit.

We continue our program of supplying medical equipment to all our members and their families as needed, for free! We are able to do this because of the equipment our members donate, and with funds we raise annually through our annual raffle drawing. If you bought a ticket, many thanks.

We also remember our military troops by supporting Operation Paperback. We have sent our ninth shipment of paperback books! Check out the program at www.operationpaperback.org.

Best wishes to all brothers and sisters this holiday season and may 2010 bring us all closer together.

Susan Flashman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 90, NEW HAVEN, CT—On Sept. 5, Local 90 held its annual outing for the membership and retirees at Mountain Mist in Meriden, CT. The weather was perfect and the food, provided by Zandri's Stillwood Inn, was excellent as always. As in the past, a fundraiser was held for some of our brothers and sisters in need, and more than $5,000 was collected. Thanks to the members and retirees for their generosity.

On Oct. 13, our annual retirement dinner was held at Groton Motor Inn. Nine gentlemen were honored: Edward Bauer, Rudolph Chieka, Richard Lussier, William Palmer, Stephen Rushford, Gerald Bennett, Carlos Duzant, Robert Mantovani Jr. and Richard Panagrossi. We wish them all good luck and hope they will join us at the next Retirees Club meeting. We still meet the first Tuesday of each month, except July and August, at 1:30 p.m., at 2 North Plains Industrial Road, Wallingford, CT.

At this writing, the election of Retirees Club officers was scheduled for the Nov. 3, 2009, meeting. The election was postponed this year to allow new members of the Retirees Club to participate in nominating, voting or perhaps running for office. As of this writing, election results were pending.

Richard Launder, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 103, BOSTON, MA—Our guest of honor at the August luncheon was 62-year member Al Gricus, who was celebrating his 90th birthday. Al owes his good health and longevity to many years of walking up and down the staircases inside the 50-story Boston Prudential Building. Al worked on the 50-story tower when it was the first skyscraper in Boston. Al is an officer emeritus of the Retirees Club. Shown celebrating with Al in the accompanying photo [pg. 13] are his son Chuck Gricus, also a Local 103 member, and Felicia Frank, granddaughter of our in-house caterer Dominic's Union Caterers, who made sure Bro. Al received the biggest lobster.

In September we welcomed another 150 members into the club. The local tendered a banquet to honor the new retirees and presented each with an engraved IBEW watch and other gifts. Congratulations to the new retirees and to our golf statistician, Bill Walker, who won the low score total for 2009 golf. We believe "Honest Bill."

Retired members completed another successful installation of festoon lighting for the Irish Cultural Center's annual festival, with the leadership of Retirees Club officer Paul Toner and Peter Callahan. We also have a Habitat for Humanities booking coming up.

We hope to have the largest crowd ever at this year's Dec. 17 Retirees Club Christmas party.

Leo E. Monahan, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 130, NEW ORLEANS, LA—The Sept. 23 Retirees Club meeting was enjoyed by all who attended. The good company and food were great.

Our Christmas party is Wednesday, Dec. 9, and our members look forward to it. The food will be catered once again along with beverages, and there will be music for dancing. We thank Local 130, the Home Association and our local contractors for the Christmas decorations.
Our brothers thank Bus. Mgr. Clay Leon and staff for presenting IBEW service pins at the Oct. 8 union meeting. Congratulations to our award recipients.

The year 2010 is right around the corner and once again we are planning our Casino trips. Our trips help fund the club and keep it strong and active.

We are saddened by the passing of Bros. Elson Breaux, William Duplantis, Douglas Ehrensing, Timmy Ferguson, Norwood Hebert, Samuel Selmon and James Whitney. May they rest in peace.

Merry Christmas and a joyous new year to all IBEW members!

Buddy Carver, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 257, JEFFERSON CITY, MO—Our Retirees Club met Sept. 29 for our monthly luncheon at Golden Corral in Columbia, MO. During September, members participated in the Labor Day parades at Mokane and Jefferson City, MO.

Local 257's annual picnic was held Sept. 19 in Jefferson City. Our members enjoyed a nice barbecue luncheon, played bingo, visited with fellow IBEW members and received service award pins. Retirees Club members awarded pins were: Steve Klepel—for 15 years of service; Dan Schroeder—30 years; Charles Farris—40 years; Chris Binggeli, Joe Gallatin Jr., B.J. Nichols and Kenneth Polly—45 years; and Gary James—for 50 years.

Our Christmas luncheon will be Dec. 8, at the Local 257 Labor Temple, at 12 noon.

Delores Melloway, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 313, WILMINGTON, DE—The local union had a great parade on Labor Day. Some of our retirees walked and some rode. It was a great day for all members of the AFL-CIO to show solidarity. There were many signs supporting a strong public health insurance option as part of health care reform. At the end of the parade everyone gathered at a park on the Christiana River for food, beverages and fellowship with all the other unions. The main topic was the terrible economy.

Our club meets the first Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m., September through November, and January through May. For December, we will also meet at 12 noon on Wednesday, Dec. 2, for a great hot lunch catered by Bro. Dave McGuinness.

For our October meeting, we had own of our own Local 313 brothers who was elected to the State of Delaware House of Representatives, Rep. Mike Mulrooney, tell us what was going on in our Delaware State House. It was quite enlightening. It sure is good having one of our own brothers in the right place looking out for us.

Greg Stilwell, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 400, ASBURY PARK, NJ—In August, the Local 400 Retirees Club combined its meeting and luncheon with the New Jersey Retirees Advisory Council. The NJRAC is made up of retirees from IBEW Locals 456, 400, 102 and 164; Plumbers & Fitters Local 9; and Sheet Metal Workers Locals 25 and 27.

The NJRAC's current officers include: Pres. Rich Fogacci, Local 400; Vice Pres. Bill McEvoy, Local 456; Rec. Sec Jim Mulvey, Local 456; Treas. Joe Graber, Local 102. NJRAC Executive Board members include: Joe Caliendo of Local 400 and Joe Collins of Local 456; and representing the Plumbers and Fitters, Eddie Keefe, UA Local 9.

NJRAC meets on the first Monday of even-numbered months, alternating between the IBEW Local 456 and Local 400 union halls. Its purpose is to bring organized labor close r together for political and social events.
NJRAC was formed in the late 1980s by William Ramsey Sr. of IBEW Local 400. Ramsey served as NJRAC's first president. On April 20, 1990, the NJRAC was registered and recognized by the IBEW International Office. In the mid-1990s, NJRAC opened its doors to retired union Plumbers & Fitters, Sheet Metal Workers and Communication Workers.

Richard Fogacci, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 415, CHEYENNE, WY—Local 415's Retirees Club is now certified with the IBEW. As a new club, thus far as of this writing, we have no set agenda or scheduled meeting times and we are still few in number. We have had several get-togethers, and it was a lot of fun reminiscing about the old days. We invite all the old guys and gals from the local to join us. We plan to start having regular meetings with guest speakers, as well as planned events and projects of interest.

Some of us did participate with the picnic committee and we had a new- and used-tool drive to help apprentices gather needed tools. Most retirees have numerous work tools that can be put to good use by our deserving young members. One retiree donated a brace and bit, and the joke for the day was that it was an early version of a cordless drill. Service pins were awarded at the picnic and it was great sharing that honor with so many brothers and sisters. Thanks to all who helped make it a wonderful day.

Retirees Club member John Kahler recently lost his wife of 52 years to cancer. Our deepest condolences to John and his family. Those of us who knew Bonita know how much she will be missed.

John Occhipinti, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 530, SARNIA, ONTARIO, CANADA—On April 29, a group of 45 Retirees Club members travelled by bus to the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto to attend the live musical "Sound of Music." On our way home, we stopped at the Elmhurst Inn near Ingersoll for dinner. The play was wonderful, and everyone enjoyed sitting down together for a fine meal and discussion of the day to top off another great adventure as a group.

Our October outing was a special night for one of our group. On Oct. 24, we attended "Dancing with The Stars" at the Dante Club in Sarnia. The event was a fundraiser for our local Strangway Community Centre. Six contestants were paired with experienced dancers, and our own retired electrician Herb Burdett was coupled with dance teacher Sandra Minshall. Herb is an experienced marathon runner and at age 73 decided to take up this challenge. He and his partner gave near perfect performances; the judges awarded them three perfect 10s for their Dance #2, a fox trot. Herb and Sandra came in a close second and Herb will always be a "star" in our books. Congratulations on a great showing, Herb!

Our members thank Terri Hungle for compiling a complete reference list of all our retirees.

Nancy Stinson Philbin, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 611, ALBUQUERQUE, NM—In August, Local 611's annual family picnic was held in the Jemez Mountains. JR's BBQ served 1,500 meals to members and their families. There were numerous drawings for gifts; retiree winners included Ted Cordova, Adolfo Trujillo, Steve Vigil, David O'Brian and Harold Paschke.

In September, the apprenticeship graduation banquet was held at Sandia Casino. The C.S. Mitchell Award was presented to first-year apprentice William Rigo by Retirees Club Pres. Tracy Hall. Thirty apprentices graduated and six were honored for perfect attendance all five years. The new JATC director is Charles Humiston.

The work situation in the jurisdiction is picking up; calls are coming in all the time. At this writing, 112 members were on book one and 207 on book two. The new Fab 11X upgrade at Intel is starting to hire. Los Alamos is holding its own; and the uranium enrichment plant in Eunice is hiring for Phase II as Phase I winds down. Everyone wants to keep working; no Local 611 members have retired since May.

Remember to attend Retirees Club bimonthly meetings, held the second Saturday of every other month.

Our condolences to the family of retired Bro. Willard J. Cook, who passed away.

Let's remember our members residing in assisted living or nursing homes and those who are sick. They welcome calls or visits.

Tracy Hall, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 613, ATLANTA, GA—The clubs' Sept. 16 meeting went well. We talked further about the Book 1 status and also about signing out-of-work books in different locals and possibly simplifying that process. We once again held a raffle and gave away Atlanta Braves tickets; tickets to East Lake to see Tiger Woods; and IBEW pocket knives.

We sadly mourn the following members: William Worthy, Jerry Carver, Francisco Miranda, Robert Taylor, Jack Ellington, Jim Smith, Rudolph Horton, Simon Price, Billy Jones, Jack Bartlett and Donald Milam.

Blake McLeod, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 654, CHESTER, PA—Every other Wednesday, several retired members of Local 654 meet for breakfast.

On June 24, they along with other retirees and guests were treated, courtesy of the membership, to the Retirees Summer Luncheon. It was a very nice affair and we were able to see several brothers we haven't see in years. Joe and Ray Metzger were up from Florida. Unfortunately, their sister Dolores, affectionately known as "Dee," had passed away and Joe and Ray were here for the funeral. They and some of their own brothers, Larry, Kenny and Franny Metzger, were all at the luncheon. They are all looking well and enjoying retirement.

It is a nice tradition at these luncheons to be able to meet with the people you worked with over the years and relive those old jobs, tell stories and exchange exaggerated fabrications.

Years of service awards were presented to 40-year member Joe DellaVecchia and 50-year member John Barlow. Also, we wish to recognize 50-year members Jim Connors, Ray McCool and Richard Osman; 55-year member William Goldstein; and 70-year member John Grasso!

T. Francis "Jeep" Hanley, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 666, RICHMOND, VA—The 42nd Annual Awards Ceremony sponsored by the Richmond Electricians JATC and IBEW Local 666 was held Sept. 18 at the Wyndham Virginia Crossing Resort. Local 666 Bus. Mgr. Jim Underwood presented service pins to those recipients in attendance. Special recognition went to retired Bro. John N. Ware, who was awarded his 70-year service pin.

Brothers with 55 years of service: Conley L. Bodsford Jr., Bernard E. Bosher, George T. Burton, Charlie R. Gilley Jr., Wilmer E. Parrish, Norwood H. Powell, Thomas W. Raabe Jr., Hollis B. Roberson and Lawrence T. Williams. Brothers receiving 50-year service pins: William E. Bolton III, Bradley L. Deane, Nick Georgiadis, Edmond Longest, James E. Marshall Jr. and Otis C. Redford. Bus. Mgr. Underwood presented 40-year pins to 16 members and 25-year pins to 19 members.

Congratulations to the 28 graduates of the RJATC for class years 2008 and 2009. Special recognition went to Cody L. Garrett, David S. Hague and Michael S. Roberts for receiving the Outstanding Apprentice of the Year award. Perfect attendance awards went to: Enrico Adkins, Omar Burrow, Billy Butler Jr., Kenneth Dean, John Edmondson III, Telly Keys, James Lewis, Arvin Thornton, William Utley and Brian West.

Mary Ann Bernier, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1245, VACAVILLE, CA—Local 1245 retirees in Nevada are mobilizing in the face of threats to their retiree medical benefits.

As their former employer, NV Energy, seeks to cap its contribution to the medical benefit and to entirely remove retiree benefit language from the labor agreement in ongoing contract negotiations, retirees have organized a Reno/Sparks chapter of the Local 1245 Retirees Club. Retirees have also worked with current employees to schedule a community rally that seeks to build support among religious and political leaders for the cause. [See cover story in this issue of The Electrical Worker.]

The Reno-Sparks Chapter has tentatively scheduled its meetings for the third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 8:30 a.m., at the Denny’s Restaurant located at McCarren and Nugget in Sparks. They are eagerly anticipating authorization to become an official chapter—joining the five chapters already in existence around California. Retirees seeking more information about the Retirees Club can contact Local 1245 Office Manager Tonya Alston at (707) 452-2718—or just show up at one of the regularly scheduled meetings!

At Pacific Gas & Electric, retirees celebrated passage of a new Benefits Agreement negotiated by the local that removes a cap on company contributions to retiree medical benefits. The agreement passed by 3,077 to 906 in a mail ballot counted Aug. 28.

Eric Wolfe, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1340, NEWPORT NEWS, VA—The June retirees breakfast meeting was great, with so many members attending. It looks as though we will have to find a new meeting place to handle the overflow! We enjoyed visiting with some of our out-of-town members, too. Among our members present were three brothers: Leo, Bobby and Dennis Barber, who collectively have worked 100-plus years with the local.

We sure like "The Electrical Worker" publication. It keeps us in touch with some of our brothers we have worked with in years past and with what’s going on in our country. We appreciate the staff that puts it together.

Our Annual Oyster Roast was held Oct. 16 and it was again a great success this year.

Work in this area is still slow. Thanks to Local 1340 Bus. Mgr. James Avery for keeping us up-to-date locally and statewide. Thanks, Jim.

We mourn the passing of retired Bro. George Parker.

Edward Crosby, P.S.