L.U. 8 (as,em,i,mar,mt,rts,s&spa), TOLEDO, OH—My name is Bryan Emerick and I am the new press secretary. I would like to thank former press secretary Terry Short for his service and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Work continues to increase with book one dropping below 400 for the first time in many months. We hope that trend will continue throughout the summer and employ our members who have been off. I wish to thank the various locals that have given our traveling brothers and sisters a chance to earn an honest day's wage for an honest day's work. We hope we can return the favor and employ some traveling brothers and sisters soon.

The state of Ohio is currently under attack with the passing of Senate Bill 5. Gov. John Kasich wants to abolish collective bargaining rights for public employees. A petition campaign was launched to put SB5 on the ballot, thus letting the voters decide. Nearly 1.3 million petitions were presented. Thanks to all for supporting the fight. In addition, Kasich wants to raise the prevailing wage threshold from $78,000 to $5 million. Local 8 has been involved in meetings and letter-writing campaigns encouraging our representatives to oppose any changes to the prevailing wage laws. United we stand, divided we fall.

Bryan Emerick, P.S.

L.U. 12 (i,o&se), PUEBLO, CO—Pueblo Democrat Sal Pace, who is running for U.S. Congress, was given a campaign donation by the IBEW COPE Fund and an endorsement letter by the Colorado Conference of Electrical Workers. [See photo.]

Sal is running for the Colorado 3rd District seat that was previously held by former three-term Democratic Rep. John Salazar, a labor friendly legislator. Sal Pace will be a formidable foe for the seat that is currently held by Rep. Scott Tipton. Sal is currently House minority leader in the Colorado General Assembly. "I'm humbled by the outpouring of encouragement and support," he said. Pictured here with the candidate are several IBEW officers.

Clif Thompson, A.B.A.

L.U. 16 (i), EVANSVILLE, IN—Local 16 recently held its annual Easter Egg Hunt. It was well attended and a resounding success. Many thanks to Bro. Brandon Wongngamnit and his dedicated crew for all their hard work, and to Bro. Monquale Owsley for again donning the bunny suit, ears and all!

Congratulations to the Tri-State Industrial Safety Council Scholarship winners. This $1,000 scholarship is available to ARSC card holders, their spouses and dependents.

Even though the regular legislative session ended several weeks ago, Indiana workers are still forced to defend against anti-labor legislation. Special summer studies have been set up to consider changes that would further weaken project labor agreements and advance so-called "right to work" laws. These studies come even after concessions have been given on unemployment insurance and common wage rulings that include granting the ABC a seat on wage setting boards. If union members hope to minimize their losses and protect against further erosion of what was once considered common standards, everyone in the Brotherhood must become clearly aware of what this threat means and be actively involved in defending against it.

Donald P. Beavin, P.S.

L.U. 22 (i,rts&spa), OMAHA, NE—The maintenance outage at the Fort Calhoun nuclear power facility has been completed. There were 116 Book One members and 53 travelling brothers and sisters referred to this job. NPS Day-Zimmerman was the electrical contractor. Our electricians were involved in work in the control room, recycling pumps in containment, installing various new conduit and cable trays, and pulling several thousand feet of cable. Having this work was a fortunate benefit to the local in these times of economic recovery. We hope we will start to see some work pick up in the area.

Congratulations to the 2011 Apprenticeship Class graduates. They are: Telecommunications—Tom Harper, Alicia James, Mike Matthews, Joe Rotolo (Apprentice of the Year), Paul Steinbock; Residential—Tom Bard, Mike Blair, Mike Cupich, Trent De Troy (Apprentice of the Year), James Delisle, David Grant, Erick Hazen, Brent Lofgren, Nick Mikovec, Tommy Plambeck; Inside—Jeff Adams, Mike Bailey, Tommy Baldwin, Steven Beccard, Gabrial Bencker, Adam Darlington, Scott Draper, Jeff Evert, Casey Freyer, Jared Gable, Josh Husk, Dustin Jeck, Corey Kallhoff, Jay Kallsen, Jason Trowbridge, Kyle Kastrup, Shane Kuenning, Jason Lang, Josh Langer, Jarod Layton, Jared Loehr, Kyle McAndrew, Frank Navarrette Jr., Zack Peppers, Ray Pieper, Ryan Roetman, Bryson Rollins, Nicholas Seliga, Tim Tanner and Jason Weeks (Apprentice of the Year).

Chris Bayer, P.S.

L.U. 24 (es,i&spa), BALTIMORE, MD—Our local JATC apprenticeship program is currently graduating two apprenticeship classes per year to meet the demands of the inside electrical industry.

The spring class graduation ceremony was March 4 and welcomed the fifth-year apprentice graduates to the ranks of journeyman wireman. After refreshments were served, JATC Training Dir. Dave Norfolk gave the invocation and congratulated the graduates. Guest speakers included: Maryland Chapter NECA Treas. Alvin H. Pettie Sr.; IBEW Local 24 Bus. Mgr. Roger M. Lash Jr.; and Maryland Chapter NECA Pres. Jack F. Beck Jr. The speakers encouraged the new journeymen to be diligent and wished them success in the trade.

Certificates and awards were then presented by Roger Lash and Jonathan E. Thomas, Maryland Chapter NECA executive director. Special awards were presented to Bro. Jacob Lindblom, for highest total grade point average; and to Bros. Joseph Danko, David Mikolaichik, Randy Roberts, Darren Stachowiak, Mathew Wright and Malek Yosah for perfect attendance. Congratulations to the entire class for completing the rigorous five-year training. At this writing, the commencement ceremony for our second class of 2011 graduates was scheduled for July.

Work remains slow in our area, but bidding activity has increased with several large projects on the horizon. Several contractors are aggressively pursuing smaller projects in the area utilizing the recently implemented Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. Market Recovery Agreement.

Roger M. Lash Jr., B.M.

L.U. 26 (ees,em,es,govt,i&mt), WASHINGTON, DC—Local 26 welcomes summer in the city. We hope you have been able to attend our union picnics, golf outing and shoots to enjoy the camaraderie. Tickets for the local's picnic on Aug. 6 at Camp Letts in Edgewater will be on sale at the headquarters office in Lanham through the first week in August.

Local 26 congratulates the 2011 JATC apprentice graduates. Graduation ceremonies were June 4, and it was a delight to see so many supportive family members and happy graduates! Best wishes to our new journeyman electricians!

The Scholarship Committee announced 2011 scholarship award recipients: Shelby R. Coghill and John B. Kutzfara. Shelby is the daughter of Bro. John Coghill. She has applied to Lehigh University. John is the son of Bro. John C. Kutzfara. He will attend Washington & Jefferson College.

Several members passed away recently: Charles P. Abel Sr., Edward W. Leary, William J. Sweeney, Harry H. Carter Jr. and Gregory N. Parthee.

Best wishes to new retirees: Janet A. Awkard, Donald B. Edwards, Charles E. Haley, Ronald Harris, Joseph C. Horstkamp, Charles F. Lutz, Boris Petrow, Thaddeus O. Reed, Paul J. Robinson, David E. Sutliff, Thomas P. Wright, Gerald T. Beach, Larry P. Gnagey, John W. Goforth Jr., Ronald L. Henry, James A. Travis, Matthew R. Zembower, Daniel A. Logalbo and Horace R. Waldbauer.

Charles E. Graham, B.M.

L.U. 38 (i), CLEVELAND, OH—Shown in the photo are officers and members of Local 38 and other Cleveland Building Trades members at a rally on Cleveland Public Square gathered to protest the anti-labor actions of Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

The state of Ohio is still under brutal anti-family attacks from right-wing legislators, and our members are fighting back by attending rallies, protests and government meetings, as well as lobbying and contacting state lawmakers.

Gov. Kasich has proposed extreme budget cuts, which include the decimation of Ohio's prevailing wage laws. The IBEW has intensified lobbying efforts and we seem to be making some progress with lawmakers as we provide them with the evidence of how bad the governor's agenda is for Ohio families.

At the time of this writing, the proposed Horseshoe Casino job has been shut down because of another of the governor's proposed policies. We were to have hundreds of building trades members onsite by now working on this project—until the governor got involved with trying to change the rules of the constitutional amendment that was passed by voters with the help of the building trades allowing the project to be built.

Dennis Meaney, A.B.M.

L.U. 42 (catv,em,govt,lctt&o), HARTFORD, CT—The Bridgeport Burn Center is one of 59 burn centers in the United States and has been around since 1973. It is the only burn center between New York and Boston equipped to treat severe burns. The Bridgeport Burn Center is very important to our local union. The facility has treated our injured members very well and provided us with a highly qualified staff to care for patients.

The Burn Center is excited to announce that it is undergoing a major renovation. This will include modernizing the facility to improve the safety of patients and provide greater comfort and more amenities for visitors and family members. The cost will be $1.5 million and the center needs our help.

Local 42 held our 7th Annual Bike Run on Saturday, June 4. All proceeds were donated to the Bridgeport Burn Center. We had a $20 donation per person to ride, which included a barbecue buffet at the end of the run. We also sold T-shirts for the fund-raising effort.

Jacquelyn Moffitt, P.S.

L.U. 46 (as,c,cs,em,es,et,i,mar,mo,mt,rtb,rts&st), SEATTLE, WA—Corwin "Cory" Hedges, a 70-year member, joined Local 46 in the early 1940s and worked as an electrician, electrical contractor, and as a state electrical inspector.

Cory's son, Curtiss "Curt" Hedges, is celebrating his 50th year of membership with Local 46. When Curt was not studying in college or in the Marine Corps, he worked as an electrician with his Dad's electrical contracting company. Curt has worked as a JATC electrical instructor, project manager, field engineer, electrical contractor, bus driver/tour guide and as an electrical inspector. He retired, as a foreman electrician, after completion of the SeaTac Airport Terminal expansion. Curt is also proud to have worked on construction of Seattle's Safeco Field. Curt has been active with Habitat for Humanity and has recently been involved working behind the scenes with Washington State Dept. of Labor & Industries, Habitat and the Puget Sound Electrical JATC to develop a program that will enable electrical apprentices to volunteer time on Habitat projects to apply toward the hours required to obtain their Washington state journeyman license.

Eric Hedges is proud to be a third-generation, 20-year member of Local 46. He and his wife live in western Washington.

Angela Marshall, Rep.

L.U. 48 (c,em,i,rtb,rts&st), PORTLAND, OR—IBEW Local 48 is introducing a new event with "Family Night" during the general meeting on Aug. 24, 2011. Since August is prime time for vacations and evening activities, this meeting usually has the lowest attendance of the year. By inviting members to bring their families to the hall, Local 48 provides spouses and family members a better understanding of union membership and how Local 48 operates. The meeting will be light on business in order to welcome families and will include our traditional summer barbeque and special entertainment for kids. We recognize that the annual picnic on July 10 at Oaks Park is also a family event. Hosting our families at their home local will give even more opportunity to show that Local 48 is good for members and their families.

Robert Blair, P.S.

L.U. 68 (i), DENVER, CO—During the recent legislative session, Colorado House Bill 11-1115 was introduced by state Rep. John Soper, a Local 68 retiree. Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the bill into law. Attending the signing ceremony were: Colorado AFL/CIO Exec. Dir. Mike Cerbo, Local 68 Bus. Mgr. Jim Mantele, Rep. Soper (D), Rep. Su Ryden (D) and Sen. Lois Tochtrop (D), Senate sponsor of the bill. Primary House co-sponsor was Rep. Kevin Priola (R).

Working across the aisle brought this bipartisan bill to fruition. It will help employ our members by making our contractors subject to less "retainage" when public projects are complete. Retainage basically refers to the amount of money held back to compel contractors to complete "punch list items," and this law reduces that amount from 10 percent to 5 percent.

Remember to work and play safely. Your family depends on you!

For great family fun, the Local 68 Annual Picnic will be Aug. 20, at the Westminster Elks Lodge, noon to 3 p.m. The Horseshoe Tournament begins at 11 a.m., but plan on arriving early to get signed up and to help prepare the pit. Bill Watters is again heading up the tournament, so please call him at (303) 591-9385 to volunteer or for more information.

We extend deepest sympathy to families of our recently deceased brothers: Robert B. Jerome and James A. Peterson

Ed Knox, Pres.

L.U. 90 (i), NEW HAVEN, CT—Summer is upon us and the work picture has improved for our members. We have a few good-size projects going and we are hopeful they will put most of our brothers and sisters back to work in our jurisdiction. It's been rough for the entire construction industry nationwide.

Our state legislative session is behind us and we came out of it pretty unscathed and also got a few good bills passed that will benefit our members.

On the horizon are our golf and softball tournaments as well as the summer membership outing. These are fun events for all who attend.

Sean Daly, Pres.

L.U. 104 (lctt,o&u), BOSTON, MA—Locals 104 and 490 filled the House of Representatives Hall with 100 members in green shirts on Thursday, May 19 at the New Hampshire Statehouse in Concord. We were at the Statehouse for a public hearing in opposition to House Bill 648, an amendment to the existing eminent domain laws. We were amidst a sea of hunter-orange shirts all in support of this bill. HB 648 states that no public utility may petition for permission to take private land or property rights for the construction or operation of an electric generating plant or a transmission facility so long as the transmission facility is not needed for system reliability for the state of New Hampshire. The Northern Pass transmission project will create a new connection between Hydro-Québec's world-class hydroelectric resources and the New England grid that supplies electricity to all customers in the region—including New Hampshire.

The heart of this project is the construction of a direct current (DC) transmission line that will bring up to 1,200 megawatts of hydroelectric power into the region, providing much-needed fuel diversity, lowering energy costs and lessening our reliance on fossil fuels.

Chris Blair, P.S.

L.U. 124 (ees,em,i,mar,rts,se&spa), KANSAS CITY, MO—A lot has happened in recent months. The Eleventh District Progress Meeting in St. Charles, MO, was informative and inspirational. Gov. Jay Nixon told the gathering that Missouri was the most efficient state in the nation at utilizing stimulus money and that stronger unions make a stronger Missouri.

Economist Richard Levins spoke about the U.S. political and economic climate. He said the Republican message—that tax cuts for the wealthy will increase public revenue and that sending our jobs to China is good for our nation—is not an easy lie to sell. This lie is amplified with corporate money that working class people can't match; however, organized people can beat organized money. Levins' Web site is www.middleclassunionmade.com.

We also had our Jackson County Democratic Club annual event, Truman Days, in Independence, MO. Keynote speaker was U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who gave a fiery speech lauding the value of union labor. Kucinich is a true friend of labor.

At this writing, the Local 124 election of officers was scheduled for June 3. Local 124 delivered supplies to tornado victims who are members of Locals 95 and 1474 in Joplin, MO. Fourteen members from those locals lost homes to the tornado.

We remember the following deceased members: Harry V. Groff, Anthony J. Manzella, Robert G. Smith and Jack L. Steel.

Congratulations to recently retired members: Robert A. Anderson, Alva L. Rasa II and former Int. Sec.-Treas. Lindell K. Lee.

Steve Morales, P.S.

L.U. 136 (ees,em,i,rtb&u), BIRMINGHAM, AL—Local 136 started out a week in late April conducting our well-planned "end user blitz." We had more than 20 organizers from surrounding locals come in and take on the task of bringing the IBEW's message to approximately 500 businesses and contractors. The organizers did a great job, and carried on their task despite early morning straight-line winds on April 27 that swept through the jurisdiction, knocking down power lines and trees. Little did they know what was to transpire that afternoon. The largest and most deadly tornadoes in Alabama history ripped through the jurisdictions of Locals 136 and 558, destroying homes, businesses, and even entire communities and towns. We thank these organizers for "hunkering down" and completing the job.

In response to many locals and IBEW brothers and sisters offering to help and sending donations to aid victims, we set up a tornado relief fund and committee to make sure the help got to the right places. We decided to do the thing we do best besides electrical work, and that's cook barbecue. We have been able to cook and distribute food to the hardest hit towns and communities, and to feed the building trades workers out cleaning up the areas and restoring power.

Bobby Hamner, P.S.

L.U. 146 (ei,i&rts), DECATUR, IL—We hope everyone has had a safe and productive summer. We here in Local 146 have once again been very busy. In June we held our annual Local 146 golf outing. Congratulations to Joe Webb's team on a stellar performance. We also once again provided the electrical needs for the Macon County Fair. In July it was our well-attended Poker Run. August brought the Decatur Celebration with more than 300,000 attendees. For Labor Day we held the annual picnic and had a large contingent march in the downtown Decatur parade. We also sent a team of members to the Local 601 softball tournament. Thanks again to all who attended and helped out. Without the efforts of the IBEW and its members, these functions would never exist.

The work situation improved somewhat over the summer, but there are still numerous members working in sister locals. Thanks to those locals for the work opportunities.

Our next large project will be the Clinton Power Station nuclear outage, scheduled for November and December.

Election Day will soon be here; remember to vote your job and support labor friendly candidates.

Congratulations to Rick Willenborg and Monte Thornton on their recent retirement.

Rich Underwood, R.S.

L.U. 150 (es,i,rts&spa), WAUKEGAN, IL—Recently the JATC graduation banquet was held. The graduates are to be commended for not just finishing their training programs but for persevering during such a tough work climate. The Inside Apprentice graduates were Daniel Duba, Adam Goad, Gerardo Gudino, Joshua Henley, Tyler Herron, Casey Jensen, Ryan Kennedy, Russell Koopman, Natanael Madar, Daniel Meyer, Justin Ryan, Ryan Senica, Richard Siebert, Steven Smart, Michael Smekens, Scott Snyder, Michael Suchy, Kevin Thomsen, Jeremy Walton and Allan Zochowski. The 2011 Robert C. Hansen Scholarship Award for the highest GPA for the 2010-2011 scholastic year was given to Richard Siebert. The 2011 Outstanding Apprentice Award for the highest overall GPA for five years was given to Michael Suchy. The sole Voice, Data, Video Apprentice graduate was Lisa Appelhans. A hearty congratulations to all the graduates and many wishes for long and rewarding careers.

Klein Tools has had several ongoing focus groups. The purpose of these groups is to learn how to improve their tools to better benefit our industry. These groups are very interesting and it is always gratifying to be asked how something can be improved to make it more suitable to our needs. Please sign up for one; it is only a few hours of your time.

Wendy J. Cordts, P. S.

L.U. 158 (i,it,mar,mt&spa), GREEN BAY, WI—Local 158 has been very fortunate this year as far as the work situations goes. Two nuclear plant outages, work at one of the shipyards, and several calls at one of our paper mills supplied quite a bit of work. We were able to put many Book II brothers and sisters to work. I thank all our members as well as travelers who manned these jobs. Many long hours and days were spent away from their homes and families.

Local 158 purchased a building in January for our new offices and training facility. Many members helped with demolition of the interior of the building and also helped out with renovating for the new offices and classrooms. We did our own electrical work on the building and once again I thank all those who volunteered their time for the benefit of our local. A few members were there several days a week to help. We moved into our new space on June 16 and 17 and were back in business on June 20.

Donald C. Allen, B.M.

L.U. 196 (govt,mt,o,t&u), ROCKFORD, IL—Recent months have been a whirlwind of political activity in Illinois. There were several major pieces of legislation in Springfield that could have provided thousands of good paying jobs for the citizens of Illinois—however, not all of our politicians seem to understand the importance of creating jobs.

Illinois Senate Bill 1652 is known as the "Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act," which will update the process for a utility to recover the costs of upgrading the electric grid through a formula-based structure for rate increases. At the peak of the 10-year plan, 2,000 jobs will be created and Com-Ed and Ameren will spend more than $3.3 billion on their systems. The legislation passed the House and Senate—and Gov. Pat Quinn has already promised to veto it. That is just great (sarcasm added).

There were two other projects for generation plants which stalled that would have created another 4,000 to 5,000 jobs. That is sickening. We will continue to support these very important bills moving toward the veto session in October so our members can go back to work. IBEW Local 196 will support the politicians who support us and we will fight the politicians who fight us.

The Sixth District, and the IBEW as a whole, lost a very good brother on May 27 when former Int. Vice Pres. Jeff Lohman suddenly passed away. He will be missed by all. Rest in peace, Bro. Lohman.

Eric Patrick, B.M.

L.U. 222 (o), ORLANDO, FL—Local 222's May membership meeting was very busy and well-attended. We held nominations for officers and recognized members receiving service pins. Bus. Mgr. Mike Bell presented retiree Murphy Woolard with his 55-year service pin. Receiving his 30-year pin was Bro. Fred "Buzzy" Whisman.

Local 222 also congratulates our newest journeyman linemen: Jorge Cartagena, Chris Cottelit, John Fender, Kevin Hare and Joshua Chad Davis. These brothers successfully completed their SELCAT apprenticeships and came by the local union office to check in, get their journeyman dues receipts and visit with Bus. Mgr. Bell and the staff. Local 222 extends congratulations and wishes them the best of luck in their IBEW careers.

During these dog days of summer, please remember to stay hydrated, start drinking water before work and keep it up through quitting time. Be safe.

William "Bill" Hitt, A.B.A.

L.U. 252 (ees,i,rts&spa), ANN ARBOR, MI—Local 252 is staying busy: A new apprentice inside wireman class of 10 has been selected and put into the field. They will begin classroom training this fall.

Congratulations to all the participants who helped our softball team to victory this spring, bringing home the trophy.

June elections were held for positions within the local. John Salyer retains the office of president. Thomas Mayne becomes vice president. Lisa Chantelois continues on as recording secretary. Matthew Jesse takes the helm as treasurer. A run-off election between Greg Stephens and Scott Neff for business manager, which took place July 9, resulted in a win for Stephens. There are also many new faces in positions on the Executive Board, Examining Board and as Convention delegates.

The NJATC National Training Institute (NTI) arrives in Ann Arbor this summer for the third year, starting on July 30 and running through Aug. 5. Classes are open to members through the NJATC. This event is always enjoyable and an excellent opportunity to gain new skills and exposure to new ideas. Welcome and thanks are extended to all the teachers, students, contributors and participants of this great tradition. Local 252 is proud to host this event.

Jayson Ouillette, P.S.

L.U. 280 (c,ees,em,es,i,mo,mt,rts&st), SALEM, OR—May was busy for our JATC as our program graduated 38 Inside apprentices and 13 Limited Energy apprentices. Our last day of school was May 14 and we celebrated with a fantastic barbecue and great weather. Training Dir. Dave Baker and Bus. Mgr. Tim Frew shook hands with the graduates and thanked them for their dedication and hard work shown at school and on the job. We also appreciate the great job our instructors have done this year. Our instructors have given extra effort to encourage our new journeymen that recessions are part of the trade and to stick with the education and training that our fine JATC provides.

Bro. Dave Baker must also be thanked for putting together an excellent Medium Voltage class on May 7. Bro. Joe Whitehouse from 3M Company gave a detailed, "hands-on" presentation on splicing and terminating with some of the latest techniques in the industry. We worked in teams and with his guidance we made 25,000-volt terminations and had fun during the process.

In closing, we thank all the journeyman and apprentice instructors who have made the IBEW the most skilled, professional and respected of all the unions!

Jerry Fletcher, P.S.

L.U. 294 (ees,em,i,rts,spa&u), HIBBING, MN—Local 294 recently held a spaghetti dinner benefit for journeyman wireman Daniel Quirk. In 2008 Daniel was diagnosed with a rare cancer of the thymus gland. The benefit was very successful with excellent support from Local 294 members and their families. The proceeds will help offset major medical expenses, as Daniel needs to travel to Duluth and Rochester, MN, for treatments. Our prayers are with Bro. Quirk and his family. If anyone wishes to help Daniel Quirk with his medical expenses, donations can be sent to the Daniel J. Quirk Fund at Hibbing Cooperative Credit Union, P.O. Box 908, Hibbing, MN 55746.

Bro. Quirk had been very active in the local union as a well-respected instructor in the Local 294 apprentice program. He spent countless hours training our apprentices in the trade and getting them ready for the state exam.

Speaking of apprentices, Local 294 congratulates apprentices who recently passed their Minnesota journeyman electrical exam: Dallas Dolinsek, Mikael Fisher, Dustin Johnson, Eric Laine, Michael Sandnas and Daniel Wilson. Special congratulations to Dallas Dolinsek, who had the top score on the exam. Dallas received a Klein tool kit in appreciation for his efforts.

Daniel Arvola, P.S.

L.U. 300 (govt,i,mt&u), MONTPELIER, VT—Local 300 is busy creating a new marketing campaign for the inside construction group with the intent of organizing contractors as well as qualified apprentices, journeyman electricians and telecommunication technicians. We will have a quick and busy summer regarding construction projects.

Local 300 would like to welcome its newly organized group of police officers from the city of Winooski, VT—Welcome.

Central Vermont Public Service, Vermont's largest utility. is in the process of being acquired by a Canadian company called Fortis. It is believed that this acquisition will be in the best interest of Local 300 members and Vermont residents.

Vermont Yankee is still in the news as to whether or not the state of Vermont will allow the power plant to continue operation past March 2012. It is unfortunate that we find ourselves in a situation where our state government wishes to close the third best place to work in Vermont (awarded by Vermont Business Magazine).The political saga continues.

Local 300 held elections on June 3 and would like to thank outgoing officers for their time and efforts over the past three years. We also welcome the incoming officers; we have a busy three years on our hands.

Local 300 wishes all IBEW members a safe and enjoyable summer.

Jeffrey Wimette, B.M.

L.U. 302 (i,rts&spa), MARTINEZ, CA—Congratulations to our recently graduated apprentice class. Welcome to the 49 new journeyman inside wiremen and three journeyman voice-data-video (VDV) members. You have all earned your journeyman cards through hard work and dedication. You are the product of the IBEW apprenticeship program with the highest graduation rate in the state! You should be very proud of that!

Work continues to be very slow and we do not anticipate clearing our books this year. We do have two power plants scheduled to start this summer. These are the result of more than 15 years of California Unions for Reliable Energy (CURE) environmental/political activism promoting cleaner generation of electricity constructed by union labor. Other bright spots in our work picture are the project labor agreements we have in place with several school districts and public entities within our jurisdiction, as well as more than $100 million in photovoltaic work.

Remember to practice safety!

Paul Doolittle, A.B.M.

L.U. 304 (lctt,o&u), TOPEKA, KS—Congratulations to Kansas apprentice lineman Mark McCubbin as the 2011 Outstanding Apprentice in the Seventh District. He attended the Progress Meeting in March and was awarded a plaque and a watch for his accomplishment. He had the highest score among apprentices from Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

IBEW 35-year member Dave Shell received the 2010 Volunteer of the Year Award from his employer, Kansas Gas Service. "Spider," as we know him, is a Local 304 journeyman gas worker. He has donated countless hours to the Atchison County Fairs and has been a volunteer fireman since 1984. He donates 540-plus hours a year to these two organizations and says, "It's not that you do this for recognition but because it's the right thing to do." Thank you, Spider, for all your volunteer service to the community.

Labor Day parades are being organized and will be held in many cities on Sept. 5.

Local 304 members will be participating in parades in the cities of Osawatomie, Topeka and Hoisington to honor working men and women. Please join in and participate in a parade.

Paul Lira, B.M.

L.U. 322 (govt,i,it,lctt,o&u), CASPER, WY—On May 20 the WJATC turned out 20 new journeyman wiremen: James Alm, Seth Bellika, Devin Butler, Chris Denman, Jonathan Horton, Brian Jackson, James Johnson, Tony Johnson, Alex Lewis, Jason McLemore, Kevin Nelson, Thomas Powell, Cade Roberts, Doug Roberts, Wyatt Schrank, Justin Taylor, Blaine Tolbert, Thurman Tomlin, Luke Wicht and Tony Wolfley. Congratulations to all the new brothers and sisters! These young men and women are fine examples of what the JATC does to bring new craftsmen into our industry. One of these fine graduates, Jimmy Alm, was selected as Outstanding Apprentice and will attend the National Training Institute (NTI) in August.

The graduation ceremony was held in Casper. More than 200 people attended including family and friends of the new wiremen, IBEW officers, NECA representatives, and contractors. This is another fine example of the industry coming together to honor excellence.

Chris Morgan, P.S.

L.U. 332 (c,ees,i&st), SAN JOSE, CA—We continue and strive to provide the highest level of training for our members.

In anticipation of proposed work in our area, we have been certified as an approved training site for the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP). This will help our contractors participate and take advantage of the growing electric vehicle industry. Thanks to JATC instructor Mike Gorin and the support of the JATC committee, we have been recognized as an approved testing site for the Electric Power Research Institute's Level B Certification. The EPRI certifies electricians as instrument technicians. We are the only approved such testing site in northern California.

On June 10, we celebrated our JATC graduation commencement. We are proud of the 68 new Inside wireman graduates and the 11 new Sound and Communication graduates. Congratulations to all. Special congratulations to Jason Towle, who took top honors as apprentice of the year. Congratulations as well to Ricardo Barrientos, Alyssa Brown and Jeffrey Wittman, who were close runners-up.

Daniel Romero, Training Dir.

L.U. 340 (i,rts&spa), SACRAMENTO, CA—Labor Day is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of all American workers. Held in September, it is an annual national tribute to the contributions of workers to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. This is a day to celebrate our achievements and also a day to unite with workers of all trades and take a stand when others are trying to stop our progress and take away our rights. We have fought too long and too hard to just stand by and watch these rights being chipped away by politicians who have never climbed a ladder, picked up a tool, pulled wire, etc. Labor Day picnics will be held all across the United States, honoring us for our hard work. Speeches will be given by leading union officials and government officials. Please pay attention to the issues these officials talk about. We are under attack like never before and our future depends on us!

California was hit with some strange weather in May and June, causing a delay in starting several projects. Work is still slow here.

Retired Bros. Edward A. Walden, Lake Wheeler and Luiz Gutterres passed away since our last article.

A.C. Steelman, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 354 (i,mt,rts&spa), SALT LAKE CITY, UT—The Utah Electrical JATC will hold a graduation ceremony for the graduates, who successfully completed IBEW Local 354 apprenticeship requirements.

Please congratulate the Class of 2011. The new journeyman wiremen are: Joell Adair, Nick Ainsworth, Shay Allman, Nathan Anderson, Kade Bankhead, Jesse Bankhead, Adrian Beasley, Keith Bertoch, Derrick Bodine, Joseph Bryant, Jared Brydson, Bryant Christensen, Scott Crystal, Nathan Curtis, Barry Demott, Jason Dillard, Dominic Duran, Travis Engles, Wayne Fonoimoana, Larry Fontaine, Mark Godfrey, Clint Goodman, Paul Harris, Kevin Harry, Steve Harryman, Jesse Haviland, Kirk Heiner, Ronald Higham, Rallin Hovey, Jeremy Huhhtala, Tyler Jensen, Tolon Johnson, Jesse Kenley, Chase Klenk, Judith Kvenvold, Shaun Loop, Mike Lorenzen, McKade Lott, Luis Martinez, Eric Maxfield, Zachary McOmber, Carlino Mendez, Kevin Merrill, Erick Mueller, Ross Muirbrook, Alan Peterson, Jasen Riser, Derik Rogers, Kolby Rollins, Andrew Rutter, Clifton Sant, Jeffery Shaw, Bradley Simpson, David Van Orman, Jason Vandervaart, Jody Wahlberg, Joseph Walker, Matthew Warren and Brandon Willard.

The new VDV communication technicians are: Justin Benich, Tyler Geertsen, Tracy Hardman, Nathan Palmer, Gregory Robinson and Matthew Thomas.

Work remains slow in Utah.

Manya Blackburn, R.S.

L.U. 364 (catv,ees,em,es,i,mt,rts&spa), ROCKFORD, IL—The best representatives of union people are union people. We congratulate Bros. Mark Fiene and Nick Elmer, who ran unopposed for Rock City Board, and Bro. Tim Tammen's wife, Kate, who was elected Machesney Park trustee. Running for alderman were Bros. Jimmy Moore in Freeport and Ray Pendzinski in Belvidere, though they came up short. Thanks to all for representing us and the citizens where you reside.

Local 364 and Rockford's labor community participated in another pro-union demonstration at the Illinois AFL-CIO "We Are One!" rally in Chicago. More than 1 million union members and supporters participated in similar nationwide rallies. The rally emphasized that no matter what race, religion or gender a worker is, the commonality that binds us is we're all workers—and we must band together to fight for economic and social justice against the moneyed classes who wish to divide and weaken us for their own gain.

A Workers Memorial Day ceremony was held April 28 in Rockford. The ceremony recognizes union workers killed on the job in Illinois. Thanks to Bros. Todd Kindred, and Ty Hillman, who represented us manning our electrical safety booth. Thanks also to retired Bus. Agent Bro. Tom Kindred, who attended as well.

Charlie Laskonis, B.A./Organizer

L.U. 388 (em,i,rts&spa), STEVENS POINT, WI—Local 388 would like to say "a job well done" to our members employed by signatory contractor Van Ert Electric.

On April 10, a devastating tornado touched down in Merrill, WI, destroying many homes and businesses. A leading manufacturer of doors and windows was one of the businesses severely damaged.

Van Ert Electric was called in and in a matter of days this plant was operating on temporary power. A total of four weeks passed and this facility is back on permanent power along with all the new lighting installed.

During the long hours worked, our members kept safety, quality and the needs of the customer their No. 1 priority. Thank you to all for doing such a good job representing the IBEW.

At this writing, the work picture looks to be picking up for the summer after a slow start in the spring. We also anticipate the start of a new biomass boiler project at one of the local mills in our jurisdiction.

Guy LePage, P.S.

L.U. 412 (u), KANSAS CITY, MO—On March 18, three apprentice electricians turned out. Pictured here are the new 2011 journeyman electricians: Keith Cook, Rob Crews and Vaughn Mercer.

Congratulations to you all!

Debi Kidwiler, P.S.

L.U. 428 (govt,i,rts&spa), BAKERSFIELD, CA—Thanks to everyone who helped make our picnic a big success—all those who helped put the picnic together and all the members and their families who attended. Thanks to the picnic organizers, helpers, cooks, servers, cleaners and all members who participated. As usual we had great food and a load of nice prizes. With all the fun, the smiles and the fellowship, we all had a great time.

Our Bus. Mgr. Danny Kane, his secretary Jackie, and our Bus. Agent Jim S. Elrod announced and presented the service pins. We had four 65-year members who were not able to attend. Our three 60-year members (pictured below) are G.J. Hackett, Tom Wilson and Jim Devers. Jim Devers is a retired Local 428 lineman who served as our business manager from 1977–1979, then again from 1983—1985.

Our 55-year members attending were Bob Barnett, Richard Julian and Jim D. Elrod. Jim served as our business agent for many years and now his son (Jim S. Elrod) serves as business agent.

We had one 50-year member, six 45-year members, 10 40-year members, nine 35-year members, 13 30-year members, 10 25-year members and 12 20-year members. Congratulations—we thank all you members for your years of service to Local 428.

Ivan Beavan Jr., P.S.

L.U. 490 (i&mt), DOVER, NH—Local 490 is happy to announce our contribution in helping Public Service of New Hampshire bring its coal-fired Merrimack Station "scrubber" to completion. The Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization or "scrubber" technology will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 90 percent and will capture at least 80 percent of the mercury.

Work started on this project in January 2009 and is nearing completion at press time with start-up crews making their way through the multiple new structures that have been erected. Ninety-plus Local 490 members contributed to this 100 percent union project.

All reports coming from the construction manager and customer have been outstanding. Another highlight of the project was reached a few months ago when the project recorded 1 million man-hours with no lost-work-time accidents. Once again we have proven that project labor agreements work.

Thanks again to IBEW members for all your outstanding craftsmanship.

Jaye P. Yanovitch Jr., P.S.

L.U. 502 (c,em,i,it&t), SAINT JOHN, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA—The PotashCorp mine in Sussex has moved to the next phase with head frames, precipitator and wet mill finishing while the shops, substations and concentrator building ramp up. The Point Lepreau Generating Station refurbishment, east wastewater treatment plant, Huntsman Marine Center and St. Andrews Science Center, as well as various commercial and residential projects in and around Saint John, should keep our local close to full employment until fall.

Our local's generosity is alive and well with a donation of $10,000 to the Joshua Group in Saint John. The money was raised during the annual IBEW Local 502 Ride for Fallen Brothers. We were proud to sponsor three members on a humanitarian trip to Haiti to build an orphanage in Jacmel.

The annual IBEW Dave Chilton Memorial Bass Tournament was held at the Palfrey Lake Lodge in June and the IBEW Family Picnic was held at the Glenn Carpenter Center in July. Thanks to all volunteers who helped make these popular events happen.

We mourn the loss of Bros. Howard Mersereau, Randy Corcoran, Frank Deane, John Dunn, Tom Connors and Bob Stewart Sr.

Dave Stephen, P.S.

L.U. 520 (i&spa), AUSTIN, TX—Local 520 is continuing with negotiations/arbitration. It has now been approximately 18 months since starting the negotiating/arbitration process. Thus far eight contractors have signed independent agreements. One arbitration decision has been rendered for the NECA arbitration; however, they have since filed suit in federal court to vacate portions of the award. We continue in negotiations/arbitration with six independent contractors.

Local 520 has experienced a change in business managers with the appointment of Bro. Chris Wagner, effective April 21, 2011. Bro. Lane Price was appointed president of Local 520, effective June 7, 2011. Local 520 welcomes Mike Gula as the new training director for the Austin Electrical JATC.

The Annual Apprenticeship Banquet held May 20 honored 12 graduates: Christopher Basuino, Agustin Campos, Scott Cleary, Jose L. Gomez III, Kevin Holder, Clinton Hughes, James Lawhon, Kristopher Leatherman, Rudy Martinez III, John Mortellaro, Ronald Norwood Jr. and Levi Vanderveer. Scott Cleary was recognized as the 2011 Outstanding Apprentice. Congratulations to Scott and the entire class of 2011.

Lane Price, Pres./P.S.

L.U. 558 (catv,em,i,mt,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), SHEFFIELD, AL—Greetings, brothers and sisters. As of this reporting, Local 558 has had its share of events for 2011.

We have had a positive increase of employment getting our members back to work; organized a new contractor in our jurisdiction; and held our 2nd Annual Local 558 Picnic. We also experienced devastating tornadoes here in north Alabama that took the life of a dear member and his wife. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Michael Morgan family on the tragic loss of Michael, an IBEW member, and his wife, Kelli.

Our picnic held April 30 was a great success as usual. Several brothers and sisters gathered for good food, fellowship and stories from the past. Retired member Ronald Holdbrooks won our car show with an awesome 1969 Camaro.

Special thanks to all the members employed with our utilities and municipalities for their hard work and dedication restoring power to all communities hit by the storms on April 27. They were all missed at the picnic.

Mac Sloan, Mbr. Dev.

L.U. 596 (i,o&u), CLARKSBURG, WV—Memorial Day was a time to remember fallen comrades who were once a part of our brotherhood.

We wish to honor one of our own, Bro. Nick Duryea, who faithfully served for four tours in defense of our country. Nick served in the following: Desert Shield Desert Storm, Jan. 1991 to May 1991 (Saudi Arabia); Operation Iraqi Freedom, Nov. 2001 to Aug. 2002 for Homeland Security (Tobyhanna); Operation Iraqi Freedom, Feb. 2003 to Feb. 2004 (Balad, Iraq); and finally Operation Iraqi Freedom, July 2009 to Aug. 2010 (Tikrit, Iraq). Bro. Duryea has received many medals, including the Purple Heart. He was wounded while on mission in combat by an IED roadside bomb. He is recovering stateside now with hopes of returning to the trade.

Bro. Duryea, we salute you and thank you for your service to our great country. May God bless you with a swift and complete recovery. Your brothers and sisters of Local 596 extend their gratitude and best wishes.

Joseph N. Yeager, P.S.

L.U. 606 (em,es,i,rtb,spa&u), ORLANDO, FL—We extend a special thank-you to the 35 union members who attended the two-day steward training session at the union hall. Information the members received was very informative and will lead them into the roles of shop stewards on the job.

For the 2011 legislative session our local sent four representatives to inform our legislators on issues of importance to labor. Kudos on a great job representing Local 606 go to: Larry Kidd, Jennifer Kenny, Fernando Rendon and Butch Cox.

Ermco of Florida was awarded the Project CONSERV II Water Reclamation Facility electrical system upgrade. Members installed more than 32,000 feet of 15 KV three-conductor cable in more than 11,000 feet of new concrete-encased duct bank. This job had an overall upgrade on the equipment and operating system, which tied the two to a state-of-the-art switchgear controlled by PLC (programmable logic controllers) with network interfacing. Teamwork came from project managers Scott Urban and Steve Pavao; general formen Eddie Grammer and John Kennedy; and all the members who worked on this project. Thank you all for a great job.

Bros. Joel Persian, Al Stucky, Jerry Odom, Bob Bean and Martin Bayer passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.

Janet D. Skipper, P.S.

L.U. 636 (as,catv,em,spa&u), TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA—In a world that often places a greater value on "me" than "we" comes a story that reminds us all why unions still matter. When a boardroom bully pulled the plug on negotiations and locked out members at Essex Power, he clearly underestimated the strength of their resolve. Despite the struggles and sacrifices faced by our members and their families, their commitment to each other has been unwavering—and stands as an inspiration to us all.

Support from the labour community throughout this ongoing dispute has been outstanding and the generosity shown by our union sisters and brothers is remarkable: offering a friendly wave or honk of the horn as they pass; stopping by with coffee and donuts; dropping off donations, spending time on the line and joining in rallies at Town Hall. Thanks to IBEW Local 773, some members have found work to help ease the burden on their families. As a testament to the quality of their character, these members have each adopted a fellow member still on the picket line and are sharing their earnings—this is truly the spirit of solidarity. Let us never forget that, "The power in each of us comes from the power in all of us."

Paddy Vlanich, P.S.

L.U. 654 (i), CHESTER, PA—One of the most rewarding aspects of being a member of the IBEW is participating in efforts to aid those in need of assistance. A number of our members gathered recently to help clean up the property of one of our elderly neighbors. Approaching the age of 95 had made it difficult for him to maintain a large semi-wooded property adjacent to ours. Security had also become an issue. Asst. Agent Kevin Hassett organized a group of 18 other members to take care of the problem. Gathering early on a Saturday morning with chainsaws, trimmers and rakes, the property was cleaned up within just a few hours. Thanks to all the members who pitched in to help.

We also saw a great turnout of volunteers at the primary polls in May. At this point, no one needs a reminder as to the significance of being involved politically. Our presence in May at the polls and since then should send a message as to how active we will be in November and beyond. Legislation continues to be presented that is intended to weaken organized labor. The most effective means to combat these initiatives is to be heard and seen in numbers and to vote.

Thanks for all of your efforts and keep up the good work.

Jim Russell, Pres.

L.U. 684 (c,i,rts&st), MODESTO, CA—The subject of the CE/CW (construction electrician/construction wireman) program is a topic that has many different opinions by all IBEW members. Local 684 has been fortunate to have a couple of our contractors be successful in getting some good jobs using these classifications. This has put general foremen, foremen, journeymen and apprentices, along with these potential new members, to work. We have begun testing these new CEs. The training director is scheduling continued education classes that our journeymen need, along with classes the CEs will need to take. I thank our members for recognizing this program as a tool to grow our local.

Work is still moving along slowly, but it's moving.

Hope everyone had a great time at our July 23 picnic. Have a great summer. Stay safe.

Richard Venema, Rep.

L.U. 688 (em,i,t&u), MANSFIELD, OH—Congratulations and a big welcome to two new members: Darrell Stage (teledata wireman) and Nick Testa (construction wireman).

Thank you to Gary Baumberger, Carl Neutzling and Linda Wenzel, who represented Local 688 and volunteered during the Rehab Telethon's Labor Hour.

Our own Local 688 member Kenny Cooper was appointed IBEW Fourth District International Vice President. Ken replaces Salvatore "Sam" Chilia, who was appointed IBEW International Secretary-Treasurer. Hats off to Kenny!

John Pifher received a 45-year service award at the December 2010 meeting. I apologize for not including his name in the April newsletter.

Congratulations to Billy and Mary Walters, who recently adopted a baby boy. Also, congratulations to Dalton Bays and his wife, who are parents of a baby girl.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bob Neault's child, who had heart surgery.

We are saddened to report the loss of Woodrow McClurg, a 60-year member. We send our condolences to his family.

Dan Lloyd, P.S.

L.U. 692 (i,mt&spa), BAY CITY, MI—At press time we have 106 on Book 1. There are 238 on Book 2. Book 1 will remain slow. We do not foresee getting into Book 2 even in 2011.

Work in our jurisdiction still needs to improve for our members. We have had a few short-term jobs to help move our book. Gas prices aren't helping anything; they constantly move up and down, mostly up. Carpooling becomes part of everyday life. Some Web sites compare prices per day, but who's going to drive 30 miles to save 3 cents a gallon. There are some tips on how to save gas: proper tire pressure, tune-ups, driving habits, etc. Granted these tips don't save a lot of fuel, but times are tough and everything helps.

A reminder: Our membership meetings are the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m.

Thanks to all our brother locals for helping keep our members employed in these times. It's tough being away from home for long periods, either working or just looking for work.

With regret we announce the death of retired Bros. Paul Clements, Howard H. Kimberlin, Dale A. Herbek and Dan C. O'Leary.

Tom Bartosek, 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—Local 702 held our Annual Indoor Lineman Rodeo on Saturday, April 30 in DuQuoin, IL. We had several events for competition and it was well attended by brothers and sisters from several states. Local 702 members Aaron Richards received second place for the Overall Apprentice Individual category, and Mike Smith received third place in the Journeyman Individual category. Local 702 was represented well by all who competed. Congratulations on a job well done. A special thanks to Bus. Rep. Scott Kerley for all the hours of work that were devoted to this successful event.

Brothers and sisters, the American worker is under vicious attack by corporate America. You may not currently be affected, but if we do not stand together you will be.

Marsha Steele, P.S.

L.U. 716 (em,i,lctt,rts&spa), HOUSTON, TX—The summer heat is on here in Houston. We had hoped to have everyone back to work by this time of the year, but job calls have been slower than we anticipated. We appreciate the other locals that are putting our members to work.

The South Texas Nuclear Project that was to start this year has now been put on an indefinite hold as a result of the Japanese nuclear power plant failure. We will keep everyone informed on any new developments that might occur with these two new reactors.

Our contractors are aggressively bidding new work and have recently been awarded the new Dynamo stadium as well as work at several schools in the Houston Independent School District.

We had 29 apprentices graduating this year and we congratulate all of them for a job well done. Special congratulations to Melchor Sanchez for being the Outstanding Apprentice.

Congratulations to the 43 members who received their 50-, 55-, 60-, 65-, and 70-year service pins. We appreciate your service, your loyalty and your guidance for our local union. Thank you.

Local 716 is in preparation for our 100 Year Anniversary; check our Web site www.ibew716.net in the coming months for more information.

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

L.U. 756 (es&i), DAYTONA BEACH, FL—Local 756 is working on a Super Walmart project in New Smyrna Beach, FL. The job was awarded to TP Electric, a contractor from White, GA. The company signed an agreement with the local and is now one of our signatory contractors.

Our local has been out of the big-box store market for the most part since the '90s. This job is moving at a very fast pace and the union crew is performing well. The foreman, with many years' experience running nonunion projects, stated this is one of the most productive and smooth running jobs he has run. As of mid-June, we have the foreman, two journeyman wiremen, seven indentured apprentices and two construction electricians on the project. More calls should come in to meet the completion date of late October. Walmart wants to be open by November. Kudos go to the Local 756 members for making the first union experience with this new contractor a success.

In other local news, as of this writing, the final shuttle launch was scheduled for mid-July. The end of that era should bring a new era of NASA exploration of deep space, and the IBEW and the building trades should be a part of that program.

Dan Hunt, P.S.

L.U. 776 (i,o,rts&spa), CHARLESTON, SC—By the time you read this article, our local union elections will be over. At this writing we have a great bunch nominated to serve our local.

Our work picture has improved from last year, helping the books move some. We continue to pray for our brothers and sisters who have been affected by the tornadoes, floods, and other disasters across our country.

Chuck Moore, B.M.

L.U. 1116 (em,lctt&u), TUCSON, AZ—Eugene "Geno" Penta retired after 41½ years of IBEW membership working in line construction. Geno was presented with a retirement gift lamp (made by Bro. Mike Riesgo) during his standing room only retirement breakfast of spaghetti and meatballs. Geno served as our union treasurer for many years.

Another longtime member of 38 years, Doug Dalby, also took the retirement route. Doug worked in communications construction and maintenance. He was very active as a union steward and served on various committees.

Both Geno and Doug have always taken great pride in being union workers and members. We bid them farewell and extend our gratitude. We wish you both a great retirement, brothers.

We welcome new members: Cheryl Fuhler, Teresa Linssen, Joel Risk, Kristopher George, David Castillo, Amanda Bauman, Chavez Nakai, Michelle Puett Kinion and Joshua Woods.

R. Cavaletto, P.S.

L.U. 1466 (u), COLUMBUS, OH—The 38th IBEW International Convention is set for Sept. 19–23, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Our delegates to the convention, as elected by the membership, will be Kent Cline, Barry "Bubba" Hickle and Dan German. Jimi Jette will also attend as an alternate delegate.

We also plan to have our Annual Fall Gathering at the union hall on Saturday, Sept. 24. All members and their families are welcome to come out and enjoy the festivities. We look forward to seeing everyone!

Finally, we hope everyone has a great Labor Day. Let's not forget this is a holiday to honor working people. Enjoy your day. You've earned it.

Jimi Jette, P.S.