L.U. 1 (as,c,ees,ei,em,es,et,fm,i,mt,rts,s,se,spa,st&ws), ST. LOUIS, MO—On June 4, Local 1 members headed to the polls for the local union elections. Thanks to all the candidates who ran and congratulations to those elected. Elected were: Bus. Mgr. Greg Booth, Pres. Tom George Sr., Vice Pres. Jim Douglas, Rec. Sec. John Kahrhoff, Fin. Sec. Frank Jacobs, Treas. Dave Roth; Executive Board members Rob Dussold, Ken Landwehr, Steve Muehling, Tim Murray, Paul Reinheimer; and Examining Board members Don Bresnan Jr., Roxana DiMariano and Greg Schwartz. Delegates to the 38th International Convention are: Lou Cunningham, Tom George Jr., George Granicke, Ed Hoock III, Matt O'Neill, Nick Sachse, Dave Stanley and Fritz Uhle.

Thanks to all participants who walked representing Local 1 in the Susan G. Kohmen Race for the Cure in June.

We mourn the death of the following members: Jerry Louks, Arnold Morrison, Salvatore Pusateri, Eugene Bene, Bobby Prince, Larry Riley, Richard Sellman, Buford Capstick, Earl LaRue, Walter Owens, Lawrence O'Brien, Eugene Cooper, James Meyer, Jack Campbell, Steven Hoke, Leslie Jakowski, Norvel Bauman, William Fischer, Kenneth Nicholas, Thomas Hicks, Thomas Kallbrier, Norman Winkel and Kenneth Fitzler.

Matt Gober, P.S.

L.U. 11 (i,rts&spa), LOS ANGELES, CA—Our Annual Local Wide Picnic is set for Saturday, Oct. 15. The location for this year's event will be the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area. We have outgrown the previous location due to the popularity of the fun-filled family event. This new location offers many benefits. This year's picnic will be bigger and better than ever with free food, games, prizes, raffles and family friendly fun. Picnic volunteers are needed. Those interested should contact Shomari Davis at davis@joinlocal11.org. All volunteers will receive a free custom picnic T-shirt, while supplies last.

We are proud of the graduating class of 2011 apprentices. Their dedication to the trade and hard work have paid off. A celebration dinner was held at the Universal Sheraton in Universal City for the graduates. Congratulations on behalf of all Local 11 members and staff!

The Local 11 Web site has been upgraded to better serve our members. You can now sign the day book, roll call/re-sign, change your address, request a travel letter, pay your dues, etc. using our automated system. Please visit www.ibew11.org. While there, you can "like" us on Facebook.

We invite you to be active in your union by joining the organizing committees and welfare committees. Details are on the Web site. Work safe!

Bob Oedy, P.S.

L.U. 15 (u), DOWNERS GROVE, IL—Local 15 members attended the IBEW Sixth District Progress Meeting and Women's Conference held in late May in Indianapolis, IN.

On May 1, Pres./Bus. Mgr. Dean Apple and Local 15 members joined hundreds of our union brothers and sisters at Waldheim Cemetery in Forest Park, IL, to attend the rededication of the Haymarket Martyrs Memorial.

On the work front: On the commercial physical side, talks are continuing on the Underground Department reorganization.

The nuclear side is in ongoing discussions about outage agreements, an operations package and the "working foreman" issue. On the fossil side, the Midwest Generation collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of 2011.

Local 15 was honored to award 13 $500 scholarships this year.

Hope everyone had a great summer!

Doug Vedas, P.S.

L.U. 21 (catv,govt&t), DOWNERS GROVE, IL—Garreth Carpenter and Ronald Shockley hoped for a quiet day after working an all-nighter at AT&T. They were jolted into the spotlight in the quiet Chicago suburb of Park Forest. While in their tent, the University Park technicians heard screams for help. Instantly, they ran to a home just ripped apart by a massive gas explosion. A woman was screaming from her blown-out second floor doorway, too scared to jump. Realizing the grim reality that she had no way out, both men took action immediately. Bro. Carpenter ran to his truck and grabbed his extension ladder as Bro. Shockley took a ladder from a nearby construction crew. Shockley quickly went up the ladder and carried the woman down to safety. Seconds later, Garreth pointed for Ron to look up; the doorway was engulfed in flames and within minutes the house was a complete inferno.

Fire personnel who showed up on the scene heard of our brothers' heroics. They went to look for the two and found them—back working in their tent like nothing happened. In May at the Unit 2 meeting, Garreth and Ronald received our union's highest honor the IBEW Lifesaving Award.

Thomas Hopper, P.S.

L.U. 41 (em,es,govt,i,st&spa), BUFFALO, NY—What a busy time of year. Local union elections, apprenticeship graduation, and some unit contract negotiations upcoming—summer has flown by.

On June 21, we held our local union elections. Congratulations to: Bus. Mgr. Mike Gaiser, Pres. Matt Hilmey, Vice Pres. Shawn Creighton, Treas. Dick Nader, Rec. Sec. Curtis Johnson; Executive Board members Art Chmura, Pete Czaster, Rick Ehlers, Rick Guerra, Greg Inglut, Terry Mays and Jud Payne; and Examining Board members Chris Bove, Bob Esford, Danny Gedraitis, Kevin Hartman and Chris Lozo. Thanks to everyone who ran and everyone who voted.

A shout-out also goes to all Inside and Residential apprentices who graduated this year. Thank you for your effort—you did it!

Inside apprentice graduates are: Pete Campanella, Greg Rusinek, Derek Bodziak, Lynora Zylinski-Sowa, Kathryn Stumberg, Robert Ellis, Greg Klink, Jr., Josh Schoonover, Chris Zaganiaczyk, Michael VonStein, Shane Freeland, Jason Braunscheidel, Ryan Moynihan, Vincent Montaldi, Craig Keller, Jesse Sobocinski, Justin Loebel, Craig Gangloff, Mark Burakowski, Brian Liska and Jeff Gee. Residential apprentice graduates are: Jesse General, Jesse Marks, J. Jason Meadows, Scott Merkwa and Todd Michalski.

Local 41 thanks retiring fifth-year teacher John Leitten for his dedicated service. Congratulations, Bro. Leitten, and best wishes for a happy retirement.

Gregory R. Inglut, A.B.M.

L.U. 43 (em,i&rts), SYRACUSE, NY—Our work picture picked up significantly in mid-June and will continue through the winter. PLA projects mentioned in in the March issue for both Utica and Syracuse schools finally started. This has been a big help in putting out not only our members, but traveling brothers and sisters as well.

Local 43 has a long history of partnership with our NECA chapter and also of charitable support in the community. Here is a recent example. One of our local hospitals, St. Joseph's, is in the middle of a large renovation project. IBEW/NECA teamed up and donated $75,000 to a campaign for the hospital's new elevator lobby. As a result, besides getting the work, this new lobby will be named in appreciation of IBEW/NECA.

Among those included in the opening ceremony were our Local 43 Bus. Mgr. Don Morgan and executive manager for NECA's Finger Lakes Chapter, Marilyn Oppedisano. When visitors to St. Joseph's walk through the new lobby to ride in the elevators, they can feel good knowing that IBEW/NECA made the elevators work … in more ways than one.

Jim Corbett, P.S.

L.U. 47 (lctt,mo,o,u&uow), DIAMOND BAR, CA—Labor Day is Sept. 5. Enjoy the day brought to you by organized labor.

Local 47 election results are as follows. Patrick Lavin was elected business manager/financial secretary/convention delegate. Pres./Convention Delegate Ron Delgado, Vice Pres. Tyrone Chamois, Rec. Sec. Chris Avila and Treas. Greg Vetter were unopposed. E-Board members Ron Baker and Chris Longoria won their elections, and Dwight Morgan, Richard Paul, Willie Rios, Hipolito Tavarez, John Baca and Arnold Trevino ran unopposed. Examining Board members Mike Hernandez, Trevor Kirkland and Larry Lopez Jr. were unopposed. In addition, elected as convention delegates were: Mike Moore, Armando Mendez, Randy Heldoorn, Ernie Lopez, Arnold Trevino, John Baca, Chris Avila, Stan Stosel and Bobby Van Noy. Congratulations to all!

The Local 47/Southern California Edison Lineman's Rodeo was held June 4. The winning journeyman team was: Jeff Hinojos, Alex Ramirez, Ted Durnerin; senior team was Jack Flavin, Juan Pulido, Willie Rios; 1st place apprentice was Will Payne; groundman was Chris Sanchez.

Work for our Outside Construction Unit has picked up as contractors staff up for the transmission projects in our jurisdiction.

Local 47 Bus. Mgr. and Seventh District IEC member Patrick Lavin recently met with U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu regarding the proposed cross-border transmission lines accessing LNG (liquefied natural gas) transmission lines in Mexico as proposed by Sempra Energy.

We mourn the passing of Ryan Bennett, Pauline Walker and Ron Green. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families.

Work safe, live well, work union.

Stan Stosel, P.S.

L.U. 51 (catv,lctt,o,rtb,t&u), SPRINGFIELD, IL—We welcome our newest members working at City of Geneseo water/waste water department. Their first contract was ratified June 28.

At the time of this writing, the local was struggling with Nexstar Broadcasting negotiations. Our telecommunication members rejected the company's last, best and final offer. As of press time, the union was preparing to file board charges and had reached out to Nexstar advertisers for their support.

The local union mourns the passing of retired Sixth District Int. Vice Pres. Joseph F. Lohman. Bro. Lohman was a good friend to us, both personally and fraternally. We have many fond memories of Jeff and our prayers go out to his family.

Construction work continues to pick up and should continue for the remainder of the year.

Work safely today and everyday. Please attend your monthly unit meetings.

Karlene Knisley, B.R.

L.U. 53 (lctt,o,rts&u), KANSAS CITY, MO—Our Outside Line Construction remains slow and it doesn't seem that things are going to improve much for the remainder of 2011. The Line Clearance/Tree Trimming is holding pretty steady.

Our 23rd Annual Crappie Tournament held Sat., May 23, was a great success. Winning teams were: 1st place—Nathan Warstadt and Jason Moppin (Southwest Co-op); 2nd place—Roger Wainright and Gary Spoor (construction); 3rd place—Tim Ward and Jimmy Balance (construction); 4th place—Bruce VanCompernolle and Charlie Owen (Local 53 office); and 5th place—Darin Langford and Cameron Scott (construction). Thanks to all members who participated; some drove a great distance from the co-ops and powerhouses. Special thanks also to everyone who helped clean the fish and cook at the fish fry.

Local union elections were held in June. Elected to office were: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Bob Stuart, Pres. Steve White, Vice Pres. Tracy Riley, Rec. Sec. John Wilson, Treas. Darlene O'Neal; and Executive Board members Eric Younghans, Rex Long, Craig Rice, Eric Boyer and Rob Doran. Elected as delegates to the 2011 International Convention, to be held in Vancouver, BC, Canada, were: Bob Stuart, Bruce Vancompernolle, Dexter Drerup, Tracy Riley, Jody Kapp, Mike Costigan and Davy Bardwell. Congratulations to all newly elected officers and delegates.

Work smart and work safe! Attend union meetings and get involved. You are the union!

Robert E. Stuart, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 57 (lctt,mo,o,t&u), SALT LAKE CITY, UT—Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Byron Nielsen has chosen to retire at the end of his current term. Byron was employed by Utah Power & Light, currently Rocky Mountain Power, obtaining the classifications of journeyman lineman, journeyman electrician and relay technician. He joined the staff at Local 57 in 1978 and served as assistant business manager for 24 years. In 2002, Byron was elected business manager and served three terms. Byron's leadership and dedication to the IBEW and Local 57 will be missed. The staff and membership of Local 57 wish Byron a well-deserved happy retirement.

The membership elected then-Senior Asst. Bus. Mgr. Brent Donohue as the new business manager/financial secretary. Brent was employed by Utah Power/PacifiCorp. and obtained the classification of journeyman plant mechanic. He was a member of the Executive Board as well as shop steward and negotiator for Power Supply. Brent joined the staff at Local 57 in 1997. During this time Brent obtained a bachelor's degree in labor studies from the National Labor College. His knowledge and experience will continue to move the local forward during these tenuous economic and political times.

Scott Long, P.S.

L.U. 95 (em,i,lctt,spa&u), JOPLIN, MO—We thank all locals and members for their support through the tragedy of the fierce tornado that hit in Local 95's jurisdiction. The concern and support shown have been overwhelming. We are proud to be IBEW.

Local 95 members and contractors have worked extended hours relocating businesses, families and friends, and themselves to temporary locations since the May 22 EF-5 tornado hit Joplin. More than 450 businesses were destroyed along with public schools and Franklin Technology Center, which works in conjunction with the Local 95 NJATC. Schools are moving to temporary locations so as to start the school year as planned.

Local contractor P1 Group Inc. and Local 95 members (see photo) are working directly with Weston Solutions Inc., for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the 13.7 miles of cleanup, right of way and right of entry permits—which means cutting all wires and cables from debris piles, and identifying that all power is off on damaged properties.

Local 95 thanks the line clearance tree trimmers negotiating committee: Ed Ritter, Frank Henson, James Standlee, Ray Holliday and Mike Banks (Wright Tree and Shade Tree Companies) for the hard work getting a three-year contract ratified during these hard economic times.

The 2011 apprentice graduation was held June 7. Congratulations to the graduates: Cody Gandy, Jesse Hall, Jason Henson, Leslie Logan, Scott Nangle, James Richards and Josh Whetzell.

Ron Lundien, B.M.

L.U. 111 (em,govt,lctt,mt,o,rtb,spa&u), DENVER, CO—On June 3, the ballots were counted and the membership of Local 111 elected the following members as delegates to the IBEW 38th International Convention: Timio Archuleta, Bruce J. Lawlor, Kristie J. Knudson, Patrick A. Weak, Tammy D. Theis, Dennis Z. LeTurgez, Mike E. Kostelecky, Robert L. Estrada and Patrick S. Quinn. Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Michael A. Byrd was elected as a delegate in June 2010.

On June 16, the Xcel Energy Lineman's Rodeo took place at the Materials Distribution Center in Henderson, CO. Congratulations to the linemen and apprentices from Local 111 who placed well in the 2011 Lineman's Rodeo. Twenty-one linemen teams entered and 23 apprentices.

Top linemen team was the Lipan Distribution Center team of Kevin Hinrichs, Josh Slama and Rick Kernan. A team from Borger, TX, was second. Coming in third place was another LDC team of Brett Bell, Trevor Landis and Mike Pfeifer.

Top apprentice was Jordan King of Hereford, TX. Second place through eighth place were Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo) apprentices, in order: Mark Thomas, Southwest; Dustan Lenser, Boulder; Marcus Christensen, Transmission; Anthony Narducci, Southeast; Justin Hertz, Trouble Dept.; and Wes Hill, Evergreen.

Mike Kostelecky, P.S.

L.U. 125 (lctt,o,t&u), PORTLAND, OR—The 2011 election results for officers and delegates to the 38th IBEW Convention have been counted.

Bus. Mgr. Travis Eri, Pres. Larry Browning, Rec. Sec. Raymond Cowell and Treas. Douglas Shaffer were re-elected. Paul Dietrich was elected vice president in a run-off election for that position.

Executive Board members Joseph Gass, Jim Sweet and Patrick Winter retained their seats, and they will be joined by newly-elected member John Yates.

Jeffery Davis, Ryan Hagel, Rick Larson, Clay Perth and Joe Spears will serve on the local's Examining Board.

By virtue of their positions as president and business manager, respectively, Browning and Eri will attend the convention as delegates. The elected delegates are: Randy Bryson, Joseph Gass, Shane Hester, Rick Main, Donald Rose, Douglas Shaffer, Jim Sweet and Patrick Winter. Rod Derting, Tim Titus and Byron Babka will serve as alternates.

there were 992 ballots received, and 862 ballots were tabulated because 130 ballots were declared void.

Congratulations to our new officers and the elected convention delegates.

Marcy Putman, P.S.

L.U. 139 (i&u), ELMIRA, NY—Members of Local 139 congratulate Bro. Jeremy Horton for being selected to represent the Third District in the "IBEW Has Talent" contest at the International Convention. Jeremy was selected from more than 40 participants from the Third District. We wish him the best of luck in Vancouver, BC.

We also would like to congratulate our own Bus. Mgr. Ernest Hartman for being selected by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo as a member of the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council. This council is composed of 21 individuals from the local area competing to win a share of $1 billion in state funding to create and retain local jobs. As stated by Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy, "These are the movers and shakers, the super talented people of the region." Good luck, Ernie—you make Local 139 proud.

To date the work situation has been very stable. We are happy to have the opportunity to supply work for many of our brothers and sisters from other areas of the country.

Dave Blauvelt, P.S.

L.U. 163 (ees&i), WILKES-BARRE, PA—Local 163 celebrated its 110th anniversary. Our celebration was hosted by Pres. Tom Raub and included a wonderful meal followed by an evening of acknowledgements and presentations, live music and dancing.

Bus. Mgr. Michael Kwashnik presented service awards to retired members including two 65-year awards—to Bros. Raymond Cronauer and Clarence Cronauer. Training Dir. John Nadolny spoke of our graduating class and the rewards of their hard work. Jason Martin was presented with the Apprentice of the Year award along with a set of Klein Tools. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2011.

Guest speakers included state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton, state Sen. John Yudichak and special guest IBEW Third District Int. Vice Pres. Donald C. Siegel. All shared their thoughts on the successes of our local union and the work we must do as we face the challenges before us.

Local 163 and its membership are proud to be active members of our community. Our local has been involved in a Historical Society project at Hillside farm and wiring a new concession stand for Parson's little league. Additionally, Local 163 Bro. Jeremy Moderwell was appointed to the United Way board.

Dave Novak, P.S.

L.U. 191 (c,i,mo,rtb&st), EVERETT, WA—The EWMC has some upcoming events at a county near you. We are planning family bowling events in Bellingham and Wenatchee. We have a work party in the planning stages for end of summer at the home of a widow, whose information we obtained through an organizing blitz. It's a great story. We also volunteered at Deaconess Children's Center. Thanks to everyone who volunteered. Please call with any suggestions or ideas for some type of event or someone to help; please call Jodi at (360) 391-9990. Our Electrical Workers Minority Caucus meetings are the third Thursday of every month at the Mt. Vernon Union Hall at 6 p.m. Please come to an EWMC meeting to learn more about what we do. Everyone is welcome!

Local 191 held elections in June. Elections are every three years. Congratulations to all those elected, both the new officers and the returning ones. Election results are posted on our Web site at www.ibew191.com. A special thank-you goes out to all who helped with the elections. We had a good turnout.

Rob "Bulldog" De Velder, P.S.

L.U. 269 (i&o), TRENTON, NJ—The Stone Terrace by John Henry's in Hamilton Township was the site of our 2011 Retirees Awards Banquet. We had 115 members in attendance honoring 63 retired members.

At the banquet, Bus. Mgr. Stephen Aldrich and Pres. Clifford Reisser presented service awards. Gene Kehoe Sr. received a 65-year service award. Blaine Sipler and Charles Walsh received 55-year service awards. Paul Clark, Gerry Hullfish, Tony Jeanette and Mike Keegan received 45-year service pins. Forty-year pins went to: Jim Apgar, Tom Bates, Rudy Brown, Gabby Dibaczy, Bill Eggert and Frank Robbinson. Awarded 35-year pins were: Wes Howell, Brian Proctor and Mike Layne. Thirty-year service pins went to Gary Amoss and Bob Dombrowski. Gary Amoss, Glen Dobron and Tony Zamparelli received 30-year watches.

The Good of the Union Committee continues its efforts to serve our local community, and a blood drive was held in June. Thirty-one units were collected for The Community Blood Council of New Jersey, our area blood bank that provides blood support to approximately 24 area hospitals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The summer brought with it some temporary relief for some members, with jobs at our local universities. We hope our future will begin to look brighter as our economy starts to recover.

D. Brian Proctor, P.S.

L.U. 309 (i,lctt,mo,mt,o,rts,spa&u), COLLINSVILLE, IL—A graduation party and dinner were held May 14 at Sunset Hills Country Club to honor apprentice graduates in the telecommunications and inside wireman branches. Receiving diplomas were: Nick Doyle, Luke Lednicky, Paul Magruder, Mark Parrott, Carlos Perez, Mike Ratz, Robin Renschen, Emily Riebeling, Josh Ritzheimer, Andy Sternau, Brian Stuart, Cory Swinney, Corey West, Nick Bond, Lamont Edwards and William Nobbe.

The local union election was held June 6. Newly elected officers are: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Scott Hassall, Pres. Chris Burns, Vice Pres. Mike Hayes, Rec. Sec. Kevin Williamson, Treas. Larry Aleksandrian; Executive Board wiremen—Chris Huckins, Dan Sodam and Josh Wiegers; Executive Board linemen—Quinton Fluss, Brandon Gravot and Dave Hall; Executive Board At-Large—Mike Faust and Chris Snyder; and Examining Board wiremen—Nick Schroeder and Jason Stief. Delegates to the International Convention are: Tim Evans, Chris Huckins, Scott Tweedy and Chris Weir. Congratulations to all officers and delegates.

Our Local 309 PAC Golf Tournament was held June 24. As in previous years, it was well-attended and a big success.

Scott Tweedy, A.B.M.

L.U. 351 (c,cs,i,it,lctt,mt,o,se,spa&t), FOLSOM, NJ—At our April 2011 general meeting we honored all our retirees who retired during 2010. Our retired honorees were given IBEW watches engraved with their names and retirement date. We congratulate them and wish them the very best in their retirement. We hope they all remain active in the local and participate in our many upcoming union functions.

We also held a special remembrance for our Bro. Bobby Carter, who was killed on a jobsite accident. In remembrance of Bro. Carter, a chair was left empty for the group photograph (see picture). Bobby was an awesome guy and a great IBEW member, who will be sadly missed.

Daniel Cosner, P.S.

L.U. 357 (c,i,mt&se), LAS VEGAS, NV—On July Fourth we celebrated our nation's birthday by participating in the Boulder City Damboree. It was especially special for us being the birthplace of our local 80 years ago—when the Hoover Dam was built. This gives us an opportunity to educate the community on our deep routes and the benefits of the IBEW.

Now, 80 years after the Hoover Dam's construction, we find ourselves with history repeating itself. Our nation needs infrastructure and jobs just as it did in the 1930s, and working people are finding that they are being taken advantage of in terms of working conditions and wages.

We do have the joy of celebrating another anniversary next month, with our 10th annual Brotherhood Welfare Golf Tournament. It will be held Saturday, Oct. 22, at Palm Valley Golf Course. At press time, there are still a few openings for those who are interested.

Finally, we thank and congratulate Bro. Gary Pitts and Bro. Terry Large on their retirement. Together they have 26 years on staff. We appreciate their service, representation, and continued dedication to Local 357.

Don't forget to come to our annual picnic Oct. 1 at Floyd Lamb Park.

Aaron L. Jones, P.S.

L.U. 359 (u), MIAMI, FL—We have been busy here with contract negotiations with Florida Power & Light and also with the "munis" we represent, especially with the City of Lake Worth, which claims a financial emergency with no funds to offer pay increases. They keep trying to deny benefits to our members that we negotiated in previous contracts.

This is a common story across the country—municipal, state and local government entities trying to avoid negotiating in good faith with workers. Remember who these people are at election time. We will support those who support us, but our enemies we will defeat.

Local 359 elections resulted in a few new faces. Doug Sawyer goes from treasurer to vice president, and Walter Lamb is the new treasurer. We have some changes on the E-Board: the Underground rep is Justin Stockton, who was also elected System Council rep for the Underground Dept. Delegates to the International Convention are: Bus. Mgr./Pres. Dwight Mattox, Steve Flynn, Alice Keller, Doug Sawyer; and alternate Kevin Buchwald.

Our Community Affairs directors have been busy. Alice Keller coordinated a group of 30 volunteers for a big Habitat for Humanity project.

Also, our nuclear plant members participated in a United Way project with our coordinator Eddie Nettles. Forty Local 359 volunteers helped refurbish a mental health facility and we also had groups from T&D, who provided heavy equipment. Hats off to all volunteers.

The System Council is negotiating with the Florida Power & Light group. We need to support this committee by staying united and providing information on issues if asked.

Steve Flynn, F.S., P.S.

L.U. 363 (catv,em,govt,i,t,u&ws), NEW CITY, NY—Hello to our fellow brothers and sisters from Local 363. Our congratulations go to former Bus. Mgr. John Maraia, who announced his retirement effective July 1, 2011. We extend our gratitude to Bro. Maraia for his dedicated service to Local 363. John has served our local for 40-plus decades, in many capacities—as a journeyman, shop steward, foreman, general foreman, assistant business manager and, finally, as business manager for the last seven years. We were fortunate to have such a strong leader to carry us through the most difficult economic and political times our union has ever seen. We at Local 363 thank John and wish him and his wife, Christine, a long and happy retirement.

Our Executive Board unanimously voted to appoint Sam Fratto III as Local 363 business manager for the remainder of the unexpired term. Sam has been a fixture in the labor movement for more than 24 years, since first being appointed as a business representative in 1987. He was previously elected business manager of former Local 631 in 1992, prior to a merger with Local 363. We are sure that our union will continue to move forward and gain strength under Sam's strong leadership.

Kevin Keeley, P.S.

L.U. 379 (i,o&rtb), CHARLOTTE, NC—Many know retired Bro. Tony Quarino from his days with the Preferred Electric shop, where he worked for 11 years. In the past eight years however, Tony has built a reputation as an award-winning turkey call maker.

In 2010, Bro. Quarino was awarded a first-place trophy for his decorative set of turkey calls at the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention held in Nashville, TN. In February of this year at the NWTF National Convention, he received another first-place award, this time for his one-sided turkey box call.

Since entering competitions, our brother has received more than 50 other NWTF awards at the nationals in Nashville, the Midwest Call-Making Competition in Wisconsin, and the North Carolina and Southeast competitions in Raleigh, NC. Tony and his wife, Rosemary, currently live in historic Waxhaw, NC, where he continues with his passionate hobby making some of the finest turkey calls around!

Circuit 379 open for now. …

Guy B. DePasquale, P.S.

L.U. 413 (em&i), SANTA BARBARA, CA—Congratulations to our 2011 graduating inside apprenticeship class (see photo). Chris Thomas was named Outstanding Graduate and Jack Bean received the Dedication Award. Jack Bean and Cory Philley garnered the Community Bank Achievement Award. The future of our industry is certainly in excellent hands!

Newly elected officers for Local 413 are: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Chuck Huddleston, Pres. Joseph M. Furino, Vice Pres. Rockie Ginter, Rec. Sec. David Poorbaugh, Treas. Jon Paola; Executive Board members David Beyea, Roger Cheatham, Fredy Gutierrez, Don Hay and Rikki King; and Examining Board members Tim Bennett, Brian Gregory and John Hughes. Elected for a three-year term, the officers were installed in July. Thanks to the outgoing officers for their service to Local 413.

Chuck Huddleston, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 449 (catv,em,i,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), POCATELLO, ID—The Eighth District Progress Meeting, held in Sun Valley, was a success. A lot of good information was given out by the International. Congratulations to our own Mike Miera and his band for representing the Eight District in the IBEW Has Talent event at the convention in Vancouver.

I wish to thank all the contractors and their employees who have helped in getting the information to fill out the Davis Bacon survey that the Department of Labor is conducting this year. It is a huge undertaking, but it has to be done to keep our prevailing wage up and give our contractors a level playing field with the nonunion. Failure to do the reporting can be devastating to the members and the contractors on Davis Bacon jobs.

Thanks also go to our JATC Training Dir. John Baker, his staff and the apprentices for their hard work and dedication in getting our new training center up and running.

Congratulations and best wishes to Ronald Parsons and Aaron Witherspoon on their retirement.

Remember that with the fight against the middle class, it is no time to become complacent. Fiscal irresponsibility was created by those who say they are being responsible.

Chris Lochridge, A.B.M.

L.U. 495 (em,i&o), WILMINGTON, NC—Morgan Mechanical Contractors Inc. and members of IBEW Locals 495 and 342 (Winston-Salem, NC) completed a new McDonald's in Surf City, NC, and also the renovation of another in Wilmington, NC. We look forward to Morgan coming back into our jurisdiction very soon to start work on a new McDonald's in Hampstead, NC, and another renovation in Carolina Beach, NC.

Additionally, our members saw the completion of a Habitat for Humanity House, which was dedicated June 11, for the Blevins family (Rachael, Christina and Laura) in Newport, NC. With the tough economy, work had stopped on this project for a while; however, the electrical side stayed ahead of all other crafts. Special thanks to Local 495 member Gary Ball for coordinating the project and to Dan Able for getting the final finishing touches completed to have the house ready for the dedication.

Graham Blackburn, B.M.

L.U. 531 (i), LAPORTE, IN—In the summertime we again step up our efforts in community involvement. In June, Local 531 and our Building Trades participated in a street collection for United Way at one of the busiest intersections in our jurisdiction. We also participate in a United Way Dodge Ball Tournament, Rebuilding Together, Relay for Life and Habitat for Humanity. We provide electrical support for many community festivals, and we are always ready and able when asked by our friendly politicians for a helping hand on projects that need our expertise.

We had an entry in the LaPorte Fourth of July parade and as always we were well-received. Parades and marches are an excellent way to keep our organization in the hearts and minds of the public. Our participation in such events serves as a reminder that we are their neighbors, friends and family. Community involvement is key. It is of utmost importance that we are seen as volunteering our time for the good of the communities where we live.

Congratulations to our 2011 apprentice graduates. The new journeymen are: Jonathan Baburek, Thomas Foreman, Dave Harmon, James Harrington, Prentiss Hervey, Jon Iacovetti, Daniel Minix, Jeremy Rayner, Kris Reed, Michael Rose, Rick Sojka, Troy Swanson and Joshua Werth. May you all have long and rewarding careers.

Dean F. Harmon, P.S.

L.U. 547 (rr), GALESBURG, IL—Bro. Gary Winfield recently announced his retirement. Bro. Winfield began work for the Burlington Northern Railroad in Cicero, IL. He served Local 547 as president for two terms. He also was local chairman and Executive Board member. Additionally, he was on the Executive Board of the System Council and a delegate to the International Convention. Bro. Winfield served later in his career as an advisor to many local officers and was well known in his day to never be intimidated while fighting for the local's causes.

Local 547 officers and members wish Gary a long and happy well-deserved retirement. The local extends deepest gratitude for his dedicated service on behalf of the membership.

Terry R. Pind, R.S.

L.U. 551 (c,i&st), SANTA ROSA, CA—As we head into the summer season, our work picture and books are still moving slowly. Although our contractors have picked up work here in the North Bay, it is still slower than we have seen in past summers when our books were usually clear. We hope the Geothermal Plant will get rolling by fourth quarter, which will put our members to work.

Napa Electric finished a project to give title to a local quarry to be the reportedly first in the world to go 100 percent solar. On May 11, Mark West Quarry flipped the switch to remove grid power and had full quarry operation. The system is capable of generating 1,165,000 kilowatt hours. Approximately 200 dignitaries and guests were in attendance for the ceremonial switch.

Denise D. Soza, P.S./B.R.

L.U. 553 (i,mt,o&ws), RALEIGH, NC—A national solar conference sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society took place in Raleigh May 17-21.

Green energy technology is an industry important to the IBEW and is to be taken seriously. We must work to harness this market rapidly before we lose it. I saw this situation for myself when I attended the conference with the goal of representing Local 553 and the IBEW at the event. We need to act before roofing contractors and other trade contractors win this market.

The jurisdiction has more electrical contractors coming to the area. More opportunities are being developed.

At press time, the local also was making preparations for our 2nd Annual Cookout, which we hope many of you had a chance to attend.

Recently, the local had a very unfortunate occurrence on a line project with a line contractor. One of our members, Tim Moldenhauer, was seriously injured. The local's thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with our brother and his family as he recuperates.

David A. Ingram, P.S.

L.U. 557 (i,mt,rts&spa), SAGINAW, MI—In summer 2009, a major bond vote was held in the Saginaw Township. Township schools hoped to pass a $40 million bond to perform needed work on aging schools over a three-year period.

With the aid of many Local 557 members, the bond passed. This step was just the starting point for our local. The first year, six electrical projects were to be completed. Local 557 was fortunate to perform the work on two of the six. Thanks to top-notch quality work performed by our membership, we gained five of the six electrical projects the next summer. Our local is very proud that in the summer of 2011, all the electrical work done at the Saginaw Township schools was done 100 percent union labor. Our local successfully gained the entire market share in one of the largest school districts in Michigan.

How did we manage to be so fortunate? Simply by utilizing our quality IBEW work force. Our local proved that by completing work on time and under budget, you can still achieve a good name and earn repeat business. In all, nearly $3 million worth of electrical work was done at the schools. Our local was proud to have $2.4 million worth of that work, leaving only $400,000 left over for the nonunion side.

If there are some skeptical members who don't think that hard work and staying on top of something can pay off these days, look no further than the countless local members who were proud to work on these local projects. This was a truly successful venture for Local 557.

Evan Allardyce, P.S.

L.U. 569 (i,mar,mt,rts&spa), SAN DIEGO, CA—On June 10, our local was proud to hold our annual apprentice graduation ceremony. We had 85 Inside Wireman and 10 Sound graduates. More than 500 guests attended. Along with proud families and friends, many dignitaries attended including U.S. Rep. Bob Filner. Award winners were as follows: Outstanding Inside Wireman Graduate—Tony McCowen; Outstanding Inside Wireman Graduate runner-up—Scott Mitchum; Outstanding Sound Technician Graduate—John Todd; Lifelong Learning Award recipient—Marvin Allen; JATC Scholarship winner—apprentice Ronnie Maynard; and IBEW Volunteer Service Award recipient—Amy Robershaw. Congratulations to award recipients and to all apprentice graduates.

We continue working to protect California green jobs by opposing Sempra Energy's proposed cross-border transmission line to connect energy projects in Mexico with California's grid. This undermines U.S. environmental and labor standards and outsources jobs. Our jurisdiction includes Imperial County, a hard-hit region with 28 percent unemployment. Fortunately, Imperial has plentiful renewable resources for green energy projects that can put members to work. We are working with elected officials, community partners and locals statewide to prioritize California green energy and create jobs. During this recession, outsourcing even one job, as Sempra is proposing to do, is one job too many.

David Taylor, P.S.

L.U. 577 (em&i), APPLETON, WI—Local 577 once again volunteered union labor to power the Paperfest Festival held at Sunset Park in Kimberly, WI. Paperfest is a fun, family oriented festival that raises money for nonprofit and civic organizations in Fox Valley. Spanning four days each July, it offers fun for all ages through games, sports, music and food.

This year marked the 14th consecutive year Local 577 members have volunteered their time and expertise in building and maintaining temporary power panels/generators for the celebration. A special thank-you to Local 577 members who volunteered their time for the Paperfest Festival.

June was election of officers in Local 577. Elected to three-year terms were: Bus. Mgr. Greg Young, Pres. Dan Rickel, Vice Pres. Brian Mason, Rec. Sec. Jamie Darkow, Fin. Sec. Tom Schlender and Treas. Steve Schanke. Elected to the E-Board were: Kevin Johansen, Joe Welcing and Jim Gorski. Elected to the Exam Committee were: Gary Weber, Rick Schmidt, Jeremy Clark, Bob Hoetchl and Jerry Booth. Congratulations to all.

Dan Rickel, B.R.

L.U. 595 (c,govt,i&st), DUBLIN, CA—Congratulations to the 2011 Thomas J. Sweeney Scholarship Awards recipients: Alicia Marie DeSoto Burruel, Erik Leyva, Kyle Murray, Amanda Owyoung, Austin Price, Caitlin Denning, Gabrielle Koizumi, Paige Perkett, Cody Walker, Cheyenne Barnard, Alicia Bernardino, Devin Bratset, Karim Torres, Maxwell Kellogg, Vito Lee and Joanna Tran-Fitts. The recipients are Local 595 members or their dependents.

We concluded our elections in June. Congratulations to newly elected officers, sworn in at the July union meeting.

The first annual IBEW 595 Safety Fair was held at our union hall in early June. An enthusiastic crowd of more than 200 participated, despite unseasonably wet weather that Saturday. Participants attended safety seminars and visited booths to learn about the latest safety tools and equipment available in the industry.

Fantastic graduation ceremonies recently were held for our East and West apprentices in both the Inside and Sound and Communication programs. We wish these new graduates great IBEW careers.

Members voted at our wage allocation meeting in May to put $1.15 to our Health Reimbursement Account, $0.60 to Health and Welfare, and $0.50 on the check.

We look forward to a new semester of journeyman and installer upgrade classes including the CALCTP (California Advanced Lighting Controls Training Program) certification class at our Training Center. We encourage all members to sign up for this continuing education in our fast-changing industry.

Tom Mullarkey, B.R.

L.U. 601 (i&rtb), CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, IL—Our local just held its annual steak stag at our local hall and the turnout was great. Bob Woodard was in charge of the steak stag with our apprentices helping with the preparation and cleanup. We thank the committee and their helpers for the great job they did. The steaks were cooked to perfection. In addition to the great meal we enjoyed, there were drawings for prizes. Several of our retired members came out to enjoy the food and the great time. It was great to see them.

Our work situation is not looking much better. There are 35 members on book one and 196 travelers on book two. Due to the slow recovery of our economy, it may be a while before all of our members are back to work.

Dan Hatter, P.S.

L.U. 611 (catv,es,govt,i,lctt,o,spa,t&u), ALBUQUERQUE, NM—Local 611 election results are as follows: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Mark Trujillo, Pres. Carl Condit, Vice Pres. Joseph Blea, Rec. Sec. Clifford Trujillo, Treas. Bobby Martinez; Examining Board members Rodney Becenti, David Griego, Jose Martinez Jr., Eugene Romero, Edward Tafoya Jr.; Executive Board members Rita Beebe, Sherry Mouton, Bob Porter, Alan Shepherd, Richard Traczyk, Daniel Trujillo and Pete Trujillo. Delegates are: Jim Baca, Carl Condit, Shannon Fitzgerald, Chris Frentzel, Richard Sandoval, Ed Tafoya, Alex Trujillo, Daniel Trujillo and Mark Trujillo. All those elected were sworn in on July 16. Congratulations to all.

Alan Jander and Aubree Espinosa received the IBEW Local 611 Apprentice Achievement Award for the 2010-1011 school year. The criteria for the award are that an apprentice must attend at least six union meetings, must be a member in good standing and have either a 92 percent or above average or perfect class attendance. Great job, guys.

Local 611 extends condolences to the families of the following members who recently passed away: Willie W. Canon, Roy D. Fancher, Clarence J. Exon, Otis Henson, Guadalupe L. Moya, Rex Ward, Robert A. Martinez, William L. Shortz and Elvis H. Bennett.

Darrell J. Blair, P.S.

L.U. 617 (c,i,mo&st), SAN MATEO, CA—Congratulations to the graduating Apprenticeship Class of 2011! The local welcomes to its ranks: new inside wiremen Edgar Alcantara, Ryan Alcon, Scotty Allen, Arley Arnold, Daniel Brown, David Brown, LeBron Brown, Justin Clark, Latanna Edwards, Juan Felix, Kevin Garibaldi, Michael Giusti, Nicholas Herbert, Stephen Hill, Dustin Katz, Ronald Labayan, Jared Lamb, Mitch LeBlanc, Gabriel Lopez, Jessie Magana, Jonathan Marcal, David McMurdo, Mayo Ortiz, Ramon Regoso, Leah Sachs, Sara Serrano, Eric Sloan, Abraham Talakai Jr., Perry Thompson, Christian Thomsen, Stephen Weikel and David Wilson; and new Sound and Communications installer Brian Dragges. Scotty Allen received special recognition as Outstanding Electrical Apprentice of the Year. We are proud of you sisters and brothers!

From June 11-19, the apprentice-built Solar Trailer was on display at the San Mateo County Fair under the leadership of Leah Sachs. The local enjoyed its annual picnic on Aug. 20 and the Sixth Annual Day at the Range on Aug. 27. None of these events could enjoy the success they do without the incredible generosity and commitment of the volunteer brothers and sisters who staff them. The membership recognizes their efforts and hard work with heartfelt gratitude and a big round of applause!

Dan Pasini, V.P.

L.U. 639 (i&rts), SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA—The local held elections for officers, and ballots were counted June 18. Congratulations to those elected: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Mark Simonin, Pres. Mark Satterfield, Vice Pres. Brett Malone, Rec. Sec. John Ponzetti, and E-Board members Tim Friend, Tom Monroe, Jeff Mosher and Sean Perry. At this writing, the position of treasurer had not yet been filled. Also, a big thank-you to Paul Lord for his dedication as election judge and to election tellers Jesse Campos and Clint Cochran.

The work horizon looks promising in our jurisdiction for the rest of the year and into the beginning of 2012. At press time, there is a good possibility of dispatching some traveling brothers and sisters late this summer and into fall when the California Valley Solar Ranch project breaks ground.

On Labor Day this year take a moment to think of the sacrifices many brothers and sisters who came before you made so that your family could enjoy the quality of life you have today. It was less than 100 years ago that men, women and children died trying to organize and start unions to improve their quality of life. That truly deserves more than a moment of thought. Don't drop your guard; the Republican agenda is trying to turn back the clock 100 years by throwing working families under the bus again.

John Ponzetti, P.S.

L.U. 649 (i,lctt,o,rts,spa&u), ALTON, IL—Local 649 is proud to announce that we are building a new union hall. We should move in by early 2012. Thanks for a job well-done go to members of the Building Committee: David Mahanay, Phil Davidson, Dave Burns, Scott Frenz, Sean Gregory, Jeff Frankford, Alan Uzzell, Pres. Mark Woulfe, Bus. Mgr. Jack Tueth and Asst. Bus. Mgr. Charles Yancey.

As the Coker and Refinery Expansion Project at the ConocoPhillips Refinery nears completion, Local 649 enjoys full employment. At press time, more than 300 travelers are currently working here. We thank all the traveling brothers and sisters who are helping or have helped make this project a success. Bus. Mgr. Tueth expressed his gratitude by grilling bratwursts for the travelers who cleared through for July.

Increased pressure in the slow economy from the nonunion and the Carpenters' fake electricians union continues to keep Organizer Alan Rubenstein busy. Local 649 is very active, picketing and salting the rat contractors and hand-billing the businesses that hire them. Bro. Loren Kulp deserves special recognition for salting a Carpenters Local 57 contractor.

Charles Yancey, A.B.M.

L.U. 915 (i&mt), TAMPA, FL—Our 2011 JATC Banquet and Completion Ceremony was held in May and chaired by Bro. Randall King. We had a combined class of 17 graduating to inside journeyman wireman status.

Two graduates had perfect attendance for all five years of apprenticeship: Jeffery Marotta and Robert Scanlon. Sean Sondgerath had perfect attendance his third, fourth and fifth years. Mark Brady had perfect attendance his fourth and fifth years.

We had two graduating apprentices, representing their respective graduating classes, who were recognized as leaders—academically, on the job, and on the local union level. The JATC recognizes the exceptional attitude, skill and knowledge that propel an apprentice to the top of the class. The outstanding apprentice for the December 2010 class is Mark Brady and for the April 2011 class, Jeffery Marotta.

This year's Brad Felker Memorial Award recipient has overcome many obstacles in his life and has become a fine example of what true dedication and loyalty exemplify; he is a great role model, a valuable asset and represents the IBEW with character. This award goes to Jeff Davis.

Local 915 extends our best wishes to all the graduating apprentices for a successful, prosperous career.

Theresa King, P.S.

L.U. 965 (em,govt,ptc&u), MADISON, WI—The members at Rock Energy Cooperative ratified a new four-year agreement effective June 1, 2011. The agreement includes wage increases in each year of the agreement.

On June 23, 2011, the members at Everbrite manufacturing voted to accept a last, best and final offer given by management. The new five-year contract includes significant increases in medical premiums, reduction in floating holiday, reductions in pension contributions, loss of paid lunch period and no wage increase in year one followed by small increases in wages each of the next four years.

On June 30, 2011, the votes were counted and the members accepted the agreement with Alliant Energy/Wisconsin Power & Light effective through May 31, 2014. Among the many changes are: a small increase in overtime pay to offset the loss of meal allowances, more medical costs being transferred to the employees, elimination of company sponsored life insurance for retirees, and changes to the "Reduction in Forces" process. The agreement also included small wage increases in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Kurt Roberts, P.S.

L.U. 1015 (em&i), WESLACO, TX—Members of IBEW Local 1015 completed a 48-hour PV 400 Utility Scale PV System Design & Installation course held in June at the Rio Grande Valley/Laredo JATC. The course was provided by Imagine Solar.

It was a great experience in training members and provided hands-on training labs that allowed participants to install a grid-tied PV system, conduct site assessments, and learn the technical aspects of photovoltaic modules.

Solar training is very important for Local 1015, as this specific type of work is in our jurisdiction and will grow even larger in our area. Thanks to training like the PV 400 course, members will be prepared to take on job assignments in such work.

Training is the key within the IBEW. Likewise it is what qualifies contractors and their employees to perform all aspects of electrical industry work. Training brings expanding work opportunities, allowing us to provide a total package as none other: "We are the IBEW." Thank you to Imagine Solar for giving Local 1015 the opportunity in training our qualified work force in emerging solar energy technology.

Ray R. Duran, Training Dir.

L.U. 1049 (lctt,o,u&uow), LONG ISLAND, NY—At our June general meeting, we celebrated the 60-year membership anniversary of Bro. Walter Anketell. Bro. Anketell worked as a Local 1049 line clearance tree trimmer for 50 years and has continued his IBEW career in our Flagging Division. Bus. Mgr. Robert Shand presented Walter an IBEW gold watch. Int. Rep. Richard M. Redmond presented him a 60-year pin and a letter from Int. Pres. Edwin D. Hill. Town of Babylon Supervisor Steve Ballone presented Walter with a proclamation.

We concluded negotiations for our members in the Gas Craft Division. The new three-year agreement, valued at a 12.6 percent increase, includes general wage increases and an increase in the employer-funded Health and Welfare Funds. We introduced a new 401(k) plan, a new three person open trench agreement and a new laborer rate. The contract was overwhelmingly ratified by the affected membership.

As expected, National Grid recently announced the future closing of the Far Rockaway and Glenwood Landing Power Stations. Fortunately, at our last Utility contract negotiation, we were able to negotiate enhancements to the seniority and layoff provisions of the Utility Agreement. As of this writing, we are awaiting a decision from the Long Island Power Authority as to the awarding of the new Maintenance Service Agreement.

Please note that due to the International Convention, our September general meeting will be held Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.

Thomas J. Dowling, R.S.

L.U. 1307 (u), SALISBURY, MD—Local 1307 recognizes seven members who retired March 1: Barbara Powell, Brenda Riley, Patrick Sharkey, Charles Turner, Gerald Wheatley, Wade Willey and Brian Satterwhite.

Sister Powel started at Delmarva Power as a junior clerk in 1971 and later held clerical associate II and service associate jobs.

Sister Riley began at Delmarva Power in 1966 as an intermediate senior clerk. She later worked as a senior clerical associate and as a service associate specialist.

Brother Sharkey started work in 1988 as a groundman. He completed the apprentice lineman program and became a journeyman lineman in 1998.

Brother Turner started as a groundman with Delmarva Power in 1976. Charlie completed the apprentice lineman program and became a journeyman lineman. He later held a trouble serviceman position.

Brother Wheatley began at Delmarva Power as a laborer in 1980 and became a meter reader.

Brother Willey started at Delmarva Power as a coal handler in 1971 and subsequently worked as an engineering fieldman for many years.

Brother Satterwhite started as a meter reader with Delmarva Power in 1979. Brian transferred into the line crew, completed the apprentice lineman program and became a journeyman lineman. He was later awarded a trouble serviceman position.

Best wishes to these members for a long and happy retirement.

Edward D. Sparks, P.S.

L.U. 1393 (catv,lctt,o,t&u), INDIANAPOLIS, IN—Bro. Mark Davis displays his union pride every time he enters fishing tournaments—he wrapped his boat with IBEW logos. "The reason I wrapped my boat was to bring the trade more into the public eye; I am very proud to be a journeyman lineman," Davis says.

Vectren Energy Delivery closed 16 of 29 field offices in April. Local 1393 is currently challenging this action with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission as it relates to safety for the customers and members.

The current work outlook is very good for our construction members out of the hall. Any members wanting to work right now have been dispatched.

Robert C. Fox, P.S.

L.U. 1439 (u), ST. LOUIS, MO—The 16th Annual Tom Kraus Memorial Golf Tournament was held Saturday, June 11. Sunshine, 80 degrees, a light breeze—it was wonderful watching and playing golf at Sunset Lakes Golf Course. We heard comments such as, "This is the best weather ever…" and, "Did Kraus order this weather from heaven?" We believe he did and everyone enjoyed it.

Our players stepped up and donated big time. Some 124 golfers had a great time; they also bought "Pot of Gold" tickets and participated in the Skins Game, where most winners donated their winnings back to Hope Lodge! IBEW Local 1 sponsored our Margarita Hole, and we collected a tidy sum for the "IBEW Relief Fund" as well.

Our volunteers are terrific. They cooked brats and pork steaks; helped set up and tear down; brought coolers and ice, etc.

Those talented Jefferson County boys—Rich Gragg, Adam Rutz, John Seiter and Terry Wall—won 1st Place "A" Flight with a cool 58. And our own Mike Walter, John Desmond, Doug Mueller and Matt Kopecky won 1st Place "B" Flight with a 73.

We presented a check to Hope Lodge for $5,691.60. Thanks to all participants for their support of the tournament. I know Tom Kraus is proud of our camaraderie and solidarity. Our contributions to local charities set us apart. We couldn't do it without you—see you next year!

Mike Walter, B.M.

L.U. 1501 (ees,em,mo,pet,rts&t), BALTIMORE, MD—Our members employed by Amtote, who work in the racing industry, take pride in the fact that Harry Straus invented the Tote and Oscar Levy invented Automatic Odds, which revolutionized wagering. Since 1933 the firm has been headquartered in Maryland and provides pari-mutual machines and operators at racetracks and off-track betting around the world. The invention, marketing and servicing of Amtote machines throughout the industry is part of the American expertise that helped make America great, providing good jobs for our members and a decent standard of living for their families.

The decline in betting has been an industry-wide problem, which in most states was met with the introduction of slots at racetracks. The state of Maryland stood and watched. The change of fortune at the tracks in neighboring states was dramatic. The infusion of slot money meant richer purses and upgraded facilities. Despite this, Maryland decided to operate free-standing gambling parlors with legislation to provide slot proceeds for refurbishment of race track properties. Time will tell if this was a wise decision that will sustain racing in Maryland.

Recently, a local news reporter disclosed that communities adjacent to racetracks in Maryland received millions in yearly stipends from racetrack revenue. Bus. Mgr./Pres. Dion F. Guthrie said this information should have been made public earlier, as it would have helped the racetrack's cause in gaining slots.

Thomas J. Rostkowski, R.S.

L.U. 1579 (i&o), AUGUSTA, GA—It is my pleasure to report that Local 1579 has full employment. It has been at least 20 years since this has happened.

Our work situation is continuing to improve and we expect it to get even better. Units 3 and 4 at Plant Vogtle will continue to slowly ramp up. The MOX Project at Savannah River site is expected to increase to as many as 200 by next summer.

With all the work coming to Augusta, Bus. Mgr. Ken Ward recognizes the need for continuing education classes for our members. Our new training facility, which is currently under construction, will make more training available and provide valuable ongoing instruction for our members in today's ever changing world.

As the IBEW and Local 1579 move into the future, ask yourself a question. Ask yourself what you can do to help out your union and organized labor? The answer is simple for most: give eight for eight, don't participate in negative talk, and if you don't agree with your IBEW brother, don't tear him down. Talk to this person, you may find out that he is right.

Until next time, God bless.

Will Salters, A.B.M.

L.U. 1739 (i&o), BARRIE, ONTARIO, CANADA—Recently retired member Peter Marrin is pictured in the photo receiving congratulations from Bus. Mgr. Tom Leduc for his years of service to the IBEW and Local 1739. Peter was a foreman for many years at Molsons in Barrie. The local wishes Pete a happy and healthy retirement.

Frank Kastle, P.S.

L.U. 1837 (rtb&u), MANCHESTER, ME—The so-called "right-to-work" bill in New Hampshire, House Bill 474, passed the full House and Senate this past spring but was vetoed by Democratic Gov. John Lynch. In session after session since that veto, House Speaker William O'Brien—a staunch advocate of this union-busting bill—refused to call a vote to try to override the veto because he was unable to line up the support he needed to win.

Union members from IBEW Local 1837 and other local unions turned out in force at the State House in Concord week after week to lobby their legislators and attend rallies with allies protesting the state budget and attacks on collective bargaining. Although Speaker O'Brien called the summer recess without taking a veto override vote, union members braced for continued attacks on workers this fall.

Meanwhile, Maine's Republican Gov. Paul LePage continued to voice his support for right-to-work (for less) bills even after his party's leadership in both the House and Senate showed little interest in moving the bills through committee and recessed until 2012. IBEW Local 1837 members were also active at the Maine State House, where they attended pro-worker rallies and lobbied their legislators on a variety of issues.

Matthew D. Beck, Organizer

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 1, ST. LOUIS, MO—We had a rainy and busy spring, with a luncheon meeting on May 18 and a golf outing on May 24.

Our meeting was enjoyed by all, with an informative presentation by a speaker from the Missouri University Labor Education Program. The speaker presented powerful evidence that "right-to-work" (for less) laws are harmful to the economy of states that have them. The attempt to pass this anti-worker legislation has been thwarted for now, but anti-union legislators will try again.

At the meeting, Pres. Richard Weller announced that Vice Pres. Richard King was elected chairman of the St. Louis AFL-CIO Labor Council retirees organization. The meeting ended with lunch and beverages, with social time to renew old friendships.

At the May 24 golf outing in Forest Park, golfers enjoyed good weather, food and refreshments. Money was raised for the Relief Committee.

A spirited Local 1 election of officers and delegates was held June 4, resulting in the election of many new officers, board and committee members. Retirees observed with interest and pride democracy in action.

We extend heartfelt sympathy to members of Joplin, MO, Local 95, who suffered from the tornado that hit on May 22. The Local 1 retirees are making a donation to Local 95.

At this writing, 2011 meetings were scheduled for: July 20, Sept. 21 (luncheon) and Nov. 16.

Don Appelbaum, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, CENTRAL FLORIDA CHAPTER—The Central Florida Chapter of the IBEW Local 3 Retirees Club held their annual golf outing in conjunction with Flagler County Special Olympics and participated in their 2nd Annual Golf Outing at the Ocean Course of Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, FL, on June 5.

The members also sponsored the third hole for the Flagler County Special Olympics in addition to participating with a team for the event.

Joseph P. Golan, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NORTH FLORIDA CHAPTER—On Friday, March 11, the North Florida Chapter of the IBEW Local 3 Retirees Club held their annual picnic. Our guest of honor was retired Int. Treas. Emeritus Tommy Van Arsdale, former Local 3 business manager. Approximately 80 members and their spouses attended and everyone had a good time. The weather was perfect.

Bob Rosenhouch, Chmn.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, NORTH NEW JERSEY CHAPTER—The retired members spent four days at the Educational and Cultural Center in Cutchogue, NY, in mid-June. Activities included fishing, swimming, games, golf, etc. There was also a barbecue in the evening. Everyone had a wonderful time. The newly renovated facilities are gorgeous, with a great view of the bay.

Abe Fichtenbaum, P.S. Pro Tem

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, SOUTHWEST FLORIDA GULF COAST CHAPTER—On May 10, the SWFL Chapter, along with trade unionists from other southwest Florida unions, carried signs, posters and the American flag in front of the Collier County Government Complex in Naples, FL, to voice opposition to the most anti-middle-class legislative session in Florida history. Local 3 and the SWFL Chapter know retirement does not mean leaving problems to someone else. The "We Are One" Rally means everyone stands together. Due to the success of this event, more rallies are planned.

On April 27, the 2nd Annual Golf Outing was held at the Raptor Bay Golf Club in Bonita Springs, FL. Attended by more than 40 IBEW members, all had a good time.

Christmas Party: On Dec. 8, the SWFL Chapter will hold its third annual Christmas party at the clubhouse of the Raptor Bay Golf Club located at the Hyatt Regency in Coconut Point, Bonita Springs, FL. All SWFL Chapter members, along with other Local 3 and IBEW members, are encouraged to attend for a great holiday celebration. For information and to receive a flyer, contact party Chmn. Hank Schwietering at e-mail: capguns1@embarqmail.com.

George Dondero, P.S./Chmn.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, SUFFOLK CHAPTER—Our Chapter was invited for a three-day stay at the Long Island Educational and Cultural Center in Cutchogue, NY.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the Pension Dir. Thomas Gallager. He spoke to us about how important it is that the retirees stay politically active. We were then given our room assignments.

We had a very busy schedule for the next three days. We enjoyed swimming, water aerobics, tai chi, a barbeque and make-your-own ice cream sundaes. In the evening we made our own entertainment, card games, left right center, and our own horse racing game. It also gave us a chance to meet with old friends.

Our chapter chairman, Jack Foley, discussed all the upcoming events. We are hiring a bus for the Labor Day parade, the holiday party, the end-of-year barbeque, and our Annual Food Drive to help those less fortunate.

We thank the entire staff at the Educational Center for all their hard work to make our stay fun and safe.

Harvey Goldman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 3, NEW YORK, NY, WESTCHESTER/ PUTNAM CHAPTER—Early in June our chapter had a four-day stay at the Long Island Educational Center in Cutchogue, NY. We met with Pension Dir. Tom Gallagher, who addressed our members regarding the recent attacks on unions, our benefits, Social Security, and the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

This beautiful facility, with gorgeous accommodations, beach and pool, is a wonderful benefit offered to our retirees, through Local 3. Every aspect of our stay was well thought out, starting off with a buffet breakfast each morning, a barbecue and a last night get-together.

As a token of our appreciation, the Westchester/ Putnam retirees donated an American flag and pole for the new Educational Center conference room.

Many thanks to our chapter officers for the time and effort they put into making this wonderful place available. Thank you to our food planner, Charlie McCay, and his volunteers for their service and time. And of course, a huge thank-you to Local 3 for supporting all of us and showing the retirees that we are still a viable part of this great union and that the years we gave to our trade are appreciated.

Robert J. Cuneo, P.S.
John B. Rich, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 11, LOS ANGELES, CA—Our summer luncheon was a hit! Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make it a memorable occasion. Harvey "Butch" Bachand and his wife, Sharon, catered the event. Our club is fortunate to have such a talented team with a passion for gourmet cooking. The food was exceptional! Everyone had a great time!

The Retirees Club meets the second Wednesday of every month, 10 a.m., at the Electrical Training Institute in the city of Commerce. All Local 11 retired members are invited to join our club. Please attend one of our upcoming meetings.

We are happy that our treasurer, Richard Dulac, is recovering nicely from his knee replacement surgery. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Club Pres. Marty Cohen says Richard is his right-hand man and jokes that he has a lot of work for Richard when he returns. Marty remains active with the District 4 Welfare Committee and helps the committee by selling T-shirts at the District 4 meetings. Marty rarely misses a monthly union meeting.

Thank you to all the Retirees Club members for setting such great examples for our active members. God bless!

Bob Oedy, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 26, WASHINGTON, DC—Spring and summer saw members enjoy many activities. We attended the local's picnics in Virginia and Maryland, where we connected with many friends.

This September we remember all who were lost 10 years ago on 9/11. A tragic day we will never forget.

We also began selling raffle tickets for our annual fundraising. If you wish to help by purchasing a book of six tickets for $5 (two books for $10), please let us know. The Grand Prize Drawing in November will award five cash prizes.

Thanks to volunteers who helped label envelopes and send out raffle tickets to approximately 8,000 members in a record two days. Special thanks to R. Warner, A. Hicks, J. Papa, R. Stokes, T. Watson, D. Bissell, Mrs. J. LeHew and her daughter, D. Hockman, J. Handley, R. Griffis, Mrs. J. Winegard, S. Holcomb, T. Gough, L. Purnell, H. Becker, Mr. & Mrs. R. Moore, and S. Walker.

Members went on two cruises: to the Mediterranean in May, and the Caribbean in September.

Our Annual RMC Crab Feast is in October. It takes the place of our regular meeting and has been moved to a restaurant near Annapolis. We were sad to leave Mayo Beach, but economics prevailed. We always have a good time.

Susan Flashman, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 58, DETROIT, MI—Greetings from all the retired brothers and sisters of Local 58. The ranks of our association have dropped over the years, even with the new retirees who have joined.

We recently elected our club officers and board of directors. Elected were: Pres. John Ahern, Vice Pres. Charlie Mott, 2nd Vice Pres. Elaine Crawford, Treas. Ray Owen and Sec. Dennis McCann. Board of Directors: Bob Barrett, Dan Bott, Mary Lou Diamond, Dan Diamond, Tom Donahue, Mike Hogan, Rick Koerber, Frank Maisano, John McFeely and Larry Page. It was moved and seconded that all officers and board members be elected by acclimation. The motion passed. Congratulations to all officers!

Our Pin Party Luncheon was held Saturday, April 30. Some 235 members and guests attended this year. We had 19 50-year members, 13 55-year members, two 60-year members, 15 65-year members, and one 70-year member take part this year.

The 70-year member is Bro. Al Paul. He became a member of Local 58 in 1940 and proved himself time and again to be an honorable union member. We wish only the best for Bro. Paul and his lovely wife, Mary Patricia. Congratulations to all pin recipients.

Frank A. Maisano, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 90, NEW HAVEN, CT—On June 7, the Retirees Club met at our regular monthly meeting to hold an election of officers. As in the past, by unanimous vote, the four incumbent officers were re-elected. They are: Pres. Giro Esposito, Vice Pres. Fred Ciastko, Sec. Hugh McGuire and Treas. Robert Gallager.

Since this was the last meeting for the current year, we had our annual pizza party for the 36 attendees.

Our new year begins at our next meeting Sept. 6, 2011, at 1:30 pm. We still meet at 2 North Plains Industrial Rd., Wallingford, CT.

We hope to see some new people stop by and join us. Available at that next meeting and at subsequent meetings, Local 90's newsletter, The Synergy, will be distributed to retirees in attendance. This will give us all a better understanding of what's happening on the active side of Local 90.

Keep safe and healthy, and enjoy the summer.

Richard Launder, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 99, PROVIDENCE, RI—We celebrated our annual May breakfast at the Marriot Hotel. The event was sponsored by our generous local and it was well-attended. Our guests included Providence Mayor Angel Tavares, Rhode Island Secretary of State Ralph Mollis, and then-Local 99 business manager Allen P. Durand. The president of the Providence City Council presented a plaque to our Retirees Club, which was graciously accepted by our Vice Pres. Sam Bedrosian.

Local 99 held its election of officers. The membership elected a new business manager, Michael K. Daley, and a new president, James B. Jackson. We wish the officers success in their endeavors. We thank previous business manager Allen Durand for his support of our club; our membership has grown considerably.

At this writing, Bro. Robert Beardwood had several summer fishing trips planned; these are always a fun time. Our club held its last meeting of the season in June and will restart in September, same date, time and place.

We are saddened by the recent passing of Bros. Thomas Poland, Alfred Trottier and George Bell. May they rest in peace.

Hope everyone enjoyed a safe and happy summer. We hope to see you in September.

Raymond Germershausen, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 130, NEW ORLEANS, LA—On June 16, we had our quarterly meeting. Everyone enjoyed the food, snacks and beverages.

We also had one of our famous casino trips. On July 23, 50 adventurous individuals visited the Hollywood Casino in the city of Bay St. Louis, MS. Everyone had a wonderful time playing the machines and receiving an extra bonus.

We congratulate Local 130 Bus. Mgr. Clay J. Leon III and all new and returning officers.

We mourn the loss of the following brothers: Warren Ayo, Weldon L. Bossier, Edward T. Desporte, Melbourne E. Joseph (former business manager), Ernest A. Klimm Jr., Wilson LaGraize, Reginald J. McCoy, Roland H. McElroy, Harold W. Nienaber Jr., Samuel W. Price, Warren L. Seher and Fred Schmidt III. May their souls rest in peace.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July.

Until our next meeting, God bless America.

George Clesi, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 134, CHICAGO, IL—Congratulations to all 50-, 55- and 60-year members. Thank you for your contributions to your country and your union.

Congratulations to: Norbert Bechtold, William Beymer, Fred Biddle Jr., John Bolger, Larry Bruchauser, Charles Canon, Matt Cashman, Dennis Connelly, James Cobett, Marty Crehan, Lee Dahl, Robert Domke, Edwin Ernst, Walter Felde, Richard Folena, Joseph Gagliano, Bernard Gartland, Donald Grey, Robert Haas, Leroy Herrick, Thomas Ibata, George Kanary, Richard Kanaszyc, Rich Kapelanski, Evans Kapsimalis, John Keating, Ted Kelly, John Klus, Hubert Kubowicz, Charles Lebensorger, Rich Markiewicz, George Mascenic, Thomas Maurer, Jerome McEvilly, Richard McKillip, Joseph McNiff, Albert Mosser, Roy Murray, James O'Brien, John Okeefe, Abert Oprisko, Chuck Osswald, William Palcek, Joseph Paleka, Vincent Passi, Nick Pinto, Larry Prosken, Tim Reid, Manuel Rosone, Kent Rouse, Thomas Ryan, Gene Sawyer, Wilbert Scheer, Henry Schoening, Richard Sears, Fred Seidel, Charles Sembeninni, Al Sienkiewicz, Lee Skinkys, Richard Small, Ralph Spears, George Stathakes, William Suffield, Karl Szersba, Harry Tongren, James Tregay, Maurice Unger, Eugene Zackey, Robert Zerfass, Richard Zittler. Special kudos to Board members Hugh Oconnell and Len Eggert; past Board members Joe McCormick and Fred Steinken; and past presidents Robert Regosh and George Menton.

We welcome all Local 134 retirees to club meetings, held at the union hall on the second Wednesday of each month, beginning at noon.

Louis Rodriguez, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 164, JERSEY CITY, NJ—The Local 164 Retirees Association's 2011 Grandchild Scholarship was presented to five winners, grandchildren of members of the association. This was our second year giving out scholarships. The monies raised were generated by a raffle of a trip to Hawaii or cash. We also had a very successful Golf Outing with many donors helping make this scholarship a worthwhile endeavor with financial assistance to the lucky grandchildren.

The Retirees Association's other yearly events include a coat drive, New York Yankee trips, golf league, fishing trips (fresh and salt water), Atlantic City and Pocono casino trips, monthly luncheons, seminars and much more. With more than 200 members, this very active group is never idle.

Please view our award winning Web site at www.LU164Retirees.squarepins.org.

David Judovin, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 223, BROCKTON, MA—The Local 223 Retirees Club was named as an underwriter of Gifts to Give, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that serves needy children in southeastern Massachusetts. See Web site www.giftstogive.org/underwriters.html. Our club has donated more than $50,000 in goods and services to this worthy organization. Hats off to Ed Cayton, Hugh Murray and Sonny Wise for regularly volunteering at the Gifts to Give mill in New Bedford.

At our club's June meeting Rene Milot, of Bankers Life & Casualty Insurance Co., gave an informative presentation on long-term health care insurance and proposed changes to Medicare Part D. Rene will also be at our Sept. 7 meeting to further inform us of those changes.

In order to raise funds for our treasury, the September meeting will feature a pizza luncheon and yard sale. We requested an rsvp by Aug. 31 (508) 947-8555 to let us know how many will attend.

Burt Bouldry, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 291, BOISE, ID—The June picnic was held in Meridian at Settlers Park with 43 in attendance, including several guests. It was a beautiful, windy day. The weather was a lot better than for the last few picnics. It still required a light jacket for most of us but then, as you see in the picture, we had a couple of die-hard retirees who decided to forego jackets and just enjoy the sun, which has been in rare form this year.

A few of our members are struggling with health issues, and we pray for their speedy recovery.

Congratulations to Joe and Linda Sirani, who are expecting grandchild No. 8.

We feel for our brothers and sisters who are currently unemployed in our industry and hope they will be back to work soon. Let us all pray for our country and everyone who is struggling in this economy. Defend and protect the rights for us to be union members!

Joe Sirani, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 306, AKRON, OH—A long, hot summer was more than expected after our long, cold winter!

Retirees attended the local golf outing and annual picnic at the Akron Zoo in great numbers and enjoyed every moment.

We welcome Bros. Donald Combs, Gerald Starkey, Leonard Bolls and Barry Fredholm to the retiree fraternity. May you enjoy good health and good fortune!

We look forward to a large contingent of both retired and active members at the Labor Day parade in Barberton this year.

Pray for our troops and their safe return home.

We mourn the loss of retired Bro. Pat McShane and his oldest son, Rev. Father Patrick McShane, who predeceased him this year. Our condolences to their family.

Stay well and keep smiling!

Bob Sallaz, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 313, WILMINGTON, DE—For our last spring meeting until September, club Vice Pres. Al Shields gave out service pins to all those eligible who attended.

At this writing, our club Pres. Moe McKinley is sick and we send our get-well wishes.

Walter Kachmar received his 70-year pin (see photo). Walt was foreman and assistant business agent during his working years. When he received his pin, someone said from the floor, "Walt, how come you look younger than the rest of us?"

Other service pins were also presented. The late Bill Alexander's 65-year pin was sent to his son due to Bro. Alexander's recent passing. Most recipients got their pin mailed to them. The 55-year pins were sent to Pete Hazzard and George Mulshenock Jr. The 50-year pins were sent to Carl Barker, Larry Hahn Jr., Buddy Harden and Norm Hastings. A 50-year pin was presented to Ed Davis Jr. in person.

It's good to see these pin presentations and the brothers who have achieved their well-deserved retirement, as it seems pensions and health care programs are being attacked. It proves that unions are the only way to save the working people.

Greg Stilwell, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 400, ASBURY PARK, NJ—Local 400 mourns the loss of retired member Salvatore "Sal" Ruggieri, who passed away April 9.

Sal was 79 years old and a Local 400 member for 56 years. He was one of the most knowledgeable electricians you could have on the job and was an asset to Local 400 and the electrical industry. He had the ability to get along well with both members and contractors while he shared his knowledge with everybody. Sal was assistant general foreman at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant from 1965-69, and general foreman at the Nestle's Freeze Dried Coffee Plant in the 1970s.

Whenever anyone needed to know anything about electrical work, electronics, designing or even inventing something, Sal was the man to ask. He served in the Korean War and worked with wiring and explosives prior to his indenture into Local 400 in 1955. He retired in 1993. Sal was way ahead of everybody—35 years ago he engineered and installed one of the first ever solar panels on his home.

Besides all of Sal's electrical and mechanical qualifications, he was a good husband, father and, most importantly, a great human being. He will be missed but not forgotten.

Rich Fogacci, P.S.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 595, DUBLIN, CA—Local 595 retirees attend an Annual Retirees Barbecue. In the photo are, from left: Retirees Club Pres. Les Bridge, Ted Wallis, 2nd Vice Pres. Al Real, board members Walt Corvello and Jim Abreu, Frances Michel, board members Jack Bollinger and Mary Albrecht, Eddy Veloza, board members John Jagels and Toni Moynihan (partially obscured), Nick Florio, Dave Stage and board member John Gray.

Linda Bratset, Treas.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 611, ALBUQUERQUE, NM—The big news was the local union election in June. Bro. Mark Trujillo was elected business manager/financial secretary. Carl Condit was re-elected as the president. Also elected were: Vice Pres. Joseph Blea, Rec. Sec. Clifford Trujillo (Mark's brother) and Treas. Bobby Martinez. We offer our best to Bus. Mgr. Trujillo and all officers. It's a tough job and they deserve our support and respect.

The retirees of Local 611, retirees of other crafts, plus several unions participated in the annual Fourth of July parade in Rio Rancho, NM. Local 611 retirees and retirees from IBEW Denver Local 68 built and decorated the float while several unions followed the float in the parade, chanting and carrying banners. Local 611 was the main contributor in building the float and also for the barbecue afterward, which was held at the home of Local 611 member Chris Chavez.

We offer our condolences to the families of the following members who have passed on before us: Eugene Getz, James E. Smith, Herman L. Sieboldt, Willie "Bill" Canon, Roy D. Fancher, Clarence J. Exon, Otis Henson, Guadalupe L. Moya, R. Rex Ward and Robert A. Martinez.

Remember to call our brothers and sisters who are ill or unable to get around a call.

Tracy Hall, Pres.

RETIREES CLUB OF L.U. 613, ATLANTA, GA—We held our 1st Annual Retirees Picnic on June 22 and it was a total success. We thank Local 613 for providing both the food and some wonderful prizes. There were 300 plus in attendance this year and we look forward to future picnics.

We sadly mourn the members we lost since our last meeting.

Blake McLeod, Pres.