L.U. 15 (u), DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Local 15 congratulates longtime member, recording secretary and Executive Board member Sister Christine Watkins on her recent retirement. Local 15 said goodbye to Sister Watkins on Sept. 29 this year. Christine is retiring with over 47 years of service. She is a proud IBEW member and notes that the union has played a big role in her life.

Sister Watkins started her career in September 1970 working as a junior clerk and concluded her career as a commercial clerk. Sister Watkins said she has enjoyed being active in the local as an Executive Board member and recording secretary and has considered it a privilege and an honor to serve the membership and the local. She expressed her gratitude as an IBEW member for secure employment, a good salary and benefits. She said being a member of IBEW Local 15 made it possible to enjoy these benefits while working and will now offer a comfortable retirement.

Local 15 Pres. Dean Apple and Vice Pres. Terry McGoldrick took time to thank Christine at the Local 15 office on Sept. 18. Local 15 will truly miss the services of such an experienced and longtime union activist. We wish Chrissy all the best in her retirement.

Sam Studer, P.S.

L.U. 35 (i), HARTFORD, CT — Local 35 members along with the other Hartford building trades completed construction of minor league Dunkin' Donuts Park, a 6,056-seat baseball park in Hartford, this past spring. In its first year, the stadium was named 2017 Ballpark of the Year by BaseballParks.com.

Congratulations to our apprentices sworn in at the October meeting. New members include: Nicolas Bane, Jorge Bodden-Santos, Adam Brandi, Conal Brandon, Matthew DiCostanzo, MacPherson Eghianruwa Jr., Juan Estefano, Noah Federico, Jacob Finn, Connor Hinckley, William Jette, Connor Montgomery, Nicholas Munson, Jeremy Perez, Brandon Sargis and Taylor Spyke Jr.

Congratulations to recently retired business representative and organizer John Lurate. Best wishes to John for a happy and healthy retirement!

We welcome Bill Moriarty onto our office staff as business representative and organizer.

Bruce A. Silva, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 37 (em,o&u), FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA — At Local 37, we proudly recognize and value the great diversity among our members in terms of gender, language, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, abilities and interests. And we firmly believe that everyone deserves to be treated with equal respect and dignity.

Supporting diversity is important for many reasons including the fact that workplaces which are nondiscriminating, promote openness, and are inclusive have proven to reduce levels of stress and anxiety — which is a direct pathway to improved physical and mental health, increased job satisfaction, improved attendance at work, better relationships, and greater diversity of thought.

We've been taking steps to actively support the diversity and inclusion of our members within the IBEW, at work and in our communities. This means reviewing our own policies and programs as well as participating in activities and initiatives that boost awareness and education.

Most recently, we partnered with one of our employers, NB Power, to launch an employee-driven Diversity & Inclusion Committee responsible for implementing strategies to foster open, inclusive and welcoming workplaces. We're excited to be a part of initiatives like this that help ensure a continuous focus on promoting a culture that values each other's differences.

Ross Galbraith, B.M.

L.U. 43 (em,i&rts), SYRACUSE, NY — The Central New York Joint Electrical Apprenticeship and Training Committee's annual graduation ceremony took place on Friday, June 2, 2017, at Justin's Tuscan Grille in East Syracuse. The occasion marked the graduation of 31 apprentices from the inside wireman program.

CNY JATC Training Dir. Jeff DeSocio had kind words and advice for the graduating class in both his welcome and closing remarks. "I'm proud of all of the graduates here tonight, as this is a huge accomplishment, one to be proud of and honored by," DeSocio said. "I would like to remind you all to work hard, work safe, become foreman, challenge yourself to be great, and enjoy all of your successes in the future."

Award recipients were as follows: Michael Barbeau received the Scholarly Apprentice of the Year Award, courtesy of Fluke. Michael finished the program with a final classroom average of 96.71 percent and over 8,000 on-the-job training hours.

Outstanding Attendance Awards went to David Graves, Jason Jones, Joseph Merritt and Justin Raponi, courtesy of Milwaukee Tools and Fluke.

Kirk Phillips received the Outstanding Apprentice Award for dedication and service in the community, courtesy of Klein Tools.

The Bill Towsley Memorial Award was presented to Nicholas Butchko by Bus. Mgr. Don Morgan, for Buthchko's continued dedication to the IBEW.

Congratulations to the newest journeyman wiremen of IBEW Local 43!

Gene Townsend, P.S.

L.U. 47 (lctt,mo,o,u&uow), DIAMOND BAR, CA — Greetings, brothers and sisters. Several summer events were held this year with great success. We had over 6,000 Local 47 members and their families come out to enjoy the festivities. Also, we had our 17th annual IBEW Local 47 members memorial golf tournament. Our 14th Annual IBEW Local 47 Brotherhood Motorcycle Rally was Sept. 23.

At the time of this writing, City of Banning negotiations are continuing. Members voted to ratify City of Colton Water/Wastewater and City of Anaheim successor agreements. Also, further Morongo bargaining resulted in a first contract, which was ratified by a margin of 86 percent. At press time, bargaining was underway with Southern California Edison (SCE) for a two-year wage and non-wage economic increase package.

With sadness we report the deaths of several members this year: Martin Torres, Pamela D'Spain, Michael Millette, Joanne Alkire, Don Hargrove and Bill Wheeler. Our condolences and prayers are with their loved ones.

As we continue organizing campaigns in our jurisdiction, we would like to welcome our part-time and full-time engineers at City of Anaheim, as well as Pony mail drivers at SCE. These successes are followed up with another big organizing campaign at Utiliquest.

Live free and safe — work and buy union!

Mitch Smith, P.S.

L.U. 51 (catv,lctt,o,ptc,rtb,t,u&uow), SPRINGFIELD, IL — The construction outlook remains steady both in line and substation work. We have near full employment in LCTT (line clearance tree trimming). Additionally, we are starting 10 new line apprentices.

We have established our RENEW committee: Jake Newcomer, Brian Courtwright, Braxton LaDew, Mitch Behrends, Tina Brand and Shateveon Goforth. The RENEW committee will be adding subcommittees, so if there are members under the age of 35 interested in helping out, please contact the local.

The local mourns the loss of the following brothers in 2017: Roger Albert, Roy Cooper, Dale Gaetz, William "Bill" Harpole, Herman Max Hays, Calvin Lee Isaac, Charles Johnson, Dan Johnson, Merle Klein, Jeff Prince, Warren Slovenger, Jack Smith and Glen Wood.

As another holiday season approaches, the staff at Local 51 sends you our best. We wish all our members prosperity, happiness, good health and success this upcoming holiday season. Please attend your unit meetings, give eight hours of work for eight hours of pay, and be safe.

Karlene Knisley, B.R.

L.U. 103 (cs&i), BOSTON, MA — As the seasons change, Local 103 has been experiencing many great changes over the past several months with a new leadership team headed by newly elected Bus. Mgr. Lou Antonellis.

With the addition of several new business agents, Frank Aikens, Jay Frasier, Tim Long, Kevin Monahan, Kenell Broomstein, Bob Sheehan and Brad Vinton, joining our veteran business agents, Rich Antonellis, Gary Walker and Donald Sheehan, we are working toward making Local 103 even more successful in terms of organizing and job growth than ever before. In just a few short months, we are already witnessing positive changes that are producing measurable results for our entire membership.

Under Lou's leadership, Local 103 has introduced an aggressive residential housing initiative and changes to our Market Recovery Program aimed at winning even more work and expanding our footprint further outside the downtown Boston and Cambridge areas.

We are also excited to announce that our satellite office in Woburn is now open to ease the burden of travel for our members on the North Shore. In addition to daily referrals, drug testing is now available in our new location.

Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season.

Jimmy Fleming, P.S.

L.U. 109 (u), ROCK ISLAND, IL — IBEW Local 109 members and their families walked in the 2017 East Moline Labor Day Parade in September. This parade is the only one in Quad Cities run entirely by organized labor.

Thank you to all who came out to participate and helped make the day a great success.

Denise Newberry, Treas.

L.U. 113 (ees,em,i,mo&o), COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Local 113 would like to recognize our class of 2017 apprenticeship graduates. Among the recent graduates are Outstanding Apprentices Josh Kindhart and Daniel Vigil. Daniel Vigil also had the highest grade point average.

Also graduating were: Daniel Batchelor, Curtis Bosak, Micheal Fernandez, Adam Flory, Donald Frisch, Jonathan Fugate, Stephen Green, Kristopher Hays, Brady Hendrickson, Jason Kapu, Collan Kryzwonski, Cody Lister, Nathan Merritt, Kevin Musgrove, Remy Ruppe, Jose Sanchez, James Webb and Patrick Wheeler; and VDV graduate Michael Papai.

Thank you, graduates, for your tireless commitment to our industry. We wish you a safe and profitable future with the IBEW. We look forward to your continued participation in the local's activities and help keeping our union strong.

Brian Putnam, P.S.

L.U. 125 (lctt,o,t&u), PORTLAND, OR — Congratulations to the members who were successful in their June elections.

Elected officers are: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Travis Eri, delegate to the International Convention; Pres. Larry Browning, delegate to the International Convention; Vice Pres. Pat Winter; Rec. Sec. Raymond Cowell; Treas. Joe Gass; Executive Board members Randy Bryson, Zeek McCarthy, Jeff Salsbery and Jude Jolma; and Examining Board members Jeremy Barr, Lee Cole, Rick Larson, John Brooks and Keith Terry.

Thank you to Election Judge Travis Hefely and Tellers Ron Harris, Monica Sykora, Kevin Sullivan and Hank Williams.

After 32 years of service with the IBEW and approximately 10 years on staff as a business representative, Asst. Bus. Mgr. Rick Main retired. "Rick worked hard on behalf of our membership," said Bus. Mgr. Travis Eri. "His efforts went beyond daily rep duties as he worked on annual fundraisers like the Bend golf tournaments. We'll miss him but know he is never really leaving our IBEW family."

Welcome to Travis Hefely as a new business representative who will have the following assignments: Clark County PUD, City of Cascade Locks, Hood River Cooperative, Klickitat PUD, Northern Wasco PUD, Skamania PUD, Wasco REA, and West Oregon Electric Cooperative.

Marcy Grail, A.B.M.

L.U. 177 (bo,ees,i,mo,o,pet&govt), JACKSONVILLE, FL — The 2017 Fifth District Progress Meeting was held in Jacksonville July 18-21. Local 177 hosted a reception for the Progress Meeting delegates and honored then-Bus. Mgr. Russel Harper on his retirement. Local 177 was more than honored to have Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson and Int. Sec.-Treas. Kenneth W. Cooper in attendance and helping give Bro. Harper a retirement sendoff.

Newly elected and re-elected Local 177 officers were sworn in July 27 and are as follows: Bus. Mgr./Fin. Sec. Alan Jones, Pres. Luis Cano, Vice Pres. Ander Cribbs, Rec. Sec. William Cogburn, Treas. Dennis Urban; Executive Board members Ken Wallace, Ed Scholl, Ron Scarle, Dave Sullivan; and Examining Board members Danny Van Sickle, John Berg, Ross Mullis. Unit 1 — Chmn. Roger O'Connor, Vice Chair Wynn White, Rec. Sec. James Acuff and Executive Committee members Adam Morrow, James Sawyer, Richard Morgan and Wesley Nowlen. Unit 2 — Chmn. Robert Barrett, Vice Chair Jeff Rosette, Rec. Sec. Bernadette Daigle, and Executive Committee members Brian Willis, Matt Dowling, Frank Delong and Marcus McCall. Big thanks go out to all the officers for their dedication to Local 177.

Alan Jones, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 191 (c,i,mo,rtb&st), EVERETT, WA — IBEW Local 191 recently concluded a busy summer of social activities. Thank you to all the members who turned out for golf, ballgames, picnics and race nights. We think family events really strengthen our local.

Our work picture remains strong going into 2018 and we want to again thank our members and travellers for manning the jobs. We have been heavily recruiting unrepresented workers through advertising and mini-blitzes. Please take the time to welcome them to the Brotherhood when you meet them.

We are wrapping up our annual audit and the required federal forms (LM-2 and 990). These will be reviewed by the E-Board and are available for members to see. Bus. Mgr. Joseph Lorenzo uses this process to continually look for more improvements and see if any internal controls are needed.

Our holiday season is approaching with three great parties for the members and their families, as follows:

There will be gifts for the kids at the holiday parties, and it is another opportunity for us to "Buy American."

Thank you again to the members and their families for their participation this past year.

Bill Mirand, P.S.

L.U. 197 (em&i), BLOOMINGTON, IL — We thank all our members and families who participated in Labor Day with us. We had a nice turnout to walk in the McLean County Labor Day parade.

Walking in the parade gives us a chance to not only connect with our members and families but also allows us to show the community the commitment we have had over the years. We celebrated our local's 105th year in October.

Thousands of people attended the parade, which is the biggest Labor Day parade in downstate Illinois. After the parade, a picnic was held at the union hall. All the smiling faces indicated that everyone enjoyed the food, drinks, games, and the spirit of brotherhood celebrated by getting together. Congratulations to Rich Veitengruber and Jake Goar, who took the annual Corn Hole championship. Prizes were awarded to the Bingo winners and all the kids left with candy and prizes.

Remember to work safe, get involved in the local, and stay involved!

Mike Raikes, Pres.

L.U. 245 (govt,lctt,o,rtb&u), TOLEDO, OH — The work picture at Local 245 is steady at this time. At this writing, negotiations are underway with Lake Township and NAES Corp., the only remaining contracts to be completed this year.

Davis-Besse nuclear power plant continues to prepare for its upcoming spring refueling outage. The plant's future is still uncertain as of this writing.

A couple of reminders for the membership: The Children's Christmas Party is set for Dec. 3 this year, at the union hall, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. All members with children age 12 years and younger are eligible. Cost of admission is a dozen cookies to share. The local provides presents for all children attending. Sign-up deadline is Nov. 10, 2017.

At the regular union meeting on Nov. 9 this year, newly elected Local 245 officers will be sworn in. Come to the meeting and meet the officers, who were elected for a three-year term of service.

Until next year, work safe and have a safe and happy holiday season, and don't forget the less fortunate, especially those devastated by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria.

Ray Zychowicz, P.S.

L.U. 269 (i&o), TRENTON, NJ — The plentiful solar projects in our territory helped lift the local out of the doldrums early this year, and infrastructure jobs such as switchyards and bridge work have helped keep the out-of-work list short and manageable heading into the fall.

One such project is the relighting of the iconic "Trenton Makes" bridge. Upon completion of the project, the nearly 10-foot-high letters on the bridge will glow with new LED lights in a variety of color combinations designed to fit the season or celebration currently underway. For instance, the letters could be green on St. Patrick's Day or red, white and blue on the Fourth of July, or even all pink for breast cancer awareness.

Brothers and sisters on both sides of the Delaware River can take pride knowing the bridge work will be done with union labor. Although the motto on the bridge that reads "Trenton Makes, The World Takes" is more indicative of Trenton's manufacturing past rather than its more economically challenging present, the structure, like the city, is still standing, ready to face a future that is guaranteed to be a little bit brighter.

Brian Jacoppo, P.S.

L.U. 343 (i,spa&st), LE SUEUR, MN — The year 2017 has been prosperous and productive for Local 343 and its members. The union hall has been a walk through nearly all year. We thank the traveling brothers and sisters for helping fill the job calls. Thanks also go out to our own traveling members for respecting the Book system by signing in other jurisdictions when seeking work.

A midsummer membership vote allowed the local to expand its physical presence into Mankato with the purchase of a building. It will be used for a training facility and office for the area rep. The building is just under 4,000 square feet, and it sits on an acre parcel along South Bend Avenue. Some updates and refitting will be necessary before apprentice classes begin.

We give thanks on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 this year, to both our young and old veterans for their service and sacrifice to protect our national freedoms. We give thanks on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23 this year, for all the blessings bestowed on our country.

Keep America strong. Buy union made. Buy American made.

Tom Small, P.S.

L.U. 347 (em,i,mt,rtb,rts&spa), DES MOINES, IOWA — We recently received news of a third data center to be built in Local 347's jurisdiction. Apple announced that it is purchasing 2,000 acres of land to build a $1.3 billion data center.

Apple will receive $19.65 million, for creating 50 permanent jobs, in the form of state investment tax credits approved by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The City of Waukee will then allow a $188.2 million property tax abatement over a period of 20 years. As a gesture of gratitude, Apple will contribute $100 million to a public improvement fund to the city of Waukee. There will be a significant amount of construction with this. We want to welcome Apple to the Midwest. May we all share in the bounty of this enterprise.

Make-a-Wish Foundation will be enlisting support for the annual Jolly Holiday Lights event. This is one of the community projects Local 347 has been involved with for many years. If you are available to help, it would be greatly appreciated. Be sure to take the family on a tour through the display at the Adventureland campgrounds.

Mike Schweiger, P.S.

L.U. 375 (catv,ees&i), ALLENTOWN, PA — In a video, shown to all members attending a Code of Excellence class, Int. Pres. Lonnie R. Stephenson states, "If you're sitting still, content with the status quo, you're losing ground." With that mantra in mind, Local 375 has been proudly promoting the Code of Excellence program with great success.

Members within the local have been taking the class and using those principles on every jobsite to great effect. This attitude has not only been noticed by members of other trades but also by customers as the projects have evolved.

Currently, within the Lehigh Valley, there are two Code of Excellence designated projects underway. Through implementation of the code by all the members and stewards on these projects, they have performed on an exceptional level. The largest of these two projects is the FedEx distribution center, which will become the company's largest distribution hub in the country. Projects such as these not only set a precedent with the customer for future projects but also allow for potential customers to see our members in action.

With appreciation, we would like to thank every member of Local 375 for their continued effort in promoting the Code of Excellence and its values.

Christopher Kaufman, B.R.

L.U. 379 (i,o&rtb), CHARLOTTE, NC — We had a busy, eventful summer! Duke Energy is upgrading its infrastructure, bringing several new line contractors to town.

One IBEW lineman working in Greenville, SC, Bro. Nate Dixon of Atlanta Local 84, was honored by the town mayor for a selfless act of heroism.

While working, Bro. Dixon encountered a woman being attacked by two large dogs. Bro. Dixon jumped in and pulled the dogs off the woman, putting himself in harm's way. An ambulance soon arrived and doctors said Bro. Dixon's quick action likely saved the woman's life. The woman wrote letters to Duke Energy and Midwest Powerline asking that Dixon be honored for his act of bravery. Bro. Dixon was humble about the matter but agreed to speak to reporters only if they would mention his affiliation with the IBEW. A hero and a true union man to boot. We are proud to have Bro. Dixon working in our jurisdiction and have nominated him for the IBEW Lifesaving Award.

On Inside Wire news, Pres. Scott Thrower has launched a creative internal organizing campaign that is bringing new members into the IBEW. He started a campaign that mails a postcard to every new referral's house every month after they start work. A series of four monthly postcards educates recipients about IBEW membership and invites them to attend a New Member's Orientation class, held the third Wednesday of every month. So far, the campaign is very effective and we have seen folks coming into the hall to join up, postcards in hand! Once they join, they get 12 more monthly postcards educating them about the IBEW and inviting them to attend monthly union meetings.

Current enrollment in the apprenticeship program is 85, with 40 first-year apprentices. The work outlook remains promising. It is always a good time to be an IBEW Local 379 member!

Ashley Hawkins, Organizer

L.U. 449 (catv,em,i,o,rtb,rts,spa&u), POCATELLO, IDAHO — Greetings, brothers and sisters. As the new assistant business manager and dispatcher of Local 449, I am excited to serve the local and its members. I thank Bus. Mgr. Ned Jones and the members for putting trust in me for this position.

Congratulations to this year's apprenticeship graduates: Jacob Archer, Bryen Baret, Alex Cobbley, Cameren Hencley, Joshua Howell, Kelton Jenkins, Shayne Kraczek, Sean McEwen, Alex Ovcharenko, Robert Perrenoud, Joshua Purkey, Matthew Rieck, Thomas Sellers and J. Aaron Shearer. Best wishes to all of them!

Local 449 has a RENEW committee, which was recognized in June 2016. Thank you to Bros. Kyle Jones and Spencer Musselman for all their hard work and dedication. This is a great committee, formed to inspire the next generation of IBEW members to become active in their local union by attending to the issues that are important to younger workers.

Congratulations to Bros. Daniel Remer and Jerry Dockstader on their retirement!

Clay Hirning, A.B.M.

L.U. 499 (u), DES MOINES, IOWA — On June 28 this year, parts of southeast Iowa were hit with bad storms. The storms caused a lot of turmoil in the region and our linemen turned out in force to restore power. For this storm restoration project, members were called from all over the state to come and assist. The accompanying photo shows IBEW linemen at work repairing a 69-kilovolt line near Pleasantville, Iowa.

We thank everyone who assisted with storm restoration work.

Sarah Faber, R.S.

L.U. 595 (c,cs,govt,i,mt,o,se&st), DUBLIN, CA — Congratulations are in order for all newly elected Local 595 officers, including Bus. Mgr. Daniel O. Chivello and Pres. Brian Stewart. Elections were held in June this year.

Not long after elections, we had our annual Local 595 picnic in August. Thanks to Bro. Colin Weiner, volunteer coordinator, and everyone on the picnic committee, as well as all those who volunteered. Without our great group of picnic volunteers, the picnic would not be the same.

We experienced a high volume of job calls over the summer, and the fall and winter seasons look promising.

Jason Gumataotao, Organizer/P.S.

L.U. 611 (catv,es,govt,i,lctt,o,spa,t&u), ALBUQUERQUE, NM — This year's Apprenticeship Banquet was held Sept. 8 at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid. JATC Training Dir. Charles "Hank" Humiston and his staff did an outstanding job putting the event together. The 2017 apprentice graduates are: Antonio Baca, Shelton Bitsui, Marcus Carriere, Raymond Gurule, Jessie Hyle, Dana Jose, Clark King, Ty Kotschwar, Kevin Maes, Phillip Merritt, Adam Post, Jose Ruvalcaba, Derick Smith, Riley Stevens and Daniel Wagner. The C.S. Mitchell Award recipient was Sheldon Johnson. The apprentice with perfect attendance all five years was Daniel Wagner, and the 2017 Outstanding Apprentice of the year is Antonio Baca. Congratulations to all the new journeyman wiremen.

On behalf of the local, I would like to send condolences to the families of recently deceased members: John Bridges, Felix J. Quintana, Herman B. Trujillo and John B. McGee.

I hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving and happy holidays.

Darrell J. Blair, P.S.

L.U. 673 (catv,i,rts,spa,t&u), PAINESVILLE, OHIO — On Sept. 22-24 this year, the city of Geneva, Ohio, held its 53rd Annual Grape Jamboree Festival. The Grape Jamboree showcases local vineyards and businesses, offers scholarships to local high school students and features many events for the weekend.

As in past years, the Jamboree called on IBEW Local 673 volunteers to provide temporary power for food and entertainment vendors. Over the past five years the Jamboree and IBEW Local 673 members have upgraded the city's antiquated temporary panels used for the festival. This year was the final year for the upgrades and all were very pleased by how professionally and safely the upgrades went. IBEW Local 673's involvement has provided the Jamboree with a more efficient way of setting up and tearing down for the festival.

Thank you to all the members who volunteered this year and all members who have volunteered in the past for all your hard work and dedication.

Dave Phillips, P.S.

L.U. 915 (i&mt), TAMPA, FL — IBEW Orlando, FL, Local 222 sponsored the 5th Annual IBEW Labor Day Solidarity Motorcycle Ride to benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital.

IBEW sisters, brothers and guests from throughout Florida rode to Tampa Local 915 to gather before riding across the state to our ending location at Daytona Beach Local 756, where a first-class barbeque and raffle awaited the riders. Other sponsors were Fort Pierce Local 627 and Jacksonville Local 177.

This year's event raised over $4,500 for St. Jude Children's Hospital. Over the last five years, the IBEW sisters and brothers in Florida have raised over $20,000 for this worthy cause.

Each year the event continues to grow and has become a Florida IBEW Labor Day tradition to celebrate the weekend brought to us by union labor. The fellowship and brotherhood have continually bonded this group into family. Special thanks go to Local 222 Bus. Mgr. Bill Hitt and Local 222 Pres. Willy Dezayas for continuing this tradition. Appreciation also goes out to Local 915 Bus. Mgr. Randall King for hosting the ride to Daytona, and to Local 756 Bus. Mgr. Dan Hunt for providing the ending location. A special thank-you to all the many other sisters and brothers who had a hand in making the 2017 IBEW Labor Day Ride a success.

Theresa King, P.S./R.S.

L.U. 1049 (lctt,o,u& uow), LONG ISLAND, NY — In September, Int. Rep. Richard Redmond announced his retirement effective Nov. 1, 2017. Richie began his career at the Long Island Lighting Co. (LILCO) in 1970. He was appointed a shop steward in 1977. In 1981, he became a business representative.

As a business representative, Richie negotiated numerous groundbreaking departmental agreements, many of which are still in effect today.

In 1990, he was elected business manager/financial secretary. As business manager, Richie guided the membership not only through deregulation but also through the breakup of LILCO and the takeover of the Electric T+D System by the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA). Richie successfully negotiated numerous worker protections into the LIPA Agreement. He set the bar for all succeeding business managers.

In 1997, Richie was appointed as an international representative for the Third District. In that capacity, Richie mentored numerous business managers and assisted in negotiating numerous contracts.

Bus. Mgr. Ronald Bauer, officers and the entire membership of IBEW 1049 wish Richie and his family all the best in retirement.

Thomas J. Dowling, R.S.

L.U. 1245 (catv,em,govt,lctt,o,pet,t&u), VACAVILLE, CA — This summer, Local 1245 launched a member-driven "fight back" campaign in anticipation of the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court case and the potential implications for the local's 2,500 public sector members. Prof. Gordon Lafer, University of Oregon labor expert, stated: "Almost every union I know is [worried] about right to work. But almost none have done what you've done at Local 1245: train rank-and-file members so they have a deep … understanding of the issue and are equipped to talk to co-workers, and then send them out … to have serious, face-to-face conversations with everyone in the union … [and to ask] everyone to sign a renewed commitment to the union. It's great to see such a serious and ambitious program [that] puts members in leadership positions. I wish a lot of unions around the country could sit in on what you're doing and copy it."

IBEW Local 1245 recognizes that drones are likely to become an increasingly integral part of the utility industry. The local is serious about embracing the changing technology and keeping work in the hands of our members. We sponsored and sent a group of 12 Local 1245 members to a Drone Pilot Prep Course in July. "The type of patrol and inspection that drones may be used for is bargaining-unit work, and while we can't fight the technological advances, we will fight to keep the work in-house," said IBEW 1245 Bus. Rep. Rep Casey Barker.

We mourn the passing of IBEW Local 1245 member Joseph Cooper. Bro. Cooper, who was a tree trimmer working for Wright Tree Service, was clearing trees from lines in Sacramento when he was involved in what is reported to have been an electrical contact incident. Cooper was just 41. The investigation into this tragic accident is ongoing.

In Outside Construction, work is steady and slowly increasing in California, as work is expected to begin on the state's high-speed rail project. Work continues to look good in Nevada as well.

Rebecca Band, P.S.

L.U. 1253 (i&mo), AUGUSTA, MAINE — The local held its annual picnic on July 29. Thank you to all the members and their families who attended on a beautiful sunny day to feast on lobsters, steaks, hamburgers and hot dogs. The local thanks fourth-year apprentices Josh Bragen and his partner Holly Hegarty, and Matt Butler and his wife Amanda, along with fifth-year apprentice James Cinsov for all their help in making the picnic a success.

One of the highlights of the picnic is the pinning ceremony of our retirees. Service pin recipients included: 65-year members Al Theriault and Harold Casey; 60-year members Bill Gifford, Reggie Dumont, Mark Nason and Carl McBreairty; and 50-year members Dick Neville and Bob Thompson.

The work picture is strong with Book 1 clear, which affords the local the opportunity to organize new members and help traveling sisters and brothers.

As this goes to print, we'll still need help manning the work at Sappi Paper Mill's No. 1 paper machine rebuild project. That project at the mill in Hinckley, Maine, will conclude with an around-the-clock shutdown in February and March 2018.

Congratulations to the apprentices who have attained their journeyman status in 2017: Elaine Stevens, Jon Nutt, Miguel Govea, Jason Chabot, Al Condon, Nate Walden, Harlan Small, Paul Moore and Gary Nichols.

Chuck Fraser, B.M.

L.U. 1289 (u), LAKEWOOD, NJ — On July 18, former system council president Alex Bellick, now retired, swore in Local 1289's new Bus. Mgr./Pres. Brian Kube and fellow newly elected officers.

The Local 1289 election of officers took place in June. An impressive turnout of members voted in our new business manager, a new vice president, officers and Executive Board members.

Bus. Mgr. Kube was elected by our membership to lead the local, and when asked how that feels, he said: "I appreciate the votes. This has been an aspiration of mine for the last 30 years. When I was a shop steward at the age of 24, I knew that I wanted to be the president of our local. To finally live this dream is very exciting and I look forward to bringing back family events. Training our younger members is also one of my top priorities so they can continue to keep our local strong. I want to leave a legacy that will carry us forward into future generations."

Well-deserved congratulations also go to the following Local 1289 brothers and sisters elected to office in June:

Vice Pres. Matt Garrigan, Rec. Sec. Sandy D'Alessio, Treas. George Adams, Fin. Sec. Dave Stintzcum; and Executive Board members Richard Brown, John DeFelice, Steve Dehnz, Rich Greene, William Lamb, Matt Mercurio and Steve Prosser.

Lynda Hartmann, P.S.

L.U. 1501 (ees,em,mo,pet,rts&t), BALTIMORE, MD — Recently, our members working at our New York horse-racing tracks completed a very successful year with the completion of horse racing at the New York Racing Association's Saratoga Race Course for this season. Though some long hours were needed each day, this was one of the most successful years in NYRA history.

Local 1501 steward Vince DeMartino stated that the union members working at the tracks provided outstanding service to contractor AmTote and the NYRA. Bro. DeMartino noted that union members were complimented on their hard work by AmTote and by the New York Racing Association.

Congratulations to all on a most successful year.

James S. Boyd, F.S./P.S.

L.U. 1579 (i&o), AUGUSTA, GA — Local 1579's annual Labor Day Barbecue was another success. Several hundred members and their families showed up for the event. Thank you to all who attended.

Our next holiday is Thanksgiving. For the most part, we all have a couple of extra days off to celebrate this holiday. Be sure to spend time with your family for the holiday and never forget how important they are. Happy Thanksgiving!

Our work situation is great! Although it is a big challenge to fill all the job calls we have, I am thankful that we have this much work. The Local 1579 membership is truly making the IBEW look good. When I visit the jobsites for our projects in the jurisdiction, it's clear the craftsmanship is some of the best. Keep up the good work!

Thanks to all the traveling brothers and sisters currently helping us out with work. I know that you have a choice, but after you get to know us all, hopefully you will feel that you made the right choice.

I have set future meetings up with the contractors and customer for our megaproject, Plant Vogtle. The purpose of the meeting(s) is to make the jobs go smoother and to, again, discuss how they can help us attract manpower during a time when manpower is at a premium.

Again, I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. Until next time, don't forget about the "B" in IBEW.

Will Salters, B.M./F.S.

L.U. 1687 (i&o), SUDBURY, ONTARIO, CANADA — Local 1687 successfully hosted the 31st Annual IBEW OPC (Ontario Provincial Council) Baseball Tournament on the weekend of Aug. 11-12 this year.

Twelve baseball teams from Ontario vied for first place in two divisions. Hamilton Local 105 won division A by beating out Local 1687. Despite the rain on Friday, the tournament was a huge success, with the ball games played at the Terry Fox field. A bus was provided to transport players and fans about a mile to the Local 1687 union hall, where a hospitality tent and barbecue were going on for both days of the event. Hamburgers, hot dogs and fresh pickerel were available, as well as refreshments. A fantastic supper was provided at the host hotel. I was impressed with the quality of the food and received excellent feedback from everyone there. A big thank-you to all participants, spectators, and the many volunteers — and a tip of the hat to Wes McDonald, who organized the tournament.

August was a good month for the sportsmen in our local. On Saturday, Aug. 19, the local sponsored the 25th Annual Golf Tournament in Blind River. Forty-one members attended, and this year's winner was Warren Rudd.

Bruce Palmer, B.M.

L.U. 1701 (catv,ees,i,o&u), OWENSBORO, KY — Work has been booming in our local and the surrounding area. We especially thank the traveling brothers and sisters who came out to help us with our work over the summer.

The apprenticeship program has made leaps and bounds in recent years, with the addition of a new training center with many hands-on trainers. The newly formed RENEW committee has partnered with the JATC to start an annual competition for the apprentices. We are in the process of getting the details worked out for each class.

We congratulate Christopher Haynes, Greg Benningfield, Matthew Fowler and Tyler Montgomery on becoming the newest journeyman wiremen in the local after completing their apprenticeship. We also have indentured 15 new apprentices for the year and already have all of them working and in school. We welcome them and wish them luck in this new chapter in their life.

In sadness, we report the passing of Bros. Robert "Pat" Carrico, Herb J. Sorg, Robert "Bobby Gene" Elder, Donald "Fevvers" McCarthy, and George G. Moore. May they all rest in peace.

Nathan Knott, B.R.

L.U. 1837 (rtb&u), MANCHESTER, MAINE — With a career spanning five decades as a worker at Public Service Company of New Hampshire (now Eversource) and as a union activist, then-president Bill Tarallo's retirement on June 30 was truly the end of an era for IBEW Local 1837. During his longtime career, Bro. Tarallo served in virtually every possible elected office and staff position for his union.

"It's hard to put 50 years into thoughts or words," Bro. Tarallo said. "Because of the union, we made PSNH a better place to work."

Bill's impact went well beyond PSNH. During his tenure as IBEW Local 1837's business manager, he helped negotiate contracts for represented companies in Maine and New Hampshire. As president of the local, he kept the union moving forward.

Longtime union activist Kerry Guptill fondly remembers working shoulder-to-shoulder with Bro. Tarallo almost from the moment she started at PSNH and right through her own retirement last year.

"As a young 19-year-old clerical worker, I was approached by a Meter Department worker from our division office, asking me what I knew about unions," Sister Guptill said. "Over the next 40-plus years, I had the privilege of working with Bill on numerous functions in the local. He always had the best interests of the people he represented, as well as their family members."

"We are in a better place to help our members than we have ever been," Tarallo added. "The IBEW is the best union and we're lucky to be part of it."

Matthew Beck, Organizer/B.R.

L.U. 2067 (o&u), REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA — On Aug. 12 and 13, IBEW members from Local 2067's Unit #3 partnered with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to raise money for type 1 diabetes research.

Five JDRF volunteers and eight IBEW Local 2067 members held a two-day Hot Dog Sale, transforming part of Unit #3's Union Awareness Funds into $1,500 that went straight to JDRF.

Unit #3 chairman, Bro. John Rogers, and member Bro. Mark Woitas were the IBEW linchpins for the project; they both worked the whole weekend and also coordinated all logistics and IBEW volunteers.

"We almost tripled our input money with this fundraiser," said Bro. Rogers. Fundraiser veteran Bro. Woitas remarked, "We had a good weekend; working together for an important cause such as JDRF is time well spent."

Instrumental to the effort was Randy Durovick, JDRF fundraising coordinator.

"The funds raised from IBEW Local 2067 will play a key role in helping researchers find the cause and cure of type 1 diabetes," Durovick said. "Thanks to IBEW Local 2067 for being a community leader for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation."

The IBEW Local 2067 business office and executive wish to thank Randy, Mark and John, and also all the volunteers from JDRF and IBEW who made the event a success.

Curtis Lizée, A.B.M.