DATE: Saturday, November 19, Raspberries Cafe 2634 Genesee St., Utica, NY

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1 Utica/Rome Voter Issue 65; November 2016 Newsletter of the League of Women Voters, Utica/Rome Metro Area P.O. Box 24 Washington Mills, NY Officers st Vice-President 1stVice- President@lwvuticarome.org Shirley Hilts-Adams nd Vice-President 2ndVice- President@lwvuticarome.org Lorrie Wasielewski Treasurer Treasurer@lwvuticarome.org Nancy Agen Secretary Secretary@lwvuticarome.org Barbara Gibbs Directors: Directors@lwvuticarome.org Dianne DiMeo Carol Fitzgerald Donna Goodwin Lucretia Hunt Karen McBride Mary Monaco Donna Rubin Barbara Shuck Sally Swierczek Carole Torok-Huxtable GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING RECYCLING IN THE MOHAWK VALLEY DATE: Saturday, November 19, 2016 WHERE: SPEAKERS: Raspberries Cafe 2634 Genesee St., Utica, NY Emily Albright, Oneida/Herkimer Solid Waste Authority Jim Zecca, Madison County Solid Waste Authority SCHEDULE: 9:30 Registration 10:00 Breakfast 10:30 Speakers Presentations 11:30 LWV Business Meeting COST: $17/person (includes tax & gratuity) NOTE: DIFFERENT LOCATION To make reservations, contact Trudy Kennedy at or Reservations@lwvuticarome.org by Tuesday 11/15 NOTE: If you have made a reservation and cannot attend, please cancel by Thursday 11/17, or full payment will be billed. attendees not wanting meal, may attend free of charge Nominating Committee: Action Alert Chair: Historian/Archivist: Newsletter: NominatingCommittee@lwvuticarome.org Lillian (Trudy) Kennedy Donna Lomis Rubin Dianne DiMeo Marcelline Bilton Dawn LaGuerre Publicity: Barbara Shuck

2 LEADERSHIP MESSAGE As the end of the year approaches, the LWV Utica/Rome Area chapter can reflect with pride on the many activities and events in which we have participated and sponsored in our community. Of special note is the voter registration endeavor resulting in hundreds of new voters joining in the process. Karen McBride, assisted by Mary Monaco, has done an outstanding job in the outreach to community agencies and educational institutions in what has been a very busy year. A sincere Thank You to Karen and Mary and to the many League members who have assisted with voter registration during the year. A recent visit by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to Utica to make the announcement of the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission Act at Munson Wiliiams Proctor Art Institute resulted in almost 100 women from various organizations attending the event and receiving the good news. Planning for local events as well as statewide events is on the board agenda for the coming months. We hope that many of our local chapter will be able to join in the various celebrations. Some of the upcoming LWVNYS events that you might put on your calendar are: Join us on Nov. 17 in NYC for our annual Day at the United Nations (registration form on the LWVNYS website ) Lobby Day, April 25, 2017, in Albany. LWVNYS State Convention, June 9-11, 2017, in Liverpool, NY. Best wishes for the Holiday Season and may you have a New Year of Health, Contentment, Peace, and Prosperity. Barbara, Karen, Lorrie, Nancy and Shirley Board Meetings New Hartford Library 10:10 - noon LWV Meeting Schedule General Membership Meetings Place To Be Announced in each newsletter November 5, 2016 November 19, 2016 December 3, 2016 January 7, 2017 January 21, 2017 February 4, 2017 March 4, 2017 March 25, 2017 April 1, 2017 May 6, 2017 May 20, 2017

3 LWV MEETING SUMMARIES General Membership - September 17 Another League year off to a busy start with 30 in attendance. Carl Boykin, Director of Human Trafficking Prevention, NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services provided everyone with a folder containing information on indicators, applicable penal laws, and how to refer a suspected victim to the authorities. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise world wide. Globally it is defined by sexual exploitation, labor exploitation and begging and petty crime. In the U.S. the focus includes undocumented labor. At the NYS level he noted that 3 of 4 runaways are approached within 24 hours of being on the streets for exploitation; heroin is involved in half of all cases. Melissa Loiacano, Community Supervisor, YWCA Crisis Services reported that the agency s education presentations reached 1300 individuals last year. Her unique style of explaining how an abuser lays a foundation to gain power and control (including money) held our attention. She emphasized that young people especially need to know that it is all right to have their own opinions. For more information Google: Polaris Project, a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to combat and prevent modern-day slavery and human trafficking. Board - October 1 - Minutes of August 6 approved; the August financial report accepted as ed by N. Agen. Discussion focused on Voter Service activities. K. McBride reported 96 new voters registered in September for a grand total of 285 since March with 3 more sites scheduled before the deadline. (see article below on Voter Registration activities this year). Plans were made to hold a debate for County Court Judge on 10/26. C. Torok-Huxtable will moderate and suggestions for panelists were offered. League, along with other women's groups, were invited to attend a press conference at Munson Williams Institute on 10/3 during which Senator Gillibrand will announce bi-partisan legislation titled The Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission Act. Members are planning to attend the NYS Women's Suffrage Centennial Conference (10/7) in Seneca Falls. T. Kennedy will send alerts to the membership re: the various up-coming activities Gift Certificates for holiday wreaths and plants will be available at the General Meeting on November 19. They will also be available via mail sent to our LWV Utica/Rome Metro Area, P.O. Box 24, Washington Mills, NY Certificates will be available for : 4 1/2" Branched Poinsettias, 3-4 blooms, red, white, pink, or ice crystal, $ /2" Branched, 5-7 blooms, $ " branched, blooms, $ " wreaths with red ribbons, $ The 12" wreaths fit standard home doors beautifully. If you have questions, please call Shirley at

4 VOTER REGISTRATION 2016 The signature activity of the League of Women Voters is voter registration. Anticipating the strong interest in the 2016 election, the Voter Services Committee, led by our indefatigable member Karen McBride, went into high gear. A total of 586 people completed voter registration forms at our registration events during the year, leading up to the election. Sites included colleges (Utica, Herkimer County, Pratt, MVCC,) and community sites (Farmer s Market, Parkway Senior Center, Empowerment Center). The Parkway and the Empowerment Center (formerly Thomas Lindsey Center) were new sites. Further breakdown looks like this: # Registered at events throughout the community: 359 # Community members taking a form to complete on own: 19 # Absentee Ballot Applications: 5 # Registered during Naturalization Ceremonies: 227 % of Candidates at Naturalization Ceremonies completing Voter Registration Forms: 62% In addition, 29 people completed a Organ Donation form to go along with their voter registration, with another 8 people taking the Organ donation form to complete and mail in on their own. Many of those registering, both for voting and for the organ donor program, appreciated that we were giving them the opportunity to do something they might "not have gotten around to do;" by either adding their voice to their governance or renewing life for an a fellow New Yorker. The next hope is that all those taking the time to complete their voter registration will now learn about the candidates and issues and head to the polls on November 8th. Thanks again to all our enthusiastic League volunteers who made our efforts a success! NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES NATURALIZATION CEREMONIES Federal Sponsored (All Thursdays) LOCATION - ARRIVE by 10:00 a.m. Ceremony Begins at: December 8, 2016 Pirnie Fed. Building, 3rd Flr. Courtroom 11:00 a.m. Kristine Kelly Grace McNasser Ellie Luker Patricia Rumrich Florence Wood

5 CANDIDATES FORUM On Tuesday, October 25, the LWV of Utica/Rome conducted an Oneida County Court Judge debate at the American Legion Post #1376 in New Hartford. The 2 candidates Michael A. Arcuri (D) and Robert L. Bauer (R) are running for the seat being vacated by Judge Bary Donalty. We were pleasantly surprised at a standing-room only attendance of about 120 people. Judge candidates are limited by the judicial canons of their profession as to the types of questions they can answer and to what depth they may discuss their decision-making protocol. However, the interactions and information gained during their amicable exchange were well received, as evidenced by the ample media coverage we received. NEW YORK WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE CENTENNIAL CONFERENCE In October Carole Torok-Huxtable and Lorrie Wasielewski attended a conference in Seneca Falls that was intended to prepare communities in New York State to celebrate the major events leading up to and including National Suffrage for women in New York State LWV was a co sponsor of this event. We came away with so much inspiration and so many ideas that could be done in our area with sufficient support from our members. There are grants to apply for top notch speakers and ideas for local events to commemorate our historical connections. Much of what could be done would best be undertaken with other local partners. There is no question that our local League will celebrate this event. After all, the League was an outcome of suffrage. We would like to know your interest in undertaking a larger effort in planning, since it could be a major celebration that we bring to the area. However, we need to have enough League commitment. If you want to be part of a committee to work on planning, please the League at league@uticarome.org or call Lorrie at th Anniversary Dates Nov 6, th Anniversary of Woman Suffrage in New York State Nov 19, th Anniversary of the League of Women Voters of NYS Feb 14, th Anniversary of League of Women Voters of US Aug 26, th Anniversary of the official certification of the ratification of the 19 th amendment by the US

6 The Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission Act On October 3, Senator Gillibrand came to Oneida County to announce the Women s Suffrage Centennial Commission Act. This legislation is in honor of the 100 th anniversary of the 19 th Amendment. Senator Gillibrand made this announcement at Munson Williams Proctor Institute and, in doing so, recognizes New York s role in the women s suffrage movement. Her press release says: This legislation would help educate and inspire young people around the country about the unparalleled importance of the women s suffrage movement in American history. The women s suffrage movement was born in New York, it was championed by fearless women like Juanita Breckenridge Bates, and nearly a century after the 19 th Amendment was passed and ratified, our state continues to be at the forefront of fighting for women s rights, from paid family leave to equal pay for equal work. The 19 th Amendment changed the world for the better, and it deserves our commemoration. I will urge all of my colleagues in the Senate to support the Women s Suffrage Centennial Commission Act. Eleven members of the LWV or Utica/Rome were in attendance during this announcement. She followed up with the following letter of appreciation

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8 Interested in becoming a member of the Utica/Rome League of Women Voters? Name: Mailing Address: Phone Number: Send this form along with membership dues ($25 for a student membership, $60 for a single membership or $90 for a household membership) to: League of Women Voters Membership Chair PO Box 24 Washington Mills, NY Questions can be ed to: league@uticarome.org

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