Stand%20Up%20Speak%20Out_edited public ed The Environment Stand%20Up%20Speak%20Out_edited 1/22 Get Involved! Be Part of the Solution! Want to speak up for your beliefs? Influence your lawmakers? Sway public opinion? Help get Democrats elected into office? Donate your time and money to promote Democratic ideals? In addition to supporting the Martin County Democratic Party through involvement with the DEC and Clubs and Caucuses, click on the topics below to learn how you can make a difference through your volunteerism and political advocacy. Volunteer Donate Write a Letter to the Editor Contact Your Elected Officials Use Social Media Know Florida Legislative Schedule Track Votes Research Issues Verify Information Run for Office

DEMOCRATIC WOMEN'S CLUB of MARTIN COUNTY (DWCMC) ​ DWCMC Mission and Goals: Bring together Democratic women in Martin County Stimulate interest in governmental affairs Promote Democratic values Work with County and State officers of the Democratic Party to support candidates and encourage women to seek elective office Increase Democratic voter registration and participation Be an advocate for legislation that furthers our Democratic values How can I become a member? DWCMC is chartered through the DWCF (Democratic Women's Club of Florida) Annual dues are $30 Download the membership form here . Print, complete, and mail the form to: DWCMC PO Box 592 Stuart, FL 34995-0592 Attn: Fran Reinberger Payment: You can either mail a $30 check along with the membership form (make it out to DWCMC), or you can mail in the application form and note on it that you paid the fee online. Click here to pay online. If you would like to see what we are all about, attend one of our meetings. Be sure to introduce yourself at the meeting and we'll help you with the application process if you choose to become a member. When and where are our meetings? We meet the second Saturday of the month. In-person meetings are held at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 21 SE Central Parkway in Stuart. Meetings start at 10:30 a.m. but the doors open at 10:00 a.m. for socializing. There is coffee and a light treat. ​ What do we do at the meetings? Learn about relevant local, state, and national matters Host guest speakers on a variety of timely topics Stay informed on what the other Martin County Democratic clubs and caucuses are doing as well as the DWCF Enjoy the comaraderie among fellow women who are committed to making our country a better place. Other ways we get involved during and after meetings: - Making signs - Attending rallies (gun rights, reproductive rights, political campaigns) - Addres sing envelopes an d postcards - Helping local candidates with their campaigns - Providing supplies for our Daisy Carter House of Hope Collection - Hosting the Christmas Party for Martin County Democrats ​ ​​ Dem Women's Club

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda: Delivering for Florida Companies have committed to invest over $800 million in Florida since President Biden took office. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ For decades, the U.S. exported jobs and imported products, while other countries surpassed us in critical sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, semiconductors, and biotechnology. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda – including historic legislation signed into law by President Biden such as the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act – that is changing. Since the President took office in 2021, companies have committed over $800 million in private sector investments across Florida. These investments are creating good-paying jobs, including union jobs and jobs that don’t require a four-year degree in industries that will boost U.S. competitiveness, rebuild infrastructure, strengthen supply chains, and help build a clean energy economy. Unleashing Private Investment in Florida: Thanks to the President’s Investing in America agenda, Florida’s economy is now a more attractive place for companies around the world to invest and expand, helping drive U.S. competitiveness and build a clean energy economy. For example, in Florida: Cenntro Automotive is investing $25 million to build its first American electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Jacksonville. Rebuilding Florida’s Infrastructure: Thanks to President Biden’s economic plan, about $8.2 billion in federal funding has already been announced for 213 infrastructure projects across Florida. That includes $6.3 billion in federal investments to fund transportation projects – roads, bridges, and roadway safety – and over $363 million for better access to clean water. For example: The Everglades received $1.1 billion for ecosystem restoration activities, making it the single largest investment in the Everglades' history. The project will reconnect the Northern Everglades with the southern and central habitats. The Orlando International Airport received $119 million for terminal expansion projects to increase capacity and improve accessibility. The Manatee County Port Authority was awarded $11.9 million to expand capacity at the container yard and modernize infrastructure, reducing supply chain bottlenecks along Florida's gulf coast. Florida was awarded $15 million to build a new truck parking facility along I-4 in West Florida with about 120 spaces, electric charging stations, and pedestrian infrastructure to access nearby amenities. By providing reliable truck parking capacity, the project improves safety for tired drivers and makes supply chain movement more efficient. Getting Florida Back to Work and Supporting Florida’s Small Businesses: At the start of 2021, the Florida unemployment rate was 5.9% and many small businesses had closed. Today, Florida's unemployment rate has dropped to 2.6% with 1,000,000 jobs created since the President took office. Meanwhile, the number of new Florida business filings have hit new records, with 1.2 million new business applications filed over 2021 and 2022. Emergency relief from the Biden-Harris Administration during the pandemic helped to keep open 5,715 restaurants and bars and 8,610 child care programs across Florida, and is providing up to $488 million in funding to make new loans and investments in its small businesses through the State Small Business Credit Initiative. ​ Creating Clean-Energy Jobs and Combatting the Climate Crisis: President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is delivering a clean, secure, and healthy future for Florida families by: Expanding electric vehicle opportunities , with millions of people in Florida eligible for discounts on new or used EVs through the Inflation Reduction Act, which will be supported by networks of EV chargers across the state funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Protecting Florida against extreme weather, with historic investments for more resilient homes, businesses, and communities. In the last decade, Florida has experienced 10 major extreme weather events, costing the state up to $227 billion in damages and often disproportionately affecting historically underserved communities. Now, the state has used American Rescue Plan funds for its largest ever investment in resiliency ($700 million) – including over 185 grants for resiliency from floods and storms. Supporting rural communities, by investing in climate-smart agriculture practices to help Florida's 47,500 farmers lead on climate solutions, and helping electric cooperatives that deliver cleaner and cheaper power to 1.2 million Florida homes and businesses. Lowering Costs for Florida Families: Thanks to legislation in President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, Florida residents are saving money on their health care premiums and prescription drugs, high-speed internet, and home energy costs. In fact: Over 4,388,000 Florida residents with Medicare will benefit from the $2,000 yearly cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, a $35 monthly cap per insulin prescription, and free vaccines. 3,225,000 individuals in Florida signed up for health insurance through the ACA Marketplaces during the Open Enrollment Period for 2023 and will benefit from up to thousands of dollars per year in savings from lower health care premiums. The average new homeowner in Florida will save $225 annually -- or 11.7% on their utility bills -- if state and local governments use new grants to adopt the latest building energy codes. Florida residents will be eligible to get 30% off solar panels , battery storage systems, heating and cooling upgrades, and weatherization, which can help them save hundreds of dollars every year on their energy bills. An estimated 1.1 million additional Florida households will install rooftop solar panels as a result of these new tax credits. Over 1.1 million Florida households are able to access affordable high-speed internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program investments made as part of the President’s Investing in America agenda. Extreme MAGA Republicans in Congress have proposed legislation to ship manufacturing jobs overseas, as well as increase health care costs, energy costs, and prescription drug prices for working families. President Biden and Congressional Democrats believe we need to finish the job, and continue to build the economy from the bottom up and middle out, not top down.

Overview of 2022 Bills ​ Did you know that more than 3500 bills have been filed for the 2022 Florida legislative session? With those kind of numbers, it's overwheming to keep track of it all. This section of your website is meant to help you with that. We have selectively divided up the bills into two categories of noteworthy bills: General Bills and Environmental Bills. Under each category, we have i ncluded the top 30 or so bills that are the most noteworthy (Yes....this is subjective....Email your webmaster at MCDemWeb@gmail.com to give your input on bills that should be listed if you don't see them here.) ​ General Bills include such topics as Abortion, Equality, Healthcare, Education, Gun Control, Criminal Justice, etc. Environmental Bills obviously relate to the environment. Some of these deal with Home Rule issues. ​ Each bill shows the bill sponsor: If the name is in red font, then they're Republican . If blue , then the sponsor is a Democrat . The bill sponsors are linked to their official website where you can find contact information for calling or writing them. Clicking on the official's name should take you to their page. Bill titles are linked to the official Florida government site, where you can get more details about the bill and see where the bill sits. (Note: Some bills never go anywhere, some sit in committees and stay there, and some bills move from committees out to the floor for voting.....Before you contact legislators or write LTEs, be sure to check the bill's status.) Some organizations such as Equality Florida and Friends of the Everglades and 1000 Friends of Florida have issued their approval or disapproval of bills and these have been noted above the bills and are offered as a guide for your own research and decision making.

TRACK how legislators vote. Hold your lawmakers accountable for their vote. ​ For US Congress, go to https://www.govtrack.us/ You can also go to https://www.senate.gov/ and : https://www.house.gov/ . ​ Go to https://www.causes.com . Here you can see how your federal officials voted. Sign up for automatic emails whenever your senator or house member votes. ​ For federal and state lawmakers, go to https://justfacts.votesmart.org/ . Create account and then view how lawmakers voted. ​ Also for Florida, you can go to https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/MyHouse/accountcreation.aspx and set up an account to get access to tracking information. ​ For Martin County commissioners, go to the BOCC site and look under Minutes to find out how commissioners voted. ​ For City commissioners, go to the City of Stuart website and look under Minutes to see how commissioners voted. Track How Your Legislators Vote

**Note: Be sure to click on all pictures throughout the article. Doing so makes them easier to see and provides description.** ​ ​ Jackie Williams: Renaissance Woman So my first day as a reporter I interviewed Joe Namath, Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Larry Nelson, Mike Ditka. ' This is my first day! ,' I said, 'How can this get any better?!' S itting on the blue couch i n her family room filled with furniture her father made, Jackie was excitedly recalling her first day as a sports reporter for The Stuart News in 1992. It is but one of several paths she has pursued during her lifetime: athlete, educator, nonfiction author, freelance writer, award-winning film producer and scriptwriter, political and social advocate, and caretaker. Yes, Jackie truly embodies what it means to be a Renaissance woman. Skilled in a variety of areas, she has reinvented herself throughout the years as the need arose, always striving to educate and enlighten others. It is notable that she has attained success in her diverse careers and volunteer work even during those times when diversity itself was not as welcomed as it is today. The Jersey Life Jacquelyne Louise Williams was born to Charles and Frances Dorman on June 30, 1945 in Paterson, New Jersey. Like many in Paterson, Jackie's father came from Dutch ancestry, the original family name being Dohrmann. Her mother's maiden name McLean suggests her Scottish and English roots. While her father did not have any siblings, Fran more than made up for that by having six sisters and a brother, many of them living in close proximity to the Dormans. Being an only child, Jackie quickly learned the value of family and in those early years developed a very close relationship with her many cousins, ties that continue to this day. Prominently displayed in her family room today are pictures of the cousins, numerous photos capturing cherished moments from the many "Cousins Trips" they have all taken together over the years. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ When Jackie was nine, the family moved to the nearby town of Little Falls, a quintessential American town that thrived during the boom years following World War II. Jackie recalls that living in Great Falls "was easy. It was fun. People liked each other. It was small town America…I played [trumpet] in the band in high school and if we won a [home] football game, then the band would march from the high school to the center of town, about a mile away…and then we’d turn around and come back. Now, mind you, that was the main street of the town. It was closed to traffic while we had this parade. That wouldn’t happen today….It was a special time, a different time. We rode our bikes everywhere, we played in the street, we walked to school….It was before the Vietnam War, before that divided everything. The war changed everything.” ​ ​ ​ ​ Jackie’s father Chuck had a secure job with the power company and over time worked his way up to Safety Supervisor. Although many women of that era stayed home, Jackie’s mother did not. Fran began to work outside the home, first in a jewelry store and then in a laboratory that manufactured the hormone therapy drug Premarin. Jackie attributes this second income for later paying her college tuition and preventing her from acquiring student loan debt. It was a time, she says, when families could do that and live within their means, unlike today. ​ As for politics, both of Jackie’s parents identified as Democrats and so she naturally thought of herself as a Democrat. In fact, politics was a big influence in Jackie's life from an early age. For one, while he r dad's whole family were all Democrats, all of her mother's family were Republicans. Fortunately, the family did not consider their political differences an issue. Secondly, when Jackie was 12, her father ran for the school board. He lost, but city leaders in Little Falls encouraged him to run for city commissioner as a Republican since that was the majority party. He decided to be true to himself and ran as a Democrat. The first time he lost but ran again and won, ultimately serving a few terms as city commissioner and even becoming the mayor for a while. Then in 1972 he ran for freeholder, a Dutch term used in New Jersey for county commissioner. ​ Jackie vividly remembers campaigning with her father and mother. It was a family act, which contrasted with the other candidates who typically did not bring their wives and children to events. The Dormans were all in it together: “That got him a lot of votes….We would go together to events and, since he was a golfer, we’d pass out [divot repair tools] with ‘Dorman Fore Freeholder’ written on them to give to the men...and emery boards with ‘Dorman’ printed on them for the women….And so you’d go to these events and pass out this stuff that had your name on it and you’d say hi to everybody…It was fun! It was good!.... My dad was a good politician and knew how to handle people. He was a little bit of an entertainer, a little bit of a ham” and that helped him win elections. High School Years Going to high school in Little Falls in the early 1960s was the ultimate playground for Jackie. She was active in virtually all facets of school life - academics, band, and sports - but athletics was her first love. As she wistfully remarks, "I was a really good athlete but was at least 10 years ahead of the time that I really could have done something in women's athletics." After all, Title IX, the law which initiated the age of parity in athletics between girls and boys, was not passed until 1972. Until then, there was virtually no money for women's athletics and therefore very few teams. Jackie receives trophy for Green Team Green Team doing floor exercises GAA Officers (Girls Athletic Assoc) Jackie receives trophy for Green Team 1/5 What Passaic Valley High did offer was intramural competition between girls' teams during the year. The girls were divided into the two school colors: the Green team and the White team. Throughout the school year they participated in such activities as floor exercises, basketball, and relays. It all culminated into a two-night "Girls Show" competition which was open to the public. Jackie was named the Green Team Chief and she led her team to victory on the first night's competion. Being the Chief was a great experience which taught her how to be an organizer and leader. (This is a photo gallery. Click to make larger. Then click on the forward arrow to view the 5 pictures and read the descriptions.) Senior picture...a spy? Elaine Ashton was an exchange student from England who came to live with the Dormans for her senior school year and more or less has been a family member ever since. Throughout all these years, she and Jackie have remained friends. With Elaine now living in Toronto, they still manage to stay in touch, having dinner together monthly via Zoom. As Jackie notes with a grin, "I think the exchange program was a success." Jackie learned golf by playing with her dad during her early years and she also took golf lessons. In fact, as a teenager she boldly decided to ask if she could play golf on the boys’ team since there wasn’t a girls’ team. As usual, Jackie tried to push the envelope: “I went all the way to the athletic director and said, ‘You know, I take golf lessons and I’d like to play on the boy’s golf team…It’s not a contact sport and I’d like to play.’” And without seeming to even consider her request he snapped back, ‘Oh, no…You’re pretty good and the boys would feel bad if they lost to you!...Are you crazy?’” Jackie had learned yet another lesson that day about life not being fair to women athletes. One pivotal moment apart from athletics came to Jackie in her sophomore year. It was a snow day from high school back on January 20, 1961. She sat home alone while her parents were at work and turned on the TV to watch John F. Kennedy – the youngest president ever elected -- deliver his inaugural address at the first ever televised inauguration. She remembers he stood there on this cold day with no hat on his full head of hair. She was taken in by the image and especially by Kennedy’s words. This was the speech famous for many eloquent passages but perhaps most notably for “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” Since her father had run for city commissioner that election cycle, his name appeared on the ballot along with JFK’s and that made JFK’s inauguration even more special to 15-year-old Jackie. It was a transformative moment: “It was the first time I had seen an inauguration and it was like WOW! You know? And here was this young man standing there with the wind blowing in his hair…really feeling like he’s speaking to you…and saying ‘Let’s pass the torch’ and I’m 15 and I’m thinking ‘I can catch that!’ It was very important to me.” Starting then, politics and public service guided much of her life – just as it did many of her contemporaries. Excerpts from JFK's inaugural speech Click on square in lower right to enlarge view. An interesting look at JFK Inauguration Day 1961 Click on square in lower right corner to enlarge view. College and Beyond in New Jersey When it came time for college, Jackie went to Rutgers University, but back then women were treated differently and the women students had a college apart from the main campus called Douglass College. Due to her love of sports, she majored in Physical Education with a minor in English. She played field hockey, basketball, softball, and tennis while at Rutgers but is quick to point out that her experience was a different world from what women’s college athletics is today. Today, noting the irony, she points out with a laugh that the Rutger’s women’s softball team – just the softball team -- has a budget of $3 million dollars! "We didn't even get uniforms. We wore our own white shirt and black shorts." What a difference 55 years makes! ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ After earning a BS degree in 1967, she went to the University of Massachusetts for graduate school as a teaching assistant in Physical Education. Upon completing her master’s degree in 1968, she was fortunate to become a professor and coach at Middlebury College. Although in many ways teaching and coaching at Middlebury was the perfect job for her, these were turbulent times in the country. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy had been assassinated, and the nation was torn apart by Vietnam. Jackie left the ivory-towered walls of Middlebury College to engage in public service by working at an elementary school in a ghetto back in Paterson. It was a move she felt called to make. ​ VIrtually all the students at Elementary School #28 were lower-income African Americans who came from disadvantaged homes. The school facilities were poor and somewhat dangerous, but Jackie obtained great satisfaction interacting with the students. She felt she was making a difference and, in fact, developed a physical activity that actually improved their reading abilities. It was unique to her school and her students tested highest in the city for reading in spite of their disadvantages. ​ In 1972 she was asked to join the physical education faculty at the nearby County College of Morris. This college had just recently been built and so it was an offer she felt she could not refuse. From 1972-1980 she taught physical education and coached women's field hockey, basketball, and softball. Also in 1972 Jackie married Joe Williams. While the marriage did not work out, she excelled in coaching and during her years at CCM her teams all went to the regional championships. Life in Stuart Golf Professional In 1980 Jackie decided to move to Florida. It was a big move, but it was one she was eager to make, for she was getting involved in the golf business. Jackie joined the teaching arm of the LPGA, the Ladies Professional Golf Association, and got a job as assistant golf professional at Martin County Golf Club (now called Sailfish Sands) in Stuart and eventually became head pro. ​ ​ Jackie had the distinction of being one of four women head golf professionals in the nation, once again pushing the envelope on women's role in sports. In fact, in 1989 Jackie was honored with the LPGA Teaching Division's Southeastern "Professional of the Year" award. Freelance Writer ​ Although she loved teaching golf, Jackie was made to change course once again. In 1994 the golf course administration changed and Jackie lost her job. Through the help of a friend, she began to work as a freelance writer, working for such publications as The Stuart News, HomeTown News, and the Jupiter Island News. Jackie tells the most amazing story about her first assignment as a sports reporter for the Stuart News: She was to go to the Cobblestone Golf Club in Palm City for a charity golf tournament. Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Larry Nelson, and Mike Ditka were the celebrities that were to play. Her main assignment was to talk to Mike Ditka, who had recently been fired as Chicago Bears coach, to see if he was planning to take the Miami Dolphins job. Jackie adds that “the night before the tournament my sports editor calls me and says ‘Look, I didn’t want you to go and be surprised so I’m gonna tell you that they have a special guest coming…and that special guest is Joe Namath.’ So my first day as a reporter I interviewed Joe Namath, Lee Trevino, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Larry Nelson, Mike Ditka….This is my first day! I said, ‘How can this get any better?!’ She goes on to relate her first encounter with Joe Namath that day, too. She had been watching him at the putting green before the tournament began and he was missing his puts to the left. So Jackie stood behind him and bravely spoke up: “You know, if you were to keep your shoulders square and just let your arms swing through, the ball will go in the hole.” “What do you mean?” he replied. “I said, ‘Keep your shoulders square and just let your arms swing through.” ​ “ ‘OK.’ Ball went in the hole. And he did it again. So he pointed to me and said ‘YOU…ride with me!’ And so I got to play the first nine holes with Joe Namath. He was very, very nice. Nice to me, nice to everybody there.” ​ Jackie got her scoop (Ditka told her he wasn't taking the job) and she had a great time with the famous athletes who were all so gracious and friendly. It was a day definitely to remember! ​ For over 7 years Jackie wrote a weekly sports column for the Stuart News and she also covered various sporting events throughout the region. While on assignment, she met the editor of the Jupiter Island News, a monthly publication for the Residents Association of Jupiter Island. They were in need of a writer and Jackie was offered the job. Twenty-seven years later, she continues to attend the town’s city council meetings and write articles about Jupiter Island. One perk to this work is that she gets to attend the speaker’s program that Jupiter Island has for its residents. In this small, intimate setting arranged for the exclusive residents of Jupiter Island, she has heard talks from such well-known figures as Mikhail Gorbachev, Sandra Day O’Conner, Dick Cheney, Paul Krugman, Doris Kearns Goodwin (Jackie’s favorite nonfiction writer) and many others. What a gig! Author ​ During these years of freelancing, Jackie started a bigger project. She decided to write a book that showcased the women of the LPGA Hall of Fame, focusing on their struggles to succeed in a male-dominated sport. The book profiled 16 golfers including Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Patty Berg, Kathy Whitworth, and Nancy Lopez. ​ While doing her research for the book, the World Golf Hall of Fame happened to be having its grand opening in St. Augustine. Jackie wrangled a press pass and used the opportunity to interview and photograph the LPGA women. Jackie recalls takiing her father with her for this event: ​ "It was just the coolest thing….My father went with me, and he was like a little kid because everybody [all the famous professional golfers, both male and female] was being inducted. And so you’d walk along and there would be Tom Watson, and there was Jack Nicklaus, and there was this guy and that guy…I was so happy I could bring him to that….It was unbelievable. And then later we went to a cocktail party where all the people were there and so he got to actually meet these people, you know?” It is a treasured memory for Jackie and no doubt one her father fondly remembered for the rest of his life. “Playing from the Rough: The Women of the LPGA Hall of Fame” was published in 2000 and was well received. Even today, it can still be found on Amazon and eBay. When asked why she’s not living on Jupiter Island from all the income from the book, she exclaims with her hearty laugh, “Why? I didn’t make any money!” Nonetheless, it was a great experience personally and it added to the library of LPGA books that others can read today, be inspired by, and learn from as they consider the world of women in sports. Film Producer and Scriptwriter ​ Though her freelance writing career was satisfying in many respects, Jackie knew she needed a regular job with a guaranteed salary and health insurance coverage. As she had done several times previously, in 2001 Jackie reinvented herself once again – this time by securing a job as writer/producer for MCTV, the official station for Martin County government. She and her co-workers began to show the County Commission meetings, which is still being done today, and they also created lots of special programming that featured various county departments or happenings in the county. An animal lover herself, one of her most beloved projects was the “Pets on Parade” show, which is still being shown today. Acting as host, Jackie would spotlight various pets from the Humane Society. She is proud to note that, even to this day, they have a 100% adoption rate for the animals that appeared on the show. When pried, the ever-modest Jackie reveals that from 2005 – 2008 “Pets on Parade” won the National Association of Counties production awards. During her tenure at MCTV, Jackie wrote and produced two award-winning full length films. “Book to the Future” was a fun project made to celebrate Martin County Library’s 50th anniversary in 2007. It was a take-off on “Back to the Future” and, instead of a Delorean, the actors - who were all county employees - "flew" around in a ’57 Chevy from the Elliot Museum and through their adventures they tell the story of the founding of the library. One of the films she is most proud of is “Indian Riverside Park: Window to the Past.” This is a one-hour documentary which through video, pictures, and interviews weaves a fascinating tale on the origins and development of historically significant Indian Riverside Park in Jensen Beach. Anyone living on the Treasure Coast would learn a great deal about our area’s history by viewing this film. The film won the national “Golden Quill” award for scriptwriting from the Florida Historical Society. The National Association of Counties also honored this film in 2007 with scriptwriting and production awards. Caretaker ​ By 2008, Jackie felt the need to assume her most personal role – the role of caretaker for her parents – and so she retired from MCTV to devote herself to those responsibilities while also continuing to write for the Jupiter Island News and to continue her involvement with Martin Democrats. Jackie's father passed in 2020 at age 99, and she now lives with her quick-witted 98-year-old mother Fran and their own Humane Society family member Daisy. Political and Social Advocate Jackie’s work with Martin County Democrats has been an important part of her life since the late 1990s when she sought out Martin Democrats and began to attend DEC meetings. There she met Bob and Louise Cunha, Dave Dew, and a handful of other Democrats. Then when the Democratic Club got formed in 2003 and Louise became its President, Jackie began to attend those meetings as well. When Louise decided to step down in 2011, Louise convinced Jackie to run for President. As Jackie says with a laugh, “Louise gets me into everything.” Jackie served two terms – from February 2011 to February 2015 and then again during those early Trump years February 2017 to February 2019. Jackie says that “Louise Cunha had done such a good job (as President) that I just had to build on what she had started.” One of Jackie’s initiatives was to start having guest speakers at almost every meeting. She also notes that during her time as President club membership increased significantly, though she acknowledges that Obama and especially Trump had a lot to do with the increase. She believed then and still today that the Club needs to become more active locally, especially in helping to find and encourage good Democratic candidates to run for office. It isn’t easy in red Martin, but it’s something we must do. Jackie also served on the Nominating Committee for two years and is now actively involved in the Sunshine Committee, which focuses on bringing in new membership to the Democratic Club. She’s excited about this committee and its possibilities for adding to our Martin County Democratic base. When asked if she considers herself a progressive or a centrist Democrat, Jackie responds with “Can you be a progressive centrist? I think that is what I am.” She says she often can see both sides to an issue and this draws her toward the center. This is also reflective in her years of service to Martin County Democrats. As someone explained who has long been a Democratic Club member, “Jackie is a great person and was a very competent leader of the Democratic Club. She was able to deal with guests the club hosted with great charm and professionalism.” Jackie has demonstrated time and again with Martin Democrats an awareness of compromise, of working together to accomplish a goal, of getting something done, of stepping up and serving - traits that are especially needed in today's world. ​ ​ ​ Jackie is truly a Renaissance woman who has used her multiple talents in countless ways over the years to benefit all she touched through her roles as teacher, communicator, leader, and team player. Thank you, Jackie, for your decades of service. We Martin County Democrats are fortunate to call you our latest Martin County Democrat All Star! If you 'd like to send Jackie a note after reading all about her, you can email her here .

MARTIN COUNTY DEMOCRATIC ENVIRONMENTAL CAUCUS Click on the shortcuts below or scroll through this page to view these topics: ​ Overview of Caucus Mission Statements Top Issues We Focus On Calendar Call to Action Other Environmental Groups Minutes, Bylaws, and Donations ​ The Martin County Democratic Environmental Caucus is a local chapter of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida (DECF). The caucus meets at 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month, currently via Zoom. Meetings consist of general discussion about environmental issues in the news and how we might respond. More specifically, among other concerns, we address city of Stuart matters, activity of Martin County Board of County Commissioners, and work of the state legislature and beyond. ​ Most meetings include a guest speaker to enlighten us about a particular environmental topic or to hear directly from a local Democratic official or candidate running for office. We welcome all Democrats to be a part of our caucus as we learn, speak up for and work to defend our environment. To get involved in our group, fill out the Contact Form indicating your interest in MC Dem Env Caucus and someone will get back with you. Back to Top Overview Mission Statements MC Democratic Environmental Caucus Martin County Democratic Environmental Caucus intends to: Identify and prioritize environmental concerns that affect our local municipalities, county, state, country, and world. Contemplate solutions to those concerns and recommend courses of action Educate, collaborate with and endorse Democratic candidates who embrace our agenda Educate the public and generate support for our goals Coordinate with other environmental groups within our legislative districts: Senate district 25 and House districts 82 and 83 ​ As a chapter of the Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida (DECF) we in MC Dem Env Caucus also support DECF’s goals. ​ ​ Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida The Democratic Environmental Caucus of Florida (DECF) strives to support Florida lawmakers, candidates, legislation and businesses that preserve, protect and enhance Florida’s natural resources. The DECF concerns may include but are not limited to Florida’s air quality, shorelines and coasts, aquifers, waterways, wetlands, wildlife, remaining natural areas and publicly owned wild lands and parks. ​ DECF intends to: Help elect Democratic candidates who endorse suitable action on critical environmental issues. Provide party members and the general public credible data relating to environmentally sensitive issues as informed opinion, legislative alerts and technical/science expertise. Monitor local and state legislation and policy that affect Florida’s environment, and alert legislators and the public. Encourage responsible environmental stewardship as part of Florida Democratic Party policy. Back to Top Mission Statements Top Environmental Issues With Florida’s increasing population and with our local and state governments sometimes choosing growth and development and corporate interests over protecting our environment, the issues we face are endless. Here is a sampling of the concerns we address in our caucus: Lake Okeechobee discharges Everglades restoration, including Storm Water Treatment Areas (STAs), the EAA reservoir, CERP completion Pollutants entering our waterways -- fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides with glyphosate, agricultural waste, biosolids, nonpoint source pollution Environmental threats due to city and county development as well as local and state legislation Wildlife habitat degradation, including dwindling sea grasses for manatees and the accumulation of muck in our waterways, which reduces oyster bed production and water quality Climate change and rising sea level Oil drilling, fracking, and deep-water injection wells Transportation of hazardous materials (pipelines, high-speed rail transport of LNG and other hazardous materials) Back to Top Top Environmental Issues CALL TO ACTION ! ​ Click on each of the four sections below or scroll down to view the entire page. ​ Prewritten Letters Petitions Original Letter-Writing Ideas Learning Opportunities/Miscellaneous Items ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT (added 2-2-2023) There is a constitutional amendment effort underway with the title Right to Clean and Healthy Waters . Go here to read about the amendment and information on how to sign the petition. The organization behind this effort is trying to get 900,000 signatures by the end of November 2023. This would allow this initiative to be counted before February 2024 and, therefore, to qualify for being placed on the ballot in 2024. ​ ​ PREWRITTEN LETTERS Prewritten letters are quick and easy ways to make your voice heard--just sign and submit. Please note that in some cases you will be put on the sponsoring environmental group's email subscription list when you submit your letter/petition, so be sure to uncheck the subscription box (if it's there) before you submit it if you don't want to be on their distribution list. If you forget to do that, you can always unsubscribe later. ​ Added 8--10-2022) Sierra Club has a prewritten letter advocating passage of the Recovering America's Wildlife Act. . Go here to submit the letter. ​ (Added 8-7-2022) Sierra Club has a prewritten letter advocating passage of the Environmental Justice for All Act . Go here to submit the letter. ​ (Added 12-21-2021) EarthJustice , a nonprofit environmental law organization, previously submitted a legal petition to the EPA to stop the use of organophosphates in agriculture. To support this effort, they now have a prewritten letter you can submit asking the EPA to ban organophosphates. Click here to go to the website to submit the letter. If you'd like to read the original legal petition, go here . Also, FYI, they have their own Action Alerts section on their website. Many of those we already have covered here on our page, but there are some items we haven't. If you'd like, go here to see their Action Alerts. ​ (Added 10-8-2021) Friends of the Everglades has a letter for Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried which discusses harmful effects of sugarcane burning and asks her to ban the burning. Go here to read the letter. ​ (Added 9-29-2021) Friends of the Earth has a letter going to EPA about banning neonicotinoids, which are pesticides that harm humans and invertebrate pollinator species, including bees and butterflies. (If you don't want to remain on their email list, unsubscribe after submitting letter.) ​ Contact the Dept of the Interior about Florida manatees dying at record levels and ask that manatees be put back on the Endangered Species list. The current secretary is Deb Haaland. Go here for contact info and to complete online letter. You may also want to contact other officials about this and can get a list of federal, state, and local officials and their addresses here . ​ PETITIONS ​ Florida Conservation Voters has a petition demanding Gov DeSantis and the legislature follow recommendations of the Blue-Green Task Force: https://fcvoters.org/take-action/blue-green-algae-task-force/ ​ President Biden: Be a #PlasticFreePresident...A diverse coaltion of 550+ organizations has created a petition asking President Biden to use his executive powers to fight the plastic pollution crisis. To sign the petition, go here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/president-biden-be-a-plasticfreepresident To read in depth about the executive actions asked for in the petition, go here: https://www.plasticfreepresident.org/ ​ Sign the "Stop Overdevelopment in Martin County" petition! http://chng.it/MRZYCqsDPD ​ Go to FloridaRightto CleanWater to sign a petition for putting Right to Clean and Healthy Waters amendment on the 2024 ballot. ​ ​ WRITE YOUR OWN LETTER ​ Educate and influence the public. Choose a topic and write a Letter to the Editor to the Stuart News and/or Palm Beach Post. See this for links to each newspaper's online LTE form. ​ . LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES/MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS ​ A summary of the ongoing pollution of Florida's waterways was presented by Earthjustice back on July 2021. The focus is on the toxic algae crisis and its harm to wildlife. Go here to read this analysis. ​ A recent Protecting Paradise segment on WPTV focused on the need to complete the building of STAs so that toxic water can be cleaned and then sent south to the Everglades. ​ Read The Everglades Review , put together by Everglades Trust, for detailed articles on such subjects as objections to LOSOM Plan CC by Big Sugar, the economic value of strong ecosystems, and helping the manatees survive. Friends of the Everglades periodically hosts webinars on various environment-related topics. View their archives of these Clean Water Conversations here . Topics include red tide, LOSOM, toxic algae, the legislative session for 2021, the Roads to Ruin, drilling in the Everglade Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Back to Top Call to Action Prewritten Letters Petitions Learning Opportunities Write Your Own Letter Martin County Democratic Environmental Caucus Calendar of Events Back to Top Calendar Environmental Resources There are many groups locally, statewide, and nationally that focus on environmental issues. To view a list of some of the groups we learn from and work in concert with while advocating for the environment, go here . Resources - other Env Groups Minutes, Bylaws, and Donations Bylaws Current Bylaws of MC Dem Env Caucus...coming soon Previous Bylaws of MC Dem Env Caucus Donations To support the Martin County Democratic Environmental Caucus, click on this button. It will take you to our ActBlue account where you can make your donation. Thank you! If you prefer to mail a check, make your check out to MC Dem Env Caucus and send it to: MC Dem Env Caucus Attn: Hank Bonner PO Box 1497 Stuart, FL 34995 Donate Now! Min ut es 2021 Minutes November 16, 2021 October 19, 2021 September 2021 - No meeting held August 2021 - No meeting held July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 Special Election Meeting February 2021 - No meeting held January 2021 - No meeting held 2020 Minutes December 2020 - No meeting held November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 - No meeting held July 2020 Minutes, Bylaws, and Donations

The 2024 Florida Legislative schedule is as follows: ​ October - December, 2023: Committee meetings two weeks in each month January 9, 2024: Regular Session convenes 12:00 noon (Article III, section 3(b), State Constitution) February 27, 2024: Day 50; last day for regularly scheduled committee meetings (Senate Rule 2.9(2)) March 8, 2024: Day 60; Regular Session ends (A rticle III, section 3(d), State Constitution) Background Info: The Florida State Legislature meets in session every year for 60 consecutive days. In even-numbered years, the Legislature meets on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January. In odd-numbered years, the Legislature meets on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March. (Meeting later in year gives newly elected officials time to prepare.) Occasionally there are also special sessions called for by the Governor or Senate/House. Before a regular Legislative session begins, legislators meet in committees to discuss legislation they want to pursue in the upcoming session. Since the Republicans are in the majority in Tallahassee, they play a large role in committee assignments and the legislation that is discussed in committee and which gets to the floor. These meetings take place over a 6-week period prior to the start of the Legislative session (two-weeks in each of 3 months prior to beginning of session). ​ It is important that we Democrats contact our legislators about legislation we oppose or support. Doing so prior to the session actually starting is key. They need our input. See Contact Your Elected Officials for more info. ​ Know Your Legislators' Schedule

Contact Your Elected Officials Federal State County Municipality FEDERAL OFFICIALS JOE BIDEN (D) President of the United States Phone: 202-456-1414 (Switchboard) or 202-456-1111 (Comments) Office: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500 Email: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ Official Website : https://whitehouse.gov RICK SCOTT (R) Senator Phone: 202-224-5274 or 561-514-0189 District Office: 415 Clematis Street #201, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Email: https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/contact_rick Official Website: https://www.rickscott.senate.gov MARCO RUBIO (R) Senator Phone: 202-224-3041 or 561-775-3360 District Office: 4580 PGA Boulevard #201, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418 Email: https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Official Website: https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/ BRIAN MAST (R) House of Representative, District 18 (St. Lucie, Martin, and NE Palm Beach Co.) Phone: 202-225-3026 or 772-403-0900 District Office: 171 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL 34994 Email: https://mast.house.gov/email Official Website: https://mast.house.gov/ STATE OFFICIALS Ron DeSantis (R) Governor Phone: 850-717-9337 Office: 400 S Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001 Email: governorron.desantis@eog.myflorida.com Official Website: https://www.flgov.com/ Back to Top Wilton Simpson Florida Commissioner of Agriculture & Consumer Services Phone: 850-617-7700 Office: The Capitol, Plaza Level 10, 400 S Monroe St., Tallahassee, FL 32399 Email: https://Wilton.Simpson@FDACS.gov Website: https://www.fdacs.gov/About-Us/Meet-Commissioner-Simpson Back to Top Gayle Harrell (R) Senator, District 25 (Martin, St. Lucie, and parts of Palm Beach Co.) Phone: 772-221-4019 District Office: 215 SW Federal Hwy #203, Stuart, FL 34994 Email: Harrell.Gayle.web@flsenate.gov Official Website: https://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/S31 Back to Top John Snyder (R) House of Representative, District 86 (Parts of Martin and Palm Beach Co.) Phone: 772-545-3481 District Office: 11700 SE Dixie Hwy, Hobe Sound, FL 33455-5457 Email: John.Snyder@myfloridahouse.gov Website: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4787&LegislativeTermId=89 ​ Back to Top Toby Overdorf (R) House of Representative, District 85 (Parts of St. Lucie and Martin Co.) Phone: 772-221-4961 District Office: 151 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL 34994 Email: Toby.Overdorf@myfloridahouse.gov Website: https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/details.aspx?MemberId=4728&LegislativeTermId=89 ​ Back to Top Martin County Board of County Commissioners ​ ​For the official Board of County Commissioners website, click https://www.martin.fl.us/Commissioners . There you will get a map showing the 5 districts, contact information of current commissioners and their aides, and much more information. ​ To email all commissioners using one email address, use this: comish@martin.fl.us ​ Below is a list of current commissioners showing the districts they serve: ​ Stacey Hetherington (R) Commissioner - District 2 - (Eastern Martin County - Stuart and East Stuart) Phone: 772-221-2359 County Offices: 2401 SE Monterey Rd, Stuart, FL 34996 Email: shetherington@martin.fl.us Website: https://www.martin.fl.us/district-2-commissioner Harold Jenkins (R) - Vice Chair Commissioner - District 3 - (Southern Martin County - Hobe Sound, portions of Tequesta and Indiantown) Phone: 772-221-2359 County Offices: 2401 SE Monterey Rd, Stuart, FL 34996 Email: hjenkins@martin.fl.us Website: https://www.martin.fl.us/district-3-commissioner Doug Smith (R) Commissioner - District 1 (NE Martin County - Jensen Beach, Rio, Sewall's Point, etc.) Phone: 772-221-2359 County Offices: 2401 SE Monterey Rd, Stuart, FL 34996 Email: dsmith@martin.fl.us Website: https://www.martin.fl.us/district-1-commissioner Sarah Heard (R) Commissioner - District 4 - (Eastern & Lower Martin County - Port Salerno, Tropical Farms, etc) Phone: 772-221-2359 County Offices: 2401 SE Monterey Rd, Stuart, FL 34996 Email: sheard@martin.fl.us Website: https://www.martin.fl.us/district-4-commissioner Edward Ciampi (R) - Chair Commissioner - District 5 (Western Martin County - Palm City, part of Indiantown, etc.) Phone: 772-221-2359 County Offices: 2401 SE Monterey Rd, Stuart, FL 34996 Email: eciampi@martin.fl.us Website: https://www.martin.fl.us/district-5-commissioner Back to Top Municipalities ​ I ncorporated communities in Martin County. Click on each community for its official website: Indiantown Jupiter Island Ocean Breeze Sewell's Point Stuart The City of Stuart websit e has a form that allows you to email all commissioners at one time. Click here for email form. On the city website you can go to each commissioner's page and send an email from there or by using email addresses below. ​ Elections for Groups 2 and 4 occur in even-numbered years. Elections for groups Groups 1, 3, and 5 take place in odd-numbered years. ​ ​ Current Stuart Commiss ioners: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Troy McDonald, Mayor Commissioner - Group 4, Term August 2021 - August 2024 Phone: 772-228-5312 County Offices: 121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL Email: tmcdonald@ci.stuart.fl.us Website: https://cityofstuart.us/514/Troy-McDonald-Commissioner Christopher Collins Commissioner - Group 3 , Term September 2022 to September 2026 Phone: 772-228-5312 County Offices: 121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL Email: ccollins@ci.stuart.fl.us Website: https://www.cityofstuart.us/234/Christopher-Collins-Commissioner Becky Bruner Commissioner - Group 2, Term September 2021 to September 2024 Phone: 772-228-5312 County Offices: 121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL Email: bbruner@ci.stuart.fl.us Website: https://www.cityofstuart.us/231/Becky-Bruner-Commissioner Campbell Rich Commissioner - Group 1, Term September 2022 to September 2026 Phone: 772-288-5312 County Offices: 121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL Email: crich@ci.stuart.fl.us Website: https://www.cityofstuart.us/235/Campbell-Rich-Commissioner Eula Clarke Commissioner - Group 5, Term September 2022 to September 2026 Phone: 772-228-5312 County Offices: 121 SW Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL Email: eclarke@ci.stuart.fl.us Website: https://www.cityofstuart.us/232/Eula-Clarke-Commissioner Back to Top Federal State BOCC Municipalities Contact Your Elected Officials

​ ​ ​ Submitting a Letter to the Editor (LTE) to the Stuart News/TC Palm is a great way to get your message out to the Treasure Coast public. Your LTE can educate or persuade others and increase awareness of your topic. It might even lead to discussions and potentially could influence policymakers . It's one of the few things we can do that reaches such a large audience. So get involved and influence others by writing your LTE. ​ ​ Go to https://ewstcpalm.wufoo.com/forms/q1jkscld1v7h87e/ to submit your letter online. ​ Treasure Coast Newspapers regularly publishes letters to the editor from area residents. Letters submitted should: 1) Be fewer than 300 words. 2) Include the full name, street address, city, daytime telephone number and email address of the writer for verification purposes. 3) Be directed TO THE EDITOR, not addressing someone else or a copy of a letter sent to someone else. 4) Must address public issues and should not sound like commercial pitches. 5) Must be an original letter written by the submitter. The Stuart News/TC Palm does not generally publish letters from writers outside their circulation area. Only one letter is accepted per month from any individual. ​ You may mail printed LTE to: Editor The News PO Box 9009 Stuart, FL 34995-9009 ​ Or fax letter to: Editor, 772-221-4246 ​ ​ ​ Your Letter to the Editor must include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length, and become property of The Palm Beach Post. ​ Maximum length: 200 words. ​ Email your letter to letters@pbpost.com or fax it to (561) 820-4728. ​ You can also send it via snail mail to: The Palm Beach Post 2751 S. Dixie Highway West Palm Beach, FL 33405 ​ Letter to Editor

Fake or Fact? It's sometimes hard to know whether what you read is true. Writers and the organizations that publish their writings often have a bias. Same for TV news and other outlets. Check out rumors. Know the facts about politics. Check media bias. Verify. ​ POLITIFACT provides fact checking of US politics. https://www.politifact.com/ ​ POLITIFACT FLORIDA focuses on issues related to Florida. https://www.politifact.com/florida/ ​ FACTCHECK says it is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that points out deception and inaccuracies in US politics. Factcheck.org is a project of he Annenberg Public Policy Center at the Univ of Pennsylvania. https://www.factcheck.org/ ​ SNOPES lets you check the latest rumors, pictures, memes, fake news stories. Snopes has its own fact-checking operation and does its own investigations to bring you evidence-based and contextualized analysis. https://www.snopes.com/ ​ Media Bias/Fact Check provides comprehensive media bias resource. Identifies whether media is left, center, or right biased. Over 2600 media sources listed. Use Search feature to check out specific sources. https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/ ​ Sourcewatch tracks corporations and their PR spin. This is a publication from the Center for Media and Democracy. https://www.sourcewatch.org Verify