Happy Thursday, Fellow Democrats!
We are now 110 days away from electing a new President of the United States!
The Florida Democratic Party Annual Leadership Blue event has been rescheduled for a virtual gathering this weekend - July 17th to 19th. You are invited to participate! The weekend will be filled with trainings, Party updates, guest speakers, and the Leadership Blue Virtual Gala. Our main events and trainings will be broadcast live on Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, and YouTube. Registration links for specialty trainings will also be available. Trainings and classes are free. RSVP Here for Leadership Blue!
https://www.mobilize.us/floridadems/event/283508/
LEADERSHIP BLUE GALA
The annual Leadership Blue Gala is a separately ticketed event.
We are so excited to welcome Vice President Biden back to the state of Florida and to our annual Leadership Blue Gala. Be sure to join us to hear his message for Florida Democrats!
The 2020 Leadership Blue Virtual Gala will begin at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 18. There are a few general admission tickets still available for $35 each. All remaining general admission tickets will be $50 each. ACT NOW to Reserve Your General Admission Ticket. To get your ticket go to: https://leadershipblue.com/
1 MILLION FLORIDA DEMOCRATS DID WHAT?
On Monday, the Florida Democratic Party announced that 1 million Florida Democrats registered to vote by mail between March 17 (the Presidential Primary) and June 12th. Florida Democrats now hold a 423,379 voter vote-by-mail enrollment advantage over the Florida GOP. In Indian River County, we have 14,077 Democrats registered to vote by mail, over 40 percent of our registered Democrats.
To read more about this huge accomplishment, click here: https://www.floridadems.org/news/florida-democrats-announce-over-1-million-democrats-have-enrolled-in-vote-by-mail-since-march-17th-presidential-preference-primary
CANDIDATE INFORMATION
The Democrats of Indian River have just posted on our website under the “Voting” tab candidate information sheets for those candidates running in the August 18th primary. Every year, the Democrats provide short bio sheets and links to online interviews with the candidates. Thank you to our wonderful mother-daughter volunteers who drafted this year’s biographies!
Call Headquarters at 772.226.5267 if you have questions. During the pandemic, it is only staffed on Wednesdays and Fridays.
WRITE TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DEMAND FACE MASKS BE WORN IN INSIDE PLACES
Do you feel like you’re not being heard on the face mask issue because you’re not willing to endanger your health or the health of others by showing up for in-person hearings on a mask mandate? Are you fed up with the blatant lack of respect for human life as some citizens call not wearing a face mask a constitutional right when it is in fact a public health issue trying to “insure our domestic tranquility” and “promote the general welfare?” Exercise your right to be heard and send an email to each and every Indian River County commissioner and city council member and Governor DeSantis. Let your voice be heard!
Indian River Board of County Commissioners
Susan Adams, Chair - [email protected]
Joseph Flescher - [email protected]
Tim Zorc - [email protected]
Peter O’Bryan - [email protected]
Bob Solari - [email protected]
Vero Beach City Council
Tony Young, Mayor - [email protected]
Laura Moss, Vice-Mayor - [email protected]
Joe Graves, Councilmember - [email protected]
Robert Brackett, Councilmember - [email protected]
Rey Neville, Councilmember - [email protected]
City of Sebastian
Ed Dodd, Mayor - [email protected]
Charles Mauti - [email protected]
Damien Gilliams - [email protected]
Jim Hill - [email protected]
Pamela Parris - [email protected]
City of Fellsmere
Mark Mathes, City Manager - [email protected]
Governor Ron DeSantis
[email protected]
SCHOOL START AND CONFEDERATE FLAG UPDATE
In March, the Governor closed schools due to the presence of Covid-19 cases and in anticipation of many more cases. In Indian River County, at the time, we were in the single digits. Now that the virus has spread and Florida is the hotbed of the pandemic, the Governor is ordering schools to open back up. Our local teachers and school staff are fearful for their safety and the safety of our students if we do that. If you think it is dangerous to open our local schools on August 10th as planned, please write to the Superintendent and School Board members (emails below) before the Tuesday, July 21st School Board Business Meeting. Stand by our students and school staff and let them know you don’t support this plan to re-open our schools and the potentially detrimental effects it could have on our community.
Due to the overwhelming amount of letters that the School District of Indian River County Superintendent and School Board Members received, Dr. Moore (Superintendent) created new language for the Code of Conduct. The new language reads:
“Students shall not, at school, on school property or at school-sponsored activities, display or transmit (in any medium, including clothing, jewelry, posters, stickers, flyers or buttons) writings, images or symbols that are reasonably expected to be divisive, demeaning, or offensive to any person or group or disruptive to the learning environment; including, but not limited to writings, images or symbols associated with hate groups; that are obscene, slanderous, or libelous; that are associated with intimidation, violence or violent groups; which advocate racial, ethnic or religious prejudice (i.e., items that promote intolerance or confrontation, including the confederate flag or swastika) or that denigrate others on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Images and symbols covered by this policy are permissible in library or approved learning materials, or in a classroom setting (e.g., a history class’ discussion of the Civil War or World War II) as part of a learning assignment supervised by a teacher.”
The Code of Conduct will be voted on for approval on July 21st at 6 p.m. during the School Board Business Meeting.
While this is a great start, the Code of Conduct is only applicable for the school year it is voted on. It can be changed next year. The next step is to make sure the Equity Committee and Coordinator of Equity, make it a priority to be in their plan going forward.
There may be some opposition to the change at the School Board Meeting. To ensure that the School Board Members don’t change their minds, you can send them, and the Superintendent, an email encouraging them to pass the Code of Conduct in its entirety. If you would prefer, you can show up to the School Board Business Meeting and speak during Citizen Input (wear your face mask!). Here are the email addresses for School Board Members and Dr. Moore:
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR IRC OFFICE
Both Al Griffiths, candidate for Florida House Seat 54 running against Erin Grall and Scott Fretwell, candidate for Florida Senate Seat 17 against Debbie Mayfield, now have strong social media presences and are looking for campaign volunteers. You can follow them via their websites, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and correspond to them about volunteer opportunities via their email addresses. Here is their information:
Al Griffiths
https://www.algriffiths4statehouse.com
https://www.facebook.com/YouCanVoteforAl
https://twitter.com/AlGriffiths9
https://www.instagram.com/voteforal/
[email protected]
Scot Fretwell
https://www.fretwellforfl.com/contact-us
https://www.facebook.com/fretwellforfl
https://twitter.com/fretwellforfl
https://www.instagram.com/fretwellforfl/
[email protected]
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY CANDIDATE FORUMS
Tonight, the NAACP will be hosting two candidate forums – County Commission, Districts 3 and 5 & Tax Collector – from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
In the County Commission races, there are 5 candidates running for two seats.
District 3 Seat:
Tim Zorc – Incumbent
Joseph Earman
District 5 Seat:
Bob Autwaerter
Stephen Boyle
Laura Moss
In the Tax Collector race there are 2 candidates running for office:
Carol Jean Jordan, Incumbent
Brenda Bradley
All of these candidates are Republicans. You will vote for these candidates in the August 18 Primary.
Details about tonight’s forum are in the flyer below.
If you are interested in learning more about ALL candidates running for office in Indian River County, click here: https://democratsofindianriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Candidate-Information-Sheet-2020.pdf
BIDEN AND DEMOCRATIC GEAR
We have some Biden gear in our office! Currently we have:
T-shirts $15
Yard signs $10
Bumper stickers (rectangle and oval) $2
Buttons $1
If you would like to pick us some Biden gear from the office, Stacey will be in the office on Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Just knock on the door and she will meet you outside as our office is still closed to visitors.
SEBASTIAN RESIDENTS - If you would like to purchase a Biden yard sign and are unable to get to our office, contact Al Griffiths at 203-537-1762 and he has them for sale in Sebastian.
We also have "I give a Dem" signs available again! The signs are bright blue and feature the Democrats of Indian River County logo. The cost is $6 and includes a wire stand sign for outdoor use. To place an order and arrange pick up, contact Claudia Martino at [email protected]
And don’t forget our cute Democratic Facemasks! Lovingly made by a fellow Democrat, they are being sold for $10. Contact our office if you want one at: [email protected]
DEMOCRATIC HEADQUARTERS UPDATE
As COVID cases are still on the rise in Indian River County, our office will remain closed for visits and in-person meetings. We will continue to undertake essential activities with Operations Coordinator Stacey Klim on Wednesdays and Fridays 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Democrats coming to the office should knock on the door, social distance, wear a facemask, and provide their own hand sanitizer. Thank you as we continue to look after the safety of our fellow Democrats.
COVID-19
Indian River County currently has 1431 cases and 22 deaths. The number of cases is increasing both in our county and in the state at a high rate. Social distance and wear a mask!
To stay up-to-date on the cases of Covid-19 in Indian River County and the State of Florida, click on the link below. Updates are made every day at approximately 11 a.m. EST.
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/96dd742462124fa0b38ddedb9b25e429
Indian River County has created a website dedicated to the Covid-19 virus that contains numerous resources and county information. You can access this information by going to: https://www.ircgov.com/coronavirus.htm
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY COVID-19 TESTING SITES
The Florida Department of Health has issued a Public Health Advisory advising all individuals in Florida to wear face coverings in any setting where social distancing is not possible, with limited exceptions. As a reminder, the Indian River County Board of Commissioners have recently issued an Emergency Order requiring all persons working in restaurants, grocery stores, food service, retail establishments, businesses open to the public, or any other locations visited by the public where social distancing is not possible, to wear face coverings.
The Florida Department of Health in Indian River County continues to provide drive-through testing for COVID-19 at the Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, by appointment only. To request an appointment, please call (772) 794-7411.
The following drive-through COVID-19 testing locations do not require an appointment and may be visited at the designated times:
Indian River County Fairgrounds
7955 58th Ave, Vero Beach
Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30am to 10:00am
Treasure Coast Community Health
12196 County Road 512, Fellsmere
Fridays 2:30-4:30pm
Gifford Health Center
4675 28th Court, Vero Beach
Saturdays 8:30-10:00 am
You may find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, by visiting the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage: FloridaHealthCOVID19.gov. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling (866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].
That’s all folks. Stay healthy!!!
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