Because This Is America!

Weekly News, Updates, and Events

We As Democrats Believe:

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."

 

Martin Luther King

 

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Preregistration Required For Meeting at 6 pm

Today at 6 pm the New Hanover County Democratic Party will vote to elect SEC members to fill at least two vacancies out of our 12 slots. The meeting will occur on Zoom, and preregistration is required. Click here to register.  See Details below. 

A Brand New Day

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn into office as President and Vice President on Wednesday in an event that seemed like dawn breaking after four years of darkness. In an inaugural address pressing hard on the theme of unity, President Biden said, "Through a crucible for the ages America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy."

The inauguration was pared down dramatically from ceremonies in the past because of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the streets of Washington were filled with thousands of National Guard troops where supporters ordinarily would gather. The unprecedented security was put in place in the wake of the January 6 armed assault on the Capitol organized and spurred on by outgoing President Donald Trump in an attempt to block the certification of Biden's election. 

Poet Amanda Gorman said she used the insurrection as a form of inspiration for the poem she read during the inauguration, according to CNN. "I was not surprised at what happened I had seen the signs in the symptoms for awhile. I was not trying to turn a blind eye to that. But what it did, it energized me even more to believe that much more firmly, in a message of hope, ingenuity and healing. I thought that was the type of poem that I need to write, it is the type of poem that the country and the world needed to hear." 

Biden Hits the Ground Running

In Joe Biden's first days in office he signed 30 executive actions designed to begin undoing some of the damage caused by four years of mismanagement, divisiveness, corruption, dishonesty, self-dealing and incompetence that characterized the Donald Trump administration. Top on his action list has been dealing with the health and economic disaster of the COVID-19 pandemic that Trump made worse through inaction and misinformation. 

According to CNN, the orders include halting funding for the construction of Trump's border wall, reversing Trump's travel ban targeting largely Muslim countries, imposing a mask mandate on federal property, ramping up vaccination supplies and requiring international travelers to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test prior to traveling to the US. For the full CNN story on Biden's executive orders click here.

COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments Opening for Those over 65

The New Hanover County Health Department issued a release Friday saying that COVID-19 cases are continuing to mount as vaccine doses are starting to be scheduled for people over 65 years old. The department last week received notifications of 10 new COVID deaths, all people over 80, bringing the county death toll to 112.  Public Health Assistant Director Carla Turner, RN, MSHCA, said she is concerned that 100 new cases a day are being reported here.  “We have several more months left before enough people are vaccinated and we can begin to relax our precautions – so please continue to wear your mask and avoid gathering,” she said. See the full press release here.

On the vaccination front, Health and Human Services Director Donna Fayko said vaccines are in high demand and shots are being delivered as fast as the state can supply vaccines. New Hanover Regional Medical Center and Wilmington Health are partnering with the health department to get shots into arms.  “We will get to everyone who wants a vaccine – but it is going to take time,.” she said. 

Vaccinations appointments are starting to become available, but slots fill up quickly. To attempt to schedule an appointment, the health department directs patients to NHRMC and Wilmington Health. 

NHRMC: Vaccinations can be scheduled at nhrmc.org/coronavirus or by calling (910) 662-2020 when appointments are available. NHRMC now has an email list available for anyone to sign up to receive notifications when COVID-19 vaccine appointments are available. The link to sign up can be found here.

Wilmington Health: Vaccinations can be scheduled at WilmingtonHealth.com/COVIDvaccine or by calling (910) 407-5115 when appointments are available.

 

If you are under 65 you are be eligible to receive a vaccine now under an overlooked provision of the North Carolina plan if you are a "home caregiver to a medically fragile child or adult."  Click here for details.

Volunteers Sought for 2021 New Hanover Precinct Meetings

2021 Annual Precinct Meetings are to be scheduled in the two week period between March 6 and March 20.  We have been advised by NCDP that we are to make our own plans on how to conduct these meetings considering the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our planning team recommends either a Zoom meeting or a masked and socially distanced outdoor meeting.  We realize most precinct leaders will require assistance in conducting a Zoom meeting and are working on plans to help.  We are looking for volunteers:


Zoom “experts” who can schedule multiple meetings on their paid Zoom accounts and who can run the technical aspect of the meeting.

Zoom “helpers” to assist the Chair during Zoom meeting.

Helpers to assist precinct chairs in making meeting notification phone calls to precinct members.

Publicity volunteers who can place NHCDP precinct meeting announcements in media outlets


Please email Susanne Werner (2nd Vice-chair), [email protected], using 2021 Precinct Meetings Volunteer in the subject line.

 

EVENTS


 

NHCDP Monthly Meeting -- January 25th

 

When: Monday, January 25th, 6:00 p.m.

Where: Zoom (Register in advance): [link removed]

 

At this meeting, the NHCDP will vote to fill at least two of our twelve slots on the State Executive Committee (SEC). All Democrats are welcome to attend and to run for SEC, but only County Executive Committee (CEC) Members have a vote under the Plan of Organization. CEC members include Precinct Chairs, Precinct Vice Chairs, County Officers, Chairs of Organized Auxiliaries and elected officials.  We will accept nominations from the floor.  These SEC members will be able to vote for the Officers of the North Carolina Democratic Party for 2021-2023 at the Winter SEC Meeting on February 27th. The new SEC members elected at this meeting will probably attend only the February meeting before new SEC members are elected at the County Convention in April.

 

It is especially important for Precinct Chairs and Vice Chairs, and other officers to attend, since we need 40 percent of eligible CEC voters to attend to constitute a quorum. If you can't attend, please try to appoint a proxy from your precinct. You can appoint a proxy by sending an email to Jim Fleagle and Richard Poole before the meeting starts. Click here to send an email to Jim and Richard.

 

Also we need to discuss Precinct Organization meetings which will happen primarily on Zoom from March 6 to March 20th.



 

Meet Bobbie Richardson, Candidate for NCDP Chair -- February 1st




 

When: Monday, February 1st, 6:00 p.m.

Where: Zoom: [link removed] 

 

Bobbie Richardson has been serving as First Vice Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, and with the Resignation of Wayne Goodwin as NCDP Chair, she is now running to replace him. Bobbie is a former member of the NC House of Representatives who represented parts of Franklin and Nash Counties from  2013 to 2018. Prior to that, she had a 35 year career as an educator in North Carolina public schools, and holds undergraduate and Masters degrees from NC Central University and a PhD from Chapel Hill.


 


Precinct Organization Training -- February 3rd

 

When: Wednesday February 3rd, 6:30 pm

Where: Zoom. Details TBD.

 

The 2021 Annual Precinct Meetings are going to look very different than in previous years because of Covid-19.  We are encouraging everyone to hold their meetings remotely, which means the whole process, including the meeting report, will also be different.


Susanne Werner will hold a training by Zoom for precinct officers and organizers on Wednesday, February 3 at 6:30pm.  As soon as the NCDP precinct meeting packet is available, we will be sending it electronically (instead of in printed form) to meeting organizers along with lists of former meeting attendees, active members, and 2020 volunteers. 

Precinct Organization Meetings should be scheduled between March 6th and March 20th.  The meeting options are:

·       In person (not recommended due to Covid risk)

·       Zoom

·       Zoom Cluster

·       Conference Call

If you have questions, contact Susanne Werner, 2nd Vice Chair, [email protected], (910) 409-5509.



Winter Meeting of State Executive Committee -- February 27th

 

When: Saturday, February 27th

Where: Zoom. Details TBD.

 

Among other things, this meeting will select the slate of NCDP Officers for the next two years. If you are interested in serving, tell any of the present NHCDP Officers.

 


Precinct Organization Meetings -- March 6th - March 20th

 

When: March 6th - March 20th

Where: TBD by Precinct Organizers. Some on Zoom

 

These organizational meetings are critical to our effectiveness going forward to 2022 and 2024.

 


Upcoming Democratic Events To Note On Your Calendar

 

2021 County Convention Meeting – Saturday, April 10th

2021 (Makeup Date) County Convention Meeting – Saturday, April 17th

2021 Congressional District Convention Meeting – Saturday, May 22nd

2021 Summer SEC Meeting – Saturday, August 7th

 

 

Best,

Richard Poole, Chair

News Content by James Cummings

 

If you have any announcements, comments, questions or concerns regarding this email series, please contact the Editor here.


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| Paid for by the New Hanover County Democratic Party |
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Mailing Address: 

NHCDP

PO Box 3446

Wilmington, NC 28412

 

Office Address:

5041 New Centre Drive

Wilmington, NC 28403

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