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2023 Theme - National Women's History Alliance

MARCH is WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

CALENDAR

Friday March 3, 2023

Taxpayer’s Association lunch at 11:30 a.m. The speaker will be Carole Jean Jordan, Indian River Tax Collector. Vero Beach Yacht Club. Lunch is $25 paid in advance on their website.

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

9:00 a.m. – Vero Beach City Council. Council Chambers, City Hall, 1053 20^th Place, Vero Beach 32960 : For agenda and meeting information go to
[link removed] You can watch here: [link removed]


[link removed]

6:00 p.m. - Sebastian Natural Resources Board. For agenda and meeting information go to

[link removed] ([link removed])

Wednesday, March 8, 2023


[link removed] ([link removed])


** SAVE THE DATE:

Sunday, March 19, 2023

3:00 p.m. - Women's History Month celebration with Ami Brabson's Phenomenal Women, a one-woman show at the Gifford Historical Museum and Community Center, 2880 45th Street, Gifford, FL 32967. Proceeds support the American Association of University Women (AAUW Vero Beach) scholarship fund. TICKETS: aauwverobeach.org .
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www.giffordhistoricalmuseum.org ([link removed])
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) 772-985-7573



Democrats of Indian River

Democratic Women's Club

Saturday March 11, 2023

The DWC Luncheon at 11:30am at the Bent Pine Clubhouse. Kristin Azari of Moms Demand Action will speak on
Gun Violence and Gun Control. Please RSVP to Julie Barone with your meal choice at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or (718) 916-0682. Choose: Tuna Salad Stuffed Avocado, Plantain Crusted Chicken Breast or Vegetarian Plate.
Non members may attend as a guest.

Friday, March 24, 2023

The DWC Book Group will meet 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Brackett Library on the IRSC Mueller campus and discuss “I, Eliza Hamilton” by author Susan Holloway Scott

Democratic Club

SAVE THE DATE

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Democratic Club monthly meeting at 6:00 p.m. at the Irish American Club. Annual Board election will be held, and we still need another officer to fill our slate of candidates. Contact Clay Wild at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or Claudia Martino at [email protected] ([link removed]) .

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NOTICE: Democrats of Indian River Office is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. You can always reach us at (772) 226-5267 and at [email protected]

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Paper version of our weekly newsletter is now available in the office and in all Indian River County public libraries.
Proud Democrats Merchandise

Artisan Glass Plates $12 (small) $15 (large)
Artisan Glass Pendants $12
T-Shirts $20
Tank Tops $15
Hat $12
Mug $10
Dog Bandana $5
Stainless Bottle $15

Available in the Democrats' office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Removing Clemente book from school absurd


I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, rooting for the Brooklyn Dodgers. They used to do spring training in Vero Beach.

New York ruled baseball back in the 1950s and early 1960s (Yankees, Giants, Dodgers). Everyone knew Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates was one of the very best baseball players of all time.

So now, a book about the late great Clemente has been removed from libraries in some Florida public schools.

Clearly, this is absurd.

All Floridians should call out this idiocy.

Wake up, Florida!

Richard Sheehan, Vero Beach


Governing by special session wasteful, unnecessary, harmful.


Gov. Ron DeSantis calls multiple special sessions, costing Florida taxpayers about $100,000 a day, and many ask why. It would make sense to get the work done during a regular legislative session, and be far less expensive.

However, it’s a way to quickly pass legislation that may be unpopular or self-serving, leaving little time to consider or hear opposing viewpoints. Voters have given DeSantis a Republican supermajority that will do — so far — anything he says.

Special rules apply to special sessions. Time frames for notices of bills are reduced to hours, the number of committee hearings for bills is reduced to one, etc.

Passing bills faster with fewer hearings in committee makes it easier to turn a bad bill into a bad law.

This governor may have won his 2022 election decisively. However, according to some recent polls, fewer than 30% of Floridians actually approve of his draconian reforms to education, voting rights and reproductive rights. Few voters want to see intimidation tactics at the polls, and even fewer support banning books from public and school libraries.

Other examples: Parents do not want their students denied access to Advanced Placement credits. No one wants research grants declined, or to lose access to federal financial aid because of DeSantis' cultural wars on academia. After decades of improving the reputations and performance of Florida's institutions of higher learning, this governor's “War on Woke” is likely to cost them their accreditation.

These losses are too high a price to pay for a few headlines and "gotcha' moments in DeSantis’ quest to live in the White House.

Felicia Bruce, Fort Pierce


Rick Scott's decision-making questionable

Watch out whenever and for whatever reason, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott proposes an action.

As a resident of Florida since 1990, I have seen the damage Scott did when governor.

Two examples: He declined a significant sum of money from the federal government to support construction of a high-speed train service in the right-of-way of the Florida toll road in the center of the state, where it belonged. The result is all of the coastal cities are now trying to cope with the imposition of such a high-speed system on top of existing rail systems along the coast.

Another example of Scott interference: He, as Florida governor, declined significant federal support for Medicaid. Most states accepted. The result is people who need Medicaid have difficulty paying for it.

So, again, if Scott recommends anything, hang onto your wallets.

Earle Kirkbride, Vero Beach

To submit your letters to the Editor, go to:

** [link removed] ([link removed])

LOCAL



Desantis Targets SDIRC School Board

More than 100 people attended an Indian River County school board meeting on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, in Vero Beach, to support or speak during public comment on a range of issues concerning the school district.

Public education is under attack, particularly here, and the community must rally to support those in the crosshairs, local NAACP members and others told the School Board Monday.

"I come to you sad, dismayed and conflicted," Indian River County NAACP President Anthony Brown said. "I refuse to be angry. I will not allow stupidity, ignorance, arrogance and racism to control me."

Indian River County, specifically, is under attack, Brown said, referring to Gov. Ron DeSantis targeting 14 school board members around the state who are up for election in 2024. They need to be ousted, DeSantis said, because they failed to protect parents' rights and did not shield students from "woke" ideologies.

** Gov. Ron DeSantis targets more Florida school board seats for 2024. Here's a list of counties and names ([link removed])

** DeSantis aiming to unseat Indian River, St. Lucie school board members for 'woke' ideologies ([link removed])

Local board members Peggy Jones and Brian Barefoot are on the governor's hit list as is St. Lucie County School Board member Jack Kelly.

Answering the call

More than 100 people answered Brown's call to turn out for Monday's School Board meeting. Last week, following release of DeSantis' list, he urged NAACP members, pastors, civic organizations and other residents to support Jones and Barefoot by attending the board meeting.

"We must turn out to show support for those who fight and support our children and us. We must, at this moment, stand up and get involved," Brown said in his call to action. "We can no longer be complicit in our apathy and absence."

Brown questioned why other Indian River board members had not openly defended Jones and Barefoot.

"I must ask, is it political fear, ideology or simply self-survival," Brown said. "Today it is Dr. Jones and Mr. Barefoot. But don't close your eyes. Tomorrow it may be you."

The recent attacks on education appear to be racially motivated or have racial undertones, Brown said.

"Are you truly here to serve my children?" Brown asked the board.

The schools should be teaching children racial history, particularly issues surrounding desegregation and racism, said resident Edward Holmes.

"We have a generation who will never understand the plight of people who have been suffering, who have seen this firsthand," Holmes said. "My children will never know what we went through, but they can learn."

Not every speaker over nearly two hours of public input supported Jones and Barefoot.


For their part, board members thanked the community for its support. Jennifer Pippin, chair of Indian River Moms for Liberty said that board members' voting records were sen to the governor. Desantis joined them in endorsing conservative school board candidates in 2022 elections.

"Our public education is under attack," Barefoot said, adding the attacks are deteriorating the public education system and hurting children. "(Children) are being robbed of the same opportunities I was given because it's become so polarized,"

Colleen Wixon, TCPalm


STATE

A crowd of more than 100 people packed into the Indian River County school board meeting Monday night, the first meeting after ** two board members were targeted by Gov. Ron DeSantis to be challenged in their next election ([link removed])
.

The Florida Republican party tweeted last week a list of 14 school board members from around the state that DeSantis wants to see defeated in the 2024 election. Two Indian River school board members, Dr. Peggy Jones and Brian Barefoot, were both on that list.

On Monday night, every seat in the meeting was taken and people lined the walls as people on both sides of this issue came out to express their support or opposition for the board members.

“I would like to stand in solidarity with our school board members,” said one man during the public comment portion of the meeting.

“Now the district has to answer the legal challenges,” said a woman expressing her opposition to the two board members.

Overall, the meeting's public comment period lasted more than two hours as both sides went back and forth.

“It’s unconscionable that you should have to suffer these attacks from the governor and others,” one speaker said.

“You’re not doing your job,” Jennifer Pippin said during her turn. Pippen is the local chairman of a group called Moms for Liberty and has been one of the more outspoken opponents of Jones and Barefoot. Pipped said the governor has targeted these two school board members because they haven’t followed Florida law, specifically by opposing the governor with a mask mandate during the pandemic and by allowing certain books on school library shelves. “We have to pay attention to this because we need better people in these seats come 2024,” Pippin said.

Jones, though, defended her actions. She said all the books went through a review process and the mask mandate followed federal health guidelines to protect children and staff. “I love this community. I love this district,” Jones said. “Every decision I make is for all students and all community members.” Jones told WPBF 25 News she plans to run for reelection in 2024.

The governor’s office has not commented on the list.

Ari Hait
** WPBF 25 News ([link removed])

FEDERAL

Anti-Abortion Laws Put Mother and Baby at Risk



At her 13-week prenatal appointment, Lauren Miller's doctors referred to one of her twin fetuses as "Baby B" and explained it was farther away from her cervix, measured much smaller than the other twin and two fluid-filled masses – called cystic hygromas – were in its head.

Blood tests showed "It's so much worse than I imagined," she wrote in her journal. "It's trisomy 18. It's Edwards Syndrome." Online, she read that about 90% of fetuses with trisomy 18 die before birth, and those that do survive usually only live for a few days.

A genetic counselor called her. "It just gets worse," she wrote after that conversation. "Basically, every day that Baby B continues to develop, he puts myself and his twin at greater risk for complications, preterm birth, etc. But she can't say much – she was careful about what she even said."

All that the genetic counselor told her was that when she practiced in New York, doctors would do a "single fetal reduction," though she didn't explain what that procedure was, only that "you can't do that in Texas now."

Miller knew why the genetic counselor was being so cryptic. Selective reduction is an abortion procedure for pregnancies with multiple fetuses. Doctors can selectively terminate one fetus, while another or multiple other fetuses continue to develop. Multiple pregnancies are inherently risky, and selective reduction can increase the chance of a live birth or births.

But now, almost all abortions are illegal in Texas.

In fact, there are three laws banning abortion in the state. One predated Roe v. Wade, dating back ** as far as 1857 ([link removed])
. Another was ** triggered ([link removed])
when Roe was overturned and comes with a maximum penalty of life in prison for performing an abortion in the state. Then there's ** SB-8 ([link removed])
, that allows people to bring civil charges for "aiding or abetting" a Texas abortion.

Miller says she felt the laws were preventing her doctor and the genetic counselor from telling her all her options in a straightforward way. "Nowadays, with the way we got this bounty hunter system in Texas, doctors are going to err on the side of caution," she says.

She wrote in her journal: "So now we have to scramble – I don't even know what we're doing, but we have to make plans. And I just feel blind and confused and scared and I hate all of this."

14 weeks: "You can't do anything in Texas"

The following day, Miller was able to get in to see another OB-GYN who specializes in high-risk pregnancies for a test to confirm the trisomy 18 diagnosis.

There, she had another ultrasound. Baby A looked fine, but the scan of Baby B was "heartbreaking," she says. There were more concerning signs: an incomplete abdominal wall, indications of heart abnormalities, and the cystic hygromas had grown larger. The doctor had trouble getting the tissue sample for the diagnostic test. After multiple attempts, Miller recalls, he threw his gloves in the trash.

"He was very blunt, which was kind of refreshing, [saying], 'Look, this baby is not going to make it to birth,'" Miller says.

Then, she remembers him saying: "You can't do anything in Texas, and I can't tell you anything further in Texas, but you need to get out of state."

"We knew Baby B was not viable, and so we needed to look at what to do to protect his twin and myself," Miller says. "And we knew we needed to act fast just because of how sick I was."

Plans came together quickly. A friend connected her with a doctor in Colorado. She made an appointment for the following week, in early October. She and Jason arranged to have their son stay with family, booked a flight and a hotel, and got ready.

"It was so weird packing, kind of like this secret mission," she says. "Which was so surreal. I'm from Texas – I'm an 8th generation Texan – and to be feeling like I need to escape the state was just a bizarre sensation." Lauren and Jason Miller flew to Colorado the night before their appointment. It was on Tuesday, Oct. 4, one week after the doctor in Texas had told her to leave the state. She was 15 weeks pregnant.

"They did the ultrasound – we saw him one last time, took one last photo of the twins together so that we would have that," Miller remembers. "It was a single needle. They injected it directly [into Baby B] and then they were done.

That was it – the whole thing took a few minutes. There's no removal process in a case like hers, where one twin is healthy – both fetuses stay in her uterus for the rest of her pregnancy. One grows, and one doesn't.

"As soon as they left, I was sobbing," she says. "It was just so many emotions. This was very much a wanted pregnancy. That was, I think, the first time that we were really confronted fully with the loss."

The next day, she and Jason were back in Texas. She felt physically better right away – no more morning sickness – and relieved that she had acted to safeguard her pregnancy with the healthy twin and there were no more decisions to be made.

After she returned home, Miller says, her fear of about the abortion laws in Texas lingered. At her next prenatal appointment, as she got her ultrasound and it was clear that Baby B's heart had stopped, she wondered — could the ultrasound tech report her?

"You don't know where anybody stands, so it feels like we're all kind of talking in code," Miller says. "I'm pretty sure they knew we'd gone out of state for an abortion. We knew we'd gone out of state for an abortion – nobody's saying that. Everybody's dancing around it: 'Well, it appears that Baby B has passed.'"

It's been nearly five months since Lauren Miller traveled from Texas to Colorado for her abortion. She's been processing all of it at home in Dallas, in between taking care of her one-year-old and getting ready for the new baby.

"Honestly, overall, I've been so overwhelmed by just anger at how much additional stress we've had to go through," she says. There were also additional costs. She estimates it cost more than $3,000 for her to travel to Colorado for the abortion – she's acutely aware that most people can't drop that much money on short notice.

Miller says offsetting her anger is relief she was able to get the abortion, that she is healthy, and that she only lost one of her twins. "I'm still pregnant – I'm still coming out of this with a baby."

Diane Webber, Meredith Rizzo and Elena Burnett
NPR

VIDEO of the WEEK

SDIRC School Board meeting Monday, February 27. Great meeting!

[link removed]




Office Hours

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
10am to 3pm

2345 14^th Ave. Suite 7
Vero Beach 32960

(772) 226-5267

[email protected]


STAY SAFE OUT THERE!


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