THE WATCHDOG

A PUBLICATION OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WEBER COUNTY

FALL, 2007

Marilyn O’Dell, Editor

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!

SEPTEMBER 11, TUESDAY: PRIMARY ELECTION. Vote and make sure your friends and neighbors remember that it’s election day.

SEPTEMBER 22, SATURDAY – 11:30 A.M.—OGDEN NATURE CENTER. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP PICNIC. Bring a dish to share and anyone who is interested in League Membership. Bring your checkbook, too--Evelyn will be collecting dues. The LWVW Board will provide plates, napkins, utensils, etc. Access the picnic grove from the north gate of the Nature Center through the Business Depot. Program: panel discussing local environmental initiatives including a representative from the city of Ogden and a Weber State University student. Call Nicole Okazaki at 475-0662 if you have questions. (Nature Center staff will provide a tour of the new “green” education building after the picnic.)

OCTOBER 1, MONDAY – 7:00 P.M. – SOUTH OGDEN SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER. OGDEN MAYORAL CANDIDATES. Joint meeting with the Weber Women’s Legislative Council to hear candidates’ positions. Guests are welcome.

OCTOBER 15 THROUGH OCTOBERS 25 – UTAH FORT DOUGLAS MOVIE THEATER –Evening. IMMIGRATION FILM FESTIVAL presented by the League of Women Voters of Utah, Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, Center for the New American West, and Salt Lake Film Center. Specific times and titles will be sent to you as soon as information is available.

OCTOBER 16, TUESDAY – 7:00 P.M.—WEBER COUNTY MAIN LIBRARY AUDITORIUM—PANEL DISCUSSION ON SCHOOL VOUCHERS. Legislators Lou Shurtliff, Brad Dee and Allen Christensen and State School Board President Kim Burningham will present both sides of the school voucher issue that we will vote on in November. This is a public meeting and we urge you to invite everyone you know to hear about this controversial issue.

OCTOBER 26 – MORNING: PANEL DISCUSSION ON IMMIGRATION.

AFTERNOON: LEAGUE DISCUSSION OF LWVUS CONSENSUS QUESTIONS.

NOVEMBER 6, TUESDAY: GENERAL ELECTION

SUMMER SOCIAL: Marcia Harris hosted our summer get together at her cool, fire- protected home above Ogden. The slides that we saw showing the work of the Hope Alliance in Peru to bring medical attention including glasses and dental care to people living in remote villages was inspiring and fascinating. This group is made up of WSU students who finance their own travel to South America. Besides hearing an inspiring talk, the desserts, wine and discussion were great, too.

WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY BLOCK PARTY: Pat Garner, Diana Rollins, Lynette Belka and I each took a two hour stint to register voters and publicize the League at the annual WSU outdoor event. In addition to the voter registration we got two membership applications. We were next to the WSU Ballroom Dance Club and across from the Kung Fu Club, both of which gave demonstrations. Anyone have any ideas to produce a more exciting booth? We look pretty dull next to these vibrant young students.

NEW MEMBER NEWS: In addition to WSU Political Science faculty member Adrienne Gillespie and WSU student Elizabeth Brumett who signed up at the Block Party, Evelyn also has applications from Janet Shipton, Bonnie Hansen, and Sandy Vanderplas. A better introduction to our new members will be included in a future Watchdog.

LWVW BOARD NEWS: Our application form has been redesigned. Because the program on water conservation has been postponed to next year, the board would like to have all members fill out an application form at the picnic or soon after so that they can identify issues of interest to members. Diana Rollins has taken over the Weber League web site since Marie Irvine’s time is taken up with other important things. The next board meeting is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, September 12 at 4:00 p.m. at the Weber County library. All members are welcome.

NATIONAL LEAGUE IMMIGRATION STUDY: As you will see from the calendar, the LWVUS Immigration Study is ready for our consensus. The Utah League is providing information opportunities to supplement the information on the national web site. We may want to carpool to Salt Lake to watch the films, and participate in the October 26 events. We may also want to have a local discussion. This issue is certainly important in Weber County. Consensus on this study is due February 1.