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PRESIDENT'S JULY MESSAGE
Club Meetings
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Guest speaker: Rita Denney, Sussex Pregnancy Center – 2023 Projects with volunteer opportunities
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Bake sale to benefit Scholarship Fund
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Lunch Cost: $30 per person
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Menu will be assorted wraps, homemade soup, fresh seasonal salad, and dessert.
Wednesday, December 14th
save the date!
Mulligan's Pointe
22426 Sussex Pines Rd, Georgetown, DE 19947
Arrival and Check-in
10:45 AM
Gavel
11:30 AM
Lunch
12 noon
Please bring your baked good donations to this meeting
Reserve by noon on December 9, 2022
Email Kristine Kessler at
If reservations are not canceled 48 hours prior to the dinner, you will be responsible for payment.
PRIOR MEETINGS.......
NOVEMBER Meeting Highlights
Carole Andrejko, Membership Chairperson, introduces a new member Lucy Wilcox.
Marilyn Booker, SCRWC President, and Ellie, our new club mascot.
Salute to Our Veterans
At our November meeting we welcomed Teresa Ziegler Townsend and Robin Airey, who are the location co-coordinators for Wreaths Across America at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro. This organization works to remember and honor our veterans. Upcoming events are: National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday,December 17, 2022 at 10:30 am at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro. Wreaths Across America Truck Escort – Friday December 16, 2020, 9:00 AM at Perdue Stadium, 6400 Hobbs Road, Salisbury, MD in the parking L lot. ARRIVE EARLY! They will be grateful for anyone who can stay and help unload the truck. If you cannot participate in the escort, just go to the cemetery around 9:30 to watch the escort come down The Avenue of Honor and Patriots Way and help unload. Wreath Retirement Ceremony on Tuesday, January 17th, 2023 at 10:30. Visit their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WAAHQ) for additional information and any last minute updated, changes or important messages regarding these events.
Josh Matticks, Executive Director of the Delaware Office of Veteran Services, was our additional speaker. He answered a broad range of questions ranging from logistics of the veterans’ cemetery to various services of available to veterans by the OVS. He generated a very lively discussion.
OCTOBER Meeting Highlights
Carole Andrejko, Membership Committee Chairwoman, welcomed the SCRWC's newest members, (L-R): Michele Forzley and Ellen Magee. Magee currently services as Sussex County Register of Wills. Forzley, for her part, has agreed to become the new SCRWC Legislative Committee Chairwoman. She has some big plans for our 2023 legislative session, so stay tuned…!
Dallas Wingate, candidate for State Representative District 20, thanks the Club and all its members for their generous support during his campaign.
Cathy Watts, past DFRW President, shares details about the upcoming DFRW (Delaware Federation of Republican Women) Annual Convention, taking place on 11/19/22. The DFRW will also be celebrating its 70th Anniversary this year with a Gala dinner on 11/18/22. See full details above.
New member Renee Lozano has wasted no time getting active with our Club. She will be managing our Delaware Food Bank Outreach program.
Our October meeting’s guest speaker was Ashley MacLeay, National Committeewoman to the RNC in Washington, DC. She also serves as the External Relations Director of the Independent Women’s Forum and holds a degree in Election Law. She has focused on voter integrity for years and was recently named co-chair of the Election Integrity Committee for the Republican National Committee. Interesting facts she shared:
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The cost of current inflation to each household in America is $800 a month.
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There are currently 73 cases in 21 states alleging voter fraud.
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Washington DC has recently passed a non-citizen voting law, enabling non-citizens to vote on local issues.
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There are bus-loads of illegal immigrants arriving in DC each day.
SEPTEMBER Meeting Highlights
The SCRWC Celebrated its 70th Anniversary on Sept 28th!
Tributes presented to SCRWC from both houses of the General Assembly
Senator Brian Pettyjohn, 19th District, presents tribute to the SCRWC on behalf of the full Delaware Senate. From L-R: SCRWC Board members Kris Kessler (Asst. Treasurer), Pam Procaccini (New treasurer), Sherry Long (Communications), Cathy Watts (past president), Adrieienne Ponzini (Second VP), Carole Andrejko (First VP) and Marilyn Booker (President).
Three representatives from the Delaware House present a tribute to the SCRWC on behalf of the full House of Representatives in Delaware. From L-R: Representative Ron Gray, 38th District; Representative Ruth Briggs King, 37th District; SCRWC President Marilyn Booker and Representative Rich Collins, 41st District.
Special Musical Guest - Greg Fuller, Sussex County Register of Wills Candidate
Greg Fuller, 2022 candidate for Register of Wills, was a highlight of our evening. His rendition of “God’s Way” filled us all with emotion.
Wine Baskets and Memories
Wine baskets for raffle (—red and white wine options!). A special thank you to Bob and Priscilla Clark for assembling the baskets and selling tickets.
Amazing display of Sussex County Republican Women's Club memorabilia going back 70 years to its founding 1952.
A Huge Thank You to Anniversary Planning Committee for a Memorable Evening
Our Anniversary planning committee: (L-R) Natalie Popham, Liz Messick, Nancy Burdette, Eileen Nixon, Jane Thompson (Chair), Gail White and Cathy Watts.
New SCRWC Members
Our membership continues to grow. New members, L-R: Renee Lozano, Gail Merz and Jane Carroll
SCRWC Donations to Candidates —
The Delaware GOP has a total of twenty-four candidates on the full 2022 slate; fourteen of these were present at the Gala and received donations in person. They were:
Lee Murphy, candidate for U.S. House
Greg Coverdale, candidate for State Treasurer
Janice Lorrah, candidate for State Auditor
Bryant Richardson, candidate for State Senate, District 21
Dallas Wingate, candidate for House District 20
Jeff Hilovsky, candidate for House
District 4
Carl Phelps, candidate for House
District 14
Ruth Briggs King, candidate House for District 37
Ron Gray, candidate for House District 38
Rich Collins, candidate for House District 41
Doug Hudson, candidate for County Council District 4
John Rieley, candidate for County Council District 5
Alexandra Reed Baker, candidate for Recorder of Deeds
Robert Lee, candidate for reelection to office of Sheriff
JUNE Meeting Highlights
Sherry Long Given Flags for Heroes Award
At our June meeting, Sherry Long (center) was honored with Flags for Heroes 2022 Award presented by Gale White (left) and Jane Thompson (right).
Two Sussex County Seniors Receive SCRWC
Lillian Martin Memorial 2022 Scholarships
Mikayla Beth Dayton from Sussex Academy High School Awarded $2,500.
Mikayla will attend Virginia Wesleyan University in September 2022.
Mikayla, for the last two weeks has been in Alamba preparing to represent Delaware at the 65th Annual Distinguished Young Women National Finals from June 23rd - 25th at the Mobile Civic Center Theater. Mikayla is honored to be awarded the Lillian Martin Memorial 2022 Scholarship and is disappointed she will not be able to thank everyone personally at our June 22nd Sussex County Republican Women's Club, Inc. dinner.
Kendall Angel Coleman Awarded $1,500.
Kendall will attend James Madison University in September 2022.
Kendall is in Port Charles right now on a deserved vacation with her family. Kendall is very honored to receive our scholarship of $1,500 and is disappointed she cannot thank the women of the Sussex County Republican Women's Club, in person. Kendall will be able to use the Scholarship Award towards her education at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she will be majoring in Computer Science. Spending more time towards her studies and involvement at JMU school marching band and worry less about future college debt.
JUNE Meeting Guest Speakers
Carl J Phelps
Candidate for Representative District 14
Douglas B Hudson
Candidate for Re-election for
County Council District 4
Candidate Carl Phelps wants to represents our needs to the State, with his main goal to be “Unseat Pete”! Phelps is a retired Captain from the U.S Army Special Forces after over 25 years of military service. Following his service career, he worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for over 15 years, ending with over 41 years of service to the country and to our Veterans. During his career he attended college when possible, culminating in a Bachelor in Science degree from Excelsior College (2002) and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix (2004). Mr. Phelps is looking to provide greater support to Sussex area small businesses, among other things. He will be running against Democrat Pete Schwarzkopf as representative of district 14. While he is originally from Indiana, his service career has taken him around the world into many countries to teach emergency medicine in areas where there was no doctor, along with flying in and out as a helicopter pilot. He also interned at the R. Adams Crowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore, where eventually moved after meeting his wife, Esther. They have been married for over 20 years, between them have raised 5 young men. After retirement Phelps started his next career of service at the Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company as a Fire Fighter and EMT while he worked for the VA in the electronic health record program full time as a Program Manager. Due to his love for the ocean, and the fact that he no longer had to commute to Washington DC for work, he and his wife moved to Lewes in 2014, where he immediately joined the Lewes Volunteer Fire Company, of which he is still a member. To keep himself busy when not working full time, he officiates softball and serves as the treasurer of the Delmarva Football Officials Association, where you will find him most fall afternoons on the football field. Phelps is looking forward to continuing his service by representing the constituents of RD 14. He sees this as an opportunity of working with all the members of the community, whether a business owner or homeowner, a life-long member of the area or a recent transplant, he feels we must all work together and find areas of commonality in order make RD 14 the leading district in the state, not just a district in lower Delaware.
Doug Hudson spoke on how property reassessment in our County will proceed and is very proud of his current support of public safely programs and land preservation for open spaces in Sussex. Douglas B. Hudson serves as the 4th district councilman on Sussex County Council, representing southeastern Sussex County communities, including the Bethany Beach, Dagsboro, Fenwick Island, Frankford, Long Neck, Millville, Oak Orchard, Ocean View, Selbyville, and South Bethany areas. Mr. Hudson, a lifelong resident of Sussex County who grew up in Bethany Beach, has had public service in his veins since his teens. When he was just 16 years old, he joined the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company, working in every capacity up to and including chief. From the fire lines to the thin blue line, he shifted into a law enforcement career in 1981, first as a seasonal officer with the Bethany Beach Police Department, and then achieving his lifelong goal of becoming a Delaware State Police trooper, which yielded a successful 27-year-long career. Among accomplishments during his first term that he’s most proud of is working on land preservation. “I haven’t been afraid to say no to development. There are pieces of land we are looking at right now in the Piney Neck area for preservation of land and for open space. We have so many animals and wildlife that need those forests to survive,” he said. Beyond his career, which has included home building and working as a real estate agent along the way, Mr. Hudson has found time to serve his community, as a coach and board member with local Little League, and most recently as a member of the Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission, which preceded his election to County Council in 2018. Mr. Hudson and his wife, Dr. LouAnn Hudson, live near Dagsboro and are parents to an adult son. Hudson is running for re-election to County Council District 4.
As candidate for a Representative of the 4th District, Dr. Hilovsky feels it is time to change direction of our State and stressed it is “Time to Act and Time to Do!” Dr. Hilovsky is a retired optometrist, Air Force Reserves Colonel, and businessman who is currently running for Representative District 4. In December of 2021 Hilovsky retired his optometrist practice, which he held for 38 yrs. During this time, he owned four office locations employing seven doctors and over 25 staff members. Dr. Hilovsky served as a consultant and regional medical director and network administrator for the largest independent eye doctor network in US for 22 years. Dr. Hilovsky has five main priorities, should he be elected to office: 1. We need to strengthen public service, safety hire police and place them effectively; and we need to enforce the law. 2. We need to support fire, EMS personnel is critical. Especially as our Sussex County population continues to grow, we're going to need more fire, more police, more EMS personnel to support the population. 3. Economic growth and job creation. We're not competitive in the marketplace. We need to bring manufacturing back to Delaware. 4. Improve education: Delaware currently ranks in lowest one-third of all states in education testing. A few short years ago we were in the top 15%. We need to study and improve education, especially now that we're in a global marketplace. 5. Enhance our energy resources while sustaining the environment. We need to work with scientists to make sure the environment is thriving while simultaneously strengthening the energy grid. We can harness needed energy while being kind and respectful to our environment, the two are not mutually exclusive. Here are some other highlights from his noteworthy career: * Served as US Air Force Reserves Colonel and Medical Commander for the 512th AW at Dover, DE, now retired * Originated, wrote, and implemented Leadership is a Lifestyle curriculum he VOLUNTEER teaches in 3 local high schools * Served as Adjunct Clinical Professor for University of Missouri * College of Optometry and Salus University College of Optometry * Served 2 terms as President, Delaware State Board of Optometry * Served as President, Delaware Optometric Association * Currently serves on the Easter Seals Sussex County Advisory Board for 23 years * Raised $5000 for LIONS Vision research Foundation at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center during COVID by riding his bicycle the length of the Erie Canal Towpath in NY * Raised over $700 for the Lord Baltimore LIONS Club Scholarship Program by riding his bicycle across the state of Michigan: Lake Michigan to Lake Huron * Led a Mission team to WV, to work at a home for boys with a troubled home life, and has been a part of another team serving at the same location for 4 yrs * Published 5 clinical related papers in scientific journals Hilovsky has been married to his wife Marcia for 42 years, and the two have three grown children, two daughters in law, one son in law. They also have three grandchildren—Natalie, Jaxon, Chloe— with 2 more on the way.
Dr. Jeff Hilovsky
Candidate for Representative District 4
Bradley Layfield
Candidate for Representative District 4
Bradley Layfield comes from a family dedicated to public service and currently is the principal of Sussex Central High School. He wants to work with parents and feels that schools should teach children “how to think, not what to think!” A proud product of the Indian River School District, Bradley Layfield graduated from Sussex Central High School in 1998. He later received his Bachelor’s Degree from The University of Delaware and became a social studies teacher at his alma mater in 2001. After receiving his Doctorate in Education from the University of Delaware, Bradley has served as the Principal of Sussex Central High School since 2014. Bradley has a passion for public service. He has served as the Chairman of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association, chaired the Sussex County Board of Adjustments & Appeals, the Vestry of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and has been active in his community for his entire life. Bradley is open and accessible and prides himself as being a resource to others. He cares deeply about the communities he serves, especially focusing on the Indian River and Inland Bays where he has grown up fishing, hunting, crabbing & boating since he was a young boy. Bradley vows to make informed decisions based on conservative principles. Bradley is no stranger to making tough decisions and our residents deserve no less! Quite simply, Bradley will work to ensure safe communities by supporting our police, bring use his vast experience to improve our students’ education, his passion for the outdoors to improve waterways, and his common sense conservatism to uphold the Constitution & individual rights.
Robert T. Lee
Candidate for Re-election for Sussex County Sheriff
Ellen Magee
Sussex County’s Register of Wills
Bob Lee seeks re-election for the office of County Sheriff, a position he has held since 2016. He responded to questions with his views on campaign signs currently displayed on private vs public properties. Robert T. Lee is Sussex County’s Sheriff, responsible for overseeing a county office that fulfills an important role in carrying out the orders of the State court system, as well as conducting sales of property for non-payment of taxes and foreclosure. Mr. Lee is running for re-election to this post. First elected in 2014, Sheriff Lee brings more than 35 years of law enforcement and investigative experience to the office. A native of Cadis, Pa., where he grew up on his family’s dairy farm, Sheriff Lee began his career with the Metro Transit Police in Washington, DC, before moving to Delaware in 1977 to take a position with the Seaford Police Department. He would go on to serve the City’s police force in a variety of positions for the next 25 years, including patrol, special operations, criminal investigations, and as part of Seaford’s first motorcycle unit. He retired as a detective/sergeant in 2002, then transitioned into a new role as a state detective for Sussex County in the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, working on special task forces, as well as extraditing fugitives back to Delaware, before retiring in 2012. A graduate of American University in Washington, DC, Sheriff Lee has received extensive training over the years, including through the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and the Delaware State Police Academy. Now in semi-retirement, Sheriff Lee spends his days farming, raising pheasants and bobwhite quail for area sportsmen, and growing some 40 acres of specialty corn for deer hunters. A resident of the Seaford, Del., area, Sheriff Lee and his wife, Lori, have six adult children between them. He remains active in the community coaching sports, serving in advisory roles for local school and youth programs, and in his spare time he enjoys restoring antique John Deere equipment.
As the Register of Wills since 2021, Ellen Magee promises, if elected, to continue the momentum she had created in this office and provide the best possible service to residents of the county. Ellen M. Magee of Williamsville is Sussex County’s Register of Wills, appointed by Delaware Gov. John C. Carney in January 2021 to fill a vacancy in the office when the previous occupant, Cynthia Green, rose to the elected County Council. A lifelong Sussex-Countian, Ellen is a familiar face in the community, having for decades helped run a family farm founded in the Civil War-era, one that is renown in the summertime, especially for the sweet, syrupy strawberries that made Sussex County, Delaware famous more than a century ago. When not sowing seeds and peddling produce with her three sons, Ellen finds time for her other passion – public service. In her 18 months in office, Magee has held fees to a minimum, and has streamlined scheduling by implementing a 'call ahead' system. This has eliminated the need to be waiting in office for hours. She has also shortened probate appointments to less than a month. She has also sent 6 years of files to Dover for archiving. If elected, she'll keep the momentum gained over last 18 months. She'll ensure that title 12 remains in force; she'll continue archiving files from previous years; she'll continue pre-registration of wills for safe keeping, and she'll continue to keep updating the wills and estates instruction booklets, working with Kent and New Castle counties to update needed forms, ensuring that they are easier to understand and fill out, assisting both probate and non-probate customers. The register of wills office has never been busier or run more efficiently. A proud member of the Roxana Fire Company’s Ladies Auxiliary for the past 40 years, Ellen has served in various roles in that time, including as president, vice president, treasurer, and member of the board of directors. Additionally, she is a past president and board member of the Delaware Burn Camp, past board member for the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation, and past member of the State of Delaware Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators; currently, she is a member of the Delaware Board of Charitable Gaming, confirmed by the Delaware Senate, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a board member for Camp Barnes. Ellen may be new in her role as Register of Wills, but she is no stranger to County government, having served most recently as chairwoman of the County’s Board of Adjustment, a quasi-judicial panel that reviews requests for variances or special use exceptions to the County Code. In her new role, Ellen has utilized her years of managerial experience as a longtime small business owner, along with her years of public service on numerous boards and commissions and with charitable causes, to ensure the Sussex County Register of Wills office has run efficiently and in accordance with state laws.
MAY Meeting Guest Speakers
Janice Lorrah, candidate for Auditor of Accounts, spoke on how she plans to ring accountability and transparency to the people. Janice attended public schools—The College of New Jersey and Rutgers-Camden Law School. After graduating from law school, Janice served as a clerk for a Federal Judge in the District of New Jersey where she took an oath to support and defend the Constitution, an oath she still takes seriously 20 years later. Following her clerkship, Janice practiced law in Philadelphia, PA and Denver, CO. In 2015, Janice and her husband received their greatest blessing: a baby girl. Shortly after her daughter was born, Janice made the decision to become a full-time stay-at-home mom, the toughest job she has ever had! In June 2020, Janice pushed back when New Castle County suddenly closed the local children’s playgrounds just as the rest of Delaware was re-opening from COVID shutdowns. Then in January 2022 after almost two years of executive mandates and seeing the negative effects of COVID policies on children, Janice set out to combat governmental overreach on individual freedoms and liberty. With an old laptop and an Internet connection, Janice was determined to fight back. As a result of her diligence and research, in February 2022 Janice sued Governor Carney over his unilateral extension of the masking of children in daycares and schools. During the hearing on February 28, 2022, the Governor abruptly changed his policy. Now parents in this State have a choice in whether masking is right for their children. Janice lives in Hockessin with her husband, Paul, their daughter, Grace, and their two cats, Ollie and Liberty. The Lorrah family attends Trinity Community Church also in Hockessin.
Greg Coverdale, candidate for Delaware Treasurer, will bring his financial certifications from Wharton School of Business and Harvard and experience as a financial advisor to Dover as the State Treasurer.
Lisa Hudson Briggs advised the audience that Brad Layfield, candidate for DE House of Representatives, 4th District, would be speaking at the June 22 meeting.
Scott Dailey, candidate for another term as the Recorder of Deeds, explained the responsibilities of his position and that his office handled a record number of 58,000 documents and proposed a smaller budget than in the past. Three-term Sussex County Recorder of Deeds Scott Dailey has held office since 2011. He is a small business owner, working in real estate development. He owns and operates Sunrise Real Estate with his wife and acts as the broker. He operates Aurora Homes with his daughter and son-in-law. He lives in Lewes with his lovely bride of 20 years. He has three grown children and two grandchildren. The Recorder of Deeds is charged with preserving land records for Sussex County. Each of Delaware's three counties has an elected Recorder. The office generates millions of dollars for Sussex County each year through recording fees, and the office collects hundreds of millions in transfer taxes on behalf of the State of Delaware, Sussex County, and most municipalities in Sussex County.
John Rieley, candidate for re-election as councilman for Sussex County District 5, spoke on his prior experience and his track record of balancing the budget, ensuring that Sussex County constituents know where every dollar is spent. John L. Rieley currently serves as the 5th district councilman on the Sussex County Council, a position he has held for 4 years. He is running for re-election for this district, which represents central Sussex County, including the communities of Georgetown and Millsboro. Elected to County Council in 2018, Mr. Rieley is a familiar face within the local business community and among several nonprofit causes, particularly those focused on children. A native of upstate New York, Mr. Rieley earned his degree in business and economics from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Upon graduating with honors, he eventually found his way to rural southern Delaware, where he built rewarding careers in both food service management and financial planning. More importantly, though, he laid the foundation for a lifetime of faith and family, raising 12 children with his wife, Lou Ann, on her family’s farm near Millsboro. Mr. Rieley has served the community in various capacities, including as president of the local chamber of commerce and as a 10-year volunteer for Little League. Among his goals are maintaining the County’s strong fiscal management, protecting the environment, and expanding economic development opportunities through efforts such as broadband expansion.
Candice Green Wilkinson, candidate for Register of Wills, spoke of “growing up in this office” while her mother, Cindy Green was the Register of Wills. Candice Green Wilkinson is a lifelong resident of Sussex County, an experienced registrar with over 10 years working in the healthcare industry, and a mother of two young girls. She filed for the office of Register of Wills on Wednesday, May 11. “With the onslaught of radical policies coming from Dover and Washington, D.C., we need more committed conservatives in local offices to push back on government overreach and higher taxes, and fight for local control,” said Ms. Wilkinson, in an interview with Bay to Bay News. “My reasons for running are very simple: I want to keep taxes and fees low in Sussex County and do what I can to ensure our county remains the best place in Delaware to live, work, raise a family, and retire.” * Register of Wills is an office Candice cares deeply about, and she has assisted in multiple successful campaigns for the office over the last decade. Greg Fuller is also seeking the GOP nomination for Register of Wills.
April Meeting Highlights
At our April meeting, Carole Andrejko (center), our Membership Chairperson, welcomed new members Jacqueline Perry (left) and Brenda Dunning (right).
Greg Fuller, candidate for Register of Wills, shared a personal story that illustrated his character and his desire to serve his community.
Read Greg's full bio here.
Dallas Wingate, candidate for DE House of Representatives, feels the "Tide is changing... " and looks beyond the party to focus on common objectives.
Read Dallas's full bio here.
George Chambers, a new Associate Member, was recognized for his outstanding contributions to our recent fundraising event, "Don't Be Lonesome Tonight."
MARCH Meeting Guest Speakers
Lee Murphy, Candidate for U. S. Congress –
Lee participated by phone on the day of our meeting in the Senator Sarah McBride’s hearing for bill to allow children to play sports with gender of choice. He encourages we support Senator’s Richardson’s bill for children to play in sports with children of same biology when they were born.
He outlined some of his platform (support policy, maintain strong military, become emergency independent again, etc.) and suggests that the only way to make a change is to elect Republicans. To offset the heavy blue vote in New Castle County, Sussex needs to turn out to vote like it was a presidential election.
Julianne Murray, Candidate for DE Attorney General -
Julianne Murray is running on a “Law and Order” platform. Her law practice experience makes her a perfect fit for this position. She is a person of action, passion and looks forward to being the “Top Cop” and enforcing the laws that are written. Her priorities are:
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Restore public safety
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Keep politics out of the job
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Enforce the Law.
She is fearless about this election and is confident she can win if there is a good turnout of republicans in Sussex County.
FEBRUARY Meeting Guest Speaker
Our February meeting speaker, Ocean View Police Chief Kenneth M. McLaughlin, has been "on the job" for 31 years, always with a heavy focus on our drug epidemic. His first year on the job he personally had 122 drug arrests. Over the years he has changed his focus from users to dealers. Sadly the dealers target middle school age children who are susceptible to new "edibles" and vaping. Vaping is sold in flavors, like bubblegum, which appeal to kids. It is also odorless so can be used undetected at home and in school washrooms. He alerted the group to the DE General Assembly's bill to legalize marijuana. His experience proves this is a gateway drug to other drugs. (Editor's note - Though not all marijuana users go on to harder drugs, the majority of hard drug users started with marijuana.) He feels legalizing marijuana sends a message to children that it is safe to use, when it is not. Most of what is being sold is synthetic, all carcinogenic and often laced with fentanyl. Also the potency varies greatly from one source to another, making unexpected overdosing more possible. He strongly urged the group to contact the Governor Carney through his website to express our concerns about legalization of marijuana and the message it sends to children. Chief McLaughlin also addressed the Police Reform Bill and the strength of the wording the in DE Constitution on the ownership and use of guns. There was a spirited discussion after his presentation on may drug related experiences of members of the audience.
Marilyn Booker, President of SCRWC; Kenneth K McLaughlin, Chief of Police, Ocean View, DE: Cathy Watts, Past President of DE Federation of Republican Women
JANUARY Meeting Guest Speaker
Marilyn Booker, President of SCRWC; Nandi Randolf, M. Ed, Policy Analyst of the Delaware Family Policy Council
Our January meeting guest speaker was Nandi Randolf, M. Ed, Policy Analyst of the Delaware Family Policy Council (www.delawarefamilies.org). After explaining her transition from teaching high school science to her current career, she reviewed several bills in the current legislative session. Here are their status as of the date of our meeting:
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HB 140 - End of life options - Out of committee, on the Ready List
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SR22 - Affirm parents rights to bring action against School Boards - defeated
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SB195 - Digital Citizenship Education Act - committee hearings taking place
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SB206 - Comparative Political Ideology Instruction - awaiting consideration in committee
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HB199 - DE Constitution amendment relating to equal rights based on gender - committee hearings taking place
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HB165 - Human composting - committee hearings taking place.
Ms. Randolf took several questions from the audience.