PORTAGE COUNTY DEMOCRAT GETTING TOGETHER, MOVING FORWARD

JUNE 2016

T Meet Chris Garretty-

In This Issue

Regional Organizing Director

* Meet Chris * Goodbye Tyler

DEMOCRAT

* RUSS * Katrina speaks * Brat Sale

* Walk Wisconsin * Fill a Basket * Convention 2016 * Sign funds * Summer events * PCDP Picnic * Nat’l Conv. Delegates * Facebook, Website, Food * Numbers * Irony * Lassa/Kind at O’so

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Coordinated Campaign

Chris has been a long time Democratic activist in California. He started knocking on doors and making phone calls for local progressive candidates when he was 14 years old. Since graduating from San Francisco Ugland Photo State University, he has been on the move across the country helping to elect Ugland Pjoto Democrats. His passion is fighting to keep education, at all levels, affordable and accessible for everyone. Chris is currently working on the Feingold campaign. His home base is LaCrosse, but he will be at our headquarters too. We will be seeing more of Chris as the coordinated campaigns ramp up. Word has it that we will be getting a full-time coordinated campaign worker in early June. We will introduce that person to you in the next newsletter. In the meantime, meet Chris at the next PCDP member’s meeting on June 14. He is looking forward to meeting you. To volunteer right now to help get Democrats elected, you can contact Chris at (310)947-5753 or [email protected].

Congratulations Tyler Tyler Smith, our College Representative to the PCDP Executive Board, said goodbye at the May 10th meeting. Tyler graduates from UW-Stevens Point this spring. Always active in Wisconsin politics on campus and throughout the UW system, Tyler will be working for a Wisconsin Democratic Assembly candidate this election season. We wish him well. Photo by Jerry Ugland

It was standing room only at the RUSS for Senate Meet & Greet

Photos by Jerry Ugland

Wisconsin State Senator, Julie Lassa introduced Russ as the next Wisconsin Senator to join Tammy Baldwin in Washington DC to a raucous round of applause as area Democrats and supporters welcomed Russ Feingold at a meet & greet event held at the Stevens Point Brewery recently. Those in attendance were there to support Russ’ return to the US Senate. Russ told the crowd, that contrary to what the public hears in the ads from the other candidate, he is hearing something quite different from the people he meets as he travels around the state. He cited the real economic challenges Wisconsin families are facing as earnings stagnate and workers struggle to support their families. The elderly who rely on Social Security, a program his opponent described as a “ponzi scheme” are facing real hardships. He listed the eroding of higher education funding and affordability as a concern he hears often. Citizens he talks to are concerned about clean water and the sanctity of the Great Lakes. Campaign finance reform and the repeal of Citizen’s United are also issues on voter’s minds. Russ shook hands and posed for “selfies” with the attendees while asking for support for his quest to return to the US Senate and address the real concerns of Wisconsin citizens. Attendees were treated to refreshments compliments of the Steven Point Brewery and an array of snacks compliments of the sponsors of the event: Jan & Dave Way, Jack & Leigh Allgaier, Kent & Sue Hall, Darlene Todd, Gary & Stella Hawley & Trudy & David Pederson

Katrina says 2016 election looks positive for Democrats Representative Katrina Shankland began her presentation at the PCDP meeting on May 10th, with a power point program identifying and highlighting several Democratic candidates challenging current Republican Assemblypersons and Senators in the Wisconsin 2016 election. The candidates she introduced are considered to have a good chance of unseating the current Republican office holders.

Photo Jerry Ugland

Katrina also told us that the Republicans in Madison have targeted Julie Lassa as the Senator they would most like to defeat, leaving Katrina as the lone Democrat representing the immediate area. Katrina urged us to support our Democratic candidates, stating that if we can gain a majority in the Senate and gain seats in the Assembly, we can begin to move the State forward to gain a positive future for our citizens once again.

******************************************************************************************

Brat Sale at Trig’s – by Leigh

Allgaier

All who worked at the PCDP brat sale held at Trig’s recently, enjoyed our time spent together and with members of the community who stopped by to talk with us or just to buy lunch. We were lucky to have such a beautiful spring day and people were inclined to linger with us. We had nomination papers for our candidates at the sale and we received lots of signatures for our efforts. Also two candidates, District Attorney Louis Molepske Jr. and County Treasurer Stephanie Stokes, were there in person to help with the sale and answer questions from our patrons. Our profit from the day’s activity was about $200 and another $70 in donations. Thank you to those who helped at the sale: Ned & Mary Grossnickle, Stephanie Stokes, Mary Weiss, Leigh Allgaier, Jim Pollock, Trudy Pederson, Gary Hawley, Darlene Todd, Jan Way, Mary Kneebone, Louie Molepske and Tim Zimmerman. Special thanks must go to Ray Cal, who arranged the sale, and to Gary Hawley, who worked all day to make the event a success. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WALK WISCONSIN – JUNE 4th Not going to the State Democratic Convention on June 4th? We need your help! Call Jan Way (715-572-5802) to volunteer to hand out refreshments to the over 2000 walkers expected to take part in the walk on Saturday JUNE 4th. The Democratic refreshment tent is a tradition located on the corner of North Point Dr. and Wilshire by the northeast corner of the Sentry Golf course. Help is needed especially between 11 AM and 2 PM! Call Jan or email her at [email protected]. And THANKS! Page 3

A Tisket, A Tasket, We need to fill a Basket! The DPW is once again requesting that each county party provide a basket filled with locally sourced products to raffle at the state convention on June 3 & 4th. Last year, the basket from Portage County was the most sought after and our own Jared Barkely had the winning ticket! To donate an item to complete our basket, call Gary at 715-321-0111 to arrange a time to drop at HQ’s before 6/2/2016. Also, items are needed for the basket raffle at our Democratic Picnic August 28th this year. If you can donate to either of these efforts, please bring your items to the Headquarters 2220 Division St., or contact Karyn Tank at (715-344-8009) or [email protected]. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you haven’t made plans to attend the 2016 State Democratic Convention in Green Bay on June 3 & 4 It’s not too late. The Convention will be at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, 2040 Airport Dr., Green Bay. You can register as a guest at the convention. Labor and civil rights leader Tom Perez will be the Keynote speaker. Other notable Democratic leaders that will be attending include Senate Democratic leader Jen Shilling, Assembly Democratic leader Peter Barka, Congressman Ron Kind, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Congressman Mark Pocan, US Senator Tammy Baldwin and Russ Feingold. ################################################################

Sign Mat erial Fun ds – by Jerry Ugland This is election time and we all know that the sign making crew in this county has been very active for several years with Kent Hall at the helm. Now the signboards have reached their limit and we need to replace materials with something more appropriate. We have been challenged to raise $2,500 in matching funds for sign materials. This will include the boards and primer paint. The signs will be a possession of the Portage County Democratic Party. Our sign-making effort selects candidates each election that need locally made signs that we can supply. Low budget campaigns have generally been selected for this help. Please consider making a specific contribution to the sign fund. If you write a check, make it out to “PCDP” and put “sign fund” on the memo line. Bring or send your check to PCDP, 2220 Division St., Stevens Point, or you can put it in our locked mailbox. Page 4

PCDP Members are active in our communities Upcoming Events Midwest Renewable Energy Fair – June 17, 18 &19 Custer, WI. The Wisconsin Democrats have a booth in a prime location at this year’s fair. We will be prominently displaying our candidate’s campaign literature and signs. Our volunteer “booth attendees” will be engaging with the friendly persons that attend this world-renowned event. Visitors to our booth will also be able to “vote” for the issues most concerning to them. Volunteers are needed to encourage the fair goers to support our statewide candidates. To volunteer, contact Jack at 715-341-5359 or [email protected]. Stevens Point 4th of July Parade-Downtown Stevens Point on Monday July 4th. Bring treats to hand to the kids and your walking shoes. Details later. Portage County Fair in Amherst – July 14-17 Once again we will be greeting the public encouraging them to participate in the Democratic process. We will need volunteers to “man” the booth. Stay tuned for more information. Portage County Democratic Picnic – Sunday August 28, 2016 at the Pfiffner Building in the Park on the beautiful Wisconsin River.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Speaking of the Picnic – A Party for our Party… Raffle tickets are available for pick-up at our general meeting on Tuesday, June 14, from 6 PM to 9 PM. If you are unable to pick up your tickets at our June (14th) or July (12th) meetings, a group of superb volunteers will hand deliver your tickets to your home. If you prefer not to sell or purchase these tickets :( - please contact Jack at 715-341-5359 or [email protected] and your name will be added to our no-ticket list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Delegates On May 1st, persons vying for the opportunity to represent Wisconsin citizens at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 25-28, 2016, met to select the state Democratic delegates to the convention. Delegate hopefuls from the 3rd Congressional District met in LaCrosse. We congratulate Gary and Matthew who worked hard and gained the opportunity to travel to Pennsylvania in July.

Delegates elected to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Hillary supporters Gary Hawley – Portage Vicki Burke – LaCrosse Ryan Greendeer – Jackson

Sanders supporters Alicia Leinenberger – Vernon Matthew LaRonge – Portage Xong Xiong – LaCrosse Obbie King – LaCrosse Page 5

General Musings from your editor… Facebook - Have you checked out “our” Facebook page? PortageCountyWisconsinDemocrats Nichole Lysne posts very timely pictures from PCDP meetings and events and adds informative articles that pertain to local, state and national political happenings. When you visit the site, be sure to “Like” and keep up with the PCDP via social media. Be sure to thank Nichole for her “posts” when you see her. WEBSITE – Another avenue to “click” into the happenings at the PCDP, is to visit our website at www.PortageCountyDems.org. Colleen Ottum has recently updated the PCDP site where she posts the monthly newsletters. So if you miss an issue or just want to refresh your memory about something in a previous newsletter, you will find back issues there along with other party and political information. Check it out. We thank Colleen for her efforts. Food – Snacks – Refreshments: Did you ever wonder where the food and snacks provided at the meetings and other gatherings at the headquarters come from? The answer is they are donated by lots of members. Anyone can bring a snack or his or her “specialty” to share for any of our gatherings. Visitors especially like cookies, crackers, and other “finger” foods. We also serve sandwiches or casseroles if they are donated. If you donate soda or bottled juices, we will share that too. All donations are appreciated! Very soon we will have fulltime “staff” working on the campaigns at the headquarters. If they are like the persons that have worked campaigns in the past, they will appreciate any “home like” foods. We will also need “household” supplies like paper products, soaps and cleaners. Future newsletters will include a list of needed supplies. *******************************************************************************************

NUMBERS Headquarter Use - Karyn Tank, our headquarter use tracker, shared that there were 6 meetings at the headquarters in April with 108 participants. These numbers we share each month, are a testament to the value of our building and its use to further the cause of democracy. Memberships - Jack Allgaier stated that our latest PCDP membership was 305 persons. We always have room for more members and the value that they add to our local party. If you know someone who may be interested in becoming a member, please invite him or her to a meeting. And, if you haven’t “re-upped” your lapsed membership, now would be the perfect time. Feingold Event – Area Democrats and persons interested in ousting Ron Johnson from the Senate for not doing his job, supported Russ financially. The recent event raised over $8000 to help in the effort to return Russ to the US Senate. If you recall, Russ attended and spoke at a fundraiser for the purchase of our headquarters in 2013.

Governor Visit to UW-SP was pure IRONY!

By Trudy Pederson

A large crowd of students and citizens greeted the governor with many protest signs when he visited the UW-SP campus on May 5, 2016 to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the new science building. Many in the crowd voiced their displeasure as the governor spoke. His reference at one point to the “Wisconsin Idea” - the Wisconsin policy that fosters public universities’ contributions to the state - the same policy he tried to “amend” during the last legislative session, received a chorus of negative comments from the crowd! It was pure irony that the governor would take part in this ceremony, as he is an avowed science denier, a college dropout and signed the latest Wisconsin budget bill cutting $250 million dollars from the UW System.

Pederson photos

************************************************************ Join

State Senator Julie Lassa For Pints & Politics with Special Guest

Congressman Ron Kind At

O’so Brewing Company Wednesday, June 1 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM 3028 Village Park Drive, Plover 54467 Hors d’oeuvres & cash bar

Portage County Democratic Party 2220 Division St. Stevens Point, WI 54481

Join your Friends

PCDP June Meeting – June 14, 2016 Headquarters – 2220 Division St., Stevens Point Social time begins at 6:00 PM Speaker, as yet to be announced at 6:30 PM Elected officials & candidates at 7:30 PM Authorized and paid for by the Portage County Democratic Party – Rick Christofferson, Treasurer