Uncategorized

Western North Carolina Needs Your Help!

September 30, 2024 by 2 Comments

Western North Carolina got hit incredibly hard by the combination of a wet weather front that was followed a day later by Hurricane Helene. Some places received over 20 inches of rain total which has led to catastrophic flooding throughout the region. This includes northeastern Tennessee, the upstate of South Carolina, the Atlanta area, and certainly Florida in addition to us here in WNC.

The Complementary Spouse and I are OK and our house has received no damage. Fortunately, we are not close to any creeks and there are no large trees in our development. The road to our neighborhood is open again. The worst we face is having cleaning out the refrigerator. All in all, we are in a fortunate position unlike so many others in western NC – and elsewhere.

Others were not so fortunate. My friend Tim Glance of Old Grouch Military Surplus had three feet of water in his store from the Pigeon River. This was the first time his building has ever flooded in 120 years. I have written about his store in the past.

Power, cell, and internet are all out or sporadic at the best. The City of Asheville water system has been damaged and it provides service to more than those within the city limits. Water distribution sites have been set up. 40 people are reported killed in Buncombe County, 5 in Henderson County, and 4 in Haywood County. The death toll will undoubtedly rise as more bodies are found. The town of Chimney Rock has been washed away. Most of the town is now floating in Lake Lure.

Lake Lure now

Interstate 40, the main east-west artery into Western NC, is damaged in both directions and it will take months to repair the area washed out in the Pigeon River Gorge. The last time this happened in 2004, it took most of a year to finish the repairs.

I could go on and on with the pictures of the devastation but you get the idea. This leads to the question of how you can help. A number of organizations are already on the ground helping and I think the best thing would be donations to them.

The first organization that I will like to mention is Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Charlotte. I served on their Board of Directors for 7 years plus I was chair of their Asheville office advisory board. I know that your dollars won’t get wasted by donating to them.

Following up on this is this list provided by Blue Ridge Public Radio.

Flight-Based Relief

Hope Mill, Inc – Helicopters Dropping Relief

  • Pilots are landing in areas of the mountains where road access is still cut off and/or where emergency crews have not yet reached with food and water.
  • The funds are being used to purchase water and critical supplies by a business based in the Charlotte region. Helicopters are primarily staging and departing out of Hickory, N.C.
  • BPR has confirmed the GoFundMe listed below is being managed by those directly involved in relief (the effort is also linked to the relief effort supported by Cletus McFarland, a helicopter pilot and YouTuber.).
  • A group of independent pilots with helicopters have been dropping off donated water, food, and supplies throughout the region for several days.
    GoFundMe: Support Hope Mill Inc’s Hurricane Relief

Hurricane Helene Airlift Relief

  • Grass-roots organizers are collecting donations of supplies (and money) and staging at various Statesville Airport.
  • There are drop-off points across North Carolina. For the latest, and to get involved, visit the group’s dedicated Facebook page.

Operation Airdrop

  • The group is focusing operations on North Carolina after it aided Helene victims in Florida. Pilots and volunteers will deliver essential supplies and food to disaster-stricken areas in the mountains. 
  • For more information, visit the website.

Government-Led Relief

Buncombe County Government

  • If you have donations, equipment, or have questions about specific needs, please email: helenedonations@buncombecounty.org
  • If you want to volunteer, please email: helenevolunteers@buncombecounty.org

School-Based Support

The University of North Carolina System

  • There are four UNC system colleges in Western North Carolina. System leaders shared the following funds, where donations may be sent to support affected students, faculty, and staff.
    Appalachian State University Disaster Relief Fund
    NCSSM-Morganton Helene Recovery Fund
    UNC Asheville giving website (Select “UNC Asheville Fund” designation)
    Western Carolina University Emergency Fund

Local Verified Groups

Hearts With Hands (Swannanoa/Asheville)

  • A local-based organization that has been supplying food and essentials to Buncombe County shelters.
  • The group asks that you do not deliver supplies unannounced to their Swannanoa warehouse (they had to evacuate and are restoring services).
  • The request is for financial donations online.
    https://www.heartswithhands.org/
  • Trucks with large loads of supplies (water, food, and more are listed here) should email info@heartswithhands.org to coordinate warehouse drop-off.

Manna FoodBank in Asheville

  • The organization’s warehouse was prepped prior to the storm.
  • Updates will be made available via the FoodBank’s website.
  • There are many ways to get involved, volunteer, and donate – including online. Go here to give money to the Manna FoodBank online.

BeLoved Asheville

  • On-the-ground volunteers are collecting and distributing a wide array of supplies.
  • Cash donations can be sent via:
    Venmo: BeLoved-Asheville
    CashApp: $BeLovedAsheville
    Zelle: 828-412-2054
  • Specific items are needed, including: food, bottled water, contractor-size trash bags, blankets, first aid supplies, feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby clothes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, paper towels, bleach, shovels, brooms, gloves, coolers, propane, cook stoves, flashlights, batteries, fans, dehumidifiers, and generators.
  • Volunteers are needed to help deliver supplies. Truck owners and truck drivers are needed.
  • Drop-off and staging updates are available on the organization’s social media pages. BeLoved Asheville is located at 32 Old Charlotte Hwy, Asheville, NC 28803.
  • For volunteer info and more, visit the organization’s website.

Haywood Christian Ministry

  • Western North Carolina’s largest food pantry, based in the Waynesville area.
  • The group is distributing food on the ground and requesting donations to help with the emergency disaster response.
  • For info and to donate, go here.

Diaper Bank: Babies Need Bottoms – Asheville

  • Donations of wipes, diapers, and rash cream are needed immediately.
  • The organization is on the ground already and distributes to local families plus partner charities that serve families and babies.
  • You can donate online or use the non-profit’s Amazon Wish List here.

Foothills Food Hub

  • Working to source water and shelf-stable goods to distribute in McDowell County.
  • Requesting monetary donations, which can be made online here.

Community Housing Coalition of Madison County

  • The group will be helping fund emergency home repairs for Helene victims in Madison County.
  • The request is for online donations. Go here for more information or to donate.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

  • The non-profit helps residents connect to a wide array of resources via it’s 2-1-1 hotline. The local United Way plans to help with immediate natural disaster response and long-term support for flood victims.
  • Donations can be made online here.

Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry

  • The ministry helped run and provide shelter in Asheville and is partnered with the Red Cross. Donations help pay for motel and food vouchers for local residents and long-term support for those displaced.
  • To help: Donate food, clothing, or funds at abccm.org/donations/ministry-fund/.

Homeward Bound in Asheville

  • The organization provides supportive housing to the homeless community in Asheville and it distributed essentials and clothing as the storm approached.
  • For more information on year-round work and to donate, visit Homeward Bound’s website.

Mountain Projects

  • Historically the group has helped with emergency housing, including storm victims.
  • Plans and information on response to Hurricane Helene were not available as the group is based in Waynesville, which was hit with flooding.
  • For more, visit the organization’s website.

WNC Regional Livestock Center

  • Based in Canton, the livestock center is working to help farmers and animals who were affected by flooding. You can donate toward helping local farmers who need to buy feed for animals. The center also helps supply fencing and other essentials.
  • Contact: Yvonne Coburn with Civilian Disaster Response at 828-216-4496.
  • More information is available here.

Democracy Green

  • Already on the ground in Cleveland, Rutherford, McDowell, Burke, and Watauga counties. Updates available on the group’s Facebook page.
  • Volunteers are needed: Call 910-813-3757.
  • Supplies requested includes: water, non-perishable food, grills, charcoal briquettes and matches.
  • As of Sept. 29, the drop-off point for supplies was: The Swatchworks 453 Oakhurst Rd., Asheboro, NC 27205. (Call ahead for large deliveries).
  • Items accepted at the above address 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mon-Thurs.

Flight-Based Relief

Hope Mill, Inc – Helicopters Dropping Relief

  • Pilots are landing in areas of the mountains where road access is still cut off and/or where emergency crews have not yet reached with food and water.
  • The funds are being used to purchase water and critical supplies by a business based in the Charlotte region. Helicopters are primarily staging and departing out of Hickory, N.C.
  • BPR has confirmed the GoFundMe listed below is being managed by those directly involved in relief (the effort is also linked to the relief effort supported by Cletus McFarland, a helicopter pilot and YouTuber.).
  • A group of independent pilots with helicopters have been dropping off donated water, food, and supplies throughout the region for several days.
    GoFundMe: Support Hope Mill Inc’s Hurricane Relief

Hurricane Helene Airlift Relief

  • Grass-roots organizers are collecting donations of supplies (and money) and staging at various Statesville Airport.
  • There are drop-off points across North Carolina. For the latest, and to get involved, visit the group’s dedicated Facebook page.

Operation Airdrop

  • The group is focusing operations on North Carolina after it aided Helene victims in Florida. Pilots and volunteers will deliver essential supplies and food to disaster-stricken areas in the mountains. 
  • For more information, visit the website.

Government-Led Relief

Buncombe County Government

  • If you have donations, equipment, or have questions about specific needs, please email: helenedonations@buncombecounty.org
  • If you want to volunteer, please email: helenevolunteers@buncombecounty.org

School-Based Support

The University of North Carolina System

  • There are four UNC system colleges in Western North Carolina. System leaders shared the following funds, where donations may be sent to support affected students, faculty, and staff.
    Appalachian State University Disaster Relief Fund
    NCSSM-Morganton Helene Recovery Fund
    UNC Asheville giving website (Select “UNC Asheville Fund” designation)
    Western Carolina University Emergency Fund

Local Verified Groups

Hearts With Hands (Swannanoa/Asheville)

  • A local-based organization that has been supplying food and essentials to Buncombe County shelters.
  • The group asks that you do not deliver supplies unannounced to their Swannanoa warehouse (they had to evacuate and are restoring services).
  • The request is for financial donations online.
    https://www.heartswithhands.org/
  • Trucks with large loads of supplies (water, food, and more are listed here) should email info@heartswithhands.org to coordinate warehouse drop-off.

Manna FoodBank in Asheville

  • The organization’s warehouse was prepped prior to the storm.
  • Updates will be made available via the FoodBank’s website.
  • There are many ways to get involved, volunteer, and donate – including online. Go here to give money to the Manna FoodBank online.

BeLoved Asheville

  • On-the-ground volunteers are collecting and distributing a wide array of supplies.
  • Cash donations can be sent via:
    Venmo: BeLoved-Asheville
    CashApp: $BeLovedAsheville
    Zelle: 828-412-2054
  • Specific items are needed, including: food, bottled water, contractor-size trash bags, blankets, first aid supplies, feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby clothes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, paper towels, bleach, shovels, brooms, gloves, coolers, propane, cook stoves, flashlights, batteries, fans, dehumidifiers, and generators.
  • Volunteers are needed to help deliver supplies. Truck owners and truck drivers are needed.
  • Drop-off and staging updates are available on the organization’s social media pages. BeLoved Asheville is located at 32 Old Charlotte Hwy, Asheville, NC 28803.
  • For volunteer info and more, visit the organization’s website.

Haywood Christian Ministry

  • Western North Carolina’s largest food pantry, based in the Waynesville area.
  • The group is distributing food on the ground and requesting donations to help with the emergency disaster response.
  • For info and to donate, go here.

Diaper Bank: Babies Need Bottoms – Asheville

  • Donations of wipes, diapers, and rash cream are needed immediately.
  • The organization is on the ground already and distributes to local families plus partner charities that serve families and babies.
  • You can donate online or use the non-profit’s Amazon Wish List here.

Foothills Food Hub

  • Working to source water and shelf-stable goods to distribute in McDowell County.
  • Requesting monetary donations, which can be made online here.

Community Housing Coalition of Madison County

  • The group will be helping fund emergency home repairs for Helene victims in Madison County.
  • The request is for online donations. Go here for more information or to donate.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

  • The non-profit helps residents connect to a wide array of resources via it’s 2-1-1 hotline. The local United Way plans to help with immediate natural disaster response and long-term support for flood victims.
  • Donations can be made online here.

Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry

  • The ministry helped run and provide shelter in Asheville and is partnered with the Red Cross. Donations help pay for motel and food vouchers for local residents and long-term support for those displaced.
  • To help: Donate food, clothing, or funds at abccm.org/donations/ministry-fund/.

Homeward Bound in Asheville

  • The organization provides supportive housing to the homeless community in Asheville and it distributed essentials and clothing as the storm approached.
  • For more information on year-round work and to donate, visit Homeward Bound’s website.

Mountain Projects

  • Historically the group has helped with emergency housing, including storm victims.
  • Plans and information on response to Hurricane Helene were not available as the group is based in Waynesville, which was hit with flooding.
  • For more, visit the organization’s website.

WNC Regional Livestock Center

  • Based in Canton, the livestock center is working to help farmers and animals who were affected by flooding. You can donate toward helping local farmers who need to buy feed for animals. The center also helps supply fencing and other essentials.
  • Contact: Yvonne Coburn with Civilian Disaster Response at 828-216-4496.
  • More information is available here.

Democracy Green

  • Already on the ground in Cleveland, Rutherford, McDowell, Burke, and Watauga counties. Updates available on the group’s Facebook page.
  • Volunteers are needed: Call 910-813-3757.
  • Supplies requested includes: water, non-perishable food, grills, charcoal briquettes and matches.
  • As of Sept. 29, the drop-off point for supplies was: The Swatchworks 453 Oakhurst Rd., Asheboro, NC 27205. (Call ahead for large deliveries).
  • Items accepted at the above address 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mon-Thurs.

Flight-Based Relief

Hope Mill, Inc – Helicopters Dropping Relief

  • Pilots are landing in areas of the mountains where road access is still cut off and/or where emergency crews have not yet reached with food and water.
  • The funds are being used to purchase water and critical supplies by a business based in the Charlotte region. Helicopters are primarily staging and departing out of Hickory, N.C.
  • BPR has confirmed the GoFundMe listed below is being managed by those directly involved in relief (the effort is also linked to the relief effort supported by Cletus McFarland, a helicopter pilot and YouTuber.).
  • A group of independent pilots with helicopters have been dropping off donated water, food, and supplies throughout the region for several days.
    GoFundMe: Support Hope Mill Inc’s Hurricane Relief

Hurricane Helene Airlift Relief

  • Grass-roots organizers are collecting donations of supplies (and money) and staging at various Statesville Airport.
  • There are drop-off points across North Carolina. For the latest, and to get involved, visit the group’s dedicated Facebook page.

Operation Airdrop

  • The group is focusing operations on North Carolina after it aided Helene victims in Florida. Pilots and volunteers will deliver essential supplies and food to disaster-stricken areas in the mountains. 
  • For more information, visit the website.

Government-Led Relief

Buncombe County Government

  • If you have donations, equipment, or have questions about specific needs, please email: helenedonations@buncombecounty.org
  • If you want to volunteer, please email: helenevolunteers@buncombecounty.org

School-Based Support

The University of North Carolina System

  • There are four UNC system colleges in Western North Carolina. System leaders shared the following funds, where donations may be sent to support affected students, faculty, and staff.
    Appalachian State University Disaster Relief Fund
    NCSSM-Morganton Helene Recovery Fund
    UNC Asheville giving website (Select “UNC Asheville Fund” designation)
    Western Carolina University Emergency Fund

Local Verified Groups

Hearts With Hands (Swannanoa/Asheville)

  • A local-based organization that has been supplying food and essentials to Buncombe County shelters.
  • The group asks that you do not deliver supplies unannounced to their Swannanoa warehouse (they had to evacuate and are restoring services).
  • The request is for financial donations online.
    https://www.heartswithhands.org/
  • Trucks with large loads of supplies (water, food, and more are listed here) should email info@heartswithhands.org to coordinate warehouse drop-off.

Manna FoodBank in Asheville

  • The organization’s warehouse was prepped prior to the storm.
  • Updates will be made available via the FoodBank’s website.
  • There are many ways to get involved, volunteer, and donate – including online. Go here to give money to the Manna FoodBank online.

BeLoved Asheville

  • On-the-ground volunteers are collecting and distributing a wide array of supplies.
  • Cash donations can be sent via:
    Venmo: BeLoved-Asheville
    CashApp: $BeLovedAsheville
    Zelle: 828-412-2054
  • Specific items are needed, including: food, bottled water, contractor-size trash bags, blankets, first aid supplies, feminine hygiene products, diapers and baby clothes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, paper towels, bleach, shovels, brooms, gloves, coolers, propane, cook stoves, flashlights, batteries, fans, dehumidifiers, and generators.
  • Volunteers are needed to help deliver supplies. Truck owners and truck drivers are needed.
  • Drop-off and staging updates are available on the organization’s social media pages. BeLoved Asheville is located at 32 Old Charlotte Hwy, Asheville, NC 28803.
  • For volunteer info and more, visit the organization’s website.

Haywood Christian Ministry

  • Western North Carolina’s largest food pantry, based in the Waynesville area.
  • The group is distributing food on the ground and requesting donations to help with the emergency disaster response.
  • For info and to donate, go here.

Diaper Bank: Babies Need Bottoms – Asheville

  • Donations of wipes, diapers, and rash cream are needed immediately.
  • The organization is on the ground already and distributes to local families plus partner charities that serve families and babies.
  • You can donate online or use the non-profit’s Amazon Wish List here.

Foothills Food Hub

  • Working to source water and shelf-stable goods to distribute in McDowell County.
  • Requesting monetary donations, which can be made online here.

Community Housing Coalition of Madison County

  • The group will be helping fund emergency home repairs for Helene victims in Madison County.
  • The request is for online donations. Go here for more information or to donate.

United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County

  • The non-profit helps residents connect to a wide array of resources via it’s 2-1-1 hotline. The local United Way plans to help with immediate natural disaster response and long-term support for flood victims.
  • Donations can be made online here.

Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry

  • The ministry helped run and provide shelter in Asheville and is partnered with the Red Cross. Donations help pay for motel and food vouchers for local residents and long-term support for those displaced.
  • To help: Donate food, clothing, or funds at abccm.org/donations/ministry-fund/.

Homeward Bound in Asheville

  • The organization provides supportive housing to the homeless community in Asheville and it distributed essentials and clothing as the storm approached.
  • For more information on year-round work and to donate, visit Homeward Bound’s website.

Mountain Projects

  • Historically the group has helped with emergency housing, including storm victims.
  • Plans and information on response to Hurricane Helene were not available as the group is based in Waynesville, which was hit with flooding.
  • For more, visit the organization’s website.

WNC Regional Livestock Center

  • Based in Canton, the livestock center is working to help farmers and animals who were affected by flooding. You can donate toward helping local farmers who need to buy feed for animals. The center also helps supply fencing and other essentials.
  • Contact: Yvonne Coburn with Civilian Disaster Response at 828-216-4496.
  • More information is available here.

Deploying Relief, Volunteers

American Red Cross of North Carolina

  • At the storm’s peak, the organization opened more than 15 shelter locations in Western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.
  • You can volunteer to serve with the American Red Cross or you can donate blood, which assists medical facilities in responding to disasters. 
  • You can make an online donation or give by texting Helene to 90999.
  • More information is available here.

Americares Emergency Response Team

  • The group is deploying to North Carolina, starting in Asheville.
  • Donations to Americares Hurricane Helene Relief Fund will support health services for survivors, such as deliveries of medicines and relief supplies and support for damaged health facilities. The group partners with local clinics.
  • For information and to donate, go here.

Salvation Army of the Carolinas

Baptists on Mission

  • North Carolina Disaster Response volunteers will serve in communities as conditions allow. If you are interested in serving in flood recovery, chainsaw and temporary roof repair, you can volunteer on the organization’s website.
  • Donations are accepted online and by check. Click here for more.

Samaritan’s Purse

  • The organization is responding to the High Country (northwestern North Carolina) and eastern Tennessee. The community of Boone, where Samaritan’s Purse, is based has been deeply impacted.
  • Volunteers are needed for deployment starting Sept. 30. 
  • Donations are accepted online. Click here for more info. 

North Carolina Community Foundation

  • The foundation’s disaster fund can be activated after natural disasters in the state.
  • Plans and information are pending. For more information, visit the website.

Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina

  • The organization plans to deliver items to flood victims in Western North Carolina.
  • Monetary contributions also will help relocate families with foster children to secure accommodations, such as hotels or AirBnBs.
  • Item drop-off locations will be announced on the group’s Facebook page here.
  • To make an online donation, visit the alliance’s website.

Team Rubicon

  • The organization is responding with route clearance teams in South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee and is planning response operations in Buncombe County.
  • Volunteers are needed for deployment starting immediately. Click here to sign up.
  • Donations are accepted online. Click here to fund the Hurricane Helene response. 

Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+)

  • The group is a non-profit arts service organization that provides craft artists with support and resources for disaster and emergency relief.
  • The organization is accepting donations that will help Helene victims in WNC, where there is a dense craft-artist population.
  • To learn more or donate, go here.

Water Mission

  • The group is starting in Boone and will take aid to the hardest-hit areas of Western North Carolina.
  • Relief items from the Christian engineering non-profit include: generators, supplies, and water treatment equipment.
  • To donate and learn, go here.

Mercy Chefs

  • The organization is deploying to Western North Carolina to serve prepared meals to volunteers on the ground, first responders, and community members stranded by the disaster.
  • To learn more and donate, go here.
Uncategorized

Got My Medicare Part D Notice For 2025

September 24, 2024 by 8 Comments

Medicare Part D is the mandatory prescription drug insurance everyone on traditional Medicare is required to have. As the open enrollment period is about to begin, I received my “Advanced Notice of Change” for 2025 recently. Upon looking at it, I thought this can’t be correct!

Except that it was thanks to changes imposed by the Inflation Reduction Act 2022. It only passed the Senate due to a tie-breaking vote by VP Kamala Harris.

As noted by the Daily Signal, the act imposed price controls on prescription drugs that was supposed to lower health care costs. Look at the page below form the notice that compares 2024 premiums and deductibles with that projected for 2025.

My monthly premium increase $35 per month or a 673% increase. The only reason it is “only” $35 is that is the maximum allowed. Likewise, my deductible increases by 110% to $590 and the price for the cheapest prescription drugs doubles from zero to $5.

I am not diabetic so the price cap on insulin doesn’t impact me. The only supposed saving grace about this whole debacle is that my maximum out of pocket is now capped at $2000 per year instead of $8000. Given my actual out of pocket was probably no more than $200, BFD!

So much for inflation reduction as my premiums alone will rise by $420! If the cackling one thinks this is good economics, she isn’t as smart as she thinks she is.

Uncategorized

Going To The Gun Show This Weekend?

September 23, 2024 by 0 Comments

If so, I need your help! The time to submit petitions is fast approaching and I fear I won’t have enough signatures. Unfortunately, I won’t have any gun shows near me this coming weekend at which I could go and close the gap.

Below is a list of gun shows around the country this coming weekend. There are some really big shows like the Fort Worth Gun Show, Crossroads of the West in Utah, and The Nation’s Gun Show in Virginia. By my count there are at least 76 guns shows around the US being held this coming weekend.

Weekend Gun ShowsDownload

If you are planning to attend any one of these shows, please do me a great favor. Download a couple of copies of my petition (and that of others if you have someone to help you), put it on a clipboard along with a pen, and ask people if they are voting members of the NRA. Remember a voting member is any Life Member or any Annual Member with 5 or more years of continuous, unbroken membership. I would guess that many of the dealers or those with a table are Life Members. If they have their membership number handy, that is great. However, if they don’t, don’t worry about it as I can get that directly from NRA Membership Services. The key thing is I need their names and signatures.

If I could get one full page of signatures from even 20 of these 76 gun shows, I know I’d hit the goal and then some. Of course, more is better!

You will not only have my great thanks for doing this but I will gladly reimburse you for your postage expenses. Just let me know how much and where to send it. If you can get the petitions in the mail by Monday, September 30th, even the USPS should get them to me in time! My address again is 11 Sunview Circle, Arden, NC 28704.

John Richardson NRA Petition Form Landscape 2024-2025Download

Uncategorized

The Vote To Abolish The Special Litigation Committee

September 23, 2024 by 2 Comments

As has been reported elsewhere, the vote to abolish the NRA Board’s Special Litigation Committee failed as it didn’t get a super-majority. The good news was that it was done with a roll call vote which can now be reported. Thanks to Jeff Knox and his obtaining clearance to report the vote which is public information, we know who voted to abolish the SLC, who voted to keep it (and Brewer), and who was either absent or abstained.

The final vote was 34 in favor of rescinding the resolution authorizing the creation of the SLC with 26 opposed. There were 16 abstentions or absences reported. While there was a majority, it did not meet the threshold to rescind the resolution and abolish the SLC.

While those in favor should not all be considered reformers and all those opposed are not necessarily cabal supporters, it does give some indication of each director’s leanings. As such, with preparation for the 2025 election of directors in full swing, here is the roll call vote. I have annotated with whether or not the director could be up for election, if they were re-nominated by the Nominating Committee, or if they having to run by petition. A star next to the name of the director indicates their term will expire in 2025.

In favor of abolishing the SLC:

  • Paul D. Babaz (*, petition)
  • Bill Bachenberg
  • Clel Baudler
  • Ted W. Carter
  • Anthony P. Colandro (*, Nom Comm)
  • Rick Ector
  • Todd R. Ellis (*, Nom Comm)
  • Dennis Fusaro
  • Craig Haggard
  • Al Hammond (*, Nom Comm)
  • Maria Heil
  • Charles T. Hiltunen (*, Nom Comm)
  • Phillip B. Journey
  • Susannah Warner Kipke (resigned)
  • Jeffrey A. Knox
  • Willes K. Lee (*, petition)
  • Robert E. Mansell
  • Rocky Marshall
  • Owen Buz Mills
  • David Norcross (*, not running for reelection)
  • Janet D. Nyce
  • James W. Porter II (*, petition)
  • David A. Raney
  • Ronald L. Schmeits (*, Nom Comm)
  • Steven C. Schreiner
  • Leroy Sisco
  • Amanda Suffecool
  • Craig Swartz
  • Mark E. Vaughan
  • Linda L. Walker
  • James L. Wallace (*, Nom Comm)
  • Bruce Widener
  • Robert Wos
  • Cathy S. Wright (*, Nom Comm)

Those in favor of keeping the SLC:

  • Joe M. Allbaugh
  • Scott L. Bach
  • Charles R. Beers III
  • Donald J. Bradway
  • J. William Carter
  • Patricia A. Clark
  • Charles L. Cotton
  • David G. Coy
  • Larry E. Craig (*, Nom Comm)
  • Isaac Demarest (*, Nom Comm)
  • Steven W. Dulan (*, Nom Comm)
  • Edie P. Fleeman
  • Carol Frampton (*, Nom Comm)
  • Joel Friedman (*, Nom Comm)
  • Sandra S. Froman (*, Nom Comm)
  • Curtis S. Jenkins
  • Amy Heath Lovato
  • Bill Miller
  • Johnny Nugent
  • Jay Printz
  • Kim Rhode (*)
  • Barbara Rumpel
  • Don Saba
  • Danny Stowers (*, Nom Comm)
  • Dwight D. Van Horn (*, Nom Comm)
  • Eb Wilkinson

Abstentions or absences:

  • Thomas Arvas
  • Bob Barr (*, abstained, Nom Comm)
  • Ronnie Barrett
  • Kenneth Blackwell
  • Matt Blunt
  • Dean Cain
  • Marion Hammer (*, absent-health, not re-nominated)
  • Niger Innis
  • Tom King (*, absent-health, Nom Comm)
  • Mitzi McCorvey (*, Nom Comm)
  • Mark Robinson
  • Wayne Anthony Ross
  • Jim Tomes
  • Blaine Wade (*, absent, Nom Comm)
  • Howard Walter
  • Judi White

While the reformers hold the majority for now, three of them – Babaz, Lee, and Porter – can only get on the ballot for 2025 if they gather enough petition signatures. Furthermore, David Norcross will not be running for reelection and Susannah Kipke has resigned to take the position of Deputy Director for Advancement within the NRA. She will be replaced by John Sigler who probably is not a reformer and who is on the ballot thanks to the Nominating Committee. This means potentially a swing of five votes to the cabal.

This reemphasizes the importance of gathering enough petitions to get the reformers running by petition on the ballot. In addition, while I will be on the ballot thanks to the Nominating Committee, being placed on it by petition would give me a leg up on some of the cabal’s nominees. If you are a voting member and you haven’t signed the petitions, do it now! Time is running out.

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My Firearms News Articles

September 22, 2024 by 0 Comments

While I won’t be a regular contributor to Firearms News, I will be sending them the occasional article. My first two articles have now been published and are available online.

The first dealt with research coming out of Duke University School of Medicine. Now that docs think they know something or two about the criminal misuse of firearms – I refuse to call it “gun violence” – sometimes their research is useful for our side.

Med School Researchers Conclude Gun Control Has No Impact on Homicide Rates

The second article is about using tax credits and tax deductions to advance innovation in the firearms industry. It goes into detail about Sec. 41 tax credits and Sec. 174 tax deductions. The article is based upon my interview of Kevin Culver of Royse Partners.

Letting the Government Pay You for Firearms Innovation

If you have suggestions for further articles, leave them in the comments.

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Learning From The Gun Prohibitionists

September 19, 2024 by 6 Comments

Lee Williams aka The Gun Writer has a post up today about a new anti-gun group called “Legislators for Safer Communities.” It is about gun prohibitionist legislators in 43 states coming together to form a coalition to work for gun control. What struck me about this story was not yet another astroturf gun control organization being formed. Rather that it was being supported by all the major gun prohibitionist groups.

From their press release:

Legislators for Safer Communities will serve as a hub for collaboration, partnership, shared resources, strategy, research, and peer networking. The coalition will work in partnership with Brady, Community Justice, Everytown, GIFFORDS, and March For Our Lives.

You have Brady, you have Everytown (and presumably their subgroups), and you have the Cult of Personality known as Giffords. While they take different approaches, they are all on the same page in fighting firearms rights, promoting the monopoly of violence by the state, and seeking more control over our lives.

Unfortunately, too many in the pro-rights community don’t play well together whether through philosophical differences or mere jealousy. One need not look too hard to find examples of that.

Here in North Carolina, a bill to allow permitless concealed carry which came from Grass Roots North Carolina and Gun Owners of America was killed when the NRA objected to it due to a provision that required a class on the use of deadly force. The bill was certainly not perfect and that provision was a requirement from House Speaker Tim Moore to move the bill. The thinking by its backers was that moving the bill was more important than the objectionable provision which might well be removed later.

The actual question was whether the NRA objected to the bill because of the provision or because it had not originated with them. This mindset has driven me up the wall for years. Unlike the Second Amendment Foundation and the Firearms Policy Coalition, I rarely see the NRA join with other groups as co-plaintiffs in cases. This needs to change! Resources are finite and are even more so now that the NRA has spent almost $200 million on Bill Brewer’s legal “services”.

If I am elected to the NRA Board of Directors, I plan to be a voice for working with other groups. It should not matter if the group is NRA affiliated or not. Coalitions need to be formed with groups like GRNC, Virginia Citizens Defense League, AzCDL, Commonwealth 2A, and the list goes on. The NRA should work with these groups on the state and local level just as much as they do with their affiliates so that NRA-ILA can do more within the halls of Congress with the resources they have. Sad to say but the non-NRA state affiliates are often more effective and more resolute in their push for gun rights.

Litigation needs to be coordinated where possible with SAF, FPC, NSSF, and the various foundations like the Mountain States Legal Foundation. You see it somewhat on amicus briefs but it needs to go beyond that. I remember reading about then NRA President Charles Cotton complaining about all the 2A cases brought by other plaintiffs after the NRA’s win in Bruen. The complaint should not have been that these groups were bringing cases based upon the Bruen decision but rather that the NRA had failed to follow up on its own win. Smaller organizations like SAF and FPC are always nimbler and inertia is always a problem with a larger, more bureaucratic, organization like the NRA. The smart thing would have been to give support to the nimbler organizations by either being co-plaintiffs or even funders of their efforts instead of just whining about it.

Everyone and every organization wants to get the credit for a win. That is understandable. However, is it more important to get the credit or get the win for firearm rights and freedom?

I know where I stand.

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NRA In Danger On Subtlety

September 18, 2024 by 1 Comment

NRA In Danger had a very interesting post this afternoon. It dealt with how the cabal has become subtle as they go about clinging to power.

From the post:

Has “leadership” turned over a new leaf? No, they just got subtle. Instead of using the big-name anti-reformers, they substituted ones not so well-known (they have a bench of 30+) and made sure the important committees (important from the standpoint of hiding corruption) had an anti-reformer chair and an anti-reformer majority.

Read the whole thing and read the stats presented. If anything it points to how important this next Board election will be if we are to reclaim the NRA for the members and not for the enrichment of the grifters.

Getting petition candidates on the ballot will be a necessary first step. Here again is the link to all the petition candidates on the reform platform. Remember, original signed petitions need to be to Rocky Marshall by September 30th. Time is of the essence!

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Remember In November

September 17, 2024 by 3 Comments

Grass Roots North Carolina has a biennial project whereby they evaluate candidates at the national and state levels on where they stand on gun rights. Candidates are rated from zero to four stars with four stars being the best. The evaluation process uses any votes the candidate may have taken plus their responses to a survey sent to every candidate at their registered office. It is called Remember in November.

This guide estimates where candidates stand on gun issues by comparing their views with those of a control group of gun owners. As noted below, a “4-STAR” candidate agrees with the control group on at least 90% of gun issues, a 3-STAR agrees on least 80%, a 2-STAR on at least 70%, a 1-STAR on at least 60%, and a 0-STAR candidate agrees on less than 60% of gun issues….

GRNC’s “Remember in November” project estimates candidates’ views on “assault weapons,” concealed handguns, gun storage laws, gun rationing, other gun control and the Second Amendment.  THE EVALUATIONS HEREIN ARE NOT ENDORSEMENTS.  We issued surveys first to a control group of gun owners and then to candidates. Next, we measured how closely each candidate’s views and voting record (if available) agree with the control group.  Pay more attention to voting records than survey results unless, of course, you believe politicians never lie.

The 2024 General Election candidate evaluations have been released. If you want to view by office and name, use this link. If you would prefer to have the higher ranked candidates for each office, use this link. I find the latter more useful myself.

It should be pointed out that if a candidate just blows off the survey, they will get a zero star rating as well they should. Most of the candidates blowing off the survey tend to be the Democrats. That said, you do get Republicans who should be pro-rights just ignoring it as well. See for example both Dave Boliek (R) for State Auditor and Mike Causey (R) for Insurance Commissioner. They are both zero stars as they didn’t return the survey. Likewise for Sherry Higgins who is running as the Republican in my state house district. In my opinion, this is foolish. In a close race every vote is needed and ignoring gun rights voters could be the difference between winning and losing. These are the type of Republicans that whoever coined the term for the GOP as the Stupid Party had in mind.

While the higher rated candidates tend to be either Republicans or Libertarians, I did find a race where both the Republican and Democrat were both 4-star rated. That was in State Senate District 9 located in southeastern North Carolina. Incumbent Republican Brent Jackson faces Democrat Jamie Campbell Bowles. Both are from Sampson County. I’m wondering if Ms. Bowles didn’t get the Democrat’s memo that guns are icky or just ignored it. I’m so old I remember when there was actually such a thing as a pro-gun Democrat.

One last thing. If you aren’t registered to vote, now is the time to do it! As someone who registered to vote on my 18th birthday, it always amazes me when I come across gun owners who are not registered to vote. I just can’t see leaving my rights at risk by not voting.

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NRA Petition Candidates Round-Up

September 15, 2024 by 21 Comments

I received a suggestion from Stephen Wenger of the Defensive Use of Firearms digest that it would be helpful to put links to all the petition candidates in one post. I quite agree.

His second suggestion was to remind readers that if they are signing multiple petitions, it would easier and cheaper to send them all to Rocky Marshall. He is right!

An important note – Rocky needs to get them by September 30th so they can be sent to the individual candidates. Under the NRA’s antiquated rules, petitions can only be submitted to the NRA by the candidate and no one else. The NRA’s deadline to have them delivered to the Office of the Secretary is October 8th.

That address is Frontier Truck Gear, Attn Rocky Marshall, PO Box 277, Center Point, TX 78010.

Here are the links in no particular order:

Jim Porter

Frank Tait

Scott Emslie

Todd Figard

Charlie Brown

Howard Massingill

Jonathan Goldstein

Paul Babaz

Jim Sheckels

Jason Wilson

Todd Vandermyde

Willes Lee

Theresa Inacker

And finally, there is me (John Richardson). I am still running for the Board by petition.

Time is getting critical as we have only about two weeks to finish gathering petitions. If you have a club meeting in the next week or so, print out some or all of the petitions and ask voting members to sign. If you have a shooting competition this next weekend, do likewise. If you have a gun show next weekend, consider taking petitions with you and asking people to sign.

The key thing to remember is that you are doing this for the future of the NRA. All of us above are just your tools to effect change. As someone told me in an email when he sought to have friends at the range sign my petition, they all expressed disappointment in the NRA and were waiting to see change before they could be bothered to sign my petition.

We are all disappointed but if we keep waiting for change before acting, it will never get done. You, I, and everyone else needs to act now!