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Missing From Both Final Judgment Proposals

October 9, 2024 by 2 Comments

Both the NRA and the New York Attorney General’s Office submitted their proposed terms for the final judgment in People of New York v. National Rifle Association of America et al on October 4th. Having read both proposals, neither propose reforms intended to keep the rank and file NRA member informed.

Item 9 in the NYAG’s proposed final judgment says the NRA will set up a secure online portal that will “enable digital dissemination of Board, committee, and corporate documents to Board members, and shall enable convenient encrypted communications with Board members.”

Likewise, the NRA’s proposal for a final judgment states, “The Secretary’s Office shall use best efforts to implement, by January 2025, a secure portal that will enable digital dissemination of Board, committee, and corporate documents to Board members, and shall enable convenient encrypted communication with Board members.”

Nowhere in either document is any mention of providing information on a timely basis to the members of the NRA. Whether this is an oversight or intentional, I don’t know.

At the very least, here is what I would propose and what should be included in the final judgment. If you have other items that you would suggest be publicly available, make note of it in the comments.

  • Current bylaws must be published on the NRA website and available to all members. Do you know hard it is to get an up-to-date copy of the bylaws otherwise?
  • A minimum 5 years worth of Form 990 and CHAR500 posted on the NRA’s public website. Many other non-profits make these available on their websites.
  • Board meeting agenda and minutes posted on the public website including for past meetings of the board. If small towns can do it, so can the NRA.

If those in charge are so worried about the gun prohibitionists or reporters from The Trace having access to this information, make it so it can be accessed only by NRA members. This is what they do with regard to candidate ratings by the NRA-PVF.

The time for keeping the membership in the dark is over. If the Board and the executives are serious about a NRA 2.0, this is one change they could easily make.

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Ryan Cleckner’s Essay In Imprimis

October 9, 2024 by 2 Comments

Imprimis is a monthly publication of Hillsdale College that presents digests of speeches given at seminars and other events sponsored by the college. Like Hillsdale College itself, it usually has a conservative or libertarian bent.

A speech given by Ryan Cleckner, an attorney formerly with NSSF, on federal law enforcement agencies was this month’s topic. Entitled, “Our Out-of-Control Federal Law Enforcement Agencies”, it focused primarily on abuses, many deadly, by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The speech begins with the killing of Bryan Malinowski by the ATF in Little Rock, Arkansas and concludes with a reference to the ATF’s attempt to illegally construct an electronic database of firearms and owners. Interspersed with these are stories about the FBI’s use of dawn raids on a non-violent pro-life activist and Trump confidant Roger Stone among others.

From the speech:

I served in the military as a Special Operations sniper and Sniper Team leader in 1st Ranger Battalion. I could have gone on to become a sharpshooter on a police SWAT team or even joined the FBI or one of the other three-letter federal agencies that were widely considered, in the past, to be the cream of the crop in terms of law enforcement. Sadly, they are no longer thought of in the same way.

The flip side of the increasingly thuggish character of these agencies is their diminished effectiveness in fulfilling their core missions, to the point that the American public cannot help but notice. Consider the recent assassination attempt—very nearly successful—on President Trump. The U.S. Secret Service and the FBI are being anything but transparent about their investigations and seem to be going out of their way to make it as difficult as possible for Congress and the public to learn what happened. But the most obvious fact about it, which cannot be covered up, is that the Secret Service allowed a 20-year-old shooter to access the most ideal location for a sniper, even after he had been spotted acting suspiciously and using a laser rangefinder and had been watched for almost 30 minutes. This alone is enough to know the Secret Service that day was more Keystone Cop than cream of the crop.

This speech by Mr. Cleckner is well worth your time reading as are virtually all of the essays and speeches published in Imprimis. If you want to subscribe to Imprimis, it is free.

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Delivered!

October 7, 2024 by 3 Comments

My package containing 236 petition sheets with 547 signatures was delivered to the NRA’s Office of the Secretary this morning. It cost me $92.22 but it was worth it.

When dealing with the powers that be, it always pays to have proof!

I know I have more petitions coming in as UPS has notified me of at least two packages that are delayed by the storm. I plan to send those in to Fairfax because why not. They can turn their nose up at them and not count them but they will know that even more voting members are demanding change.

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Rocky Marshall Responds To Barr’s Falsehood

October 7, 2024 by 3 Comments

Earlier today, NRA President Bob Barr sent an email out to the Board of Directors with “a litigation update.” It details what the Special Litigation Committee agrees with in the NYAG’s proposed judgment and what it disagrees with. Towards the end of the email Barr accuses Director Rocky Marshall of submitting an affidavit ” in support of the NYAG’s demands for additional relief against the NRA.” You can read the whole email here where it has been reposted on Facebook.

Rocky did not take this lying down and has responded at length. He has requested that his response be published in its entirety along with his affidavit and a joint letter submitted by Rocky and Buz Mills to the New York court in August. I am happy to provide Rocky a public forum to set the record straight. As Tom Gresham of Gun Talk Radio has often said, “A lie left unchallenged becomes the truth.”

Here is Rocky’s letter in its entirety:

October 6, 2024
To: Bob Barr
From: Rocky Marshall
CC: NRA Board of Directors and all NRA Members
Not Privileged and Not Confidential – Share with as many NRA members as possible


NRA President Bob Barr:
In your email addressed to the NRA Board of Directors (dated October 6, 2024), includes a retaliation statement towards me directly. Because of this attack, I am compelled to respond to the NRA Board of Directors and also to all NRA members in a public forum.


In your email, you comment that I provided an affidavit “in support of the NYAG’s request for additional relief”. This is untrue, blatantly false, and is a feeble small minded political attack. The affidavit that I signed was not a statement of support but instead was a true account of the resolution to dissolve the Special Litigation Committee (SLC) and the subsequent outcome of the vote (See attached affidavit).


For the record, the NRA Directors who supported Wayne LaPierre and now support maintaining the Brewer law firm into perpetuity, misused the parliamentarian rules and recorded the vote as having not passed with a super majority. As it turns out, according to the New York AG’s charitable division, NY law says a majority of the board governs unless the bylaws says otherwise, NRA’s bylaws adopt Robert’s Rules, but only as to deliberations, not voting, so for voting the NY statute applies and a simple majority is enough. In other words, the majority of the Board voted to end the SLC and by default terminate the employment of the Bill Brewer law firm. I join with the majority of the Board and echo this simple but monumental refrain: “Bill Brewer You’re Fired!”


NRA Members:
President Barr (unfortunately) is a central member of the NRA Directors identified in the NYAG’s statement as: “Many of the same NRA directors who failed in their duty to oversee the NRA during an era of “ill-considered,” “wasteful,” and “disastrous” efforts to “avoid accountability” continue to serve on the Board today. Id. at 2253:9-13.” President Barr and the members of the SLC continue to take action that is adverse and detrimental to the stability and future of the NRA. The SLC is operating beyond its authority and every member of the SLC should immediately resign for the good of the order.


President Barr also identifies issues that are described as “areas of disagreement” with the NYAG’s proposal. I completely disagree with President Barr and the Brewer Law firm position that is being promoted which does not represent the majority of the NRA Directors.


Forms of Relief:
Board Size Referendum – This idea is the result of the court being informed by NRA members and other expert witnesses that the NRA Board size is too large. This is an arbitrary solution to a perceived problem. I believe that an optimal Board size can be determined after reviewing the work that is currently being performed at the Board level. In total, there are 44 committees that perform a wide variety of oversight and also managerial tasks. This is worth reviewing, but is not a quick fix to a suggested solution.


In a letter to Judge Cohen on August 14, 2024, Buz Mills and I drafted a similar idea (attachment)
Item# 10 We propose that the appropriate size of the NRA Board of Directors be determined in reviewing best practices of similar boards with significant numbers of committees. We suggest that this item be delegated to the new leadership of NRA 2.0 to investigate and propose a solution to the NYAG’s charitable division that can be mutually agreed upon.


Director Nomination: This idea is a good attempt at removing the punitive bias and retaliation that has existed with the NRA nominating Committee historically and thru the current election cycle. Enlarging
the number of candidates for the Board would provide NRA members more options to choose among qualified candidates as opposed to hand selected candidates by the old guard. I fully support this idea and will work to implement with the NRA Directors during this election cycle.


In a letter to Judge Cohen on August 14, 2024, Buzz Mills and I drafted a similar idea: Item #2 The NRA 2.0 Leadership has recruited candidates to be considered in the next election cycle and we request that all eligible candidates be automatically included on the next election ballot which will be voted on by members in January 2025. The Nominating Committee should be directed to approve every candidate who meets the basic qualifications: Life Member or above for at least five years. Any current Directors running for reelection should be excluded from the ballot if the Director has poor attendance in the previous year of service.

Committee Membership: Removing directors that served on key committees during the critical years whereby fiduciary oversight was absent is a just and appropriate result due to negligence. I fully support this idea and confident that the NRA will have excellent committees in place in the coming weeks.

In a letter to Judge Cohen on August 14, 2024, Buzz Mills and I drafted a similar idea: Item #6 All individuals identified in phase 1 trial as in support of, enabling, facilitating the misuse of funds of the NRA, and all identified “cabal” members be banned from holding any office, chair or vice chair or tier 1 committee member for 3 years.

Committees of the Board: This is an idea proposed by the NYAG and I do not believe will improve the functioning of the committees. The downside to this idea is that potentially a committee (such as the SLC) could operate independently of the Board. As long as good Directors are in place, the committees should be able to operate in accordance with the goals and the direction provided by the entire Board. However, if the committee is operating adverse to the Board then the consequences can be significant.

Compliance Consultant: This idea identified by the NYAG is to provide additional external oversight. I disagree with the NYAG’s position because we have abundant oversight in place. I testified during the trial that we do not have a process problem but instead have a people problem. All of the corruption that occurred was due to the individuals managing the NRA and the NRA Directors that were complicit. We have proper controls in place thanks to Doug Hamlin, Sonya Rawlings, and Bob Mensinger and all transactions are being audited and verified.

Internal Control Audit : This is also an idea proposed by the NYAG to assure that all processes, transactions are being managed correctly. This is not a big issue and the NRA can easily adopt.


NRA members, we are making great strides with all of the changes that been implemented and today the NRA Board of Directors has a majority of good Directors that will shape the future of the NRA for decades to come. As you can sense by this letter, we have issues to resolve and will correct the problems of the past in order to return the NRA back to you – the members. NRA 2.0 is here and we need your support.


Sincerely,


Rocky Marshall
NRA Board Director 2021, 2024-present

The first attachment referred to by Rocky is his affidavit. I have read it multiple times and it is, in my opinion, a straightforward recital of the vote regarding the attempted dissolution of the Special Litigation Committee. I reported on that almost two weeks ago in an annotated post. The annotations indicated who is up for re-election and how they were nominated.

Affidavit Roscoe Marshall Affirmation 09.30.24Download

The other document that Rocky refers to in his letter is the joint letter that he and Buz Mills sent to Judge Cohen.

Judge Cohen Request for Relief 08.14.24Download
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That Horse Has Already Left The Barn

October 6, 2024 by 2 Comments

Both the NRA and the New York Attorney General’s Office have submitted their proposals for a final judgment in the New York case on Friday. They both make for interesting reading. I will deal with the substance of both in future posts. However, for now, there was something in the NRA’s memorandum for their Post-Trial Submission & Final Judgement Proposals and the accompanying exhibits that really caught my eye. It dealt with candidates for the Board of Directors and how they are selected.

From the memorandum signed by Sarah Rogers of Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, on page 9 of the document:

Gathering input from Board members and stakeholders this summer, the NRA repeatedly
and consistently heard the following concerns:

  • The NRA must retain an “immune system” against hostile candidacies by
    adverse advocacy groups, who have boasted of attempts to infiltrate or
    hijack the NRA in the past    ;
  • There must be a mechanism to recruit and prioritize potential directors with
    desirable skills or backgrounds; and
  • There must be a way to limit the total number of candidates on the printed
    ballot, for logistical reasons.
    Rogers Aff. Ex. A at ¶ 9. Accordingly, the NRA cannot simply agree to nominate any five year life member who applies—a framework that could result in millions of candidacies.

And then in Exhibit A which is the Affidavit from NRA President Bob Barr in Item 9 on page 2 there is this:

  1. As it gathered input, the SLC repeatedly heard the following concerns regarding
    the director nomination process:
    ” That the NRA must retain an “immune system” against candidacies promoted by
    adverse advocacy groups, who have boasted of attempts to infiltrate or hijack the
    NRA in the past;
    ” That there must be a mechanism to recruit and prioritize potential directors with
    desirable skills or backgrounds; and
    ” That there must be a way to limit the total number of candidates on the printed
    ballot, for logistical reasons.

Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees!

Barr, the Special Litigation Committee, and the cabal are worried that some anti-gun billionaire like a Bloomberg or a Soros is going to come in, buy a boatload of life memberships for their supporters, and then recruit anti-gun candidates who are 5-year life members to do their dirty work. Instead of being paranoid about some hypothetical infiltration by gun prohibitionists, why not recognize the real source of the damage being done even now to the NRA?

It is Bill Brewer and his cohorts who have sucked the liquidity out of the NRA’s finances with their overpriced (and ineffective) legal “advice”. The same Bill Brewer who has donated to Kamala Harris in January and has donated to Hillary Clinton, Beto O’Rourke, and tons of other anti-gun Democrats. The same Bill Brewer who convinced the Special Litigation Committee that it would be “brilliant” for the NRA to file for bankruptcy so it could avoid the New York courts.

The damage done to the NRA by Brewer is incalculable yet the cabal in their paranoia is more worried about some hypothetical infiltration of the NRA by “adverse interest groups.” If you ever wondered why the NRA has lost almost two million members, you are seeing the reason why. The inmates were running the asylum so to speak and that needs to change.

The only immunity that the cabal really seeks is to avoid being tossed from office. Their actions have guaranteed that they will be tossed on to the ash heap of history and remembered solely for their role in helping to run the NRA into the ground.

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NRA Petition Candidates Round-Up (Updated)

October 5, 2024 by 21 Comments

Last minute note: The top three listed – Babaz, Brown, and Lee – may not have enough to make on the ballot. If you can get a petition to them directly by Monday, it may help put them over the top.

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:

Paul Babaz

Charlie Brown

Willes Lee

Jim Porter

Frank Tait

Scott Emslie

Todd Figard

Howard Massingill

Jonathan Goldstein

Jim Sheckels

Jason Wilson

Todd Vandermyde

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!

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You Did It! I Made My NRA Petition Numbers

October 5, 2024 by 5 Comments

547 petition signatures with membership numbers sent by UPS Next Day Air to the NRA Office of the Secretary.

236 petition sheets with an average of 2.32 signatures per page.

The stack was about 1.5 inches and weighed just under three pounds.

Blank sheet on top for privacy.

USPS came through by delivering enough petitions with signatures on Friday to surpass the bylaw required number of 398.

I could not have done this without the aid of all of you who mailed me your petitions directly, those who signed a petition at a gun club, or those who mailed their petitions to Rocky Marshall in Texas for forwarding to me.

Beyond the many individuals who sent me their petition, I would like especially to thank Karl Rehn, Phil Journey, “Bitter”, and Todd Vandermyde for gathering multiple sheets of signatures at events like a class or GRPC and at their respective gun clubs. I also want to thank Rocky Marshall who helped coordinate the gathering of petitions for all the reform candidates and then sending them forward. Finally, a big thanks to Buz Mills of Gunsite for a huge email push, to the Board of Directors of California Rifle and Pistol Association for suggesting their members consider signing candidates’ petitions, and to the Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association which did likewise.

Two things were made very clear through this whole process to me. First, there are many, many individual NRA members who are not happy with the current state of things and want reform. Second, the number of people who have dropped their NRA annual memberships over the past few years is extraordinarily large. This was due in large part to a) disgust over the corruption and grifting by Wayne and his friends, b) the failure by many long-time members on the current Board to do their fiduciary duty, and c) a feeling that the NRA was no longer relevant in the fight for the Second Amendment as they had compromised one time too many. Any current board member that does not recognize that sticking to the “old ways” and looking the other way contributed in large part to the huge decline in membership of the NRA should think twice about remaining on the board.

To conclude, I want to reiterate my great thanks to all who signed my petition and those of other 13 reform candidates. I think all will be on the ballot come 2025.

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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

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