« AREA 2020 October FYI

Welcome to AREA -

Androscoggin Retired Educators Association - Many thanks to Crystal Ward, Mona Ervin and Gina Fuller for the contributions this month. 

Newsletter Notes!

Please feel free to contribute to your newsletter.  You can send contributions to me by emailing them to - area@mainenet.org  or  rfuller@mainenet.org

Please note - MEA Retired now has a Facebook page - You can follow us there. 

MEA Retired - Facebook

If you want up-to-date information on the pandemic and its impact, consult this link -

Washington Post Update

or directly at -

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/national/coronavirus-us-cases-death s/?itid=h p_hp-top-table-main_web-gfx-death-tracker%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans

This is the best resource for daily updates on both the national and international situation. If you follow the links, you can even get a state by state analysis.

Stay isolated to stay well.  This is a tough and tedious assignment - we can do it!

AND REMEMBER - THE ENHANCED FLU VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE.  GET VACCINATED EARLY!!

from Mona Ervin

The information about the two scams below has been in the Lewiston Sun Journal and other news sources.  The information is very important and is worth repeating. 

As each of us is aware, we are being inundated with requests for money to support various candidates for office.  Using the internet,  scammers here and abroad are posing as fundraisers, pollsters, candidates and even launching fraudulent voter registration drives. These scammers are “phishing” for your financial information.  Never donate funds to these requests without first doing a Google search.  When in doubt do not donate, even if the cause/candidate is dear to your heart. If you wish to donate to a candidate of cause do so through the local office.  As a point of reference, the FBI has reported a jump from 1,000 complaints a day  about these scams to between 3,000 – 4,000 a day.

Another scam that is working its way across the internet is one involving Medicare. Open enrollment for Medicare runs from October 15 to December 15.  Scammers posing as agents from various insurance companies are asking for your social security number in order to receive a new card with a chip to replace your old card.  New cards with chips are NOT available and if you are being told this, it is a lie.  Do not respond to unsolicited requests. Never give out your social security number or your Medicare number.  If you receive a call saying that you will be unenrolled in Medicare hang up.  This is a scare tactic to force you to share your identification numbers.  Do not accept free gifts or the offer of free  medical screenings as an inducement to sign up with a company.  For additional information  on this and other scams go the AARP website.

Another scam is one for gardeners. Because of Covid-19 many people planted home gardens.  There was a resulting shortage of some seeds, particularly carrots.  Many people have received unsolicited seeds in the mail. One problem with this is the uncertainty of where the seeds come from, we want to feel secure knowing that our seeds come from a safe grower.  Secondly, the USDA has found tiny wasp, noxious weeds and larval seed beetles in the seed packets.  These pests can do irreputable damage to a garden.  If Covid-19  continues into the next garden season there may be a shortage of seeds from reputable seed companies and growers.  It may be best to order your seeds early from a trusted source and do not plant any seeds that you did not order.  As with the information about the first two scams, this information was in the Lewiston Sun Journal , but it is worth repeating.

Hope that this helps, feel free to doctor as you see fit.  Mona

POLITICAL UPDATE

from

Crystal Ward

Hello AREA, VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE

It has been a busy Fall with Election November 3, 2020 right around the corner. MEA endorsed candidates have been sent out to MEA-Retired unified members. The endorsement process requires candidates to fill out a questionnaire, some chose not fill it out and participate.

MEA is endorsing the following for their strong stands on education, civil rights, labor and retirement issues. More information available on the MEA website.

Biden / Harris---also endorsed by NEA
Sarah Gideon-- also endorsed by NEA
HD 56 – Scott Gaiason -- Lisbon
HD 58 – James Handy -- Lewiston
HD 59 – Margaret Craven – Lewiston
HD 60 – Kristen Cloutier -- Lewiston
HD 61 – Heidi Brooks - Lewiston
HD 62 – Gina Melaragno - Auburn
HD 64 – Bettyann Sheats - Auburn
HD 74 – Christina Riley – Livermore, Jay
HD 75 – John Nutting – Turner, Leeds

Senate District 20 – Ned Claxton
Senate District 21 – Nate Libby

Information on the process for using absentee ballots has been sent out. Many AREA members report they have voted! If anyone needs help with absentee voting call me at 786-7084 or call your local city/town office. For those voting in person on November 3rd,the polls will be following all of the CDC guidelines—you will need a mask.
The Maine Legislature is not is session.

Down in Washington D.C.--- a bill called the Heroes Act passed the US House of Representatives five months ago , the US Senate would not take the bill up. So both parties are working on a compromise, which is very difficult to do at this time. This bill contains money for Local and State governments which would greatly help Maine who is looking at a major shortage for 2021. My concern is without Federal help they will again be looking hard at the retired fund money to bail them out as was done in the past. It would be harder this time because of changes made but still possible in an emergency.

Thought this might help you understand the whole election process

Step 1 - People vote on the Tuesday after first Monday in November every 4 years (Nov. 3, 2020)

Step 2 - Electors chosen by the states process, meet at the State Capitals the Monday after the second Wednesday in December( Dec. 14,2020) to cast their electoral votes ( Maine has four votes ) ,they are signed and sealed and mailed to the President of the US Senate in Washington D.C ( Mike Pence)

Step 3 - On January 6, 2020, President of the Senate opens and counts the electoral votes from the states in front of a joint session of the US House and US Senate. If each has 270 of the 538 electoral votes we have winners! They are called the President-elect and Vice President- elect.

Step 4 - If no one gets 270 to be President- elect--- the elections goes in the US House of Representatives, each state gets ONE vote and it takes 26 to win. The election for Vice President-elect--- goes to the US Senate to be decided and the whole Senate votes so 51 to win in the Senate . (These situations have happened in our history)

Step 5 - On January 20th usually at Noon the Vice President- elect takes an oath of office- usually from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Then the President takes the Constitutional oath of office, usually from the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court. Now you have a new President and Vice President

In case you are wondering if no one gets 26 votes in the House to become President but the Senate picks a Vice President, the Vice President shall act as President until the House selects a President ............If neither election is completed by January 20 you go to the Succession Act of 1947 and the next in line is the Speaker of the House who acts as President until the House and Senate votes in winners.

Crystal Ward, Legislative Chairperson

Treasurer's Report

Gina Fuller sends along the Treasurer's Report as a downloadable PDF.  Remember that you can send your dues for this year by sending a check to -

Gina Fuller

36 Elliott Ave.

Lewiston, ME  04240

Treasurer's Report

We invite you to follow us on Facebook:
MEA Retired - Facebook

Be well. Stay well. VOTE!!!