MOUNT BALDY NEWS - NARFE



MOUNT BALDY NEWS

NARFE CHAPTER #1497

VOLUME III ISSUE 6 June 1, 2012



If you fail to plan, you will plan to fail!’[pic]

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My fifth month of 2012 as your leader was inspiring for me. I find being a leader I must constantly analyze the past, scrutinize the present, prepare and plan for the future! We had to survive without our newsletter editor Will Patton. I believe that I was challenged and I survived with him being away. Sometimes the best of plans need to be altered. Now, he is back, and we are together, again and preparing for our Annual Potluck Picnic. I did not have to search too far to get a member to plan for our picnic.

We needed a Social Committee Chair and Ernestine Abogado volunteered for the position. She circulated a sign-up sheet for members who would be attending and bringing an item for our picnic. There are, still, items left for others to bring. Plan to attend if you can! We need more pasta, dessert, beverages and veggies. If you are attending and would like to bring an item, call me at 909-860-0635 or e-mail me at bernicem550@ and I will convey the message to Ernestine.

We have been planning to have more avenues to reach potential members. Our plans are working out. As you know, I constructed our website in July 2011. You may find the link up above the page and you may check it out anytime. Our ‘Twitter’ page is active and being read. Look for it by signing up and searching for NARFE Chapter 1497. Your latest edition of PennySaver has us on the Neighborhood News section of the publication for three weeks. Check us out! The Daily Bulletin will keep an announcement about our chapter in the newspaper every month. We are planning on a future article about our September speaker. Our Facebook is being constructed and will be ready for you, soon! Plan to check it out next month. If you have heard of YouTube, that is another avenue to recruit new members. Yes, we are contiplating on this media, too!

Our NARFE president Joseph A. Beaudoin wants each of us to recruit at least one new member this year! Can you do this? I did! Keep reading your NARFE magazine for information about our issues. Use the GEMS for more current information that comes across the wires.

OBTAINING THE HOTLINE:   Weekly legislative messages are available to telephone callers (703-838-7780 and toll-free at 877-217-8234); posted on the NARFE website, ; made available to NARFE-Net Leaders; and sent to over 70,000 GEMS email addresses.  Each delivery channel is a service of NARFE, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. I hope you are on GEMS! (Note: NARFE Global Email Messaging System - GEMS.)

If you have acquired the capabilites to receive our e-newsletters and I do not have your e-mail address, kindly share that with me. You can receive your next newsletter in color with just a click from my computer to yours. Make sure that your address is current with us so that you can stay connected to our chapter. Let me know if address changes are in order.

“Some NARFE members give by going and others go by giving!” Please, plan to give some time for what is important. One important thing is to attend our future chapter meeting which is September 12th. Until then, we can see you at the picnic on June 13th at 11:00 a.m. I know I am planning to be there. See the directions in a separate article. Have July and August off and enjoy your summer! ‘Come One and Come All!’ Thanks for your continuous support! Bernice Minnis bernicem550@. (Note: How many times did I use the word ‘plan’ in my message? Ask me at the picnic! Why? You will find out there.)

Why Do You Support Active Federal Employees?

In the June issue of NARFE Magazine, they have highlighted why NARFE’s grassroots activists work to fight legislation targeting federal workers, even though they are retired.  Do you write your member of Congress because an attack on active federal workers is an attack against the entire federal community?  Do you call Capitol Hill because active feds will one day be retired feds and active NARFE members?  What ever you do to support active federal workers is commendable! There are quotes on page 10 of the NARFE magazine. Having quotes there will help motivate other NARFE members who may not be as enthusiastic. Did you get your quote to HQ’s in time?

[pic]Congratulations to Winners of the $25 Dollar Attendance Awards?

The winners are Martha Trimillos from the March meeting; Clark Minnis from the April meeting and Joe Steib from the May meeting. They were present, their names were pulled and they each won $25.00. You have to be present in order to win. The January pulling was not done, but the February one was pulled. David Coon became our winner, and he was not present. If you want to win at our meeting in September, you must be present to receive the $25 dollar check.

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This member retired for the second time from a famous line of stores that is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas. (Answer is on page 5.)

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Pictures of Winners of the $25 Attendance Award

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Clark Minnis won in April.

Martha Trimillos won in March.

Our September Speaker

Sandy Windbigler of California Public Utilities Commission on ‘Understanding Your Utility Bills and Senior Scams to Watch Out For

Our Speaker for September Sandy Windbigler is returning from speaking to our chapter in 2011, exactly one year ago! She said that she had so much fun with us that she wanted to come back!

Sandy is a Business and Community Outreach Officer for the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). She has worked for the Commission since 2007. The CPUC regulates privately owned electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies. She spends most of her time, primarily in Southern California, educating consumers to the CPUC Public Purpose Programs, Small Business Programs, and CPUC Policy. The CPUC serves the public interest by protecting consumers and ensuring the provision of safe, reliable utility service and infrastructure at reasonable rates with a commitment to environmental enhancement. The Commission regulates utility services, stimulates innovation, and promotes competitive markets where possible, in the communications, energy, transportation and water industries. Prior to working for the CPUC, Sandy worked for the County of San Bernardino and the State Legislature.

Expect something different from her this time. Please, attend and give her your questions at the next meeting. Hopefully, she will be able to answer them all.

[pic]“Keep Your Friends Close and, Your Enemies Even Closer.” An Old Adage

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NARFE MT. BALDY

CHAPTER #1497

May 9, 2012, MEETING

There were 14 members present.

INTRODUCTIONS: First time attending member Ms, Kathy Jeffery was introduced. She is a retiree from the US Postal Service.

MINUTES: Acting Secretary Emil Trimillos read the minutes for the April 11 2012, which were approved and accepted.

TREASURER REPORT: Treasurer Lorraine Brannon gave the Treasurer’s Report:

Balance [03-31-12] $4137.17

Total Receipts 76.53

Total Disbursements [85.00]

Reserve Obligations [71.00]

Balance 04-30-12 $4057.70

MEMBERSHIP REPORT Stan Dack gave the Membership Report. Our Chapter has 191 members. Two regular members and one non-voting member dropped but we gained another member through re-instatement. Membership retention and recruitment is an on-going priority.

SUNSHINE & HOSPITALITY: Martha Trimillos reported no activity during the month of April.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT: Marco Rodriguez gave the Legislative Report. He warned that Senator Paul Ryan’s proposed budget is another assault on active and retired federal employees. He reminded our members to fly our American flags on Memorial Day, May 28th.

NEWSLETTER/SERVICE OFFICER REPORT: Will Patton is vacationing in France and will return home at the end of the month.

ALZHEIMER’S REPORT: Lorraine Brannen gave the Alzheimer’s report.

GUEST SPEAKER: Marco Rodriguez introduced the guest speaker M. Robert Cullen who spoke on “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of VA and Medi-Cal Benefits”. After the close of his speech, President Bernice Minnis gave him a Certificate of Appreciation.

GOOD OF THE ORDER:

Drawings for the Newsletter Fund, the Alzheimer Fund and the Attendance Award: The Newsletter Fund collected $15 and Alex Melendez number was drawn and received a gift certificate to Rubio’s Taco Restaurant.

The Alzheimer Fund collected $16 and winner Emil Trimillos donated his share to the fund.

The $25 Dollar Attendance Award was won by Joseph Steib who was present at the meeting.

You have to be present to win.

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CHAPTER CHATTER AT THE LAST MEETING

1. Marco “I sent out a letter to the E B regarding ‘Thank You Letter’ to our members for their support.”

2. Emil “Try – if you can – to send information to editor and assistant to be used for the newsletter.”

3. Ernestine A. “Could you let me know when the picnic sign-up sheet is ready for me?”

(Note: If you want to hear the chattering at our next meeting, you could attend or wait for the next newsletter!)

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Medicare-

(Note: I will quality for Medicare in 2013. So, I am getting more informed about it! It is never too early to get informed! Bernice)

Medicare-Sponsored Plans

Medicare-eligible annuitants may enroll in Medicare Advantage plans. These plans--also referred to as Medicare Coordinated Care Plans (MCCPs), Medicare Managed Care Plans, Medicare + Choice or Senior Plans--provide services through a Medicare-approved plan. Enrollees pay the Medicare Part B premium or, in some cases, an additional premium, and/or additional fees for prescriptions and other charges.

In 2002, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued regulations allowing FEHBP enrollees who also had Medicare Part B coverage to suspend their FEHBP participation, enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan, and, if not satisfied, return to the FEHBP during the next open season. These regulations also allow FEHBP enrollees to suspend FEHBP coverage to enroll in TRICARE, TRICARE for Life, the Uniformed Services Family Health Plan, CHAMPVA and Medicaid or similar state-sponsored programs of medical assistance for the needy.

NARFE neither advocates nor discourages Medicare Advantage plan enrollment. Individual retirees should decide, based on their circumstances, whether to enroll in one of these plans. However, annuitants should keep several cautions in mind when considering a Medicare Advantage plan enrollment. First, both the annuitant and, if he or she is married, the spouse must be eligible to enroll in the Medicare Advantage plan. If a spouse or another family member is not eligible, the FEHBP family enrollment must be retained to provide continued coverage. A spouse cannot obtain a self-only FEHBP enrollment, except in those circumstances where both spouses are federal retirees.

Second, if the retiree is not satisfied with the Medicare Advantage Plan coverage, re-enrollment in his or her FEHBP can only be done during the annual Open Season. Some annuitants have enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans, found them not to their liking, and then they discovered that they had to wait a considerable period of time before FEHBP re-enrollment. Also, the Medicare Advantage plan may have restrictions on when you can return to traditional Medicare, which you should check on before you enroll.

Finally, not all Medicare Advantage plans provide the same level of coverage usually provided by FEHBP plans. Prospective Medicare Advantage plan enrollees should carefully review the plan to ensure that the benefits important to them are included.

.(Note: You will be receiving Why Don't My FEHBP Premiums Decrease When I Sign Up for Medicare Parts A and B? in September – if you have e-mail capability.)

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WEBSITES FOR SENIORS #14

1. General Senior Related Information

2. Grand--parenting

3. Health Information

4. Housing

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When a member becomes a committed volunteer and a faithful NARFE member – that becomes a ‘breath of sunshine’ for me! Bernice Minnis

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Stamp out Hunger Food Drive

The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive was Saturday, May 12. NARFE seeks to become a future official sponsor. Did you get a chance to bag nonperishable food items and leave the bag at your mailbox for collection by your city or rural mail carrier on Saturday, May 12? Well, I did. I left a bag of dry foods. Next time, I will try to leave two bags.

Senior Citizen Joke

Two elderly gentlemen are playing cards on Saturday evening just as they have done for the past 50 years.

Gus, the elder, had been having problems remembering what cards were what, and usually needed help from his wife. At the end of the card game Red said to Gus, "You did very good tonight. You didn't need any help at all. Why is that?"

Gus replied, "Why, ever since my wife sent me to that memory school, I haven't had any problems at all."

"Memory school? What memory school?"

Gus thought for a moment, "Oh, what's that flower that's red with thorns? A really pretty flower ”

"A rose?" asked Red.

"Yeah, that's it!" Gus turned to his wife and mumbled, "Hey, Rose! What's the name of that memory school you sent me to?"

ΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖΖa

A PERFECT DAY

You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you. Ruth Smeltzer

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Do You Recognize This Member? The answer is JOHN WASSON. We miss him!

“Tough times never last, tough people do.”

[pic]House Passes NARFE-Opposed Sequester Reconciliation Bill

 Instead of recognizing the annual Public Service Recognition Week (May 6 – 12), the House continued singling out federal employees for further budget cuts. Enactment would mean a phased-in 5 percent payroll tax on middle-class federal workers in both federal retirement programs. The Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act, H.R 5652, “saves” $310 billion as a way to avoid automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, set to take effect in January 2013.The Senate is NOT expected to review this measure.  

Whistleblower Protection Wins Senate Passage – Now Needs House Approval

On May 8, the Senate unceremoniously passed the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act, S. 743. Both the House and Senate have passed similar legislation in the past. This whistleblower protection legislation, repeatedly championed by Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, D-HI, has a good chance of enactment this year. The measure enables all federal employees to report evidence of manipulation of scientific or technical information while receiving the same protections as if reporting on waste, fraud or abuse. Under select circumstances, the bill would grant whistleblowers access to a jury trial. The companion bill, H.R. 3289, sponsored by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-CA, won bipartisan approval by that committee last November.

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NARFE URGED DEFEAT BUT THEY DID NOT LISTEN!

The House May 10 passed legislation that would require federal employees to increase contributions to their retirement by 5 percent. NARFE had urged defeat of the cuts, and more than 6,400 NARFE members sent messages to their representatives over a 48-hour period, responding to an "Action Alert" from NARFE Headquarters. To see the NARFE press release on passage of the bill – check the NARFE website.

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Photo Contest Is Open – 2nd reminder

NARFE HQ is now accepting photos for the next

NARFE Photo Calendar Contest. These photos will be used for the 2014 NARFE Calendar. As we did last year, we are waiving the rule that once you have a photo published in any NARFE Calendar; you are ineligible to enter again. So, this means that all NARFE members are invited to submit a photo. The only exception is that members who work as professional photographers are not eligible.

All photos must be 8” x 10” or 8 1/2” x 11” horizontal size. Each entry must have the following information on a piece of paper stuck or taped to the back of each photo: name, address, chapter number, and phone number or email address. Any photos not adhering to these rules will not be considered. As in the past, the photos can be whatever you think makes a good picture. No photos of pets or children, please. Neither email nor Polaroid pictures will be accepted. Only the work of amateurs will be accepted, and all photos submitted become the property of NARFE and will \not be returned. Please limit your submissions to no more than five photos, so send us the ones you consider your best.

Send your photos to NARFE Headquarters, Public Relations Department, 606 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. If you have any questions, call NARFE PR, 703-838-7760, ext. 268; or email: pubrel@. We will accept photos until February 15, 2013. (Νοτε: Τακεν φρομ ?Θυαρτερλψ Νεωσ.?)

METROLINK EXCURSION

"Our Metro-Link Excursion was very pleasant. Some of our members attended along with some friends and family members of our new member Alicia Wahl. Watch for our photo in a future edition of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin during the summer."

Pictured are Bernice & Clark Minnis, Emil Trimillos, Lorraine Brannen, Marco Rodriguez, Alicia Wahl and her family members and friends.

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June 13th Picnic

MAP OF UPLAND MEMORIAL PARK

We will be between the food court and the play ground, where the large X is on the map at 11am.

This is the area.

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[pic] In the 60s, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal...!

In democracy it’s your vote that counts. In feudalism it’s your count that votes.

A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: ‘Keep off the Grass.’

NARFE ELECTED OFFICES

PRESIDENT & NARFE NET COORDINATOR:

BERNICE MINNIS

(909) 860-0635

bernicem550@

1ST. VICE PRESIDENT, NAT & STATE LEGISLATIVE CHAIRS &PUBLIC RELATIONS:

MARCO N. RODRIGUEZ

(909) 590-1849

mnrodriguez770@

2ND VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERSHIP/TELEPHONE

STANLEY DACK

(909) 628-8853

standack@

3rd VICE-PRESIDENT, SECRETARY, NEWSLETTER, SERVICE OFFICER & PARLIAMENTARIAN

WILL PATTON

(909) 623-5700

will91766@

TREASURER & ALZHEIMER CHAIRWOMAN

LORRAINE BRANNEN

(909) 625-7603

lbrannen@ca.

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

ASST, LEGISLATIVE CHAIR, NARFE-PAC &HISTORIAN:

LEROY DICKERSON

(909) 982-5774

lgdled@

SUNSHINE & TELEPHONE

MARTHA TRIMILLOS

(909) 591-3455

trimillos1938emil@

SOCIAL COMMITTEE CHAIR

ERNESTINE ABOGADO

626-257-8011

CHAPLAIN & GREETER

CLARK MINNIS

(909) 860-0635

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS, ASST. NEWSLETTER EDITOR, ASST. HISTORIAN

EMIL TRIMILLOS

(909) 591-3455

trimillos1938emil@

DISTRICT III VICE-PRESIDENT

Lee Manak

(909) 864-3378

leemanak@

NARFE CSFC PRESIDENT

Jeanette L. Schmidt (Dottie) Jlschmidt37@

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Remember: “Attacks on Federal employees today will become attacks on retirees tomorrow.” [pic]

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[pic]COUNT DOWN: 3 months to go!

August 26-31, 2012: National Convention, John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino in Sparks, NV. (Have you started saving money, so you can attend?)

March 9-12, 2013: Legislative conference, Crystal City, VA

May 3-4, 2013: California State Convention, Double Tree Hotel, Sacramento, CA.

August 24-28, 2014: National Convention, Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, FL [pic]

MT BALDY CHAPTER #1497 MEETINGS WILL BE ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT COCO’S, 60 W. FOOTHILL BLVD, (corner of Euclid and Foothill Blvds.) UPLAND, CA, AT 1:00p.m.

JUNE 13, 2012: POTLUCK PICNIC 11a.m. Upland Memorial Park just off Foothill Blvd.

JULY & AUGUST 2012: SUMMER BREAK.

SEPTEMBER 12, 2012: Sandy Windbigler of California Public Utilities Commission on

“Understanding Your Utility Bills” and “Senior Scams to Watch out for”.

OCTOBER 10, 2012: Dwayne Shackelford of Guardian Alarm Systems on “Educating Our Seniors

About Alarms”

NOVEMBER 14, 2012: Brandi Orton of Community Senior Services on “Building Cohesiveness

Through Connecting Community Members”

DECEMBER 12, 2012: Lenore Manak our District Vice-President on District Update – HOLIDAY

PARTY

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Washington, April 7 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators gave the nod to an imaging test from Eli Lilly and Co. that can for the first time help doctors detect brain plaque tied to Alzheimer's disease. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the radioactive dye, called Amyvid, to help doctors rule out whether patients have Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, Lilly announced late on Friday.

The dye binds to clumps of toxic protein called beta amyloid that accumulates in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's. Doctors can then see the plaque light up on a positron emission tomography, or PET, scan.

Patients with Alzheimer's always have some brain plaque, so its absence in the test would tell doctors to look for other causes of mental decline, such as depression or medications, Lilly has said. But Lilly, which plans to sell the drug through its unit Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc, said the test should not be used to diagnose Alzheimer's since brain plaque can also be tied to other neurologic conditions and may occur naturally in older people with normal mental states.

"The approval of Amyvid offers physicians a tool that, in conjunction with other diagnostic evaluations, can provide information to help physicians evaluate their patients," said Dr. Daniel Skovronshy, CEO of Avid.

Avid has been in the lead in the race for imaging agents for Alzheimer's, which are estimated to have a potential global market anywhere from #1 billion to $5 billion.

General Electric Co and Bayer AG are developing rival products.

Lilly, as well as Pfizer Inc, are the farthest along in developing experimental medicines to treat Alzheimer's. Lilly expects to release final data for its contender, solanezumab, as soon as this summer.

[pic]/0ABCIPQ?‘ÄÅÆÇÕ[pic] ïÜïξ«¾ ˜?… }y}l}hXTGhŽdSOJQJmHnHu[pic]hì%Æ-jhì%ÆU[pic]mHnHtHu[pic]hG}Fh Our Alzheimer's Research fundraiser for the Federation Convention in 2013 will be a beautiful hand-stitched quilt donated by Layna Kinsman, Service Officer of Chapter #1529 Fairfield -Suisan. Thank you, Layna.

.Laura Wilcox CSFC Alzheimer's Coordinator

Laura Wilcox, CSFC Alzheimer's Coordinator[pic]

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