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WHEN: Sat., Oct. 15 , 7-9:30pm
WHERE: Matheson Museum, 513 E. University Ave.
SPEAKER: Dr. Robert Cassanello
COST: $15-20

by Joe Courter

The Civic Media Center will mark its 29th anniversary on Saturday evening, Oct. 15, at 7pm in the Matheson Museum, 513 E. University Ave. The guest speaker will be Dr Robert Cassanello, an associate professor at the University of Central Florida, and the head of the UCF faculty union. He has served on the board of the Florida Historical Society, and has a research background on voter suppression and the Jim Crow era.

During the contentious Bush/Gore presidential election of 2000, Sue Gunzberger served as county commissioner for Broward County Florida. On Dec. 19, 2001, Julian M. Pleasants, as representative for the University of Florida’s Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, interviewed Commissioner Gunzberger about her experiences as part of the historical ballot recounts. The following excerpts are part of that interview. 

To read the full interview, visit the UF digital collections at tinyurl.com/Iguana1447 and click the document image on the upper right. Use the double arrow keys to advance pages.

JP: Give me some idea of what Election Day was like for you.

SG: It was the longest day of my life, because I was on the canvassing board. I started with a commission meeting at 10 [a.m.] and by 7 [p.m.] I had to be at the warehouse to start supervising the counting of all the ballots. Usually on an election that large, it is finished by 2 in the morning. We finished at around 7 in the morning, knew that there was less than [a] one percent margin of difference and that we would have to have a recount. We had to be back at the warehouse by about 1 p.m., I believe.

WHEN: 5 Monday classes from 7-9:15pm
WHERE: SF NW Campus, C-122 INSTRUCTOR: Gary Gordon
FEE: $69

Learn about screenplay structure, to think about your protagonist and antagonist, to plot your story in a screenplay format, and to avoid some classic mistakes made by beginning screenplay writers. You may even achieve writing the first ten pages (or the first act).

Bring a laptop/notebook. It’s helpful to already have an idea of the story you wish to write. 

Write a paragraph or a page about your favorite movie – what it is and why, and bring any writing you’ve done or started if you have previously taken the class; we’ll work on continuing to develop your script.

The first class is 10/31, no class 11/28, last class on 12/5. Register online starting Oct. 5 at SF Community Ed under Arts-Writing or call 352-395-5193.

10/6 5-7pm: Oral History Program open house, Pugh Hall Ocora, UF, https://tinyurl.com/Iguana1469

10/7 2-4:30pm: Radical Rush, Civic Media Center (433 S. Main St); civicmediacenter.org

7pm: The Band’s Last Waltz, Bo Diddley Plaza (111 E. University Ave); free; tinyurl.com/Iguana1452

10/8 UF Homecoming – Parade, football (vs Missouri) at noon, partying all over: join in or stand clear!

by Michelle Rutledge & David Hastings

What does a Just Clean Energy Transformation look like in Florida?

Climate change is the defining crisis of our age. Each day brings more news about sea-level rise, extreme heat, and climate change-fueled disasters. 

“The unprecedented scale of climate impacts means that we must quickly transition to a clean energy economy. But this transition must be just.”  – Rep. Yvonne Hayes Hinson, District 20 

Whether it’s the cutting-edge research at the University of Florida, the food we all eat, new businesses created, or the constant construction our towns are experiencing, our foreign-born neighbors have been playing an integral part in our community for years. 

Making up over 10 percent of our population in both the City and County, the number of immigrants and refugees making their homes here has been on the rise. But a survey (referenced below) of the immigrant population revealed that nearly 80 percent of immigrants wanted more opportunities to participate in our community and 1/3 of respondents did not feel included at all. Despite this, our foreign-born community contributed over $57 million in state and local taxes and nearly 16 percent of the GDP in 2019 alone. 

by Mary Savage

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Americans and the world watched in shock and disbelief as the World Trade Center towers collapsed onto Lower Manhattan. By Oct. 3, among the first to receive monetary benefits from the tragedy were employees and survivor family members of the New York Police Department, the Fire Department and the Port Authority. Those benefits had been quickly organized and managed for distribution by the Social Security Administration.

by Joe Courter

Nothing like the power of Nature to give you perspective. Thank you Ian for avoiding Alachua County. However, a fallen tree on a power line took out my power for a day, minor compared to what so many experienced but still… such a good feeling when power came back on. With its restoration the song “People Have the Power” came to mind, first with humor, then with more significance as I contemplated the need to write this piece.

by Aron Ali-McClory

There is something deeply broken at the University of Florida. 

According to federal lobbying and tax forms provided by OpenSecrets, since 1998 the University of Florida has used our tuition money, to the tune of over $6.1 million, to build its institutional and political clout at multiple levels of government. 

by Joe Courter

First, be correctly registered to vote. This needs to be done by Oct 11. If you are still registered elsewhere, consider changing your registration to here. We need you. They can help you downtown at the Supervisor of Elections office (call 352-374-5252).

If so moved, early voting is a snap. Here’s the schedule:

The October issue of the Iguana is now available, and you can access it here! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.

Co-founder of election org Black Voters Matter says when it comes to voting, ‘we won’t Black down’
by Rebekah Sager | Daily Kos | Sept 26 | tinyurl.com/Iguana1464
You may not have heard of Black Voters Matter (BVM). Their work has brought millions of dollars to grassroots election organizations and mobilized countless Black and brown voters in the last six years. The group works year-round to increase voter registration, advocates for policies around voting rights, and funds and inspires civic engagement in marginalized communities nationwide.

Federal judge clears UCF prof Robert Cassanello to sue over DeSantis’s Stop Woke Act’
by FlaglerLive | Sept. 9 | tinyurl.com/Iguana146
A federal judge cleared the way for a UCF professor to continue challenging a new state law (Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “Stop WOKE Act”) that restricts the way race-related concepts can be taught in classrooms. The professor, Dr. Robert Cassanello, will speak at the CMC’s anniversary event on Oct. 15. See page 24 for details. Cassanello and other plaintiffs argue that it violates First Amendment rights and is unconstitutional vague.

Bob McPeek was a founding partner (with Ric Kaestner) of Hyde & Zeke Records, founded Mirror Image Recording Studio, and is a founding partner of Heartwood Soundstage. He is a husband, friend, musician, producer, singer, and social scientist. He has written hundreds of songs and has produced and recorded thousands more. These last few years, Bob has gone through a number of serious health issues, and his current prognosis does not give him much time here with us. His friends, in conjunction with Heartwood Soundstage, are producing a tribute and celebration to Bob’s life and music. Many of his friends and musical associates will participate in song or story in this event. Bob requests that if people want to support his art they go to BobMcPeekMusic.com. Below, a few of his friends share some words about Bob as a person and what he means to them.

Bill Perry:

I’m writing to let you know I love you, Bob, and that I hope to see you some more. Thank you for being my friend, first and foremost, secondly for hiring me at Hyde and Zeke Records and changing my life forever. Thank you for recording my crazy band, Bill Perry Orchestra, and for contributing to songs. Bob McPeek played awesome guitar on “Shape Of Your Nose.” Hoping you can record again, and get new songs. Tell Nancye that I love her too. Your show at the Heartwood Stage was amazing. I have always loved your music, funny, sarcastic, witty lyrics and beautifully constructed music. Your smile is very important to me and many more.