Ellis

At our April Karen Meredith a member of Gold Star Families Speak Out, a chapter of Military Families Speak Out addressed the club . Her son Lt. Ken Ballard was killed in Iraq on May 30, 2004. She was named the 22nd Assembly District of California "Woman of the Year" for 2006 by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber. Karen has appeared in various national media including PBS Now, Link TV, Air America, NBC Evening News, Current TV, NPR and CBS The Early Show. All local media in the SF Bay Area have been very supportive of Karen as she tells Ken's story and tries to keep the Iraq war on the front page. Nadia McCaffrey and Karen went to Sacramento to testify to the committee that decides what kinds of words it will print on a license plate. Q&A / discussion following her presentation.

Stevan Thomas made a motion that TVDC support Karen Meredith’s campaign to make California print Gold Star Families license plates. The TVDC will support this campaign via our website. The motion passed. Karen just sent me this email telling us how we can support her efforts.

Ellis-

Here is the latest news out of Sacramento regarding the CA Gold Star Family License plate.

thanks for your support.

Outstanding news All!! This is the notice that we have worked so hard on! Great job on everyone's part, we must keep up the fight!

Good News to report on SB 1455 (Cogdill / Denham) "The California Gold Star License Plate Bill"!
The Senate Committee on Rules met on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 and waived a scheduling rule, so the bill can still be heard in a policy committee.
SB 1455 will be heard in the Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 in the State Capitol, in Room 4203, at 1:30 pm.
We encourage you to let other Gold Star Family License Plate supporters know about this and plan on attending the hearing and offering a voice of support of this important measure!
We also would encourage you to continue to write and fax letters to the addresses below:

Letters of support may be addressed to:

The Honorable Alan Lowenthal, Chair
Senate Committee on Transportation and Housing
California State Senate
Sacramento, CA 95814

Copies of support letters should be provided to the authors' offices
The Honorable Jeffrey Denham
California State Senate
Sacramento, CA 95814

The Honorable Dave Cogdill
Senate Republican Leader
California State Senate
Sacramento, CA 95814

You can also fax letters of support to the Committee's office at (916) 445-2209.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.

Michael D. Anderson Sr.
Proud Father of The Late Corporal Michael D. Anderson Jr. USMC
Killed In Combat Action 14 December 2004 Fallujah, Iraq

www.cplandersonjr.org

Modesto, California
(209)495-9439

--
Karen Meredith
Proud Mom of Lt Ken Ballard- KIA 5.30.04
www.ltkenballard.com
650.814.3611
Gold Star Mom Speaks Out http://gsmso.blogspot.com/
Gold Star Families Speak Out www.GSFSO.org
Gold Star Families Speak Out is a chapter of Military Families Speak Out