NEW YORK – Seventy-four years after he saw the flag raised on Iwo Jima, a World War II veteran has an Independence Day message for America: The fight for liberty goes on, and today's enemies are ignorance and indifference to justice.

Ninety-four-year-old Bob Pennoyer saw the American flag raised on Iwo Jima. He describes that moment as embodying the spirit of liberty, as people from different faiths, races and nationalities fought and bled together to defeat tyranny.

From the success of the civil-rights movement to the fight for women's reproductive rights and today's Parkland students speaking out against gun violence, Pennoyer says he sees the fight for liberty continue.

And, he adds, it takes work to preserve our democracy.

"America is an example to the nations of the world, but we're not perfect, and we have to acknowledge we're not perfect," says Pennoyer. "We can do better and we must do better, and the most important thing is to be active by voting and electing people who want to bring the country and the community together and serve the nation."

This Independence Day, Pennoyer is calling on Americans' courage to fight today for the core values for which so many have given their lives - equality, freedom and self-government.

He believes now is a good time to put aside politics and remember the values that unite us.

And what are they, some might ask? The private sector has been vital to creating the country's wealth, but Pennoyer says equal opportunities are needed for people from all walks of life.

"We need the government to ensure a level playing field so that the power that's accumulated by big corporations doesn't obliterate the right of small business to survive and thrive in our nation," he says.

He sees another key factor in protecting our freedoms as ensuring that our country works toward peace and avoids unnecessary conflicts.

"While I personally felt that the Iraq war was one of the worst blunders in history, the people who served in that war were willing to risk their lives for the nation," he adds. "And they deserve our highest respect and should be honored and helped when they come back to civilian life."

Pennoyer's generation is often referred to as "the greatest," but he believes every generation has the qualities that will save and serve liberty.

Using a reminder of the WWII America sacrifices on D Day in France, and a historic line from the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" to illustrate the fight against the enemies of freedom, Pennoyer hopes his call to action helps inspire generations of today to do their part.

As he puts it, "I'm filled with hope knowing that, long after I am gone, the people who hear this message, imbued with the millions like them, imbued with the spirit of liberty, building on the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives on a beach at Normandy, will strive to save democracy and freedom as they 'trample out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.'"



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A Republican-sponsored bill in the Arkansas Legislature would make it illegal to circulate petitions at or near polling places during elections.

House Bill 1025 would amend the state law about circulating petitions to limit signature-gathering within 100 feet of the primary entrance to a polling place. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. David Ray, R-Maumelle, and Sen. Mark Johnson, R-Little Rock.

Bonnie Miller, president of the League of Women Voters of Arkansas, said the bill appears to be a remedy in search of a problem. She said there haven't been any issues around circulating petitions as people are voting.

"This is his next attempt to try to make the people's constitutional right to direct democracy in Arkansas much more difficult," she said. "We, the League of Women Voters, we believe that it is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment, of our right to free speech, and to petition."

Miller said the 100-foot limit that currently exists is for candidates, to prohibit what's known as electioneering. She said voters circulating a petition are not the same thing. When Arkansans vote in a general election, she said, any issue would have already gone through a rigorous process to get onto the ballot - so there would be no reason to circulate petitions or gather signatures at a voting location. She contended that this may be another way to intimidate groups or chip away at the democratic process.

"It's not really something that happens already, because the timing just doesn't make sense with elections, and direct democracy, the whole process," she said. "I don't understand the reasoning behind this bill, except for just continue to attack it, in whatever way that they can."

It's unknown whether HB 1025 has bipartisan support, as it is newly introduced.

Support for this reporting was provided by Carnegie Corp. of New York.

According to AmeriCorps' latest research, Utah was the state with the highest number of residents volunteering with nonprofits in their communities from September 2020 through 2021.

Michael Smith, CEO of AmeriCorps, said those in the Beehive State and across the country had to find innovative ways to give back to their communities during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the data, about 40% of Utahns regularly volunteered with nonprofit organizations, which classifies as formal volunteering. Smith pointed out the number jumped to 61% when looking at how people from Utah helped in informal ways, such as doing favors for neighbors.

"To put that in context, we got 23% for formal and 51% for informal," Smith reported. "Those rates were pretty high, and it shows why we need to do this research. We need to study what was happening. What was the secret sauce?"

The research is conducted every two years in a joint effort between AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Smith emphasized the research showed cause for concern and celebration. For the first time since the agencies started tracking the data in 2002, there was a 7% dip in the number of Americans engaging in formal volunteering. He added informal help remained strong and steady.

Smith admitted he was a bit nervous in receiving the numbers from the latest research, since he knew the COVID-19 pandemic would likely mean many were not able to volunteer as in previous years. He explained AmeriCorps was not shocked to see a dip in formal volunteering, but it was greater than expected.

At the same time, he added he was pleased to see when the going got tough, Americans really showed up for one another.

"We saw neighbors creating learning pods so that children of first responders could have a place to go and learn in a safe place," Smith recounted. "We saw folks saying 'I'm going to the grocery store. Anyone who can't get out to the grocery store in my apartment building, I'll go and get that done.' "

Smith hopes formal volunteering will rise again, but stressed AmeriCorps will be looking at ways to remove barriers to get even more Americans volunteering and civically engaged. He noted the need for volunteers within nonprofits is at an all-time high, which can also become a pipeline for employees in the social sector.

Some Nevada Democrats said the state's new Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo missed the mark on addressing key issues and putting forth solutions during his State of the State speech.

Lombardo will have to work with a Democratic-controlled Assembly, which could lead to partisan disagreements in the upcoming session.

Asw. Selena Torres, D-Las Vegas, a member of the Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus, said in her eyes, Lombardo failed to address crucial issues for the state, including health care, housing, public safety and clean energy. Torres noted Lombardo did not speak on what he plans to do to help Latino families in Nevada, which according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is the second-largest demographic in the state.

"He focused a lot on what he is going to do for wealthy corporations and wealthy families in the State of Nevada," Torres pointed out. "But I think we're missing key elements of what he is planning to do for the working-class families in our community."

Lombardo did lay out plans to put away a hefty amount of state dollars in savings, cut gas and payroll taxes and increase public school spending, as well as expand the controversial school-choice program, something for which he received praise from fellow Republicans.

Torres pointed out the Latino Caucus priorities this session will surround health care, education, language access and housing.

She argued Lombardo failed to touch on a number of health care-related issues she sees as paramount, such as bringing more health care providers to the state. She also said abortion is top of mind for Nevadans and voters across the country.

"He had no plan for protecting women's health or reproductive rights, and obviously this was a critical issue for voters at the ballot box this election cycle. So, it really was disheartening to see that, you know, these issues were not focused on."

Torres added she and other members of the Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus are ready and willing to work with those across the aisle on a number of issues to help Nevadans.