Dear Clients:

The date of our utility company’s planned power outage has changed from Friday, August 20, to Friday, August 27, and I want to let you know immediately.

I sent you an e-mail late on Monday about our office closing this Friday, August 20, due to a planned power outage in our section of the City of Akron. Just today, however, our local electric utility company told us the forced outage will be one week later than originally planned.

Please note: the outage will begin Friday, August 27 at 1 p.m. and last until Sunday. We must shut off all electric-powered devices in our building during this time.

Those of you who use our online compliance information services through our website will not be able to access those services from 1 p.m. on August 27 until Sunday, August 29.

Additionally, this planned blackout will affect our telephone system. If you have routine business to conduct with us over the phone, I ask you call us either before 1 p.m. on Friday, August 27, or beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, August 30.

If you have an emergency and need to talk to us during this time, please call our main telephone number at 330-761-9960. I will have our main number forwarded to my cell phone and will take your call.

Any e-mails you send to us during the power blackout will go to an outside computer server and will be saved on this server. We will review your e-mails on August 30, and respond to any of your needs.

Once again, I apologize for this inconvenience—and also for having to tell you about it twice. This situation, including the utility’s scheduling of the planned outage, remains beyond our control. If you have questions or concerns, please call us.

Thank you.

Elizabeth Z. Bartz, President and CEO
State and Federal Communications, Inc.

To our valued clients:

Our office will have to close Friday, August 20, at 1 p.m. and this will affect your computer and telephone access/communications.

Our local electric utility company informed us it needs to do some important work on its main underground service line near our offices. Because of this, the utility will shut off electricity to our part of the City of Akron beginning Friday afternoon, August 20.

We must shut off all electric-powered devices in our building during this time.

Once our office closes August 20 at 1 p.m., those of you who use our online compliance information services through our website will not be able to access those services until Sunday, August 22.

Additionally, this planned blackout will affect our telephone system. If you have routine business to conduct with us over the phone, I ask you call us either before 1 p.m. on Friday, August 20, or beginning Monday, August 23, at 8 a.m.

If you have an emergency and need to talk to us during this time, please call our main telephone number at 330-761-9960. I will have our main number forwarded to my cell phone and will take your call.

Any e-mails you send to us during the power blackout will go to an outside computer server and saved on this server. We will review your e-mails Monday, and respond to any of your needs.

I apologize for this inconvenience, but the situation is beyond our control. If you have any concerns before the planned power outage occurs, please call us.

Elizabeth Z. Bartz, President and CEO
State and Federal Communications, Inc.

To view the report, go to www.stateandfed.com and click on the “Citizens United Update” in the lower left of the home page. The report is free and available to the public.

The report tracks new and updated laws, and pending legislation, in every state responding to the January 21, 2010, Supreme Court decision. The court’s ruling had the practical effect of removing restrictions from corporations, labor unions, and others in making independent expenditures and electioneering communications regarding candidates.

“Back in January, we said the most important developments would come when the various states began reacting to the court’s decision. Our research team has found many states are responding with new legislation, while others are loosening rules and regulations in place for years,” said Elizabeth Z. Bartz, president and CEO of State and Federal Communications.

“Rules are changing all the time. Corporations, trade and professional organizations, labor unions, and government affairs professionals need to stay current on these changes to ensure they do not inadvertently violate recently passed legislation,” Bartz said.

“Updated and accurate information is of vital importance. That is why we are sharing this report with the public,” Bartz added.

The State and Federal Communications document – researched and developed by the firm’s in-house staff of government affairs compliance experts – is broken down by state and includes:

• Court decisions affecting particular laws in the states.

• Rules state commissions and ethics administrators have put into place.

• Opinions issued by state authorities in charge of campaign finance rules.

“We provide this information to our clients, along with comprehensive resources on the rules and regulations in the areas of lobbying, procurement lobbying, and political activities,” Bartz said.

“We help our clients stay compliant. That’s our mission.”

Employees of State and Federal Communications took part in The All-American Soap Box Derby and United Way of Summit County Corporate Derby on Friday afternoon.

The five-member pit crew arrived at Derby Downs early in the morning and spent a majority of the day assembling and decorating a classic soapbox derby car.  The team, lead by driver Sarah Gray took fourth place.

Here is a video of Sarah in her first trial run:

The event is an opportunity for local companies to participate in the lead-up to the All-American Soap Box Derby, which will be held the weekend of July 24, 2010 and a chance to help Summit County United Way.   Other major Summit County businesses participated in the event this year including PNC Bank, Bridgestone, and Summa Healthcare.   Bridgestone was the champion of the Corporate Derby this year.

Teams decorated their derby cars with paint, decals and the classic derby tin-can headlights.  The double-elimination tournament was an excellent way for participating companies to give back the community, spend time with one another in a less formal setting,  and take part in one of the few remaining  true slices of Americana.

Sarah Gray shared her thoughts:

Have you ever thought something was a good idea until you were about to do it? Racing a soapbox derby car down a 25-foot hill for the United Way Corporate Derby was one of those ideas for me—it sounded fun until I stood at the top and looked all the way down to the finish line.

When I first arrived at Derby Downs, I was excited about the race… until I saw the monster they call a “hill”. I knew I had to focus on the more urgent matter at hand—turning the pile of wood and wheels provided to us into a well-oiled, State-and-Federalized machine of terror! Together with my four colleagues, we did just that, except the only person feeling the “terror” was me!

I was selected to be the first crash test dummy, that is, take the first test drive down the hill. I asked everyone I saw, whether I knew them or not, if they worked for the Derby or not, and if I should be scared. Suffice it to say, I was the entertainment that morning. I’ve been told even the timekeeper watching the finish line was amused at how frightened I was. As I coasted down the hill, I had two options—steer or push on the brake. There was no “off” button, no reverse.

The cheers from the crowd as I sped down the hill eased my fears. Nearly the entire staff from State and Federal was there to root me on, some bearing signs, still more with cameras at the ready. I glided over the finish line and caught my breath—I made it!

The fear I originally held was gone. I couldn’t wait to get back to the top of the hill and zoom down again. Each time there were more people giving me advice, keep your head down, keep your rear-end back, don’t look up, don’t swerve, and just relax. After six exhilarating rides, I finished fourth place, not bad for an amateur. Not many people can say they have raced a soapbox car down Derby Downs and I would have regretted not following through with race. The memories I gained were well worth it and will last a lifetime.

Here is a picture of Team State and Federal!

Take a look at our pictures on Flickr and our videos from the day on YouTube!

When you think of macaroni, what comes to mind? Macaroni and cheese, comfort food, good times in the kitchen, childhood memories …

After serving at the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, a team of State and Federal Communications employees will never look at macaroni – or hunger – in quite the same way.

Our team was privileged to serve at the Foodbank as a part of the United Way Day of Action on June 18, 2010. Day of Action serves as a catalyst to advance the common good by joining thousands of corporate volunteers with area non-profit organizations to improve opportunities for education, income, and health in their communities.

Our assignment was to assist the Foodbank by repacking bulk food items into smaller quantities for distribution to clients. We understood the concept, but after a quick tour of the Foodbank’s amazing facility, we were surprised to see 3 huge tubs (imagine the size of a small above ground pool) each filled with 800 pounds of macaroni. Forget the club store’s definition of bulk – when the Foodbank says bulk – they mean BULK.

Throughout the day, fourteen of us worked to repack almost 6,000 pounds of macaroni into smaller containers for distribution to non-profit organizations, and from them, to the people in our community needing food. By the end of the day, we worked through over 7 tubs, packed over 2,400 individual containers of pasta, and had a blast working with each other to serve our community.

All around it was a win-win situation. The Foodbank benefited from our service to move the macaroni along, and with the help of many other volunteers, set a new record for the amount of food repacked in a week – 76,825 pounds! Our company benefited from the team building fostered by volunteering together and the understanding gained about what can be – and what is being – done to feed people and fight hunger in our community.

As we finished our work, I thought of all those little pieces of macaroni, each one individually so small, and almost, insignificant. However, there is nothing insignificant or small about thousands of pounds of macaroni able to nourish individuals and families in need. And how do you get thousands of pieces of pasta – one by one. When you think your contribution is too small to make a difference, think again. If you contribute, and I contribute, and we all contribute, our impact grows exponentially and our communities, our nation, and our world are nourished.

Now, where’s that blue box? I think I need some mac and cheese, please.

State and Federal Communications, Inc. is your compliance information source for campaign finance, lobbying, and ethics laws. We are pleased to introduce our new blog – LobbyComply.

State and Federal Communications is always seeking new ways to serve our clients and to reach out to the larger community. Along with what we offer on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, we believe LobbyComply will give us a great opportunity to connect with all of you.

On LobbyComply, you can expect to find news and information regarding lobbying, ethics, and compliance. Feel free to leave comments and questions, or contact us by e-mail. Enjoy the blog!