CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Lake County Republican Women, Federated did not let the ravaging fires slow its determination to carry out its effort to inform its membership on “How pharmacy has changed the last 20 years.”

Meeting at Howard's Grotto in Clearlake on Aug. 8, all were relieved by the 11:15 a.m. alert that Highway 20 was again open to through traffic.

President Stephanie Codling reported that six members attended a pre-opening viewing of the movie “Death of a Nation” by Dinesh d’Souza at the Cinemark in Napa. How much history have we forgotten or maybe never did know? It is a movie for all generations. This movie is truly an eye-opener as to what has happened and could happen. A movie that all should see.

Each month brings new members to this organization, both men and women, who want to support candidates who will work for changes in state and federal government. There are five million Republicans in California.

As members speak with people in our community, they are finding many who are now beginning to speak up for what they really want for our country and it is a change. They want the voter rolls cleaned up, no bullet train, repeal of the gas tax, no repeat of the Brown years and the list goes on.

Throughout the CFRW Northern Division, which includes LCRWF, all are working under the umbrella “Informed – Involved – Impactful!” All members receive updates from CFRW avocate in Sacramento.

“How pharmacy has changed the last 20 years,” was presented by Registered Pharmacist Bill Kearney, owner of two North Lake Medical Pharmacies in Lakeport.

After graduating from Drake University Des Moines, Iowa, in 1966, with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, he began his career with Walgreen’s in Chicago, becoming a registered pharmacist in Iowa, and Illinois.

After a two-year commitment to the U.S. Army he returned to the states and began a 15-year career with Walgreen’s, becoming a registered pharmacist in a total of seven states.

After 15 years with Walgreen’s and moving to California, Kearney left the Bay Area in April of 1980 to open the first North Lake Medical Pharmacy and in 1995 opened the second pharmacy in the Bruno’s grocery store in Lakeport. Kearney has also served Lake County on many boards over the years.

Kearney explained the cause of high drug costs, what it means to a communities when they lose their independent pharmacies, as well as lack of physicians in rural areas, and how watchful the pharmacist must be for doctors over prescribing pain medications and how easy it is for patients, unknowingly to become addicted to pain medications, which is the basis of the opioid crisis. The words “big pharma” are words all should be aware of.

Although not included in his remarks, a quick check on big pharma shows that for every $1 spent on “basic research,” big pharma spends $19 on promotions and advertising.

From 1998 to 2016, big pharma spent nearly $3.5 billion on lobbying expenses – more than any other industry. In 2016 alone, it spent about $246 million. That’s more than the defense industries and corporate business lobbyists combined.

This is why LCRWF believe being “Informed – Involved – Impactful!” is so extremely important.

As always, the meeting closed with an Opportunity Drawing with all proceeds to Operation Tango Mike, now in its 16th year of sending packages to our troops.

On September 12, with LCRWF again meeting at Howard's Grotto, District 5, Supervisor Rob Brown will discuss “Lake County is NOT lost! Still moving forward.”

Leona M. Butts is vice president and publicity chair for Lake County Republican Women, Federated.