From The Boathouse: Be sure to fill out this survey
Ahoy!
I’m hailing all those in the recreational boating industry in our local harbors and inland areas to complete a brief but important survey. The National Marine Manufacturers Assn. in Washington, D.C. is asking for input about maritime-related tax policies, and which ones you want to protect, change or eliminate.
Comprehensive corporate tax reform is most likely on President-Elect Donald Trump’s agenda during his first 100 days in office. As such, NMMA is strongly recommending participation so that its tax experts can represent the recreational boating industry and the maritime commercial industry in these talks.
Here is an opportunity for your boating interests to be represented during the upcoming tax policy debate, so take the time to complete the survey, which is anonymous, before its deadline of Jan. 13, 2017.
You can go to the 2017 NMMA Tax Reform Survey on SurveyMonkey at surveymonkey.com/r/NMMAtax to answer the questions.
Holiday events
The holiday season is a huge blip on my radar, and once again, it is time for me and my co-hosts to bring you the 18th Annual Palos Verdes Peninsula Holiday Parade of Lights on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Veteran parade announcers Michele Swanson, Brenda Barnes and I are excited to returning to announce this holiday parade.
Everyone is welcome to attend the event. Our stage will be located in front of the Peninsula Center Library at 701 Silver Spur Road. The parade is produced by RPVtv, and will broadcast on Frontier FiOS channel 39 and Cox Cable TV channel 35 throughout the holidays.
“The Holiday Parade of Lights will be marching through the City of Rolling Hills Estates’ business district on Dec. 3,” City Community Services Director Andy Clark told me. “The 90-minute parade will feature holiday music from at least 10 high school bands, classic cars, floats, scout groups, clowns, equestrian units, drill teams, canine units, and ending with Santa Claus riding in a horse drawn sleigh.”
The parade attracts approximately 6,000 spectators each year who line the streets and fill the bleachers that are located across the street from our stage.
So, join us from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 to experience the fun. Contact Clark at AndyC@RollingHillsEstatesCA.gov or go bit.ly/2gn35YE for detailed information.
Tip of the week
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has created a website just for kids that has animation and graphics showinghow IMO and the maritime community is protecting the marine environment and the atmosphere.
Topics include protecting the atmosphere, protecting marine life from noise pollution, dealing with waste, clean oceans, particularly sensitive sea areas, and invasive species.
IMO Kids’ Zone is a good idea, but I am not sure how many kids will find their way to this site without a lot of public outreach. However, you can point your children to the site, and this is an easy reference site for schools to use when discussing the marine environment.
You and your kids can check out the site at kids.imo.org before your next adventure on the high seas. It might change the way they look at how maritime industry protecting the aquatic environment.
The original boating program, “Boathouse TV & Radio Shows,” has stretched from coast to coast for more than two decades. See the details at boathousetv.com, facebook.com/boathouseradio and twitter.com/boathouseradio.
Safe Voyages!
--
MIKE WHITEHEAD is a boating columnist for the Daily Pilot. Send marine-related thoughts and story suggestions to mike@boathousetv.com or go to boathousetv.com.