I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
Three of the seven embattled Marquette Township Board of Trustees will see their names on the ballot Tuesday — but not for reasons any politician would like. The three, Township Clerk Patricia Mayer and trustees Linda Winslow and Karen Lohf, are facing a recall over their votes to support a Township plan to develop its own water system instead of relying on nearby city of Marquette.
Earlier this summer the Marquette county Elections Commission approved recall language for all seven Trustees, but only the petitions for Mayer, Winslow and Lohf garnered enough signatures to toss them on the ballot.
The official recall language on the ballot, according to the Marquette Mining Journal:
“For voting on May 5, 2009 to go forward with a costly well water system for Marquette Township.”
Each of the embattled officials had a chance to defend themselves on the ballot, with 200 word mini-why-I-voted-this-way essays.
From Lohf:
“I voted for the Drinking Water Revolving Fund 2 project because I believed, and still believe, that we need to have our own water system independent of the city.
“I knew we were never going to be able to complete the project cheaper, so I voted for the good of all the township, and not just the vocal minority. I did the job I was elected to do.”
Clerk Mayer wrote:
“I have lived in Marquette Township my entire life and my only goal as an elected official is to secure a progressive and stable future for the entire township.
“I study all issues completely before I cast my vote. Progress is good if it is well-planned. I will continue to work toward this goal if I am allowed to finish my elected term in office.”
Which leaves Winslow’s response:
“Marquette Township is a good place to live today and in the future. We have a community that supports our residents, our schools and our businesses. We have a strong sense of community and have worked hard to be a great place to live. I believe in the forward movement of our community and support you the residents.”
So, the keep Marquette’s water faction not only has kept it’s trustees and protected them from a recall, they may actually force out the three pols who voted for township run water systems. Tuesday will uncover what the residents of Marquette Township think.
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