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.
Opponents of the state’s Emergency Manager law are asking State Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City) to explain his disputed claim that Benton Harbor City Commissioners enjoyed lavish perks including city cars.
On Saturday Schmidt said that the Legislature granted Emergency Managers the power to break contracts, fire elected officials and dissolve whole towns because the city commissioners in Benton Harbor got publicly-funded cars.
He said:
“When you use a Benton Harbor example, where up until a year or two ago the commissioners still had cars and these kind of perks, this is what unfortunately caused us to strengthen it a bit more,“ Schmidt said. “It’s tough to say in a four square mile city for city commissioners in a tough time to still be getting … city cars.”
Officials in Benton Harbor have been stripped of all resources and decision making power by the appointed Emergency Manager Joe Harris, who did not return a call seeking comment on Schmidt’s claim.
“That is a totally erroneous, fallacious statement,“ said Commissioner Marcus Muhammad. “I would hope that a state representative would be more diligent in factual research as apposed to flaunting ignorance.”
Commissioners Juanita Henry, Marcus Muhammad and Duane Seats told Michigan Messenger that they never used city cars.
“Rep. Wayne Schmidt, who earns $79,650 a year, plus bennies needs to hear from you,” Reject Emergency Managers Steering Committee member Amy Hardin said on the group’s Facebook page this morning. “Ask him about his statement on Benton Harbor Commissioners.”
Several people indicated that they have contacted Schmidt about his claim.
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