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GTGOP NEWSLETTER April 2024 Issue
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Welcome from the Editor Hello and welcome to the April GTGOP Newsletter. WE HAVE MERCH- New this month is our Store. CHECK IT OUT! Our Marketing and Website has been working hard to make this happen. Thank you, Sarah Hehir, for taking the lead on this.DID YOU KNOW- For ease of reference and for sharing, all previous issues of our Newsletter can be found HERE. Feel free to share this with your friends. Let's get the word out and start sharing resources.HEADS UP! April is Distracted Driving Awareness month. The County Sheriff's Department is reminding us to keep our eyes on the road and our hands on the wheel. Please remember to drive safe out there.This month's Newsletter focuses on using the tools we have at our disposal to educate both ourselves and others on the issues that affect our lives. Our team has put hours into compiling various sources of information to help you stay informed and kept current on what's happening both locally and national. In today's world, our attention is pulled in multiple directions at any given time. If it can't be digested in a headline with a subtitle, we don't read it. I would encourage you to read through to the end. Here's what you are missing when you read no further than the "You Vote" question. - GTGOP Community Events
- Sign the Petition (MI Land Grab)
- Community Service Opportunities
- Get to know GTGOP Members
- What we Read
- Where we get our News
- What our Elected Officals are doing
- How you Can Make a Difference
- Around the County
- Just for Fun: Trivia and History
For those of you currently in office or running for office, would you like to be featured in the GTGOP Newsletter? Please email Drew Craven. Interested in running for office? Here's a LIST of all seats up for grabs in this upcoming election season. At last look, there are 3 Democrats running unopposed for County Commissioner Seats. Districts 2,3, and 7 are held by Democrats. Is there a Republican willing to step forward and challenge the status quo? We are here to "cultivate, support and promote" you! The GTGOP has put together a "Getting Started" program to assist in learning the basics. Send an email to Chair@gtgop.org for more info. Be sure to participate in this month's YOU VOTE question. There is talk from the local to the national level about the 'fractured" Republican Party; a party at war with each other. Could it be we've lost sight of what unites us? This month let's rediscover our common ground. Participate in sharing what it means to you, to be a Republican. We want to hear from you! We, at the GTGOP, welcome ideas, articles and opinions you may have on topics of interest and importance. Maybe it's a photo from a local event, a favorite quote or Bible verse. Perhaps there's an article that spoke to you and you like to share it with others. Sign up HERE and reply to this email with your submissions and ideas. Notice the bold and underline throughout the Newsletter? Click on the text to be redirected to sites providing more information found in articles or to find out more about the referenced organizations and subjects. God's Blessings-Jennifer Dohm Editor in Chief
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Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and contributors to this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the GTGOP or the Members of the Executive Committee.
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GTGOP Updates and EventsCheck here for details on the GTGOP calendar of eventsSubmit events to info@gtgop.org Put the 'Pub' Back in Republican Cancelled for April. See you May 21st Minerva's (Park Place Hotel) 300 E State Street, Traverse City GTGOP Annual 2A EventKeynote Speaker Captain Seth Keshel Friday April 19th 6:30pm BlueBridge Event Centre 1950 Ellis Lake Road Grawn, MI 49637 GTGOP Movie NightFriday April 26th 7pm GTGOP Action Center Cherryland Center 1730 S Garfield Ave, Traverse CityNorthwest Food CoalitionPresented by Empty Bowls Friday April 28th 11am-3pm Howe Arena, Traverse CityGTGOP Executive Committee Meeting Thursday, May 9th 6pm GTGOP Action CenterCherryland Center 1730 S Garfield Ave, Traverse CityElection IntegrityGuest Speaker Dr. Frank Friday May 10th 6:30pm GTGOP Action CenterCherryland Center 1730 S Garfield Ave, Traverse CityWinning Workshop (Campaigning 101)Mom's For Liberty Monday May 13th 6-9pm GTGOP Action CenterCherryland Center 1730 S Garfield Ave, Traverse CityUS Senate ForumMeet 4 US Senate Candidates Saturday May 18th 7:00pm GTGOP Action CenterCherryland Center 1730 S Garfield Ave, Traverse City
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Quote of the Month: (submitted by Pete Vandyken)
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Wherefore take unto you the
whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the
evil day, and having done all, to stand. -Ephesians 6:13
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Make your voice heard!
We want your feedback! What does it mean to you to be a Republican?
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Last month we asked Should Michigan residents house illegal aliens in their homes? The answer was a resounding NO! We had 35 respondents all opposed to this idea. So how was the Governor allowed to implement policy giving Illegal Alien invaders taxpayer money to pay rent? You read that right, we are paying $500/month to give the "Newcomers" a break on their rent. If you recall squatter's rights, do you think landlords will see this money? Watch this VIDEO for a disturbing reality check. News from the Nation tells us we are not alone in seeing this is an issue. And who it behind it? The Democrats. Darren Beattie from Revolver News informs us of what's happening in Michigan HERERead about what the Democrat backed POLICY has caused in Grand Rapids. Do you need a reminder this is happening 150 miles away from us?
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(written by Pete VanDyken)
“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Isn’t that wondrously written! I love the Constitution and all the amendments in the Bill of Rights, but especially the second amendment because it is the amendment that gives the Constitution the Bill of Rights their teeth. It is the amendment that protects all the other wonderful amendments in the Bill of Rights. An important distinction to make is the second amendment doesn’t grant us the right to keep and bear arms because that would mean that this right came from the government and what the government gives it can take away. Rather, the second amendment is an acknowledgment by the Framers, (based on their understanding of the Biblical right of self-defense) that they considered the right to own arms to be a preexisting, unalienable, God given right, and is a prohibition on government from ever infringing on it. Contrary to the belief of some that the opening clause “A well-regulated Militia” means the government has authority to regulate arms, it is simply stating the Militia is necessary for the security of a free State. Well-regulated means well drilled and well trained. It doesn’t mean regulated by the government. The well-regulated Colonial Militia fought and defeated the British at the battle of Lexington and Concord for attempting to regulate their arms. Does it seem probable the Framers would turn around and give the government authority to regulate arms? The second clause “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” is a separate concept from the militia clause and prohibits government infringement on the individual right to keep and bear arms. The second amendment simply states, “shall not be infringed” and all so called “gun control” laws, properly called infringements are unconstitutional, starting with the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA). The NFA didn’t ban any type of firearm but imposed a prohibitively high tax, for the time, of $200 on certain types of firearms; obviously unconstitutional. This is like saying, “If it may please The Crown, may I please purchase one of my Constitutionally protected Rights?” There is no provision for this in the second amendment and something no Framer would have ever said. This act began the slippery slope of infringements on the second amendment and sadly we have seen an accelerated rate of sweeping infringements in Michigan, and nationally, in the last few years. Oath violators including some Republicans here in Michigan voted and passed second amendment infringing bills and were signed into law by the Governor, taking effect February 2024. So called “safe storage”, (creates a safer working environment for criminals) “universal background checks” (beg the Sheriff departments permission and pay extortion fees for purchase permits to buy a long gun) and worst of all “red flag gun confiscation laws” are in violation of 2nd 4th and 5th amendments. Just recently the Biden administration announced the creation of a brand-new government agency that we, the taxpayers, must fund. The purpose of this taxpayer funded agency is to train multiple smaller departments and agencies (most of whose salaries we also pay) to more efficiently infringe upon the second amendment and confiscate our firearms. How did all this start? Obviously, the oath to uphold and defend the Constitution means nothing to Democrats, they will violate the constitutionally protected “right to keep and bear arms” at every turn, on every “gun control” bill they sponsor and vote in favor of. Many Republicans also violate the second amendment. A recent example is when 15 Senate Republicans voted for the Safer Communities Act of 2022 (SCA) which provides for and funds the sweeping infringements implemented since the passing of the SCA. In fact, it funds a $750 million bribe to States for passing Red Flag laws. It is important to point out that without the help of these weak Republicans the SCA would not have passed! - Roy Blunt, Missouri
- Richard Burr, North Carolina
- Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia
- Bill Cassidy. Louisiana
- Susan Collins, Maine
- John Cornyn, Texas
- Joni Ernst, Iowa
- Lindsey Graham, South Carolina
- Mitch McConnell, Kentucky
- Lisa Murkowski, Alaska
- Rob Portman, Ohio
- Mitt Romney, Utah
- Thom Tillis, North Carolina
- Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania
- Todd Young, Indiana
As Republicans, most of us Trump supporters, we must also face the uncomfortable truth President Trump advocated for, and took executive action in favor of, these infringements. Thus, paving the way for the passage of the bipartisan SCA in 2022 is at the root of all the latest infringements. Many of Trump’s policies were in fact America first, and we were all better off during Trump’s presidency and I will be voting for him a third time. But when Trump says he “was the strongest President ever on the second amendment”, that simply isn’t true. We need to be honest about how we got here if we are going to get to the root of the problem rather than hack away at the limbs. As mentioned above, infringements on the second amendment are more deeply rooted than the so-called Safer Communities Act, however the SCA is responsible for the onslaught of infringements we are currently experiencing. Below are clips of Trump speaking in favor of Red Flag gun confiscation laws and his executive action creating a 4 th, seemingly unchecked, branch of government giving the ATF authority to ban bump stocks. He used what is called the Chevron deference to do so. By doing that, it essentially opened the door for the latest rogue rule making by the ATF that unconstitutionally bypasses Congress. Many of the ATF rules and the use of Chevron are working their way through the courts including the Supreme Court. Depending on the SCOTUS rulings, it could be very good or very bad for the future of the second amendment. Video 1; Video 2; Video 3What can we do about this? Well, this is an election year and politics start locally. Primary elections are a critical part of that process. Elections have consequences; remember the 15 Republicans that made Joe Biden’s win on gun control possible. It’s critical to research all primary candidates and then elect the candidate that is the most principled and committed to restoring our Republic to be the nominee for the November election. That is the same principle we must apply from our Township level up to County, State and Federal representatives. Restoring our Representative Republic, an experiment in self-governance and Liberty under law, is the job of We the People. Politics is downstream from culture. To win the culture war, we need to be speaking out to those in our sphere of influence. I may never have the President’s ear and neither may you, but if we are all doing our jobs as Republicans adhering to our party platform as the party of the Constitution, recruiting and educating voters, inspiring a love and understanding of the Constitution, the Supreme Law of our Land, then maybe the court of public opinion will reach from local offices to the highest office in our land. “It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.” -Samuel Adams And finally, join the gun rights organizations that are uncompromising in the fight to restore the second amendment. We’re stronger together! My top choices are: Great Lakes Gun RightsGun Owners of America (website is unmatched in resources and information for the 2A advocate) National Association for Gun RightsAlso support 2A events, like the 2nd Annual 2A Dinner & Auction! Meet local 2A enthusiasts and hear from the great line up of speakers to learn what you can do to be an effective 2A advocate.
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FEATURED EVENTS IN THE GTGOP COMMUNITY: |
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Annual 2nd Amendment Dinner and Auction
(Featuring Speaker Seth "Captain K" Keshel)
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Ticket price increases to $75 the day of the event! Purchase your tickets HERE NOW!
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Always a Great Time Putting the 'Pub' Back in Republican
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Northwest Michigan Food Coalition
Supporting Food Security in Northwest Michigan
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Dr. Frank talks Election IntegrityMay 10th
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Winning Workshop: Sponsored by Mom's for LibertyMay 13th 6-9pm
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US Senate Candidate Forum
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The Annual 2A Dinner and Auction featuring: Seth Keshel (written by Katie Kniss)
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This year’s Second Annual 2A Dinner and Auction will be held on Friday, April 19 at 6:30 pm, same great location as last year at Blue Bridge Event Center on US-31 in Grawn. We sold out and set fundraising records last year and we’ll do that again in this crucial election year, to support our Republican candidates in local and state races. All Township and County seats are up for grabs, so the stakes have never been higher! One way to help is to sponsor a table. You’ll be recognized in our Event Program that will be given to all 270 attendees. Sponsorships may provide a table for our Republican youth community and military vets and promote your business or political campaign. Just contact secretary@gtgop.org for the details. Auctions are fun and a tangible way to raise money. Consider what you have available to donate and let us know. Donation deadline is April 15th. To coordinate your donation email secretary@gtgop.org. And of course, don’t forget your tickets! Last year we sold out, so get your tickets now. Don’t delay, click HERE and scroll down to the “purchase tickets here” button. In addition to the auction and dinner, we have two fine speakers. This year we are thrilled to have Captain Seth Keshel as our keynote speaker. You may recognize his name from Steve Bannon’s “War Room”. Seth is a former Army Captain of Military Intelligence and Afghanistan veteran. Click HERE to find out more. We will also hear from Micah, a 2A expert known for his YouTube channel “2A Edu”. Check Micah’s channel at 2a Edu – YouTube So get your tickets today! Let’s take back Michigan and protect our gun rights!
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WANTED: A Few Good People to Help out
Part of the GTGOP mission is community outreach and service. How better to serve the local community in the Spring than offering to assist in Spring Cleanup? Do you know someone in need or are you in need yourself? Are you willing to lend a hand? Get in touch! Let's start serving one another.
Want to get more involved in what we are doing in the community? We are currently looking for members to serve in a variety of ways. Many Sub-Committees are looking for volunteers. Another way to serve your community is to be a Precinct Delegate. Most townships and precincts have vacancy. Send an email to delegates@gtgop.org to learn more.To help make the Newsletter a go to source for community and county happenings, we need your help! Currently looking for volunteers to attend County Board Meetings (i.e. County Commissioner, School Board, Road Commission and Drain Commission). Would you be willing to attend a meeting monthly, take notes and submit for publication in the newsletter? Get in touch info@gtgop.org Volunteer effort is crucial to helping Republican Candidates win elections. There is never a shortage of work to do and there has never been a more critical time to be involved. Now that our Action Center is open, we can roll up our sleeves and get to work on making 2024 the year we take it all back! Please consider how you would like help and sign up today. Not interested in committee work but still want to be involved? Email us with your skill set and what your passions are to info@gtgop.org. We'd love to get you plugged in!
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Grand Traverse GOP Members
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A YUUGE THANK YOU to our March volunteers of their time and talents. We cannot thank you enough for your support. It is because of your generosity we are able to fulfill our mission of getting Republican candidates elected to office! Thank you: Michelle Davis, Sue Welton, Marilyn Dear, Meggan Stinson, Kurt Hubschneider, Sarah Hehir, Chris Holz, and Aaron Harris.
Hundreds of hours have been put in to keep the GTGOP operating. Our volunteers continually go above and beyond to organize fundraising events. Our fundraisers make it possible to support quality Republican candidates running for office. Our volunteers work tirelessly to identify and cultivate America First Candidates to run for public office. Our volunteers generously give their time to staff events hosted by the GTGOP. Our volunteers bring to the organization a variety of talents, skills, and knowledge to offer you (our community) a place to gather and fellowship with like-minded people and opportunities to further your technical skills and civic knowledge.
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Editor's Note: If you or anyone you know would like to share in this member section please reach out. Let's start sharing with each other to find common ground on the issues that matter the most. Let's work together to save the greatest nation on earth.
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What our Members are Reading:
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Where we get our News: (Click the underlined text to check 'em out)
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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself." – Henry Ford
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Facts Sure to Impress your Democrat Friends
Since the democrat party founding in 1829, it has fought against every major civil rights initiative. Democrats defended slavery, started the civil war, opposed reconstruction, founded the KKK, imposed segregation, and opposed the civil rights act.
Democrats opposed the 13th amendment that abolished slavery, the 14th amendment that gave blacks citizenship, and the 15th amendment that gave blacks the vote. These all passed with universal republican support.
Did you know FDR, a Democrat, agreed to pass the Social Security Act to pass only if the lynching laws were allowed to remain on the books in the South? Listen to this Online Streamer as he learns the truth about the History of the Democrat Party.
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Curious to know what our elected officials are doing in Lansing?
Voting Records from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy: John DaMoose State Senator John Roth 104th State RepresentativeHere are the bills they are working on: Coalition to Rescue Michigan
Check out this link to see their voting record: Voting ScorecardThink Unilateral Decisions are only made in Communist Countries? Think again. Governor Whitmer also makes such decrees. Check out THIS new Education Department she's created. Even her sidekick AG Dana Nessel states "there could be actions taken by MiLEAP that the Board (of Education) contends infringe on its constitutional authority."
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How you can make a difference:Run for an Elected Seat. This is election season and there are many seats up for grabs. There are seats at the Congressional level being voted on as well as State, County and the Township levels too. Positions include US Senate and House Representative, State House seats, from County Commissioner seats (3 Democrats are running unopposed) to the County Treasurer and School Board seats (TCAPS and Kingsley) including NMC Trustee positions. Click here to view positions available. To learn more or for help in getting started send an email to chair@gtgop.org. We have put together a tutorial to help you get started with your campaign. We need to fill as many seats as possible with Republican candidates because guess who else is vying for positions in these elections. Yup, the democrats. Let's paint this town RED. Do you ever feel like you'd like to write a letter to your elected officials about a specific issue but are unsure of what to say or how to say it? Until we get an app for that; check out what activist tools are currently available to you. Mike Davis of Article 3 Project has added an Action Center to his website. You can find a variety of topics to send What We Do - A3P: The Article III Project (article3project.org)
Are you watching a certain piece of legislation move through Congress and want to let your elected official know how you feel? Need to make a phone call, send an email? Now there's an app for that too. Check out BillBlaster app. It's Congress at your fingertips. Have you heard of AlignAct.com? From the website: "AlignAct is a Grassroots action platform specially engineered to make it possible for pro-freedom Americans to freely and legally make their views known to government and corporate decisionmakers without cost or complexity. AlignAct delivers a wide (and growing) range of advocacy tools. With AlignAct, users can create powerful grassroots initiatives, share them with their friends and networks, and mobilize action. And to make it possible for everyone to make themselves heard, all of this is available for free."
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Grand Traverse County Board Meetings & Minutes |
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GT County Board Meeting April 17th 9am May 1st 9am Governmental Center 2nd Floor Commission Chambers 400 Boardman Ave, Traverse City
TCAPS Board of Education May 13th 6pm Tompkins Boardman Administration Building (Conf Room C) 412 Webster Street, Traverse City
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State of the County (submitted by Andy Smits, Drain Commissioner)The Great Lakes State is a land of lakes including thousands of inland lakes. Grand Traverse County is blessed with many lakes which residents and visitors enjoy year-round. Some are spring fed; some receive their water from streams and springs. Some lakes discharge their waters to streams and rivers, and some lakes, commonly known as “kettle lakes” have no discharge. Long Lake discharges its waters out its southwest corner- creating the headwaters of the Platte River which winds its many miles through Benzie County to reach Lake Michigan. Few know that Long Lake also discharges water out its northern lakebed and provides water to Cedar Run Creek, which flows into Lake Leelanau in Cedar. Interlochen’s Duck Lake is the source of the Betsie River, which also flows west through Benzie County to Lake Michigan- south of the Platte. Duck Lake discharges most of its water out its northwest corner. The Betsie River then flows through Interlochen on its way to Green Lake, where it enters the north end of the lake. Duck Lake’s level is 12 feet higher than that of adjoining Green Lake. As Drain Commissioner, I’ve accepted limited authority from the County Board of Commissioners to operate the dam at Duck Lake. Grand Traverse County constructed a dam at the outlet of Duck Lake in 1960 following a petition from riparian’s (those living on the banks of the water). Michigan’s 1994 Act 451 includes Chapter 307, “Inland Waters”. This statute provides the administrative procedures for a County to establish a “normal level” for a lake. As you may imagine, the administrative procedures for designing a lake level control system (commonly- dam) are detailed and can be complex. They are certainly unique for each lake. The process generally involves scientific studies followed by Circuit Court proceedings where a Judge “orders” the normal level and rules upon the extent of the “Special Assessment District”, or SAD. The SAD includes the property owners who will pay for the studies, court proceedings, dam construction dam operation, inspections, maintenance, etc. In 2017, Judge Power reaffirmed the normal level for Duck Lake that was originally established in 1960 when the dam was constructed. That level is 837.3 feet, an elevation above sea level equal to 837 feet and 4-inches. Not 3-inches, not 5-inches, but exactly 837 feet, 4-inches. Last year, the Supreme Court of Michigan declined to take up a case appealing to a Michigan Appellate Court ruling that Roscommon County failed to maintain the “normal level” for Houghton Lake. Essentially, the Appellate Court ruled that a “normal level” order is an order to be followed without regard to storm events, dam operating problems, lack of funds, etc. If an ordered “normal level” is not practical- go back to court and get the order fixed. By the way, it is not possible to operate the Duck Lake dam to maintain the 2017 normal level, for several reasons. I have been recommending the County go back and fix its “Order” since the Supreme Court decision. Recently, Senate Bill 662 (SB-662) was voted out of the Senate and resides in the House Committee on Natural Resources and Tourism. SB-662 includes an amendment to the definition of “normal level”. The new definition allows for variation from an absolute elevation in an Order for uncontrollable events, such as weather, dam maintenance, beavers, etc. Will it become law? Who knows? Our State Senator did what he could, and the bill moved out of the Senate to the House. As of this writing, no hearings are scheduled in the House. It is time for the County to fix the damned dams it owns… the one on Duck Lake and another on Silver Lake. Their dams, their initiative. The Drain Commissioner will support their initiative providing knowledge and facts. About the Author- Prior to election as Drain Commissioner, Andy Smits founded Inland Seas Engineering (ISE) which grew and prospered in Grand Traverse County for 25 years. ISE specialized in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. Andy was appointed as a Technical Advisor to the Director of the DEQ and served in that capacity for 8 years. ISE was sold to a national engineering firm in 2017. Editor's Note: Do you or anyone you know regularly attend County or Township Board meetings? We would like to publish in summary format what is happening in Grand Traverse County. Are you interested in what goes on at these public meetings but never seem to find the time to attend? What decisions are being made that affect our day to day lives yet goes unreported? Help keep us all informed! What's happening in TCAPS School Board meetings: Wonder what is being accomplished during the TCAPS Board of Education meeting? Find Agendas and Meeting Minutes as well as a link to live video feed.
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Local Beauty: (submitted by Chris Holz)
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This Day in History (submitted by Chris Holz)
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April 13, 1861: Fort Sumter was surrendered to the Confederate States of America. As the first major battle in the Civil War, this surrender had some unusual features. For one thing, the surrendering forces under Major Robert Anderson were allowed to perform a 100-gun salute and take their US flag with them. Also, none of the forces were detained as prisoners. Four years and one day later, near the conclusion of the Civil War, brevet Major General Anderson returned and raised that same flag over Fort Sumter. That was April 14, 1865, and later that evening there was one more victim of the North-South struggle: President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in Washington DC. The order to raise that flag again was one of the last orders signed by the president.
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Michigan Trivia(submitted by Kathleen Haueisen)
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The name Michigan is from the Ojibwe word "mishigami," meaning "large water" or "large lake."
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Make your Voice Heard. Contact the Officials:
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Jack Bergman (231) 944-7633 U.S. Representative, 1st District
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