Slow week update, May 7

Hello CRAGgy Friends,

Welcome new people! (join here)

1. Local meetings updates and plans
2. Tracking this week
3. Good news notes
4. Upcoming Local Township/city meetings CALENDAR
5. Events, meetings, and organizing CALENDAR
6. For new CRAGgys: Notes and housekeeping
7. Owls!

“Today, right now—and I mean right this second—you have the most power you’ll ever have in the current fight against authoritarianism in America. If you wait to speak out, you have already lost.” Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic, April, 2025

“It is not shameful to do little.  It is shameful to do nothing.” Alexie Navalny (1978-2024), Russian opposition leader, anti-corruption activist, and political prisoner.

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1. Local meetings updates and plans

Marquette County. Yesterday 7 people spoke against federal government threats at the Marquette County Commissioners' meeting, bringing up concerns about ICE, medicaid, the rule of law, FEMA, and conservation. Several commissioners expressed support for those concerns, and one suggested they might draft a resolution. Way to go Marquette activists!

Only a few meetings are on the calendar for this week: Stanton Township tonight and Baraga Township on Thursday.

Many meetings are scheduled for next week; look at the CALENDAR and pick one or two to attend.

Outcomes: The Portage Lake District Library has issued a statement on federal funding cuts, also featured on the front page of the Gazette

2. Tracking this week

The chaos continues into the next 100 days.

• Tariffs: Locally, we are most likely to start seeing the results of tariffs. Economists are predicting price increases with reverberating impacts, especially on small businesses.
• Budget negotiations in the house are continuing.
  • Catastrophic attacks are proposed on science and medical research now and into the future.
  • Health care will certainly be hit from multiple angles. But republicans are in a bind because cuts to Medicaid are extremely unpopular, even with hard core MAGAs.
  • Cuts to health agencies are unpopular with everyone.
• NOAA/GLERL: the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab in Ann Arbor has lost about 35% of its staff, and is likely to have further cuts with the proposed budget. This lab monitors the health of the lakes including toxic agal blooms, pollution, and invasive species.
• Energy Star program to be cut. Which "..will save the government $32 million a year, at the low, low cost to taxpayers of just $39.97 Billion per year" (TFN).
• The Rule of Law is being undermined by illegal arrests and ICE activities, massive crytpo corruption in the White House, and other illegal actions. I haven't seen impacts of this trickling down to our local level, yet.

3. Good news notes

We need some.

• SAVE act. (Probably good news- still, call your senators). Senator Schumer declares the noxious SAVE act "dead on arrival." It passed the house (with the help of Jack Bergman) and now goes to the senate. The senate requires 60 votes to pass this. With only 53 republicans they need 7 democrats or independents to agree to disenfranchise millions of citizens. It seems no non-republicans will support it. Details at govtrack.us.
• Court rules that 12,000 refugees are protected, calling the government interpretation of the law "'interpretive jiggery-pokery’ of the highest order.”
• Clean power. In a first, clean power beat fossil fuels on US grid last month.
• Pangolins! China has removed ingredients made from these heavily trafficked critters from the list of officially recommended medicines (pharmacopeia).

4. Upcoming Local Township/city meetings CALENDAR

We are trying to get someone to speak up at every possible local meeting.

• Wednesday, May 7
  • 6 pm, Stanton Township (check location)

Next Week

• Monday, May 12
  • 5 pm, Baraga County
  • 6 pm, Adams Township
  • 6 pm, Portage Township
  • 6 pm, L'Anse Village
  • 7 pm, Hancock Township
  • 7 pm, Franklin Township
• Tuesday, May 13
  • noon, Schoolcraft Township
  • 3 pm, Houghton County
  • 6 pm, Quincy Township
  • 6 pm, Baraga Village
• Wednesday, May 14
  • 4 pm, L'Anse Township
  • 5:30 pm, Houghton City Council
  • 6 pm, Chassell Township
  • 6:30 pm, Laird Township
• Thursday, May 15
  • 6 pm, Elm River Township

When and where does your local city or township board meet? Let me know. Thanks to those who have shared.

How can we get you out to your township/county/other meetings?
Lots of events are on the CALENDAR for the week of May 11.

• We can help:
  • Pair you with a buddy;
  • Guidance in preparing remarks; As examples, my statements to all bodies are posted in an archive. (I can post yours, too, if you want to share.)
  • Factsheet on your township;
  • What else can we do? Childcare? Transportation? Lollipops? Let me know!

5. Events and meetings

See CALENDAR link for details on events.

TODAY: Wednesday, May 7. 7 pm. Orpheum Theater. "Is it really recycled". Copper Country Recycling Initiative.

• Thursday, May 8, 6 pm. Portage Library. Constitution 101: American Constitution and Original American Philosophy
• Saturday, May 10, 11:15-2, register for lunch by May 2, League of Women Voters of the Copper Country Annual meeting. Guest speaker Lisa Nelson, on Ranked Choice Voting; RSVP for lunch or zoom link to [mmmacha@mtu.edu](malto: mmmacha@mtu.edu).
• Tuesday, May 27, 6 pm. "How to run for local office". See flyer.
• June 14th. No Kings protests nation-wide.

Ongoing:

• Yoopers for Ukraine Rally at the bridge Wednesdays at 5 pm (correction).
• “Houghton County Dems meet every 1st Wednesday, 7 pm at the Super 8.
• 3rd Wednesday, 6 pm HC Dems April Meet-up, 5th and Elm.
• 4th Wednesdays AWAVE. Gathering at Orpheum Theater, Hancock.
• 3rd Sundays, 7-8:45 pm, Keweenaw Against the Oligarchy Monthly Action Committee (KATO), Orpheum Theater. Please register at the link to help with the headcount.
• Marquette: Every Saturday morning from 11:30-12:30, between 40 - 80 people have been assembling at the Marquette Post Office, standing in support with long-established Citizens for Peace & Justice.

6. For new CRAGgys: Notes and housekeeping

• This list now includes 241 people.
• I posted an overview of CRAG goals and history on April 13th.
• Why Local Action for Democracy
  • btw, I'm a newcomer to this; the League of Women Voters and Houghton County Dems have been tracking local meetings and issues for years.
• I keep a CRAG CALENDAR of local meetings and events; please forward any additions or updates.
• Most of my statements at meetings are posted in the CRAG archive, along with these newsletter.
• This newsletter is available via RSS feed (copy link into your RSS reader): https://www.fireelon.net/1/feed

7. And Owls, again!

• for a break watch our local Great Horned owlets grow on the Owl Nest Cam, installed and maintained by Copper Country Bird Club. One is on the roof this morning!

Thanks for all your support

Stay Well

Sarah