Tuesday notes

Tuesday notes

Hello CRAGgys!

Congratulations to Keweenaw Indivisible, especially the Stronger Together volunteers. Together the community raised over $23,000 to buy out more than $3M of medical debt! Well done! And you can still contribute.


Voting Day in Michigan: Tuesday, August 4th

  • Houghton County has four millages on the ballot (exact wording for each is shown at LWV).
    • Safe and Effective County Jail- Vote Yes
    • Canal View millage renewal (at a lower rate);
    • Elder nutrition millage for Meals on Wheels;
    • Copper Country ISD bond proposal for construction and remodeling.
  • Statewide petitions
    • SIX petitions are underway for proposals to go on the 2026 ballot. Bridge Michigan has a good summary.
    • Decline to Sign. Watch out for the anti-voter rights petitions that seek to add repressive "proof of citizenship" language to the Michigan constitution:
      • Americans for Citizen Voting- DO NOT SIGN
      • Committee to Protect Voters Rights - DO NOT SIGN

Politics

Constituents across MI-01 are fed up with our current representative and are seeking help organizing across the district. Link up with Keweenaw Indivisible or Lake Superior Region Indivisible, or ping me directly, if you'd like to be part of this effort.

Congress is in recess now (they shut down to avoid talking about the ghost that's coming back from the grave to haunt the president). That means he's popping up at various events (like this groundbreaking) or private meetings, where he doesn't have to face his constituents. Please let us know if you get any advanced warning of a appearance of this elusive creature in the neighborhood.

Our goal is to make sure people understand that JB is an enthusiastic supporter of the big, bad, billionaire bill and should be given full credit for all its outcomes. This can (should) be done well before the political season gets into high gear. Creative ideas are welcome!

Meanwhile, you will be happy to hear that fossil-fuel-loving JB has issued a stern warning to Canada about their wildfire smoke crossing our border. The fires are driven by extremely hot dry spring weather, caused by climate change, which is caused by fossil fuel burning.

Speaking of MI-01, candidate Callie Barr is coming to the neighborhood. Here are the dates I've seen (all added to the CALENDAR ):

  • August 6, Reception, Marquette. RSVP to: info@callieforcongress.com
  • August 8, 5-7, Meet and Greet, L'Anse.
  • August 9th, 10-12, Meet and Greet, 5th and Elm, Hancock.

Actions

  • One Million Rising—a national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing and campaign design. The goal is a strong foundation for impactful actions in the fall and beyond.
  • 5-Calls provides tools and talking points on numerous issues. Support for our national parks is now an option on the topic list.


When and Where to engage locally

An elected board meets somewhere every week. Check the calendar for details.

Local action groups convene regularly. Some public body meets somewhere every single week; take 30 minutes to show up and express your opinion.

Many government actions threaten our local communities. Speak up!

And let me know if you go and what you learn. Remember, this is a long process. Showing up multiple times builds trust and demonstrates to people with diverse viewpoints that you don't have horns.

Why and how to attend local meetings


Events and meetings

The CALENDAR has details on events. Please send your events.
I have started a list of Pro-democracy organizations in the UP with contact information. (Please share additions and corrections.)

  • The Yooper People's Town Hall, August 12, MI Dems, Marquette.

Ongoing events:

Details are on the CALENDAR. (Please send updates, check to confirm.)

Houghton/Hancock

Baraga

  • Baraga County Democrats, 3rd Tuesdays at 6 pm, L'Anse Township Hall

Marquette

  • Every Tuesday evening at 7pm, Yoopers Unite, a gathering of local pro-democracy groups, at LoveMarq Church, 728 W. Kaye Ave, Marquette.
  • 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.
  • Join Lake Superior Region Indivisible

Lift Bridge Peregrines

These fantastic photos were taken by Joe Youngman and posted to the local bird group in late June (join at copper-country-birding@googlegroups.com).

Peregrines have been nesting on the bridge for about 10 years.

Thanks for all your support

Stay Well

Sarah


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