This Saturday, May 7, 2011, is the Blossomtime Grand Floral Parade. As I previously reported, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder will be the “Grand Marshal” of the parade. I have also learned that Representative Al Pscholka, the father of Michigan’s odious Emergency Financial Manager Law, will also be in the parade. The appearance of both of these men in the parade […]

A recall petition against Michigan state Congressman Al Pscholka has been filed. You can view the official letter HERE (pdf). Here’s the text: April 28,2011 Representative Al PscholkaMichigan State House of RepresentativesP.O. Box 30014Lansing, Ml 48909-7514 Re: Receipt of Recall Wording Dear Representative Pscholka: You are hereby notified that pursuant to provisions of Section-168.952 of Public Act 456 of 1982, […]

I’ve been happy to see hear coverage of the takeover of Benton Harbor on Michigan Public Radio over the past three days. They’ve done a three-part story which is pretty balanced, on the whole. Wednesday, April 27 – Benton Harbor called “ground zero” in fight over emergency manager powersThursday, April 28 – People in Benton Harbor disagree about what’s best […]

Check out this Eclectagoodness from The Rachel Maddow Show last night: Watch the full piece with Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero HERE. I’m still stunned that most of the Michigan coverage is being done by me (and Rachel Maddow, of course) and that none of the major newspapers in Michigan is following this story. I’m just sayin’…

Jesse Jackson at the Counterpunch website: Benton Harbor may become to economic justice what the small town of Selma was to civil rights. For in Benton Harbor, the powers that be now are wreaking the final indignities on the town’s beleaguered residents — stripping them not only of their schools, but of their democracy, taking away not only their jobs, […]

The image below of Jean Klock Park and part of the Harbor Shores golf course is fully interactive and goes all the way around, 360-degrees. Use your mouse to drag in the direction you want to spin the image. You can also use the buttons to do these actions. Clicking “FULLSCREEN” (bottom right corner) gives the most dramatic effect, allowing […]

Video I shot today from one of the holes on the Harbor Shores golf course that were built on public land donated to the City of Benton Harbor for use as the Jean Klock Park. I should note that I made an error in the commentary I was giving while I shot this video. The City of Benton Harbor did […]

Well, it’s a rainy day but that hasn’t stopped organizers in Benton Harbor from moving forward with their planned rally and march. We have relocated the staging location to the Benton Harbor library, across the street from the City Hall. It’s a full house with at least 250 people crammed into the library’s auditorium. Organizer John Waltz from Heartland Revolution […]

Jesse Jackson was back in Benton Harbor yesterday, this time alongside Congressman John Conyers, Chair of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus Congressman Fred Durhal, Jr., Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, Benton Harbor Mayor Wilce Cook, and others. They announced that a lawsuit will soon be filed on behalf of Benton Harbor. Jackson says they will now file a lawsuit, challenging the […]

I have been writing pretty intensively about the dismissal of the Benton Harbor City Commission by the Emergency Financial Manager, Joe Harris. Like many of you, I am incensed at this draconian step being taken, a disenfranchisement of the residents of Benton Harbor and an abridgement of what I think most of us understand as democracy. Taxation without representation is […]

I’ll give Rick Snyder credit. The dude displays a whole lotta chutzpah. He’s going to be the Grand Marshal at the Benton Harbor Grand Floral Festival next month Gov. Rick Snyder plans to take part in the 2011 Grand Floral Parade on May 7 as its grand marshal. Blossomtime Executive Director Sabrina LaSota said the governor’s office has confirmed his […]