Author: johnrothwellblog

A look at the civil unrest that occurred in Grand Rapids, Michigan on May 30,2020

A look at the civil unrest that occurred in Grand Rapids, Michigan on May 30,2020

Former kickboxer and boxer Dino Newville takes to the ring one last time for charity at age 61.

Below is an interview I did with Newville the day after the event.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Sunday May 14, 2021, the Grand Rapids Fire Department River rescue team was dispatched to the Fulton street bridge on a report of an overturned boat.

Three fishermen were in the boat when it tipped in shallow water causing the boat to sink.

The three were rescued and transported safely to shore in the GRFD’s new rescue airboat.

No one was reported injured.

Grand Rapids, Mi — Audra Johnson, the “MAGA Bride”, conservative activist, and self-described Patriot-at- Heart has announced that she will be running for Republican Peter Meijer’s congressional seat in the upcoming 2022 primary election.

Not liking the direction our country is headed, Johnson believes there are problems on both sides of the aisle, saying we need to focus on what makes us American, and the Constitution.

“I’m going to represent the people.” Johnson said. “I’m in this for the people. I’m not in this for some title or financial gain. I know the people in the third congressional.  I’ve been with the people in the third congressional for the last four years. I know what they want, I’m willing to represent them.”

Johnson was in Washington D.C. on January 6 to support Donald Trump. She believes that when people say revolution, their meaning is that they are tired of watching this country being divided. 

“People are talking about restoring the Constitution, and restoring individual rights,” Johnson said. “You know, it’s absolutely ridiculous in this country, when we have real issues we need to be focusing on and we’re worried about the gender of a plastic potato.”

Her top issues are the economy, freedom of speech and the second amendment. 

“We’ve got to get the economy jump started in this state. I was just on a national tour about the truth and constitution and it broke my heart, when I saw the difference between the states. I  saw the difference between an open economy, thriving people and what’s going on here in Michigan. So we’ve got to get the kind of the economy started. I think a lot of that, again, goes back to trusting people with their God given rights,” Johnson says. “The government has literally told us, we can’t trust you with your own decisions, when it comes to your health.”

Johnson feels that every American citizen has the right to choose whether they want to wear a mask, or to take a vaccine.

“I’m not saying COVID it’s not real,” Johnson said,  “I am not willing to give up my essential freedoms over a disease that has a 99.9% survival rate.”

Believing that America is a nation of hard working people, Johnson does not feel the American people need a handout right now, they need to work. Having been a single mom before, Johnson insisted that we absolutely should help those in need.

“I have needed that extra help. But I will tell you that once I realized there was another life on the other side of welfare, which is where Democrats want to keep the people so they can control the people,” Johnson said. “When I realized that if I put in more effort than somebody else next to me, I was going to succeed. That is the key to raising the economy, getting people off of welfare, and making sure they have better better lives. We don’t want to make a community of people who are dependent on the government. That’s socialism. And that is not what the country is about.”

Johnson was in Florida during the CPAC convention, where former Former president Donald Trump pledged to support primary challengers against GOP lawmakers like Meijer who voted to impeach him. 

“I was not indoors at CPAC.” she said. “I preferred to be with the real patriots out on the street. I was there for the people that were there to stand for the America first agenda.”

The congressional district maps have not been redrawn yet for the 2022 election and Audra is absolutely committed to running against Peter Meijer. She will move if needed.

On Monday December 21, 2020 the City of Grand Rapids began enforcing a no camping rule in city parks. Worker’s from various city departments arrived at Heartside Park, the largest homeless encampment in the city, Monday morning to inform people they could not stay there another night. 

As the city began clearing out Heartside Park, many of the soon to be displaced moved to other encampments throughout the city, Others took up residence in a recently opened temporary shelter.

As the sunset deadline approached for vacating the park there were some who refused to leave. .

A Kent County Health Department investigation, requested by the city last week, found it was unsafe and unsanitary to be living in the park.

11-13-2020 Op-Ed Public Notice from the Michigan Press Association

Once again, the Leaders of the Republican Caucus in the Michigan House of Representatives want to pull public notices from newspapers and allow governmental entities (cities, villages, township, counties, etc.) to satisfy notice requirements by putting them on their websites.  This is an unprecedented blow to governmental transparency and due process.

A version of this legislation has been introduced in each legislative session for the past 12 years and has failed. Why? Because then, as now, it is a bad idea.  

From the very start, Michigan law has required that notices of governmental actions be provided to citizens by publication in newspapers, an independent source of information about the actions of government.   Now, legislators are proposing to end this important check on governmental power.

The Michigan Press Association has been told that this issue is in the top five priorities of the Speaker of the House for the 2020 Lame Duck Session.  In the midst of a pandemic this seems like an unusual waste of taxpayer time and money.  

The legislators in support of this movement say that this will save money… but how? Is this the one exception to the Republican’s embrace of privatization?  It defies logic that government can do this better and cheaper than newspapers, who have provided this valuable check and balance for more than 150 years.  The last few months have proven that local governments have enough on their plates while seriously lacking the technology to do something like this.

Many governmental entities struggled to hold open meetings during the early days of the pandemic and didn’t have the capability to do them virtually.  At least one county in Michigan was unable to put election results online last week.  Technologically it seems now is not the time to trust government to provide this information to the taxpayers. Many Clerks have stated that they don’t have the ability, time or staff to do this important function.

A quick glance at some local government websites doesn’t give one comfort that things will be done well under this new scheme.  A couple of shining examples: one township website lists among its elected officials a Congressman who has been deceased for several years.  Another has not updated meeting agendas since 2014.

We have long advocated that these notices belong in newspapers and protect due process in Michigan.  We do however acknowledge that they also need to be distributed digitally and are working hard with our members to make sure that they are accessible on a computer, mobile device AND in print.  This increases transparency and protects your right to know what government officials are doing with your taxpayer dollars.

Even if the lack of security is not considered, the lack of connectivity should be.  Michigan ranks 30^th in the nation for broadband connectivity.  Rural areas still pose a challenge for those trying to use the internet. 

Public notices belong in a public place, like a local newspaper, not on a government website, which can also disenfranchise certain users like low income individuals who do not have access to the Internet, or the elderly who are not comfortable using the Internet.  Having to look for notices on each individual government site would be laborious at best and a good way to conceal information at worst.

As you have seen during the worst of this year, we at Michigan newspapers take the responsibility of keeping you informed very seriously.  That’s why we were deemed “essential” during this pandemic.  Whether it be making sure Freedom of Information and Open Meetings laws are being followed or proper notice of things like zoning that might put a landfill in your neighborhood is happening.  We remain the vital watchdogs we always have been in our communities. 

If knowing that an independent, reliable source is watching what elected officials are doing with your taxpayer dollars is important to you please consider contacting your state Representative and Senator and letting them know you want to keep seeing your public notices where you notice…in a newspaper.

Dirk Milliman is the Public Policy Committee Chairman of the Michigan Press Association

“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind

Do this, don’t do  that, can’t you read the sign?”

Five Man Electrical Band

Election year 2020 has to be the year of the political sign.

Everywhere I have traveled in the past two months  there has been a form of a political sign. From the inner city to the rural most parts of America, there is a political sign showing support for a candidate.

Some signs are planted into the ground. Some are posted to a fence or wall and others are flown. Yards full of them. The side of the road is littered with them.

Vote this, don’t vote that, can’t you read the sign.  

GRAND RAPIDS, Mi.  One person was found dead after a house fire on Grand Rapids northeast side Sunday morning.

Firefighters were called to the 2100 block of Oakwood Ave NE just after 11 a.m. Sunday morning on a report of smoke coming from the house.

After the fire was extinguished firefighters found the person deceased.  No name has been released at this time.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine precisely how the individual died.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The Grand Rapids Police Department’s Major Case Team along with the fire department’s arson investigators are looking into it.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call detectives at 616.456.3380 or Silent Observer at 616.774.2345.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI  —  Several hundred people gathered at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids on Monday, May 18, 2020 for a demonstration designated as the American Patriot Rally — Sheriffs Speak Out. The rally was to protest Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s stay-at-home order in regards to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many demonstrators carried signs in protest of Whitmer, some opted to open-carry their firearms. Demonstrators included members from different Michigan Militia organizations.   

The event featured several speakers, including Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf.

Leaf, a 30-year veteran of law enforcement told the crowd that he would not enforce Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders, calling the measure unconstitutional.