UPCOMING EVENTS
DATE & TIME | EVENT & LOCATION |
|---|---|
Anytime | Know What You Sign - View the Online Training on Ballot Petitions from the League of Women Voters of the Copper Country |
All Thru the Month of December | Donate to this month’s charity - Copper Country Housing Assistance (and let us know you did here.) |
January 6 | This year we mark 5 years since the attempted coup at the nation’s capital. Watch the full eight hours of testimony by Special Counsel Jack Smith to the House Judiciary Committee here. |
January 7 @ 6 PM | HCDP Potluck and Monthly Meeting. RSVP here. |
January 14 @ 6 PM | Letter to the Editor Workshop by Voters Not Politicians |
January 18 @ 7 PM | KATO hosts “Introduction to Cryptomining and AI Data Centers, A Briefing”. RSVP here. |
January 18 @ 7 PM | Secretary of State Candidates Virtual Forum. RSVP here. |
Events featured in our newsletter can also be found on the Events Calendar on the main page of our website.
MONTHLY MEETING & POTLUCK TOMORROW
Join us for our monthly meeting tomorrow at 7 PM at the Super 8 in Houghton.
Potluck starts at 6 PM. Bring a dish to share if you can, or just stop in and enjoy some quality time with your fellow Dems before we settle down to business at 7.
Remote attendance is available by Zoom. Click here at 7 PM Wednesday to attend by Zoom.
Membership in the Houghton County Democratic Party is encouraged, but not required, to attend meetings. We welcome all Houghton County residents who support progressive Democratic government to attend our meetings and events and also to become involved.
SPECIAL GUESTS FOR A “mini” MEET AND GREET
Joining us by Zoom will be two candidates for the State Board of Education in 2016.
Dr Judith Pritchett was elected to the State Board of Education in 2018. She currently serves as Secretary of the Board. Judith served as an educator and administrator for over 25 years in public education serving many communities in Macomb County including Utica Community Schools, Mount Clemens Community Schools, and Center Line Public Schools.
In 2018, Tiffany D. Tilley won the State Board of Education election by almost 1.8M votes. At her first Board Meeting she was unanimously voted by the Board to also serve as the NASBE Rep., making her a leader in education both statewide, and nationally. Today she serves as the Co-Vice President of the Board where she gives a voice to underserved populations, including using her platform to advocate for increasing equitable funding, CTE programs, early childhood education (ECE), closing the achievement gap, mental health support, and for foster youth across our State.
IN MEMORIAM: MIKE LAHTI
Mike Lahti passed away last Monday at the age of 80. The funeral was held this past Saturday. Mike was well known and respected as a local businessman, a former Chair of the Houghton County Commissioners, and as the Democratic representative in the state House (110th District) for two terms. He served as a member of the Hancock Board of Education and the Finlandia University Board of Trustees; as a board member of the Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau and President of the Keweenaw Trail Services; and as a member of the board of Keweenaw Memorial Hospital.
He will be remembered as a good person, unassuming and modest, who entered politics because he wanted to help his community. In memory of and gratitude to Mike Lahti for his many years of public service, a grove of three Memorial Trees will be planted from the Houghton County Democrats.
Obituary: O’Neill Dennis Funeral Home
Statement by Governor Whitmer (FB post): Sad to Hear of the Loss of Mike Lahti
Daily Mining Gazette: Remembering Mike Lahti
MDP 2026 ENDORSEMENT CONVENTION
The 2026 Endorsement Convention for the Michigan Democratic Party will be held Sunday, April 19th at Huntington Place in Detroit. At the convention the state Party will endorse candidates to the November General Election in the following contests: Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Supreme Court, State Board of Education, Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Wayne State University Board of Governors, and University of Michigan Board of Regents.
ALL MEMBERS OF THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE 2026 STATE ENDORSEMENT CONVENTION.
The full MDP Call to Convention for the MDP 2026 Endorsement Convention can be found here.
SPECIAL COUNSEL SMITH TESTIMONY RELEASED
On December 17th, former Special Counsel Jack Smith testified behind closed doors to the House Judiciary Committee on his investigation into the coup attempt at the nation’s capital on January 6th, 2021, and President Trump’s classified documents case. The closed door nature of the testimony sparked an outcry that the testimony should have been conducted in a public hearing. Among those demanding the public release of the testimony was the Special Counsel himself.
The chairman of the committee, Republican Jim Jordan, finally yielded to those calls for transparency on New Years Eve by releasing both video of the testimony and a redacted transcript. Perhaps because of the timing of the release, coverage on mainstream media has been brief.
If the chairman hoped that the timing would help “bury” the testimony, we would like to help rectify that. The full eight hours of testimony is available from some news outlets including PBS (see below). View the full video or read the redacted transcript here. (Note: there were restrictions placed by the DOJ and the courts on what Smith could comment on, as you’ll hear at the beginning of the video, and can be found starting on page 12 of the transcript.)
For a summary of the testimony you can find “six key takeaways” in the coverage by Newsweek, while Politico identified “seven takeaways”.
Mark your calendars for this fundraiser by the Kelli van Ginhoven campaign. January 17th from 2 to 4 PM at Fifth & Elm in Hancock.
ACTIONS, RALLIES AND EVENTS
WED JAN 14
The group Voters not Politicians offers their monthly Writer-Activists Monthly Letters To the Editor Workshop. Volunteers meet monthly to share tips and strategies for writing compelling Letters to the Editors, Op-Eds, and Blog posts about policies affecting Michigan's democracy. This is a Zoom event starting at 6 PM. MORE: Learn More and RSVP Here.
SUN JAN 18
KATO and the Northern Michigan Alliance for Responsible Development offer Introduction to Cryptomining and Ai Data Centers, A Briefing. This hybrid community educational briefing is designed to inform and empower residents of Northern Michigan's First Congressional District. The event will provide information on the impacts of data centers and cryptocurrency mining facility development in our region and the state. Participants will leave with knowledge about cryptomining and data centers and action steps to further protections for our region. Gather at 7 PM at the Orpheum Theatre, 426 Quincy Street, or attend online. MORE: Learn more and RSVP here.
The Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus will hold a Secretary of State Candidate Virtual Forum. Candidates will have an opportunity to present on their platforms and positions. At the time this Forum was announced candidates Barb Byrum, Agogho Edvebie, and Adam Hollier were all expected to appear. The Forum will be moderated by Rena Basch, the Director of Elections for Washtenaw County and a member of the Michigan Democratic Jewish Caucus. Attend over Zoom starting at 7 PM. MORE: Learn more and RSVP here.
Governmental & Community Meetings
WED JAN 7
The Hancock City Council meets at 6 PM in the Hancock City Hall Council Chambers.
A FULL LISTING OF ALL LOCAL CITY, VILLAGE AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS, WITH CONTACT INFORMATION, AND (WHERE AVAILABLE) TIMING OF LOCAL COUNCIL MEETINGS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
SUBMIT A RESOLUTION
This newsletter is paid for with regulated funds by the Houghton County Democratic Party, and is not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.
Contact us by email at [email protected] or by text or voicemail at 906-523-1233