An Active Fall in Houghton County

HCDP RESOLUTION SUPPORTS THE MICARE BILL - HEALTHCARE FOR ALL

Last Wednesday at the September Monthly meeting our new Policy and Resolutions Co-Chair introduced a resolution expressing strong support for the MiCare proposal found in HB 4407 (re-introduced into the Michigan House this Spring).

The resolution affirms the long-standing Democratic Party position that affordable, high-quality healthcare is a basic human right, not a privilege. It notes that currently over 400,000 Michiganders are uninsured, and many others are under-insured and struggle with high deductibles, co-pays, and prescription costs.

The resolution was unanimously adopted by the members present at the monthly meeting, and resolves that the Houghton County Democratic Party:

• Strongly supports the adoption of MiCare, a universal healthcare program guaranteeing comprehensive care for all Michiganders;

• Urges our elected officials at all levels to prioritize and advance policies that establish and fund MiCare;

• Encourages primary candidates to show support for MiCare;

• Will communicate this resolution to and call upon the Michigan Democratic Party to endorse HB 4407.

You can find the full language of the adopted resolution here.

NOTE: The Houghton County Dems are co-sponsoring a Healthcare for All Town Hall on October 15th where you can learn more about the MiCare proposal. See the item further down in the newsletter for more information on that.

HAVE AN IDEA FOR AN HCDP RESOLUTION? SUBMIT IT!

WHAT IS A RESOLUTION?

A resolution is a written statement proposing an issue or policy that the Houghton County Dems should consider supporting. Resolutions can be proposed for consideration at the HCDP’s monthly meetings, and/or at County Conventions.

Resolutions are a way to highlight and get consensus around important local, state or national issues or policies. If adopted here in Houghton County, resolutions can be shared for consideration by other county parties and the state party. If adopted at a Houghton County Convention, resolutions can be forwarded for consideration by the Michigan Dems at the State Convention. If successful there, a resolution adopted here in Houghton County could become part of the state or national party platform!

IS THERE AN ISSUE YOU’D LIKE TO SEE THE HCDP ADOPT A RESOLUTION ON?

The Houghton County Dems want to make sure we consider resolutions that are important to our members and friends. If you have an issue you would like the Houghton County Dems to consider, we’d like to hear from you! Use this online form created by the Policy and Resolutions Committee to start the process.

Thank you!

ACTION MEETUP FOR SEPTEMBER

THE SEPTEMBER ACTION MEET UP WILL TAKE PLACE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH AT THE SOUTH RANGE VFW.

COME JOIN US! PIZZA AND SODAS WILL BE AVAILABLE, BUT FEEL FREE TO BYO OR BRING A DISH TO SHARE.

WHEN: 6 PM Wednesday, September 17th.

WHERE: South Range VFW — 44969 Baltic Ave

FALL HIGHWAY CLEANUP SEPTEMBER 22ND

COME JOIN US FOR THE FALL HIGHWAY CLEAN UP!

Need a break from the headlines and a chance to reconnect with nature while doing a good deed for our community? Join the Houghton County Dems as we head out on the road again this fall for our highway clean up. We’ll be cleaning our stretch of highway as part of the Adopt-A-Highway program — M-26 from just past Goat Hill Rd heading out of Ripley, and on through to Dollar Bay. We provide gloves, safety vests and bags. 

Join us on Monday, September 22nd at 5:30 PM. Parking is available at the Adopt-A-Highway sign just past Goat Hill Rd on M-26. Not sure where that is? Here’s a handy link to a Google Maps page for directions to the meeting point. (Please do not block the driveway on the Canal side of M-26.)

Questions? — Need any clarifications? Call Barb Turuc at (906) 370-5496.

HEALTHCARE FOR ALL TOWN HALL OCTOBER 15

COME LEARN ABOUT MICARE!

The Houghton County Dems have partnered with other local progressive groups to sponsor a Healthcare for All Town Hall.

MiCare is a proposed universal, publicly funded health care plan that would provide every Michigander comprehensive, high-quality coverage, without deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays, or caps. MiCare would maintain and add to today’s health care provider network, bringing savings to patients, employers, and providers by reducing administrative costs, resulting in direct savings for the vast majority of Michiganders.

JOIN US ON OCTOBER 15TH AT FIFTH & ELM IN HANCOCK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MICARE PROPOSAL BY MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS.

Scheduled speakers at the Town Hall include state Representative Carrie Rheingans (D-47), one of the co-sponsors of the 2025 Michigan House bill #4407 which would enact MiCare.

WHEN: 7 PM Wednesday, October 15th

WHERE: Fifth & Elm, 426 Quincy Street, Hancock MI

RSVP: We respectfully request your RSVP so we have an accurate headcount for Studio Pizza and refreshments! (Click the button below or scan the QR code in the flyer above).

COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WANTS YOUR INPUT

The Houghton County Board of Commissioners is asking for your input - please email your commissioner!

As you may know, the Houghton County Board of Commissioners holds their Regular monthly meetings in the conference room located on the fifth floor of the Houghton County Courthouse, starting at 3:00 PM on the second Tuesday following the first Monday of each month.

This start time can be an issue for constituents who work during the day but wish to attend a meeting.

During their last work session, the Commissioners considered changing their start time. Board Chairman Tom Tikkanen suggested that Commissioners reach out to their constituents to gauge their preferences.

If you have preferences about the start time of the Board’s Regular meetings, please let them know:

• District 1 - Tom Tikkanen - Calumet, Hancock, and Quincy townships - [email protected]

• District 2 - Joel Keranen - Franklin, Osceola, Schoolcraft, and Torch Lake Townships - [email protected]

• District 3 - Glenn Anderson - Adams township, Hancock City, A portion of the City of Houghton - [email protected]

• District 4 - Gretchen Janssen - Houghton City, excludes a portion of the City of Houghton - [email protected]

• District 5 - Roy Britz - Chassell, Duncan, Elm River, Laird, Portage, and Stanton Townships - [email protected]

NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY IS SEPTEMBER 27TH

Locally, the Keweenaw National Historical Park is looking for volunteers to join a clean up effort at the Industrial Core, located within Keweenaw National Historical Park boundaries and adjacent to the village of Calumet. The clean up effort will take place from 9 AM until noon on the 27th.

For more information and to volunteer for this clean up effort, please visit the National Environmental Education Foundation event posting.

KI TO HOLD LOCAL “NO KINGS DAY 2.0” ON OCTOBER 18

The No Kings coalition of pro-democracy groups, including the ACLU, nationwide Indivisible, the American Federation of Teachers, Public Citizen, SEIU, MoveOn, and dozens of others announced last week that the next No Kings action will take place October 18th.

Locally, Keweenaw Indivisible has taken the lead in organizing what they are calling No Kings 2.0 in the Copper Country, to be held at noon on October 18th. Additional information will be forthcoming as planning progresses. (Find the Facebook event here.)

The nationwide Indivisible group said in their announcement that, with Trump "doubling down on his authoritarian tactics," the need for sustained opposition has only grown more clear since the earlier actions.

Trump, said Invisible, "is disappearing immigrants to sprawling concentration camps, sending troops into our cities, threatening to interfere in elections, rigging maps to steal power from the voters, and orchestrating a massive giveaway to his billionaire allies as families struggle. Trump is ramping up his attacks on our rights and democracy, but we’re not backing down. On October 18, we're taking to the streets in more cities and in larger numbers to remind Trump, his cronies, and those on the sidelines looking for hope: America has no kings."

If you’d like to assist with this event or otherwise become involved with Keweenaw Indivisible, you can express your interest in joining them here.

Or, simply show up for their next meeting tonight at 6 PM at the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at 604 Bridge Street in Houghton.

Governmental & Community Meetings

TUE SEP 9

This month's regular meeting of the Houghton County Board of Commissioners is this afternoon at 3 PM in the Conference Room on the fifth floor of the Houghton County Courthouse. Find more information on the Board's webpage. A link to join virtually will be posted in the News section of the County website.

WED SEPT 10

The Houghton City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Meeting Agenda can be found in the Searchable Document Center of the Council's website.

TUE SEPT 16

Next Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day. There will be groups on campus at Michigan Tech to register voters and distribute information. Members of the Secretary of State’s office will be available inside the Van Pelt & Opie Library to directly register individuals. This event is hosted by the Michigan Tech Voter Engagement Coalition, and all efforts are non-partisan. More information on this event can be found here.

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