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 |
Ongoing / Sundays | Yoopers for Ukraine Bridge March. Every Sunday at 3 PM. More info on the YfU Facebook page. |
February 17 @ 6 PM | Baraga County Dems Monthly meeting @ L’Anse Twp Hall |
February 17 @ 7 PM | Keweenaw Indivisible General Meeting @ KUUF |
February 21 @ 5:30 PM | Soup-er Bowl All You Can Eat Fundraiser for Special Olympics Area 39. Buy tickets here. |
February 22 @ 6 PM | Know Your Rights Forum by Keweenaw Against the Oligarchy @ Canterbury House. More info here. |
February 25 @ 6 PM | AWAVE meeting @ KUUF |
March 4 @ 6 PM | HCDP Spring Convention & Potluck, followed by monthly meeting. RSVP here. |
March 6 @ 6 PM | Special Screening of “Paris is Burning” by Keweenaw Queers @ the Orpheum. More info here. |
Events featured in our newsletter can also be found on the Events Calendar on the main page of our website.
When ICE and CBP came to Minnesota to take people away, tens of thousands of every-day Minnesotans peacefully stood up for their neighbors, took to the streets, and said NO.
PARTY NEWS
SPRING FLING TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE
At this year’s Spring Fling we will be honoring Mike Lahti, whose years of service to our community is an inspiration for a lot of us. One way you can honor Mike’s legacy is by giving back to your community through serving as a Precinct Delegate, and we have some great news for anyone considering becoming a Precinct Delegate.
County Clerk Jennifer Kelly has confirmed that she will bring Precinct Delegate Affidavit of Identity forms to the Spring Fling so that you can fill them out there. She’ll even notarize them for you personally at no charge. If you are unable to attend Spring Fling, you can bring the form to the Clerk’s Office in the Houghton County Building and ask for it to be notarized and submitted (also at no charge). You must complete the form by May 5.
Thanks to Clerk Kelly for helping to make the first step in serving as Precinct Delegate much easier.
ADS AND AUCTION ITEMS
Would you like to place an ad in this year’s Spring Fling program? Or maybe you have an item you can donate for our Silent Auction? We’d love to hear from you! Please reach out to Events Committee Chair Nancy Verive at [email protected] to get the conversation started.
THANK YOU!
Get your Spring Fling tickets online here - https://secure.actblue.com/donate/hcdp-sf26. Defying inflation, our prices remain the same as last year!!
HCDP SPRING CONVENTION & POTLUCK MARCH 4TH, FOLLOWED BY MONTHLY MEETING
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.
Please remember that you must have been an MDP member NO LATER than 30 days prior to the County Convention (or by February 2nd) to vote on matters at the County Convention. (Note that Precinct delegates, Democratic elected officials, and Democratic nominees to partisan office in the County are automatically eligible to vote.)
MDP 2026 LEGACY DINNER
State Party Chair Curtis Hertel and the Michigan Democratic Party invite you to join elected leaders from across the state for the 2026 Legacy Dinner: A Celebration of Governor Whitmer. The dinner will be held the evening before the MDP 2026 Endorsement Convention — April 18th at Huntington Place in Detroit. Doors open at 4:30 PM. Tickets are available through ActBlue - click the image above to get tickets.
MDP 2026 ENDORSEMENT CONVENTION
ALL MEMBERS OF THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE 2026 STATE ENDORSEMENT CONVENTION.
The 2026 Endorsement Convention for the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) 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. The full MDP Call to Convention for the MDP 2026 Endorsement Convention can be found by clicking the image above.
HELP MICHIGAN JOIN THE DEMOCRATIC WINNING STREAK IN STATE SPECIAL ELECTIONS! — SUPPORT DEM CANDIDATE GREENE
SUPPORT CHEDRICK GREENE IN MI 38TH STATE SENATE RACE
Chedrick Greene is the Democratic candidate in the May 5th special election in Michigan’s 38th state Senate district. The seat has been vacant since former state Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet (D) resigned last year after winning the District 8 US House seat. Greene faces Republican opponent Jason Tunney. Greene is a decorated Marine veteran and Fire Captain. Born and raised in Saginaw, he is a lifelong resident with deep roots in the community.
The 38th District encompasses portions of Bay, Saginaw and Midland counties in the Thumb area. The stakes are high in this race as Democratic control of the Michigan Senate is slim. Democrats now have the majority, 19 seats to 18 for Republicans. If the Republican candidate wins this election, the Senate will be tied. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist could break a tie vote, but Democratic majority on any bill may well depend on every party member being present in the chamber.
You can learn more about Democratic candidate Greene on his website. You can donate to his campaign here, or using the QR code above. If you have friends or family in the 38th District who would be willing to volunteer on the campaign, they can sign up here.
COMMUNITY NEWS
SOUP-ER BOWL TO SUPPORT THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Support our local Area 39 Special Olympics by attending a family-friendly meal of all-you-can soup, salad, bread, cookies, and drinks at the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on February 21 from 5:30-8:00 PM. (Area 39 includes the western UP counties of Ontonagon, Gogebic, Houghton, Baraga and Keweenaw.)
All attendees will receive a ceramic bowl decorated by an Area 39 athlete or volunteer. Proceeds support our local Area 39 Special Olympics Athletes. Funds provide uniforms, equipment, transportation, entry fees, and practice venues for year-round sports programs for intellectually challenged people, ages 8 and up! Tickets are $25 in advance ($30 at door). Click the button below to get the full-sized PDF you can print and fill out to donate and purchase tickets by mail. Or, you can donate and get your tickets online.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS FORUM BY KATO
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, HOW TO RESPOND IF CONFRONTED BY ICE
From the KATO / Michigan United Action announcement:
Engaging in acts of community care means making efforts to protect our most vulnerable from state violence and repression. Join Keweenaw Against the Oligarchy, a hub of Michigan United Action, Keweenaw Mutual Aid Committee, Keweenaw Socialist, Graduate Student Government, and Keweenaw Indivisible for a Know Your Rights Against ICE and Preparedness Forum for the Copper Country.
The forum will be held February 22nd starting at 6 PM, at Canterbury House across from the Michigan Tech campus, 1405 E Houghton Ave, Houghton, MI 49931
NO THRONES, NO CROWNS, NO KINGS
NO KINGS 3.0
In response to the continued ICE presence in Minnesota, the ongoing corruption and authoritarianism of the current administration, and in order to help defend the rights of Americans, a third No Kings event is being organized. The nationwide set of protests is set to occur on March 28th, and Keweenaw Indivisible has taken the lead once again in organizing locally. We’ll share more information as it becomes available.
NEWS BRIEFS
IN MICHIGAN
GOV. WHITMER’S BUDGET PROPOSAL: The governor’s budget proposal, announced last Wednesday, is her eighth and last proposal and begins the negotiation process toward a final budget. In her proposal Whitmer calls for $88.1 billion in total spending. If the proposal is accepted, the Governor projects the state will have paid down $28 billion in debt during her tenure, and will have doubled the state’s “rainy day” fund. MORE: Gov. Whitmer Press Release
TRUMP - NO TO BRIDGE: “Canceling this project will have serious repercussions,” Sen. Elissa Slotkin said of Trump’s latest unhinged idea. Trump says he won’t allow the new Gordie Howe bridge between Detroit and Windsor Ontario to open later this year without Canada paying some unspecified amount for unspecified wrongs against the US. Trump’s first administration was all for this bridge. MORE: ProPublica
JUDGE: NO TO TRUMP GETTING MI VOTER ROLLS: A Trump appointed federal judge ruled against the Department of Justice last week in a suit over attempts by the Trump administration to force the state to hand over voter information. The judge ruled that the state isn’t required by federal law to turn over individual voter information. MORE: Votebeat Michigan
NATIONWIDE
ICE SHUTDOWN: We mistakenly said last week that “the federal government is still in partial shutdown”. Turns out we were just a week early. Trump seemed to think his gambit of shutting down ICE in Minneapolis (we’ll believe it when we see it) would weaken Democrats hand. But instead it shows how congressional Democrats (emboldened by the bravery of Minnesotans) have weakened his hand. While it’s true that Trump’s Big Bad Billionaire Bill provided enough funding to keep ICE going, Democrats see no reason to compromise their demands. MORE: Associated Press
PUSHBACK ON CANADA TARIFF: Speaking of a weaker hand for Trump, he got pushback from within his own party last week. The US House tried and failed to extend its own yearlong ban on rescinding Trump’s tariffs, which opened the door for a vote to repeal the tariffs on Canada. That vote passed with six Rs joining all but one Dem in favor. MORE: NBC5 Chicago
TRUMP CABINET HAS TERRIBLE WEEK: Bad news for several Trump cabinet members last week.
Attorney General Pam Bondi shredded any remaining respect she may have had with Congress and the American people with her rude and antagonistic Congressional testimony / coverup. MORE: Huffpost
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik’s testimony to Congress amounted to an admission that he had lied about his ties to Epstein. MORE: NBC News
HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. told podcaster Theo Vonn that he used to “snort cocaine off of toilet seats”. MORE: USA Today
While not a cabinet member, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, became the latest administration official whose name was revealed to be in the Epstein files, in his case for inviting the pedophile to his mansion for a party. MORE: The New Republic
LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
TUE FEB 17
The Laurium Village Council meets tonight at 6 PM in the Council Chambers of the Town Hall. More info (including the GoTo Meeting link to attend virtually) can be found on the Village's web page.
WED FEB 18
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