Did you thank our Board of Trustees for their support by voting in favor of our resolution? You can do it at the Tuesday August 3rd primary election. The vote was unanimous 6-0 for the resolution. Ken Kasper, Township Supervisor was not present. Names of those who voted are: Mary Kay Knoerr, Bob DuCharme, Paul Vasold, Rick Hayes, Carl Neuenfeldt, and Ruth Averill. Ruth voiced her doubts but voted for the majority of residents along the Tittabawassee River floodplain.

I have not seen Trustee wannabees Metiva or Brownrigg at any of the township meetings I've attended! Ann Doyle was present at the last meeting.

Other points of interest: Read the Midland Daily News article, Dow files papers in high court. As always, Kathie Marchlewski did an outstanding job of presenting the facts. The Saginaw News article was not as complete so I decided to waste neither my space nor your time by publishing it.

University of Michigan has a website... Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study. I suggest we all read it from the beginning and it will be simple to understand as the study progresses.

Have a marvelous summer weekend!

The MDEQ is here!!! No... not to take samples in my backyard on the Tittabawassee River floodplain... they didn't have to! They took samples in somebody else's backyard and said my backyard is a 'facility.'

I'm at our cottage on Hackert Lake... formerly called Crystal Lake... in Scottville. Six people in a 40 foot boat are on our little inland lake taking core samples. I think they're looking for mercury. I hope it's not there and I want to know if it is. If it is will they declare all the homes and cottages on this little lake a 'facility?'

Will they be in YOUR backyard next?

 
Addendum to 'Where's the Beach?' - Where's the wildlife? We saw one bird during our little tour of Bay City... this poor little ragtag gull! At the 'beach' or whatever all that grass & weeds is..... we heard nary a bird! Here in my dioxin-laden backyard I have a constant melody of birds in concert! Bunnies, chipmunks live here in abundance and yes, even an occasional groundhog or skunk will amble by. When I mow, I sometimes have to slow down to let a little garden snake wriggle past the mower before I can continue. Sometimes when it's cooler an occasional little frog ambles by. At the 'beach' - nada... nothing... zero... no sounds... no wildlife..... no tourists! Ah Lone Tree... and MDEQ..... and all the rest of your environmental extremist buddies..... you should be PROUD!!!

I promised a discussion about The Tides Foundation so here it is... straight from the Capital Research Center (CRC). As you can see from the summary:

"The Tides Foundation and Tides Center are uniquely influential in the liberal movement, especially among environmentalists. Working closely together, the Foundation and Center fund and manage many activist groups that often are spun off to become independent organizations."

Extreme environmentalists recently accused my friends of being supported by the big bad corporation. Bullies often accuse their victims of the very faults they themselves possess and what are these extremists if not bullies? I will say no more. Read the facts. The Tides Foundation promotes the following issues:

• environmental extremism
• exclusion of humans from public and private wildlands
• anti-war protest
• opposition to free trade
• banning firearms ownership
• abolition of the death penalty
• abortion rights
• gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender advocacy

What is it they say about birds of a feather?

Yesterday we went to the beach. I was astounded! We often visit beaches on the west side of Michigan but haven't lately gone to our own Bay City State Park right here near home. There were no people... there was no beach!

We drove through the campground across the road... very few campers! This is another situation where the MDEQ made a mountain out of a molehill... or perhaps we should say... they made a vast field of weeds out of a beach!!!

Hey! I'm all FOR any dioxin cleanup in our area... if it's really necessary..... but let's get the MDEQ back where they belong, in their offices! Let them tamper with the environment and we will have no more tourist industry in Michigan!

Oh if only I could... see no, hear no, I would speak no... but alas I DO see, I DO hear, therefore I MUST speak!!! Yesterday I was in the supermarket.  The cashier told us she no longer admires Governor Granholm. I asked her why. She recently went to a funeral in St. Charles where they were burying a hero of the war on terror. Governor Jenny was there complete with all her photographers! She walked into the front door with cameras clicking.... then quickly exited another door. Photo-op over! Appearance is everything, right Guv?

I have written two letters to Ms. Granholm concerning this local dioxin situation and guess what!!!? I received a letter from her... along with a whole lot of other people..... a form letter I might add. The only thing I learned from the form letter... she didn't read it! She even got my name wrong! But by gosh, she KNOWs the name of Michelle Herd Rhetoric!!!

You are aware, aren't you, that Ms. Granholm is Canadian by birth, applying for U.S. citizenship after graduation from high school.  She wanted to be an actress and ended up proving her acting prowess as Governor of Michigan.

You are aware, aren't you, the Canadians as a group do NOT like us! Their current fiasco is to allow Al Jazeera on Canadian television!!!

"Al Jazeera, the Middle Eastern Arab propaganda television station has been granted a licence to broadcast in Canada on Cable and Satellite television by the CRTC (The Federal watchdog for communication in Canada). Both issues are outrageous!"  
Pasted from <http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/14/75201/1.ashx>

What IS Ms. Granholm's motivation anyway? She prances before the cameras, goes on a 15 minute bike ride (for the camera), takes a boat ride through our wildlife preserves, proclaims cool cities, but meets in private with environmentalist extremists... treating them as equal to our elected representatives. Could it be she is still a closet Canadian?

Later.... a discussion about the Tides Foundation. I only yesterday learned about this wonderful organization that funds all sorts of environmental extremist wackos!!! Have you ever heard of Ruckus?

Summertime... perfect occurrence to complete another rewarding weekend at the lake! I swear this fellow spotted me down on earth with my camera in hand and flew by to give us a closer look!  
Had lots of catching up to do yesterday. Lots of news... visit the Links page for news articles from the weekend.
 
Kudos to the editor of The Saginaw News! The July 18th issue printed a great editorial urging people to become involved in the dioxin blood study when Dr. Garabrant's troops come knocking on our doors.  My apologies for having to show you a picture of the editorial... it was not included in MLive's version of the News.

I, for one, hope I'm home when they stop by and I pray I will be among the 'chosen' when actual testing begins! I've spent many many years of gardening and mowing on the floodplain part of our property and sure would like to know, once and for all, how, and if, living with 'all that dioxin' for 45+ years has affected my health. To my knowledge... and my doctor's... so far I have no ill effects from living here.

...and for the extremist environmentalists who say they can't trust Dr. Garabrant because he's being 'paid by Dow'... quality control oversight will be conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  Much of the work will be done locally, using our local organizations for collecting samples.

Dr. Garabrant, we are ready for you!

First of all... a great big THANK YOU to everybody who signed the petition supporting our resolution presented to the Tittabawassee Township Board of Trustees! You helped us prove that we, the people still have a Voice in our community.

Now I know I spend too much time on the internet! While cruisin' the big ol' WWW yesterday I stumbled upon a wealth of information at ActivistCash.com. If you have a bit of time, spend it learning more about activists and what really makes them tick! Activism is a Big Business!!! Unfortunately their business is trying to frighten people into believing their extreme viewpoints. Read their list of organizations. If the organizations themselves don't surprise you, perhaps their beginnings will.

Tittabawassee dioxin resolution is middle-of-the-road in the Midland Daily News and 'Blood, sweat and tears' in resolution, The Saginaw News... both tell the full story better than I could! 'Jeremiah, where are you?'

YES!!! Our Tittabawassee Township Board of Trustees supports us! Meeting was held last night. Six board members were present. Ken Kasper, Township Supervisor, was absent. Attending board members unanimously approved the Resolution of Position on the Dioxin Issue in Tittabawassee Township. Key points include:

• ...MDEQ has loosely defined a broad geographic area as a 'facility'
• board requests removal of 'facility' designation from private properties...where owners wish it removed...
• board supports a process that makes regulations predictable
• supports using a scientific basis...
• supports a systematic, scientific reevaluation of the 90 ppt standard
• ...that the Township Clerk send a copy of this resolution to our Governor, etc.li>

By the way, if you are the person that misplaced a political yard sign after the meeting, it fell off our vehicle when we pulled out of the parking lot. Let us know before you stop by to pick it up.

Speaking of the Governor, Midland folks weren't the only ones to get a form letter from her... I received one too! Unfortunately Ms. Granholm got my name backward. It was addressed to somebody named Salas Shirley. Do ya' think she actually READ my letter? I think not... perhaps I must write yet another telling her my name!

Got kids? Summer Recreation program starts out Wednesday July 14... 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon... Summer Safety Day at the Township Park. Fire engines... police vehicles... emergency stuff! The children will love it! I wanna go!!!! It would really be fun to get photos of some of that equipment up close and personal.

Tittabawassee Township Board Meeting this evening... 7:30 p.m. Be there and see how the people you voted to represent you are voting. There will, hopefully, be a decision on whether or not to support us in our request to remove the 'facility' designation from residential properties that have not actually been tested.

Wild Game Sampling Study Read ALL about it!

Download the full Scope of Work Documents from this Dow site.

I just updated our Links Page. Been kind of busy the past few days and neglected checking my online Midland Daily News! Wow! Talk about lopsided news reporting. All I had about results from the wildlife study was a bare-bones article in the Saginaw News. You must read Kathie Marchlewski's article... it is more complete!

Furthermore, Kathie has two articles in the July 8 newspaper... 'Facility' label out of DEQ's hands and Dioxin misperceptions. I have only this to say about MDEQ... It must be great to have so much power!!! First you make the rules, then you say you can't change the rules because it is the law! Even though the law was promulgated by legislature it was at DEQ's recommendation. Nobody and no body of government should have so much power. Think about it. Wouldn't it be 'fun' if you were playing a game... one in which you made the rules? Then, everytime it looks like your opponent might win, you just change the rules? Then when your opponent wants you to change the rules back, you can tell them you are just following the rules?

Do you realize how much POWER MDEQ really has!!!??? Do you realize how strongly MDEQ is influenced by the environmental extremist lobbyists?

DEQ has 'responsibility' (translate - control) over all wetlands in Michigan. Drive through Michigan... wetlands abound! Not only that, MDEQ makes their own decisions (not rules) about use of those wetlands. If they want to build some grand bureaucratic edifice in low-lying areas, it's okay! They just give a permit.. get lots of dirt moved in to dry it out..... and voila! Another Michigan government building. Drive U.S.10 past Baldwin and see for your self!!!

But if children want to expand their soccer field and they happen to live in a well-to-do town like Midland, their plans and work are put on hold!!! Oh yeah! There has to be a ditch running into it somewhere!!! Okay folks, here's a suggestion. Let's get rid of MDEQ and expand the Department of Natural Resources! Just a thought.

Back to the dioxin issue... here's another letter to the editor... , Is dioxin dangerous?... this one in the Midland paper. Keep 'em coming people!!! We're not going to let the prima donna of all bureaucrats, MDEQ, get us down!!!

Study: Dioxin low in animals... reads the heading on today's Saginaw News article. Of course the environmental extremists don't believe it!!! What have I been telling you?

Who ARE these people anyway? One of them... a floodplain resident who is suing Dow... stood up at a dioxin committee meeting in Tittabawassee Township and bellowed out a whole 'format' of pseudo-science and when he was finished his only remark was, 'I just don't want to see the words sound science...' (in the document being prepared for township board members to sign.)

These are NOT reasonable people!!!

...again from The Detroit News - editorial page... Common sense words of advice about the DEQ's decision to clean up first and ask questions later. Isn't Detroit your city, Governor? Even in Detroit they are aware of the detrimental outcomes that could occur if you let DEQ follow through on their original 'get Dow' plan! Residents count. Extremist groups claiming to represent residents do NOT count. All glitz and glamour and no common sense can get us into a heap of trouble!

TITTABAWASSEE TOWNSHIP/FREELAND
From The Saginaw News - Your News
Sunday, July 04, 2004

The Tittabawassee Township dioxin committee has drafted a resolution that urges the state to lift the "hazardous waste facility" designation from properties along the Tittabawassee River. They will submit the document to the Board of Trustees on Tuesday, July 13.


....on a totally separate subject (or is it?)... The Minnesota Twins are 'under fire' for giving away G.I. Joe dolls!!! See the Associated Press Article..... and one from Pioneer Press. The 'silent' majority is speaking up everywhere! I know that during the Vietnam War I was so busy trying to raise a family I didn't have time to speak out against the anti-war protestors of the day! All I could do was wear my MIA bracelet and pray for our military men & women. When they came home I was proud of them and ashamed of the anti-war protestors... just didn't know how to say so (being only one voice and all)! Today the instant iniformation media provides us with news instantly and also provides us with more ways to get our word out!

Then, as now, extremism in any form is scarey!

U-M launching study... Thursday, THE SAGINAW NEWS, July 01, 2004, by JEREMIAH STETTLER..... mid-July is the starting point. It would appear that such a prestigious scientific panel for validation of the U of M study would appease even the most critically tunnel-visioned individuals.

...and now, something to think about: Can you fault Zilwaukee Township citizens for not wanting dredged materials from the Saginaw River in their town? It seems DEQ deems their township the perfect place to dump it!

Happy Independence Day!!!

What I Saw at the June 29 Tittabawassee Township Dioxin
Committee Meeting...

• Expectation... from residents hoping for the
  committee's decision on a resolution to recommend to the township board....
  from Len Heinzman who worked on and read River Voice's
  proposed resolution for township board acceptance.


• Curiosity... from residents attendees to learn
  for themselves about the workings of the dioxin committee and perhaps learn
  a bit more about citizen group involvement on the dioxin issue.


• Anger... from residents representing the
  environmental extremist group Lonetree, because they thought they had their
  angry anti-Dow agenda all wrapped up until River Voice formed
  to represent the majority of floodplain residents... from one citizen who is
  just angry because he thinks the dioxin issue has grown out of proportion,
  pitting neighbor against neighbor!


• Fear... from residents who don't know what to
  believe anymore and some who believe the extremist propaganda and are
  genuinely afraid of Dow Chemical, wondering what other bad stuff the company
  is putting into our river.


• Frustration... from a resident whose business
  depends to a great extent on tourism. Even though the portion of her farm
  used for tours by school children is NOT in the floodplain, school
  administrators are afraid to conduct tours at her farm just because of
  proximity! Ms. Granholm, are you listening?


• Deception... a litigant against Dow, claiming he
  is a scientist, does not want the words 'sound science' to be used. He also
  read off a whole string of prepared and frequently used 'information' from
  environmental extremists in an attempt to mislead those of us who believe in
  sound science.


• Rigidity... Environmental extremists refuse to
  budge in their thought, verbiage or attitude.


• Decision... A dioxin committee member who wants
  the committee to actually make a decision and stick by it.


• Indecision... Confusion on the part of the
  committee chair and his supporters. They really want to please their environmental extremist
  buddies, including some members of the Tittabawassee Township board, but
  need to justify why over 95% of the homeowners, in contiguous proximity,
  all signed the River Voice's petition to approve the
  resolution as written by Len Heinzman.