..a little update
We have a mission statement and a petition in support of this mission statement. We also have begun a petition to Governor Granholm. We began running door to door but since so many of our friends and neighbors have places to go, we may have missed you. For this reason we have our petitions online. Feel free to print them out and get as many signatures as you can. The only requirement is the signers should be residents within the Tittabawassee River 100 year floodplain. The Midland problem is a whole 'nuther thing' as you probably know by now. Click here for the statement and petitions.

I moved Howard's historical photos because the free webhost used Google advertising and one of the ads was for MDEQ's environmental extremist entourage. Here are Howard's Photos.

Got to the Midland Matters 'ordinary citizens walk' too late to get photos of them parading in front of the Midland Center for the Arts, although we could see many exiting the line to attend the meeting as we pulled in the parking lot. They had a great turnout! Frank & I were just getting over to Midland from a CAP (Citizen's Advisory Panel) meeting about an hour away in Saginaw. It was our first such meeting and were determined to attend it! More on that later...
The two men shown in these photos stayed behind to 'man the line' as vehicles were still entering to attend the meeting... This first gentleman's sign reflects my personal sentiments to a 'T'... and the second fellow, well what can you say?

Midland has some of the most highly recognized scientists in the nation. These men and women are kind and honest, going about their business day to day, doing their jobs and raising their families in one of the most beautiful small town communities in mid-Michigan!
Imagine how insulting it is to have a bunch of bureaucratic scientists come into their town and dispute their science! You know, the thing that amazed me about the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MIDEQ) was their entourage of environmental extremists! I don't know if these people travel with them or just tag along, but they act like they are key people in the structure of these meetings. Now, isn't that funny? I guessed that before ever attending one of the meetings... and yesterday... oh lucky me! ... I attended two in a row!


Two you say? Yes... a CAP meeting (that would be Citizens Advisory Panel) in Saginaw, pertaining to our dilemma with the MDEQ and their environmentalist extremist groupies and the next meeting in Midland... about 50 minutes away!

The huge meeting room in Midland's Center for the Arts was packed! People in Midland want to know! We joined them way up in the balcony area and listened to several people answer questions that had been mailed and emailed in ahead of time. Some answers were very good... some as expected, only generated more questions which we could only ask by passing a note to ushers during the intermission period. These notes were then given to the panel for answers after intermission.

Frank & I left during the intermission figuring 6 hours of meetings with and about the MDEQ were more than enough for one day! Surprisingly, we were not alone. The parking lot was literally backed up with cars waiting to get out of there! What a blessing that 10 minute intermission was! I promise more. Right now we're about to meet with a photographer for the Midland Daily News. Meanwhile... want to see those handsome fellows up close? Just click on the pic!

Attention all victims of DEQ and
their Environmental Extremist buddies!!!

Ah yes, as I warned you, the DEQ wants to declare the City of Midland a toxic facility now! The local news media tells me they are also checking out all the wetlands in Michigan!!! Who's next? What will be left of our State... formerly known as 'the water wonderland'?

Our friends in Midland have similar problems and have requested that I post this message. We need solidarity to accomplish our mutual goals. Following message from Bill Egerer, Midland resident:

The new Midland Matters! resident group is walking with signs at 5:30PM Wed. before the 7PM Community meeting. We encourage folks from the Tittabawassee River Voice to join the walk. Signs are already made. Just need to show up and join the walk that is demanding MDEQ to remove the 90ppt limit action limit and facility classifications. We're expecting the organized enviro activist groups and Midland Matters! wants to show a counter force of residents and walk in front of the MCFTA (Midland Center for the Arts) building.

Just a little 'aside' --- DEQ has a CAP meeting across town in Saginaw - Swan Creek Road - from 4:00pm-6:00pm -- then the meeting in Midland at 7:00pm. It appears they want to be everywhere at once! Is this by chance or by choice on their part? You be the judge.

This is John Welzein & his baseball team

Back row left to right: Dunk King & John Welzein (1871-1948)
Middle: Orlon Sage, Wendell Wiltsie (1881-1936), Rudy Rhebien & Tom Leaman (1891-1975)
Front: Don Robinsen, Charlie Horgan, Mark Melentine, Frank Shaffer (1920-1959, Dave Smith & Archie Frazer (1888-1964)
Click on this picture to see a nice big one!

Thank you Howard Vasold for these photos and the tale told here... These fellows played on a team that became known as Archie Frazer's team. Archie had a slaughter house over where the Festival Park now sits... at the northwest side of the Tittabawassee River bridge on Freeland Road. They slaughtered and butchered pigs and cows there and who knows what they did with the extra fat and hides... Hmm! - a source of dioxin no doubt...

Oh by the way, the fellas played their ball games over near Archie's slaughter house too! Howard didn't tell us how well they played... maybe later!

It's been pretty busy around here so forgive me for absences from blogging. My laryngitis is gone but the sinuses sort of took over. If you missed the Saginaw News Friday, you might want to read the article 'Hundreds await test for dioxin.'

Just for fun, here's a quote from that article:

'"Let's not underestimate perception," said David Wade, director of the environmental and occupational epidemiology division for the state Department of Community Health. "You can have the best science, but if you can't sell it to the public then what good is it?" '

My response... So we should believe everything you folks at the State level tell us... because after all, you are not biased?????

Here's another quote from Mr. Wade... '"The science is fine," he said. "We can tweak that. Our concern all along is that the study be very transparent and strongly independent of Dow Chemical." '

How in blazes do you 'TWEAK' science? Now tell me... would YOU trust this man and his cohorts? I don't!!!

Good Morning!
In the past week...

• Dolly Dioxin's yahoo password was stolen and changed so Dolly can no longer get in to update her website...
• Dave Terry Camp from TV12 interviewed Len Heinzman and George Ihler...
• Dr. Varner, Medical Director at Saginaw's Department of Public Health, shared some of his insights with me and the article he wrote for Saginaw Township Times...
• TRV held a planning meeting...
• TRV created a photo blog of historical pictures...
• We gained more internet friends...
• We published a dissenter's email...
• I've had laryngitis ever since Friday evening!

What will this week bring?

Note: Note the big strikeout above! What a Freudian that was! Don't we wish we had his ear too! We were quite pleased to have Terry Camp interview Len.

I enjoyed a very informative phone conversation yesterday with Dr. Neill Varner, Medical Director of the Saginaw County Health Department. Dr. Varner is an encyclopedia of information about dioxin running the gamut from both ends of the spectrum of opinion. But for now... Dr. Varner wanted to share an article he wrote for the Saginaw Township News.

Dr. Varner also sent us a compliment via email. Here it is in its entirety:

This is an interesting “grassroots” development which presents a “community” perspective which differs greatly from what we have previously experienced. It will be a fascinating website to follow in the weeks and months ahead……..this note simply recognizes your point of view and expresses an interest in this new website…..the DIOXINSPIN website is also very interesting……

Neill D. Varner, D.O., M.P.H.
Medical Director
Saginaw County Department of Public Health

NOTE: DioxinSpin is a website written by a disgruntled ex-Dow employee who wants to sell a book.

Musings...

• The City of Midland link below doesn't 'work' anymore. It did when it was posted. Their regular website is just fine. Midland is a beautiful city. I hope DEQ doesn't make it into a ghost town!
• Another environmental extremist group attacked Dow yesterday, according to today's Saginaw News. This group is complaining about a common bug killer, chlorpyrifos, approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, and proven safe by millions of dollars worth of expert testing.
• That action instigated another mob that wants to stop killing mosquitos! (This involves a different chemical... not made by Dow.)
• A bunch of protesters were expected at the Dow Annual Meeting today.
• Whenever the wind blows off the river it stinks like dead fish! Dam managers open the dam; the river comes up; fish go where they shouldn't be; the river goes down; dead fish.

Moral of the story is...

1. Kick 'em when they're down.
2. Close down a city because you hate the company that created its prosperity.
3. Feed the mosquitos your blood. Let the West Nile virus flourish.
4. You are NOT forgiven for anything you or your forefathers (or a previous company) ever did... ever!
5. Healthy fish stink when they die.
6. Last, but not least... when the environmental extremists 'win' we all lose! No more jobs in Michigan. No more taxpayers because people who want to work will have to move out.

...and when it's all over and Michigan is a big empty prehistoric marshland, all the environmental extremists can go back to making the world a better place (in their own minds) in your neighborhood!

Keep the faith and read .....more voices too!

Yesterday I heard part of a news report about a dioxin-related meeting in Midland. It is not a meeting that concerns those of us in the flood plain. Here are details from the Midland City Clerk's office...

The Community Meeting on Dioxin scheduled for Wednesday, May 26 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Midland Center for the Arts is being sponsored by the City of Midland for City of Midland residents.

We plan to limit the focus of this meeting to dioxin soil testing in the City of Midland. The goal of the meeting is to (1) inform City of Midland residents of the MDEQ's impending soil testing in the City of Midland (2) to generate questions and concerns from City of Midland property owners regarding dioxin and the soil testing in the City of Midland and (3) to pose those questions to a panel of representatives from the MDEQ, Dow, Midland County Health Department and City of Midland.

For more information regarding the upcoming community meeting, please visit the City of Midland website.

Neighbors strike back over labeling of river
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
JEREMIAH STETTLER
THE SAGINAW NEWS

Read it here! This is an interview with Len Heinzman... yes, we have an online petition in our future... coming up soon.

Put this date on your calendar
May 26 - Midland Center for the Arts Just announce on TV5 news at noon - put on by DEQ. We need lots of us there!!! It's beginning to get serious folks.

Dolly Dioxin can't get into her Yahoo identity any more. She's thinking somebody tried to hack into it some way and messed it up. Read her entry in more voices for details.

One loyal member just sent me an email... told me something I didn't know. I'll just quote her here:

I'm laughing today. The river has once again overflowed into my back yard. I'm wondering what the news mediawill have to say about this. And, Immerman Park is again flooded. It's really ironic. The Governor just had Bierlein clean up the last mess. ...they wouldn't let his (the county supervisor's) men touch it which he thought was a big joke. This is how our money is being spent.

Don't you believe the environmental extremists at LoneTree and DEQ should 'get it' by now? We've been cleaning up our own backyards from floods for 45 years... some of you less... and many of you more than that!!! NO ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM DIOXIN!!! So who is right? Somebody trying to 'make a name for herself' or the facts???

I don't think I'll be mowing the backyard today.
Darn! We just cleaned up all the wood, brush and junk that floated downstream in March! ...but that's not why I'm here.

I just wrote a letter to Governor Granholm expressing my concerns about the Tittabawassee River floodplain situation we are currently living through. The letter said what I wanted to say so I also wrote it to my congressmen. Then because I know snailmail takes awhile, I sent them all an email! Click here to read my letter. If you have similar feelings, feel free to use some of that same information for your own letter. Just be sure you don't copy it. Use your own words because the most important thing about this issue is how you feel about it.

Freeland's big Walleye Festival was last week! What an event! This small town was literally stuffed with people... not just fishermen but bargain hunters as well. I'm convinced most of the local area is not aware of the frustrations being thrust on us by the DEQ and LoneTree putting residents in the middle of their ongoing argument with Dow Chemical.

Matter of fact, even some of the reporters are praising the clear water quality of the Tittabawassee River! Bob Gwizdz, syndicated columnist for Booth Newspapers, wrote this article titled Great Comeback. Scientists know there is no dioxin in water. Dioxin rests in the soil and sediment and is not soluble with water!

Did you know LoneTree wants Dow Chemical to pay for dredging the Tittabawassee River? Do you know what that would mean? Sediments that have been laying deep in the ground under the river would be dug up and floating where our walleye and other fish could feasibly ingest some dioxin laden sediment along with their food supply. Dow would have to bring in big equipment, ripping out trees and other natural habitat along the river, to get at the river for dredging... and where would LoneTree allow them to put all the soil brought up from the river bottom, eh?

Don't you agree it's time for the non-scientific environmental extremists got out of my life and the lives of the other 2,000 residents along the Tittabawassee River flood plain? Don't you suppose there is a reason EPA named the acceptable level of dioxin at 1,000 ppt? Don't you agree that the change in Michigan to 90 ppt was more than a coincidence? It is truly a political matter. Write your congressmen and tell them you resent being used by environmental extremists as a pawn between Dow Chemical and DEQ! Not sure how to write your Congressmen? Here is a quick and easy reference guide... How To Write Your Representatives.

Mike Goschka, my State Senator, gave me a copy of 'A Citizen's Guide to State Government.' Thank you Senator Goschka!!! I borrowed a bit of the info for my version of the letter how to.

Speaking of letters, there was another great one in the Saginaw News recently! Here it is for your reading pleasure. I was hoping to be able to link to it at MLive, but they do not publish all articles from the newspapers, so here's a photocopy of the letter.