There will be a meeting of the duly elected Precinct Delegates and the At-Large Delegates to the County Convention at 7:00 pm on Thursday, August 16th, 2018 at the Emmet County Courthouse, 200 Division St., Petoskey.*

Only Precinct Delegates elected at the August 7, 2018 primary election will be seated and considered eligible to vote at this convention.

The purpose for convening is to elect Delegates and Alternates to the August 25th, 2018 State Convention to be held at the Lansing Convention Center in Lansing. The purpose of the State Convention is to nominate one Lieutenant Governor, one Secretary of State, one Attorney General, and to nominate two candidates for each of the following offices: Michigan Supreme Court, State Board of Convention, Michigan State University Board of Trustees, University of Michigan Board of Regents, and Wayne State University Board of Governors.

For further information about the State Convention, go here.

For further information information about the County Convention, please contact Dennis Kelly, chair of the ECRP, denniskelly@charter.net.

*New building entry security measures are now in effect at the Emmet County Division Street location. All members of the public entering the building will use the District Court entrance on Lake Street and pass through a metal detector. Inspection of all bags, backpacks, briefcases, and containers will be conducted.

Veep Pence

Important announcement from the Michigan GOP: “Republicans all over the great state of Michigan are energized and ready to rally as one team to work toward victory in November. Please join us for a Unity Rally with Special Guest Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday, August 8th at Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, 187 Monroe Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 at 6:00 pm. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. and will close at 5:30 p.m.. Space is limited. You must RSVP for admittance. RSVP does not guarantee a spot at the rally. Admission is first come, first served.”

Go here to make a reservation.

The Emmet County Republican Party executive committee will meet at the Northern Lights Recreation, 8865 M-119 Harbor Springs, on Monday, July 23rd at 6:00 pm.

Immediately following, a General Meeting will be held at 7:00 pm. Candidates running for Emmet County Commissioner and Register of Deeds have been invited to briefly speak.

We encourage you to attend and to invite friends and neighbors.

So … a good time was had by all at the Emmet County Republican Party’s “Top of the Birch” event held at the beautiful Birchwood Farms Golf and Country Club in Harbor Springs.

MI Attorney General candidate Tom Leonard, the current Speaker of the House, was the keynote speaker. Rep. and Speaker Pro Tempore Lee Chatfield  acted as the emcee.

And our own Jenny Nolan was selected as this year’s “Blue Dog.” Pictured: Jenny with Dr. Lou Zako who presented her with the coveted award. Jenny – and the Zakos – also did a wonderful job organizing the 2018 annual fundraising event.

Several local elected public officials also attended; one attendee was even spotted wearing a MAGA trucker hat. Trump 2020!

Birchwood

Please join the Emmet County Republican Party Executive Committee and your GOP friends at our annual June event.  Due to Nub’s Nob redoing their kitchen, we’ve relocated the party this year to Birchwood Farms Golf and Country Club located 4 miles north of Harbor Springs off M-119 600 Birchwood Dr.

Master of Ceremonies: State House Representative and Speaker Pro Tempore Lee Chatfield

Guests of Honor: House Speaker Tom Leonard; various candidates for local, state, and national office

Price per person: $35; Reception (cash bar) begins at 5:00 p.m.

All are invited to attend the [Jack] Bergman Meet and Greet immediately following the Stafford’s Top of Michigan marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K on May 26th.

In his latest piece, Lou Zako, the conservative columnist for the Petoskey News-Review, opines about the legalization of the recreational use of marijuana.

Dr. Zako, who is also a semi-retired physician, writes, “There is a growing body of evidence of the damage to the brains of teenagers from regular marijuana usage, and a growing number of traffic accidents and deaths due to driving by those who are ‘stoned.’ Further, the confusion over the legal status of marijuana usage, with it currently being illegal under federal law, while legal under state law in a number of states, leads to the same confused ‘public approach to this issue as the example of illegal immigration being ‘illegal’ under federal law, while ‘legal’ in some states and some cities. For those who doubt that marijuana is a gateway drug to addiction by narcotics and other hard drugs, I would challenge the reader to talk to a number of addicts or recovering addicts for their views on this question.”

As is said on the internets, read the whole thing!

P.S. Here is the language of the 2018 Michigan initiative that, if it passes, would regulate marijuana like alcohol.

Friendly reminder. In order to be on the ballot as a candidate for county convention delegate (precinct delegate) for the August 7th primary, you must file an Affidavit of Identity. The affidavit can be obtained from the clerk of the county. There is no cost to do this.

The paperwork must be submitted to the Emmet County clerk by 4:00 pm, Tuesday, May 8, 2018. (Withdrawal deadline elapses at 4:00 pm, May 11, 2018.)