September 14,2020 Your Source for Livonia Happenings
Change begins with each and every one of us. Together let's use our collective voices to change the narrative to one that clearly depicts all the amazing work that happens in our hometown community. Paraphrased from Eric Sheninger in Reflections on Leadership

Welch and McCormack endorsed: Supreme Court
We have two votes to select between the six candidates running for Michigan Supreme Court. FridayMusings is endorsing Elizabeth Welch and Bridget McCormack and hoping that you will join him with your two votes on November 3rd.

Candidates running for Supreme Court include Welch, McCormack, Mary Kelly, Susan Hubbard, Kerry Lee Morgan, Katie Nepton, Brock Swartzle.
Elizabeth Welch is an attorney, described as a fighter for justice, a bridge builder and a fierce advocate, ready to bring her diverse experience to the highest court in our state.

She is an Attorney serving individuals, nonprofits & small businesses; a Counsel helping municipalities recover costs of opioid epidemic; has been a long-time East Grand Rapids School Board Trustee; and is the former President of Michigan League of Conservation Voters.

Let her explain one reason this is an important election and why you should vote Welch:

"Everyone understands that the Court issues decisions on big issues: a written decision is issued and the Justices vote to be part of the majority or not. But another way the Court makes decisions is often overlooked. The Court often speaks when it chooses NOT to take a case. Four of the seven justices must agree to take a case from the lower court before they even get to the decision-making process.

"Just last week, the Court voted 4 to 3 to not consider the issue of whether absentee ballots should count if postmarked by Election Day. The Michigan Supreme Court justices split 4-3 on whether to consider this issue (the four Republican nominees voted to not take the case—the three Democratic nominated justices voted to take the case). By not hearing the case, a recent appeals court decision is left intact requiring absentee ballots be received by election day in order to be counted."
Before her election in 2012, Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court Bridget McCormack was a professor and associate dean at the University of Michigan law school, where she taught criminal law, legal ethics and various clinical courses. In her role as associate dean she launched many clinical programs, in which students represent Michiganders who can’t afford lawyers including:
  • Pediatric Health Advocacy Clinic;
  • Domestic Violence Clinic;
  • Juvenile Justice Clinic; and the
  • Michigan Innocence Clinic, the first non-DNA Innocence Clinic in the country. To date, the Michigan Innocence Clinic has exonerated 22 men and women.

Chief Justice McCormack continues to teach at Michigan Law each year and is on the board of the Washtenaw County Families Against Narcotics, where she collaborates with medical professionals and other community leaders to find innovative ways to address the opioid crisis.
It's Monday.

Time for a Livonia smile
Knowing that the typewriter enjoyed the famous spice cookies prepared by Maggie Jarvis and delivered every fall to the Blue Plate for those gathered on Tuesday for good discussion she delivered a plate full to the Musings Estate. Thank you Maggie Jarvis.
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. Plato
The typewriter doesn't really care what political party you support but I do appreciate the political party and candidates that practice retail politics--getting out and meeting candidates, having discussions with neighbors, bringing campaigning to the grassroots level.
Saturday, thanks to the Livonia Democratic Party and host Louise Weller several hundred Livonia residents came to pick up signs and meet candidates who will be on the ballot this November.

School Trustee Dan Centers and challenger Madeline Acosta met and greeted. As did Michigan Supreme Court candidate Elizabeth Welch. Two candidates for Wayne County Circuit Court David Hathaway and Chandra Baker bumped elbows with dozens.

Haley Stevens made it a point to meet and greet, here with Nancy Osborne, and make sure folks left with one of her yard signs.

Gary Peters signs were fast to go as were those for Nancy Darga and the newly printed Vote Integrity sign.
Multigenerational event as host Louise Weller had her granddaughter Leta, pictured on the left, on hand getting an understanding of how grassroots politics works. There was Team Pohutsky with literature and signs. As was Commission candidate Nancy Darga.

Cider, doughnuts and masks. Most importantly everyone wore a mask.

And yes, there were no hand shakes but a lot of fist and elbow bumps. No questions asked.
The typewriter had never met a candidate for Michigan Supreme Court at a meet and greet since 1972 when Horace Gilmore stopped by Mt. Pleasant and had me introduce him at a gathering in town. But today met and chatted with Elizabeth Welch, pictured on the right. Mask and all. So cool.

Watched as ten volunteers spent time in the garage putting signs together to meet the demand as more and more people showed up. There was Sherry and Tom Klisz, Alan and Lonna Baum, Mike Ladwig. I'm telling you there is nothing like retail politics.

State Senator Dayna Polehanki, pictured below, was on hand to pick up and distribute some signs.

You see in the coming days we will be inundated with mailers from Lansing and Grand Rapids telling us about candidates, making us think positive thoughts based on cliches and mantras. Let's face it both parties are going to support the post office.
That is why it is such a wonderful feeling to see people by the hundreds interested in the political process, to see them radiant with smiles. Yes you could tell even through the masks that people were happy to wearing.

Hats off to Kate Shishkovsky, President of the Livonia Democratic Club, for giving our hometown a sample of good old fashioned retail politics.
FridayMusings loves the heck out of retail politics and has a history of covering any and all, regardless of party affiliation, events that bring candidate in contact with voters.

But where else can you go to meet a candidate for Circuit Court and Supreme Court, here on the left, while enjoying cider and doughuts.

You Gotta Love Livonia Retail Politics
Hometown news supports our hometown community
The typewriter was asked and the typewriter is responding.

You asked for more Love Livonia bumper stickers. Thanks to our readers they are in. And they are yours.

This week you can stop by the Musings Estate, 19514 Bainbridge, N of Seven and E of Merriman. On the front porch. In a Wolferman's box. Simply take one or two. Leave a dollar if you want and I will order more. Otherwise they are yours. Free. Gotta Love Livonia. I do.
It's time our legislature sped up ballot processing for the November 3 election
If the Michigan legislature, controlled by the Michigan Republican Party, does not pass a measure to allow Michigan clerks to pre-process mail-in ballots then the Governor must issue an executive order that would speed up ballot processing for the November 3 general election.

Michigan, based on the expected absentee ballot turnout, needs to allow city and township clerks to process absentee ballots 24 t0 48 hours ahead of election day to alleviate the backlog. As the law now stands absentee ballots received by clerks are held with processing not allowed until after the polls open.

There have already been over 2 million absentee ballots requested with the secretary of state's office projecting that over 5 million requests will be made before the November 3rd election.

Pre-processing wouldn’t include tabulating, or counting, those ballots before Election Day — just preparing them to be counted.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wrote recently in the Detroit Free Press that the turn out in the State primary election as a reason why the bills need to be passed in the Michigan House and Senate. “Without this ability in August, the results in four of our largest counties did not come in until the following afternoon, and many election workers were forced to work more than 20 hours straight, greatly increasing the chance they’d make errors,” Benson wrote.

Our Livonia Recreation Center is open.

How cool is that!
Learn to paint this coming Sunday, Sepetember 20

Have you been inspired watching Bob Ross paint?

Join certified Ross Instructor Ted Simpson as he guides you in painting "fluffy clouds" and "happy little trees."

You will finish a painting in one session.

Sign up for the Sunday, Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon session today! 
Meeting candidates for Livonia Board of Education:
This week, Dan Centers:
FridayMusings will continue to share information about the 6 candidates running for the Livonia Board of Education. This is the 6th of 6th candidate profiles.

Dan Centers was appointed to the Board of Education in May 2014 to fill a partial term as School Trustee. He was elected for the remaining two-year term in 2014, and re-elected in 2016 for a four-year term.

Centers earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Madonna University and graduated with honors as well as a teaching certificate in 2007.

He is a former elementary school teacher, and currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Michigan's 7th Senate District, State Senator Dayna Polehanki.

He volunteers with the Livonia Jaycees and the West Oaks Civitan group, a local branch of Civitan International.

Centers is certified by the Michigan Association of School Boards and has achieved the Michigan Association School Board Award of Merit.

He will:

√ Advocate for all LPS students to receive the highest standard of education

√ Ensure a course of fiscal responsiblity, seeking additional costs savings and revenue sources

√ Strive to continuously improve communication and transparency for all LPS stakeholders

√ Represent the community in protecting and upholding the future of our Livonia Public Schools
Ptashnik continues with her Lansing endorsements
Thank you to the NFIB Michigan PAC (National Federation of Independent Business) for your Small-Business Endorsement! “After a careful review we have found that Ptashnik has a keen understanding of the problems facing family businesses and their employees,” said Charles Owens, State Director of NFIB in Michigan. “We wish Martha all success in the upcoming election and we look forward to working with her in the Michigan legislature.”
Pohutsky and Darga combine for a House Party
Its a VIRTUAL HOUSE PARTY to meet Nancy Darga, Democratic Candidate for Wayne County Board of Commissioners, District 9 (Livonia, Northville, Northville Township). Nancy is dedicated to protecting our parks and open spaces, rebuilding Wayne County's crumbling infrastructure, and helping make Wayne County - and especially Livonia, Northville and Northville Township - the best places in Wayne County to live and work and raise a family! Join us to get to know Nancy and raise some funds for her campaign.