Don't Believe What You Read in the Ludington Paper

[XLFD]

When you run counter to the City Hall, you don't make friends with the Ludington Daily News.  This isn't how newspapers are supposed to work, but the LDN is still getting awards, so it must work for them.  But do the ones who work there that consider themselves journalist really think they're doing the public a favor by being the hitmen for the City to knock down the voice of dissent?

 

Here's a case in point; on Friday's front page, the LDN had a blurb about a candidate forum next Monday.  I would love to attend, but the problem is that it is being held at the City Hall, and I can't go there or anywhere in the Police Station legally without express written permission.  Three inches of this five inch blurb was about a candidates non-attendance at the event: 

 

All candidates except one have said they will participate.  Tom Rotta, an at-large candidate has declined the LDN invitation, in part because he believes he is wrongly barred from city hall (the LDN has been assured a no trespass order affecting his entry into certain areas of city hall does not preclude him from attending this forum or other public events) and in part because he sees the site as not being neutral.  

 

Damning if true.  If you're a regular reader on the Shay-nanigans, you know the Letter of Trespass bars me from all areas of City Hall, and says absolutely nothing in it about allowing me to go to any public events there, without express written permission.  Get used to that phrase.  The site is not neutral, because of that, he got that right. 

But I never declined.   To show the sheer idiocy of the banter between me, Kevin, and Steve Baloney, an editor of the LDN (me supplying at least 33% of that idiocy), I feel I need to show my E-mails in full to show what a fantasy world Kevin lives in.  See if you can find my declining of this forum.  It starts off with me replying to a request for an interview by Kevin Brainiac:

If you see any declining of the invitation, please let me know.  Also note, that the one E-mail from Shay was not express written permission-- I was CC-ed, and the he said something that was false.  Before the Workplace Safety Policy, anyone could attend a meeting-- the WSP saw to it that that isn't the case anymore.  One of the many reasons it is illegal and needs to be removed.

[In Dulci Jubilo]

As a relative newcomer to this Fair City, and especially to any knowledge of its inner workings, even I can detect the blatant bias and lack of journalistic integrity of the coverage of the forum.

 

[Willy]

The fact that the LDN still cannot print your explanaition of why you were banned and that this is not a voluntary move on your part only shows the shallow and incomplete reporting by this local newspaper. It's amazing how their lack of investigative reporting and their bias shows when the whole story is right there under their noses. The LDN reminds me of a person with dog crap under their shoe. They just can't seem to find out where the smell is coming from even tho they just walked thru a yarde full of dog crap.

[Marty Redman]

After reading the Creating a Monster threads, I don't think any sane person could look at the LDNs treatment of this story or this candidate as being fair.

 

Its like the City Manager is saying "Go ahead Rotta and break the law to show you can be one of us.  Attend the forum."   But what happens if you win the election, and the CM still won't revoke the letter?  Can you imagine what a monster the City would have created then?

[AQUAMAN]

You're so funny sometimes Willy, that's quite an analogy for sure.

[XLFD]

In analyzing this forum and my lack of participation thereof, let's make the further assumption that I am not crazy.  That may be one heck of an assumption, but let's consider it. 

Then since I am trying to become a city councilor with the revolutionary ideas I have, I should want to be able to broadcast these ideas at the forum.  But I stay outside, in fact I parade across the street from the City Hall and Police Station (remember city lots go out to the middle of the street; I would hate to be nabbed on a technicality like that!). 

Not being crazy (remember that is the assumption), I must believe that I still have not been authorized to enter the place I've been told that I would be arrested if I entered for whatever purpose.  A perusal of the Workplace Safety Policy and my Letter of trespass would have me think that only if I had a written statement from the City Manager directed to me laying out the conditions of my 'reprieve'.  If the City is now trying to pass this policy off as something that does not have the restrictions it sets forth, then maybe they should amend or abolish it.  But you might as well ask them to abolish their last pay raises.

[easymoney]

I may now live 350 miles from Ludington, but, just for laughs and giggles I may take a ride up north on election day to watch the outcome of your elections.

Win or lose, at least some attention is being drawn to the buddie system that happens in all small communities

More so in some than in others.

Good Luck

[AQUAMAN]

Welcome to have ya easy, give ya an excuse to buy some smoked fish and ice cream or something like that. Methinks this forum has uncovered a lot more than a simple buddy system, more like "All the Mayor's Men", substituting the President. Both the candidate and I have been casually posting some election signs and what's happened so far? Well, I for one have had at least 19 signs out of 30 strangely and quickly disappear, into THIN Air. When asking the property owners and city hall to return them, only two were received from city hall. The remaining 17 signs are MIA, missing in action, and no one knows a thing about it. There has NOT been high winds or any such nonsense uplifting and destroying the signs either, just hanky-panky. Some of that signage hasn't even been in the Ludington City limits, some were in PM Twnshp and Hamlin, and yet they are GONE! Meanwhile, some of those SAME properties now have other candidates signs, that of Tykoski and Holman thus far. These were in strategic locations where there was a lot of visibility, like Millers Motel, Ventura Motel, the Ludington B&B, across from Harbor View, just to name a few. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, the Majority of Holman's signs are on VACANT LOTS, where the owner is undeniably absent to give permission to post them, quaint idea, eh?

[XLFD]

We'll try to bring as much of it to you as we can, Easy, if you're not able to get here.  If you can listen into WMOM over the internet the next few days at 9:00 AM the various races candidates are poised to square off on the airwaves.  Kaye and I get our shots on Wednesday. 

Be prepared for more thinking outside of the box soon, Aquaman.

[AQUAMAN]

Today I listened to the WMOM forum, and noticed Kaye Holman had a quick adv. message on the air. She sure sounds like a totally different person as a candidate, than the real in-life councilor she is, and the way she votes. Anyone without first hand knowledge could readily think she is for the people of Ludington mostly, when her votes are tallied however, I just don't see it at all. She has been for MORE Taxes and higher fees, more wasteful spending on tourist related projects, cancelling the Lifeguards, reappointing of Shay, doubling the city attorney retainers, and much more that all works contrary to better local governing. She even gave out her cell phone number, which has not been listed in the phone book nor been available previously to the public at large during most of the last 8 years she has been taking up room at city hall. Kaye, you've done your public service, albeit not the best imho, make room for some new blood now, you're age 70, time to retire to the grandchildren.

[XLFD]

Kaye's a great gal, but her advertisements are a lot like Fluff, those jars of marshmallow creme.  Sweet, light, and easy to consume; but there really is nothing there besides a little bit of ooey-gooey sickness if you overindulge in it. 

 

She has made a helluva lot of votes over just these past four years, that you think she would have been proud of.  But she is not running on her voting record except for her two votes against John Shay; I am the one running on her voting record. 

That should tell you something of those votes.  This morning, Les Johnson had a last minute 'scheduling conflict' that disallowed him from coming to the hosted forum he had with J. Curtis, and it started late.  Did anyone see him parading outside WMOM with duct tape on his mouth, LOL?

[AQUAMAN]

All I can say is that a vote for Les, is just that, a vote for Less Ludington freedoms and more ideas that are out of touch with locals wants and needs. Why else select him as an appointee after Brent Scott left suddenly?; to keep a fixed agenda is my guess. Looked as if he were being groomed for the position for several years now in back room committees. As for Kaye, fluffy is what your pillow is supposed to be, not your local councilor. She says she wants the public input and ideas for progress, then steadfastly votes against the locals best interests time after time, and ran unopposed previously to gain this position to begin with.

[XLFD]

Quick correction:  Kaye Holman went up against David Buskirk in both her previous elections 2007.  It was actually the only contested election that year, but had a good turnout due to a Ludington school  district headlee override vote also on the ballot.  Kaye was actually a reform candidate back when she first ran, going up against an incumbent in Buskirk.  Their rematch pitted two very similar candidates.