2012 Flambeaux Awards: Vote Your Favorites from the Ludington Torch

[XLFD]

As a nod to the beginning of our fourth year, we salute the end of the third by introducing the year end Second Annual Flambeaux Awards.  The first was here.

It was a year of threes.  The subject of PPOs came up three times in big stories of local interest, Judge Cooper made three big decisions, and at the end of the year, this site's creator has three pending lawsuits against his municipality.  The most contentious topic seemed to deal with the local sheriff's election (413 responses) and the newly implemented windyards in the south of the county.

Through a secretive vetting process, ten choices are available for your voting in the first three categories, please select your top three, .  You may choose to vote in public by posting here your choices and any rationale you want to share, or send me (XLFD) a private message.  I will tabulate the results and publish it by January 14 (please vote by Jan. 11).  Winners of the various awards will get some as of yet undetermined prize for their efforts, and the recognition from their peers.  Thanks to everyone for their participation in this regional social networking/blog/E-zine.  Here are the categories.

1)  Local Story of Interest that You Couldn't Find in Other Local Media:

A)  Engineering Corruption in Ludington-  XLFD points out in a two parter what is a recurrent theme:  no bid contracts with favored contractors engineers  (Prein & Neuhoff) over many years.

B)  Voting Denied After Investigation-  Ludington citizen denied the right to vote, again, even after a state investigation into the initial denial comes back in the cit's favor.

C) Impropriety in Courts and Counsels-  City denies information from FOIA, postures for over four months in front of their counsel's father, Judge Cooper.  Continued here and here.

D) Ludington City Councilor Attacks the Oppressed-  Councilor Marrison makes a law, and tells a citizen not to follow it, at risk of his liberty.  A half year later, she will demand even more from him, after her fellow Councilor attacks him and his indigent status.

E) Continued Nepotism by Family Henderson and Tykoski -  Brandy Henderson now has a better paying job with the local CVB, which gets a few hundred thou a year from a new 'room tax' of 5% thanks to her "skills" at what she does.  Tykoski sign business and new house gets special honors from the City they serve.

F)  Prosecutor takes on the Persecuted- No, not Baby Kate, someone who asked him for help on cleaning up the local mess, who becomes the focus of his interest.

G)  Term Limit Upping Goes Down- Mayor Hendersoninvests a lot into getting more terms, loses by a 2-1 margin, will end mayor career in 2013.

H)  Citizen Stands Up after being held down-  After being banned from the City Hall for fourteenth months, a citizen makes a point about coming regularly to council meetings and setting a people-centered agenda.

I)  Sheriff Election has Skeletons in Closet-  The Martin Schilling affair eventually was addressed (poorly) but the  McAdam lawsuit  and Tarra Staggs was overlooked.  Other MCSO irregularities were noted.

J) Creative Budgetting by Ludington-  Whether it be $34,000 for toilets, over $300,000 for painting one water tank, or $25,000 for 5 rugged computers for the LPD, among others

2)  State and Federal Story of Interest Explored in the Torch

A)  Wonder no more-  Back in January, Dave asked whether Unions would kill the Twinkie.  By the end of the year we knew the answer.

B)  Voting and ID-  A frequent issue of debate this year on the national, state and even local level.

C)  Sex in College-  Although half the Torchers never got any during their college years, birth control, etc. was discussed in front of Congress by someone named Fluke.

D)  Keeping the Badger Afloat-  Numerous threads commented on updates and the future of our local carferry, most of the analysis at the federal level.  Sink the Badger,

E)  SOPA, ACTA, etc.-  various federal laws set to take away all computer-users rights.  We want government to do this?

F) Martin and Zimmerman-  Stand your ground case becomes topic of interest this summer at the Torch.

G)  Government Bridge-  The proposed bridge between the US and Canada is contentious.

H)  Motorcycle Helmet Repeal Saves Lives!- A story denied by most news organizations, but all over this year's stats.

I)  FEMA Camps:  Brian originally brought this to our attention, then Albino Storm did.  Scary.

J) The Peninsula of Pigs-  The MI DNR initiates a Boar War for pigs with undesired traits, even if they are on farms being bred for food.

3)  Local Story of Interest, Non-Political in Nature

A)  Re: April Reynolds-  April/XLFD story about a PPO issued to a GR woman from Baby Kate's mother.  Would set the tone for the Sean Phillips trial.

B) Wayward in Wayland-  The Chief Miller story got interesting here, and was a recurrent topic of interest to locals and our friends near Wayland, leading to a conclusion that Ludington is not alone.

C)  David Beats Goliath-  Little Walhalla beats Ludington twice in a national contest sponsored by Reader's Digest, even with Ludington's COLDNews backing.  Do you believe in miracles?

D)  Sean Phillips Trial-  Baby Kate missing; fair trial also missing.  Continued here and here.  Followed by strange goings on about a marriage for the new convict and a confession? .

E) Ludington Police harass some, coddle others-  Local store also treated unfairly here.

F)  Mason Growth Alliance-  Three-part (two and three)  look at how useless of a group the MCGA has been, and how it has likely cost the taxpayers alot in achieving unrealized dreams.

G)  Marina Death-  Ling Yan Zou's death still remains a mystery to all, a review to come in 2013.

H)  Hospital Expansion Conflicts-  Unlawful committee members operating in secrecy deciding on the fate of $19 million.  Yep, that's Mason County decision making.

I)  Scottville Crises:  Before Mayor Ted Baxter drove his car into the gully, Scottville was facing an uphill struggle financially.

J)  Rotta Bites Back:  In September, Ludington citizen Tom Rotta files a federal lawsuit over violations of his rights, in October, he files in MI Appeals Court for an appeal of a local FOIA ruling, and in November, he files an Open Meetings lawsuit, all of which the City Manager and Council are accused of wrongdoing.  All look promising for the forces of open governments.

4)  Best Picture

A)  Ludington Harbor-  Willy

B)  Three Shrimpers- Aquaman

C)  Turbines Viewed...-  Willy

D)  Galt's Gulch-  Albino Storm

E)  Other--

5)  Best New Member of 2011 (nearly 100 new members this year)

A)  Colleen Plummer-  Added thoughtful commentary to the ongoing Mason County wind debate.

B)  Phil Convissor-  This Wayland resident put even more waves in the Wayland discussions, even though it seemed he mostly paddled upstream.

C)  Brian Carlson-  Arizona transplant weighed in on several local issues, including the sheriff election and the McAdam lawsuit.

D)  Albino Storm-  Late year add-on supplies quite a lot of interesting material.

E)  Other--

6)  Least Favorite Troll of 2011

A)  Phil Masse- Cole nut.

B)  Dale- Dale Lee News

C)  R. Larry Fitzgibbons- Walhalla transplant

D)  Eye on Ludington- Creepy temporary website designer

E)  Other--

7)  Best Contributors to Threads

A)  Lisa O'Brien

B)   Jane

C)   Eastwick

D)  easymoney

E)  Other--

[Jane]

4c ==7a==6b==5c (with honorable mention to Albino and Colleen)===3a==2d==1i

[XLFD]

Thanks Jane.  Remember all, to select your faves and get them to me soon, and that you can pick up to three selections for the first three categories (where there are ten choices altogether).  You can put them out here, or send me a message.

[Marty Redman]

1 egj  2 adh  3 dfj  4 a  5 d  6 d  7 Aquamans always entertaining

[XLFD]

Thanks.  I haven't promoted this too much, but I only have a handful of ballots so far.  If any member is able try to get me some choices by posting here or sending me a 'secret ballot' via a message, ASAP. 

[XLFD]

Since the first three categories depend on the originators of threads, item number seven is more for the fine crop of thread contributors whom rarely or never start a thread, but comment thereon.  Aquaman does make threads and he did make it into the best picture, so I left him off the ballot.  But I would agree with you and Marty; when he's on his game, he becomes an artist with his keyboard.