Shady: Wayne County Judge Wants To Use Public Property For Personal Profit In Controversial Trademark Request

Keith, center

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

Wayne County Probate Judge Terrance Keith has filed for a trademark of the phrase "Detroit RiverWalk" in an attempt to be the sole person allowed to profit from merchandise featuring the public property...

According to the Detroit News:

"A Wayne County judge has has applied to trademark the name “Detroit RiverWalk” in hopes of profiting from the sales of merchandise promoting one of the city’s premier attractions.

Wayne County Probate Judge Terrance Keith filed trademark applications last month with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the names “the Detroit RiverWalk” and “RiverWalk Detroit.”

Mark Wallace, president of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, a nonprofit that manages the 3.5 mile path along the Detroit River shoreline, would not comment Sunday on the trademark issue. According to the federal trademark database, the conservancy has trademarked the name “Detroit International Riverfront.”

Keith... told Crain’s Detroit Business that owning the trademarks will allow him to shape the future direction of the walkway; he’s willing to give some of the proceeds to the conservancy, but not all, according to Crain’s.

The current walkway stretches from Gabriel Richard Park near the Belle Isle bridge west to Joe Louis Arena and to the Ambassador Bridge.

The conservancy manages the 5.5-mile stretch of riverfront property, including the construction of a continuous RiverWalk along with plazas, pavilions and green spaces."

Stay tuned...

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Trump's Secret Travel "Demand" Shows The Donald's Appeal To Middle Class Michiganders

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

You're Donald Trump. You lead the Republican polls in the race for President. You just gave a HUGE speech to a sold out crowd at the Delta Plex Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. 10,000 people came, a few protested... You talked about how Hillary got "schlonged"  by Obama in 2008, a story the media will be covering endlessly for days...

What's next?

It's time to mow down. For Trump, the real estate mogul and 2016 GOP Presidential frontrunner has few "demands" on the campaign trail, but one is that he must have food immediately after his rallies, a source tells WMP.

Evidently, Trump likes to eat right away after an evening rally because he often skips lunch to attend to campaign business during the day, so the late-evening meal is a must.

Trump's preferred restaurants while on the road? McDonalds and Wendy's!

What does Trump like to eat? A burger and order of fries, WMP has learned.

Trump also likes Wendy's popular "Frosty" drinks, and that's just what he had while in Grand Rapids.

As Trump left the area after his speech shortly before Christmas, he munched down a Wendy's cheeseburger, french fries, and one of his faves: a frosty.  :)

What a contrast to establishment politicians like Eric Cantor, the former Congressional leader who spent more on Steak diners (over $200,000) than his opponent, Dave Brat, did on his entire campaign! Brat won in a historic upset.

Trump's lack of elitist demands on the road resonates with middle class Michiganders. This fact alone won't change anyone's mind about him, but it shows that despite his immense wealth, Trump hasn't lost touch with average folks, he's not above going to a fast-food joint that middle class families often turn to after a long and tiring day. It's nice to see, and little things like this matter to voters, they just do.

Trump currently leads Michigan polls with a 2% advantage, according to Real Clear Politics.

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Jason Allen To Announce Candidacy For Congress In MI-1 As Speculation Over Chatfield+Pettalia Continues

Allen, left, with family

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

Sources tell WMP that former State Senator Jason Allen will soon announce his candidacy for Congress in Michigan's First District.

Casperson

Allen has been widely expected to run, and will evidently make it official soon, possibly as early as next week.

State Senator Tom Casperson is currently the only major candidate who has declared, but he faces an uphill battle as he explains a series of controversial votes to the conservative primary electorate, such as voting for the gas tax increase this year, and opposing "Right To Work" reform signed by Governor Snyder.

Casperson has even been called "the most liberal Republican Congressional candidate in the country," surely not a winning brand in a competitive GOP primary.

Polls show State Rep. Lee Chatfield could be a major player in the race if he decided to jump in: he is at nearly 10% despite only one year in Lansing. Casperson and Allen have been in the political arena for years...

Chatfield is expected to stay out and be a top candidate for Speaker of the House in 2017 or 2019.

A State Rep. more likely to run? Peter Pettalia. Pettalia polls at 7% and does not have any path to the Speakership like Chatfield does.

Poll results:

State Sen. Tom Casperson: 26.7%

Former State Sen. Jason Allen 19.1%

State Rep. Lee Chatfield: 9.3%

Others include:

State Rep. Peter Pettalia: 7.4%

GOP Activist Alan Arcand: 6.2%

Stay tuned!

State Rep. Lee Chatfield

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

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WMP Exclusive: Gunfire Erupts During New Year's Liquor Store Brawl In Muskegon (With Video)

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

It's a new year, but for the Muskegon area, the same problems persist.

Shortly after midnight, a fight broke out in front of K's Discount Liquor store on Stanford in Muskegon Heights...

It's not clear why the brawl started, but it ended after a man fires a series of gunshots into-or near-the crowd. 

In the video, it appears the man around the 0:17 mark has a gun, the girl filming sees it and moves away, then shots ring out...

Below, check out video of the incident obtained by WMP. Warning: contains explicit language...

__________________________________________________________________
Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Shocking Details Emerge As WMP Investigates Grand Haven "Pier Pervert" Terrorizing Local Women

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

The "Grand Haven Pier Pervert," a man stalking local women in the Grand Haven area, filming them then placing the videos on internet porn sites, says he also likes to "window peep" as well as place hidden cameras in bathrooms, tanning beds, showers, and other public places.

This shocking revelation has Grand Havenders on edge-worried-wondering if hidden cameras may be placed throughout the area...

The profile for "DrDoom666" was deleted almost immediately after press reports this week brought the videos to light.

The profile was not named in the reports, but despite being deleted, a backup version was found in a WMP investigation of the issue...

While technically filming people in public is legal, window peeping and other "interests" described by the perpetrator on his profile are criminal activities and may spur an investigation from the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department, or the Grand Haven Department Of Public Safety.

The man filmed women primarily on the Grand Haven Pier, as well as at the beach. However, videos were posted from spots throughout Grand Haven, including what appeared to be private homes. Their were dozens of videos posted, with hundreds of thousands of hits in total.


As always, WMP believes the public has a right to know what is going on and subsequently, below are screenshots from the assailant.

Hilariously, he asks for privacy on his profile! Mind you, he secretly records women on the internet, but wants HIS privacy respected! Derp... He also says he is a single, middle-class,  college educated Atheist who does not want kids...

According to WOOD TV 8:

"Dozens of videos of apparently unsuspecting beach-goers visiting Grand Haven have surfaced on adult websites.

The videos, which primarily depict women’s backsides, have been posted to multiple free pornographic sites. Some of the footage also shows the subjects’ faces and other intimate areas.

A man claiming to be the photographer posted several of the videos on one site and encouraged viewers to comment. He promised more videos were coming.

The videos were labeled “West Michigan;” many videos showed Grand Haven area landmarks.

24 Hour News 8 has decided not to publish the names of the websites involved so as not to further the photographer’s agenda.

While some people may believe the videos are in poor taste, they are not illegal, prosecutors, police, and attorneys have told 24 Hour News 8.

“On a beach setting, knowingly exposing the parts that you expose to the public, it would be difficult to say that you had an expectation of privacy and without that there can be no criminal liability,” said Randall Levine, managing partner at the Levine & Levine law firm in Kalamazoo. Levine has no connection to the case.

Grand Haven police have responded to complaints about people taking photos on the beach, but never about videos surfacing on the Internet, Public Safety Chief Jeff Hawke told 24 Hour News 8. He said he will have a detective look at the videos."

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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WMP's Politico Of The Year: Paul Mitchell

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

A lot of people made an impact on Michigan politics in 2015, but one person showed leadership that will help Michiganders for decades: Paul Mitchell. That's why Mitchell is WMP's Politico Of The Year.

Growing up in the infamous, hard-nosed Southie projects of Boston with six siblings and parents who worked multiple jobs to keep food on the table, Mitchell is no stranger to working hard and getting things done.

Mitchell worked his way to Michigan State University, eventually graduating, working for Chrysler, then becoming a top leader at Ross Education. He would eventually become CEO at Ross.

Most political junkies first heard of Mitchell in fall of 2013 when he launched ads against Gary Peters through his "Pure PAC." Soon after, he announced he was running for Congress when Dave Camp said he was retiring.

That 2014 campaign didn't pan out.

But in early 2015, when Lansing power brokers tried to screw over the people and pass the largest tax increase in over 50 years, Mitchell stepped up to the plate immediately, putting his money, time, and talent into opposing what was known as "Prop 1."

As others have alluded to, if the horrendous Prop 1 campaign were a horror movie, spoiler alert: Paul Mitchell is the "killer."

Mitchell, a retired businessman, led the campaign to defeat Prop 1 and was extremely successful.  His group, "Say No To Higher Taxes And Special Interest Deals," was the primary source of resistance to millions spent by Lansing power brokers and establishment hacks trying to get rich off the taxpayer's dime.

Mitchell defined the narrative from the beginning, using the press and social media immensely effectively to promulgate his anti-Prop 1 messaging strategy.

Mitchell also showed his strategic acumen when he hired veteran political hands Scott Hagerstrom of AFP, former Ottawa GOP Executive Director Faith Steketee, and Randall Thompson, now Chair of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. All are pros and were critical to the success of Mitchell's team.

Mitchell and his team engaged grassroots leaders across the state, made a myriad of media appearances, spoke at dozens of events, held a rally at the Capitol, operated phone banks, led email campaigns, helped with letters to the editor, and even held debates against Prop 1 proponents, among other things. 

At the Michigan Republican Convention in February, Mitchell even challenged Meekhof to a debate after Meekhof rudely interrupted him and accused him of lying about the controversial proposal. Meekhof refused....

Mitchell's leadership was crucial in beating the Lansing machine by a record 60 point margin, 80%-20%, the biggest defeat for a proposal in Michigan history.

Now Mitchell wants to take those conservative values to Washington D.C., announcing in a press release this summer he is running for Congress to replace a retiring Candice Miller in Michigan's 10th Congressional District.

In an interview with WMP before Prop 1, Mitchell said he learned a lot from his previous Congressional campaign, and Prop 1 proved Mitchell correct.

""Losing kind of sucks," Mitchell told WMP when asked what he learned because of his heated Congressional race against now Congressman John Moolenaar.

 "I learned how difficult it is to overcome the power of the political establishment. We didn't 'feel their wrath,' but we definitely did not get the support... The campaign taught me some things about how to communicate issues better."

Stay tuned...

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Justice For Flint? Wyant+Wurrfel OUT At MDEQ After Water Scandal Investigation

Dan Wyant

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

After an independent committee investigating water issues in Flint placed blame at the Michigan Department Of Environmental Quality, MDEQ Director Dan Wyant and Spokesman Brad Wurfel are out, resigning after failing to address Flint water issues until it was too late-all despite a myriad of red flags raised by area residents, doctors, and scientists.

The decision to get Wyant and Wurfel out is critical to not only rebuilding trust in the Flint community, but also to Snyder's legacy.

If Snyder had allowed Wyant to stay without any repercussions, as people like Senate Majority Arlan Meekhof suggested, the Governor would be digging himself an even deeper hole on this issue. Instead, Snyder took action and held those responsible accountable for their actions. More heads may roll at MDEQ, sources say...

According to MLive:

"Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday accepted a resignation from Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Director Dan Wyant after a task force laid responsibility for the Flint water crisis at the feet of the department.
Wyant and the DEQ have come under fire in recent months for handling a Flint drinking water crisis that lead to corrosive water running through city pipes and resulted in children with elevated levels of lead. In October, Wyant acknowledged a mistake in oversight from his office, saying DEQ officials were confused about federal regulations on making the drinking water less corrosive.

The task force in its letter blamed the department for the crisis.

"We believe the primary responsibility for what happened in Flint rests with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ)," read the letter to Snyder."

Also: "Michigan Department of Environmental Quality spokesperson Brad Wurfel has joined director Dan Wyant in resigning after a task force cited department failures in addressing the Flint water crisis," MLive says.

In a letter to the people of Flint, Snyder apologized, promising to do everything he can to assist the City.

"MDEQ Director Dan Wyant has offered his resignation, and I’ve determined that it’s appropriate to accept it," Snyder wrote. "I’m also making other personnel changes at MDEQ to address problems cited by the task force."

"But changes in leadership and staff are not enough," Snyder continued. "I understand there can be disagreements within the scientific community. That is why I have directed both the departments of Environmental Quality and Health and Human Services to invite every external scientist who has worked on this issue to be our partners in helping us improve Flint water. Let’s share research on water and blood lead level testing so we can arrive at accurate and mutually supported conclusions. Together, we should work to affirm that we’re using the very best testing protocols to ensure Flint residents have safe drinking water and that we’re taking steps to protect their health over the short and long term.

I want the Flint community to know how very sorry I am that this has happened. And I want all Michigan citizens to know that we will learn from this experience, because Flint is not the only city that has an aging infrastructure.
I know many Flint citizens are angry and want more than an apology. That’s why I’m taking the actions today to ensure a culture of openness and trust. We’ve already allocated $10 million to test the water, distribute water filters, and help in other ways. Last week, I called Flint Mayor Karen Weaver, and we’re going to meet soon to discuss other ways the state can offer assistance.

These are only initial steps - we fully expect to take more actions following the recommendations of our task force. When it comes to matters of health and quality of life, we’re committed to doing everything we can to protect the well-being of our citizens.”

Brad Wurfel

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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson