June 25, 2012: The Bay County Bulletin

CHAD DEWEY FUNDRAISER: Friday, June 29 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Bay Lanes, 6243 Euclid Ave., Bay City. Contribution is $15 per person which includes three games of bowling, shoe rental, and a chance to earn prizes. Additional contributions welcome! Please RSVP for this event by emailing christina@chaddewey.org or by calling 989-698-6217.

ROMNEY: DON'T LET U.S. 'BECOME EUROPE' UNDER OBAMA: Mitt Romney stopped in his native state on the last day of a swing through battleground states won by Barack Obama in 2008, telling Michiganders to give him chance to avoid seeing the United States turn into Europe. "I do not want to become Europe," he told hundreds at a rally outside the Bavarian Inn Lodge in the German-themed tourist town of Frankenmuth, southwest of Saginaw. "I want to restore the principles that made America the powerhouse of the Earth." http://bit.ly/NMDEid

GUILTY—Sandusky guilty on 45 of 48 counts: After nine days of arguments and testimonies, about 21 hours of deliberations and months of court filings and arguments in the case, former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was found guilty of 45 of the 48 counts of sexual abuse against him Friday night. http://bit.ly/LO3zVr

The Cornerstone: Welcome to the molten core of the political universe, the hottest battleground in the biggest battleground state. Since 1960, Hillsborough County has called every single presidential election except for one—and there’s no reason to think that voters here won’t do it again. http://bit.ly/O78cvh

Michigan Is Looking Rosier to Romney: Mitt Romney spent Tuesday baking pies in DeWitt, just north of Lansing, but his campaign also sent a message to President Obama: Mr. Romney says he believes that Michigan is up for grabs in November, and if nothing else, his campaign plans to force Mr. Obama and the Democrats to spend time and money defending turf that, until recently, seemed safely in the blue. Campaign aides say they believe that Michigan is, in fact, in play for Mr. Romney, who came of age here as the son of an auto executive turned governor of the state. They pointed to his full slate of events here Tuesday, the final swing of a five-day bus tour, as a sign of his seriousness about the state. http://nyti.ms/Lz9eP5

Poll: Former SCOTUS clerks think the mandate is done for: A new poll of 56 former Supreme Court clerks finds that 57 percent think the individual mandate will be overturned. That’s a 22-point jump from the last time the same group of clerks was surveyed, right before oral arguments. Back then, 35 percent thought the court would toss out the required purchase of health insurance. http://wapo.st/NeuiWA

Sunday Shows: Issa on Investigations: 'We're Not Fishing': On the Sunday shows, California GOP Rep. Darrell Issa defended his investigation into the Fast and Furious scandal; Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio said he was against using tax reform revenue to lessen the deficit; members of both campaigns agreed on something for once; and Rick Perry called Obama's use of executive privilege to protect documents from Issa's investigation "Nixonian." http://bit.ly/MPmXf1

Henninger: It's a Single-Issue Election: The terms on which the 2012 U.S. election will be contested have been set, appropriately by the incumbent president speaking recently at a community college in Ohio. Mr. President, the microphone is yours: "Yes, foreign policy matters. Social issues matter. But more than anything else, this election presents a choice between two fundamentally different visions of how to create strong, sustained growth." http://on.wsj.com/LDS6I0

BIRTHWEEK: Monday. George Orwell. Wednesday. Thursday. Mel Brooks. Friday. Saturday. Terri Lynn Land, Thomas Sowell, Michael Phelps. Sunday. Dan Aykroyd.

"Another solid draft": Three Saginaw Spirit players picked in first five rounds of NHL Draft: Even in an age of rapid draft information dissemination, thousands knew that Justin Kea had been picked in the NHL Draft before he did. Kea opted to watch the draft from his home in Woodville, Ontario Saturday. He had the television on when the Buffalo Sabres announced that they had taken him with the 73rd overall pick -- but the broadcast was showing analysts, not announcing picks. http://bit.ly/L5cNbL

June 18, 2012: The Bay County Bulletin

CHAD DEWEY FUNDRAISER: Friday, June 29 at Bay Lanes, 4243 North Euclid Avenue, Bay City. Check-in is at 6:30pm with bowling to start soon after. The event lasts until 9:30pm. Contribution is $15 per person which includes three games of bowling, shoe rental, and a chance to earn prizes. Additional contributions welcome! Please RSVP for this event by emailing christina@chaddewey.org or by calling 989-698-6217.

ROMNEY REVS UP DRIVE IN MICHIGAN: Barack Obama breezed to victory in Michigan in 2008 and, until recently, his bailout of the state's auto industry looked to have armored him well for November. But signs of trouble are brewing in the Great Lakes State. If they grow, they would signal broader problems for the president in the industrial Midwest. http://on.wsj.com/MY9NR7

Bridge deal may boost gov's legacy: Governor Rick Snyder's legacy will be tied to his New International Trade Crossing which, if built, will arguably be the most significant infrastructure project in Michigan's history, experts said Friday. Forging an agreement with Canada that required neither money nor approval from Michigan legislators is viewed as a spectacular end-run around the Republican-controlled Legislature, which opposed the project — cementing Snyder's reputation for getting things done. http://bit.ly/MA0hmv

School pension reform delayed as Michigan lawmakers adjourn: Lawmakers headed back to their districts for the summer Thursday after sending Gov. Rick Snyder a small income tax cut but failing to complete a major overhaul of the school employee retirement system. Senators adjourned just before 5 p.m. without taking up a multibillion-dollar overhaul of the retirement system the House approved earlier in the day on a 57-47 vote. http://bit.ly/LvGbIR

FEC: Campaigns can raise money via text message: The Federal Election Commission on Monday night unanimously voted to allow Americans to make political donations via text message, making Androids, iPhones and BlackBerrys the newest weapon in the battle to raise unprecedented amounts of money. Both parties, as well as campaign finance reform advocates, say the move will allow Americans of modest means to play a greater role in a democratic process dominated this election cycle by billionaires and multimillionaires and political organizations such as super PACs that may raise and spend money without restriction. http://politi.co/Moj0l2

BIRTHWEEK: Monday. Sir Paul McCartney, Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE). Tuesday. Lou Gehrig.  Thursday. Prince William. Friday. Brit Hume.

June 11, 2012: The Bay County Bulletin

WALKER WINS RECALL RACE OVER BARRETT: Scott Walker on Tuesday became the first governor in the country's history to survive a recall election, besting his 2010 rival in a contest that broke spending records and captured the nation's attention. "Tonight we tell Wisconsin, we tell our country, and we tell people all across the globe that voters really do want leaders that stand up and make the tough decisions," Walker told an overflow crowd at the Waukesha County Exposition Center. http://bit.ly/JUJ08z

FUNDRAISER FOR CHAD DEWEY: Chad Dewey, candidate for the state House for the 96th District against Charles M. Brunner, will hold a fundraiser at Bay Lanes on Friday, June 29 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. More details are forthcoming.

IMPORTANT EVENTS THIS WEEK: Bay County G.O.P. Executive Committee: Thursday, June 14 at 7 p.m. at Midland St. Jack's, 605 E. Midland St. Fifth District Dinner Cruise: Thursday, June 14 at 6:30 p.m. aboard the Islander at the foot of Ninth St. in Bay City. Tickets are available online: http://www.donationpages.com/directory/EventEcard/1512

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED—"The private sector is doing fine." The man who said so isn't: President Obama called a press conference this morning to deliver an important announcement: "The private sector is doing fine." Seriously, he said that. Then he said, "The big challenge we have in our economy right now is state and local government hiring has been going in the wrong direction"--meaning it hasn't been growing fast enough. As the Washington Examiner notes, he went on to call "for Congress to avert the layoffs of police, firefighters, and other public employees that have taken place at the state level." http://on.wsj.com/KqeX5p

Detroit will be broke next week if lawsuit isn't dropped, mayor says: With Detroit teetering over a monetary abyss, Mayor Dave Bing and the city's new chief financial officer issued a clarion call Friday, warning bluntly that the city will run out of cash next week if a lawsuit challenging the financial agreement the city made with the state to avoid insolvency isn't dropped. http://on.freep.com/KKaMpu

Poll: Barack Obama in dead heat with Mitt Romney in Michigan as popularity slips: President Barack Obama’s popularity in Michigan has slipped in recent months, leaving him in a dead heat with Republican challenger Mitt Romney, according to a new poll of state voters by EPIC-MRA of Lansing. The poll, released Thursday morning to the Free Press and four TV stations, shows Romney leading Obama 46%-45%, a reversal from the last EPIC poll in April which showed Obama ahead 47%-43%. http://on.freep.com/K1010K

Daniels: Wis. a 'turning point' in reforming unions: Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels says he sees the results from Wisconsin’s recall race as a “turning point” in trying to curb the influence and benefits enjoyed by public-employee unions. http://politi.co/KtnSTw

BIRTHWEEK: Monday. Vince Lombardi, Hugh Laurie. Tuesday. President George H.W. Bush, Spencer Abraham, Wednesday. Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert P. Young, Jr. Saturday. Phil Mickelson. Sunday. Newt Gingrich, Jason Hanson.


'MR. TROLOLO' DIES IN ST. PETERSBURG, AGED 77: Russian baritone Eduard Khil, whose Trololo song enjoyed a comeback in 2010 after decades of oblivion, died in a St. Petersburg hospital at the age of 77 on Monday. Khil, who was given a People's Artist Award in the Soviet Union, became famous in the West after his song of 50 years ago, "I Am So Happy to Finally Be Back Home," which contains no words but only a melody of a series of "tro-lo-los," suddenly hit the internet. http://bit.ly/KJmY8b

June 4, 2012: The Bay County Bulletin

MITT IS IT—Romney clinches Republican nomination: Mitt Romney Tuesday night claimed his win in the Texas primary gives him the requisite number of delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination. "I am honored that Americans across the country have given their support to my candidacy and I am humbled to have won enough delegates" to be the GOP nominee, Mr. Romney said in a statement. According to a tally by the Associated Press, Tuesday's win in Texas puts Mr. Romney over the threshold of 1,144 delegates needed for the nomination. http://on.wsj.com/JzBgIT

WRITE-IN CANDIDATES FOR PRECINCT DELEGATE: If you didn't make it down to the clerk's office by 4 p.m. a couple weeks ago to file for precinct delegate, fear not. You can still run as a write-in. The write-in candidate declaration of intent is available here (in PDF format). The form must be filed by 4 p.m. on Friday, August 3 with your city or township clerk (Michigan law does not provide for filing as a write-in for precinct delegate at the county clerk's office). You can also file the form at your polling place on Election Day before the polls close at 8 p.m.

Snyder: Detroit financial board needs to begin its work: Gov. Rick Snyder wants the Detroit Financial Advisory Board to meet with or without the two Detroit members the city has neglected to appoint, he told The Detroit News on Tuesday, before the start of the Mackinac Policy Conference. "What they've elected to do is not appoint members to the board, and my view is I think the board should meet," Snyder said. "If they don't show up, there's no reason the board can't meet, if you look at the agreement." http://bit.ly/L4mtmk

McCotter abandons write-in bid, will end career in Congress: U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter, plagued by a criminal probe into his nominating petitions, on Saturday said he is ending his write-in campaign for re-election and will focus on serving out the final days of his 10-year congressional career. The decision by the five-term congressman ends a stunning political week that began with the Secretary of State's office determining he was ineligible for the Aug. 7 primary ballot with widespread invalid and tampered petition signatures. McCotter, in agreement with the office, launched a write-in campaign and requested a criminal investigation into fraudulent petitions he said he trusted his longtime staff to handle. "I have ended my write-in campaign in Michigan's 11th Congressional District," McCotter said in a statement released Saturday afternoon. http://bit.ly/Ku8lGW

State budget nears approval: For the second year in a row, state lawmakers are on course to approve next fiscal year's budget months ahead of schedule as they continue to focus on making over the state's finances. The Senate will meet on Tuesday to make their final votes on the $48.2 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 after the House held a rare Friday session to take their final votes. http://bit.ly/L8Cj1g

Snyder: Michigan on upswing, but there's still work to do: Michigan is on its way to economic recovery but still needs to focus on 10 areas critical to the state's future, from public health to the environment, transportation and distressed cities, Gov. Rick Snyder told business leaders at the Mackinac Policy Conference on Thursday. The governor gave a shout out to Legislators who missed the Detroit Regional Chamber's annual event on Mackinac Island to finish work on the state budget, saying, "I want to thank the legislators for staying in Lansing to get this done right now." Lawmakers are trying to meet a self-imposed Friday deadline to sign off on a nearly $48 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. http://bit.ly/KjsSi7

BIRTHWEEK: Wednesday. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA). Thursday. Dean Martin. Friday. Barbara Bush, Gabrielle Giffords. Saturday. Dick Vitale. Sunday. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA)

Tears flow during Magglio Ordoñez retirement ceremony: Magglio Ordoñez brought swagger to a Tigers organization that was downtrodden and in need of a face to lift the organization back in 2005. "I didn’t take a chance on the Tigers, the Tigers took a chance on me," Ordoñez said today as he announced his retirement from baseball in a ceremony that took place at Comerica Park before the series finale against the New York Yankees. He received a standing ovation as he walked in from rightfield, clad in a dark suit and sunglasses, with his family already seated in front of the pitcher’s mound. Derek Jeter and former teammate Curtis Granderson watched the proceedings and applauded. He was presented a portrait of his game-winning three-run homer in the American League Championship Series in 2006 against Oakland. http://on.freep.com/KZbThP

Albom: Smiles, tears for Hockeytown hero Nicklas Lidstrom: The Ice Man melteth. It took 20 seasons, but those steel blue eyes began to water. The voice quivered. He was out of his element, wearing a suit, not a sweater, in front of a news conference, not a raucous arena, with notes in his hand, not a stick. And he was saying good-bye. http://on.freep.com/KhEiTe