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