Former UP State Rep Named to Powerful Post, Veterans and Homelessness, Stabenow Gets a Top Spot, and Opinion/Op-Ed Articles in Rural Insights

– INFORMED BREVITY –

This Week on Rural Insights

On Wednesday we will be publishing an opinion piece by Tom Watkins about how, specifically, he feels we can fix Michigan’s broken mental health system. This is an important topic in our state and we think you’ll find this piece very interesting.

Former UP State Representative Named to Powerful House Post

Rich Brown, who was the HD 110th State Representative from Copper Country, was promoted to the position of House Clerk which functions as a Chief of Operations Officer of the State House. Brown served in the House from 2001-2006. He was named Assistant House Clerk in 2011.

Veterans and Homelessness

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development said in a report last month that 7% of Americans are military veterans but that veterans make up 13% of the homeless adult population nationally. Veteran homelessness is a big issue in Michigan and in rural areas, including the UP. HUD said they are making grants now for veteran transitional housing. Need some of that transitional housing for veterans in the UP.

From the World Around Us

The US House voted this week to federally recognize same-sex and interracial marriages. 71% of Americans say they support legal same-sex marriage, according to a Gallup annual Values and Beliefs poll, conducted May 2-22.

Upper Peninsula Congressman Jack Bergman voted against the measure in the House.

US Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan Gets a Top in Senate

Michigan’s senior Senator was elected to the number-three position in Senate Leadership. It is a very powerful position.

Opinion/Op-Ed Articles on Rural Insights

Yes, we do publish opinion/op-ed pieces. They appear under our Opinion tab on our website so you know they are opinions.  If you want to submit one we will review and it is our decision as to whether we publish it or not. We will let you know after we review and our editors take a look if we will publish it or not. We reserve the right to edit your op-ed.

Please include your name, email and phone number on a cover page of what you submit. Please limit it to between 300 and 500 words,  double spaced. Your article should contain facts to back up your opinion. We are looking for interesting, fact-based, opinion pieces and not  your typical letter to the editor type of article. We again, reserve the right to decide to publish your submission or not to publish it.

Quotes That Make Us Go Hmmm

“Pick battles big enough to matter but small enough to win.” Jonathan Kozol.

“If you are  neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” Desmond Tutu

“The U.P. snow falls, cocooning us in beauty, closeness, love and loss. We are so blessed. These are the incidentally beautiful moments that come with death.” Rural Insights reader, Robin Hill.

Books Recommended By Our Readers

“Secret Service Journals: Assassination and Redemption in the 1960s Detroit.” Robert Morris. 2022.

Book notes: this week’s recommendation is written by a Michigander, Robert Morris. Also last week’s book recommendation is written by another Michigander, Nino Green, an Upper Peninsula attorney.

Holiday Break for Rural Insights

We will be taking a holiday break until the New Year begins. See you in January 2023.

Thank you for being a loyal reader and subscriber. We greatly appreciate it. Happy New Year.

Talk To Us

Keep your raves, laurels, rants and darts coming. Send them to us at david@ruralinsights.org. We love to read them. 

About Us

Rural Insights connects policy, information, news and culture to raise topics and stories/information you might have not seen or overlooked. We bring you original writing from Rural Insights and other researchers, change makers, and storytellers, as well as our latest research and analysis.

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“WE BELIEVE YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH TO FORM YOUR OWN OPINIONS, AND WE TRY TO GIVE YOU SOME SOURCES TO DEVELOP YOUR OPINIONS.”