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Newsletter February 1, 2026

Dear ACDP Members and Friends

Events:

-Saturday, February 7th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally to protest the Fascist takeover of our country. The protest is at M 72/US 23 intersection in Harrisville. We rally to get ICE under control! To stop the senseless murders by U.S. Federal Agents. To stop threatening our own NATO allies. And ultimately to take back congress in November of 2026. We have extra signs or bring your own. (If the Harrisville rally has to be cancelled due to extremely severe weather we will post it on our Facebook page early Saturday morning.). The Oscoda rally in front of the Post Office is from 12:30 to 1:30 and it runs every Saturday.

-Monday, February 9th @ 2:00 pm, ACDP will host a Meet and Greet for Suzanna Shkreli who is running for Secretary of State @ Alcona Coffee Company, 110 E. Main St. Harrisville, MI 48740. https//suzannashkreli.com (Flyer attached)

-Thursday, February 19th @ 6:00 pm at Shotmakers Sports Bar, 106 E. Main St. in Harrisville is our monthly Chew & Chat. We love these monthly social gatherings for good food and great company. Please feel free to invite your friends to join us and meet the fine people in our local Democratic Party. No RSVP is required, you can just show up and order from their menu. If you have questions, please text Jeff Dorr @ 989-799-4973. And our thanks to Jeff for scheduling each month at our many restaurants throughout Alcona County.

-Saturday, February 21st @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally to protest the Fascist takeover of our country. The protest is at M 72/US 23 intersection in Harrisville. We rally to get ICE under control! To stop the senseless murders by U.S. Federal Agents. To stop Trump's DOJ assault on Freedom of the Press. And ultimately to take back congress in November of 2026. (If the Harrisville rally has to be cancelled due to extremely severe weather we will post it on our Facebook page early Saturday morning.). The Oscoda rally in front of the Post Office is from 12:30 to 1:30 and it runs every Saturday.

Meetings:

-Thursday, February 12th @ 5:30 pm at the Alcona County EMS Building 2600 M-72 Harrisville, MI 48740 will be information on how to run for local government office, how to be a poll worker (election inspector), and training to be a precinct delegate. The upcoming midterm elections are the tipping point for the continuation of our Republic. I hope you will help us be prepared for the Primaries on August 4th and the General Election on November 3rd. Sloppy Joes and soft drinks will be served.

-Wednesday, February 18th @ 5:00 pm on zoom is our ACDP Ex. Bd. Meeting

-Tuesday, February 24th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. It is also offered on zoom.

-Tuesday, Feb. 24th @ 6:00 pm at the Harrisville Library will be our Alcona County Democratic Party County Convention. Check out pages 6 and 7 of the Call-to-Endorsement-Convention, attached below. In summary, the purpose of the County Convention shall be to elect members and alternates to the State Convention Committees and to consider resolutions to be forwarded to the State Party.

-Sunday, April 19th @ Detroit Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Hall) is the MDP Call-to-Endorsement-Convention. For all of the details see the attachment.

Fund Raising:

-For the month of February we will be conducting a drive to raise money to send an Alcona High School Student to Washington D.C. through a program called "Close Up". Stay tuned for details, you will be hearing more from Mary Thomas and Mary Wertheimer, co-chairs of our Events committee.

Crafting Group:

One of our new friends reached out looking for activities to help us out "behind the scenes". From that inquiry came the idea of making hats for our biweekly protesters. There is a hat that is circling the crafting community to signify resistance. It has roots with Norwegians in the 1940's worn to show visual protest against Nazi occupation and this group could make them for us. Fabulous! Stay tuned.

Political Action Issues:

-5 Calls: Defund ICE - (UPDATED 1/30) House vote on Monday, Feb. 2nd

-5 Calls: Impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem (UPDATED 1/27)

Thank you for all you do.

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

ACDP, Chair

989-724-6192

Newsletter January 25, 2026

Dear ACDP Members and Friends,

On Saturday there was another murder by Federal Agents. These agents are paid by our tax dollars. The President and his cabinet and many in congress have condoned these heinous acts. Our response should be firm and timely to our elected representatives and you can go to the ISSUE part of the newsletter for the 5 CALLS action of the week.

I shared part of this crowd sourced poem last week and here is the remainder:

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

I go to bed anxiously...feeling reams of despair.

We mustn't let things deteriorate on our watch.

I do not want despair to turn into doing nothing, into just tolerating.

We need to be active and engaged.

(Nina McConigley, author & professor, Colorado State University)

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

I have new lessons in not stopping after the election.

If you are gripped with despair when you think you might stop:

Speak to your dead. Write for your dead.

Tell them a story...

And when war comes...be sure you write for the living too.

(Alexander Chee, author & professor, Dartmouth College)

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

...the despair was something else again...

I vowed to keep away from the tailspin

of mutual wailing about how bad everything was,

a recitation of the evidence against us

that just buried

any hope and imagination

down into a dank little foxhole

of curled-up despair.

(Rebecca Solnit, author & activist)

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

Do not be provoked...by the one who prospers,

the one who succeeds in evil schemes.

Do not be jealous of those who do wrong,

for they shall soon wither like the grass.

The wicked draw their sword to strike down the poor and needy -

their sword shall go through their own heart.

(Psalm 37)

Events:

-Saturday, February 7th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally to protest the Fascist takeover of our country. The protest is at M 72/US 23 intersection in Harrisville. We rally to get ICE under control! To stop the senseless murders by U.S. Federal Agents. To stop threatening our own NATO allies. And ultimately to take back congress in November of 2026. (If the Harrisville rally has to be cancelled due to extremely severe weather we will post it on our Facebook page early Saturday morning.). The Oscoda rally in front of the Post Office is from 12:30 to 1:30 and it runs every Saturday.

-Monday, February 9th @ 2:00 pm ACDP will host a Meet and Greet for Suzanna Shkreli who is running for Secretary of State @ Alcona Coffee Company, 110 E. Main St. Harrisville, MI 48740. https//suzannashkreli.com

Meetings:

-Tuesday, January 27th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. And it is also available on zoom. Reply to this email to get the zoom link. At 6:00 pm Jess Newman will zoom with us to explain the ballot initiative "Invest in MI Kids" to help establish proper K-12 funding in Michigan. This will be after adjournment and very short, maybe 10 minutes for those who want to stay. (Minutes to be approved from November 25th, 2025 Monthly Meeting and the Agenda are attached.)

-Wednesday, February 18th @ 5:00 pm on zoom is our ACDP Ex. Bd. Meeting

-Tuesday, February 24th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. It is also offered on zoom.

-Tuesday, Feb. 24th @ 6:00 pm at the Harrisville Library will be our Alcona County Democratic Party County Convention. Check out pages 6 and 7 of the Call-to-Endorsement-Convention, attached below.

-Sunday, April 19th @ Detroit Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Hall) is the MDP Call-to-Endorsement-Convention. For all of the details see the attachment.

Issue:

-5 Calls: Stop ICE"s Aggressive Attacks on Immigrants and Citizens (UPDATED 1/24)

There is plenty that we can do. Many projects are listed above. We can all do our part one way or another to tip the balance towards retaining our republic. Find your niche and run with it.

Regards to all,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP.

Newsletter January 11, 2026

Dear ACDP Members & Friends,

I want to begin with a couple of poems that encourage us to find the positive amongst the unthinkable state of our country and planet. Thanks to Kathleen Dunckel for sharing.

Ours is not a caravan of despair

a crowd-sourced poem by Kathleen Dunckel

Ours is not a caravan of despair. (Rumi)

We often have more in common than we think we do.

Yes, there is racism.

Yes, there is misogyny and hate.

Yes, there are truly irreconcilable differences between some of us.

But there is also a great deal of decency.

(Greg Hanscom, editor & publisher, High Country News)

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

When we feel scared about where the world is headed,

let us not retreat from ourselves.

We push back against despair when we repeat,

quietly and stubbornly,

“There are things I can do.

There are things I can do.

There are things I can do."

(Kate Bowler, PhD, author & professor, Duke Divinity School)

Events:

-Saturday, January 24th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally to protest the Fascist takeover of our country. The protest is at M 72/US 23 intersection in Harrisville. The temperature is forecast to be in the low single digits but we can get out the cold weather gear and dress in layers in order to stand up for getting ICE OUT! To stop the aggressive use of our military against U.S. citizens. To stop threatening our own NATO allies. And ultimately to take back congress in November of 2026. We will create mini warm up stations by leaving some vehicles running for those who need to get inside and take a break to keep warm. (If the Harrisville rally has to be cancelled due to extremely severe weather we will post it on our Facebook page early Saturday morning.)

Meetings:

-Wednesday, January 21st @ 5:00 pm on zoom is our ACDP Ex. Bd. Meeting

-Tuesday, January 27th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. And it is also available on zoom. At 6:00 pm Jess Newman will zoom with us to explain the ballot initiative "Invest in MI Kids" to help establish proper K-12 funding in Michigan. This will be after adjournment and very short, maybe 10 minutes for those who want to stay.

-Saturday, January 31st at 1:00 pm Ann Ashford and Mary Thomas will host a planning meeting for brainstorming events and fundraisers to be held in 2026. It will be at Ann's home, 1388 S. US 23, Harrisville 48740 (about two miles south of the Harrisville stoplight). Lunch will be provided, everyone is welcome. Please call Mary Thomas if you have any questions: 810-252-4198

-Wednesday, February 18th @ 5:00 pm on zoom is our ACDP Ex. Bd. Meeting

-Tuesday, February 24th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. It is also offered on zoom.

-Tuesday, Feb. 24th @ 6:00 pm at the Harrisville Library will be our Alcona County Democratic Party County Convention. Check out pages 6 and 7 of the Call-to-Endorsement-Convention, attached below.

-Sunday, April 19th @ Detroit Huntington Place (formerly Cobo Hall) is the MDP Call-to-Endorsement-Convention. For all of the details see the attachment.

Issues

Take your pick. The "do nothing" congress needs to hear from you. Don't forget to report your call(s) at the end of the sequence.

5 Calls: "Defund ICE"

5 Calls: "Stop ICE's Aggressive Attacks on Immigrants and Citizens"

5 Calls: "Demand Release of the Epstein Case Files (Updated 1/19)

Lastly, we have heard that the DNC (Democratic National Committee) has done an analysis of where we went wrong in the 2024 election but they have been reluctant to release it. However, here is one with some excellent points done by Roots Action, their website is www.rootsaction.org It is called "Autopsy 2024 How Democrats Lost the Whitehouse". The summary is good if you don't take the time to read it all.

Have a good week.

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter January 11, 2026

Dear Members and Friends,

Thank you to those who bundled up on Saturday and joined our Harrisville protest where we had 41 people in attendance from Presque Isle, Luzerne, Alpena, Harrisville, Lincoln, Greenbush, and Black River. ICE Out was the popular point of conversation as well as Trump's unconstitutional and illegal attack on Venezuela. Thanks to Jeff for providing hot coffee. Our biweekly protests are getting a substantial amount of attention on our Facebook page, Alcona County Dems. Check it out!

Events

-Thursday, January 15th @ 12:00 noon at Eagle Ridge Golf Club Bar and Grill 3501 S. State St., Glennie, MI 48737 is our monthly Chew & Chat. We love these monthly social gatherings for good food and great company. Please note this Chew & Chat is at lunch, 12:00 noon. If you have friends over on the west side of our county please consider inviting them to join us and meet the fine people in our local Democratic Party. No RSVP is required, you can just show up and order from their menu. If you have questions, please text Jeff Dorr @ 989-799-4973. Jeff is the organizer for our monthly Chew & Chats.

-Saturday, January 24th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally to protest the Fascist takeover of our country. The protest is at M 72/US 23 intersection in Harrisville. And the Oscoda demonstration follows 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in front of the Oscoda Post Office. (If the Harrisville rally has to be cancelled due to extremely severe weather we will post it on our Facebook page early Saturday morning.)

Meetings

-Wednesday, January 21st @ 5:00 pm on zoom is our ACDP Ex. Bd. Meeting

-Tuesday, January 27th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. And it is also available on zoom.

-Wednesday, February 18th @ 5:00 pm on zoom is our ACDP Ex. Bd. Meeting

-Tuesday, February 24th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. It is also offered on zoom.

-Tuesday, Feb. 24th @ 6:00 pm at the Harrisville Library will be our Alcona County Democratic Party County Convention. Check our pages 6 and 7 of the Call to Convention attachment.

I know that to win the midterms we have to support those candidates with platforms which will meet the wants and needs of the vast majority of Americans. As despicable as Trump's actions have been in the past couple of weeks, from past elections we know we cannot win if we only talk about the negative actions of this president. However, the Trump regime has been so aggressive, so inhumane, so insensitive and so dumb in just the last few days that I have to temporarily focus on them. He attacked a sovereign country, killing 80 people in order to kidnap Venezuelan President Maduro without getting a vote from Congress or even notifying Congress of his plan. In the months leading up to the kidnapping, he has ordered the bombing of 30 Venezuelan boats killing over 100 people and not providing info to show that any of the boats were carrying illegal drugs. “Might makes Right” is the Trump doctrine and if not stopped it will lead to the fall of our 250 year old democratic republic. And then on January 7th Trump and his DHS secretary condoned the murder of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis. He has no concept of the sanctity of life for all humans, only for those whom he thinks agree with his warped values.

Next week I will share some points popular with a vast majority of voters, including the Biden voters in 2020 who did not turn out for Harris in 2024, which might be a foundation for our messaging in this year's campaign. Your views and ideas are always important. Please share by replying to this email.

Have a good week.

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter December 28, 2025

Dear ACDP Members and Friends,

I hope your holidays are happy and bright in the middle of the extremes the weather is presenting here in Alcona County. We want to begin with a huge thankyou to all who donated so that we could adopt a family in need in our County. Here is what our secretary, Kathy Murray-Rice, shared on Alcona County Dems Facebook page:

Kathy Murray-rice

Christmas spirit is abundant in Alcona County! Thank you to everyone that donated. Your hearts should be full of joy knowing that we helped provide a young Alcona County family who had just lost a close family member, been laid off from a job, had a new baby in the house and siblings that hoped Santa would bring just what they wanted. Not only to have a wonderful Christmas but to help provide them with the opportunity to get back on their feet! I am so very proud to be a part of a group that looks beyond the current circumstances going on in our world and without asking questions, saw a need and reached out to help. May we all share in the spirit of the season! Stay safe and enjoy your family n friends!

Thank you to Mary Thomas and Mary Wertheimer who are co chairs for the Events committee along with Margy Kutzera, Kathy Murray-Rice and Scott Rice who all made our family adoption very successful!

Check our Alcona County Dems Facebook page for pics and more info on our adoption and on all of our events. Speaking of Facebook, thank you to Alicia Ulrich for orchestrating our Page which now has 464 Followers. If you go to our page, Like it, Love it, Follow it, Comment, and Share; all of which will help increase our circulation.

Upcoming Events:

-Saturday, January 10th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally to protest the Fascist takeover of our country. The protest is at M 72/US 23 intersection in Harrisville. And the Oscoda demonstration follows 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in front of the Oscoda Post Office. (If the Harrisville rally has to be cancelled due to extremely severe weather we will post it on our Facebook page early Saturday morning.)

Meetings

-Wednesday, January 21st @ 5:00 pm on zoom is our ACDP Ex. Bd. Meeting

-Tuesday, January 27th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. And it is also available on zoom.

Communications

Thank you, Trina Borenstein, Kathleen Dunckel, and John Stanaszek for your 12-24-25 Letters to the Editor in the Alcona Review which all created a rebuttal to the Blackwood column "My Two Cents" which was published in the Dec. 10 edition. Those letters are attached in case you haven't seen the newspaper.

One of our ACDP Friends, Jim Allyn, also wrote a poignant four page rebuttal to this same piece. Although it was not submitted as a LTE, Jim did a great job of dissecting the MAGA echoes of Blackwood. And I am glad that he allowed me to share it with you. (file attached)

Issues

-MMOP (Michiganders for Money out of Politics) "Here is the summary from Voters Not Politicians of what this citizens' initiative would do if/when it becomes law in Michigan: Money Out of Politics would get some big money out of politics by preventing regulated monopolies, like utilities DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, and big state contractors from making political contributions." If you have not already signed the petition to get this initiative on the 2026 ballot, please look for it at all of our ACDP meetings and events. Thanks to Ann Perschbacher for providing the YouTube link which explains why DTE and Consumers Energy are not happy with this ballot initiative.

https://fb.watch/Ed9aJpgWLQ/?fs=e

-Invest in MI Kids is a proposed state constitutional amendment to fund K - 12 schools with a 5% surcharge on annual taxable income over $500,000 individual or $1,000,000 joint. The current funding mechanisms would stay in place and this initiative would add just over $1 billion per year to the school aid fund. Petitions to support this initiative will also be available at all of our meetings and events.

-The Rank Choice Voting petition gathering has been suspended. The group supporting it may start over again for the 2028 election. https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/ranked-choice-voting-group-pauses-2026-ballot-measure-efforts-in-michigan-looks-to-future-elections/

Any questions or suggestions, please reach out and let us know what is on your mind. Your feedback is important.

Happy New Year!

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Alcona County Democratic Party

PO Box 152

Greenbush MI 48738

@alconadems

Previous Newsletters

Newsletter September 21, 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

Have a good week and keep up your good work to inform all about the extreme take over of our government. This week's issue is the assault on our freedom of speech.

Thank you to the 30 strong souls who made our Saturday rally a success. Visit our Facebook page, Alcona Dems, for photos of the event with the many creative signs on display and please share our posts with your friends. And even better, make comments, which will increase our circulation.

Events

-Monday, September 22nd @ 3:00 pm at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is a Meet and Greet with Eli Savit, candidate for Michigan Attorney General. www.eliformichigan.com

-Saturday, September 27th will be an ACDP fundraiser, "Pancakes on the Pond" from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Flyer is attached.

-Sunday, September 28th in the morning is the highway pickup. The exact time will be determined closer to the date. Kathleen Dunckel (989-464-2685) is organizing this and please let her know if you are planning on participating. She will call everyone a few days prior to the event. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0549A8AC2EA3F5C34-58426038-adoptahighway

-Tuesday, September 30th ACDP monthly meeting @ 5:00 pm at Harrisville Library and on Zoom. I will email minutes and agenda on September 27th.

-Saturday, October 4th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally at M 72/US 23 intersection. And the Oscoda demonstration follows 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in front of the Oscoda Post Office.

-Monday, October 6th @ 5:00 pm is our next Election Committee meeting. The main topic will be about how to effectively use Precinct Delegates. We will be looking at programs in Van Buren and in Iosco Counties instead of reinventing the wheel. All of you are welcome to attend. Please reply to this email if you would like the zoom link.

-Thursday, October 16th @ 6:00 pm is our monthly Chew and Chat. Venue to be determined, stay tuned for more info.

-Saturday, October 18th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally at M 72/US 23 intersection. This is also the "No Kings" event similar to the one we had on Flag Day in June where we had 200 rally goers. Invite your friends and neighbors to help us match or break the 200 mark.

Issue of the week

-Use 5 Calls app "Stop the Assault on Our Freedom of Speech"

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

ACDP, Chair

Newsletter September 14, 2025

Dear ACDP members and friends,

Thank you for all you are doing to keep our government leaders and the public apprised of our dissatisfaction with the present autocratic takeover. We will continue this communication in all forms possible. According to https://www.impeachtrumpagain.org/impeachment, Trump has committed 25 impeachable offenses but the Do Nothing Congress refuses to do its job! So we will give them lots of encouragement. Our October 18th protest/rally will be an official "No Kings" event like our Flag Day, No Kings, in June. More details to follow.

Events

-September 18th Chew and Chat @ 6:00 pm at The Roadhouse Bar and Grill, 3450 N Hubbard Lake Rd., Spruce, MI 48762. RSVP with Jan @ 313-318-3924.

-Saturday, September 20th 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally at M 72/US 23 intersection. And the Oscoda demonstration follows 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in front of the Oscoda Post Office.

-Monday, September 22nd @ 3:00 pm at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is a Meet and Greet with Eli Savit, candidate for Michigan Attorney General. www.eliformichigan.com

-Saturday, September 27th will be an ACDP fundraiser, "Pancakes on the Pond" from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Flyer is attached.

-Tuesday, September 30th ACDP monthly meeting @ 5:00 pm at Harrisville Library and on Zoom.

Issues

-Send an email to support hazard pay for firefighters in forest and wildland fires:

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-to-cosponsor-the-wildland-firefighter-hazard-pay-correction-act-hr-5091?source=direct_link&

- Call Rep. Bergman, Sen. Peters, and Sen. Slotkin to demand that congress place some guardrails on Trump using fake emergency declarations so he can eliminate federal workers' rights to collective bargaining:

Bergman: 200-225-4735

Peters: 202-224-6221

Slotkin: 202-224-4822

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/08/fresh-executive-order-aims-ban-unions-more-federal-agencies/407774/

Author Michael Lewis compiled stories on several of our federal workers. The book title "Who Is Government?" is a time relevant read profiling several government workers and their dedication to job, regardless of political preference!

https://www.michaellewiswrites.com/#top

Have a good week and enjoy our extended summer weather.

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

ACDP, Chair

Newsletter August 31,2025

Dear ACDP Members and Friends,

Our activities on August 31st in Harrisville were hugely successful! (look at the two photos attached).

Thank you to all who walked in the parade, managed the ACDP outreach tent, and manned the refreshment tent for the after parade party. A special thanks to Sue Oldani for allowing us to use her property as the headquarters for our Harrisville activities. And finally thank you to Alicia Ulrich for her relentless leadership in organizing the Harrisville Parade and related activities for the second year! We would not have our major presence in the community without Alicia and her many helpers.

We’ve posted so many great photos of everyone involved in the August 31st parade and activities on our Facebook page. Go to Alcona County Dems Facebook to join.

Thank you to those of you who attended the candidate meet and greets last week. Chris Swanson, for Governor, came on August 26th and Mark Totten, for AG, came on August 29th. We are appreciative of Alcona Coffee Company for hosting these special events which give us a chance to know the candidates well in advance of next year when we make our choices.

If you have a moment, check out our new ACDP Webpage: www.alconadems.com

Thank you, Roy Dunmaus, for constructing this for us.

Events

-September 6th @ 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally at M 72/US 23 intersection. We will have the signs from our parade and the rally. We received many compliments about the one that read "Workers over Billionaires". And the Oscoda demonstration follows 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in front of the Oscoda Post Office.

-September 18th Chew and Chat @ 6:00 pm at The Roadhouse Bar and Grill, 3450 N Hubbard Lake Rd., Spruce, MI 48762. Facilitator is Jan @ 313-318-3924

-Saturday, September 20th 11:00 am to Noon is our biweekly rally at M 72/US 23 intersection. And the Oscoda demonstration follows 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in front of the Oscoda Post Office.

-Saturday, September 20th or Sunday, September 28 is the highway pickup. Kathleen Dunckel (989-464-2685) is organizing this and she is awaiting your feedback on which date works better, so please contact her with your preference. Thank you.

-Monday, September 22nd @ 3:00 pm at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is a Meet and Greet with Eli Savit, candidate for Michigan Attorney General. www.eliformichigan.com

-Saturday, September 27th will be an ACDP fundraiser, "Pancakes on the Pond" from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Flyer is attached.

-Tuesday, September 30th ACDP monthly meeting @ 5:00 pm at Harrisville Library and on Zoom.

Issues

-on 5 Calls app: Demand the Release of the Epstein Case Files (Updated 9/2). Please make this call at least to Bergman. It appears that the House has enough support to force a vote on this. Keep the pressure on Bergman. Let's see if he truly supports transparency.

I hope you have a good week.

Respectfully,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter August 24, 2025

Dear ACDP members and friends,

We are gearing up for a very active week as the Harrisville Harmony Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival will be held on Saturday & Sunday. The Harrisville Arts Council will host over 300 vendors and thousands of people for the last holiday weekend of our summer. We will have a float and a large walking contingent in the parade on Sunday. We always celebrate workers on Labor Day and this year with the autocratic takeover of government our special emphasis is workers over billionaires. Please join us on Sunday. The details are provided below.

Events:

-Aug. 26th @ 11:30 am at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is an opportunity to meet Chris Swanson who is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor. Chris is currently The Sheriff of Genesee County. Here is a link to an interview he did with the Detroit News in May of this year. I am hoping for a good turnout at this event which will send a strong message to all Dem candidates that you should include Alcona County in your campaign planning. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/05/31/qa-chris-swanson-on-running-for-governor-and-his-stance-on-abortion/83932958007/

-Aug. 26th @ 5:00 pm is our monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library. The packet for this meeting will be included in a separate email.

-Aug. 29th @ 3:00 pm at Alcona Coffee Company in downtown Harrisville we have a meet and greet scheduled with Mark Totten, Democratic candidate for Attorney General of Michigan. Here is a link to his website: https://www.marktotten.com Please come on Friday and bring your questions for Mark.

-Sunday, August 31st-Mark your calendars to help make another big splash with our Labor Day Parade entry at the Art and Crafts Festival Parade in Harrisville! With the theme, “We Support Workers”, we’re teeing up the midterms showing Dems as the party of Workers over Billionaires. Joined by neighboring counties and Union partners, we’ll have great handouts, music and professional signage, including blackboards for teacher members saying “Union Teachers Grow our Future”, a nurse member in scrubs with “Nurses Save Lives”, and even a Scientist from Black River with his lab coat and dry ice smoking with a sign stating “Dems Support Scientists”. If you have clothing representative of a particular worker group in Alcona, ie, Farmer, Forest Worker, Waitress, Veteran, etc, contact Parade Organizer, Alicia Ulrich aulrich@me.com Otherwise, wear your Proud Dems T-shirt, ($25 for those who would like one), Union T-shirt, or Red, White and Blue. Staging will begin at noon on 6th street. Parking is available on Church St. and Swamp Rd. near the Church St. intersection. The parade starts at 1:00 pm.

Don’t want to march but want to help? We need volunteers at our important outreach tent along the Parade route, where we’ll also be setting up a post parade celebration with water, light snacks, fellowship with like minded folks, and some encouraging words from local Dem leaders. Watch for our volunteer sign-up on our Alcona Dems Facebook Page, or email Events Chair, Jan Kornacki janicekornacki@gmail.com

Issue:

-Congressman Jack Bergman's hypocrisy!!!!

It is just a little hypocritical for Congressman Bergman to call on Canada for not doing enough to mitigate the wildfires and at the same time blindly backing everyone of Trump's orders to ramp up fossil production and eliminate incentives for solar and wind energy. Please phone or email Jack Bergman and let him know that climate change and increased numbers and intensity of forest fires are indeed related.

202-225-4735 or 231-944-7633

constituent.bergman@mail.house.gov

Here is the link to the article:

https://michiganadvance.com/2025/08/15/clinicians-point-out-glaring-omission-in-bergman-letter-calling-for-action-on-canadian-wildfires/

Feel free to use my letter or parts of it if you prefer to email our Representative:

August 21, 2025

Dear Congressman Bergman,

Since 30% of our country's energy production was exported in 2024 (according to eia.gov) how can we possibly have an energy emergency in the United States of America? On this issue, you should stop bowing down to the president! Under his fake emergency his Energy Secretary has ordered a toxic coal fired power plant in Michigan to remain open even after the owner said it caused too much air and water pollution and was not profitable to operate.

Instead of blaming the Canadians for the air pollution from wildfires this season, again you should call out the true culprit, Donald Trump, for his total failure to address climate change as the driver for doubling the number of wildfires over the past decade.

It is past time for you to provide the guard rails which the Constitution calls for and put the brakes on an out of control executive branch.

Respectfully,

Robert Kennedy

2090 N US 23

Harrisville, MI 48740

All of you have a great week and I look forward to seeing you at our events in the next few days.

Best Regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter August 10th, 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

Wow, what a whirlwind of a week! A big thank you to Margy Kutzera for organizing our ACDP tent at the county fair. And to all of you who volunteered to do a shift and interface with the fairgoers. We garnered four new members and seven friends for our email list.

For our biweekly protest on Saturday we had 30 people weather the heat and get out the MAGA resistance message to the community. We will continue biweekly until the perseverance of our Democracy is assured. Please join us every other Saturday and bring your neighbors and friends.

Events

-Aug. 11th @ 7:00 pm on Zoom is our Elections Committee meeting. Please let me know if you would like the zoom link.

-Aug. 21st Chew and Chat is at 6:00 pm @ Smokey's Bar & Grill, 5992 N Hubbard Lake Road, Spruce, MI 48762. RSVP by texting Jan at: 313-318-3924.

-Aug. 23rd is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.

-Aug. 26th @ 11:30 am at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is an opportunity to meet Chris Swanson who is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor.

-Aug. 26th @ 5:00 pm is our monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library

Issues

-5 Calls: Demand Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Resignation (Updated 8/7). His slashing of $500 Million from mRNA vaccine research and development will put us years behind when the next pandemic evolves.

-Please use this link to let Michigan EGLE (the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) know how you feel about Enbridge's application for a construction permit to build a tunnel under the lakebed in the Straits of Mackinac.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/say-no-to-enbridges-tunnel-permit-in-our-straits?source=direct_link&

Have a good week!

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter August 3rd, 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

Events

-Aug. 5th - Aug. 9th is our Alcona County Fair. We are having a booth to provide exposure for our Democratic Party here in the County. Stop by where we have several activity projects for children. You can learn about ballot initiatives which are seeking signatures to qualify for the ballot in 2026. And you can enter a drawing to win a beautiful Pudding Stone from the quarry of Jenny and Cheryl. Thank you to the many of you who have volunteered to staff the booth for this important event.

-Aug. 9th is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.

-Aug. 11th @ 7:00 pm on Zoom is our Elections Committee meeting. Please let me know if you would like the zoom link.

-Aug. 21st Chew and Chat is at 6:00 pm @ Smokey's Bar & Grill, 5992 N Hubbard Lake Road, Spruce, MI 48762. RSVP by texting Jan at: 313-318-3924.

-Aug. 23rd is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.

-Aug. 26th @ 11:30 am at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is an opportunity to meet Chris Swanson who is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor.

-Aug. 26th @ 5:00 pm is our monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library

-Aug. 31st please walk with us or staff our information booth for the famous Harrisville Arts and Crafts Festival Parade. The theme for our parade entry is "It is all about the Workers!". We will have signs and members from the various labor unions in Northern Michigan. Please save the date. Details will be provided next week.

Issues

-Decline to Sign any ballot qualifying petitions that talk about citizen voting. There are a couple of such petitions being floated and they are intended simply to suppress votes especially from women, minorities, and the elderly. For more information here is an article from Gander Newsroom:

https://gandernewsroom.com/2025/07/31/decline-to-sign-michigan-voting-rights-groups-sound-alarm-on-petition-drive-trap/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Gander%20Newsletter%2008-04-25&utm_term=Gander%20-%20Most%20Engaged%20Audience

Have a good week and I hope to see you at the County Fair in Lincoln.

Respectfully.

Bob Kennedy

ACDP, Chair

Newsletter July 29th, 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

Events

-July 29th @ 5:00 pm at the Harrisville Library is our monthly membership meeting. Please email me if you would like the zoom link.

-Aug. 5 th - Aug. 9th is our Alcona County Fair. We are having a booth to provide exposure for our Democratic Party here in the County. Thank you to the many of you who have volunteered to staff the booth for this important event.

-Aug. 9th is our biweekly protest in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Then from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm is another protest in front of the Oscoda Post Office. Please join us if you can.

-Aug. 19th Chew and Chat is at 6:00 pm @ Smokey's Bar & Grill, 5992 N Hubbard Lake Road, Spruce, MI 48762

-Aug. 26th @ 11:30 am at Alcona Coffee Company in Harrisville is an opportunity to meet Chris Swanson who is running for the Democratic nomination for Governor.

Issues

The following are elaborated fully in your "5 Calls" app":

-Attend a Town Hall During the August Recess

-Demand the Release of the Epstein Case Files

-Resist the Escalation of ICE Raids and Detentions

-Demand the Unmasking of ICE Agents

Have a good week and stay cool.

A Lake Huron resident told me that the current lake temp is 69 degrees, nature's air conditioner!!

Best,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter July 14th, 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

We had a great weekend of volunteer work here in Alcona County. Kudos to the 15 of you who showed up on Saturday in Harrisville for our biweekly protest to keep the oppression by Trump front and center. And then on Sunday 16 of you did the trash pickup on our 3 mile section of US 23 north of Shaw Road. Thanks to the organization of Kathleen Dunckel and all of our volunteers, we completed the work in 1 hour & 15 minutes, a record time for this project. After the tourist season in the Fall we will be doing this again so stay tuned.

Upcoming Events

-Join us for Chew and Chat on July 17th, 6:00 pm at the Roadhouse Bar and Grill on the White Pine National Golf Course, 3450 N. Hubbard Lake Rd., Spruce, MI 48762. Jan Kornacki is hosting this and if you know you are attending please text her @ 313-318-3924. Also, walkins are surely welcome if you find you can come at the last minute.

-On Monday, July 21st Alex Hardy, the lone Democrat from Iosco County Board of Commissioners, will be speaking on how in the United States we have Extreme Wealth & Income Inequality at the same time as our economy is thriving. I think his presentation will provide us with a foundation for a platform which will appeal to the Left, Middle, and Right sides of the political spectrum, a winning populace formula for the midterm elections. His power point presentation will be at 1:00 pm on zoom as part of the Northern Michigan Democratic Leaders Monthly Meeting. All of you are welcome and encouraged to attend. Here is the zoom link:

Https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86017086067?pwd=7b4vSLLQsQ8k2ku4Bca14s7DpRBN7u.1

-The next membership monthly meeting is on July 29th, 5:00 pm @ The Harrisville Library.

Issues

-How the Trump signed budget bill will affect our hospitals and health clinics in Northern Michigan as well as the thousands of residents who will lose their health insurance through medicaid cuts:

https://www.aha.org/fact-sheets/2025-06-05-medicaid-coverage-supports-rural-patients-hospitals-and-communities

-In your 5 Calls app "Resist the Escalation of ICE Raids and Detentions"

Stay cool this week and keep up the good work you are doing!

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter July 7th, 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

Thank you for the lobbying you did against The Big Brutal Bill which will define the Republicans leading into the crucial Mid Term Elections in 2026.

Speaking of the Midterms, it is imperative that we get out the word about the many different forms of voter suppression the right has used in the past and will be doing now until November 2026! This link is a 10 minute read and will give you the background on how the R's will try and steal the 2026 election. It all happens before voting even begins according to Thom Hartmann and Greg Palast. It is time to educate ourselves and others on this right wing tactic.

https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/james-carville-is-right-to-panic?r=on30f&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Events

-Biweekly Saturday protest in Harrisville on July 12 at US 23/ M 72 intersection from 11:00 am to Noon. And with our Friends in Oscoda from 12:30 to 1:30 at their Post Office. Make one or both to show our presence in Northeast Michigan.

-We have 12 volunteers who have stepped up to do the Litter Pickup for our Adopt-a-Highway program on Sunday, July 13th. Thank you to Kathleen Dunckel and all of the volunteers for making Alcona County a better place!

-On Monday, July 21st Alex Hardy, the lone Democrat from Iosco County Board of Commissioners, will be speaking on how in the United States we have Extreme Wealth & Income Inequality at the same time as our economy is thriving. I think his presentation will provide us with a foundation for a platform which will appeal to the Left, Middle, and Right sides of the political spectrum, a winning populace formula for the midterm elections. His power point presentation will be at 1:00 pm on zoom as part of the Northern Michigan Democratic Leaders Monthly Meeting. I will post the zoom link in next week's newsletter.

-The next membership monthly meeting is on July 29th, 5:00 pm @ The Harrisville Library.

Issues

-Make yourself aware of many of the Republican voter suppression tactics both past and present:

-Decline to Sign, two voter suppression petitions here in Michigan, which are presently being circulated. One by a group called

vnp.vote/save-act/

Newsletter June 30th, 2025

Dear Members and Friends of ACDP,

Events

-Please join us for the July 4th Parade in Barton City. Staging for our float and walkers is at the VFW Hall 2120 W. Trask Lake Rd., Barton City, MI 48705, where we will meet at 10:30 am. The parade begins at 11:00 am. and is on a 1/2 mile stretch of Trask Lake Rd. in beautiful downtown Barton City on the shore of Jewel Lake. For those who have time we will then drive over to the Southwestern part of Alcona County to be in the Glennie Parade which begins at 2:00 pm.

-Biweekly Saturday protest in Harrisville on July 12 at US 23/ M 72 intersection from 11:00 am to Noon. And with our Friends in Oscoda from 12:30 to 1:30 at their Post Office.

-The Summer Litter Pickup for our Adopt-a-Highway program is scheduled for Sunday, July 13th, in the morning - probably starting no later than 9:00. Volunteers are still needed to make this effort run smoothly. Please contact Kathleen Dunckel at 989-464-2685 or kathleendunckel@gmail.com if you're able to help. You can also volunteer on our Facebook page "Alcona County Dems".

-Join us for Chew and Chat on July 17th, 6:00 pm at the Roadhouse Bar and Grill on the White Pine National Golf Course, 3450 N. Hubbard Lake Rd., Spruce, MI 48762

-On Monday, July 21st Alex Hardy, the lone Democrat from Iosco County Board of Commissioners, will be speaking on how we have Extreme Wealth & Income Inequality at the same time as our economy is thriving. I think his presentation will provide us with a foundation for a platform which will appeal to the Left, Middle, and Right sides of the political spectrum, a winning populace formula for the midterm elections. His power point presentation will be at 1:00 pm on zoom as part of the Northern Michigan Democratic Leaders Monthly Meeting. We will make the link available in early July. Stay tuned for more information.

-The next membership monthly meeting is on July 29th, 5:00 pm @ Harrisville Library.

Political Action Issue

-In the 5 Calls app: Oppose H.R. 1, the "one big beautiful bill act" (updated 6/28) -Cloture Invoked- Final Senate vote early this week, probably today or Tuesday. Please call these Senators who seem to be on the bubble:

Tom Tillis, NC, 202-224-6342

John Curtis, Utah, 202-224-5251

Joni Ernest, Iowa, 202-224-3254

Lisa Murkowski, AK, 202-224-6665

Susan Collins, Maine, 202-224-2523

Josh Hawley, Missouri, 202-224-6154

Mike Lee, Utah, 202-224-5444

Rick Scott, FL, 202-224-5274

Ron Johnson. Wisconsin, 202-224-5323

Rand Paul, Kentucky, 202-224-4343

When this goes back to the House, I will compile a list of the Reps who are on the bubble and email it out to you for your calls. This will probably be on Tuesday or Wednesday. There is a reason the other side is trying to push this through during our biggest holiday week of the summer. Don't let their strategy work. They hope we are not paying attention. Make the calls. If you get a machine, leave a message. If voice mail does not answer, look up their website and leave a written message. Each one of these officials need to hear from millions of people in order to do the right thing. Don't lose hope, never give up.

Thank you so much for your attention to lobbying against this very regressive legislation. The Congressional Budget Office estimates this bill, HR 1, adds $3.1 trillion to the deficit in order to pay for $trillions in tax cuts for the wealthy. The biggest upward transfer of wealth in history. Use this link for a more detailed analysis from the Economic Policy Institute: https://www.epi.org/publication/the-upside-down-priorities-of-the-house-budget/

Happy Holiday,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter June 22nd, 2025

Dear Members and Friends,

Our Food Drive for the Alcona Food Pantry on Saturday was a huge success. In an incredible display of community spirit, over 1,100 items were collected, thanks to the generosity of almost 50 individual donors. We transcended party lines, as some Republican donors joined our effort to combat food insecurity, demonstrating that compassion knows no political bounds. A few individuals, moved by our cause, contributed cash donations totaling $105. A remarkable woman named Bonnie arrived with her truck loaded with food, collected from her neighborhood near Mikado. Having experienced hunger as a child, Bonnie is dedicated to ensuring her community is fed. We were deeply moved by her selflessness. In this moment, we saw the power of collective action and the impact one person can have. Bonnie's kindness embodied the very spirit of our community coming together to drive positive change.

Events

-ACDP monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library on Tuesday, June 24 @ 5:00 pm. If you wish to do the meeting virtually, please reply to this email for the zoom link. The Agenda and Minutes from the last meeting are attached, please review them.

-ACDP Events and Membership Committee meets @ 10:00 am on Thursday, June 26 via zoom. Jan Kornacki, Committee Chair.

-Our State Representative Cam Cavitt hosts a coffee hour @ Alcona Coffee Shop in Harrisville from Noon to 1:00 pm on Friday, June 27th. Please attend. Bring your questions and comments. It is good to see an elected official encouraging any and all constituents to meet him in person!

-ACDP Everyother Saturday "Hands Off" rally on June 28th at the stoplight in Harrisville from 11:00 am to Noon. Immediately following in Oscoda, there is another "Hands Off" rally in front of the Post Office, 48750.

Issues

1. Stop US Involvement in the Israel-Iran Conflict. 5 Calls has updated this on June 22nd. Insist that the War Powers Act be followed.

2. Oppose Funding Cuts to NPR and PBS - Passed House (UPDATED) 6/12

3. Oppose Cuts to Clean Energy Programs and Climate Protections in the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act. (UPDATED) 6/17

4. Oppose the work requirements, in the Big Beautiful Bill, for Medicaid and SNAP participants as they increase administrative costs, have no affect on employment numbers, and they leave millions of people hungry and without health care coverage. Here is the research from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:

https://www.rwjf.org/en/insights/our-research/2025/04/work-requirements-threaten-health-and-increase-costs.html

I hope you can make it to our monthly meeting this Tuesday. We have several successes to share, many requests for your thoughts, and several asks for volunteers as the summer ramps up here in Alcona County. Keep up your good work as our group is growing in numbers and in respect throughout our community!!

Have a good week and stay cool. Lake Huron is calling on days like today.

Best regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

Newsletter August 24th, 2025

Dear ACDP members and friends,

Events:

-Aug. 26th @ 5:00 pm is our monthly meeting at the Harrisville Library. The packet for this meeting will be included in a separate email.

Issue:

-Congressman Jack Bergman's hypocrisy!!!!

202-225-4735 or 231-944-7633

constituent.bergman@mail.house.gov

Here is the link to the article:

https://michiganadvance.com/2025/08/15/clinicians-point-out-glaring-omission-in-bergman-letter-calling-for-action-on-canadian-wildfires/

Feel free to use my letter or parts of it if you prefer to email our Representative:

August 21, 2025

Dear Congressman Bergman,

It is past time for you to provide the guard rails which the Constitution calls for and put the brakes on an out of control executive branch.

Respectfully,

Robert Kennedy

2090 N US 23

Harrisville, MI 48740

All of you have a great week and I look forward to seeing you at our events in the next few days.

Best Regards,

Bob Kennedy

Chair, ACDP

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