Ottawa County Republicans' Newsletter
December 1st, 2023 5:1
Editor's Preamble: Welcome to the Ottawa County Republicans’ Newsletter and the month of December! We trust December finds you well as we gather in many areas of the County to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. We have plenty of Party news to share with you this month.
Also, please pay special attention to our Truth Vs. Insanity column as well as our Volunteer Highlight and Local Business Feature columns. These in particular have some human interest we think you’ll find intriguing,
In the meantime, we hope your days will be merry and bright as we prepare for this special season. We open with a photo of Dewey Hill at Christmastime in Grand Haven. As a Party, we aspire and work for a time when Ottawa County can be a place that boldly displays a shining Nativity scene for the entire community to share once again.
Please consider a $5-donation per month to help us secure liberty here in Ottawa County.
Thank you and enjoy,
Robyn S. Brodie
Information Chair
Dewey Hill in Grand Haven at Christmastime, before extremists went to great lengths to have it removed.
OCRP NEWS
Attorney Greg Todd Presents Fifth Constitutional Training TownHall in Jenison...
The OCRP Renovates downtown Holland Office Space...
Commissioner Kyle Terpstra Resigns from the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners...
Statement from the County: "The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners will appoint a new commissioner to represent the district for the remainder of the term, which ends December 31, 2024. According to Michigan law, the appointment must be made within 30 days of the vacancy. Applications are being collected by the County through Monday, December 4, 2023, at 9:00 am. On December 5, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners will vote to determine which candidates to interview. Interviews will be conducted at a public meeting on December 8 at 9:30 am. The appointment will be completed by December 12."
Attorney Greg Todd Writes Supplementary Article, Coinciding With Constitutional Training Town Halls...
Due to the overwhelming interest in the Constitutional Training Town Halls taught by Ottawa County Attorney Greg Todd, many have asked for notes or to be provided with supplementary materials in order to better understand the importance of the Sheriff and Prosecutor offices in our County. Therefore, Attorney Todd has agreed to write a supplementary article. It is displayed on our website.
County Recall News
Clerk Justin Roebuck releases statement on the Lucy Ebel Signature Challenge. There will be a 'special election' on May 7 for recall...
In the statement above, Clerk Roebuck insists he must call a special election to recall duly-elected Lucy Ebel on May 7, 2023. This means three things.
- We must help Lucy campaign in order to hold her seat. The force is not only against Commissioner Ebel. *It is against our strong 6 Commissioners on the BOC in total. As challengers looked at all the races, they determined Lucy's district was small enough whereby they felt they could flip enough votes there, in order to flip the seat to a Democrat. We CANNOT let this happen. -If conservatives lose the majority on the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners, it could mean a return to lockdowns and masking and other tyrannical policies and activities. If you are willing to help Lucy campaign and keep her rightful seat on the Board of Commissioners, please contact us at [email protected], or call 616-396-3791 and we will put you in touch with Lucy's campaign.
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*Do you know anyone who lives in District 2? Please take a look at this County map to see if you potentially know someone who resides in Lucy's district. If you think you do, we ask that you encourage them to vote for Commissioner Lucy Ebel on May 7, 2024.
- Give to help her campaign. You can do so below⬇️
Donate to Commissioner Ebel's campaign here. Thank you!
Area News and Opinion
Hambleygate...
Restore Ottawa published an excellent summary detailing the events of the past month, regarding the health officer at the Ottawa County Department of Public Health. *If you've tried to "keep up" by following local news' sources, we're guessing you may be somewhat confused and uncertain of what is going on. This piece helps break it all down.
BOC Chairman Joe Moss speaks to Justin Barclay personally on 11/29 to Set the Record Straight...
Content relevant to Ottawa County begins at minute #9:25
**SPECIFICALLY listen to what Justin says, beginning at minute #14 about "being played."
Also...
Justin Barclay Show, 11/27/2023, Coverage of Hambley Hearings...
Content relevant to Ottawa County begins at minute #30
Also, regarding the Adeline Hambley Hearings, The Homes Politicast has some additional insights.
Apple
Podbean
Youtube
*Content begins at minute 5
Truth vs Insanity
Truth vs Insanity is a nifty little column that points out media lies and contrasts them with facts. Ahhhhhh, "Facts!" Aren't facts such lovely things? It is difficult to imagine that it requires deep digging simply to find the actual facts of the Area News, but since most media outlets will not do this for the public--simply provide them the facts, we take a moment here from time to time to point out the level to which we feel the media misleads and underserves the Public. We break down for you below, what is TRUE and what is Insanely reported regarding the BOC's attempt to replace the Health Officer. Please take the time; you might be surprised.
VS
The Board of Commissioners and therefore, WE, THE PEOPLE. The Commissioners represent the People.
Truth: The Kallman legal brief, filed in Muskegon County Circuit Court on November 22, 2023. Please see it in its entirety here.
Here, below, are screenshots of the first 4 pages so you can see what we mean about facts, especially on pages 3 and 4 which clearly demonstrate that the Commissioners did not make offers to the health officer, but rather the health officer's attorney made offers to our Commissioners.
The Kallman legal brief filed in Muskegon County Circuit Court is factual.
Now, contrast this with the insanity the public has been told are "facts."⬇️
National Insanity: Ottawa County health officer will get $4 million to resign..
Nice title: "Will get" insinuates a decision has been made. This is false. There are many other falsehoods within the report, yet it already misleads the reader beginning with the title.
Local Insanity: Instead of firing her, Ottawa Impact plans to give Hambley millions to Resign...
The first sentence of this article reads: "Ottawa County has agreed to pay its administrative health officer $4 million to step down..."
This sentence is blatantly false. No decision or agreement has yet been made, which one can clearly see in the Kallman brief. However, what's worse here, is the headline itself: Ottawa Impact is a PAC. It is a separate entity from the Board of Commissioners. So, while the Sentinel attempts to tie the BoC to the PAC [that helped fund many of the sitting Commissioners' campaigns], it blatantly lies to the Public that the PAC is somehow involved in this mess. It. Is. Not.
And if all of that isn't enough of a head-scratcher, we propose another confusing bit of information. Hope College has announced that they have nominated the editor of the Sentinel for a Pulitzer Prize based primarily on her coverage of Ottawa Impact. We find it interesting that a college of stature would nominate an editor for an esteemed award who allows falsehoods to be put forward to the Public.
What Does All Of This Mean?
It means that we need to be actively digging for truth...every single day. Every time we believe a headline, it unfortunately means we could be misled. Part of patriotism is taking the time to become informed. We love our way of life as conservatives, don't we? However, unfortunately, the left exploits our preference to be independant and therefore, "left alone." While we are distracted living our lives, they quietly, yet successfully infiltrate our school-boards and city councils in nonpartisan elections, and also run Democrats "as Republicans" for elected offices. If our local News sources won't tell us this, we find out the hard way, when this type of leadership transforms our communities. *Please take the time to find out the truth. Develop relationships with entities that will tell you the truth. We understand that this is inconvenient in our fast-paced world, and it's easier to consume headlines on social media or online. But if we don't make time, we won't get the truth.
Local, Sane News Sources in Ottawa County
Simply American
Restore Ottawa Substack
Justin Barclay Radio Program
Homes Politicast
*These are all featured here in our Newsletter this month.
Culture-Facts-Opinion
Public Health & Democrat Activist Lawfare...
Culture
Navigating College as a Christian: Advice for Students and Parents...
Dr. Tim Penning is a Professor of Advertising and Public Relations at Grand Valley State University. He is a Christian professor on a secular college campus, and therefore has good insights on how to diligently approach the process of selecting a college.
Not-So-Old News
Christmas Day, 1776, was the first Christmas after the United States of America signed the Declaration of Independence. As a Party, we remain committed to securing liberty here in Ottawa County, so that our children and grandchildren can continue to raise their families in a secure and steadfast environment committed to Constitutional rights and values. Given this, we find the News of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Day in 1776, not-so-old. Enjoy!
Crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Day, 1776...
Our thanks to MountVernon.org for the simple summary, written by Cody Lass of Texas Tech University.
Health-Opinion
'The Science' Suffers From Self-Inflicted Political Wounds...
Upcoming Events
Coming up this Monday,
December 4th, 2023!
("TONIGHT!")
Join us on Monday, Dec. 4th to learn about a new ballot initative called Axe MI Tax, that would cancel property taxes across Michigan. Karla J. Wagner, the founder of the initiative, is a real estate agent, also holds a residential builder's license, and is additionally a tax preparation associate. She brings her expertise to the initiative and we look forward to learning a lot from her!
TO RSVP, for this event please see right here. *This event is a free educational opportunity!
Also Upcoming, for Precinct Delegates...
Volunteer Highlight
OCRP Vice-Chair, Jenni Shepherd-Kelley
Jenni Shepherd-Kelley is a business owner, professional athlete, coach, wife, mother and conservative activist. She is also the Vice-Chair of the Ottawa County Republican Party. Jenni emulates everything that we as a Party claim to stand for: hard work and dedication to the cause of securing liberty and freedom, and then living it out through the example of one's life. We are excited for you to learn more about the important people behind what makes the OCRP tick here in Ottawa County. It our pleasure to introduce you to Jenni.
What do you love most about Ottawa County?
The beautiful beaches. My favorite activity is beach volleyball. I’ve been playing since I was a kid at Grand Haven State Park. In my opinion, there is nothing more beautiful than a Lake Michigan Sunset, especially in Ottawa County.
Why did you get involved in politics?
I have been interested in Civics and American History since I was a child. After I had children, I realized the need for good people to get involved and to be informed on the local level. I wanted to ensure that Ottawa County remains as conservative as it was when I was growing up here. For me, that meant running to be a precinct delegate.
Please share about your family. We understand you have a couple of awesome kids?
I am married to David Kelley and we have two beautiful boys ages 10 and 11 years old. David and I met just after my college career in Charleston, SC. We have since moved from Charleston SC, to Knoxville, TN, to San Diego, CA and now back to Grand Haven, MI to raise our family. David and I are both University of TN Volunteers (He graduated from undergrad and I, from grad school). We are now business owners 5 times over. Our boys love playing sports (especially soccer) and attend Grand Haven Christian School.
We understand you were an NCAA, Division-1 Volleyball player. Tell us about that, and also what you're doing for the sport of Volleyball these days?
I graduated as a First Team All-State Volleyball player from Grand Haven High School and was recruited to play for Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. I had a fantastic career as a 4-year starter and was awarded to be a First Team All-Conference player. I continue to play volleyball on the beach semi-professionally and on various pro tours. I started my coaching career right after college as well, and I am now the Assistant Women’s Volleyball Coach at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids. I have coached at various schools and colleges in West Michigan since moving back to the state in 2012. I have been at Aquinas College now for 5 years and was awarded Regional Coach of the Year. This season, our team finished second overall in the WHAC and qualified for the National Tournament. I am an advocate for Biological Women in athletics, and coaching and mentoring women in sports is one of my greatest passions.
If not already answered above, what changes do you hope to impact by being involved in Ottawa County Politics?
The biggest changes I want to push for the Ottawa County Republican Party is to bring awareness to local politics and how they affect each voter. My goal is to advocate for strong conservative leadership in Ottawa County, as well as promote good principles and constitutional training for future politicians. I want to do more community outreach to help grow the conservative base in Ottawa and to get more Republicans out to vote in both in-year and off-year elections.
Please share a favorite Christmas tradition or activity.
There is one tradition that we do in our home every single Christmas. Before we open any gifts, we first read the entire passage of Luke 2. We take turns on who gets to read it out loud every year; we pray and give thanks for the true reason for the holiday, the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. He is the greatest gift of all. My family has been doing this my entire life and I hope that this tradition carries on.
Jenni, with her boys, Shepherd and Hudson at a recent Tennessee Volunteer's game over Thanksgiving weekend🏈🇺🇸
Local Business Feature
John and Paige Weenum are the proud owners of Mancino's Pizza and Grinders on US 31, in Grand Haven Township. Serving delicious food, Mancinos won first place in the People’s Choice Awards in 2023 in the grinder/sub category, as well they should! Owners John and Paige are a light in the community and it's clear they love their community. If you stop by on a weekend night, they are frequently seen on the floor checking on their customers. Also, they have a reputation for being a delight to work for, treating their employees fairly and with mutual respect.
(Owner, John Weenum, enjoying the view!)
The energy is great at Mancino's too, whether you take food to go or enjoy their casual dining room; the atmosphere always seems happy. Mancino's stands out to us because during 2020 and 2021, this particular restaurant worked tirelessly in spite of restrictions in order to remain open and make their same, wonderful food. They did it all with a smile on their face. They didn’t complain, but rather embraced the challenges and actively thought of ways to accommodate the situation and their customers. They are courageous business owners.
So whether you need a quick meal to go, need a catering option, or are looking for a nice place in the Grand Haven area to bring your family to dine in, Mancino's in Grand Haven Township does everything well, and loves freedom.
Mancino's Pizza and Grinders
13040 US Highway 31, Ste J, Grand Haven, MI, 49417
Phone: 616-844-5566
Mancinosgrandhaven.com
Kids Kolumn
Enjoy this Christmas Crossword Puzzle for the kids! They will be home from school for a couple of weeks soon. Parents and Grandparents will need some activities for them!
For printable PDF of the Crossword, click HERE
Answer key is available HERE, but don't cheat! [Santa will know!]
Elephant Fare
Donna Mooney's Candy Cane Cookies
Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food color
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
1/2 c granulated sugar
Instructions:
Heat oven to 375. Mix throughly, butter, shortening, confectioners’ sugar, egg and flavorings. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half, placing one half in a separate bowl, while leaving the other half in the mixing bowl.
Shape 1 teaspoon dough from each half into 4 inch ropes. For smooth, even ropes roll them gently back and forth on a lightly floured board. Place ropes side by side, press together lightly and twist. Complete cookies one at a time. Place on un-greased baking sheet. Curve top down to form handle of cane.
Bake about 9 minutes until set and very light brown. While baking, mix candy and granulated sugar together. Immediately sprinkle cookies with candy mixture, then gently remove them to cooling racks.
Recipe makes about 4 dozen.
SHOP for Stocking Stuffers!
Please help us support the party and do some Christmas shopping at the same time! The truth: We need to raise a lot of money because of the upcoming big election season. The money pays for the expenses of running strong conservative candidates for all County, Region and State area races. Funds pay for rental spaces to distribute literature, mailers and events. Please consider purchasing a t-shirt or a sticker, or BOTH! Thank you!
Die Cut, Waterproof and UVA protected Sticker! Visit our Shop page to get yours now! Measures 4 x 3.48
These stickers look great on your stuff and it's not too early to begin thinking about stocking stuffers:) Click here to purchase one for $5.00, shipping included!
If you've enjoyed any portion of this Newsletter, please consider a donation. We need help preserving liberty in Ottawa County, especially as we prepare for the 2024 election. If you are willing to contribute, a donation of any size can be made here. Thank you!
©Original Content published by the OCRP, Inc, is the property of the OCRP, Inc. All rights reserved.