A Letter From the Editors
Is a protest rally news? When we posted a story on the recent Fremont rally we included photos of the event as well as comments from those in attendance. We knew that in an area where 7 of every 10 voters cast their ballots for the current administration the protest likely gave them pause and given the number of Trump signs that have remained in sight nearly 6 months beyond the election many may have found it distressing. But isn’t it worthy of reporting on? In recent weeks we have stopped allowing comments on our fb page’s news or public opinion pieces due to the inevitable dumpster fire of vitriolic squabbles hellbent on a futile quest for oneupmanship that never arrives. We do, of course, allow comments on our site but find it interesting that most would prefer to limit their opinions to attempts at cleverness on social media. If you look through the comment section of our Public Pulse section you’ll see some dialogue between people with differing opinions but it never gets to the nastiness that forced our hand in eliminating random fb commentary. We've been called biased, fake news and prejudicial and while we indeed strive to stay out of advancing the divisiveness we’re all forced to live with these days, there are news items we feel strongly about. We will not hesitate to call out elected officials when they may choose to evade accountability to their constituents, nor will we shy away from topics that remain contentious. Our purpose in existing is to enlighten, engage, and encourage dialogue. To let people know what’s going on in our area and bring the community a variety of viewpoints. We also welcome opinions via letters to the editor. This entails all opinions, so long as they are deemed appropriate and delivered with a way to contact the writer for verification. It has always been our hope to encourage productive discourse. True dialogue, not the churlish prattle that accompanies most social media reactions. Well thought out commentary is certainly more impactful than the timidity of a laughter emoji slapped onto posts one disagrees with. We hope to hear from you but if not, that’s ok as well. If we didn't piss people off from time to time we likely wouldn't be doing our job. Despite the likelihood that we have lost a few readers along the way our numbers have continued to grow and that gives us hope that the majority of the community isn’t afraid of hashing out a bit of controversy now and again. And apparently we’re not shy about delivering it. Alexis Mercer Editor Ken DeLaat Publisher
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 Indivisible Newaygo County (INC) is calling for community action around Food Security on Saturday, April 19. Gathering from 12noon to 2pm, the public is welcomed to meet in front of City Hall in downtown Newaygo before peacefully walking the sidewalks handing out information and collecting donations for local food services. The Rally for Food Security will bring attention to Federal cuts in funding for food and agricultural programs that are affecting local food pantries as well as farmers. INC members will collect donations of non-perishable food items that will be given to local food pantries, as well as funds that will go to NCRESA Great Start for their community garden projects. Funds collected will also be donated to Indivisible Newaygo County’s “Victory Garden Initiative.” This Garden Initiative encourages community members to grow vegetables that can help stretch food budgets, and provide families with fresh and healthy nutrition at their doorstep. This spring the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) was mandated to cut funding. This led to the cancellation of $1 billion in Federal funding for local food purchases through the Local Food for Schools and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement programs. Newaygo County’s local food pantries are feeling the pinch of decreased food and funds. Feeding America West Michigan states that more than half of the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program’s truckloads of food ordered from the USDA for April through July have been cancelled. That amounts to 32 semi-trailer loads of protein and fresh dairy that were planned for distribution to hundreds of communities in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. (Feeding American West Michigan, March 26, 2025). Sudden funding cuts are impacting local farmers as well. A USDA program that provided funds to purchase food for pantries from local farmers will end on Sept. 30. And several West Michigan farmers have lost funds that assisted with labor costs and farm improvements even after the farms met their obligations and spent their own money, leaving them with thousands of dollars of unintended debt. Farmers also fear that current and proposed tariffs will impact costs of fertilizer and agricultural equipment, and decrease or eliminate their sales of products such as soy beans to international markets. (Bridge Michigan, March 2025). The April 19 “Day of Action” was initiated by the 50501 organization, and encourages communities and organizations to come together in support of local needs and issues. Indivisible Newaygo County chose Food Insecurity as the focus of this event due to the number of families in Newaygo County that depend on food assistance through SNAP, school breakfast and lunch programs, and food pantries. To receive information about Indivisible Newaygo County events, email: [email protected].  The crowd at the Fremont Area District Library From Indivisible Newaygo County On March 26th an Empty Chair Town Hall, organized and hosted by Indivisible on the Lakeshore in partnership with Indivisible Newaygo County, was held at Fremont Area District Library. Indivisible is a nonpartisan group that welcomes people of diverse political beliefs, advocating for respectful dialogue, mutual support, and political action to ensure an effective and responsive government for all. The event was held to provide constituents in Michigan’s 2nd Congressional District with an opportunity to share concerns about government policies affecting their lives. Representative John Moolenaar, did not respond to his invitation or attend, according to Indivisible Newaygo County town hall coordinators. Moderated by a Newaygo resident and former Mayor or Grand Rapids George Heartwell, the event featured Michael Lynch, a Democrat who previously ran against Representative Moolenaar. Lynch provided context on how cuts to programs and departments that are occurring as directed by the Trump Administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), that are negatively impacting rural communities. However, Indivisible members noted that the most powerful moments came from community members who shared personal stories of hardship and uncertainty. The town hall focused on key topics such as Medicare and Medicaid cuts, reductions to Social Security benefits, funding for Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Public Education. The crowd of approximately 125 people expressed deep concern about these issues. One attendee, Doug Bonner, shared his anxiety about Social Security, stating, “The first thing I did this morning was check if my payment came through.” His words echoed the fears of many attendees concerned about financial instability. Concerns about Medicare and Medicaid cuts resonated strongly, particularly regarding their impact on rural communities like Newaygo County. Attendees discussed how reductions in funding could limit incentives for qualified medical professionals to serve these areas, disproportionately affecting the elderly and children by reducing access to nursing home care, adult foster care, and mental health services. A particularly powerful moment came when a veteran approached a cutout of Representative Moolenaar and asked, “How can you assure that your veterans are not being denied services? Because if you can’t back my brothers and sisters now, don’t expect us to back you later.” His words were met with the loudest applause of the evening, highlighting the deep frustration among constituents over potential cuts to VA services. The two-hour event began with the Pledge of Allegiance and concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Heartwell: “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we are going to do it together.” He encouraged all attendees to join Indivisible Newaygo County or Indivisible on the Lakeshore to continue advocating for their community. Despite Representative Moolenaar’s absence, the town hall served as a vital platform for constituents to voice their concerns and rally together for action.  Former Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell (at podium) and U.S. 2nd District 2024 Democratic candidate Michael Lynch (seated) spoke at the meeting. |
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May 2025
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