Still Waiting for the Apology from Climate Change Deniers

It's been twenty years now, since climatologists and scientists first began to raise the warning flags about global warming and climate change. It was first a theory, knowing that the "greenhouse" effect, with more carbon in the atmosphere, could trap heat and light and warm the planet. Later, we began to record actual warming temperatures, across the globe. Conservatives, especially those linked to the oil and gas industries, scoffed.

Vice-President Al Gore tried to raise a warning. The ice caps were melting. Temperatures were rising. Again, the talking heads on Fox News made fun and denied there was an issue, and "if there is warming, it is natural and not man-made".

Measurements of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was shown to be sky high. Record hot summers were recorded. Droughts increased. Still the climate change deniers laughed and said this was just hysterical tree huggers crying wolf.

Last summer in Michigan, in Ferndale and Oak Park, we reached a temperature of 105 degrees on the Fourth of July. I know because I was out campaigning, and after a couple of hours, we had to retreat to our homes in exhaustion. That evening, we had the worst hail storm that I have ever experienced. Hail the size of golfballs rained down. I know because I was out in it, and my car was trashed. Two thousand dollars of insurance-paid repairs was just my experience. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of others who had roofs and vehicles ruined.

Giant hundred year floods and hurricanes now occur every couple of years.
Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and other states regularly experience droughts and county -wide forest fires, destroying homes and businesses.

Rising sea levels now flood the northeast causing billions in damage. Cities like Baltimore and New York are building or cosidering dykes and seawalls.

Our winters are nice and mild, but snowfall is shrinking. Meanwhile, Australia is on fire, and they are having their hottest summer on record. Southern plants and animals (and insects) are moving north. Northern animals and plants are at risk for extinction.

Humans are bad at planning for the future, but we are putting our children and grandchildren at risk. We were warned, but we ignored them. We keep drilling for more petroleum products, driving giant SUVs, and having more babies.

Meanwhile, those who denied any looming problem, quietly continue to avert their eyes to the growing menance. We need an apology from them, and then action to at least try and plan for the upcoming disaster, and try and reduce the impact.

Remember What These Elected Officials Have Done as You Vote

As Oakland County residents prepare to make their choices and cast ballots for the upcoming elections, they would do well to remember how certain county elected officials reacted these past couple of years to the decriminalization of medical marijuana which was passed by overwhelming majorities of Michigan voters. Instead of a mindful and accommodating attempt to follow the wishes of residents, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard decided to devote huge amounts of effort and resources into investigations, entrapments, raids, and arrests of local residents who attempted to follow the newly passed laws in open and law-abiding manners.

Mayors, councilmembers, city commissioners, local police, police chiefs, and planning and zoning officials in several cities, including right here in our own city of Ferndale, painstakingly developed methods to enable patients and caregivers to begin to provide for the use of marijuana as medicine. But our sheriff decided to use his office, time, and efforts to use every known force of law to shut down these efforts. He used helicopters, undercover narcotics agents, snarling dogs, and swat officers in full riot gear and facemasks, carrying automatic weapons to make raids. They arrested owners, nurses, receptionists, and even grandmothers who were trying to follow the new medical marijuana laws.

Lest anyone believe this criticism is partisan, Republican Sheriff Bouchard could not have carried out such raids without support from our Democratic Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper. Her 1970’s era “nixonian” beliefs about marijuana enabled this huge waste of law and order resources, against the wishes of people who live in our city. She went so far as to threaten with criminal prosecution local officials, including mayors, councilmembers, city managers, and a sitting Oakland County Commissioner (me) who attempted to enact zoning areas and permits to allow for the legal distribution of medical marijuana.

Thousands of hours of law enforcement, prosecutorial, and court system hours, costing Oakland County taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, have been wasted these past couple of years, while thousands of burglaries, assaults, and car thefts go unsolved .

Elected officials such as Bouchard and Cooper are decades behind the times, on the wrong side of history, and are both up for election in days. Voters should remember this when they get their ballots in the coming election and vote accordingly.

Craig Covey, Oakland County Commissioner 25th District

Ferndale Supports Efforts to Recall Troy Mayor

For Immediate Release

Contact: County Commissioner Craig Covey 248-721-6434

Troy website: www.recalljanice.com

Ferndale to Host Event to support the Recall of Troy Mayor Daniels

Little City Shows Solidarity for Diversity and Openness

(Ferndale) Residents from Southeastern Oakland County are attending a fundraising event this Sunday, October 7, to help raise funds for the recall effort against Troy mayor Janice Daniels. The event is being held at Soho, 215 W. Nine Mile Road in downtown Ferndale from 6 to 8 pm. There is no set fee to attend, and any donations are accepted for the Recall Janice Daniels political committee.
The grass roots gathering in the small suburb of Ferndale south of Troy is being organized by County Commissioner Craig Covey and Ferndale City Councilman Dan Martin to support the recall efforts. Ferndale is known for its diversity, including a large GLBT community. Some of the driving reasons for the recall, among many, are the repeated comments and actions taken by the Troy mayor In opposition to diversity, including homophobic remarks to Troy high school students, reporters, and on Facebook.
“Troy is a big, important, and diverse city in Michigan, full of corporate headquarters, malls, businesses and schools,” said Covey. “That residents and employers have been embarrassed from national attention by such backward utterings by their mayor - hurts our entire region,” he added.
Said Ferndale Councilman Martin, “Ferndale has demonstrated such success from embracing diversity, and our residents what to show solidarity with the people in Troy in their efforts towards inclusion and fairness.”
Five restaurants from Royal Oak and Ferndale are providing food in-kind for the event, and the Soho martini bar will host drink specials Sunday, including “Long Island Iced Teas” in recognition of Daniel’s support of the local ”Tea Party” and her lost love of New York City.

Monday August 6, 2012
For Immediate Release
From Craig Covey, Oakland County Commissioner, D-Ferndale cell: 248.721.6434

COVEY CAMPAIGN WILL NOT USE “ROBO” CALLS
(Ferndale) No one likes them: those pre-recorded, automated phone calls that start coming in to people’s homes in the final days of a political candidate’s election campaign. They can interrupt your dinner, or make you get up while trying to watch a game on tv. They can wake you from a nap, or interrupt any other activity you may be trying to accomplish.
“They’re cheap and annoying, and people hate to get them,” said Craig Covey, Oakland County Democratic County Commissioner. “I didn’t use them when I ran for mayor or county commissioner, and I will never use them in any campaign I may enter in the future,” he added.
Automated, pre-recorded “robo” calls are used to get more votes at the tail end of a political candidate’s campaign. They cost as little as 2 cents per call. Michigan voters were inundated with such calls during the Republican presidential primary, and in last year’s Governor’s race.
Some candidates, from both parties, use them as a last ditch effort to turn out the vote. They have thankfully never been able to use them for cell phones, but residents who have land lines must still bear the ringing phones and inconvenience, even if they have answering machines.
People on the “do not call” list can also get these recorded calls.
“My volunteers and I may make live calls to neighbors and friends on Monday or Tuesday of next week, but door to door contact and letters are the main way we are reaching voters in Oak Park, Hazel Park, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, and Royal Oak Township,” said Covey. “We will never use “robo” calls.
Covey is in what most experts believe to be a very tight race for the Democratic nomination for Oakland County Commission’s new 18th district, which came about through Republican gerrymandering after this past winter’s “power grab” by the state and county GOP. They fitted four democrats into two new districts, in order to get rid of two.
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Endorsements for Craig Covey - Oakland County Commission

Endorsements for Democratic Primary, August 7, 2012 (partial list as of 7/23/12)

Public Officials

• Herb Ivory, Principal of Ferndale High School, Retired
• Rudy Serra, former 36th District Court Judge
• Jack Lloyd, Mayor, Hazel Park
• Robert Porter, Former Ferndale Mayor
• Jan Parisi, Mayor Pro-Tem, Hazel Park
• Jeff Keeton, City Councilman, Hazel Park
• Andy Lecureaux, Hazel Park City Councilman
• Tom Selman, Former Hazel Park City Councilman
• Ruel Mcpherson, former longtime Hazel Park County Commissioner
• Pam McCullough, Former Ferndale Mayor
• Bob McGee, Former Ferndale Mayor
• Michael Lennon, Ferndale City Councilman
• Dan Martin, Ferndale City Councilman
• Helen Weber, former long-time Ferndale Councilwoman
• Jim O’Donnell, President, Ferndale Library Board
• Kevin Deegan-Krause, Library Board
• Dawn Warren, Principal, Ferndale Middle School
• Nan Kerr-Mueller, Ferndale School Board
• Kristy Stoll, Ferndale School Board Candidate
• Julia Music, Ferndale Community Foundation
• Greg Pawlica, President, Board of Directors, Ferndale Community Foundation
• Peggy Snow, Ferndale Beautification Commission
• Mozella McIntyre, Charter Township of Royal Oak
• Charles Pugh, President, Detroit City Council
• Buzz Thomas, former State Senator, 4th District, D-Detroit
• Jim Rasor, Royal Oak City Commissioner
• Louise Schilling, former Mayor, City of Troy
• Margene Scott, City Councilwoman, Madison Heights
• Robert Hellar, Ecorse City Councilman
• Jane Boudreau, candidate, Oakland County Sheriff
• Eric Coleman, former Oakland County Commissioner, D-Southfield
* Phil Poole, former Ferndale City Councilman

Community Leaders

• Kimberly Beebe, President, Oakland County NOW
• Chad Carr, Birmingham Compassion Club
• Trevor Johnson, Founder, Community Garden in Oak Park
• Dr. Dennis Paulson, Pastor of United Methodist Church, retired.
• Paul Gateman, Pastor Lutheran Church
• Evan Cissell, Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission

Businesses

• Jack Aronson, CEO, Garden Fresh Salsa
• Chris and Tiffany Best, Owners, Rust Belt Market
• Sandy Levine, Owner, The Oakland
• Dean Bach, owner, Dino’s
• Brian Kramer, owner, Rosie O’Grady’s
• Dan Reedy, Danny’s
• Bob Lenaway, Lenny’s Copy Center
• Kevin Rogers, Just For Us
• Tom Pearlman, owner, Soho
• Bill Thomas, Pronto
• Chris & Krista Johnston, Emory, Woodward Ave. Brewers, Loving Touch
• Mark McConnell, owner, Boogie Fever
• Michael Hennes, owner, Howe’s Bayou

Residents

• Robert Babut, Hazel Park
• Dean & Denise Bach
• Peggy Bailey-Barwin
• Kim Beebe
• Laura Bellamy, Ferndale
• Dr. Paul Benson, Berkley
• Sandy Berris
• Ed Burns
• James Campbell, Huntington Woods
• Dave Cantrall
• Mike and Ahmed Ftuni
• Carrie Copeland, Ferndale
• Peter Cooper, Oak Park
• Jeannie Davis, President, Ferndale Seniors
• Sean Drate, Ferndale
• Richard Feldman, Huntington Woods
• Ricky Feliciano
• Dr. Michael Flores
• Harry Fresch, Hazel Park
• Dave Garcia, Ferndale
• Sicilia Grego
• Francine Hachem, Ferndale
• Colleen Hamlin, Hazel Park
• Ann Heler, Ferndale
• Beth Hussey, Ferndale
• Chris Hickner
• Melinda Hicks
• Ed Hicok
• Joanna Hill, Hazel Park
• Dennis & Marti Hoeppner
• Melissa Hohauser-Thatcher
• Howard Israel
• Joyce Ivory
• Ed Jeffrey
• Angie Kaiser, Royal Oak
• Sean Kosovsky
• Ferndale
• Kevin Krause
• Sherry Kruzman-Martin
• Phillip LaForme, Hazel Park
• Kat LaTosch, Ferndale
• Mary Lenaway
• Lori Lennon
• Nancy Lennon
• Delsean Littlejohn
• Dr. & Mrs. William T Lynch
• Reynaldo Magdaleno, Ferndale

Organizations

• Michigan Equality Pride PAC
• Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan
• United Auto Workers Region 1
• Victory Fund
• Michigan Medical Marijuana Association
• Birmingham Compassion Club
• Ferndale Blues Society

More Residents

• Dominick Mastriani, Hazel Park
• Gordon Matsun, Oak Park
• Rob Potter
• JoAnn McGlone
• Eric McPherson, Hazel Park
• Ken Miller
• Larry & Monica Mills
• Virginia Saxton, Ferndale
• Janna Moll-Jantz
• Jeff Montgomery, Detroit
• Rick Mullen, Ferndale
• Bobby Murray, Ferndale
• Mary O'Brien
• Shelley O’Brien, Hazel Park
• Frank O’Donnell
• Phil O’Jibway
• Marty O´Neill
• Richard Parisi, Hazel Park
• Jihann Jones, Detroit
• David Ponsart, Hazel Park
• Peggy Poole, Ferndale
• Angie Potter, Ferndale
• Rob Potter
• Michelle and Robert Prud'homme, Ferndale
• Chris Ramozotti, Hazel Park
• Ron Reed, Hazel Park
• Jenna Lennon, Ferndale
• Rich Robbins, Hazel Park
• Dan Manville, Ferndale
• Suzanne Rowe, Ferndale
• Joy Schumacher, Huntington Woods
• Noah Schusterbauer
• your name here ?
• Gary & Lorri Taube, Oak Park
• Jimmy & Jane Thompson, Ferndale
• Al Vezza, Huntington Woods
• Carey Watkins
• Dick & Joann Willcock
• Dawn Wolfe
• Dan Manville, Ferndale
• Amy Roemer, Ferndale
• Jenna Lennon
• Peter Gahan, Huntington Woods
• Anthony Bronner
• Chris Kole
• Ann Hubbarth, Royal Oak
• Eric McPherson, Hazel Park
• Adam Scanlon
• Joe Oram, Southfield
• Sherri Martin, Ferndale
• Douglas Whaley, Professor of Law, OSU, retired
* Tony Phoenix




Friends of Craig Covey
445 W Woodruff Ave. Hazel Park, MI 48030 www.coveyforoakland.com Craig@CoveyforOakland.com

Open Letter to the Voters of Oakland County

I am running for re-election as the Democratic Oakland County Commissioner for the new 18th district, which now includes Huntington Woods, Oak Park, Hazel Park, Charter Township of Royal Oak, and Ferndale. Having served the people of Ferndale and the surrounding region for the past 13 years as a councilman, mayor, and county commissioner, I would like to ask you to vote in the Democratic primary coming up on Tuesday August 7, and to consider a vote for me in that election.

Republicans in control of the state, the county, and the courts forced redistricting on us this year. That greatly affects our own cities including Huntington Woods and Ferndale. As the fundraising co-chair of the Democratic caucus, I fought against this power grab all last winter and into the spring. I want to continue to fight that kind of partisan, un-democratic maneuvering.

You may know of my long history of service to Oakland County and the region. For more than 20 years, I’ve been a tireless promoter of the Woodward corridor, fighting for better public transit, green policies, and a focus on sustainability. On the county commission, I succeeded in critical first steps by getting our Road Commission to include bike lanes, walkability, handicap accessibility, and public transit accommodations for all new road-building and repair.

I was instrumental in creating Ferndale’s resurgence in the 1990’s. We turned a city with an empty downtown into a gleaming, thriving, and vibrant place. I founded and manage many annual charitable events, such as an annual winter music festival, pub crawls in four cities, and the annual GLBT pride festivals, raising a quarter million dollars for charities such as Youth Assistance, local community foundations, our volunteer Police Auxiliary, and the Green Cruise.

My insistence on inclusion is legendary, and I led the effort to show the entire region a new way to promote families, jobs, and sustainability. By embracing diversity and giving everyone a seat at the table, we are attracting and keeping young people from fleeing our region and we now see new economic vitality returning to Michigan.

I admit I’m not a typical politician; I’m liberal on social issues but conservative when it comes to budgets, taxes, and protecting our neighborhoods from crime. Check out my successes and advocacy for the issues that are important to you, and my endorsements, and please vote on August 7th in the Democratic primary.



Craig Covey, Oakland County Commissioner

Ferndale Pride 2012 June 14 through 17

(Ferndale) The Gay community will once again celebrate its heritage and pride across Ferndale next week as thousands are expected for the annual street festival, a “Light the Night Against Hate” educational event, the annual “Dyke March”, a 5 K run, and multiple concerts, bar and club parties from June 14 through Sunday June 17th. Last week, Ferndale City Council declared June “Gay Pride Month” for the thirteenth year in a row, and the Oakland County Commission will proclaim the same at its June meeting.
Events begin on Thursday June 14 with “Dino’s Back Alley”, a pre-glow kickoff party in the newly renovated alley and patio/garden behind Dino’s Bar and Grill from 8 pm until 1 am.

Friday June 15 is the “Light the Night Against Hate” walk through downtown ferndale. Up to 16 ethnic and advocacy groups will provide speakers with educational presentations about bullying, hate crimes, and cultural tolerance in the strolling, family-friendly event. Organizations representing youth, GLBT groups, Latino, Asian, Arabic and African Americans groups, along with women’s and civil liberties groups, will share their experiences at locations around the city and educate people about their own cultures. People will gather at the city park at W. Nine Mile and Planavon between 8:30 pm and 10 pm for this walk.
Saturday June 16 is the third annual “Dyke March”, which begins at 2 pm near the Rust Belt market at Woodward and W. Nine Mile road for a march to Geary Park for a 2:30 pm rally and concert.

Sunday morning June 17th is the first annual “Rainbow Run”. This event features a 5K and 2K run or walk through neighborhood streets put on by the Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce. Volunteers will be stationed along the course to throw a natural powdered paint at the runners in the colors of the rainbow.
The big event is the street festival on W. Troy, beginning at noon. The festival includes 60 booths of organizations and vendors, food trucks, beer gardens, and concerts all day long. Multiple elected officials, including area mayors, commissioners, and representatives will help climax the Rainbow Run and open the festival with the release of 1,000 balloons in colors of the rainbow, a long time symbol of Gay Pride on stage at noon. Being Father’s Day, a tribute to fathers, including Gay fathers as well as fathers of Gay people, will take place on stage at 3 pm.

Sponsors of the events include Motor City Casino Hotel, Suburban Buick GMC, Rosie O’Grady’s, One Eyed Betty’s, Orchid Nightclub, Comerica Bank, Danny’s Irish Pub, Dino’s, the Ferndale DDA, Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce, Affirmations, Green Thumb Garden Center, the Bosco, the Oakland, Soho, Woodward Ave. Brewers, Comos, Oakland County Parks and Recreation, and dozens of other businesses and organizations.
Other colorful events include the infamous annual “Bears Car Wash” Saturday afternoon at Level One Bank, church dinners, a GLBT design confab at Affirmations Thursday June 14th, and an afterglow Sunday night at the new Orchid Nightclub in downtown Ferndale.
Full information on all of these events is available at the website www.ferndalepride.com and on Facebook at Ferndale Pride. Up to ten thousand people are expected to attend the events over the four day period.

Downtown Ferndale will be festooned with a hundred rainbow pride flags during the lead up to the weekend.
June is the month that Gay Pride is celebrated worldwide. This month is the 43rd anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which occurred in New York City in June, 1969. Those protests sparked the beginning of the modern Gay rights movement.