On Wednesday, October 9, Michigan State University Extension will host the second annual Michigan 4-H Day at the Capitol. This event, held for the first time in 2023, showcases the positive impact of the Michigan 4-H program and brings visibility to its efforts throughout the state.

“We’re excited to bring Michigan 4-H Day at the Capitol back in 2024,” said Quentin Tyler, director of MSU Extension. “We were thrilled by the attendance at our event last year and it proved a great way to celebrate our 4-H program while elevating awareness about it.”

Michigan 4-H is the flagship youth development program of MSU Extension and reached nearly 135,000 young people ages 5 to 19 last year. Through various activities, clubs, groups, programs and events, 4-H’ers are offered hands-on learning experiences where they can explore their passions and interests while growing confidence, life skills and a sense of responsibility.

“Our Michigan 4-H program is changing the lives of youth across the state, and has been for more than 115 years,” continued Tyler. “We hope to highlight the impacts of this program, raise awareness of its availability, and ultimately reach even more youth in the future.”

Legislators, stakeholders and members of the public are invited to join MSU Extension for Michigan 4-H Day at the Capitol, which will be held from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Heritage Hall atrium. At the event, informational booths will be hosted by Michigan 4-H youth and staff, who will share their personal experiences of impact through Michigan 4-H. A brief program will be held at noon. Scheduled speakers include Tyler; State Rep. Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Township), who is serving as the legislative host for the event; MSU President Kevin Guskiewicz; Emma Young, policy analyst for Governor Whitmer and a Michigan 4-H alumna; and two Michigan 4-H youth, Everett Howell and Brianna Sierra.

Heritage Hall is located at 323 W. Ottawa Street in Lansing. Those interested in attending are asked to register at https://events.anr.msu.edu/Michigan4HCapitol2024/.

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MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – Two Michigan poets encourage you to connect with different cultures through poetry.

On Thursday night, Michigan Humanities hosted ‘Bridging Michigan: Building Understanding Through Poetry.’

The discussion featured U.P. Poet Laureate Dr. Beverly Matherne, a professor at NMU, and Michigan Poet Laureate Nandi Comer. NMU Assistant Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion Shawnrece Campbell moderated the discussion.

One of the main messages from both poet laureates is broadening your worldview. At the event, both Dr. Matherne and Comer encouraged readers to consider reading authors they may not normally consider.

“There’s a poem for everyone, right,” Comer explained “So, I think most of the time, if people don’t feel like they see themselves in poetry, they have not met the right poem yet. If you have not met the right poem yet it’s probably because you’ve been reading too narrowly.”

“I think sharing and getting out our special message is important,” Dr. Matherne added.

To learn more about Dr. Beverly Matherne, you can visit her website.

Comer’s website can be found here.

Copyright 2024 WLUC. All rights reserved.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Michigan Republican Party are suing Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) over what they allege is “incomplete” guidance from her office on how election clerks should verify absentee ballots.

The case marks the RNC’s 16th voting-related lawsuit as Republicans amp up their election litigation ahead of the presidential race. It’s also the RNC’s fifth case in Michigan. This complaint takes issue with Benson’s guidance to election clerks, which she issued in February of 2024 and which plaintiffs say is at odds with Michigan election laws. 

Plaintiffs say the document doesn’t inform clerks of all of their requirements under the law, which stipulates that “written or stamped on each absent voter ballot return envelope must be the date” on which the absent voter ballot return envelope was received by the city or township clerk and must also contain “a statement by the city or township clerk that the absent voter ballot is approved for tabulation.”

If a clerk determines the elector’s signature is missing or doesn’t match the signature on file, “the clerk shall reject the absent voter ballot and provide the elector with notice and the opportunity to cure the deficiency.”

Despite this framework, the plaintiffs say, “it appears that local clerks may not be complying with the requirement to mark absent voter ballot envelopes with a statement that the voter’s signature has been verified.”

The complaint cites an alleged instance in which plaintiffs “recently learned that thousands of absent voter ballots were apparently tabulated during the August 6, 2024 primary election in Warren, Michigan, despite the complete absence of a statement by the clerk on the corresponding return envelope that the absent voter ballot is approved for tabulation …”

The lawsuit filed Tuesday in state court seeks a ruling that prevents Benson from implementing her ballot-processing guidance and issuing new guidelines ahead of the Nov. 5 election, and also declares that city and township clerks must comply with procedural rules on ballot-counting that are prescribed in Michigan law. Director of Elections Jonathan Brater is also a defendant.

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said Thursday that Benson’s guidance “will undermine protections for absentee voters, leading to improper handling and counting of absentee ballots.”

The plaintiffs said in the suit that there’s “ample time” for expedited proceedings to resolve the matter before the Nov. 5 election.

Read the lawsuit here.

Read more about the case here.