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Tag: Howell

  • Groundhog Games: Woody the Woodchuck and Punxsutawney Phil

    Every February 2, we wait with bated breath for one of nature’s most unpredictable weather forecasters: the humble groundhog. But this year we’re doing things differently at WCSX. It’s time for a head-to-head Groundhog Games showdown between Michigan’s own Woody the Woodchuck at the Howell Nature Center and the world’s most famous forecaster, Punxsutawney Phil from Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania.

    Think figure skating meets meteorology. Think Winter Olympics meets Cheesehead hats. Let’s break it down by statistical and ridiculous categories.

    Groundhog Games: Woody the Woodchuck vs Punxsutawney Phil

    Accuracy

    Who predicts an early spring more often? According to records, Woody’s got a respectable around 65–67% accuracy rate for calling spring correctly. That’s better than the “official” statistics you’ll find for Punxsutawney Phil, whose long-term accuracy is often estimated closer to a coin flip or worse: many analyses place Phil’s predictive success at roughly 36–40%. Plus, over the last 20 years, according to NOAA, Phil has been right just 30% of the time.

    Shadow Dancing

    It’s all about style here. Phil’s tradition of emerging at dawn in top hat pageantry is the supreme classic. Showing up in their Tuesday best with tuxedos and scrolls, the official handlers are dressed like meteorological royalty. Woody’s approach is more down-to-earth (literally): she’s judged by how long she stays outside on her ceremonial stump to “call” spring rather than by her shadow.

    Crowd Appeal

    Sorry, Woody, but Phil wins this one. Tens of thousands of fans still flock to Gobbler’s Knob every Groundhog Day. That national celebrity legacy is tough to beat. Phil has been calling spring for more than 100 years, and he gets his own TV time. Woody is popular and talked about in the Metro Detroit area. She’s been calling since 1999.

    Timing

    When winter refuses to quit, and you’re ready for warmth now, Woody’s no-nonsense 30-second stump ritual brings results fast. Phil’s sunrise spectacle? Magical, but it’s early morning, and you might need coffee… and the day off. This year’s festivities for Gobbler’s Knob begin at 3:00 in the morning, with Phil expected around 7:07. Woody’s festivities start around 7:30, with Woody’s appearance expected around 8:30.

    Final Scorecard (Rodent Style)
    • Accuracy: Woody wins
    • Shadow Dancing: Phil dominates
    • Crowd Appeal: Phil wins
    • Timing: Woody pokes ahead

    So where does that leave us? In the realm of folklore and seasonal hope, both groundhogs bring joy and tradition to February. But if you’re betting on accuracy and efficiency this Groundhog Day, Woody’s got the edge… and fewer crowd issues. Now if only we had a bunch of black top hats…

    Donielle Flynn has two kids, two cats, two dogs, and a love of all things rock. She’s been in radio decades and held down top-rated day parts at Detroit, Philadelphia, and Washington DC radio stations throughout her tenure. She enjoys writing about rock news, the Detroit community, and she has a series called “The Story Behind” where she researches the history of classic rock songs.

    Donielle Flynn

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  • Controversy over Trump event leads to Livingston County’s sheriff resignation from nonprofit board

    Controversy over Trump event leads to Livingston County’s sheriff resignation from nonprofit board

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    AP Photo/Evan Vucci

    Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump spoke about crime and safety during a campaign event at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 20 in Howell. Standing behind him is Livingston County Sheriff Michael Murphy.

    Livingston County Sheriff Michael Murphy has stepped down from his position on a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for victims of sexual and domestic abuse in the wake of his controversial decision to host former President Donald Trump at the sheriff’s office last month.

    The Michigan Bureau of Elections is investigating Murphy after Metro Times reported that he may have violated state law by using taxpayer resources to support a political candidate.

    Murphy voluntarily resigned from the Board of Directors for the LOCASA Center, which provides services for victims of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual violence.

    Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal said many board members were furious and called on Murphy’s resignation.

    It was also a strange choice for Murphy, ostensibly an advocate for sexual abuse victims, to show support for Trump, who has admitted to groping women and was found liable last year for sexually abusing and defaming E. Jean Carroll.

    In his resignation notice, Murphy expressed that his decision was made to avoid overshadowing the important work of LACASA. He emphasized his long-standing commitment to the organization.

    “As a board member for close to 25 years, I have always been an advocate for LACASA, using my time, talents, and money to help where I could,” Murphy said in a statement after a Metro Times inquiry. “I have never intentionally or unintentionally done anything to hurt the organization, and it’s unfortunate some can’t see that.”

    LACASA Board Chair Patricia Claffey reassured that the organization’s vital work continues without interruption, highlighting LACASA’s four-decade commitment to providing a safe space for victims and survivors.

    “For more than 40 years, LACASA has provided a safe and supportive environment for victims and survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual violence, and a place where they are believed, trusted, and empowered,” Claffey said. “We thank Sheriff Murphy for his service to our organization, and will continue to work closely with him and his staff as our law enforcement partners.”

    LACASA President & CEO Bobette Schrandt echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the organization’s strong relationship with local law enforcement, which she said will remain unchanged. Schrandt also underscored LACASA’s unwavering focus on the needs of victims and survivors.

    “We are proud of our unwavering commitment to advocate for survivors,” Schrandt stated. “We thank Sheriff Murphy for the years he spent on our board, and for recognizing that there is no room for distraction from our critical mission.”

    The Michigan Campaign Finance Act makes it a crime punishable by up to 93 days in jail to use public resources to support a political candidate.

    A day before Trump’s arrival, Murphy claimed in a video that the former president’s appearance was not a political event.

    “Let me make a couple of things clear: One, this is not a political event. This is a press conference,” Murphy said.

    The event forced the closure of multiple courts, as well as the offices of the prosecutor, magistrate, parole officers, and the probation department.

    A campaign event by Trump’s running mate JD Vance at the Shelby Township PoliceDepartment is also being investigated.

    Steve Neavling

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  • Democrats blast Trump’s rally in Michigan town with troubling KKK ties

    Democrats blast Trump’s rally in Michigan town with troubling KKK ties

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    Shutterstock

    Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak in Howell at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

    Michigan Democrats are slamming former President Donald Trump for choosing Howell as the location for his rally on Tuesday, a month after white supremacists rallied there, chanting “We love Hitler. We love Trump.”

    Trump plans to talk about “crime and safety” at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office in the town of about 10,000 residents that has been called the “KKK Capital of Michigan.”

    Democrats say Trump is fueling racial divisions for political gain.

    “It’s no accident that Donald Trump chose to campaign in Howell less than a month after failing to condemn the Neo-Nazis who marched through town shouting their support for Hitler and Trump in the same breath,” Michigan Democratic Party Chairperson Lavora Barnes said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “His visit here to talk about safety is laughable — violent crime spiked under his watch, and he’s running on an extreme Project 2025 agenda that would defund law enforcement, abolish common-sense gun safety measures, and give Trump unchecked power.”

    Barnes added, “Michiganders don’t want a convicted criminal in the White House who will make our communities less safe and stoke hatred and division at every turn — that’s why they will reject Trump and his racist agenda come November.”

    And Howell isn’t the only town with links to white supremacists that Trump is visiting. On Monday, Trump visited York, Pennsylvania, which has a long history with the KKK.

    On Wednesday, Trump is speaking in Asheboro, North Carolina, where the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan held a rally in 2017. And on Friday, Trump is holding a rally in Glendale, Arizona, which is the global headquarters of the Aryan Nations Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

    “This does not seem like a coincidence,” TikTok user and attorney Cheyenne Hunt, who has 99,400 followers, said. “We should all be talking about it. They are making an explicit play for the white supremacist vote.”

    On July 20 in Howell, masked white supremacists rallied and chanted, “We love Hitler. We love Trump.” One group chanted “Heil Hitler” during a march. During a second demonstration, participants waved flags with a swastika, the term “KKK,” and other antisemitic messages.

    Howell has been linked to the KKK for years, largely because of the rallies Michigan-based Grand Dragon Robert Miles held on a nearby farm in the 1970s and 1980s.

    During an appearance before the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago on July 30, Trump came under fire for falsely suggesting his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, had misled voters about her race.

    “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Trump said while addressing the group’s annual convention.

    Harris is the daughter of immigrant parents — her father from Jamaica and her mother from India. As an undergraduate, she studied at Howard University, a leading historically Black college, where she joined the historically Black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. During her time as a U.S. senator, Harris was part of the Congressional Black Caucus, advocating for voting rights and police reform legislation.

    Trump is scheduled to take the stage in Howell at 3 p.m.

    Steve Neavling

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