May 23, 2025 • 36 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Buy from higher Top Monroe Center in downtown Grand Rapids.
We're talking about what matters most to you when West
Michigan joined the conversation Now at six one six seven
seven four twenty four twenty four. At six one six
seven seven four twenty four twenty four, it's West Michigan
Live with Justin Barklay on Wood Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Well, the sun is shining. We got that going for us,
a little cooler than you may expect their one on
memorial that wee conmit. You know, here in Michigan, it's
really hard to know exactly what to expect, and you
kicked off the summer. But we'll take it. Like I said,
the sun is shining and then we'll fit you in
on what the rest of the weekend is set to
(00:44):
look like coming up in the in just moments today,
folksagn in here with us. We got big news to
get to, of course, big news here locally breaking. Yesterday
we finally heard the fate of Officer Christopher Sure at
least for.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Now news, weather and traffic, his stories of the day.
We are talking about what matters most in West Michigan
and beyond.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
This is the Big three. Now, let's see speak three. Yeah,
the story is that you'll be talking about around the
dinner table, the water cooler, maybe a fire pit this week,
and who knows. Up north, the folks at HHM lending
want to help and maybe get you. Help them get
you another home. Maybe maybe get you a little cottage
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of credit or that home up north? Dave got Away
and the team ready to help. You know they've helped
us every single time we've bought our home refinanced home
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as the folks who have used the program of the
(01:52):
course that listen to West Michieliven World Radio. So give
them a shout AHM lending dot Com for their support.
Speaking of support, Kent County Prosecutor yesterday Christopher Becker making
that big announcement and it came, well, it came kind
(02:12):
of quickly, right around eleven thirty yesterday, that big announcement coming.
He is going to decide not not to retry Officer
Christopher Sure, which was a relief for a lot of folks.
I'll got right to the chase.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I've made the decision not to seek a retrial in
the case of Christopher Sure. I know this is an
extremely difficult decision, and I spoke with Peter about a
half hour ago. Obviously is very disappointed in that decision.
I know there's many members of the community that are
disappointed in that decision. I did not arrive at it lately.
I looked at everything. I looked at our case. I
(02:52):
looked at the defense case. I looked at the arguments
that were made. I looked at the jury selection process,
because I think that's probably one of the biggest things
that going into this we were thinking about.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
You know, long story short Wood tv A, this is
this is a case that never should have been brought.
Wood tv A cleared by the jury results to found
as they pulled one jur one jar of spectamum and
conditions and aminemity and said that the verdict behind the
scenes was eleven to one. There was one loan holdout.
(03:22):
That one loan holdout from what we're hearing, a black
man who asked at some point whether or not Christopher
Sure had sensitivity training. You may remember that question that
was that was asked, and that's just what we're hearing
behind the scenes. And of course that individual was not
going to budge, but it was clear they were not
going to get a conviction and never would, particularly not
(03:43):
here in Kent County. Now they say it's straight for now.
The question is what happens next to what could happen next? Well,
prayers for both sure his family but also Patrick Leia's
family in the community as prayer this thing doesn't turn
uber political. I mean, it's already been a bit that way.
(04:04):
I'll explain how he's not completely out of the woods.
Coming up next here, DC US Attorney Judge Jenny and
Piro says he could get the death penalty, and in fact,
there are some people that are certainly pushing for that
and the death that terrific killing of those two Israeli
diplomats yesterday, the story coming out of that event for
(04:30):
Israel and Washington d C. She spoke yesterday.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
I think that we have an idea of that, but
let me just say that, you know, the President and
the Attorney General have both indicated that, you know, in
cases where the death penalty is warranted and seems appropriate,
we will use it. It's far too early to say
(04:54):
whether that is the case, but this is a death
penalty eligible case.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
From the thigh to that role. I gotta tell you
if she is something else, and I think she's going
to do a fantastic job as the attorney there in Washington.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
D C.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Hey, the Maha report is out and it is a doucy.
We can break this down in more depth a little
bit later on in the program, but just so you know,
RFK Junior brought it out yesterday. It includes all types
of comprehensive strategies to make America healthy again. Some of
those strategies include taking a look at the poor diet
(05:34):
of Americans, the environmental chemical exposure, over medicalization, vaccinations, and more.
And folks are happy to see that they're taking it
seriously in d C. Trump, RFK Junior making America healthy again?
All right, it is a free for all Friday, And
(05:56):
of course I want to give you a chance to
weigh in as well. You could talk about it any
of the stories that we've loaded up for you, or
take us in a different direction up to you, but
jump on the.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Hall call justin now at six one, six seven seven
four twenty four twenty four at six one, six seven
seven for twenty four to twenty four West Michigan Live
with Justin Barclay on news Radio Wood thirteen hundred and
one oh six nine f M.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
So, I just I just tanted a disc But the
question is we think we know Officer Sure's fate at
least for now. However, there is a possibility that he
could be retried. It won't be by this prosecutor, but
it is a possibility that the Attorney General of the
State of Michigan, Data Nasall could get uber political on
(06:43):
this law. Says that she could everything I've seen and
got over that she could decide to take this case
and run with it. That would be worst case scenario.
Don't know if that'll happen, but let's let's jump on
the line right with us now. Kyle Olsen from the
Midwestern Ors. He dots, we haven't seen anything that it
would indicate that she intends to do that as of yet,
(07:05):
but she did have her thumb heavy on that scale.
It sounds like in the beginning on this thing back
in well, I guess it was twenty two when all
this came about. Kyle. Welcome in. We appreciate you being
here with us today. Good morning.
Speaker 6 (07:16):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
One of the odds. Are you hearing anything on this?
There hasn't been any news that I've seen, But it
does remain that this case could be brought by the
Attorney General and she deems it everything I've read, something
with the public interest, etc. She could reserve the right
to bring it.
Speaker 6 (07:35):
Yeah, she certainly could do that, and it wouldn't I
don't think it would surprise anyone. She's been very political,
she's been very anti police, particularly local police, and so
it wouldn't surprise me. A source told me yesterday that
the jury votes were very lopsided in favor of officer. Sure,
(07:58):
so I think that that it's probably also a factor,
and it might be a factor of why the prosecutor
chose not to bring a case. Again.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, but let me let me let me stop you
for a second. And this is my concern. If she
decides to bring it, maybe she'll bring it in Ingham County.
Is that is that a possibility and how would that
sway things? Obviously here in West Michigan, in Kent County,
the results were drastically different.
Speaker 6 (08:27):
Sure, yeah, that that's entirely possible. But I it seems
to me like the anti police sentiment that was going
on at that time has changed. And I don't know
if it's just because, you know, President Trump was elected
or I'm not sure the reason, but it seems like
(08:48):
it seems like the tone and the rhetoric in our
broader culture has changed. So I would guess that this
that they will move on, but we'll have to wait
and see.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
There's a lot to be said for what you're saying.
Somebody just asked me about this, and I said, well, look,
it was a different world when Becker brought this case.
And I don't think he ever should have brought it,
but it was. It was certainly a different world. And
if you're looking at things the way kind of the
way they were, it's just give an example. People were
talking about what's going to happen to the city, and
I don't know, but I will tell you this, last
(09:22):
night there were only maybe a couple of handful of
people out there at the courthouse with their signs and
Black Lives Matter and the rest of that. And so
that sentiment, because those people have been yanked around by
the nose, they've been in Free Palestine and everything else.
Who knows what they're up to now they're onto the
next cause du joure. Unfortunately, that's what they call the
(09:43):
useful idiots. It's why they call these people, these people
that are hired to protest and these people that are
giving money and all this other stuff. It's just not
the same world that we live in. And that's that's
the good news. Now let's move on because that's that. Look,
this is a major story, h and continue to pray
for Officer Shore and the city. But there are other
(10:04):
things going on in fact that you've got some big
things happening right here in Michigan this past week that
we probably ought to talk about.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
It's been a huge week in Lancing. We now have
a full time reporter in Lansing, so we're going to
be reporting even more stories about what's going on in
the legislature, particularly in the House. So we're looking forward
to bringing everyone those reports. But probably the biggest story
(10:32):
that came out of Lancing this week was the House
voted yesterday to hold Joscelyn Benson in contempt for refusing
to comply with the House subpoena and basically the House
Oversight Committee, the Election Integrity Subcommittee. They want the training
(10:54):
manual that Joscelyn Benson, the Secretary of State, has given
to local clerks about how to have evaluate ballots. Because
if you go back, if you go back around the
twenty twenty two election, there was a lot of concern
that Jocelyn Benson was giving inappropriate and frankly illegal guidance
(11:14):
and she ended up in court. Courts were ruling against
her that she was not following the process, she was
not following the law. And so the concern from the
Oversight Committee and Representative Rachelle Smith and Representative Jay de
Boyer is that she's continuing to give her own guidance,
which is in violation of the law. So they asked
(11:36):
for the training material and she's refusing to provide it,
which you know, we can speculate about why, but the
bottom line is she's not providing it, and so they
are attempting to get that she's refusing, and so they
held a contempt vote this week, which went along party lines.
She lashed out about that and is attacking the Republicans,
(11:59):
but that that issue is not going to go away.
But then she's also got other problems. She's got this
website that she spent nine million dollars on that is
not working. It's dysfunctional. Legislators actually had to delay Transparency
filing public personal finance disclosure reports because the website's not working.
(12:23):
So she's got that problem. She's she's having a very
bad week.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
It's a horrible, horriable, not good, very bad week. But well,
the question about this, the subpoena, what are there? Is
there any teeth to that? I mean, how would the
House how would they go about compelling her to do
anything produced? I mean, would the Attorney General have to
get involved in Would this attorney general, the same one
(12:49):
that said, oh, yeah, she broke the law, but there's
nothing I could know about it, would.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
She Well, and that's yes, and that's the problem. I
did an interview with House Speaker Matt Hall this week
and we're going to be releasing pieces of that starting today.
And I asked them, okay, so logically, what could happen
is the House says, we believe she's committed crimes, misdemeanors, felonies, criminal, whatever,
(13:14):
whatever it is. We believe she's committed crimes and she
should be prosecuted. Well, naturally that goes to the state
attorney general. Well, what do we think is going to happen?
Not much, And so the Speaker's solution is or his
you know, his comeback is, well, then but we have
say over her budget and her budget. We set her budget,
(13:39):
and that gives us leverage to get what we want
and to and to you know, pursue justice and the
truth and everything else. So that's that I think that's
their counter is, well, if the if the Attorney General
is not going to do anything, then we have budget.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Control notice on your website. The big lead story a
speaker all or us as rival candidate should be concerned
about Secretary of State Joscelyn Benson controlling ballot access. She's
the one who oversees all that. And you know, if
she's not being held accountable for everything else she's done
every other time when she's broken the law repeatedly, why
(14:15):
wouldn't she If we saw Shenanigan's last time around in
twenty two, you're no stranger to that. What could be
coming this time around?
Speaker 6 (14:24):
Yes? And yes, And the Speaker addressed this both during
his press conference this week and in the interview with me,
that the Secretary of State decides what goes on the ballot,
especially the statewide ballot, and obviously the secretary of State
is running for governor. Well, she doesn't want she's not
(14:46):
going to want an independent candidate who happens to be
the mayor of Detroit to take votes away from her
in the critical city of Detroit that she needs, where
she probably will get if it's just her, she'll probably
get ninety percent of the vote. She needs that half
million votes or whatever it is, and she has it's
(15:06):
documented that she's very partisan and very political when it
comes to ballot access. You go back to twenty twenty four,
Robert F. Kennedy Junior was on the ballot. He wanted
to be taken off. She prevented him taken off the ballot.
Cornell West was not on the ballot. Wanted to be
on the ballot. He's saying, please put me on the ballot.
(15:30):
She wouldn't put him on the ballot. Why RFK Junior
would take arguably would take votes away from Trump, and
Cornell West would take votes away from Kamala Harris. So
Benson has been very political and so it doesn't like
dug on the ballot, and she.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Ought to accuse herself overseeing this election. And she's in
it for the top spot in the state. She won't.
Katie Hobbs didn't in Arizona. We all saw how that
worked out, and I won't hold my breath in this
case either. But as always, Kyle Olsen, always a pleasure,
my friend. More at the midwestern or at the Midwesterner
dot news, always a pleasure. Thank you for joining us,
(16:11):
and thank you for staying on top of these stories.
They matter. Thank you, you got it. Don't just book market,
definitely do that, but put in your email so you
can get up to date all the time at the
Midwesterner dot.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
News, asking the tough questions. It's West Michigan Live with
Justin Barklay on News Radio Wood thirteen hundred and one
oh six nine af AM.
Speaker 7 (16:32):
Here are your headlines from the Midwesterner this Friday, May
twenty third. I'm Robin Hoffman. It's a Midwesterner dot news
original story. Under Democrat Governor Whitmer, more bad economic news
to report here in Michigan. Mercedes Benz to close its
Farmington Hills headquarters and send four hundred jobs to Georgia
and Texas.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
This is the.
Speaker 7 (16:53):
Latest economic domino to fall here in Michigan. We have
the second highest unemployment rate in the nation for March
five point four percent and April at five point five percent.
In April, Michigan adding another of four thousand unemployed workers here.
Friends of the two Israeli embassy staffers murdered by an
anti Semitic terrorist in Washington, d C. Remembering the two
(17:16):
who were about to be engaged.
Speaker 8 (17:18):
When I think about your own's legacy, I will forever
think of him as a diplomat on par and a
peacemaker at heart.
Speaker 7 (17:26):
The terrorist from Illinois shouting free, Free Palestine as he
was being arrested. He's being held on murder charges for
these stories and more. Visit the Midwesterner at the Midwesterner dot.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Nude back after it coming up. You know, they did
some big things in Lansing this week as mentioned earlier.
They also and the House passed this big girlf sports.
It's a big issue right in the House. They made
some made some major headway on that. We're gonna get
(18:00):
into that conversation coming on. Do you think they're gonna
do anything with this in the Senate. That's a good question.
We'll talk about that. Want to hear from you, and
you can jump in at any time on a free
for all Friday. Love to hear from you six one,
six seven seven four twenty four twenty more back next.
(18:25):
Lots of folks jumping in and you can't too on
a free for all Friday. Hit the phone line at
six one six seven seven four twenty four twenty four.
I love to hear from you. Yesterday the Michigan House
voted to Ben well. I. The headline says in Detroit
Free Press trans girls from girls teams, but that don't
think that necessarily describes it correctly. Essentially, look at did
(18:51):
this as common sense? To me? I would think anyway,
whatever parts you got, that's the team you play on,
boys playing the boys team and the girls play on
the girls team. And I don't mean to be crude,
but that's just the way it should be. Protect the specifically,
what we've seen over the last few years, and we've
had con great conversations with folks like Riley Gaines amongst
(19:13):
many others, some of these girls have been really truly injured.
And as a father or two daughters, this is something
that I think deserves more attention, and it got it
in the now Republican controlled House this week. Joining us
talk a little bit about this and the full story.
Regina Johnson with us right now. Thank you Red for
taking the time to be here with us today.
Speaker 8 (19:34):
It's good to be with you. Thanks so.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Do I understand this correctly? Tell us about what exactly
was in this and what the conversation was surrounding.
Speaker 8 (19:46):
Well, it's the it's the same as the national stage.
Boys should not be in girls' sports. Girls get hurt.
It's not fair, it's not safe, and it destroys theegrity
of the sport and the whole point of you know,
starting the seventies eighties, getting women's sports off the ground
(20:08):
was to have a category where women could compete and
safely have good competition that was healthy. They was building,
you know, the ability to be on a team, all
the benefits that boys and men has had for years
in this book, but women need to do it with
women because they don't get hurt. Like they're fighting, you know,
(20:32):
they're they're battling against a man who biologically generally is
much stronger. There's you know, you asked a five year
old what's the difference between a boy and a girl?
And they know? And now we're making it confusing to adults.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Well, and it's just not right. And I was going
to ask you, Gina Johnson with us right now, Reber,
you've been around the block here. You you ever think
you'd see something like this have to come across your desk,
and yet it is necessary.
Speaker 8 (21:00):
We don't see this around the world. This is unique
to America. American nonsense. And because we allow so many
freedoms and freedom of speech, which is all good, we
are to the point now where we're arguing nonsense and
(21:20):
we have to get back to the basics. It is
really a sad situation where we have to have legislation
go forward to protect women and young girls in their sports.
And that's what that's what the legislation does. Bathrooms will
come next. This legislation already begun with that boys do
not belong to girls bathrooms and locker rooms.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Well, let me ask you, because because you know, you
just made a great point here, we are arguing common
and it's to me, I believe it's common sense. It
is throughout the rest of the world, and I think
mostly here too. I think there's just a very small
percentage and a lot of these folks are actually in
the news media and some of them in the Democrat Party.
But I repeat myself. The point is that there is
(22:05):
this a very small people percentage of people that insist
on sort of dragging us down this road. But here
in Michigan, and I know you're you're all too aware
of this, is we've got bigger fish to fry. Now.
This is a serious situation and it ought to be
snuffed out as as simple and as quickly as we can.
And I applaud the efforts to get to that dent
in the House. But here in the state, you know,
(22:27):
there's there are so many things that ought to get
done right now. We've got a president who's trying to
bring manufacturing back to the country and an investments coming
in by the billions. Every day we hear at new investments,
and there are a lot of folks concerned just for
one thing, that hey, maybe Michigan might miss out on
some of those things because of the climate and the
environment that's been built up here in the state that's
(22:49):
been allowed with Democrats in control over the last several years.
That's another big issue.
Speaker 9 (22:55):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 8 (22:57):
We've got real issues to settle, and we're looking at
losing funding in schools also because we just are going
to sit and argue about these basic differences.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You know.
Speaker 8 (23:10):
The other thing I want to bring up to is
we throw around this word discrimination without proper definition. There
is positive discrimination and there's negative discrimination. Our Civil Rights
Act defends against negative discrimination. And whether you're gay, or
(23:31):
you're straight, or you're male or female, married, single, whatever, disabled,
whatever race, you are, ethnic group, you are defended against
negative discrimination that would take away your rights to basic freedom,
to education, to housing, and to employment. All of these
(23:52):
have been preserved in our Civil Rights Act. Even before
the expansion of the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act to
embrace LGBTQ right extra rights, the already were defended because
they fall into other categories. That's proper use of the
(24:14):
word of negative discrimination. Now, positive discriminations are things like
you don't qualify for this job. You're not even eighteen
years old, you don't you don't know how to drive
a semi truck. There's all sorts of positive discrimination. And
even in sports, we have wrestling weight categories and you
(24:37):
can only wrestle in your weight categories.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Well as a larger man, I identify as a larger man.
I identify as much thinner.
Speaker 8 (24:48):
I would like to do that.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
That's just not going to cut it. As you say. Rep.
Tina Johnson with us right now. Let me ask you
because this this is an issue that you're dealing with
and I don't know what the odds that just said
it will take it up and then it's got to
get to the governor. But I do appreciate you all
bringing this up. Maybe we let's just talk briefly about that,
(25:11):
but also I want to give you a chance to
talk about some of the other things that you all
are working on, because as Republicans are taken back control
of the House and folks, this is again a great
reminder and especially as we move into twenty six why
elections matter because they have consequences. This had never get
see the light of day had Republicans not taken back
control of the House, and what the Speaker and you
(25:31):
will have been able to accomplish is pretty comprehensive.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Yeah, well, you're probably referring to the recent requests from
the Secretary of State to just show us training materials
that were given to clerks to have proper elections and death.
Doesn't seem like a really big ask there, just a
training document and she wasn't able to turn them over,
(25:59):
and she's been tena to turn them over, which is
probably you know, we're all learning as we go here.
I mean, the audience, the voters, the electorate, the taxpayers
are learning as we're rolling out processes like this that
it is the legislature's responsibility to oversee the conduct of
the eighteen nineteen twenty departments. However many we have each
(26:23):
year and that changes. But unfortunately Secretary of State Joson
Benson has defied that and she will not turn them over.
And I don't understand what would be the big deal
in this to turnover training documents.
Speaker 9 (26:39):
The clerks have.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
Requested, some of the clerks have requested that we help
them in this way, and that's what we're doing.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Rap Gina Johnson with the latest on these stories, and
mar we appreciate you taking the time to come up.
People may have questions, especially if they're in your district,
and that I'd like to reach out and hear more
about all the great work you all are doing. Let
their voice be heard as well. Seventy eighth District, right.
Speaker 8 (27:06):
Yeah, that's party four counties between Lansing and Grand Rapids so.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
A pretty comprehensive district there as well. If if they
do have questions, what's the best way for them to reach.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Out My office or email Gina Johnson at House dot
m I dot gov happy to respond and if someone
will leave their phone number email, we'll get right back
with them. You know, we've got like you said, we've
got a lot of important things to do. The rugs,
local rugs need to get picked. We need to pass
(27:36):
a budget securing safety and infrastructure pay through twelve. That's
what we did, The veterans, the corrections departments all secured
in the House proposed budget. Then it pushed back something
that doesn't look like that. And you know, we've got
to stop this nonsense. Also about sanctuary cities and counties
(27:56):
not right. That increases violence. We got to decrease violence
and help support our police so they can do their job.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Rep. Gina Johnson, thank you for taking the time to
be here with us, so we appreciate all the hard work.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
Keep it up, thank you, take care you got.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
It a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. Back with more after this,
but first an update the folks at the Midwestern The
Midmeester dot News and we'll get to you as well
on the phones. You know, we got lots of ground
yet still to cover in an after show that'll get
to the rest that we don't quite make the cut with.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
On the way, We're the Truth Season's Negotiable. It's Western
Michigan Live with Justin Barklay on News Radio Wood thirteen
hundred and one oh six nine a f m.
Speaker 9 (28:46):
Here are your.
Speaker 7 (28:46):
Headlines from the Midwesterner this Friday, May twenty third. I'm
Robin Hoffman. It's a Midwesterner dot news original story under
Democrat Governor Whitmer, more bad economic news to report here
in Michigan. Mercedes beat ends to close its Farmington Hills
headquarters and send four hundred jobs to Georgia and Texas.
This is the latest economic domino to fall here in Michigan.
(29:09):
We have the second highest unemployment rate in the nation
for March five point four percent and April at five
point five percent. In April, Michigan adding another of four
thousand unemployed workers here. Friends of the two Israeli embassy
staffers murdered by an anti Semitic terrorist in Washington, d C.
Remembering the two who.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
Were about to be engaged Sarah was so empathetic and
talking about how the people who controller suffering, the Palestinians
construller suffering, and she cared about this so much.
Speaker 7 (29:42):
The terrorist from Illinois shouting free, Free Palestine as he
was being arrested. He's being held on murder charges. For
these stories and more, visit the Midwesterner at the Midwesterner dot.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
News free for all Friday on the phone lines, gearing
up for a big event next, I told you about this.
It's going to be fantastic, Trent. Can I be myself
along with a few other guests that you haven't even
had a chance to meet yet. But it's gonna be,
like I said, an event that you will not want,
especially if you've been hearing about AI. You hear us
(30:16):
talk about it tech Tuesday and you think, okay, so
what's what's the story on this? Where are we going
as a as a country with industry and even personally,
like in our own personal lives and your kids or grandkids.
These are questions that are that are begging to be answered.
And I got to tell you, Steve Redman no stranger
(30:39):
to taking on some serious subjects, and he's doing that
with with this latest and the folks with the patriotowiy
kinty of Patriots taken us on. Look, Steve, I I
appreciate you you taking this this conversation on because it
is a big one. It's a doozy and we're gonna
do our best to handle it. It sounds like on Tuesday,
(30:59):
absolutely and well.
Speaker 9 (31:00):
The topic is artificial intelligence, the brave new world of
superintelligent computers. It's going to be next Tuesday, May twenty seventh,
the day after the holiday, from six to eight thirty
in Zealand, Michigan, at the Howard Miller Community Center, fourteen
South Church Street in Zealand. The meetings free and open
(31:21):
to the public. Doors open at five thirty and all
of our speakers, you and Trent and Mike hewittt and
Brady Middleton will be there from five thirty to six
before the meeting starts for people to chat with and
from eight to eight thirty after we're done with a
question and answer, So it's a real opportunity to talk
to people. We're going to define artificial intelligence. We're going
(31:44):
to look at the benefits, the drawbacks, potential unintended consequences,
and ethical and control issues. Currently justin Over eighty five
percent of Americans are already using some aspect of AI
every day, from smartphones, voice assistance, ride sharing apps, self
driving cars, or at their place to work and at core.
(32:06):
AI is a science of making machines smart and enabling
them to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. And
it's a really important topic that you're seeing constantly on
the news. And to give an example, a recent meeting
we held on healthcare issues, a top doctor said that
(32:29):
AI can currently diagnose a patient's condition with eighty five
percent accuracy. The best doctors can do it to about
sixty five percent. AI can read X phrase better than
any physician. They can pick up more details. So that's
(32:50):
just one example. And you know, there's been a lot
of people talking about it. Elon Musk has some fears
that AI could be more dangerous than New clear War,
and Henry Kissinger, before he died, said that philosophically, intellectually,
in every way, human society is unprepared for the rise
(33:10):
of artificial intelligence. So there's fears about it, there's hopes
about it, there's dreams about it. If you know nothing
about it, you need to be there. If you already
use it in your workplace.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
You need to be there because you're going to learn
something new human society. Human society may be unprepared for it,
but you'll get a little a little bit more so
you'll be ahead of the curb because you're going to
get I take a crash course in this stuff and
what we ought to know and be considerate of. And
there's I believe a spiritual aspect of this too. I
(33:41):
think we need people of faith to be at the
forefront of these technologies to make sure that we have
a moral fabric weloven into it all and we don't
get off track because we know that can happen. It's
this Tuesday, right, Steve, This Tuesday six to eight thirty,
Only about thirty seconds left here. But it's the Howard
Miller Commune Unity Center and Zealand.
Speaker 9 (34:01):
Is that correct, Yeah, Howard Miller Community Center in Zealand,
fourteen South Church free doors open at five point thirty
and you want.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
To get there a little early, and of course you'll
be able to have conversations with all of these people
in depth, ask the questions that you want to get answered.
And by the way, free it's free to the public.
That's what the Ottawa County Patriots, Steve Redman and the
folks do always, always a fantastic service. Thank you so much, Steve.
Appreciate you taking the time and thank you for all
you do.
Speaker 9 (34:28):
Thank you, Justin.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
You got it. God bless all. Right before we wrap up, here,
one last phone call. I believe Robert spin Holding. I
think it's Robert. Good morning, Robert, Good.
Speaker 10 (34:41):
Morning, Justin Robert Byez here from elto Michigan.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Thanks sir.
Speaker 10 (34:46):
I have a true personal Memorial Day story. My great
uncle James Swartz was shot down by the Japanese in
World War Two. He was forced to walk in the
Baton Death March. That's a sixty five mile march with
(35:07):
seventy five thousand other prisoners. He was putting into one
of the worst Japanese prisoner of war camps there was.
He died in nineteen forty two. He was buried in
a mass grave. His body was never recovered. In twenty seventeen,
(35:31):
I was asked for my DNA because they had found
some mass graves, and through my DNA and possibly some
other ones, he was identified last year Wow, and he
was buried May third in Flowerville. So you know eighty
(35:53):
three years later, his body is finally brought home.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
What an incredible story. Thank you so much for sharing
that with us. And I know a reminder really for
all of us, Robert, why we have the long weekend here.
As we've heard before, the law enjoyed the long weekend.
We've heard that, Well, yeah, there's a real reason for it.
Speaker 10 (36:14):
It's not about us veterans. It's about those that never
came home, the true heroes.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Yeah, pay the ultimate sacrifice, and we are so grateful.
Let's be great Americans. That's the best way we can do,
I think, to honor their their memory and that courage.
Thank you so much, Robert, thank.
Speaker 10 (36:33):
You, You're welcome. Thanks for letting me speak today.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
God bless well. We will be back Tuesday, folks, Wishing
you the best. God bless
Buy from higher Top Monroe Center in downtown Grand Rapids.
We're talking about what matters most to you when West
Michigan joined the conversation Now at six one six seven
seven four twenty four twenty four. At six one six
seven seven four twenty four twenty four, it's West Michigan
Live with Justin Barklay on Wood Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Well, the sun is shining. We got that going for us,
a little cooler than you may expect their one on
memorial that wee conmit. You know, here in Michigan, it's
really hard to know exactly what to expect, and you
kicked off the summer. But we'll take it. Like I said,
the sun is shining and then we'll fit you in
on what the rest of the weekend is set to
(00:44):
look like coming up in the in just moments today,
folksagn in here with us. We got big news to
get to, of course, big news here locally breaking. Yesterday
we finally heard the fate of Officer Christopher Sure at
least for.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Now news, weather and traffic, his stories of the day.
We are talking about what matters most in West Michigan
and beyond.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
This is the Big three. Now, let's see speak three. Yeah,
the story is that you'll be talking about around the
dinner table, the water cooler, maybe a fire pit this week,
and who knows. Up north, the folks at HHM lending
want to help and maybe get you. Help them get
you another home. Maybe maybe get you a little cottage
(01:30):
up north, that'd be nice, right HHM lending dot Com.
What do you want to buy refine home equity line
of credit or that home up north? Dave got Away
and the team ready to help. You know they've helped
us every single time we've bought our home refinanced home
equity line of credit in save thousands. Just as sad
as the folks who have used the program of the
(01:52):
course that listen to West Michieliven World Radio. So give
them a shout AHM lending dot Com for their support.
Speaking of support, Kent County Prosecutor yesterday Christopher Becker making
that big announcement and it came, well, it came kind
(02:12):
of quickly, right around eleven thirty yesterday, that big announcement coming.
He is going to decide not not to retry Officer
Christopher Sure, which was a relief for a lot of folks.
I'll got right to the chase.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
I've made the decision not to seek a retrial in
the case of Christopher Sure. I know this is an
extremely difficult decision, and I spoke with Peter about a
half hour ago. Obviously is very disappointed in that decision.
I know there's many members of the community that are
disappointed in that decision. I did not arrive at it lately.
I looked at everything. I looked at our case. I
(02:52):
looked at the defense case. I looked at the arguments
that were made. I looked at the jury selection process,
because I think that's probably one of the biggest things
that going into this we were thinking about.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
You know, long story short Wood tv A, this is
this is a case that never should have been brought.
Wood tv A cleared by the jury results to found
as they pulled one jur one jar of spectamum and
conditions and aminemity and said that the verdict behind the
scenes was eleven to one. There was one loan holdout.
(03:22):
That one loan holdout from what we're hearing, a black
man who asked at some point whether or not Christopher
Sure had sensitivity training. You may remember that question that
was that was asked, and that's just what we're hearing
behind the scenes. And of course that individual was not
going to budge, but it was clear they were not
going to get a conviction and never would, particularly not
(03:43):
here in Kent County. Now they say it's straight for now.
The question is what happens next to what could happen next? Well,
prayers for both sure his family but also Patrick Leia's
family in the community as prayer this thing doesn't turn
uber political. I mean, it's already been a bit that way.
(04:04):
I'll explain how he's not completely out of the woods.
Coming up next here, DC US Attorney Judge Jenny and
Piro says he could get the death penalty, and in fact,
there are some people that are certainly pushing for that
and the death that terrific killing of those two Israeli
diplomats yesterday, the story coming out of that event for
(04:30):
Israel and Washington d C. She spoke yesterday.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
I think that we have an idea of that, but
let me just say that, you know, the President and
the Attorney General have both indicated that, you know, in
cases where the death penalty is warranted and seems appropriate,
we will use it. It's far too early to say
(04:54):
whether that is the case, but this is a death
penalty eligible case.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
From the thigh to that role. I gotta tell you
if she is something else, and I think she's going
to do a fantastic job as the attorney there in Washington.
Speaker 5 (05:11):
D C.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Hey, the Maha report is out and it is a doucy.
We can break this down in more depth a little
bit later on in the program, but just so you know,
RFK Junior brought it out yesterday. It includes all types
of comprehensive strategies to make America healthy again. Some of
those strategies include taking a look at the poor diet
(05:34):
of Americans, the environmental chemical exposure, over medicalization, vaccinations, and more.
And folks are happy to see that they're taking it
seriously in d C. Trump, RFK Junior making America healthy again?
All right, it is a free for all Friday, And
(05:56):
of course I want to give you a chance to
weigh in as well. You could talk about it any
of the stories that we've loaded up for you, or
take us in a different direction up to you, but
jump on the.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Hall call justin now at six one, six seven seven
four twenty four twenty four at six one, six seven
seven for twenty four to twenty four West Michigan Live
with Justin Barclay on news Radio Wood thirteen hundred and
one oh six nine f M.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
So, I just I just tanted a disc But the
question is we think we know Officer Sure's fate at
least for now. However, there is a possibility that he
could be retried. It won't be by this prosecutor, but
it is a possibility that the Attorney General of the
State of Michigan, Data Nasall could get uber political on
(06:43):
this law. Says that she could everything I've seen and
got over that she could decide to take this case
and run with it. That would be worst case scenario.
Don't know if that'll happen, but let's let's jump on
the line right with us now. Kyle Olsen from the
Midwestern Ors. He dots, we haven't seen anything that it
would indicate that she intends to do that as of yet,
(07:05):
but she did have her thumb heavy on that scale.
It sounds like in the beginning on this thing back
in well, I guess it was twenty two when all
this came about. Kyle. Welcome in. We appreciate you being
here with us today. Good morning.
Speaker 6 (07:16):
Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
One of the odds. Are you hearing anything on this?
There hasn't been any news that I've seen, But it
does remain that this case could be brought by the
Attorney General and she deems it everything I've read, something
with the public interest, etc. She could reserve the right
to bring it.
Speaker 6 (07:35):
Yeah, she certainly could do that, and it wouldn't I
don't think it would surprise anyone. She's been very political,
she's been very anti police, particularly local police, and so
it wouldn't surprise me. A source told me yesterday that
the jury votes were very lopsided in favor of officer. Sure,
(07:58):
so I think that that it's probably also a factor,
and it might be a factor of why the prosecutor
chose not to bring a case. Again.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Yeah, but let me let me let me stop you
for a second. And this is my concern. If she
decides to bring it, maybe she'll bring it in Ingham County.
Is that is that a possibility and how would that
sway things? Obviously here in West Michigan, in Kent County,
the results were drastically different.
Speaker 6 (08:27):
Sure, yeah, that that's entirely possible. But I it seems
to me like the anti police sentiment that was going
on at that time has changed. And I don't know
if it's just because, you know, President Trump was elected
or I'm not sure the reason, but it seems like
(08:48):
it seems like the tone and the rhetoric in our
broader culture has changed. So I would guess that this
that they will move on, but we'll have to wait
and see.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
There's a lot to be said for what you're saying.
Somebody just asked me about this, and I said, well, look,
it was a different world when Becker brought this case.
And I don't think he ever should have brought it,
but it was. It was certainly a different world. And
if you're looking at things the way kind of the
way they were, it's just give an example. People were
talking about what's going to happen to the city, and
I don't know, but I will tell you this, last
(09:22):
night there were only maybe a couple of handful of
people out there at the courthouse with their signs and
Black Lives Matter and the rest of that. And so
that sentiment, because those people have been yanked around by
the nose, they've been in Free Palestine and everything else.
Who knows what they're up to now they're onto the
next cause du joure. Unfortunately, that's what they call the
(09:43):
useful idiots. It's why they call these people, these people
that are hired to protest and these people that are
giving money and all this other stuff. It's just not
the same world that we live in. And that's that's
the good news. Now let's move on because that's that. Look,
this is a major story, h and continue to pray
for Officer Shore and the city. But there are other
(10:04):
things going on in fact that you've got some big
things happening right here in Michigan this past week that
we probably ought to talk about.
Speaker 6 (10:12):
It's been a huge week in Lancing. We now have
a full time reporter in Lansing, so we're going to
be reporting even more stories about what's going on in
the legislature, particularly in the House. So we're looking forward
to bringing everyone those reports. But probably the biggest story
(10:32):
that came out of Lancing this week was the House
voted yesterday to hold Joscelyn Benson in contempt for refusing
to comply with the House subpoena and basically the House
Oversight Committee, the Election Integrity Subcommittee. They want the training
(10:54):
manual that Joscelyn Benson, the Secretary of State, has given
to local clerks about how to have evaluate ballots. Because
if you go back, if you go back around the
twenty twenty two election, there was a lot of concern
that Jocelyn Benson was giving inappropriate and frankly illegal guidance
(11:14):
and she ended up in court. Courts were ruling against
her that she was not following the process, she was
not following the law. And so the concern from the
Oversight Committee and Representative Rachelle Smith and Representative Jay de
Boyer is that she's continuing to give her own guidance,
which is in violation of the law. So they asked
(11:36):
for the training material and she's refusing to provide it,
which you know, we can speculate about why, but the
bottom line is she's not providing it, and so they
are attempting to get that she's refusing, and so they
held a contempt vote this week, which went along party lines.
She lashed out about that and is attacking the Republicans,
(11:59):
but that that issue is not going to go away.
But then she's also got other problems. She's got this
website that she spent nine million dollars on that is
not working. It's dysfunctional. Legislators actually had to delay Transparency
filing public personal finance disclosure reports because the website's not working.
(12:23):
So she's got that problem. She's she's having a very
bad week.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
It's a horrible, horriable, not good, very bad week. But well,
the question about this, the subpoena, what are there? Is
there any teeth to that? I mean, how would the
House how would they go about compelling her to do
anything produced? I mean, would the Attorney General have to
get involved in Would this attorney general, the same one
(12:49):
that said, oh, yeah, she broke the law, but there's
nothing I could know about it, would.
Speaker 6 (12:53):
She Well, and that's yes, and that's the problem. I
did an interview with House Speaker Matt Hall this week
and we're going to be releasing pieces of that starting today.
And I asked them, okay, so logically, what could happen
is the House says, we believe she's committed crimes, misdemeanors, felonies, criminal, whatever,
(13:14):
whatever it is. We believe she's committed crimes and she
should be prosecuted. Well, naturally that goes to the state
attorney general. Well, what do we think is going to happen?
Not much, And so the Speaker's solution is or his
you know, his comeback is, well, then but we have
say over her budget and her budget. We set her budget,
(13:39):
and that gives us leverage to get what we want
and to and to you know, pursue justice and the
truth and everything else. So that's that I think that's
their counter is, well, if the if the Attorney General
is not going to do anything, then we have budget.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Control notice on your website. The big lead story a
speaker all or us as rival candidate should be concerned
about Secretary of State Joscelyn Benson controlling ballot access. She's
the one who oversees all that. And you know, if
she's not being held accountable for everything else she's done
every other time when she's broken the law repeatedly, why
(14:15):
wouldn't she If we saw Shenanigan's last time around in
twenty two, you're no stranger to that. What could be
coming this time around?
Speaker 6 (14:24):
Yes? And yes, And the Speaker addressed this both during
his press conference this week and in the interview with me,
that the Secretary of State decides what goes on the ballot,
especially the statewide ballot, and obviously the secretary of State
is running for governor. Well, she doesn't want she's not
(14:46):
going to want an independent candidate who happens to be
the mayor of Detroit to take votes away from her
in the critical city of Detroit that she needs, where
she probably will get if it's just her, she'll probably
get ninety percent of the vote. She needs that half
million votes or whatever it is, and she has it's
(15:06):
documented that she's very partisan and very political when it
comes to ballot access. You go back to twenty twenty four,
Robert F. Kennedy Junior was on the ballot. He wanted
to be taken off. She prevented him taken off the ballot.
Cornell West was not on the ballot. Wanted to be
on the ballot. He's saying, please put me on the ballot.
(15:30):
She wouldn't put him on the ballot. Why RFK Junior
would take arguably would take votes away from Trump, and
Cornell West would take votes away from Kamala Harris. So
Benson has been very political and so it doesn't like
dug on the ballot, and she.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Ought to accuse herself overseeing this election. And she's in
it for the top spot in the state. She won't.
Katie Hobbs didn't in Arizona. We all saw how that
worked out, and I won't hold my breath in this
case either. But as always, Kyle Olsen, always a pleasure,
my friend. More at the midwestern or at the Midwesterner
dot news, always a pleasure. Thank you for joining us,
(16:11):
and thank you for staying on top of these stories.
They matter. Thank you, you got it. Don't just book market,
definitely do that, but put in your email so you
can get up to date all the time at the
Midwesterner dot.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
News, asking the tough questions. It's West Michigan Live with
Justin Barklay on News Radio Wood thirteen hundred and one
oh six nine af AM.
Speaker 7 (16:32):
Here are your headlines from the Midwesterner this Friday, May
twenty third. I'm Robin Hoffman. It's a Midwesterner dot news
original story. Under Democrat Governor Whitmer, more bad economic news
to report here in Michigan. Mercedes Benz to close its
Farmington Hills headquarters and send four hundred jobs to Georgia
and Texas.
Speaker 2 (16:52):
This is the.
Speaker 7 (16:53):
Latest economic domino to fall here in Michigan. We have
the second highest unemployment rate in the nation for March
five point four percent and April at five point five percent.
In April, Michigan adding another of four thousand unemployed workers here.
Friends of the two Israeli embassy staffers murdered by an
anti Semitic terrorist in Washington, d C. Remembering the two
(17:16):
who were about to be engaged.
Speaker 8 (17:18):
When I think about your own's legacy, I will forever
think of him as a diplomat on par and a
peacemaker at heart.
Speaker 7 (17:26):
The terrorist from Illinois shouting free, Free Palestine as he
was being arrested. He's being held on murder charges for
these stories and more. Visit the Midwesterner at the Midwesterner dot.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Nude back after it coming up. You know, they did
some big things in Lansing this week as mentioned earlier.
They also and the House passed this big girlf sports.
It's a big issue right in the House. They made
some made some major headway on that. We're gonna get
(18:00):
into that conversation coming on. Do you think they're gonna
do anything with this in the Senate. That's a good question.
We'll talk about that. Want to hear from you, and
you can jump in at any time on a free
for all Friday. Love to hear from you six one,
six seven seven four twenty four twenty more back next.
(18:25):
Lots of folks jumping in and you can't too on
a free for all Friday. Hit the phone line at
six one six seven seven four twenty four twenty four.
I love to hear from you. Yesterday the Michigan House
voted to Ben well. I. The headline says in Detroit
Free Press trans girls from girls teams, but that don't
think that necessarily describes it correctly. Essentially, look at did
(18:51):
this as common sense? To me? I would think anyway,
whatever parts you got, that's the team you play on,
boys playing the boys team and the girls play on
the girls team. And I don't mean to be crude,
but that's just the way it should be. Protect the specifically,
what we've seen over the last few years, and we've
had con great conversations with folks like Riley Gaines amongst
(19:13):
many others, some of these girls have been really truly injured.
And as a father or two daughters, this is something
that I think deserves more attention, and it got it
in the now Republican controlled House this week. Joining us
talk a little bit about this and the full story.
Regina Johnson with us right now. Thank you Red for
taking the time to be here with us today.
Speaker 8 (19:34):
It's good to be with you. Thanks so.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Do I understand this correctly? Tell us about what exactly
was in this and what the conversation was surrounding.
Speaker 8 (19:46):
Well, it's the it's the same as the national stage.
Boys should not be in girls' sports. Girls get hurt.
It's not fair, it's not safe, and it destroys theegrity
of the sport and the whole point of you know,
starting the seventies eighties, getting women's sports off the ground
(20:08):
was to have a category where women could compete and
safely have good competition that was healthy. They was building,
you know, the ability to be on a team, all
the benefits that boys and men has had for years
in this book, but women need to do it with
women because they don't get hurt. Like they're fighting, you know,
(20:32):
they're they're battling against a man who biologically generally is
much stronger. There's you know, you asked a five year
old what's the difference between a boy and a girl?
And they know? And now we're making it confusing to adults.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Well, and it's just not right. And I was going
to ask you, Gina Johnson with us right now, Reber,
you've been around the block here. You you ever think
you'd see something like this have to come across your desk,
and yet it is necessary.
Speaker 8 (21:00):
We don't see this around the world. This is unique
to America. American nonsense. And because we allow so many
freedoms and freedom of speech, which is all good, we
are to the point now where we're arguing nonsense and
(21:20):
we have to get back to the basics. It is
really a sad situation where we have to have legislation
go forward to protect women and young girls in their sports.
And that's what that's what the legislation does. Bathrooms will
come next. This legislation already begun with that boys do
not belong to girls bathrooms and locker rooms.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Well, let me ask you, because because you know, you
just made a great point here, we are arguing common
and it's to me, I believe it's common sense. It
is throughout the rest of the world, and I think
mostly here too. I think there's just a very small
percentage and a lot of these folks are actually in
the news media and some of them in the Democrat Party.
But I repeat myself. The point is that there is
(22:05):
this a very small people percentage of people that insist
on sort of dragging us down this road. But here
in Michigan, and I know you're you're all too aware
of this, is we've got bigger fish to fry. Now.
This is a serious situation and it ought to be
snuffed out as as simple and as quickly as we can.
And I applaud the efforts to get to that dent
in the House. But here in the state, you know,
(22:27):
there's there are so many things that ought to get
done right now. We've got a president who's trying to
bring manufacturing back to the country and an investments coming
in by the billions. Every day we hear at new investments,
and there are a lot of folks concerned just for
one thing, that hey, maybe Michigan might miss out on
some of those things because of the climate and the
environment that's been built up here in the state that's
(22:49):
been allowed with Democrats in control over the last several years.
That's another big issue.
Speaker 9 (22:55):
That's right, that's right.
Speaker 8 (22:57):
We've got real issues to settle, and we're looking at
losing funding in schools also because we just are going
to sit and argue about these basic differences.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
You know.
Speaker 8 (23:10):
The other thing I want to bring up to is
we throw around this word discrimination without proper definition. There
is positive discrimination and there's negative discrimination. Our Civil Rights
Act defends against negative discrimination. And whether you're gay, or
(23:31):
you're straight, or you're male or female, married, single, whatever, disabled,
whatever race, you are, ethnic group, you are defended against
negative discrimination that would take away your rights to basic freedom,
to education, to housing, and to employment. All of these
(23:52):
have been preserved in our Civil Rights Act. Even before
the expansion of the Elliot Larson Civil Rights Act to
embrace LGBTQ right extra rights, the already were defended because
they fall into other categories. That's proper use of the
(24:14):
word of negative discrimination. Now, positive discriminations are things like
you don't qualify for this job. You're not even eighteen
years old, you don't you don't know how to drive
a semi truck. There's all sorts of positive discrimination. And
even in sports, we have wrestling weight categories and you
(24:37):
can only wrestle in your weight categories.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Well as a larger man, I identify as a larger man.
I identify as much thinner.
Speaker 8 (24:48):
I would like to do that.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
That's just not going to cut it. As you say. Rep.
Tina Johnson with us right now. Let me ask you
because this this is an issue that you're dealing with
and I don't know what the odds that just said
it will take it up and then it's got to
get to the governor. But I do appreciate you all
bringing this up. Maybe we let's just talk briefly about that,
(25:11):
but also I want to give you a chance to
talk about some of the other things that you all
are working on, because as Republicans are taken back control
of the House and folks, this is again a great
reminder and especially as we move into twenty six why
elections matter because they have consequences. This had never get
see the light of day had Republicans not taken back
control of the House, and what the Speaker and you
(25:31):
will have been able to accomplish is pretty comprehensive.
Speaker 8 (25:37):
Yeah, well, you're probably referring to the recent requests from
the Secretary of State to just show us training materials
that were given to clerks to have proper elections and death.
Doesn't seem like a really big ask there, just a
training document and she wasn't able to turn them over,
(25:59):
and she's been tena to turn them over, which is
probably you know, we're all learning as we go here.
I mean, the audience, the voters, the electorate, the taxpayers
are learning as we're rolling out processes like this that
it is the legislature's responsibility to oversee the conduct of
the eighteen nineteen twenty departments. However many we have each
(26:23):
year and that changes. But unfortunately Secretary of State Joson
Benson has defied that and she will not turn them over.
And I don't understand what would be the big deal
in this to turnover training documents.
Speaker 9 (26:39):
The clerks have.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
Requested, some of the clerks have requested that we help
them in this way, and that's what we're doing.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Rap Gina Johnson with the latest on these stories, and
mar we appreciate you taking the time to come up.
People may have questions, especially if they're in your district,
and that I'd like to reach out and hear more
about all the great work you all are doing. Let
their voice be heard as well. Seventy eighth District, right.
Speaker 8 (27:06):
Yeah, that's party four counties between Lansing and Grand Rapids so.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
A pretty comprehensive district there as well. If if they
do have questions, what's the best way for them to reach.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Out My office or email Gina Johnson at House dot
m I dot gov happy to respond and if someone
will leave their phone number email, we'll get right back
with them. You know, we've got like you said, we've
got a lot of important things to do. The rugs,
local rugs need to get picked. We need to pass
(27:36):
a budget securing safety and infrastructure pay through twelve. That's
what we did, The veterans, the corrections departments all secured
in the House proposed budget. Then it pushed back something
that doesn't look like that. And you know, we've got
to stop this nonsense. Also about sanctuary cities and counties
(27:56):
not right. That increases violence. We got to decrease violence
and help support our police so they can do their job.
Speaker 2 (28:04):
Rep. Gina Johnson, thank you for taking the time to
be here with us, so we appreciate all the hard work.
Speaker 8 (28:08):
Keep it up, thank you, take care you got.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
It a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. Back with more after this,
but first an update the folks at the Midwestern The
Midmeester dot News and we'll get to you as well
on the phones. You know, we got lots of ground
yet still to cover in an after show that'll get
to the rest that we don't quite make the cut with.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
On the way, We're the Truth Season's Negotiable. It's Western
Michigan Live with Justin Barklay on News Radio Wood thirteen
hundred and one oh six nine a f m.
Speaker 9 (28:46):
Here are your.
Speaker 7 (28:46):
Headlines from the Midwesterner this Friday, May twenty third. I'm
Robin Hoffman. It's a Midwesterner dot news original story under
Democrat Governor Whitmer, more bad economic news to report here
in Michigan. Mercedes beat ends to close its Farmington Hills
headquarters and send four hundred jobs to Georgia and Texas.
This is the latest economic domino to fall here in Michigan.
(29:09):
We have the second highest unemployment rate in the nation
for March five point four percent and April at five
point five percent. In April, Michigan adding another of four
thousand unemployed workers here. Friends of the two Israeli embassy
staffers murdered by an anti Semitic terrorist in Washington, d C.
Remembering the two who.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
Were about to be engaged Sarah was so empathetic and
talking about how the people who controller suffering, the Palestinians
construller suffering, and she cared about this so much.
Speaker 7 (29:42):
The terrorist from Illinois shouting free, Free Palestine as he
was being arrested. He's being held on murder charges. For
these stories and more, visit the Midwesterner at the Midwesterner dot.
Speaker 2 (29:53):
News free for all Friday on the phone lines, gearing
up for a big event next, I told you about this.
It's going to be fantastic, Trent. Can I be myself
along with a few other guests that you haven't even
had a chance to meet yet. But it's gonna be,
like I said, an event that you will not want,
especially if you've been hearing about AI. You hear us
(30:16):
talk about it tech Tuesday and you think, okay, so
what's what's the story on this? Where are we going
as a as a country with industry and even personally,
like in our own personal lives and your kids or grandkids.
These are questions that are that are begging to be answered.
And I got to tell you, Steve Redman no stranger
(30:39):
to taking on some serious subjects, and he's doing that
with with this latest and the folks with the patriotowiy
kinty of Patriots taken us on. Look, Steve, I I
appreciate you you taking this this conversation on because it
is a big one. It's a doozy and we're gonna
do our best to handle it. It sounds like on Tuesday,
(30:59):
absolutely and well.
Speaker 9 (31:00):
The topic is artificial intelligence, the brave new world of
superintelligent computers. It's going to be next Tuesday, May twenty seventh,
the day after the holiday, from six to eight thirty
in Zealand, Michigan, at the Howard Miller Community Center, fourteen
South Church Street in Zealand. The meetings free and open
(31:21):
to the public. Doors open at five thirty and all
of our speakers, you and Trent and Mike hewittt and
Brady Middleton will be there from five thirty to six
before the meeting starts for people to chat with and
from eight to eight thirty after we're done with a
question and answer, So it's a real opportunity to talk
to people. We're going to define artificial intelligence. We're going
(31:44):
to look at the benefits, the drawbacks, potential unintended consequences,
and ethical and control issues. Currently justin Over eighty five
percent of Americans are already using some aspect of AI
every day, from smartphones, voice assistance, ride sharing apps, self
driving cars, or at their place to work and at core.
(32:06):
AI is a science of making machines smart and enabling
them to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. And
it's a really important topic that you're seeing constantly on
the news. And to give an example, a recent meeting
we held on healthcare issues, a top doctor said that
(32:29):
AI can currently diagnose a patient's condition with eighty five
percent accuracy. The best doctors can do it to about
sixty five percent. AI can read X phrase better than
any physician. They can pick up more details. So that's
(32:50):
just one example. And you know, there's been a lot
of people talking about it. Elon Musk has some fears
that AI could be more dangerous than New clear War,
and Henry Kissinger, before he died, said that philosophically, intellectually,
in every way, human society is unprepared for the rise
(33:10):
of artificial intelligence. So there's fears about it, there's hopes
about it, there's dreams about it. If you know nothing
about it, you need to be there. If you already
use it in your workplace.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
You need to be there because you're going to learn
something new human society. Human society may be unprepared for it,
but you'll get a little a little bit more so
you'll be ahead of the curb because you're going to
get I take a crash course in this stuff and
what we ought to know and be considerate of. And
there's I believe a spiritual aspect of this too. I
(33:41):
think we need people of faith to be at the
forefront of these technologies to make sure that we have
a moral fabric weloven into it all and we don't
get off track because we know that can happen. It's
this Tuesday, right, Steve, This Tuesday six to eight thirty,
Only about thirty seconds left here. But it's the Howard
Miller Commune Unity Center and Zealand.
Speaker 9 (34:01):
Is that correct, Yeah, Howard Miller Community Center in Zealand,
fourteen South Church free doors open at five point thirty
and you want.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
To get there a little early, and of course you'll
be able to have conversations with all of these people
in depth, ask the questions that you want to get answered.
And by the way, free it's free to the public.
That's what the Ottawa County Patriots, Steve Redman and the
folks do always, always a fantastic service. Thank you so much, Steve.
Appreciate you taking the time and thank you for all
you do.
Speaker 9 (34:28):
Thank you, Justin.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
You got it. God bless all. Right before we wrap up, here,
one last phone call. I believe Robert spin Holding. I
think it's Robert. Good morning, Robert, Good.
Speaker 10 (34:41):
Morning, Justin Robert Byez here from elto Michigan.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
Thanks sir.
Speaker 10 (34:46):
I have a true personal Memorial Day story. My great
uncle James Swartz was shot down by the Japanese in
World War Two. He was forced to walk in the
Baton Death March. That's a sixty five mile march with
(35:07):
seventy five thousand other prisoners. He was putting into one
of the worst Japanese prisoner of war camps there was.
He died in nineteen forty two. He was buried in
a mass grave. His body was never recovered. In twenty seventeen,
(35:31):
I was asked for my DNA because they had found
some mass graves, and through my DNA and possibly some
other ones, he was identified last year Wow, and he
was buried May third in Flowerville. So you know eighty
(35:53):
three years later, his body is finally brought home.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
What an incredible story. Thank you so much for sharing
that with us. And I know a reminder really for
all of us, Robert, why we have the long weekend here.
As we've heard before, the law enjoyed the long weekend.
We've heard that, Well, yeah, there's a real reason for it.
Speaker 10 (36:14):
It's not about us veterans. It's about those that never
came home, the true heroes.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Yeah, pay the ultimate sacrifice, and we are so grateful.
Let's be great Americans. That's the best way we can do,
I think, to honor their their memory and that courage.
Thank you so much, Robert, thank.
Speaker 10 (36:33):
You, You're welcome. Thanks for letting me speak today.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
God bless well. We will be back Tuesday, folks, Wishing
you the best. God bless
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