About L.A.W.
MOTTO: Qui male agit odit lucem. ("He who does evil despises the light.")
PUBLISHER: Local Area Watch, Inc. ~ a Michigan non-profit corporation ~ Copyright 2002-2007
STAFF: William Tingley, Executive Director ~ Bridget Tingley, Editor ~ Mary Hines, Office Manager ~ Robert Harrison, Photographer
CONTACT INFO: Local Area Watch Inc. ~ 1009 Ottawa Avenue, N.W. ~ Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503 ~ ph 616-458-3125 ~ fx 616-454-9958
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- Michael Reece on CONGRATULATIONS TO MELVIN "SUGAR" MCLAUGHLIN
- Jen on FIFTH THIRD IN THE GUTTER
- Jameson on Down Time
- Glenn on AMWAY NO LONGER SCAMWAY?
- Jana Diehl on FIFTH THIRD IN THE GUTTER
- The Editor - L.A.W. on Down Time
- Kimberly Hooker on Down Time
- Ed Hawks on EARTH TECH GETS FLUSHED
- Linda Chandler on CONGRATULATIONS TO MELVIN "SUGAR" MCLAUGHLIN
- tami vogel on EL DORADO, BIG ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN, AND THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
Highlights
- Bio-Tech Blather
Watch your wallets, boys and girls. The politicians and the corporate panhandlers are about to put a big bet on the bio-tech boom with your tax dollars and charitable donations. - Dumping Scandal FAQ's
Answers to the main questions about the dumping of hazardous waste at the Monroe Avenue Water Filtration Plant and other dumpsites. - Gutless U-M Caves on Bronzes
Art endures, if obscured, in that grotty little fiefdom of intellectual poseurs and petty inquisitions that has become the University of Michigan. - Kent County Medical Examiner Compromised
In a glaring conflict of interest, Kent County Medical Examiner Stephen Cohle whitewashes autopsies that could have revealed misconduct by Spectrum Health and Laboratory Pathologists, a staffing firm Cohle owns and operates. - Living Wage Kills Jobs
City pols support a Marxist policy that, like all Marxist policies, hurt the very people they say it will help. - Local Prof Sez We're Bible-Beating Bigots
Outspoken GVSU professor Ben Rudolph gets it wrong when he concludes that River City's "conservative" values are wrecking the local economy. - Lost Cause
A story of how River City lost its way to a secure economic future. - Mayor Heartwell: The Best Investment in Town
The mayor takes a campaign contribution from a lobbying firm and then awards it a $70,000 city contract. - Poison
The nasty nature of the 26,000 tons of poison that The Boardwalk's developers dug up and then dumped upon the rest of us. - The Fixer
A four-part series about the local attorney behind the demise of Autodie, Butterworth Hospital, Amway, and Old Kent. Warning: Strong accusations of corruption, greed, and skullduggery. Not for the feint of heart. - The Flying Monkey Brigade
Lysenkoists now rule and dictate what citizens will and will not discuss as science in the public square -- especially, the public school classroom. - The Pig in the Python
The dirty little secret behind the success and failure of every school reform that the education establishment, the public school bureaucrats, and the teachers unions will never reveal. - The Problem With Teachers
Why teachers are the professionals least suited to run a school district -- or even a school. - Thirty-Six Bucks
Balancing the City budget: Maybe it's time for those making a living on the taxpayer's dime to give up a little instead of sticking it to the taxpayer one more time. - Urban League Takes a Wrong Turn
The Grand Rapids chapter of this venerable civil rights organization took a step backward with its dubious report finding institutionalized racism in area police forces. - When Will It Stop?
Enough of the repulsive tactic of accusing everyone of bigotry who doesn't kowtow to the racemongers. - Who Tickets the Cops?
State highway patrolmen flout the law on our freeways. - Yeah, and Summer is Hotter Than Winter
The Grand Rapids Press ignores science to promote feel-good politics on the environment and becomes the watchdog that doesn't bark.
Quick Links
Government Links
- G.R. Now
A guide to Grand Rapids, including events, entertainment, and local bloggers. - G.R. Chamber of Commerce
Information about businesses in the Grand Rapids area. - G.R. Visitors & Convention Bureau
Information for visitors about Grand Rapids and the surrounding area. - City of Grand Rapids
- Kent County
- Michigan Compiled Laws
- State of Michigan
Gateway to all branches and agencies of state government. - Federal Judiciary
- The White House
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. House & U.S. Code
Media Links
- CNN
- Detroit Free Press
- Detroit News
- Drudge Report
- Fox News
- GR Pundit
Commentary on local political, economic, and social matters. - Grand Rapids Business Journal
- Grand Rapids Press
- Media Mouse
G.R.-based independent media website from the left. - Michigan Live
State and local news bulletins plus a search engine for the Grand Rapids Press and other newspapers. - MSNBC
- Real Clear Politics
Clearinghouse for commentary on daily events from across the nation. - WGVU NPR Radio
- WGVU TV-35 (PBS)
- WOOD News Radio 1300
- WOOD TV-8 (NBC)
- WWMT TV-3 (CBS)
- WXMI TV-17 (Fox)
- WZZM TV-13 (ABC)
Public Interest Links
DISCLAIMER: We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed by the organizations listed below, although we have found them to provide useful information for the engaged citizen.- Accuracy in Media
Media watchdog from the right. - American Center for Law & Justice
The conservative counterweight to the ACLU. - American Civil Liberties Union
That hoary guardian of our civil liberties ... at least the ones the left considers worth protecting. - American Enterprise Institute
Centrist think tank. - Center for Public Integrity
Scrutinizes the actions of public officials. - Fact Check
Checks the public statements of politicians against the facts. - Families United for Justice
Watchdog of the local scene, including links to stories of corruption in Michigan. - Mackinac Center for Public Policy
Free-market think tank with a special focus on Michigan issues. - Martindale Directory
National directory for lawyers and law firms. - Media Transparency
Media watchdog from the left with good databases on funding sources for non-profit organizations. - Michigan Liberal
Michigan politics for the left-wingers. - Nolo
Kill all the lawyers? DIY center for agreements, legal documents, and litigation. - Open Secrets
Who's buying who? Search for campaign contributions made in state and federal elections. - Right Michigan
Michigan politics for the right-wingers. - Society of Professional Journalists
A link to the SPJ's FOIA toolkit for requesting documents from the government. - Taxpayers Against Fraud
Watchdog for fraud in the federal government and information center for the False Claims Act. - The Brookings Institute
Liberal think tank. - The Cato Institute
Libertarian think tank. - The Heritage Foundation
Conservative think tank. - Wikipedia
The web-based encyclopedia for those who understand the admonition "Caveat lector!"
« A TALE OF TWO WINDQUESTS | Main | HERE COMES THE SUN, THERE GOES THE MAYOR »
Jul 11, 2005
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Dear Readers...
This important posting that Bill, our executive director, did today about the letters sent out by City Attorney Ophoff are a prime example of why The L.A.W. began...
Local politicans, local city officials, and some private entities have become so corrupt in their daily dealings that they no longer can see the lines between good and bad, honesty and a lie, and right from wrong. We started this newsite, because it was high time the dirty, backroom dealings of this group became available for the rest of the residents of this city to hear and see, especially since other media outlets choose to ignore their bad ways instead of exposing them.
City Attorney Ophoff and his supporters are hellbent on keeping everything to do with the dirty dealings of the money-laundering behind the environmental violations at the B & G Factory and the Water Filtration Plant out of the hands of those who understand what is going on. They will stop at NOTHING to keep the lies hidden - even if that includes implying that any citizen asking for such documents MUST be rotten, nasty and awful. Even when local citizens with NO ties to the environmental lawsuit properly request public documents under FOIA, they still get slapped down and humiliated for having the courage to demand public scrutiny.
Why have a Freedom of Information Act, if the public is not allowed to get records UNLESS a cheesy city attorney with a poor record gives approval? This certainly bears some thought ... you dear citizen of the great city of Grand Rapids are allowed FOIA access only ig it is a meaningless document and no one wants it. If you dare to ask for important documents that expose lies, corruption, and underhanded dealings ... prepare for public denouncement.
In researching the actions of those in this city that appear dubious and questionable we try to leave room for you the reader to hear our data and reviews and form your own opinion based upon what we share. The beauty of L.A.W. is that we give you our thoughts and even if you don't agree with us, we respect yours. That's the symbol of a balanced and free society - having the ability to debate and agree to disagree when one chooses.
Thus, we continue to try and get our hands on the REAL facts so that our editorials are based in truth and the reader and citizen can form their opinion of how our officials operate, how our laws do or do not work, and what the outcome means to you and me at the end of the day ... especially when others are making the decisions for you - without your consent.
Stay tuned reader ... we won't give up on justice - it is for everyone even if it's hard to obtain in a city where puppets rule the roost.
Regards,
Bridget Dupont-Tingley
Editor, L.A.W.