Gov. Rick Snyder Appoints Grosse Ile Doctor to Michigan Board of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery

Vicki Anton-Athens, of Grosse Ile, is president of the Brownstown-based Athens Podiatry Group, according to a release from the office of Gov. Rick Snyder.

Vicki Anton-Athens, of Grosse Ile, was appointed to the Michigan Board of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery by Gov. Rick Snyder, according to a release from Snyder's office. Anton-Athens is president of the Athens Podiatry Group in Brownstown and has more than 30 years of experience in the practice of podiatric medicine and surgery. The release details Anton-Athens background as: Athens will serve the remainder of a four-year term left vanact by the death of Howard Lazar. The term expires June 30, 2013. *The above information was provided by the office of Gov. Rick Snyder. For the latest Trenton and Grosse Ile news and information, "like" Trenton-Grosse Ile Patch on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our daily newsletter.

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Gov. Snyder's State of the State Speech to Address Job Creation in Michigan

Snyder will deliver his third State of the State address at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Gov. Snyder will deliver his third State of the State address to a joint session of the Michigan Legislature at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. According to the Detroit Free Press, one of the main topics of the speech will focus on matching job vacancies in Michigan with workers who possess the necessary skills to fill those jobs. Snyder notes that the state has thousands of vacant jobs, but a high unemployment level. The event will be broadcast live online at www.livestream.com/snyderlive. It will also be broadcast on Fox, and WWJ 950 AM. For the latest Trenton and Grosse Ile news and information, "like" Trenton-Grosse Ile Patch on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and sign up for our daily newsletter.

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Will Right-to-Work Law Lead to Recall of Gov. Snyder?

A political expert said Michigan could be “ground zero for a recall vote” against Snyder in 2013.

Could the sudden passage of the highly controversial right-to-work legislation lead to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's name appearing on a statewide ballot for something other than his re-election campaign? One political expert thinks it's possible. Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at Wagner College’s Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform, told Politico that Michigan could be “ground zero for a recall vote” against Snyder in 2013. “There doesn’t seem to be a specific goal of going after state legislatures or state governors in any significant way, though that might change in Michigan because of right-to-work (legislation),” Spivak said in the Politico story.  Local recall elections, such as the one voters recently approved against Troy …

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After Newtown, NRA Ready to Make 'Meaningful Contributions'

Fairfax-headquartered group issues statement about preventing future tragedies after shooting that killed 28, including the gunman, in Connecticut.

After days of silence, the National Rifle Association, headquartered in Fairfax, has released a statement on the tragic shooting in Newtown, Conn., saying it will make "meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again." In the release, the organization begins to explain its silence, saying: "Out of respect for the families, and as a matter of common decency, we have given time for mourning, prayer and a full investigation of the facts before commenting." Critics had called out the group in the days following the shooting: As citizens and legislators began to fall on either side of a debate about what, if at all, should be done about gun laws, many wondered why the group was absent from the conversation. The organization …

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Snyder Vetoes Bill That Would Have Allowed Guns in Trenton, Grosse Ile Schools

The bill would have allowed concealed weapons in gun-free zones such as schools and sports arenas.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has vetoed a bill that would have allowed concealed weapons into public schools and sports arena, according to a report on Michigan Public Radio. The Michigan Legislature passed Senate Bill 59 late last week that would have allowed concealed weapons in gun-free zones, but in the wake of the school shooting in Newtown, CT, many had called for Snyder to veto the legislation. David Hecker, Michigan President of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) said in a Friday statement, "We’re aghast that this lame duck legislature thinks it’s a good idea to put MORE guns in our schools, let alone places of worship or sports arenas...The House passed SB 59 on Thursday. How dare these lame duck legislators put the safety of …

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Gun Control Debate Heats Up Among Patch Readers

Trenton-Grosse Ile Patch blogger Dean Massalsky pledged to give up his guns in the wake of the Newtown, CT school shooting and readers have had a lot to say about it. What do you think about this blogger's new point of view on gun control?

10,000 Protesters Descend on Capitol Tuesday to Fight Michigan Right-to-Work Legislation

The bills were signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday.

LANSING - People came from as close as down the street and as far as Chicago and Wisconsin, joining thousands of union members in a protest against right-to-work legislation Tuesday in Lansing. Despite the roar of the crowds lining the lawn of the Capitol building and surrounding streets, two pieces of legislation passed by the Senate last week made their way through the state House of Representatives and were signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder Tuesday afternoon. 10,000 on the Capitol lawn Michigan State Police estimated that protesters at the Capitol numbered around 10,000 on Tuesday. Most were union members and supporters, while a small contingent of tea party and Americans for Prosperity members—both of which support right-to-work …

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Local Perspectives On Right-to-Work Bill in Trenton, Grosse Ile

Right-to-Work has seen support and opposition in Trenton and Grosse Ile. Find out what the president of the Trenton teachers union, a state representative and a local United Auto Workers union president said about the bill.

Following Gov. Rick Snyder's call to action Thursday, the Michigan Legislature passed a right-to-work bill amid throngs of protesters on the Capitol lawn. The bill could be on Snyder’s desk as soon as next week. The bill prohibits unions from collecting fees from nonunion workers, which opponents say would weaken organized labor’s ability to bargain for good wages while supporters say it would boost jobs. In a Pure Michigan video posted Thursday on YouTube, Snyder says his decision to pursue such legislation is "about being pro-work and giving workers the freedom to choose who they associate with." Although this legislation would cover both the public and private sectors, there would be an exception for police and firefighters. Find out …

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Local Union President: 'Right-To-Work is an Assault On the Middle Class'

Gabe Solano, president of the United Auto Workers Local 372 in Trenton, said right-to-work legislation is an assault on workers and an assault on the middle class.

Each day union employees at the Chrysler LLC Trenton Engine Plant take a break from the daily grind to shop and eat near the plant at Fort Street and Van Horn Road. In the process of grabbing lunch or filling up the tank, these employees contribute to the local economy, but Gabe Solano said this could soon be a thing of the past. Solano, president of the United Auto Workers Local 372 in Trenton, said, if passed, "right-to-work" legislation could have a negative impact on the local economy, including local restaurants. "Chrysler workers have been good for this community and this community has been good for Chrysler workers," Solano said. "Right-to-work" legislation was introduced in the state Capitol today by Gov. Rick Snyder in Lansing, …

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