In Grand Rapids, Sen. Slotkin says she wants to hear ‘real-life stories'
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin made stops in West Michigan Saturday, saying her goal was to meet with leaders and understand the needs of the community.
'I'm 33 or 34 days into being a U.S. senator, and I wanted to make the point of coming to West Michigan — you know, coming to Grand Rapids, we're going to Kalamazoo — just to ensure that everyone understands they have a new senator and I'm here to help,' Slotkin told News 8.
In Grand Rapids, the senator — joined by Democratic U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids — visited Cherry Health, which Slotkin said largely depends on federal funding.
To The Point: Reps Huizenga, Scholten on new era
'This is a facility that does about 470,000 visits a year, a good number of them behavioral health,' Slotkin said. 'You think about what happens to Grand Rapids and the community here if a place like this doesn't exist. I wanted to understand who they're serving, what it means to the community.'
Amid sweeping changes from the second Trump administration, Slotkin told News 8 she had encountered a lot of uncertainty.
'I think whether you're in government or in nonprofit work or in business, predictability and stability is important. You got to understand the playing field in order to make decisions. And so there's just a lot of questions,' she said. 'People want to know: 'What are you hearing about the new budget? Are there going to be cuts to federal funding, and what kind? I have a contract with the government — is that still going to be good?' A lot of questions about what they can and cannot count on.'
Republican-led House passes bills to keep tipped wage in Michigan
She said she wanted to hear 'real-life stories.'
'It's just making sure they know how to get me, and then they can express their real concerns directly up the chain,' she said. 'Because the more I hear real-life stories of how things are impacted on the ground, whether it's tariffs, let's say — our business community had a lot to say about tariffs — I can take those real-world stories back to Washington when I go and fight for the things that Michigan needs.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
34 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Driver Arrested After SUV Hits Protester at "No Kings" Rally
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A 21-year-old man was arrested after police say he intentionally drove an SUV into a crowd of protesters in Culpeper, Virginia, on Saturday afternoon. Joseph R. Checklick Jr. of was charged with reckless driving and is being held without bond at the Culpeper County Jail, according to the Culpeper Police Department (CPD). The incident occurred during a "No Kings" rally near James Madison Highway, where officials say he struck at least one person with his vehicle. Police say Checklick intentionally accelerated into the crowd of protesters near James Madison Highway Saturday afternoon. The demonstration was organized by local Democratic groups as part of nationwide protests against the Trump administration's policies. Culpeper Democrats posted on Facebook, thanking the Culpeper Police Department for their "quick response and for keeping our protest safe." The group reported significant attendance at their event, with organizers claiming more than 600 attendees across two locations - over 200 at their Main Street location and over 400 on James Madison Highway. The "No Kings" demonstrations were designed to counter what organizers describe as an excessive military display in the nation's capital. The protests took their name from their opposition to what they characterize as authoritarian tendencies in the current administration. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Houthis Say '1000 Leaders' in Store Amid Israel Assassination Strike Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A source within Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, has told Newsweek that the group would persist in its battle with Israel after reports that Israeli forces carried out a targeted strike against senior figures at a meeting. The Israeli attack, which comes amid an unprecedented exchange of strikes between Israel and Ansar Allah's Axis of Resistance coalition ally, Iran, was reported by a number of Israeli outlets as well as Saudi Arabia's Al-Hadath network. The reports cited unnamed sources suggesting that the target was Ansar Allah military Chief of Staff Mohammed Abdel Karim al-Ghamari. Al-Hadath also reported that Ansar Allah-led Supreme Political Council President Mahdi al-Mashat was also in attendance at the meeting. Their fates have yet to be confirmed. The Ansar Allah source with whom Newsweek spoke to declined to discuss the details of the strike but affirmed that the group was prepared to move forward with its missile and drone campaign against Israel even in the case of losing high-level leaders. "We are all projects of martyrdom, and we are not afraid of being targeted," the Ansar Allah source said. "Every leader is succeeded by a thousand leaders." Newsweek has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for comment. Ansar Allah has fired dozens of missiles and drones at Israel since October 2023, intervening in support of the Palestinian Hamas movement after it launched a surprise attack on Israel. The ensuing conflict sparked a still-ongoing war that has spread across the Middle East, drawing in Iran and allies non-state allies across the region. Rising tensions over the conflict took a dramatic new turn this week when Israel launched a sweeping and unprecedented series of strikes across Iran. The operating, dubbed "Rising Lion," has involved hundreds of attacks targeting facilities and personnel tied to Iran's armed forces and nuclear program. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Thousands attend No Kings events in Lake County
A former combat soldier and a onetime Republican who got his first job through the late Sen. Robert Dole, R-Kansas, were among more than 8,500 people in Lake County participating in No Kings events protesting the actions of President Donald Trump. Holding a sign that read, 'fought for freedom not for a throne' was U.S. Army veteran John McCullough of Grayslake who said he spent six years in the military, including tours of duty in the first Gulf War and on the Demilitarized Zone separating South and North Korea. 'I watched a dictator from a distance,' McCullough said at a rally in Gurnee, referring to the ruler of North Korea. 'We don't need a king whose father paid for him to be a draft dodger. That's not what my brothers and sisters bled and died for.' John Anderson of Beach Park sat in a wheelchair at the Gurnee rally wearing a shirt with the words 'Go Kemp' referring to former U.S. Rep. Jack Kemp, R-N.Y., who was Dole's running mate in 1992. Anderson said he is no longer a Republican. 'I was a Republican precinct committeeman in three states — Kansas, Minnesota and Illinois,' Anderson said. 'The Republican Party is no longer a party with a platform. They're about one person.' Anderson and McCullough were among more than 8,500 people who participated in No Kings Day rallies Saturday in Lake Country towns Gurnee, Highland Park and Buffalo Grove as they showed their displeasure with the way Trump is governing the country. More than 4,500 people attended the rally in Gurnee, 2,500 in Highland Park and 1,500 in Buffalo Grove, according to organizers at those locations. Along with the three Lake County events, there were nearly 2,000 protests planned across the country Saturday from city blocks to small towns to courthouse steps and community parks. There was also a demonstration in Washington, D.C. where Trump attended a military parade. Orchestrated by the 50501 Movement, organizers said the group picked the 'No Kings' name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump administration. The name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement. Many of the approximately 4,500 participants in Gurnee—filling two blocks on Grand Avenue and one on the adjoining Hunt Club Road—held signs indicating displeasure with Trump's leadership style. Signs read, 'No kings in America since 1776,' 'Rejecting kings since 1776,' 'Immigrants don't invade, they rebuild what history has broken' and more. There were no planned speakers but chants broke out regularly. Katie Salyer, a Gurnee resident and one of the organizers from Northeast Lake County Indivisible—the Lake County Democratic Party was also a sponsor—was holding a megaphone leading part of the crowd. 'What does democracy look like?' Salyer asked. 'This is what democracy looks like,' the crowd responded several times in a row. Salyer said the chants were a tool to keep the crowd active and orderly. There was also a political purpose. 'It gives the people a voice,' she said. Barb Wigginton of Fox Lake said she was there to make a point about behavior of some of the immigration officers carrying out Trump's deportation policies. Her sign read, 'Melt ICE,' referring the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. 'Everyone should be treated with respect,' she said. 'Do what you have to do, but be kind.' Joan Zahnle was one of the Highland Park rally organizers. She said the crowd consisted of people of all ages from parents with young children to teens and older individuals. There was a dual purpose. The rally was combined with a food drive. 'We have four SUVs loaded with food going to pantries in Waukegan and North Chicago,' she said. Carolyn Pinta, the organizer of the Buffalo Grove event, said it there was a party atmosphere with music and dancing. The first participant arrived 45 minutes before the noon starting time with her 99-year-old mother attending her first political rally. Lake County Republican Chair Keith Brin said in an email Trump is anything but a king. He was fairly elected and is enforcing laws passed by Congress just like Democratic presidents administered them before him, Brin said. 'The President hasn't made up laws like a dictator,' Brin said in the email. 'If the protesters don't like the laws, change the laws. Instead of figuring out why the majority of the country disagrees with them, Democrats protest against an imaginary dictatorship that has been routinely checked by Congress and the courts.'
