Dan Benishek

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Teaching like Yoda

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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore deputy superintendent Tom Ulrich, who will retire from the Park later this month, once heard a poignant analogy at a leadership conference that compared the old style of managing a National Park to the Star Wars jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who deftly and constantly fends off outside threats with his light saber. By contrast, the new style of Park management is not to deflect or fight off criticism from the public, but to engage, listen and teach as Yoda does. Ulrich arrived at Sleeping Bear Dunes in late 2002 at a time when Lakeshore staff was reeling from widespread criticism after it promoted an unpopular new General Management Plan that would expand portions of the Park classified as “wilderness.” His tenure at Sleeping Bear Dunes dawned a collaborative relationship between the Park and local citizens.

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Northern Michigan constituents clamor for time with Congressman, as protests surge nationwide

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Northern Michigan’s newest member of Congress, Rep. Jack Bergman, is showing up all over the 1st District — just not always in person. Progressive-minded citizens have unsuccessfully sought an audience with Bergman to voice their concerns about the Trump presidency, the new White House cabinet, the administration’s Russian connection, executive orders that target Muslims, refugees and Latino immigrants, and a potential repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Instead they have posted “Where’s Jack?” posters on social media and in physical locations in towns across the district.

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Your Leelanau County 2014 election guide

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With important races looming for United States Congress, the Michigan House of Representatives and the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners (all politics is local!) the Glen Arbor Sun reached out to candidates on both sides of the political aisle and asked questions about important local issues, prior to the November 4 election.

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Glen Arbor Sun interview: U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek vs. Jerry Cannon

The Glen Arbor Sun conducted the following interviews (via email) with U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek (a Republican who was elected during the Tea Party wave of 2010) and his challenger this November, Democrat Jerry Cannon.

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Who’s to blame for stalled immigration reform?

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Immigration reform would be a job creator for Northern Michigan, says Congressman Dan Benishek. But the Republican-controlled House of Representatives won’t move on immigration reform, following the Tea Party defeat of Majority Leader Eric Cantor in June.

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Borrowing Sleeping Bear from our children

On Friday, May 30, dignitaries including U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Dan Benishek gathered at the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive #3 Dune Overlook to commemorate President Obama’s signing this spring of the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness Act, which will preserve our National Lakeshore while guaranteeing public access to its roads, beaches and forests. Here are a few highlights from their speeches.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes to dedicate Wilderness legislation with dignitaries, music

All are invited to join Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in dedicating their newly designated Wilderness on Friday, May 30, at noon at the breathtaking #3 Dune Overlook on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. A special program is planned which focuses all participants on the mission of preserving and protecting this special place now and into the future. The National Park Service is pleased to announce that Senator Carl Levin, Senator Debbie Stabenow and Congressman Dan Benishek will be among some of the special speakers at this event.

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President Obama signs Sleeping Bear wilderness bill

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore wilderness bill passed the House of Representatives yesterday on a voice vote and will head to President Obama’s desk, where he is expected to sign it into law. Congressman Dan Benishek (a Republican representing Northern Michigan) championed the legislation in the House and expects it to be signed within the next couple weeks. Democratic Senator Carl Levin co-sponsored companion legislation that passed the Senate last year.

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Benishek’s Sleeping Bear Dunes “Wilderness” Legislation Moves Toward Becoming Law

Today, Congressman Dan Benishek’s (Republican of Michigan) legislation to protect the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was unanimously passed by the House Committee on Natural Resources during a key Congressional mark-up hearing. The legislation now is set to move to the House floor for a final vote.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes “Wilderness” legislation highlighted for 2014 consideration

From staff reports The office of U.S. Congressman Dan Benishek (a Republican representing Northern Michigan) reports that his legislation to protect Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore — both as wilderness and as a recreationally zoned Park that citizens can access and use — will take the next step toward becoming law when the House Committee on Natural […]

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