As of Tuesday morning voter turnout looks strong in Ypsi for primary.

Photo Purple Walrus Press.

By Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

According to Ward 2 primary election volunteers at Estabrook Elementary in Ypsilanti voter turnout has been strong and steady. The high turnout is not surprising as large numbers of residents in Ypsilanti and Washtenaw County have taken a vested interest, perhaps more so this primary election than previous elections. This may be in large part due to the numbers of highly charged campaign rallies in Ypsilanti over recent weeks in support of governor candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

A little over a week ago several hundred residents packed Brown AME Church in Ypsilanti for a rally for El-Sayed that featured supporter and new energetic face of the Democratic Party Alexandria Ocasio Cortez of  New York.

A rally for Abdul El-Sayed this past Sunday at the Marriott Eagle Crest Hotel in Ypsilanti featuring speaker Bernie Sanders drew roughly 1000 people in the sweltering heat.

Notable near the entrance of  the Ypsilanti Ward 2 voting site Tuesday morning was the presence of a group supporting Proposal 2 which would amend the Michigan Constitution to create an independent redistricting commission. Proposal 2 will appear on the ballot in November.

Large Crowd in Ypsilanti Shows Support In Sweltering Heat For Abdul El-Sayed Rally With Bernie Sanders Sunday.

Photo Purple Walrus Press.

By Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

Temperatures soaring into the the mid nineties did not discourage the enthusiasm of approximately 1000 sweltering supporters as they cheered candidate for governor Abdul El-Sayed and Bernie Sanders at the Abdul For Michigan Get Out The Vote Rally with Bernie Sanders at the Eagle Crest Marriott Hotel in Ypsilanti Sunday.

The event was held on the rolling back lawns behind the hotel adjacent to the golf course that happened to be teeming with golfers during the rally. The picturesque setting provided an interesting backdrop to the inspiring rally that was bursting with palpable optimism, enthusiasm and dissatisfaction with the status quo.

Those attending the rally responded to speakers with passion and exuberance as they melted in the heat. Not a soul left the rally uninspired because the messages from Abdul El-Sayed and Bernie Sanders rang loud, true and right on target.  "People in Michigan are good people. We must reach beyond the division and hatred between people," stated El-Sayed to the riveted crowd. "When will we stand up for healthcare for all." "Why is it that people in Flint still don't have clean water?"

At approximately 6:45 pm Bernie Sanders was met by loud cheers as he approached the podium to stir up support for the Abdul for governor campaign. "We are not going to allow demigods to divide us up. We are going to come together!" stated Sanders. "This is a transformative election. This is saying here in the United States we want to do things differently."  Sanders message was clear and neatly summed up the positive and important mission in the Abdul For Governor campaign when he stated, "We should not have a president who is dividing us up based on color and ethnicity.

With days left before the primary election the campaign for Abdul El-Sayed could not have done a finer job getting out their message of change and defeating the status Quo and just as importantly, Getting Out The Vote.

Photos Purple Walrus Press.

A golfer cheers for Bernie from her golf cart.

Senator Bernie Sanders campaigning with candidate for governor Abdul El-Sayed in Ypsilanti and Detroit Sunday.

Photo Purple Walrus Press.

Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

According to a media release from the Abdul El-Sayed campaign, on Tuesday, United States Senator Bernie Sanders announced that he will travel to Michigan to campaign for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. Senator Sanders will speak at two rallies in Detroit and Ypsilanti on Sunday, August 5th, alongside Our Revolution President Nina Turner. The campaign tour comes as Abdul El-Sayed continues to surge in the final days of Michigan’s Democratic gubernatorial primary election.

Sunday, August 5

3 p.m. Detroit Rally with Senator Bernie Sanders, Grand Riverview Ballroom, Cobo Center, 1 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226

5 p.m. Ypsilanti Rally with Senator Bernie Sanders, Eagle Crest Marriott, 1275 S. Huron St, Ypsilanti, MI 48197

“I’m proud to endorse Dr. Abdul El-Sayed for Governor of Michigan. As governor, Dr. El-Sayed will fight for a government in Lansing that represents all the people, and not just wealthy special interests. Under Abdul’s leadership Michigan can help lead the nation in guaranteeing health care for all through a Medicare for All single-payer type system, tuition free public colleges and universities, a minimum wage of $15 per hour and strong environmental protections.”

-- Senator Bernie Sanders

“I am honored and humbled to have the support of Senator Sanders in this race. Bernie Sanders is one of the country's most important political leaders and the progressive standard-bearer, and I'm thankful that the Senator has recognized that there is only one progressive running for Governor of Michigan. Senator Sanders has always been a relentless advocate for justice and equality, and I have been so inspired by the progressive movement that he has been able to build. Bold ideas like single-payer healthcare and tuition-free and debt-free college have been pushed to the forefront of our political conversation because of the work that he has done in Michigan during his historic primary win in 2016. I look forward to carrying that mantle forward to solve problems for Michiganders as Governor.”

-- Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, Democratic Candidate for Michigan Governor

In 2016, Senator Sanders won the Michigan Democratic primary in one of the greatest upsets in modern political history, having never led in a poll in the state. Senator Sanders is a key progressive standard-bearer nationwide. Senator Sanders is the only member of the United States Senate to make an endorsement in this race, according to the press release.

Abdul was also recently endorsed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and his bold, progressive platform has earned his candidacy a number of endorsements from progressive organizations like Our Revolution, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, Working Families Party, Democracy for America, Justice Democrats, The People for Bernie Sanders, and the Michigan Nurses Association. Abdul has also earned the support of progressive leaders like Congressman Ro Khanna, State Representative Abdullah Hammoud, Chuy Garcia, Michael Moore, Shaun King, Linda Sarsour, and Ady Barkan, according to Friday's release. To see Abdul’s full list of endorsements, visit AbdulForGovernor.com/endorsements.

Ohio State Football / Urban Meyer debacle: Pattern of of domestic cases against assistant coach Zach Smith depicted by police reports according to OSU student run publication.

Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

According to The Lantern which is the Ohio State University student run and published news publication, the Lantern obtained police reports stating that Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith displayed a history of domestic incidents that were previously reported to the police by Smith's ex-wife Courtney Smith.

Ohio State fired Zach Smith on Friday, July 23 as a result of allegations that surfaced of domestic violence that involved Courtney Smith. According to the Lantern, Smith filed for domestic violence civil protection order on July 20th.

According to the Lantern, OSU head football coach Urban Meyer stated, “I can’t say it didn’t happen because I wasn’t there,” Meyer said about the 2015 incident. “ I was never told about anything, never anything came to light, never had a conversation about it, so I know nothing about that.”

Flint families can receive nutritious food at mobile food pantry in August.

Editor & Publisher Jeff Brown.

According to the Michigan Dept of Health and Human Services, Flint families may get nutritious food that can limit the effects of lead exposure during mobile food pantry hours set for August at locations throughout Flint.

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan in Flint and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services are announcing the upcoming schedule for mobile food pantry stops to distribute foods rich in calcium, vitamin C and iron. Families in August will receive produce that includes corn, green beans, zucchini, kale, collards, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon and peppers. More than $300 million has been provided to help the residents of Flint, including funding for this initiative. Food distribution sites remain open while supplies last. Upcoming dates are:

• Thursday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m. – Greater Holy Temple, 6702 N. Dort Hwy.
• Monday, Aug. 6, at 10 a.m. – Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 Ballenger Hwy.
• Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 10 a.m. – Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, 910 Chippewa St.
• Tuesday, Aug. 7, at 10 a.m. – Asbury United Methodist Church, 1653 Davison Road.
• Wednesday, Aug. 8, at noon – Salem Lutheran Church, 2610 Martin Luther King Ave.
• Thursday, Aug. 9, at 10 a.m. – Greater Holy Temple, 6702 N. Dort Hwy.
• Friday, Aug., at 10 a.m. – Flint Muslim Food Pantry, 4400 S. Saginaw St.
• Monday, Aug. 13, at 10 a.m. – Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 Ballenger Hwy.
• Tuesday, Aug. 14, at 10 a.m. – Asbury United Methodist Church, 1653 Davison Road.
• Wednesday, Aug. 15, at 10 a.m. – Hispanic Tech Center, 2101 Lewis St.
• Thursday, Aug.16, at 10 a.m. – Greater Holy Temple, 6702 N. Dort Hwy.
• Friday, Aug. 17, at 10 a.m. – St. Luke’s NEW Life Center, 3115 Lawndale Ave.
• Monday, Aug. 20, at 10 a.m. – Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 Ballenger Hwy.
• Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 10 a.m. – Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, 910 Chippewa St.
• Tuesday, Aug. 21, at 10 a.m. – Asbury United Methodist Church, 1653 Davison Road.
• Thursday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m. – Greater Holy Temple, 6702 N. Dort Hwy.
• Friday, Aug. 24, at 10 a.m. – NOW Ministries, 1200 Stocker Ave.
• Monday, Aug. 27, at 10 a.m. – Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 Ballenger Hwy.
• Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m. – Asbury United Methodist Church, 1653 Davison Road.
• Thursday, Aug. 30, at 10 a.m. – Greater Holy Temple, 6702 N. Dort Hwy.

Flint residents can also pick up free nutritional food at the three Flint Help Center locations. They are Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway, open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays; Asbury United Methodist Church, 1653 Davison Road, open Tuesdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and Greater Holy Temple, 6702 N. Dort Highway, open Thursdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

This schedule is subject to change, and information about additional food distribution dates will be announced as they are scheduled. For more information or to find out about any changes in the schedule, visit the Food Bank website at www.FBEM.org and find the updated schedule on the Mobile Pantry Distribution page, or call 810-239-4441.