Last year, the Bridgeport-Spaulding Community School District postponed making a decision that could have saved $8,000 a year.

If the district piggybacks its board elections to coincide with the November general elections in Bridgeport and Spaulding townships on even-numbered years, it would not incur election costs unless the ballot is too large to combine with the townships'.

In a letter sent this month, state Rep. Kenneth B. Horn vowed to sponsor a bill "that protects consumers from unwanted negative messages in their homes."

Barry M. Rindhage of Saginaw likely will lose his health insurance coverage and worries about medical bills piling up during an emergency.

He is one of two employees at The Print Shop in Saginaw Township and contributes to his health insurance along with his boss and a county subsidy.

The defeat Tuesday of an eight-year, 1-mill levy to support basic health services for low-income adults under the nonprofit Saginaw Health Plan will change that.

Jeff Schrier | The Saginaw NewsBenjamin L. Gombar, left, owner of The Print Shop, 5645 State in Saginaw Township, provided health insurance to his employee Barry M. Rindhage through the Tri-Share part of the county health plan

Mid-Michigan has critical issues -- and a president who promises change.

Matthew Stephens | The Saginaw NewsBen N. Schramm, 19, of Pinconning works on boarding up an abandoned home at 1823 W. Genesee Tuesday morning. Schramm in an employee of the Wolgast Corporation.

What does that mean for mid-Michigan?

A series of election mistakes in Birch Run Township knocked the top vote-getter off the official list of results.

Edward C. McNamara Jr., 55, received the most votes of any candidate running for the Birch Run Village Council, but he was fortunate his name appeared on the ballot at all.

Kevin J. Green, 38, a Wyoming Republican, was in the driver's seat, slumped into the passenger seat, when deputies on patrol discovered him parked at a Bay business in Kochville Township at 1:50 a.m.

Later, however, he admitted that Obama's victory was the catalyst for his display.

Midland police questioned Randy G. Gray II, 30, who was walking on the sidewalk along Eastman near North Saginaw Wednesday afternoon while waving an American flag but released him because he wasn't breaking any laws.

For years in the Saginaw County political landscape, politicians could reliably predict Saginaw Township as a ruby "red" Republican community.

The suburb confounded the GOP when voters gave Democrat Barack Obama a narrow edge over Republican John McCain for president, kicked two long-time incumbent Republicans off the County Board of Commissioners in exchange for two Democrats and gave the most votes among five running for the Township Board of Trustees to the sole Democrat in the contest.

Ed C. McNamara Jr., 55, a lifelong Birch Run resident, who has served on the council since 2003, received the most votes of four candidates vying for three open village council positions.

McNamara had 416 votes.

Saginaw County Sheriff Charles L. Brown says his successor should have a smooth transition into the job despite their very public battles.

"This is about the people," William L. Federspiel said after defeating his Republican opponent, Kevin Campbell, 71,063 votes (71.5 percent) to 27,853 votes (28 percent).

"My election shows people have faith in the system. This is the reverse of the apathy we've been seeing."

Midland Township Republican James N. Stamas had to hire a manager at his Midland pizzeria so he could take a job in Lansing.

Stamas captured 25,977 votes (about 57.9 percent) versus 18,871 (42.1 percent) for Lewis.

Many township races around Saginaw County went uncontested, but the fight for James Township supervisor isn't over yet.

Democratic candidate Leonard A. Ballosh, 71, and Republican Kristine M. Whitteberry tied at 573 votes apiece.

For county sheriff, Republican Leland Teschendorf received 12,624 votes, while Democrat Tim Adams received 8,519.

Residents re-elected Robert Weise, a Republican, as supervisor with 5,134 votes.