Overview
- The governor granted clemency on Nov. 18 outside the Michigan Capitol, joined by Maybury Farm staff and MDARD director Tim Boring.
- The sister birds’ names, nods to iconic Michigan beverages, came from roughly 1,500 submissions with thousands of votes on finalists.
- The move brings Whitmer’s total turkey pardons to five since 2022, following Mitch E. Gander, Dolly Pardon and Aiden Cluckinson.
- In remarks, Whitmer highlighted a bipartisan budget resolution after a months-long standoff that nearly triggered a shutdown, plus progress on a Selfridge Air National Guard Base fighter mission and funding for Brandon Road defenses against invasive carp.
- She encouraged holiday community giving, gave a nod to Lions fans, and joked, “it’s pop, not soda,” emphasizing local identity.