Northern Express - March 23, 2020

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • march 23 - march 29, 2020 • Vol. 30 No. 12

A Message from Munson Healthcare

Coronavirus (COVID-19): What You Need to Know Common COVID-19 Symptoms: The majority of people who contract COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms, 2-14 days following exposure to the new coronavirus. These symptoms include: Fever (100+ degrees)

Shortness of breath

Cough

Fatigue

What To Do: Stay home and avoid others. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is critical to avoid others, rest, and get plenty of fluids.

This includes those who have traveled to a high-risk area and may have come in contact with the new coronavirus.

If you have concerns, call your family doctor. You can also contact our Munson Healthcare hotline at 231-935-0951 and press 5 to speak to a nurse. This option is available daily from 7 am - 7 pm.

For more stay-at-home tips that help reduce the spread to loved ones and neighbors, visit munsonhealthcare.org/slowthespread.

When to Seek Emergency Help: For some people, the symptoms may be more severe.

More severe symptoms include: • Difficulty breathing • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest • Confusion • Bluish lips or face

People Most at Risk for Developing More Serious Symptoms: • Older adults • People with pre-existing medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, or diabetes

If you experience any of these severe symptoms, please seek immediate medical attention or call 911.

You’re Feeling Well But Worried What To Do: Social Distancing: Social distancing involves avoiding large gatherings. If you have to be around people, keep 6 feet between you when possible.

Wash your hands: 1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.

2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.

4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

If you aren’t able to wash your hands with soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol.

Seek soothing activities that can help distract you from worry. Visit munsonhealthcare.org/blog for helpful tips.

Thank you for doing what you can to help slow the spread and keep our facilities accessible for those most impacted.

We are honored to serve you and this amazing community.

2 • march 23, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

letters Email info@northernexpress.com and hit send!

OUR SIMPLE RULES: Keep your letter to 300 words or less, send no more than one per month, include your name/address/phone number, and agree to allow us to edit.

That’s it.

Exponential Fervor What we don’t get is that this virus is really lethal. It is dangerous, and it is something that we have not seen. It does not compare to MERS or SARS, in the basic fact that it is asymptomatic. Symptoms are not obvious for long periods of time, and it has the potential to spread exponentially among the human civilization.

With MERS and SARS, the victims acquired the disease quickly and died quickly, so it was identifiable and very easy to isolate very quickly. Human beings tend to think along linear lines; we don’t think in terms of exponential equations. It’s the same with deadly climate change. We think of climate destruction as happening over a long period of time, when reinforced feedback of climate destruction can send us into climate changes that are exponential more than lineal — thus, happening at a very accelerated rate.

So, there are unfounded conclusions about this virus, most importantly from the Complete Idiot in Chief, that when the weather warms, we are good as gold. Our proverbial leader appointed God Boy Pence in charge of the fight against a deadly virus instead of someone who knows what he or she is doing.

No one has a crystal ball in this situation.

But I’ll tell you what, it don’t look good.

Bret Albright, Traverse City Shame on you, Hentschel & Proud Boys At the March 4 Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners meeting, Chair Hentschel gave right-wing talk show host Randy Bishop and two Proud Boys a special platform to espouse their anti-gun control views. Proud Boy members have been convicted of violence in multiple cases.

Bishop told a story about an LSSU student who’s charged with making a terrorist threat.

He claimed the student faces prison for posting a picture of his lawfully owned firearm. Bishop omitted that public safety officers had numerous incidents and contacts with the student, including a tip that he was a potential school shooter, and that the student said the gun would make “snowflakes melt.”

Bishop said that the student wasn’t given due process, despite law enforcement, the prosecutor, and the court agreeing that there was probable cause.

Hentschel helped Bishop advocate nonenforcement of laws against making threats of violence by firearm, while supporters fingered pistols in their shoulder and ankle holsters. Hentschel wasn’t protecting the right to bear arms; he was supporting intimidation by firearm.

Commissioners Clous, Jewett, and La Pointe are allowing Hentschel to twist their support for gun rights into support of threats and intimidation.

Harold Lassers, Williamsburg

Ironman More than Inconvenience This comment is about one of the Northern Express “Top Ten” items in the March 9 edition: “Traverse City’s Ironman Popular Among Racers.” Traverse City has every reason to be proud and to celebrate its high rankings in the 2019 Athlete Choice Awards; the rankings came from surveys completed by athletes after they competed in a race.

But whoever wrote this piece, had to, once again, rub salt in the wound of those not as enthusiastic about the event. Before you even mentioned the rankings, your first sentence was dismissive and disappointing; it made residents who voiced concern over road closures sound petty. “The 2019 Ironman 70.3 Traverse City may have irked some Leelanau County residents who were inconvenienced by road closures during the event, but it scored big in a survey of participants”.

Apparently, you were not one of the “irked” residents who had made plans, couldn’t get to or from work, or had daily business to attend to. We couldn’t get across M-72 or Cedar Run Road for a few hours that Sunday morning, or we were misdirected to head west for miles, only to find those intersections also closed. Yes, it was frustrating that an event bringing millions of dollars into the Traverse area was so poorly planned and executed.

I hope officials in Long Lake Township take a hard look at the bike route proposed for the 2020 Ironman. You still have time to ensure that your fire trucks, ambulances, residents, and visitors are not “inconvenienced” and have alternate routes available the day of the race. Let’s keep a balanced perspective about this important event and put the safety, health, and well-being of our citizens at the top of the priority list.

Sue Jones, Elmwood Township Thanks for the Laugh I got a kick out of the letter from George Peter Block Jr. — all snarky and insulting about your “worthless, commie rag.” The best part: He reads it “every time” he is Up North. Lol. Good job, Northern Express. And George, the best thing you can do for a paper is read it.

Lynda Prior, Traverse City Kudos to Your “Commie Rag” I admire that you printed the silly letter from Mr. Block from Illinois, claiming you are a commie rag. This act shows that you are comfortable within your own principles of publication and can tolerate criticism.

I have never considered your newspaper political, even when perhaps disagreeing with scattered points expressed, but this must be due to your welcoming the broad community to speak and participate. You offer a wonderful service to the NW Lower Michigan region!

James Arnold, Traverse City Climate Overshadowed Citizens of our world have so much to worry about these days. COVID-19 is truly frightening and very serious. I can’t blame anyone for taking their eyes off the goal of attempting to mitigate the climate crisis.

But we must keep working toward passing

meaningful legislation to reduce the use of fossil fuels and to sequester our current carbon emissions.

I traveled to Washington, D.C. with members of the Grand Traverse chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby in November 2019 to lobby Congress to move on such legislation. Our legislators were very distracted by the impeachment inquiry that was going on then. After that was over, I was so hopeful that the House and Senate could work on climate legislation. Now the Coronavirus is here.

Please take the time to call Rep. Jack Bergman to strongly encourage him to support HR 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, as well as Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters to move on any of the current bills that have dropped in their area. Also, encourage them to do meaningful work with the newly-formed Senate Climate Solutions Caucus. The House Caucus has done very little since 2018.

CONTENTS features Crime and Rescue Map......................................7

Weed in the Time of Coronavirus......................10 Do You ... Shinrin-Yoku?.................................12 Get Out & Wear ’em Out........................................14 Pivot..................................................................17

columns & stuff Top Ten...........................................................5

Spectator/Stephen Tuttle....................................6 Opinion..............................................................8 Weird................................................................9 Modern Rock/Kristi Kates................................18 Film................................................................19 Advice..........................................................20 Crossword...................................................21 Freewill Astrology..........................................21 Kathleen Birdsall, RN, Traverse City Classifieds..................................................22

Thanks, Parsons What a wonderful opinion piece by a community treasure. Similar to an accountability issue with the Grand Traverse County Road Commission and the use of my friend’s private homestead parcel by a private home-owners association to dump snow removal from their private roads onto County right of way. After weeks of demanding and negotiating, the Commission finally did right, staked the parcel, and prohibited the dumping.

If no one speaks out, the government will never do right. Dare, Mr. Parsons! Dare!

Bruce Fisher, Traverse City GT BOC Demonstrates Ignorance The Traverse City Board of Commissioners and other like-minded local boards in Michigan seem intent on declaring themselves not only ignorant of the U.S. Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Second Amendment, but demonstrated by their recent vote to create a “Second Amendment sanctuary” in Grand Traverse County, to be in de facto secession from the constitution they profess to protect.

As recently as 2008, in the District of Columbia vs. Heller case, the Supreme Court established an individual right for U.S. citizens to possess firearms while at the same time specifically upheld United States vs. Miller as an exception to the general rule, finding that regulation of military style weaponry such as MI-16’s are legal. Further, the Court stated that the “United States Constitution would not disallow regulations prohibiting criminals and the mentally ill from firearm possession.” Clearly the commissioners’ attempt to thwart potential “red flag” laws show themselves to either be ignorant of our constitution, or to set themselves above the law.

All of us, especially those in elected positions, need to take the time to fully understand Second Amendment rulings, and to comply with and implement our democratically derived laws.

Patricia Power, Traverse City

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase 135 W. State St. Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris, Jill Hayes For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Dave Anderson, Dave Courtad Kimberly Sills, Randy Sills, Roger Racine Matt Ritter, Gary Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny, Ross Boissoneau, Jennifer Hodges, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Kristi Kates, Meg Weichman, Craig Manning Copyright 2020, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 3

this week’s

top ten

free lunch plus

Work Begins on Kalkaska’s Railroad Square

Ground has broken on an ambitious project to reinvent the heart of the Village of Kalkaska.

Work began this week on Railroad Square, a park/public space/event venue in the heart of the village’s business district.

The project is funded primarily through a $3.1 million state redevelopment grant that village officials won last year. The project also received funding through Rotary Charities, the Grand Traverse Community Foundation, and the Kalkaska Economic Development Corporation.

Village President Harley Wales said he hopes to see the project completed by this time next year.

“We are very excited to see this five-yearlong plan get off the ground. This is going to be a catalyst not only for the village, but for the entire 131 corridor,” he said. “These are scary times, and I’m hoping this will give everyone something positive to keep their eye on.”

2

What started out last week Monday as free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches had, by Friday, evolved and expanded into a choice menu of homemade dishes like scalloped potatoes-n-ham, donated pizzas from Mancino’s, hot dogs, fruits, and even donated toys, games, and puzzles — all to keep students of the Charlevoix-Emmett School District fed and having fun while schools are closed. Bill and Carol’s Party Store & Deli led the “Petoskey Proud” parade of provisions by offering students free sandwiches and chips for lunch the first day schools closed, but their generosity caught fire, and now the whole community is getting in on it. Know a hungry kid in the area? Stop in to Bob and Carol’s at 523 Charlevoix Ave. to pick up their free Kids Special lunch of the day, or call (231) 347-2741 for local delivery.

4

Hey, read it!

Notes from an Apocalypse

It might seem we’re alive in an age of endless apocalypse right now, but reassurance — of a sort — is here. For Dublin-based author Mark O’Connell, the end (the many, many predicted ends) is only the beginning.

In his much-anticipated new memoir, “Notes from an Apocalypse,” readers follow O’Connell as he travels to the literal edge of the earth in pursuit of places where the future we fear has already visited (or seems like it might). From South Dakota’s last-ditch survival bunkers and the guns-and-ammo peaks of America’s prophecy preppers, to the exception zones of Chernobyl, where life has long since left, O’Connell is out to find out what it’s like to live through and/or prep for the worst, to have hope — or children — in the face of a grim future, and also, to consider this: What if, after all this time, the end of the world simply isn’t? This modern-day dystopia is one that’s thoughtful, funny, and absolutely absorbing.

5

tastemaker Mama Lu’s Curbside Pickup & Delivery Each day, from 11am to 8pm, Mama Lu’s taco shop in Downtown Traverse City is offering both curbside pickup outside its front door and free delivery within a 10-mile radius. If you’re ordering for the entire family, consider a taco kit (pictured), which includes 20 tortillas, your choice of two meats, a range of other ingredients (including picked red onion, pickled jalapeno, and limes), and a side (such as beans and rice) for a starting price of $50. If you’re dining solo, pick a taco (or three) from the regular Mama Lu’s menu. Each taco is just $4, and the restaurant is offering its entire slate for takeout. We recommend the “Panza,” an out-of-this-world pork belly taco topped with pickled apples, kale, parsnip chips, and salsa negra. Trust us: You won’t be able to eat just one. And don’t forget the drinks! You can add beer, wine, cider, margarita mixers, or nonalcoholic beverages by the bottle or can to your order. Learn more online at mamalustc.com.

4 • march 23, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

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Library’s Closed, But Free Entertainment Isn’t

You’ve got to stay home. And the library is closed anyway. But don’t worry about finding something to watch or read! Just check out your local library’s digital collection.

Traverse Area District Library has an entire webpage filled with apps that library card holders can use to download books or stream movies.

“While we are disappointed to be closed, TADL has a wide range of digital services for all ages,” said Michele Howard, library director. “We have movies, music, TV shows, audiobooks, ebooks, Ancestry, local history, and magazines.”

There’s OverDrive, which offers downloadable books and audio books that can be borrowed with a library card; or kanopy, a streaming service that offers 30,000 independent films and documentaries; or RBdigital, a source that can deliver books and magazines to your phone. Check them all out at tadl.org/at-home/. Not a member of TADL? The Petoskey District Library and Otsego District Public Library have websites with similar offerings.

Stuff we love Walking on the Sunnyside of the Street With the closing of schools, students who depend on the free or reduced lunch and breakfast programs could face upheaval — and hunger. Not if Kirt and James Ploe have anything to say about it. The owners of Sunnyside Breakfast, Lunch, Catering in Boyne City decided they wanted to do their part to help those in need in this time of need. So they decided to offer sack lunches, plus pancake mix and syrup to those who might otherwise go hungry.

“With schools closed for three weeks, a lot of parents rely on free lunch. I understand that struggle,” said Kirt. He said community members are donating funds to help defray the costs. “We’ve had quite a few people come to us and help with the financial need.” He asks those in need to contact him through the restaurant’s Facebook page via Messenger, so the staff can have the food on hand, ready to go and be picked up. For those unable to make it to the restaurant, Kirt said the restaurant is working with Charlevoix Transit to make deliveries along its routes.

Full Steam Ahead for New Ferry Service on LT Bay Evan Blanc, co-owner of the new Little Traverse Bay Ferry, has confirmed that plans to ply passengers across Little Traverse Bay this summer remain a go. The ferry service, which will go to and from Petoskey and Harbor Springs, as well as Bay Harbor, is still set to begin on Memorial Day. Blanc said that while it’s easy to appreciate the views of the bay, he said most of those visiting the area, as well as too many residents, are unable to enjoy the views from the water. So he and his three partners are rectifying the situation, with a 49-passenger boat.

Blanc estimated the trip will take about 15 minutes. While it might cut down on the time between the two cities, particularly with the heavy traffic of mid-summer, efficiency wasn’t the driving force behind the idea. Blanc said he simply wanted people to be able to enjoy the water up close. Cost for a round trip will be $10, though frequent users can purchase a season pass. www.littletraversebayferry.com

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Bottoms up Earthen Ales’ Beers To Go Someday, hopefully soon, we’ll all be able to head back to our favorite breweries and enjoy sampler flights like the one pictured. Until that day comes, though, our northern Michigan breweries are hustling to make their beers (and food) available for the quarantine era. Ever since Michigan bars and restaurants closed their doors to sit-down business on Monday, several local breweries — Traverse City’s Earthen Ales among them — have spent their days ramping up canning operations. Keep an eye on the Earthen Ales social media page — or call ahead — to check what the brewery is serving up in four-pack to-go cans.

So far, options have included the Irish Amber Lager, the Otto Von Export (a “Dortmund-style” German lager), and the 2020 batch of Earthen’s Grindstone Imperial Stout. If we had to pick just one, we’d recommend the Grindstone — a potent 10.9 percent ABV stout that perfectly balances its boozy character with satisfying roasty and chocolatey notes. Of course, if you’re in the mood for a full growler, you can choose from the entire Earthen Ales tap list. Just note that, at this time, Earthen is only able to fill new growlers; not old ones. Pick-up hours are 4pm–8pm weekdays, 2pm–6pm weekends. Find Earthen Ales at 1371 Gray Dr., Suite 200, in The Village at Grand Traverse Commons, (231) 252-4270

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 5

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O N LY A T Y O U R N E I G H B O R H O O D B I G A P P L E B A G E L S ®

spectator

by Stephen Tuttle There are other issues.

While we’ve been out panic shopping — seriously, how many dozen eggs and giant cans of beef stew do we plan on using?

— and wishing President Trump would lighten his makeup and step away from the microphone, Lake Michigan has still been creeping up.

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Lake Michigan-Huron — the hydrologists refer to it as a single entity — has been rising somewhat steadily since historic lows in 2013. And it’s risen a lot, nearly six feet in those seven years. Six feet might not sound like much, given the size of the big lake, but each inch of rise represents 800 billions gallons of new water.

According to the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Director of Bureau Development, at least 40 roads have already been destroyed, damaged, or are in imminent risk. He expected more would soon be similarly impacted as the waters continue to rise.

Temporarily repairing those roads that can be repaired would cost at least $5 million, and permanent fixes would come in at about $100 million.

It isn’t just roads and personal property at risk. The state’s $104 billion agriculture industry is being battered by the precipitation onslaught, especially downstate. Last year Michigan farmers left 920,000 acres unplanted, and the man in charge of Rural Development at the Michigan Department

Water levels set new records in January and February and, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, will set new records every month for the next six months.

Water levels set new records in January and February and, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, will set new records every month for the next six months.

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The simplest explanation is the inflow of water into the lakes has been greater than the loss from evaporation. The last five years have been among the wettest — some say the wettest — on record in Michigan. It’s a similar situation in the rest of the Great Lakes basin. We’ve had a benign winter here, but it’s been wet downstate and snowy in the upper reaches of the watershed.

The ground becomes saturated and streams and rivers full, and the water has no place to go. Meteorologists at the National Weather Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), project a warmer and wetter spring than normal, continuing the cycle.

The best science right now is this is part of a natural cycle. Water levels in the Great Lakes have always ebbed and flowed, expanded and shrunk. It’s assumed we’re at an extreme peak of such a cycle, and the lakes will inevitably recede.

Evidence connecting lake levels to climate change is scarce, though if extra precipitation becomes the norm, there will be dots to connect.

There is one climate-related and little-discussed impact: Wetlands, now being inundated with water, serve a valuable function as natural storage facilities for carbon dioxide.

Once completely underwater, that storage capability is unlocked, and the CO2 releases.

Some is absorbed by the water, but some finds its way into the atmosphere — an unwanted addition to an already existing problem.

The high water is more troublesome than just the damage it’s doing to the shoreline, as we recently learned from Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Michigan High Water Coordinating Summit.

6 • march 23, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

of Agriculture predicts that acreage will increase this year.

The impact of high water has been pretty obvious locally.

West End beach in Traverse City has lost part of its parking lot and most of its sandy beach; nearby Clinch Park is down to a strand of beach (in what surely is an irony, the marina has had to close the boat launch because it’s under water); Empire Beach is nearly gone; Fishtown, in Leland, is in a state of perpetual flooding with every wave event, and some establishments are lifting their buildings to get above the water; East Bay Park in Traverse City now features a tree about 15 yards out in the water; and a higher water table is flooding local basements.

Lakeside homeowners are scrambling to protect their property with a variety of solutions. The state says it is fast-tracking permits for shoreline mitigation, but for some it’s too late; the lake has already taken their home or cottage.

While it’s easy to understand the desire to protect property, the concern is what the shoreline might look like if or when the water recedes. A patchwork of rip-rap and various attempts at seawalls (most permitted; some not) will create an unusual patchwork of concrete and stone where a shoreline once existed.

There isn’t much, or anything, the government can or should do to regulate water levels in the Great Lakes. We could at least develop some consistent, statewide regulations for shoreline mitigation efforts to avoid the crazy quilt look.

And, if this turns out to be an unexpected consequence of climate change and is going to be the new normal, we have to create some stricter guidelines, moving new construction farther away from shorelines and riverbanks.

COVID-19 will eventually go away. Lake Michigan’s high water might not.

Crime & Rescue MAN SENTENCED FOR TERRORIZING A Honduran man, who was in the United State without legal status, was sent to prison for up to five years for making “threats of terrorism” to Charlevoix County corrections officers after he was arrested for driving without a license.

Oscar Guillen-Torres, 33, was stopped by police in East Jordan for running a stop sign in October; officers discovered Guillen-Torres had no license and a warrant out for his arrest. When they went to arrest him, Guillen-Torres resisted, according to a press release.

Guillen-Torres was convicted of attempting to make a threat of terrorism; he told a corrections officer, “I swear … I will cut you into so many little pieces,” and that his family would find all of the pieces in the garbage.

Guillen-Torres was sentenced March 13 by Judge Roy C. Hayes III to 38 months to five years in prison.

According to a press release from Prosecutor Allen Telgenhof, Guillen-Torres, who had been living in Charlevoix, will likely face deportation when he is released.

TEEN SUSPECTED OF DRUGGED DRIVING A teenager was arrested early on St. Patrick’s Day after he struck a tree with his car, and a Leelanau County Sheriff’s deputy determined he was under the influence of “an unknown substance.”

Deputies responded to M-22 in Elmwood Township at 1am March 17 where a 2012 Subaru was parked on the shoulder with extensive frontend damage. The suspect was in the driver seat, but he could not or would not explain what happened.

Deputies figured out that the driver, a 17-yearold from Traverse City, had struck a tree; he was arrested for operating under the influence of drugs.

MAN RE-JAILED FOR CHILD PORN A Petoskey man who had already served a decade-long prison sentence for child pornography was sentenced to 11 more years in prison after a probation officer found child sexually abusive material on his phone.

Timothy Gerard Reader, 66, was sentenced in federal court to 10 years for child pornography, one year for breaking the terms of supervised release, and lifetime probation.

Reader was sentenced in 2006 to 10 years in prison and nine years of supervised release following a child pornography conviction.

In 2019, a probation agent discovered that Reader had two cell phone with internet access, a violation of the terms of his release. A search turned up hundreds of images of child pornography, according to a press release.

TEEN STABS MOM, HIMSELF Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a teenager after he stabbed his mother and then himself.

Someone at a Garfield Township residence called 911 at 4:45pm March 13, and dispatchers could hear screaming in the background.

Dispatchers determined that a 34-year-old woman had been stabbed, and her 17-year-old son then stabbed himself in the neck.

Deputies arrived and learned that the assault happened following an argument. EMS took the mother and son to Munson Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The teenager faces a charge of aggravated assault.

by patrick sullivan psullivan@northernexpress.com

DRIVER ARRESTED AFTER CRASH Leelanau County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a driver after a single-vehicle crash in Elmwood Township.

The driver, a 27-year-old Traverse City woman, was uninjured after she drove her 2018 Jeep off of the road and into some trees. Deputies determined that she had had too much to drink and she was arrested.

The crash occurred at 1:30am March 15 on M-22 near East Lakeview Hills Road.

DEMENTIA PATIENT FACES MURDER CHARGE An 82-year-old Charlevoix County man who suffers from dementia faces murder charges after a shooting that killed his daughter and injured his wife.

Paul Henry Crest, of Bay Township, also faces charges of attempted murder and using a firearm during the commission of a felony stemming from the March 15 incident.

The shooting occurred after Crest’s 51-yearold daughter and 77-year-old wife took away his car keys. Crest shot the younger woman five times, killing her, and the older woman twice, causing non-life-threatening injuries.

Charlevoix County Prosecutor Allen Telgenhof said the open murder charges were filed as a preliminary measure and that the charges could be modified to take into account Crest’s mental capacity.

Crest’s attorney, Christopher Turkelson, is expected to seek psychological evaluations to determine whether Crest is competent to stand trial.

DISTURBED MAN ARRESTED Police subdued and arrested a 53-year-old intoxicated man who had repeatedly called 911 to report that there were people outside of his house and later alarmed neighbors by standing by their garage with a knife and yelling.

Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a Green Lake Township home at 8pm March 12 after the man reported to central dispatch that there were suspicious people outside.

When deputies arrived, and the man pointed out the people, he pointed to the deputies who had arrived to help him. The deputies checked the area and determined there was no one else there.

They also concluded that the man, who was not speaking clearly, had had too much to drink, according to a press release.

After police left, the man continued to call 911, however, and deputies spoke to him over the phone in an effort to calm him down.

At 10pm, a neighbor called 911 to report that the man was near his garage, holding a knife and yelling.

When deputies arrived again, the man refused to put down his knife and moved aggressively toward them, according to the press release.

The man was subdued by “a less lethal device” and eventually arrested, deputies said.

He faces charges of felonious assault and malicious destruction of property.

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Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 7

WINNING BY CHEATING d o w n t o w n s u t t o n s b ay

opinion

bY Amy Kerr Hardin An African American man was refused the right to vote in the 2018 Alabama midterms. Why? Because records indicated he owed money to the state — $4, to be precise.

Sadly, this is not an anomaly. Thirty states have rules in place that essentially amount to a modern-day poll tax, requiring voters to be paid up on debts before casting a ballot. These laws are intentionally targeted at populations struggling with even small obligations, which are almost always communities of color.

Follow our buzz, as we transform for spring.

A Texas man, again an African American, took time off from his two jobs to stand in line for six hours waiting to vote in the Democratic primary on Super Tuesday. He cast his ballot at 1:30am.

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Lone Star State Republicans have realized their goal of making voting a very difficult process in this election cycle. In 2012 the state had one polling station per 4,000 residents.

Currently it’s one per 7,700 people of voting age. Texas has shuttered 750 polling locations statewide — mostly in black and Latino communities.

In 2013 the United States Supreme Court struck down portions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a ruling that has led to a flood of voter suppression laws being passed in Republicancontrolled state legislatures, Michigan included.

State by state, restrictions are being enacted that are specifically designed to suppress the vote in Democratic districts, and particularly in communities of color.

Citing cost savings, they are closing polling places, but fiscal responsibility has little to do with it. A number of states have taken to purging voter rolls over innocuous reasons, like not casting a vote in recent elections. But they also are voiding ballots cast, claiming the signatures do not match records.

Arizona passed a restriction that bans ballotcollection operations, a law which likely impacted the 2016 election. The ban was eventually struck down by a federal appeals court, citing that it was a violation of what little remains of the tattered Voting Rights Act. Florida residents overwhelmingly supported an initiative allowing former felons to vote after they’d served their time. Republican lawmakers in the Sunshine State are doing everything they can to block the law. One of the multiple schemes targeting ex-cons is barring them from voting if they haven’t paid court-issued fees and fines — a practice the courts have ruled is tantamount to a poll tax.

It’s a clear violation of the Equal Protection Clause found in the 14th Amendment.

Tennessee Republicans passed a law making it a criminal offense to help people register to vote.

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South Carolina lawmakers enacted a statute requiring voters to list their full social security number on registration forms in the hopes that some voters may not know their numbers when they go to register. Among that group would be younger voters who, unlike Baby Boomers, have not yet memorized that number. Another (non-voting related)

aspect to this requirement is this: How secure is the South Carolina database? Passing a law advertising that Social Security numbers are on file at county clerk offices seems like an invitation to hackers.

And in Michigan, efforts to thwart voter turnout are alive and well among Republican lawmakers, and in the process of being hashed out in the courts.

The GOP-led legislature enacted laws, signed by former Gov. Snyder, which criminalize helping to deliver absentee ballots and the hiring of drivers to deliver people to their polling place.

Democrats are suing the state to void these voter-suppression laws. Republicans, not to be outdone, want in on the action and have petitioned the court to be added to the lawsuit as a defendant. It is questionable as to whether they have legal standing to do so, but they have pledged to throw massive resources at the issue.

As expected, Michigan Republicans are cloaking their bogus legal argument as an effort to protect the democratic process — a disingenuous claim that hopefully won’t stand up in the courts.

For those who truly care about the democratic process, the fight is on.

In the wake of her narrow, and questionable, defeat in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election, Democrat Stacy Abrams has sprung into action. Her loss is linked to an obvious case of voter suppression by her opponent who was in a position of power allowing him to do so. Abrams, working with Fair Fight Action, an advocacy group promoting fair elections, has filed suit against her rival, Republican Brian Kemp. He was the Georgia Secretary of State during the election. The suit states that Kemp “grossly mismanaged” the election to his benefit. One of the most disturbing aspects of the incident is that he did it in plain sight. He showed no shame for his actions.

One can’t help but wonder if Republicans would attempt to re-enact the “jelly bean test” of the Jim Crow days if they could get away with it. There was a time when African Americans could only vote if they could accurately guess how many jelly beans where in a jar.

Michigan voters should see some relief from this Republican attack on the democratic process after we put an end to gerrymandering — the process of drawing voting district lines to favor one party over the other, in this case, Republicans.

A citizen-driven law was passed to put the practice in the rearview mirror.

Republicans can’t win by winning, so they win by cheating. That’s about to end.

Amy Kerr Hardin is a retired banker, regionally known artist, and public-policy wonk. You can hear and learn more about the state of Michigan politics on her podcast, www.

MichiganPolicast.com.

TC’S ONLY FULL-SERVICE GUITAR SHOP And So It Begins Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely is on trial in Athens, Alabama, facing 11 counts of theft and ethics charges related to his job. On March 6, Blakely went to the hospital, where his lawyers told the court he was being tested for COVID-19, the disease associated with coronavirus. But in a special hearing on March 7, Dr. Maria Onoya told Judge Pride Tompkins that while Blakely was indeed admitted to the hospital, and received multiple tests, none of them was for COVID-19. In fact, she said there was no evidence to suggest he should be tested for it, The News Courier reported.

Judge Tompkins ended the hearing with harsh words for Blakely’s defense team: “I don’t know what your tactic is, but it’s condemned by the court,” he said. He went on to note that he was “very disturbed” by the defense’s mention of COVID-19 in the motion to continue, calling it irresponsible, reckless and unfair to the community.

Meanwhile, in Queensland, Australia, people are panicking about running out of toilet paper during the coronavirus pandemic.

Which makes Haidee Janetzki of Toowoomba extra popular, after she made an error in her regular online TP order with Who Gives a Crap. “When it asked for quantity, I put 48,” she told 7News, “thinking that would be a box of 48 (rolls). Turned out it was 48 boxes.” At first she thought it was the online retailer’s fault -- until she checked her credit card, which showed an expense of $3,260 plus almost $400 shipping. Janetzki is selling the hot commodity to friends at a slight markup, hoping to raise money to send her kids on a school trip to Canberra. She’s now known Down Under as the Queen of the Toilet Paper.

Two state attorneys general and the Food and Drug Administration are cracking down on disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker, who is now the host of “The Jim Bakker Show” on cable TV. The New York attorney general’s office on March 3 sent a cease-anddesist order to Bakker, and on March 10, the Missouri attorney general filed suit against him. At issue is Bakker’s hawking of “Silver Solution,” a “medication” made from silver that supposedly cures all sorts of ailments, for use in treating COVID-19. On Feb. 12, The Washington Post reported, Bakker asked a guest on his show whether the gel could cure the coronavirus. “It hasn’t been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it’s been tested on other strains of the coronavirus, and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours,” said “naturopathic doctor” Sherrill Sellman. In the letter, the “extremely concerned” Lisa Landau, chief of the attorney general’s health care bureau, called the segment false advertising and said it violates New York law. She gave Bakker 10 days to comply.

A man in Vilnius, Lithuania, with help from his sons, reportedly locked his wife in their bathroom after she expressed worry to him that she had contracted COVID-19 from traveling to Italy, where she came in contact with some Chinese people. The husband called a doctor, who suggested she isolate herself; she contacted police because her husband wouldn’t let her out. It’s unclear how long she was locked in the bathroom, but Delfi.lt reported that she was tested for the virus and did not have it.

The U.S. State Department has advised people, particularly older adults, to avoid cruise ships and air travel during the coronavirus onslaught. But some travelers just can’t be dissuaded. Take, for example, Ben Stults, a sophomore at Florida State University, who will head out on a cruise to Mexico this week for spring break. He’s hoping to “hit the

sweet spot” -- get there and get home before the virus takes hold in Mexico. To be safe, however, he’s bringing along a respirator face mask and a deck of cards in case, you know, quarantine. The Daily Beast asked Stults if he thought his plan was a sound one, to which he replied, “Honestly, no.”

Animal Antics Firefighters were called to a farm near Bramham, Leeds, in England on March 7 to put out a fire in a large pigpen. At this particular farm, the pigs wear pedometers to prove that they’re free-range, Fox News reported, but one of those gadgets was the probable cause of the blaze, firefighters said. They theorize that one of the pigs ate one of the pedometers, then passed it in its excrement, sparking a fire in the pen’s hay. The culprit was the copper in the battery reacting with the pig poo. No pigs were hurt in the fire; let’s hope they’re getting all their steps in as usual.

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The Continuing Crisis A Polish tattooist known only as Piotr A. has pleaded not guilty to causing blindness in model Aleksandra Sadowska, 25, from Wroclaw, Poland. Sadowska engaged the artist to dye her eyeballs black in 2016.

Following the procedure, she had pain in her eyes, which the tattooist said could be treated with painkillers. But she lost sight first in her right eye, and doctors told her there was nothing they could do to prevent the same fate for her left eye. “There is clear evidence that the tattoo artist did not know how to perform such a delicate procedure,” Sadowska’s lawyers said, according to the Daily Mail. “And yet he decided to perform it, which led to this tragedy.” As he awaits his trial, the tattooist continues to run his salon in Warsaw, where he mainly pierces ears.

Crime Report On Feb. 28, fourth-grade teacher Nancy Sweeney, 45, was arrested in Niles, Illinois, for assaulting a neighbor and calling her “a (expletive) Nazi.” According to the Chicago Tribune, Sweeney attacked the 87-year-old woman, who is of German descent, in the parking garage of their condominium building, where the woman was exercising. The victim was struck in the face with a purse and fell, suffering cuts and bruises. The Cook County state’s attorney’s office approved not only an aggravated battery charge, but also a hate crime charge, based on the Nazi reference. The Park Ridge-Niles school district placed Sweeney on paid leave on March 4 upon learning of the charges, district spokesman Peter Gill said.

Resourceful Professor Peter Davies, 70, is an expert in tuberculosis at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital in England -- and a lay leader of the Church of England. He admittedly also has a porn addiction, which caught up with him in late 2018, when it was discovered that Davies had been engaging in “inappropriate browsing activity” on his work computer -- including viewing someone having sex with a horse and a dog. According to Metro News, Davies told the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service: “In 2010 I made a confession to my wife. ... She put a filter on all my computers ... I had some counseling and I stopped for a period of two years. ... But when I came back to it, I realized that I was in really deep trouble.” Davies was scheduled to go before the General Medical Council on March 11, which conceded that Davies had “shown insight and took some steps to remedy his conduct.”

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 9

Weed in the Time of

Coronavirus

By Patrick Sullivan Recreational marijuana shops have only just started opening up around Michigan in recent months, most of them downstate.

But near to Traverse City, two recreational pot businesses have opened their doors, both of them in Benzie County: Great Lakes Natural Remedies Inc., in Benzonia, and Lume, in Honor.

But just as these pioneers got up and running, they had to face the same kind of existential threat looming over all businesses in this time of Coronavirus.

Of course, they also happen to sell a product that’s proving popular in these uncertain times: A sales rep at Lume said last week Wednesday that the store had completely sold out of its recreational edible products — apparently something a lot of

people wanted to stock up on as they face indefinite sheltering in place.)

That same day, Northern Express chatted over the phone with the president and COO of Lume, Doug Hellyar, about how the company is adapting and what he expects for the near future.

Northern Express: How has this crisis impacted your industry so far?

Doug Hellyar: Well, I can really just comment on how it’s impacted Lume, but my guess is the rest of the industry is probably having a similar experience. Actually, business is robust. We’ve had consistent sales at all of our six locations where we’re operational. We’ve been operating the same hours. The state — the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency — has been very

10 • march 23, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

proactive, and they’re taking action to help us promote in-store pickup, home delivery, and curbside pickup. And at Lume, we’re offering a 10 percent discount for delivery, for customers that are picking up curbside, or for express checkout in store.

Express: What’s the rationale for that?

Hellyar: We just want to provide an economic incentive for patients and adultuse customers to have access to the product while minimizing human contact.

Express: That makes sense. What measures have you taken in the stores to make them safer places?

Hellyar: We have a full list of preventive procedures that we’ve implemented in

response to the Covid-19 virus. All of those are listed on our website. Some of the highlights include — we’ve increased efforts to maintain the cleanliness of our stores, including developing a regular schedule for disinfecting all surfaces in our stores; all of our associates are required to wear gloves when servicing customers, and that includes in-store interaction, curbside pickup, as well as home delivery; and customers are no longer allowed to pick up the containers that hold our flower samples in store. They like to be able to see the product up close, they like to smell the product, but for obvious reasons, we’ve discontinued that practice.

In certain locations where we have smaller floorspace in-store, we’re limiting the number of customers that we have in both the waiting room and on the sales floor. If traffic exceeds that, we’re asking customers

to sign in, they return to their vehicle, and then we send them a text and tell them when it’s their turn to enter the store.

Express: I’ve read that the state of the world is causing people to turn to marijuana now more than they would otherwise. In California, when a lockdown was announced, there was a run on marijuana stores.

Hellyar: Last weekend for example, we experienced record sales. And we believe it’s a combination of our medical patients who are concerned about having continued access to the product, making sure that they have ample supply, and adult-use customers, who are coming in in large numbers and buying the full range of our products. We’re seeing that in the numbers, what you said.

Express: I know that your company has been aggressively opening new stores and spreading across the state. Has the Coronavirus crisis interrupted that?

Hellyar: To this point we have not seen any delays. We now have a full license for adult use and medical at the Walled Lake location [in Metro Detroit], where we are planning to open in the coming days. We see nothing that will prevent it from opening based on the situation as it stands today. And this morning, the state — as they promised to the citizens of Michigan — they are turning around delivery license applications within 24 hours. That was the case for our Walled Lake location, so as of this morning we were awarded a delivery license for that location, and when we open within the next few days, we’ll be able to offer delivery from day one, to both medical patients and qualified adultuse customers.

Express: You’ve started making deliveries from your Honor location, including to Traverse City. Has that been very popular?

Hellyar: Traverse City makes up the large majority of deliveries that we’ve made from our Honor location. As word spreads of our delivery capability, combined with the 10 percent discount that we’re offering on home deliveries, we are seeing a daily increase in the demand for home delivery. It’s picking up every day.

Express: Elsewhere, in other countries

and other states, some places have reached a point where the authorities decide the population needs to be locked down, and non-essential businesses are ordered to close. Do you expect marijuana stores will be considered essential or non-essential stores if that occurs?

Hellyar: What we would foresee is that our provisioning centers would be seen as important to remain open, for the top priority, which is to serve the medical patients of Michigan. We don’t foresee that changing, based on conditions as they stand today. But this is a very fluid environment, and we are managing it on a day-to-day basis and following the guidelines of the state of Michigan. The most recent executive order to close down bars and restaurants, that did not apply to our business. The conversations that we’ve had have been around how we can continue to maintain the supply of product to the medical patients and the customers.

We’ve not had any discussions about closures.

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Express: Is your production facility running as usual?

Hellyar: Our cultivation facility in Evart, Michigan, remains fully operational. As everyone has been encouraged to do, we’ve just enhanced the already very strict controls we have — the hygiene controls and the procedures we follow. We have taken some steps to spread out our labor hours over the full 24 hours so that we can achieve social distancing objectives, just like the rest of the country is pursuing. But the amount of product that we’re harvesting each week has not been impacted at all. Supply is plentiful, and we foresee that continuing.

Express: How about you? How are you doing with all of this stuff?

Hellyar: Well, we’re remaining positive.

We know that this situation will pass. And at Lume, we are all focused on maintaining the supply of products to our medical patients and following the guidelines of the state of Michigan, monitoring what’s happening in the rest of the world, and making sure that we’re moving quickly to adjust, and making sure that we’re following the directions of the local authorities and doing what we believe is best.

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CHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK! Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 11

Spring merchandise arriving daily

Sally LIttleton

Do You … Shinrin-Yoku?

The free immune system booster in your backyard.

By Ross Boissoneau

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Sure, hiking trails is great. But get this: You don’t have to work up a sweat, or even stick to the trails, to gain natural benefits.

Simply relaxing in a quiet, restful walk in the woods is beneficial.

Sure, that sounds like a good idea, but it’s more than that. The ancient Japanese practice of “shinrin-yoku” — literally “forest bathing” — is all about surrounding yourself with nature. And according to science, it can strengthen your body’s defenses as well as lower stress, a known immune-system foe.

DOCUMENTED DATA According to an article in the Atlantic, documented benefits to one’s health from shinrin-yoku include lowering one’s blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and stress hormones. The proof, you might say, is in the Purin: Japan made forest bathing a part of Japan’s national health program in 1982.

Sally Littleton, PhD, is a Traverse City psychotherapist by trade. She came to the practice of Reiki as a result of dealing with her own health issues. From there she became familiar with shinrin-yoku. “It builds the natural ‘killer’ cells [a type of white blood cell] that boost the immune system. And being in nature boosts your mood. It’s a big part of what I teach in Reiki, to keep connected spiritually to light energy,” she said.

12 • march 23, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

HOW TO? FOLLOW YOU Dr. Qing Li, author of “Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness,” wrote in Time magazine that shinrin-yoku is “simply being in nature, connecting with it through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. When it comes to finding calm and relaxation, there is no one-size-fits-all solution — it differs from person to person. It is important to find a place that suits you.

“Listen to where it wants to take you.

Follow your nose. And take your time. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get anywhere. You are not going anywhere.”

Littleton said she simply goes into the woods near her home and stands and relaxes.

“It helps us to heal and prevents disease. It’s not a new idea.”

She said shinrin-yoku can be very

beneficial at this particular time, with people sequestering themselves from their usual social interactions. “People doing selfquarantining … being indoors all the time is very hard. Going into nature is available and easy to do. It helps us to cope with fear. Fear is dangerous. It suppresses our immune system.”

ONE LAST REMINDER Perhaps it’s obvious but remember that Japan’s medically sanctioned method of unplugging came along long before there were smartphones to unplug from. Now that our tendency is to carry our smartphones and remain “plugged in” everywhere, day and night, forest bathing could be more of a critical prescription than ever. Consider leaving your phone (and even non-phone cameras) at home or in your car; studies also show the very presence of your phone in close vicinity makes it difficult to resist checking it, even when it’s set to silent.

Worried about getting lost in the woods?

Then do it the way we all did in the ’80s: Stick to marked trails, carry a map, and/or tell a friend where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

Forest, Take Me Away Tips for those new to shinrin-yoku · First, though it was developed in Japan, you don’t need to go there. In fact, you don’t even have to go to a forest. Anywhere in nature is good, according to Melanie Choukas-Bradley, a forest therapy guide certified with the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy. A lightly wooded area, the beach, a meadow, city park, garden, even your own backyard will work. · This isn’t a test. Leave behind your goals and expectations. Wander aimlessly, let yourself engage with anything in your surroundings that interests you. · Get in touch with yourself and your senses. Pause from time to time to look more closely at your surroundings. Sniff the air.

Listen for birds and notice the sensation of the ground beneath your feet. · Think small. Stop and look closely at the leaf of a plant or the way the sun filters through the trees.

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 13

Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve

GET OUT & WEAR ’EM OUT Awesome outdoor alternatives for (extended) spring break

By Ross Boissoneau While we’re facing a situation that’s unprecedented and unanticipated, there are many things we can do to mitigate it. Maybe it’s as uncomplicated as this: Keep calm and start walking.

Sound simplistic? With vacations canceled, gatherings frowned upon (if not outright banned), and favorite destinations closed, going for a good, hard hike might be the ideal option. After all, the weather is mild, it’s a great family activity, and you can keep practicing that social distancing.

So here are a few suggestions: Betsie Valley Trail The Betsie Valley Trail extends from Frankfort to Thompsonville along the former Ann Arbor Railroad. It offers great views: Betsie Bay, the Betsie River and its surrounding marshland, and Crystal Lake.

There are many places to access the trail and several established trailheads with parking.

While the DNR-owned trail officially starts at 10th Street in Frankfort, it informally starts at the City’s Lake Michigan beach and passes through Cannon Park. It then follows

Waterfront Street along Betsie Bay, which is the only section to share the road, and passes through Frankfort’s waterfront parks.

The scenic trail between Frankfort and Beulah is the most frequently used.

Beyond Beulah, the trail is more heavily wooded and remote. It is owned by the state’s Department of Natural Resources and maintained by Benzie County and The Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail. It includes three miles along Crystal Lake and some beach access — though it’s probably still a bit too cold for much splashing in the water. Total length is 22 miles, but it’s easy to just traverse smaller sections. Start at www.betsievalleytrail.org Seven Bridges, Kalkaska County With rustic wooden bridges across the Rapid River and many meandering tributaries, the 314-acre nature preserve in Kalkaska, a few miles from Rapid City, is a hiker’s dream. The natural area has over one mile of frontage along a scenic, cold-water trout stream and roughly one mile of trail and boardwalk. Most of the hike is through floodplain forest, primarily tamaracks, cedars and hemlock.

14 • march 23, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

Avalanche Mountain Preserve

It was saved from development by a concerted effort spearheaded by friends LouAnn Taylor, Virginia Sorenson and Helen Milliken, who, in 1994, had gone to one of their favorite spots for a picnic and were horrified to find stakes in the ground denoting planned development.

They approached the Grand Traverse Land

Conservancy, which was able to obtain a grant from the state to purchase it from the owner in 1998.

Despite its name, only four bridges remain today. The picturesque remains of a sawmill built by the original owners in 1882 can still be seen when crossing the first three bridges. Its brief length — a .3 mile trail —

Betsie Valley Trail

is made up for by its beauty. Start at www. gtrlc.org and click on the List View under Preserves and Trails.

Grass River Natural Area

Avalanche Mountain Preserve The preserve is comprised of 300-plus acres of woodland on the southern border of Boyne City and beyond into Wilson Township.

Mostly wooded, the entirety is mostly sloping terrain. It offers 2.6 miles of trail and stunning scenic views of Lake Charlevoix.

Thought the trail is rated as moderate, in addition it also includes a hefty hike up stairs to a lookout — 462 steps, to be precise. No worries, though, as there are several benches along the way if you need a break. From the top you can see over Boyne City and the lake beyond. The nearby mountain bike trail at Avalanche Preserve Recreation Area is a 4.2-mile loop that winds around over the 1,023-foot-high namesake ridge that rises above Boyne City. Search “Avalanche” at www.michigantrailmaps.com.

Grass River Natural Area Located near Bellaire on Antrim County’s Chain of Lakes, this area comprises 1,325 acres along the pristine Grass River. It’s an excellent area for wildlife viewing, which, along with its relatively easy terrain, makes it an excellent choice for families.

This exquisite cluster of trails and boardwalks wends through forests, stream corridors, swamps, creeks, and floating sedges, courtesy of numerous boardwalks. It also boasts numerous observation platforms and benches throughout its 7.5 mile length.

Though the Grass River Center is closed and its programs are on hiatus, the trail remains open and lovely as ever. Start at www.grassriver.org.

Arcadia Marsh Nature Preserve Arcadia Marsh Preserve, just south of Arcadia, offers visitors access to an increasingly rare Great Lakes coastal marsh. These marshes are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, and it is estimated that over 80 percent of the original Great Lakes marshes have been destroyed. Arcadia Marsh is one of only 15 or so remaining coastal marshes along Lake Michigan’s Lower Peninsula shoreline.

Arcadia Marsh is now the site of a universal access (UA) trail that extends about three-quarters of a mile from the parking

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area on M-22 to St. Pierre Road. This trail is suitable for people of all ages and abilities and meets all UA and ADA standards.

Note: A central portion of this new boardwalk trail is closed each year from April 15 through July 15 in an effort to avoid disturbance of several species of birds as they nest in this critical habitat. That makes now an ideal time to check out the trail in its entirety. Start at www.gtrlc.org and click on the List View under Preserves and Trails.

Pine Baron Pathway This trail near Gaylord is the best of two low-key worlds: It’s rated easy and offers various loop choices, from two miles to a total of 6.2 miles in length. Though technically considered part of the Mackinaw State Forest, the Pine Baron is located on the edge of Gaylord. Named for the lumber barons who clear-cut the region in the late 1800s, Pine Baron was built in 1978 primarily as a cross-country ski trail.

The trail heads from the parking area into hardwoods and pine trees. The Highline Loop (2.5 miles), Relic Pine Loop (2 miles) and Hemlock Loop (2.25 miles) are relatively flat, while the Whoopsy Loop (2 miles) offers some climbs and descents. Start at www.michigantrailmaps.com and search for Pine Baron Pathway.

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 15

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TCarea.com

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P I VOT

Innovative ways northerners are finding to keep spirits high and local economy rolling

By Ross Boissoneau With new measures coming daily to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it’s hardly business as usual across the nation or in Michigan. But many Up North innovators are using the obstacles as a catalyst to get creative.

Grow Benzie is one. As a food and farming outreach community center, the thought of social distancing is anathema. After all, its mission is all about bringing people together, not keeping them apart.

So the organization’s upcoming potlucks have been transformed into drive-in, driveout food stops, while the various presentations that are a part of the proceedings will now be delivered online instead. That includes planned events like “Globetrotting with Josh,” executive director Josh Stoltz’s talk about his time spent abroad as the result of two fellowships, what he learned overseas, and how it pertains to his work here at home.

VIRTUAL SUSHI & SEWING MACHINE DELIVERY The same is true for Sushi Night with Chef Loghan Call. Call is owner of Planted Cuisine and leads classes, hosts private events, and does catering. His Sushi Night will now be shown online as well.

One of Grow Benzie’s most popular programs is its Seed Swap. This year, it was offered as a drive-in service. “People can pull up, drop off what they want and get anything they want,” said Stoltz. In addition, Chad VanTol of Cold Creek Farm supplied a seed starter kit, with cups and special soil, which

patrons can take home.

“Gardening has not been canceled,” VanTol posted on the Cold Creek Farm Facebook page last week. “Over the next few weeks we’ll share photos and we’ll be doing some video with Farmer Chad,” added Stoltz.

The facility also offers a sewing studio after school. In lieu of the usual gatherings, team leader Kathy Ross deliver sewing machines to those who are part of the group. “We’ll be reassessing in April,” said Stoltz.

THE SHOW (& CLASSES) WILL GO ON Many of those working in the gig economy are facing peril. In one day, Joshua Davis saw his shows virtually dry up. He was supposed to perform a March 13 concert in Grand Haven that was abruptly canceled. So instead, he did one on Facebook, which is still available.

“It was hard to lose a lot of work,” he told his online audience in between songs. “A lot of my peers and my friends and my mentors are feeling the same hurt and everybody in this industry and a lot of industries are.”

“I use social media because I have to, but I’m not a big fan,” he said the Sunday following the online performance. “Friday night [for my concert] I was a really big fan. It almost felt like this is what social media is for.”

He was even able to get some recompense for his lost income via a link to a PayPal site. “[Making money] wasn’t the focus, but I did,” he said, likening it to a virtual tip jar.

And unlike in a concert setting, Davis wasn’t limited to a single audience in one place; he had a virtual crowd tuning in from

Marquette, Boston, South Carolina, and other locales he couldn’t have reached in Grand Haven. “I had comments from Italy, Spain, Florida — it’s a global deal.”

Davis also will be missing out on a teaching seminar he was going to lead at Michigan State University, which he hopes will happen down the road. In the meantime, he plans to keep connected and earning by offering online classes for guitar, mandolin, banjo, and songwriting, along with doing virtual concerts for kids, who will be home from school for the duration. “I’m looking for ways to engage children, and provide some sort of income.”

When does he anticipate things will return to some semblance of normality? “People tell me May 1. That’s an assumption I don’t have a lot of faith in,” Davis said.

Musician Joshua Davis, artist Edward Duff, and Grow Benzie are among the many who quickly developed novel approaches to pressing on in a safe way.

MORE MEANS TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS Those who like Davis who are losing performing or exhibiting opportunities do have one other option, courtesy of the Crosshatch Center for Art and Ecology in Bellaire. It has established the Crosshatch Artist Emergency Fund. Crosshatch co-founder Amanda Kik said the Begonia Charitable Foundation in Bellaire provided $5,000 in seed money for the fund, and other donors added to the fund. “A lot of artists and musicians are working in the gig economy. They can apply for up to $500,” she said.

Those interested in applying can go to www. crosshatch.org/emergency. “It’s heartbreaking reading some of the applications,” Kik said, noting how some state “Here’s how much I’m

SHOP & LEARN LOCAL, ONLINE Higher Art Gallery isn’t the only retail store changing its methodology. Clothing store Captain’s Quarters in downtown Traverse City is offering a virtual tour of the store through its website and shipping for those who want some new clothes but don’t want to go out in public.

Rotary Charities postponed its most recent seminars; its next public programs are not scheduled until the first week of April. “We haven’t made the call on what to do about those yet,” said Colleen MastersonBzdok, the organization’s director of capacity building and operations. “Our office is closed, and we are all working from home. All of our meetings are now going to be calls or video calls with Zoom.”

not going to make.” She is also hoping other individuals and foundations will step forward to donate to the fund.

She said the next big public gathering for the organization isn’t until the end of May, so she’s hopeful that remains on schedule. Until then, the monthly guild meetings and other groups will all be done virtually.

At Higher Art Gallery in Traverse City, owner Shanny Brooke is offering a gallery-wide sale of 15 percent off or free shipping, with her own art 40 percent off. It runs through April 5. Those interested can see the art by clicking through the posts on the gallery’s Facebook page.

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 17

MODERN

The Rock Stops Here

ROCK

BY KRISTI KATES

Following the wake of a very long list of cancellations and closings of everything from nightclubs, travel, and restaurants to schools and sporting events, the music industry is shutting down a majority of live events for the foreseeable future. Among the events shuttered last week were tours by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, Blake Shelton, and Billie Eilish, as well as J. Cole’s Dreamville Festival, Australia’s Download Festival, and Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water Festival. Jonas Brothers and Kelly Clarkson’s Las Vegas residencies are on hold, as are major industry events like the American Country Music Awards, Record Store Day 2020, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Our best advice: If you’ve got concert or festival tickets anywhere in the coming months, double-check the venue and your ticket point of sale (e.g. Ticketmaster, SeatGeek) …

Donald Glover, using his own name — not his Childish Gambino moniker — released a new, unexpected album last week via a special website called www.donaldgloverpresents. com. Well, he released it … and then apparently *un*released it. The 12-song album, featuring Gambino’s 2018 single “Feels Like Summer”; his track “Algorhythm,” from the Google Pixel commercial; and appearances from 21 Savage, SZA, and Ariana Grande, streamed on the site for about six hours and then abruptly disappeared. It doesn’t appear to be available

for sale anywhere, or streaming on any other sites, so if you’re a Glover/Gambino fan, keep your eyes out for this one to resurface (we hope) soon …

Michigan’s Grand Valley University has added a pretty impressive collection of photography to its archives, namely that of Holland, Michigan-born photographer Douglas R. Gilbert (www.douglasrgilbert. com), who donated his life’s work to the college.

The collection includes rare behind-the-scenes shots of such 1960s musicians as Simon and Garfunkel and Bob Dylan (Gilbert spent two weeks with Dylan in 1964, leading up to the latter’s performance at the Newport Folk Festival), as well as images of Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, John Sebastian, Allen Ginsberg, and Joan Baez. There are no immediate plans for an exhibition, but it appears that one will be in the works in the near future …

Familiar to northern Michigan as a touring musician is Peter D. Harper, frontman for Harper and the Midwest Kind. Harper originally hails from Australia and has made a musical name for himself by combining the exotic sounds of the Aussie instrument the didgeridoo with a more classic blend of roots/ blues music. Now, Harper and his band have a new album out called Rise Up. It was recorded in Ann Arbor, Michigan, alongside engineer Geoff Michael, and its first single and video — both also called “Rise Up” are on radio and other outlets …

Every Day

LINK OF THE WEEK English pop singer Niall Horan appeared recently on James Corden’s late night show to promote his new album, Heartbreak Weather.

He also participated in an episode of Carpool Karaoke, and in the process, tackled his fear of … pigeons. Corden took Horan to a park to face a flock and, of course, hilarity ensued. watch at youtu.be/dmt6zpbwotc THE BUZZ Blondie will return to the recording studio soon to work on a brand new album, complete with one song penned for them by Johnny Marr. The rest of the lyrics are reportedly being carried around by frontwoman Debbie Harry — in her purse …

J Balvin has just released his fourth solo

Lunch & Dinner TO GO

studio album, Colores, which includes singles “Blanco” (a trippy, fast-paced ode to ode to his birthplace, Medellin, Columbia) … Spanish for white) and mid-tempo reggaeton track “Morado” (Spanish for purple) with artwork by Takashi Murakami …

Taylor Swift has signed a global publishing agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group in a continued and well-deserved bid to regain control of her own catalog of music …

K-Pop megastars BTS have just earned their fourth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, with their latest effort, Map of the Soul: 7 … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.

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The reel

by meg weichman

EMMA wendy

A

very loose adaptation/reimagining of J.M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan from Wendy’s perspective, Wendy marks the long-awaited return (it’s been eight years!) to the screen of Beasts of the Southern Wild director Behn Zeitlin. A landmark of indie film that went on to be nominated for four Oscars, Beasts was perhaps a lot of overrated hype, and seeing Zeitlin’s followup has only solidified those feelings.

A years-in-the-making passionate project that was co-written with his sister Eliza Zeitlin, it follows a very similar style and focus to Beasts, with its magical realism, child’s perspective, and nonprofessional cast. But here the cracks in his approach become clearer, showing that despite all the years his filmmaking has not really evolved. This is a decidedly unDisney approach to the source material. It doesn’t shy away from the trauma of growing up,

Note to readers: Theaters across the country are closed, but Universal Pictures last week announced that it would make its newest releases — Emma. among them — available for rent on a streaming platform as early as Friday, March 20. At press time, Emma. was expected to be available for a 48-hour rental period for $19.99 on platforms like Amazon Prime, iTunes, Google Play, and others.

While Jane Austen did not invent the romantic comedy (nor did the term exist during her lifetime), she might as well be the genre’s spiritual high priestess; her novels have been adapted into film many times over. And the latest is a new version of the last novel published while she was alive, “Emma.”

But what is odd for this particular Austen adaptation, is that it is neither particularly romantic nor particularly comedic. The Regencyera story of would-be matchmaker Emma Woodhouse (horror favorite Anna Taylor-Joy, of The Witch) learning to check her privilege has its moments, but it’s not all quite there. The story’s many threads never seem to coalesce.

Emma. — the period is part of the title, perchance to tip off audiences that this film is a stylized period piece with a capital “P” — is very old fashioned but not in a thoughtful way. It’s too sweet of a confection, lacks ambition, and has a tonal problem. At times it seems to embrace the absurdism of something like The Favourite but without any of the bite.

The story is very faithful to the original text, following the vain and spoiled but wellintentioned Emma as she meddles in others’ affairs of the heart. Fresh off the success of setting up her governess with a local widower, she takes Harriet Smith under her wing, a girl who, despite her unknown parentage, has been provided for at a local school.

Wanting to help Harriet (Mia Goth) climb the social ladder, Emma tries to ignite sparks between Harriet and the local vicar, Mr. Elton, while also swaying Harriet’s interests away from the sweet and true farmer (albeit not a proper gentleman) Robert Martin.

Then there’s Frank Churchill (Callum Turner), heir to a sizable fortune, with whom Emma enjoys flirting; Jane Fairfax (Amber Anderson), who is very accomplished and sparks a touch of jealousy in Emma; and, of course, her sister’s brother-in-law, Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn), who despite constantly trying correct Emma’s behavior, might like her more than he lets on.

Although on page there’s plenty of romantic intrigue, in the film it plays out as a bit of a slog, with the exposition dragging along. Sure, things do pick up a bit once Mr. Churchill arrives, but by then, about an hour in, the film has fallen too far from grace.

So you say to yourself, “OK. Maybe it’s boring, but perhaps this is more of an exercise in formalism.”

And yes, at the outset, it’s clear that with its Wes Anderson-esque style and composition, Emma. is quite the beautiful and lavish production, but even the stylistic intention wanes as the story moves forward. (And while this is totally a personal thing, the over-abundant use of ringlets in the characters’ hair was so creepy and distracting, I couldn’t even enjoy the costuming.)

Austen is a master of wit, but none of it really comes through — no enjoyable repartee, no tit-for-tat exchanges. The only thing truly humorous was a delightfully amusing Bill Nighy as Emma’s father, and his ongoing bit about protecting the hypochondriac old man from drafts using various screens.

First-time feature director Autumn de Wilde is known for her music videos with such established acts as Beck and The White Stripes, which made it all the more strange how little the film’s over-scored soundtrack — a mix of folk, opera, classical — seemed to fit.

As the repressed and shaggily coifed dreamboat Mr. Knightley, Flynn does a good enough job.

But he lacks chemistry with Taylor-Joy’s Emma, and their romance feels like it is apropos of nothing. Taylor-Joy plays Emma as an unlikeable, bratty ice queen, and her character arc and supposed growth is not meaningful. It never seems like she truly redeems herself.

And just as Knightley and Emma’s own romantic connection seems to come out of nowhere, you discover you have no emotional connection to or investment in the characters until pretty much the very end. Miranda Hart, as Emma’s formerly genteel neighbor Miss Bates, provides the film’s one truly touching moment.

The plotting is fairly hard to follow and doesn’t explain itself well. In order to keep up with the story, I had to pull from my in-depth, intimate knowledge of the loose Emma adaptation, Clueless. When it comes down to it, the biggest impression Emma. left on me was simply making me want to re-watch Clueless and appreciate that film’s brilliance all the more.

Meg Weichman is a perma-intern at the Traverse City Film Festival and a trained film archivist.

the call of the wild

C

an you hear that? It’s the call of a dubiously CGI-ed dog beckoning you to a mediocre film that still manages to get the job done — thanks mostly to the greatness of a gruff, grizzled, and oh-so-lovable Harrison Ford. Jack London’s classic, and frequently adapted, 1903 novel, “The Call of the Wild” gets a sunnier, Disnified treatment (peep the PG rating) that’s low on the original story’s inherent violence and racism and high on the sentimentality. The film follows a St. BernardScotch Collie named Buck and his journey from an exceedingly comfortable life as a house pet in California to a working dog in 1890s Alaskan Yukon. Yes, the CGI pup does take a while to get used to; but about halfway through, you grow to accept the dog for what it is and let him into your heart. The film delivers all the classic adventure feels you want, with impressive visuals and vistas, tapping into the style of Disney’s live-action family adventure films of yore. And while that may make it a little sappy (with a villainous subplot that feels like tacked-on drama), it also makes it very enjoyable. This is an exceedingly accessible film that goes down very easy.

Brahms: the boy II

N

o one asked for this sequel: The first film pretty conclusively wrapped things up (with a stellar twist at that). But that didn’t stop Hollywood from granting The Boy, a very minor horror film, a follow up in Brahms: The Boy II. The first film, The Boy, while not a good film by any means, followed a nanny hired to care for a creepy doll named Brahms as though he was a real boy. It proved to be a campy delight. And with a change in the title that puts the enduring charms of Brahms at the forefront, it seemed as though the sequel was going to really lean in to the ridiculousness of all that is Brahms. But the film actually does the exact opposite, taking a more serious approach and suffers as a result. So, while there are still mysteriously flipped tables and impaled bullies, there was a serious shortage of Brahms antics (give me more shifting gazes, outfit changes, and childrearing pantomime please!) This more austere approach focuses on a family recovering from a home invasion that left mother Liza (Katie Holmes, heads above the rest of the cast) in the hospital and son Jude (Christopher Convery) selectively mute. As part of the family’s ongoing recovery, dad Sean (Owian Yeoman) suggests they pack up and move to an old English estate. This isn’t any old estate, though: It’s where the events of The Boy took place. Young Jude finds Brahms on the grounds and becomes possessed by his new little friend. We all know where this is headed … but the film tries to duplicate the effect of the first film’s satisfying twist by essentially retconning the entire mythos of Brahms to a completely underwhelming effect.

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 19

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the ADViCE GOddESS Meet Joe Beige

Q

: I’ve been dating this guy for a month.

Things with him are really average. However, we met through a mutual guy friend, and I’m actually really into that guy. Could my staying with the guy I’m seeing spark jealousy in the friend and lead him to make a play for me?

— Wrong Place

boyfriend and ask him to forward A:itSextto hisyourfriend.

Kidding, obviously. But at least that would end things between you. That’s the right thing to do — as opposed to staying with the guy and using his interest in you as bait to attract the dude you really want.

By the way, it’s probably unrealistic to think the other dude will swoop in, elbow his buddy out of the way, and run off with you. Mate poaching — somebody “stealing” another person’s romantic partner mid-relationship — has likely been a common form of mate acquisition throughout human evolutionary history, explains evolutionary psychologist David Schmitt. However, it has its costs.

Schmitt notes that mate poaching can lead to undesirable “social consequences”: violent retribution from the poached person’s partner, damage to one’s reputation (especially for a guy who poaches his buddy’s girl), and exile from one’s social world.

The relationships formed through mate poaching also tend to be less than dreamy.

Research by social psychologist Joshua Foster and his colleagues found that “individuals who were poached by their current romantic partners were less committed, less satisfied, and less invested in their relationships” than non-poached relationship partners. The sort of people who let themselves be poached (from their previous relationship into their current one) tended to have a wandering eye -- paying “more attention to romantic alternatives” and cheating more often than the non-poached.

The moment you realize you’ve got the lukewarms for a guy is the moment you should break it off and move on. You’ll be that much further along in meeting somebody who might be right for you. Plus, your sharing any more than a date or two (and a chaste kiss, no nudity) with a guy you’re not that into is likely to make his dude friends classify you as offlimits. Of course, it’s also seriously unfair to the meh man (who is also a person with feelings) for you to slow-walk him off the plank. Sure, there’s this idea that a romantic partner will be

BY Amy Alkon

your shelter, but that’s not supposed to mean they’re the bus stop where you wait till the guy you’re actually into picks you up.

Dawn Of The Dad

Q

: I’m a 36-year-old woman. I’ve had my share of men who shy away from commitment, so it’s a bit of a surprise that the guy I’ve been seeing for a few months really wants to settle down. He’s already talking about kids. While I really like him a lot, I worry that his rush to settle down is a red flag.

— Uneasy

A

: When a guy yells something out in bed, it’s a little disturbing if it’s, “You make me want to put up wallpaper in a house in the suburbs!”

It’s possible the guy suddenly had enough of the Tinder rando-lympics and began longing for a lasting bond with a woman. Clinical psychologist Judith Sills believes feeling this way causes a shift in one’s approach to dating.

The push to find the perfect “right person” gets cast aside for finding a right enough person at the right time. What makes it the right time is “readiness,” which Sills calls “an internal process that acts as a psychological catalyst for commitment.” This is readiness for true partnership — for intimacy (and the vulnerability it requires). It “does not mean being without anxiety or ambivalence,” Sills explains. But “readiness is a state of mind, an attitude of approach that helps you to push past the barriers created by these feelings.”

Whatever the reason for the guy’s rush to put up picket fencing, it’s important to take things slowly. (You might give it a year or more before you make any big moves together.) Research by psychologist Michael I. Norton and his colleagues suggests that the more budding romantic partners learn about each other, the more they see dissimilarities — clashes between them — and the less satisfied they can become with each other and the relationship.

Do something people newly in love (or at least newly in hots) typically don’t do: Seek out the clashes between you — all the areas in which you glaringly don’t want the same things, have habits that grate on each other, etc. If that stuff isn’t enough to break you up, tell him you two might have a reasonable chance of going the distance together — though not if he keeps talking to your womb on dates: “I’d like you to give me a male heir. How’s Friday?”

lOGY

MARCH 23 - MARCH 29

BY ROB BREZSNY

We interrupt your regularly scheduled horoscopes to offer insights about the virus-driven turning point that the whole world is now experiencing.

As you’ve probably guessed, all of us are being invited to re-evaluate everything we think we know about what it means to be human. I refer to this unprecedented juncture as The Tumultuous Upgrade or The Disruptive Cure. It’s fraught with danger and potential opportunities; crisis and possible breakthroughs.

And while the coronavirus is the main driving force, it won’t be the only factor. We must be ready for more Rough, Tough Healings disguised as Bumpy Challenges in the coming months.

Here’s the astrological lowdown: Throughout 2020, there’s a rare confluence of three planets in Capricorn: Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter. They are synergizing each other’s impacts in ways that confound us and rattle us. In the best-case scenario, they’ll also energize us to initiate brave transformations in our own personal lives as well as in our communities.

Below is a profile of each planet’s meaning.

When we are in intense and intimate relationship with Pluto—as we are now—we’re invited to dive down deeper: to see life from the soul’s perspective rather than from the ego’s; to seek wealth and meaning not as they’re defined by the material world but as they’re understood by the part of us that’s eternal. Descending into the mysterious Plutonian depths can be disruptive to our conscious beliefs and intentions, but may ultimately be profoundly regenerative.

When we are in intense and intimate relationship with Saturn, we’re invited to get more serious and focused; to register the fact that we don’t have unlimited time and energy, but must firmly decide what’s important and what’s not. We’re asked to be ruthlessly honest about the roles that are most likely to bring out the best in us.

When we are in intense and intimate relationship with Jupiter, we’re invited to risk growth and expansion; to take proactive responsibility for seeking the rich experiences that our souls long for; to aggressively enhance our lust for life.

Now I invite you to meditate on the potent mix of Plutonian, Saturnian, and Jupiterian energies. I encourage you to respond to the convulsion by deepening your understanding of how profoundly interconnected we all are and upgrading the way you take care of yourself, the people you love, and our natural world.

In the horoscopes below, I suggest personal shifts that will be available to you

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Possible

crises in the coming months: 1. Money may be problematic. 2. Your personal integrity might undergo a challenge. 3. You could get lax about translating your noble ideas into practical actions.

Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll find inventive solutions for boosting your wealth. 2. You’ll take steps to ensure your ethical code is impeccable. 3. You’ll renew your commitment to translating your noble ideals into practical action.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Possible

crises in the coming months: 1. There may be breakdowns in communication with people you care about. 2. Contracts and agreements could fray. 3. Sexual challenges might complicate love. Potential opportunities: 1.

You’ll be inspired to reinvent the ways you communicate and connect. 2. Your willingness to revise agreements and contracts could make them work better for all concerned. 3.

Sexual healing will be available.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Possible crises

predicament during the coming months: You may have an identity crisis. Who are you, anyway?

What do you really want? What are your true intentions? Potential opportunity: You’ll purge self-doubts and fuzzy self-images. You’ll rise up with a fierce determination to define yourself with clarity and intensity and creativity.

in the coming months: 1. Friends and associates could change in ways that are uncomfortable for you. 2. Images and expectations that people have of you may not match your own images and expectations. Potential opportunities: 1. If you’re intelligent and compassionate as you deal with the transformations in your friends and associates, your relationships could be rejuvenated. 2. You might become braver and more forceful in expressing who you are and what you want.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Possible

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Possible crises in the

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Possible

crises in the coming months: 1. You’ll be at risk for botched endings. 2. You may be tempted to avoid solving long-term problems whose time is up. Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll make sure all endings are as graceful and complete as possible. 2. You’ll dive in and finally resolve long-term problems whose time is up.

coming months: 1. Your job may not suit you as well as you wish. 2. A health issue could demand more of your attention than you’d like.

Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll take innovative action to make your job work better for you. 2. In your efforts to solve a specific health issue, you’ll upgrade your entire approach to staying healthy long-term.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Possible crises

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Possible crises

in the coming months: 1. Due to worries about your self-worth, you may not accept the help and support that are available. 2. Due to worries about your self-worth, you might fail to bravely take advantage of chances to reach a new level of success. Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll take dramatic action to enhance your sense of self-worth, empowering you to welcome the help and support you’re offered and take advantage of chances to reach a new level of success.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Possible crises in the coming months: 1. Your power spot may be challenged or compromised. 2. Your master plan might unravel. 3. There could be disruptions in your ability to wield your influence.

Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll be motivated to find an even more suitable power spot. 2. A revised master plan will coalesce. 3. You’ll be resourceful as you discover novel ways to wield your influence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Possible crises

in the coming months: 1. Your vision of the big picture of your life may dissipate. 2. Old reliable approaches to learning crucial lessons and expanding your mind could lose their effectiveness.

Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll be inspired to develop an updated vision of the big picture of your life. 2. Creative new strategies for learning and expanding your mind will invigorate your personal growth.

in the coming months: 1. Love may feel confusing or unpredictable. 2. You may come up against a block to your creativity. Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll be energized to generate new understandings about how to ensure that love works well for you. 2. Your frustration with a creative block will motivate you to uncover previously hidden keys to accessing creative inspiration.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Possible crises in the coming months: 1. You may experience disturbances in your relationships with home and family. 2. You may falter in your ability to maintain a strong foundation. Potential opportunities: 1.

Domestic disorder could inspire you to reinvent your approach to home and family, changing your life for the better. 2. Responding to a downturn in your stability and security, you’ll build a much stronger foundation.

ScORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Possible

crises in the coming months: 1. There may be carelessness or a lack of skill in the ways you and your associates communicate and cultivate connectivity. 2. You may have problems blending elements that really need to be blended. Potential opportunities: 1. You’ll resolve to communicate and cultivate connectivity with a renewed panache and vigor. 2. You’ll dream up fresh approaches to blending elements that need to be blended.

“Jonesin” Crosswords "Freeducation" --a freestyle puzzle for now. by Matt Jones

ACROSS 1 Rotary phone parts 8 Whip holders?

15 Hoppy “New England-style” brew 16 System that includes emoji 17 Invited up 18 Compliment after getting out of bed?

19 ___ Bhabie (rapper first known as the “Cash Me Outside” girl from “Dr. Phil”) 20 Precipice 22 Indian curry dish 23 ___ Dems (U.K. political party, informally) 24 Fictional Marner 26 Achievement 27 Neighbor of British Columbia 30 Like birthday celebrants 32 Letters in some Baptist church names 33 Most sound 35 They may have chains and locks 37 Pic off a monitor?

39 1960s TV spy thriller with a 1997 movie remake 42 Site for ants or bumps?

46 Slick stuff 47 Dreadlocked one, maybe 49 Like some fast-food chicken sandwiches 50 Returning grad 52 Flashlight battery 54 Alternate spelling abbr.

55 Anwar who shared a Nobel Peace Prize 57 Deep-sea killer 58 Sister of Poseidon 59 Secure firmly 61 Dazed 63 Not consistent 64 The “devil’s interval” in music (heard in “The Simpsons” theme) 65 Took once more, like a white elephant gift 66 Pieces of Sanskrit religious literature

DOWN 1 Dry white wine 2 Jones who played Angie Tribeca 3 Keep showing up in a book and film series?

4 Turned from white to pink, maybe 5 Pot top 6 Big pictures?

7 Company behind Hello Kitty 8 “You’re a better man than I am” poem 9 “Allergic to Water” singer DiFranco 10 Travel expert Steves 11 Words before Base or spades 12 Quit messing around 13 Japanese appetizer 14 Advisory councils 21 Healed up 25 Dry, as Italian wine 28 Former New York Jets owner Leon 29 Muppet whose tweets often end with “Scram!”

31 “___ Hope” (1980s ABC soap) 34 Three-note chord 36 Machine that helps with sleep apnea 38 Fix firmly in place 39 “Wide slot” device 40 “Cautionary Tales for Children” author Belloc 41 Evasive sorts 43 Enjoy immensely 44 Instrument in a “Legend of Zelda” title 45 Spins around 48 “Little Women” author 51 Furious with 53 Actress Linney of “Kinsey” 56 “Africa” band 58 “So ___” (Kid Rock song) 60 Wheaton of “The Big Bang Theory” 62 Malleable metal

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 21

NORTHERN EXPRESS

CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT INSIDE SALES REPRESENTATIVE - Library Sales: Full time. Role will require back to back calls and a minimum of 4-5 demos daily. Compensation includes hourly pay, commission, bonuses, PTO, good benefits and supportive office. Potential to make $45K or more annually. Little to no travel required. Cover letter required, persuade us why you’re the right candidate. Email Adam Weis: aweis@worldtradrepress.com _______________________________________ POLICE OFFICER NEEDED Village of Elk Rapids. Full time, Union, non-exempt, excellent benefits. View complete job desc ription,pay,benefits,instructions to apply at: elkrapids.org. Emails only please. _______________________________________ NEED A HANDYMAN? Job too small for a contractor: but bigger than you care to tackle. Call Justin serving Northern MI 989889-5101 _______________________________________

Flexibility to work weekdays and weekends as needed to allow us to schedule couples massage and overflow. We are a well established and respected one therapist office that wishes to expand our offerings and staff. $25/hr + tips. Must be certified. Send resume to Susan happyfeetmassagetc@ gmail.com

OTHER YARN CRAFTERS JOIN US AT KNITOLOGY’S Pajama Jam: March 27th, 6pm-11pm. go to www.facebook.com/ tcknitology/events. Free event! _______________________________________ ROOM FOR RENT IN PETOSKEY: Private bedroom and bath. $750 per month all utilities included. 616-430-0453 _______________________________________ MASSAGE: THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE $59 by appt. Denise Kennedy LMT 941-2322265. Traverse City

MASSAGE THERAPIST POSITION-PART Time-Traverse City Massage therapist wanted for part time, year round position.

Log on to submit your classified!

northernexpress.com/classifieds Easy. Accessible. All Online.

22 • march 23, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

ROOM FOR RENT IN PETOSKEY Private bedroom and bath. $750 per month all utilities included. 616-430-0453 _______________________________________ TRANSPORTION SERVICE Black tie limousine service available for weddings and wine tours and breweries (231) 633-0607 _______________________________________ YARN CRAFTERS JOIN US AT KNITOLOGY’S Pajama Jam March 27th, 6pm-11pm. go to www.facebook.com/ tcknitology/events. Free event! ______________________________________ COTTAGE FOR RENT TC Cottage for Rent, Beautiful 1 BR, Nice Setting, Fully Furnished, All Utilities Included, Wired for Cable & Internet, Washer/Dryer, Move-In Ready, $1,200 Per Month; 231-631-7512. ______________________________________ MISCELLANEOUS DIRECTV - Switch and Save! $39.99/month. Select All-Included Package. 155 Channels. 1000s of Shows/ Movies On Demand. FREE Genie HD DVR Upgrade. Premium movie channels, FREE for 3 mos! Call 1-855-293-4417

Mike Annelin

Enthusiastic & Experienced

Call Mike 231-499-4249 or 231-929-7900 ING

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Spacious double lot in desirable Slabtown 5 Bed/4 Bath, magnificent finishes throughout $1,395,000 MLS#1858727

133’ of beautiful Old Mission Peninsula frontage Stylishly impeccable 3 Bed/2.5 Bath $1,100,000 MLS# 1872313

7 Modern Live/Work Units near Boardman Lake Very unique investment opportunity $1,100,000 MLS#1854942

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Two 20 Acre parcels on Old Mission Peninsula Prime AG land, Conservation Easement in place $890,000 MLS# 1872811

Desirable State Street neighborhood Marvelously updated Craftsman, 5 Bed/3 Bath $575,00 MLS# 1869152

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West Grand Traverse Bay views from Wayne Hill Pool, gorgeous landscaping, fine finishes $650,000 MLS#1870675

39.5 acres, zoned Moderate Density Residential 3 Bed/1 Bath ranch, just miles from town $650,000 MLS#1863607, MLS#1863608

3 Bed/2.5 Bath in desirable Morgan Farms Immaculate Home, elegant craftsmanship $530,000 MLS# 1872877

Charming one-of-a-kind on Old Mission Peninsula Incredible landscaping & award-winning historic barn $525,000 MLS# 186240

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3 Bed/2.5 Bath ranch on Old Mission Peninsula Bayside Woods sub, 330’ shared West Bay frontage $375,000 MLS# 1872754

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Zoned Commercial, great possibilities Rental home recently updated, near Boardman Lake $185,000 MLS# 1868433, MLS# 1868466

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Beautiful Lake Leelanau views 9.1 acres, split available, elevated home sites $100,000 MLS# 1872535

Northern Express Weekly • march 23, 2020 • 23

STAY SAFE Valued Guests and Community Members, The Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians as well as the entire team here at Odawa Casino stand with those impacted by COVID-19 during this time of unprecedented challenges.

Here is what you can do to help keep yourself and others safe: • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds.

• Use an alcohol based hand sanitizer that contains a minimum of 60% alcohol when soap and water are not available. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw used tissues in the trash.

• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, phones, etc.

• If you are sick, please stay home with the exception of seeking medical care.

Please stay safe and thank you to our loyal patrons and dedicated team members.

2451299 • march 23,Northern 2020Express • Northern Express Weekly Odawa March Ad 3/23 APPROVED.indd 1

3/18/20 2:54 PM