Northern Express - February 21, 2022

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S E V I L The Boyne City festival is back by popular demand

NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • feb 21 - feb 27, 2022 • Vol. 32 No. 08

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 1

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2 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

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letters Trickle Down?

Why are we afraid of the COVID Vaccine? We were told by President Reagan the “scariest words in English language are “I am from the government and I’m here to help you.” He also said, “government is not the solution, it is the problem.” He was talking while he was sucking up the most government benefits of anyone, free housing, meals, transportation, medical, secret service, a $400,000 salary and retirement.

Some of the people attacking the Capitol were of an age that are still waiting for Reagan’s trickle-down tax cuts. The tax cuts didn’t produce the increase in revenue that was promised; we were running out of money to pay bills. With help of Democrats, they “borrowed” from the Social Security fund, putting it in Treasury. It was never returned. Some have computed that if not taken, the fund -- with forty years of interest -- would total trillions. The mob may be disappointed that the retirement age was raised to 67. No other country has that; most of the world retires at 60 with full medical.

Leigh Stanley, Lake City

CONTENTS feature

their health was checked and they were sent to the local hospital. Not today! The 2M+ crossing the border have COVID, measles and more. And Biden wants to give illegals voting rights, free education, free health care and money.

Are you in a better place today than in 2019? Democrats don’t realize their poor policies are forever changing our country and the world. When a president shows lack of leadership, the world’s dictators make threats of war. We did not have these problems when Trump was president.

Serious consideration should be on impeaching Biden now.

Things are so bad with financial struggles and crime, that there is no immediate concern for climate change and world violence. If Biden did nothing when he became president, he would be a far better president today. For a one-year review, Psaki said they exceeded their goals. That’s insane!

Maybe their goals to push political and racial division, hurt those in Afghanistan, add worry, crime and chaos!

Jim Rudolph, Petoskey Missing Trump’s Compassion Eighteen months ago I saw a billboard that said: TRUMP LIED PEOPLE DIED. If there was billboard to list Biden’s failures, they would not all fit. That’s just considering his failures the first six months in office! The Biden administration talks about unity but puts nothing into action.

Trump’s actions showed Americans that he put us all first, the primary job of the POTUS! Trump showed compassion for the working class and religious freedom seekers.

Biden is a joke to the world and unqualified.

All his words are scripted, and he struggles to answer the most basic questions. Our safety and daily finances are compromised with the open southern border and high inflation. It’s criminal to allow an invasion at the border. That’s why there have been laws to control immigration for 100+ years. When Ellis Island was the post for immigrants,

One Night, A Trifecta of Authors.......................9 Smeltania Lives............................................10 Traverse City’s Lil Bo.....................................12 Kennedy’s Kitchen.........................................13

columns & stuff Top Ten........................................................4

Spectator/Stephen Tuttle...............................6 Opinion.........................................................7 Weird............................................................8 Dates........................................................15 Film..........................................................18 Nitelife..........................................................19 Advice......................................................20 Crossword.................................................21 Astrology...................................................21 Classifieds................................................22

Ginger Schultz, Traverse City Terrified Eight Republican Senators are opposed to a no-fly listing for disruptive passengers, because it would “equate them to terrorists.”

Perhaps I am too easily terrified, but witnessing another passenger violently attacking a flight attendant while flying at 25,000 feet would terrify me, and would therefore qualify that unruly passenger to receive a terrorist designation, and with it, become a logical addition to the no-fly list.

s s e r p ex

Bob Ross, Pellston

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Support Public Funding Are you getting ready to complete your taxes? Keep these things in mind.

Tax regulations are written mainly by millionaire legislators whose election, and re-election, campaigns are heavily funded by billionaires. That is how you get a tax system that only allows teachers to deduct a maximum of $250 of their own money that they spend on their classrooms, yet the billionaires are allowed to totally deduct

their private jets.

Over the last 10 years or so the IRS has been drastically downsized. Having a third fewer auditors has resulted in more than half million fewer audits. Several studies estimated that at least $100 billion a year in owed taxes is going uncollected.

Numerous studies have documented the average taxpayer pays about 14 percent of their earnings in taxes. The richest 400 families pay under 10 percent.

Over 100 years ago, the first President Roosevelt recognized the need for the public funding of elections, and it has only gotten worse since then. Without public funding, nothing will change. Support public funding of elections.

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Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com

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this week’s

top ten Who Do You Find Fascinating?

The “Fascinating People” issue of the Northern Express is coming up in March, and we want to know who YOU find fascinating in northern Michigan. The issue will feature 20 individuals from the 13 counties covered by the Express, which ranges from Mackinaw City to Kalkaska to Gaylord and everywhere in between. We’re looking for people who are special, unique, awe-inspiring, or just plain quirky! Last year, we highlighted folks like Abra Berens, bestselling cookbook author and one of the food geniuses behind Farm Club; Shiloh Slomsky, who launched an incubator nonprofit to empower Native American entrepreneurs; and Liam Dreyer, the 15-yearold student who serves on the Charlevoix Downtown Development Authority. If you know someone fascinating, email your suggestions to info@northernexpress.com and be sure to stay tuned for the March 7 issue!

Guns N Hoses Returns to the Rink Local law enforcement members will be lacing up their skates on Saturday, February 26, for the annual Guns N Hoses Benefit Hockey Game. Each year, police face off against firefighters at Centre Ice Arena for a good cause: supporting a family in our community. The 2022 beneficiaries are John and Snow Sandula, a father-daughter duo who are facing serious health problems. John is battling esophageal cancer while Snow has a condition that requires regular trips to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and proceeds from the event will help the Sandula family cover everything from travel costs to medical expenses. Tickets are $5, available for pick-up at will call the day of the event, and can be purchased at gtgunsnhoses.com. Commemorative T-shirts are $10, for sale at Bill Marsh Auto on South Garfield Ave., Centre Ice Arena’s Hockey Shop North, and the National Cherry Festival office in downtown Traverse City.

4

Hey, Read It! You don’t know us negroes

There was a time when time forgot Zora Neale Hurston.

At once celebrated and subversive, her voice soared to the top of twentieth-century Black artists, while her countless essays, stories, and books—including Their Eyes Were Watching God—were woven into cultural canon. Still, much of her work fell out of print…until now. Released in January, her newest short-form collection, You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays, spotlights Hurston in her prime, both as an artist and advocate. Edited by professors Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Genevieve West, this whopping 51-piece compendium—including a few essays that have never been published—spans 35 years of epochal nonfiction, breathing fresh life into one voice that could never fade away.

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tastemaker Mt. Holiday’s Blackened Chicken Sandwich

You don’t have to be a snow bunny to enjoy dinner at Mt. Holiday. In fact, even if the closest you get to skiing is watching the Olympics, the Blackened Chicken Sandwich is worth throwing on a winter coat and heading to the slopes. The hint of spice from the chicken pairs perfectly with a smoked tomato puree, complemented by caramelized onions and a mouthwatering remoulade on crisp sourdough. Add lettuce and some avocado for a healthy splash of green, and you have a sandwich that checks all the boxes: flavorful, filling, and warm on a cold winter’s night. ($11.50) An order of sweet potato fries or onion rings completes the meal. In peak season, the ski hill can be packed, but Mt. Holiday also offers dinner to go Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays).

Find Mt. Holiday at 3100 Holiday Road, Traverse City, 231-938-2500 or mt-holiday.com.

4 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

he upcoming National Writers Series virtual author event features award-winning authors Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Wanda M. Morris, and Vanessa Riley for a special Black History Month panel. Their books bridge generations of stories across three different genres. Together, they will discuss the joys and struggles of their Black heroines as well as dive into their writing processes, inspirations, and favorite stories.

They will be joined by NWS guest host Rochelle Riley, author and Director of Arts and Culture for the City of Detroit on Thursday, February 24 at 7 PM. Literary Sponsors: Traverse Area District Library

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For virtual tickets visit NationalWritersSeries.org

6

Ice, Ice Breaker

International award-winning ice artist Matt Cooper will be sculpting at the second annual Icebreaker at the Old Art Building in Leland on Saturday, February 26, beginning at 11 a.m. Cooper is a Fenton, MI, native who has competed on the Food Network and supplies stunning ice sculptures to businesses and private events around the state through his company, Icon Ice. We’re not just talking ice luges—Cooper has created life-size unicorns, icy photo backdrops, and even logo displays for companies like ABC and Acura. He won’t be sculpting alone on Saturday—teams made of community members of all skill levels will be chiseling way too. Spectators are welcome to enjoy the exhibition at no cost, and food and beverage options will be available, along with cozy bonfires for a quick warm-up. Those interested in joining the sculpting fun can register a team for $100 per ice block at oldartbuilding. com/events/ice-breaker-2022.

Stuff We Love: Piece of the mighty mac Calling all pontists! (Aka people who love bridges—we had to look it up too.) Have you ever wanted to own a piece of the Mighty Mac? Now’s your chance: the Mackinac Bridge Authority has sections of the bridge’s original steel grating up for auction. These 60-yearold pieces measure 5 1/2 by 38 feet and weigh about two tons, so while this may not be the décor hanging on your living room wall, commenters on the Michigan Department of Transportation’s Facebook page are already brainstorming art installations, conference tables, belt buckles, garden paths, and grill grates (for the soon-to-be-famous Bridge Burger, of course). At the time of this writing, no smaller pieces were available, but they may start cropping up online as the massive chunks are cut up. Five sections are available for auction through February 25, and can be bid on at govdeals.com.

Winter Wonderland Meets Restaurant Week Winter Wonderland Week kicks off in Petoskey on February 19 and runs through February 27, ushering in nine days of small-town winter fun. Tour the ice sculpture collection in Pennsylvania Park or window shop with the Window Walk, where local retailers have dressed up their displays for the chilly season. The whole week is themed around the children’s book Winter, You Wonder by Perris Deppa, and if you want an extra challenge—plus a chance to win Petoskey Downtown Dollars—go on the Where’s Waldo-inspired hunt for the winter gnome hiding inside participating businesses. Winter Wonderland Week dovetails perfectly into Harbor Springs Area Restaurant Week, which runs February 25 through March 6. A dozen area restaurants will be offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner specials for $15, $25, and/or $35. Shopping, food, books, and gnomes?

Sign us up. Visit petoskeydowntown.com and harborspringschamber.com to learn more.

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bottoms up Brimley Stout at Beard’s Brewery Founded in 2012 by booze-brothers Peter Manthei and Ben Slocum, what began as a simple homebrew business has since become a community affair. Boasting 24 rotating taps, Beard’s Brewery in Petoskey has amassed more than 100 brews to its name, each inspired by seasonal flavors and the natural splendor of the region. But simple suds still have their perks, and one of them is the Brimley Stout. Named for more Brimleys than we can count – historic Brimley, Michigan, Willard Brimley’s legendary ’stache, and an owner’s dog, to name a few – this full-bodied beer is almost as curvy as the handlebar that crests its can. Based on a classic oatmeal stout, which sales maven Emily Hengstebeck says “inspires creativity and fondness for the brand,” Brimley’s traditional base features a dark and roasty palette, capped with a creamy-velvet finish. Pair it with one of Beard’s Brewing scratch-made pizzas for a pour that will put some hair on your face. Get it at 215 E. Lake Street, Petoskey. (231) 753-2221. www. beardsbrewery.com

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 5

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As voters, we like to claim that party affiliation is less important than the quality of the candidates we select. Only seven states, including Michigan, now allow us to vote for every candidate of a single party by filling in just one circle on our ballots. Even so, according to Pew Research, about 42 percent of 2020 voters cast ballots for only Democrat candidates and 36 percent for only Republicans.

It seems unlikely all those single-party voters examined every candidate in every race and decided every Republican candidate or every Democrat candidate was superior. Party

and racial justice, expanded social programs and some version of give-peace-a-chance in their platforms. They are consistently big spenders, though Bill Clinton actually balanced the budget and ran a surplus for four consecutive years.

Neither party has been able to create an ideology anchored in reality for some time.

The most recent Republican party platform – they reused their 2016 platform rather than create a new one for 2020 – includes such delights as claiming coal is a clean fuel and providing overt support for “conversion

Neither party has been able to create an ideology anchored in reality for some time. affiliation, it would seem, is more important than we voters admit.

Fewer and fewer of us are choosing either party when it comes to registering to vote, however. Michigan, 18 other states and the District of Columbia require no party affiliation when registering. In the 31 states where registrants choose, 39.6 percent are registered as Democrats, 29.2 percent are registered as Republicans. The fastest growing cohort is independents and otherwise unaffiliated voters, who now make-up 31.2 percent of the electorate.

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(Michigan residents are not required to select party preference when registering, but the Gallup organization says about 45 percent of us consistently vote Democrat and 39 percent consistently vote Republican.)

So what are the policies and platforms that keep connecting us to one party or the other? It isn’t because of all they’ve done for us, because they’ve done nothing for us. It’s possible an elected official with an R or a D after their name somehow directly helped, but not because of party affiliation. As the 2022 midterm elections draw ominously close, we’ll learn the parties do only two things: beg for money, and use that money to insult candidates of the other party.

Party ideologies have undergone some rather dramatic transformations. The early Republican conservatism of William Buckley and Barry Goldwater championed smaller government, lower taxes, a balanced budget, and a mind-our-own-business foreign policy but with a strong national defense. The complicating social issues that arrived in the late 1960s and 1970s were not yet part of the equation.

That coherent ideology is long gone.

Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump all expanded government, increased the budget deficit and adapted an adventuresome foreign policy both in words and deeds.

Modern Democrats always included social

therapy” for young members of the LGBT+ community, a now proven destructive and dangerous bit of business.

Republicans have no recognizable policies other than support for all things Trump and opposition to all things Biden. It maroons the party in the past and loses sight of what attracted voters in the first place. Instead of focusing on actual Trump accomplishments like tax cuts, the rapid development of a COVID-19 vaccine, and tougher policies on immigration and China, they continue trying to re-litigate the 2020 elections with ever wilder lies. Most recently, the Republican National Committee declared the nightmarish violence that occurred on 1/6 at the Capitol that led to 6 deaths, more than 140 injured police officers and, so far, more than 700 arrests, to be “... legitimate political discourse.” Then they censured Representatives Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for their participation on the House committee investigating that insurrection.

It’s hard to see how that helps the average citizen.

Democrats, of course, will not be outdone.

Their 2020 platform includes a 96-page wish list of every social program you can imagine and likely some you cannot. Their most “progressive” wing is a small minority but generates the most attention because they talk the loudest. Democrats are almost always mad at each other and both Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kirsten Sinema of Arizona have been censured by their respective state parties for failing to support a change to the Senate’s arcane filibuster rules.

None of the internecine squabbling of either party helps us at all; they ask us to contribute much but give back little. Too many Republicans care most about an election they did not win and cannot change, and too many Democrats care most about a future they cannot create or afford. Neither party represents those of us who aren’t delusional about the past or the future but just wonder if anybody is paying attention to the present.

SAY NO TO VOUCHERS, YES TO FUNDING MI SCHOOLS guest opinion

By Owen Goslin The past couple school years have been incredibly hard for parents, students, teachers, and support staff. While we’re starting to get on a more normal course, the problems associated with the pandemic linger, which is why it is so important to make our public education system more resilient while improving educational outcomes for our kids.

Regardless of the size or location of your school district, no matter where you live, all families want their children to have the opportunity to learn, be nurtured, and gain the skills they need to thrive.

Getting smaller class sizes, well-paid and trained educators, and wraparound services, like mental health support, for students directly in our neighborhood schools must also be prioritized. There are efforts underway to do just that, and,

hands of unaccountable, for-profit private schools that get to pick and choose their students. And the fact of the matter is that these voucher schemes are unconstitutional since Michigan’s Constitution bans spending taxpayer money on private schools.

We must support the efforts that are already underway to help our children learn, to help make our classrooms places families can trust to prepare their students for success.

The Michigan legislature is taking important steps to make schools more conducive to childhood development and educational outcomes. Democrats in the State House introduced two bills, H.B.s 4368 and 4369, that would address our teacher shortage by putting paraprofessional staff on a pipeline to becoming teachers, in addition to the bipartisan S.B. 0184 that would ensure safe drinking water in schools. And

“If you’re undermining the system that serves most students, you’re effectively anti-student.” unfortunately, there are also efforts to take money away from public education, which serves 90 percent of students, and give it to privately funded schools.

If you’re undermining the system that serves most students, you’re effectively anti-student. That’s the situation with the concerted effort going on across the state to defund our public schools, called “Let MI Kids Learn.” This proposal is another trick from former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to undermine public schools while allowing billionaires like herself and corporations to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Michiganders must stand against this blatant attempt to divert resources away from public to private schools. It’s essential for the future of public education in Michigan for everyone to refuse to sign the “Let MI Kids Learn” ballot proposal and the disastrous outcomes it would create.

Not only would this initiative take half a billion dollars in tax revenue away from public schools, but it would also likely siphon more from public classrooms every year.

That’s money that is desperately needed to meet the needs of the 90 percent of Michigan students who attend public schools. At a time when we need more resources — not less — to push our students forward and improve their education outcomes, supporters of “Let MI Kids Learn” are instead pushing a failed strategy that will send us backward. It would worsen the already historic teacher shortage in Michigan and put unnecessary burdens on public schools, the last thing we need amid two challenging school years.

Additionally, “Let MI Kids Learn” allows the creation of dubious vouchers for private schools. The voucher programs in the “Let MI Kids Learn” initiative take critical resources away from our public schools and into the

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, which recently announced her education budget which includes more funding for mental health services for students and retention bonuses for teachers to address the chronic teacher shortage. We should be focusing on initiatives like these that provide holistic, inclusive solutions instead of pushing through with a corporate agenda that has been tested to fail under Betsy DeVos’s watch.

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Rather than listening to the concerns of Michigan families, the corporate-backed proponents of “Let MI Kids Learn” are more interested in protecting Betsy DeVos’s reckless agenda. Michiganders have routinely rejected voucher schemes like this one that DeVos is pushing, including during her time as secretary of education under Donald Trump, where she undermined trust in our public education system to great harm.

While ballot initiatives usually go before Michigan voters to decide, the goal of this initiative is for the Republican-led legislature to force it into becoming law without letting voters decide. This irresponsible move to bypass the will of the people goes against the checks and balances of state government and, importantly, what Michigan voters want.

The misguided “Let MI Kids Learn” ballot initiative must be rejected. This scheme will eliminate the chance for all kids to have an opportunity to receive a quality education regardless of race, income, or ZIP code.

Parents, students, and educators must take a stand to defend public education and work together to make schools as healthy, nurturing, and full of learning and growth as they can be.

Owen Goslin lives in Cheboygan, where his daughter Alice attends first grade at East Elementary.

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 7

Thanks for Nothing!

Catherine Graham of Marshfield, Massachusetts, recently cashed in on her 15 minutes of fame on “The Price Is Right” with host Drew Carey. She flew to Los Angeles to visit her daughter and attended a taping of the show, which aired on Feb. 1.

As luck would have it, Graham ended up on stage with Carey and played for a great trip -- to New Hampshire! When Carey gushed, “New Hampshire is beautiful!” Graham replied, “Drew, I live in Boston! I’ve been to New Hampshire a million times!” But wait, there’s more! In order to collect the prize roundtrip airfare, she’ll have to travel to Los Angeles again to fly to Manchester, New Hampshire. “I just wish it was Tahiti ... or Bora Bora. A cruise around the world maybe,” Graham told WBZ-TV. But, she said, “It was so fun.”

Bright Idea The Idaho Potato Commission has your last-minute Valentine’s Day gift covered: The group is releasing a limited-edition fragrance, Frites by Idaho, made from distilled potatoes and essential oils, that is designed to smell like a fresh plate of french fries, United Press International reported. “The smell is too good to resist,” said IPC president Jamey Higham. “This perfume is a great gift for anyone who can’t refuse a french fry.” And it’s priced right, too, at $1.89 a bottle!

‘Murica Still need a Valentine’s Day gift idea?

Here you go: KFC is collaborating with Pillow Pets for the KFC Chicken Sandwich Snuggler, a giant cuddle-yummy you can wrap around your midsection before the carbs make it there. It’s only $99.99, Canoe reported. “Enjoy a snuggle after sinking your teeth into a KFC Chicken Sandwich meal or spice up any room in your home (trust us, it’s impossible to miss),” KFC crowed.

Respect for the Elderly Richard Taylor, 28, began arguing with his grandmother on Feb. 1 because he wanted to buy a new bed, but apparently didn’t have the funds to do so, KDKA Radio reported. So the Butler County, Pennsylvania, man broke into Margaret Taylor’s bedroom, after she had locked it from inside, and forcibly stole her purse, then disconnected all the phones in the house and fled in a 2006 Ford Taurus -- presumably on his way to the mattress store. Grandma headed to the neighbor’s home to call 911, and a warrant was issued for Richard’s arrest for robbery, theft and harassment. How will he sleep at night? Oh yeah, new mattress.

Step Right Up A “dedicated employee ... (who) enjoyed his job (and) was well-liked by the people he worked with” was charged on Feb. 9 in North Versailles, Pennsylvania, after he allegedly placed a hidden camera in a urinal at the North Versailles Police Department, WPXITV reported. John Logan, 49, a 911 operator, is accused of placing the camera in a singleuser bathroom in a hallway that is off-limits to the public. Once the incident was reported, Logan allegedly went into the bathroom and removed the SD card from the camera; investigators searching Logan’s home found flash drives with videos of officers exposed

8 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

while using the bathroom. He was charged with invasion of privacy and tampering with physical evidence.

Great Art? The Associated Press reported on Feb. 10 that a bored security guard at an art gallery in Ekaterinburg, Russia, lent his own artistic hand to an avant-garde painting by Anna Leporskaya, adding “eyes” to two of the three faces in the painting “Three Figures.” The Yeltsin Center revealed that the vandalism occurred on Dec. 7, and the painting was returned to the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, which owns it, for restoration. The guard, who worked for a private company providing security, used a ballpoint pen to make the small circles. The unnamed guard could face up to three months in prison.

Least Competent Criminal As over-the-road truckers protested COVID-related mandates in Canada’s capital city, a 20-year-old Akron, Ohio, man wanted to get in on the action. So, on Feb. 7, he called in a bomb threat -- to the Putnam County Sheriff ’s Office, in Ottawa ... Ohio. The man said he was going to set off a bomb in Ottawa, then called back a second time and said he’d been shot, The Lima News reported.

“When he found out he was talking to Ohio and not Canada, he said he hadn’t been shot but was simply trying to waste (Canadian authorities’) time and resources because he didn’t agree with their mask mandate,” said Sheriff ’s Office Cpt. Brad Brubaker. He also admitted there was no bomb. “You’d think with him being from Ohio, the 419 area code might have rung a bell,” Brubaker added.

Inexplicable On Feb. 6, a man in Raleigh, North Carolina, was stopped at a red light when the woman in the car next to him exited her car and approached his passenger window. She screamed at him, “Fix my car. Fix the problem,” he reported to ABC11-TV. “Once I locked the car, she got more aggressive.” The man wanted to drive away, but he was boxed in by cars. “Next thing I know, I seen the knife coming out -- the big machete knife -- she pulled it out from the sleeve” and started beating his passenger-side window with it. Eventually, she broke through the window. “I was just pressed against my driver-side seat ... until I could step on the gas,” he said. When the light changed, he drove to a police station, where he filed a report. Raleigh police are investigating.

New World Order An unnamed woman from Paterna, Spain, received a $570 fine in January for not picking up her dog’s poop while she visited Benalmadena last August, Oddity Central reported. Aside from the irritation of the financial hit, how did they connect the dots ... er, drops? The notice included the street where the excrement was found and the date. Turns out, ADN Canino, a Spanish company that maintains a database of canine DNA, works with authorities all over the country -- mostly in the service of finding owners of lost dogs and preventing abuse, but now also tracking down offenders of poop-scooping laws. The woman in this case was quick to register her pet with ADN in case he was ever lost. Authorities in Benalmadena took samples and matched her dog -- and she’s out $570.

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

Vanessa Riley

Wanda M. Morris

ONE NIGHT, A TRIFECTA OF AUTHORS NWS hosts special event for Black History Month

By Anna Faller On Thursday, Feb. 24, the National Writers Series welcomes esteemed authors Wanda M. Morris, Vanessa Riley, and Honorée Fanonne Jeffers to its virtual stage for a special Black History Month celebration.

Featuring each of their buzz-worthy books — “All Her Little Secrets,” “Island Queen,” and “The Love Songs of W.E.B Du Bois” — the event brings these forces of fiction together for a one-night, panel-style discussion of their shared experience, inspirations, and the stories that took decades to tell.

Honorée Fanonne Jeffers When poet and author Honorée Fanonne Jeffers set out to finish a novel in earnest, her first plan was to write a beach read. “It was going to be light,” she says, “with just a little bit of drama.” That is, until her subconscious stepped in. “The ‘song’ portions of the novel started coming to me in dreams,” she says. “I would see people, and I realized that some of them were enslaved.”

The rest is literal history — more than two centuries of it, in fact. An 11-and-ahalf-year labor of love, Jeffers’s debut novel, “The Love Songs of W.E.B Du Bois,” traces a multi-generational line through one African American family’s women. “It addresses both their past and the present,” she says, “to [show] how their contemporary lives continue to connect with historical events.”

Framed by the philosophies of Du Bois himself, this 790-page tome is about as far from the beach as it gets. Jeffers, however, wouldn’t be swayed. “I’m always concerned

with African American women, and with American history,” she says. “There are so many issues in the book that have continued to resonate through those 250 years.”

But on the other side of tragedy, there is triumph. “I always promise my readers, that if [they] travel through this very difficult and painful history, there will be joy on the other side,” Jeffers says. “That’s what I hope for Black America: that we will continue to move toward joy — not just for us, but to fulfill the hopes of people that never even knew our names.”

Vanessa Riley Award-winning author Vanessa Riley has never been one to avoid tough talk. “I’m drawn to what shapes our world,” she says, “and I’m particularly drawn to [what] we don’t talk about as much.”

In her historical stunner, “Island Queen, that discussion surrounds the Caribbean slave trade — and it all began with a Jane Austen novel. After cracking Sanditon,” Riley set out to peel back the layers on one of the novel’s wealthiest characters: a Mulatto woman named Ms. Lambe. “In my hunt, I came upon this sketch of a Black woman being embraced by the future King William IV,” she says.

Naturally, she “followed the rich man.”

That path led her straight to Dorothy “Doll” Kirwan Thomas. Born into slavery in the 18th century, Thomas eventually buys her freedom — as well as that of her mother and children — all whilst building a mercantile empire that would eventually make her a rival power. “I can’t make up this kind of fiction!” says Riley.

But why are our history books so often

void of influential Black figures like Doll?

Riley suggests the answer is buried in racial biases that tell the same story for people of color. “The fabric is tightly woven,” says Riley.

“We just have to examine it.”

When we do, we’ll find a patchwork of both white and Black fingerprints. But, instead of sanitizing history’s stains, Riley prefers to spotlight its survivors. “We can’t whitewash the past, because it has a systemic effect on what we’re feeling now,” she says.

“There are people who overcome, and those are the people I want to focus on. Those are the people I’m writing about.”

Wanda M. Morris A veteran attorney by trade, author Wanda M. Morris always wanted to write. But it was one especially tedious read — though she refuses to name the title — that inspired her to take the plunge. “I thought, ‘I can write a book better than this!’” she says.

Suffice to say, that’s just what she did.

Released in November to critical acclaim, her debut novel, “All Her Little Secrets,” is exactly the type of tightrope-thriller that most appeals to Morris herself. Featuring protagonist Ellice Littlejohn, the book hinges upon a razor’s edge, wherein a middle-aged Black lawyer is forced to choose between the ethical canons she’s promised to preserve and the moral obligations she has to her family.

Still, despite the murder-mystery tag — not to mention the climbing body count — the core of the book requires some digging. “I wanted to show how complex Black women can be,” says Morris; specifically, how childhood trauma can inform the choices we make as adults.

“Black women tend to be some of the most disrespected and maligned people on the face of the earth,” she says, “and unfortunately, a lot of that comes out of how we are treated, and how we then have to face the world.”

The book, however, is just the beginning.

“Though [many] of these issues are born of Black history,” says Morris, “I hope that readers understand that there are themes [in the book] that go far beyond just being Black. This is a book about how we can all do better.”

Watch & Listen Tickets for the virtual event, set for 7pm Thursday, Feb. 24, are $10.50. Find the authors’ books at Horizon Books. Guest host for the event is syndicated columnist, author, and arts advocate Rochelle Riley. For more information, tickets, and registration, please visit: nationalwritersseries.org Rochelle Riley Celebrated author and speaker Rochelle Riley has served as the City of Detroit’s Director of Arts and Culture since 2019. A graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, Riley spent four years in Louisville as a newsroom executive before pursuing her nearly two-decade career as a columnist for the Detroit Free Press. Riley has also written five books, including “The Burden” (2018) and “That They Lived” (2021). She is a 2021 inductee into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame and is the co-founder of national support initiative, Letters to Black Girls. Riley lives and works in southeast Michigan.

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 9

A I N A T L E M

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By Geri Dietz Boyne City’s Smeltania Festival, February 25 through 27, revives a storied time in Boyne City’s past, when a little fish came to town and helped it weather the Great Depression.

Today, the festival does a bit of the same, giving an economic boost to Boyne businesses who contend with not only slow sales in the off season but also the economic burden of the lingering pandemic, says Lisa Luebke, associate director of the Boyne City Chamber of Commerce.

“This is exactly how Smeltania came to be in the first place,” she says. “The economy is a very historical part of it.”

Times being what they are, pandemic precautions are in place, but with most activities outside, organizers are confident in having people will come to town, Luebke says.

Attendees can choose from a long list of things to do: ice fishing contest; pub crawl; food stalls; games and activities for the kiddies; music; polar plunge; retailer specials; and much more. Warming stations and a hot cocoa bar will make this outdoor excursion delightfully cozy.

Because so much action is outside, all are welcome to bring their own shanty or shelter (such as a tent or car) to Veteran’s Park as a headquarters for family and friends to gather, share a meal, and warm up.

For a complete list of activities and information, visit Boyne Chamber of Commerce and the Smeltania site, both on Facebook.

Brother, Can You Spare a Smelt?

The Great Depression was especially hard on towns that had earlier cycled through their boomand-bust period, without much of a rebound. In 1910, with lumbering in full swing, Boyne City had a population of 5,995, not including another 3,000 transient workers. But by the early 1920s, with the forests wiped out and the timber gone, Boyne City became a shell of its former self. The population

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quickly sank to under 3,000 people, the town languished, and in 1929, the stock market crash dealt a cruel blow.

That same year, however, the first smelt appeared in the Boyne River, leaving Lake Michigan and traveling up to Lake Charlevoix to spawn. The runs began appearing annually, garnering more attention with each passing year. By 1936, Detroit’s WJR was broadcasting the arrival of the smelt, and Boyne City was reportedly attracting thousands of visitors. Watching the locals dip for smelt was sport for some, but for those who needed to support their families, the smelt were simply a blessing.

By the late 1930s, with shanties proliferating on the thick lake ice about a mile offshore each February, Boyne City’s “smelt mania” hit its high. Legend has it that a couple of canny local journalists spread the word about the “city” of 300 ice shanties spread over frozen Lake Charlevoix, and in 1940, Collier’s magazine (rivaling The Saturday Evening Post in popularity) came calling, ultimately featuring the village in its March issue.

Boom, Bust, Crash Smeltania, as the shanty city came to be known, was hopping: Bill and Bea’s Smeltania Trading Post did a brisk business. Taxi service drove tourists out on the ice for 15 cents a ride. Local entrepreneurs started renting out shanties in an early version of Airbnb.

Another boomtown, perhaps? Yes, but much like the timber decades before, the smelt began running out — or, not running at all, as it were. By the 1940s, smelt runs up the Boyne River were less dependable, and by the 1950s, the smelt were gone entirely.

Biologists believed that the die-off coincided with Lake Charlevoix’s minnow population, which was also declining at the time.

Though smelt reappeared for a time in the 1980s, giving Smeltania a brief revival, eventually the little fish were gone for good. Today, the Smeltania Festival, which the city resurrected once again last year, is a time to remember and celebrate the little fish that saw Boyne through tough times.

10 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

nd

ARTS FESTIVAL SUMMER 2022 AIR SUPPLY | JULY 9, 2022

A shot of Schroeder’s two-story shanty from the winter of 1982.

BONNIE RAITT | JULY 23, 2022

tickets.interlochen.org

Schroeder as pictured in The New York Times story, wearing his Smeltania sheriff’s hat and police badge.

SMELTANIA REDUX: FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES

Shanties are generally 6-by-6-by-6-foot wooden boxes set over a hole in the ice, but in 1979, Nord Schroeder, a Boyne city fisherman, builder, and retired Boyne City Fire chief, decided to upsize, adding a second story and making a bit of history in the process. In a Feb. 1, 1981, story about that year’s Smeltania revival, in The New York Times featured Schroeder’s handiwork.

It’s easy to see why. Schroeder’s shanty was no average wooden box. It was 8 by 8 by 12-foot, fully insulated, and had a second level. Walls on the upper floor boasted two huge picture windows, the better to see the comings and goings of his Smeltania neighbors. A leaded glass gable displayed an illuminated star, signifying Schroeder’s position as Smeltania Chief of Police. And the paneled interior had gas lights, a gas wall furnace, a three-burner cook stove, room for a beer keg, and a TV with antenna.

“Believe it or not,” he tells Northern Express, “we got good reception.”

The TV was powered by the same car battery Schroeder used to shine light into the water to attract the smelt. Schroeder and friends tallied their catches on butcher paper tacked to one of the shanty’s walls. “We might catch between 1,300 and 1,400 smelt in a day,” he says. And, because Smeltania also meant hospitality, Schroeder once hosted a group of 15 for dinner.

His shanty journal has the signatures of people from all over the country who stopped by. Sadly, the structure burned in 1983 as it was being readied for the winter; hidden mice nests ignited inside the gas furnace. But there was one more chance at fame: Schroeder’s insurer sent a crack investigator with an international reputation to investigate the $10,000 shanty fire, unable to believe that an ice shanty could possibly be that valuable. Only in Smeltania.

To learn more about Smeltania, visit: https://www.hsmichigan.org/wp-content/ uploads/2012/12/Smelt

WHAT’S A SMELT, ANYWAY?

Smelt is a slender, silvery fish (Osmeridae family) found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, as well as rivers, streams, and lakes in many parts of Europe, North America, and Northeast Asia. Although none are surely as good as Boyne City’s Smeltania, festivals for the fish abound in other parts of the world, South Korea, Italy, and Russia included.

Old Town Playhouse and Reynolds-Jonkhoff present

Glass slippers are so back

gh Discover the Magic

gh

February 17 - March 19 Curtain @ 7:30pm | Matinee @ 2pm MainStage Theatre (148 E. 8th St.) OldTownPlayhouse.com

231.947.2210

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 11

Traverse City’s Lil Bo The quintessential neighborhood bar moves toward its centennial with a new family, new menu, and longtime legacy for doing the locals proud

By Al Parker Jenni Scott wipes down the alreadygleaming bar, then draws an ice-cold beer for one of her regulars before taking a break to talk about running one of Traverse City’s historic watering holes, Lil Bo. “It’s been a blast,” the TC native says with a smile. “It’s so nice having laughter here again.”

Established in 1932, Lil Bo had been closed and shuttered until Scott and several family members purchased the landmark tavern and re-opened it in July.

Earlier last year, Scott saw a real estate listing that Lil Bo was for sale. She and her family sat down and talked about the beloved neighborhood bar and restaurant, its legacy, and its potential — “and we decided to buy it and re-open it,” she says.

Jenni and her sister Lisa Scott are majority owners, along with their parents, Doug and Marge Scott, and Lisa’s husband, Matt Gaffy.

The chance to recreate Lil Bo’s laid-back atmosphere in the central neighborhood where the Scott sisters grew up is like a dream come true.

“We’re just gonna let it be what it wants to be — a friendly neighborhood bar,” says Scott.

“When I was 21, this was the place to go, and we want it to be that type of place again. Lots of smiles, great food, fun music, and no fancy attire required.”

With her extensive culinary and bartending background, Scott handles the day-to-day operations. She’s built quite a reputation over the years, most recently for running a pair of food trucks, Betty’s Hot Dish and Little Betty. Her award-winning chili and killer “po’boys,” favorites of the local food truck crowd, have been gaining fame as standouts on the Lil Bo menu.

Betty’s Cowgirl Chili ($5.50) is a sixtime winner in the downtown chili cook-off competition. Its blend of pulled pork, beef, bacon and three types of beans provide

some sweet heat for chili-choosers. There’s always a warming soup of the day ($5), and regulars know to stop in on Friday for Scott’s Nantucket Chowder ($6).

There are a half dozen different Po’Boys to choose from. Three of the most popular are Will’s Shrimp Po’ Boy ($15) featuring Guinness beer-battered shrimp dressed with homemade remoulade, lettuce and tomato, and the Meatloaf Po’ Boy ($12) with a hefty slab of homemade meat loaf, bathed in a tomato glaze and topped with grilled onions.

(Note to rebels: If ya like your meatloaf cold, they’ll be glad to serve it that way.)

The Fried Bologna po’boys ($11) comes just the way grandma made ‘em, served up with lettuce, tomato and mayo. All po’boys come with potato chips, but many regulars kick it up a notch with a side pile of warm waffle fries.

“We feel a real obligation to do the locals proud,” says Scott. “It’s our saloon in your neighborhood.”

For a neighborhood bar, the food choices are several notches above expected. Many menu items are not routinely seen in a neighborhood pub atmosphere. For starters, try the Kind of a Big Dill, ($10) five crispy dill spears wrapped with ham and tasty ranch cream cheese. Those are wrapped in a wonton, then deep fried and served with house-crafted honey mustard.

NOLA Brussels ($10) are shaved Brussels sprouts with bacon, sultanas, brown sugar, almonds, and a splash of NOLA cane vinegar.

Beau’s Badass Nachos ($14) start with a bed of freshly baked homemade tortilla chips smothered with ques blanch and pulled pork, then topped with corn salsa, candied jalapenos and sour cream.

For dedicated carnivores, seven burger selections are available. Each is a 1/3 pound of fresh ground chuck sourced from Burrito’s Market across Front Street.

“The Olive Burger is our most popular

12 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

and it’s kind of a classic,” says Scott, who got her start in the restaurant game as a teen working at another noted TC eatery, Mabel’s. Served on a grilled Hawaiian bun with chips and a pickle, the Olive Burger ($13) is topped with melted creamy provolone, lettuce, tomato, and pickle. It’s a fistful of flavor, especially when paired with the optional waffle fries.

Scott has added some fun non-food events to keep the place buzzing. Every Tuesday is trivia night, while Thursday features blues and jazz on the sound system. Live music takes over on Fridays, while Sundays are packed — that’s karaoke night. And there’s a pool table, complete with a Star Wars storm trooper light fixture, in the back room to keep guests occupied, free of charge.

The purchase continues a long tradition of families owning and operating Lil Bo. The

original owners, Frank and Corrine Kucera, sold the tavern to Eugene and Phyllis Freud in 1969, and it remained in the Freud family until last April, when the Scott closed on the property.

At the time, The Traverse City Ticker reported that two previous offers on the property had fallen through, clearing the way for the Scott family offer. “Third time was the charm,” says Nancy Freud who had operated the bar/restaurant since 2005 and now lives in California. “Jen is the same age my dad was when he bought Little Bohemia,” she says, adding proudly that the tavern is now just 11 years away from hitting 100 years in business — and owned and operated by only three families in that time.

Find Lil Bo at 540 West Front St. in Traverse City. It’s open 11am to 2am seven days a week.

(231) 421-3100

Kennedy’s Kitchen to Play Petoskey & Suttons Bay Band brings traditional Irish tunes to warm up the North for St. Pat’s

By Ross Boissoneau While many people look to the month of March — specifically St. Patrick’s Day — for their dose of music from the Emerald Isle, the leader of Kennedy’s Kitchen celebrates his vocation on a daily basis. “Every day when I wake up, I get to do music,” says joHn Kennedy.

And before you ask, yes, that’s how he spells his name. Rather than face endless questions about his name and any relation to the famous Kennedy clan, he decided to stake out his own identity with the unusual spelling. “This is my way of saying, ‘It’s me,’” he says. As to the band’s name, it’s derived from a description of the music: “Kitchen Music from the home, the hearth, and the heart.”

Kennedy and his five-piece band perform two shows, March 5 at the City Park Grill in Petoskey, and March 6 at the Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay. He and the band are looking forward to the shows as the past couple years have been stop and start due to the pandemic. These shows in northern Michigan are some of the band’s first shows

since November. As a result, he and the band, as well as their fans, have suffered.

“It left a really large hole,” he says, though the time away seemed to do wonders for both sides once the band was back on stage. When the band began playing again, Kennedy says the response from the audiences was beyond what the group anticipated.

“The shows were off the charts,” Kennedy says. As any musician will tell you, the interaction between performer and audience is crucial. “We need each other.

If you’re a fish, you’ve got to swim. Then suddenly [when the pandemic closed down performance spaces] there was no water.”

And when things opened back up? It was as though the floodgates opened.

So what can northern Michigan audiences expect when Kennedy’s Kitchen comes ’round next week? “The audience can expect joy. For me, that’s that whole point.

On a great night, maybe there’s healing, tears. Some are just magic.”

The band has been making Irish music together since 1998, and their longtime connection and experience shows. Kennedy says the evening will be a rich mix of stories and songs, all rooted in traditional Irish

music: jigs, reels, hornpipes, aires, and recitations, including original compositions.

In true Irish tradition, a meandering bit of talk will be on the table too. “I’m a master of sidetracking,” says Kennedy. “It’s a gift I discovered onstage. I’m a storyteller.”

The guitarist and singer — and, yes, storyteller — will also gift audiences with some unusual guitar tuning, in which the strings are tuned to D,A,D,G,A, and D. Called “DADGAD tuning,” the method is one favored by Pierre Bensusan, a gifted French-Algerian guitarist whose music often evokes the Celtic flavorings of the British Isles.

Kennedy calls Bensusan “the godfather of DADGAD,” and says the tuning suits Irish music. “There’s an ambiguity built into the tuning,” says Kennedy. “You get the drones you’d play on pipes. It makes it easier to play open chords.”

The rest of the band performs on traditional Irish instruments: whistles, flutes, fiddle, tenor banjo, mandolin, bodhran (Irish drum) and bass, with various members joining Kennedy on vocals.

The Petoskey show is a revival of the Robert Emmet Society’s annual Irish Hoolie,

a term for an Irish party with music, dance, great food “and even better blarney.” After a two-year hiatus brought about by the pandemic, the organization is hosting this hoolie with a special mission in mind: to raise funds to send a student at North Central Michigan College to study at the Galway-Mayo Institute in Galway, Ireland, for a semester.

The Robert Emmet Society was founded in Emmet County to promote awareness of its namesake, Robert Emmet, an Irish patriot executed by the British in 1803 for leading a revolt against Ireland’s longtime foreign rulers. Tickets for the show, at City Park Grill, are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Renewing and current society members and students are $15. Seating is limited. For tickets or more information, call the Robert Emmet Society at 231-838-6239 or City Park Grill at 231-347-0101.

Tickets for the 4pm performance in Suttons Bar are $25, $20 for Premium and Sustainer Bay Theatre members. They are available at the Bay Theatre box office and the website, www.thebaytheatre.com; click on Schedule and Tickets.

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 13

I love being in your pages because it allows me to reach a wide and diverse audience. Often, customers will bring in one of our ads that they’ve cut out and ask for the item pictured. I’m thankful for our partnership over the years.

Rachel Peplinski Lima Bean, Suttons Bay

We help grow northern Michigan businesses. info@northernexpress.com

14 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

feb 19

saturday

GAYLORD ALPENFROST: Today includes an Idadorad, Frosty 5K 2022, Alpine Brick Lego Tournament, Alpenfrost Post 5K Stretch, Character Meet & Greet, Alpenfrost Sound Journey, White Birch Outfitters Snowshoe Hike, & more. facebook.com/ gaylordalpenfrost/events/?ref=page_internal

---------------------GLEN ARBOR PERCH FISHING CONTEST: Sign up to fish between 6-7:30am at the Sportsman’s Shop. Fishing will take place on the Glen Lakes. Bring your catches for the weigh-in at 1pm. After fishing, warm up with a bowl of chili at the Glen Arbor Chili Cook-Off, being held at The Boonedocks in Glen Arbor between 12-3pm. 231-883-5638. $20 to enter; free to watch.

---------------------41ST ANNUAL SNO-BLAST WINTER FESTIVAL: 9am, East Jordan Sno-Mobilers Clubhouse. Includes the Classic & Antique Snowmobile Show, ORV Obstacle Course, Crowning of Winter Knight & Belle of the Blizzard, Blessing of the Sleds & ORV’s, 1st Ever Frozen Pancake Olympics, Chili Cook-Off, live music by Country Thunder, SnowStuds Bikini Radar Run - Breast Cancer Fundraiser, & more. ejchamber.org/events/winter/sno-blast

---------------------FROSTY 5K 2022: 9am, 162 S. Court Ave., Gaylord. $30. runsignup.com/Race/MI/Gaylord/Frosty5k2022?aflt_token=vkmwDmwe Q4iCYn8otSOOnKQ3vCO8buOw

---------------------WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: Downtown Petoskey, Feb. 18-26. See the ice sculpture collection in Pennsylvania Park & throughout downtown. Then go on the Winter Wonderland Window Walk & enjoy seeing the cleverly decorated retail windows. petoskeyarea.com/event/winter-wonderland-week

---------------------GUIDED SNOWSHOE HIKE: 10am, Michigan Legacy Art Park, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Executive Director Angie Quinn will lead you on a tour on wooded, snowy trails to view the sculptures in the Art Park. Meet at the Art Park trailhead. If there is no snow, it will be a hike. $5/adults, children free. michlegacyartpark.org/toursworkshops/winter-art-park-tours

---------------------GUIDED WINTER HIKE: 10am-noon, Brown Bridge Quiet Area, East Overlook Trailhead, TC. Join GT Conservation District staff on an interpretive winter hike & learn about environmental topics & various projects happening on the managed parklands. Depending upon snow conditions, snowshoes or yaktrax & trekking/ski poles are recommended.

Limited snowshoes are available for adults & children upon request. Register: 941-0960.

Free. natureiscalling.org/events

---------------------INDOOR SIDEWALK SALES: Downtown Charlevoix, Feb. 18-21. Find discounts on gift items, home decor, clothing, books, art, jewelry, accessories, & more at participating stores.

---------------------PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND SALE EVENT: Downtown TC, Feb. 18-20. Take advantage of the many deals in the downtown shops & restaurants. downtowntc.com/ presidents-day-weekend-sale-event

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SPRINGFIELD WINTER TRAIL RUN/ WALK: 10am, 3999 Lund Rd. SW, Fife Lake.

Choose from a 5K or 10K. Profits benefit the 22 2 None Veteran Service Non-Profit. $25. runsignup.com/Race/MI/FifeLake/springfirel dwintertrailrunwalk?aflt_token=vkmwDmwe Q4iCYn8otSOOnKQ3vCO8buOw

---------------------SOUP & SKI: 11am-5pm, Shady Lane Cellars, Suttons Bay. The Cross Country Trail

is open & groomed regularly. Enjoy a stroll through the vineyard, or link up with the Leelanau Trail for an extended journey. Afterwards, head to the Tasting Room to enjoy locally made soups for $5 a bowl & Shady Lane Cellars wine. facebook.com/ShadyLaneCellars

february

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BOOK SIGNING WITH DAVE HARDIN: Noon, Horizon Books, TC. Dave is the author of “Standpipe,” a memoir of the author’s work as a Red Cross volunteer delivering emergency water to residents of Flint. horizonbooks.com/event/book-signing-davehardin-standpipe

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

---------------------ELK RAPIDS “CHILLY” CHILI COOKOFF: 12-4pm, Downtown Elk Rapids. Eleven businesses will compete for the best chili.

Tickets can be purchased at Town Club, Nifty Things! & Short’s Pull Barn. $5. facebook. com/downtownelkrapids

---------------------GLEN ARBOR CHILI COOK OFF: 12-3pm, Boonedocks, Glen Arbor. Taste unlimited samples of chili & vote for your fave. $10; $5 for those 6-12 & for those over 70; free for those under 6. 231-883-5638.

---------------------GRAND TRAVERSE BAY POLAR PLUNGE: Noon, Visions at CenterPointe, TC. Participants brave the cold & plunge into Grand Traverse Bay! You can plunge yourself, or form a team. Proceeds benefit the Special Olympics.

Awards & After Splash Bash follow at the Visions Banquet Center. Free to watch; minimum $100 fundraising contribution to plunge. classy.org/event/grand-traverse-bay-polarplunge-2022/e377670

---------------------OTSEGO RESORT’S CRAFT BEER TRAIL: 12-3pm, Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Enjoy a scenic winter walk from The Historic River Cabin to Beaver Dam where a bonfire will be waiting for you. Featuring four tasting stations each paired with light apps. Take shuttle from main parking lot. $38. otsegoclub.com/ event/otsego-resorts-craft-beer-trail

---------------------SNOWSTUDS BIKINI RADAR RUN: Noon, East Jordan Sno-Mobilers Clubhouse. Participants will be competing for gift baskets in three different categories: Fastest Speed, Most Money Raised & Best Decorated Sled in the Breast Cancer Theme. Held during the 41st Annual Sno-Blast Festival. facebook. com/groups/248497332461358

---------------------SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: 12-5pm, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. Explore easy to moderate trails, & then warm up with a beverage on the Terrace Patio. Snowshoe rentals will be available. blackstarfarms. com/snowshoes-vines-wines

---------------------WALLOON LAKE WINTERFEST: 12-4pm, Walloon Lake Village, Walloon Lake. See live ice carvings, & an antique snowmobile show on the lake. Enjoy free ice skating, hot chocolate, & bean soup with donations benefiting the Petoskey Snowmobile Club. Visit the Tasting Room featuring Michigan distilleries, wineries, & breweries. Enjoy all day happy hour specials from Barrel Back Restaurant & giveaway prizes every hour.

---------------------WINTER SNOWSHOE EVENT: 12-5pm, Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery, Alanson.

Bonfire, s’mores, unlimited hot chocolate & a glass of wine is included. Trail is a half mile long. Bring your snowshoes or boots - equipment is not provided. 231-203-4790. $15/person.

---------------------COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS: MAXINE THOMPSON’S STORY: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. As a Detroit teenager, Maxine Thompson integrated Traverse City’s St.

The 8th Annual Grand Traverse Guns N Hoses Benefit Hockey Game happens Sat., Feb. 26 at Centre Ice Arena, TC at 6pm. Watch local firefighters face off against police officers in this game to raise funds for a selected family in

Francis High in 1967-68, while living with renowned local sculptress Verna Bartnick & her family. The women will come together to discuss Thompson’s book, “Lineage: A Memoir,” her account of that tumultuous, racially charged year that saw the assassination of Dr. King & uprisings across the U.S. Free. tadl.org/event/community-conversationsmaxine-thompsons-story

---------------------INDIAN RIVER WINTERFEST: Feb. 18-20.

Today includes the Pond Hockey Tournament, free ice skating, sledding hill, Poker Run hands turned in by 6pm, & refreshment tent with DJ music. irchamber.com/eventschedule/indian-river-winterfest

---------------------BLISSFEST PRESENTS LEYLA MCCALLA: 7:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. Leyla is a New York-born HaitianAmerican living in New Orleans, who sings in French, Haitian Creole & English, & plays cello, tenor banjo & guitar. Also livestreamed: leylamccalla.com. $10 livestream; $25 member; $30 GA. blissfest.org

---------------------RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA: Old Town Playhouse, TC. Forced into a life of servitude, a young woman dreams of a better life. Then, with the help of her fairy godmother, she is transformed into an elegant young lady who meets her prince at the ball. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays from Feb. 17 through March 19, starting at 2pm on Sundays & 7:30pm on all other days. Adults: $28; youth under 18: $15 (plus fees). tickets. oldtownplayhouse.com/TheatreManager/1/ login&event=358

---------------------GREAT HORNED OWL QUEST: 8pm.

Listen for the duets of Great Horned Owls.

Meet at the Leelanau Trail parking lot on Fouch Rd. This trip involves a short walk on the snow-covered Leelanau Trail. Free. grandtraverseaudubon.org

feb 20

sunday

41ST ANNUAL SNOBLAST WINTER FESTIVAL: East Jordan SnoMobilers Clubhouse. Today includes the Sno-Lovers Breakfast, South Arm OV Club Raffle Drawing, & more. ejchamber.org/events/winter/ sno-blast

---------------------WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

---------------------INDOOR SIDEWALK SALES: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

---------------------PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND SALE EVENT: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

---------------------TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: Feb. 20-26. Each participating restaurant will have a $25 or $35 three course menu during this week. Call to book your reservation with the restaurant(s) of your choice. downtowntc.com/traverse-city-restaurant-week

---------------------GAYLORD ALPENFROST: Today includes Sunday Kids Craft, Winter Rafting, & Aspen Park Cross Country Night Ski. facebook.com/ gaylordalpenfrost/events/?ref=page_internal

---------------------SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

---------------------SOUP & SKI: (See Sat., Feb. 19, except today’s hours are 12-5pm.)

---------------------INDIAN RIVER WINTERFEST: Feb. 18-20.

Today includes Pond Hockey Finals, free ice skating, sledding hill, & refreshment tent with DJ music. irchamber.com/event-schedule/ indian-river-winterfest

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 15

HISTORY OF THE TRAVERSE AREA LIBRARIES: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Traverse Area Historical Society presents authors & contributors to a new book on the history of Traverse Area libraries. Free. tadl. org/event/traverse-area-historical-society-5

---------------------RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

---------------------JAZZ (LATE) BRUNCH W/ BILL SEARS QUARTET & BOB JAMES: 3pm, GT Circuit, TC. Chateau Chantal wine & food from the Good Bowl. Proof of vaccination & masks required. For reservations email: gtcircuitjazz@gmail.com. $20 donation.

---------------------CUMMINGS STRING QUARTET CONCERT: 4pm, First Presbyterian Church, Petoskey. The Cummings String Quartet from the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (GLCO) will perform a free concert. The ensemble will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s String Quartet No. 17 in B-flat major, K. 458, nicknamed “The Hunt,” & Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 “American.” glcorchestra.org/concerts

feb 21

monday

WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

-------------

INDOOR SIDEWALK SALES: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

-------------

MEET WITH STATE REP. JOHN ROTH: People in Grand Traverse County can meet with Rep. Roth & share their questions or concerns. 10-11am: Kingsley Village Office. 121pm: Hentschel Hardware, TC. 517-373-1766.

---------------------TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 20)

---------------------KID’S CRAFT LAB: PULL SOME STRINGS: 1pm & 3:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. See what happens when you dip strings in paint & pull! Sign up when you reserve your attendance. greatlakeskids.org

---------------------G.T. HUMANISTS MEETING: REDISTRICTING MICHIGAN: 5pm. Get an overview of our new political landscape with Joey Andrews. Joey is an attorney & policy analyst for the Michigan AFL-CIO, & was formerly an organizer for the Biden campaign in 2020 on the One Campaign. Held via Zoom. Register in advance: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArduCsrjguHdYGF0OZ7TjDxbG0GpD5t-CC gthumanists.org

---------------------AUDITIONS FOR CHICAGO: 6:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, Schmuckal Theatre, TC. This hit musical has roles for at least twelve men & women ages 16 & older who will join the performers already cast before the onset of the pandemic. Auditionees must fill out an online audition form & be prepared to sing, dance, & read from the script. Performances will be May 5 - June 4. oldtownplayhouse. com/get-involved/auditions.html

feb 22

tuesday

WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

-------------

STORYTIME ADVENTURES: 10:30am, 1pm & 3:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Featuring “Chickadees at Night” by Bill O. Smith. Sign up when you reserve your attendance at the Museum. greatlakeskids.org

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 20)

---------------------PETOSKEY CHAMBER’S 2022 STATE OF THE COMMUNITY: 1pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. A multi-media conversation with several community leaders discussing key issues in the community. $20 in-person; $10 streaming. petoskeychamber.com/events/details/state-of-the-community-february-22-2022-26949?calendarMon th=2022-02-01

----------------------

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE KICKOFF: 6-8pm, Ridge45 Apartments, Community Room, TC. Gather info about the June event & learn how you can make a difference. The “Carnival Theme” will be explained with hope on the horizon. For more info, email: rflpurple@ gmail.com. relayforlifegrandtraverse.com

---------------------AUDITIONS FOR CHICAGO: (See Mon., Feb. 21)

---------------------CHARITY EUCHRE TOURNAMENT: 6:30pm, Blue Lodge #222, 13360 S W Bay Shore Dr., TC. Benefits 22 2 None, helping to prevent veteran suicide. RSVP: 231-6202708. $20 single/$30 couple. facebook.com/ freemasonstc

feb 23 Sun., Feb. 20)

wednesday

WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

-------------

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See

---------------------ICE BREAKER SPEAKER SERIES: 121pm, held via Zoom. “Manoomin: The Food that Grows on the Water.” A talk with Roger LaBine, water resource technician from the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, & Cortney Collia, student of traditional healing arts. They’ll speak about their years spent working to preserve manoomin (wild rice) & Anishinaabe cultural practices surrounding its restoration, growth, & harvest in northern MI. Register. watershedcouncil.org/attend-an-event.html

---------------------CHOIR: FEATURING STUDENTS FROM ELK RAPIDS & KINGSLEY MIDDLE SCHOOLS: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. $12 full price; $9 student. interlochen.org/events/choirfeaturing-students-elk-rapids-and-kingsleymiddle-schools-2022-02-23

feb 24

thursday

WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

-------------

COFFEE @ 10, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. Join artist Trisha Shattuck for a talk about her work. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey-ctaconline/coffee-10-artist-talk-trisha-shattuckperson-and-online

---------------------KID’S CRAFT LAB: PULL SOME STRINGS: (See Mon., Feb. 21, except today’s times are 10:30am, 1pm & 3:30pm.)

---------------------TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 20)

---------------------CONNECTING WOMEN IN BUSINESS: Inn at Bay Harbor. Recharge/Reconnect Networking. Petoskey Chamber President Nikki Devitt will lead some exercises to help you learn a few new tricks & tips & to help you

16 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

be more comfortable in networking environments. Registration & networking, 11:30amnoon; program & lunch, 12-1pm. $30 for CWIB members; $35 for not-yet-members. petoskeychamber.com/events/details/cwibluncheon-february-24-2022-26984

---------------------CHAMBER OFF THE CLOCK: 5-7pm, Grow Benzie, Benzonia. A celebration of Mardi Gras. Wear your dancing shoes.

Hear an update on Chamber operations. $5. business.benzie.org/events/details/ benzie-area-chamber-off-the-clock-event15925?calendarMonth=2022-02-01

---------------------HISTORY OF HARBOR SPRINGS PART 2: 5:30pm, Harbor Springs History Museum.

Learn about the local impact of societal upheavals between World War 1 & the 1960s. $10. harborspringshistory.org/events/?actio n=evrplusegister&event_id=47

---------------------“PASSAGE”: 7-9:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Harvey Theatre. A play reading presented by Parallel 45 Theatre. This fantasia inspired by E.M. Forster’s “A Passage to India” uses the theater’s primal evocative powers to examine the most essential questions of our time. $0-$50. mynorthtickets. com/events/passage-a-play-reading-presented-by-parallel-45-theatre-2-24-2022

---------------------GRAND TRAVERSE AUDUBON CLUB MEETING: 7pm, NMC, Health & Science Building, Room 117, TC. Kirk Waterstripe will give a tour of the NMC bird specimen collection. With over 100 species, this is your chance to examine many of the birds that only give us glimpses in the field. Park in Cedar or Tamarack lots. Free. grandtraverseaudubon.org/programs

---------------------NWS VIRTUAL EVENT: FOUR AMAZING AUTHORS, ONE INCREDIBLE BLACK HISTORY MONTH PANEL: 7pm. Celebrate Black History Month through the stories of these four writers. Crossing genres & generations, this event will be moderated by Rochelle Riley, author of “That They Lived” & “The Burden: African Americans and the Enduring Impact of Slavery.” Also featuring Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of “The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois”; Wanda M. Morris, author of “All Her Little Secrets”; & Vanessa Riley, awardwinning author of historical fiction & historical romance showcasing the hidden histories of women of color, including her newest book “Island Queen.” $10.50. nationalwritersseries. org/product/black-history-month-panel

---------------------AN EVENING WITH BRANFORD MARSALIS: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. This saxophonist is the NEA Jazz Master, Grammy Award winner & Tony Award nominee. The Branford Marsalis Quartet is known for its wide range of both original compositions & jazz & popular classics. $55, $45; students, $15. cityoperahouse.org/node/409

---------------------RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

friday

MEET WITH STATE REP. JOHN ROTH: 2-3pm, Blair Township Hall, Grawn. People in Grand Traverse County can meet with Rep. Roth & share their questions or concerns. 517-373-1766.

---------------------BUCKLEY BASKETBALL GREEN GAME: 4:30pm, Buckley Community School. Buckley JV Boys, Varsity Girls, & Varsity Boys will be hosting a green game for Kidney Disease Awareness. There will be a silent auction, bake sale, t-shirt sale, & concession stand while the basketball teams take on Suttons Bay North Bay. All proceeds will be donated to Betsy Brimmer, who has been fighting kidney disease for several years. JV boys will be playing at 5pm, followed by Varsity Girls, then Varsity Boys. Silent auction is free; basketball game is $5/adult; $3/student.

---------------------SMELTANIA: Feb. 25-27. Tonight includes the Downtown Boyne City Pub Crawl. Free rides through Charlevoix County Transit. petoskeyarea.com/event/smeltania

---------------------COMEDY WITH ANDY BENINGO: 7:30pm, TC Comedy Club. Andy has had over 3,000 career performances & is hailed for his clean & “every man” style. He has been named one of the 40 Best Up-and-Coming Comedians in the country. $20 - $25. traversecitycomedyclub.com/andy-beningo

---------------------RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

feb 26

saturday

SMELTANIA: Feb. 25-27.

Today includes a Special Farmers Market on Main St., Boyne City; Ice Fishing Contest; kids games & fun at Avalanche; Scavenger Hunt - Veterans Park Pavilion; Polar Plunge at The Waterfront Field of Dreams, & more. petoskeyarea.com/event/smeltania

---------------------WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

---------------------2ND ANNUAL ICEBREAKER - OUTDOOR SCULPTING EVENT: Old Art Building, Leland. Featuring international award-winning ice sculptor & owner of Icon Ice, Matt Cooper. Matt supplies ice to businesses & private events around the state, & also competed on the Food Network’s competition, “Food Landscapes.” He will be carving from 11am-2pm, with the event running from 11am-4pm. Icebreaker focuses on fun & creativity. If you want to create your own ice sculpture, register. oldartbuilding.com/events/ice-breaker-2022

---------------------HARBOR SPRINGS AREA SPRING RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Feb. 25)

---------------------SOUP & SKI: (See Sat., Feb. 19) ---------------------TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 20)

----------------------

--------------

SLEDDING & S’MORES: 12-2pm, Kiwanis Park, Harbor Springs. Sledding, fire pits, s’mores, hot chocolate, music, food, rides back up the hill on the Harbor Springs Fire Department’s rescue sled, & more.

----------------------

SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

feb 25

WINTER WONDERLAND WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 19) STORYTIME ADVENTURES: (See Tues., Feb. 22)

HARBOR SPRINGS AREA SPRING RESTAURANT WEEK: Feb. 25 - March 6. Enjoy special menus at each participating restaurant. harborspringschamber.com/events/details/restaurant-week-spring-2022-10975

---------------------TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 20)

------------------------------------------WINTER WINE WALK: 12-3pm, Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Walk from the River Cabin to the bonfire at the Beaver Dam. Along the trail, visit three wine tasting stations that are paired with light food. $38. otsegoclub.com/ event/winter-wine-walk-11

BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Doug Stanton will sign his New York Times bestseller “In Harm’s Way” (New Young Adult Edition), a World War II account of the greatest maritime disaster in US naval history. horizonbooks.com/event/book-signing-doug-stantonharms-way-new-young-adult-edition

---------------------FAMILY FUN DAYS: MOVIE MATINEE: 1pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Program Room, Empire. Featuring “Eight Below,” an action/adventure tale of Antarctic survival, inspired by a true story. Rated PG. Popcorn provided. glenlakelibrary.net/events

----------------------

NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP: 1pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. Grade Level: high school. Screenwriter, author & journalist Andrew Lewellen brings writing to the silver screen with this workshop. Whether you’re drawn to movies or TV, this course will teach you how to turn your idea for a story into a script. Open only to fully vaccinated participants. Registration closes when the maximum number of students (15) register, or by Feb. 24. A waitlist may be available. Registration is open to students throughout northern MI. Free. nationalwritersseries.org/writing-workshops/ screenwriting-workshop-2021

---------------------AUDITIONS: 3pm. For Parallel 45 Theatre Youth Quake Company’s Summer 2022 Production of “ALICE: A New Rock Musical.”

Fifteen minute time slots available between 3-6pm. You must register to audition & for more info. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA IpQLSfVKNdMVCzMF9cEW6KM7J0u-PR5W66idRRlChsHi9tGk8Hf3g/viewform

---------------------BEARCUB OUTFITTERS TORCHLIGHT SNOWSHOE: 5-9pm, Camp Daggett, Petoskey. Free snowshoe rentals, cookies, hot cocoa, fires, torchlit trails & more. Register. Donations encouraged. campdaggett. org/bearcub-snowshoe-for-daggett

---------------------8TH ANNUAL GRAND TRAVERSE GUNS N HOSES BENEFIT HOCKEY GAME: 6pm, Centre Ice Arena, TC. Watch local firefighters face off against police officers in this annual game to raise funds for a selected family in need. $5. gtgunsnhoses.com

---------------------COMEDY WITH ANDY BENINGO: (See Fri., Feb. 25, except tonight’s time is 7pm.)

----------------------

NMC COMBINED CHOIRS CONCERT: 7:30pm, Lars Hockstad Auditorium, TC. A performance of choral music featuring the NMC Children’s Choirs, the NMC Chamber Singers & Grand Traverse Chorale. $10$15. mynorthtickets.com

---------------------RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

feb 27

sunday

SMELTANIA: Feb. 25-27.

Today includes the Boyne City Fire Department Pancake Breakfast at Veterans Park Pavilion, along with Ice Fishing Contest winners being announced. petoskeyarea.com/event/smeltania

---------------------HARBOR SPRINGS AREA SPRING RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Feb. 25)

---------------------SOUP & SKI: (See Sat., Feb. 19, except today’s hours are 12-5pm.)

---------------------JIGSAW PUZZLE TOURNAMENT - INDIVIDUALS ONLY: 1pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Register to assemble a jigsaw puzzle in its entirety (or as much as you can) in two hours.

The person with the least amount of puzzle pieces left, wins. Masks required. Free. tadl. org/event/puzzle-tournament-individuals-only

---------------------AUTHOR EVENT: 2pm, Helena Township Community Center, Alden. Toby Jones will discuss his latest book, “The Furnace Girl,” that is based on the true & mysterious case of Elfrieda Knaak in Lake Bluff, Illinois, 1928. 231331-4318.

---------------------RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA: (See Sat., Feb. 19)

---------------------NMC COMBINED CHOIRS CONCERT: (See Sat., Feb. 26, except today’s time is 3pm.)

ongoing

GTCD ANNUAL NATIVE SEEDLING SALE: Presented by the Grand Traverse Conservation District. Offering more than 25 high-quality, bare-root tree & shrub species. This year’s selection includes four Michigan Assisted Tree Range Expansion Project (ATREP) species to support Climate Change resilience in our forests. The sale runs through March 31 with order pick-ups at the Boardman River Nature Center on April 29-30. natureiscalling.org/native-seedling-sale

---------------------BELLAIRE WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Fridays, 9am-1pm, Downtown Bellaire. Held at two locations: Bee Well & Terrain. Produce, eggs, meats, honey, maple syrup, baked goods, local artists, crafts, & more.

---------------------INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato corridor in Building 50, TC. thevillagetc.com

art

FEBRUARY VISUAL ART EXHIBIT: AFFECTED BY COLOR: City Opera House, TC. Featuring the work of Mitch Truemner & Jacquie Auch. Can be viewed during box office hours, M-F, 10am-5pm, or before an event. Works include oil & acrylic paintings that incorporate splashes of warm color & cool hues, & a series of graphite portraits on paper. cityoperahouse.org

---------------------“LOVE LANGUAGE”: Higher Art Gallery, TC. Twenty artist group show. Runs through March 14. higherartgallery.com

---------------------WOOD + METAL: Charlevoix Circle of Arts.

Runs through Feb. 26. Contemporary fine art meets functionality with Michigan artists: Laura Earle, Dawson Moore, Paul Rytlewski & Richard Small. charlevoixcircle.org/exhibits-2022

----------------------

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - NCMC STUDENT SHOW: Runs through April 9 in Atrium Gallery. This annual exhibition recognizes the work of NCMC students. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ncmcstudent-show - PUNK DREAMSCAPE: GARCIA + MARTIN + NEMEC: Runs through Feb. 19 in Atrium Gallery. Through a combination of symbolic, illustrative & figurative imagery, Midwest artists Esteban Garcia, Nick Martin & Aaron Nemec create abstract narratives that verge on the surreal. Mixed media paintings, drawings & sculptures will be on display. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ punk-dreamscape-garcia-martin-nemec - OPEN DOORS: A JURIED EXHIBITION: Runs through March 5 in Gilbert Gallery. This juried exhibition invites artists across the nation to consider themes related to openness & accessibility. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey/open-doors-juried-exhibition

- THIS IS HOME: A REGIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION: Runs through March 5 in Bonfield Gallery. This juried exhibition invites artists working throughout the Great Lakes region to consider themes related to the concept of home. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ home-juried-exhibition

---------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - 2022 GUILD MEMBER SALON SHOW: Runs through Feb. 26, held in Gallery. A diverse assortment of work in a variety of media will be on display. crookedtree.org/event/ctactraverse-city/2022-guild-member-salon-show - TRAVERSE AREA CAMERA CLUB COMPETITION SHOW: Runs through Feb. 26 in Carnegie Rotunda. This recurring exhibition highlights award-winning photographs produced by members of the Traverse Area Camera Club (TACC). crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-traverse-city/traverse-area-camera-club-competition-show

live

stand-up

---------------------DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - COLOR & SHAPE: BLACK ARTISTS FROM THE DENNOS COLLECTION: This exhibit of works by Black American artists highlights the growing legacy of this collection. Comprising 70 years of artistic prowess, the collection ranges from abstract painting to figurative drawing & digital photography. Artists include Charles McGee, Carole Harris, Felrath Hines & Dex Jones.

On view through April 3, Tues. - Sun. from 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-onview/temporary-exhibits/color-shape.html - NWMI JURIED EXHIBITION: The 2022 NWMI Regional Juried Exhibition submissions comprised 388 artworks from 217 artists throughout the 37-county region. The final juried show features 94 artworks from 83 artists, with media ranging from charcoal, watercolor, & acrylics to aluminum, wood, fiber, & more.

Held regularly at the Museum for 30 years, the exhibition features art made by regional artists over the last year & juried by an arts professional outside of the region. On view through May 29, every Tues. - Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-on-view/temporaryexhibits/nwmi-juried-exhibition.html - NATHALIE MIEBACH EXHIBITION: Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Miebach’s exhibition, “Stay Healthy and Strong,” features new installations & sculptures that she completed during a 2021 residency at the Ucross Foundation in Sheridan, Wyoming. Runs through May 29. Open Tues. through Sun. from 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/?utm_ source=cision&utm_medium=email&utm_ campaign=DMC-Nathalie-Miebach - THE ART OF: DEL MICHEL: Michel has participated in competitive & invitational exhibitions throughout the U.S. & has won many prizes. He has been selected for seven international exhibitions & is represented in numerous private, corporate, & university & museum collections throughout the U.S., Europe & Mexico.

On view through April 3, Tues. - Sun, 11am4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-on-view/ temporary-exhibits/del-michel.html

---------------------GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER: - “PAPERWORK”: Runs through March 24.

This exhibition focuses on works on paper, & works made of paper. It features the work of 21 artists from throughout Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri, & the nation of Chile.

Check web site for hours. glenarborart.org/ events/paperwork-exhibition - “WOODLAND STUDIES”: A small exhibition of black & white photographs by Grand Rapids photographer Rodney Martin. It runs through April 13 in the Lobby Gallery. Martin focuses his lens on the landscape. For the images in “Woodland Studies,” he zeros in on rivers, woods & orchards in Benzie, Grand Traverse & Leelanau counties. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org/events/ exhibit-woodland-studies

ANDY BE

NINGO

fEbruary 25-26 With over 3,000 career performances, Andy Beningo has established himself as one of the most in demand comedians working today. Hailed for his clean and "every man" style, Andy has been named one of the 40 Best Up and Coming Comedians in the country as well as "Best Comedian" by both the Detroit Metro Times and Detroit Hour magazine.

march 11-12

bob zany

with a bottomless grab bag of jokes, bob zanY’s delivery is unbelievably smooth and effortless. he’s appeared on more than a thousand national TV shows, from The Tonight Show to a seventeen-year stint appearing on and co-hosting The Jerry Lewis Telethon. he’s also appeared on the Bob & Tom Show with his Zany Report, and countless other radio stations across the country.

march 25-26 Ian Bagg is a world touring comedian and the host of the weekly podcast, “Ian Bagg Bought a House.” His quick wit, off-the-cuff antics, playful conversation, and fast paced crowd work has earned him spots on some of the best stages in the world. he’s also appeared on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” Ian Bag g “The Tonight Show,” Adam Corolla Show, WTF with Marc Maron, and The Wrap Up Show on Howard Stern.

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Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 17

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Much has been written about the decline of the studio romcom, why it fell out of favor, and the nostalgic resurgence for its 90s and 2000s era heyday. But if there was an actress who never really abandoned the genre, it would be Jennifer Lopez (who will henceforth be exclusively referred to as J. Lo, because that’s the persona this film really embodies).

And Marry Me is without a doubt J. Low’s best romcom in years (calling you out, Second Act). I suppose you could label this film as a bit of throwback, but that’s only because -- while romcoms today seem to feel the need to be edgier, smarter, more dramatic, or more realistic -- Marry Me doesn’t try to reinvent anything or even make that compelling of a case that the romcom “is back.” It simply stays in its lane, and the result is the stuff of weekend afternoon basic cable dreams.

In a role akin to her own brand of celebrity, J. Lo plays an uber famous pop star about to marry her trending musical collaborator Bastian (Maluma), live on stage for a streaming audience of millions.

But moments before they are about to say, “I Do,” Kat discovers Bastian cheated on her (gasp!) right after the audience does.

And so the impending nuptials take a dark turn, and out of impulse, a need to salvage the moment, and a desire to control her own narrative, Kat turns to a man in the audience holding a sign saying, “Marry Me” (also the name of her and Bastian’s hit song) and asks him to join her on stage to be wed.

The man innocuously holding up the sign turns out to be Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), a recently divorced middle school math teacher there with his co-worker BFF (Sarah Silverman) and cutie 11-year-old daughter (Chloe Coleman).

And so in the excitement of the moment -and also not wanting to leave her hanging and cause further embarrassment -- he says yes, and these two strangers from different worlds are suddenly man and wife.

If you think this setup sounds preposterous, you need to get out. You’re in the wrong place – and this really isn’t even all that

preposterous for the genre, if you look to its early screwball roots in the 1930s and 1940s.

There is also a certain believability to the pair’s tentative courtship and fish-out-ofwater antics. Both parties acknowledge that continuing the sham marriage is a publicity stunt, are leaning into it because of the public’s positive response, and hey, for Charlie, it’s kinda fun to step out of his comfort zone (this is a man who doesn’t own a smart phone) and impress his daughter.

Charlie also turns out to be perhaps the best stranger one could hope to impulsively marry, a decent and kind-hearted guy who simply wants Kat to stop by and say hi to the math team he coaches. He is a breath of fresh air in her celebrity cocoon, and is under no real illusions about what this is.

Yet as they spend more time together, the affection between the pair grows and is truly a pleasure to watch. Part of the joy of Marry Me also stems from how nice it is to see an actual glamorous movie star being a movie star. And Owen Wilson isn’t too shabby himself, with his aw-shucks, bumbling charm. He is also infinitely better here than in some of his previous work in so-called sophisticated romcoms like the forgotten How Do You Know. The supporting cast, however, has a bit of a budget sheen compared to its two stars.

But J. Lo is in full command of her considerable powers, and gifts the audience with plenty of musical numbers that could be considered filler, but are actually pretty decent bops. And although the film is heavy on the songs, it is low on conflict.

Kat and Charlie just kind of vibe together as the movie creates one cute moment after the next, be it forming a dance circle in the classroom, discussing the original Broadway cast recordings from Camelot, or chaperoning a school dance. It’s pretty much just delight, so when they try to create drama in order to wrap things up in the third act, the spell begins to falter.

Not every movie needs to be big or important or a think piece or represent some grand return to form. Marry Me follows a basic formula in a perfectly serviceable and pleasant way that sends a romcom dopamine rush straight to the head and heart.

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska FRESH COAST BEER WORKS, TC 2/25 -- Dan Babiarz, 6-9

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, TC 2/23 -- Eric Clemons, 7:30-10:30

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ROVE ESTATE VINEYARD & WINERY, TC 2/25 -- Sam & Bill, 5-8

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TC COMEDY CLUB, TC 2/25 -- Comedy w/ Andy Beningo, 7:30 2/26 – Comedy w/ Andy Beningo, 7

LIL BO, TC Thurs. – Jazz w/ Larz Cabot, 6-9 Fri. – Live music Sun. -- Karaoke - Shooting Star Entertainment, 8

THE PARLOR, TC 8-11: 2/19 -- Jazz Cabbage 2/22 -- Jesse Jefferson 2/23 -- Wink Solo 2/24 -- Jimmy Olson 2/25 -- Chris Smith 2/26 -- Jim Hawley & Friends

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 2/19 -- The Marsupials, 7 2/21 -- Big Fun Jam Band, 7 2/22 -- Open Mic, 7 2/23 -- Jazz Show, 6 2/25 -- The Timebombs, 7 2/26 -- DJ Ras Marco D, 12-2pm; Stonefolk, 7pm

nitelife

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THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC Tues. -- Trivia, 7-9 UNION STREET STATION, TC 2/18-19 -- Odd Shaped Puzzle, 10 2/20 & 2/27 -- Karaoke, 10 2/21 -- Jukebox, 10 2/22 -- Open Mic Comedy, 8-9:30; Electric Open Mic, 10-2 2/23 -- DJ Coven, 10 2/25-26 -- One Hot Robot, 10

Antrim & Charlevoix BARREL BACK RESTAURANT, WALLOON LAKE 2/23 – Pete Kehoe, 6 ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 2/19 -- 80’s Party w/ DJ Franck, 8-11

HELLO VINO, BELLAIRE 2/19 & 2/26 -- Doc Woodward, 7-9 SHORT’S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE 2/19 -- Remnose, 8-10:30 2/20 -- Sunday Vibe Sessions w/

DJs, 2-5; Breathe Owl Breathe, 6-8:30 2/25 -- Todd Aldrich, 8-10:30 2/26 -- The Real Ingredients, 8-10:30

Otsego, Crawford & Central BENNETHUM’S NORTHERN INN, GAYLORD 2/22 – Michelle Chenard, 5-8

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD 6-9: 2/19 & 2/25 -- Michelle Chenard 2/26 -- Jeff Greif

Northern Michigan’s Pete Kehoe is everywhere you look! You can find this vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, award-winning composer, producer and engineer at The Highlands at Harbor Springs, in both the Zoo Bar on Feb. 19 at 4pm and at the Slopeside Lounge on Feb. 25 at 8pm; Barrel Back Restaurant in Walloon Lake on Feb. 23 at 6pm; and Beards Brewery in Petoskey on Feb. 26 at 6pm.

Emmet & Cheboygan BEARDS BREWERY, PETOSKEY 2/19 -- Owen James Trio, 6 2/20 -- Charlie Millard, 5 2/26 -- Pete Kehoe, 6 2/27 -- Celtic/Traditional Irish Session, 5 BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY 2-6: 2/19 -- Tyler Parkin 2/26 -- Michelle Chenard CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 2/25 -- Annex Karaoke, 10

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR 7-10: 2/19 -- Sean Bielby 2/26 -- Eric Jaqua NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY 7-10: 2/19 – Moonhowlers 2/25 – Mike Ridley 2/26 – Todd Aldrich ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES, 10: 2/19 -- Risque 2/26 -- Stonehengz

Leelanau & Benzie THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN 7-9: 2/19 -- Lara Fulford 2/25 -- Evan Archambo 2/26 -- Ron Getz

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THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS SLOPESIDE LOUNGE: 2/19 – Chris Calleja, 8 2/20 – Nelson Olstrom, 7 2/25 – Pete Kehoe, 8 ZOO BAR: 2/19 – Pete Kehoe, 4 2/26 – The Remedee, 4

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE SLOPESIDE TENT, NEAR CRYSTAL CLIPPER CHAIRLIFT: 3-5: 2/19 -- Christopher Winkelmann 2/20 -- Kanin Thelen 2/26 – Boone Doggies VISTA LOUNGE: 2/19 -- Kanin Thelen, 2-5; TC Knuckleheads, 8-11

DICK’S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. -- Karaoke, 10-1 FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR 2/24 -- Live Music, 4-6:30 LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 6:30-9:30: 2/19 -- The Dune Brothers

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: I’m a recently divorced woman. With COVID restrictions easing up, I’d like to go out to bars again. I’m rusty on flirting etiquette. Should I have a “pickup line” or wait for a man to make the first move and then hint I’m interested?

— Unsure : Men do not speak hint. Hinting to a man is like trying to discuss a complex issue with your cat. It will give you a look like it’s considering your points — while meowing something that means, “Shut up and die so I can eat your face.”

In the wake of #MeToo, waiting for a man to approach you in a bar is likewise less than productive. Young guys tell me they feel “safer” using dating apps because a woman’s “likes” and replies make it clear she’s interested.

(A few men joke — half-kiddingly — about having a notary under the bed during sex so they’ll have signed documents of consent: “Your Honor, see page four: ‘Agreement to go to second base.’”)

Not surprisingly, evolutionary psychologist T. Joel Wade and his colleagues find that men prefer women’s “direct” pickup lines — unambiguous requests for a phone number, a date, or sex. Direct lines “clearly convey interest” in a way “innocuous” icebreaker lines — like “What the hell is a macaroni ’n’ cheese martini?” — do not. “Flippant” lines — cheeky, creative openers like “Are you an assassin?” -- likewise leave men guessing (and often annoyed).

Bringing Families Together

Though men will say they love when women ask them out, it’s a risky strategy unless you’re looking for a quick fling. Men evolved to be the chasers of the species and to expect to prove themselves to women with “high mate value” — which is why they cross deserts, fight duels, and build empires instead of napping.

Effectively falling out of the sky into a man’s lap can suggest you’re desperate or broken.

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.indd 1 20Northern-Express-Quarter • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly

8/11/2021 9:57:02 AM

Instead, make it totally (and repeatedly) clear to a man that you’re interested — with brief touch, extended eye contact, and almost sickening flattery — basically clubbing him over the head 26 times with “YO, DOCTOR DENSE, ASK ME OUT ALREADY.” Unless a guy’s willing to risk asking you out, you won’t know he’s really interested. In contrast with female choosiness, men are “opportunistic maters,” the researchers tactfully observe.

Translation: Carpe dickum. Consider that there’s no pickup artist movement for women because the only seduction skill a woman needs is the question: “Wanna go back to my place and be strangers with benefits?”

: I’m a single guy in my 20s using dating apps. It’s been hit-and-miss (mostly miss).

My sister showed me her account so I could see how other guys present themselves.

I was confused by all the guys posing with cute animals. Isn’t it kinda cringe to see a guy cradling a dog in a Halloween costume?

— Dr. Don’t-little : It isn’t just the men of OkCupid posing with adorbs animals. Back in 2014, kittens as photo props were a thing for the massmurdering jihadists of ISIS — like suicide bomber and furbaby daddy Abu Hurayra alAmriki: “Before I blow up a cafe of innocent people, I like to have a cuddle with my widdle bitty kitty, Butterscotch.”

The men of OkJihad sneered at a CNN reporter’s speculation that this was a recruitment ploy to lure lady militants (shehadists?), but it seems to be more than a random marketing strategy.

Evolutionary psychologist Maryanne Fisher and her colleagues found that men on dating apps seeking committed relationships — aspiring Mr. Boyfriends and Mr. Husbands — were more likely than the aspiring Captain Hookups to post pics of themselves with kids and dogs.

Chances are the doggie and baby nuzzlers did this subconsciously -- probably out of an understanding (shaped by men’s co-evolution with women) of women’s long-term mate preferences. By showing a willingness and ability to invest resources and care for a needy little creature, they’re advertising themselves as “stay and pay” dads in a man mall of “hump ‘em and dump ‘em” cads.

Interestingly, cats appeared “infrequently” in men’s profile pics. The researchers speculate that catdaddy “might not be as strong a signal of male investment,” as cats require far less care, attention, and expense than dogs. (They even do their own grooming!) And bad news for our mass-murdering cat fancier friends: Cats are “often equated with femininity,” and men who pose with them are seen by women as “less masculine, more neurotic and less desirable.” (Take that, you ISISSIES!) Now, before anybody shouts, “Hello, gullible!”: Yes, some of these “dogs and babies are my pickup posse” dudes could be lying about wanting a relationship. For your purposes, that doesn’t matter. Posing with a dog or a kid sends the commitmentminded ladies just the right message: “I can care for a more advanced life form than a fake plant.”

lOGY

FEB 21- FEB 27

BY ROB BREZSNY

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20):

Author Deb Caletti made the following observation: “You have ordinary moments and ordinary moments and more ordinary moments, and then, suddenly, there is something monumental right there. You have past and future colliding in the present, your own personal Big Bang, and nothing will ever be the same.” In my vision of your destiny in 2022, Pisces, there could be several of these personal Big Bangs, and one of them seems to be imminent. To prepare—that is, to ensure that the changes are primarily uplifting and enjoyable—I suggest you chant the following mantra at least five times every day: “I love and expect good changes.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “Anything you do

from the heart enriches you, but sometimes not till years later,” wrote author Mignon McLaughlin.

I’m pleased to inform you, Libra, that you will soon receive your rewards for generous actions you accomplished in the past. On behalf of the cosmic rhythms, I apologize for how long it has taken. But at least it’s finally here.

Don’t underestimate how big this is. And don’t allow sadness about your earlier deprivation to inhibit your enthusiastic embrace of compensation.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “You’re never

allowed to step on people to get ahead,” said TV personality and author Star Jones, “but you can step over them if they’re in your way.” I suspect the coming months will be a time when you really should step over people who are in your way. There’s no need to be mad at them, criticize them, or gossip about them. That would sap your energy to follow your increasingly clear dreams. Your main task is to free yourself from influences that obstruct your ability to be the Royal Sovereign of Your Own Destiny.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): No matter

how reasonable and analytical you are, Scorpio, you possess a robust attraction to magic. You yearn for the refreshing invigoration of nonrational mysteries. You nurture urges to be delighted by outbreaks of the raw, primal lust for life. According to my astrological assessment, you are especially inclined to want and need these feelings in the next few weeks. And that’s good and healthy and holy! At the same time, don’t abandon your powers of discernment. Keep them running in the background as you enjoy your rejuvenating communions with the enigmatic pleasures of the Great Unknown.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Author

Diane Ackerman tells us, “In the absence of touching and being touched, people of all ages can sicken and grow touch starved. Touch seems to be as essential as sunlight.” This is always important to remember, but it will be extra crucial for you to keep in mind during the coming weeks. I advise you to be ingenious and humble and frank as you collect as much physical contact as you can. Be polite and respectful, of course. Never force yourself on anyone. Always seek permission. With those as your guidelines, be greedy for hugs and cuddling and caresses.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Education, fundamentally, is the increase of the percentage of the conscious in relation to the unconscious.” Author and educator Sylvia Ashton-Warner said that, and now I’m telling you—just in time for one of the most lesson-rich times of a year that will be full of rich lessons. In the next nine months, dear Capricorn, the proportion of your consciousness in relation to your unconsciousness should markedly increase.

And the coming weeks will be a favorable phase to upgrade your educational ambitions.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’re entering a phase of your cycle when your ability to boost your finances will be stronger than usual. You’ll be more likely to attract good luck with money and more apt to discover useful tips on how to generate greater abundance. To inspire your efforts, I offer you this observation by author Katharine Butler Hathaway: “To me, money is alive. It is almost human. If you treat it with real sympathy and kindness and consideration, it will be a good servant and work hard for you, and stay with you and take care of you.”

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “A dead thing can

go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it,” wrote author G. K. Chesterton. Amen to that! Please regard his observation as the first part of your horoscope. Here’s the second part: It’s sometimes the right approach to move in harmony with the flow, to allow the momentum of elemental forces to carry you along. But now is not one of those times. I suggest you experiment with journeys against the flow. Go in quest of what the followers of easy options will never experience. Do it humbly, of course, and with your curiosity fully deployed.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini-born

Gina Rowlands is retired now, but she had an award-winning six-decade career as an actor.

At age 20, she decided what she wanted to do with her life, and her parents offered her their blessings. She testified: “I went home and I told my mom that I wanted to quit college and be an actress, and she said, ‘Huh, that sounds fascinating. It’s wonderful!’

And I told my father, and he literally said, ‘I don’t care if you want to be an elephant trainer if it makes you happy.’” Dear Gemini, in the coming months, I would love for you to receive similar encouragement for your budding ideas and plans. What can you do to ensure you’re surrounded by influences like Rowlands’ parents? I hope you embark on a long-term project to get all the support you need.

CANCER

(June 21-July 22): As you enter an astrological phase when vast, expansive ruminations will be fun and healthy for you, I will offer you some vast, expansive thoughts.

Hopefully, they will inspire your own spacious musings. First, here’s artist M. C. Escher: “Wonder is the salt of the earth.” Next, author Salman Rushdie: “What’s real and what’s true aren’t necessarily the same.” Here’s poet Allen Ginsberg: “When you notice something clearly and see it vividly, it then becomes sacred.” A proverb from the Omaha people: “Ask questions from your heart, and you will be answered from the heart.” G. K. Chesterton: “Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair.” Finally, playwright Tony Kushner: “I’m not religious, but I like God, and he likes me.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Out of love, you can

speak with straight fury,” wrote author Eudora Welty. Here’s how I interpret that in light of the current chapter of your life story: You have an opportunity to recalibrate some misaligned energy.

Yo u have the necessary insight to fix an imbalance or dissolve an illusion or correct a flow that has gone off-course.

And by far the best way to do that is by wielding the power of love. It will need to be expressed with vehemence and intense clarity, however. It will require you to be both compassionate and firm. Your homework: Figure out how to express transformative truths with kindness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo political

science professor Tatah Mentan was born and raised in the African country of Cameroon, which has never fully recovered from its grueling colonization by Germany, France, and England.

The democratic tradition there is tenuous. When Mentan first taught at a university in the Cameroonian capital, authorities found his ideas too controversial. For the next 16 years, he attempted to be true to himself while avoiding governmental censorship, but the strain proved too stressful. Fearing for his safety, he fled to the US. I’m turning to him for advice that will serve you well in the coming weeks. He tells us, “Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.”

“Jonesin” Crosswords "These Go To Eleven" --and five down. by Matt Jones

ACROSS 1. Toning result 12. Celebrity gossip website 15. 1993 Mary J. Blige hit that reached #5 on the R&B Singles Chart 16. Elvis’s longtime label 17. Bitter almond, as seen in French desserts 18. Acne wash maker 19. It’s posed for passersby 21. Radcliffe’s group 22. Dear one?

23. Violinist Menuhin 27. Throws out 30. Eldest von Trapp child in “The Sound of Music” 35. Pet Shop Boys’ longtime label 36. Locates 37. Comparable 39. Tomei of Spider-Man movies 40. Where Will Shortz is the “Puzzlemaster” 43. Dish with grapes, walnuts, and mayo 50. Bookstore category that features the town’s authors 53. Squishee purveyor on “The Simpsons” 54. Record the meeting, in a way 55. Blues guitarist Mahal 56. Place where it’s hard to pass 57. “Hold On Tight” group 58. Words before “of smell,” “of self,” and “of right and wrong” DOWN 1. Cat scratch sources 2. Friends, ‘90s-style 3. Russian infant emperor of 1740-41 (too young to be the “terrible” one) 4. E-mail writer 5. ___ a positive note 6. Chain that merged with AMC Theatres 7. Boy’s name that means “God is my nation” in Hebrew (A MILE anag.)

8. “San ___ High School football rules!” (shouted line near the end of “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”)

9. Pearl Jam bassist Jeff 10. Actors Reed and Meredith Baxter (when she took a husband’s surname) 11. Pilots 12. Apparel that gets “dropped,” facetiously 13. CI times XI 14. Former groupmate of Harry and Liam 20. Decoy vessel used as early as WWI 24. Actor Kier of “Dancer in the Dark” 25. Morse code component 26. Provisional terms 27. Old Prizm automaker 28. Australian coat of arms bird 29. Frank McCourt’s sequel to “Angela’s Ashes” 30. On the ___ (running) 31. Garten who had a 2022 moment responding to Reese Witherspoon 32. Canal zone?

33. Guardian Angel Curtis who was the Republican nominee for NYC mayor in 2021 34. Northern Silicon Valley city 38. “Highlights for Children” do-gooder 40. Vacuum hater?

41. Igneous rock that solidifies deep in the earth (like a god of the underworld) 42. ___ hen’s teeth 44. Scottish builder of stone walls (not Dutch, surprisingly) 45. Work alongside “El rey Lear,” “La tempestad,” and “Ricardo III” 46. Furnish a new crew 47. “Breaking Bad” businessman/drug lord Gus 48. Neurobiologist Joshua who developed the “brainbow” by mapping neurons with different colored proteins (and whose name uses letters from “synapse”) 49. “___ un Principio: From the Beginning” (1999 Marc Anthony greatest-hits album) 50. In the wee hours 51. Birthstone that shares a first letter with its month 52. “... a Saint Bernard in his prime, five years old, nearly two hundred pounds in weight ...”

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 21

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Opportunity to work remotely upon training. _____________________________________

YOUR CRYSTAL CAREER STARTS HERE!!! Now Hiring: Conference Services Manager, Banquet Manager, ON CALL Banquet Servers, and more! Employees enjoy FREE skiing, golf, and other recreational benefits. _________________________________

part time Docent. Candidates must be friendly, have the ability to speak in front of groups and be comfortable with retail Point-of-Sale and customer service. The position is hourly with a minimum of 25 hours per week (high season), two days a week working in the Gift Shop and two days a week scheduled as a docent, all flexible. Knowledge of the retail environment a requirement, knowledge of automated instruments a plus. Email to apply. _____________________________________

BOUTIQUE WINERY NOW HIRING: Crooked Vine Vineyard & Winery is hiring friendly and energetic people to work in our tasting room. Must be at least 18 years of age and available to work weekends.

Position is part-time but may be adjusted as needed. Earn $15/hour + tips! Send email to Stephanie Milo at crookedvinewinery@ gmail.com to learn more! _________________________________

TRAILSIDE45 - THE BEST INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY IN TRAVERSE CITY These downtown condos are selling fast! One bed/ bath and two bed/bath units are currently available starting at $255,000 and $340,000 respectively. Follow the link below for more! https://www.homewaters.net/about/trailside-45condominiums/ _____________________________________

PAID JOB TRAINING FOR 55+ Part-time positions waiting to be filled. Paid job training for qualifying seniors. Must be unemployed, seeking work and meet program guidelines.

You will earn while you train on the job. For more information contact AARP Foundation SCSEP Program, 231-252-4544.

Serving Grand Traverse and other Northern Michigan Counties. Call to find out more. _____________________________________

MARKETING REP NEEDED PAUL DAVIS RESTORATION & REMODELING is looking for a professional energetic and outgoing marketing rep to help with company’s marketing efforts. Duties will include marketing insurance agents, web site updates, social media, newsletters, expos, business development, and developing new marketing material. College Degree or experience in similar field is preferred. Pay

BUSINESS OFFICE MANAGER Exciting and rare career opportunity to join our team as the head of our business office managing all aspects of finance and business services in our K-12 school. Apply today! http://www. lelandschool.com/job_postings

THE MUSIC HOUSE MUSEUM IS SEEKING A GIFT SHOP COORDINATOR/DOCENT We are seeking an enthusiastic, detail-oriented team player to act as a Gift Shop Coordinator and

is based on experience & education. Salary, bonus plan, cell, car, paid time off, health plan.

Email resume and salary requirements to jon. randles@pauldavis.com

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Mike Annelin

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Call Mike 231-499-4249 or 231-929-7900 G DIN N PE LE A S

15,000 sq. ft. office space in Copper Ridge business development Well-maintained, versatile office space $2,495,000 MLS# 1883032

LD SO

Stunning 4th floor condo, West Bay and Boardman River views 2 bed, 2 bath, 1,1816 sq. ft. Comes with 2 parking spaces $1,250,000 MLS# 1894116

ING ND E P LE SA

0.72 acres, corner of Carver & Hastings Zoned industrial, empty lot $850,000 MLS#1896772

Stunning 4 bed, 3.5 bath home with views on the OMP 500’ of shared frontage on East Bay $1,150,000 MLS# 1896502

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Charming 4 bed, 3 bath, 2,336 sq. ft. farmhouse 190’ shared waterfront access, West Bay views $700,000 MLS# 1895103

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Nice condo next to Spruce Run golf course Short-term and long-term rentals allowed $175,000 MLS# 1895564

Northern Express Weekly • february 21, 2022 • 23

24 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly