Northern Express - August 21, 2023

Beaver Deceivers

letters CONTENTS feature

Did I miss something in the story about the historic barn [the Goffar Barn mentioned in the Top 10 of the Aug. 14 issue] or is there a reason the National Park Service won’t use “beaver deceiver”-type pond leveling tools? They are a win-win as the barn stays above water and the beavers get to stay in their habitat. This is not new technology and has been used successfully for years. (See Obrien Pond in Elmira MI.) Just big, corrugated pipes set below the waterline so the beavers don’t hear and respond to the sound of rushing water. This simple set of plastic pipes built into the dam will lower the water level while preserving the dam and the beavers.

Dan Dueweke | Charlevoix

Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com

Editor: Jillian Manning

Finance Manager: Libby Shutler

Distribution Manager: Roger Racine Sales: Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Todd Norris, Abby Walton Porter, Caroline Bloemer For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948

Creative Director: Kyra Cross Poehlman

Distribution: Joe Evancho, Sarah Rodery Roger Racine, Gary Twardowski Charlie Brookfield, Rachel Cara Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold

Contributors: Joseph Beyer, Ren Brabenec, Brighid Driscoll, Anna Faller, Craig Manning, Rachel Pasche, Greg Tasker, Stephen Tuttle

Copyright 2023, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

top ten this week’s

When four Petoskey-area organizations discovered they’d scheduled four bluegrass bands for the week of August 21, they didn’t make it a competition to sell tickets. Instead, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Blissfest, and Lavender Hill Farm decided to team up and create a weeklong event called Bluegrass by the Bay, during which four venues throughout the area will host the four different bands. Who’s playing? Wednesday, Aug. 23, at Pennsylvania Park in downtown Petoskey: Thunderwüde (pictured), a three-piece band out of Chelsea, Michigan. Thursday, Aug. 24, at Crooked Tree: Full Cord, an award-winning Mitten State group. Friday, Aug. 25, at Lavender Hill Farm: Balsam Range, straight from the mountains of North Carolina. And Saturday, Aug. 26, at Great Lakes Center for the Arts: Sam Bush Band, with champion fiddler Sam Bush at the helm. For times, tickets, and more information, visit each organization’s website.

142 Years of the Otsego County

Fair

Rope ’em at the Twisted P Rodeo! One of the many highlights of the Otsego County Fair in Gaylord on Wednesday, Aug. 23, from 6-8pm, the rodeo brings cowboys and cowgirls from all over Michigan to compete. The fair runs Aug. 20-26; other events include the 2023 Otsego County Queen & Princess Pageant, Championship Horse Pull, Unique Motor Sports Night of Destruction, an all new carnival, and much more. otsegocountyfair.com

Hey, read It! Every Summer After 4

Do you ever wonder what happened to your teenage summer love? Persephone “Percy” Fraser does. She spent her adolescent summers on the shores of Barry Bay—a lakeside tourist town in Canada that feels a lot like northern Michigan—and all of those summers were with Sam Florek. Sam was her best friend, then her boyfriend, but now, he might as well be a stranger. It’s been over a decade since they last saw each other, and the secrets, mistakes, and silence between them feel impossible to overcome. At least until Percy attends Sam’s mother’s funeral with the hope of maybe, just maybe, getting some closure after all this time. But when the feelings—and the secrets—come rushing back, will Percy realize it’s not just closure that she wants? Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After weaves a nostalgic, dreamy tale told in alternating past and present chapters, melding those sunkissed teenage summers with the weekend where everything could come together or fall apart for Percy and Sam.

Something Wickedly Delicious is coming...

An enchanting brew that captures the essence of autumn in every sip. Immerse yourself in a symphony of warm spices and velvety pumpkin, harmonizing to create a spellbinding spirited elixir of flavor.

Versatility meets old-school tradition at Good Harbor Grill, where flavors from around the world converge to showcase local ingredients, and it doesn’t get better than the Veggie Stir Fry. A longtime dinner menu staple, this gloriously saucy dish combines garlic and herbsteamed seven-grain rice with a colorful base of seasonal veggies, including broccoli, snow peas, peppers, and squash (and for late summer, local sweet corn!). To finish, the whole shebang is doused in a brothy, Thai-inspired pan sauce with coconut milk, curry paste, and a touch of zesty ginger. Garnished with a dash of fine herbs, this plate is a party in your mouth as is (and vegan friendly!), but you can also choose from a selection of house-prepared proteins, like braised short rib, to make it your own. Get your veggie fix starting at $22.50 (protein is an additional charge) at Good Harbor Grill at 6584 Western Ave. in Glen Arbor. (231) 334-3555, goodharborgrill.com

Bluegrass by the Bay

Living by the Golden Rule

For all of human history, the goal of treating others as you’d like to be treated seems to have been hard to do. But that doesn’t mean folks are without hope. This week, Veterans for Peace of Northern Michigan will welcome the Golden Rule, a 34-foot wooden ketch peace boat launched by Veterans for Peace back in 1958 to oppose nuclear weapons testing. For 65 years, the boat has continued to symbolize peace, and with it, the abolition of nukes. A “Flotilla for Peace” will take place Tuesday, Aug. 22, wherein boaters and paddlers will help sail the vessel into Grand Traverse Bay. Later in the day, the State Theatre in Traverse City will host a free double feature of two documentaries and a Q&A with the crew of the Golden Rule. Tours of the boat are available Wednesday, and there will be a Rally for Peace at the Open Space at Clinch Park Marina at 4:30pm. For more information, visit leelanau.com/goldenrule.

Fill Those Fall Jobs!

The summer rush may be over, but the fall flurry is just beginning. Northern Express is looking ahead to our “Now Hiring” issue, which will be online and on newsstands Sept. 11. We dedicate a special portion of the issue, sponsored by Munson Healthcare, to job listings from across the region, so this is your chance to post all those jobs that have opened up after summer employees head back to school or off to their next adventure. There is no limit to the number of positions you may submit, though we do not guarantee publication of all jobs. (Note: Only jobs in Northern Express’ 13-county northern Michigan readership area will be considered.) To submit a job posting, head to northernexpress.com/jobs. You’ll need to have the following information ready: employer name, position title, position type, pay range, city, a brief description, and a contact email or phone number. All jobs must be

Stuff We Love: A Really Good Deal on Pizza

Now, we’re not here to start a debate about whether New York, Chicago, Detroit, Neapolitan, or fill-in-the-blank-style pizza is the best. (We all have our opinions— what matters is that we also have our pizza.) We are here to let you know that Jet’s Pizza has announced they’re celebrating their 45th anniversary with a 45-percent-off deal on all 4 Corner and 8 Corner pizzas. You have to order online, use code ANV45, and take advantage of the deal between Aug. 21 and Aug. 27 at participating locations. Jet’s got its start in Michigan— Sterling Heights, to be exact—and now operates more than 400 stores across the country. Here are a few near us: Cadillac (8846 E Boon Rd), Gaylord (111 West St.), Petoskey (302 W Mitchell St.), and Traverse City (1130 Garfield Ave; 3985 Beitner Rd.). For more tasty details and online orders, head to jetspizza.com.

bottoms up Jacob’s Farm’s Blueberry Lavender Lemonade

You don’t have to tempt us to get out to Jacob’s Farm. We happily go for the pizzas, the corn mazes, the raspberry bushes, the live music, and the general good fun. But that’s not to say we don’t find their Blueberry Lavender Lemonade cocktail ($12) totally tempting. (Trust us—it’s way too easy to make the first one disappear!) This summer treat in a glass combines Mammoth Distilling’s vodka with blueberry-infused honey, lavender syrup, and lemon before topping it all off with some bubbles. It’s a drink that tastes as good as it looks, especially when you’re sipping it on the farm’s sunny hilltop with a breeze in the air and a thin-crust pizza on the way. (In case you’re wondering, our favorite pie is the House Fire with chicken, bacon, jalapeño, and balsamic glaze.) Find yours at 7100 E Traverse Hwy just outside of Traverse City. jacobsfarmtc.com

CHILDREN AT RISK

spectator

By Stephen Tuttle

Missing children, including those being exploited for sex and labor, have been much in the news lately. The numbers are staggering, but most children categorized as missing are not being trafficked.

We should also point out, though we shouldn’t have to, children are not missing because of some George Soros financed conspiracy of ultra-liberal political and show business elites snatching children, torturing and sexually abusing them, taking their blood to extract young adrenaline, and then killing and cannibalizing them. That is another in the endless series of Qanon’s nonsensical conspiracy theories. There is no evidence any of that particular conspiracy is happening or has ever happened. Unfortunately, there is real evidence of children going missing and children being trafficked for heinous purposes.

dispute. Those children are rarely trafficked for any purpose. Another 27 percent of child abductions are committed by family acquaintances, and most of the abductees are girls and young teens and they are at considerably greater risk.

Another 10 percent are lured away from home through social media, emails, and various social media contacts. Those children are at grave risk of being assaulted and trafficked.

While the vile world of sex trafficking children rightfully garners significant attention, it is not how children are most likely to be sexually abused. According to the YWCA, which both tracks sexual abuse of children and provides preventative educational services and after-the-fact resources for girls and young women, the vast

Child trafficking thrives in the ugliest recesses of the dark web and needs more time on the front burner. It won’t go away just because we look the other way.

The data on missing children are inconsistent because not every country keeps track and many that do have different criteria. The Global Missing Children's Network statistics say about 460,000 children—those under 18 years of age—are reported missing in the U.S. annually, though the number increases consistent with population growth. Most are found within six days, having wandered off, temporarily run away, or been taken by a noncustodial family member. The Committee for Missing Children reports 97.6 percent of those children are found within a year.

Still, that is more than enough time for children to have been abused, violated, sold, photographed, and exploited in dozens of ways. Our own FBI estimates at least 20,000 and as many as 100,000 children are being exploited here every year. The Center for Missing and Exploited Children uses a more conservative range of 10,000 to 50,000 annually, but one is too many and tens of thousands is way, way too damned many.

Across the globe, it gets even worse. The International Labor Organization (ILO) says 1.2 million children are trafficked internationally every year, and there are a number of black market organizations specializing in the acquisition and sale of children. Yes, you read that correctly— there are organizations dedicated to using children as a commodity, and they don’t much care what happens once a child is sold. It is grotesque beyond words.

So, how do these children end up in such horrifying circumstances? Most being kidnapped need look no further than their own family. According to the FBI, half of all child abductions in the U.S. are committed by family members, usually during a custody

majority of child sex abuse victims are girls and young teens, and fully 93 percent are abused by someone they know—a family member, family friend, neighbor, or acquaintance.

According to the FBI, some 70 percent of reported sexual assault victims are 17 or younger, so our children are being sexually assaulted at home and rarely by strangers. Those same FBI statistics report 96 percent of those who sexually abuse children are males and 70 percent are adult men.

Statistically, the gravest threat to our children is not a stranger in a trench coat but our own friends and family. And, according to research by Martin Dally and Margo Wilson published in Ethology and Sociobiology, when a boyfriend moves in with a single mom with a small child or children, those children are 40 times more likely to be physically or sexually abused than children living with their biological parents. And in a truly frightening study in Missouri, children living in a home with unrelated adults are a stunning 50 times more likely to die of injuries from abuse than are children living with biological parents.

Of course, the vast majority of children are safe and secure in their homes without concerns about being abducted or trafficked in any way. And there are many, many loving stepparents and live-in partners who help provide security and stability to the home and family.

Child trafficking thrives in the ugliest recesses of the dark web and needs more time on the front burner. It won’t go away just because we look the other way. We need to be mindful of what our children are doing and who they have contact with on those ubiquitous electronic devices. And remember the danger, when it exists, is often closer than we think.

HEIGHTENED SUMMER MEMORIES

It goes without saying that in the summertime, we all want to get out and enjoy some classic warm-weather activities. The northern Michigan experience is beyond compare, whether you’re waterskiing, picnicking at the beach, biking through the orchards, or just soaking up some sunshine and good vibes on a hike. We enjoy craft drinks with friends, seasonal dinners with family, and quiet moments alone under the glow of August stars.

Those sundrenched memories matter—not only do they tide us over in the colder months, but they are also essential to our mental health. Happy memories enhance our sense of identity and purpose and strengthen the bonds of our cherished relationships.

Remembering those special times can even be an important ingredient in present happiness. Right now, picture a time when you sank your toes into the warm sand on the beach. Just recalling that sensation can send a ripple of relaxation from head to toe. Maybe your heart skips a beat when you think of the campsite you visited with a view in the middle of the forest because you’re remembering the energy and excitement you felt when you discovered a new place to explore.

We recommend building memories for a summer you can’t forget with some of our High Point suggestions on our website. There, you can browse through the online hub of places we love to find the places you’ll fall in love with too! Navigate the website to your nearest Dunegrass location and select an activity you’re interested in, like water sports, biking routes, hiking trails, and even the hottest disc golf courses.

Experiences like these bring us together and allow us all to share in the sense of community that makes northern Michigan so special. At Dunegrass, these feelings of community are always heightened…but they’re even better when shared.

National Writ ers Se ries

PRESENTS THE MASTER OF THE SHORT STORY

JACK DRISCOLL

Please join us for a conversation with Jack Driscoll, father of Interlochen Center for the Arts creative writing department. Driscoll will talk about his newest book Stories, a selection of the best stories from a lifetime of fictions.

Winner of Pushcart’s Editors Book Award, Stories is cause for a a grand celebration. Few short story writers have received the acclaim offered to Jack Driscoll over the decades. Here he has selected twenty of his best fictions including the classics “Prowlers” and “That Story” both winners of The Pushcart Prize.

Guest host is Brittany Cavallaro, interim director of creative writing at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Cavallaro is the New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Charlotte and other novels for young adults.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27 • 7PM

In-person at The Alluvion + livestreamed For tickets, visit NationalWritersSeries.org

guest opinion by Rachal Proffer

Lahaina isn’t just some place I lived— Lahaina is my soul.

I moved to Lahaina, Maui, in November 2004. I had a couple suitcases, a few friends already there, and a need to live a life that was bigger than what I had in Traverse City. I stepped off the plane, walked through the open-air terminal, and came down the stairs to my friends smiling with beautiful flower leis in their hands. It was a scene straight out of the movies.

We walked out to the parking lot to an old El Camino (a total Maui cruiser), they tossed my suitcases in the back, and then told me to jump in the back too. What?! Yup, on Maui you can ride in the bed of a vehicle. I will never forget that ride, in the back of that El Camino, my neck laden with leis, to Lahaina Town from Kahului Airport.

Michigan, I’d be amongst the thousands of displaced members of my ohana affected by the devastating tragedy that burned down Lahaina Town on Aug. 8.

The home I spent a majority of my years on Maui in is gone. That four-bedroom, onebath, rundown surf shack 100 feet from the beach in front of the famous break wall surf spot will always be where my soul grew and I became the person I am today. It will always be the place I will miss the most. “The 545” was and will always be known to my ohana and most of the Lahaina community back then as not only the party spot, but the hale (home) where no matter what you could come, chill, talk story, and feel welcome. And we definitely threw epic parties!

While the memories will always remain and the mana will never die, 90 percent of what

Maui is breathtaking—it’s magical. The West Maui Mountains hold wonders you can feel as you traverse the narrow roads, with mountain cliffs on one side and crystal-clear blue ocean views on the other. Then you come to Lahaina Town, a welcoming historic fishing village. You can feel the mana (spiritual life force/ healing energy) all over Maui, but Lahaina holds the heart of mana, and it is absolutely incredible. I knew right away that my soul was connected to this place.

I knew then I was home.

When you move to a place so far away from where you grew up, especially when it’s one of the most remote places in the world, it’s not easy, nor cheap, to just come back to your hometown on a regular basis. So you create a family—you choose your ohana. You spend holidays, birthdays, and live your daily lives with your people. You are present for the births of keiki (kids), weddings, and funerals. The keiki become your nieces and nephews, and they call you “aunty.” You become hānai (adopted) by local Hawaiian families. You’re invited to family luaus, Sunday dinners, and all ohana events. You call the kapuna (elders) “aunty” and “uncle.” You talk story, learn pidgin (locals’ version of English mixed with Hawaiian), and learn how to correctly pronounce Hawaiian words…after getting laughed at by your uncles. You learn to live pono (balance), learn to kokua (help), and most of all, you live and breathe aloha.

I spent 10 magical years there, and if not for a family emergency back here in

I knew is gone. This has turned into one of the most horrific nightmares I can’t wake up from or even wrap my head around most days. My ohana is suffering, and I feel so helpless from so far away. As I write this, there are so many still missing, the body count continues to rise, and the Lahaina/ Maui people are the ones banding together to help those in need, even when they may have lost everything themselves.

To my eyes, the government is doing very, very little to help. Then again, they never really have helped the Hawaiian people. But you know what? The people are warriors and are doing such an amazing job at helping their own.

I have started a Facebook group called “Northern Michigan Helping Lahaina Maui!” Look me up, let’s talk story, let me get you connected to ohanas , individuals, or organizations that fit you, that I trust, that you can make a personal connection with and help the people rebuild. This is how we can spread aloha from Northern Michigan.

Lahaina wasn’t just some place I lived; it was where I was accepted for me, where I created an ohana I will have for the rest of my life, where I grew as an individual without judgment, and where I realized I was capable of so much more than I ever knew.

Mahalo for your kokua! (Thank you for your help!)

Rachal Proffer has roots in northern Michigan, but her heart is in Lahaina.

You can feel the mana (spiritual life force/healing energy) all over Maui, but Lahaina holds the heart of mana, and it is absolutely incredible. I knew right away that my soul was connected to this place.

THE DINERS, DRIVE-INS, AND DIVES OF THE NORTH

By Craig Manning

“Welcome to Flavortown.”

If you’ve ever seen an episode of the popular Food Network TV series Diners, DriveIns and Dives, you’ve surely heard host Guy Fieri say those three words before taking a big bite out of a mouthwatering burger or chowing down on some spicy chicken wings. The show, a send-up of America’s great “greasy spoon” restaurants, has been making viewers feel extremely hungry for 17 years and over 400 episodes. In many ways, it’s helped elevate overlooked restaurants and bars to levels of esteem and popularity normally reserved for famous five-star restaurants.

For all the good work that Fieri and his team have done, though, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives has underserved the Michigan culinary scene. Since the show’s start in 2006, only 16 Michigan eateries have been featured, and none of them have been in the northern part of the state. Those numbers got us thinking: If Fieri and co. did set their compasses to our region, which spots would they visit, and which dishes would they praise?

Well, strap in and get ready for a road trip to our version of Flavortown, because Northern Express is giving seven local diners, drive-ins, and dives the love they deserve.

StopNo.2

Stop No. 1 The place: Don’s Drive-In, Traverse City

The category: Drive-in

Why it rocks: The concept of a “drive-in” restaurant is largely a thing of the past, so it’s cool to have the real deal in northern Michigan. Plus, this beloved little spot commits so completely to its throwback aesthetic that stepping through the doors genuinely feels like stepping back in time. The 1950’s theme of Don’s is a thing of beauty, from the pink color palette to the checkerboard floors to the iconic sign, and touches like the jukebox and the milkshake bar make this spot feel like something straight out of Back to the Future

Potential Fieri fave: Call us biased, but we’re pretty sure Guy would agree that the thick, creamy milkshakes at Don’s are among the best in the country.

The place: U&I Lounge, Traverse City

The category: Dive

Why it rocks: For a long time, the term “dive bar” was used in a somewhat derogatory fashion. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives helped shift the narrative by redefining dives as unassuming local hangs—often spared by the flood of tourism, in the case of northern Michigan—with affordable drinks, tons of charm, and food that’s way better than you’d expect. TC’s U&I Lounge fits this fond redefinition of “dive” extremely well. A popular local hang since the 1930s, U&I is a great place to take in a football game, sip on a bourbon or beer, and make new friends (or become closer with the ones you already have).

Potential Fieri fave: Most dive bars have great burgers and deep-fried appetizers like mozzarella sticks and chicken wings. U&I has those too, but the ace up the bar’s sleeve is the “Greek Specialties” section of the menu. Suffice to say, U&I’s flavor-bursting gyros are legendary for a reason.

Stop No. 4

StopNo.3

The place: Rounds Restaurant, Traverse City

The category: Diner

Why it rocks: Everything about Rounds feels like a relic—and we mean that in a good way. Rounds has been a fixture of Traverse City for the better part of 70 years, and any visit is bound to evoke some nostalgia for a bygone era—even if you were born in the 1990s or 2000s and that particular “bygone era” is something you’ve only experienced in movies and TV. Here, breakfast is served from 7am to 2pm, with everything from griddle goodies to omelets to burgers and sandwiches for the lunch-craving crowd.

Potential Fieri fave: We have three words for you: raspberry French toast. Talk about Flavortown!

StopNo.5

The place: Kal-Ho Lounge, Kalkaska

The category: Dive

Why it rocks: The Kal-Ho Lounge is so committed to the dive bar ethos that it doesn’t even have a website. But if you know, you know, and we know this: The Kal-Ho Lounge is a ton of fun, whether you’re looking for drink specials and a low-key hang on a weeknight or a rowdy Friday night dance-to-the-music crowd.

Potential Fieri fave: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives often highlights an establishment’s most decadent dish, and in the case of Kal-Ho Lounge, we think the Smoking Hog has to take the cake. The bar’s signature pizza, the Smoking Hog is a meat lover’s delight piled high with pulled pork, bacon, ham, onion, green pepper, jalapeño, and barbeque sauce. Honorable mention to the Smokin’ Ho Mac-n-Cheese, a macaroni and cheese with all those same fixings.

The place: The Tribune Ice Cream & Eatery, Northport

The category: Diner

Why it rocks: While The Tribune is easily the newest establishment on this list—it opened its doors in 2015—it still has a history we love. This charming small-town eatery occupies a building that’s been standing for over a century, which used to house printing operations for the Northport Tribune newspaper. Today, it’s one of the region’s very best brunch spots, made even better by the ice cream window that allows passersby to grab a frosty treat without ever leaving the sidewalk.

Potential Fieri fave: The Tribune does magical things with fried chicken, so you’ll have amazing fried chicken sandwiches to choose from whether you stop by for breakfast or lunch. If pressed, we think Guy Fieri might be partial to the breakfast menu’s Chicken & Hot Honey Biscuit Sandwich, which crams crispy chicken, pickles, spicy honey, and a fried egg onto a fresh-baked biscuit. It’s the kind of wake-up treat we wish we could have every day.

StopNo.6

StopNo.7

The place: Clyde’s Drive-In, St. Ignace

The category: Diner

The place: Bucksnort Saloon, Mesick

The category: Dive

Why it rocks: Like many of the best small town dive bars, the Bucksnort Saloon has been around for generations. Once known simply as the “Mesick Bar,” Bucksnort is the type of bar that people sing about in country songs—a welcoming neighborhood hang that all the locals hit up every Saturday night. Billiards, daily specials, and a surprisingly dynamic food menu make it a good place to visit again and again.

Potential Fieri fave: Guy couldn’t possibly resist the Bucknuts, deep fried nuggets of fresh bread dough seasoned up with butter, parmesan cheese, and a medley of “secret spices,” all served with cheddar ale and marinara dipping sauces.

Why it rocks: Since there are so few true drive-in restaurants left, let’s end our fantasy episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives at another one. Clyde’s Drive-In has been a staple since 1949 and is keeping the drive-in tradition alive in the Upper Peninsula with three locations—in St. Ignace, Sault Ste. Marie, and Manistique, respectively. The closest of those sits just across the Mackinac Bridge in St. Ignace and has a lot of the same vintage back-in-time vibes we love about Don’s Drive-In.

Potential Fieri fave: Clyde’s purports to serve the best burger in the U.P., and the Pure Michigan folks have even proclaimed the restaurant’s cheeseburgers to be the best in the entire state. The business is particularly famous for the “Big C,” a burger made with three quarter-pound beef patties stacked on top of one another and made to order to suit the customer’s preferences for toppings and doneness. Guy Fieri would surely bring his appetite for that one.

Rowing Against the Waves

By Al Parker

Sitting in the kitchen of his Bellaire area home, first-time author Reg Sprik shares a secret when he talks about his new book, Rowing Against the Waves.

“I didn’t like the title at all,” says the 95-year-old with a smile. “There’s nothing about rowing in it.”

But the subtitle makes the theme of this 210page autobiography from Mission Point Press clearer: Overcoming Adversities, Leading to a Life Well Lived.

Born at the end of the Roaring Twenties, Sprik’s childhood was defined by the Great Depression. He served in the Army during World War II, married the love of his life, Marilyn, in 1951, and together they raised two sons and two daughters across Michigan.

“I had three or four episodes that I wanted to tell,” he explains when talking about the genesis of the book. “I just wanted to get the stories out there. Then I thought, ‘just go ahead and do it.’”

Those stories were crafted on an aged hulk of a Royal typewriter that he used to write every word of his autobiography. His work on the book was time consuming; sometimes he would begin in the afternoon and go well past midnight. He says had a lot of help from family and friends organizing the copy in mostly chronological order.

From start to finish, it took Sprik over two years from the moment he first sat down at the typewriter to the day he held a copy of his book in his hands. “Oh my goodness, it was a very satisfying achievement,” he says of the moment he finally saw the fruits of his labor in print.

The Early Years

In some ways, Sprik’s story is that of thousands of others who have lived their lives in the Mitten State. Yet, this first-time author has captured—in surprising detail—a unique lifetime of nine decades and more.

“My parents were what used to be called ‘full blooded Dutch,’” he wrote. “That’s Netherlands Dutch, not Pennsylvania Dutch, who are of German descent.” His dad, Ed, was brought into the world in the little town of Norwood in September 1888. His formal education was what might be called “seasonal,” and it’s doubtful Ed ever completed eighth grade. “My dad’s father was known to knock on the school door during spring planting and fall harvest time. ‘I need Ed to work today,’ he would tell the teacher.”

When not working on the family farm, Ed was in a lumber camp.

“Though my father was not a powerfully built man, he knew how to make any tool, particularly the double-bit ax, work to his advantage,” wrote Sprik. “Because he had become an expert at working with horses, he soon became a teamster in the logging camps. He would drive a team, pulling a sleigh piled high with logs to meet the narrow gauge railway train that would then haul the logs to the sawmill. It was dangerous work.”

That danger streak was apparently passed down to young Reg.

There were incidents involving BB guns, including one that was “deeply ingrained” in his young conscience. Reg urged a cousin to shoot him in the rear. The cousin knew it was wrong, but reluctantly squeezed off a round. “It was not the shot heard ’round the world, but could very well have been the ‘Y-O-W-L heard ’round Arlene,’” Sprick says. “It stung like a thousand bees, and without letup. My cousin, now beside himself with guilt, apologized nonstop.”

From the Baseball Field to the Army

When Reg was a teen, his dad took a job managing a potato warehouse in Manton, and the family settled there. Sprik played baseball and basketball, and throughout his high school years, life revolved around sports and music. (He also played clarinet and drums.)

Baseball was what first lured him away from home. With $5 tucked in a pocket and his first baseman’s glove hooked to his belt, 16-year-old Sprik walked to U.S. 131 and headed to Battle Creek where the St. Louis Cardinals were holding a tryout

camp. Walking and hitching rides, Sprik got to the camp, where he learned more in three days than in his whole previous baseball career. But at the end of the camp, a problem arose.

“I ran out of money and was 200 miles from home,” he wrote. “One of the guys offered me a loan of $5. I promised to return it as soon as I returned home.”

But Sprik lost the lender’s address and was unable to repay the money. “Many years later, I was still haunted by the idea of defaulting on a loan,” he wrote.

Shortly after graduation, in June 1946, Sprik enlisted in the Army, but wasn’t called up until Oct. 1, when he was processed at Fort Sheridan in Illinois and completed basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. But a hernia problem flared up, requiring surgery, which did not go well.

During his hospital stay, Sprik’s unit was sent to Japan as part of the Army of Occupation. He was eventually sent to a base near Boston where he joined the Military Police; then it was learned he could type and he was given desk duties. His military stint ended in March 1948.

“I left the army separation center, received my honorable discharge and $200 mustering out pay, walked out the main gate, and hitchhiked back to Manton,” he wrote. “I was not really the type of person suited for military life…I did, however, honorably serve my country, and that is something I’ll never regret.”

After the Army, Sprik enrolled at Western Michigan College and played football as a walk-on for the Broncos. It was at Western that he met Marilyn Carlson—fast-forward to August 24, 1951, and they were married and honeymooned in the U.P.

A Family Man

Over the decades, Sprik worked as a teacher, a lifeguard, textbook salesman, and coach of several sports teams. There was also a stint running the family’s 40-acre farm, populated with chickens, ducks, goats, and pigs.

In 1953, Sprik graduated with a bachelor of science degree and a teaching certificate. He took a job teaching in Wyandotte, then another in Lake City. The family was growing quickly—son Dave was born in 1952, then Bob in 1954. Daughter Jan came along in 1955 and Nancy three years later.

As the children grew, the family was very active. Camping, hunting, ball games, music, and traveling were highlights for the Sprik clan. One trip involved the six of them traveling west in a Volkswagen Beetle while pulling a 14-foot fishing boat. They drove that Bug through the Dakotas and into Wyoming with a stop at Yellowstone National Park.

In 1969, the family moved to Bellaire, where the children prospered in academics and athletics. At first they rented a home, but in 1972 they bought acreage east of the village and began building a new home.

“Considering the fact that I had never built as much as a bird house, I now fully realized the difficult task before us,” wrote Sprik. “I was undeterred, however.”

Step by step, Reg, Dave, Bob, and friend Doug Watrous did the framing on the entire house. A roofer was hired and other experts were consulted during the construction. In June 1973, they moved in.

Eventually Reg returned to one of his early loves: music. He formed a dance band to play at weddings and other events. Then he joined a quartet of two men and two women and a piano player, known as the Messengers of Melody. “We were busy,” he recalls. “One year we performed as many as 50 concerts in churches, school gyms, and concert halls. We recorded two studio albums.”

The relocation of one member, the retirement of the piano player, and other

interests eventually resulted in the Messengers of Melody’s demise. But that didn’t end Sprik’s musical adventures. He bought a trombone, learned to play it, and joined the Jordan Valley Community Band. And now, at 95, he still plays harmonica and vocalizes with the Brighter Day Dance Band, made up of folks who live in and around Antrim County.

The Latest Chapters

In 2007, four days after their 56th wedding anniversary, Sprik lost his beloved Marilyn to a neurological condition.

“It has now been nearly 15 years since that awful day,” he wrote. “I never want to forget the good times Marilyn and I had together, and I still shed a tear when I look at her photo on the living room piano. That will never change, nor do I want it to change.

“But I have a wonderful family that has stood by my side through my ordeal, and, although I still miss Marilyn terribly, my grief is no longer all-consuming. Music, support of my family, and good friends have helped me along the way.”

The book itself has been another avenue toward finding healing. Sprik says that he was inspired by a Teddy Roosevelt quote stuck on his refrigerator: “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure…than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.”

“I did it [wrote the book] to leave a legacy for children and grandchildren,” Sprik tells Northern Express. “To tell them how life really was. It’s not the writing of a historian or researcher. It’s first hand—I lived it.”

That first-hand experience has resonated with readers around the North. Sprik has done multiple book events already, with more to come. Special memories from those moments include connecting with the daughter of a former high school basketball teammate and signing books for a middle school Social Students teacher from Evart who was going to add the book to his classroom collection.

So is there another book in the works from Sprik? “No, I don't see any reason for it,” he says. “I don’t have any more books in me.”

That means you’d better go find yours at a local retailer. Sprik also has a number of meet-the-author sessions planned for coming months. He will sign copies of Rowing Against the Waves at the East Jordan Historical Society on Oct. 11, at the Cadillac Senior Center on Nov. 9, and the Alden Library on Jan. 14.

LIFE IS A HAPPY MESS

By Rachel Pasche

While the words “new” and “antique” don’t often find themselves together in the same sentence, there are always exceptions, like in this instance: Alanson’s new antique store, Happymess, is the perfect place to snag a piece of history to take home for yourself.

Mother-son duo Pam and Derek Ignatowski own and operate the store, which grew out of a love of collecting, antiquing, and history. Derek especially has always been interested in finding old things and researching their backstories.

“Since he was a boy, he would visit garage sales, flea markets, or antique stores, picking up baseball cards, toys, or other things that interested him,” Pam tells Northern Express

The idea to start selling the items picked up steam once Derek acquired an interest in old vinyl records, discovering that there were plenty of people out there willing to pay for a vintage album. Pam helped out in her spare time, but really joined the cause once she retired a few years ago. From there, the pair began to spend their free time scouring flea markets and garage and estate sales, selling their wares at farmers markets and antique malls in the thumb region of Michigan.

When they moved to Alanson to be closer to family, they continued their craft, regularly driving to Wilson’s Antiques in Traverse City to sell items they had found.

They had been looking for a way to expand their business into a brick-andmortar location, scouting out storefronts in Petoskey and other areas, when one day last summer they noticed a “For Rent” sign up on the building that is now Happymess. They leapt at the chance presented to them, and the rest is history (pun intended).

From Vinyl to Pyrex to Posters

At Happymess, customers never know what they might find, but they’re sure to discover a story. Each item in the store is listed with a tag that contains an abundance of information, from the approximate year the item is from to what its history may have been. The pair usually tag-team this effort, with Pam taking on the “clothes, linens, and other things Derek doesn’t find as interesting as [she does], and Derek taking on most of the rest.”

Among some of the more popular items in the shop are the vinyl records that started it all, salt and pepper shakers, Munising bowls, jewelry, perfume bottles, and toys from past generations.

“It seems surprising, but Pyrex containers sell really well,” Pam explains. “We try to keep that in stock because people are always buying those up.”

Some collectors are especially partial to the store’s stock of restaurantware from the Carriage House Restaurant, inside the Hotel Iroquois on Mackinac Island. “They called us up and asked if we were interested, so we grabbed as much of it as we could, and that has been very popular,” Pam shares.

Local historic finds also sell really well and are in high demand from visitors. Pam says, “We have posters and signs from local fairs from the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s, which are all really fascinating.”

Other items of interest include Jack in the Pulpit vases in perfect condition. “It’s always exciting when we find these and they look like they’re brand new. I love when we find a perfectly preserved piece of history,” Pam tells us. Their selection of Kellogg pottery from Stanley Kellogg’s pottery shop

in Petoskey is always a big hit as well.

Some of the rarer items visitors to the store might find are first edition books, tomes from the 1800s, autographed novels from the early and mid-20th century, and pristine glassware from ages past.

One element of the shop that really adds to the sense of community is the Happymess guest book, where visitors can fill out their contact information as well as some details about a specific item they’re looking for. Pam always has a notepad on her person of things to look for while she’s searching through markets. When she happens across something matching the description from the guest book, she snatches it up and gives them a call.

Riding the Ups and Downs

The store will celebrate its first anniversary this September. Every day is a new experience, Pam says, between making space for new things, rearranging the existing inventory, researching and cataloging new finds, and keeping their eyes peeled for more unique items.

“Business has been up and down,” says Pam. “We had no idea what to expect when opening our own storefront. We cut down hours in the winter, but still stayed open because we want to remain operating yearround. The construction on US-31 has been a rollercoaster; we were initially along the detour route, but now it’s a little trickier to get downtown Alanson and to the store, but we’re managing.”

Almost a year in, Pam and Derek still do a majority of the sourcing for the store’s product themselves. In addition to exploring the local area for antique finds, the mother and son are often invited to come sort

through garages and storage spaces of community members to see if there are any pieces of value or historical interest.

“We’re big history buffs and like to learn about the history of an item, so we really focus on finding historical things. It’s interesting to wonder how these things have survived and lasted over the years. Especially the paper stuff,” Pam says.

This Labor Day Monday, the store is planning on hosting a big sale to celebrate their first anniversary. “It’ll be a great chance for people to come check out some of the stuff we have in store,” Pam says, “and hopefully find something that they love or is meaningful to them.”

Visit Happymess at 6241 River St. in Alanson, call (989) 750-3820, or find them on Facebook at @LifeisaHappymess.

This Alanson vintage store combines history and community

Charting a Course for Traverse City

By Brighid Driscoll

“The saying goes, ‘You can put a boat on a ship, but you can’t put a ship on a boat,’” Captain Brett Derr says as he climbs aboard his 60-year-old boat, Althea.

Clear skies and a warm but steady breeze all but beg for a sail, and Captain Brett skillfully pilots Althea from the dock into West Grand Traverse Bay alongside a team of two mates. Once Althea passes the marina, the crew begins to lower the sails. Like a choreographed ballet, they move gracefully through the boat as they loosen some ropes and tighten others, communicating in no more than three-word commands or confirmations. With a large gust of wind, the sails swell, and Althea is off.

Captain Brett and co-owner (and spouse) Heather Derr offer private charters on Althea through Compass Rose Sailing. If you’ve driven past Discovery Pier in Traverse City this summer, you may have noticed a soaring mast and tightly furled sails in the harbor. Althea weighs in at 33,000 pounds and is 46 feet long. A past life as a racing yacht is responsible for her elegant look—black, white, and trimmed in glossy teak wood, she’s as beautiful to look at as she is to sail. And though Althea is retired from racing, she’s just begun a new life, giving folks a chance to tour Michigan’s waters in style.

Sailing into a New Chapter

Before retirement, Althea had an accomplished racing career. Amid the swinging sixties, she was designed by Captain Frederick “Ted” E. Hood and brought to life in the shipyards of Breskens, Netherlands, under the skilled hands of Frans Maas in 1963. “Originally, her name was Robin,” Derr says.

Robin was not meant to be merely a beautiful vessel; she was built to race. It was the daring Captain Hood himself who helmed her through the perilous challenges of the Newport to Bermuda race, the Marblehead to Halifax venture, and the electrifying Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) races that ignited the early ’60s with a fierce spirit of competition.

As the tides of time carried forth, fate led her to the majestic Great Lakes in the late ’60s and early ’70s. On the shimmering waters of Lake Huron, she became a racing legend of the Mackinac. Yet, like all legends, her tale took a twist. She slipped from the spotlight, sailing into a period of private ownership along the coasts of New York and New England.

Then, in the year 2021, her story changed again. She embarked on a new odyssey, finding herself on the shores of Traverse City. There, against a backdrop of azure skies and endless possibilities, she began her life as Althea.

“The deal is once you buy it, you can’t change the name,” Derr explained. “She had already gone through a few name changes, so the original name was out the window. One night ‘Althea’ [by the Grateful Dead] came on the radio, and Heather asked, ‘What about Althea?’” Derr adds that the name felt right, with a history rooted in Greek mythology as a healer connected to Poseidon.

Sailing in the Blood

Like the god of the sea, Derr doesn’t know life without sailing. The Wyoming native has spent summers living on a boat in upstate New York since infancy.

“It’s absolutely something that gets in your blood,” he says. “For as long as people have existed, they’ve been drawn to water. I’ve been in the sailing industry for about 20 years. It’s old school. Before there were airplanes and trucks, there were horses and sailing. The first locomotive that came to Traverse City was brought here by a schooner.”

Compass Rose Sailing and their yacht, Althea, are all about true north

Derr previously spent time as captain of the Manitou before starting Compass Rose Sailing. He found two loves during this time: his wife Heather and a passion for teaching. Captaining a ship requires expertise in all operations, and he found he enjoyed teaching his crew about the intricacies of sailing.

To our eyes, Derr seems unshakeable on the water, even in the face of snags. He’s never gruff or scornful to his crew, and it’s obvious he’s garnered their respect and fondness. (That teaching and connecting skill transformed into taking on substitute teaching and eventually led to becoming a full-time biology and art teacher at Traverse

City Central High School.)

And hey, if you find yourself yearning for a taste of the sailor’s life, you can join the crew in hoisting the sails.

A Three-Hour Tour

While Derr manages the sailing, Heather manages the experience. Althea is stocked with everything we could imagine for a relaxing time out on the water: dishware, linens, ice, blankets, sunscreen, even hair ties—Heather has thought of it.

Althea accommodates up to six people, with little ones allowed. You can spread out on the sun-soaked deck with your favorite

snacks and beverages, or venture below to the cozy cabin, a haven of comfort decorated impeccably by Heather. Craving a culinary experience to pair with your sail? Ask about custom catering for a maritime feast.

Excursions aboard Althea are typically two or three hours, with rates ranging from $390 to $580. Sails unfurl at 1:30pm and 5:30pm and will be available for booking throughout the end of September, and possibly a bit longer depending on weather.

“It’s a more intimate vibe,” Derr says of spending an afternoon on the boat. “People on a sail with us just have a great, relaxed time. They talk with each other and enjoy

each other’s company. They’re not in another world on their phones—they’re here with each other on the water.”

As Captain Derr steers the ship back to Discovery Pier, a departing captain calls from what looks to be another vintage yacht, “Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?” Derr grins and waves to him, “It’s a sailing joke,” he explains. (Meanwhile, we’re having 1980’s commercial flashbacks. Does this mean we’re on the Rolls Royce of seafaring vessels?)

To learn more and book a cruise, head to sailtraversecity.com.

WATER KNOWS NO BORDERS

AquaAction and NMC to host

By Ren Brabenec

This fall, students, entrepreneurs, and tech-savvy youths ages 18 to 35 from across the U.S. and Canada will be able to compete and collaborate in innovating tech solutions for North America’s freshwater challenges.

AquaAction, a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to restoring freshwater health in North America, has partnered with Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) to bring the organization’s flagship program, the AquaHacking Challenge, to Traverse City.

“The AquaHacking Challenge is an open tech innovation concept for post secondary students and young professionals,” says AquaAction’s VP of Program Development & Impact Kariann Aarup. “The goal is to inspire and support students and young professionals in their efforts to develop techbased solutions for freshwater issues over a 10-month period.”

AquaAction has hosted 10 AquaHacking challenges and helped establish 28 start-ups with $1 million in seed funding provided to date. However, this is the first challenge in which the Canadian organization has invited their American neighbors to participate.

2023-2024 international competition for students and young professionals

Speaking to us from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Aarup emphasized the importance of AquaAction taking their annual challenge bi-national. “Water is irrespective of borders. Therefore our consideration of freshwater issues should not just be a national concern,” she says.

In the Great Lakes region in particular, both the U.S. and Canada are stakeholders in meeting the freshwater challenges of our time. For example, the Great Lakes region represents 27 percent of the combined U.S. and Canadian population and 28 percent of Canadian and U.S. economic activity. The Great Lakes also comprise 21 percent of the world’s freshwater and supply some 40 million people with drinking water on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.

The Challenge

AquaHacking Challenges are welldesigned, highly structured programs in which AquaAction leaders define the issue: in this case, Great Lakes freshwater problems like pollution, algae blooms, PFAS, hydrocarbons, drinking water supply, E. coli outbreaks, municipality water challenges, etc. AquaAction invites students and young professionals to design tech-based solutions

to those problems, and the organization then supports students to ensure they’re creating technically viable and marketable innovations.

While the students innovate, AquaAction guides. According to Aarup, AquaAction’s 10-month challenge involves pairing student competitors with water issue leaders. AquaAction also connects students to “solution adopters” or potential clients who may be the prospective consumer of the students’ innovations, be that consumer an individual, a household, a company, a nonprofit, or a municipality.

The challenge has two phases, Phase 1 for all contenders and Phase 2 for five semi-finalists. At the end of the challenge, the semi-finalists present their creations to judges. The first place winner gets $20,000, to help launch their innovation, second place gets $10,000, and third place gets $5,000.

In a sense, the challenge never really ends because participants become AquaHacking alumni. AquaAction continues to support alumni by curating content based on their needs, whether by connecting alumni with business development coaches, marketing help, and product sourcing or by connecting alumni to municipalities that could adopt

their tech innovations.

The Michigan Connection

It was NMC President Nick Nissley who reached out to AquaAction with the idea of collaborating. Given NMC’s rich technological capacity, on-site resources (including associates and bachelors-level marine technology programs), the college’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, and its proximity to all things freshwater, Nissley felt NMC was the perfect place to host the challenge.

“Marine technology is a big strength for NMC,” says Ed Bailey, director of program and portfolio development at NMC. “Autonomous vehicles, sonar systems, mapping, point-source pollution detection, algae bloom identification, water quality assessment, pollution mitigation, you name it. If it’s involved with the water, we’re involved with it.”

It’s no mystery that freshwater solutions are needed in the Great Lakes, and the collaboration between NMC and AquaAction could not have come at a better time. Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) released its 2022 State of the Great

NMC students performing sonar operations in West Bay. Photo courtesy of Northwestern Michigan College.

Lakes Report, identifying two Great Lakes’ ecosystems as “good” (Superior and Huron), two as “fair” (Michigan and Ontario), and one as “poor” (Erie). The report laid out challenges each lake faces, from persistent algal blooms in Lake Erie to increasing invasive species in Lake Michigan to contaminant concentrations found in fish in Lake Ontario.

“The hope is awareness,” says Bailey when asked what he hoped would come from the collaboration. “Our Great Lakes need our help, and NMC is uniquely positioned to educate and train the next generation of tech leaders and scientists who can take on those problems. This challenge will help put NMC on the map, not just as a regional hub for marine science and tech, but on the national and even international stage where it belongs.”

How to Participate

Registration begins in September 2023,

so individuals interested in participating should register at AquaAction’s website and create their water-hacker profile. Once the challenge launches, participants will choose their multi-disciplinary team, select a water issue, tackle it, and develop tech-based solutions they can pitch to the judges.

Throughout the challenge, students and young professionals will have support from on-demand content provided by AquaAction. Participants who complete the program receive official certification and digital badging accredited by AquaAction and NMC.

The 2023-2024 AquaHacking Challenge is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada, ages 18 to 35. Candidates may be in postsecondary education, a recent graduate, or a young professional. Individuals interested in participating should visit aquaaction.org/ blog/challenge/great-lakes-2023-24 to learn more about the challenge and to register for participation.

SUCCESS FROM PAST CHALLENGES

AquaAction’s ability to guide young and brilliant minds towards success in entrepreneurial careers that benefit freshwater environments is evidenced by the winners of past challenges. Just three examples include:

2015 Water Rangers: Kat Kavanagh from Val-des-Monts, Quebec, won the 2015 AquaHacking Challenge by creating a water testing kit (available to anyone) that “enables one to easily and quickly collect water quality data from samples taken from their local watercourses and share this data on an interactive online platform.”

2016 CANN Forecast: Naysan Saran and Nicolas Fortin St-Gelais of Montreal, Quebec, won the 2016 AquaHacking Challenge by developing AI models to “support municipal decision-making via InteliSwim, a tool that more reliably predicts recreational water quality, and via InteliPipes, a tool to help identify water pipes vulnerable to leaks and breaks.”

2020 Drinkable Water Solutions: Matthew Mizzi, Anita Taylor, and Robert Afari Halifax, Nova Scotia, won the 2020 Aqua Action Atlantic Canada Challenge for developing a mechanism and service that “assists private well owners with water testing to reduce known barriers and increase testing of well water quality.”

AquaHacking events bring together dozens of students, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to support water health innovations. Photo courtesy of AquaAction.

Inside the Ingredients CORN FIELDS FOREVER

By Nora Rae Pearl

Welcome to a new featurette in Northern Express! We’re excited to share recipes—featuring local ingredients bought at local stores and farms—to inspire seasonal cooking with the help of home chef Nora Rae Pearl.

As the blustery clouds roll in and glimpses of color in the trees tease us into thinking fall is almost here, corn arrives to remind us that the harvest is just beginning. Once those fields of green get their feather yellow tops, you know it’s time to look roadside for the bounties of fresh-picked goodness.

While any place you stop is likely to have a delicious variety, Stonyfield Acres farmstand off M-72 in Empire has some of the sweetest corn you can get your hands on this season. For the following recipes, you’ll want August’s best—corn that is yellow, tender, and juicy.

CREAMY CORN FETTUCCINE

Serves 6

For this season, we’re offering a new take on an old classic. Both sweet and spicy, this creamy pasta will have you coming back for seconds.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fettuccine

• 6 ears of corn, shucked

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook fettuccine until al dente. Before draining, set aside 3/4 cup pasta water.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, sauté the onion in oil until softened. Set aside one cup of corn. Add the garlic, maple syrup, salt, cayenne, and remaining corn to the onions. Cook until heated through. Transfer to a blender. Add reserved 3/4 cup pasta water and the lemon juice. Blend until very smooth. Toss pasta with the sauce until well coated. Plate, then garnish with reserved corn and freshly cracked pepper.

BLUE CORN CHERRY-OH TAMALES

Makes around 3 dozen

If you didn’t have your end of summer dinner fiesta yet, here’s a recipe to get you started. Look no further than Hallstedt Homestead Cherries in Northport for the sweetest tart cherries this side of the Mitten.

Ingredients

4 cups Instant Blue Corn Masa Flour (not interchangeable with cornmeal)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup olive oil, frozen for 2 hours until semi-solid

4 cups vegetable broth, warmed

2 ears of corn, shucked

40 to 45 dried corn husks

Filling

2 cups tart cherries, pitted and halved

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

Place husks in a large bowl of hot tap water. Set aside, soak for at least 30 minutes. Combine all filling ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-low until thickened and bubbly. Set aside to cool.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add semi-frozen oil, and using a fork, mash into a sandy mixture. Add half of the warmed broth. Mix thoroughly. Add remaining broth. Begin slowly, then start beating more vigorously until the mixture becomes fluffy. Mix in corn. Cover with plastic wrap.

Bring a large pot with 2 inches of water to a simmer over low heat. Have your steamer basket handy.

Take a few corn husks, tear into thin strips. Set aside to tie together tamales after filling. Lay one corn husk flat. Add 2 tablespoons of the corn mixture into the center and pat into a rectangle, but don’t go over the edges. Dollop 2 teaspoons of cherry filling in a line down the center. Fold the corn husk with the filling like a closed book, then open. The corn mixture should seal the cherry filling inside and look like a log. Fold up bottom one inch, then fold down top one inch. Fold over the right and left sides. The filling should be completely sealed inside the folded corn husk. Take a corn husk strip and tie it around the tamale “waist.” Repeat.

Place the steamer in a pot—water should not touch the steamer. Put the tamales on the steamer so they look like straws in a cup. Don’t jam them in; just place in enough tamales to keep them in place. (Cover and refrigerate any remaining uncooked tamales for later or to cook once the first batch is done.) Cover pot and steam the tamales for 40 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Unwrap tamales and place the tamale in the opened husk on a plate. Garnish with creme fraiche, queso fresco, and cherry chipotle hot sauce…which will have to wait until the next time to share the recipe because I’m out of room.

Nora Rae Pearl is 99 percent foodie and 1 percent chef. When she is not writing about food, she can be found waiting in line at the farmers market hoping to get a croissant before they run out.

Photo credit Cody Werme

News That Sounds Like a Joke

The infamous "Lake Tahoe Foot Fondler" couldn't outrun authorities forever, the New York Post reported. On Aug. 1, Mark Anthony Gonzales, 26, was arrested in Atwater, California, and charged with burglary and battery after two early July incidents at the Club Wyndham South Shore hotel in Nevada. According to police, Gonzales "entered two ... condominiums by opening unlocked screen doors. Once inside, he positioned himself at the foot of the bed and rubbed the feet of two separate adult females" in two different units. Gonzales fled when his victims woke up and confronted him. He is also suspected of trespassing and stealing women's shoes for sexual pleasure. He was being held for extradition back to Nevada.

Unclear on the Concept

Pinellas County (Florida) deputies are pleading with the public to stop calling them about manatees in canals and shorelines along the Gulf Coast, Fox13TV reported on Aug. 1. People think the manatees are in distress because they're swimming in herds and thrashing about, but officials stress that the sea cows are only mating. "IF YOU SEE THIS ... DON'T CALL US," the sheriff's office warned via Facebook post. "We can assure you they are more than fine. Manatees actually mate in herds like these and often they are near the shore. ... There's no need to call, they are a-okay!"

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

In a stunning stroke of genius, the Alpha and Omega Funeral Home in Ahuachapan, El Salvador, started offering Barbie-themed coffins last year, the New York Post reported. With the movie's summer success, undertaker Isaac Villegas said they've been swamped with orders and have sold out of the hot pink caskets. "We wanted to promote the pink coffin as it has become a trend," Villegas said. "Of the 40 people who inquired about it, we have already closed a contract with at least 10 new clients."

Similarly, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, funeral home Funeraria Olivares is offering a "Barbie House" coffin, "so you can rest like a Barbie." One manufacturer gushed about their product: "This coffin, with its striking bright pink color, represents the spark and energy of those unforgettable moments they lived." One El Salvadoran commenter conceded, "Eternal rest doesn't look so bad anymore."

Nowhere To Go but Up

Early on July 28, Thornton, Colorado, police were called out about a stolen car, KKTV reported. As the officers gathered information, the suspect, 36-year-old Julian Fernandez, returned to the scene, but "quickly ran on foot from the area and out of sight," police said. While they watched, the man jumped over a security fence and started climbing a 320-foot radio tower. He eventually reached the top, where he stayed for 12 hours as crisis negotiators tried to reason with him. In the end, firefighters climbed the tower and brought Fernandez down.

Unconventional Weaponry

A Sonic Drive-In restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was the scene of a gruesome assault on Aug. 1, Fox News reported. Police arriving at the scene found a man with a flagpole -- American flag still attached -through his head. They said it had entered under his jaw and exited near his right temple. Witnesses reported that the suspect, Clinton Collins, allegedly charged the victim and ran the pole through his head, saying, "That's what he gets. He deserved it." Collins was taken into custody immediately. Emergency responders had to cut part of the flagpole away in order to fit the victim in the ambulance. He survived but may lose an eye, police said.

Bright Idea

Pinecrest, Florida, has a peculiar problem: peacocks. The New York Times reported on Aug. 9 that the city has been overrun with the large, loud, destructive birds, which peck at roofs and cars and relieve themselves all over driveways. The solution? Peacock vasectomies. Dr. Don J. Harris, the veterinarian who will snip the feisty birds, said they're "bona fide polygamists. We're going to catch one peacock and probably stop seven females from reproducing. It's going to have an exponential benefit." County commissioners approved the plan, and city officials designated $7,500 a month to cover trapping and surgery.

Nature Gone Wild

Peggy Jones, 64, of Silsbee, Texas, got a little too close to nature for comfort on July 25 as she and her husband did yard work on their property. The New York Times reported that out of the blue, a snake fell from the sky, wrapped itself around Jones' forearm and started to squeeze. "I immediately screamed and started swinging my arm to shake the snake off," she said. "I was screaming, 'Jesus, help me, please, Jesus, help me!'" But the snake hissed and struck at her face, sometimes hitting her glasses. Then, as Jones struggled, a hawk swooped down and tried to grab the snake, which it had dropped from on high, from her arm. As it wrestled with the snake, its talons slashed into Jones' arm. Finally, the hawk got hold of the snake and flew off. She said the whole incident probably took only 15 or 20 seconds, but afterward, "I looked down at my arm and it was totally covered in blood." Jones' husband, Wendell, saw his wife screaming and running in a zigzag pattern: "By the time I got to her, she was pretty hysterical," he said. Doctors said most of her wounds were caused by the hawk rather than the snake. Jones says that she is healing physically but is still having nightmares about the incident.

Irony

An instructor at a driving school in Lakewood, Colorado, won't be getting a passing grade after crashing a car into the school's front window on Aug. 8 -- just under a sign that says "Learn To Drive."

KDFW-TV reported that the driver, who was trying to park a Hyundai Tucson in front of the Community Driving School, was cited for a traffic violation. Police said there was only one minor injury.

Bringing the South to the North

North Country Kitchen and Bar under new ownership with a new, Southern-inspired menu

By Greg Tasker

Over the years, North Country Kitchen and Bar in Suttons Bay (formerly North Country Grill and Pub) has become a favorite among locals and tourists, thanks to its welcoming and rustic vibe and a menu laden with Up North favorites like prime rib and whitefish.

Now, under new ownership, the menu has gone south—in a good way. Thanks to the ambitions of the new proprietor, who has roots in the Deep South, and the passions of the new chef, you’ll now find Cajun, Creole, and other Southern fare on the menu.

“One of the challenges of changing the menu is we are called North Country, yet we have a distinctly Southern menu,” observes Chef Eric Force, a northern Michigan native and a graduate of the Great Lakes Culinary Institute. “We wanted to keep the name, but it is a little confusing.”

Bringing in New Flavors

How Southern are we talking? Fried Green Tomatoes. Gumbo. Andouille and Crawfish Cakes. Jambalaya. Cajun Walleye. Collard Greens. Grits. Pecan pie…everything you’d expect to find in New Orleans.

“Southern food is something I’ve always gravitated to,” says Force, who has learned the flavors and techniques of this style of cuisine on his own, reading cookbooks and experimenting. “The flavors are so diverse. Southern food is a combination of a little bit of everything—French, African, Native American. Every region of the South does things differently.”

While the emphasis is clearly on Southern cuisine, some popular items from

the past remain. They include prime rib, filet mignon, a 12-ounce ribeye, and the Cherry Chicken Salad. (The latter has been given a Southern touch: The Cherry Chicken Salad is now dressed with candied pecans instead of walnuts.) And the classic whitefish dish has been transformed into a Whitefish Almondine.

“You can’t just flip a restaurant when you have a following,” says Matthew Branton, one of the new owners. He promised former owner, Karen Boone, that he would keep some customer favorites on the menu.

“North Country is really a communitybased place. It’s easier to introduce people to new things when you take care with the stuff they love. Then they might listen when you ask them to try something new.”

Putting Down Roots

So how did Branton, who has a background in television production and who has lived all over the world, come to settle in Suttons Bay and become the proprietor of North Country Kitchen and Bar?

Following the pandemic, Branton wanted to settle down in one place and began looking for the right opportunity. He became interested in living in the Great Lakes region and fell in love with Suttons Bay. Meanwhile, Boone was looking to retire after more than 30 years in the restaurant business. When Branton learned one of the town’s main restaurant staples, North Country, was up for sale, he seized the opportunity.

“The place reminded me of New Orleans in the sense that you come here in the evening and there would be this ridiculously rich doctor from Northport drinking at the bar with a painter from the wrong side of the tracks,” says Branton, who attended Tulane

University in New Orleans and whose family roots are in Louisiana and Arkansas. “It just had that real mixing pot of people, which I love. I think it’s really valuable for a community to have a place where everybody is welcome.”

The purchase was completed in March, and the next three months were spent making necessary renovations in the kitchen. Outdoors, on the patio, Branton has added a stage for live music. He also extended hours to include lunch, with a menu that features chicken and waffles and sandwiches like muffulettas and po ’ boys

Branton found his chef and partner— serendipitously—through a local contact. They talked over the phone while Branton was working in Montana, and the pair clicked. Branton welcomed the idea of emphasizing Southern cuisine and bringing a new type of food to Suttons Bay and Leelanau County.

Building on Classic Recipes

Force, who honed his skills at a wellrespected Traverse City restaurant, PepeNero, was eager to make his own mark as a chef.

His specialty is shrimp and grits, a dish you’ll find in variations all over the South, he says. Force keeps the dish simple but adds his own touch, using white cheddar grits and a Cajun cream sauce with Tasso ham.

“I came up with the recipe at another place [where I worked]. It caught on down there, so I brought it here,” he says. “I have had people from all over the South saying that ours is just as good, if not better, than in the South.”

Force’s jambalaya has also been a hit with

customers. Like other recipes for the dish, he uses Andouille sausage, chicken, and his own combination of spices. He tops each serving with shrimp. Force, however, uses a rare type of rice—Caroline Gold 24, an heirloom rice found primarily in the South.

“Africans brought it to America from Madagascar,” he says. “It almost became extinct in the 1980s, but they’ve brought it back. It’s now a staple in the South. I tried other rices, but this is the one I like best.”

Cornbread is made in house every day, and a local baker makes pecan pie, a regular dessert feature. The French bread for the po’boy also comes from a local purveyor; as much as possible, Force and his small kitchen staff use local produce and other fare. Green tomatoes come from nearby TLC Farms, and an early summer dessert—strawberry shortcake—used locally grown strawberries.

So far, the reception has been great, with a couple caveats.

“People miss Karen, of course, and a few of the old menu favorites,” Force says. “But people are starting to catch on. We’ve had a lot of compliments about the food, and I hope that continues. I’m pretty confident saying this food is good.

“I didn’t really want to change the place that much,” he adds. “There are people who love this place—really love this place. I didn’t want to take away the things that worked. That would have been all about pride and hubris. The menu just needed some refreshing … and hopefully people grow to love what we’re doing too.”

Find North Country Kitchen and Bar at 420 N St Joseph St. in Suttons Bay. (231) 2715000, northcountrykitchen.com

Whitefish Almandine

Shrimp and Grits

Spicy Margarita

Chicken and Waffles Jambalaya

saturday

56TH ANNUAL BUCKLEY

OLD ENGINE SHOW: 6090

W 2 1/2 Rd., Buckley, Aug. 17-20. Presented by the Northwest Michigan Engine & Thresher Club. Farm chore demonstrations, veneer mill, 1906 cider mill, 1800’s sawmill, threshing & straw baling, plowing with steam, gas & diesel, steam whistle jubilee, tractor slow race, kids tractor pull, parade, spark show, Buckley Tractor Driving School, Garden Tractor Safari, Farm Tractor Safari, Tractor Poker Run, & much more. Gate fee: $10 per day for adults or $25 for a 4 day pass; 15 & under, free. buckleyoldengineshow.org

11TH ANNUAL “WRESTLE THE LAKE”

BOAT POKER RUN: 9am-5pm, Ferry Beach, Lake Charlevoix. facebook.com/ CharlevoixWrestling

36TH ANNUAL RUBBER DUCKY FESTIVAL: Bellaire, Aug. 14-19. Today includes the ASI Pickleball Men’s Tournament, Teen Cornhole Tournament, Art & Craft Show, Merchant Sidewalk Sales, Music Downtown on Broad St. with Brotha James & The Gazing North Band, Grand Parade & Rubber Ducky Race, & more. bellairechamber.org/rubber-ducky-festival

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CHARLEVOIX SUMMER SIDEWALK

SALES: 9am-6pm, Downtown Charlevoix, Aug. 17-19.

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MADE IN CHEBOYGAN CRAFT SHOW: 9am-5pm, Washington Park, Cheboygan. Featuring a large assortment of crafters selling jewelry, home decor, pottery, clothing, toys, kitchen essentials, custom printed shirts & mugs, & more. For vendor info, email: madeincheboygan@gmail.com. facebook.com/madeincheboygan

TIP OF THE MITT WATERSHED COUNCIL

CLEAN WATERS CHALLENGE: COMMUNITY CLEANUP: Turner Park, Cheboygan. Help clean up along the banks of the Cheboygan River. Registration opens at 9am & the cleanup runs from 10am-noon. Afterwards enjoy pizza, beverages & craft beer from Cheboygan Brewing. Register. watershedcouncil. org/event/cheboygan-clean-waters-challenge

WALK FOR THE POOR: 9am, Holy Childhood of Jesus Harbor Springs. Benefits those who need assistance. cclcparishes. org/upcoming-events.html

11TH ANNUAL KIERSTEN’S RIDE EVENT: Chandler Hills Campground, Boyne Falls. Benefits suicide prevention programs in northern lower Michigan. Ride with your horse, walk, bike or ORV & raise money in sponsorships (ahead of the event). 10am: Horseback trail ride; 11am: Trail bike ride; 11:30am: Walk; 12-2pm: Lunch; 2:30pm: ORV ride. $10 Pre-registration; 5 & under free; $25 all after Aug. 12. files.constantcontact.com/3655fd4c201/d33d4db3-583a48ed-bc7f-8a92f8d83a2b.pdf

DOWNTOWN ART FAIR: 10am-5pm, Downtown Cass St., TC.

HARBOR SPRINGS SIDEWALK SALES: Downtown Harbor Springs.

OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: 10am-1pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Visual Arts Room, Petoskey. Drop-in art for all ages. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/openstudio-august-19

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FRIENDS OF GLEN LAKE LIBRARY USED

BOOK SALE: 11am, Glen Lake Library, Empire. Featuring a large variety of gently used

books for readers of all genres & ages.

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REBECCA HOWE ARTIST TALK & WORKSHOP: 11am-1pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie West Gallery, TC. The artist of “What felt true isn’t ours” discusses the installation & demonstrates their unique & highly thoughtful artistic process. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ rebecca-howe-artist-talk-workshop

SUMMER SEND-OFF: Downtown Petoskey, Aug. 18-20. Today includes fun activities on Bay St. behind Beards Brewery, including lawn games, chalk art, tie-dying & live music. Free.

2023 MANITOU MUSIC: DRUMMUNITY:

1-3pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. Percussionist Lori Fithian brings her collection of hand drums & percussion instruments to the Manitou Music Series. Join her in a Drummunity circle, a high-energy, fun, & empowering drumming activity for all age groups. Free. glenarborart.org/events/drummunity-2

ALL PRIDE, NO EGO: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Featuring LGBTQ+ executive Jim Fielding, the locally based author of “ALL PRIDE, NO EGO: A Queer Executive’s Journey to Living and Leading Authentically.” Fielding’s book will be published this month. horizonbooks.com/event/all-pride-no-egojim-fielding-book-signing

MODEL TRAIN SHOW & SWAP MEET: 1-4pm, Alden Depot Museum.

“A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD KIDS”: 2pm & 5pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Presented by the Young Company’s 8 to 16 year old one-week musical theatre campers. $21 adults; $12 youth under 18. tickets. oldtownplayhouse.com/TheatreManager/1/ online?bestavail=1784&qty=0 ----------------------

STAR PARTY: 5-11pm, Dune Climb, 6748 S. Dune Hwy., Glen Arbor. Please park in the row furthest from the dunes with your headlights facing M-109. Drop-in telescope & info stations will be available for you to visit. Find Your Park in the stars. Programs will be cancelled if the sky is not visible due to weather conditions. Call 231-326-4700, ext. 5005, for a voicemail message with the decision. All programs are free with a valid park entrance pass. nps.gov/ slbe/planyourvisit/explore-the-night-sky.htm

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FREE WORLD/JAZZ CONCERT: 6pm, Twisted Fish Gallery, Cottage Gallery, front lawn, Elk Rapids. Featuring pianist, singer & composer Benjamin Furman Vernon. Benjamin combines elements from the traditions of jazz, South American folklore, klezmer, tango & Middle Eastern traditions. Bring a chair or blanket. Donations accepted. twistedfishgallery.com/event/international-musician-benjamin-furman-vernon-to-perform-at-twisted-fish ----------------------

KENNY OLSON ROCK-N-HOLE CHARITY CONCERT: 7pm, Elmbrook Golf Course, TC. Multi-platinum guitarist Kenny Olson will perform in concert outdoors following his charity golf outing to support women in northern Michigan impacted by ovarian cancer. Purchase tickets the night of the show. Call 231-946-9180 for details. $25.

LEE GREENWOOD IN CONCERT: 7pm, Park Place Hotel & Conference Center, TC. “Hometown Hero” Concert with country music icon Lee Greenwood. Benefits area veterans & active-duty military personnel. Greenwood’s stand-out hit, “God Bless the USA,” has been in the top five on the country singles charts three times. $40-$80. stillwatersmedia.com

RHUBARBARY HOUSE CONCERT: 7:30pm, 3550 Five Mile Creek Rd., Harbor Springs. Featuring Sean & Michael Gavin.....

masters of uilleann pipes, Irish flute, tin whistle, fiddle, banjo, guitar, bouzouki & vocals. Donation, $20. dalescottmusic.com

SOUTHERN RAISED: 7:30pm, Lavender Hill Farm, Boyne City. Classical meets bluegrass & city streets meet country roads. $15$30. lavenderhillfarm.com/the-series

THE BEACH BOYS: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. This rock band has sold more than 100 million records & has dozens of chart-topping hits like “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” “Good Vibrations,” & many more. $39-$70. interlochen.org/events/beach-boys-2023-08-19

MUSIC IN MACKINAW: CHERRY CAPITAL MEN’S CHORUS: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Roth Performance Shell, Mackinaw City. Free.

THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER: SOLD OUT: 8pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. 50th Anniversary & Final World Tour. Enjoy pop & jazz hits with this quartet who has won 10 Grammy Awards out of 20 nominations & has been inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Join wait list! $127, $112, $87, $72, $57. greatlakescfa. org/events/detail/the-manhattan-transfer

sunday

RACE THE STRAITS OF MACKINAC: 7:30am, Fort Michilimackinac, Mackinaw City. Olympic, sprint, supersprint triathlon, sprint du-

athlon. 3disciplines.com/upcoming_event/ race-the-straits-of-mackinac

56TH ANNUAL BUCKLEY OLD ENGINE SHOW: (See Sat., Aug. 19)

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142ND OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR: Gaylord, Aug. 20-26. Includes the Twisted P Rodeo, 2023 Otsego County Queen & Princess Pageant, Championship Horse Pull, Unique Motor Sports Bump r Run, Unique Motor Sports Night of Destruction & much more. facebook.com/otsegocountyfairgrounds

MADE IN CHEBOYGAN CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., Aug. 19, except today’s time is 10am-3pm.)

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SUMMER SEND-OFF: Downtown Petoskey, Aug. 18-20. Enjoy free activities, shopping & dining.

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MODEL TRAIN SHOW & SWAP MEET: 1-4pm, Alden Depot Museum.

HEADSTONE CLEANING: 2pm, Lake Ann Township Cemetery. The Benzie Area Historical Society is offering this program with historian Jane Purkis to train volunteers in the correct methods of cleaning cemetery gravestones. Bring a cleaning kit: bucket, gallon or two of water, stiff natural brush, stiff sponge, old toothbrush, trowel, trash bag, & plastic or wood scraper. 231-882-5539.

SUNDAY MUSIC IN THE PARK: 4-6pm, Marina Park, Harbor Springs. Featuring the Rivertown Jazz Band. Bring a blanket or chair. Free.

Thunderwüde will jam in Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey on Weds., Aug. 23 at 7pm as part of Bluegrass by the Bay, a regional collaboration in celebration of bluegrass. Running through Aug. 26 at various venues, other performers include Full Cord, Balsam Range, The North Carolines, and the Sam Bush Band. For more info visit petoskeyarea. com/events/bluegrass-by-the-bay/

monday

142ND OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR: (See Sun., Aug. 20) --------------

KID’S CRAFT LAB: TIE DYE!: 1pm & 3:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Tie dye a bandana that the Museum provides or bring your own. Sign up when you reserve your attendance at the Museum. greatlakeskids.org

TEEN ESCAPE ROOM: Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Find the clues, solve the puzzles, & break the code before the time runs out. Ten seats will be available for the first session from 5:306:30pm. If those fill, there will be a waitlist for a second session from 6:30-7:30pm. Must register. tadl.org/event/teen-escape-room-14

DUAL AUTHOR EVENT: 6pm, Horizon Books, TC. With Abra Berens, author of “Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit,” & Heather Radke, author of “Butts: A Backstory.” horizonbooks.com/event/dualauthor-event-abra-berens-and-heather-radke

FREE SUMMER CONCERT SERIESJAMMIN’ MONDAYS ON BETSIE BAY: 7-9:15pm, Waterfront Park Amphitheater, Elberta. Enjoy an eclectic blend of pop, soul, blues & rock with Men of Leisure - Alfredson, Brown, Nagy, & Veloz.

POETRY OUT LOUD: 7-9pm, Poetess and Stranger, 445 E. Mitchell Street, Unit A, downtown Petoskey. Participants are invited to bring original poetry or prose to read; 3 minutes max per turn. $5 cover or a haiku about money. poetessandstranger.com

THREE ONE ACT PLAYS - AUDITIONS: 7pm, Glen Lake Church, Glen Arbor. Glen Arbor Players will hold auditions for Three One Act Plays; “Trifles,” “Out At Sea” & “Dark Lady of the Sonnets” directed by Jan Dalton. Ten actors needed in the ensemble. Free. GlenArborPlayers.org

aug

tuesday

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX

COUNTY FAIR: Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey, Aug. 22-27. Featuring a Country Concert with Dylan Scott, Monster Truck Throwdown, Autocross Racing, Cornhole Tournament & much more. emmetchxfair.org

TIP OF THE MITT WATERSHED COUNCIL

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: Stafford’s Perry Hotel, Petoskey. Featuring “The Role of Advocacy in Protecting Our Great Lakes” presented by Guy Meadows & Jennifer McKay. Refreshments & meet & greet at 9:30am; meeting at 10am. Self-guided rain garden & mural tour at noon. RSVP. watershedcouncil.org

142ND OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR: (See Sun., Aug. 20)

STORYTIME ADVENTURES: 10:30am, 1pm & 3:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Featuring “In the Tall, Tall Grass” by Denise Fleming. Sign up when you reserve your attendance at the Museum. greatlakeskids.org

NORTHERN LOWER BRASS QUARTET: TUBAS IN THE PARK!: Noon-2pm, Clinch Park, TC. Held behind the Bijou & near the

splash pad. Music will include jazz, blues, film music, marches, & pop favorites featuring regional artist Kevin LaRose. Bring a chair or blanket. Free.

WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW EVENT: 6:30pm, Bee Well Mead & Cider, Bellaire. Enjoy an author presentation by Anna Marie Oomen (Love, Sex, and 4H, As Long As I Know You). Anna Marie will be releasing her newest book “The Long Field” at this event. Registration only required if you wish to receive a free copy of “The Long Field.” You must be present at this program to receive a copy - limited to the first 25 registrants. Free. events.getlocalhop. com/writing-workshop-with-author-anna-marie-oomen/event/51E3MK865q

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AN EVENING WITH GREG HARDEN & STEVE HAMILTON: 7pm, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey. Celebrate Harden’s new book, “Stay Sane in an Insane World.” RSVP. Free. mcleanandeakin.com/event/ evening-greg-harden-steve-hamilton

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THREE ONE ACT PLAYS - AUDITIONS: (See Mon., Aug. 21)

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STRAITS AREA CONCERT BAND: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City.

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OUTDOOR MOVIES IN THE SQUARE: 9:15pm, Rotary Square, 203 S. Union St., TC. Featuring “Top Gun Maverick.” Free. downtowntc.com/movies-in-the-square

aug 23

wednesday

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX COUNTY FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 22)

142ND OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR: (See Sun., Aug. 20)

WATERCOLOR DEMO: Tinker Studio, TC. Local painter Neil Walling will be in the studio painting a watercolor piece between 11am2pm. Drop in any time. Free. tinkerstudiotc. com/events

CLOTHESLINE SHOW & SALE: 1pm, Old Art Building, Leland. The 3rd Annual Clothesline Show and Sale will feature original work from the 2023 OAB Plein Air Artists group. Proceeds benefit the painters. These 20+ artists have been meeting weekly since the end of May to paint in various locations around Leelanau County. Some of the artists will be on site to demonstrate plein air painting & answer questions about the group & their work. Free. oldartbuilding.com

MEMOIR-WRITING WORKSHOP W/ AU -

THOR ANNE-MARIE OOMEN: 2:30pm, Antrim Seniors Inc. pavilion, 106 Maple St., Bellaire. Seats are limited. Register: events.getlocalhop.com/writingworkshop-with-author-annemarie-oomen/ event/51E3MK865q/ or call 231-533-8814. Free. bellairelibrary.org ----------------------

BLUEGRASS BY THE BAY PRESENTS

THUNDERWUDE: 7-8:30pm, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. Free. ----------------------

THIRD COAST SWING: 7:30pm, BIC Center, Beaver Island. This Ludington-based band is heavily influenced by jazz of the 1930s & 40s, but they also bring an eclectic modern style to classic ensemble jazz. $10 - $25. store.biccenter.org/product/thirdcoast-swing

thursday

NMCAA’S LAUNDRY PROJECT: 6-9am, Eastfield Laundry, TC. Free laundry service for those in need. 947-3780.

KINGSLEY HERITAGE DAYS: Brownson Memorial Park, Kingsley, Aug. 24-27. Includes a parade, 5K Fun Run/Race, vender/ crafts, softball tournament, corn hole tournament, pickle ball tournament, live music by Shelby Plamondon & Knee Deep, & more. kingsleyheritagedays.net

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX COUNTY FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 22)

142ND OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR: (See Sun., Aug. 20)

COFFEE @ 10, PETOSKEY: 10-11am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Northern Michigan artist & CTACTC faculty, Richie Gunn, will visit Petoskey for this week’s Coffee at 10 presentation. Gunn will be demonstrating & demystifying the process of Artificial Intelligence (AI) generation. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey/coffee-10-richie-gunn

INVASIVE ID HIKE: 10am, Timbers Recreational Area, TC. Join ISN Coordinator Audrey Menninga on a hike through Timbers Recreation Area. Learn how to identify common & some odd ornamental invasive species found on the property. This trail is a UA trail for half of the hike, & does have a few hills off the UA section. Registration can be done online or by emailing Menninga at amenninga@gtcd.org. Free. HabitatMatters. org/Events

KID’S CRAFT LAB: TIE DYE!: (See Mon., Aug. 21 except today’s times are 10:30am, 1pm & 3:30pm.)

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KIDS CAN COOK COOKING CLASS: 11am-12:30pm, Interlochen Public Library. For ages 5-12. Educates kiddos about good nutrition, what’s in season, planning & preparing meals, & reading food labels. Registration required: 231-276-6767. Free.

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OIL PAINTING DEMO: Tinker Studio, TC. Local painter Neil Walling will be in the studio painting an oil piece between 11am-2pm. Drop in any time. Free. tinkerstudiotc.com/events

LYLE GUN DEMONSTRATION: 1pm, Sleeping Bear Point Maritime Museum, Sleeping Bear Dunes Rd., Glen Arbor. The Lyle Gun is the only canon ever designed to save lives, not take them. Watch the demonstration to find out more about this life-saving tool. The program lasts about 15 minutes. Arrive early. All programs are free with a valid park entrance pass. nps.gov/planyourvisit/eventdetails.htm?id=515B86FB-0ECE-F3584B22AF376CE4F3A2

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BRIDGING THE CRYSTAL RIVER WITH BRETT FESSELL: 2pm, Leland Township Library. Brett is a river restoration ecologist with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians who will present a program on the Crystal River restoration project. Free. lelandlibrary.org/programs-events

41ST ANNUAL CEDAR POLKA FESTIVAL: Cedar, under the big tent, Aug. 24-27. Celebrate Cedar’s rich Polish history with dancing, eating & drinking. Food vendors offer authentic Polish food. Admission, $10. The Cedar Run 4 The Kielbasa is a 4 mile run that takes place on Aug. 26 at 8:30am, starting at the intersection of Bellinger & Cedar

roads. The Pierogi Fun Run will also be held. cedarpolkafest.org

CONSENSES LELAND: A GUIDED WALK: 4pm, Old Art Building, front lawn, Leland. Lo cal Leelanau artists have interpreted one another’s art in the vein of a game of ‘Tele phone.’ Enjoy a sensory journey. Artists in clude Charles Hall, sculptor; Joshua Davis, musician; Kristin MacKenzie Hussey, painter; Michelle Leask, poet; Benjamin Maier, potter; Maggie Revel Mielczarek, textile designer; Joe Welsh, icecreamer. Free. oldartbuilding.com

COLLABORATIVE ART PROJECT UN VEILED: 4:30-6pm, Michigan Legacy Art Park, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. An opening reception for “Michigan Blue” will be held. This project redeems a challenging event in the Art Park’s history. A devastat ing windstorm in 2021 left its mark, toppling trees, dropping limbs & altering the land scape of the forest park. The project draws inspiration from the water & skies, paying homage to the elements that define our great state. michlegacyartpark.org

NMMBA FIESTA - THE PARTY IN THE WOODS: 5-8pm, Vasa Singletrack off Sup ply Rd., TC. Food, bikes & fun. Help bring the mountain bike & trails community to gether. Small groups will meet up & roll out all afternoon & into the evening. Fajitas & refreshments will be available. Donation. nmmba.net/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_ id=533979&item_id=90157&mc_ cid=d4b45dd006&mc_eid=df24b9efb4

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS - REGIONAL

EVENT: 5:30-7:30pm, Legs Inn, Cross Vil lage. With Petoskey, Harbor Springs, & Mackinaw City chambers. Enjoy networking, hors d’oeuvres & more. $10 members; $15 not-yet-members.

DOUG TALLAMY PRESENTS “HOME

GROWN NATIONAL PARK”: 6pm, 401 River St., Elk Rapids. Doors open at 5pm. $10 suggested donation. greenelkrapids.org ----------------------

STREET MUSIQUE FINALE: 6:30-8:30pm, Downtown Harbor Springs. Featuring Steel and Wood, Lonely Lovers, Erin Coburn, Kanin, & Magic by Jania. Free.

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2023 MANITOU MUSIC SERIES: NEW MUSIC DETROIT: 7pm, Glen Lake School Auditorium, Maple City. Presented by Interlochen Public Radio. Enjoy this collective of musicians dedicated to performing groundbreaking musical works from the late 20th century to the present day. RSVP. Free. glenarborart. org/events/new-music-detroit ----------------------

CONCERTS ON THE LAWN FEAT. BACKROOM GANG: 7pm, GT Pavilions, Grand Lawn, TC. Free. gtpavilions.org/newsevents/2023-concerts-on-the-lawn

FULL CORD - A BLUEGRASS BY THE BAY EVENT: 8pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. $25-$30. showclix. com/tickets/bluegrass-by-the-bay-full-cord-

aug

friday

KINGSLEY HERITAGE DAYS: (See Thurs., Aug. 24)

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX

COUNTY FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 22)

FIRST STEPS SCIENCE: WHAT DOES WATER DO?: 9:30am, noon & 2:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Participate in the Water Science Olympics. greatlakeskids.org

I’m a Chris Porterfield fan. A fan of the human, the musician and the artist. When I was a DJ at WMSE, the music he created as DeYarmond Edison, a band led by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and Conrad Plymouth would get airplay on my show. But when he started releasing records as Field Report, that’s when I connected on a much deeper level. I’m not sure why, but it just gave me all the feels. In the best possible way. No thumping dance beats, just heartfelt storytelling about things we all feel at times. Isolation, regret, anger and a bit of fear.

~Dori Zori, Radio Milwaukee

142ND

JUNIOR RANGER ANGLER PROGRAM: Loon Lake Picnic Area, Honor. Stop by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for a day of festivities aiming to provide safe & barrier-free opportunities to engage youth (primarily K-5th graders) in fishing. Between 10am-2pm, collect a Junior Angler booklet from the Mobile Visitor Center (Bear Force One) & complete all activity stations to learn about aquatic food webs, water safety, Leave No Trace, the importance of fishing to the Anishinaabek, etc. Once the Junior Angler booklet is complete, return it to Bear Force One to earn a Junior Angler badge & other goodies. Completing the Junior Angler booklet & activities takes about one hour, so please plan on arriving to Loon Lake by 1pm. All programs are free with a valid park entrance pass. nps.gov/planyourvisit/eventdetails.htm?id=5149C1AD-040D-CFFF5F6A2BFE0F745C8D

SUMMER CHILDREN’S PROGRAM: PIPES AND DRUMS: 10:30am, Leland Township Public Library, lawn, Leland. Two members of the Grand Traverse Pipes and Drums visits for a demo of Scottish marches. Free. lelandlibrary.org/programs-events

CHAIR YOGA: 11am, East Bay Township building, North Conference Room, TC. Enjoy a chair based yoga class with Certified Yoga Therapist & instructor, Janet Weaver. All yoga postures will be done seated or standing using a chair for support & balance. Free. tadl.org/event/chair-yoga-east-bay-0

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PRESENTATION: Noon, Glen Arbor Arts Center. Massachusetts artist Ian Kennelly will use his Glen Arbor Arts Center residency to further his observations of the ephemeral space that exists where water, land & sky meet. In the last two years, Kennelly has created works that explore the human relationship to the boundaries created by water. Free. glenarborart.org/ events-page/events-all

41ST ANNUAL CEDAR POLKA FESTIVAL: (See Thurs., Aug. 24)

CLOSING RECEPTION: PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE & GREAT LAKES PASTEL SOCIETY: 5-7pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. Celebrate, view & purchase paintings from the Summer 2023 exhibits: Paint Grand Traverse Extended Exhibit, Community Plein Air Paint Out, & Great Lakes Pastel Society. Members receive 20% off all art purchases. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ closing-reception-paint-grand-traversegreat-lakes-pastel-society

GOODBYE TO SUMMER CONCERT: 5-7pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. This Front Porch Concert is part of the GAAC’s Late Night Fridays, & features two different woodwinds groups. Hour one features Steve Gilbreath on clarinet & Kama Ross on flute playing light classical arrangements. After a short intermission, the Leelanau Flute Ensemble finishes off the evening with selections from Mozart, Vivaldi, Gilbert + Sullivan, & some light jazz tunes. Bring a chair & a picnic. Free. glenarborart.org/events/goodbye-tosummer-concert

NEIL WALLING: COLLECTOR’S PREVIEW

ARTIST RECEPTION: Tinker Studio, TC. The gallery will be filled with original works from Neil, including his recently completed watercolor & oil paintings from the two preceding days. Meet the artist, shop his collection of works, & hear about his recent world travels. Drop in between 5-8 pm! Free to attend. tinkerstudiotc.com/events

DOWNTOWN GAYLORD SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 7-10pm, Claude Shannon Park, Gaylord. Featuring the Kari Lynch Band. Bring a chair. Free.

SAIL AWAY SUMMER: MANITOU WINDS: 7pm, Old Art Building, Leland. Enjoy music intertwined with imaginative short stories, legends, & poetry. This eclectic program of traditional works & originals bridges classical, Celtic, & folk styles. $20 for Old Art Building Members; $25 for non-members. oldartbuilding.com/ events/sail-away-summer-manitou-winds

BLUEGRASS BY THE BAY PRESENTS

BALSAM RANGE: 7:30pm, Lavender Hill Farm, Boyne City. The 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year, Balsam Range has become one of the genre’s most award-winning acts. Since forming in 2007, the group has garnered 13 IBMA awards on the heels of 11 critically acclaimed albums. $15-$40. lavenderhillfarm. com/the-series

DAVE BENNETT QUARTET: 7:30pm, Cheboygan Opera House. Enjoy a distinctive mix of jazz, swing & classic 50s-era rock. Bennett fuses jazz improvisation with a host of modern pop influences. $30 adults; $25 Veterans; $15 students. theoperahouse.org/tickets

MUSIC IN MACKINAW - THE BACKROADS

BAND: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Free.

aug 26

saturday

NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL RUN: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED: 3500 Udell Hills Rd., Manistee. 50 Mile Ultra Marathon, 50K Ultra Marathon, 26.2 Mile Marathon, & 13.1 Mile Half Marathon. northcountrytrailrun.com

KINGSLEY HERITAGE DAYS: (See Thurs., Aug. 24)

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX COUNTY FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 22)

KEEP BENZIE BEAUTIFUL - LAKESHORE CLEANUP: 9am-noon. The goal is to clean up the entire shore of Lake Michigan within the limits of Benzie County. Register on web site. stormcloudbrewing.com/events/2023/8/26/ keep-benzie-beautiful

142ND OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR: (See Sun., Aug. 20)

BERZERKER BASH!: 10am, Pennsylvania Park, Gazebo, Petoskey. Celebrate the third book in the Barb the Berzerker Series: “Barb and the Battle for Bailiwick.” Wear your favorite berzerker costume. Make outfits, enjoy snacks, play battle games & more. RSVP required. Free. mcleanandeakin.com/event/ berzerker-bash

MACKINAW CITY PREMIER ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW: 10am-6pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Featuring paintings, woodwork, hand-crafted jewelry, handdesigned clothing, & more.

OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: 10am-1pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Visual Arts Room, Petoskey. Drop-in art for all ages. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/openstudio-august-26

COFFEE W/ THE AUTHORS: 11am, Glen Arbor Arts Center. Novelist Sarah Shoemaker will talk about historical fiction. Sarah Bearup-Neal, GAAC gallery manager, leads the discussion. Shoemaker, a Leelanau County

OTSEGO COUNTY FAIR: (See Sun., Aug. 20)

resident, published “Children of the Catastrophe” in 2022. Set in the early 1900s, Shoemaker crafts a fictionalized telling of a Greek family’s progress through the final, turbulent decades of the Ottoman Empire. Free. glenarborart.org/events-page/events-all

MODEL TRAIN SHOW & SWAP MEET: 1-4pm, Alden Depot Museum.

“A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD KIDS”: (See Sat., Aug. 19)

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

41ST ANNUAL CEDAR POLKA FESTIVAL: (See Thurs., Aug. 24)

SOUSA! CONCERT: 7:30pm, Northport Performing Arts Center. The Northport Community Band’s traditional end-of-summer concert is a musical treat of the popular & patriotic music that made John Philip Sousa famous. This concert will also feature other musical gems from around the world. $15. simpletix.com/e/sousa-tickets-136424

THE DAVE BENNETT QUARTET: 7:30pm, BIC Center, Beaver Island. Enjoy everything from boogie woogie to country to pop to jazz. $10 - $25. store.biccenter.org/product/thedave-bennett-quartet-2

BALSAM RANGE: 8pm, City Opera House, TC. The 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year, Balsam Range has received 13 IBMA awards & has 11 critically acclaimed albums. Hit songs include “The Girl Who Invented The Wheel” & “Get Me Gone.” Tickets range from $10-$30. cityoperahouse.org

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

BLUEGRASS BY THE BAY PRESENTS

THE SAM BUSH BAND: 8pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Enjoy new-

grass with elements of jazz improvisation & rock ‘n roll. $82, $72, $57, $42, $37. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/sam-bush

DRAKE WHITE: 8pm, Odawa Casino, Ovation Hall, Petoskey. Enjoy this country soul performer. $30. odawacasino.com/entertainment

MUSIC IN MACKINAW - THE SOUND: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City.

sunday

NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL RUN: REGISTRATION IS CLOSED: (See Sat., Aug. 26)

KINGSLEY HERITAGE

DAYS: (See Thurs., Aug. 24)

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX COUNTY FAIR: (See Tues., Aug. 22) ----------------------

MACKINAW CITY PREMIER ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW: (See Sat., Aug. 26, except today’s time is 10am-3pm.)

MODEL TRAIN SHOW & SWAP MEET: 1-4pm, Alden Depot Museum.

THE SACRED EARTH TRIBE PRESENTS

THE DANCES OF UNIVERSAL PEACE:

3:30pm, Llama Meadows Eco Farm, Benzonia. These dances blend chants with live music & simple movements into a living experience of unity, peace & joy. Love offering of $7-$10. facebook.com/thesacredearthtribe

41ST ANNUAL CEDAR POLKA FESTIVAL: (See Thurs., Aug. 24)

THE BENZIE AREA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS RHAPSODY IN BLUE:

4pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Featuring Dr. Hyemin Kim, soloist, & Tom Riccobono, conductor. benziesymphony.com/summer-2023-performance-4

NEW BOOK RELEASE & SIGNING: 6:30pm, Horizon Books, Cadillac. Bob Van Dellen will present & sign his new book, “Reflections on Literature: Exploring Meanings and Messages; Volume I: The Modern Novel from the Roaring Twenties to the Mythic West.” horizonbooks.com/check-us-outdowntown-cadillac

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

NWS: JACK DRISCOLL: 7pm, The Alluvion, TC. This local author will feature his newest book, “Twenty Stories.” In this book, Driscoll selected twenty of his best fictions including the classics “Prowlers” & “That Story,” both winners of The Pushcart Prize. $14-$42.50. eventbrite.com/e/in-person-and-virtual-ticketsto-jack-driscoll-featuring-twenty-stories-tickets-646260561737

ongoing

THE ALIVE POETS SOCIETY: Saturdays, 9-11am, Poetess and Stranger, 445 E. Mitchell Street, Unit A, downtown Petoskey. Read, discuss & write poetry together. Ages 17+. poetessandstranger.com

KIDS CRAFTS WITH KRISTY: Mondays, 10:30am-noon, Interlochen Public Library, Community Room. Kids will learn & practice different crafts skills. Geared toward ages 5-12, but all are welcome.

BICYCLE MUFFIN RIDE: Fridays, 9am-1pm, Darrow Park, TC. Join the Cherry Capital Cycling Club for their weekly Muffin Ride from TC to Suttons Bay & back. cherrycapitalcyclingclub.org

BLOOMS & BIRDS: WILDFLOWER WALK: Tuesdays, 10am through Sept., Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Go for a relaxing stroll on the trails with GRNA docents to find & identify the unique wildflowers at Grass River Natural Area. Along the way look & listen for the birds who call Grass River home. grassriver.org

GUIDED WALKING HISTORY TOURS OF TRAVERSE CITY: Tours are at 10am on Mondays, Tuesdays & Wednesdays through Labor Day. They are about two miles long & take a little more than two hours. They begin at the Perry Hannah Plaza at the corner of 6th & Union St. near downtown. Groups of six or more can schedule tours at other times. walktchistory.com

DOUGHERTY MISSION HOUSE TOURS: Dougherty Mission House, TC. Docent led tours of the 1842 Rev. Dougherty Mission House built by the Odawa & Chippewa with Chief Agosa. Explore the House, summer kitchen, carriage shed, icehouse, demonstration gardens & trail through the 15 acres. Visiting exhibit features the Inns of Old Mission. Discover where Old Mission Peninsula earned its name. Tour hours are Fri. & Sat. from 124pm. doughertyoldmissionhouse.com

farm ers markets

BELLAIRE FARMERS MARKET: Fridays, 8am-noon, ASI Community Center & Park, Bellaire.

BOYNE CITY OUTDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Wednesdays & Saturdays, 8am-noon through Oct. 14. Veterans Park, Boyne City. Shop local produce, artwork & artisan foods at over 50 vendors. There will also be live music & kids activities. The Aug. 19 market will feature live music by Annie & Rod Capps.

The Aug. 26 market will feature live music by the Lonely Lovers. boynecityfarmersmarket.org ----------------------

CADILLAC FARMERS MARKET: Tues. & Fri., 9am-3pm. 117 W. Cass St., Cadillac. Featuring 60 vendors, food trucks, children’s activities, live music & more. cadillacfarmersmarket.org

DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY FARMERS MARKET: Fridays, 8:30am-1pm through Sept. 29. Howard St., between Mitchell & Michigan streets, Petoskey.

ELK RAPIDS FARMERS MARKET: Next to Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, on US 31 by the swan. Every Fri. through Oct. 6, 8am-noon. Local growers & producers from all around northwestern Michigan. elkrapidschamber.org/farmers-market

FRANKFORT FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-1pm through Sept. 9. FrankfortElberta Area Chamber of Commerce, 231 Main St., Frankfort.

HARBOR SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-1pm through Oct. 14. Corner of State & Main streets, Harbor Springs.

OLD TOWN EMMET FARM MARKET: Sat., 9am-2pm through Oct. 7 at Friendship Senior Center parking lot, Petoskey. Local homemade & homegrown products. Special events throughout the season include donation based cookouts, food trucks on site, & more. Follow the Facebook page for the schedule: @oldtownemmetfarmmarket.

SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: Sat., 7:30am-noon; & Weds., 8am-noon. Parking lot “B” at southwest corner of Cass & Grandview Parkway, TC. dda. downtowntc.com/farmers-market

THE VILLAGE AT GT COMMONS OUTDOOR FARMERS MARKET: The Village at GT Commons, The Piazza, TC, Mondays from 1-5pm. Farm fresh eggs, fruits & veggies, meats, honey, maple syrup, & more. facebook.com/events/643530983769466/64 3530997102798/?active_tab=about

art

JRAC MEMBER SHOW 2023: Jordan River Arts Council, East Jordan. This exhibit showcases the work of many Jordan River Arts Council members. Runs through Sept. 23. Check web site for days & hours. jordanriverarts.com ----------------------

ANTRIM, DEGREGORIO, GALANTE: Runs through Sept. 8 at Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. Featuring the work of three Michigan

artists: Karen Antrim, Paula DeGregorio, & Frank Galante. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org

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

ALAN MACIAG EXHIBIT AT MARI VINEYARDS, TC: Plein Air painter Alan Maciag exhibits gorgeous Michigan landscapes. Runs through Sept. twistedfishgallery.com/event/ alan-maciag-exhibit-at-mari-vineyards-withtwisted-fish ----------------------

CHARLES CULVER PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION: On display throughout downtown Bellaire through Oct. Each piece of art will display a QR code to access an audio presentation providing history & background of the particular piece. bellairelibrary.org/programs/charles-culver-public-art-display-2023

“SUMMER’S PALETTE,” THE MAGIC THURSDAY ARTISTS’ 10TH ANNUAL SHOW & SALE: City Opera House, TC. The show runs through Aug. from 10am-3pm weekdays & is open during evening events. Featuring original paintings in oil, watercolor, pastel, gouache & acrylic by artists Sue Bowerman, Lori Feldpauch, Linda Goodpaster, Ruth Kitchen, Dorothy Mudget, Joyce Petrakovitz, Marilyn Rebant & Laura Swire. cityoperahouse.org

“YOUTH INNOVATION IN RURAL AMERICA”: Raven Hill Discovery Center, East Jordan. Community-based youth design projects by local students. Runs through Oct. 7. miravenhill.org

CHARLEVOIX CIRCLE OF ARTS:

- SUMMER SALON: Runs through Sept. 2. 4th annual salon-style exhibit showcasing regionally inspired work by local & area artists. Gallery is open Mon. through Fri., 11am4pm, & Sat., 11am-3pm or by appointment. charlevoixcircle.org/exhibits-2023

- HANS WIEMER MEMORIAL DISPLAY: Celebrate the work of local artist & architect Hans Wiemer, on display from Aug. 21 - Sept.

2. Select pieces from Wiemer’s portfolio are on loan from his family. The curated selection of paintings & architectural renderings show off his various styles, from impressionism to abstract & various mixed mediums. An opening reception will be held on Mon., Aug. 21 from 2-4pm. Charlevoix Circle of Arts is open from 11am-4pm, Mon. through Fri., & 11am3pm, Sat. charlevoixcircle.org

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:

- THIS IS US: RECENT PAINTINGS BY THE KITCHEN PAINTERS: The Kitchen Painters is a group of area artists who meet weekly at Crooked Tree Arts Center - Petoskey to share their love for painting. Each year they have an opportunity to exhibit their work in an annual display. Runs through Sept. 5 in Atri-

um Gallery. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/us-recent-paintings-kitchen-painters

- ANIMAL - VEGETABLE - MINERAL: PAINTINGS BY NANCY ADAMS NASH: Held in Bonfield Gallery. Enjoy new paintings from Nash, as well as select works from the past. Runs through Sept. 2. CTAC hours are Tues. - Sat., 10am-5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey/animal-vegetable-mineral-paintingsnancy-adams-nash-opens-may-25

- TRISHA WITTY: PILGRIMAGES IN PAINT, A RETROSPECTIVE 1988 TO PRESENT: Runs through Sept. 2 in Gilbert Gallery. Retrospective exhibition highlighting Trish Witty’s paintings from the past 35 years. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ trisha-witty-pilgrimages-paint-retrospective1988-present-opens-may-25

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC:

- SCULPTURE FANTASTICO: Held in Carnegie East Gallery through Sept. 1. Fantastic Sculptures by Nat Rosales. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-traverse-city/sculpture-fantastico

- PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: COMMUNITY PAINT OUT & EXHIBITION/SALE: A plein air paint out opportunity to end Paint Grand Traverse 2023. Open to artists of all skill levels, age 18 & up, working in all media. The Paint Out runs Aug. 11-14. The Exhibition/ Sale runs Aug. 15-25 in the Carnegie Rotunda. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ paint-grand-traverse-community-paint-out

- WHAT FELT TRUE ISN’T OURS: A mindful & evocative installation by emerging artist Rebecca Howe. The work explores how we manipulate the material to create a story. Runs through Sept. 1 in Carnegie West Gallery. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traversecity/what-felt-true-isnt-ours

- GREAT LAKES PASTEL SOCIETY: 2023

MEMBERS JURIED EXHIBITION: Runs through Aug. 25 in the Cornwell Gallery. Featuring 65 works by 58 artists working throughout the Great Lakes region. Works were reviewed & selected by guest juror & judge of awards, Kathleen Newman. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-traverse-city/great-lakes-pastelsociety-2023-members-juried-exhibitionopens-july-8

DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - A NEW PERSPECTIVE: LANDSCAPES FROM THE DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER: Runs through Sept. 3. Hours are Tues.Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org

- JERRY’S MAP: This exhibition is comprised of over 4,000 individual eight by ten inch panels. Its execution, in acrylic, marker, colored pencil, ink, collage, & inkjet print on heavy paper, is dictated by the interplay between an elaborate set of rules & randomly generated instructions. Runs through Sept. 3. Hours are Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org

- LUSTER: REALISM & HYPERREALISM IN CONTEMPORARY AUTOMOBILE & MOTORCYCLE PAINTING: Runs through Sept. 3. This is a traveling exhibition comprised of over 55 paintings by 15 leading photorealists & hyperrealists who specialize in automobiles & motorcycles as their primary subject of choice. Featuring paintings that encompass a broad range of vintage vehicles, recent classics, off-road vehicles, exotics & more. Hours are Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org ----------------------

GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER:

- “THE BIRDS ARE WATCHING”: Runs through Aug. 25 in the Lobby Gallery. Mixed media constructions by Jessica Kovan. glenarborart.org/events/exhibit-the-birdsare-watching

- “IN TRANSLATION”: Held in Main Gallery. A multi-pronged project that explores how humans employ creativity & the arts to translate the world, contemporary life, contemporary social & political issues, & the world in which they live. The exhibit features the work of 32 visual artists from throughout Michigan, the Midwest, & California. Runs through Oct. 26. Hours are: Mon. through Fri.: 9am-3pm; Sat. & Sun.: Noon-4pm. glenarborart.org/events/ exhibit-in-translation

Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.

The Deepest Breath

While the new epic documentary The Deepest Breath is definitely not for the faint of heart, those able to endure the onscreen tension of near death experiences will learn a great deal about living life to its fullest.

You may even experience, as I did, the full emotional spectrum, along with a sense of quiet insignificance compared to the power and scale of human bravery filmed in effervescent slow motion from every angle imaginable.

To dive into depths and pressures of the magnitude in The Deepest Breath takes years and years of training. The film follows Italian freediver Alessia Zecchini as she shows early promise in the extreme sport, encouraged by her father and with a competitive edge that won’t quit. Zecchini excels when she’s focused, and she plots a relentless path toward world records in the shadow of her hero, Natalia Molchanova, a pioneering woman who endlessly blew minds and broke records.

Along this international journey to break her own records (with depths beyond 100+ meters and and pressure reaching over 50 psi), Zecchini eventually crosses paths with a kindred spirit and fellow diver in Stephen Keenan, an Irish adventurer with a passion for freediving and wanderlust who would change her life forever. Keenan helps to tame and train Zecchini’s talents, and in him she finds a romantic partner she entrusts with her life as a safety diver.

You’ll learn the importance of these safety squads, but not before tragedy strikes. And

by Joseph Beyer

when Zecchini and Keenan finally face a challenge they can’t escape, it will leave a shadow on everyone who knows them. It’s then that audiences feel the deep pain of the friends and families who watch loved ones push themselves to the human limits, even as they cheer their passion for the sport.

Add sound, or sometimes the lack of it, and the film becomes even more powerful in the hands of director Laura McGann, who moves the narrative between worlds of water and air back and forth in so many angles and ways that you’ll sometimes feel a slight bit of vertigo—exactly the sensations of the freedivers themselves. In a true story pieced together from the found footage of a GoPro generation, this unlikely love story plays out like a thriller in front of us.

Produced by A24 and having premiered earlier at the Sundance Film Festival written and directed in the strong hands of McGann, the documentary is now available on Netflix and runs 1 hour and 46 minutes.

In my viewing experience, The Deepest Breath is a wonderful mashup with hints of Luc Besson’s French drama The Big Blue (1988), and the riveting pulse of Senna (2010)—but it holds its own as something you’ve never seen or felt before, mainly because of the draw of the deep mysteries it explores.

Some of those mysteries are of the mind, others of the heart—but the largest mystery remains the awe and language of the ocean world we can still only barely understand.

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

BONOBO WINERY, TC PATIO:

8/25 -- Jerome Forde, 6-8

BRADY'S BAR, TC

8/20 -- Blair Miller, 6:30

CHATEAU CHANTAL, TC

PATIO:

Thu -- Jazz at Sunset w/ Jeff Haas

Trio w/ Laurie Sears & Watercolorist

Lisa Flahive, 7

COMMON GOOD BAKERY, TC

8/19 -- Blair Miller, 6

DELAMAR, TC PATIO, 2-9:

8/18-19 -- DJ 1Wave

8/22-24 -- DJ Mark Wilson

8/25-26 -- DJ Prim

ENCORE 201, TC

8/18-19 & 8/25-26 -- DJ Ricky T, 9

8/24 -- Larz Cabot, 8

HOTEL INDIGO, TC

Wed -- Trivia Night, 7-8:30

JACOB'S FARM, TC

6-8:30:

8/20 – A.S. Lutes

8/23 – Jabo

8/24 – DJ Ras Marco

8/25 – StoneFolk

8/27 – Chris Sterr

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

8/21 -- Trivia, 6-9

8/22 -- Open Mic, 6

8/23 -- KDJ, 7-9

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC

BARREL ROOM:

8/21 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

TASTING ROOM, 5-7:

8/19 – Weston Buchan

8/26 -- Ted Alan & Ron Getz

LIL BO, TC

Tues. – Trivia, 8-10

Weds. – Open Mic Night w/ Aldrich,

9-11

Sun. – Karaoke, 8

MARI VINEYARDS, TC

4-6:

8/22 -- Plumville Project

8/24 -- The Duges

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC

PATIO:

8/19 – Craig Jolly, 5:30-8:30

8/25 -- Chuck Light, 6-9

8/26 -- Jenn Marsh, 6-9

NORTH BAR TC

8/19 – Nick Vasquez, 1-4

RED MESA GRILL, TC

8/18-19 -- Mateo, 6-9

ROVE ESTATE VINEYARD & WINERY, TC

8/25 -- Drew Hale & Levi Britton Duo,

5:30-8:30

SORELLINA'S, TC

SLATE RESTAURANT:

Thurs. -- Tom Kaufmann on Piano,

5-8

Fri. & Sat. – Tom Kaufmann on Piano,

6-9

THE ALLUVION, TC

8/19 -- Robinson & Rohe, 7-9

8/23 -- Field Report, 7

THE COIN SLOT, TC

8/23 – BYOVinyl, 8

8/25 – Empire Highway, 7

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC PATIO:

8/25 -- Empire Drift, 6:30-10

THE PARLOR, TC

8/19 -- Slim Pickins, 9

8/22 -- Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

Emmet & Cheboygan

BIÉRE DE MAC BREW WORKS, MACKINAW CITY

BACKYARD:

8/19 -- Kirby, 7-10

8/20 -- Lara Fullford, 5-7

8/25 -- The Make Believe Spurs,

7-10

8/27 -- Curtis Grooters, 5-7

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY

PATIO:

8/19 -- Chris Calleja, 2-6

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

8/25 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

8/26 -- Comedy Night w/ Carl Sobel, Brian Dryer, Joe Curtis & Host Ben Bradshaw; Other Performers include BJ Smith, Scott Witkop & Leah Gray, 8:30

CROOKED VINE VINEYARD & WIN-

ERY, ALANSON

8/19 -- Pete Jackson, 2-5

8/20 -- Randy Reszka, 1-4

DIXIE SALOON, MACKINAW CITY

8/18-19 & 8/25-26 -- Pete 'Big Dog'

Fetters, 8

DOUGLAS LAKE BAR, PELLSTON

6-9:

8/20 – Mike Ridley

8/27 -- Nelson Olstrom

GABRIEL FARMS & WINERY, PETOS-

KEY

8/23 – Sean Bielby, 3-6

8/25 – Seth Brown Duo, 5-8

8/26 – Ryan Cassidy, 1-4

8/27 – Billy Jo Hunt, 1-4

8/23 -- Wink, 8-11

8/24 -- Jimmy Olson, 8-11

8/25 -- Miriam Pico & Ryan Younce,

6-9

8/26 -- Rolling Dirty on Patio, 6-9; Old Mission Fiddle Vine, 9

THE PUB, TC

8/19 – Amanda & Ryan (from The Timebombs), 4:30-7:30

8/20 – Nick Vasquez, 1-4; Drew Hale, 4:30-7:30; Luke Woltanski Duo, 8-11

8/23 -- Tyler Roy, 8-11

8/24 -- Steve Clark, 8-11

8/25 -- Les Dalgliesh, 1-4; Kevin Paul, 4:30-7:30; Wink & KG (Emfys Nest), 8-11

8/26 -- Miles & Ryan, 1-4; Slim Pickins, 4:30-7:30; Rigs & Jeels, 8-11

8/27 -- Jonathan Stoye, 1-4; Drew Hale, 4:30-7:30

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

8/22 -- Open Mic, 7-9

8/23 -- Jazz Show & Jam, 6-8:30

8/25 -- One Hot Robot, 8-10

8/26 -- StoneFolk, 8-10

8/27 -- Comedy Mixtape #5, 7

8/27 -- Tilt Think Improv Presents Comedy Mixtape #5, 7-9

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC

PATIO, 6:30-9:30:

8/19 -- Chris Sterr

8/24 -- TSP

8/25 -- TC Guitar Guys

8/26 -- The Brotha James Band

UNION STREET STATION, TC

8/19 -- Jabo Bihlman, 10

8/20 -- DJ 2 Straws, 10

8/22 -- USS Open Mic Comedy,

8-9:30

8/23 -- DJ 1Wave, 10

8/24 -- Skin Kwon Doe, 10

8/25 -- Odd Shaped Puzzle, 10

8/26 -- Happy Hour w/ USS Comedy; then DJ JR

8/27 -- DJ Fasel, 10

Leelanau & Benzie

45 NORTH VINEYARD & WINERY, LAKE LEELANAU

8/24 -- Sam & Bill, 3-6

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

8/19 -- Alley Kessel, 2:30-5:30

8/20 -- Low Hanging Fruit, 2:30-5:30

8/22 -- Luke Woltanski, 5:30-7:30

8/25 -- Nick Veine, 5-7:30

BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU TASTING ROOM LAWN:

8/20 -- Bryan Poirier, 4:30-7

8/23 -- Luke Woltanski, 5:30-8

8/27 -- Elizabeth Landry & Chris Michels, 4:30-7

BROOMSTACK KITCHEN & TAPHOUSE, MAPLE CITY 5:30-8:30: 8/22 -- Jim Hawley

-- Bob Roberts

-- Andre Villoch

CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY

8/20 -- Elizabeth Landry, 2-4:30

8/24 -- Jeff Socia, 5-7:30

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE BARR PARK, 6-8:

8/18-19 -- Dave Barth

8/20 -- Jesse Jefferson

8/26 -- Bill Frary

8/27 -- Sydni K LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30: 8/19 -- Drew Hale

DICK'S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. -- Karaoke, 10-1

DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT

8/20 – Rhett & John, 3-6

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH

8/25 -- Jen Sygit, 6-9

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR

4-7: 8/21 -- Dennis Palmer

8/24 -- Chris Skellenger & Andre Villoch

FURNACE STREET DISTILLERY, ELBERTA

6: 8/19 -- Blake Elliott

8/20 -- Peter Allen Jensen

8/24 -- Luke Woltanski

8/25 -- Blair Miller

8/26 -- Sean Miller

8/27 -- Keith Scott

HOP LOT BREWING CO., SUTTONS

BAY

5-8:

8/21 -- Luke Woltanski Duo

8/24 -- Chris Smith

8/25 -- Zak Bunce & Denny Richards

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

8/19 -- Rhett & John, 6-8

8/20 -- Matt Gabriel, 5-7

JODI'S TANGLED ANTLER, BEULAH

8/19 -- Empire Highway, 8-11

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

8/19 -- The Daydrinker Series w/ Chris Skellenger & Paul Koss, 3-6; then The Timebombs, 7-10

8/22 -- New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30

8/23 -- Andre Villoch, 6:30-9:30

8/24 -- Drew Hale, 6:30-9:30

8/25 -- Friday Happy Hour w/ Olivia Kimes & Jacob Wolfe, 4-7; Moxie Strings, 8-10

8/26 -- The Daydrinker Series w/ Jim Crockett Band, 3-6; then The Jameson Brothers, 7-10

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH

8/19 -- Annagail, 5:30-8:30 8/20 & 8/27 -- Jabo, 3-6

-- The Duges, 5:30-8:30

-- Bill Frary, 5:30-8:30

8/25 -- Haiven, 5:30-8:30

8/26 -- Mary Kenyon, 1-4; The Feral Cats, 5:30-8:30

SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY

8/25 -- Friday Night LIVE w/ Kevin Johnson, 5-8

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT

6-8:

8/20 & 8/23 – 45 RPM

8/24 -- Serita's Black Rose, 6-8

SUTTONS BAY CIDERS

8/20 – Nick & Rokko, 4:30-7

THE UNION, NORTHPORT

7-9:30:

8/19 -- A.S. Lutes, 7-9:30

Sun -- Waterbed feat. Jimmy Olson & Matt McCalpin

Thu -- Blake Elliott & Friends

TWO K FARMS CIDERY & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY

8/19 -- Liz Landry, 4:30-6:30

8/24 -- Rhett & John, 4:30-6:30

8/26 -- Blair Miller, 5:30

HIGH FIVE SPIRITS, PETOSKEY

TASTING ROOM:

8/19 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 9-11

8/22 -- Karaoke Night with DJ Bill da Cat, 7-11

8/24 -- Nathan Towne, 8-10

8/25 -- Robby Hovie (Levitator) & Friends, 9-11

8/26 -- DJ Clark After Dark, 9

INN AT BAY HARBOR

CABANA BAR, 3-6:

8/20 -- Nelson Olstrom

8/25 -- Holly Keller

8/27 -- Ron Getz

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR

7:30-10:30:

8/23 -- Kevin Johnson

8/24 -- SAXA4IAv

8/25 -- Sean Megoran

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY

7:30-10:30:

8/19 -- Holly Keller

8/23 -- Michelle Chenard

8/24 -- Will Springsteen

8/25 -- Mike Ridley

8/26 -- Sunny Bleau

NORTHLAND BREWING CO., INDIAN RIVER

BACKYARD:

8/19 -- Brian McCosky, 6:30

8/24 -- DDA Summer Concert Series:

The Iconics, 6:30-8:30

8/25 -- Tai Jaxx Drury, 7-10

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY OVATION HALL:

8/26 -- Drake White, 8 VICTORIES:

8/25 -- The Insiders, 9

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS

8/19 – M-119 Band, 4-8

8/20 – Jackie Pappas, 2-5

8/26 – Serita’s Black Rose, 4-8

8/27 – Kirby Snively, 4-6

RUDBECKIA WINERY/BURNT

MARSHMALLOW BREWSTILLERY, PETOSKEY

8/19 – John Piatek, 5-7

8/20 – Terry Coveyou, 2-4

8/26 -- Terry Coveyou, 5-7

8/27 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 2-4

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN

8/19 -- Happy Little Accidents, 8

8/25 -- Dirty Rain Revelers, 8-11

THE RHUBARBARY, HARBOR SPRINGS

8/19 -- Sean & Michael Gavin, 7:30

WALLOON LAKE WINERY, PETOSKEY

8/24 -- Lejet, 6

Antrim & Charlevoix

BOYNE CITY TAP ROOM

Sat,Thu -- Adam & The Cabana Boys, 7

BRIDGE STREET TAP ROOM, CHARLEVOIX

Wed -- Chris Calleja & Adam Engelman, 6-9

CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS

8/25 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 6

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS OUTDOORS, 8-11:

8/19 -- Myron Elkins & The Dying Breed

8/26 -- Stormy Chromer

FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE 7-10: 8/25 -- Nick Vasquez 8/26 -- Matt Gabriel

LAVENDER HILL FARM, BOYNE CITY

8/25 -- Balsam Range, 7:30

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, CENTRAL LAKE

7-10:

8/24 -- Steve Dawson

8/25 -- Matt Mansfield

MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY

8/24 -- Gretchen Andrews, 7-10

PEARL'S NEW ORLEANS KITCHEN, ELK RAPIDS

8/24 -- Craig Jolly, 6-9

SHORT'S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE

BEER GARDEN:

8/19 -- Brett Mitchell & The Mitchfits,

7-9:30

8/25 -- Genna & Jesse, 6-7:30

8/26 -- The Driftless Revelers, 7-9:30

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS

6:30-9:30:

8/25 -- Porcelain Train

8/26 -- Grace Theisen

STIGGS BREWERY, BOYNE CITY

8/26 -- Peter Allen Jensen, 7

THE BLUE PELICAN INN, CENTRAL LAKE

8/19 -- Timothy Michael Thayer, 6-9

THE EARL, CHARLEVOIX ROOFTOP HI BAR, 7-10:

8/19 – Gretchen Andrews

8/20 – Zeke

8/23 – Jesse

8/25 – Jeff Socia

8/27 – Sean Bielby

Otsego, Crawford & Central

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

8/26 -- Nelson Olstrom, 7

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD

8/25 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD 6:

8/19 & 8/24 -- Nelson Olstrom

8/25 -- Lou Thumser

lOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

CLASSIFIEDS

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "I don’t believe that in order to be interesting or meaningful, a relationship has to work out—in fiction or in real life." So says Virgo novelist Elizabeth Curtis Sittenfeld, and I agree. Just because a romantic bond didn't last forever doesn't mean it was a waste of energy. An intimate connection you once enjoyed but then broke off might have taught you lessons that are crucial to your destiny. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to acknowledge and celebrate these past experiences of togetherness. Interpret them not as failures but as gifts.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The amount of rubbish produced by the modern world is staggering: over 2 billion tons per year. To get a sense of how much that is, imagine a convoy of fully loaded garbage trucks circling the earth 24 times. You and I can diminish our contributions to this mess, though we must overcome the temptation to think our personal efforts will be futile. Can we really help save the world by buying secondhand goods, shopping at farmer’s markets, and curbing our use of paper? Maybe a little. And here’s the bonus: We enhance our mental health by reducing the waste we engender. Doing so gives us a more graceful and congenial relationship with life. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to meditate and act on this beautiful truth.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I hope that in the coming weeks, you will wash more dishes, do more laundry, and scrub more floors than you ever have before. Clean the bathrooms with extra fervor, too. Scour the oven and refrigerator. Make your bed with extreme precision. Got all that, Scorpio? JUST KIDDING! Everything I just said was a lie. Now here’s my authentic message: Avoid grunt work. Be as loose and playful and spontaneous as you have ever been. Seek recordbreaking levels of fun and amusement. Experiment with the high arts of brilliant joy and profound pleasure.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Dear Sagittarius the Archer: To be successful in the coming weeks, you don’t have to hit the exact center of the bull’s-eye every time—or even anytime. Merely shooting your arrows so they land somewhere inside the fourth or third concentric rings will be a very positive development. Same is true if you are engaged in a situation with metaphorical resemblances to a game of horseshoes. Even if you don’t throw any ringers at all, just getting close could be enough to win the match. This is one time in your life when perfection isn’t necessary to win.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I suspect you are about to escape the stuffy labyrinth. There may be a short adjustment period, but soon you will be running half-wild in a liberated zone where you won't have to dilute and censor yourself. I am not implying that your exile in the enclosed space was purely oppressive. Not at all. You learned some cool magic in there, and it will serve you well in your expansive new setting. Here's your homework assignment: Identify three ways you will take advantage of your additional freedom.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Though my mother is a practical, sensible person with few mystical propensities, she sometimes talks about a supernatural vision she had. Her mother, my grandmother, had been disabled by a massive stroke. It left her barely able to do more than laugh and move her left arm. But months later, on the morning after grandma died, her spirit showed up in a pink ballerina dress doing ecstatic pirouettes next to my mother's bed. My mom saw it as a communication about how joyful she was to be free of her wounded body. I mention this gift of grace because I suspect you will have at least one comparable experience in the coming weeks. Be alert for messages from your departed ancestors.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): "Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it," said the ancient Chinese sage Confucius. Amen! Seeking to understand reality with cold, unfeeling rationality is at best boring and at

worst destructive. I go so far as to say that it's impossible to deeply comprehend anything or anyone unless we love them. Really! I'm not exaggerating or being poetical. In my philosophy, our quest to be awake and see truly requires us to summon an abundance of affectionate attention. I nominate you to be the champion practitioner of this approach to intelligence, Pisces. It's your birthright! And I hope you turn it up full blast in the coming weeks.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): None of the books

I’ve written has appeared on the New York Times best-seller list. Even if my future books do well, will never catch up with Aries writer James Patterson, who has had 260 books on the prestigious list. My sales will never rival his, either. He has earned over $800 million from the 425 million copies his readers have bought. While I don’t expect you Rams to ever boost your income to Patterson’s level, either, I suspect the next nine months will bring you unprecedented opportunities to improve your financial situation. For best results, edge your way toward doing more of what you love to do.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Addressing a lover, D. H. Lawrence said that "having you near me" meant that he would "never cease to be filled with newness." That is a sensational compliment! I wish all of us could have such an influence in our lives: a prod that helps arouse endless novelty. Here’s the good news, Taurus: suspect you may soon be blessed with a lively source of such stimulation, at least temporarily. Are you ready and eager to welcome an influx of freshness?

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Humans have been drinking beer for at least 13,000 years and eating bread for 14,500. We’ve enjoyed cheese for 7,500 years and popcorn for 6,500. Chances are good that at least some of these four are comfort foods for you. In the coming weeks, suggest you get an ample share of them or any other delicious nourishments that make you feel well-grounded and deep-rooted. You need to give extra care to stabilizing your foundations. You have a mandate to cultivate security, stability, and constancy. Here’s your homework: Identify three things you can do to make you feel utterly at home in the world.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): On Instagram, I posted a favorite quote from poet Muriel Rukeyser: "The world is made of stories, not atoms." added my own thought: "You are made of stories, too." A reader didn't like this meme. He said it was "a nightmare for us antisocial people." I asked him why. He said, "Because stories only happen in a social setting. To tell or hear a story is to be in a social interaction. If you're not inclined towards such activities, it's oppressive." Here's how I replied: "That's not true for me. Many of my stories happen while I’m alone with my inner world. My nightly dreams are some of my favorite stories." Anyway, Cancerian, I'm offering this exchange to you now because you are in a story-rich phase of your life. The tales coming your way, whether they occur in social settings or in the privacy of your own fantasies, will be extra interesting, educational, and motivational. Gather them in with gusto! Celebrate them!

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Author A. Conan Doyle said, "It has long been my axiom that the little things are infinitely the most important." Spiritual teacher John Zabat-Zinn muses, "The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little." Here's author Robert Brault's advice: "Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." Ancient Chinese sage Lao-Tzu provides a further nuance: "To know you have enough is to be rich." Let's add one more clue, from author Alice Walker: "I try to teach my heart to want nothing it can’t have."

ACROSS

1. Late Beastie Boys rapper

"Iliad" warrior god

Comprehend

13. Doofus

14. Prom ride

15. Lessen

17. Picnic invader

18. Brilliant feat

20. 2023 Ali Wong show

22. Dish from a crockpot

23. Pretend

24. Riff's partner?

27. Pine (for)

29. Part of mph

30. Breakfast cereal

33. Workers on sets, ships, or construction sites

35. Place to see animals in southern Australia

37. Food fight noise

38. "Ode ___ Nightingale"

39. Bond backed by the govt.

43. Golden Globe winner for "Lady Bird"

46. User of recycled material?

49. Qatar, for one

50. Stayed in first

51. Squeaked (out)

53. Makes the decision

54. Tough task

56. General ___ chicken

58. :// preceder 61. "No way!"

65. Outrage

66. Clean out, as a river channel

67. Automated prefix

68. Pool room tool

69. "August: ___ County" (2013 film)

70. Hit the water

71. Any of about 8 characters in the "Barbie" movie

DOWN

1. Utah city named for a Biblical kingdom

2. Sugar source

3. Nevertheless

4. Space bar neighbor

5. ___ Grande

6. Flightless birds

7. In a sense

8. "Well, golly!"

9. U.K. fliers

10. Beginning on

11. Blanketlike shawl

12. React to citrus fruit, maybe

16. Jury members

19. Wane

21. Enthusiastic group

25. Filmed material

26. Reason to get a shot

28. Heady activity?

30. MLB execs

31. Workout unit

32. Pretension

34. Head toward a pole, maybe

36. Usually partnered conjunction 40. Like corn dogs

41. Ink

42. Ethyl ending

44. Acorn source 45. Like some broody teens 46. Reason for sandbags 47. Brad of "Sleepers" 48. Elicits

52. Action takers

55. Airline freebie

57. Winter blanket?

59. "Right you are!"

60. Ball-___ hammer

62. Australian boot brand 63. "Madama Butterfly" sash

64. Cruise of the "Mission: Impossible" series

"Twisting Apart" yes, I accept cookies. by Matt Jones

“Jonesin”

CLASSIFIEDS

NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE

IS HIRING NMC is seeking to hire a Great Lakes Maritime Academy Recruiter & Admissions Specialist ($54,745.00/yr.) and a Lead Accounting Assistant/ Bookkeeper ($21.71/hr.) Both positions are full-time/yearround with full benefit packages including 160 hours of paid time off within the first year of employment. NMC is EOE www.nmc.edu/ non-discrimination

OFFICE MANAGER & MEAT APPRENTICE

- OLESON'S FOODS Oleson's is looking for an Office Manager (PT or FT + benefits) and a Meat Cutter Apprentice (FT + benefits). Search on Indeed or email to apply. samoleson@olesonsfoods.com

STUDIO PRO BOUTIQUE MASSAGE

SCHOOL No accepting student applications! Payment plans & scholarships available.

PUBLIC: Want a great massage at a great price? Call now to book yours with a Sr. Student! http://www.studiopromassage.com

JOBS AT INTERLOCHEN Are you ready to be part of the heartbeat that keeps Interlochen thriving? We are excited to announce multiple job openings in our Support Services area, where you'll play an essential role in creating a welcoming and vibrant environment for our community.Full and Part-Time roles available for bus drivers, custodians, dining services and maintenance. http://www.interlochen. org/careers

SHADY LANE CELLARS: WINE STEWARD

Are you friendly, enthusiastic, and dynamic with a genuine interest in wine and people? Join us as a Wine Steward and be the face of our Tasting Room! Food Prep Chef No experience needed! If you have an interest

RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR.

in food and wine pairings, we have a spot for you. Contact missy@shadylanecellars.com

SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248

WANTED: OLD, WOOD DUCK GOOSE FISH DECOYS: Paying cash for old, wooden decoys or other folk. Call or text 586-530-6586.

U-PICK PEACHES, MISSION PENINSULA: Saturdays & Sundays, 12 to 4 p.m., 14998 Peninsula Drive, at Roadside Stand

MR.GETITDONE: Power washing, anything handyman, leaves, and junk. Call Mike at 231-871-1028. I CAN!