My name is Rosie O., and I am an 8th grader at West Middle School. After reading the Northern Express for the week of March 17, featuring columns written by local high schoolers, an idea hit me. What if we created interest in writing in middle-grade students? What if our local newspaper featured a short story written by someone between the ages of 11 and 14? What if this was featured each week as a way to involve young people in both writing and the Traverse City community?
My proposal is this: A 1/4-1/2 page column submitted weekly by middle schoolers, featured as a way to let our youth, our future, have a creative outlet. I think this would be a great addition to your newspaper. Thank you for your consideration.
Rosie O. | Traverse City
Editor’s Note: Dear Rosie, we would love to talk to you about this idea! Our staff email address is info@northernexpress.com.
Thank You, Next Generation
I LOVED your “voices of the next generation” issue, especially the “The End of the Page?” and “Redefining Success Through the Generations” articles. As a millennial and avid reader, the info in “The End of the Page?” was fascinating (and sad). “Redefining Success” was so interesting, I read my husband almost the whole article. It is astonishing how the idea of success has changed through the generations, and how we’ve been able to watch that shift happen—from our parents, to us, to our younger siblings. Thank you, next generation, for your voices. I can’t wait to read more from you in the future!
Angelika
What’s in a Name?
Rasper | Harbor Springs
I just read in the TC Ticker that Traverse City State Park is due for a major renovation. As one of the only state parks that turns a profit, it is due for infrastructure rehab. While we are at it, a name change, in my opinion, is due.
Here is a name I would like to put forth: Fred Haskins. Fred Haskins was born and raised in Fife Lake, worked out of the Headquarters Lake Field Office and the Traverse City Field Office, then ending up in Lansing. He is largely, if not solely, responsible for the thousands of acres of red, white, and jack pine plantations which were established on abandoned farmland throughout the state.
When I worked in the Traverse City Field Office, I remember still finding mimeographed instructions on tree care, which were handed out to landowners to help them manage their own woodlots. He wrote them. If Gifford Pinchot is considered the Father of Forestry in the United States, then Fred is surely the Father of Forestry in the state of Michigan. He ended his days on the east side of Silver Lake. It would be a fitting tribute to him and his many years of work to place his name on that sign.
Robert Walters | Traverse City
Bad Friends
Thank you to Steven Tuttle for writing this column [“Our New Friends,” March 10, 2025]. It is one of the best summaries I’ve seen on the reversal of U.S. policy on Ukraine. Never thought I’d see the day when our usual allies would be rejected in favor of Russia, China, and the like.
I have especially been following what is happening in Ukraine because of my family’s history of being displaced from their country of Lithuania, one of the Baltic States, during the WWII Soviet Union’s occupation. My parents fled their country because they knew what life would be like under the oppressive Soviets (Russians). Interestingly, not that much has changed from that time—Putin’s goal of restoring the Russian Empire still remains.
Vida McAndrew | West Bloomfield
Six Months Out?
I am writing about my frustration trying to make a reservation at the state parks. I believe the six month out rule is unfair to many Michigan residents, even those who purchase park passes. Many people do not usually know six months ahead of time when their schedule will allow them the opportunity to camp. Trying to make reservations about two weeks to a month out, which should be a reasonable time frame, there is no availability because they have already been reserved months ahead of time.
Why are reservation periods not staggered? Leaving sites available for reservations to be made three, two, one months and even one to two weeks ahead of time opens up opportunities for more people to utilize camping sites that may not be able to plan six months ahead. Michigan state parks should be available to all, especially to residents of the state. There should be more opportunities for more people to be able to enjoy the beautiful outdoors of Michigan without having to plan six months ahead.
Deborah Harris | Traverse City
Love Thy Neighbor
I truly hope that we are indeed one people, one nation, under God, indivisible. Our neighbors are not the “enemy.” Immigrants are not the “enemy.” If there is an enemy, it is the ultra-wealthy who are bent on turning the rest of us into peasants and denying us the benefits for which we have worked hard, and in the case of veterans, put their very lives on the line. See what those in power are doing, not what they are saying.
Our representative, Mr. Bergman, lives in Louisiana most of the time. He is not doing his job for us, or showing up to listen to us. Imagine our beautiful lakes polluted with oil, our air dangerous to breathe. Imagine millions without the Social Security they paid for, or medical care. Imagine folks who have lost everything in a disaster with no hope, or having your family ripped apart. Imagine being sent to a prison just for calling out injustice.
We are already there. We are all neighbors. When we fight each other, we lose. This is not a drill. “Love thy neighbor” isn’t a slogan. It’s a path to sanity and a
livable country and world. Don’t despair. Now is the time to join your neighbors, to show up and speak up. Everything we cherish is at risk.
Liz Paxson | Traverse City
A Bloated College Administration
“NMC Ramps Up Efforts To Secure State Funding For Long-Planned Student Service Hub,” a “one-stop shop for student services like admissions, financial aid, advising, and tutoring,” according to The Ticker.
Do you see the word classroom in the previous paragraph? Books? Teachers? Nope, the funding is for a big building that will house admissions, financial aid, advising, and tutoring. Tutoring has something to do with learning, education. All the rest of the building houses “them.”
In 1971, when I began teaching at NMC, there were almost 100 teachers and 50 administrators, every single one of whom was required to teach at least one class every academic year. Within 15 years, there were only 80 full-time teachers, while “administrative” personnel tripled to 150, and they gobbled up the budget.
NMC is having trouble getting the money to build this monstrosity. “Rather than give up, though, the college is now doubling down on its commitment to the Osterlin project, hiring a Lansing-based legislative advocacy firm to put some extra ‘horsepower’ behind the request.” That contract commenced Tuesday (March 18) and “will last one year, costing NMC $5,500 per month, or $66,000 for the full 12-month period. The college is paying for the contract out of its general fund.”
Out of its general fund—the money they get to educate people. Colleges charge you a bundle because you are supporting a beyond-belief bloated administration.
The budget to administrate grows, the budget to educate shrinks, especially recently where “adjuncts” have multiplied like rabbits. In some cases, adjuncts teach more classes than full-time faculty. Adjuncts? Think part-timers. No contract, no obligation, no need for medical benefits, or promotions.
Manager: Roger Racine Sales: Lisa Gillespie, Kim Murray, Kaitlyn Nance, Todd Norris, Abby Walton Porter, Michele Young, For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948
Creative Director: Kyra Cross Poehlman
Distribution: Marc Morris, Gerald Morris, Dave Anderson, Joe Evancho, Jason Ritter, Sherri Ritter, Roger Racine, Sarah Racine, Brandy Grames, Rachel Cara, Jackson Price, Lisa Price, Peggy Bell Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold
Contributors: Ren Brabenec, Anna Faller, Jamie Kauffold, Abby McKiernan, Ellen Miller, Stephen Tuttle, Drew VanDrie
top ten
A 2020 Pew Research Center study found that while eight in 10 Americans know what the Holocaust is (what do the other two think?!), only about six in 10 know that Nazi-created ghettos were parts of a city or town where Jews were forced to live.
Sunday, April 13, Interlochen students will perform a staged reading of Echoes of Vilna, set in the Vilna Ghetto in Vilnius, Lithuania, “where poetry, music, and unyielding hope become weapons of survival.” The play is based on actual diaries from the young people of Vilna and written by Traverse City playwright Ken Newbury. Esther Triggs, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Interlochen Arts Academy and a graduate of City University New York with a master of arts in Applied Theatre program, will direct. Admission is free for the reading at 5:30pm at the Music Building.
Castle Farms in Charlevoix will welcome back Art in the Castle for its fourth year April 12-13! Presented by Art as Healing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, this juried fine art fair will feature original artwork from 50 artists, mostly from Michigan and the Midwest. Browse jewelry, painting, ceramics, pottery, woodworking, fiber art, sculpture, and more. Hours are Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday, 11am-4pm. Admission is $5 (free for 12 and under), and advance two-for-one tickets are available at artinthecastle.org.
Hey, read It! Victorian Psycho 4
Red meat’s back on the menu in acclaimed author Virginia Feito’s newest gothic thriller, Victorian Psycho. It’s no coincidence when Winifred Notty is hired as the new governess of Ensor House and its spoiled young charges, Drusilla and Andrew; in fact, she’s plastered a smile on her face that even the keenest onlooker wouldn’t suspect. So she’ll resist the violence that plagues her mind (aka, “the Darkness”) as the dull hours tick by, even when she’s caught between her smarmy employer and his spiteful wife. Winifred has hidden bloody surprises in every corner of Ensor House, and all she has to do is wait for the perfect moment to unleash their—literal— executor. Splattered with modern cynicism and topped off with a shocking twist of an ending, this lushly-written read will have you giggling, writhing in disgust, and furiously turning pages!
Since 1961, The Sweet Shop in Cadillac has been “making the world a little sweeter.” Their signature confection is the Snowbird, a trademarked combination of white chocolate and Georgia pecan pieces that looks like a little white bird nestled in its brown paper wrapping nest. Complete the bird trio with the Flock of Birds ($10.25 for 12 pieces; two other sizes available). You’ll get three of the Snowbird, three of the Dirty Bird (a milk chocolate spin on the classic) and three of the Black Bird (the dark chocolate version). Keep them to yourself, share with friends, or send as a gift! You can visit the shop at 111 S Mitchell St. in Cadillac or go online to cadillacsweetshop.com and have the sweets shipped right to your door.
Photograph by James Bowers
Stuff We Love: Stepping Up to Help
The Guardian reported in March that U.S. honeybee deaths hit a record high over the winter, with losses of more than 60 percent in managed colonies. Can backyard hives help? If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at beekeeping or expand your knowledge, now’s the time with the Mitchell State Park Beekeeping Clinic. You’ll learn about equipment, basic bee biology, setting up an apiary, caring for bee health, and more. The clinic runs from 9am-4pm on April 12 at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting & Fishing Center (6087 East M-115, Cadillac). The class is $30 per person; to register, go to Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses and click on the “Purchase a license” button. Sign in (using either a username and password or your ID and birthdate), and find the class under the Outdoor Skills Academy tab. Note: A recreation passport is required for entry into Mitchell State Park.
Speaking of bees, consider holding off on spring yard cleanup until we reach warmer days. While it’s tempting to get out there and start raking, mowing, and trimming, experts at MSU Extension advise waiting until daytime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees to allow overwintering insects time to move out of the leaves and brush they called home. To learn more about protecting pollinators, head to canr.msu.edu/news/when-is-it-safe-toclean-up-my-yard-this-spring. When it is time for cleanup, check your local city/township for waste pick-up or drop-off info (for example, the City of Traverse City will start their pick-up services April 28). And if you decide to burn lawn debris, get a DNR burn permit and check their website for open burn regulations. (Hint: Don’t burn on a dry, windy day.) michigan.gov/dnr/managing-resources/forestry/fire/burn-permit
Last week’s ice storm left thousands without power, toppled countless trees, and led to Gov. Whitmer declaring a state of emergency for several northern Michigan counties, including Otsego, Emmet, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Crawford. While it will take time to undo the damage, we wanted to give a shoutout to (just a few of many!) organizations and businesses who stepped up to help their neighbors. King Orchards offered free freezer space. Charlevoix Township Fire, St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in Boyne City, and Lighthouse Missionary Church in East Jordan opened their doors as warming shelters. Odawa Casino, Shay Elementary in Harbor Springs, and Pellston Airport had food and water available for residents. And a big thank-you to all the utility companies, emergency responders, and tree removal companies who have been working around the clock!
Three Trees Vineyard in Suttons Bay is all about cultivating harmony—in their low-intervention wine varietals, in the land, and in the local community—and they’ve hit a true high note in the 2021 vintage of their signature Folk Singer Cabernet Franc. Featuring all estate-grown grapes, this sip was fermented for 24 months under concrete (this develops complexity while retaining the fruit’s natural expression) before receiving just a kiss of French oak. The result is a balanced, medium-bodied wine with velvety tannins, an herbal nose, and notes of brambleberries and black pepper. Savor a glass, and while you’re at it, don’t skimp on the artisan bread and cheese. Get your hands on a bottle ($55) and a selection of other hand-crafted wines at Three Trees Vineyard in Suttons Bay (5200 Elm Valley Rd.). threetreesvineyard.com
Photo by Nate Walton; a native plant demonstration garden at the Leelanau County Government Center.
Photo by Eileen Tussey, Gaylord Tourism Bureau
Easter Brunch
Sunday, April 20 | 10am - 3pm
Celebrate Easter at Artisan with a Spring-inspired three-course brunch. Book your table today! artisantc.com
spectator
By steven Tuttle
The irrational decisions now happen with such dizzying frequency that it’s almost impossible to keep track. If it was something we valued, there is a pretty good chance Donald Trump and Elon Musk will destroy it.
Let’s start with the arts, in which the current administration never had much interest until now.
Since it was founded in 1971 as a bipartisan, semi-independent part of the Smithsonian Institution, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has been a beacon for performers in virtually every area from Broadway plays to military bands to poetry readings. It was where we could witness
the Women’s History Museum currently being developed, and, what the heck, let’s get rid of the American Art Museum, too.
So, the American story, as told at the Smithsonian, will become mostly a story of white men.
(Trump, in fact, has become so deranged about DEI, he actually told France, and presumably others, any company exporting goods to the U.S. would have to adhere to his hatred of all things DEI. They demurred.)
Another part of the American story will be retold at our military bases and with monuments. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
So, the American story, as told at the Smithsonian, will become mostly a story of white men.
the full spectrum of talent available. Once a year, the board would present the Kennedy Center Honors recognizing lifetime artistic achievements and contributions to American culture in the performing arts. All of that will now likely be referred to as “the good old days.”
Donald Trump has fired the current chair— and largest donor—and installed himself as head of the Kennedy Center. He also replaced seven board members, all the better to satisfy his need for control. In his Executive Order, he said the Kennedy Center was too “woke” and offered up “anti-American propaganda.” He started his tenure by eliminating programming he did not like, including anything featuring LGBTQ+ issues or performers and anything that even hints at being an effort at diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). He even went so far as to remove the portrait of JFK from the boardroom and replace it with pictures of himself, his wife, the vice president, and his wife.
The immediate impact on the Kennedy Center has been a series of canceled performances by artists and groups not pleased with the new direction. Additionally, fundraising has fallen by nearly 20 percent, and since the Center only receives 10 percent of its funding from the government, individuals and organizations turning their backs and closing their wallets is more than a small problem.
And speaking of the Smithsonian, Trump has started taking the ax to its programs, too. He says too much of it has “improper ideology,” and “divisive narratives” and “casts the founding principles” of the U.S. in a “negative light.” He intends to correct the flaws he sees by putting JD Vance in charge.
We’ll start by eliminating the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which first opened in 2006. Too “woke.” While we’re at it, we’ll also eliminate
will be restoring the previously removed names of several Confederate generals to military bases at Trump’s direction. We’ll also try to restore some of those monuments/ statues we removed. It was all just over-the-top “wokism” according to those now in charge. Even ignoring the slave owner component and that some of those folks helped found and run the Ku Klux Klan, someone should remind the president they were traitors who took up arms against their own country; treason is not usually cause for celebration or recognition.
In a separate but tangentially related outrage, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has decided to whack $1 billion from the program that provides school lunches and helps fund food banks. Fully $660 million of that would have provided free or low cost school lunches. Much of the food was provided by local farmers, so the program helped both provide school kids with nutritious, unprocessed meals and helped local growers find another valuable customer. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins says the programs are “nonessential.”
Schools will now have to rely on cheap, less nutritious processed food, often canned and rarely fresh, and local farmers will lose a valuable source of income; one decision, two losses. Food banks, already struggling to provide for an ever growing base of families in need, will also lose a source of fresh produce. Folks struggling to feed their families will now struggle a little bit more.
And let’s not forget the big story of the last two weeks: the government Signal group chat. As always, first they lied, calling it all a “hoax” and “witch hunt.” Had they simply acknowledged the error and pledged to make sure it didn’t happen again, there would be no so-called Signalgate. It was neither hoax nor witch hunt, and the editorin-chief of The Atlantic really was invited to join the chat, a remarkable blunder. Just admit it, correct it, and move along. Give us a break, and stop lying.
Just Ask Siri GUEST OPINION
by Sam Inglot
As the tsunami of executive orders and funding cuts from the Trump administration makes its way to Michigan, people across the state need to be prepared to stand up and fight back against this assault on our day-to-day lives and more attacks that will inevitably follow. And if you think DOGE is just something coming down on us from Washington, D.C., know that Republicans in Michigan are looking to replicate the disaster here in our state.
about his plans to bring DOGE-like attack plans to Lansing.
We already have a blueprint for how Nesbitt’s plans will work out: former Gov. Rick Snyder’s legacy. Folks may not know that his administration decimated the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s funding before the Flint water crisis, paid for tax cuts for businesses by hiking taxes on working families, and privatized food
Community services and agencies that provide food to families, educate small kids, and protect our Great Lakes from invasive species are now wondering how they’re going to keep the lights on with funding freezes.
Libraries, veteran healthcare, and funding for farmers: These are just a few of the programs threatened in Michigan (and across the country) as the result of President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk’s plan to pull resources away from our communities to fund tax cuts for the rich.
The agency at the helm of this nonsense, the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is anything but efficient—it’s actually making our lives more difficult. Not even 100 days into office, the chaos and unpredictability that’s come from the MAGA movement’s crusade against essential government services is putting many folks on edge, and understandably so.
Community services and agencies that provide food to families, educate small kids, and protect our Great Lakes from invasive species are now wondering how they’re going to keep the lights on with funding freezes. Federal employees are set to lose their jobs, even at critical agencies like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—yes, that’s the agency that forecasts weather—and the U.S. Postal Service, which is a lifeline for our rural communities getting mail service.
And these massive cuts to social services aren’t the only thing you should be alarmed about; DOGE is going after our personal data as well. At a Michigan Senate Oversight Committee hearing, Professor Hilary Allen testified that “DOGE employees’ access to banking, personal, financial and health data raises significant privacy concerns and identity theft risks.” Basically, what Trump and Musk are doing with our federal dollars is the kind of stuff that keeps you up at night.
Not only is DOGE’s dismantling of key institutions impacting how working families are going to get by, but at the state government level, Republican officials are starting to parrot what MAGA is saying in Washington. Take none other than state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (RPorter Township). Nesbitt is talking loudly
services in Michigan prisons, which put corrections officers and inmates at risk.
However, based on what’s happening at the federal level and Nesbitt’s strong rhetoric, there is every reason to believe that Nesbitt's burn-it-all-down ideas on public services will make Snyder’s look like a scented candle in comparison.
Nesbitt, the former state co-chair of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a prominent right-wing corporate bill mill, is calling to “dismantle” state government, something that the more genteel Snyder would never dare say. In pulling a page from the Trump playbook, Nesbitt seems to be more interested in hyperbole and destructive slash-and-burn deregulation than doing anything that will lower costs or improve the lives of working Michiganders.
At the time of writing this piece, thousands of contracts and dozens of programs remain illegally frozen by the Trump Administration, and DOGE is a bull in a china shop, breaking important programs that Americans need to live a good life.
“This is going to destroy whole regional economies in rural areas around the country,” said Matthew Fletcher, an Indian law professor at the University of Michigan and a member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
The fact is that people’s jobs are being ripped away, healthcare is on the chopping block, and our sense of security is on the ropes as a result of Trump and Musk’s authoritarian agenda. Working class Michiganders from Monroe to Marquette are prepared to resist this billionairebacked agenda wreaking havoc on our lives. I urge you to contact your state lawmakers and tell them to not DOGE Michigan.
Sam Inglot is the executive director of Progress Michigan, a nonprofit communications advocacy and government watchdog group.
CASH COMES RAINING DOWN SATURDAYS IN APRIL
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reserves all rights. Owned and Operated by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
THE SPRING 2025 RACE CALENDAR
20+ races for the season of change
By Northern Express Staff & Contributors
The snow is gone (we hope), so it’s time to get some dirt on those trainers. The spring racing season is off and running, with 5Ks galore and a few marathons and half-marathons in the mix. Cyclists are hitting the road too! Pro tip: If you’re still tuning up your bike, consider a ride rather than a race, with events like the Zoo-de-Mack (May 16-18) or the Bike Benzie Tour (May 31). Go for gold or just have fun—either way, spring is a great time to hop on the trail.
APRIL
SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2025
Mari Vineyards Wine Run 5K Mari Vineyards, TC runsignup.com/Race/MI/TraverseCity/MariVineyardsWineRun5k
SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2025
10th Annual Big Little Hero Race - 5K, 10K, Fun Run NMC Main Campus - Outside the Timothy J Nelson Innovation Center, TC biglittleherorace.com
SATURDAY, APRIL 19, 2025
Bunny Hop 5K & 1M Fun Run 101 Parke Ave., Charlevoix runsignup.com/Race/Events/MI/Charlevoix/ BunnyHop5kAnd1MileFunRun
SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 2025
Wood Memorial Trout Run; 5K, 10K, 1M 109 North Birch St, Kalkaska runsignup.com/Race/MI/Kalkaska/WoodMemorialTroutRun
MAY
SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025
Interlochen Run for the Arts 5K Interlochen Center for the Arts Campus runsignup.com/Race/MI/Interlochen/InterlochenRunfortheArts
Fleet Feet’s The Big Run - 4M Hull Park, TC tctrackclub.com/local-calendar/2025/the-big-run
SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2025
North Mitten Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, 1M Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville runsignup.com/northmitten
SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2025
Hanson Hills Challenge Trail Run - 5M & 3M
7601 Old Lake Rd., Grayling runsignup.com/Race/MI/Grayling/HansonHillsChallenge5MileTrailRun
SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2025
Lilac Festival 10K Run & Walk
Windemere Park, Mackinac Island runmackinac.com/lilac-10k-run-walk
Photo courtesy of the Traverse City Track Club and Bayshore Marathon.
Indulge in our exclusive Champagne Brunch, Sunday, May 11th
Savor an exquisite menu crafted for the most deserving woman in your life!
Every mother deserves a moment of luxury. Join us for an intimate celebration where owing champagne meets culinary mastery, and cherished memories are made over exceptional cuisine.
THIS ISN'T JUST BRUNCH – IT'S A CELEBRATION WORTHY OF MOM.
This rare Sunday opening is available by reservation only. Space is limited for this exclusive event. Gift her a memory, not just a meal.
WHO DOESN’T LOVE A LIGHTHOUSE?
Inside the Beaver Head Lighthouse renovations
By Drew VanDrie
Lighthouses possess a rugged allure here in Michigan. Anchored in the maritime lore of the Great Lakes, these beacons (many well over a century old) are physical reminders of the extensive nautical history and heritage of the state.
During the mid-20th century, many of these storied structures were automated or decommissioned, leaving their fate and state of repair in the dark. Organizations like the Beaver Island Historical Society have taken up the mantle for restoring these beloved guiding lights.
Standing for 173 Years
Drawing on volunteers, local, municipal, and private donor support, and the attention of a professional renovator, the rehab of the Beaver Head Lighthouse has been a labor of love and a long time in the making.
As the third oldest standing lighthouse on the Great Lakes, Beaver Head Lighthouse has no shortage of storied history. Per the Historical Society website, the lighthouse was completed in 1852, marking the west approach for ships passing to the Straits of Mackinac for a century before it was decommissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1962, when a radio beacon was installed on the site.
From 1963 to 1970, the lighthouse was used as a private hunting club before becoming vacant. The site was then purchased by the Charlevoix Public Schools in 1975 where it became an Environmental Education Center until 2016. In 2019 the property was purchased by Charlevoix County and Networks Northwest, and
continual renovation has been ongoing with coordination from the Beaver Island Historical Society (BIHS).
For Lori Taylor-Blitz, executive director of the BIHS, the restoration of the lighthouse has been a topic of discussion from the beginning of her tenure.
“When I first started my office hours in April of 2017, community members started coming in at that time and talking to me about their general dissatisfaction with the state of the lighthouse,” she says. “It’s a cultural asset of the Beaver Island community.”
This communal determination to rehab the beloved light resulted in a robust and active volunteer core. “They’re all very dedicated and committed to making sure that it’s properly cared for,” Taylor-Blitz says.
Tower and Keeper’s Quarters
Over the years, volunteers have undertaken several maintenance items, from site clean-up to painting the entire lighthouse exterior. That volunteer group, along with contributions from students of Eastern Michigan University’s Historic Preservation Graduate Field School, allowed for significant headway to be made on the lighthouse.
As a result, the renovation of the lighthouse tower is largely complete and is open to the public, allowing visitors to climb the winding stairs and take in the scenic view. The bulk of remaining work is focused on rehabbing the attached lighthouse keeper’s quarters. Prior to the transfer to the current ownership, the quarters experienced significant water damage.
“There was a lot of work that had to be done,” says Taylor-Blitz. Along with the
removal of damaged plaster and lathe and floorboards, there was leftover furniture and miscellaneous items that needed sorting, disposal, or storage. “All of that work had to occur to get to a blank slate,” she adds.
It was around this stage of the renovation that the Historical Society and its cadre of volunteers received help from a pair of reno pros and newcomers to Beaver Island.
Keith Bynum and partner Evan Thomas, owners of NINE Design + Homes and cohosts of the HGTV series Bargain Block, had come to the island in search of solitude—for themselves and their dog.
“During COVID we were looking for a place that didn’t allow fireworks because our dog was having severe anxiety,” says Bynum. “We went there for a Fourth of July week and we fell in love with the island. It is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been and the people are just amazing.”
All the Right Partners
Bynum and Thomas ended up purchasing a secondary residence on the island, and it was during one of their visits that the seasoned renovators were introduced to the Beaver Head Lighthouse.
“Our cab driver one day was like ‘Hey do you want to go check out the lighthouse?’ and we were like ‘sure!’”
The driver was Bonnie Cull-Rice, an avid volunteer involved in the restoration of the light. Upon arrival at the site, Bynum was instantly hooked. “You fall in love with the views from the lighthouse,” he says. “It was one of those projects that just needed a little love.”
Realizing that he could offer some of his renovation and design expertise, Bynum
and NINE Design began coordinating with Taylor-Blitz and the Historical Society.
“We’re extremely grateful that they [NINE Design] are interested and willing to donate their time, talents, and treasures to help restore this cultural landscape,” says Taylor-Blitz.
Likewise, Bynum notes that he and his crew are also glad to be able to pitch in.
“The Beaver Island Historical Society has been spearheading this for a long time,” says Bynum. “This partnership has been wonderful because they understand what we love about design and historic projects, and we also kind of see what they need.”
The Challenges of Restoration
Bynum and his crew began to tackle some of the essential elements like electrical, flooring, and wall replacement within the keeper’s quarters.
Adding to the challenge of the renovation was keeping replacement elements within historical preservation standards as the lighthouse is on the National Register of Historical Places. And that’s where Bynum’s expertise fits in.
“A lot of the specialty things, like the plasterwork, I’m doing myself,” he says. “There’s just not a lot of people to do that.”
Beyond the specialty work, Beaver Head Lighthouse provides a unique challenge for Bynum and his usual design-focused efforts.
“I wouldn’t even call it a redesign. It’s a restoration. Taking it back to be as similar as it was,” he says. “This is the challenge for me, I love big design. Taking the approach of almost no design, just restoring it to hopefully as close as we can get it to what it was. And that to
me, I think, is a really fun challenge.”
Almost Made for TV
As with any major restoration project, making the work feasible on a modest budget is also an important consideration for the Beaver Head Lighthouse.
“Our biggest problem or challenge has been to find a way to make this doable,” says Taylor-Blitz. The Historical Society has worked to “get a renovation completed that accommodates a volunteer budget,” she says.
Funds for the project have come from a variety of sources. Private donations have contributed significantly toward the project, including a $25,000 grant from the Donnelly Foundation. Taylor-Blitz also highlights that the owners, Charlevoix County and Networks
Northwest, have contributed substantially.
Earlier this winter, the island was aflutter when a preliminary announcement was made to include the Beaver Head Island renovation on HGTV’s Bargain Block. However, in the ensuing months, that announcement was walked back.
“Due to the remote nature of the lighthouse, it was determined that the travel budget for film crew would be too cost prohibitive,” Bynum says. “We have limited funds to complete the project and that was not a productive way to spend those funds.”
In the Home Stretch
But that just means more money goes into the lighthouse itself. Boosted by the support of NINE Design, along with the return of
the EMU graduate students this spring, the restoration is on a positive trajectory. Both Taylor-Blitz and Bynum anticipate that the keeper’s quarters will be finished in the fall of 2025, with a commemorative ceremony to take place, though details are still pending.
Once the renovation is complete, the Historical Society plans to place historical pieces in the keeper’s quarters and operate it as a public, seasonal lighthouse museum in partnership with Networks Northwest and Charlevoix County.
As to what the completion of the lighthouse project will mean to the residents of the island, Taylor-Blitz points to one of their most passionate volunteers, Dick McEnvoy. “It will be very gratifying. There was a dedicated volunteer who was the ‘main
cheerleader,’ who I really had to work with to get things organized and work around, and he passed away last year,” she says. “So now we’re more than determined to get this finished in his memory.”
For Bynum the work and project has also been satisfying. “It looks good and it feels good to see everyone so excited,” he says. “I have … [a] volunteer army on the island, and I love it. It’s been awesome.”
How to summarize all these years of dedication, hard work, and cooperation to restore the historical site? Bynum perhaps captures it best: “Who doesn’t love a lighthouse?”
Learn more about Beaver Head Lighthouse and follow the renovation progress at beaverislandhistory.org/lighthouses.
The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits
NYT bestselling author Jennifer Weiner explores whether fame is worth the price
By Ellen Miller
Jennifer Weiner was on a vacation with her husband in Alaska when she had the vision that sparked her new book. “We were talking to lots of people, eavesdropping on conversations,” she remembers. “I got this image in my head of a woman wearing a giant puffy parka and carrying cleaning supplies.”
That woman became Cassie, one of the main characters in her latest novel, The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits.
“When we were on vacation, I kept thinking about this idea that people had left a version of themselves behind them somewhere,” says Weiner. “At the same time, we were staying in Airbnbs and I was intrigued by this idea: Here’s a code or a text, and you’ll never see the host. I had this picture of this woman in a giant puffy parka with the hood up, carrying the cleaning supplies to clean the Airbnb. Who is she? What happened to her? What brought her to this place?” she says.
Those questions began to build the backstory for Cassie, whose life in Alaska is nothing like the life in the spotlight she led 20-some years ago. The book, out April 8, tells the story of “the complicated ties between two sisters, the tragedy that divides them, and the power of love and forgiveness” across the decades, all set within the glamorous— and grueling—world of pop music.
Join the National Writers Series (NWS) on Wednesday, April 9, as Weiner takes the stage at the City Opera House in Traverse City to talk about women, sisterhood, fame, and more.
When Past and Present Collide
Here’s the premise: Eighteen-year-old Cherry wants nothing more than to be a singer and can’t understand why her mom, Zoe, is so against her pursuit of music. So Cherry packs a bag and disappears, planning to win her way to stardom by competing on a reality show. Her determination carries her to Alaska to meet Cassie, the character that
Weiner originally envisioned on her trip.
The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits follows Cherry’s time on the reality show contrasted to the early journey of The Griffin Sisters, a musical duo of Zoe and Cassie (yes, that Cassie) Grossberg, updated with a cool new last name. The book traverses Philadelphia, where Weiner lives, Detroit, and Alaska.
“I’ve lived in Philly for more than 30 years, and I really love the city,” says Weiner. “I love celebrating it especially in the songs in the book… ‘Last Night in Fishtown,’ I had a good time with that.’”
While Weiner loves a Philly shoutout, she also pulled inspiration from locations she had traveled to flesh out the other settings in the book.
“My parents were both from Detroit, and I have family in the area; I know Detroit pretty well,” she says. “I actually stayed in the hotel where the scene that opens the book takes place in, so when I was writing it I was imagining it specifically: the room, the building. Then in Alaska, I was just captured by this idea of how far can you go when you’re trying to run away from something. The truth is that wherever you go, there you are. You don’t become a new person.”
Turning Fact into Fiction
For Weiner, her settings are characters unto themselves. “Place is really important for books,” she adds. “I’m not the biggest visual thinker. I don’t always know what my characters look like, but I know where they live.”
That attention to detail is evident in her writing; in this novel, hyper-specific Philadelphia references include Might Bread Company, a bakery near Passyunk Square, and the School of Rock, where her own daughter attended classes. Those details were shaped by Weiner’s early introductions to the craft of writing, both in school and then as a young journalist.
“I was a creative writing student in college, an English major. But nobody hires a debut novelist!” she laughs. “I tried to find
somebody. I went to my parents and asked, ‘Would either of you be interested in being a patron of the arts?’”
Weiner’s youthful ambition is both humorous in hindsight and relatable to anyone who has struggled to get their start in the world. Neither of her parents took her up on the offer, so like many, she was stuck getting a day job.
“I was a journalist for 10 years before my first novel was published,” she says. “I got a job at a newspaper, and one of my jobs was typing in the school lunch menus. Typing ‘hot dog in bun, your choice of skim or chocolate milk’... boy, this will really knock the F. Scott Fitzgerald out of you!”
It might not have been the writing practice she dreamed about, but Weiner credits her time as a journalist for shaping her skills today.
“It made me very unsentimental about my work,” she says. “It made me comfortable writing on deadline, and comfortable writing fast; it really taught me the idea that you can always make something better. You take edits, suggestions, notes—you can always make it better.”
Weiner says being a journalist was the “best apprenticeship” for becoming a novelist she could have had.
What Will Fame Do to You?
While the heart of the book is about sisterhood, Weiner doesn’t shy away from the gritty realities of the music industry and stardom. The book grapples with issues that famous women are forced to confront, like mental health and body image, by exploring the dynamics between Zoe and her plus-size sister Cassie and discussing the often vicious media attention the sisters received during the height of their fame.
Weiner read Britney Spears’ memoir (released in 2023) and had paid attention to the Free Britney movement.
“I had been thinking a lot about the wringer that we put young women celebrities through in the early aughts,” she reflects.
“The other thing I read a lot about is bodies, women living in larger bodies. Can you be body neutral and just perceive it as the vessel that carries you through the world? We’ve interrogated some of the ways we treated Britney, Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton … that cohort of celebrities, and there’s more awareness now. But yet, Ozempic. … It feels like we’re in the middle of this interesting pendulum swing.”
Since the early aughts, have things changed? “Yes,” Weiner says. Have they changed enough? “Probably not.” She hopes this book will shed more light.
“I want the things I always want for my readers, and hope for the thing I always hope for,” says Weiner. “I hope we have a little more awareness and intention of how we think about our own bodies as women and the bodies we are seeing.”
When she comes to Traverse City for her National Writers Series event the day after the book releases, Weiner is sure there will be no shortage of discussion topics.
“I think there’s a lot to talk about with this book: pop culture, sisters, mothers/ daughters, and fame and what fame does to people,” she says. “It’s a really exciting moment before you send a book into the world when no one has read it but your husband and publisher. I’m excited to have these conversations.”
About the Event
An Evening with Jennifer Weiner takes place on Wednesday, April 9, at 7pm at the City Opera House in Traverse City and via livestream. Tickets range from $42.50$52.50 (plus fees) and come with a hardcover copy of The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits. Inperson tickets can be purchased through the City Opera House, and livestream tickets can be found through the links on the National Writers Series website. The guest host for the event will be Dr. Amanda Sewell, Interlochen Public Radio’s Music Director. For more information, visit nationalwritersseries.org.
Photo by Andrea Cipriani Mecchi
WORRIES
Atlanta - ATL
Boston - BOS
Charlotte - CLT
Chicago - ORD
Dallas/Fort Worth - DFW
Denver - DEN
Detroit - DTW
Fort Lauderdale - FLL
Houston - IAH
Minneapolis - MSP
Newark - EWR
New Haven - HVN
New York - LaGuardia - LGA
Orlando/Sanford - SFB
Philadelphia - PHL
Phoenix/Mesa - AZA
Punta Gorda - PGD
Tampa/St. Pete - PIE
Washington DC - Dulles - IAD
Washington DC - Reagan - DCA
Cherry Capital Airport
SPRING GREENS: RECIPES WITH ASPARAGUS & ARUGULA Inside the Ingredients
By Nora Rae Pearl
As Michigan’s winter wraps up and we enter mud season, there is hope to be had around the corner for actual spring.
So let’s go in on all things green! Asparagus will soon be making its debut at a farmers market near you; expect to see stalks at the end of April or beginning of May, and mark your calendars for Empire’s Annual Asparagus Festival June 7. To make our Arugula White Pizza stand out, we used arugula from our CSA box from Meadowlark Farm (along with tons of other fresh produce!). You can also find them in Traverse City at Oryana or Burritt’s Fresh Markets.
And don’t skimp on the oils and vinegars in these recipes. Fustini’s Basil Crush Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar with Mother, and 18 Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar are a must for your pantry.
ROASTED ASPARAGUS
PARMESAN TARTS
A beautiful way to show off the stalks of the season.
Flaky Pie Crust Ingredients
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
• 2/3 cup ice cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Filling Ingredients
• 1 pound local asparagus, thinner stalks
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk ricotta
• 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• Heavy cream, to brush
To make the crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter. Cut in with a pastry cutter until crumbly with some little pebble pieces. Mix together the water with vinegar, then drizzle over the flour mixture. Toss until a dough forms. Add a tablespoon or two of water if it feels too dry. Gently fold mixture over itself, stopping once no
dry spots remain. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap, dust with flour, and roll out to 10-by-6 inches. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least three hours.
To make the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut off 2 inches from the bottoms of the asparagus to get rid of the woody stems. Place in a roasting dish and toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 15 minutes until bright green and tender with a little crunch. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, parmesan, and nutmeg.
To assemble: Increase oven to 425 degrees. Bring out pie crust, cut into four quarters, each measuring 5-by-3 inches. Working one at a time, roll on a floured surface to 10-by-6 inches. Trim edges for a clean look, otherwise leave rustic. Place two inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Score a nine-by-five-inch rectangle inside each rolled crust (this is to create a boundary of where to spread the filling). Poke the dough lightly with a fork inside the scored rectangles. Spread a quarter of the cheese mixture inside each rectangle. Add five to seven stalks of asparagus to each, gently press in. Brush edges with heavy cream. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until nicely golden.
WHITE PIZZA
A delicious salad with a creamy pizza underneath.
Crust Ingredients
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons yeast
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
Topping Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt & pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
• 2 cups cheese of choice, sharp cheddar or parmesan romano work well, but you could also use fresh mozzarella
• 2 large handfuls arugula
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Fustini’s Basil Crush Olive Oil
• Fustini’s 18 Year Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
• Shaved parmesan
To make the crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the honey, oil, and water. Mix until you have a shaggy dough; add more water if the dough
is too dry, or more flour if the dough feels too wet. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about three minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover. Allow to rise until doubled in size, around one hour.
To make the sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in the flour. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce bubbles at the corners and has thickened. Take off the heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and parmesan.
To assemble: Divide dough in half. Roll out each on a floured surface to a 14-inch circle. Place on large pieces of parchment. Poke the dough all over with your fingertips to get out any bubbles that may surface when you go to bake the pizzas. Allow to rest uncovered for 10-20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 415 degrees. Spread half of the sauce over each, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over each. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Brush crust with Basil Olive Oil, then allow to cool for a few minutes. Toss the arugula with the lemon juice and divide arugula between pizzas. Drizzle on balsamic vinegar and add some shaved parmesan on top. (This recipe halves nicely if you are looking to make only one pizza.)
ARUGULA
FLY FISHING IN THE MITTEN
Experts working in Michigan’s Blue Ribbon trout streams discuss the health of the region’s waterways and 2025 plans
By Ren Brabenec
The Au Sable and Manistee rivers are known for their high water quality, beautiful scenery, and superb cold-water fisheries. The Au Sable is also home to an annual canoe marathon that has earned international acclaim, while the Manistee attracts anglers and landscape photographers alike to iconic bluffs overlooking picturesque horseshoe bends and river islands.
Both rivers have their headwaters between Grayling and Gaylord, making this seemingly quiet region a hotspot for local, national, and international fly fishing enthusiasts.
Grayling, in particular, is a gathering place for fly fishers the world over, individuals who inevitably find themselves at the Gates Au Sable Lodge. There, owner Josh Greenberg, who also serves as president of the Anglers of the Au Sable conservation nonprofit, greets fellow anglers.
“I’m from southern Ohio, but I’ve been fly fishing since I was a tiny little kid,” Greenberg says. “When my parents bought a summer camp up here, I quickly ended up in a local fly shop, and soon after—at the age of 15—began tying flies for that shop. That fly shop was Gates Au Sable Lodge, and the fellow who gave me the job was Calvin ‘Rusty’ Gates, then owner of Gates Lodge and the president of Anglers of the Au Sable. I’ve just been here ever since.”
Greenberg is quick to describe why so many flock to northern Michigan for fly
fishing vacations. He contends that there are a lot of great rivers in the U.S., and while no one agrees which is the “best” for trout fishing, the Au Sable, in particular, is special
He notes that the Au Sable has a unique combination of wild trout, as opposed to stocked trout; offers a true “wild-run” of river trout fishing, as opposed to a stream that is temperature-controlled by human-caused influences like a large dam upstream; and is a river that, as Greenberg puts it, “makes you play by its rules.”
Balancing Sport and River Protection
Some outdoor sports, like deer hunting, have seen a decline in participation in recent years, but per Greenberg, the same hasn’t occurred with fly fishing in the Au Sable and Manistee rivers.
“A lot of outdoor sports boomed during COVID, and fly fishing was one of them,” Greenberg explains. “It has since, thankfully, settled down. I can’t speak for the entire fly fishing industry, but I think the trout fishing culture on the Au Sable and Manistee are in a healthy place. Too many people can ruin it, while too few means there’s not enough people to protect the resource.”
Greenberg used this discussion of the “perfect balance” of human presence in a river to introduce us to the nonprofit he serves as president for, Anglers of the Au Sable.
“We have some ongoing fights regarding corporate water usage and some fights regarding pollution,” Greenberg says. “But
the most important action we can take regarding our rivers is installing trout habitat. The healthier our trout population, the better the trout can survive traumatic events that are harder to control.”
One such harder-to-control event Greenberg is concerned about is the warming planet.
“Trout need cold water. The less cold water they have, the less trout there’ll eventually be. Fixing climate change can feel like a Herculean effort beyond our control, but the hands-on work of sheltering springs with trout cover and making sure companies can’t withdraw water from or pollute the springs, these are things Anglers of the Au Sable advocates for and is materially invested in.”
River Health Report
A river not only provides life to all the lands around it, but it is also the recipient of all that occurs in those lands, be it pollution run-off from industry, septic system failure, or overdraw of water for agricultural or corporate purposes. That’s why conservationists who care about the Au Sable and Manistee rivers are also intently focused on the lands around the rivers.
“The health of our Blue Ribbon trout streams is directly tied to the condition of the surrounding land and watersheds, making conservation efforts critical in northeast Michigan,” says Julie Rubsam, executive director of HeadWaters Land Conservancy.
“HeadWaters Land Conservancy is expanding stewardship efforts, particularly
in invasive species management and habitat restoration, to ensure these waterways remain healthy for generations to come,” she adds.
According to Rubsam, while the health of the Au Sable and Manistee is considered “good,” one of the primary challenges facing the rivers is the increasing pressure on headwaters and riparian zones due to habitat fragmentation, invasive species, and climaterelated changes. Protecting intact forests, wetlands, and natural buffers along these waterways is essential for maintaining water
Rubsam
quality and the cold, clean flows that trout depend on.
“So much of what occurs in these ‘buffer zones’ bordering the rivers ultimately impacts the rivers,” Rubsam says.
HeadWaters Land Conservancy has a plan, which includes three land acquisition projects, all along waterways that provide critical habitat and public benefit.
“These projects will permanently protect ecologically significant lands that serve as natural buffers, safeguard water quality, and support native fish and wildlife populations,” Rubsam explains. “As
development pressures increase and climate change brings new challenges, securing these lands is more important than ever.”
More Work Ahead
The challenges are many and varied, but those who’ve dedicated their lives to the health of Michigan rivers and the lands that surround them are optimistic.
“I see rivers that, as of 2025, are in excellent shape and improving because of the people who live along, visit, and who all, as one, love these rivers very much.” Those were Greenberg’s closing words as he highlighted the
ongoing conservation work of anglers, donors, volunteers, conservancies, and landowners.
Rubsam echoed that sentiment when we asked what people can do to ensure the health of these northern Michigan rivers. She says one of HeadWaters’ key initiatives in 2025 will be hosting more landowner workshops to provide information on available resources to help them conserve their lands.
Both Rubsam and Greenberg say private landowners play a crucial role in water quality, so a big part of protecting Michigan’s beloved trout rivers comes down to ensuring locals have the tools and support needed to
manage their land in ways that benefit both people and wildlife.
“We ask the community to support conservation efforts by being mindful stewards of the land—whether through responsible land management, supporting local land protection organizations and initiatives, or advocating for policies that safeguard water resources,” Rubsam says.
To learn more about angler-led volunteer efforts, visit ausableanglers.org. To learn more about land conservation around the rivers, visit headwatersconservancy.org.
Josh Greenberg, then and now.
The Art of Eclectic Curation
How northern Michigan boutiques build the perfect collection
By Abby McKiernan
Boutiques across northern Michigan have mastered the art of curation, carefully selecting an ever-evolving mix of goods that cater to their communities while reflecting a unique vision. From handcrafted ceramics and locally sourced skincare to pantry staples and one-of-a-kind home décor, these shops seem to effortlessly blend creativity with commerce.
We spoke with three boutique owners about how they build their collections, the trends they’re seeing for 2025, and the local artisans they love to highlight.
POPPY THINGS OF SUTTONS BAY
Owner Chelsey Skowronski
Known For: Thoughtful gifts, home goods, and an ever-growing children’s section
Local Brand Highlights: Since opening in 2020, Poppy Things has become a destination for customers looking for unique gifts and home items. Skowronski thrives on keeping her shop dynamic. “I love to keep my customers on their toes by changing it up often. This year, we have remodeled half the store, literally.”
Among her favorite local brands is Circles and Cycles, a toxin-free skincare line by Isa Scott that uses homegrown and locally sourced ingredients. Another staple is Farmhouse Candle Co., a Lake Leelanau-based brand producing all-natural soy wax candles in a variety of scents. “They are simple, affordable, and smell incredible. I am consistently reordering from her.”
How She Curates: Skowronski prioritizes women-owned, fair trade, and local brands. “I don’t carry anything that I don’t know where it came from or how it was made. We really want to stand behind our products and feel good about what we sell.”
With a background in fashion and color theory, Skowronski also curates through the lens of her customers. “You have to be dialed into exactly who your customer is,” she says, and always be on the hunt for items that are “functional and practical but bring a sense of delight and small sparks of joy.”
2025 Trends: Skowronski has noticed a growing demand for embroidered details—on notebooks, sweaters, and homegoods. Another category on the rise? Party décor for kids’ birthdays. “The items are SO fun to buy, and I can’t wait for my customers to see what is coming in!”
Seasonal Must-Haves: Maileg mice and swaddles for newborns; colorful temporary tattoos and craft kits for older kids; and small-batch pottery and beautifully packaged candles.
LYNN & PERIN MERCANTILE CO. OF FRANKFORT
Owner Victoria Mekas
Known For: Pantry staples, kitchen goods, and local gourmet products
Local Brand Highlight: For nearly a decade, Lynn & Perin has been a must-visit for food lovers and gift seekers alike. Mekas takes an interactive approach to curating products, always listening to her customers. “When a customer comes in and says, ‘We wish you had fill-in-the-blank,’ we go out and try to find it. We have an entire book of customer requests that we consistently go through.”
A standout local product for her is Brixstone Farms’ maple syrup, produced in Bear Lake. “The owner, Keaton Foster, cares deeply about his product, his vendors, and his customers. The whole place is just beautiful and quintessentially northern Michigan.”
How She Curates: Mekas’s product mix is about 40 percent Michigan-made and 60 percent from small makers across the country that she finds through markets, trade shows, and just shopping in different areas for unique products.
Lynn & Perin also has an unexpected shopping element: a basement filled with antiques dating back to the 1950s. Mekas purchased the building in 2017, and with it came a treasure trove of forgotten artifacts, including a secret room stocked with 80-to-100-year-old paper NYE party supplies, painted clown decorations, and vintage Italian shoes. “There’s so much history in this space, and I love that we get to share it with people who appreciate it.”
2025 Trends: Mekas is leaning into themed product baskets, especially “Jelly Totes” filled with different treats and products for travellers and locals alike. Baskets vary based on the theme, carrying anything from locally made soaps, lip balms, and beach essentials, to different types of jams and foods. Customers are gravitating toward unique gift sets for friends and family, making these curated baskets a hot item for the year ahead.
Seasonal Must-Haves: Grand Traverse Sauce Co.’s veteran-owned hot sauce; Lynn & Perin Traditional Dark Balsamic; and Cellar Door Soap from Canton, Michigan.
FLORA BAE HOME OF PETOSKEY
Owner Natalie Bae Lauzon
Known For: Boho-chic home goods, botanical beauty, and artisan-crafted décor
Local Brand Highlight: Flora Bae Home is all about bringing artistry and intentionality into everyday living. Lauzon describes her store as a lifestyle experience rather than a traditional boutique. “I focus more on having an ever-evolving boutique whose mission is to inspire creativity, bring community together, and offer a beautiful experience,” she says.
Among her local favorites is Reseed Ceramics, a husband-and-wife duo from Eaton Rapids creating Michigan-inspired, small-batch pottery.
How She Curates: Lauzon is often the only U.S. stockist for certain artists, carefully selecting pieces from around the world. “Traveling the world has always been a passion
of mine. My hope is to weave a ‘tapestry’ at Flora Bae Home of artists and small business owners that introduces their stories and craft to a larger audience.”
She also prioritizes women-owned businesses—85 percent of Flora Bae Home’s 100+ brands fit that category. “Being an artist myself, and growing up around my grandmother who was a sculptor, painter, seamstress, Hungarian, foul-mouthed, renaissance woman,” Lauzon feels that her exposure to art and culture has “allowed me to nurture a love of unique artisans and styles.”
2025 Trends: Consumers are seeking out items with deeper meaning. “I believe people are being a lot more intentional about their spending and purchases. I’m seeing more appreciation for handmade items that tell a story or create nostalgia,” Lauzon tells us.
Seasonal Must-Haves: Trovelore’s nature-inspired embroidered brooches; Market of Stars’ whimsical scarves; and hand-woven totes from Chiapas, Mexico.
NWMI Fishing Club Portable Fishing Pond, Fri & Sat
NWMI Fishing Club Portable Fishing Pond, Fri & Sat
Whispering Pines Animal Kingdom, Fri-Sun
Trout Friday Youth Parade
Kids’ Fishing Contest, Sat
Whispering Pines Animal Kingdom, Fri-Sun
Breakfast Fundraiser, Sat
Kids’ Fishing Contest, Sat
Troutzillafest Music Stage, Sat
Breakfast Fundraiser, Sat
Grand Royale Parade, Sat Craft Show, Sat
Troutzillafest Music Stage, Sat
Grand Royale Parade, Sat Craft Show, Sat
Kalkaska Michigan
Kalkaska Michigan
Nat’l Trout Festival Bump-n-Run Derby, Sat Fireworks Display, Sat
Lion’s Club Nat’l Trout Festival Bump-n-Run Derby, Sat Fireworks Display, Sat
Wednesday, April 23 - Sunday, April 27 2025
Wednesday, April 24 - Sunday, April 28 2024
Car Show (includes Pizza Eating Contest), Sun AND MORE!
Car Show (includes Pizza Eating Contest), Sun AND MORE!
Tomorrow is taking the road less traveled
Energy is the key that unlocks the world of travel, turning every trip into an unforgettable experience. From the thrill of exploring new places to the joy of creating lasting memories with loved ones, energy is what makes it all possible.
With innovative energy solutions, we’re modernizing, protecting and maintaining our energy super systems to fuel travel and exploration today and into the future.
George R. Thompson, Esq. Of Counsel
Spring Breakers
One spring breaker got more than he bargained for when he got into a fight with Jack Turner, 18, of Fort Myers, Florida. The Smoking Gun reported that on March 17, a sheriff's deputy was patrolling Fort Myers Beach when he was "flagged down" about an altercation. As Turner and Juwan Black tussled in the sand, police said, Turner "pulled Black's head upward as he brought his face toward the left side of Black's head." That's when Turner bit off Black's ear. Black was taken to the hospital for treatment; Turner was arrested for felony battery and posted $50,000 bond. Turner applied for a public defender, saying he has no income and that his bond was posted by his family. His home is a three-bedroom house in Fort Myers purchased by his parents in 2018.
Least Competent Criminal
On March 18, as Ellen Schapps Richman, 76, drove her Mercedes SUV to a golf lesson at Palm Beach Country Club, she had a vague sense that she had hit something -- maybe a piece of "debris" in the road. The Palm Beach Daily News reported that actually, Richman allegedly hit a bicyclist, 63, and then continued on, dragging him and his bike a short distance down the road. When Richman arrived at the club, she handed her car keys to a valet and told him she thought the damage to her car was from something she hit, police said. The cyclist, meanwhile, had "massive" injuries to his left leg and was transported to a hospital. Richman, an area philanthropist and adjunct professor of business at Columbia Business School, has been ordered by Circuit Judge Donald Hafele not to drive. She faces a charge of leaving the scene of a crash involving death or injuries.
Don't Try This at Home
The Daily Express reported that a couple in Jilin, China, were forced to visit a hospital on March 18 after the woman's hand became stuck in her boyfriend's mouth. They were testing whether her hand would fit in his mouth when the muscles in his mouth spasmed, preventing her from pulling her hand out. The man's face turned red and he began salivating, and his teeth were clamped down on her hand. "It felt like my hand was stuck in a meat grinder," she said. At the hospital, doctors administered muscle relaxants to the man, and after about 20 minutes, the woman was able to remove her hand.
Awesome!
Paul Broome, 55, of Bognor, England, specified in his will that he wanted to be buried in a Snickers bar-themed coffin, NDTV reported on March 24. So when he passed on, his family got to work. Broome was a care assistant for adults with learning disabilities and a big fan of the chocolate bar and the Crystal Palace FC. His coffin, which was painted to look like a half-unwrapped Snickers, also said "I'm nuts" on the side and featured the football club's logo. "Paul's family informed us that he was one of life's true characters, and his farewell needed to reflect that," said Ali Leggo of FA Holland Funeralcare.
Irony Daniel Murillo, 44, was arrested on March 16 in Kissimmee, Florida, accused
of repeatedly punching a 24-year-old female acquaintance as they sat in a car, The Smoking Gun reported. Things had gotten tense between the two after they traveled from Tampa but ran out of money; a verbal argument, the victim told police, led to the battery. Strangely, though, in Murillo's mugshot, he is wearing a black shirt with bold white letters reading: "I NEVER ARGUE." He was charged with misdemeanor battery.
Latest Religious Message
Suckers, take note! Senior adviser to the White House Faith Office Paula WhiteCain has a Passover deal for you, Raw Story reported on March 24, but only if you send her $1,000 before Easter. With that donation, she promises, you'll receive seven "Blessings of Passover," which include an angel assigned to you by God, long life, "an increase for inheritance" and a special year of blessing. "You're not doing this to get something," she clarified on a video, "but you're doing it in honor of God, realizing what you can receive." One featured gift is a 10-inch-tall Waterford crystal cross (retail, $100, but on sale at Waterford.com for 30% off). Nine years ago, White-Cain sold a rock for $1,144 that she billed as a "resurrection seed."
Oh, By the Way ...
Passengers aboard the Cunard Line's cruiser Queen Anne received an alarming message from the ship's captain on March 13, the Independent reported. "This area is known for piracy threats," the announcement said as the ship traveled between Australia and Manila. It went on to say that the external promenade deck would be closed overnight and "deck lights will be on to reduce the ship's external lighting." Passengers were also asked to turn off stateroom lights and keep their window shades down. A representative for Cunard said there was "no specific threat to the ship or its guests, and our onboard experience remained uninterrupted."
Most Precious Criminal
Thomas Talbert, 18, was charged with felony robbery, theft, reckless endangerment and possession of an instrument of crime on March 24 in Duncansville Borough, Pennsylvania, WJAC-TV reported. Talbert allegedly entered the Smokers Express Store brandishing a gun, with a face covering and gloves on, and demanded a carton of cigarettes and cash from the register. But Talbert's "gun" was an airsoft gun, and he fled the scene on an e-bike, having only collected about $200. When authorities caught up with him, he initially denied the robbery, then admitted, "I did it." He was held in the Blair County Prison on $50,000 bail.
Weird in the Wild
Napa County, California's Morning Glory Spillway, a passive spillway in Lake Berryessa, hadn't been used since 2019, IFLScience.com reported on March 25. But starting in February and continuing through March, the so-called "glory hole" has been busy draining excess water from the lake into Putah Creek. When lake levels exceed 440 feet, the water spills into a vortex that looks like a giant sink drain from above. The water falls 200 feet before rushing into the creek. Large amounts of rainfall have contributed to the higher lake levels.
THE GRIFFIN SISTERS They had the world at their feet… until the music stopped.
JENNI FER WEINER
M others, daughters, sisters, best friends–you'll all enjoy a night out with #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner! Her new book captures life's messiness of sisterhood and fame. Hint: it's not what it's cut out to be. Most of all, it's about the power of second chances.
Event Sponsor: Jamie Keillor - Edward Jones Investments
Literary Underwriter: Larry Gorton Talking Book Library at Traverse
In-person at City Opera House + Livestreamed For tickets, visit NationalWritersSeries.org
FIGHTING FOREVER CHEMICALS
Policy advocates, scientists, and entrepreneurs tackling PFAs in northern Michigan
Ren Brabenec
No state is completely safe from pollution-related health risks. However, Michigan, surrounded by water and boasting some 11,000 inland lakes, thousands of miles of rivers and streams, and hundreds of billions of gallons of groundwater, is unique in its risk factors.
That’s why testing for, cleaning up, and eventually halting the spread of PFAs is a high-profile mission for residents.
What are PFAs?
“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) are man-made chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s. We often refer to them as forever chemicals, because they do not occur naturally and are typically formed by the combination of fluorine and carbon, two chemicals that, once formed, essentially never break down.”
That’s from Heather Smith, a scientist and Waterkeeper at The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay. She says PFAs are one of the primary concerns among her group of 300 Waterkeepers.
According to Smith, though PFAs have been in our environment for over 75 years, it’s only been recently that public health scientists have uncovered the environmental and biological threats posed by them.
“There are thousands of different types of PFAs,” Smith says. “Some are believed to be carcinogenic. Others have been linked to low birth weight, immune system issues, reduced fertility, developmental issues, cancers, hormone disruption, elevated cholesterol, endocrine disruption, kidney and liver disease, and problems with cell metabolism.”
Smith explains that the people most at risk for PFA-related harm are children, pregnant women, and those who live and work in or near sites that have high concentrations of PFAs. Answering the next
obvious question, Smith says yes: PFAs have been detected in water and soil samples in counties across northern Michigan.
Where Are We Finding PFAs?
Corporations like 3M and DuPont invented PFA chemicals because they repel water. Today, PFAs are found in products like grocery store food packaging, fast food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, nonstick cooking products, polishes, waxes, stain-resistant and water-resistant fabrics, cleaning products, fire-fighting foam, waterproofing sprays, automobile parts, and in upholstery and fabrics treated with flame-retardants. Outdoor gear like tents, raincoats, and footwear are often made with PFAs.
But if PFAs are primarily found in consumer goods, how are the chemicals polluting Michigan’s water and soil?
“When the products are manufactured, PFAs are sometimes released into the environment,” says Liz Kirkwood, Executive Director of For Love of Water (FLOW). “Michigan’s history as an industrial state combined with our numerous waterways and high-percolation soil—both of which allows PFAs to travel easily—all mean we have a high risk for PFAs contamination.”
Kirkwood points out that it’s not just the places where PFAs are manufactured that become contaminated; it’s also where PFAs-containing products are used. “As testing advances, we’ve documented a growing number of PFAs plumes in Michigan, high-concentration areas of contamination,” she says.
Kirkwood identified airports, military bases, manufacturing facilities, unlined landfills, and farm fields as sites that often test positive for high contamination levels.
To drive the point home, Kirkwood pulls up a press release dated Jan. 16, 2025, from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). She
reads the headline aloud. “Michigan PFAs Action Response Team (MPART) lists 300th contamination site.”
That site, the Nankin Township Landfill in Wayne County, received waste from 3M and other companies during the period the area was used as a landfill from the 1940s until the early 1960s.
Kirkwood notes that even though the landfill was active 60-85 years ago, the site’s groundwater, surface water, and soil were still contaminated at 80 parts per trillion, results far exceeding the state’s safety standards.
“Publicly, it’s only been within the last few years that we’ve all been made aware of the environmental and human health harm posed by PFAs,” Kirkwood explains. “But the failure of chemical manufacturers to disclose the risks of contamination and severe public and environmental hazards is not a new story. What’s new with PFAs is its unparalleled and unprecedented scope and
impact on the planet and all living creatures.”
Kirkwood says that PFAs contamination is found almost everywhere on the planet, including remote regions from Antarctica to the Mariana Trench.
“These forever chemicals are picked up as part of the water cycle and return as rain in places like Miami, Florida,” she continues. “And most disturbingly, nearly every American has PFAs in their blood, according to the CDC. To live in a healthy society, all businesses and individuals must be held accountable for their actions and apply the precautionary principles before they put products into commerce with known human health risks. To live otherwise, we risk our future.”
How Do We Test for PFAs?
While FLOW, The Watershed Center, and other community-led organizations are lobbying for the return of polluter pay laws to make corporations clean up PFAs-
Kirkwood
Smith
contaminated sites, entrepreneurs are leveraging their skills in other ways.
Scientist Vernon LaLone, a Traverse City resident, won national recognition in 2024 when his tech start-up, Wave Lumina, took home second place at that year’s AquaAction Aquahacking challenge. Vernon launched Wave Lumina with a simple mission, to, as LaLone says, “Develop portable field sensor technology for environmental professionals to rapidly measure environmental pollution, including highly toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) ‘forever chemicals’ on-site.”
According to LaLone, the first step to addressing PFAs is to test for contamination.
“Currently, the gold standard for PFAs testing is to utilize a $500,000 to $900,000 machine that also requires the use of an entire lab,” he says. “Wave Lumina’s goal is to eliminate the testing bottleneck by innovating a field testing device that is affordable, easily usable by anyone, and that can produce test results while one is still out in the field. No lab required, and no waiting period.”
LaLone says his team has already produced a working prototype, with plans for a finished device available for purchase as early as the fall of 2025. “Our Contamination Field Screening Device (CFSD) empowers environmental professionals to screen for pollution on-site and make decisions faster, thereby expediting and lowering costs for remediation efforts.”
LaLone envisions his device being used by anyone from environmental professionals to scientists, teachers, health department workers, and homeowners.
Those who want to test their drinking
water, soil, or favorite local swimming hole right away can call the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Drinking Water Hotline at (844) 934-1315. Under some circumstances, the MDHHS will test residents’ water for free.
If that’s not an option, MPART connects concerned residents with laboratories that offer testing. Visit michigan.gov/en/ PFAsresponse/drinking-water/laboratories for more information.
How Do We Remove PFAs?
Removing PFA contamination, especially concentrated “plume” sites, is much more complicated than testing for contamination.
Because PFA chemicals repel water, they tend to move through water and spread across a watershed region extremely quickly. They do not break down on their own, meaning they “bioaccumulate” in living organisms, harming wildlife and humans.
According to LaLone, there have been some promising innovations in eradicating PFAs, though many are still in the testing phase. One of the best and furthest-along methods is delivered by a Michigan-based company called Enspired Solutions, which utilizes UV light and proprietary chemistry to destroy PFAs by breaking the carbon-fluorine bonds.
“Electro-oxidation, pressure combined with alkaline conditions, activated carbon,” LaLone ticks these off on his fingers. “There are ways to clean-up and destroy PFAs safely, but, like testing, we’re still working on ways to reduce bottlenecks and make these technologies broadly available and easily implemented.”
WHAT CAN WE DO AT HOME?
Michiganders can take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones from PFAs.
The first step is to reduce exposure, which people can do by testing their water supply, by adding carbon filters to faucets, and by avoiding plastic water bottles.
The next step is to minimize contact with contaminated products by removing nonstick cookware and not handling food packaging and personal care products made with PFAs. The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database is a helpful tool for finding care products that don’t have PFAs in them. Visit ewg.org/ skindeep for more information.
Another step is to be cautious about consuming fish and wildlife and to check the latest Michigan DNR recommendations regarding fish advisories and potentially contaminated animal populations.
Finally, in a universal sentiment shared by Smith, Kirkwood, and LaLone, residents should get informed and involved, as the Great Lakes State has quickly become a leader in the nation regarding citizen-led activism on tackling PFAs pollution.
“There is no substitute for informed, activated citizens,” Kirkwood says. “Join the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team if you’re looking for a way to get involved. Citizen-led policy advocacy alone led to a seminal 2021 Executive Order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that directed the state to no longer purchase products that contained PFAs. That landmark moment was a sign that we can overcome this critical problem.”
LaLone poses with his mobile testing device.
Saturday
‘UP NORTH’ LAKE & COT-
TAGE SHOW: 10am-6pm, GT County Civic Center, TC. Featuring a diverse mix of exhibitors representing construction, remodeling, kitchen & bath, interior design, furniture, floor covering, home services & much more. tccottageshow.com
CONSERVATION CENTER TOUR: 10am. Join for a tour of the buildings & grounds at Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Preserve. This tour will include an inside look at the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy’s new conservation hub & office space, including the McMullen Family Conservation Center, the Bob and Pauline Young Family Stewardship Workshop, & the native plant greenhouse & goat barn. Park in a designated spot & meet in the main gallery of the building. Registration required. 929-7911 or info@gtrlc. org. Free. gtrlc.my.salesforce-sites.com/es/ event/home/conservationcentertour040525
FRIENDS OF THE CADILLAC LIBRARY SPRING USED BOOK SALE: 10am-noon, Cadillac Wexford Public Library. Fundraiser for Friends of the Cadillac Library. friendsofthecadillaclibrary.wordpress.com/ upcoming-programs -
MEET THE MAKER - GOBLIN GRIMM: Noon, Blessed Be Tea and Apothecary, TC. Meet Goblin Grimm - Seth Abair, a Michiganbased comic book artist who brings horror & fantasy to life through bold storytelling & striking visuals. Chat with him, browse his artwork, & support a local creative. Free. blessedbetea.com/product/vendor-featuregoblin-grimm-seth-abair/1355?cp=true& sa=false&sbp=false&q=false&category_ id=2CAAGKS7WWROWSWR7GUBOKGW
UP NORTH PRIDE HIKE: Noon-1:30pm, Bear River Valley Recreation Area, Petoskey. The trail is about five miles & is an out & back hike. upnorthpride.com/event/2025/4/5/unphike-at-bear-river-valley-recreation-area
HANDS OFF! NORTHWEST MICHIGAN FIGHTS BACK RALLY: 1-3pm. Join in this peaceful, family-friendly event that is a celebration of democracy to tell the current administration to keep its hands off our jobs, money, healthcare, government services, & constitutional rights. The rally will begin in the parking of the Governmental Center, TC where there will be speakers who will share how the actions of the new administration are affecting them. Then head to Eighth St. to line the streets showing signs & enthusiasm in support of constitutional government & the rule of law. Pre-
sented by Traverse Indivisible & Leelanau
Indivisible. Over 1,000 Hands Off! rallies will be held around the nation. mobilize. us/handsoff/event/767205/?referring_ vol=1377573&share_context=dashboardevent-details&sharer_role=SharerRole.ORGANIZER
“THE SLEEPING BEAUTY”: 2pm & 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. The Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre brings a new classical interpretation of “The Sleeping Beauty.” Follow the life of Princess Aurora, from her christening to her 16th birthday, along with the curse placed on her, all the way to her big wedding celebration. Produced by Artistic Director Thomas Morrell & Company Manager Marleigh Bucenell. Tickets: $12-$25 + fees. mynorthtickets.com/organizations/ northwest-michigan-ballet-theatre
BOOK PRESENTATION: 2pm, Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. Empire area poet & author Anne-Marie Oomen & Grand Rapids poet & author Linda Nemec Foster will give a presentation on their new book “Lake Huron Mermaid,” a tale of lost sisters, lost amulets, underwater sinkholes, & new-found love of Big Water. Free. oliverart.org
NEW YORK STORIES: 2pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. OTP Aged to Perfection Reader’s Theatre presents two stories, one poignant, one comic, that embrace those who roam the fringes of life in the Big City. They include “Bird Bath” by Leonard Melfi & “Madame La Gimp” by Damon Runyon. No ticket required; free will contribution at door. oldtownplayhouse.com/aged-to-perfection/ performances/new-york-stories.html
SPRING DANCE PERFORMANCE: ACCESSIBILITY PERFORMANCE: 2pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Interlochen Arts Academy Dance Division presents a wide variety of classical & contemporary dance works including ballet excerpts, modern masterpieces, & student & faculty-choreographed works. Free. interlochen.org/events/spring-dance-performanceaccessibility-performance-2025-04-05
CADILLAC FOOTLITERS PRESENTS
“JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT”: 7pm, Elenbaas Performing Arts Center, McBain High School. This show is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers & the coat of many colors. $14. cadillacfootliters.ludus.com/show_ page.php?show_id=200459037
BLISSFEST TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY
DANCE: 7:30pm, Littlefield/Alanson Community Building, Alanson. Music will be pro-
vided by Elpee (Laurie Eberhardt & Peter Martin) with Larry Dyer calling. All dances taught (circles, contras, squares & more). No need to bring a partner. Potluck at 6:30pm. Bring table service & a dish to pass. $10; $5 students; 12 & under free. blissfest.org
BROMEO VS THE JULIETTES: 7:30pm, GT Circuit, TC. Set at a 1990s Battle of the Bands, this remix comedy of Romeo and Juliet is a gender-bending pop musical proving that love is love by any name. $20-$38. mashuprockandrollmusical.com/upcoming-shows-tickets
SPRING DANCE PERFORMANCE: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Interlochen Arts Academy Dance Division presents a wide variety of classical & contemporary dance works including ballet excerpts, modern masterpieces, & student & faculty-choreographed works. $14-$17. interlochen.org/concerts-and-events/all-events?se arch=Spring+Dance+Performance
KAMIKAZE COMEDY: 8pm, Eugene’s Record Co-op, 346 E. Front St, Suite 6 (below the Coin Slot), TC. This edition of “When Worlds Collide!” features TC’s Jeremy West hosting & Richie Gunn as guest. Also performing will
be Joe Curtis, Brandon Cooley, Jacqui Marpa, & Devarron Thomas. $10. l.facebook. com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcheckout. square.site%2Fmerchant%2FML7EQ7FEV XY9T%2Fcheckout%2FDZVLANNYDIOSN MB6A3FBQB5I%3Fsrc%3Dqr%26fbclid%3 DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0Nc4zl0WXYwdam-PMyZZeLIJOy1
Sunday
‘UP NORTH’ LAKE & COTTAGE SHOW: (See Sat., April 5, except today’s time is 10am-4pm.)
BOOKS TO MOVIES: 1pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. Watch a movie based on a book or real life. The movie this month will be “Conclave.” Free. tadl. org/event/books-movies-17876
NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK EVENTS: 1pm, Petoskey District Library lobby: Unique storytelling experience with artist Martina Hahn. In this interactive painting demo, Hahn will bring stories to life on canvas, blending art, literature, & music. 2pm, in lower level classroom: Artist
Support the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society by shopping Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts in Petoskey, Sun., April 13. From 3-5pm, bring your four legged friend and camera for fun pictures with the Easter Bunny, and 25% of all sales in the store will go back to LTBHS. grandpashorters.com
Patrick Wise will present a drawing workshop. Wise is a representational painter with a deep connection to landscapes, people & nature. Free. petoskeylibrary.org/en/index.aspx
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS - PAGE TO STAGE: 1:30pm, City Opera House, TC. See youth-created, thought provoking plays performed live. Free; registration required. cityoperahouse.org/node/569
“THE LAKE HURON MERMAID” PRESENTATION & WRITING WORKSHOP: 2pm, Forest Home Twp. Hall, Bellaire. Presented by authors Anne-Marie Oomen & Linda Nemec Foster. They will bring their writing prompts & ideas. “The Lake Huron Mermaid” is a tale of lost sisters, lost amulets, underwater sinkholes & new found love of Big Water. Free. Please register. bellairelibrary.org
“THE SLEEPING BEAUTY”: (See Sat., April 5, except today’s only time is 2pm.)
MOREL HUNTING SEMINAR WITH THE CHAMP!: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. After winning the National Morel Hunting Championship five years in a row, Anthony Williams retired from competitive picking to become the “Expert in Residence” for the National Morel Festival. Over the past twenty years he has continued to share his “Picking with the Champ” seminar at the festival & Michigan libraries. This seminar is filled with stories from his 70 years of picking. Free. tadl.org/ event/morel-hunting-20862
NEW YORK STORIES: (See Sat., April 5)
BENZONIA AREA COMMUNITY EMERGENCY FUND CONCERT: THE NEPHEWS: 4-6pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. This trio is made up of Tim & Byron Joseph, along with “Denise” Marlene Wood. They play mostly old songs, in old time country & country blues traditions. Free; donations support the emergency fund. millscommhouse.org/benzonia-area-community-emergency-fund.html
KARA DUO: 5pm, Oliver Art Center, Beck Gallery, Frankfort. Violinist Ara Sarkissian & pianist Kara Huber perform a romantic candlelight recital of powerhouse violin & piano duo music. Free. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org/music-series
“BROMEO VS THE JULIETTES” - PAY WHAT YOU CAN: 6:30pm, GT Circuit, TC. This special Pay What You Can performance is a $5 minimum with half the proceeds going to Up North Pride. Set at a 1990s Battle of the Bands, this remix comedy of Romeo and Juliet is a gender-bending pop musical proving that love is love by any name. mashuprockandrollmusical.com/upcoming-shows-tickets
POETS’ NIGHT OUT 2025: 7pm, Kirkbride Hall at GT Commons, TC. Free. poetsnightout.org
monday
SENATOR DAMOOSE COFFEE HOUR: 3:304:30pm, Carnegie Building, Petoskey. State Senator John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, 37th Senate District, will be available to answer questions & provide info & assistance with state issues, as well as take suggestions on issues affecting communities & businesses in the district. Free.
FINANCIAL AWARENESS FOR KIDS: 4:306pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Lisa McKolay offers a 2-session course introduc-
ing basics of budgeting & money management skills. RSVP. 231-223-7700.
“FROZEN WORLD”: 6:30pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Tom Dalluge offers a travelogue on Antarctica mixed with info on what’s happening environmentally with the glaciers & the history of the Wilkes expedition.
tuesday
QUILTS FOR KIDS: 10amnoon, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Transform fabrics into patchwork quilts for kids facing serious trauma. Materials provided. RSVP. 231-223-7700.
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30am, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library. Preschool children of all ages & their caregivers are invited to join each Tuesday morning for stories, songs & more. Free. sbbdl.org
PARKINSON’S SUPPORT GROUP: 1-3pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. Celebrate National Parkinson’s Month with a Goulash Lunch courtesy of Meals on Wheels & Lisa Robitshek. RSVP: PNNTCMI@gmail@com with your full name & birthdate. Ann Parker PT will lead some Tai Chi. Free. ParkinsonsNetworkNorth.org
TECH TUESDAY: PODCASTS 101: 2pm, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library. Explore the world of podcasts from what they are to how to listen to them, & suggestions for popular podcasts for you to follow. There will also be a list of suggested apps for you to use to listen to podcasts. Drop in with your device & questions. Free. sbbdl.org
INTO THE WILDERNESS WITH AN AXE AND SAW: 6-8pm, Charlevoix Public Library. Follow the adventures of a wilderness trail crew as they clear tornado damage from the North Country Trail in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area using only hand tools. Free. data.charlevoixlibrary.org/event/adultprogramming-9554
OPEN ART NIGHT: 6-7pm, Art & Connection, Elk Rapids. Presented by Up North Pride. Express yourself in a supported, fun & relaxed atmosphere. Bring your paints, sketchpads, or any craft you’ve been meaning to try - or just come as you are! All skill levels welcome. Free. upnorthpride.com/events
“OUR PLANET LIVE”: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. A Netflix Original Documentary Series with Huw Cordey. Follow polar bears, walruses, seals & penguins & see what climate change means for them in the arctic. Brought to you by the speakers, adventurers & explorers who have joined the tradition of the polar explorer & returned to tell us why this frozen frontier is vital for our planet. Doors open one hour early. $20-$55. cityoperahouse.org/node/581
BEAR PROGRAM: 7pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Enjoy a Grand Traverse Chapter, North Country Trail Association monthly program given by Mark Boersen, senior wildlife specialist for the MDNR. Mark will discuss the status of black bears in Michigan & North America, black bear biology, living with black bears, avoiding problem behaviors that attract bears, deterrents, & other tools to scare bears away. Free. meetup. com/grand-traverse-chapter-north-countrytrail-association/events/306858686/?eventO rigin=group_upcoming_events
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wednesday
LEELANAU CONSERVANCY’S WILDFLOWER RESCUE SEASON – VOLUNTEER INTEREST & KICK-OFF MEETING: 10:30am, Old Art Building, Leland. RSVP: leelanauconservancy.org/ events. If you are interested in volunteering this spring, but not able to join for the meeting, please RSVP on the website to indicate your interest. The rescue digging & potting will begin mid-April. 231-256-9665. leelanauconservancy.org/events/wildflower-rescue-season-volunteer-interest-and-kick-off-meeting
TC - ARTIST CRITIQUE NIGHT: 5:30-7pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie Rotunda, TC. This is a supportive, peer-driven critique group designed for artists to present works in progress or conceptual ideas in a safe, positive environment. Artists are expected to bring one piece of artwork in progress to share. Free; RSVP. crookedtree.org/class/ ctac-traverse-city/tc-artist-critique-night-april
VOICES OF RESILIENCE: HOPE & HEALING: Kirkbride Hall at GT Commons, TC. Presented by the Grand Traverse County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Anna Nasset, author, activist, international speaker & survivor, will speak about her experience as a stalking survivor. Local crime survivors will also be speaking about their experiences. Doors open at 5:30pm. Speaking will begin at 6pm. Free. gtcountymi.gov/2773/March20-2025-Voices-of-Resilience-Hope-
FREE SCREENING OF “FREE FOR ALL: THE PUBLIC LIBRARY”: 6pm, Interlochen Public Library, Community Room. Presented by The Friends of Interlochen Public Library & WCMU. The screening will be followed by a community conversation & light refreshments. This film tells the story of the pioneering women behind the Free Library Movement, & how this American institution continues to service the country despite government challenges, nationwide protests, & closures.
“FREE FOR ALL: THE PUBLIC LIBRARY”: 7pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. This film explores the remarkable history & ongoing evolution of public libraries, & the vital role they serve in American society. Free. glenlakelibrary.net/events
NWS PRESENTS: JENNIFER WEINER: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. This #1 New York Times bestselling author is known for her emotionally gripping novels about friendship, love, & family bonds. She is the author of “Mrs. Everything,” “In Her Shoes,” & now “The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits.” $10$52.50. cityoperahouse.org/node/636
thursday
COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: “THE ART OF CURRICULUM”: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Learn to create a creative with artist & professor, Anne Morningstar. Join her as she demystifies the relationship between teaching & learning & demonstrates how you, too, can develop a customized curriculum tailored to students.
KID’S CRAFT LAB: CHERRY BLOSSOM WINDSOCK: 10am-noon, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, GT Mall, TC. Create a windsock to hang outside. Free with price of admission. greatlakeskids.org
RETIRED RECESS: BIKE MAINTENANCE & E-BIKE CONVERSATION WITH CHRIS REMY: Noon, Mt. Holiday, TC. Chris Remy will share essential tips on bike maintenance & the growing world of e-bikes. Find ‘Retired Recess (or almost retired): Bike Maintenance & E-bike Conversation with Chris Remy’ on Facebook. Free.
NATIVE PLANT TALK & SEED SWAP: 3:305pm, Bellaire Public Library. Enjoy a presentation about native plants by the Antrim Conservation District. Browse the library’s seed library & bring seeds to donate or swap. bellairechamber.org/connections/36850-bellaire-pubic-library
“THE INDIANS OF THE MIDWEST & THE FIGHT FOR THEIR HOMELAND”: 4pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. Author Robert Downes will present this slide talk as part of the 2025 Benzonia Academy Lecture Series hosted by the Benzonia Area Historical Society & Museum. Downes is the author of “Raw Deal - The Indians of the Midwest and the Theft of Native Lands,” plus seven other books. Suggested donation, $5. benziemuseum.org
FREESTYLE WRITING WORKSHOP: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. The session will begin with a brief warmup followed by a prompt that encourages open reflection & the free flow of words & ideas. Please bring a notebook & pen/pencil. Writers & creatives of all levels & abilities are welcome. Free. tadl.org/event/freestylewriting-workshop-21561
VERNAL POOL PLANNING MEETING:
6-8pm, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Spring melts bring Vernal Pools, & Vernal Pools bring amphibians, insects, plants, & soils. Join if you would like to learn more about Vernal Pools, the monitoring program, & how you might be able to help. RSVP to Emma Fitzgerald: emma@grassriver.org. Free. grassriver.org/classes-and-programs.html
CREATIVE ARTS BOOK AWARD: 7pm, Kirkbride Hall at GT Commons, TC. Patrice Gopo is an award-winning essayist & the author of “Autumn Song: Essays on Absence,” “All the Colors We Will See,” & All the Places We Call Home.” She will be honored in-person & this free event is hosted by bestselling author & National Writers Series co-founder Doug Stanton. Please RSVP. tickettailor.com/events/nationalwritersseries/1534113
TC COMEDY FEST: JOSH BLUE: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Josh won on “Last Comic Standing” in 2006; performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in 2018; took third place on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” in 2021, & much more. He does over 200 shows a year, continuing to spread laughter & break down stereotypes of people with disabilities. $40-$55 + fees. cityoperahouse.org/node/631
RIVERTOWN FOLLIES’ 40TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. This year’s production, “Follies Flashback,” recreates some of the greatest moments of the last 40 years. Profit from the annual show supports local charities. This
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE AND URSA MAJOR
A champion of Greek composers, shedding light on the rich musical repertoire coming out of Greece and the Greek diaspora. ELLIE FALARIS GANELIN • FLUTE (founder, director) MICHAEL MALIS • PIANO CONSTANTINE NOVOTNY • VOCAL BARITONE
year the Follies will be supporting two nonprofits: Chelsea’s Closet and Art Vision Cheboygan. $16-$20. ci.ovationtix.com/36618/ production/1231024
friday
FAMILY FUN WITH WORMS!: 3:30-5:30pm, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library. Drop by to learn about earthworms & composting with Green Suttons Bay & participate in fun worm-themed activities & crafts. Free. sbbdl.org
TC COMEDY FEST: JAY PHAROAH: 6:308pm, Park Place Hotel & Conference Center, TC. Jay most recently starred in the biopic “Spinning Gold” as Cecil Homes, the right hand man of 1970s record producer Neil Bogart who co-founded Casablanca Records. They were behind the success of stars like Donna Summer, Kiss & The Village People. He also starred in the Toronto International Film Festival triumph, “The Blackening” as Shawn. $45-$65 + fees. traversecitycomedyfest.com
CADILLAC FOOTLITERS PRESENTS
“JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT”: (See Sat., April 5)
DMC CONCERT: LARRY MCCRAY: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Larry’s debut album Ambition helped define contemporary blues rock, leading to a series of albums throughout the 90s. McCray has performed with blues legends like BB King & Buddy Guy, & rock greats such as the Allman Brothers. $0-$35. simpletix.com/e/larry-mccray-tickets-194943
BROMEO VS THE JULIETTES: (See Sat., April 5)
RIVERTOWN FOLLIES’ 40TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW: (See Thurs., April 10)
SIERRA HULL: 7:30pm, Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee. This virtuoso mandolinist, two-time Grammy Nominated artist, & groundbreaking songwriter has graced the country’s most iconic stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, & the White House. $20-$50. ci.ovationtix. com/36372/production/1202987?performan ceId=11477367
TC COMEDY FEST: NATASHA LEGGERO: 9-10:30pm, Park Place Hotel & Conference Center, TC. Natasha is an accomplished actress, writer, & standup comedian. Most recently, she starred in the CBS sitcom “Broke” & released “The Honeymoon Stand Up Special” on Netflix, which she shot along with her husband & fellow comedian Moshe Kasher. $45-$65 + fees. traversecitycomedyfest.com
saturday
photography, handmade jewelry, woodworking, fiber & more. $5 at door; two-for-one online in advance. artinthecastle.org
FREE FAMILY DROP-IN ART, TC: 10amnoon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cornwell Gallery, TC. Drop-in for a new, family-friendly art activity. crookedtree.org/class/ctac-traverse-city/free-family-drop-art-apr-12
GTCD’S 4TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY SEED SWAP: 10am-noon, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Bring your garden seeds - any vegetables, fruits, or flowers that you enjoy growing - & plan to leave with seeds for your 2025 garden. Stop by the Traverse Area District Library’s station to check out their seed library. Free. natureiscalling.org/ events/community-seed-swap-1
STEAM TIME WITH SHELLY: 10am-noon, Interlochen Public Library. Kids can enjoy hands-on activities tied to the STEAM Career of the Month theme. 231-276-6767.
LITTLE WAVES: For ages 4-10. Hosted by the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, kids will enjoy a multi-media musical storybook time & a chance to see one or more of the instruments of the orchestra up close. Held at the Petoskey District Library at 10:30am & then at Charlevoix Public Library at 1pm. Free. glcorchestra.org
ARTIST TALK: BARBARA STUMP: 11amnoon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie Rotunda, TC. Barbara shares the healing & mindfulness-generating practice of creating artist postcards. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-traverse-city/artist-talk-barbara-stump
SARA LEE CARES: Noon-4pm, Sara Lee Bakery Division of Sara Lee Corp., TC. This free family fun event includes the Easter Bunny, an Egg Scramble, allergy friendly Easter eggs, free lunch, demonstrations by the G.T. Metro Fire Dept., US Coast Guard, G.T. County Sheriff’s Dept., & G.T. 911 & Emergency Management; static equipment displays by US Coast Guard - Manistee, T.C. Police Dept., Michigan DNR, Paradise Twp. Fire, & more. allevents.in/traverse%20city/ free-community-event-sara-lee-cares-3rdannual/200027838344136
BOOK LAUNCH CELEBRATION: 1pm, Horizon Books, TC. Edgar Award-finalist author & Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bryan Gruley will celebrate the launch of his newest crime thriller, “Bitterfrost.” horizonbooks.com
BROMEO VS THE JULIETTES: (See Sat., April 5, except today’s times are 2pm & 7:30pm.) -
CADILLAC FOOTLITERS PRESENTS “JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT”: (See Sat., April 5, except today’s times are 2pm & 7pm.) -
MARON:
TC.
BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: 9am-4pm, TC West Senior High School. This 10th annual competition is presented by National Writers Series. It is a book-based quiz competition for fourth & fifth graders in the Grand Traverse community. Teams have a chance to win prizes for sportsmanship, team spirit, most creative team name & more. battleofthebooksgt.org
ART IN THE CASTLE: 10am-5pm, Castle Farms, Charlevoix. A juried fine art fair featuring award winning artists from the Midwest. Includes ceramic, painting, digital,
TC COMEDY FEST: FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE: 3pm, City Opera House, TC. “Funny Women” or “WOACA” was created to give older women comics a chance to be seen & heard. Frustrated with how women are portrayed on television once they hit 50, Carole Montgomery (a veteran of the stand-up scene for over 40 years) decided to do something about it. Today’s show will feature creator Carole Montgomery, Julia Scotti, & Leighann Lord. $40-$55 + fees. cityoperahouse.org/node/629
DEAD POETS SOCIETY - OPEN MIC: 6pm, Blessed Be Tea and Apothecary, TC. Spring Edition: Dead Poets Society - Showers & Flowers, A Night of Growth & Renewal. Whether your poetry explores personal growth, the cleansing power of spring rains, or the joy of
photography,
10am-
noon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cornwell Gallery, TC. Drop-in for a new, family-friendly
GTCD’S 4TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY 10am-noon, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Bring your garden seeds - any vegetables, fruits, or flowers that you enjoy growing - & plan to leave with seeds for your 2025 garden. Stop by the Traverse Area District Library’s station to check out their seed library. Free. natureiscalling.org/
10am-noon,
hand man of 1970s record producer Neil Bogart who co-founded Casablanca Records. They were behind the success of stars like Donna Summer, Kiss & The Village People. He also starred in the Toronto International Film Festival triumph, “The Blackening” as Shawn. $45-$65 + fees. traversecitycomedyfest.com
Interlochen Public Library. Kids can enjoy hands-on activities tied to the STEAM Career of the Month theme. 231-276-6767.
LITTLE WAVES: For ages 4-10. Hosted by the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, kids will enjoy a multi-media musical storybook time & a chance to see one or more of the instruments of the orchestra up close. Held at the Petoskey District Library at 10:30am & then at Charlevoix Public Library at 1pm. Free. glcorchestra.org
RIVERTOWN FOLLIES’ 40TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW: (See Thurs., April 10) -
SIERRA HULL: 7:30pm, Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee. This virtuoso mandolinist, two-time Grammy Nominated artist, & groundbreaking songwriter has graced the country’s most iconic stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Grand Ole Opry, & the White House. $20-$50. ci.ovationtix. com/36372/production/1202987?performan ceId=11477367
ALK: BARBARA STUMP: 11amnoon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie Rotunda, TC. Barbara shares the healing & mindfulness-generating practice of creating artist postcards. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-traverse-city/artist-talk-barbara-stump
SARA LEE CARES: Noon-4pm, Sara Lee Bakery Division of Sara Lee Corp., TC. This free family fun event includes the Easter Bunny, an Egg Scramble, allergy friendly Easter eggs, free lunch, demonstrations by the G.T. Metro Fire Dept., US Coast Guard, G.T. County Sheriff’s Dept., & G.T. 911 & Emergency Management; static equipment displays by US Coast Guard - Manistee, T.C. Police Dept., Michigan DNR, Paradise Twp. Fire, & more. allevents.in/traverse%20city/ free-community-event-sara-lee-cares-3rdannual/200027838344136
fresh beginnings, you are welcome to share your voice. Bring your poems. Suggested donation: $5-$10. blessedbetea.com
TC COMEDY FEST HEADLINER - MARC
MARON: 6pm & 8:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Marc has released five hit stand-up comedy specials throughout his career. His most recent is “From Bleak to Dark.” This past year he starred in the critically acclaimed feature film, “To Leslie”; portrayed Lex Luthor in “DC League of Super-Pets,” alongside Dwayne Johnson, Keanu Reeves, & Kevin Hart, & much more. $65-$125 + fees. cityoperahouse.org/node/560
BAYSIDE TRAVELLERS CONTRA
DANCE: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, TC. Beginner Workshop at 7pm; dances from 7:30-10:30pm. Live music provided by Woodland Celtic & dances called by Pat Reeser. No partner or experience necessary. $10 suggested donation.
EMMA’S REVOLUTION CONCERT: 7pm, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse, TC. California-based, activist singer/songwriting duo Emma’s Revolution will perform a concert of inspiration, hope & resistance. All proceeds of the concert will benefit Northern Michigan E3’s new offering, Better Together 2025 Series “Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America” (April 26, 3pm - Dennos Museum) & UUCGT’s Social Justice Action Team. Known for fearless, truth-telling lyrics & melodies, Emma’s Revolution is the award-winning activist duo of Pat Humphries & Sandy O. $20 pre-order; $25 door; no one turned away. emmasrevolution.com/concerts
GOPHERWOOD CONCERTS PRESENTS: THE GO ROUNDS: 7-9:30pm, Cadillac Elks Lodge. This Kalamazoo band is described as “a blend of psychedelia, Americana, twangrock & jelly-roll with a healthy dose of pop sensibility.” $10-$20 + fees. mynorthtickets. com/events/the-go-rounds-4-12-2025
screening of “The Russian Five” followed by a conversation with Keith Gave, the journalist who helped bring the legendary Russian Five to Detroit! $20. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/keith-gave
FREE EASTER EGG HUNT IN WOLVERINE: 1-4pm, Wildwood Lakes Golf Course, Wolverine. Under 5 yrs.: 1pm; 6-10 yrs.: 2pm; 11 & up: 3pm. Must RSVP. eventbrite. com/e/free-outdoor-easter-egg-hunt-tickets1303020271709?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=I wZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1r3hiC6AtODO NhhI8HXcbJw0TZ0QKeAQlCIslquZgO-Flet4iKocGuR_0_aem_U1Loisvp_WF_1
ELLSWORTH COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT: 2pm, Community Park, Ellsworth. For all ages.
RIVERTOWN FOLLIES’ 40TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW: (See Thurs., April 10, except today’s time is 2pm.)
FOR THE LOVE OF NATURE: 3pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Presented by TC Philharmonic with Kevin Rhodes, conductor/piano. Featuring Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” Duparc’s “Aux Etoilles,” & much more. $27-$65. tcphil.org/ concerts/for-the-love-of-nature
PET PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: 3-5pm, Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, Petoskey. Bring your cameras & pets for fun pictures with the Easter Bunny. Up to 25% of sales will be donated to help animals in need at the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society. Free.
HOLOCAUST DRAMA BY INTERLOCHEN STUDENTS: 5:30pm, Interlochen Arts Academy, Music Building. See a staged reading of a new Holocaust play based on actual diaries of young people in the Vilna Ghetto during WWII. This will be the world premiere of “Echoes of Vilna” by TC playwright Ken Newbury. Free. beth-shalom-tc.org/events/ play-reading-of-the-echoes-of-vilna
TC COMEDY FEST: NATASHA LEGGERO: 9-10:30pm, Park Place Hotel & Conference Center, TC. Natasha is an accomplished actress, writer, & standup comedian. Most re cently, she starred in the CBS sitcom “Broke” & released “The Honeymoon Stand Up Spe cial” on Netflix, which she shot along with her husband & fellow comedian Moshe Kasher. $45-$65 + fees. traversecitycomedyfest.com
BATTLE OF THE BOOKS:
9am-4pm, TC West Senior High School. This 10th an nual competition is presented by National Writers Series. It is a book-based quiz competition for fourth & fifth graders in the Grand Traverse community. Teams have a chance to win prizes for sports manship, team spirit, most creative team name & more. battleofthebooksgt.org
ART IN THE CASTLE: 10am-5pm, Castle Farms, Charlevoix. A juried fine art fair featuring award winning artists from the Midwest. Includes ceramic, painting, digital,
BOOK LAUNCH CELEBRATION: 1pm, Horizon Books, TC. Edgar Award-finalist author & Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bryan Gruley will celebrate the launch of his newest crime thriller, “Bitterfrost.” horizonbooks.com
BROMEO VS THE JULIETTES: (See Sat., April 5, except today’s times are 2pm & 7:30pm.)
CADILLAC FOOTLITERS PRESENTS “JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT”: (See Sat., April 5, except today’s times are 2pm & 7pm.)
TC COMEDY FEST: FUNNY WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE: 3pm, City Opera House, TC. “Funny Women” or “WOACA” was created to give older women comics a chance to be seen & heard. Frustrated with how women are portrayed on television once they hit 50, Carole Montgomery (a veteran of the stand-up scene for over 40 years) decided to do something about it. Today’s show will feature creator Carole Montgomery, Julia Scotti, & Leighann Lord. $40-$55 + fees. cityoperahouse.org/node/629
DEAD POETS
SOCIETY - OPEN MIC: 6pm, Blessed Be Tea and Apothecary, TC. Spring Edition: Dead Poets Society - Showers & Flowers, A Night of Growth & Renewal. Whether your poetry explores personal growth, the cleansing power of spring rains, or the joy of
CANDLELIGHT CONCERT FEAT. KARA HUBER & ARA SARKISSIAN: 7:30pm, The Alluvion, TC. Violinist Ara Sarkissian & pianist Kara Huber perform a romantic candlelight recital of powerhouse violin & piano duo music. $28. interlochen.org/events/candlelight-concert-featuring-kara-huber-and-arasarkissian-2025-04-12
RIVERTOWN FOLLIES’ 40TH ANNIVERSARY SHOW: (See Thurs., April 10)
WILD BILL & THE BRUISERS: 8pm, Freshwater Art Gallery & Concert Venue, Boyne City. This rockabilly group brings special guests Eliza Thorne & Mallory Eagle. For tickets call 231-582-2588. $45.
Sunday
MARI VINEYARDS WINE RUN 5K: 8am, Mari Vineyards, TC. Your participation supports the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center. runsignup.com/Race/MI/TraverseCity/ MariVineyardsWineRun5k
PARADISE EMERGENCY SERVICES PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8am-1pm, Kingsley High School. Benefits the local fire department. $5/person.
ART IN THE CASTLE: (See Sat., April 12, except today’s hours are 11am-4pm.)
DETROIT’S HOCKEY EVOLUTION WITH KEITH GAVE: 1pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Celebrate hockey history. The afternoon will feature an exclusive
FACULTY RECITAL: KARA DUO: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Dendrinos Chapel & Recital Hall. Violinist Ara Sarkissian & pianist Kara Huber perform a romantic candlelight recital of powerhouse violin & piano duo music. Free. interlochen.org/ events/faculty-recital-kara-duo-kara-huberpiano-and-ara-sarkissian-violin-2025-04-13
ongoing
FAMILY & FRIENDS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP: Wednesdays, noon1pm, Christ Church, 430 Fair St., TC. namigt.org
FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP: Mondays, 6-7:30pm, Builders Assoc. Bldg., 3040 Sunset Lane, TC. namigt.org
FREE COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS: Wednesdays, 7:30pm, Original Hot Yoga Traverse City. originalhotyogatc.com
INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato corridor, TC. Saturdays, 10am-2pm. thevillagetc.com
“UNFOLDING NATURE”: Higher Art Gallery, TC. Featuring the metal work of Vinnie Sutherland & the ink/watercolor art of Bo Inthivong. The show runs from April 12 - May 10 for in-person viewing, with an online collector preview beginning at noon on April 11. higherartgallery.com
CRYSTAL EASTER
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MUD SEASON ART SHOW: AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center, Grayling. A celebration of creativity, craftsmanship, & the work of the Mud Club members. Runs April 4-13. artisanvillage.org/event/mud-season-art-show
2025 YOUTH ART EXHIBIT, TC: Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. Runs through April 5. Celebrating the work of K-12 art students & educators from throughout the Grand Traverse region. Gallery hours are Tues. through Fri., 11am-5pm, & Sat., 10am4pm. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traversecity/2025-youth-art-exhibit-traverse-city
CREATOR’S CORNER: A JOURNEY OF 12 ARTISTS: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. Runs through April 19. This art exhibition features a curated selection of works from 12 artists featured in Charlevoix Circle of Arts’ 2024 Creator’s Corner YouTube series. Open M-F, 11am-4pm; Sat., 11am-3pm. charlevoixcircle.org/exhibits-2025
CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:
- OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: Saturdays, 10am-1pm in Visual Arts Room. Free drop-in art studio for the whole family. New projects are offered weekly. crookedtree.org
- EMERGING ARTISTS 2025: A COLLECTION OF NCMC STUDENT WORKS: Held in Atrium Gallery. Each year, students in NCMC’s art program exhibit their work. Work in glass, metals, ceramics, painting, drawing, photography, illustration, video, & more will be on display. This exhibition is organized by NCMC faculty. It runs through April 5. Hours are Tues. through Sat., 10am-5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey/emerging-artists-2025-collection-ncmc-student-works
- YOUTH ART SHOW 2025 - PETOSKEY: The Gilbert & Bonfield Galleries will be covered floor to ceiling with thousands of unique works of art created by area students artists. Runs through April 26. Awards will be selected during the first month of the exhibition & announced at the awards ceremony on Thurs., April 17 from 6-8pm. Gallery hours are Tues. through Sat., 10am-5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/youthart-show-2025-petoskey
DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - NMC STUDENT ART EXHIBITION: Featuring work by NMC Fine Art & Visual Communication students in a variety of media & styles including painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, ceramics & graphic design. Runs April 11 - May 4. A reception will be held on April 15 at 5pm. nmc.edu
- “SMALL EXPRESSIONS”: The Handweavers Guild of America, Inc.’s “Small Expressions” exhibit is an annual juried exhibition showcasing contemporary small-scale works using fiber techniques in any media. Works do not exceed 15 inches in any direction, were completed within the last two years, & were not previously published. Runs through May 25. Hours are Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/small-expressions.html
- “NORTHWEST MICHIGAN REGIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION”: Held regularly at the Museum for over 30 years, the exhibition features artwork made by regional artists over the last year & juried by an arts professional outside of the region. This year’s juror is Teresa Dunn. It runs through May 25. Hours are Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/northwest-michigan-juried-show-and-call.html
- A STYLE ALL OUR OWN: CANADIAN WOODLAND ARTISTS: Runs through May 25. In the early 1960s, young Indigenous artists from the Great Lakes region created a unique style of painting known as the Woodland School of Art. Early members of this
prolific art community included Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, Roy Thomas, Sam Ash, Jackson Beardy, & Daphne Odjig. Perhaps the best-known of the group is Norval Morrisseau, who is often referred to as the Father of the Woodland School. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/ now-on-view/canadian-woodland-artists.html
- CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CERAMICS FROM THE HORVITZ COLLECTION: Runs through Sept. 28, 2025. An array of works by contemporary Japanese ceramic artists, this is a sampler of the great diversity of styles, forms, glazes, & ages. These artworks are drawn from the curated collection of Carol & Jeffrey Horvitz, some of the leading collectors of Japanese contemporary outside of Japan. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/index.html
GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER:
- WALKING: An exhibit about ambling, rambling, wending one’s way. Paint, clay, woven & quilted fibers, mixed media, metal, etching, photography, & found object sculpture. Runs through May 29. glenarborart.org/product/ exhibit-walking
- OUTDOOR GALLERY EXHIBIT: MARGO
BURIAN + ORDINARY MAGIC: Leelanau County artist Margo Burian’s collages have been chosen for display in the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s 2024-25 Outdoor Gallery exhibition, an annual, invitational exhibit. Burian’s collages are rooted in the idea of Ordinary Magic, or delight. They were reproduced on five, 5-foot-square, weather-resistant aluminum panels created by Image 360 of TC. Runs through April 20, 2025. Check web site for hours. glenaborart.org
- “REFLECTIONS IN WATER”: Held in Lobby Gallery. A small exhibit of colored pencil drawings depicting a vital life force by Judith Shepelak. Runs through April 24. Shepelak captures the dynamic, changing, & diverse faces of water as she has encountered it during travels locally & throughout the United States & Canada. The GAAC is open Mon. through Fri., 9am-3pm, & noon-4pm on Sat. glenaborart.org
OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:
- ANNUAL REGIONAL STUDENT ART EXHIBITION: Runs through April 30. Hundreds of artworks in a wide variety of media from area elementary, middle, & high schools will be on display. Certificates of Excellence & awards, including scholarships to University of Olivet, & monetary awards from Blick Art Materials will be presented during the Opening Reception on Friday April 4, from 5-7pm. oliverart.org
- POETS’ HOUSES: Held in Fisher Room Gallery. This exhibit is a collaboration between ceramic artist Karen Antrim & pastelist Frank Galante. Featuring works that explore 2D & 3D compositional strategies, constructing a visual expression of the world that inspired some of the English language’s most treasured poetry. Runs through April 26. Check web site for hours. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org
& Counseling
Telehealth
Psychiatric Assessments
Medication Management
lOGY
APR 07 - APR 13
BY ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Life is asking you to be a source of generosity and strength for the people and animals in your sphere. I hope you will exude maximum amounts of your natural charisma as you bestow maximum blessings. Soak up the admiration and affection you deserve, too, as you convey admiration and affection to others. Here’s a secret: The more you share your resources, help, and intelligence, the more of that good stuff will flow back your way.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Textile artist Mei Zhang wondered if the synthetic dyes she used on her fabrics were limited. Might there be a wider variety of colors she could use in her creations? She discovered that her grandmother, using age-old techniques, had produced hues that modern dyes couldn’t replicate. "The most sustainable path forward," Zhang concluded, "often involves rediscovering what we've forgotten rather than inventing something entirely new." I recommend that counsel to you, Virgo. The solution to a current challenge might come from looking back instead of pushing forward. Consider what old approaches or traditional wisdom you might call on to generate novelty. Weave together fresh applications with timeless principles.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The moon rises about 50 minutes later every day, and always at a slightly different place on the horizon. The amount of light it shows us is also constantly in flux. And yet where and how it will appear tomorrow or ten years from today is completely predictable. Its ever-changing nature follows a rhythmic pattern. I believe the same is true about our emotions and feelings, which in astrology are ruled by the moon. They are forever shifting, and yet if we survey the big picture of how they arise, we will see their overall flow has distinct patterns. Now would be a good time for you to get to know your flow better. See if you can detect recurring motifs. Try to develop more objectivity about how your precious emotions and feelings really work. If you do this correctly, you will deepen and enhance the guiding power of your precious emotions and feelings.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Research reveals that interludes of productive uncertainty may strengthen our brain’s neural pathways— even more so than if we consistently leap to immediate comprehension. The key modifier to this fortifying uncertainty is “productive.” We must be willing to dwell with poise in our puzzlement, even welcome and enjoy the fertile mystery it invokes in us. Neurobiologist Aiden Chen says, "Confusion, when properly supported, isn't an obstacle to learning but a catalyst for understanding." These ideas will be good medicine in the coming weeks, dear Scorpio.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Persian American author Haleh Liza Gafori translates the poetry of 13th-century Sufi mystic Rumi. One of their joint books is titled Gold. She writes, “Rumi’s gold is not the precious metal, but a feeling-state arrived at through the alchemical process of burning through layers of self, greed, pettiness, calculation, doctrine—all of it. The prayer of Sufism is ‘teach me to love more deeply.’ Gold is the deepest love.” That’s the gold I hope you aspire to embody in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. You are in a resplendently golden phase when you have more power than usual to create, find, and commune with Rumi’s type of gold.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The coming weeks will be an excellent time to reframe the meaning of “emptiness” in your life. To launch your quest, I will remind you that quiet interludes and gaps in your schedule can be rejuvenating. Sitting still and doing nothing in particular may be a good way to recharge your spiritual batteries. Relieving yourself of the pressure to be endlessly active could be just what you need to open up space for fresh possibilities.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): There was a time, many years ago, when I consulted a divinatory oracle every day of my life. Sometimes it was the Tarot or the I Ching. I threw the Norse runes, did automatic writing, used a pendulum, or tried bibliomancy. Astrology was always in the mix, too, of
course. Looking back on those days, I am amused at my obsession with scrying the future and uncovering subconscious currents. But employing these aids had a wonderful result: It helped me develop and fine-tune my intuition and psychic powers—which, after all, are the ultimate divination strategy. I bring this to your attention, Aquarius, because believe you now have an enhanced power to cultivate and strengthen your intuition and psychic powers.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): The fovea is the part of the eye that enables sharp vision. Humans have just one kind of fovea, which gives them the ability to see clearly straight ahead. Eagles have both a central and peripheral fovea. The latter gives them an amazing visual acuity for things at a distance. This extra asset also attunes them to accurately detect very slow movements. I suspect you will have a metaphorical semblance of the eagle's perceptual capacity in the coming weeks, Pisces. You will be able to see things you wouldn't normally see and things that other people can't see. Take full advantage of this superpower! Find what you didn't even know you were looking for.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Ceramicist Jun Hamada says that trying to force harmony into her art leads to sterile work. "The most beautiful pieces come from the moments I stop trying to make them beautiful," she notes. "They emerge from embracing the clay's natural tendencies, even when they seem to fight against my intentions." recommend her approach to you in the coming weeks. Your best results may emerge as you allow supposed flaws and glitches to play an unexpected part in the process. Alliances might benefit, even deepen, through honest friction rather than imposed peace. What will happen when you loosen your attachment to enforced harmony and let life's natural tensions gyrate?
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini-born Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) was a prolific architect who orchestrated many daring designs. Among his most audacious experiments was a project to build a house over a waterfall in Pennsylvania. "It can't be done!" experts said. But he did it. Before he was ready to accomplish the impossible, though, he had to spend months studying the site's natural patterns. bring this to your attention, Gemini, because I believe you are ready to consider your own equivalent of constructing a house over a waterfall. Prepare well! Do your homework!
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the early phase of his illustrious career as a photographer, Edward Weston (1886–1958) cultivated a soft-focus, romantic style. But he ultimately converted to stark, uncompromising realism. "The camera," he said, "should be used for recording life, for rendering the very substance and quintessence of the thing itself." If there is anything about you that prefers warm, fuzzy illusions over objective, detailed truth, I suggest you switch emphasis for a while. If you like, you can return to the soft-focus approach in June. But for now, a gritty, unsentimental attitude will be essential to your well-being.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here's my minimanifesto about change, just in time for a phase when change is most necessary and possible for you. 1. Real change is often a slow and subtle process. There may be rare dramatic shifts, but mostly the process is gradual and incremental. 2. Instead of pushing hard for a short time, you're more likely to change things by persistently pushing with modest strength for a sustained time. 3. Rather than trying to confront and wrestle with a big problem exactly as it is, it's often more effective to break the seemingly insurmountable challenge into small, manageable pieces that can be solved one at a time through simple efforts.
“Jonesin”
Crosswords
"Live and Let Dye" touching up the answers.by Matt Jones
ACROSS
1. Thai coins
6. Not so many
9. Gen Z term of endearment
12. Dark area in an eclipse
13. Neighbor of Hispaniola
14. Be furious
15. Adjective for college sophomores
17. Subject of adoration
18. In an apt way
19. ___ 3000 ("New Blue Sun" artist)
20. Red tag events
21. Moved back and forth
22. ___ points (really low Eurovision score)
25. Word used a lot by Grover when pestering the "blue guy"
26. It might be blue or gray
27. Onetime ruler of Iran
29. Barbecue servings
32. IRS investigation
34. Aussie students' school
35. "The Only Way is ___" (long-running UK reality show)
37. Put one name after another, maybe?
40. Send a message
41. Kindle material
42. ___ Bo (Billy Blanks workout)
44. JFK serves it
45. Parts of some emoticons
47. Wild
49. "Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir" author Eddie
50. Selectively un-hears
53. End in ___
54. Just me, really?
56. Fish parts
57. Muscat's country
58. Up and about
59. Added charge
60. German article
61. Sound, for one
DOWN
1. Vehicle with a route
2. Iowa State locale
3. Morehouse or Howard, for short
4. Three, to Marie
5. December mall employees
6. Energizes
7. Web bidding site
8. "Avengers: Infinity ___"
9. Portrayer of Jed Clampett
10. Love, to Lorenzo
11. Went looking for lampreys
13. William Gibson genre
14. Runner-up, usually
16. Some surrealist paintings
19. Mindful
21. "And ___ Was" (Talking Heads hit)
22. Code-breaking org.
23. "Nope"
24. Museum-Go-Round proprietor on "Mister
Rogers' Neighborhood"
26. Used, like a notepad
28. Pelvis parts
30. Actress de Armas
31. Hot
33. Beachwear item
36. "Making Plans For Nigel" band
38. "Rosy-fingered" goddess
39. Lop-___ rabbit
43. Chill classes
45. Grain husks
46. "Severance" persona, partially
47. Terrible, acronymically
48. "My Fair Lady" composer
50. Overwhelming volume
51. ___ Bator
52. Scolding noises
54. Subtle signal
55. Ultra-wide shoe size
NORTHERN EXPRESS
CLASSIFIEDS
WANTED: LEGOS - FATHER & SON LOOKING TO BUY LEGOS: LOOKING TO SELL ANY LEGOS? IF SO, WE'RE BUYING. GIVE ME A CALL AT 231-463-0026
TWO GREENHOUSES FOR SALE - NEW IN BOX, $750 EACH: Two plexiglass greenhouses for sale, brand new in box, $750 each. Sized 10' x 12' x 10' with vents and peaked roof. On Birmley Road in Traverse City. Call Brant at 231-947-1583.
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TRAVERSE CITY COTTAGE FOR RENT: TC
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OUTSIDE-THE-BOX CAMP COUNSELORS WANTED! Right Tree, a local charity is seeking creative, adventurous, fun, collegeage females to staff our Summer Adventures
program. Requirements are a vibrant faith, a passion for the outdoors and a call to speak positively into the lives of middle school girls. Our combination of challenge & adventure + themed small group discussions is life changing. Requires a 26-day commitment Jun-Aug. Candidates must reside within an easy commute of Elk Rapids. Compensation is $4,000. For more information: www.righttee. org or right.tree19@gmail.com https://www. righttree.org/summer-job-application
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