Northern Express - August 10, 2026

NORTHERN

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+ Tribal efforts to protect Lake Michigan

+ Watershed Center wins against polluters + Exploring the Chain of Lakes Water Trail

+ Top five invasive aquatic species in NoMi

A T E E S R T S G L E A K R U O NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • august 10 - august 16, 2026 • Vol. 36 No.32 Photo courtesy of Paddle Antrim and Pure Michigan

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letters CONTENTS Bridging the Gap In a world that is already suffering severely from the effects of our fossil fuel economy, I feel the continuing debate about Line 5 is just an incredibly misguided dispute about money. I refuse to believe that within the context of the damage already done to our environment we need to endanger billions of gallons of fresh clear water for more crude oil.

But Big Money usually gets its way. So, as a compromise, I would like to suggest an alternative solution. That would be attaching the necessary capacity of piping to the underside of the Mackinac Bridge.

The volume of fuels transported may have to be reduced to not over-stress the current 75-year-old structure, but if properly done, it seems the structure needed to support the pipelines could actually help to strengthen the bridge in an overall sense. This action would also allow for the near continuous inspection of these pipelines and quick and easy repairs, if needed.

I cannot relate to the idea of a potential disaster deep under the waters of our Great Lakes. Recent reports have described the lakebed in the area as unstable, and even the concrete casket they want to build for the pipelines in question would not survive the destruction. The cleanup in that case would never end.

Bob Wallick | Cross Village Agree to Discuss Beginning with agreement, I recently had an occasion to engage in a discussion with a friend about gun control. We were chatting about various things, and I mentioned having “removed” a red squirrel from my bird feeder with my pellet gun.

Suddenly we were talking about guns, gun rights, and gun control.

We were coming from opposite viewpoints, and we sensed the tension entering the discussion. Suddenly I paused, and without thinking, blurted out, “In spite of our disagreement, I am absolutely sure we agree about one thing: We would do anything to protect our children.” There was another pause and then we both smiled, knowing this was true.

From that moment the conversation headed in a different direction. He talked about how he could never forgive himself if someone entered his home intending harm and he was not armed and ready to defend his family. I talked about having worked in the public schools for 35 years and that teachers were continually in fear of school schoolings. We talked about our love for children, our own and the children in our communities. We discussed the complexities of the roles guns play, both in protecting and endangering children.

We ended without agreeing on the best gun policy, were it solely up to either of us.

We know that living in a democracy means we don’t have the luxury of dictating to the other what future gun policies will be.

We know progress is about compromise and finding a way to keep the discussion going. Discovering deep agreement early on certainly helped move the conversation forward.

Steve Foley | Bellaire

features

Small Lakes, Big Adventures............................10 On the Water with Lake Life Efoils....................14 Protecting Lake Michigami...............................16 Going After the Polluters.....................................18 Protecting an “Invisible” Resource...................20 The Battle Against Aquatic Invasive Species....22 To Flock Or Not To Flock?................................24

columns & stuff

Top Ten.........................................................4 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle..................................6 Guest Opinion..................................................7 Weird..............................................................8 13Questions (sponsored content)....................13 Dates..........................................................27 Astrology.......................................................32 Crossword.....................................................32 Nitelife...........................................................33 Classifieds....................................................34

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Editor: Jillian Manning Creative Director: Kyra Cross Poehlman Finance Manager: Libby Shutler Sales: Lisa Gillespie, Kim Murray, Kaitlyn Nance, Abby Walton Porter, Michele Young For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948

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this week’s

top ten The Music of the Earth

The Botanic Gardens at Historic Barns Park has had a lot to celebrate lately, from the opening of the new Debra J. Edson Family Education Center to the one-year anniversary of their children’s sensory garden.

But on Thursday, Aug. 13, they’re celebrating Mother Earth. Join the garden for a concert featuring Stonefruit Collective in the aforementioned Education Center from 6-8pm. The event promises “grooves for the atmosphere, serenades for the soil, and hymns for the open water” and that the original American tunes of Stonefruit Collective will “remind us to connect with the flora and fauna of this unique and life-sustaining space rock.” Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for members (plus ticketing fees, if purchased through eventbrite.com). Learn more about the event and other upcoming garden happenings at thebotanicgarden.org/events.

The Great American Pie Contest

Take a bite out of Antrim County Fair’s Great American Pie Contest! Although Antrim has one of Michigan’s smallest fairs, the pie contest has one of the biggest purse sizes. Area pie makers compete for $100, $75, or $50, depending on winning first, second, or third place. Held on Friday, Aug. 14, with walk-up registration beginning at 3pm, the judging follows, and winners will be announced between 4-4:30pm.

Afterward, you be the judge as pies will be sliced and plated with vanilla ice cream! For more info, check the Antrim County Fair Facebook page or call (231) 584-2587.

Hey, read It! Furious Violet At nearly 50, crime journalist Violet “West” Shelley has perfected the art of isolation. The only daughter of Juliet Bellwood, whose untimely death made her one of the most subversive and celebrated poets of the 20th century (Sylvia Plath, anyone?), West was born into the public’s glaring limelight and has subsequently spent her adulthood cultivating a quieter existence away from media trolls, who often cast her writing as “low culture,” and the invasive zeal of her mother’s cult-like fanatics. That is, until a stranger usurps her many defenses, accusing the childless West of being their mother; trailing her to remote Colorado; and wreaking havoc so horrifying that even her own mind can’t be trusted. Who is West’s secret stalker, and in the classic literary conundrum: do they really exist?

Feminine rage is the name of the game in bestselling author Sarai Walker’s newest novel, Furious Violet.

Propulsive and darkly funny, this psychological thriller is a mother of a read in more ways than one!

the 2 tastemaker

Buchan’s Blueberry Ice Cream

There’s no shortage of ice cream options in northern Michigan, especially in the summer.

But Buchan's Blueberry Hill has a secret weapon: growing its own ingredients. The fifthgeneration farm on Traverse City’s Old Mission Peninsula handcrafts its ice cream in small batches using certified non-GMO milk from Michigan cattle—and fruit grown on its own farm. While options range from Lavender to Old Mission Apple Pie to Lighthouse Cherry, our personal favorite is Blueberry Hill, a delicious blueberry flavored ice cream with pops of fresh whole Buchan's blueberries. Enjoy it on the farm at 1472 Nelson Road—and pick some blueberries to take home while you’re at it—or grab a cone at Buchan’s West Bay at 13000 S. West Bay Shore Dr. buchansblueberryhill.com

4 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

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Do you like cattle or crafts? Antique tractors or local art? Monster trucks or made-in-Michigan treats? For one set of answers, you’ll want to head to the Otsego County Fair, held Aug. 10-15 at 275 Fairview Rd. with a slate of events that run the gamut from a country music concert to a rodeo to a bump and run car show. Check out the full lineup at otsegocountyfair.com. Now, if your tastes tend toward the second set of answers, drive a few miles south to the Michaywé Arts & Crafts Fair on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 14 and 15, held in the Michaywé golf community. This is the fair’s 47th year, and they’re expecting to showcase “handmade crafts, distinctive indoor and outdoor décor, original artwork, creative natural products,” and plenty more across 100 artist booths.

See all the vendor info and event details at michayweartfair.com.

Stuff We Love: A Big Push for Land Protection Pictured: Hidden Creek Preserve

Fresh on the heels of a massive lift to preserve the former Sugar Loaf ski area, the Leelanau Conservancy is trying to close the gap on their biggest fundraising campaign in the organization’s history. They are $9 million off their $75 million goal for their “Leelanau Protected” efforts, with funds going toward permanently protecting natural lands and farmland, ecological restoration, and access to natural areas through expanded and enhanced trail systems and outdoor experiences. Per a press release from the conservancy, Leelanau Protected dollars have already gone to the aforementioned Sugar Loaf project and expanded the Kehl Natural Area. Next on the docket is protecting Suttons Bay Forest, a 184-acre natural area nestled between the Village of Suttons Bay and Lake Leelanau that is available for a “bargain” sale. Learn more at leelanauconservancy.org/leelanauprotected.

Parting Ways with Hazardous Waste Have you been doing home and lawn projects all summer long? If so, you may have some products like deck stain, fertilizer, or even just lightbulbs and batteries to get rid of. Grand Traverse County is holding its penultimate Recycle Smart hazardous waste collection of the summer on Thursday, Aug. 13. (The final one will be Sept. 12.)

Appointments are required, and you can dispose of up to 150 pounds of materials without charge, though donations are appreciated. The average cost per carload is about $91, and the county collected 165,605 pounds of hazardous waste in 2025 alone! Make your appointment and get examples of what you can bring at gtcountymi.gov/1162/Household-Hazardous-Waste. Note that per the county, “Latex paints are water-based and are accepted, in liquid form only, at the Household Hazardous Waste events. Please dispose of hardened latex paint and empty paint cans with your regular household garbage.”

8 bottoms up Left Foot Charley’s Blanc If you had to choose, what would the signature flavor of northern Michigan be? Is it local whitefish? The famous cherry? If we’re talking wine, Pinot Blanc is the answer—and we’ve found our new favorite in the crispy perfection that is Left Foot Charley’s Blanc.

Featuring Pinot Blanc grapes harvested from a handful of small farms on Old Mission Peninsula (and a touch of local Auxerrois), this 2025 vintage is fermented in stainless steel and sees a quick interaction with yeast for a zippy texture that moves on the palette.

Expect lively flavors of citrus and fresh apple skin. Refreshing, electric, and downright delicious, it’s pure northern Michigan in a bottle. Kick back with a glass at Left Foot Charley in the Grand Traverse Commons, 806 Red Dr., Ste 100, or use the “find a store” feature at leftfootcharley.com.

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Leelanau County is an absolutely open book compared to recent actions in Traverse City.

City Manager Benjamin Marentette (we should point out Traverse City has had five city managers, including interim appointees, since 2020) summarily fired Planning Director Shawn Winter because…? No reason of any kind given, and Marentette did not even deliver the news to Winter, an employee who reported to him directly, himself. Instead, he left that odious duty to somebody from HR.

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Over in Leelanau County, another county administrator, their fifth since 2020, bites the dust. Jim Dyer agreed to part ways after being placed on administrative leave. The controversy involves county finances and receipts and credit cards and, honestly, it is not easy to determine the actual issues or who’s wearing the white hats and who’s wearing the black hats over there. Reading the various reports—and transparency is not exactly a strong suit in Leelanau County— it appears the elected commissioners and the staff aren’t always dancing to the same tune, and it’s not clear staff is on the same page internally, either. Perhaps a new county

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It may be that Marentette and Winter no longer share a vision for Traverse City’s future or there was some personal affront that occurred. Or maybe there was a complaint, though it’s likely that would have been made public by now.

Winter was an at-will employee, meaning Marentette need not have any reason at all to dismiss him as long as it wasn’t based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. Surely there was some reason, and Winter, who had been in his position for more than five years, probably deserved more than notice from the HR department that he was done.

As this is being written, Marentette says reporters should file Freedom of Information requests and look at Winter’s personnel file as there are reasons contained therein. Never mind that those files are mostly protected by law. It doesn’t help that he also sent the city commissioners, his bosses, a note telling them it was his decision and, in so many words, not to interfere. The city manager is not an independent contractor functioning apart from the rest of the city government, something he surely understands. The removal of Winter, without stated cause, is not a good look.

This comes at a fairly inopportune time as the Traverse City’s Downtown Development

6 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

Authority tries to extend a version of TIF 97, renamed to Infrastructure First TIF Plan, which expires next year. This version would not capture property tax money from the county, NMC, BATA, or the library district, as critics have often railed against.

The DDA says that several projects might be put off or not completed in a timely manner without approving the TIF extension. That’s not necessarily true. The city will still receive tax revenues aplenty, and projects planned by the DDA could still be undertaken by the city.

They might take a little longer to complete, budgets might have to be examined more closely, and we might decide that every bell and whistle on every project are not necessary, but the projects could still get

The old bromide is that all politics are local. We should add that they are also often messy.

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The old bromide is that all politics are local.

We should add that they are also often messy.

done. The formerly dedicated TIF money could be distributed throughout the city, not just used downtown. And, if need be, we can always create another TIF. Continuing on our local politics journey, a couple of local recall efforts have fallen short of either signature requirements or legal language.

Several local residents tried to circulate petitions to recall County Prosecutor Noelle Moenggenberg because they were exceedingly disappointed with her willingness to plea bargain. Keep in mind that without plea bargains, our already overcrowded courts would be hopelessly clogged. Guilty pleas save time, money, and free up court dockets for actual trials, but can also give criminals a break they might not deserve.

This recall movement took flight when former St. Francis star athlete and star student Sam DeKuiper was killed by an extremely reckless driver. It did not help that Moenggemberg made comments about not wanting to ruin the defendant’s life and that his five-year sentence was sufficient. No, it wasn’t, but collecting more than 13,000 signatures in a tight time window to force a recall was too high a hill to climb, at least this time.

In Antrim County, folks are trying to recall County Clerk Victoria Bishop, a hardcore 2020 election denier. She’s been accused of making unauthorized changes to voter registration statuses and the Qualified Voter File. The state has suspended her access to that Qualified Voter File, but the Michigan Board of State Canvassers rejected the language on the recall petition, the two Republicans voting against and creating a 2-2 deadlock on the Board and rejection.

All politics is local. And messy.

WHEN SAFETY ISN’T SAFE

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GUEST OPINION

by Cathye Williams For several years, I’ve had the gift of this space to write about environmental issues.

I’ve tried to use it to inform, and sometimes persuade, on topics that I care about. In all this time, however, I’ve never tackled the subject of Line 5. Not that I don’t care—I do, deeply—but any account I could make about the tumultuous, years-long fight to shut down an aging oil pipeline would surely fall short. I remain in the audience on this one and barely keep up with the complexities.

for years. (It’s already been eight years since the project was proposed.) And completing the project, with all its risks, could take as long as Enbridge wants it to, while they earn nearly $2 million per day on the oil flowing through the Great Lakes bottomlands.

A reprieve for the Davids came just a few days later, when the Michigan Supreme Court handed down a 6-1 decision vacating the Michigan Public Service Commission’s earlier approval of the project. The Court called on the Commission to conduct The Straits of Mackinac, and the surrounding a full and thorough review, with the states and Tribal lands, have become the diligence required of them by the Public epicenter of a struggle between competing Trust Doctrine to protect the Great Lakes.

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the continued extraction, refinement, and use of fossil fuels products threatens life in and around the Great Lakes, from wildfires, to fishery collapse, to invasive species, erosion, and all manner of pollution.

Meet the Davids: the dedicated souls that have joined together to lead on the frontline.

They include numerous Tribal bands and communities from around the Great Lakes, state and local groups such as Flow Water Advocates, Michigan Climate Action Network (MCAN), and national/international concerns/powerhouses like Earth Justice and National Wildlife Federation.

In addition to using extensive legal strategies, these are the folks who keep the rest of us well informed about the threat that Line 5 and the proposed tunnel to “protect” it pose—and more importantly, about what we can all do to stop it.

Opposing them are the oil industry Goliaths: particularly Enbridge, a Canadian company that is on track for over $20 billion in profits in 2026, while every day pumping 22 million gallons of oil under Lake Michigan and the world’s greatest supply of clean fresh water.

This great wealth has given these Goliaths unjust and outsized influence over the leaders we elect to protect our safety and our shared public resources.

The fight between Enbridge and environmentalists has always been intense, but recent developments have been particularly fraught. First a win for Goliath, when the governor seemingly lost her mind and allowed her Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to move forward with a permit for the Enbridge’s Great Lakes Tunnel project. This was confounding to many, because Governor Whitmer has spoken against the pipeline going back to her campaign to lead Michigan in 2018.

This permit will keep the pipeline running

Behind all of this struggle flows another disturbing truth, however. I think Jeffrey Insko summed it up best, leading into his Substack article in The Current, “One More Thing About That EGLE Permit.” He points out that considering the tunnel to be safe “only makes sense if you ignore one giant thing.” Can anyone guess the one giant thing?

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Insko leads you to information so you can arrive at your own conclusions. His article consists of a nine-word mantra on repeat: “Oil transported safely is bad for the Great Lakes.” With each repeat he cites numerous articles on climate change and all the other ways the continued extraction, refinement, and use of fossil fuels products threatens life in and around the Great Lakes, from wildfires, to fishery collapse, to invasive species, erosion, and all manner of pollution.

We have known this for decades, and research continues to teach us more about the problem. But the evidence isn’t just in research and writings. It’s all around us, happening right before our eyes. Just think of what this year has brought here in Michigan and around the world. Floods, fires, drought, extreme heat, disease, conflict and forced migration, species loss, and habitat loss.

We know that climate change drives much of this, and we know what drives climate change, despite the best efforts to hide the truth by those who profit and pay nothing for the damage. Our task is to witness, learn, and especially to take action, so the Davids can continue to prevail.

Cathye Williams is a local climate activist. She writes from the northern corner of Manistee County.

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Pain in the Neck A circus performer is recovering after his wife and fellow performer accidentally shot him in the neck with an arrow from a crossbow during a show, the Associated Press reported. Ana Daza Tavera, 42, and Edwin Cuervo Rangel, 38, were doing their regular sharpshooting act at a county fair in Middletown, New York, on July 24, when the accident occurred. The circus was canceled for the night, and Cuervo Rangel was airlifted to a hospital, where the arrow was removed and the wound site stitched up. Ringmaster Benjamin Jackson said that there was "no blood leaking out. There was a little around the hole where the arrow went in, kind of like getting your ear pierced," he said. The circus resumed its regular schedule, but the sharpshooting act is on hold while Cuervo Rangel makes a full recovery. [AP, 7/27/26]

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Not Great, Bob David Cifaldi, 32, was hiking Granite Mountain in Montana on July 20 when he tripped over a rock and impaled himself with one of his hiking poles -- and managed to hike the 10 miles back with the pole through his side, the New York Times reported. Cifaldi, an ER nurse, assessed his wounds and determined that because there was no blood and that he could take deep breaths, he was in good enough shape to get himself to safety. One friend radioed ahead for help and walked ahead to warn other hikers -- especially those with children -about the "gnarly" sight. The other friend walked behind him to watch for further signs of injury. The trek took about six and a half hours, and Cifaldi was in good enough spirits to joke around with his friends. They "started making shish kebab jokes," Cifaldi said. "By the end, they were calling me 'Bob' on the way out." He was cared for in Billings, at the very hospital where he works. Doctors there successfully removed the pole, but additional surgery could still be in Cifaldi's future. "I'm not an amateur hiker," he said, adding that this was "just a freak accident."

[The New York Times, 7/27/26]

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Wild Things Facing the loss of federal grants for a program that studies marmots, a group of researchers from the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has turned to an unusual source for financial support: an OnlyFans page called OnlyMarms, UPI reported on July 28. Professor Daniel Blumstein, the head of the program, says they will also continue to seek traditional funding sources. "[The OnlyMarms page is] going to be G-rated, and we're not going to sexualize this," Blumstein said. "We're just going to have fun with sharing." Masters student Emily Renkey runs the page. "Sometimes I'm just posting the videos I think will get the most 'awws,'" she said. "But my favorite is when I find footage of a particular behavior and I can use that to educate people." Fans of the page can leave tips to support the group's research. [UPI, 7/28/26] Nature Gone Wild On July 24, WJTV reported that a sixfoot-iguana made a break for it inside a Memphis FedEx, after a man opened a package that contained the large lizard. In a video of the incident, a man is seen opening

a large box and the iguana, named Titan, jumps out. "He was shipped overnight, and I expected him to be stiff for a minute like most reptiles after shipping. Nope. Titan came out ready for all the smoke," owner Roderick Duncan said. Duncan and FedEx employees eventually captured Titan, who ran around the store. Appreciative of the assistance from the FedEx employees, Duncan said, "They handled it like champs."

[WJTV, 7/24/26] In Douglas County, Colorado, sheriff 's deputies responded to a call about a breakin, only to discover the culprits weren't of the human variety: Two cubs had found their way into the home through an open window, UPI reported on July 27. After exploring the home, the bears settled on a dinner of cat food. Colorado Parks and Wildlife responded and assisted deputies in directing the bears out of the home and into the woods. [UPI, 7/27/26] Meanwhile, over in Gold Hill, Colorado, a bear broke into an unlocked car overnight and, unable to get out, laid on the horn. All night. KOSI reported on July 22 that when the owner came upon his car the next morning, he saw the driver's side airbag had been deployed and the interior ransacked. Afraid to get too close, he devised a plan, no doubt inspired by parents of children with loose teeth: He tied a rope around the car door handle, walked a safe distance away ... and yanked. The door flew open and the bear ambled out and into the woods. [KOSI, 7/22/26] Mowing While Intoxicated An Iowa woman was arrested on July 24 for driving a riding lawn mower in a Casey's convenience store parking lot outside Iowa City, The Smoking Gun reported. The witness indicated that the driver, Michelle Hudson, 36, seemed to be intoxicated. A breath test showed she was under the legal limit, but the police report said Hudson did not perform well on the field sobriety test and "showed measurable signs of impairment." Hudson's driver's license was suspended after a 2022 conviction for driving her SUV while under the influence of meth. After the lawn mower incident, she was arrested for operating under the influence and driving while barred. She is being held in the county jail without bond while she waits for her court appearance. [The Smoking Gun, 7/27/26] Castaway On July 21, Kai Sato of California was rescued by the crew of a container ship after spending a month stranded at sea.

The Guardian reported that the 39-yearold man set sail from the Catalina Islands in California on June 7 with the intention of completing his first solo trip across the Pacific Ocean; but a few weeks into the journey, his mast broke, his phone died and he ran out of gas trying to use the boat's motor to steer. "I was literally like a sitting duck, just getting taken south by the current going way off course," he said. After a brief period of despair, he managed to cobble together some repairs using PVC pipes and kayak paddles, collected drinking water from a plastic bag that collected condensation, and ate fish and squid that jumped into his boat.

Eventually, his boat drifted into a shipping lane between California and Hawaii, where he was rescued by the crew of a container ship. [The Guardian, 7/27/2026]

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thevillagetc.com/events (231) 941-1900 thevillagetc.com/events thevillagetc.com/events (231) 941-1900 (231) 941-1900 (231) 941-1900 Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 9

An Ellsworth Lake group kayak. Photos courtesy of Paddle Antrim.

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Exploring the Chain of Lakes Water Trail

By Lourin Sprenger When people think of northern Michigan, Lake Michigan steals the spotlight.

Its tree-peppered shoreline, majestic dunes, and endless blue horizon have long defined Up North summers. But tucked just inland lies another aquatic treasure, one that offers more than 100 miles of interconnected paddling opportunities through some of the clearest, most diverse waters in the Midwest.

Stretching from Ellsworth to Elk Rapids, the Chain of Lakes Water Trail connects 12 lakes and rivers, each with its own distinct charm and personality. From quiet, wildlifefilled wetlands to the brilliant waters of Torch Lake, the system offers paddlers, kayakers, canoeists, and paddleboarders an entirely different way to experience northern Michigan.

“It’s a really unique asset to our region to have 12 interconnected lakes that you can explore,” says Deana Jerdee, Executive Director of Paddle Antrim. “You have the smaller lakes in the upper chain with a totally different experience than the lower chain, where you get the turquoise blue of Torch Lake and the bigger lakes like Torch and Elk. They’re completely different experiences; all connected with just one dam in the middle.”

Choose Your Own Adventure Unlike a river, where paddlers travel in one direction, the Chain of Lakes offers remarkable flexibility.

“You have the option of starting and doing a loop around a lake or going out and back to the same location,” Jerdee explains.

“You don’t have to worry about shuttles, but you can also do point-to-point paddles if that’s what you want.”

The communities of Ellsworth, Central Lake, Bellaire, and Elk Rapids serve as trailheads, each offering easy water access, restaurants, parks, and local businesses that encourage visitors to linger after their paddle.

“The water and the communities make the Chain of Lakes so special,” Jerdee says.

“Each community is different, but they all are unique and have something to offer.”

Protected Paradise For many paddlers, especially beginners, the inland lakes offer something Lake Michigan can’t always guarantee: predictability. That shelter makes the Chain of Lakes particularly appealing for families, novice paddlers, and anyone hoping to spend a relaxing afternoon on the water.

“The inland lakes provide some protection,” Jerdee says. “Even on windy days, because of the shapes of the lakes, you can usually find a protected area to paddle.”

Bellaire’s Intermediate River remains one of Jerdee’s favorite recommendations for adventure-seekers also interested in stability.

“You can paddle just up and down the Intermediate River. It’s beautiful. It’s sheltered, so it’s great for all types of paddlers and is usually protected from the wind,” she says.

10 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

Meanwhile, paddlers seeking an even more peaceful experience can head farther north.

Near Ellsworth, the Six Mile Lake–St. Clair Natural Area features more than a mile of protected shoreline where it’s entirely possible to paddle without seeing another person. Grass River Natural Area and the Skegemog Wildlife Area offer similar escapes into nature.

Endless Opportunities Perhaps the greatest reward of paddling the Chain of Lakes is seeing northern Michigan in a way most never have.

“There are so many things you can see when you’re paddling,” Jerdee says. “Whether you’re paddling over the shipwreck just outside of Elk Rapids or watching gar and other fish swimming beneath you, it’s incredible.”

Along these protected shorelines, paddlers regularly encounter beavers, mink, blue herons, sandhill cranes, native swans, and an endless array of flora.

“There is just life teeming throughout the chain,” Jerdee tells us. “We’ve even hosted native plant paddles where people learn about the unique plants living in these waterways, including wild rice and even tiny carnivorous aquatic plants.”

Preserving Our Waterways Paddle Antrim’s mission extends well beyond recreation. Founded in 2014, the

nonprofit works to protect waterways by encouraging people to experience them firsthand.

“We believe that when people are on the water, they understand why we want to protect it,” Jerdee says.

A cornerstone of that mission is the Chain of Lakes Water Trail itself, which provides paddlers with detailed maps, route descriptions, emergency access points, and difficulty ratings.

“Having the Water Trail allows people to make informed decisions,” Jerdee says.

“We highlight beginner routes, intermediate routes, advanced routes, and emergency access sites so people know what to expect before they get on the water. We always encourage people to go out with a partner and never paddle alone.”

Northern Michigan’s inland lakes remain among the state’s cleanest but protecting them requires constant vigilance. For Paddle Antrim, one of the greatest concerns is preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.

“We really encourage everybody to protect our waterways,” Jerdee says.

“Whether you’re paddling, fishing, or using a motorized boat, we promote the ‘Clean, Drain, Dry’ message.”

The organization recently installed Michigan’s first non-motorized boat wash station in Elk Rapids, giving paddlers an easy way to help prevent invasive species from spreading between lakes. Paddle Antrim

Featuring an exciting array of work by some of our area’s most talented artists:

Barbara Waddell, Betsy Winters, Mark Mehaffey, Laura Miller, Scott Cain

Northport Invitational Exhibit

Free Reception: Sat. Aug 15, 5:00–7PM, Exhibit: Tues–Sun Noon–4PM, thru Sept. 12, 2026 301 N. Mill St., Northport, MI • www.NorthportArtsAssociation.org

2026 Harbor Springs Car Festival Chain of Lakes signage at Willow Day Park.

also trains volunteers to identify and report invasive species, turning everyday paddlers into citizen scientists.

“We’re trying to empower paddlers to be the eyes on the water,” Jerdee says. “A lot of times, citizen scientists are the first people to discover invasive species.”

The organization recently completed its first fully universally accessible paddling route, connecting Elk Rapids and Kewadin through universally accessible kayak launches. Another accessible launch is being added in Central Lake, expanding opportunities on the upper chain.

Learn more at paddleantrim.com.

The new launch at Elk Rapids' Rotary Park.

Leading by exampLe Long before Michigan established a statewide water trail program, the communities surrounding the Chain of Lakes were already building one, officially founded in 2014.

“We were encouraged not to wait for the state,” Jerdee recalls. “We moved forward through a community process that worked for us.”

Today, the Chain of Lakes Water Trail is one of only 13 state-designated water trails and one of just two recognized as a Pure Michigan Water Trail. For Jerdee, however, the greatest achievement isn’t the designation… it’s helping people fall in love with northern Michigan’s inland waters.

“When you look at the map and see 100 miles and 84 access sites, it can feel overwhelming,” she says. “We just want to encourage people to get out, explore the different communities, and know there are resources to help them along the way.”

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Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 11

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SPONSORED CONTENT

{ 13 Questions }

MICHIGAN’S BLUETECH INITIATIVE

By Josh Hart, Commercial Lines Account Executive at Ford Insurance Agency

1 > What is Michigan’s BlueTech Initiative?

Michigan’s BlueTech Initiative is about finding new ways to use, protect, and understand our freshwater resources. As said by Jason Slade, who is leading development of the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center in Traverse City…

“At the state level, the Governor recently announced the Michigan Maritime Strategy, a first-of-its-kind 10-year plan focused on growing Michigan’s maritime industry, creating high-wage jobs, attracting investment and strengthening the state’s water-based economy.”

2 > What does “BlueTech” actually mean?

BlueTech is technology connected to water. It includes anything that goes in or on the water, monitors a watershed’s health, or protects and restores an aquatic ecosystem. That might mean robots, sensors, buoys, autonomous vessels that map the lakebed, or tools that detect PFAS, microplastics, and excess nutrients. The goal is to protect freshwater while building businesses around it.

3 > Why is Michigan a good place for this kind of work?

Northern Michigan is uniquely positioned for it. The Great Lakes hold about 21% of the world’s surface fresh water, and Grand Traverse Bay sits near the heart of that system. Lake Michigan offers a real-world testing ground for environmental science, defense, and advanced mobility, with depth, waves, current, and winter ice that cannot be recreated in a tank. With Michigan’s manufacturing base, skilled workforce and NMC’s Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, companies can build this technology next to the resource they are protecting.

4 > Why does BlueTech matter to Northern Michigan?

Our environment and economy are tied together. The Great Lakes drive recreation, tourism and commerce.

Statewide, Michigan ports support roughly 17,000 jobs and $3.3 billion a year, while water-based tourism, adds about 45,000 jobs and nearly $12 billion. Protecting the water is not separate from growing the economy. BlueTech also gives local graduates in engineering, drone and marine technology, and entrepreneurship a reason to build their futures here.

5 > What kind of jobs could come from BlueTech?

Jobs could include marine robotics, engineering, autonomous vessel operation, drone work, sensor development, advanced manufacturing, data analysis, environmental remediation, water-quality science, and smart maritime infrastructure. Some are already here.

Wave Lumina is building a portable PFAS detection

device at a fraction of the usual cost and time. Hybrid Robotics makes marine robots for inspections and underwater search-and-recovery. Both are local, and I hope many more companies like them take root here.

6 > Why are people talking so much about freshwater?

Several things are happening at once. The U.S. shipping industry is worth billions, Michigan is expanding into advanced marine mobility, and the state is focusing more on the water economy. PFAS, sea lamprey, algal blooms, microplastics, and aging infrastructure threaten the lakes we depend on. Fresh water is also becoming scarcer and more valuable worldwide. BlueTech’s promise is that economic growth and environmental stewardship can pull in the same direction.

7 > Why is Traverse City part of this conversation?

Traverse City is central because so much is already happening here. NMC offers water-related workforce education, including a bachelor’s degree in marine technology and the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute. It has also co-hosted the binational AquaHacking Challenge with AquaAction, bringing U.S. and Canadian water-tech innovators together around Great Lakes solutions.

Traverse Connect is working to build Michigan’s BlueTech Innovation Hub by combining local freshwater expertise with Michigan’s mobility and manufacturing strength. The roughly $29 million Freshwater Research and Innovation Center, a collaboration among Discovery Pier, NMC, Traverse Connect, Michigan Tech, and 20Fathoms, will include pier access, labs, a high-bay test tank, NMC’s water studies program, and startup space. It broke ground in September 2025 and is expected to open in spring 2027.

Traverse City is also home to FishPass on the Boardman/Ottaway River. Led by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission with the City and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, it replaces the aging Union Street Dam with a smart barrier that lets native fish pass upstream while blocking invasive species like sea lamprey. It is expected around 2027.

8 > What does insurance have to do with BlueTech?

New industries bring new risks. BlueTech companies use expensive equipment like sensors, ROVs, autonomous vessels, and drones. They work on the water, under the water, along shorelines, and around marinas. Many collect data or develop new products. Insurance helps them keep moving when something goes wrong, whether that means damaged equipment, an accident, a data breach, or a liability claim.

9 > What kinds of insurance might these companies need?

Coverage may include property and inland marine for equipment, hull and protection-and-indemnity for vessels, pollution liability, technology errors-and-omissions, cyber coverage, product liability, general liability, and workers’ compensation. Crews on the water can also create maritime law issues, including the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or the Jones Act, which standard workers’ comp may not cover.

10 > Why could BlueTech be more complicated to insure?

Many of these companies are doing new things.

They may test prototypes, use connected or autonomous equipment, or work in sensitive environments where a mistake could have environmental consequences. Because the technology is evolving, carriers may not have a long history of claims to study. Insuring them well takes good questions, a real understanding of the work and carriers willing to build coverage around the operation.

11 > Can insurance help BlueTech companies grow?

Yes. Good insurance is not just about meeting a contract requirement. It shows investors, lenders, partners,and customers that a company is prepared and stable. Many opportunities, including municipal pilots, agency contracts, and grant-funded work, come with insurance requirements. The right coverage can help a company qualify for the next opportunity and give others more confidence in working with them.

12 > Why is Ford Insurance Agency interested in BlueTech?

Because it is a natural fit for who we are and where we live. BlueTech connects innovation with the Great Lakes, which shape life in Northern Michigan for our families, customers, and economy. As an independent agency rooted here, we want to understand industries that can create good jobs, support local businesses, and help protect the water we all depend on.

13 > How does Josh Hart hope to support businesses in this space?

My job is to help owners think through risk in plain English. That starts with listening, learning what the company does, how and where it operates, and what keeps the owner up at night. Then we help find coverage that fits instead of forcing the business into a generic policy.

As BlueTech grows, Ford Insurance Agency wants to be a steady local resource so these companies can focus on innovating while we help protect what they are building.

Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 13

On the Water With Lake Life efOiLs

By Rachel Pasche If you’ve ever been out on the water and seen someone gliding past on what looks like a floating surfboard, you’ve encountered an eFoil.

This watersport is a relatively new one, but offers a way for people to get out on the water and cruise, no boat required. Paul and Sara Andrus began Lake Life Efoils with the intention of teaching eFoil lessons and helping more people become familiar with the sport. The company has grown in the five years since it first launched, offering more eFoils, better equipment, and even group lessons.

“When we started Lake Life Efoils in 2021, not many people knew what an eFoil was, but they seemed intrigued. Now, the sport has grown enough that people will recognize the eFoil and know enough to ask about the brand, model, and how it works,” Paul says.

The first year, Paul and Sara opened their business with two eFoils for lessons, which they taught themselves. Now, they have full-time and part-time instructors on staff, six eFoils, headsets, wetsuits, and

other training aids.

“Group lessons have become our sweet spot,” Paul says. “We’ve gained a lot of knowledge over the years of how to provide the best possible eFoil experience here in northern Michigan.”

Paul and Sara were inspired to start the business while looking for a way to share their own love for the outdoors and our scenic waterways with others. It’s grown into more than just a business, allowing them to connect with the local community and meet fellow adventure-seekers in the area. Both avid kiteboarders, the duo travel around the world chasing the perfect wind and kiteboarding conditions. When they’re home and those conditions aren’t available, it’s usually great weather for foiling.

“It’s hard to rely on Mother Nature all the time for a sport and to find the perfect locations to teach kiteboarding,” Paul says.

“Foiling is big in the kiteboarding world, so this allows us to still be part of that community through our business.”

In addition to owning and operating Lake Life Efoils with Sara, Paul is a shop rep for Stoke Riders Kite school and kite shop based in St. Joseph, Michigan, a

14 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

brand ambassador for North Kiteboarding and Mystic kiteboarding, and he and Sara sponsor kiteboard events with Lake Life Efoils when possible.

“We both have a passion for being outside and on the water. We never really considered how that passion would spill over into our business but it obviously has. Each year, the long cold winter motivates us to make the most of our summer season.”

The Tech One thing that sets eFoils apart from other popular watersports is the technology. While sports like wakesurfing, wakeboarding, kitesurfing, kiteboarding, water skiing, and kneeboarding all use equipment without any high tech (but may rely on other elements like a boat), eFoils have combined electronics with watersports.

“People have gotten used to electric scooters, ebikes, onewheels, etc. … and we’re glad to see that eFoils have become part of that conversation,” Paul says. “The most common questions we get are about the batteries on the eFoils. How long they last, how quickly they charge, how much they weigh, whether they’re waterproof, and

so on. People seem to understand that the batteries and overall technology of eFoils is advancing rapidly.”

The Cost Similar to any other electronic element in a sport, cost is a huge factor when it comes to eFoils. Different options and brands can have an incredible range, starting at $5,000 on the low end and approaching $25,000 for new setups. Lake Life has been with Lift Foils for the last five years, which generally run between $11,000–$16,000 for a new setup and are considered top of the market.

This year, Lake Life partnered with another eFoil company called Waydoo, which cost less at $5,000–10,000 per setup but are still comparable to more expensive brands. Like ebikes, as the technology evolves and improves, the cost decreases.

“Now we’re able to offer our customers a variety of options, with different brands, models, and price points. We offer lessons on both brands to give our customers a better experience and to provide them with options if they’re interested in purchasing an eFoil of their own,” Paul says.

The Safety Rules Safety is, of course, an important consideration for anyone looking for lessons or to purchase an eFoil. Lake Life uses models with prop guards and a training aid called a Blowfish. This inflatable attachment makes the eFoil more buoyant, easier to ride, and safer all around.

In addition to the training aids, all participants in lessons are given USGCapproved lifejackets, whistles, helmets with headsets, wetsuits, and land training beforehand that includes safety protocols and equipment information.

Despite all that, learning to ride an eFoil is easier than it looks, according to Paul.

“As a student, you really only need to

learn how to use the remote to control your speed and make sure you have the correct body position. After that, progression begins almost immediately. We offer two-hour lessons and most students get the hang of foiling within the first lesson. They start on their knees to get a feeling of the hydrofoil wing at work; from there we encourage them to stand up, then once they’re comfortable with that we work on standing and foiling simultaneously.”

The Lessons Lessons are the primary focus of Lake Life.

“We really want to share the experience of eFoiling with anyone who has ever

considered trying one. It’s a more accessible sport than people think, and one good lesson can teach someone enough to learn the sport and have a great time out on the water,” Paul explains.

He adds that “the best part about lessons is being there with a student when they accomplish something they didn’t think they were going to. It’s awesome to watch people learn something new and buzz about the experience.”

Any board sport experience is a plus, though eFoiling does work a little differently than some other watersports.

Whereas sports like kiteboarding, wakeboarding, and waterskiing all require leaning back to maintain balance while

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being pulled, foiling requires the user to lean forward. The closest comparison, Paul says, is wakesurfing, since both sports involve the same movement and balance.

The Andruses have several repeat students who have returned to them to better master the eFoil.

“We are so grateful to everyone in the community that has supported us, come out to take a lesson, and helped our business grow by spreading the word. It’s become so much more than we anticipated, and we can’t wait to see what’s ahead for us,” Paul concludes.

To book a lesson with Lake Life Efoils, check out their schedule online at lakelifeefoils.com.

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Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 15

By Anna Faller

Guardians of Lake MichiGaMi How local tribes are fighting for the Great Lakes

It’s a founding belief of most indigenous cultures that caring for the earth is important because the earth cares for us.

Though this concept continues to shift through the modern fog (sometimes literally) of climate change, sudden weather events, and looming industrial threats like that of Line 5, Burt Lake Band historian Deborah Richmond stresses that it’s never been more important to prioritize our connection to the planet, especially as it concerns the Great Lakes.

“Everything is connected,” she says. “The health of the Great Lakes comes into contact with thriving nature and clean water everywhere.”

Northern Express sat down with representatives from the Burt Lake Band (BLB) and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians (LRBOI) to talk about traditional practices, climate goals, and the steps we can take to ensure Lake Michigan and its sibling lakes remain healthy for future generations.

Treaty History According to Tina VanDoornik, Great Lakes fisheries biologist with the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, the foundation of the tribe’s conservation efforts goes back to the 1836 Treaty of Washington, wherein Anishinaabe nations ceded nearly 14 million acres of Michigan’s northern lower and upper peninsulas, including the LRBOI’s ancestral land, to the U.S. government.

In exchange, the agreement stipulated that those tribes would receive perpetual gathering, hunting, and fishing rights for those ceded lands and waters.

Over the past two centuries, VanDoornik notes that multiple subsequent treaties have continued to govern this shared allocation among the federal government, the state of Michigan, and the original tribes the treaty convened, now known as the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA). Locally, these groups include the LRBOI, as well as the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

“Sharing resources and being involved in collaborative projects has really helped us have a voice and a seat at the table for making management decisions,” she says.

Historically Lake Michigan/Michigami is both culturally and existentially significant for the LRBOI, which relied heavily on fishing for subsistence, a tradition that remains intact through recreational and commercial participants. VanDoornik also highlights the tribe’s spiritual connection to the Great Lakes, which incorporates fish as part of a larger clan system and associates the health of those waters with abundance and fertility.

Little River Band Members seine fishing along the beach.

16 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

Big Lake Problems Overall degradation of the lake, however, is an increasingly concerning issue, she says, especially as it relates to invasive species like quagga mussels snapping up the tiny zooplankton and other invertebrates larval whitefish need to survive.

“They just don’t have any food left, so we don’t see any young recruitment coming into the population, which means that we don’t have adults in the population for our fishers to catch,” VanDoornik explains.

Not only does this compromise the LRBOI’s traditional fishing practices, which historically included whitefish as well as lake trout and even sturgeon (though dwindling populations of the latter have since been flagged for rehabilitation), but also threatens the lake’s biodiversity through outflow of nutrients and an imbalanced food hierarchy.

Per VanDoornik, other recent challenges include climbing water temperatures and UV stress, which can also inhibit access to food; hardening shorelines (read: human development); pollution; and an increasinglyvolatile climate whose effects like swelling water levels, weather catastrophes, and wildlife abnormalities are nearly impossible to predict.

In response, the LRBOI has undertaken a number of preservation projects, which range from environmental work, to wetland and forestry programs and beyond.

Key projects include an Arctic Grayling

The LRBOI frequently conducts testing for water health and aquatic life.

Restoration Initiative on the north end of the Manistee River—this species of fish was brought back from extirpation last year— as well as a Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Program, which was established in 2001.

Long-term monitoring assessments for water quality are another focus, which the LRBOI facilitates alongside other tribes and government agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to build long-term data for future use.

As VanDoornik notes, though, the most powerful resource for preserving our Great Lakes is recognizing that small actions have impact.

“Just being conscious about your interactions with the environment and knowing that things can change with just one person is [really important],” she adds.

“One person can make a difference!”

Trickling Down Problems that plague Lake Michigan trickle down to its tributaries, the interwoven web of rivers, bays, streams, and inlets that connect the Great Lakes. Among these is Burt Lake in Cheboygan County, which is the ancestral home of the Burt Lake Band.

Burt Lake Band historian Deborah Richmond says that Burt Lake and its surrounding waters have sustained native communities for hundreds of years. This is because the lake’s forest-cushioned inlet made it the perfect “protected harbor” to settle, made even more convenient by its access to the Inland Waterway, a 40mile series of lakes and rivers connecting Crooked Lake to Lake Huron.

Consequently, the Burt Lake Band’s relationship to its namesake body was more about travel—which, in the 1800s, took place

largely by boat—and establishing a flowing trade highway so members could sell their traditional crafts to visitors (headlined by porcupine quill boxes and black ash baskets), facilitate tours, and even connect with farflung fur trappers. Richmond also highlights the importance of plentiful wildlife and clean water for the band’s survival.

Many of these practices, however, were lost as a result of the Burt Lake Burnout, wherein the tribe was forcibly removed from their lands and their villages burned at the turn of the 20th century. Consequently, Richmond explains, many of the band’s lakecentric initiatives surround preserving, and in many cases, reclaiming, the traditional teachings that define their culture.

“We’re relearning how to go smelt dipping, [for example],” she says, “how to build traditional birch bark smokers, and how to [maintain] wild rice in some of the smaller lakes. It matters to us in this way, because without these lakes nearby, we can’t relearn some of these things that we used to know.”

Where Culture and Environment Meet As Richmond stresses, the success of those efforts also depends on the health of our Great Lakes and their connected waters.

This is where local organizations like the Burt Lake Preservation Association (BLPA) come into play.

Though not directly affiliated with the Burt Lake Band (which Richmond notes is still quite small), the BLPA, a volunteer-led nonprofit, shares the tribe’s preservation goals, which it aims to amplify even further by convening local communities through stewardship and education.

“These lakes and rivers were here long before [European settlers] came,” BLPA

VanDoornik

Richmond

president Dawn Webb says. “Having that knowledge of their history and how they were formed is crucial for continuing to keep them healthy.”

With that in mind, the group is taking steps to manage invasive species—notably, Eurasian watermilfoil (an aquatic plant that can spread to compromise sunlight) and the ever-pervasive round goby, which poses serious danger to local bass populations— as well as surveying shorelines and water quality throughout the Burt Lake watershed, whose 371,000-acre span encompasses such major rivers as the Sturgeon, Crooked, and Maple, along with several nearby lakes.

They’ve also helmed initiatives ranging from expanded e-coli water testing. “Whole subdivisions had septic systems under water for an extended period after the spring flooding. We had to be sure our members were safe,” Webb explains.

Other ongoing BLPA projects include providing resources to support the expansion of municipal sewer systems throughout the village of Indian River and facilitating local stewardship through seasonal newsletters, educational events, and even providing input for an updated Inland Waterway stewardship guide (also a Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council undertaking).

As Webb underscores, more passionate Great Lakes advocates make for a greater impact.

“I think everyone has a role to play,” she adds. “Making sure we have clean water and healthy shorelines going into the future is everyone’s [responsibility].”

For more information on the Burt Lake Band or the Little River Band of Odawa Indians, visit their respective websites: burtlakeband. org, and lrboi-nsn.gov.

Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 17

A water sample from Spencer Creek, adjacent to Burnette Foods. Photo by Samantha Ogle

GoinG After the Polluters The Watershed Center is holding Brunette Foods accountable for polluting Elk Rapids waterways

By Ren Brabenec In such a pristine place as northern Michigan, the pollution woes of major cities can seem like a far-away issue…until they turn up in our backyards, as in the case of Elk Rapids fruit processor Burnette Foods.

Traverse City-based nonprofit The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay has been in court for years with Burnette, who they claim has has illegally polluted wetlands and tributaries that ultimately drain into Lake Michigan.

Christine Crissman, executive director of The Watershed Center, says the organization’s scientists closely monitor water quality in a variety of locations to identify threats, gauge restoration progress, and track changes over time. “[The work] includes reviewing and interpreting water quality data, evaluating land use and landscape characteristics, and examining public records related to projects and permits,” says Crissman.

In the case of Burnette’s pollution, Crissman says it all began when her team was asked to help interpret concerning waterquality data from Spencer Creek, a tributary south of the Village of Elk Rapids that flows into Spencer Bay in Elk Lake.

Assessing Pollution Concerns in Spencer Creek “Our initial review suggested an upstream source of pollution, and further investigation led us to Burnette Foods’ fruit processing wastewater spray fields that drain to a wetland system that is the headwaters of Spencer Creek,” Crissman explains.

While those types of spray fields are permitted under the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s (EGLE) Groundwater Discharge program to treat wastewater through plant uptake and soil infiltration, public records show the system was not functioning as intended.

“In fact,” Crissman continues, “Burnette has a long history of noncompliance, with thousands of documented permit violations dating back more than a decade. Despite ongoing complaints, documented concerns from EGLE staff during site visits, and formal violation notices, the facility’s wastewater management practices continued, and it became evident that both groundwater and surface water quality were being impacted.”

As a fruit processing facility, Burnette’s wastewater contains a mix of organic fruit waste and processing chemicals. While larger particles can be filtered out, Burnette Foods’ treatment process has struggled to remove all pollutants.

When we asked Crissman what the pollutants from Burnette look like, she introduced us to a term called Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), which refers to the amount of dissolved oxygen required by microorganisms to decompose organic matter.

If there is a large amount of organic matter in a body of water, as has been the case in Spencer Creek due to Burnette Foods’ wastewater, the bacteria that feed on that organic matter consume the water’s oxygen rapidly, which can critically deplete oxygen levels and harm aquatic ecosystems.

According to Crissman, the BOD levels

18 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

in Spencer Creek were significantly elevated, reducing dissolved oxygen and creating stressful and even lethal conditions for fish and other aquatic life.

“In addition to BOD, Burnette Foods’ wastewater contains nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, as well as chloride, sodium, iron, manganese, and other compounds. These pollutants can degrade water quality and disrupt the balance of wetland and stream ecosystems,” Crissman tells us.

“Monitoring data from Burnette Foods, EGLE, and Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association document widespread and long-term impacts,” Crissman adds. “Collectively, these data show numerous violations of groundwater discharge permit requirements and exceedances of water quality standards in Spencer Creek.”

Taking Legal Action The Watershed Center’s preferred approach is to engage directly with the responsible party and work collaboratively toward a solution.

“But after informal efforts with EGLE and Burnette failed to resolve ongoing concerns about Burnette Foods’ unauthorized discharges into the wetlands, Spencer Creek, and Elk Lake, The Watershed Center—along with Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians—sued Burnette Foods in 2023 to enforce the Clean Water Act and Michigan Environmental Protection Act,” Crissman says.

The legal case has been ongoing since

Crissman Crissman

then. After two years of motions and discovery, the U.S. District Court issued an Opinion and Order, which Crissman summarizes for us.

“The court determined that Burnette Foods was discharging pollutants into navigable waters from a point source without a permit in violation of the Clean Water Act, and the court found Burnette Foods violated the Michigan Environmental Protection Act through conduct that has or is likely to pollute, impair, or destroy water resources by violating its groundwater discharge permit.”

The court also denied Burnette Foods’ motion to dismiss.

Crissman tells us the case is now in the remedial phase. The court’s next task is to decide whether Burnette Foods should be

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required to stop its unpermitted discharges and violations, and whether it is responsible for civil penalties authorized by the Clean Water Act.

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A Precedent-Setting Case Crissman says that in addition to being a significant win for clean water and healthy ecosystems in northern Michigan, the ruling is precedent-setting in that it is the first ruling of its kind since the Supreme Court’s Sackett v. EPA decision redefined “waters of the United States” in 2023.

Without getting too much into the legal weeds, that ruling drastically narrowed the scope of the Clean Water Act. In 2023, the Supreme Court held that the EPA’s jurisdiction over “adjacent wetlands” is limited to those with a “continuous surface connection” to traditional navigable waters.

The effect of the ruling was a stripping of EPA protections from about half of the nation’s wetlands.

It is possible that this local ruling could be used to challenge the 2023 ruling in future cases, potentially refortifying the Clean Water Act’s protective scope or at least setting a precedent for other states to use in state-level suits against polluters.

“In our case, the U.S. District Court recognized what we have always known,” Crissman says in closing. “Groundwater, wetlands, creeks, and lakes are all connected,

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1 MEAL TICKET A temperature probe (part of the Watershed Center's water quality testing), weighted to a brick, helps determine whether water temperatures are too high.

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and protecting one means protecting them all. This ruling not only protects these waters, it also sets a powerful precedent for others who are working to protect water in their communities across Michigan and beyond.”

Learn more about The Watershed Center’s work at gtbay.org.

Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 19

Protecting an ” invisible” resource Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council is focused on science, advocacy, restoration, and public engagement

Bear River. Photo courtesy of TOTMWC

By Kelsey Sanders The Little Traverse Watershed is a popular place for families to visit the beach and enjoy swimming. However, at a certain beach, a flock of geese kept coming into the grassy mode area, which caused E. coli closures of the beach and park.

The community banded together, thanks to the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, and worked with the township to install a shoreline buffer to stop the geese from going into the grass. During the summer of 2025, a group of volunteers installed a goose barrier with the hopes of stopping the introduction of geese waste into the local waters.

The Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council spearheads multiple projects, like creating such shoreline buffers, in northwest Michigan with the mission of protecting lakes, streams, wetlands, and groundwater in the Great Lakes Basin—often referred to as the “tip of the mitt” region. This region includes about 3,000 miles of river, over 30 inland lakes, and six major watersheds.

“Water is one of those invisible resources to protect. And it’s at the base of everything— it flows underneath your house!” explains Heather Huffstutler, executive director of the Watershed Council. “We often take it for granted, and it’s really easy to take it for granted here in northern Michigan.

That’s why our mission to educate folks about the importance of water quality and the importance of protection of our water resources is vital.”

Building Public Awareness The Watershed Council has four pillars: community education, governance and

advocacy for local policies and enforcements, water quality and research, and restoration.

Education is an area that has significantly grown in the last few years, thanks in part to the organization’s long-standing high school stream monitoring program and the new Tucker Harris Watershed Discovery Center.

“The Discovery Center opened in June 2024 in downtown Petoskey. It’s open to the public daily,” shares Huffstutler. “We see walk-in traffic, but we hold a lot of field trips, and we can build a program specifically for a group or a class to experience some of what it is to experience a watershed scene up close. There are two fish tanks, one is a native, inland lake tank, and the second is a Great Lakes tank where we’ve got a lake sturgeon and some lake whitefish. We also have a stream tank, so you can get a crosssection of what a northern Michigan stream might look like. It’s an experience to help others understand what it is to live and play in a watershed, and how all our actions have consequences.”

Thankfully, Huffstutler and her team believe that the northern Michigan waters are still quite healthy—none of them have any water quality warnings.

“We’re lucky in that we don’t see [water quality warnings] on a regular basis. Those sorts of warnings are not a constant here,” Huffstutler says. “The challenges that we see to water quality are things like the flood events we saw this spring and the ice storm that we saw last spring. All those storms and the storm damage add nutrients to our water systems, and in those natural river systems and lakes, additional nutrients is usually not a great thing.”

20 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

The Impact of Severe Weather The ice storm in 2025 and the April 2026 flooding are two events that immediately affected NoMi residents—from flooded septic systems to flooded drinking water wells to downed woody debris in the waterways—but their long-term effects on the water systems are yet to be determined and most likely won’t be fully apparent for another two to three years.

“Of course, when there is flooding of septic systems and drinking water wells, there are public health concerns that we have to monitor with our health departments,” says Huffstutler. “Then we also have an increase in personal property in the waterways that was never in the waterways before, and it’s all incredibly unfortunate.

We’ll be monitoring over the next several years to see what this past spring really did in terms of water quality.”

Inland lake water quality monitoring includes looking at factors like water clarity (which is done using a Secchi disc to see how far down into the water one can still see the disc), water turbidity (how much sediment is floating around in the water column), water pH, nitrogen and chlorophyll in the water, and in some special circumstances, conductivity and phosphorus.

Drastic weather patterns are the biggest cause of water nutrient changes, making climate change the number one threat to waterways.

“It’s not an emerging threat because it’s actually front and center,” Huffstutler explains. “We are trying to focus on the fact that the more resilience we can build into our communities and to our, not just protected lands, but to our own homes, no matter

where we are, the better off we will be. With climate change comes water level changes, invasive species, and pressure changes to our forest and wetland ecosystems, and that’s going to change the way we need to manage all these systems together.”

In light of recent storms, the Watershed Council will be holding workshops on five inland lakes, including Mullet Lake, Black Lake, Burt Lake, a spot either on Pickerel Lake or Crooked Lake, and then a spot on the Elk River Chain of Lakes.

The goal of those workshops is to bring together the Watershed Council’s staff and its Lake Association partners to talk about shoreline restoration efforts and how to create shorelines that are resilient to future storms and their impacts.

Taking Action for Local Waters Huffstutler says volunteering for stream and lake monitoring is a great way to impact local shorelines and waterways, but there are plenty of other things individuals can do at home to protect Michigan’s freshwater sources.

“If you’re a homeowner in a neighborhood, take a look at where you have a puddle after it rains—where your downspouts are feeding— and install a rain barrel or rain garden that are easy and beautiful and can be reused,” Huffstutler says. “When you’re out visiting a place you love, think about whatever you take into the water or on the water, and take back out with you. Plastics pollution is a really big issue. And try to enjoy the quieter water sports like kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming.”

The Watershed Council is already focused on the next five years of plans and goals, including being the regional resource

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For Traverse City area news and events, visit TraverseTicker.com for folks who are curious about the state of water quality on lakes, rivers, and streams in the northwest Michigan region. Part of that includes a new website that was revamped to allow individuals to look up any lake or river in the region to see what the state of the water quality is.

“We’re writing annual water quality reports, and we want to make sure that people can use that data,” Huffstutler tells us.

“The next thing is using that data to amplify restoration work and research. So, what do we know from that data and how do we make it really work for us?”

She adds that the organization would like to “build stronger relationships with universities and really be engaged in research for freshwater resources moving forward.

We’d like to then use that data to address these community challenges so when there is a community education challenge or a community infrastructure challenge, it’s always going to be based on the data and the science that we have. It’s the work of organizations like ours to protect the water resources and make sure that water remains at the top of people’s minds.”

High school students participating in the stream monitoring program collect aquatic macroinvertebrates from a local river. These insects and other small organisms serve as important indicators of stream health, helping students learn how scientists assess water quality while contributing valuable data about northern Michigan waterways.

To learn more about the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, visit watershedcouncil.org.

Water Is LIfe festIvaL Mark your calendar! The Water Is Life Festival is an annual event that celebrates our

connection to water and brings people together to support its protection. Indigenous women are at the heart of planning and leading the festival, reflecting their traditional role as protectors of water.

As part of Water Is Life Festival weekend, the Watershed Discovery Center will be open with extended hours on Friday, Sept. 4, from 10am-6pm.

Stop by to explore hands-on exhibits and educational activities about the Great Lakes, local watersheds, and the plants and animals that call them home.

The festival itself will be held on Saturday, September 5. Learn more at waterislifefestival.org.

Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 21

thE BattlE against aquatic invasivE spEciEs How five invasives are changing our waters, and what you can do to help

By Beth Milligan Tens of millions of recreators enjoy Michigan’s waters every summer—swimming, boating, fishing, and kayaking in the Great Lakes and the state’s numerous inland rivers, streams, and lakes. But just below the surface, other visitors are present: invasive aquatic species that are profoundly changing our local waterways.

Eurasian WatErmilfoil

nEW ZEaland mudsnail

What It Is: Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, Eurasian watermilfoil is a feathery aquatic plant that can form thick floating mats in bodies of water. Those mats shade out native plants, impede fish habitat, and obstruct boating and swimming. The plant is tenacious, hybridizing with native plants and spreading easily. Even a small fragment— say, a strand snagged on a propeller—can hitchhike to another body of water and start an entire new colony.

Where It Is: The invasive weed has been a problem across Michigan for decades, according to Michigan State University Extension. In northern Michigan, Eurasian watermilfoil has been found in “Crystal Lake, Duck Lake, Higgins Lake, Houghton Lake, Long Lake, Paradise Lake, Portage Lake, and Walloon Lake, among others,” according to the Lake Leelanau Lake Association (LLLA). That group has partnered with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians to combat the plant after it was discovered in Lake Leelanau in 2019.

What It Is: Brown to black and oneeighth-inch long, the New Zealand mudsnail made its first devastating inland appearance in Michigan in 2015 in the Pere Marquette River. The mudsnail reproduces by cloning, meaning that “a single female could result in a colony of 40 million snails” in one year, according to the Michigan Invasive Species Program (MISP). They blanket river beds and live outside of water for days, making them easy to transport on boats, anchors, and fishing gear.

Photo courtesy of the Michigan DNR

How It’s Controlled: The LLLA has been able to reduce Eurasian watermilfoil from an estimated 7-10 acres in Lake Leelanau when first found to a handful of locations today, according to Director of Administration and Programs Annalise Povolo. The group uses biodegradable burlap blankets, called benthic barriers, to smother the plant. Still, Eurasian watermilfoil can be difficult to eradicate once established.

“We put a lot of focus on prevention,” says Povolo. “We have a boat washing program with four cleaning stations around Lake Leelanau that are staffed on the busiest days. And we have a community monitoring program where volunteers walk the shoreline and scout for fragments. Stand-up paddleboarding is another great way to spot it.”

The Benzie Conservation District also offers education, monitoring, and boat wash services across northern Michigan. More details are available at LakeLeelanau.org and BenzieCD.org.

22 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

Where It Is: Populations have since been found in the Au Sable, Boardman, Grass, Pine, and Upper Manistee rivers, according to MISP. “They are Photo courtesy of the Michigan DNR most commonly found in our highvalue, cold-water trout streams,” says Michigan Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator Cecilia Weibert in the Water Resources Division of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). “Our concern is that it’s occurring in areas where we want to maintain valuable habitat for anglers.”

Heather Smith of The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, which averages 75 volunteers monitoring 25 different stream sites, says a volunteer started seeing tiny snails in Traverse City’s Mitchell Creek in 2023, with sampling confirming New Zealand mudsnail. The Watershed Center and other groups—including MISP, Oakland University, and Trout Unlimited, which are part of the New Zealand Mudsnail Collaborative—now all work to monitor watersheds and educate the public on the mudsnail’s spread. (More information is available at NZMSCollaborative.org).

How It’s Controlled: “There aren’t any great control mechanisms when we find them,” says Weibert. “This is one where we’re very reliant on prevention, because we don’t have a good tool that’s also not going to impact our native species.” Anglers are encouraged not to visit multiple rivers on the same day and to avoid felt-soled waders. “Clean, drain, dry is the gold standard,” says Weibert, referring to the slogan for always disinfecting gear and boats before moving between bodies of water.

DiDymo

Photo courtesy of EGLE

What It Is: Also known as “rock snot,” didymo is a microscopic algae that “produces stalks that form thick mats on hard surfaces like rocks in stream beds,” according to MISP. “It looks and feels like white or tan/brown wet wool.” It can range from small cotton ballsized patches to thick blankets to long ropes flowing in currents. Like mudsnail, didymo can cover streambeds and reduce habitat for macroinvertebrates, a key food source for fish like trout.

Photo courtesy of EGLE

Where It Is: Another invasive that’s often spread by anglers and recreators, didymo has been found in the St. Marys, Upper Manistee, Boardman, Au Sable, Jordan, and Rapid rivers.

How It’s Controlled: No effective tools exist yet for eradicating didymo. Backed by grant funding, Michigan Trout Unlimited is helping lead the charge to “expand monitoring and early detection of this invasive species and better understand the environmental drivers of bloom formation,” according to the group.

Residents who are willing to help sample waterways as part of a citizen scientist program can contact the organization through its website (MichiganTU.org).

“Didymo can exist as a regular algae and hang out and be fine, but then suddenly these dramatic blooms will happen,” says Weibert. “With samples, we can analyze the water and try to understand the factors affecting those blooms.”

sea lamprey What It Is: Nicknamed the “vampire of the Great Lakes,” the sea lamprey is a parasitic, jawless fish native to the Atlantic Ocean. Resembling an eel, the fish is most famous for its suction-cup mouth full of sharp teeth, which it uses to clamp onto other fish and feed on their body fluids. An individual can kill up to 40 pounds of fish over a 12–18-month period, according to GLFC Policy and Legislative Affairs Director Greg McClinchey.

Compounding matters, the sea lamprey lacks natural predators in the Great Lakes and has a high reproduction rate. “A single female has about 100,000 eggs,” McClinchey says. “They have the ability to get very bad, very fast.”

Where It Is: Sea lampreys are found in all five Great Lakes. While they spend their adult lives in the big lakes, they migrate up rivers and streams to spawn. Larvae can live in the mud for up to 10 years before becoming parasitic juveniles.

Photo courtesy of the Michigan DNR

How It’s Controlled: Of all the invasives on this list, sea lampreys are up with quagga mussels in terms of having a “profound existential impact” on the Great Lakes, says McClinchey. However, they also have a major vulnerability. Scientists in the 1950s discovered that the lampricide TFM could kill larvae while leaving surrounding organisms unharmed. Before TFM’s discovery, sea lampreys killed more than 100 million pounds of Great Lakes fish annually. That number is now under 10 million, with sea lamprey populations reduced by more than 90 percent.

“We take out about 9 million sea lamprey per year, which is enough to control the species but is probably never going to get us to eradication,” says McClinchey. He cautions that any flagging in lampricide application, as occurred during the pandemic, correlates with an immediate rebound in populations.

To protect the Great Lakes’ $5.1 billion fishery, continued funding and research— as with the experimental FishPass system being built in Traverse City, which will test different lamprey control methods—is vital, according to McClinchey.

Quagga mussels What It Is: Brought to the U.S. from Eastern Europe through ballast water in the 1980s, the quagga mussel—which has been called the “zebra mussel’s evil cousin because it is much more prolific and can survive from the water’s surface down to 500 feet,” according to the National Park Service—has transformed the Great Lakes. Quadrillions of the filter feeders now blanket the lakebeds, voraciously consuming phytoplankton and algae, triggering a reaction up the food chain that has decimated fish populations, notably whitefish. Their presence has increased the water clarity of the Great Lakes, which may seem like a positive but has the decided down side of meaning few nutrients are in the water.

Where It Is: Quagga mussels are widespread throughout all five Great Lakes. Though rarer inland, infestations have been found in Crooked Lake, Torch Lake, Elk Lake, and Mullet Lake.

How It’s Controlled: The sheer size of the Great Lakes and the difficulty of reaching populations hundreds of feet underwater have made containing quagga mussels an uphill battle.

But there have been bright spots. Good Harbor Bay off Sleeping Bear Dunes and Thunder Bay in Lake Huron are two sites where a variety of local, state, and federal partners have been testing mussel control methods as part of the Great Lakes Spawning Whitefish and Invasive Mussels (SWIM) Project. Experiments range from manual removal to smothering mats to biopesticides. No silver bullet has been found, but the work could produce breakthroughs that help restore key spawning reefs (find out more at GLC.org).

The bipartisan Save the Great Lakes Fish Act, which both the U.S. and Canadian sides of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) have urged Congress to pass, would authorize $50 million annually for 10 years on a coordinated effort to address invasive mussels.

The NexT iNvasives

As much as scientists are focused on controlling existing aquatic invasive species, they’re also warily watching for the next baddie that could invade. Weibert cites marbled crayfish, a self-cloning crayfish often found in the pet trade, as one example.

“One individual getting into a water body could be a huge ecological disaster,” she says.

Another species is hydrilla, an aquatic plant that is “1,000 times worse than milfoil,” says Weibert. “That’s one we’re really concerned about.”

McClinchey adds invasive carp to the list, saying GLFC is “working hard with the Army Corps to try and prevent that from coming up the Mississippi River” through a Chicagoadjacent facility. “This is the last stand,” he says.

MISP has a full list of invasives that are a concern – both those present and not yet occurring in Michigan – with photos and details on how to identify and report them at Michigan.Gov/Invasives.

preveNTioN is Key

One key takeaway from the experts is that while new control methods are being tested every day, invasive aquatic species are stubbornly difficult to eliminate once established.

That makes prevention the single best weapon in protecting waterways.

Water users are encouraged to do their part, from following the “Clean, Drain, Dry” rule to not releasing any pets into waterways to volunteering with monitoring and clean-up efforts.

“It only takes one bad actor” to introduce a harmful species, says The Watershed Center’s Smith. “We’ll probably never be able to eradicate some of these species. But there are localized efforts that are making a difference. We have to remain optimistic and hopeful. Our water bodies are resilient and ever-changing, but we also have to do our best to protect them.”

Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 23

A Flock camera and solar power panel, screenshotted from Flock's website.

TO FLOCK OR NOT TO FLOCK? Flock cameras swarm northern Michigan, stirring debate over safety or surveillance

By Mitchell Ryan Distin, PhD You have likely driven past one without noticing. But they’ve noticed you.

Across northern Michigan, automated license plate readers (ALPRs) made by Flock Safety—a private corporation valued at $7.5 billion—are popping up at high-traffic intersections, highway entrances, and busy township roads.

In Grand Traverse County alone, officials have reported 27 cameras across Garfield, East Bay, and Peninsula Townships, scanning more than 150,000 vehicles in a 30-day period. Similar Flock cameras have surfaced in Elk Rapids, Torch Lake, East Jordan, Kingsley, Petoskey, Gaylord, Cadillac, Manistee, and all the way up to Sault. Ste. Marie.

Flock’s system uses AI-enabled cameras to photograph every passing vehicle, recording not only license plate numbers but also characteristics such as make, model, color, decals, bumper stickers, roof racks, and other identifying features. That information is then uploaded to a database that can be accessed by dozens of law

enforcement agencies outside of a local area without a warrant—including out-of-state police departments, federal agencies, and perhaps even private corporations or foreign hackers.

The result is what Flock and law enforcement agencies often describe as a searchable “vehicle fingerprint.” Law enforcement says the network is especially helpful for solving certain crimes, including auto theft, burglaries, and kidnappings.

The Pros Supporters point to real, on-the-ground success stories. Grand Traverse County Undersheriff Randy Fewless told Interlochen Public Radio that the cameras have helped solve crimes that otherwise would have gone cold, including missing persons cases and break-ins. “If it helps us catch a criminal,” Fewless said on IPR, “it’s saving some of our other citizens and businesses from being victimized.”

According to data provided by the Antrim County Sheriff ’s Office, Flock cameras have assisted deputies in seizing significant quantities of narcotics and resolving serious

24 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

cases since its deployment. In 2025 alone, Flock-assisted stops yielded 1,186.8 grams of methamphetamine, 86.9 grams of cocaine, 76.2 grams of fentanyl, 37.5 grams of heroin, and 26.9 grams of crack cocaine.

The department also credits Flock with locating nine fugitives, intervening in two child abductions, recovering two missing elderly adults, and assisting in one murder investigation.

“The primary concern of the Antrim County Sheriff 's Office is to preserve and protect life, property, [and] maintain public safety while respecting the rights of all people,” the department stated.

The Cons Yet the paradox of Flock cameras is that, while supporters often describe them as a powerful crime-fighting tool capable of cleaning up our streets, critics see something far more ominous: the quiet expansion of a privately-operated surveillance network capable of tracking Americans’ movements at an unprecedented scale.

Grassroots opposition to Flock cameras, called the “DeFlock movement,” is picking

up steam across Michigan and other parts of the country.

As of June 2026, the DeFlock mapping project has catalogued nearly 90,000 ALPR cameras across the United States.

Flock dominates the market, with cameras deployed in more than 5,000 communities.

Their network now scans billions of plates per year and shares data across jurisdictions without warrants, without oversight, and in many cases without the knowledge of the people being tracked.

In Kalkaska County, Commissioner Jeff Seiting noted that “when a proposal came across our desk to install Flock cameras about nine months ago, we immediately shut it down. We know what these are ultimately for. They’re for surveillance of Americans.

Plain and simple.”

Seiting acknowledges the appeal of the technology. “Listen, the positives of Flock cameras—catching the bad guys—that’s a good thing,” he says. “I support that.”

But, he adds, the public should look beyond the typical Flock sales pitch with added scrutiny. “You need to look at the company itself, and who their primary

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investors are,” he says. “These are people we cannot trust to have our best interests at heart.”

Among those investors is Peter Thiel, the billionaire technology investor who was an early backer of Flock Safety and is also a co-founder of Palantir, the data-mining and surveillance company with deep ties to U.S. intelligence agencies and the military (who recently made world headlines for his secret society called “Dialog”).

For critics like Seiting, that connection is no mere coincidence. It is part and parcel of what makes Flock feel less like a crimefighting tool and more like a surveillance weapon aimed at common Americans such as himself.

When Surveillance Goes Wrong The DeFlock movement is burgeoning here in Michigan, too. Bay City rejected a new Flock contract after residents packed a public meeting. Milford’s township board recently voted unanimously to end its contract. And three Oakland County cities— Rochester, Ferndale, and Clawson—have all canceled theirs.

“Flock has proven time and again to be a bad actor by violating contracts, relying on aggressive sales tactics, and fear mongering,” said one Detroit-area activist known online as DebateHerOfficial, who has been organizing protests against Flock downstate. “Whether it’s misuse or misread plates, innocent people are put at risk. Flock also maintains the rights to all data collected in perpetuity. So that should worry all Americans.”

Ferndale township, for example, canceled their Flock contracts last year after an internal audit by one of their councilpeople revealed that the Ferndale Police Department accounted for less than 1 percent of all total searches made using their cameras—the rest were made by out-of-state and federal agencies like the ATF, border patrol, and homeland security. According to data discovered during the audit, there were hundreds of searches using terms related to immigration, graffiti, anti-Trump protests, and littering.

Such concerns extend well beyond Michigan.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) analyzed more than 12 million searches logged by more than 3,900 law enforcement agencies across the county and found hundreds tied to constitutionally protected political demonstrations, including the Hands Off and No Kings protests. Nineteen agencies conducted dozens of searches specifically tied to No Kings protests alone.

Civil liberties organizations, such as the ACLU, call the technology a direct assault against the Fourth Amendment— which protects citizens from warrantless, unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. In a 2023 report, the ACLU warned that Flock Safety is building a “sweeping and powerful mass-surveillance tool” that could be misused by authorities for a variety of purposes.

In Texas, for example, the EFF obtained court records showing a deputy used Flock’s system to search more than 83,000 cameras for a woman suspected of self-managing an abortion. The search note read: “had an abortion, search for female.” Flock and the sheriff ’s office publicly claimed the search was a missing persons inquiry. Court records told a different story.

The Institute for Justice found that police have used ALPR systems to stalk romantic partners at least 20 times in recent years.

In Wisconsin, officers from three separate departments were accused of doing exactly that—a scandal that contributed to seven communities recently terminating their Flock contracts.

Other Flock Concerns The cybersecurity record of Flock isn’t perfect either. 404 Media, a leading watchdog on AI surveillance, reported that Flock left at least 60 cameras exposed to the open internet with no authentication required, allowing journalists to watch live feeds and manipulate cameras remotely.

A separate report by 404 Media found Flock login credentials in malware infection logs—valid usernames and passwords for Flock’s national surveillance system— being sold on a Russian cybercrime forum.

Lawmakers subsequently called on the FTC to investigate.

Then there is the general concern of where these cameras are pointed. Flock has come under added fire after cameras were found aimed at pools, playgrounds, and schools. In one documented case, Yahoo News reported that Flock employees watched live feeds of a children’s gymnastics room to pitch their surveillance technology to prospective police clients.

Whatever side of this debate you land on, what is certain is that this debate is only in its infancy. Critics of the technology recommend that Michigan township approached by a Flock sales representative should be asking the same questions: Who controls the data? Who can access it? How long is it stored? What constitutes misuse— and what happens when it occurs?

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MARATHON: 7am, 284 S. Benzie Blvd., Beulah.

Featuring the Crystal Lake Solo Marathon (26.2 miles) & Crystal Lake Team Marathons. See web site to register & for various starting times. $20-$35. runsignup.com/ CrystalLakeTeamMarathon ---------------------------------ELK RAPIDS HARBOR DAYS: Aug. 5-8.

Today includes the Harborun, Rotary Roundup Breakfast & BBQ, Grande Parade, Sand Sculpture Contest, Paddlebuoy Race, Cornhole Tournament, $100,000 Hole-In-One Contest Final Round, Boat Lighting Contest & Dinghy Parade, fireworks & more. elkrapidsharbordays.org/events/list/page/4 ---------------------------------MICHIGAN FOREST PRODUCTS SHOW: 8am-2pm, The Ellison Place, Gaylord. Hundreds of vendors, equipment dealers, manufacturers, forestry professionals, & industry experts. Visit web site for a full schedule. $20; 12 & under, free. michigantimbermen.com/show ---------------------------------ONEKAMA DAYS: Aug. 6-10. Car show, parade, 5K, fireworks, arts & crafts, food, nature & recreation activities, Bump n’ Run & Demo Derby, DJ, beer tent & much more. onekama.info ---------------------------------SWIM FOR GRAND TRAVERSE BAY: 8am, Greilickville Harbor Park. Celebrate clean, healthy water in Grand Traverse Bay with a unique open water swim event to benefit The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, a non-profit that works to protect the bay & its 1,000-square-mile watershed. $55/person. swimforgtbay.org ---------------------------------FIGHTING THE FIGHT WITHIN 5K: 9am, Veterans Serving Veterans Community Park, Cadillac. Featuring a 5K timed run & a 1-Mile Tribute Walk. $22-$35. runsignup. com/Race/Events/MI/Cadillac/FFW5K ---------------------------------ODAWA HOMECOMING POW WOW: LTBB Pow Wow Grounds, Harbor Springs.

Enjoy food & craft vendors, drum contest viewing, dance contest viewing, & more.

Free. ltbbodawa-nsn.gov/odawa-homecoming-pow-wow-2026 ---------------------------------WATERFRONT ART FAIR: 9am-6pm, East Park, downtown Charlevoix. visitcharlevoix. com/events/Waterfront-Art-Fair ---------------------------------29TH ANNUAL NORTHPORT DOG PARADE: PAW-TY LIKE A ROCKSTAR!: Marina Pavilion, Northport. This parade benefits the Great Lakes Humane Society, Cherryland Humane Society, The Fisher Fund, & Leelanau Christian Neighbors. 9:30am in-person

---------------------------------32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. A living history experience.

Aug. 4-9. This free event includes cannon & musket firing demonstrations, a street battle with Native Americans & Militia, music & entertainment of 1776, Cook-Off Contest, Mackinaw City Trade Fair Talent Show & much more. facebook.com/mackinawrendezvous ---------------------------------3RD ANNUAL HOUSE WALK: 10am, Elk Rapids History Museum. Join in the Elk Rapids Area Historical Society’s Third Annual Historic Walk. Wear comfortable shoes for this one-mile round trip walk. Donations accepted. elkrapidshistory.org ---------------------------------42ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL IRONWORKERS FESTIVAL: Mackinaw City High School, Aug. 7-9. Today includes a parade, kid’s events, skilled events, live band & dancing & more. iwfestival.com/#events ---------------------------------BOYNE CITY PIRATE FEST: Aug. 6-8.

Street performers, costumes, kid’s area, parade, vendors, live music, beer tent, pirates & much more! boynecitypiratefest.com ---------------------------------DOWNTOWN HARBOR SPRINGS SIDEWALK SALES: Enjoy shopping with seasonal savings, live music & food trucks. downtownharborsprings.com/downtownharbor-springs-sidewalk-sales ---------------------------------FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: 10am2pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Stock up on books, puzzles, games, DVDs & CDs. $5 bags on Aug. 11. Proceeds support Peninsula Community Library programs & services. Free to attend. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org/event_image/annual-book-sale ---------------------------------SUTTONS BAY SIDEWALK SALES: Suttons Bay retailers offer the end of season products at big discounts to clean the shelves for new fall merchandise. Free parking. suttonsbaychamber.com/sidewalk-sales ---------------------------------IKEBANA POP-UP EXHIBIT: 11am, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. TC’s local Ikebana International chapter returns for the third year, presenting original floral arrangements in the sculpture court & galleries for visitors to enjoy. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/ikebanapop-up-exhibit-tickets-270814 ---------------------------------GREAT LAKES EQUESTRIAN FESTIVAL: 1pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg.

Tickets available online or at the gate. traversecityhorseshows.com/visit. $15 & up.

---------------------------------DISNEY’S FINDING NEMO KIDS: 2pm &

august

08-16 send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

TC’s Fernwood Neighborhood welcomes you to their inaugural Fernstock Music Festival, Sun., Aug. 16 at the Grand Traverse Circuit from 1:30-5:30pm. Open to everyone, this festival of music, hotdogs & peace will showcase singersongwriter Sierra Cassidy of i.am.james. (pictured), blending contemporary folk, indie rock and alternative pop, along with locals The Ampersands and A to Z. Don’t miss this free fun, complete with a classic Fernwood potluck. fernwoodtc. org/fernstock/

5pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. $15. oldtownplayhouse.com ---------------------------------BACKYARD BLUES, BREWS & BBQ FESTIVAL: 3pm, Lively Acres, Empire. A weekend of blues & boogie, fine brews & great BBQ! Camping available. Featuring Thornetta Davis – Detroit’s Queen of Blues - with Fabulous Horndogs; local boogie band Brendon Linsley Band – semi-finalist in the Memphis Intl. Blues Challenge; Captain Dirk – authentic Mississippi blues artist & more. Gates open at 2pm. $35/person. livelyacres.com/events/backyard-blues-brewsbbq?source=ticker-calendar ---------------------------------SATURDAYS IN THE PARK: PLANET D NONET: 7pm, GT County Civic Center, Amphitheater, TC. Award winning, jazzy, bluesy, down ‘n dirty Detroit swing. Free; donations welcome. scullytour.com ---------------------------------WEST SIDE STORY: 7pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. In the heart of 1950s New York City, the iconic rivalry between the Jets & the Sharks threatens to tear the city apart. Amidst the chaos, two young lovers defy the odds. Enjoy songs like “I Feel Pretty” & “Maria.” Aug. 9 performance is SOLD OUT. $21-$36. interlochen. org/events/west-side-story-2026-08-06

---------------------------------TC PIT SPITTERS VS. BATTLE CREEK BATTLE JACKS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. Fireworks following the game. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pitspitters/2026-schedule ---------------------------------RENÉE FLEMING: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Internationally renowned soprano Renée Fleming joins Interlochen’s World Youth Symphony Orchestra for “Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene,” a program exploring the beauty & fragility of the natural world with video imagery provided by the National Geographic Society. Led by acclaimed conductor Robert Moody, this performance blends artistry & environmental storytelling into an unforgettable concert experience. Tickets start at $51. interlochen.org/events/reneefleming-2026-08-08 ---------------------------------LOPE FOR LOONS 6K TRAIL RUN: 8:45pm, 09223 McSauba Rd., Charlevoix.

Featuring a 6K Trail Race & Kids Fun Run. See web site to register & for different starting times. $12-$35. runsignup.com/Race/Events/ MI/Charlevoix/LopeForLoonsTrailRunK

organic SOURDOUGH CRACKERS

AVAILABLE AT THE MILL, OUTPOST, & SPECIALTY GROCERY STORES THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST

Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 27

aug 09

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Day. Enjoy various animal showings, Vet- com/events/a-special-evening-with-pianistSunday HISTORY OF THE GRINNELL BROTHERS eran’s Memorial & Ice Cream Social, truck hyemin-kim-clarinetist-jeanmarie-riccobonoNORTHWESTERN MICHI- MUSIC COMPANY - THE LARGEST MUSIC & tractor pulls, & much more. northwestern- cellist-evelyn-elsing-8-10-2026

GAN FAIR: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today includes a pancake breakfast, animal showings, TNT Bump & Run, Arnold Amusements Midway, & much more. northwesternmichiganfair.net/events ---------------------------------ONEKAMA DAYS: (See Sat., Aug. 8) ---------------------------------ODAWA HOMECOMING POW WOW: (See Sat., Aug. 8) ---------------------------------THE BAY TO BRAMAN BOLT 7: ULTIMATE UPHILL CHALLENGE: 9:30am, 105 Rose St., Northport. A 1.1-mile uphill challenge beginning beside Northport Bay, continuing through downtown & along the Nagonaba Footpath, & finishing at the summit of Braman Hill. $0-$40. runsignup.com/Race/ Events/MI/Northport/thebolt6 ---------------------------------32ND ANNUAL 18TH CENTURY MACKINAW TRADE FAIR: (See Sat., Aug. 8) ---------------------------------42ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL IRONWORKERS FESTIVAL: Mackinaw City High School, Aug. 7-9. Today includes Old Timer’s events, the World Champion Column Climb, & awards ceremony. iwfestival.com/#events ---------------------------------FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: (See Sat., Aug. 8, except today’s time is 10am-3pm.)

---------------------------------CHILDREN’S SENSORY GARDEN’S 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY: 1pm, The Botanic Garden, Historic Barns Park, TC. See how much this space has grown! Enjoy music, story time with local authors, wagon rides, & games to celebrate. Free. thebotanicgarden.org/events

COMPANY IN THE WORLD!: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Hear the story of three young orphaned brothers from New York who followed their older sister to Adrian, Michigan in 1867. With no plans for the future, they sold sewing machines & other household items to earn money. In 1879 they changed their focus & founded the music house. Free. tadl. org/GrinnellMusic ---------------------------------WEST SIDE STORY: (See Sat., Aug. 8, except today’s time is 2pm.)

---------------------------------AN AFTERNOON WITH JEFF DANIELS: BOTH SHOWS SOLD OUT: 3pm & 6pm, Northport Performing Arts Center, Auditorium, Northport Public School. An afternoon of music & storytelling from Emmy Awardwinning American actor, musician, & playwright Jeff Daniels. northportperformingarts. org/jeff-daniels ---------------------------------NWS: GENERATION AI: WHO - OR WHAT - WILL WE BECOME?: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Drawing on evolutionary biology, social science, & progress in advanced technologies, renowned scientist-philosopher Gregory Stock offers the most comprehensive analysis yet of how AI will reshape not just our world, but our very nature. $12-$25. cityoperahouse.org/events/gen-ai

aug 10

monday NORTHWESTERN MICHI-

GAN FAIR: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today is Senior

michiganfair.net/events ---------------------------------FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: (See Sat., Aug. 8, except today’s time is 10am7pm.)

---------------------------------MEET & GREET WITH MOLLY FADER: 1-3pm, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey. Author Molly Fader celebrates her book “Lady X.” mcleanandeakin.com/ event/2026-08-10/molly-fader-lady-x ---------------------------------UNP TAROT WORKSHOP: 5:30pm, The Commongrounds Building, Crow’s Nest meeting room, TC. A collaborative exploration of tarot for self-care & inspiration. Decks & books by queer creators available to interact with. Bring pen & paper & your curiosity!

Free. upnorthpride.com/events ---------------------------------LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE DATA CENTER FIGHTBACK!: 6pm, Michigan Works, TC. Data centers in northern Michigan are threatening our land, water & electricity bills. Stay active & informed to protect our communities! Free. actionnetwork.org/event_ campaigns/northern-michigan-alliance-for-responsible-development?source=direct_link& ---------------------------------NUB’S NOB SUMMER MUSIC SERIES: THE STEEL WHEELS: 6:30-9:30pm, Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs. Enjoy this folk-rock band. Bring a chair or blanket. $0-$25. shop. nubsnob.com/concertseries ---------------------------------AN ORCHESTRA IN MINIATURE CLARINET TRIO WITH HYEMIN KIM, JEANMARIE RICCOBONO & EVELYN ELSING: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. $25 online; $30 door. mynorthtickets.

---------------------------------CLASSIC MICHIGAN FOOD & DRINKS: 7pm, Upper Carnegie Building, Petoskey. Authors Gail Offen & Jon Milan explore the history & stories behind Michigan food & drink brands like Kellogg’s, Post, Gerber, Faygo, Vernors & many more. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/classic-michigan-food-anddrinks-stories-behind-brands-9956 ---------------------------------ONEKAMA DAYS: (See Sat., Aug. 8) ---------------------------------BAY VIEW MONDAY NIGHT MOVIES: 7:3010pm, Bay View, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey.

Featuring “My Mom Jayne.” Free. petoskeychamber.com/events/details/bayview-monday-night-movies-08-10-202642749?calenda

aug 11

GAN FAIR: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today includes animal showings, Northern Power Park Pit Bike Races, Arnold Amusements Midway, & much more. northwesternmichiganfair.net/events ---------------------------------FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: (See Sun., Aug. 9) ---------------------------------WILDFLOWER WALK: 10:30am, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Take a leisurely stroll through the scenic trails of Grass River Natural Area alongside knowledgeable docent Lyn Petty. Discover the variety of wildflowers & learn to identify their unique beauty.

RENTALS & RETREATS

Get Away Weekends - Family Reunions Holidays - Retreats - Workshops

40 ACRES ON BEAUTIFUL HIGGINS LAKE

40 ACRES ON BEAUTIFUL HIGGINS LAKE

For over 100 years

Camp Westminster on Higgins Lake

www.campwestminster.com

28 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

tuesday NORTHWESTERN MICHI-

Front Street, between Union and Park

Keep an ear out for the melodies of the birds that call Grass River home. Free; donations appreciated. grassriver.org ---------------------------------MEET & GREET WITH LESLIE HELAKOSKI: 1-3pm, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey. Author Leslie Helakoski celebrates her book “Fake Gnus.” mcleanandeakin.com/ event/2026-08-11/leslie-helakoski-fake-gnus ---------------------------------THE OPEN PAGE: A QUEER WRITERS CIRCLE: 6pm, The Folded Leaf, TC. A monthly writing group hosted in collaboration with Up North Pride & The Folded Leaf. This circle is designed for LGBTQ+ writers, questioning creatives, & allies who are looking for a soft, supportive place to write, explore, & connect. Free. upnorthpride.com/events ---------------------------------“AMERICAN: A CELEBRATION IN SONG”: 7pm, Glen Lake Community Church, Glen Arbor. The Glen Lake Summer Singers will present a concert for the community. The music highlights American folk songs, spirituals, & patriotic favorites. Free.

---------------------------------BLUE COUCH JAZZ SERIES: 7:30pm, The Bohemian Social Club, City Opera House, TC. Enjoy The Will Unger Quartet featuring Bill Sears, Jose Valenzuela & Jack Dryden.

Performing, Aug. 4, 11 & 18. Series tickets for $75 or a $30 suggested donation at door each evening, pending availability. cityoperahouse.org/events/blue-couch-jazzseries-%40-the-bohemian-social-club ---------------------------------MONTHLY MOVIE CLUB: “THELMA AND LOUISE”: 7:30pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Come dressed in your best 90’s outlaw outfit for a free Kilwins treat. Free. gardentheater.org/comingsoon ---------------------------------THE STRAY CATS: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. This band put rockabilly music back on the record charts in the early ‘80s. Sporting pompadours, colorful tattoos & musical chops, The Stray Cats were formed by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer, upright bass player Lee Rocker, & drummer Slim Jim Phantom. Their hits include “Runaway Boys” & “Stray Cat Strut.” Tickets start at $58. interlochen.org/events/stray-cats-2026-08-11 ---------------------------------STRAITS AREA CONCERT BAND: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City.

aug 12

wednesday NORTHWESTERN MICHI-

GAN FAIR: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today is Kid’s & Special Kid’s Day. Includes animal showings, 4-H Auction Buyer Preregistration, lawn mower & mini wedge races, 4-H Goat Run, 4-H Lamb Run, & much more. northwesternmichiganfair.net/events ---------------------------------FPCL ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE: (See Sat., Aug. 8, except today’s time is 10am-1pm.)

---------------------------------ADVANCED CARE PLANNING: 11am, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Learn about how to plan for important advanced medical care decisions in this presentation by ShareCare of Leelanau. Featuring Nicole Hastings, RN Advisor with Hospice Michigan. The presentation will help seniors & their family members evaluate & plan for these decisions. glenlakelibrary.net ---------------------------------CONCERTS IN THE PARK: DOUBLE PLAY: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey.

Enjoy a wide range of familiar music.

---------------------------------GAYLORD BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, The Landing Zone, Gaylord. Help celebrate America’s 250th. $5-$10.

SUMMER CELEBRATION: 5-8pm, Stormcloud Brewing Co., Parkview Taproom, Frankfort. Join Benzie Conservation District in celebrating the great outdoors & the nature-lovers protecting it. For all ages. Brief remarks at 5:30pm. RSVP: jessica@benziecd.org. Free. benziecd.org/summer-celebration.html ---------------------------------AUTHOR PRESENTATION: 6pm, Leelanau Historical Society & Museum, Munnecke Community Room, Leland. Join the Leelanau Historical Society for an evening of history, storytelling, & discovery with Susan Wasserman, recipient of the 2025 Leelanau Press Research Fellowship & author of “Stepping Off the Boat: Stories from North Manitou Island.” leelanauhistory.org/events ---------------------------------EVENINGS AT THE GAZEBO: THE HAZEL JAMES BAND: 6-8pm, Old City Park Gazebo, Boyne City.

---------------------------------POOR FARM BARN CONCERT: 6pm, Leelanau County Poor Farm Barn. Bring a picnic & enjoy music by the Fabulous Horndogs. Featuring TC Taco Food Truck, guided barn tours & yard games. Free-will donation. lchp.org ---------------------------------UP NORTH PRIDE ART MEETUP: 6pm, Artemis Books, TC. Bring your own art project & enjoy a creative evening with friends. If you don’t have an art project, just bring yourself & a smile! All ages & all art forms welcome.

Free. upnorthpride.com/events ---------------------------------ELLSWORTH CONCERTS ON THE SQUARE: OPEN MIC NIGHT: 7-9pm, Ellsworth Community Square.

---------------------------------MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN: SETH BERNARD: 7-9pm, The Homestead Resort, atop the ski hill, Glen Arbor. Enjoy this folk singer/ songwriter & guitarist with 12 solo albums to his credit. Tickets range from $0-$22. tickettailor.com/events/musiconthemountain ---------------------------------THE BACKROOM GANG: AN EVENING OF DIXIELAND MUSIC: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Ticket includes a reception with drinks & treats on the new deck from 6-6:45pm, prior to the concert. $25 online; $30 door. mynorthtickets. com/events/the-music-house-museum-ishappy-to-welcome-the-backroom-gang-onwednesday-august-12-at-700pm-8-12-2026 ---------------------------------THE “HAPPY TOGETHER” TOUR 2026 AN OUTRAGEOUS CONCERT!: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Featuring The Association, The Troggs, Jason Scheff, Gary Puckett, The Fortunes, Ron Dante, The Vogues, & The Cowsills. Tickets start at $38. interlochen. org/events/happy-together-tour-2026-outrageous-concert-2026-08-12 ---------------------------------THE RHUBARBARY HOUSE CONCERT SERIES: 7:30pm, The Rhubarbary, 3550 Five Mile Creek Rd., Harbor Springs. Enjoy a blend of Americana, folk, blues, pop, rock, & global influences with the Grace Theisen Trio, featuring Carolyn Koebel & Cori Somers. Please bring a folding chair. $20 donation requested. dalescottmusic.com/ dale-scott-calendar

aug 13

thursday NORTHWESTERN MICHI-

GAN FAIR: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today includes the 4-H Auction Buyer Registration, 4-H Still Exhibit Auction, 4-H Large Animal Auction, animal showings, 4-H Small Animal Auction, 4-H Showmanship Showdown, Southpoint Rodeo, & much more. northwesternmichiganfair.net/events

VETERANS, COME IN TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR BENEFITS!

LEELANAU VETERANS AFFAIRS TUESDAYs ONLY 9a.m - 3:30p.m.

Call 231-995-6070 To schedule an appointment Leelanau County Government Center 8527 E. Government Center Dr, Suttons Bay Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 29

CHARLEVOIX SUMMER SIDEWALK SALES: 9am-6pm, downtown Charlevoix.

---------------------------------COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Tamara Finlay will share her process as a stop-motion animator exploring memory, cultural identity, & neurodivergence through handcrafted puppets & miniature sets.

Free. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/ events/?page=1&location=petoskey#class-list ---------------------------------SUMMER READING PROGRAM: 11am, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. More Art for Kids with Leah Griffith. glenlakelibrary. net/calendar ---------------------------------GRASSHOPPER WALK WITH BRAD VON BLON: 1-2:30pm, Offield Family Viewlands Working Forest Reserve, Harbor Springs.

Brad will introduce you to more species of grasshoppers than you may have known existed. Free; register. landtrust.org/events-template/grasshopper-walk-with-brad-von-blon ---------------------------------HANDS-ON STOP-MOTION WORKSHOP: CRAFTING STORIES FRAME BY FRAME: 1pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. This workshop introduces participants to the basics of stop-motion animation using simple materials & accessible tools. Participants will work in approximately three small groups to create short animated sequences together, exploring character, movement, & collaborative storytelling. Free. crookedtree.app.neoncrm.com/np/ clients/crookedtree/event.jsp?event=26183& ---------------------------------AUTHOR READING & SIGNING: 4pm, Dog Ears Books (David Grath gallery next door), Northport. Northport debut author Jennifer Sager will do a short reading from her memoir, “Steph’s Story,” take questions from the audience for discussion, & sign books

for purchasers. Jenny’s is a happy family story! Free. northportbookstore.blogspot. com/2026/08/local-author-northport.html ---------------------------------SUTTONS BAY SOCIAL: 4:30-6:30pm, Inland Seas Education Association, Suttons Bay. Hosted by Inland Seas Education Association & Suttons Bay Chamber of Commerce. Join for light snacks & an update on Inland Sea’s new education center. Free. suttonsbaychamber.com/calendar ---------------------------------ARTIST TALK: STEVE BROWN: 5:30-7pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. Author & poet Steve Brown will share insights from his latest book, “Fellowship.” crookedtree.org/events-andexhibitions/events/?page=1&location=traversecity#class-list ---------------------------------EVERYONE HAS A STORY: STORYTELLING COMMUNITY CIRCLE: 5:30-7pm, Kingsley Branch Library. Join The Kingsley Folk School for a relaxed, no-prep storytelling community circle, Everyone Has a Story. Share real moments from your life, told to connect, laugh, & reflect. Held the 2nd Thurs. of every month. Free. tadl.org/event/ everyone-has-story-28438 ---------------------------------HARBOR SPRINGS STREET MUSIQUE: CAR FEST MIXER: 6:30-8:30pm, corner of State & Main streets, downtown Harbor Springs. Featuring the Grace Theisen Trio, Chirp, Radel Rosin, The Tweed Tones, Magic

by Jania, & Lord of the Gourd.

---------------------------------AN EVENING WITH AMY GRANT: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor.

Amy’s career spans more than 40 years & stretches from her roots in gospel into becoming an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality, philanthropist & more. Starting at $87. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/amy-grant

COMMERCIAL FISHING IN BENZIE COUNTY: 7pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia.

Local historian Andy Bolander examines the impact of commerical fishing on Benzie County... from its early presence shipping barrels of fish to Chicago, to the later introduction of salmon into Lake Michigan via the Platte River Fish Hatchery. $5 recommended donation. benziemuseum.org ---------------------------------CONCERTS ON THE LAWN: THE BACKROOM GANG: 7pm, GT Pavilions, TC. Free. gtpavilions.org/news-events/2026-concertson-the-lawn ---------------------------------LIVE ON THE LAKE CONCERT SERIES: JENNIFER WESTWOOD & THE HANDSOME DEVILS: 7-9pm, East Park, downtown Charlevoix. Free. charlevoixmi.gov/533/ Live-on-the-Lake-Concert-Series ---------------------------------SONGS FOR THE EARTH CURIOUS: 7pm, Debra J Edson Family Education Center, The Botanic Garden, Historic Barns Park, TC. A concert by Stonefruit Collective. Celebrate our planet with grooves for the atmosphere, serenades for the soil, & hymns for the open water. Tickets start at $17.85. eventbrite. com/e/songs-for-the-earth-curious-tickets-1992768786083 ---------------------------------SUMMER SOUNDS CONCERT: OPEN MIC NIGHT: 7pm, Michigan Legacy Art Park, Amphitheater, Thompsonville. Sign up on web site - space is limited! crystalmountain.com/ events-activities/events/event-calendar/summer-sounds-concert ---------------------------------THE CONCERT: A TRIBUTE TO ABBA: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. A shared celebration of the songs people carry with them throughout their lives, from “Mamma Mia” & “S.O.S” to

“Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “Dancing Queen” & more. Tickets start at $32. interlochen.org/events/concert-tribute-to-abba-2026-08-13 ---------------------------------MOVIE NIGHT ON THE LAWN: 8-11pm, Castle Farms, Charlevoix. Featuring “How to Train Your Dragon.” Movie starts at dusk.

Concessions open at 8pm. Free.

aug 14

friday 39TH ANNUAL RUBBER

DUCKY FESTIVAL: Downtown Bellaire, Aug. 14-15.

Today features the Bellaire Merchant Sidewalk Sales, 6th Annual Rubber Duck Dash, cornhole tournament, 1 Mile Kid Fun Run, Duck & Glow 5K Run, & more. bellairechamber.org/ rubber-ducky-festival ---------------------------------NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN FAIR: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today includes an Open Horse Show, TNT Bump & Run and Demolition Derby, & much more. northwesternmichiganfair.net/ events ---------------------------------CHARLEVOIX SUMMER SIDEWALK SALES: 9am-6pm, downtown Charlevoix.

---------------------------------CONCERTS IN THE PARK: MILLER LIGHTNER: Noon, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey.

Enjoy a mix of classic rock & 1990s favorites, focusing on familiar songs & straightforward, guitar-driven arrangements.

---------------------------------FRANKFORT ART FAIR: 1-7pm, Market Square Park, Frankfort. A juried fine arts show.

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

SAIL ON THE

The

Libby Stallman

Collection

GREAT LAKES Book your summer sail today!

Become part of the crew and hoist the sails, steer the ship, and discover the science of the Great Lakes firsthand.

In the Mercato at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons 800 Cottageview Dr • Traverse City silverfoxjewelrytc.com

30 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

Scan the code, visit schoolship.org or call (231) 271-3077.

GTB PRE-POWWOW FESTIVITIES: COMMUNITY POTLUCK & BEACH NIGHT: 4-7pm, MASHKIIG AKI, 8000-8040 N Indian Camp Rd, Northport. Food, live music, swimming & more. Bring a lawn chair. Earn an extra raffle ticket when you bring a dish to pass.

231-492-9956.

---------------------------------FIRESIDE CHATS - AUGUST: 5-7pm, Boardman River Nature Center, Oleson Pavilion, TC. Each gathering follows a loose theme—serving as a gentle starting point rather than a set agenda—allowing discussions to unfold naturally based on the interests, experiences, & perspectives of those gathered. Free; registration required. gtcd. wufoo.com/forms/sfncw21fo9o79 ---------------------------------AUTHOR EVENT: JILLIAN LAINE: 5:307pm, The Folded Leaf, TC. Celebrate Jillian Laine’s new book, “Henry Tudor Must Die.” thefoldedleafnomi.com/events/authorevent-jillian-laine ---------------------------------FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE, TC: 6-9pm, downtown TC. Featuring live music, performers, interactive nonprofit activities, food vendors, & more. Free. downtowntc.com/events ---------------------------------DOWNTOWN GAYLORD SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 7-9pm, Claude Shannon Park, Gaylord. Featuring Pinter Whitnick.

---------------------------------CRUZ CONTRERAS AND THE BLACK LILLIES W/ AGNES SU OPENING: 7:30pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. $25. gardentheater.org/live-at-the-garden ---------------------------------JOE BONAMASSA & GOV’T MULE: SOLD OUT: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Joe Bonamassa commands the stage with more than 50 albums & a sound that blends raw blues power with high-voltage rock. Gov’t Mule, driven by Allman Brothers legend Warren Haynes, brings an exploratory blues rock sound that has earned a devoted global following. Their 2023 release Peace…

“Like a River” was praised as the band’s most heartfelt work. interlochen.org/events/joebonamassa-and-govt-mule-2026-08-14 ---------------------------------MUSIC IN MACKINAW: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Enjoy roots, Celtic & folk music with the Inland String Band.

---------------------------------MOVIES IN THE PARK AT DARK: “PADDINGTON”: 9:30pm, Pennsylvania Park, Petoskey. Movie starts at dusk. Free.

aug 15

saturday NORTHWESTERN MICHI-

GAN FAIR: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC, Aug. 9-15. Today includes the 4-H Awards Program, Celebration of Champions, Senior Recognition, 4-H fun classes, Fair Queen Pageant, Tough Trucks, & much more. northwesternmichiganfair.net/events ---------------------------------36TH ANNUAL FRANKFORT COLLECTOR CAR SHOW: 9am-2:30pm, Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort. frankfort-elberta.com ---------------------------------CHARLEVOIX SUMMER SIDEWALK SALES: 9am-6pm, downtown Charlevoix.

---------------------------------LOGAN’S 5K COLOR RUN: 9am, Cadillac City Park. This run benefits the family of Logan Wangler. Logan is an active 14-year-old who was recently diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare & aggressive cancer. $32; increases after Aug. 13. runsignup.com/Race/ Events/MI/Cadillac/LoganS5KColorRun ---------------------------------2026 HDSA TEAM HOPE WALK: 10am, The Elks Lodge, TC. The Midwest Region of the

Huntington’s Disease Society of America will host the 2026 HDSA Traverse City Team Hope Walk. Registration starts at 9am. hdsa.org ---------------------------------39TH ANNUAL RUBBER DUCKY FESTIVAL: Downtown Bellaire, Aug. 14-15. Today includes “Quackapalooza,” teen games & dunk tank, Art & Craft Show, Merchant Sidewalk Sales, Annual Community BBQ, Ice Cream Social & live music, & more. bellairechamber.org/rubber-ducky-festival ---------------------------------FRANKFORT ART FAIR: 10am-4pm, Market Square Park, Frankfort. A juried fine arts show.

---------------------------------GRAND TRAVERSE BAY SUMMER ART & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-5pm, GT County Civic Center lawns, TC. Jewelry, woodwork, pottery & more. Free admission. facebook.com/ daniellesblueribboneventsllc ---------------------------------KCHI WIIKWEDONG ANISHINAABEK MAAWNJIDOWIN TRADITIONAL POWWOW: 10am, 2585 Waabno Makwa Rd., Peshawbestown. facebook.com/ events/2211885182950138 ---------------------------------KIERSTEN’S RIDE: 10am-4pm, Chandler Hills Campground, Boyne Falls. Horseback ride/bike/walk/ORV. Bringing help, hope, & healing through suicide prevention programs in northern lower Michigan. Register. $0-$25. eventbrite.com/e/14th-annual-kierstens-ridefundraiser-registration-1989860924591?aff= oddtdtcreator ---------------------------------NATURE SKETCHING & JOURNALING: 10am, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Join the Sleeping Bear Nature Journaling Group for their monthly gathering, led by artist & environmentalist Penny Krebiehl. Bring pens/pencils, sketching pads, water, etc. Dress appropriately for the weather with comfortable walking shoes. glenlakelibrary.net ---------------------------------OUTDOOR CRAFT & VENDOR SHOW: 10am, The Village at GT Commons, Front Lawn, TC. Browse 90+ Michigan vendors offering art, jewelry, crafts, food & more. Free. thevillagetc.com/events ---------------------------------ART IN THE BARN: 11am-4pm. Northern Michigan artist Douglas Racich welcomes you to a studio open house in his historic 1870s Leelanau County barn near Omena.

Featuring original egg tempera & watercolor artwork. leelanauprints.com ---------------------------------ARTIST TALK: 11am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. Join for a conversation with selected artists from the upcoming “Cherry State of Mind” exhibition. crookedtree.org/events-andexhibitions/events/?page=1&location=traversecity#class-list ---------------------------------IN-STORE BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Author John Wemlinger will sign his book “Finding Innocence.” horizonbooks. com/events/calendar ---------------------------------DISNEY’S FINDING NEMO KIDS: 2pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. $15. oldtownplayhouse.com ---------------------------------HIGH SUMMER PARTY: 3-6pm, Somebody’s Gallery, Petoskey. Music, snacks, wine, artists to chat with, & many beautiful things to look at! Free. somebodysgallery.com ---------------------------------BOOKS TO THE BIG SCREEN: 4pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. A free screening of “Jurassic Park.” Read the book first & join the discussion at the Benzie Shores District Library on Aug. 13 at 4pm, or just go for the popcorn & dinosaurs! gardentheater.org/comingsoon ---------------------------------DISNEY’S FINDING NEMO KIDS: 5pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. $15. oldtownplayhouse.com

THE SERIES AT LAVENDER HILL FARM: WEST TEXAS EXILES: Lavender Hill Farm, Boyne City. Catch this Americana-driven band rooted in the wide-open landscapes of the Lone Star State. The Local Ground show with Denning & Johnson starts at 6pm. The West Texas Exiles perform at 7:30pm. $34.50-$49.50. lavenderhillfarm. com/the-series ---------------------------------FLO RIDA WSG COOPER ALAN: 7-10:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, The Outdoor Venue, Manistee. American rapper & singer FLO RIDA is known for global charttopping, feel-good dance-pop & hip-hop anthems like his 2007 breakout hit “Low,” “Right Round” & “My House.” Cooper Alan brings fearless creativity & unfiltered authenticity to country music. The release of his debut full-length album “Winston-Salem” is due Nov. 7. $75. lrcr.com/event/flo-ridawsg-cooper-alan ---------------------------------SATURDAYS IN THE PARK: NMC SUMMER JAZZ BAND: 7pm, GT County Civic Center, Amphitheater, TC. TC’s college jazz program featuring local pro musicians. Free; donations welcome. scullytour.com ---------------------------------AKROPOLIS REED QUINTET: “AMERICA250”: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. This GRAMMY Award-winning quintet is five reed players & entrepreneurs who are pioneers of a new genre of classical music - the reed quintet. $25-$30. theoperahouse.org ---------------------------------LEGENDS REVISITED PRESENTS THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRIBUTE TO THE TRAVELING WILBURYS: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. A tribute to the supergroup of all supergroups; The Traveling Wilburys: George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, Jeff Lynne & Bob Dylan. Enjoy an evening filled with awesome lights, sound, video & audience participation. $44-$64. cityoperahouse.org/events/traveling-wilburys ---------------------------------MUSIC IN MACKINAW: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Enjoy traditional, modern country with Rachel Brooke.

---------------------------------STAR PARTY & CANDLELIGHT HIKE: 9pm, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Dune Climb. Join the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society for public stargazing. Free program; park entrance pass required. nps.gov/planyourvisit/eventdetails.htm?id=C06A8880-D510-A661C2FF9BF78DCDEC40

aug 16

sunday GRAND TRAVERSE BAY

SUMMER ART & CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., Aug. 15) ----------------------KCHI WIIKWEDONG ANISHINAABEK MAAWNJIDOWIN TRADITIONAL POWWOW: (See Sat., Aug. 15) ---------------------------------ART IN THE BARN: (See Sat., Aug. 15) ---------------------------------FERNSTOCK MUSIC FESTIVAL: 1:305:30pm, The GT Circuit, TC. This inaugural event is The Fernwood Neighborhood Festival of Music, Hotdogs & Peace. Includes a classic Fernwood Potluck. Musicians include The Ampersands, i.am.james, & A to Z. Free. fernwoodtc.org/fernstock ---------------------------------CADILLAC FOOTLITERS THEATRE AUDITIONS: 2-5pm, The “Clubhouse,” 3841 Walker Ave., Cadillac. Audition for “Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really.” Featuring a gender-bending, flexible cast of up to ten adults. cadillacfootliters.com ----------------------------------

SUNDAY MUSIC IN THE PARK: DOUBLE PLAY: 4-6pm, Marina Park, Harbor Springs.

Bring a lawn chair or blanket.

---------------------------------PETOSKEY’S BAYSIDE MUSIC SERIES: STORY & JAMES: 5-7pm, Bayfront Park, Petoskey.

---------------------------------FILM SCREENING: THE WRECK OF THE J. HAZARD HARTZELL: 7pm, Elberta Heritage Center. This film re-creates the rescue of the crew from the J. Hazard Hartzell, a rescue that went down in history as one of the most heroic & challenging of the United States Life Saving Service.

Filmmaker Rich Brauer will join to screen the film in the original 16mm version. Free. elbertalaborheritagecenter.org/event/filmscreening-the-wreck-and-rescue-of-theschooner-j-hazard-hartzell

ongoing BOYNE CITY’S STROLL THE STREETS:

Downtown Boyne City. Held Fridays from 6-9pm through Sept. 4. Enjoy live music, children’s activities, & much more.

---------------------------------LELAND COMMUNITY SUNDAY NIGHT SING: Sundays, 7:30pm through Aug. at Leland Country Club. A summer tradition for over 100 years. Join to sing your favorites with scores of your closest friends. “Leelanau, Leelanau, land that I love!” facebook. com/share/g/1BXL9Pu9bo ---------------------------------NORTE: BIKES FOR ALL: Tuesdays, 10:30-11:30am through Aug. at Norte Clubhouse, GT Civic Center, TC. Open to anyone, regardless of age or ability. Offering adaptive bikes specially modified to accommodate individuals with special needs, disabilities, or mobility challenges, so that everyone can enjoy the thrill of riding. norteyouthcycling.org ---------------------------------OUTDOOR STORY TIME: Held outside the Suttons Bay Bingham District Library, overlooking the beach. Please bring a blanket for your family to sit on. These story times are geared toward pre-k to second graders & their caregivers, but fun for all who attend. Held every Tues. through Aug. 11. sbbdl.org ---------------------------------PROTEST ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINE: Grandview Parkway + Union St., TC. Israel continues committing brutal genocide in Gaza & stealing more Palestinian land in the West Bank. Elected leaders are owned by Israel as the Epstein files show. It’s up to ordinary people to insist on justice. Stand together every Sat. at 11am. mideastjustpeace.net ---------------------------------BALANCE BIKE MEET UPS (ER): Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30am through Aug., Rotary Park, Elk Rapids. Held for first-time riders.

These low-key, drop-in affairs are fun for everyone. No need to bring your bike; Norte has plenty to lend out. For riders ages 2-5. norteyouthcycling.org/calendar/balancebike-meet-ups-traverse-city-7z4k7-ps3n57xkbm-je4by-3g2fj ---------------------------------BALANCE BIKE MEET UPS (TC): Wednesdays, 10:30am-11:30am through Aug., Norte Clubhouse, GT Civic Center, TC. Held for first-time riders. These low-key, drop-in affairs are fun for everyone. No need to bring your bike; Norte has plenty to lend out.

For riders ages 2-5. norteyouthcycling.org/ calendar/balance-bike-meet-ups-traversecity-7z4k7-ps3n5-7xkbm-je4by-3g2fj

Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 31

lOGY

AUG 10 - AUG 16

BY ROB BREZSNY

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Given how extra vibrant and refreshed you

have been feeling, I would understand if you had zero interest in confronting The Dilemma That Refuses to Fade. Why deliberately tangle with that stale, long-term energy drain when your spirits are so high? Here’s why: At this moment, you possess a new and unprecedented advantage over The Dilemma That Refuses to Fade. You may not manage to completely vanquish it once and for all. But then again, you just might. At the very least, you can now sharply curtail its ability to siphon your energy and meddle with your life.

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

Katherine Johnson (1918–2020) was known as a “human computer” who specialized in carrying out large volumes of intricate calculations. She also had an uncanny ability to translate complex problems into elegant equations, which was why NASA called on her help to guide its early space missions. She said she simply asked the right questions until the numbers disclosed their hidden patterns. Be like her in the coming weeks, Virgo. Instead of forcing quick and simple answers, focus on dreaming up the smartest questions. Well-crafted inquiries will unlock sweet insights that brute effort can’t.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the art of mosaic-

making, tiny fragments of stone or glass are fitted together into intricate patterns. Each piece is insignificant and meaningless on its own, but together they compose luminous images. Let's deploy the mosaic as a metaphor for your life, Libra.

I invite you to consider the possibility that you are assembling minor details and small clues into a big, beautiful masterpiece.

You may not even be fully aware of how exactly you're doing it or what it will ultimately look like and do. That's fine. Your higher self is in charge of accomplishing this minor miracle.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Before launching spacecraft, engineers perform countless simulations of situations they hope will never happen. They repeatedly practice failures so that success becomes more likely. This is a different version of your current assignment, Scorpio. Your task is not to worry about disaster but to rehearse courage. So I encourage you to use your imagination to strengthen your resilience. Visualize yourself responding with creativity, grace, and humor whenever life springs surprises and unexpected blessings. Your confidence will thrive because you will have lots of inner practice in collaborating adeptly with uncertainty.

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

horizon line is always the same distance away from you, about three miles at sea level. If you walk toward it, you will never reach it because it moves with you. Now I’d like to propose that some of your personal goals work like horizons. They are orientations, not actual destinations. You're supposed to move toward them indefinitely, never arriving. In the coming weeks, I invite you to distinguish between your horizon goals and your destination goals. Some aims are meant to be reached, while others basically guide your direction without ever needing to be attained.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Here's my

normally $600-per-hour advice, provided at a very low cost to you: Don’t get back to where you once belonged. Instead, go toward where you must belong in the future. Maybe the old place feels cozier because it’s familiar, even if it no longer fits the person you are now. But I recommend that you heed the subtle pull of the life that’s calling you from ahead. Who exactly is the even more beautiful self you're on your way to becoming? Visualize in detail the situation where that sovereign majesty will thrive.

the relationship. Try stepping into different personas together: Adopt new names, experiment with strange accents, and imagine you’re living in 1453 Italy, or 1506 Spain, or 1685 Japan, or 1721 France.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): The speed of

thought can zip along at over 200 miles per hour.

That’s the rate at which signals travel through neurons. Electrical impulses in computers, on the other hand, may travel much faster, at half the speed of light. So your thoughts are very leisurely compared to machines. But they do what computers can't. They're creating meaning, not just moving data. Their slowness is where the richest reality unfolds. Remember that well in the coming weeks, Pisces. It’s extra important for your mental and physical health that you not imitate machines and algorithms. You need to ruminate and meditate and muse as gently and unhurriedly as you dare.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): At the post office,

I mischievously plucked a crumpled piece of red paper out of the trash can. I don’t usually do such things, but I sensed some horoscope material was lurking there. It turned out to be a handwritten love note addressed to “My Lush and Luminous Aries Laugh-Lover” and signed, “Your Flawed but Fiery and Funny Provocateur.” The Provocateur had written, “Let’s be rowdy investigators of wonders and miracles. Let’s hack our way through the frontiers to discover the wildest beauty and truth ever.” I was shocked that anyone would have discarded such a tempting proposal—especially an Aries. Please avoid making comparable errors in the near future, my dear.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The ancient

Romans could be obsessive perfectionists in their approach to building stuff. They were extra thorough and scrupulous. That’s why some of the roads they constructed are still usable today, 2,000 years later. Workers dug deep foundations, then layered stones, gravel, and sand before placing the final surface. In the coming weeks, Taurus, I recommend that you, too, carry out meticulous groundwork as you upgrade your foundations and optimize your stability.

Don’t you dare be lazy or hurried in doing this grunt work.

Your dogged and ingenious attention to detail will make your future safety zone shatterproof and shockproof.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I appoint

you to be the Chief Role Model in charge of showing everyone how to be a smart lover in all situations. Yes, all situations, not only those involving romance. In addition, I bestow on you the title of Chief Administrator of Amazing Grace, hoping this will inspire you to make elegant interventions in every situation where you have influence. Finally, Gemini, I exhort you to be devoted to seeing the beauty in everyone you encounter, even if you must work hard to find it. In asking you to carry out these humongous responsibilities, I'm interpreting the clues offered by the astrological omens. They have revealed to me that cultivating a generous spirit is crucial to you attracting what you want most.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I confess I have

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you’re

single, the coming weeks will be one of the most auspicious periods in ages for cultivating your own fan club of admirers. Your allure is turned up higher than usual, and the universe seems to have decided that what once might have counted as excessive is now perfectly appropriate. If, however, you’re happily ensconced in a lively monogamous bond, don’t sabotage it with daydreams of juggling multiple lovers. Instead, conspire with your partner to expand the range of flavors inside

succumbed to a very modern misdemeanor: tossing the word “sacred” around more often than it deserves. To be fair, I haven’t stooped to the tacky depths of New Age hustlers hawking “sacred e-mail marketing” or “sacred dog-walking.” But still, I would prefer to invoke the word more sparingly, so that on the rare occasions I do, you will feel a genuine shiver of awe. Like now. I predict you will soon be stirred by marvelous encounters and realizations that flood you with reverent feelings and turn your inner life deliciously upside down.

32 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

“Jonesin” Crosswords "Rated PG-13"--13 letters, two initials.by Matt Jones

ACROSS 1. Dumb or awkward person, from the Yiddish (and Matt Berry's character on "Krapopolis") 6. "Divine Secrets of the ___ Sisterhood" (2002 movie) 10. "Dancing Queen" foursome 14. Legendary host Philbin, to fans 15. Former Fed head Greenspan 16. British pound, slangily 17. Pertaining to the hipbone 18. Subtle eye signal 19. Take back, in a program 20. Feature of airports and hospitals 23. "However," briefly 24. "Welcome to Wrexham" figure ___ Mac 25. Comment section, metaphorically 32. Roofing material 34. Copier of old 35. San Francisco mayor Daniel 36. Ill effect 38. Addis ___, Ethiopia 40. Bridge position 41. Television, newspapers, etc.

43. Endorse digitally 45. Participate at Aspen 46. Inflation instrument 49. Letterman list count 50. "___ to Extremes" (Billy Joel song) 51. Method of holding small objects between the thumb and fingers 58. ___ Turismo 59. College campus yard 60. University at which Jimmy Carter taught 62. Cuzco locale 63. Strong craving 64. Spud 65. Ladder part 66. Large ones might clash 67. Goes nuts

DOWN 1. ___ Lanka 2. Assist 3. "Return of the Jedi" princess 4. Lorre's "Casablanca" role 5. Posh Spice's married surname 6. "This is boring" 7. Sacha Baron Cohen character with an upcoming 2026 movie 8. 2020 presidential candidate Andrew currently humiliating himself on Fox's "Nation's Dumbest" 9. Turkish capital 10. Color similar to cyan 11. Beer keg stopper 12. ___ one's time 13. Fuss 21. Region of ancient Turkey 22. Let the dice do their thing 25. June celebration 26. Earthy tone 27. Hint at 28. Aim high 29. Clear the cache, say 30. Board game of world conquest 31. Cooler brand named for a cryptid 32. Fill-in 33. Claim with confidence 37. "Attention!"

39. Once more 42. "Be with you in ___!"

44. Side option, sometimes 47. Unlike any other 48. Inaugural poet Amanda 51. U.K.-based sandwich chain ___ a Manger 52. Like some collectible cards 53. O.R. activity 54. "Aladdin" character named after a literary villain 55. Lofty poems 56. Smidgen 57. Get ready 58. Navigational tracker 61. '69 and '96, e.g.

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska ALEXANDRA INN, BLUSH: ROOFTOP TERRACE, TC Mon -- Fridays Music (John & Madeline Piatek), 5-7 APACHE TROUT GRILL, TC 8/16 -- Jim Hawley, 6-9 CHATEAU CHANTAL, TC EAST PATIO: 8/14 -- Friday Night Live w/ Jacob McLeod, 5-8 WEST PATIO: 8/13 -- Jazz at Sunset w/ Jeff Haas Trio & Laurie Sears, 7 ENCORE 201, TC 8/8 & 8/14-15 -- DJ Ricky T, 9 GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT & SPA, ACME 8/15 -- Craig Jolly, 7-10 JACOB'S FARM, TC 6-9: 8/9 -- Tundratones 8/13 -- DJ Darren 8/16 -- The Steely Experience KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC 8/8 -- Somebody's Sister & The Good Fellas, 9:30 8/10 -- DJ Trivia, 7-9 8/11 -- The Will Harris Trio, 8 8/12 -- The Pocket Band, 8 8/13 -- DJ Leo, 9:30 KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING 8/8 -- Jesse Jefferson, 7 8/11 -- Open Mic Night w/ Kevin & Sierra LaRose, 6-9 LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM: 8/10 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9 TASTING ROOM: 8/14 -- Ol' Pal Shayne, 5-7 LIL BO'S, TC THE YARD: 8/12 -- The Ampersands, 7-10:30 MARI VINEYARDS, TC 4-6: 8/11 -- Jerry Byville 8/13 -- Jason Locke

MASONIC TEMPLE, TC 8/14 -- Summer Party, Island Vibes w/ Craig & The Jolly Ranchers, 7 MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC 8/8 -- David Lawston, 6-9 8/12 -- Trivia Night w/ Steveo, 7-9 8/14 -- Mike Struwin, 6-9 8/15 -- Les Dalgliesh, 6-9 MT. HOLIDAY, TC 8/8 -- Dawn Campbell & The Bohemians - Block Party!, 4-8 8/13 -- Dags & Timmah, 6-9 8/14 -- The Nexus Band, 6-9 NOCTURNAL BLOOM BREWING, TC Thu -- Trivia, 6 NORTH BAR, TC 7-10: 8/8 -- Jimmy Olson 8/12 -- Loren Kranz 8/13 -- Beans & Cheese 8/15 -- Brian Jackson

8/15 -- Harmolodics, 8-10:30 THE HAYLOFT INN, TC 8/7-8 & 8/14-15 -- Sandy & The Bandits, 7:30-11 8/12 -- Family Karaoke Night w/ Shooting Star, 6-10 THE LITTLE FLEET, TC 6-10: 8/14 -- ZUZ 8/15 -- Chirp

8/9 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 5

THE PARLOR, TC 8/8 -- Loren Kranz, 9-12 8/11 -- Jesse Jefferson, 8-11 8/12 -- Mallory Ramage, 8-11 8/13 -- Jimmy Olson, 8-11 8/14 -- Red Thyme Duo, 9-12 8/15 -- Brady Corcoran, 9-12

BOB'S PLACE, ALANSON

8/12 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY

STONE HOUND BREWING CO., WILLIAMSBURG 8/8 -- Andrew Lutes, 6:30-8:30 8/14 -- Stonefolk, 6:30-9:30 8/15 -- Mike Moran, 6:30-8:30 TC GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 8/14 -- Jim Hawley, 6-9 TC WHISKEY CO. - THE STILLHOUSE 8-10: 8/8 -- Glunkty 8/15 -- DJ E-Knuf THE ALLUVION, TC 8/8 -- Pickle Party w/ The Pickle Mafia & DJ Ras Marco, 7:30-10:30 8/10 -- Big Fun & Funky Uncle w/ DJ Ras Marco, 7 8/10 -- Big Fun + DJ Ras Marco, 7:30-10

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 8/9 -- Full Tilt Comedy Presents: Comedy Lab, 7-9 8/10 -- USS Comedy Open Mic, 8-9:30 8/12 -- Jazz Jam w/ Ron Getz, 6-9 8/13 -- DJ Trivia, 7-9 THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC 8/8 -- Stone Travelbee/SandBox Ramblers, 6:30-9:30 8/11 -- Trivia, 7-9; Open Mic Comedy, 8:30-10 8/13 -- Coral Stone Open MI Jam, 6:30-9:30 8/14 -- YESIMJOHN (Patio), 6:309:30; Karaoke (Inside), 7-10 TOWNLINE CIDERWORKS, LIAMSBURG 6-8: 8/14 -- Chelsea Marsh 8/15 -- Joe Lopata

8/8 -- Michelle Chenard, 2-6 8/14 -- Yankee Station, 4-7:30 8/15 -- Chris Calleja, 2-6 BRANDY'S HARBORTOWN, BAY HARBOR

8/8 -- Zie Simmons, 12:30 8/9 -- Nick Visconti, 12:30 8/10 -- The Lavender Lions, 6 8/11 -- Derek Boik, 6 8/12 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 7:30 8/13 -- Two Track Mind, 6 8/14 -- Joe Lopata, 12:30 8/15 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys, 12:30 8/16 -- Nelson Olstrom, 12:30 CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

8/14 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

BLU DOT FARM & VINEYARD, CHARLEVOIX 8/8 -- The Real Ingredients, 4-7 8/15 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 5-8 BLUE WATER BISTRO, ALDEN 8/10 -- David Lawston, 5:30-8:30 BOYNE CITY TAPROOM 7: 8/8, 8/13 & 8/15 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys 8/14 -- Josh Raber & Patrick Ryan 8/15 -- Patrick Ryan BOYNE RIVER INN, BOYNE CITY 8/13 -- Nelson Olstrom, 7

INN BETWEEN, INDIAN RIVER

5-8: 8/9 -- Luke Woltanski 8/14 -- Nelson Olstrom 8/16 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys

3-6 8/12 -- Open Mic Night w/ Kirby, 5-8 8/13 -- Serita's Black Rose, 5-8 8/14 -- Luke Woltanski Band, noon-8 8/15 -- The Little Dippers, 5-8 8/16 -- Michelle Chenard, 3-6

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY 7-10:

SEASONS OF THE NORTH WINERY, INDIAN RIVER

8/13 -- Mike Ridley, 4-7

INN AT BAY HARBOR, CABANA BAR

8/8 -- Rob Yates Underleaf Duo 8/13 -- Kyle Brown 8/14 -- Mike Ridley 8/15 -- Holly Keller NUB'S NOB, HARBOR SPRINGS

8/10 -- The Steel Wheels, 6:30 ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES, 9:

8/14 -- 80's Weekend w/ DJ Hotkeys 8/15 -- Mega 80's & DJ T-Bone POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS

8/8 -- BMcC Jamboree Band, 5-8 8/9 -- Holly Keller-Thompson Duo,

BRIDGE STREET TAPROOM, CHARLEVOIX 8/11 -- Patrick Ryan, 7 CASTLE FARMS, CHARLEVOIX THE CASTLE PUB: 8/12 -- Singo, 6-8

JeFf HaAs DoN JuLiN JoE WiLsOn JaCk DrYdEn WiLl HaRrIs

8/13 -- Charlie Reager, 6-9 THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN

8/8 -- Silver Creek Revival, 8 8/14 -- Musicians Playground, 7 8/15 -- Beau Summer Music Fest w/ Azic, Hold that Thought, The Fumblers, M to the B, Ed Tatum & more, 4 THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS SLOPESIDE LOUNGE:

8/15 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

WALLOON LAKE WINERY, PETOSKEY

8/13 -- Duffy King, 6-8

LOST CELLARS, CHARLEVOIX 5-8: 8/14 -- Michelle Keyboard 8/16 -- Shannon Christie MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY 8/12 -- Karaoke Night, 9 8/14 -- Nathan Bates, 6

CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS 8/8 -- Blair Miller, 6-9 CHLOE'S TAVERN, BELLAIRE 8/11 -- David Lawston, 7-10 ETHANOLOGY DISTILLATION, ELK RAPIDS 8-11: 8/8 -- Harmolodics 8/15 -- Genna & Jesse

InTrOdUcInG ThE LeElAnAu LiStEnInG RoOm

UnPlUgGeD

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

Antrim & Charlevoix

WIL-

TURTLE CREEK CASINO, WILLIAMSBURG 8-12: 8/8 -- TC Knuckleheads 8/14 -- 1Wave DJs 8/15 -- One Hot Robot

edited by jamie kauffold

Emmet & Cheboygan

BAY VIEW ASSOCIATION, PETOSKEY THE TERRACE INN:

THE PUB, TC 8/8 & 8/15 -- DJ Producer AJ, 10 8/9 & 8/16 -- David Márton, 7-10 8/10 -- Karaoke, 8-11 8/12 -- Zeke Clemons, 8-11

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC SEVEN HILLS: 8/8 -- Levi Britton, 6:30-9:30 8/9 -- Mallory Ramage, 6-9 8/12 -- Jimmy Olson, 7-9 8/13 -- Blair Miller, 6-9 8/14 -- Gemini Moon, 7-9 8/15 -- Erik Burke & Daisy May, 6:309:30 8/16 -- The Fridays, 7-9

nitelife

aug 08 - aug 16

SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE BEER GARDEN: 8/8 -- The Big Greasy Funk Band, 7-9:30 8/9 & 8/16 -- Trivia, 6-8 8/14 -- The Ampersands, 7-9:30 8/15 -- Atomic Annie, 7-9:30 WATERFIRE VINEYARDS, KEWADIN 8/8 -- Keith Scott Blues, 4-5 8/13 -- Steve Brown, 2-5 8/15 -- Randy Reszka, 4-7

104 mAiN sT. LaKe LeElAnAu

AuGuSt 12 & 26

AuGuSt 19

7-9:30pM wItH wAtErCoLoRiSt LiSa FlAhIvE

JeFf HaAs BrUcE DoNdErO WiLl HaRrIs Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 33

nitelife

Leelanau & Benzie 8/16 -- Jason Locke

Continued...

Leelanau & Benzie 9 BEAN ROWS, SUTTONS BAY 1-3: 8/9 -- Lipstick & Dipstick 8/16 -- A to Z BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR 8/8 -- Clint Weaner, 3:30-5:30 8/9 -- Nick Veine, 3:30-5:30 8/11 -- Dominic Fortuna, 5:30-7:30 8/14 -- Swingbone North, 5:30-7:30 8/15 -- Red, White & Blues w/ Larry Perkins, Jakob Abraham & Jim Hawley, noon-6 8/16 -- Bryan Poirier, 3:30-5:30 BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU TASTING ROOM: 8/9 -- Highway North, 4-6:30 8/12 -- Larry Perkins, 5:30-8 8/16 -- Jesse Jefferson, 4-6:30 CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30: 8/9 -- Nick Vasquez 8/12 -- Drew Hale 8/13 -- Jim Hawley 8/14 -- Fred Drachus 8/15 -- Jason Locke 8/16 -- Dave Barth

DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT 3-6: 8/9 -- Zinnia Dungjen 8/13 -- Touch of Grey 8/16 -- Larry Perkins FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR 4-7: 8/10 -- Loose Change 8/13 -- Rob Coonrod HOP LOT BREWING, SUTTONS BAY 5-8: 8/8 -- Mike Moran 8/14 -- Drew Hale 8/15 -- Mike Struwin Band IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 8/8 -- Tali Snowden, 5:30-7:30 8/9 -- Matt Gabriel, 5-7 8/13 -- Tim Krause, 5:30-7:30 8/14 -- Blair Miller, 5:30-7:30 8/15 -- Kevin Paul, 5:30-7:30 8/16 -- Nick Veine, 5:30-7:30 JACOBSON MARINA, FRANKFORT 8/8 -- Jim Hawley, 3-6 LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 8/8 -- Serita's Black Rose Duo, 3-6;

The Dune Brothers, 7-10 8/11 -- New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30 8/12 -- Levi Britton, 6:30-9:30 8/13 -- Luke Woltanski Trio, 6:309:30 8/14 -- Happy Hour w/ Jason Locke, 3-6; 1000 Watt Prophets, 7-10 8/15 -- Flexible Flyers, 3-6; The Mighty TundraTones aka Jazz North, 7-10 LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY 8/14 -- Elizabeth Landry, 6-9 BEER GARDEN, 4-7: 8/9 -- Billy & The Kid 8/16 -- Sierra Cassidy NORTHERN LATITUDES DISTILLERY, LAKE LEELANAU 8/14 -- The Backroom Gang, 4:456:45 RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR 6-9: 8/8 -- Empire Highway 8/9 -- Kevin Paul 8/10 -- John North 8/11 -- Rob Coonrod 8/12 -- Rock Hat 8/13 -- Skellenger & Koss 8/14 -- Larz Cabot 8/15 -- Vertical Limit

SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY PATIO: 8/14 -- Friday Night Live w/ Angelo & Tim Duo, 4-7 SOUL SQUEEZE CELLARS, LAKE LEELANAU 8/8 -- OK serafina, 4-7 8/12 -- Pugloop, OWL Who Wander, Misadventures, 4-7 8/13 -- Ted Alan, 4-7 8/14 -- Jim Moore, 4-7 8/15 -- The Marsupials, 4-7 8/16 -- Broom Closet Boys, 3-6 ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 8/8 -- Mallory Ramage, 1-4; Zach

Watson, 5-8 8/9 -- Jabo Bihlman, 3-6 8/10 -- Jesse Jefferson, 5-8 8/11 -- Kevin & Darrin, 5-8 8/12 -- Kyle Brown, 5-8 8/13 -- Andy Six, 5-8 8/14 -- Cosmic Dupree, 5-8 8/15 -- Chelsea Marsh, 1-4; Cuberow, 5-8 8/16 -- Aaron Dye, 3-6 STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT PARKVIEW TAPROOM: 8/13 -- Robert Rolfe Feddersen, 6-8 SUTTONS BAY CIDERS 8/9 -- The M-22's, 5:30-8 8/13 -- Thurs. DJ Trivia, 6:30-8 8/16 -- Luke Woltanski, 5:30-8

TANDEM CIDERS, SUTTONS BAY Sun -- The Nightcrawlers, 1-4 THE CABBAGE SHED, ELBERTA 8/8 -- Jake Frysinger, 5-8 8/11 -- Aldrich, 5-8 8/12 -- Vinyl Vednesday w/ DJ T.J., 5-8 8/13 -- Open Mic Night, 6:30-9 8/14 -- Gabrial Lundy, 5:30-8:30 8/15 -- Bill Frary, 5:30-8:30 THE HOMESTEAD RESORT, GLEN ARBOR WHISKERS: 8/8 & 8/15 -- Bryan Poirier, 6-9

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE 8/15 – FLO RIDA wsg Cooper Alan, 7-10:30 MANISTEE NATIONAL GOLF & RESORT 8/14 -- Roger That!, 7

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA 8/8 -- The Downtowners, 7 8/14 -- Chief Jam-Open Mic, 7 8/15 -- Seth Bernard, 7 8/16 -- “Searching for Jane” w/ Jane Amstutz, 3

THE GREENHOUSE – WILLOW/PRIMOS, CADILLAC 8/12 -- Trivia & Music Bingo, 6-9

Otsego, Crawford & Central ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD 8/8 -- Nelson Olstrom, 1-4

NORTHERN EXPRESS

CLA SSI FIED S FREE WEEKLY ORIGINAL HOT YOGA COMMUNITY CLASS: EVERY WED. @ 7:30PM - 845 S. GARFIELD AVE. ORIGINALHOTYOGATC.COM 231-392-4798 _____________________________________

WANTED: BASIC RENTAL OR FLEX SPACE W/SHOWER: Needs tlc OK. TC Area. Single responsible man, non-smoker, no pets 231357-0362 _____________________________________

GUITAR LESSONS IN TRAVERSE CITY: All ages, all levels, Robert Abate, 231-421-1401, robertabatemusic@gmail.com _____________________________________

SWEET BOY KITTIES NEED A HOME: 2 young/neutered/kitties (grey/ginger) playful/ friendly/cuddly 231-492-5511 _____________________________________

RETIRED? LUXURY, LOW-MAINTENANCE HOME FOR SALE: 5102 Sheffer Farm Rd.,Traverse City This home sits independently in Meadow Valley Community. 3bd/3ba Main level living Full lower level 2 car garage Covered porch $714,900. _____________________________________

NIGHTLY, WEEKLY, MONTHLY STAYS NEAR TC!: “The Suites” Turnkey Homes & Motel.

Travelers/Construction crews 231-633-5464 _____________________________________

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: Notice to creditors: The decedent Juli Anne Bemis died September 27th,2024. Creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to the probate court at 8527 E Government Center Dr. #203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682 and the personal representative with in four months after date of publication & notice.

CARPET INSTALLERS NEEDED: Bodamer Brothers Flooring is looking for 1 full-time carpet installation person or team. Paying $10 yard + extras. Paid once a week. Insured and experienced only. 231-941-8446 Dan _____________________________________ SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248 _____________________________________

34 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly

COMPUTER PROBLEMS? I WILL COME TO YOU:: I will fix your phone, tv, tablet and computer and show you how to use them at your home or office. Call James Downer, Advent Tech. YOUR HIGH TECH HANDYMAN. Call 231-492-2087. _____________________________________ NO MORE SWIMMER'S ITCH - NEW COSMETIC LOTION COMING SPRING 2027 Inspired by tropical medicine research, AquaSoft Defense combines a natural cosmetic base with a touch of essential oil. In trials, it consistently left skin feeling smooth and comfortable after being in water prone to swimmer's itch. This survey is to get your interest in crowdfunding to help bring this product to market for Spring 2027. https://tally.so/r/MedqjA

easy. accessible. all online.

Mike Annelin Enthusiastic & Experienced

231-499-4249 | 231-929-7900

NEW LISTING

505 Riverine Drive | $499,000 | MLS 1948963 Fully renovated to the studs in 2022, this luxury end-unit ranch condo combines modern style with exceptional quality.

Highlights include an open-concept floor plan, vaulted ceilings with reclaimed wood beams, a designer kitchen with marble countertops, beautifully updated baths, three spacious bedrooms, and Boardman River frontage.

COMMERCIAL

5168-5200 US 31 N

$2,200,000 | MLS 1947502

LAKE MICHIGAN

14935 N Cathead Bay Dr $595,000 | MLS 1941736

RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | VACANT LAND

LUXURY BUILD

4186 Aquila Court

$1,100,000 | MLS 1945224

MIKEANNELIN.COM Northern Express Weekly • august 10, 2026 • 35

36 • august 10, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly