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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • november 09 - november 15, 2026 • Vol. 36 No.45
THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE
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Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 1
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letters CONTENTS
The Slippery Slope of the Death Penalty My thanks to Stephen Tuttle for his eloquent indictment of the death penalty. I can think of many reasons why executing someone is a terrible idea, some of the more salient ones covered in his column. I can only think of one reason to support it: an imagined right to revenge found nowhere in the Constitution. I would like to add another compelling argument against this practice. It gives the state the power to take the lives of citizens at its discretion. I would expect anyone who values freedom and limited government would be very reluctant to step onto that slippery slope. Jose Boyd | Manistee Township Hope Is the Thing with Feathers Brava to Hannah Wescott’s guest opinion in the Nov. 2, 2026, edition, “Heal Yourself: Volunteer.” Every one of us comes to life’s proverbial table with needs and gifts. Like the people they serve, volunteers and their families deserve to be seen and cared for as part of their service. None of us benefits when others continually ask why we or a loved one may have made a “poor choice.” Instead, we might quietly consider what our fellow human beings have gone through. I encourage each of us, without exception, to find a way to donate our gifts. Those gifts could be time, money, expertise, presence, phone calls, and so on. The possibilities and opportunities for connecting in northern Michigan are endless. To thrive, we all want to give love and be loved. We need to be of value to ourselves and others. Susan Odgers | Traverse City
features
The Science of a Sound Bath...........................9 What’s Weighing On Us?................................10 Introducing Traverse City Men’s Circle.............12 Turning Over a New Loaf at Bay Bread Co.......14
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columns & stuff
Top Ten.........................................................4 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle..................................6 Guest Opinion..................................................7 Weird..............................................................8 Film..............................................................16 Dates..........................................................17 Crossword.....................................................24 Astrology.......................................................24 Nitelife...........................................................25 Classifieds....................................................26
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Contributors: Sara Bagley, Joseph Beyer, Ren Brabenec, Anna Faller, Kelsey Sanders, Stephen Tuttle Distribution: Marc Morris, Gerald Morris, Dave Anderson, Joe Evancho, Jason Ritter, Sherri Ritter, Roger Racine, Sarah Racine, Brandy Grames, Rachel Cara, Jackson Price, Lisa Price, Peggy Bell Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Copyright 2026, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.
Book & Lyrics by Chad Beguelin Book by Bob Martin Music by Matthew Sklar
Interlochen’s Musical Theatre Company brings Broadway’s hit musical The Prom to the stage in a joyful celebration of acceptance, authenticity, and the power of community.
Nov. 13 & 14 | 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 | 2 p.m.
ARTS ACADEMY
interlochen.org/tickets Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 3
this week’s
top ten Want to Go to Prom?
Dig that dress out of the back of your closet, don a boutonniere, and rent a limo…we’re going to prom! Actually, we’re going to Interlochen Center for the Arts’ Corson Auditorium to catch Interlochen’s Musical Theatre Company performing the Tonynominated musical The Prom, but dressing up is still encouraged. The show takes place in a small Indiana town where a high schooler isn’t allowed to bring her girlfriend to the biggest dance of the year. Enter: Four stars from Broadway who come to lend their advocacy and talent, and maybe learn a thing or two about themselves along the way. Interlochen calls the show “hilarious, uplifting, and deeply moving.” Catch showtimes on Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30pm, plus a 2pm matinee on Sunday. Tickets are $38 for adults, $19 for children and students at interlochen.org/events.
2 tastemaker
East Leland Apple Club’s Apple Chips
If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, we’re munching our daily dose in the form of East Leland Apple Club’s gourmet apple chips. Sourced from a no-spray heritage farm in Lake Leelanau, these crispy rings (which feature predominantly Ida Red apples) are hand-cut using a mandolin, dehydrated, and meticulously seasoned in small batches for serious flavor payoff. Signature varieties include lemon, cinnamon, black licorice, tajin, curry, and citrusy sumac, but new additions and seasonal features mean there are about 16 total to choose from. Enjoy a handful as a sweet treat, crumbled into granola, or as part of a fall charcuterie spread. It’s all apple-solutey delicious! Find East Leland Apple Club at area farmers markets through December (including the Indoor Farmers Market at the Grand Traverse Commons in November), or online at instagram.com/eastlelandappleclub.
4 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
Beers and Beards
The Great Beerd Run 5K returns to Traverse City Beer Week Saturday, Nov. 14, at 10am at Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. This untimed run includes on-course beer tastings from Short’s, Stone Hound, and Right Brain. There will also be a post-race party with a DJ and campfires. Registration is $45 at eventbrite. com/e/the-great-beerd-run-5k-tickets-2003148906302. The rest of TC Beer Week runs Nov. 6-14; sign up for the official passport to view participating locations, explore events, and get all the info you need to celebrate the region’s craft beer and cider scene. traversecity.com/tcbw
Hey, watch It! We Finished Their Journey On Nov. 10, 1975, the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the waters of Lake Superior, along with all 29 crew members. Fifty years later, 70 swimmers came together to symbolically finish the freighter’s journey, traversing 411 miles from where the ship went down north of Whitefish Point all the way to Detroit, the original destination. The relay swim started July 26, 2025, and took over a month to finish. All the while, documentary filmmakers from the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (where the Completing iron ore delivery to Detroit is (left to right) Michael bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald sits) and Big Bell, Maddie Diedo, Barry Alper, Tracie Baker & Event Director Jim Dreyer (kneeling). Photo by David Volk Fin Pictures were capturing every moment, from sunrises to storms, celebrations to injuries. This Tuesday, Nov. 10, the film, We Finished Their Journey: The Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Swim, will premiere at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum in Detroit and stream online. Learn more at shipwreckmuseum.com/edmund-fitzgerald and see the trailer at youtu.be/R9blcy2H2BY.
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Stuff We Love: Veterans Day Observations
6 Sip to Support MS We have another film recommendation for you this week. Black Star Farms of Suttons Bay will be hosting an “afternoon of wine, film and conversation in support of those living with multiple sclerosis” on Thursday, Nov. 12, from 3-5:30pm. The winery joins AwareNow Media and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for a screening of Because I Can, a documentary that follows athletes, artists, and influencers who are navigating life with MS. Allié Merrick McGuire, who stars in the film and founded AwareNow Media, will be in attendance to talk about her journey and the power of human connection. Tickets are $30 and include admission and two glasses of wine. Proceeds from the event will benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Learn more at blackstarfarms.com/experience/sip-to-support-ms.
This Wednesday, Nov. 11, we honor the veterans of the United States Armed Forces, the same day many other countries observe Armistice Day or Remembrance Day as reminders of the conclusion of World War I. Towns across northern Michigan will offer events throughout the week. In Traverse City, Northwestern Michigan College will hold the 51st annual Mariners Memorial Service on Nov. 10 at noon at the Great Lakes Maritime Academy, followed by a Veterans Day Tribute on Nov. 11. In Bay Harbor, Great Lakes Center for the Arts will show Saving Private Ryan on Nov. 11 at 7pm. Petoskey’s Odawa Casino is set to host a Veterans Breakfast on Nov. 11 from 7:30-11am. Check with your local Veterans Affairs or VFW for more events.
A New Season for Paint Grand Traverse Paint Grand Traverse, Crooked Tree Arts Center’s popular plein air painting competition that draws artists from across the country, is making a shift from June to September for 2027. This isn’t the first time the festival has changed; when it was originally started in 2018, PGT was held in August for its first five years. Organizers say a “later-season schedule offers artists a fresh perspective on Northern Michigan’s landscapes and creates new opportunities for the festival to grow.” Painting by Hector Acuna during Paint Grand Traverse Save the date for Sept. 19–26, 2027. But most importantly, this means that applications to join the 2027 event are now open for painters near and far! Find more application information, eligibility details, and updates at crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/events/paint-grand-traverse.
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bottoms up Northern Natural’s Northern Star Kaleva’s Northern Natural Cider House & Winery works exclusively with USDA certified organic apples to make their staple slate of five award-winning ciders. This time of year, you can please cider fans and beer stalwarts alike with the Northern Star, which has twice won the gold medal at the World Cider Championships. The cider has broad appeal thanks to being fermented with an ale yeast, which gives it a hoppy, brew-friendly edge. On the apple palette, expect more baked apple flavor, with less tartness than other cider varieties. (If you prefer your cider with a dry wine influence instead, opt for the Traditional Apple.) Try a flight, a pint, or grab a few bottles for the table at 7220 Chief Rd. in Kaleva. And expect live music Fridays and Saturdays! northernnaturalwinery.com
Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 5
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spectator By Stephen Tuttle The Housing North Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) has once again determined we need a virtually impossible number of residential units in the next year.
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Let’s back up a bit. Housing North, according to their website, builds awareness and attempts to influence policy, increase capacity, and find solutions for housing issues in 10 northwest Lower Peninsula counties. According to the U.S. census, these counties—Antrim, Benzie, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford— include approximately 300,000 residents with around 190,500 residential housing units. Grand Traverse County alone claims about 100,000 residents and just more than 49,000 residential housing units.
betterbalance-wellness.com
Housing North produces their housing needs assessment based on a variety of metrics including demographic and economic data, on-site market research, and “primary data collection” partnered with Bowen National Research. NHA says our 10-country region needs 30,000 new residential units by the end of next year: 8,800 rental units and 22,000 for sale units. It is an impossible goal.
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Think about those numbers for a minute and then consider the people living in those 30,000 new units. According to Census.gov, the average household contains between 2.05 and 2.45 people, so let’s take the average of 2.25 humans per household. That would be 67,500 new residents, a modern day recordbreaking 23 percent one year population explosion. There is no mention of who the people are who so desperately seek homes in our region. (There were much bigger increases in the 1830s, 1840s, and 1850s due to the completion of the Erie Canal and dramatic increase in westward expansion of European settlers. The biggest previous modern day population expansion in Michigan happened from 1955 to 1956, and that increase was just 3.16 percent.) But not just more people. Data USA says the average household now owns two vehicles, so 30,000 new residential units puts 60,000 more cars on the roads. Not to mention thousands of children in schools and thousands of new people who need basic services like healthcare or social services. And where will they work? Then there are the actual realities of homebuilding. While there are currently no dire shortages of homebuilding materials, there are increasing costs and transportation/delivery bottlenecks with increasing demands. Diesel fuel increases means just getting materials delivered is now more expensive. Even worse, labor shortages, especially in the trades, impact
6 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
construction schedules and costs. Labor now accounts for slightly more than 50 percent of a new home’s cost. This is not a local problem, as Michigan claims to need up to 115,000 new housing units within a year, and nationally, according to the National Association of Realtors, we are underbuilt by about four million housing units. The National Low Income Housing Coalition puts the number closer to seven million. There are areas with limited land and zoning restrictions seeing housing costs continuing to explode. But there are areas of the country where the housing bubble has burst with some government assistance. Home sale prices and rents have actually started declining in places like Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida, and especially Austin, Texas. Austin in particular has seen a serious retraction in their home sales with prices decreasing as much as 25 percent from their high in May of 2022 during a post-COVID boom. Comparing Austin, with a population that just edged over a million, and our little region is a bit like comparing one apple to an orange grove, but maybe what has happened there is instructive or perhaps we would prefer to avoid their example. They significantly eased land use and zoning restrictions, encouraged a dramatic increase in multi-family housing—they built an almost incomprehensible 50,000 new rental units in 2023-2024—and rent prices have dropped 19 percent since 2024. They currently have 16,500 residential listings, a near glut, and almost 58 percent have reduced their initial asking price as homes now take nearly 80 days on the market before receiving an offer. And even in bright red we-hate-socialism Texas, there are subsidies aplenty ranging from down payment assistance to reduced rents. We are not going to build 30,000 new residential units in the next 14 months, and it’s a little silly to suggest such a thing. Nor are we going to level the landscape so we can build, build, build like they have in Austin. And we probably won’t choose the approach of some upscale communities that have now recognized that not everybody who wants to live there is going to be able to live there, no matter how much the local government tries to help. While we’re trying to move at speed to build ever more housing we might want to step back, take a breath and ask ourselves if a charmless city of big box condos and apartments is truly where we want to be headed and why we’re in such a big hurry to get there.
THE EVE OF DESTRUCTION? guest opinion by Greg Holmes Are we really on the “eve of destruction” as the mid-1960’s protest song claimed? The popular folk song, performed by Barry McGuire, chronicled a number of difficult issues plaguing the world at that time. These included racism, civil rights, and perhaps most prominently, the threat of nuclear annihilation. Whereas racism and the fight for equal rights continue to fuel conflict, we can be thankful that the threats to use nuclear weapons
much more interested in attacking each other than working together and attacking the problems facing our country. Is that what we elected them for? Playing the blame game may seem like the way to defeat your opponent and get elected, yet all it does is increase division and therefore hastens our destruction. One of the earliest lessons a child learns is that they cannot always get what they want. (Reinforced by the song by The Rolling Stones.) Another is that other people have needs, often different from or in conflict
I would argue that we are not just “on the eve,” but we are actually well underway in the process of destroying ourselves. remain for the most part just that—threats. Hiding under our schoolroom desk in an effort to avoid the harmful effects of a blast was simply hopeful, if delusional thinking.
with ours. These differences can be on the micro level, between two individuals, or on a macro level, between two groups of people, such as political parties.
As you read this column, we have obviously not been nuked into smithereens—yet.
What is the best way to minimize and resolve these conflicts? First, do your best to avoid, or at least limit, your assumptions about the other side’s potential arguments and positions. It’s simply too easy to fall into your prejudicial mindset, thinking we know everything about a person or group based on their history and affiliations. What do we really know about what that person or group believes and what they stand for?
The possibility of such attacks still exists, yet the probability remains on the low side. Why? Because using nuclear weaponry is typically a last-ditch effort that many feel is both immoral and potentially suicidal. So, because we are unlikely to have nuclear war anytime soon, does this mean that we are not on the eve of destruction? Not at all! I would argue that we are not just “on the eve,” but we are actually well underway in the process of destroying ourselves. How is this happening? Surely you have heard the sayings such as “United we stand, divided we fall.” It may sound corny, yet there is more than a grain of truth to it. Abraham Lincoln, during a speech given in Springfield, Illinois, paraphrased a passage from Mark 3:25 when he said that “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
At the most basic level, most people want to be heard and understood. We can often achieve this by simply repeating and rephrasing their argument. Once each side of the conflict is understood by each party, it is time to negotiate. Compromise is the ultimate goal, although sometimes difficult to achieve depending upon the ego involvement of each of the parties. Most people want to be right, yet the truth of the matter is reflected in the saying that “half a loaf is better than no loaf at all.”
We have become such a house—in increasing danger of a perilous fall. We are not on the eve of destruction but instead actively engaged much further down the road.
Finding the middle ground is often crucial in dealing with conflict and ending our continual path of destruction. Attacking each other only hastens our descent.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle appear
Greg Holmes lives and writes in Traverse City.
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Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 7
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Caped Crusader to the Rescue A month ago, London's Batman took to the streets to clean up litter with a group of masked sidekicks, and since then, the caped crusader has paid parking fines for people visiting patients in hospitals, given out an estimated $46,000 in fuel and brought back inexpensive chicken and chips, The Guardian reported on Oct. 24. But who is London's Batman? That, in true superhero style, is still a mystery. And why all the good deeds? "I believe that anyone can be a hero. I want to show the good in London. People are struggling and I want to help them," he said in an interview with a BBC reporter. Citizens are taking to this good Samaritan, with nearly 315,000 people following him on TikTok in just one month. [The Guardian, 10/24/26] Wolverine After 15 years on the job, not much surprises Dennis Oishi anymore. But the Sea-Tac TSA agent was indeed taken aback by a passenger's superherolike item in their carry-on, King 5 reported on Oct. 28. The item in question? Brass knuckles with three long blades attached, with the resulting contraption calling to mind the claws of the comic book superhero character Wolverine. "We've never seen that before," Oishi said. The passenger was not charged with anything and voluntarily abandoned the claws at the security checkpoint. [King 5, 10/28/26] Just Right After checking out three cars in a Juneau, Alaska, neighborhood, one black bear decided a Subaru was "just right" to get trapped in on Oct. 26, reported KTUU. A local alerted 911 after hearing a car horn going off and witnessing a bear inside the vehicle, leaning on the horn. Police asked the owner for the keys in an attempt to release the interloper, but the bear had already ripped out the wiring, rendering the attempt ineffective. Instead, Juneau police used a rope to pull the door open. The bear reportedly ran off unharmed after destroying the inside of the unlocked vehicle. Owner Michael Wilson shared a photo of his ransacked Subaru online and reminded others to lock their car doors. [KTUU, 10/26/26] Panic! At the Laundromat A deer crashed into a laundromat in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, breaking a window and startling customers before making a hasty escape, WXII reported on Oct. 28. Footage from the Wishy Washy Laundry shows a woman attempting to get into her car when a deer comes running up, knocking her over. The deer then leaps into the laundromat via the window, races around and even jumps on the machines before bounding back out the broken window. Owner Corey Pendergrass wasn't there when it happened but was just glad no one got hurt. The broken window was repaired within a couple of hours, and the woman at her car drove away shortly after the incident. [WXII, 10/28/26] But Why? Video footage of a woman reaching out of a fishing boat in repeated attempts to pet a great white shark in Tybee Island, Georgia, is making the rounds, Fox Weather reported. "One second, Jen, one of our veterans, is laying her hand on a wild white shark like
8 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
it's the family dog, and the next second, that shark whips around and lunges toward her," Knot Lucky Fishing, a program that catches, tags and releases great white sharks off Tybee Island, shared in an online post. "Everybody on the boat felt that one in their chest." This apex predator was not tagged due to safety concerns for both the shark and the crew, but the founder of Knot Lucky Fishing says the shark was under the crew's control the entire time and the woman was never in any danger. [Fox Weather, 10/27/26] Repeat Offender According to WNYT, Tyler L. Cranker, 30, drove intoxicated to a court-ordered victim impact panel on Oct. 21. Deputies from Montgomery County Sheriff 's Office arrived at the panel due to a reported concern that a man had shown up intoxicated. Investigators said Cranker, who was driving with a conditional driver's license due to a conviction for driving while ability impaired by alcohol, failed field sobriety tests. According to WNYT, Cranker was charged with operating a motor vehicle with .08 of 1% alcohol or more in blood, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree, driving while intoxicated and operator in violation of conditional license. [WNYT, 10/26/26] That's Not How This Game Works A group of teens lost the game of hideand-seek they were evidently playing with police, News 6 Orlando reported on Oct. 22. Ocee, Florida, police were searching for seven teens connected to a vehicle burglary when a K9 unit led officers to an apartment. A search of the premises led police to a closet; they opened the door to find all seven huddled inside. Officers also found several debit and credit cards belonging to other people, and all seven minors face burglary charges. [News 6 Orlando, 10/22/26] Tourists Abroad A Belgian tourist visiting New Zealand must stay in the country as he awaits his next court date after attempting to BASE jump from a hotel, 1News reported on Oct. 20. Ilies Nait El Cadi, 22, became stranded 23 stories above the ground after his parachute snagged on the exterior of the Hotel Indigo in Auckland, leaving him dangling as rescuers came to his aid. Firefighters had to smash a window worth over $11,000 to bring Cadi in safely. Cadi was charged with two counts of burglary and did not enter a plea. [1News, 10/20/26] A Protest for Everything Americans have long exercised their right to gather to protest pressing concerns like war, support civil rights and ... complain about insurance mascots. WBZ Boston NewsRadio reported on Oct. 26 that Connor Harvey, 19, jokingly posted on his YouTube channel that Liberty Mutual's new mascot, a fuzzy yellow anthropomorphic being named Liberty Biberty, had to go. However, his joke became reality when viewers rallied, and Harvey hosted a protest on Oct. 25 outside Liberty Mutual's headquarters in Boston. Like any other protest, this one featured witty signs and chanting. "This is to take down Liberty Biberty here at Liberty Mutual's headquarters," he said. "We're done. It's over. We're getting rid of him, and we have to make our voices heard." [WBZ NewsRadio, 10/26/26]
Wiggins demonstrates techniques for working with metal bowls.
The relaxing atmosphere of a sound bath with Lanning.
The Science of a Sound Bath Local practitioners walk us through a session
By Sara Bagley A quiet room with low light and open mat space on the floor is the setting of the craft for two local sound bath practitioners: Deb Lanning of Wander with Direction and Courtney Wiggins of Joyful Noise Sound Therapy. What’s a sound bath, you ask? Cleveland Clinic describes it succinctly as “deep sound vibrations made by a soothing instrument may help you decompress,” or “an experience where you’re immersed in deep sound vibrations.” Read on to get to know Lanning and Wiggins, go behind the scenes of what a sound bath looks like (and sounds like!), and learn about the benefits participants can reap. Meet the Instructors Lanning has a background in yoga that she paired with Sound Training years ago. She first delved into sound baths in a spa in New Mexico, giving it a try as an attendee long before she learned how to perform the practice. That came later, following her completion of yoga teacher training at Yen Yoga in Traverse City, where she took a 16hour, weekend-long sound training to meet continuing-education requirements. Meanwhile, Wiggins has been certified since 2019, bringing energetic resets to their clients for about seven years. “I come from a multiracial background with a strong appreciation and respect for the power of rhythm, as well as non-western healing systems, so I was very interested in
learning more,” they say. “They happened to have an upcoming training in the metro Detroit area, so I took a huge leap into learning more.” They attended a weeklong Vibrational Sound Association intensive with 15 other students, completing the certification in September of 2019, and conducting these sessions ever since. How It Works Each session begins with a nesting time: a quiet room, with attendees often bringing mats, blankets, and water bottles, with silence to allow everyone to get comfortable prior to the start. “When you come into a sound bath area, all the instruments are set up and everything,” Lanning says. The type of sound you can expect to encounter in a session depends on the practitioner, including chimes and crystal bowls to metal or bronze alloy bowls. Soon enough, the sound begins, and while the effects it can have across each participant can vary, the logistics stay consistent. “When I strike the bowls, they will feel vibrations travel through their body and hear the tones simultaneously,” Wiggins says. For Wiggins and Lanning, there are two primary principles that play into the sound they create: harmony—often created through playing two alternating bowls at once—and disharmony, typically coming from chimes or playing two adjacent bowls. “Sound produces physical responses—
as an example, getting goosebumps or your arm hair raising from nails scratching on a chalkboard,” Wiggins explains. “And vibrations can be distressing, like a jackhammer, neutral, or soothing; think gentle, soothing pats on the back one might give a newborn to help them fall asleep as they are being held.” Lanning notes that while disharmony isn’t as audibly pleasing, it has a worthy effect: “It can be jarring, but it can also sometimes jar loose things inside of you,” she says. For her, determining what instrument she uses is up to the energy already in the space, which is an approach that Wiggins echoes. “I am mostly an intuitive player,” they say. “I respond to the room, but I normally start and end each session with my largest and lowest toned bowl. It feels very grounding and restful.” How It Makes You Feel The way that Lanning describes the effect as similar to what Wiggins mentioned: restful. According to her husband, a soundbath is “like the best nap you’ve ever taken and you wake up from it.” Wiggins, on the other hand, notes that they’ve had clients leave feeling energized or more connected to their body. Cleveland Clinic explains that “sound baths are rooted in the idea that these particular frequencies correspond to specific energy centers in your body,” and that benefits from the practice can include feeling calmer/less stressed, muscles that feel looser, a greater sense of relaxation, pain relief, the
ability to sleep better, improved mood, and better body awareness/being more in tune with your body. Lanning knows that scientific studies surrounding soundbaths are lacking, so much of her attributed reviews and descriptions of the effects come from her years of leading sessions and experiencing the sensations for herself. “In my training, they said that sound plus intention equals healing,” Lanning says. “So what you focus on is what you’re going to work on. But I don’t think you’re going to heal cancer or anything like that.” Alongside other holistic wellness and vibrational/sound healing treatments, soundbaths highlight the importance of intentions. Both Wiggins and Lanning note that the experience itself isn’t just the instruments—it’s about the thoughts and feelings each participant brings and what they’re ready to feel or confront throughout the session. Lanning typically hosts a recurring soundbath on the last Monday of each month, joined by friends who come bearing different instruments and skills to further enhance the sessions. Wiggins offers both group and 1:1 sessions. They say that sessions often run between 30-90 minutes for a group, while individual sessions are 30-60 minutes. Visit wanderwithdirection.com (Lanning) and facebook.com/JoyfulNoiseSoundTherapy (Wiggins) to learn more.
Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 9
WHAT’S WEIGHING ON US? Northern Michigan mental health professionals share the concerns, pressures, and patterns showing up in their practices
By Kelsey Sanders Between the demands of work and family, the constant stream of news and social media, and the uncertainty of the world around us, there’s plenty to weigh on our minds. But how are those pressures showing up in our mental health, what patterns are therapists noticing, and what steps can people take to care for their minds and emotions? Are the Kids All Right? “I think from my perspective, [the way kids are expressing anxiety and depression] really comes from an attachment to screens,” says Steve Andrews, a counselor at Kids Creek Family Counseling LLC. “I know when I was growing up, punishments could mean not going to see friends, being withheld from a sport, extra chores, etc., and now I feel like parents remove technology and that seems to be the main driver. We’re running into parents who say, ‘Well, I took their electronics away, and then the behavior continued,’ and it almost seems like some kids are really struggling to connect with anything outside of a screen.” Ty Curtis, Korey Mack, and Andrews all work with children ages 4+ through Kids Creek Family Counseling LLC, but all three professionals see more “tweens,” kids ages 9-13. They tend to work with kids trying to survive bullying and figure out how to move from being a little kid to a teenager in a world full of technology. “There is a lot of pressure to stay constantly connected that did not exist even five or 10 years ago,” Curtis explains. “That’s a lot for anybody’s brain or nervous system to manage, but especially a young, developing human being’s. They might have all the adultlevel feelings and thoughts but not necessarily have developed the adult-level capacities to manage and prioritize and organize it all.”
Mack also sees a lot of kids struggling because of technology. “I see a lot of anxiety, depression, and a good amount of OCD that I see as well,” she says. “It seems like we’re managing screens more than we’re managing behaviors. … Screens have become a kind of cure-all for kiddos, and so we’re seeing kids who are needing connection, and they’re searching for that inside of a screen when it’s right in front of them where they need the connection to be occurring. That is really a huge focus that we need to tackle with parents—getting them to participate with their kids in a connective way.” Something else the therapists at Kids Creek are noticing more than they used to is the abuse of substances such as e-cigarettes and marijuana. “The impact that we’re seeing is that marijuana usage and the strength of what kids are able to access now is causing far more detrimental effects than when many of us were younger,” Andrews says. “Now that it’s showing up as gummies and far more engaging ways than just smoking it, we’re seeing kids really rely on it. We’ve seen kids who would end up in the hospital because they were smoking such heavy doses of certain things that were causing almost psychotic episodes within kids.” When It’s Time to Seek Help Beyond the obvious signs of self-harm behavior or talk or violent behavior, it may be time to seek help for your child if you notice they are more reserved, isolating themselves more, sleeping more or being more private, or their personality has changed (either way—much quieter or much more outgoing). “I say when you notice something is beyond normal,” Curtis says. “I try to be thoughtful that during adolescence especially, but childhood in general,
10 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
Mack
Andrews
kids are growing and expanding on so many different dimensions, physically, emotionally, relationally. I always use the metaphor of when I’m in a dark room and I walk into bright sunlight, it’s going to be overwhelming to my eyes and I’m going to squint. So it’s not necessarily that they’re having a reaction to the situation, it doesn’t mean that their eyes are broken if they squint, but are they adjusting naturally?” Mack agrees with Curtis and again highlights the importance of trusted adults in a kid’s life. “I think that’s a testament to the importance of maintaining a strong connection and being physically present with your child, you notice those cues that their normal has been disrupted,” she says. Being a Grown-up Is Hard Sherry Guthrie, MS, LPC, ACS, and owner of Petoskey Professional Counselors, LLC, has worked with adults for 30 years, and she sees concerns ranging from “who I am?” in adults 18-29, “how do I navigate all of this?” amongst the 30-50 age group, and “what have I done with my life?” from the older crowd.
Curtis
“I’m still seeing many people with the ‘traditional’ concerns—depression, anxiety, life transitioning, in and out of different positions or jobs or relationships,” Guthrie shares. “I think we see a lot of younger people who don’t really know how to communicate well or aren’t astute in interpersonal relationships, which is probably an artifact leftover of this overdependence on screens and social media. My team and I also work with many individuals who have suffered from trauma.” Guthrie’s practice tends to see more women than men—roughly 60-65 percent of their patients are women—and the age range they see the most in counseling are those 30-39. In addition to the “usuals” (i.e., anxiety, depression, and searching for oneself), Guthrie has noticed an increase in those who are particularly worried about the current climate of life. “A lot of people come in and are worried about the political environment, the sociopolitical environment, the protections for people themselves including their children if they are in marginalized groups or LBGTQ+,” she says. “It’s a really big concern. I can’t speak for other cities or urban areas,
but people that I work with are just stressed out about the state of the constant barrage of negativity that is occurring in our country.” Other concerns Guthrie sees are often related to the stage of life the patient is in. “I see a lot of young adults [ages 1829] with questions around who am I, what are my relationships like, how do I be the healthiest version of myself, how do I deal with uncertainty, and how do I deal with things that have happened in my past that have affected the way that I see the world or myself?” she explains. “I think the people 30 to 39 are dealing with a lot of how do I raise my kids, what’s most important to my family, what are my values and how do I live them? Those questions plus the struggle between working and raising kids and trying to balance those things.” As for the right time to get help? Guthrie tells us that “the benefits of coming to counseling are really resiliency, insight, connection” and can help anyone who is looking to understand themselves or increase joy in their life. She says that each person shows up with their own individual pace and path. “My job is not to tell people what to do, but to help them find and discover the ways that their life is maximized and to honor them where they are, wherever they are,” she says. Ultimately, taking that first step toward better mental health can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be a journey anyone takes alone. “It’s very gratifying, it’s very satisfying, and it’s lovely to sit with somebody,” says Guthrie. “I consider it my privilege to be with somebody who chooses me to help them along the way. They do all the hard work.” Muddling through Marriage and Relationships A couples therapist with Rooted in
Change, Kate Chanda, LLPC, works with couples who face challenges any age, but she notices that some of the most difficult years are when a duo finds themselves in the “sandwich generation,” where they’re raising children, managing careers, and sometimes helping care for aging parents. “A lot depends on the stage of life a couple is in,” she explains. “Sometimes couples don’t necessarily want out of their marriage, Chanda they just want out of the painful cycle they’ve become stuck in. They’ve had the same arguments, experienced the same hurts, and become so emotionally exhausted that they begin to believe leaving is the only way to find relief. That’s where couples counseling can be so helpful. It’s not just about learning better communication skills, it’s also about understanding what’s happening underneath those conflicts and helping couples recognize the patterns that keep pulling them apart. We can’t change what we can’t name.” Chanda also sees a variety of common issues that are dependent on the stage of life of the couple. “Newly married couples may struggle with expectations, communication, or balancing careers and building a life together,” she says. “New parents are adjusting to an entirely different family dynamic. Couples raising children often struggle to find time for one another, while empty nesters may discover they’ve spent so many years focusing on their children that they hardly
Wisdom from the Pros
Guthrie
recognize the people they’ve become. Even retirement brings challenges when couples have different expectations about what that season of life should look like. But underneath many of these challenges, I think there’s a common thread: couples have lost connection with one another.” Chanda wishes more couples would seek help before things reach a crisis point. She points to early signs of strife, like shutting down emotionally, withdrawing, or avoiding difficult conversations. On the flip side, sometimes couples just recognize that they’re growing apart, or that their relationship just doesn’t feel the same. “So often, by the time couples come into counseling, there are layers and layers of hurt that have built up over time,” Chanda explains. “Couples counseling doesn’t have to be a last resort. Sometimes it’s an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and learn how to navigate the challenges of life together before those challenges become overwhelming.”
If Chanda could give advice to couples, it would be a reminder that marriage can be hard and that doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with their marriage. “I also remind couples that avoiding difficulties doesn’t necessarily make life easier,” she says. “I want couples to understand that struggling doesn’t automatically mean they’ve married the wrong person or that their relationship is beyond repair. Sometimes it simply means that the ways they’ve learned to relate to one another are no longer working, and they need some help finding a different way forward. Ultimately, I believe healthy relationships aren’t about avoiding or diminishing difficulties, they’re about learning how to work through those difficulties together.” Guthrie’s advice to individuals seeking more overall balance in life is to prioritize creating and maintaining some kind of wellness/self-care routine, like a secular meditation or religious prayer “or something that helps us to self-reflect on our internal states, that turns our lens inward, and that really helps us to create and nurture a compassionate relationship with ourselves,” she says. “I always tell people mental health is like physical health,” Guthrie adds. “The brain is an organ, so we need to get enough sleep, we need to feed it with the energy it needs, and we need to exercise regularly.”
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Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 11
Jeremy Meyering, Loghan Call, and Dave Lesinski
Introducing Traverse City Men’s Circle Building community, fostering vulnerability, and nurturing accountability, one man at a time
By Ren Brabenec By the dim light of smoldering bonfires in the quiet softness of northern Michigan backyards, a movement is growing. Men of all ages gather, sometimes in open settings on hiking trails and at public parks, but more often in private settings at facilitators’ homes. The intent? To address the multi-pronged crises facing men in the 21st century, and to do so in a way that empowers men to take responsibility for not just their own wellbeing, but for the health and vitality of their communities. Male Crisis by the Numbers In every metric measuring wellbeing—heath, employment, education, and relationships—American men are experiencing a decline. Men make up half the population, yet they account for 79 percent of suicides (80 percent in Michigan, according to the Michigan Public Health Association). Male substance use is also rising, with 25 percent
of men reporting annual cannabis use and 19 percent reporting monthly use (up from 22 percent and 16 percent in 2021, respectively). In the years since the economic recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, male unemployment has remained high and has climbed every year, while female unemployment has fallen to pre-COVID levels. Men are also not getting educated to the degree that they used to. Today, just 46.6 percent of male high school graduates enroll in college, compared to 59.9 percent for female graduates, according to Michigan’s Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential. Men also represent 51 percent of college dropouts, despite composing only 40.1 percent of the student body. According to Census Reporter, 38 percent of Michigan men have never been married, compared to 20 percent a halfcentury ago. Men are also reporting stark declines in their platonic relationships. Today, 15 percent of men say they have no
12 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
close friends, a 500 percent increase from 3 percent in 1990. How are men coping with these declines? Not well. Online gambling and sports betting have surged, with 52 percent of men gambling online and emergency rooms reporting a near-doubling in gamblingrelated self-harm since 2024. The American Institute for Boys and Men reports 65 percent of men view pornography regularly, up from 45 percent a generation ago. According to Loghan Call, founder of Traverse City Men’s Circle, improving men’s lives is possible, but it requires men put in the work, access their vulnerability, seek support from other men, and take responsibility for their condition rather than scapegoat others. “As men, we have a choice,” Call says. “We can recede into isolation, addiction, violence, and resentment. Or we can recognize that beneath much of the tension around masculinity is something deeper: a world profoundly harmed by the unconscious masculine shadow, and that we as men have been deeply harmed by it, too.”
Vulnerability & Strength Call began by saying he founded TC Men’s Circle in 2022 to provide a safe space for men to work on themselves. “Many men are having the experience that their voice, their needs, or even their presence isn’t particularly welcome in the world right now,” Call says. “To help address that, Men’s Circle is delivered by facilitators who have training in a melting pot of modalities, some of which are Jungian, others of which draw from Vince Chafin’s work with the Sacred Sons.” Call says men’s work is not new in the grander scope of humanity, but because it requires accountability, responsibility, and vulnerability, this type of men’s work has typically been relegated to the back burner in America’s primarily male-led society. He says his group hopes to change that. “Many of us grew up without strong masculine figures who embodied both vulnerability and strength,” Call tells us. “We learned, consciously and unconsciously, that being a man meant suppressing emotion,
Josh Hart
Hans Pohai Müller
proving ourselves, competing, disconnecting, or figuring it out alone.” TC Men’s Circle was created to give men an opportunity to end intergenerational cycles of social conditioning that have brought men to where they are today. Call recites some of the commitments that attendees are invited to embody. “This [cycle] ends with me. I am choosing to shift from being a victim who blames and harms others for what I experienced, to finding the courage to say ‘I need help and support’ in unpacking and navigating everything I have been told to suppress, repress, and deny.” While the technologies, rituals, processes, and programs used in TC Men’s Circle are not new, they are being applied for the first time to local men who have never experienced anything like it before. “I want our group to grow and get better at doing the work,” Call says. “I have to be honest, most men are not ready for men’s work, and we as facilitators still have much to learn on our own quests to becoming great facilitators. But we’re working hard to get better at doing the work ourselves and helping other men do the same.” “The way out is through,” Call adds. “We get to decide what we carry forward and what ends with us. This work doesn’t just change the man doing it. It ripples outward to our partners, children, friendships, communities, and most importantly, the men who come after us.” Open Circles Not every Men’s Circle looks the same, so we checked in with participants to better understand how men’s work happens. Pohai Müller learned about the organization while living in Northport. He said he was initially drawn to the organization for its work to counteract male loneliness in rural northern Michigan. “The open circles involve a commitment of time, courage, and character,” Müller says. “They are regular meetings where men gather and talk about anything under the sun. But there are also definitive structures to the open circles, including a facilitator at each gathering who leads the meeting, offers deep questions, and gives the men in attendance opportunities to listen, reflect, and contribute whatever’s on their mind.” Müller tells us the meetings typically open with smudging, meditation, and breath work. The sessions are always three hours long, and the men leave their phones behind before entering the meeting area.
“It’s a sacred and safe space,” Müller adds. “The meetings provide an opportunity for men to gather and talk about their challenges in life and share emotions in ways that our society has not deemed normal behavior for men.” “There were days when I felt some apprehension about going to Men’s Circle, simply because it required vulnerability and courage to show up in a meaningful way,” Müller says in closing. “Just about every time though, that feeling dissipated upon stepping into the circle. On several occasions, men shared stories of things that weighed on them, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I feel the same way.’ It helped put things in perspective in ways that everyday life simply cannot.” Closed Circles Josh Hart says TC Men’s Circle also offers a “closed” circle for those willing to commit more time. “The closed circles involve small groups of six,” Hart explains. “We meet, the same handful of men, every other Monday, for three hours, and we commit to doing that for one full year. Once the year is up, we reassess how we want the next year to look.” Hart says he began attending TC Men’s Circle almost four years ago. He’d been organizing and attending other groups, but none felt like they were nurturing the growth he was seeking. “I didn’t like my first 40 years, and I wanted the next 40 to be better, so I sought a group that would help me become accountable to myself, my business, family, and community,” Hart says. Hart attended the open circles first, and before he knew it, he was listening, sharing, and talking about feelings and emotions he didn’t know men could talk about. “What part did you play in that conflict with your partner? What could you do to foster a better relationship with your parents?” Hart says as examples of the types of questions men ask when discussing each other’s challenges. “There’s been a ripple effect of accountability,” Hart believes. “My dad and I now have a four-minute check-in every morning. Because I started taking more responsibility for my relationship with him, he began doing the same with me. The same has occurred with my brother, partner, and friends. Rather than constantly running from conflict, I’m showing up for the people in my life, and they’re doing the same for me.” Visit tcmenscircle.com for more information.
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Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 13
Turning Over a New Loaf at Bay Bread Co. TC bread and sandwich staple moves to Lake Ave. location
By Anna Faller From perfectly-crusted sourdough boules, to blistered pizza dough, dinner rolls, sweets, and beyond, a deliciously-executed carb is joy in edible form. For Krystal Fluette, co-owner of Bay Bread Company in Traverse City, carbs are also a key ingredient for building community. “I didn’t know that doing this would bring me so much joy,” she says. “The goal is to keep providing the bread and sweet treats that people have been getting for the last 20 years.” As any seasoned carb-slinger knows, however, a vital step in ensuring a great bake is giving it ample room to expand—which is exactly what Bay Bread Co. has in store for its new storefront on Lake Avenue. A Lasting Legacy Though Bay Bread Company’s goldenbrown legacy in Traverse City dates back nearly three decades, it was about four years ago that Fluette and her husband Scott purchased its longstanding Randolph Street space. Hospitality veterans both, and Scott in particular an avid home baker, the pair emerged from the pandemic in search of a fresh start. “We were looking for a different life path,” says Fluette. “We had no formal baking experience, but when this opportunity came up, we were like, ‘let’s do it!’”
Bay Bread Co.’s sprawling shelves are home to more than 40 breads, headlined by what Fluette calls “the big three”— sourdough, whole wheat, and Italian styles— as well as ciabattas, sweet breads, ryes, and a litany of specialty loaves. The café also cranks out scads of sweet treats, which range from cookies to buns and tray bakes, as well as a growing line of sandwiches with the now-infamous MKP (that’s salted ciabatta with turkey, shredded cheddar, lettuce, and mayo in homage to the Mary’s Kitchen Port Gobbler) at the forefront. Though Fluette notes that the pair have implemented a few minor changes during their tenure—the introduction of pizza bread, for instance, as well as a redesigned lunch menu—the bulk of the bakery’s original processes remain intact, with the signature flour, salt, water, and yeast combination still dominating their dozens of doughs. (In fact, their active sourdough starter was born alongside many Millennials.) “It’s such a great product and staple in the community,” Fluette adds. “We love that it’s your neighborhood [spot] where you can go to get a fresh loaf of bread with zero extra ingredients.” A New Location The bakeshop, however, came with a five-year lease, which terminates in 2027. With this in mind, along with the knowledge that buying the building wouldn’t be
14 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
feasible, the pair have spent the last two years brainstorming how and where to keep baking. After all, “It is not a small task to move a bakery,” Fluette notes with a laugh. The ostensible answer to that question arrived last winter, when a friend directed Fluette’s attention to the vacant space inside Hagerty Insurance Agency, previously home to The Cavallino Café (which also closed its doors during COVID). Meanwhile, Fluette had set her sights on expanding elements of bakery production, which limited space at the Randolph location had curtailed. Fast-forward to October 2026, and Bay Bread Company has officially moved its frontend to Lake Avenue between Union and Cass streets, complete with a giant grab-and-go case stocked with sandwiches, pasta salads, and wraps, as well as the usual scads of bread and baked goods and made-to-order breakfast and lunch options. Per Fluette, the plan is to keep baking production at the Randolph location for the last year of the lease before transferring that operation to a permanent commercial kitchen near Chum’s Corners. “Change is always scary, but we’re not closing!” she says. “We’re moving and spreading our wings to be able to do so much more.” A Place to Grow In this regard, the most significant upgrade at Bay Bread’s new digs is a coffee and espresso bar.
Though that wasn’t always the plan—“I didn’t want to be a barista!” Fluette jokes—the Bay Bread team immediately noticed a need for caffeine on the south end of downtown, which lacks quick-casual day dining options á la predecessors like Mustard’s and Switch’s. “There’s nowhere around us where you can grab something that isn’t a sit-down restaurant or bar,” Fluette notes. “It’s about offering [that] quality and being centrallylocated for people.” To fill this niche, Bay Bread’s new beverage menu includes the usual suspects (think: lattes, cappuccinos, etc.) featuring Grand Rapids-based Rowster Coffee products, as well as a burgeoning line of signature drinks—here, Fluette highlights a recent campfire latte—and in the next six months to a year, the introduction of Northwoods’ fountain sodas. Things are also set to expand nosh-wise, with the new location offering increased capacity for grab-and-go items, as well as an onsite kitchen space. In this regard, Fluette says menus will likely consist of several signatures, which she describes as “classics with a twist”—adding arugula to a BLT for example, or trying a club sandwich on Parmesan Pepper bread—as well as weekly sandwich features, with more comprehensive rotations taking place seasonally. “I’m really excited to incorporate breads like spinach-feta or garlic-asiago,” says Fluette. “We haven’t fully formulated the
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866-929-9044 • ComfortKeepersTC.com new menu yet, but those are some of the things we’re working towards.” House-made soups, which will likely follow a similar pattern of menu standard meets weekly feature (they’re thinking chili for the former, says Fluette) are also in the works for November, as are plans to widen the bakery’s scope of sweet treats. Individual coffee cakes are on the docket, as are monthly cinnamon roll flavors and other novelty treats, like cake pops. Down the line, Fluette also envisions Bay Bread pastries on local grocery shelves. A Fond Farewell This, however, means shuttering one set of iconic yellow doors so another can open. “If you close it, they will come,” Fluette jokingly says of the bakery’s Randolph Street
exit. “But we’re not actually closing; and with local [patronage] evening out, it’s making more sense as we move towards winter.” In fact, the team is already planning the reintroduction of such joyful community initiatives as dance days, which also involve free goodies, soup cook-offs, coffee hours, book clubs, and other events—anything that, like a loaf of bread or a cookie, makes life a little more enjoyable. “I didn’t know that this was going to be my thing, but it absolutely is,” Fluette adds. “I love it. I want to keep doing it, and I want people to feel the passion we have in being part of this community.”
Empowering teen parents today for a healthier tomorrow.
Find the new home of Bay Bread Co. at 131 Lake Ave. in Traverse City. See the menu and order online at baybreadco.com.
Carbs for the Holidays
One thing that isn’t changing anytime soon at Bay Bread Co. is holiday ordering! “[It’s] a huge time for us,” Fluette says. “As far as availability, you’ll be able to order all of the same things from us as you have in the past.” This includes thousands upon thousands of Thanksgiving rolls, from dinner to buttery tin and flavored varieties before traditional German stollen, or yeasted fruit bread, and Challah arrive in time for winter. Cinnamon rolls by the take-and-bake four-pack or mini-dozen (some in the shape of Christmas trees!) will also make their yearly resurgence, as will cookiedecorating kits, complete with colored frosting, cinnamon, and various sprinkles, and mix-and-match boxes of goodies galore. Per Fluette, the bakery also offers a full holiday catering menu for corporate events, as well as private baking parties and their annual Cookie Decorating with Santa events, which will take place on Nov. 29, Dec. 5, and Dec. 6.
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Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 15
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by Joseph beyer
You Can See Everything
Let me be up-front, as any critic who loves cinema should: this column shall have no spoilers. And why would I deceive you? I only want you to experience the great movie puzzle everyone is talking about for yourself. There are, right now, two cultural camps in America: those who have experienced the multifaceted documentary You Can See Everything, and those who haven’t and may already be sick of hearing about it. But I’m here to remind you it’s truly worth seeing on the big screen if you can, and half the surprise and satisfaction will come at the end, when the wildest of rides stops and you can catch your breath … and finally talk about it with someone else in the audience. YCSE, as the internet has glossed it, is the unlikeliest of box office heroes and bound to remain the “it” film of the year. The ongoing praise, and whatever awards come next, are deserved. By now you’ve probably heard it’s an intimate portrait of Elizabeth Holmes, the dazzling and then disgraced Theranos CEO sentenced to prison for defrauding investors with false claims about her medical startup’s capabilities. YCSE picks up weeks before she reports to prison, and then follows everyone in her closest orbit over the next two years. The rise and fall of Holmes was so dramatic that Theranos became made-for-TV legend, spinning off countless books, films, shows, and exposés about the confident blonde in the iconic black turtleneck. So it’s fair to wonder, as filmmakers Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim did out loud, what more could be said about this person or this scandal? What story, if any, was left to tell? It turns out, quite a lot. YCSE not only explores truth itself, but how to function with or without it and whether it’s ever possible to experience someone else’s truth, whatever
it may be. If that sounds existential and hypnotic, it should. Distributor and producer A24 made sure of it with creepy, dreamlike teasers that pulled the first mass audiences into a 2-hour-54-minute roller-coaster of what is, on paper, a character profile. But YCSE is so much more: a throwback vérité documentary in the classic sense, a treatise on the balance of power between subjects and creators, a gorgeously shot landscape that recalls the best cinematography of the 1960s and ’70s, an original, all-encompassing use of sound and score, and a mystery that lingers long after the credits roll. The Usual Suspects, The Crying Game, and The Sixth Sense all had famously secret twists that depended on dutiful critics and audiences not to reveal them. But the twists in YCSE are more than gotcha moments. They are surreal and simple mindf*cks that are hard to explain, but that you can feel deeply through the eyes of the crew capturing them. Satirist Nathan Fielder is the soul of this journey, with first-time collaborator and co-director Lance Oppenheim capturing and digesting it behind the camera. Together they’ve made an unfiltered look at a cultural enigma, reinvented two genres at once, and manifested what Oppenheim calls “Docu-Fantasia”: a world that can only exist within itself. However you characterize You Can See Everything—the title clearly refers to the story’s many layers—it’s a magic that almost didn’t happen. Not only has it already filled theaters with fans, it has introduced an entirely new language to film that is hard to imagine ever happening again. Rated R and for adult language and nudity, the film is best experienced with friends who have time afterward for a beer and a personal Q&A on what you just saw.
nov 07
Saturday ICEMAN COMETH CHAL-
LENGE: 30 MILE RACE FOR 19+ & TANDEM, PLUS SNO CONE & POPCYCLE ARE FULL: This mountain bike race starts at the Kalkaska Airport & finishes 30 miles later at Timber Ridge, TC. The course consists primarily of dirt roads, two-tracks, abandoned railroad beds & the Vasa Nordic ski trail. It crosses only one paved road as it winds through the terrain of the Pere Marquette State Forest in northern lower Michigan. Described as a half-frozen version of the Iceman, The Meijer Slush Cup course follows the Vasa 10K trail out around & back. The Meijer Sno-Cone is for ages 10 & under, with a half mile flat loop around Timber Ridge. The Pop-Cycle is a 1.5-mile kids’ bike race. Prices range from free - $140. Register. See web site for various starting times & fees. registericeman.com ---------------------------------ART & CRAFT SHOW: 9am-3pm, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, TC. Featuring more than 50 artists & crafters with handmade creations. This is a fundraiser for Bethlehem Lutheran Church & the Grand Traverse Baby Pantry. ---------------------------------FRIENDS OF TADL FALL BOOK SALE: Traverse Area District Library, TC. Members Only Pre-Sale on Fri., Nov. 6 from 5:30-8pm (membership sign-up available at door). Sat., Nov. 7: 9am-6pm, sale open to the public; members receive 50% off. Sun., Nov. 8: noon-4:30pm; all day fill a bag for $5. friendsofthetraverseareadistrictlibrary.wildapricot. org/2026-fall-book-sale ---------------------------------KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF TREES: 9am6pm, Northland Plaza, Kalkaska, Nov. 6-14. Help feed neighbors in need. Proceeds are donated to food pantry at KAIR. Many decorated & themed Christmas trees, gift baskets, & gift cards up for raffle. Sat., Nov. 7 ONLY includes Family Day from 1-3pm with Santa, real reindeer & sweet treats. roadtrip. waoonetwork.com/event/1201375/2026kalkaska-festival-of-trees ---------------------------------TOY TOWN TROT 5K: 9am; starts behind Toy Town at Lake St., Cadillac. Hosted by Toy Town of Cadillac & the Salvation Army of Cadillac. This event will raise money for Toys for Tots of Wexford & Missaukee counties. $30-$35. toytowncadillac.com/events ---------------------------------43RD ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT FAIR: 10am-3pm, Bellaire Middle School. Featuring dozens of local vendors. Includes a Soup Cook-Off; tickets available. Free admission. bellairechamber.org/2026/11/7/370109/43rdannual-holiday-gift-fair ---------------------------------ANNUAL TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH SCANDINAVIAN BAZAAR & BAKE SALE: 10am-2pm, Trinity Lutheran Church, Frankfort. Locally handmade crafts. Featuring Scandinavian gnomes made by crafty church elves & hand-crafted items not found elsewhere. Enjoy Scandinavian baked goods along with numerous tasty confections to jump start your holiday baking. trinityfrankfort.org ---------------------------------DENNOS HOLIDAY ARTIST MARKET: 10am-4pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Featuring more than 30 talented Michigan artists. Handcrafted ornaments, holiday greeting cards, stocking stuffers & more. Free admission to Museum. shop.dennosmuseum.org ---------------------------------FESTIVAL OF TREES, TC: Nov. 6-8, Grand Traverse Mall, TC. Today runs from 10am6pm. Holiday shopping with a purpose: Emporium delites, Tall trees, Foodie Friday, Sunday crafts with Santa & more! Proceeds
benefit the Zonta Club of Traverse City supporting local initiatives empowering women & families. Suggested donation: $2-$5. zontacluboftraversecity.org/festival-of-trees ---------------------------------SHOP YOUR COMMUNITY DAY: Downtown TC. Shop small, give big! 15% of every purchase at participating stores will be donated to one of 30 local nonprofit organizations. You choose which organization benefits from your purchase. downtowntc.com/ events/shop-your-community-day.html ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL: 10am-2pm, City Opera House, TC. Book fair featuring 30+ award-winning children’s & YA book authors. Live performance by the OTP Young Company. Free kids’ activities & crafts. Free. cityoperahouse.org/events/traverse-city-childrens-book-festival ---------------------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: Petoskey area, Nov. 6-15. Enjoy special menus & prices at participating restaurants. See web site for more info. petoskeychamber.com/petoskey-restaurant-week ---------------------------------WILD TURKEY TROT 5K: 11am, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Run or walk the designated course on race day with other participants, or run your own 5K at your own convenience & submit your time later if you can’t make the race day! grassriver.org ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: TC area, Nov. 6-14. An annual celebration of the region’s craft beer & cider scene. Sign up for the official Traverse City Beer Week passport to view participating locations, redeem special offers, & earn points towards an exclusive Traverse City Beer Week 2026 prize. Each day will feature a unique theme centered around different beer varietals or flavors. traversecity.com/tcbw/beer-week-ale-trail ---------------------------------TERRY WOOTEN, POET BARD OF THE STONE CIRCLE: 1pm, Bellaire Public Library. Terry will share his recitations of The Carl D. Bradley, The Edmund Fitzgerald & others. ---------------------------------INTERLOCHEN ARTS ACADEMY YOUTH ORCHESTRA & WIND SYMPHONY: 2pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. A shared concert exploring the color, energy, & expressive range of the symphonic tradition. $10-$25. interlochen.org/events/youthorchestra-and-wind-symphony-2026-11-07 ---------------------------------ELK RAPIDS PLAYERS PRESENTS LIONEL BART’S “OLIVER!”: 7pm, Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall. Based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel “Oliver Twist.” $18-$60. herthahall.com/er-players ---------------------------------IN-STORE BOOK SIGNING WITH MICHAEL DELP: 7-9pm, Horizon Books, TC. Author Michael Delp celebrates his new book, “Of Blood and Rivers.” horizonbooks. com/event/2026-11-07/store-book-signingmichael-delp ---------------------------------LIVE AT THE BAY: JACK M. SENFF & THE HEARTLAND MISSION WITH SLOW SPELL: 7pm, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Jack M. Senff is a northern Michigan singer-songwriter, performer, & leader of the so-called Heartland Mission. He trades in a literary, pop-based vernacular informed by a love of old folk rock, country, church, 90s adult alternative, & a youth spent in late-00s do it yourself punk movement. Acclaimed northern Michigan quartet Slow Spell will open. $30-$35. thebaytheatre.org/movie/live-at-the-bay-jack-m-senffthe-heartland-mission-with-slow-spell ---------------------------------MOTOWN DANCE REVIVAL: 7pm, Willowbrook Mill, Northport. Presented by North-
november
07-15
send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com
What do you get when terminally woke teaching artists attempt to create a pageant that celebrates both Turkey Day and Native American Heritage Month? Solstice Theatre Company presents Larissa FastHorse’s “The Thanksgiving Play” where good intentions collide with absurd assumptions! See it at The MATCH, Cherryland Center, TC, Nov. 6-7 and 13-14 from 7:30-9pm, and Nov. 8 and 15 at 2pm. Tickets: $15-$35 + fees. solsticetheatrecompany.ludus. com/index.php. Photo courtesy of Solstice Theatre Company. Actors L to R: Jan Dalton, Kendall Kotcher, Ben May.
port Promise. Spinning the tunes is DJ by NEWLEONARD. Dessert auction. Wear your best Motown. Snacks provided, cash bar. $30-$40. northportpromise.com ---------------------------------BLISSFEST TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY DANCE: 7:30-10pm, Alanson/Littlefield Community Hall. Music provided by John & Mike from the Lansing area with Larry Dyer calling. All dances taught (circles, contras, squares & more). No need to bring a partner. By choice: $15-$20; 12 & under, free. blissfest.org ---------------------------------NEXT FALL: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. This play focuses on the five-year relationship between Adam & Luke, & then goes beyond a typical love story. Luke is devoutly religious & Adam, an atheist. Their timely & compelling story forces you to examine what it means to “believe” & what it might cost you not to. $25. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/studio-theatre/next-fall.html ---------------------------------NORTHLAND PLAYERS PRESENTS: 1776 THE MUSICAL: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. This insightful & witty musical follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin & Thomas Jefferson as they attempt to convince the members of the Second Continental Congress to vote for independence from the British. Runs Nov. 6-14. $15-$25. theoperahouse.org ---------------------------------THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: 7:30pm, The MATCH, Cherryland Center, TC. Good intentions collide with absurd assumptions in Larissa FastHorse’s wickedly funny satire, as a troupe of terminally woke teaching artists scrambles to create a pageant that somehow manages to celebrate both Turkey Day & Native American Heritage Month. Show
runs Nov. 6-15. $30-$35. solsticetheatrecompany.ludus.com
nov 08
Sunday KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF
TREES: (See Sat., Nov. 7) --------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------FESTIVAL OF TREES, TC: Grand Traverse Mall, TC, Nov. 6-8. Today’s hours are noon4pm. Holiday shopping with a purpose: Emporium delites, Tall trees, Foodie Friday, Sunday crafts with Santa & more! Proceeds benefit the Zonta Club of Traverse City supporting local initiatives empowering women & families. Suggested donation: $2-$5. zontacluboftraversecity.org/festival-of-trees ---------------------------------FRIENDS OF TADL FALL BOOK SALE: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------GRAND WEDDING EXPO: Noon, Castle Farms, Charlevoix. Featuring wedding vendors, food samples, prizes, & inspiration for your dream wedding. Plus, one lucky couple will win a Grand Giveaway Wedding with a complete wedding package provided by participating vendors. Free. castlefarms.com/event/ grand-wedding-expo-2026-attendees-2 ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------STORIES OF LAKE MICHIGAN: 1:30pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor.
Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 17
Join composer Hannah Mufuka for an interactive afternoon of music, storytelling & connection. For this special performance, audience members will be seated on the stage floor with the artist, creating an immersive setting in which to experience traditional & contemporary mbira music from Zimbabwe, plus more. Mufuka will share stories about the mbira’s intimate relationship with water & invite audience members to share their own experiences with water & the Great Lakes. Free; tickets required. greatlakescfa. org/events/detail/hannah-mufuka ---------------------------------FILA ANNUAL MEETING: 2pm, Leland Twp. Library. Learn about the light station on South Fox Island. Public meeting & presentation. Free. ---------------------------------NEXT FALL: (See Sat., Nov. 7, except today’s time is 2pm.) ---------------------------------NORTHLAND PLAYERS PRESENTS: 1776 THE MUSICAL: (See Sat., Nov. 7, except today’s time is 2pm.) ---------------------------------SONGS OF THE AMERICAN RAIL: 2pm, Helena Twp. Community Center, Alden. Folk musician & music historian Ben Traverse will be discussing the role trains play in American music & performing authentic historical music from the golden age of rail. 231-331-4318. Free. ---------------------------------THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: (See Sat., Nov. 7, except today’s time is 2pm.) ---------------------------------ELK RAPIDS PLAYERS PRESENTS LIONEL BART’S “OLIVER!”: (See Sat., Nov. 7, except today’s time is 3pm.) ---------------------------------GREAT LAKES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SUNDAY SERIES: NANCY STAGNITTA JAZZ TRIO: 4pm, First Presbyterian Church,
Boyne City. 231-487-0010. Free. glcorchestra.org/sundayseries
nov 09
monday KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF
nov 10
tuesday KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF
TREES: (See Sat., Nov. 7) --------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------MACKINAW AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S 2026 LECTURE SERIES: 7pm, Mackinaw Area Public Library, Mackinaw City. Learn about Mackinaw City’s American Legion Post 159: “Veterans serving Veterans and their families.” Free. mackinawhistory.org
TREES: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------FREE DEMENTIA WORKSHOP - UNDERSTANDING DEMENTIA: 1pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Lisa George will explain what dementia is & what it is not, how to help someone with dementia, & why those with dementia do what they do. Sign up in ad-
18 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
vance online: www.acceleratethecare.com. glenlakelibrary.net ---------------------------------GAYLORD BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, Northern Performance Cars, Gaylord. Presented by Action Motor Sales & Northern Performance Cars. Register. $5$10. gaylordchamber.com/events/details/ business-after-hours-2026-action-motorsales-northern-performance-13277 ---------------------------------AUTHOR TALK WITH BRYAN GRULEY: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Hear more about the 2nd book in Gruley’s Bitter Frost series, River Deep. Free. tadl.org/ event/author-talk-bryan-gruley-33106 ---------------------------------THE OPEN PAGE: QUEER WRITER’S CIRCLE: 6pm, The Folded Leaf, TC. LGBTQ+ writers, questioning creatives, & allies are welcome at this monthly Writer’s Circle. Each meeting includes a gentle writing prompt, quiet writing time, & optional sharing in a supportive, no-pressure space. Bring a notebook, laptop, half-formed idea, or just yourself. Free. upnorthpride.com/ listevents/2026/6/9/the-open-page-aqueer-writers-circle-8963b-4xhka-8yly98nasa-775p5 ---------------------------------PETOSKEY REGIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY NOV. PROGRAM: 7pm, Courtyard by Marriott Petoskey, conference room. Featuring Terri Thomasma, licensed veterinary technician who serves as the raptor rehabilitation coordinator for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Natural Resource Department at the Archie Kiogima Jr.-ba Migizi Aviary and Rehabilitation Center. Free. petoskeyaudubon.org
nov 11
wednesday VETERANS DAY CER-
EMONY, EVENING CONCERT, TC: 8am: Coffee & doughnuts for all veterans in Osterlin Building, NMC. 8:30am: Flag-raising ceremony by VFW honor guard, including three-volley salute, “Taps” & “The Star-Spangled Banner” performed by the TC Central High School Band. Post-ceremony: Coffee & doughnuts in Osterlin Building. 7:30pm: NMC’s Aurora choral group will perform a Veterans Day concert at Central United Methodist Church. Admission is by donation. nmc.edu/news/2026/11/veteransday.html ---------------------------------KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF TREES: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------FREE WILLS FOR VETERANS: Noon, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. In observance of Veterans Day, the Grand Traverse-Leelanau-Antrim Bar Association offers free Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney for estate planning to all Veterans. What to bring: Photo ID & proof of military service (DD-214, VHIC, VIC, USID, or other ID). tadl.org/event/copy-free-willsveterans-34632 ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------AN EVENING WITH JILLIAN LANE: 3:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, The Writing House. Author & journalist Jillian
Lane will discuss her writing career & debut novel, “Henry Tudor Must Die.” Laine has written multiple children’s books & worked as an acquisitions editor, book festival director, & literary award judge. Free. interlochen.org/ events/evening-jillian-laine-2026-11-11 ---------------------------------CAAC ANNUAL MEETING: 5pm, Cheboygan Area Public Library, The Gallery on lower level. Hear about what CAAC has done in the past year & what the plans are for the year ahead. facebook.com/ events/1103144185936664 ---------------------------------GENERATING POETRY: A WRITING PRACTICE WORKSHOP: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. This 3-part class series is about getting you to take your poetry practice more seriously. Commitment to all three classes is REQUIRED. Class One: What’s Your Practice? - Weds., Nov. 11, 6-7pm; Class Two: We Write - Mon., Nov. 23, 6-7pm; Class Three: Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan - Mon., Dec. 7, 6-7pm. Free. tadl.org/event/generating-poetry-writing-practice-workshop-35480 ---------------------------------UP NORTH PRIDE ART NIGHT: 6pm, Artemis Books, TC. Join for an Art Meet Up! Bring your own art project & enjoy a creative evening with friends. If you don’t have an art project, just bring yourself & a smile! Free. upnorthpride.com/listevents/2026/11/11/art-meet-up ---------------------------------SUICIDE LOSS SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUP: 6:30-8:30pm, Art and Connection, Elk Rapids. Held the 2nd Weds. of every month. For more info, email survivornorthmi@gmail.com or call 810-355-6276. Free. ---------------------------------WILD WEDNESDAY: BLACK BEAR ECOLOGY: 6:30pm, Charlevoix Public Library. Join LTC environmental education staff for an eve-
ning with one of northern Michigan’s most iconic & least often seen mammals. landtrust.org ---------------------------------GREAT LAKES CINEMA SERIES PRESENTS: “SAVING PRIVATE RYAN”: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Pay what you choose. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/saving-private-ryan
nov 12
thursday KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF
TREES: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------GRAND TRAVERSE MUSICALE PRESENTS THE CHERRY CAPITAL CHORUS: 2pm, Mission Hill Church, TC. Student scholarship winners will display their talents as well. Free. gtmusicale.org ---------------------------------SIP TO SUPPORT MS: 3pm, Blackstar Farms, Suttons Bay. Join Black Star Farms, AwareNow Media & the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for Sip To Support MS, an afternoon of wine, film & conversation in support of those living with multiple sclerosis. Guests will have the opportunity to meet Alli Merrick McGuire, the woman at the heart of the story, after the showing. $30/person. blackstarfarms.com/experience/sip-to-support-ms ---------------------------------BENZONIA ACADEMY LECTURE SERIES: 4pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. “Reading the Glacial Record: How Three
Need a break? Drop in and relax with at the library...
Generations of Scientists Revealed Michigan’s Ice Age.” Presented by Steve Veatch. Free. benziemuseum.org/2026/10/12/november12-2026-benzonia-academy-lecture-seriesreading-the-glacial-record-how-three-generations-of-scientists-revealed-michigans-ice-age ---------------------------------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 ---------------------------------GETTYSBURG IN MINIATURE PRESENTATION: 5:30pm, Bellaire Public Library. See the handcrafted miniatures of Gettysburg, created by local retired history teacher Gary Manville. They are on display at the library through Nov. 14. Tonight Gary will share the inspiration behind his collection, the meticulous process of building each miniature, & the history of the buildings they represent. Please register. bellairelibrary.org ---------------------------------HOLIDAY VERNISSAGE & SWIRL 2026: 5:30-7pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. Enjoy a festive spread of appetizers & sweet treats prepared by Spring and Porter, paired with your choice of wine, beer, or cocktails. Listen to live music by Pete Kehoe while you stroll through the Holiday Bazaar. $30-$35. crookedtree.app.neoncrm. com/event-detail?event=27639 ---------------------------------IAF: BOILING POINT: HOW AMERICA BROUGHT WAR TO UKRAINE: Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Featuring Stephen Kinzer, former New York Times foreign correspondent, award-winning writer & bestselling author; Senior Fellow in In-
ternational & Public Affairs, Watson School of International & Public Affairs, Brown University. Reception at 6pm; program at 7pm. $20 advance; $25 at event; $10 online; free for current students & educators. tciaf.com/ event-november-12-2026 ---------------------------------CRYSTAL COMMUNITY SKI CLUB PRESENTS: “WARREN MILLER’S DAYS OFF”: 6:30pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Join host Katie Burrell, as she sets out to find what the world’s best do when they slow down & rediscover the art of the day off. No agenda, no competition, just pure unscripted joy from Deer Valley to Canada, the deep powder of Hokkaido, Japan, & untracked lines of Alaska, Chamonix, & beyond. $25. crystalmountain.com/events-activities/ events/event-calendar/warren-millers-daysoff-frankfort ---------------------------------“JITTERS” - THE PREMIERE: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. A short film about a young boy with dyslexia attempting to overcome a fear monster in the midst of a spelling bee. This comedy-drama is about that moment so many young people experience when they feel different, afraid, or like they’re not good enough. Includes a live jazz band, Full Tilt comedy show, interview with film director & main actor, & more. Free; registration required. cityoperahouse.org/events/jittersthe-premiere ---------------------------------GITS & SHIGGLES IMPROV COMEDY: 7-9pm, AuSable Artisan Village Performing Arts Center, Grayling. A “whose line is it anyway” type improv. Lots of laughter with audience participation. Ages 13 & up please. Free. artisanvillage.org/events
THE 5TH ANNUAL
CHRISTMAS OLD ART BUILDING AT THE
A VARIETY SHOW SPECTACULAR A!
featuring
YOUR HOST
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HO HO!
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Holiday ideas at your fingertips! tadl.org/cooking More highlights at Woodmere: 11/11 - Happy Veterans Day! tadl.org/veterans 11/18 - Simplify & Organize, 6 pm
Save money - make your cards and gifts!
tadl.org/create
11/19 - D&D fans, new book club! Crawler Club, 6 pm Our holiday music and program schedule will be posted soon! Find all details at tadl.org/events!
W! ANDRET! DOS LIVE MUSIC! CAROLING! CASH BAR! COCOA! CONVIVIALITY! SURPRISE GUESTS! MERRIMENT! GOOD TIDINGS!
TICKETS
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Friday & Saturday December 11 & 12, 6:00 PM
2 NIGHTS!
TICKETS & MORE INFO AT OLDARTBUILDING.COM — 111 S. MAIN ST, LELAND, MI
Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 19
DID YOU SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY? ARE YOU THE WIDOW OF A VETERAN WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY? Did you know the VA has a benefit to help pay for a nursing home, assisted living facility or in-home care? Our office also assists in filing claims for VA disability, VA pension and financial assistance.
NEED HELP NAVIGATING VETERANS’ BENEFITS? CONTACT GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY VETERANS AFFAIRS 2650 LaFranier Rd. Traverse City Mon-Fri 8-4:30 (closed 12-12:30) www.gtcveterans.com 231-995-6070 20 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
nov 13
friday KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF
nov 14
saturday CHRISTMAS ON THE PEN-
TREES: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------PUZZLE EXCHANGE: 9:30am-4:30pm, Jordan Valley District Library, East Jordan. Bring a puzzle & exchange it for one of equal or lesser pieces. Each person will get one entry in a drawing to win an advent calendar puzzle. jvdl.info/puzzle-exchange ---------------------------------LEELANAU ENERGY PRESENTS DR. MISSY STULTS: 10:30am, Old Art Building, Leland. Dr. Stults is the sustainability and innovations director for the City of Ann Arbor & she will tell you about developments in Ann Arbor, which has embarked on a campaign seeking community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030 through their A2ZERO Plan. Free. LeelanauEnergy.org ---------------------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------LUNCHEON LECTURE: THE ESCAPE LINE: 11:30am-1pm, NCMC, Library Conference Center, Petoskey. Learn about the Dutch-Paris Escape Line. Author Megan Koreman, Ph.D., whose father’s family was part of the Dutch resistance, was given exclusive access to recently declassified archives about the resistance movement for her book, “The Escape Line.” $15. ncmclifelonglearning.com/ event-6778653 ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------DARRYL BROWN ARTIST TALK: 4pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Where alchemy meets color, fantastic realities take shape. Join artist Darryl Brown as he transports you into his imaginative world. Discover the process behind his rich tapestries, deeply layered paintings, & custom tools that power his unique vision. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/ darryl-brown-artist-talk-tickets-287779 ---------------------------------ELK RAPIDS PLAYERS PRESENTS LIONEL BART’S “OLIVER!”: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------LIVE AT THE BAY: LUKE WINSLOW-KING: 7pm, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Originally hailing from Cadillac, Winslow-King has spent his career as a guitarist, singer, producer & songwriter, crafting a rich, soulful tapestry that blends delta blues, roots, rock, & folk. He has released eight albums. $30-$35. thebaytheatre.org/movie/live-atthe-bay-luke-winslow-king ---------------------------------“THE PROM”: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Interlochen’s Musical Theatre Company brings Broadway’s hit musical “The Prom” to the stage in a joyful celebration of acceptance, authenticity, & the power of community. $19$38. interlochen.org/concerts-and-events/allevents?search=The+Prom ---------------------------------NEXT FALL: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------NORTHLAND PLAYERS PRESENTS: 1776 THE MUSICAL: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: (See Sat., Nov. 7)
INSULA: 9am-4pm, Old Mission Peninsula United Methodist Church, TC. Old
fashioned bazaar with huge bake sale, handcrafted items, vintage items & much more. Lunch will be available. oldmissionpeninsulaumc.org ---------------------------------KALKASKA FESTIVAL OF TREES: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------DEER WIDOW’S WEEKEND: 10am-3pm, The Village at GT Commons, TC. Featuring a two-day indoor craft & vendor show in Kirkbride Hall, complimentary tunnel tours each day, door prizes, giveaways & more. thevillagetc. com/events/deer-widow-2025-1-elk3m ---------------------------------DOWNTOWN BELLAIRE HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: Participating merchants will share their holiday merchandise, drink specials, Hunter’s Widows dinner specials & more. ---------------------------------NATURAL ORNAMENT WORKSHOP: 10amnoon, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Create one-of-a-kind holiday ornaments using natural materials like native milkweed seed pods, leaves, & other found treasures. Learn a bit about the plants behind the material. Free; must register. natureiscalling. org/events ---------------------------------THE GREAT BEERD RUN 5K: 10am, Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, Acme. Making a return to Traverse City Beer Week after a few years hiatus. This untimed run includes on-course beer tastings from Short’s Brewing Co., Stone Hound Brewing Co., & Right Brain Brewery. There will also be a post-race party with DJ & campfires. $45. eventbrite.com/e/the-great-beerd-run-5ktickets-2003148906302 ---------------------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------TRAVERSE CITY BEER WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------A HOUSE UNITED FILM SHOWING: 1pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. The country deserves to know about the work being done to save it. This is not a story about polarization; it’s a story of the efforts made by those trying to do something about it. One of the greatest discoveries an American could make during a time of division & contention is unveiling an ecosystem of over 10,000 individuals & organizations. Free. tadl.org/HouseUnited ---------------------------------AUTUMN SHOWCASE: 1-4pm, Lee Studio, TC. Featuring Leslie Lee’s newest artwork & book signings from Old Town Writers, including Cindy L. Hull (Rites of Passage), Dzidra Kepitis Minka (The Empty Sleeve), & Tom Bohnhorst (Highway 80 Revisited). Enjoy complimentary cider & snacks. Free. leestudiotc.com ---------------------------------LADIES NIGHT OUT: 4:30-7:30pm, downtown Harbor Springs. Visit participating downtown businesses, make purchases, & get your passport initialed along the way. Make a wish list for yourself (or someone special) as you shop. After you’ve finished shopping, head to The Pier Restaurant to turn in your completed passport & receive raffle tickets for the prize drawing. Tickets will be drawn around 8pm. harborspringschamber.com/events/details/ladies-nightout-2026-19401 ---------------------------------ELK RAPIDS PLAYERS PRESENTS LIONEL BART’S “OLIVER!”: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------JOAN SHELLEY + NATHAN SALSBURG: 7-9:30pm, Old Art Building, Leland. Enjoy these acclaimed songwriters & instrumentalists celebrating the release & spirit of Shel-
ley’s latest album, “Real Warmth.” $25-$35. oldartbuilding.com/events/joan-shelley-nathan-salsburg ---------------------------------MIRIAM PICO & DAVID CHOWN: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Enjoy Pico & Chown’s blend of original songs, jazz, & pop standards, along with special refreshments prepared for the evening. $25-$30. mynorthtickets.com/events/miriam-pico-david-chown-live-at-the-music-house-museumnovember-14-11-14-2026 ---------------------------------SIMPLE GIFTS: SACRED & STAGE: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Northern Michigan Chorale Fall Concert. Tickets run from free to $15. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/simple-gifts-sacred-and-stage ---------------------------------“THE PROM”: (See Fri., Nov. 13) ---------------------------------DOWNTOWN SOUND: MAY ERLEWINE: 7:30-9:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. $10-$55. crookedtree. org/events-and-exhibitions/events/?page=1 &location=petoskey#class-list ---------------------------------FIREHOUSE WSG STEELHEART: 7:30pm, Odawa Casino Resort, Ovation Hall, Petoskey. FireHouse brings their arena rock catalog with special guests Steelheart. Tickets start at $50. odawacasino.com/entertainment/firehouse-with-special-guests-steelheart-in-ovation-hall ---------------------------------NEXT FALL: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------NORTHLAND PLAYERS PRESENTS: 1776 THE MUSICAL: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: (See Sat., Nov. 7)
nov 15
sunday DEER WIDOW’S WEEK-
END: (See Sat., Nov. 14, except today’s hours are 10am-2pm.) ------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------“THE PROM”: (See Fri., Nov. 13, except today’s time is 2pm.) ---------------------------------HISTORY OF NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE: THE FIRST 75 YEARS: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Presented by Ann Swaney & Stephen Siciliano. They will share gems from the NMC Archives & stories of the first 75 years, from Les Biederman & the community founding the college, to its growth, to today. Free. tadl.org/event/traverse-areahistorical-society-27851 ---------------------------------THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: (See Sun., Nov. 8) ---------------------------------ELK RAPIDS PLAYERS PRESENTS LIONEL BART’S “OLIVER!”: (See Sun., Nov. 8) ---------------------------------MENDELSSOHN 4, ROREM CONCERTO: 3pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. TC native & product of the education programs, Kyle Stachnik returns home to make his TC Phil solo debut in the lyrical & unique Cello Concerto by American composer Ned Rorem. $33-$72. tcphil.org/ events/mendelssohn-4-rorem-concerto ---------------------------------SIMPLE GIFTS: SACRED & STAGE: (See Sat., Nov. 14, except today’s time is 3pm.)
ney that blends Atavistic Animism with a pure discovery in the moment & from different helping hands BUY ONE, GIVE ONE SOCK CAMPAIGN: angles. Runs through March 28, 2027. Open East Jordan sock company, Socks Kick, teams up with Project Feed the Kids in TC for a Buy One, Give One sock campaign. For $10, customers get a pair of high-quality wool socks in a mystery color & design. For every pair purchased, Socks Kick donates another pair to Project Feed the Kids. Purchase at website: sockskick.com/products/givingsocks-buy-1-donate-1.
ongoing INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays,
10am-2pm, The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato corridor, TC. More than 30 vendors offer a variety of items from farm fresh eggs, meats & cheeses, to fruits, veggies, homemade breads & more. thevillagetc.com/events/ indoor-farmers-market-nov-1-39yj4-zhnwz ---------------------------------PETOSKEY BUDDHIST BOOK STUDY SANGHA: Tuesdays, 10am-noon through Dec. 8. First Presbyterian Church, Petoskey. Meditate, read together a current Buddhistfocused book, meet with Zen teacher. For more info contact: juliafogarty.jf@gmail.com or skiprenker@gmail.com.
art THE LONG MOMENT: POLAROIDS & SO-
LARGRAPHS BY RACHEL WINSLOW: Leelanau Twp. Library, Northport. Rachel uses analog processes (light sensitive film & paper, vintage & pinhole cameras, etc.) to create atmospheric images of otherworldly proportions. Her exhibition, “The Long Moment,” brings together a selection of Polaroids & Solargraphs that portray life’s colors & tones at the crossroads between the imagined & real. The exhibition runs through Feb. 15. Closed on Sundays. See web site for hours. Free. leelanautownshiplibrary.org/ team-1 ---------------------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - 2026 HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Held in Bonfield & Gilbert galleries. A showcase of original art available for purchase. Knits, jewelry, pottery, ceramics, notecards, prints, ornaments & more. Runs Nov. 13 - Dec. 17. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/holiday-bazaar-2026.html ---------------------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - MERRY MARKETPLACE 2026: HOLIDAY GIFT SHOP: Shop hundreds of unique handmade gifts & works of art from artists all over the state. Runs Nov. 13 - Dec. 12. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/events/?page=1&location=traversecity#class-list - INSIDE CROOKED TREE II: Held in galleries. Take a peek inside Crooked Tree, with an exhibition that celebrates the talented artists & creatives who make up the Crooked Tree Arts Center community. Featuring artwork by staff from both Crooked Tree locations, along with instructors & volunteers. Runs through Nov. 7. See web site for hours. crookedtree. org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/insidecrooked-tree-ii.html ---------------------------------DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - DARRYL BROWN: “BUBBLES OF LOVE”: A dreamscape of both primitive & modern juxtaposed color & a whimsical jour-
Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed Mondays & major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/ art/upcoming-exhibitions - DRAWING TO MOTION: CONTEMPORARY INUIT ART FROM THE DENNOS MUSEUM: From spiritual & physical transformations to modes of transportation & scenes of daily life, this exhibition provides an intimate view into the hand-drawn & animated-byhand world of Inuit artists from the late 20th & early 21st centuries. Runs through May 30, 2027. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed Mondays & major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions - MATERIAL WORLD: TEN WOMEN: An invitational exhibition organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art, featuring women artists working with non-traditional materials or using traditional materials in non-traditional ways. Many of the works use found objects common to the everyday household, or bring elements from nature into inside spaces. Runs through Jan. 3, 2027. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on Mondays & major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/ art/upcoming-exhibitions - “FULL CIRCLE: WASTE PLASTIC TRANSFORMATIONS”: TC raised artist Simon Anton returns to the area with a body of sculpture & design objects built over the last 12 years at his Detroit Studio for his solo exhibit. Anton uses plastic sourced from Detroit neighborhoods, factory waste & the automotive industry. Runs through Aug. 8, 2027. Dennos Museum Center is open Tues. through Sun., 11am4pm; closed Mondays. dennosmuseum. org/art/upcoming-exhibitions - REFLECTIONS ON COMMUNITY: 75 YEARS OF STUDENT VOICES: This exhibition celebrates NMC’s 75th Anniversary by exploring the college’s history through the eyes of those who experienced it firsthand – students. Runs through Jan. 3. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-on-view/75-years-studentvoices.html ---------------------------------GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER: - “AT LEAST A DOZEN FRIENDS”: Held in Lobby Gallery. Margo Burian is known as a painter of quiet, atmospheric landscapes, waterscapes, farmsteads, & rowboats hitched to old docks. Over the years she has been developing a body of work based on collage, image transfer, & mixed media. Her exhibit runs through Dec. 17. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org/product/exhibitat-least-a-dozen-friends - SMALL WORKS HOLIDAY EXHIBIT: An annual showcase of 2D + 3D work, $150 or less, running Nov. 5 - Dec. 17. Featuring more than 100 works of art, 12 x 12 or smaller, by 25 artists working in glass, mixed media, collage, needlework, paper, paint, clay, & photography. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org ---------------------------------OLIVER ART CENTER: - ALL MEDIA JURIED EXHIBITION: Runs through Nov. 13. This exhibition showcases the best work of regional artists in all media. Open Tues.-Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon4pm. oliverart.org - WINTER MARKET: Held in Fisher Room, Nov. 6 - Dec. 24. Featuring a collection of handmade gift items from a wide range of Michigan-based artists. Hours: Tues.-Sat.: 10am-4pm; Sun.: noon-4pm; closed Mon. oliverart.org
Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.
Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 21
ley’s latest album, “Real Warmth.” $25-$35. oldartbuilding.com/events/joan-shelley-nathan-salsburg ---------------------------------MIRIAM PICO & DAVID CHOWN: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Enjoy Pico & Chown’s blend of original songs, jazz, & pop standards, along with special refreshments prepared for the evening. $25-$30. mynorthtickets.com/events/miriam-pico-david-chown-live-at-the-music-house-museumnovember-14-11-14-2026 ---------------------------------SIMPLE GIFTS: SACRED & STAGE: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Northern Michigan Chorale Fall Concert. Tickets run from free to $15. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/simple-gifts-sacred-and-stage ---------------------------------“THE PROM”: (See Fri., Nov. 13) ---------------------------------DOWNTOWN SOUND: MAY ERLEWINE: 7:30-9:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey. $10-$55. crookedtree. org/events-and-exhibitions/events/?page=1 &location=petoskey#class-list ---------------------------------FIREHOUSE WSG STEELHEART: 7:30pm, Odawa Casino Resort, Ovation Hall, Petoskey. FireHouse brings their arena rock catalog with special guests Steelheart. Tickets start at $50. odawacasino.com/entertainment/firehouse-with-special-guests-steelheart-in-ovation-hall ---------------------------------NEXT FALL: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------NORTHLAND PLAYERS PRESENTS: 1776 THE MUSICAL: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: (See Sat., Nov. 7)
nov 15
sunday DEER WIDOW’S WEEK-
END: (See Sat., Nov. 14, except today’s hours are 10am-2pm.) ------------------FALL 2026 PETOSKEY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Nov. 7) ---------------------------------“THE PROM”: (See Fri., Nov. 13, except today’s time is 2pm.) ---------------------------------HISTORY OF NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE: THE FIRST 75 YEARS: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Presented by Ann Swaney & Stephen Siciliano. They will share gems from the NMC Archives & stories of the first 75 years, from Les Biederman & the community founding the college, to its growth, to today. Free. tadl.org/event/traverse-areahistorical-society-27851 ---------------------------------THE THANKSGIVING PLAY: (See Sun., Nov. 8) ---------------------------------ELK RAPIDS PLAYERS PRESENTS LIONEL BART’S “OLIVER!”: (See Sun., Nov. 8) ---------------------------------MENDELSSOHN 4, ROREM CONCERTO: 3pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. TC native & product of the education programs, Kyle Stachnik returns home to make his TC Phil solo debut in the lyrical & unique Cello Concerto by American composer Ned Rorem. $33-$72. tcphil.org/ events/mendelssohn-4-rorem-concerto ---------------------------------SIMPLE GIFTS: SACRED & STAGE: (See Sat., Nov. 14, except today’s time is 3pm.)
ney that blends Atavistic Animism with a pure discovery in the moment & from different helping hands BUY ONE, GIVE ONE SOCK CAMPAIGN: angles. Runs through March 28, 2027. Open East Jordan sock company, Socks Kick, teams up with Project Feed the Kids in TC for a Buy One, Give One sock campaign. For $10, customers get a pair of high-quality wool socks in a mystery color & design. For every pair purchased, Socks Kick donates another pair to Project Feed the Kids. Purchase at website: sockskick.com/products/givingsocks-buy-1-donate-1.
ongoing INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays,
10am-2pm, The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato corridor, TC. More than 30 vendors offer a variety of items from farm fresh eggs, meats & cheeses, to fruits, veggies, homemade breads & more. thevillagetc.com/events/ indoor-farmers-market-nov-1-39yj4-zhnwz ---------------------------------PETOSKEY BUDDHIST BOOK STUDY SANGHA: Tuesdays, 10am-noon through Dec. 8. First Presbyterian Church, Petoskey. Meditate, read together a current Buddhistfocused book, meet with Zen teacher. For more info contact: juliafogarty.jf@gmail.com or skiprenker@gmail.com.
art THE LONG MOMENT: POLAROIDS & SO-
LARGRAPHS BY RACHEL WINSLOW: Leelanau Twp. Library, Northport. Rachel uses analog processes (light sensitive film & paper, vintage & pinhole cameras, etc.) to create atmospheric images of otherworldly proportions. Her exhibition, “The Long Moment,” brings together a selection of Polaroids & Solargraphs that portray life’s colors & tones at the crossroads between the imagined & real. The exhibition runs through Feb. 15. Closed on Sundays. See web site for hours. Free. leelanautownshiplibrary.org/ team-1 ---------------------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - 2026 HOLIDAY BAZAAR: Held in Bonfield & Gilbert galleries. A showcase of original art available for purchase. Knits, jewelry, pottery, ceramics, notecards, prints, ornaments & more. Runs Nov. 13 - Dec. 17. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/holiday-bazaar-2026.html ---------------------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - MERRY MARKETPLACE 2026: HOLIDAY GIFT SHOP: Shop hundreds of unique handIndependent made gifts & works of Senior art fromLiving artists all over the state. Runs231-995-9385 Nov. 13 - Dec. 12. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhiAssisted Living bitions/events/?page=1&location=traversecity#class-list 231-932-9757 - INSIDE CROOKED TREE II: Held in gallerTRS DIAL 7-1-1 ies. Take a peek inside Crooked Tree, with an exhibition that celebrates the talented artists Scenic & creatives 3850 who make upRidge the Crooked Tree Arts Center community. artwork by TraverseFeaturing City staff from both Crooked Tree locations, www.villageatbayridge.com along with instructors & volunteers. Runs through Nov. 7. See web site for hours. crookedtree. org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/insidecrooked-tree-ii.html ---------------------------------DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - DARRYL BROWN: “BUBBLES OF LOVE”: A dreamscape of both primitive & modern juxtaposed color & a whimsical jour-
THE NEXT CHAPTER FEELS LIKE HOME
22 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed Mondays & major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/ art/upcoming-exhibitions - DRAWING TO MOTION: CONTEMPORARY INUIT ART FROM THE DENNOS MUSEUM: From spiritual & physical transformations to modes of transportation & scenes of daily life, this exhibition provides an intimate view into the hand-drawn & animated-byhand world of Inuit artists from the late 20th & early 21st centuries. Runs through May 30, 2027. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed Mondays & major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions - MATERIAL WORLD: TEN WOMEN: An invitational exhibition organized by the Muskegon Museum of Art, featuring women artists working with non-traditional materials or using traditional materials in non-traditional ways. Many of the works use found objects common to the everyday household, or bring elements from nature into inside spaces. Runs through Jan. 3, 2027. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on Mondays & major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/ art/upcoming-exhibitions - “FULL CIRCLE: WASTE PLASTIC TRANSFORMATIONS”: TC raised artist Simon Anton returns to the area with a body of sculpture & design objects built over the last 12 years at his Detroit Studio for his solo exhibit. Anton uses plastic sourced from Detroit neighborhoods, factory waste & the automotive industry. Runs through Aug. 8, 2027. Dennos Museum Center is open Tues. through Sun., 11am4pm; closed Mondays. dennosmuseum. org/art/upcoming-exhibitions - REFLECTIONS ON COMMUNITY: 75 YEARS OF STUDENT VOICES: This exhibition celebrates NMC’s 75th Anniversary by exploring the college’s history through the eyes of those who experienced it firsthand – students. Runs through Jan. 3. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-on-view/75-years-studentvoices.html ---------------------------------GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER: - “AT LEAST A DOZEN FRIENDS”: Held in Lobby Gallery. Margo Burian is known as a painter of quiet, atmospheric landscapes, waterscapes, farmsteads, & rowboats hitched to old docks. Over the years she has been developing a body of work based on collage, image transfer, & mixed media. Her exhibit runs through Dec. 17. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org/product/exhibitat-least-a-dozen-friends - SMALL WORKS HOLIDAY EXHIBIT: An annual showcase of 2D + 3D work, $150 or less, running Nov. 5 - Dec. 17. Featuring more than 100 works of art, 12 x 12 or smaller, by 25 artists working in glass, mixed media, collage, needlework, paper, paint, clay, & photography. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org ---------------------------------OLIVER ART CENTER: - ALL MEDIA JURIED EXHIBITION: Runs through Nov. 13. This exhibition showcases the best work of regional artists in all media. Open Tues.-Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon4pm. oliverart.org - WINTER MARKET: Held in Fisher Room, Nov. 6 - Dec. 24. Featuring a collection of handmade gift items from a wide range of Michigan-based artists. Hours: Tues.-Sat.: 10am-4pm; Sun.: noon-4pm; closed Mon. oliverart.org
Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.
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Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 23
lOGY
NOV 09 - NOV 15 BY ROB BREZSNY
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran poet Ocean Vuong describes
tenderness as a courageous force rather than a sentimental one. Please try out this idea. Imagine the ways that gentle devotion and creative affection mobilize your most interesting strengths. Explore how your ability to express nourishing kindness empowers you to spawn wonders and marvels. Remember that water, yielding and supple, can reshape mountains and carve canyons. Your tenderness, too, may have the patient power to transform what seems fixed and unyielding.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): During my first show as a lead singer for a rock band, age 19, I was absurdly anxious about hitting every note perfectly. Afterward, a friend critiqued my performance, saying I seemed locked up inside my own head. The next time I took the stage, I sang looser, sloppier, and wilder. I focused on connecting with the audience and allowing their enthusiasm to feed my energy. Much better! My technical execution was less than perfect, but I was far more engaging and entertaining. I dare you to apply this lesson to your own life in the coming weeks.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I advocate giving people the resources they need when they're experiencing scarcity or deficiency. I also believe that exceptional ability deserves encouragement and support to thrive and ripen. That balance offers a useful way to think about your life right now. You’ve devoted plenty of attention to the parts of yourself that need help, while giving too little care to the parts that shine. To restore the balance, I suggest you seek out tools, teachers, and adventures that will challenge and nurture your talents. A gift that comes naturally isn't a finished achievement. With practice, it can become even more extraordinary.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Some of our
most powerful medicines come from feared venoms. A compound from the deadly cone snail became a painkiller stronger than morphine. Venoms from vipers and lizards have yielded drugs that treat blood clots and diabetes. The very chemistry that evolved to harm, once understood and transformed, becomes the chemistry that heals. This is your native alchemy, Scorpio. You grasp, as few others do, that the dangerous and the toxic can be transmuted into potent medicine when wrangled with courage and skill. But wait! Stop! None of this will be relevant for you in the coming weeks. Some of your best medicines will be sweet, agreeable, pleasant, and filled with light. I invite you to expand beyond your usual attitude and approach.
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian novelist Jane Austen wielded her drollery with aplomb. In a letter to her sister, she wrote, "I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal." Over two centuries later, I still find that joke funny. Jane was a wickedly independent spirit who refused to sugarcoat the raw truth or perform affection she didn’t feel. Let’s make her your guardian spirit for the coming weeks, Sagittarius. I hope she’ll inspire you to leaven your honesty with humor and liberate yourself from the need for people’s approval. Can you be blunt and genuine with wit and grace? I think you can. Feel no obligation to like or praise what hasn't earned it.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Who
are your favorite wild women? One of mine is Capricorn magician Patti Smith, whose untamed creativity has inspired me for years. At the root of her output as a musician and writer is her disciplined devotion: decades of patient, faithful labor at her craft, never chasing trends, simply doing the deep work year after year. She has been experimental and diligent; iconoclastic and tireless; one-of-akind and collaborative. I salute her contributions to my life and encourage you to be inspired by her skillful weaving of hard work and soulful expression.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarius-
born inventor Thomas Edison treated failure as useful information. He tinkered with thousands of materials as he sought a workable lightbulb filament. After each dud, he insisted he hadn't misfired but had just found another way that didn't work. Eventually, his numerous failures
cleared his path to creating the lightbulb. In the coming weeks, I propose that you make him your role model, Aquarius. Your inventive, future-facing mind will be at its best when it treats setbacks not as verdicts but as data, clues pointing toward the solution. The breakthrough you're in quest of will come just past the last dead end.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): The painter
Henri Matisse said he wanted his art to provide "a soothing, calming influence on the mind." Yet his work shimmered with bold color and daring composition. Joyful vitality spilled out of his creations. For him, serenity wasn’t bland. I'd love for you to incorporate his attitude and approach in the coming weeks. There will be no need to choose between excitement and peace. You can attract experiences that are simultaneously stimulating and harmonious. My advice: Expect and pursue intriguing adventures that leave your nervous system feeling nourished.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): There is an old
way of making fire: Strike a sharp edge of flint in a hard, glancing blow against steel. The flint shears off small particles of metal. Heated by the blow and exposed to air, they oxidize so swiftly that they burn as sparks. The fire is born from the fierce meeting of two hard things. This is a fitting emblem for you, Aries. Your fire often comes alive through bold contact, like a decisive strike or a willingness to meet resistance headon rather than avoiding it. In the coming weeks, seek out, enjoy, and use the friction that ignites you. Find worthy flints and make sparks. Some fires can only be lit by impact.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A ship's
anchor doesn't work by weight alone. Some of its holding power comes from how its blades dig into the seabed. A heavy anchor sitting on smooth rock is useless; a lighter anchor that catches in mud or sand can hold a massive vessel against storms. So the anchor’s value resides as much in its grip as its mass. Regard this as a useful metaphor, Taurus. Don’t try to hold yourself in place through sheer gravity, with accumulated possessions and commitments piling up like ballast. You need to hook yourself into a strong foundation.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Editors of
dictionaries continually add new words while retiring obsolete definitions. Language remains vital and wild because it adapts to shifting realities. In that spirit, I invite you to eagerly edit the words you speak and the concepts you use to interpret your experience. Maybe you’ve attached labels to yourself that have become outdated. For example, you're "multifaceted," not "scattered." One of your relationships isn't so much "complicated" as "intricate" and "evolving." A feeling you call "confusion" might be more accurately named "curiosity." Fresh vocabulary may unlock intriguing and catalytic possibilities.
CANCER
(June 21-July 22): When a Pakistani student named Malala Yousafzai was 11, she became a passionate advocate for female education. Girls had been banned by the Taliban from attending school in her native district. Her tireless work in this righteous cause angered conservatives, and at 15, she was shot in the head by a would-be assassin. Yet she survived and prevailed, redoubled her efforts, and at age 17, she became the youngest person to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, she has continued her quest to aid girls and women, and extended her activism to assist refugees and immigrants. Can you guess her astrological sign? Cancer, of course. Who nurtures and protects so fiercely? Who fights tenderly for people in need to be safe and free? Now is an excellent time to decide how you can be inspired by Malala.
24 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly
“Jonesin” Crosswords "Bigger Than Before"--it's huge! by Matt Jones
ACROSS 1. Cosette in "Les MisÈrables," for one 5. "Two guys walk into ___ ..." 9. Second U.S. President 14. As well 15. Nintendo character's debatable full name (according to the 1993 live-action film) 17. Scottish band with a 1983 "In a ..." hit, but much bigger? 19. Marsupial that can eat leaves poisonous to other animals 20. Stately trees 21. South China, e.g. 22. Go very slowly 25. No, in Novosibirsk 27. Pixies song "Here Comes Your ___" 29. Intention 31. "Sun ___ Set" (2026 Beabadoobee single) 34. 7-Eleven drinks, but much bigger? 40. Needle part 41. Noodle or duck, e.g. 42. "A Christmas Carol" outburst 43. Nick Kroll animated series, but much bigger? 46. Oversaw 47. Lyricist Gershwin 48. Text messaging letters 49. 400-meter path shape 53. "Devil Inside" band 55. Health retreat 58. Bunches 60. Rent 64. Powerful slugger, but much bigger? 68. Option from a barista 69. Tomato used in sauces 70. Salsa ___ 71. "Heads up" abbr. 72. "Lucky Jim" author Kingsley DOWN 1. "Crack is ___" 2. Potato, in Indian restaurants 3. ___ Nublar ("Jurassic Park" location) 4. "No ___!" ("Really!")
5. Morning times 6. Barnyard sound 7. Folk singer Guthrie 8. Puerto ___ 9. Be entertaining 10. "Bizarro" cartoonist Piraro 11. Subject of some grants 12. Bog down 13. Bean curd source 16. "They're altogether ___ / The Addams Family" 18. ___ Salvador 23. Paddle boat? 24. Stumble across 26. Wed. follower 27. Bestower of keys to the city 28. Rock tour venue 30. Prefix for millionaire 32. Photo storage device? 33. Quick quarrels 34. Rock 35. Public radio producer behind "Marketplace," for short 36. Space Invaders company 37. "Memento" director Christopher 38. Lifter's locale 39. "Quiet, you!" 44. Card game with a Championship Series in fall 2026 45. Slightly less expensive alternative to Beluga caviar 50. "Hacks" main character Deborah 51. Deciding force behind what gets promoted on social media, for short 52. Bathtub sponge 54. Super Bowl held in 2007 55. Sarah Snook's "Succession" role 56. Eggplant shade 57. U.S.A. part 59. Small grass patch 61. Small piece of silver, say 62. Game before the final 63. Taylor Swift tour 65. Inexplicable 66. Ready follower? 67. Egg producer
Grand Traverse & Kalkaska CHATEAU GRAND TRAVERSE, TC 4-6: 11/7 -- DJ Marco 11/14 -- The Fridays KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC 11/6-7 -- Peril, 9:30 Mon. -- DJ Trivia, 7-9 Tues. -- The Will Harris Trio, 8-12 Weds. -- The Pocket Band, 8-12 Thurs. -- DJ Leo, 9:30-1:30 11/13 -- Scarkazm, 9:30 11/14 -- The Timebombs, 9:30 KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING 11/10 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9 11/12 -- Trivia Night w/ Marcus, 6:30-9 LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM: 11/9 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9 LIL BO BAR & RESTAURANT, TC 8: 11/10 -- Trivia Night 11/15 -- Karaoke MARI VINEYARDS, TC 11/13 -- Garrison Wilson, 4-6 MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC 11/11 -- Trivia Night w/ Speed Quizzing Host Steveo, 7-9 11/12 -- Open Mic Hosted by Joe Domanick, 7-9 11/13 -- Hot Flat Pop, 6-9
NOCTURNAL BLOOM BREWING, TC 6-8: 11/9 -- Live Celtic Music 11/12 -- Beer Trivia 11/13 -- Nik Carman & Patrick Niemisto NORTH BAR, TC 7-10: 11/7 -- The NVRNDRZ 11/11 -- Jim Hawley 11/12 -- Tiki Thurs. w/ DJ Magic Ben 11/13 -- Rolling Dirty Duo OLD MISSION DISTILLING, SEVEN HILLS, TC 11/7 -- Jesse Jefferson, 6:309:30 11/8 -- SuperPosition, 4:306:30 11/13 -- Gemini Moon, 7-9 11/14 -- Wink Solo, 7-9 RIGHT BRAIN BREWERY, TC 8: 11/7 -- Kamikaze Comedy: Jay Hunter 11/14 -- Comedians Sam Rager & Skippy Rose; Hosted by Jeremy West THE ALLUVION, TC 11/9 -- Funky Uncle + DJ Ras Marco, 7 11/12 -- The Jeff Haas Trio feat. Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive, 5:30-8 11/13 -- Tariq Gardner's Evening Star + SkyeLea: SOLD OUT, 6:30-8:30 11/14 -- The Fabulous Horndogs, 7-9:30
THE HAYLOFT INN, TC 7:30-11: 11/7 -- Split Decision 11/13 -- Empire Highway 11/14 -- Little Dipper
nitelife
NOV 07- NOV 17 edited by jamie kauffold
Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com
THE PARLOR 7-10: 11/7 -- Hannah Rose Graves & Friends 11/10 -- Jesse Jefferson 11/11 -- Rob Coonrod 11/12 -- Drew Hale THE PUB, TC 11/7 -- DJ Producer AJ, 10 11/9 -- Karaoke, 8 11/11 -- Zeke Clemons, 7-10 11/13 -- DJ Vai, 10 THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 11/7 -- Blinker Fluid, 7-9 11/8 -- The Disruption x Poetry Open Mic, 1-3pm; Full Tilt Comedy Presents: Comedy Lab, 6-8 11/9 -- USS Comedy: Open Mic, 8-9:30 11/10 -- Open Mic w/ Zak Bunce, 6-10 11/11 -- Jazz Jam w/ Ron Getz, 6-9 11/12 -- DJ Trivia, 7-9 11/13 -- Sandbox Ramblers, 7 11/14 -- Fresh Fossils, 6:309:30 TURTLE CREEK CASINO, WILLIAMSBURG WATERFALL, 6-10: 11/6-7 – Avalon 11/13-14 – Sophia McIntosh & The Sages
TC’s Jimmy Olson draws from classical, jazz, funk, hip hop, dance pop, rock & roll and much more at Snowbelt Brewing Co., Gaylord, Fri., Nov. 13 from 6-9pm.
Leelanau & Benzie Emmet & Cheboygan BOB'S PLACE, ALANSON 11/11 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9 11/12 -- Trivia, 6:30
INDIAN RIVER GOLF CLUB BIRDIES: 11/7 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9
BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY 2-6: 11/7 -- Derek Boik 11/14 -- Nelson Olstrom
NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY 7-10: 11/7 -- Todd Aldrich 11/13 -- Holly Keller 11/14 -- Will Springsteen
BRANDY'S HARBORTOWN, BAY HARBOR 5-8: 11/7 -- Nelson Olstrom 11/13 -- Will Springsteen 11/14 -- Nick Visconti CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 11/10 -- Trivia Night, 7-9 11/13 -- Karaoke, 9:30
NORTHERN LIGHTS RECREATION, HARBOR SPRINGS 5:30: 11/10 -- Trivia Night Hosted by Masterminds Trivia 11/13 -- Nelson Olstrom ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY OVATION HALL:
Antrim & Charlevoix MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY 8-11: 11/11 -- Karaoke Night 11/13 -- Sean Bielby
SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE 11/11 -- Open Mic Night, 6-8; The Fresh Pints of Bellaire, 8-9 11/12 -- DJ Trivia, 6-8
11/14 -- FireHouse wsg Steelheart, 7:30-9:30 VICTORIES, 9: 11/7 -- DJ ODZ 11/13 -- DJ T-Bone 11/14 -- DJ Jawdy THE LARK LOUNGE, CHEBOYGAN 5:30-7:30: 11/12 -- Ty Parkin 11/13 -- Amanda Jane Music THE LARK THEATER, CHEBOYGAN 11/7 -- Magic Bus Unplugged: SOLD OUT, 6 & 7:30 11/14 -- A Tribute to Adele feat. Kalysta & The Band: 6 & 7:30; 7:30 Show SOLD OUT
BIGLITTLE WINES, SUTTONS BAY 11/7 -- Randy Reszka, 2:305:30 11/15 -- Trivia Night, 3:30-5 FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR 11/13 -- Dennis Palmer, 4 IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 5:30-7:30: 11/7 -- Blair Miller 11/13 -- Chris Smith 11/14 -- Derek P. Boik
LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 11/7 -- Johnathon North, 3-6; Wink Solo, 6:30-9:30 11/11 -- Open Mic Night Hosted by Johnathon North, 6:30-9:30 11/12 -- Trivia Night, 7-9 11/13 -- What's Up Chuck, 6:30-9:30 11/14 -- Jim Crockett Band, 3-6; Andy Six, 6:30-9:30 LEGENDS AND SPIRITS BAR & GRILL, BEULAH 11/13 -- Karaoke, 10
NORTHERN LATITUDES DISTILLERY, LAKE LEELANAU 11/13 -- Rhett & John, 4:456:45 ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 11/7 -- John Piatek, 5-8 11/12 -- Open Mic Night, 5-9 11/14 -- Brian Curran, 5-8 STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT 11/11 -- Trivia Night, 7
Otsego, Crawford & Central ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD 11/13 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9
SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD 6-9: 11/10 -- Karaoke Night
11/13 -- Jimmy Olson
Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee BOWRIGHT WHISKEY, LAKE CITY TASTING ROOM: 11/7 -- Logan Moore, 7-9 11/12 -- Open Acoustic Jam Session, 6-9 11/13 -- Broken Tip Jar, 7-9
NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA 7: 11/7 -- Tali Snowden 11/13 -- Chief Jam-Open Mic Hosted by Andy McQuillen 11/14 -- Luke Woltanski
THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/ PRIMOS, CADILLAC 11/11 -- Trivia & Music Bingo, 6-9
Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 25
NORTHERN EXPRESS
CL AS SIF IED S WILD GAME WEEK AT GILCHRIST FARM WINERY: Join us for a special week celebrating wild & wonderful flavors. Enjoy chef curated features spotlighting wild boar,elk, venison,duck & wild-caught walleye. Nov 11-14; 4-8 pm ___________________________________
NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE IS HIRING We are seeking a Testing & Data Specialist to lead our testing center operations, manage proctors, and analyze student success data. Associate degree required. Full-time with full benefits, starting at $23.58 per hour. NMC is EOE nmc.edu/ non-discrimination
BUYING OLD WOODEN DUCK and FISH SPEARING DECOYS: BUYING OLD WOODEN DUCK and FISH SPEARING DECOYS, call,text 248 877 0210 ___________________________________
easy. accessible. all online.
SEARCHING: Well balanced 70'sYY male w/no baggage seeks attractive & fit 60-72YY woman to share life's adventures with. Send photo & response to travlman67@gmail.com and be ready to have fun. ___________________________________ SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248
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JANUARY 2026 • VOLUME 30 • NUMBER 6 MARCH 2026 • VOLUME 30 • NUMBER 8
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The people behind the brands explain why the region’s creative industry is suddenly surging.
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Blake Vidor, Vidor Masonry
Megan H., Gaylord
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truly responsive.
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Taylor Moore of Food Rescue and his peers set their annual wish lists
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Nonprofits Face Critical Giving Season
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Mike Annelin Enthusiastic & Experienced
231-499-4249 | 231-929-7900
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$475,000 | MLS 1949890 SOLD IN PAST 40 DAYS
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210 Cinnamon Lane
RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | VACANT LAND
MIKEANNELIN.COM
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Northern Express Weekly • november 09, 2026 • 27
Fresh cuts at the counter. WELCOME TO DELI FLOWER. B U I L D Y O U R O U N C E . P AY Y O U R P R I C E .
NOW AVAILABLE IRON MOUNTAIN | JACKSON TRAVERSE CITY-MUNSON | SAGINAW | ANN ARBOR
FOR USE BY INDIVIDUALS 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER ONLY. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. IT IS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MARIHUANA. NATIONAL POISON CONTROL CENTER 1-800-222-1222.
28 • november 09, 2026 • Northern Express Weekly