Off The Water - February 25 - March 2, 2016

FREE

Autos to art

A whole new world

Tattoo artist talks business............. p.3

Week of Feb. 25 - Mar. 2, 2016

Youth perform ‘Aladdin Jr.’............ p.6

Off The Water | The place to be entertained.

Volume 8, Number 8

Film & Vino Dablon Winery blends entertainment

www.offthewater.com

Page 2 • Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016

Off The Water, Michiana

CUISINE SCENE

Dablon Winery blending arthouse films with vino

B

By M.D. Cunningham

ARODA, Mich. — Bill Schopf was on a bike ride several years ago when he fell in love with a hilly swath of wine country in Baroda, Michigan.

Schopf, who owns Music Box Films and the theatre that shares its name, an internationally recognized cinema in Chicago, initially thought that he would run a small-batch boutique winery for friends and family and to stock the Music Box Theatre, often described as a year-round film festival.

Schopf’s new venture grew quickly. In a few years, he acquired more acreage and last year a new production facility, along with an impressive and inviting tasting room.

Movie posters and a brightly colored chalk artwork that depict the eclectic architectural mélange of his legendary theatre immediately reveal the owner of Dablon Winery’s passion for film.

For the past month, and throughout March, Dablon’s tasting room will screen free films from the Music Box catalog for visitors to enjoy at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

“The community has been very supportive of our wines, tasting room and winery,” Schopf said. “We are excited to bring them fine film, not available in any other local venue, to enjoy with their favorite wines.

And we hope to make some new friends.”

Brent Caperton has become a regular customer at Dablon and recently attended a movie night. He said the experience was yet another example of a rising standard in Michigan wine.

“Dablon has raised the mark for area,” he said.

“They’re a lot more successful than they thought they’d be.”

Caperton said the evening was relaxing and that the movie surpassed his expectations.

Wine and film don’t immediately seem to be relevant partner businesses, but Schopf, who recently returned from a film festival in Berlin, indicated that both are centered on entertainment.

“Music Box Films travels the world to find the best foreign and independent films and bring them to North American audiences. Dablon Vineyards seeks out the world’s best grape growing and wine making practices and brings them to Michigan,” he said. “And there is significant overlap in the audiences. Both wine and film are about culture and telling a story.”

Laura Gelder, who manages the tasting room, said the response has been overwhelmingly positive, noting that

Submitted Photo Dablon’s open concept tasting room is being used to screen rare foreign and independent films from its sister company, Music Box Films, Wednesday nights through March. a recent attendee used the word “sublime” after the event.

“Last time we showed ‘Bride Flight,’ the sun was setting,” she said “We had all the lights down, and it was just the fireplace for lighting and it is a really neat, cozy atmosphere.”

Gelder said that as long as she can remember it has been Schopf’s intention to show films at Dablon.

“Here, we have the atmosphere to sit, relax and enjoy a glass, which is more something that people think about doing at a bar or restaurant,” Gelder said. “We’ve really made it a point for people to not do the tastings and leave, but to stay for a glass or share a bottle.”

A pair of large leather couches, ample seating and a fireplace affords wine lovers a comfortable setting amidst the vaulted open-concept space. On either side of

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the massive stone fireplace, which serves as the tasting room’s centerpiece, there is proof of the intentional vibe.

On the left side of the fireplace, there are card and board games. On the right, there is a small library with book titles on wine culture interspersed with stories of Hollywood icons like Alfred Hitchcock and Sophia Loren.

The late film critic Roger Ebert’s memoir, “Life Itself,” is on the shelf. In his last chapter, Ebert wrote “I believe that if at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do.”

Whether you stop by for wine or to view a movie, chances are you will leave a little happier after a visit to Dablon Winery.

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Off The Water, Michiana

Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016 • Page 3

ON DISPLAY

Eau Claire native shifts from autos to artistry

S

T. JOSEPH, Mich. — Charles Schmidt is busiest at tax time, but he’s not an accountant.

An entrepreneur with his own thriving three-employee business, The Parlor in St. Joseph, is a tattoo artist.

He has yet to have a customer request Donald Trump’s likeness, though he did ink an entire women’s book club, ages 55-72, with wrist ampersands a year and a half ago.

One of his employees marked Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito’s character on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia).

“I have an accountant,” said Schmidt, who earned his Associate of Applied Science degree Dec. 16, 2007, in automotive technology from Southwestern Michigan College while also studying art and graphic design.

His wife, Sara (Mills), is a product of SMC’s nursing program.

Schmidt, an Eau Claire native who lives in Niles, worked two years for Peterson European in Granger, Ind. “I was blessed, working on Porsches and Ferraris straight out of school,” he said. “I loved it. We worked on a 1968 GTE 2+2. But I also did art and graphic design with David Baker and Bill Rothwell and loved that. Bill helped me so much I don’t have to outsource logos, web design, business cards or T-shirts.”

When Schmidt showed his portfolio to a St. Joseph parlor owner “I was hired on the spot as an apprentice. It normally takes two to three years, but I was so adamant about getting it done, I did it in a year. At the end of that year I was running the business, so I started my own” in September 2012.

“I’ve always wanted to work for myself and I am extremely happy to own a business. On the other hand, you’re not only working for yourself and your family, you’re working to keep the shop open for your employees and making sure they have food on their tables. We are booked at least two months in advance yeararound. It spikes up at tax time and comes down a little” at the end of the

summer when people buy back-to-school supplies.

“Everything I took at SMC transferred and saved me a lot of money,” he said.

“Someone teaching another tattoo artist doesn’t want to have to build your art skills, they want you to have them

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already. After 10 pieces, he said, ‘Do you want to start tomorrow?’ I studied graphic design because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. At the time, you had to be in Seattle or Los Angeles. Now they have the technology to send big files.”

“Being a perfectionist in my field is

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the most perfect thing possible,” he said.

“You want to make a tattoo absolutely perfect the first time because you only get one chance at something special they’re going to have the rest of their lives.

“In 2012 we won a Celebration Cinema customer service award and finished second this year behind Bob Evans.

I want the shop to be family-friendly. I want people to come in with their kids.

We want our clients to turn into our friends for long-term relationships. All three of us see maybe eight people a day, where a coffee place may push out 400.

We sit with our clients and talk. We know how old your kids are, where they go to school, what your favorite food is, where you vacation. We do a lot of memorials and mourn with them. They come back, we ask how the kids are and about that trip to Italy. So many people just come by and say hi when they’re in the area,” since customers hail from Chicago, Wisconsin, Tennessee and New York.

“In the industry back in the day, you’d go to a wall and pick a drawing,” Schmidt said. “Now, it’s 100-percent custom” and costs $100 an hour. “We strive to give the client the best possible custom piece ever we’ll never use again. But it’s a process that takes time. When I first started, it was frustrating when someone asked me to change art I spent all night drawing. But when you get what they want and see their faces, it’s the best thing on the planet.”

Schmidt’s body is covered with so many tattoos he’s lost count.

As for why they’ve become ubiquitous and shed much of the stigma, “They’re so acceptable, the minority is someone without a tattoo. Everybody has a small tattoo somewhere, even if it’s their vacation in Key West. It’s just a way to express yourself, show people who you are and what you like. If they garden, they’ll get a bouquet of flowers,” he said.

“For some reason I’ve been doing a lot of wedding bouquets because they want to remember that the rest of their lives. Lots of dogs and cats and one camel.”

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Page 4 • Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016

Off The Water, Michiana

SPOTLIGHT

Sights and sounds ArtsBridge presents collage concert, exhibit

B

ENTON HARBOR, Mich. — ArtsBridge will present a Collage Concert and Exhibit at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at First Presbyterian Church, 475 Green Ave. on Morton Hill in Benton Harbor.

The program will feature I’m Saving Myself Academy Choir directed by Bonita Mitchell and music students from the Citadel Dance & Music Center directed by Susan Dietrich-

Reed. Photographs by Mark Kelly of the shoreline lifestyle will also be on exhibit and for sale.

“ArtsBridge is a vehicle of reconciliation and joy in a region that is often known for its divisions and brokenness. When people come together from various walks of life to celebrate and enjoy each other’s artistic talents and gifts, hope is born again,” said Rev. Laurie Hartzell.

Off The Water | The place to be entertained.

Produced and printed by Leader Publications 217 N. 4th Street, Niles, MI 49120 Off the Water is available throughout southwest Michigan and the greater South Bend, Indiana area.

Michael Caldwell Publisher (269) 687-7700 michael.caldwell@leaderpub.com

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Sales Donna Knight Classifieds (269) 687-7717 donna.knight@leaderpub.com

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Admission is free, but donations will be accepted.

A reception will follow the program. For more information, call (269) 9257075 visit the website FirstPresBH.org or find it on Facebook at First Presbyterian of Benton Harbor.

I’m Saving Myself Music & Entertainment Industry Academy became a non-profit 15 years ago under the direction of Bonita Mitchell. The mission is to give the youth in our community a platform through music and performing arts to express themselves in a positive way.

The I’m Saving Myself Academy Choir has existed for about 11 years and is led by Mitchell and now two assistants, Jimmyella Toney and Iris Bowman.

This choir performs regularly in the community and at special events in Michigan and Minnesota. One notable event was singing for Governor Jennifer Granholm’s Inaugural Celebration in 2007. Other recent local performances include the Martin Luther King Day program at Lake Michigan College, the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Dwight Mitchell Park, and the 9/11 Resiliency Plaza dedication.

Choir members range from 4 years of age to adults. Family members are encouraged to be a part of the program if they are interested. Visit imsavingmyself.org for more information.

The Citadel Music Program originally started in 1998 as part of the Arts & Education Program at

the Salvation Army Corp Community Center in Benton Harbor. In 2008, the music program affiliated with The Citadel became The Citadel Dance & Music Center. The Citadel’s mission is to develop the skills and character of individuals of every age and ethnicity through dance and music education, and performance.

Susan Dietrich-Reed, director of music, facilitates 30 professional instructors, who provide comprehensive instrumental and vocal private lesson instruction year round for 250 students ages 5 through adult. Kindermusik, Music Therapy, Ensemble Coaching and

Summer Strings are also offered. The Citadel offers scholarships for those otherwise not able to study. In addition, comprehensive dance instruction and community outreach programs including an Instrument Petting Zoo are available.

Visit citadeldmc.org for more information.

Mark Kelly has been a commercial and advertising photographer since graduating in 1979 from the University of Notre Dame with an MFA in photography.

Mark has managed to keep one foot in the commercial world and the other in photographic education at the community college

level. He has worked as a staff photographer in a commercial studio, a corporate photographer for a large manufacturer of RVs, boats, truck fleets and custom kitchens and as a freelance photographer running his own business.

He has worked three years as a full-time instructor in a commercial photo program at the associate degree level led to six years as a division chair at Ivy Tech, overseeing a visual communications program that included photography, graphic design, video production and multimedia design. When photography went digital, Mark went with it, leading to a second career in academic technology.

Currently, Mark is the director of the teaching and Learning Center at Lake Michigan College, where he helps faculty use technology in the classroom and manage Canvas, the learning management system used by the college.

Mark Kelly’s photographs are said to “evoke a sense of place and celebrate the coastal lifestyle.”

“Through the use of digital manipulation, I hope to convey my personal visual interpretation of a subject rather than to simply create a photojournalistic record of it,” Kelly said. “I also enjoy subverting the edges of a photographic image by using effects, which blur the line between the paper and the image and by employing panoramic formats. They are essentially decorative and that’s okay with me.”

Off The Water, Michiana

TOURIST FOR A DAY

Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016 • Page 5

Discover the local destinations right in your own backyard

Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald

Michigan Maritime Museum hosts book lecture and signing

S

OUTH HAVEN, Mich. — The Michigan Maritime Museum will host Chris Winters and Bruce Lynn, authors of “The Legend Lives On: SS Edmund Fitzgerald” for a lecture and book signing on their new book. The lecture will be held on the Museum campus starting at 6:30 p.m. March 10.

Chris Winters, official photographer for Milwaukee’s Discovery World and owner of Running Light Press, and Bruce Lynn, executive director of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum (Whitefish Point, Michigan), just completed a book that presents a unique look at the ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald. The 729 foot Fitzgerald, once the largest ship on the Great Lakes, disappeared in a devastating storm on Lake Superior on Nov. 10, 1975.

The stalwart vessel sank so quickly that the crew had no time to send a distress signal, nor did any of the crew survive the wreck. A year later, Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot wrote “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which brought international attention to the lost ship and crew.

Work on this new publication progressed throughout 2015, the 40th anniversary of the Fitzgerald’s loss, and the official book release took place at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in midDecember 2015. The new book reflects a unique visual history of the ship and her crew and brings to light many of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum’s rare Fitzgerald photographic collection. “ “In many cases, the images in this book were donated to the museum throughout the years and really have not been seen by the general public,” Lynn said.

The book, a 272 page full-color publication, illustrates everything from the ship’s launch at River Rouge in 1958, to underwater imagery from the various expeditions that sought to better understand the massive vessel’s sinking. Interviews with individuals connected with the ship provide a unique insight to the vessel and events surrounding her loss.

A strong emphasis of the book is the Fitzgerald during her working, and record setting years as the flagship of the Columbia Transportation Division of the Olglebay Norton Company. In addition, particular attention is respectfully paid to the ship’s crew through the years and those that perished with the ship.

All proceeds from the book’s sales benefit ongoing operations at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and historic preservation of the Whitefish Point Light-station.

Admission is $8 for adults and $7 for seniors. There is no admission fee for Museum members. Light refreshments will be provided.

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Off The Water | The place to be entertained.

Page 6 • Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016

Off The Water, Michiana

FOCUS

‘A Whole New World’

Michiana youth to perform ‘Aladdin Jr.’ S OUTH BEND, Ind. — The South Bend Civic invites everyone on a magic carpet ride next month as more than 45 actors in two casts present Disney’s “Aladdin Jr.” During the weekends of March 11-13 and March 18-20, audiences can join young actors on the streets of Agrabah while being treated to familiar favorite songs like, “A Whole New World,” “Friends Like Me” and “Arabian Nights.” All shows will be performed in the Wilson Theatre.

Characters from the popular 1990s movie — Aladdin, Jasmine, Iago, Jafar, the Genie and more — will be brought to life

by Michiana Youth who have been preparing for the musical adventure of magic and mayhem for several weeks under the direction of Josh Napierkowski.

The Kids4Kids productions engage casts comprised only of

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TICKET PRICING Adults $25 each Children $10 each

students from grade school through high school, and encourage young artists to participate in the arts while learning about singing, dancing and acting through the rehearsal and production process.

Those interested in learning more about the South Bend Civic Theatre’s educational programs should contact Carys Kresny, education director, at craysk@sbct.org.

Shows will be performed at 7:30 p.m. both Fridays and Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Tickets can be reserved any time online at SBCT.org, or by calling the box office at (574) 234-1112. Adult tickets are $25 each. Children will be admitted for $10 each.

Director: Josh Napierkowski

Music director: Clare Costello Choreographer: Quinton McMutuary Stage manager: Drake Shrader Assistant stage managers: Michael Porter, AJ Ridenour Scenic designer: Jacee Rohlck Costume designer: Amber Klinker Assistant costume designers: Kirsten Campbell, Beth Moran Lighting designers: Brandon Waggy, Matt Davidson Projection designer: Matt Davidson Props designer: Teri Szynski

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Off The Water, Michiana

Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016 • Page 7

Abu cast

Iago Cast

Emma Kopec — Iago Madison Kopec — Aladdin Kristen York-Houck — Chorus Mya Nuber — Chorus Owen Glassman — Sultan Grace Adams — Chorus Olivia Marentette — Chorus Greta Neubauer — Chorus Blake Allison — Genie Braden Allison — Jafar Roan Stanifer — Chorus Gabriella Remenih — Chorus Brayden Lynam — Carpet Claire Holston — Chorus Grace Zerbel — Chorus Kevin Liddell — Chorus Jarynn Sampson — Jasmine Madison Jackson — Dance captain/chorus Avery Minor — Chorus Nathan Flesh — Narrator/Abu Charlie Barron — Captain of the Guards Finegan Elliott — Chorus Mimi Panzica — Chorus Brodie Budzinski — Chorus Kya Wallin — Chorus

Noah Johnson — Aladdin Carly Scopel — Abu/Narrator Samantha Grocock — Chorus Kara Foldesi — Chorus Cali Katzenberger — Chorus Sulton Williams — Jafar Jalen Tobar — Genie Gabrielle Sheets — Chorus AJ Johnson — Chorus Sara Walding — Chorus Andrew Lester — Sultan Maggie Conway — Narrator/Abu Lucy Barron — Jasmine Jackie Watterson — Chorus Mary-Kate Aberegg — Chorus Alyssa Kubiak — Chorus Nick Matthys — Carpet Justin Rachal — Chorus Erin Joines — Dance Captain/Chorus Dominick King — Iago Sarah Allen — Chorus Cristian Marquez — Chorus Robert Senior — Chorus Riley Oehlweun — Chorus

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Page 8 • Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016

Off The Water, Michiana

Singing the blues In honor of a musician who shaped my life

T

he night was New Years Eve. Every COLUMNIST patron at the Woodfire Trattoria was dressed in their finest clothing, gathered together with friends, and celebrating the festive nature of the evening.

Dinner was long finished and forgotten and, as was the habit in those days, the tables closest to the stage were pushed aside to create an improvised dance floor.

Joyce Walker and the Justin Flagel Outcast Blues Band had been warming up the house with their solid blues performance, easing the crowd in by starting with slower songs and progressively increasing the tempo with each new one.

Eventually, the energy built and spilled across the entire room and the evening became a blur of dancing, singing and clapping along to the band. Riding the raucous wave, guitarist Killer Ray Allison stepped into the crowd from the stage, playing his wireless guitar on a journey that stretched across the restaurant. We had seen this particular move before, but this was the first time one of the dancers took it upon themselves to follow him in a conga line. Soon, the entire dance floor was winding toward the front of the Woodfire, picking up patrons from their tables as they passed.

The restaurant full of party goers streamed in a dancing line, following their guitar-playing leader through the front door into the streets of Dowagiac and its freshly

fallen snow.

In the near-decade that has passed, I have never found a witness to who threw the first snowball. The culprit was unimportant, however, as the members of the disintegrating conga line quickly attacked whomever was nearest. Imagine most of the patrons of the fine-dining restaurant, dressed in their best clothing, having an epic snowball fight in the street.

Of course, those were the kind of parties that happened in the blues days of the Woodfire and, most especially, on the nights when the Outcast Blues Band took the stage.

I have been reminiscing about those evenings in light of the news of the recent passing of Frank Walker. His Outcast Blues Band and the Woodfire are an important part of my personal growth. It was on the first evening I watched them play at the restaurant in Dowagiac that I found the courage to dance and carouse in front of other people without concern for their opinions of me. It was on the nights they played that I, along with my companions, would learn to lead the crowd, pulling other patrons from their comfortable seats to join us on the dance floor.

The habit of pushing the tables aside to create that space soon became a duty, with the owner of the establishment at the time nodding to us when the moment was right to compel the crowd to end their meals and start the fun.

Frank Walker played music for more than 40 years, spending the last part of his career sharing fronting duties of the band with his wife, Joyce. I remember sitting with them around their kitchen table in South Haven, hearing of Frank’s realization that his wife could sing the blues after decades of her acting as a quiet companion of the band.

Frank was born in Mississippi and spent much of his life in Chicago. He would start playing music casually, but

found his way into professional gigs in 1968, going on to play with the likes of Jody Williams, JoJo Murray, and “just about anyone and everyone” in the Chicago blues scene. He would meet Joyce while she was visiting her aunt in Chicago. Joyce once told me the tale of how she first saw him taking care of his car at his mother’s house across the street.

“Woohoo, I had to meet him,” she said.

The couple dated for four years, marrying in 1977. The difficulties of raising their daughter in the city would lead them to Michigan, an area Frank was familiar with thanks to hunting trips with friends. According to Joyce, they were seeking a life that was “quiet and peaceful” and found it in Michigan.

“We were kinda messing around with music,” Joyce said.

They would create their first album playing in the garage of their first home in Covert. With both Frank and Joyce having family and professional ties to major names in the blues world, they would become something of a legend themselves, playing in venues around the region. The Woodfire, according to what Frank once told me, was his favorite venue.

I owe much to Frank Walker and the performances of his band at the Woodfire. He gave me my first taste of the blues and performed the soundtrack to some of the most important moments of my life. Cheers to him and his memory.

Justin Flagel is the founder of the web magazine and podcast Anywhere the Needle Drops, where he and others showcase their interest in music, pop culture, creativity and life. Follow their work at anywheretheneedledrops.com. Feedback can be directed to contact@anywheretheneedledrops.com.

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Off The Water, Michiana

Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016 • Page 9

Celebrate the sea Musician, photographer featured at South Bend Symphony Orchestra event

S

T. JOSEPH, Mich.

— Michiana residents will soon have an opportunity to be swept away on a musical journey guided by renowned multiinstrumentalist and composer John Mock.

This unique event will feature original music inspired by the coasts of the Atlantic, from his native New England to Ireland and Scotland. His casual storytelling will invite the audience on a coastal journey, weaving tales of lighthouses, castles and a seafaring heritage.

Mock will perform his instrumental compositions on solo guitar, concertina, mandolin and tin whistle.

This multi-media concert will be specially enhanced for the occasion with new music and photographs by Laura Kraklau honoring the restoration efforts for the St. Joseph Lighthouse.

From Sea to Shore will take place at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 19, at St. Joseph High School Performing Arts Center in St. Joseph.

“Multi-instrumentalist, composer, photographer and all-around “Renaissance Man,” John Mock never fails to beguile,” said Music Director, Robin Fountain.

“Especially when immersed in his favorite tales of sea and shore.”

The concert will feature traditional and original instrumental compositions performed by Mock on guitar, concertina, mandolin and tin whistle.

About the musician John Mock is an artist and the ocean and its coasts are his muse. From his native New England to the shores of Ireland and Scotland, John captures in music and story the heritage of the sea. Whether appearing solo or with a symphony orchestra, John shares this heritage through his captivating concert presentations which include both traditional and original instrumental compositions performed on guitar, concertina, mandolin and tin whistle. Audiences are charmed not only by John’s music, but also by his narration and storytelling, which bring to life the characters and places upon which the music is based.

INDIVIDUAL TICKET PRICING Applies to all Mainstage Series concerts Zone A: Adults $37; Seniors $32; Students $5 Zone B: Adults $20; Seniors $20; Students $5

FAMILY 4PACK Four tickets — good on any Mainstage concert Includes: 2 Adults / 2 children (additional children tickets $5 each) Zone A: $60 Zone B: $40

Museum in Staten Island, New York and throughout southwestern Michigan. A variety of Michigan companies and organizations also have used her photography in print and online publications. Laura recently published a book exploring the many faces of the St. Joseph lighthouses. In View 366: A Year-long Visual Story of the St. Joseph Lighthouses, Laura combines writing and dynamic imagery to share

her odyssey of chronicling a year-in-the-life of southwestern Michigan’s most beloved icons through 366 consecutive daily photos.

About the Book View 366: A Year-long Visual Story of the St. Joseph Lighthouses Take a journey through a year-in-the-life of the St. Joseph, Michigan, lighthouses– a story told through 366 consecutive daily photos taken between

Aug. 26, 2011, and Aug. 25, 2012. All images were captured during the leap year by just one photographer, Laura Kraklau, who is a lifelong resident of the region. The photos in this 229-page book, which depict the lighthouses from a wide variety of angles and locations, are a glimpse into the activity that continually swirls around the steadiness of the lighthouses. From the changing seasons and unpredictable moods of Lake Michigan, to how residents, visitors, and wildlife spend their time under the watchful eye of the structures, this is a one-of-a-kind photographic collection that captures the beauty and subtleties of the setting.

Beautiful Fabrics!

Widely sought after as a composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, John has worked with such notable artists as the Dixie Chicks, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Nanci Griffith, Maura O’Connell, Sylvia, Kathy Mattea and Mark O’Connor. John’s credits as composer and featured soloist include performances with the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, the Nexus Chamber Orchestra, the Nashville Philharmonic, the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra and the National Orchestra of Ireland. He has also worked extensively across the country as a solo performer.

About the author and photographer Laura Kraklau is a marketing and communications professional who has been telling the stories of organizations and the people connected to them for nearly 20 years. While writing has always been a natural fit, it was the gift of a vintage Eastman Kodak Brownie camera a young Laura received from her grandmother that sparked an interest in exploring the world through photography. Over time, that interest has grown into a passion for sharing stories through the lens. Laura’s works have been included in exhibitions as at the National Lighthouse

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Page 10 • Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016

Announcements 095 INTERESTED?

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Full time, 2nd and 3rd shift positions available. $9.00/hour.

Benefits offered. To apply and see full job details, go online to www.dmburr.com.

You can also fax your resume to 810-233-9098 attention: Heather Baldwin Do you possess a Class-A CDL? Do you want to be home on the weekends?

At dimensionall, we are an expanding specialized hauling company and “We are up to BIG things.” Our fleet is 2012 or newer. In 2015, drivers at dimensionall averaged pay of 46-52 cents per mile and averaged $57,000 annually.

If you are looking for an excellent company to driver for, contact us ASAP! To take part in BIG things contact Lance at (231)937-6772 or Lance@

dimensionalltrans.com The Edward Lowe Foundation is seeking a

CARETAKER

This position entails the exceptional care of our facilities and grounds. This is a strenuous and physically demanding position and requires the ability to work in all weather conditions. Additionally, you will be required to operate gaspowered equipment.

Qualified applicants can complete an application at the Edward Lowe Foundation, 58220 Decatur Road, Cassopolis, MI 49031.

If you have additional questions, contact us at 269-445-4250

Welding Training, mig & Tig for Aluminum Be Job-Ready in 8 Weeks!

Industrial level skills training with AWS Certification Classes begin March 28th, 2016 Funding possible through MIWorks, must register by March 21st, 2016

WTEC, Inc. in the Fab Masters Company facility, Marcellus, MI www.aluminum-welding-school.com Classes are forming now.

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269-646-5315

Off The Water, Michiana

10 Classified

DRIVERS WANTED

Michiana Recycling & Disposal

is looking for residential drivers with a CDL A or B, good attendance and work ethic, ability to read maps & attention to safety. Benefits include BCBS Health, Dental & Life Insurance, uniforms, paid holidays and vacations, safety bonus and overtime pay. Our route drivers average over $54,000 per year, work less than 50 hours per week, and are home every night!

Apply on line at MichianaRecyclingCareers.com

Kenneth Smith, Inc. Truck Drivers Pulling Dump Trailers Wanted

DRIVERS NEEDED:

Class A CDL and Dump trailer exp. preferred. Tristate area, Home nights and weekends, Fuel Savings Sharing Program, Safety Bonus, Health Benefits.

Apply in person 2596 Detroit Road (M-60) in Niles, MI or call 269-684-5960 to request application www.kennethsmithinc.com

or at our office at 33541 Reum Rd, Niles, MI

NOW HIRING

Fab Masters Co. Inc. has an opening for a

CNC Machine Set-Up MIT #6457315 Apply at www.mitalent.org

HIRING

Helping people and their pets is a fulfilling & challenging career. We have a dedicated staff that is great to work with. Dowagiac Animal Hospital is accepting applications for a an Assistant position. Experience helpful but not required.

Send resume & cover letter to Dowagiac Animal Hospital, 54791 M-51 North, Dowagiac, MI 49047

JOBS FOR YOU!

Immediate Openings!

Full Time and Permanent Positions in Southwest MI! Pay $8.50-$15.00 per hour!

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LEGAL ASSISTANT / SECRETARY

Full or Part Time Position Full or part time position opening for variety of office clerical duties in legal environment.

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Pride in one’s work and accurate attention to detail.

To apply send resume and references to: StateLineLaw@aol.com

Offices in 3 locations: •Elkhart office 2525 W. Lexington Ave. Elkhart, In 46514 (574)293-5900 •Goshen Office 65529 State Road 15s Goshen, IN 46526 (574)534-4407 • Middlebury Office 424 N Main St. Ste. 1a Middlebury, IN 46540 (574)358-3500 www.forgestaff.com

POSTLE EXTRUSION HIRING DRIVER

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TODAY!!

Wednesday, FEBRUARY 24th 4pm-7pm

JOB FAIR!

ON-SITE JOB FAIR WITH OPEN INTERVIEWS AT ICM PRODUCTS

805 Wolfe Ave, Cassopolis, MI 49031 Meet with a Staffing Consultant, and have a complete interview with the managers of ICM Products directly for permanent positions! Will pay for experience!! Candidates with mixing and chemical batching as well as forklift, material handling, shipping and receiving experience are needed! Express and ICM offer medical, dental, and vision benefits! Also holiday pay, vacation pay, and 401K! Applicants must be able to pass a drug screen. (269)408-1980

Instruction & Training

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EDWARDSBURG MANOR 69138 Gateway St. Edwardsburg, MI 49112 (269) 663-8261 MI TDD 7-1-1 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments $430 1-Bedroom $445 2-Bedroom Households are 62 years of age or older; Disabled regardless of Age. Rent Based on Income Barrier Free Units Available Security Deposit Required “This institution is an equal opportunity Provider and employer"

For Rent

418

Vandalia

3 BEDROOM

2 bath, remodeled double wide mobile home (269)476-9398 or (269)506-8615

Houses for Sale 500 3 BEDROOM FIXER UPPER on a double lot in Union Pier just feet from LAKE MICHIGAN. $450k Call Mike Stover (269) 470-2995

Postle Extrusion, in Cassopolis, is seeking a local Firearm Instruction FOR SALE driver with a Class A CDL liConcealed Pistol License ON THE RIVER cense. The position is reAt: Edwardsburg sponsible for loading trucks Conservation Club and delivering materials.

Next class: Feb. 27 Postle offers a competitive Contact Paul: compensation and benefits 269-462-2584 or package.

Kelly: 269-783-6570 Send resume to pdkfirearms.com hr@postledistributors.com or apply in person at: Apartments 412 Postle Extrusion Great view of the Cassopolis 201 N. Edwards St. St. Joe River.

Cassopolis, MI 49031 STONE LAKE MANOR 4 Bedrooms, 2 baths.

Senior Apartments.

2 Mary Cooper months free on select units.

Cressy & Everett Real Estate “I have had home Spacious, two bedroom 574-298-2737 rentals for 15 years located on beautiful Stone Lake, Intercom entry HOUSE FOR SALE and this was the building, elevator, emerFIXER UPPER first time I received gency pull cords. Seniors 62 610 Cass Street, Niles, MI. years or older. Rent starts at such a large $631.00 (based on income). (574)274-7301 response. I had 39 Please call Toni at 269-445MOTIVATED SELLER! 3333 or stop by today at Niles city. Co-op/Condo, 2 calls!”

145 Stone Lake St. for more bdrm, full bsmt. Hardwood -Albert information. Equal Housing floors & home warranty.

Opportunity. TDD 1-800- Reduced to $45,900 649-3777 American PreRE/MAX Modern Realty, ferred 1-800-968-1792 269-683-2211 Edwardsburg

2 BEDROOM APT

217 N. 4th St Niles, MI 269.683.2101 www.leaderpub.com

with out washer/dryer hookup $150/week, plus $200 Deposit. Tenant pays electric (electric heat).

Water, trash and sewage included with rent. No Dogs.

(269)845-7182 OR (269)414-0385

Collectibles 602 THE MARKET PLACE Indoor Flea Market

We've expanded the store!

More than 2,000 feet of new booth space available. We buy estates and single items. (269)262-4333

2428 S. 11th St., Niles

Off The Water, Michiana

Auctions ************

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Every Fri. at 5:00p.m. Now taking clean big & small consignment.

Drop off merchandise Sat-Thurs Daily 10-5. Pick-up available.

Someone here at all times.

We auction all winter. Space available at Flea Market.

For more details call David (574)522-1020 #AU01042788

tile work, kitchens, bathPersonal Property Estates, rooms, decks & porches, Antiques, Furniture, Ap- windows & doors, window pliances, Garage, Barn. wrapping, siding, fascia & soffit. Call Randy (269)782(269)445-2220 3139 (269)208-9838 M-60 Variety - Cassopolis

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Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016 • Page 11

Auto Upholstery

923

Classifieds Get Results

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Repairs, Remodeling, Windows, Siding, Additions, Painting, Plumbing & More.

Certified mobile home work.

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Quality Garage Doors Sales, service & installation of garage doors & openers.

Call owner Steve Baxter for your free estimate today.

applianCeS

(269)683-9000

BILL’S USED APPLIANCES

TAX TIME IS HERE! Don’t Miss The Deals!

Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Sat. 10am-3pm • Closed Sunday 1420 S. 11th Street-Niles

( 269) 340-5952

Pole Barns & Garages

By Nieboer

Pole Barns, Garages. Quality Built. Licensed & Insured.

Ross Nieboer.

(269) 684-6673

COnCreTe

DeprOW COnCreTe Concrete, bricks, blocks, stonework, stamping.

Any type of tear out & replace. Basement repairs, landscaping, bobcat work.

No job too small. 35 years experience. Insured.

Jerry 269-352-4010

Brady Concrete

Specializing in flat work of all types, seawalls, stamped concrete, pole barn floors & Bobcat service.

Free estimates.

Fast, dependable service.

269-445-3349 or 269-591-0100

elDerly Care

General repair

MR. MAINTENANCE FREE ESTIMATES

Roofing, Siding & Windows, Light Hauling & Spring Clean-Ups, No Inside or Outside job too big or small.

Low affordable rates.

(269) 591-1403

Home Improvement & Maintenance

Credit Cards aCCepted

269.635.1527

williamsconstructco@gmail.com

MK CONSTRUCTION Pole barn & other garages specialist. Roofing Siding, Framing and more. Over 40 years experience. Licensed.

Contact Michael N. Knepple

(269) 476-9777

MAURER QUALITY CARPENTRY Complete home improvement. Kitchens, bathrooms, decks, windows, doors, etc.

(269)683-8677

•Guaranteed Credit Approval• If You Have A Job, You're Approved!

Stock# 1251 28k! Nice low mileage No credit checks & ZERO % interest!!!

Only $650.00 Down $275.00 Monthly!

Call Scarlett's!

269-461-4197

Chevy 2011 Traverse LTZ Heated leather, dual moonroofs, 3rd row INTERIORS seating...etc., black.

Auto, Marine & Commercial $12,990 Upholstery. Simple repair or Pontiac 2007 G-6 full restoration.

4-DR, very nice in & out.

(574)904-3317 $5,991 Ford 2012 Fusion SEI Autos for Sale 945 Heated black leather, 2012 HYUNDAI moonroof, voice activated navigation, many more ELANTRA options. $12,990 (Light Blue) Toyota 2006 Camry LE Wow! 37k Florida car, very clean, Low Down Payments!! runs/drives excellent. $325.00 Monthly! $7,990 Bring in this ad and receive Chrysler 2006 $50.00 off down payment!

Town & Country No Credit checks 0% Interest Very nice, 66,500 miles, Call Scarlett's plaSTerinG $6,490 or stop in and see us!

KING’S PLASTERING, Dodge 2006 Grand (269)461-4197 Caravan SXT 2013 HYUNDAI PAINTING & DRYWALL Low miles, power sliders, 3 coat work and cove & thin ELANTRA power lift gate, full stow-ncoat. Company based in Niles Stock#1247 go, power package, $6,990 area. 42 years experience.

Classifieds arethat!!! the Highest Read Section!

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ServiceS & SaleS anTenna ServiCe

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Auto. Service927 Repair 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

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FOR SALE

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Have an event you want people to know about?

Let us help you spread the word!

Submit your event to our calendar by emailing details (location, date & time, cost of event, a brief description) to news@leaderpub.com or by visiting leaderpub.com/submit-an-event and filling out a quick form.

Leader Publications • 217 N. 4th Street, Niles, MI • 269-683-2101

Page 12 • Week of February 25 - March 2, 2016

Feb. 26 Get The Led Out, the “American Led Zeppelin”, will be performing at the Lerner Theatre (410 S. Main St.) in Elkhart, Ind., at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 26, 2016 as part of its nationwide tour. Tickets are available at the Lerner Theatre Box Office, online at thelerner. com, or by phone at 574-293-4469 / 800294-8223.

The Twin City Players (TCP) will host auditions for its next mainstage production of the 2015-2016 season next month.

Auditions for the May production of Next to Normal, music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics

by Brian Yorkey, and directed by Paul Mow, will begin at 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 26 and at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28.

i

From 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 26, the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center will celebrate its sports exhibit, Night at the Museum: Get in the Game with food, games and costumed reenactors.

Admission is $15 for adults in advance, $20 at the door.

Museum members receive a $5 discount off adult admissions.

Children ages 6 to 18 will be admitted for free and children under 5.

Feb. 27 The Sixth Generation band will be hosting a release party for their new album “Feelin’ Good” from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 27, at Tabor Hill Winery in Buchanan. The public is welcome to celebrate the release of this album that is being acclaimed across the world.

March 10

The South Bend Symphony will close its 2015-16 June H. Edwards Chamber Series with “20th Century Masters,” featuring works of Hindemith, Copland, and other impactful composers on Sunday, Mar. 10, at 2:30 p.m. at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

March 12 The legacy of the beloved Mister Rogers lives on with the hit television series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood from The Fred Rogers Company and airing daily on PBS KIDS. Now, Daniel and all of his friends are hopping aboard Trolley to delight live audiences with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live! coming to The Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College for two big performances at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Saturday, March 12.

Tickets for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood LIVE! at The Mendel Center Mainstage start at $20 and are available at www.

T h e M e n d e l C e n t e r. com, and through The Mendel Center Box Office at (269) 9271221, weekdays 2 to 6 p.m. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more. For information about group rates, pre-show party options, and other special arrangements contact the Box Office.

A South Bend Parents without Partners dance will be offered from 7 to 11 p.m. March 12 at ZB Falcon’s Hall, at 323 S. Sheridan (at the corner of Western and Sheridan) in South Bend. Admission is $9.

A DJ will play music.

For more information, call (574) 259-6381.

March 16

i

Dr. Carolyn (Carrie) Whittier, Assistant Dean of Students at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, will be the speaker at

Off The Water, Michiana

WHAT'S HAPPENING? the March 16 general meeting of the Berrien County Republican Women’s Club. She will be speaking on “Current Trends in Higher Education”.

Carrie holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education from V i r g i n i a Commonwealth University along with multiple other degrees.

The meeting will be held at Pebblewood Restaurant in Bridgman and will begin at noon. The buffet luncheon is $15, payable at the door.

Please RSVP to 4221839 by March 11.

The public is invited to attend.

March 19 Michiana Humane Society’s 18th annual Spring Fling will be Saturday, March 19, at Long Beach Country Club, located at 2309 Larchmont Ave., in Long Beach, Indiana.

Cocktails and hors d’oevres begin at 5 p.m. central time, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a live auction at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets, call (219) 872-4499, or buy them online at michianahumanesociet.org.

One of the best loved and most recognized operas is coming to The Mendel Center Mainstage when the Comic Opera Guild presents Rosinni’s Barber of Seville in a new English performing version with live orchestra Saturday, March 19, 2016, at 8 p.m.

Tickets for The Comic Opera Guild’s presentation of The Barber of Seville at The Mendel Center Mainstage start at $30 and are available at.TheMendelCenter. com, and through The Mendel Center Box Office at (269) 9271221, weekdays 2 to 6 p.m. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more.

For information about group rates, pre-show party options, and other special arrangements contact the Box Office.

March 22 A Drum Festival will be offered Tuesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. A collaboration of students, instructors, and community artists will present a lively performance. Guest percussionists include Eric Oliphant and Randy Ripley, among others.

Music department instructors include Marc Churchill, Jim Cooper, and John Owens. Student performers will be announced at a later date.

March 26 A concert by rock icons ZZ Top will be offered Four Winds New Buffalo’s Silver Creek Event Center on Saturday, March 26, 2016, at 9 p.m. Hotel and dinner packages will also be available on the night of the concert. Tickets can be purchased beginning on Friday, Dec. 18 at 11 a.m. Eastern exclusively through the Ticketmaster Web site, w w w. t i c k e t m a s t e r. com, or by calling (800)745-3000. Ticket prices for the concert start at $55 plus applicable fees. The show will begin at 7 p.m.

Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park in downtown Benton Harbor and will be open to the public.

April 9 A South Bend Parents without Partners dance will be offered from 7 to 11 p.m. April 9 at ZB Falcon’s Hall, at 323 S. Sheridan (at the corner of Western and Sheridan) in South Bend. Admission is $9.

A DJ will play music.

For more information, call (574) 259-6381.

April 28 New Covenant Productions will present chart-topping contemporary Christian rock band Mercy Me live in concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at The Lerner Theatre in Elkhart, Indiana (410 South Main Street) along with special guests Citizen Way

and Zealand Worship.

Tickets are on sale Friday, Feb. 12 at 10 a.m. at the Lerner Theatre box office, online at thelerner.com, or by phone at 574-2934469 / 800-294-8223.

May 21 The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians’ Four Winds Casinos will host a concert by BOSTON at Four Winds New Buffalo’s Silver Creek Event Center on Saturday, May 21, at 9 p.m. Hotel and dinner packages are available for the night of the concert. Tickets can be purchased beginning on Friday, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. Eastern exclusively through the Ticketmaster website, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling (800)7453000. Ticket prices for the concert start at $95 plus applicable fees.

May 24-29 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and BET Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, The O’Jays, are coming to Benton Harbor, Michigan, for a free concert presented by Whirlpool Corporation during the week of the Senior PGA Championship presented

by KitchenAid, May 24-29 at Harbor Shores.

May 27 The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians’ Four Winds Casinos will host a concert by The Jacksons at Four Winds New Buffalo’s Silver Creek Event Center on Friday, May 27, at 9 p.m. The concert will celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Jackson 5 and include original members Tito Jackson, Jackie Jackson, and Marlon Jackson. Hotel and dinner packages are available for the night of the concert.

Tickets can be purchased beginning on Friday, February 19 at 11 a.m. Eastern exclusively through the Ticketmaster website, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling (800)7453000. Ticket prices for the concert start at $45 plus applicable fees.

LEGEND

Alcohol

Art

Business

Movies

Community

Theatre

Crafts

Music

Religious

Food

i

Information

Tourist

Nature

Holiday

Parting Shots

Family

$

$

Submit calendar events by email at offthewater@leaderpub.com or visit the Leader Publications office at 217 N. Fourth Street, Niles.

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Shopping

Sports

June 25

Southwest Michigan’s premier Lakeside Garden Walk is back!

The walk will again feature eight unique gardens that represent Harbor Country. Within short driving distances of each other (1 to 6 miles), participants will experience a range of delightful settings: lake views, cozy cottages, strolling meadows, working vegetable gardens, inviting patios, water features, and more just waiting for you to discover. For tickets and additional information visit www. thelakesideassociation.com or call 773343-1680. Sponsored by The Lakeside Association of Harbor Country’s Lakeside, Michigan. All proceeds go to the Scholarship Fund benefiting high school seniors in the River Valley School District.