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Interlochen students join two Grammy-winning groups to tackle music few can manage page 13
NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • march 26 - april 01, 2018 • Vol. 28 No. 13
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2 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
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Act and Vote Against Guns Once again we’re besieged with commentary from all levels of government concerning the most recent gun massacre in the United States. From the president on down comes the barrage of solutions concerning mental health, enforcement, and school protection. While these are all worthy subjects, it is necessary to once again state that these issues also exist in other countries where gun violence is almost nonexistent. In other words, the problem has already been successfully addressed elsewhere. The overwhelming issue that remains is the existence of millions of guns in our society. This issue can be effectively addressed by our legislators, but the public must be as persistent and vocal as the high school students in Florida. The time is now to demand action on this issue. Call and write your representatives today … and vote. George Robson, Petoskey
The Joker America was once so great, respected, envied, and admired around the world. No longer. Conservatives are in control from the township to the United States Supreme Court, and things have never been in such disarray. The group in Washington is a joke, and a bad one at that. From someone in a position one day — “Oh, he’s a great guy and will do a wonderful job” — to “I fired him because he didn’t kiss up to me as he should have.” Maybe they should release El Chapo, since he was so good at organizing. Donald Trump seems to have a terrible time doing that. Of course, Don would probably make him the head of drug enforcement like he made anti-public school Betsy DeVos head of education. Great. Pick someone the opposite of what you need. The country is woefully in debt, so what better time to waste a billion or so on a ridiculous wall between our country and a neighbor? Another brilliant idea from a numbskull. Are we going to continue to let these crazy people take us down? We need to do something to get them out of there. The really amazing part is that, even with all the controversy and craziness in this administration, some people are still actually on their side, supporting a leader with a fifth-grade mentality. I love watching him making a fool of himself on TV every day, confirming my opinion. Carl Neer, Interlochen Beware the Foreign Agenda Creep on Local Zoning What would you do if you were living under foreign laws in our country? If you live in one of the 11 townships in Wexford County that belong to the Wexford Joint Planning Commission, you are living under laws designed by foreign governments. Let me explain. In the early 1990s, the United Nations had a conference in Rio de Janeiro, and out
of this conference came Agenda 21. The goal of Agenda 21 is the redistribution of wealth from rich nations to poorer ones. The United States did not sign on to support this agenda. The United Nations then formed another group, the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. This new group was set up to get local cities and townships to bring Agenda 21 — now called Agenda 2030 — to the United States. In Michigan, the East Lansing is a member. The group’s goal, the redistribution of wealth, is being instituted by reducing the productivity of Americas work force through regulation. While reading Agenda 2030, I found certain words and phrases are also used in local zoning rules. Some examples: new economy, complete streets, local control and sustainability. Michigan State University Extension looks to be the go-between for local planning and zoning and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. When MSUE helped set up the Wexford Joint Planning Commission, they made it very easy to join and very difficult to quit; they knew that when citizens found out zoning was aligning with a group trying to redistribute our wealth to foreign countries, those citizens would quit. Foreign laws that take our money, jobs, and property rights are not welcome in Michigan. We have lost many manufacturing jobs already because of regulation. Local zoning has joined with foreign interests to destroy property rights, jobs, and our way of life. We must end planning and zoning now!
CONTENTS features Crime and Rescue Map......................................7
Union Vote Coming to NCMC............................10 There’s No “I” in Team...................................12 Minimalist Music at Interlochen......................13 Baseball Fanatics........................................14 Making Civic Engagement...Civil? ....................15 Northern Seen...................................................16
dates...............................................17-19 music FourScore......................................................20 Nightlife.........................................................23
columns & stuff Top Ten...........................................................4
Spectator/Stephen Tuttle....................................6 Opinion.............................................................8 Weird...............................................................9 Modern Rock/Kristi Kates................................21 The Reel...........................................................22 Advice Goddess...........................................24 Crossword...................................................24 Freewill Astrology.........................................25 Michael Mix, Manton Classifieds..................................................26
Brewing for Climate’s Sake It was exciting to read about some new and not-so-new players in the northern Michigan craft brew scene (March 12 Northern Express). Along with wine, cider, and spirits, this flourishing sector is creating jobs and keeping and attracting young talent and entrepreneurs. It also provides a boost for local agriculture, the arts, and much more. These establishments en masse are becoming destinations for people who want to experience all that Michigan offers — stunning natural beauty accompanied by delicious, healthy local food and drink. With this growth comes responsibility. Your article made little mention of sustainability practices among the businesses, such as Brewery Terra Firma’s revolutionary zero waste brewing operation. So thanks for the much deserved props given to Rick Schmitt and Brian Confer of Stormcloud Brewing Compamy in Frankfort for making solar power part of their new production and tasting facility. I know there must be other breweries who realize that reducing their carbon footprint isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also good for their bottom line. Myself, I plan to quaff more than one pint this summer while watching Stormcloud’s solar array soak up that beautiful Michigan sunshine. As consumers, we can all do our part by finding and supporting businesses that are good environmental stewards. On St. Patrick’s Day or any day, the best beer is “green”. Suz McLaughlin, Frankfort
Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase 129 E Front Traverse City, MI Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Katy McCain, Mike Bright, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Matt Ritter, Randy Sills, Kathy Twardowski, Austin Lowe Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Contributing Editor: Kristi Kates Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Ross Boissoneau, Rob Brezsny, Janice Binkert Jennifer Hodges, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Meg Weichman Copyright 2018, 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.
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 3
this week’s
top ten Effort to Halt Camp Seagull Falls Short A last-ditch legal attempt to halt a road and boat launch at Hayes Township’s Camp Seagull fell short, paving the way for construction to commence this spring. At a March 21 court hearing, Charlevoix County Circuit Court Judge Roy Hayes III rejected a request for an injunction to stop the controversial project. The request came from a lawsuit filed by township resident Paul Zardus, who lives next to the Lake Charlevoix park. Zardus and his attorney argued that he would be harmed by the tree cutting that’s necessary for road construction, and he alleged flaws in the process township officials used to approve the project. The park has divided the tranquil township on the north shore of Lake Charlevoix and has pitted neighbor against neighbor. Park supporters believe that development plans will offer access to recreation for all residents. Opponents believe the boat launch that is in the works is too large and will require cutting too many trees on the 20-acre property. The dispute was profiled in the March 19 edition of Northern Express, available online at northernexpress.com.
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pianist fred hersch
Jazz pianist and composer Fred Hersch has earned countless awards and accolades including ten Grammy nominations, and was named a 2016 Doris Duke Artist and the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2016 Jazz Pianist of the Year. He performs at Milliken Auditorium, Dennos Museum Center, in Traverse City at 7:30pm, March 26. Tickets, $32. tickets.interlochen.org
4
Hey, watch it! Nailed It!
A treat of a twist on baking shows, Nailed It! is Pinterest Fail and Cake Wrecks meets The Great British Bake Off. Three amateur — and I do mean amateur — bakers try their hands at recreating detailed baking masterpieces for a $10,000 prize. Host Nicole Byer keeps the laughs coming and the proceedings breezy, while master chocolatier Jacques Torres (remember when he had a store on Front Street?) and a rotating guest judge offer their insights and assistance. When time runs out, no one comes anywhere close to the sample, and you’ll love them all the more for their hilarious failures. The judges are not afraid to playfully tell the contestants their work sucked because we’re not just laughing at their epic disasters in the kitchen, we’re laughing with them. It’s a sweet celebration of hobbyists and doing something because you enjoy it, not because you’re great at it. Streaming on Netflix.
5 2 tastemakers
Maxbauer’s Jerky
Love jerky? Well, you’re not alone. Recent statistics show it’s more popular than ever. People today want an on-the-go snack that is portable (no refrigeration required), tasty, protein-rich, and nutritious, and jerky fits the bill. Maxbauer Specialty Meat Market, a fixture in Traverse City’s Old Town since 1913, was making it long before it became trendy. Products from its on-site smokehouse are perennial customer favorites, including its impressive repertoire of jerky: beef jerky in three varieties (legendary, corned beef, and Delmonico) as well as chicken, turkey, and bacon jerkies and snack sticks. “We have several varieties at any one time,” says Sean Torres, Maxbauer’s resident jerky expert, “and we’re always trying new flavors.” Jalapeño chicken jerky is made from boneless, skinless chicken thighs to retain moisture. Pork bellies are dry-cured and rubbed by hand, cured for 45 days, then low-temp smoked to make bacon jerky. “The maple bacon flavor is like meat candy,” said Torres. A little sign in the deli case by the jerky says, simply, “This stuff is delicious.” Want proof? Ask for a sample. But you probably won’t even have to, because the butchers will inevitably offer you one. Prices vary. Maxbauer Specialty Meat Market, 407 South Union St., Traverse City. (231) 947-7698. maxbauers.com
4 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
raising spirits. That’s a number you can toast to.
That ’s the Power of Michigan Co-ops.™
6
Grayling’s Arauco Plant Rises from the Woods
After a year of construction, Arauco — a sustainable forest-product manufacturer — has transformed the 640-acre site it purchased outside of Grayling into a vast modern industrial complex. Construction began in April 2017, and over a half-million man hours had been put into the project as of February. The roof of the main building, an 820,000-square-foot factory, was completed earlier this year. The particleboard plant is on schedule to open this fall, said Leslei Schworm, Arauco media marketing manager. Schworm said the company has hired 50 employees and plans to hire 150 more. Once up and running, the plant will manufacture decorative wood panel products used in home interiors and furniture across North America.
things we love Worry Eaters Boyne City’s Inspired Living shop is greeting spring with some stuffed buddies ready to gobble up whatever’s on a wee one’s mind. Monsters in the closet? Problems on the playground? Another frightening week of winter temps in late March? (We get it, kid.) A variety of cute and colorful Worry Eaters, like Saggo here, are standing by. They’ll eat any anxiety — spelled out on paper and stuffed in their mouths — away. Simply feed and cuddle often. Find a variety of sizes and styles for $14–$20 at 119 Water St. (231) 582-2663, www.baliinspiredliving.com
Filipino Food at Aerie For all Up North’s natural beauty and charm, its fabulous culinary scene’s ratio of steak and potatoes to ethnic foods is known to irk its urban transplants. Aerie at Grand Travese Resort and Spa aims to offset the imbalance a bit on Saturday, April 14, with a dinner devoted to — and prepared by — Filipino members of its staff. (In years past, the restaurant has honored its Jamaican staff with a similar and always sold-out dinner; this will be its first Filipino event.) The chefs — Michelle Montemayor, Alyssa Raymundo, and Vanity Regua — will prepare a custom three-course Filipino meal with the assistance of the Aerie culinary team. Based on the dishes the women make at home in the Philippines, the dishes — green mango salad; peanut-saucebraised ox tail with eggplant, bok choy, and long beans, seasoned with ancho powder and shrimp paste; banana and fresh jackfruit wrapped up in a thin crepe, drizzled with chocolate sauce, and dusted in powdered sugar among them — promise flavors that are sweet, spicy, and full of authentic Filipino ingredients. Bonus: The dinner’s triple-course meal rate is as rare for northern Michigan fine dining as its menu: just $35 per guest, with featured beverages also available. All ages welcome. Reservations a must. (231) 534-6800, www.aerierestaurant.com.
8 bottoms up Taproot’s “Liquid Gold”
231-
Officially, its name is Madagascar Vanilla Bean Bourbon Barrel Aged Cider. Quite a mouthful. That’s why, explains bartender Chris Lemanski of Taproot Cider House, “We just call it the Taproot.” However, fans of this high-octane (12 percent!) liquid gold still respectfully refer to it as the Madagascar. Made exclusively for Taproot by Kaleva’s Northern Natural Cider House and Winery using all locally sourced organic apples, it is by far the most popular hard cider at the “earth-to-table” bar and eatery. It’s not too sweet or too tart, and very food friendly. Says Lemanski: “One of my favorite pairings is our wood-fired pepperoni pizza and Madagascar.” And of course there are those flavors: vanilla, the first thing you notice on the nose, followed by a crisp, clean apple taste, followed by a hint of bourbon that becomes more pronounced as the cider warms up. “Together, those three elements make a wonderful medley,” says Lemanski. As a premium cider, the Madagascar is served in an elegant 10-ounce snifter and comes — literally — filled to the brim. $7.50. Taproot Cider House, 300 East Front St., Traverse City. (231) 943-2500 or taproottc@gmail.com
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 5
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by stephen tuttle You likely believe the primary purpose of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to, you know, protect the environment. These days you would be wrong.
He was and is an ardent foe of the Paris Climate Accords or any other climate rules since, as stated before, he’s not sure humans or greenhouse gas emitters are responsible.
Since it was first created in 1970 during the Nixon Administration, the EPA has been a wonkish outfit full of scientists doing science stuff. It is, by its very nature, often at odds with major industries because it regulates much of what they can and cannot do. It should be the enemy of polluters, and it was for 46 years, regardless of who lived in the White House or controlled Congress.
He has proposed something he calls the “speed cleanup� of Superfund pollution sites. Not to worry, though. He has appointed a former banker to head up that effort, a man banned from banking for life because he made illegal loans. That top-notch group hasn’t yet done anything.
That has all changed since Donald Trump became president and appointed Scott Pruitt as the EPA administrator.
Altogether, Pruitt has either relaxed, eliminated, or currently has under review a whopping 67 environmental rules and regulations. He has not yet explained how any of it was done in service to the environment. Pruitt, the former Oklahoma Attorney General, has apparently decided the EPA’s primary role is to unburden the industries it is supposed to regulate from the yoke of pesky rules.
what skewing results. Pruitt’s solution? He disbanded most of the advisory panels, realizing the last thing he needed was a bunch of scientific facts.
His anti-EPA crusade started when he was still in Oklahoma and sued the agency 14 times for what he considered overreaches. He won one of those cases — on a procedural issue. Now, as EPA administrator, he doesn’t need the courts; he can arbitrarily change regulations as he pleases. (Not laws, but rules and regulations promulgated by those laws.)
Altogether, Pruitt has either relaxed, eliminated, or currently has under review a whopping 67 environmental rules and regulations. He has not yet explained how any of it was done in service to the environment.
Let’s see ... he reduced restrictions on methane gas emissions from new oil and gas wells. Methane is an especially onerous greenhouse gas contributing to climate change but Pruitt doesn’t really believe in human-caused climate change, so that’s an irrelevant fact to him. He reduced restrictions on the construction of new coal-fired power plants and their toxic emissions. He told coal industry leaders “the war on coal is over.� Since coal is by far the worst air-polluting fossil fuel, that’s not such good news. He tried to reduce or eliminate restrictions on the use of chemical fertilizers in the agriculture industry. We know those fertilizers leach into groundwater and run off into our streams, rivers, and lakes. The algae blooms that occasionally show up in lakes are thought to be caused by these fertilizers, and they don’t do our groundwater any good, either. The courts have, at least temporarily, blocked his decision. He lifted a ban on the use of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide the EPA’s own scientists believe may cause neurodevelopmental problems in children. E. TENTH STREET | TRAVERSE CITY | . . | ORYANA.COOP
6 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
Pruitt has also banned any scientists who have accepted government grants in their work from serving on any of the EPA’s many advisory panels. That pretty much narrows the field to those working for the industries the EPA is supposed to be regulating, some-
He has placed the rules that restrict the emission of mercury and arsenic, both known poisons and carcinogens, “under review,� the step he usually takes before eliminating regulations.
He has met with the leaders of the chemical, oil, gas, coal, and agriculture communities but has avoided environmental groups altogether. None of this has much helped morale at the EPA, where 700 employees have now left, fully a quarter of them scientists. We all understand the urge of every new administration to try and attack a bloated federal bureaucracy. We know there is waste and duplication aplenty in most agencies and departments, and we’d welcome somebody actually doing something other than just talking about it. But systematically dismantling the rules that protect our environment from polluters for the benefit of those industries doing the polluting is not at all what we had in mind. Nor is ignoring the science on which those decisions should be based. Prior to the creation of the EPA, we relied on “the markets� and industry itself to protect our land, air, and water. Under the markets’ watch, 70 percent of our streams, rivers, and lakes were unsafe to drink, swim in, or eat fish from. Our air was a toxic mix of lungdisease-causing particulates and toxic gasses. We’ve come a long way since 1970, and most of us would not like to return to those days. Scott Pruitt, now in charge of protecting our environment, is one of the exceptions. His EPA has become Every Polluter’s Ally. Just not ours.
Crime & Rescue MAN FOUND IN RIVER Police identified a man found in the water at the mouth of the Boardman River. Herbert John Beaulieu, 45, of Suttons Bay, was identified as the deceased by a medical examiner at Western Michigan University through comparative radiography, Traverse City Police Capt. James Bussell said. The preliminary report found no internal or external trauma. Investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology tests to determine the cause of death. Beaulieu was spotted in the river by a dog walker near the Murchie Bridge at 8:10am March 20. Investigators found an empty liquor bottle on the ground nearby, but they weren’t sure whether that was connected to his death. Investigators believe Beaulieu drowned but aren’t sure how he got into the river. MOM PLEADS IN GIRL’S DEATH A woman who was previously convicted in the death of a child pled guilty in Emmet County to involuntary manslaughter in the death of another child. Lisa Rae Bryan is scheduled to be sentenced as a two-time habitual offender April 24 after her guilty plea was accepted March 20, Prosecuting Attorney James Linderman said in a press release. The 32-year-old was charged with seconddegree murder when she was arrested in January. Deputies had been investigating the death of Isabella Rae Powrozek, who was found unresponsive in the care of Bryan in November 2016 and taken to McLaren Northern Michigan hospital. Bryan was sentenced to four years in prison in Oklahoma for the death of a 2-month-old child in 2011. BAGPIPER ASSAULTED A member of a bagpipe band was getting ready to perform a concert on St. Patrick’s Day when he was attacked at a Traverse City bar. Clark Harner, drum major for Grand Traverse Pipes and Drums, said bagpiper Peter Deneen was sucker punched while the band was setting up for a concert at Union Street Station last Friday and was assaulted by one or two men. He said Deneen was knocked to the floor and repeatedly punched, suffering a concussion, a bloody nose, a swollen black eye, and an injured leg. The assault was broken up by bar staff, and the assailant and a companion were escorted to the alley where, after shouting at security, they left the scene. Harner said members of the band were not acquainted with the attackers. “The assault was not provoked in any way,” Harner said. Traverse City Police investigated the 4:10pm assault and tracked down the two alleged assailants. Although Deenan initially did not wish to see charges filed in the case, he later asked police to submit a report to prosecutors. HANDGUN AND HASH OIL SEIZED State police found hash oil and a 9mm handgun during a traffic stop in Cheboygan County. Troopers stopped a motorist for equipment violations at 4pm March 17 on Straits Highway, and as they approached they detected a cloud of marijuana smoke coming from the vehicle. The driver consented to a search, police said, and troopers seized the pistol and an ounce of marijuana oil.
by patrick sullivan psullivan@northernexpress.com
They also found one Suboxone pill on the driver, a 52-year-old Wolverine man. He was arrested for carrying an unregistered concealed weapon, possession of an analogue, and possession of marijuana. ALLEGED COUNTERFEITER CHARGED A Kalkaska parolee accused of trying to pass phony $50 bills faces counterfeiting charges. Christopher Wayne Martin faces three charges, filed March 19 in Grand Traverse County: possession of counterfeit bills, uttering and publishing, and being a three-time habitual offender. Martin attempted to use a $50 counterfeit bill at a 7-Eleven store in Traverse City on March 8. The clerk suspected it was a fake, according to the charges. When Martin was arrested in Kalkaska for a parole violation, police found $1,500 in phony bills in his car. Martin, 27, was on parole following a 2016 methamphetamine possession charge. HOLE PUNCHER ARRESTED A 26-year-old man who fought with his father on St. Patrick’s Day broke a window out of a parked car after he was kicked out of his house. Leelanau County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the Solon Township residence at 11:18pm to investigate the disturbance. They determined the man became intoxicated, got angry, punched a hole in a wallm and threatened to kill his father. The man attempted to strike his father but missed; the father was able to push his son out of the house. The son was jailed for domestic assault.
Maneke was arrested at the house, and Nicholson was arrested at his place of work. There were two other people at the home during the raid: Nicholson’s mother, who investigators determined was not involved in the drug case, and a 4-year-old child, whom officers turned over to the care of the mother while Child Protective Services looks into the case. MISSING TEEN FOUND SAFE A 15-year-old Cadillac girl reported missing by her family was tracked down on a bus in Macon, Georgia. The teen had been missing a day when her family called police March 15; Wexford County Sheriff’s deputies launched an intensive search. Leah Scanlon was tracked down March 17 after an investigation by the FBI and police throughout Michigan and Georgia.
“The Petoskey Department of Public Safety has been diligently working the case since its inception, and after obtaining additional information, became concerned about the validity of some of the complainant’s statements,” the department said in a statement. “Further investigation has revealed that the allegations against Odle were false.” A 33-year-old Petoskey man faces charges of filing a false police report and lying to a police officer.
STABBING CHARGES DISMISSED A man who claimed to have been stabbed by another man during a drug deal lied to police and prosecutors, who dismissed attempted murder charges that had been filed against the supposed attacker. Justin Odle, 28, was charged March 19 with attempted murder. The charge was dismissed March 22, and police and prosecutors said in a press release that they were seeking a charge against the man who reported to police that Odle had stabbed him.
emmet cheboygan
TWO ARRESTED ON METH CHARGES Police acted on a tip and secured a search warrant for a Cadillac home; their efforts led to the arrest of two people. Traverse Narcotics Team officers arrested 37-year-old Jeffrey Nicholson and 33-year-old Eva Maneke March 14 on charges that include conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine. Due to the location of their residence, they were charged with delivery of drugs in a school zone, which could add time to their sentences if they’re convicted.
charlevoix
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Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 7
SOMETHING SURPRISING opinion bY Mary Keyes Rogers Full disclosure: I have never touched a gun. I am terrified by guns. My only interaction with guns has been my emotional response to the aftermath of horrible events. My position has always been this: The fewer guns, the better. Honestly, have you read an opinion piece (in its entirety) and thought, “Wow, this really changed the way I think about [fillin-the-blank]”?
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I wanted to write about gun control. But what is left to be said? We each hold our own deeply entrenched beliefs, but I followed my consistent process: One, try to be unbiased. Two, research all sides of an issue, and three, look for the something surprising — a fact, a twist, a thread of ideas rearranged to a new result.
What had changed in our country to bring about this revolt? More surprises! It began 10 years earlier with the civil rights movement of the mid-’60s and, more specifically, the Black Panthers. In the midst of race riots in Detroit and Newark, New Jersey, and bloody protests in the South, black civil rights activists took to openly (and legally) carrying guns and rifles to protect themselves from police. White legislators pushed back with talk of restricting gun ownership.
I know there are many people far more knowledgeable and more invested in the topic of guns than I. So I am not going to persuade or rant for any position. I’ve followed my process, and surprisingly, changed my own position.
The Black Panthers were the first to push the envelope, with 30 young black men and women storming the California State Capitol in 1967, carrying loaded guns, demanding that the racist government take notice, and
I’ve learned that, prior to 1977, the National Rifle Association was a mainstream and bipartisan organization focused on conservation, hunting, and marksmanship. In fact, the organization was key in authoring and lobbying for gun control legislation. I’ve spent time researching assault weapons, which I was surprised to learn that the AR in AR-15 does not stand for assault rifle but refers to the manufacturer, Armalite Rifle. I’ve now learned about automatic vs. semi-automatic rifles, bump fire stocks, clips, magazines, and the debated definition of a high-capacity magazine. Another surprise: that after a just few hours on these sites I was desensitized to the visuals of guns, rifles, and their accessories. I did my research through websites, news articles, historic documents, blogs, and Facebook pages (I Love Guns and Bagpipes was a nice surprise), immersing myself into the history of gun rights and gun control measures. I’ve learned that, prior to 1977, the National Rifle Association was a mainstream and bipartisan organization focused on conservation, hunting, and marksmanship. In fact, the organization was key in authoring and lobbying for gun control legislation. It had been pulled into the controversial arena of gun legislation, and it wanted out. The NRA leadership at that time was focused on removing itself from lobbying activities to become more of an outdoorsy hunting-lifestyle membership organization with intentions to relocate its headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Colorado. The announcement of the relocation was expected to be the main event at the group’s annual meeting in May 1977. But that isn’t what happened. Instead, the old guard was completely caught by surprise when a coup took place — yes, a coup — in which a wellorganized group of members came forth brandishing parliamentary procedures and placed before the voting membership a decree that gun owner rights and absolute opposition to any form of gun-control legislation be the central mission of the NRA.
8 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
By 4am, the entire board of directors had been replaced and the NRA’s mission changed. The two-day coup is historically referred to as The Revolt in Cincinnati.
calling for all black people to take arms before it was too late. In response to the events of the day, California’s then-Governor Ronald Reagan stated that he saw no reason why a citizen on the street should be carrying loaded weapons and called guns a ridiculous way solve problems. He went further, adding that proposed gun control bills would work no hardship on honest citizens. The modern day gun rights movement was born. Obviously, a lot of position shifting has occurred since that day. There is more to the story, and I encourage you to read up on the history of civil rights and gun control. Guns are power; they give you the power to speak and be heard or to defend your other constitutional rights. As a privileged middle-aged white woman who is afraid of guns, I am surprised to say: I get it. I can say that I do hold some healthy fear of the federal government these days. Where I part ways with the NRA’s absolutist opposition to gun control is that today we find ourselves living in an unacceptably violent gun culture. The slippery slope argument must be put aside because some people simply should not own guns — not based on race, gender, age, ethnicity, etc., but based on background checks and participation in mandated ongoing training. The biggest surprise to come my way is my opinion that people with guns kill people, and so we must control the people who choose to own a gun more than the guns. As Gomer Pyle would say, “Surprise, surprise!” Mary Keyes Rogers is a business consultant, freelance writer, speaker and podcaster. mary@ experience50.com
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Pets on a Plane In the same week that a dog perished after a United Airlines flight attendant insisted it be stored in an overhead compartment on a flight from Houston to New York City, another family’s pet was lost by the beleaguered carrier. Irgo, a 10-year-old German shepherd belonging to the Swindle family, was mistakenly sent to Japan instead of Kansas City, Missouri. When Kara Swindle and her children went to pick up their dog on March 13 after flying from Oregon, they were given a Great Dane -- whose destination was supposed to be Japan. The dogs got mixed up in Denver, where they both had connecting flights. Swindle was concerned that her dog wouldn’t survive the long flight back: “He is a 10-year-old dog, and he’s never been on a flight before,” she told KCTV 5 News. However, United had Irgo checked out by a veterinarian in Tokyo and loaded onto a private charter to Wichita, Kansas, where he was reunited with his family on March 15. I Am Not Dead Yet! Constantin Reliu, 63, appealed unsuccessfully to a court in Barlad, Romania, in March to overturn a death certificate that his wife had obtained after not hearing from him for more than a decade. According to The Guardian, Reliu left Romania for Turkey in 1992 to look for employment, but neglected to keep in touch with his family. In 2003, Reliu’s wife, believing he had died in an earthquake in Turkey, argued in court for a death certificate, which didn’t come to light until Reliu was deported back to Romania because of expired papers in Turkey. Upon his arrival, immigration officers explained to Reliu that he had died in 2003. His appeal failed, as the court maintained he was too late, and the ruling is final, leaving Reliu in an odd state of limbo. “I am officially dead, although I’m alive,” Reliu told Romanian media outlets. “I have no income and because I am listed dead, I can’t do anything.” Divine Intervention -- In a recent interview on “60 Minutes Overtime,” Oprah Winfrey said that if God wanted her to run for president, “wouldn’t God kind of tell me?” Oprah may have gotten her answer in the form of a letter from Jesus Christ, an 83-year-old North Waterboro, Maine, woman who started a letter-writing campaign 50 years ago to spread a message of faith and peace -- around the same time that she changed her name. WGMETV reported that Christ sent her letter to Winfrey on March 9, without knowledge of the media speculation, or Winfrey’s wish for a heavenly sign, regarding her running for president. Christ said she sent the letter because she likes Winfrey, but “If she does (run), I’ll vote for her -- that’s for sure.” -- Destiny Church in Columbia, Maryland, tried a novel approach to attract new members to its congregation. On March 4, the church gave away five used cars to “demonstrate God’s unbelievable, no-strings-attached goodness,” according to The Washington Post. The idea was hatched to increase attendance at the church’s new location after several years meeting in a high school auditorium. “Who doesn’t need a new car?” asked Sandy Dobson, who came with her son. “Different people have different things that bring them to Christ, to church. It doesn’t
always have to be traditional methods.” Pastor Stephen Chandler added that Jesus himself taught that giveaways are guaranteed to draw a crowd: The biggest gatherings Christ preached to came on the two times he distributed free loaves and fishes. Animals With Issues Louis, an 18-year-old male gorilla at the Philadelphia Zoo, appears to be something of a germophobe, according to the Associated Press. When he is carrying food, 6-foot-tall Louis walks on his hind legs, like a human, rather than leaning forward on his front knuckles, as gorillas usually do. Zoo curator Michael Stern says workers installed a fire hose over a mud puddle in Louis’ yard, which he crosses like a tightrope to avoid getting his feet dirty. Stern says in the wild, gorillas may stand up on their hind feet to reach food or wade in a swamp, but only for a few seconds. Restoring Faith in Humanity The Rev. Alex Santora of Our Lady of Grace Church in Hoboken, New Jersey, called local police on March 14 when a suspicious package was delivered to the house of worship. But after officers from the Hoboken Police Department declared it to be safe, church staff found a surprising delivery inside: a baby Jesus statue that had been stolen from the church’s Nativity scene about 90 years ago. WPIX-TV reported that an unsigned note inside the package explained: The statue was stolen when the note-writer’s mother was a young girl, and it became a sort of heirloom in her family. When she died, it was passed on to the note-writer, who thought it should be returned. Ewwwww! Ravenna, Ohio, resident Nickolette Botsford was startled by what felt like an extra-hard cashew as she enjoyed some Planters nuts in early March. As she drove, she handed the object to her mom, who turned on the interior light in the car and realized it was a human tooth -- with dried blood on it. “I got very upset, I was crying, I threw up two or three times,” Botsford told WOIO-TV. She went to a hospital, where doctors confirmed it was a human tooth and treated her for exposure to blood or bodily fluids. Botsford called Planters, and parent company Kraft Heinz sent a courier to pick up the tooth for testing. The company said it is investigating its manufacturing process and suppliers. Spooky A member of the Listowel Paranormal Society in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, was surprised when police arrived at his door on March 13, inquiring about a small black box with a red wire protruding from it that had been left at Mackenzie Hall in Windsor. The Windsor Police Explosives Disposal Unit was called to the hall to investigate the box, but determined it was “safe” and not explosive. Society members had used the box on March 9 at the historic building to sweep for spirits. Jen Parker, assistant director for the society, called the box an EMF (electromagnetic field) sensor and said each team member carries one when they’re looking for ghosts. The society’s spokesperson also told the CBC that there were strong signs of paranormal activity at the hall, especially in the old jail, dressing room and basement.
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Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 9
NCMC’s Big Bargain
The faculty at North Central Michigan College has been unionized since 1980. Now the support staff is angling to get union strong itself, and a frustrated administration is pushing back. By Patrick Sullivan Northern Michigan isn’t a hotbed of unionism, but in recent years, at least at some of the region’s community colleges, unions have made strides. Faculty at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City organized in 2015. Now a vote is scheduled in April at North Central Michigan College in Petoskey in which the school’s support staff — think janitorial, maintenance, and clerical employees — will decide whether to form a union with the Michigan Education Association. The effort has drawn resistance from the college’s president, who said she believes the move is without cause and that employees will not see improved work conditions through collective bargaining. IMPETUS TO ORGANIZE NCMC’s faculty members have been organized since 1980, but they have to stay out of the current debate; a provision in their contract prohibits them from getting involved in the organization of another employee group, several people said. Numerous requests for comment from faculty were declined. Margaret Daniels, who was director of
NCMC’s student and community resource center for 14 years before retiring in 2015, said support staff determined they needed to form a union because many of the employees felt mistreated and misunderstood by college administrators. The final straw — and the catalyst for unionizing — came last summer when the college eliminated its longstanding “step program,” an incentivizing loyalty plan that rewarded low-wage employees for their longevity. In addition to implementing
of a September 2017 payscale study. “People noticed that. That’s why the support staff has been contacting the MEA for union support,” she said. “Without that step program, it’s pretty much impossible to achieve a middle-class lifestyle when you get a 14-cent-an-hour raise.” She said that administrators responded to complaints about the elimination of the program by pledging to look into meritbased pay raises, but that effort has stalled. Daniels said that the support staff also
“They want to be able to say, ‘My supervisor is not supporting me. My supervisor is not doing what she is supposed to be doing according to her contract,’” Daniels said. “Nobody listens when they do that.” annual raises of one to four percent for all college employees the step program offered scheduled pay bumps, determined by length of service for support staff. Adding insult to injury, she said, was that the college eliminated the step program at the same time it promised administrators generous raises — a response to the results
10 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
want the security of a union so that they can complain about supervisors without fear of retribution. “They want to be able to say, ‘My supervisor is not supporting me. My supervisor is not doing what she is supposed to be doing according to her contract,’” Daniels said. “Nobody listens when they do that.”
Daniels believes that if administrators wanted to stave off the union, they should have paid attention to employees’ growing frustrations. “The administration is not happy about this at all. They cannot figure out why morale is so low,” she said. “And this has lasted many years. If a supervisor is being disrespectful, uncaring, or not doing the responsibilities of his job description, something must change.” EXPLANATIONS AND A WARNING In a memo to college staff titled “FACTS,” NCMC President Cameron Brunet-Koch made her case against the union and explained why the step program was eliminated. Brunet-Koch said the program was axed because a wage study found that support staff wages were significantly above average. Since the program had been instituted at a time when their wages were below average, she explained, the goal had been accomplished, and the step program was no longer necessary. Brunet-Koch maintained that the step program would require overpaying employees, making it fiscally irresponsible. She conceded, however, that the announcement of the cut could have been better. “In retrospect, we wish we would have
“Although a union can promise just about anything, no union can obtain more than the College will agree to,” she wrote. “We will not agree to anything that jeopardizes the institution’s ability to deliver on its mission or that we cannot defend to the public or our students.”
delivered the information regarding this necessary change in a different manner,” she wrote. “The end result would still be the same, but perhaps we all would have a better understanding of the circumstances behind the decision.” The memo makes the case that NCMC support staff enjoy better wages and benefits. than people in comparable roles at the local school district and at some other community colleges. While budget challenges and health care costs contributed at times to limiting or freezing wages since 2010, in the three most recent years, support staff saw raises in a range considerably higher than administrators. For 2017–2018, for example, support staff saw increases of 3.1 to 6 percent, while administrators got raises of just 3.1 percent. The memo notes that over the last two years, raises for NCMC support staff have been four times the boost support staff at Petoskey Area Schools received. Brunet-Koch also noted that NCMC raises last year were far higher than at two community colleges where the support staff are represented by the MEA. “Although a union can promise just about anything, no union can obtain more than the College will agree to,” she wrote. “We will not agree to anything that jeopardizes the institution’s ability to deliver on its mission or that we cannot defend to the public or our students.” The memo warns that union negotiations may not make things better at NCMC: “There are no guarantees, and some things may be better, but others may not. The College will not agree to any contractual language that would negatively impact any of our stakeholders.” “SUMMER HOURS” AT STAKE The memo makes clear that staff who support the union will not be retaliated against; however, elsewhere, the memo appears to suggest that work conditions might change for the worse if staff bring in a union, something that might be construed as a threat. For instance, in one section, the memo explains that the current culture of the
college enables employees to be flexible with their work time to attend to personal matters. Under a negotiated contract, that flexibility could vanish, the memo said. More specifically, the memo warns support staff that if they unionize, they could lose what are referred to as “summer hours.” Daniels said summer hours mean staff get to leave early on Fridays to get a start on their weekends. “Summer hours were instituted to provide our employees with greater flexibility with their schedule during the summer months,” Brunet-Kock wrote. “Unless this is agreed to in negotiations, and added into the contract, employees are bound to the work hours specified in the contract.” In response, MEA organizer Jake Louks and MEA Petoskey representative Diana Kelly sent a letter to administrators protesting what they say could be construed as retaliation against employees considering adopting a union. They cited a federal law which prohibits public employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing public employees who plan to form a union. “Under this prohibition, for example, employers may not threaten employees with loss of jobs or benefits if they join or vote for a union,” the MEA representatives wrote. Louks said MEA lawyers will be watching carefully to determine whether terms of employment are changed in retaliation to organizing efforts. He stopped short of calling the wording of Brunet-Koch’s memo regarding summer hours a threat. “That’s not necessarily a threat, I’m going to say, but there’s an expectation that during the organizing process, what are called ‘laboratory conditions’ must remain in status quo,” he said. Brunet-Koch said in a brief interview that there was nothing in the memo that represented a threat to employees. “The document that I sent out contained facts — F-A-C-T-S — facts, and you’ll have to ask the MEA how they interpreted it,” she said. “I think they misinterpreted it, and it has been misrepresented.”
HOW A UNION BEGINS There are 28 community colleges in Michigan; 24 of them have unionized support staff. Louks explained how a group of employees at a community college go about getting organized. First, an employee requests that a union like MEA get involved, and then union staff collect signature cards from employees who are in favor of asking for a vote to determine whether to form a union. They must collect signatures from at least 30 percent of eligible employees. Those cards are then filed with the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. Once that’s happened, MERC organizes a conference call with the employer and the MEA to determine who the stakeholders are and to schedule an election, either by mail or in person, if one side requests a day-long vote at the workplace. The organizing process for NCMC support staff began in early winter, and the first petition was filed by MEA on behalf of the custodial, maintenance and clerical staff on Jan. 19. The “bargaining unit” became larger, however, so organizers had to start over, Louks said. The MEA had counted 28 service staff, while the college counted 31. The second time, Louks said, organizers collected signatures from over 50 percent of the staff in order to ensure they would have enough. Louks said there is sometimes confusion in the employee counts over what constitutes full-time or regular part-time employees. “It’s a situation that happens from time to time. We don’t want to exclude anyone who should be included,” he said. “We refiled with a much higher number than the ratio that we needed, so the same issue should not happen again.” That was in mid-February. There was a conference call between all of the parties on March 20, and the sides agreed to an April 19 in-person election. Louks said NCMC requested the inperson election. “The MEA always seeks a mail ballot election because we feel that it gives a
stakeholder the best option for using discretion when voting when an employer has made it clear they are against organizing,” Louks wrote in an email. AN ELECTION LOOMS In the election, more than half of the employees who vote must approve the union for it to go into effect. Employees are allowed to choose whether or not to vote. If they decide not to vote, they are not counted toward the total number of employees. That means if 26 NCMC support staffers vote in the union election, 14 or more of them have to vote yes in order to bring in the union. Since Michigan enacted a “right-towork” law in 2012, members who vote against unionization don’t have to join the union and pay dues in order to enjoy whatever benefits come from collecting bargaining. Louks said it’s up to the employees whether they want to join the union, and MEA doesn’t even ask for employees to join the union until they’ve gone through the first round of collective bargaining. That’s because the union wants to prove its value to prospective members from the outset, he said. Louks expects that NCMC support staff will be unionized after the vote. Louks said resistance from administrators is routine. “I think employers, they go to great lengths to avoid their employees having a seat at the table,” Louks said. “Unfortunately, it is something that’s happening during this process.” Brunet-Koch said she was surprised by the unionization move, which happened to have occurred in between when she announced her retirement in September and her last day on the job at the end of the school year. She’s been president of the college for 17 years. She said that in all of those years, the MEA has represented the faculty, and she’s always had a good relationship with them. “We enjoy solid working relationships with both the faculty, support staff, and administrators,” she said. “We will continue to work with all of our staff to improve the working environment at the college.”
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 11
“Ethics and Transparency in Today’s Media” Thursday, April 5 7 p.m. • Free Milliken Auditorium
There’s No “I” in Team (And Grand Traverse Social Sports has a problem with that.)
By Kristi Kates
NPR Ombudsman Elizabeth Jensen and IPR’s Executive Director Peter Payette will discuss the challenge for news organizations to remain impartial and stay above reproach in a polarized society. Donations will be collected for this year’s winning Academic WorldQuest high school team which will represent Michigan at the National Competition in Washington DC next month.
interlochenpublicradio.org
Once you leave the organized environs of high school or college, joining a sports team can be tough. Usually you have to assemble an entire team before you can play. Sometimes you have to assemble a couple teams, so you have people to play against. And almost always, it’s expected you’ve played the game before. But what if you’re just one inexperienced person, or only a couple of people short of a team, who simply wants to get out and play? One newly local couple is tackling that challenge by launching a social sports program that doesn’t care how many — or few — players you have; you’re invited to get in the game. SPORTING LIFE George Ryan Holton grew up playing baseball, added in football while he was in high school, and then as an adult, played softball and soccer. Amy Holton played soccer and basketball through her college days — she co-founded the women’s club soccer team at Wayne State University — and continued playing soccer after graduating as well. The couple is originally from Livonia, Michigan. They’d been living in Washington for the past two years while George Ryan attended law school, and they moved to Traverse City last August. He works as a lawyer for Bethany C. Warner and Associates; Amy works as a recruiter for American Health Care Services Association, hiring temporary nurses and physicians. Their high-intensity jobs mean that downtime is crucial to the couple. So when they moved Up North, their first order of business was investigating sporting options. SUPER SIGNUPS “We already loved northern Michigan, so once George Ryan found a job, our search
12 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
basically started and ended here,” said Amy Holton. “But once we started looking into what sports were active here, and what kind of leagues we could join, we found it was difficult to sign up as an individual. You had to sign up as teams. And I couldn’t find a soccer league at all, just pick-up games.” “Also, there were no kickball or flag football options being offered,” George Ryan Holton added. “And, as it was just the two of us, we were 12 or 13 people short of a softball team.” Their solution? Take matters into their own hands. The couple formed Grand Traverse Social Sports, an organization dedicated to making team sports accessible to individuals, couples, and small groups of friends, as well as pre-existing teams. TRIPLE THREAT As a full adult sports league with organized signups, registration, and referees, Grand Traverse Social Sports is kicking off with three sports: soccer, flag football, and kickball. “Signups are going on now, and will close the end of March,” George Ryan said. “Then the league will start the first week of April, and we’ll also be offering summer and fall leagues.” And that’s when the social intent of the organization kicks in. While part of playing any game is trying to win, the Holtons emphasize that, as an adult league, the overall feel will be less starkly competitive, leaving more room for fun and community. “People won’t be trying to win at all costs,” George Ryan said. “We just want to give people a new opportunity to try some new sports and make some new friends.” Grand Traverse Social Sports is starting with just those three initial sports as they get rolling. “We’ll stick to those three for the first year, but as we’ve already had people inquire about other sports, we’ll probably add those as we grow,” George Ryan said, adding that a men’s baseball league is likely on the agenda.
The brains behind GT Social Sports, Amy and George Ryan Holton.
GAME GROWTH So far, those three sports are generating interest among newbies and seasoned social players, as is the organization itself. “We’ve got a strong following on Facebook. We’re also on Instagram, and we’ve sent fliers out to a number of different businesses and organizations,” Amy said. “We’ve got about 170 people signed up for this first spring season, and we hope more people will sign up for the summer and fall leagues.” Grand Traverse Social Sports also has hooked up with a sponsor bar for some postgame fun. “Our sponsor bar is The Filling Station, where people can hang out after events and get special discounts on food and drinks,” George Ryan Holton said. “You know, we were kind of nervous to start this, as we didn’t know how people would react to the ‘new’ sports on this kind of organization. But now we’re just really excited to watch it grow.” For more information, visit grandtraversesocialsports.com, facebook.com/GTsocialsports, and instagram. com/grandtraversesocialsports.
Interlochen students at work.
Eighth Blackbird.
Interlochen students at work.
Hypnotic Minimalist Music at Interlochen
IAA Students — and two Grammy-winning groups — to tackle music few can manage By Ross Boissoneau Two celebrated percussion groups and Interlochen Academy students will play some of the most demanding music in the classical canon — over and over and over again. The repeating and slowly mutating rhythms and motifs of classical composer Steve Reich will be presented at a two-night festival celebrating his music April 5 and 6. But first, a brief lesson in musicology: Most music, whether classical or rock, jazz or hiphop, is based around variations in melody, harmony, and dynamics. That’s not the case for Reich’s compositions. His music is about repetition and more repetition. The beauty is in the way the repeated phrases are shared and echoed among the various instruments while slowly coming together and moving apart. While on the surface it might sound uninviting, even boring, Keith Aleo begs to differ. “I fell in love with it at 14 or 15,” said Aleo. “My dad bought me ‘Music for 18 Musicians [an early ’70s work of Reich’s based on a cycle of only 11 chords].’” Now, as percussion instructor at Interlochen, he’s bringing the music to local audiences and his students.
He’s also bringing in special guests, the Grammy-winning musical groups Eighth Blackbird and Third Coast Percussion, both based in Chicago. “We’re really excited. We’ve done this a handful of times with Eighth Blackbird and other percussionists,” said Rob Dillon of Third Coast Percussion. Aleo said the opportunity to expose both the audience and his students to the music and professional performers was one he couldn’t pass up. “Rory was taking proposals for projects,” said Aleo of Rory Baker, who puts together the Interlochen concert series as the executive director of Interlochen Presents. When Aleo proposed combining visiting professionals and students, Baker was hooked. It didn’t hurt that he, too, is a fan of Reich’s music. Admittedly, Reich’s music, like that of his fellow minimalist composers such as John Adams and Philip Glass, is not for everyone. For example, “Music for 18 Musicians” — that’s both the name of the composition and the album — features interlocking pulses that slowly move into and out of phase with one another, utilizing voice, violin, pianos, reeds, and tuned percussion. Another of his
compositions, “Sextet,” does much the same with a smaller ensemble — the sextet of the title. Either way, the effect is hypnotic. Reich’s music is highly demanding for the players. While a musician who makes a mistake in a typical piece can fairly easily recover, if a performer misses a beat in this music it can be impossible to find their way back in. Indeed, one misstep can potentially cause the whole thing to come crashing down. “Over the years we’ve worked with a lot of musicians. Sometimes even very good ones are not equipped (for this),” said Dillon. In addition, both “Drumming,” which the Academy students will be performing, and “Music for 18 Musicians,” which will be performed by the two professional groups, are over an hour long. Now imagine high school students being thrust into the midst of this exacting music. “It’s a massive undertaking. I don’t know I’ve heard of high schoolers attempting this,” said Dillon. Aleo agreed, saying that his students are up for the challenge. “It’s quite a lot for kids to do it. I cannot believe how well they’re playing. They’ve risen to the occasion,” he said.
Dillon and Matt Duvall of Eighth Blackbird have worked with Aleo and the Interlochen students. “I’m so amazed and it’s so much fun. It’s exciting to see younger folks playing this,” Dillon said. Aleo said the key to the music is the way the phrases slowly mutate. “You can hear many things if you let your mind release. Certain notes resonate louder.” As the phrases slowly build, your mind may even hear notes or patterns that aren’t really there. Dillon said it is important for students to be exposed to music such as this. “It’s a very different skill set than Bach or Tchaikovsky,” he said. And he agreed that audiences need to give it a chance as well. “It demands a certain type of listening. It plays with your head,” he said. The Steve Reich Festival features the Arts Academy Percussion Ensemble on Thursday, April 5. The following night, the festival features Eighth Blackbird and Third Coast Percussion. Showtime is 7:30 each night, and tickets for each show are $18, $16 for seniors, $11 for youth. They are available at tickets. interlochen.org or by calling the Interlochen box office at 231.276.7800.
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 13
Baseball Fanatics By Al Parker
Tis the season
Northern Express found a few northern Michigan fans whose love for baseball never fades, never wavers. Despite a multitude of losses by their favorite team, petulant players who play a game for millions of dollars, and ever-creeping game ticket prices, these superfans are steadfast in their love for the game. ROAD WARRIOR, BART WILHELM Bart Wilhelm saw his first live major league game on Aug. 5, 1984, the year the Tigers bolted out to a 35–5 start en route to the World Series Championship. “That year the Tigers were unstoppable, but I saw them drop a doubleheader to the Kansas City Royals,” said Wilhelm. “I was only 10, so my memory is a little faded, but it was autograph day, and I do remember getting Barbaro Garbey’s and Johnny Grubb’s autograph.” Since that visit to historic Tiger Stadium, Wilhelm has attended games at 253 different venues, including major league, minor league and college ballparks. In 2007 the diamond devotee joined an elite corps of fans by visiting all 30 major league parks in a single season. “I’ve got about 25 more new stadiums to see this year,” said Wilhelm, who averages about 1,000 miles a week on his car. “Then I’ll be done with all the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues. I’ll also be finished with all the independent leagues that I consider ‘legitimate.’ I’ve got a road trip coming up in April where I’ll see the Mississippi Braves, Mobile BayBears, Memphis Redbirds, Biloxi Shuckers, Birmingham Barons, Augusta Greenjackets, and New Orleans Baby Cakes. I’ll also check out a couple college games in Florida and stop to see the annual Jackie Robinson Celebration game April 15 in Vero Beach at old Dodgertown.” Wilhelm’s summer is planned with the precision of a military campaign. As a table games dealer at Turtle Creek Casino, he works three 12hour shifts a week, giving him time to travel. “I’ve got a short trip in early June to knock off Wichita and two parks in Arkansas, and then a week later I take my second big trip of the year. Carolina Mudcats, Kannapolis Intimidators, Greenboro Grasshoppers, Down East Wood Ducks, Charleston RiverDogs, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Brooklyn Cyclones, Sussex County (NJ) Miners, and Rockland (NY) Boulders. After that, I’ve got to squeeze
in four more parks in the Appalachian League. I’m also planning on attending the Hall of Fame inductions this year and hopefully I can catch my first Cape Cod League collegiate game while I’m there.” At each game, he buys a scorecard and scores every game. “I often get players to autograph them at later dates” he said. “Today for instance, I got Miami Marlins third baseman Brian Anderson to sign a scorecard — I saw him hit a home run in Battle Creek in the Northwoods League in 2012.” He’s also adept at snagging balls, with a collection of some 400 horsehides, each with the date and circumstance written on it. On all his baseball travels, Wilhelm often crosses paths with players he’s seen at different levels of pro ball. In fact, he’s seen one player, Taylor Gushue, with five different teams. “He was originally a prospect with the Pittsburgh Pirates,” said Wilhelm. “I saw him play rookie ball with the Jamestown Jammers in 2014. The following year, I saw him one level high with the West Virginia Power. In 2016, he moved up another level, and I ran into him in Bradenton, Florida. I had him sign both previous scorecards. Last summer, Gushue got traded to the Washington Nationals, and Wilhelm made a trip to see the Potomac Nationals in August when Stephen Strasburg was throwing a rehab game. “Sure enough, Taylor was his catcher,” said Wilhelm. “A couple days ago, I was at a Washington Nationals spring training game. After a few innings with the regulars, the Nats brought in their subs. Taylor was there that day and got to catch the last few innings.” TREASURED BASEBALL MEMORIES Grand Traverse County resident Kent Ailsworth saw his first live game as a youngster and was hooked on the game. “Dad took me to my first game when I was seven,” he said. “The Tigers lost to Kansas City. Later Dad was in Cleveland when hardthrowing left hander Sam McDowell signed his program. McDowell became my favorite, but he flamed out early. I remember reading McDowell ‘had a million-dollar arm and 10cent head.’ Turns out Sam Malone from Cheers was based on McDowell. Both admit they drank himself out of baseball. McDowell later came back as an addiction counselor.” One year after seeing his first game, Ailsworth started collecting baseball cards and
14 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
never stopped. He has every Topps company card produced since then. “We got very creative in trading — I remember catching and trading a live snake,” he said. “At 15, I met writer Nick Edson. We’ve been trading ever since. He traded me second base from Tiger Stadium signed by Trammell and Whitaker. Nick was with the Record-Eagle when he started me writing, assigning me a couple of articles. Years later I heard Ernie Harwell talking on the radio about my article. Ernie ended up getting me a copy of that game, which I treasure along with his letters.” While in college, Ailsworth learned that another avid wanted to pass along his collection to a young fan. “I never did know who he was but ended up with hundreds of Tiger autographs, including Ty Cobb, as well as several Negro Leaguers,” said Ailsworth. “Today I have over 1,350 Tigers, missing only two since 1935, and hundreds of Negro Leaguers, including Jackie Robinson and Satchel Page. I enjoy history and baseball is loaded with it.” A long-time nurse at Munson Medical Center, Ailsworth has a long list of great baseball memories. “I’ve been lucky seeing some great games. Dad took us to both a no-hitter and watch Henry Aaron. In 1976 I saw “The Bird” pitch. Fidrych signed for me and a second autograph for my brother. I saw Gehringer and Greenberg get their numbers retired, the 1984 Tigers, Tanana clinch the Division in 1987, and Nolan Ryan pitch in Wrigley Field.” ‘THE COLLECTING NEVER STOPPED’ If you grew up in the metro-Detroit area, spring meant only one thing: Tigers baseball. ‘My father owned several restaurants in Detroit and its surrounding area, so the trash haulers and linen folks always made sure he had tickets to the home opener at the landmark Tiger Stadium,” said Leelanau County resident Jeff Mugerian, “Like the superstar rockers such as Bono, Mick, Madonna, and Elvis, the Tigers that I worshipped were easily recognized by first name or nickname: Willie the Wonder, The Bird, Mr. Tiger, Tram, Sweet Lou, Lance, Stormin Norman, Gates, Jason “Rooftop” Thompson, Steady Eddie, the Silver Fox”and the list goes on and on.” Back in the ’70’s, Mugerian collected anything and everything of his idols, from baseball cards to autographs, from baseballs to
Clockwise from top left: Bart Wilhelm — representing Traverse City’s home team — at spring training at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida last month. Kent Ailsworth takes the mound before a “packed crowd” at the old Tiger Stadium. Jeff Mugerian has lived many of his baseball fan dreams. Now he’s just hoping one of his kids or grandkids will take on his collection of baseball memorabilia.
game used bats and jerseys, from stadium seats and other relics to actual dirt that his idols played on. “Unfortunately, the collecting never stopped, and to this day, the thought of spring takes me back in time, and I have to pull out some of the old collectibles again,” said. “I don’t follow the game like I used to anymore, but the ‘old’ game still brings back a smile. I grab one of Horton’s bats off my wall and swing it like Willie used to, mimicking Hall of Famer Ernie Harwell’s voice, “That one is loooong gone!” It was a thrill years later when Mugerian got to meet and spend time with so many that he idolized on the field. Typically through charitable events, it would be dinner with Horton, or an evening visit at the Harwells’ home. “Time with these gentlemen in their later years became more prominent in my memories than those from their playing days,” said Mugerian. “Horton once said to me, ‘Son, we’re all God’s children. We’ve got to take care of one another.’ That’s a home run, Willie.” Mugerian once went to a game against the Orioles in May of 1979. One of his childhood heroes, Brooks Robinson, had already retired, but a young future Hall of Famer by the name of Eddie Murray was embarking on a huge Oriole career. “Sitting in the stands of my very favorite ball park, Tiger Stadium, I met my future wife, Carrie, at that game,” said Mugerian. “Thirtysome-odd years later, four kids later, and a granddaughter later, I sure hope someone in the family will collect Tigers memorabilia. If not, I better start posting some of this stuff on eBay!”
MAKING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT…CIVIL? The world’s great compromisers might be a few small local groups
By Ross Boissoneau In this increasingly polarized time, where name-calling, ridiculing, and shouting without listening (a favorite of both public servants and anonymous online trolls) is increasingly the norm, is there any hope for civil engagement? Several local institutions think so, and they’re doing something about it. From lofty ideals like the Framework for Our Future: A Regional Prosperity Plan for Northwest Michigan, developed by the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, to the Neahtawanta Research and Education Center, to the local college radio station, individuals and organizations are trying to bring together those with a point of view they’d like to share. Whatever that perspective is, these institutions are trying to broker a détente among sometime contentious attitudes. Call them the Great Compromisers. For Jack and Karen Puschel Segal (full disclosure: Jack Segal is a frequent Northern Express contributor), bringing civil debate to the area is a necessary outgrowth of the organization they co-chair. The mission statement of the International Affairs Forum is “to advance the understanding of the world and its critical issues through education and public dialogue.” “We are a non-partisan organization. We realize we need to walk a fine line, encourage views on all sides,” Karen said. As retired diplomats, she and her husband are wellversed in examining all sides of an issue and trying to come to agreements where there is often conflict. The IAF presents various topics, such as trade, ethics in journalism, cybersecurity, refugee crises, and invites experts in the various fields to address those topics in front of an audience. “We ask all speakers to be nonpartisan and don’t take more than 30 minutes, to allow questions and answers,” said Karen. The end goal: “We hope people feel stimulated to think for themselves.” Upcoming IAF events include “Ethics and Transparency in Today’s Media,” a conversation with NPR ombudsman Elizabeth Jensen on April 5 at 7pm; “American and Iran: Confrontation or Coexistence?” with Reza Marashi, research director for the National Iranian-American Council, on April 19 at
6pm; and “India and Pakistan: On Stage Together, Ajmal Khan and Rajmohan Gahdhi,” May 17 at 6pm. All three take place at Milliken Auditorium. Another upcoming event involving the IAF and other organizations is “That’s Debatable.” Based loosely on the National Public Radio program “Intelligence Squared,” the program is the brainchild of the Neahtawanta Research and Education Center, with support from IAF and WNMC. Two teams of two members each will debate the pros and cons of a topic; this first entry is based around the proposition that “Two years of civic or military service should be required of every U.S. citizen on attaining voting age, without exemption.” It is set for April 26 at Milliken Auditorium. The teams are being drawn from different sections of the community. For this first topic, the pro side of the argument will be provided by two debate students from Traverse City West High School. The other team will consist of a local member of the libertarian party and a local pastor who’s an ethics professor at NMC. This attempt to bring civility back to civil debate fits right in with the mission of the NREC’s mission: “We collaborate to create a just world based on peace, resilience and respect for Earth’s systems.” Sally Van Vleck and her late husband, Bob Russell, founded the organization in 1987. Today Van Vleck serves as its director, with a 20-member board. The organization works toward environmental sustainability and community resilience, upholding nonviolence and respect for all life. It collaborates with other local groups on activities and events such as, rallies and marches on environmental, peace and justice issues, raising awareness on human rights concerns, and defending minority rights, including the LGBTQ community. “We look at the whole ball of wax,” said Van Vleck. For her, working for peace means working peaceably with others. “We can disagree, and we will. It’s a diverse world. But if we sit down with people who don’t share our beliefs and bring a level of tolerance for differences, we’ll have a more peaceful world. All people deserve to be heard and treated with respect,” she said. In addition to “That’s Debatable,” the Neahtawanta Center is spearheading an effort dubbed the Beloved Community Network.
The network includes more than a dozen other local groups, from environmental organizations like the Crosshatch Center and the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Committee to Disability Network Northern Michigan, the Groundwork Center, Oryana Natural Foods Market, even Earthwork Music. Jack Segal said one cause of the nation becoming more polarized lies in the creation of term limits. “It takes away the continuity of the (governing) body,” he said. At the state level, representatives hardly have time to learn the ins and outs of governing before their time is up, leading to a lessening of familiarity with those on the other side of the aisle, and hence any ability to compromise. He also cited the fractionalization of the media, where consumers pick and choose which sources to listen to and believe. “We’ve moved from common understanding to silo-based, pick and choose — you only get one version of reality, and constant affirmation,” he said. That approach also further accentuates people’s lack of civility and open-mindedness. “Outrage seldom gets you truth,” said Eric Hines, the station manager at WNMC. “Rather than trade in anger we can talk about things. That’s the spirit in which we started the morning show.” Rather than presenting debates on the air, Hines said the goal of the program – much like that of the International Affairs Forum — is to present questions around subjects that affect everyone. “The core topics are science, education and the environment. The one that ended up being most contentious until recently was science,” he said, with strident reactions to topics such as inoculation, water treatment and climate change. “The most angry phone calls
Left: BC Gathering is a discussion group regarding the Beloved Community program. Right: Diplomats is Jack and Karen Puschel Segal.
were about science. Now it’s education.” Public engagement was a critical element when the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments developed the Framework for Our Future. It was hoped it would serve as a guide for communities looking at various local and regional issues, such as transportation, housing, economic development, food, farming, community health, arts, and culture. To put it together, NWMCOG held a series of general information and input events to share with and learn from the general public. The resulting publication includes a wealth of information and tools that all members of the community can use, whether community leaders, businesses, nonprofits, public agencies, and statewide stakeholders. Its seen as a supplement to local deliberation, planning, and decision-making processes. The Framework is thus a starting point for community discussions and action around community development issues. Van Vleck said she hopes the efforts of the Neahtawanta Center and all the other groups result in a more peaceable planet. “You’ve got to listen, reach out to different viewpoints. We want to help build a more civil community.” And even though the daily headlines might give cause to think otherwise, she remains hopeful. “I believe there are more voices coming to the middle. Challenging the status quo is good, but we must treat each other with respect. I still have hope — I’m not giving up.”
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 15
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NORTHERN SEEN 1. Some northern Michiganders seem to wait all year for March 17. 2. Brian and Robert celebrating St. Patty’s and the NCAA tournament at Dillinger’s in TC. 3. Libby Struik celebrating at Dillinger’s during the St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl in TC. 4. Ginny Robarge and Mike Shirley were all Irish at Kilkenny’s in TC. 5. Mark Plath and Lucy Blythe at the Petoskey Chamber’s Business After Hours, held at Stafford’s Perry Hotel. 6. The serving crew of Stafford’s, ready to greet the gang at Business After Hours.
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mar 24
saturday
BREAKFAST WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: 8-11am, The After 26 Depot Café, Cadillac. Kid’s Breakfast: $4.99. Choose from Green Eggs & Ham or pancakes & sausage. 231-468-3526.
Enjoy music, crafts & fun. For teens & their guests only. tadl.org/event/teen-spring-breakcelebration
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A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM: 7:3010pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Enjoy Shakespeare’s comedy as his characters learn to distinguish true love from “fancy.” $15-$28. mynorthtickets.com
---------------------- ---------------------RETRO WEEKEND: Crystal Mountain Resort, Thompsonville. Today includes Zumba with 80’s Hits, Yo Yo Yoga, Mjolnir Challenge, Snow Descend Fat Tire Bike Race, DJ Dance Party & BBQ & more. crystalmountain.com/events/retro-day
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PARSONS FARM & HARWOOD GOLD MAPLE SYRUP TOUR: 10-11:30am, Parsons Centennial Farm, Charlevoix. Presented by the Little Traverse Conservancy. landtrust.org
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COMMUNITY EASTER EGG HUNT: 10:3011:30am, First Congregational Church, TC. Organized egg hunts by age groups through 5th grade. There will also be donuts, coffee, hot chocolate, crafts, face painting & prizes. Free. fcctc.org/events/community-easter-egg-hunt
---------------------26TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST MICHIGAN CAMPER & RV SHOW: 11am-8pm, GT County Civic Center, TC. Featuring all types of new 2018 recreation vehicles, as well as campground info. michiganrvandcampgrounds.org
---------------------EASTER HOP: EGG HUNT: 11am-1pm, Downtown Gaylord. 3,000 eggs will be hidden at 12 participating Downtown Gaylord businesses. 989-732-6333.
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EGG HUNT FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN: 12-1pm, First Congregational Church, TC. Enjoy an indoor egg hunt, along with free face painting, crafts, donuts & hot chocolate. Free. fcctc.org/ events/community-easter-egg-hunt
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SIPS, CHIPS & DIPS: 12-5pm, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail, Leelanau Studios, Studio 1, TC. Tickets include a souvenir wine glass & a snack-and-wine pairing at each of the 24 participating wineries. $10. lpwines.com/events/ sips-chips-dips
---------------------MARCH FOR OUR LIVES TC: In support of, & in solidarity with the Parkland students, join this nationwide day of action. Meet at the Workshop Brewing Company at 1pm & march peacefully through downtown TC. Then stand along the Parkway. At 2:30pm make your way back to the Workshop for speakers. Presented by the women of TC for Gun Reform Rally. 231-325-6812. Free. Find on Facebook.
---------------------NORTHERN LOWER BRASS QUARTET: 2pm, NMC, Fine Arts Building, TC. With special guests pianist Dr. Barbara Young & narrator Gwen Willson. Free. nmc.edu
---------------------TEEN SPRING BREAK CELEBRATION: 2-4pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC.
RESTLESS HEART: 8pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. Enjoy these country hitmakers. $25-$40. lrcr.com
mar 25
send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com
sunday
SHAMROCKERS RUN FOR THE GOLD: 9:30am, East Jordan Snowmobile Club. 5K run/2 mile walk. Enjoy a free breakfast at the Snowmobile Club afterwards. northernstridersrunningclub.redpodium.com/shamrockers-run-for-the-gold
---------------------26TH ANNUAL NORTHWEST MICHIGAN CAMPER & RV SHOW: 11am-5pm, GT County Civic Center, TC. Featuring all types of new 2018 recreation vehicles, as well as campground info. michiganrvandcampgrounds.org
---------------------BILL STAINES: 4pm, Sleder’s Family Tavern, TC. Enjoy this poet/storyteller/folk musician who has been performing for over 43 years. 947-9213. $20 advance; $25 door.
---------------------GREAT LAKES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SUNDAY SERIES: DOUBLE REEDS: 4pm, First Presbyterian Church, Harbor Springs. Free will donation. glcorchestra.org
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AN EVENING WITH ANNA QUINDLEN: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. This Pulitzer Prize winning columnist for the New York Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author will talk about her book “Alternate Side.” Presented by National Writers Series. Cocktail hour with music begins at 6pm. Two $15.50 tickets plus a book: $59. One $15.50 ticket plus a book: $43.50. cityoperahouse.org/nws-anna-quindlen
mar 26
monday
MELODIES OF THE HARP: 6pm, Samaritas Senior Living of Traverse City, Williamsburg. Harpist Ariel Fulford plays Irish folk, classical hymns & contemporary music. RSVP: 231-408-3385.
---------------------WINTERFOLK PERFORMANCE: 6:30pm, Charlevoix Public Library. Singer/songwriter Dan Farrow also plays acoustic & electric guitar, piano & bass. charlevoixlibrary.org
---------------------FRIENDS @ THE CARNEGIE: RAVING ABOUT RAPTORS: 7pm, Carnegie Building,
Egg hunts are happening all over northern MI! With many planned for Sat., March 24, along with Sat. and Sun., March 31 – April 1, there are also numerous breakfasts with the Easter Bunny, including at The After 26 Depot Café in Cadillac, GT Resort and Spa, Acme, and Stafford’s Weathervane Restaurant, Charlevoix, as well as Easter Pool-ooza at the East Jordan Community Pool, and much more. See our listings for more info.
Petoskey. Presented by Kathy Bricker from the Mackinac Straits Raptor Watch. Free. petoskeylibrary.org
---------------------HERB SILVERMAN “CANDIDATE WITHOUT A PRAYER”: 7pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Grand Traverse Humanists present author, professor, & founder of the Secular Coalition for America, Herb Silverman. Free. gthumanists.org
mar 27
tuesday
FOOD AS MEDICINE: Free cooking demonstration & potluck dinner discussion. 5pm, Grow Benzie Event Center & Kitchen, Benzonia. Featuring Laura McCain, RD, Chef Josh Herren, Paula Martin, Abby Beale, NTP & sous chef Dr. Jacob Flynn. 231-882-9510.
---------------------- ---------------------FRED HERSCH: 7:30pm, Milliken Auditorium, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. This jazz pianist & composer has earned awards & accolades including ten Grammy® nominations, & was named a 2016 Doris Duke Artist & the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2016 Jazz Pianist of the Year. $32. tickets.interlochen.org
---------------------TC CHARITY JOKE JAM: 8pm, The Workshop Brewing Co., TC. Benefits Polestar LGBTQ Center. Free. traversecitycomedy.com
SPRING BREAK SERIES: ECOSYSTEM EXPLORERS: 1-2pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Presented by the GT Conservation District. Ages 4+ are welcome with an adult. $2 with pre-registration or $3 day of. natureiscalling.org
---------------------CREATIVE JOURNALING FOR TEENS: 2-3:30pm, Elk Rapids Library. Led by local artist Joyce Brodsky. Register: 231-264-9979. Free. elkrapidslibrary.org
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 17
MAR/apr
Meet Northern Seen 24-01 Like nothing you’ve seen before A real-time, 24/7 online feed of social media posts we love from throughout northern Michigan Incorporating Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter An endless scroll of posts, accounts, friends and hashtags we follow Also now available: secure one of the top three positions for your company (ask us at info@northernexpress.com)
Check out Northern Seen at northernexpress.com
NEW CARDIAC REHAB SUPPORT GROUP: 2pm, MCHC, rooms A&B, TC. Share, learn, support & connect with others experiencing the effects of cardiovascular disease. 9358560. munsonhealthcare.org
---------------------MOVIE NIGHT: 6:30pm, Bellaire Public Library. Featuring “Dr. Strangelove.” bellairelibrary.org
---------------------BOOKS & BREWSKIS: ROBUST BOOKS, BEER TO MATCH: 7-9pm, The Filling Station Microbrewery, TC. The book choice for March is “Remarkable Creatures” by Tracy Chevalier. Held the last Tues. of each month. tadl.org
mar 28
wednesday
MOVIE MANIA: 10am-2pm, Peninsula Community Library, Old Mission Peninsula School, TC. tadl.org/events
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PARKINSON’S NETWORK NORTH DAY SUPPORT GROUP: 10am, TC Senior Center. Support, discussion, info for Parkinsonian & care partners & families. Free. parkinsonsnetworknorth.org
---------------------THE GLORY OF HAVING A RAILROAD: 12:30pm, Senior Center, Kingsley. Presented by Wexford County Historical Society Docent Richard Kraemer. Advanced registration required: 922-4911. Free. grandtraverse.org
---------------------SPRING BREAK SERIES: WING THINGS: 1-2pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Presented by the GT Conservation District. Ages 4+ are welcome with an adult. $2 with pre-registration or $3 day of. natureiscalling.org
---------------------LIFETREE CAFE: 8pm, The Rock Youth Center, Kingsley. Feauring a film about animals & the afterlife, & a discussion. Free. Find on Facebook.
mar 29
thursday
THE GLORY OF HAVING A RAILROAD: 12:30pm, Golden Fellowship Hall, Interlochen. Presented by Wexford County Historical Society Docent Richard Kraemer. Advanced registration required: 922-4911. Free. grandtraverse.org
MAR 31
saturday
BREAKFAST WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: 9amnoon, GT Resort & Spa, Governors’ Hall, Acme. Includes a kid-friendly buffet, balloon artists, a caricature artist, strolling magicians & more. Photos with the Easter Bunny, $5. Info: mynorthtickets.com grandtraverseresort.com
---------------------ANNUAL EASTER EGG HUNT & VISIT WITH EASTER BUNNY: 10am, Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort. Find on Facebook.
---------------------EAST JORDAN LION’S CLUB EASTER FUN & GAMES: 10-11:30am, East Jordan Elementary School.
---------------------EASTER EGG HUNT: 10am, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. crystalmountain.com
---------------------FAMILY EASTER EGG HUNT: 10am, Fellowship Church, TC. Free. fellowshipchurchtc.org
---------------------CHARLEVOIX EASTER EXTRAVAGANZA: 11am-1:30pm: Easter Bunny Luncheon at Stafford’s Weathervane Restaurant. Get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny. 2pm: 26th Annual Easter Egg Hunt, downtown in East Park. There will also be face painting & balloon animals by Twister Joe. Free for children up to 10 years old. 231-547-4311. charlevoix.org
---------------------DROP-IN CRAFT: EGGS IN A BASKET: 11am-2pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Ages 3-12. tadl.org/event/drop-in-craft-eggsin-a-basket
---------------------EASTER EGG HUNTS: Pond Hill Farm, Harbor Springs. Hunts start at 11am & 3pm. There will also be a gnome scavenger hunt. pondhill. com/public-events
---------------------BOWLING DOWN MAIN STREET: 12-2pm, Downtown Harbor Springs. Watch children compete for a strike down Main Street.
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“SEUSSICAL KIDS”: Old Town Playhouse, TC. Presented by the OTP Young Company at 1pm & 3pm. $9.25-$17. mynorthtickets.com
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LINDA ALICE DEWEY ART SHOW CLOSING OPEN HOUSE: 1-4pm, Laurentide Winery, Lake Leelanau. See over 25 original paintings by pastellist Linda Alice Dewey, along with many giclee prints. Find on Facebook.
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CHARLEVOIX EASTER EGG HUNT: 2pm, East Park, Charlevoix. Featuring 7,500 prize filled eggs, face painting, Twister Joe Balloon Artist, The Easter Bunny, cookies & cocoa.
SPRING BREAK SERIES: RIVER RANGERS: 1-2pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Presented by the GT Conservation District. Ages 4+ are welcome with an adult. $2 with pre-registration or $3 day of. natureiscalling.org SPRING BREAK TEENS: SEWING & SMOOTHIES: 2-4pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Teens & their guests can make a smoothie & enjoy it while sewing. tadl.org A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM: (See Sat., March 24.)
MAR 30
friday
HORIZON BOOKS, TC EVENTS: 10-11am: Story Hour - Easter. Hear some stories & do some activities. 8:3010:30pm: Folk, roots & blues with the Jim Crockett Trio. horizonbooks.com
---------------------SPRING BREAK SERIES: ANIMAL ADVENTURES: 1-2pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Presented by the GT Conservation District. Ages 4+ are welcome with an adult. $2 with pre-registration or $3 day of. natureiscalling.org
---------------------A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM: (See Sat., March 24.)
---------------------18 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
Red Sky Stage, Petoskey. Featuring 30’s & 40’s swing & big band dancing. A dance lesson will be held from 6:45-7:30pm. $10 adults; $5 students w/ ID. redskystage.com
THE UP NORTH BIG BAND: 7:30-10:30pm,
---------------------------------------------------------------EASTER POOL-OOZA: 3-5pm, East Jordan Community Pool. Open swim & dive for prizes. 231-536-2250.
---------------------BASEMENT ART EXHIBITION: LARGE SCALE GRAPHIC DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPHY: 6pm, Studio Anatomy, TC. Featuring 5 artists: Molly Thompson, Steve Cattin, Savannah Rae, Paulino Cecilio, Jr. & Nick Walsh. Free. studioanatomy.com
---------------------A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM: (See Sat., March 24.)
apr 01
sunday
2ND ANNUAL MACKINAC MELTDOWN CELEBRATION: Mackinaw City, April 1-9. Includes the 2nd Annual Mackinaw Spring Meltdown Gala, Mackinac International
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Bridal Expo, Spring Break Splash at Pirate’s Adventure Waterpark, Taste of Mackinac, Midwest Roller Derby Tournament & more. mackinawcity.net
Petoskey. An educational exhibit about treaties, land ownership, rights & more. Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 8am-7pm & Fri., 8am-5pm. cmich.edu
AUTISM AWARENESS WEEK: April 1-7. Enjoy a sensory-friendly week at Leelanau State Park & the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. Activities include a scavenger hunt, fur pelts & animal tracks, rock painting, sensory tables & more. Adults: $5; 6-12: $3; & 5 & under: free. Find on Facebook.
“THE LYRICS OF BOB DYLAN”: Nobel Laureate 2016. Three Pines Studio, Cross Village. This all media exhibition runs through March. threepinesstudio.com
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TCNEWTECH: 6pm, City Opera House, TC. Five presenters are allowed five minutes each to present & five minutes of question & answer. The audience is typically made up of technology-minded people & they can make brief announcements between presenters. cityoperahouse.org/tcnewtech
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C3: CHARLEVOIX CREATIVES COLLABORATIVE WEEKLY BREAKFAST GATHERING: Fridays, 10:30am, Smoke on the Water Cafe, Charlevoix. Info: alexis @ 503.550.8889. Find on Facebook.
---------------------C3: CHARLEVOIX CREATIVES COLLABORATIVE WRITE ALONG GROUP: Sundays, 2:30-4pm, Charlevoix Public Library, 2nd floor Trustees Rm. Info: alexis @ 503.550.8889. Find on Facebook.
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COMPULSIVE EATERS ANONYMOUS: Thursdays, 5:30pm, 5th & Oak St., TC. Compulsive Eaters Anonymous-HOW is a fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength & hope are recovering from compulsive eating & food addiction. traversecityceahow.org
HORIZON BOOKS OF CADILLAC STORYTIME: Wednesdays, 4pm. Listen to a story & create a take-home craft. facebook.com/horizonbookscadillac
---------------------HOSPICE OF MICHIGAN WRITING THROUGH LOSS: Thursdays, 10-11:30am through April 12. Michael’s Place, 1212 Veterans Dr., TC. This grief support program focuses on the use of writing as a healing process. Facilitated by Kathryn Holl, MA, LPC and Melissa Fournier, MSW. To register or for more info, call Kathryn Holl: 929.1557. hom.org
---------------------BOYNE CITY INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-noon through April. Main lobby area of the new City Facilities Building, Boyne City. On March 24 Bill Wilson will perform live music. On March 31 Dolph Cwik will perform. boynecitymainstreet.com/farmersmarket-welcome
---------------------CTAC ARTISANS & FARMERS MARKET, PETOSKEY: Fridays, 10am-1pm, upper level Carnegie, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. This market has moved back inside. When weather permits, vendors will sell their goods out on the Bidwell Plaza, too. crookedtree.org
---------------------INDOOR FARMERS MARKET, THE MERCATO, THE VILLAGE AT GT COMMONS, TC: Saturdays, 10am-2pm through April. 941-1961.
art
ANNUAL REGIONAL STUDENT EXHIBITION: High school works are juried by guest artists for display in the Beck Gallery, & area elementary & middle school works are accepted for display in the Borwell & Entrance Galleries. Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. Runs March 30 – April 13. The Exhibition Opening will be held on Fri., April 6 from 5-7pm. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org
---------------------“NATIVE TREATIES: SHARED RIGHTS”: Runs through April 10 at NCMC, Library,
Mon -
Ladies Night - $1 off drinks & $5 martinis
with Jukebox - Closing at 9pm
------------------------------------------DRINK & DRAW: Tuesdays, 7pm, The Workshop Brewing Co., TC. traversecityworkshop.com
---------------------GRAND TRAVERSE ART BOMB: Runs through Apr. 7 at Right Brain Brewery, TC. This collaborative art show featuring talent from around northern MI gives artists an opportunity to showcase their talents with minimal cost. A Closing Reception will be held on Sat., April 7. gt-artbomb.wixsite.com/2018
---------------------GREAT LAKES PHOTOGRAPHY: A SAILOR’S PERSPECTIVE: Runs through Apr. 14 at Tinker Studio, TC. Featuring work by photographer & sailor on the Great Lakes, Michael Diduch. Gallery is open Weds.-Sat., 10am5pm & Sun., 12-4pm. Find on Facebook.
---------------------JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT: Runs through Apr. 28 at Gaylord Area Council for the Arts, Gaylord. Enjoy the work of nature & wildlife photographer Kristina Lishawa.
Tues - $2 well drinks & shots with Jukebox
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Come Visit the Village at Grand Traverse Commons and Present this Coupon for
---------------------MARCIA K. HALES SOLO SHOW: Runs through Apr. 27 at Higher Art Gallery, TC. Marcia’s new exhibit, “Cycle of Duality,” contains new abstract works. higherartgallery.com
---------------------MOLLY PHINNY: WORKS IN CLOTH 20152017: Runs through Apr. 8 at Glen Arbor Arts Center. A small survey of fiber constructions by Leelanau County artist Molly Phinny. 231334-6112. glenarborart.org
---------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - “ART OF NCMC STUDENTS”: Featuring 29 NCMC student artists. Runs through April 21. - CROOKED TREE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY EXHIBITION: Runs through March 24. Includes 90 photographs by local & regional photographers. Juried by photographer & founder of the annual Photostock Festival, Bill Schwab. - “HAND IN HAND: CRAFT AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES”: Runs through March 24. This exhibition explores the relationship between tradition & innovation when applied to diverse concepts, materials, methods & processes. crookedtree.org
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---------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: YOUTH ART SHOW: Runs through March 31. Featuring the next generation of visual artists & their teachers. crookedtree.org
---------------------DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: Mon. - Sat., 10am-5pm; Thurs., 10am-8pm; Sun., 1-5pm. - “LINES OF LIGHT: CRAIG TANDY - MONOFILAMENT SCULPTURE”: Runs through April 29 at Zimmerman Sculpture Court. Canadian artist Craig Tandy constructs complex sculptures with monofilament nylon that illustrate the properties of projected light, with an interest in creating a space through which the viewer can move. - TUTANKHAMUN: “WONDERFUL THINGS” FROM THE PHARAOH’S TOMB: Runs through May 6. From the artisans of the Pharaonic Village in Egypt & the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this exhibit features about 100 replicas of the pharaoh’s possessions & artifacts from the period surrounding Tutankhamun’s reign. It reconstructs the discovery of the tomb by Howard Carter & the life of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. dennosmuseum.org
Happy EVERY Day! Join us for Happy Hour every day of the week from 4 - 7pm. Food specials, 50% off house wines, draft beer and our Signature Cocktails. Live music Friday & Saturday evenings.
Hotel Indigo Traverse City 263 W. Grandview Parkway Traverse City, MI 49684 t: 231.932.0500 Reservations: 877.8.INDIGO (846.3446) hotelindigo.com/TraverseCityMI
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Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 19
DOWNTOWN
TRAVERSE CITY
FOURSCORE by kristi kates
Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers On – Island
See full schedule at: DOWNTOWN
IN CLINCH PARK
Best known as the frontman of Gaslight Anthem, Fallon takes this solo effort and turns it into a real vehicle for his intense, distinctive vocals and Americana flair. This is his second album on his own, and while the first was pretty impressive, this one is even more so. He pulls a little Motown (“If Your Prayers Don’t Get to Heaven”) and ’60s Greenwich Village (“Etta James”) into his usual alt-rock-country mix, with lyrics skewing heavily toward the Bob Dylan end of the songwriter-as-poet scale.
Traverse CiTy
231-929-3200 • 4952 Skyview Ct.
Charlevoix
Buffalo Tom – Quiet and Peace l – Schoolkids Records
231-237-0955 • 106 E. Garfield Ave.
www.schulzortho.com
Tough to fathom that Buffalo Tom is already 25 years old as a band, considering that tracks like “Sodajerk” and “I’m Allowed” hardly sound dated at all in today’s altrock climate. So this new album, its first since 2011, is a real boon for fans. Opening with the sanguine attitude of “All Be Gone” and the nostalgic “Roman Cars,” there’s a heavy ’90s overtone throughout, and in the best way, such as on the Seattle-influenced “See How High the Hemlock Grows.” The band’s literal cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Only Living Boy in New York” is another standout.
SUNDAY 1 • 3:30 • 6 • 8:30 PM MON & TUE 11 AM • 1:30 • 4 • 6:30 PM WEDNESDAY 11 AM • 1:30 • 4 • 7 PM 231-947-4800
Julien Baker – Turn Out the Lights – Matador
The Tennessee singer-songwriter moves to a new label for her sophomore set, keeping the focus on a spare arrangement of guitar, piano and voice to better emphasize the seriousness of her introspective and personal tunes. On opening track “Appointments,” she stacks her own vocals on top of each other, to better convey her uncertainty with cheerfulness. “Happy to Be Here” spirals around her vocals as she questions her own purpose, and “Over” sets the mood with wistful woodwinds.
Nathaniel Rateliff – Tearing at the Seams – Stax
Rateliff’s latest, upon first listen, sounds and even feels like you’ve just stepped into a rough and tumble roadhouse where the in-house musician has been residing for the past 20 years. While his howls — in spirit at least — are reminiscent of vintage soul singers, his vocal performances don’t quite have that level of smooth polish. Instead, he’s a more rustic front-porch troubadour, snarling his way through tunes like the galloping “Still Out There Running,” the saxophone-festooned “Intro,” and the faintly New Orleans “Shoe Boot.”
20 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
scotland’s chvrches make an enemy Scottish synthesizer-popster band Chvrches is set to release its third album this spring, sticking with Glassnote Records for its latest collection of tracks, Love is Dead, on May 25. The band produced the set along with Grammy winner Greg Kurstin (Adele/ Sia) — the first time Chvrches worked with an outside producer on an album — and also welcomed in a guest collaborator, The National’s frontman/singer-slash-baritone, Matt Berninger, who joins Chvrches for first single, “My Enemy.” Those aren’t the only changes in the Chvrches camp: It has finally added a drummer to the lineup, so you can expect to see former The Kills drummer Jonny Scott with the trio on stage next time you catch them live … Two more acts have been added to the list for the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park’s 2018 summer outdoor concert series (Blondie being the first). Also set to take the stage are Tedeschi Trucks Band (May 30), an outfit led by the husband/ wife duo Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi (both are guitarists; Tedeschi also sings), who performed last at the venue in 2016. O.A.R. is next on the list. Currently on its Just Like Paradise tour, the band will head to
MODERN
Chvrches
ROCK BY KRISTI KATES
Meijer Gardens Aug. 26, and will bring along special opening act singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson … Composer Jeff Russo, best known his work on such series as CBS’ Star Trek: Discovery, FX’s Legion, and Starz’ Counterpart and Power, has added the much-anticipated upcoming Peter Berg action thriller, Mile 22, to his lengthy list of soundtrack work. The film, which stars Mark Wahlberg and John Malkovich, focuses on an elite intelligence officer who has to smuggle a police officer with important information from one country to another; Russo will contribute the dramatic score and opening theme. Mile 22 will hit theaters on July 20 … Lana Del Rey will be one of many performers appearing on the new Unmasked: The Platinum Collection, a tribute album to the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Del Rey contributes a cover of Madonna’s piano ballad “You Must Love Me” (from Evita) to the collection, while additional tunes will feature Beyonce (singing “Learn to Be Lonely” from “The Phantom of the Opera”), Barbra Streisand (“With One Look” from “Sunset Boulevard”), and Gregory Porter (“Light at the End of the Tunnel” from “Starlight Express.”) Unmasked arrives in stores and digital outlets this week …
LINK OF THE WEEK Heading east this summer? If you time it right, music fan, you can end up in NYC for the massive 2018 Panorama Festival, which just unveiled its triple-threat of headliners for this year: The Killers, The Weeknd, and the return of ’80s diva Janet Jackson. The three-day fest runs July 27–29, with a plethora of additional performers on the bill, including Father John Misty, The xx, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Fleet Foxes, and Dua Lipa. Get tickets and all the details at panorama.nyc … THE BUZZ Imagine Dragons is kicking off its Evolve tour on June 5, and will cruise through the Midwest in mid-June, stopping in Detroit on June 21 and Indianapolis on June 22 … Petoskey native-turned-Brooklyn indie musician Sufjan Stevens’ track “Mystery of
Love” is seeing an increase in sales after he performed the song at this year’s Academy Awards ceremonies in Los Angeles alongside St. Vincent and Moses Sumney … Detroiter Jack White is on the lineup for this year’s Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee, which will take place May 4–6 and include performances from Vance Joy, The Flaming Lips, Logic, Tyler the Creator, Alanis Morissette, and more … Rockers Evanescence and rockin’ violinist Lindsey Stirling are teaming up for a coheadlining tour this summer. The trek will include a performance in Detroit on July 9 at the DTE Energy Music Theater … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock. Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.
I will be by your side. “No matter where patients live, they deserve an oncologist who is trained and caring and comes to them. That’s why I drive to Grayling every week to see patients. I want patients to know we are here for them.” – Yelena Kier, DO I Medical Oncologist
Our regional cancer team works together to detect, diagnose and fight cancer. Wherever you live in northern Michigan, you have access to Munson Healthcare’s system of expert, coordinated cancer care. Together, we’ll make a plan. Together, we’ll get through this.
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Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 21
The reel
by meg weichman
love, simon a wrinkle in time
A
According to Love, Simon, “Everyone deserves a great love story.” But I’d take it a step further and add that everyone deserves their own sentimental and sweet teenage rom-com. You know the movies, the often clichéd, sometimes brilliant, sometimes profound stories of high school that stay with you and speak to you at a time you really need it. Think John Hughes, 10 Things I Hate About You, Mean Girls, and more. Movies never meant as much to me as some of my teen favorites, and now with the insta-classic that is Love, Simon, more teenagers are represented in this classic genre than ever before. Love, Simon is a coming-of-age comingout story that is universally, beautifully, and sometimes even painfully relatable. The first mainstream studio film about a closeted teen, this is a huge milestone for Hollywood inclusivity and, with its sharp script, solid soundtrack, and endearing characters, it’s so good it was almost worth waiting for (yet totally overdue). Simon (Nick Robinson), as he narrates, is a teenager “just like you.” He’s got a great family. His mom was valedictorian, his father the quarterback, and they’re still sweet on one another. And he has a little sister he adores, even when he doesn’t adore the aspiring chef ’s cooking. Then there’s his core group of friends: two he’s been lucky enough to call his besties for pretty much his whole life (Katherine Langford and Jorge Lendeborg Jr.) and a new one that he feels like he’s known forever. Together they do what teens do: consume too much iced coffee, stay too long at the Waffle House, and even occasionally, but responsibly, drink a little too much. A senior in high school, he’s living the suburban dream, and it is this mix of idealism and realism that makes the film’s point all the better. Simon is a kid who has it so good, and yet his story is still so hard. See Simon’s got a “big-ass secret,” one that prevents him from living the open and honest life he deserves. So when a classmate anonymously posts to the local gossip blog that he’s gay, Simon reaches out to the online alias, “Blue.” With neither knowing the other’s identity, the two begin trading emails and forge a unique connection, sharing their souls via writing.
va Duvernay’s adaptation of the classic Newbery-medal winning novel is a beautifully intentioned, wears-its-hearton-its-sleeve, feminist-flag-flying work of empowerment. And for that alone, this is a film worth celebrating and sharing with the young people in your life. The story concerns Meg Murray (Storm Reid), a stubborn, angry, and withdrawn teenager who hasn’t been living up to her potential since her father (Chris Pine) disappeared four years ago. Her NASA scientist parents had been researching tesseracts when he went missing. The family had all but given up on his return when her child prodigy younger brother, Charles Wallace, brings home a trio of celestial guides (Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah Winfrey) along with Meg’s dreamy but dull classmate Calvin (Levi Miller), and together they all begin a journey across space and time to find Mr. Murray. For all its epic adventure, trippy candy-colored worlds, and star-powered appeal, this is, at its heart, a family film — a sweet and gentle one, where the underlying message of wanting to make young people feel understood and important resonates loud and clear. You can tell just how much Duvernay and the entire cast believe in the movie’s message of love, self-acceptance, imagination, and discovery. And to surround yourself in those feelings for a few hours is a heartening experience.
uncovers the pair’s emails and blackmails Simon. And while this act is unforgiveable, it’s not out of hatred, but for wanting help in spending time with Simon’s friend Abby (Alexandra Shipp). And so Simon begins using his friends and their relationships like pawns to protect himself, not only for fear of being exposed but also to ensure Blue isn’t scared off. Director Greg Berlanti is not only a veritable expert on teen speak (see his work producing teen greats like Dawson’s Creek and Riverdale) but was himself a closeted high schooler, and his connection to the character comes through in ways both big and small. Because Berlanti’s realm is primarily TV, at times the film can feel like a very good episode of a weepie show like This is Us, which makes sense because the screenwriters count that among their credits. They infuse the script with the perfect amount of humor to make everything more poignant and real and include some clever interludes like a rainbow-colored musical number set at “Liberal University.” As Simon, Robinson is an undeniably charming balance of vulnerability and adorableness. But it’s not just Simon’s story. Another element that’s so great about this film is that his friends are also fully formed characters, and they all get their own moments of understanding.
RED SPARROW
J
ennifer Lawrence teams up again with her Hunger Games series director, Francis Lawrence (no relation), for this sexy spy thriller that explores similar themes of their previous work together but takes it to a much more disturbing and brutal place (which is saying something, considering The Hunger Games was about forced child-on-child killing). An extremely dark film that features everything from nudity, torture, and rape to murder and incest, Lawrence plays Dominka, a prima ballerina for the Russian Ballet living out her dream. But when an unexpected injury kills her career, Dominka’s situation becomes desperate and takes her own Uncle’s offer to attend “Sparrow School,” where she will be instructed on how to use her body and sex as a weapon for Mother Russia. Her first assignment? Getting the identity of a Russian mole from their CIA handler (Joel Edgerton). They do a completely uninspired will-they or won’t-they dance and over the course of its near 2.5-hour (sheesh!) runtime, the tension never really builds, and the thrills never really add up. This is definitely not the grand espionage thriller — think Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy — that it so clearly aspires to be, but Lawrence’s charisma at least makes it not a complete waste of time.
The adults are pretty wonderful too. Tony Hale is a kind, caring, and dorky vice principal, and Natasha Rothwell is a complete scene-stealer as a theater teacher at wits end with the school’s terrible production of “Cabaret.” And the parents (Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel) might be a little too picture perfect, but when Garner delivers a speech to Simon, it’s not the stuff of Call Me By Your Name, but is still pretty darn warm and moving. And Simon’s emotional moment with his father is so simple yet so crushing. Then it’s got a go-for-broke, shamelessly romantic Never Been Kissed-style ending that when the audience burst into applause at a certain moment that shall not be spoiled, my heart swelled.
With several contenders as to whom Blue could be (The cute Waffle House waiter? The gregarious athlete? The hip piano player for the school musical?), there’s a mystery element to their correspondence, and you might think you’ve got it figured out, but then you don’t.
Exuberantly and intelligently told, the magic of Love, Simon is that something so “groundbreaking” feels so normal, so familiar. Gay stories are not just “indie” stories, and gay love stories don’t have to be tragic or take place behind closed doors, and there is incredible social value in that. Beautiful, sincere, and meaningful, Love, Simon is not just a teen movie or a coming-out movie, it’s the kind of generous filmmaking we all deserve.
Things take a turn when an awkward classmate with a penchant for slight-of-hand magic
Meg Weichman is a perma-intern at the Traverse City Film Festival and a trained film archivist.
22 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
game night
M
ax (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) are an average suburban couple who met cute at a bar trivia night and to this day still enjoy their weekly game night with friends. But their regular routine of Pictionary, snacks, and wine has it stakes raised in a major way when Max’s incredibly successful older brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler), comes to town and invites the gang over for an interactive game experience (think murder mystery party). But everyone gets more than they bargained for when an actual kidnapping occurs, blurring the lines of reality and fiction. See, Brooks’ money might not have been made on Wall Street, and it’s up to Max and Annie to rescue him from an international crime boss. But no one realizes this yet, and when they don’t know they’re in real danger, or that they’re wielding a real gun, or that that’s real blood, it’s an undeniable riot. With an appropriate mix of absurdly humorous situations, decently choreographed action, and interesting interpersonal drama, Game Night makes you care for the characters without resorting to overt sentimentality. It’s not particularly sharp, but it’s never dull, and there are more than the expected share of gut-busting comedic moments. The pieces are put into place over the course of a twisty and turn-y ride, and it all comes together in a very satisfying way. So while this certainly isn’t a game changer of a film, it’s one you’ll like, and it definitely isn’t a charade.
nitelife
mar 24 - APR 01 edited by jamie kauffold
Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com
Grand Traverse & Kalkaska ACOUSTIC TAP ROOM, TC 3/27 -- Lava Lamp Lounge Songwriters Open Mic, 7-9 FANTASY'S, TC Mon. - Sat. -- Adult entertainment w/ DJ, 7-close GT RESORT & SPA, GRAND LOBBY BAR, ACME 3/24 -- Big Rand, 7-11 3/30 -- Levi Britton, 7-11 3/31 -- Blake Elliott, 7-11
3/30 -- Mac Dralle, 6-8 LITTLE BOHEMIA, TC Tue -- TC Celtic, 7-9 MONKEY FIST BREWING CO., TC 3/24 -- Bands, Brews & Benefit, 4-7 3/30 -- Wink, 7-10 PARK PLACE HOTEL, TC BEACON LOUNGE: Thurs,Fri,Sat — Tom Kaufmann, 8:30
GAIJIN, TC Wed -- Karaoke, 8 GRAND TRAVERSE DISTILLERY, TC Fri -- Younce Guitar Duo, 7-9:30 HAYLOFT INN, TC Thu -- Open mic night by Roundup Radio Show, 8 HOTEL INDIGO, BAY BAR, TC 3/24 -- Clinton Lake, 7-10 3/30 -- Blake Elliott, 7-10
SAIL INN BAR & GRILL, TC Thurs. & Sat. -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9 SLEDER'S FAMILY TAVERN, TC 3/25 -- Bill Staines, 4 STATE STREET MARKETPLACE, TC 3/24 -- Bands, Brews & Benefit, 4 STUDIO ANATOMY, TC 3/30 -- Comedy Night w/ Zack Martina, 9
KILKENNY'S, TC 3/23-24 – Risque 3/30-31 – Off Beat Band Tue -- Levi Britton, 8 Wed -- The Pocket, 8 Sun -- Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 7-9
THE DISH CAFE, TC Tues,Sat -- Matt Smith, 5-7 Thu -- Open Mic, 7:30-9
LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC 3/26 -- Open Mic Night w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9
THE PARLOR, TC 3/24 – Jim Hawley & Co., 8 3/27 -- Clint, 8-11 3/28 -- Wink, 8-11 3/30 -- Matt Mansfield, 8-11
THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 3/24 -- The Brothers Crunch, 8 3/26 -- TC Charity Joke Jam Qualifier #3, 8 Wed -- The Workshop Live Jazz Jam, 6-10 3/29 -- Blair Miller, 7-10 3/31 -- Eric Engblade Trio, 8-11 UNION STREET STATION, TC 3/24 -- LGB, 10 3/25 -- Head for the Hills Live Show, then Karaoke, 5 3/26 -- Jukebox, 5 3/27 -- Jukebox, 10 3/28 -- 2 Bays DJs, 10 3/29 -- DJ Fasel, 10 3/30 -- Happy Hour w/ Jazz North, then 1000 Watt Prophets, 5 3/31 -- 1000 Watt Prophets, 10 4/1 -- Karaoke, 10 WEST BAY BEACH HOLIDAY INN RESORT, TC THE BISTRO: 3/26 -- Levi Britton, 5-6 3/27 -- David Chown, 5-6 THE VIEW: 3/24 -- DJ Motaz, 10 3/29 -- NMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Chris Bickley, & The Jeff Haas Trio, 7-9:30 3/30 -- Blue Groove, 7-9:30; DJ Shawny D, 10-2 3/31 -- DJ Motaz, 10
Otsego, Crawford & Central ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD Fri,Sat -- Live music, 6-9
BENNETHUMS NORTHERN INN, GAYLORD 3/27 – Randy Reszka
TREETOPS RESORT, GAYLORD Hunter's Grille: Thurs. - Sat. -- Live music, 8-11
SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD Tue -- Open Jam Night, 6-9
Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE 3/24 -- Restless Heart, 8
The 15-piece NMC Vocal Jazz Ensemble and director Mike Davis play The View in West Bay Beach Holiday Inn Resort, TC on Thurs., March 29 from 7-9:30pm, along with saxman Chris Bickley and the Jeff Haas Trio. westbaybeachresorttraversecity.com
Antrim & Charlevoix CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS 3/24 -- Drew Hale, 7:30 3/30 -- Elizabeth Sexton Rivers & Al Jankowski, 7:30-9:30 3/31 -- Levi Britton, 7:30 ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 3/24 -- E Minor, 8-11
RED MESA GRILL, BOYNE CITY 3/27 – Blake Elliott SHORT'S BREWING CO., BELLAIRE 3/24 – The Pocket, 8:30-11 3/30 -- The Crane Wives, 8:30-11 3/31 -- Seth Bernard, 8:30-11
TORCH LAKE CAFE, EASTPORT 3/24 – Nick Vasquez, 9 Wed -- Dueling Pianos, 8:30 Thu -- Open Mic w/ Tim Hosper, 8:30
Leelanau & Benzie DICK’S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. — Karaoke, 10-2
PLATTE RIVER INN, HONOR Tue -- Open Mic Night, 7:30 Sat -- DJ/Karaoke, 8
LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 3/27 -- Jameson Brothers, 6:309:30
ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 3/24 -- 3 & 2, 6-9 3/29 -- Open Mic Night, 6-10 3/30 -- The Real Ingredients, 6-9 3/31 -- Unabunner, 6-9
LUMBERJACK'S BAR & GRILL, HONOR Fri & Sat -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9
STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT 3/24 -- The Whiskey Charmers, 8-10 3/30 -- Abigail Stauffer, 8-10 3/31 -- Keith Scott, 8-10
Emmet & Cheboygan CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 3/24 -- Charlie Don't Surf, 10 3/30 -- Annex Karaoke, 10 3/31 -- For the Love of Hip-Hop w/ DJs Franck & Moses, 10 KNOT JUST A BAR, BAY HARBOR Mon,Tues,Thurs — Live music
LEO’S NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN, PETOSKEY Thurs — Karaoke w/ DJ Micheal Williford, 10 Fri – TRANSMIT, Techno-Funk-Electro DJs, 10 Sun — DJ Johnnie Walker, 9 NORTHERN LIGHTS RECREATION, HARBOR SPRINGS THE SASSY LOON: 3/24 – The Drift, 9:30
3/30 – Scarkazm, 9:30 3/31 – The Strawberry Jam Band, 9:30 ODAWA CASINO, O ZONE, PETOSKEY Sat -- Funny Business Comedy Show, 9 THE GRILLE AT BAY HARBOR Nightly Music
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 23
the ADViCE GOddESS Satin Worshipper
Q
“Jonesin” Crosswords
"Surround Sound"--one way to take it all in. by Matt Jones ACROSS 1 Fly fast 4 Amy of 2016’s “Arrival” 9 Retool 14 Fire truck accessory 15 Addition to a bill or contract 16 Boisterous 17 Flock formation 18 Venus, when visible after sunset 20 “Back in Black” rockers 22 Some board members 23 Light nap 24 “In memoriam” write-up 26 Corrosive cleaning stuff 27 Know with certainty 30 Bass or buff ending 31 Bother, to the Bard 34 Smoking-based practical joke that’s hardly seen anymore 37 Have an ___ the hole 38 Opus ___ (“The Da Vinci Code” sect) 39 Drew, the detective 41 It’s tough to hear without an amp 44 8 1/2” x 11” size, briefly 45 Geek blogger Wheaton 46 James of “Gunsmoke” 47 Family member, informally 48 “___ bien!” 49 They may be tough to break 53 Like the Beatles 54 “As far as I can ___ ...” 58 Way up (and down) 61 Director Ang 62 The Chi-___ (“Have You Seen Her” group) 63 Siberian forest region 64 “Chandelier” singer 65 Strap for a dog walk 66 With 67-Across, what each of the long answers displays 67 See 66-Across
DOWN
1 Greek vowel 1 Coffee nickname 2 CFO or COO, e.g 3 Irked, with “off” 4 “What ___ the odds?” 5 Split (up) 6 Skillful 7 Department store section 8 ___ Lanka 9 Harmon of “Rizzoli & Isles” 10 Spoonful, maybe 11 British isles 12 Exam for H.S. juniors 13 Banks who hosts “America’s Next Top Model” 19 Justin Timberlake’s former group 21 Dave of “Fuller House” 25 Rodeo horse, briefly 26 Sudoku solving skill 27 Costar of Rue, Betty, and Estelle 28 Do really well 29 Hardy wheat in health-food products 30 April ___ (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” reporter) 31 Contrary to 32 “Inferno” poet 33 Black-and-white ocean predators 35 Actor Elba 36 Become used (to) 40 Calendar spans, for short 42 Unexpected plot turn 43 Bin contents, until emptied 47 Private reserve 48 Implied but not stated 49 “Life In ___” (Matt Groening comic strip) 50 “That’s ___!” (“Not so!”) 51 Alpha successor 52 Currier’s lithography partner 53 Herr’s wife 55 Otherwise 56 Princess from Alderaan 57 Goneril’s father 59 Prefix with laryngology 60 Palindromic, growly-sounding compressed file format
24 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
: My parents said they’d give my fiance and me money for a wedding or for a down payment on a home. They aren’t wealthy, so my fiance and I would have to fund about half of the wedding, or possibly more. He doesn’t care about a big wedding, and I agree that it would be fantastic to have money to put toward a home. Still, my friends are getting married and having these beautiful, lavish weddings, and I worry that I’d regret not having one, too. — Bridechilla
A
: Let’s think this through. First, there’s “We blew our friends away with the wedding of the century!!!” And then: “But, strangely, none of them showed up to our housewarming in our new tent beneath the overpass.” To understand your longing to get married in, say, the suburban Taj Mahal, with Beyonce as entertainment, it helps to understand that we are imperfectly rational. Our emotions are our first responders, and those still driving us today are often a mismatch with our modern world. They evolved to solve mating and survival problems in ancestral times. Back then, humans were probably around the same small band of 25 or 50 people all the time. This was a harsh world, entirely lacking in 7-Elevens and online listings of couches to surf. This meant that reputation and status mattered -- in a life-or-death way. Take the drive for female status competition that’s gnawing at you. It has a long history in both human and nonhuman primates (monkeys, gorillas, etc.). Primatologist and anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy explains, “Access to resources — the key to successful gestation and lactation — and the ability to protect one’s family from members of one’s own species are so nearly correlated with status that female status has become very nearly an end in itself.” Well, guess what: In our modern world, you have access to resources — at the grocery store you drive to in your climate-controlled comfortable car. If there’s a problem with lactation, you hit a number on your phone, and some nice nurse at your obstetrician’s office gets right on it. And — because you are not, say, a chimp — if you need to protect your family from members of your own species, you dial 911. Understanding how starkly mismatched our evolved emotions can be with our modern lives may put your longing to join the wed-spend olympiad into perspective. Ironically, you and your fiance might do more to signal that you’re high-
status through a sort of reverse conspicuous consumption — for example, loudly and proudly throwing a backyard wedding with a barbecue lunch buffet…scooped onto the finest 250-count disposable Chinet $14.99 can buy. (Yes, you two are so comfortable with your place in the social world that you can throw an aggressively unlavish wedding.) Your guests will cry just the same as you say “I do” in a dress you picked up for $9 at Goodwill. Best of all, after your frugally fabulous nuptials, you can go straight off on your honeymoon — the two of you rather than the three of you: you, your husband, and the credit counselor.
Wall Of Me
Q
: I’m a single woman struggling with maintaining boundaries. I find myself going along in the moment with things men do or want -- saying “sure, that’s cool” even when it’s not. I’m pretty assertive in other areas, so it’s confusing that I’d be such a wimp with men. — Yes Woman
Guys love a woman who says yes -- until A:they’re done doing whatever she said yes to. It isn’t surprising that you’re inconsistently assertive. There’s this myth of the self as a single, stable entity -- like one of those Easter Island statues (but with lip gloss and an iPhone). However, evolutionary psychologist Lee A. Kirkpatrick and his colleagues find that our self-evaluations (and the behavior that follows) evolved to be “domain-specific” — different in different areas of our lives. “Situational variables” matter — like the value to us of a potential relationship. So you might march around like some warrior princess of the work world yet want a boyfriend so badly that you show guys you’re dating that there’s no amount of backward that’s too far for you to bend over. The good news is, your emotions are not your factory foreman. You will not be fired and end up sleeping on cardboard in a doorway if you refuse to obey them. Reflect on possible boundary-challenging scenarios and preplan what you’ll say -- and then just say it. State your limits, despite any inner squeals of protest from your fears (those jerks). Expect this to feel uncomfortable, but do it anyway. In time, you should see that it’s self-respect, not compliance, that earns you respect from others — leading them to want you for more than…um… temporary erection relief.
aSTRO
lOGY
MAR 26 - APR 01 BY ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19): A few years ago, a New Zealander
named Bruce Simpson announced plans to build a cruise missile at his home using parts he bought legally from eBay and other online stores. In accordance with current astrological omens, I suggest you initiate a comparable project. For example, you could arrange a doit-yourself space flight by tying a thousand helium balloons to your lawn chair. APRIL FOOL! I lied. Please don’t try lunatic schemes like the helium balloon space flight. Here’s the truth: Now is a favorable time to initiate big, bold projects, but not foolish, big, bold projects. The point is to be both visionary and practical.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian
author Alice Walker won a Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Color Purple. She has also published 33 other books and built a large audience. But some of her ideas are not exactly mainstream. For example, she says that one of her favorite authors is David Icke, who asserts that intelligent extraterrestrial reptiles have disguised themselves as humans and taken control of our planet’s governments. I bring this to your attention, because I think it’s time that you, too, reveal the full extent of how crazy you really are. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. While it’s true that now is a favorable time to show more of your unconventional and eccentric sides, I don’t advise you to go full-on whacko.
PIScES
(Feb. 19-March 20): Warning! Danger! You are at risk of contracting a virulent case of cherophobia! And what exactly is cherophobia? It’s a fear of happiness. It’s an inclination to dodge and shun joyful experiences because of the suspicion that they will disappoint you or cause bad luck. Please do something to stop this insidious development. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is that you are currently more receptive to positive emotions and delightful events than you’ve been in a log time. There’s less than a onepercent chance you will fall victim to cherophobia.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): ): The Finnish
word kalsarikännit means getting drunk at home alone in your underwear and bingeing on guilty pleasures. It’s a perfect time for you to do just that. The Fates are whispering, “Chill out. Vegetate. Be ambitionless.” APRIL FOOL! I told a half-truth. In fact, now is a perfect time to excuse yourself from trying too hard and doing too much. You can accomplish wonders and marvels by staying home and bingeing on guilty pleasures in your underwear. But there’s no need to get drunk.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Actor Gary Busey
is very sure there are no mirrors in heaven. He has other specific ideas about the place, as well. This became a problem when he was filming the movie Quigley, in which his character Archie visits heaven. Busey was so enraged at the director’s mistaken rendering of paradise that he got into a fist fight with another actor. I hope you will show an equally feisty fussiness in the coming weeks, Gemini. APRIL FOOL! I lied, sort of. On the one hand, I do hope you’ll be forceful as you insist on expressing your high standards. Don’t back down! But on the other hand, refrain from pummeling anyone who asks you to compromise.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the Scots
language still spoken in parts of Scotland, eedledoddles are people who can’t summon initiative when it’s crunch time. They are so consumed in trivial or irrelevant concerns that they lose all instinct for being in the right place at the right time. I regret to inform you that you are now at risk of being an eedle-doddle. APRIL FOOL! I lied. In fact, the truth is just the opposite. I have rarely seen you so well-primed to respond vigorously and bravely to Big Magic Moments. For the foreseeable future, you are King or Queen of Carpe Diem.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Paul McCartney likes
to periodically act like a regular person who’s not a famous musician. He goes grocery shopping without bodyguards. He rides on public transportation and strikes up conversations with random strangers. I think you may need to engage in similar behavior yourself, Leo. You’ve become a bit too enamored with your own beauty and magnificence. You really do need to
come down to earth and hang out more with us little people. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is, now is prime time to hone your power and glory; to indulge your urge to shine and dazzle; to be as conspicuously marvelous as you dare to be.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The coming
days will be an excellent time to concoct an alchemical potion that will heal your oldest wounds. For best results, mix and sip a gallon of potion using the following magic ingredients: absinthe, chocolate syrup, cough medicine, dandelion tea, cobra venom, and worm’s blood. APRIL FOOL! I mixed a lie in with a truth. It is a fact that now is a fine time to seek remedies for your ancient wounds. But the potion I recommended is bogus. Go on a quest for the real cure.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I expect you will
soon receive a wealth of exotic and expensive gifts. For example, a benefactor may finance your vacation to a gorgeous sacred site or give you the deed to an enchanted waterfall. I won’t be surprised if you’re blessed with a solid gold bathtub or a year’s supply of luxury cupcakes. It’s even possible that a sugar daddy or sugar momma will fork over $500,000 to rent an auditorium for a party in your honor. APRIL FOOL! I distorted the truth. I do suspect you’ll get more goodies than usual in the coming weeks, but they’re likely to come in the form of love and appreciation, not flashy material goods. (For best results, don’t just wait around for the goodies to stream in; ask for them!)
ScORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): There’s a narrow
waterway between Asia and Europe. In the fifth century B.C., Persian King Xerxes had two bridges built across it so he could invade Greece with his army. But a great storm swept through and smashed his handiwork. Xerxes was royally peeved. He ordered his men to whip the uncooperative sea and brand it with hot irons, all the while shouting curses at it, like “You are a turbid and briny river.” I recommend that you do something similar, Scorpio. Has Nature done anything to inconvenience you? Show it who’s the Supreme Boss! APRIL FOOL! I lied. The truth is, now is an excellent time for you to become more attuned and in love with a Higher Power, however you define that. What’s greater than you and bigger than your life and wilder than you can imagine? Refine your practice of the art of surrender.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Fifteenth-
century Italian painter Filippo Lippi was such a lustful womanizer that he sometimes found it tough to focus on making art. At one point, his wealthy and politically powerful patron Cosimo de’ Medici, frustrated by his extracurricular activities, imprisoned him in his studio to ensure he wouldn’t get diverted. Judging from your current astrological omens, Sagittarius, I suspect you need similar constraints. APRIL FOOL! I fibbed a little. I am indeed worried you’ll get so caught up in the pursuit of pleasure that you’ll neglect your duties. But I won’t go so far as to suggest you should be locked up for your own good.
the best...
sizzling fajitas marvelous margaritas burritos • chimis • wraps quesadillas • tacos enchiladas • children’s menu & fresh homemade salsa!
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Now is a
favorable time to slap a lawsuit on your mom in an effort to make her pay for the mistakes she made while raising you. You could also post an exposé on social media in which you reveal her shortcomings, or organize a protest rally outside her house with your friends holding signs demanding she apologize for how she messed you up. APRIL FOOL! Everything I just said was ridiculous and false. The truth is, now is a perfect moment to meditate on the gifts and blessings your mother gave you. If she is still alive, express your gratitude to her. If she has passed on, do a ritual to honor and celebrate her.
Petoskey, Lansing, Mt. Pleasant, Gaylord and two locations in Traverse City.
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 25
NORTHERN EXPRESS
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northernexpress.com/classifieds Easy. Accessible. All Online. 26 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly
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easy. accessible. all online.
Beltone is announcing an Annual Hearing Health Clinic for members of our community who have questions about their hearing. Our event will offer the following services to you or a loved one at no cost or obligation:
HEARING SCREENING Do you have hearing loss? Could it be excess ear wax or your sinuses?
VIDEO OTOSCOPE EXAM The Otoscope allows you to see your eardrum and inside of your ear canal on a monitor. If ear wax is a problem, you will know right away and we can provide you with options to manage it.
10-POINT HEARING AID PERFORMANCE CHECK-UP ON ANY MAKE OR MODEL Do you already own hearing aids? Do they whistle? Do they work in noisy places? Have they weakened? Let us check and clean them.
This special, free service is available through a limited number of appointments.
Call for your appointment today and take advantage of this opportunity.
WHY SHOULD I GET A HEARING SCREENING? Hearing loss can be an early warning sign or is linked to ailments including: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Hearing Loss can also contribute to depression and social isolation.
Skoric Hearing Aid Center
Everyone over age 50 should have a baseline hearing screening and should be checked regularly, similar to an eye exam.
Towards Your Next Set of Hearing Aids
www
BeltoneSkoricHearing.com
Trade-In Allowance
Receive $1,000 toward a pair of new Beltone Premium Digital hearing aids.
Receive $1,200 toward new Beltone Premium Digital Hearing Aids when you trade in your old hearing aids.
Offer valid toward purchase of two Beltone Trust 17 or 9 hearing instruments. May not be combined with other offers or coupons. Not valid on previous purchase. Offer expires 4/13/18.
May not be combined with any other offers. Does not apply to previous purchases. $1,200 toward the purchase of two premium series hearing aids. Offer expires 4/13/18.
Northern Express Weekly • march 26, 2018 • 27
28 • march 26, 2018 • Northern Express Weekly