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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • February 03 - February 09, 2020 • Vol. 30 No. 05

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2 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

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Brain Injuries v. Bone Spurs In spite of Donald Trump’s early report of no serious injuries to American troops during the Iranian retaliatory attack on Al-Asad airbase in Iraq, it has now been revealed that at least 34 American troops suffered concussions during that attack.

In order to understand Trump’s early dismissal of any concerning injuries during the attack, it is helpful to recognize that when a person has endured multiple military-service-disqualifying bone spurs as a youth, traumatic brain injury would, understandably, pale into insignificance.

Bob Ross, Pellston

by logic. And any political movement that fails to comprehend the character structure of the masses and their basic, rational needs will be short-lived.

You can act like Trump ran over your puppy on a daily basis or enjoy studying the symbolism and mysticism that motivates from the darkness. What makes us tick? It sounds psychological — but don’t worry: Know thyself.

Communism failed not quite because it was corrupted, but because people couldn’t let go of the dictatorship of the proletariat.

The goal of self-governance became obscure and so the masses hardened back into bureaucracy. Terrifying freedom.

Ben Anderson, Cedar

CONTENTS features Crime and Rescue Map......................................7

A Day in District Court......................................10 Cocktail Creations............................................13 Beat the Winter Blahs...................................14 College Insights...............................................17 Tucker’s of Northport.......................................18 Blake Cassidy..................................................20 Seen...............................................................21

dates................................................22-24 music Four Score.....................................................26

Congressional Debasement CORRECTION Facts matter. The truth matters. Sadly, In the Jan. 6 edition of Northern Express, Republicans refuse to allow actual witnesses the story “Mirror of History” incorrectly and facts in order to make informed identified Peter Greensky, a missionary who Nightlife.........................................................28 decisions on impeachment. They offer only lived in Charlevoix. He was not also known excuses because they have no facts that as Chief Aghosa; rather, he was known could show Donald Trump’s innocence. as Shagasokicki, a Chippewa Indian who The truth is damning, so they must hide it. converted to Christianity at a young age and Top Ten...........................................................5 But, like water, truth always finds its way eventually grew up to become a minister.

Spectator/Stephen Tuttle....................................6 and eventually floods the valley.

Modern Rock/Kristi Kates................................25 The pattern of wrongdoing is clear.

Film................................................................27 This is a man who hangs out with thugs Advice..........................................................29 and speaks like one. This is a man who will Crossword...................................................29 throw anyone under the bus if they even hint at defying or questioning him. This is Freewill Astrology..........................................30 a scam artist who has pulled off the greatest Classifieds..................................................31 scam of all time on our nation — and for that, he will be remembered, along withReach his 94,000 readers in this special upcoming issue! protectors and defenders.

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 During the McCarthy “redbaiting” era, on June 1, 1950, it was Margaret Chase CONSTRUCTION AHEAD: TOP NINE ROAD PROJECTS COMING IN 2019 Smith, a Republican senator from Maine who was the first and sole senator to challenge McCarthy. On the Senate floor she denounced his investigatory tactics in a “Declaration of Conscience.” Smith Winter charged that her Republican colleague had “debased” Senate deliberations “through the selfish political exploitation of fear, bigotry, ignorance and intolerance.”

And today, silence. Are we a country, or simply the arm of a giant, global Northern Express Weekly is published by corporation run by thugs who treat anyone Eyes Only Media, LLC. beneath them as peasants? The voices of Publisher: Luke Haase dissent against them are being silenced.

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express

First, Know Thyself Climate change/global warming is real.

Since the planet is a living whole, we cannot predict it perfectly. The90% earth makes of readers have visited/purchased adjustments that we don’t fully understand, food,and or wine based on an ad they but in some weird way, it hasrestaurant, our back saw in the Northern Express! wants us to be here.

But use of the word “hoax” is a signal to me that someone has succumbed to the info@northernexpress.com political irrationalism that mark our times.

Political movements — especially the sudden reactionary ones — are not fueled NORTHERN

Andrew Yang for President Andrew Yang is brilliant, and he’s the only candidate who can beat Trump. His slogan — “Not Left, Not Right; Forward” — reflects the diversity of the Yang Gang: libertarians, former Trump voters, liberals, conservatives, and the disenfranchised.

He’s not a politician but a successful entrepreneur and businessman. A deep thinker and math guy (“Make America Think Harder”), is driven by data, has detailed solutions to help America evolve into the next century, and has over 150 solutions to problems facing the U.S. Andrew’s slogan, “Humanity First,” puts people before profits.

His Freedom Dividend (UBI) will give every American citizen a dividend of $1,000 per month from age 18 to death. He calls it capitalism that doesn’t start at zero.

Alaska has enjoyed a similar dividend, paid yearly, for over 40 years, from oil money.

The oil of the 21st century is technology.

Andrew will impose a value-added tax at the point of production/transaction to pay for the dividend. Taxing a few cents of every Amazon sale, Google search, Wall Street transaction, etc., will help pay for the dividend. Andrew says this is not the solution — just the beginning — to solving our problems.

The dividend would support stay-athome parents and caretakers, and people could escape abusive relationships and toxic jobs. People could breathe easier knowing they can pay rent and put food on the table. Homelessness would end.

Money would flow throughout every town, revitalizing small businesses and starting new businesses. He calls it the trickle-up economy. Towns destroyed by automation and millions of jobs moving to Mexico and China.

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Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 3

this week’s

top ten

Cozy Concert

A Budding Business

Northern Michigan’s first retail recreational marijuana location opened Friday, Jan. 31, in Honor — with warming tents and free food for customers in line. Lume, located at 9899 Honor Highway, is Benzie County’s first marijuana retail location and the first in the area. Lume offers a variety of high-quality flower, pre-rolls, edibles, and concentrates.

The Honor location is Lume’s second store to offer adult-use sales; the other, Lit Provisioning Centers in Evart, launched recreational sales in December 2019.

Lume representatives say they are preparing to open stores in Adrian, Petoskey, Negaunee, Walled Lake, and Mackinaw City by April.

Several medical marijuana provisioning centers have opened around northern Michigan but many area municipalities have for now opted out of allowing recreational marijuana businesses.

After six weeks of recreational marijuana businesses operating throughout Michigan, sales have exceeded $10 million.

2

The petite yurt set on the The Little Fleet’s patio is usually the destination for private parties and events, but with cooler temps comes a transformation to an ultra-cozy and intimate space for live music performances. This weekend welcomes two opportunities to chill inside: After Ours, a mustachioed Midwest jazz duo with dynamic range and a catalog of original pieces and cool interpretations, will play Friday, Feb. 7. On Sunday, Feb. 9, there’s a double bill: Michael Beauchamp-Cohen (pictured), a Michigan-bred folksinger who’s shared the stage with the likes of May Erlewine and Michael Smith, will team up with Samantha Porter, a music teacher and songwriter whose music WNMC’s own Will Thomas once described as “Wit and wisdom wrapped in a blanket.” Doors to both shows open at 6:30pm; shows begin at 7pm. Find The Little Fleet at 448 E. Front St. Tickets, $15, are at www.mynorthtickets.com.

4

Hey, watch it!

Party of Five (Rebooted)

A teen dream of a show in the 1990s and one of the most iconic uses of abbreviated names in TV history (Char, Bay, Jule, Claud ... ), Party of Five’s original creators are rebooting the popular show — but with a contemporary twist. Originally telling the story of five siblings taking care of each other and running their family’s restaurant after their parents’ untimely passing in a car crash, the story has been updated to feature a family struggling to come together and carry on after their immigrant parents are deported. Incredibly urgent and moving, the show personalizes and gives powerful representation to something that’s happening every day across the country, and it promotes Latinix writers and directors behind the camera. The result is a rich and resonant family drama that’s heartbreaking, earnest, and all too relevant.

On Freeform.

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Well, you don’t. The cinnamon and raw honey spread ($10.95 for 1 ½ pounds) is just a twist on the original, with certified organic ground cinnamon added to the mix. What is the best way to eat raw honey? Well, a spoon comes to mind, or spreading it on a warm biscuit, drizzling it over yogurt — the possibilities are endless. Raw honey ($17 for 2 ½ pounds) is among the host of different products (like like hemp honey sticks, raspberry honey, dilled honey mustard, oh my!) Sleeping Bear Farms in Beulah produces. Find them all at the farm location, 971 S. Pioneer Rd. in Beulah, most grocery and specialty food shops (prices may vary) around the region, and online at www.sleepingbearfarms.com. (888) 912-0017.

4 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

fter a landmark Supreme Court decision affirmed separate was “equal,” blacks were forced to room in separate hotels, ride on different train cars, and attend different schools for nearly 60 years. Learn the story behind this 1896 landmark decision on February 6, when author Steve Luxenberg sits down with IPR’s Dan Wanschura to talk about his book: Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation.

Presented by the National Writers Series, a year-round book festival that uses net proceeds to help fund youth reading and writing programs. Tickets are free to students of all ages.

Event Sponsor: The law firm of Parker Harvey

For details, go to NationalWritersSeries.org

6

2nd Amendment Sanctuary Counties?

Cheboygan County passed a resolution, and similar resolutions are up for consideration in Kalkaska and Antrim counties, to become a so-called Second Amendment sanctuary.

Proponents of the resolutions say the measures will mean that if the state passes future gun laws that local officials deem to be unconstitutional based on the Second Amendment, those laws will not be enforced locally.

In Cheboygan, the resolution was passed Jan. 28. The resolution reads, in part, “that this Board affirms its support for the CHEBOYGAN County Sheriff and the Cheboygan County Prosecuting Attorney, in the exercise of their sound discretion to not enforce against any citizen an unconstitutional firearms law.”

In Kalkaska, the board of commissioners discussed the resolution at a meeting in January, and the board agreed to submit the proposal to the county’s attorney for review.

The board is expected to take up the proposal again in February.

Stuff we love Slow, One-of-a-Kind Fashion Every brewpub, restaurant, and bar has its own branded clothing. Mammoth Distillery is no different — but its approach to the clothing it brands is pretty pioneering.

First some background: Mammoth owner Chad Munger had some like-new clothing items he didn’t wear, so he had logos put on the pieces and gave them to staff. Later, when Munger and Hospitality Director Stuart Hickman were talking about the environment and an upcoming event Mammoth was doing for the Grand Traverse Conservancy, they bonded over a story they’d heard on NPR that reported Americans throw away an average of 81 pounds of clothes each year.

Hickman suggested accepting clothing donations, branding each piece, selling that merch to customers, then giving proceeds to local nonprofits. Cleaning out your closet any time soon? Head up to Mammoth with your clean but unwanted duds any Tuesday night, and trade them for $10 in-store credit. A portion of the proceeds goes to Groundworks or the Grand Traverse Conservancy; excess clothing donations go to Goodwill and the Salvation Army. The program will take place at both the Bellaire and Traverse City tasting rooms.

Learn more: mammothdistilling.com

Practice the Force Violin Jedi masters train apprentices for years to become proficient in the use of the Force.

Likewise, a music student needs to practice consistently and learn from a master teacher to excel at playing an instrument. Hence the Jedi Training Challenge, masterminded by the Great Lakes Center for the Arts in Bay Harbor. “Any student who is interested in becoming good at their instrument needs to put in the practice time, but it is just as important to practice well,” says Jedi Strings Master Dr. David Reimer, director of GLCFA’s Dorothy Gerber Strings Program. It works like this: Participating students log their practice time on a leaderboard on the program’s website. A March 22 concert at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts will see the culmination of the challenge, with an announcement of which students have attained the title of Jedi Master of Music. The program offers students across Charlevoix, Emmet and Antrim counties the opportunity to study violin, viola, cello and bass. For more information, visit www.dorothygerberstrings.org.

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“Michigan winters are unrivaled for their utter lack of sunshine,” wrote Thrillist when it ranked Michigan as the state with the second most miserable winter in the country.

(Minnesota topped the list.) Needless to say, in the bitter doldrums of a northern Michigan winter, we could all use a bit of sunshine. That’s precisely what Traverse City’s MiddleCoast Brewing Co. (formerly Monkey Fist Brewing) is serving up with its Touch of Sunshine beer.

This brew, an American-style pale ale, isn’t as summer-y as those hazy New England IPAs that you’ll see dominating beer menus come July. However, it does have a slightly juicy character, combining a hoppy flavor and malt finish with small notes of fruit: tangerine and grapefruit, noticeably; lemon and peach more subtly. The result is a bright, crisp, flavorful pale ale that, at 5.8 percent ABV, is right in the sweet spot between session ales and more robust IPAs. It tastes like a little sip of springtime — a welcome wonder under February’s gray skies. Order a pint at the Market Bar at State Street Marketplace, 329 E. State St. (231) 943-1606), www.middlecoastbrewingco.com

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 5

BECAUSE YOU DESERVE A BURRITO

A LITTLE SUNLIGHT spectator

by Stephen Tuttle Most consider the phrase “Congressional ethics” a bit of an oxymoron. Their strong law-and-order instincts weaken considerably when it comes to policing themselves.

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Back in 2012, Congress passed legislation euphemistically called the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act. It prohibited members of Congress and their employees from using information derived from their positions, but not yet available to the public, for financial gain. In other words, no insider trading.

It also provided some much-needed sunlight. Those affected by the law would have to disclose any activities with investments regarding stocks, and an easy-to-search public database would be available online. The rare bit of bipartisanship was signed into law

by President Obama with significant fanfare.

The celebration was short-lived.

(Just to be fair, Congressional bad behavior is a decidedly bipartisan activity. Since 2016, eight members, now former members, of Congress have been shipped off to jail or prison: three Democrats and five Republicans.)

In 2018, Senator Elizabeth Warren took another stab at it with her Anti-Corruption and Public Integrity Act. It went considerably further than the STOCK Act. It would have banned members of Congress or White House staffers from owning any individual stocks at all, though it did permit mutual funds. It also proposed a lifetime lobbying ban on the president and all other federal office holders, banned foreign money from being used in lobbying Congress, required investments be put in a blind trust, and prohibited members of Congress from sitting on the board of any for-profit com-

A law or laws that say no member can benefit financially as result of his or her position seems pretty logical to most of us. www.schulzortho.com Presented by Northport Performing Arts Center and Tucker’s of Northport by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Artwork ©2019 Northport Performing Arts Center

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The next year, in virtual silence, the disclosure portions of the STOCK Act were gutted by the same Congress that had passed it a year earlier and then signed by the same president. The arguments, offered quickly and quietly, were that the database might be hacked, exposing people to risk, and that the public information itself exposed people to possible risk and so on.

The information is still submitted and compiled, though it isn’t quite as easy to access as the original legislation intended. There is no longer an online database. Now all you have to do is go to Washington, in person, and you may look at one person’s filing at a time on a PDF that you may print out for 10 cents a page. There is no list you can scan to make comparisons or look for suspicious activity.

The obvious problem here is that members of Congress are privy to all manner of information, from both government and private sector sources, which the public might not hear about for months or at all.

For example, former Congressman Chris Collins, a Republican from New York, was recently sentenced to 26 months in prison for insider trading. His position allowed him to serve on the board of a for-profit pharmaceutical company — inexplicably, members of Congress are allowed to serve on the boards of for-profit companies — and was told the company’s hoped-for miracle drug had failed clinical trials prior to it being reported publicly. He then told his adult son, who dumped his shares. Collins, as seems to be mandatory with politicians in trouble, also lied to investigators.

The feds discovered Collins’ foolishness, but the public has little way of knowing what other members of Congress might be on what other corporate boards.

pany. It also subjected any firm expending more than $500,000 a year on lobbying to an “excessive lobbying” tax and, finally, required Supreme Court justices to abide by the same code of ethics as other federal judges.

The bill never took a breath. Mitch McConnell, who functions as a kind of legislative contraceptive for anything suggested by a Democrat, refused to even assign it to committee. The breadth of Warren’s effort likely doomed it from the start, but if Congress wants public confidence restored, she had the right idea.

There is so little we know about what goes on behind the scenes with members of Congress that we’re forced to make assumptions, and they’re usually that something smelly is happening. A law or laws that say no member can benefit financially as result of his or her position seems pretty logical to most of us.

As it is, we must rely on vague financial reports or go to Washington to get details.

We do know half the Senators are millionaires, the three richest being Democrats.

And more than a third of the House members are also millionaires, the three richest being Republicans. If there are bad actors among them, it’s almost impossible to ferret out.

According to a realclearpolitics.com report in April of last year, most Americans consider political corruption our biggest problem. That assumption is only enhanced

by Congress’ unwillingness to much limit their own financial opportunities or allow the public to draw back the curtains and see for ourselves.

A little sunlight might kill the bacteria that is corruption.

Crime & Rescue SIBLINGS CHARGED IN BIKE THEFT A brother and sister face up to life in prison on charges that they stole an $8,000 bike from a hotel room on the same day as the Traverse City Ironman race.

Jerry Eugene Hendershott, 39, of Traverse City, faces charges of receiving and concealing stolen property, larceny in a building, conspiracy, and lying to a police officer. His sister, Cynthia Rose Hendershott, 40, of Grawn, faces charges of conspiracy to commit larceny, larceny in a building, and lying to a police officer. They are both charged as four-time habitual offenders, meaning they could be sentenced to up to life in prison if they are convicted.

Cynthia Hendershott worked as a housekeeper at the Holiday Inn Express in Acme in August when a downstate couple called police to complain that an $8,000 bicycle had been stolen from their hotel room. Hendershott had accessed the couple’s room, according to the charges.

Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies investigated and found that surveillance footage from the time of the theft appeared to have been destroyed. State police experts were able to restore part of the footage, however, and it captured Jerry Hendershott leaving the hotel with a bike on the day of the theft, according to court documents.

REPEAST OFFENDER SENT TO PRISON A Charlevoix County jail inmate was sent to prison for up to four years for attacking another inmate.

On Jan. 24, Shane Michael Crowell, 18, of Gurley, Alabama, was sentenced to 18 to 48 months in prison after pleading guilty in December to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon.

Crowell admitted that he struck an inmate with a mug amid an argument over a card game, according to a press release from Charlevoix County Prosecutor Allen Telgenhof.

The case was Crowell’s fourth conviction in seven months, part of a crime spree that began when he and his brother stole vehicles and firearms in Alabama and Indiana, and then travelled to northern Michigan.

After his initial arrest in Charlevoix County, he was convicted of assault for putting another inmate into a headlock and was sentenced to a year in jail, a sentence he was serving when the most recent case arose.

DRIVER ARRESTED Leelanau County Sheriff’s deputies found an abandoned pickup truck when they responded to a rollover crash in Elmwood Township.

They responded to South Bugai Road at just past midnight Jan. 25. A short while later, they spotted a pedestrian walking on the side of the road and soon determined that the man was the driver of the pickup and intoxicated.

They arrested the 25-year-old from Woodland, Texas, on drunk driving charges.

TWO ARRESTED FOR CAR THEFT State police said a couple stole a car to use for another crime and then drove the vehicle downstate.

A Lake City man told investigators that he lent his vehicle to the couple on July 17 and later received a call that the car had been involved in a break-in in Missaukee County.

Police entered the car into a stolen car database, and it was later found, broken down, in Bay County. When troopers checked on the disabled vehicle, they found one of the suspects of the break-in, 31-year-old Christina Marie Teed.

Her boyfriend, Marshall Lee Park, 41, was located

by patrick sullivan psullivan@northernexpress.com

and arrested a short distance away. They are both charged with car theft and are under investigation in Missaukee County for the break-in.

MARRIED COUPLE PERISH IN FIRE Two people who escaped their burning home died when they went back inside to rescue their pets.

Fire broke out at a home on Michell Road in Kalkaska Township around just after midnight Jan. 23.

By the time firefighters arrived at the scene, fire had overtaken the structure and rescuers could not get inside, Kalkaska County Sheriff’s deputies said.

The deceased were identified as Brian William Curry and Sheryl Renee Curry. They were both 56 years old. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

ARREST FOLLOWS FACILITY FRACAS A Traverse City man fought with police when they tried to arrest him for causing a disturbance at a nursing home.

When Leelanau County Sheriff’s deputies were called to Orchard Creek in Elmwood Township at 7:40pm Jan. 22, they encountered a suspect yelling at an elderly woman near the facility’s entrance.

When the deputy attempted to arrest the 24-year-old suspect, the man resisted, deputies said. Grand Traverse Band tribal police officers arrived for backup, and one of the officers was kicked in the face during the struggle.

The suspect was finally arrested and, on the way to jail, said that earlier he had consumed some cocaine. The man was taken to Munson Medical Center as a precaution.

The case began when Penfold’s employer was experiencing computer trouble on its network and hired a company to solve the problem. The company determined that it needed to inspect Penfold’s computer and, while working his computer, they discovered the child pornography and turned the device over to state police.

State police determined the computer contained 98 images of child pornography, including five images of children engaged in sex acts.

Deputies searched the vehicle and found a stolen handgun and methamphetamine. Deputies also learned that a camper and pole barn nearby had been broken into and that electronic equipment had been stashed in the woods.

Denby and Holt were charged with multiple crimes; investigators said they believe Denby and Holt have recently committed crimes across the state of Michigan.

TWO ARRESTED AMID ODD SITUATION Benzie County Sheriff’s deputies were called to investigate a car that had been abandoned in the middle of a road with all of its doors and hatchback left open.

When deputies arrived at Nessen and Lindy roads in Thompsonville on the afternoon of Jan. 27, they found several rifles and a box of 9mm ammunition in the vehicle and two more firearms in the woods outside the vehicle.

While they were investigating, deputies learned that two people who had been picked up down the road by Manistee County Sheriff’s deputies claimed that they owned the abandoned vehicle. Douglas Denby, 36, of Lansing, and Tiffanie McGee, 30, of Holt, were brought back to Benzie County.

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MAN PLEADS TO CHILD PORN A Boyne Falls man faces years in prison after investigators found child pornography on his work computer.

Tracy Owen Penfold, 57, pled guilty in Charlevoix County Jan. 24 to possession of child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime, charges that carry four and seven years in prison.

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Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 7

WHO’S SCHOOLING WHO? opinion

bY Cathye Williams Full disclosure. I’m a Greta Thunberg fan.

The calm determination and clear-eyed vision of the 16-year-old climate activist gets me through moments of frustration and despair. I’m grateful for Greta and all of the other youth marching into the new decade tirelessly insisting that world leaders stop talking and start taking action on climate change.

It’s no surprise that Greta’s views often clash with the Trump administration.

She is frequently the target of his toxic tweets. This month she spoke at the 50th anniversary gathering of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland, which also was attended by Trump and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

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Undaunted by Greta’s or anyone else’s admonitions, Trump has continued his assault on the environment — rolling back water protections and opening public lands to extractive industries. At Davos, while most attendees focused on community and working together toward carbon neutrality by 2050, Trump used his speaking time to discuss the U.S. economy and trade deals, and chastised European leaders for not buying more U.S. gas and oil.

In contrast, Greta used her platform to speak for life on the planet and for those already suffering from climate change, urging concrete actions to reduce emissions. WEF CEO Klaus Schwab seemed to channel her during his own remarks when he said, “We do not want to leave behind to the next generation an ever more hostile and ever less habitable world.”

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Secretary Mnuchin also shared some interesting thoughts while at the conference.

Asked if he thought America is doing enough for a sustainable future, he offered that he once owned a Tesla. Without elaborating, he also asserted that the U.S. is a leader in reducing carbon emissions.

Huh? The most striking remarks, however, came when Mnuchin tried to demean Ms. Thunberg. Asked about the activist’s call for fossil fuel divestment, Mnuchin joked about her credentials: “After she goes and studies economics in college, she can come back and explain that to us.”

He was quickly corrected on Twitter by Greta and others who pointed out that it didn’t take an economics degree to understand that our current carbon budget and ongoing investment in fossil fuels “don’t add up.”

Regrettably, we can’t wait for Greta and other youth to finish college before we take action.

While they do not yet have all the tools to solve the climate crisis, many other people do. And the youth are respectfully requesting that those folks get moving.

President Trump and Mr. Mnuchin needn’t go back to school, either. But they should start listening to scientists. Their unwillingness to confer with experts and

collaborate with other nations is troubling.

They might find that taking cheap shots at teenagers works for some. But calls for climate action are increasing across society and are as likely to come from boardrooms as from street protests. It might be time for a different tactic.

Climate considerations are popping up in unexpected places. For the first time, the hundreds of business leaders, investors, and policy makers surveyed for WEF’s highly respected global risk study ranked climate risks above all other risks. Another recent report, WEF’s Global Risk Report 2020, concluded that half the world’s GDP is dependent on nature and “therefore exposed to nature loss.” The same week, BlackRock, the world’s largest assets manager, announced its intention to make climate change a pillar of its investment strategy and corporate mission, stating the company’s belief that sustainability should be the new standard for investing. Iconic climate activist Bill McKibben described this shift as “seismic.” Not to be outdone, tech giant Microsoft has announced its plan to go carbon negative in all its operations by 2030.

If these encouraging trends continue, they should have a positive impact on reducing carbon and modeling desirable corporate behavior. They could also nudge lawmakers to see the economic benefit of climate policies and to be more open to passing likewise beneficial legislation — because legislation will be needed. The market needs predictability and consistency, and individuals and businesses across all sectors need incentives to make clean energy choices.

Political will for legislation will certainly grow under these titanic influences. But as we transition to new forms of energy, the public will need assurance that the vulnerable, those with fewer resources, and those already suffering the impacts of climate change are protected. For that we need all the stakeholders speaking to power.

In Greta Thunberg, those opposed to climate action saw a young female, differently abled and easily dismissed. They mocked her earnestness and her Asperger’s, questioning her mental status and her upbringing — likely because they had nothing of substance to counter her ideas.

What they missed is that Greta would still be sitting on her school’ steps holding her “Fridays for the Future” sign rather than pictured, standing resolutely, on the cover of TIME, were it not for the millions she has inspired and mobilized. In failing to see her, her detractors fail to see the multitude standing with her, who, as Greta likes to say, “Aren’t going away.”

Cathye Williams serves as a volunteer and media liaison for the Grand Traverse area chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby, www. citizensclimatelobby.com. She writes from Benzie County.

Weird Science On Jan. 22, the National Weather Service expanded its cold-weather warnings in South Florida to include falling iguanas along with falling temperatures. According to the Associated Press, the NWS alerted folks that the reptiles can become stunned by the cold and fall from their perches in trees. As temperatures rise during the day, they wake up, unharmed. Males can grow to 5 feet long and weigh 20 pounds.

They aren’t considered to be dangerous to humans (unless they land on your head).

Animal Farm A Polish pig farmer in his 70s who had been missing since Dec. 31 is believed to have been eaten by his livestock, Fox News reported. Lubin District Prosecutor Magdalena Serafin told local media the farmer’s remains, consisting of bones and skull fragments, were found by a neighbor, who called police after spotting the bones while fetching water from a nearby well on Jan. 8. The farmer’s animals were roaming freely in the yard, and officials indicated it was clear that the pigs had feasted on him.

They suspect he died of a fall or heart attack.

Extreme Measures An unnamed 55-year-old man from the town of Pitalito, Colombia, got cold feet before his scheduled marriage over the weekend of Jan. 18, but lacked the courage to tell his fiancee.

Instead, with the help of his best friends, he faked his own kidnapping, reported Oddity Central. The groom’s pals told authorities they had seen a group of armed men on motorcycles abduct their friend, and because kidnappings for extortion are not unknown in Colombia, the local police responded in force.

Police Commander Nestor Vargas ordered roads closed, sealing off the town, and began a search. That’s when the friends got nervous and admitted they’d made the whole thing up.

Authorities kept the groom’s identity a secret to protect him from other townspeople, who’ve been down this road before: This is the second time the groom has left a bride waiting at the altar. He and his cohorts will likely face jail time of up to six years.

Oops!

-- In Toronto, the streetcar tunnel into Queen Quay Station is protected by an automatic gate, rumble strips, flashing lights

and signs warning automobile drivers not to enter. But at 2 a.m. on Jan. 22, one driver managed to ignore or overlook all the warnings, driving his car about 600 meters through the tunnel before arriving at Union Station and becoming stuck on a concrete block, the CBC reported. “We’re sort of hard-pressed to think of any other measures we can take at this point” to deter drivers, a spokesman for the Toronto Transit Commission said, “short of closing the tunnel, and that’s not an option.”

-- It’s been unseasonably cold in Florida (see Falling Iguanas item above), and one St. Petersburg man apparently became so desperate for warmth on Jan. 21 he set fire to a stack of paperwork in his apartment around 3 a.m. WFLA reported that the flames Mark Okrent, 66, ignited were significant enough to trigger smoke detectors, which summoned the fire department, but no one in the 30-unit building was hurt in the incident. Except Okrent, who was charged with first-degree arson.

News That Sounds Like a Joke If you’ve always thought those nail clippers in your kitchen drawer were a harmless tool, think again. Kathleen Ayala, 30, has been charged with murder in Cumberland County, New Jersey, following an altercation with her husband on Jan. 12, the Associated Press reported. Authorities said Ayala, of Millville, and 35-year-old Axel Torres got into an argument in their home that became physical, and Torres left the premises. Ayala chased after him and stabbed him numerous times with the nail file tool on the clippers, causing wounds to his feet, hands, shoulders and left leg. When police arrived, they found Torres unresponsive and transported him to the hospital, where he died the next morning.

The Last Straw After numerous complaints going back six months, according to a neighbor, Robert Wayne Miller, 57, was arrested at his home Zephyrhills, Florida, home on Dec. 22 for disturbing the peace with his lawn mower. Body-camera footage obtained by WFLA shows Pasco County Deputy Michael O’Donnell arriving at Miller’s property and calling out to him, followed by a revving of the mower’s engine. “I’ve had four people come out and tell me that they can’t take it anymore,” O’Donnell told Miller, who responded, “Whatever,” before turning on the mower again. Dwaine White, who lives across the street, told The Washington Post the mower isn’t even capable of cutting grass. “He’ll run that tractor all night, and it echoes all over the neighborhood,” White said. Miller was ultimately arrested for disturbing the peace and not complying with a law enforcement officer’s command. If convicted, he could spend 18 months in jail and pay a $1,500 fine.

Awesome!

Downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is a little safer these days, thanks to the efforts of Night Watch, a helpful vigilante dressed in all black, with his face partially covered and wearing reflective goggles, WGHP reported on Jan. 22. “I’m not looking to be a Batman and go around beating up criminals,” he told a reporter. Instead, he’s an anonymous superhero who’s been patrolling the nighttime streets for about a month, hauling around a bag filled with food, clothing and toiletries for those in need. “There is no prerequisite for being a good person,” Night Watch said. On that night, he helped out about a dozen homeless people in the community. “It’s just nice that people aren’t totally freaked out,” he said. “Now they know who I am and that I’m trying to help.”

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LEAD STORY -- Birdbrained -- Officers of the North Wales (England) Police believe they have solved, with help from the government Animal and Plant Health Agency, the mystery of why more than 200 starlings were found dead in a road in Bodedern on Dec. 10. Rob Taylor of the police force’s rural crime team revealed that the birds suffered severe internal trauma, “support(ing) the case that the birds died from impact with the road,” he told Sky News. “It’s highly likely the murmuration took avoiding action whilst airborne, from possibly a bird of prey, with the rear of the group not pulling up in time and striking the ground.”

-- In the western German city of Kleve, a regional court in mid-January overruled a lower court and awarded the owner of a chicken mauled by a dog higher restitution because the chicken had TV experience. Sieglinde the chicken, who died in the attack, had completed 10 hours of acting training and had appeared in at least one German movie, for which she received a three-figure daily fee. The court ordered the dog’s owner to pay 615 euros (about $680) in damages, the Associated Press reported.

A regular chicken is worth about 15 euros.

FRANKFORT

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Michigan’s District Court, a division established by the Michigan Legislature in 1968, has more citizen contact than any other court in the state’s judicial system.

Shown here, Judge Robert A. Cooney, one of several judges within the 86th District Court.

A DAy in District court

Michigan’s 105 district courts aren’t the state’s highest or farthest-reaching courts. They’re a starting point, where the accused go to face initial charges, a judge, and sometimes even a jury. District courts are charged with resolving their region’s less serious cases — violations like misdemeanor crimes and traffic offenses — but that doesn’t make them any less significant a place for the people who have to be there. On a recent Tuesday following a long weekend, Northern Express spent a day inside the courtrooms of the 86th District Court in Traverse City. It was one full of twists and turns, sorrow, and some inspiration. * Northern Express isn’t using the full names of defendants except in two cases where the crimes involved are newsworthy, and the names have already been publicized elsewhere.

By Patrick Sullivan One by one, a group of defendants file into the Traverse City courtroom just past 8am.

It’s not the kind of appointment you want to be late for. Twelve arrive from the street and one, in an orange jumpsuit and shackles, from the jail. They are all participants in the 86th District Court’s drug court, a diversion program for people who are charged with nonviolent felonies spurred by addiction.

At 8:15am, Judge Robert Cooney enters through a door behind his bench, and the bailiff orders everyone to stand.

The formal atmosphere doesn’t last long, however. Each participant is called up, one after

another, to stand before the judge. They greet each another, the judge and the participant, almost casually. Cooney asks them how they’re doing and congratulates them on any progress they’ve made.

Northern Express spent a day at the 86th district court — watching the drama of drug court unfold, catching a couple of pleas in Judge Michael Stepka’s courtroom next door, sitting in on traffic court and sobriety court in the afternoon, and ultimately bearing witness to many of the 33 arraignments that happened on this busy day in district court.

District court is a place where long, tedious moments of waiting and mundane process are punctuated by occasional flashes of intense personal drama; a place where people struggling with addiction alternately display the raw horror of their transition to sobriety and their moments of triumph; a place that, perhaps, serves as our society’s final social safety net.

10 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

FROM FELONIES TO MISDEMEANORS The first drug court participant to stand at the podium on this morning was also the one who had been there the longest; he was celebrating a significant milestone.

“Good morning, your honor. How are you?” Nicholas asked.

“Good! How are you?” Cooney said.

“Good.”

After Cooney asked Nicholas how his recovery has been going, Nicholas told Cooney he’s finishing up the Twelve Steps, most recently concentrating on steps 10, 11 and 12 — admitting when he’s wrong, praying for wisdom and strength, practicing the steps’ principals in his day to day. He explained that he’s going to meetings and meets with his sponsor each week.

He also talked about how far he’d come — from viewing the steps with cynicism and scorn to buying in. For example, he said, he

had an epiphany at step 4 while taking a moral personal inventory.

“At first when I was starting my inventory, I was like, ‘Oh, this is stupid, why am I doing this?’” the 26-year-old said. “And then when I was finished with it, I was like, ‘Wow, this is really cool.’”

Nicholas’ journey in drug court began in 2017, when sheriff ’s deputies visited his home to serve a warrant. According to his case file, the deputies found him with a white powdery substance that would turn out to be methamphetamine; when they went to arrest him, Nicholas froze up and officers took him to the ground.

He was charged with resisting arrest and possession of meth — felonies that could have meant 10 years in prison.

On this day in court, however, Nicholas was able to celebrate a turning point: Cooney announced it was time for Nicholas’ charges to officially be reduced to misdemeanors.

“Congratulations,” Cooney said, with a broad smile.

Nicholas isn’t a drug court graduate yet, but if he continues on successfully, he will have avoided not jail or prison sentence but also the stigma of being branded a convicted felon for the rest of his life.

LOTS OF RULES, BUSY LIVES Not every case is without complication.

Jacob, a 28-year-old, was up next. He was originally arrested for possession of cocaine and driving with a high blood alcohol content.

Today he had to answer for a slip-up that had occurred since his last drug court date.

He’d gotten the flu, he said, and he took some Sudafed. It is forbidden for the participants to take even over-the-counter medicine without permission from the court.

Cooney doesn’t flinch at the admission. He tells Jacob not let it happen again, then moves quickly to focus on the progress Jacob has made in his recovery and encourages him to stay on track.

For the men and women who come before Cooney, staying on track is far easier said than done; their obstacles often go beyond the drugs that led them here. A 31-year-old woman, for instance, was in drug court following her second-offense possession of meth and carrying a concealed weapon charges. She told Cooney she’s been struggling to find the kind of professional job she’s qualified for.

Another man, a 38-year-old transplant from South Carolina who faced a 20-year delivery of methamphetamine charge, told Cooney he’d recently been sledding for the first time in his life; he’d since resolved to quit smoking.

“It’s something that you want to do all the time, and it just makes you angrier more than anything else,” he said.

Cooney noted that quitting nicotine could significantly improve his odds in recovery because statistically, nonsmokers do much better.

Cooney also apologized to the man because a paperwork error by the court had caused the man’s driver’s license to be suspended for an additional 30 days.

“There is very little that I can do about that except explain what happened to the Secretary of State,” he said. “Hopefully we’ve got a real human being down there that’s willing to listen.”

Transportation can be critical for those in recovery. The defendants are sometimes required to be several places on a given day — like NA meetings, drug screens, breath tests, and a job.

In other cases, because of a quirk of the law, drug court participants find themselves in an even greater bind despite following all of the rules: Some have been charged with felonies that don’t require automatic driver’s license suspensions, but when their charges are reduced to misdemeanors, those charges, under state law, require automatic license suspensions.

Mark Risk, whose been with the recovery courts as a defense attorney since 2001, said that it’s a crazy loophole that punishes defendants for good behavior.

MOMENTS OF TRIUMPH AND PAIN Steve, a 37-year-old who ended up in drug court after being charged with possession of meth, carrying a concealed weapon, and being an habitual offender, stood up to celebrate a recent life change.

He told Cooney that he had recently moved from one halfway house that was filled with parolees who weren’t particularly interested in clean living, into another halfway house that was set up for those in recovery and offers a community of people committed to sobriety and working together.

“It’s an excellent place to live,” he told Cooney.

Cooney noted that as of earlier in the month, Steve celebrated five months of sobriety. The room applauded.

“I feel like I’m getting back to where I was before,” Steve said. “I’m a lot more clearminded. Stuff matters again.”

Cooney celebrated the milestone by reducing Steve’s mandatory meetings with his probation officer to once per week.

Another participant, a 29-year-old whose charges included firearm theft and receiving stolen firearms, had recently completed 390 days in the program; he’s applied to move onto phase two of the program.

“I feel like I’ve been doing pretty well over the last year. I’m in a completely different space,” he told Cooney.

“Do you feel the urge to use still?” Cooney replied.

“No. It’s been quite a while.”

Cooney told him that the drug court team had met and discussed his case and, because they’d agreed that he was doing extremely well, they would advance him to phase 2, which means he’s is closer to graduating, and there are fewer requirements placed on him.

The man credited his success to treating his recovery like a full-time job.

“The day I got out of jail, I was so stressed out and so overwhelmed with all of the requirements,” he said. “When I was using, that was like a full-time job for me.”

The last defendant to take to the podium was the one wearing jail orange. Kimberly, who got into drug court following cocaine and meth possession charges, was arrested on a probation violation after she was caught forging signatures on her AA attendance sheets. She said she didn’t think she needed AA meeting anymore and that’s why she had stopped going.

“Just for your sake, please don’t drive, because it will just make it so much more difficult,” she said.

Next was a pretrial for a man who was charged with aggravated domestic violence for allegedly attacking his wife.

He had already been released on bond. He asked to have the “no contact” order removed from his bond conditions so that he could see his wife. They’d been living together again for over a week — in between the incident and his arrest — and they are raising a special needs child together, his attorney, Shawn Worden, told Rodgers.

The assistant prosecutor, Kyle Attwood, objected.

“It’s not an insignificant assault,” Attwood said. “It was a fairly significant hit or punch to the face. There was a lot of blood.”

Rodgers denied the request to remove the “no contact” order.

A FLURRY OF HEARINGS Next door, Judge Stepka had finished presiding over the morning’s sobriety court.

(While drug court takes defendants charged with felonies that stem from drug addiction, sobriety court is a diversion program for people charged with second- or third-offense drunk driving or, in some cases, operating with a high blood-alcohol content.)

On this day in court, however, Nicholas was able to celebrate a turning point: Cooney announced it was time for Nicholas’ charges to officially be reduced to misdemeanors.

Cooney told the 42-year-old that while there was no indication that she was using drugs or alcohol, he worried about her ability to deceive.

“If you’re willing to make up facts to the court, then maybe you’re willing to make up facts to yourself about using drugs,” he told her.

Kimberly apologized — to Cooney, and to her co-defendants: “I know it was wrong. I know better.”

Cooney told her that unless she was some rare exception, she needed those meetings more than she thought, and she was risking her recovery by skipping them.

Cooney sentenced her to time served (she’d been in jail for a week) and ordered her to be under indefinite house arrest. Then he wished her the best.

FOR YOUR SAKE, PLEASE DON’T DRIVE While the group of drug court participants were inching their way through the long process of resolving their cases, across the open-air waiting area, in another courtroom, Magistrate Tammi Rodgers presided over a docket of defendants whose cases — both civil and criminal — were just beginning.

Because it was the Tuesday after the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday, there were plenty of arraignments and hearings to conduct following the long weekend. Some of them were for people who had been arrested over the weekend; others were for folks brought in on bond or probation violation warrants. One was a man extradited from Oklahoma as part of a criminal sexual conduct case from 2016.

First, Rodgers took a traffic court plea from a 28-year-old who pled guilty to driving on a suspended license. He’d recently been pulled over while exiting a Shell station at Chum’s Corners. He said he’s been in a financial hole since being convicted of drunk driving and losing his license years ago. He hasn’t been able to get his license back since.

“My attorney said that he could possibly do it for $1,500, but I don’t have that kind of money,” he told Rodgers.

She pleaded with him to stop driving without a license. She noted that the region has pretty good public transportation.

He had two preliminary hearings scheduled at 11am. Neither of the hearings ended up happening.

The first one was for defendant Buck Arthur Fraly, a 49-year-old who is accused of forcing a young boy to perform sex acts. Fraly faces life in prison on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Shackled in chains, Fraly had a dazed look about him as his attorney, Phil Settles, told Skepka that his client would waive the preliminary hearing. That means his case was bound over to circuit court for trial, and Fraly would be led back to jail.

Next up was Christopher Castillo, who was involved in a highly publicized hit-andrun death case in July. Castillo was accused of “aiding after the fact” — helping his brother after his brother had accidentally struck and killed a man on US-31 in East Bay Township.

Castillo also waived his prelim.

Castillo, who lives in Metro Detroit and has no previous criminal record, hired Detroit attorney Byron Pitts, who struck a deal with prosecutors for Castillo to plead guilty to a misdemeanor in exchange for the dismissal of a felony charge.

Meanwhile, in Rodgers’ courtroom, the 33 arraignments started late in the morning and continued on through the lunch hour.

One woman, who was arrested for larceny in a building, lives in a homeless shelter and would not be able to afford drug screens and daily PBTs if they were made conditions of her bond, said Mattias Johnson, her public defender.

“She has no money for testing, and she will fail bond,” Johnson said.

Prosecutor Attwood objected, noting that the woman had a long history of addiction and arrests.

Rodgers sided with Attwood: “I believe the testing is absolutely necessary, both to assure you appear in court and for public safety.”

Next, the parade of arraignments continued, now over a large flat screen television hanging on the wall of the courtroom. Twenty-six defendants were in jail and needed to be arraigned, and they appeared in court through video uplink from a conference room in the jail.

SNOWBALLING TRAFFIC FINES In the afternoon, Rodgers presided over traffic court, an expedited court for people charged with misdemeanor crimes like driving with a suspended license or without insurance.

This group of defendants, for the most part, live at the margin of society, barely able to pay their bills. Once legal trouble arises, the cost can snow-ball and the debt can become ruinous.

Recognizing the precarious place most of these defendants live in, the court and the prosecutor’s office created traffic court so that many of these cases can plead down to civil infractions and the fines and costs can be kept minimal. In case after case, Rodgers talked to the defendants about how long it would take them to pay the couple hundred dollars in fines and costs and when they expected to next receive income; in effect she helped design payment plans for them.

As they pled guilty to lesser charges, defendant after defendant explained how they were in a bind and needed to drive, despite having no license or no registration, how they somehow caught the attention of a cop and got pulled over, and how their financial life was stretched to the limit – they just could not afford to keep the license and registration upto-date and afford to keep a vehicle running, something they needed to get to work so that they could pay the fines.

Rodgers spent most of the early afternoon repeating her earlier request: she pleaded, over and over, for the defendants to stop driving until they had a license and registration and insurance.

Rodgers also stressed how important it was for them to pay their court fines by the deadline – failing would do so would lead to a court date; failing to show up for that could lead to jail, and even more money owed.

END OF THE DAY? RESULTS, HOPEFULLY Most afternoons, Cooney’s and Stepka’s courtrooms are set aside for trials. Most of those trials get settled and never happen. Cooney said that gives him afternoons to prepare for the next morning’s docket of court hearings.

On this Tuesday, however, Stepka presided over sobriety court. There are morning and afternoon sessions of sobriety court in order to accommodate people’s work schedules.

Sobriety court has a steady rhythm, a carousel of people stepping up to the podium one at a time to talk to the judge, answer a couple questions, get congratulated for progress, and move on.

Even when the exchanges touch on failure and punishment – one defendant was ordered to spend a night in jail because he’d missed a PBT, and that had been the latest of several PBTs he’d missed – Stepka also congratulated each one on what progress they had made. He even referred to the jail term as “an overnight” and made sure to schedule it so that the person wouldn’t miss work.

Risk, the recovery court defense attorney, said very little in sobriety court or drug court happens by chance; every aspect of a recovery court hearing has been carefully studied in recent years so that it’s become an environment most likely to result in success.

“Three minutes is optimal at the podium,” Risk said after the hearing, pointing out that each of the ten defendants who appeared that afternoon had been up for roughly that long. “The judge makes three to five positive comments for each negative comment.”

Risk said that statistically, Grand Traverse County’s sobriety court is one of the best in the state, with just a 4.5 percent recidivism rate, compared to an average of 7.5 percent for recovery courts and 46 percent for defendants who don’t take part in a diversion program.

“I believe treatment courts are the greatest thing that has happened to the criminal justice system in the 40 years I have been practicing,” said Risk, who has dedicated his legal career to advocating on behalf of people in crisis.

“Under the leadership of Judges Michael Stepka and Robert Cooney, we have a great team of professionals involved in 86th District treatment court programs. My proudest accomplishment as an attorney and as a person is being a member of those teams.”

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 11

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BEAT THE WINTER BLAHS 8 great ways to combat cabin fever with your crew

By Ross Boissoneau It seems regardless of winter’s weather — whether we’re talking frozen lakes or muddy trails, mounds of powdery snow or sleetfilled roadways — a malady hits around this time each year. The frigid temperatures, short days, and lack of sunshine can leave even the hardiest souls feeling trapped and bored. If you and your family are suffering from cabin fever, we can help, right here, right now.

Behold: Eight excellent reasons to extract yourselves from the house.

EXERCISE YOUR BRAIN

Head to Traverse City’s latest escape room for an hour of brain-bending fun. Escape Routes challenges groups of four to 10 (kids over age 12 are welcome with adults) to collect and decipher the clues to escape from the room they find themselves locked in (for safety’s sake, the room isn’t actually locked) in one hour. Escape Routes offers two games: The Photo Shoot finds the group seeking clues to the murder of photographer Dr. Picaloo, who was helping Detective Brown in another murder investigation. The mission, should your crew choose to accept it, is to find the name of the murderer before he returns. In Zane’s Basement, you’ve got to figure out how to uncover the address of Zane’s hostages by solving the puzzles left in his basement. Cost

is $28 per person, with discounts for military and students. Find it at 221 Garland St., Suite 1, above Workshop Brewing Company. (231) 421-9270, www.TCescaperoutesllc.com.

FAMILY FEST FULL O’ FREEBIES

The Village of Walloon Lake is hosting its third Annual Walloon Winterfest on Saturday, Feb 22, from 1pm to 4pm. The family-friendly event includes a day full of activities indoors and out for, as they say, “kids of all ages.” There will be complimentary ice skate rentals in a variety of sizes for the whole family and free ice skating at the ice rink located in the Village Green Park. Afterward, warm up inside Tommy’s Walloon with a complimentary hot chocolate bar (and some for-purchase local beers and wines). Got a gear-head with you?

The Petoskey Snowmobile Club will hold its second annual Vintage Snowmobile Ride, which begins at the Petoskey Snowmobile Clubhouse (4172 Evergreen Trail, Petoskey) and ends at Barrel Back Restaurant; the vintage sleds will be showcased just outside. Spring for a well-worth-it lunch by Barrel Back’s immense fireside or save those pennies and go for the free bean soup they’re serving up at the Bean Pot. If luck is on your side, you might score some more freebies in the WinterFest drawing — one prize is a two-night stay at the tony Hotel Walloon. Headquarters for the

14 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

events are Barrel Back Restaurant, The Village Green Park, and Tommy’s Walloon. Search “Walloon Lake Winterfest” on Facebook.

Sunday Funday Waterpark Deal

The weather outside is frightful, but the seven indoor waterslides and four pools at Avalanche Bay Waterpark are so delightful. And from 2pm to 9pm on Sundays through March 22, your whole family can splash around all of them for a super discount: $20 per junior (kids ages 3 to 10) and $25 per adult. Tiny Splashers, age 2 and under, are always free. Brave kids can test their skills on the Rip Zone Surf Simulator or drop into The Big Couloir while Mom and Dad float the lazy river. Insider tip: Ask about Mommy & Me Mondays. On select Mondays, if you buy one adult morning pass ($31, valid 10am–2pm), junior swims for free! (Note: Bigger broods don’t fare quite as well; it’s $27 for each additional child.) Find Avalanche Bay at Boyne Mountain Resort. (866) 976-6972, www.AvalancheBay.com

Frozen Water Tours, Workshops & Legos

Learn about, celebrate and enjoy the bounty of area waters at the Benzie County Water Festival Feb. 9–15. The weeklong host of events include everything from a potluck

panel discussion (Feb. 11 at Grow Benzie) to a kid-fabulous workshop at Cognition Science & Discovery Center in Beulah to a frozen water tour, a guided tour that includes Crystal Lake and Cold Creek and ends at the new Five Shores Brewing in downtown Beulah. Things come to a head(waters) on Saturday, Feb. 15, with the Betsie Bay Frozen 5K, a fun run/walk around Betsie Bay from Elberta to Frankfort.

Lego-crazy kids can become an expert builder with the help of Lego experts (Legxperts?) at the Benzonia Public Library. Non-Lego fans can enjoy stories and activities at Betsie Valley District Library in Thompsonville. Learn more at www.water-festival.org or search “Benzie County Water Festival” on Facebook.

A Coke and a Smile

You can’t go back to the future, but you can take your family back to some Happy Days in Grayling. Dawson & Stevens Classic ’50s Diner and Soda Fountain is a feast for young eyes, thanks to a warehouse worth of Coca Cola trinkets and collectibles — cars, buttons, signs, mirrors, vintage coolers, pennants, totes, bottles, and even the Coke polar bears — covering the place. But the vintage and contemporary treats this diner dishes up are equally delightful. The menu features great eats like shrimp baskets and olive burgers but also shakes, malts, sodas, and brown or black cows, just like you (or your own parents)

Handz On Art

Dawson’s

remember. Find it at 231 E. Michigan Ave. in Grayling. (989) 348-2111 or search “Dawson & Stevens Classic 50s Diner” on Facebook.

Hot Time in the Cold Town

At the Harbor Springs Ice Fest, you can warm up at the chili cook-off, or cool down as you watch the ice boats sail, the ice sculptures sparkle, or the ski bike (yup, exactly what it sounds like) demo. The second annual ice fest takes place Feb. 7–8 in downtown Harbor Springs. It will also include ice bowling, live ice carving demonstrations, a dueling chainsaw demonstration, plus sled dogs, carriage rides, live music, a fire-pit with s’mores, and

“find-Frosty” action for the kids. The chili cook-off takes place 2pm to 4pm at the Holy Childhood Parish Hall, with cash prizes for the winners. For a full schedule of events, or to register for the Chili Cook-Off, go to www. downtownharborsprings.com.

Uncommon in Roscommon

As you’ve seen, it’s easy to find fun in winter. Like the Higgins Lake & Roscommon Chamber’s Winter Fest, taking place Feb. 14 and 15. For the low, low price of $5 (kids 5 and under are free), you can partake in a bevy of activities. Kick off the good times at a nacho bar by Bob’s Butcher Shop and specials at the

Silver Dollar Pub & Grill, perfect to start or finish off a night of skiing and snowshoeing.

Saturday starts with the pancake breakfast, then the snowmobile radar run and the crazy cardboard classic at Pioneer Hill. Don’t forget the fishing derby, chili cookoff, and the broomball competition at North State Park.

Horse-drawn wagons, auctions and raffle, and a kids carnival, too. Like they say, it’s snow much fun. www.hlrcc.com, (989) 275-8760.

Color Your Kid Creative

You don’t have to be the next Picasso or Rembrandt, but if you are, that’s great. No one judges at Handz On Art, where everyone’s

an artist. The Traverse City pottery studio welcomes all ages to select the ceramic piece that speaks to them — from plates, puppies, and princesses to Santas, frogs, and dolphins — then decorate to their heart’s content. The studio has an astonishing number of paints, stencils, and stamps, plus plenty of books for inspiration. After decorating projects, they’re fired in the kiln (and picked up at a later date). Refreshments are welcome, from juice boxes to adult beverages — hence, a hot spot for birthday parties and bachelorette parties.

The studio is open Tuesday–Sunday and by appointment. Cost is based on the piece.

Find it at 144 Hall St. www.TChandzonart. com, (231) 941-5071

Celebrate the snowy season at Interlochen Center for the Arts’ annual festival, Winterlochen!

Saturday, Feb. 15 • 11 a.m.

Join us for fun-filled, family-friendly activities!

Indoor and outdoor fun along with a FREE performance of The Sleeping Beauty at 2 p.m.

interlochen.org/winterlochen

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 15

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This article also appeared in the Traverse City Ticker It’s typically the biggest lifetime expense (investment) for a family, but one that few plan appropriately for. The average cost of graduating a child from a four-year public university has reached $90,000 ($144,000 for a private college), while total student loan debt has now topped $1.3 trillion.

Northern Express sat down with Matt Breimayer, owner of Traverse City-based Right Path College Planning, to hear the inside story of colleges and money – some of it fascinating, some frightening, and all of it eye-opening.

Express: What are families doing this time of year who are looking at colleges?

Breimayer: Most [high school] seniors would have applied and are receiving acceptance letters back now. But juniors or even sophomores should be thinking about this now.

Express: Your company is paid by families to help navigate the expensive and confusing world of college finance. Why do they need you?

Breimayer: Well, welcome to the most expensive time of your life. How much time do you take planning a five-day vacation, and this is four years! Most people are looking at spending at least $100,000 per kid at a state college. And most people don’t have that kind of money laying around. The reality is most people when they get to that point are just lost, overwhelmed, and confused. It’s overwhelming because we have to pay for it, but what if we change schools, or what if we change careers? College is too expensive to go find yourself. Do the prep ahead of time, and avoid going into a career or school you hate.

Express: Why start so early? When the student is in ninth or tenth grade?

Breimayer: Well, you want to make sure you’re on track academically, and you should rely on your school counselor. But then the summer between your junior and senior year

is when our role comes into play. Applications become available by early August; you want to complete them before you go back to school so you can enjoy your senior year. And then we help people look at career interest matching, maybe have them job shadow, look at specific requirements at specific schools. And really it can be the ‘early bird gets the worm,’ because there’s not only limited money, but limited seats each year for incoming college freshman in many programs.

Express: Are you a proponent that everyone should be going to college today?

Breimayer: No. My philosophy is college is not for everybody, and our goal isn’t to get someone’s kid into college. If they have good enough grades and test scores, they don’t need my help or even their parents’.

The ultimate goal is getting someone a job they love. Do they need college? They might.

Or maybe a trade school or maybe massage therapist school. We just have to be honest with ourselves about what we want and can be. I find this entire process comes down to communication between kids and their parents: the important conversations about the realities of jobs and money and hopes and dreams. Those talks almost never happen.

Express: You’ve talked about examples that compare public colleges with private.

They really surprise people.

Breimayer: Right. So the sticker price is what you’ll see advertised. At Ferris State, it’s $26,000 a year. Stanford is $72,000.

Most people would just see the [Stanford] price and walk away. Sure, it’s academically difficult to get into, but a lot of people just say they can’t afford to look – but you really can’t afford not to. What is the financial package given by that school? Take the sticker price, put in your [income and academic] numbers, and look at the offer letter from the school.

The biggest difference is that private schools have much more money to give from their endowments. The sticker price is higher, but it actually could cost less based on financial aid and the school’s graduation rates.

Express: Graduation rates?

Breimayer: So colleges publish their graduation rates. If a school says among incoming freshmen, 21 percent graduate in four years, now you know you’ll need another year – and 20 percent more money.

And do schools want you there a fifth year?

You bet they do.

Express: So back to Stanford versus Ferris.

Breimayer: After you plus averages for what both of those schools typically give an admitted student based on actual percentages provided by each school, the eventual annual cost at Ferris becomes $22,000 and at Stanford it’s $14,000. It shocks people.

Express: Lots of debate nationally about student debt and if college tuition should be free. Your thoughts?

Breimayer: I’d have to do some calculation, but I bet the government generates more from student and parent loans than from the income tax base. The most common loan is the Parent PLUS loan. Those today are 7.08 percent interest, but also have a 4.236 percent origination fee that comes right off the top.

And the loans are not easily dischargeable, even in bankruptcies. So if you’re getting even just the four percent fee off a trillion or more dollars, that’s a lot of money being generated for the federal government. So that’s a reason why college tuition might not be going away anytime soon.

Express: Any final tips for people?

Breimayer: Start early. Talk to your kids.

A parent might say, ‘Oh, my daughter should be a lawyer because she’s good at arguing.’

But do they really know how an attorney spends their days? Or a child sees their mom or dad is a successful doctor, so they think they’d like to go into medicine. They love that lifestyle, but are they aware mom or dad just finished paying off college debt after thirty years, and all that paperwork being a doctor requires now? And then lastly, I’d say talk to someone. If you’re going to sell your house, do you talk to a realtor? Of course. You don’t have to hire someone like me, but at least talk

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Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 17

TUCKER’S OF NORTHPORT COME OUT AND PLAY!

It’s winter now, and the snow isn’t going away for a while. But you have choices: You can hibernate at home and wait for the thaw, or you can take advantage of all the fun things to do — and fun places to eat — during this quieter season in northern Michigan. One place that combines fun in both the doing and eating categories is Tucker’s of Northport. True, it’s not around the corner unless you live in upper Leelanau County, but if the roads are clear, it’s worth the beautiful drive.

By Janice Binkert It all began with a dog. Well, sorta. Tucker’s of Northport is big, friendly restaurant first, and a lively entertainment center second, but its namesake was a beloved golden doodle.

And in that sense, the name works well, because according to those who knew Tucker, friendly and entertaining certainly described him. And probably because of him, wellbehaved dogs are welcome on the outside dining decks at Tucker’s, where servers even provide special water dishes for their fourfooted guests. But that’s a warm-weather thing, so let’s get back to what’s happening in and beyond frigid February at this unique Northport gathering spot.

FINDING A HOME AND A NICHE “The original concept of Tucker’s was to offer something to do and somewhere to dine year-round in Northport for families, locals and people visiting the area,” said assistant general manager Krista Sharnowski. The sports bar side of the restaurant fit the bill for entertainment, with big-screen TVs, live music events, family-friendly karaoke, and trivia once a month; men’s and women’s bowling leagues every Thursday night; a six-lane bowling alley; and a large arcade (with amusements for all ages, including claw machines, air hockey, pinball, and a pool table, among others). But Tucker’s owners, Northport residents Bill and Nina Collins, wanted to keep the more formal dining side of Tucker’s separate. “It’s a

bit quieter and more comfortable there, and in winter, the fireplace makes it even more inviting,” said Sharnowski.

The Collinses “retired” to the Village of Northport in 1999 but slowing down was not their style. They immediately became actively involved in their new community, which they had discovered in the course of multiple sailing trips from White Lake, in Muskegon County; as the wind carried them up the coast of Lake Michigan en route to points north, they often stopped at the Northport Marina on the way.

“We loved the small town feel and the friendly people. It was not a hard decision to move here,” said Bill Collins. “Soon after we settled into our new home, we began helping with the renovation of the marina, and then built the Northport Creek golf course, which was donated to the community.”

Nina is an artist, and the couple has a history of supporting the arts, which led to the creation of the Village Arts Building, which was also donated to the community and now houses the Northport Arts Association. When friends began the construction of Tucker’s, they partnered on that project, helping to open the restaurant in 2014. The other partners eventually moved to South Carolina, however, so the Collinses inadvertently become the sole proprietors.

“Owning a restaurant was certainly never on our ‘bucket list,’ and we had no restaurant experience other than our love of good food, so we had an extremely fast, fascinating, and

18 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

sometimes frustrating learning curve,” said Bill Collins. “Fortunately, we had the great luck to have some very talented and dedicated people in our employee and management area, and we built from there. With that superb team, we have had a lot of help.”

At 12,000 square feet, and with its unique infrastructure, Tucker’s can accommodate groups and events of all types and sizes — from a quiet dinner for two to large special occasions. “Anybody can come in and have the atmosphere they want,” said Sharnowski.

“If you’re on a date night or celebrating a special occasion, you might want to be in a cozy booth in the dining room. If you’re parents having a family night out with your children and want to dine and still keep an eye on them in the arcade or bowling alley, you would probably want to be in the sports bar. Most of us here on staff have families, too, and we know how to take care of you.”

Tucker’s catering department, which has been growing steadily every year, handles all the details for birthday parties, rehearsal dinners, wedding banquets, holiday parties, class reunions, company events, sports banquets, graduation festivities, and more.

LET’S EAT! Ryan Young has been the head chef at Tucker’s for the past two years. “It’s the best job I ever had,” he said. Born and raised in Battle Creek, he started working in restaurants in his early teens and continued all through high school. “A couple of years

after graduating, he decided to go to culinary school and enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, Oregon, while working part-time in restaurants to pay his tuition. Eventually, he moved back to Michigan, got married, and subsequently worked in restaurants downstate and in Traverse City, where he and his wife and children now live.

Young changes the Tucker’s menu twice a year, for fall/winter and spring/summer.

“I try to stay within the particular season as much as I can,” he said. “Right now, it’s all about ingredients like Swiss chard, beets, cabbage, apples, potatoes, and pickled items, in addition to our proteins, many of which I source from Ebel’s General Store in Falmouth. In the warmer months, we get fresh produce, locally for the most part, sourcing from area farms and farmers’ markets. Since he started at Tucker’s, Young said he has tried to bring in a lot more Michigan products that are affordable and appeal to a wide range of people.

With the sports bar and bowling alley, appetizers are hot tickets at Tucker’s. “A lot of them border on entrées,” said Young.

“They are quite generous portions that can be shared or ordered as an individual meal.”

That would include items like Tucker’s house-smoked wings (fried and tossed in buffalo, BBQ, parmesan garlic, or Thai sauce, or coated in Texas Pete ® Hot Dry Rub or ranch dry rub, all served with celery, carrots and the requisite blue cheese or ranch dip).

Note: On Superbowl Sunday, wings will

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be just 50 cents each. Other appetizers to share — or not — include Boom-Boom shrimp (lightly beer-battered fried shrimp with a sweet and spicy sauce on the side), nachos (tortilla chips layered with a cheddar cheese blend and choice of chicken, beef, or chorizo, and topped with lettuce, tomato, onions and jalapeños) and whitefish dip (baked house-made cheese dip loaded with smoked whitefish, topped with a caper slaw, and served with warm pita bread).

According to Tucker’s general manager Priscilla Sherman, the best-sellers in every age group and across all menu categories are the chicken tenders (marinated in buttermilk, lightly breaded and deep fried, served with fries and ranch or barbecue dipping sauce), which are available in both adult-sized and child-sized baskets. The latter is part of the kids’ menu, which also includes mac and cheese, a plain 4-ounce burger, a grilled cheese, mini corndogs, and 6-inch pita pizzas, as well as chocolate or white milk, juices, and free refills on fountain drinks.

In the entrée category, one dish that rates high with Tucker’s guests is the chicken Marsala (sous-vide chicken breast, lightly dusted with flour and pan-roasted, served with house-made creamy mushroom and bacon Marsala sauce over fettucine pasta).

Another is Thai chili-glazed salmon (served with rice and vegetable stir-fry). “The latter dish was an option at our dinner theater [see sidebar] last year,” said Sherman “and it was so popular that we put it on our regular dinner menu.” Perch is also a customer favorite, whether it be the perch grinder (lightly beerbattered fried perch made to order, served on a toasted baguette with coleslaw, tomato, onion and house-made zesty herb rémoulade sauce) or the perch dinner (served with seasonal vegetable, rustic mashed potatoes and house-made rémoulade).

AS YOU LIKE IT Young emphasized that guests who are gluten-free, vegetarians, or vegans have a lot of choices on Tucker’s menu, including

a Beyond Burger® (a plant-based protein burger, soy-, dairy- and gluten-free, served with lettuce, tomato and onion) and a Beyond Brat® (the world’s first plant-based sausage, topped with pickled cabbage and whole-grain mustard). “We were the first restaurant in Leelanau County to carry Beyond® products,” he added, “and we’re still the only one that carries Beyond Brats®.” Many other menu items can be made vegetarian, too, including nachos and quesadillas; and all burgers and sandwiches, as well as Tucker’s tavern-style thin-crust pizzas, can be ordered gluten-free.

Young said he and his kitchen staff try to be as accommodating as possible to guests with special dietary needs of any kind.

Why should people make the trek out to Northport in the winter? As the website for the golf course that Bill and Nina Collins made a reality says, “One of Northport’s greatest charms is that it’s not on the way to anywhere.” Sherman concurs: “It’s a destination, of course, but it offers a lot. It’s a slower pace here, more relaxing than some other places, so you can unwind. And it’s a beautiful drive to get here. Our off-season business, with the possible exception of January, is actually pretty good. People still want to go out to eat on occasion — to get out of the house and have some delicious food cooked by someone else. The fact that we’re open year-round, while some other places in this area close for a few weeks or months during winter is appreciated by the local residents. There’s always something interesting going on here, food-wise and entertainment-wise. We also have a lot of new people moving to the village, and they’re not all retirees,” she said. “Northport is growing.”

Tucker’s is located at 116 South Waukazoo St. in Northport. Serving lunch and dinner year-round, seven days a week, 11:30am to 9pm Monday–Thursday, 11:30am to 10pm Friday–Saturday, and noon to 8pm Sunday.

Happy hour runs 3pm to 6pm Mon–Fri. (231) 386-1603, www.tuckersnp.com

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Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 19

Floats Like a Butterfly,

Stings Like a Hornet Blake Cassidy: “The Pellston Point Producer”

By Al Parker For the Cassidy clan in Pellston, Hornet basketball is more than just a winter pastime, it’s a passionate family tradition that dates back decades.

“We’ve had generations playing basketball and football here,” said current head coach Larry Cassidy, a 1988 graduate of Pellston.

He’s been coaching in his hometown for 12 years — seven at the varsity level and five at the middle school. “My dad, Jim Cassidy, played football. My uncle Ken, who the gym is named after, played basketball. My brother, Rick, and I played basketball. And my son, Blake, plays basketball now.”

That’s quite a legacy, but to say that Blake “plays basketball” is a bit of an understatement.

In truth, Blake, a lanky sharpshooter, is an exceptional hoopster, one of the best in the Ski Valley Conference. A four-year player for the Hornets, Blake has tallied more than 1,400 points in his career.

This season, he’s led Pellston to a sizzling 8–1 start, good for a top 10 ranking in the state.

And he’s one of six seniors returning from last year’s squad, which went deep in the state playoffs, posting an impressive mark of 26–3.

Their dream season, however, ended with a painful 67–64 loss to Dollar Bay in the state quarterfinals. That game still stings Blake and his Hornet teammates.

“I want to get to the Breslin [Center, at Michigan State University, home of the state championship games]. That’s our main goal,” he said. “We have a really great group of guys this year. We have more fun than last year.

I’m playing with my 10 best friends, and I love all of them.”

So what’s it like having your dad be your coach?

“It’s a love-hate relationship sometimes,”

Blake said, laughing. “He tells me what to do, and I need to do it.”

But Coach/Dad offers another viewpoint.

“There have been some quiet rides home some nights,” said Larry Cassidy. “But I’ve been privileged to watch him take some 50,000 shots over the years at games and practices. He really knows the game. When we get home after a game, there’s maybe 10 minutes of coach-to-player talk, and then it’s quickly dadto-son. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Blake’s love of basketball started when he was in first grade, playing in the Little Hornets program Pellston offers to youngsters. It utilizes 8-foot rims, instead of the standard 10foot, to teach the fundamentals of the game.

“That was where I first started to fall in love with basketball,” said Blake.

Perhaps not surprisingly for a guy in love, Blake hopes to play basketball at the collegiate level. He’s been routinely drawing attention from schools like Alma, Olivet, and Spring Arbor.

So does his future include coaching, perhaps at his high school alma mater?

“In my hopes and dreams, I’d love to come back and coach at Pellston,” he said. “That would be a dream come true. I’ll say this — northern Michigan will always be my home.”

That Little Hornets alumni is now averaging about 33 points a game this season. If there was anyone in the Ski Valley conference unaware of Cassidy, he got their attention when he posted three straight game of more than 40 points: a 45-point performance against Johannesburg-Lewiston, a 43-point game against Mancelona, and a 40-point outburst at Central Lake.

That Jo-Burg game, the fifth of the season, didn’t start out looking like a great night for Blake.

“My first shot was an air ball,” he recalled

20 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

with a smile. Jo-Burg assigned their top defender, 6-foot-4 Gavin Weaver, to try to stop the 6-foot-5 Blake.

Despite that humbling air ball, Blake still managed to notch a respectable 16 points in the first half. And in the second half, he took over the game, pouring in 29 more points. For the night the “Pellston Point Producer” connected on seven of 11 three-pointers, eight of 11 two-pointers and eight free throws.

“They threw everything at him, and just — some nights, talking as the coach — you just stand back and watch, because he does some pretty amazing things,” Larry Cassidy told reporters after the game. “Certainly, his teammates help him, get him a lot of ball screens, and do a lot for him, but when he’s feeling it like that, the rim probably looks like the ocean.”

The Hornets suffered a stinging loss, 59– 54, at Gaylord St. Mary’s before getting back on the winning track at Bellaire. During their 8–1 start, the Hornets outscored opponents by an average of 64–53.

Pellston has at least two challenging games ahead on the Ski Valley schedule. On Feb. 19 the team hosts a tough Mancelona squad, and the following week, on Feb. 26, they’ll be seeking revenge against Gaylord St. Mary’s.

And after the regular season, Blake and his teammates will hopefully take aim at making another deep run in the playoffs.

“We really want to win that quarterfinal,” Blake told a reporter. “I know we were three points short last year, and that just sits in the back of my head. I just want to get there, so we’re going to take it one step at a time, but once that time shows up, we’re going to be ready to play, and hopefully we get to a point where we can get to that quarterfinal and be down at the Breslin. That’s our goal.”

The Dream Team

Blake Cassidy suggests part of the magic of this particular season is that he’s out on the court playing with 10 of his best friends. Who are these winning Hornet players? Northern Express asked coach Larry Cassidy to describe each one. #1 Jr. Sage LaLonde: “He’s a shooter.” #3 Sr. Glenn Bonter: “He does all the dirty work.” #4 Jr. Nick Dankert: “The Energizer Bunny, always upbeat.” #5 Sr. Isaac Filkens: “He’s gonna bloom.” #10 Sr. Colin Robbins: “The Glue Guy, who makes everything go.” #12 Sr. Lakota Worthington: “Our defensive stopper.” #20 Sr. Wyatt Zulski: “Super smart basketball IQ, rarely makes mental mistakes. #23 Jr. Ian Reimann: “Gonna become a potential scorer.” #24 Jr. Keith Coffell: “The Junkyard Dog.” #42 Sr. Joey Rizzardi: “He’s our big, takes care of the middle.”

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NORTHERN SEEN 1. Sue Bauer and Melissa Bullard at the first Arts for All Hip Hop Dance Class in TC. 2. Local band Avid Kain performs live during the Art Bomb event at Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City.

3. Kecia Brick and Ali Ockert at Life & Whim’s monthly Made to Make Workshop in the yurt at The Little Fleet.

4. Bray and Brittney McCabe at Glendale Ave’s pop up brunch inside The Little Fleet at Milkweed.

5. Diane Hansell, Mark Elliott and John Kelly, winners of the novice division of the Harbor Springs Chili Cook-Off at Boyne Highlands.

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 21

feb 01

saturday

15TH ANNUAL ADGATE TROPHY GIANT SLALOM COMPETITION: 8am, North Boyne, Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Falls. Hosted by Boyne’s Ambassador of skiing, former Olympian, US National Champion, & 2009 US Ski Hall of Fame inductee Cary Adgate. For more info email Cary Adgate: caryadgate@mac.com boynemountain.com

---------------------WHITE PINE STAMPEDE: 8am-5pm, Mancelona High School. Michigan’s longest & oldest point-to-point cross-country ski race. Benefits Children’s Hospital of Michigan. The 50K race starts at 9:30am; the 20K at 10:30am; & the 10K at 11:30am. whitepinestampede.org

---------------------FESTIVAL OF FOODS: 10am-3pm, Hagerty Center, Great Lakes Campus, NMC, TC. Try new foods from area chefs & gourmet food artisans, & select 4 from 16 tasty sessions. $99; $90 with Life Discount. nmc.edu/resources/extended-education/events/festival-foods/index.html

---------------------YOUNG PEACEBUILDERS OF NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN WINTER SUMMIT: 10am-noon, TC West High School, Library. Local clubs will share updates on their peace work thus far, offer ideas & suggestions to other clubs, explore collaborations with event participants, & build excitement about peacebuilding for the remainder of the year. Free. Find on Facebook.

---------------------CHARLEVOIX’S GROUND HOG SHADOW FEST: Featuring a free movie at Charlevoix Cinema III, Super Soup Contest at Main Tent, story time, games & puppet craft at library, winter activities at East Park, an exhibit of Children’s Illustrations & Photos w/the Groundhog at Circle of Arts, Groundhog History & Scavenger Hunt at Historical Society, Sleeping Gypsies at Main Tent & much more. charlevoixshadowfest.com

---------------------GLCO YOUNG CHILDREN’S LIBRARY SERIES “BUILDING BLOCKS OF MUSIC” #5: For ages 4-10 & caregivers. Featuring interactive activities with GLCO musicians including story-telling, directed listening, sing-a-longs, chant, movement & dance, imitation & rhythm games. Free.

10:30am: Petoskey District Library. 1pm: Boyne District Library, Boyne City. glcorchestra.org

---------------------SOUP COOK-OFF: 4-7pm, Townline Ciderworks, Williamsburg. Featuring a snowshoe/hike/ walk in the orchard from 4-5pm, with snowshoes available from Grass River. The Soup Cook-off begins at 5pm. Bring a crockpot of soup to enter & get a free pint of cider. Soup sampling will be by donation with proceeds going to GRNA. Live music by James Dake from 5-7pm. grassriver.org

---------------------9TH ANNUAL MICHIGAN BEER & WINE FEST: 6-10pm, Treetops Resort Convention Center, Gaylord. Enjoy mingling & tasting an array of Michigan Craft Beer & Michigan Wine.

Learn about beer & wine making, tasting notes, & the operations of local beer & wine makers.

Enjoy food stations from Treetops’ culinary team. $25 or $45. treetops.com/events/michigan-beer-wine-festival

---------------------MAGIC SHOW: 6pm, Crystal Mountain, Crystal Center, Thompsonville. With a father & son duo.

Free. crystalmountain.com/event/magic-show

---------------------“COOKIN’ WITH GUS”: 6:30pm, Northport Performing Arts Center. A camera-shy celebrity chef tries to launch a TV show, but threats from her agent & spells cast by her gypsy neighbor are no help. Dinner & show. Choose an entrée including salad & dessert: baked chicken puttanesca, beef stroganoff or Thai salmon. $60. northportperformingarts.org

---------------------ELK RAPIDS HIGH SCHOOL PRESENTS “CLUE: ON STAGE”: 7pm, Elk Rapids High School, Peterman Auditorium. Presented by Elk Rapids Drama. Based on the film & board game. $5.

“INDECENT”: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. This play with music tells the moving story of the production of a controversial Yiddish play. Adults: $28; youth: $15 (plus fees). mynorthtickets.com

february

01-09

---------------------BLISSFEST COMMUNITY DANCE: 7:30pm, First Presbyterian Church, Petoskey. Featuring squares & contras. Live music & caller. All dances taught. No partner necessary. Use Division St. entrance. $5/person, $7/couple, $10/family.

---------------------CABIN FEVER WITH THE EASY PICKS, NATHAN TOWNE & THE CTAC GARAGE BAND: 7:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center Theater, Petoskey. $25 CTAC members; $35 non-members; $10 students. crookedtree.org

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

---------------------SECOND CITY: 8pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. “Laughing For all the Wrong Reasons.” Before the show, ticket holders can visit the museum. Afterwards, meet the artists & enjoy light refreshments. $25-$32. mynorthtickets.com

feb 02

sunday

feb 03

monday

SUPER BOWL PARTY BENEFITS MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN: 5:30pm, X-Golf Traverse City. 231-252-2606.

Free food, raffles & the Super Bowl playing on 11 large flat screens TV’s. $5.

DROP-IN RÉSUMÉ WORKSHOP: 3pm, Elk Rapids Library, porch. Drop in for oneon-one tips & pointers. Brush up your résumé with Michigan Works career adviser Mandi Brown. Free. elkrapidslibrary.org

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The North American VASA 44th Annual Festival of Races will be held Sat. and Sun., Feb. 8-9 in TC. Included is the Short’s Brewing Fat Bike Series, the new 8km snowshoe race, Vasasaurus Stomp, and much more. Complete list: vasa.org Association of Northwest Michigan. Refreshments with an optional potluck will be served at 6pm & the program will start at 6:30pm. Free for MGANW members; $5 donation appreciated from non-members. wordenwood80027. wildapricot.org

AMICAL’S COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS “POLPO”: amical, TC. From his restaurant in London, Russell Norman brings a collection of simple Venetian recipes that focus on the use of fresh, quality ingredients. Call 941-8888 for reservations. amical.com/polpo

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OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE AUDITIONS FOR [TITLE OF SHOW]: 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, Schmuckal Theatre, TC. This musical about two guys writing a musical has roles for two women & two men. 947-2210. oldtownplayhouse.com/get-involved/auditions.html

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feb 04

tuesday

PEEPERS PROGRAM: GO TO SLEEP GROUNDHOG: 10am, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Featuring stories, crafts, music & discovery activities. Each program ends with an outside portion.

For ages 3-5. $5 per child. natureiscalling.org

---------------------GET CRAFTY: Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Create an imaginative heart mosaic from paint chips & pom poms. Held from 11amnoon & 2-3pm. greatlakeskids.org

---------------------AMICAL’S COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS “POLPO”: (See Mon., Feb. 3)

---------------------AAUW FEBRUARY MEETING: 5:30pm, Harrington’s By The Bay, TC. The American Association of University Women, Traverse City Branch Meeting will feature guest speakers Karen Feahr of AAUW-TC & Mary Moomaw, communications director for Michigan Girl Scouts Shore-to-Shore Council.

---------------------INVASIVE SPECIES IN GARDENS & ON THE HORIZON: Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Katie Grzesiak, coordinator for the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network, will speak at this meeting of the Master Gardener

22 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

PARKINSON’S (PNN) EVENING SUPPORT GROUP: 6pm, Foster Family Community Health Center, Rooms A & B, TC. Speaker: Linda Hansen, BSN, RN, ACM. Topic: Surprise billings when hospitalized. Questions: Hettie, 947-7389. pnntc.org TCNEWTECH: 6pm, City Opera House, TC. Five presenters are allowed 5 minutes to present & 5 minutes of question & answer. Between presenters, the audience is allowed to make brief announcements for things such as job openings, persons seeking employment, & other events happening in the area related to technology. cityoperahouse.org/tcnewtech-feb-2020

---------------------HOT TOPICS SERIES: CONSPIRACY THEORIES & FAKE NEWS: 6:30-8pm, Charlevoix Public Library. Featuring NCMC political science professor Scott LaDeur. charlevoixlibrary.org

---------------------OLD TOWN PLAYHOUSE AUDITIONS FOR [TITLE OF SHOW]: (See Mon., Feb. 3)

---------------------SLABTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING: 7pm, Traverse Bay United Methodist Church, TC. Slabtown Neighborhood winter meeting for all Slabtown residents. slabtown.sna@gmail.com

---------------------DAVID FINCKEL, CELLO & WU HAN, PIANO: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Dendrinos Chapel & Recital Hall. This husband-wife duo is in high demand as chamber performers, & will present a program of Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Albeniz, & Chopin. $34 full, $14 student. tickets.interlochen.org

feb 05

wednesday

PRESCHOOL STORY HOUR ANNUAL BEACH PARTY: 10am, Interlochen Public Library, Community

Room. For children ages 2-5. Play in the water, dig in the sand, make crafts, & enjoy story time & snacks. Bring your swimsuit & towel. tadl.org/ interlochen

---------------------MICHIGAN’S 2020 CITIZENS’ REDISTRICTING COMMISSION: Noon, Leelanau County Government Center, lower level public meeting room, Suttons Bay. Learn about Michigan’s new Citizen Redistricting Commission at the LWV Leelanau County Forum. 231-313-0359.

Free. my.lwv.org/michigan/leelanau-county

---------------------FEB. RECESS: 5-7pm, Mammoth Distilling & The Workshop Brewing Co., TC. Networking happy hour event with food, beverages & prizes.

Enjoy sliders, chips & dip & a selection of batch cocktails from Mammoth Distilling, & pizza & select microbrews from The Workshop Brewing Co. Attendees will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win prizes, including: Mammoth Distilling gift basket valued at $250; Workshop Brewing gift pack valued at $250, including a Lifetime Mug Club Membership, $75 gift card, & two four-packs of Workshop’s barrel-aged breakfast stout; a gift basket from Integrative Skincare valued at $125, including a gift certificate for a facial with dermaplaning or microneedling service, plus additional products & goodies; & a Moscow Mule-themed gift & downtown TC gift card, courtesy of 2020 Recess sponsor Edward Jones. Admission is $10. traverseticker.com

---------------------AMICAL’S COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS “POLPO”: (See Mon., Feb. 3)

---------------------ZUZU AFRICAN ACROBATS: 6pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. In honor of Black History Month, the NMC Student Life Office is sponsoring this event. Zuzu Acrobats is a one hour show, featuring a five person Kenyan Acrobatic team that includes fast pyramid building, limbo, chair balancing, comedy, fast skip rope, juggling & much more. Free.

feb 06

thursday

AN EVENING WITH ZORA O’NEILL: Presented by Harbor Springs Festival of the Book. Zora, who is in the area

as a Good Hart Writer in Residence, will be discussing her work during this free wine & hors d’oeuvres event. Her All Strangers Are Kin: Adventures in Arabic and the Arab World received the Society of American Travel Writers Lowell Thomas Award for best travel book of 2016.

6pm, Harbor Springs Library.

---------------------INTERACTIVE STORYTIME: 11am, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Featuring “The Hat” by Jan Brett, followed by a craft or activity. greatlakeskids.org

---------------------AMICAL’S COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS “POLPO”: (See Mon., Feb. 3)

---------------------AN EVENING WITH STEVE LUXENBERG: 6pm, City Opera House, TC. Steve brings his book, “Separate: The Story of Plessy V. Ferguson, and America’s Journey from Slavery to Segregation.” Presented by National Writers Series. $16, $26, free to students. nationalwritersseries.org

---------------------INLAND SEAS’ “MAIDEN” FUNDRAISER FOR YOUNG WOMEN IN STEM: 6pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Inland Seas Education Association Executive Director Fred Sitkins will begin with a brief introduction. You will then watch the 2018 documentary film, “Maiden,” about the first-ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989. After the film, a panel of women will share their experiences with Inland Seas’ Young Women in STEM (YWIS) program or their experiences navigating male-dominated, water-related careers. Proceeds support the 2020 YWIS programs. $10. schoolship.org/ news-events/maiden

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OLD MISSION PENINSULA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING: Peninsula Community Library, TC. A 6pm business meeting will precede the program. Rear Admiral Gerald Achenbach, superintendent of NMC’s Great Lakes Maritime Academy, will present “The Fifty Year History of the Great Lakes Maritime Academy” at 6:30pm. Free. omphistoricalsociety.org

---------------------POTLUCK & OFF THE WALL MOVIE NIGHT: Helena Township Community Center, Alden.

Potluck dinner at 6pm; movie at 7pm. Call 231331-4318 to sign up for the potluck. Free.

feb 07

friday

DISCOVER WITH ME: 10amnoon, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Child & adult caregiver will participate together with games & activities with cars. greatlakeskids.org

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15TH ANNUAL STATE OF THE COMMUNITY LUNCHEON: 11:30am, Odawa Casino, Ovation Hall, Petoskey. Experts will give updates on such topics as education, health care, housing, positive business models, expansions & more. $35; includes lunch. petoskeychamber.com

---------------------2ND ANNUAL HARBOR SPRINGS ICE FEST: Downtown Harbor Springs. Featuring more than 40 ice sculptures, live music, winter sports demos & sled dogs. The Chili Cook Off will be held from 2-4pm. There will also be a dueling chainsaw ice carving show. Free. downtownharborsprings.com

---------------------EAST BAY CALVARY SPORTSMEN’S FELLOWSHIP WEEKEND: East Bay Calvary Sportsmen’s Fellowship, TC. Hundreds of sportsmen gather to honor local men & women who have served or are serving for our freedoms. Featuring main speaker Jimmy Gretzinger, Michigan Out of Doors; David McIntyre, History Channel’s “Alone” Second Season Winner; live music by CrossCut Kings; a canned/non-perishable food items drive; & a carpool drawing. Free breakfast on Sun., Feb. 9 at 9am with speaker David McIntyre. traverseoutdoors.com

---------------------AMICAL’S COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS “POLPO”: (See Mon., Feb. 3)

“COOKIN’ WITH GUS”: (See Sat., Feb. 1)

---------------------MOONLIT SNOWSHOE: 7pm, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Join a naturalist on a guided snowshoe through Grass River’s forests to look for signs & sounds of nocturnal animals. Snowshoes are available for rent for an additional $5 rental fee during the program or bring your own.

Meet at the Grass River Center. Bring a flashlight or headlamp in case it is cloudy. $5. grassriver.org

---------------------LOVE, LOSS & WHAT I WORE: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse Studio Theatre @ the Depot, TC. A play about women’s love/hate relationships with their wardrobes. $17 plus fees. oldtownplayhouse.com

---------------------CINEMA CURIOSA PRESENTS: “BLUE NOTE RECORDS: BEYOND THE NOTES”: 8pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Free.

Find on Facebook.

feb 08

saturday

NORTH AMERICAN VASA 44TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF RACES: 8:30am, TC. Featuring the Okerstrom Marathon (50km) Freestyle, Korteloppet (12 km) Freestyle, 6 km Freestyle HS Boys & Girls, The George Kuhn Half Marathon (25 km) Freestyle, Skate Fun Tour (6 km) Freestyle, Short’s Grand Fat (42 km) Fat Bike, Short’s-n-Fat (13 km) Fat Bike, Junior VASA, Vasasaurus Stomp 8km Snowshoe Race & much more. vasa.org

---------------------NMCAA SUPER SATURDAY: 9am, TBAISD Career-Tech Center, TC. Show Me the Money to be Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise. A day of education & training for people experiencing poverty in the Greater Grand Traverse Area. This free physical & financial health & wellness event features classes, a free lunch, & a vendor café expo. Register: 231-590-0100 or nmcaa.net.

---------------------KITE RACE: 9:30am, Lake Leelanau. Triangle Race with two classes (ski & snowboard).

Each race leg will be appx. two miles. Find on Facebook.

---------------------25 CENTS KIDS MATINEE: 10am, State Theatre, TC. Featuring “Playmobil: The Movie.”

Dental Health Day Northern Michigan - Oral Health Coalition NMC skit & tooth care bags. stateandbijou.org/calendar

---------------------MAKE-A-GIFT SERIES: ANNUAL CHOCOLATE POTLUCK: 10am-noon, Interlochen Public Library, Community Room. Bring your favorite something chocolate to share. For adults. Sign up: 231-276-6767.

---------------------SPECIAL OLYMPICS POLAR PLUNGE: 10am-noon, North Peak/Kilkenny’s, TC. Plunge by soliciting contributions for Special Olympics.

Best costume receives an award. Minimum $75 contribution to plunge. Lunch & drinks after the plunge. $5 fee for lunch for those not plunging.

Donation. somi.org/polarplunge

---------------------TRAVERSE CITY LOCAL WINTER MARKET: 10am-2pm, 801 Front St. Once-a-month local winter market featuring local businesses.

Raffle drawing for a basket of goodies. Five raffle tickets for a donation of non-perishable food items to be donated to the Fr. Fred Frostbite Food Drive. Facebook drawing for gift certificate good at any vendor at the market. Free admission/onsite parking. Find on Facebook.

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“LOVE LOCALLY,” A VALENTINES DAY POP-UP MARKET: 11am-5pm, Higher Art Gallery, TC. Featuring several local artisans & makers. Find on Facebook.

---------------------5TH ANNUAL WINESHOEING EVENT: 11am, Maple Moon Sugarbush & Winery, Petoskey.

Enjoy a guided tour, wine before & after snowshoeing, a bowl of chili, & a souvenir glass.

Guided snowshoeing departs at 11:30am,

1:30pm & 3:30pm. Reserve your spot: 231487-9058. $25. mmsyrup.com/index.html

---------------------VALENTINE WORKSHOP: 11am-2pm, Leland Township Library, Munnecke Room. Create vintage-inspired valentines for family, friends & seniors in the community. Refreshments & supplies provided. Free. lelandlibrary.org

---------------------SIT ‘N’ SIGN WITH MI CHILDREN’S AUTHOR AMY NIELANDER: 11:30am-1:30pm, Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord. Enjoy this author of “Grama’s Hug,” as well as crafts & stories related to Valentine’s Day. saturnbooksellers.com

---------------------SKULLS & SCAT: 1-2:30pm, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Look at mammal skulls & teeth indoors to understand the natural history of some Grass River mammals. Then head out on a hike to search for these animals’ scat & learn basic ID techniques. $5. You can bring snowshoes if snow is deep, or rent them for an extra $5. grassriver.org

---------------------EAST BAY CALVARY SPORTSMEN’S FELLOWSHIP WEEKEND: 3:30pm, East Bay Calvary Sportsmen’s Fellowship, TC. Hundreds of sportsmen gather to honor local men & women who have served or are serving for our freedoms. Featuring main speaker Jimmy Gretzinger, Michigan Out of Doors; David McIntyre, History Channel’s “Alone” Second Season Winner; live music by CrossCut Kings; a canned/nonperishable food items drive; & a carpool drawing. Free breakfast on Sun., Feb. 9 at 9am with speaker David McIntyre. traverseoutdoors.com

feb 09

sunday

10TH ANNUAL BENZIE COUNTY WATER FESTIVAL: Feb. 9-15. Today features Sunday Sermons: Local churches designate water as a theme for Sunday Service. facebook.com/BenzieCountyWaterFestival

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NORTH AMERICAN VASA 44TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF RACES: (See Sat., Feb. 8)

---------------------VASASAURUS STOMP: 10:30am, Timber Ridge Resort, TC. A 6-8km snowshoe race held on as much ungroomed snow as possible. Afterwards celebrate in the “Event Tent” with the help of Short’s Brewing Co. timberridgeresort.net

---------------------LOVE, LOSS & WHAT I WORE: 2pm, Old Town Playhouse Studio Theatre @ the Depot, TC. A play about women’s love/hate relationships with their wardrobes. $17 plus fees. oldtownplayhouse.com

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CTAC SCHOOL OF MUSIC COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS WINTER CONCERT: 2:30pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Theater, Petoskey.

The CTAC Concert Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra will perform selections highlighting the diversity of string orchestra repertoire.

Free. crookedtree.org

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INDOOR WINTER PICNIC: 5-8pm, Leelanau Community Cultural Center, Old Art Building, Leland. Cash bar, music & games. Free. oldartbuilding.com

“COOKIN’ WITH GUS”: 4pm, Northport Performing Arts Center. A camera-shy celebrity chef tries to launch a TV show, but threats from her agent & spells cast by her gypsy neighbor are no help. Dinner & show. Choose an entrée including salad & dessert: baked chicken puttanesca, beef stroganoff or Thai salmon. $60. northportperformingarts.org

AMICAL’S COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS “POLPO”: (See Mon., Feb. 3)

AMICAL’S COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS “POLPO”: (See Mon., Feb. 3)

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GRAND TRAVERSE DEMS WINTER RALLY: 6pm, GT Resort, Tower Ballroom, Acme. Entertainment, hors d’oeuvres, speakers, MDP Chari Lavora Barnes, Floor Leader Yousev Rabhi, Regional 2020 candidates. 946-5555.

Suggested donation: $20. grandtraversedems. com/2020-winter-rally

---------------------“COOKIN’ WITH GUS”: (See Sat., Feb. 1) ---------------------“THE HUMAN ELEMENT” FILM SCREENING: 6:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Environmental photographer James Balog captures the lives of everyday Americans on the front lines of climate change. Following the film will be a short presentation by Citizens’ Climate Education. Suggested donation of $5 towards the Westwoods Elementary School Solar Project. Find on Facebook.

---------------------BAYSIDE TRAVELLERS CONTRA DANCE: Elk Rapids Township Hall. 7pm basic skills workshop; 7:30-10:30pm dance. Live music by The Johns.

Youth must be accompanied by an adult. For more info, email: tccaller@yahoo.com. $11 adult, $7 student, $9 member. dancetc.com

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VOICES WITHOUT BORDERS PRESENTS: A TIME TO SHINE: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Featuring performances by northern MI singers, dancers, musicians & entertainers of all ages, as well as silent & live auctions. $10; $25 VIP. greatlakescfa.org/event-detail/voices-without-borders-presents-a-time-to-shine-1

---------------------LOVE, LOSS & WHAT I WORE: (See Fri., Feb. 7)

---------------------GOOD ON PAPER COMEDY IMPROV: 8pm, West Bay Beach, A Delamar Resort, TC. $10. facebook.com/GoodOnPaperImprov

---------------------HELL ON HEELS PRESENTS HEARTS OF GLASS: 8pm, Red Sky Stage, Bay Harbor.

Enjoy lip syncing, dancing & singing with Drag Queens Kelly, Mercedes, Vajojo, Dahlia & Zuzu. $10. mynorthtickets.com/events/hell-onheels-presents-hearts-of-glass-2-8-2020

------------------------------------------ACADEMY AWARDS PARTY: State Theatre, TC. Doors open at 7pm for Red Carpet; broadcast begins at 8pm. This fundraiser for the State Theatre includes gourmet pizza, salad, dessert, pop & popcorn. There will also be cocktails, beer & wine available for purchase. $15. stateandbijou. org/movies/academy-awards-party

ongoing

ACORN ADVENTURERS: Fridays, Feb. 7-28, 10am. Boardman River Nature Center, TC. For ages 0-4. A mix of guided & self-guided outdoor activities that allow young explorers & their grown-ups to explore, engage with, & experience the outdoors. Register. natureiscalling. org/acorn-adventurers

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KIDS ON SKIS IN THE WOODS EVERY SUNDAY: Sundays, 11:45am, Timber Ridge Resort, TC. Presented by Norte & Vasa Ski Club. A group ski for families. The use of Timber Ridge Resort will be free for the entire Winter Vasa Domingos Ski Season. elgruponorte.org

---------------------MONDAY SOUL FLOW YOGA: Mon., 8:30am, Jan. 20 - Feb. 3, Bodies In Motion, TC. A 60-minute Vinyasa Flow class. All levels welcomed. eventbrite.com/e/monday-soul-flowyoga-tickets-87622207381

---------------------NEW SNOWSHOE HIKES: Saturdays, 1pm, Jan. 4 - Mar. 14. Choose from two ranger-led snowshoe hikes to explore the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore park. “Snowshoe Saunter” is for beginners & “Snowshoe Trek” is for more experienced snowshoe hikers. Meet for an introduction at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center, Empire. These hikes are free, but participants do need a park entrance pass or have an annual pass to participate. Reservations are required whether participants borrow snowshoes from the National Lakeshore or have their own. facebook.com/sbdnl

---------------------SNOWSHOE WEEKENDS: Rove Estate Vineyard & Tasting Room, TC. Held every Sat. &

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 23

art

VISUAL ARTS STUDENT EXHIBITION: Runs through Feb. 15 at Interlochen Center for the Arts, Herbert H. & Barbara C. Dow Center for Visual Arts. Browse artwork by Interlochen Arts Academy students at the Juried Student Exhibition, which represents the various forms of media that Interlochen’s Visual Arts Department encompasses, including ceramics, sculpture, painting, drawing, metals, digital arts, photography, printmaking, & fibers. academy. interlochen.org

---------------------“GUILD MEMBER SALON SHOW”: Feb. 8 Mar. 28, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Galleries, Petoskey. This invitational exhibit showcases work created by current CTAC Artist Guild Members. Over 100 artists from 34 cities are participating in this event. An opening reception will be held on Thurs., Feb. 13 from 5-7pm.

Runs through March 28. crookedtree.org

---------------------BEST OF THE CHARLEVOIX PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. This show highlights the collection of photographs

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - CALL FOR ARTISTS: ART FAIR: Artists & artisans are invited to apply for the 60th annual Crooked Tree Art Fair, now through Feb. 15. crookedtree.org/call-for-artists/crooked-treeart-fair - YOUTH ARTS EXHIBIT: Celebrating the work of area K-12 art students & educators. On display Feb. 2 - March 14. An opening reception will be held on Sun., Feb. 2 from 1-3pm. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-traverse-city/2020-youth-art DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - 40 CHANCES: FINDING HOPE IN A HUNGRY WORLD: Featuring the photography of Howard G. Buffett. Forty photographs document the world hunger crisis as part of a global awareness campaign. Runs through April 26.

- ERGO SUM: A CROW A DAY: On Aug. 1, 2014 artist Karen Bondarchuk set out to mark the passing time that her mother – diagnosed with dementia in 2010 – no longer could. For 365 days, she produced a crow a day on a hand-cut, hand-gessoed panel, remembering her mother as she once was & grieving her loss. Runs through May 24.

- PULPED UNDER PRESSURE: THE ART OF HANDMADE PAPER: With traditional hand papermaking at its core, this exhibit underscores important contemporary issues steeped in history & craft. Runs through May 24. Hours are 10am-5pm daily & 1-5pm on Sundays. dennosmuseum.org

HIGHER ART GALLERY, TC: - OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: “CITIZEN’S COPING” - ARTISTS RESPOND TO 4 YEARS OF AN ADMINISTRATION: Higher Art Gallery is the incubator to new Non-Profit Art Organization: Project Civilization which is having its first Open Call to All Artists for its Annual Juried show. Deadline to apply & enter submission is: 9/1/2020. Show Opens: 10/9/2020. higherartgallery.com/calls-for-art - CALL FOR ARTISTS: “SENSE OF HOME” ANNUAL COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER EXHIBIT: Presented by Higher Art Gallery to benefit Pete’s Place, which is a branch of Child & Family Services & is TC’s only homeless youth shelter. The open call for this show has a theme of art called: “To Comfort.” Artists are asked to respond with pieces that invoke comfort, a sense of home & what brings you comfort.

The deadline to submit images is Aug. 1, 2020. higherartgallery.com/calls-for-art

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---------------------GAYLORD AREA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS, GAYLORD: - BLACK & WHITE WITH A HINT OF COLOR EXHIBIT: A reception will be held on Sat., Feb.

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NORTHPORT ARTS ASSOCIATION, NORTHPORT: - NORTHPORT PHOTO EXHIBITION: CALL TO ARTISTS: Now through April 30: Photogra-

WEDNESDAY FEB 5 • 5PM-7PM

MAMMOTH DISTILLING & WORKSHOP BREWING CO. IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

$10 cover for assorted beverages and appetizers

ENTER TO WIN: $250 Mammoth Distilling gift basket Moscow Mule gift and Downtown TC gift card Recess is brought to you by

24 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

S! S E UR

THE VINE TO WINE SNOWSHOE TOUR: Saturdays, 11am through Feb. 1, Big Little Wines, Suttons Bay. Led by a guide, you will enjoy a casual snowshoe hike starting & stopping at three wineries along the way. The private vineyard trail connects Suttons Bay Ciders, Ciccone Vineyards & Big Little Wines.

This tour starts at Big Little Wines. It includes your snowshoe & pole rental, a catered warm lunch of chili & soups, & a wine purchase pick up service. grandtraversebiketours.com/vineto-wine-snowshoe-tour.html

phers of all skill levels are invited to submit their work to the Northport Photo Exhibition, which will take place from May 22-31. $30/ member; $40/non-member. northportartsassociation. org/all-happenings/2020/5/22/northport-photoexhibit-2020 - DARK SKIES: CALL FOR ARTISTS: Jan. 18 - Feb. 28: Submit up to three pieces in the medium/media of your choosing that celebrate the night sky. northportartsassociation.org/allhappenings/2020/4/16/call-for-artists-dark-skies - PLEIN AIR: CALL TO ARTISTS: Jan. 18 Feb. 29. Northport’s 2020 Plein Air event takes place from Sat., July 25 at 7am through Sun., July 26 at 8:30pm. Sat. & Sun. Paint Out: $30/ member; $40/non-member. Dark Skies Paint Out: $15/member; $20/non-member. northportartsassociation.org/all-happenings/2020/7/25/ northport-2020-plein-air-paint-out - ARTS! FOR KIDS WINTER SATURDAYS: Saturdays, 1pm, Feb. 1 - Mar. 21, Village Arts Building, Northport. Experience different media at three different art stations. Kids make creative art choices, interspersed with teacher directed lessons. northportartsassociation.org OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT: - FURNITURE, FIBER, PHOTOGRAPHY & SCULPTURE EXHIBITION: Featuring a multimedia Pop-Up Exhibition from the Benzie Area Historical Society. Runs through Feb. 7.

- PRINTMAKING & INVITATIONAL OPEN CALL EXHIBITION: The exhibition will feature three printmakers: Andrew Jagniecki, Lauren Everett Finn & L.C. Lim. In addition, OAC is asking for other artists to submit up to two of their printmaking artworks for display. Cost is free for art center members & $5 for nonmembers. Artwork drop off is Feb. 8-9 & the exhibition runs from Feb. 14 - March 13 with an opening reception from 5-7pm on the 14th.

Hours are 10am-4:30pm, Mon. through Fri., 10am-4pm, Sat. & 12-4pm, Sun. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org/welcome

O

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

8 from 5-7pm. Exhibit runs through Feb. 29.

- CALL FOR ENTRIES--INSPIRED BY THE MASTERS: Inspired by the Masters Exhibit will run March 4 - April 11, 2020. All Michigan artists 16 years old or older (including part-time residents) may enter this exhibit. Entries can be of any medium but must be in good condition & of the artist’s own creation. Art work will be accepted from Feb. 5-29 during normal business hours (11am-3pm, Tues.-Fri. & 12-2pm, Sat).

Maximum entries: 4 pieces due to space limitations. gaylordarts.org - FUNDAY MONDAYS: Held every Mon. through April 27 at 10am. Try a different art or craft each week. All supplies provided. gacaevents.weebly.com

featured in the 2020 CPC calendar including additional photos by CPC members. Runs through March 7. Open Mon. - Fri., 11am-5pm & Sat., 11am-3pm. charlevoixcircle.org/exhibits-2020

REC

Sun. through March at 11am. Bring your snowshoes or cross-country skis. These are not guided tours.

Y HAPP

H

Blossom’s New Bloom English indie-popsters Blossom recently spoke to the press about the long-awaited follow-up to their 2018 album, Cool Like You, and it’s been confirmed that the recording process is complete, and the album is at the mastering stages. The first sample tune, “Your Girlfriend,” has been released to some radio stations and showcases a new-wave ’80s influence reminiscent of the Talking Heads, as well as lots of ’70s-groove beats. The band spent last summer touring and performing at festivals, and with this new as-yet-untitled set on the way, looks like summer 2020 will bring more of the same …

Emo-rock band American Football is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its selftitled debut album with Year One Demos, a compilation set of previously unreleased instrumental demos showcasing some of AF’s earliest songs in their earliest versions — including a very different-sounding “Five Silent Miles” from the band’s first EP. The band’s third eponymous album was released late last year; tour dates are expected soon …

Grammy Award-winning crossover country-pop group Little Big Town has just embarked on its “The Nightfall Tour” and will make a stop in Detroit this spring.

The band will appear at the Fox Theatre on

MODERN

Blossom

ROCK

BY KRISTI KATES

March 12, along with special guest Caitlyn Smith, to promote its ninth studio album, also named Nightfall, which hit outlets a couple of weeks ago, prefaced by first single “Over Drinking” …

The Kalamazoo Blues Festival has been confirmed to return this year for its 27th iteration, despite reports that the event has struggled to break even for the past few years. While the location hasn’t been announced just yet, it’s most likely that the fest will take place at Homer Stryker Field (where the Kalamazoo Growlers baseball team plays), which could bump the fest to August. Last year’s KZoo Blues Fest featured performances from Davey Knowles, Danielle Nicole, and Biscuit Miller and The Mix. This year’s lineup is still in the planning stages…

LINK OF THE WEEK ’90s hitmaker Beck is back with a new single from his latest album Hyperspace.

He recently performed “Uneventful Days” on Jimmy Kimmel Live, effectively turning the late-night show’s studio into a music video set with a camera track and a mock cubicle. Check it out at https://youtu. be/6M3HW_YfZoI …

THE BUZZ Grand

30% OFF

Rapids

rockers

The

Legal

Immigrants have just returned from their first Australian tour, where they played shows along the country’s east coast and a music festival in Brisbane …

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke will perform solo at the United Center in Chicago on Sunday, April 5 …

The legendary Simon and Garfunkel will perform at the Fox Theatre on Feb. 8 …

Indie-folksters The Lumineers will be in concert in Grand Rapids on Feb. 11 at Van Andel Arena in support of their new album, III … 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.

Complete Pair of Eyeglasses

Buy now and Save! Purchase a complete pair of prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses and receive 30% off. Current eyeglass prescription is required.

This offer includes designer frames and prescription sunglasses. *some restrictions apply see store for details. Offer also valid at Midland and Mt Pleasant locations.

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 25

Valentine

SURPRISE YOUR

FOURSCORE by kristi kates

With a Four Course Prix Fixe Dinner FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH, 2020 5 PM TO 10 PM 45 per person

Chuck Daar – Ovr Dou (Remastered) – 5th World

This impressive reissue of multi-instrumentalist Daar’s album (which also includes the equally worthy remix album Dou Ovr and two smaller EPs) pulls you directly in to his swirling genre-blend of SoCal-meets-Texas sounds, recorded back in the early 2010s under the aliases Nova Spies and ECD. Highlights include the skittering opener, “Central Processing,” the expected swirls of “Phase Transition,” and the very unexpected push-pull of “Kirtan,” which somehow lodges in your ears despite the lack of a discernable hook.

Echosmith – Lonely Generation – ESLLC

Reservations Recommended!

(231) 947-3700 ext. 122 If you’re looking for more, West Bay Beach is the ideal place to bring that special someone. Decadent chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of delicious champagne await your arrival with our Romance Package.

As the title might suggest, Echosmith’s latest is an indie-pop exploration into growing older, anchoring their latest set of songs in teen-pop beats while pushing the lyrics into adulthood. The alterna-pop set shows off its best side while sticking to lighter radio-friendly melodies like the title track and the dance-floor-friendly “Diamonds,” with its retro synthesizers; the galloping “Stuck Inside This Roller Coaster”; and ballads like the quietly vulnerable “Everyone Cries.”

Attempts at funk/soul (“Cracked”) don’t work quite as well, but the bulk of the album’s pop tracks make up for it.

Book your Romance Package Today!

(231) 947-3700 ext. 1

Isabella Lundgren – Out of the Bell Jar – Ladybird

Dinner for Two $75.00 Build your meal Choose a 5oz Prime Filet or a 6oz Lobster Tail Soup or Salad + side dish Bottle of House Wine Sunday - Thursday Walk-In or Reservations 231-421-5912 Tax and Gratuity not included

250 E Front St, Traverse City 231-421-5912 26 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

Not quite as intense as the Plath novel but with nearequal gravitas is this latest release from Swedish singer Lundgren. She tackles a lineup of classic Bob Dylan tracks and rearranges/remakes them in her own style. Best in the bunch are “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” which showcases her strong vocals, and her take on the classic “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” which she renders in a version instantly evocative of a dark, smoke-filled brick-walled coffeehouse, circa 1960.

Ralf Schmid – Pyanook – Neue Meister

Schmid brings traditional piano fans into new territory with an experimental set that skillfully blends his dependable skills with some unexpected technology: Mi Mu Gloves, a wearable music instrument that digitally transform his gestures to sound. Layered atop his analog playing of two grand pianos, this futuristic approach flows smoothly — to greatest effect on the set’s first single, “Life in a Nutshell,” and the quirky beats of “Impromptu Reggae.”

The reel

by meg weichman

THE ASSISTANT just mercy

A

familiar legal drama, the filmmaking of Just Mercy is predictable and formulaic, but the real-life story of the man who defends death row inmates is nothing less than extraordinary. Director Destin Daniel Cretton adapts the memoir of world-renowned civil rights defense attorney Bryan Stevenson into a moving film that focuses on the early days of his landmark career. Stepping into Bryan Stevenson’s heroic shoes is Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther). Fresh from graduating at the top of his class at Harvard Law, Bryan rejects the route of high-powered, high-paying corporate law in order to move to Monroe County, Alabama, where he starts the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit that takes on cases of death row inmates. There he’s introduced to Jamie Foxx’s Walter McMillian, a man whose case just doesn’t add up. Even though there was no DNA evidence, no motive, and he had an alibi, Walter has been convicted of brutally murdering a white teenage girl. While the film doesn’t offer viewers much new in the way of narrative or artistry, it’s a heartfelt and genuine work that features strong performances, high production values, and a powerful message we cannot ignore.

Perhaps the first truly great movie of the #MeToo era, The Assistant follows a single day in the office for the young female assistant of a high-powered Hollywood mogul (who is clearly a stand in for disgraced accused sexual predator Harvey Weinstein).

And while I will never be able to shake his victims’ testimony in the documentary about his rise and fall, Untouchable, for me, The Assistant was even more effective in condemning not only the Harvey Weinsteins of the world but also everyone else who allowed it to happen — and the systems and structure under which this behavior thrives.

Here, director Kitty Green, best known for her documentary filmmaking in work like Casting Jon Benet, takes the focus off the idea of the “bad man.” You don’t even see or really hear “the boss,” and we don’t know his name. Instead, the focus is on Jane (the incredible Julia Gardner, fresh off a Golden Globe win for Ozark) during what initially seems like a rather standard day at the office, then builds through some of the subtlest of details to something completely damning, revealing why it took so long for someone like Weinstein to be exposed.

Jane, a recent Northwestern graduate, is the newest member of the team and clearly lowest on the totem pole. Hers is a job that will supposedly open doors for her, a job many people looking to break into the film business would kill for, it appears. She just has to put in her time.

And so Jane is the very first to arrive in the morning (when it’s still dark outside) and also the very last to leave. She works with two other male assistants, who casually treat her with disdain, as though they are her superiors (they are not). Everyone else in the office barely looks her in the eye and treats her as though she was completely disposable.

There isn’t a ton of narrative, and a lot of the film is completely mundane. She makes coffee, opens mail, books flights, does dishes, deals with angry callers (including the boss’ wife), and cleans up after her boss — from his crumbs to the earrings of a conquest, as well as a stain of identified origin on the couch.

Her boss only seems to notice her when she (supposedly, in his eyes anyway) messes up, screaming at her through closed doors and over the phone. And after she metaphorically prostrates herself at his feet, he’ll give her the tiniest bit of a compliment that, though wrapped in an insult, is enough to sustain her.

But then a completely unqualified and beautiful young girl arrives at the office fresh out of Idaho, and Jane is told the girl is to be a new assistant. And after escorting the girl to a swanky hotel, the alarm bells really start sound, prompting Jane to embark on a nightmare trip to human resources.

The success of the film completely relies on Julia Gardner, who is simply a phenomenal guide through this world, telling us almost entirely with her face everything we need to know about what she’s experiencing.

The office they work in is drab and ugly. The lighting, industrial. This is not the swanky TriBeCa loft you would imagine a king of Hollywood and his staff would work in, adding to the banal approach.

Make no mistake — the film does move rather slowly, without much development or plot, but you’ll find yourself completely riveted by the micro-behaviors and nearly imperceptible interactions that ultimately, vibrantly paint an environment that is hauntingly familiar and unmistakably toxic.

The result is a film that is deeply resonant and devastating beyond words.

1917

O

ne of the top directors working today, Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall), pays tribute to his WWI veteran grandfather with a story that is intensely epic and almost impossibly intimate. It’s a simple enough of a concept: Two ordinary men (neither of them anyone’s idea of statuesque “war heroes”) are sent on an extraordinary, high-stakes mission in which the lives of 1,600 men hang in the balance. But there is nothing simple about 1917’s execution. To further immerse you in the don’t-you-dare-lookaway action that unfolds in near-realtime, is how Mendes has constructed the film to play like one long take. And while he fakes the single take through seamless, flawless editing, don’t underestimate the technical or artistic achievement at play here. In fact, not only do I urge you to see this extraordinary film, but after seeing it, you must immediately Google behindthe-scenes videos of how they pulled it off. I guarantee it will make you want to watch the whole thing again.

little women

G

reta Gerwig’s take on Little Women isn’t just the very best adaptation of the novel in a long line of adaptations, it’s also one of the very best movies of the year, a masterful directorial achievement by any gender. Big, little, for men, for women — the only modifier that really needs to be applied here is wonderful! Gerwig takes this familiar story of the four March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy) growing up in a middle-class family in Concord, Massachusetts, during the Civil War and gives us a faithful retelling that is as fresh as it is timeless, as nostalgic as it is modern. The lighting is gorgeous, the costumes are stunning, and the cinematography is full of life. Exhilarating, imaginative, and beguiling, you can feel the love in every frame. A profoundly effecting work, you’ll be overtaken by the sheer joy of this film’s gentle spirit and generous filmmaking, as well the feeling of being truly seen by a filmmaker who deeply understands and values the rhythms girlhood, of sisters, of family.

Meg Weichman is a perma-intern at the Traverse City Film Festival and a trained film archivist.

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 27

nitelife

feb 01 - Feb 09 edited by jamie kauffold

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

ACOUSTIC TAP ROOM, TC 2/1 -- Rob Coonrod, 8 2/7 -- The Duges, 7 2/8 -- Luke Woltanski, 8

PARK PLACE HOTEL, TC BEACON LOUNGE: Thurs,Fri,Sat -- Tom Kaufmann, 8:30

FANTASY'S, TC Mon. - Sat. -- Adult entertainment w/ DJ, 7-close

SAIL INN BAR & GRILL, TC Thurs. & Sat. -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9

HOTEL INDIGO, TC 2/7 -- Blair Miller, 7-10 2/8 -- Chris Sterr, 7-10

TAPROOT CIDER HOUSE, TC 2/5 -- Jazz Cabbage, 7-9

KILKENNY'S, TC 1/31-2/1 -- Skin Tight, 9:30 2/4 -- Levi Britton, 8 2/5 -- The Pocket, 8 2/6 -- 2Bays DJs, 9:30 2/7-8 -- Lucas Paul, 9:30 LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC 2/3 -- Open Mic Night w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9 2/7 -- Live Music, 6-8 PANGEA'S PIZZA, TC Tue -- Trivia Tuesday, 6

THE DISH CAFE, TC Tues, Sat -- Matt Smith, 5-7 THE LITTLE FLEET, TC THE YURT: 2/7 -- After Ours, 6:30-9:30 2/9 -- Michael Beauchamp-Cohen & Samantha Cooper, 6:30-9:30 THE PARLOR, TC 2/1 -- Jim Hawley & Co., 8 2/4 -- Jimmy Olson, 4 2/5 -- Rob Coonrod, 8 2/6 -- Chris Smith, 8 2/7 -- Blue Footed Booby, 8 2/8 -- Joe Wilson, 8

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 2/1 -- Radel Rosin, 8 2/3 -- Rotten Cherries Comedy Open Mic, 8:30 Tue -- TC Celtic, 6:30 Wed -- Jazz Jam, 6-10 2/7 -- Ashley Christopher, 8 2/8 -- Matt Borghi & Will Jurkeiwicz, 8 2/9 -- Saturday Night Live Trivia, 7 UNION STREET STATION, TC 2/1 -- Broom Closet Boys, 10 2/2 -- Karaoke, 10 WEST BAY BEACH, A DELAMAR RESORT, TC 2/5 -- David Chown, 6:30-8:30 2/6 -- Jeff Haas Trio, 6-8:30 2/7 -- David Chown Duo, 7-9 2/8 -- Good on Paper Comedy Improv, 8

Emmet & Cheboygan BEARDS BREWERY, PETOSKEY 2/1 -- 1000 Watt Prophets Duo, 8-11 2/6 -- Jazz Jam, 7-10 2/8 -- The Lonely Lovers, 8-11 2/9 -- Owen James, 6-9 CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 2/1 -- Lavender Lions, 10 2/8 -- The Marsupials wsg Brian McCosky, 10

KNOT JUST A BAR, BAY HARBOR Mon,Tues,Thurs — Live music LEO’S NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN, PETOSKEY Thurs — Karaoke w/ DJ Michael Willford, 10

NUB'S NOB, HARBOR SPRINGS NUB'S PUB: 2/1, 2/8 -- Pete Kehoe, 3-6 THE SIDE DOOR SALOON, PETOSKEY Sat. – Karaoke, 8

Leelanau & Benzie CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE VISTA LOUNGE: 1/31-2/1 -- The Offbeat Band, 7-11 2/7 -- Johnny P, 7-11 2/8 -- Johnny P Band, 7-11 DICK’S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. — Karaoke, 10-2 IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 2/7 -- Olivia Mainville, 7-9:30 2/8 -- Barefoot, 7-9

LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 2/4 -- Blind Dog Hank, 6:309:30 2/5 -- Trivia Night, 7-9 LELAND LODGE 2/5 – Chris Smith, 6 2/6 – Trivia Night, 7 LUMBERJACK'S BAR & GRILL, HONOR Fri & Sat -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 2/1 -- The Real Ingredients, 6-9 2/4 -- Acoustic Open Jam, 5-7 2/6 -- Open Mic w/ Jim & Wanda Curtis, 6 2/7 -- Barefoot, 6-9 2/8 -- Jen Sygit, 6-9 STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT 2/1 -- Alex Mendenall, 8-10 2/7 -- Rhett & John, 8-10 2/8 -- Pete Fetters, 8-10 2/9 -- Storm the Mic - Hosted by Blake Elliott, 6-9

Otsego, Crawford & Central ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD Sat -- Live Music, 6-9

BELLE IRON GRILLE, GAYLORD 2/1 -- Tribe of Chiefs, 9

BENNETHUM'S NORTHERN INN, GAYLORD 2/4 -- Pete Kehoe, 5

Antrim & Charlevoix CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS 2/1 -- Reese Keelor, 5 2/8 -- Jazz Cabbage, 7 ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 2/1 -- Conrad Shock + The Noise, 8-11 HELLO VINO, BELLAIRE 2/4-5 -- Doc Woodward, 7 LAKE STREET PUB, BOYNE CITY 2/5 -- Mastermind's Trivia, 7

MAMMOTH DISTILLING 2/1 – Clint Weaner, 7:30 SHANTY CREEK RESORT, BELLARE IVAN'S: 1/31-2/1 -- SpaceCat, 9 SHORT'S BREWING CO., BELLAIRE 2/1 -- Los Elk, 8:30-11 2/7 -- A Brighter Bloom, 8:3011 2/8 -- The Go Rounds, 8:30-11

STIGGS BREWERY & KITCHEN, BOYNE CITY 2/1 – Sydni K., 7 2/7 – Chris Koury, 7 2/8 – Eric Jaqua, 7 TORCH LAKE CAFÉ, CENTRAL LAKE 1st & 3rd Mon. – Trivia, 7 Weds. -- Lee Malone Thurs. -- Open mic Fri. & Sat. -- Leanna’s Deep Blue Boys 2nd Sun. -- Pine River Jazz

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE RIVER ROCK SPORTS BAR & GRILLE: 2/7-8 – The Rock Show, 10

NORTH CHANNEL BREWING CO., MANISTEE 2/8 -- Sean Miller, 7

Send us your free live music listings to

events@traverseticker.com

Mon Feb 3- $5 martinis, $5 domestic

beer pitcher, $10 craft beer pitcher.

Tues - $2 well drinks & shots 8-9:30 TC Comedy Collective

Wed - Get it in the can night - $1 domestic, $3 craft w/DJ JR

Thurs -$2 off all drinks and $2 Labatt drafts Bob Marley B-day bash w/Selector Icky I and friends

Fri Feb 7 - Buckets of Beer starting at $8 (2-8pm)

For Traverse City area news and events, visit TraverseTicker.com

Happy Hour: StoneHengz Then: Galactic Sherpas

Sat Feb 8 - Galactic Sherpas Sunday Feb 9

KARAOKE ( 10pm-2am) 941-1930 downtown TC check us out at unionstreetstationtc.net

28 • february 03, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly

THURSDAY

Trivia nite • 7-9pm

FRIDAY FISH FRY

All you can eat perch

HAPPY HOUR:

FOR ALL Sporting Events!

Daily 4-7 Friday 4-9 Sunday All Day

231-941-2276 121 S. Union St. • TC. www.dillingerspubtc.com

231-922-7742 121 S. Union St. • TC. www.dillingerspubtc.com

FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS

the ADViCE GOddESS The Sociopath Of Least Resistance

Q

: I discovered that the guy I’m dating has a girlfriend he’s cheating on. In fact, she confronted us, which was awful. I’ve had a history of guys cheating on me, and I want to end the pattern. Unfortunately, I’m not attracted to a lot of guys I go out with, and I’m really attracted to this guy.

— Chemistry

A

: Being really attracted to somebody is the go-to excuse for shrugging off a potential partner’s shady behavior — pretty much anything this side of “Well, sure, several of his neighbors are wintering in Ziploc in his basement freezer.”

It helps that attraction seems like some mysterious and magical force. It’s actually not. Who we’re attracted to — which people, with which features — is prearranged by our biological robot overlord, aka evolution, via genetic code written into each of us. It’s part of evolution’s scheme for building better babies -giving our genes the best shot at being passed on to future generations.

We see this in research by neuropsychologist Bruno Laeng that suggests we are attracted to potential partners who look like us -- though nottoo much like us. Laeng found that people were most attracted to individuals who share about 22% of their facial features (as opposed to 11% or 33%, the other percentages tested). Other research by social-personality psychologists R. Chris Fraley and Michael J. Marks likewise hit the 22% mark.

Laeng explains that this balancing of “similarity and dissimilarity” (which we do subconsciously) helps us avoid “inbreeding with close relatives,” like siblings or first cousins. Inbreeding increases the chances that both partners would have the same nasty recessive genes for a disorder or disease.

“Recessive” genes are true to label when they are paired with a dominant gene: They recede... slumping into the background, unemployed, inactive. But when two recessive genes for a condition are paired (like when close relatives with the same recessive gene make a baby), these genes become active — and so does the disorder or the disease.

As for you, the features you happen to be attracted to come in the package of a guy who cheats on his girlfriend. This reflects bad character. Assuming you didn’t go out into Datingland all, “I’ve just gotta find a sexy sociopath,” reflecting on the evolutionary nuts and bolts of attraction might help you stop

BY Amy Alkon

using it as an excuse and give the shove to Mr. Morally At Leisure.

To avoid again letting the hots for some himbo blind you to his undesirable qualities, make a short checklist — what I call “man minimums,” the qualities you can’t do without in a man — and put character at the top of your list. When a man shows you he comes up short on your “must haves,” cut off contact and move on. Ideally, if you’re screaming in bed, it isn’t because the girlfriend of the guy you’re with just burst through the door brandishing a missile launcher.

Halving It All

Q

: I’m a 20-something gay man dating someone who makes much more money than I do. He picks up the tab on most dates, and while he seems okay with this, it makes me uncomfortable. I pay here and there, but I can’t afford much beyond lunch or lattes. Does our financial inequality mean a relationship between us is doomed?

— Barely Scraping By

A

: Chances are the guy doesn’t think you’re hoofing it up to the Coinstar clutching a baggie of change because you feel the nickels and dimes between your couch cushions could do with a little sun.

What matters is how fair a relationship feels.

Fair doesn’t mean everything’s exactly 50-50, as in, he puts in 50 cents; you put in 50 cents.

It means you each seem equally invested —equally motivated to make sacrifices to benefit the other — as opposed to one of you pulling the cashwagon, plow-style, while the other just hops on, puts his feet up, and enjoys the ride.

When there are imbalances — when one partner puts in a lot and gets comparatively little in return — it isn’t just the more giving person who gets socked with the feelbad.

Social psychologist Elaine Hatfield finds that partners who are “over-benefited” -- who fail to put in their fair share of the relationship effort — “may experience pity, guilt, and shame,” while those who feel “under-benefited” for their contributions can experience “anger, sadness, and resentment.”

The way to avoid either of these emotional crap carnivals is to voice your concerns. This should start a conversation that sets you two on track to be loving, equally contributing partners in the way you’re each most able — taking into account that your best bet for making a lot of money in the near future is probably counterfeiting hundred-dollar bills on your inkjet printer.

“Jonesin” Crosswords

"Decade in Review, Part 3"--Fun stuff from 2014 & 2015. by Matt Jones ACROSS 1 Archipelago components 7 NBA or NHL stats 10 [We meant it this way] 13 Prepare to serve, as a pizza or pie 15 French street 16 Sheep’s mother 17 Country that Conchita Wurst represented in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest 18 Fairway club not often found in a bag 20 ___ Martin (sports car) 21 Her self-titled album was named the best of 2014

by The Guardian and Entertainment Weekly 23 John of 2020’s “The Grudge” 24 Fire pit leftovers 25 Some endoscope users 26 Dorothy of the “Road” pictures 28 Buenos Aires loc.

29 TV show whose climactic episode “Ozymandias” was turned into a mini-opera premiering in 2014 33 Slippery ___ (herbal remedy source) 36 Teddy ___ (1980s bear that played cassettes) 37 Baby’s slipper 39 Music booster 40 Late night host who filmed in Cuba in 2015, the first to do so since Jack Paar in 1959 44 Biblical preserver 46 Battery terminals 47 Trig curve 49 Beam of happiness?

50 Robin’s “Mork & Mindy” costar 53 Hit indie RPG of 2015 with notable music, jokes about puzzles, and multiple endings 55 Miller who played the younger daughter in “The Descendants” 57 Tarantulas, e.g.

58 Award-winning 2015 movie whose title is Spanish for “hitman” 60 “Chicken Run” extra 61 Night flyer 62 Soccer forward 63 Amsterdam-based financial co.

64 “Wow” feeling 65 Highest North American peak

DOWN 1 “I, Robot” author Asimov 2 Semi-wet snow 3 Ready, in Spain 4 ___-1 (“Ghostbusters” car) 5 Migratory seabird 6 Fashion designer Anna 7 “Ignorance is bliss,” e.g.

8 North African capital city 9 No longer hidden 10 National park in Tanzania 11 “___ let you down!”

12 They’re shown after the decimal 14 Hand down 19 Writer on a birthday?

22 Criminal tough guy 24 Acid class 26 Resting cat’s spot 27 “I Get ___ Out of You” 28 Acrobat software company 29 Word after sports or training 30 Zombie spirit 31 Like the universe, cosmologically 32 Domicile 34 Finch’s creator 35 Game pieces 38 Hosp. areas 41 Yoga studio greeting 42 Indigo dye source 43 At a minimum 45 Lou of the Velvet Underground 47 Food on a belt 48 Show-offy way to solve crosswords 49 A metal one is reusable 50 Heavy jacket 51 The Little Mermaid 52 Haka dancer 54 “Fancy” singer McEntire 55 Nice-sized lot 56 Principal 59 “___ be my honor”

Northern Express Weekly • february 03, 2020 • 29

lOGY

aSTRO

This Valentine’s Day, say it with candy.

the year 2020 will be a time when you can have dramatic success as you re-evaluate and re-vision and revamp your understandings of your life purpose. Why were you born?

What’s the nature of your unique genius? What are the best gifts you have to offer the world? Of the many wonderful feats you could accomplish, which are the most important? The next few weeks will be a potent time to get this fun and energizing investigation fully underway.

a Sagittarius man who has seen the film Avengers: Endgame 17 times. Another Sagittarian acquaintance estimates she has listened all the way through to Billie Eilish’s album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? 135 times. And then there’s my scholarly Sagittarian friend who has read the ancient Greek epic poem the Iliad 37 times. I have no problem with this behavior. I admire your tribe’s ability to keep finding new inspiration in sources you already know well.

But in my astrological opinion, you shouldn’t do much of this kind of thing in the coming weeks. It’s high time for you to experiment with experiences you know little about. Be fresh, innocent, and curious.

Over 35 Years of Experience

Deborah Lynch, Esq. John P. Lynch, Esq. 804 South Garfield Ave., Ste A, Traverse City 231.922.2690 • www.lynchlawtc.com

BY ROB BREZSNY

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): According to my analysis,

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) I know

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Athens was one of the great cities of the ancient world.

Its vigorous art, theater, philosophy, architecture, and experiments in democracy are today regarded as foundational to Western culture. And yet at its height, Athens’ population was a mere 275,000—equal to modern Fort Wayne, Indiana or Windsor, Ontario. How could such a relatively small source breed such intensity and potency? That’s a long story. In any case, I foresee you having the potential to be like Athens yourself in the coming weeks and months, Capricorn: a highly concentrated fount of value. For best results, focus on doing what you do best.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Physicist Niels

Bohr won a Nobel Prize for his insights about quantum mechanics. But he was humble about the complexity of the subject. “If you think you understand it, that only shows you don’t know the first thing about it,” he mused. I’m tempted to make a similar statement about the mysteries and riddles that are making your life so interesting. If you think you understand those mysteries and riddles, you probably don’t. But if you’re willing to acknowledge how perplexing they are, and you can accept the fact that your comprehension of them is partial and fuzzy, then you might enjoy a glimmer of the truth that’s worth building on.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): You now have the power to make connections that have not previously been possible. You can tap into an enhanced capacity to forge new alliances and strengthen your support system. I urge you to be on the lookout for a dynamic group effort you could join or a higher purpose you might align yourself with. If you’re sufficiently alert, you may even find an opportunity to weave your fortunes together with a dynamic group effort that’s in service to a higher purpose.

to my analysis of your astrological indicators, your ability to discover, attract, and benefit from wonders and marvels will thrive to the degree that you forswear drugs and alcohol and artificial enhancements. And I’m pleased to inform you that there could be a flood of wonders and marvels.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I don’t think I’m

boring. How could I be? I have an abundant curiosity and I love to learn new things. I’ve worked at many different jobs, have read widely, and enjoy interacting with a broad range of humans. Yet now and then I’ve had temporary relationships with people who regarded me as uninteresting. They didn’t see much of value in me. I tend to believe it was mostly their fault—they couldn’t see me for who I really am—but it may have also been the case that I lived down to their expectations.

Their inclination to see me as unimportant influenced me to be dull. I bring this up, my fellow Cancerian, because now is an excellent time to remove yourself from situations where you have trouble being and feeling your true self.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Soprano Helen Traubel

and tenor Lauritz Melchior performed together in many productions of Wagnerian operas, often at the Metropolitan in New York City.

Friends and colleagues but not lovers, they had a playful relationship with each other. A favorite pastime was figuring out tricks they could try that would cause the other to break into inappropriate laughter while performing. According to my quirky reading of the astrological omens, Leo, the coming weeks will be a propitious time for you to engage in similar hijinx with your allies. You have a poetic license and a spiritual mandate to enjoy amusing collaborative experiments, playful intimate escapades, and adventures in buoyant togetherness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Eighteenth-century

author Samuel Johnson singlehandedly compiled the influential A Dictionary of the English Language, which remained the definitive British dictionary for 170 years. We shouldn’t be surprised that it was a Virgo who accomplished such an intricate and exhaustive feat. As a high-minded Virgo, Johnson also had a talent for exposing hypocrisy. In commenting on the Americans’ War of Independence against his country, he noted that some of the “loudest yelps for liberty” came from slave-owners. I propose that we make him one of your role models in 2020. May he inspire you to produce rigorous work that’s useful to many. May he also empower you to be a candid purveyor of freedom.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Is there a project or

come to me unless I go to it,” wrote the poet Marianne Moore. In other words, you must track down each victory you’re interested in. You must study its unique nature. And then you must adjust yourself to its specifications. You can’t remain just the way you are, but must transform yourself so as to be in alignment with the responsibilities it demands of you. Can you pass these tests, Taurus? I believe you can. It’s time to prove it.

situation you’d love to create but have lacked the confidence to try? Now is a time when you can finally summon the necessary courage. Is there a long-running dilemma that has always seemed too confusing and overwhelming to even understand, let alone solve? Now is a favorable time to ask your higher self for the clear vision that will instigate an unforeseen healing. Is there a labor of love that seems to have stalled or a dream that got sidetracked? Now is a time when you could revive its luminosity and get it back in a sweet groove.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): While at the peak

ScORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Was there a

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Victory won’t

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of his powers as an author, Gemini-born Nobel Prize-winner Jean Paul Sartre consumed an array of mood-shifters every day. He quaffed at least a quart of alcohol, smoked two packs of cigarettes, and drank copious amounts of coffee and tea. His intake of pills included 200 milligrams of amphetamines, 15 grams of aspirin, and a handful of barbiturates. I propose that we make Sartre your anti-role model during the next four weeks, dear Gemini. According

more influential 20th-century artist than Scorpioborn Pablo Picasso? He was a revolutionary innovator who got rich from his creations. Once, while visiting a gallery showing of art made by children, he said, “When I was their age I could draw like Raphael [the great Renaissance artist]. But it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like they do.” In accordance with your current astrological omens, Scorpio, I suggest you seek inspiration from Picasso’s aspiration. Set an intention to develop expertise in seeing your world and your work through a child’s eyes.

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