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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • november 30 - december 06, 2020 • Vol. 30 No. 47 Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 1
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2 • nov 30, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly
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cult of a leader who promises a restoration of values, (he does not personally possess) and suggests only he can protect the Heartland from the immigrants, people of color, liberals, and non-Christians from the cities. Trump is a hollow man devoid of the ethical and moral values we symbolically need in a leader. There have been over two dozen legal challenges since election day and they have proved fruitless in Trump’s pursuit of doggedly trying to force his will on the nation. I urge my Republican leaning friends to speak up and protect our Democracy and end this charade now. The mere suggestion of overthrowing the election results is an anathema to our country and shameful. The people have spoken. Make it so!
fascists. In my experience, people that toss around words like “fascist” and “socialist” are very often unclear on what those words actually mean. Ms. Hardin gave them an opportunity to find out, in terms that anyone should be able to understand. Kudos to her for her unstinting attempt to help readers uncover the many ways in which their own beliefs and values could put them squarely in the fascist camp. Her last sentences — “Trump is a failed fascist dictator. But not for lack of trying” — sum up a four-year nightmare that is soon to be over. Kudos also to Northern Express for the courage to let the truth be told. Greta Bolger, Benzonia
Kirk Jones, Beulah
Coup, Anyone? Trump wants to overturn the will of the people with specious claims of impropriety of our election processes. I declare this an act of subversion of our democratic principles. This ploy by Trump and his ilk use the basic tactics of fascism. Hyperbole? I suggest not. We are witnessing a transparent plan to subvert our Democracy right in front of our eyes. He has had a clear plan to destroy the results of this election if it did not go his way and we have witnessed this right in the open, day by day, for months now. Trumps claims massive fraud based on voting machines and various outlandish spins of deep state resistance for his loss. This is offensive and his refusal to concede is beyond the pale. The silence of our Republican leaders is even sadder. They are cowed by this demagogic, vindictive, small man and as such are part and parcel to this disgrace in their desire and pursuit of power. The heart of Fascism is the destruction of truth where your opponent is not legitimate and truth becomes the victim in this battlefield, as evidenced by the rise of conspiracy theories run amok. We are witnessing the
Frank W. Hawthorne, Petoskey Courageous I was extremely impressed to read Amy Kerr Hardin’s Nov. 23 “Are You a Fascist?” column, which invited readers to take a quiz to find out whether they were actually
express
features Treat Yourself................................................7
Transforming Manistee.................................10 My Grandmother’s Table..............................12 A Girl, a Bird, and a Gardener.......................15 Downtown TC Talk Survey Results................17 This Season’s Holiday Shows........................28 Let the Local Cash Registers Ring................32
columns & stuff Top Ten.......................................................5
Spectator/Stephen Tuttle...............................6 Opinion.........................................................8 High Notes (sponsored)..................................9 Weird..........................................................14 Dates........................................................18 Advice.....................................................20 Crossword..................................................21 Astrology.....................................................21 Classifieds...............................................22
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Win t
Kathy Brady, Williamsburg
winter fun guide! & North of the 45th NORTHERN
Nonsense I’m trying to understand why you would print the Nov. 23 issue’s opinion column of Amy Kerr Hardin, “Are You a Fascist?” that is full of so much hurtful, ugly, and stereotypical “misinformation.” If all you wanted was to reinforce the dismissive labels of people who supported President Trump, then you succeeded. It isn’t what I would expect of Northern Express. At this time, we have so much frustration with our political system, we should be promoting how to make it better and show voters that they are heard and can trust that their vote means something. This kind of opinion writing only fans the flames of distrust and anger of all citizens. It is trite, tiresome, and nonsense.
Paying the Price As I write this, it has been 21 days since the Nov. 3 election, and over two weeks since Joe Biden (with a record 80 million legal votes) was declared the winner and president-elect. Nevertheless — and contrary to all that is known, fair, lawful, or in keeping with our shared system of free and fair elections — President Donald Trump and a majority of Republicans across the country are refusing to concede defeat, gracefully or otherwise, allowing for a smooth and timely transition of power. In thus denying reality with bad behaviors or by silence, these self-proclaimed patriots are cynically sowing seeds for future dysfunction, and in general doing great disservice to American democracy. It is not, however, only Democrats who are upset at this bizarre spectacle of slowwalked procedures, frivolous lawsuits, crazy conspiracies, naked attempts to disenfranchise thousands of (mostly Black) voters in key states, and other baseless challenges alleging massive fraud. Be assured that the global community is watching — and will not soon forget — how the world’s oldest democracy is soiling itself. But key numbers don’t lie: Biden’s overall margin of victory nationwide is up to approximately 6 million votes — i.e. twice Clinton’s margin over Trump in the 2016 popular vote. In Michigan, Biden also decisively defeated the president by nearly 150,000 votes (compared to Trump’s narrow winning margin of 10,700 in ’16). Most importantly, the Biden-Harris ticket racked up 306 Electoral votes, the same number as Trump’s “landslide victory” of just four years ago. And so we survived. The rest of us now move on, hopefully to better outcomes for all. But please know, dear neighbors, that there will be a penalty for all to pay, due to this unnecessary discord. And it will likely be paid by everyone but the current White House occupant.
CONTENTS
un Guide F er
Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Dave Anderson, Dave Courtad Kimberly Sills, Randy Sills, Roger Racine Matt Ritter, Gary Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny Ross Boissoneau, Jennifer Hodges, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Anna Faller, Eric Cox
NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • december 16 - december 22, 2019 • Vol. 29 No. 48
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Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 3
this week’s
top ten LIBERTARIAN BEATS THE ODDS
Photo by Gordy Garris
Only one among a slate of libertarian candidates who ran for local office across northern Michigan prevailed. Still, given the long odds faced by the third-party candidates, Donna GundleKrieg’s win in a race for Mancelona Township trustee is a milestone, and the first time a libertarian candidate prevailed in a partisan race for office in northern Michigan. Gundle-Kreig, a real estate broker and former Northern Express columnist, was among a handful of libertarians to win local office statewide in the Nov. 3 election. She beat Democrat Yousef Jabara by less than 100 votes in a three-way race for two spots for Mancelona Township trustee. “It is always an uphill battle to compete as a third party,” Gundle-Krieg said. “Going door to door is brutal but necessary. I thought that I knew a lot of people in town, but it was humbling that I was wrong. I loved meeting so many new friends while campaigning.” Northern Michigan’s libertarian candidates were profiled in “The Libertarians are Coming” in the Aug. 8 edition of Northern Express.
Win a Great Lakes Voyage The Interlake Steamship Company, the family-owned and operated fleet whose ships have been plying the Great Lakes for more than a century, is offering a one-of-a-kind opportunity, twice: the chance to take a four- to six-day summer voyage aboard one of its massive carriers — if you’re one of two winners selected in a raffle benefiting The United Way of St. Clair County. Raffle tickets are just $10 each, and only 3,500 will be sold. As for the dates of the winners’ trips, well … that’ll be determined after the April 29 drawing. (Welcome to the sailing life, matey, where weather and shipping schedules rule!) Get the details and buy yours at www.uwstclair.org/freightertripraffle
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tastemaker Sam’s Graces Vanilla-Blueberry Pancakes
Greeks and Romans regularly ate pancakes, sweetening them with honey. Much later, Elizabethans enjoyed them as well, flavoring them with spices, rosewater, sherry, and apples. At the newly opened Petoskey location of Sam’s Graces Cafe & Bakery, only a select few know the restaurant’s secret recipe for pancakes — a stack of mysterious delight so delicious we suspect would impress even Caligula, one of Rome’s most extravagant emperors. For $12, diners get to choose between a stack of three buttermilk or vanilla pancakes, both served golden brown and satisfyingly crispy around the edges. A choice of fresh blueberries or chocolate chips can be added for $2. We recommend the blueberries, which were fresh, large, and liberally applied. Together with the subtle vanilla flavor, the berries added a nice tartness to the rich and spongy cakes. A smear of real butter under a cascade of high-quality, locally produced maple syrup crown this breakfast, fit for an empress. Pair these with some Plath’s bacon or house-seasoned breakfast sausage ($5) to balance out the pancake sweetness, and you’re good to go — literally. Find the new Sam’s Graces at 324 E. Mitchell St. (231) 489-8278, www.samsgracescafe.com.
4 • nov 30, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly
Girl, Woman, Other
From Man Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo comes the extraordinary “Girl, Woman, Other.” Brimming with 12 distinct Black personalities, Evaristo’s eighth novel paints an exacting portrait of contemporary England through the eyes of its most culturally oppressed. At the core of the novel is Amma, a fiercely feminist lesbian playwright, who, at the age of 50, has only just made her national drama debut. From her central story, 11 others emerge, each of whom can be traced to the woman before. From Yazz, Amma’s revisionist daughter, to Barbadian bride Winsome, to the now-deceased Abyssinian Grace, Evaristo’s characters often collide, indelibly marking their own history at the moment it’s made. At once classic and contemporary, “Girl, Woman, Other” has room enough for everyone — and maybe even a little extra.
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Hey, read it!
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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC VISITS NORTHERN MICHIGAN
The view from the top of the Empire Bluff Trail stars on the cover of the December issue of National Geographic. The photo captures a storm moving over Lake Michigan toward Empire and the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The issue is titled “Saving the Great Lakes: The irreplaceable, fragile ecosystem holds six quadrillion gallons of freshwater that our planet needs to survive.” Northern Express interviewed National Geographic’s editor-in-chief, Susan Goldberg, about the Great Lakes story and about her virtual appearance at the National Writer’s Series earlier this summer. That feature appeared Aug. 15.
Stuff we love
Reliable Public Transportation (Even in a Disaster) In this day and age, calamities happen. The difference is, unlike a lot of the rest of us, the Benzie Bus system is ready for ’em. Last week, it tested the proactive technology decisions it’s made to keep service running — even in the face of power outages, internet failure, downed cellular towers down, data breach, etc. — by deploying its Dial-aRide dispatchers, like Arlene Killeen (shown here), to work from home. The results? Thanks to cloud-based data, voice over internet protocols, phones networked with web cameras, and other stuff the rest of us don’t understand, dispatchers could access data, see and talk with one another and communicate with callers as though they were in the same room. Or, as Chad Hollenbeck, the operations manager who designed the system said, “It’s as though the team is operating as normal.” These days, that’s a gift that can’t be underestimated.
Ski Free at Treetops Science says that the best place to be these days is outside or with your immediate family. Treetops Resort is making both exceptionally easy from 4pm Friday, Dec. 13 to Sunday, Dec. 15. That’s when the Gaylord resort is giving one free day-long lift ticket to each guest who stays overnight (based on double occupancy; max of two free tickets per room). Lodging starts at just $109 per night. Book it to book it now — and take advantage of Treetops’ (also free) Learn to Ski Clinic on Saturday, Dec. 14. (866) 348-5249
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bottoms up Northern Latitudes’ Bernie’s Brandy The legendary spirit of Bernie Rink — aka The Godfather of northern Michigan wine — has been, you might say, bottled. Last week, Northern Latitudes Distillery in Lake Leelanau released its latest spirit, Bernie's Brandy, which is distilled from a blend of the late winemakers’ own Boskydel wines — specifically, those not yet bottled when Boskydel Vineyard closed in 2017. At that time, Bernie Rink’s son Andy Rink mentioned to Northern Latitudes Distillery co-owner and distiller Mark Moseler that his dad had always wanted to have brandy made from his wine. Moseler said “say no more … ” and he and the younger Rink got to distilling and aging the blend, made predominately from De Chaunac grapes, in bourbon barrels. Much like the notoriously, er … blunt man who inspired it, the brandy is unique, rich in character, and said Mandy Moseler, “We are certain that Bernie would approve. Well … maybe!” Only available at Northern Latitudes Distillery, 112 E. Philip St. (M 204) in Lake Leelanau. www.northernlatitudesdistillery.com
Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 5
GIVE THE GIFT OF FUN!
JUST STUPID
spectator
TES RTIFICA GIFT CE BLE AVAILA
by Stephen Tuttle
ocking G reat Sftfer! Stu
Some day historians may be able to identify the moment when too many of us stopped believing in science or facts and instead formed our opinions based on social media, polemicists we see on television and hear on the radio, and worst of all, politicians. We're currently in the midst of two excellent examples. We now know quite a bit about the novel coronavirus and its transmission. We like to call these things facts. For example, we know the bug is most readily passed from an infected person by tiny droplets, including really tiny aerosolized droplets, that we
altogether. We'd have to include President Trump, who at least publicly refuses to acknowledge the obvious, in that category. Trump has claimed thousands of dead people voted, some voting machines were programmed to change his votes to his opponent's, poll workers changed votes, votes that arrived after deadlines were counted, and so on. (You might recall he claimed millions of illegal immigrants voted in 2016.) Since no evidence exists that any of that happened, his lawyers have been having difficulty in court. The wild assertions they can make at a press conference don't work
Listening to and believing the politicians and commentators who are neither scientists nor experts while ignoring or denigrating those who are is just stupid. 823 S GARFIELD AVE, TRAVERSE CITY IN HOME CARE
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exhale, especially if we cough, sneeze, sing, or yell. We know those droplets can travel several feet and hang in the air for up to four minutes.
too well where actual evidence is required. No lawsuit has yet succeeded in changing any outcome anywhere, nor has one established any fraud or other irregularities.
We also know about 40 percent of those infected are completely asymptomatic but fully contagious. We know those asymptomatic carriers are the group most likely to infect others. We know that contagion is most likely to occur indoors in a group of many people, especially in a home. We know the current nightmarish surge is perpetuated by these gatherings.
Rudolph Giuliani is now apparently Trump's lead lawyer, and nobody has made wilder and less substantiated accusations. Early on he claimed the mob in Philadelphia fixed the election for Biden, an effort led by a guy currently on some kind of house arrest in Florida. Then there was that mysterious computer server on a U.S. military base in Germany that was used to electronically change votes.
And we know how to prevent most of it — masks that cover our nose and mouth. At least a dozen published papers have already confirmed the efficacy of masks that cover the nose and mouth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes universal mask use in public would reduce coronavirus infection rates by as much as 70 percent. Epidemiologists and infectious disease experts are nearly unanimous in their opinion that such mask use is critical. We're doing a lot better at keeping infected people alive, but we aren't doing even the simplest thing to prevent transmissions in the first place. Yet masks, of all things, have become a symbol of irrational protests and defiance. We eschew the very thing that could prevent business closures, on-againoff-again schooling, and other restrictions that are, at a minimum disruptive and at worst destructive.
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Listening to and believing the politicians and commentators who are neither scientists nor experts while ignoring or denigrating those who are is just stupid. You would think that with a million new cases a week and hospitals at or nearing capacity, we'd at least agree on universal mask use. And for far too many, you would be wrong. Meanwhile, the election results have made some people lose touch with reality
But Giuliani's most colorful and absurd claim was that a computer algorithm developed for or by former Venezuelan Socialist despot Hugo Chavez somehow was able to magically change Trump votes into Biden votes in the five states that flipped from Trump to Biden. Hugo Chavez died in 2013, so we have to assume this clever bit of programming was developed before that. It sort of makes one wonder why they didn't implement the thing in 2016 and avoid the current unpleasantness altogether. There is no evidence for any of it, which is why the Trump team keeps losing in court. In fact, there is significant evidence this was an unusually clean election. International election observers said as much, as did the 16 federal prosecutors who also observed, as well as the secretaries of state and county clerks who ran the elections. Our own Department of Homeland Security said it was the “most secure election in U.S. history” with no outside interference or electronic tampering. Real science tells us masks help prevent the spread of a virus that has infected nearly 13 million of us and killed more than 260,000. Joe Biden won the election, and there is no evidence of widespread fraud or other irregularities. Ignoring those facts requires willful ignorance endangering both our health and our free election system.
Treat Yourself A LITTLE LUX FOR THE ONE YOU KNOW BEST By Lynda Wheatley If ever there was a year to reward yourself in a big (make that HUGE) way, this is the one. Here’s five utterly extravagant splurges you shouldn’t just put on your wish list but actually make come true, just for you.
THE BED OF ROSES You know that place you spend one-third of your life — the place you go to rest, to cuddle, to love, to cry? Where you find yourself lucky to be alive at the break of each new day? Consider for a minute what it’d be like to spend six to eight nightly hours on it if it weren’t mass produced in a factory, laden with chemicals, or propped on a box spring that doesn’t actually even have springs. Well, it’s not only possible, it’s local. Harbor Springs Mattress Company employs the age-old art of handtufting — a technique that creates more comfort and a far more durable mattress — on all-natural and sustainable fibers, like pure cotton, wool, and natural latex (sourced from farms and forests) to handcraft a mattress tailored for you in about three weeks. Besides a clean conscience, you’ll get a strong and sturdy mattress that’ll last for 25 years and (hey, laaadies!) naturally regulate your body temperature, giving you longer stages of more restorative sleep and less tossing and turning every night. A local favorite (and the mattress that company founder Rory Karpathian sleeps on) Harbor Spring Mattress Company’s The Bed of Roses starts at $2,541. (231) 347-0696, www. harborspringsmattress.com
ROBO-MOWER We only get so many weeks of summer in northern Michigan; this year, plan to gift yourself two more hours each week by dumping one of your most mundane chores: mowing the lawn. Quiet, reliable, and cooler looking than any car on the road, the Husqvarna Automower 450X can tackle yards up to 1.25 acres, despite obstacles, in tight corners, and even in the rain and dark. Its onboard GPS system creates a map of your yard and adjusts its pattern as it mows, and you can control it with your smartphone and/or voice, via Amazon Alexa or Google Home. The 18V Li-Ion battery can run 270 minutes on a single charge, and recharge in 60 minutes — plenty of time to kick back in the sunshine to recharge yourself. $3,499.95 at Lark Lawn & Garden in Traverse City (231) 943-4900 or Cadillac (231) 7757900, www.larksparts.com.
TEA TOWEL SUBSCRIPTION Three Pines Studio’s Joann Condino’s passion for hand-carved woodblocks began after she spied some from India at age 15. With six borrowed dollars from her big brother, she soon bought her first wood block from a Detroit-area Pier 1 store. Today she owns about 450 blocks sourced from artists all over the world, and that’s your good luck, because she uses them to craft one of the most practical indulgences we’ve ever seen: a four-month tea-towel subscription, which, for $120, delivers to your mailbox each month one of her 100-percent unique hand-stamped tea towels. Need incentive to treat yourself better longer? A full-year subscription ($360) gets you a new design each month, plus a free bonus towel next December, too. Check out her 2020 series and order for 2021 at threepinesstudiolinens.com.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH While we can’t make 2020 disappear entirely, it might be possible to erase its effects from your face and body. Between Nov. 30 and Dec. 4, you can do it for less at The Center for Plastic Surgery in Traverse City. It’s holding its virtual holiday pop-up skin care event, where you can take advantage of virtual seminars and consultations with its trio of docs, plus several huge deals — think: up to 20 percent off laser and skin treatment packages, dermal fillers and wrinkle relaxers, body sculpting, permanent makeup, products, and more. Not sure what your want? Put down a treatment deposit of $500 and schedule a consult within 30 days, and you’ll be eligible for the discounted price on whatever you choose. Details at www.thecenterforyou.com or call (231) 929-7700.
YOU’RE WELCOME Newsflash: You don’t need houseguests to merit a gorgeous holiday wreath on your front door. Welcome yourself home (whether you leave much or not) with one of the natural masterpieces from Sow She Grows Flower Farm in Frankfort. Designer/farmer Charla Burgess grows or forages the vines, greenery, dogwood, berries, and sumac for the wreath bases; taps local hunters and farmers for feathers whenever possible; and grows and dries the flowers and other foliage she adds in to create custom creations like the huge stunner here, as well as more modest but equally beautiful (and freshly aromatic!) wreaths, swag, and garland. See what’s possible by searching “Sow She Grows Flower Farm” on Facebook or share your vision with her at (231) 352-6998.
Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 7
THE DRUGGING OF THE AMERICAN MIND For Traverse City area news and events, visit TraverseTicker.com
opinion BY Isiah Smith, jr. America’s war on drugs was a fraud. Paraphrasing Shakespeare, it was a “tale … full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Nothing, that is, but a pretext to punish disfavored individuals and groups. Addicts needing medical care were treated like hardened criminals and thrown in prisons. Murderers often received less prison time than drug offenders.
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Law enforcers victimized urban communities while drug use and trafficking flourished in white suburban communities. The current decriminalization movement for simple possession came about only after authorities had to concede that, “Hey, you know what? White people are doing drugs, too! And they’re doing them a lot! Maybe it’s a medical problem, not a criminal one.” Really? Privately, the government admitted this “war” wasn’t real. The parameters of America’s war on drugs have a distant echo that correlates closely with other official efforts to exercise raw power over disfavored groups. Government claims of moral outrage should always be met with general skepticism. Consider this: Research shows that Blacks comprise 62.7 percent, and whites 36.7 percent of all drug offenders admitted to state prison, even though federal surveys and other data show that this disparity bears little relation to racial differences in the frequencies of drug offenses. Selective prosecution is as old as the American legal system.
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This disparity was always intentional. Privately, the Nixon Administration made an astounding admission. President Nixon launched his war on drugs in 1971, declaring drug abuse “public enemy No. 1.” In an interview with Harper’s magazine in 2016, however, former Nixon domestic policy chief John Ehrlichman painted an entirely different picture: “The Nixon White House had two enemies: the antiwar left and [B]lack people. We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be against the war or [B]lacks, but we could get the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. Then by criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities, weaken their leaders. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” The lying didn’t just start with the Nixon Administration. Billy Holiday started shooting heroin in her mid-20s. The Federal Bureau of Narcotics assigned several agents to Lady Day’s case during the late 1940s. They busted her on multiple occasions, including a 1947 conviction that sent her to Alderson Federal Prison Camp, in West Virginia, for almost a year. By the time Holiday finally collapsed, in 1959, she was 44 and beyond recovery. She was emaciated, suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, and covered in old track marks. After getting checked into Metropolitan Hospital, narcotics agents found (or planted)
a tinfoil pouch of heroin in her hospital room. As Leslie Jamison shares in her 2018 book, “The Recovering: Intoxication and its Aftermath,” Holiday was handcuffed to her bed, two policemen stationed by the door. Her mug shot and fingerprints were taken in that room at Metropolitan. The drug agents were reading from a racist script that viewed Black users as deviant criminals, but white users as victims needing medical attention. Harry Anslinger, one of the agents assigned to Holiday’s case, hounded her incessantly over the years. At the same time he was hunting Holiday, he reportedly told Judy Garland that she should kick her heroin habit by taking longer vacations between movie shoots! On November 6, 1982, Mercury Morris, the former Miami Dolphins star running back, was convicted of trafficking in cocaine. The facts tell a different story. After his football career was over, Morris became addicted to cocaine. Hearing this, and desiring a big drug bust in a city awash in cocaine, DEA agents repeatedly urged Morris to obtain cocaine for them. When he finally delivered, he was arrested, convicted of trafficking, and sentenced to 20 years in prison. After serving three years, he was released on probation. This writer has relatives in Miami who still believe Morris was a drug trafficker; such is the strength of government propaganda. In 1994, a man named Michael Thomas received a life sentence in Michigan for selling a pound of marijuana; today he would be considered a successful entrepreneur. The list goes on. Now, however, the drug abuse problem in America has gotten worse. The government estimates that 10 percent of U.S. adults have drug-use disorders at some point in their lives. This estimate is partly based on selfreporting and is probably low. Drug use and sex are the most frequently lied-about activities in America. After the government finally realized that whites also abused drugs, they decided users needed compassion and treatment, not punishment. Red and blue states are increasingly voting to liberalize drug laws. Oregon in the most recent election even passed a referendum that would decriminalize possession of hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. As Michelle Alexander wrote in her 2010 book, “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness,” “Nothing has contributed more to the systematic mass incarceration of [black] people in [America] than the war on drugs.” American’s war on drugs is a stark reminder that government’s actions are seldom animated by purity of purpose. Just ask its real victims, Black and brown communities. Isiah Smith, Jr. is a retired government attorney.
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Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 9
Transforming Manistee The Spirit of the Woods Gateway project promises to ring in a new era for downtown Manistee.
By Patrick Sullivan The entrance to downtown Manistee, as it stands today, is drab. On each side of River Street for the first block, buildings are crumbling and vacant or else look like they should be. Trash blows into empty, unkempt lots, and a House of Flavors restaurant, vacant since the business shuttered last year, stands as a fading symbol of an era gone by. Now, a group of Manistee business leaders wants to revamp the entrance to Manistee’s Victorian-era downtown, a business district whose ornate architecture hints of a heyday that happened over a century ago. In September, the project — dubbed the Spirit of the Woods Manistee Gateway — was unveiled before the city council. The project is expected to feature a 97,000-square foot, 100-plus room hotel, along with a rooftop bar, underground parking, and outdoor public plaza; an event center that could hold up to 300 people; office space and a welcome center; and a business incubator area where fledgling entrepreneurs could rent small booths and attempt retail ventures that, if successful, could move to permanent quarters elsewhere downtown. The new development would encompass all the parcels on the south side of River
Street from US-31 to Division Street and many of the parcels on the north side. Stacie Bytwork, president of the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, said the project is in preliminary stages and is subject to change. The project is currently under review by the city brownfield authority and
Manistee, toured the town, learned about opportunities, and basically listened to a sales pitch for Manistee. “One of those developers took a keen interest in our town and the assets we had, and he saw the potential for redevelopment,” Miller said.
“One of those developers took a keen interest in our town and the assets we had, and he saw the potential for redevelopment.” is expected next to go before the planning commission for approval of the overall plan. Mark Miller, the chamber’s economic development director, said he is “98 percent” certain that the project will happen, and it could see ground broken in 2021. THE PITCH The genesis of the project goes back to June 2018, even before Miller took the economic development job, when Bytwork organized a “developer day” for Manistee. Dozens of developers visited
10 • nov 30, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly
Once that developer got on board, Miller said, Little River Holdings, the economic development arm of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, joined the project, and the group settled on a development that would revamp the entrance to the city’s downtown. Miller said Little River got involved because they’ve been dedicated to reinvesting in Manistee; they share the vision, he said, that something like this could be the catalyst to spur a transformation of River Street, which in recent years has seen small sections come to life, but the progress has been slow.
Bytwork said she’s been with the chamber for seven years, but that in the last three, the organization has shifted its focus to economic development, and the effort is paying off — not just with the Gateway projects, but with other developments springing up downtown. Down River Street, at the other end of the downtown district, toward Lake Michigan, West Shore Community College has launched a $5 million renovation of an old Glik’s department store building, turning it into an economic development and education facility. The new building will house the college, the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, and Networks Northwest. “Three years back, we kind of assembled our board of directors to really take the lead on economic development,” she said. “It’s kind of pushed us in that direction. I think we’ve always had the kind of assets and the infrastructure to have investment and development come into the community. We’ve just kind of taken that next step in the selling of our community.” Bytwork expects that once completed, the Gateway development will entice travelers along US-31 to turn into downtown Manistee, to park, and to explore. “There are currently empty and blighted buildings that will be demolished and
replaced with new buildings that will reflect the architectural assets of our Victorian-era downtown,” she said. APPEAL AMID A PANDEMIC Miller has lived in Manistee for a little over a year. He moved to Manistee to take the job at the chamber. Prior to that, he worked for state government in Lansing. He’d visited Manistee before. In his role with the state, he’d worked closely with the county commission, and he's also spent time in the area on vacations, fly fishing and staying in a bed and breakfast in near Arcadia. He said he was drawn to Manistee because of the access to outdoor recreation it offers. “The move here was a quality of life moved for my wife and I, and we love a lot about things up here. One is it’s affordable. Also, all of the things that we like to do, the outdoors, the water, you know, hiking, biking, hunting, fishing,” Miller said. “All that stuff is readily available here. Just a short drive. And we’ve got a great state park. We've got a lot of really great trails.” What drew Miller to Manistee — its smalltown, northern charm — in part explains why this latest push for redevelopment has such a good chance at success and also how Manistee could experience an economic turnaround amid a pandemic that’s causing trouble for the economy as a whole.
“I think that this community was wellpositioned before the pandemic,” he said. “And this actually has not been a slow year for us at the chamber. … People are looking at this as a great opportunity to invest.” What’s happened, he said, is that the pandemic has caused people to look at smalltown life differently — to see its appeal and to realize that they could move back to their hometown now, because they are working from home anyway. “There are instances of people moving back to Manistee, who grew up here and maybe went to Chicago and Minneapolis or the East Coast,” he said. “They are moving back and bringing families with them and coming back to work remotely or to retire. We also have seen people reaching out, who want to invest in a small town, move away from the larger cities and we’re seeing that.” A TURN TOWARD THE RIVER Miller said he is hopeful that the Gateway project will spur development up and down River Street. There are already signs it’s happening, he said, in addition to the West Shore Community College development that’s already underway. “Things are looking up economically,” Miller said. “The development that’s coming, this is going to become a pretty happening place. … We have fielded a number of
phone calls from people who are interested in starting a business and getting into those storefronts on River Street. They are looking for ways to join in and be part of this this.” Part of making that happen means figuring out what will best work on River Street to draw visitors. Miller said they’ve made some progress figuring that out and looking at what’s already there. There are two art galleries that are expected to open on River Street soon, one that will feature Michigan artists exclusively, something that Miller said he thinks will contribute to the Up North appeal of Manistee’s downtown. “I think we envisioned for the future something that really folds in an authentic northern Michigan experience,” he said. “I think we’re moving towards that. And when you look at the Gateway project, we can see that that is part of where we’re heading.” There’s also another restaurant expected for downtown, one that’s significant for a couple of reasons: First, the chamber managed to attract the development and find a location through, Redevelopment Ready Communities, a state program that offers assistance to projects that reclaim historical sites. The restaurant, Fricano’s on Manistee River, is slated to be located in a renovated downtown building. The second reason why this development is important, Miller said, is because Fricano’s
will have outdoor seating facing the river, marking the start of a push to develop the city’s riverfront. “The Riverwalk is an absolutely fantastic, underutilized, underappreciated space,” Miller said. “And there are storefronts that face that direction. With a little bit of work, you could have a boardwalk experience there. We want to turn back towards the river. Let’s turn back, face the water.” “PEOPLE ARE HOPING” On a recent afternoon, Brad Newport stood behind the counter at Cadillac Plumbing and Heating, where he is the manager. The business sits in one of the buildings on the south side of River Street that’s slated to be demolished to make with for the Gateway project. Newport said the company he works for is seeking a new location. Despite the disruption it’s sure to cause him personally, Newport said he likes the looks of the project, and he hopes that it breathes new life into downtown Manistee. He said that he senses that most people in Manistee are in favor of the project. He said he is hopeful the developers will commit to designs that acknowledge Manistee’s Victorian heritage. “I think it has great possibilities for the entrance to the downtown,” Newport said. “I think people are hoping that they just do a good job.”
Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 11
My Grandmother’s Table A melting pot of love and culinary traditions in Charlevoix
By Eric Cox Gestures of love come in many forms. Gifting flowers, running errands for a sick loved one, wearing masks, or shoveling out a neighbor’s driveway on a frigid morning qualify. But one loving act stands out for its ability to remain close to our hearts, both figuratively and literally: cooking for others. Legendary American chef James Beard may have said it best: “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” ANCESTOR INSPIRATION Jozef “Joe” Zebediah’s late grandmother, Martha DeMarino, may not have even known who Beard was during her life in Pittsburgh. But, according to Zebediah, she embodied his love of food and its ability to not only bridge enormous cultural gaps but also to nourish, heal, and harken. As co-owner of one of Charlevoix’s newest eateries, My Grandmother’s Table, Zebediah and his partner, Nick Easton, want to mimic DeMarino’s approach — nourishing their community with highquality poly-ethnic cuisine. And though there are many tables in their restaurant, it’s all modeled after one: her’s. “My grandmother lived in a very culturally diverse neighborhood, and she loved inviting neighbors over for dinner,” said Zebediah. “If they were from Japan or Africa or Poland — or even if they were from America, she’d ask them, ‘What is a food you miss from home?’
Then she’d gather the ingredients for these dishes and do her best to recreate them.” According to Zebediah, her efforts didn’t always work out well. He said language barriers frustrated the process, and a series of trial-and-error dishes often ensued. Eventually, though, DeMarino would zero in and master the dish. “This was a true gesture of love from her,” he said. “The people she invited to her table were always greatly touched, and sometimes there were tears. The impact of food is enormous. It connects us to each other and to our homes, our childhoods, etc.” EVOLUTION OF A DREAM Easton and Zebediah are putting DeMarino’s approach to work in their restaurant, but their mission didn't start there. In 2018, Zebediah began operating a booth at the Charlevoix Farmers Market, offering soups and some small ethnic dishes. As his food's reputation grew, customers began asking how they could purchase it year-round. “I was really surprised at how interested people were in this kind of cuisine,” Zebediah said. When those market-customer inquiries peaked, Easton and Zebediah approached Jim Simonsen, former owner of Simonsen’s Bakery, about purchasing the property at 115 Bridge St. The parties sealed a deal, and the new proprietors embarked on an interior overhaul that saw a scale-up of the entire restaurant, including its basement kitchen area. Easton and Zebediah applied for and received a
12 • nov 30, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly
$25,000 Michigan Economic Development Grant, which financed critical new kitchen equipment and some redecorating. While Simonsen’s Bakery featured a quaint, rustic interior, My Grandmother’s Table relies on a comfortable blend of modern and classic to achieve an interesting and cozy space. The existing Italianate columns match the striking, new black-and-white floors. Gleaming cases of baked goods separate the dining area and coffee prep areas.
Clockwise from top left: In the background, the mural inspired by Dutch painter Anton Pieck Jozef Zebediah (left) and Nick Easton, proprietors of My Grandmother’s Table Kielbasa, pierogi, and cucumber salad
A centerpiece of the restaurant’s interior — the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Round Lake notwithstanding — is a massive 35-foot-by-12-foot mural inspired by an 1895
Indian Beef Keema
Ecuadorian lentil tacos
work by Dutch painter Anton Pieck. The restaurant’s mural, painted by Torch Lake artist Gary Markley, depicts a Victorian-era bakery and various activities therein. The diverse interior mirrors the restaurant’s food and beverage offerings. While the various, colorful entrees carry the bulk of the prestige, My Grandmother’s Table also touts a tantalizing selection of baked goods, including some vegan offerings, and a fully-appointed coffee bar capable of all the best coffee and tea concoctions. THE MAIN DISH But it’s the food menu, with its ethnically diversified offerings, that is so interesting. On any given day in the last year, a patron at My Grandmother’s Table might have enjoyed Jamaican Jerked Chicken, Russian Kotleti, Thai Orange Chicken, or Polish Stuffed Cabbage. If Italian is your thing, try the Italian Gnocchi with Meatballs or Sausage. But it’s not all foreign cuisine, either. Three Sisters Stew, a hearty combo that takes its name from the traditional Native American trio planting of corn, beans,
and squash, has been on the menu, along with Amish Meatloaf and St. Louis Pulled Pork. A seasoned diner might think such diverse dishes couldn’t possibly be up to snuff — all on one menu and served on the same day. While some restaurants have “Polish Week” or limited-time-only “Oktoberfest” menu, Easton, who owned and operated a huge nightclub in Ann Arbor for 20 years, and Zebediah, a culinary school grad and former psychologist, feature a variety year-round. One to try: Polish Pierogi and Kielbasa ($16). The pierogi’s soothing, lush texture and slightly crispy shell paired perfectly with the rich kielbasa — possibly the best Polish sausage we’ve ever tasted. Crowned with a fresh dill spring, a creamy cucumber salad bathed in a subtle, creamy sauce made a great companion. Though not shown on the seasonal menu, we also tried My Grandmother’s Table’s decadent sushi and nigiri, which was expertly served on immaculate plates, making a gorgeously vivid picture. These items were as fresh and delicious as any sushi-type dishes we’ve yet devoured. Likewise, the Italian Ravioli, Meatballs
and Sausage kept with the other dishes in their tasty authenticity and quality. Zebediah said some area people discouraged him from offering a menu full of international food and vegan baked goods, saying Northern Michigan people don’t like ethnic or vegan cuisine. “Actually it was just the opposite,” he said. “Both sold very well. So that was very inspiring to me because that’s what I was accustomed to, and that’s what I love doing — creating dishes that would be a little unexpected, that you couldn’t find anywhere else.” PLAN YOUR VISIT While the latest pandemic restrictions have temporarily closed the restaurant to inperson dining, carryout is still available. In the meantime, Easton and Zebediah are taking the brief breather from in-person dining to ready their upcoming winter menu, which will include, among other things, Ukrainian City Chicken, Japanese Sushi, Israeli French Toast, Cuban Black Bean Soup, New York City Eggs Benedict, and African Jollof Rice with Chicken.
For Easton and Zebediah, their diverse, seasonally-changing menu — they source their ingredients from northern Michigan farms and strive to acquire the freshest, most local herbs, meat, fruits, and vegetables of each season — isn’t just about keeping customers interested; it’s also about keeping Grandmother DeMarino’s spirit alive. “What really impressed me most about my grandmother’s approach to this was that it was really a gesture of love when she cooked for people,” Zebediah said. “This was a thing she could do help people. What impressed me even more was that people were touched. Here was this woman who they didn’t really know very well who wanted to recreate food from their home country for them. As a kid, I would see the impact of food, the smiles, and the happiness. But there were sometimes tears, too, when people were really moved by it.” Ready to be moved? Find My Grandmother's Table at 115 Bridge St., in Charlevoix. (231) 437-3132, www.mygrandmotherstable.com
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WEEKDAYS 5:25-10AM Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 13
Desperate Times Passers-by were reported to be incredulous at signs posted since midSeptember outside Trillade elementary school in Avignon, France, asking parents to refrain from throwing their children over the locked gate when they are late to school. "Parents who arrived after the ringtone literally threw their children away," Principal Sanaa Meziane told La Provence with a nervous laugh. "It hasn't happened that many times ... but we preferred to take the lead." While there were no injuries, the practice alarmed school officials enough to create the signs, which feature an adult stick figure tossing a child-sized stick figure over the gate.
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Uniform Complaints The BBC reported that Police Constable Simon Read of the Cambridgeshire Police will be the subject of a misconduct hearing on Nov. 25 after being accused of switching prices on a box of doughnuts in February. Read, shopping at a Tesco Extra store while on duty and uniformed, allegedly selected a $13 box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts and replaced its barcode with one from the produce section that lowered the price to 9 cents, then went through the self-checkout line. In papers filed before the hearing, Read was said to bring "discredit upon the police service ... because a reasonable member of the public ... would be justifiably appalled that a police officer had acted dishonestly and without integrity." San Juan, Puerto Rico, police officer Fernando Leon Berdecia, 46, is accused of stealing $1,300 worth of merchandise from a Home Depot on Nov. 16 while wearing his uniform. The Associated Press reported Puerto Rico Police Chief Henry Escalera said Leon has been suspended from the department, and a court date has been set for Dec. 2. Fake News Readers of Radio France Internationale's website were alarmed to learn on Nov. 16 of the passing of dozens of world leaders and celebrities, The New York Times reported. Obituaries for Queen Elizabeth II, Clint Eastwood, soccer legend Pele and about 100 others were posted on the broadcaster's website, and it was several hours before the notices were removed. The station issued a statement apologizing to "those concerned" and noting that the prewritten obituaries were accidentally posted as the website was moved to a new content management system. Line Crossed Typo, a gift and stationery retailer in Australia known for its tongue-in-cheek merchandise, is drawing fire from moms and dads Down Under after marketing a Christmas ornament that features a small elf holding a sign that says, "Santa isn't real," 7News reported. One dad posted that the item led to an awkward discussion with his son and encouraged other parents to "complain and get these things taken off the shelves." The store said the ornament, which is part of its "naughty" line, has been removed from Typo's in-person and online stores. "Sometimes we do make mistakes," a spokesperson admitted. "We certainly
don't want to take the fun out of Christmas for anyone, especially after the year we've all had." Awesome! Twenty concerned citizens in Norman, Oklahoma, turned out on Nov. 17 to help George Simmons, an arborist from Idaho, continue the search for his missing pet raccoon, an effort that had stretched into its second week and included support from the Norman Fire Department, which deployed its thermal imaging technology. Coonsie had accompanied Simmons when he traveled to Oklahoma to help cut trees around power lines after a freak October ice storm, KFOR reported, but Coonsie got loose in Nov. 6, and Simmons says he won't return to Idaho until he locates her. He has been overwhelmed with gratitude for the Norman residents who are helping him look for Coonsie every night: "I've been all over the United States and never seen the hospitality like I have here," Simmons said. At presstime, Coonsie was still missing. Finders Keepers Douglas Allen Hatley, 71, of Lakeland, Florida, was arrested on Nov. 16 after the Florida Highway Patrol said he found a metal light pole by the side of the road in Tampa and tried to sell it to Eagle Metals Recycling. The Tampa Bay Times reported the recycling center turned him away because he didn't have documentation for the pole, and officers responding to reports of a 1997 Camry with a pole twice its length strapped to the top pulled him over soon afterward. Hatley told troopers a highway maintenance worker "gave it to me." He was charged with thirddegree grand theft. Bad Behavior Police in Middlesbrough, England, are asking for the public's help in locating those involved in an apparent egg fight at a local Tesco supermarket during the two minutes of silence meant to honor fallen servicemembers on Nov. 8. Most shoppers at the store on Remembrance Sunday stood still and quiet for the observence, but one customer continued shopping and talking, reported Metro News, and objected when asked to be quiet. "We were all stood still, observing the two minutes' silence when we heard lots of screaming and shouting," one witness said. Police noted "a man allegedly assaulted two women ... following a verbal altercation." Bright Idea Two recent graduates of the Sydney Grammar School in Australia hatched a plan to skirt COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings to host a graduation party while their parents were out of town. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 30 people, and indoor events are capped at 10, the Daily Mail reported, but up to 150 guests can attend weddings if they follow social distancing protocols. On Nov. 12, the unnamed best friends "married" in a backyard ceremony and planned a 150-person party to follow, until their parents caught wind of the event online and returned to put an end to it: "We shut down the planned private celebratory event as soon as we found out about it, and thankfully, nobody was put at risk," one of the lads' dad said.
A Girl, a Bird, and a Gardener First a poem, then a book, and now a musical composition on the cusp of its world premiere
By Ross Boissoneau An unlikely trio of characters from the pen of a local author has inspired a concert-length musical composition by the author’s husband. After delays caused by the pandemic, the piece will receive its world premiere, online, Dec. 4. And it all stemmed from events of 100 years ago. Laura Cobb was turning 50 when she stumbled over a troubling statistic: The life expectancy for women a century earlier was only 55. She started to imagine what life had been like for women then — a time when women didn’t even have the right to vote until the 19th Amendment was passed in 1919, around the time her widowed grandmother Rose had come to this country, pregnant and with a two-year-old. “I think that’s where the seed was planted,” Laura Cobb said. “The women before me, and the challenges they had to go through.” Reading about the suffragettes and the silent sentinels, Laura Cobb was inspired to write a poem. But she didn’t stop there; she fleshed out the concept into a book. The result was "The Lesson of the Lark: Celebrating the Centennial of the Nineteenth Amendment of the United States of America," an imaginative interpretation of the struggle for women’s voting rights, targeted for readers ages 10–16 and told through the characters of a girl, a lark, and a gardener. She immediately began receiving accolades for the book, including from her husband, Jeff Cobb. He had been at her side throughout the writing and editing process. The head of the music program at Northwestern Michigan College, Jeff Cobb took inspiration from his wife's work and wrote a musical composition of the same name. “Laura was working on the book for a long time. We sat down to read it together, and I thought, this has to be a concertlength [musical] piece,” he said. The various movements feature a jazz orchestra, soprano
and mezzo-soprano soloists, chorus, and a narrator. Jeff Cobb said the rhythm of the text inspired him to create a jazz suite. “The lark’s lines were like a bebop solo. The girl is sassy, like a blues tune. The book finishes with text that sounded like gospel. It was the first [part] I wrote,” he said. They were off and running. As Laura Cobb scored appearances at various conferences throughout the Midwest to celebrate women and their hard-won right to vote, Jeff scheduled rehearsals, with the performance of the piece set for April. We all know what happened next. The pandemic hit, scuttling plans for Laura Cobb’s appearances and Jeff Cobb's concert. Yet in the time of COVID-19, the spirit of innovation and the ubiquitous presence of the internet means that the project didn't have to die; it simply morphed into the online space. It's first virtual performance is scheduled for Dec. 4. Jeff described the composition as a jazz suite, with the various movements showcasing different styles. “Each movement is different: a jazz waltz, blues, an ode to free improvisation, Latin with salsa and bossa nova. It follows the arc of the story,” he said. The music features members of the Northwestern Michigan College Chamber Singers, Grand Traverse Chorale, and Canticum Novum (all of which Jeff directs), faculty from the NMC Music Department, and others from local music and arts organizations. In keeping with the restrictions on gatherings, which prompted NMC to shut down all of its planned music programs for the year, the performances were recorded individually by the performers, then edited together by students from NMC’s Audio Tech and Visual Communications programs. Local musician and music engineer Jack Conners —not-socoincidentally a former NMC faculty member — has been doing a lot of what Jeff calls “the heavy lifting” of editing the audio.
“It’s been a great collaborative partnership,” said Jeff about the way the composition has come to life, from the initial writing of the piece based on his wife’s book to the performers’ efforts to the NMC students using the work as part of a credited course. “It’s a really powerful text. The lark and the girl are the soloists. The choir is the garden,” said Jeff Cobb. And for the plum role of the narrator, he didn’t have to look far: It will be performed by none other than Laura Cobb. One of the challenges in the time of the coronavirus was recording all the parts when people couldn’t get together. NMC low brass instructor Mike Hunter suggested to Jeff that it might be easier for him and fellow NMC faculty members Laurie Sears and Josh Wagner to record all the horn parts. “Instead of 13 people, it would just be three,” he said. Jeff agreed. That meant Hunter (trombone) and Wagner (trumpet) had to master and record 32 separate parts, one for each of the four parts in their sections across eight movements. For Sears, it meant 40, for first and second alto, first and second tenor, and baritone saxophone. Hunter said they followed a guide track that Jeff Cobb provided. In his case, that meant practicing the parts enough to get familiar with them, then recording the videos. He recorded the actual audio parts separately, feeding them into his Logic software to make sure he hit all the markers at the right time. Using the software meant that if he made a mistake, he could go back and re-record that section, rather than do the whole part over. It’s all more than Laura ever anticipated. “We’ve collaborated on things before,” she said of working with her husband. “I was surprised
Clockwise from top left: Production’s Gabrielle Edgcombe at work. Laura Knight Cobb’s April 2019 book, “The Lesson of the Lark,” served as the impetus for the Dec. 4 musical performance. Author Laura Knight Cobb Composer Jeff Cobb
he wanted to take it on. It’s been such an amazing opportunity. It gives us this passion and forum when we could be distracted by the negatives in the world. “We focus on the message and hope for the future for women, our daughter. She is 17, and our son is 21,” said Laura Cobb. She said, to them, the thought that there was a time when women couldn’t vote is appalling. She believes there’s still more work to be done, noting that the first draft of the Equal Rights Amendment was in 1923. In March 1972, it passed both chambers of Congress before being ratified by several states — but not enough to pass. “Then it sat for 40 years,” she said — until Nevada passed it in 2018, Illinois a year later, and Virginia this year. A portion of sales of the book goes to Equal Means Equal, an organization dedicated to the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. With 90 percent of the population favoring it, she’s hopeful that the amendment will finally be approved, and that her book will provide some additional momentum. “I hope the message gets out. The job is not completely done. It’s so important for future generations to not forget this,” she said. “The Lesson of the Lark” will premiere Dec. 4 at 7pm on the Northwestern Michigan College Facebook Page. Free tickets are available through www.mynorthtickets.com.
Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 15
Downtown TC Leaders Talk Survey Results, Modified Holiday Plans By Beth Milligan A survey of nearly 1,500 residents, visitors, and downtown Traverse City business owners shows significant support for changes made downtown this year to weather the pandemic, including closing two blocks of Front Street, converting State Street to a twoway street, adding more outdoor café seating, and painting Front Street. Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) board members discussed the results of the survey Friday – including key takeaways and what those might mean for the future of downtown – and also heard updates from staff on revised plans for multiple downtown holiday events this season. 2020 Survey Results A professional survey administered by local consulting firm Avenue ISR solicited feedback from 1,472 unique respondents on changes made to downtown Traverse City in 2020 – with the majority supporting pivots made to Front Street and other areas, with the exception of a subset of business owners who felt the changes hurt sales and limited access for elderly and disabled customers. Woody Smith of Avenue ISR presented the survey results to DDA board members Friday, noting that 73 percent of downtown business owners/managers and 84 percent of downtown employees felt that closing Front Street this summer either “worked well” or “somewhat well.” Eighty-eight percent of both city residents and visitors to downtown responded the same way. A majority of respondents in all categories said changing State Street to a two-way street, adding more restaurant/café seating, and using colorful paint on Front Street also either “worked well” or “somewhat well.” Downtown owners and employees reported seeing fewer locals but more first-time visitors this summer, and praised having open space for pedestrians, social distancing opportunities, and overall health and safety precautions as the top
attributes they saw in place downtown. Smith said that while a “key takeaway” from the survey was that the majority of respondents in all categories supported changes made by the DDA, results also showed that “it's not as if the decisions were clearly a benefit for all businesses 100 percent.” In particular, businesses on some downtown side streets “felt they were left out” out of the Front Street closure, and some retail stores felt the changes primarily benefited restaurants and not retail. Business owners were particularly unhappy with the modified Street Sale – normally a large oneday outdoor event that this year was changed to a weeklong indoor event – and some cited frustrations with overall parking and traffic flow, including challenges for elderly and disabled customers reaching their locations. Smith said that if downtown could recreate some of the 2020 adaptations in the future while addressing traffic and parking issues, the DDA could potentially have a bestof-both-worlds solution. “If it were possible to take the best that came about (with this experiment)...without creating the negative impacts, that would be ideal,” he said. DDA CEO Jean Derenzy said it was unlikely the DDA would completely shut down Front Street again, but that the organization was looking at permanently converting State Street to two-way traffic and finding ways to help visitors better spread out downtown – the aspect survey respondents said they enjoyed most about the 2020 overhaul. “How do we have sidewalk cafes not just on the sidewalk? Can we have bigger sidewalks? Can we have additional bumpouts?” Derenzy said, adding the DDA could also look at whether Front Street needs two lanes of traffic or could scale down to one, offering room for expanded sidewalks. While Derenzy said the DDA was preparing plans “A, B, and C” for 2021 in response to possible pandemic scenarios, she said the ideal was that in 2021 a vaccine would be available and businesses would be coming
16 • nov 30, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly
back full-time, with many remote employees returning to work downtown. “Just doing the same thing we did this year I don’t think is the answer, but building on it,” she told board members. Downtown Holiday Event Changes Holiday celebrations will look very different in downtown Traverse City this year, staff reported to DDA board members Friday – but the DDA is still encouraging shopping at local merchants and working to host socially distanced holiday events. The downtown holiday season kicked off Friday night with a televised treelighting ceremony at the site of the annual city Christmas tree at the Cass and Front intersection. This year’s tree is a 35-foot, 5,300-pound blue spruce harvested from Keystone Road. While past years have traditionally seen downtown streets closed to accommodate large crowds and an inperson visit from Santa, streets remained open this year for the event and residents were encouraged to watch the ceremony from home and not attend in person. The next downtown event will be the holiday shopping weekend encompassing Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday from November 27-December 1. DDA staff made the decision to cancel Ladies’ Night and Men’s Night this year due to the large crowds typically attracted by the shopping events, but are encouraging supporting downtown shops with curbside and online ordering, in addition to in-person shopping (note: acapacity limits are in place for in-person shopping, and mask-wearing is required). Special deals offered by merchants for the holiday shopping weekend will be listed online by Thanksgiving Day. At a press conference this week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer urged Michigan residents to shop locally this holiday season, noting the precarious state many small businesses are in during the pandemic. Just a 10 percent
shift in retail spending from online/outof-state vendors to local stores would infuse $1.2 billion into the state economy, Whitmer said. While Santa will not be available for visiting hours in his downtown house this year, the DDA is partnering with the Traverse City Firefighters to provide special Santa visits to every city neighborhood, staffed announced at Friday’s DDA meeting. During the first two weeks of December, Santa will be chauffeured to different neighborhoods on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons on an antique fire engine, with “Firefighter Elves” collecting letters to Santa that families can hand over as the truck comes through. Santa will visit Kids Creek, Slabtown, and Central neighborhoods December 1 from 3pm-5pm; Old Town and SoFo neighborhoods December 3 from 3pm-5pm; Traverse Heights, Boardman, and Oak Park neighborhoods December 8 from 3pm-5pm; and Old Mission Peninsula and Civic Center area neighborhoods December 10 from 3pm-5pm. Route maps and times for each neighborhood will be available on the downtown website starting November 27. Finally, the annual downtown Light Parade will be replaced this year with a new Strolling Light Parade on December 12 from 5pm-9pm. Twelve different locations in downtown Traverse City will host light displays themed after the 12 Days of Christmas decorated by a dozen local nonprofits. Residents are invited to go on a self-guided, socially distanced tour of the outdoor displays and vote for their favorite installations. Each vote costs $1, with monies raised split between the nonprofit vote-receivers and the Downtown Relief Fund, which is helping offset rent and other expenses for downtown merchants this winter. The December 11-13 weekend will also host Walking in a Winter Wonderland, a window-decorating contest among downtown Traverse City businesses.
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nov 28
saturday
HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: 1045 Rasho Rd., TC. Challenge yourself on the original course anytime from Dec. 4-6 & still get your finisher medal & event souvenir. A classic, European style turf grass course awaits you with optional knee high barriers including straw bales, fallen logs, wood fence & stone fence. Traverse over grass or snow & ice, wooded dirt trails, & farmland running terrain. Register by Dec. 3. runsignup.com/farmland5k
---------------------NORTHERN HOME & COTTAGE 2020 VIRTUAL TOUR: Featuring eight homes in northern MI, along with contractors, designers & homeowners. Tickets are a suggested donation of $15. Benefits Child & Family Services of Northwest Michigan. mynorthtickets.com
---------------------VIRTUAL TURKEY VULTURE TROT 5K: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. The race course will be set up from Nov. 26-29 for participants to run on their own time at their own pace. Proceeds will benefit North Sky Raptor Sanctuary. Limited to 100 participants. $20. crystalmountain.com/event/5k-turkey-vulture-trot
---------------------2020 TURKEY TROT 5K: PETOSKEY: VIRTUAL: Presented by YMCA of Northern Michigan. Run any time through Nov. 30. runsignup. com/Race/MI/Petoskey/2020TurkeyTrot
---------------------COLLECTING ITEMS FOR THOSE IN NEED: The Harbor Springs Chamber of Commerce will have trucks at the parking lot between the Chamber & Shay House today. They will be collecting items for those in need this holiday season. Please drop off gently used blankets, coats, hats, gloves, socks, warm clothing of any type. They will be delivered to local organizations.
---------------------SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY: Support local, small businesses in northern Michigan.
---------------------FIRST LIGHT CELEBRATION: 5-6pm, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Enjoy holiday music & lighting the Christmas tree. Meet between the Lodge & Crystal Center to light the tree at 5:30pm sharp. crystalmountain.com/event/first-light
---------------------HOLIDAY IN THE VILLAGE OF SUTTONS BAY: 5:30-7pm. Caroling at the corner, Santa arrives by firetruck, village tree lighting, story time with Mrs. Claus, gifts from Santa, mail letter to Santa, extended business hours & more. suttonsbayarea.com/holiday-in-the-village-ofsuttons-bay
---------------------105TH LIGHTING OF HARBOR SPRINGS HOLIDAY TREE: VIRTUAL: 6pm. Find on Facebook.
nov 29
sunday
HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
--------------
NORTHERN HOME & COTTAGE 2020 VIRTUAL TOUR: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
---------------------VIRTUAL TURKEY VULTURE TROT 5K: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
---------------------2020 TURKEY TROT 5K: PETOSKEY: VIRTUAL: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
nov 30
monday
REGISTRATION FOR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: 6pm, Nov. 30 - Dec. 6. Open to fourth & fifth graders residing or attending school within the boundaries of Grand Traverse County, the Traverse City Area Public Schools school district,
Elk Rapids School District, Forest Area Schools Community Schools school district, Leelanau County, & Benzie County. A book-based quiz competition. Kids read stories together & then compete for the Championship VIP Prize. Teams also have a chance to win prizes for sportsmanship, team spirit, most creative team name, & more. Event will take place on March 6, 2021. battleofthebooksgt.com/registration
nov/dec
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28-06 21-29
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send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com
HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
NORTHERN HOME & COTTAGE 2020 VIRTUAL TOUR: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
---------------------2020 TURKEY TROT 5K: PETOSKEY: VIRTUAL: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
dec 01
tuesday
MERRY MARKETPLACE: Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. A re-imagination of the Merry Marketplace. This year the art fair will be expanded to include a week long Pop-Up Vendor Market in the gallery spaces. The Merry Marketplace will be open: Dec. 1-2: 12-4pm; Dec. 3: 127pm; Dec. 4: 12-4pm; & Dec. 5: 10am-2pm. Access to the gallery spaces will be limited to ensure all state & local social distancing guidelines are met. Select items will be available for purchase online with curb side pick-up available beginning Mon., Nov. 30. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/merry-marketplace
---------------------HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
---------------------DRIVE-THROUGH FLU SHOTS: 9am-3pm, Manistee Road Commission, Bear Lake. For ages 6 months+.
---------------------FOOD FOR THOUGHT: BUILDING RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY: 11:30am-1pm. Featuring Kathy Grinsteiner. Held via Zoom. Tickets: $20 members; $25 non-members. Includes a $10 gift card to a local restaurant. gaylordmi.chambermaster.com/ eventregistration/register/3829
---------------------TCNEWTECH PITCH EVENT: 6-7pm. Each presenter will be allowed five minutes to present their business or new technology & five minutes of questions from the audience. The audience decides which startup will receive the $500 cash prize by voting via text. Watch via the TCNewTech Facebook page or YouTube Channel. There is no charge to attend or to present your ideas. You must register to get updated info. facebook.com/ traversecitynewtech
---------------------DRIVE-THROUGH FLU SHOTS: 5-8pm, Cherry Grove Fire Department, Cadillac. For ages 6 months+.
---------------------REGISTRATION FOR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: (See Mon., Nov. 30)
dec 02
wednesday
NWS: PAM HOUSTON: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Enjoy this author of “Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country,” along with many others. Guest host is Christal Frost, a host of the Morning Show on Today’s Country Music WTCM. Doors open at 6pm for music & Morsels. $16, $26. cityoperahouse.org
---------------------MERRY MARKETPLACE: (See Tues., Dec. 1) ---------------------CARD COLLECTING - A SIMPLER PASTIME!: 6:30pm. Join Brian Johnston via Zoom as he talks about getting into card collecting, why it is such a great hobby, tips to get started, how to appraise your collection & things to
18 • nov 30, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly
The National Writers Series presents Albert Woodfox during a virtual event on Thurs., Dec. 3 at 7pm. Woodfox spent four decades in solitary confinement for a crime he did not commit. In his book Solitary, he shares how he survived, and emerged whole, inspiring not only his fellow prisoners, but now all of us, with his humanity and devoted activism. Guest host is Jerome Vaughn, news director at WDET, Detroit’s public radio station. Register: bit.ly/NWSFallSeason
know for new collectors. Registration required. Once you register you will receive an email with further instructions. Free. tadl.org/collecting
---------------------HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
---------------------DRIVE-THROUGH FLU SHOTS: 11am-3pm, Leland Fire Department. For ages 2 years old+.
---------------------LEAD BY LOCAL - WINTER HOME PROTECTION: 11am-noon. Virtual session featuring David Hamm of Jarvis Property Restoration. Register. $5. business.charlevoix.org/ events/details/lead-by-local-winter-home-protection-13116
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LWV LEELANAU COUNTY 2020 VIRTUAL HOLIDAY LUNCHEON: Noon. Join virtually & hear from special guest Grand Traverse Band Tribal Chairman David Arroyo. Includes a Q&A session. Register in advance: https:// us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ dF1XnMlfSduOTgZ1ltuPYg. Free. LWVLeelanau.org
---------------------REGISTRATION FOR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: (See Mon., Nov. 30)
---------------------LADIES OF THE LIGHTS: 7-8pm. Online via Zoom. Join Dianna Stampfler to learn about these women before their time, taking on the dangerous & physically demanding job of tending to the beacons that protected the shoreline. See nearly 70 images of keepers, learn about their families, their lights, & their impact on the profession of lighthouse keeping. Register. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/ event-4045896
dec 03
thursday
NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES: AN EVENING WITH ALBERT WOODFOX: 7pm. “Solitary” is the saga of a man who, despite spending four decades in solitary confinement for a crime of which he was innocent, inspired fellow prisoners, & now all of us, with his humanity. Free. bit.ly/NWSFallSeason
---------------------GTWOMAN’S “PERSUADE ME!” WORKSHOP: 9:30-11am. Join the award-winning entrepreneur, author & recovering academic Jill Schiefelbein to learn how to speak with purpose & speak for results. Virtual event. Register for your tickets. Free. grandtraversewoman.com
---------------------MERRY MARKETPLACE: (See Tues., Dec. 1) ---------------------VIRTUAL HARBOR HISTORY TALK: “GANGSTERS UP NORTH”: 7pm. Presented by author & historian Robert Knapp. Held via Zoom. Advanced registration required. Free. harborspringshistory.org/events/?action=evrpl usegister&event_id=7
---------------------HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
---------------------DRIVE-THROUGH FLU SHOTS: 11am-3pm, United Methodist Church Community Center, Lake Ann. For ages 2 years old+.
---------------------STORIES @ HOME: 11am. Let’s Create a Story: “The Last Cookie.” Visit web site to get a supply list & participate. greatlakeskids.org/ offerings
---------------------GET CRAFTY @ HOME: 1pm. Branch Out! Turn twigs & branches into holiday decorations
for your door, ceiling, window, or wall. Visit web site to get a supply list & participate. greatlakeskids.org/offerings
---------------------REGISTRATION FOR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: (See Mon., Nov. 30)
dec 04
friday
“THE LESSON OF THE LARK” VIRTUAL CHORAL CONCERT: 7pm. Hosted by NMC Director of Music Programs Jeffrey Cobb. The NMC Music Department, Audio Tech and Visual Communications programs are premiering a new concert work celebrating the centennial anniversary of women’s suffrage. It is based on local author Laura Knight Cobb’s recently published book of the same name, a dramatic interpretation of the struggle for women’s voting rights. Visit nmc.edu for Zoom link prior to event.
CHRISTMAS JOURNEY: (See Fri., Dec. 4)
---------------------REGISTRATION FOR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: (See Mon., Nov. 30)
helping hands
DONATE TO MITTEN & HAT TREES: At local banks/credit union in East Jordan from Nov. 30 - Dec. 11. All donations go to Care & Share Food Pantry for distribution during this holiday season. Other items that are welcomed: socks, slippers, scarves, earmuffs, etc.
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---------------------MERRY MARKETPLACE: (See Tues., Dec. 1) ----------------------
KOSCH RESTAURANTS MATCH DONATIONS: Four northern Michigan restaurants will match donations made by their diners to Toys for Tots. Alpine Tavern and Eatery, CRAVE Pasta, Pizza and Pub in Gaylord, along with Moose and Stella’s Café and Trout Town Tavern and Eatery in Kalkaska are selling Toys for Tots trains for a $5 donation & will match that donation up to $1,000 at each location. The restaurants will also accept toy donations. Runs through Dec. 18.
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PET ASSISTANCE: If you need assistance with meeting your pet’s needs, Hoop’s Pet Food Pantry can help. They will be at the Square Deal Country Store on Woodmere Ave., TC every Weds., 2:30-5:30pm & Sat., 12-3pm, offering pet supplies donated by your friends, neighbors & community businesses. If you’d like to make a donation, food & supplies can be dropped at the store during business hours. facebook.com/Squaredealcs
YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL FREE ZOOM CLASS: 3:45-5pm. For area high school students. Learn the fundamentals of playwrighting & develop your own 20-minute play to submit to the Young Playwrights Festival by Dec. 11. The class meets Nov. 4, Nov. 6, & Dec. 4 from 3:45-5pm. Class size limited. Send an email to: ypf@cityoperahouse.org with email address, name, mailing address, school, age & phone number. HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
---------------------DRIVE-THROUGH FLU SHOTS: 9am-3pm, Haring Township Fire Department, Cadillac. For 6 months old+.
---------------------FIRST STEPS SCIENCE: 11am. Candy Cane Lab. Visit web site to get supply list & participate. greatlakeskids.org/offerings
---------------------CHRISTMAS JOURNEY: 5:30pm, New Hope Community Church, Williamsburg. Dec 4-6 & 11-13. The Christmas Journey is a 45 minute outdoor walking tour through fire lit woods encountering costumed actors, live animals & a story from the Bible. Free. newhope.cc
---------------------REGISTRATION FOR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: (See Mon., Nov. 30)
dec 05
saturday
CANNED FOOD & TOYS FOR TOTS DRIVE: 10am2pm, Pinecrest Village parking lot, Mackinaw City. Presented by Pinecrest Village & Emmet County EMS. Please donate new, unwrapped toys that are around the $10 or above price range. Books are also needed.
---------------------MERRY MARKETPLACE: (See Tues., Dec. 1) ----------------------
----------------------
ongoing
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT: Bellaire, Dec. 1-29. Both businesses & residents: Spread holiday cheer through your lighting displays. bellairechamber.org/event/light-up-the-night-soupcook-off-2
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BUDDY IN WINDOW DECORATING CONTEST: This year’s theme is Buddy from the movie “Elf.” Harbor Springs: Decorate your windows, storefronts, yards, & city. Prizes for first, second & third place in five categories: Retail Gifts, Retail Clothing, Restaurants, Service, & Residential. Fill out entry form & email to: info@harborspringschamber.com. Entry deadline has been extended to Dec. 17. files.constantcontact. com/3655fd4c201/26641601-2462-453cbced-52daf4202cd2.pdf
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CALL FOR ENTRIES FOR 10TH ANNUAL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL: Regional high school students are invited to submit an original one-act play. Finalists are paired with national theater mentors, win $100 & see their play performed on the City Opera House stage. Deadline is Dec. 11. cityoperahouse.org/ypfentry-deadline
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HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
LET’S WALK TOGETHER: Presented by Norte. Connecting, moving together & learning about the expanding walking infrastructure in TC. Approx. 1-3 miles, 30-45 minutes. Meet at Hull Park, TC every Sat. at 9am. elgruponorte.org
FRISKE’S COUNTRY CHRISTMAS: 11am3pm, Friske Farm Market, Ellsworth. Meet Santa, feed his reindeer, enjoy hot cider, hot chocolate, donuts & more. friske.com
NORTE’S RUN SABADOS: GT Civic Center, TC. A weekly walk or run held on Saturdays. Meet outside the Wheelhouse at 10am, & then split up & hit the track.
------------------------------------------CHRISTMAS JOURNEY: (See Fri., Dec. 4) ---------------------REGISTRATION FOR BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: (See Mon., Nov. 30)
dec 06
sunday
HYBRID VIRTUAL FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: (See Sat., Nov. 28)
------------------------------------------WEEKLY ZOOM STORY HOUR: Wednesdays, 11am, with Miss Ann. Presented by Interlochen Public Library. Meeting ID 876 3279 3456. Pass Code 364283.
---------------------BELLAIRE WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Held on Fridays from 10am-2pm. Located at both Bee Well & Terrain in downtown Bellaire.
---------------------BOYNE CITY INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-noon through May 15. City Hall Lobby, Boyne City. petoskeyarea.
com/event-detail/boyne-city-indoor-farmersmarket-1
---------------------INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato, TC. Saturdays through April, 10am-2pm. thevillagetc.com/ indoor-farmers-market-7-2-2-2-2-2
art
JRAC GIFT MARKET: Jordan River Arts Council, East Jordan, Nov. 21 - Dec. 19. Open daily, 1-4pm.
---------------------VIRTUAL GLEN ARBOR HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE: Shop artisans online this year, Nov. 7 - Dec. 18. facebook.com/glenarborholidaymarketplace
---------------------NORTHPORT ARTS ASSOCIATION HOLIDAY ARTS MARKET - ONLINE: Runs through Dec. 13. northportartsassociation.org
---------------------“DON’T MISS THE BOAT”: Harbor Springs History Museum. Presented by the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society. This exhibit highlights the historic ferries of Little Traverse Bay & features original watercolors & giclees by local artist William Talmadge Hall. Runs through the summer of 2021. Hours: Tues.Sat., 11am-3pm. harborspringshistory.org/history-museum-exhibits
---------------------ART DE TROIS FEMMES HOLIDAY ART SHOW: Ledbetter Gallery, TC. Presented by Vada Color & Ledbetter Gallery. Featuring artists Katherine Corden, Dani Knoph & Katie Lowran. Runs through Nov. Ledbetter Gallery is open Mon. through Fri., 9am-4pm or by appointment. Free. vadacolor.com
---------------------ARTIST APPRECIATION EXHIBITION: Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. Dedicated to artists who have donated their work or time to OAC’s annual summer fundraising galas for the past few years. With twenty-two regional artists participating, the exhibition features everything from oil, acrylic, & watercolor painting, to fiber art, sculptures, & ceramics. Runs through Dec. 4. Hours: Mon. - Fri.: 10am-4:30pm; Sat.: 10am4pm; Sun.: Closed. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org
---------------------OPEN CALL FOR “THOSE WHO TEACH”: Deadline to apply is 1/15/21. Exhibit featuring the artwork of Michigan’s Visual Art Educators. higherartgallery.com/calls-for-art
---------------------CHARLEVOIX CIRCLE OF THE ARTS, CHARLEVOIX - FREE “MAKE & TAKE” CRAFT KITS: Through Dec. 31, while supplies last, drop by & pick up a free ornament craft kit to take home & enjoy. - ALL MEDIA OPEN CALL TO MICHIGAN ARTISTS: Submit to: re | ART: reject, reflect, refine, remark, a juried fine arts exhibit. Artists are invited to comment visually on the many shifts taking place in our current experience, as change opens a path to rethink, revisit, reunite, recharge, reevaluate, redefine, etc. Juror will award cash prizes. Deadline for entry is Jan. 10 at noon. charlevoixcircle.org/ juried-exhibit CHARLEVOIX CIRCLE MARKET: Charlevoix Circle of Arts hosts its annual Circle mARkeT, Nov. 19 - Jan. 2, featuring over 40 local artists’ & makers’ handmade items, original art & locally produced specialty treats. Open: Mon.-Fri., 11am-4pm; Sat., 11am-3pm; *Wed. & Thurs. mornings from 10-11am are reserved for vulnerable patrons. CharlevoixCircle.org
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work & together visit gallery & museum exhibitions. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ collective-impulse-new-work-ruth-bardensteinjean-buescher-bartlett-and-susan - CALL & RESPONSE: Held in Bonfield Gallery. This exhibit recognizes the many ways works of art can spark conversation, action & aid in the processing of ideas, feelings, experiences & events. Original work in a variety of media will be on display. Runs through Dec. 18. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-online-ctacpetoskey/call-and-response
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DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - MINI VERSION OF ANNUAL HOLIDAY ARTIST MARKET: Runs Dec. 1-23. Free timed tickets available. The museum is open Sun. through Thurs., 11am-4pm, & closed Fridays & Saturdays. shop.dennosmuseum.org - MATHIAS J. ALTEN: AN AMERICAN ARTIST AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY: The German-born American Impressionist Mathias Joseph Alten, often referred to as the Dean of Michigan painters, is regarded as one of the most celebrated regionalist artists to have worked in the United States. Runs through Jan. 31. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/index.html - MICHIGAN MODERN: AN ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY: This exhibit celebrates Michigan’s modern architectural design history from 1928-2012. It is comprised of over 50 photographs by James Haefner primarily for the State Historic Preservation Office as part of their Michigan Modern Project, & featured in the book by State Historic Preservation Officer Brian Conway, titled “Michigan Modern: An Architectural Legacy.” Runs through Jan. 31. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/ index.html
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GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER, GLEN ARBOR: - GAAC OUTDOOR GALLERY: CALL FOR ENTRIES: The Glen Arbor Arts Center is accepting submissions for its 2021 Outdoor Gallery. The exhibition space is the south & west exterior walls of the GAAC’s building at 6031 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor. Original work by a single artist will be selected by a jury, & exhibited from May 2021 to April 2022. Deadline for submissions is February 25, 2021. Open to all media, the selected work will be eye-catching, compelling, colorful & communicate the spirit of the Glen Arbor Arts Center with fresh originality. The selected exhibitor’s original work will be enlarged & reproduced on five, separate, 5 foot x 5 foot square outdoor panels for one year. A $500 prize will be awarded to the selected artist. Submissions are on-line only. To apply visit GlenArborArt.org & click on ARTIST/Calls For Entry. glenarborart.org/exhibits/current-exhibits - SMALL WORKS HOLIDAY EXHIBITION: An exhibition of original art – painting, photography, fiber, mixed media, jewelry & more. Featuring art work 12” x 12” & smaller, all priced at $150 or less. Runs Nov. 13 - Dec. 17. The GAAC is open daily, 11am – 2pm. glenarborart.org
Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.
CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - THE COLLECTIVE IMPULSE: NEW WORK BY RUTH BARDENSTEIN, JEAN BUESCHER BARTLETT & SUSAN MORAN: Runs through Dec. 18, Gilbert Gallery. These three artists met in Ann Arbor &, over time, have nurtured both personal & creative connections. They regularly share & critique one another’s
Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 19
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Q
: My boyfriend is very successful, with a high-profile job in finance. He’s very romantic, and I felt I’d found “the one.” However, he has cheated on previous girlfriends, is unusually protective of his phone around me, and otherwise acts secretively. For example: He began disappearing for three hours on Wednesday nights. He didn’t return any texts, which is unlike him. He claimed he was at “therapy,” forgetting he’d told me he instead uses life coaches at his job. Another example: I stopped over one morning and saw remains of a pizza and a dainty box of sparkly champagne gummy bears (not exactly a man’s snack). After I called him on these incidents, he began texting me periodically on Wednesday nights and stockpiling cheap drugstore gummies, which he eats when I’m over. He has angrily denied he’s seeing other women and refuses to discuss it further. I’m in love with him, and I want to believe him. — Benefit Of The Doubt?
A
: Believing you’ve found love has a dark side: wanting to keep believing. The most outrageous claims can take on an air of plausibility, like when your friend tells you she spotted your boyfriend licking some woman’s tattoo, and he angrily insists he was saving somebody dying of snakebite — uh, in Midtown Manhattan. Your brain is partly to blame. Human brains have a collective set of built-in errors in reasoning called “cognitive biases” that prompt otherwise smart people to act like they have the IQ of a root vegetable. Crazy as it is that our brain would evolve to have built-in errors, this is actually not a bug, but a feature: one that sometimes acts like a bug. Our mind needs to take mental shortcuts whenever it can. If we had to methodically think out our every action (starting with, “How do you turn on the light in the kitchen, and is that even a good idea?”), we’d wake up at 8 a.m. and need a nap by about 8:17. So, we’re prone to cut out the wearying middleman — careful deliberation of all the facts at hand — and leap to conclusions about what to do or believe. However, we don’t do this at random; we default to “heuristics” (aka “rules of thumb”) — broad, general principles that evolved out of human experience -- to make semiinformed, “quick and dirty” guesses.
20 • nov 30, 2020 • Northern Express Weekly
Though these guesstimates are typically “good enough” solutions in do-or-die situations, they also lead to cognitive biases,
BY Amy Alkon those absurd errors in reasoning that can muck up our lives. Two that might be mucking up yours are the “sunk cost fallacy” and “confirmation bias.” The sunk cost fallacy is the irrational tendency to continue investing time, money, or effort in some losing endeavor (like an unhappy relationship) based on the investment we’ve already “sunk” into it. Of course, that prior investment is gone. The rational approach would be future -oriented thinking: assessing whether we’d get enough out of any further investment to make it worth throwing in more love, money, or time. Confirmation bias reflects our tendency to favor information that confirms a belief we already have — like, “I found Mr. Right!” — and reject information that says (or screams) otherwise: “I found Mr. Juggles Women Like A Moscow Circus Bear.” If you are succumbing to these cognitive biases, they probably have a co-conspirator. Cross-cultural research suggests that female emotions evolved to subconsciously push women to seek high-status “providers,” even when women are high-earning bigwigs themselves. In other words, you might be prone to ignore any intel suggesting your wolf of Wall Street spends a good bit of his week raiding the hussy henhouse (aka Tinder). In short, though we humans (the snobs of the mammalian world!) smugly refer to ourselves as “rational animals,” we are able to reason, but we don’t always get around to doing it. Psychologist Daniel Kahneman explains that our brain has two information processing systems, our “fast” emotion-driven system and our “slow” rational system. The emotiondriven fast system is behind our mental shortcuts. It rises up automatically, requiring no work on our part. (We just experience emotions; we don’t sit around emotionally dead until we put effort into yanking one up.) Reasoning, on the other hand, takes work: mental exertion to pore over and analyze information in order to make a decision. Tempting as it is to believe you’ve found “the one,” making yourself take the slow approach -- doing the work to see who a man really is -- will, at the very least, help you boot the bad eggs faster. Sadly, we live in an imperfect world — one in which “pants on fire” is merely a figure of speech, not what happens when your half-undressed boyfriend says (with a totally straight face): “Amber and I were just about to have a work meeting.” You: “In our bed?”
lOGY
NOV 30 - DEC 06 BY ROB BREZSNY
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) "Pictures of perfection, as you know, make me sick and wicked," observed Sagittarian author Jane Austen. She wrote this confession in a letter to her niece, Fanny, whose boyfriend thought that the women characters in Jane's novels were too naughty. In the coming weeks, I encourage you Sagittarians to regard pictures of perfection with a similar disdain. To accomplish all the brisk innovations you have a mandate to generate, you must cultivate a deep respect for the messiness of creativity; you must understand that your dynamic imagination needs room to experiment with possibilities that may at first appear disorderly. For inspiration, keep in mind this quote from Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich: "Well-behaved women seldom make history." ScORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): "Home is
not where you were born," writes Naguib Mahfouz. "Home is where all your attempts to escape cease." I propose we make that one of your mottoes for the next 12 months, Scorpio. According to my astrological analysis, you will receive all the inspiration and support you need as you strive to be at peace with exactly who you are. You'll feel an ever-diminishing urge to wish you were doing something else besides what you're actually doing. You'll be less and less tempted to believe your destiny lies elsewhere, with different companions and different adventures. To your growing satisfaction, you will refrain from trying to flee from the gifts that have been given you, and you will instead accept the gifts just as they are. And it all starts now.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn
novelist Anne Brontë (1820–1849) said, "Smiles and tears are so alike with me, they are neither of them confined to any particular feelings: I often cry when I am happy, and smile when I am sad." I suspect you could have experiences like hers in the coming weeks. I bet you'll feel a welter of unique and unfamiliar emotions. Some of them may seem paradoxical or mysterious, although I think they'll all be interesting and catalytic. I suggest you welcome them and allow them to teach you new secrets about your deep self and the mysterious nature of your life.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian
philosopher Simone Weil formulated resolutions so as to avoid undermining herself. First, she vowed she would only deal with difficulties that actually confronted her, not far-off or hypothetical problems. Second, she would allow herself to feel only those feelings that were needed to inspire her and make her take effective action. All other feelings were to be shed, including imaginary feelings—that is, those not rooted in any real, objective situation. Third, she vowed, she would "never react to evil in such a way as to augment it." Dear Aquarius, I think all of these resolutions would be very useful for you to adopt in the coming weeks.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): In June 2019,
the young Piscean singer Justin Bieber addressed a tweet to 56-year-old actor Tom Cruise, challenging him to a mixed martial arts cage fight. "If you don't take this fight," said Bieber, "you will never live it down." A few days later, Bieber retracted his dare, confessing that Cruise "would probably whoop my ass in a fight." If Bieber had waited until December 2020 to make his proposal, he might have had more confidence to follow through—and he might also have been better able to whoop Cruise's ass. You Pisceans are currently at the peak of your power and prowess.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): "Humans like
to be scared," declares author Cathy Bell. "We love the wicked witch’s cackle, the wolf’s hot breath, and the old lady who eats children, because sometimes, when the scary is over, all we remember is the magic." I suppose that what she says is a tiny bit true. But there are also many ways to access the magic that don't require encounters with dread. And that's exactly what I predict for you in the coming weeks, Taurus: marvelous experiences— including catharses, epiphanies, and breakthroughs—that are neither spurred by fear nor infused with it.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 1994, the
animated movie The Lion King told the story of the difficult journey made by a young lion as he struggled to claim his destiny as rightful king. A remake of the film appeared in 2019. During the intervening 25 years, the number of real lions living in nature declined dramatically. There are now just 20,000. Why am I telling you such bad news? I hope to inspire you to make 2021 a year when you will resist trends like this. Your assignment is to nurture and foster wildness in every way that's meaningful for you—whether that means helping to preserve habitats of animals in danger of extinction or feeding and championing the wildness inside you and those you care about. Get started!
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Is there anyone
whose forgiveness you would like to have? Is there anyone to whom you should make atonement? Now is a favorable phase to initiate such actions. In a related subject, would you benefit from forgiving a certain person whom you feel wronged you? Might there be healing for you in asking that person to make amends? The coming weeks will provide the best opportunity you have had in a long time to seek these changes.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Scientists know that the
Earth's rotation is gradually slowing down—but at the very slow rate of two milliseconds every 100 years. What that means is that 200 million years from now, one day will last 25 hours. Think of how much more we humans will be able to get done with an extra hour every day! I suspect you may get a preview of this effect in the coming weeks, Leo. You'll be extra efficient. You'll be focused and intense in a relaxing way. Not only that: You will also be extra appreciative of the monumental privilege of being alive. As a result, you will seem to have more of the precious luxury of time.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Adventurer Tim
Peck says there are three kinds of fun. The first is pure pleasure, enjoyed in full as it's happening. The second kind of fun feels challenging when it's underway, but interesting and meaningful in retrospect. Examples are giving birth to a baby or taking an arduous hike uphill through deep snow. The third variety is no fun at all. It's irksome while you're doing it, and equally disagreeable as you think about it later. Now I'll propose a fourth type of fun, which I suspect you'll specialize in during the coming weeks. It's rather boring or tedious or nondescript while it's going on, but in retrospect you are very glad you did it.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): An anonymous
blogger on Tumblr writes the following: "What I’d really like is for someone to objectively watch me for a week and then sit down with me for a few hours and explain to me what I am like and how I look to others and what my personality is in detail and how I need to improve. Where do I sign up for that?" I can assure you that the person who composed this message is not an Aries. More than any other sign of the zodiac, you Rams want to be yourself, to inhabit your experience purely and completely—not see yourself from the perspective of outside observers. Now is a good time to emphasize this specialty.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): "I made the wrong
mistakes," said Libran composer and jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. He had just completed an improvisatory performance he wasn't satisfied with. On countless other occasions, however, he made the right mistakes. The unexpected notes and tempo shifts he tried often resulted in music that pleased him. I hope that in the coming weeks you make a clear demarcation between wrong mistakes and right mistakes, dear Libra. The latter could help bring about just the transformations you need.
“Jonesin” Crosswords "Hyphen It Up" --but a bit longer. by Matt Jones
ACROSS 1 "Cinderella Man" antagonist Max 5 Stacks of cash 9 First name in Fighting Irish history 12 Sansa's sister on "Game of Thrones" 13 '80s-'90s TV legal drama with a license plate in the title screen 14 "Star Trek" captain 16 Show excessive stubble, perhaps 18 High point? 19 As originally located 20 Old-timey hangout with a counter 22 Step unit 23 Repair tears 24 ___ the cows come home 25 Huge success 26 ___ Nublar ("Jurassic Park" setting) 30 Party invitation blank 32 Dark times? 35 Firing figure 36 Tourists' warm-weather wear 39 2011 NBA champs, for short 40 Exciting way to take the world 41 "Middlemarch" novelist 43 Tangerine cover 44 Leading 47 ___ Aviv, Israel 48 Peachy keen 51 "File not found," for example 53 Was still in the running 56 Phony 57 "Moral ___" (Adult Swim show) 58 Lizzo song of 2016 60 Rotary phone part 61 Starts the betting 62 To ___ (precisely) 63 Music collection 64 Marcel Duchamp's art style 65 Overseer
DOWN 1 Send packing 2 "___ just the cutest?" 3 Made ___ (flirted, in a way) 4 Circle measurements 5 Cartoon baby's cry 6 "Sad to say" 7 Swiss host city for the World Economic Forum 8 Any ABBA member 9 Aliases, for short 10 Basic file format that allows for bold and underlining 11 Ornate cupboards 13 "Geaux Tigers" sch. 15 Laws of planetary motion discoverer 17 Chest chamber 21 "That's sooo cute!" 27 Checkbook record 28 Godiva's title 29 Audibly in shock 31 Damage 32 "___ I'm told" 33 East, in Spain 34 Louboutin item 36 Islands off Spain 37 Movie that brought on "Army of Darkness" 38 "25 Words ___" (game show) 39 Way of doing things 42 Prof's helpers 44 Faithful about 45 Plenty 46 "1984" working class 49 1977 George Burns film 50 Shell source in the Mario Kart series 52 Clean-up clinic 54 "___ Well That Ends Well" 55 Two-___ sloth 56 ___ de deux (two-person dance) 59 Genetic info carrier
Northern Express Weekly • nov 30, 2020 • 21
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