this week’s
top ten Who Do You Find Fascinating?
The “Fascinating People” issue of the Northern Express is coming up in March, and we want to know who YOU find fascinating in northern Michigan. The issue will feature 20 individuals from the 13 counties covered by the Express, which ranges from Mackinaw City to Kalkaska to Gaylord and everywhere in between. We’re looking for people who are special, unique, awe-inspiring, or just plain quirky! Last year, we highlighted folks like Abra Berens, bestselling cookbook author and one of the food geniuses behind Farm Club; Shiloh Slomsky, who launched an incubator nonprofit to empower Native American entrepreneurs; and Liam Dreyer, the 15-yearold student who serves on the Charlevoix Downtown Development Authority. If you know someone fascinating, email your suggestions to info@northernexpress.com and be sure to stay tuned for the March 7 issue!
Guns N Hoses Returns to the Rink Local law enforcement members will be lacing up their skates on Saturday, February 26, for the annual Guns N Hoses Benefit Hockey Game. Each year, police face off against firefighters at Centre Ice Arena for a good cause: supporting a family in our community. The 2022 beneficiaries are John and Snow Sandula, a father-daughter duo who are facing serious health problems. John is battling esophageal cancer while Snow has a condition that requires regular trips to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and proceeds from the event will help the Sandula family cover everything from travel costs to medical expenses. Tickets are $5, available for pick-up at will call the day of the event, and can be purchased at gtgunsnhoses.com. Commemorative T-shirts are $10, for sale at Bill Marsh Auto on South Garfield Ave., Centre Ice Arena’s Hockey Shop North, and the National Cherry Festival office in downtown Traverse City.
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Hey, Read It! You don’t know us negroes
There was a time when time forgot Zora Neale Hurston. At once celebrated and subversive, her voice soared to the top of twentieth-century Black artists, while her countless essays, stories, and books—including Their Eyes Were Watching God—were woven into cultural canon. Still, much of her work fell out of print…until now. Released in January, her newest short-form collection, You Don’t Know Us Negroes and Other Essays, spotlights Hurston in her prime, both as an artist and advocate. Edited by professors Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Genevieve West, this whopping 51-piece compendium—including a few essays that have never been published—spans 35 years of epochal nonfiction, breathing fresh life into one voice that could never fade away.
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH PANEL
Three great authors. Hundreds of years of history. One special evening.
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tastemaker Mt. Holiday’s Blackened Chicken Sandwich
You don’t have to be a snow bunny to enjoy dinner at Mt. Holiday. In fact, even if the closest you get to skiing is watching the Olympics, the Blackened Chicken Sandwich is worth throwing on a winter coat and heading to the slopes. The hint of spice from the chicken pairs perfectly with a smoked tomato puree, complemented by caramelized onions and a mouthwatering remoulade on crisp sourdough. Add lettuce and some avocado for a healthy splash of green, and you have a sandwich that checks all the boxes: flavorful, filling, and warm on a cold winter’s night. ($11.50) An order of sweet potato fries or onion rings completes the meal. In peak season, the ski hill can be packed, but Mt. Holiday also offers dinner to go Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays). Find Mt. Holiday at 3100 Holiday Road, Traverse City, 231-938-2500 or mt-holiday.com.
4 • february 21, 2022 • Northern Express Weekly
he upcoming National Writers Series virtual author event features award-winning authors Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, Wanda M. Morris, and Vanessa Riley for a special Black History Month panel. Their books bridge generations of stories across three different genres. Together, they will discuss the joys and struggles of their Black heroines as well as dive into their writing processes, inspirations, and favorite stories. They will be joined by NWS guest host Rochelle Riley, author and Director of Arts and Culture for the City of Detroit on Thursday, February 24 at 7 PM. Literary Sponsors: Traverse Area District Library
Northern Michigan E3
For virtual tickets visit NationalWritersSeries.org
