Northern Express - June 17, 2024

Courting More Trouble

Thank you, Steven Tuttle, for your June 3 column, “Courting Trouble.” The context you provided for the International Criminal Court was helpful, as the ICC has not been very well known.

Meanwhile, what we know about our U.S. Supreme Court can seem like too much. Clarence Thomas not only is married to a bona-fide insurrection supporter, but he has accepted more than $4 million in gifts from conservative donors over the course of his appointment. This is about equal to the wages the American citizens have paid him since he took his seat in 1991. To which of his income streams is he loyal?

While Samuel Alito has accepted only around $170,000 in gifts, he has what could be a more serious problem. Flying insurrection-supporting flags over his homes is not just an expression of bias (which is bad enough), but he blames the flags on his wife, about whom he says, “She makes her own decisions, and I honor her right to do so.” Really? This from a man who voted to repeal the basic rights of every woman in the U.S.?

B elieve it or not, it gets scarier: Although there is zero evidence that the 2020 election was stolen, the Alito household wants to “stop the steal.” To support the insurrection is to undermine the peaceful transfer of power, and thus, subvert democracy. Not only that, but his willingness to adopt any stance—despite overwhelming evidence that it is false—completely destroys his credibility and should disqualify him from making rulings for the highest court in the land.

Diane Miller | Honor

A Trail for the Public

Some folks seem to wonder why we need to complete the last 5 miles of the Sleeping Bear Heritage trail at its north end by Good Harbor Bay. Some have called it “a trail to nowhere.”

Yet as shown by a dotted line on an active projects map from 2023, it leads to what was once called the Fourth Shore. On pages 3-4 of the book Sixties Sandstorm by Brian S. Kalt is a brief description of the 1930s Shoreline Program first imagined by Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes under then-President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Ickes was disturbed by shorelines up and down the Atlantic and Pacific oceans becoming privatized, till there was little opportunity for visitors or anyone not owning shoreline property to have access to it. “Call the ocean fronts a national park or a national seashore, or a state park or anything you please – I say the people have a right to a fair share of it,” Ickes said.

The first such federal acquisition founded Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina, but Congress required the land purchases to be privately funded, and the park was not established until 1952. This was made “possible only because of substantial donations from the Avalon and Old Dominion foundations, which were endowed by the private wealth of the Mellon Family.”

Later on, the same foundations funded “surveys” that included shoreline along the Great Lakes, now including the Isle Royale National Park, Pictured Rocks, and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Clearly, public access

to shoreline was the founding principle of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

But in much simpler terms, the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail provides a safe route for families to bicycle away from road traffic, through the fringe edge of wilderness to a magnificent destination.

Colin Bohash | Honor

Lady Justice Lost Her Blindfold in Manhattan

It is ironic that Stephen Tuttle titled his June 10 column “Rule of Law for Everyone.” In Tuttle’s view, attacks by “MAGA Republicans” on the guilty verdicts against Trump are attacks on the judicial system and the Constitution. The opposite is true. The guilty verdicts against Trump draw ire because they are the product of a corrupt judicial process.

The abuses in that case are legion; I mention here a few. The 34 counts against Trump alleged bookkeeping misdemeanors time-barred by a two-year statute of limitations, but District Attorney Bragg enhanced these misdemeanors by alleging Trump had used them to conceal a felony. Bragg refused to describe this illusory felony with specificity in the indictment and during the trial. In the end, Bragg alleged Trump violated federal campaign law, which Bragg had no jurisdiction to enforce. Worse, the federal agencies with jurisdiction, DOJ and FEC, had found no violation. Judge Merchan’s jury instructions provided a road map to conviction, including an instruction that the jury need not achieve unanimity in certain respects to find guilt, contrary to the law. There were many more abuses.

DA Bragg campaigned for office promising to “get Trump,” bringing to mind the Stalin-era saying, “Show me the man, and I’ll show you the crime.” Using the law to target a political opponent is the antithesis of equal treatment and the rule of law.

Neal Stout | Charlevoix

Rule of Law—As We Choose

“We either believe in the rule of law for everyone, or we don’t. If that law isn’t applied equally to all of us, president and pauper alike, then we have no legal system to protect…”

Statements, like the one Steven Tuttle made above, have been used to admonish the MAGA-publicans for their “criticism and derision” of the rule of law. But, just like their objections to Trump’s conviction, we must consider our American history of only recognizing laws, courts, and rulings that benefit our side of the fence. Justice does not depend on “whose ox is gored.” This week, it was Hunter Biden who was convicted of a gun crime.

However, at the same time the Northern Express printed Tuttle’s opinion, our U.S. Congress passed HR-8282, an act “To impose sanctions with respect to the International Criminal Court engaged in any effort to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any protected person of the United States and its allies.”

All the Republican Representatives and 41 Democrats, including Michigan Representatives Slotkin and Thanedar,

voted for the Act on June 4, 2024, because: “the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court … announced arrest warrant applications for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”

How should the rest of the world feel about us when we pick and choose which laws to follow? When we are on the wrong side of justice, we will sanction anyone who “has directly engaged in or otherwise aided any effort by the International Criminal Court to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute a protected person” according to our likes or dislikes.

“Paupers” know who writes laws and understand how they actually work.

David Petrove | Interlochen

Cara Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold

Contributors: Joseph Beyer, Art Bukowski, Brighid Driscoll, Anna Faller, Kierstin Gunsberg, Al Parker, Nora Rae Pearl, Stephen Tuttle

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top ten this week’s

Several Juneteenth events and observances are happening in Traverse City this week. First, Northern Michigan E3 and Right Brain Brewery are teaming up Saturday, June 15, for a Juneteenth Run/Walk/Stroll from 2-5pm. Then on June 19, Traverse Area District Library and the Dennos Museum Center will offer a free day at the Dennos museum (11am-4pm) and a 3pm film screening of One Person, One Vote?, the untold story of the electoral college and its slavery origins. (Tickets are free but require registration at dennosmuseum. org/events/films.) Later that same day, Northwestern Michigan College will host its third annual Juneteenth celebration from 5-8pm outside Founders Hall on the Front Street Campus, complete with food trucks, games, and other activities for all ages. (The party will move inside in the case of inclement weather.)

Detour Destination: Northern Express is committed to highlighting businesses in the construction zones of northern Michigan this season.

This small but mighty bagel shop recently got a shoutout from for good reason. Bubbie’s Bagels of Traverse City makes their bagels the old-fashioned way, with a sourdough base, a boil before baking (key for the perfect texture), and plenty of classic flavors. (And don’t miss their wide selection of cream cheese, including June’s schmear: Strawberry Balsamic.) Level up with one of their bagel sandwiches, which hit just right for breakfast or lunch. We recommend the newest addition to their lineup, the Veggie Italiano. Fresh, summery flavors abound with heirloom tomatoes, pea shoots, and banana peppers, plus veggie schmear and an Italian dressing made with Fustini’s Oils & Vinegars. Grab one at 1215 E Front St. in Traverse City. bubbiesbagelstc.com

Keeping It Classic

Get a glimpse of some of the finest classic, future classic, and rare cars and boats in the country at the Bay Harbor Classic Car & Boat Festival on Saturday, June 22. Highlights include Dodge Vipers, a 1938 Delahaye Teardrop Coupe, and “Driving Miss Daisy” Ladies Tea & Rosé Luncheon. Running from 10am-4pm on Main St. in Bay Harbor and at the Bay Harbor Marina, the festival is free for spectators (luncheon at Chatham House requires purchasing tickets). bayharborcarandboatfestival.com

Hey, read It! How it Works Out 4

What if, whenever you met someone new, you could see what your future together might hold? This is the scenario in which we meet queer twenty-somethings, Myriam and Allison, in debut author Myriam Lacroix’s short fiction collection, How it Works Out. After falling in love at a nightclub, the pair’s relationship gives way to a series of alternate and delightfully speculative outcomes. How might their lives be different, for instance, if they adopted an abandoned baby? What if they stopped talking to each other, and instead connected through marathon prep; and would they still find each other attractive if they

Pictured: A past Juneteenth exhibit at the Dennos, Rufus Snoddy: Disappearing Man.

Birds & Block Parties

Can you believe Traverse City’s Rare Bird Brewpub has been around 10 years? Owners Tina Schuett and Nate Crane have a good thing going on Lake St., and they’re celebrating the milestone in style with Nest Fest. The block party will feature Rare Bird eats (street tacos! paella!), Rare Bird beers (and other beverages), and live music and performances. Join the fun on Saturday, June 22, from 3-9pm. Catch a star-studded drag show on the stage at 4pm and again at 5:30pm and 7pm, interspersed with musical guests Lady Ace Boogie with Bedrock & Friends at 4:30pm (think genre-bending, high-energy beats), singer-songwriter Molly at 6pm, and local favorite May Erlewine and Friends at 7:30pm. General admission tickets are $20 plus fees (kids 14 and under are free) at eventbrite.com.

Patience for the Right Path

For eight years, Kalkaska leaders, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and members of the North Country Trail Association, the Grand Traverse Hiking Club, and the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association have been planning to reroute a portion of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) to the south end of the Village of Kalkaska and through the downtown district. The new trail will eliminate “road walk” sections of the trail and provide public access to the North Branch of the Boardman River. This June, they finally broke ground on the project, which will bring the trail along the river and include a new ADAaccessible trailhead and boardwalk. The half-million-dollar project involved fundraising with multiple organizations and is expected to be completed the first week of September, with an official ribbon cutting and luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 28.

Stuff We Love: Bringing a Barn Back to Life

The 1876 Fire Barn in Fife Lake is approaching its sesquicentennial—that’s 150 years. The Fife Lake Area Historical Society cares for the barn, thought to be the oldest building in the village. (It was originally a school in Southtown brought to Fife Lake to become the firehouse.) The barn houses “uniforms from 120 years ago, large wheeled fire fighting equipment, a 1937 fire truck,” and more, per the organization’s website. This summer, the historical society is working to restore the barn to its former glory with much-needed repairs and a fresh coat of paint to the tune of $18,000. The community is rising to the occasion, with Forest Area Federal Credit Union, Fife Lake Township, the DDA, and individuals contributing to the funds. See the fire barn for yourself on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4pm. Learn more at fifelakehistoricalsociety.org.

Chunky Bear Coffee Roasters' Sticky Bear Latte Bottoms Up

Celebrate

Each Day

Sparkling events all Summer long, only at

It’s all about the three C’s at Chunky Bear Coffee Roasters in Cadillac: community, conversation, and (of course) a top-notch cuppa. Head in for their signature Sticky Bear latte, and emerge from hibernation victorious! It starts with a shot of Electric Grizz espresso— that’s the café’s house-roasted blend, featuring notes of dark chocolate and nuts—spiked with pure vanilla, brown sugar, and a drizzle of local maple syrup. Finished with frothy milk of your choice (oat is our go-to, but you do you) and topped with whipped cream, chocolate, and caramel, this treat of a coffee drink will have you moving faster than, well, a bear on a bike! Get your paws on one at Chunky Bear Coffee Roasters at 124 N Mitchell St. in Cadillac. Chunkybearcoffeeroasters.com. P.S. It’s also great at home with a shot of bourbon!

Pictured: The current NCT map through the Village of Kalkaska.

OVER 250 STYLES OF SUNGLASSES

spectator

By steven Tuttle

In 1978, Traverse City established a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) in accordance with a Michigan statute passed in 1975. The DDA is a component of the city government and is primarily financed by tax increment financing (TIF) districts, in which baseline property tax values are established when the TIF district is created and revenues beyond that baseline are then “captured” by the DDA. Some property tax revenues intended for Northwestern Michigan College, Grand Traverse County, the Traverse Area Library District, and Bay Area Transportation Authority are also captured by the DDA.

(Think of it this way: Assume the property tax on a particular property is $1,000 at the

and the DDA started to change their plans on the run. The parking garage became a parking garage that could be repurposed to additional uses if needed, which became a mixed use development including housing, and now it’s not clear how much of a garage there will be as the adjunct to some kind of multi-use housing plus retail development. They now also say they will return money to the county, NMC, BATA, and the library.

It’s not clear whether those selling points will be enough, as some believe the DDA has assumed too many city responsibilities and acquired too much power. Others are displeased by the direction taken lately by the DDA, and it’s a safe bet the late Mr.

time the TIF district is created. That money will mostly continue to flow to the city’s general fund, but as the property value and accompanying property tax increases, those taxes beyond $1,000 will be captured by the DDA for as long as the TIF district exists.)

Now we’re having a debate about whether or not to extend one of those DDA TIF districts—TIF 97. At the same time, the city commission has failed to approve an overall DDA budget, which would include funding for projects in both TIF 97 and the TIF in Old Town Traverse City. That might have changed by the time you read this, but the votes did not exist as this was submitted.

The TIF 97 extension is likely to be on the November ballot along with a second proposition requiring a public vote on most DDA projects.

When this all started, downtown Traverse City was not exactly thriving. It was not, as some DDA advocates want you to believe, a boarded-up ghost town full of empty storefronts and little more, but it was certainly in need of help.

Enter the DDA with a built-in, longterm funding source and a portfolio to revitalize downtown, which they did. When charismatic leader Bryan Crough eventually took over and started pushing buttons, twisting arms, and leading the way, projects came to life and so did downtown. (It should be noted the DDA was not the only significant actor in the revitalization; Rotary Charities was also instrumental, as were other organizations and individuals.)

At one point, the DDA said extending TIF 97, which expires in 2027, was critical for the creation of their third parking garage. But the public seemed less enthusiastic,

Crough, popular enough there is a statue dedicated to him, might be surprised by the current downtown and the debate.

The pro-DDA side points to the downtown revitalization, including housing and a host of additional projects, as reasons to extend TIF 97 and continue fully supporting the DDA in the future. They point out downtown Traverse City is the engine that drives the local economy, but that will be true with or without TIF 97.

What is troubling is the direction some of the pro arguments are now taking. Neither downtown nor the rest of the city will collapse if TIF 97 is not extended. (They’ve rebranded the campaign Moving Downtown Forward but we all know it’s an extension of TIF 97.) The tax revenues the DDA captures will not vanish absent that extension or, in fact, absent the DDA altogether.

Those property taxes will still be fully collected and most will go to the city’s general fund, where it can be used, if the city commission so chooses, to complete most of the same projects the DDA now proposes. The same grants are available, and since millions more would be flowing into city coffers, they could hire some of the same employees and bid out to the same contractors. Downtown Traverse City need not become moribund if TIF 97 is not extended unless the city commission abdicates their responsibility to fill in any leadership, planning, and implementation gaps

Traverse City’s future is not totally dependent on the DDA or, at least, it shouldn’t be. While they have done consistently good work, the question remains as to whether or not their work within the TIF 97 district, downtown having been pretty thoroughly revitalized, is still necessary…or if voters decide we could better use the funds citywide.

STOP STRESSING AND TAKE ACTION OUTSIDE

Guest Opinion

by Cathye Williams

It’s looking to be another knockout northern Michigan summer this year, but many of us have little time to enjoy it.

How about you? Do you mostly see lakes and dunes through your windshield as you rush from task to task? Do you hear the birds as you slam your first coffee, and then notice the glow of fireflies while you’re schlepping in your groceries at the end of a long day? You might catch a whiff of freshlycut hay along the way, but seldom do any of us have the time to linger and take it all in as we should. As we labor longer, sometimes at more than one job, the ever elusive worklife “balance” is more like a wild juggling act than a practice in Zen-like serenity.

The paper, which called urgently for further study of this troubling mental health finding, concluded that climate anxiety and dissatisfaction with leaders’ actions are widespread in young people across the world and associated with feelings of betrayal. An earlier study also reported nearly half of 18 to 34-year-olds say that stress about climate change affects their lives (American Psychological Society, 2020).

Not shocking, just sad. I don’t know about climate anxiety, but I sure do have distressing feelings, and my experience with nature has become bittersweet. The birds I love to hear each morning now also remind me that many feathered species have gone

“Climate anxiety” has emerged as the term describing “distressing feelings related to climate change impacts…often rooted in feelings of uncertainty, lack of control and concerns over well-being or safety”...

It’s a shame, because taking time to soak in nature has a positive overall effect on our mental and physical wellness. Stress that is frequent or prolonged, on the other hand, is linked to a multitude of mental and physical ailments.

Stress seems to come in waves these days, sometimes in tsunami style. Along with the usual suspects that cause anxiety in our lives—work, family, money, social strife— we now can add the worry about the future of all life, as we collectively face down the climate crisis.

Until recently, the bulk of research about mental health and climate change has been focused on people experiencing trauma from climate-driven disasters or the instability and uncertainty of people living in vulnerable areas. More recently, social scientists are looking at people’s thoughts and feelings about the climate crisis and how it will affect their future—and the future of humankind—regardless of if they have yet been impacted directly or not.

“Climate anxiety” has emerged as the term describing “distressing feelings related to climate change impacts…often rooted in feelings of uncertainty, lack of control and concerns over well-being or safety” (University of Colorado 2024).

This phenomenon is growing among the world’s youth. In a study published in Lancet, researchers surveyed 10,000 young people aged 16-25 in 10 countries. Across all countries, a significant number reported worry about climate change, 59 percent being very or extremely worried and 84 percent at least moderately worried. Fully half reported feeling each of the following: “sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless, guilty.”

silent. Peaceful floats down a river dissolve into thoughts of other waters that have either dried up or washed away their banks, abandoning the life they supported. If it's 75 degrees and lovely—you guessed it—my mind goes to the people facing record shattering heat waves expected to continue for days or weeks, and we’re barely into the season. I would like these distressing feelings to stop, mostly because they do no good for me or the people and creatures I grieve for.

Fear about the future in our overheating world is “a rational response to an existential threat” (Lowe, Yale Sustainability), and not something we can try to reason away. Is it healthy? Productive? Probably not. Then how does one cope in a world where our responses are not up to the enormity of the problem?

While self-care (stop the doom scrolling!) and individual actions like carpooling or recycling matter, health professionals at the University of Colorado offer more ideas for coping with climate anxiety: Focus on what you can control, practice compassion, and talk about it (University of Colorado, 2024).

Beyond this, experts at Yale’s Climate Connections propose that taking on climate change is one of the most powerful ways to combat feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, “not as an individual, but as part of a group” (Leiserowitz, 2023).

Ready to fight climate change and feel better? Find your group, take action, and get outside!

Cathye Williams is a local climate activist. She writes from the northern corner of Manistee County.

Guest Opinion by

Jim Carruthers

Recently there’s been a lot of talk about Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, as it relates to downtown parking, infrastructure upgrades along the Boardman River, and the Rotary Square. Locally the TIF has done a good job with redeveloping our core downtown neighborhood as planned, but other neighborhoods in Traverse City now need the increased revenues promised by the TIF when first adopted.

TIF is a tool developed in the late 1950s as a federal urban renewal program. The intent was to help depressed urban areas combat blight by incentivizing developers with upfront subsidies based on the future taxable

guaranteed and were just a placeholder in the plan in case more parking was needed.

The original TIF plan’s vision was created by a citizen advisory committee made up of downtown property owners, business owners, and TC residents. The plan was adopted by the DDA with its goals to: preserve downtown’s small town character; improve the pedestrian experience; make better use of the land; and maintain historic building patterns.

The defined term of the TIF was the main selling point in order to convince people to support this concept and to get other taxing

TIF was never intended to be an ongoing revenue stream. The DDA and City Commission need to remember what was promised and move on...

value of projects that would support the redevelopment and revitalization of blighted areas in the urban core. In turn, over the term of the TIF, the assessed values on downtown properties would increase, providing increased future revenues for the city.

A TIF is negotiated for a set length of time. In Traverse City, TIF 97 was set for 30 years (until 2027), at which point the incentives/ subsidies for redevelopment downtown would end. The increased taxable values/ property taxes would return to the city, bringing millions to the city’s general fund. These monies would then support projects all over town. It was a way to get rid of blight and redevelop the downtown while banking value in increased property assessments. When the TIF ends, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) could pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

To make it all work, area taxing jurisdictions like Traverse Area District Library, BATA, Northwestern Michigan College, Commission on Aging, Veterans, Grand Traverse County, etc. would also provide revenues. Some might say it was ingenious, while others point out it was all just a shell game to maneuver public subsidy into developers’ pockets. However it is viewed, ultimately the city wins, because eventually the increase in assessed values on the redeveloped property downtown would bring millions of dollars to the city’s general fund and budget.

In a recent Ticker article, former DDA CEO Jean Derenzy stated, “I didn’t even remember that parking was the big focus of why the TIF was needed. I remember there needing to be a focus on investments for the infrastructure downtown.” She is correct. TIF 97 was about redevelopment of blighted urban areas and upgrades to public infrastructure. However, during the planning of the TIF, property owners and developers wanted the highest and best uses on their property (profits), and the responsibility for parking cars was instead placed on the city. The DDA plan did call for parking decks, but they were not

jurisdictions to agree to the tax diversion for a limited time. It was not a forever tax capture. At the end of the plan, debts would be paid off, and the remaining diverted taxes would go back to the city’s general fund and the other taxing jurisdictions.

That was how Bryan Crough (past executive director of the DDA) sold the idea, plain and simple. He even stated that the DDA was not planning on extending the TIF in the future as it was the promise made to the citizens to help convince them that this tax capture was not a forever tool. He supported this because the increased revenues from future development would ultimately be returned to the city and used throughout the entire city, and the other taxing jurisdictions would then be made whole once again.

In 2008, the city created a citizen-based “audit” of city operations to reaffirm the goals of the city called the Citizens Operational & Financial Analysis Committee (COFAC). A subcommittee was tasked with reviewing the TIF plans. Their final recommendation states “it is the consensus of the subcommittee that city tax payers will be more accepting of the TIF concept of financing if there are assurances that debts incurred will be paid on schedule and the TIFs be allowed to expire with future evaluation of increased tax base to be distributed to the city taxpayer/city general fund at large as IMPLICITLY promised when each TIF was created.” The subcommittee also strongly discouraged amendments to, and expansion of, existing TIF programs.

TIF was never intended to be an ongoing revenue stream. The DDA and City Commission need to remember what was promised and move on while acknowledging past committee efforts and audits. Most of all, they need to remember that TIF 97 was originally intended as a temporary tool with an end date.

Jim Carruthers is the former mayor of Traverse City, as well as a former city commissioner and DDA board member.

RIGHT, WRONG, TRUST, AND PROGRESS

Guest Opinion

by Richard Robbins

Barbara and I have lived in Traverse City since 2018, and we moved here permanently in 2022. One of the things that attracted us to TC was the positive energy and balance between growth and planning in the city.

We recently completed the City Academy and could not be more impressed with the approximately 150 full-time workers in this city of around 16,000 residents. Our city workers make our tax dollars go further than in any city we have ever lived in. They are dedicated to the success of our city and furthering the quality of life that we all have come to know and love.

Having moved into retirement after 43 years of work, I followed many great leaders and their advice. I watched an interview with Lee Iacocca at a young age, and the interviewer asked him what made him successful. His answer (paraphrased) was that he was right 60 percent of the time, and 40 percent of the time he was wrong. For the 40 percent, he corrected himself quickly with the advice of smart people he surrounded himself with who guided him in the right direction.

Hold that thought.

Since our permanent move to Traverse City, we’ve come to appreciate the city’s appeal, which is a result of years of dedicated work. The success we enjoy today is a testament to the groundwork laid over the decades. The strategic and forward-thinking redesign of Front Street and Eighth Street, in particular, required extensive planning, hard work, and vision. These efforts have transformed our city, opening up new possibilities for the neighborhoods to the south and east of the downtown area.

It’s crucial to note that none of this progress would have been possible without the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Tax Increment Financing (TIF), specifically the DDA’s two TIF Districts and the Grand Traverse County Brownfield Authority.

Cities are not a one-and-done effort. In our recent visits to Front Street, we see the improvements of years past showing their age. We see cracked, uneven sidewalks and tired walkways, and the number and variety of storefronts could use inspiration. Small-town downtowns are always “living on the edge,” with outer city development and online shopping always lurking as an alternative to consumers. The downtown merchants know this. That is why they are so supportive of the DDA and TIF. As citizens, we should be as well.

A misunderstanding exists among some in the city and even some city commissioners. The renewal of the DDA and continuation of TIF 97 do not equate to an increase in your taxes—meaning if we abolish the

DDA and do not extend TIF, TC taxpayers will not get 15 percent back in tax rebates. Your taxes will remain the same. The money from the DDA will go into the general fund, and the regional share ($1.8 million a year) will no longer be available for investment in the city.

The DDA has discussed several current future projects, such as a new riverwalk design that creates a multi-use capability, the continuation of greenspace development where appropriate, and the continuation/ extension of the current heated sidewalks downtown. Because of these big plans, some in our community and on our city commission want to discontinue the DDA and TIF. They mention specific projects and line items in the proposed budgets and future project lists as “too expensive,” “unnecessary,” or “too grandiose.” Because they don’t like the plan, they are looking to defund the DDA.

Enter Lee Iacocca. The DDA and TIF plan may need to make some adjustments. However, city staff, DDA, public officials, downtown merchants, and hundreds of citizens participated in public meetings over the years to create the plan collectively. Leadership requires recognizing one’s limitations and that you’re often mistaken if relying solely on your own. City leaders blocking approval have forgotten this and are listening only to a few.

Let’s say the current DDA plan is only 60 percent right. That’s pretty good, considering it’s a 30-year plan. In subsequent and future years, smart people can make it come to life to fit their needs best. Nothing is locked in.

Progress only happens once you take a step in some direction, evaluate the step, make course corrections, and continue to take steps. A “let’s do nothing,” or worse, reject millions and embrace an “us vs. them” approach gets us nowhere.

It’s time for us to hold our city commission accountable and encourage them to take a step forward. Merely saying no, without presenting a solution-oriented approach, is not leadership. Let’s trust our committed city workers, business leaders, and skilled citizenry to correct the course as we go, even if it doesn’t align perfectly with our personal views. They have proven themselves in the past; let’s trust them moving forward.

Let’s stand together in support of the DDA and TIF, as they are crucial for the continued development and revitalization of our beloved Traverse City.

Richard Robbins is a recently retired resident who grew up in the Detroit area. He and his wife Barbara have lived all over the United States before selecting Traverse City for its beauty, culture, bike trails, and walkability.

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Where the Wild River Rolls

Conservation Resource Alliance shares the top items on their to-do list to restore northern Michigan’s waterways and lands

By Anna Faller

“We’re wild about rivers…and so much more.”

That’s the motto of Conservation Resource Alliance (CRA), a “rewilding” nature nonprofit headquartered in Traverse City. Since its formation in 1968, the CRA has expanded across 15 northwest Michigan counties and encompasses a trio of on-theground programs—River Care, Wild Roots, and Wild Link—each catered towards restoring natural habitats and improving environmental resilience throughout the Great Lakes and beyond.

“We see ourselves as a resource for partners in our regional community to keep our energy focused on a common set of objectives,” CRA Director Amy Beyer says— that is, preserving the state’s rivers, forests, and lands for many years to come.

River Care

The health of Michigan’s environment is directly related to that of our waters;

thus, watershed protection is at the core of everything the CRA does.

If we think about the Great Lakes like a human body, all of its tributaries and streams are like veins and arteries pumping blood. When we cramp those critical movement channels, the body can’t function as well as it should, thereby making it more susceptible to future damage (in the case of our waterways think of issues like invasive species, climate change, erosion, etc.).

The CRA’s work to remove dams and barriers and restore natural areas acts a lot like preventative medicine. “Every time we complete a project, we’re adding to the ‘body’s’ resilience, and enhancing its ability to fight off whatever comes next,” Beyer says.

Project No. 1: The Pere Marquette Watershed

The first of these endeavors brings us to the Pere Marquette Watershed (PMW), where the CRA has been hard at work on various projects for about 60 years. Recently, the stabilization of a precarious railroad embankment in Baldwin marks a milestone

for the nonprofit, both in terms of project completion (the effort’s in its final stages after more than a decade of work), as well as community involvement, headlined by the CRA’s collaboration with multiple local groups and organizations.

“It really took everyone at the table and some very intense engineering,” notes Beyer, “but the most important part, I think, is that we averted disaster.”

The CRA team broke ground on the railroad embankment initiative in late 2023, and since then have successfully reinforced some 65 miles of river, while also working with local construction crews to reestablish a floodplain bench and bolster fish and wildlife habitats. Revegetation is the final step here, which, per Beyer, is already in the works.

Project No. 2: The Baldwin River Dam

The CRA is drafting plans to remove the decaying Baldwin River Dam, also in the PMW—an especially complex undertaking, which is set to unfold through the next few years.

First constructed in the 1880s, the dam’s several degrading components are not only detrimental to the surrounding river, but also pose a danger to downstream villages, which are at high-water risk. Further, the dam also doubles as a sea lamprey barrier, an issue which requires a more engineered and seasonal structure to adequately solve. In response, the CRA and its project

Beyer

An aerial shot of the Jordan River. Photos courtesy of CRA.

partners (including The Great Lakes Fishery Commission, AECOM infrastructure consulting firm, and landowner Jim Truxton, among many others) are working toward removing the dam and all of its related pieces, thereby reestablishing river connectivity and a stable floodplain, to boot. Designs for a new channel alignment are already in play as of early this year, with final construction funds and scope of work outlined as next steps.

Project No. 3: The Jordan River Watershed

The largest tributary of Lake Charlevoix, the Jordan River was the first to be designated “natural and scenic” via the State of Michigan’s Natural Rivers Act (1972). Prior to 2020, though, its undersized road infrastructure was creating fish passage barriers and encouraging riverbed trouble like erosion and excess sedimentation.

To address these issues, the CRA’s plan, which got the funding go-ahead that year, involves replacing the final pair of inadequate culverts on the river’s mainstem with a series of clear-spanning bridges, as well as significant reconstruction of the road-crossing over nearby Deer Creek. It also marks the CRA’s first concurrent design and assembly of three major crossings.

As of a project update in late May, designs for the bridges are finished and construction bids have been accepted. From there, it’s all about ground break, which is on the calendar for later this summer.

Project No. 4: The Crystal River Watershed

Next up on the CRA’s map of River Care projects is the Crystal River. This waterway, which is a focal point of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, is a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts and sees about 15,000 annual visitors.

Its aging infrastructure, however, poses a number of hazards. For starters, three streamcrossing structures have rendered parts of the river impassable, forcing boaters to “portage” their crafts across the busy County Road 675.

The stream-crossings are also undersized, which not only disrupts the river’s in-stream habitat and natural flow of debris, but also puts the above transportation system at risk during high-water events.

Together with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB), the CRA aims to renovate four Crystal River crossings, the first of which was installed in fall 2023 at the Tucker Lake Outlet. The project’s remaining stages, which are scheduled for completion by 2025, will restore the last three sites with free-spanning infrastructure and connect the stretch of river to Lake Huron.

Project No. 5: The Stony Creek Watershed and Marshville Dam

Also on the bill for 2024 is a comprehensive restoration project in the Stony Creek Watershed (Oceana County).

This initiative—which includes both private lands, as well as a site in Marshville Dam County Park—aims to increase widespread access to the uniquely-cold Stony Creek, while also improving wildlife habitats and restoring the waterway’s composition.

The action got underway in May, with the reconstruction of the stream’s outdated road-crossing as the first order of business. From there, the CRA, along with co-project leader West Michigan Regional Shoreline Development Commission, plans to address a series of undersized culverts, which will be replaced with a full-spanning timber bridge.

Other project highlights include removal of the Marshville Dam, which will fully liberate this section of river for the first time in more than a century, as well as the installation of a public fishing platform.

Project No. 6: The Maple River

Of the CRA’s recently-completed River Care work, a 25-year project on the Maple River (Pellston) is a highlight.

That seemingly-impossible goal reconnected more than 50 miles of river—a milestone for the CRA, and the first time in

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U.S. history that a major river was freed from stem to stern. The peak of this years-long project was the removal of the Lake Kathleen Dam, a disastrous barrier that stifled the native trout population and corroded the riverbed, among other detriments.

CRA partnership with Forests to MI Faucets. This Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) initiative involves 19 other conservation partners, all of whom share the goal of protecting our drinking water by increasing forested land.

Though the bulk of this initiative is in what Beyer calls the “celebration” phase, she also stresses that the CRA’s work in the Maple River is far from complete.

“When we finish such an effort, we don’t just leave that watershed and that community in the rearview mirror,” she notes. Instead, the CRA is gearing up for at least another decade of action in the Maple’s connecting tributaries, along with reforestation efforts and upkeep of local wildlife habitats.

Wild Roots

Studies have shown that watersheds with more trees generally have better water quality, as permanent vegetation helps mitigate elements like runoff control, shade cover, and reduction of sediments and toxins.

Traverse City’s updated Source Water Protection Plan is next on the docket here, says Beyer, wherein the CRA will help tailor next steps to ensure local water

Wed. July 3 The Bitter End, NYC

Thurs. July 4 Westside Bowl, Youngstown, OH

Fri. July 5 The Livery, Benton Harbor, MI

Roots, was piloted in 2019—and has since become permanent—as a link between local communities and bolstering Michigan’s ecosystems through native species reforestation.

Sun. July 7 McMinn Music Farm, Delton, MI

Wed. July 10 Short’s Tap Room, Elk Rapids, MI

Thurs. July 11 Old Art Building, Leland, MI

Fri. July 12 Common Good Bakery, Traverse City, MI

Project No. 7: Planting Native Trees and Shrubs

Sat. July 13 Cabbage Shed, Elberta, MI

Sun. July 14 The Gate House, Mackinac Island, MI

easy enough, Beyer underscores that doing so on a large-scale can be a difficult ask. Consequently, the CRA’s primary role in this program is to connect its participants to the tools and resources they need to ensure they meet their conservation goals.

“We’re working with different partners, including the DNR and The Watershed Center [Grand Traverse Bay], to make sure that the forest protection part of that strategy

The third and final branch of the CRA’s programming is called Wild Link. This is an expert-driven management program, wherein landowners connect with the CRA’s team to learn about wildlife-friendly practices and help

Tues. July 16 Opera House, Cheboygan, MI

Wed. July 17 Private Concert, Harbor Springs, MI

Fri. July 19 Music in the Park, Northport, MI

Sat. July 20 Gypsy Distillery, Petoskey, MI

Sun. July 21 The Nahma Inn, Nahma, MI

protection (aka “tree tubes”), reforesting public and private lands, and exploring alternate species to replace sections of woods lost to the pesky Emerald Ash Borer. And boy, is it working! In the years since the program first launched, Wild Roots has serviced 20 counties, involved more than 400 landowners and volunteers, and planted a staggering 115,000 trees.

Mon. July 22 Ore Dock Brewing, Marquette, MI

Tues. July 23 Private Concert, Norton Shores, MI

Wed. July 24 Music in the Park, Lakeview, MI

Project No. 8: Forests to MI Faucets

Of course, all those properties are connected via watershed. “That’s why we call it Wild Link,” Beyer says, “because it helps build these giant corridors of healthy

owned and protected land is critical from an ecological standpoint, Beyer says, because it ensures the movement of wildlife, access to food and cover, and

“The notion with this program is that landowners can count on us for voluntary management, while also meeting larger

For more information on Conservation

Construction on Lake Kathleen, where a dam was removed to restore the Maple River’s overall riverine system.

Highwire Act Roots Blues Duo

partners (including The Great Lakes Fishery Commission, AECOM infrastructure consulting firm, and landowner Jim Truxton, among many others) are working toward

The stream-crossings are also undersized, which not only disrupts the river’s in-stream habitat and natural flow of debris, but also puts the above transportation system at risk

Together with the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (GTB), the CRA aims to renovate four Crystal River crossings, the first of which was installed in fall 2023 at the Tucker Lake Outlet. The project’s remaining stages, which are scheduled for completion by 2025, will restore the last three sites with free-spanning infrastructure and

Project No. 5: The Stony Creek Watershed and

Also on the bill for 2024 is a comprehensive restoration project in the Stony Creek Watershed (Oceana County). This initiative—which includes both private lands, as well as a site in Marshville Dam County Park—aims to increase widespread access to the uniquely-cold Stony Creek, while also improving wildlife habitats and

The action got underway in May, with the reconstruction of the stream’s outdated road-crossing as the first order of business. From there, the CRA, along with co-project leader West Michigan Regional Shoreline Development Commission, plans to address a series of undersized culverts, which will be replaced with a full-spanning timber bridge.

Other project highlights include removal of the Marshville Dam, which will fully liberate this section of river for the first time in more than a century, as well as the

National Lakeshore, is a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts and sees about 15,000 annual visitors.

Its aging infrastructure, however, poses a number of hazards. For starters, three streamcrossing structures have rendered parts of the river impassable, forcing boaters to “portage” their crafts across the busy County Road 675.

Project No. 6: The Maple River

Of the CRA’s recently-completed River Care work, a 25-year project on the Maple River (Pellston) is a highlight.

That seemingly-impossible goal reconnected more than 50 miles of river—a milestone for the CRA, and the first time in

U.S. history that a major river was freed from stem to stern. The peak of this years-long project was the removal of the Lake Kathleen Dam, a disastrous barrier that stifled the native trout population and corroded the riverbed, among other detriments.

Though the bulk of this initiative is in what Beyer calls the “celebration” phase, she also stresses that the CRA’s work in the Maple River is far from complete.

“When we finish such an effort, we don’t just leave that watershed and that community in the rearview mirror,” she notes. Instead, the CRA is gearing up for at least another decade of action in the Maple’s connecting tributaries, along with reforestation efforts and upkeep of local wildlife habitats.

Wild Roots

The second of the CRA’s programs, Wild Roots, was piloted in 2019—and has since become permanent—as a link between local communities and bolstering Michigan’s ecosystems through native species reforestation.

Project No. 7: Planting Native Trees and Shrubs

Though planting trees might sound easy enough, Beyer underscores that doing so on a large-scale can be a difficult ask. Consequently, the CRA’s primary role in this program is to connect its participants to the tools and resources they need to ensure they meet their conservation goals.

These efforts include dispersal of sapling protection (aka “tree tubes”), reforesting public and private lands, and exploring alternate species to replace sections of woods lost to the pesky Emerald Ash Borer. And boy, is it working! In the years since the program first launched, Wild Roots has serviced 20 counties, involved more than 400 landowners and volunteers, and planted a staggering 115,000 trees.

Project No. 8: Forests to MI Faucets

Also under the Wild Roots umbrella is a

CRA partnership with Forests to MI Faucets. This Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) initiative involves 19 other conservation partners, all of whom share the goal of protecting our drinking water by increasing forested land.

Studies have shown that watersheds with more trees generally have better water quality, as permanent vegetation helps mitigate elements like runoff control, shade cover, and reduction of sediments and toxins.

Traverse City’s updated Source Water Protection Plan is next on the docket here, says Beyer, wherein the CRA will help tailor next steps to ensure local water quality and protections.

“We’re working with different partners, including the DNR and The Watershed Center [Grand Traverse Bay], to make sure that the forest protection part of that strategy is included in that plan,” she says.

Wild Link

The third and final branch of the CRA’s programming is called Wild Link. This is an expert-driven management program, wherein landowners connect with the CRA’s team to learn about wildlife-friendly practices and help spread conservation knowledge.

Of course, all those properties are connected via watershed. “That’s why we call it Wild Link,” Beyer says, “because it helps build these giant corridors of healthy habitats.”

Forging connections between publiclyowned and protected land is critical from an ecological standpoint, Beyer says, because it ensures the movement of wildlife, access to food and cover, and large-scale reproduction.

“The notion with this program is that landowners can count on us for voluntary management, while also meeting larger productivity goals,” she adds.

For more information on Conservation Resource Alliance, visit rivercare.org.

CHILLIN’ AND GRILLIN’ WITH SHORTCAKES AND BRATS Inside the Ingredients

By Nora Rae Pearl

Beach days and bonfire nights bring another thing we can look forward to this summer season...backyard barbecues.

Change things up by trying these twists on summertime classics. For your ingredients, get out there and support local producers by checking out the farmers markets and stands for fresh-from-the-field produce. Look for sun blessed strawberries (because they make the best shortcakes) from places like Guntzviller’s Berry and Vegetable Farm or Coveyou Scenic Farm Market, both in Petoskey. Also, be sure to pick up some Sleeping Bear Farms Cherry Honey Mustard, made in Beulah. (And don’t forget to grab their Thistle Honey to keep your grill game sizzling!)

ITALIAN BRATS ON HONEY CORNMEAL BUNS

Nothing beats a homemade brat...especially when it’s vegan, but let that be our little secret.

Brat Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups vital wheat gluten

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes

• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/3 cup slices sun dried tomatoes

• 10 fresh basil leaves

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon Sleeping Bear Farms Cherry Honey Mustard

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 1/2 cups water

Honey Cornmeal Buns

• 3 1/4 cups flour

• 1/2 cup cornmeal

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 1/2 cups warm water

• 2 tablespoons Sleeping Bear Farms Star

Thistle Honey

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 pack) yeast

• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil

To make the brats: Cut out eight 9-inch squares of parchment, and eight 12inch squares of foil. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Set aside. In a blender, combine the

remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, then add to the large bowl. Mix until a wet dough forms. Divide into eight pieces. One at a time, press dough into a 7-inch log on a piece of parchment. Roll up. Wrap in foil (not too tight as they will expand slightly as they cook). Repeat until all the dough is done. Steam for 50 minutes, then allow to cool for 10 minutes. Unwrap and place into a shallow dish. Drizzle with some oil, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Once ready to eat, grill to your liking. Serve with more Sleeping Bear Farms Cherry Honey Mustard.

To make the buns: In a cup, combine water, honey, and yeast. Give a stir, then set aside to sit for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add yeast mixture and oil. Mix until a dough forms, then knead for one minute. Drizzle the dough with some oil. Cover and allow to rise till doubled, about one hour. Press down the dough, then divide into eight pieces. Roll each into a 7-inch log. Place three inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and allow to rise until puffy, around 30 to 40 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees until browned, 20 to 22 minutes.

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

You never knew your shortcake could get any better, until you added chocolate.

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups flour

• 1/3 cup natural cocoa powder

• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, plus extra to brush

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

• 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

To make the strawberries: The day before you want to serve, toss the strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Cover and chill overnight.

To make the biscuits: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter. Work in with

a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly. Add the buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix until no dry spots remain. Scoop into 6 large balls (about 1/2 cup each) onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Pat down slightly to flatten tops. Brush with buttermilk and sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of sugar. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely.

To assemble: Whip the cream, powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Cut each biscuit in half hamburger-style. Set tops aside. Dollop whipped cream on each bottom, followed by a heaping spoonful of strawberries. Replace the tops. Add a little dollop of cream and a strawberry. Eat immediately.

Nora Rae Pearl is 99 percent foodie and 1 percent chef. When she is not writing about food, she can be found waiting in line at the farmers market hoping to get a croissant before they run out. Photo credits Cody Werme.

Vacation Goals

Headed to Arizona this summer? (I mean, who isn't?) Motor on over to Williams and drop into the Poozeum, the new permanent location for George Frandsen's extensive coprolite collection. (Coprolite, in case you didn't know, is fossilized animal feces, United Press International reported.) Frandsen earned a Guinness World Record in 2015 with his collection of 1,277 fossils -- but now, the Poozeum is the permanent home of 8,000 specimens. "Several years ago, I noticed a glaring absence of coprolite representation in mainstream sources and museum exhibits," Frandsen said. "The world's premier dinosaur poop museum" offers free admission -- but don't bypass the gift shop!

Questionable Judgment

At a McDonald's restaurant in Booval, Queensland, Australia, a customer caught an employee using a french fry heat lamp to dry a dirty mop head, Yahoo! News reported on May 20. The customer said the mop had just been used to mop the floors; she heard another employee say, "I don't think you should be doing that as it could be a safety issue as it can catch on fire," but the first worker just "laughed it off." A spokesperson for McDonald's Australia called it an "isolated incident" and said the staff had undergone "retraining" on food safety procedures.

Awesome!

As a 32-year-old man and his 66-year-old father argued on May 28 in Commerce City, Colorado, the father allegedly shot several times at the son, CNN reported. The father was believed to be intoxicated. While his aim was right on, a fluke saved the younger man's life: A .22-caliber bullet lodged in the 10-millimeter-wide silver chain link necklace he was wearing at his throat. The victim escaped with just a puncture wound; his dad is charged with first-degree attempted murder.

Oops!

The website for the Republican National Convention features a photo of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the convention will be held starting on July 15, on each of it pages. At least, it was supposed to. On June 4, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the website section called "News and Updates" highlighted a photo of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam -- not Milwaukee. According to an internet archive, the errant photo had been in place on the page since February. The RNC declined to comment.

The South China Morning Post reported on May 27 that a 26-year-old man from Naringgul, Indonesia, was hoodwinked into marriage after dating his "wife," Kanza, 26, for a year. Just 12 days into their union, the man, who goes by AK, became suspicious when his bride continued to wear her headscarf at home and avoided intimacy. After doing a little sleuthing, AK discovered that Kanza was actually a man who had been cross-dressing since 2020. The scoundrel later told authorities that he married AK to steal his family's assets. He was arrested and could face four years in prison.

Weird Science

Scientists in Japan are at it again, Oddity Central reported on May 31. The Japanese tech company Kirin Holdings has released the new Elecispoon, a metal-and-plastic, battery-powered spoon that will improve human taste buds' perception of salt, thereby

allowing them to use less salt in their foods. Overconsumption of salt is a health issue in Japan. The tip of the spoon's bowl transfers an electric charge to the food it touches and generates an electric field around the tongue, which causes sodium ions to bond together. The spoon, which sells for $128, has four intensity settings.

Um ...

Neighbors in Palm Beach Country Estates in Florida are upset about the noise levels they're enduring from I-95 and the Florida Turnpike, which run side by side through the area, WPTV reported on June 5. Resident Greta Foriere, who lives two houses from the turnpike, said it's like being tortured 24 hours a day: "You can't go outside." She and other neighbors are lobbying for a sound wall to muffle the noise, which she has recorded as reaching 146 decibels. Neighbor Gary Johnson said he wouldn't have bought his house if he'd known about the noise level. Fun fact: The highways have been in place for 60 years.

Crime Report

Six Bricks & Minifigs stores across southern California have been targeted by Lego thieves, the Los Angeles Times reported on June 5. The popular figurines lifted from the Lego resellers amount to about $100,000 worth of merchandise. Katie Leuschner, who owns the store in Whittier, said that on May 3, burglars broke glass to enter the store, then filled trash bags with the booty. "They're not stealing big box sets," she said. "They're stealing minifigures, and those individual guys go for $500 to $600 apiece, so they're easily stolen and resold for a quick profit." Other cities have been hit, too, by what one website calls a black market for Lego items. Leuschner and other owners are modifying their storefronts to be less vulnerable to the thieves.

Recurring Theme

Constance Glantz, 74, was receiving hospice care at a Waverly, Nebraska, nursing home when she seemed to pass away on June 3, The New York Times reported. The nursing home contacted the funeral home, and she was transported there. But as a mortician began the process of preparing her for burial, they discovered she was still breathing. Paramedics were called, and Glantz was taken to the hospital, where she actually died later the same day. "This is a very unusual case," said Chief Deputy Ben Houchin noted. "At this point, we have not been able to find any criminal intent by the nursing home, but the investigation is ongoing."

Ewwwww!

A woman named Cheyenne called in to a radio show in Australia on May 28 and dropped a whopper of a confession, the New York Post reported. "So my nan passed away in August last year and got cremated," Cheyenne began. "I went over to my mom's one night and thought to cheer her up a bit ... 'Let's just taste Nan.'" The caller went on to say that her brother, who had been in prison, was recently released and as a "welcome home" dinner, she made him pasta with sauce -- alla Nan. "I thought it would be funny to prank him ... and I put some of Nan's ashes in the pasta sauce." Cheyenne said she has a "weird addiction" to the ashes and believes they help connect her with her late granny. "Nan will live on through me forever," she said. Bon appetit.

Saturday, June 29

Stone Temple Pilots

Special Guest - Moon Fever

Sunday, June 30

T.I.

Special Guest - Ajax Stacks & DJ Xcape

Monday, July 1

• Pick Up Walking Guide

• Visit Participating Shops

• Meet Area Artists & Sample Local Libations

• Receive a Stamp on Walking Guide

Special Guest - Jefferson Starship

Tuesday, July 2

Comedian

Leanne Morgan

Wednesday, July 3

Goo Goo Dolls

Special Guest - The Sedonas

Thursday, July 4

Dylan Scott

Special Guest - DASHA

Friday, July 5 Bret Michaels

Comedian

• Enter to Win $200 in Gift Cards from Participating Businesses

• Hydration Station Sponsored by Bonek Agency

$5 DONATION FOR THE SUTTONS BAY CHAMBER RECOMMENDED Two Lucky Winners Will Be Drawn! Brought to you by Suttons Bay Chamber of Commerce

The Up North Garden Guide

MSU Extension expert talks plants, soils, pesticides, and more

By Art Bukowski

Life’s always better out in the garden.

And depending on what you plant in your little patch of earth, that maxim might apply to a host of critters that could use a little extra shelter or sustenance.

Decorative gardening has been a popular pastime for centuries, but it’s only been relatively recently that people are paying much closer attention to the so-called “ecosystem services” that a garden can provide, particularly when native plants are selected.

But how do you know what to select and how to plant it? What plants will do better in our soil types and climate? What about pests and other problems?

Northern Express caught up with Nate Walton, a Leelanau County-based consumer horticulture educator with Michigan State University Extension, to discuss all things gardening Up North.

Know Where to Start

There’s a bounty of gardening knowhow out there to help you start or maintain a garden in our region. Walton points to a specific Michigan gardening website maintained by MSU (migarden.msu.edu)

that contains info about individual plants, gardening techniques, and much more. A separate site (nativeplants.msu.edu) has reams of valuable details about plants native to the state.

There are many other online resources, both educational and commercial, but Walton reminds people to browse wisely. “A definite word of caution about the Internet, because there can be a lot of sources of information out there that are less reliable than others,” Walton says. “I always encourage folks to stick to websites that are created by universities or government agencies.”

Walton also suggests connecting with local nurseries, where staff know just what to plant, what to plant it with, and how to make it all thrive.

“Our local businesses are great resources,” Walton says. “We have a lot of really good nurseries in the area, and certainly those folks have a lot of knowledge to share.”

The MSU extension also maintains a lawn and garden hotline in which people can call and talk with a real, live person about all of their gardening questions. The toll-free hotline (888-678-3464) is open from 9am to 5pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Last but not least, the extension maintains

a native plant garden at the Leelanau County Government Center off M-204 near Suttons Bay for those needing some inspiration or who want a closer look at some of these plants.

Native Is Nice

In almost every situation, Walton says, a native-heavy garden will provide a huge boost to local birds, insects and other wildlife. And choosing native doesn’t mean settling for a less vibrant garden, Walton says, as there are far more showy options than one might suspect.

“More and more you can find some really nice specimens that you can get at local nurseries that are going to look good in your landscape and be able to replace those non-native plants that we’ve gotten so used to using,” Walton says.

All natives are good, but some pack more of a punch than others.

“I always encourage people to plant things like native viburnums or other flowering shrubs,” he says. “A native highbush cranberry is a nice one that produces some flowers. And the thing about the flowering shrubs is that they have flowers for our pollinators and fruit for birds and wildlife.”

A wide variety of insects and birds serve

as pollinators, meaning they facilitate the reproduction of plants by carrying pollen from flower to flower as they feed. Walton says native flowers are (you guessed it) among the best choices for local pollinators, and the wider variety, the better.

“Pollinators all have different needs and different life cycles. One of the most important things is that they need a diversity

Walton

Spotted bee balm

Walton Walton Walton

of flowers,” Walton says. “Having a lot of different kinds of flowers and flowers that bloom at different times of year is really important for supporting all of that diversity of pollinators that we have in Michigan.”

The gardener benefits from choosing native plants as well, Walton says. Northern Michigan is not the easiest place to grow plants, but if you pick ones that were meant to be here, they’ll do better.

“The native plants are almost always a little bit lower maintenance,” he says. “They just tend to be a little less needy in terms of water and fertilizer and things like that.”

Soil Expertise

Speaking of tough growing, you’ve probably heard a lot about our region’s sandy soils and the challenges they present. Walton says they’re not inherently as bad as people always assume, but they can make plant care tricky.

“The biggest challenge with sandy soils is that water and nutrients go through them so quickly. Every time you turn on your sprinklers, you’re washing a lot of that nutrition down and away from where the plant roots are,” he says. “And to make matters worse, they can end up going into our groundwater and into our lakes and streams, where we don’t want them.”

Walton advises gardeners in particularly sandy areas to watch the amount of fertilizer they use and modify their watering patterns.

“Make sure you have a soil test that will tell you what you have and what you need and so you’re just giving the plants what they need,” he says. “Be very careful to not overwater— use more frequent light waterings rather than these extended waterings that you space days apart.”

Walton also suggests minimizing pesticides by carefully researching whatever is ailing your plants and seeking out natural remedies. Local nurseries and the gardening hotline can be an excellent resource for this endeavor, he says. And whatever you do,

What to Put in Your Garden

We asked Walton for some of his favorite plants for local gardens. Here’s what he told us.

- Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis): It has pretty blue flowers that are loved by our native bees. This is also the caterpillar host plant for the endangered Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis).

- Hairy Beard-Tongue (Penstemon hirsutus): An adaptable early blooming species that provides pollen and nectar to early-season bees.

- Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata): Although the flowers won’t win any beauty contests, this plant is a powerhouse when it comes to providing resources to beneficial insects.

don’t spray just to spray.

“People sometimes use these pesticides in a preventative, proactive fashion, it may be worth taking a step back and making sure that those applications are really necessary,” he says.

The “Sad Reality” of Climate Change

Though it matters less for shorter-lived plants, a changing climate means that what are now good plants and trees for our region might not be in another 50 years. Just last year, the USDA revised its plant hardiness zones (used by gardeners to determine what plants can survive where) for the first time in many years, reflecting significant warming trends.

Northern Michigan was long listed as zone 5b, with average coldest temperatures between -10 and -15 degrees Fahrenheit, data that was based on averages from 1976 to 2005. A 3-degree temperature change between 2012 and 2023 has put us in hardiness zone 6a, with average annual cold temps of -5 to -10 degrees.

Generally speaking, warming means that plants that thrive south of here might soon be a good fit for the region.

“We certainly are seeing some of the effects already of these trends in climate that are pushing some plants farther north,” Walton says. “There are certain plants in the Traverse City area where we’re at sort of the southern edge of their range, and some of those plants are struggling. We do need to think about what plants are growing farther south that we might be able to incorporate into our landscapes to replace those species.”

Climate change is a “sad reality,” Walton says, but it’s better to take steps now to face the growing threat head on.

“It’s important to deal with the hand that we’re being dealt here and making sure that we still have trees and plants that are healthy that we can grow to give us shade, to give us food for wildlife, and all those other benefits that these plants can give us in our landscapes [well into the future],” he says.

- Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum): The bases of the leaves hold rainwater for birds to play in. This tall plant is easy to grow and produces abundant yellow sunflower-like blooms.

- Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata): A tall, slender plant that looks great in uniform stands or integrated into a prairie mix. Feeds an abundance of late summer pollinators.

- Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata): Fragrant purple blossoms that attract a number of beneficial insects. Provides food for adult Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) as well as the caterpillars.

- Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa): A small flowering shrub that is easy to care for and provides flowers for pollinators from July through September.

- Bush Honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera): A small shrub with attractive foliage and small yellow flowers that are a favorite of native bumble bees.

- Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis): Edible fruits for people and wildlife. The hollow stems provide a natural nesting cavity for native bees.

- Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia): A large shrub or small tree that provides abundant blossoms for pollinators and makes for an excellent landscape specimen.

Lavender Fields Forever

Behind the blossoms at the Secret Garden at Brys Estate

By Brighid Driscoll

Though it’s called the Secret Garden, the secret’s been out for a while at Brys Estate on Old Mission Peninsula.

Walter and Eileen Brys own Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery and its not-so-secret sister property, the Secret Garden at Brys Estate. The garden is hidden by trees and sits lower on the property, and the pair would often come sit out at the site and enjoy its peaceful beauty.

“This was an area where we couldn’t grow grapes,” daughter and manager Katie Brys Elmasri says as she gestures to the garden’s nearly-blooming lavender fields. “The grapes sit up high, and the cold air settles down here.”

Northern Michigan is located on the 45th parallel, along with many other vineyards all over the world. On a trip to France, Elmasri’s mother was enchanted by the abundant lavender fields growing alongside vineyards. “And she thought that could work here.”

Everything’s Coming Up Lavender

In 2013, the first lavender row was planted to test whether it would take to the land. The plants grew large and lush, beginning what would grow into a 12-acre garden.

“For our purposes, because we distill essential oil, we harvest the plants for product. Lavender’s lifespan is around 10 to 15 years. But we don’t touch these ones because they’re so big and beautiful,” Elmasri says of those first plants.

There are 11 types of lavender grown at the garden, including varieties called Elizabeth and Violet Intrigue. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is known for its sweet fragrance and is often used in culinary applications and essential oils, while French lavender (Lavandula dentata) has a more pungent aroma and serrated leaves, making it popular for ornamental purposes. Spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) has a camphor-like scent, making it suitable for medicinal and cleaning products, and Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia), a hybrid, combines qualities of both English and spike lavender.

“Coming out of winter, lavender looks really gray, and you might think, ‘Oh no, are my plants dead?’ But as spring rolls around they begin to green up again,” explains Elmasri. The lavender blooms in early July and engulfs the garden in purple.

In late July and early August, the harvesting begins. The process starts with picking the lavender when the flowers are in

full bloom, ideally in the morning when the essential oil content is highest. Stems are cut close to the base and gathered into bundles.

Once harvested, the lavender bundles are taken to a distillery near the garden. Here, they’re placed in a copper still where steam is passed through the plant material. The steam helps release the essential oils from the flowers. This steam-oil mixture then travels through a cooling system, where it condenses back into liquid form. The liquid collected is a combination of water and essential oil. Since oil and water don’t mix, the essential oil floats on top and can be easily separated.

Purple Products

This beautiful, aromatic oil is then bottled and used in Brys products. The leftover lavender water, known as hydrosol, also has many uses, adding to the zero-waste charm of this process.

“We make a few simple things like hand soap, shower gel, bar soap, body lotion, and an eye mask made with cherry pits soaked in lavender oil,” Elmasri says. They also sell bundles of dried lavender, the aforementioned hydrosol, and of course, essential oil.

“People are sometimes surprised that the essential oil is expensive, but it takes around

make

Also for sale and worth experiencing is a collaborative ice cream with Moomers that is made with Brys lavender buds, lemon, and white chocolate chips.

Your Own Secret Garden

Wishing you had your own secret garden? Elmasri says that thanks to its beauty and many uses, lavender is a wonderful addition to your home. “Mosquitos don’t like lavender, neither do ticks or deer,” she says.

For best results, choose a sunny spot with well-draining soil, as lavender loves the sun and dislikes wet feet. Adding sand or gravel to your soil can improve drainage. Plant your lavender in the spring after the last frost, spacing plants about a foot apart to ensure good air circulation. Water them sparingly; lavender thrives in dry conditions. Mulching with small stones can help retain heat, and you should prune your plants in early spring to encourage bushy growth.

With a little care, you’ll enjoy beautiful, fragrant lavender all summer long. If you’d just like to experience the scents and colors, make a trip to the Secret Garden at Brys Estate at 3309 Blue Water Rd. in Traverse City. bryssecretgarden.com

52 bundles to

an ounce of oil,” Elmasri tells us.

The Benefits of Lavender

Humans have used lavender for centuries. The Egyptians used it in their elaborate mummification rituals, appreciating its preservative qualities and sweet aroma. Romans adored lavender for its versatility, using it to perfume bathwater, freshen the air, and flavor food. In medieval Europe, it was a staple in herb gardens, prized for its medicinal properties and believed to ward off evil. During the Renaissance, lavender gained popularity as a remedy for headaches and insect bites.

In the 20th century, lavender farming flourished, particularly in France, leading to its widespread use in essential oils and aromatherapy. Today, lavender continues to be celebrated for its calming fragrance and uses in wellness and beauty. Here are just a few ways to put that powerful purple plant to use:

Aromatherapy: Lavender essential oil is renowned for its calming and relaxing properties, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.

Sleep Aid: The soothing scent of lavender promotes restful sleep, making it a popular choice for pillows and diffusers in bedrooms.

Skin Care: Lavender oil has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, which can help heal minor burns, insect bites, and acne.

Pain Relief: Massaging lavender oil into the skin can alleviate muscle soreness and joint pain.

Hair Care: Lavender oil is believed to improve scalp health and promote hair growth when used in hair treatments.

Natural Deodorant: Its pleasant scent and antimicrobial properties make lavender a natural choice for deodorants and fresheners.

Household Cleaner: Lavender’s antibacterial qualities make it an effective and fragrant ingredient in natural cleaning products.

Culinary Uses: Lavender adds a unique flavor to baked goods, teas, and savory dishes, enhancing culinary experiences.

Insect Repellent: The strong scent of lavender deters mosquitoes, moths, and other insects.

Mental Clarity: Inhaling lavender can improve concentration and reduce mental fatigue, making it useful during work or study sessions.

Emotional Well-being: Lavender’s calming effects can help alleviate symptoms of depression and uplift mood.

Nature’s Playgrounds

Exploring northern Michigan’s magical children’s gardens

By Kierstin Gunsberg

As nature writer Elizabeth Lawrence once wrote, “There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.”

With the lavender beginning to bloom and afternoons marked by the sound of trees rustling in a Lake Michigan breeze, there’s no place as bright, soft, or fragrant as a summer garden in northern Michigan. So grab the littles (and some sunscreen) and find your own enchanted place at one of these nearby gardens created just for kids.

Grand Traverse Area Children’s Garden

Ever wanted to kiss a frog prince, daydream with koi fish, or get carried away by a wise old tortoise? With a little imagination, it’s all possible at the Grand Traverse Area (GTA) Children’s Garden, thanks to Susan Kuschell.

A Master Gardener, the late Kuschell was inspired to create the storybookthemed garden behind the Traverse Area District Library after visiting Michigan State University’s horticulture gardens. “Gardens and libraries, if you Google it, it goes back years and years and decades and decades. They definitely belong together,” says Sarah Kuschell, the garden’s executive director.

Sarah is also Susan’s daughter, and she

grew up with a behind-the-scenes look at the garden’s growth from the first seeds to the mini-campus that it is today. Starting at a lifesize sundial and winding through pollinator friendly blooms, its path leads through interactive exhibits before opening to an 18-plot learning garden.

“[That] garden focuses on teaching children, but is open to visitors of all ages for wandering and inspiration,” says Sarah. “It is a safe, social, happy place, full of good energy, used by people of all ages and backgrounds.”

Find It: Sandwiched between the Traverse Area District Library and Hull Park.

Kid-Favorite Features: After ringing the bell on the wooden train playscape, grab an errant stick and crawl into the shade of the willow house to roast pretend marshmallows over a pretend fire—just don’t burn ’em!

Good To Know: This summer, the garden is celebrating its 25th anniversary with free family friendly events, concerts, and special guests, including a visit from Wesley the miniature horse. To learn more about upcoming events at the GTA Children’s Garden, visit them on Facebook.

The Earth Tones Music Garden at Raven Hill Discovery Center

Before Tom Kaufmann was creating music sculptures for ArtPrize, he was working with Cheri and Tim Leach to dream

up their music garden. It was 2009, and the Leaches had commissioned the artist to create his very first music sculptures for their 175-acre, hands-on-learning museum after receiving funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Once it was finished, the Leaches named the outdoor exhibit The Earth Tones Music Garden. “Because all of the instruments are made from materials that come from our earth,” explains Cheri, before concluding that technically, everything comes from the earth in some way or another. “But it’s a nice name for the garden,” she adds with a laugh.

Set between the Picnic Pavilion and the Jurassic Park exhibit, Raven Hill’s music garden features larger than life playable instruments made from recycled materials like granite countertop and propane tanks. “So not only does it come from the earth,” says Cheri, “but we’re reusing and repurposing things, too.”

Find It: Tucked on the outskirts of Raven Ridge Nature Preserve in East Jordan.

Kid-Favorite Features: Unique instruments like the amadinda (that’s a type of Ugandan xylophone) and mushroom bells (fashioned out of old oxygen tanks) are guaranteed to be new to your crew. They’ll be having so much fun discovering each one that they won’t even realize they’re getting an all-in-one-lesson on culture, conservation, and the science of sound—on school break

no less!

Good To Know: The center is open every day through the summer, and most visitors spend at least a couple of hours exploring the campus. The cost is $10 per person, or $5 to peruse the outdoor exhibits only. Call (231) 536-3369 for hours, to add accessibility options, and for group admission.

The Children’s Sensory Garden and Fairy Forest What started as a field of invasive bromegrass has been transformed into a colorful children’s sensory garden at the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park.

“[We were] first approached by the Friendly Garden Club when they were looking to make an impactful new garden in the community,” recalls Executive Director Matthew Ross. The club’s vision to create a sensory garden that would welcome all children was right in line with the Botanic Garden’s goal of adding more space for kids and families to explore on the 26-acre property.

“Creating accessible and free places for families in nature is critical not only for their developing minds but for all of us as a society,” says Ross. “Far too often we get wrapped up in the minutiae of life and don’t have a moment to stop and reflect in nature and realize how amazing life really is.”

Find It: At the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, just a short hike from the adjacent

The Sensory Garden inside the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park. Photo by Steve Tavener.

Village at Grand Traverse Commons.

Kid-Favorite Features: Kids of all ages will have a blast exploring the new waterfall fountain feature, peeking at the garden’s flowers through the giant nature kaleidoscope, and taking a gander at the life-size bronze statue of Colantha the Cow situated in the center of it all. Up the hill from the Children’s Sensory Garden is a pollinator garden that opens up to a woodland fairytale dream come true. Under the constant shade of conifers and maples is the Fairy Forest, where dozens upon dozens of handmade fairy houses made from foraged, natural materials rest at the base of tree trunks throughout the trail.

Good To Know: Both the Children’s

Sensory Garden and Fairy Forest (along with the rest of the Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park) are free and open to the public year round. The garden offers free monthly programming for kids where they’ll learn how to do things like propagate plants and craft fairy wands. Parking is central to all of the gardens and exhibits, including a labyrinth complete with benches for taking in the resident birds.

More to Grow

Check out these other cool gardens around the region and keep the summer fun going!

Developed from the remains of a former dump site, the Otsego County Demonstration Garden is now blooming

Schedule of Events

with three beautiful acres of gardens to explore. Meander through the songbird, rose, and native wildflower gardens or head over to the compost demonstration site to get the lowdown on turning kitchen scraps into plant food. Afterward, check out the 16 acres of wooded walking trails nearby.

Charlevoix’s Native Plant Educational Garden is free and open to the public. The garden features 70 native plant species like the dainty bird’s foot violet and wild geranium, which surround the Conservation District building. Take in the sun and shade gardens then pop inside to cool off while perusing info about backyard conservation and shoreline preservation.

For a true Alice In Wonderland garden

experience, head over to Castle Farms, where admission to the ornate gardens is included with each ticket. The Queen’s Rose Garden and the secluded King’s Courtyard Garden make for a relaxing stop while exploring the sprawling grounds. Kids will especially love running through—and getting turned around in—the Hedge Maze. But watch out! There’s a dragon dwelling among the Smoke Bushes and Prickly Pear Cactus of the dragon’s Lair. (Word is though, he’s pretty cool for a hot-breathed fantasy creature.)

A 2012 ArtPrize semi-finalist, “Norm” the dragon is sculpted out of recycled materials by artist John Andrews and makes for a perfect “what did you do over the summer?” photo op.

Kiddos

the Learning Garden, part of the offerings at GTA Children's Garden.

Reviving TaffelTown

The 75-year-old eatery is once more open for dinner

By Al Parker

The president was Harry Truman, gas cost 24 cents a gallon and the Cleveland Indians battled the Boston Braves in the World Series.

The year was 1948 and an ambitious young guy named Al Tafel built a sturdy log structure out in a remote spot along a sleepy M-66 in rural Kalkaska County. Over the years, the place housed a general store, a tavern, and a restaurant. With a slight twist in spelling, the joint became known as “Taffeltown” and passed through a series of owners.

Live music, cold beer, and cheap eats drew crowds, but eventually the eatery was closed and sat vacant for years, falling into pretty deep disrepair. Until a downstate couple armed with energy and a dream decided to take on the challenge of reviving the place.

A Log-House Dream

Rene Anderson and Dean Horn saw potential in the aging landmark, which they had known about—and driven past—on trips Up North.

Anderson and Horn grew up in rural Montcalm County and both carved out successful careers in the motion picture business. But as years went by, they each had an interest in doing something different as they neared retirement. Neither had much experience running a restaurant, though “Dean’s parents had a small bar, and he worked there when he was young,” Anderson says.

In 2019, a year before the pandemic slammed shut the doors of many restaurants, they bought the log building and about

40 acres. Then they gave it a new name, TaffelTown Lodge.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘We just bought ourselves a job,’” laughs Anderson. “It needed a really good cleaning.”

But the bones were good, and Horn (“Deano” to his friends) is a hardworking guy who has serious construction skills that he put to work overtime. He updated the plumbing and wiring, re-did a bathroom, and added a back patio area, built ramps, and more to make the place compliant with ADA requirements.

“It had been broken into several times,” recalls Anderson. “Someone had sprayed fire extinguisher foam all over the walls and ceiling. That was hard to clean up.”

Log-by-log, Anderson used lemon oil and elbow grease to make the wooden interior gleam. They pulled out seven satellite dishes and miles of cable wire. The result is a very comfortable, non-tech haven where guests can soak in the laid-back vibe.

“When people walk into here, they see it’s not corporate,” says Anderson. “It’s our house, you’re my guest, and I’m going to cook you a meal.”

Visitors will hear 1950’s lounge music, and some may take advantage of Horn’s skills as a martini maker. “People here talk to each other,” adds Anderson. “We don’t see anyone on their phones. And we’re not into turning tables. If you want to sit for two hours and talk and relax, we’re okay with that.”

That welcoming attitude has been enhanced just a bit by technology. “We have become a destination,” says Anderson. “A lot of that was our Facebook followers.”

Good Old Home-Cooked Food Anderson visits local markets and nearby

farms to pick out all the food herself. One of her usual haunts is 3rd Day Farm in Lake City where she gets vegetables, greens, and other items. Their Reuben sandwich features corned beef from Louie’s Meats in Traverse City, and they rely on To the Moon Bakery in Lake City for many of their baked goods.

“We decided I would cook good old home-cooked food,” Anderson tells us. “There’s no microwave, no fryer. But I have a wall of cast iron [skillets and pans] that I cook in. And Deano waits tables.”

TaffelTown Lodge’s menu changes weekly, with Anderson whipping up her favorites in her impressive cast iron collection. One recent menu opened with

TaffelTown Sauteed Mushrooms ($9), a generous pile of fungi bathed in butter, garlic, and wine and served with enough bread to sop up the goodies.

Entrees include a healthy portion of skewered beef ($19), bites of seasoned ball tip beef hot off the charcoal grill, or go with similarly grilled chicken ($17). Both are served with creamed potatoes, a vegetable, and a hand-made dinner roll. Vegetarians can create their own pasta bowl ($16), and add three ingredients like mushrooms, Kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, and feta cheese, accompanied by a flavorful garlic baguette. If you’re interested in a burger, they offer

TaffelTown Lodge welcomes guests on M-66, 15 miles south of Kalkaska and 15 miles north of Lake City.

The Hemlock Wedding Garden is a comfortable site for a special ceremony.

a one-third pound treat on a handmade bun with a bag of chips for only $11. There’s a similar olive burger, topped with Swiss cheese and covered in olive and pimento sauce for $13. Roasted pork and roasted beef sliders are only $4 each. Eight-inch personal pizzas are $13.

It’s early days, but do they have a signature dish yet?

“That’s gotta be our Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf,” Anderson says with a laugh. “We perk it up with our secret recipe and lots of things like basil, garlic, and fresh oregano. We’re going to put this on the menu more often.”

TaffelTown Lodge also has a small, but refreshing array of local craft beers to enjoy with your meal. “We support Michigan’s small brewers,” says Anderson. And the craft beer lineup backs up that talk. Of the five Michigan brews on the menu, you’ll find three from northern Michigan—Dickory Dock pale ale from Stone Hound Brewery in Acme and two from Short’s Brewing in Bellaire: Locals Light and Bellaire Brown.

If beer’s not your thing, the adult beverage menu features several local choices. There’s a tasty Pinot Grigio from Bowers Harbor Winery on Old Mission Peninsula and a northern rye whiskey from Mammoth Distillery in Central Lake. Soft drinks are from Northwoods Soda and flavors include root beer, black cherry, orange, lake effect lemonade, and wild ginger.

Growing Slowly

TaffelTown Lodge made its summer debut on May 22 this year. It’s only open

Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 4 to 9pm. They offer live music on select Wednesday nights from 6pm till closing. Aaron Dye will bring his twist on northern Michigan swamp rock on July 3; on Sept. 11 it’ll be Luke Woltanski, “The Dangerous Music Man,” entertaining.

The regular dining season ends on Nov. 1. But that doesn't mean the doors are locked for good and the TaffelTown Lodge’s fun is over.

Each month over the winter there’s a special “Reservations Needed” event that Anderson plans down to the finest detail. In November you can attend a vintage Thanksgiving meal, and December boasts an old-fashioned New Year’s Eve party, complete with delicate china, that sells out every year.

January’s big bash is a vintage snowmobile party with dozens of old sleds stopping by, followed by a romantic Valentine’s Day in February. March brings a rousing St. Patrick’s Day event that’s followed by an Easter dinner that draws a crowd. Their Mother’s Day celebration comes just before the opening of the regular dining season.

In addition to the dining, TaffelTown Lodge hosts weddings in the Hemlock Wedding Garden, an outdoor area devoted to special intimate gatherings. “It’s a very unique place,” says Anderson. “Not a barn, not a church—it’s historic.”

With all that going on, Anderson and Horn are in no hurry to expand services at cozy TaffelTown Lodge. “We don’t really advertise,” says Anderson. “We want to grow slowly.”

Take off from Cherry Capital Airport to 20 popular U.S. destinations. No stops. No worries.

Atlanta- ATL Boston- BOS Charlotte- CLT Chicago- ORD Dallas/Fort Worth- DFW Denver- DEN Detroit- DTW

Fort Lauderdale- FLL Houston- IAH Minneapolis- MSP Newark- EWR New Haven- HVN

New York-LaGuardia- LGA Orlando/Sanford- SFB

Philadelphia- PHL Phoenix/Mesa- AZA

Punta Gorda- PGD

Tampa/St. Pete- PIE

Washington DC-Dulles- IAD Washington DC-Reagan- DCA

Cherry Capital Airport tvcairport.com

Find TaffelTown Lodge at 12397 M-66 in Fife Lake. (231) 564-1203

Experience expertly crafted cocktails and breathtaking waterfront views at The Patio at Delamar, nestled in our chef's garden. Open daily from 12 pm to 10 pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

DELAMAR.COM 231-947-3700

While waiting for a table, guests can relax in the comfortable lounge area.

The restaurant’s cast iron tools of the trade.

TaffelTown kitchen after the extensive remodel.

Violent Femmes JUNE 20 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit With Courtney Marie Andrews

21 The Singing Sergeants Free Admission

24

KC and the Sunshine Band

27

Vitamin String Quartet Playing music from Bridgerton, Taylor Swift, and beyond.

28

The Comedy of Errors Interlochen Shakespeare Festival

Old Crow Medicine Show With Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway

11

Norah Jones With Mavis Staples

13

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

14

Nickel Creek and Andrew Bird With Haley Heynderickx

15

Jason Mraz & The Superband With Molly Miller Trio JULY 16

Detroit Symphony Orchestra JULY 20

A Night of Comedy with Andy Beningo With Kate Brindle

JULY 23

SLASH With Keb’ Mo’, ZZ Ward, and Jackie Venson

24

Unity Tour With AWOLNATION and Neon Trees

26 Clint Black

30 High School Musical Production Wonderful Town

and Melissa Etheridge

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac AUG.

Jake Shimabukuro

Babes

by JOSEPH BEYER

At the center of the terrifically funny new comedy Babes is a story of a lifelong friendship between best friends. Around the edges of the 1 hour 44 minute film is a deeper story of motherhood, modern love, and maturity that may leave you in tears. That’s because actors Ilana Glazer (Broad City) and Michelle Buteau (First Wives Club) have created an onscreen duo with such palpable chemistry that it elevates a simple narrative into an expansive human expedition.

Set in New York City and using the unique city as background, this coming-of-middleage story begins when long-time besties Eden and Dawn meet for an annual friends weekend just as they have for years. But a lot has changed, too. Dawn is pregnant with her second child, and could give birth at any moment. And when that moment comes early in the movie’s first act, Eden will be there no matter what.

And so ensues a delightful romp of two friends with flipside lives who try to hold their relationship together as life forces them to change yet again. Dawn’s focus is drifting more and more to her husband and kids and their complex lives. Eden feels marginalized and left out, watching her friend Dawn growing up and leaving her behind as she struggles with loneliness and a revolving door of relationships without meaning.

But life throws Eden a major surprise when she suddenly finds herself pregnant, and she must decide how to navigate single motherhood and her codependency on her lifelong friend.

While there is nothing technically new in this contemporary comedy about pregnancy and parenting, there is a refreshing

authenticity to the film’s energy and raw insights into the quest to become selfless. Perhaps it’s the improvisational honesty of Glazer’s performance as Eden (the 37-yearold actress was actually pregnant during filming). Or maybe it’s the edginess of Buteau’s portrayal as a mother-mentor with flaws (something the 46-year-old with twins might relate to).

However the talented comediennes channeled their chemistry, the result is a heartwarming movie directed with a keen eye by native New Yorker Pamela Adlon (a career actress herself who stepped behind the camera here for her feature debut).

Released by NEON and rated R, the fierce script was developed by lead Glazer and written with her Broad City collaborator Josh Rabinowitz. Fans of the Comedy Central show will recognize Glazer’s speedy wit and style here, and Babes is another story of female friendship in that tradition.

Rounding out the cast with memorable cameos are John Carroll Lynch as Eden’s OBGYN, Oliver Platt as her neurotic father, Sandra Bernhard as a delightful dentist, and Hasan Minhaj as Dawn’s husband (normally seen doing stand-up on Netflix).

Babes has a sort of wild and infectious confidence featuring over-the-top physical and emotional comedy Glazer honed in her early days with the Upright Citizen’s Brigade improv troupe. It’s filled with heart and relatability and soul. With characters that look and sound like real people. With real struggles, real absurdity, and a real love for one another. Imagine that!

Now Playing at the AMC Cherry Blossom 14 and expected to stream on Hulu, exclusive

saturday

CHARLEVOIX MARATHON, HALF MARATHON, 5K & 10K: 6am, Bridge St., Charlevoix. See web site for registration info & various starting times. charlevoixmarathon.com

GRAND TRAVERSE KENNEL CLUB

CHERRY CLASSIC: 8am, Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC. AKC Conformation show. Good Citizen testing. Rally & Obedience. $8. Grandtraversekennelclub.com

SUMMER BIRD WALK: 8am, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Learn to ID birds by song & habitat on a guided bird walk. $5. grassriver.org

CLINT KANE REMEMBRANCE RUN: 9am, Clancy Park, TC. An untimed fun run, walk or pedal bike to honor & remember Clint Kane, a husband & father of three girls who was taken from his family in a tragic car accident one year ago. 2.22 miles. Following will be food, refreshments, music, yard games, & a bounce house. $35. runsignup. com/Race/MI/TraverseCity/ClintKaneRemembranceRun

HBA’S 35TH ANNUAL PARADE OF HOMES: 9am-7pm, TC. Throughout these four days (June 13-16), top builders from the area will unveil nine spectacular homes, showcasing the latest trends in home design, technology, outdoor living spaces, & landscaping. Explore these homes at your leisure & engage with experts on site. $20. facebook.com/hbanwmi

INDIAN RIVER OLD FASHIONED DAYS: Devoe Beach, Indian River. June 13-16. Today includes a craft show on Main St., Boat, RV, & UTV Show, Cornhole Tournament, Free Kids Zone at Marina Park, live music with Lee Fayssoux, Charlie Reager, & The Blitz, & more. northernmichiganguides. com/indian-river-old-fashioned-days

WALK MS: TRAVERSE CITY: 9am, TC Central High School. Over 250 participants are expected to rally at the NEW Walk MS: Traverse City which will showcase why it’s important for people with MS to be surrounded by the care & understanding of their support system. Hosted by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Raise donations to find a cure for MS. events.nationalmssociety.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive. event&eventID=1774

CONVO: 9:30am, Maple Ridge Place, TC. Seasonal brunch nurturing Christian women who lead. Hear testimonies from author Sole Wright & author/broadcaster Rachael Jenneman as you discuss how competition affects your walk with God. Registration re-

quired. Free will offering. susankhoekstra. com/maple-ridge-place

“ARTISTS OF MAIN STREET GALLERY”: 10am-4pm, Old Art Building, Leland. This exhibit runs June 14-18. It features fine art from the artists who have shown their work at & fueled the life of Main Street Gallery over much of its history. Free. oldartbuilding.com/events/artists-ofmain-street-gallery

ANNUAL FRANKFORT CRAFT FAIR: 10am-4pm, Downtown Frankfort. Arts & crafts fair. Main St. will be closed. frankfortelberta.com

BAY HARBOR IN-WATER BOAT SHOW: 10am-7pm, Bay Harbor Lake Marina. Stroll the docks & enjoy all the very latest in watercraft & boating accessories. bayharborlakemarina.com/boat-show

GRAND TRAVERSE BAY FATHER’S DAY ART & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-5pm, GT County Civic Center, TC. Painters, sculptors, woodworkers, metal crafters, jewelers, mixed media artists, basket makers, candle makers, funky fiber art & so many other fabulous creations. Free. fb.me/e/4lVV9NtVD

MADE IN CHEBOYGAN CRAFT SHOW: 10am-6pm, Washington Park, downtown Cheboygan. Featuring more than 30 crafters & artists. facebook.com/madeincheboygan

NATURE DRAWING & JOURNALING: 10am, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Explore & enhance your connection to the natural world through this workshop. Local artist, educator & environmentalist Penny Krebiehl will lead this field trip, gathering first at the library before venturing out to the Alligator Hill trail. Penny will guide participants= through sketching & journal writing techniques in the field, before reconvening back at the library for further discussion & sharing. Dress for outdoor temps/weather, & bring drawing supplies (notebook/journal, pencils/ pens). Free. glenlakelibrary.net/events

OLD TOWN ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR: 10am-5pm, Union St., Old Town, TC. Find one-of-a-kind paintings, jewelry, ceramics, wood carvings, & more, all handcrafted by 70 different artists. Free admission. downtowntc.com/downtown-art-fair-series

OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: 10am-1pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Visual Arts Room, Petoskey. Drop-in art studio for the whole family. New projects are offered each week. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey/open-studio-june-15

PROTECTING OUR LAKES & SHORELANDS: BACK TO BASICS: 10-11am, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. This series is hosted in partnership with the Friends

Let me go on… like a “Blister in the Sun”! The Violent Femmes are celebrating four decades with a cover-to-cover performance of their albums “The Violent Femmes” and “Hallowed Ground” at Kresge Auditorium, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Thurs., June 20 at 7:30pm. You’re sure to catch “Add It Up” and “Kiss Off” too! Tickets range from $48-$98. interlochen.org

of Spider Lake and Rennie Lake. Register. Grand Traverse Bay Waterkeeper Heather Smith from The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay will share info on the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed. Free. natureiscalling.org/events

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: TC, June 15-22. Enjoy this plein air (outdoor) painting festival & competition. A free artist demo will take place today from 10am-noon with Laura Martinez-Bianco at CTAC in Hannah Park. From 6-9pm will be a Sunset Painting where all artists will be painting in downtown TC on Front St. & along West Bay. paintgrandtraverse.com/schedule

ELLSWORTH PIG ROAST: 11am, Ellsworth. Today includes the Pig Roast Parade, roast pork lunch, horse pull, Banks Township Historical Society Open House & more. facebook.com/EllsworthPigRoast

ANNUAL FRANKFORT CRAFT FAIR: Noon, Main St., Frankfort. Check out details & registration info on web site. frankfort-elberta.com

“LET’S GO NORTH” BOOK CELEBRATION: 1pm, East Bay Branch Library, TC. Join Rebecca Deneau, local artist & illustra-

tor of the children’s book “Let’s Go North,” for a reading & book signing followed by snacks & crafts. “Let’s Go North” is a sweet rhyming poem about children enjoying summer vacation, written by Daniel Hoye & illustrated by Rebecca Deneau. Free. tadl.org/event/lets-go-north-book-signingevent-rebecca-deneau-15396

3RD ANNUAL JUNETEENTH RUN/ WALK/STROLL: 2pm, Right Brain Brewery, TC. Hosted by Northern Michigan E3 & TART Trails. A journey around the Boardman Lake Loop Trail. Registration opens at 1:15pm. teeseetee.com/collections/northern-michigan-e3

FINDING NEMO JR: 2pm & 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Marlin, an over-protective clownfish, lives in the Great Barrier Reef with his son Nemo, who longs to explore the world beyond their anemone home. When Nemo is captured, Marlin faces his fears & sets off on an epic rescue adventure. Performed by OTP Young Company musical theatre students. Adults, $21; youth under 18, $12. oldtownplayhouse.com/young-company/performances/nemo.html

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POURS FOR PUPS: 4pm, Black Star Farms, tasting room, Suttons Bay. Enjoy

wine, cocktails, & gourmet hotdogs while supporting the Cherryland Humane Society. Free. blackstarfarms.com/pours-for-pups

TOP JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT: 5pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. USHJA International Hunter Derby Regional Championship. Gates open at 8am; derby activity begins at 3pm. 100% of general admission sales go to Paddle Antrim. From $15. eventbrite.com/e/ushja-internationalhunter-derby-regional-championship-tickets883815685507?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

FINAL CONCERT OF FIVEMIND REEDS: 6pm, Leelanau School, Glen Arbor. A collaboration of GAAC’s Manitou Music Series with Interlochen Public Radio’s Sound Garden Project, which plants classical music in unexpected places. Fivemind Reeds is a Los Angeles-based reed quintet that is revitalizing chamber music through innovative programming & community engagement. RSVP. Free. glenarborart.org/events-page/events-all

THE LONG MEMORY PROJECT RECEPTION & PERFORMANCE: 6pm, The Alluvion, TC. In Feb. community elders gathered with community artists, all members of the LGBTQ+ community to pass down their stories. This listening session led to a pop-up artist residency, where the artists created visual & performing art in response to the stories the elders had shared; stories about the power of the queer community to survive & thrive in spite of homophobia & transphobia. The work created by the artists will be on view in an exhibition at the CommonGrounds Building (414 E. Eighth St., TC) from June 8 - July 14. An opening reception at 6pm on June 15 will include a gallery show of the art, & a 6:30pm gathering at The Alluvion will feature a panel of artists & elders, a performance by spoken word & song artist Madeline October, & a concert from Blake Elliott. The reception and gallery show are free. Tickets for the panel and performance at the Alluvion are $20 & can be found at: thealluvion.org. The Long Memory Project is a partnership with Up North Pride, MiGen, & Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology. crosshatch.org/events

“HELLO DOLLY”: 7pm, Cadillac High School Auditorium. Presented by Cadillac Footliters Theatre. $14. cadillacfootliters. com/tickets

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BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Together for over 30 years, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has appeared in concert venues across the world, sold millions of records, & had their music appear in hundreds of movies & television shows. They celebrate & revitalize jazz & swing music. Tickets starting at $52. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/ big-bad-voodoo-daddy

EXPRESSIONS IN MUSIC & WORDS: 7:30pm, The Barrel Room, behind Left Foot Charley, The GT Commons, TC. Presented by October Journey Productions. Original writings from Jeanne Sirotkin, Kevin Summers, Mari Hagen, Susan Odgers, Tom Emmott, & Jim Kopka. Singer & acoustic guitarist Steve Clark will be your guide. The abstract art of Johnny Camacho will serve as the backdrop. 995-0500. $22 + tax. leftfootcharley.com/events-calendar

STAR PARTY: 9-11pm, Dune Climb parking lot, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Empire. Join park rangers & astronomers from the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society for info on preserving dark skies. There will be telescopes set up to enjoy. Please park in the row furthest from the dunes with your headlights facing M-109. Participants need to only purchase the park entrance pass or have an annual pass displayed in their vehicle. nps.gov/ slbe/index.htm

sunday

GRAND TRAVERSE KENNEL CLUB CHERRY CLASSIC: (See Sat., June 15)

INDIAN RIVER OLD FASHIONED DAYS: Devoe Beach, Indian River, June 13-16. Today includes Breakfast at the VFW Hall, 5k Run/Walk, & Ice Cream Social at Drost’s Chocolates. northernmichiganguides.com/ indian-river-old-fashioned-days

FREE FATHER’S DAY PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 9-11am, Camp Pet-O-SeGa, Alanson. camppetosega.org/events

BAY HARBOR IN-WATER BOAT SHOW: 10am-3pm, Bay Harbor Lake Marina. Stroll the docks & enjoy all the very latest in watercraft & boating accessories. bayharborlakemarina.com/boat-show

GRAND TRAVERSE BAY FATHER’S DAY ART & CRAFT SHOW: (See Sat., June 15)

WELLNESS DAY: 10am-5pm, The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, TC. Explore a variety of sessions, from learning about herbal teas to making seedballs with the kids, & taking a meditative forest walk. Try out Qigong, or discover how houseplants can enhance your health. Chat with members of The Sakura Bonsai Society of Northern Michigan and Ikebana International Chapter #165, participate in a Family Scavenger Hunt & more. Must register. Free. thebotanicgarden.org

“ARTISTS OF MAIN STREET GALLERY”: 11am-4pm, Old Art Building, Leland. This exhibit runs June 14-18. It features fine art from the artists who have shown their work at & fueled the life of Main Street Gallery over much of its history. oldartbuilding.com/events/ artists-of-main-street-gallery

HBA’S 35TH ANNUAL PARADE OF HOMES: (See Sat., June 15, except today’s hours are 11am-4pm.)

MADE IN CHEBOYGAN CRAFT SHOW: 11am-5pm, Washington Park, downtown Cheboygan. Featuring more than 30 crafters & artists. facebook.com/madeincheboygan

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: June 15-22. Today features Artists Painting on Leelanau Peninsula. Noon-2pm: Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, Empire. 2-4pm: Fishtown, Leland. paint grandtraverse.com/schedule

WEEKLY SHOW JUMPING GRAND PRIX IN TC: 2pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Wil liamsburg. $182,000 Southern Arches 4* Grand Prix. Watch the ultimate test of skill & precision as world-class riders & their magnificent steeds navigate a challenging course, vying for victory. There will also be food vendors & live music by The Headwa ters Duo. Gates open 8am; Grand Prix activ ity begins at noon. TCHS donates 100% of general admission ticket revenue each week. This week’s non-profit partner is Paddle An trim. From $15. eventbrite.com/e/182000southern-arches-4-grand-prix-tickets-883819 286277?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

VESPER CONCERT: 8pm, Bay View, John Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Free. onthe stage.tickets/bay-view-association

june 17 june 16

ON FRIDAY, JUNE 21 @ 7 pm, volume i of the alluvion goes out with a bang

THE ELLEN ROWE OCTET PRESENTS MOMENTUM—PORTRAITS OF WOMEN IN MOTION

MOMENTUM—PORTRAITS OF WOMEN IN MOTION “Momentum" is an tribute to and musical portrait of heroic women in the areas of music, sports, social justice, environmental advocacy and politics, performed by some of the most talented female jazz musicians of the era. $30 advance tickets.

then, on SATURDAY, august 31 @ 7:00 & 9:00 pm, VOLUME II BEGINS

KURT ELLING + CHARLIE HUNTER

monday

“ARTISTS OF MAIN STREET GALLERY”: (See Sat., June 15)

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: TC, June 15-22. To-

AUG 31: TWO SHOWS! OCT 2: TWO SHOWS!

ROWE NOORDHUIS GARDINER WILDER

PIANO / BANDLEADER PARROTT HAYDEN RAYMOND REICHMAN

ALTO SAX

BARITONE SAX TENOR SAX TRUMPET BASS TROMBONE DRUMS

JOSHUA REDMAN GROUP + GABRIELLE CAVASSA

day features Artists Painting on Old Mission Peninsula. 10am-noon: Free Artist Demo with Cheryl Perkins at CTAC in Hannah Park. 10am-noon: Peter Dougherty Mission House. 11am-1pm: Chateau Chantal. paintgrandtraverse.com/schedule

STORYTIME AT PDL: 11am, Petoskey District Library. Nurture a love of reading & books & build early literacy skills through stories, songs, & rhymes. For ages 0-5 & their grownup(s). Free. calendar.petoskeylibrary.org/default/Detail/2024-06-17-1100-Storytime

MOVIE MONDAYS: 3-5pm, Bellaire Public Library. Family friendly movie - popcorn included! PG or under. Free. bellairelibrary.org

CONE WITH A COP: 5pm, Bardon’s Wonder Freeze, TC. Join your neighbors & local law enforcement for an ice cream cone & conversation. Free. ----------------------

REFIT®TC: 6:30pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. At REFIT, everyBODY belongs! A fun dance fitness experience. Summer classes: Mondays at 6:30pm & Thursdays at 9:30am. $1 suggested donation. facebook.com/profile. php?id=100090460000055

GLEN ARBOR PLAYERS AUDITION: “THE DINING ROOM”: 7pm, Glen Lake Church, Glen Arbor. Readers Theater format, all are welcome. Roles for 5 men & 4 women. Contact Tom Webb at 231-590-4025 for details or a digital script. email: webbforhire@ gmail.com. Free. GlenArborplayers.org

JAMMIN’ MONDAYS ON BETSIE BAY: 7-9:15pm, Waterfront Park Amphitheater, Elberta. Featuring Olivia Van Goor. Free.

MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE: 7:30pm, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. “Delicious” (France). 2021, 112 mins. Free. bayviewassociation.org/monday-nightmovies

tuesday

“ARTISTS OF MAIN STREET GALLERY”: (See Sat., June 15)

LEARN MORE ABOUT SWIM FOR GT BAY: 5-7pm, Brengman Brothers Winery, TC. If you’re already registered for the event, still deciding if you want to race, or if you’re interested in supporting the event as a volunteer, this event is for you. Meet a community of fellow open water swimmers, ask an experienced competitive swimming coach your questions, connect with race organizers to learn more about the event, the course, & more, chat with veteran racers about their experiences preparing for the race, reaching their fundraising goals, & swimming out on the open water, plus more. Free. facebook. com/share/NY1X2N2GdA9AmLMb

HOUSING POLICY WORKSHOP: 6-8pm, City Opera House, TC. Featuring presentations & discussions aimed at addressing the critical issues surrounding housing in the community. The City will feature speakers from Flywheel Community Development Services and the Michigan Association of Planning. The meeting will also serve as a joint meeting with the City Commission, Planning Commission, & Downtown Development Authority.

MORE GIRLS ON BIKES: BOARDMAN LAKE LOOP: 6-7:30pm, Norte Clubhouse, GT County Civic Center, TC. Meet for a casual ride starting & ending at the Norte Clubhouse, followed by some tasty post-ride bites. Women & girls of all ages are invited. Free. norteyouthcycling.org/calendar/moregirls-on-bikes-mother-daughter-ride-j3g5s

A HISTORY OF BELLAIRE THROUGH POSTCARDS: 6:30pm, Bellaire Public Library. Sponsored by the Bellaire Historical Society & the Bellaire Friends of the Library, Jim Templin will present a history of Bellaire through postcards. 231-533-8814. Free.

AUDITIONS FOR “THE DINING ROOM”: 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, Schmuckal Theatre, TC. Presented by the Glen Arbor Players. This play depicts 18 wonderful life stories in a Readers Theater format. Roles for 3 men, 4 women & a narrator. For questions or a digital script contact Tom Webb: 231-590-4025 or webbforhire@gmail.com. Free. GlenArborplayers.org

TEEN STEM GRAB & GO PROJECT AT PDL: Petoskey District Library. Every third Tues. of the month, pick up a STEM project to take home. These projects are from NASA @ My Library and STARnet Libraries. June 18th: Stargazing Kit. The projects are available while supplies last. For ages 11-18. Free. calendar.petoskeylibrary.org/default/ Detail/2024-06-18-1000-Teen-STEM-Grabamp-Go-Project

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: TC, June 15-22. Today is Artists Painting in Downtown TC. 10am-noon: Free Artist Demo with Debra Howard at CTAC. 10am-noon: The Botanic Gardens at the Grand Traverse Commons & Central Neighborhood. paintgrandtraverse.com/schedule

KID’S CRAFT LAB: SUMMER SPIN ART: 10:30am, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Salad spinner + paint = a great & imaginative work of art! greatlakeskids.org

CWIB LUNCHEON: 11:30am-1pm, Inn at Bay Harbor. Learn about “The Art of Tactful Self Promotion” from Julie Fasone Holder. $35 CWIB members; $45 all others. petoskeychamber.com/events/details/cwib-luncheon-june-18-2024-32223

FREE OPEN STUDIO TUESDAYS: Noon4pm, Boyne Arts Center, Boyne City. Bring your paints, fiber arts, written arts, sculpting, jewelry, cards, drawing, or other portable mediums. Create & share.

QUEER TALES BOOK CLUB: 7pm, Traverse Area District Library, Nelson Room, TC. Chat about books that are by &/or about LGBTQIA+ people. Reading is not required, & everyone is welcome. Held the third Tuesday of the month. This month’s book is “Everything is Beautiful and I’m Not Afraid”: a Baopu Collection by Yao Xiao. Get it through the library catalog, Hoopla, & the newly added collection with unlimited checkouts: Comics Plus. Free. tadl.org/ event/queer-tales-book-club-12119

SWEETWATER EVENING GARDEN CLUB SPEAKER & MEETING: 7pm, Acme Township Hall, Williamsburg. Featuring Sally Weaver speaking on “Celebrating Lighthouses of Michigan & the Important Role of Women.” Free.

HISTORY OF THE CHAUTAUQUA MOVEMENT: 7:30pm, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. Janet Riley will offer reflections about the Chautauqua movement & history & why Chautauqua’s pillars (Arts, Education, Recreation & Religion) are more relevant than ever. Free. bayviewassociation.org

wednesday

BAY VIEW HISTORY WALKING TOUR: 10am, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Register. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-5593406

NCMC, Library Lobby, Petoskey. Join North Central President Dr. David Roland Finley & his wife, Heidi, on a guided tour of the Harris Gardens. Learn more about the College’s Harris Gardens & a few of the 26 sculptures by internationally renowned artists. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-5670109

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: TC, June 15-22. Today features a Free Artist Demo with Lyudmila Tomova Clark at CTAC in Hannah Park from 10am-noon, & a Sunset Cruise - Discovery Boat Cruise TC (ticketed event) at 6:30pm. Sunset Painting Empire, Glen Haven & Downtown TC. Artists on Leelanau Peninsula during the day. paintgrandtraverse.com/schedule

IPL’S SUMMER READING PROGRAM

KICK-OFF & REGISTRATION W/ GLCM: 10:30am, Green Lake Township Memorial Park/Freedom Park, Interlochen. Enjoy hands-on, interactive activities from the Great Lakes Children’s Museum mobile unit. 231-276-6767. Free.

JUNETEENTH FREE DAY: 11am, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Enjoy a free day in recognition of Juneteenth, America’s second Independence Day. You might even see Detroit-based artist Louise Jones working on her solo exhibition in the museum’s Sculpture Court. Then, join NMC & Northern Michigan E3 for a block-party style celebration & educational programs at 5pm on NMC’s main campus. Free. dennosmuseum.org/events/community-programs.html ----------------------

STORYTIME AT PDL: 11am, Petoskey District Library. Nurture a love of reading & books & build early literacy skills through stories, songs, & rhymes. For ages 0-5 & their grownup(s). Free. calendar.petoskeylibrary.org/default/Detail/2024-06-19-1100-Storytime

CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon-1pm, Pennsylvania Park, Gazebo, downtown Petoskey. Featuring Ed Tatum. Bring a lunch, lawn chair or picnic blanket. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/charlotte-ross-lee-concerts-park-2024

SUMMER TRAVELOGUE SERIES: MEXICO: 1pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower-level Community Room. Hear from local writer & traveler Rebecca Carlson, who will cover San Miguel de Allende, where she lived, along with the festivals & holy celebrations of the area, & the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. Free. sbbdl.org

EXPRESS YOURSELF! FOR TWEENS: 3pm, Petoskey District Library. Express yourself this summer with nature projects! For ages 8-12. Free. calendar.petoskeyli-

brary.org/default/Detail/2024-06-19-1500Express-Yourself-for-Tweens

ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE? FREE SCREENING: 3pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. For anyone who can vote for president in the United States, this eyeopening expos of the origins & contentious history of the Electoral College gives context to current events recalling the often forgotten role of slavery in its creation. Register in advance; limit of 34 tickets. Then, join NMC & Northern Michigan E3 for a block-party style celebration & educational programs at 5pm on NMC’s main campus. Free. simpletix.com/e/free-screening-oneperson-one-vote-tickets-168940

CHILLIN’ WITH THE CHAMBER: 4-6pm, Harbor Springs Area Chamber office, 118 E. Main St., Harbor Springs. Find out about the sponsor’s business & what’s happening around town! Free.

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BOYNE AREA CHAMBER PAVILION SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 6:30pm, Veterans Park Pavilion, Boyne City. Featuring Sky Blue Pink. Free.

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“WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM CEMETERIES”: 7pm, Fife Lake Library, Community Room. Featuring speaker Mary Ann Aldridge.

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360 ALLSTARS: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. A phenomenal physical performance exploring all forms of rotation, 360 ALLSTARS connects the street with the elite to deliver a supercharged urban circus. Tickets starting at $42. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/360-allstars

PENINSULA INSIGHTS: 7pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Featuring a speaker from MSU on cultivating Local Farm Economies. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org CHAMBER MUSIC CONCERT: 8pm, Bay View, John Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Dueling Pianos II: With Casey Robards, Anthony Patterson & Bay View faculty. Non-member: $18.50; members & under 18: free. onthestage.tickets/bay-view-association

thursday

NMCAA’S LAUNDRY

PROJECT: 8:30-11:30am, TC Laundry, 1131 S. Garfield Ave., TC. Free laundry service for those in need. 947-3780.

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REFIT® TC: 9:30am, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. At REFIT, everyBODY belongs! A fun dance

fitness experience. Summer classes: Mondays at 6:30pm & Thursdays at 9:30am. $1 suggested donation. facebook.com/profile. php?id=100090460000055

COFFEE @ 10, PETOSKEY: 10-11am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Enjoy a presentation with retired GM automobile designer, John Perkins, & see his work in the exhibition: “Michigan, An American Portrait.” Free. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/coffee-10-john-perkins

SUMMER READING PROGRAM: ADVENTURE WITH HOMETOWN HEROES: 10am, Bellaire Public Library. See local heroes with their patrol car, ambulance, fire truck, etc. Get to know the people who keep the community safe. 231-533-8814. Free.

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: TC & Elk Rapids, June 15-22. Today features a Free Artist Demo with Kathleen Gray Farthing at CTAC in Hannah Park & painting at Twisted Fish Gallery in Elk Rapids from 10am-noon. Artists painting in East Bay & Elk Rapids. From 5:30-7:30pm will be a Free Artist Demo at CTAC with Kathleen B. Hudson, awards juror. paintgrandtraverse. com/schedule

SBBDL’S SUMMER READING ADVENTURE KICK-OFF: 10:30am, North Park Pavilion, Suttons Bay. Sign up for your Summer Reading Adventure & enjoy some ukulele music thanks to the Ukulele Orchestra of Suttons Bay. For all preschool, elementary & middle-school students. Includes a free book & a reading kit. Free. sbbdl.org

STORYTIME AT PDL: (See Weds., June 19) ----------------------

NATURE WALK AT COY MOUNTAIN: 1pm, Coy Mountain Preserve, Alden. Embark on an adventure with Grass River Natural Area Education Director James Dake. Hike the trails, discovering a wealth of plants, trees, & wildlife along the way. 231-331-4318.

TEEN MAKER THURSDAY: 4pm, Petoskey District Library. Teen makers meet every third Thurs. for a fun maker project. The making will happen at 4pm while supplies last. June 20: Nail Polish Pots. For ages 11-18. Free. calendar.petoskeylibrary.org/default/Detail/202406-20-1600-Teen-Maker-Thursday

AI AND YOU: The Elks Lodge, TC. Featuring Steve Lance, former Creative Director at NBC, who created Shark Week & The More You Know. Steve is a national speaker, especially on the subject of AI & how it’s being applied to great effect in advertising. Reception, 5:30pm; presentation/Q&A, 6-7pm. AAF members: $5; non-members:

$20. aafnorthernmichigan.wildapricot.org/ event-5750521 ----------------------

TRAVERSE INDIVISIBLE DINNER MEETING: 6pm, Raduno, 545 E. 8th St., TC. Help plan summer activities & the September Celebration of Democracy. Free. traverseindivisible.org

RUN LAKE ANN 5K, ERIK FLORIP MEMORIAL RUN: 6:30-8pm, 6530 First St., Lake Ann. $20 + sign-up fee. runsignup.com/Race/ Events/MI/LakeAnn/RunLakeAnn5K

AUTHOR EVENT: 7pm, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey. Featuring Bonnie Jo Campbell, author of “The Waters.” Free. mcleanandeakin.com

CONCERTS ON THE LAWN: GT Pavilions, on the lawn, TC. Featuring All About Buffett - a Jimmy Buffett Tribute by Doc Probes & The Riptides! Concessions will be available for purchase from 5:30-7pm. The concert runs from 7-8pm. Free. gtpavilions. org/news-events/2024-concerts-on-the-lawn

LOCAL HISTORY PROGRAM: 7pm, Little Traverse Historical Museum, Petoskey. Presented by the Little Traverse Historical Society. Executive Director Jane Garver will share a local history program originally presented by Merton Carter & Bill Barney in June 1974. The program will focus on early resort shops & the history of the Petoskey Gaslight District. Register. Free. petoskeymuseum.org

SALLY ROGERS & CLAUDIA SCHMIDT: 7pm, Grow Benzie Event Center, Benzonia. Rogers performs traditional, contemporary & original ballads & song, interwoven with stories taken from her life as a performer, a wife & a mother. Schmidt’s performances are a mix of music, poetry, story, laughter, drama & celebrating the moment. 231-882-9510. $20 advance; $25 door.

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STARGARDT CONCERT: 7pm, Church in the Hills, Bellaire. Three generations of the Steve Stargardt family will play a variety of jazz, from the American Songbook, as well as jazz standards. They include Lori Jayne Dear (Stargardt), Jack Stargardt, & Steve Stargardt. 231-322-2811. Tickets available at door. $20 adults; $10 students.

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VIOLENT FEMMES: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. Performing the debut album & celebrating 40 years of Hallowed Ground. Catchy favorites include “Blister in the Sun,” “Add It Up,” & “Kiss Off.” $48-$98. interlochen.org/events/ violent-femmes-2024-06-20

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IMPROV AFTER DARK: 9pm, The Alluvi-

on, TC. Presented by Tilt Think. Improv that is fast, funny & a little raunchy. Ages 16+. $10. tiltthink.com

friday

THE ARTISTRY & HEALING POWER OF KINTSUGI: 10am, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. Artist Mary Dye will discuss the artistry & healing power of Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. Mending broken pottery with gold highlights imperfection & serves as a metaphor for accepting flaws & brokenness. Free. bayviewassociation.org/ events/scarrow-friday-forum-430

KID’S CRAFT LAB: SUMMER SPIN ART: (See Tues., June 18) ----------------------

CHARLOTTE ROSS LEE CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Noon-1pm, Pennsylvania Park, Gazebo, downtown Petoskey. Featuring Kevin Johnson. Bring a lunch, lawn chair or picnic blanket. Free. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey/charlotte-ross-leeconcerts-park-2024

ARTISAN & WINE WALK - A TOAST TO SUTTONS BAY: 5-8pm, Downtown Suttons Bay. Hosted by the Suttons Bay Chamber of Commerce. Art will be available for purchase, & some artists will be demonstrating their craft in person. Pick up a walking guide at established locations downtown to be stamped by each participating merchant. Two winners will be drawn from the completed guide, who will win a shopping spree of gift cards totaling $250.

FRIENDS OF PCL SUMMER CONCERT: SOUND OF MUSIC: 5pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Featuring Mary Sue & Mark & free ice cream. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org ----------------------

LATE NIGHT FRIDAY + A TO Z MUSIC FRONT PORCH CONCERT: 5-8pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. A to Z Music performs on the GAAC’s Front Porch stage. Zinnia Dungjen & Audrey Mason are a singersongwriter duo from Interlochen Arts Academy, & will perform a blend of original songs & covers. The concert runs from 5-7pm. In the GAAC’s Main Gallery is Members Create. This annual exhibition showcases the talents of current GAAC members, including painting, mixed media, sculpture, clay & more. Native Plants, an exhibition of painted & chain stitched canvases by Dana Falconberry, is on view in the Lobby Gallery. Free. glenarborart.org/events-page/events-all

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRAVERSE: 6-8pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. Tonight is the Fresh Paint Party. First opportunity to see & buy art. Purchase your ticket. paintgrandtraverse.com

“HELLO DOLLY”: (See Sat., June 15)

SUMMER 2024 EXHIBIT OPENING: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Enjoy an evening with light refreshments, a bar (2 drink max), & music. RSVP. Limit of 300. Before the opening, you may join the Michigan Watercolor Society in Milliken Auditorium at 5:30pm for their awards ceremony for their 77th annual exhibition. $0-$5. simpletix.com/e/summer2024-opening-reception-tickets-168950

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. ROCKFORD RIVETS: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traverse-city-pitspitters/schedule ----------------------

JASON ISBELL & THE 400 UNIT: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Kresge Auditorium. A former member of the Drive-By Truckers, Isbell became a songwriter & solo artist. He has released nine studio albums & penned the ballad “Maybe It’s Time” for the

june 17, 2024

2018 hit movie “A Star is Born.” He takes the stage with The 400 Unit for hits such as “Cover Me Up,” “If We Were Vampires,” & “Cast Iron Skillet.” Grammy Award-nominated folk singer-songwriter Courtney Marie Andrews opens the performance. $48-$98.

NITECRAWLER HUNT: 9:30pm, Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort. Bring a flashlight & bucket & gather night crawlers for the Take A Kid Fishing Event the next day. Free. frankfort-elberta.com

saturday

RAINBOW RUN: 8am-noon, Hull Park, TC. TART Trails & Up North Pride present this color fun run & fundraiser. The route will take participants counterclockwise around the 4-mile Boardman Lake Loop Trail. To celebrate the trail systems & the Northern Michigan 2SLGBTQ+ Community during Pride Month, the event will invite the community to join together at Hull Park to enjoy music & refreshments before & after the run. $30. runsignup.com/Race/MI/TraverseCity/TraverseCityRainbowRun

22

TAKE A KID FISHING: 8am, Mineral Springs Park, Pavilion, Frankfort. Free. frankfort-elberta.com

4TH ANNUAL BOYNE ARTS IN THE PARK: 9am-3pm, Veterans Park Pavilion, Boyne City & surrounding area on Lake Charlevoix. Presented by the Boyne Arts Center. Many local artists display their art.

ANNUAL ANTIQUE & COTTAGE DECOR

SALE: 9am-5pm, Alden Depot. This sale is a fundraiser for the Helena Township Historical Society & provides funds to maintain the Alden Depot Museum. Featuring antiques, collectibles, books, furniture, linens, nicer home decor, plants & more. 231-620-1445.

CLEAN WATERS CHALLENGE: HEAL-

ING THE BEAR!: 9am-1pm, Bear River Shelter, Petoskey. Join the Watershed Council to help preserve the beauty & health of the Bear River. For more info & to register, visit the web site. watershedcouncil.org/event/clean-waters-challenge-healing-the-bear ----------------------

BAY HARBOR CLASSIC CAR & BOAT FESTIVAL: 10am-2pm, Bay Harbor. A collection of the finest classic, future classic & rare cars & boats in the country. Free admission & parking are available for spectators. This year’s event will celebrate the 35th Anniversary of The Viper. A rare 1938 Delahaye Teardrop Coupe will be on display. Don’t miss the famous cars of pop culture including a 1976 Starsky & Hutch Gran Torino, a 1912 Reo the Fifth, Demi Tonneau & 1909 Ford from the movie “Somewhere In Time,” Johnny Cash’s 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, & more. bayharborcarandboatfestival.com ----------------------

ROOTS & RAYS: A SUMMER CELEBRATION: 10am-noon, Boardman River Nature Center, Oleson Pavilion, TC. Energize your morning with self-guided sun salutations & make your own sun catcher. Registration required. $10/person. natureiscalling.org/events

THE 7TH ANNUAL PAINT GRAND TRA-

VERSE: Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. June 15-22. Galleries open at 10am. Free & open to public. 10am-noon: Pint Size Paint Out - free. paintgrandtraverse.com ----------------------

“HELLO DOLLY”: 2pm & 7pm, Cadillac High School Auditorium. Presented by Cadillac Footliters Theatre. $14. cadillacfootliters.com/tickets

LET’S GO FLY A KITE: 3pm, Lake Michigan Beach, near the turnaround. Free kites! frankfort-elberta.com

NEST FEST: 3-9pm, Rare Bird Brewpub, TC. Live music by May Erlewine & Friends, Lady Ace Boogie, Molly, Drag Show, food, drinks & block party. $20 presale; $25 door. rarebirdbrewpub.com

POETRY READING: 5-7pm, Horizon Books, TC. Featuring local poets Ellen Welcker, Jennifer Steinorth, Teresa Scollon & Anne-Marie Oomen. horizonbooks.com/event/poetryreading-oomen-scollon-steinorth

TOP JUMPING COMPETITON EVENT AT TRAVERSE CITY HORSE SHOWS: 5pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. $100,000 WCHR Hunter Spectacular. Skilled riders & their equine partners tackle a series of challenging courses, designed to test their agility, precision, & grace. Gates open 8am; derby activity begins at 3pm. TCHS donates 100% of general admission ticket revenue each week. This week’s non-profit partner is Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan. From $15. eventbrite.com/e/100000-wchr-hunter-spectacular-presented-by-debbie-smith-tickets883827861927?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

BENZIE COMMUNITY CHORUS PRESENTS SOUNDS OF SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: “FEELING GOOD”: 7pm, Mills Community House, Auditorium, Benzonia. Enjoy a light hearted evening of song. 231651-0311. $20. benziechorus.org

COMEDIAN IVAN DECKER: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Known for his sharp, polished, & multi-layered observational comedy, Ivan Decker continues to achieve success as a writer, stand-up, & actor. After being named ‘A Comic to Watch’ at the New York Comedy Festival, Netflix then released his Comedy Special, “Underwater Scissors.” Tickets starting at $25. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/ivan-decker-1

PRACTICING GRACE, OR HOW TO CHANGE SOMEONE’S MIND, WITH MIKE SLATER: 7pm, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. Podcaster, TV personality, & radio host Mike Slater will show how changing the way you relate to people you disagree with may encourage them to change the way they think. $10$20. onthestage.tickets/show/bay-view-ass ociation/65d52ce38df46d7eefc01ab5

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. ROCKFORD RIVETS: “SPIT ON CANCER NIGHT”: 7:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague. com/traverse-city-pit-spitters/schedule

CHAMBERFEST: BEIJING GUITAR DUO: 7:30pm, Cheboygan Opera House. Guitarists Meng Su & Yameng Wang will present a program including works by French & Latin composers. As the Beijing Guitar Duo, Meng Su and Yamen Wang have performed around the world in halls such as the Concertgebouw, Palau de Musica, Tchaikovsky Hall & the National Theatre in Beijing. $30; $25 Veterans; free for students. theoperahouse.org/tickets

JACKYL: 8-10:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. This 90’s band plays hard rock, heavy metal & Southern rock. Their selftitled debut album has sold more than a million copies in the United States with hit singles like “Down on Me” & “When Will It Rain.” $30-$60. lrcr.com/event/jackyl

june 23

ING GRAND PRIX: 2pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. $75,000 Molon Excavating CSI2* Grand Prix. Join Traverse City Horse Shows for a showcase of equestrian talent. Also enjoy food vendors & live music by Courtney Kaiser-Sandler & Tim Jones. Gates open 8am; Grand Prix activity begins at noon. TCHS donates 100% of general admission ticket revenue each week. This week’s non-profit partner is Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan. From $15. eventbrite.com/e/75000-molon-excavating-2-grand-prix-tickets-883834521847? aff=odcleoeventsincollection

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ONEKAMA CONCERTS IN THE PARK: 2pm, Onekama Village Park. The new stage opens today with live music, food trucks & fun from 2-9pm. Ribbon cutting at 2pm, followed by live music by Doc & Donna Probes. Truck Driver Bingo performs at 4:30pm & Feral Cats Deluxe plays at 7pm. onekama.info/concerts-in-the-park

LATE NIGHT CATECHISM: 3pm, City Opera House, TC. A hilarious theatrical experience with Sister as she leads her class through a journey of laughter & nostalgia. $35-$55. cityoperahouse.org/node/583

“MARQUEETOWN” BENEFIT SCREENING: 4pm, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. No one fights to preserve a multiplex, but some people will risk everything to save a marquee. See web site for more info. $10; benefits The Bay Community Theatre. marqueetown.com

TC PIT SPITTERS VS. ROYAL OAK LEPRECHAUNS: 5:05pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. northwoodsleague.com/traversecity-pit-spitters/schedule

BENZIE COMMUNITY CHORUS PRESENTS SOUNDS OF SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: “FEELING GOOD”: (See Sat., June 22)

USAF BAND’S SINGING SERGEANTS: 7pm, St. Francis Catholic Church, TC. The United States Air Force Band’s Singing Sergeants will perform choral standards, folk tunes, & a unique tribute to veterans. Get your free tickets. usafband.ticketleap.com/ the-us-air-force-bands-singing-sergeants--live-in-traverse-cit

VESPER CONCERT: 8pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Spies and Disguise: Immerse yourself from the iconic theme of 007 to secrets of music from around the world. Member: $18.50, nonmember: $23.50, under 18: free. onthestage.tickets/bay-view-association

ongoing

PAWS TO READ: Wednesdays, noon2pm, June 19 - Aug. 7, Petoskey District Library. With Lady AnnaBella, a certified therapy dog. Practice reading aloud with a furry friend. Reserve your 15-minute session. calendly.com/pdlyouth/paws-toread?month=2024-06

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CRAFTS WITH KRISTY: Mondays, 10:30am-noon through July 29 at Interlochen Public Library. Kids will learn & practice different craft skills. Geared for ages 5-12, but all are welcome. 231-276-6767. ----------------------

sunday

BLACK STAR FARMS 5K WINE RUN: 9am, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. $40; price increases after June 12. runsignup. com/Race/MI/SuttonBay/ BlackStarFarmsWineRun5k?aflt_token=pCX OsxKvQ36vI5Y7TpC72ZqNRuMCkUih

FAMILY FUN AT WEEKLY SHOW JUMP-

FANTASY TEEN ART: Mondays, 2-3:30pm through Aug. 26 at Petoskey District Library, Classroom. Join local young adult artist Ronan Baumhardt to create fantasy based art. The library will provide art supplies. All skill levels welcome. For ages 10-18. calendar.petoskeylibrary.org/default/Detail/202406-10-1400-Fantasy-Teen-Art

OUTDOOR STORY TIME: Held outside the Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, overlooking the beach on Tuesdays through Aug. 13 at 10:30am. Please bring a blanket

for your family to sit on. These story times are geared toward pre-k to second graders & their caregivers, but fun for all who attend. Rain site is the library’s lower level Community Room. sbbdl.org

HISTORIC 1842 DOUGHERTY OLD MISSION HOUSE TOURS: Dougherty Old Mission House, TC. This house was built by Rev. Peter Dougherty, Chief Agosa, the Odawa and Chippewa who lived along East Bay. Visit the summer kitchen, carriage shed & icehouse with a zinc refrigerator. Learn about the Old Mission Peninsula Agricultural Heritage where the fruit industry began. Discover its ties to the Old Mission Lighthouse. Open Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11am until 4pm. doughertyoldmissionhouse.com

STROLL THE STREETS: Lake & Main streets, downtown Boyne City. Enjoy live music, entertainment, children’s activities, & much more Friday evenings from 6-9pm through Labor Day. boynecitymainstreet. com/event/stroll-the-streets/2024-06-07

SUNDAY BIRD WALKS: Sundays through June 30 in TC. Offered by the Grand Traverse Audubon Club. Visit web site to find times, locations, & map links. grandtraverseaudubon.org/events-2024

farmers markets

CASTLE FARMERS MARKET: Birch Lake, Castle Farms, Charlevoix. Held every Tues. from 8am-1pm through Oct. 15. Celebrating craftsmanship, emphasizing the artistry of handmade goods & locally sourced produce. castlefarms.com/events/ farmers-market

DOWNTOWN PETOSKEY FARMERS MARKET: Howard St., between E Mitchell St. & Michigan St., Downtown Petoskey. Held every Fri. through Sept. 27 from 8:30am-1pm. Featuring seasonal locally grown produce, locally raised meats, caught fish, fresh cut flowers, plants, foraged mushrooms, from-scratch baked goods, sauces & more. There will also be live entertainment.

EAST BAY CORNERS FARMERS MARKET: Thursdays, 3-7pm through Oct. 31, 1965 N 3 Mile Rd., TC. Featuring fresh & locally grown produce & goods. Find ‘East Bay Corners Farmers Market’ on Facebook.

EAST JORDAN GARDEN CLUB’S FARMERS MARKET: Held each Thurs. from 10am-2pm at the East Jordan Tourist Park. Fresh veggies, fruits, baked goods, handmade items, fresh cut flowers & more.

ELK RAPIDS FARMERS MARKET: Next to the Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, on US 31 by the swan. Local growers & producers from all around northwestern Michigan. Shop every Friday morning through Oct. 4, 8am-noon. elkrapidschamber.org/farmers-market

EMPIRE FARMERS MARKET: 10234 Front St., Empire. Held on Saturdays, 9am1pm through Aug. 31. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/empire

GLEN ARBOR FARMERS MARKET: 6394

W. Western Ave., Glen Arbor. Held every Tues., 9am-1pm through Sept. 10. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/glen-arbor

HARBOR SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-1pm through Oct. 19. Corner of Main & State streets, Harbor Springs. ----------------------

HONOR FARMERS ARTIST & MAKERS MARKET: Maley Park on US31, across from Honor Plaza. Held every Tues., 9am2pm through Sept. 3. Featuring 24 vendors & fun community events. Find ‘Honor Farmers Artist & Makers Market’ on Facebook.

LELAND FARMERS MARKET: Immanuel

Lutheran Church Parking Lot, Leland. Held every Thurs., 9am-1pm through Sept. 5. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/leland

NORTHPORT FARMERS MARKET: 105 S. Bay St., Northport. Held every Fri., 9am1pm through Sept. 20. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/northport

OUTDOOR FARMERS MINI MARKET: Mondays, 1-5pm through Aug. 26. The Village at GT Commons, The Piazza, under Pavilion, TC. The market will grow as the flowers, fruits & veggies grow & become available. thevillagetc.com

SUTTONS BAY FARMERS MARKET: Saint Joseph St., at north end of village. Held on Saturdays through Oct. 19 from 9am1pm. Farmers market selling local produce, flowers, baked goods, artisan products. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/suttons-bay

art

“UNWRITTEN STORIES”: Higher Art Gallery, TC. Runs through June 29. Mixed Media Artist Molly Carpenter shares her first solo exhibit. Featuring 12 new pieces celebrating her love of nature & the magic it brings to her life. Molly’s work is a unique blend of clay relief sculpture, glass mosaic & painting. higherartgallery.com/exhibitcalendar

CHARLEVOIX PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

15TH ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. Runs through June 15. See web site for hours. charlevoixcircle.org

GENERATIONS EXHIBITION - FATHER

DAUGHTER WORKS OF ART: City Opera House, TC. Enjoy an exhibit that features large-scale paintings from a father & daughter duo – TC native Mitchell Truemner & Midland resident Katie Truemner Bruessow. This father & daughter bring two different styles. Their part II series will exhibit paintings inspired by Michigan’s landscapes. The exhibit runs through June 29. cityoperahouse.org/node/587

UNIQUE ART OF ANTRIM COUNTY

OUTDOOR ART EXHIBIT: Downtown Bellaire. Featuring 12 local artists’ works on display. After the exhibit the artwork will be auctioned off, & these funds will help fund future public art exhibitions in Downtown Bellaire. Runs through Oct. 31. bellaireart. wixsite.com/bellaireart

“BLOOM” ART EXHIBIT: Three Seasons Gallery, The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, TC. An exhibit of spring & summer gardens, orchards & area farmsteads. The paintings are by local oil painter Wendy McWhorter. Runs through June 20.

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:

- AURAS OF TRAVEL: PAINTINGS BY DOROTHY MCGRATH GROSSMAN: Runs June 15 – July 27 in Atrium Gallery. Dorothy’s work immerses the viewer in the tranquility of rolling hills & expansive skies. An Opening Reception will be held on Sat., June 15 from 3-5pm. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/auras-travel-paintingsdorothy-mcgrath-grossman

- MICHIGAN: AN AMERICAN PORTRAIT: Runs through Aug. 31 in Gilbert Gallery. This exhibit re-envisions the PBS documentary film of the same name as a dynamic art & culture exhibition. Open Tues. through Sat. from 10am-5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-petoskey/michigan-american-portrait

- HORIZONS: LANDSCAPES & FIGURES BY ROBERT & SUSAN PERRISH: Held in Bonfield Gallery through Aug. Works by Michigan-based painters Robert & Susan Perrish. Open Tues. through Sat. from 10am-5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ctacpetoskey/horizons-landscapes-and-figuresrobert-and-susan-perrish

DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - HARD EDGES, VIBRANT COLORS: OP ART FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION: Runs June 21 through Sept. 1. A subfield within the growing genre of Geometric Abstraction, Op Art often explores the interplay between geometry, tonal variations, & sharp, defined bands of color, all of which rely upon the viewer’s perceptions. “Hard Edges, Vibrant Colors” offers over a dozen works from the Dennos Museum Center’s permanent art collection. Check web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcomingexhibitions/index.html

- LOUISE JONES: “10,000 FLOWERS”: Runs June 21 – Sept. 1. This exhibit showcases new works by Jones drawing inspiration from still life & landscape traditions such as Trompe-l’ il (the illusion of three dimensional space), Vanitas (themes of mortality), scientific botanical illustration, & cityscapes. Best known for her floral murals, her new works on canvas mark a departure, delving further into our relationships with the natural world, seasons, & death. Also on display is Jones’ “50 State Flowers” project, in which the flowers representing each US state are painted in crisp detail on individual miniature wood panels, which was created for an upcoming exhibition at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-onview/index.html

- MICHIGAN WATER COLOR SOCIETY 77TH ANNUAL EXHIBIT: Runs June 21 – Sept. 1. This year’s exhibit was juried by award-winning artist, instructor & juror Stan Kurth. Michigan Water Color Society received 193 submissions from 105 different artists, with 55 being chosen for inclusion. The 30 pieces chosen by the juror to receive awards will later become a Travel Show to be on display at different locations across the state. Check web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/index.html

- SOLO E TUTTI: A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY: Runs June 15 – Sept. 1. Inspired by the musical phrases “Solo e Tutti,” which translates to “alone” & “everyone,” this collection of works offers a new take on the concept of community, reflecting the diversity of backgrounds that make up the students at Interlochen Arts Academy. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on major holidays. dennosmuseum. org/art/now-on-view/solo-e-tutti.html?utm_ source=cision&utm_medium=email&utm_ campaign=dmc-summer-2024

GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER:

- “MEMBERS CREATE” RETURNS: Featuring the work of 41 current GAAC members, in an array of work: 2D + 3D media including: clay, collage, fiber, mixed media, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, & more. Runs through Aug. 8. glenarborart.org/exhibits/current-exhibits

- NATIVE PLANTS: PAINTED + STITCHED CANVASES BY DANA FALCONBERRY: Held in the Lobby Gallery through Aug. 29. Falconberry, a musician, printmaker, painter & more, has been creating textile works that combine hand-painted imagery with machine chain stitch embroidery. She uses this hybrid method of creation to continue her exploration & interpretation of native plants local to northern Michigan. Gallery hours are Mon. through Fri., 9am-3pm; & Sat. & Sun., noon-4pm. glenarborart.org/eventspage/events-all

- OUTDOOR GALLERY EXHIBIT: MARGO BURIAN + ORDINARY MAGIC: Leelanau County artist Margo Burian’s collages have been chosen for display in the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s 2024-25 Outdoor Gallery exhibition, an annual, invitational exhibit. Burian’s collages are rooted in the idea of Ordinary Magic, or delight. They were reproduced on five, 5-foot-square, weatherresistant aluminum panels created by Image 360 of TC. Runs through April 20, 2025. Check web site for hours. glenaborart.org

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT: - OLIVER ART CENTER PRESENTS: LAURA MILLER: Held in the Fisher Room. The work of multi-disciplinary artist Laura Miller of Frankfort will be showcased in a solo exhibition through June 26. An artist talk will take place from 4-6pm on June 26. Laura Miller shares her zest for life through her work as she explores color & sculptural forms. Her painting style is fluid, relaxed yet bold featuring a wide range of subject matter & color. Check web site for hours. oliverart.org

- OAC ANNUAL SUMMER MEMBER SHOW: This show opens with a reception on Fri., June 21 from 5-7pm. An artist talk will take place on Fri., July 25 from 4-6pm. The exhibit runs through July 26. A wide variety of artistic styles, media & techniques will be showcased, highlighting the talents of Oliver Art Center members. Open M-F, 10am-4pm & Sun., noon-4pm. oliverart.org

Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.

ALEXANDRA INN, TC

BLUSH, ROOFTOP TERRACE:

Mon -- John Piatek, 6-8

BONOBO WINERY, TC

6/21 -- Rhett & John, 6-8

CHATEAU CHANTAL, TC

EAST PATIO:

6/21 -- Levi Cox, 5-8

COMMON GOOD RESTAURANT, TC

6/15 -- Blair Miller, 6

ENCORE 201, TC

9:

6/14-15, 6/20, & 6/22 -- DJ Ricky T

6/21 -- DJ Ricky T & DJ JR

FRESH COAST BEER WORKS, TC

6/21 -- Reminisce, 7-10

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT AND SPA, ACME

BAYSIDE POOL:

6/21 -- Craig Jolly, 6-8

IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC PATIO:

6/21 -- J Hobbs, 6-9

JACOB'S FARM, TC

6:

6/15 -- Empire Highway

6/16 -- TC Knuckleheads

6/21 -- Brett Mitchell Band

6/22 -- Jeff Tucker Band

6/23 -- Blair Miller

KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC

6/14-15 -- E Quality, 9:30

Mon -- Team Trivia, 7-9

Tue -- The Will Harris Trio, 8

Wed -- The Pocket, 8

Thu -- DJ Leo, 9:30

6/21 -- Ampersands, 9:30

6/22 -- TC Knuckleheads, 9:30

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

6/15 -- Elizabeth Landry, 7-9

6/18 -- Open Mic, 6-8

6/20 -- Speed Quizzing, 7-9

6/22 – The Kevins, 7-9

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC

BARREL ROOM:

6/15 – Expressions in Music & Words, 7:30-9

6/17 – Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

TASTING ROOM, 5-7:

6/15 – Jeff Socia

6/22 -- Randy Reszka

LIL BO, TC

BIER'S INWOOD BREWERY, CHARLEVOIX

6/20 -- Longest Day - Open Mic w/ 13 Artists; Benefits Alzheimer’s Association, 4-9

BOYNE CITY TAP ROOM

6/15, 6/20 & 6/22 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys, 7-10

BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT, BOYNE FALLS BEACH HOUSE:

6/22 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY 7-10:

6/15 -- Lavender Lions Duo

6/21 -- Pete Kehoe

6/22 -- Nathan Bates

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 7-10:

6/15 -- The Marsupials

6/22 -- The Styleguides

Tues. – Trivia, 8-10 Sun. – Karaoke, 8

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, TC

7:30-10:30:

6/15 – Clint Weaner

6/20 – Dawn Campbell & The Bohemians

6/21 – Matt Mansfield

6/22 – Clint Weaner

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC

6/21 -- Clint Weaner, 6-9

NORTH BAR, TC

6/15 -- Brett Mitchell, 2-5

6/16 -- Zeke Clemons, 1-4

6/19 -- Jesse Jefferson, 5-8

6/20 -- Jim Hawley, 7-10

6/21 -- Luke Woltanski, 5-8

6/22 – John Piatek, 1-4

6/23 – Songwriters in the Round: June Showcase w/ Josh Mitchell, Jerome Forde, Will Prentice & Benjamin Swan, 4-6

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC

SEVEN HILLS:

6/15 – Gemini Moon, 6:30

6/16 – Mike Moran w/ Ryan McGee, 5 6/19 – Jimmy Olson, 6:30

6/20 – Chris Smith, 6 6/21 – Mitchell McKolay, 6

6/22 – Tick & Tin, 6

6/23 – The Fridays, 6

PARK PLACE HOTEL, TC BEACON LOUNGE:

6/14-15 & 6/21-22 -- Jim Hawley, 7-10

RARE BIRD BREWPUB, TC

6/22 -- Nest Fest w/ May Erlewine & Friends, Molly, Lady Ace Boogie, & Drag Show, 3-9

SORELLINA'S, TC SLATE RESTAURANT: Thurs. -- Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 5-8 Fri. & Sat. – Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 6-9

STONE HOUND BREWING CO., WILLIAMSBURG

7-10: 6/15 -- Billy & The Kid

6/20 -- Protea

6/21 -- Levi Britton

THE ALLUVION, TC

6/15 -- The Long Memory Project, presented by Crosshatch, Up North Pride, & MiGen, 6-9

6/17 -- Big Fun - Funky Fun Mondays, 6-8:30

Antrim & Charlevoix

HOTEL EARL, CHARLEVOIX

7:30-10:30: 6/15 – Hanna Von Bernthal 6/16 – Zeke Clemons

6/20 – DJ Parker Marshall 6/22 – Hanna Von Bernthal 6/23 – Zeke Clemons

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BELLAIRE 6/15 & 6/22 – Matt Mansfield, 7:3010:30

MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY

6/19 -- Karaoke Night, 9 6/21 -- SAXA4IAv, 6-9

PROVISIONS WINE LOUNGE, BOYNE CITY

6/18 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6-8

SHORT'S BREW PUB, BELLAIRE BEER GARDEN:

6/15 -- Chris Michels, 7-9:30

6/20 -- Tilt Think Comedy Presents: After Dark Comedy, 9-11

6/21 -- The Ellen Rowe Octet –“Momentum Portraits of Women in Motion,” 7-9:30

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC

6/14-15 -- Sandy & The Bandits, 7:30-11

6/20 -- Thurs. Open Mic Night, 6 6/21-22 -- Tyler Gitchel's Traditional Country Show, 7:30-11

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC PATIO:

6/21 – The Pocket, 6-10

6/22 – UNP Summer Solstice Party w/ Synthia Looper, & Silent Disco by DJ Ras Marco, 8-12

THE PARLOR, TC

6/15 -- Dollar Shavey Club, 6-9; Luke Woltanski, 9-12

6/18 -- Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

6/19 -- SkyeLea, 8-11

6/20 -- Jimmy Olson, 8-11

6/21 -- Wink Solo, 6-9; Rolling Dirty, 9-12

6/22 -- Amanda Igra, 6-9; David Cisco, 9-12

THE PUB, TC

6/15 -- Craig Jolly, 5-8

6/16 – Rob Coonrod, 5-8

6/19 – Drew Hale, 8-11

6/20 – David Marton, 8-11

6/22 – Rhett & John, 5-8

6/23 – Drew Hale, 1-4; Rob Coonrod, 5-8

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

6/15 -- The Boardman River Band, 8 6/18 -- Open Mic, 7-9

6/19 -- Jazz Show & Jam, 6-8:30

6/21 -- Jerome Forde, 8 6/22 -- Aaron Dye, 8

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO, 6:30-9:30: 6/15 -- Tower of Bauer 6/20 -- TSP

6/21 -- The Timebombs 6/22 -- J Hawkins Band

TRAVERSE CITY WHISKEY CO. 6/15 & 6/22 -- Ben Richey, 6-8

UNION STREET STATION, TC 9:30: 6/14-15 -- Rolling Dirty 6/20 -- Ladies Night Dance Party w/ 1Wave DJs 6/21-22 -- Sprout & The Orange

45 NORTH VINEYARD & WINERY, LAKE LEELANAU

6/15 -- Larry Perkins, 3-6

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

6/15 -- Jedi Clampetts, 3:30-5:30

6/16 -- Larz Cabot, 3:30-5:30

6/18 -- John Piatek, 5:30-7:30

6/21 -- Larry Perkins, 3:30-5:30

6/22 -- Luke Woltanski, 12:30-5:30

6/23 -- Swingbone, 3-5:30

BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY LAWN, 6-8:

6/15 -- Nick Veine

6/22 – Rob Coonrod

BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU

TASTING ROOM LAWN: 6/16 -- Dominic Fortuna, 4-6

6/23 -- Jim Hawley & His Band, 4-6:30

BROOMSTACK KITCHEN & TAPHOUSE, MAPLE CITY PATIO, 5:30-8:30: 6/18 -- Luke Woltanski

6/19 -- Pat Niemisto & Chris Skellenger

6/20 -- Andre Villoch

CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY

6/16 -- Rhett & John, 2-4:30

6/20 -- Charlie Arnett, 5-7:30

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE KINLOCHEN PLAZA, 6-8: 6/20 -- Rhett & John

6/22 -- Christopher Winkelmann

LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30:

6/15 -- Christopher Winkelmann

6/19 -- Levi Britton

6/20 -- Sydni K

6/21 -- Brady Corcoran

6/22 -- Dominic Fortuna

6/23 -- Sean Kelly

WILD TOMATO, PATIO, 6-8: 6/21 -- Bill Frary

6/22 -- Andy Littlefield

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH

6/21 -- Jen Sygit, 6-9

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR

6/20 -- Billy & The Kid, 4-7

FURNACE STREET DISTILLERY, ELBERTA PATIO, 5-7: 6/22 – John Piatek

6/23 – John Richard Paul

HOP LOT BREWING CO., SUTTONS BAY 5-8:

6/15 -- Mike Moran

6/21 -- The Dune Brothers 6/22 -- Uncle Z

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

6/15 -- The Sundogs, 6-8

6/16 -- Charlie Arnett, 5-7

6/17 -- Brett Mitchell, 6-8

6/22 -- Blair Miller, 6-8

6/23 -- Darrell Boger, 6-8

Emmet & Cheboygan

Send

6/20 -- The Claudettes, 6-8:30

6/21 -- Hatchwing Rider, 7-9:30 6/22 -- Kyle Brown & The Human Condition, 7-9:30

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS

6/15 -- Keith Scott, 6-9

6/16 -- Jen Sygit, 2-5

6/21 -- Jeff Socia, 6-9

6/22 -- The Headwaters Band, 6-9 6/23 -- David Lawston, 2-5

STIGGS BREWERY & KITCHEN, BOYNE CITY

6:30: 6/15 -- Peter Allen Jensen

6/21 -- DJ Lee Blossom 6/22 -- The Crosscut Kings

TOONIES RESTAURANT & BAR, BELLAIRE Sat -- Karaoke, 9-1

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE

6/15 – Barely Devils, 9-1 6/22 – Jackyl, 8-10:30

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA 6/16 -- Lynn Callihan, 4 6/21 -- Seth Bernard + Creature Album Release, 7

THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/PRIMOS, CADILLAC 6/15 -- Band Break Out Competition, 7 6/19 -- Trivia Night & Music Bingo w/ Shawny-D, 6-10 6/20 -- Karaoke Night w/ DJ ShawnyD, 7-10

BOB'S PLACE, ALANSON

6/19 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY PATIO:

6/15 & 6/22 -- Chris Calleja, 2-6

6/21 -- Michelle Chenard, 4-7:30

BURNT MARSHMALLOW BREWSTILLERY, PETOSKEY

5:30-7:30:

6/15 & 6/22 -- Terry Coveyou

6/21 -- Peter Allen Jensen

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

6/21 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

COUNTRY CLUB OF BOYNE, HARBOR SPRINGS

6/21 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

CROOKED VINE VINEYARD & WINERY, ALANSON

6/15 -- Randy Reszka, 1-4

GYPSY VODKA DISTILLERY, PETOSKEY

6/22 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 6

HIGH FIVE SPIRITS, PETOSKEY TASTING ROOM:

6/15 -- Tail Light Rebellion, 9 Wed -- Trivia Night with MyClueIs Trivia, 8

6/21 -- DJ Michigan Basement Tracks, 9 6/22 -- Nashville Nights, 9

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR

7:30-10:30:

6/15 & 6/21 – Jessica Dominic

6/20 -- David Lawston

6/22 – Kevin Johnson

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY 7-10:

6/15 -- Michelle Chenard

6/21 -- Sydni K 6/22 -- Chris Koury

NORTHLAND BREWING CO., INDIAN RIVER

BACKYARD:

6/16 – Groove Yard Vinyl Session w/ DJ Yakob, 5-8

6/20 – Lara Fullford, 6:30-8:30

6/21 – Smokin’ Dobroleles, 7-10

6/22 – The Claudettes, 7-10

6/23 – EcK, 5-8

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS 6/15 -- Delilah DeWylde, 5-8

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

6/15 -- Daydrinker's Series w/ Blind Dog Hank, 3-6; Stonefolk, 7-10 6/18 -- New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30

6/19 -- Blake Elliott & Aaron Dye, 6:309:30

6/20 -- Luke Woltanski & John Piatek, 7-10

6/21 -- Happy Hour w/ Jackie Pappas, 3-6; 1000 Watt Prophets, 7-10

6/22 -- Daydrinker's Series w/ Jon & Will, 3-6; Looking Forward - CSN&Y Tribute, 7-10

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 6/16 -- Jesse Jefferson, 3-6

6/17 -- Lisa Mac & Jack, 5-8

6/18 -- Whitney Boecker, 5-8

6/19 -- Blair Miller, 5-8

6/20 -- Rabbit Fur, 5-8

6/21 -- Sam & Bill, 5-8

6/22 -- LaRose, 1-4; Annagail, 5-8 6/23 -- Jabo Bihlman, 3-6

SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY

6/21 -- Friday Night Live w/ Kyle Brown, 4-7

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT

6/15 -- Evan Burgess, 6-9

6/19 -- Tim Jones, 7-9

THE LELAND LODGE

6/19 -- Jim Hawley, 6-9

TIPSY CANOE, HONOR 6/16 -- Blair Miller, 4

6/16 -- Two Track Mind, 3-6 Wed -- Open Mic Night Hosted by Kirby Snively, 5-8; sign up at 4:30 6/20 -- Hipps & Ricco, 5-8 6/21 -- Barn Dance w/ Peacemeal String Band, 5-8

6/22 -- Ty Parkin & The Old Souls, 4-8 6/23 -- The Real Ingredients, 3-6

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN 7: 6/15 -- Ahab and the Smelt Dippers 6/20 -- Musicians Playground ‘Open Mic’ 6/21 -- Ryan & Mike Cassidy 6/22 -- Sam & Justus

THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS SLOPESIDE LOUNGE PATIO: 6/15 & 6/19 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6 THE LARK THEATER, CHEBOYGAN 6 & 7:30: 6/15 – Shayne Arsenault & Cold, Hard Cash – The Music of Johnny Cash

THE STATION @ 310, INDIAN RIVER 6/20 -- Mike Ridley, 2-5

WALLOON LAKE WINERY, PETOSKEY

6/20 -- Duffy King, 6-8

Otsego, Crawford & Central

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD 6: 6/15 -- Richard John Ausmus Delcamp 6/20 -- Kenny Thompson 6/21 -- Mike Ridley 6/22 -- Keith Menzies

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD 6/22 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD 6: 6/15 -- Randy Reszka 6/19 -- Zie

OTSEGO RESORT, GAYLORD LOGMARK: 6/22 -- Randy Reszka, 9

PADDLE HARD YARD, GRAYLING 7-9: 6/15 -- The Real Ingredients 6/21 -- Delilah DeWylde

RAY'S BBQ, BREWS & BLUES, GRAYLING 6/16 – Andy Perrin, 4

Leelanau & Benzie

lOGY

JUNE 17 - JUNE 23

BY ROB BREZSNY

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In the second half of 2012 and the first half of 2013, you launched a journey that will finally culminate soon. What a long, strange, and interesting trip it has been! The innovations you activated during that time have mostly ripened, though not entirely. The hopes that arose in you have brought mixed results, but the predominant themes have been entertaining lessons and soulful success. I hope you will give yourself a congratulatory gift, dear Gemini. I hope you will luxuriate in a ritual celebration to commemorate your epic journey. The process hasn’t been perfect, but even the imperfections have been magical additions to your life story.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Does any person or institution own a part of you? Has anyone stolen some of your power? Does anyone insist that only they can give you what you need? If there are people who fit those descriptions, Virgo, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to fix the problems. According to my understanding of life’s rhythms, you can summon the ingenuity and strength to reclaim what rightfully belongs to you. You can recover any sovereignty and authority you may have surrendered or lost.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In ancient Greek myth, Sisyphus was a forlorn character punished by the gods. He was required to push a boulder from the bottom to the top of a hill. But each time he neared the peak, the big rock, which had been enchanted by the crabby god Zeus, slipped away and rolled back down the hill. The story says that Sisyphus had to do this for all eternity. If there have been even minor similarities between you and him, Libra, that will change in the coming months. I predict you will finally succeed—is this your fifth attempt?—in finishing a task or project that has, up until now, been frustrating.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Is it possible to reap spiritual epiphanies while having sex? Can intense physical pleasure be a meditation that provokes enlightened awareness? Can joy and bliss bring learning experiences as valuable as teachings that arise from suffering? Here are my answers to those three questions, Scorpio, especially for you during the next four weeks: yes, yes, and yes. My astrological ruminations tell me that you are primed to harvest divine favors as you quest for delight.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your animal magnetism and charisma could be wildly potent in the coming weeks. I’m worried that as a result, you may be susceptible to narcissistic feelings of entitlement. You will be extra attractive, maybe even irresistible! But now that you have received my little warning, hope you will avoid that fate. Instead, you will harness your personal charm to spread blessings everywhere you go. You will activate a generosity of spirit in yourself that awakens and inspires others. Do not underestimate the electrifying energy pouring out of you, Sagittarius. Vow to make it a healing medicine and not a chaotic disruptor.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): ): I’ve had thousands of crucial teachers. There would be no such thing as me without their life-changing influences. Among that vast array have been 28 teachers whose wisdom has been especially riveting. I feel gratitude for them every day. And among those 28 have been five geniuses who taught me so much so fast in a short period of time that I am still integrating their lessons. One of those is Capricorn storyteller and mythologist Michael Meade. I offer you these thoughts because I suspect you are close to getting a major download from a guide who can be for you what Meade has been for me. At the very least, you will engage with an educational source akin to my top 28.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In one of my previous lifetimes, was a bricoleur—a collector and seller of junk who re-used the castaway stuff in new ways. That’s one reason

why, during my current destiny, I am a passionate advocate for recycling, renewal, and redemption—both in the literal and metaphorical senses. I am tuned in to splendor that might be hidden within decay, treasures that are embedded in trash, and bliss that can be retrieved from pain. So I’m excited about your prospects in the coming weeks, Aquarius. If you so desire, you can specialize in my specialties.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Some people imagine that being creative means having nonstop spontaneous fun. They think it’s primarily exuberant, adventurous, and liberating. As a person who prizes imaginative artistry, I can testify that this description is accurate some of the time. But more often, the creative process involves meticulous organization and discipline, periods of trial-anderror experimentation, and plenty of doubt and uncertainty. It’s hard work that requires persistence and faith. Having said that, Pisces, I am happy to say you are now in a phase when the freewheeling aspects of creativity will be extra available. You’re more likely than usual to enjoy spontaneous fun while dreaming up novel ideas and fresh approaches. Channel this energy into an art form or simply into the way you live your life.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I love being logical and reasonable! The scientific method is one of my favorite ways to understand how the world works. am a big fan of trying to ascertain the objective facts about any situation am in. However, also love being intuitive and open to mystical perceptions. I don’t trust every one of my feelings as an infallible source of truth, but I rely on them a lot to guide my decisions. And I also believe that it’s sometimes impossible to figure out the objective facts. In the coming weeks, Aries, suggest you give more weight than usual to the second set of perspectives I described. Don’t be crazily illogical, but proceed as if logic alone won’t provide the insights you need most.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In their book *Your Symphony of Selves*, Jordan Gruber and James Fadiman propose a refreshing theory about human nature. They say that each of us is a community of multiple selves. It’s perfectly natural and healthy for us to be an amalgam of various voices, each with distinctive needs and forms of expression. We should celebrate our multifaceted identity and honor the richness it affords us. According to my analysis of astrological omens, the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to exult in your own symphony of selves and make it a central feature of your self-understanding.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): I suspect you may have metaphorical resemblances to a lightning rod in the coming weeks. Just in case I’m right, I urge you not to stroll across open fields during thunderstorms. On the other hand, I recommend that you be fully available to receive bolts of inspiration and insight. Put yourself in the presence of fascinating events, intriguing people, and stirring art. Make yourself ready and eager for the marvelous.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): "It's hard to get lost if you don't know where you're going," said experimental filmmaker Jim Jarmusch. He’s implying that there’s potential value in getting lost. Unexpected discoveries might arrive that contribute to the creative process. But that will only happen if you first have a clear vision of where you’re headed. Jarmusch’s movies benefit from this approach. They’re fun for me to watch because he knows exactly what he wants to create but is also willing to get lost and wander around in search of serendipitous inspirations. This is the approach I recommend for you in the coming weeks, dear Leo.

“Jonesin” Crosswords

"Out for the Count" --a familiar set. by Matt Jones

ACROSS

1. Adoption org.

5. Dallas player, for short

8. Because of

13. "Relax!"

14. St. crosser

15. Ambassador's assistant

16. Religious leader's maxims (unrelated to late actor Robert)

17. Fight back

19. Night of amateur comedy or music, more formally

21. 100% accurate

22. Like the Woodsman of Oz

23. Hallow ender

24. Licorice-scented herb

28. TV network heardquartered in Ottawa

31. City between Cleveland and Akron which hosts an annual festival for multiple births

36. All-encompassing

38. Tire filler

39. Schedule listing

40. Shel Silverstein children's book that has drawn controversy

43. Roll of grass

44. More weird

45. "Grease" band ___ Na Na

48. "Superstore" actor Feldman

50. Be less strict

53. Washington, for one

58. Vince Gilligan, for "Better Call Saul"

59. "Circle of Friends" novelist Binchy

60. Native American emblem

61. Long period of time

62. Complete confusion

63. Like some stares or brooks

64. Miffed

65. 'Rents, more rudely

DOWN

1. "Ye Olde" establishment

2. With feet turned in

3. Gorillaz song "___ Eastwood"

4. Texas mission to "remember"

5. "The Life and Slimes of ___ Summers" (solo performance from the host of "Double Dare")

6. Positively profess

7. Presidential bill blocker

8. "New" capital

9. Worker's organization

10. Lemonheads lead singer Dando

11. Carryall

12. "___ Como Va" (Santana song)

13. Almost there

18. More appropriate

20. ___ instant

25. Anti-inflammatory drug acronym

26. "___ you, Nancy, from doing harm ..." (line from "The Craft")

27. ___ pricing

28. Green Bay Packers fan

29. Recycling container

30. Narrow bed

32. Make like a happy tail

33. "The Last King of Scotland" subject Amin

34. Neighbor of Belg.

35. "A Man Called ___" (Fredrik Backman novel turned into a Tom Hanks movie)

36. "Dynamite" K-pop band

37. 17th letter of the Greek alphabet

41. Singer/songwriter Shepard who recurred on "Ally McBeal"

42. Not kosher, in Jewish dietary law

46. ___ rancheros (Mexican breakfast)

47. ___-ski (lodge lounging)

48. President Martin Van ___

49. Foe

51. Transmission repair franchise with a "beep beep" ad

52. "60 Minutes" reporter Lesley with an appearance in "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On"

53. Arch location

54. Eight, for starters?

55. "Big-ticket" thing

56. "You've Got Mail" director Ephron

57. June honoree

58. Dollar fractions, briefly

PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE: Updated commercial office for lease Elk Rapids Email:honeyhivedrive@ gmail.com

LIVE MUSIC ON THE PATIO at the Sail Inn Wed 6-9pm with Josh Sprague. Great drinks! Karaoke Thurs & Sat 9pm-1am.

SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248

WAREHOUSE HELP NEEDEDPRODUCTION Associate $17.50 We're looking for a production associate to help ASAP! Role is full-time, benefits included. Forklift experience preferred. Be ok with a fast-paced environment. https:// workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/ recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=a303881c5340-47ac-9e2d-bd70558278f5&ccId=1900 0101_000001&jobId=505065&lang=en_US

$325,000 | 301 Cochlin Street, Traverse City

3 bath, 2 bed, 1,544 sq. ft. two-story home, close to the Civic Center and only a short walk/drive/bike to downtown. This property boasts large trees and a fenced-in yard. New, wood vinyl flooring, main floor primary bedroom and laundry, with an open kitchen, dining and living area. Access the alley entrance through a nice mudroom. There is a storage shed in the back of the property, off of the alley.

$105,000 | 12755 S Marina Village Dr #67, TC Harbor West Yacht Club marina offers the best of West Bay in Leelanau County, just minutes from Traverse City. Dock your boat in your own 30’ x 14’ slip, steps away from parking, the member’s clubhouse, community patio, grills, gas dock, and more. Enjoy dining at West End Tavern or The Burrow. Embrace the up north boating lifestyle from this sought-after location.