THE DEER REPORT
DNR
The Michigan Supreme Court is Chosen by The People, the U.S. Supreme Court is Not
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the state, making decisions on critical issues that impact everyone. It’s important to know the citizens of Michigan have the power to elect the people who are entrusted with this vital role in our state government.
During any given term, issues that come before the Michigan Supreme Court can include civil rights, environmental regulations, criminal justice, reproductive rights, gun safety, fair elections, and more. The justices who serve on the court help shape Michigan’s future, reviewing over 2,000 appeals every year and choosing the most complex, significant cases to help ensure a just and fair outcome.
Michigan is one of only 24 states that empowers voters to elect state Supreme Court justices, which is a civic duty as important as any choice you make on your ballot.
This is completely di erent from United States Supreme Court justices, who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Although both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Michigan Supreme Court act as the final authority in interpreting laws and judicial rules at the federal and state level, respectively, there are other di erences, too.
Unlike U.S. Supreme Court justices, who serve for life, Michigan Supreme Court justices are elected for eight-year terms. Candidates for the Michigan Supreme Court must be a qualified elector, a licensed Michigan lawyer for five years, and under the age of 70 at the time of their election.
Seven justices serve on the Michigan Supreme Court at a time. When their term is complete, they can run for re-election if they meet the requirements. In 2024, Justice Kyra Harris Bolden is the only incumbent running for re-election. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court, having been appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2022 when a vacancy on the court needed to be filled. That is part of the process in Michigan, and is the only time a Supreme Court justice is appointed and not elected.
Although Justice Bolden may not have been a household name at the time, she previously served in the state House for four years. During her time in the House, Justice Bolden sat on the Judiciary Committee and introduced bipartisan legislation designed to protect citizens’ rights. Before that, she was a litigation attorney. These are the kinds of qualifications that ensure that Michigan Supreme Court justices understand the rule of law, the importance of fairness and equity, and demonstrate the level of integrity and education this important role requires.
Supreme Court justices in Michigan must be nominated by a political party, but their political a liation is not included on voters’ ballots. So it’s essential to do your homework to understand the values and experience of candidates once they are o cially nominated, especially if you want to ensure a balanced court that will protect the rights and freedoms of everyone in Michigan.
This year, Michigan voters will choose who fills two open spots on the Michigan Supreme Court. The votes you cast can make an impact for a generation. That’s why it’s essential to understand how to vote for Michigan Supreme Court justices.
Even if you vote a straight-party ticket, you must individually cast your vote for justices in the non-partisan section of your ballot. It’s easy to find – if you know to be looking for it. So don’t stop at the top! Keep going through your entire ballot to vote for two Supreme Court justices in the non-partisan section.
Every election – and every vote – matters. Learn more about your voting rights, get more information about the Michigan Supreme Court, and check out what the non-partisan section of your ballot will look like. Visit www.misupremecourtrocks.com for all this and more.
-Kalvin Carter, Up North Advocacy Project Director
letters
Until It Does
I’m expanding on a point Steven Tuttle made in a recent column (“Ignoring the New Normal”; Oct. 21, 2024) in regard to the scope of catastrophe caused by the recent hurricanes being unanticipated, especially in places such as Asheville, North Carolina, which had previously been classified as a climate change sanctuary city due to its safe location and benign climate.
Humans have a propensity to see our situations as “safe” and live under a veil of false security because things appear “benign,” and that’s exactly why we need to wake up to reality. Everything that hasn’t happened before, hasn’t happened before… until it does.
That, my fellow citizens of the most important democracy in the world, is why you can’t sit out this key to our future as a democratic society election because you’re boycotting some unpalatable action by the government, or you think that Trump is just “being Trump” and somehow common sense and decency will magically overcome the chaos he will bring if re-elected.
The U.S. is not an autocracy until it is. The moves in the playbook of un-doing our democracy are being executed before our very eyes. Trump is openly being a fascist. It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s reality! He has said he wanted generals like Hitler. What more proof do you want? Unless you’re cool with an autocracy, in which case, this letter is not geared towards you.
It is a privilege to participate in democracy! There are no policies that are good enough to outweigh the colossal damage a second Trump presidency will do to our nation. If he wins, you lose your freedoms because he will dictate your future and he doesn’t care about you.
The good news is, this isn’t the weather. You can do something. Vote for democracy!
Joanne
Lehto | Traverse City
Showing Up
Thanks to Northern Express for your recent issue for the upcoming election in northern Michigan. Just like a football program with the player names and backgrounds.
Yet two Fridays before the election, while the stadium lights were on the annual Patriots game honoring veterans featuring two Traverse City high schools playing, who decides to hold a conflict of schedule rally here: former President Donald Trump.
Ends up his visit at the airport wasn’t a conflict of schedule after all, as his rally speech wasn’t until after 10pm, over three hours late, and to add insult, people wanting to attend the rally were lining up for a bus shuttle from a designated car parking area at 8am.
As the business adage goes, 90 percent of success is showing up on time. Otherwise, as in 2020 when Michigan voters said: You’re fired!
George Golubovskis | Traverse City
Who Wasn’t on Your Ballot?
The “Who’s on Your Ballot” story (Oct. 21) fails to include the most important election, the candidates for president. Here’s the bare minimum you must publish in the most consequential presidential election of
my long lifetime:
The future of this country is in all our hands. Vice President Kamala Harris has proven, unequivocal commitment to the Constitution, including her time as a senator, Attorney General of California, and a prosecutor. With a President Harris, Vice President Walz, and a working Congress we can devise details of policies and plans to make collective and constructive decisions about our environment, good jobs, health care, education, immigration, housing, taxation, and foreign policy.
Donald Trump, a convicted felon, has proven he acts only in his own personal interest, including playing politics with natural disasters and public health crises. He has promised to destroy the competence and independence of this country’s institutions, give tax cuts to the rich, and add tariffs for more burden on the poor and middle class. These are facts and reality.
Anabel Dwyer | Mackinaw City
Don’t Settle for Hope
After reading the recent opinion columns from Mulvahill and Smith, I had to respond. You cannot vote for a candidate for the leader of the free world when the only reason is to not have the opposing candidate win! This is truly ignorant reasoning. DEI qualifications cannot be the first priority in choosing a candidate.
Mulvahill states her column was supposed to “delve into Harris’s qualifications” but then chose to just generalize why we should have a female leader now. You cannot list the superior qualifications of Harris because there are none! She had no votes to be a candidate.
I agree with many of the points that Smith said about this being late in coming for finally having a female president, however, Harris is not the answer. You have to vote on policies, not personality, gender, and race.
Stop with the unfounded fears of Trump in the White House. There is no one more capable and caring for the citizens of the U.S. Trump proves every day that he puts America first, which is the first role of the president.
Are you truly happy with the way our tax money has been spent for all the non-citizens benefiting off our backs?
Think of all the U.S. money sent to foreign countries for their war efforts. That money could have been spent for climate change efforts, cancer research, or FEMA funds. But no, the U.S. citizens have to pay for the weakness and bad decisions of the current administration. Support a better administration; don’t settle for the hope that Harris will do the right thing and close the border too. It just won’t happen.
Ginger Schultz | Traverse City
columns & stuff
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top ten this week’s
Ready, Set, Brew! Smashing Pumpkins
Traverse City Beer Week begins Friday, Nov. 8, and runs through Nov. 16. Download the mobile passport at traversecity.com and use it to get discounts at participating local breweries, free merch, and check-in points that make you eligible for all kinds of prizes. Throughout the week, catch special events like the Flapjack and Flannel Festival at Timber Ridge Resort (Nov. 9; $40 ticket includes pancakes, BBQ, drinks, live music, and a lumberjack show), a Beer & Dessert Pairing at Right Brain Brewery (Nov. 11; desserts will be specially developed by Chef Rose Duggan to pair alongside different RBB beers), and the IPA Challenge at The Little Fleet (Nov. 14; $25 ticket includes food from Crocodile Palace and tastings from 12 breweries). Find more Beer Week activities at traversecity. com. Cheers!
Take part in the Pumpkin Smashing Extravaganza and help our environment! The City of Traverse City is teaming up with Carter’s Compost and SEEDS at the city’s in-vessel composting unit, located at 143 Beitner Rd. on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10am-1pm. The city hopes to divert 1 ton of pumpkins from landfills. Composting pumpkins helps reduce greenhouse gasses, diverts waste, and returns nutrients to the soil, improving environmental health. There will also be pumpkin drop-off from Nov. 1-9, until 1pm. Pumpkins should be free of any decorations and paint.
Hey, read IT! Haunt, Sweet Home 4
Twenty-something Mara has always felt a little lost. The youngest in a chaotic family, she’s spent decades trying to ditch the shadow of her older relatives’ success—especially her vain cousin Jeremy, whose paranormal investigation-meets-home makeover mashup show, Haunt, Sweet Home, has earned him local celebrity status. When a runner spot on the show opens up, Mara seizes it, hoping the job might be just what she needs to strike some success of her own. Between fabricating bumps in the night and mastering the fog machine, though, a series of eerie events on set and a mysterious new coworker point to something more sinister at play than just the team’s special effects. Has the night crew uncovered a bona fide haunting? Awardwinning author Sarah Pinsker’s newest novella, Haunt Sweet Home, is a masterful combo of creepy thriller and coming-of-age-story that’s perfect for curling up with on a dark and stormy night. (But keep the lights on!)
Bushell’s Fried Chicken Sandwich 5 2 tastemaker
If you’ve read enough Tastemakers over the years, you may have noticed a few of our writers have a penchant for a great fried chicken sandwich. Good news from that camp—we’ve found another one! Bushell’s Kitchen + Cocktails of Traverse City opened this year, serving up soul food from their cozy spot on Union Street. It’s no wonder they have the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($15) on their menu, and they do it right. Crispy, juicy chicken pairs up with pickled red onion, greens, house-made pickles, and the restaurant’s own buttermilk ranch. Honestly, the brioche bun is a star in its own right— soft and oh-so-buttery, but still hearty enough to keep the sandwich together. Grab a bite (and one of their creative cocktails) at 127 South Union Street in Traverse City. bushellskitchenandcocktails.com
Shop. Support. Shop Some More.
Want to get a jump-start on your holiday shopping and support local nonprofits? Downtown Traverse City has the answer. Nov. 9, they’ll host their annual Shop Your Community Day, when 15 percent of every purchase at participating stores will be donated to one of 30 local nonprofit organizations. Best of all, you pick the nonprofit that speaks to you! The nonprofits range from organizations focused on arts and culture to animal welfare, education to environmental conservation, healthcare to social services. More than two dozen downtown retailers and restaurants (think: gift cards!) are supporting the cause with their sales. Get all the details on where and when to shop at downtowntc.com/shop-your-community-day.
More Trees for Manistee
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has announced $3 million in grants to help communities expand and enhance trees and green space, and some of that money is headed to northern Michigan. The Manistee Conservation District (MCD) received $224,301 for a project called Branching Out for a Greener Future, an urban tree renewal project. “The City of Manistee Tree Commission began this inventory effort with volunteers, but they faced challenges with time and resources. They reached out to the Conservation District for guidance, and with their approval we applied for this grant,” says Tyler Dula, conservation specialist with the MCD. “With approximately 6,000 street trees and 1,500 park trees, this grant enables us to contract professionals to inventory and accurately assess tree risks in a matter of months rather than years.” The project will help to mitigate hazard risks, improve green space, and provide shade to reduce the heat island effect in neglected parts of the city.
Stuff We Love: Championing Smaller Sports
Everybody tuned in for the Michigan/Michigan State football game last weekend. But what about college tennis? Or rowing? Or soccer? These—along with track and field, golf, baseball, lacrosse, and swimming—are considered “non-revenue generating sports” and don’t get all the attention, money, or scholarships other athletic endeavors do. So Manton High School and MSU alum Christopher Mundy recently started the Gerald Mundy, Jr. and Elizabeth Mundy Endowed Scholarship (named for his parents) to benefit northern Michigan athletes headed to MSU to compete in one of the sports listed above. Carolyn Garner of Traverse City is on the MSU rowing team and was the first recipient of the scholarship. For more information or to nominate someone for the scholarship, please reach out to the Michigan State University Spartan Fund at (517) 432-4635 or ehemer@ath.msu.edu.
Halloween might be over, but we’re still feeling the spooky energy and seeking a ghoulishly-good cocktail! Enter: the newly-concocted Cinnamon Ghoul ($8) at Paddle Hard Brewing in Grayling. Inspired by the decadence of a freshly-dipped caramel apple, this fall-ified White Russian riff combines a base of Carolan’s Irish Cream with Buttershots Schnapps (that’s Pucker-like butterscotch liqueur) and a splash of Crown Apple Canadian Whiskey. Creamy and sweet with an apple-y bite, this potion—we mean drink—is shaken until frothy and served on ice with a cinnamon sugar rim with gooey caramel sauce and a cinnamon sugar donut as garnish. A little extra treat with our trick? Yes, please! (Enjoy one alongside the S’moreo dessert for an extra sugar buzz!) Find Paddle Hard Brewing at 227 Michigan Ave. in Grayling. paddlehardbrewing.com
By steven Tuttle
Some of you will be reading this before Tuesday’s election and some after. You might still be hopeful or now joyful or despondent. So whether you believe the world will be, or has been, saved from the forces of evil or is likely to be controlled by those forces, take a very deep breath. It is not likely the republic will now crumble; we’ve been through much before and survived quite nicely.
And in spite of what you might have been hearing lately, we are not a failing country with a failing government, failing military, or failing schools. At worst, we are a surviving country, and we survive very well.
it was our deadliest and ugliest war. Some 700,000 Americans died, most from disease, in a war of futility that still splits us north and south and from which we are still recovering. But we did survive.
Moving ahead to just the highlights, there was World War I, hopefully but sadly known as the War to End All Wars, then the equally horrific World War II. Both purpose and outcome became less clear, but then came Korea, Vietnam, and the Afghanistan/Iraq foray, with all manner of skirmishes in between.
We will not slide into the abyss of historic failure just because our preferred candidates did not win. We’ll complain, we might struggle or even suffer, but we will survive.
Let’s not forget we are a country born in a violent revolution, so we survived a fairly sketchy beginning—6,800 American patriots died in battle, another 17,000 died from disease, and unknown thousands more of the 20,000 revolutionary POWs died in British captivity. But survive we did.
It was the beginning of an endless string of wars, police actions, and various skirmishes in which we’ve been involved. In fact, we’ve never gone so much as a single decade without some kind of war or battle.
After the Revolutionary War were the ignominious Indian Wars which dragged on and on and until 1925 when the Comanche Wars in Texas finally ended. (The so-called Apache Wars started in 1845 when James K. Polk was president and ended 79 years and 20 presidents later, when Woodrow Wilson was president.) These wars, which were often just massacres, also resulted in the Trail of Tears, in which at least 60,000 members of the five “Civilized Tribes” were forced to march from their ancestral lands to reservations in Oklahoma, and the Long Walk, which forced the Navajo people to relocate.
Elsewhere, there was the American-Algerian War of 1785, our first loss, and the Barbary War of 1800, which we revisited a decade later.
The British were not content with a single defeat, which led to the War of 1812. They lost again, though they did manage to burn both the White House and the Capitol and kill about 15,000 Americans through battle and disease. There was the MexicanAmerican War of 1848 in which the U.S. claimed sovereignty over Texas.
Then there was the Civil War, which could have destroyed the country or at least split us asunder. Attempting to secede from the union to protect slavery (if you don’t believe slavery was the cause, go online and read the Letter of Secession from any of the Confederate states and see for yourself),
It’s not just wars we’ve survived. Our economy, though the strongest in the world for more than a century, has had its threatening moments. There were recessions aplenty starting with the Great Panic of 1785, the Panic of 1873, and at least 48 official recessions according to the Federal Reserve leading up to the Great Recession of 2007-2009 and the COVID recession.
We survived all of that, including so-called soft landings and hard landings, not to mention full-blown depressions which started early in our history. There was a depression in 1807, another in 1815, the dreaded Long Depression of 18731879, and another right away in 1882. A depression in 1920 we ignored, but that foreshadowed the nightmare that was the Great Depression starting in 1929, which saw staggering 25 percent unemployment (about a quarter of the civilian workforce), a collapse of manufacturing production, and severe deflation, with wholesale prices falling by as much as a third and retail prices falling at least 25 percent. (While we might think we’d welcome such price decreases now, if manufacturers can’t make money, their stocks tumble, which crashes the market. Not good.)
We’ve survived wars and the vagaries of an inconsistent economic system with all kinds of leaders, good and bad, capable and not. We even survive when those leaders don’t.
We’ve survived eight presidents dying in office, four from assassination (Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy) and another four (William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor, Warren Harding, and Franklin Roosevelt) from natural causes. There have also been another half dozen assassination attempts that were, fortunately, unsuccessful.
We will not slide into the abyss of historic failure just because our preferred candidates did not win. We’ll complain, we might struggle or even suffer, but we will survive. spectator
H I L B E R T ' S H O N E Y C O .
5 M i l e R d , T r a v e r s e C i t y
h i l b e r t s h o n e y c o . c o m
THE IMMIGRANT BACKBONE OF AMERICA
Guest Opinion
by Loida L. Tapia
Democracy and the American Dream are at a critical juncture this year. From continued attacks on voting systems, hateful rhetoric directed toward immigrant communities, and policy proposals that seek to limit our personal freedoms, all of us have a responsibility to stand up for what is right and take action.
In response, the Civic Empowerment Coalition (CEC) is actively mobilizing to register, educate, and engage Latino, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) voters across Michigan for the upcoming election. The CEC is focused on training
An estimated 36.2 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year, accounting for 50 percent of the growth in eligible voters since 2020, according to Pew Research. Electing a president and Congress that will fully support policy measures that protect all workers and that respect the human dignity of immigrants is paramount. We can ensure that our priorities are championed and that there is the backing needed to enact meaningful change. Together, we can create a government that truly reflects our values as a nation and addresses the needs of our communities.
The fact is that this nation does not have food without the backbreaking work of predominantly Latino immigrants in the agricultural workforce.
farmworkers, the children of farmworkers, and community members to effectively mobilize eligible voters within their families and communities.
The stakes are exceptionally high this election cycle, particularly with one candidate proposing mass deportation as a misguided solution to our economic, housing, and gun violence challenges—an approach that would only exacerbate our problems.
The fact is that this nation does not have food without the backbreaking work of predominantly Latino immigrants in the agricultural workforce. In Michigan alone, there are approximately 100,000 farm workers that are the backbone of our $100 million agricultural industry.
The CEC has a long-standing commitment for advocating for workers’ rights, most recently urging the Biden-Harris administration to implement historic measures to protect workers and communities from the detrimental effects of extreme heat. As we approach this election cycle, we must recognize what’s at stake for our communities.
In Michigan, our immigrant communities are strong and resilient but face their fair share of challenges right now, especially when it comes to civil rights, wage inequality, health problems, and lack of access to stable housing.
Regardless of who you are or where you come from, you deserve a life with dignity and freedom; yet Latino communities are more likely to be surveilled by the police. This is happening currently in Michigan, with a county commission here passing a resolution to track one’s immigration status during all encounters with law enforcement—a reminder of the injustices we continue to face.
I understand why some Latinos are frustrated with the electoral process, especially after years of unfulfilled promises surrounding immigration reform. Many families are left in limbo, uncertain of their futures. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are temporary solutions, and for many, these short-term measures will expire next year.
While we cannot control external factors, we can control our participation during the general election. We can help elect people who are willing to address the immigration system in a just and humane way. I urge you to seize the opportunity to vote early and take advantage of your voting rights in Michigan.
As a proud daughter of immigrants, I carry the legacy of sacrifice and hope for a better future. I have dedicated my career to inclusive policies that reflect the true fabric of America. From working in the U.S. Senate to the White House, I have focused on safeguarding elections and engaging voters across the country, and I believe that using your power to vote is one of the most important actions one can take.
This Nov. 5, let us ensure that the future welcomes immigrants and upholds our values of opportunity and equality— where the daughter of immigrants can aspire to be president. Immigrants are the frontline of this nation, and our absence would fundamentally alter the America we know.
Together, let us stand up and vote to protect our future and the future of our communities.
Loida L. Tapia is the campaign manager for the Civic Empowerment Coalition and a dedicated advocate for inclusive policies and voter engagement.
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THE DEER REPORT WITH THE DNR
Top five things to know for November’s hunting season
By Victor Skinner
The lead up to the 2024 Michigan firearm deer season featured one of the biggest deer disease die-offs in recent years, regulation changes to address population imbalances in both peninsulas, and continued concerns about the future of wildlife funding amid declining hunter numbers.
Those issues and others could factor into how many of Michigan’s roughly 600,000 hunters approach the 2024 season as they head into the woods for the firearm opener on Nov. 15.
While a relatively mild 2023-24 winter is expected to translate into hunters generally seeing more deer this season, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) officials point to deer disease outbreaks, a focus on harvesting more does, and expanded harvest options as important considerations. Here are the top five things to know for 2024.
1. Deer Diseases
Reports of deer dying of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, commonly known as EHD, started early this year and increased quickly, though the outbreak isn’t expected
to have a significant impact in the northern Lower Peninsula.
“This year, conditions were kind of perfect for this virus to show up early,” says Chad Fedewa, acting deer specialist for the Michigan DNR. “It’s been fairly extensive, but the impact on the deer population is very localized.”
The disease is transmitted by a biting midge, which thrived following a relatively mild winter and warm spring, prompting outbreaks in May that typically don’t materialize until late July. DNR officials confirmed the disease in a dozen counties in southwest Michigan this year, and have confidence in reports from many others, including one pending confirmation in Manistee County, according to Mitch Marcus, the DNR’s Wildlife Health Section supervisor.
“Once the hard frost happens, then the vector that transmits the disease dies,” Marcus says.
Fedewa stressed that while EHD can significantly impact deer numbers in localized areas, evidenced by “multiple dead deer … in and around water sources,” it does not pose a threat to human health, and it’s “not even on the radar” in the northern Lower Peninsula.
In total, the DNR has confirmed about 3,000 deer have died from EHD in 2024, a toll that pales in comparison to the state’s biggest outbreak that claimed a minimum of 15,000 deer across 32 counties in 2012.
DNR officials are also “still concerned and still testing” for chronic wasting disease on a rotational basis across the state, with focused surveillance this year in Leelanau, Benzie, Manistee, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Antrim, Otsego, and Cheboygan counties, among others. The disease, which has not been detected in northwest Lower Peninsula, is transmitted by a prion passed between deer.
So far in 2024, Marcus says, the state has tested a little over 1,100 deer and found only two positive deer in Jackson County and one from Montcalm County. Hunters can find information on submitting their deer for testing at Michigan.gov/CWD.
“Even if they have a nice buck ... there’s still ways to have that deer tested and get the mount they’re looking to get,” Fedewa says, noting the DNR offers a list of processors who can extract the lymph nodes needed for testing while preserving the hide.
Bovine tuberculosis, a highly infectious disease that can infect humans, also continues to persist at low levels in several
northern Michigan counties, with a detection in Benzie County in 2023. Hunters in Montmorency, Alpena, Alcona, and Oscoda, and surrounding counties must submit harvested deer heads for testing, while hunters elsewhere should look out for white nodules on deer lungs or inside the chest cavity as an obvious sign, Fedewa says.
“People have contracted TB from infected deer,” he says. “It’s pretty rare, but it can happen.” Information on TB testing and precautions for processing deer are available on the DNR website.
2. Deer Population Trends
Deer numbers in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula continue to rise, while the population in the Upper Peninsula remains below what the DNR and hunters would prefer.
While the DNR does not produce population estimates for deer, a variety of trend indicators suggest growing numbers below the bridge are having a significant impact in a number of ways.
“A lot of things are going well for deer population numbers and allowing them to increase,” Fedewa says.
Less winter mortality due to milder
Photos courtesy of
temperatures, declining hunter numbers, a lack of predators, and other factors are contributing to the increase that’s causing more deer-car collisions, as well as more requests for agricultural deer damage permits that allow farmers to kill troublesome deer outside of the season.
“The number of permit requests have increased pretty substantially across the northern Lower Peninsula over the last five years,” Feweda says. “In some counties, it’s probably double.”
With about 55,000 deer-car collisions per year, officials at the DNR and Michigan Department of Transportation this year applied for nearly $500,000 in federal funding to study ways to mitigate the damage.
While officials await funding determinations expected in the spring, “we’re seeing impacts on the health of our forest” from the overpopulation, Feweda says, because “they kind of graze on the understory.”
“They favor native plant species … so that can add to the advantage of invasive species in our state,” he says.
3.
Declining Hunter Numbers
The struggle to manage the Lower Peninsula’s growing deer population is tied in part to a decades-long trend of declining hunter numbers that’s not expected to change any time soon.
The number of Michigan deer hunting license buyers—by far the biggest group of hunting license buyers—has declined from 871,678 in 1995 to 593,934 in 2023, a 32 percent drop driven mostly by the baby boomer generation retiring from the pastime.
“The youngest boomers are 60 years of age right now,” says Brian Frawley, the DNR’s survey coordinator. “Generally, by the time
you’ve reached 70-plus, you’ve aged out of the hunting cohort.”
The COVID pandemic boosted license sales by 5.4 percent in 2020, and sales increased again by 1.3 percent again last year, but the decline has otherwise followed a roughly 1.6 percent annual slide since 2013, Frawley says.
About 70 percent of the DNR’s budget comes from license sales and federal funding generated from excise taxes on hunting equipment that’s allocated based on sales. It’s a similar dynamic with fishing licenses. Combined, the two sources constitute the vast majority of the DNR’s wildlife management funding, for both game and all other wildlife species, suggesting a significant funding shortfall looms on the horizon with about 100,000 hunters expected to drop off over the next decade.
“We just don’t have the same level of participation in the younger generations,” despite years of hunter recruitment and retention efforts, Frawley says.
The majority of Michigan deer hunters purchase their license the week before the season, but Frawley expects 2024 license sales to come in similar to last year based on early numbers.
“We’re about spot on with the number of hunters and the number of kill tags are up 0.5 percent,” he says.
“We’re going to have a Friday opener, so it will help a lot of hunters,” Frawley says. “If the weather is cooperative, I think we’ll see as many hunters, if not a slight increase” from 2023.
4. More Hunting Opportunities
In an effort to reduce Lower Peninsula deer numbers, the Michigan Natural Resources Commission this summer approved several regulation changes to expand opportunities for hunters to harvest more deer.
Those changes include a muzzleloader season in the northern Lower Peninsula that now allows hunters to use any legal firearm, as well as opening public land to hunting during the late antlerless season, which was previously restricted to private land only.
The muzzleloader season runs from Dec. 6-15, while the late antlerless season runs from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1.
5. A Focus on Does
Unlike many other states in the Midwest that harvest more antlerless deer than bucks, “antlerless numbers have been much lower than antlered numbers over the last 10 years” in Michigan, Fedewa says.
That reality has contributed to Michigan’s deer overpopulation, and regulations
adopted this summer aim to encourage hunters to harvest more does to limit reproduction. In addition to the expanded late antlerless season, the DNR created a universal antlerless tag that can be used across deer management units, rather than restricting the doe licenses to specific units.
Individual buck tags and the combination license to harvest two deer can also now be used for antlerless deer in the Lower Peninsula.
“To manage the deer population on the larger scale, the focus has to be on antlerless deer,” Feweda says, adding the DNR is strongly encouraging hunters to harvest at least one. “Certainly at a minimum for every buck they shoot, they should shoot an antlerless deer.”
Thursday, November 28
12:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Experience a Thanksgiving feast like no other at Artisan. Savor the flavors of our four-course menu that boasts traditional favorites such as turkey with brioche stuffing and sweet potato mousseline, as well as more unconventional delights like slow braised beef and turkey and ricotta lasagna.
Reserve your seat at the table: artisantc.com
A hunter talks with Michigan Department of Natural Resources staffers at a deer check station.
The Express once more gets the inside story and insight from Cherry Capital Airport CEO Kevin Klein, who reports on a massive summer and some surprising findings about his passengers.
1 > We haven’t caught up since the busy summer season. How did it turn out?
Klein: Summer was really great from a passenger perspective. We saw records in June, July, and August. Our overall passengers for the year are up about 11 percent. We beat our records by only a few thousand in June, but in July, we had 124,000 passengers versus the previous record of 112,000. In August the previous record was 106,000 and we hit 118,000. So very, very solid for us. And September was another great month; we had 70,470 passengers versus the previous record of 66,800.
2 > Those big increases are so hard to sustain year after year and so, so rare for airports today.
Klein: We count our blessings. If you go back to 2018, we’re up around 40 percent in passenger numbers. And there just are not any airports anywhere that can say that, except maybe Sarasota. When we announced our year-round Charlotte service, we ranked number one in the U.S. for percentage of seats being added to a market from July 2024 to January 2025. We added almost three percent, and the next closest was Charlotte at 2.2 percent. The national average is pretty close to zero or no growth. And our Charlotte service going year-round for us is a game changer, especially the schedule. Because it departs at 6am, so it gets you to the southeast but also to the Caribbean. And coming back, you arrive by 10:50pm. What was happening before is people used to have to double-connect or would miss that last connection from Chicago and have to stay overnight.
3 > But what’s interesting is you do a wonderful job at the airport, but all this growth isn’t really because of the airport; it’s because of the area growing.
Klein: Yes. And it caused us to ask, “who is flying out of Cherry Capital Airport?” Northern Michigan on average sees about six million tourists a year. Over the last 10-15 years you see that trend fluctuate between 5.5 million and 6.5 million based on the economy. But since 2019, the area has seen around 5.8 million each year. And 97 percent of those tourists are coming to the area via car. So the airport is only seeing about three percent of those visitors.
4 > So where has the growth been?
Klein: We were hearing that hotel occupancies and short-term rentals and restaurants were flat, while we
{ 13 Questions }
FLIGHT PATH:
Following record-breaking summer, Cherry Capital Airport’s expansion now on the radar
were still seeing major growth. So why wouldn’t we see the same thing as them? It’s the local community. The airport’s growth has come from those who have relocated here and now call northern Michigan home. The area has grown, and trips from here have grown almost threefold. And we are capturing more people flying from here versus other choices, and we know we are getting more business travelers, with more people parking and more business people focused on those early morning flights.
5 > So how does that change your strategy as the airport expands?
Klein: Well, we’ve got to build more of a facility that the local community needs, and that means not only a local feeling, but providing local amenities. And those business travelers look for workspaces for a quick videoconference. WIFI becomes even more important. So more amenities to serve those audiences.
6 > So interesting. Back to summer for a moment. Were there also challenges this year?
Klein: Yes, we did see some challenges. In mid-July there was that Crowdstrike breach that affected Delta for a few days with delays and cancellations. But the biggest was our facility. Many days our facility was full to its fire code capacity, so had to manage that.
7
> Meaning there were times you couldn’t let people into the airport?
Klein: Correct. We had to manage that at certain times of day. We never had to stop anyone, but we were counting, and within single digits of cutting that off at times.
8 > And how did the Cherry Festival turn out?
Klein: I love the Cherry Festival, but it was a struggle. The air show negatively impacted 5,000 customers; two aircraft had to wait 1.5 hours and two hours on the ramp due to the airshow. The show had a few other challenges with the Blue Angels and a bird strike and other some operational challenges. But it happened and went fine.
9 > So in terms of the expansion, how set is the overall design?
Klein: In July, we signed a contract to go out for public engagement meetings to ask, “what does community want to see in the airport? What amenities? What services?” So we will conduct several roundtables starting in November to get that input. Families want spaces for their kids to play, but seniors might want larger restroom spaces. You might consider quiet areas for people with autism, or
mothers' rooms. Or indoor space for animal relief. Those types of questions.
10 > Any early insights into the actual look and feel of the expansion?
Klein: The board wants to keep the prairie, Frank Lloyd Wright style we have now. You see a sort of Up North river feel, and maybe with the expansion we will add add more of a dunes feel, and maybe even the experience of a covered bridge in Leelanau County, the red barn look. We’re at about 30 percent complete with design.
11 > One question that pops up occasionally is moving the location of airport, which I assume is just a dead idea?
Klein: It’s interesting. Going back to when the airport was moved to this site in 1935/’36, the community said the airport was so far out of town nobody would ever use it, but here we are today. We saw this in Denver, when the airport was built 35 miles out of town and the town sort of built out to the airport. So anywhere you put it that will happen. It would be a 20-25 year process [to move it], you’d need around 3,000 acres minimum with flatlands, no wetlands, and no forests. At today’s prices, the overall cost would be around $5 billion. Then on top of that, you’d have to repay all the grant dollars from the origination of the airport, which would be around $1 billion. And then none of this would be funded by federal grant dollars, so it would would be local taxpayers paying for it all. And 45 North, AvFlight, NMC, and the Coast Guard would have to move. It just doesn’t make sense. But one thing we can assure community is as we add larger aircraft, they’re newer aircraft, so the noise contours are shrinking inward toward the airport, because newer aircraft are quieter and more efficient with less pollution.
12 > Speaking of aircraft, it sounds like there’s a new plane on the horizon you’re excited about.
Klein: Yes, the Airbus 321XLR could eventually be a gamechanger for cities like us and Columbus and Indianapolis. It’s extra long range, so it could take 180-200 people from our size airport to London on 7,000 feet of runway. You’ll see that aircraft in the next 3-5 years and it will be awesome with all its efficiencies.
13 > So amidst all the “busyness,” your job has changed so much! How does it feel?
Klein: You know, one of the things I’m most proud of is our community has made Cherry Capital “their airport.” They really have, and that makes me very proud.
THE BEAR OF GRAYLING
Fred Bear remains an icon in this northern Michigan town
By Ross Boissoneau
Fred Bear is a legendary figure in the history of bow hunting and bow manufacturing. Bear Archery, the company he began in 1933, is still manufacturing archery equipment, though it left the Great Lakes State in 1978. It first relocated from Grayling to Gainesville, Florida, before subsequently moving some operations to Evansville, Indiana.
Memories of Bear are still strong in Grayling and in the outdoor scene in Michigan. “He was a really big deal,” says Gail Thomas, president of the Crawford County Historical Museum, which has a display of Bear memorabilia.
“Fred Bear was my hero growing up. I can’t remember not shooting a bow,” says Tom Jenkins. When he moved to Grayling in 2002, he was surprised to not find any festivities commemorating the hunter and bowyer’s birthday.
So he eventually posted a note online asking if there was any interest in creating some sort of celebration. “The internet lit up,” Jenkins says. A group of about 70 met at the local archery club and had a 21-arrow salute.
Fred Bear Day is now celebrated each year on March 5, Bear’s birthday. The nonprofit of the same name has made the celebration bigger and better each year, from a casual lunch to a program including exhibits and an auction. It eventually raised funds for a statue of the legendary hunter located in Grayling’s city park.
From Grayling to Gainesville
Bear founded his company in 1933 as Bear Products with Charles Piper. Its initial focus was not on archery but on silkscreening and advertising support work for automotive companies. It wasn’t until 1938 that they branched out into making bows. Two years later Bear divested it from the advertising world and focused on archery, and in 1947 moved the company from Detroit to Grayling to be closer to the hunting and fishing areas he loved.
For the next 30 years the company grew, becoming Crawford County’s largest private employer. At its peak, it employed nearly 350 people, but rising employment costs and a crippling employee strike led to the company moving to Gainesville in 1978. Historical news coverage painted a picture of a vitriolic atmosphere surrounding the strike and subsequent move. “It was devastating for the community,” says Thomas.
The company has continued to produce archery products, while the memories of Bear and his legacy remain. State Senator Jon Bumstead is a lifelong outdoorsman and hunter. He recalls visiting Bear at age 12 on a family vacation to Grayling, the first of several encounters.
“I met him several times,” Bumstead recalls. “He was a wonderful storyteller. I have two books he signed for me. He’s one of my favorite outdoor writers. I could follow along in my mind as the story unfolded.”
Bumstead says whenever he encountered Bear, the interaction was always positive. “He was the grandpa you’d like to have—just a good person. A nice guy, down to earth.” That seems to have been a universal impression he left with others. “I wrote letters to Fred Bear,” says Jenkins, “and he responded to every letter.”
Museums and Memories
Fred Eichler is another person who holds Bear in high esteem. Bear signed one of his books for him when he was a youngster, and then later signed Eichler’s bow (even though it was a nondescript, generic bow, not one of Bear’s). Eichler later encountered Bear when he was at a hospital being treated for emphysema and a heart attack, and he still took time to speak with Eichler. Bear died in
Gainesville on April 27, 1988, at the age of 86.
Eichler has gone on to establish his own career as an outdoor personality, complete with TV shows and appearances, a social media presence with hundreds of thousands of followers, and a guide service. Before that, however, he worked for Bear Archery in Gainesville.
“My job right after [Bear] passed was to look after his mounts and clean them,” Eichler says. Beyond that, he led tours of the museum area at the Gainesville factory. “I’d take people on tour, tell people about how the cape buffalo hit the Land Cruiser after Fred shot him. It was really cool.”
Just as Gainesville wasn’t the original location of the manufacturing operation,
neither was it the original location of the museum. The Fred Bear Museum opened in Grayling in 1967, eventually becoming the largest privately held collection of archery artifacts in the world.
Less than 20 years later, however, it followed the company’s move to Gainesville, opening at the Bear Archery plant in 1985. In 2003, it closed and the artifacts were sold to the Bass Pro Shops chain. Exhibits included the story of Fred Bear and bowhunting history, life-size animal mounts, bowhunting artifacts, trophies and memorabilia, and historical bows and arrows.
A Lasting Influence Today, the Crawford County Historical
Society and Museum has an area dedicated to Fred Bear and Bear Archery.
As it grew, the Fred Bear Day group looked for a way to honor Bear beyond a brief celebration and came up with the idea of a permanent display. The group, now a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, approached the Grayling City Council with the idea and received approval to erect a statue in Bear’s honor.
After years of work to get permits, secure a sculptor and raise funds, the statue was unveiled earlier this year on Sept. 7.
“The statue unveiling was a tremendous affair,” says Jenkins, who is the vice-president of Fred Bear Day. “So many people joined in and helped.” He estimates a crowd of more than 3,500 was on hand.
Today, the company Bear built continues as one of the leading manufacturers of archery equipment. Eichler, who became the first person to complete the North American Super Slam with a recurve bow (harvesting all 29 North American big game animals), recently worked on a redesign of Bear’s classic Kodiak Bow.
“Bear Archery wanted to tweak it. We married new technology with tradition in keeping with the original design,” he says. “I made a few small changes to update it and breathe new life into it. It’s a highlight of my career, honoring my hero and mentor.”
Learn more about Fred Bear and the annual celebration in Grayling at fredbearday.org
Fred Eichler runs Fulldraw Outfitters in Colorado and collaborated on a special bow (right) originally designed by Bear.
A statue of Fred Bear was unveiled this fall in Grayling.
'Tis the Season
If the waiting list isn't too long, you may still have a chance to visit McKamey Manor in Summertown, Tennessee, an "immersive horror" experience that is personalized to each guest and involves a six-hour-long tour. People magazine reported on Oct. 8 that guests are required to sign a 40-page waiver and must be over 21; in addition, they may have to complete a "sports physical" and provide proof of medical insurance before arriving. "We're known for no quitting and no safe word," said owner and Navy veteran Russ McKamey. "Your hair may be chopped off, dentistry may be done, you may have a tooth extracted." McKamey was arrested in July for second-degree attempted murder, rape and domestic violence after an incident with his girlfriend, but the charges were dropped in September, and McKamey Manor is up and running.
What's in a Name?
Hades Funeral Services in Stalowa Wola, Poland, had to apologize after a mishap with a corpse on Oct. 19, the Associated Press reported. "As a result of an unexpected technical failure of the electric tailgate lock in the hearse," the company announced, "during the transport of the body of the deceased, an unfortunate event occurred" -- that is, the corpse came flying out the back of the car and landed in a crosswalk. The accident "does not reflect the high standards of our company ... and the respect we always show to the deceased," Hades claimed.
The Way the World Works
Specs for the sp mat. & deadline :)
Stop that hugging! Travelers leaving the New Zealand city of Dunedin better say their goodbyes at home, the Associated Press reported on Oct. 22. The airport's drop-off area will now restrict parting hugs to three minutes in an effort to prevent traffic jams. Airport CEO Dan De Bono said officials hope to "keep things moving smoothly." Not all travelers were accepting of the time limit, saying the rule "breached basic human rights." But, De Bono assured them, "We do not have hug police."
Suspicions Confirmed
Nope, that wasn't Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on your pizza. Police in Dusseldorf, Germany, uncovered a drug ring after busting a pizzeria manager who was selling a popular "No. 40" pie, which was delivered with a side of cocaine, the Associated Press reported on Oct. 22. As officers buzzed the apartment of the manager, he threw a bag of cocaine, cannabis and money out the window, which landed in the officers' hands. After the manager was released, he went right back to delivering No. 40, and that's when investigators uncovered the supply chain, arresting three suspects and raiding the homes of 12 others. Pizza man is back in custody.
Fetish Afoot
A 28-year-old Greek man was arrested on Oct. 8 in Sindos, Greece, after a neighbor reported that he was in the front yard, sniffing his family's shoes, which had been left outside to air out. The Associated Press reported that the sniffer told the court that he couldn't explain his behavior and was
embarrassed about it, stressing that he had no intention of hurting anyone. On Oct. 17, the judge sentenced him to a month in prison and mandatory therapy.
It's a Mystery
Scientists in Canada are trying to figure out what the white blobs are that are washing up on Newfoundland beaches. The masses range in size from a coin to a dinner plate, United Press International reported, and started appearing in September. Officials said the mystery substance is under investigation, and opinions are split about whether it could be coming from a whale. "An answer would be nice," groused resident Dave McGrath.
Speaking of Whales ...
The orca show audience at SeaWorld San Antonio on Oct. 12 was treated to a little something extra when the whale defecated in the pool, then splashed the soiled water onto spectators, United Press International reported. The crowd and employees were hit with the poopy water; SeaWorld has not commented.
News That Sounds Like a Joke
Is today April 1? The Campbell's Co. announced on Oct. 23 that for a limited time, it is changing the name of its popular Pepperidge Farm cheese snacks from Goldfish to ... Chilean Sea Bass. CNN reported that the switch is part of a strategy to attract adult fans, and the crackers themselves will not change. "We know Goldfish are ... loved by snackers of all ages. ... We went ahead and gave our iconic cheddar cracker a new, fun, grown-up name," said Danielle Brown, vice president of Goldfish. (Best job title ever.)
In Chestertown, Maryland, students have been studying since 1782 at Washington College, WTOP-TV reported. Our first president gave permission for his name to be used for the school, and even contributed 50 guinea coins toward its founding. But on Oct. 8, the college announced that it would update its logo, adopted in 2013, which uses the general's scripty signature, for something less cursive-y. "Because cursive writing is no longer taught universally in K-12 education, the script ... was difficult to read and not immediately recognizable for many prospective students," said Brian Speer, the college's vice president for marketing and communications.
Weird in the Wild
Matilda Campbell was visiting the Hunter Valley on Oct. 12 in New South Wales when she dropped her phone into a 3-meter crevice between two boulders, The Guardian reported. Instead of waving goodbye and heading to the mobile store, Campbell tried to retrieve the device. That's when she slipped upside down into the gap and hung there for seven hours as her friends and emergency workers tried to free her. The team navigated Campbell through a "tight S bend." "In my 10 years as a rescue paramedic, I had never encountered a job quite like this," said Peter Watts. "It was challenging but incredibly rewarding." Campbell, in her early 20s, escaped with only minor scratches and bruises. Her phone is a goner.
Event presented by the Downtown Bellaire “Buy Local” Business Group and The Village of Bellaire Downtown Development Authority
ON TARGET
Nationally-renowned gunsmith serves worldwide clients in Benzie County
By Art Bukowski
There’s almost too much for gunsmith Delbert “Del” Whitman to love as he settles into another job in his rural workshop near Lake Ann.
Even a short time spent with Whitman reveals a man with a Zen-like connection to every aspect of this craft, from its history (he may go off on a tangent about the working conditions for young gunmaking apprentices in early 20th century Britain, for example, or the way archaic patent laws led to multiple permutations of the same firing mechanisms) to the ins and outs of how woodworking and metallurgy have matured over the years.
“One of the really interesting things about my work is I get to see firsthand a lot of those older guns that show some of the evolutionary changes of how guns came to be,” he says. The [shotguns] we see today are basically the end result of 250 years of evolution and change.”
Then there’s the art. The melding of gorgeous blued steel and sturdy English walnut. The intricate engravings and lively, dancing patinas on certain models. The deep appreciation for techniques and skills that are in danger of becoming functionally extinct.
“I love impressionist paintings, but you just sit there and look at them,” he says. “Here you have something that’s not only absolutely beautiful, but it’s functional. And function is always going to be paramount, but it’s hard to not appreciate the beauty of these things… they’re little works of art.”
One of a Kind
While there are thousands of gunsmiths in the country, there are only a handful that do what Whitman does.
While he completes repairs, restorations, and other relatively basic work, he’s known across the country for custom gun fitting. This means he alters or completely builds various components—particularly the wooden stocks—so the gun is a perfect physical fit for its owner.
“I really like helping clients be as successful as they can and enjoy themselves, and a big part of hunting is your equipment,” Whitman says. “Gun fit means the gun is tailored specifically to you, just like a suit, so when you mount the gun properly, you’re 100 percent aligned with the line of sight.”
He works almost exclusively on shotguns used for upland bird hunting (think pheasants, quail and the like), and does very little rifle or handgun work. He’s well respected enough to work on collectible guns worth north of $100,000, and highend hunting operations around the country bring him in to work with their clients. He also attracts many clients of all stripes to northern Michigan.
‘I get guys who fly into the Traverse City airport all the time or that drive up to see me,” he says. “These are usually people who are either competitive shooters or very serious upland hunters.”
Born for This
Whitman grew up in Olivia, Minnesota, where his dad was an industrial arts teacher at the local high school. Formative years among the lathes and welding torches gave him the lifelong itch to tinker, build, and repair.
“I grew up in that environment,” he says. “I don’t even know what it’s like to not be in a shop working on stuff.”
He also grew up immersed in the outdoors in a hunting and fishing family, competitively shooting shotguns by age 13 and gaining a deep enjoyment for bird and other hunting.
Whitman went on to get a gunsmithing degree from Pine Technical College, a Minnesota school known for training in a
Whitman
variety of highly specialized vocations like taxidermy and locksmithing. After some time spent in California, he decided to relocate to northern Michigan after a visit here. D.C. Whitman Custom Gunsmithing officially launched in 2001.
A big part of the reason he’s excellent at what he does, Whitman says, is that he’s completely immersed in the sport of shooting itself. The best way to apply the science and art of his work is to get out there and shoot, then take those experiences back to the shop.
“To really be good at this, you have to love it. It has to be a lifestyle,” he says. “I still recreationally shoot professional levels of sporting clays. I hunt incessantly because I love it.”
He also takes a great deal of pride in continuing the legacy of those that came before him. While gunsmithing will always survive, those with his talents and depths of knowledge are a dying breed.
“One of the scary things to me is I’m the youngest guy I know that does this professionally and I’m 47 years old,” he says. “There’s just not very many of us.”
A Perfect Fit
Whitman’s shop oozes character, the kind even pictures can’t adequately capture. It’s here where the magic happens, and for many years most of that magic was repairs, renovations, engravings, or custom work. While that still happens, over the past five or so years, he’s leaned heavily into expanding his fitting business.
“I kind of decided that I had a big enough client base, and I really wanted to get away from the piddly restoration stuff that isn’t very high margin and … pivot towards doing more fitting,” Whitman says.
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Ultimately, this work allows a client to become one with the gun in a way that’s not possible without a custom fit. A wellexecuted fitting facilitates instinctive, fluid movements that greatly improve success in the field or on the shooting range.
“It’s much like golf or martial arts or instinctive archery where you don’t really actively aim the gun—you get to the point where your body’s just doing it,” Whitman says. “The gun fits you and you focus on the target.”
And fitting makes sense, he says, when you consider the very wide variations in the human body.
“Just grab five random people off the street and see how different they are. And under the American philosophy, guns were mass produced and everybody was expected to alter them,” he says. “So it’s almost like Americans have a different philosophy on how to shoot because we’re always altering and having to aim, and you can’t have that thoughtless, dynamic shooting style.”
For this process, he built a fully articulated “try-gun” that he uses to gather nine data points from his clients, and from there he either modifies their stocks or builds a complete custom gun. Many clients subsequently send all of their guns to Whitman for this work and maintain a working relationship that lasts a lifetime.
For now, Whitman will continue to toil away and do the best work he can from his headquarters in the heart of northern Michigan.
“One of the things my dad and college instructor instilled in me is that the first thing you have to do is educate yourself on what makes quality work,” he says. “If all you ever focus on is maintaining the quality of your work, everything else should come.”
A custom engraving done by Whitman for a client.
WELCOME TO THE HEYDAY OF CLAY
By Greg Tasker
Nearly a century ago, a group of game bird hunters in the Petoskey area gathered to form the Emmet County Sportsmen’s Club, creating a private space where they could shoot trap and socialize.
By the 1940s, the Emmet County Sportsmen’s Club had become synonymous with the best trap and skeet shooting in northern Michigan. Much has changed over the decades, including a move to a new location, the addition of a sporting clays course, and most recently, a rebranding.
The rebranding was officially made in April. The club is now known as Emmet Clay Sports, a nod to the organization’s 85-year history in Emmet County and its primary passion: clay sports, shotgun sports that simulate game bird hunting with clay targets.
“We are very proud of our 85-year history and feel our new name and logo honor our club’s founding, while more accurately reflecting our clay sports offering” says David Kesar, club president. “Our sporting clays course is one of the most picturesque courses I’ve shot at, and we are excited this season to offer at least three traps per station, some with four, for the first time.”
Staying in Practice
For the unfamiliar, clay sports are recreational activities that simulate wild game bird hunting with clay targets. In skeet shooting, for example, targets are thrown
from two different height towers positioned across from each other. As shooters follow a half circle course from one tower to the next, targets are thrown at a variety of angles designed to simulate the shots upland bird hunters encounter in the field.
Similarly, sporting clays, sometimes referred to as golf with a shotgun, is the closest thing to actual field shooting of all shotgun sports. Rather than having clay targets thrown from standardized distances and angles, as with skeet or trap, sporting clays courses are designed to simulate the hunting of ducks, pheasants, other upland birds, and even rabbits.
“For people who are wild game bird hunters, clay sports offer a way to stay in practice when the hunting season is not open,” says J.T. Charles, who grew up pheasant hunting with his father and later became involved in clay sports. “While many clay shooters are also upland bird hunters, others were raised only shooting skeet and trap, with their fathers and grandfathers, and prefer shooting clays over birds.”
Emmet Clay Sports offers Skeet, Trap, 5-Stand, Crazy Quail, and a 14-Station Sporting Clays course.
Various membership levels are available, which include discounts on clay targets, ammunition, and rentals. In addition, members who have taken the club’s Shooting During Unopened Hours safety course (required every three years), are able to shoot at the club after hours and on closed days. The clubhouse, which offers comfortable
Emmet Clay Sports celebrates 85 years, new name, and new amenities
seating, fireplace, kitchen, restroom, and a gun cleaning station, is also open to guests.
“The rebranding to Emmet Clays Sports was to better communicate to our surrounding community and visitors all we have to offer, that we are open to the public, and that we welcome shooters and nonshooters alike,” Charles says.
“We have a great venue for family outings, as well as local clubs and businesses to bring their members and employees out to shoot and have a cookout or cater food after as a thank you,” he adds. “We also regularly host outings for the local Boy Scout Troops,
fundraisers like the Ruffed Grouse Society, and are the home training venue for the Pellston high school’s Clay Target Team, which the club and generous members support with free targets and ammunition.”
Growth and Change
Founded in 1939, the club was initially located on US-31, at a site now occupied by Tractor Supply. Initially, the club offered only trap shooting. At the time, a separate skeet club existed nearby, but eventually the clubs merged.
Over the years, there were some low
times. In the 1950s, for example, skeet shooting nearly came to a halt after one of the club’s most active members passed. Not much occurred over the next few decades, with the exception of the addition of automatic traps.
By the 1990s, the club was outgrowing its Petoskey location and wanted to expand.
Commercial development along US-31, however, made the site unsuitable for expansion. The club moved to its present location in 1996, through a property trade with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The club is located next door to
the Harbor Springs Outdoor Club—members share reciprocity of each other’s facilities.
In 2006, the club entered into a conservation easement agreement with the Little Traverse Conservancy Conservation Trust to protect the property into perpetuity for future generations and ensure public access to a place where people could practice shooting sports, learn hunter and firearm safety, and congregate to promote hunting, conservation, and other related pursuits. Funds received through the agreement were used to make property improvements.
In July 2014, a state-of-the-art 12-station
sporting clays course was opened. With 70 dedicated acres, the course winds its way through the picturesque hilly and wooded terrain. Nearly a decade later, two additional stations were added to the course, bringing the total to 14 stations today. Guests can rent guns and golf carts (recommended for the hilly terrain) and purchase ammunition (for use on the property).
Today, the club has about 245 members, mostly from Emmet County. More improvements are in the works, including a heated 5-Stand building now under construction. The building, which is being
constructed by Amish craftspeople, will be delivered by the end of the month and fully operational mid- to late-November.
The Sporting Clays Course closes on October 31 and reopens in May, though the club remains open through the winter. Public hours for November are usually 10am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, though they vary with the season and are updated on the Club’s events calendar.
Emmet Clay Sports is located at 6835 W. Robinson Rd., Harbor Springs. (231) 5261135; emmetclaysports.com
Saturday
ICEMAN COMETH CHALLENGE: 8:45am, Kalkaska Airport. The Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge & Tandem - Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge are FULL. There is still room in the Pro/Cat 1, Iceman Junior, Meijer Slush Cup, Tandem - Meijer Slush Cup, & Meijer Sno Cone. The Bell’s Iceman Cometh Challenge is around a 30-mile point-to-point crosscountry mountain bike race from Kalkaska to TC. The Meijer Slush Cup & Sno-Cone events add an 8-mile course for beginning riders as well as a race for children 10 & under. For starting times & registration, visit web site. registericeman.com
ART & CRAFT SHOW: 9am-3pm, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, TC. Featuring more than 45 artists & crafters. Enjoy holiday shopping!
THE ELKS HOOP SHOOT: 9am, TC West Senior High Gym. A national free throw contest presented by TC Elks Lodge #323. All children who will be the age of 8-13 years as of April 1, 2025 are invited to participate. The first-place winners in each age category for both boys & girls will advance to the District Finals in January at Ferris State University. Registration opens at 8am. Free. facebook.com/events/1080603126916427
ANNUAL SCANDINAVIAN BAZAAR: 10am-2pm, Trinity Lutheran Church, Frankfort. Locally handmade crafts featuring Scandinavian tomtens made by church elves, as well as other crafted items. There will also be Scandinavian baked goods & many tasty confections that will jump start your holiday baking. Free. trinityfrankfort.org
AUTHOR TALK: 10am-noon, Interlochen Public Library. Join Barb Barton as she presents her book, “Manoomin The Story of Wild Rice in Michigan.” 231-276-6767.
AUTUMN DIY: 10am-noon, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Adults & teens craft fall décor from an embroidery hoop, no sewing required. RSVP required. 231-223-7700. ------------------
HOLIDAY ARTIST MARKET: 10am-4pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Featuring a variety of artful gifts in a festive marketplace. Admission is free. Special programming will be offered to enhance the experience for visitors of all ages. Participating artists & more info is available on the Museum Store web site. simpletix.com/e/2024holiday-artist-market-tickets-179401
NOMIWOMAN WELLNESS EXPO: 10am2pm, The Village at GT Commons, Kirkbride Hall, TC. This event brings together wellness experts, unique products, & inspiring experiences. 2 for $10 presale or $15 at door. northernmichiganwoman.com/event/ nomiwoman-wellness-expo
SPANISH LANGUAGE CONVERSATION
MEET-UP: 10:30am, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. Practice your Spanish language skills! Join every first Sat. for a casual conversation group. All levels are welcome. Free. tadl.org/event/spanishlanguage-conversation-meet-11691
52ND ANNUAL FASHION SHOW FUNDRAISER: 11am-2pm, Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Lange Center. Presented by the Zonta Club of Petoskey. Themed “Every Woman, Everyone, Everywhere,” this event will present its full runway show & highlight the latest fall & winter fashions from more than 30 retailers in the Petoskey-Harbor Springs area, & include an elegant lunch, entertainment, a silent auction & a gift basket raffle. Michelle Chenard will be the featured performer. $100. zontapetoskey.com
HOLIDAY GIFT & CRAFT SHOW: 11am5pm, Odawa Casino Resort, Ovation Hall, Petoskey. Support local artists & vendors with a big selection of gifts, crafts, art & more. Free, but non-perishable food & cash donations are being accepted at the door for the Manna Food Project. odawacasino.com
THE INDIANS OF THE MIDWEST & THEIR FIGHT FOR THEIR HOMELAND: 11am, Cadillac Wexford Public Library. Slide presentation by Robert Downes, author of “RAW DEAL - The Indians of the Midwest & Their Fight for Their Homeland.” Hosted by Friends of the Cadillac Wexford Public Library. Free. friendsofthecadillaclibrary.wordpress.com/upcoming-programs
MANISTEE AREA WOMEN’S MARCH FOR DEMOCRACY: Noon-2pm, Downtown Manistee. This is a sister event to the National Women’s March happening in Washington D.C. Stand up for women’s rights & freedoms. Participants will line the sidewalks with signs & supporters starting at noon. Marchers will gather near US-31 & First St.; those who aren’t marching should gather at the corner of River & Maple streets. The march will officially kick off at 12:30pm & will run through downtown Manistee. After the march, meet at West Shore Community College for a short program focused on getting out the vote. action.womensmarch.com/events/manisteewomen-s-march-for-democracy
BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Heather Bell will sign her cookbook, “Mama Bell’s Big Family Cooking.” horizonbooks.com
EAST JORDAN’S OPERATION BLANKET DISTRIBUTION: 1-5pm, outside of the East Jordan Area Chamber of Commerce Office in the Main Street Center Lobby (100 Main St.). Self-serve, on your honor. Please take what you need & leave the rest. ejchamber.org/event/east-jordansoperation-blanket-distribution
LIVE MUSIC BY LAST EXIT: 6-8pm, Pond Hill Farm, Harbor Springs. Harbor Springs Middle School 8th graders are hosting this FUNdraiser for their spring trip to Chicago. Suggested $10 donation per person. pondhill.com
NORTHPORT PROMISE SPEAKEASY
NIGHT: 6-8:30pm, Willowbrook Mill, Northport. Arrive dressed to impress in Roaring 20’s attire. There will be bingo, heavy hors d’oeuvres, prizes, music & much more. Proceeds benefit the Northport Promise which helps Northport Public School kids receive scholarships for secondary education. Register. $75. northportpromise.com/ speakeasy-night ----------------------
18TH ANNUAL FALL FOR DANCE: 7-8pm, Harbor Springs Performing Arts Center. The CTAC School of Ballet presents works choreographed by their students & celebrated guest choreographers. This year’s student works have been mentored by Robin Pettersen, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, & Peter Sparling, professor emeritus at the University of Michigan & regisseur and former principal dancer with the Martha Graham Dance Company. $5-$50. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey-ctac-school-ballet/ ctac-school-ballet-presents-fall-dance-0
GOPHERWOOD HOUSE CONCERT: JEN SYGIT & BLAKE ELLIOTT: 7-8pm, 4320 E 46 Rd., Cadillac. Enjoy an evening of stories & songs. Sygit’s soulful folk & Americana sound blends with Elliott’s retro bluesy-jazz vibe. $9-$18 plus fees. mynorthtickets.com/events/jen-sygit-blakeelliott-11-2-2024
THE AMERICAN TENOR: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Ac-
Based on the novel by Stephen King, the Little Traverse Civic Theatre presents “Misery,” which follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up captive in her secluded home. See what happens next at 7pm on Nov. 7-9 and Nov. 14-16, or at 2pm on Nov. 10 at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey. Tickets: $10-$20. ltct.org
claimed Michigan-born tenor, Glenn Seven Allen, returns to his home state to debut The American Tenor, a classical crossover concert blending opera & theater. Also features Conductor Isaac Hayward. $10-$62. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/the-american-tenor “PRESENT LAUGHTER”: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Harvey Theatre. British performer-playwright Noël Coward criticizes the life of a self-absorbed actor in his semi-autobiographical comedy “Present Laughter.” Join the Arts Academy Theatre Division & director Stephen John for a joyful reflection on fame & vanity. $19-$24. interlochen.org ----------------------
“SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE JERSEY LILY”: 7:30pm, Glen Lake Church, Glen Arbor. Presented by the Glen Arbor Players. Fast moving comedy/mystery directed by Don Kuehlhorn & written by Katie Forgette. Admission is free with goodwill donations accepted. GlenArborplayers.org
THE GORDON LIGHTFOOT TRIBUTE: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. “Lightfoot - The Stories, The Songs” performed by Mike Fornes. Learn back stories & more of the songs written by Canada’s poet laureate. $15-$30. theoperahouse.org
PARMALEE: 8-9:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. These contemporary country hitmakers are known for many favorites, including Billboard’s Most Played Country Song of 2022, “Take My Name.” $50-$80. lrcr.com/event/parmalee
THE OZARK MOUNTAIN DAREDEVILS: 8pm, City Opera House, TC. Forming in 1971, this band started out as the Family Tree & produces sounds of country-rock & electric bluegrass all on the same record. Regularly played songs include “If You Wanna Get To Heaven,” “Jackie Blue,” “Chicken Train,” & many more. $20-$65. cityoperahouse.org/ node/574
Sunday
FREE DINNER FOR VETERANS & ACTIVE DUTY
nize & show appreciation for those who have served, & currently serve, to protect our individual freedoms. $15 fee for all other guests. elkstc.com
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS: 1pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Free. gardentheater.org/harrypotter-film-series
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“PRESENT LAUGHTER”: (See Sat., Nov. 2, except today’s time is 2pm.)
HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND III: 6pm, City Opera House, TC. Year three of NoMi’s boutique celebration of shorter days - the end of daylight saving time. Celebrate the arrival of a comforting blanket of night with performances by Jack M. Senff and the Heartland Mission, Metal Bubble Trio, A.S. Lutes, & special guest performers. Doors open at 5:27pm (sundown). $20. cityoperahouse.org/node/621 ----------------------
LAMB’S LELAND SONGWRITERS CONCERT: 6:30pm, Old Art Building, Leland. Celebrate Springfed Art organization’s 30th annual songwriters retreat featuring artistsin-residence from John D. Lamb’s Retreat for Songwriters, being held Oct. 31 - Nov. 3 at the Jolli Lodge. Musicians include Michael Camp, Robby Hecht, Michael McNevin, Grace Pettis, Abigayle Kompst, & Sadie Gustafson-Zook. $20. oldartbuilding.com/ events/lambs-leland-songwriters-concert
nov 03 nov 04
PERSONNEL: 11:30am3pm, TC Elks Lodge #323. Elks Lodge #323 hosts this dinner annually to recog-
monday
HICKORY FOREST NATURAL AREA HIKE: 1pm, Hickory Forest Natural Area, TC. Join the Grand Traverse Chapter of the North Country Trail Association for this hike. Sign up. Free. meetup.com/grandtraverse-chapter-north-country-trail-association/events/304149976
SOUP & BREAD: 5pm, The Little Fleet, TC. Local restaurants donate soup. You pay what you want. All money raised goes to a local charity or non-profit. Tonight will benefit Marlowe and Hawthorne Malmstrom. thelittlefleet.com
POKEMON BUILD N BATTLE: 5:30pm, Petoskey District Library. Presented by
Miigwech, Inc. & Petoskey District Library. Build your deck, battle, & win! Kids, teens, & families welcome. Free. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/pokemon-build-n-battle-1490
tuesday
COFFEE & CONVERSATION: 8-10am, Harbor Springs Area Chamber office, 118 E. Main St., Harbor Springs. The informal agenda is conversation & connections with chamber staff & other members. Free.
BAKE SALE - DONATIONS ONLY: 10am, Tom’s Interlochen Market. Presented by the Interlochen Woman’s Club. Baked goods will include gluten free, sugar free, no nuts, & keto. Proceeds will fund IWC’s community projects that include Interlochen Library & EMS, scholarships, & community members in need. Info: 231-392-3159.
PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30am, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower level Community Meeting Room. Preschool children of all ages & their caregivers are invited to join each Tues. for stories, songs & more. Free. sbbdl.org
INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL AT MITCHELL CREEK MEADOWS: 2pm, Mitchell Creek Meadows: The Don and Jerry Oleson Nature Preserve, TC. Native wildflowers, mushrooms, trees, & shrubs that rely on this healthy habitat are currently under threat of being displaced by aggressive invasive plants. Help clean up an area that has recently been treated by goats & humans. Work on piling some autumn olive that was pre-cut. This activity is moderately strenuous, with volunteers often bending & kneeling to cut or dig out plants. Bring a reusable water bottle, snacks, sunscreen & bug spray. Meet by the greenhouse/workshop area near the Conservation Center. Register. 929-7911 (ext. 316). gtrlc.org/volunteer/calendar
TECH TUESDAY: MEDIA & INFO LITERACY: 2pm, Leelanau Township Library, Northport. Learn to navigate online information, evaluate sources, & understand media influence. This hands-on session covers fact-checking, identifying misinformation, & using digital tools responsibly. Free. leelanautownshiplibrary.org
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CONNECTING WOMEN: FALL HAPPY HOUR & NETWORKING EVENT: 3:305pm, BJ’s Catering & Event Center, Gaylord. Featuring a 4 tasting & pairing station, & intentional networking exercise. $30 members; $35 not-yet members. gaylordchamber.com/events/details/connectingwomen-happy-hour-9158
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PWR! MOVES: MICHIGAN PARKINSON FOUNDATION EXERCISE CLASS: 4pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. An hour long exercise class based on the PWR! moves for people with or suspected Parkinson’s Disease & their caregivers. The class will be run by a PWR! certified physical therapist. Free. tadl.org/ event/pwr-moves-michigan-parkinsonfoundation-exercise-class-18835
wednesday
RESEARCHING DIGITAL
NEWSPAPERS WORKSHOP: 2pm, Suttons BayBingham District Library. Join staff from the Leelanau Historical Society for a free workshop to learn about Leelanau’s historical newspapers & Central Michigan University’s Digital Michigan Newspaper Portal. Please bring your laptop or tablet. Register: LeelanauHistory. org/Events. sbbdl.org
NOVEMBER RECESS: 5-7pm, Action Water Sports, TC. Traverse Ticker’s after-work happy hour for adults. Enjoy beverages from Short’s Brewing Company & Leelanau Cellars, catered subs from Jimmy John’s, & socializing in the Action Water Sports showroom. You will be entered into a drawing to win prizes, including a $200 downtown TC holiday shopping spree & a $100 downtown TC holiday shopping spree. Sponsored by West Shore Bank. $10. traverseticker.com/recess
OPENING RECEPTION: “JUST GREAT ART”: 5-7pm, City Opera House, TC. There will be reception only specials. The art exhibit runs from Nov. 1 - Dec. 31, M-F, during open hours & events. A portion of all sales benefits The City Opera House. There will also be a Holiday Reception on Thurs., Dec. 5, from 5-9pm during Ladies Night in downtown TC. Free. cityoperahouse.org
PETOSKEY REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2024 BUSINESS EXPO: 5-7:30pm, Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs. Featuring 50 area businesses & organizations participating, including 9 restaurants who will be offering a Taste of Petoskey. Bring your business cards for a chance to win prizes. The entrance fee includes hors d’oeuvres provided by Nub’s Nob in addition to the samples provided by the area restaurants taking part in the event. $10 advance; $15 door. petoskeychamber.com
BAD TREATIES & BROKEN PROMISES: 6:30pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. TC author Bob Downes will speak on Bad Treaties and Broken Promises in a slide talk based on his new nonfiction history, “Raw Deal: The Indians of the Midwest and the Theft of Native Lands.” Free. tadl.org/event/bobdownes-event-13271
FRENCH LANGUAGE DISCUSSION
GROUP: 6:30pm, Traverse Area District Library, Thirlby Room, TC. Practice your French language skills. Join every first Weds. for a casual conversation group. All levels are welcome. Free. tadl.org/event/ french-language-discussion-group-17704
thursday
EAST JORDAN BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-6:30pm, The Depot Jordan Valley Teen Center, East Jordan. Enjoy fun, networking & snacks. Free for EJ Chamber members; $10 for not-yet members. ejchamber.org/event/business-after-hours-9
LITTLE TRAVERSE CIVIC THEATRE PRESENTS STEPHEN KING’S “MISERY”: 7pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Petoskey. This intense show will be a rollercoaster of emotions & a perfect end to spooky season. $20. app.arts-people.com/ index.php?ticketing=ltct
NWS: APHRODITE JONES TALKS TRUE CRIME!: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. True Crime Reporter Aphrodite Jones will tell you about her motivation of reporting on the most cunning & malevolent criminals. She has reported on O.J. Simpson, Casey Anthony, Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson, & the unsolved case of JonBenét Ramsey. She is producer & host of “Investigation Discovery’s True Crime with Aphrodite Jones” & her latest book is “Levi’s Eyes.” Aphrodite will take the stage with Clark Bunting, the former president & general manager of Discovery Channel. Doors open at 6pm with live entertainment & a cash bar. $10-$27. cityoperahouse.org/node/614
friday
FESTIVAL OF TREES: 10am, Grand Traverse Mall, Suite 201, TC. Presented by the Zonta Club of TC. All proceeds benefit women & children in the greater Grand Traverse region. Family themed events, Santa, cookies & tall trees! Free. zontacluboftraversecity.org/festival-of-trees
KAIR FESTIVAL OF TREES: 10am-7pm, Northland Foods Plaza, Kalkaska. Nov. 8-16. Nov. 9 is Family Day Celebration from 1-3pm. Visit with Santa & his reindeer, enjoy live music by Patty Cox, & sweet treats provided by Kalkaska McDonald’s. Proceeds donated to KAIR’s Food Pantry. Find ‘Kalkaska Festival of Trees’ on Facebook. Free admission.
PETOSKEY’S FALL RESTAURANT
WEEK: Nov. 8-17. Participating restaurants in & around Petoskey will be setting their own menus & deals. For a list of participating restaurants, visit web site. petoskeychamber. com/petoskey-restaurant-week
TC BEER WEEK: Nov. 8-16. Check out the TC brew scene by taking a self-guided tour of local breweries & restaurants. Track your tour in the passport by checking in to the places you go & you’ll be eligible to win prizes. For more info visit web site. traversecity.com/tcbw/beer-week-ale-trail
LUNCHEON LECTURE: MENTAL HEALTH IN A CHANGING WORLD: 11:30am, NCMC, Library Conference Center, Petoskey. Brian Babbitt, North Country Community Mental Health’s chief executive officer, will explain his agency’s mission & how it works to support the mental health needs of our community members. Register. $15; includes a buffet lunch. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-5772584
ist Camille Thurman joins Interlochen Arts Academy’s Jazz Orchestra for an evening of jazz. A two-time winner of the “ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award,” Thurman made history as the first woman in 30 years to tour, record, & perform full-time internationally with the worldrenowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. $10-$25. cityoperahouse.org/node/597
05 nov 06 nov 09
NOVELEMBER: 6-8pm, Kingsley Branch Library. Every Tues. in Nov., write your novel! There will be guest speakers, weekly writing prompts, & refreshments. Bring your notebook or laptop. For ages 15+. Find ‘Novelember Write-in’ on Facebook. Free. ----------------------
GRAND TRAVERSE KENNEL CLUB
MONTHLY MEETING: Incredible Mo’s, Grawn. 6pm meet & greet; 7pm meeting. Public is welcome. grandtraversekennelclub.com
EARTH RADIO WITH VISUALS BY SUPER NUCLEAR: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Grand Rapids Future-Soul group Earth Radio brings funk, rock, soul, & progressive jazz, reminiscent of Hiatus Kaiyote, Erykah Badu, Radiohead, & Knower. Super Nuclear is a visual artist who uses handmade liquid light projections to add a whole new dimension to any live performance. $0-$25. simpletix.com/e/earth-radio-with-visualsby-super-nuclear-tickets-179235
LITTLE TRAVERSE CIVIC THEATRE PRESENTS STEPHEN KING’S “MISERY”: (See Thurs., Nov. 7)
WARREN MILLER’S 75: 7pm, Vogue Theatre, Manistee. Fans will enjoy powder stashes & chutes around the world, from Canada, Colorado, California, & Utah to Finland, Japan, Austria, & New Jersey. Catch a diverse lineup of snowsports legends, Olympic hopefuls, world champions, X Games stars, & emerging talents on the big screen. Hosted by Crystal Community Ski Club & all proceeds will benefit the club. $25. crystalmountain.com/event/warrenmiller-manistee
FAMILY FUN WITH SPIES!: 3:30-5:30pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library. No pre-registration needed. All ages welcome. Hands on active fun with crafts & STEAM activities. Decode a secret message, make a Morse code necklace, & more. A snack will be provided. Free. sbbdl.org ----------------------
TINKER BY TWILIGHT: HOLIDAY ART & ARTISAN OPENING RECEPTION: 4-8pm, Tinker Studio, TC. Featuring holiday decor & gifts made by local artists & artisans, along with luminaria & festive sips & nibbles. Free to attend. tinkerstudiotc. com/events
INTERLOCHEN IN TOWN - JAZZ FEATURING CAMILLE THURMAN: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Vocalist & saxophon-
“SISTER ACT”: 7:30pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. Presented by the Northland Players. This is a musical comedy smash based on the hit 1992 film. $10-$20. theoperahouse.org ----------------------
KEN LUDWIG’S “LEND ME A SOPRANO”: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Slamming doors, mistaken identity, a shirtless man & a little opera singing! It’s 1934, & Lucille Wiley, manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is ready to welcome world-class soprano Elena Firenzi. Elena arrives late, & it remains to be seen whether the mousy assistant Jo can save the day. Contains adult situations & language. Adults: $33; youth under 18: $20. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/ mainstage/lend-me-a-soprano.html
RIDE THE CYCLONE BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS BY BROOKE MAXWELL & JACOB RICHMOND: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Phoenix Theatre. This one-act musical follows six Canadian teenagers who find themselves in limbo after a fatal roller coaster accident. Presented by director Matthew Lindstrom & the Arts Academy Theatre Division. Free. interlochen.org
THORNETTA DAVIS: 7:30pm, The Ramsdell Theatre, Manistee. This international singer, songwriter & Independent recording artist has performed with & opened for Bob Seger, blues legends such as B.B. King, Sir Mac Rice, Ray Charles, Etta James, KoKo Taylor, Johnny Johnson, Bonnie Raitt & more. She was crowned “Detroit’s Queen of the Blues” in a ceremony by the Detroit Blues Society in 2015. She is the winner of the 2023 Blues Music Awards for Best Soul/Blues Artist Female, & a winner of over 30 Detroit Music Awards. $15-$50. ramsdelltheatre.org
COUNTRY CONCERT SERIES: BONES OWENS; DJ TO FOLLOW: 9pm, Odawa Casino Resort, Victories, Petoskey. $10.
saturday
THISTLE & THREAD HOLIDAY SHOW: 8am-4pm, Suttons Bay Fire Hall. Homemade arts & crafts from area artisans. Holiday, pottery, stained glass, quilts, baby items, soaps, ornaments, gifts & decor. Free admission. ----------------------
LONG LAKE CRAFT SHOW: 9am-3pm, Long Lake Elementary, TC. Featuring more than 60 local vendors. Each vendor donates an item for the raffle. Lunch will also be available, as well as a bake sale. Free.
ANATOMY OF THE SKELETON: 10am, nov 08 nov 07
Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Middle school students are invited to this workshop led by Dr. Tamara Coleman of NMC. Students will learn about the wonders of the human skeleton & explore the use of bone forensics to help solve science mysteries. Space is limited so please call 231.326.5361 to register. glenlakelibrary.net
FESTIVAL OF TREES: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
FREE FAMILY DROP-IN ART: 10amnoon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. This month’s theme: Thankfulness & Gratitude. crookedtree.org/class/ctac-traverse-city/ free-family-drop-art-nov-9
KAIR FESTIVAL OF TREES: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
PUMPKIN SMASHING EXTRAVAGANZA: 10am-1pm. The City of Traverse City is teaming up with Carter’s Compost & SEEDS at the City’s in-vessel composting unit, located at 143 Beitner Rd. The City hopes to divert 1 ton of pumpkins from landfills. Composting pumpkins helps reduce greenhouse gases, diverts waste, & returns nutrients to the soil, improving environmental health. There will also be pumpkin drop-off from Nov. 1-9, until 1pm. Pumpkins should be free of any decorations & paint. Find ‘Pumpkin Smashing Extravaganza’ on Facebook.
SHOP YOUR COMMUNITY DAY: Downtown TC. Shop at any participating downtown merchant. Select a nonprofit from a provided list to receive 15% of your total purchase. downtowntc.com/shop-your-community-day ----------------------
LITTLE WAVES: 10:30am, Petoskey District Library, Children’s Program Room. Also held at 1pm at Charlevoix Public Library. A Musical Journey for Young Minds. This children’s program presented by the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra (GLCO) is designed for curious minds aged 4 to 10, where young explorers can discover the wonders of music & instruments in a relaxed & informal setting. Led by GLCO percussionist Tim Mocny. Each session features different GLCO musicians. Free. petoskey. librarycalendar.com/event/little-waves-85 ----------------------
PETOSKEY’S FALL RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
TC BEER WEEK: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
WILD TURKEY TROT 5K: 11am, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. $20; more if you order a t-shirt or sweatshirt. grassriver.org
FLAPJACK & FLANNEL FESTIVAL: Noon-5pm, Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort, TC. Breweries, wineries, distilleries, pancake pairings, BBQ, live music from the Boardman River Band & StoneFolk, the Jack Pine Lumberjack Show, & tons of flannel. $15-$99. flapjackandflannelfestival.com ----------------------
VEGMICHIGAN MONTHLY MEETUPTC: 1pm, Oryana West, TC. Join for some cooking inspiration with a holiday superfood, the sweet potato! Featuring a sampling of sweet potato recipes for you to try. There will also be vegan recipes that are free of the top nine allergens for everyone to enjoy. Free. meetup.com/traverse-city-vegmichigan-meetup/events/304041433/?utm_ medium=referral&utm_campaign=share-btn_ savedevents_share_modal&utm_source=link
CINEMA SERIES: JOHN CANDY DOUBLE FEATURE: Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Enjoy “The Great Outdoors” at 2pm, & “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” at 7pm. $8 for both movies or $5 for one movie. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/ john-candy-double-feature
LITTLE TRAVERSE CIVIC THEATRE PRESENTS STEPHEN KING’S “MIS-
ERY”: (See Thurs., Nov. 7)
“SISTER ACT”: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
BLISSFEST TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY DANCE: Alanson/Littlefield Community Building, Alanson. Featuring live music by Harbor Hoedown with Larry Dyer calling. Contras, squares, circles & more. All dances taught. No partner necessary. Potluck at 6:30pm; dancing at 7:30pm. $10; $5 student. blissfest.org
KEN LUDWIG’S “LEND ME A SOPRANO”: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
RIDE THE CYCLONE BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS BY BROOKE MAXWELL & JACOB RICHMOND: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
sunday
FESTIVAL OF TREES: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
KAIR FESTIVAL OF TREES: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
PETOSKEY’S FALL RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
TC BEER WEEK: (See Fri., Nov. 8)
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN: 1pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Free. gardentheater.org/harrypotter-film-series
SECOND SUNDAYS ART PROJECT AT THE DMC: 1pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month. From flower arranging & printmaking to painting & weaving, each session offers a unique & creative activity. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/second-sundaysat-dmc-tickets-179984
“SISTER ACT”: (See Fri., Nov. 8, except today’s time is 2pm.)
KEN LUDWIG’S “LEND ME A SOPRANO”: (See Fri., Nov. 8, except today’s time is 2pm.)
LITTLE TRAVERSE CIVIC THEATRE PRESENTS STEPHEN KING’S “MISERY”: (See Thurs., Nov. 7, except today’s time is 2pm.)
MEET THE AUTHOR & BOOK DISCUSSION: 2pm, Helena Township Community Center, Alden. Local author Reg Sprik will discuss his autobiography, “Rowing Against the Waves: Overcoming Adversities, Leading to a Life Well Lived.” The book highlights his life as a young boy growing up in rural northern Michigan during the Great Depression. 231-331-4318.
RIDE THE CYCLONE BOOK, MUSIC & LYRICS BY BROOKE MAXWELL & JACOB RICHMOND: (See Fri., Nov. 8, except today’s time is 2pm.) ----------------------
GLCO PRESENTS THE DRUMHEADS PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE: 4pm, First Presbyterian Church of Boyne City. Enjoy the many sounds of percussion with The Drumheads from the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra. Tim Mocny, Bob Sagan, & Timm Johnson will perform favorites, originals, reimagined classics & more in creative percussion compositions & arrangements with drums, glockenspiel, vibraphone, cymbals, electric bass & more. Free. glcorchestra.org/sundayseries
ongoing
GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP/CLASS: East Bay Branch Library, TC. Held on Thursdays (except holidays) through mid-Dec. from
Natalie + Brittany Haas wsg Nic Gareiss
Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico: Día de los Muertos
The Rodney Whitaker Septet feat vocalist Rockelle Whitaker
Big Fun @ Funky Fun Monday
Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico: Mini Bird
The Jeff Haas Trio feat Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive
Jordan Hamilton wsg After Ours + Hannah Laine
Nancy Stagnitta's A Flutist's Journey: Classical, Jazz + Funk
Funky Uncle @ Funky Fun Monday
David Wilcox wsg Kyle Joe
Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico: Mini Bird
Here:Say Storytelling: Twist of Fate
The Jeff Haas Trio feat Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive
Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico: Mini Bird
Interlochen in Town: Sea Shanties and Siren Songs
Big Fun @ Funky Fun Monday
IPR presents: An Evening with Kenny Pheasant
Groundwork presents Blue Zone life in Northern Michigan
The Jeff Haas Trio feat Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive
Compton + Newberry wsg The North Carolines
Molly + full band wsg Amber Hasan
The Alluvion Big Band
Funky Uncle @ Funky Fun Monday
Mindful + Musical with Miriam Pico: Mini Bird
Lipstick Jodi + The Marsupials + Super Nuclear
Ava DiSimone
MINDFUL & MUSICAL: $14.40 FIRST CHILD, $9.50 SIBLINGS. GROWN-UPS FREE!
SECOND FLOOR COMMONGROUNDS BUILDING
NĀTIFS is a nonprofit organization founded by Lakota Chef Sean Sherman (known as the Sioux Chef), dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous food systems and promoting cultural preservation within Native American communities. Through initiatives like the Indigenous Food Lab, NĀTIFS offers training programs, educational workshops and support for Indigenous entrepreneurs to empower individuals and foster economic development. scan the q R code for more details
1-3pm. 922-2085. Free. tadl.org/event/understanding-your-grief-17583
INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato corridor, TC. Saturday mornings, 10am-2pm beginning Nov. 2. thevillagetc.com
art
“NOMADS”: Higher Art Gallery, TC. A Fran De Anda exhibit. His work touches upon themes related to the human condition which he ties to ancient myths & archetypes. Concepts such as transformation, death, alchemy, the sacred, & the profane are explored through his paintings. Runs through Nov. 10. higherartgallery.com
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.
CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:
- OPEN STUDIO, PETOSKEY: Saturdays, 10am-1pm in the Visual Arts Room. Free drop-in art studio for the whole family. New projects are offered weekly. crookedtree.org - 77TH ANNUAL MICHIGAN WATER COLOR SOCIETY EXHIBITION: Runs through Nov. 2 in Gilbert Gallery. Featuring the 30 works selected for recognition by the juror, Stan Kurth, from 193 submissions by 105 artists. Stan Kurth is an award winning artist & instructor, best known for his intuitive approach to painting. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/77th-annual-michiganwater-color-society-exhibition
- IDENTITY MAPS: JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION: Runs through Nov. 2 in Bonfield Gallery. Featuring 48 photobased works that explore dynamic interplays between identity, community, & place, selected by the juror, Amy Sacka. The 26 artists explored the theme through a variety of approaches, including digital, analog, mixed media, & cyanotype photography. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/identity-maps-juried-photography-exhibition
DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC:
- “A BEAUTIFUL MESS: WEAVERS & KNOTTERS OF THE VANGUARD”: The eleven artists in this exhibition transform rope, yarn, clay, wire, & extension cords into wall hangings & sculptures that range from minimal & hyper-organized to expansive, organic installations. Runs through Jan. 5. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on major holidays. dennosmuseum. org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/index.html
- “KATRINA BELLO: SKY INTO STONE”: A solo exhibition by Katrina Bello featuring charcoal & soft pastel drawings created around the time of her Tusen Takk residency in 2023. Runs through Jan. 5. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/art/ upcoming-exhibitions/index.html
- A STYLE ALL OUR OWN: CANADIAN WOODLAND ARTISTS: Runs through May 25. In the early 1960s, young Indigenous artists from the Great Lakes region created a unique style of painting known as the Woodland School of Art. Early members of this prolific art community included Norval Morrisseau, Carl Ray, Roy Thomas, Sam Ash, Jackson Beardy, & Daphne Odjig. Perhaps the best-known of the group is Norval Morrisseau, who is often referred to as the Father of the Woodland School. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/art/now-onview/canadian-woodland-artists.html
- CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CERAMICS FROM THE HORVITZ COLLECTION: Runs through Sept. 28, 2025. An array of works by contemporary Japanese ceramic artists, this is a sampler of the great diversity of styles, forms, glazes, & ages. These
artworks are drawn from the curated collection of Carol & Jeffrey Horvitz, some of the leading collectors of Japanese contemporary outside of Japan. Open Tues. through Sun., 11am-4pm. Closed on major holidays. dennosmuseum.org/art/upcoming-exhibitions/index.html
----------------------
GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER: - 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 - SMALL WORKS HOLIDAY EXHIBITION + GRATEFUL GATHERING: The 2024 Small Works Holiday Exhibition is an annual showcase of 2D + 3D work that offers small, original art at affordable prices; $150 or less. It runs Nov. 1 - Dec. 19 & features more than 100 works of art. There is a preview week, Nov. 1-7, for leisurely online or in-gallery perusal of the exhibition. Small Works objects will be ready for acquisition during the Grateful Gathering open house on Nov. 8, 6-8pm. Enjoy music performed by harpist Sylvia Norris, refreshments, & morsels while perusing the exhibit, & the pop-up holiday store. glenaborart.org
- WILD THINGS: Held in the Lobby Gallery. This exhibit is an homage to the natural world, & the creatures in it, as expressed in the collages by Benzie County artist Claudia Keglovitz. It runs through Dec. 19. Almost every aspect & element of Claudia’s compositions are created from recycled, reused, & found materials. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org/exhibits
OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:
- “RESONANCE AND RHYTHM”: This exhibit runs through Nov. 30. It highlights the work of four Michigan artists & focuses on the interplay of the abstract & organic as showcased in the whimsical & sculptural wood furniture of John DeHoog & the mixed media abstract paintings of Christy DeHoog Johnson. Michelle Krievins-Newman’s layered, color field paintings create a rhythmic balance against the geometries & patterns explored by Joan Richmond in her interpretive landscape paintings. The Oliver Art Center is open Tues-Sat. from 10am-4pm & Sun. from noon-4pm. oliverart.org ----------------------
- TRANSFIGURATION: THE ART OF UPCYCLING: Runs through Nov. 8. Trash to treasure! Transfiguration, an exhibition showcasing artists who breathe new life into the discarded. Featuring surprising & detailed works of art made from everyday objects most of us wouldn’t give a second glance. Check web site for hours. oliverart.org
- WINTER MARKET: Runs Nov. 9 - Dec. 22. Featuring the handmade work of more than 30 local & regional artists & craftspeople. Gift items include ornaments, jewelry, ceramics, cards, wearable art, prints, paintings & photography. Oliver Art Center is open Tues. - Sat. from 10am-4pm & Sun. from noon-4pm. It is closed on Mondays & on Nov. 28-29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. oliverart.org
Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.
Will & Harper
by JOSEPH BEYER
The most interesting and heartfelt “buddy film” of the year is also a true story. In Netflix’s Will & Harper, we find an intimate and vulnerable documentary about a longtime relationship that also becomes an intentional allegory for America’s reckoning with transgender understanding.
The result is an emotional roller coaster as filmmaker Josh Greenbaum and his small crew follow famed actor Will Ferrell on a road trip across the country with his friend Harper Steele.
Will and Harper met 30 years ago on the set of Saturday Night Live. Ferrell was just a budding new cast member and Steele was one of the show’s talented writers. Ferrell was young and nervous, Steele saw his talent. Together they bonded over absurd jokes, bizarre sketch ideas, and a shared sensibility of pushing comedy to its limits.
In the beginning, Steele is living and identifying as male and married to a woman with whom he has two children. Known by performers as a genius writer of sketch comedy, Steele has a successful life on the outside. But on the inside, Steele has been reckoning with suffering and confusion, and over the course of many difficult years, begins the process of self-acceptance and self-acknowledgement. The source of that pain has been a lifelong attempt to conform her gender to society, even though Steele has always known who she is.
So in 2021, after years of hiding in the masculine as assigned by birth, Steele sends a series of letters to close friends. They explain for the first time what she has been going through, and she delicately announces her transition to her chosen name of Harper.
One of those letters was sent to Ferrell, whom she still considered one of her best
friends but who had no idea what she had been going through.
When he finally realizes the depth of his friend’s struggle and the toll it has taken on her life, the cisgender Ferrell must confront his own understanding (or not) of her transition. And rather than being shy, he suggests the two go on a road trip across the country and talk about it. The premise is both to reclaim their friendship and redefine it—and to allow Harper the chance to experience traveling for the first time after her transition.
In her previous life, Steele delighted in roaming the country randomly and stopping at dive bars and juke joints for no reason at all. Ferrell is well intentioned in wanting to help her recreate that experience, and so the two set off for parts unknown together in hopes of finding a country where Steele will still feel safe and accepted.
And thankfully, for the most part, they do. But even traveling with Ferrell and using his celebrity as a softener isn’t enough to erase transphobia. That tension between hope and reality is the edginess that creates something honest and special. Harper’s bravery in exposing her journey to Will is profound and unlike any other dialogue many of us have heard about identity.
There are many moments of pure joy and laughter, but moments of darkness too. Both types had me fighting back tears in empathy and the clarity that there is no denying one’s truth.
Whether it’s a simple as the beer you prefer (Steele is fiercely loyal to “The Natty,” while Ferrell is a Modelo Man), or as complex as the fight to love and be loved, Will & Harper is an exceptional act of humanity in both concept and delivery, and I couldn’t recommend you watch it more.
IT’S SECOND SUMMER AT RECESS AT ACTION WATER SPORTS ON US-31
WEDNESDAY NOV 6 • 5PM-7PM
ENTER TO WIN:
• $200 Downtown TC Holiday Shopping Spree
• $100 Downtown TC Holiday Shopping Spree
Food from Jimmy Johns; wine from Leelanau Cellars and beer from Shorts. $10 entry.
Recess is brought to you by
ENCORE 201, TC
Grand Traverse & Kalkaska
11/2 & 11/8-9 -- DJ Ricky T, 8
FRESH COAST BEER WORKS, TC
11/8 -- Dags und Timmah!, 7-10
KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC
11/1-2 -- Risque, 9:30 Mon -- Team Trivia, 7-9 Tue -- The Will Harris Trio, 8 Wed -- The Pocket, 8 Thu -- DJ Leo, 9:30
11/8-9 -- The Broom Closet Boys, 9:30
KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING
11/7 – Trivia Night w/ Host Marcus Anderson, 7-9
LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM:
11/4 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9
LIL BO, TC
Tues. – Trivia, 8-10
Sun. – Karaoke, 8
MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC
11/8 -- Ben Richey, 6-9
NORTH BAR, TC
7-10:
11/2 – Chris Sterr
11/6 – Jesse Jefferson
11/7 – Drew Hale
11/8 – Rhett & John 11/9 – Mal & Mike
OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC
SEVEN HILLS, PENINI, 6:30: 11/2 -- Reminisce - Jim & Dave 11/8 – The Fridays 11/9 – Jeff Linsell
SORELLINA'S, TC SLATE RESTAURANT:
Thurs. -- Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 5-8
Fri. & Sat. – Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 6-9
TC WHISKEY CO. 6-8: 11/2 & 11/9 -- Ben Richey 11/6 -- Jeff Socia
THE ALLUVION, TC
11/2 -- The Rodney Whitaker Septet feat. vocalist Rockelle Whitaker, 7:30-8:30 11/4 -- Big Fun - Funky Fun Mondays, 6-8:30 11/7 -- The Jeff Haas Trio feat. Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive, 6-8:30
11/8 -- Jordan Hamilton with After Ours & Hannah Laine, 7:30-10
11/8 -- The Ampersands Band, 10 11/9 -- Nancy Stagnitta's Musical Trilogy: A Flutist's Journey - Classical, Jazz & Funk, 7:30-9:30 11/10 -- Afternoon Delight Improv Show - Presented by Full Tilt Comedy, 3-5
THE LITTLE FLEET, TC
11/2 -- Day of the Dead Celebration with DJ Botala, 8-10
Antrim & Charlevoix
THE PARLOR, TC
8-11:
11/2 – Brett Mitchell
11/5 – Jesse Jefferson
11/7 – Jimmy Olson
11/8 – Levi Britton
11/9 – Larz Cabot
THE PUB, TC
11/2 – The Pocket, 9-12
11/4 – Monday Night Karaoke w/ DJ ShawnyT, 8-11
11/6 – Zeke Clemons, 7-10
11/7 – David Martón, 7-10
11/8 – Jimmy Olson, 7-10
11/9 – Empire Highway, 9-12
11/10 – Mountain Gloom & Mountain Glory, 7-10
THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC
11/2 -- Delilah DeWylde, 8 11/5 -- Open Mic w/ Host Zak Bunce, 6:30
11/7 -- DJ Trivia, 7 11/8 -- Tai Drury, 8 11/9 -- The Hey! Makers, 8 11/10 -- Second Sunday Comedy Show, 7
TURTLE CREEK CASINO & HOTEL, WILLIAMSBURG
9-1:
11/2 – Mal & Mike
11/8 – DJ Mr. Markis
11/9 – The Ampersands
UNION STREET STATION, TC
11/2 -- G-Snacks, 9 11/7 -- DJ 1Wave Ladies Night, 9 11/9 -- DJ Prim, 10
nitelife
Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com
FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE
11/8 -- Nick Vasquez, 6:309:30
JAX NORTHSIDE, CHARLEVOIX
11/6 -- Trivia Night, 7
MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BELLAIRE
11/6 – DJ Trivia, 7-9
PROVISIONS WINE LOUNGE, BOYNE CITY
11/5 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6
SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE 11/7 -- Trivia, 6:30
Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee
LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE
11/2 – Parmalee, 8-9:30 11/9 – Working on Famous, 9-1
NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA 6:
11/2 -- John Pomeroy & Angela Caro
11/8 -- Tim Krause 11/9 -- Lynn Callihan
THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/PRIMOS, CADILLAC
11/6 -- Trivia & Music Bingo Night w/ Shawny-D, 6-9 11/7 -- Kids Karaoke, 6-7; Adults Karaoke, 7-10 11/9 -- North 44 Band, 7
Otsego, Crawford & Central
ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD 6-9:
11/2 -- Pete Fetters
11/8 – Spencer Opperman
11/9 – Brian Curran
BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD
11/9 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6
C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD 11/8 – Rick Woods, 6
SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD
11/8 -- Zie, 6-9
BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY
BISTRO POLARIS, 6-8: 11/2 -- Jakob Abraham 11/9 – Izzy Joy
CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY 11/10 -- Charlie Arnett, 2-4:30
FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR 11/7 -- Dennis Palmer, 4
IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 5:30-7:30: 11/2 – Frank Pfaff 11/8 – Jakob Abraham 11/9 – Tim Krause
LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 11/2 -- Drew Hale, 6:30-8:30 11/7 -- Trivia Night, 7-9 11/8 -- 1000 Watt Prophets, 6:30-9:30 11/9 -- Manitou Blues, 6:30
Emmet & Cheboygan
LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY
11/8 -- Thomas & Hyde, 6-9
SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY 11/8 -- Friday Night Live w/ Randy Reszka, 4-7
ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH
11/2 -- Billy & The Kid, 5-8 11/7 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9
BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY
2-6:
11/2 -- Two Track Mind 11/9 -- Chase & Allie
CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY
11/5 -- Trivia Night, 7-9
11/8 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30
MAMMOTH DISTILLING, BAY HARBOR 11/7 -- Thursday Trivia, 7-9
NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY
11/2 -- The Shouting Bones, 7-9
11/6 -- Singo Bingo, 6:30
11/8 -- Lee Fayssoux, 7-10 11/9 -- Holly Keller, 7-10
ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES: 11/8 -- Country Concert Series: Bones Owens, 9; DJ to follow
THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN 7: 11/2 -- Mark Bowen 11/7 -- Musicians Playground Open Mic 11/8 -- Brett Harfert 11/9 -- Chris Neumann
edited by
jamie kauffold
Leelanau & Benzie
THE PUB, TC - 11/9 – Empire Highway, 9-12
lOGY
NOV 04 - NOV 10
BY ROB BREZSNY
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In the life cycle of a butterfly, the earliest stages are larva and pupa. As a larva, the future beauty crawls around as a caterpillar, cramming itself with nutritive substance. After it transitions into the pupa state, it’s inert for a while, working on the inside of its cocoon to transform itself into its ultimate form. I don't want to be too literal about the comparison, but my sense is that your time as a larva will last another two months, whereupon you will begin your pupa phase. When will you emerge as a winged creature? It depends on how earnestly you work as a pupa, but I expect no later than March 2025.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Are your talents even slightly underrated and overlooked by others, Leo? Have your gifts received less than the full appreciation they deserve? Could you be of greater service and inspiration to your fellow humans if only your offerings were better known? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I’m pleased to tell you that the coming months should bring remedies. Life will be conspiring with you to help spread your influence and boost your clout.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I wish it were true that the forces of darkness are lined up in opposition to the forces of light. Life would be so much easier for you. But I'm afraid it's not that simple and clear. In my view, a more accurate metaphor might be that the energies of smokey grey are squaring off with the energies of dusky beige. Each side has a touch of both wrongness and rightness, a bit of ugliness and beauty. So what is the most honorable role you can play in this showdown? My suggestion is to develop a third side, an alternate way.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the early part of his career, Libran author Mario Puzo wrote short stories and novels, but never a screenplay. At age 49, he was asked by director Francis Ford Coppola to co-write the script for the film The Godfather. It turned out to be a sensational rookie effort. He was ultimately awarded an Academy Award for it, and later garnered another Oscar for his screenplay for The Godfather Part II. It was only then that Puzo realized he had found his calling and decided he should study the art of screenwriting. In the first chapter of the first book he bought about the subject, he read with great amusement that the ideal screenplay was the one by Mario Puzo for The Godfather. I bring this story to your attention, Libra, because you are approaching a time with resemblances to Puzo's situation before Coppola solicited his work. Trust your rookie instincts!
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys, is one of the most innovative and imaginative songwriters ever. Many of his compositions have become bestselling hit tunes. But he had a rough start in his craft. The first song he ever wrote was “Surfin.’” He submitted it to fulfill an assignment in his high school music class, but his teacher gave it an F, the lowest possible grade. Fifty-eight years later, Wilson returned to the school for a visit, and the new principal changed his original grade to an A. I foresee a comparable event occurring in your life sometime soon: a vindication, restitution, or reparation.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Earlier this year, 79-year-old rock singer Rod Stewart performed his greatest hits during a multi-city tour in many countries. "I shall never retire!" he proclaimed. Can you guess what astrological sign he is? Capricorn, of course. Many members of your tribe age very well, displaying stamina and vitality into later life. I bring this to your attention because I think you are close to discovering new secrets and tricks that will serve you well as you ripen. Here are some meditations that might be helpful: 1. What haven’t you been ready to do before, but might be soon? 2. What fun things would you love to be doing years from now, and how could you seed their future growth?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Scientists have discovered the fossil remains of over 700 dinosaur species buried underground. But the experts agree there are many more down there. Previously unknown species are still being unearthed every year. Let's use these facts as a metaphor for your life in the coming months. According to my
analysis of the astrological omens, you could learn a host of fresh truths about your history. You may have imagined that your past is finished and finalized, but it's not. I encourage you to have fun hunting for revelations and investigations that will transform the story of your life.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): You haven’t fully tapped into all of your vast potentials, Pisces. Latent talents and aptitudes within you may still be at least partially dormant. It’s even possible that some of your future powers are so foreign to your self-concept that they will feel like magic when they finally come into full expression. Now here’s the very good news: The coming months will be an excellent time to figure out what you need to do to express a more complete version of yourself.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): I rarely recommend acquisitive behavior. But my analysis of the astrological omens tells me you now have cosmic authorization to indulge in a sublime version of voracity. We might also refer to it as a license to practice a spiritually correct variety of greed. Here’s the fine print: You should NOT interpret this as permission to amass materialistic treasures and status symbols. Instead, the things you gather will be rich feelings, encounters with inspiring beauty, epiphanies about your divine purpose, and exquisite states of consciousness. You can also ask for and receive colossal supplies of love and affection.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The last time I ate a hamburger was in 1994. I doubt I will ever eat another. Why? The taste is not enjoyable to me, and no matter how well I chew it, my stomach always rebels. There's an additional problem: For several reasons, cattle farming is a significant factor causing the climate crisis. I would rather not contribute to that decimation. Does my attitude toward hamburgers mean I am a judgmental, close-minded zealot? No, it doesn't. don't proselytize to those who relish burgers, especially if they take other measures to reduce their carbon footprint. In this horoscope, dear Taurus, I am illustrating an approach I hope you will cultivate in the coming weeks. Be extra zealously devoted to your ideals and proclivities without condemning and dismissing those who don't share them.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): There are numerous approaches to getting good results from meditation. One is to sit silently and still in a tranquil sanctuary. Another is to lie on the ground under a dark sky and beseech the stars to bestow inspiration. One of my personal favorites is to sing rowdy hymns to birds, insects, and trees while hiking vigorously in nature. How many other varieties can you imagine, Gemini? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to develop and expand your meditation skills. Here's a key consideration: How can you achieve maximum fun while meditating? I recommend you free your mind to experiment with a host of interesting approaches.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): If there was ever an appropriate time for you to indulge in creatively rowdy thoughts and inspirationally unruly behavior, it would be now. Life is giving you license to de-emphasize decorum and formalities—and to emphasize boisterous enthusiasm and plucky adventures. For the sake of your mental health, I believe you need to engage in experimental improvisations that include maverick expressions. What areas of your life need liberation? What feelings need to be released from their constraints? What worn-out old theories and opinions should be abandoned?
“Jonesin” Crosswords
ACROSS
"That's Unreal" --I still made this, so not to worry.by Matt Jones
1. "Ivanhoe" author Sir Walter ___
6. Scary Spice's other nickname
10. Mar.-to-Nov. period
13. Prefix with pod
15. "Bob Wehadababyits___" (fake collect call name in a 1990s Geico ad)
16. Shout of realization
17. Nonsense, to a religion that advocates world unity?
19. Comedian Mayall of "The Young Ones"
20. Direct, as a relationship
21. Martini garnish
23. Garr of "Young Frankenstein"
24. Assertion upon recognizing the peninsula linking Africa with the Middle East?
27. Picnic bug
29. What may make NATO neato?
30. Cuban dance
34. Sea-___ Airport
35. "Pericles, Prince of ___"
39. Series of interlinked Hawaiian verandas?
42. Greek vowels
43. Makeshift dwelling
44. Slight difference
45. Roswell sightings
47. Giants Hall-of-Famer Mel
48. Instruction on how to get to the Burj Khalifa?
52. Arena cheers
56. Completely
57. Forms a line, to Lineker
60. Send a question
61. Humble response from an Alaskan peninsula?
64. Jeans brand
65. March Madness org.
66. Respectable
67. Waze lines, for short
68. "___, Interrupted" (1999 film)
69. Twill weave
DOWN
1. Wooden shoe
2. Construction zone lifter
3. Multiple-choice choice
4. "Not ___ know of"
5. Threesome
6. "Speed-the-Plow" playwright
7. Regress
8. Rocker Reed
9. "Golly!"
10. "Beyond the Sea" singer Bobby
11. Hindu god of destruction
12. "Oh Myyy!" author
14. "What have we here?"
18. Cohesive group
22. "Goodfellas" actor Ray
25. "Game of Thrones" actor Bean
26. Impersonator's challenge, sometimes
27. Poke bowl fish
28. Ballpark trayful
30. Cavs, on a scoreboard
31. Porkpie, e.g.
32. Actress de Armas
33. Fast ___ (restaurant category for Chipotle and Wingstop)
34. Sticks for blasts
36. Chinese principle with a counterpart
37. Mythical flyer
38. Suffix with ethyl
40. Drive out
41. "Freedom, ___ me loose" (line from the BeyoncÈ song used for Kamala Harris' campaign)
46. Type of workplace cabinet
47. Work for an orchestra
48. Older TV features
49. Not yet solidified
50. Makes a Battenberg
51. Matching
52. Shearsmith who co-created and co-stars in "Inside No. 9"
53. "Up" voice actor Ed
54. Celebrity chef Eddie who wrote "Fresh Off the Boat"
55. Ill will
58. Abbr. at O'Hare
59. Ualapue strings
62. 13, converted to binary, then converted to Roman numerals
63. Pickle holder
COTTAGE FOR RENT: TC 1BR Cottage, Fully Furnished, All Utilities, A/C, W/D, Cable TV, Enclosed Porch, Parking, Very Nice, Quiet, Month-to-Month to Year, No Pets, $1,500 per month. (231) 631-7512.
SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248
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$359,000 | 630 Webster Street
Prime location, boasting a complete renovation
$375,000 | 448 Hamilton Street
Downtown TC, nicely updated three bedroom, one bath home with 1,312 sq ft SOLD
$2,000,000 | 5168-5200 US 31 N
Large, mixed-use property with many development possibilities
$590,000 | 1358 Saffron Circle
Like new! Beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bath, large ranch-style home, built in 2016
$95,000 | 12755 S Marina Village Drive Harbor West Yacht Club, 30’ x 14’ slip BOAT SLIP #67
$250,000 | 1414 Trade Centre Unit G
Conveniently located and zoned general industrial, which allows for many uses
