- Racing ahead with TC’s senior runners - Back to school for a second career - Retirement trends Up North
We Need NOAA
“That could never happen here,” they said. “We’ll be fine,” they said. Tell that to the citizens of Asheville, North Carolina. Hurricane Helene is just the latest catastrophic climate event to make it very clear that climate change is changing what we can expect, wherever we live.
Here in northwest Lower Michigan, extreme weather is less likely than it is on the Gulf Coast. Or at least it has been in the past. We like to think that flooding, wildfires, tornadoes, and hurricanes destroy lives and property “somewhere else.” But what happens if our turn comes?
Fortunately, we can depend on the National Weather Service and NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to make unpredictable weather a lot more predictable. NOAA is the nation’s main weather service and one of the few sources available to help us understand how a major storm or wildfire may impact us. Every year, the agency saves hundreds of lives with its weather alerts. Even forecasters for local news stations and local officials are dependent on NOAA data for invaluable information not available elsewhere. That’s good news for all of us.
The bad news? Project 2025, the conservative playbook, calls for NOAA to be broken apart and privatized. Calling NOAA “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry,” Project 2025 makes climate experts the enemy and money-making the hero.
If fully enacted, Project 2025 would turn climate science into a for-profit industry, monetizing the information citizens need to prepare for catastrophic events and making it harder to access.
This is just one more example of how Project 2025, the blueprint for another four years of Trump, will undermine critical agencies and expertise in our country. Don’t let it happen.
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We’re at the peak of autumn celebrations, so here are a few around the North on Oct. 12 you won’t want to miss! Bring your four-legged friends to Fall Fido Fest at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, a dog-friendly day of shopping with a pet costume contest and agility course. Saturday also brings around Harbor Harvest Festival, the last hurrah of the Harbor Springs Farmers Market with cider and crafts alongside the final outdoor market of the year. Gypsy Distillery has their Fall Fest, combining line dancing with seasonally-themed cocktails, plus food and live music. The Highlands will also host their Harvest Fest on the slopes. Camp Daggett will celebrate its annual Fall Fest on Oct. 13. Meanwhile, Pond Hill Farm offers Fall Fest Weekends every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 27 with plenty of family fun, pumpkin bowling (and smashing!), and a corn maze. Most events are free admission—enjoy!
You still have time to stop by for a slice with Waitress running through Oct. 12 at Old Town Playhouse in Traverse City. See how Jenna finds her courage as a waitress and pie maker— even as she’s stuck in a small town and loveless marriage and faced with an unexpected pregnancy—to open the pie shop of her dreams! The 7:30pm performances include Oct. 4-5 and 10-12. 2pm performances are on Oct. 6 and 12. Tickets range from $20-$33 at oldtownplayhouse.com.
4
Hey, read It! Middle of the Night
Things aren’t always as they seem in bestselling author Riley Sager’s newest thriller, Middle of the Night. When Ethan Marsh was only 10, his best friend and neighbor, Billy Barringer, vanished from the tent they were sharing in the suburban oasis of Hemlock Circle. Fast-forward three decades and Ethan, burdened by personal tragedy and insomnia, has returned to his childhood home just as Billy’s body is discovered at a nearby paranormal research facility. Meanwhile, something or someone is roaming his quiet cul-de-sac late at night, and even the people he thought he knew best are harboring long-buried secrets. Has Billy’s spirit finally returned to the neighborhood for some ghostly vengeance, and can Ethan face his demons in time to uncover what happened that terrible night? This page-turner is packed with plenty of twists, just in time for spooky season!
A REMARKABLE FRIENDSHIP
The National Writers Series will host SHELBY VAN PELT, the bestselling author of the blockbuster debut novel
With the weather cooling down, we’re entering comfort food season. To us, that means lots of bread (warm! carbs!), which requires a special ingredient to reach perfection: the Cherry Almond Butter from Gallagher’s Farm Market. You’ll get a touch of tang from the tart Montmorency cherries, perfectly balanced by the delicate, smooth flavor of the almonds. This spread is versatile, equally at home on a slice of toast in the morning as it is on your charcuterie board before dinner. Pro tip: When you make the trip to Gallagher’s, be sure to stock up on the locally-made breads at their market shop, along with pumpkins, fresh apples, and hot-from-the-oven sugar cinnamon donuts. Visit the iconic red and green stand at 7237 E. Traverse Hwy just outside Traverse City. gallaghersfarmmarkettc.com
Remarkably Bright Creatures, which sold over 2 million copies worldwide! She will be discussing her new book with guest host Beth Milligan. Charming, compulsively readable, and full of wit, Shelby’s debut novel is a beautiful exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope.
Presented by the National Writers Series with the support of the Karen and Clark Bunting ’Natural Wonders’ Author Conversations
Join NWS on Wednesday, October 16 at 7:00 p.m., in-person at Lars Hockstad plus livestreamed, for a conversation with bestselling author Shelby Van Pelt.
The Collective Self 6
Megan Mertaugh-Graber originally started Care-O-Van—an inclusive, place-based mental health service for children, adolescents, adults, and caregivers—in 2022 as a mobile care option outfitted in a renovated school bus. The bus has since found a more permanent setting for its services on a family farm, but Mertaugh-Graber remains committed to bringing mental health services directly to the community in unique ways. Care-O-Van has teamed up with the Dennos Museum Center for the Collective Self Cinema Series, featuring Inside Out (Oct. 12), Encanto (Nov. 16), and Coco (Dec. 12). After each film, families are invited to attend the post-screening conversation, which will include psychoeducational and expressive arts programming for kids and their grown-ups. Tickets for each film are $5; visit dennosmuseum.org/events/films.html to purchase and get more details.
A Memory Trail
A new ecosystems trail in the Cedar Grove Wetland Preserve in Onekama will begin construction next year thanks to an in memoriam donation from long-time Portage Lake family Matthew and Amy Schleiffarth honoring Matthew’s late sister, Melissa. Portage Lake Watershed Forever (PLWF) purchased the preserve from Onekama Township two years ago and is now planning a circular trail and boardwalk that will encompass the wetlands and cedar forest on the property. According to a press release from PLWF, construction is expected to start as early as 2025, with a planned open date of sometime in 2026. “The location of the Melissa Gail Schleiffarth Memorial Trail between our grandparents’ cottages is the biggest reason we want to memorialize Melissa in this way,” Matthew Schleiffarth said in a statement. “Sharing these experiences with future generations is an honor.” Learn more at portagelakewatershed.com.
Stuff We Love: Turning the Page to 2025
Yes, yes, we’re already thinking about next year! But it’s only because Kristin MacKenzie of Leland’s Warren Collective released her 2025 wall calendar. The calendar features 12 original paintings of our favorite northern Michigan beaches and waterways, titled “Views from the Fresh Coast.” From moody blue waves to vibrant purple skies to serene golden sunsets, this little calendar promises zero dull, gray days. We’ve ordered these calendars before, and perhaps the best part is each of the pages—which are printed on solid white card stock—can be trimmed to create a 5-by-7inch frameable print once you flip the page on that month. Just cut off the dates and voilà! Instant artwork for your home or to give to a friend. Shop the calendar ($43) at kristinmackenzie.com/ gifts/p/2025-calendar, or peruse other fine art prints, paintings, and gifts.
For the perfect rosy-hued drink to go along with the early days of fall, the 2023 House Rosé from The Mill in Glen Arbor is a no-brainer. Crafted in partnership with Boathouse Vineyards in Lake Leelanau, this wine is made with 100-percent estate-grown (and organic) Cabernet Franc grapes fermented and aged in stainless steel. The result is a gorgeouslyconcentrated pour, rife with notes of ripe red fruit, green peppercorn, and just a touch of fine tannic structure. Enjoy a sip—near room temperature, staff suggests—and pair it with something autumnal, like the salt-baked beets with coffee oil and mustard on The Mill’s Supper menu. Check out The Mill and their curated wine selection at 5440 W. Harbor Hwy in Glen Arbor. Psst—you can also find the House Rosé at The Outpost in downtown Traverse City! themillglenarbor.com
spectator By steven Tuttle
The voting has begun and, if you’d like to ignore the blizzard of nonsensical and accusatory campaign advertisements—hey, already voted, quit sending me your crap— the next month is little more than something to be endured or muted or thrown away.
Others, hardier souls all, are still deciding when or if they’re going to vote. If you’re a resident of Traverse City, it means you’ll be confronted with the TIF ballot questions. It’s a little confusing since a “Yes” vote would end TIF 97 in 2027 and a “No” vote would extend it decades longer. Secondly, if you’d like a say in future TIF proposals you vote “Yes,” and if you’d like that to be left up to others you vote “No.”
There have been some troubling aspects to this campaign. Whatever you might have heard, property tax revenue both within and outside the TIF 97 district will continue to flow. Downtown will get a bit less as the other entities will have their shares flowing into their budgets, as well.
Additionally, we’ve been told taxpayers will have to pay more for “needed” and “critical” projects, though information on which projects and why they would suddenly cost more is not information that has been forthcoming. There is a conceit to the notion that only projects downtown are somehow worthy of funding; retrenchment of those potential
Traverse City voters will now decide if TIF 97 should be extended another 30 years and whether or not they should be able to vote on any future proposed TIF districts.
TIF is tax increment financing, and it was first used way back in 1952 in California. The idea was to give cities another tool to fight urban blight, including the cleanup of polluted sites, so cities could once again grow and prosper. A TIF works like this: an area is designated as a TIF district with the approval of those businesses and homeowners within it. At that point, baseline property taxes are established, and that money goes to the community’s general fund annually. As the property’s value increases, the taxes above the baseline are “captured” by, in Traverse City, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA ).
Traverse City first created a DDA in 1979, a time when things weren’t great in downtown. It was not a shuttered, dystopian wasteland as some would have us believe, but it was in need of help. Traverse City and the DDA then created a downtown TIF district in 1997 known as TIF 97. It should be noted this was not without significant controversy, and those supporting TIF 97 at the time promised it would not be extended when it expired in 2027.
It isn’t just the Traverse City general fund that loses income here. Property tax revenues intended for Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), Grand Traverse County, the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA), TART, and the Traverse Area District Library all have money captured by the DDA’s TIF district.
It’s not as if the DDA has wasted or abused the millions they’ve captured; they’ve done commendable work on many fronts, and downtown’s current vitality is a credit to at least some of the work they’ve done. Traverse City voters will now decide if TIF 97 should be extended another 30 years and whether or not they should be able to vote on any future proposed TIF districts.
projects is hardly the end of the world. Some things might take a little longer or need to cost a little less, or just maybe there are projects waiting in other neighborhoo ds which now have some available funding.
The idea that taxes will be raised is a little silly. Traverse City’s Commissioners are elected politicians not anxious to run on an “I raised your taxes” platform. Important work will get done with or without TIF, and without a tax increase.
If TIFs are as critical as we’ve been told, then surely its advocates would have little trouble successfully putting new TIF districts to a public vote. It is entirely possible neighborhoods that have not benefited from a previous TIF may want to create a district for housing or development in a forgotten corner, and they will be willing to convince the rest of Traverse City to support their plans.
There’s also been the suggestion that approval of these ballot issues will result in lawsuits. (The ballot proposal requiring a public vote on all TIF plans violates state law in both its content and its length, according to an opinion from the state attorney general’s office.) But it is not clear why a lawsuit would be an inevitable outcome. The City Commission is not going to invite litigation by approving TIF-dependent projects that cannot be completed without an extension of TIF 97 if voters choose to end that program. (Truth is, the city will probably get sued no matter what.)
Finally, TIF advocates have not adequately explained why it is necessary to betray the promises made to voters in 1997 that TIF 97 would not be extended. No crisis exists that would reasonably undo that pledge.
PHASE DANCE
Guest Opinion
by Greg Holmes
How do you feel about the fact that you are getting older and that you are aging by the minute?
Your answer likely depends on several things, especially your current chronological age. For example, if you are an adolescent, you may be impatient and quite eager to speed up the process and enjoy some of the benefits of adulthood, such as increased autonomy and societal privileges.
On the other hand, if you are in your seventies, you will likely have the opposite feeling about getting older. Knowing that the end of your life is closer, you probably
your overall enjoyment with the aging process.
The first stage of the transition from mid to late life typically occurs around 55-65 years of age when many people are either retiring or contemplating doing so. Retirement “experts” refer to this as the “go-go” stage. If your health is still good and your body willing, there is often a burst of energy and an interest in adventure. During this phase you can do things that you put off because of work or family commitments.
Taking a trip might be important, as well as accomplishing other things on your “bucket
No one can accurately predict what will happen to you as you age.
are eager to do anything you can to slow your descent into the airport. Other factors that influence the aging process and how we experience it include our physiologic, psychological, and spiritual well-being.
We do know several things about aging. For example, the average lifespan has increased dramatically over the years. A child born in 1900 had an expected lifespan of 32 years. By 2019, the expected lifespan had increased to 79 years of age. However, by 2021 the life expectancy had actually gone backward to 76 years. There have been several explanations for this decrease among certain population groups, including poverty, access to healthcare, and death from the opioid crisis.
Now people can expect to live until their sixties and beyond unless their lives are shortened by tragic circumstances. Our population has a sizable and growing proportion of older people. By 2030, one in six people in the U.S. will be over 60.
This, combined with a continued decline in birth rate, will present significant socioeconomic challenges. Some futurists have projected that immigrants will be sought after, even paid to immigrate, rather than prohibited from entering our country.
What can you expect as you age? Let’s imagine that you have successfully navigated through your younger years. You survived the angst of adolescence and any midlife crises. Now, as you turn fifty-five and approach retirement, what happens next? There are so many variables that make it impossible to predict what will happen. However, there are generalizations that one can use as guideposts.
Some authors have attempted to break down aging in our mid to later years into several phases, or stages. How you experience these stages and opportunities will depend on several factors. Your health will be one of the most important things. Financial resources and connections with others will also come into play. Whether or not you have worked on those three things will likely influence
list.” Making such a list is a realization, conscious or otherwise, that our time will run out, and that if we want to make sure we do something that requires physical stamina, we need to do it now.
The second phase in the aging transition typically begins when you approach your mid-seventies. The “go-go” energy and thirst for activity gradually dissipates in this second phase which is referred to as “slowgo.” These changes most often come about due to increasing limitations in your health.
During this phase, more of the focus is on taking care of your health. When you get together with friends, you will likely find yourself conducting what I call an “organ recital,” where each person gives the latest updates on their health problems as well as feelings about their healthcare providers.
As we age into this second phase it becomes more and more difficult to deny that we are, in fact, “old.” Remember when there were certain benefits of aging that we looked forward to, such as claiming Social Security and senior discounts? Now being old is much less fun and can lead to depression and loneliness.
The third stage of aging in the later years is called “no-go.” During this phase, which typically begins in your early eighties, there are often increasing concerns and limitations caused by your declining health. Mobility and the ability to live independently become major considerations and often lead to decisions to either live with family or in an assisted living situation.
Danish physicist Niels Bohr once stated something to the effect of, “Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.” No one can accurately predict what will happen to you as you age. I offer the above trend lines to aid you in your journey as you contemplate your life. Although parts of your journey will be difficult, I do hope you will have things that you can cherish.
Greg Holmes lives and writes in Traverse City.
Creme de la Weird
Literally. Sean Edward Uribe, 35, was arrested on Sept. 12 in the wake of two incidents over the summer at Miami clothing stores, The Smoking Gun reported. During the first encounter, at a Ross Dress for Less in June, Uribe allegedly used a medical syringe to squirt a substance on the back of the shorts of a juvenile as he recorded with his phone, police said. Witnesses alerted store employees and the victim as Uribe fled the scene. In late August at a Marshalls store, Uribe allegedly struck again, this time targeting an adult woman to "spray an unknown substance on the victim's left buttocks area," police said. When Uribe was taken into custody, he confessed and said the liquid in the syringes was moisturizing lotion. Then he called his father, as police listened, and instructed him to go to his house and remove hard drives. "Put them under lock and key," he said. Officers got there first and seized the drives, along with loaded syringes. So far, he's been charged with battery on a child, two misdemeanor battery counts and tampering with evidence.
The Golden Age of Air Travel
A Scandinavian Airlines flight from Oslo, Norway, to Malaga, Spain, was diverted to Copenhagen, Denmark, on Sept. 18 after a mouse crawled out of a passenger's in-flight meal, the BBC reported. Jarle Borrestad, who was sitting next to the passenger whose meal harbored the rodent, told the BBC that people on board remained calm, but he put his socks over his pant legs so the mouse couldn't crawl up his leg. Oystein Schmidt, SAS spokesperson, said such events happen "extremely rarely"; passengers were transferred to another plane and went on their way.
Oops
On Sept. 24, as the Kamloops, British Columbia, city council met in the council chambers, someone zooming in online queued up a pornographic video clip while sharing their screen, the CBC reported. The council's public participation segment of the meeting allows people to ask questions or comment on agenda items, but councilman Bill Sarai said Tuesday's incident was the final straw for him. "It's really swayed far, far away from what it's meant to be," Sarai said. He wants to eliminate the public portion of the meeting and ask the public to interact through email or in-person meetings.
Awesome!
In November, Stack's Bowers Galleries in Boston will offer an extremely rare threepence coin from 1652 for auction, CBS News reported. The coin, which was minted in Boston at the Hull Mint, was purchased from a shop in the Netherlands. It is one of only three known coins like it, one of which was stolen and hasn't been seen since. Store manager Stanley Chu expects it to fetch well over $1 million.
Student volunteers were helping out with an archaeological dig in Eu, France, when one of them found a small glass bottle inside an earthenware pot, United Press International reported. Inside the bottle was a message, written in January 1825, from one "P.J. Feret, a native of Dieppe, member of various intellectual societies."
Feret was carrying out excavations at the same site and left the message for future explorers. "It was an absolutely magic moment," said Guillaume Blondel, head of the town's Regional Archaeology Service. Local records revealed that Feret was a wellknown archaeologist of his time. Blondel said such finds are rare: "Most archaeologists prefer to think that there won't be anyone coming after them because they've done all the work."
It's Good To Have a Hobby
Joshua Kiser of Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, was looking for something to amuse himself during the COVID shutdown in 2020 when he came across an idea: "I stumbled upon a picture of the eccentric man posing with a gigantic top hat on his head," Kiser said, referring to Odilon Ozare, who set the record for World's Tallest Hat in 2018. Kiser thought it would be easy to surpass Ozare's 15-foot, 9-inch hat, but it wasn't until this year that he managed to engineer one, at 17 feet, 9.5 inches, that could withstand a walk of the required 32.8 feet while wearing it. United Press International reported that his final, winning design incorporated lightweight guttering and a Philadelphia Eagles trash can that "looked about the circumference of my noggin."
Freaky
A 27-foot-tall puppet in the shape of a seated baby has been installed in the center of the town of Rochdale, England, the BBC reported on Sept. 25. The baby, named Lilly, with a mouth and eyes that open and shut, is part of a council project to encourage schoolchildren to talk about the importance of the environment. Ostensibly, the kids will speak to Lilly; their conversations will be recorded and broadcast from the baby at an event on Oct. 24 at Hollingworth Lake Nature Park. But townsfolk aren't warming up to Lilly, calling it "the ugliest baby I've ever seen." One said, "It's creepy with its eyes shut, never mind open." No telling how school-aged kids will react to it.
Overreaction
A 58-year-old Simcoe, Ontario, Canada, woman, Wendy Washik, was taken into custody on Sept. 1 and charged with assault with a weapon, the CBC reported. The charges stemmed from an incident at a backyard party when Washik, who was playing with a child, accidentally shot a neighbor with a water gun while he mowed his lawn. Washik said she apologized repeatedly, but the "victim" "wouldn't listen to me and ... was screaming at me." She said police "didn't ask me a single question. They didn't ask to see the water gun." Washik was due in court on Sept. 24. Socorro Camacho, 54, died in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sept. 23 after getting into a dispute with another man over a song played on a jukebox, WSVNTV reported. The argument started in the wee hours at Antojitos Mexicanos restaurant when Camacho insulted the other man over his song choice, witnesses said. The insulted man "pulled his weapon and started shooting," Mauro Bonilla said. Fort Lauderdale police are investigating and trying to identify the gunman.
Back to School for Grown-ups
One-third of NMC students are 56+
By Ellen Miller
When you imagine the demographics of a college campus, it’s likely 20-somethings that come to mind, young people who are studying (and maybe partying) and exploring paths for their future careers.
But at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), rich opportunities await at any age, for folks interested in just taking a one-time course or workshop to students pursuing a degree later in life. At NMC, 33.8 percent of students are aged 56 and up, the majority of whom hail from Grand Traverse County. What Now?
Doug Richardson, a retired firefighter, was perusing the NMC catalog at a friend’s house a few years ago when a brand-new program caught his eye. As a firefighter, Richardson had often cooked for the rest of the firehouse, and he had taken some culinary courses at NMC for fun. He reached out to learn more, and before he knew it, he’d signed up for a Culinary-Maritime certificate through the the Great Lakes Culinary Institute.
“I thought it sounded interesting. It’s culinary in an area I had never considered before. Everybody talks about going to work in a restaurant or catering, or opening a cafe—this was totally different,” he says. The certificate program offered unique learning opportunities, like a course Richardson took where the students would cook aboard a ship.
“Every Tuesday and Thursday, we’d go out on the boat and go cook for anyone working on the boat. There were federal employees doing inventory, so we were cooking for 20 people. It gave us the opportunity to work together as a team, to figure out how to work in a small area, and how to fix our screwups. It was a good learning experience,” Richardson reflects.
Richardson also enjoyed the camaraderie that he and his classmates built, something he hadn’t experienced since leaving the fire department. He has completed one internship as part of his program and leaves shortly for his second. If all goes well, he hopes to be hired onto the ship’s crew.
“This career never even entered my mind,” Richardson says. “For me, when I was younger, the pinnacle of my career desires
was to be a firefighter and I did that. And then it was like, what now?”
Pivoting to New Passions
Ed Flees, Jr., who is pursuing an audio technology degree, started his career with a job at Radio Shack.
“In the years that passed, I tried different jobs, trying to figure out where I fit in in the world,” he says. Flees drove a truck for a while, before stopping in 2019 to pursue a culinary degree. The pandemic, combined with a cancer diagnosis that meant he couldn’t stand for long periods, changed his plans.
“I used to DJ and stuff like that, so I thought, why not pursue that as a degree?” he says. Flees notes that when he graduated from high school, there weren’t many options for paying for college. Now, students have access to programs like Michigan Reconnect, which covers community college tuition for students who do not have a college degree. The program, which was originally available to students ages 25+, recently expanded to serve students ages 21-24.
When he’s not busy studying (Flees is
busy learning software and also will study piano and guitar), Flees volunteers as a DJ for NMC’s radio station.
“Taking classes is weird because 99 percent of students when I walk in think I’m a teacher,” he jokes. “It’s funny because kids are too shy to ask questions. Well, I’m not shy about anything anymore.”
Flees is on track to finish his degree in 2026. He hopes to get a job at a radio or TV station or a recording studio. “As you can tell, I love to talk,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve been told I have a great radio voice. When I go somewhere, people say, ‘I know you… I know your voice.”
Learning for the Fun of It
Beyond associate degrees and certificate programs, NMC offers a wide variety of courses through its extended education department. From Homeownership 101 to cooking courses, “date night” outings focused on dance or dining to international trips, there is something for everyone.
“We had a great deal of interest in learning about the community and meeting up with other people that were like minded,”
says NMC aficionado Cathy, who initially started taking classes with her husband Joe. “We did a lot of Campus Days—those were fun.” (See more below about Campus Day!) They also took Jack Segal’s global issues courses together.
“After Joe died, I started taking classes I’ve always had an interest in, but didn’t know a lot about,” Cathy continues. “One great strength about NMC is that instructors are always well-versed in whatever the subject is.”
Cathy has since taken classes on art, wildflowers, the iPhone… “literally anything that captures my interest,” she says. “I’ve always collected rocks, and I took this course with Robb Houston. He happened to
mention that he would be taking adults to Iceland the next year.”
Off Cathy went on a class to Iceland, studying geology. “It was absolutely phenomenal. We were with an Icelandic man who had taught geology to many students.”
Students might start off taking a class just for fun, but the learning stays with you. “I do bring things into my life that I’ve learned,” says Cathy. Many years ago she took a class on balance that inspired her to learn tai chi. She has practiced on and off for years since.
“That’s the point of these classes—you don’t have to know anything about it. My friend and I that had gone on the Iceland trip, we later went on a hike in the Commons. My
friend hadn’t known anything about geology before the trip. She turned to me and said, ‘Oh is this…’ a specific type of rock. You really learn a lot. The instructors make it so easy for you to learn things because it’s so condensed.”
Campus Day to Return in 2025
NMC will welcome back Campus Day in May 2025. In past years, over 400 55+ adult learners attended. This will be the first iteration of Campus Day since the pandemic brought programming to a halt in 2020.
Campus Day offers students a way to sample multiple courses as well as connect with community programming like BATA.
Doug Richardson Ed Flees, Jr.
ALWAYS CHASING THAT RUNNER’S HIGH
Six local runners share their starts, stops, and memories from the trails
By Ross Boissoneau
Melinda Mitchell started running in high school. Kelly Slater started when she was nine.
Norm Plumstead didn’t start until after college, while Jim Graham started in 1965.
Now in their 50s, 60s, and 70s—putting them in the masters divisions for all races—these runners are among the many locals you’ll see on the streets, sidewalks, or trails, legs and arms pumping as they fly past. Today there are more than 50 million dedicated runners in the U.S., many of whom are probably clocking miles as you read this.
Why do they do it? How often do they run? What worlds are left for them to conquer? These are a couple of the questions posed to a few of the area’s dedicated runners.
Jim Frixen, 61
“The main reason is it’s great exercise,” says Frixen of running. He first laced up his trainers in the 1980s, encouraged by his neighbor and his neighbor’s sister. “I was doing aerobics, so I was already in shape when I took up running in my 20s.”
He says running now helps him stay healthy. “I was in poor health [previously]. I would black out,” he says. Eventually he was diagnosed with low blood sugar. That’s when he started aerobics and then running.
Like many others, Frixen notes the camaraderie among the runners as a key part of its appeal. He serves as the unofficial photographer for the Traverse City Track Club. The nonprofit, Michigan’s largest running club with a membership of more than 900 dedicated runners, formed in 1962 and hosts events including the Bayshore Marathon, Frozen Footrace, and weekly runs at local hot spots like Farm Club, NoBo Mrkt, or Silver Spruce Brewing.
“It’s fun to have the Fun Run Wednesdays,” Frixen says. “We get together and run from somewhere we can come back to where we can get some food and drink.”
Frixen admits he no longer pushes himself as much as he did in years gone by. “As I’m older, I don’t do as many races as I used to. I probably did at least 20 or more a year. Now it’s five or six. Plus I’m not as fast as I used to be, but I’m still in great shape,” he says.
Recent race stats: Frixen ran a 57:14 in the 2024 Frozen Foot Race 5-mile, taking 8th place in the male 60-64 division and 153rd overall.
Norm Plumstead, 52
Plumstead, the President and CEO of Honor Bank, is a mere 52, but he’s already had his share of running adventures. That includes some that went further than he intended.
“I did a 50-mile race I trained for in fall 2019. I took a wrong turn on a trail and it became a 63-mile race,” he says.
Plumstead was also one of the participants in the Run Across Ethiopia, the project of the non-profit On The Ground a decade ago, where a small group of U.S. and Ethiopian runners ran 250 miles across Ethiopia. Organized by Chris Treter of Higher Grounds coffee company, the event’s goal was to raise $175,000 to build and supply schools in the fair-trade coffee growing regions.
“We ran a marathon a day for 10 days. It was mind-blowing, amazing,” says Plumstead. “I’d never traveled to Africa. We created great bonds with the team and with Ethiopian runners and assistants.”
His start was humble—and humbling. “I had some bad habits, and running was a tool to break them. In Chicago, my roommate and I decided to run the Chicago Marathon. We finished, even though we got passed by two people dressed as M&Ms.” Since then he’s run half-marathons, ultramarathons, and more. “I did a few 50-mile, a couple hundred-mile.”
Recent race stats: Though he hasn’t competed in a race since the fall of 2019 (that ill-fated 63-mile 50-miler), Plumstead hasn’t stopped running, he’s just branched out.
“I don’t want to be a one-trick pony. The break [from the pandemic] forced me to diversify,” Plumstead says, pointing to activities including tennis and strength work. And he has a vision for the future. “I plan on getting back to competing. I want to continue to do this as age advances. That’s the plan, do longer distances on the trails when I’m 72, 82, 92.”
Jim Graham, 75
“I never thought I’d have that competitive urge” at this point, says the 75-year-old Graham. But here we are, and there he goes. “In 1965 I was a high school runner. I was the size and weight to make a distance runner. I was pretty good.”
Why run in the first place? “I wasn’t a good enough baseball player,” he says drily. But as a runner he was plenty good enough. “I ran in the state finals my junior and senior year. I was all-state,” he says.
When running became the next “in” thing, and Graham was already there. “This was way back before the running revolution in the ’70s. A lot of us thought after high school we’d be done, but it became more and more popular.”
And now here we are all these years later, and Graham admits to still having those competitive urges. “I don’t like to get beat,” he says. And in that he’s not alone. “I’m surprised how many competitive runners there are in their 70s.”
Competing with others isn’t the only draw, and Graham organizes the weekly fun runs for the Traverse City Track Club. “The social aspect, the synergy with others—it’s easier when they pull you along. There is such a thing as a runner’s high. It’s work, but it’s an amazing feeling. It keeps you in shape.”
For Graham, the continuation of his running experience comes down to seizing every opportunity. “It could be the last day. You don’t want to just let it pass by.”
Recent race stats: Graham ran a 26:31 in the 2023 Traverse City Zombie 5K Run, taking 1st place in the male 70-74 division and 115th overall.
Kelly Slater, 60
In the state of Illinois where she grew up, Slater says mandatory recess in the early grades helped push her into running. “I started when I was nine,” she says. “In high school I was a track runner. Not in college—I wish I had.”
Though she gave it up as a competitive team sport, Slater says she doesn’t think there was a time when she wasn’t running. Today she favors quality over quantity, running three times a week, typically totaling some 15 miles on a weekly basis. “I still race quite a bit—5K, 10K.” She says it’s about both physical and mental conditioning. “It’s my ‘me’ time,” she says, an opportunity to clear her mind.
It’s also a way to gather with like-minded friends. “I’m vice president of the Traverse City Track Club. Jim Graham is head of the fun run, and I’m his handy assistant. I’m a social runner. I like to talk [with other runners]. In the peak of summer we’ll get 80 people [at the fun runs]. This week it was about 60.” Slater says even in the winter they gather, though they might have as few as 15.
Slater says she’s as competitive as ever, but with herself, striving to beat her own previous times. “I love to encourage others, love when people beat me. I’m super competitive with myself.”
She says the best thing about aging as a runner is there are always new age groups just ahead, and she can start over. Now at 60 she’s in a brand-new category, where she can set new goals and new records.
Recent race stats: Slater ran a 27:52 in the 2023 Farmland 5K, taking 1st place in the female 55-59 division and 52nd overall.
Jeremy Treadwell (64) and Melinda Mitchell (66)
Running is a husband-and-wife thing for Jeremy Treadwell and Melinda Mitchell. Though it started as a girl thing, then a girlfriend and boyfriend thing.
“I met her at MSU in 1980. She had just finished running the Detroit Free Press Marathon,” says Treadwell.
Treadwell wasn’t yet a runner, but Mitchell had already been competing. “She started in high school. She was the only girl on the cross-country team.” That was a time when girls and women were grudgingly accepted in races, if they were accepted at all. So Mitchell ran Bonne Bell races, a series of races sponsored by the cosmetic company.
She soon got him hooked on the sport. “The next year we ran it [the Free Press Marathon] together. We’ve been running together ever since,” Treadwell says.
Treadwell says that as they’ve aged, they have learned to take care of themselves. They do yoga, cross-country ski in the winter, and always make sure they stretch plenty before running. “I had an injury in my mid-40s. I was trying to get greedy. I wasn’t giving myself enough recovery time,” Treadwell notes.
These days he says competing in races is another way to motivate himself. It’s more a means than an end.
“What I enjoy most is cheering others, the camaraderie in my pace group.” And he has no plans to quit. “My fastest races are behind me, but I’m proud to say I’m still fast. People say I’m fast for an old guy. I can finish in the top 10 percent, often win my age group. I tell people my goal is to win my age group [in] a 10K at 100.”
No doubt Mitchell will be at his side.
Recent race stats: Treadwell ran a 23:29 in the 2023 Farmland 5K, taking 1st place in the male 60-64 division and 17th overall. Mitchell ran a 30:14 in the 2023 Traverse City Zombie 5K Run, taking 1st place in the female 65-69 division and 215th overall.
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70 Is the New 90 for Senior Living
Younger folks are showing interest in the hassle-free lifestyle of retirement homes
By Art Bukowski
The old folks’ home isn’t what it used to be.
That’s the loud-and-clear message from leaders at local senior living facilities, where the clientele is skewing younger and the activities are more robust and engaging.
What most people imagine when they think of senior facilities (naps in the recliner in between a few games of cribbage, perhaps, followed by a bland meal and early bedtime) is largely based on an outdated model that simply doesn’t appeal to many of today’s seniors.
This is particularly true for so-called “independent” living, where seniors can get hot meals, laundry, and other services without the hands-on, daily support provided in assisted living facilities. These folks still want to be engaged and stimulated, largely because they’re younger than ever before.
“We have a higher number of folks in their 70s than at any time in our 10-year history, and we’re also seeing more in that decade come in and put themselves on our waiting list,” says Karen Anderson, CEO of Cordia at Grand Traverse Commons. “They’re coming in part for the lifestyle… which offers an unparalleled level of freedom from household chores and worries and
concerns, and also for the really wonderful, strong community we offer.”
A Luxury, Not a Last Resort
Cordia is an upscale facility in the Village at Grand Traverse Commons that offers 110 private apartments. The majority of the facility is independent living, while about 25 percent of “members” (as they are called there) take part in various degrees of assisted living.
Aside from meals, weekly housekeeping and linen service, and scheduled transportation, Cordia offers several wellness programs, a salon and spa, and much more. This makes for a place that people want to come to, rather than one they need to go to.
“It used to be that if we had somebody at the younger end of the spectrum, there was a health concern that motivated them,” Anderson says. “Increasingly, we’re seeing those members move in because they’re just attracted to the lifestyle. And even with our older folks, it’s much less need driven and more desire driven.”
Erin Griffiths agrees. Griffiths is the general manager of Independence Village, a 120-unit independent living community in Traverse City, and she’s seeing similar trends.
“It’s more of a luxury and a want versus a need when people are moving in, and I think
we’re going to continue to see that shift as we get more into the [Baby] Boomers,” she says. “People have definitely shifted their view of senior living.”
A big part of the draw is that day-to-day life is simply easier, Anderson and Griffiths say, even if the people who move in are still capable of doing plenty for themselves.
“Some are widowed or single, and they don’t want to necessarily be cooking for
themselves and eating meals on their own,” Anderson said. “There’s a lot to be said for being part of a community where you can be on your own when you want to be or when you can be with friends at other times.”
And it’s not just fun to have people around you—there are also proven health benefits.
“Gerontologists will tell you that isolation is one of the greatest causes of morbidity in seniors,” Anderson says.
The dining area at Independence Village of Traverse City.
Taking Control
The seniors of today are also making conscious decisions to enter senior living while they’re still in good shape, Anderson and Griffiths say.
“People are not waiting until they are desperate and have to do something,” Anderson says. “They’re choosing to come in, and that’s making an enormous difference in their aging trajectory.”
Residents are aware that they likely will have to move or downsize at some point in their twilight years, Griffiths says. Why wait?
“People are planning a little bit more ahead of time and they’re moving in before they need it so that it makes things easier for them,” she says. “They don’t want to have to move again when it’s too hard. They want to move now while they’re still independent and able to do some things.”
Plus, seniors seem to be increasingly conscious of the burden they may place on their families if they delay a move too long.
“We hear residents say that they want to move now so their kids aren’t responsible for having to move them and take care of them,” Griffiths says. “They want to make it easier on their kids, because their adult children now are working and have children of their own, and they [don’t need] the stress and burden.”
These are marked shifts from earlier
generations, where many seniors wanted to stay at home as long as possible and resisted moving to senior facilities, which were viewed more as prisons than places of fun and enjoyment.
“I think the Baby Boomers are much more open to the benefits of the lifestyle we offer than the Greatest Generation and the Silent Generation that is starting to fade out,” Anderson says.
“Instead of this being a place where you need to go, it’s a place you can go and live and thrive. And I think that will be more attractive to the Boomers as they’re coming in,” Griffiths says. “I could live here and have fun and thrive and live here for years.”
The momentum will probably snowball as younger seniors continue to move in.
Older seniors who chose to enter senior living on their own accord are also setting great examples, Anderson says. About a quarter of the population at Cordia are in their 90s, and they’re showing that senior living can be tremendously rewarding.
“They are the most amazing, vital, active, engaged folks you could imagine,” Anderson says. “They and their desire to have a different kind of trajectory in their aging experience that led them here, they’re also role modeling for their children that it can be different than what everybody’s always held in our mind for so many years.”
Karen Anderson
Erin Griffiths
by JOSEPH BEYER
the heart of this battle is custody of Tonka, her 32 year-old chimp that she considers her “humanzee” son.
The new four-part HBO documentary miniseries Chimp Crazy not only lives up to its name, but goes far beyond it in revealing an underworld with more twists and turns than even the veteran filmmaker Eric Goode thought possible. The result is an addictive story filled with disturbing questions about our human relationship with the animal world, revelations about the private captivity of wild and exotic animals around us, and what (if anything) we as a society should do about it.
The arc is big, and for the purposes of a great series, it helps that the heroine-slashvillain of Chimp Crazy is a flamboyant and extraordinary onscreen presence. Tonia Haddix, with hair and nails Dolly Parton would admire and who is often dressed from head to toe in pink, is a self-declared primate lover so obsessed with her animals that she admits freely she cares more about them than her own family. A large part of the series is digging deep into her psyche to find out why.
When the documentary opens, Haddix’s entire life has become engulfed in the acquisition, care, and big business of the exotic animal underground—a subculture largely unregulated in the United States. This has allowed the proliferation of a truly stunning array of primates in captivity and an emerging whirlwind of dangers that come not only to the caretakers but society at large.
What filmmaker Goode and his team investigate and exploit is, in a word, bonkers. It’s exactly what you might expect from the creator of Tiger King, Goode’s hugely viral portrait of a similarly obsessed animal lover. In Chimp Crazy, however, the stakes get even higher as the filmmakers become embroiled in Haddix’s fight against the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
PETA has come for her chimps, and Haddix will do anything she can to stop them. At
Presenting a range of perspectives from passionate animal rights activists to the many quirky industry entrepreneurs, each character’s story is woven intricately together. This helps illustrate the many deeply felt motivations at play, from the desire for companionship to the pursuit of knowledge and conservation of species. You’ll see the contagious playfulness and affection of these pets, but later come the darker realities: the complexities of their primate social structures, aggressive outbursts and violence, and the obvious ethical dilemmas of captivity.
One of the doc’s many strengths is its ability to balance the compelling personal stories with the critical implications of keeping exotics as pets or attractions. On the flip side, one of the doc’s main weaknesses is the absence of objectivity, as the filmmakers work with PETA to, some might say, assist in entrapping the unknowing Haddix. Director Goode even employs an actor to portray himself, gaining Haddix’s trust as the proxy reports back to Goode at the production studio.
Goode seems keenly aware that showcasing the often chaotic and unpredictable nature of living with such intelligent creatures is shocking content. But he also takes the story deeper by following the many existential questions that arise as a result.
Highly bingeable and edited to keep you intentionally on the edge of your seat, Chimp Crazy is a wild adventure indeed. It seems to have been created more than it was captured in real time, and thus should be seen as a new hybrid of reality and fiction—one that will leave fans of the horror film Nope as satisfied as those of the doc classic Grey Gardens.
Chimp Crazy
The Active Retirement Shift
Why people are retiring later, working into their retirement years, and staying busy after 65
By Ross Boissoneau
Ah, retirement. The good life. Just make it to 65 and let that pension kick in. No more alarm clocks or worries about what the boss thinks.
Once upon a time, that was the norm. Today, however, many are working past 65, because they need to or they want to—or both. And when folks leave their careers at 60, 65, or 70, they may not be leaving the world of work but instead changing jobs or finding something new to do on a parttime basis.
According to the Pew Research Center, roughly one in five Americans aged 65 and older were employed in 2023—nearly double the share of those who were working 35 years ago. And while the Employee Benefit Research Institute reports the median retirement age for Americans is 62, their 2024 Retirement Confidence Survey found that three-quarters of workers think that they will work for pay in retirement.
Working Because You Want To
A number of variables have influenced the way we think about retirement. They range from people exploring more interests to missing the potential social and business connections they’ve forged to worries about having enough money to live on.
“The definition of retirement is changing,” says Dennis Prout of Prout Financial in Traverse City. “Maybe it [retirement] is consulting or part-time work.”
That could include everything from bookkeeping for a small nonprofit to working in retail at your favorite shop. “Things you have a knack for,” Prout says. Or things you wanted to pursue but couldn’t due to financial constraints during prime money-making years. Today, someone can consider themselves retired but still work, volunteer, or consult parttime. “Everybody’s definition of work is
different. You have more freedom later; 30 or 40 years ago you didn’t have that freedom,” Prout says.
And then there are those who still enjoy their current line of work as they get into their 60s or beyond. Perhaps they don’t want to do it as much, but they still enjoy going into the office. “Do we want or need to retire at 65? That’s a great question [for people] to ask themselves,” Prout says.
There is more good news for older workers. The Pew Research Center says their earning power has grown in recent decades. In 2022, the typical worker aged 65 or older earned $22 per hour, up from $13 per hour in 1987.
Potential benefits to delaying retirement include everything from a bigger Social Security check to IRA-related tax breaks to employer-paid health insurance. Part-time workers can enjoy the security of a little extra income, while even unpaid volunteers can benefit from the social connections and mental sharpness that come from staying active and engaged outside the home.
Working Because You Have To
Of course, a huge part of the retirement equation is money, specifically concerns about having enough savings beyond Social Security to make ends meet.
Prout says as pensions disappeared, they were replaced by individual savings, 401(k) plans, and other personalized accounts. “They have a level of responsibility for their own retirement. There’s not a pension anymore.”
Georgetown University Center for Retirement Initiatives notes that people are living longer, and longer lifespans mean more years in retirement. A national opinion poll done by the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that working-age Americans are increasingly worried about retirement, putting pressure on individuals who will need to plan and save accordingly.
Prout says planning for retirement
should begin early, and if not early, then now. “Saving [money] is huge. You have to start. Don’t let the negative self-talk stop you,” he says.
His second mantra: Manage your debt. And do that first before trying to accumulate wealth in other ways. Many credit cards charge interest rates of as much as 20 percent, so he says if you have credit card debt, you should pay that off before trying to start a 401(k) savings plan.
How much money you need to retire on has to do with a variety of lifestyle factors. A survey from Northwestern Mutual found workers are aiming for $1.46 million— averaging out to $58,400 per year to live on for a 25-year retirement. However, the same survey found the average amount that U.S. adults have saved for retirement is only $88,400.
Retirement Up North
So if retirement doesn’t look like it used to, what does it look like?
For just about every iteration of retired life, you need look no further than the Friendship Centers of Emmet County, the county’s designated Council on Aging, with their main hub in Petoskey and satellite location in Brutus. Executive Director Deneen Smith tells us she sees a huge range of ages and interests among the seniors who take advantage of the centers’ activities. (Michigan’s state law and the Older Americans Act recognize seniors as anyone 60 or over.)
Smith says over 1,300 people have signed into the Friendship Centers at some point, and the average daily number of users in Petoskey is 150.
As the hub, the Petoskey location includes the administrative offices and is the base for the Meals on Wheels program. She says there are four buses to provide transportation for seniors, and they offer in-home services such as housekeeping, personal care, and respite care for caregivers.
On the other hand, many of those taking advantage of what the Friendship Centers offer are active retirees or even not-quiteretirees who want to enjoy the social aspects of the programs the centers offer.
“Social activities are a big deal to us,” says Smith, noting that older people can become isolated, and activities with others improves mental health. The activities range from yoga to kayaking, lectures to hikes, lunch to card games, and more. Line dancing, movies, and a number of other options are provided at the two locations by a staff of 37.
Both Prout and Smith note that the changes inherent in aging need not be negative. “Life expectancy has increased. People are living longer, healthier lives,” says Smith. In Emmet County, she says approximately one-third of the residents are 60 and over.
“We’re living longer in relatively good health,” agrees Prout. “I’ve got clients who are 70-plus who are active cyclists. They’ve embraced retirement but they’re active.”
Bottom line: “Everybody’s different,” says Prout, and every situation is different, now more than ever before.
Hikes around the Petoskey area are one of the core activities offered to local seniors by the Friendship Centers.
Dennis Prout
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
Welcome to Steve’s Smokin’ BBQ and Firebird Pizza
By Karl Klockars
For more than 20 years and through thousands of smoked turkey legs, Steve’s Smokin’ BBQ has been a landmark at fairs and festivals from Traverse City to Arizona and back, not the least of which is the National Cherry Festival. This summer, owner Steve Randell and his son Logan both added a new line to their resume: brick-andmortar restaurateurs.
Which is not to say that they aren’t well versed in food service. Steve launched a life in barbecue concessions in 2001 after a career in the oil industry around Traverse City. He also cut his teeth alongside his wife Lori and her father, who owns and operates Gibby’s Fries. Logan joined a few years later and worked with his folks off and on until becoming a partner in the business, all the while serving pulled pork, corn on the cob, and smoked baked potatoes by the ton.
Pizza and BBQ
The Randells acquired a space in the Garfield Center in Traverse City all the way back in 2019, but it wasn’t until this past July that they opened a two-concepts-inone combo: The brick-and-mortar version of Steve’s Smokin’ BBQ plus a new concept called Firebird Pizza.
“We actually launched it right after Cherry Fest,” Logan says. “That was very stressful—we were here open to close for three weeks straight. And then we went right to another [event] to come back here and work some more.”
For many, opening and managing a new business with your family might be a difficult prospect, but then again most families haven’t spent summer after summer in the same smoky trailer together for years. “Without the familial ties it might be a little harder to keep things together … but at the same time, there are some things that also make it a little more complicated,” Steve jokes.
Steve is quick to express gratitude to the
many people who helped him and Logan get to this point, especially their manager Adam Steffans, and also noted that the family involvement extends to two of Logan’s sons and a niece that all work at the restaurant.
Being a restaurateur wasn’t always in the cards for Steve, thanks to a job at Don Hansen Wholesale Produce. “I delivered basically all the produce to just about every restaurant and store in Traverse City, and that was my only experience with restaurants. The biggest thing I took from that was I would never want to be in the restaurant business because it’s really, really hard and a lot of them fail,” Steve says, also citing the extreme seasonality of the area’s business as well.
Still, the lure of adding a standalone business beckoned, especially after seeing some of the fast-casual pizza chains in Arizona during a show there.
“What I learned from [the concession business] is that if you treat the people like you should, and you put out a good product at the best price you can, then they come back the next year. And so we’ve tried to carry that into our whole business plan. The number one is that we have to treat our [employees] and the people that come in right.”
Fast and Casual
For first timers, you’ll quickly learn that part of being treated right with the Randells involves generous portions—plus some powerful aromas. Even if you’re stopping in for a quick pizza and salad, the scent of wood smoke will often hit you as soon you open the door.
Guests are directed to the left for pizza orders and to the right for barbecue, with the respective tools on full display behind their counters: the huge pizza oven and a gleaming Southern Pride smoker are both at work nearly all hours of the day.
On the pizza side of things, you might find a bit more variety than you’re used to. Nearly four dozen options are on the menu from crusts (including a gluten-free and
cauliflower options) to sauces to cheese to finishing flavor drizzles of hot honey, pesto, or even a sprinkle of their house rib rub. Build your own or opt for house specials with names like the Booyah Supreme, the Brody Beefy Brisket, or the Adam Peppy Pickle topped with bacon, red onion, confit garlic, and dill pickles.
After your pizza is dressed before your eyes, it’s popped into a huge oven with a rotating deck, which cooks as it spins, turning out completely cooked Neapolitanstyle pizzas in about 180 seconds.
Meanwhile, on the barbecue side, you’ll see dishes like Steve’s Smokin’ Mac (three cheeses plus options for smoked brisket, pork, or chicken), a Smoke House “Steak” Salad with brisket, and platters that include everything from ribs to half a smoked chicken.
Each side operates in a fast-casual style, with both “fast” and “casual” represented.
“Everything that we smoke, we’re smoking the night before and into the morning of that day. [Our manager] on the barbecue side gets here at six in the morning to start processing it after it’s been smoking all night. So it is kind of a funny thing that you can get a pizza in three minutes, and the barbecue side, we smoked it for twelve hours,” Logan says.
Having a fixed space for the barbecue
has allowed the father-son duo to get a little more creative with their menu as well.
“We started off with Wing Wednesday and Turkey Leg Thursday, and now we’re adding a Taco Tuesday,” Steve says, the latter of which will feature a trio of smoked chicken, pork, and beef tacos.
Even though Steve’s is a well known name for barbecue in Traverse City, both sides of the business have been doing well.
“The pizza was a complete unknown,” Logan says. “We didn’t know how that was going to go over, and the response has been overwhelmingly good.”
Some other changes might be in the future, including other special menu items and potentially expanding their hours to include Saturdays, but for now, they’re happy with how things are adjusting to the new location.
While we wouldn’t anticipate seeing a brick oven cranking out pizza’s at next year’s Cherry Fest, one thing is for sure: Working indoors isn’t so bad, Logan says. “Whatever the weather is, you’re doing it—rain, snow, wind, whatever. Having that smoker indoors has been very nice.”
Find Steve’s Smokin’ BBQ and Firebird Pizza at 831 S Garfield Ave in Traverse City. stevessmokinfast.com; firebirdfast.com
DREAMS ON PARADE
Tony Danza taps his way onto the City Opera House stage
By Ross Boissoneau
Tony Danza, actor? Of course, with starring roles on two hit shows—Taxi and Who’s the Boss?—as well as several other television shows, movies, and Broadway plays.
Tony Danza, boxer? He sported an 8-3 record as a professional boxer before turning to acting.
Talk show host? Teacher? Author? Song and dance man? Yes, yes, yes, and absolutely.
As the lattermost, Danza is bringing his pipes, his tap shoes, and his four-piece band to the City Opera House Oct. 11. “Tony Danza: Standards & Stories” features the 73-year-old entertainer singing tunes from the Great American songbook, doing a little tap, playing his ukulele, and telling stories from his rich acting life.
Second Chance Songs
Reached by phone from his home in New York, Danza says his love of the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Jimmy Van Heusen, Lieber & Stoller, and the like stems from his childhood. He would help his mother clean their home and she would be playing music by Frank Sinatra and others.
But it wasn’t until 1993, following the conclusion of Who’s the Boss? a year earlier,
that Danza turned toward the music. The change in tune came after he suffered a horrific skiing accident.
“I was skiing in Deer Valley and hit a tree, going backwards,” he recalls. “I broke eight ribs, my back, lacerated my liver and kidney, had a collapsed lung—I was in intensive care for three and a half weeks. I got that ‘You’ll never do this, do that again’ stuff.”
Refusing to accept that prognosis, Danza worked to recover all his abilities. “I was getting a second chance. So what do you want to do?”
Danza thought back to the music he’d grown up with. He had begun tap dance lessons the last year of Taxi, and decided to take his musical ambitions seriously— including playing ukulele. “The Thought of the Day calendar [said] if you get a ukulele and play 30 minutes a day, you’ll entertain yourself and your friends,” Danza jokes.
So armed, he set out to entertain himself, his friends, and audiences as well, with a show heavy on songs he and others in their 60s, 70s, and beyond grew up hearing by singers like Jerry Vale, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, and Sinatra.
At first, Danza took a cue from the shows by the entertainers in the big showrooms with their large-scale productions. “My first
job was for Merv [Griffin] in Atlantic City. I had a lot of trappings—my [tap] teacher, four other dancers, videos, a big band. Little by little, I shed the trappings. Now it’s me and a four-piece band,” he says.
In his show, he intersperses the songs with stories about his personal life and career. He credits his family with keeping him grounded, as when his mother would say to him, “Hey bigshot, when you introduce me to Sinatra, then you’re a star.”
“That’s so emblematic of her. My mother was a big influence,” he tells Northern Express. “Then I got to be around Sammy Cahn [“Come Fly With Me,” “My Kind of Town”] in Los Angeles. The Great American Songbook along with films is the greatest legacy of American culture.”
From Educator to Entertainer (and Back Again)
Danza didn’t set out to be an entertainer. He attended the University of Dubuque on a wrestling scholarship, training to be an educator. As a joke, some friends entered him in the New York City Golden Gloves Tournament after graduation. Danza was sporting a real black eye from sparring when he auditioned for a role on a new sitcom as a boxer turned cabbie and won the role.
Eventually he turned back to his college
plans, working in a Philadelphia high school. In 2009, Danza taught 10th grade English at that city’s Northeast High School. It resulted in the documentary series Teach on A&E and his book, I’d Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had
He also wrote a family cookbook with his son, actor Marc Danza, entitled Don’t Fill Up On the Antipasto.
Now he’s able to sell out the Café Carlyle in New York, the famed cabaret where stars from Bobby Short to Eartha Kitt, Rufus Wainwright, and Judy Collins have performed. “I sing, dance, play the ukulele, get some laughs—it’s a whole thing,” he says. That Danza is still able to do everything he loves gives him joy. Following his interview, he was off to continue filming Raising Kanan, where he plays Italian crime boss Stefano Marchetti. He still talks regularly with his Taxi co-stars and appeared with them on an episode of The View late last year. Danza refers to a line from the tune “Please Be Kind” by Cahn as both a favorite and one that signifies how grateful he is for the life he’s lived. “This is all so grand, my dreams are on parade,” he sings. “I know that.”
For tickets to the Oct. 11 show ($40-$145), visit cityoperahouse.org/node/595.
Photo by Jesse Bauer
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
Saturday
SLEEPING BEAR MARATHON: 7:30am, Empire. Featuring a scenic marathon, half marathon, & 5K run/walk in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The marathon & half marathon start at the Dune Climb with the 5K starting at Empire Beach. See web site for various prices & starting times. sleepingbearmarathon.com
FALL STEWARDSHIP DAY: 9am-noon, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Help prepare the buildings, trails & grounds for winter. Bring a pair of work gloves. Pre-register by emailing: stewardship@grassriver. org. grassriver.org ----------------------
GRAND TRAVERSE SKI CLUB SKI & SNOWBOARD SWAP: 9am-3pm, TC West Middle School. Equipment drop-off is Fri., Oct. 4 from 6:30-8pm. GTSC will retain 25% of the selling price from all items sold. Pick up your unsold equipment on Sat., Oct. 5 from 4-6pm. gtskiclub.org ----------------------
NAUTICAL THRIFT & BOAT SALE: 9am1pm, Discovery Center, TC. All sorts of nautical items, gear, & even boats on sale. Benefits Maritime Heritage Alliance, Schooner Madeline & Cutter Champion.
16TH ANNUAL BREEZEWAY FALL COLOR CRUISES: Color tour participants pick up goodie bags filled with trip tips, color tour maps, coupons & other surprises at Royal Farms Winery in Atwood between 10amnoon. Then proceed at your own pace along C-48 The Breezeway, stopping, shopping, dining, & enjoying a nature hike at one of the four preserves including the all-new Don and Eileen Klein Trail and Boardwalk in East Jordan. End the experience at Boyne Mountain in Boyne Falls. ridethebreezeway.com
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4TH ANNUAL CRAFT SHOW: 10am-4pm, Traverse City Elks Lodge #323, 625 Bay St., TC. Local crafters will have a variety of items for sale, & there will be a bake sale.
ART BEAT GALLERY TOUR IN ELK RAPIDS: 10am-5pm, Elk Rapids. Celebrating 19 years of creative collaboration, Twisted Fish, Blue Heron & Mullaly’s 128 Galleries of Elk Rapids welcome you to this Big Day of Art. See artists demonstrating & mingle with friends as you tour all three galleries. Watch for prize give-aways & a chance to win a $100 gift certificate. Free. twistedfishgallery.com/event/art-beat-gallery-tour-withtwisted-fish-blue-heron-mullalys-128 ----------------------
ARTOBERFEST: BENZIE CO. FALL STUDIO TOUR: 10am, Benzie County. Spend the day exploring the beauty of Benzie County while enjoying local art at various locations throughout the area. Dozens of local artists will be showcasing their work along with demonstrations & opportunities for artful conversations at studios, homes & the art center. Free. facebook.com/share/V3bT4zSJuYrdEpRN
BELLAIRE FALL FLANNEL FESTIVAL: 10am-5pm, Downtown Bellaire. Arts & crafts/ flea market, live music, kids area, local pumpkin painting, sidewalk sales, scavenger hunt for kids, pet costume contest, food trucks, beverage tent, Family Fun Run & more.
COFFEE @ 10, TC: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Carnegie Rotunda, TC. Join for coffee as local photographer Rochelle Stark discusses her work as a fine art photographer, adventures with the Traverse City Camera Club, & her upcoming iPhone Fine Art Photography workshop. Free.
OUTDOOR CRAFT & VENDOR SHOW: 10am-3pm, The Village at GT Commons, Historic Front Lawn, TC. Browse 85+ vendors & crafters offering arts, crafts, jewelry, food & more. Family friendly event. Free admission. thevillagetc.com
11TH ANNUAL FRANKFORT BEER
WEEK: Sept. 30 - Oct. 5. Celebrate Michigan craft beer & the food scene in Frankfort & neighboring village of Elberta. Enjoy specials & more. See web site for more info. frankfortbeerweek.com
AL NELSON, LOCAL PROFESSIONAL
CARVER: 11am, Cadillac Wexford Public Library. Nelson had the opportunity to meet Oscar Peterson. Al continues to carve in Peterson’s Cadillac Style. He will offer some personal recollections about Oscar & share some of Oscar’s carvings. Free. friendsofthecadillaclibrary.wordpress.com
HALLOWEEN MAGIC SHOW: 11am, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Enjoy a fun-filled hour of magic & laughs for the whole family with the talents of Joel Tacey. glenlakelibrary.net
HARBOR SPRINGS FALL FEST: 11am2pm, Marina Park, Harbor Springs. Food, games, crafts, & live music. 231-526-2104.
HARVEST FESTIVAL: 11am, Chateau Chantal, TC. Crush grapes the old-fashioned way – with your feet! While you’re at this festival, you may as well learn the basics of winemaking in a public cellar/vineyard tour, take part in a cork toss, browse the art fair, enjoy wine & food & more! Free. chateauchantal.com/harvest-festival
TADL PUMPKIN PATCH: 11am, Traverse Area District Library, front lawn, TC. Enjoy fall (& pumpkin) themed games, music, activities, crafts, & snacks. There will also be a fall-themed StoryWalk for you to walk through & read. Free. tadl.org/pumpkinpatch
15TH ANNUAL SKITOBERFEST: Noon, Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Falls. Head to the Great Bier Hall, filled with craft brews, food, & a tent with live music. There will also be stein hoisting, keg throwing, spousecarrying competitions, pond pedaling, Pray for Snow Bonfire & more. boynemountain. com/annual-events/skitoberfest
LOC 30 YEAR CELEBRATION - FALL
FESTIVAL: 1pm, Leelanau Outdoor Center, Maple City. 2024 marks 30 years for the Leelanau Outdoor Center (LOC) on Pyramid Point. To celebrate this milestone, LOC will be hosting a Fall Festival where participants will be able to climb the rock wall, fly down the zip line, go on a hayride, carve a pumpkin, shoot a bow & arrow, & more. $15/person. locprograms.org/events
BENZIE AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY HONORS BRUCE CATTON’S 125TH
BIRTHDAY: 2pm, Mills Community House parking lot, Benzonia. Celebrate Benzie’s most well-known citizen, Bruce Catton, to celebrate his 125th birthday. Register for Bruce Catton’s Benzonia Walking Tour on Oct. 5 & Oct. 13. Also, on Oct. 12 from 4-6pm lift a glass to Bruce at the Hotel Frankfort, where he oftened enjoy a martini. benziemuseum.org/events-updates
INDIAN RIVER HARVEST NIGHT BA-
ZAAR: 4-9pm, Northland Brewing Co., Indian River. Vendor market, games, prizes, community classes, festive sounds with DJ Franck, food trucks & craft beer. Free. facebook.com/indianrivernightbazaar
RALLY IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PAL-
Discover the stories of Benzie County heroes who were a part of World War II, from author and local historian Steven Veatch during the Benzie Academy Lecture, “Paths of Fate: Stories of Sacrifice,” held at Mills Community House, Benzonia on Thurs., Oct. 10 at 4pm. Two young men’s lives took them to different battlefronts during the war—one to the Pacific Theater and the other to the European Theater. Through their stories you’ll explore the depths of human courage, sacrifice, and resilience. Admission is by donation. benziemuseum.org
ESTINIAN PEOPLE: 4pm, The Open Space, TC. Join MidEast:Just Peace to Rally in Support of the Palestinian People. Demand an end to the genocide & arms to Israel. Free. mideastjustpeace.net
RANKED CHOICE VOTING: 4pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. A Town Hall Meeting to discuss Ranked Choice Voting. Free. RankMiVote.org
WITCHIN’ NIGHT OUT: 4-8pm, Downtown Gaylord. Each participating business may have a themed game with prizes, fun photo backdrop for selfies, costume contest, basket drawing, gift certificate drawing, free SWAG or specials for the evening. Find ‘WITCHIN’ NIGHT OUT’ on Facebook for a list of participating businesses. ----------------------
HAUNTED HALLOWEEN WEEKEND: 5-8:30pm, Camp Petosega, Alanson. Park staff will be giving an award to the Best Decorated Campsite. Trick-or-treating will take place from 5-7pm with vehicle traffic restricted during that time through the campground. There will be free hot dogs, chips & drinks near the campground office followed by a free Haunted Trail open 7:308:30pm. camppetosega.org/events
FALL FOOD PRESERVATION: 6pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Join Kara Lynch of the MSU Extension Food Safety Team to learn the latest methods & research for preserving foods at home. glenlakelibrary.net ----------------------
FORT FRIGHT: Colonial Michilimackinac, Mackinaw City. Lanterns light your way through an 18th-century fort & fur trading village overrun by werewolves, witches, goblins & ghouls. Storytellers share spooky folktales near bonfires & treats can be found throughout the site. Gates open at 6:30pm. Last admission is at 8:30pm. $0-$15. tickets.mackinacparks.com/webstore/shop/viewitems.aspx
GREAT LAKES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PRESENTS “BEETHOVEN’S NIGHT” CONCERT: Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. This concert will be held under the direction of Maestro Libor Ondras & features internationally acclaimed vio-
lin virtuoso Dmitri Berlinsky. Tickets range from $35-$65; free for students 18 & under, veterans, & active service members by calling 231-487-0010. 6pm optional preconcert talk; 7pm concert. glcorchestra.org
“WAITRESS”: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. OTP presents the Michigan Community Theatre Premiere of the hit musical “Waitress.” Jenna, a waitress & expert pie maker, is stuck in a small town & a loveless marriage. She may have to abandon the dream of her own pie shop... until a baking contest & her new doctor offer her a recipe for happiness. Adults: $33; youth under 18: $20. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/mainstage/waitress.html
THE SOUND OF DETROIT: JOEL FLUENT GREENE, PEACE BELL, EVENING STAR, & AMBER HASAN: 7:30-10pm, The Alluvion, TC. A Detroit inspired evening blending the music of Evening Star & the poetry of Joel Fluent Greene & Peace Bell, along with Amber Hasan opening the night. $20 advance; $25 door. thealluvion.org/ tickets/sound-of-detroit-10-5-24
TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY DANCE: 7:30pm, Alanson/Littlefield Community Building, Alanson. Live music by Peacemeal & calling by Cynthia Donahey. Contras, squares, circles & more. All dances taught. Potluck at 6:30pm; bring a dish to pass & table service. Sponsored by Blissfest. $10; $5 student; 12& under free. blissfest.org
JANENE CARAMIELO: GILDED: 8pm, City Opera House, TC. Considered a crossover entertainer, Caramielo can take on a classical aria & slay a Celine Dion song. $20-$55. cityoperahouse.org/node/573
Samels Farm, Williamsburg. The Samels Family Heritage Society welcomes you to their Harvest Gathering. This year’s event features wagon rides, antique tractors, blacksmithing, archaeology display, quilting in-house, hit n miss engine, flint knapping demonstrations, thrasher demonstration, live music, fresh apple cider & cookies, & more. Free.
“WAITRESS”: (See Sat., Oct. 5, except today’s performance is at 2pm.)
BENZIE AREA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: 4pm, Benzie Central High School, Benzonia. Featuring Patrick Owen, cello. Free; donations accepted. benziesymphony.com
monday
CANDIDATE FORUM: TCAPS BOARD OF EDUCATION: 6-7:30pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Presented by the LWVGTA. Free. lwvgta.org
SCARF MASTER: 6pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Dawn & Mona will show you how to wear a scarf in multiple ways. Bring a long & square scarf. RSVP. 231223-7700.
tuesday
PELVIC HEALTH WORKSHOP - PELVIC PAIN: 10am, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Hosted by Dr. Erica O’Neal, a licensed pelvic floor physical therapist. Free. tadl.org/event/pelvic-health-workshop-16305
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QUILTS FOR KIDS: 10am-noon, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Transform fabrics into patchwork quilts for kids facing serious trauma. Materials provided. RSVP. 231-223-7700.
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. at 10:30am for stories, songs & more. Free. sbbdl.org ----------------------
PARKINSON’S NETWORK NORTH DAYTIME SUPPORT GROUP: 1pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. Special Presenter: Advanced Grief Recovery Specialist & Rare Life Coach Sharon A. Neumann. Triggers for grieving include: someone we love dies, health changes & aging. Free. ParkinsonsNetworkNorth.org ----------------------
TECH TUESDAY: IPHONE BASICS: 2pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lowerlevel Community Room. Corey Buchan of BuchanTECH will provide a tutorial on basic features & functions of your iPhone, as well as setup, apps, & some of the handy tools you may not know you have. Bring your iPhone & your questions. Free. sbbdl.org
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INFORMATIONAL PANEL DISCUSSION: TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) PROPOSALS: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. The League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area will be hosting this event. The discussion will address the issues & questions related to the two tax increment funding (TIF) proposals that will be on the TC ballots for the Nov. 5, 2024 election. The panelists include Fred Bimber, TC Taxpayers for Justice (pro panelist); Paul Compo, Crawford County Administrator/Controller (general info panelist); Gary Howe, Traverse Together (con panelist); & Bill Twiet-
meyer, former TC City Treasurer (general info panelist). Free. lwvgta.org
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PRESENTATION & BOOK SIGNING: 6pm, Charlevoix Public Library. Author Amy Piper will present & sign her book, “Secret Michigan: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure.” 231-547-2651. Free.
BIRDING IN ECUADOR: 7pm, Northern Lights Recreation, conference room, Harbor Springs. Petoskey Audubon member, Jamie Jacob, will share his experiences birding in Ecuador in Nov. 2023 & Jan. 2024. Ecuador has 20% of the bird diversity of the world. Hear from Jacob about what makes Ecuador such a special place not only for seeing new birds but also to experience the people’s pride of their country. Free.
wednesday
HIKE THE RIDGE!: 10am, Five Mile Rd., TC. Enjoy a hike on The Ridge, a new Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy project that will help safeguard the water quality of Grand Traverse Bay, save wildlife habitat, & open up recreational opportunities. Come prepared for a 1.5-mile hike on moderately strenuous terrain, which will take about 2 hours. Registration required: 929-7911 or info@gtrlc.org. Free. gtrlc.my.salesforce-sites.com/es/event/ home/theridge91924
NATIVE PLUG PLANTING @ MITCHELL CREEK MEADOWS: THE DON AND JERRY OLESON PRESERVE: 10am, Mitchell Creek Meadows Nature Preserve, TC. Volunteers should be prepared for digging & kneeling. Meet by the greenhouse/ workshop area. 929-7911, ext. 316. gtrlc. org/volunteer/calendar
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PELVIC HEALTH WORKSHOP - PELVIC PAIN: (See Tues., Oct. 8)
PLEIN AIR PAINT OUT AT MARI VINEYARDS WITH TWISTED FISH GALLERY: Noon-3pm, Mari Vineyards, TC. Eleven artists will be on the front lawn painting the views of the vineyards & coastline. They include Sandra Ackerman, Lindy Bishop, Sue Bowerman, Lori Feldpausch, Brian Goff, Mary Guntzviller, Logan Hudson, Ruth Kitchen, Mark Mehaffey, Louise Pond & Stephanie Schlatter. Each artist’s painting will be offered to view or purchase in the Tasting Room at Mari from Oct. 17 through the fall/winter seasons. You can also purchase food & wine. Free. twistedfishgallery.com/event/plein-airpaint-out-at-mari-vineyards
ESTATE PLANNING & MEDICAID INFO SESSION: 1pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower-level Community Room. Unravel the complexities of estate planning. Discover the power of Powers of Attorney, the significance of Patient Advocate Designations, & the intricacies of Wills and Trusts. Gain insight into Medicaid & its role in long-term care planning. RSVP: 231256-0221, ext. 305. Free. sbbdl.org
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WRITE ON: 3:30pm, Petoskey District Library. Tweens: Fuel your creativity with weird & wild writing prompts. Inspire & be inspired by others. Free. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/write-116
GAYLORD BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, Serra Ford of Gaylord. Halloween After Hours. Networking, food & cocktails. 989-732-6333. $5 members; $10 not-yet members.
MACKINAW CITY BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, Shepler’s Marine Service & Ship Store, Mackinaw City. Networking, appetizers, beverages, games, prizes &
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS FORUMGLOBAL MIGRATION & THE SOUTHERN BORDER: Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Event with Alan Bersin, former assistant secretary in the Office of Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security 2012-17, former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 2010-11, & joining virtually, Andrew Selee, Ph.D., president, Migration Policy Institute, former founder & executive VP of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center. 6:30pm program; 5:30pm reception. Hybrid event with online livestream available. Advance in-person tickets recommended. $15 in person; $10 online livestream; free for students & educators. tciaf.com/event-october-9-2024
EXPAND STORYTELLING #6: 7pm, The Alluvion, TC. Four storytellers invited from the NoMi community will take the stage to share their life stories around how they find fulfillment from the inside out wherever they are. Storytellers: Chad Lindsey, ED at City Opera House; Clay Maas, ClaySpace TC; Sam LaSusa, Community Development Specialist; Heather Spooner, artist, Ampersand Lettering Lab. Created & hosted by Chelsea Bay Dennis of C.Bay Design. $15 on Eventbrite or $18 at the door. eventbrite.com/e/expand-storytelling6-tickets-981697131547
thursday
COFFEE @ 10, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Mayor John Murphy will talk about the Public Art Commission’s first project, the Petoskey Tunnel Mural, & about the Commission’s five year plan for public art in the City. Free. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey/coffee-10-public-artpetoskey-talk-mayor-john-murphy
WIND MUSIC RECITAL: 1pm, First Congregational Church, TC. Peter Deneen will recap his career in teaching & performing on recorder, saxophone, & bagpipes. Presented by Grand Traverse Musicale. Free. gtmusicale.org
BOOKENDS BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP: 2pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower level Community Meeting Room. Meets at 2pm on the second Thurs. of each month (except July, Aug. & Dec.). Books for the upcoming month will be available at the library’s front desk, or use the Libby app to borrow the title from the library’s digital collection. October’s selection is “Think Again” by Adam Grant. Free. sbbdl.org
COMMUNITY PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY: 3-6pm, The Depot, East Jordan. Pumpkins & snacks provided. Everyone welcome. ejdepot.org
BENZONIA ACADEMY LECTURE: “PATHS OF FATE: STORIES OF SACRIFICE”: 4pm, Mills Community House, Benzonia. A journey into the heart of World War II. Presented by Steve Veatch. This program explores the experiences of two young men whose lives took them to different battlefronts during the war - one to the Pacific Theater & the other to the European Theater. Admission is by donation. benziemuseum.org
BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR: City Opera House, TC. Presented by Vasa Ski Club. Join fellow enthusiasts for short films & documentaries about mountain culture, outdoor action
sports, & the environment. Pre-show social at 5:30pm; movies at 6:30pm. $20. cityoperahouse.org/node/617
friday
45TH ANNUAL CHARLEVOIX APPLE FEST: 10am-6pm, Downtown Charlevoix. Runs Oct. 1113. Today includes an art & craft show, farmers market, & live music by Fog Horn Jazz Band. charlevoix.org
LUNCHEON LECTURE: HOPE ON HORSEBACK: 11:30am, NCMC, Library Conference Center, Petoskey. Leah Keller & Heather Chism will explain the Rising Hope Equestrian Center & the Exceptional Riders Program at the Center that provides free therapeutic riding experiences for children & adults with special needs to improve their balance & self-esteem. $15; includes a buffet lunch. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-5772576
OLD GROWTH FOREST NETWORK
HIKE: 1pm. A family-friendly hike to celebrate the induction of Pyatt Lake: The Bill Carls Nature Preserve into the national Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN). Meet at the trailhead on Pyatt Rd., TC, where there will be a brief ceremony, featuring remarks by GTRLC & OGFN. Then enjoy a guided hike along the preserve’s scenic 1-mile trail. Free. gtrlc.my.salesforce-sites. com/es/event/home/pyattlakehike101124
BENZIE CHAMBER MUNICIPAL MINGLE: 3-5pm, Thompsonville Fire Hall. Enjoy light refreshments & meet the candidates who will be on your ballot. Register. Free. business.benzie.org/events/details/bacc-municipal-mingle-thompsonville-18028
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ANIMATION 24 HOUR FESTIVAL: 6pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Dow Center for Visual Arts Gordon Brunner Family Gallery. Free. interlochen.org
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“WAITRESS”: (See Sat., Oct. 5)
TONY DANZA: STANDARDS & STORIES: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Tony & his four-piece band combine music with wit, charm, storytelling, along with soft shoe & ukulele. Danza performs a selection of his favorite standards from the “Great American Songbook” while interweaving stories about his life & personal connection to the music. $40-$95. cityoperahouse.org/node/595 ----------------------
GOOD ON PAPER - IMPROV SHOW: 8pm, TC Comedy Club. Fast-paced comedy based entirely from audience suggestions. Menu & full bar available. Doors open at 7pm. $18/person. mynorthtickets. com/events/good-on-paper-improv-october-11-10-11-2024
THE CLAUDETTES: 8pm, Freshwater Art Gallery & Concert Venue, Boyne City. These Chicago cabaret rockers bring their psycho-billy music for a fun show. 231-5822588. $45
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COUNTRY CONCERT SERIES: MO PITNEY; DJ TO FOLLOW: 9pm, Odawa Casino Resort, Victories, Petoskey. $10. odawacasino.com/entertainment
DAUGHTRY: 9-10:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. This rock band’s debut album, “Daughtry,” was the top-selling album of 2007 & won numerous music awards. Subsequent albums went platinum, as well as their 2021 “Dearly Beloved” with singles “World On Fire,” “Heavy Is The Crown,” & “Changes Are Coming” all cracking the Top 10. $100-$145. lrcr.com/event/ daughtry
Saturday
16TH ANNUAL BREEZEWAY FALL COLOR CRUISES: (See Sat., Oct. 5)
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45TH ANNUAL CHARLEVOIX APPLE FEST: 10am-6pm, Downtown Charlevoix. Runs Oct. 11-13. Today includes the Apple Fest 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run, Apple Pie Eating Contest, Dancing Witches, Music in the Streets with the Charlie Millard Band, A is for Apple Story Time with Ms. Mitchell, a petting zoo, Twister Joe Balloon Artist & much more. charlevoix.org
FRANKFORT FALL FESTIVAL: Craft Fair: 10am-4pm, Open Space Park. Parade: 11am. Lines up at the Beach Turnaround at 10:30am. Cornhole Tournament: Noon, Open Space. frankfort-elberta.com
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FREE DROP-IN FAMILY ART: 10amnoon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cornwell Gallery, TC. crookedtree.org/class/ctac-traverse-city/free-family-drop-art-oct-12
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FALL FESTIVAL: 11am, Horse North Rescue, Interlochen. See the horses, kids’ games, cider & donuts, craft sales, photo booth, & more. Free. horsenorthrescue.org
LAKE LEELANAU STREET FAIR: 11am6pm, Lake Leelanau. Featuring live music by Deep Blue Water Samba School, New Third Coast, & Broom Closet Boys; children’s activities including juggling acts by Clark Lewis & a live petting zoo with Double Oak Farm; arts & crafts, local artists, local businesses, food & more. lakeleelanaustreetfair.org
CHIEF DAY 2024: Noon, Village of Chief. A full day of live music with Great Lakes Brass, Ted Bounty, The Handstanders, & Seth Bernard, fresh cider & donuts, a parade through town, food trucks & more. Free. facebook. com/events/1423828072634576
THE HIGHLANDS HARVEST FEST: Noon-4pm, The Highlands at Harbor Springs. Cookie decorating, burlap sack racing, music by DJ T-Bone, whiskey tasting, pumpkin ring toss, cider & donuts, Highlands Stein Hoisting event, & much more. $20. highlandsharborsprings.com
BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Jim Olson will sign his book “People of the Dune.” horizonbooks.com/event/jimolson-book-signing
FALL FIDO FEST: 1pm, The Village at GT Commons, Historic Front Lawn, TC. Bring your furry friends & enjoy an afternoon of shopping & dog-friendly activities, including a pet costume contest, dog agility course & more. Hosted by The Village TC & Contigo Dogs. Free. thevillagetc.com
INSIDE OUT SCREENING -- COLLECTIVE SELF CINEMA SERIES: 1pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Bridging the parent-child relationship through film, Collective Self Cinema aims to help little & big humans understand themselves & each other better, to enhance a family’s felt sense of connectivity & love. Enjoy the movie & take home guided mental health resources. For a deeper experience, sign up with Care-O-Van for guided sessions with professionals after the film. $0-$5. simpletix.com/e/inside-out-screeningcollective-self-cinem-tickets-179392
“WAITRESS”: (See Sat., Oct. 5, except today’s times are 2pm & 7:30pm)
GROUNDWORK FALL FLING: 2-6pm, Stormcloud Parkview Taproom, Frankfort. Featuring live music from Tim Jones & Aaron Dye. 50% of all beverage sales at the taproom that day go to Groundwork. Free! RSVP for a free drink. secure.lglforms.com/
form_engine/s/ak2Q8iMxS1c0KQJjpjb4Bg
ARTIST OF THE MONTH RECEPTION: 3-5pm, Laurentide Winery, Lake Leelanau. Artist of the Month Peg Godwin is featured in a solo exhibit. The reception includes live music by Larry Perkins. Peg paints from inspiration from local gardens, historic barns & houses, horses, boats, lakes, & beaches. Her work has been featured at local arts groups’ fundraising events such as Art Leelanau & Glen Arbor Art. Free.
TC CENTRAL HS JAZZ BANDS WITH MSU JAZZ ONE: 3pm, City Opera House, TC. $12 adults; $5 students. cityoperahouse.org/node/542 ----------------------
THE ACCIDENTALS’ FAMGROVE FESTI-
VAL: 3-8pm, French Valley Vineyard, Cedar. Featuring The Rebel Eves, Low Phase, One Hot Robot, & more. There will also be food trucks, art & more. $25 GA. mynorthtickets. com/events/the-accidentals-famgrove-party-w-special-guests-at-fountain-point-resort-sunday-concert-series-hosted-by-theaccidentals-8-11-2024?fbclid=IwY2xjawFnzL1leHRuA2FlbQIxMA
HAUNTED HALLOWEEN WEEKEND: 5-8:30pm, Camp Petosega, Alanson. Park staff will be giving an award to the Best Decorated Campsite. Trick-or-treating will take place from 5-7pm with vehicle traffic restricted during that time through the campground. There will be free hot dogs, chips & drinks near the campground office followed by a free Haunted Trail open 7:308:30pm. Free. camppetosega.org/events
DEAD POETS SOCIETY - OPEN MIC: 6pm, Blessed Be Tea and Apothecary, TC. Celebrate the eerie & enchanting theme of spookiness. Bring your creepiest verses. Held every 2nd Sat. of the month. While this group focuses on poetry, writers, musicians, & all performance artists are welcome. Recommended for ages 15+. Suggested donation: $5-$10. blessedbetea.com ----------------------
GOPHERWOOD CONCERT: CLAUDIA SCHMIDT & RACHAEL DAVIS: 7-9pm, Cadillac Elks Lodge. With over four decades of mostly original songs exploring folk, blues, & jazz idioms, Schmidt has always hated categories, & describes herself as a “creative noisemaker.” Davis is a Michigan songwriter & frequent Steppin’ in It collaborator. $10-$20 + fees. mynorthtickets.com/events/ claudia-schmidt-rachael-davis-10-12-2024
oct 13
Sunday
45TH ANNUAL CHARLEVOIX APPLE FEST: 10am4pm, Downtown Charlevoix. Runs Oct. 11-13. Today includes an art & craft show, kids activities, petting zoo, face painting, Twister Joe Balloon Artist & more. charlevoix.org
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NCTA HIGHBANK ROLLAWAYS HIKE: 10am. Meet at Baxter Bridge parking lot. Join the Grand Traverse Chapter of the North Country Trail Association on a 7 mile out & back hike. This color & vista rich hike along the Manistee River is a local favorite. RSVP via MeetUp. Free. meetup.com/ grand-traverse-chapter-north-country-trailassociation/events/303602295
CAMP DAGGETT FALL FEST: Noon5pm, Camp Daggett, 3001 Church Rd., Petoskey. Enjoy pontoon fall color tours, arts & crafts, wagon rides, live music, festive fall treats & more. Find ‘Camp Daggett Fall Fest’ on Facebook. Suggested donation: $10 per carload.
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FARMLAND 5K & FREE FOR ALL BIKE: Noon, 901 Rasho Rd., TC. Featuring a 5K Run, Free for All Bike, & Farmland Run &
High School class of 2024 and beyond!
nmc.edu/guarantee EARN YOUR ASSOCIATE DEGREE or SKILL CERTIFICATE TUITION-FREE or at a reduced rate
Bike Combo. Traverse over grass, wooded dirt trails, & farmland running terrain. In the Free for All Bike event, choose any kind of bike you’d like. Visit web site for various start times & prices. $35-$50; prices increase after Oct. 11. runsignup.com/Race/ MI/TraverseCity/Farmland
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FRIENDS OF HISTORIC COMMONS MULCH PARTY: Noon-4pm, GT Commons, TC; meet at the circle by Cuppa Joe. Help the Friends of Historic Commons save the Arboretum by laying mulch around their trees. Please bring garden gloves, a shovel & a rake if you have them. friendsofhistoriccommons.org
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MEET & GREET WITH PENINSULA TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE SHEILA JOHNSON: Noon-2pm, Old Mission Distilling, Seven Hills, TC. Free. facebook.com/ events/s/meet-greet/863788982391319
SECOND SUNDAYS ART PROJECT AT THE DMC: 1-3pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Drop in for weaving adventures for all ages, inspired by “A Beautiful Mess” exhibit. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/second-sundays-at-dmc-tickets-179984
BENZIE AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY HONORS BRUCE CATTON’S 125TH BIRTHDAY: 2pm, Mills Community House parking lot, Benzonia. Celebrate Benzie’s most well-known citizen, Bruce Catton, to celebrate his 125th birthday. Register for Bruce Catton’s Benzonia Walking Tour on Oct. 5 & Oct. 13. Also, on Oct. 12 from 4-6pm lift a glass to Bruce at the Hotel Frankfort, where he often enjoyed a martini. benziemuseum.org/events-updates
HISTORY OF SPENCER CREEK VILLAGE - THE REST OF THE STORY: 2pm, Helena Township Community Center, Alden. Paul DeLange, president of Helena Township Historical Society, will be continuing his discussion & historical photo presentation from last year, about Spencer Creek Village’s History & how it was renamed to Alden. 231-331-4318. Free.
UNDIVIDED: 3-6pm, Central United Methodist Church, TC. Take part in a civic engagement training at no cost. Training will cover The Power of Story, Reflective Listening, Empathy, & Relational Organizing. The goal is to have more unified communities across the state with leaders seeking to create spaces of belonging, justice, & righteousness. Discuss how to have non-partisan & non-persuasion conversations rooted in values, lived experiences, humility, & curiosity. Register. forms.gle/V4cGTFCvyj1Nktx88
LUCIE ARNAZ: I GOT THE JOB!: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Songs From My Musical Past with Musical Director Ron Abel. Enjoy stories & songs that Lucie has been known for, including from “Alice In Wonderland” & “Pippin.” $42-$72. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/lucie-arnaz-1
ongoing
THE DEAD ENDS ON SPRUCE: 315 S. Spruce St., TC. See the awesome effects, sounds, animatronics, & surprises within this Halloween display. Without the jump scares or Halloween gore, all ages are welcome. Runs daily through Oct. from 6-10:30pm. Find ‘The Dead Ends on Spruce’ on Facebook. Free.
THE FRIENDS OF INTERLOCHEN PUBLIC LIBRARY WORLD WAR II USED BOOK SALE: Interlochen Public Library. Runs through Oct. 15. This donation-based sale features a large collection of World War II books. Suggested donation of $2 for softcovers & $3 for hardcovers. All proceeds benefit Interlochen Public Library programs. See web site for hours.
GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP/CLASS: East
Bay Branch Library, TC. Held on Thursdays (except holidays) through mid-Dec. from 1-3pm. 922-2085. Free. tadl.org/event/understanding-your-grief-17583
GUIDED WALKING HISTORY TOURS OF TRAVERSE CITY: Wednesdays, 10am through Oct. 9. Beginning at the street corner where Traverse City first laid down its roots, this tour leads you through the boomtown history - the good & the regrettable. From Perry Hannah’s mansion, past the Carnagie library, to the original downtown, this easy two mile walk is an enjoyable trip through history. walktchistory.com
art
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.
“FARM-TO-WALL”: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. Enjoy an array of 2D & 3D works inspired by the rural beauty of our area & the farm-to-table movement. Featuring artwork by nine local & regional artists. Runs through Oct. 26. Check web site for hours. charlevoixcircle.org
BIRDS FLY IN: A HUMAN REFUGE: The Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Grand Ballroom, Manistee. Art, music & poetry by Ellie Harold. Runs through Oct. ramsdelltheatre.org
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MEMBER EXHIBITION: Jordan River Arts Council, East Jordan. Enjoy this exhibition of 2D & 3D artwork in a variety of media. Runs through Oct. 5. Check web site for hours. jordanriverarts.com
ARTIST KATIE LOWRAN: SOLO EXHIBITION “WILD THINGS”: Three Seasons Gallery, The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park, TC. Runs through Oct. This exhibition celebrates the untamed beauty of the natural world, bringing together a vibrant collection of artworks featuring animals, flowers, & people. thebotanicgarden. org/visit/#aotm2
“THE NATURAL WORLD”: Runs through Oct. 25 at City Opera House, TC. Featuring the works of photographer Susan Kirt. This exhibit seeks to immerse you in the landscapes & native plants that surround us. Highlighted are the birds, butterflies, bees & mammals that depend on these habitats. Hours are Mon. through Fri., 10am-2pm & during live shows through Oct. 25. cityoperahouse.org
UNIQUE ART OF ANTRIM COUNTY OUTDOOR ART EXHIBIT: Downtown Bellaire. Featuring 12 local artists’ works on display. After the exhibit the artwork will be auctioned off, & these funds will help fund future public art exhibitions in Downtown Bellaire. Runs through Oct. 31. bellaireart. wixsite.com/bellaireart
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. Free. 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 - CROOKED TREE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBITION: Runs through Oct. 19 in Atrium Gallery. Featuring recent
work by members of the Crooked Tree Photographic Society. The photographs included in this show were self-selected by the group through peer review. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-petoskey/crooked-tree-photographic-society-annual-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
CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - MICHIGAN: AN AMERICAN PORTRAIT: Held in Cornwell Gallery. An art & culture exhibition that looks at the history, people, & natural environment of the state of Michigan. Through original works of art by Michigan artists, relationships between place, identity, & the human experience are explored. Runs through Oct. 26. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ michigan-american-portrait
- TIMES 2: Held in Carnegie Galleries. Featuring artwork created from recycled & upcycled materials. Runs through Oct. 26. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ times-2
- THE EKPHRASTIC: Held in Carnegie Rotunda. Poets & writers are encouraged to write poems or verse based on artworks on exhibit at Crooked Tree. Both written works & the inspiring artwork will be displayed & accompanied by readings with the authors. There will be two readings where authors can share their work aloud: Sept. 28 at 1pm & Oct. 10 at 5:30pm. Exhibit runs through Oct. 26. See web site for hours. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-traverse-city/ekphrastic
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 Oct. 5 - 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, and 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-on-view/canadianwoodland-artists.html
- CONTEMPORARY JAPANESE CERAMICS FROM THE HORVITZ COLLECTION: Runs through Sept. 28, 2025. An array of works by contemporary Japanese ceramic artists, a sampler of the great diversity of styles, forms, glazes, and 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: - SHRINES + ALTARS: Runs through Oct.
24. This exhibit is an exploration of what we hold sacred: To whom are we building shrines? At what altars are we worshipping? GAAC is open Mon. through Fri., 9am-3pm; Sat. & Sun., noon-4pm. glenarborart.org
- OUTDOOR GALLERY EXHIBIT: MAR GO BURIAN + ORDINARY MAGIC: lanau County artist Margo Burian’s collages have been chosen for display in the Glen Arbor Arts Center’s 2024-25 Outdoor Gal lery exhibition, an annual, invitational exhib it. 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 Im age 360 of TC. Runs through April 20, 2025. Check web site for hours. glenaborart.org
HIGHER ART GALLERY, TC:
- “NOMADS”: 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 Oct. 11 - Nov. 10. higherartgallery.com
- JULIE KRADEL SOLO EXHIBIT - “PLEASURES & PASTIMES”: Kradel showcases her charming clay, animal sculpture. The show runs daily through Oct. 5. higherartgallery.com
OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:
- CREATIVE KALEIDOSCOPE: This annual juried art exhibition will highlight the work of talented regional artists in a range of media. Acceptance in the show is based on the selections of the jurors. This year’s jurors are Liz Celeste, curator of Education and Exhibits at the Dennos Museum & acclaimed Michigan artist Mark Mahaffey. The show will close with an Artist Talk on Fri., Oct. 18 from 4-6pm. The Oliver Art Center is open Mon. - Sat. from 10am-4pm & Sun. from noon-4pm. oliverart.org
- TRANSFIGURATION: THE ART OF UPCYCLING: Runs Oct. 11 - 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
FARMERS MARKET
CASTLE FARMERS MARKET: Birch Lake, Castle Farms, Charlevoix. Held every Tues. from 8am-1pm through Oct. 15. Celebrating craftsmanship, emphasizing the artistry of handmade goods & locally sourced produce. castlefarms.com/events/farmers-market
EAST BAY CORNERS FARMERS MARKET: Thursdays, 3-7pm through Oct. 31, 1965 N 3 Mile Rd., TC. Featuring fresh & locally grown produce & goods. Find ‘East Bay Corners Farmers Market’ on Facebook.
HARBOR SPRINGS FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-1pm through Oct. 19. Corner of Main & State streets, Harbor Springs.
INTERLOCHEN FARMERS MARKET: Sundays, 9am-2pm through Oct. 2112 Joe Maddy Parkway, Interlochen. Featuring 60+ vendors. Includes local produce, baked goods, arts & crafts, & more. facebook.com/ InterlochenFarmersMarket
SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: Runs every Weds. through Oct. from 8am-noon; & every Sat. through Oct. from 7:30am-noon. Held at Rotary Square in Downtown TC.
SUTTONS BAY FARMERS MARKET: Saint Joseph St., at north end of village. Held on Saturdays through Oct. 19 from 9am-1pm. Farmers market selling local produce, flowers, baked goods, artisan products. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/suttons-bay
ALEXANDRA INN, TC
Grand Traverse & Kalkaska
BLUSH, ROOFTOP TERRACE: Mon -- John Piatek, 6-8
BONOBO WINERY, TC
10/11 -- Jesse Jefferson, 6-8
ENCORE 201, TC
10/5 -- Scarkazm, 7:30-10; DJ Ricky T, 10-2
10/11 -- The Jon Archambault Band, 8-10:30; DJ Ricky T, 10:30-2
SEVEN HILLS, PENINI: 10/5 -- Tai Drury, 6 10/9 – Jimmy Olson, 6 10/11 – Gemini Moon, 6:30
SORELLINA'S, TC SLATE RESTAURANT:
Thurs. -- Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 5-8 Fri. & Sat. – Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 6-9
TC COUNTRY CLUB
10/11 -- Jim Hawley, 6-9
THE ALLUVION, TC
10/5 -- The Sound of Detroit w/ Joel Fluent Greene, Peace Bell, Evening Star & Amber Hasan, 7:30-10
10/7 -- Big Fun - Funky Fun Mondays, 6
10/9 -- Expand Storytelling #6, 7-9
10/10 -- The Jeff Haas Trio feat. Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive, w/ NMC Jazz Lab Band, 6-8:30 10/11 -- Moss Manor w/ Eliza Thorp, 7:30-9:30 10/12 -- The Claudettes wsg Eric O'Daly, 7:30-10
Antrim & Charlevoix
THE HAYLOFT INN, TC
10/4-5 & 10/11-12 -- Sandy & The Bandits, 7:30-11
THE LITTLE FLEET, TC
10/5 -- Synthia Looper, 6:30
THE PARLOR, TC 8-11:
10/5 -- Brett Mitchell 10/9 – Wink Solo 10/11 – Blue Footed Booby 10/12 – Luke Woltanski & John Piatek
10/5 -- Delilah DeWylde, 8 10/8 -- Open Mic, 6:30-9
10/11 -- Haunted Like Human, 8 10/12 -- The Marsupials, 8
THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO, 6:30-9:30:
10/5 -- Boardman River Band 10/11 -- J Hawkins Band 10/12 -- Tower of Bauer
TOWNLINE CIDERWORKS, WILLIAMSBURG
6-8:
10/11 -- Spencer Hollenbeck 10/12 -- Rebekah Jon
UNION STREET STATION, TC
10/5 -- DJ Prim, 10 10/10 -- Ladies Night Dance Party w/ 1Wave DJs, 9 10/11 -- The Ampersands, 10 10/12 -- J Hawkins Band, 10
TURTLE CREEK CASINO, WILLIAMSBURG
9-1: 10/5 – One Hot Robot 10/11 – DJ Mr. Markis 10/12 -- Risque
nitelife
Send
Leelanau & Benzie
AMORITAS VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU
10/10 -- Garrison Wilson, 5-7
BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR
10/5 -- Larry Perkins, 3:30-5:30
BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY 10/5 -- Izzy Joy, 6-8
BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU
TASTING ROOM, 3-5:
10/6 -- Chris Skellenger & the “Really Big Surprise Band” 10/13 -- Loose Change
CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY
10/6 -- Jabo Bihlman, 2-4:30
DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT
3-6:
10/6 -- Loose Change 10/13 – Larry Perkins
FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR
10/7 -- Charlie Arnett, 4 10/10 -- Rhett & John, 4 10/12 -- The Accidentals' FAMGrove Fest w/ The Rebel Eves, Low Phase, One Hot Robot, A to Z, & Luke Woltanski, 3-10
IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 5:30-7:30: 10/5 -- The Feral Cats 10/11 – Barefoot Duo 10/12 – Matt Gabriel
LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 10/5 -- Lake Ann Oktoberfest w/ Johnathon North, 1-3:30; Delilah DeWylde, 4-6; & G-Snacks, 6:30-9:30
10/10 -- Trivia Night, 7 10/11 -- Andy Perrin & The Show Buds, 6:30-9:30 10/12 -- The Dune Brothers, 6:30-9:30
LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY 10/11 -- The Turtlenecks, 6-9
RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR 5-8:
Emmet & Cheboygan
10/5 -- Jim Hawley
10/10 -- Luke Woltanski Duo 10/11 -- Larz Cabot
SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY 10/11 -- Friday Night Live w/ Billy & The Kid, 4-7
ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH
10/5 -- Steve Pichan, 5-8 10/10 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9 10/11 -- Lena Maude, 5-8 10/12 -- Oktoberfest w/ Billy & The Kid, 5
LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE 10/11 – Daughtry, 9-10:30
NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA 10/5 -- John Pomeroy & Angela
Caro, 6 10/11 -- Thirsty Perch Blues Band, 7 10/12 -- Chief Day w/ Seth Bernard, Great Lakes Brass, The Handstanders, & Ted Bounty & The Bounty Hunters, noon
CADILLAC 10/9 -- Trivia & Music Bingo Night w/ Shawny-D, 6-9
THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/ PRIMOS,
C.R.A.V.E.,
lOGY
OCT 07 - OCT 13
BY ROB BREZSNY
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 2010, Edurne Pasaban became the first woman to climb the world's tallest 14 mountains, reaching the top of Shishapangma in China. In 2018, Taylor Demonbreun arrived in Toronto, Canada, completing a quest in which she visited every sovereign nation on the planet in 18 months. In 1924, explorer Alexandra David-Néel pulled off the seemingly impossible feat of visiting Lhasa, Tibet, when that place was still forbidden to foreigners. Be inspired by these heroes as you ruminate about what frontier adventures you will dare to enjoy during the next six months. Design a plan to get all the educational and experimental fun you need.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Healing will be more available to you than usual. You're extra likely to attract the help and insight you need to revive and restore your mind, soul, and body. To get started, identify two wounds or discomforts you would love to alleviate. Then consider the following actions: 1. Ruminate about what helpers and professionals might be best able to assist you. Make appointments with them. 2. Perform a ritual in which you seek blessings from your liveliest spirit guides and sympathetic ancestors. 3. Make a list of three actions you will take to make yourself feel better. 4. Treat this process not a somber struggle, but as a celebration of your mounting vitality.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The Beatles were the best-selling band of all time and among the most influential, too. Their fame and fortune were well-earned. Many of the 186 songs they composed and recorded were beautiful, interesting, and entertaining. Yet none of four members of the band could read music. Their brilliance was intuitive and instinctual. Is there a comparable situation in your life, Virgo? A task or skill that you do well despite not being formally trained? If so, the coming months will be a good time to get better grounded. invite you to fill in the gaps in your education.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Alnwick Garden is an unusual network of formal gardens in northeast England. Among its many entertaining features is the Poison Garden, which hosts 100 species of toxic and harmful plants like hemlock, strychnine, and deadly nightshade. It's the most popular feature by far. Visitors enjoy finding out and investigating what's not good for them. In accordance with astrological omens, Scorpio, I invite you to use this as an inspirational metaphor as you take inventory of influences that are not good for you. Every now and then, it's healthy to acknowledge what you don't need and shouldn't engage with.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian Tom Rath is an inspirational author who at age 49 has managed to stay alive even though he has wrangled with a rare disease since he was 16. He writes, “This is what I believe we should all aim for: to make contributions to others’ lives that will grow infinitely in our absence. A great commonality we all share is that we only have today to invest in what could outlive us.” That's always good advice for everyone, but it's especially rich counsel for you Sagittarians in the coming months. I believe you will have a special capacity to dispense your best gifts those who need and want them.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): ): Capricorn writer Susan Sontag was a public intellectual. She was an academic with a scholarly focus and an entertaining commentator on the gritty hubbub of popular culture. One of my favorite quotes by her is this one: “I like to feel dumb. That’s how I know there’s more in the world than me.” In other words, she made sure her curiosity and open-mindedness flourished by always assuming she had much more to learn. especially recommend this perspective to you in the coming weeks.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The Salem Witch Trials took place in Massachusetts from 1692 to 1693. They were ignorant, superstitious prosecutions of people accused of practicing witchcraft. The modern holiday known as Freethought Day happens every October 12, the anniversary of the last witch trial.
The purpose of this jubilee is to encourage us to treasure objective facts, to love using logic and reason, and to honor the value of critical thinking. It’s only observed in America now, but propose we make it a global festival. You Aquarians are my choice to host this year’s revelries in celebration of Freethought Day. You are at the peak of your ability to generate clear, astute, liberating thoughts. Show us what it looks like to be a lucid, unbiased observer of reality.
PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): A YouTube presenter named Andy George decided to make a chicken sandwich. But he didn't buy the ingredients in a store. He wanted to make the sandwich from scratch. Over the next six months, he grew wheat, ground it into flour, and used it to bake bread. He milked a cow to make cheese and butter. He got sea salt from ocean water and grew a garden of lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and dill for toppings. Finally, he went to a farm, bought a chicken, and did all that was necessary to turn the live bird into meat for the sandwich. In describing his process, I’m not suggesting you do something similar. Rather, I'm encouraging you to be thorough as you solidify your foundations in the coming months. Gather resources you will need for long-term projects. Be a connoisseur of the raw materials that will assure future success in whatever way you define success.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the coming weeks, you may be tempted to spar and argue more than usual. You could get sucked into the fantasy that it would make sense to wrangle, feud, and bicker. But I hope you sublimate those tendencies. The same hot energy that might lead to excessive skirmishing could just as well become a driving force to create robust harmony and resilient unity. If you simply dig further into your psyche’s resourceful depths, you will discover the inspiration to bargain, mediate, and negotiate with élan. Here’s a bold prediction: Healing compromises hammered out now could last a long time.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Question #1: "What subjects do you talk about to enchant and uplift a person who’s important to you?" Answer #1: "You talk about the feelings and yearnings of the person you hope to enchant and uplift.” Question #2: "How do you express your love with maximum intelligence?” Answer #2: "Before you ask your allies to alter themselves to enhance your relationship, you ask yourself how you might alter yourself to enhance your relationship." Question #3: "What skill are you destined to master, even though it's challenging for you to learn?" Answer #3: "Understanding the difference between supple passion and manic obsession."
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In 1819, Gemini entrepreneur Francois-Louis Cailler became the first chocolatier to manufacture chocolate bars. His innovation didn’t save any lives, cure any disease, or fix any injustice. But it was a wonderful addition to humanity’s supply of delights. It enhanced our collective joy and pleasure. In the coming months, dear Gemini, invite you to seek a comparable addition to your own personal world. What novel blessing might you generate or discover? What splendid resource can you add to your repertoire?
CANCER (June 21-July 22): *Ayurnamat* is a word used by the Inuit people. It refers to when you long for the relaxed tranquility that comes from not worrying about what can't be changed. You wish you could accept or even welcome the truth about provocative situations with equanimity. Now here's some very good news, Cancerian. In the coming weeks, you will not just yearn for this state of calm, but will also have a heightened ability to achieve it. Congratulations! It's a liberating, saint-like accomplishment.
“Jonesin” Crosswords
"Just Do It" --what's the word? by Matt Jones
ACROSS
1. Ludicrous comedy
6. Border
10. Crawled, maybe
14. Nebraska metropolis
15. Grammy winner Celine
16. Facebook company
17. They don't play their own hits
19. Tricky
20. Outrage
21. Notable person
23. Itinerary word
24. Vietnamese soup sometimes served with tripe
25. Pro wrestling pair
27. Having no restrictions
32. Catty response?
33. Quite capable
34. Use a pen outside
36. Passing notice
39. Time to give up?
40. Oceanic movements
41. ___ helmet
42. Molten stuff
43. Beneficiary
44. Film idol Greta
45. Muppet that's got beef with a rock
47. Plastic instrument in elementary school music class
49. Manage
52. Faucet label
53. Spheroid
54. Appropriate for middle schoolers, maybe
57. Salt ___
60. Portuguese rivers
62. Personal transport that requires some balance
64. Fireplace grate stuff
65. Neck-and-neck
66. Triangular road sign
67. Head experts, for short
68. Pre-1991 pol. divisions
69. George Jetson's kid
DOWN
1. Centers of attention
2. Love, to Luis
3. Dance party
4. Jost's cohost
5. Eavesdropping range
6. Dutch wheel
7. Get some grub
8. Beckett title character
9. Catches in a trap
10. Three letters of disbelief
11. Finch relative that can build an intricate nest
12. Spacious courtyards
13. ___ Vice President (current title for Kamala Harris)
18. Touch a dog's snoot
22. Big-headedness
24. Motivating speech
26. Like some long season finales
27. Maze blocker
28. Notion
29. Wheel clamp for parking violators
30. Stephen Colbert's wife and coauthor of the cookbook "Does This Taste Funny?"
31. Lowest point
35. ___ Noel (Santa Claus, in France)
37. "Who can ___ at this hour?"
38. "The Avengers" character
40. "Any opinions?"
44. Parting word
46. Clear the floor
48. "Moonstruck" Oscar winner
49. Not as great
50. Giant hunter of myth
51. Un + deux
55. Affirm positively
56. "Bill & ___ Excellent Adventure"
57. "The Beverly Hillbillies" star Max
58. Folk singer Guthrie
59. "Electric Avenue" singer Grant
61. Hagiographer's subjects, for short
63. Coconut product
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, $1,700 per month. (231) 631-7512.
EVERY HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIM: needs a courageous hero. Jeffery Allen Boyd’s award-winning Wolf’s Head Bay-Journey of the Courageous Eleven/ The Race for Home is a bona fide heartpounding action/adventure thrill-ride. Find it at Horizon Books in TC,and on BookBaby and Amazon.
PAID PT WORK TRAINING AVAILABLE FOR SENIORS 55+: The AARP Foundation SCSEP Program is accepting applications from seniors aged 55 and over for paid, parttime work training assignments in Grand Traverse and other surrounding counties. Earn while you train. You must be aged 55 and over, be unemployed, seeking work, and meet income eligibility. To apply, call AARP Foundation SCSEP at 231-252-4544.
BEAGLE PUPPYS FOR SALE: Beautiful Beagle Puppys for sale at a low price They all have different markings and long ears Pups have all shots, they are 8 weeks old Call 989-386-4478 ask for Toby
COMPUTER PROBLEMS?: I can fix your computer, tablet, phone or TV and show you how to use it. If it's time to replace it I'll help you find the best device for your needs. Call James Downer at Advent Tech, your high tech handyman.231-492-2087
SEWING, ALTERATIONS, MENDING & REPAIRS. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231228-6248
NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE IS HIRING NMC has various salaried, fulltime, year-round positions now available. Such as a Campus Safety Coordinator, Facilities Office Manager, Custodial Manager, Foundation Operations & Advancement Manager, and a new Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations. www.
$375,000 | 630 Webster Street
Prime location, boasting a complete renovation
$480,000 | 3670 Holiday Village Drive
Meticulously maintained 3 bedroom, 2 bath
$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 marina offers the best of West Bay
$1,200,000 | 124 N Division
Great location on the SE corner of Division with high visibility
