Northern Express - September 09, 2024 by Northern Express

ATHLETESTOWATCH

Pictured: Gaylord softball star Aubrey Jones is headed to Oklahoma State University after her senior year.

The Michigan Supreme Court is Chosen by The People, the U.S. Supreme Court is Not

The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the state, making decisions on critical issues that impact everyone. It’s important to know the citizens of Michigan have the power to elect the people who are entrusted with this vital role in our state government.

During any given term, issues that come before the Michigan Supreme Court can include civil rights, environmental regulations, criminal justice, reproductive rights, gun safety, fair elections, and more. The justices who serve on the court help shape Michigan’s future, reviewing over 2,000 appeals every year and choosing the most complex, significant cases to help ensure a just and fair outcome.

Michigan is one of only 24 states that empowers voters to elect state Supreme Court justices, which is a civic duty as important as any choice you make on your ballot.

This is completely di erent from United States Supreme Court justices, who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Although both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Michigan Supreme Court act as the final authority in interpreting laws and judicial rules at the federal and state level, respectively, there are other di erences, too.

Unlike U.S. Supreme Court justices, who serve for life, Michigan Supreme Court justices are elected for eight-year terms. Candidates for the Michigan Supreme Court must be a qualified elector, a licensed Michigan lawyer for five years, and under the age of 70 at the time of their election.

Seven justices serve on the Michigan Supreme Court at a time. When their term is complete, they can run for re-election if they meet the requirements. In 2024, Justice Kyra Harris Bolden is the only incumbent running for re-election. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Michigan Supreme Court, having been appointed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2022 when a vacancy on the court needed to be filled. That is part of the process in Michigan, and is the only time a Supreme Court justice is appointed and not elected.

Although Justice Bolden may not have been a household name at the time, she previously served in the state House for four years. During her time in the House, Justice Bolden sat on the Judiciary Committee and introduced bipartisan legislation designed to protect citizens’ rights. Before that, she was a litigation attorney. These are the kinds of qualifications that ensure that Michigan Supreme Court justices understand the rule of law, the importance of fairness and equity, and demonstrate the level of integrity and education this important role requires.

Supreme Court justices in Michigan must be nominated by a political party, but their political a liation is not included on voters’ ballots. So it’s essential to do your homework to understand the values and experience of candidates once they are o cially nominated, especially if you want to ensure a balanced court that will protect the rights and freedoms of everyone in Michigan.

This year, Michigan voters will choose who fills two open spots on the Michigan Supreme Court. The votes you cast can make an impact for a generation. That’s why it’s essential to understand how to vote for Michigan Supreme Court justices.

Even if you vote a straight-party ticket, you must individually cast your vote for justices in the non-partisan section of your ballot. It’s easy to find – if you know to be looking for it. So don’t stop at the top! Keep going through your entire ballot to vote for two Supreme Court justices in the non-partisan section.

Every election – and every vote – matters. Learn more about your voting rights, get more information about the Michigan Supreme Court, and check out what the non-partisan section of your ballot will look like. Visit www.misupremecourtrocks.com for all this and more.

-Kalvin Carter, Up North Advocacy Project Director

letters

What About the Employees?

I enjoyed “Striking the Wage Balance,” [Sept. 2, 2024] in which various restaurant owners explain why their employees would prefer getting under $4 an hour rather than a living wage. I was struck, however, by the absence of any employee’s take on the matter.

John Baylor | Traverse City

Peaceful, Hopeful, Respectful, and Joyful

On Saturday, Aug. 24, the sidewalks of downtown Traverse City were full of people who came out in support of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. At least 1,000 supporters joined Women’s March TC as we lined both sides of Front Street and chanted our support and hope for our first woman president. We kept it peaceful, hopeful, respectful, and joyful. Support was absolutely overwhelming! Make no mistake, if Donald Trump is reelected, our democracy will be in absolute jeopardy (read the 2025 Playbook). And make no mistake, “We’re NOT going back!” We have way too much at stake. A huge thank-you to every person who joined us. Let’s do it again!

Monica Evans | Traverse City

Protecting the Landscape

We were very proud of our township supervisor, Tim Stein, and the members of our Cleveland Twp. Board, when they stood up to the NPS and the SBDNL at their August meeting on the proposed Segment 9 of the Heritage Trail.

This proposed trail construction has significant negative environmental consequences for Cleveland and Centerville Townships, not the least of which is the destruction of 7,300 trees, when we are already suffering the effects of climate change and global warming.

Also, the proposed removal of critical sand dunes, and the construction of huge and unsightly retaining walls in their place, is a terrible way to make use of a quiet, forested road, designated and used by county residents as a “scenic road.” Traverse Lake Road does not need to be changed into another urban roadway like LaFranier Rd. or the Best Buy parking lot in Traverse City.

The alternative trail pathway, following Bohemian Road to Lake Michigan Drive and on to Good Harbor Bay, is a much more beautiful, scenic, and far less damaging option.

Thank you, Cleveland Twp. Board members! Please advise the NPS bureaucrats not to pave our wilderness and destroy our sand dunes! An environmental assessment must be completed first, to inform policy makers and all who are being asked to approve this environmentally harmful trail segment. We owe it to our future generations to protect this unspoiled Michigan landscape!

Dennis and Kathy Hurst | Cedar

A Visitor’s Voice

As a return visitor to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, we appreciate the rare beauty of this pristine wilderness area. We are grateful to be able to experience this unique ecosystem in its natural state,

unhindered by urbanization.

We are saddened to learn of the proposed Segment 9 expansion, which is different from the previous 21 miles. It seems contrary to the primary mission of the National Park Service to protect unique ecosystems. Why would our national park service initiate or allow anyone to cut 25-foot swaths through mature forests? Building massive urban-like retaining walls through critical dunes or constructing concrete boardwalks through rare wetlands is not necessary!

The existing Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail offers a unique recreational opportunity along M-22. It is a great asset to the area and enjoyed by many visitors to the Glen Arbor area. It makes perfect sense to access Good Harbor Bay in the eastern end of the Lakeshore.

A trail extension down CR 669 to Bohemian Beach would be a terrific ending. What a reward it would be to take a dip in refreshing Lake Michigan at the end of a bike ride. Using existing infrastructure along Lake Michigan Drive would be a brilliant alternative to existing proposals to extend the Heritage Trail.

Please sustain and keep this area “America’s Most Beautiful Place.”

Wayne Headley | Canoga Park, California Medal vs. Medal

[In response to Stephen Tuttle’s “Those Medals Aren’t Equal” column], I served as an infantry squad leader and platoon Sgt. in Vietnam in 1969-70. On Jan. 31, 1970, I was involved in a combat action that resulted in one of my fellow soldiers receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor. In that action I was wounded, as were nearly all of my platoon mates, and two were killed.

Richard Penry (I invite you to google him and read his citation) stepped up and was more than heroic. Not only was he heroic, but when he was submitted for the MOH, it was suggested that he received shrapnel wounds and would qualify for a Purple Heart Medal. He refused, stating that he had friends killed or wounded and it wasn’t right.

Recently, the former president stated that the Presidential Medal of Freedom, an award given to a political donor, was equivalent to, or even better than, the Medal of Honor. WOW!

One medal is awarded for accomplishments that are considered significant and most are very impressive. The other is awarded for true heroism and is reviewed by the highest military panels before being awarded.

To say that an award given by a president for a wide variety of reasons, many very good, but including political causes, is better because you don’t have to get killed or wounded speaks volumes about that former president’s real view of veterans.

When you add his disrespect for John McCain’s heroism because he preferred war heroes who “weren’t captured,” you have all you need to know about the character of this person who got deferments for bone spurs.

I seriously question why any veteran would choose to vote for this man to be our Commander in Chief.

Gordy Bourland | Petoskey

columns & stuff

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Contributors: Ross Bossioneau, Anna Faller, Kierstin Gunsberg, Craig Manning, Ellen Miller, Stephen Tuttle

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top ten

Michigan’s Poet Laureate

Just as the United States has a Poet Laureate (currently, Ada Limón, who is serving a historic second term), so does the state of Michigan, though the role has not been filled in several decades. Detroit native and University of Michigan grad Nandi Comer is the first Poet Laureate of Michigan in 65 years. Comer is the award-winning author of American Family: A Syndrome and Tapping Out, has served as a writerin-residence in Detroit Public Schools Community District, and is currently the director of Allied Media Projects Seeds Program and the co-director of Detroit Lit. She will visit the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City on Sept. 13 from 7-9pm for a presentation and reading featuring high school and NMC students. Tickets are free but do require registration: dennosmuseumcenter.simpletix.com.

Witness the Great Lakes Strongest Man and Woman at Turtle Creek Stadium in Traverse City on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 9am. This event will qualify podium finishers for United States Strongman Nationals 2025. Men’s and Women’s Pro Classes will also be competing, as well as a CrossFit sanctioned event that hosts teams of three competitors. Tickets are $10. ironpodium.com/browse/event/great-lakes-strongest-mangreat-lakes-strongest-pro-great-lakes-fittest

Hey, read It! Rise of the Spider 4

The year is 1929, and nothing about tween-aged Rolf’s life has been the same since the Great War ended. His friends and neighbors are all out of work, and, more concerning, his once light-hearted brother, Romer, is suddenly angry and picking fights with their father. When two members of the new Nazi Party arrive in his rural hometown of Heroldsberg, Germany, Rolf immediately knows that they can’t be trusted. Romer, though, is increasingly infatuated with their talks of greatness and power for Germany. Then one night, a Jewish bakery is set on fire. Could Romer have been involved in the crime, and can Rolf keep his family—and his world—from crumbling? From bestselling Michigan author Michael P. Spradlin comes a new middle-grade thriller, Rise of the Spider, the first book in the Web of the Spider series.

On a recent visit, The River Club in Glen Arbor was hopping, with live music down by the Crystal River, families playing the 18-hole putt-putt course, and plenty of folks chowing down on the Mexican fare served in the open air dining area. Build your own taco, burrito, or bowl, or opt for one of the restaurant’s specialties, like the Beef Barbacoa Burrito. Big enough for two, this burrito is packed with tender beef, black beans, rice, corn salsa, and cheese. (Order a side of hot sauce for extra spice, but know that the House Hot is hot!) Best enjoyed with a margarita in hand—or an Arnold Palmer slushie for the true golf fans. Visit the River Club at 5963 S Oak St. in Glen Arbor. (And stay tuned for upcoming football game fun there this fall!) rcglenarbor.com

Photo credit Khary Mason

For anyone missing the Traverse City Film Festival, get ye across the Mighty Mac for this week’s Soo Film Festival in Sault Ste. Marie. They’ll show nearly 60 films across a variety of features, documentaries, shorts, animation, and music videos, all with the ethos of “Great Lakes, Great Movies!” You’ll even see some familiar Up North names, places, and faces, including The DJ on Wallaker Hill by Rich Brauer, Marqueetown by Joseph Beyer and Jordan Anderson, and Crossing Lake Ontario - The End by Corey Adkins and the Stand Up for Great Lakes team, just to name a few. The festival runs from Sept. 11-15 at the historic Soo Theatre. Individual film showings are $5-$7, daily passes are $20, and festival passes are $50-$80. Get all the details and showtimes at soofilmfestival.org.

Fall Racing Fun

Race promoters, take note! Northern Express is putting together our fall race calendar, and if you have an event happening in northern Michigan between Sept. 23 and the end of the year, we want to share the word. To get your run, bike, swim, or paddle race in print and online, send us an email at events@traverseticker.com. Include the race name, race date, race location, website address for race information, and the website address for online registration. We’ll accept submissions in our 13-county coverage area: Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Antrim, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Kalkaska, Crawford, Otsego, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Cheboygan counties. The fall race calendar will be featured in our Sept. 23 issue, so be sure to send everything in no later than Sept. 16. On your mark, get set, go!

INSTANT #1 BESTSELLER!

T he National Writers Series welcomes Jodi Picoult to the Lars Hockstad Auditorium stage to discuss her newest novel, By Any Other Name. The book tells the story of two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—who are forced to hide behind another name to make their voice heard. Told in intertwining narratives, this sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire asks what price each woman is willing to pay to see their work live on—even if it means they will be forgotten.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 7PM

In-person tickets are almost sold out but virtual tickets are available.

Yes, you read that right: Flabocce. Meet your new favorite (and super portable) yard game, the original flat bocce made right here in Traverse City by the creative mind of Jack Rutkowski. In short, you’re throwing the “Flabs” (lightweight hexagonal discs made from non-toxic TPV and food-grade pigments) as close as you can get to the “Jack,” or the target. Much like in traditional bocce, the closer you are to the target, the higher you will score, and you can play with as few as two people or create teams. Flabocce kits start at $39.99 for a set of eight Flabs and one Jack, or level up to The Full Set for $59.99 with 16 Flabs to get all your friends in on the game. Learn the rules and shop game kits at flabocce.com.

State Street Coffee Company in Cheboygan is all about catering to your sweet treat cravings, and it doesn’t get any more decadent (or caffeinated!) than their seasonal Apple Crisp Latte. Inspired by fresh-picked orchard apples—and the eponymous autumnal dessert—this cuppa combines custom-roasted espresso sourced from Ferris Coffee & Nut Co. in Grand Rapids with gooey Ghirardelli caramel, DaVinci apple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Just pick your temperature (hot or iced) and Michigan-sourced dairy or alternative milk, and you’ve got yourself the ultimate fall pick-me-up. Oh, and definitely don’t skimp on the whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon dust! And if you’re feeling snacky, pair it with a house-made scone or cinnamon roll. Get the goods (available in 12, 16, or 20 oz.) at 211 W. State St. in Cheboygan. statestreetcoffeecompany.com

State Street Coffee’s Apple Crisp Latte

Bottoms Up

Stuff We Love: Flabocce

The marquee outside the Soo Theatre for the 2023 Soo Film Festival.

By steven Tuttle

Every year about this time we remind ourselves of the horrors of September 11, 2001. We’ll again see images of the planes hitting the twin towers of the World Trade Center and their subsequent agonizing collapse. We’ll also be reminded of the plane tragically slamming into the Pentagon and the lives lost, and saved, when passengers fought back against the hijackers on flight 93.

According to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, 2,753 people from 58 countries (excluding the hijackers) lost their lives in the attacks on the towers. (Another 184 died in the attack on the Pentagon and 40 more on flight 93.) Among the dead at the World Trade Towers were 343 firefighters, 37 Port Authority Police Officers, and 23 New York

got there.” The Coast Guard and local boat pilots organized the effort as best they could as more than 150 civilian boats took turns loading up, dropping off, and returning for trip after trip after trip.

The gold standard for evacuations by sea happened in May of 1940 when 339,000 French and British troops were trapped in the French port of Dunkirk. Over the course of nine days, all were successfully evacuated by hundreds of civilian and military boats.

No one will ever know the exact tally as no one was keeping track, but the Coast Guard estimated as many as 500,000 people were evacuated from Manhattan by boat on 9/11. It was the greatest rescue/evacuation by sea in

City Police Officers. It was the worst day for first responders in U.S. history. And perhaps the best.

When the planes struck, best estimates are that there were between 16,400 and 18,000 people in the World Trade Center towers, though we’ll never know the exact number. And somewhere around 13,000 to 15,000 people were successfully evacuated. It’s true enough the heroes responding were not responsible for every evacuation, but they helped enough to make this the most successful evacuation from burning buildings ever. Had those first responders not gone in, far fewer would have made it out.

Once people got out of the buildings, a group of unsung heroes, beautifully detailed in an HBO documentary, sprang into action.

Manhattan is an island, and since authorities had no clue if additional attacks might be coming, they quickly decided to close access to all vehicles. Bridges, subways, and tunnels were quickly shut down, and, with Manhattan apparently ground zero for attacks, people were desperate to get off the island.

Water was the only viable escape route, and boats had already begun haphazardly picking up folks. It was not enough. Recognizing the problem and determined to find a solution, Coast Guard Lieutenant Michael Day issued his now famous radio call: “All available boats. This is the United States Coast Guard aboard the pilot boat New York. Anyone wanting to help with the evacuation of lower Manhattan report to Governors Island.”

Lt. Day, now Captain Day, had no idea how many, if any, boats would respond, but respond they did. Ferry boats, tourist boats, fishing boats, pleasure boats, party boats, dozens of tugboats, even ski boats and inflatable dinghies. As one boatman put it, “If it floated and they could get there, they

history, and it took a bit less than nine hours in what has become known as the 9/11 Boatlift.

Meanwhile, people in airplanes also found themselves trapped. By 10am, all U.S. airspace was closed to all commercial and general aviation. Planes were instructed to land immediately at the nearest available and capable airport. This was a problem for those on transatlantic flights.

If they were less than halfway, they had to turn around, but if they were more than halfway… enter Gander, Newfoundland, population just over 11,000. Some 38 planes, mostly jumbo jets, with more than 6,500 passengers were diverted to Gander. Passengers were forced to stay in the aircraft for the first 24 hours, and when they finally deplaned they were not allowed to take anything with them.

The 70 percent overnight population increase proved no problem for the good people of Gander, who provided shelter, clothing, food, toiletries, everything for the bewildered passengers (remember there was no proliferation of “smart” phones in 2001, so information was not detailed or instantaneous). For five full days, the people of Gander treated their surprise guests like long lost friends in a remarkable display of decency and kindness.

Heroes can emerge from unlikely places when we need them most. We expect it from our first responders, honor their commitment, and mourn their losses. We likely didn’t anticipate the response from New York’s sometimes gruff boatmen who dropped everything and willingly and repeatedly motored into that toxic cloud not knowing what they’d find. Not to mention Gander, Newfoundland, pretty much in its entirety, willing to help just because.

We’re told to “never forget” the tragedies of 9/11. We should never forget the heroes, either.

CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM: A PERVERSION OF CHRISTIANITY

Guest Opinion

by Walt Wood

“Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

As a Christian, this is how I begin prayer. The starting point is confession. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Most Christians would agree with that, but perhaps not all. Numerous denominations exist under the umbrella of Christianity. From Catholics to Methodists, Baptists, Mennonites, Presbyterians, and so on, controversies abound concerning appropriate Christian behavior in a variety of circumstances.

requiring allegiance not to the Constitution, but to the President, who would preside over the country as king or dictator, unassailable and completely above the law.

The man running for this position claims to be a Christian. One wonders what aspect of his faith informed his policy on immigration. Does he believe that Christ commanded us to imprison millions of God’s children in detention camps and, rather than provide sanctuary, return them to the conditions they fled? Does this sound like Christianity to you? Really? It is more likely that the gentleman nominee is wholly ignorant of Christ’s

Jesus Christ never once commanded us to dominate and rule over others in his name. He left that oppressive work to the occupying Roman government.

In our own Lutheran Church, for instance, there are synods in conflict over open communion, female pastors, gay rights—the list goes on. Some denominations exclude people altogether from participating in worship if they are not committed to their Bible-based beliefs and practices.

There are many ways to interpret the Bible. That in itself should be a red flag when it comes to embracing the Bible as a document of governance. Consider this basic question: Is the Bible the inspired word of God or the literal word of God? That question alone ignites a firestorm of disagreement. Who then will decide how to interpret the Bible for the purpose of governing a nation? You? Me? If not us, who?

As an instrument of governance, Christian Nationalism is neither workable nor Christian. The notion that a country of 350 million free and interdependent citizens could be ruled by adherence to a Gospelbased government is absurd.

Our Constitution allows for freedom of religion, and there are millions of citizens who are not Christians, and millions more who are agnostic or atheistic. Under Christian Nationalism, would these citizens have lesser rights and freedoms, to be treated as outcasts or—dare I say—condemned “vermin”? That does not echo any portion of Christ’s message to the world.

Our founding fathers understood what statesponsored religion looked like and chose to reject it by making the separation of Church and State an essential building block of our Constitution, our true document of governance for all Americans. Christian Nationalism would defy the Constitution and require establishing some alternate form of government.

What that might look like has been laid out in a 922-page document known as Project 2025, which, among other things, would concentrate power in the executive branch of government,

teachings and embodies blasphemy.

God’s grace grants us free will. We are at liberty to choose how we behave in the world and govern ourselves. That grace will be undermined under Christian Nationalism. I call upon fellow Christians everywhere to resist this misappropriation of our faith and its use as a cudgel to justify all manner of cruel, Godless behaviors. Resist it wherever you find it.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

“I confess that I am an enemy of grace. I care more about my creature comforts than I do about loving my neighbors, especially those at our southern border and elsewhere, desperately struggling to survive with dignity, in safety and security.

“Forgive me, Lord, my selfishness and the lingering remnants of racism within me. Help me to become a more loving adherent to your teachings.

“I ask these things in your holy name. You— who make all things new.”

Jesus Christ never once commanded us to dominate and rule over others in his name. He left that oppressive work to the occupying Roman government. Rather, he calls us to love one another as he loves us, and to spread the good news of his miraculous life, death, resurrection, and the promise of everlasting life

That’s it. That’s the list. We are called, not to rule, but to serve our fellow travelers on this difficult road to redemption.

That is the Christian way, and coincidentally, the American way.

Walt Wood is a retired mailman, current Lutheran, and essayist focused on political philosophy and the intersection of religion and democracy.

the one-two punch of significant strikes

This gym and nonprofit connect northern Michigan with the benefits of combat fighting

By Ross Boissoneau

For Chris Franks, it’s all about giving back—and punching back. Through his gym Significant Strikes and its sister nonprofit, Grand Traverse Community Enrichment, Franks is looking to help people learn to defend themselves, get in better shape, and gain self-confidence.

He believes fighting—aka combat sports—is for anyone who needs to increase their mental and physical strength and discipline. “It can lead you to where you need to go,” he says.

A Better Path

For Franks, the outlet helped lead him back into a productive role in society. “I was a misguided youth,” he says. He found himself on the wrong path, and eventually landed in jail. “I needed to hit reset, change my circle of friends, stay away from bad habits.”

To that end, he took up combat sports and jiu-jitsu after meeting a fellow inmate on the basketball court while in jail. “He was an athlete … who started fighting while incarcerated.”

He followed his friend’s career once he was released, and eventually took it up himself. “It sparked my interest. I took eight jiu-jitsu classes before my first fight.” That gave him the confidence he needed. Overconfidence, really. “I got my ass kicked. It was an eyeopening experience,” says Franks.

You need skills and experience to compete, he realized. “My opponent had both. I had neither.”

Which led him to seriously start to work.

Franks began to find some success, winning multiple amateur titles and a Michigan Golden Gloves boxing title. But mixed martial arts (MMA) was not well organized at the time, with different rules in different states, and some states not even legalizing the sport. “It was the wild, wild west. There was no sanctioning body, no illegal moves or testing,” Franks says.

As his MMA career progressed, he began giving back to those younger than himself, people he could help learn the ins and outs of the sport. At the time, he was working out at a gym in Traverse City. When that gym closed, Franks and his partner, Allison Korson, decided the best course of action was to open their own.

A Newfound Love for the Gym

Thus was born Significant Strikes, which opened in fall of 2021. “Chris is the head boxing coach and assists our MMA coach with striking aspects, while I coach fundamental jiu-jitsu,” says Korson.

She also coaches high school wrestling and runs the administrative and accounting sides of the business. “Chris began with jiujitsu but found his passion for boxing, and I started with boxing and found my passion for wrestling and jiu-jitsu.”

The gym offers a number of different classes, from basic fundamentals to advanced classes, geared toward everyone at any age.

“Our members consist of blue-collar construction workers to white-collar bankers and everyone in between, with ages ranging from 13 to 60-plus,” says Korson. “Whether you’re looking to start your fitness

journey or you’re hitting a plateau, learning how to fight will spark a newfound love for being at the gym, and make you sweat in the process.”

Do you have to be an experienced fighter to join up?

“We cater to competitors as well as hobbyists,” says Korson. “We have boxers, MMA fighters and jiu-jitsu competitors, but we also have a large majority of our members who don’t compete. Competitors have higher expectations, but the fighting gym at Significant Strikes is for everyone.”

The two note that they have also worked with specific professional groups, offering seminars specializing in self-defense and awareness in specific environments.

“We have worked with real estate professionals, active-duty officers, and even coffee shop workers to explain different scenarios and show options on how to stay safe and protect yourself,” Korson says.

A Fun Physical Outlet

Knowing how much they enjoyed combat sports and how much it helped them, Franks and Korson decided they wanted to give back and provide such opportunities to those who might benefit from it most. They started the nonprofit Grand Traverse Community Enrichment in 2022 to take martial arts and combat sports to at-risk youth throughout the region.

Franks says their classes are geared toward middle school students. They provide all the protective gear and “weapons,” such as pool noodles. “We teach people about keeping your composure,” says Franks.

“We travel to communities for free, and teach kids and community members the benefits of learning how to fight in a safe environment. Combat sports teaches kids anti-bullying techniques, as well as core values such as discipline, confidence, and respect,” Korson tells us. Perhaps best of all, “It gives them a physical outlet that is fun!”

Franks says the practice benefits the kids in the classroom as well. By expending energy and working out their aggression in a safe, controlled environment, they’re likely to be less disruptive in class. “After we leave, teachers have better results from the kids,” he says.

The two note that when Grand Traverse Community Enrichment first opened, the classes were only available online. That’s now changed. Franks says they have taught classes in Cadillac, Mancelona, and Suttons Bay. With the addition of a new community center, the two can not only travel for seminars, but also offer free programs to the youth in Traverse City year-round.

Since moving to their permanent facility at 2780 Cass Road in April, Grand Traverse Community Enrichment has partnered with the Grand Traverse Juvenile and Family Court system to provide training for at-risk youth. Korson notes that the organization now offers summer and after-school programs available to all youth throughout the region at no cost.

Learn more about the gym at significantstrikes.com and about Grand Traverse Community Enrichment at grandtraversecommunityenrichment.org.

Chris Franks (second from left) runs both Significant Strikes, an area boxing gym, and the nonprofit Grand Traverse Community Enrichment.

That Rule Doesn't Apply to Me

Police in Brighton, New Jersey, charged Zyair J. Dennis, 24, on Aug. 23 with one count of defiant trespassing after an incident on Aug. 18, the Cherry Hill Courier Post reported. Dennis, of Millville, New Jersey, was recorded at the Cohanzick Zoo taunting a tiger after climbing a barrier into the animal's enclosure. Police said she tried to "entice" one of the Bengal tigers through a second, inside fence. In the video, the tiger appeared to try to bite the woman's hand. Dennis was also caught on camera at the zoo's bear exhibit, demonstrating the same kind of behavior, said Bridgerton Police Chief Michael Gaimari.

Weird in the Wild

A bald eagle that was "rescued" near Wilson's Creek National Battlefield in Missouri because it couldn't seem to fly wasn't injured at all, Fox News reported on Aug. 25. Instead, wildlife officials at the Missouri Department of Conservation determined that it was "too fat to fly." "The bird was ... engorged with raccoon," officials said. X-rays taken at a nearby zoo showed a raccoon paw inside the eagle's distended stomach. The bird was released near where it was found.

Florida Tampa police responded to a call on Aug. 24 at the Rags to Riches Animal Rescue, WFTS-TV reported. Dominique Amerosa, one of the owners of the rescue, said she and her mother were doing a meet-and-greet with a potential owner for Bluey, a disabled pug, when they told the woman she wouldn't be a good fit because of her other dogs. First, the woman wouldn't give the dog back to the owners; then she retrieved a gun out of her car and pointed it at the back of Amerosa's head. "My lovely neighbor came out and saw her with my mom and then ran in her house to call 911," Amerosa said. "That is a very scary person," she said. Police said they are investigating and working with the state's attorney's office to "determine the most appropriate charges."

Unclear on the Concept

Rolando Ramos, the quarterbacks coach for the Cigarroa Toros football program in Laredo, Texas, was arrested on Aug. 19 after he called police to report that a prostitute had stolen money from him, the Laredo Morning Times reported. When Ramos tried to pay her, she allegedly grabbed $100 and ran away. Ramos, who is also a health and physical education teacher at Cigarroa High School, faced a $2,500 bond for soliciting prostitution and was released later that day. He was placed on administrative leave by the district.

SNAFU

The U.S. Navy has run out of pants, the New York Post reported on Aug. 21. The official "Navy Working Uniform," or NWU, camouflage trousers are out of stock because of "Defense Logistics Agency vendor issues," officials said. This particular uniform is allowed for wear on the job and out in public, but only

new recruits will get new pants until at least October. In the meantime, sailors will be allowed to wear coveralls off-base (so chic) or the "2-piece Organizational Clothing," which features flame-resistant tops and bottoms.

Bright Idea

A 9-year-old boy left his home in Brooklyn, New York, for school on Aug. 22 but never showed up, the Associated Press reported. His parents called police, who released a description of the missing child. When the New York CBS News helicopter arrived at the scene, they spotted the truant on the rooftop of his family's building. "We came across a person sitting in a chair over here on the rooftop. We zoomed in with the camera," said reporter Dan Rice. "It appeared to be the child that fit the description of the missing child." They alerted police and as the news helicopter watched, Rice said, "He just packs up his computer and his book bag and goes off with the police officers," who took the boy to his parents.

Questionable Judgment

Back in January, a 33-year-old man underwent emergency surgery at Graz University Hospital in Austria after a forestry accident, Sky News reported. It wasn't until July, however, that the patient learned the unnamed surgeon allowed his 13-year-old daughter to drill a hole in the patient's head. "There was no contact, no explanation or apology, nothing," said the patient's attorney, Peter Freiberger. "That is simply undignified." The operation was successful, but the patient is still recovering. The main surgeon and another specialist who was present during the operation were let go by the hospital. Investigations by the public prosecutor's office are underway.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

Riders on the Supergirl Sky Flight ride at Mexico City's Six Flags Mexico were stranded on Aug. 18 as heavy rain and winds caused the ride to shut down, United Press International reported. Those who were on the ride at the time dangled about 240 feet in the air for 10 minutes as they were buffeted by the weather. Six Flags Mexico said the storm caused several rides to cease operating for a few minutes, but no injuries were reported.

News That Sounds Like a Joke

The Hong Kong Education Bureau has produced a 70-page sex education manual for kids between 12 and 14 years old, The New York Times reported on Aug. 26. The booklet advises kids to avoid premarital sex and other "intimate behaviors" by participating in exercise and other pastimes, such as badminton, that "draw attention away from undesirable activities." The Education Bureau is undeterred by criticism and ridicule; it said the advice will help kids "cope with the various physiological and psychological consequences of premarital sex." Meanwhile, teenagers are incorporating it into their slang, with phrases such as "friends with badminton."

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Eight Extraordinary Athletes

These high school superstars are smashing records, taking trophies, and looking ahead to college competition

By Craig Manning

If you’ve kept tabs on local high school sports over the past few years, you’ve probably noticed a few trends. A lot of school records are getting broken, for one thing, some of them after having stood for decades. The area has also produced a whole slew of state championship winners lately, both in team and individual sports.

Who’s northern Michigan’s next big success story? We submit the following list of eight extraordinary high school athletes to watch over the course of the 2024-25 school year.

OLIVIA FLYNN

School: Harbor Springs High School

Sports: Basketball and Track

Graduation Year: 2025

Proudest accomplishment: Flynn is already the all-time leading scorer in the annals of Harbor Springs girls basketball, with 1,758 points to her name. She’s also proud to have netted first-team all-state Division 3 honors three seasons in a row.

Goal for the year: Flynn has an ambitious to-do list for the upcoming basketball season. Top goals include exceeding 2,000 career points, winning “as many regular season games as possible,” and securing conference, district, and regional titles for the Rams. “A far run in state tournament play” is also on the wish list.

Next steps: After garnering scholarship offers from a slew of schools, Flynn committed to Western Michigan University, where she’ll play basketball and major in business. Why we’re watching: Thanks to the phenomenally fun to watch Caitlin Clark, women’s basketball is more popular right now than it’s been in many years—maybe ever. In a lot of ways, Flynn is the Caitlin Clark of northern Michigan: a dynamite point guard who consistently puts up big scoring numbers, delivers deadly accuracy from the three-point line, and checks the “team player” box with a ton of assists. (In fact, Flynn also holds the record at Harbor Springs High for most all-time assists.)

Flynn has been incredible since her freshman year, hence her three straight all-state honors and the fact that she broke the previous Harbor Springs scoring record—1,641 career points, set in 2000 by Christa Shibata—in her junior season. But she’s also gotten better each year, jumping from impressive sophomore stats (25.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists) to near-best-in-state numbers as a junior (26.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game). If the trend continues—and we expect it will—Flynn will almost certainly cross the 2,000-point milestone, becoming just the 34th girls basketball player in MHSAA history to do so.

ABBY HICKS

School: Leland Public School Sports: Volleyball and Track Graduation year: 2025

Proudest accomplishment: Hicks points to her Division 4 all-state first-team honors, which she earned last season after a whizz-bang year that saw the Leland volleyball team make it all the way to the D4 state championship match.

Goal for the year: It’s nose to the grindstone time for Hicks, who says she’s working hard “to adapt and excel at new roles I need to play” to help the Comets pull off an even better volleyball season this fall.

Next steps: Hicks says she fully intends to continue her athletic career by playing volleyball in college. Where that will be is yet to be decided.

Why we’re watching: It’s the start of a new era for Leland volleyball, following the retirement of 29-year coach Laurie Glass at the end of last season. Hicks, who is one of just two returning seniors on the team, will be key in helping new coach Travis Baker start a new dynasty.

Then again, Hicks is key to pretty much everything that happens on the volleyball court when Leland plays. Throughout last season, the setter recorded 1,293 assists. In the state championship game alone, which Leland ultimately lost to Clarkston two sets to three, Hicks put up 45 assists, landing in MHSAA record books as one of the players with the most assists in a championship match.

While Hicks also delivered 100 aces last season, it’s her assist record that makes her Leland’s secret weapon. Working with a young squad this year—six of last year’s standouts graduated, and the 2024 team is mostly underclassmen—Hicks will try to use that skill to take the Comets back to the state finals.

OWEN JACKSON

School: Traverse City St. Francis

Sports: Tennis and Golf

Graduation year: 2025

Proudest accomplishment: “My biggest athletic accomplishment so far isn’t based off of wins or losses, but the growth I’ve achieved as a high school student throughout these last four years,” Jackson says. “Between the four state titles I’ve been a part of in two different varsity sports, I’ve accomplished so much as a person that I’m proud of— whether that’s helping a teammate or personally persevering through adversity.”

Goal for the year: Jackson plans to “leave everything out there” during his senior year, both academically and athletically. In the classroom, he’s shooting for a 4.0 GPA. In sports, he’s definitely interested in clinching another state title or two—especially if that means a team title for the tennis squad, which he says features five seniors in the lineup this year. “I’d love to be able to celebrate one last championship with this group of guys,” he says.

Next steps: “I plan to, God willing, play tennis at the next level,” Jackson says. “I have places I could go, without a doubt, but still haven’t made my mind up on where exactly I see myself in the future.”

Why we’re watching: Jackson is kind of the state championship king. On the tennis court, he clinched back-to-back Division 4 state titles, first at No. 3 singles, then at No. 2 singles, during his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Gladiators also won their first-ever team state championship in tennis in 2023, thanks in part to Jackson’s strong performance. On the golf course, meanwhile, Jackson shared in another team title this past spring when St. Francis won the Division 3 state championship.

While Jackson didn’t win another title during his junior tennis season, he came mighty close: After moving up to No. 1 singles, Jackson made it all the way to the state semifinals before losing to the eventual state champ. (He earned all-state first-team honors as a consolation prize.) Jackson enters his senior season with more than 100 career wins to his name, and we know he’d like a No. 1 singles title to go along with his wins at No. 2 and No. 3.

SETH MAREK

School: Petoskey High School

Sports: Football and Track

Graduation Year: 2025

Proudest accomplishment: For Marek, who plays as a wide receiver on the Petoskey football team, the crowning achievement of high school so far was helping the Northmen past the first round of playoffs for the first time in years. Well, that, and breaking every single receiving record in Petoskey football history.

Goal for the year: Having already made a fair amount of school history, Marek says his goal for the 2024 football season is making even more school history—whether that’s breaking a few more records or helping the team to an even deeper playoff run.

Next steps: Marek hasn’t yet decided what his post-high-school plans will look like.

Why we’re watching: Marek recently got some ink from Sports Illustrated in an article about the “top pass catchers” in Michigan high school football this year. All we can say is, the senior wide receiver has certainly earned the coverage.

Last season alone, Marek made 45 catches for 859 yards, 13 of them resulting in touchdowns. All of those numbers were new single-season receiving records for Petoskey’s football program. He also owns school records for longest touchdown reception (98 yards), career yards (1,294), career receptions (72), career touchdowns (17), single-game yards (209), single-game receptions (10), and single-game touchdowns (3).

Those numbers make it clear that Marek is a dynamic and talented athlete and a fun person to watch any time he’s on the field. But while the individual accomplishments are one thing, Marek makes it clear to the Express that he’s most focused on pushing for team accomplishments in 2024, and that’s what we’ll be watching for. Last year, the Northmen went 6-5, including a 26-7 win over Marquette in the first playoff round. If there’s anyone who can help Petoskey notch a few more playoff wins, it’s Marek.

Orth was a key cog in the Titans machine last season, helping the team to a tremendous 18-2-1 overall record and a fifth straight district title. West’s season ended in a nailbiter—a regional semifinal match against Rockford that went to double overtime before the Titans fell behind 2-1. Orth very nearly scored a gametying shot that would have kept the match going, and potentially West’s season with it. But the standout forward will be back for revenge this year, and we know he’d like to orchestrate a deeper playoff run—especially since 2023 marked the third straight season

Certainly, Orth is a good man to lead the charge. He was one of just three juniors to make the Division 1 all-state first team in 2023, and his full-season stats last year—28 goals and 14 assists—were impressive. He’s the latest in a long line of standout soccer players at West, which will go for a mind-boggling 17th consecutive Big North

AUBREY JONES

School: Gaylord High School

Sports: Softball and volleyball

Graduation year: 2025

Proudest accomplishment: While she’s won a lot of games, put up some incredible numbers, and been honored with a slew of “best player” awards and recognitions, Jones says her favorite accomplishment is a forwardlooking one: “It’s having the opportunity to pick my college of choice for my future softball career,” she tells the Express.

Goal for the year: Jones has already led Gaylord to two state titles in softball, so it’s no big surprise that her big goal for the forthcoming season is to make it a three-peat.

Next steps: “I plan to continue pursuing my sport after high school by playing for Oklahoma State University and chasing after a Women’s College World Series,” Jones says. Why we’re watching: Who doesn’t love a family dynasty in the sports world? For the past few years, Gaylord High School has had one in the form of the Jones sisters. The two— Aubrey and her older sister Jayden—made school history while playing together, leading the Blue Devils to two consecutive Division 2 state titles in volleyball in 2023 and 2024. It’s the first time Gaylord has won consecutive state championships in any sport, girls or boys, and it wouldn’t have happened without these sisters.

So far, the two have shared the glory. This past spring, for instance, Jayden was named “Miss Softball” in Michigan—the title bestowed upon the state’s best senior player—while Aubrey won Michigan player of the year honors from both Gatorade and MaxPreps. Both also finished the 2024 season ranked in the top 25 nationally for their respective college recruiting classes.

Now, though, with Jayden off to Virginia Tech for her first year of college, Aubrey is the only Jones left on the Blue Devils. She’s also one of the only members remaining from last season’s championship team, most of whom graduated along with her sister. It’ll be a different kind of season for Jones, but we’ve no doubt that she’ll make it another special one. After all, her 2024 stats put her at the top of the national leaderboard for both home runs (26) and RBIs (84), according to MaxPreps, and she’s also a terrific pitcher, striking out 122 batters last season.

performance. On the golf course, meanwhile, Jackson shared in another team title this past spring when St. Francis won the Division 3 state championship.

who plays as a wide receiver on the Petoskey high school so far was helping the Northmen past the first round of playoffs for the first time in years. Well, that, and breaking every single

Having already made a fair amount of school history, Marek says his goal for the 2024 football season is making breaking a few more records or helping the Marek hasn’t yet decided what Marek recently got in an article

AIDAN ORTH

School: Traverse City West Senior High Sports: Soccer Graduation year: 2025

Proudest accomplishment: “I would say that my greatest accomplishment so far is making the 2023-24 Olympic Development Program national camp, where I was able to travel to Costa Rica with kids from all over the country and compete against professional academy teams from Costa Rica,” Orth says.

Goal for the year: Each year, the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association names an 11-member dream team, which includes the best players from across the entire state, in any division. Orth hopes to see his name on that list when the 2024 version is announced in November.

Next steps: Orth plans to play soccer collegiately, but is still weighing his options on which school he wants to attend.

say is, the senior wide receiver has certainly

Those numbers make it clear that Marek is a dynamic and talented athlete and a fun person to watch any time he’s on the field. But while the individual accomplishments are Express that he’s most focused on pushing for team accomplishments in 2024, and that’s what we’ll be watching for. Last year, the Northmen went 6-5, including a 26-7 win over Marquette in the first playoff round. If there’s anyone who can help Petoskey notch a few more playoff wins, it’s Marek.

Why we’re watching: Orth was a key cog in the Titans machine last season, helping the team to a tremendous 18-2-1 overall record and a fifth straight district title. West’s season ended in a nailbiter—a regional semifinal match against Rockford that went to double overtime before the Titans fell behind 2-1. Orth very nearly scored a gametying shot that would have kept the match going, and potentially West’s season with it. But the standout forward will be back for revenge this year, and we know he’d like to orchestrate a deeper playoff run—especially since 2023 marked the third straight season where West’s playoff hopes ended in the regional semifinals.

MAX WARD

School: Elk Rapids High School

Sports: Cross-Country, Football, Basketball, Track & Field

Graduation Year: 2025

Proudest accomplishment: Of all his athletic endeavors, Ward is strongest on the track. He points to his junior track season, where he won a Division 3 state title in the 300-meter hurdles, as his proudest moment so far.

Goal for the year: “Next year in track and field, I want to try every event—even shot put,” Ward says.

Next steps: Though he hasn’t committed to a specific school yet, Ward tells Northern Express that he’s hoping to continue his running career “at a college that suits me best.”

Why we’re watching: Ward already has state pedigree, thanks to his championship title in the 300-meter hurdles. He’s one to watch nationally, too: This summer, he competed at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Track Town USA (Eugene, Oregon) finishing fifth in an “Emerging Elite Division” 400-meter hurdles race.

State and national hardware aside, the most exciting thing about Ward might be his renaissance man capabilities. At states, Ward also placed third in the 110-meter high hurdles and participated in a 4x400 relay team that netted Elk Rapids a thirdplace finish in that race. Beyond those three events, Ward has regularly competed in virtually every sprint or middle-distance event available in track—including the 100-meter dash, the 200 meters, the 400 meters, and the 800 meters—and has even tried his hand (and actually won a few meets) in the high jump.

With so many events in his repertoire, Ward is worth watching for the simple fact that you never know what he might do. His pledge to try all 17 events offered in high school track and field should be a fun journey to follow, especially as he gets into outof-his-comfort-zone contests like discus and shot put.

LORELAI ZIELINKSI

School: Traverse City Central High School

Sports: Basketball and Track & Field

Graduation year: 2027

Proudest accomplishment: Zielinski was a two-time runner-up at the Division 1 track and field state finals this past season. She’s proud of those strong finishes, and of being named “freshman of the year” in both track and basketball.

Goal for the year: Zielinski has her sights set on breaking Central’s shot put and discus records once track season rolls back around next spring.

Next steps: Unlike all the other athletes featured on this list, Zielinski still has a couple years before she needs to be nailing down post-high-school plans. She’s already thinking about them, though: “I plan to compete at the collegiate level in track and field, and I would like to compete in the 2028 and 2032 Olympic Trials,” she says.

Why we’re watching: Zielinski isn’t just the only sophomore on our list this year; she’s the only underclassman, period. But when you have a potential world-class phenom in your midst, you simply have to have them on your “athletes to watch” list, and Zielinski has so far shown herself to be precisely that kind of athlete.

In May, Zielinski threw 143 feet, 3 inches in the discus at Traverse City Central’s Ken Bell Invitational, a storied track meet that regularly draws tough competition from more than a dozen schools across the state. Zielinski’s throw not only netted the freshman a decisive win in the event, but also obliterated the previous meet record—134 feet, 7.5 inches—which had stood since 2007. Her toss was also just a couple feet shy of Central’s school record—145 feet, 4 inches—which Leah Doezema threw in the spring of 2021 to win a Division 1 state title.

At the Division 1 state finals this past spring, Zielinski was runner-up in both the discus and the shot put, finishing behind Allen Park’s Abigail Russell in both. For perspective, Russell ranked 7th in the nation in discus for the 2024 season, and 17th in shot put.

It’s not just wins that Zielinski is chasing, either. She was a shot put national champion in middle school, and in July, she threw 52 feet in the shot put at the AAU Junior Olympic Games to win the gold medal in the 14-year-old division. With Zielinski already eyeing a potential Olympic pathway, we can’t wait to see what comes next—this season, and beyond.

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new to the arena

Catching up with northern Michigan’s newest youth sports teams

By Kierstin Gunsberg

In a region where slick roads and snowladen mornings feel neverending (we’ll ignore last winter), the chance for high school girls to play a wintertime staple like ice hockey had been surprisingly out of reach—until now. Last year, parents and students from Mancelona, Cadillac, Elk Rapids, Kalkaska, Traverse City Central, Traverse City West, and St. Francis high schools came together to create Bay Reps Girls Varsity Hockey, northern lower Michigan’s first all-girls varsity hockey team.

As Stacey Feeley, a Bay Reps Girls board member, recalls, this team has been in the works for a while, starting with the female student athletes who voiced the need for the team. While northern Michigan’s male hockey players could play competitively straight through high school, the girls’ opportunities stalled when they outgrew playing with Traverse City North Stars at the youth level.

So, Feeley and the rest of Bay Reps Girls supporters got to work, spending the months leading up to their first season pushing through legalities and logistics—filling out paperwork, fundraising, and getting the word out within the community. Feeley notes that “more girls are interested” in the game now than ever before. Indeed, the NHL recently reported a rise in female hockey players, a sport traditionally dominated by the guys. Now, it’s the girls’ turn to take a shot.

One of those players, Taryn Beamish, is a junior at Traverse City Central who plays forward. She gave ice hockey a go in the first grade and has been hitting the ice ever since. So when the chance to join a varsity team came up last year, Beamish didn’t hesitate.

“Being able to represent my school with the sport I love sounded like a great way to bring girls’ high school hockey to northern Michigan,” she says.

Kate Classens, a senior who plays defense from St. Francis, found her inspiration closer to home. “My older brother played hockey, and I wanted to be just like him, so I started playing,” she shares. Joining the area’s first girls’ varsity team was something she couldn’t pass up either. “The idea of a girls’ high school team really piqued my interest,” Classens adds.

Season Two

Last year, the team was led by head coach Taylor Lundberg and assistant coach Erin O’Connor. Now, as the Bay Reps Girls gear up for their second season practicing at Traverse City’s Centre Ice Arena, O’Connor is stepping up as head coach. Though she might be new to the role, she’s no rookie when it comes to the game. Growing up, she also played varsity hockey before heading off to play for Cornell University. “I know exactly what it’s like to be in their shoes,” she says of preparing to lead the Bay Reps Girls. “I remember it like it was yesterday, and I just really look forward to helping them grow as players.”

Her game plan includes plenty of practice, where she’ll be focusing on guiding the players in skill development and honing their skating, stickhandling, and shooting techniques to prepare for their weekend games. Off-ice training, or “dry land” work, will also be on the agenda, with players sprinting and building explosiveness—all essential for stronger play on the ice.

“We’re also working on establishing our team culture and making sure everyone knows that the Bay Reps Girls are here to stay,” O’Connor says, adding that her team is now looking to add an assistant coach to fill her previous role. “We want to be a competitive team, and we’re in it for the long haul.”

While they’re sticking to their league games, they’re also sprinkling in some outof-league matchups to sharpen their skills

Bay Reps Girls prepares to hit the ice. Photo by Trisha Beamish

and keep the energy high.

“Last season, everybody in town was really, really excited about this,” says O’Connor, adding that the hype and excitement from their debut year has followed them into the next one. “We’re looking forward to building on the things that Coach Lambert had built last season,” she adds, reflecting on the foundation that led the team to Nationals last year in Westchester, Pennsylvania.

It was an experience that players Beamish and Classens describe as “lots of fun” but intense. “We played teams that were better than us, and we had a chance to prove ourselves,” recalls Classens.

The team’s growth isn’t limited to just on-ice skills; “Being so close with these girls on your team makes you become less of teammates and more like sisters,” says Beamish. “We will have arguments or disagreements, but at the end of the day, we are all here to get past our differences and work together. As a team, we have one goal in mind and are always looking forward to accomplishing that goal.”

Beamish thinks the team’s success and the ability to play at the varsity level will inspire even more girls to take up the sport. “I hope that this team will lead more girls into wanting to play and represent their high schools in hockey,” she says.

On the Court

While the girls finally have their own high school hockey team, northern Michigan’s volleyball community has their first boys indoor volleyball program, and it just got a big boost thanks to a recent decision by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) to officially sanction the sport.

That sanction opens the door for boys volleyball to join high school sports rosters, creating new opportunities for athletes across the state. Jordan Bates, program manager for the boys indoor volleyball division at NorthShore Volleyball, sees this as a gamechanger for the sport: “[We hope] it’s really

going to take off and become a bona fide competitive sport,” he says.

Formed just last year, NorthShore Volleyball’s boys indoor team started with meetups at YMCA South and The Children’s House.

“We always had a few boys playing in the beach program. Then, last year, we had enough asking for an indoor program that we kind of made it happen,” Bates explains. The team began with around eight to ten players, though participation fluctuated throughout the season.

One of those new indoor volleyball players, Josh Ansorge, has been playing volleyball for three years. “This [past] year we struggled with numbers on the team,” says Ansorge, a student at Traverse City West Middle School. “We had maybe four to six people show up for practice, so we worked hard to fill in for those extra numbers. We practiced twice a week...my overall goals are to be very coachable.”

Although competing with established high school sports like football and securing practice spaces has been tricky, especially with school gyms often fully booked for other sports, Bates is optimistic that the MHSAA’s recognition will help grow the team by attracting more players from local schools. Once they’ve beefed up their numbers, NorthShore’s indoor boys volleyball will be able to hit the road and participate in away games.

Until then, they’re working to spread the word to middle and high school athletes looking for what Ansorge calls a great opportunity to squeeze in some exercise during the winter months.

Plus, as Bates points out, indoor volleyball is a sport that’s accessible to players of all heights: “You don’t have to be six feet or sixfoot-five to play.”

Learn more about these new teams and see upcoming schedules at facebook. com/bayrepsgirlsvarsityhockey and northshorevb.com.

CATERING

The NorthShore boys indoor volleyball players are gearing up for their second season this winter.

anything is possible in frankfort

Seven local athletes gear up for Ironman 70.3 Michigan

By Ross Boissoneau

It draws participants from across the globe, but the Frankfort Ironman triathlon—Ironman 70.3 Michigan, officially—also draws heavily from here in northern lower Michigan.

Who are these brave souls who leap into the waters, cruise down the roads, and race along the trails? We asked seven local athletes to tell us about their plans, their favorite and least favorite events, and just why they challenge themselves in such an arduous fashion.

Doing Something Crazy

A brief primer: Ironman 70.3 Michigan takes place Sept. 15 in and around Frankfort. It is one of six Ironman competitions taking place that day, with others in England, Colombia, Japan, Germany, and Serbia. Heady company, but Frankfort has been recognized by participants as Best Bike globally and Top Ten Best Race overall, No. 1 in North America.

First of the three legs is the 1.2-mile loop swim in Betsie Bay. That’s followed by a 56-mile bike race starting and ending in downtown Frankfort, much of it on scenic M-22. The final event is a 13.1-mile run, comprised of two out-and-back loops on paved trails and roads between Frankfort and Elberta.

Hardly. For example, Ironman competitor Andrew Johnson is utilizing technology to help him prepare.

“I use a training plan, an app on my phone and watch, and my bike computer,” says the 51-year-old owner of Frankfort Insurance. This tech helps him determine when to go faster, when to slow down, and even monitors his sleep. “Like any arduous task, without training you’re setting yourself up for a lot more heartache than you need.”

Johnson first got involved with Ironman planning as a member of the FrankfortElberta Chamber of Commerce. That experience led him to jumping in himself.

“After a couple years in my hometown, I thought I should do it,” he says.

Though committing to a triathlon is a challenge, it’s not foreign territory for Johnson. He was a three-sport athlete at Frankfort High School, skied and played rugby in college, and was an avid cyclist. “The appeal is the challenge of doing something a lot of people don’t, that they think is crazy.”

Last year was his first time in the event, though he’s also done sprint triathlons and Olympic triathlons. Last year, he finished in five hours and 40 minutes. “This year my goal is to get near five hours,” he says.

Betsy Mas and Frederik Stieg-Nielsen are not only partners in their Frankfort law firm, they are married and are both participating in Ironman—again.

“It’s cool having it in your backyard,” says the 38-year-old Stig-Nielsen, who tells us he has always been into endurance sports. It’s something he comes by naturally, as his dad Soren is also a longtime sports enthusiast, though he won’t be participating this year due to family visiting from Denmark. “Dad always ran marathons growing up.”

Plus, there’s that other family connection. “Betsy signed up before I did. If she’s going to do it, I’ve got to,” he jokes.

“It’s a unique opportunity,” says Mas, who is in the same age bracket as her husband. “It’s my hometown. What are the chances of such a big race coming to Frankfort, Michigan? I’ve been a triathlete and runner the better part of my adult life.”

With two youngsters plus work, their training regimens aren’t quite so extensive as Johnson’s. “We squeeze it in when we can,” Mas says. Like biking to work or on trips to the beach, when they pack up their two kids and supplies in their cargo bike.

While Mas’ favorite leg is biking, StiegNielsen says he really enjoys open water swims, though he’s not fond of Betsie Bay.

“It’s not a swimmer’s paradise. It’s funky; there’s seaweed.”

While they’ve both done the Ironman previously, they took last year off. But watching others participate made them realize how much they missed it. “I felt left out, so I signed up again,” says Stieg-Nielsen.

“We took last year off and had FOMO,” adds Mass. And her goal this time around?

“To finish,” she says with a laugh.

First Time Out

This will be the first Ironman for Abbey Holcomb, 35, of Traverse City. She grew up immersed in athletics, as a state champion slalom ski racer for Traverse City West and a Junior Olympian. In college and afterwards she mostly put down the skis, opting for a work/home balance.

“I did a little coaching, but stepped away from athletics till the kids were older,” she says.

Eventually she decided to give a triathlon a go. “The draw is it’s outdoors in nature,” she says, where you can drink in the sights and sounds of woods and waters while pushing your body.

For her, the biggest challenge is simply putting it all together. “The trick is to last, never having put all three together. It’s a marathon.”

Nothing to it, right?

Training Together

Kyle Siemer of Traverse City has placed at the top of the local competitors in two Up North Ironmans, with a third just around the corner.

Well, and one other thing. “I never knew how to swim until last summer. My dad passed away the year prior, and he was a very accomplished swimmer.”

Holcomb says she’s gotten a lot of support from her triathlon group. Her training regimen includes bike rides twice a week, swimming and strength training two other days, and an hour run one day a week, plus longer distance bike rides followed by fun Saturdays and Sundays, with one day of rest. “I’ve made a lot of progress on the bike, and I’ve always loved to run.”

And despite coming late to the party, “Swimming is my favorite. Just don’t look at my time.”

A New Adventure

Margie Knutsen of Traverse City is, like Holcomb, participating for the first time, and at 39 is in the same age bracket. Though she’s done several running races, this is her first triathlon. “So it will be an adventure,” she says.

While she spent summers in Frankfort and her parents now live there, it was a girlfriend in Ohio who piqued her interest in triathlons. “She invited me [to sign up] and I got into it,” she says, noting the effort is a combination of “blind faith and crazy.”

How so? “I had a Y membership and running shoes. I had no road bike or

swimming gear,” Knutsen says. So she joined a triathlon club and got a coach who uploads training info to a shared app. She’s done several trial combos—swimming and biking, biking and running—to get a feel for what it will be like.

Though she says she’s most comfortable with running, given that it is the last leg, she has concerns. “That will be the one thing I’m most nervous about … if I have enough energy to [hit] the finish line.”

On the flip side, “I’ve enjoyed picking up biking as a hobby,” she says. As for the swim, “I’m just hoping not to sink.”

That minor worry aside, Knutsen is looking forward to the race. “Crossing the finish line will be really, really satisfying. I’ve already made new friends, gotten outside to run and bike.” And as a bonus: “I’ve seen more sunrises this year.”

Out of the Comfort Zone

Christie Overgaard recently relocated to Arcadia from Ann Arbor, where she’d lived for 25 years, though her family has had a place in the area for a half-century. This will be her first triathlon, and comes two years after hip replacement.

“I’m an avid runner who thought I’d tackle this, stepping way out of my comfort zone,” she says. She’s participating in memory of two triathlete friends who passed away

this summer.

A homecare physical therapist who travels throughout the region, Overgaard says that at 52 it’s a challenge to work, travel, and train. She says she found a book and has friends who have participated previously who she’s turned to for advice a (contingent of them from Ann Arbor will be participating).

“My goal is to finish within the time limit,” she says.

As one might expect, the running is the easy part for her, while she sees the swim as her most challenging part. Though she grew up in Frankfort, “I’ve never set foot in Betsie Bay. I’m just really slow, but I can do it,” she says.

Back for More

Kyle Siemer is a veteran of the sport, which he attributes in part to his father’s and uncle’s longtime interest in the Tour de France. As a hockey player in his earlier years, he was looking for another way to keep in shape, so he opted to try a triathlon in Brighton.

He discovered endurance sports were altogether different. “I thought I was an athlete. I got my butt kicked,” he says.

Siemer kept on trying, getting his own bike rather than using his dad’s. While in grad school in Ohio, he got a coach and entered a number of races. “It was super fun

going to races with my dad,” he says.

Things have changed over the years. Siemer got married, and his wife, Morgan, was into biking, “So she’s put up with this,” he jokes.

They have two children, so training takes a back seat to family life. “Now with a fiveand two-year-old and a job, I get it in when I can. I work from home, so I can take a short run during the day, and on the weekend we take turns with longer ones [rides or runs]. Where I’m at now, it’s more about a healthy lifestyle.”

To be fair, Siemer’s “healthy lifestyle” looks a lot more impressive than most. He did the Ironman in 2019 (the first year it came Up North when it was in Traverse City) and finished in 41st place with a time of 4:34:26. In 2021, he competed in the Frankfort version, finishing at No. 13 and shaving off nearly eight minutes for a time of 4:26:50.

There is one thing that can give him and the other racers pause. “The weather in September can be nice or hot—or freezing cold, windy, and raining.”

Siemer says the Frankfort course is challenging but pretty fast as it is relatively flat. But best of all is the way the community comes out to cheer on the racers. “The community is … welcoming. It’s a really great, well-organized event.”

Andrew Johnson clocks thousands of miles on his bike when training for various races.

Betsy Mas and Frederik Stieg-Nielsen pose with Stieg-Nielsen's father, Soren, after the 2022 Ironman.

Abbey Holcomb participated in the Michigan Titanium, her first triathlon, in Grand Rapids last year.

Pickleball by the Numbers

Players, courts, and gear sales all rising in northern Michigan

By Ellen Miller

Whether you play, know a dinking buddy, or have just heard the distinctive pop-swoosh of a pickleball paddle connecting with a ball, you know: pickleball is the hottest sport of the moment. While pickleball has been around Traverse City since 1985, it has exploded in popularity in the last five years as more and more folks pick up a paddle for the first time.

The New National Pastime

Pickleball took off in popularity during the pandemic. But it got its start much earlier, in 1965, when congressman Joel Pritchard, businessman Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum crafted rules for the sport. Pritchard and Bell had returned from a trip to bored families and created a new game with the tools they had on hand: an abandoned badminton court, ping-pong paddles, and a perforated plastic ball.

By 1990, pickleball was being played in all 50 states. In 2005, 40 years after its creation, the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was established. As of January 2024, USAPA had 78,766 members.

As the sport’s governing body, USAPA sanctioned 195 tournaments in 2023, including the 2023 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championship, which hosted 3,500 registered players and 50,000 attendees, plus the over 2.6 million TV viewers on ESPN, Tennis Channel, and PickleballTV. By the end of 2023, 11,864 courts were available across the country for

avid pickleball fans according to USAPA. Michigan currently ranks eighth in the nation in terms of pickleball places to play, and sixth in terms of courts overall, with 1,625 courts across the state.

Pickleball in Traverse City

Here in Traverse City, the sport arrived in 1985, when a group of members from Grand Traverse Yacht Club spotted the game being played at Torch Lake and convinced the club to build a dedicated pickleball court.

For a long time, though, pickleball was an underground sport, played in parking lots, gyms…anywhere players could find space. It wasn’t until 2014 that the Traverse Area Pickleball Association (TAPA) was founded.

Ten years later, TAPA now boasts 165 paid members, up from only 70 or so members two years ago. Membership in TAPA costs $25 for the year, and co-presidents Matt Haberichter and Justin Ronayne, who joined the leadership team last year, have a goal of reaching 200 members.

In addition to TAPA’s official members, their Facebook group reaches an even larger audience of 1,400 players, and an app that coordinates play downtown has 400 members.

Like the USAPA, TAPA is investing in bringing people to the sport and creating competition opportunities for local players. Last year they hosted two small indoor tournaments, but this summer, they partnered with the National Cherry Festival to run the festival’s pickleball tournament.

TAPA’s tentpole event is the Great Lakes Open—2024 marked the 12th annual tournament—and in the past two years, 165 players have competed.

TAPA also hosted a free 1.5-hour youth clinic this summer with about 30 youth participants. This is no longer an “old guy” sport—at one point during TAPA’s winter tournament, a 13-year-old was playing with a 30-something-year-old family friend against a 50-year-old woman and a 75-yearold mom.

“The biggest thing about pickleball is its accessibility. You can take somebody off the street with a little athletic ability and within a half hour, you are playing and having fun,” says Ronayne. “You can be average and have the time of your life. You can get people having a good time and exercising fairly quickly.”

Because pickleball is a relatively easy sport to jump into, it creates a sense of community that aligns with Traverse City’s small-town spirit. Ronayne says he’s lived in the area 15 years and “had a good network of people through hockey, my wife, Interlochen,” but that pickleball connected him to the community in a whole new way.

“I have met so many amazing people from all walks of life in the community. I’ve gone from a 1.5 degree of separation in TC to 1 degree,” he jokes.

Looking the Part

With the rise in the sport’s popularity, new businesses built around pickleball have popped up across the country—and even

here in northern Michigan. The clothes may look and feel a lot like tennis gear, but the paddles, balls, and nets (and optional safety glasses) are unique to the sport.

“You definitely want to have your own equipment: a paddle, good shoes. Everyone should have balls on them. You don’t want to be the person that shows up with no balls!” emphasizes Dane Fosgard, the owner of TC Tennis & Pickleball.

Fosgard has seen firsthand the jump in demand for pickleball products. When TC Tennis & Pickleball opened in June of 2021, they only carried a few pickleball paddles in their first year. In fact, the business was originally called TC Tennis Racquet Service & Equipment and changed its name to include pickleball in February 2024.

Fittingly, pickleball has grown from being 5 percent of the store’s business to 40 percent.

“A lot of people think pickleball is taking over, but I think it’s a good thing for everyone. It helps bring community members together, socialize, and it’s great for our local economy,” says Fosgard. He stocks everything players need at TC Tennis & Pickleball, from paddles to shoes. (Pro tip: While new players might think that they can jump onto the court with just a paddle, Fosgard advises getting court-specific shoes that will provide lateral support, something that standard running shoes lack.)

Fosgard estimates the store has sold 75100 paddles this summer, when, like many

Nearly 200 players signed up for the National Cherry Festival Pickleball Tournament this summer.

Join us

City Opera House, Tr A Night of Hope, Recovery, Ar

Food from S2S Sugar to Salt Audacia Elixirs, The Cooks’ House, Chubby Unicorn and Bubbie’s Bagels Art from Th Dennos Museum, Katherine Corden Art, Glenn Wolff Studio and more

TICKETS ONLY $50! GET bit.ly/atsartofrec

Saturday

TC TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: SILVER OAK JUMPER TOURNAMENT: Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. Runs Sept. 4-8. Culminates in the $120,000 Agero 3* Grand Prix on Sept. 8. traversecityhorseshows.com

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

SPARE KEY WINE RUN 5K: 9am, Spare Key Winery, Charlevoix. Enjoy the amazing scenery & landscape of Spare Key Winery. runsignup.com/Race/MI/Charlevoix/ SpareKeyWineRun5k

TC MUSIC BOOSTER USED INSTRUMENT SALE: TC West Middle School. If you have an instrument to sell, drop it off between 9-11am. Appraisers will be available to help determine the value of your instrument. Return between 2-3pm to pick up your check or unsold instrument. TC Music Boosters keeps 15% of all sales to fund student scholarships & music classroom minigrants. If you would like to buy an instrument, shop from noon-2pm. TCAPS music teachers & students can help you select the perfect instrument. 933-6984. Free. traversecitymusicboosters.com

A CELEBRATION OF DEMOCRACY: Noon-4pm, F&M Park, TC. Enjoy this festival filled with opportunities to connect with local organizations & elected leaders dedicated to making Grand Traverse & Leelanau counties even better places to live. Hear speakers including State Representatives John Roth & Betsy Coffia, Leelanau County Clerk Michelle Crocker, & Christina Schlitt of League of Women Voters of Grand Traverse Area. Connect with local nonprofits focused on clean water, housing, mental health, community development, & more. Enjoy live music, a kids treasure hunt, pose with Uncle Sam, & vote for your favorite Moomer’s ice cream. Sponsored by Traverse and Leelanau Indivisible, Equality Michigan, Addiction Treatment Services, & the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. Free. traverseindivisible.org

BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Bob Otwell will sign his book “The Real Two Hearted: Life, Love, and Lore Along Michigan’s Most Iconic River.” horizonbooks.com/event/bob-otwell-book-signing ----------------------

VOLUNTEER DAYS AT OTP: Old Town Playhouse, TC. Go to Old Town Playhouse’s Volunteer Days’ open house on Sept. 6, 6-7:30pm or Sept. 7, 1-2:30pm to find out how you can be involved in theatre: Onstage, backstage, or in the house! Specialists will be available to answer questions & help you find your place. Free. oldtownplayhouse.com/ news/news/volunteer-days-at-otp.html

5 YEAR PARTY: 6pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Celebrate 5 years in the new building. Bring a picnic, & enjoy a complimentary cherry sundae & music by Barbara Jordan. Decorate a wood bookmark.

BLUEGRASS BY THE BAY: 7:30pm, Petoskey & Bay Harbor. Today includes Bluegrass Jam in the Park (Pennsylvania Park) at 7:30pm, & An Evening with the Del McCoury Band at Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor at 7:30pm. Del McCoury Band: $47-$92. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/del-mccoury

COPLAND: CLARINET CONCERTO & HOEDOWN: 7:30pm, Bay View, John M. Hall Auditorium, Petoskey. Presented by the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra. Musical echoes of an American summer. Featuring Jeanmarie Riccobono, clarinet. $35$65. glcorchestra.org

Sunday

BLUEBERRY PANCAKE BREAKFAST: 8am-noon, Rainbow of Hope Farm, Kingsley. Donation. rainbowofhopefarm.weebly.com

TC TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: SILVER OAK JUMPER TOURNAMENT: (See Sat., Sept. 7)

SECOND SUNDAYS ART PROJECT AT THE DMC: 1pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Take part in a vibrant participatory artistic experience every second Sunday of the month. From flower arranging & printmaking to painting & weaving, each session offers a unique & creative activity. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/second-sundaysat-dmc-tickets-179984

THE SENSATIONAL BARNES BROTHERS: 3pm, City Opera House, TC. Enjoy this blend of old & new & a gem in the gospel/soul scene. They are featured on vocalist Don Bryant’s Grammy-nominated album “Don’t Give Up on Love,” & have also recorded with the lead singer of The Black Keys, Dan Auerbach. Their new album of all originals will be released in fall 2024. $20-$35. cityoperahouse.org/node/582

ANNE-MARIE OOMEN RECEPTION: 4pm, Township Hall, Empire. This gathering will honor Empire’s own Anne-Marie Oomen, recipient of the 2023 Michigan Author Award from the Library of Michigan. Festivities will include live music by Lisa & Ingemar Johansson of Song of the Lakes, along with readings by Anne-Marie & others. Free. glenlakelibrary.net/events

BRENTANO STRING QUARTET: 4pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. This acclaimed classical music ensemble was formed in 1992 & quickly gained recognition for its rich sound, technical precision, & profound interpretations of both standard & contemporary repertoire. $32-$62. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/ brentano-quartet

monday

G.T. HUMANISTS MEETING: ON THE GROUND: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Join the Grand Traverse Humanists as they welcome Stella Young for a presentation about On the Ground Global, the charitable arm of TC’s Higher Grounds Coffee. Free. gthumanists.org

MONDAY NIGHT MOVIE: 7:30pm, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. Featuring “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” - 2011. Free.

tuesday

WELCOME TO PRESCHOOL STORY TIME: 10:30am, Suttons BayBingham District Library, lower-level Community Room. Join Ms. Martha for the first Story Time of the school year. Meet your fellow preschool families & engage in stories, songs & active fun. Free. sbbdl.org

Help release “Gimiwan,” the Watershed Discovery Center’s resident lake sturgeon, alongside hundreds of other juvenile sturgeon raised at LTBB’s Fisheries Enhancement Facility during the Nmé (Sturgeon) Celebration on Sat., Sept. 14 at Lumberman’s Village Park in Wolverine from noon-2pm. The release will be followed by a community BBQ. watershedcouncil.org/ event/nme-celebration/

NORTHPORT WOMEN’S CLUB MEETING: 1pm, Strongheart Center, Peshawbestown. Call Jacquie Johnson @ 231-4320771 or Marcia DeBoer @ 734-546-9955 for info. Free.

PARKINSON’S NETWORK NORTH DAYTIME SUPPORT GROUP: 1pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. For all persons with Parkinson’s & their care partners. Kaitlin Malaski, director of Mind Set Physical Therapy, will offer tips for using movement to improve physical strength, & reduce pain & dizziness. Free. ParkinsonsNetworkNorth.org

LOCAL LORE: 2-3pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Peninsula native Tim Carroll answers history enquiries in the Local History Room. 231-223-7700.

TECH TUESDAY: MICHIGAN ELIBRARY RESOURCES: 2pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower-level Community Room. The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) offers two major resources to Michigan library cardholders: state-wide interlibrary loan & a range of digital databases. Learn how to access & make the most of these free resources with your Suttons Bay Bingham District Library card. Bring your library card & your questions. Also bring your phone, tablet, or laptop in case you want to follow along & try MeL out for yourself. Free. sbbdl.org

TCNEWTECH PITCH COMPETITION:

4:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Michigan startups showcase their innovative business ideas. A panel of expert judges will review each startup, determine the best & most innovative idea, & audience members will also vote for their favorite. Free; reserve your spot. cityoperahouse.org/node/619

MACKINAW CITY BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5:30-7:30pm, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse, Mackinaw City. Includes appetizers, nonalcoholic beverages, & 2 beer/ wine tickets. Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse & the Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Museum will be open for touring. RSVP:

kelly@mackinawchamber.com. $5 members; $10 not-yet members.

---------------------CANNING EDUCATION WITH MSU EXTENSION: 6-7pm, Bellaire Public Library. Learn how to preserve your food so you can enjoy it safely all year long. Free.

GRAND TRAVERSE KENNEL CLUB MEETING: 7pm, Incredible Mo’s, Grawn. Dr. Barry L Foster, DVM will speak on Urgent Care. Public is welcome. Free. Grandtraversekennelclub.com

wednesday

TC TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg, Sept. 11-15. The penultimate week leads up to the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ of Traverse City CSI5*-W on Sept. 15. The week’s grand prix is a qualifier for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Basel, Switzerland, in April 2025. traversecityhorseshows.com

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3 SISTERS - INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURE: 3pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. William Derouin & Tera John of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians will discuss Indigenous agricultural practices. Tera will discuss the importance of the Three Sisters corn, beans & squash & how they relate to Native beliefs, women & family relationships. William will speak about the current Agriculture & Food Sovereignty work at the tribal headquarters at Peshawbestown. Free. glenlakelibrary. net/events ----------------------

WRITE ON!: 3:30pm, Petoskey District Library. Tweens: Fuel your creativity with weird & wild writing prompts. This isn’t a class, but will be fun with words. Free. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/write-115

SELF CARE & MOVEMENT WORKSHOP: 6:30pm, Traverse Area District Li-

brary, McGuire Community Room, TC. Led by Brian Truskowski, who will guide you on a journey from head to toe, to help create freedom & ease in your body, while you learn more about yourself, & how you can be more caring & supportive in a mindful & self-empowering way. Bring a yoga mat. Free. tadl.org/selfcare ----------------------

THE BERGAMOT PRESENTS “STATE OF THE UNITY”: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. The Brooklyn-based band The Bergamot went on a quest to all 50 states to unite people with music, community & collaboration. VIP’s are invited to join The Bergamot pre-show for a reception in the City Opera House’s Bohemian Social Club with small bites & an additional live acoustic performance. $20-$50. cityoperahouse.org/ node/611

thursday

TC TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: (See Weds., Sept. 11)

FREE DIAPER DISTRIBUTION: 10am-4pm, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, TC. Sponsored by Priority Health. For Grand Traverse area families.

SUMMINARS: 10am, Leland Township Public Library, Munnecke Room, Leland. “Farming in a Uncertain Climate” with Dr. Nikki Rothwell, horticulturist. lelandlibrary. org/summinars ----------------------

GRAND TRAVERSE MUSICALE PRESENTS BAROQUE MUSIC: 1pm, First Congregational Church, TC. The No Excuses String Ensemble plays Corelli & Vivaldi with Cheryl Knight, harpsichord. Featuring Carolyn Collins & Kim Gribi, violin & their string playing friends. Free. gtmusicale.org

BOOKENDS BOOK DISCUSSION

GROUP: 2pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, lower-level Community Room. Meets 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. September’s selection is “The Lemon Tree” by Sandy Tolan. Free. sbbdl.org

END OF LIFE DISCUSSION SERIES: 2pm, Leelanau Township Library, Northport. Join a discussion about Hospice Care. Learn about its beginnings & its purpose in modern medicine. Free. leelanautownshiplibrary.org/ news-events/lib-cal/intro-to-hospice-care

PADDLE ANTRIM FESTIVAL: 5:307:30pm, Ellsworth River Park. Tonight includes Paddle Check-in, boat drop off, boat wash station, & Kick-off Party. paddleantrim.com/festival

“FRANKFORT ROTARY: 100 YEARS”: 6pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Presented by Jay Peregrine & Tim Foster. This presentation is part of the Benzie Area Historical Society’s Benzonia Academy Lecture Series. Hear some of the stories that have been dug up about the noble deeds of Frankfort Rotarians over the last 100 years. Recommended donation: $5. benziemuseum.org

DEMYSTIFYING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: 7pm, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library, Reading Nook. Learn about the history, cutting edge developments, & future issues/impact of Artificial Intelligence with Dr. Kurt Lauckner. Free. sbbdl.org

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SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 7pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Bring a picnic & listen to the sounds of the good old songs with Gary Brandt & Jackie Davidson.

“PRIVATE LIVES”: 7:30pm, Glen Lake Community Reformed Church, Glen Arbor. Presented by The Glen Arbor Players. Enjoy Noel Coward’s “Private Lives,” a 1930 comedy of manners in three acts. Suggested $10 minimum donation.

friday

TC TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: (See Weds., Sept. 11)

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PADDLE ANTRIM FESTIVAL: Ellsworth River Park. Today includes Paddler Check-in, safety brief, launch, lunch, Block Party at Short’s Beer Garden, & more. paddleantrim.com/festival

PERCH LAKE ADDITION HIKE: 10amnoon, 3004 Darke Rd., Kalkaska. Explore the proposed Excelsior Perch Lake addition to Upper Manistee Headwaters: The Milock Family Nature Preserve. You’ll experience the natural habitat for the hundreds of plant & animal species that call this place home, including a view of Perch Lake & the surrounding wetlands, while learning about the Conservancy’s effort to add this 342-acre parcel to the preserve. 929-7911 or info@gtrlc.org. Free. gtrlc.org/recreation-events/events

RED DRESSER BARN MARKET - A VINTAGE & MAKERS EVENT: Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds, TC. Featuring over 100 vintage vendors & local makers. You will find vintage furniture, home decor, architectural salvage, farm-to-table treats, re-purposed finds, handmade specialties, apparel, accessories, & more. Sept. 13, 4-8pm: First Picks Event & 2 Day Pass$10/person. This ticket is good for Fri. AND Sat. Sept. 14: 9am-4pm. GA - $5/person. $10 First Picks Ticket. thereddressertc.com

GRAND TRAVERSE BAY YMCA CLASSICS UNDER THE LIGHTS CAR SHOW: 6pm, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. See polished chrome gleaming beneath the Turtle Creek Stadium lights at the annual car show fundraiser to benefit the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA. Enjoy dinner & drinks from the ballpark concessions, try your luck at buying the winning ticket for the 50/50 raffle, browse event merchandise, & put in your bids for the items in the silent auction donated by local businesses & community partners. There will also be live music atop the dugout. $20/car; free to attend. gtbayymca.org/classics-under-lights

AN EVENING WITH MICHIGAN POET

LAUREATE NANDI COMER: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Nandi is the first Poet Laureate of Michigan in 65 years, & the author of American Family: A Syndrome and Tapping Out. The evening will begin with two readings from a local high school & NMC student, followed by a presentation by Comer. Limited seating. Please register for a free ticket online in advance. simpletix.com/e/an-evening-withmichigan-poet-laureate-nan-tickets-179228

C.S. LEWIS FESTIVAL: A key event today is: Manthei Speaker Series Presents an On-Stage Conversation with Sarah Arthur, Sophfronia Scott, & Léna Roy at 7pm at Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. cslewisfestival.org

CLAYBOURNE ELDER: GILDED AGE: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Broadway’s hunky gay ex-Morman dad Claybourne Elder brings his sold-out touring show in a hilarious, heartfelt & somewhat naughty evening. He currently plays John Adams on HBO’s hit series “The Gilded Age.” $20$55. cityoperahouse.org/node/572

TC SACRED DRUM CIRCLE: 7pm, The House of Bear, 4242 Cty. Rd. 633, Grawn.

A childhood bike ride through 70’s sun-kissed California meets strawberries and prosecco with Getz and Gilberto. Get ready to have your heart broken.

sharing a passion for compelling and diverse chamber music

Nancy Stagnitta—flute Dane Philipsen—oboe Bryan Conger—clarinet Ya-Ju Chuang—piano Joined by: Lauren Murphy—bassoon Corbin Wagner—horn

TICKETS FOR ALL SHOWS HERE

Held the 2nd Fri. of the months (through

Church, TC. Enjoy fun, fellowship, a raffle, silent auction, kids games, local wine tasting & more. Free admission. facebook.com/ StJosephChurchOMP

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NMÉ (STURGEON) CELEBRATION: Noon2pm, Lumberman’s Village Park, Wolverine. Presented by the Watershed Council & the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (LTBB) Fisheries Enhancement Facility. “Gimiwan,” the Watershed Discovery Center’s resident lake sturgeon, will be released into the Sturgeon River alongside hundreds of other juvenile sturgeon raised at LTBB’s Fisheries Enhancement Facility. Learn about ongoing conservation efforts, get hands-on with a sturgeon touch tank, & help release juvenile sturgeon into the river. The release is followed by a community BBQ. Free.

Beards Brewery at 6pm. cslewisfestival. org/festival-schedule

GREAT LAKES STRONGEST MAN & 9am, Turtle Creek Stadium, TC. This event will qualify podium finishers for ed States Strongman Nationals 2025. Men’s & Women’s Pro Classes will also be competing, as well as a CrossFit sanctioned event that hosts teams of 3 competitors: Great Lakes Fittest. $10. ironpodium.com/ browse/event/great-lakes-strongest-mangreat-lakes-strongest-pro-great-lakes-fittest

RED DRESSER BARN MARKET - A VINTAGE & MAKERS EVENT: (See Fri., Sept. 13)

FREE FAMILY DROP-IN: 10am-noon, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cornwell Gallery, TC. This month’s theme: Cardboard Construction, Portraits & Bags! crookedtree. org/class/ctac-traverse-city/free-familydrop-art-sep-14

GELLI PRINTING CLASS: 10am-noon, Interlochen Public Library. All ages are welcome to participate in this class with Amber Coulter. Pre-register: 231-276-6767. Free.

PCL ANNUAL ART SALE: 10am-3pm, Peninsula Community Library, TC. Featuring local art work including block printing, silver art jewelry, woodworking, photography, fiber art, beach glass & much more.

SATURDAY BOOK SHOWDOWN: 10am, Petoskey District Library. It’s a battle of two books! Two books will be read & only kids can decide who wins! A new twist on story time with a voting component. For ages 3-7. Free. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/ saturday-book-showdown-1004

4TH ANNUAL ST. JOSEPH FALL FESTIVAL: 11am-4pm, St. Joseph Catholic

ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIAL: 1pm, East Bay Branch Library, TC. Enjoy free ice cream, live music with Jesse Jefferson, face painting by The Painted Lady, a used book sale, & more. Free. tadl.org/event/ annual-ice-cream-social-16590

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BRAVER ANGELS DEPOLARIZING WITHIN WORKSHOP: 1pm, Kensington Church, TC. Discover how to be more aware of your own inner polarizations; learn how to be critical without demonizing, dismissing, or stereotyping; understand how to handle political & social conversations with peers when these conversations turn to contempt or ridicule for people with different views. Free. braverangels.org/event/ depolarizing-within-in-person-69

COFFEE WITH THE AUTHORS: TERESA SCALLON: 1pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. TC poet & teacher Teresa Scallon talks about “To Embroider The Ground With Prayer,” a collection of poems considering her father’s illness, death, & the Michigan farming community in which she was raised. Sarah Bearup-Neal, GAAC gallery manager, leads the conversation. Free. glenarborart.org/events/coffee-with-the-authors-teresa-scallon

MEET THE AUTHORS: 4-6pm, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey. Enjoy an in-store meet & greet with authors Sarah Arthur, Sophfronia Scott, Charlotte Jones Voiklis, & Lena Roy. They will sign copies of their books. Free. mcleanandeakin.com

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ROLLER DERBY - STRD VS. AARD: 4pm, Kaliseum Recreation Complex, Kalkaska. Two fast paced, full contact roller derby games. Concessions & beer available. $10 per ticket; 12 & under free. m.facebook. com/events/864267862125584/?ref_ source=SEARCH

CHILI SUPPER & BARN DANCE: Samels Farm, Williamsburg. Doors open at 5pm. Dancing begins at 6:30pm, led by the band Hammer D. $5/$10. samelsfarm.org

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ADDICTION TREATMENT SERVICESART OF RECOVERY: 5:30pm, City Opera House, TC. All will enjoy the silent art auction, mocktails, charcuterie, hearing from recovery speakers & live entertainment. The $50 ticket option will include dinner & secure a spot at a table on the main floor of City Opera House. The $25 seat option features auditorium-style seating in the balcony of City Opera House & does NOT include dinner. cityoperahouse.org/node/610

PLAY IT FORWARD VIP PASS: 5:3010pm, Lavender Hill Farm, Boyne City. CTAC’s annual fundraising concert event with Lavender Hill Farm; all proceeds benefit CTAC. 5:30pm: Food & drink for VIP guests. 6pm: Local ground outdoor performance with Kelly Shively & Melissa Welke. 7:30pm: The Series headlining guests: Nathan & Jessie. VIP guests can also meet with this duo.

Kevin Barton’s “Sunday at Lavender” at the silent auction. $100. crookedtree.org/event/ ctac-petoskey/play-it-forward-vip-pass

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NHL PROSPECT GAMES: 6pm, Centre ICE Arena, TC. The Red Wings will host the Dallas Stars. $25. nhl.com/redwings/news/ nhl-prospect-games-and-red-wings-trainingcamp-return-to-traverse-city-in-september

“PRIVATE LIVES”: (See Thurs., Sept. 12)

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RHUBARBARY HOUSE CONCERT:

DON JULIN TRIO: 7:30pm, The Rhubarbary, Five Mile Creek Rd., north of Harbor Springs. Bring a treat to pass & libations of your choice, along with a folding chair. Donation, $20. dalescottmusic.com

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-september-14-9-14-2024

sunday

IRONMAN 70.3 MICHIGAN: SOLD OUT: 7:45am, Downtown Frankfort. Includes a 1.2 mile swim in the Frankfort Harbor, a 56 mile bike ride on sections of M-22 highway, & a 13.1 mile run in Frankfort & surrounding areas. ironman.com/im703-michigan-register ----------------------

TC TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: (See Weds., Sept. 11)

C.S. LEWIS FESTIVAL: Petoskey. A key event today includes: Guest Speaker Sermons by Sarah Arthur (First Presbyterian Church of Petoskey) & Sophfronia Scott (Emmanuel Episcopal Church). cslewisfestival.org/festival-schedule

STRINGS IN THE SKY: DIXON’S VIOLIN: 1-3pm, Boyne Mountain Resort, SkyBridge Michigan, Disciples Overlook, Boyne Falls. Walk the bridge for breathtaking views & great music! Bring a blanket or lawn chair. boynemountain.com/upcoming-events/ strings-in-the-sky ----------------------

TC PORCHFEST: 1-5pm, Central Neighborhood, TC. The Central Neighborhood Association is hosting the 6th Annual PorchFest. The event showcases local musicians on multiple front porches throughout the afternoon. Free. tcporchfest.org

WORLD CUP SHOW JUMPING QUALIFIER AT TRAVERSE CITY HORSE SHOWS: 2pm, Flintfields Horse Park, Williamsburg. $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM CSI5*- W Grand Prix of Traverse City. There will also be food vendors, shopping opportunities, & entertainment for the whole family including face painting & music by Josh Davis. Gates open at 8am; Grand Prix activity begins at noon. TCHS will be donating 100% of general admission ticket revenue to The Crooked Tree Arts Center. From $15. eventbrite.com/e/340000-longines-fei-jumping-world-cuptm-csi5-w-grand-prix-tickets884369341507?aff=odcleoeventsincollection

NHL PROSPECT GAMES: 2:30pm, Centre ICE Arena, TC. The Red Wings will host the Dallas Stars. $25. nhl.com/redwings/ news/nhl-prospect-games-and-red-wingstraining-camp-return-to-traverse-city-inseptember ----------------------

“LAKE LEELANAU, SPIRIT OF THE LAKE” DOCUMENTARY SHOWING: 4:30pm, The Bay Theatre, Suttons Bay. Introduction by staff, documentary that runs 23 minutes, followed by a Q&A. Produced by the Leelanau Historical Society & di-

rected by Keith Patterson of Manitou Films. Contact The Bay Theatre for ticket info. leelanauhistory.org/2024/06/20/documentaryfilm-premiere-lake-leelanau-spirit-of-the-lake

CARBONARO: LIES ON STAGE: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Best known as the star & executive producer of the hit series, The Carbonaro Effect on truTV, Michael Carbonaro has also made frequent television appearances in shows such as Happily Divorced, 30 Rock, Grey’s Anatomy, & CSI Miami. $37-$72. greatlakescfa.org/ events/detail/carbonaro-lies-on-stage

ongoing

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

“AND THERE’S THE HUMOR OF IT!” SHAKESPEARE AND THE FOUR HUMORS: NCMC Library, Petoskey. This traveling exhibit explores the relationship between William Shakespeare’s literary genius & the ancient theory of the four bodily humors — blood, yellow bile, black bile, & phlegm — & their profound influence on the author’s works & character development. Runs through Sept. 27. Hours are Mon. through Thurs., 8am-7pm; & Fri., 8am-5pm. Free. ncmich.libguides.com/library

art

MEMBER EXHIBITION: Jordan River Arts Council, East Jordan. Enjoy this exhibition of 2D & 3D artwork in a variety of media. Runs through Oct. 5. An opening reception will be held on Sun., Sept. 8 from 12:30-4:30pm. Check web site for hours. jordanriverarts.com

EILEEN KELLY RETROSPECTIVE: Runs through Sept. 21 at Love Farm, Beulah. Eileen Kelly turns 95 this month, & Love Farm is hosting a retrospective of her paintings from the last 70 years. Over 100 original works in oil, acrylic, watercolor & iconography will be shown. Some select originals & numbered prints will be available for purchase. love.farm

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. An opening reception will be held on Thurs., Sept. 12 from 5:30-7:30pm. Meet & mingle with the artist. Music by pianist David Chown. thebotanicgarden.org/visit/#aotm2

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. boynearts. org/open-studio-Tuesdays

AGGLOMERATIONS: Cedar North Classroom Gallery, Cedar. This exhibit by Simon Anton runs through Sept. 29. Anton is a multidisciplinary artist, designer, & educator. He collaborates across the fields of architecture, interior design, furniture, art, & jewelry. Hours are Thurs./Fri., 4-7pm; Sat., 10am-2pm; & by appointment. cedarnorthtc.com ----------------------

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: - A FULL CIRCLE: SUMMER UP NORTH, PAINTINGS BY THE KITCHEN PAINTERS & PHOTOGRAPHS BY THE CROOKED TREE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: Runs through Sept. 7 in Atrium Gallery. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ full-circle-summer-north-paintings-kitchenpainters-photographs-crooked-tree - 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/event/ctac-petoskey/openstudio-august-3

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. An opening reception will be held on Fri., Sept. 13 from 5-7pm. Runs Sept. 13 - Oct. 26. crookedtree.org/event/ctactraverse-city/michigan-american-portrait

- TIMES 2: Held in Carnegie Galleries. Featuring artwork created from recycled & upcycled materials. An opening reception will be held on Fri., Sept. 13 from 5-7pm. The exhibit 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. An opening reception will be held on Sept. 13 from 5-7pm. There will also 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

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

HIGHER ART GALLERY, TC:

- UNDER SUMMER STARS: This Kristen Egan exhibit features masks & totems that are an alchemy of carved gourds, clay & natural materials such as twigs & wood found in her woodland studio. Runs through Sept. 7. higherartgallery.com/exhibitcalendar

- JULIE KRADEL SOLO EXHIBIT - “PLEASURES & PASTIMES”: Kradel showcases her charming clay, animal sculpture. The show runs daily from Sept. 13 - Oct. 5. An opening reception will be held on Sept. 20 from 5-7pm. higherartgallery.com

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:

- CREATIVE KALEIDOSCOPE: This annual juried art exhibition opens with a reception on Fri., Sept. 13 from 5-7pm. The show will close with an Artist Talk on Fri., Oct. 18 from 4-6pm. This show 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 Oliver Art Center is open Mon. - Sat. from 10am-4pm & Sun. from noon-4pm. oliverart.org

- CONTEMPORARY CONVERSATIONS,

A GROUP EXHIBITION: Sculptural works utilizing found objects, metal, wood, rubber & clay and luminous oil paintings full of jewel-like tones focusing on the interplay of light & shadow, all created by four Michigan artists. Showcasing work by Christopher Fellows, James Kipp, Bradford Sprouse & Glenn Wolff. Artist Talk on Sept. 6, 4-7pm. Oliver Art Center is open Mon.-Sat.: 10am4pm; & Sun.: noon-4pm. oliverart.org

- HOOKED: THE ART OF FISHING: Held in the Fisher Room, Aug. 30 - Oct. 4. Original artwork & historical ephemera exploring northern Michigan’s deep fishing roots. 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

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

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

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

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GLEN ARBOR FARMERS MARKET: 6394 W. Western Ave., Glen Arbor. Held every Tues., 9am-1pm through Sept. 10. leelanaufarmersmarkets.com/glen-arbor ----------------------

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

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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

MACKINAW CITY FARMER’S MARKET: Held every Mon. through Sept. 30 at 9am at Conkling Heritage Park, parking lot.

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

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.

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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

BLUSH, ROOFTOP TERRACE: Mon -- John Piatek, 6-8

APACHE TROUT GRILL, TC

6: 9/7 & 9/13-14 – Bryan Poirier

9/8 – Matt Mansfield

9/12 – Dags Und Timmah!

9/15 – Chris Smith

BONOBO WINERY, TC

9/13 -- Kevin Reeves, 6-8

BRADY'S BAR, TC 9/12 -- Craig Jolly, 6:30-9:30

COMMON GOOD RESTAURANT, TC

9/13 -- Blake Elliott, 6

ENCORE 201, TC

9/6-7 & 9/13-14 -- DJ Ricky T, 9

FRESH COAST BEER WORKS, TC

9/14 -- What's Up Chuck, 7

GRAND TRAVERSE RESORT, ACME MAIN LOBBY BAR:

9/7 -- Blair Miller, 7-10

IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC PATIO:

9/13 -- Acoustic Shoreline, 6-9

JACOB'S FARM, TC

6: 9/7 – Charlie Millard Band

9/8 – Bootstrap Boys

9/11 – John Richard Paul

9/12 – Sandy & Kevin

9/13 – Porcupine Crossing

9/14 – The Haymakers

9/15 – Rhett & John

KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC

9/6-7 -- Life Theory, 9:30 Mon -- Team Trivia, 7-9

Tue -- The Will Harris Trio, 8 Wed -- The Pocket, 8 Thu -- DJ Leo, 9:30 9/13-14 -- Scarkazm, 9:30

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

9/10 – Open Mic, 6-7 9/12 – Trivia Night w/ Host Marcus Anderson, 7-9

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM: 9/9 – Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

TASTING ROOM: 9/13 -- Jim Moore, 5-7 ON THE PIAZZA: 9/7 -- 20th Anniversary Party w/ Rob Coonrod, Blake Elliott, One Hot Robot & Broom Closet Boys, noon

LIL BO, TC Tues. – Trivia, 8-10 Sun. – Karaoke, 8

MARI VINEYARDS, TC 4-6: 9/10 -- Jesse Jefferson 9/12 -- Blake Elliott

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC 9/13 -- Loren & Shelby, 6-9

NORTH BAR, TC 7-10: 9/7 – Wink Solo 9/12 – Drew Hale 9/13 – Brett Mitchell 9/14 – Nick Vasquez

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC SEVEN HILLS, PENINI: 9/7 – Protea, 6 9/8 – Jesse Jefferson, 4 9/13 – Tai Drury, 6 9/14 – Erik Burke, 6

SORELLINA'S, TC

SLATE RESTAURANT: Thurs. -- Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 5-8

Fri. & Sat. – Tom Kaufmann on Piano, 6-9

STONE HOUND BREWING CO., WILLIAMSBURG

9/7 -- Headwaters Band, 7:30-9:30 9/13 – Stonefolk, 7-10

THE ALLUVION, TC 9/9 -- Big Fun - Funky Fun Mondays, 6-8:30

9/12 -- The Jeff Haas Trio feat. Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive, 6-8:30 9/13 -- Jamie Drake wsg i.am.james, 7:30-9:30

9/14 -- Reperio feat. Nancy Stagnitta, Dane Philipsen, Ya-Ju Chuang, &

Antrim & Charlevoix

Bryan Conger w/ guests Lauren Murphy & Corbin Wagner, 7:30-9

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC

7:30-11: 9/7 -- Dance Mix

9/13 -- Jedi Clampetts 9/14 -- Low Hanging Fruit

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC

9/7 & 9/14 -- DJ Nights, 8-11

9/11 -- S.I.N. & Spin w/ DJ Dusty Staircase, 7-10

THE PARLOR, TC 8-11: 9/7 -- Chris Sterr

9/10 -- Jesse Jefferson

9/11 -- Wink Solo

9/13 -- Blue Footed Booby 9/14 -- Chesse (Chad + Jesse)

THE PUB, TC

9/7 -- Empire Highway, 8-11

9/8 -- Rob Coonrod, 5-8

9/11 -- Zeke Clemons, 7-10

9/12 -- David Márton, 7-10

9/13 -- The Fridays, 7-10

9/14 -- Chris Sterr, 7-10

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

9/7 -- Delilah DeWylde, 8

9/8 -- Second Sunday TiltThink Comedy, 7

9/10 -- Open Mic Night, 6 9/13 -- Dylan Tolbert, 8 9/14 -- Jazz North, 8 9/15 -- Comedy Open Mic, 7

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO, 6:30-9:30: 9/7 -- Peril

9/12 -- TSP

9/13 -- The Truetones

9/14 -- J Hawkins Band

TOWNLINE CIDERWORKS, WILLIAMSBURG

9/13 -- Spencer Hollenbeck, 6-8

TRAVERSE CITY WHISKEY CO. STILLHOUSE, TC 9/11 -- Craig Jolly, 6-8

UNION STREET STATION, TC 10:

9/13 -- Jay Hawkins Band 9/14 -- Skin Kwon Doe

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Leelanau & Benzie

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

3:30-5:30:

9/7 -- Dominic Fortuna

9/8 -- Larz Cabot

9/10 -- Zeke Clemons

9/14 -- John Piatek

9/15 -- Larry Perkins

BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS BAY LAWN, 6-8: 9/7 -- David Lawston 9/14 -- Bob Roberts

BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU

TASTING ROOM:

9/8 -- Dominic Fortuna, 4-6 9/15 -- Bryan Poirier, 4-6:30

CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY

9/8 -- Michelle Chenard, 2-4:30 9/12 -- Rhett & John, 4-6:30 9/15 -- Rob Coonrod, 2-4:30

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE

KINLOCHEN PLAZA, 5-7:

9/7 -- Bill Frary

9/14 -- Sydni K

LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 7-9:

9/7 -- Johnny P 9/13 -- Two Feet

BIER'S INWOOD BREWERY, CHARLEVOIX

9/13 -- David Lawston, 7-9

BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT, BOYNE FALLS

SKYBRIDGE MICHIGAN, DISCIPLES

OVERLOOK:

9/15 -- Strings in the Sky: Dixon's Violin, 1-3

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY

7-10: 9/7 -- Lavender Lions Duo 9/13 -- Sean Bielby 9/14 -- Blake Elliott

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS

9/7 -- Nathan Walton & The Remedy, 8-11

9/14 -- Grace Theisen, 7-10 FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE 9/14 -- Andy Grefe, 7-10

HOTEL EARL, CHARLEVOIX 9/7 -- Jesse Jefferson, 7:30-10:30 9/8 & 9/15 -- Zeke Clemons, 6:309:30 9/12 -- DJ Parker Marshall, 7:3010:30 9/13 -- Jeff Socia, 7:30-10:30 9/14 -- David Lawston, 6:30-9:30

SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE BEER GARDEN, 7-9:30: 9/7 -- One Ton Trolley 9/13 -- Rolling Dirty 9/14 -- Angela Perley

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS

9/13 -- Rebel Eves, 6:30-9:30 9/14 -- Paddle Antrim Festival Final Bash w/ The Headwaters Band, 3

SPARE KEY WINERY, CHARLEVOIX 9/15 -- Randy Reszka, 2-5

STIGGS BREWERY & KITCHEN, BOYNE CITY 6: 9/7 & 9/14 -- Crosscut Kings 9/13 -- Sydni K

THE BACK LOT, CHARLEVOIX 9/11 -- Jukebox Manouche, 6-8

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

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE 9/14 – Onager, 9-1

THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/PRIMOS, CADILLAC 9/11 -- Trivia & Music Bingo Night w/ Shawny-D, 6-9 9/12 -- Karaoke Thursdays w/ Shawny-D, 7-10

BIERE DE MAC BREW WORKS, MACKINAW CITY

9/7 -- The Make-Believe Spurs

9/13 -- Seasonal Road

9/14 -- Ty Parkin Trio

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY PATIO:

9/7 -- Michelle Chenard, 2-6

9/13 -- Nelson Olstrom, 4-7:30 9/14 -- Chase & Allie, 2-6

BURNT MARSHMALLOW BREWSTILLERY, PETOSKEY

9/7 -- Jukebox Manouche, 5:30-7:30

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

9/13 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

CROOKED VINE VINEYARD & WINERY, ALANSON

9/7 -- Jukebox Manouche, 1-4

9/14 -- Drew Hale

DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT

3-6:

9/8 – Loose Change

9/15 – SkyLea Martin FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR 4-7: 9/9 -- Loose Change 9/12 -- North Coast Trio

HOP LOT BREWING CO., SUTTONS BAY

9/7 -- Zak Bunce & Denny Richards, 4-7

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

9/7 – A to Z Music, 6-8

9/8 – Drew Hale, 4:30-6:30

9/12 – Sam & Bill, 6:30-8:30

9/13 – Ashley Pyle, 4:30-5:30 9/14 – Brett Mitchell, 6-8

LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 9/7 -- Daydrinker's Series w/ Jedi Clampetts, 3-6; Drew Hale & Levi Britton, 7-10

9/10 -- Uncle Z, 6:30-9:30

9/13 -- Jack Pine, 6:30-9:30

9/14 -- Daydrinker's Series w/ Manitou Blues, 3-6; Delilah DeWylde, 6:309:30

Emmet & Cheboygan

HIGH FIVE SPIRITS, PETOSKEY TASTING ROOM: Wed -- Trivia Night with MyClueIs Trivia, 8

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY 7-10: 9/7 -- Shouting Bones 9/13 -- Lee Fayssoux 9/14 -- Adam Hoppe

NORTHLAND BREWING CO., INDIAN RIVER BACKYARD, 7-10: 9/7 – Happy Little Accidents 9/14 – Tai Drury

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY

OVATION HALL: 9/13 -- Nick Swardson - Toilet Head: SOLD OUT, 8 VICTORIES: 9/13 -- Country Concert w/ Ray Scott, followed by DJ, 9

LEELANAU SANDS CASINO & LODGE, PESHAWBESTOWN

9/14 -- 1/2 Way to St. Patrick's Day Bash w/ North Bay Celtic Band, Rigs and Jeels, & Kate O'Connor Celtic Band, 3-8

LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY 9/13 -- Mary Sue Wilkinson, 6-9

RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR 5-8: 9/7 -- Larz Cabot

9/12 -- Loose Change 9/13 -- Blair Miller

9/14 -- The Timebombs

SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY

9/13 -- Friday Night Live w/ Sean Miller, 4-7

SUTTONS BAY CIDERS

9/8 -- Luke Woltanski, 5:30-8 9/12 – Thursday Trivia, 6:30-8 THE HOMESTEAD RESORT, GLEN ARBOR WHISKERS: 9/7 -- Billy & The Kid, 6-9

TIPSY CANOE, HONOR 9/15 -- Blair Miller, 4-6

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

6-9: 9/7 – Brian Curran 9/13 – Rick Woods

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS

9/7 -- Kirby Snively, 5-8

9/8 -- Hipps & Ricco, 3-6

9/13 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 5-8 9/14 -- Hot Karl, 5-8 9/15 -- Elisabeth Christe, 3-6

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN

7: 9/7 -- Ahab & The Smelt Dippers 9/12 -- Musicians Playground Open Mic

9/13 -- Ryan Cassidy PATIO: 9/14 -- 'Keep the Music Live Event' w/Graham, followed by Ahab & The Smelt Dippers, 7

THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS SLOPESIDE PATIO: 9/11 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

THE WIGWAM, INDIAN RIVER 9/12 -- Dominic Fortuna, 7:30-9:30

Otsego, Crawford & Central

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD 9/7 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD 9/14 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

lOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Peregrine falcons can move at a speed of 242 miles per hour. Mexican free-tailed bats reach 100 miles per hour, and black marlin fish go 80 mph. These animals are your spirit creatures in the coming weeks, Virgo. Although you can’t literally travel that fast (unless you’re on a jet), I am confident you can make metaphorical progress at a rapid rate. Your ability to transition into the next chapter of your life story will be at a peak. You will have a robust power to change, shift, and develop.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The internet is filled with wise quotes that are wrongly attributed. Among those frequently cited as saying words they didn't actually say, Buddha is at the top of the list. There are so many fraudulent Buddha quotes in circulation that there's a website devoted to tracking them down: fakebuddhaquotes.com. Here's an example. The following statement was articulated not by Buddha but by English novelist William Makepeace Thackeray: “The world is a looking glass. It gives back to every man a true reflection of his own thoughts.” I bring these thoughts to your attention, Leo, because it’s a crucial time for you to be dedicated to truth and accuracy. You will gain power by uncovering deceptions, shams, and misrepresentations. Be a beacon of authenticity!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Mythically speaking, I envision a death and rebirth in your future. The death won’t be literal; neither you nor anyone you love will travel to the other side of the veil. Rather, I foresee the demise of a hope, the finale of a storyline, or the loss of a possibility. Feeling sad might temporarily be the right thing to do, but I want you to know that this ending will ultimately lead to a fresh beginning. In fact, the new blooms ahead wouldn’t be possible without the expiration of the old ways. The novel resources that arrive will come only because an old resource has faded.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Did you ever have roommates who stole your credit card and used it to buy gifts for themselves? Does your history include a friend or loved one who told you a lie that turned out to be hurtful? Did you ever get cheated on by a lover you trusted? If anything like this has happened to you, suspect you will soon get a karmic recompense. An atonement will unfold. A reparation will come your way. A wrong will be righted. A loss will be indemnified. My advice is to welcome the redress graciously. Use it to dissolve your resentments and retire uncomfortable parts of your past.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): One of my oldest friends is Sagittarius-born Jeffrey Brown. We had rowdy fun together in our twenties. We were mad poets who loved to party. But while I went on to become an unruly rock and roll musician, experimental novelist, and iconoclastic astrologer, Brown worked hard to become a highly respected, award-winning journalist for the PBS News Hour, a major American TV show. Among his many successes: He has brought in-depth coverage of poetry and art to mainstream TV. How did he manage to pull off such an unlikely coup? think it's because he channeled his wildness into disciplined expression; he converted his raw passions into practical power; he honed and refined his creativity so it wielded great clout. In the coming months, dear Sagittarius, I urge you to make him one of your inspirational role models.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): ): Let's hypothesize that you will be alive, alert, and active on your hundredth birthday. If that joyous event comes to pass, you may have strong ideas about why you have achieved such marvelous longevity. I invite you to imagine what you will tell people on that momentous occasion. Which practices, feelings, and attitudes will have turned you into such a vigorous example of a strong human life? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to meditate on these matters. It will also be a favorable phase to explore new practices, feelings, and attitudes that will prolong your satisfying time here on planet Earth.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Few Americans are more famous than George Washington. He was a top military leader in the Revolutionary War before he became the country's first president. George had a half-

brother named Lawrence, who was 16 years older. Virtually no one knows about him now, but during his life, he was a renowned landowner, soldier, and politician. Historians say that his political influence was crucial in George's rise to power. Is there anyone remotely comparable to Lawrence Washington in your life, Aquarius? Someone who is your advocate? Who works behind the scenes on your behalf? If not, go searching for them. The astrological omens say your chances are better than usual of finding such champions. If there are people like that, ask them for a special favor.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Over 15 centuries ago, Christian monks decided Fridays were unlucky. Why? Because they were the special day of the pagan Goddess Freya. Friday the 13th was extra afflicted, they believed, because it combined a supposedly evil number with the inauspicious day. And how did they get their opinion that 13 was malevolent? Because it was the holy number of the Goddess and her 13-month lunar calendar. I mention this because a Friday the 13th is now upon us. If you are afraid of the things Christian monks once feared, this could be a difficult time. But if you celebrate radical empathy, ingenious intimacy, playful eros, and fertile intuition, you will be awash in good fortune. That’s what the astrological omens tell me.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): One of the longest bridges in the world is the 24-milelong Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana. During one eight-mile stretch, as it crosses Lake Pontchartrain, travelers can't see land. That freaks out some of them. You might be experiencing a metaphorically similar passage these days, Aries. As you journey from one mode to the next, you may lose sight of familiar terrain for a while. My advice: Have faith, gaze straight ahead, and keep going.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): My horoscopes don't necessarily answer questions that are foremost in your awareness. This might annoy you. But consider this: My horoscopes may nevertheless nudge you in unexpected directions that eventually lead you, in seemingly roundabout ways, to useful answers. The riddles I offer may stir you to gather novel experiences you didn’t realize you needed. Keep this in mind, Taurus, while reading the following: In the coming weeks, you can attract minor miracles and fun breakthroughs if you treat your life as an art project. I urge you to fully activate your imagination and ingenuity as you work on the creative masterpiece that is YOU.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The Gemini musician known as Prince got an early start on his vocation. At age 7, he wrote “Funk Machine,” his first song. Have you thought recently about how the passions of your adult life first appeared in childhood? Now is an excellent time to ruminate on this and related subjects. Why? Because you are primed to discover forgotten feelings and events that could inspire you going forward. To nurture the future, draw on the past. SEPT 09 - SEPT 15

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You are lucky to have an opposable thumb on each of your hands. You're not as lucky as koala bears, however, which have two opposable thumbs on each hand. But in the coming weeks, you may sometimes feel like you have extra thumbs, at least metaphorically. I suspect you will be extra dexterous and nimble in every way, including mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You could accomplish wonders of agility. You and your sexy soul may be extra supple, lithe, and flexible. These superpowers will serve you well if you decide to improvise and experiment, which I hope you will.

“Jonesin” Crosswords

"Inside Out" --not as emotional as the movie. by Matt

ACROSS

1. "Everybody Loves Raymond," for one

7. Church section

11. "Everybody Loves ___ Sunshine" (one of Kamala Harris's "favorite albums of all time")

14. Dr. Scholl's purchase

15. ___-chef (second-in-command in the kitchen)

16. Ball ending?

17. Defeating Dad by a lot?

19. Vote (for)

20. Shopping bag

21. Company whose cookies are purportedly made by elves

23. Not only that

26. Trash can resident

28. "Insecure" creator Rae

29. Indicates

31. Cruise the pubs

33. Skater Harding

34. Cook, but not enough

36. Sault ___ Marie, Michigan

37. Passes up

39. "___ da" (all-purpose Scandinavian-American phrase)

42. What fog comes on, in a Sandburg poem

44. Prefix for some Goths?

46. Somewhere halfway between noon and 5 p.m.

48. Angry look

50. Avoid

51. Playful river mammal

53. March middle

54. Jefferson Airplane spinoff band of 1969

56. "Please ___ Eat the Daisies"

58. Former soccer prodigy Freddy

59. Canada's possible national symbol, if there were no maples?

64. Golf score standard

65. Native Brazilian along the Amazon

66. Shocked response to "It'll happen to all of you"

67. Summer, in parts of Europe

68. "Double Stuf" cookie

69. Foul up intentionally, as a conversation

DOWN

1. Knightly title

2. Rescuer of Odysseus

3. Nashville sch.

4. Soft and fluffy

5. Hodgepodge

6. "The FreshMaker"

7. Cleopatra's downfall

8. Dig Dug character with goggles

9. 1970s Dodge Charger (that's not the new strain of stinging insect)

10. In ___ (existing)

11. Contemptible person got loud?

12. "I wish"

13. Catch deceptively

18. Charades signal

22. Hoopoe, for one

23. Rental units, for short

24. Plunder

25. Fashion that involves trigonometry?

27. Clog up

30. 1909-1912 First Family

32. Heated crime?

35. Calligrapher's sign of completeness?

38. Words after "word" or "badge" (in some countries)

40. "Punky Brewster" star Soleil Moon ___

41. Antagonists

43. "___ Too Proud to Beg" (1966 song)

45. Run like a squirrel

46. Form for some three-way junctions

47. New Orleans Saints fan's chant

49. Made smooth

52. Brownish-gray shade

55. Occupied with

57. "Scream" star Campbell

60. Cancun uncle

61. "Messenger" material

62. One of the former Big Four record labels

63. Slippery fish

Jones

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

LUKE YATES IN CONCERT Luke Yates is a devoted gospel artist with a mission to spread the word of God through his soulful music. A blend of traditional gospel and contemporary melodies. Free for all! http:// Www.northernlakescc.org