Northern Express

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

Paid for by Engage Michigan, 2727 2nd Ave., Detroit, MI 48201

Trail Misconceptions

The Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council (NMEAC) needs to clear up any misconceptions regarding local walking trails.

While supporting them in the past, we cannot support the portion of the proposed Heritage Trail in Sleeping Bear Lakeshore area as presented. NMEAC does not support the cutting of 7,000 trees, the destruction of precious wetlands, and the use of tons of concrete needed for the wall to hold back the shifting sand dunes.

There have never been any environmental assessments, and there are less destructive and less costly alternatives available. We trust the NPS will look into the current destructive plan and work to bring groups together for an alternative that takes the rights of nature into consideration. We all benefit when these rights are respected.

Ann Rogers, NMEAC Chair | Traverse City

Heritage Trail Extension

The Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail provides a wonderful way to exercise, get from one place to another without using any carbon fuel, and slow down to see all that is available. Segment 9 will provide the best way to appreciate the biodiversity, cultural practices, and past agricultural practices within the park.

Designing a trail immediately adjacent to the road or crossing busy M-22 is dangerous with distracted drivers. The last 4.5-mile section of the Heritage Trail traverses some of the most beautiful and unique aspects of our wonderful lakeshore. The existing trail is awesome; we challenge anyone to find flaws in its design and construction. The extension will continue in this mode.

While removing trees is always a concern when trails are built, the current trail has been done as carefully and respectfully as possible. Cleveland and Centerville Township boards adopted the engineered route in 2019 with public input. The design utilizes old roadbeds, road rights-of-way, and social trails for much of the route. MDOT’s completed flora and fauna evaluation reflected the Borealis report findings that no threatened or endangered species were found along the route.

This extension will create closer access to the northern end of the park. Being out in the quiet woods is cathartic. As 45-year residents of Cleveland township, we use the Heritage Trail regularly and look forward to using the new section safely with our grandchildren.

Tom and Marnie

Sutter | Cedar

The Kids are All Right

So one of my old man rituals this summer is sitting outside the back with other elderly codgers of a fishing store as if in a scene from Sam Drucker’s store in the television show Green Acres

We sit next to a certain mom-andpop Italian market where the kids make sandwiches. I see them walk out after a hard work day, and I look at my old buddy Tim and ask, “Did you ever work that hard?”

The point is our future generation will do

very well; the silver lining of their pandemic experience is their three-year COVID isolation makes them hungrier for life.

So tip them well.

George Golubovskis | Traverse City

Creative Leadership Hits the Stage

Thank you, Northern Express, for your August 5, 2024, feature on Mashup Rock & Roll Musical by Ren Brabenec. I’ve known (and followed) Lesley Tye and Anthony Bero since they started their productions in 2013.

Many organizations in our community aim high, yet few accomplish what they have. For example, everyone is welcome in the cast and behind the scenes. If you’re generally seen as marginalized, in this group, you’re the majority. When they say everyone belongs, their company shows reflect it. The Pay What You Can Night is a form of social justice that rocks. It also represents the true socio-economics of northern Michigan.

ADA? I use a wheelchair full-time. Regardless of where they’ve held their shows, the Amphitheater at the Civic Center, Inside Out Gallery, or The Alluvion, they always make sure true ADA seating is a priority.

Lesley, Tony and the team are doing other cool work in the community. From the schools to varied area nonprofits. This is an organization that “walks the talk” around the clock.

Even their thank-you letter to me for my small donation during their recent fundraising campaign included gratitude for my efforts in the community. Who does this?

And let’s discuss their creative productions. There’s nothing like them. You may leave the theater a bit nonplussed, but you’ll never be bored.

Lesley and Tony are of the people, for the people. Just the kind of leaders northern Michigan needs.

Susan Odgers | Traverse City

Responsibilities and Laws

In Mr. Robbins’ opinion in the Aug. 19 issue, he dedicates a section to “Constitutional Change Needed,” citing the need for an amendment to our Constitution that would add a “Bill of Responsibilities.”

On the surface this is a noble idea that has merit, and I applaud him for his suggestion. However, the problem is that our nation has steered itself so far off course that there is no way we, as a nation, can legislate our way back to sanity.

For example, driving laws do not make us more courteous drivers, spousal laws do not make us more loving spouses, and homeowners association rules do not make us kinder neighbors. All that rules and laws do is define “how low” can we go, as citizens, by diving into the depths of the mediocrity of this humanity.

Until we, as a nation, turn our eyes back to the foundational principles and remember that our nation is “One nation under God,” that not us, but God, is above us, nothing is going to change, and people will continue to be selfish and self-centered. God Bless the United States.

Howard Turek | Kewadin

Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase PO Box 4020 Traverse City, Michigan 49685 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com

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Contributors: Joseph Beyer, Ross Bossioneau, Art Bukowski, Brighid Driscoll, Anna Faller, Karl Klockars, Rachel Pasche, Stephen Tuttle

Copyright 2024, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

top ten

BE THERE AT B3

The B3 Festival—that’s Beer, Blues, and BBQ—rolls into Gaylord’s Big Buck Brewery on Sunday, Sept. 1, from 3-9pm. In addition to honoring Michigan-made beer and stand-out barbecue dishes, the festival is a nod to the late, great Jimmy Buffett. Sept. 1 marks the oneyear anniversary of his passing, so the 2024 B3 will show some extra love to the Parrotheads with music headliner Parrots of the Caribbean: A Salute to Jimmy Buffett. Country blues rocker Justin Cody Fox will also take the stage, and attendees will get to see performances from the Jon Archambault Band and classic rock cover band Hideous Business. Gates open at 3pm with music starting at 3:30pm, and the event happens rain or shine! Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 day of; head to b3north.com to purchase.

tastemaker

The Chef’s In’s Vegetarian Sandwich

The Chef’s In has been a lunchtime staple in Traverse City for almost 40 years. (And no, “In” with one “n” is not a typo…the chef is in the kitchen, but the chef does not have an inn!) This downtown deli is all about the sammies, with more than 20 options on their “hot” sandwich side and nearly endless options on the build-your-own “cold” side. Our pick is the Vegetarian ($10.99), with mushrooms, cucumber, and tomato all gooey-glued together with swiss and provolone cheeses. And don’t forget the secret ingredient—sunflower seeds! Add on one of their daily soups, take a stroll down the salad bar to complete the meal, or treat yourself with a chocolate chunk cookie. Pop in for lunch at 519 W. Front St. in Traverse City. chefsindeli.com

wear white before labor day

Bust out the white pants one last time! Head to the White Party sporting your best white attire at The Parlor in Traverse City on Sunday, Sept. 1, from 8pm-midnight, and dance the night away! PRIM brings their energetic take on ’90’s alterna-rock beginning at 9pm. Don’t forget to pose for the photo booths! Tickets, $10. mynorthtickets.com/ events/the-white-party-9-1-2024

4 Hey, READ It! The Melancholy of Untold History

When a history professor loses his wife, his grief flips his whole world upside down. For comfort, he turns to a younger colleague who, like him, is also reinventing herself after the death of her brother destroys her family. Together, they forge a new path forward, which hinges on what they know of their lives in the land below The Four Verdant Mothers. According to legend, their Chinese homeland is the product of four petulant gods whose rivalry led them to ravage and reconfigure their people time and time again. But what if that history was nothing but a fable spun by a storyteller seeking vengeance? In his debut novel, The Melancholy of Untold History, Minsoo Kang expertly knits together multiple stories (and nearly 3,000 years!) in a mythic-meets-modern exploration of what it really means to flip the script.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2024

K. JONES & THE BENZIE PLAYBOYS

JELLY ROLL BLUES BAND • JAZZ NORTH

An Artistic Last Hurrah

With Labor Day just around the corner, we’re trying to make the most of these fleeting summer days. Crooked Tree Arts Center (CTAC) and downtown Petoskey are doing the same with their Art Walk on Thursday, Aug. 29. Art lovers can explore the town’s shops and galleries alongside a Wet Paint Sale (aka newly created works) and plein air painters on the streets. The event also includes local musicians and special guest Jelly Roll Blues Band performing from 6-9pm, plus appetizers, refreshments, and raffle tickets at various destinations that will enter you to win prizes at the end of the night. CTAC will conclude the celebration with an Art Walk After Party—think cash bar, more tunes, and the official raffle drawing—from 8-9pm at their headquarters on Mitchell Street. Get all the details and maps at crookedtree.org/artwalk.

THIS IS QUITTING

Leelanau Investing For Teens (LIFT) has launched a new initiative to help local teens and young adults quit vaping. The Suttons Bay-based organization has partnered with Truth Initiative to offer “This Is Quitting,” a free program that uses a text message platform with support, advice, and quitting strategies to help young people stop using e-cigarettes. Per a press release from LIFT, the nationwide program has enrolled over 750,000 users and “had nearly 40% higher odds of quitting compared to a control group” in a JAMA Internal Medicine clinical trial. LIFT Founder and Executive Director Rebekah TenBrink calls the program “an invaluable resource for Leelanau County teens” and “potentially life-saving.” To sign up, text SACREDBREATH to 88709. For more information about the program or to request materials, contact LIFT at (231) 313-5803 or liftyouthsb.com.

Stuff We Love: Back

to School for Grown-ups

Remember that feeling of getting No. 2 pencils, crisp notebooks, and bright folders before the start of a new school year? (We miss you, Lisa Frank!) Well, most of us grown-ups aren’t headed back to the classroom, but that doesn’t mean we have to skip the shopping spree. We’re obsessed with the journals from Leelanau Trading Co. ($31-$62 depending on size and details), with a variety of closure designs including snaps, buttons, pencils, and ties. Each journal comes stocked with loose-leaf paper in a hidden three-ring binder, with paper refills available at $9 for an 80-page refill. The covers are made from full top grain leather and bound with cherry wood for a lasting look and feel. As their website says, these beauties are better for “sitting under a tree than at a desk.” Find yours at leelanautradingco.com.

Only good vibes are allowed at Old Mission Distilling on Old Mission Peninsula thanks to their newly-released craft cocktail menu. While you’re drinking in those last days of summer, the Soggy Dollar ($13) makes the perfect pairing. Inspired by the tropical flavors of a swimup bar, this tiki-style treat combines OMD’s signature Caribbean Rum (a bold and velvety blend of Jamaican and U.S. Virgin Island varieties) with fresh lime and pineapple juices, scratch coconut syrup, and a splash of local cream for a frothy finish. Topped off with toasted coconut, it’s the perfect cap to a summer night in northern Michigan. Psst—don’t miss La Calendula’s Mexican street food menu once the sun goes down! Find Old Mission Distilling at 13795 Seven Hills Rd in Traverse City. oldmissiondistilling.com

A floral snapshot from last year’s Art Walk.

O R S A L E

THOSE MEDALS AREN’T EQUAL

spectator

By steven Tuttle

spectator By steven Tuttle

Donald Trump has never demonstrated much respect for the military, but his latest denigration is outlandish even by his standards.

Trump, during a rambling campaign event at his golf club in New Jersey, said he thought the Presidential Medal of Freedom was equal to the Congressional Medal of Honor. He started by saying the two honors are “rated equal,” which is demonstrably untrue, but then he got downright bizarre.

“It’s actually much better because everyone [who] gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead.” (Trump has tried to walk back those comments, but they were recorded for all to hear.)

It’s true enough the Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award and the Medal of Honor the highest military honor, but that’s where any and all similarity ends.

Created in 1963 by President John F. Kennedy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is presented to “...individuals who have made

many steps along the way, and there are several other ways we recognize valor that don’t quite meet the criteria of the Medal of Honor. (Additionally, there were several decades during which soldiers of color were systematically denied the highest military awards.)

Created during the Civil War (1861 for the Navy, 1862 for the Army), the Medal of Honor has been awarded 3,538 times, including 1,523 for action during the Civil War alone. There have been 30 Medals of Honor awarded since the Vietnam War, 13 of which were posthumous recognitions.

In the history of the award, 19 service members have received two Medals of Honor, but only two of those did so for two distinctly different actions. Only one Coast Guard member has ever received a Medal of Honor, and there has been only one woman recipient, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, who was awarded for her work as a doctor during the Civil War.

Donald Trump doesn’t understand, value, or respect the sacrifices required to serve in the military....

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a special honor that should be reserved for deserving individuals making the most significant contributions to society. Too often of late it’s been used as a reward for high-dollar campaign contributors or highvalue publicity targets. It is cheapened more than a little by the fact the president can name whomever he or she pleases without regard to any criteria at all. That’s how we end up with recipients like Rush Limbaugh, Arthur Laffer, and Elvis Presley.

The Congressional Medal of Honor, on the other hand, must be vetted and approved by a gauntlet of as many as a dozen or so skeptical individuals. Those so awarded sacrificed blood, limbs, and lives to protect ours.

Unfortunately, this is just another chapter in a long list of Donald Trump insults of the military and those in it. He denigrated John McCain’s service because, he said, he likes people “who don’t get captured.” He insulted a Gold Star family whose son gave his life for this country.

According to one of Trump’s many chiefs of staff, retired general John Kelly, Trump refused to go to an American cemetery in France, referring to those buried there as “suckers and losers.” (Trump denied the comment, but it was verified by others who overheard it and reported in multiple media outlets.) Kelly also wrote Trump didn’t want any wounded vets in a military parade because “nobody wants to see that.”

Donald Trump doesn’t understand, value, or respect the sacrifices required to serve in the military, and that should disqualify him from being commander-in-chief.

LABOR DAY UP NORTH

By Rachel Pasche

Summer isn’t over yet, but Labor Day signals the busy back-to-school season and ushers in cooler temperatures. So, before you’re helping out with homework or pulling your sweaters out of the closet, indulge in a final weekend of Up North fun. We’ve found 10 events around northern Michigan to help you celebrate the holiday weekend.

ALL WEEKEND

Labor Day Live at Crystal Mountain

Crystal Mountain celebrates the end of summer with a weekend-long bash that’s fit for all ages including live music day and night, workshops for sand art, flower arranging, painting, and nature frames, a 5K and mile fun run, and visiting alpacas. The tent sale has deals on winter gear up for those looking to get some new digs for next season.

But the most unique—and perhaps the most fun—part of the weekend includes some dance moves. “The Heikki Lunta Snow Dance is a light-hearted tradition to get people excited about the upcoming winter, and hopefully, create some good mojo around fresh snow for the season,” says Brittney Primeau, director of communications at Crystal Mountain. Visitors can also check out the resort's huge variety of outdoor activities, like golf, the Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide, chairlift rides, a zipline, the Michigan Legacy Art Park, and more. crystalmountain.com/event/ labor-day-weekend

Minnehaha Brewhaha Music Festival at Arcadia

Friday and Saturday of Labor Day bring the Minnehaha Brewhaha music festival to Arcadia. The two-day long event includes craft beer tastings, local food trucks, a 5k and 15k race on Saturday morning, and an impressive

lineup of local musicians. Friday is a $5 cover charge, and Saturday tickets are $25 (presale) or $30 (day-of). Camping is available, and attendees are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs. Tickets and more information can be found at musicmoves-me.org.

Mamma Mia! at Great Lakes Center for the Arts

Between the ABBA songs we all know and love, the bright costumes, and the stunning set, Mamma Mia! is a timeless classic, and Great Lakes Center for the Arts is bringing the magic of this musical to the stage this weekend. Tickets start at $57, show times are 8pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, plus a matinee at 3pm Sunday. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/ mamma-mia

SATURDAY, AUG. 31

Cadillac Festival of Races

Get active this weekend and join one of the events in the Cadillac Festival of Races. Participants can try their luck at the quarter-mile swim race, a seven-mile team relay run around Lake Cadillac, a 5K or 10K race along the lake, or a 1-mile kids' fun run. Events begin at 9am, and registration starts at $35. Athletes can register at 8am day-of, or online at rfeventservices.redpodium.com/2024cadillac-festival-of-races.

The Bolt in Northport

If a 5k feels overly ambitious, the Bolt in Northport may be more your speed. This 1.1-mile foot starts at the marina, zips through downtown, speeds along the Nagonaba Footpath, and ends at Braman Hill, one of the highest hills in Leelanau. The race kicks off at noon, with an awards ceremony immediately following. Registration is $25 for kids and $35 for adults and can be done online or in person on race day. eventbrite.com/e/

the-bolt-5-northports-11mi-foot-race-topreserve-history-tickets-911842213607

LaborFest: Manistee

Manistee’s LaborFest returns for the seventh year to celebrate the region’s rich industrial history and acknowledge the work of the laborers who supported the salt, lumber, and sand industries. The festival is held on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Douglas Park in Manistee from 1pm to 11pm. Eight music performers are on the lineup, including headliner My Son the Hurricane out of Niagara, Ontario— self-described as “a multi-horn, multidrummer, multi-singer brass funk beast”— and plenty of local talent. Salt City Rock and Blues, a nonprofit operating since 2013, puts on the event and is directing proceeds toward their ongoing efforts to build a state-of-the-art amphitheater on the shores of Lake Michigan. Visit saltcityrb.com for tickets, $30, and to learn more about the festival.

Star Party at Sleeping Bear Dunes

Soak up some new views at the dunes at the Star Party, hosted by rangers at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society (GTAS). Attendees meet in the Dune Climb parking lot from 9-11pm and are encouraged to pack chairs, blankets, bug spray, and binoculars. Park rangers will discuss how to preserve dark skies, and astronomers from GTAS will have telescopes set up to view the moon and a multiple-star system in the Big Dipper’s handle. No admission fee required. leelanauchamber.com/events/ star-party-1-4lrp9-nz6s5

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Grayling Summer Concert Series: Motor City Memories

For a final bout of summer fun, stop

in at Paddle Hard Brewing in Grayling for the last performance in their summer concert series. Motor City Memories plays from 7-9pm in the Paddle Hard Yard, the new (and enormous) patio behind the brewery. Visitors can sip on one of the 20 beers and ciders on tap, or enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine. A full menu of elevated pub grub makes for an easy dinner for the whole family, too. Motor City Memories will be playing a blend of classic rock from the ’50s to the ’80s that’s sure to get the whole yard jamming.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

Mackinac Bridge Walk

Once a year, the Mackinac Bridge closes for a few hours, allowing people to walk across this spectacular piece of architecture. Those wishing to participate in the annual Bridge Walk can park at Mackinaw City or St. Ignace and opt to walk the full length or halfway across and then turn around. Transportation will not be provided; those who wish to walk the full five miles need to arrange transport back to their cars. Ferry services and local transportation services are available between the two cities. The bridge will be closed from 6:30am until 12pm; walkers must start before 11:30am. There is no cost to walk the bridge. mackinacbridge. org/events/walk

Charlevoix Bridge Walk

Can’t make the Mackinac Bridge Walk? Charlevoix’s “Little But Mighty” bridge walk also takes place on Monday. Participants can enjoy a short but sweet stroll across the Charlevoix doubleleaf bascule bridge. Those interested in this free event should meet at Town House Bar at 12:30pm. The walk starts at 1pm. visitcharlevoix.com/ LittlebutMightyBridgeWalk

Giving Back to Those Who Give Time

We are SO happy to announce it was a record year for our Community Share Groups…not only in how much we donated but also a record number of non profits participated! We appreciate your volunteerism.

$41,366

 Addiction Treatment Services

 Bethlehem Lutheran Church

 Cherryland Humane Society

 Child and Family Services of Northwest Michigan

 Christ Church of Traverse City

 Girl Scout Troop 4960

 Girl Scout Troop 8531

 Grand Traverse County Community Enrichment

 Grand Traverse Hockey Association

 Grand Traverse Mens Shed

 Greenspire Charitable Foundation

 Homeschool Enrichment Network

 Huntington’s Disease Society of America

 Kingsley United Methodist Church

 Kingsley Varsity Girls Soccer Team

 Northern Lakes ChurchCommunity

Donated to 35 Groups.

 St. Francis High School Robotics Team  Sunrise Rotary

TART  TC Paw Cat Rescue  Traverse Area Community Rowing  Traverse City Central High School Band  Traverse City Central High School Hockey  Traverse City Figure Skating Club  Traverse City Firefighters L646

TC Rotary

Young Marines

 Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre  Northwest Michigan Community  Project Feed the Kids  Schuss Mountain Ski Patrol  Sea 2 Stable  Serenity Ranch

217 Recovery

Supporting the Whole Student

Traverse City Area Public Schools takes a comprehensive approach to supporting kids in and out of the classroom

By Brighid Driscoll

When most people think about public schools, they think about education— classrooms, teachers, and textbooks. However, Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) is working to go beyond traditional scope, offering different services designed to support the well-being of students and their families. These initiatives, many of which have been developed in response to community needs, include summertime meals, enrollment efforts, student health services, and more, with an emphasis on meeting families where they are. We took a look at seven different programs that run throughout the calendar year under the TCAPS umbrella.

1. The Enrollment Bus Tour

On a hot August afternoon, TCAPS Executive Director of Marketing & Communications Ginger Smith stands outside a school bus with other TCAPS staff, ready to help prospective students and families. Launched in 2023, the Enrollment Bus travels throughout the community during the summer, connecting families, particularly those new to the area, with essential resources.

As Smith explains, “We drive around and promote to families who are maybe new to the area and have not figured out what school

they belong to. We bring our community partners along to help connect families with schools and other local resources.” Outside of the bus are baskets of school supplies, flyers with information on other resources, and fun giveaways like colorful slinkys and sunglasses.

2. Student Health Center

No primary care doc? No problem. The TCAPS Health Center operates out of West Middle School and offers a range of health services to students. In collaboration with Northwest Michigan Health Services, Inc. (NMHSI), the health center offers accessible primary care and behavioral health services to students ages 3-21. Open year-round and always accepting new patients, the center provides essential medical services, including physical exams, wellness visits, and treatment for illnesses and injuries.

Behavioral health services encompass crisis intervention, counseling, and substance use education. The center welcomes all students, regardless of insurance status, ensuring they receive comprehensive care right at school, helping them stay healthy and focused on their education.

3. Student Support Network (SSN)

Led by coordinator Katie Kubesh, SSN is a vital resource that serves students ages 3 to 20.

“We provide basic needs like school

supplies, gym shoes, and clothing,” Kubesh says. “If a student needs something like a backpack or help with extracurricular activities, we’re able to provide those items for them.”

The SSN also goes beyond material needs, offering referrals for medical, dental, and mental health services, and even assisting families with utilities through community partnerships. The program was born from the consolidation of two earlier initiatives: Partners in Education, a strategic plan focused on student services, and the STEP program, which supported students experiencing homelessness. “Two years ago, we combined these programs to form the Student Support Network,” Kubesh says

A significant part of the SSN’s work involves supporting students under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a federal program that guarantees educational stability for students who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.

Kubesh, who also serves as the McKinneyVento liaison for TCAPS, explains, “This law gives students the right to school stability, immediate enrollment without necessary documents, and transportation to school.” The SSN works year-round, identifying eligible students and ensuring they receive the services they need.

4. The Sunshine Bus

The Sunshine Bus, a collaborative effort

with the Father Fred Foundation in Traverse City, is one of the SSN’s standout initiatives. Running for 11 weeks each summer, the bus visits eight locations weekly, providing food, hygiene items, and other essentials to families. The bus runs through Aug. 31.

“It’s a great way for us to reach out to the community,” Kubesh says. Funded by a grant from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Sunshine Bus followed a consistent schedule this summer, visiting the same locations every Wednesday through Friday. At each visit, families would receive one bag of food per child and an additional family bag containing staples like rice, peanut butter, and milk. The food was provided by Father Fred. The Sunshine Bus also takes special requests for items, which are delivered during the next visit.

By stopping in neighborhoods and other accessible locations, the program ensured that families without reliable transportation could still access these services. “Our goal was to be able to reach all of our most vulnerable families during the summer,” says Smith. During the school year, many children rely on school for two meals a day through the free breakfast and lunch programs. The Sunshine Bus ensures that these children continue to receive nutritious food even when school is not in session.

The TCAPS Enrollment Bus traveled around town in mid-August to meet prospective students and families.

5. The Backpack Drive

Another SSN highlight is the annual backpack drive, a partnership with Sunrise Rotary Charities. Each year, the Rotary group assembles and distributes hundreds of backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies. Families who qualify for the program receive a letter notifying them of their selection, and they can pick up their backpacks before the start of the school year.

“It’s a really good partnership that we have to ensure that kids have what they need to start school,” says Smith.

6. The Pop-Up Shop

The Pop-Up Shop, also part of the SSN, offers essential items like clothing, shoes, undergarments, backpacks, and school supplies to students in need. The shop is open during key times such as the back-to-school season and spring break and is by appointment only.

“It’s rewarding to see families get the support they need,” says Kubesh.

In a similar vein, during the holiday season, TCAPS organizes a Christmas shop where families can select gifts for their children. The initiatives are fueled by community donations and volunteers, with more information available on the TCAPS website.

7. Supporting Extracurriculars

TCAPS also works to ensure that students

have access to extracurricular activities, which often come with financial barriers.

The district seeks out sponsorships to cover costs for sports, clubs, and other activities, so that every student can participate regardless of their family’s financial situation. Last year, for example, the SSN helped several students attend prom by providing donated dresses and assistance with other prom-related expenses.

These efforts extend to supporting high school students’ autonomy and dignity.

TCAPS partners with organizations like Goodwill and the Women’s Resource Center to provide families with vouchers, allowing them to shop for clothing and other necessities.

“It’s a big deal for high school kids to be able to get the shoes they want and the styles they like. They don’t want to feel out of date,” says Smith.

Smith notes that all of these TCAPS programs are made possible through strong community partnerships and the district’s commitment to the well-being of every student in the community. The overarching goal is for TCAPS to cultivate an environment where all students can succeed in and out of the classroom.

Learn more about the Student Support Network at tcaps.net/programs/step and other TCAPS initiatives at tcaps.net/programs.

Backpacks for Kids and the annual Backpack Drive are core programs of the Traverse Bay Sunrise Rotary Club, serving approximately 1,500 area school children each year.

“We

Just Don’t Have Enough Homes”

Foster care organizations advocate for better mental health care Up North and more foster parents

By Anna Faller

It’s no secret that the U.S. needs more foster parents. The Michigan foster care network alone comprises about 10,000 children.

Though the state has made some recent strides—1,600 children were adopted in 2021, and as of late 2023, the number of kids in foster care was down by half from the previous decade—there is still plenty of room for improvement.

But what would that improvement look like?

Northern Express connected with two Traverse City-based foster care agencies— Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan and Bethany Christian Services— for some insight on the most pressing issues our regional foster care system is facing and how our communities can help support the children and families those programs serve.

“We believe that every child deserves to feel safe, loved, and connected,” Bethany Christian Services Branch Director Chelsea Hill notes. “Our services are designed around that vision.”

Keeping Families Together

Founded in 1937 and 1944 respectively, Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan (CFS) and Bethany Christian Services (BCS) are two key organizations connecting foster kids with local families. Together, they serve upwards of 30 counties throughout the state and collectively advocate for the safety and wellbeing of about 120 kids annually.

Of their widespread service networks (which also include programs like suicide prevention and awareness, legal counsel, and immigration assistance), child welfare is a primary pillar—the goal of which, both organizations underscore, is family

reunification.

“We’re in the business of removing the barriers that brought that child into care [in the first place],” CFS Executive Director Gina Aranki says. “We always say at CFS that the best day is when a kid goes back home, whatever that looks like.”

But doesn’t adoption also provide a safe, stable home for children that need it? The short answer is yes. In fact, Hill estimates that 65 percent of applicable cases move to adoption. The process, though, is time consuming, taking six to 18 months on average, and can also put additional pressure on a child who is doing their best to adjust.

Per Aprille Sutton, CFS child welfare director, uprooting a child from home places them in a situation that feels, in that moment, uncertain and scary. “That [separation] can be frightening. As much as the system is able, we’re trying to avoid those re-traumatizations,” adds Sutton.

Missing Infrastructure and Services

To encourage keeping families together,

the last two decades have seen a total overhaul of Michigan’s welfare system, headlined by the Dwayne B. vs. Snyder Modified Settlement Agreement. This case catalyzed improvements in monitoring programs and prerequisites for caseload workers—essentially ensuring Michigan communities were meeting state-mandated care benchmarks—all with the goal of mitigating the need to implement foster care.

The downside to these efforts though, notes Hill, is that when children now enter the foster care system, their need for placement is immediate, as past interventions have already been ineffective.

“We’re seeing more significant situations than we did in the past, because [those children] have already received services at home that they still aren’t benefiting from,” she says.

As for what those situations are? Both agencies highlight abuse and neglect, as well as circumstances that reduce the stability of the child’s caregiver, like addiction, homelessness, and mental illness.

The latter three, in particular, are on the rise in northern Michigan—though Hill notes substance abuse disorders, like alcoholism, aren’t new—and driven at least in part by a combination of widespread factors like an increasingly difficult housing market, social media use, and long-term changes to our social landscape following the pandemic.

“There’s a lot of elements, but I think a lot of people are trying to lock their anxieties away. As a result, these kinds of reasons are a common thread with [many] of our cases,” adds Aranki.

Consequently, both CFS and BCS stress a local need for infrastructural resources and specialized services, like targeted treatments and therapists who take Medicaid. Psychiatric facilities are also needed, and are all but inaccessible locally.

Per Sutton, kids experiencing mental health crises could wait for days before a bed opens up. In some cases, CFS has even sent children to facilities in Detroit and Grand Rapids for treatment. “There’s just

Sutton Aranki Hill

nothing available, so that’s a strain for our organization,” she adds.

Kids in Need

With dozens of children in the system at any one time, both organizations also face the challenge of securing adequate foster homes—in particular, accommodations that are willing to take on sibling sets, or “teams.”

“We get about 15 to 20 calls and emails per day looking for accommodation replacements, most of them for sibling sets, from around the state. That’s our most significant challenge,” Hill notes.

When a new foster home is licensed, that family can stipulate the age range of the children they’d prefer to take on (e.g., infants, elementary-aged, etc.) as well as the number of children they can help. Statewide statistics reflect that children and infants aged six and younger comprise more than half of all kids in foster care.

Kids in Michigan foster care can elect to stay until they turn 21, though those last three years are voluntary, and are known as “Independent Living.”

While just 12 percent of BCS’s cases represent children older than 10—with an even 44 percent split between infants and fiveto 10-year-olds, respectively—there’s almost certainly a larger percentage of children in

that age range throughout the state.

Add to that an additional shortage in the region’s relative population—placing a child with extended family is always Plan A in the foster care world—and we’ve got a serious gap to fill. “We just don’t have enough homes,” Sutton says.

Seeking More Foster

Families

To accommodate that need for placements, agencies need more foster families.

The process starts by attending orientation, which Hill describes as an informational meeting that addresses licensure expectations and components. From there, you’ll submit an application— these often include fingerprints, references, and medical records—before being assigned to a licensing worker that coordinates with the agency you select. The last two steps are to complete training and undergo a home inspection.

It’s this last box, Sutton and Hill agree, that typically takes the most time to tick. The inspection includes checks for safety measures like working smoke detectors, central registry clearances, and septic evaluation, all of which can take weeks to clear.

The end result, though, is a high-quality home, which Sutton stresses is critical to ensuring the safety of the children they’ll

eventually house.

“The worst thing we could do is place [those children] into another unsafe situation, so we hold our foster parents to a really high standard,” she adds. “It really is working closely with our licensing worker to ensure that level of safety is there.”

A critical misconception about becoming a foster family is that you have to own your own home or hit income benchmarks to qualify. Per both organizations, this isn’t true. Instead, the only real fostering requirements—besides passing the requisite background checks—are the financial stability to take on a child and providing a loving and safe environment.

“We have families who own their homes; we have families who rent. We have twoparent households, same-sex households, and single parents who work full time,” Hill notes. “Other than having a heart for children, being a safe person, and having a safe place to stay, there are no other expectations.”

Caring for Kids (and Parents)

On the other side of that coin, Aranki also quashes the myth that some foster families are “only in it for the money.” Though it’s true that the State of Michigan provides a monthly reimbursement to foster families, it ranges from $400-$600 per child, and is

intended to cover basic needs.

“There just isn’t enough money to make [fostering] worth anyone’s while for that reason,” she adds. “You really have to care about kids.”

More than that, we have to care about the kids’ parents.

Per Hill, there’s a widespread preconception that parents with children in foster care are villains or aren’t able to have a productive relationship with their kids’ caregivers.

Trauma, she points out, can happen to anyone, especially when we lack vital resources. “We really try to normalize what they’re going through, because it’s often their circumstances that have led them where they are,” she explains. Consequently, encouragement from foster families can sometimes be the push that lands parents upright.

“Our best foster parents are supporting their kids, but they’re also supporting the birth parents—not just while [the children] are in care, but also once they go home,” Sutton adds. “That kind of support goes beyond the case and can really make a huge impact.”

For more information on the northern Michigan foster care networks, visit them online at bethany.org and cfsnwmi.org. To connect with a foster care navigator, call 855-MICHKIDS or visit michigan.gov.

In addition to their foster care and adoption efforts, Bethany Christian Services also works with refugees, with a specific emphasis now on helping Ukrainian families coming to northern Michigan.

Child and Family Services has offices in Traverse City and Harbor Springs and offers a variety of mental health and youth support programs.

BUILDING BIGGER, BETTER, AND BRIGHTER

Local colleges prioritizing aviation, healthcare, technology, and connected campus life with new master plans

By Art Bukowski

Exciting and impactful changes are planned at two of northwest Michigan’s largest centers of higher education.

While it will take years for the full scope of these plans to come to fruition, students will begin noticing changes in the 202425 school year as leaders at Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) in Traverse City and North Central Michigan College (NCMC) in Petoskey dive into ambitious plans to change the way they do business.

Northwestern Michigan College

While NMC’s board of trustees in June approved an expansive master plan that outlines many major and minor changes over the next decade (more on that later), students this fall will see construction begin on new facilities designed to expand the popular aviation program and help address an anticipated national shortage in airline pilots.

Crews are expected to break ground in October on a renovation and expansion of the college’s nearly 50-year-old aviation hangar on the Aero Park campus. NMC Aviation Director Alex Bloye says the $14 million project will also include the purchase of up to six new training planes and the transformation of the hangar into a new student aviation center.

“We’ve seen historic demand for this program in recent years, and that’s resulted in a wait list,” Bloye says. “We see an opportunity to serve more students as well as serve our current students in updated facilities with more efficient and effective modern training.”

More than a third of existing commercial airline pilots are expected to retire by 2035, Bloye says, and current graduates enjoy a 100 percent job placement rate. With “ever-growing demand,” the college is

eager to get as many students trained as possible, Bloye says. Additional aircraft and space could allow the cur rent aviation student population of around 130 to grow to 170 or more.

The aviation project is part of a master plan that also includes significant changes to other NMC operations. Among the biggest goals are more student housing, more “vibrancy” on NMC’s main campus, and relocation of university partners from the disconnected University Center off Cass Road to the main campus.

The first of these major moves is scheduled to occur as soon as the 2025 school year with the migration of several NMC departments and its four University Center partners (Central Michigan, Davenport, Ferris State, and Grand Valley State universities) to the main campus’ Osterlin Hall. There, they’ll continue their function of offering programming that allows local students to obtain degrees from those institutions.

NMC spokesperson Cari Noga says students and faculty seek the “hustle and bustle” of a main campus environment, something sorely lacking at the University Center. This is all part of an effort to bring more energy and activity to the main campus.

“We have seen with our newest building on our front street campus, the Timothy J. Nelson Innovation Center, how having a hub really enlivens campus. That building houses our cafeteria, our library, classrooms, individual study spaces, meeting rooms, and it’s so exciting to be in there,” she says. “We really want to extend that feeling, that sense of energy.”

Other elements of the master plan have a heavy focus on housing, with hundreds of new rooms planned across a series of renovations, expansions, and new builds between now and 2031.

The price tag for all of this (and much more) is substantial. Estimated at between $164 and $235 million, the master plan comes with a considerable fundraising lift. Following a six-month national search, NMC recently hired its first Chief Advancement Officer, Dino Hernandez, to help with these efforts.

“It was a nice one-two [punch], completing the plan and then bringing Dino on board,” Noga says.

North Central Michigan College

Up in Petoskey, NCMC recently broke ground on a $20 million initiative set to “redefine healthcare, manufacturing, and skilled trades education.” The Career and Technical Education Enhancement (CATEE) project is designed to boost the college’s ability to provide education in these in-demand fields.

“We have for 60-plus years been

really solid in transfer education, with a tremendous strength in nursing and health sciences. But we want to do more, particularly in that second area,” NCMC President David Finley says. “And this is aimed precisely at doing that, as well as making a sincere push into the tech and trades.”

The first phase includes renovation and expansion of the Health Education and Science Center. A 7,200-square-foot addition will provide advanced classroom, clinical, simulation, and lab spaces for programs that have outgrown their current facilities. This expansion is projected to introduce an additional 150 healthcare professionals into the workforce each year.

“Previously, we could use mock hospital rooms or classrooms, but not at the same time,” Finley says. “This really gives us much needed elbow room to do much more.”

Finley is particularly excited about setting students up for in-demand jobs that pay well.

Finley

Bloye

“There’s a projection of a 33 percent increase in healthcare jobs over the next decade. Many folks choose to retire in our area, so our population is aging, and those folks are going to want and need healthcare,” he says. “So these are outstanding opportunities for students with fire in their belly, that want to have not just a job, but a career.”

Phase two of the project, set to begin in

early 2025, includes the razing of the college’s 59-year-old Technology Building and transforming it into an expanded, state-of-theart technology center. NCMC hopes to use this new facility to address the growing need for tech professionals by training an estimated 200 individuals annually in disciplines including robotics, engineering, welding, and computeraided drafting and design.

This component will not only help students attain high-paying jobs, Finley says, but it will also provide a boost to the local economy.

“We’re in the social mobility business, opening doors for individuals that want to climb higher in their life or their career,” Finley says. “But secondly, talent development also provides economic development for our communities. Providing talent to work for

manufacturers and work in the skilled trades will take this entire northern Michigan region even higher.”

The CATEE project is scheduled to be completed by fall of 2026.

“We’re so proud of what’s happening all across campus,” Finley says. “This is really going to take North Central Michigan College to the next level.”

Tomorrow is loving more of the moments we love today.

Tomorrow is on.SM

What we do today impacts tomorrow. Like how a silly moment with loved ones can create memories that last a lifetime. Or how Enbridge is investing in enough renewable energy projects to power more than one million homes. It’s part of how we’re fueling quality of life, so you can turn more moments into memories for years to come

Learn more at tomorrowison.com

A rendering of the NCMC Technology Center exterior by Cornerstone Architects.

A rendering of the expanded Health Education and Science Center at NCMC.

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Aspiring physician assistant: ‘It clicked that this is all

City’

Michele Coffill Grand Valley State University

Kimberly Jacobson works remotely as a medical scribe for a health clinic in rural Oregon. While her job provides flexibility to co-manage a household with two children who have busy schedules, Jacobson’s job has also bolstered her future career.

Jacobson, who earned an associate degree at Northwestern Michigan College, is entering her final year at Grand Valley State University’s Traverse City Campus. Next spring, she will earn a bachelor’s degree in allied health sciences.

This summer, Jacobson plans to apply to GVSU’s Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) program. The program requires applicants to complete 500 hours working or volunteering in a health care setting.

In her role, Jacobson transcribes audio recordings and the notes that physician assistants and other clinicians dictate and electronically chart during patient appointments.

“I have enjoyed this job and I’ve certainly learned a lot from their thought processes,” she said. “At the Oregon clinic, the physician assistants wear all the hats. They treat all ages and stages there.”

Jacobson had served as a nurse aide at the Grand Traverse Pavilions, working in the memory care and in-patient rehabilitation units. She enjoyed her duties and said she particularly enjoyed the connections with patients and their families.

When her children, now at 13 and 9, were younger, Jacobson reduced her hours to care for them. She said when her youngest child entered kindergarten in 2021, it prompted her to consider her future.

“I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’” she said.

The answer came from news stories about Michigan Reconnect, the $30 million State of Michigan program that launched in 2021, providing adults over 25 and without a bachelor’s degree with opportunities to earn a tuition-free associate degree.

“I live within walking distance of Northwestern Michigan College,” Jacobson said.

In the fall of 2021, Jacobson started her classes at NMC virtually due to the pandemic. She said that made the transition to college easier. Once, during a biology class, Jacobson noticed a flyer announcing the Pre-PA Club and went to a meeting.

“I learned that I had most of the courses they require, so I didn’t have to redirect my major. I also went to a PA Preview Day, when a graduate from the first cohort from the GVSU program spoke,” she said. “It clicked that this is all available to me in Traverse City.”

Grand Valley expanded its PAS program to Traverse City a decade ago to educate students who would likely stay in northern Michigan after graduating to work as physician assistants.

When the academic year is in full swing, Jacobson said managing the family schedule becomes paramount. She gets great support from her husband and children.

“My husband is among my biggest supporters, he’s always ready to pitch in,” she said. “It also helps that Grand Valley’s classes are from 6-8 p.m. I work in the evenings, it’s a three-hour time difference from Oregon, so that allows me time to catch up.”

For more information about

City Campus or the GVSU PAS program, please contact us at (231) 995-1785 or nminfo@gvsu.edu

Kimberly Jacobson is pictured with her family. Jacobson will finish a bachelor’s degree at GVSU in the spring and plans to apply to Grand Valley’s Physician Assistant Studies program this summer.

The Tech Revolution

Randol White lives adjacent to a parking lot full of driverless Waymo cars in San Francisco, KGO-TV reported on Aug. 13. And he's a big fan of the autonomous vehicles. But over the last few weeks, White has been assaulted by the sounds of car horns. "I was like, where is that coming from? And I looked down, and I was like, I think it's coming from the Waymo cars," he said. Sure enough, the "smart" cars have become confused and all started honking at each other, both during the day and at night. "I could not be more cranky today," said neighbor Russell Pofsky. "It affects the way you feel." Waymo said it has identified the glitch and is working on a fix.

You Can't Make This Up

Richard E. Brown of Kershaw County, South Carolina, filed a lawsuit on Aug. 1 against Buc-ee's, the convenience store chain, WBTW-TV reported. Brown was walking on a sidewalk at a store in Florence County, South Carolina, in 2022 when he tripped over a rope that was holding down the large inflatable beaver mascot, which caused him several injuries, including to his right shoulder. The lawsuit claims that Buc-ee's was "aware of the dangerous condition of the rope that was holding the inflatable beaver in place." Brown is suing for negligence and seeking unspecified financial damages. Bucee's has not responded.

It's a Dirty Job

In Pittsburgh on Aug. 12, the Allegheny River was the site of a massive dredging and cleanup conducted by Three Rivers Waterkeeper, an environmental group. TribLIVE reported that in just four hours, the operation pulled about 50,000 pounds of vehicle parts from the river, along with an intact Volkswagen Beetle, bicycles, skateboards and a mattress. "If you were to dive down there right now, you'd see a solid tangle of vehicles," said Capt. Evan Clark. Many of the cars were thought to be from a long-closed downtown parking lot. "To see this cleanup work, it shows that people care about the rivers, and they're getting better," Clark said.

Unclear on the Concept

Even after Cody Mortensen, 28, of Lucerne Valley, California, was told that he would "probably die," he insisted on biking across Regent's Slide, a massive landslide near Big Sur. The Mercury News reported that on Aug. 9, Mortensen talked with a construction worker who said the road was not passable, but the biker "said he was going to try anyways." Sure enough, Mortensen fell more than 100 feet toward the ocean, abandoned his bicycle and climbed down toward the beach, where he was rescued by Bettencourt and Big Sur Fire. He had hit his head and seemed confused, witnesses said, and his arm was cut. Mortensen faces charges of wanton disregard to obey a person directing traffic and failing to obey traffic signs.

Nope

Thrill-seekers will want to put Berlin, Germany, on their list of spots to visit, Yahoo! News reported on Aug. 10. Atop a 40-story hotel near the former East Berlin's famous TV tower is the highest swing in Europe, which allows riders to soar out over the city about 400 feet below. "It feels a bit

like flying," said Victoria Voigt, 34. Riders pay about $22 for five minutes on the swing, which opened in June and has thrilled more than 100 riders per day. Pascal Vent, 36, tried the swing for his birthday: "I came here to feel a bit younger."

Recent Alarming Headline

Residents of Feather Falls, California, are barking mad over an incident that took place on Aug. 8, KCRA-TV reported. The Butte County Sheriff's Office said Davina Corbin, 56, was found dead on the Black Hawk Trail after apparently being mauled by a pack of dogs.

Max Hecker, who lives in the area, said the dogs are Great Danes that are known to terrorize people. "They'd be out here in the road, and you would have to wade through 'em," Hecker said. He said he and other neighbors had repeatedly contacted Butte County Animal Control, to no avail. "They didn't do anything about any of this," he said. "That lady should have never died." Officials rounded up the dogs, and a search warrant was issued at a property across from where Corbin was found.

Clothing Optional

Harley Walters of San Antonio, Texas, was working at home on Aug. 13 when he looked out a window and saw a naked man walking down the sidewalk with his dog by his side. KENS5-TV reported that Walters worried the man was suffering some kind of physical or mental health issue; a group of neighbors decided to confront the man. "The other gentleman that stopped him on the street ... said, 'Hey, are you aware that you don't have pants on?'" Walters said. "He said, 'Yeah,' like it was no big deal." Police who responded to the scene said the man was high on mushrooms; officers gave him a courtesy ride home and did not charge him.

Oops

Auckland City Mission in New Zealand is trying to recover more than its reputation after the charity accidentally distributed fake candy that was actually chunks of methamphetamine, The New York Times reported on Aug. 14. The candies looked like individually wrapped pineapple sweets and had been donated by a member of the public, said Helen Robinson, the group's chief executive. Each block of meth weighed about 3 grams, packing up to 300 doses of the drug -- enough to potentially be lethal. Three people were treated after tasting the candy, but it was so unpleasant they didn't eat the whole thing. Auckland police were hoping to recover all the candy and were looking into the origins of the donation.

What's in a Name?

Elaine Salmon, a teacher at Peak to Peak Mountain Charter School in Pine Mountain Club, California, was readying her classroom for the new year on Aug. 4 when she left for a moment to make some copies. KERO-TV reported that when Salmon returned, she found an unexpected visitor in the room: a bear. Salmon called her husband, who got the bear's attention and held the classroom door open for it to rush back outside. The animal didn't do any real damage, but the school plans to change the door handles, since a bear was able to maneuver the latch. The bear is persistent: Salmon said it came back again. Maybe it was just looking for a fish?

The High-End Cuts of Chloe’s Chop House

A slice of life (and beef) at Bellaire’s new steakhouse

By Karl Klockars

Northern Michigan is famous for its wide variety of dining destinations, from burgers and fries to supper-club style excess to farmto-table fine dining. Earlier this year, Chef Taylor Sutherland and his brother Hunter looked at the restaurant landscape and realized it was lacking something significant: A true steakhouse experience, where all the cuts of meat and sides are priced a la carte so patrons can customize the exact level of carnivorous decadence they desire.

In May, that realization manifested in the new Chloe’s Chop House in downtown Bellaire.

“My brother and I have always really loved food, and there’s really no good steakhouses around,” Taylor says, and prior to opening the restaurant, he did a lot of research to make sure they were going to deliver on that intention. “We went down to Prime & Proper in Detroit, the Chop House in Grand Rapids, Ruth’s Chris … we enjoy that service experience, and we decided to try to bring that Detroit or Chicago style restaurant up [here].”

Executive Cuts

Prior to Chloe’s, Taylor worked alongside his brother at the Weathervane in Charlevoix and Shanty Creek Resort. Several years ago, he set out on his own to open the Corner Bistro in downtown Bellaire, which is only about 500 feet south of Chloe’s on Bridge Street.

His time spent cooking for the local crowd has certainly helped. “I’ve been in business in Bellaire for six years now, and

you get to know a lot of the people that like to go out and eat, and we see quite a few of them here at the Chop House.”

The Chop House’s style is a bit of a departure compared to other places Up North. “[There’s been] a little bit of education, absolutely,” Taylor says in reference to the steakhouse-style menu, but adds that it’s appealing to patrons for special occasion dining or just for date night. “I think a lot of people are happy that a nicer option is available in the area.”

Even though some steakhouse menus can feel like they’ve been set in amber in a lot of places, Chloe’s infuses some fun and creativity into their offerings. The menu goes beyond just the standard NY strip, T-bone, and loaded baked potatoes to include a Tomahawk ribeye and even the rare Japanese A5 Wagyu beef.

“I’m a big proponent of buying the best product from the best places, and I’ve been in the business long enough to know who has the best of what, and we use ’em,” Taylor says. The famously rich, heavily-marbled wagyu beef is served as a generous six-ounce portion, delivered and sliced tableside by the chef (often Hunter) so diners can see the delicately buttery beef tremble as it’s portioned.

That creativity also extends to how they treat the Delmonico ribeye, which has quickly become one of their most popular dishes.

“Our philosophy is that there’s three areas where you can improve your meat. There’s where you buy it from, the grade of the meat, and then the preparation. We

actually cold-smoke our ribeyes, where it’s raw but still absorbing smoke flavor, which is a very unique preparation,” Taylor says. “To be able to get that smoky flavor and still get a medium-rare steak is impressive. It’s one of the most flavorful steaks I’ve ever had.”

How meat is finished is also important, so of course, Chloe’s has a special process for that, too. Most steakhouses will cook with gas-fired griddles or wood-fueled grills. In the kitchen at Chloe’s, they combine the two, loading charcoal and compressed wood onto a gas grill to add some more smokiness and “that true kind of grill flavor,” Taylor says. “Having a 100 percent charcoal grill is a bit tough to keep even heat on, so we got our grill in, and I was like, ‘hey, why don’t we just throw some charcoal on?’”

Even the candles at the table have a little something extra to them, because they aren’t just for ambiance. The Tomahawk ribeye and the Porterhouse both come topped with a candle made of rendered Wagyu beef tallow that slowly melts as it burns down. “You’re gonna get some really rich, deep flavors on that tallow as it melts,” Taylor says, adding that “it doesn’t take away like slapping an A1 sauce on something would.”

Composed Plates

If those monster cuts aren’t your preference, Chloe’s also has some more traditionally composed entrees like braised pork shank, seared halibut, or even mac ’n’ cheese topped with lobster tail or smoked brisket.

“We understand that we’re in a smaller town and we want to be approachable, so we

did some smaller cuts for your everyday [diner],” Taylor says. “I’d say we sell more composed plates than we do our executive cuts.”

One other thing that Chloe’s sells a lot more than your traditional steakhouse? Breakfast items. They’re open for brunch six days a week, putting lobster Benedicts, French toast, and biscuits and gravy out next to lamb burgers, BLTs, and Oysters Rockefeller.

“That’s something I’ve wanted to do at my other location for a lot of years,” Taylor says. “When we got into this larger building, I realized we have space enough to be open more often. We want to be here whenever people get hungry. And I think personally, an upscale breakfast is another rare find. I figured, let’s offer some nicer options for breakfast as well.”

As for the eponymous Chloe, that’s not just the restaurant’s name for sake of alliteration—Chloe is Taylor’s three-year-old daughter, who’s already getting her feet wet (literally) in the restaurant business.

“She’s already put in some time helping me out in the kitchen,” Taylor says, noting that “she’s gotta stand on a bucket to reach the dish machine.”

Chloe isn’t quite old enough to have a favorite dish on the steakhouse side of the menu, but “she’s an adventurous eater,” Taylor says, noting that “she’s digging the waffles in the morning.” Might not be too long before she moves up to Wagyu.

Find Chloe’s Chop House at 213 N Bridge St. in Bellaire. (231) 350-8986; chloeschophouse.com

Kurt Elling’s SuperBlue jazz quartet to take the stage at The Alluvion

By Ross Boissoneau

Kurt Elling and his band SuperBlue just returned from a tour of Asia, including dates in China and Japan. So his upcoming shows on Aug. 31 at The Alluvion in Traverse City could be just another night, another show.

But Elling doesn’t see it that way, and he doesn’t take any of his shows for granted. “It’s different every night,” Elling says. “What’s in the news, the room, the age of the audience.”

And no matter the setting, from large outdoor festivals to jazz clubs to spacious auditoriums, Elling prides himself on always delivering. “I give it my best. I love to sing, so I better get to it.”

Divine Calling

Elling was born in Chicago and raised in nearby Rockford, Illinois. His father was

Kapellmeister (music director) at a Lutheran church. So it’s no surprise that growing up, Elling sang in choirs and played various instruments, from violin and French horn to piano and drums.

What was a surprise was his ultimate career direction. After graduating from the small liberal arts school Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, he decided to pursue a different career, enrolling in the University of Chicago’s Divinity School. But he left school one credit short of a degree when the call of jazz became too much. He began to perform in and around Chicago, scat singing and improvising lyrics.

The church’s loss was music’s gain. To date, the 56-year-old Elling has recorded some 20 albums, mixing originals with jazz classics he’s written lyrics to, alongside tunes by pop and rock artists from Stevie Wonder

to King Crimson to Tom Waits.

He’s won numerous awards, including two Grammys among 16 nominations, three Prix du Jazz Vocal in France, two German Echo Awards, and two Dutch Edison Awards.

The New York Times has proclaimed Elling “the standout male vocalist of our time.”

Over the years, Elling has performed in a variety of contexts, with symphony orchestras, jazz big bands, and small ensembles. For years he toured with a piano trio, which made fans look twice at his latest band: SuperBlue.

SuperBlue

SuperBlue features drummer Corey Fonville and electric keyboardist DJ Harrison from the jazz-funk band Butcher Brown and guitarist/producer Charlie Hunter, whose unique approach enables him to play bass

along with rhythm or lead at the same time.

Elling says the band came about as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in a number of musicians recording at home and exchanging files over the web. Elling took it a step further, creating an entirely new approach with what became a new band.

“Charlie gave me a call. He said we’ve got some time [to record]. We’d talked about it for years,” says Elling. Elling saw an opportunity to try something different, “because it wasn’t going to be straight jazz, where you have to be together.”

Elling and Hunter had met when they were both recording for Blue Note Records in the late 1990s. Elling did a guest spot on Hunter’s album Songs from the Analog Playground, and during the shutdown, they worked together on some videos for Elling’s weekly webcast.

The two enjoyed making the videos so much they decided to go all in. “When Kurt decided he wanted to make a whole record like that, he asked me to produce it. We shot some ideas back and forth, and then I brought up Butcher Brown, because these guys have a great community and a great collective sound,” says Hunter in press materials. Elling insisted that Hunter play on the album as well as produce.

Fonville and Harrison collaborated with Hunter in their Virginia studio to create an assortment of grooves, colors, and textures. “Then it was on me to write melodies,” says Elling. He took the tracks and either created brand-new melodies or turned to existing compositions. Once the groundwork was complete, Elling and Hunter got together at a converted horse barn in Urbana, Illinois, where they recorded the vocal and solo guitar tracks and mixed it.

The result was SuperBlue, which won critics’ praise and another Grammy nomination. For the band’s second record— this time after they’d all toured together— Elling included music by Joni Mitchell, Ornette Coleman, and Ron Sexsmith (some with new lyrics by Elling), alongside originals by the band. He even called on Bob Dorough’s “Naughty Number Nine” from the beloved Schoolhouse Rock! (remember “I’m Just A Bill” and “Conjunction Junction”?).

All About Jazz called SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree “another sublime blend of jazz and groove,” concluding “The album is magic.”

Improvising & Composing

“It’s been very rewarding,” says Elling of the response to the two recordings. “It was good to have something out of the box when COVID was over, have something to tour with. We’ve gotten to play a lot of different venues. In London, I played the Jazz Café. I’d usually play Ronnie Scott’s. That’s more traditional. Now I can play for a standing audience who want to dance.”

Elling has performed in a number of venues across the state, including Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium

at Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the intimate confines of the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, just over an hour from his hometown of Chicago. Told that The Alluvion is even smaller, Elling is enthused, saying he loves to be close to the audience.

When asked whether the set list or the music changes depending on the setting, Elling notes that the different circumstances nightly invariably affect the music. “We might get bored with something and play something else, but there’s no need to reinvent the wheel when we figure it out. Even playing the same set every night for a year, it always changes. It’s improvisation-based music. The players are always improvising and experimenting.”

In that way, he feels all music is a form of improvisation. “Composing isn’t that different from improvising. What is the melody, what is the harmony, what is the key, is it loud or soft? Mozart, Bach, Brahms—they were always improvising. They just wrote it down.”

What’s left to do on his career wish list? Elling says he would like to write lyrics to and record music by Argentinian tango master Astor Piazzolla, something by Ravel, and others. “I’d like to discover something by Bernstein as gorgeous as ‘Somewhere.’ More Wayne Shorter—one of my next projects is a Weather Report show with music by Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul.”

Being able to transform instrumental music by some of jazz’s most lauded composers into songs has “been a remarkable gift,” he says. “Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock have allowed me to write [words]. It’s opened so many doors to have the trust of the composers and their families when they’re deceased. It’s so implausible.”

Elling doesn’t take any of his success lightly. He sees his role in life as a performer to connect with the audience, no matter whether it’s China, New York City, or Traverse City. “We have a good time every night. We’re out here to frolic, dance, and be joyful. I’m thrilled.”

Learn more and get tickets for the upcoming TC show at thealluvion.org/tickets. SuperBlue will play two sets on Aug. 31; one at 7pm (sold out) and one at 9pm.

SuperBlue will have two shows (each 75-minute sets) at The Alluvion on Aug. 31.

Saturday

CEDAR POLKA FEST: Cedar. Today includes Ultimate Air Dogs, Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, Run 4 The Kielbasa, Leelanau Performance Pol Car Fest, Classic Car & Motorcycle Show, Polish Pooch Pageant, Kids Day, Cedar Polka Fest Parade, The Scottville Clown Band, Leelanau Sands Casino, Veterans Tribute, Larry and His Larks, & much more. cedarpolkafest. org/events -

SMALL TOWN OUTLAWS CAR SHOW: 9am, The Kaliseum Recreation Complex, Kalkaska. The first annual car show hosted by the Small Town Roller Derby. All vehicles welcome. Find ‘1st Annual Outlaw Car Show’ on Facebook. -

CORVETTE CROSSROADS AUTO SHOW: 10am-3pm, Straits State Harbor & in parking lot of Mackinac Island Ferry Company, Mackinaw City. mackinawchamber.com/product/ corvette-crossroads-registration

FRIENDS OF THE INTERLOCHEN PUBLIC LIBRARY BAUBLES, BANGLES & BAGS FUNDRAISER EVENT: 10am-2pm, Interlochen Public Library. Beautifully kept, loved, & donated jewelry & purses will be for sale Fri., Aug. 23 from 10am-7pm & Sat., Aug. 24 from 10am-2pm. The Preview Party for Friends Members is Thur., Aug 22, from 5-7pm & you can become a Friend for $10 at the door. All proceeds benefit Interlochen Public Library programs. For more info call 231-276-6767.

LEELANAU CONSERVANCY HIKE: 10am, Lighthouse West Natural Area, Northport. This protected land at the top of the peninsula includes a glacial plateau that became farm land in the late 1800s. The trail meanders along the plateau & descends to the shores of Lake Michigan. See close up the effects of ice, water, wind, humans & biological forces on the contours & composition of this little slice of the Leelanau Peninsula. Free. leelanauconservancy.org/events -

MACKINAW PREMIER ARTS & CRAFT

SHOW: 10am, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. -

QUEER CLOTHING SWAP: 10am-2pm, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Beulah. Join Benzie Area Pride Network for a FREE Queer Clothing Swap. tinyurl.com/BAPNswap

THE ART OF KAREN JACOB: Township Hall, Empire. Featuring many of Karen’s creations & works by some of her artist colleagues. A reception will be held on Fri., Aug. 23 at 7pm. All proceeds from donations & art sales will be contributed to the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund & the Empire Area Community Center.

BALANCE BIKE BASH: 10:30am-12:30pm, Norte Clubhouse, GT County Civic Center, TC. Bikes & helmets will be available & there will be a face painter, live music, coloring & games, & more. Register. Free. norteyouthcycling.org/calendar/balance-bike-bash

MICHIGAN PARKINSON FOUNDATION

HERO WALK: GT County Civic Center, TC. Check-in & registration begin at 9am & the walk begins at 10:30am. Participants can visit vendor tables, kid’s corner, & photo booth. Adults, $20; children 12 & under, free. parkinsonsmi.org

SKEMEGOG RAPTOR CENTER PRESENTS: RAPTORS!: 11am, Thompsonville Fire Hall & Community Center. See Raptor Ambassadors & learn about these birds & awareness about the wildlife, ecology, & en-

vironmental issues that relate to them. 231378-2716. Free. betsievalleydistrictlibrary. org/news-events/skemegog-raptor-centerpresents-raptors

BENZIE FISHING FRENZY: Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort. A 4 day salmon fishing tournament. Meetings & weigh-ins at Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort. Lots of prize money. Free. benziefrenzie.wixsite.com/fishbenzie

IN-STORE BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Joshua Veith will sign his book “Island and Main: The Sudden Quiet: Book I.” horizonbooks.com/event/joshuaveith-book-signing

MARCH FOR KAMALA: 1pm. Hosted by Women’s March Traverse City. Gather at F & M Park. March through downtown TC, returning to the park. See the Women’s March TC Facebook page or call Monica for more info: 231-325-6812. Bring signs & your voices.

MEET THE AUTHOR: TRAVIS JONKER: 1pm, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey. Travis is the author of “The Ship in the Window.” Free.

ANNIE KIDS: 2pm & 5pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. The sun’ll come out tomorrow! $9-$18. oldtownplayhouse.com

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX COUNTY FAIR: Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey, Aug. 1925. Today includes Lee Fayssoux performing in beer tent from 2-5:30pm; Auto Cross competition at 5pm; & much more. emmetchxfair.org.

LETS GO FLY A KITE: 3-5pm, Lake Michigan Turnaround, Frankfort. Free kites to the first 100 participants on Lake Michigan Beach.

SIXTH ANNUAL FLAPJACKS & FLANNEL

ART AND ALL THAT JAZZ: 4-9pm, Birchwood Farms Golf & Country Club, Harbor Springs. Enjoy captivating art displays, soulful jazz melodies, & a vibrant atmosphere. Free appetizers & cash bar will be available. Free.

SUN, SAND & SERANADES!: 4pm, The Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. 55th annual concert by the Cherry Capital Men’s Chorus, featuring special guests, the championship quartet, Girl Talk. Enjoy fourpart a cappella harmony celebrating summer’s joys. Tickets available at mynorthtickets.org. $20. cherrycapitalchorus.org

BUCKCHERRY: 6pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. This American hard rock band formed in 1995. They released two albums, “Buckcherry” & “Time Bomb.” “Buckcherry” was DreamWorks’ first album to go gold. Opening for them will be SIIN with their high energy brand of rock. They are described as having a “modern throwback sound.” $35-$65. lrcr.com/event/buckcherry

CORVETTE PARADE: Odawa Casino Resort, Petoskey. The procession of ‘Vettes’ will cross the Mackinac Bridge at 7pm, lining up at Odawa Casino starting at 6pm.

FREE SUMMER CONCERTS: 7-9pm, GT County Civic Center, Amphitheater, TC. Jazz Deluxe with Robin Connell & Paul Brewer.

NWS PRESENTS: AN EVENING WITH PETER HELLER: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Bestselling author of “The Last Ranger” & more, Heller will discuss his new novel, “Burn,” with guest host Doug Stanton. $10$51. cityoperahouse.org/node/590

MUSIC IN MACKINAW SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 8-9pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City. Clean comedy with

Pentwater’s Truck Driver Bingo brings their blues, jazz and rock as one of the bands hitting the stage at Brethren Days! This event runs Aug. 30 – Sept. 1, with Truck Driver Bingo performing from 2-4pm on Sun., Sept. 1 at Dickson Township Park. Other fun events include the Dragster Car Show, High Bridge Hustle 5K, Cornhole Tournament, Grand Parade and fireworks over Lake Elinor. Find ‘Brethren Days’ on Facebook.

THE RUNNING MAN: 9pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Almost Midnite Movie showing of 80s classic “The Running Man,” with free popcorn & admission. tadl.org/event/almost-mid“

Sunday

EMMET-CHARLEVOIX COUNTY FAIR: Emmet County Fairgrounds, Petoskey, Aug. 19-25. emmetchxfair.org

CEDAR POLKA FEST: Cedar. Today includes Polka Mass Under The Big Tent, Craft Fair & Farmers Market, Cornhole Tournament, Bavarski - Polkas NYC, & Larry and His Larks. cedarpolkafest.org/events

MACKINAW PREMIER ARTS & CRAFT SHOW: 10am, Conkling Heritage Park, Mackinaw City.

SEA2STABLE LUAU ON THE LAWN: Noon-4pm, 6477 E. Hillside Dr., Cedar. Enjoy this third tropical-style, family-friendly & free community event. Horse presentations, educational talks, & horse interactions; participate in crafts, activities, & lawn games; & learn about this mission. Bring a blanket to enjoy a picnic on the lawn. sea2stable.com

BENZIE FISHING FRENZY: (See Sat., Aug. 24)

MEET A HERO: 2-4pm, Grace Baptist Church, Gaylord. An open house style event designed for kids/families to meet local heroes, first responders, & military personnel. Plus, emergency vehicles & equipment on display, food trucks & beverage stations, bounce houses, & more. Free.

SOUL JOURNEY: A CONCERT OF CLASSICAL VOCAL REPERTOIRE: 2pm, Unitar-

ian Universalist Congregation of Grand Traverse, TC. Join mezzo-soprano Anna Roth in exploring love, fear, birth, death, & the many aspects in a soul’s journey. Featuring works by Purcell, Cornelius, Chausson, Mahler, Rossini, Offenbach, & others. Collaborating musicians include pianist David Husser, soprano Marissa Hammond, & violinist Ann Marie Jones. Free. annagraceroth.com

MONDAY

JAMMIN’ MONDAYS ON BETSIE BAY: 7-9:15pm, Waterfront Park Amphitheater, Elberta. The Dave Keller Band brings deep soul, blues & rockin’ roots. Free.

MONDAY MOVIE NIGHT: 7:30pm, Bay View Association, Voorhies Hall, Petoskey. Featuring “The Light Between Oceans” (Australia), 2016, 133 mins. Free. bayviewassociation. org/monday-night-movies

TUESDAY

– 01 AUG 25 AUG 26 AUG 27

KID’S CRAFT LAB: 10:3011:30am, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Create a craft that helps you learn about the world & yourselves too. Squish, smash, paint, squirt, spin, model & mold. Generally best for ages 3-8. greatlakeskids.org/news

SUTTONS BAY CEMETERIES - GRAVESTONE CLEANING BEE: 3pm, St. Michael Catholic Cemetery & Suttons Bay Township Cemetery, Suttons Bay. This workshop is being held to rehabilitate & preserve the gravestones at the Suttons Bay Township Cemetery & adjacent St. Michael Catholic Cemetery. Register: 231256-7475. Free. docs.google.com/forms/d/ e/1FAIpQLSdZqEPGKHRcMZb_hum5raQN LCUBLMVHmZ5dCYyNg_5LsYVKnw/viewform

Kyle Yamada.

PWR! MOVES: MICHIGAN PARKINSON FOUNDATION EXERCISE CLASS: 4pm, Traverse Area District Library, front lawn, TC. For people with or suspected Parkinson’s Disease & their caregivers. Free. tadl.org/ node/16110 -

AUTUMN OLIVE WORKSHOP - GT COUNTY: 5:30pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Join the Northwest Michigan Invasive Species Network (ISN) for their autumn olive workshops. Learn how to do on-the-ground management, federal assistance programs, & what to do once you do have autumn olive removed from your property. This is mostly a sit down presentation, with a short portion at the end to go over ISN’s equipment & tools. Registration required. Free. HabitatMatters. org/Events

MUSIC IN MACKINAW: 8pm, Conkling Heritage Park, Roth Performance Shell, Mackinaw City. Featuring the Straits Area Concert Band.

WEDNESDAY

MIDEAST: JUST PEACE FILM: “ISRAELISM”: 5:30pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Join for light refreshments, a documentary, & a discussion following the film. “Israelism” follows two young American Jews as they join a movement battling the old guard to redefine Judaism’s relationship with Israel, revealing a deepening generational divide over modern Jewish identity. Free. mideastjustpeace. net

REGIONAL BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5:30-7:30pm, Legs Inn, Cross Village. Join the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce, Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, & Greater Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce for networking, hors d’oeuvres, cash bar refreshments, & door prizes. $10 members; $15 not-yet members.

BOYNE AREA CHAMBER PAVILION SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: 6:30-8pm, Veterans Park Pavilion, Boyne City. Featuring Nelson Olstrom. Free. -

BOOK LOVERS MIXER!: 7pm, Suttons Bay Bingham District Library. Enjoy light refreshments, win prizes, & meet & mingle with other readers. Free. sbbdl.org

THURSDAY

COFFEE @ 10, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Good Hart Artist Resident Bakpak Durden will talk about his creative process & work. Durden is a self-taught artist from Detroit who creates work exploring human consciousness & spiritual existence. Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ coffee-10-good-hart-artist-residence-bakpak-durden

ments, & a cash bar while you meet & mingle with the artists. During this event, artists from the Kitchen Painters will be on location doing live demos in the Atrium Gallery & outside near the Bidwell Plaza. crookedtree. org/event/ctac-petoskey/closing-receptionfull-circle-summer-north-paintings-kitchenpainters

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER ART

WALK: 6-9pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Bidwell Plaza, Petoskey. Some activities run from 5-8pm, including shopping newly created artworks & mingling with artists at the Wet Paint Sale, & live demos by Kitchen Painters. Also, visit shops & galleries, watch artists creating & painting en plein air, enjoy live music by Jelly Roll Blues Band & others, enjoy the Art Walk After Party, & more. crookedtree.org/artwalk

JAZZ NORTH IN CONCERT: 7pm, Old Art Building, lawn, Leland. Part of the Music In The Air summer concert series. Bring lawn chairs or blankets, along with a picnic dinner. Free. oldartbuilding.com/events/music-inthe-air-jazz-north-2

30 aug 28 aug 29

FRIDAY

BACK TO SCHOOL GRAB & GO KITS: Petoskey District Library. Get some back to school swag. Available while supplies last; first come, first served. For tweens/teens going into grades 7-12. Free. calendar.petoskeylibrary.org/default/Detail/2024-08-30-1000Back-to-School-Grab-amp-Go-KitS

LABOR DAY SIDEWALK SALES: 10am5pm, Bay Harbor Village. Find end-of-summer savings.

KID’S CRAFT LAB: (See Tues., Aug. 27)

FRIDAY NIGHT FEAST/POTLUCK FOR WATER IS LIFE FESTIVAL: Held at The Lost Tamarack, Wolverine in honor of all the sponsors, donors, supporters, volunteers & attendees of the Water Is Life Festival, held on Sat., Aug. 31. Bring a dish to pass & your own plate, bowl, silverware & cup. The ceremony & feast is held from 6-8pm. Music by local musicians & bonfire at 8pm. waterislifefestival.org/feast

MINNEHAHA BREWHAHA MUSIC FESTI-

VAL: 6-11pm, Arcadia Marine, Arcadia. Featuring 12 bands, brew tent, food trucks, kids activities & 5K & 15K races. Races are Sat. at 8am. Enjoy two bands in the Brew Tent Fri. night & 10 bands plus beer tasting on Sat. $25 pre-event; $30 day of event. musicmoves-me.org

“STREET HEROINES”: SOLD OUT: 4-5:30pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. This award-winning documentary celebrates the courage & creativity of women who, despite their lack of recognition, have been an integral part of the graffiti & street art movement since the beginning. $0-$10. simpletix.com/e/street-heroines-screeningtickets-169664 -

CLOSING RECEPTION: FOR A FULL CIRCLE: Summer Up North, Paintings by The Kitchen Painters & Photographs by the Crooked Tree Photographic Society. 5-8pm, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Atrium Gallery, Petoskey. Enjoy live music, light refresh-

MUSIC UNDER THE PINES: 6pm, Twisted Fish Gallery, front lawn of Cottage Gallery, Elk Rapids. Featuring Latin Jazz vocalist & pianist Benjamin Furman. Bring lawn chairs & picnics. Additional parking is available on S Bayshore Rd or behind the gallery. This is a free concert, but donations for Benjamin will be welcomed after the show. twistedfishgallery.com/event/music-under-the-pines-withbenjamin-furman

STRINGS IN THE SKY: DIXON’S VIOLIN: 6-8pm, 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

STROLL THE STREETS: 6-9pm, Downtown Boyne City. Performers include Sydni K, M119 Band, Full Moon Jam Band, Billy P’s, Derailed, Jelly Roll, Timberline, David Lawston, Rhett DuCouer, Backroads Band, Jerry Douglas Face Painting, & Pooch. Free.

40 YEARS OF SPICE!

VIRIDIAN STRINGS: MASTERWORKS UNVEILED: 7pm, Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. Acclaimed quartet Viridian Strings presents chamber music performed against the backdrop of northern Michigan. $45 ($40 OAC members). oliverart.org

BRETHREN DAYS: Brethren. Tonight includes Outdoor Night Club Karaoke & DJ. facebook.com/BrethrenDays

MAMMA MIA!: 8pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Enjoy this hilarious & heartfelt story of love, family, & self-discovery featuring the hits of ABBA. This production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). Tickets starting at $57. greatlakescfa.org/events/detail/mamma-mia

Accidentals, Pete Kehoe, Ruby John, & Seth Bernard, a youth area for future land & water stewards where there will be a visit from North Sky Raptors & live birds of prey, free rides on a 20 ft. canoe in & around the Bear River, & more. Free. waterislifefestival.org

4TH ANNUAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS EVENT BUTTERFLY RELEASE: 1-3pm, Pennsylvania Park, downtown Petoskey. Featuring speakers Lisa Clavier & Tory Werth. For $15 you can reserve a Monarch butterfly to release. Free first aid kits with Narcan. Free. crami.org

SATURDAY

BOOK SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Linda Mueller & Kathy Paterka will sign their book “For The Love of a Castle II: The Romance Continues.” The Biography of Castle Farms in Charlevoix, Michigan. horizonbooks.com/event/linda-mueller-kathy-paterka-book-signing

BRETHREN DAYS: Brethren. Today includes a softball tournament, High Bridge Hustle 5K, Pancake Breakfast under the Gazebo, Dragster Car Show, Horseshoe Pitching Contest, live music with Working on Famous, Feral Cats, Tim Krause, & PharvNHarv, fireworks over Lake Elinor at dusk, & more. facebook.com/BrethrenDays

LABORFEST: Douglas Park, Manistee. Runs from 1pm-midnight. Presented by Salt City Rock & Blues. Car show from 9am-2pm; parade at 12:30pm; cornhole tournament at 1pm. Free afternoon music from 1-5pm. Evening ticketed performances begin at 5:30pm: Taylor Makowicki, Salt City All Stars and SCAS Review, Red Apple Road Reunion, & the headliners, My Son The Hurricane. From $19.99. saltcityrb.com/laborfest2023

SUMMER CONCERTS: 7-9pm, GT County Civic Center, Amphitheater, TC. Featuring the Beth Bombara Band. Free.

CADILLAC FESTIVAL OF RACES: Cadillac. Featuring a 1 Mile Kids Fun Run for ages 8 & under (9:20am); 1/4 Mile Lake Swim Race (9:30am); 7 Mile Team Relay Run around Lake Cadillac (9:15am); & 5K/10K out & back course starting at Cadillac Rotary Pavilion (9am). Same day registration begins at 8am. Prices range from free to $35. cadillacareaymca.org/cadillac-festival-of-races

KIWANIS CLUB LABOR DAY WEEKEND

CAR SHOW: 8am-4pm, Veteran’s Park, Boyne City. Featuring more than 100 classic & custom cars. There will be live music by Pine River Jazz Band & a DJ. A free drive-in preview will be held in the 100 & 200 blocks of Water St. during Stroll The Streets on Fri., Aug. 30 from 6-9pm.

FRIENDS OF THE ALDEN DISTRICT LIBRARY BOOK SALE: 9am-2pm, Helena Township Community Center, Alden. 231331-4318.

LABOR DAY LIVE: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Today includes the Labor Day 5K beginning at Kinlochen at 9am; Labor Day 1 Mile Fun Run beginning at Kinlochen at 10am; Heikki Lunta Snow Dance; food, music & lawn games; Cotton Creek Farm Alpacas; Labor Day Weekend Tent Sale; & much more. crystalmountain.com/event/ labor-day-weekend

ELK RAPIDS ARTS & CRAFT SHOW: 10am-4pm, River St., downtown Elk Rapids. More than 70 artisans & crafters displaying & selling their works. Pet friendly, family friendly. Free. elkrapidschamber.org/arts-craftsshow

LABOR DAY SIDEWALK SALES: 10am5pm, Bay Harbor Village. Find end-of-summer savings.

MINNEHAHA BREWHAHA MUSIC FESTIVAL: (See Fri., Aug. 30, except today’s hours are 11am-11pm.)

WATER IS LIFE FESTIVAL: Noon-9pm, Petoskey Waterfront, 200 Wachtel Ave., Petoskey. Celebrating our connection to the water & building power through community so we can work towards living in a holistic way with the water & protect it from those who seek to exploit or endanger it. Enjoy art, food, live music by Alina Morr & Urban Tropical, Dave Kroon, Patty PerShayla & The

BAY VIEW MUSIC FESTIVAL OPERA: ROSSINI’S CINDERELLA: 7:30pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Experience the magic of live opera in a fully staged production of the fairy tale opera by Rossini. $33 all seats. onthestage.tickets/ bay-view-association

MAMMA MIA!: (See Fri., Aug. 30)

SUNDAY

BRETHREN DAYS: Brethren. Today includes Community Church Services under the Gazebo, softball tournament, cornhole tournament, Grand Parade, live music by The Nephews, Truck Driver Bingo, & Duke and the Studebakers, & more. facebook. com/BrethrenDays

LABOR DAY LIVE: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Today includes the Labor Day Weekend Tent Sale; Park at Water’s Edge Outdoor Pool Party; & much more. crystalmountain.com/event/labor-day-weekend

LABOR DAY SIDEWALK SALES: 10am5pm, Bay Harbor Village. Find end-of-summer savings.

MAMMA MIA!: (See Fri., Aug. 30, except today’s times are 3pm & 8pm.)

K. JONES & THE BENZIE PLAYBOYS IN CONCERT: 4pm, Old Art Building, lawn, Leland. Part of the Music In The Air summer concert series. Bring lawn chairs or blankets, along with a picnic dinner. Free. oldartbuilding.com/events/music-in-the-air-k-jones-thebenzie-playboys

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

SUMMER YOGA SERIES: Join for beach yoga very Weds. through Sept. 4 (with the exception of Aug. 21) at 7:30pm at Van’s Beach. Explore conscious breathing, meditation, self-massage, stretching, body weight strength building, & restorative rest. Bring your towel, a water bottle & friends. Donation-based with donations supporting the Leelanau Conservancy. leelanauconservancy.org/events

BALANCE BIKE CLUB MEET-UPS: Norte Clubhouse, GT County Civic Center, TC. Held every Weds. through Aug. from 10:3011:30am for first time riders in TC. Drop-in. No need to bring your bike. There are plenty to borrow. For riders ages 2-5. norteyouthcycling.org/calendar/traverse-city-slow-roll

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

MINERAL SPRINGS CONCERTS IN THE PARK: Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort. Held on Fridays through Aug. 16 + Aug. 30 at 7pm. RUN, WALK OR BIKE: Wednesdays, 6pm through Aug. 28, Northland Brewing Co., Indian River. Held on a crushed limestone, flat trail. All paces & ages welcomed. 810-4440247.

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

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, fromscratch baked goods, sauces & more. There will also be live entertainment.

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

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

ELK RAPIDS FARMERS MARKET: Next to the Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, on US 31 by the swan. Local growers & producers from all around northwestern Michigan. Shop every Friday morning through Oct.

4, 8am-noon. elkrapidschamber.org/farmersmarket

EMPIRE FARMERS MARKET: 10234 Front St., Empire. Held on Saturdays, 9am-1pm through Aug. 31. leelanaufarmersmarkets. com/empire

GLEN ARBOR FARMERS MARKET: 6394

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

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

HONOR FARMERS ARTIST & MAKERS

MARKET: Maley Park on US31, across from Honor Plaza. Held every Tues., 9am-2pm through Sept. 3. Featuring 24 vendors & fun community events. Find ‘Honor Farmers Artist & Makers Market’ on Facebook.

INTERLOCHEN FARMERS MARKET: Sundays, 9am-2pm through Oct.; Thursdays, 2-7pm through Aug. 2112 Joe Maddy Parkway, Interlochen. Featuring 60+ vendors. Includes local produce, baked goods, arts & crafts, & more. facebook.com/InterlochenFarmersMarket

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

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., 9am-1pm through Sept. 20. leelanaufarmersmarkets. com/northport

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

SARA HARDY DOWNTOWN FARMERS

MARKET: Runs every Weds. through Oct. from 8am-noon; & every Sat. through Oct. from 7:30am-noon. Held at Rotary Square in Downtown TC.

SUTTONS BAY FARMERS MARKET: Saint Joseph St., at north end of village. Held on Saturdays through Oct. 19 from 9am-1pm. Farmers market selling local produce, flowers, baked goods, artisan products. leelanauf armersmarkets.com/suttons-bay

ART

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 Aug. 30 - Oct. 31. 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

UNDER SUMMER STARS: HIGHER ART GALLERY, TC. 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

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/openstudio-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

SUMMER’S PALETTE MAGIC THURSDAY ARTIST ANNUAL SHOW: City Opera House, TC. Runs through Aug. Featuring over 100 original paintings. A portion of all sales benefits the City Opera House. Featured artists are Sue Bowerman, Lori Feldpausch, Rita Harrington, Ruth Kitchen, Dorothy Mudget, Marilyn Rebant, Dorothy Ruble, Stephanie Schlatter, Laura Swire, & Adam VanHouten. cityoperahouse.org

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

SUMMER SALON: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. The fifth annual salon-style art sale showcasing regionally inspired work from more than 40 local & area fine artists. Runs through Aug. 31. charlevoixcircle.org

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

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:

- 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-summernorth-paintings-kitchen-painters-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

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

- HORIZONS: LANDSCAPES & FIGURES BY ROBERT & SUSAN PERRISH: Held in Bonfield Gallery through Aug. Works by

Michigan-based painters Robert & Susan Perrish. Open Tues. through Sat. from 10am5pm. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskey/ horizons-landscapes-and-figures-robertand-susan-perrish

DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC:

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

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

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

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

GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER: - 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

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

nitelife

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska LEELANAU & BENZIE

ALEXANDRA INN, TC

BLUSH, ROOFTOP TERRACE:

Mon -- John Piatek, 6-8

APACHE TROUT GRILL, TC

8/24 – Bryan Poirier

8/25 – Matt Mansfield

8/29 – Brady Corcoran

8/30 – Dags Und Timmah!

8/31 – Bryan Poirier

9/1 – Chris Smith

BONOBO WINERY, TC

8/30 -- Pinter Whitnick, 6-8

CHATEAU CHANTAL, TC

EAST PATIO:

8/30 -- Allie Kessel, 5-8

WEST PATIO:

Thu -- Jazz at Sunset w/ Jeff Haas Trio & Laurie Sears, 7

COMMON GOOD RESTAURANT, TC

8/24 -- Ron Getz, 6

ENCORE 201, TC

8/22-24 & 8/29 -- DJ Ricky T, 9

FANTASY’S, TC DJ

IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC PATIO:

8/26 -- Beyond Trivia, 7-10

JACOB’S FARM, TC 6:

8/24 – Doc Probes & Cherry Ramblers

8/25 – The Duges

8/28 – The Chromatics

8/29 – Rhett & John

8/30 – Reid Oberer

8/31 – StyleGlides

KILKENNY’S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC

8/24 -- Boardman River Band, 9:30 Mon -- Team Trivia, 7-9

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

8/30 -- Chromatics, 9:30

8/31 -- TC Knuckleheads, 9:30

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

8/27 – Open Mic, 6

8/29 – Trivia Night w/ Host Marcus Anderson, 7-9

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC

BARREL ROOM:

8/26 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

TASTING ROOM, 5-7:

8/24 -- Jeff Socia

8/31 -- Weston Buchan

LIL BO, TC

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

MARI VINEYARDS, TC 4-6:

8/27 -- Kyle Brown

8/29 -- Dennis Palmer

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC

8/24 -- Protea, 8-11

8/28 -- Trivia Night, 7-9

8/29 -- Craig Jolly, 6-9

8/30 -- Zeke Clemons, 6-9

8/31 -- ZUZ, 8-11

NORTH BAR, TC

8/24 – David Cisco, 5-8

8/25 – Weston Buchan, 1-4; Jeff Linsell, 5-8

8/29 – Levi Britton, 7-10

8/30 – John Pomeroy, 1-4; The Bohemians, 5-8

8/31 – Rhett & John, 1-4; Luke Woltanski & John Piatek, 5-8

9/1 -- Craig Jolly, 1-4; Jimmy Olson, 5-8

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC

SEVEN HILLS, PENINI:

8/24 -- Gemini Moon, 6:30

8/25 -- The Fridays, 6

8/28 -- Jimmy Olson, 6:30

8/29 -- Chris Sterr, 6

8/30 -- Hannah Laine, 6

8/31 -- DJ Ras Marco D, 6

9/1 -- Kenny Olson Cartel w/ special guests, 6-10

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

8/24 -- Mike Moran, 7:30-9:30

8/29 -- Protea, 7-10

8/31 -- Allie Kessel, 7:30

THE ALLUVION, TC

8/24 -- Alluvial Nights: Dawn Campbell & The Bohemians + DJ E-Knuf, 9-11

8/26 -- Big Fun - Funky Fun Mondays, 6-8:30

8/29 -- Viridian Strings - Masterworks Unveiled, 7-9

8/30 -- Alluvial Nights: wtrbd & DJ Ras Marco, w/ live visuals by Super Nuclear, 9-11

8/31 -- SuperBlue w/ Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter, 7

THE COIN SLOT, TC 7-10:

8/24 – The Timebombs

8/29 – Trillium Groove

8/30 – The Timber Fellers

8/31 – Protea

9/1 – Skin Kwon Doe

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC

8/23-24 & 8/30-31 -- Tyler Gitchel’s Traditional Country Show, 7:30-11

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC

8/24 -- All Call Music Festival w/ Psymon Spine, Rich Ruth, Metal Bubble Trio, & Valebol, 5-10

8/28 -- DJ Dusty Staircase, 7-10

PATIO:

8/30 -- Ben Davila & The Powers That Be, 6-10

8/31 -- DJ Nights, 8-11

THE PARLOR, TC

8/24 – Rolling Dirty, 6-9; Chelsea Marsh, 9-12

8/27 – Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

8/28 – Wink Solo, 8-11

8/29 – Jimmy Olson, 8-11

8/31 – Rhett & John, 6-9; Empire Highway, 9-12

9/1 – One Hot Robot, 5; Mal & Mike, 6-9

THE PUB, TC

8/24 – Mal & Mike, 5-8; Rhythm Theory, 9-12

8/25 – Rob Coonrod, 1-4; Rhett & John, 5-8

8/28 – Zeke Clemons, 8-11

8/29 – David Martón, 8-11

8/30 – Kevin Paul, 5-8; The Boardman River Band, 9-12

8/31 – John Pomeroy, 5-8; Luke Woltanski & John Piatek, 9-12

9/1 – Dollar Shavey Club, 1-4; Rob Coonrod, 5-8

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

8/24 -- The Parallelz, 8 8/25 -- TiltThink Comedy Improv Mixtape, 7

8/27 -- Open Mic Night, 7

8/28 -- Jazz Show & Jam, 6

8/30 -- Chris Michels, 8 8/31 -- The Haz Binz, 8

THIRSTY FISH SPORTS GRILLE, TC PATIO, 6:30-9:30: 8/24 – Truetones 8/29 -- TSP

TOWNLINE CIDERWORKS, WILLIAMSBURG

8/30 -- The Hey! Makers, 6-8

TRAVERSE CITY WHISKEY CO. STILLHOUSE, TC 8/24 -- Ben Richey, 6-8

UNION STREET STATION, TC

8/23-24 – Dyn-O-Mite, 10

8/29 -- DJ 1Wave Dance Party, 10 8/30 -- Happy Hour w/ Justin Weirenga: Presented by Pond Jam, 5:30; Pond Jam Presents: NoahMUA Trio & Keep it Casual, 10 8/31 -- Soul Patch, 10

45 NORTH VINEYARD & WINERY, LAKE LEELANAU

8/29 -- Shelagh & Robbie, 4-6

9 BEAN ROWS, SUTTONS BAY

8/25 -- North Bay Celtic Band, noon-3; Full Cord, 3-6

AMORITAS VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU

8/29 -- Billy & The Kid, 5-7

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

8/24 -- Jedi Clampetts, 3:30-5:30

8/25 & 8/31 -- Larry Perkins, 3:305:30

8/27, 8/30 & 9/1 -- John Piatek, 5:30-7:30

BLACK STAR FARMS, SUTTONS

BAY

LAWN, 6-8:

8/24 – JEL Collective 8/31 -- Izzy Joy

BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU

TASTING ROOM:

8/25 -- Pinter Whitnick, 4-6:30

8/28 -- Luke Woltanski & John Piatek, 5:30-8

9/1 -- Jim Hawley & His Band, 4-6:30

CICCONE VINEYARD & WINERY, SUTTONS BAY

8/24 -- Zinnia Dungjen, 2-4:30

8/25 -- Mark Daisy, 2-4:30

8/29 -- Elizabeth Landry, 5-7:30

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE

KINLOCHEN PLAZA, 6-8:

8/24 -- Andy Littlefield

8/31 -- Brady Corcoran

LEVEL4 LOUNGE, 8:30-10:30: 8/25 -- Nick Vasquez

8/28-29 -- Reminisce - Jim & Dave

8/30-31 -- Izzy Wallace

9/1 -- Jesse Jefferson

WILD TOMATO, PATIO, 6-8:

8/24 -- Dominic Fortuna

8/25 -- Luke Woltanski

8/30 -- Meg Gunia

8/31 -- Izzy Wallace

9/1 -- Nick Vasquez

DUNE BIRD WINERY, NORTHPORT

3-6:

8/25 – Chris Smith

9/1 – Luke Woltanski

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH

8/28 -- Open Mic Night, 7-9

8/30 -- Pulse of The Atom, 6-9

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR 4-7:

8/26 -- Billy & The Kid

8/28 -- Pinter Whitnick

8/29 -- Luke Woltanski

FURNACE STREET DISTILLERY, ELBERTA PATIO, 6-8:

8/24 – Luke Woltanski

8/30 – Jerome Forde

8/31 – Jason Locke

GLEN ARBOR WINES

8/30 -- Luke Woltanski, 10-12

HOP LOT BREWING CO., SUTTONS BAY

BEER GARDEN, 5-8:

8/24 -- Delilah DeWylde

8/30 -- Jameson Brothers

8/31 -- The Dune Brothers

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

8/24 -- The Lavender Lions, 6-8

8/26 -- Anna P.S., 6:30-8:30

8/29 -- Hannah Laine, 6:30-8:30

8/30 -- Patrick Niemisto, 6:30-8:30

8/31 -- Jakob Abraham, 6:30-8:30

9/1 -- The Brother’s Ralph, 5:30-7

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

8/24 – Looking Forward – CSN&Y Tribute, 7-10

8/27 -- New Third Coast, 6:30-9:30

8/28 -- John Paul, 6:30-9:30

8/29 -- Drew Hale, 6:30-9:30

8/30 -- Happy Hour w/ Laura Thurston, 3-6; 1000 Watt Prophets, 7-10

8/31 -- Daydrinker’s Series w/ Runaway Mule, 3-6; Fifth Gear Band, 7-10

9/1 -- Daydrinker’s Series w/ Jim Crockett Band, 3-6; The Jameson Brothers, 7-10

LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY

8/30 -- The Gavins, 6-9 BEER GARDEN, 4-7:

8/25 -- Song of the Lakes 9/1 -- Jazz North

NORTH COUNTRY KITCHEN & BAR, SUTTONS BAY PATIO: Sun -- Jazz Brunch w/ Ron Getz &

Ted Alan, 11am-2pm

RIVER CLUB, GLEN ARBOR

8/24 -- Clint Weaner, 2-5; Empire Highway, 6-9

8/25 -- Ben Richey, 6-9

8/26 -- Andre Villoch, 6-9

8/27 -- Jim Hawley, 6-9

8/28 -- Loose Change, 6-9

8/29 -- Clint Weaner, 6-9

8/30 -- Lars Cabot, 6-9

8/31 -- Larry Perkins, 2-5; Blake Kimmel Duo, 6-9

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 8/24 -- Anna P.S., 1-4; Reminisce, 5

8/25 -- Jesse Jefferson, 3

8/26 -- The Duges, 5-8

8/27 -- Luke Woltanski, 5-8

8/28 -- Bill Frary, 5-8

8/30 -- The Feral Cats, 5-8

8/31 -- Blake Elliott, 1-4

SHADY LANE CELLARS, SUTTONS BAY

8/30 -- Friday Night Live w/ Kyle Brown, 4-7

9/1 -- Harvest BBQ w/ Highway North & Ty Parkin, 12-7

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT 6-8:

8/28 -- Dan The Band feat. Chester 8/29 -- Pinter Whitnick

SUTTONS BAY CIDERS

8/25 -- Ben Traverse, 5:30-8

8/29 -- Thursday Trivia, 6:30-8

THE CABBAGE SHED, ELBERTA 8/28 – Vinyl Vednesday w/ DJ TJ, 5-8

8/29 – Open Mic Night, 7-9

THE HOMESTEAD RESORT, GLEN ARBOR WHISKERS, 6-9: 8/24 -- Jerome Ford

8/30 -- Dave Crater w/ Dave Montie 9/1 -- Billy & The Kid

YARD AND LAKE, NORTHPORT 8/24 -- Blair Miller, 6

BLUEWATER BISTRO & PIZZERIA, ALDEN

8/24 & 8/31 -- David Lawston, 5:30-8:30

BOYNE MOUNTAIN RESORT, BOYNE FALLS

40 ACRES TAVERN:

8/29 -- David Lawston, 7-10

BEACH HOUSE:

8/24 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

SKYBRIDGE MICHIGAN, DISCIPLES OVERLOOK:

8/30 -- Strings in the Sky: Dixon’s Violin, 6-8

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY

7-10:

8/24 – The Fridays

8/30 – Chris & Adam

8/31 – Pete Kehoe

CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS

8/31 -- Blair Miller, 6

CELLAR 1914, CENTRAL LAKE

8/30 -- He Said She Said, 6-9

ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS

7-10:

8/24 -- Charlie’s Root Fusion

Antrim & Charlevoix

8/30 -- Levitator

8/31 -- The Bootstrap Boys

FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE

8/24 -- DJ Bingo, 7-9

8/30 -- Hanna Von B, 7-10

8/31 -- Jessica Dominic, 7-10

HOTEL EARL, CHARLEVOIX

8/25 & 9/1 -- Zeke Clemons, 6:309:30

8/29 -- DJ Parker Marshall, 7:3010:30

8/31 -- Hanna Von B, 7:30-10:30

MAMMOTH DISTILLING, CENTRAL LAKE

8/24 – Rick Woods, 7-10

PROVISIONS WINE LOUNGE, BOYNE CITY

8/27 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6-8

SHORT’S PUB, BELLAIRE BEER GARDEN:

8/24 -- Kanin Wren’s Taylor Swift Experience, 7-9:30

8/25 -- Delilah DeWylde, 5:30-8

8/30 -- HWT, 7-9:30

8/31 -- Daveonce & DaFunk Gang, 7-9:30

9/1 -- The Charlie Millard Band, 5-7; The Go Rounds, 7:30-9:30

SHORT’S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS

8/24 -- DJ Clark After Dark, 6:309:30

8/25 -- Gemini Moon, 6-9

8/30 -- Keith Scott, 6:30-9:30 8/31 -- Flylite Gemini, 6:30-9:30

SPARE KEY WINERY, CHARLEVOIX 8/25 -- Randy Reszka, 2-5

THE BACK LOT, CHARLEVOIX

8/24 & 9/1 -- Jukebox Manouche, 6-9

TOONIES RESTAURANT & BAR, BELLAIRE

Sat -- Karaoke, 9-1

WATERFIRE VINEYARDS, KEWADIN

8/30 -- Ken Shepley, 6-8

BEARDS BREWERY, PETOSKEY 8/28 – Open Mic

BIERE DE MAC BREW WORKS, MACKINAW CITY BACKYARD:

8/24 -- Mary Kenyon, 7-10

8/30-31 -- Acoustic Beer League, 6 9/1 -- Duffy King, 6

BOB’S PLACE, ALANSON 8/28 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY PATIO:

8/24,8/31 -- Chris Calleja, 2-6

8/30 -- Michelle Chenard, 4-7:30 9/1 -- Pete Kehoe, 1:30-5:30

BURNT MARSHMALLOW BREWSTILLERY, PETOSKEY

5:30-7:30:

8/24 & 8/30 -- Terry Coveyou 8/31 -- Elisabeth Criste

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 8/30 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

CROOKED VINE VINEYARD & WINERY, ALANSON 1-4: 8/24 – Lejet

8/31 – John Piatek

DOUGLAS LAKE STEAKHOUSE, PELLSTON 6-9:

8/25 -- Jeff Tucker 9/1 – Nate King

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

INN AT BAY HARBOR, CABANA BAR

3-6: 8/30 – Tyler Parkin 9/1 -- David Lawston

LEGS INN, CROSS VILLAGE Fri -- Kirby, 5-8

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY

7:30-10:30: 8/24 – Holly Keller

8/28 – Kyle Brown

8/29 – Donald Benjamin

8/30 -- Mike Ridley

8/31 – Adam Hoppe

NOMAD., BAY HARBOR 8/25 & 9/1 -- DJ Parker Marshall, 4:30-10:30

NORTHLAND BREWING CO., INDIAN RIVER BACKYARD:

8/24 –Chris Michels Band, 7-10

8/25 – Groove Yard Vinyl Session w/ DJ Clark After Dark, 5-8

8/29 – Dogwood Rhythms, 6:308:30

8/30 – Live Music, 7-10

8/31 – The Galactic Sherpas, 7-10 9/1 – Groove Yard Vinyl Session w/ DJ Franck, 5-8

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR

SPRINGS

8/24 -- Lew Russ, 5-8

8/25 -- Two-Track Mind, 3-6

8/28 -- Open Mic Night w/ Kirby, 5-8

8/29 -- 90’s Trivia, 6-8

8/30 -- Underleaf Band, 5-8

8/31-9/1 -- Grace Theisen Band, 5-8

SEASONS OF THE NORTH WINERY, INDIAN RIVER 8/30 – Duffy King, 6-9

SUN OUTDOORS, PETOSKEY 8/30 -- Jukebox Manouche, 6:308:30

THE BEAU 7:

8/24 -- Chris Neuman

8/29 -- Musicians Playground Open Mic

8/30 -- The Lonely Pines

THE QUEENS HEAD, CHEBOYGAN 8/28 – Lee Fayssoux, 5:30-7:30

THE STATION @ 310, INDIAN RIVER

8/29 -- Mike Ridley, 2-5

THE WIGWAM, INDIAN RIVER

8/24 -- Curtis Grooters, 8-11

8/29 – Dominic Fortuna, 7:30-9:30

8/30 – The Hey Dudz, 8-11

8/31 – Spencer Opperman, 8-11

WALLOON LAKE WINERY, PETOSKEY

8/29 -- Duffy King, 6-8

Otsego, Crawford &

Central

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

6-9:

8/24 – Banjo Mike

8/29 – Spencer Opperman

8/31 – Crosscut Kings

BIG BUCK BREWERY, GAYLORD

8/31 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

C.R.A.V.E., GAYLORD

8/28 -- Randy Reszka, 6-9

PADDLE HARD BREWING, GRAYLING

7-9: 8/30 -- StoneFolk

9/1 -- Motor City Memories

RAY’S BBQ, BREWS & BLUES, GRAYLING

4-7:

8/25 -- Blair Miller

9/1 -- Brian Curran

MANISTEE, WEXFORD & MISSAUKEE

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA

8/30 -- Charlie Millard Band, 7

THE GREENHOUSE - WILLOW/ PRIMOS, CADILLAC

8/28 – Trivia & Music Bingo Night w/ Shawny-D, 6-9

8/29 – Karaoke Thursdays w/ Shawny-D, 7-10

8/30 -- Roksavant, 7

8/31 – August Dance Party & Silent Disco, 8

by Joseph Beyer

Robot Dreams

If the bold, award-winning animated feature film Robot Dreams has anything to do with it, then old dogs can in fact learn many new tricks. Some tricks are even as complicated as dealing with the arc of love and loss, the agony of modern loneliness, and the selfcare that comes from sometimes letting the past go.

All of the above blends together beautifully in one of the most unique films of the year, an accomplishment even more impressive when you consider the skill it took to achieve this nuance from a movie that contains no dialogue in any form (canine, human, or mechanical).

Adapted from American children’s author Sara Varon’s graphic novel of the same name, Robot Dreams was brilliantly “written” and directed by Spanish animator-turnedcreativo Pablo Berger, who also acts as a key producer. His passion for the project, which took five years to make, is evident in every frame.

With a remarkably simple plot and equally remarkable impact, the story itself is set in New York City of the 1980s when a very lonely DOG sees a late night infomercial and orders himself a kit to create a ROBOT companion. Once the DOG activates the ROBOT, they become fast and fierce friends who find in each other a reason and purpose for life. So joyous is their connection, it even breeds a disco-inspired song and dance that becomes their anthem.

Just as we feel all is suddenly right in this imaginary world, their friendship is torn apart by separation, and DOG and ROBOT must find a way to reconnect or move on in their lives. And if you don’t believe you could be on the edge

of joyful and sorrowful tears watching it all play out, then wait till you meet them. DOG is quiet, observant, and thoughtful to his friend. ROBOT sees his purpose and utility in making DOG happy. Together, life is bliss. When they are unexpectedly separated, both are in agony. Each is desperately searching for the other, and their journeys play out on screen in real, imagined, and magical ways.

It all combines to create a rich narrative that speaks volumes about humanity without a single word spoken and not one Homo sapien character in it.

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was later nominated for Best Animated Film this year at the Oscars (among other international accolades). Edgy distributor Neon picked up North American rights and is showcasing Robot Dreams in limited theatrical release before streaming on Apple TV+ this fall. I highly recommend you check it out, and my hope is that kids of all ages will dig it with you. The project is not rated.

Visually mesmerizing in a hand-drawn style all its own, Robot Dreams speaks in a universal way anyone can understand using body and facial language, musical interludes, and a pastiche of anthropomorphic cues. With characters who are intentionally non-gendered, audiences can imprint any interpretation they feel here on DOG and ROBOT, making it all the more wonderful.

In a time when our entire world is dealing with a loss of connection, the story of this unlikely friendship across all barriers provides a cathartic edginess that feels like a genuine treat in the dog-eat-dog world of Hollywood sameness.

WEDNESDAY

From the “Bank of the Boardman” a breezy Recess at West Shore Bank

ENTER TO WIN:

• 2-night stay at Pine Tree House: 1 bedroom/1 bath with river views and balcony. Value up to $850. (July/August excluded)

• Gift basket featuring goodies from the Blue Goat and a Blue Goat gift card. Value $100.

• Private educational tasting experience at the Blue Goat for up to 6 guests. Value $150.

SEPT 4 • 5PM-7PM Recess is brought to you by Food from NOBO Market; beer and wine from Blue Goat. $10 entry.

lOGY

JULY 26 - SEPT 01

BY ROB BREZSNY

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): When an infant giraffe leaves its mother’s womb, it falls six feet to the ground. I suspect that when you are reborn sometime soon, Virgo, a milder and more genial jolt will occur. It may even be quite rousing and inspirational—not rudely bumpy at all. By the way, the plunge of the baby giraffe snaps its umbilical cord and stimulates the creature to take its initial breaths—getting it ready to begin its life journey. I suspect your genial jolt will bring comparable benefits.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had an older sister, born under the sign of Leo. Her nickname was Nannerl. During their childhoods, she was as much a musical prodigy as he. Supervised by their father, they toured Europe performing together, playing harpsichord and piano. Nannerl periodically got top billing, and some critics regarded her as the superior talent. But misfortune struck when her parents decided it was unseemly for her, as a female, to continue her development as a genius. She was forcibly retired so she could learn the arts of housekeeping and prepare for marriage and children. Your assignment in the coming months, Leo, is to rebel against any influence that tempts you to tamp down your gifts and specialties. Assert your sovereignty. Identify what you do best, and do it more and better than you ever have before.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Many people living in the Napo province of Ecuador enjoy eating a dish called ukuy, which is a Kichwa word for large ants. This is not an exotic meal for them. They may cook the ukuy or simply eat the creatures alive. If you travel to Napo anytime soon, Libra, I urge you to sample the ukuy. According to my reading of the astrological omens, such an experiment is in alignment with the kinds of experiences you Libras should be seeking: outside your usual habits, beyond your typical expectations, and in amused rebellion against your customary way of doing things.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The theory of karma suggests that all our actions, good and bad and in-between, send ripples out into the world. These ripples eventually circle back to us, ensuring we experience events that mirror our original actions. If we lie and cheat, we will be lied to and cheated on. If we give generously and speak kindly about other people, we will be the recipient of generosity and kind words. bring this up, Scorpio, because I believe you will soon harvest a slew of good karma that you have set in motion through your generosity and kindness. It may sometimes seem as if you're getting more benevolence than you deserve, but in my estimation, it's all well-earned.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I encourage you to buy yourself fun presents that give you a feisty boost. Why? Because I want you to bring an innovative, starting-fresh spirit into the ripening projects you are working on. Your attitude and approach could become too serious unless you infuse them with the spunky energy of an excitable kid. Gift suggestions: new music that makes you feel wild; new jewelry or clothes that make you feel daring; new tools that raise your confidence; and new information that stirs your creativity.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): ): On a Tuesday in August in 2012—one full Jupiter cycle ago—a Capricorn friend of mine called in sick to his job as a marketing specialist. He never returned. Instead, after enjoying a week off to relax, he began working to become a dance instructor. After six months, he was teaching novice students. Three years later, he was proficient enough to teach advanced students, and five years later, he was an expert. I am not advising you, Capricorn, to quit your job and launch your own quixotic quest for supremely gratifying work. But if you were ever going to start taking small steps towards that goal, now would be a good time. It’s also a favorable phase to improve the way your current job works for you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Three years ago, an Indonesian man celebrated his marriage to a rice cooker, which is a kitchen accessory. Khoirul Anam wore his finest clothes while his new spouse donned a white veil. In photos posted on social media, the happy

couple are shown hugging and kissing. Now might also be a favorable time for you to wed your fortunes more closely with a valuable resource—though there’s no need to perform literal nuptials. What material thing helps bring out the best in you? If there is no such thing, now would be a good time to get it.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): For many years, I didn't earn enough money to pay taxes. I was indigent. Fortunately, social programs provided me with food and some medical care. In recent years, though, I have had a better cash flow. I regularly send the US government a share of my income. wish they would spend all my tax contributions to help people in need. Alas, just 42 percent of my taxes pay for acts of kindness to my fellow humans, while 24 percent goes to funding the biggest military machine on earth. Maybe someday, there will be an option to allocate my tax donations exactly as want. In this spirit, Pisces, I invite you to take inventory of the gifts and blessings you dole out. Now is a good time to correct any dubious priorities. Take steps to ensure that your generosity is going where it's most needed and appreciated. What kind of giving makes you feel best?

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Although there are over 7,000 varieties of apples, your grocery store probably offers no more than 15. But you shouldn’t feel deprived. Having 15 alternatives is magnificent. In fact, most of us do better in dealing with a modicum of choices rather than an extravagant abundance. This is true not just about apples but also about most things. I mention this, Aries, because now is an excellent time to pare down your options in regard to all your resources and influences. You will function best if you're not overwhelmed with possibilities. You will thrive as you experiment with the principle that less is more.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus comedian Jerry Seinfeld, now 70 years old, has testified, “As a child, the only clear thought I had was ‘get candy.’” I encourage you to be equally single-minded in the near future, Taurus. Not necessarily about candy—but about goodies that appeal to your inner child as well as your inner teenager and inner adult. You are authorized by cosmic forces to go in quest of experiences that tickle your bliss.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I’m not saying I would refuse to hire a Gemini person to housesit while I’m on vacation. You folks probably wouldn’t let my houseplants die, allow raccoons to sneak in and steal food, or leave piles of unwashed dishes in the sink. On the other hand, I’m not entirely confident you would take impeccable care of my home in every little way. But wait! Everything just said does not apply to you now. My analysis of the omens suggests you will have a high aptitude for the domestic arts in the coming weeks. You will be more likely than usual to take good care of my home—and your own home, too. It’s a good time to redecorate and freshen up the vibe.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): These days, you are even smarter and more perceptive than usual. The deep intelligence of your higher self is pouring into your conscious awareness with extra intensity. That's a good thing, right? Yes, mostly. But there may be a downside: You could be hyper-aware of people whose thinking is mediocre and whose discernment is substandard. That could be frustrating, though it also puts you in a good position to correct mistakes those people make. As you wield the healing power of your wisdom, heed these words from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Misunderstandings and lethargy produce more wrong in the world than deceit and malice do.”

“Jonesin”

Crosswords

"En-Games" --finishing the same way. by Matt Jones

ACROSS

1. Like some mixed drinks

6. Tree goo

9. Airline based in Sweden

12. Orange, e.g.

14. A.L. Central team, on a scoreboard

15. Sicilian volcano

16. Xenomorph leader of sci-fi filmdom, for instance

18. Depilatory brand with "short shorts" ads

19. Offer temporarily

20. Coffeehouse dispenser

21. ___ Online (long-running MMORPG)

23. "Black-ish" dad

24. She's portrayed both Queens Elizabeth (I on TV and II on film)

26. Rakish cads

28. Listen to

29. Work in a haunted house, say

31. Lot purchase

32. Do some sums

35. Type of incandescent headlamp bulb

40. Up to now

41. Stimpy's costar

42. "Norma," for instance

43. ___ dire (court examination)

45. Fortnite dance or action

47. Greeting in Gelsenkirchen

51. Director Jean-___ Godard

54. "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Gr‚ce)" rapper

55. Title for a judge, for short

56. AZ city

57. 1949 mil. alliance

58. All tied up

61. Certain prayer leader

62. Rodent in a maze

63. Twelve-book Trojan tale

64. "Ich bin ___ Berliner" (JFK quote that's a misquote on his part)

65. Pull up a chair

66. Family nickname

DOWN

1. Burn

2. Bathroom floor worker

3. Wandering

4. Vanmate of Daphne and Velma

5. Good times

6. Play segment

7. Pub purchase

8. Shadow effect from a partial eclipse

9. Flight unit?

10. Crunchyroll offering

11. Clear plastic wrap

13. "So excited!" noise

15. Bookkeeping record

17. Addresses in a browser

22. Bend the truth

24. Color subtleties

25. Trevor who video-interviewed Kamala Harris in October 2020

27. Part of OPEC, for short

29. Barnyard pen

30. Kind of stick or ball

31. Network getting a U.S. remake of U.K. panel show "Have I Got News For You"

32. When most children begin sixth grade

33. James Van ___ Beek

34. Coded strands

36. Nose hair tools

37. Architect Saarinen

38. Minnesota state bird

39. Choose

43. Snake's secretion

44. Number of one-syllable U.S. state names

45. "Ghostbusters" character Dr. ___ Spengler

46. High-IQ group, supposedly

47. Bottled-up type?

48. Taste found in mushrooms

49. Mythical giant like Atlas

50. Half of "Good Mythical Morning"

52. Start of a gym motto

53. Drug store aisle

56. Dish list

59. Grammy-winning guitarist Steve

60. Mid-afternoon drink

CLASSIFIEDS

BERNEDOODLE PUPPIES:

F1 Standard Bernedoodles born July 4 Both parents AKC registered . $1800 includes Vaccines ,Vet health check with certificate, microchip, health guarantee. Ready late August. Accepting applications & deposits. MichiganMountainDoodles.com Puppy pictures also on Facebook & Instagram MiMountain Doodles. 248 8s91-6672

K1 SPEED TRAVERSE: CASHIERS & TRACK STAFF $13-16/H

Do you thrive in a fast paced, energetic work environment that focuses on serving customers with enthusiasm? If so, K1 Speed is the team for you! Contact: traverseracing@ gmail.com

JOIN OUR TASTING ROOM TEAM!

Ready to start your journey in wine? Join our fun loving, hard working tasting room team! Full Time employment available through fall; possible year round available. Must be 18

years or older. $11/hour base pay (with tips, peak season hourly rate ranges from $22 to $30); benefits available for eligible staff. https://www.marivineyards.com/connect/ employment

COMPUTER PROBLEMS?

I can fix your computer, tablet, TV and phone. I’ll show you how to use it too. If it can’t be fixed I can help you replace it with the right device for you. I’ll come to your home or office. Call James Downer, Advent Tech. Your high tech handyman. 231-492-2087

THE WEED LADY CAN HELP YOUR GARDENS AND WALKWAYS:

Do you have weeds you need removed? We serve GT & Leelanau Co. Call 231-454-9022

BOUTIQUE MASSAGE SCHOOL -ACCEPTING APPLICANTS

Fall 2024 Massage and/or Esthetic program! 6 month programs! Call 231-944-5372

JOIN MARI VINEYARDS’ KITCHEN TEAM!

Our Kitchen is hiring! Motivated and upbeat individuals are encouraged to apply for this unique opportunity on the wine trail. Duties include: prepping, plating food, dishwashing, stocking, cleaning, and more. Full Time through the fall with possibility of year round; benefits available for eligible staff. https://www.marivineyards.com/connect/ employment

COTTAGE FOR RENT

TC 1BR Cottage, Fully Furnished, All Utilities, A/C, W/D, Cable TV, Enclosed Porch, Parking, Very Nice, Quiet, Month-to-Month to Year, No Pets, $1,700 per month. (231) 6317512.

SEWING

Sewing, Alterations, Mending & Repairs. Maple City, Maralene Roush 231-228-6248

BLUEBERRIES - U PICK.

12 varieties, $2/pound, Open Thursday, Friday, Saturday 9am-8pm. Thru Labor Day. Blueberry Hill Harrietta (FB), 1714 S. 11 1/2 Road. Call for picking info 231-389-2317.