Northern Express - Feb 22, 2021

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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • february 22 - february 28, 2021 • Vol. 31 No. 08 Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 1

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2 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

letters Love what we’re doing here? Disagree with something on these pages? Share your views by emailing a quick letter to the editor: info@northernexpress.com A Few Rules: • Keep your letters civil and 300 words or fewer, one per month • All letters will be edited for clarity • Some letters or portions will be omitted due to space or issues with questionable facts/citations, privacy, publication in other media, etc.

• Include your full name, address, and phone or email • Note: Only your first name, first initial of last name, and city will be published.

We are temporarily suspending publication of letter authors’ full names.

Laughingstock?

I am writing in response to the letter from Charles K., Maple City, in the Feb. 8 issue. He makes several claims about what Trump did and what Biden isn’t doing, so let’s go through that list, shall we?

He claims Trump put “America first.”

A curious statement, considering Trump routinely spurned our international allies in favor of our traditional enemies, from flirting with Kim Jong-un, to allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons, to ripping up international agreements on whims.

He claims Trump put American jobs first. In fact, he was the first president since WWII to leave office with worse employment numbers than when he entered. His lack of Covid strategy ensured that.

Another claim is that Trump made us energy independent, while Biden is raising energy prices “astronomically.” On the contrary, a large part of our oil production boom is due to Congress removing a ban on oil exports back in 2015. Also, it’s a bit ironic to use the term energy “independent” when we’re still the biggest importer of energy in the entire world.

That brings us to the last point, that Trump made us “respected in the world,” instead of a “laughingstock” like Biden.

That might be my favorite claim of all, as if the guy who offered to buy Greenland from Denmark and moved to withdraw from the World Health Organization in the middle of a global pandemic is some master of international diplomacy. I can’t help but view labeling Biden a laughingstock as a desperate attempt to distract from the biggest international embarrassment of all — Trump.

Matt F., Traverse City Call Out Shirkey State Senate Leader Mike Shirkey has a problem — and it is himself. He has been recorded spreading lies about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, carried out by pro-Trump insurrectionists, calling it a “hoax” and “staged.”

Shirkey bragged about “spanking” the governor: “We’ve spanked her hard on the budget,” he said. “Spanked her hard on

appointments.” Also: “I did contemplate, once or twice, I did contemplate inviting her to a fistfight on the Capitol lawn.”

Most of these comments came just a week after one of six Michigan men accused of plotting to kidnap the governor pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Most of the men charged in the plot have ties to right-wing militias, but Shirkey said those organizations were getting “a bad rap.” He previously met with militia leaders to help them with their messaging, according to Michigan Advance.

Now Mike Shirkey is leading the Michigan legislature to hold our tax dollars and prevent funding for our children and schools. Please tell Shirkey to release the money for our kids: (517) 373-5932, MikeShirkey@senate. michigan.gov.

Kate D., Traverse City Too Easy First of all, let me dispel the silly gas price argument in Charles K.’s “Monster Mash” letter [Feb. 8 issue]. Gas prices are the result of a multitude of international, supply/demand, and economic factors. But if we want to play the price game, cast your eyes back to Nov 2018 when national gas prices were nearing $5 per gallon. I believe No. 45 was reigning at that time.

No. 45 promised to reduce our deficit to zero in eight years. After only four years he increased it by $7 trillion — more than half of that not attributable to COVID19. It’s funny how spending increases are easier than reigning in the deficit. Show me a Republican senior dependent on Social Security and Medicare benefits who wants to see those reduced. Because that is where spending would have to be reduced to really reign in the deficit. By the way, thank Democrats Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson for those benefits. I’m guessing then that No. 45 cut military spending since we’re supposed to be focused on “America First”? Nope.

We could go on about the tax cuts — lower taxes for businesses so they can help whom? The top 1 percent receiving 25 percent of the tax cut?

Perhaps this could become a weekly column. Maybe we can discuss our international reputation — I’m pretty sure the world is mainly breathing a sigh of relief and sleeping better now with No. 46 in office. Maybe we can discuss “leadership” and bringing the nation together against COVID-19, child separation, nepotism, name-calling, fear-mongering, whipping up mobs, and condoning violence.

Paul T., Frankfort What is Shirkey Smoking?

Since fealty to Trump and conspiracy theories like the stolen election, baby-eating Democrats, and Jewish lasers in space have overtaken the GOP in Washington, D.C., it is almost possible to forget about the Michigan GOP. Almost, but not quite. The state GOP has its own version of Marjorie Greene-Taylor, the Queen of QAnon, and he is the highest-ranking elected Republican in our state.

We recently learned more about Sen. Mike Shirkey’s view of reality, as did the rest of the country, unfortunately. Despite overwhelming evidence that the rioters on Jan. 6 were Trump’s followers, he believes that is not true. He claims it was a hoax, that

it was organized and staged by Democrats.

How could a rational mind believe that thousands of Democrats would buy Trump flags, shirts, hats, and the same of radical right-wing groups, and then agree to assemble on Jan. 6 and attack the Capitol?

He must think they also planned the rally and wrote Trump’s speech that day. It is a conspiracy theory almost as grandiose and ludicrous as the Big Lie. Plus, we’ve learned that he meets with militia groups and thinks they are normal people, that he brags about spanking our governor, and apparently has a fantasy about settling differences with the governor by having a fistfight. He does not sound like a person grounded in the world that most Michiganders live in. Nor does he exhibit the qualities Michigan needs from its leaders. We deserve much better. It is time he steps down.

Peter R., Maple City Nero Fiddled, Trump Twiddled Nero fiddled while Rome burned, it’s said.

According to The Washington Post andseveral other sources, Trump watched the neo-fascist lynch mob he had unleashed sack the U.S. Capitol Building on TV, from the Oval Office, with glee. Even as the mob he had incited erected a gallows and chanted, “Hang Mike Pence,” then hunted Pence and Nancy Pelosi in the Capitol, and attacked and killed Capitol police.

Meanwhile, back in the White House, Trump didn’t tweet out to his followers, “I lost. Call it off.” Meanwhile, back in the White House, Trump didn’t text Mike Pence to ask, “RU OK?” (And why didn’t Mike Pence text Trump to say, “Get us out of here!” Don’t they have each other’s cell phone numbers? Or was Pence afraid Trump might disclose his location to the mob?)

Why didn’t Trump call out armed forces to put down this insurrection as he watched it unfold? (He had no trouble calling them out against peaceful BLM demonstrators so he could walk across the street for a photo op.)

What Trump didn’t do while the insurrection was in progress is as damnable as what he did to incite it.

Trump not only “summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame” but also wouldn’t summon the fire department to put it out.

Larry H, Leelanau County

Family Fake-out I watched the excellent presentation of the House managers and was awed by again seeing what had played out before my eyes on Jan 6 television coverage, now with a blow-by-blow clarification of cause and effect.

It was, of course, stunning to think it could happen like that here in America. But I was a bit surprised to hear that even after there had been a Senate vote deciding that the trial was constitutional, Friday’s defense team would still go forward with their plan to argue that it was not.

I should not have been surprised, however, since we have all seen four years of a purported alternate reality; this Letters continued on page 6

CONTENTS features Charlevoix’s Pigs Eatin’ Ribs...........................9

Dreaming of Foreign Lands..........................10 Getting Wild with the Foeder.......................12 Legendary Radio Host Diane Rehm..............14

columns & stuff

Top Ten.......................................................5 Spectator/Stephen Tuttle...............................7 Opinion..........................................................8 Weird............................................................8 Dates........................................................15 Advice.....................................................17 Crossword.................................................17 Astrology.....................................................18 Classifieds...............................................18

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 Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris, Jill Hayes For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Dave Anderson, Linda Szarkowski, Sarah Rodery, Randy Sills, Roger Racine Matt Ritter, Gary Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny Ross Boissoneau, Jennifer Hodges, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Eric Cox, Anna Faller, Karl Klockars Copyright 2020, 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.

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Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 3

this week’s

top ten Crystal Mountain’s Latest Thrill Ride: Pump it Real Good

Last week, Crystal Mountain Resort unveiled a big first for the state of Michigan: a pump track for ski and snowboarders. What’s a pump track, you ask?

Remember those backwoods trails full of miniature rolling hills you’d pedal your Huffy up and down, around and around, for hours when you were a kid? Well, picture that. Only covered in snow. And downhill — the whooole way. Bigger and wider than moguls but appropriate for all skill levels, the snow rollers at Crystal allow skiers and riders to “pump” their bodies up and down, generating momentum as they glide up and down the snowy “waves.” The track, located on the beginner-friendly Megan’s Way slope, isn’t just Crystal’s way to pump up the thrills in the 2021 season; it’s also a clever way of celebrating one of its longtime vendors, The Pumping Service, a fellow family-owned business that’s offered professional septic tank, holding tank, and grease trap pumping services in northern Michigan since 1975. The company’s sponsorship of the “The Pumping Service Pump Track at Crystal Mountain” is unique, but, said John Melcher, chief operating officer for Crystal Mountain, “the partnership and activation just works.” Want to ride these rollers? Nab ski passes in advance at shopcrystal. crystalmountain.com.

Page through a Big Book of Art — at Your Leisure Crooked Tree Arts Center’s first exhibition of 2021 — its Guild Member Salon Show,an invitational exhibit showcasing the work of dozens of its guild members from cities near and far — is not on display in its Petoskey or Traverse City galleries. But trust us, that’s OK. The creative minds at CTAC have crafted a gorgeous digital publication that not only showcases the exhibit’s awesome array of work (available for purchase) but also some substantial profiles of each artist featured, ultimately offering a kind of unrushed, up-close-and-personal glimpse of each artist that a live exhibit sometimes can’t. The online exhibition runs until March 6; to view it, click on Exhibitions under the CTAC Online tab at crookedtree.org.

4

Hey, watch it! framing britney spears

You may think you know the story, and even if you do know the story, it’s time to get outraged all over again.

Tracing the life of Britney Spears from her rise as a pop princess to global phenomenon and then her tragic downfall as a national punching bag, the documentary Framing Britney Spears revisits Britney’s story a nowunbelievable 13 years into a legal conservatorship that has taken away her most basic rights. A thoughtprovoking look at fame, the media, and the music industry, the film shows, in a frank and compelling fashion, how Britney continues to be a victim of the most grotesque aspects of our culture and legal system.

Part of a standalone doc series, The New York Times Presents, the other films tackling current events — with topics ranging from Breonna Taylor to teen Twitter hackers — are also worth your time. Streaming on Hulu.

5 Advertisement

DON’T MISS! Beloved NPR host Diane Rehm joins the National Writers Series February 25 Burger photo courtesy John Russell

2

tastemaker

The Oakwood Proper Burger

The aptly named Oakwood Proper Burgers seems to do it all right. This newly opened hot spot at the corner of Traverse City’s Eighth Street and Garfield serves up smash burgers, hand-cut fries, and classic milkshakes, with a splash of mid-century style on the side. Leslie Bilbey and Josh Gray thoughtfully revitalized the former Ham Bonz space to bring area carnivores local ingredients with modern consciousness: fresh-ground Michigan Craft Beef™ burgers on Old Mission Bakery buns, a commitment to no single-use plastic, and mind-blowing Michigan-made Velvet Peanut Butter mixed with Moomer’s ice cream and milk in the vintage Ray Kroc Multimixer. A welcome taste of nostalgia and, well … a lot of tastes you’ll welcome. To start, try the Proper burger topped with lettuce, tomato, pickle, grilled onions, American cheese, and Proper sauce. Just be aware: Burgers here go fast, so make proper plans. Preview the menu on Facebook. Find Oakwood Proper Burgers at 1108 E. Eighth St. (231) 253-1513.

4 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

In her book When My Time Comes (soon to be a PBS documentary), Diane Rehm addresses one of the toughest subjects for families to talk about — death. Through interviews with patients, physicians, and religious leaders, as well as with personal stories of her late husband’s battle with Parkinson’s disease, Rehm looks at the right-to-die movement and medical aid in dying. With characteristic even-handedness, she skillfully shows both sides of the argument.

Hosted by Cynthia Canty, this will be a candid and compassionate discussion on end-of-life decisions. Join NWS for this free virtual event on February 25 at 7:00 PM.

Event Underwriters: Debbie Edson; A Generous Friend of NWS Literary Sponsor: Mission Point Press

Register for this Zoom event at NationalWritersSeries.org

6

Up North Leagues Joined Case; Will Daunt Remain Undaunted?

Score one for Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Director of Elections Jonathan Brater — with a shout out to a few local arms of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters who got involved. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced last week that Anthony Daunt elected to voluntarily dismiss his case challenging the integrity of Michigan’s 2020 general election.

Daunt, executive director of the Michigan Freedom Fund, a conservative group with financial ties to the DeVos family, filed a case in June 2020 alleging inadequate voter-registration-list maintenance; in September, three northern Michigan League of Women Voters groups (Grand Traverse, Leelanau County, and Copper Country) joined three other Michigan Leagues in a request to intervene as defendants in the case. Turns out, they could have sat back and let the suit play out.

Among other defects, Nessel said the plaintiff ’s alleged claims rested on old, estimated census data and failed to account for the National Voter Registration Act’s required delays in removing names from voter registration files.

As such, the Secretary of State’s office took no action in response to the suit. “It was clear when the suit was filed in June of last year, when federal law barred most voter-list maintenance, that this was a press release masquerading as a lawsuit filed to undermine public confidence in the integrity of our elections,” said Benson in a press release about the voluntary dismissal.

Daunt might have lost this one, but don’t count him out just yet. After Michigan Republicans opted not to re-nominate Aaron Van Langevelde as one of two Republicans on the Board of State Canvassers — he had voted with the two Democratic members to certify November’s election results; the other Republican member abstained — Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox nominated Daunt in his place. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed Daunt to the position in mid-January.

Stuff we love

Puzzling til our Puzzler is Sore Along with a warm fire and a glass of wine, putting together a puzzle might be our favorite way to spend an ice-cold February afternoon indoors. Putting together one that reminds us of what’s to come (summer sunshine, green trees, and warm breezes off the bay, ’member those?) can make it even better. That’s why we’re excited that the Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center has opened presales to members and the public on its second limited edition puzzle. This one, a 504-piece capturing a gorgeous summer scene of downtown Harbor Springs, is on sale until March 4 for $30. One recommendation: Act quickly if you want one.

Their first puzzle offering last winter sold out quickly. (So quickly, in fact, that it inspired a silver lining: a commitment to offer two new puzzles — one for summer, one for winter — going forward. Order and get the details on pickup and shipping at www.harborspringschamber. com. Questions? Call (231) 526-7999.

First Sign of Spring: Maple Syrup-making classes!

The Grass River Natural Area is partnering with Northwestern Michigan College’s Extended Education program to present some sweet nature programming.

The Science of Making Maple Syrup will meet online Feb. 25 and in person March 4. It will explore both traditional and modern methods of gathering maple sap and converting it to syrup. Students will tap into the science of maple syrup production, tree identification, equipment needs, and get instruction for small scale DIY projects. The first class meets via Zoom and the second at Grass River Education Center (6500 Alden Highway, Bellaire) to check out the process and equipment in action. Students are required to wear a mask to the second class. This course qualifies for credit toward the Naturalist Certificate. Register through NMC at https://www. nmc.edu/resources/extended-education/find-a-class/adult-classes/index.html. Cost is $69.

8

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bottoms up Tiny Pink Bubbles Hey, ladies, do we have the pink drink for you: Aerie’s Tiny Pink Bubbles. With a taste and body as delicious as its name and presentation are darling, this fanciful concoction masterminded by manager Alex Truck is utterly worth our obsession. A foundation of botanical berry pink gin gets the party started while a bracing squeeze of fresh lime juice and a lacing of champagne syrup — Mawby’s Sex, a sparkling brut rose, blended with a touch of sugar and reduced in-house — dresses it up. The trio, once shaken and strained into exactly the kind of cocktail glass this class act deserves, is topped with a second round of Sex, also obviously deserved. Light, bubbly, sweet, sour, and Sex-y as it gets. $11. Find Tiny Pink Bubbles at Aerie, located on the 16th floor of the Tower inside Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, 100 Grand Traverse Village Blvd., Williamsburg. (231) 534-6800, www.grandtraverseresort.com.

Pssst: Aerie is one of the 20 area restaurants offering three-course menus for $25 or $35 per person during Traverse City Restaurant Week, running Feb. 21–March 6. See www. downtowntc.com for details.

Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 5

letters Continued from page 3

embarrassment was totally in keeping with that. It does beg the question of how those who may vote to acquit can explain that alternate reality to their families when they go home.

Still Laughing Regarding the Jan. 8 letter from Charles K. in Maple City: So it’s Biden rather than Trump who’s made America a laughingstock around the world? Really?

John L., Petoskey

Colin B., Honor

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Who was Officer Sicknick?

Who was Officer Sicknick? Officer Sicknick was one of the unfortunate people that were groomed by Trump, like a pedophile grooms his victims. He voted for Trump, as any private citizen has the right to do. However, unlike some private citizens, Sicknick took an oath to serve and protect; and unlike Trump, he honored the Oath he took. So Trump’s mob simply bludgeoned him to death.

Questions: What do you suppose Sicknick was thinking just before the final blow struck him? What do you suppose Trump did when he found out that information? Is the Sicknick family silent because of fear? Shame? Utmost grief? Did the Sicknick family ever receive condolences from Trump? Did Trump visit the Capitol Rotunda while Sicknick lay in State? Perhaps Trump was having trouble with the “bones spurs” on his feet on Jan. 6, so he was unable to escort the mob to the Capitol. More than likely, he egged the mob on to do his dirty work and then exited out the back door like the ultimate coward he is. How many more Republican leaders can America endure?

Thelma R., Frankfort

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An Impotent Clause If attempting a government insurrection with what appears to be a coordinated plan with Alt-Right American traitors, isn’t enough to impeach a President, then why don’t we just scratch the impeachment clause from the Constitution? It is worthless.

What more treasonous criteria does Congress need to impeach a president? As more and more surprising details emerge, it becomes clear that this Jan. 6 event was not spontaneous. Giving Trump a break here, it seems like it was a loosely planned overthrow of the United States government.

I don’t think Trump ever had the mental sharpness or cunning to have had any kind of a strategy in any of his political or business endeavors, so I would say it was a seat-of-the-pants type of tyranny.

The members of Trump’s army storming the Capital are enemies of Democracy; they see themselves as just the opposite. This is the existential threat to a free society and a Democratic government. It’s not from outside the U.S., in the form of communism or other religions; the real destruction of the tenets of Democracy are our own selves, in the grotesque disciples of extremist ideology and intolerance of critical thought and basic education. It’s the siren call of demagogues to the millions of Americans that disregard reason and find their voices in the chorus of fear, hatred, and prejudice.

A caged beast in the heart of our country. Never underestimate the racist vote. When they find a fellow traveler, they will consume us by the tens of millions. I would like to think differently, but I know I’m just awaiting the summer sun that will never shine.

6 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

Bret A., Traverse City

The Peaceful, Patriotic Right Regarding Victoria G.’s Feb. 8 letter [“State Was First Step”], the anti-lockdown demonstrations in Lansing were not a “dry run” for anything. They were legitimate protests against Whitmer’s unconstitutional, un-American power grab using a virtually non-existent health threat as an excuse.

Most people rolled over and meekly have up their rights to liberty and property — that’s the real horror of the whole thing.

But the protestors didn’t; they also didn’t riot, damage property, or hurt anyone. Some even got haircuts on the Capitol lawn — oh, the humanity!

When the entered the legislative chambers, they stopped to have their temperatures checked. And not one legally carried firearm — and they all were — was raised or pointed at anyone. All legal, all proper, and all peaceful, unlike left-wing riots all year in places like Portland and Seattle.

Speaking of left-wing riots, that’s what the one on Jan. 6 looked like. I do not believe that Trump supporters did it. I believe that Antifa/BLM operators did it. The attire (hoodies, goggles), the tactics — everything about the violence at the Capitol looked just like Antifa/BLM riots elsewhere. Some real Trump supporters might have gotten caught up in the mob mentality (although anyone can wear Trump gear) but I believe most did what Trump said to do: went down there to protest “peacefully and patriotically” and left when, or before, the riot broke out. I know someone who did. To say that Trump incited violence is not true. He has never done so, and there has never been a violent Trump rally except when thugs opposing him attacked his supporters.

BTW, I believe that the anti-Whitmer plot was an FBI entrapment operation.

Nobody could be that stupid on their own.

Carole U., Maple City Carbon Fee & Dividend Plea The Pale Blue Dot, an iconic photograph taken 6 billion kilometers away from our home planet on Feb. 14, 1990, by the Voyager 1 space probe. On the anniversary of its capture, I was reminded that Earth is the only home we have in the entire universe. The historic image encapsulates the importance of our one and only planet, shared by billions of human inhabitants, animals, plants, living and non-living matter. All connected, all impacted by human activities.

Our home is in crisis: Climate change is quickly destroying our only life-sustaining spaceship. Rather than let this scare me, I choose to remember that human actions have caused these catastrophic climate changes, and human actions will reverse them.

We need Congress to act on climate change by including a carbon fee and dividend in the solution! This is the fastest way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To solve climate change, Congress needs to work with members from across the political spectrum to build a thriving green

economy that benefits all Americans and every inhabitant of this planet. I call on Rep. Jack Bergman, Sen. Gary Peters, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow to support putting a price on carbon and protecting our only livable planet!

Liv R., Traverse City Tunnel Vision If the small group holding up Fishpass took this tenacity and put it into projects like narrowing city streets and planting more trees along those streets or maybe helping plant trees on TCAPS properties, they would be effective. The energy they’ve put into this whole spectacle could be used in many more productive ways that have a more immediate impact.

If this is truly about protecting the rights of residents to vote on major park changes, why is this coming up now? Where was this small group during the decades-long discussion of improving the river? Why in the final stages of completion, when we are so close to becoming a research hub of freshwater species, is this becoming such a contentious topic?

Any person in a position to do so should ask these questions to bring to light the vendetta this small group holds for no apparent reason. Protect a tree at the loss of a world-class research facility to better protect freshwater species? I’d rather protect the freshwater and plant trees in city and county parks, on school grounds, and along streets.

It’s not about a single project infringing on our rights. It’s about singular thinking when addressing issues we face.

Shea O., Traverse City Height of Hypocrisy Mitch McConnell says he voted to acquit Trump because “former President Trump is constitutionally not eligible for conviction.”

Even though the Constitution does not explicitly say this. Even though the Senate had voted otherwise. Even though other federal officials had been impeached after leaving office. And even though McConnell was himself responsible for this situation because he refused to start the Senate trial until after Trump was no longer in office.

I find it disturbing that most media failed to mention these points, especially the last one, when reporting McConnell’s vote.

Saying that he couldn’t vote to convict because of a situation that he himself caused is the height of political hypocrisy.

Jim T., Manistee

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by Stephen Tuttle Now that we’ve solved all our earthly problems, perhaps we should look skyward.

There are issues lurking up there.

if these satellites run into each other.

According to NASA, that isn’t just possible; it’s “inevitable.” And that could be a problem.

This all started in October 1957, when the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, which did nothing more than blink and send a simple radio signal. Many alive at the time watched the little orb whizzing across the night sky, a marvel of sorts. The United States joined the party by launching Explorer 1 just four months later. Since then, 11 countries have launched something into space and several more have built satellites carried by those space-capable countries.

Most of those satellites provide us with telecommunications, broadcasting, data transmission, and weather data. In other words, our television viewing, our smartphones, and our online activities are dependent on satellites. (This does not include various satellites launched under the aegis of the military. Most are likely for surveillance and monitoring, but we don’t know what our own military has up there, much less what China, Russia, and others have launched.)

Depending on which information you read, there are somewhere between 100,000 and 500,000 human-made objects orbiting around Earth. Most are what we consider “space

They are nearly all on different trajectories in different orbits, at different speeds, and everyone involved tries very hard to prevent collisions, but they do happen. When two

In 2009, a U.S. Iridium communications satellite and an obsolete Russian military satellite did collide, resulting in a debris field of more than 500 pieces now rocketing around the globe at about 22,000 mph.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, there are currently about 3,000 operational satellites up there. But we actively track nearly 15,000 objects bigger than four inches in length.

The orbit of these satellites range from 150 miles to 22,500 miles above Earth. Those in what is considered Low Earth Orbit (LEO) — that’s 500 miles or fewer above Earth — typically zip along at about 17,000 miles per hour or faster, a speed required to keep them in orbit while fighting off Earth’s gravitational pull. Those much farther out use a geosynchronous orbit; they stay over the same spot on Earth as we rotate.

All of them, near or far, will eventually succumb to gravity and re-enter our atmosphere in a fiery death. Some of those objects, like the International Space Station (ISS) and others, due to a propulsion system of their own, can delay the inevitable with some minor repositioning. But they will all eventually surrender to the laws of gravity, too.

In fact, according to NASA, at least one such re-entry happens every day. Nearly all will burn up without a trace, a momentary flash in the sky. Some of the larger vessels might have parts that will survive and crash to Earth, as happens a handful of times annually. But no person has ever been injured by falling space debris, and no property damage has ever been recorded, so that isn’t the threat.

The real risk is our dependence on spacebased technology — and what happens

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objects going about 17,000 mph collide, the resulting debris field, accelerated by the impact and unimpeded by gravity or atmosphere, travels at what scientists call “hypervelocity,” as much as twice their normal orbital speed. Even small pieces of debris traveling that fast could cause catastrophic damage to whatever they impact. That could cause even more debris or, at a minimum, disable whatever is hit.

The neighborhood is getting even more crowded now, thanks to the creation of microsatellites, mostly used for communication, as small as 4-by-12 inches.

India released 104 satellites in one launch back in 2017, and SpaceX recently carried and released 60 slightly larger microsatellites.

In 2009, a U.S. Iridium communications satellite and an obsolete Russian military satellite did collide, resulting in a debris field of more than 500 pieces now rocketing around the globe at about 22,000 mph. In 2007, China intentionally destroyed an obsolete communications satellite while illegally testing an anti-satellite weapon. That debris field contains at least 2,500 pieces.

(Weapons in space are prohibited by treaty, but we’re pretty certain the US, Russia and China all have deployed such technology.)

Collisions in space aren’t theoretical but a reality sufficient to require monitoring by both NASA and our Department of Defense.

And there isn’t much we can do about the uncontrolled space junk and debris fields except move satellites we can move and hope others avoid collisions by luck.

Satellites are out-of-sight, out-of-mind objects on which we rely every day. Look up and cross your fingers because your next social media post, your next online visit, and your next must-watch television show are all dependent on those scientific marvels avoiding each other.

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890 Munson Ave • Traverse City • www.donorrskihaus.com Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 7

THE POWER OF OUR EXAMPLE opinion Bright Idea Parking spots are hard to come by in the snowy West Ridge neighborhood of Chicago, and resident Adam Selzer has become the talk of the town for the novel method he’s using to save his spot -- freezing pairs of pants and standing them up on the street like traffic cones, WBBM-TV reported. “Soak a pair, put outside. In about 20 minutes you can form them to shape, and in another 20 they’re solid,” Selzer posted on Twitter. Next, Selzer is planning to perfect a frozen shirt. “We’ll see if this works,” he said.

New Things to Worry About Bradford Gauthier of Worcester, Massachusetts, had a bit of trouble swallowing when he woke up on Feb. 2, but he went about his day after drinking some water. Later, “I tried to drink a glass of water again and couldn’t,” he said, and that’s when he realized one of the AirPods he sleeps with at night was missing and “felt a distinct blockage in the center of my chest,” he said. KVEO reported that it didn’t take doctors in the emergency room long to discover the AirPod lodged in Gauthier’s esophagus. An emergency endoscopy removed it and Gauthier went home feeling much better.

Oops Tessica Brown of New Orleans was out of hairspray in January as she got ready to go out, so she reached for the only spray she could find, Gorilla Glue, to shellack her hair into place. “I figured ... I could just wash it out,” she told WDSU-TV, but “it didn’t.” Brown and her mother tried olive oil and vegetable oil, to no avail, and the local hospital could offer little help. She cut off her ponytail to reduce the weight, but the spray on her scalp continued to painfully tighten and harden. On Feb. 10, she posted on Instagram, she was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles to meet with plastic surgeon Michael Obeng to undergo a procedure that costs more than $12,000 -- for free.

Neighbors in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, called police on Feb. 8 after witnessing an unidentified man apparently take a joyride on an excavator parked in the street, knocking it into power lines and making a getaway on a bicycle. WPLG-TV reported the incident resulted in every sports fan’s worst nightmare: a power outage just before the big game.

“About 30 to 40 minutes before the Super Bowl started, (the power) just went all the way out,” said Bubba James. Crews from Florida Power & Light attended to the problem, and the power was back on by halftime.

Wait, What?

Jane Louise Kellahan, 49, of Wanaka, New Zealand, appeared before Judge Russell Walker in Queenstown District Court on Feb. 2, her second appearance on a charge of assault and the second time she refused to answer when called upon. “That sounds like my name, Your Honor, but I want to see it in writing,” she said. The Otago Daily News reported Kellahan, a local artist, denies being a person, saying, “I’m a living being on the land.” The judge told her, “You are a living being, which means you are a person” and entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf. Her trial is set for April 28.

Keystone Car Chase In the wee hours of Jan. 26, police in Bellevue, Washington, spotted a car running

a red light, so they ran the tag and discovered the car was reported stolen. The driver failed to yield when officers attempted a traffic stop, KOMO-TV reported, but a mechanical problem prevented the vehicle from exceeding 25 mph. The driver also observed all traffic laws as the pursuit continued for about a mile and a half until the vehicle burst into flames and became fully engulfed. The suspect male driver fled into a nearby nature park and escaped; a female passenger was detained by police and taken into custody.

Weird Antiquities Bidding is underway in Boston-based RR Auction’s special Presidents Day online sale of presidential artifacts, which includes locks of George and Martha Washington’s hair, John F. Kennedy’s Harvard cardigan sweater and the pen Warren G. Harding used to officially end U.S. involvement in World War I, reported The Associated Press. The auction, which continues through Feb. 18, features around 300 items from “America’s esteemed commanders-in-chief,” said company spokesperson Mike Graff. Last year, the company sold a lock of Abraham Lincoln’s hair wrapped in a bloodstained telegram about his 1865 assassination for $81,000.

State of the Union Instagramer Matt Shirley of Los Angeles conducted an informal survey among his more than 300,000 followers, asking them which state they hate most, the Asbury Park Press reported Jan. 21, and from the 2,500 responses, he determined that, among the expected regional rivalries, New Jersey hates every other state and Florida hates ... Florida.

The Sunshine State was the only one to choose itself as most-hated, with four-fifths of respondents agreeing. “I live in Florida, have my whole life, and would not hesitate to unironically put that as my answer,” one survey participant wrote.

The Aristocrats Rapper Lil Uzi Vert, whose real name is Symere Woods, revealed on Instagram in early February that he has had a $24 million 10-carat pink diamond implanted in his forehead, reported Rolling Stone. According to Simon Babaev, spokesman for the New York-based jeweler Eliantte & Co. that implanted the stone, Uzi fell in love with the marquise-shaped diamond when he saw it in 2017 and has been making payments on it as he determined what he wanted to do with it. “We didn’t think he was serious about it,” said Babaev, but as it became clear that he was, “we engineered a specific mounting that clips and locks in place. There’s a whole mechanism involved.”

Cliche Come to Life A U.S. Coast Guard crew on routine patrol Feb. 8 in the Bahamas spotted three people who had reportedly been stranded on uninhabited Anguilla Cay for 33 days. ABC News reported the two men and a woman, all Cuban nationals, survived by eating rats, coconuts and conch shells, and suffered from dehydration because of the lack of freshwater on the island. A Coast Guard helicopter hoisted them off the island and delivered them to the Lower Keys Medical Center in Key West, Florida, where helicopter commander Mike Allert said they were in generally good condition. It was unclear how they ended up on the island.

8 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

By Jack Segal Every new president faces a daunting array of problems, but 2021 will go down in the history books: Our country is under siege from a virus that has killed 485,000 Americans; Congress is locked in partisan struggles over the election, the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and another stimulus bill; and our people are deeply divided. These domestic challenges would have been plenty for President Biden to tackle.

But having been vice president for eight years, Joe Biden knows that disasters on the foreign policy front can quickly suck all the oxygen from the room. So pushed onto his already crowded plate are three overseas crises that have also required his immediate action: nuclear arms control, the Iran nuclear deal, and the future of Afghanistan.

One of President Biden’s first acts was to delay a confrontation with Russia by extending the “New START” nuclear agreement by an additional five years, just days before it was set to expire. That agreement limits both sides’ strategic nuclear warheads and bombs.

While we still have many disagreements with Putin’s Russia, President Biden wisely decided to keep a treaty that both sides want and need while leaving the many other flashpoints for future negotiations.

The next wolf at President Biden’s door is Iran and its nuclear program. It will be far more difficult to turn President Trump’s “maximum pressure” strategy into meaningful progress with Iran. Biden has said he intends to reverse President Trump’s 2018 decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal (the JCPOA) but not without conditions.

A short time later, Iran took steps that violated key provisions of that agreement. Each of Iran’s provocative actions are, according to their foreign minister, “still reversible,” but only if the U.S. withdraws all its sanctions first — a nonstarter. On Feb. 6, President Biden replied that Iran would have to stop enriching uranium before we would lift sanctions.

This seemingly unbridgeable impasse can be overcome. Given our very long list of sanctions, it should be possible to offer to gradually lift those sanctions that harm the average Iranian in return for Iran reversing its violations of the JCPOA. The U.S. has partners still in the JCPOA who can play a helpful role in getting the Iranians to negotiate. We have applied maximum pressure — and while it won’t be easy, now we need to apply our diplomatic skills to find a solution.

The third challenge facing the Biden administration — perhaps the hardest — is our withdrawal from Afghanistan. In Feb. 2020, President Trump agreed with the Taliban to withdraw the last 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan by May 1, 2021, if certain conditions were met. These were: 1) ending Taliban support for Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, 2) reducing violence against the Afghan people, and 3) negotiating in good faith directly with the Afghan government.

While it is very attractive to finally end our 20-year involvement in Afghanistan (and what, after all, can 2,500 brave Americans accomplish that our once-100,000 troops on the ground couldn’t?), it’s not clear we are ready to stomach what is likely to come next in Afghanistan: A return to power of the Taliban and their brutal authoritarian ways. The influential bipartisan Afghanistan Study Group has called for delaying our withdrawal until “conditions are right” to “honor the sacrifices that have been made.”

It should be no surprise that newly appointed Secretary of Defense Austin is studying the issue again.

Certainly, even with our greatly reduced numbers in Afghanistan, the continued presence of key “enablers” that we provide for Afghan troops — intelligence, airstrikes, drones, money — have prevented the Taliban from tilting the balance on the ground. What is our plan for when these last vestiges of support are removed? Will the situation become so intolerable that the U.S. is tempted to bring its military presence back up to pre-agreement levels? That is clearly a trap we should avoid.

But none of the alternatives are attractive. If the U.S. withdraws on schedule, before intraAfghan talks have progressed, the entire process could collapse, resulting in renewed violence. If we decide to keep our troops on the ground beyond the May deadline, the Taliban could abandon the agreement and turn again to fighting the 2,500 U.S. troops still left behind.

While President Biden would love a foreign policy success in Afghanistan, his real challenge is to simply keep it from becoming an even greater disaster. Like with the examples of Iran and nuclear weapons outlined above, the answer must be intense diplomacy in order to find a political solution to this endless war — diplomacy that includes creative use of money, behindthe-scenes pressure on all sides, including Afghanistan’s neighbors, and even some arrangements for continued limited military support. But in the end, no number of U.S. troops can bring about peace.

These are just three of the many terribly difficult foreign policy challenges confronting the Biden administration. Most of all, the new team needs bipartisan support for our next moves in all the negotiations that lie ahead. That recalls the maxim that used to be true: “Politics end at the water’s edge.” We may struggle to reach agreements here at home on what our policies should be, but once we embark on a course, we must all pull together.

Jack Segal is a retired senior U.S. diplomat who served with his spouse, Karen Puschel, in Russia and the Middle East. He also served at the NSC and long ago in Vietnam. As a NATO official, he made 40 trips to Afghanistan. He now teaches aspiring diplomats online at Norwich University and offers ZOOM courses through Northwest Michigan College to his many friends here.

Pigs Eatin’ Ribs’ owner and chef Adam Kline

The Chopped Brisket Sandwich — not for sissies.

Charlevoix’s Pigs Eatin’ Ribs At this popular Southern-inspired BBQ house, slow and low is the tempo

By Eric Cox By 2008, Charlevoix Chef Adam Kline had seen and tasted enough. The northern Michigan food scene had stagnated, he said, into a pre-fab nightmare of canned goods and ready-made bar food.

At age 24, Schoolcraft College culinary degree in hand, Kline and his wife, Jill, bailed out. Seeking refreshment and a new point of view, the couple moved to Charleston, South Carolina. where they immersed themselves in the restaurant business there, and dedicated themselves to tasting, understanding, and learning all they could about Southern cuisine.

In 2012, they moved back to their hometown, Charlevoix, richer in experience and reinvigorated by the Southern culinary traditions in which they’d participated.

Upon arrival, they launched one of northern Michigan’s first food trucks: Pigs Eatin’ Ribs, a moniker Kline had used in Charleston-area barbecue competitions, which he’d competed in for fun.

Though it’s caught on considerably since then, barbecue wasn’t yet a major part of northern Michigan’s culinary scene in 2012.

There were a few solid barbeque joints throughout the region, but Kline set out give barbeque its due in a big way: Rather than sit still and slowly build a loyal following as word of mouth traveled, he decided to travel, bringing his barbeque to the people.

He purchased a smoker from a friend, and the couple hauled it behind their food truck, a converted short school bus.

As he’d predicted, Kline’s pulled pork, brisket and clever, tasty appetizers and sides caught on, quickly developing a loyal following. Maintaining their dedication to minimizing investment on overhead alongside efforts to maximize exposure, the Klines initial expansion was to a 500-squarefoot shed-style takeout spot, wisely perched alongside the heavily trafficked U.S. 31, just outside downtown Charlevoix. They did not retire the food truck.

Yet again, Pigs Eatin’ Ribs’ popularity grew. So much so that today the restaurant has a full-blown, 3,000-square-foot restaurant (1418 Bridge St., U.S. 31) just down the road from smaller, original location. Moreover, its food truck operation has grown — much like the Kline family’s kid count — from one to three, serving a burgeoning catering operation.

A Southern-smoked Cinderella story?

Not exactly. Pigs Eatin’ Ribs might not ever have come to be had an injury not sidelined Adam Kline’s dreams of playing college football. Burly and broad-shouldered with giant hands, he’s clearly built for the sport.

But when the injury forestalled his plans, he turned to a secondary love — cooking.

“I always spent time in the kitchen at my grandma’s house and always was really interested in that,” the soft-spoken Kline told Northern Express. “So I started to pursue culinary and working in kitchens.”

That, he said, is where he earned his second degree: “In the school of hard knocks ... the kitchens of the American restaurant industry.”

Both “diplomas” have obviously had an impact. One taste of Pigs Eatin’ Ribs’ Chopped Brisket Sandwich ($10) confirms that. Not only does this large sandwich satisfy but it’s also reasonably priced, relatively speaking. Resort areas are notorious habitats for “gourmet” sandwiches that are sometimes overpriced.

This one is not.

Ultra-tender chunks of mouth-watering Australian Wagyu beef tumble from the perfectly toasted bun. Carmelized onions and smoked Gouda cheese team up with Kline’s own tangy-sweet Mustard BBQ sauce — a stowaway recipe he brought with him from his days in the South.

To accompany our sandwich, we chose Waffle Fries ($4) and Pit Roasted Baked Beans ($4), both of which were generous portions and extremely tasty. Together, the meal was more than enough to eat, with some leftovers taken home. Other side options include cornbread, mac and cheese, creamy coleslaw, roasted corn slaw, blue cheese jalapeno slaw, pickled pepper slaw, Grandma’s Potato Salad, and tomatocucumber salad.

In terms of appetizers, we opted for the Pig Marbles ($8), a basket of four hush puppy-like orbs about the size of billiard balls.

A crispy, golden coating drizzled in a tangy buttermilk sauce and showered in scallions contains a heart of pulled pork, potato, and cheese. These appetizers rep some serious comfort food and offer great value.

Next on our list were more appetizers — this time the Smoke Fried Wings ($10 for 1 pound.). True to their name, these wings are dry-rubbed, smoked, and deep-fried, yielding a morsel saturated in flavor. Served with celery and blue cheese dressing, the

A super-hot-spice-lover’s dream: Nashville Hot Wings

wings can be served plain or tossed in one of two savory sauces, Nashville Hot (and we mean HOT!) or Alabama White, which features a deliciously tasty white BBQ sauce.

The entire menu signals Kline’s renewed inspiration.

“Working in Charleston, S.C., was a big eye-opener,” he said, “Especially for a young, small-town kid. It actually brought the romance for food back to me. We were burned out when we left Michigan. I was only 24 years old. We were just married and wanted to get the heck out of town. We went down south, and that kind of reignited the spark for me — seeing all the real food.”

By real food, he meant anything but pre-made stuff or fast food. “The Northern Michigan food scene wasn’t what is now,” he said. “It got into that processed junk. There was no real cooking, and if it was, you were going to a country club and paying $50 a plate. So, it was neat to see the fresh seafood and the chefs actually butchering the meat and this and that. Everything was made inhouse, from cornbread to crème Brulee. It was good to see that again.”

Kline said he never set out to open a barbecue joint; he just knew it was a niche he might successfully fill, given the region’s shortage of such fare at the time.

His hunch has proved correct. In spite of pandemic restrictions, the restaurant has managed to keep customers fed, thanks in large part to its drive-thru window, which Kline credits with keeping his small staff employed.

The hefty and delish Pig Marbles “appetizer”

The Klines’ catering business has blossomed, too. Their three food trucks offer a unique approach to off-site banquet dining. Clients can custom design their own event’s menu, choosing hot and cold side dishes and a handful of entrees. This, Kline said, allows a client’s guests to create their own dining experience as they choose from a pre-determined food truck menu.

Find Pigs Eatin’ Ribs at 1418 Bridge St. Open 7 days, 11am–8pm. Call ahead (231) 5477447 or stop in to place carryout orders, or dine in. For the menu and more information on the food trucks and catering, see www. pigseatinribs.com.

Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 9

Caitlyn Brooks in Costa Rica.

DREAMING OF FOREIGN LANDS After nearly a year locked down in northern Michigan, returned Peace Corps volunteers want to restart the conversation about traveling the world.

By Patrick Sullivan In this time of a shut-down world with borders closed and travel brought to a halt, Kama Ross has been thinking a lot about the Peace Corps, and she said she believes that the institution — which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year ‚ has perhaps never been more vital.

“I really do think it’s important for us as a community to start to look beyond ourselves,” said Ross, who is best known as the regional forester for the Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie conservation districts. “Now we’ve had this year of reflecting on ourselves, and now we have to see, what does this mean for the rest of the world?”

Ross was in the Peace Corps herself, in Paraguay, between 1981 and 1983; today, she runs the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Northern Michigan group.

Ross is also biding her time until she gets back into the Peace Corps — she applied to reenter in 2019 and was all set to go to the Gambia in western Africa when the pandemic brought her plans to a halt.

A PERFECT PLAN THAT DIDN’T WORK

Though Ross is a treasured resource for many residents of the three counties where she works, and many depend on her for guidance concerning the health of their trees, Ross is sure a younger forester will be able to take her place and have the enthusiasm needed for the job.

Lately, she said, she’s felt as though she’s

reached the people she could with her message of conservation, and the people who really need to hear it aren’t going to listen anyway.

She’s determined that her talents would be best put to use in a developing country.

“I want to give,” Ross said. “I want to travel and, you know, kind of reach a different audience than I’ve had the privilege of serving for the last decade, couple of decades. … I’m preaching to the choir and so many of the workshops draw an audience, but it’s the same folks. They love what I’m saying. They agree with me. They are already pretty much doing it.”

She came to that notion two years ago and told her boss that she was going to retire.

“I had already told my boss I was retiring,” Ross said. “I was joining the Peace Corps. My financial advisor was going to put everything on hold for me. It was a perfect plan that didn’t work out, but I’m still confident it will.”

Now, whenever Peace Corps operations resume, Ross hopes to win a similar placement in a developing country where her forestry skills will be of use. She also hopes to land in an English-speaking country. She said she is ready for lots of change, but she doesn’t want to learn a new language on top of everything else.

This time around, Ross expects she will be an even more effective volunteer than she was in her 20s.

“When I graduated from college in 1981 and joined the Peace Corps, I thought I knew everything, and I didn’t know a lot. I mean, I obviously did offer quite a bit to the community

10 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

that I went to, you know, as a young person,” she said. “But now, now I have such a well-rounded set of skills that I’m really excited to share, because I have true confidence now in my abilities.”

LOOKING FOR YOUNG AND OLD

In the meantime, Ross is determined to spread the word about the Peace Corps in northern Michigan. Spreading the word, after all, is officially part of the Peace Corps’ mission.

“Our third mission in the Peace Corps is to bring our experiences from different cultures home,” Ross said. “And that doesn’t stop. You know, it doesn’t matter how many decades ago you served, our experiences are really needed right now to help us remind people of our community connections that the United States sewed over the decades.”

The group would like to celebrate the Peace Corps’ 60th anniversary with a big event, but so far that remains elusive due to the pandemic.

Perhaps later on, if things get better and large gatherings become considered safe, something will be announced. In the meantime, Ross is biding her time before she is able to get back into the program and she’s doing everything she can to get the word out about the local Peace Corps group, to perhaps interest others in considering filing an application.

“They really are looking for people with experience,” Ross said. “I mean, now, more than ever, I think they’re really looking for a wide variety to show what Americans are all about.

You know, it’s just not the young hippies that

we all kind of maybe associate with the Peace Corps type. It draws from all segments of our population, and there’s some really cool people in our area that have gone back, even in their late seventies, and have been very successful.”

So, Ross will be looking for groups to speak to — whether they are student-aged or more mature adults — to spread the word, not just about the good that Americans in the Peace Corps can do for other countries, but the good that can happen to the volunteers through the experience.

“Even though we now live beautiful, relatively safe northern Michigan, you know that there’s a world out there that we should be well aware of,” Ross said.

“A BETTER CITIZEN”

Members of the local returned volunteers’ group range from young to old; some were in the Peace Corps 50 years ago; another had her stint cut short last year because of the pandemic.

Caitlin Brooks, a Bear Lake native who today lives in Lake Ann, studied international business in college and spent years living and working around the world, from New York City to Chile.

In 2019, she decided it was time to pursue an old dream and she applied to get into the Peace Corps.

“I was like, well, you know, if I’ve wanted to do this for how long, it’s time to make it happen, so I applied and I went,” Brooks said.

Brooks ended up in Hojancha, Costa Rica, where she concentrated on community economic development — she conducted workshops with

Kama Ross in Paraguay.

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EXPERIENCE THE SCHULZ ORTHO DIFFERENCE

www.schulzortho.com local women’s group, helped a nonprofit scale up rural tourism efforts, consulted with small businesses, and taught English.

It was a great and rewarding experience, she said, until last March.

She’d been there a year and was supposed to stay another when things started to get weird.

“At the beginning of March, we received orders that we weren’t allowed to leave the country,” Brooks recalled. “And then a couple weeks later, maybe 12 days later, we were told we weren’t allowed to travel to the capital because there were some COVID cases there. And about two days later we found out that we were being evacuated.”

The ending occurred suddenly – on March 16 she was told to travel to San Jose; on March 17 she was on a plane back to Michigan.

“We had like a couple hours to pack up everything and get to airport,” she said. “It was hard because we only had like an hour to decide” where to go.

It was recommended that people quarantine before moving in with anyone over 60, so she stayed with her brother in Kalamazoo for a couple weeks, and then moved in with her parents in Bear Lake.

Eventually, as it became clear that she was not going to return to Costa Rica anytime soon, she got her own place to live and found a job working remotely for a running show manufacturer.

Amid all of this, she found the returned volunteers’ group and in that discovered a network of people who could help her get settled back into life in northern Michigan.

The experience, though stunted, made her an even bigger believer in the Peace Corps, however, and she believes in spreading the word.

“I think there’s lots of images of what Americans are like from movies and television, and a lot of times those are false,” Brooks said. “In that way, the Peace Corps really provides a good value, showing the world regular people.”

More importantly, perhaps, is what the Peace Corps did to her — Brooks believes it made her a more resilient person.

“I know I grew a lot in my year in the Peace Corps and I think it creates people who really are kind and empathetic,” she said. “I think I am a better citizen after doing the Peace Corps.”

“JUST A WONDERFUL ADVENTURE”

The words of John F. Kennedy, when he stood

before the University of Michigan student union and announced his intention to create the Peace Corps in an impromptu speech in 1960, heavily influenced Paul Sawin, who would join the Peace Corps himself eight years later.

“What a wonderful country that we lived in that would spend money to aid poor folks in another country,” Sawin recalled. “Also, I did not approve of the war and this was a way to serve your country without going into the military.”

Sawin, another member of the returned volunteer group, went to a country that is today called Benin but was then called Dahomey. He was in the first group of Peace Corps volunteers to serve in that country, and he said his two years there assigned to the ministry of agriculture were focused on figuring out how the developing economy could be best served.

Residents of the country primarily ate millet, and so it was the Peace Corps volunteers’ job to help diversify their diet.

He worked on a school garden project to train students how to raise nutritious foods; he helped establish a commune where men just released from military service raised cash crops and were given a place to live and land to grow their own food; he moved to the remote north of the country and he helped set up forges to manufacture plows that could be used with oxen.

There, Sawin said, he realized the “classic Peace Corps experience” of living in a mud hut without electricity or running water.

“It was a real adventure then,” Sawin said.

“Now most of the kids are in cities, teaching in a school, and everybody has cell phone. For me to get a letter home and a response from here would take six weeks.”

Sawin was born and raised on a farm in Manton where he still lives today.

In fact, it was growing up on that farm that turned out to be his “in” for the Peace Corps — while he graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in Psychology and Sociology, the Peace Corps recruited him for his agricultural skills.

Five decades after his return from Africa, Sawin today remains committed to promoting the Peace Corps to others. Over the years he’s made presentations at schools in an effort to get young people interested.

“It was an adventure. For when your young, it’s just a wonderful adventure,” he said. “I was happy to go to Africa, and being a country boy and naïve, I thought I would see the whole place.”

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Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 11

Foeder (prounounced food-er) barrels, like Silver Spruces here, are typically about three times the size of an average oak barrel but can often be many times larger, allowing for more oxygen, slower aging, and a more nuanced but consistent beer — while taking up less space in a brewer’s floor.

GETTING WILD WITH THE FOEDER

By Karl Klockers

Drinkers with a discerning eye may have noticed a couple interesting-looking wooden containers in the back of Traverse City’s Silver Spruce Brewing. Behind a row of wine barrels sit two tall vertical barrels clad with stainless steel, huddled into a back corner. They’re called foeders, and at Silver Spruce they have one main job: taking your average beers and getting them to go wild.

Though aging beers in bourbon barrels seems almost a mandatory practice for craft breweries these days, and many area breweries will experiment with wine barrels from local vintners, true foeder-aged beer is much more of a rarity. What is a foeder, you ask? It is, in effect, a big, fancy barrel usually made from French oak, traditionally used by wineries and distilleries for aging their products.

And extra time in a foeder barrel adds many layers of flavors like oak, vanilla, leather, smoke, and caramel, as well as smoothes out the flavors of a beer or wine through time and oxidization. Unlike the second-use bourbon barrels that most breweries have access to, foeders are made for adding more delicate oaky flavors — Silver Spruce’s foeder is constructed from lightly-charred American oak — while simultaneously building a collection of fun yeasts, bacteria and other bugs that turn beer from mild to wild.

It’s taken a while to get the brewing program to this point, but it was always going to be part of Silver Spruce, according

to owner/brewer Scott Stuhr.

“It was always in our plan to have some mixed-culture beers. It was never really something that we were going to do an insane amount of, but there’s not a lot of it [in the region].” When the brewery was able to expand and take over the entire building on Eighth Street, it gave them the freedom (and square footage) to go after these types of beers in earnest.

Few breweries have the patience, tools, and skills to bring a beer through a process like this, but it’s one that Stuhr is particularly prepared to undertake. Stuhr picked up some of this experience during his years amongst the thousand-plus barrels aging beers at Asheville Brewing Company, but his original training as a microbiologist and quality-control chemist really brings the scientific background needed to manage mixed-culture beers and wild yeasts.

Stuhr perks up when talking about things like lactobacillus and brettanomyces, as well as all the ways you can utilize these yeasts to impact flavors.” The magic really happens once that wort is cooled,” he said. “You have the whole opposite end of the [brewing] spectrum when making sour beer, where you’re purposefully not keeping it ‘clean.’”

This is not to say that sour beer is “dirty” — but the process of letting these wild yeasts slowly sour the beer is relative chaos as compared to the hyper-controlled fermentation processes of other beers, like Silver Spruce’s lagers, which is what you’ll most likely see Stuhr sipping at the end of a day. “I really enjoyed the process but for me it’s hard to beat a crisp, clean lager. I really,

12 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

really enjoy making sour beer … I just don’t drink a ton of it.”

The first two foeder-aged beers to hit the tap lines are both currently pouring at their taproom. First is a rye farmhouse ale with Azacca hops that spent nearly a year resting on oak. It’s “more of a wild ale than sour,” as Stuhr described it, rich with tangy apricot and peach flavors brought forth by the mixed-culture fermentation.

In fact, there’s so much tropical flavor that it’s hard to believe that no actual fruit went into the beer — it’s pure chemistry and time that coaxed those flavors free. There’s a patina of kombucha-esque funk hovering over the brew that finishes nice and dry, inviting another taste.

The second is a delightfully tart cherry sour with a delicate sparkle of effervescence, well balanced between the naturally light

fruity flavors brought out by the cherries and some sweet wisps of vanilla bouncing around the palate from the year it spent naturally souring in the foeder.

A good oak-aged sour “shouldn’t be tasting like you’re chewing on a piece of wood, but just that little bit of oak that kind of gives us some complexity,” Stuhr said.

“The tannins in the wood can really balance the mouthfeel — it just gives it a whole different kind of feel.”

There’s no shortage of craft brews in Traverse City, even barrel-aged ones — but certainly very few built like these. Above all, simplicity and subtlety is key, from simple German-style Helles lagers to the wildest oak-aged sour ale: “I feel like killing people with simplicity is way more impressive than just bombarding something with an ingredient,” Stuhr said.

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Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 13

Critical Discourse for the Living Legendary radio hosts Diane Rehm and Cynthia Canty to talk death, dying, and deciding

By Anna Faller Of all the topics we’d rather not talk about, death has long ranked near the top. The last on our list of cultural taboos, mortality still makes most Westerners squirm. After all, who really wants to discuss their own demise — or perhaps even worse, that of a loved one? Acclaimed radio host and author Diane Rehm does, and she wants her readers to talk about it, too. A longtime advocate for physician aid in dying, Rehm maintains that death is discourse for the living.

In her autobiography, “When My Time Comes,” Rehm fully examines the rightto-die movement as a step in the door of essential conversation. “We’re all going to go someday,” she says, “so, why not talk about how we’d like to go?”

Northern Express spoke to Rehm ahead of her upcoming virtual appearance with the National Writers Series in Traverse City, 7pm Feb. 25, in which she’ll discuss her book and the big questions about death, choice, and end-of-life care with Michigan journalist Cynthia Canty. Readers and thinkers from anywhere are invited to stream the free event, though registration is required to watch. (See sidebar for more information.)

FROM DOC TO BOOK Based on the upcoming PBS documentary of the same name, “When My Time Comes” was conceived as a companion to the film. “The interest [in medical aid in dying] began, certainly on my part, in

speaking out,” said Rehm. “About one year into the documentary, it occurred to me that I really wanted to write the book.” The book combines Rehm’s own encounters with 25 interviews conducted in all corners of the country with both terminally ill patients and experts in the field. The result? A complete exploration of personal choice and patient autonomy in end-of-life care.

Rehm herself is no stranger to death.

“My mother died when she was only 49 years old,” said. “She had liver cancer, and she was in such horrible pain, she begged to die. Then my father, who was 62, died just 11 months later of a broken heart.”

Of course, medical aid in dying as we know it today didn’t exist when Rehm’s parents passed, in the mid-1950s.

But it did exist in 2014, when Rehm’s first husband, the late John Rehm, requested assistance in ending his life after a nearly decade-long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

His nursing home, however, was located in Maryland, a state which didn’t — and still doesn’t — have a right-to-die law in place.

“His doctor said that the only thing that [he] could do was stop eating, stop drinking, and stop taking any medication,” said Rehm. “I know many people choose this as a route out, but it was so hard to watch, and it was so, so hard on him. It took him 10 long days to die. I don’t want that suffering for anyone.”

BUT WHO DECIDES? Of course, how to ease one’s suffering, particularly in terms of end-of-life care,

14 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

is both subjective and highly divisive. But Rehm refuses to take sides. “Do we want God to be the only decider? If that’s the case, I support you, 100 percent,” she said.

“If you want to have every single thing that medical science can offer, I support you, 100 percent.” She is, however, asking readers to reciprocate allowing each individual to make their own choice. “If you feel as I do, or maybe even if you don’t feel as I do, I hope you will respect and understand my wishes.”

Still, she contends, we can’t respect our loved ones’ wishes — nor can others respect our own — if we don’t know what those wishes are. “We need to tell those nearest and dearest to us what it is we want at the end of life,” said Rehm. “And it’s not one conversation — it’s many conversations.”

But how do we normalize such a contentious topic? “I think it’s not without discomfort,” said Rehm. “You open the door a little bit, and you walk through very gently.

At another time, you raise the issue again.

Eventually, you find out what that person wants, and you may be able to more clearly define what it is that you want.”

As for Rehm herself, make no mistake: When her time comes, she’ll depart on her own terms. “[My husband] knows what I want, my children know what I want, my friends know what I want, and my doctor knows what I want,” she says. “I do not want to be hooked up to any tubes or ventilators.

I want to die right here, in my own home, in my own bed, with my children and my husband beside me.”

READ, REGISTER, WATCH Acclaimed radio host and author, Diane Rehm, will join the National Writers Series for a free, virtual event at 7pm Thursday, Feb. 25, to discuss the paperback release of her book, “When My Time Comes.” The book is available for preorder at Horizon Books with a 20% NWS discount. Guest host for the event is Cynthia Canty, an Emmy Awardwinning radio and television journalist, and former host of Michigan Radio’s “Stateside.”

Registration can be found here: https:// nationalwritersseries.org/2021-springseason-registration/.

THE INTERVIEWER: CYNTHIA CANTY A lifetime resident of metro Detroit, Cynthia Canty was the host of Michigan Radio’s daily talk show “Stateside” from its inception in 2012 to her 2019 retirement. A veteran Detroit media personality, Canty has appeared on Southeastern Michigan radio and television since 1979. Since then, she’s served as a successful radio host, reporter, and producer. Canty was a news anchor alongside Jim Harper at WNIC-100.3 FM and held multiple roles at WKBD-TV throughout the 1990s. Canty’s numerous awards include an Emmy Award and honors from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and the Detroit Press Club.

feb 20

saturday

MACKINAW WINTER FEST: Mackinaw City. Outhouse Races at Shepler’s Dock, kids sled races, BIG Freeze obstacle course & Ice Queen Elsa. Enjoy the before, after & during party at the Dixie Saloon. mackinawcity.com/events/28th-annual-winter-fest

---------------------SNO-BLAST WINTER FESTIVAL: East Jordan. The East Jordan Sno-Mobilers will hold several outside events at their grounds located on Mt. Bliss Road. They include a Classic & Antique Snowmobile Show, Blessing of the Sleds & ORV’s, Bean Pot, ORV Obstacle Course & Weight Pull & Snowmobile Radar Runs. At noon the TNT Ride Like A Girl To Save The Girls Bikini Radar Run will be held. There will also be a Grand Story Hour at 11am via Zoom, Sno-Sculpture Contest, Coloring Contest, SnoBlast Drawing Contest, & more. Find ‘East Jordan Sno Blast’ on Facebook.

---------------------FREE KN95 MASKS FOR DISTRIBUTION (RESCHEDULED): Birch Street Elementary School, Kalkaska. Presented by United Way of Northwest Michigan & Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan. Will be given away from 10am-2pm, or until masks are gone.

---------------------KIDS FREE-SKI: 10am-4pm, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Twelve pairs of youth skis, designed for ages 6-11, will be available with rental fee waived. First-come, first-served.

There will be a small loop for kids to practice on. Free. grassriver.org

---------------------LAKE LEELANAU SNOWKITE RACE: 10am.

A triangle race on Lake Leelanau which includes two classes, skiing & snowboarding.

Each race leg will be about two miles. Presented by Midwest Snow Kite Jam. Find ‘Snowkite Race’ on Facebook.

---------------------MODEL RAILROAD ZOOM MEETING: 10am. National Model Railroad Association North Central Region Division 2 Monthly Zoom Meeting. Includes a presentation on model railroading & a show & tell. For login & password contact: superintendent.nmra.ncr.div2@gmail. com Free.

---------------------NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: An original play with music by Mad River Theater Works, based on Eugene Bullard’s life, the first African-American combat pilot & adventurer. True story. Register. Free. Runs through March 5. greatlakescfa.org/event-detail/ next-gen-virtual-event-wings-of-courage

---------------------DOG SLED RIDES: Shanty Creek Resort, Schuss Mountain, Nordic Center, Bellaire. Second Hand Mushers Rescue will give dog sled rides. They are offered every 30 minutes from 11am - 1:30pm. Face masks required. Reserve your spot: 866-695-5010. $65 per ride. secondchancemushersrescue.com/dog-sled-rides.html

---------------------OTSEGO RESORT’S ANNUAL WINTER WINE WALK: Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Check in at noon outside the River Cabin. A winter walk on the snowshoe path from the River Cabin to the Beaver Dam where a bonfire awaits. Enjoy three wine tasting stations paired with light food fare. Walk or snowshoe. Rentals available, but must be reserved ahead of time: 989-732-5181. $35. otsegoclub.com

---------------------MOONLIGHT SNOWSHOE HIKE: 6pm, Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Presented by Tubbs & Atlas & Whitebirch Outfitters. Experience a guided snowshoe hike on new route followed by an outdoor fire & refreshments at the River Cabin. Limited rentals available. Free. whitebirchoutfitters.com

---------------------WINTER LUMINARY STROLL & SIP: 6-8pm, Martha Wagbo Farm & Education Center, East Jordan. Family-friendly hike, ski or snowshoe by candlelight. Plus, specially made treats & hot drinks inspired by & made with locally

grown & foraged ingredients. You’ll make your way around a well-marked path with your own group. Treats & warming fires back at the farm.

BYO favorite mug. Suggested donation: $5$10/person or $20-$30/family. Find ‘Wagbo Farm & Education Center’ on Facebook.

feb 21

february

20-28

sunday

2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: Downtown TC, Feb. 21 - March 6. Restaurants will offer three-course meals for dine-in or to-go for $25 or $35. downtowntc.com

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

---------------------WINTER FUN DAY: 11am. Celebrate Missaukee Mountain &/or County. Downhill skiing, cross country trails, sledding, contests & games. Family friendly pricing for ski rentals & tow rope tickets for the day. All other activities & games free.

---------------------FEBRUARY ACCESS: Noon, GT Civic Center, west side behind Oak Park School, TC. Sled & enjoy hot cocoa. Presented by Arts for All of Northern Michigan. RSVP. $5/person. form.jotform.com/210335766250148?mc_ cid=f388cf57af&mc_eid=31c0d0fd7e

---------------------NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

---------------------THE SKINNY ON 2021: NEW YEAR, NEW PLANTS & NEW PRODUCTS!: 2pm. Held via Zoom. Garden Goods’ Robin Smillie shares what’s new in the garden industry, including houseplants, perennials, tools & garden art.

Class will reveal new plants developed for 2021 as well as necessary growing conditions such as zone, soil & sun/shade requirements. Free for members; $10 for non-members. thebotanicgarden.org/events

---------------------DOG SLED RIDES: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

feb 22

monday

LET’S TALK: WHAT IT TAKES FOR A DOG TO BECOME A POLICE “OFFICER”: 11am. Learn about K9 dogs at a webinar sponsored by Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center. Michigan State Police Trooper Matt Unterbrink will answer any questions. Participants will learn about: the selection process, training, fieldwork the dogs perform, & who cares for the dogs. Trooper Unterbrink will bring his K9 companions, Lulu & Ox, who are stationed in the Cadillac Post of the Michigan State Police. You must pre-register. Free. traversebaycac.org/lets-talk-webinars

Gopherwood Concerts welcomes Ordinary Elephant to their “Direct To Your Living Room Season” of streamed shows on Sat., Feb. 27 at 7pm. This husband and wife duo, Pete and Crystal Damore, captivate audiences with their emotionally powerful and vulnerable songs. They are the International Folk Music Awards 2017 Artist of the Year. Tickets, $15. gopherwoodconcerts.org

feb 24

wednesday

----------------------

OFFSHORE OUTPOSTS WITH RIC MIXTER: 7pm.

Held online. Learn about the most remote lighthouse in the United States - Stannard Rock - & the explosion that ripped through a machinery building there, killing the chief keeper & wounding a young electrician sent to the light to perform maintenance.

Register. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/ event-4157551

----------------------

NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 21)

NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

feb 23

tuesday

CONNECTING WOMEN IN BUSINESS: 11:30am.

Presented by the Petoskey Chamber. “Lifestyle Medicine - Promoting Wellness in Our Lives.” Featuring Julia Mueller, MD. Virtual networking through Remo.

Register. $20 members; $25 non-members. petoskey.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/register/23730

---------------------NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

---------------------2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 21)

----------------------

---------------------THE LAKESHORE READERS CLUB: 10:15am, Glen Lake Library, Empire. Featuring “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi. glenlakelibrary.net

---------------------2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 21)

feb 25

thursday

NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES: DIANE REHM: 7pm.

Diane hosts a weekly podcast for NPR, “On My Mind.”

In 2014 President Barack Obama presented Rehm with the National Humanities Medal. Now, in her book, “When My Time Comes,” Rehm addresses one of the toughest subjects for families to talk about — death. Through personal stories about her mother’s death & her late husband’s battle with Parkinson’s Disease, Rehm examines patient autonomy, personal choice & phy-

sician aid in dying. Guest host will be Cynthia Canty, whose reporting & writing have earned her many awards, including an Emmy & honors from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, the Associated Press and the Detroit Press Club. Register. Free. nationalwritersseries.org/ programs/an-evening-with-diane-rehm

---------------------INTERNATIONAL SPEAKERS SERIES: 7pm. Held via Zoom. Learn the Basics of Bitcoins & Open Blockchains. Featuring Pamela Morgan, founder of Third Key Solutions, LLC. Register. Free. ncmclifelonglearning.com/ event-4097175

---------------------GRAND TRAVERSE AUDUBON CLUB: 7pm.

Held via Zoom. Presentation by Angie Bouma, senior land steward from the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy. Bouma will talk about the Conservancy & its mission for the past 30 years to protect significant natural, scenic & farm land in the local five county area.

Also, she will direct you to some especially good Conservancy areas for pursuing your passion, birding. Free. grandtraverseaudubon.org

---------------------2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 21)

---------------------NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

feb 26

friday

VIRTUAL COFFEE @ TEN: CLASSICAL MUSIC & CLIMATE CHANGE: 10am. Join Classical IPR’s music director Amanda Sewell for a look at how composers & classical musicians in the 21st century are addressing is-

Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 15

sues related to climate change. Held via Zoom.

Free. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskeyctac-traverse-city-ctac-online/virtual-coffeetenclassical-music-and-climate

---------------------2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 21)

---------------------HARBOR SPRINGS AREA SPRING RESTAURANT WEEK: Feb. 26 - March 7. Enjoy special menus at participating restaurants.

---------------------LANTERN-LIT SKI & SNOWSHOE: 6-9pm, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Enjoy skiing on GRNA’s groomed ski trails or snowshoeing the boardwalk to the river. Self-guided. Bring a flashlight or headlamp. $5/person. grassriver.org

---------------------NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

feb 27

saturday

GOPHERWOOD CONCERTS: DIRECT TO YOUR LIVING ROOM: Presents Ordinary Elephant at 7pm. Catch this International Folk Music Awards 2017 Artist of the Year through a streamed show. $15. gopherwoodconcerts.org

---------------------CRAFT BREW CRUISE: 12-3pm, Otsego Resort, Gaylord. Enjoy a scenic winter walk from the historic River Cabin to the Beaver Dam where a roaring fire will be waiting. Featuring four beer stations paired with light apps. $35. otsegoclub.com/event/the-craft-brew-cruise

---------------------NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

---------------------2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 21)

---------------------GREENWOOD FOUNDATION MOONLIGHT SNOWSHOE HIKE: 7pm, Greenwood Foundation, 1836 Webb Rd., Wolverine. Free. greenwoodfoundation.org

---------------------DOG SLED RIDES: (See Sat., Feb. 20) ---------------------HARBOR SPRINGS AREA SPRING RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Feb. 26)

feb 28

sunday

NEXT GEN VIRTUAL EVENT: “WINGS OF COURAGE”: (See Sat., Feb. 20)

-------------

2021 TC RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 21)

---------------------DOG SLED RIDES: (See Sat., Feb. 20) ---------------------HARBOR SPRINGS AREA SPRING RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Fri., Feb. 26)

ongoing

FEBRUARY VALENTINE GIFT TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS: 10am-4pm, Music House Museum, Williamsburg. During February, the Music House Museum will be offering free tours to all on the medical front lines during the pandemic. Open Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays throughout Feb. for tours. Call & make a reservation. musichouse.org

---------------------NEW WINTER TRAIL: Brys Estate Vineyard & Winery, TC. Snowshoe, cross-country ski, or hike Brys Estate’s 111 acres. Choose from two winter trail options. Open daily from 11am-5pm.

Keep warm with an insulated mug of Spiked Hot Apple Cider or a glass of wine while you enjoy the trail, or enjoy it post exercise at one of the fire pits in the snowy open space. Winter trails are not groomed & equipment is not provided. brysestate.com/Visit-Us/wintertrail

SNOW SCULPTURE STROLL: Presented by 5 To One & Norte. Sign up with Great Start to be a sculptor, stroller, or both. Sculptors will receive a free Talking is Teaching resource bag, book & yard sign... plus some Norte swag. Runs through March 15. greatstartkids.com/snow-sculpturestroll/?mc_cid=89f4a634c7&mc_eid=df24b9efb4

---------------------SENIOR CENTER NETWORK HELPS!: People in the 60-plus age group have become increasingly isolated during the COVID-19 “stayat-home” order & are challenged by an even greater reliance on technology. The Senior Center, TC offers puzzles, exercise equipment, & books available to be checked out. Call 9224911 to make arrangements to pick up. The “Little Free Library” located outside the main entrance is open at all times. There are also “boredom buster” packets with puzzles, fun facts & jokes available. Make an appointment to pick up or have them mailed to you. Their Telephone Assurance Program provides staff & volunteers available to chat. grandtraverse. org/712/Senior-Centers

---------------------GT MUSICALE SCHOLARSHIP: Young musicians in grades 7-12 interested in auditioning for a music scholarship with Grand Traverse Musicale have until March 19 to begin the process. gtmusicale.org

---------------------GRAND TRAVERSE CONSERVATION DISTRICT’S ANNUAL NATIVE SEEDLING SALE: Held online through March 31. Featuring 32 bare-root tree & shrub species available for purchase. natureiscalling.org/native-seedling-sale

---------------------NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION: Calling 11th & 12th graders! Submit your best writing through March 1 at the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation website. Four scholarships are awarded each year in fiction, nonfiction, poetry & journalism with $1,000 awarded for each category. Eligible writers must have a permanent address in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, or Leelanau counties & be an 11th or 12th grader during the 2020/21 school year. gtrcf.org/scholarships/national-writersseries-scholarship-application.html

---------------------NORTE’S RUN SABADOS: GT Civic Center, TC. A weekly walk or run held on Saturdays.

Meet outside the Wheelhouse at 10am, & then split up & hit the track.

---------------------OLD MISSION SNOWSHOE, WINE & BREW: Sundays, 10:50am-3pm through March 7. Grab your showshoes - or book online & rent a pair for the day - & enjoy wine & beer from the Old Mission Peninsula. Park at Jolly Pumpkin, TC to board the TC Brew Bus & start your trek. The TC Brew Bus will transport you to Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery. From there, you will follow a flagged snowshoe trail across the Old Mission Peninsula to Bowers Harbor Vineyards, & then snowshoe back to where you parked at Jolly Pumpkin. Tickets, $28. tcbrewbus.com/events

---------------------SENIOR WOW (WITH OUT WALLS) TIME: Tuesdays, 9am through March 9. A virtual meeting that offers something for everyone - from museum tours to tips for smart money management, & much more. Register. 922-4911. grandtraverse.org/2276/Virtual-Programming

---------------------SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES!: 12-5pm, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. Explore easy to moderate trails, & then warm up with a glass of mulled wine on the Terrace Patio. The Hearth & Vine Café will also offer hot food. Held on Saturdays through winter. Snowshoes available to rent from 12-4pm; $20; must be returned by 5pm. No reservations needed. blackstarfarms. com/snowshoes-vines-wines

---------------------SUNDAY YOGA FLOW!: Join in for an energizing Vinyasa flow class on Sunday mornings at 11am in the studio space at the Dance Center, TC. Bring your own mat for class. Donation based by cash, check or Venmo. Must sign-up on Eventbrite before class time, & a face cov-

16 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

ering must be worn. eventbrite.com/e/sundayflow-tickets-137881313721

---------------------THE ENCHANTED TRAIL: Open Saturdays, Sundays & holidays from 5:30-8:30pm through winter at Boyne Highlands Resort, Harbor Springs. The trail totals two miles roundtrip & features the twinkling of hundreds of lights strewn throughout the path. Guests can walk or snowshoe the trail with snowshoes available for rent. Tickets are $15 per person. Hot chocolate & s’mores are included. A cash bar is available & beverage tickets can be purchased in advance.

Reserve your spot. boynehighlands.com

----------------------

VITAL VINYASA FLOW - THURSDAY NIGHTS!: 6pm, Thursdays, Feb. 4-25. Ground, flow, & stretch together. Held in the studio space at the Dance Center, TC. Bring your own mat for class. Must sign-up on Eventbrite before class time, & a face covering must be worn. Donation based class by cash, check or Venmo. eventbrite.com/e/vital-vinyasa-flowthursday-nights-tickets-126746527275

---------------------WEEKLY ZOOM STORY HOUR: Wednesdays, 11am, with Miss Ann. Presented by Interlochen Public Library. Meeting ID 876 3279 3456. Pass Code 364283.

---------------------BELLAIRE WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Held on Fridays from 10am-2pm. Located at both Bee Well & Terrain in downtown Bellaire.

---------------------BOYNE CITY INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 9am-noon through May 15. City Hall Lobby, Boyne City. petoskeyarea.com/eventdetail/boyne-city-indoor-farmers-market-1

---------------------INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato, TC. Saturdays through April, 10am-2pm. thevillagetc.com/ indoor-farmers-market-7-2-2-2-2-2

art

CHARLEVOIX CIRCLE OF ARTS, CHARLEVOIX: - FREE “TAKE & MAKE” ART KITS: In conjunction with Charlevoix Circle of Arts’ re|ART exhibit, free children’s Take & Make Art Kits are available for pick up from Feb. 1-27, while supplies last. charlevoixcircle.org - RE | ART: REFLECT, REJECT, REFINE, REMARK: Juried fine art exhibit. Runs Feb. 1 27. Artists are invited to comment visually to the many shifts taking place in this current experience. Juror is Joann Condino of Three Pines Studio. CharlevoixCircle.org

---------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - “KIDS ON COMMUNITY”: Youth artists were invited to submit artwork in response to the theme of “Community.” Fun, thoughtful & creative interpretations by Michigan youth (grades 3 - 12) are included in this online image gallery.

Runs through June 30, 2021. crookedtree.org/ event/ctac-petoskey-ctac-online/kids-community-online-exhibit - CTAC’S 19TH ANNUAL YOUNG WRITERS EXPOSITION: CALL FOR YOUNG WRITERS: Elementary, middle & high school students who attend schools served by the CharEm ISD (or home school students in Charlevoix or Emmet counties) may submit one work of poetry, prose, or one of each. Winning writers of all age groups receive a medal, journal, & McLean & Eakin Booksellers gift card, while also having their work published in the digital Petoskey News-Review. Middle & high school winning writers receive monetary prizes as well. All first place writers get their work printed in the upcoming edition of the Walloon Writers Review. The Little Traverse Literary Guild will give two $500 “Best in Show” awards – the Hanna-Renkes/Jan Smith Literary Award – to high school students for poetry & prose. Work must be submitted online by a parent or teacher between April 6-19 at 5 pm. The submission page is located under Teacher Resources on the Petoskey portion of CTAC’s website.

Winning writers will be announced May 7 via

CTAC’s social media pages.

---------------------CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - GUILD MEMBER SALON SHOW 2021 ONLINE EXHIBITION: Runs through March 6.

This show invites all participating artist members to include work in a salon style exhibition.

The resulting display offers a range & depth of stylistic approaches, experience, media, & content. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-petoskeyctac-traverse-city-ctac-online/guild-membersalon-show-2021-online-exhibition - “JUST GREAT ART”: Presented by Plein Air Painters of Northwest Michigan. An online exhibit & sale of over 50 works by regional artists.

20% of the proceeds benefit City Opera House.

Runs through Feb. 28. crookedtree.smugmug. com/Traverse-City/Exhibitions-TC/Just-GreatART/Just-Great-ART/i-fNDV67s

---------------------DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - DEX R. JONES: STORIED PORTRAITS: Runs through March 28. Influenced by the cultural richness of his Caribbean heritage & PanAfrican studies, Dexter R. Jones removes the veil of self-conscious inhibition by eliminating the preconceived sense of beauty & reveals its true splendor in its vulnerable state. Encompassing a mixture of texture, hues, flesh, & heavy contrast in his editorial photography, his expertise in justly capturing women of vast shades is indicative from his strong matriarchal upbringing. Regular admission rates apply. dennosmuseum.org - BLOW UP II: INFLATABLE CONTEMPORARY ART: Feb. 21 - May. 16. This exhibit explores the imaginative ways that air is used as a tool to create large-scale sculptures. The artists translate everyday materials and imagery into larger-than-life, yet nearly lighter-thanair art. Curated by Carrie Lederer & organized

by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. dennosmuseum.org

---------------------GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER, GLEN ARBOR: - EXHIBIT: JOAN RICHMOND | PAPER + SCISSORS + GLUE = NEW COLLAGES: Held in Lobby Gallery. An exhibition of 12 new works is on display through April 22. Richmond is more widely known for her distinctive, spare gouache paintings depicting land- & waterscapes. This exhibit includes more than 60 pieces she created during COVID-19 isolation.

The GAAC is open Mon. through Sat., 11am– 2pm. GlenArborArt.org - GAAC OUTDOOR GALLERY: CALL FOR ENTRIES: The Glen Arbor Arts Center is accepting submissions for its 2021 Outdoor Gallery. The exhibition space is the south & west exterior walls of the GAAC’s building at 6031 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor. Original work by a single artist will be selected by a jury, & exhibited from May 2021 to April 2022. Deadline for submissions is February 25, 2021. Open to all media, the selected work will be eye-catching, compelling, colorful & communicate the spirit of the Glen Arbor Arts Center with fresh originality.

The selected exhibitor’s original work will be enlarged & reproduced on five, separate, 5 foot x 5 foot square outdoor panels for one year. A $500 prize will be awarded to the selected artist. Submissions are online only. To apply visit GlenArborArt.org & click on ARTIST/Calls For Entry.

- YOU ARE T/HERE: An exhibition that asks exhibitors to visually explore & describe what their own, personal “here” or “there” looks like.

Runs through March 25. In addition, an online version of the exhibition may be viewed at GlenArborArt.org.

---------------------NORTHPORT ARTS ASSOCIATION, NORTHPORT: - LOVE IS... ART: Online exhibit featuring art of all media. Runs Feb. 1-28. northportartsassociation.org - MAGIC OF MARCH CALL FOR ARTISTS: Calling artists through Feb. 24. The Magic of March Online Exhibit will emphasize the excitement of spring & the changes we see in nature as well as body, mind, & spirit. It runs March 1-31. northportartsassociation.org

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Q

: What are your thoughts on women who are involved with much younger men?

A friend who’s my age, 58, is dating a 23-year-old guy. She started seeing him when he was 18 and refers to him as her “husband.”

I went on a day trip with the two of them, and it honestly felt like we had a child in tow. He whines and pouts to get his way, feels a need to one-up everybody in conversation, and says and does weirdly inappropriate things (like skipping through a graveyard and talking openly about his sexual prowess). They profess their love to each other often, and I guess if it’s working, it’s fine, but I just don’t get it.

— Baffled

A

: Dating somebody 40 years younger can make for awkward silences at dinner parties, like when somebody asks one’s boyfriend, “What were you doing on 9/11?” and he says, “Um, teething?”

Of course, there are some constants in life, and one of them is how men, no matter how old and geezery, are most attracted to women in their early 20s. (Think Hooters hiring pool and 70-something grandpas with self-inflicted whiplash.) Women, on the other hand, tend to go for slightly older men throughout their lives, until they’re in their 70s, when they dip down a bit -- though typically a handful of years, not four decades.

However, within every “men tend to” or “women tend to,” there are individual differences; for example, a woman bumping up against 60 who’s dating a guy who probably remembers preschool like it was yesterday -because it kinda pretty much was.

Older women who date downward in age eight or more years (or try to) get called “cougars,” sneering slang for sexually hungry older women hunting for younger man prey. The term is said to trace back to the Vancouver Canucks hockey team in the ‘80s: the players’ label for older, single, hetero female groupies who frequented their games and tried to score sex with them. However, “cougar” didn’t go wide till 2003, when Demi Moore, at 40, started dating the 15-years-her-junior Ashton Kutcher, then 25, whom she later married and divorced.

There are now cougar reality shows, dating sites, blogs, and books, and there have even been cougar beauty pageants.

This makes it sound like there are hungry

BY Amy Alkon cougar-inas lurking around every corner.

However, an analysis of census data by public policy researchers Zoe Lawton and Paul Callister in 2010 suggests the extent of this is “exaggerated by the media.” They likewise suspect (and more recent survey data bears out) that the number of these older woman/ much-younger man couplings that turn into long‐term relationships is “considerably smaller” than those that wind up as shortterm flings.

Younger men are sometimes a workaround for older women experiencing a man famine: a shortage of men close to their age, who tend to date younger women. But a younger man can be (or turn into) a preference -maybe because he’s more fun and makes an older woman feel young again and probably because he’s a sex machine that does not require pharmaceuticals or batteries. A much-younger boyfriend is also a status symbol of sorts, showily breaking the mold of being a sexually ignored aging woman.

And maybe, just maybe, there’s sometimes a connection that makes the guy’s age and any related incompatibilities unimportant -sometimes because an older woman is secure and happy enough on her own that she doesn’t require a man to be a human Costco to fill her every need.

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Though people point and laugh at older woman/younger man couples, the joke might be on the jokers. Social psychologist Justin Lehmiller surveyed around 200 heterosexual women in relationships: women with male partners close to their age, women significantly younger than their male partners, and women significantly older than their male partners (22 years older on average). He found that women 10 or more years older than their male mate were the happiest: the most satisfied with their relationships and committed to their partners.

The fact that your friend’s been with this guy for five years suggests this is more than a Boytoys R Us phase. Ask her what she sees in him, and listen with an open mind.

You might find your way to a little more compassion and understanding. That said, it’s probably best to avoid being around the two of them and instead see her alone, because, well, adulthood can be overrated -- except when you want to have a conversation. Even if you never quite get what the attraction is, you might just resolve to be happy that she’s happy. She’s having fun; she’s in love at nearly age 60; and sex for her is smokin’ -- and not because her partner’s pacemaker catches fire midway through.

Easy. Accessible. All Online. northernexpress.com/classifieds Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 17

lOGY

FEB 22 - FEB 28

BY ROB BREZSNY

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Piscean author Anais Nin

was a maestro of metamorphosis, a virtuoso of variation, an adept at alteration. She regarded her ceaseless evolution as a privilege and luxury, not an oppressive inconvenience. “I take pleasure in my transformations,” she wrote. “I look quiet and consistent, but few know how many women there are in me.” Her approach is a healthy model for most of you Pisceans—and will be especially worth adopting in the coming weeks. I invite you to be a Change Specialist whose nickname is Flux Mojo.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Love commands a vast army of moods,” writes author Diane Ackerman. “Frantic and serene, vigilant and calm, wrung-out and fortified, explosive and sedate.” This fact of life will be prominently featured in your life during the coming weeks. Now is a fertile time to expand your understanding of how eros and romance work when they’re at their best—and to expand your repertoire of responses to love’s rich challenges. Don’t think of it as a tough test; imagine it as an interesting research project.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Sagittarian poet and visual artist William Blake (1757–1827) cultivated a close relationship with lofty thoughts and mystical visions. He lived with his wife Catherine for the last 45 years of his life, but there were times when he was so preoccupied with his amazing creations that he neglected his bond with her. Catherine once said, “I have very little of Mr. Blake’s company. He is always in Paradise.” I hope that you won’t be like that in the coming weeks. Practical matters and intimate alliances need more of your attention than usual. Consider the possibility, at least for now, of spending less time in paradise and more on earth.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Poet Robert Graves regarded the ambiguity of poetry as a virtue, not a problem. In his view, poetry’s inscrutability reflects life’s true nature. As we read its enigmatic ideas and feelings, we may be inspired to understand that experience is too complex to be reduced to simplistic descriptions and overgeneralized beliefs. In fact, it’s quite possible that if we invite poetry to retrain our perceptions, we will develop a more tolerant and inclusive perspective toward everything. I’m telling you this, Capricorn, because whether or not you read a lot of poetry in the coming weeks, it will be wise and healthy for you to celebrate, not just tolerate, how paradoxical and mysterious the world is.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The coming

weeks will be a favorable time to shed old habits that waste your energy, and create constructive new habits that will serve you well for months and years to come. To inspire and guide your efforts, I offer these thoughts from author and naturalist Henry David Thoreau: “As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”

ARIES (March 21-April 19): I invite you to think

about one or two types of physical discomforts and symptoms that your body seems most susceptible to. Meditate on the possibility that there are specific moods or feelings associated with those discomforts and symptoms—perhaps either caused by them or the cause of them. The next step is to formulate an intention to monitor any interactions that might transpire between the bodily states and emotional states. Then make a plan for how you will address them both with your own healing power whenever they visit you in the future.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Poet Billy Collins

describes “standing on the edge of a lake on a moonlit night and the light of the moon is always pointing straight at you.” I have high hopes that your entire life will be like that in the coming weeks: that you’ll feel as if the world is alive with special messages just for you; that every situation you’re in will feel like you belong there; that every intuition welling up from

your subconscious mind into your conscious awareness will be specifically what you need at the moment it arrives.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): You’re entering a

potentially heroic phase of your astrological cycle.

The coming weeks will be a time when I hope you will be motivated to raise your integrity and impeccability to record levels. To inspire you, I’ve grabbed a few affirmations from a moral code reputed to be written by a 14th-century Samurai warrior. Try saying them, and see if they rouse you to make your good character even better.

1. “I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power.” 2. “I have no miracles; I make right action my miracle.” 3. “I have no enemy; I make carelessness my enemy.” 4. “I have no designs; I make ‘seizing opportunity’ my design.” 5. “I have no magic secrets; I make character my magic secret.” 6. “I have no armor; I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.”

“Jonesin” Crosswords "Cashing In" --a puzzle with some redeeming value. by Matt Jones

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “The only

way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle,” writes Cancerian author and Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield. I disagree with him. There are many other modes of awareness that can be useful as we navigate our labyrinthine path through this crazy world. Regarding each minute as an opportunity to learn something new, for instance: That’s an excellent way to live. Or, for another example, treating each minute as another chance to creatively express our love.

But I do acknowledge that Kornfield’s approach is sublime and appealing. And I think it will be especially apropos for you during the coming weeks.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The coming weeks

will be a poignant and healing time for you to remember the people in your life who have died—as well as ancestors whom you never met or didn’t know well. They have clues to offer you, rich feelings to nourish you with, course corrections to suggest. Get in touch with them through your dreams, meditations, and reminiscences. Now read this inspiration from poet Rainer Maria Rilke: “They, who passed away long ago, still exist in us, as predisposition, as burden upon our fate, as murmuring blood, and as gesture that rises up from the depths of time.” (Translation from the German by Stephen Mitchell.)

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I’m fond of 18th-

century Virgo painter Quentin de La Tour. Why? 1.

He specialized in creating portraits that brought out his subjects’ charm and intelligence. 2. As he grew wealthier, he became a philanthropist who specialized in helping poor women and artists with disabilities. 3. While most painters of his era did self-portraits that were solemn, even ponderous, de La Tour’s self-portraits showed him smiling and good-humored. 4. Later in his life, when being entirely reasonable was no longer a top priority, de La Tour enjoyed conversing with trees. In accordance with the astrological omens, I propose that we make him your patron saint for now. I hope you’ll be inspired to tap into your inner Quentin de la Tour.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m not saying there’s

anything wrong with your overall health, Libra. In fact, I expect it’s probably quite adequate. But from an astrological point of view, now is the right time to schedule an appointment for a consultation with your favorite healer, even if just by Zoom. In addition, I urge you to consult a soul doctor for a complete metaphysical check-up. Chances are that your mental health is in fair shape, too. But right now it’s not enough for your body and soul to be merely adequate; they need to receive intense doses of well-wrought love and nurturing. So I urge you to ask for omens and signs and dreams about what precisely you can do to treat yourself with exquisite care.

18 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly

ACROSS 1 Palindromic title (even with the apostrophe) 5 Dutch-speaking Caribbean island 10 Gum blobs 14 Prefix that means “both” 15 Littlest bits 16 Chain with stacks and syrups 17 “How You Remind Me” rock band 19 Croft of the Tomb Raider games 20 Pointer by another name 21 Place to get drinks before you turn in, maybe 23 “Take This Job and Shove It” singer David Allan ___ 24 “QuÈ ___?” (“How’s it going?”)

27 Area near NYU 28 Dressed like a judge 30 Nocturnal newborn 34 Monopoly token until 2017 39 Language suffix 40 Equal share, often 41 Wall crawlers 42 Apothecary’s container 43 “The King and I” star Brynner 44 Get red in the face and shy away, maybe 46 First “Blue’s Clues” host 48 Willie Nelson’s son who leads the band Promise of the Real 49 An official language of Pakistan 52 Remained on the shelf 53 Drugstore with long receipts 56 Smoked Polish sausage 60 Most Nunavut inhabitants 62 Monty Python member Idle 63 Like bottles and cans, in some states (or what five long Across answers all literally contain) 66 Delany of “China Beach” 67 Hospital figure 68 Luxor river 69 Out in the open 70 Secretly watch 71 Sailed through

DOWN 1 ___ Panic (hair color brand that’s still around) 2 Protein-building acid 3 Start of a popular children’s song 4 (Soon-to-be) former VP name (depending on when this is published) 5 Have a cold, perhaps 6 Shoplift 7 Ogden’s locale 8 Maple go-with, in some recipes 9 Seek permission for 10 Ron Howard fantasy film of 1988 11 Moby-Dick captain 12 Bilingual TV explorer 13 Practice for a boxing match 18 Endorse enthusiastically 22 Website for DIYers with instructional steps 25 “Steal This Book” author Hoffman 26 Remain’s counterpart in Brexit 28 NFL official 29 It gets boring pretty quickly 31 1970s teen idol Garrett 32 Genesis brother 33 Poker player’s giveaway 34 Motivations 35 High, in Haiti 36 Dakota Fanning’s younger sister 37 “Classic Concentration” puzzle type 38 Tennis star Naomi 42 Initials that may be collecting dust in your TV room 44 “Phineas and ___” 45 Pillowcase material 47 Lt. Tuvok, for one 50 Does sock repair 51 Consume 53 Like 8, 27, and 64 54 Coupe de ___ (old Cadillac model) 55 Chariot horse 56 Canvas shoe brand 57 “Dies ___” (Latin hymn) 58 A, to Germans 59 “It’s worth ___!”

61 Grandma, informally 64 Show stager for GIs 65 Neurotic cartoon chihuahua

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Northern Express Weekly • february 22, 2021 • 19

20 • february 22, 2021 • Northern Express Weekly