Northern Express - February 23, 2026 by Northern Express

AMERICA’S PROBLEMS NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S SOLUTIONS

This is in response to a letter in Vol. 36 No. 06. You appear to be a one issue person: undocumented immigrants. There are better ways to deport undocumented immigrants that break the law, but ICE is out of control. They use excessive force as normal operational tactics. The Bill of Rights is being shredded daily by these unethical methods. Immigration enforcement can be done without the cruel inhumane actions we see coming from this administration. This needs to stop. This is not who we are as Americans.

American citizens have been swept up in ICE raids and detained for hours and some for days. Especially those of Latino and Hispanic descent. Some Native Americans have been detained. I guess if you look like one, dress like one, and work a certain job, you must be one. Racial profiling should never be used as a method to apprehend anyone for deportation.

ICE is abducting immigrants while they are going to work. Some are being picked up while going to and coming from scheduled immigration appointments. They were doing the right things the right way, and they were not criminals. They had proper papers to work here and were filing proper paperwork to become American citizens. Most of the people being deported are not criminals, just people looking for a better life. Our immigration system is a work in progress.

This administration is an embarrassment before the world. It’s being led by a 34-count convicted felon. His economic policies and tariffs are tanking the economy. Farmers are losing family farms, businesses are closing, Big Tech and large companies are cutting thousands of jobs. Our allies are moving away from us. We are not America first. We are becoming America alone. As of 2024, presidential historians ranked Donald J Trump 45th.

Willie Jones Jr., MSgt, USAF, Retired | Traverse City

The Worst of the Worst

In Stephen Tuttle’s “Turning Victory into Defeat” in the Feb. 9 issue, we are reminded of Donald Trump’s campaign promise to go after “the worst of the worst,” and the subsequent brutality and murder committed by ICE against people with no criminal records, including children. In the short time since, we have watched Attorney General Bondi defend her actions vis a vis ICE and Epstein. It’s not just irony, but evil, that the same administration who funds and defends ICE is protecting the names of rich, powerful men who, evidence shows, have raped children.

Diane Miller | Honor

401(k) vs. Democracy

So, the most important aspect of the Trump regime according to Mr. Wickstrom, is his 401(k). Not the weaponizing of the DOJ to cover Trump’s crimes or ICE arresting and detaining some American citizens and separating families in concentration camps. The crippling of Democracy is a minor casualty compared to his “thru the roof” 401(k).

I’m paraphrasing Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln. Franklin: “Now, you have your Republic. Now, it’s up to you to keep it.” Lincoln: “We have no fear of losing our Democracy from any country or power outside of the United States. We can only lose our Republic from within.”

Bret Albright | Traverse City

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America Alone

top ten

Northport’s Winter Carnival

On Saturday, Feb. 28, Northport Community Events presents the village’s winter carnival, which is packed with fun in the snow (or slush, depending on what the weather brings us). For the sports fans, it will be like the Olympics never ended, with the time-honored traditions of broomball, milk jug curling, and a cardboard sled race. New this year is a snowman contest, with building time allotted from 12-3pm and then a round of judging to declare the coolest creation in town. Another adorable activity is for elementary students: Help name the festival’s otter mascot, who will be onsite starting at 12pm! (Grown-ups, get name suggestions from your littles and email your entry to nptcommunityevents@gmail.com.) And then, of course, there’s a bellywarming chili cook-off with four categories: traditional, veggie, white, and wild game. Bundle up and get ready for the fun at northportcommunityevents.org.

2 tastemaker

Acorn Kitchen’s Chicken Shawarma

If food is its own language of love, then the folks at Acorn Kitchen in Traverse City speak it fluently through soulful eats like their craveable Chicken Shawarma. Inspired by the Eastern Mediterranean classic, the core of this drool-worthy handheld is roasted meat—specifically, tender chicken thighs, which are dry-brined for 24 hours, grilled, bone broth-braised, and seared to order before filling a warm and pillowy pita from Yasmeena Bakery in Dearborn. Topped off with sweet onions brined in lemon and sumac, tangy cucumber pickles, fresh parsley, and the mellow garlicky magic of scratch-made toum sauce with a surprise waffle fry or two, this wrap has to be true love on a plate. Psst—this week, check out their Traverse City Restaurant Week lineup, especially the sweet pistachio Halva! Find Acorn Kitchen inside Atomic Marketplace at 3344 Cass Rd. in Traverse City.

A Light in the Darkness

Add some joy to those winter doldrums at TC’s City Opera House! Light the Darkness is a maker’s fair full of inspiring arts, crafts, and handcrafted goods, along with local treats from food vendors and the energy of live performances. This free celebration runs from 3-5pm (early access/invite only) and 5-8pm, Friday, Feb. 27, and 10am-4pm, Saturday, Feb. 28. cityoperahouse.org/LTD

4 Hey, watch It! Wonder Man

Before you breeze past another Marvel TV show (we’re up to 20+ of them now, if you count the Netflix adaptations), press play for Wonder Man. Why? Because this isn’t a superhero story. Instead, it’s a story about acting and Hollywood, dreams and failures, friendships and heartbreak. Not to spoil anything for you, but only about 10-15 minutes of the eight-episode series involves the supernatural. Simon Williams (played beautifully by Yahya AbdulMateen II) is a struggling actor looking for his big break with a remake of his favorite childhood film, Wonder Man. Meanwhile, Trevor Slattery (aka the Mandarin, with Ben Kingsley reprising the Iron Man 3 role), is sober, fresh out of prison—maybe not quite legally—and ready to return to acting. Their odd-couple friendship is the heart of the show, with both high-stakes hijinks and quiet, tender moments that remind us that art is bigger than any obstacle or villain. All episodes are now streaming on Disney+.

Every night feels like locals night at St. Ambrose Cellars of Beulah…at least in the wintertime. Mondays are Cliff’s Night Out, when you can snag a Classic Sirloin Burger and glass of Cliff’s Last Call for only $10. Then comes Pizza Party Tuesday (with $14 pizzas), Wing Wednesdays (buy one, get one free), Open Mic Night on Thursdays, and Sunday Cajun Brunch. This Saturday, Feb. 28, you can also catch the Old ’Brose Begonia Ice Bowl, a disc golf tournament that benefits local food pantry Benzie Food Partners. Registration for the tournament is $25; tee off is at 11am. After playing, head inside for the Chili Bowl Showdown from 12-3pm, where you’ll crown the best chili in town. Tickets are $10, and proceeds also go to Benzie Food Partners. Last but not least, Barefoot takes the stage that night from 5-8pm! Get all the details at stambrose-mead-wine.com/events.

Next week, we turn the page from February to March. (March! The month where spring officially starts! Even if it’s not here in northern Michigan!) If you’re putting on a competition between April 1 and June 21 for runners, bikers, paddlers, or other folks on the go, we want to share the news! Here’s how to get your race in the paper: Send an email to events@traverseticker.com with the subject line “Spring Races 2026.” Include the race name, race date, race location, website address for race information, and/or the website address for online registration. Be sure to send in no later than March 16. We accept submissions in any of the 13 counties in our coverage area: Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Antrim, Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Kalkaska, Crawford, Otsego, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Cheboygan. Ready, set, go!

Stuff We Love: Creating an Oral History of the Ice Storm

As we approach the one-year mark from the devastating March 2025 ice storm, Groundwork Center and the Climate Action Campaign are inviting the public to come and share their stories. The Extreme Weather People’s Hearing will include live, in-person storytellers, and the organizers are asking for “residents, farmers, small business owners, first responders, and local leaders to share brief, first-person stories about how the ice storm affected their lives and communities” with the intention to “elevate ongoing recovery challenges and push leaders to address disaster preparedness, grid reliability, and climate resilience.” If you have a story to share, head to facebook.com/groundworkcenter, where Groundwork has posted a sign-up document. Want to listen to the stories? The event will be held on Feb. 26 from 6-8pm at Treetops Resort in Gaylord. Learn more at mobilize.us/mobilize/event/887955.

This winter, Boyne Mountain built a bar that they describe as “part Tyrolean alpine hut, part childhood snow fort fantasy.” Located at Disciples Overlook and accessible to skiers and SkyBridge strollers, Iglu’s menu features champagne, rosé, cocktails, beer, cider, seltzer, and soft drinks. But it’s the Aperol Spritz ($18) that shines. The recipe itself is classic—prosecco, soda water, orange, and Aperol—but $1 from every purchase goes toward the Boyne Forever Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the resort company that aims to “protect precious natural landscapes, build thriving communities, and create life-changing opportunities for our team members,” per their website. So enjoy a chilly sip and know your money is doing a little extra work. Be sure to check Boyne’s website for Iglu hours—as it’s made of snow and ice, weather can be a factor! boynemountain.com/iglu-boyne-mountain

Races Ahead!

Photo courtesy of Groundwork Center/Kevin Donner

eat that awesomeness

spectator

By Stephen Tuttle

Politicians and their followers have always played loosely with the facts, puffing up any successes and blaming failures on others. It’s been that way for a long time.

Sixty years ago we were lied to about the Vietnam War, ignoring our futility and growing losses and wildly inflating enemy casualties and the prognosis for success. This century we were told real whoppers about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which turned out to be the fever dreams of neoconservatives like Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld who fantasized about turning the Middle East into a westernstyle democracy. We would be greeted with flowers, we were told, but instead were greeted with improvised explosive devices (IED). There would be no democratization of the region.

law enforcement.” That wasn’t quite enough so they added, “Officers attempted to disarm this individual but the armed suspect reacted violently ... an agent fired defensive shots.”

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who looks and acts like every villain from every movie ever made, called Pretti a “would-be assassin.”

The only assassination was Pretti’s character. Again, thank goodness for citizens with phones who captured the entire ugly scene. Pretti, who is legally licensed to carry a firearm, was attempting to aid a peppersprayed woman and did not “brandish” anything but informed officers he was armed and they removed the gun without incident. Pretti did not react “violently” but was treated that way. On his knees with his

Politicians and their followers have always played loosely with the facts, puffing up any successes and blaming failures on others.

But the current administration has taken this dishonesty to an industrial-strength level. The president and his minions act as if they will go into anaphylactic shock should the truth escape their lips. We have excellent examples after some bloodshed in Minnesota.

Renee Nicole Good found herself in the middle of an ICE operation in Minneapolis. It isn’t clear, and never will be, if she did so intentionally or accidentally ended up where she didn’t belong. Agents told her, loudly, to both leave the area and to get out of her vehicle, and she could not do both. As she started to drive off, an ICE agent shot through her front windshield and then fired two additional rounds through the driver side window. Good was killed.

That’s when the lying started. Kristi Noem, our Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Vice President JD Vance both said Good was a “domestic terrorist.” Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol boss on the ground, said Good had “weaponized” her vehicle in an attempt to “viciously run over” agents.

We know none of that was true because, thankfully, citizens were recording on their ubiquitous phones. There is no evidence Good was involved in any terrorist activities, and the videos clearly showed she did not attempt to run over anybody because there was nobody in front of her vehicle to run over. Noem, Vance, and Bovino all defamed Good, but they were far from done.

Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the local VA center and a legal protester in Minneapolis, was shot and killed just 17 days later. The misinformation again started immediately. Noem said he was “brandishing a 9 mm handgun.” The White House released a statement saying, “An individual arrived on scene to inflict maximum damage and kill

hands in the air, Pretti was shot 10 times, eight times in the back, by Customs and Border Protection Agents.

He was not a terrorist, threatened no one, and was unarmed when shot to death.

Then there is Marimar Martinez, a U.S. citizen who ran afoul of ICE in Chicago. Labeled a “threat” by ICE because of her social media posts, Martinez was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent, though she miraculously survived.

The lie this time was straightforward; Bovino, speaking for the Border Patrol, said Martinez had “rammed” agents’ cars and they fired in self-defense. The dashcam showed exactly the opposite; the Border Patrol vehicle intentionally rammed the Martinez vehicle, and the agent immediately opened fire. The agent who shot her was pretty proud of his work, texting his pals, “I fired 5 shots and she had 7 holes, put that in your book boys!” All charges against Martinez were dropped but none have been filed against the agent who tried to kill her

Those are just the highlights. Altogether, the New York Times reports at least nine people have been shot during the current surge (since September). Regrettably, there is little reason to believe our government’s stories on any of the shootings or deaths. While the actual shooters may ultimately be forced to account for their actions, they’ve thus far been held harmless.

The government officials who were so quick to wrongfully accuse and condemn the victims? No correcting their lies, no retracting their defamation, no apologies, and absolutely no consequences of any kind. Shoot first, make up some lies, defame the victim, move along. Next!

ONE TRIBE, EIGHT BILLION STRONG

Guest Opinion

by Porter Abbott

It’s no surprise that USAID foreign aid was the first target of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), since foreign aid yields no immediate return for dollars invested. In other words, foreign aid is not “transactional,” which made it lowhanging fruit for DOGE, despite it costing less than 1 percent of the annual budget.

It’s a big loss. Our 80 years of nontransactional foreign aid has given us an abundance of “soft power.” Unlike hard economic and military power, soft power is intangible, diffuse, cumulative, and only realized over time. It is part of our nation’s long game and includes the immense attractiveness of our universities, our scientific and medical research, our democratic political values, and much else.

wounds, carry him to an inn, and, believe it or not, leave money with the innkeeper should further care be needed—this is the behavior of someone Trump might call “a loser.”

Note, too, that this “loser” is not even from Judea, but Samaria, neighboring people long hostile to the Jews of Judea. You don’t have to be a Christian to see the wisdom of crossing tribal lines to care for a stranger. It’s in the Old Testament as well as the New, and it’s also in the Quran where we are told to “do good” to both the “neighbor who is kin and the neighbor who is a stranger” (Nisa: 36).

Loving your neighbor as yourself can certainly be difficult. I’ve had neighbors who would be very hard even to like, much less love. But I’m sure many of those fired from USAID

Can we put aside our nationalistic rivalries and learn to behave as one tribe, the tribe of humankind?

Commerce, in contrast to foreign aid, is generally transactional. It operates by the law of quid pro quo, this for that. You give $10 and you get a pair of socks. When it goes well for both parties, commerce is the ultimate model of an orderly set of transactional operations.

This is a good thing, but our soft power has laid the foundation of trust that has given deep support for our commerce and much else. Little wonder that China, following its long-term strategy, is moving in where USAID has packed up and left.

Trump, a self-described deal maker, has often been called our “transactional president.” But the distinction doesn’t apply, since transactions require trust and credibility, while Trump’s transactions slip and slide as he seeks to get more for less. Worse is his bent for making deals that cannot be refused. This is the dark side of economic relations where Putin and the Mafia abide and where a more accurate word than transaction would be extortion

Whether it’s withholding $400 million in military aid to Ukraine in exchange for dirt on Biden, or unilaterally slapping surprise tariffs on our trading partners, or cutting funding for universities unwilling to adopt his educational agenda—these are not transactions but demands.

There is, however, an opposite and much brighter mode of economic relations that also lacks transactions. This is where those abide who help their neighbors as they would themselves. The best example is the story of the Good Samaritan that Jesus told when a lawyer asked him what he meant by “neighbor” (Matthew 22:39-40).

To care for a stranger who was beaten and robbed and already “half dead,” to bind his

must have had something of the Samaritan’s attitude, helping strangers to help themselves.

By contrast, in our own land, the very wealthy celebrate an openly transactional politics in which campaign support is given in exchange for an increasing share of the country’s wealth.

It is certainly a case of national insanity when a president will go all the way to the Supreme Court to keep food from those who need it just to live. And, as if that is not enough, that same president will threaten to punish states who find ways to meet that need, even with their own funds.

So, how do we restore our healthy balance of trade, our soft power, and our democracy? The prospect is not good right now. Our current polarization is a vivid reminder that we are a tribal species, even though we no longer live in small groups of huntergatherers, when tribalism made sense. We stuck together and at the same time we imagined other tribes as not quite human. When we and our resources were threatened, this made it easier to fight them off.

But in this century we are facing global enemies in which we are deeply implicated: pandemics of increasing virulence and scope and global warming that is still increasing faster than it has in the last million years. Neither of these are hoaxes, as some would hope to believe.

So, the big question is: Can we put aside our nationalistic rivalries and learn to behave as one tribe, the tribe of humankind? To adapt the words of Benjamin Franklin, either we fight these battles together or we will lose them all together.

Porter Abbott taught for 40 years at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He and his wife, Anita, retired to Northport in 2005.

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Bright Idea

Former college design professor Don Glickman was 93 and dying when he and his daughter discussed how he wanted to be memorialized, The (Spokane) SpokesmanReview reported on Feb. 9. Leah Glickman said her father faced his fate head-on: "We never used words in our house like 'he passed,'" she said. "We said, 'he died.' No one gets out of here alive." She and her dad came up with a clever idea: Send out postcards to family and friends, announcing his death. On the front is a photo of Glickman and the text, "If you're reading this, I'm dead, and I really liked you," with a small sketch of him that had become his signature. On the back, Leah wrote, "After 94 years on this planet, my dad has departed. ... In a last act of design and Glickman ethos, he asked that this postcard be created, photo and text chosen by him." Glickman died on Nov. 11. Former student Jason Snape, 56, got a postcard. "It made me laugh really hard because it was just so him," Snape said. "It's unusual, it's sweet, it's straightforward."

[Spokesman-Review, 2/9/2026]

as Miller fought Kingsley Ibeh, one of Ibeh's punches knocked Miller's head back, and his hairpiece flew upward from the front, revealing a mostly bald head. Miller ripped off the toupee and thew it into the crowd, where spectators posed for photos with it. Strangely, Miller said he got the hairpiece just two days before, after he accidentally washed his hair with "ammonia bleach" instead of shampoo. Miller won the bout in a split decision. [Fox News, 2/1/2026]

Nope

At Ershui Junior High School in Taiwan, it's not enough to be successful in the classroom, Oddity Central reported on Feb. 10. Before their graduation certificates can be signed, students must scale a 15-meterhigh rock-climbing wall. The students take six climbing lessons each week in preparation for the test. The school says the training challenges students' limits and cultivates focus and physical coordination. [Oddity Central, 2/10/2026]

Wait, What?

Sir, This Is a Wendy's City officials in Gastonia, North Carolina, got involved after a video surfaced of someone getting a tattoo in a Wendy's dining room in the city, WBTV reported. The video was recorded on Feb. 5 from outside the restaurant and shows a man with his shirt off and another person sitting behind him, wearing blue gloves and holding a tattoo gun. A city official said an environmental health team member talked to the store manager on Feb. 6 and reminded them that the restaurant "cannot tattoo without a permit." For its part, the franchisee said they "took immediate disciplinary action to address the situation." [WBTV, 2/6/2026]

The Passing Parade Residents of Stoughton, Wisconsin, have been complaining to police about someone using a city park as their toilet, WMTV reported on Feb. 7. The Stoughton Police Department said it had received numerous calls from citizens who found human feces and used toilet paper along a walking path in the park. Using trail cameras, police discovered the person was fouling the park in the early morning hours, then used a drone to catch a 46-year-old woman in the act. Officers say the woman is not homeless and doesn't appear to be mentally impaired. [WMTV, 2/7/2026]

Awkward

Olympic gold-winning downhill skier Breezy Johnson was jumping around in excitement after her medal ceremony in Italy on Feb. 8 when the medal broke, the Associated Press reported. "It's not crazy broken, but a little broken," Johnson said. She's not the only Olympian to experience a medal malfunction. German biathlete Justus Strelow realized his bronze medal had fallen to the floor as he danced with teammates, and U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu posted a photo of her team gold medal detached from its ribbon. Chief games operations officer Andrea Francisi said they're working on it. "The medal is the dream of the athletes, so we want that in the moment they are given it that everything is absolutely perfect." [AP, 2/9/2026]

Hair Today

During a boxing match on Jan. 31 in New York, heavyweight Jarrell Miller lost his head -- or at least, his hair. Fox News reported that

Christopher Carroll, 36, was suspended from his job as a paramedic with the Baltimore County Fire Department and is facing 23 criminal charges following inexplicable behavior at work and elsewhere, WSFA-TV reported on Feb. 7. Investigators said Carroll urinated in different spots all over his workplace, including on his supervisor's keyboard, in a pot of chili, in coffee creamer and in an icemaker. Prosecutors said Carroll "urinated into the ice, wiped on a scoop and used the scoop to mix the urine throughout the ice" -- all while filming himself. Other targets were someone's ChapStick, a can of vegetables and a carton of orange juice. Officials believe Carroll was making the videos to post to online subscription services. He was denied bail. [WSFA, 2/7/2026]

Oversharing

Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the 20km individual event, stunningly announced in his post-event interview on Feb. 10 that he had cheated on his girlfriend three months ago, Yahoo! News reported. Through tears, Laegreid, 28, said he met "the love of my life" six months ago, then "made the biggest mistake of my life." He said his sport had "taken a back seat in recent days." For her part, the girlfriend called his revelation "hard to forgive. Even after a declaration of love in front of the whole world." Later, Laegreid told a group of reporters, "Maybe it was really selfish of me to give that interview. I'm not really here mentally." [Yahoo! News, 2/11/2026]

News

You Can Use?

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed new technology to ... yes, it's true ... count the number of times people pass gas each day. The New York Post reported on Feb. 10 that previously, scientists believed people tooted on average 14 times a day, but UMD reported that the number is more like 32 times a day. The team created Smart Underwear, a wearable device that snaps into regular underwear and detects increased hydrogen levels. They say the previous lower estimates were based on self-reporting and people's varying ideas of what counts as flatulence. UMD is looking for participants for its Human Flatus Atlas, which will measure the gas patterns of hundreds of people -- in case you're interested. [NY Post, 4/10/2026]

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THE NEXT CHAPTER FEELS LIKE HOME

GVSU program aids military entrepreneur; another cohort planned to start in April

Sofia Ellis Grand Valley State University

Sabrina Jordan is the creator of 8Bit Insights, a fullservice, employee-owned data consultancy. Jordan began her company about eight months before attending the Michigan Veteran Entrepreneur (MVE Lab), an accelerated, entrepreneurial program sponsored by Grand Valley State University.

Jordan said she first learned about the program through the Office of Possibilities (OOPs), housed in the Grove Community Incubator in Traverse City. The 10-week MVE-Lab was created for Michigan veterans or military affiliated families, such as Jordan, who have a start-up idea or business.

“I hadn’t really been getting anywhere,” she said. “I felt like what I needed help with was marketing and getting the word out. I had the skills and I had my network, but I just wasn’t getting any traction.”

Through OOPS, Jordan was encouraged to apply for the MVE-Lab. She applied with the goal of learning how to strengthen her business and achieve greater success, ultimately joining MVE-Lab’s 14th cohort and its first in Traverse City last spring.

During the program, experts from around Traverse City were brought in to speak with the cohort, including businesspeople, a lawyer and a banker.

“They could answer all of our questions, no matter what those questions were, and really help us understand what to do with a new business,” Jordan said.

The MVE-Lab also provided a workbook detailing various technical aspects of running a business, such as setting up banking, legal structuring and marketing strategies.

“At the same time that we were learning all of that stuff, we were also working on our pitches for the company, which was really eye-opening to me,” said Jordan.

Northern Michigan Startup Week occurred during the MVE-Lab as well, which gave participants the opportunity to leave the classroom and learn from other business owners’ pitches and marketing strategies.

Before the MVE-Lab, Jordan said she struggled with concisely explaining the benefits of her business to

potential clients. She walked away significantly more comfortable with pitching 8Bit Insights. Additionally, she developed a more precise marketing strategy.

“When I tried marketing to everybody, I ended up marketing to nobody,” she said. “One of the big changes that I made after the MVE Lab was picking just one industry and creating an offering that’s specific to that industry. I basically created a package that I could market and say, ‘This is going to solve X problem for you.’ That narrower scope helped a lot.”

At the end of the program, participants pitched their business ideas during a competitive showcase. Judges awarded Jordan’s pitch a prize of $4,250.

“Those connections keep rippling beyond just what helped me or what helped the other participants. It really is a network of people who actually want to help,” she said.

This spring, the MVE-Lab is returning to Traverse City. Registration for the upcoming cohort, beginning on April 7, can be found at gvsu.edu/mve.

Entrepreneurship for veterans and military affiliated families

The second Michigan Veteran Entrepreneur (MVE-Lab) in Traverse City begins in early April and runs through the Pitch Night on June 15, 5 p.m., at the Traverse City Opera House. Visit gvsu.edu/mve to learn more.

Sabrina Jordan

CREATING SAFER COMMUNITIES

Moms, students, and state leaders address gun violence and safe gun use

By Ren Brabenec

On Nov. 15, 2025, 32-year-old Traverse City Parking Services employee Larry Boyd was shot and killed while confronting two individuals engaged in car break-ins in downtown Traverse City.

Just a few months prior, on July 26, 2025, law-abiding gun owner Derrick Perry held Bradford Gille at gunpoint and detained him with the help of other community members after Gille had just stabbed 11 people at a Walmart in Garfield Township.

The two high-profile incidents gripped northwest Michigan throughout the second half of 2025, putting firearms back into the public conversation and reminding Michiganders that a firearm can be a threat to public safety or a protector of it, depending on how it is used and who is using it.

According to local organizations and state leaders, communities must take the threat of gun violence seriously and do what they can to keep their neighborhoods safe.

“Everyone Must Do Their Part”

“When you’re scheduling a playdate at the home of your child’s best friend, do you think to ask their parents if there are firearms in the home, and if so, are they safely locked away?”

That’s how Molly Stanifer, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action (MDA) in Traverse City, opens her conversation with us.

Stanifer explains that Michigan is almost squarely at the median in terms of gun violence. Annually, the state loses 13.9 people to gun deaths for every 100,000 residents (about 1,423 gun deaths per year), placing it 28th in the nation. The gun violence prevention organization Everytown for Gun Safety (which works closely with MDA) ranks Michigan 20th in the nation for strong gun laws, a ranking that improved significantly in 2023 after several new legislative reforms.

Stanifer lays out how gun violence is a measurable problem with concrete factors that, when addressed in whole or in part, can be mitigated.

“Take safe storage, for example,” Stanifer explains. “According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, most unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and adolescents result from firearms being stored both loaded and unlocked. When gun owners within the community safely store their firearms, unintentional injuries and deaths among young people plummet.”

Stanifer says the gun lobby is very good at preventing gun law reforms on the federal level, but progress is being made on the state level. Keeping with the safe storage issue, Stanifer points to the landmark legislation passed in Michigan in 2023 that made it mandatory for “[i]ndividuals to keep unattended weapons unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is likely to be present on the premises.”

“We try to bring the issue down to, ‘what can we do, today, to make our communities safer, and to address what’s in front of us?’” Stanifer says.

“This is an extremely frustrating issue, because we are talking about people’s lives,” she adds. “An overwhelming majority of Americans want common sense gun reforms, but a powerful minority in Washington D.C. is preventing us from making progress. That’s why we focus on individual communities and on making each town safer, in addition to making annual trips to Lansing to advocate for better policies on the state level.”

Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action attend an advocacy day in Lansing.

A Tragic Reality for Students

“The Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and even some Millennials just don’t get that if you’re a kid in school or college today, you’ve either been in a school shooting, or you know someone who has,” says Alisha McMillan, co-president of the Students Demand Action (SDA) branch at Interlochen Arts Academy.

McMillan tells us about Emma Riddle, a Michigan student who survived the Oxford High School shooting in 2021 and then went on to survive the Michigan State University shooting in 2023. “Now we have students who are experiencing multiple school shootings throughout their lifetimes,” McMillan says quietly.

That revelation is a gut punch, yet McMillan continues with a grace and composure that belies her age. “At our Interlochen chapter, we’re using art to break through all the politics and propaganda and just show adults what we’re going through.”

In April 2026 (exact date to be announced), SDA Interlochen plans to host an art exhibit and awareness event at the Traverse Area District Library. The event is a collaboration with other SDA groups, and it will include open invitations for students to submit their art for display.

“Art is our biggest strength for getting our message across,” McMillan says.

Using art to convey what life is like for students in 2026 is just one part of SDA Interlochen’s advocacy approach. Like MDA, SDA volunteers travel to Lansing annually to advocate for better gun laws on the state level. Also, students frequently talk with business owners and elected officials to advocate for gun reforms so that schools can be places of learning, not fortresses.

“Please get educated on the current scope of gun violence and school shootings,” McMillan says. “Learn about the gun laws in your state. Are they sufficient? Where and how should they be improved?”

She adds that a lot of the opposition she and her peers run into comes down to misconceptions or outdated beliefs. “Be willing to consider a perspective that you were previously opposed to, because times change, and the gun violence issue today isn’t the same as it was before. Be willing to listen to us and hear about what we’re experiencing in our day-to-day lives. We shouldn’t have to grow up in fear of the next school shooting.”

A Public Health Issue

Because both Stanifer and McMillan referenced their efforts to pressure Lansing

legislators to enact state-level gun reforms, we thought it prudent to speak with someone in the Michigan government who’s at the center of addressing gun deaths.

An infectious diseases doctor and epidemiologist, Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian is the Chief Medical Executive for the State of Michigan. She is also the chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.

“I didn’t expect to be involved in gun violence prevention,” Dr. Bagdasarian says. “But as a mom, I started looking at the data. Firearms are the leading cause of death for our nation’s children, so I began to see this problem as a public health issue.”

According to Dr. Bagdasarian, states are limited in what they can do to make communities safer without federal support, but Michigan took the issue seriously and, in 2023, passed landmark gun reforms. These included: Universal Background Checks: Expands background check requirement to all firearm sales, including long guns.

Safe Storage Law: Mandates that unattended weapons be stored unloaded and locked when minors are likely to be present.

Extreme Risk Protection Orders: Allows family members, household members, or law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.

Domestic Violence Prohibitions: Prevents those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing firearms for eight years.

Tax Exemption: Reduces the cost of purchasing firearm safety devices and storage equipment.

The laws may have provided a clear starting line, but Dr. Bagdasarian says the road ahead is not yet clear of obstacles.

“It’s one thing to have laws on the books,” she says. “But now we have to continuously find better ways of enforcing them. Just last month two children under the age of five in southern Michigan were injured as a result of unintentional firearm discharges.”

Dr. Bagdasarian says there’s another less-talked-about element of gun violence. “We’re also raising awareness of the fact that more than half of all firearm deaths in Michigan are suicides, and most of those suicides are occurring in rural Michigan among primarily white men over the age of 55, a fact that not many people know about yet. So our current mandate is to get out into communities and find out what Michiganders need from us in order to ensure the laws are being enforced and communities are being protected.”

By Mitch Distin

A year or two ago, most of us weren’t familiar with data centers, the massive processing and storage plants for digital information. But now they’re regularly popping up in the news...and in our backyards.

Here in the Mitten, Big Tech companies are working with our elected representatives to build more data centers. What makes Michigan so attractive to billionaires from Silicon Valley? Data centers use massive quanities of fresh water to cool their servers, and we are the Great Lakes State.

What Are Data Centers?

To ask the looming question—one that may well become a defining question of the 2026 election: what are data centers, and what do we do about them?—we first have to take a step back and try our best to simply explain what data is.

In the context of data centers, data is information rendered into a form computers can use and understand, much like genes are information encoded in DNA that cells can read and use to build and regulate living systems. The only difference being that DNA is a very specific kind of biological “instructional manual” shaped by evolution, whereas “data” can be almost any kind of information we choose to encode.

Data can be anything ordinary from a simple text message or a photo, or something as consequential and private as a medical or bank record. It also includes generative artificial intelligence (AI), like ChatGPT. (ChatGPT-creator OpenAI is currently building a 2.2-million-square-foot data center

DATA CENTERS 101

What are data centers and why are they coming to Michigan?

101

in Saline Township outside of Ann Arbor.)

The key point is that while we like to think of “data” as some ethereal, intangible substance floating around in the “cloud,” it isn’t. Data has to live somewhere.

Data centers are that “somewhere,” as they store all our data—whether we want them to or not. Think of them as the industrial plants of the digital age. They turn our ostensibly weightless, formless “cloud” into something that has a very real footprint on the land, electricity grids, water tables, and local infrastructure.

Effectively, data centers are massive windowless warehouses packed to the brim with stacks and stacks of computer servers. The servers are what store (and constantly process) our data, but boy are they hungry. They consume staggering amounts of electricity to run 24/7, and then even more energy and water to keep the servers from overheating.

This is why they constantly “hum” at a low frequency, because a data center is essentially a giant cooling plant for computer servers, replete with thousands of high-speed fans, industrial HVAC units, chillers, pumps, and electrical equipment running nonstop.

Data Center Risks

Yet behind their constant low-frequency hum, data centers are exacting a growing toll on local communities in Michigan and beyond. They often strain local watersheds and aquifers already burdened by other demands, pollute the very water and air we rely on for survival, pile new load onto already-deteriorating electrical grids, and increasingly, they disrupt the quiet life of the communities they enter.

According to nonpartisan research hub

Brookings, “it is projected that AI’s energy needs could account for as much as 21% of all electricity usage by 2030.”

Furthermore, Brookings reports that some data centers “consume as much as 500,000 gallons [of water] per day, making them a substantial draw on what is a limited resource in many communities.”

The Harvard Business Review finds that data centers “not only strain already stressed power grids but also create air pollution, including fine particulate matter, resulting in significant respiratory-related health consequences that are estimated to cost up to $20 billion per year in the United States by 2028.”

A recent expose in Rolling Stone referred to one farming community’s fight against Amazon data centers as “Oregon’s Flint.” Families close to the data centers tested several times above federal limits for nitrates, with some readings as high as seven times the legal standard and residents reporting clusters of rare cancers, kidney failure, and miscarriages.

Why Are Developers Choosing Rural Michigan?

As the demand for AI accelerates on a global scale, the infrastructure behind it has expanded just as fast, especially in rural and resource-rich regions like Michigan.

Why here? Cheap land, cold air, and access to abundant freshwater make Michigan a developer’s dream.

Yet it’s not only our geography or natural resources that make Michigan appealing. Legislators in Lansing have effectively rolled out a welcome mat in the form of major tax exemptions championed by Governor Whitmer, including sales and use tax breaks on data-center equipment that can last for decades.

To local residents, scientists, publichealth advocates, and environmental groups, the dangerous concoction of natural abundance plus major tax subsidies reads less like “innovation” or “progress” and more like a flashing red herring.

Downstate in Saline, for example, the first hyperdata center passed through local political channels amid limited public transparency. Saline resident and director of the newly formed Rural Defense Fund, Tim Bruneau, summarized this dynamic succinctly:

“When the township board voted no to rezone the [data center] property, the developer Related Digital sued. The entire project was fast-tracked, and now DTE

wants to do the same, filing an ex parte to circumvent the MPSC process and public scrutiny. DTE and Related Digital want this project to be treated as critical infrastructure, like a hospital, school, or roads. Well, it’s not critical, and there is no demonstrated need for a data center in Saline Township.”

In Our Backyard

Last fall, a similar fight came to Kalkaska. Locals banded together to oppose a data center slated for state-owned land—what would have been one of the largest facilities of its kind in the country.

Kalkaska resident and renowned musician Seth Bernard attended the meetings and framed what many felt was happening in real time.

“Hyperscale AI data centers serving private companies are being fast-tracked due to the merging of state and corporate power,” he says, “bypassing public input and forcing working-class communities to subsidize industries that have no oversight, powering an unprecedented upward transfer of wealth with no tangible benefit to the communities that host them.”

The locals eventually won when the developer withdrew the application—what was a rare victory in an overwhelmingly stacked system. But several locals aren’t convinced the threat is gone for good.

Kalkaska resident Heather Wysor says, “We may have stopped it on state land this time, but the threat is still looming. If developers want a data center here badly enough, they can still pursue it on private land, and by the time the public realizes what’s happening, the deal is already half done.”

“What Big Tech failed to recognize is that Kalkaska is unique,” Wysor continues. “Every neighbor has a story about a chemical scar left on the local landscape, oftentimes from gas extraction. And what’s funny about this entire situation is that it’s the same oil and gas company that is pushing for the data center in Kalkaska. They’ve proven themselves to be

untrustworthy neighbors.”

Speaking on past abuses of industry in Kalkaska, Wysor notes that the community’s memory is long.

“We haven’t forgotten how we were treated when it was no longer profitable for industry to be here,” she says. “The spontaneous organic gathering of Kalkaskans we saw in response to the data center, from all sides of the political spectrum, was a true testament to how far Kalkaska residents are willing to go to protect their communities, their hunting lands, their water systems, and their natural resources. We’ve been left high and dry by corporations here for too long.”

Fighting Across the State

The fight is far from over for rural Michigan. As more data centers are successfully fought downstate, the likelihood that developers look north becomes more probable.

Just like the cryptomining that has ravaged the Upper Peninsula, “data centers can have real, lasting impacts on energy costs, local infrastructure and quality of life in rural communities,” says Kalvin Carter, director of Up North Advocacy, a leader in the fight against the cryptomines that have disturbed local residents and harmed schools in Sault Ste. Marie.

Cryptomining requires running specialized computers nonstop to solve mathematical puzzles that verify cryptocurrency transactions. Similar to data centers, cryptomining machines run hot and nonstop, so operators often rely on loud industrial cooling systems that draw a huge load from local power grids.

“Protecting our towns and natural areas means working together, sharing information, listening to one another, and making sure local voices are centered before big outside interests move in,” Carter continues. “The Upper Peninsula and northern Michigan deserve development that respects our people and our shared environments.”

From a Coal Dock to a Blue Tech Hub

The Freshwater Research and Innovation Center eyes this time next year to open

By Molly Cox

A burgeoning industry is taking root in Traverse City: blue technology. While marine technology covers traditional engineering tools for exploring and working in marine environments, blue tech refers to the application of innovative technology to drive sustainability and protect marine environments.

The Freshwater Research and Innovation Center (FRIC) is a collaboration between Discovery Pier, Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech), 20Fathoms, and Traverse Connect. Next year, the 38,000-square-foot facility on West Bay Shore Drive will be home to several blue tech companies and at least two college marine science and technology programs.

We spoke to Matt McDonough, CEO of Discovery Pier, and Ed Bailey, the construction project manager, to learn more about FRIC and what locals can expect when it opens in early 2027.

History of the Site

For 70+ years, the land that the Discovery Pier and FRIC sits on served as a holding area for coal that was used to fuel Traverse City’s power plant. The plant closed in the 1990s, and the land was donated to Rotary

Camps and Services to be transformed into a public space.

In 2016, a grant from Rotary Charities of Traverse City enabled the construction of Discovery Pier and a nonprofit of the same name. The pier is now a popular spot for the public to enjoy the bay whether fishing, picnicking, or taking a trip on one of the tall ships docked there.

After the transformation of the pier, the Discovery Pier’s board of directors began discussing what to do with the land across the road. “The directives from the board were to redevelop the site in a way that would help advance scientific understanding and stewardship of the Great Lakes, and do it with strong partners,” McDonough says.

To get started on this mission, McDonough first reached out to the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute (GLWSI) at NMC, which offers Associate and Bachelor’s degree programs in marine science and technology. (It also boasts 100 percent job placement for graduates.) Currently, the GLWSI’s main offices, classroom, and laboratory spaces are at NMC’s Aero Park campus, a few miles from the waterfront where their research vessel is docked. Moving the program to the FRIC will allow them to operate right on Lake Michigan and grow the program effectively.

McDonough then reached out to Michigan Tech and learned that they

were interested in having a presence in Traverse City. An R1 research institution, Michigan Tech’s campus on the Keweenaw Peninsula provides direct access to Lake Superior. By partnering with FRIC, they saw an opportunity to expand their Great Lakes research and marine technology programming to the shore of Lake Michigan.

Traverse Connect and 20Fathoms then joined the FRIC team, recognizing it as a place that would allow blue tech companies

to start up, grow, and ultimately expand the blue economy in Traverse City. The next step was to define the path forward. As McDonough explains, “We said, let’s co-locate all this under one roof and have this place be a driver for blue tech education, innovation, and research and development.”

Fundraising began, including meetings with state government representatives in Lansing.

A rendering of the public lobby.

“The one thing we heard consistently from everyone we met with was how unique our project was, in that you have a small nonprofit like us—at that point I was the only staff person—a community college, a fouryear university, an economic development entity, a tech startup all working together and collaborating around an idea. They were all blown away by that,” McDonough says.

FRIC was awarded $15 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), and the idea started to become a reality.

Becoming a Hub for Blue Tech

Ed Bailey has a background in mechanical engineering and project management for new construction. He retired in June from NMC and jumped right into his role as project manager for the construction of FRIC.

“It’s going well,” says Bailey of the progress. “The building is coming out of the ground now, although it’s relatively slow because of the weather. It’s scheduled for completion in early 2027, so probably a February-March timeline. It’s currently on track and you will see steel going up in the next few weeks.”

Discovery Pier will remain open and its programs will run throughout construction.

As the building moves forward, “the goal is to attract both small and large businesses,” says Bailey in reference to the completed campus. There will be shared and individual laboratory spaces on the first and second floors, as well as offices, a classroom, and a spacious lobby with educational public exhibits. There is also space allocated at the pier for FRIC’s tenants to dock their research vessels.

Finding those tenants is one of the next key initiatives for FRIC, and one source is the NMC’s Great Lakes Blue Tech Challenge. The mission of the competition is to inspire, support, and fast-track early-stage businesses that are developing technologies and solutions for issues impacting the Great Lakes basin.

“Funding for that comes from NOAA, and we have been able to offer $60,000 in cumulated prizes for the award,” Bailey

explains. “The idea is to provide a cash influx and make them [blue tech entrepreneurs] aware of this region as sort of a home, creating that economic development opportunity.”

FRIC partners hope to entice blue tech businesses to come to Traverse City and create a workforce pipeline via the college programs that will operate there. Ultimately, this could help to build up a stronger, year-round economy that isn’t as reliant on tourism.

“We want them [the local community members] to have a sense of pride and ownership in the facility and support this bigger effort to change the narrative for Traverse City. It’s known as this great place for beaches and cherry pie, but it also has a very entrepreneurial spirit,” says McDonough.

Building Community Interest

The team is also spending a lot of time (and money) to make sure the public lobby is a point of pride for the center, and that the multimedia exhibits highlight the important work being done there.

“It was important to us, Discovery, to not develop a research faculty where there wasn’t a public education component…we want the community to be really proud of what happens here,” says McDonough.

The 3,000-square-foot lobby is being designed by Bridgewater Studios out of Chicago, which specializes in creating high tech experiential spaces. “The plan is to showcase to the public the tech involved in marine and water technologies,” Bailey says.

After years of dreaming, strategizing, and fundraising, the FRIC team is excited to welcome visitors in 2027.

“We hope to host a public speakers’ series where we have university researchers, experts in different things dealing with the great lakes, and blue tech entrepreneurs,” McDonough says. “If folks are interested in what’s happening here, there’s going to be opportunities to become informed.”

To follow along with the building’s progress, you can check out the site’s construction cam and learn more on the FRIC’s website at freshwatercenter.org.

This aerial photo shows the old coal dock, which jutted out into Grand Traverse Bay where Discovery Pier is now. (Quite the transformation!)

THE BIG ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF 2026

Four nonprofits share their top priorities

By Karl Klockars

From microplastics and PFAS to data centers and the priorities of a new governor on the horizon, 2026 could be one of the most contentious years ever for environmental causes around northern Michigan. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of organizations dedicated to protecting our air, water, soil, and wildlife. We spoke to four of them to find out what is top of mind for this year.

Flow Water Advocates

(formerly For Love Of Water)

Recently rebranded as Flow Water Advocates, this Traverse-City based organization is a water law and policy center that’s here “to educate and empower lawmakers and the public to stand up for clean drinking water, groundwater protection, health farms and healthy Great Lakes,” according to environmental lawyer and Flow executive director Liz Kirkwood, who has helmed the group since 2012.

Express: What are your 1-3 big objectives for 2026 as an organization?

Kirkwood: We are tackling the most urgent threats to our water quality and quantity here in the Great Lakes. On the ground, we are working with communities to hold factory farms and enforcement agencies accountable for protecting waterways and drinking wells. We also are supporting citizens and communities in demanding full transparency and accountability for water, energy, and land use related to data centers and other large water users.

In Lansing, we’re working to pass common sense legislation for a statewide septic code, as well as a water trust fund to rebuild our drinking water systems. Finally, we also support the state of Michigan’s

sovereign public trust authority and legal efforts to halt Enbridge from operating its dangerous Line 5 oil pipeline in the open waters of the Straits of Mackinac.

Express: What legislation are you watching at the state and/or federal level?

Kirkwood: We know that everybody wants clean water, air, and land. At the state level, we’re working with lawmakers on the aforementioned septic code, but there’s also other issues that affect water as well. There’s the Michigan Water Trust Fund Act, concerns about shoreline armoring and the construction of beach walls, keeping water affordable, and the ongoing work to keep microplastics and PFAS out of our water systems.

Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. We will work tirelessly to advocate for long-term funding and financing of our water infrastructure systems to ensure safe, clean, and affordable water for all. Our next governor starting in 2027 will have a big impact, reflecting the new administration’s commitment to public health, the environment, and durable water protections. Other impacts include significant impacts on groundwater or municipal water use from proposed data centers or other large water withdrawal industries.

Express: What can the average citizen do to get involved to help protect Michigan and the Great Lakes environment?

Kirkwood: Get active! Become an

"Become an informed citizen and participate in community environmental debates. Our elected leaders need to hear from us at all levels."

—Liz Kirkwood, executive director of Flow Water Advocates

At the federal level, we’re working with coalitions to protect the rollback of key federal environmental laws that protect our air, water, and land, including the Clean Water Act (CWA), the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and more. Our environmental laws are globally recognized and emulated to protect long-term public and environmental health in our communities.

Express: What changes could have the biggest impact on us here in northern Michigan?

Kirkwood: There are a lot. We’ve seen significantly reduced federal funding investment for water infrastructure with the State Revolving Fund (SRF) under the

informed citizen and participate in community environmental debates. Our elected leaders need to hear from us at all levels. You can share your personal stories with your legislators and help us in our local efforts, like beach cleanups, where you will see an immediate result to your efforts. Please call your elected officials to support or challenge legislation that affects your communities, and make sure to vote in offyear and local elections. That’s where the rubber hits the road.

Conservation Resource Alliance Dedicated to restoring and revitalizing rivers from Newaygo County all the way up to Emmet, the Conservation Resource

Alliance (CRA) has had mud on their boots from the many projects they’ve undertaken since their incorporation in 1968. Suzie Knoll joined the CRA as executive director in 2024 after working for the Brookfield Zoo, the Kalamazoo Nature Center, and the Oceana Conservation District, and spoke with us about their big plans for the next few seasons.

Express: What are your 1–3 big objectives for 2026 as an organization?

Knoll: Nearly 90 percent of CRA’s 2026 work focuses on restoring rivers and streams. This year, we will replace seven outdated road-stream crossings with structures that restore natural flow and reconnect fish and wildlife habitat in the Manistee, Pine, Cedar, Mitchell Creek, and Jordan River watersheds. We’ll also advance the work to remove eight dams in the Boardman/Ottaway, Boyne, Rapid, Platte, and Baldwin River watersheds. Together, these projects will restore natural river flow, improve water quality, support fish and wildlife, and strengthen our local communities.

We’re also expanding our woodland habitat improvement work in 2026, including restoring oak–pine barrens in the southern portion of our service area to support threatened and endangered species such as the Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake and the Karner Blue Butterfly. We are also continuing a regional effort to assess northern hardwood stands heavily impacted by emerald ash borer and will plant trees in targeted areas where recovery is needed. This collaborative work with the Huron-Manistee National Forests, local land conservancies, and Tribal partners is helping inform long-term forest management strategies and has the potential to serve as a statewide model for responding to forest pests and emerging threats.

Express: What legislation are you

watching at the state and/or federal level?

Knoll: We’re encouraged by the House’s recent passage of a bipartisan funding package that includes continued investment in Great Lakes programs, including a modest increase for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in 2026 and steady funding for water infrastructure and fish and wildlife habitat.

We are closely monitoring the fate of the GLRI beyond 2026, as it’s up for renewal in October 2026. Since 2009, GLRI funding has been foundational to restoration efforts across northern Michigan. While some uncertainties remain, the program has historically enjoyed bipartisan support, and we stay cautiously optimistic about its future.

Express: What changes could have the biggest impact on us here in northern Michigan?

Knoll: Many of the most significant impacts come from cumulative change. Development pressure, aging infrastructure, and landuse decisions—especially those affecting rivers, wetlands, and floodplains—can fundamentally alter how water moves across the landscape. Climate change is amplifying these challenges. More frequent and intense rain events are increasing erosion, flooding, and sediment in rivers, placing added strain on road crossings, dams, and stormwater systems. How we choose to maintain, replace, or remove this infrastructure will shape northern Michigan’s ecological and economic resilience for decades to come.

Express: What can the average citizen do to get involved to help protect our environment?

Knoll: At home, the practices that would make the most difference include maintaining natural vegetation along streams and shorelines, planting native trees and plants, managing stormwater, and reducing nutrient use, all of which help protect water quality and wildlife habitat.

Equally important is staying informed and engaged locally. Local government makes decisions that directly affect our local rivers, wetlands, and green spaces. Showing up, asking questions, and supporting sciencebased solutions can shape outcomes long before issues reach the state or federal level.

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contributions. It also would close the “issue ad loophole” by mandating disclosure of ad spending and modernizing Michigan’s campaign finance disclosure requirements.

Express: What can the average citizen do to get involved to help protect our environment?

Formed in 2013, the GTA chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby is one of hundreds of such chapters around the nation working together to build support for climate action and advocate for effective climate crisis solutions. Elizabeth Dell is the local chapter co-leader and has been with the organization since 2013. The work hasn’t slowed down for 2026 when it comes to clean energy and cleaner money for politicians, so here’s what they’re working on this year:

Express: What are your 1-3 big objectives for 2026 as an organization?

Dell: In the past decade, the U.S. has expanded our electricity transmission infrastructure at a pace of just 1 percent per year. We have to speed that up. On the state and local front, we’re interested in getting Community Solar legislation passed and in supporting clean energy transition work in our communities.

Express: What legislation are you watching at the state and/or federal level?

Dell: Federal permitting reform. We will be watching for Congress to put together a comprehensive package that we hope will include an increase in the grid’s capacity, speeding up the permitting process, and [increasing] certainty and predictability, so that even with changes in administrations, projects that have received approvals will be allowed to proceed.

Express: What changes could have the biggest impact on us here in northern Michigan?

Dell: Getting money out of politics, which is something most voters are in favor of. In the last legislative cycle, more than 80 percent of state legislators accepted campaign donations from energy utilities and other corporations with large state contracts. Meanwhile, Michigan residents have the highest utility rates in our region of the country and have the worst reliability.

There’s a ballot petition circulating that would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by banning regulated utilities and corporations with large state or local government contracts from making political

Dell: Contact members of Congress and state legislators with specific requests. We want our representatives to support legislation that will help reduce carbon pollution, bring more clean energy online, and build our resiliency to climate change. CCL has action tools that make it easy to do that.

You can also look for opportunities in your local government or school district to encourage reducing carbon pollution. For example, Grand Traverse County is expanding their LaFranier Rd. campus and CCL volunteers have been writing to county commissioners encouraging them to consider how to make the buildings as energy efficient as possible. Finally, talk about clean energy with your family, friends, and colleagues!

Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council

volunteer org is the oldest grassroots environmental group in northern Michigan, starting in 1980 over concerns about nuclear power and growing into an organization that works to promote renewable energy, fight sprawl, protect our forests, and decommission Line 5. Board member Rachel Ratliff, who also works full time with the Inland Seas Education Association, gathered her fellow NMEAC board members to come up with these answers to our questions.

for 2026 as an organization?

what feels like unconstrained growth and its impact on our environment here in northern Michigan. However, we are not under the illusion that everything needs to remain the same or even go back in time to someone’s idea of “the good ol’ days.” We at NMEAC want to help preserve those spaces to the benefit of our human and non-human partners as our neighborhoods grow.

clear and present danger Enbridge’s Line 5 poses to 20 percent of the planet’s fresh surface water. NMEAC supports the antiLine 5 movement through participation in peaceful public protests, with targeted financial support, and through education to counter Enbridge’s (mis)information.

Building new data centers is a hot topic in the state, as they should be! As it stands, many of the proposals for new megadata centers would cause environmental harm on a grand scale, consume huge volumes of precious fresh water, and run the risk of significant rate increases for our citizens. The demand for energy continues to increase and today’s debate about whether or not to build is rife with misinformation and NIMBY-ism.

There are more sustainable paths forward, and we are interested in fostering dialogue between local government, industry experts, citizens, and other concerned parties to identify shared concerns and potential mitigations. Transparency, strong water protections, guarantees against rate hikes, and responsible use of clean energy can and should be part of the way forward.

Express: What projects are you watching at the state and/or federal level?

Ratliff: Cherry Capital Airport is an incredibly beneficial asset to our region, but its benefits are coming at an ever increasing price for the City of Traverse City, which currently has no seats on the Airport Authority’s board. The airport currently occupies 20 percent of the City of Traverse City’s land area, and the staggering passenger growth of recent years means more noise and emissions from increased frequency of takeoffs and landings, more automobile traffic and associated emissions, more impervious pavement for parking lots and new terminals, and increasing concerns around significant tree removal both within

NMEAC would like to see more transparency around studies that assess some very concerning issues. What are the limits of the current airport footprint? What are the future costs the people of Traverse City will need to “absorb” to support the seemingly relentless passenger growth? What are the real options for moving some commercial and/or general aviation traffic to other regional airports? And as painful as offs in environmental, economic, and social costs to develop a new airport elsewhere in What can the average citizen do to get involved

We are interested in increasing public awareness in a way that inspires individual action and we have many

Citizen’s Climate Lobby Grand Traverse Area Chapter

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watching at the state and/or federal level?

Express: What changes could have the biggest impact on us here in northern Michigan?

Express: What can the average citizen do to get involved to help protect our environment?

Citizen’s Climate Lobby Grand Traverse Area Chapter

Express: What are your 1-3 big objectives for 2026 as an organization?

Express: What legislation are you watching at the state and/or federal level?

Express: What changes could have the biggest impact on us here in northern Michigan?

contributions. It also would close the “issue ad loophole” by mandating disclosure of ad spending and modernizing Michigan’s campaign finance disclosure requirements.

Express: What can the average citizen do to get involved to help protect our environment?

Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council

Founded over 45 years ago, this allvolunteer org is the oldest grassroots environmental group in northern Michigan, starting in 1980 over concerns about nuclear power and growing into an organization that works to promote renewable energy, fight sprawl, protect our forests, and decommission Line 5. Board member Rachel Ratliff, who also works full time with the Inland Seas Education Association, gathered her fellow NMEAC board members to come up with these answers to our questions.

Express: What are your 1–3 big objectives for 2026 as an organization?

Ratliff: As a team, we are focused on what feels like unconstrained growth and its impact on our environment here in northern Michigan. However, we are not under the illusion that everything needs to remain the same or even go back in time to someone’s idea of “the good ol’ days.” We at NMEAC want to help preserve those spaces to the benefit of our human and non-human partners as our neighborhoods grow.

A major objective is in confronting the clear and present danger Enbridge’s Line 5 poses to 20 percent of the planet’s fresh surface water. NMEAC supports the antiLine 5 movement through participation in peaceful public protests, with targeted financial support, and through education to counter Enbridge’s (mis)information.

Express: What changes could have the

biggest impact on us here in northern Michigan?

Ratliff: Building new data centers is a hot topic in the state, as they should be! As it stands, many of the proposals for new megadata centers would cause environmental harm on a grand scale, consume huge volumes of precious fresh water, and run the risk of significant rate increases for our citizens. The demand for energy continues to increase and today’s debate about whether or not to build is rife with misinformation and NIMBY-ism.

Express: What projects are you watching at the state and/or federal level?

NMEAC would like to see more transparency around studies that assess some very concerning issues. What are the limits of the current airport footprint? What are the future costs the people of Traverse City will need to “absorb” to support the seemingly relentless passenger growth? What are the real options for moving some commercial and/or general aviation traffic to other regional airports? And as painful as it might be, what would be the actual tradeoffs in environmental, economic, and social costs to develop a new airport elsewhere in the region?

Express: What can the average citizen do to get involved to help protect our environment?

Ratliff: We are interested in increasing public awareness in a way that inspires individual action and we have many education and community events planned including discussions and webinars.

Saturday

EMPIRE WINTERFEST: Includes yoga at the Township Hall, a book sale at Glen Lake Community Library, polar plunge in South Bar Lake near the north end of the parking lot, saunas, s’mores at Grocer’s Daughter, a viewing of “Island Life: The Story of North Manitou Island” at the National Park Visitor’s Center, snowshoe hike through Leelanau Conservancy’s Chippewa Run property, soup potluck at Empire Twp. Hall with live music by Charlie Arnett, & much more. Free. empirechamber.com/event/empire-winterfest

ARTIST TALK: 10am-noon, Up North Arts, Inc., Cadillac. Ellie Harold: “A Painter’s Pilgrimage.” Meet award winning author & artist Ellie Harold for a free talk. Register. upnorthartsinc.com

SNOWSHOE & A SIP OF HISTORY: 10amnoon, Port Oneida Heritage Center, Olsen House, Maple City. Learn about Port Oneida’s past as you snowshoe with a history guide. After a gentle trek around the Olsen farmstead & surrounding landscapes, gather in the kitchen for a hot cocoa bar & warm cookies, compliments of Hattie Olsen’s own recipe. If there is not much snow, enjoy a winter hike. Bring your own snowshoes & a change of shoes. For adults & children over 12. Register. Free. phsb.org/experience/programs/snowshoe-and-a-sip-of-history

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT

WEEK: Harbor Springs area, Feb. 20 - March 1. Indulge in specially curated menus from local restaurants. harborspringschamber.com/ events/details/2026-restaurant-week-18667

ARTIST TALK - SELECT ARTISTS FROM ARTIST GUILD MEMBER SALON SHOW: 11am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Cornwell Gallery, TC. Celebrate the creativity of the Guild community with an engaging conversation featuring artists from this year’s Annual Guild Member Show. Participating artists will share the stories behind their selected works & more. Free. crookedtree.org/events-andexhibitions/events/traverse-city-lectures.html

WINTERLOCHEN: 11am, Interlochen Center for the Arts. Join the students, faculty, & staff of Interlochen Arts Academy for this annual winter festival. Bundle up for outdoor fun such as sledding & s’mores, & then head inside for a variety of family-friendly arts exploration activities. Try out instruments, learn the basics of acting, dance to live jazz, paint & craft, conduct the Arts Academy Orchestra, & much more. There will be a campuswide parade to Corson Auditorium for a free magic performance by renowned magician

Scott Green. Free; no tickets required. interlochen.org/events/winterlochen-2026-02-21

8TH ANNUAL CHILLY COOK OFF: Noon3pm, downtown Elk Rapids. Taste your way through 11 chilis on River St. & at Short’s & Pearls & vote for your favorites. Tickets available at Nifty Things, Short’s Brewing Co., & River Street Dog. $10. facebook.com/ events/879656878313425

9TH ANNUAL WALLOON LAKE WINTERFEST: Noon-4pm, Village Green Park, Walloon Lake. Featuring an Antique Snowmobile Show, tasting tent, wood carving, live music, bean pot, hot cocoa bar & more. Find ‘Walloon Lake Winterfest’ on Facebook.

LELAND CULTURE DISTRICT HOSTS TEAM PUZZLE COMPETITION: 2-5pm, Old Art Building, Leland. Teams of two to three people will compete to complete a 500-piece puzzle in three hours or less. A prize will be awarded to the fastest team. Registration required. 231-256-9152.

PUPPY PALS LIVE!: 3pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. An action-packed show, where adopted & rescued dogs perform spectacular stunts & breathtaking feats. $10$30. theoperahouse.org

AMERICAN

KESTREL PRESENTATION & LIVE RAPTORS: 3:30-5pm, Charlevoix Public Library, Community Room. This event is dedicated to one of North America’s smallest & most colorful falcons—the American Kestrel. Learn about their natural history, why their populations are declining, & how you can help make a difference through nest box monitoring & community science. Register. landtrust.org/events-template/americankestrel-presentation-and-live-raptors

“UNNECESSARY FARCE”: 4pm, The Willowbrook, Northport. Two cops, three crooks, eight doors! This year’s Cocktails, Canapés, and Comedy theater production by the Northport Performing Arts Center takes place in an economy hotel room, where an embezzling mayor is supposed to meet with his accountant. In the room next door, two undercover cops are supposed to catch the meeting on videotape. See what happens when there is hilarious confusion, including who is in which room, & why does the accountant keep taking off her clothes? Doors open one hour early. Your $60 ticket includes the show plus hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, & dessert. northportperformingarts.org/cocktails-canapes-and-comedy

DARK & STORMCLOUDY FILM & BEER

SERIES: 4pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. This series pairs award-winning films with small batch dark beers, handcrafted

To truly see Michigan farmers and farm workers – some of whom are migrants – and their supporters, attend the free showing of “Did You Guys Eat? ¿Ya Comieron?” presented by Interlochen

at The

Featuring interviews with small and large farmers, as well as food sellers, this documentary shows everything from the sprawling fields of the Lower Peninsula to local markets. Significant parts of the dialogue are spoken in Spanish and contain subtitles. Following the screening will be a Q&A with Director Stephany Slaughter. gardentheater. org/comingsoon

specifically for each movie selection by Stormcloud Brewing. Enjoy “Twinless,” a comedy/drama about two young men who meet in a twin support group & form an unlikely friendship. The Stormcloud Beer Pairing is One Twin Double IPA, a black double IPA. Movie tickets are $10 & each ticket includes a $5 coupon for Stormcloud Brewing. gardentheater.org/comingsoon

13TH ANNUAL GUNS N’ HOSES CHARITY

HOCKEY GAME: 6pm, Centre Ice Arena, TC. Playing in honor of Lt. Jonathan Michael Miner & in support of his family. Jon dedicated 30 years to the Springfield Twp. Fire Dept. & lived a life defined by service, compassion & quiet strength. $5. facebook.com/gtgunsnhoses

FUNDRAISER – TROUBLE IN DEADWOOD: 7pm, Hotel Indigo, TC. Wild west comedy murder mystery dinner theatre in support of Old Town Playhouse. It’s Dead-

wood, 1876, & Boss Butler wants control of the town. When he makes his move to seize it from Widow Dawson, the town pushes back & there’s a murder! Tickets include show, dinner, drink, & valet parking. $85. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/specialevents/trouble-in-deadwood.html

HYEMIN KIM’S 2026 CLASSICAL VOYAGE CONCERT SERIES, SOUVENIRS OF AUSTRIA: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Interlochen pianist Hyemin Kim will be joined by Khanh Nhi Luong, Third Prize winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition, for a joint recital titled “Souvenirs of Austria.” $25 online; $30 door. mynorthtickets.com/events/the-musichouse-is-proud-to-present-the-inauguralevent-of-hyemin-kims-2026-classical-voyage-concert-series-souvenirs-of-austriawith-pianist-khanh-nhi-luong-saturday

Public Radio

Garden Theater, Frankfort, Sat., Feb. 28

4pm.

POPS CONCERT WITH ENCORE SYMPHONIC WINDS: 7-8:30pm, TC Philharmonic Center, MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation Hall. Featuring the music of Bach, Gershwin, Joplin & others. Free. tcphil.org/concerts -

MISERY: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. Novelist Paul is rescued from a car crash by his fan, Annie, & wakes up in her secluded home where she reads his newest novel & realizes he has killed off her favorite character. Annie forces Paul to write a new novel, as he discovers Annie has no intention of letting him leave. $35 adults; $25 under 18. oldtownplayhouse. com/performances/mainstage/misery.html

Sunday

ICE BREAKER BOYNE: 9am-3pm, Veterans Park, Boyne City. Artisan Market, Fire & Flow Outdoor Sauna, Downtown Passport Walk, outdoor photo ops & more. Start at Veterans Park Pavilion to get your map & passport book. Find ‘Ice Breaker Boyne’ on Facebook.

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: Feb. 22-28. TC restaurants will serve up special multi-course prix fixe menus at $25, $35 & $45. Sign up for the free digital Restaurant Week passport, which serves as your guide to participating restaurants, including menus, contact info & directions. Guests who check in at these establishments via the passport will be entered into random drawings for $50 gift cards from participating restaurants. downtowntc.com/traverse-city-restaurant-week

THE GREAT INDOOR FOLK FESTIVAL:

Noon-5:30pm, The Village at GT Commons, TC. This free family community event is hosted by Northern Michigan Songwriters In The Round, & Adair Correll. Featuring eight stages, including at The Barrel Room, Left Foot Charley, Higher Grounds, Kirkbride Hall, The Mercato, & Cuppa Joe. There is even a kids’ stage & open mic stage. Don’t miss Broken Tip Jar, Jenny & Will Thomas, Blinker Fluid, STRUM, Wild Sullys, Aven Purcell, Songwriters in the Round, Susan Marie & her Cedar Valley Boys, Nick Veine, Ben Traverse, Olive’s Laundry, The Fridays & many others. greatindoorfolkfest.org

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL: LIVING LARGE IN A TINY HOUSE: 1pm, Glen Arbor Arts Center. In 2012 Leelanau County couple Rolf & Mari von Walthausen decided to move from their 2,000 square foot home into a 240 square foot tiny house. The couple will talk about their radical resizing -- how & why they did it. Free. glenarborart.org/product/smallis-beautiful-living-large-in-a-tiny-house

BE LIKE BLIPPI TOUR!: 2pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Join Blippi & Meekah live on stage for a one-of-akind interactive adventure that inspires kids to move like, play like, & explore just like Blippi. Tickets starting at $25. interlochen. org/events/be-blippi-tour-2026-02-22

FUNDRAISER – TROUBLE IN DEADWOOD: (See Sat., Feb. 21, except today’s time is 2pm.)

PUPPY PALS LIVE!: 2pm, City Opera House, TC. As seen on “America’s Got Talent,” “Puppy Pals Live” is a family fun action-packed show where adopted & rescued dogs perform spectacular stunts & breathtaking feats. $10$25. cityoperahouse.org/puppypals

100-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SCREENING OF BUSTER KEATON’S “THE GENER-

AL”: 3pm, The Cheboygan Opera House. 25 cents. theoperahouse.org

“UNNECESSARY FARCE”: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

feb 23

monday

AGELESS GRACE: 10am, Senior Center, TC. Brightletics founder Lisa George teaches low-impact fitness classes from a seated chair. Register on site or online. $5. gtcountymi. gov/2165/FitnessExercise

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 22)

AGELESS GRACE: Noon, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Brightletics founder Lisa George teaches low-impact fitness classes from a seated chair. Registration is not required. Free. brightletics.com

OPENING RECEPTION: “PRESENCE”

FEAT. LOCAL ARTISTS: 4-6pm, TC Tourism Visitors Center. This reception will celebrate the exhibition “Presence” curated by KP Cultural, now on view at the TC Tourism Visitors Center through Spring 2026. Featuring Naomi Call, Johnny Camacho, Corrina Ulrich, Rachel Winslow, Glenn Wolff, & Pier Wright. For more info: kpcultural.com/presence. Free. pp.events/bVQ4JQgv

CLIMATE FILM: 5pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. NMEAC is partnering with the Traverse Area District Library to screen a short film. “Good Grief: The 10 Steps” delves into the transformative journey of individuals wrestling with the emotional realities of living through Climate Change. In tandem with this event, NMEAC is excited to bring back Green Drinks! This is a monthly meetup for environmentally minded community members to connect. They meet tonight at The Filling Station from 6-8pm. Free. tadl.org/event/ hold-nmeac-film-program-30146

feb 24

tuesday

WINTER PEEPERS: FALLING FLAKES: 10am, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. For ages 3-5 with an adult. Stories, crafts, music, & discovery activities. Takes place entirely outdoors. Today explore the science & beauty of snow. Register. $5; cash only. natureiscalling.org/preschool-peepers-program

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

CIVICS AT HOME: GETTING INVOLVED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT: 11am, Benzie Shores District Library, Frankfort. The speaker will be Voter Services Co-Chair for Grand Traverse Area League of Women Voters Alice Schuman. Free. bsdlibrary.org

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 22)

TCNEWTECH PITCH COMPETITION: 4:30-7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. This event features Michigan-based startups. Cheer on founders as they pitch their innovative business ideas on stage & compete for cash awards. Pitch presenters represent the wide variety of growing businesses in Michigan. Each presenter will

Kids in Your Community

Need a Safe Place to Belong

be allowed 5 minutes to pitch & 5 minutes for judge’s questions. Free. eventbrite. com/e/tcnewtech-pitch-competition-tickets1980556558983?aff=oddtdtcreator

FREE GARDEN CLASSIC MOVIES: 6pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Featuring “West Side Story.” gardentheater.org/comingsoon

wednesday

WEATHERING THE STORM: HOW TO HANDLE STRESS: 10:30am, Benzie Shores District Library, Frankfort. Join MSU Extension’s Dr. Remington Rice for a straightforward workshop on stress, resilience, & staying steady when life gets rough. Free. bsdlibrary.org

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 22)

OUR TOWN, OUR DEMOCRACY: LOCAL PRESS PANEL EVENT: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. A panel discussion to talk about what’s happening in the news reporting world & get the point of view of the local news outlets. This should be a panel that represents the scope of news media in the Grand Traverse area - print, television, radio, online, & even the local college & high schools. Free. tadl. org/LocalMediaPanel

thursday

Learn More: cfsnwmi org/get-involved

Not able to open your home?

Become a monthly donor. $10 a month provides a child in foster care something to hold onto when the world feels scar y

NERD NITE #17: HISTORY MUCH?: 7-9pm, Tank Space, 8th St., TC. Presentations include “Fun & Interesting Facts about Oakwood Cemetery” by Peg Siciliano & “The Edwardians” by Lisa Rabey. Free but seats are limited; first come, first served! Doors open at 6:30pm. traversecity. nerdnite.com

friday

AGELESS GRACE: (See Mon., Feb. 23)

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 22)

LUNCHEON LECTURE: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: 11:30am, NCMC, Library Conference Center, Petoskey. Associate Dean of Distance Learning & Instructional Design at NCMC Dr. Melanie Leaver will offer clear, actionable guidance that makes AI approachable for everyone. Register. $15. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-6464526

CLOTHING SWAP: Noon-6pm, Blessed Be Tea and Apothecary, TC. Bring an item, swap an item. All left over items will be donated to the Women’s Resource Center. blessedbetea.com

COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. “Rediscovering Petoskey’s Winter Carnival.” Former Executive Director at the Little Traverse History Museum Dylan Taylor will talk about Petoskey’s Winter Carnival that began in 1927, eventually becoming the “Michigan Winter Carnival,” drawing thousands of visitors from around the state. Free. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/eve nts/?page=1&location=petoskey#class-list

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

TRAVERSE CITY RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sun., Feb. 22)

DIGITAL ART WORKSHOP: 5pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Learn how to create digital artwork using your iPad at this introductory workshop. Leah Griffith, art teacher at Glen Lake Community Schools, will demonstrate Procreate, a digital art application, & help participants become familiar with its many tools. Download the program via the App Store. Seating is limited; register in advance. Free. glenlakelibrary.net

PARKINSON’S DISEASE 101: 5-7pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Held in partnership with the Michigan Parkinson Foundation, this is a bi-monthly informational program about Parkinson’s Disease. Free. tadl.org/event/ parkinsons-101-presentation-28529

“MICHIGAN’S SKIING LEGACY”: 7pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Skiing Through Time: Celebrating Tradition in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A film by Ryan Busch, northern Michigan based filmmaker. $10. gardentheater.org/comingsoon

LIGHT THE DARKNESS - A MIDWINTER FESTIVAL OF ART: City Opera House, TC. A 2-day juried art fair dedicated to illuminating winter with imagination. Featuring artists & makers showcasing original fine art, handcrafted goods, & inspired designs. Today includes: 3-5pm: Early Access (invite only); 5-7pm: Free reception with live performances, food vendors, bar. cityoperahouse.org/art26

STRANGER IN THE WOODS - SNOWMAN BUILDING: 5-6:30pm, Seberon “Boo” Litzenburger & Five Mile Creek Schoolhouse, north of Harbor Springs. Meet in the Schoolhouse for a reading of “Stranger in the Woods” by Carl R. Sams II & Jean Stoick. After the story, follow the lanterns for a short walk into the Seberon “Boo” Litzenburger Nature Preserve where you will follow the recipe for a snowman. Register. landtrust. org/events-template/snowman-building

WINTER LANTERN HIKE: 6-8pm, Leo Creek Preserve, Suttons Bay. Join the Inland Seas Education Association as you wander through a lantern-lit loop along the winter trails. Free. schoolship.org/news-events/ winter-lantern-walk

JAZZ COMBO & ORCHESTRA: WOMEN IN JAZZ COMPOSER SPOTLIGHT: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Corson Auditorium. Enjoy a program of jazz works spanning a variety of styles & subgenres—all written by female composers. $14-$17. interlochen.org/events/jazz-combo-and-orchestra-women-in-jazz-composerspotlight-2026-02-27

NMC CONCERT BAND WINTER CONCERT: 7:30pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. Music From Around The World performed with Patricia J. Brumbaugh conducting with local guest conductors. Tickets at the door or discount on advance purchase tickets starting at $10 from web site. simpletix.com/e/nmcconcert-band-2026-winter-concert-tickets-234587

saturday

3RD ANNUAL SNOWSHOE POKER RUN: 9am, 7601 Old Lake Rd., Grayling. The length of the course is about 2.5 miles. Choose from one, two or three hands. $10-$30. runsignup.com/ Race/Events/MI/Grayling/SnowshoePokerRun

LIGHT THE DARKNESS - A MIDWINTER FESTIVAL OF ART: City Opera House, TC. A 2-day juried art fair dedicated to illuminating winter with imagination. Featuring artists & makers showcasing original fine art, handcrafted goods, & inspired designs. Today hours are 10am-4pm. Free & open to all, plus food vendors. cityoperahouse.org/art26

OLD ‘BROSE BEGONIA ICE BOWL DISC GOLF TOURNAMENT: 10am-1pm, St. Ambrose Cellars, Beulah. One round random draw doubles tournament. $25 entry fee + any non-perishable food items. Proceeds benefit Benzie Food Partners serving Benzie County. Register. discgolfscene.com/tournament/Old_Brose_Begonia_Ice_Bowl_2026

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

CLOTHING SWAP: (See Fri., Feb. 27)

NORTHPORT WINTER CARNIVAL: Noon, Braman Hill, Northport. Enjoy broomball, milk jug curling, cardboard sled race, chili cook-off & more. facebook.com/ events/816308658072819

DID YOU GUYS EAT? ¿YA COMIERON?: 4pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. Presented by Interlochen Public Radio. A holistic look at life for Michigan farmers & the community that sustains them. Screening followed by Q&A with Director Stephany Slaughter. Free. gardentheater.org/comingsoon

DOCUMENTARY TO BENEFIT CHALLENGE MOUNTAIN: 7pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. “Michigan Skiing Legacy” documentary film will benefit Challenge Mountain. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the birthplace of organized skiing in America. From ski jumping to Nordic & backcountry skiing, the film explores the skiing culture that continues to shape the lives of those who consider themselves Yoopers. Tickets: $20 minimum donation online at: greatlakescfa.my.salesforce-sites. com/ticket/#/event. challengemtn.org/documentary-michigan-skiing-legacy-to-screenin-bay-harbor-benefits-challenge-mountain

EAST BAY DRIVE: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. This TC jazz-fusion band is made up of David Chown, Rick Kielhe, John Richard Paul, Alex Wyant wsg Ryan Critchfield & Skyelea. $25-$30. mynorthtickets.com/organizations/musichouse-museum

TY CHIKO & YA-JU CHUANG PRESENT SCHUBERT’S WINTERREISE: 7:30pm, The Alluvion, TC. Step into the emotional landscape of Winterreise (Winter’s Journey), Franz Schubert’s masterful song cycle that captures the stark beauty & aching solitude of winter. $28. interlochen.org/events/tychiko-and-ya-ju-chuang-present-schubertswinterreise-2026-02-28

SHENANDOAH: 8pm, Leelanau Sands Casino Showroom, Peshawbestown. From platinum-selling success to over a billion career streams, Shenandoah is still delivering the country music fans love – from “Two Dozen Roses” to “I Want to Be Loved Like That.” $55-$65. leelanausandscasino.com/events

sunday

2026 HARBOR SPRINGS RESTAURANT WEEK: (See Sat., Feb. 21)

ongoing

WOW ON WEDNESDAYS: Petoskey District Library. Held every Weds. from 3:30-4:30pm. Featuring a new craft, taste-test, or simple challenge each week. Dropping in during the hour is okay. Ages 8-12. petoskey.librarycalendar.com/event/wow-wednesday-8636

NAMI-GT SUPPORT GROUPS – MON.: Free, peer-led mental health support groups: NAMI Family Support (Mondays at 6pm; online & in-person - see web site for Zoom link), HBA, 3040 Sunset Ln., TC, & NAMI Connection Group (Mondays at 6pm, online - see web site for Zoom link). namigt.org/calendar/

NAMI-GT SUPPORT GROUPS – WEDS. AT NOON: Free, peer-led mental health support groups: NAMI Family Support and NAMI Connection Group. Both held Wednesdays at noon at Christ Church, 430 Fair St., TC. namigt.org/support-and-education/support-groups/

NAMI-GT SUPPORT GROUPS – WEDS. AT 5PM: Free, peer-led mental health support: NAMI Connection Group. Held Wednesdays, 5pm online (see web site for Zoom Link) & in person at Child & Family Services, 3785 Veterans Dr., TC. namigt.org/calendar/

INDOOR FARMERS MARKET: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, The Village at GT Commons, The Mercato, TC. Browse the Mercato halls every Sat. through April. More than 30 vendors offer a variety of items from farm fresh eggs, meats & cheeses, to fruits, veggies, homemade breads & more. thevillagetc. com/events

YOUTH ICE FISHING PROGRAM: Saturdays, 11am through Feb., Dune Center at the Dune Climb, 6748 S. Dune Hwy., Glen Arbor. Kids & their families are invited to join park rangers for youth ice fishing events. Participants will learn essential ice fishing skills, safety measures, & fishing regulations, culminating in a “Junior Angler” certification & a fishing pole to take home (while supplies last). If ice conditions permit, attendees will have the opportunity to ice fish. nps.gov/slbe/ planyourvisit/calendar.htm

art

OUT OF THE BOX - ELEVATED CIGAR BOXES: Higher Art Gallery, TC. “Out of The Box” is a group show & invitational featuring 30 artists. Cigar boxes have been elevated, transformed & turned into treasures. The exhibit runs through March 14. See web site for hours. higherartgallery.com -

SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. This annual regional high school exhibition celebrates the creativity, skill, & fresh perspectives of emerging young artists. It will be on display through Feb. 21, featuring work by 11th & 12th grade students from area high schools. See web site for hours. charlevoixcircle.org

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - CROOKED TREE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBITION: Held in Atrium Gallery, this exhibition features recent work by members of the Crooked Tree Photographic Society. The photographs included

in this show were self-selected by the group through peer review. Featuring intricate details from nature, evocative scenes & moments, & creatively constructed composition. Runs through Feb. 21. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/crooked-tree-photographicsociety.html

- ON ICE: Held in Gilbert Gallery through Feb. 28. Includes plein air icescape paintings by Margie Guyot, winter landscape paintings by Kevin Barton, photographs by Susan Tusa, documentary works exploring the communities & culture of ice fishing by Amy Sacka, photographs exploring ice as an aesthetic & environmental subject, drone shots by Ray Gaynor, & much more. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/on-ice.html

- AT HOME: Held in Bonfield Gallery through Feb. 28. Featuring quilts by Erick Wolfmeyer, Heidi Parkes, & the Little Traverse Bay Quilters Guild, ceramics by Madeline Kaczmarczyk, pastels by Heidi Marshall, & works by other artists. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/at-home.html

- OPEN STUDIO: Held in the Visual Arts Room, Saturdays, 10am-1pm. Free drop-in art studio for the whole family. New projects are offered weekly. crookedtree.org

CROOKED

TREE ARTS CENTER, TC:

- GUILD POP-UP EXHIBIT: ADAM VANHOUTEN: Held in Libragallery. One Easel, One City, Thirty Days in Paris. Runs through Feb. 21. Check web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/ exhibits/guild-popup-exhibit-adam-vanhouten.html

- 2026 ARTIST GUILD MEMBER SALON SHOW: Held in Carnegie Galleries through Feb. 21. This exhibition showcases the work of 118 Guild Members, representing Greater Northern Michigan & beyond. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/guild-member.html

- BETWEEN US - WINTER 2026 EXHIBITION: Held in Cornwell Gallery. This exhibit explores connection, distance, & everything that exists in the in-between. It invites artists to reflect on how we reach for one another & ourselves across emotional, physical, & imagined spaces. Runs through Feb. 21. Visit web site for hours. crookedtree.org/eventsand-exhibitions/exhibits/between-us.html

DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC:

- NEW PERSPECTIVES: RECENT AQUISITIONS FROM THE DENNOS PERMANENT ART COLLECTION: Held in McFarlane Gallery through May 31. From new paintings & works on paper gifted through the Museum Exchange program to generous donations on behalf of museum members, friends, & NMC alumni, New Perspectives seeks to highlight convergent, as well as, divergent perspectives on contemporary art & collecting practices in the 21st century. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- TRILOBITE TREASURES: Runs through May. This exhibit presents Paleozoic creatures in a way that tells a story of the prehistoric life in the ancient seas. The collection, assembled over 35 years, provides a unique snapshot of life in the ancient seas from 250 to 500 million years ago. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- TWELVE-BY-TWELVE: Runs through April 1. Created by students & faculty at Interlochen Arts Academy, every participant had to create something that would fit within an imaginary twelve-inch cube. They self-imposed this limit to discover what ideas those boundaries might produce. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- DOUG CANNELL: “SELECTIONS FROM BACKSTORIES”: An introduction to Doug

Cannell’s works that merge sculpture, installation, & storytelling into layered experiences. Cannell creates objects that resist easy definition. Runs through April 3. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

- IMPRESSIONS OF AN ERA: PRINTS FROM THE DENISON MUSEUM COLLECTION: This selection of prints, created between 1970 & 1990 by nationally & internationally recognized contemporary artists, reflects two transformative decades in contemporary printmaking. Artists include Dee Shapiro, Barbara Kohl-Spiro, KUDO Muramasa & James Rizzi. Runs through May 31. See web site for hours. dennosmuseum.org

GLEN ARBOR ARTS CENTER:

- INTERIORS EXHIBITION: An exploration of inner spaces, both real & imagined, spaces of the home & of the mind. Runs through March 12. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org

- SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY HARVEY GORDON : Enjoy this exhibition of acrylic paintings held in the Lobby Gallery through April 23. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:

- ANNUAL REGIONAL STUDENT ART EXHIBITION: Runs through March 6. Featuring hundreds of works created by students in grades K-12 from regional schools. Works in all media will be presented. The work will be juried by area artist & educator, Glenn Wolff. Open Tues.-Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon4pm. oliverart.org

- IMAGE MAKERS, THE ART OF ILLUSTRATION: Runs through March 28. Pen & ink, watercolor, pencil, gouache whatever the media, the Illustrator is an artist with a story to tell. What is the difference between a painting & an illustration? This exhibition will explore the work of several artist-illustrators, their processes, differences, & similarities between art & illustration. See web site for hours. oliverart.org

Deadline for Dates information is Tuesday for the following week.

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

CHATEAU GRAND TRAVERSE

WINERY, TC 4-6:

2/21 -- David Lawston

2/28 -- Swingbone North

ENCORE 201, TC

2/20-21 & 2/27-28 -- DJ Ricky T, 9

IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC

2/23 -- Vinyl Night w/ DJ E-Knuf, 5-8

2/24 -- TC Celtic, 6-8

2/26 -- Beyond Trivia!, 7-8:30

KILKENNY'S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE, TC 9:30:

2/21 -- DJ Leo

2/27 -- Peril

2/28 -- Lucas Paul

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

2/21 -- Kaydee Swanson - Member Party, 1-3

2/24 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9

2/26 -- Trivia Night w/ Marcus Anderson, 6:30-8:30

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC

2/22 -- The Great Indoor Folk Festival, noon-5:30

BARREL ROOM:

2/23 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

MARI VINEYARDS, TC

4-6:

2/21 -- Ron Getz

2/27 -- Dennis Palmer

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC

2/27 -- Derek Boik, 7-9

BOYNE CITY TAPROOM

2/26 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys, 7

BOYNE RIVER INN, BOYNE CITY

2/26 -- Nelson Olstrom, 7

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY

2/21 -- Pete Kehoe, 7-10

CASTLE FARMS, CHARLEVOIX

THE CASTLE PUB:

2/21 -- Michelle Keyboard, 7-10

ETHANOLOGY DISTILLATION, ELK RAPIDS

2/28 -- 80s Dance Party with DJ Franck, 7-11

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY

2/21 -- Michelle Chenard, 2-6

BRANDY'S HARBORTOWN, BAY HARBOR

2/21 -- Chris Calleja, 5-8

2/26 – Singo, 6-8

2/27 – Chris Calleja, 5-8

2/28 – Derek Boik, 5-8

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

2/24 -- Trivia Night, 7-9

2/27 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

GYPSY DISTILLERY, PETOSKEY

2/27 – Galactic Sherpas, 7-10

INN BETWEEN, INDIAN RIVER

2/22 -- Mike Ridley, 4-7

MT. HOLIDAY, TC

T-BAR & GRILL: Sat. -- Apres Ski Live Music w/ Matt Mansfield, 2-5

NOCTURNAL BLOOM, TC Thu -- Thurs. Night Trivia, 6

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC SEVEN HILLS:

2/21 -- Blair Miller, 6-9

2/27 -- Chris Smith, 7 2/28 -- Chris Sterr, 6

RARE BIRD BREWPUB, TC

2/24 -- Tuesday Trivia Night, 7-9

RIGHT BRAIN BREWERY, TC

2/27 -- Kamikaze Comedy Presents Comedy Night w/ Calvon Brown & Heather Kyles; Hosted by Joe Curtis, 8

TC WHISKEY CO. - THE STILLHOUSE 6:

2/21 -- Rebekah Jon 2/27 -- Jakob Abraham 2/28 -- Elizabeth Landry

THE ALLUVION, TC

2/21 -- Alla Boara, 7:30-9:30

2/22 -- The Alluvion Big Band wsg Bob Mintzer, 3-5

2/23 -- Big Fun - Funky Fun Mondays, 6-8:30

2/26 -- Jeff Haas Trio w/ Lisa Flahive wsg The NMC Big Band, 6-8:30

2/27 -- Keith Hall Brazilian Jazz Trio w/ Chico Pinheiro, 7:30-9:30

2/28 -- Interlochen In Town: An Evening of Woodwind Chamber Music w/ Piano, 7:30-9

Antrim & Charlevoix

FIRESIDE LOUNGE, BELLAIRE

2/27 -- DJ Bingo, 7

LOST CELLARS, CHARLEVOIX

2/22 & 3/1 -- Mastermind's Trivia, 4-6

MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY

8-11: 2/25 -- Karaoke Night 2/27 -- Lou Thumser

SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE 6-8: 2/25 -- Open Mic Night 2/26 -- Trivia Hosted by DJ Trivia

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC

2/20-21 & 2/27-28 -- Off Duty, 7:30-11

THE PARLOR, TC

2/21 -- Chris Sterr, 9

2/22 & 3/1 -- Music Bingo, 7-9

2/24 -- Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

2/25 -- Rob Coonrod, 8-11

2/26 -- John Richard Paul, 8-11

2/27 -- Larz Cabot, 9

2/28 -- Loren Kranz, 9

THE PUB, TC

2/23 -- Karaoke Mondays, 8

2/25 -- Zeke Clemons, 6-9

2/26 -- Music Bingo, 7:30-10:30

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

2/21 -- Delilah DeWylde, 7

2/22 -- Full Tilt Comedy - Comedy Mixtape, 6-8

2/24 -- Open Mic w/ Zak Bunce, 6-9

2/25 -- Straight Forward Bluegrass Jam, 6-9

2/26 -- DJ Trivia, 7-9

UNION STREET STATION, TC

2/21 -- Early Show: The Timber Fellers, 6; Late Show: One Hot Robot, 10 2/22 -- Soul Patch wsg Blinker Fluid, 7; SP After Party: Skin Kwon Doe, 10 2/26 -- DJ DomiNate & DJ JR, 10

2/27 -- Yorg & Friends - Detroit Family Jam, 6; Cosmik Dupree - A Grateful Dead Tribute, 10

2/28 -- Last Call w/ Kenny Olsen wsg The Dopes, The Timebombs, The Ampersands, Stone Travelbee, Wink Solo, The Fridays, & Prim, 2

nitelife

Send

Leelanau & Benzie

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY

2/21 -- Todd Aldrich, 7-10

2/23 -- Quiz Runners Trivia, 6-8

2/25 -- Singo Bingo: Retro 70's, 6:30

2/27 -- Brian Thomas, 7-10

2/28 -- Michelle Chenard, 7-10

NORTHERN LIGHTS RECREATION, HARBOR SPRINGS

2/26 -- Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30

2/27 -- Nelson Olstrom, 6

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES, 9:

2/21 & 2/28 -- DJ T-Bone

2/27 – DJ Big Ton

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS

2/21 -- Chris Michels, 5-8

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS 2/26 -- Norte & Shorts Trivia, 5-8 2/27 -- Hugh Pool, 5:30

CHALFONTE THEATRE, ELK RAPIDS THE PLATFORM: 2/26 -- Jazz Cabbage w/ Opener Faceless Jay, 6

TORCH LAKE CAFE, CENTRAL LAKE

Thu -- Nick Vasquez, 6 Fri. & Sat. -- Leanna Collins & Ivan Greilick, 7

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN, THOMPSONVILLE

SLOPESIDE TENT, NEAR CRYSTAL CLIPPER CHAIRLIFT, 3-5:

2/21 -- Fred Drachus

2/28 -- Meg Gunia

VISTA LOUNGE:

2/21 -- Sydni K, 2-5; Split Decision, 8-11

2/22 -- Luke Woltanski, 2-5

2/27 -- Sydni K, 2-5; The M-22's, 8-11

2/28 -- Drew Hale, 2-5; WSKF, 8-11

3/1 -- Jesse Jefferson, 2-5

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH

6-8:

2/23 -- Music Trivia

2/26 -- Trivia Thursdays

2/27 -- Trivia Night, 6-8

2/28 -- The Real Ingredients, 5-8

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN

2/21 -- Mark Bowen, 7:30

2/27 – Musicians Playground, 7

2/28 – Ryan Cassidy, 7:30

THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS

MAIN LODGE BACKYARD, NOON-4:

2/21 & 2/28 -- DJ T-Bone

3/1 -- DJ Michael Wilford

SLOPESIDE LOUNGE:

2/28 -- Chris Calleja, 6-9

ZOO BAR:

2/21 -- Yankee Station, 4-8

2/27 -- The Blitz, 6-9

2/28 -- The Remedee, 4-8

BLUE SLIPPER TAVERN, ONEKAMA

2/28 -- Vic Trip, 7-10

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR

2/26 -- Jesse Jefferson, 3-6

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE

5:30-7:30:

2/21 -- Jabo Bihlman

2/27 -- Cat Lebo

2/28 -- Charlie Arnett

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

2/21 -- Andy Perrin & The Show Buds, 6:30-9:30

2/25 -- Open Mic Night Hosted by Johnathon North, 6:30

2/26 -- Trivia Night w/ Host Tom Kaspar, 7

2/27 -- New Third Coast, 6:30

2/28 -- Silver Creek Revival, 6:30

LEELANAU SANDS CASINO, PESHAWBESTOWN SHOWROOM: 2/28 -- Shenandoah, 8

LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY

2/27 -- Lucas Howe, 6-9

NORTHERN LATITUDES DISTILLERY, LAKE LEELANAU

2/27 -- Dominic Fortuna, 4:45-6:45

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH

2/21 -- Luke Woltanski, 5-8

2/26 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9

2/28 -- Barefoot, 5-8

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT

2/28 -- Tim Jones & Friends, 7-9:30

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

BUCKSNORT SALOON, MESICK

2/23 -- Vic Trip, 6-9

LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE

2/21 – Onager, 8

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

2/27 -- Brian Curran, 6-9

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA 7:

2/21 -- Logan Moore

2/26 -- Chief Jam - Open Mic w/ Host Andy McQuillen

2/27 -- Brackish

2/28 -- Zak Bunce

Otsego, Crawford & Central

SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD

2/27 -- Jeff Greif, 6-9

From platinum-selling success to over a billion career streams, Shenandoah is still delivering music fans love – from “Two Dozen Roses” to “I Want to Be Loved Like That.” Grab your tickets for these country legends performing at Leelanau Sands Casino Showroom, Peshawbestown, Sat., Feb. 28 at 8pm. $55-$65. leelanausandscasino.com/events

Emmet & Cheboygan

lOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Sufi mystics tell us that the heart has "seven levels of depth," each one bearing progressively more profound wisdom. You access these depths by feeling deeper, not thinking harder. Let’s apply this perspective to you, Pisces. Right now, you're being called to descend past surface emotions (irritation, worry, mild contentment) into the layers beneath: primal wonder, the wild joy you're sometimes too cautious to express, and the sacred longing that can lead you to glory. This dive might feel risky. That’s good! It means you're going deep enough. What you discover down there will reorganize everything above it for the better.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Sufi writers describe heartbreak, grief, and longing as portals through which divine love enters. They say that a highly defended ego and a hardened heart can’t engage with such profound and potent love. In this view, suffering that makes the heart ache strips away illusions and fixations, allowing greater receptivity, humility, and tenderness toward all beings. I’m not expecting you to get blasted by an influx of poignancy in the near future, Leo, but I’m very sure you have experienced such blasts in the past. And now is an excellent time to process those old breakthroughs disguised as breakdowns. You are likely to finally be able to harvest the full power they offered you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In traditional Balinese culture, Tri Hita Karana is a concept that means there are three causes of well-being: harmony with God, harmony with people, and harmony with nature. When one is out of balance, all suffer. I’m wondering if you would benefit from meditating on this theme now, Virgo. Have you been focused on one dimension at the expense of the others? Are you, perhaps, spiritually nourished but socially isolated? Or maybe you're maintaining relationships but ignoring your body's connection to the earth? Here’s your assignment: Do a Tri Hita Karana audit. Which harmony is most neglected? Add to your altar, call a friend, or go walk in the great outdoors—whichever one you've been shortchanging.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): ): You are a diplomat in the struggle between beauty and inelegance. Your aptitude for creating harmony is a great asset that others might underestimate or miss completely. I hope you will always trust your hunger for classiness even if others dismiss it as superficial. One of your key reasons for being here on earth is to keep insisting on loveliness in a world too quick to settle for ugliness. These qualities of yours are especially needed right now. Please be gracefully insistent on expressing them wherever you go.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The bad news: You underestimate how much joy and pleasure you deserve—and how much you’re capable of experiencing. This artificially low expectation has sometimes cheated you out of your rightful share of bliss and fulfillment. The good news: Life is now ready to conspire with you to raise your happiness levels. I hope you will cooperate eagerly. The more intensely you insist on feeling good, the more cosmic assistance you will garner. Here’s a smart way to launch this holy campaign: Renounce a certain lackluster thrill that diverts you from more lavish excitements.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In classical music, a "rest" isn't the absence of music. It's a specific notation that creates space, tension, and meaning. The silence is as much a part of the composition as the sound. I suggest you think of your current pause this way, Sagittarius. You're not waiting for your real life to resume. You're in a rest, and the rest is an essential part of the process you’re following. It's creating the conditions for what comes next. So instead of anxiously filling every moment with productivity or distraction, try honoring the pause. Be deliberately quiet. Let the silence accumulate. When the next movement begins, you'll understand exactly why the rest was necessary.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Interesting temptations are wandering into your orbit. You may be surprised to find yourself drawn toward entertaining gambles and tricky adventures. How should you respond? Should

you say “Yes! Now! I’m ready!”? Or is open-minded caution a wiser approach? Conditions are too slippery for me to arrive at definitive conclusions. What I can tell you is this: Merely considering and ruminating on these invitations will awaken uplifting and inspiring lessons. PS: To get the fullness of the blessings you want from other people, you must first give them to yourself.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The engineer Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) said he envisioned his inventions in intricate detail before building them. He didn't need literal prototypes because his mental pictures were so vivid. suspect you Aquarians now have extra access to this power. What scenarios are you dreaming of? What are you incubating in your imagination? I urge you to boldly trust your thought experiments. Your mental prototypes may be unusually accurate. The visions you're testing internally are reconnaissance missions to futures that you have the power to build. Regard your imagination as a laboratory.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In woodworking, "spalting" occurs when fungi colonize wood, creating dark lines and patterns that make the wood more valuable, not less. The decay creates beauty as long as it isn’t allowed to progress too far. Here’s the metaphorical moral of the story for you, Aries: What feels like a deteriorating situation might actually be spalting, Aries. Are you experiencing the breakdown of a routine, a certainty, or a plan? It could be creating a pattern that makes your story even more interesting and heroic. So keep in mind that an apparent decomposition may be transforming ordinary into extraordinary beauty. My advice is to play along with the spalting.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I suspect you will soon be invited to explore novel feelings and unfamiliar states of awareness. As you wander in the psychological frontiers, you might experience mysterious phenomena like the following. 1. An overflow of reverence and awe. 2. Blissful surprise in the face of the sublime. 3. Sudden glimmers of eternity in fleeting moments. 4. A soft, golden resonance that arises when you hear arousing truths. 5. Amazingly useful questions that could tantalize and feed your imagination for months and even years to come.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If I were your mentor, I’d lead you up an ascending trail to a high peak where your vision is clear and vast. If I were your leader, I’d give you a medal for all the ways you’ve been brave when no one was looking, then send you on an all-expenses-paid sabbatical to a beautiful sanctuary to rest and remember yourself. If I were your therapist, I’d guide you through a 90-minute meditation on your entire life story up until now. But since I’m just your companion for this brief oracle, I will instead advise you to slip out of any silken snares of comfort that dull your spirit, cast off perks and privileges that keep you small, and commune with influences that remind you of how deeply you treasure being alive.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Biologist Barbara McClintock won the Nobel Prize by developing what she called "a feeling for the organism.” She cultivated an intimate, almost empathic relationship with the corn plants she studied. She didn't impose theories on her subjects. She listened to them until she could sense their hidden patterns from the inside. When you're not lost in selfprotection, you Cancerians excel at this quality of attention. Here’s what I see as your task in the coming weeks: Transfer your empathic genius away from people who drain you and toward projects, places, or problems that deserve your devotion and give you blessings in return.

“Jonesin” Crosswords

"Letters Across the Atlantic" just the last one. by Matt Jones

ACROSS

1. 70-Across's U.S. equivalent

4. Newspaper section

10. Latest craze

13. Walk off with 14. Northern lights phenomenon

15. Indignation

16. Where words are formed letter by letter in dreams?

18. Pro hoops gp.

19. Words with "on TV"

20. Woeful sound

21. Japanese wheat noodles

22. Charlie Brown outburst

24. Hamilton bills, slangily

26. "I see it now!"

29. Droplets of water

31. "Galloping Gourmet" Graham

32. Football party entree, often

34. Long-standing

36. AL and NL divisions

39. Bored feeling

40. Sm¯rrebr¯d bread

41. Party game with a similar concept to "The Traitors"

42. Laundry day target

43. ___ Leppard

44. Perfect places

45. Diner orders

47. Butter-and-flour sauce thickener

49. "___ Kapital" (Karl Marx work)

50. Solvent in nail polish remover

53. Smooth-talking

55. Bank (on)

56. Number that's its own fourth power

58. Odd

62. Not so well

63. Menswear delivery for Danson or Lange?

65. Pub provision

66. Lip overgrowth, slangily

67. Very, in Versailles

68. Lawn repair roll

69. Artist known for optical illusions

70. 1-Across's U.K. equivalent (and inspiration for this puzzle)

DOWN

1. Sticks in the microwave

2. Somehow manages (with "out")

3. Lamprey lurer

4. Musician Buffy ___-Marie who retired from live performance in 2023

5. Knock-knock joke, usually

6. Assns.

7. Bender, for example

8. "From the Alex ___ Stage ..."

9. Dejected

10. Hide-and-seek players being provided snacks?

11. Shady garden spot

12. Academic heads

13. Screening org.

17. Provides a segue for

21. Like emails with bold headers

23. "The Princess Bride" weapon

25. Hatch location

26. Leaves amazed

27. Little help

28. Romance author Monaghan took over?

30. Comparatively cunning

33. Culpable

35. Remove condensation from

37. "Bob's Burgers" daughter

38. Mouthy lip (or lippy mouth)

46. Pig noses

48. Donegal's province

50. Opera selections

51. Yo-Yo Ma's instrument

52. Supercomputer first unveiled over 80 years ago

54. Teen doll line since 2001

57. Ingrain indelibly

59. Raison d'___

60. Pull up dandelions, e.g.

61. NFL rushing units

63. Quito-to-La Paz dir.

64. "All That ___ Wants" (1992 Ace of Base hit)

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

SEWING AND QUILTING CLASSES AT INTERQUILTEN: You can learn to sew or make quilts! See our class list at www.interquilten.com

TRAVERSE CITY COTTAGE FOR RENT: 1 BR, Full Bath, Well Furnished, All Utilities Included, New Appliances, W/D, Parking, Nice Setting, Month-to-Month - One Year, A/C, No Pets; $1,600 per month. Call (231) 631-7512.

SOLSTICE THEATRE COMPANY: STC is offering a 2 hr auditioning workshop "Building Confidence in the Room" for anyone aged 16+! Visit our website at www.solsticetheatre. company to learn more and register.

FREE WEEKLY ORIGINAL HOT YOGA COMMUNITY CLASS: every wed. @ 7:30pm - 845 S. Garfield ave. originalhotyogatc.com 231-392-4798 Seasonal Field Technicians

WE ARE SEEKING TWO SEASONAL FIELD TECHNICIANS for the field season, May-Oct. This includes a Stewardship Technician and a Conservation Easement Technician. Apply by March 6, 2026. https://leelanauconservancy. org/about-us/work/

GEEK TRADER MARKET @ RIGHT BRAIN BREWERY, 2/28 2–9PM (event space behind brewery) Shop collectibles, D&D & tabletop games, VHS, toys, trading cards, retro finds & nerdy crafts. Drinks on tap, pizza & pinball. Geek out with us! https://www.geektradermarket.com/

One of the last vacant parcels along beautiful Cathead Bay in Northport, one hundred feet of private Lake Michigan frontage and sandy shoreline. Approximately one acre lot of wooded land includes a waterside building envelope on the bluff with an expansive view. Lot #6 N Cathead Bay Dr, Northport | $595,000

1229 Santo Street | $262,500