Northern Express - March 23, 2026

SPRING BREAK!

SPRING BREAK DOUBLE ISSUE

Hello, readers! A quick note to say that this is our Spring Break Double Issue, which means it will be on newsstands March 23-April 5. The next edition of Northern Express will be available April 6. Wishing safe travels and cozy staycations to all!

Kudos to the Kids

As a retired instructor of the Communication Department at a state university, I have to compliment your newspaper on presenting the voices of our future leaders. “The Voices of the Next Generation” articles, written in your March 16 edition, was the best showcase of what our young people can do if given the forum in which to do it.

The level of understanding in each of the student-written articles was far above the level of many of my college students in the basic Introductory Public Speaking classes (sometimes even in their senior year). It should be shared widely with other papers across the region. It is hoped that our local newspaper will find it valuable to emulate. The depth of research and balanced coverage of information on both sides of their issues was astounding!

These young people have a great future ahead of them. I can only wish more communities would take your example and include this opportunity for our young aspiring journalists. Kudos to the students and their teachers!

J Fassl | Whitewater, WI

Poignant and Illuminating

The recent guest opinion piece by Porter Abbott, “One Tribe, Eight Billion Strong,” is incredibly poignant and illuminating in light of, or perhaps more accurately, under the shadow of the current state of the United States, politically, socially, and ideologically. It is comforting to know that there are minds like his amidst the boiling chaos and inhumanity that prevails in this country.

James Filkins | Traverse City

A Call to the Faithful

I am a white Christian male of the investment class, insulated in my Antrim County bubble from the persecution of Black and brown people on orders from a cruel regime bent on their subjugation. I’m not a racist, or am I? I recall spotting a black man dressed all in black leather— long overcoat, shirt, slacks, shoes, fedora, striding confidently down the street. My first thought was, “Huh. What’s he up to?”

My brand of racism is subtle and sometimes active. I can’t control it; it’s

part of my historical DNA—drilled into me ages ago. While I can’t magically expunge my subconscious bigotry, I can and do declare it illegitimate. I am not superior to anyone of any race, creed, or anything else. I embrace the equality of all people and desire to love everyone, as did my Savior. We are called to promote the wellbeing of all God’s children, be they Detroiters, Chicagoans, Minnesotans, Sudanese, or Muslim schoolgirls in Iran who would still be alive today were it not for a criminal president and his villainous minions.

Will we resist this madness, or will our bubbles only burst if bombs start falling on our own schoolhouses, killing our own beloved schoolchildren? What will it take for Christian love to overwhelm the corrupt despotism of our lawless administration? The sacking of Noem— even for the wrong reason—was progress. Hopefully, it’s just the beginning, and the White House of cards will collapse under the weight of its own moral depravity.

Walt Wood | Central Lake

You Belong Here

March 21 is Global Down Syndrome Day due to March being the third month representative of the three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two in a person’s cells. The reality is that 15-20 percent of people in the U.S. are neurodivergent (people whose brains develop or work differently).

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

The single most important thing people can do is NOT promote or maintain awareness but institute and promote INCLUSION. The best “intentions” are useless without inclusion. People with Down Syndrome, autism, and other divergences need exactly what everyone else needs: love and acceptance. Awareness says “I see you” but acceptance says “YOU BELONG HERE” which is a life changing difference.

Editor: Jillian Manning

Creative Director: Kyra Cross Poehlman Finance Manager: Libby Shutler

Sales: Lisa Gillespie, Kim Murray, Kaitlyn Nance, Abby Walton Porter, Michele Young For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948

We have the After 26 Café in Cadillac, which hires neurodivergent people that have lost their state benefits at age 26. A bi-monthly event called Game Night takes place at House of Games in Cadillac. The wonderful owners have opened their doors free of charge to this group. Two other organizations that are all-stars in including these members of our community are The Landing Dance Academy and the Northern Lights Dance Academy.

I will be eternally grateful to Sally Goggin and Meg Santangelo for casting my daughter Fiore in the Footliters production of Our Town two years ago. Although there were a couple of times I had to sit down and explain some directions to Fiore, the play worked out beautifully and the community saw a person with Down Syndrome on stage as part of the community.

Please be aware that parents of these people are more than happy to donate their time to ensure that they are successful in whatever you include them in, be it a job, a part in a play, or a musical event.

Rose Clark | Cadillac

Contributors: Ross Boissoneau, Ren Brabenec, Geri Dietze, Mitchell Ryan Distin, Anna Faller, Kierstin Gunsberg, Stephen Tuttle

Distribution: Marc Morris, Gerald Morris, Dave Anderson, Joe Evancho, Jason Ritter, Sherri Ritter, Roger Racine, Sarah Racine, Brandy Grames, Rachel Cara, Jackson Price, Lisa Price, Peggy Bell

Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold

Copyright 2026, all rights reserved.

top ten

Bowling on Main Street All Too Clear

Those of us who grew up here remember cutting our feet on zebra mussels when swimming in our Lake Michigan waters. That was annoying enough, but quagga mussels, an even more aggressive and invasive species, are wreaking havoc in our waterways. On Sunday, March 29, at 4pm, the Bay Community Theatre in Suttons Bay hosts a three-part documentary series All Too Clear: Beneath the Surface of the Great Lakes. Filmmakers Zach Melnick and Yvonne Drebert, who compiled footage from 150 days of underwater filming in Lake Huron, consider the quagga invasion the “most significant ecological shift in the Great Lakes since the last ice age.” See the impacts on water quality, the food chain, whitefish, and more as the filmmakers explore what can be done to restore habitat and native species populations. General admission is $15; learn more at thebaytheatre.org/ movie/made-in-michigan-all-too-clear.

Whatever the weather, start your spring with Bowling on Main Street in Harbor Springs! Strike some pins at the intersection of State and Main—which will be closed to vehicular traffic—on Saturday, April 4, between noon and 2pm. Along with Northern Lights Recreation giving away a free bowling card to all participants, enjoy free hot chocolate and donuts for the kids at Johan’s, a freebie from Rocking Horse Toy Co., and more! harborspringschamber.com

Hey, watch It! Scrubs 4

The doctor is in at Sacred Heart Hospital. After 16 years off the air, Scrubs returned at the end of February with nearly all of the original cast, including Zach Braff (J.D.), Sarah Chalke (Elliot), Donald Faison (Turk), Judy Reyes (Carla), John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox), and more. This time around, instead of being residents and up-andcoming docs, our crew has grown up, taking leadership roles across the hospital and training a new generation. Flipping the formula works seamlessly for a show that had a nine-season run from 2001-2010, and there’s just enough nostalgia to transport you back in time. As Screen Rant says, “Scrubs is breaking all the rules with its new revival, and that’s exactly why it works so well.” Expect the same humor and heart you’ve come to expect from series creator Bill Lawrence (also behind Apple+ hits Ted Lasso and Shrinking) in a familiar setting that manages to feel fresh. Episodes air Wednesdays on ABC and next day on Hulu.

For the kind of late-winter nourishment that’s sure to warm both body and soul, find us cozied up to the bestselling Adrienne’s BLT at The Red Door Coffee House in Lake Ann. Created by and named for a beloved employee, this prodigious panini is everything we love about a comfort food sandwich: gobs of salty, crispy bacon, paired with four types of melty cheese—provolone, mozzarella, cream cheese, and cheddar—all pressed to gooey perfection between slices of Italian bread from Bay Bread Co. and finished with fresh tomato, spinach, mayonnaise, and a zingy-sweet honey mustard. It’s elevated by a side of Great Lakes potato chips and a comfy chair at the coffee house (oh, and don’t forget the napkins!). Fuel up at 19631 Maple St. in Lake Ann. facebook.com/thereddoorcoffeehouse.

An Egg-cellent Time for Kids

We hear a large rabbit is coming to town soon…and here are a few places you can find him on April 4, unless noted otherwise. Beulah: The Easter Egg Hunt at Memorial Park (6869 South Street) from 1-1:30pm. Cheboygan: Easter on Main Breakfast with the Bunny & Egg Hop at Mulligan’s (320 N. Main Street) starting at 9:30am—event is ticketed. Frankfort: The Easter Egg Hunt at Mineral Springs Park (512 Main St) starting at 10am. Manton: Easter in the Park at Manton Station (138 Wall St. Manton Petoskey) from 12-2pm. The Fairgrounds Egg Scramble (Emmet County Fairgrounds 1129 Charlevoix Ave) starting at 11am. Also in Petoskey, snap pictures with the Easter Bunny at Grandpa Shorter’s (301 E Lake St) March 28 & 29 and April 3 from 9:30-11:30am and 1-3pm or April 4 from 10am-5pm.

Children’s Museum Satellite Location

The Curiosity Place at Great Lakes Children’s Museum is taking “satellite” location literally for spring break. From March 27 to April 4 (see times on website), GLCM will be transforming the old Gap Outlet store across from Grand Traverse Bay Gymnastics in the Grand Traverse Mall into an outer space exploration! Activities include a Mars Rover Maker Space and Stomp Rocket Building. They’ve even teamed up with another local learning center, temporarily bringing the immersive, 3D space adventure of a mobile planetarium with the help of Beulah’s COGNiTiON Science & Discovery Center. All ages can enjoy the trip off this planet, but caregiver assistance is recommended for children under six. Blasting off to space is free with the spring break admission ($12 for ages one and up). Advance reservations are highly recommended. Learn more at greatlakeskids.org.

Stuff We Love: Making Candles

Looking for something cool to do with teens (16+) or adults during spring break? Recently, we took a trip to Evil Queen Candles in the Warehouse MRKT in downtown Traverse City. In addition to their retail space, they offer candle making classes, where you can choose your own glass vessel and create your own scent from hundreds of combinations. An Evil Queen staff member will guide your group through a straightforward process: You’ll use a little scale to measure out your chosen fragrances (based on the size of your candle jar), mix it up with the wax, and voila! A candle! Each class takes about 30-45 minutes, and the candles take roughly three hours to cool after pouring, so you can come back the next day to pick them up (or shipping is available for $10). Head to shopevilqueen.com to book a class and learn more.

bottoms up Hotel Indigo’s Strawberry Delight

It may not be rooftop bar season just yet, but you can still put a little vacation in your drink this week. Head to Hotel Indigo’s Warehouse KiTChen + Cork just off the lobby, where you’ll find a full bar complete with “Sober Sips,” or nonalcoholic options. On our last visit, we opted for the Strawberry Delight ($14). The base ingredients of lime juice, strawberry puree, and sour mix (with a salted rim) would make for a tasty enough beverage on their own, but it’s the Lyre’s Agave Blanco that elevates the drink. This is an NA tequila alternative that brings that citrusy, agave-forward flavor without any of the booze. Pair your Sober Sip with the Bacon Wrapped Dates appetizer, and you’ll feel like you’re miles away on spring break. Stop in at 263 W Grandview Parkway. ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/us/en/ traverse-city/tvcin/hoteldetail/dining

There’s a Place for you on the water

Traverse Area Community Sailing offers youth and adult sailing programs all summer long for beginners through experienced sailors.

traverse area community sailing

Learn to Sail Summer Programs Community tacsailing.org

spectator

By Stephen Tuttle

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act will safeguard nothing but might make it much more difficult for anyone to register and vote.

about 51 percent of voter eligible Americans have passports. Additionally, they can take weeks to obtain and cost $165, which will price out way too many people.

This pointless bit of legislation, which purports to fix a problem we know does not exist, is simply an extension of Donald Trump’s fever dreams about his loss in the 2020 elections. He still shuffles around proclaiming the 2020 race was rigged and he won by “a landslide.” Then he let slip out his real motive when he casually told a group of Republican leaders passing the SAVE Act would guarantee Republicans victory in the 2026 midterm elections.

And good luck finding that original birth certificate; it’s probably in one of those files somewhere or maybe in your safe deposit box if you have one. Most states will provide what’s called a certified copy which can be used for passports and various licenses, but the language of the SAVE Act is not clear that will be sufficient.

The Brennan Center for Justice says as many as 21 million current eligible voters could

Stripping away voting privileges is typical of autocratic regimes. It could not be more anti-American.

J O N M U Q MAY 16 7-9 PM

He’s either convinced Congressional Republicans of both bits of nonsense—the reality is he lost in 2020 and SAVE won’t save his party in November—or, more likely, they have simply acquiesced as they do with everything else he proposes.

At the time of this writing, SAVE has passed the House on a party-line vote but is stalled in the Senate, where opposed Democrats are threatening a filibuster and the 60 votes needed to end such a strategy are nowhere

So what does this thing do that makes Republicans want it and Democrats abhor it?

The SAVE Act eliminates mail-in voting altogether unless you are disabled or out of the country. People without reliable transportation in rural areas will simply be out of luck. Trump is counting on most of those soon-to-be disenfranchised being Democrat voters. The act also requires paper ballots, though 98 percent of ballots cast are

SAVE eliminates same-day voter registration. It requires all ballots, including those being mailed, to arrive before polls close on election day. Those postmarked before election day but arriving after will not be counted. It makes it illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal and statewide elections, though that is already prohibited in every state. It gives the feds the right to access state’s voter rolls, including all the information included therein.

As is currently the case, it requires a photo ID when registering to vote—but this is where it gets really sticky. Your driver’s license will not be good enough as a photo ID because, except in five states (including Michigan), those licenses do not prove your citizenship. Instead, you will likely need a passport and probably an original birth certificate, not just a copy.

The passport requirement is especially onerous since, according to our State Department, only

be disenfranchised because they don’t have easy access to passports, birth certificates, or transportation. Many indigenous people, who were here centuries before the European rule-makers showed up, have only tribal ID. There will be an additional complication for women. If you are a married woman who, like 80 percent of married women, has taken your husband’s or wife’s last name (or you’re a hyphenate), your current ID will not match your birth certificate. According to SAVE, that’s a problem the fine print has not resolved, though surely extra steps will be required to prove you are who you say you are and that you are an American citizen.

There is no legitimate reason to pass SAVE since it solves no problem but causes plenty of new ones. Donald Trump’s fixation with his 2020 loss is like an infection that never heals and is apparently contagious since it has infected other Republicans. Let’s go over this yet again.

Trump’s own Homeland Security Department reviewed, in detail, the 2020 presidential election and declared it to be the “most secure” in our history. Votes in the so-called swing states—Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona— were recounted, by both machine and by hand multiple times and those recounts were then audited. No widespread fraud was found because none existed.

In fact, fraud sufficient to change the outcome of elections other than low-vote local elections is simply non-existent in U.S. elections. Non-citizens do not vote and unregistered citizens attempting to vote are stopped. A loss by our preferred candidate is not a sign of fraud or irregularities or a rigged election.

The SAVE Act is a scam designed primarily to disenfranchise voters Donald Trump believes don’t support him. Stripping away voting privileges is typical of autocratic regimes. It could not be more anti-American.

SEIZE THE MOMENT FOR CLEAN ENERGY

By Lauren Teichner

America’s energy landscape suddenly feels chaotic. But the chaos reveals something important about how America must power its future.

In early March, the U.S. bombed Iran, and Iran retaliated by blocking oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, sending gas prices climbing. At the same time, electricity bills rose more than 5 percent nationwide from 2024 to 2025 as utilities struggle to meet growing demand from AI and data centers while repairing an aging grid that often fails during extreme weather.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has doubled down on fossil fuels—even coal— while attacking domestic solar and wind development despite evidence that clean energy is cheaper, more reliable, and less polluting.

Developers are also racing to build energyhungry data centers. In Michigan alone, DTE Energy plans facilities that could consume more than 4 gigawatts of electricity, roughly the power used by three million homes in a year. Communities are pushing back, worried about rising costs and environmental impacts. Municipalities in 14 states imposed moratoriums that blocked an estimated $98 billion in data center projects in the second quarter of 2025 alone.

Taken together, these seemingly disconnected facts uncover how outdated America’s energy system has become, and why accelerating clean energy and modernizing our grid is the only rational response. The choices we make now, amidst this chaos, about how to power America will shape our economy and climate for decades.

Yet much of the current debate about energy—geopolitically about oil and domestically about data centers—risks missing the larger opportunity.

America’s fixation on securing foreign oil distracts from a more durable solution: building homegrown renewable energy that cannot be disrupted by global conflicts. Studies now show that solar and wind are cheaper than new fossil-fuel generation for the first time.

Ironically, these findings emerged just as Trump and congressional Republicans eliminated tax credits for wind and solar. Even some voices within the MAGA movement are acknowledging this reality. Katie Miller recently wrote on X that “solar energy is the energy of the future.” And a survey released by Kellyanne Conway’s firm found that 83 percent of Trump voters support using solar to strengthen America’s energy supply.

This debate is also playing out locally in the backlash against data centers. While there are real concerns for nearby communities— including massive electricity demand, water use, land impacts, and construction burdens—the backlash should also prompt

a broader conversation about what kind of electric grid we need to build. Advocacy focused solely on saying “no” to data centers risks ignoring the deeper lesson that our infrastructure is not prepared for the demands of the digital economy.

When you zoom out from local land-use battles, the surge in data center demand and the growing opposition to it signals that America’s energy system must evolve rapidly toward a clean energy grid with updated capacity. Experts have identified this need for years, but economic and technological pressures are now making it unavoidable.

In other words, we must seize this political moment to accelerate the clean energy transition. Reframing the conversation challenges the fossil fuel industry’s longstanding claim that meeting America’s energy needs requires expanding natural gas and coal plants. In reality, doing so will only lead to higher costs, greater volatility, and worsening climate impacts.

We cannot let this moment distract us from what is becoming a bipartisan vision for a clean energy future. In her book What If We Get It Right?, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson imagines a world where “the combustion phase of humanity is over … The air is cleaner. The water is cleaner … Energy bills are much lower.” Ezra Klein has a similar vision in his recent book Abundance Imagining the future we want is a powerful and necessary exercise.

The path forward is already emerging. States are still pursuing their own clean energy goals, such as Michigan’s 2023 clean energy law requiring 100 percent by 2040. More than 300 clean energy projects are waiting to connect to the grid in Michigan, representing nearly 58 gigawatts of potential power.

But the transmission infrastructure needed to deliver that energy has not yet been built. This bottleneck reveals the real challenge— no one is going to build this future for us.

We must ask our elected leaders the right questions while this debate is front and center: How do we expand transmission capacity quickly? Where should new lines be built? Who will pay for them? How do we equitably support communities that host the infrastructure (including data centers) that power the broader economy? And how do we ensure that new technologies bring efficiency and renewable power with them?

Global conflicts, AI, and data centers are already reshaping our energy economy. The real question is whether we build the clean energy system needed to power our future, or allow the fossil fuel lobby to define the future for us. This moment offers a rare opportunity to choose our path, and we should not miss it in the chaos.

Bright Idea

Lonely? If you're a college student in Boston, you can stop at the Call a Boomer phone booth on Commonwealth Avenue in Brookline and, free of charge, connect with an older person living in a senior housing facility in Reno, Nevada. Boston.com reported on March 10 that biotech company Matter Neuroscience set up the phones as part of a social experiment, based on data that show young people and seniors are the loneliest among age groups. "The goal of this project is to inspire generational connection through meaningful conversations," a plaque on the phone booth reads. Calls work either way, and if no one picks up, the caller can leave a message. Matter set up another set of phones earlier this year in San Francisco and Abilene, Texas, designed to connect people across the political spectrum. The Boston project is set up to operate for a month; if it's successful, Matter hopes to extend it. [Boston.com, 3/10/2026]

Suspicions Confirmed

Tommy Lynch, 42, of Derbyshire, England, went to the hospital after waking up with blue skin, People magazine reported on March 10. Lynch's roommate, who works as a carer, saw his skin and whisked him to the emergency room, thinking he might be deprived of oxygen. Doctors there assessed him and, prudently, rubbed his arm with an alcohol wipe, revealing his "ailment": sleeping on new unwashed dark blue sheets. "I never knew you had to wash your sheets before you slept on them," Lynch said. "I looked like an avatar." Lynch said he spent the next week trying to get the blue dye off his skin.

[People, 3/10/2026]

Unclear on the Concept

The Waterfall Therapy massage spa in Mays Landing, New Jersey, was searched on March 11, Patch.com reported, and two people, Cuie Chen, 50, and Wen-Juin Zhou, 60, were charged with prostitution and conspiracy to commit prostitution. The Township of Hamilton police said they had conducted a lengthy and detailed investigation, in spite of a glaring clue: a line on the business's website noting that it offers massages with a "happy ending." The women were released on summons. [Patch.com, 3/12/2026]

Awesome!

A restaurant in Mobile, Alabama, has advertised an offer for nearly 100 years, but never had to honor it until the end of February, when Jimmy Rush, 80, and James Rush, 99, walked in. The New York Post reported that Wintzell's Oyster House promises "Free Oysters to Any Man 80 Years Old Accompanied by His Father," and until the Rushes arrived, they'd never had a taker. "We felt like our dad was going to make it to 100 because he's in great health," said another son, Carl. "We've been talking about it as a family for 25, 30 years." Carl will be 80 in two years, and they plan to come back for another dozen oysters. [NY Post, 3/10/2026]

Stephanie Faure of Saskatoon, Canada, underwent brain surgery more than a year ago to remove cancer tumors, the CBC reported. On March 8, she woke up feeling odd pressure in her head and saw what she thought was a screw trying to push through her skin. At Royal University Hospital, Faure waited 5 1/2 hours to see a doctor, who told her the bump was a cyst and sent her home. "He wasn't even looking at it," she said. "He was just telling me it wasn't what I was seeing." That evening, Faure's boyfriend used tweezers to pull out a tiny screw. "It was moving as the day went," Faure said, "so it wasn't too hard (to remove) by that time." She plans to file a complaint against the doctor so that he might "realize that's not how you treat people." [CBC, 3/11/2026]

Ewwwww

I bet you didn't know that March 15 is National Espresso Martini Day. Well, Buffalo Wild Wings knows, and in celebration, they're introducing their wing-flavored Espresso Proteini. USA Today reported on March 9 that the featured drink is made with 10 grams of protein and Buffalo Dry Rub, which will also line the rim of the glass. But act fast: The Espresso Proteini is available only from March 12 to March 15 and costs $12. [USA Today, 3/9/2026]

Cheaters

In February, the 2026 Camel Beauty Show Festival in Al Musanna, Oman, was disrupted after veterinary inspectors discovered that 20 competitors had been subject to cosmetic procedures to enlarge their humps, the Independent reported on March 5. The camels' humps were injected with dermal fillers similar to those used on humans. Injectables were also used to create poutier lips and soften their faces. Festival officials said they would impose "strict penalties on manipulators." Camels are judged on coat, neck, head and humps. [The Independent, 3/5/2026]

March 10, for those who don't celebrate, is Mario Day, after the Nintendo game character. At a GameStop in Manhattan's Union Square, 270 people costumed as Mario gathered in hopes of setting a world record, United Press International reported. "He's a reminder of people's childhoods and a carefree time," said GameStop director of communications Nicolle Robles. "And you know people still play video games well into adulthood." Participants got a $5 store credit, but the real winner was Ross Martinez, who dressed as the solid gold Mario from New Super Mario Bros. 2. [UPI, 3/12/2026]

Going to Extremes

That old springtime pothole trope is a THING: A New Jersey Transit bus became engulfed in fire on March 10 after it hit a pothole on the New Jersey Turnpike, WABC-TV reported. When the bus struck the pothole, a back tire blew out, and passengers rushed to the front of the bus to report that it was on fire. About 30 passengers piled out of the bus and moved away from the burning vehicle. [WABC, 3/10/2026]

Oops

James Prante of North Port, Florida, is facing a DUI charge after an incident on March 1, WWSB-TV reported. Around 9:30 p.m., police received a call that a woman had fallen from a golf cart; Prante explained to them that he and his wife had been "partying at the club" since noon and she had hit her head after falling from the golf cart. The wife was unconscious and was transported to a hospital. Prante failed a sobriety test, and officers found empty alcohol containers in the cart. He was charged with DUI with serious bodily injury. [WWSB, 3/4/2026]

It's Come to This

Japanese people seeking zen are trying a novel offering: coffin-lying. The New York Post reported on Feb. 25 that a funeral home in Chiba Prefecture started the trend, but now other businesses are providing options from a wooden box to "cute" coffins for patrons to have "a meditation experience where you can gaze at life through being conscious of death." Customers can choose either an open or closed casket, healing music, video projected on the ceiling or complete silence. Fans of the experience say it has a profound impact on mental health. [NY Post, 2/25/2026]

MARKETPLACE CIR at WESTORYANA ONLY!

Come join us at Oryana West for a Cheese Sampling Championship! Every March, we sample and vote on our favorite wedges as part of Cheese Madness.

This event marks the finals of the Cheese Madness competition. You’ve been voting on cheeses each week this month, now it’s time to taste the top four contenders before one is crowned this year’s Cheese Champion.

Sample the winners from each head-to-head match-up, along with delightful vegan spreads and a few tried-and-true crowd favorites. We’re a

KIDS TAKE THE STAGE

Youth theater programming Up North

By Kierstin Gunsberg

Whether your kid has a knack for commanding a room with on-the-nose impersonations and knows every line of Hamilton by heart, or they’re shy to even read aloud in class, engaging them in performing arts can help build their confidence. To get you started, here are four northern Michigan theaters raising the curtain on 2026’s youthfocused programming and performances.

City Opera House, Traverse City

It’ll be three years this summer since East Coaster Chad Lindsey brought his decade-plus theatre career from New York City to northern Michigan, where he’s now the executive director of Front Street’s City Opera House. Lindsey brought plenty of big-city connections with him, including a summer intensive for 5th–12th graders through Brooklyn’s ensemble theatre company, Hook & Eye Theater.

As one of the original founders of Hook & Eye (alongside Carrie Heitman, another Michigander), Lindsey calls the program “so near and dear,” to him. The four-day workshop will run from July 20-24, bringing 10 middle schoolers and 10 high schoolers together with “a crack team of theater practitioners to do what Hook & Eye does best,” he says. That is, helping student performers take an initial musing from idea to a fully realized and audience-ready production. “I’m thrilled we can bring them here to work with our students,” says Lindsey.

What’s happening in 2026: On April 12 at 1:30pm, catch a performance of an original play by the winner of another Opera House program, the Page 2 Stage Young Playwrights Lab (which kicked off during the 2025 school year), where six area high schoolers compete to have their original stage script produced. “We pair them with playwriting mentors from across the country,” Lindsey explains. “Some are from Chicago, sometimes New York, some are local or part-time locals, all have extensive experience mentoring in the

arts.” Those mentors work with students via Zoom for a month before joining them in person during production week.

Then, from July 27-31, the Opera House hosts Take It From the Top, a five-day Broadway intensive where students of all skill levels hone their singing, dancing, and acting chops.

Kids will love: Learning from instructors who’ve made theatre their day job. Learn more at cityoperahouse.org/events.

Little Traverse Civic Theatre, Petoskey

When the crew at Little Traverse Civic Theatre (LTCT) began culling hopefuls for this spring’s production of Annie, they confronted a not-so-terrible dilemma with the young performers: “The production team made the decision to double cast the role of Annie and all the orphans,” says Michele Cole, head of LTCT’s brand new Theatre 4 Everyone (T4E) Youth Program. “We had so much wonderful talent and wanted to give everyone a chance in the spotlight.”

With rehearsals currently underway for the May 7-10 and 14-16 performances, Cole explains that one of the goals of the theatre’s volunteer-run youth program is to expand the reach of their multi-generational education opportunities, including for neurodivergent performers. Per Cole, “[We’re] using drama and music to encourage healthy and healing expressions of art.”

What’s happening in 2026: Tickets for Annie hit the box office earlier this

month (March) and as northern Michigan collectively holds out for signs of warm weather, T4E’s summer and fall calendars are already filling up. Their Summer Learning Academy for 3rd–8th graders runs the week of July 27 while fall drama workshops are also in the works.

Kids will love: Getting to bring their own spin to their characters, something LTCT encourages in their young actors.

“Confidence is one of the things that we love to watch grow,” says Cole. Learn more at LTCT.org.

Old Town Playhouse, Traverse City Campfires and paintball battles are all well and good, but for summer campers of

the strictly thespian variety, there’s always the air-conditioned reprieve of Old Town Playhouse’s summer day camps (where water balloon fights are actually still on the agenda). With 14 total camps on the 2026 calendar and taking place at two locations (Old Town Playhouse and The MATCH in Cherryland Center), OTP offers tons of opportunities for kids from age five through 18 to get a taste of the limelight—or, even control the limelight with the teen Tech Class and Crew program.

And while their most popular camps usually fill up within minutes of registration opening (March 1), kids can still get in on the action attending performances of The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo Kids, Robin Hood: Naught in Nottingham, and more, all

led by OTP’s Young Company youth crew. What’s happening in 2026: Besides summer programming, Young Company is always adding classes, camps, and performances—like The Giver on March 26 and 28—to the calendar, so make sure to check it out.

Kids will love: Making friends in a judgement-free zone. “We provide a place for students to feel free to express themselves and to not be afraid of making mistakes,” says OTP Young Company Executive Director Melissa May. “...If you fail, we're here to help you get up and try again.”

Learn more at oldtownplayhouse.com/ youth-learning.

Ramsdell Regional Center for the Arts, Manistee

Up until her retirement a couple years ago, Broadway performer Karen Curlee offered youth theatre programming at the Ramsdell, something executive director Laura Ortiz-LaVelle is working to get back on the calendar this summer (though those plans aren’t set in stone yet). “Providing arts opportunities to youth in northern Michigan is essential,” says Ortiz-LaVelle, adding that in the meantime, the theatre’s offering a summertime Creativity Art Camp where students engage their confidence through creativity in hands-on mediums—painting, sculpting and more led by experts in each artistry. Only three seasons into the camp, it’s already a huge hit in the community. “The first year it was only one week which sold out pretty quickly,” says Ortiz-LaVelle. This July, they’ll split the program into two cohorts—one for ages six through 10 and another for ages 11 through 15—with a week dedicated to each group.

What’s happening in 2026: Get those friendship bracelets and bejeweled costumes

ready for Kanin Wren’s Taylor Swift Experience, an all-ages tribute show featuring the Queen of Pop’s top tracks including singalong faves “You Belong With Me” and “Shake It Off.” Wren, a downstate local, will perform the evening of Thursday, July 2.

Kids will love: Beating the heat away from screens (really!) Learn more at ramsdelltheatre.org/camp.

Lakeside Shakespeare Festival, Frankfort

Bonus! The Lakeside Shakespeare Festival, which is known for its performances straight out of the 17thcentury at Tank Hill in Frankfort, has announced the return of free summer theater camp opportunities for kids ages 6-14 and an internship opportunity for high school students.

Camps will run as three-day workshops led by LSF’s professional Chicago theatrical teaching team and then conclude as a performance ahead of LSF’s own show. Theater Explorers (ages 6-9) will learn and rehearse July 28-30 and perform July 30 from 6-7pm, while Rising Stars (ages 10-14) will have their rehearsals July 29-31 and then two performances: one on July 31 and one on Aug. 1.

Last but not least, high schoolers can apply for a two-week, unpaid internship program to go behind the scenes of the entire Lakeside Shakespeare Festival production. Learn more at theworldsastage.org/interns.

The Tallest Dwarf

Free Film Screening

& Community Conversation

Milliken Auditorium at The Dennos Wednesday, April 8 | 4:00 PM

Follow filmmaker Julie Wyman as she searches for her place in the little people community and unpacks dwarfism’s impact on her own family.

Cooking with natural gas or propane can turn simple ingredients into family favorites and recipes into traditions shared for generations.

That’s why we’re investing in the Great Lakes Tunnel to further protect the Straits of Mackinac and help keep Michigan’s energy reliable for years to come.

Visit enbridge.com/Michigan to learn more.

SPrinG Break fun for the whoLe faMiLy

Eight free or low-cost activities for kids and their grown-ups

By Geri Dietze

We all love getting away for spring break, but staying put in our beautiful northwest has its advantages, too. If you’re looking for entertainment close to home, check out the following list of engaging activities for all ages, both indoors and out, between March 27 and April 5. Visit the individual websites for more information, and remember that some activities require registration.

1. Get a LittLe CuLture

What: Spring Break at the Museum

When: March 27 - April 4 (Closed March 30)

Where: Dennos Museum, 1410 College Dr., Traverse City

Cost: Kids are free with accompanying adults. (Under 15 must be accompanied by at least one adult.)

Details: Get the whole family talking about art, sculpture, and history at the Dennos. When you arrive, stop at the front desk for a scavenger hunt; turn it in before you go to receive a prize! Younger kiddos can get hands-on in the Discovery Gallery, and be sure to check out the Trilobite Treasures exhibit to learn about prehistoric life under the sea. For more ideas to get the conversation going, head to the website’s Gallery Activities for a list of fun things to do while you visit. dennosmuseum.org

2. Make CooL Stuff and PLay with your food

What: Crafternoon: Station to Station and Cereal Party

When: Thursday, April 2, 3-4pm, and Friday, April 3, 10am-11am

Where: Boyne City District Library, 201 E. Main St., Boyne City

Cost: Free

Details: On Thursday, kids grades 3-8 will have a blast visiting craft stations set up for making buttons, magic wands, bookmarks, and more! Then on Friday, ages 4-10 will enjoy a breakfast party and cereal craft. (Ages 8 and under must be

accompanied by a parent.) Registration required for both by linking to the library calendar. boynelibrary.org

3. find SoMe eGGS

What: Easter Celebration

When: Saturday April 4, 10:30am-3pm

Where: The Village of Walloon Lake, north M-75, Walloon Lake

Cost: Free (While supplies last.)

Details: The walkable village at Walloon Lake is a treasure every day of the year. Celebrate Easter with free family activities including egg hunts, brunch with the Easter bunny (reservations available, but not required), cookie decorating, plus games and activities for the older kiddos. Guess the number of jelly beans in the jar for a chance to win a half-day Tri Toon boat rental.

Hosted by Barrel Back Restaurant. facebook. com/BarrelBackRestaurant

4. Make new friendS outSide

What: Family Playgroup

When: Thursday, April 2, 2026, 10:30am (1.5 hours)

Where: Grass River Natural Area, 6500 Alden Hwy, Bellaire.

Cost: Free. No registration needed.

Details: Nature-based play groups for families with children ages 0 to 5 are regularly scheduled on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Head out on April 2 for outdoor play, stories, snacks, and connection with other families in this gorgeous 1,502-acre nature preserve in the heart of Antrim County. Fur kids are welcome, too. grassriver.org

5. Learn for five dayS StraiGht

What: Spring Break Staycation Kids

Week at St. Ambrose Cellars

When: March 30 - April 3, times vary

Where: St. Ambrose Cellars, 841 S. Pioneer Rd., Beulah

Cost: Free unless otherwise noted (Pizza Day $10)

Details: Thank you, St. Ambrose, for this action-packed week for kids! Play

board games and giant-screen video games, make stop-action movies, craft pizzas, learn to play disc golf, and get up close and personal with a collection of reptiles. Space is limited, so reservations are a must. Stay for great food and craft libations (for the grown-ups). stambrosemead-wine.com/events

6. Get the droP on SPrinG

What: Spring Break Drop-in Kid’s Activities

When: March 30 - April 3, anytime between 10am-3pm

Where: Pine Hill Nursery, 886 US-31 North, Kewadin Cost: Free

Details: Staying home for spring break? Bring the kiddos out to Pine Hill’s Torch Lake location and start thinking about the garden (the nursery’s seed selection is totally stocked!). Practice green-thumb gardening with a visit to the sunny greenhouse and plant something to take home. There will also be a spring break scavenger hunt. pinehill-nursery.com

7. watCh SoMethinG out of thiS worLd

What: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

When: Wednesday, April 1, Time TBD

Where: Lyric Theatre, 275 E. Main St., Harbor Springs

Cost: Adult 13+: $12, Seniors 65+: $10, Children 3-12: $9, Under 3: Free

Details: This sequel to The Super Mario Bros . Movie is a sure bet at the beautiful and historic theater in Harbor Springs. Plus, the Lyric concession stand is a dream come true for all ages. Fresh organic popcorn with real butter; classic movie theatre candies; specialty treats, locally made; plus, fountain sodas and adult beverages. Tickets sell out fast, so order online for best results. lyricharborsprings.org/movie-schedulenow-playing

8. BuG out in CheBoyGan

What: Spring Break at the Library

When: March 30 - April 2 (times vary)

Where: Cheboygan Public Library, 100 S. Bailey St., Cheboygan Cost: No fee, no registration required. Details: These activities are open to all, no matter what school the kiddos attend. Learn about mushrooms and paint a wooden mushroom; enjoy the Bug Bonanza; watch A Bug’s Life movie (snacks included or BYO); and learn how to paint Legos. cheboyganlibrary.org

THE ICE STORM, A RETROSPECTIVE

One year later, we look back on the historic ice storm that devastated northern Michigan

By Ren Brabenec

For countless residents, the northern Michigan ice storm of 2025 was an experience unlike any other. Families huddled under blankets in dark houses. Many could not leave their homes due to blocked driveways and roads. Thousands went without power, some for over two weeks.

One year later, and shortly after another powerful winter storm, Michiganders reflect on the experience, what we learned, and how we can prepare for the future.

The Science Behind the Storm

The storm’s meteorological aspects alone were stunning. We checked in with the National Weather Service (NWS) station in Gaylord, which happened to be one of the areas hardest hit. What made this storm different?

“The most unique aspect of the 2025 storm was how long it lasted,” says Pat Bak, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at NWS Gaylord. “Typically, northern Michigan will see 6-12 total hours of freezing rain spread out over the entire winter. In this storm, we had three days of freezing rain.”

According to Bak, it’s rare for a Michigan ice storm to last more than a few hours before shifting air conditions turn freezing rain into rain or snow. Bak, who himself lost power for eight days, said he could count on one hand the number of comparable storms that have taken place in northern Michigan over the last century.

“From March 28 through March 30, we witnessed several rounds of precipitation that occurred while a number of meteorological factors aligned to create the perfect conditions for prolonging freezing rain,” Bak says.

Reaching for a report published by his office, Bak reads aloud, “A well defined warm nose (a layer of warmer air) about 1,500 feet above the surface set the stage for any precipitation to be melting as it fell through that layer to the surface. Meanwhile, a very narrow layer of subfreezing air existed right above the ground, which meant that elevated surfaces, especially taller objects such as trees, power lines, and communication antennas would be subject to icing.”

Storm Damage and Repair

So what do you get when meteorological conditions conducive to freezing rain hold on for almost three days, rather than the typical hour or two? You get ice accumulation, and a lot of it, coating just about everything.

According to Bak’s report, ice coated trees, power lines, and other objects to the tune of 0.25-0.50 inches of ice buildup in much of the northern Lower Peninsula and a small section of the eastern Upper Peninsula. Some areas of Emmet and Cheboygan counties received 0.75 inches of ice buildup. Parts of Antrim, Otsego, and Montmorency counties recorded a staggering 1 inch or more.

Ice is heavy, and when that much ice builds up on objects, they break. One report by Great Lakes Energy indicated over 3,100 power poles were damaged, with at least 800 snapping and requiring complete replacement rather than a quick repair. Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op said they had to repair 2,800 damaged power poles, 3,800 miles of power lines, and 900 transformers.

Over 145,000 residents lost power at the height of the storm, and thousands were without power for up to 18 days. And because Michigan was not awarded all of the federal disaster aid it requested from the Trump Administration (more on that later), the cost of utility repairs and grid replacement has fallen on residents.

On top of damaged or destroyed power infrastructure, millions of trees fell in the ice storm, blocking residents’ driveways,

preventing travel on roads, damaging structures, and obstructing emergency response and cleanup efforts.

Volunteer Trail Cleanup

The storm hit hard, but the people hit back harder. We checked in with the Little Traverse Conservancy (LTC) and heard from three staff members that the community response to the storm was nothing short of extraordinary.

LTC manages nearly 50 nature preserves and 38 working forest reserves totaling thousands of acres in Chippewa, Mackinac, Emmet, Cheboygan, and Charlevoix counties. Volunteer Coordinator Cacia Lesh, who was without power for two days, says one reason the storm so heavily impacted power lines crossing northern Michigan’s forests was that much of the region’s forests are former red pine plantations designed for logging, i.e., trees intentionally planted close together.

“That’s good for business, perhaps, but devastating for the forest and nearby power lines should an ice storm come along,” Lesh says.

Lesh tells us that all of LTC’s 120 miles of trails are now passable, but there are still threats in the form of “widowmaker” branches hung up in the canopy, and that trail enthusiasts must exercise caution.

“Since the storm, we’ve had five to eight full-time trail staff plus over 100 volunteers— an 87 percent surge in volunteers—out there working on our nature preserves,” Lesh says. “We recorded about 950 volunteer hours and 35 first-time volunteers in 2025.”

Lesh says the work continues because, as the heavy, wet snow of February and March 2026 melts, it’s helping to bring down some of the broken limbs that had been hung up since March 2025. “We have frequent volunteer days scheduled throughout the month,” Lesh says. “Folks can get involved at landtrust.org/volunteer.”

Debris and Replanting

We also spoke with LTC’s Derek Shiels, Director of Stewardship. Shiels told us he lost six of the seven trees on his property and had to remediate a flooded basement, a reminder that no one escaped the storm unscathed.

In addition to clearing trails, LTC also used a few of its properties as drop-off sites for tree debris, collecting 7,500 cubic yards of debris at just one site. Per Shiels, “One of the central problems crews faced during the ice storm was this issue of, ‘Well, now we’ve collected all this storm debris, what do we do with it?’ So we opened four of our sites for

drop-off, then we hired a forestry mulcher to process the debris over the summer and fall.”

Shiels also mentions LTC was able to salvage much of the downed trees in their forest reserves, and the team identified and tubed 200 new red oak seedlings to help diversify some of the red pine-dominant forest stands.

LTC’s Director of Community Outreach Anne Fleming adds that volunteers did so much more than reopen nature preserves, noting how they cleared downed branches and other mobility hazards from yards and driveways so elderly residents could safely access their vehicles and leave in case of an emergency or to find a warm place. Speaking of warm places, Fleming calls attention to how communities worked together to set up warming centers in schools and churches while others were out cleaning up.

“We also got help from local businesses.” Fleming says. “Home Depot gave us $2,500 for chainsaws and other equipment. Meijer Ace Hardware donated a wood chipper rental that we got to use for free for weeks. These businesses could have been charging a premium, yet they supported our work and made it so our volunteers and staff could help the community.”

Local Funding for Recovery

Just as volunteering was essential during the storm recovery, so too was funding.

“We were able to launch a crowdfund campaign, pulling on the attention and heartstrings from the whole of the northwest Michigan region,” says Daniel Marbury, program coordinator for Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting a thriving culture and community centered around farms.

Marbury explains that “We opened up a campaign that over 77 individual donors contributed to, in addition to three community foundations, including the Petoskey & Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation, Charlevoix County Community Foundation, and Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan. We were able to distribute $30,000 to 11 farms impacted by this storm.”

The example set by Crosshatch was just one of many on display in the days, weeks, and months following the storm. The Otsego Community Foundation opened grant opportunities ranging from $500 to $5,000 for public-serving organizations. The Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation created an Emergency Response Fund to support storm-related relief and to assist eligible nonprofit

organizations and government entities in responding to future emergencies.

An Update on Federal Aid

As helpful as it is, state-level and nonprofit disaster response capabilities have always been limited. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter created the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through executive order to centralize emergency management, disaster response, and civil defense functions. When the ice storm hit, Governor Gretchen Whitmer appealed to FEMA for assistance.

“In July 2025, President Trump declared a federal emergency in 13 counties across the state following the historic northern Michigan ice storm,” explains Clayton Cummins, Public Information Officer at Michigan’s Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division.

“The federal declaration allowed FEMA to provide Public Assistance (PA) funding to state, tribal, territorial, local governments, and utilities, as well as certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations to support response and recovery efforts such as emergency protective measures, debris removal, repairing infrastructure like roads, bridges, public buildings, and equipment,” Cummins continues.

However, FEMA denied assistance for the following categories, all of which are essential to long-term recovery: PA Category F, which would fund permanent repairs to damaged utilities; Individual Assistance (IA), which helps residents with housing and disasterrelated losses; and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), which funds long-term projects to reduce future risks.

We asked Cummins whether there had been any updates on PA Category F in particular, because thousands of Michigan residents are currently footing the bill for millions of dollars in repairs to damaged utilities.

“In August 2025, Governor Whitmer appealed FEMA’s decision,” Cummins tells us. “In October 2025, FEMA officials reaffirmed the denial of Public Assistance Category F funding and Individual Assistance. The appeal of denial for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is still under review.”

Great Lakes Energy, which serves about 125,000 members in 26 counties, issued a statement saying its utility repairs will likely exceed $155 million and that any portion not paid for by state or federal funds will be paid by members.

Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op

(PIE&G), which serves about 40,000 members, reported securing a $100 million loan for utility repairs, though PIE&G envisions needing $150 million in total. PIE&G said on its website that it must pay $8.5 million in debt service (interest) per year, a cost currently being borne by members.

On March 10, 2026, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer met with President Donald Trump in the White House and secured a commitment from the president to reverse FEMA’s decision denying Michiganders aid with recovery efforts. On March 13, Whitmer released a press release noting that FEMA “has amended the major disaster declaration for Michigan’s 2025 historic ice storm to include Public Assistance (PA) Category F funding, allowing affected eligible public utilities in 13 northern Michigan counties to receive federal support for permanent repairs.”

Looking to the Next Storm

What have we learned in the event such a storm strikes again?

“It’s difficult to prepare for a storm of that magnitude,” says meteorologist Bak, so it all comes down to keeping resources on hand.

That looks different for everyone, but Bak says maintaining access to food, water, and shelter is key. Bak recommends keeping a stockpile of fresh supplies, including nonperishable food, an alternative heat source, fresh potable water, and, ideally, a generator or alternative power supply. Blankets, flashlights, warm clothes, first-aid kits, and battery-powered radios and satellite phones are essential during a severe storm.

“Beyond keeping supplies on hand, you need an emergency preparedness plan,” Bak adds. He notes how when power lines are down in roadways and residents are trapped in their homes, something that would normally be a mild inconvenience, like running out of medication, can suddenly become life-threatening.

“We’ll issue warnings about what kind of weather is headed your way, but you have to receive that warning,” Bak says. “Watching for weather warnings should be a part of your preparedness plan, so check the forecast regularly. Be sure your plan enables you to keep yourself and your family safe at home for several days at a time. Try to cover as many of your own bases as you can, but spare a few extra thoughts for how you can also help your neighbors.”

“No man is an island,” Bak says in closing. “We only recover from devastating events like these when we look out for each other.”

Come Hungry, Leave Happy, and Support Local

Farmer’s Kitchen in Kalkaska aims to be the heart of the neighborhood

By Anna Faller

In the immortal words of the sitcom Cheers, we all want to go where everybody knows our name. Even better if tasty eats are involved!

It’s this sense of shared community (served up alongside scratch-made breakfast) that Kalkaska farmer Kristina Lane and her family hope to cultivate in their diner, Farmer’s Kitchen.

Opened in fall 2025, the café, which occupies the space previously home to Shirley’s in the Woods Café, combines homestyle cooking with farm-fresh ingredients to breathe new life into a beloved institution

“Everyone says that they missed this, that this diner was the heart of their community,” says Lane. “I want to bring that back.”

Baby Goats

It all began with baby goats.

Per Lane, the story begins several years ago, when she and her husband were first introduced to the idea of raising livestock after meeting a friend’s flock. Long story short, it was love at first bleat. “I bought two [goats] on the way home from her house,” Lane says with a laugh. “I knew this was what I was meant to do.”

That became the impetus for their homestead, Mossy Creek Farm. So named for the swampy lands that comprised the venture’s original plot in Grayling, the farm now sits on a 79-acre parcel in Kalkaska, which the family has owned since 2021. In addition to the quintessential red barn, the property also houses scads of livestock—two horses, a herd of pigs and about 20 piglets, cows, dozens of chickens, and (you guessed it!) a growing number of goats—which they raise to supply their neighbors with farm fresh poultry, meat, eggs, and dairy.

There’s also a farm store on the grounds, says Lane, complete with freezers for preserved proteins, as well as her seasonal

vegetable garden (they’ve even dabbled in u-pick pumpkins), and toward the back of the property, a wide field for pasture, a trout pond, and a four camping sites for summer renting.

Per Lane, they went the livestock route after discovering that the farm’s sandy soil could spell disaster for produce. That and, “we’re just animal people!” she says. Building a customer base in rural Kalkaska, whose market is saturated with similar farms, however, felt nearly impossible.

“We were farming so much, but there wasn’t a big market for it where people would come and buy from us,” she explains. “It got to the point where we were doing what we liked, but didn’t know what to do with [all of the product].”

Farmer’s Kitchen

So, when the iconic Shirley’s in the Woods Café on Bear Lake Rd. came up for sale, Lane saw an opportunity. “We thought, let’s make it a farm-fresh diner and get [our product] out to the public that way, instead of just through retail meat,” she says.

The new space, which the family dubbed Farmer’s Kitchen, takes the neighborhood café concept and kicks it up a few farm-totable notches with brunch and breakfast fare prepared using ingredients sourced from the area’s many smaller-scale growers.

Naturally, Mossy Creek is one of those farms, which supplies the kitchen with everything from poultry and eggs, to ham steak, bacon, and select veggies, like tomatoes and lettuce. For components her farm can’t or doesn’t produce, she makes a point of tapping the nearby network: Maple syrup comes from Olds Brothers in Kingsley, for instance; potatoes from Elmaple Farm in Kalkaska; and quarter-cows for beef from an independent farmer just steps away! Lane does note, however, that some bulk staples, like bread, are sourced from other Michigan makers.

“It’s not just about our farm,” she adds. “I’m trying to support other small farms around us

too, because I know how hard it is.”

Inside, the Farmer’s Kitchen vibe is divey diner meets homestyle dining room, complete with wood detailing and a mossygreen palette, decked out in the farm-centric touches that eventually became the café’s aesthetic. Visitors have also contributed décor, says Lane, like photos, prints, and other tchotchkes. One guest even gifted them a metalwork sign with the diner’s logo!

Seating, though limited, is just as cozy—“We only sit 55 people, so it’s pretty small,” Lane notes—with options including a central bar-counter, a selection of booths, and two free-standing tables, one of which is sized for larger parties.

On the Menu

The true focal point of the café, though, is the food.

In truest farm-to-table fashion, everything the kitchen cooks up, from batters and sauces to baked goods, is made from scratch. “I wanted to keep everything as fresh and homemade as possible,” Lane underscores. Staffing is also a family affair, with both of her parents, her two oldest children, and even her sister and nephew cooking and running the floor.

Consequently, the diner’s cuisine falls squarely in the comfort-food realm (think: rustic classics that stick to your ribs) with the occasional nod to Lane’s southern roots.

“My mom’s family is from Kentucky, so we tried to go that route [with the menu] a little bit,” she says.

On the breakfast side of things, this equates to top-selling items like the Farmer’s Breakfast Platter—that’s a plate piled high with the guest’s choice of protein (bacon, ham steak, chorizo, or breakfast sausage), two eggs, shredded hashbrowns, and biscuits or toast— and Lane’s personal favorite, the Cinna-Bomb pancakes, which are homemade right down to the buttermilk batter and heartily drizzled with maple cream cheese.

Other must-try morning bites include the sausage gravy-smothered buttermilk biscuits (which feel like a match for the fried green tomatoes), and for the dessert-first type, a build-your-own griddle cake situation, complete with every possible topping.

The Bunch-a-Bologna, a smoked and fried bologna sandwich, is a standout, as is the hyper-local and totally decadent Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffle. And oldschool handhelds, like the SMASH Stacker burger, which clocks in at a whopping halfpound before the fries, also performs well with patrons.

Summer Plans

Come hungry, leave happy, and support local—that’s the motto. And Farmer’s Kitchen is just the beginning!

Though summer 2026 will mark the diner’s first high-season experience—“I have no idea what to expect, so we’re waiting to see how it goes!” Lane says—a promising local response has prompted service extras, like the recent addition of a retail meat freezer inside the restaurant.

Per Lane, plans for making, and eventually supplying the kitchen, with fresh goat’s cheese are also in the pipes. In fact, the family have earmarked the structure adjacent to the café for production, but remain in limbo, at least for now, while planning for reconstruction and equipment (though the hope is to be underway in a matter of months). Lane even hints at sourcing Moomer’s ice cream in time for summer traffic!

The goal, she says, is to support the community that continues to find ways to support her.

“Bear Lake has wonderful people,” Lane adds. “I’m hoping the diner brings back a little community place.”

Find Farmer’s Kitchen at 10945 W Bear Lake Rd. SE in Kalkaska. (231) 384-6007

Like this ad? See others like it at Antrimdems.com. These ads are not copyrighted and can be reprinted. PLEASE DONATE TO ANTRIMDEMS.COM/DONATE.

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BRIDGING THE POLITICAL DIVIDE

The science of working together, and how we’re doing it in northern Michigan

By Mitchell Ryan Distin, PhD

In his 1796 Farewell Address, George Washington warned that party conflict could harden into vengeance, describing “the alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge…[as] itself a frightful despotism,” and cautioning that parties can become “potent engines” for those who would “usurp… the reins of government.”

Years earlier, John Adams posed a similar fear in a 1780 letter: “There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties…This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”

As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, those early warnings by our founders ring truer than ever. Partisanship has indeed hardened into a firm tribalism, and the clash of competing factions now threatens to test—perhaps more so than at any point in living memory—the durability of the “American experiment.”

A 2024 Gallup poll found a record-high 80 percent of U.S. adults believe Americans are “greatly divided” on the most important values, a level that has steadily climbed in recent decades.

Significant majorities now see the other party as immoral, as Pew research indicates 72 percent of Republicans and 63 percent of Democrats view members of the opposing party as more immoral than other Americans, up sharply from 2016. None of this is particularly surprising to

anyone watching American politics today. Political identity increasingly shapes not just our institutions but our social networks, our media consumption, and even our perception of reality itself.

But both social science and local efforts suggest that this trajectory is not irreversible.

The New Science of Cooperation Division may dominate today’s headlines, but it is not inevitable. In fact, recent science suggests that division is the exception rather than the norm for most of human history. Human beings evolved as profoundly social creatures—or “ultrasocial,” in the words of anthropologist Joseph Henrich—whose survival depended on cooperation in large groups.

Behavioral science has long shown that cohesive societies are built not by amplifying differences but by cultivating shared identities and shared goals. When people see themselves as members of the same group working toward a common purpose, cooperation becomes far easier.

The late political scientist Elinor Ostrom, who was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2009, spent decades studying how communities around the world successfully managed shared resources without collapsing into conflict, effectively solving the longstanding issue known as “The Tragedy of the Commons.”

The defining research question she asked was: why do some groups cooperate while others fail?

Her research took her to communities

across the world. She identified a set of conditions—known as the Core Design Principles (CDPs)—that allow diverse groups to cooperate effectively at multiple scales.

These principles enumerated are: (1) clear group identity and shared purpose, (2) equitable distribution of benefits and resources, (3) fair and inclusive decisionmaking, (4) transparency of behavior, (5) graduated responding to helpful or unhelpful behavior, (6) fast and fair conflict resolution, (7) authority to self-govern, and (8) collaborative relations with other groups (using principles 1-7).

Ostrom found that when any social group accomplished all eight of the CDPs, then they can overcome any social dilemma that might otherwise undermine cooperation and collective action at a higher level.

What makes Ostrom’s work especially relevant today is that these principles appear to be remarkably universal. They apply across cultures and contexts, from pastoralist cultures in east Africa to irrigation farmers in Nepal to fishing villages in Turkey to youth sports teams to businesses and corporations.

For much of American history, we embodied this common identity described in Ostrom’s work, however imperfectly realized. The challenge before us is not to “reinvent the wheel,” so to speak, but to relearn the deep-seated principles of cooperation that we’ve allowed to fade.

A New “Experiment” in Northern Michigan Civics

For many northern Michiganders, the rift between Democrats and Republicans has

become too much to bear. Rather than wait for solutions from our politicians, they have taken it upon themselves to try and fix the political divide.

The Purple Assembly, a grassroots initiative recently started in Traverse City, grew out of a gnawing sense that Americans need to relearn how to hold constructive, civil dialogue.

“We were exhausted by the constant fighting we see on television,” says Tina Allen of Traverse City, one of the organizers. “It feels like politics has become a game where one side wins and the other loses, which typically ends in perpetual gridlock, and nothing ever gets solved.”

Allen and a handful of neighbors decided to try something different. They invited people with different political views into the same room and asked them one simple request: talk to each other—respectfully, of course.

Their first meeting, held this past February, drew more than 70 participants from across the region and all walks of life. “It was a success,” Allen says, “but more needs to be done. We’re still learning how to hold this space for everyone.”

Around the same time, another northern Michigander arrived at a similar conclusion.

Sam Getsinger, an 82-year old retiree from Leelanau, began organizing “Common Ground Gatherings” that included people from all different demographics and political affiliations.

“The goal,” Getsinger told our sister publication, The Leelanau Ticker, “is to break

down barriers of thinking so we can listen to one another and work together.”

“In kindergarten, the kids for the most part really liked each other,” Getsinger continued. “It always made me wonder what happened later in school, where they didn't anymore. I think, often, what we do to kids is separate them, and not show each of them what they have to contribute.”

Kalkaskans Come Together

These new initiatives coalesce with

recent events such as the fight against data centers in Kalkaska, where members of the Kalkaskan Democrat party were fighting alongside members of the Kalkaskan Republican party—for the first time in living memory.

Ryan Wagner, County Chair of the Kalkaska Republican Party, describes the rare agreement in stark terms: “I don’t believe the unity against billion dollar corporations has been stronger. These data center developers make big promises that

they don’t intend to keep.”

For Wagner, the issue transcended partisan politics entirely. “This had nothing to do with politics. I think the people cared more about the environment and the health of their children.”

“I believe people are tired of being lied to,” Wagner continues. “Environment and health are major concerns for us true Michiganders. We are surrounded by fresh Great Lake water that we must protect at all costs. These data centers are water-

depleting vacuums, and the more research people do, the risks clearly outweigh the rewards to local communities.”

A Washington Post article, “How Data Centers Are Shifting the Political Landscape,” highlighted how the data center phenomena is exposing that Americans share far more in common than they typically realize, the same pattern observed in Kalkaska. Maybe, just maybe, we’re not so different after all.

BUILDING STRONGER SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS

Get to know the Grand Traverse County’s Sexual Assault Response Team

By Jillian Manning

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 81 percent of women and 43 percent of men in the U.S. report experiencing “some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime.” One in five women “experienced completed or attempted rape.”

In northern Michigan, Munson-based Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Alexis Patterson tells Northern Express that “a little over one per 1,000 residents in one year have a sexual assault in Grand Traverse County,” a figure which she says is likely low based on underreporting of these incredibly personal types of crimes.

Patterson adds, “Every single case I have ever taken, they’ve known the person [perpetrator].”

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, so we sat down with Patterson and Michigan State Police Victim Services Advocate Mindy Hill to understand the scope of their work.

Starting a SART

Patterson and Hill are part of Grand Traverse County’s Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), which aims to provide wraparound services for local victims after an assault. Many cities and larger communities across the country have a SART, but it wasn’t until 2025 that one was formed in Grand Traverse County.

The team consists of nurses like Patterson, local and state law enforcement, the Women’s Resource Center, the Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center, Traverse City’s Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking, Munson Healthcare, and the county health department. The goal is to collaborate on cases and make sure that

victims don’t fall through the cracks.

“We’re trying to be more system based to move these cases along and see where we could sharpen each of our individual agencies to be better at handling these cases,” Hill says.

The biggest hurdle the Grand Traverse County SART faces is the rural nature of northern Michigan, as they cover the eight affiliated Munson hospitals from Manistee to Gaylord to Charlevoix.

“There are probably a lot of people that either don’t know about these services or they have to travel two hours to get to them, [so feels like it’s] not doable for them,” Hill says.

But she adds that no matter where you are, “there’s always an answer for somebody, and there’s always somebody willing to help to make sure they get their needs met.”

What the Experience Is Like at the Hospital

For most victims of sexual assault, their journey begins with a visit to the hospital. Both Hill and Patterson highlight the importance of coming in as soon as possible, ideally to Traverse City’s Munson Medical Center, where the most resources await.

Munson Medical Center is where Patterson performs exams using a forensic kit, which helps collect DNA and other potential evidence. Kits are free in the state of Michigan but must be completed within a five-day window of the assault.

“The sooner we see them, the better,” Patterson explains. “That’s when we’re going to get the best evidence collection. You know, it’s tough, because a lot of people after that might want to go and shower and make themselves feel better. Ideally, everyone would come to us right away, and we would be able to collect all the evidence that we

could while it was fresh.”

Patterson emphasizes that the exams are done with trauma-informed care, “giving the power back” to victims and “giving them the power of choice.”

Even if a victim does not want to have a forensic exam, Patterson still urges them to come to the hospital.

“Making sure that medically they’re okay is a big component of our job,” she says. “We just want to make sure that there’s not any injury that we need to take care of and then also still be able to give them resources going forward.”

Patterson says that victims can also receive testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during their visit.

What Happens Next

After the exam is completed, the victim can turn over the kit to law enforcement. If they are not ready to do so—which can happen for a variety of reasons, Patterson says—Munson will keep the kit for a year so a victim could press charges at a later date. SANE nurses can be subpoenaed to provide their testimonies if a case goes to court.

This is also the stage where the rest of the SART team steps in. If a victim has not yet spoken to law enforcement, a SANE nurse or other advocate can help arrange that conversation.

Because these types of trauma are complex and lasting, patients that come in for treatment will also receive a packet of information and next steps put together by the Women’s Resource Center. The hospital staff can also help patients access and understand other resources based on their needs.

“I have done a few male cases,” Patterson says. “In those situations, I’ve printed out resources that would apply to them.”

At the end of the day, the next steps are up to the survivor to take.

“I think it’s really hard sometimes to even make a phone call or know what next step to do,” Hill says. “Victim advocates can be really helpful in that. They’re not going to do it for you, but they can certainly come alongside you.”

Patterson concurs. “You’re not just going to go get your kit and then that’s it. Stuff is going on behind the scenes, and we care, and we’re working together as a community.”

If you or someone you know has experienced a sexual assault, you can contact the Grand Traverse County SART at info@gtsart.org. You can also visit the state of Michigan Sexual Assault website, which has a 24/7 confidential and anonymous call/text hotline along with resources and healthcare options near you: michigan.gov/ voices4/sexual-assault. The hotline number is 1-855-864-2374.

PARTNER GROUPS

Here’s what a few of the SART partners have to say about their roles:

Michigan State Police: “Michigan State Police can investigate sexual assault cases and also has a local victim advocate that can provide support and bridge the gap between the victim and law enforcement, making their experience more trauma informed. MSP Victim Services is victim-centered, making sure the victim is supported, connected to resources, and getting their questions answered.”

Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center: “We offer prevention, intervention, advocacy, and therapy.”

Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking: “We are creating awareness and advocacy around sex trafficking by empowering the survivors on the way to reclaiming their life and educating the public with trainings and events. We help assess a survivor’s situation and offer resources for safety and relocation.”

Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office: “The Grand Traverse Sheriff's Office is committed to conducting thorough, victim-centered investigations of sexual assault.”

Women’s Resource Center: “Advocates provide support and compassionate care to victims of sexual harrassment, sexual assault, and rape. This includes ongoing support during the survivor’s physical and emotional healing journey. We offer immediate support and connections to critical resources and a 24-hour helpline. Services are private, confidential, and free of charge. Crisis shelter, legal advocacy, and support groups are also available.”

BOATER SAFETY CLASSES

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE U.S. COAST GUARD

BOATER SAFETY COURSE

Saturday • April 18

Saturday • May 16

Saturday • June 6

9am - 5pm

Get your boat knowledge up to speed - it’s all about keeping you and your vessel safe on the water! This boater safety class is for recreational boaters ages 12 and older. Topics covered include boating safety and safety equipment, emergency procedures, navigation rules and aids, and boating regulations.

NAVIGATIONAL AND GPS CHARTING COURSE

Tuesday May 19, 5pm 9am - 5pm

Explore the ins and outs of finding your way around using modern technology on the water! Learn how to interpret a nautical chart and navigate on the Great Lakes using basic coastal piloting techniques. You will also learn about basic GPS and navigational skills, and how to use computer electronic charts.

<< Scan here for more details and to reserve space!

MARINER KNOTS, BOAT RADIO & WEATHER COURSE

Thursday • May 7, 6pm

Join us for a fun and informative evening learning all about mariner knots, boat radio, and weather! Whether you’re a seasoned boater or just getting started, this event is perfect for anyone wanting to brush up on their skills or learn something new.

PADDLE SAFETY COURSE

Wednesday May 27, 6pm

Learn from the best about how to safely operate your kayak in and around the Northern Great Lakes! Topics will include weather conditions important to paddlers, info on life jackets, prevention of hypothermia, types of kayaks, important paddle and safety equipment, and planning a safe day trip.

From the Caribbean to California to Traverse City The Red Piano is bringing more live music to downtown TC

By Ross Boissoneau

A piano bar that features live entertainment seven days a week, with two shows on the weekends? That may sound like a bit much, but if it works in Sint Maarten and Santa Barbara, it might just work in Traverse City. Right?

Jason Jones thinks so. Jones and his partner, Colin Campbell, first came up with the concept of the Red Piano in 2006. At the time two were enjoying the high life in Sint Maarten. “We were popular bartenders,” says Jones.

After realizing their concept of a piano bar where the music never stopped, starting an hour after opening and running seven nights a week, they decided to move back to the U.S. They sold the bar to a couple of their employees, and it is still going strong. They then took the concept 3,600 miles west to Santa Barbara, California.

“It was an opportunity to get back [stateside]. I had a baby, a pregnant wife, and in Santa Barbara there was no piano bar,” Jones says. The concept took off once more.

Santa Barbara and Sint Maarten both feature a lively piano bar atmosphere, bringing in performers for weeks-long residencies, where they entertain nightly. And one night a week, the atmosphere changes slightly, with a blues band entertaining for “Church On Monday.”

Coming North

Jones credits the enthusiasm of a local fan with the impetus that resulted in a move to Traverse City. “A lady in Traverse

City, Gretchen Knoblock, fell in love with the concept,” he says. She visited the Red Piano several times and suggested that Traverse City would be a great home for a Red Piano. “For 15 years she’s been sending us [property] listings. So we told her to stop drinking so much.”

Nevertheless, she persisted, and eventually Knoblock broke through their restraint when the lease came up for the property at Cass and Front. Great visibility, in the middle of downtown, and when Jones and Campbell looked seriously at the possibility, they believed it would work.

“I did all the numbers,” Jones says. “The demographic is similar, there’s a lot in common [between Santa Barbara and Traverse City]. It was an excellent opportunity.”

Beyond that, as his family grew, he sought to maximize the return. “I’ve got three boys. I realized one Red Piano was not going to put three boys through college,” he jokes.

So the Red Piano is headed 2,500 miles east. Jones and company are in the midst of a buildout of the former Mackinaw Brewing Company (and before that, the Big Boy restaurant) in the historic Beadle Building on the northwest corner of Front and Cass Streets. “We love the building,” Jones says. There’s one big change from the other Red Pianos: While the Santa Barbara and Sint Maarten locations don’t offer any food, the rules for acquiring the liquor license for the Traverse City location mandated there be some sort of food available.

Fortunately, there’s already an on-site kitchen. Jones says the menu will be limited,

offering pub-style staples such as pizza and sandwiches, as he and the team remain focused on the piano bar concept. “It will be simple, no muss, no fuss.”

Moreover, he says the company is committed to having live music every night it is open, and the intention is to be open virtually every night of the year.

“We’ll see how the shoulder seasons go,” he says. “We’ll go through the year, see what it’s like, then plan for next year.” Weather can also play a role—in California they had to deal with fires and mudslides, so he’s wary of blizzards or other weather travails impacting Traverse City.

Opening for Summer

The hope was to open in spring of this year, but the inevitable building delays and a sudden shift in general contractors when their original contractor became ill has set that back.

“Our original goal was March 1, then April 1,” Jones notes. Neither of those came to fruition, and May 1 looks like a very long shot. Jones now says he is committed to opening by mid-June so he and the staff are ready to handle the summertime crowds.

“The hardest part right now is organizing the build-out,” he says. That includes stripping the inside back to the brick, removing and replacing the bar and moving the restroom in the back to enlarge the outdoor deck that overlooks the river and bay beyond.

It’s also been more of a challenge as Campbell has been on a once-in-a-lifetime sail around the world, and Jones has

occasionally flown back to California to give the general manager at that location a break.

Despite all the hurdles and delays, Jones is convinced it will all be worth it. Once the Red Piano opens in Traverse City, he plans on showcasing high-quality entertainment and excitement nightly, regardless of the day or season. “It’s rock solid talent. It’s Vegaslevel. They’ll fly in from around the country.

“I’ve been vetting it for 20 years. I’ve seen tons and tons of people, watched videos,” he continues. “We’ll bring in a couple and see how they fit. I’ve already got the first six months.”

Get to know The Red Piano vibes and stay tuned for updates at theredpiano.com.

RECOGNIZING PET LOSS

Guest Opinion

By Kristina Pepelko

A loss isn’t always recognized as such. Social acceptance allows a loss some legs, imbuing it with meaning that’s understood beyond an individual’s experience. There is ceremony with socially recognized losses, traditions from both Western and Eastern walks of life, from funeral home visitations to sky burials. Pet loss, however, doesn’t often fall neatly into these death practices

The pet loss experience and resulting grief can be incredibly lonely and isolating. Pet loss is largely considered a disenfranchised loss, meaning that it is “not openly acknowledged, socially validated, or publicly mourned,” as defined by researcher Kenneth J. Doka.

can actually persist for longer,” according to Mellissa Hunt, Ph.D. and Yaniz Padilla Dalmau, D.Phil. When Stella passed, it hit me that our deep connection was irreplaceable, just as some might say a human life is. Neither connection though— to a human or another animal—should outweigh the other.

Every loss brings grief, which can be sharp, painful, and long. The arch of grief can bend in any direction. It does not discriminate, nor should we. A loss is a loss, regardless of who has passed and who is bereaved.

In reflecting on my own grief a year out, Stella will always have my heart. It is my hope that one day pet loss and grief can be

It is my hope that one day pet loss and grief can be fully recognized and appreciated for what it is—love that persists.

Some people experiencing this type of loss have support systems that rally around them during the grieving process. Others don’t even receive a single sympathy card. Even rarer is company-provided bereavement leave that covers pet loss.

In the U.S., 86.3 million dogs and 76.3 million cats (including countless other animals) share our households and brighten our lives, as reported by the American Veterinary Medical Association. According to Pew Research Center, 97 percent of U.S. pet owners (or guardians, if you prefer that term) state that their pets are part of their family.

Given this, you’d think we’d be further along in acknowledging and normalizing pet loss. But practices and cultural norms don’t always keep pace with our emotional experiences, even though loss and grief are universal.

A year ago, my husband and I lost our beloved Stella, our cat of eight years. She was one of the first pets we adopted as adults and the first we said goodbye to from our family of three pets. Our support system was kind and thoughtful, bringing pizza for dinner the day of her euthanasia, sending cards, dropping off a care package of wine and a C ostco-sized package of macarons.

Our friends and family knew that Stella wasn’t just another being who happened to be in our lives; she was family. The grief I felt losing Stella was profound, impacting much of the rest of my 2025 with waves of ups and downs.

Grieving a pet can be as painful an experience as losing a human loved one. Some research has indicated that “bereavement following the death of a pet

fully recognized and appreciated for what it is—love that persists.

If you are anticipating the loss of a beloved pet companion, you may wish to reach out to a pet loss doula for support navigating this complicated process, including the euthanasia experience. One pet loss doula in the northern Michigan area is Angela Shooks of Dragonfly End-of-Life Services, whom I turned to for support in my grief.

You may also consider booking a pet photography session to commemorate your loved one; local photographer Amanda Lewis specializes in pet photography.

If you are currently experiencing pet loss grief, there are a variety of resources out there, from engaging a pet loss grief specialist and attending a pet loss support group to calling a pet loss hotline (example: ASPCA’s hotline can be reached at 1-877-474-3310) and sharing your story online through Letters to Pushkin or the Facebook group Connect and Share Your Pet Loss Story.

Above all, know this: you are not alone, and your grief is valid.

Allow yourself to navigate it in all the ways you need to regardless of social expectations. Allow yourself to grieve your loss fully, to feel the love that still flows through you to your beloved. It is a gift to have loved and been loved.

Kristina Pepelko is a second generation Croatian-American writer and nonprofit communications professional originally from Metro Detroit. Now based in the Traverse City area, she shares her life with her husband, two rescue cats, and a rescued pit bull terrier.

Saturday

CELTS & KAYAKS: Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. 9:30-10:45am: Kayaks on the Snow registration located slope side on the Lodge Patio. 11am: Kayaks on the Snow Race, held on the Cheers to Lou slope. There will also be a slope side DJ, leapin’ leprechauns, on-slope scavenger hunt & more. Receive a $10 discount on your lift ticket if you wear your Irish-themed gear. crystalmountain.com/events-activities/ events/event-calendar/celts-and-kayaks

FREE PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: 9:30-11:30am & 1-3pm, Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, Petoskey. grandpashorters.com

SPRING CRAFT SHOW & BAKE SALE: 10am-4pm, American Legion Post 10, Manistee. Presented by The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 10. Explore the creative talents of 26 crafters from across northern Michigan, offering a variety of arts, jewelry, & other homemade items. Also includes a luncheon & raffle basket.

MARCH EARLY CHILDHOOD EVENTS: 11am, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Featuring interactive storytelling with Jen Strauss, playgroup activities, snacks & a craft project. Aimed at ages 0-5. Each family will receive a book bag from PoWeR Book Bags. Free. northwested.org/article/2735054

MARDI GRAS AT NUB’S NOB: Nub’s Nob, Harbor Springs. 11am: Crazy Kids & Mogul Muncher’s Silly Slalom. Noon: The Dorie Sarns Challenge. 1pm: Silly Slalom. 2pm: Soaker Cup. 3:15pm: Costume Judging. shop.nubsnob.com/mardigras

PROTEST ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE: 11am, Grandview Parkway + Union St., TC. Israel continues committing brutal genocide in Gaza & stealing more Palestinian land in the West Bank. Elected leaders are owned by Israel as the Epstein files show. It’s up to ordinary people to insist on justice. Stand together every Sat. mideastjustpeace.net

2026 MARITIME HERITAGE ALLIANCE SEASON LAUNCH PARTY!: Noon-4pm, Maritime Heritage Alliance, 3820 Cass Rd., TC. Learn how you can get involved, get out on the water & plan for adventure in 2026. Free. maritimeheritagealliance.org/events

MAPLEFEST: Noon, Grass River Natural Area Education Center, Pavilion, Bellaire. Join to see maple sap turned to syrup using an evaporator. Ask staff questions & hike on the trail to see where they tap trees, hang buckets & lines, & collect sap. Free. grassriver.org

SLUSH CUP: The Highlands at Harbor Springs, On Hill. Ski across the pond! Registration runs from 9am-1:30pm near the Brew Bar in the Day Lodge. Slush Cup starts at 2pm. This elimination-style event takes those who succeed in crossing the pond to a lower start for another attempt. This continues until the top three finishers are determined. The Slush Cup Awards start around 3:30pm. highlandsharborsprings.com/events/slush-cup

BALLADS OF SHOREVANIA: A D&D INSPIRED VOCAL PERFORMANCE: 4pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. A unique live story-telling experience where you get to help choose how it goes. Free. tadl.org/shorevania

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS: 7pm, TC West Senior High School Auditorium. Presented by TC West Senior High School Music, March 13-15 & 20-22. Based on the 1960

film by Roger Corman & featuring a book by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken & lyrics by Ashman, Little Shop follows meek plant store attendant Seymour, his co-worker crush Audrey, her sadistic dentist of a boyfriend & the man-eating plant. $15-$25. tcaps.booktix.com

2026 FLY FISHING FILM TOUR: 7:30pm, City Opera House, TC. Presented by The Northern Angler. Win some great prizes! $20-$25. cityoperahouse.org

PAINT NIGHT: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. In this play, six women gather for a girls’ night out. They eat, drink & paint while celebrating a bride to be. But as the alcohol flows, so do their thoughts on womanhood, & their carefully curated lives get hilariously & heartbreakingly real. $25. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/mainstage/thedrowsy-chaperone.html

sunday

CARNIVAL WEEKEND

- SLUSH CUP: 11:30am3pm, Boyne Mountain, North Mclouth, Boyne Falls. Watch daredevils attempt to skim across icy waters (or face a frigid splash). Stick around for The After Splash party in The Back Forty. boynemountain. com/upcoming-events/slush-cup

OPEN SKATE!: GT County Civic Center, Howe Arena, TC. Come roller skate! Bring your own skates or rent some. Two sessions: Noon-2pm or 3-5pm. $5 admission; $5 skate rental. If you need rental skates, be sure to arrive early; popular sizes rent-out quickly. Helmets are recommended, but not required. tcrollerderby.com/events-2-1/open-skate

GARDENING FOR BEGINNERS: 1pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Workshop for beginning gardeners who are interested in learning how to start plants from seeds. Free. tadl.org/gardening

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS: (See Sat., March 21, except today’s time is 2pm.)

PIE & COFFEE CHAT: BUGGIES, BEARDS & BONNETS: 2-4pm, Helena Twp. Community Center, Alden. Carmen Yoder, who grew up in a Mennonite family, shares stories & lively discussions that unpack the history, traditions, language & culture of the Amish. 231-331-4318. Free.

DAVID CHOWN - A TRIBUTE TO THE SONGS OF 1976!: 3pm, The Music House, Williamsburg. Acclaimed northern Michigan pianist David Chown will take people on an historical adventure through piano, highlighting the great singer/songwriters of the 70’s. $25 online; $30 door. mynorthtickets.com/events/ the-music-house-welcomes-back-davidchown-at-300-pm-sunday-march-22-2026-fora-tribute-to-the-songs-of-1976-3-22-2026

FREE PET PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: 3-5pm, Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, Petoskey. Special guests from the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society will be joining the Easter Bunny on March 26. Donations encouraged. grandpashorters.com

wednesday

MARCH EARLY CHILDHOOD EVENTS: 10am, Leelanau Twp. Library, Northport. Featuring interactive storytelling with Jen Strauss, playgroup activities, snacks & a craft project. Aimed at ages 0-5. Each family

will receive a book bag from PoWeR Book Bags. Free. northwested.org/article/2735054

RAPTORS LIVE!: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. Meet & learn about local birds of prey at a fun & interactive program presented by North Sky Raptor Sanctuary. Free. tadl.org/raptorslive

PLACE SERIES: Presbyterian Church of TC, 701 Westminster Rd. Join each Weds. of March. Indigenous community members share stories & histories that contrast the pervasive colonial narratives about this region. Sharing will be through storytelling, art, music, & ceremony. 5:30pm meal ($5$7 suggested donation); 6:30pm program. March 25: Kwiinwin (Community). Tom Peters & Yvonne Walker-Keshick will share. Find ‘PLACE: Re-taking the Story (week 4Kwiinwin)’ on Facebook. Free.

FILM SCREENING: “YOU CAN’T BE NEUTRAL ON A MOVING TRAIN”: 7pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. This acclaimed film looks at the life of the renowned historian, activist & author Howard Zinn. Postfilm discussion with Ed Hoogterp, Gerard Grabowski & Brian McCall. Free. elbertalaborheritagecenter.org/event/film-you-cantbe-neutral-on-a-moving-train

thursday

COFFEE @ TEN, PETOSKEY: 10am, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Gilbert Gallery, Petoskey. Education Director at Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians Tan-A Hoffman presents “The Bundle: Anishinaabe-Made Learning Resources.” Free. crookedtree. org/events-and-exhibitions/events/?page=1 &location=petoskey#class-list

FREE PET PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: 4-7pm, Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, Petoskey. Special guests from the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society will be joining the Easter Bunny on March 26. Donations encouraged. grandpashorters.com

RANKED CHOICE VOTING EXPLAINED: 6pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. A presentation to talk about everything you want to know about Ranked Choice Voting. Free. tadl.org/ RankedChoice

“THE SEARCH FOR ANNA & LEVI”: 6:30pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Produced by the Leelanau Historical Society, the film explores the lives of Anna & Levi Johnson, early Black homesteaders in what is now the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Film director Joe VanderMeulen will be available for questions after the screening. glenlakelibrary.net/Events

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THE GIVER: 7pm, Old Town Playhouse, Schmuckal Theatre, TC. OTP’s youth performers offer a live adaptation of Lois Lowry’s classic novel. At the age of twelve, Jonas is chosen by his society to be the next Receiver of Memory, learning from the elderly Giver. As Jonas discovers the truth about his world’s dark secrets, he must decide whether to accept or escape the truth. $15$22. oldtownplayhouse.com/youth-learning/ performances/the-giver.html

THE PROMISE: 7pm, New Hope Community Church, TC. A live Easter musical drama portraying the life, death, & resurrection of Jesus Christ. Families are encouraged to attend, though viewer discretion is advised due to intense or graphic scenes. Childcare is provided for ages 0-5 during the performances. Free. newhope.cc/promise

friday

BENEFIT BREAK: SPRING BREAK KICK-OFF CONCERT: 7pm, Dennos Museum Center, Milliken Auditorium, NMC, TC. All proceeds from ticket sales go to scholarships for NMC students. Audio Tech student Garrett Williams (in collaboration with the NMC Audio Tech program) will be hosting The Go Rounds at Milliken Auditorium. This event will be entirely student-produced & is an opportunity for Audio Technology students to gain valuable hands-on experience. $20/person. simpletix.com/e/benefit-breakspring-break-kick-off-concer-tickets-262457 -

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC, March 27April 4. Visit the museum for a Spring Break adventure for the whole family! Kids are free this week with accompanying adults. A new scavenger hunt will be available at the front desk. Turn it in to receive a prize! All children under 15 must be accompanied by at least one adult. simpletix.com/e/spring-break-atthe-museum-tickets-249525

LUNCHEON LECTURE: WINGS OVER SUPERIOR: 11:30am-1pm, NCMC, Library Conference Center, Petoskey. Steven Keck will share the chain of Cold War events close to home that arose from America’s fear of a possible war with the Soviet Union. Steve served 16 years in the U.S. Coast Guard as chief of emergency management for the northern Great Lakes & 24 years in the Air Force involved with tactical air control, presidential airlift planning for Presidents Ronald Reagan & George H. Bush, & many other duties around the world. Register. $15. ncmclifelonglearning.com/event-6464527

BOOT SCOOTIN’ LINE DANCE: 7pm, Up North Pride Community Center, TC. Kick up your heels & learn some new moves! Enjoy a night of line dance instruction set to popular music. Free. upnorthpride.com/events

FUNDRAISER – MISMATCHED CABARET: 7pm, Hotel Indigo, TC. A variety show of musical provocative humor, sultry performances, & unexpected twists, all in support of Old Town Playhouse. Inspired by speakeasy glamour & burlesque flair, this night also includes a costume contest & audience interaction. $25. oldtownplayhouse.com/performances/specialevents/mismatched-cabaret.html -

INTERLOCHEN GUITARIST MATTHEW COCHRAN: 7pm, The Music House Museum, Williamsburg. Classical guitarist & composer Matthew Cochran blends elements of romanticism, minimalism, & traditional music. His concert will include his own compositions for solo guitar, including modern classics of the guitar repertoire, “Two Young Fish,” “Three NonAlgorithmic Human Interactions,” & more. $25 online, $30 door. mynorthtickets.com/events/ the-music-house-is-proud-to-welcome-interlochen-guitarist-matthew-cochran-in-concert-onfriday-march-27-at-700pm-3-27-2026

THE GIVER: (See Thurs., March 26) -

THE PROMISE: (See Thurs., March 26)

THE ROCKET MAN SHOW: 9-10:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. This show stars Scotsman Rus Anderson – Elton John’s official stunt & body double as featured in the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ world tour. Chosen by Elton himself, Rus pilots a night of greatest hits, while slamming the piano & wearing Elton’s actual personally owned costumes from the 1970’s. $20. lrcr.com/event/ rocket-man-show

saturday

FREE PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: (See Sat., March 21)

PROTEST ISRAEL’S GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE: (See Sat., March 21)

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

MAPLE SYRUP WORKSHOP: 1-3pm, Postle Farm Preserve, Boyne Falls. Explore the art of maple syrup making with a guided hike through the woods to see how maple trees are tapped, followed by a close-up look at the process that transforms sap into syrup. Register. Free. walloon.org/get-involved/events

MOREL MUSHROOM HUNTING WITH ANTHONY WILLIAMS: 2pm, Traverse Area District Library, McGuire Community Room, TC. After winning the National Morel Hunting Championship five years in a row, Anthony Williams retired from competitive picking to become the “Expert in Residence” for the National Morel Festival. Over the past twenty years he has continued to share his “Picking with the Champ” seminar at the festival & Michigan libraries. Free. tadl.org/event/morelmushroom-hunting-anthony-williams-29967

THE PROMISE: (See Thurs., March 26, except today’s time is 2pm.)

FUNDRAISER – MISMATCHED CABARET: (See Fri., March 27)

THE GIVER: (See Thurs., March 26)

SAMMY KERSHAW: 8pm, Leelanau Sands Casino Showroom, Peshawbestown. Enjoy a night of pure country gold from one of the most iconic voices in 90s country. You’ll be singing along to “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” & “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer.” Doors open at 7pm. For ages 18+. Starting at $60. leelanausandscasino.com/events

sunday

FORMULA 1 FREE WATCH

PARTIES: JAPAN: 9am, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Experience the thrilling races on the big screen. Featuring Formula 1 games. Doors open one hour before the start of each race. thebaytheatre.org

FREE PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: (See Sat., March 21)

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

“ALL TOO CLEAR”: 4pm, The Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay. Made In Michigan - Bay Theatre Film Series featuring Michigan Independent Filmmakers. Directed by the husband-and-wife film making team, Zach Melnick & Yvonne Drebert, this immersive film uses underwater drones to explore how quadrillions of tiny invasive mussels are changing the ecosystem of the Great Lakes at a scale not seen since the glaciers. $15. thebaytheatre.org/home-page

mar 30 mar 29 mar 28

monday

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

ALVIN PAIGE - BARITONE SAXOPHONE

ELI RACHLIN - TRUMPET

MILES COLE - TROMBONE

KEVIN EISENBERG - PIANO

JOSE VALENZUELA - GUITAR

JOE FIELDER - DRUMS

ALEX HOBERTY - BASS

AIDAN CLARK - VOCALS

ARRANGEMENTS BY CHRIS GLASSMAN

SPRING BREAK KIDS WEEK: 2-4pm, St. Ambrose Cellars, Beulah. Game Day: Featuring a variety of board games & video games on a 150” projector screen & a VR headset. RSVP. Free. stambrose-mead-wine.com

tuesday

SPRING PEEPERS: SIGNS OF SPRING: 10am, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. For ages 3-5 with an adult. Search for the first signs of spring in the natural world, how plants & animals wake up from a long winter, & more. Register. $5/child per session; cash only! natureiscalling.org/preschool-peepers-program

SPRING BREAK AT GLCL: Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. STEM kits: Young learners are invited to explore the library’s collection of Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) kits & games. Library staff & volunteers will be on hand to provide assistance. Drop in between 11am2pm. glenlakelibrary.net

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

SPRING BREAK KIDS WEEK: Noon-2pm, St. Ambrose Cellars, Beulah. Today is Stop Motion Animation Workshop. Kids will learn how to create their own short movies using a smartphone, Legos, clay, & other fun materials. All they need to bring is a smartphone— everything else will be provided. RSVP. Free. stambrose-mead-wine.com

WOMEN OF AMERICANA: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. A heartfelt celebration of early folk, gospel, & Western swing music. Featuring vocalists & instrumentalists Cristina Vane & Brennen Leigh, who will perform iconic songs including “This Land is Your Land,” “This Train” & “Just Like a Woman.” Coincides with the upcoming Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary of the United States’ founding). $10-$44. cityoperahouse.org/womenofamericana

wednesday

SPRING BREAK STAYCATION: 10am-4pm, Harbor Springs History Museum. Decorate your own seed starter pot & plant a seed to take home. 231-526-9771. Donation.

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

SPRING BREAK KIDS WEEK: 1-3pm, St. Ambrose Cellars, Beulah. Today is Intro to Disc Golf. Get ready to hit the course with disc golf enthusiasts Scott & Scotty. Kids will learn the basics of disc golf, including the rules, how to keep score, & expert tips & tricks to improve their game. No need to bring anything—discs will be provided. Free. stambrose-mead-wine.com

“THE ENDLESS SUMMER”: 7pm, The Garden Theater, Frankfort. In Search of the Perfect Wave. Bruce Brown’s latest color film highlights the adventures of two young American surfers: Robert August & Mike Hynson, who follow this everlasting summer around the world. Free. gardentheater.org/comingsoon

thursday

SPRING BREAK AT GLCL: Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Dinosaur Coloring & Stories: Help create

a colorful dinosaur banner to be displayed in the library. Youth Services librarian Maryellen Paull will lead the fun & share some special dino-themed stories. Drop in between 11am-2pm. Free. glenlakelibrary.net

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

NATIVE PLANTS FOR GARDEN & LANDSCAPE: Q&A PANEL: 5:30-7pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. A panel of experts will cover personalized questions & general species & site conditions. Experts will be available after the panel to answer questions one-on-one. Register. Free. gtcd.wufoo.com/ forms/snul0hj0stwpth

friday

FREE PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: (See Sat., March 21)

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

STORIES & MORE: SPRING STORIES & EASTER EGG HUNT: 11am, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. For preschoolers. Free. glenlakelibrary.net

SPRING BREAK KIDS WEEK: St. Ambrose Cellars, Beulah. Today is Reptile Discovery Day with Nature Explorers. Held from noon2pm & 2-4pm. Handle live reptiles & amphibians with Ms. Amalia from Nature Explorers International Summer Day Camps in Benzonia & more! RSVP. Free. stambrose-mead-wine.com

saturday

COMMUNITY

SEED S WAP :10am-noon, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Bring your garden seeds—any vegetables, fruits, or flowers that you enjoy growing, & plan to leave with seeds & plans for your 2026 garden. Register. Free. natureiscalling.org/events

EAST JORDAN LION’S CLUB EASTER FUN & GAMES: 10-11:30am, East Jordan Elementary School Gym. Special drawings for school age children - ages 5–12. All ages can play the games. Visit the Easter Bunny!

EASTER EGG HUNT & CRAFT SHOW: 10am, Platte River Association, Honor. The Easter Bunny will be at this event for a photo opportunity for families. There will be hundreds of eggs to find so bring your basket. hayowentha.org

EASTER EGG HUNT - FRANKFORT: 10am, Mineral Springs Park, Frankfort. For ages 1-12. Bring your own basket or bag. Over 5,000 Easter eggs to find. Also visit the Easter Bunny & enjoy crafts & bubbles.

FREE PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY: 10am-5pm, Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts, Petoskey. grandpashorters.com

CHARLEVOIX EASTER EGG HUNT: 11am, East Park, downtown Charlevoix. Age groups are 0-5 & 6-10. business.charlevoix. org/events/details/easter-egg-hunt-14849

FAIRGROUNDS EGG SCRAMBLE: 11am, Emmet County Fairgrounds, Community Building, Petoskey. Bring your own basket. 231-348-5479. -

displayed in Maryelsome spebetween

- - -(See

- - -LANDBoardman experts general will be questions gtcd.wufoo.com/ WITH BUNNY:

- - - -THE - - -STORIES Lake preschool-

- - -Ambrose Discovery noonamphibExplorers InBenzonia & stambrose-mead-wine.com

SEED :10am-noon, Nature your garvegetables, & plan 2026 garnatureiscalling.org/events

- - -EASTER Jordan drawings ages Bunny!

- - -SHOW: Honor. The photo hunbasket.

- - -FRANKFORT: Frankfort. For or bag. visit the bubbles. - - -EASTER Shorter’s

- - -11am, Age business.charlevoix. org/events/details/easter-egg-hunt-14849

- - -11am, Community basket.

- - -PAL-

SPRING BREAK AT GLCL: “SLEEPING BEAR FROM BELOW”: 11am-2pm, Glen Lake Community Library, Empire. Experience the Great Lakes from a new perspective in this documentary film from the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This immersive film is projected inside an inflatable dome, offering a unique 360 degree view. Screenings will take place every half hour. Free. glenlakelibrary.net

SPRING BREAK AT THE MUSEUM: (See Fri., March 27)

EASTER HOP: 11:30am-2pm, Pavilion on Court, downtown Gaylord. Featuring an Easter egg hunt for various age groups, the Easter Bunny, games & prizes. gaylordchamber. com/events/details/easter-hop-13388

BOWLING DOWN MAIN STREET: Noon2pm, intersection of State & Main streets, Harbor Springs. Main St. will be closed for bowling! There will also be free hot chocolate & donuts for kids at Johan’s, & Rocking Horse Toy Co. will be giving away a freebie. Northern Lights Recreation will give away a free bowling card to all participants. harborspringschamber.com

FIFTH ANNUAL DISTRICT WIDE EASTER EGG HUNT: 12:45pm, M22 Glen Arbor. Hosted by the Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District. The afternoon will be full of Easter activities with spring drink specials & Peep s’mores by the fires. The event will kick off with the Easter Bunny arriving via kayak on the Crystal River. Then hop over to the Wine Patio for pictures & fun. The Easter Egg Hunt begins at 2pm. Free. crystalriveroutfitters.com

BENZONIA EASTER EGG HUNT: 1pm, Memorial Park, Benzonia. Meet the Easter Bunny! clcba.org/event/easter-egg-hunt

BOHEMIAN QUEEN: 9-10:30pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. This Queen tribute comprises Los Angeles’s finest players & voices, coming together to bring to life a classic catalog of songs & melodies & to deliver the same level of detailed showmanship that has dazzled arenas & stadiums. Featuring vocalist Paulie Z who channels the soaring vocal power of Freddie Mercury. $20. lrcr. com/event/bohemian-queen

ongoing

BELLAIRE WINTER FARMERS MARKET: Fridays, 9am-noon through May 8, ASI Community Center & Park, Bellaire. The Market will move outdoors on May 15. areaseniorsinc.org/event/bellaire-winter-farmers-market/2026-03-20

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

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/supportgroups/

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/

WOW ON WEDNESDAYS: Petoskey District Library. Held every Weds. from 3:304:30pm. 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

art

DRAWN HERE: Higher Art Gallery, TC. An exhibit featuring selected works from student artists of Interlochen Arts Academy. Runs through April 10. See web site for hours. higherartgalleryonline.bigcartel.com/category/drawn-here-interlochen-arts-academystudent-art-exhibit

NEW EXHIBIT EXPLORES TRAVERSE CITY PSYCHIATRIST’S HISTORIC RE-

SEARCH: Traverse Area District Library, TC. A new exhibit from TADL’s Local History Collection, “Traverse City Psychiatrist Makes History: The Shocking Career of Dr. Paul H. Wilcox” is on view through March. Examine mid-20th-century psychiatry & Wilcox’s electroshock therapy work. tadl.org/event/ wilcox-local-history-exhibit-zoe-29735

THE WORK OF ROCCO PISTO EXHIBIT: Charlevoix Circle of Arts. Runs through April 11. Modern Expressionism, spontaneity & abstraction in watercolor. See web site for hours. charlevoixcircle.org/classes-workshops

WE WILL NOT WHISPER: The Commongrounds Building & The Alluvion, TC. Alluvion Arts presents “We Will Not Whisper,” an exhibition featuring 19 female visual artists, collectively responding to the ongoing erosion of civil liberties & democratic institutions in America. A panel discussion of the origins of this exhibition takes place March 31 from 7-8:30pm. Free. On view through April 11. See web site for hours. thealluvion.org

ANNUAL YOUTH ARTS SHOW: Crooked Tree Arts Center, all Carnegie & Cornwell Galleries, TC. Celebrating the work of K-12 art students & educators from throughout the Grand Traverse region. Runs through April 11. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/ events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/2026-youtharts-show-traverse-city.html

CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY:

- 2026 YOUTH ARTS SHOW, PETOSKEY: Held in Gilbert & Bonfield galleries. Featuring thousands of unique works of art created by area student artists. Runs through May 2. An opening reception will be held on March 21 from 11am-1pm & is free. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/events-andexhibitions/exhibits/2026-youth-arts-showpetoskey.html

- RADICAL POSSIBILITIES: ART IN PROTEST: Held in Atrium Gallery. The artworks in this show bring people together, share hope, & show how creativity can help build strong communities. Runs through March 28. See web site for hours. crookedtree.org/ events-and-exhibitions/exhibits/radical-possibilities.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

DENNOS

CAREER & MAJORS

TIONS 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:

- MEMBERS CREATE: This exhibition runs from March 20 - May 28, with a public reception on March 20 at 5pm featuring the work of 31 current GAAC members. It includes work in a wide range of media. See web site for hours. glenarborart.org

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

-

OLIVER ART CENTER, FRANKFORT:

- BLOOM! A CELEBRATION OF SPRING: Work in all media by local & regional artists in celebration of spring. Runs through May 8. Open Tues. - Sat., 10am-4pm; Sun., noon4pm; closed Mon. oliverart.org

- CONSTRUCTED: Showcasing works in wood, paper & fiber, featured artists will present furniture, textiles, paper assemblages, basketry, & more in both functional & decorative creations. Runs through April 18. Artist talk on April 18 at 2pm. Open Tues. - Sat., 10am-4pm, & Sun., noon-4pm. Closed Mon. 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.

CHATEAU GRAND TRAVERSE WINERY, TC

4-6:

3/21 -- Elizabeth Landry

3/28 -- Swingbone North 4/4 -- Jeff Socia

ENCORE 201, TC

3/20-21, 3/27-28 & 4/3 -- DJ Ricky T, 9

FANTASY’S, TC DJ

IDENTITY BREWING CO., TC

3/24 & 3/31 -- TC Celtic, 6

3/26 & 4/2 -- Beyond Trivia!, 7

4/3 -- 90's Night w/ Andy McQuillen, 6-8

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

3/20-21 -- The Ampersands

3/27-28 -- Risque

4/3-4 -- The Off Beat Band

KINGSLEY LOCAL BREWING

3/21 -- Reese Keelor, 6-8

3/24 & 3/31 -- Open Mic Night, 6

3/26 & 4/2 -- Trivia Night w/ Marcus Anderson, 6:30

LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC BARREL ROOM, 6-9:

3/23 & 3/30 -- Open Mic w/ Rob Coonrod

4/1 -- April Fools Improv w/ Full Tilt Comedy

MARI VINEYARDS, TC

4-6:

3/21 -- Jesse Jefferson

3/27 -- Jason Locke

3/28 -- Rhett & John

MIDDLECOAST BREWING CO., TC

6-9:

3/27 -- Clint Weaner

4/3 -- Zeke Clemons

Kalkaska

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

NORTH BAR, TC 7:

3/21 -- Dollar Shavey Club

3/26 -- Drew Hale

3/27 -- Tai Drury

3/28 -- Henry Herig

OLD MISSION DISTILLING, TC

SEVEN HILLS:

3/21 -- John Paul, 6

3/27 -- Chris Sterr, 6

3/28 -- Wink Solo, 6

4/3 -- Chris Smith, 7

4/4 -- Derek Boik, 7:30

RARE BIRD BREWPUB, TC

3/24 & 3/31 -- Tuesday Trivia Night, 7

RIGHT BRAIN BREWERY, TC

3/25 -- Democracy is not Trivia, Trivia Night Hosted by LWVGTA, 6-8

3/27 -- Comedy Night w/ Kamikaze Comedy: Jeremy West & Patty Rooney, 8

TC WHISKEY CO. - THE STILLHOUSE

6-8:

3/21 -- Elizabeth Landry

3/27 -- Rebekah Jon

3/28 -- Jakob Abraham

4/3 -- Jeff Socia

4/4 -- Henry Herig

THE ALLUVION, TC

3/21 -- Kombo's Collectives Uproot & Malis/Novotny Duo, 7:309:30

3/23 -- Big Fun - Funky Fun Mondays, 6-8:30

3/26 -- The Jeff Haas Trio w/ Lisa Flahive & The NMC Jazz Lab Band Directed by Josh Wagner & Student Vocalists, 6-8:30

3/28 -- Hiroya Tsukamoto, 7:309:30

3/29 -- The Alluvion Big Band, 3-5

Antrim & Charlevoix

3/30 -- Funky Uncle - Funky Fun Mondays, 6-8:30

4/2 -- The Jeff Haas Trio feat. Laurie Sears + Lisa Flahive, 6-8:30

4/3 -- The Jankowski Jam, 7:30-10

4/4 -- The Young Lions Play the Music of Jeff Haas, 7:30-10

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC

7:30-11:

3/21 -- East Bay Blue 3/27-28 -- DanceMix

THE LITTLE FLEET, TC

3/26 -- DJ Dusty Staircase, 6-9

3/28 -- DJ Fresh Coast Groove, 8-11

THE PARLOR, TC

3/21 -- Mallory Ramage, 9

3/22, 3/29 & 4/5 -- Music Bingo, 7-10

3/24 -- Jesse Jefferson, 8-11

3/25 & 4/1 -- Rob Coonrod, 8-11

3/26 & 4/4 -- Clint Weaner, 8-11

3/27 -- Jakob Abraham, 9

3/28 -- Tai Drury, 9

4/3 -- Hot Flat Pop, 9

THE PUB, TC

3/21 -- DJ Producer AJ, 9

3/23 & 3/30 -- Karaoke Mondays, 8

3/25 & 4/1 -- Zeke Clemons, 7 4/2 -- Music Bingo, 7:30

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC

3/23 & 3/30 -- USS Comedy Open Mic, 8-9:30

3/24 & 3/31 -- Open Mic w/ Zak Bunce, 6-9

3/25 -- Straight Forward Bluegrass Jam, 6-9

3/26 & 4/2 -- DJ Trivia, 7-9

3/27 -- Jazz Jam w/ Ron Getz Trio, 6-9

3/29 -- Full Tilt Comedy - Comedy Mixtape, 6-8

nitelife

Send Nitelife to:

Leelanau & Benzie

BC LANES, BOYNE CITY

3/28 – Sandy & The Bandits, 8

BOYNE CITY TAPROOM

3/26 & 4/2 -- Adam & The Cabana Boys, 7

BOYNE MOUNTAIN, BOYNE FALLS FORTY ACRES TAVERN:

3/22 -- Charlie Reager, 6-9

BOYNE RIVER INN, BOYNE CITY

3/26 -- Nelson Olstrom, 7

CAFE SANTÉ, BOYNE CITY

3/21 -- Lavendar Lions Duo, 7-10

3/23 & 3/30 -- The Shifties, 6-9 3/27 -- Nelson Olstrom, 7 3/28 -- Brett Mitchell, 7-10

CASTLE FARMS, CHARLEVOIX THE CASTLE PUB: 3/21 -- Singo Bingo, 6-8

CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS

4/3 -- Blair Miller, 5:30-8:30

LOST CELLARS, CHARLEVOIX

3/29 -- Mastermind's Trivia, 4-6

MUSKRAT DISTILLING, BOYNE CITY

3/25 -- Karaoke Night, 8-11

SHORT'S PUB, BELLAIRE 6-8:

3/25 & 4/1 -- Open Mic Night 3/26 & 4/2 -- Trivia w/ DJ Trivia

SHORT'S PULL BARN, ELK RAPIDS

3/24 -- Pints North - Great Lakes Trivia, 7 3/26 -- Karaoke Night w/ Taylor & Rybo, 6

TORCH LAKE CAFE, CENTRAL LAKE

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

BEL LAGO VINEYARD, WINERY & CIDERY, CEDAR

3/21 -- Chris Smith, 5-7

BOATHOUSE VINEYARDS, LAKE LEELANAU

TASTING ROOM: 3/27 -- André Villoch, 5:30-8

FIVE SHORES BREWING, BEULAH

6-8: 3/23 & 3/30 -- Monday Music Trivia

3/26 & 4/2 -- Trivia Thursdays

FRENCH VALLEY VINEYARD, CEDAR

3-6:

3/26 -- Rhett & John

4/2 -- Jakob Abraham

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 5:30-7:30:

3/21 -- John Piatek

3/27 – Rhett DeCouer

3/28 – Cheryl Wolfram

4/3 – Jason Locke

4/4 – Chelsea Marsh

LAKE ANN BREWING CO.

3/21 -- Drew Hale, 6:30-9:30

3/26 & 4/2 -- Trivia Night w/ Host Tom Kaspar, 7-9

3/27 -- The Mighty TundraTones aka Jazz North, 6:30-9:30

3/28 -- Stonefolk, 6:30-9:30

4/1 -- Open Mic Night Hosted by Johnathon North, 6:30-9:30 4/3 -- Levi Britton, 6:30-9:30

LEELANAU SANDS CASINO, PESHAWBESTOWN SHOWROOM:

3/28 -- Sammy Kershaw, 8

LITTLE TRAVERSE INN, MAPLE CITY 3/27 -- Sierra Cassidy, 6-9

3/28 -- Improv Comedy Night: Subject to Change, 6:30

NORTHERN LATITUDES DISTILLERY, LAKE LEELANAU

3/27 -- Elizabeth Landry, 4:456:45

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH

3/21 -- Barefoot, 5-8

3/26 & 4/2 -- Open Mic Night, 6-9

3/27 -- John Piatek, 5-8 3/28 -- Andy Six, 5-8

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT

3/27 -- Evan Burgess, 7-9

lOGY

MAR 23 - MAR 29

BY ROB BREZSNY

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries poet Maya Angelou proclaimed, "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." In that spirit, Aries, I urge you to tell everyone everything—all your secret thoughts, hidden feelings, and private opinions. Post your diary online! Confess your fantasies to strangers! Share your unfiltered inner monologue with authority figures! APRIL FOOL! I lied. Angelou urged us to bravely communicate our authentic truths, but not to overshare or be careless about observing good boundaries. Here’s the deep wisdom: Express thoughts and feelings that make you feel real and whole, but be discerning about when, where, and to whom.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Leo author James Baldwin observed, "Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." With that in mind, I advise you to spend the next two weeks obsessively staring at every dilemma in your life. Don't look away! Don't take breaks! Just face every dilemma constantly until you’re overwhelmed! APRIL FOOL! Baldwin's insight is brilliant, but it doesn't require masochistic endurance. Here’s the truth: Yes, you should courageously acknowledge what needs attention, but do so with care and discernment. And then actually work on changing it! Awareness is the beginning, not the entire process.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo author Agatha Christie wrote 66 detective novels in which she meticulously planned every plot twist. I think you should apply her approach to your daily life: Script every conversation! Anticipate every contingency! Control every variable! Leave nothing to chance! APRIL FOOL! Christie's obsessive planning worked for fiction, but life requires improvisation. For you, the coming weeks favor spontaneity and flexibility. So make rough plans, sure, but stay loose enough to experiment with whatever emerges. Over-control would diminish the magic.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): ): My favorite Libran writer didn’t capitalize her name: bell hooks. recommend you stage a similar rebellion against all rules and structures. Ignore social conventions! Flout traffic laws! Pay your taxes with paintings and poems you’ve created! APRIL FOOL! I was exaggerating. I do love hooks’ charming revolt, but it would be counterproductive for you to randomly break *all* the rules of daily life. Instead, be judicious and selective as you question conventions thoughtfully and only violate those that genuinely deserve to be spurned. Be a strategic rebel, not a chaotic one.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath wrote this passage in her journal: "I desire the things which will destroy me in the end." I think you should consider embracing her approach—for the sheer, exotic thrill of it! Pursue interesting chaos! If it might unravel you, welcome it passionately! The more unruly, the better! APRIL FOOL! lied. Plath was describing her struggle with depression, not offering us advice. Here’s what I think you should actually do: Examine which of your yearnings serve your evolution and which ones undermine it. Fully embrace the fact that intensity is one of your greatest gifts, but channel that intensity into experiences that build you up, not tear you down. Choose ardent aliveness over fervent destruction.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian philosopher Baruch Spinoza spent years alone in his room developing his radical ideas about God and nature. recommend total isolation for you, too. In accordance with astrological omens, avoid human contact! Put your relationships on hold while you contemplate the infinite! APRIL FOOL! I totally lied. Spinoza's solitude served his unique genius, but a similar approach won’t work for you—especially now. Here’s what I really think you require in the coming weeks: periods of meditative alone time balanced by intervals of rich connection with interesting humans. You need to commune with both your deep inner sources and nurturing alliances.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn astrologer Linda Goodman wrote that your sign's "ambition is boundless" and that most Capricorns dream of ruling the world. In accordance with astrological omens, I urge you to indulge this attribute. Launch a campaign for global domination! Start with your neighborhood and work your way up to more and more conquests! APRIL

FOOL! The truth is, world domination is exhausting and impractical. What Goodman was referring to is your gift for structure and leadership. Use your organizational genius to improve your corner of the world, not tyrannize it. Think stewardship, not empire.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Aquarian inventor Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." In the spirit, I recommend that you falter spectacularly in the coming weeks. The more blunders and bungles, the better! Engage in a holy quest to seek as many fizzles and misfires as possible! Make Edison look like an amateur! APRIL FOOL! I lied. Edison wasn’t deliberately courting snafus, of course. His approach was similar to that of many creative artists: driven by exploratory persistence that capitalizes on mistakes and hassles. Here’s your real guidance, Aquarius: Experiment boldly, yes, and don't fear stumbles and bumbles. But learn from each one and adjust your approach. The goal is eventual success that’s informed by humility and resiliency.

PISCES (Feb 19-March 20): Piscean physicist Albert Einstein said, "Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." In the spirit of his genius, I recommend that you abandon logic completely! Never think rationally again! Make all decisions based on fantasy and feelings! APRIL FOOL! Einstein was advocating for the creative power of imagination, not the abandonment of reason. What you truly need is a marriage of visionary thinking and practical logic. Ask your imagination to show you possibilities, then call on lucid logic to help you manifest them.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus writer Charlotte Brontë said, "I would always rather be happy than dignified." Given your current astrological potentials, think you should tattoo her motto across your forehead so everyone knows you’re committed to pleasure over propriety. Burn your dressy clothes! Quit doing boring duties! Dance naked in the woods! APRIL FOOL! I don’t really think you should tattoo your forehead or dance naked in public. But Brontë's sentiment is sound: In the coming weeks, if forced to choose between joy and respectability, pick joy every time. Just do it with a modicum of common sense.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini actress Marilyn Monroe said, "A wise girl knows her limits. A smart girl know that she has none.” I propose we expand that counsel to include all genders. And I especially recommend this approach to you right now. It’s time to shed, ignore, and surpass ALL your so-called limits. Be as wild and free and uninhibited as you dare. APRIL FOOL! I worry that it’s irresponsible to give you such utter carte blanche. Would you consider honoring one or two limits that prevent you from indulging in crazy and extreme behavior? Otherwise, be wild and free and uninhibited!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Psychologist

Carl Jung wrote extensively about the importance of embracing our shadows: the dark, problematic aspects of ourselves we would rather not acknowledge. In the coming weeks, I recommend that you stop hiding that weird stuff! Throw a comingout-of-the-closet party for all the questionable parts of you. Let your inner monsters run wild! APRIL FOOL! Please don't do that. What Jung actually advocated was recognizing and integrating your shadow, not being ruled by it. So yes, explore your moody, unruly impulses, but with consciousness, kindness, and containment, not reckless expression.

“Jonesin”

Crosswords

ACROSS

"Too

1. Morning brews

6. "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" locale

10. Some hieroglyphic animals

14. Like Hozier

15. Mardi Gras city nickname

16. Gloating sound

17. Japanese box meal

18. Word before lung or stomach

19. Peace Prize city

20. Hole-y Veronica Roth novel (about rocker Ronnie James hovering above a penguin species)?

23. Zsa Zsa and Magda's sister

25. "Cobra ___" ("The Karate Kid" sequel)

26. Yanks' rivals

27. Old U.K. record label

28. Lip salve

30. Inits. on an airport uniform

32. "No go, bro"

34. Flower

36. Response to a challenge

38. Hole-y E.L. Doctorow novel (about a cartoon bartender being told singer Rita earned a moon of Jupiter)?

41. Talented up-and-comer

42. High-pitched, like some small dogs

45. Mr. Peanut's headwear

48. Court divider

50. Like some consequences

51. ___-Wan Kenobi

52. Trippy letters

54. Precursor to rocksteady

56. Quantity of bricks

57. Hole-y Daphne du Maurier novel (about a cookie-flavored chocolate drink stirred with a woodwind)?

61. "Star Trek" captain

62. Taylor-Joy of "The Queen's Gambit"

63. Like many IPAs

66. Guam, e.g., for short

67. "Dungeon Crawler ___" (book series)

68. "___ Majesty's Secret Service"

69. "___ penny, two ..." ("Hot Cross Buns" line)

holes. by Matt Jones

70. Surrealist painter Paul

71. "Champagne Supernova" group

DOWN

1. "I like the cut of your ___!"

2. Exist

3. Indian curry dish

4. Spot of sparkling wine

5. Agitated

6. U.S. network with telenovelas

7. Sped along

8. "Zut ___!"

9. Keep

10. Unknown author, briefly

11. Organizational method

12. Faith with the 2009 album "Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?"

13. Presumptive winner

21. Muesli bit

22. Out of service?

23. Recede gradually

24. "The Doors" star Kilmer

29. Change form

31. "___ Brown Cooks Food" (YouTube series)

33. Only bone not attached to another bone

35. "Thank you," in Honolulu

37. Calcium carbonate deposit that builds up in hot water appliances

39. Recoups

40. Text on tombstones

43. Paid athlete

44. Kyoto currency

45. Developed a fondness for

46. Conan who hosted the 98th Academy Awards

47. Capital of South Dakota

49. Ring decision

53. Actor Logue

55. Sneezy outburst

58. Gumbo staple

59. Jane of a BrontÎ novel

60. Chaplin of "Avatar: Fire and Ash"

64. "Anne of Green Gables" Canadian prov.

65. Millennium divs.

nitelife

Emmet & Cheboygan

BOYNE VALLEY VINEYARDS, PETOSKEY

2-6:

3/21 -- Chris Calleja

3/28 & 4/4 -- Nelson Olstrom

BRANDY'S HARBORTOWN, BAY HARBOR

5-8:

3/21 -- Nick Visconti

3/27 -- Derek Boik

3/28 -- Chris Calleja

CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY

3/24 & 3/31 -- Trivia Night, 7-9

3/27 & 4/3 -- Annex Karaoke, 9:30

MICHAEL'S TAVERN & STEAKHOUSE, INDIAN RIVER

3/25 -- Mike Ridley, 6-9

NOGGIN ROOM PUB, PETOSKEY

3/21 -- Mike Ridley, 7-10

3/25 -- Singo Bingo: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, 6:30

3/27 -- Brian Thomas, 7-10

3/28 -- Kyle Brown, 7-10

4/1 -- Singo Bingo: Classic Rock, 6:30

4/3 -- Michelle Chenard, 7-10

4/4 -- Lara Fullford, 7-10

NORTHERN LIGHTS RECREATION, HARBOR SPRINGS

3/26 & 4/2 -- Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30

3/27 -- Chris Calleja, 6:30-9:30 4/3 -- Sean Bielby, 6:30-9:30

ODAWA CASINO RESORT, PETOSKEY VICTORIES, 9: 3/21 & 3/28 -- DJ T-Bone

4/3 -- DJ Big Ton 4/4 -- DJ Hotkeys

POND HILL FARM, HARBOR SPRINGS

3/21 -- Lee Fayssoux, 5

THE BEAU, CHEBOYGAN 3/21 -- Jason Eldridge, 7:30

THE HIGHLANDS AT HARBOR SPRINGS

MAIN LODGE BACKYARD:

3/21 -- DJ T-Bone, noon-4 ZOO BAR: 3/21 -- The Remedee, 4-8

THE WIGWAM, INDIAN RIVER

3/26 & 4/2 -- Dominic Fortuna, 7:30-9:30

3/27 & 4/3 -- Karaoke, 8-11

3/28-29 -- The Whitmore 4, 8

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

BLUE SLIPPER TAVERN, ONEKAMA 3/21 -- Vic Trip, 7-10

BUCKSNORT SALOON, MESICK 3/23 -- Open Mic w/ Vic Trip, 6-9

IRON FISH DISTILLERY, THOMPSONVILLE 3/28 -- Cheryl Wolfram, 5:30

NORTHERN NATURAL CIDER HOUSE & WINERY, KALEVA 7:

3/21 -- Jakob Abraham 3/27 -- Y-Not Duo 3/28 -- Tim Krause

WANDER IN, MANISTEE

3/26 -- Cheryl Wolfram, 5

ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD

6-9:

3/27 -- Mike Ridley 3/28 -- Brian Curran

SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD

3/27 -- Radel Rosin, 6-9

NORTHERN EXPRESS

CLASSIFIEDS

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