Features

Features Glen Young Music to Their Ears: Filmmakers shoot a musical in hometown Petoskey
By Glen Young
If his project works out as he hopes, Erich Rettstadt of Petoskey will
return to the Traverse City Film Festival at some future date. The return
trip will not be to reprise his role as an intern, but rather to attend
the screening of his just completed film “Basis of Decision.”
Rettstadt describes the film as a “1950s style musical.” Set in fictional
Harbor Village, somewhere in an undisclosed idyllic Midwestern burg, the
film recently wrapped filming in and around Petoskey.

Features Get Your Giggles On: Rotary Show rolls out 69th red carpet
Singin’, dancin’, pokin’ fun at local issues and goring sacred cows…
what’s not to like? The 69th Annual Rotary Show unrolls its irreverent
roster of skits this Wednesday-Saturday, April 27-30, 8 p.m. at Lars
Hockstead Auditorium in Traverse City.
“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and the theme is ‘Having Fun
While Getting the Job Done,’” says Sid Lammers, of Trend Window & Design,
who served as president of the club last year.

Features Kristi Kates Petoskey’s Labyrinth: Metaphor for Life
By Kristi Kates
Visitors to the Petoskey District Library who take the time to look around
the grounds will soon find a gem on the building’s western side - a large,
precisely-built labyrinth, 35 feet in diameter and constructed of charcoal
and red paver bricks by The Labyrinth Company of Connecticut.

Features Anne Stanton Slugged by a Student: Bus driver was fired for refusing to drive with violent teen onboard
By Anne Stanton
A bus driver, slugged in the head by a New Campus student in February, was
fired after he refused to drive the bus the next day without an additional
attendant to monitor the teen.
But Bill Schieber said that the incident brings up a larger issue than his
employment. He wants to make parents aware that their kids aren’t as safe
as they might assume—special needs kindergarteners ride the same bus as
older violent teens that boast about fights, routinely use profanity, and,
in his case, swing fists.

Features Erin Crowell Atop the shoulders of Giants: Meryl Marsh takes tree climbing to a whole new level
By Erin Crowell
High in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 7,000 feet above sea level, Meryl
Marsh dangles from a tree limb the size of an oak trunk, reaching for a
new growth branch– a facial hair in comparison to the 400-foot-tall
sequoia it and Marsh are attached to.

Features Kristi Kates Green Roofs Take Root
By Kristi Kates
Installed on top of homes, businesses, and factories, among other
buildings, green roofs - also called eco-roofs or living roofs - are
perhaps one of the more unusual ‘green’ movements going on today.
The benefits of green roofs are many. They include conserving energy,
lowering roof temperatures, cleaning the air, reducing noise inside the
building, creating mini-habitats for wildlife, and extending the life of
the roof itself.

Features Rick Coates The Greening of Business: Michigan Green Consortium blossoms with new ideas
By Rick Coates
“Going Green” may seem trendy or the hip thing to do right now, but soon
businesses may not have an option, it may be law.
While many businesses are incorporating self-imposed green initiatives,
laws are popping up all over the country mandating everything from reduced
energy use to required recycling laws, to the elimination of plastic
shopping bags.

Features Kristy Kurjan Jeans Gone Green:Eco-Friendly Footwear
By: Kristy Kurjan
“Good for the earth- Good for your sole,” is Jeans Gone Green’s motto.
Keeping denim out of landfills through stylish sandals is the idea behind
the local sandal company. Founded April 2009 by Jen Lett, Adam Lett and
Mike Kittendorf, Jeans Gone Green provides eco-friendly footwear. The
hand-crafted sandals are known for their comfort as well as their
innovative way of turning rescued denim into fashionable flip-flops and
shoe bags.

Features Rick Coates The Serious Side of Drew Hastings
By Rick Coates
Comedian Drew Hastings loves performing in the Midwest, especially in small towns, where he feels his humor connects. He hopes to prove that theory this week when he returns to the Traverse City Opera House for an encore performance Friday, April 22.
Born in Morocco, Hastings grew up in the Dayton, Ohio area. After high school he pursued odd jobs until the age of 31 when he decided to give acting and stand up comedy a try. He moved to Los Angeles and found himself in some development deals and television show pilots that didn’t go anywhere. But what did take off for him was stand up comedy.
Hastings quickly found himself being booked on several network talk shows including receiving

Features Kristy Kurjan The M-22 Look: The Myers brothers capture the mood of Northern Michigan
By: Kristy Kurjan
Fresh water, beaches, bonfires, and comfortable clothing. That is exactly what kiteboarding co-founders Matt and Keegan Myers had in mind for their M-22 clothing company based out of Traverse City. For the brothers, M-22 is a way to express appreciation for the region through comfortable fashion.
M-22 is not just a road; it is a way of life. The Myers brother’s line of cotton apparel is a reflection of the simplicity and natural beauty that Northern Michigan gives its visitors.
“Loving the beaches and Northern Michigan summers, that is the feeling our clothing represents,” says Keegan. “It is easy for people to relate to the road because of its cool location and most people already have an attachment to it- M-22 is a special place for people, good memories.”
The company has a diverse customer base consisting of locals as well as out-of-towners. The brand also appeals to a wide age spectrum from 10-year-old boys to 80-year-old grandmas. And, with over 5,000 fans on facebook.com, the brand is growing in both size and popularity.

Features Kristy Kurjan Spring Fashion: Time To Smile
By Kristy Kurjan
This spring is all about wearing clothes that make you feel good. It’s
bold colors, fun accessories and the simple joy of less coverage. When the
tulips start to bloom, it is time to put away those winter coats and fur
boots. Then break out the short skirts and flip-flops. Smile, knowing you
made it through another winter and that spring has arrived! Here is a
roundup of the best fashion pick-me-ups this season:

Features Rick Coates Get Your ’80s on at the 2nd Chance Prom
By Rick Coates
It’s prom season and high school students all over Northern Michigan are
scrambling to find prom dresses and tuxedos while ordering corsages and
boutonnieres.  Some will do a double take and a ‘say what?’ when they find
out that their parents are going to prom as well. Of course, there will be
a deep sigh of relief when they find out their parents have their own prom
to attend.

Features Erin Crowell Worry, Check, Repeat: Kevin Putman hopes Petoskey ping-pong tourney will shed light on OCD
By Erin Crowell
Kevin Putman is walking to work when he steps over a stone, no larger than
a golf ball. Briefly, he considers picking it up and tossing it into the
grass so no one trips over it. He decides to keep walking.

Features Kristi Kates Earth Week Plus! Expo celebrates environment in Cheboygan
By Kristi Kates
 Running March 31 through May 1 in Cheboygan, Petoskey and the Straits
area, Earth Week Plus takes Earth Day (Friday, April 22) to the maximum
for the Northern Michigan area.

Features Rick Coates Mitch Albom: Weighing in on newspapers, Detroit and Michigan sports
By Rick Coates
When the National Writers Series announced the first half of their season
in January, co-founder Doug Stanton said there would be some additional
surprise guests added along the way. One of those “additional” guests is
bestselling author Mitch Albom, who will take the City Opera House stage
this Wednesday April 6 at 7:30 pm.