Short-term rental group v. Traverse City

Are the wheels of progress purposely turning slow?

For more than two years, city officials in Traverse City have been debating whether to make changes to a 25-year-old ordinance that regulates home rentals. As written, ... Read More >>

Coming to a Chimney Near You

Bellaire resident grows the beard, dons the suit, tells the stories.

Jeffery Schatzer isn’t Santa Claus. At least, for most of the year he isn’t. He’s a clean-shaven writer who now makes Bellaire his home after working in ... Read More >>

Winter Weekend Getaways

Dig in Up North

Old Man Winter has always been a friend to northern Michigan, and this year, he started the party early. Instead of letting those extra winter days stretch ... Read More >>

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

Options worth celebrating

For many, going out on the town is the only way to rig in the New Year. Champagne at midnight, party favors, music, maybe even fireworks. So ... Read More >>

Your 2018 Holiday Soundtrack

The best — and a few to bypass

No matter how many times we’ve heard “Deck the Halls” or “Winter Wonderland,” each year sees artists trying to (re)capture the holiday spirit by putting their stamp ... Read More >>

Bells Will Be Ringing

Meet some angels behind the Salvation Army bells.

From its humble beginnings in 1891 in San Francisco, the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign has grown into one of the most recognizable charitable efforts in the ... Read More >>

Cheboygan’s Libby’s Café in Overdrive

If the food and service are good, restaurants can thrive in most any location. But in an auto dealership? Well, yes. At Fernelius Toyota and Chrysler in Cheboygan, that’s exactly where you’ll find Libby’s Café. Owner Dave Fernelius came up with the novel idea, but that doesn’t mean ... Read More >>

How Much Northern Michigan Trash Really Gets Recycled?

Depending on where you live, you might have curbside recycling, or you might have to drive to a drop-off location. In some places, you might have to drive to a nearby township to properly get rid of your recyclable paper and plastic and metal debris; what’s accepted ... Read More >>

The Ski Resort’s Secret Cemetery

By Al Parker Atop a windswept hill west of downtown Grayling, an American flag stiffens in the breeze and stands as a lonely sentinel above perhaps the smallest military cemetery in the nation. Here, two Michigan soldiers lie for eternity. The site, tucked deep in the woods ... Read More >>

An Audacious Goal for Leelanau County

Northport Energy was founded a decade ago with a singular mission: to make the tip of Leelanau County completely green. The group hasn’t gotten there yet, but it’s had some significant achievements. Members have helped establish one of the first “net zero” golf courses in the country. ... Read More >>