Al Parker | Author

The Bay View Wine Trail

Sept. 22, 2018

The Bay View Wine Trail might not be as well-known as the wineries of the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas, but it’s quietly building a solid reputation for quality vintages.
Home to 12 wineries, the trail runs from Ellsworth to Harbor Springs, with most of its members conve... Read More >>

Lose Yourself Among Hartwick’s Ancient Pines

Sept. 15, 2018

Covering just a shade under 10,000 acres, sprawling Hartwick Pines State Park is one of the largest state parks in Michigan.

Its rolling hills, formed by an ancient glacier deposit, overlook the verdant valley of the east branch of the AuSable River north of Grayling, four sma... Read More >>

Where Have All the Whitefish Gone?

Sept. 15, 2018

Whether you grill it, bake it, bake it, steam it, boil it, or broil it, Lake Michigan whitefish is one of the most popular — and tasty — dishes available across northern Michigan.                &n... Read More >>

An Enduring Toast to a Hero Lost

Sept. 1, 2018

The worn green and white football jersey might seem out of place hanging on the wall of the clean, airy tasting room of a beautiful Leelanau County winery.

But when you hear the story behind the uniform, it makes sense.

Rob and Ed Brengman, who own and operate Bren... Read More >>

What Really Happens When You Hit a Slot Machine Jackpot

Sept. 1, 2018

It’s the dream of every slot player: Slide money into the machine, press the button, (or pull the handle if you’re an old school player), and watch the symbols line up.
           
Winner. Winner. Winner!
&... Read More >>

Coach Wooer Comes Home

Sept. 1, 2018

“Unbelievable, just unbelievable,” muttered Tim Wooer, not even trying to conceal the frustration in his voice as he trots to confront a linebacker who missed his assignment during a Thursday morning scrimmage.
          &... Read More >>

How much craft beer we brew — and drink — Up North

Aug. 25, 2018

Overall beer sales in Michigan have been declining for years, but the amount of suds produced and sold in the state by brew pubs and microbreweries has increased almost six-fold since 2007, according to the Michigan Liquor Control Commisson.
       ... Read More >>

Chasing the Elusive Hole In One

July 14, 2018

 

Frank Sinatra, Justin Timberlake, and Smokey Robinson all did it.

So did Gerald Ford, Dwight Eisenhower, and Richard Nixon, who was so excited by it that he called it “the greatest thrill of his life.”

Yeah, nailing golf’s Holy Grail, a hol... Read More >>

Do Good, Feel Better  

June 23, 2018

If it’s Wednesday between 9 am and 1 pm, you’ll find Dave Amos (pictured) helping out in the emergency department at Munson Medical Center.

Some weeks, you might find him serving as a volunteer docent, leading informative hikes for the Leelanau Conservancy or making ti... Read More >>

Mega Fest List for Art-and-Craft Fair Fanatics

June 9, 2018

If you’re glad to see winter finally leave and planning a summer full of art-related fun, you’ll want to check out the wide variety of shows and fairs held from now until Labor Day across northern Michigan.

Here’s a glimpse at some of the region’s most popu... Read More >>

Free Fishing Weekend is Here!

June 2, 2018

 

 

The state of Michigan is offering a free fishing weekend this month and that’s generating a buzz among those who love angling.        

“We’re rockin’ and rollin’,” said Matt H... Read More >>

A Story of Service

May 19, 2018

With a thunderstorm approaching, the sky over Flint was splashed with ominous shades of black, yellow and green on the evening of June 8, 1953.

It had already been a busy Monday for troopers at the city’s Michigan State Police post and at all other law enforcement agencies i... Read More >>

Pedal to the Kettle

May 12, 2018

Brian Schultz is rolling his flatbed rig through the Georgia countryside, just north of Atlanta, when he decides it’s time to eat.

But rather than hit a fast-food joint, gamble on a truck-stop hot dog or take time out of his busy driving schedule to visit a sit-down eater... Read More >>

Green Jobs

April 28, 2018

 

Inside every CEO is an entry-level kid who turned a lil’ elbow grease into a whole lotta work ethic. Wherever you are in your career, you started somewhere — just like these local leaders. We asked them to think back to their earliest paid gigs and share what th... Read More >>

Petoskey’s Roast & Toast

April 14, 2018

Mary and Bob Keedy were living in Georgia and dreaming of being entrepreneurs when they decided to stop the dreaming and apply perspiration to their aspirations.

“We decided that we wanted to start our own business,” said Mary. “We had maps spread out all over th... Read More >>

Baseball Fanatics

March 24, 2018

The March 29 Opening Day for the Detroit Tigers is the earliest in the 19-year-history of Comerica Park. And after a long, cold winter, northern Michigan, fans of the Tigers are looking forward to seeing their beloved Bengals face the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Opening Day is a time brim... Read More >>

The Secret to a Long, Happy Marriage

Feb. 10, 2018

Couples who have been happily married for 30, 40, 50 years or more have accomplished a feat that almost everyone who ties the knot aspires to: They’ve reached old age together and are happy with their choice of a life partner.

Long-married couples have shared life’s ha... Read More >>

Lifeblood

Feb. 5, 2018

For many in northern Michigan, winter is long, dreary series of months with gray skies and bitter temperatures. But for the folks at Michigan Blood, whose role is to maintain and replenish the state’s vital supply of blood, winter is even worse — a seemingly endless series of ... Read More >>

Drama Mama Rachael Harrell

Jan. 27, 2018

A Michigan native who spent a decade in Los Angeles while working on successful TV shows Survivor and The Apprentice has returned to The Mitten. Her mission: to launch a program that develops confidence and creativity among youngsters in grades one through eight.

“We give ki... Read More >>

Bier Breaks into Beers

Jan. 20, 2018

A popular Charlevoix-area gallery is hoping to expand from artwork … to ales and lagers.

Adjacent to the Bier Gallery and Pottery Studio noted potter and avid brewer Tyler Bier and his wife, Anna, are planning to open Bier’s Inwood Brewery in a separate building just ... Read More >>