Todd VanSickle | Author
Trout Town Margarita
July 27, 2019
The start of the week just got a lot cooler in Kalkaska, thanks to Trout Town Tavern and Eatery’s Margarita Monday special. The $3 margaritas are a great way to help you forget about any Monday blues. The punch of tequila is contrasted by the sweet and sour lemony flavor of the marg...
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Paying the Rent in Paradise
July 27, 2019
Faith Mulholland is a single mother who is an assistant manager at Wendy’s in Interlochen. Her commute to work is about 10 minutes from Grawn, where she pays $650 a month for a two-bedroom manufactured home, but she hasn’t always been so fortunate.
“The ...
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Torch Lake Lemonade
July 13, 2019
There is one problem with Torch Lake during the summer: You never want to leave. The lake’s beautiful blue waters are a main attraction for visitors and residents alike. A good way to end a day of fun on the water is with a Torch Lake Lemonade on the deck at Dockside bar and grill o...
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Yankee Boy’s Cheesecake
May 18, 2019
Saving room for dessert can be a tough task, especially when a restaurant serves good food. But save yourself from this dilemma and order the cheesecake first at the Yankee Boy in South Boardman — you won’t regret it. Unlike most cheesecakes, this homemade dessert is not dense...
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What Lurks Beneath Your Home
May 4, 2019
There's a potential killer in almost every home in Michigan. It’s silent, invisible, and scentless. And, although there is a way to identify it, most homeowners will not.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General’s ...
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Don't Call it Puppy Love
April 20, 2019
A couple years ago a close friend of mine was splitting up with his wife. The situation had all the complications of a messy divorce: who gets the house, mutual friends taking sides and accusations of infidelity. Fortunately, they didn’t have kids. Or, at least, I thought they didn&...
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CBD Laws: Dazed and Confused
March 30, 2019
The sign outside of Family Video in Kalkaska lets drivers know the store has more than just movies.
The sign reads: “CBD PRODUCTS NOW AVAILABLE HERE! CHECK IT OUT.”
CBD is short for cannabidiol, a kind of chemical compound that occurs naturall...
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Northern Natural’s Organic Success
March 23, 2019
Travelers might expect to find a tractor sputtering along the country roads about 50 miles south of Traverse City, but they’ll also find the home of the award-winning Northern Natural Cider House & Winery, which is producing some of the state’s only organic-certified cider...
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Grille 44's Tater Kegs
March 16, 2019
The first item on the menu at Grille 44 is Tater Kegs. There’s no beer in this potato-packing appetizer, but its oversized tots won’t leave you wondering where the name originated from. The dish includes a half-dozen huge tater tots smothered in cheddar cheese, bacon, and fres...
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Bee Well’s The Ghost
Feb. 23, 2019
The Ghost at Bee Well Mead & Cider in Bellaire won’t scare you, but it will leave you feeling warm — er, make that hot— and fuzzy. Just don’t let this cider’s near translucent appearance fool you. This unique drink, which is infused with a slew of hot pep...
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Tipping Point
Feb. 23, 2019
Thanks to credit cards and in-phone apps, customers today are carrying less cash than ever, yet it seems like the instances in which they’re expected — or being asked — to tip are increasing. Northern Express dips into the proliferation of countertop tip jars and scr...
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Feb. 16, 2019 In a town chock-full of fast food restaurants, tasty tacos can be hard to find. “People think Kalkaska doesn’t have tacos,” Glenn Hunter tells Northern Express. But come Taco Tuesday, the owner of the town’s Pick Kwik convenience store proves ’em all wrong. T...
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Feb. 2, 2019 Despite larger and louder movements against guns and gun violence, gun ownership in Michigan is on the rise, and with it, lots of new ranges and gunshops. Northern Express sends an amiable (and non-gun-owning) reporter to see what all the fuss is about. Jan. 5, 2019 I have never smoked a cigarette. Dec. 15, 2018 On a cold, snowy December morning at 6 a.m., National Weather Service meteorologist Sabrina Jauernic puts on her coat and gloves to walk about 200 yards to a building that resembles a small observatory. It houses several hydrogen tanks that are used to fill weather balloons twice a day th...
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Kalkaska Pick-Kwik's Pulled Pork Tacos
Locked & Loaded
...
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The Vape Debate
Not even one puff.
I think it was the smell that turned me off. At an early age, the stench was burned into my memory.
I can’t think of one family member who didn’t smoke cigarettes.
On the weekends, ...
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This Winter: A Whiteout or a Wash?