Opinion
Finding Common Ground in an Unpredictable Year
Guest Opinion
By Kent Wood | Sept. 26, 2026
Predicting what the Michigan legislature will do next is rarely easy. In an election year, under divided government, it can be nearly impossible. That makes what happened on housing policy this summer worth examining. While Republicans and Democrats continue to disagree on plenty, lawmakers have found areas of agreement on housing—advancing changes to building regulations and creating a major new financing tool for affordable housing. The measures differ considerably in approach, but … Read More >>
Catching Up on TC News
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 26, 2026
It’s becoming more and more difficult to keep up with local goings on. Not everybody is thrilled with the directions being taken. Traverse City officials reacted with shock and surprise when the Grand Traverse County board voted 8-1 to oppose the extension of the city’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) TIF 97, or, as they initially called it, the Moving Downtown Forward TIF that has now been renamed to Infrastructure Only TIF. (One … Read More >>
An Imperfect Guide to Environmental Dilemmas at Home
Guest Opinion
By Lauren Teichner | Sept. 19, 2026
As a homeowner, parent of two small kids, and full time professional, I constantly grapple with how to lead an environmentally conscious life. There are many questions that do not seem to have easy answers: When it comes to our lawn, how can I steward our land while creating space for our kids to play? What controls should I use, if any, to tackle the swarms of mosquitos we get in the … Read More >>
Getting Worse
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 19, 2026
Why, my friend asked, do you keep writing about the environment? Because people should know things keep getting worse. Some scientists believe a tipping point has already been reached and our actions no longer have much mitigating consequence—we are heading for an environmental apocalypse no matter what. Others are more hopeful. The current administration in Washington does not believe there is a problem. What does the current data indicate? According to the … Read More >>
Building a Sustainable Model for Trails
Guest Opinion
By Brian Beauchamp | Sept. 12, 2026
The Grand Traverse region is a place most clearly defined by water and the natural features of our sugar sand beaches, cold water streams, inland lakes, and wooded hillsides. Another feature that has come to define our region is the access provided to these spaces through sustainable trails that immerse us in the landscape and bring our senses alive. A hiking trail through one of our area’s many nature preserves offers a … Read More >>
Buses and a Flood
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 12, 2026
There were many things uniquely American our foreign guests noticed when they visited during the World Cup this summer. Free refills, food portion sizes, air conditioning everywhere, and the kindness and friendliness of Americans all impressed. But they were absolutely obsessed with yellow school buses. They thought they were just movie props. They should be here now. With schools back in session, visitors would discover those buses have gone from being an … Read More >>
Already Finding a Solution
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 5, 2026
President Donald Trump’s economy of petulance rolls on unabated by Congress or court decisions, as he simply ignores both. His latest target is Canada, which had the temerity to refuse to allow America to have a say-so in how they run their own economy. There was a trade deal with Canada already supposedly in effect and a new deal on the table. But when the U.S. decided to add some last minute … Read More >>
The Silent Season of a Hero
Guest Opinion
By Isiah Smith, Jr. | Sept. 5, 2026
“No man has the right to be an amateur in physical training. It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength his body is capable of.” Socrates offered this famous advice to a young disciple named Epigenes, who was in noticeably poor physical condition. When Epigenes excused himself by saying he was “not an athlete,” Socrates reminded him that everyone is engaged in a lifelong … Read More >>
Most Boastful, Least Accomplished
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Aug. 29, 2026
We accept, perhaps to our own detriment, that politicians have a fairly distant relationship with the truth. Especially during campaign season, we know candidates are going to exaggerate any successes and minimize or completely ignore their weaknesses and failures. There has always been a bipartisan tradition of truth avoidance. There is, however, one politician who has made this into a near art form. In his book, The Art of the Deal, Donald … Read More >>
The End, and the Beginning
Guest Opinion
By Greg Holmes | Aug. 29, 2026
Friends, the end is near! By the time you read this column, the summer season will be coming to a close, on its way to making its glorious transition into fall. If you are attached to summer and the opportunities it affords, now is the time to enjoy the last bits of it before the autumnal equinox issues the official end of summer on Sept. 22. Many people in northern Michigan love … Read More >>
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