Art Bukowski | Author

Community Resolutions

Dec. 21, 2024

Regardless of your profession, there’s something special and refreshing about the promise of a new year. Northern Express asked local civic leaders within our 13-county coverage area about their resolutions for the coming year.

Amy Shamroe, Mayor of Traverse CityRead More >>

20Fathoms Dives Deeper

Dec. 14, 2024

It’s been a big year for Traverse City’s homegrown startup incubator and coworking space, and 2025 promises even more action as key staff and new initiatives are in place.

20Fathoms (named for the 120 feet that Grand Traverse Bay is clear to a depth of) has been helping … Read More >>

No Alcohol, No Problem

Nov. 30, 2024

For a variety of health, financial, and personal reasons, many people reach for non-alcoholic (NA) drinks these days. And while a few companies have popped up in northern Michigan to offer these options exclusively, even outfits that have built their business and reputation around alcohol a… Read More >>

Working in Permanent Ink

Nov. 23, 2024

There are a lot of feelings to feel when you sit down to make lines that will (probably) stay on a person’s body until they die.

Even veteran tattoo artists have a bit of nerves as the needle goes in, they say, as that ink is pretty unforgiving. And there’s a colossal se… Read More >>

On Target with Del Whitman

Nov. 2, 2024

There’s almost too much for gunsmith Delbert “Del” Whitman to love as he settles into another job in his rural workshop near Lake Ann.

Even a short time spent with Whitman reveals a man with a Zen-like connection to every aspect of this craft, from its history (he … Read More >>

Barr Versus Bergman

Oct. 19, 2024

Another election, another challenger for U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman. Will this one garner the votes to pull off an upset?

Bergman is seeking his fifth term representing Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, which includes the entire Upper Peninsula and 20 counties in the northern… Read More >>

70 Is the New 90 for Senior Living

Oct. 5, 2024

The old folks' home isn’t what it used to be.

That’s the loud-and-clear message from leaders at local senior living facilities, where the clientele is skewing younger and the activities are more robust and engaging.

What most people imagine when they think of sen… Read More >>

Two Housing Solutions, Little Funding

Sept. 21, 2024

For a community to be vibrant and active in all four seasons, people need housing that’s available year-round. If employers hope to attract and retain workers, those workers need places to live. If small businesses want to blunt the effects of seasonality, full-time residents will hel… Read More >>

Farewell to Hoxeyville and Earthwork Harvest Gathering

Sept. 14, 2024

Northern Michigan’s music scene was dealt a considerable blow in 2024 when organizers of two popular and long-running music festivals decided to call it quits.

Hoxeyville Music Festival in Wexford County and Earthwork Harvest Gathering in Missaukee County will both come to a c… Read More >>

Striking the Wage Balance

Aug. 31, 2024

A bombshell Michigan Supreme Court ruling stands to change compensation for Michigan workers, including an elimination of the "tip credit" that allows restaurants to pay tipped workers a very low hourly rate.

The Supreme Court in late July issued a ruling that will raise the min… Read More >>

Building Bigger, Better, and Brighter Community Colleges

Aug. 24, 2024

Exciting and impactful changes are planned at two of northwest Michigan’s largest centers of higher education.

While it will take years for the full scope of these plans to come to fruition, students will begin noticing changes in the 2024-25 school year as leaders at Northwes… Read More >>

The High-Tech Future of Farming

Aug. 10, 2024

For thousands of years, crop-based agriculture has operated under the same fundamental framework: Plant something, care for it, and harvest its bounty.

Over time, certain practices, innovations, and implements have led to massive leaps in production. Almost all of these have involve… Read More >>

In the Stables at Traverse City Horse Shows

July 27, 2024

It’s hard to not be impressed by the showmanship, beauty, and strength of the horses that gracefully move around the rings at Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS).

Perfectly dressed riders atop impeccably groomed horses make for a visual feast week in and week out at the equestria… Read More >>

A Brief History of FishPass

July 13, 2024

After many years of planning (and a few more years of legal wrangling), a state-of-the-art scientific facility has broken ground in Traverse City.

But what exactly is FishPass? What will it do and why is it here? What will it mean for the river and the general public? We’ll lo… Read More >>

Raising the Leaders of Tomorrow with Northern Michigan Climate Families

June 22, 2024

As most parents of young children can attest, simply surviving from day to day and week to week can be a real grind.

Keeping kids safe, healthy, and entertained while managing busy schedules filled with sports and activities can be overwhelming, especially for working parents who al… Read More >>

The Up North Garden Guide: Plants, Soils, Climate Changes, and More

June 15, 2024

Life’s always better out in the garden.

And depending on what you plant in your little patch of earth, that maxim might apply to a host of critters that could use a little extra shelter or sustenance.

Decorative gardening has been a popular pastime for centuries, but i… Read More >>

Human Trafficking: Is It Happening Here?

June 8, 2024

Whether it be for labor, sex, drugs or more, thousands of people of all ages are trafficked across the country each year. Experts define it as using force, fraud, or coercion to exploit and profit from the services of people against their will.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline… Read More >>

Seven Takeaways from Local Real Estate Agents for the Spring/Summer Market

April 27, 2024

The last few years in local real estate have been akin to what one local agent described as the “wild west,” with norms and conventions thrown out the window as buyers scrambled for homes in the strongest sellers’ market in decades.

Today, local agents agree that a… Read More >>

One Year of Recreational Cannabis in Traverse City

April 13, 2024

After one year of recreational cannabis sales in Traverse City, those involved say it’s been worth the sometimes-bumpy wait.

Many municipalities throughout the state saw recreational cannabis operations up and running not long after Michigan voters first legalized the practice… Read More >>

What's Next for the Five Nonprofits on the Site of the Future Freshwater Research & Innovation Center?

March 23, 2024

Change is coming to a small but busy corner of Elmwood Township that will soon house the Traverse City Freshwater Research & Innovation Center.

The project—a collaboration between Discovery Center & Pier, 20Fathoms, Traverse Connect, Northwestern Michigan College, and … Read More >>