Ross Boissoneau | Author

A 75-Year Tradition on the Slopes

Dec. 14, 2024

It was the worst of times, it will (hopefully) be the best of times. With apologies to Charles Dickens, that sums up last year and this coming year at Mt. Holiday ski hill in Traverse City.

With warm temperatures and little snow, the action at the longtime ski favorite last winter w… Read More >>

Tinsel Tunes for 2024

Nov. 30, 2024

It’s that time of year again, when the 250 different versions of “The Christmas Song” playing on the radio and in stores are relieved only by Wham!’s “Last Christmas.” Over and over again. But even if it isn’t on the mainstream waves, each year brin… Read More >>

Merry Music: 20+ Concerts, Shows, and Performances to Celebrate the Holidays

Nov. 23, 2024

Ready or not, here come the holidays! And with the yuletide season come special shows and performances, both classic (hello there, Mouse King!) and newer (candlelight concerts anyone?). From churches to theaters and beyond, the magic of December brings people together.

“When I… Read More >>

The Magical World of Holiday Art Markets: 11 Markets and Shows to Put on Your Calendar

Nov. 16, 2024

With Halloween in the rearview, it’s officially the holiday season, and stores have already been stocking their shelves with holiday décor and plenty of toys, clothes, electronics, and more.

It’s not just the retailers that are showcasing gift possibilities. The c… Read More >>

Renewable Roots

Nov. 9, 2024

The name might throw you off, but the Renewable Roots Convention is not about exploring your ancestry. Nor is it about Americana, blues, or other roots music.

No, this conference is all about renewing the earth beneath our feet to benefit the roots of plants and thus the plants them… Read More >>

The Bear of Grayling

Nov. 2, 2024

Fred Bear is a legendary figure in the history of bow hunting and bow manufacturing. Bear Archery, the company he began in 1933, is still manufacturing archery equipment, though it left the Great Lakes State in 1978. It first relocated from Grayling to Gainesville, Florida, before subsequen… Read More >>

Trends, Technology, and Threats at the Ballot Box

Oct. 19, 2024

Commercials running non-stop. Postcards filling mailboxes, urging voters to elect this or that candidate. News reports on TV and social media chock-full of information, and too often, misinformation.

It used to be called the silly season, but as election time nears, what once may ha… Read More >>

Always Chasing That Runner's High

Oct. 5, 2024

Melinda Mitchell started running in high school. Kelly Slater started when she was nine. Norm Plumstead didn’t start until after college, while Jim Graham started in 1965.

Now in their 50s, 60s, and 70s—putting them in the masters divisions for all races—these runn… Read More >>

Dreams on Parade

Oct. 5, 2024

Tony Danza, actor? Of course, with starring roles on two hit shows—Taxi and Who’s the Boss?—as well as several other television shows, movies, and Broadway plays.

Tony Danza, boxer? He sported an 8-3 record as a professional boxer before turning to acting.

The Active Retirement Shift

Oct. 5, 2024

Ah, retirement. The good life. Just make it to 65 and let that pension kick in. No more alarm clocks or worries about what the boss thinks.

Once upon a time, that was the norm. Today, however, many are working past 65, because they need to or they want to—or both. And when fol… Read More >>

Wineries Face Hiring Challenges for the Harvest

Sept. 28, 2024

It seems like everyone has a “Help Wanted” sign in the window these days. Whether in restaurants or retail, accounting or manufacturing, there is a shortage of workers. The farming industry is not immune, including grape harvesting and processing at area wineries.

With a… Read More >>

Fishing for a Fresh Tune

Sept. 14, 2024

Michael Delp and Crispin Campbell will perform in their guises as the Mad Angler and the Mad Cellist at the Alluvion Sept. 20. The duo, both retired instructors at Interlochen, will perform from their recording The River Under the River. “I’d heard Mike read [his] poems when we … Read More >>

Local Competitors Gear Up for Ironman 70.3 Michigan

Sept. 7, 2024

It draws participants from across the globe, but the Frankfort Ironman triathlon—Ironman 70.3 Michigan, officially—also draws heavily from here in northern lower Michigan.

Who are these brave souls who leap into the waters, cruise down the roads, and race along the trail… Read More >>

The One-Two Punch of Significant Strikes

Sept. 7, 2024

For Chris Franks, it’s all about giving back—and punching back. Through his gym Significant Strikes and its sister nonprofit, Grand Traverse Community Enrichment, Franks is looking to help people learn to defend themselves, get in better shape, and gain self-confidence.

Kurt Elling & SuperBlue: A Good Time Every Night

Aug. 24, 2024

Kurt Elling and his band SuperBlue just returned from a tour of Asia, including dates in China and Japan. So his upcoming shows on Aug. 31 at The Alluvion in Traverse City could be just another night, another show.

But Elling doesn’t see it that way, and he doesn’t take … Read More >>

The Proof Is in the Proofing

Aug. 10, 2024

It’s obvious from the photos that Viv is hard-working, but then again, so is everyone at a bakery. Even a 1957 Volvo.

Greg Carpenter’s restored ride isn’t the secret ingredient for the breads or pastries he and his crew make at Crooked Tree Breadworks of Petoskey. … Read More >>

Jazz Hands: At the Piano with Bob James

Aug. 3, 2024

There aren’t many musicians who have found success for as long as Bob James. Nor are there many with his musical gifts or openness. He’s played straight-ahead jazz, soul jazz, fusion, smooth, acoustic, electric, and is stunningly (at least to him) one of the most sampled artists… Read More >>

"It's a Ton of Work to Grow Food"

July 20, 2024

People got used to Zoom meetings during the pandemic, and now we conduct business of all kinds with a kitchen, library, bedroom, or other surroundings in the background. (Plus the occasional interruption from children and pets.) Still, it’s a bit out of the ordinary for someone to ask… Read More >>

Hemingway in Horton Bay

July 13, 2024

It’s a birthday party for one of America’s great authors, and everyone’s invited! On July 21, the Horton Bay School will host a party for Ernest Hemingway, born that day in 1899. Attendees will also learn about a new garden at the Bay Township Hall which will be home to th… Read More >>

Halyards for Healers

July 13, 2024

The lure of Grand Traverse Bay entices people to do more than dip their toes in the water…for Brendan O’Donnel, it inspired him to move his entire life Up North.

“That’s what drew me to northern Michigan years ago,” he says of the region’s freshw… Read More >>