Ross Boissoneau | Author
Honey, We Bought a Preserve
June 9, 2018
Jim Lamond had a vision. And if it wasn’t the kind where you see God, maybe it could be said it was a vision where he and others saw God’s handiwork, in the form of an 80-acre parcel of land, home to eagles, foxes, deer, and other flora and fauna. The land was destined for devel…
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The Kindness Kids Club
June 9, 2018
“Be kind to your parents, though they don't deserve it. Remember they’re grown-ups, a difficult stage of life."
When Harold Rome wrote that song in 1954, he probably didn’t have the vagaries of 21st-century life in mind. But as he said later in the song, &…
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Mr. Summer, Troy Daily
June 9, 2018
Those growing up in a family business often either turn to that business when they grow up — or run away from it into an entirely different direction. Troy Daily did both, and as the force behind food trucks, local beer tours, a marketing company, and an event company, he’s stil…
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Hurricane Maria is Gone; Hurricane Miriam Hasn’t Quit
June 9, 2018
For Miriam Pico, the destruction Hurricane Maria wrought on Puerto Rico was personal. The Traverse City-based singer-songwriter was born there and spent the first two years of her life in Puerto Rico.
Though she’s lived in Traverse City since age four, Pico still sees the isla…
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Everybody’s a Critic
June 9, 2018
Social media has made critics of us all. Had a great time with your friends? Tell the world. Lunch was outstanding? Let everyone know. Your accommodations didn’t meet your expectations? Blast the place online.
But what if you’re a hotelier in one of the most touristed (r…
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State of the Art
June 2, 2018
Northern Michigan is synonymous with many things: Lake Michigan, cherries, beautiful rolling hills, wineries, and, of course, art — folk art, fiber art, photos, oil and watercolor paintings, sculpture, ceramics, and on and on.
While there’s no way to cover all the galler…
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Albert Loeb’s Crazy Charlevoix Experiment Turns 100
May 26, 2018
It’s a castle. It’s a site for weddings. It’s an extraordinary garden. It is — or at least was — a giant rockin’ concert venue. And this year, it is 100 years old.
“It” is Castle Farms in Charlevoix. The sprawling grounds and the many …
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Will the Dark Sky Park Ever Be So Stellar Again?
May 26, 2018
Recent controversy isn’t slowing down the Headlands Dark Sky Park a bit, said Marci Schmiege, the director of parks and recreation for Emmet County.
“The park is open 24/7. We have a new gift shop that just opened and the observatory is open. It’s doing very well,&…
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Sounds of Summer Start Now
May 19, 2018
The summer music season gets underway with the Round Lake Music Festival in downtown Charlevoix May 25–27. Three bands each on Saturday and Sunday will provide the festivities, with the Jelly Roll Blues Band kicking things off with a special Friday evening performance starting at 5pm.…
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The State of the Market Up North
May 5, 2018
Back in the early 2000s, the real estate market was exploding. Lenders were eager to provide money to buyers and property values were appreciating yearly. Then the recession hit, the bubble burst, and the values started to tumble.
If you’ve been paying attention, you probably …
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More For Sale By Owner Than Ever?
May 5, 2018
With what is undeniably a seller’s market, it seems like this would be an ideal time for a seller to forego the cost of a Realtor and sell their home as a FSBO (For Sale By Owner, pronounced FIZZ-bo). And when you look around, both on the street and online, you do see signs of an incr…
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One Week to Change Your Life
May 5, 2018
Those interested in creating plays have friends they might not even know about. That’s because Katherine Carter and Rachel Sussman are offering emerging artists an opportunity to hone their craft at a retreat in September in Bear Lake. The MITTEN Lab — aka the Michigan Incubator…
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New Affordable Housing Development Ruffles Feathers
May 5, 2018
Add to the list of housing debates in Traverse City: the conversion of part of a former Country Inn and Suites hotel to an apartment building. The proposed East Bay Flats, at 420 Munson Avenue, just east of Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), will offer both working-class ap…
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Kid Geniuses
May 5, 2018
So when should one start preparing for the job market? Maybe it’s never too early — though that’s not necessarily the motivation for two groups of elementary students. Teams from both Traverse City’s Central Grade and Crystal Lake Elementary in Benzonia have made to …
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The Arrangement
April 21, 2018
There’s nothing like a symphony. Sure, you can plug in guitars and turn them up to 11, pound massive drum sets, even make whale sounds on synthesizers, but the power and majesty of a symphony orchestra can’t be duplicated. Not when you have 40, 50, 60 or more people all keeping …
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Computer Scientist Gives up Software Career for Piano
April 21, 2018
Peter Bergin’s choice was simple, though fraught with challenges. For 24 years, he had worked in the computer and software industry, mostly for Silicon Valley companies such as Autodesk and Adobe. He fed his musical muse with side jobs as a church musician and teaching piano lessons.<…
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A former Freep writer tells his story about the Red Wings’ famed Russian Five
April 14, 2018
It was more than two decades ago, but in many ways it feels like yesterday. In 1997, the Detroit Red Wings were on top of the world as Stanley Cup winners, thanks in very large part to the Russian Five. Days later, that euphoria was suddenly, shockingly ended when the car carrying Vladimir …
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Young Playwrights Get a Chance to Strut (and See) Their Stuff
April 7, 2018
When writing a story, the characters come alive on the pages. For many that’s enough. But five young writers from around the area will see their characters come alive on stage April 29 at the Young Playwrights Festival at the City Opera House.
The Young Playwrig…
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Making Civic Engagement … Civil?
March 24, 2018
In this increasingly polarized time, where name-calling, ridiculing, and shouting without listening (a favorite of both public servants and anonymous online trolls) is increasingly the norm, is there any hope for civil engagement? Several local institutions think so, and they’re doing…
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Interlochen Students Join Grammy-winning Groups to Tackle Music Few Can
March 24, 2018
Two celebrated percussion groups and Interlochen Academy students will play some of the most demanding music in the classical canon — over and over and over again. The repeating and slowly mutating rhythms and motifs of classical composer Steve Reich will be presented at a two-night f… Read More >>