Ross Boissoneau | Author
Employees Are Calling the Shots
Sept. 9, 2023
The field of human resources is ever-evolving, and that’s never been more true than in the years following the onset of the pandemic. Remote and/or hybrid work has become more prevalent and accepted than ever before, and the last three-plus years have seen increases in pay and greater…
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Waterfront Field of Dreams
Sept. 2, 2023
If you rebuild it, they will come back. That’s the plan in Boyne City, where a group of dedicated volunteers are working hard to refurbish the Little League baseball field on the shores of Lake Charlevoix dubbed the Waterfront Field of Dreams.
“The goal is to maintain th…
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Welcome to the Childcare Desert
Aug. 26, 2023
While it may be home to dozens of lakes, bays, and rivers, much of northern Michigan is a desert. No, not the kind with cacti and camels—a childcare desert.
Lest that sound overly dramatic, that is exactly how the situation is described by those in the industry. In fact, Michi…
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Capturing the Magic of Live Music
Aug. 5, 2023
When guitarist Rick Kiehle and pianist David Chown met through the Northwestern Michigan College jazz program, they forged a musical connection. Chown’s friend and longtime cohort Charlie Tomlin had passed away, and he was looking for another guitarist for his variety band, The Lookou…
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Extending a Hand to the Community
July 29, 2023
It’s 193 miles from Suttons Bay to East Lansing. Frankfort is 184 miles away, Gaylord is 171, and Traverse City clocks in at 180.
Yet the resources and expertise of Michigan State University are here in our communities, thanks to MSU Extension.
MSU Extension dates back…
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Culinary Rookies of the Year
July 22, 2023
When new owners take over established restaurants, things change. Sometimes it’s décor, other times it’s a completely new menu or concept. Perhaps it just means reopening a shuttered establishment. Or maybe the new owner respects the restaurant and clientele so much that …
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The Alternative to the Marina
July 8, 2023
Michigan is known as the water wonderland, and indeed northern Michigan is a boater’s paradise. But if you don’t have a house on the water or a slip in a marina—many of which have waiting lists of 10+ years—paradise comes with all the hassles of readying the boat, la…
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“Rock Transcends the Constraints of Time”
July 8, 2023
Many bands find that as they mature, members want to take a shot at a solo career. That’s been the case for everyone from Phish to Yes to the Moody Blues.
Lawrence Gowan of Styx did the opposite.
The classically-trained keyboardist had a successful solo career before j…
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The Kindred Old Souls of Pop, Rock, and Everything Else
June 24, 2023
It’s a sunny forecast for summer, at least as far as Postmodern Jukebox is concerned. The ensemble will perform at Bay View’s John M. Hall Auditorium July 1, bringing its unique spin to hits of today and yesterday as part of the aptly-named “Life in the Past Lane” to…
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Summer Sounds Abound
June 24, 2023
The rolling hills Up North are alive with the sound of music. So too are the valleys, woods, city centers, and parks. The beaches and the concert halls. Not to mention the distilleries, wineries, breweries, restaurants, bars, and on and on.
That’s right—when the ca…
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How Many Hotels (and Short-Term Rentals) Does Traverse City Need?
June 10, 2023
Northwestern Lower Michigan has long been attractive to vacationers. The Campbell House, which was eventually replaced by the Park Place Hotel, was the first hotel aimed at the tourist market when it was built in 1873. Others soon followed. Today, there are more than 1,000 guest rooms in th…
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Festival Season Is Coming...Are You Ready for It?
May 27, 2023
Spring is in the air, and the calendar is quickly turning toward summer. In northern Michigan, that means we’ll soon be hearing melodies emanating from music festivals, smelling cherry pie, and hearing the boom of fireworks.
In short, ’tis the season for the many festiva…
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The Post-Prison Job Market
May 13, 2023
Navigating life after prison can be tough, especially when job hunting. Many formerly incarcerated people face stigmas and hiring prejudice based on their past crimes, and Vice reports that “[a]ccording to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, one in three Americans–over 10…
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What’s the Story with Apartments?
April 29, 2023
It’s no secret there’s a need for housing everywhere across northern Michigan. Areas such as Leelanau County and Boyne City are white-hot, with homes selling within days of being listed, and the rest of the region isn’t far behind.
During the Great Recession, the c…
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Celebrating Mother Earth
April 15, 2023
On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans rallied and railed against the pollution and environmental impacts of indiscriminate industrial development. That first Earth Day spawned an environmental movement that continues to this day.
The one-day event has grown in stature and in lengt…
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Old Guys on Dirt Bikes (Their Words!)
April 8, 2023
When you’re young, it’s fun to hit the trails on a motorbike, flying around corners, soaring over tree roots, zipping between trees, and just having a blast. That fun can continue as riders zoom into middle age and beyond—like those still doing it in their 60s, 70s, even 8…
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Experience the Mystery
March 18, 2023
’Tis the season for mysterious and spooky fun. No, it’s not Halloween, and there are no headless horsemen or Great Pumpkins rising from the pumpkin patch. But thanks to the fascinating histories and spooky legends of northern Michigan, it’s always the season for exploring …
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Downtown Sound
Feb. 18, 2023
The sounds of Americana, blues, sweet vocal harmonies, Afro-Cuban jazz—they’re all part of the Downtown Sound Performing Arts Series at Crooked Tree Arts Center (CTAC) in Petoskey. From touring artists to Mitten Smitten performers—musicians who call the Mitten State home, …
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39 Years of Gopherwood Concerts
Feb. 4, 2023
Gopherwood Concerts, a long-running music series in Cadillac, began as a film guild in the 1980s before being “killed” by “the advent of the VCR.” It then morphed into the Gopherwood Folk Society, which had the goal of bringing great music to town. The name, per thei…
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48 Hours in Mackinaw City
Jan. 14, 2023
Where do people from northern Michigan go for a vacation? In the summer, we often head north, to the Straits of Mackinac, the U.P., and beyond, while in the winter we typically go south or west for warmer climes.
But why? Why not celebrate the snowy season with a trip, even just a b… Read More >>