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Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today that 16 communities were awarded a 2021 Recreation Passport grant. The Recreation Passport grant program started 11 years ago. It aims to boost visitation and funding for Michigan's state parks as well as local, community parks and trails. This year’s grants include a total investment
A great animated film delights the kids, with plenty of other elements that parents can enjoy as well. These Halloween events are in that same vein. The scare level is low enough that your kids can sleep at night, but they, and you, will have plenty of fun at Michigan’s best family-friendly Halloween destinations. Hallowe’en at Greenfield
When travelers cross the Ambassador Bridge into the United States, they land immediately in Mexicantown. I don’t know about you, but I find that a bit amusing. Can’t help but wonder if it has ever confused anyone to be greeted by Mexican flags when entering the U.S. Unfortunately, these days, there are less people crossing that border.
Our state, like most of the world, is still reeling from the effects of the pandemic both from a health perspective and an economic one. Many small businesses in particular have been devastated by closures, supply chain issues, and ongoing employment challenges. With so many global events affecting us, it can feel like there isn’t much that
There’s often a debate over whether or not one person can really make a difference. That question has been solved with a resounding yes when it comes to a roadside attraction near Marquette. With just a simple idea, and a fair amount of land, Tom Lakenen has been able to create lifelong memories for passing travelers, as
After a long winter often filled with gray skies, brown grass, and bare trees, there is something truly spectacular about strolling through a Michigan garden in the spring. While these annual color tours may delight most adults, kids sometimes lose interest part of the way through. That’s why we’ve identified five botanical treasures that will delight your
Some people listen to a rodent in Pennsylvania to determine when spring is coming, while others count days on a calendar, but for those of us who endure the cold and ice of a long, albeit beautiful Michigan winter, it’s calendar be damned. We know sure signs of spring when we see them, and most bring pure
Almost forty years ago, in an effort to inspire future generations of female leaders, the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame was established. The initial group of inductees included such noteworthy subjects as Elizabeth Chandler, Martha Griffiths, Helen Milliken, Rosa Parks, Anna Howard Shaw, and Sojourner Truth. Each year since, a group of women are nominated by an
Since the pandemic hit, a number of cities and towns across the state identified specific areas to provide additional outdoor dining space for their restaurants. Some utilized the sidewalk in front of each eatery, while others did full street closures either for the entire period, or at designated times and days each week. Now, with COVID-numbers rising
One of my favorite parts of traveling is the surprising find. It usually comes in the form of a hidden gem on a road trip, when you see something intriguing and bother to take the time to stop. Such is the case with the Historic Bridge Park in Calhoun County near Battle Creek, Michigan. I’ve passed the
Perhaps the only thing that can make Michigan’s agricultural products and inventive locally-produced foods even more tantalizing is when talented chefs combine them and take them to a masterful new level. That’s what makes Taste the Local Difference’s (TLD)new digital cookbook such an exciting addition to Michigan’s foodie culture. The Traverse city-based local food marketing company has
Once you meet Dorothy Zehnder, it’s hard to forget her. She may be a tad diminutive in stature, but she’s definitely not short on kindness, charm or energy. In fact, the 98-year young matriarch of the Zehnder family still works full time six days a week! She is the co-founder and co-owner of the Frankenmuth Bavarian Inn,
It’s a tradition that started in 2009. While we encourage local spending all year long, for one special week each year (July 27-Aug 2, 2020), we ask people to make a more concerted effort to buy and try Michigan-made products; explore independent eateries and boutiques; learn more about local companies; and to share their long-time favorites and
A year ago, over even six months back, no one could’ve predicted the fashion trend sweeping the nation would be face masks. Yes, they are a necessary precaution during the pandemic, but in typical American form, they are now taking on stylish looks as well. Fabric masks can be washed and reused, yet for style’s sake, there
After months of unprecedented fear and misery around our nation, today I had the refreshing opportunity to witness unbridled joy. Scarlet’s Playground in Commerce Township opened up to welcome a gaggle of giggling kids. The barrier-free, all-inclusive playground has been a primary mission for Scarlet’s Smile, a local 501(c)3 organization. The heart of the nonprofit, and the
We first introduced Jackson Riegler to our community when he was just a high school student developing a brand new, inspiring idea to help preserve the Great Lakes. He won our Up & Coming Entrepreneur Contest at the tender age of seventeen, back in 2017. Today, he’s a student at the University of Michigan with a full-blown
There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic will take a toll on our economy, but we can work together to minimize the negative impact. Place carryout orders from local restaurants One of the easiest ways to help, and let’s face it, give yourself a break too, is to pick up a curbside carry-out from your favorite
While there’s hardly ever a reason not to visit Mackinac Island and the beautiful area that surrounds it, 2020 presents a particularly magical opportunity. Mackinac State Historic Parks is turning 125 this year and, as such, its team has created 125 days of events throughout the 2020 season, spread across its family of sites and parks. Many
What was once a small chain of Plum Market grocery shops has gradually expanded into several go-to destinations around Metro Detroit. The latest of these Plum Market Kitchens has now opened in the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation. Plum Market Kitchen is a small-format spin-off of the full organics-focused grocery stores with which the company started.
Over the years, the Frankenmuth Cheese Haus has become a Michigan’s Little Bavaria institution. 2018 marked its 50th anniversary, and included a move to a much larger location at 545 S. Main St. Naturally, its most famous resident came along to reside outside the new digs, and now he’s celebrating a big birthday too. I’m speaking, of
Last year Ford Motor Company issued a challenge in Indianapolis, Austin, Mexico City, and Detroit. The idea behind the City: One Mobility Challenge was to identify new ways to make it easier for people to get around. In Detroit, three winning proposals have now been identified and the groups behind them will share $250,000 in funding to
The TCF Center in Detroit, formerly known as Cobo Hall, is seeking a new addition to its impressive art collection. The Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority Art Foundation, otherwise known as Art at TCF Center, has announced a call to artists for a large-scale, exterior sculpture. This aesthetic addition to the city’s landscape will reside in the middle of
When it comes to art and style, Michigan has been home to many revolutionary ideas and figures, though precious few have had the lasting impact on their craft as interior designer Ruth Adler Schnee. Before she created a body of textile patterns in the 1940s and 1950s that helped shape the look and feel of mid-century modernism,
For most of us, the holiday season is steeped in our own unique traditions. When I was a kid, for example, Santa used to come and pound on our door early on Christmas Eve. He would drop one gift in advance for my cousins, my brother, and me. The most exciting part wasn’t the gift, but running
If you've ever driven past an elegant home and wondered how it is decorated inside, you're in for a treat. There's an exciting new exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). Uniquely, it gives a glimpse into the homes of some prominent locals. Detroit Collects: Selections of African American Art from Private Collections, runs until March
