Amazon has decided it has outgrown Seattle and wants to establish a $5 billion second headquarters to house 50,000 employees in a new city, and this month CEO Jeff Bezos will review dozens of bids from eager cities across the country. I've formed a committee of...
Two out of every five people you see walking down the street in any town in northwest Michigan are not making enough money to meet their basic needs. They are worried about a car breaking down and not being able to get to work, missing...
It was a hot, sunny day in mid July of 2013 when 400 people gathered at a rally in the public park on the north end of the Mackinac Bridge to raise awareness of the aging oil pipelines lying on the bottom of the Mackinac...
In December, city commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to power Traverse City’s municipal operations via 100 percent renewable energy by 2020 and initiate a long-term plan to transition the entire city to be carbon neutral by 2050. That’s a big league move for our little city....
It’s hard to fathom the people of Flint were poisoned by lead-tainted water for 17 months while government officials ignored evidence and downplayed the problem. Unfortunately, the culture of denial and inaction brought to light by the Flint disaster has been around a long time...
Traverse City is an activist town. Local debate is usually lively, often intense, and sometimes hard to predict. I know it can drive elected officials and developers crazy, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. People here care deeply about the future and how...
Two years ago Mark Abbott envisioned FarmRaiser, a company that would take a new approach to school fundraisers by giving kids the chance to sell locally grown food. Buying local had become a major economic driver in just about every corner of the country. People...
Last month the Michigan Land Use Institute (MLUI) changed its name to the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities. We wanted a name that better reflects the spirit and substance of our work – and, ultimately, to build a stronger base of support. After two decades as MLUI,...
Joshua Davis is a gifted and hard-working guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, who can play the Delta Blues like Mississippi John Hurt and work a crowd into a dancing frenzy with his band Steppin’ In It. He’s been playing venues across Michigan for 20 years, so...
Imagine packing a bag for the weekend, heading over to the Filling Station (at the historic Train Depot) in Traverse City for lunch – and then actually boarding a train. As you settle into your clean, comfortable seat, the train pulls south along Boardman Lake...
