Viking Bice heading for CMU
By Alicia Jaimes Tri-County senior Julia Bice eagerly awaits her high school graduation after signing with Central Michigan University (CMU) to play on their women’s golf team next year. Only days away from having to walk across the stage to receive her diploma, she is reminded of her high school accomplishments and events that made her who she is today. “It definitely was an emotional rollercoaster,”she said, recalling the day she thought her life as an athlete was on the line. On Friday, Dec. 16, 2016, while playing in the Big Rapids vs. Tri-County basketball game an in-game injury left her with a torn ACL, MCL and Meniscus. Occurring early in their season, Julia underwent surgery but remained on the sidelines, cheering on her teammates and helping in any way she could. She remembered feeling scared after realizing how much muscle mass was being lost and how difficult it was to walk or put pressure on her leg. As if the situation wasn’t stressful enough, it was learned that the initial surgery didn’t go as planned and that a second surgery was required--putting her in a full hip-to-ankle cast. This didn’t stop her though. Chad Bice describes his daughter Julia as “dedicated,” “compassionate” and “loyal.” “Perseverance,” he added to the list. “When you stick to something, you get rewarded; and that quality begets other qualities. If you don’t give up on your studies, you get good grades. If you don’t give up on your beliefs, you create character. If you don’t give up on people, you make friends. This is Julia--she doesn’t give up,” His words rang true as recovery began and with the help of a supportive family Julia was able to rejoin the sports she loved. Coming from a household where she was told she was ‘a student athlete, not an athletic student’ Bice believes that academics come before anything else. It seems only right that she would decide to pursue a career as a music teacher. “I want to impact the lives of kids,” she said and credited her band director Ryan Schultz as the biggest influence in her desire to pursue this field. Playing drums since the age of three, Bice originally wanted to play the trumpet like her father, but her natural talent fell to percussion. This talent blossomed in eighth grade when she was recruited by the high school marching band and from there became center snare and section leader of both the concert and marching band. These opportunities played a key component as she auditioned for and was later accepted into the CMU music program. Julia Bice is a passionate individual who throws herself into any obstacle or opportunity that comes her way; however, this doesn’t mean that she hasn’t had moments of doubt. After being accepted into the music program at CMU she was interested in joining the women’s golf team but was unsure about getting in--coming from a small school where womens golf wasn’t well-known. Encouraged by her father to ‘reach out and see what happens’ Bice agreed and e-mailed the coach, offering to help in any way she could to just be a part of the golf program. To her surprise, word came back from the CMU women’s golf coach who agreed to take a look. She sent in a video and later received the response hoped for--she was in. On Monday, April 30, Bice signed with CMU. While anticipating her freshman year at CMU brings feelings of excitement and expectancy Julia also thinks about her 14-year-old sister, Sinclaire who will begin her first year of high school. Sinclaire will be following in her sister’s footsteps pursuing a mutual love for both sports and music. The siblings consider themselves more like best friends than anything else and Julia hopes to visit home on weekends and in between what looks to be an already full, but promising, schedule next year. The natural talent and determined attitude that helped her flourish at Tri-County will without a doubt help immensely as Julia begins her first year at CMU and an exciting new chapter in her life. By Ken DeLaat
With Sarah Potenza (along with Meghan Linsey...BONUS) making a return trip to the Dogwood Center Black Box this Friday we thought it appropriate to resurrect this review done during her last appearance two years ago. May, 2016- Sarah Potenza didn’t just make a return visit to The Dogwood’s Black Box Saturday she took the place by storm capturing a grateful audience with her hard driving vocals and commanding stage presence. Ms. Potenza doesn’t just deliver her songs she transcends them into musical monologues as she takes hold of the stories within the songs and wrings every ounce of emotion out of them. Between songs Ms. Potenza engages her audience with a freshness that comes from the nature of her delivery. Nothing is canned or rehearsed as she allows herself to wander from topic to topic always dispensing the anecdotes she shares with humor, candor and a level of self acceptance that is refreshing. There were stories about 7th grade gym class, her signature big white glasses (best $78 I ever spent) her first concert (Bonnie Raitt-age 14), life of the road, and her time on The Voice. She expressed her love for Bernie Sanders, spoke of her fondness for fellow Voice contestant (and local favorite) Josh Davis, and her longing for the pre-cell phone and pre caller i.d. days when “every call was like a mystery”. Then coming out of a story she would cut loose with those distinctive vocals and take command of the room. With Ian scoring on some nasty lead licks Sarah belted out a series of songs with each lingering with the listener until being absorbed by her next offering. The highlight of the night was when she took on the Leonard Cohen classic “Hallelujah”. Despite previous covers that are definitely listen-worthy this ballad took on a whole new meaning in the capable hands of this gifted performer. Reaching the depths of pure passion this time honored piece allows, Sarah absolutely drove this number home with a stunning performance that brought the crowd in the Box to their feet. In this listeners mind you can deed this song over to Ms. Potenza because after her masterful rendition she certainly deserves to own it. Anyone who was there would agree that a return visit by this talented lady would be a most welcome event indeed. And if you have yet to experience this highly entertaining artist, make sure you climb on board if she visits again. It is so worth the trip. By Ken DeLaat
This will be the 20th Mothers Day since my own Mom followed my Dad’s footsteps into ‘“the undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns” as Shakespeare so eloquently described. And during each of these annual tributes to those who have starred in this all consuming role my thoughts wander back to her and the ways she expressed her love for her children. Like many parents she likely found raising little kids easier than teenagers. Those years when both parent and child redefine themselves and their relationship can be conflictual at times but other than a few rough patches she and my much older brothers survived and she honed her skills at mothering teens for use with my sister and I. Being the youngest of four... (and her and dad’s favorite but I’m not supposed to tell my much older siblings this so I hope they continue to refrain from reading my columns) ...it felt like there wasn’t much one could get by her. Almost like she knew what you were going to do or say before you did. “About last night...the only thing that ran out of gas was that excuse years ago when your brothers tried to use it and no, you didn’t fall asleep at a friends house so, where were you and what were you doing?” I credit her with having helped me develop a more active imagination. She had her hands pretty full raising a daughter, my beloved sis who is just 14 months closer to being 100 years old than I. Being Mom to a daughter is not just a different role but a completely different script. They tangled more than we did which was great when due to my own behavior I needed to fly a bit under the radar, however they also had a rather special kind of closeness that came to fruition toward the end of adolescence. These days my big sister has raised her children and shares with me the pleasure of having a quartet of grandkids. Our way, way, older brothers also have grandchildren and great grandchildren to boot given their advanced ages. We don’t see each other much, just an annual reunion and maybe a rare dinner here and there. Our lives have transitioned many times since we all lived in the same household and each of us has gone in a variety of directions over the decades. And though Mom has been gone from this earth these 20 years, she remains with us in many ways. I once said her departure left us orphans but truth be told she comes alive each time I see one of my sibs. Regardless of what paths our lives have taken and no matter how different we might be from who we were then, we share a common bond. There’s a bit of Mom in each of us. And on those ever so rare occasions when we see each other it’s that first smile of recognition that seals that bond and forever solidifies who we are and from whence we came. Some chosen words on Motherhood. “Mother — that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.” ~T. DeWitt Talmage “Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.” ~Linda Wooten “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” ~Oprah Winfrey “It’s not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it.” ~From the television show The Golden Girls “The precursor of the mirror is the mother’s face.” ~D.W. Winnicott “Mother’s love is peace. It need not be acquired, it need not be deserved.” ~Erich Fromm “Any mother could perform the jobs of several air traffic controllers with ease.”~Lisa Alther ‘Grown don’t mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What’s that suppose to mean? In my heart it don’t mean a thing.’ ~Toni Morrison, Beloved, 1987 “Call your mother. Tell her you love her. Remember, you're the only person who knows what her heart sounds like from the inside.” ~Rachel Wolchin “Motherhood has a very humanizing effect. Everything gets reduced to essentials.” ~Meryl Streep “She never quite leaves her children at home, even when she doesn’t take them along.” ~Margaret Culkin Banning “The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.”~Rajneesh “One warm mother-kiss dried the little wet eyes and stilled the little troubled heart.” ~Jay Benson Hamilton “Whosoever does not believe in the existence of a sixth sense has clearly not regarded their own mother. How it is they know all they know about you, even those secrets you locked away so tightly in the most hidden compartments of your heart, remains one of the great mysteries of the world. And they don't just know—they know instantly.”~Narissa Doumani “I don't believe in love at first sight because my mother started loving me before seeing me.” ~ Luffina Lourduraj “Mothers always worry. There’s no off switch.” ~ Priscille Sibley And a personal favorite... “No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother’s love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows stronger where man faints.”~Edwin Hubbell Chapin. Nicely put Edwin. And Happy Day to Moms everywhere. Its Moms weekend right? Well, technically just Sunday I guess but there’s a whole weekend of things you can do for the Moms in your life and whether they be those who gave you life or those who raised you or those whose life you share, Mothers are to be treasured.
So let’s get on board and involve more thought than a drive by at the floral shop and an equally flowery Hallmark card found among the slim pickings remaining in racks across the county. Friday at 7:30pm the Dogwood has a rather incredible dance troupe ascending the stage when Wellspring Dance comes to call. If the Mom in your life is an aficionado of dance this contemporary group will explore some variations of the art form that will push the imagination and impress as to the skills and athleticism of the performers. Great way to kick off a spring weekend. The Stage Door Players in White Cloud are putting on Little Women for the second weekend showing and from what we hear it is a winner. If you’ve never been to the quaint and cozy little theater located just down the main drag from the traffic light, it is truly an interactive experience due to the close proximity of the stage and we have never failed to have an enjoyable time there. Then there is Sunday. The Mothers Day brunches abound in our area so we polled our N3 folks and the recommendations were Gala Gourmet in Newaygo and Lakes 23 in Fremont. Why? Because our people are definite foodies and the menus both promise a sumptuous feast plus each received unanimous approval as to presentation and atmosphere. Is the Mom a golfer? On Sunday Moms can golf for free at Waters Edge with a paid partner. Ok, gifts. For something a bit different this year, the NCCA Artsplace has a great series of classes coming up where your honoree can enjoy a number of different creative outlets taught by artists from the community. Anything from Constructing a Clay Gnome Home and Creating a Fan Carved Wood Bird to Canvas Painting and an intriguing class called Beer & Leather awit her at the Artsplace and if you’re unsure of the class she might want get a gift certificate. No Moms around? Then take advantage of what we hope will be an outstanding Near North spring day or two and get thee outside for some activity that is not lawncare oriented. Bike, hike, disc golf, regular golf, pickleball, bocce ball whatever your particular passion is this the time we’ve been waiting for. “Don't knock the weather. If it didn't change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn't start a conversation.”-Kim Hubbard Free T shirt if signing before May 18. Fremont,– Runner and walker registrations for the 14th annual Run Forrest Run event on Saturday, June 2, at Branstrom Park in Fremont are now available. Run Forrest Run is a benefit run for Bellwether Harbor Animal Shelter & Training Facility in Fremont. Run Forrest Run is named after an unforgettable beagle at the shelter that took every opportunity to escape and stretch his legs around the facility much to the chagrin of the staff, said Danielle Merrill, Bellwether executive director and trainer. Run Forrest Run has two events in one so anyone can participate and we encourage participants to bring their dog. The 5K race is timed and uses the Fremont cross country course which features hilly terrain and unique vistas through the wooded course. The one-mile walk is on a paved trail with some hills but suitable for a stroller. All racers are encouraged to participate with their four-legged friends. Unique themed medals will be given to the first and second male and female finishers with the fastest time as well as the first male and female finisher running with a dog to cross the finish line. “Run Forrest Run is one of Bellwether Harbor’s largest annual fund raisers that benefits the dogs and cats in our shelter,” said Wendy Sinicki, Development Director. “We want to thank our sponsors who support this event. Our Gold sponsors are the Fremont Area Community Foundation, Joan & Company, Magna Mirrors of America, Inc., MPH Logistics, Noah’s Pet Cemetery, Heil/Paulsen Heating & Cooling, and Rob Scholtens Plumbing and Heating.” Race registrations are available online at http://www.bellwetherharbor.org/rfr-5k/ and available at the shelter, 7645 W. 48th Street, Fremont during open hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays: 3-7 p.m.; Wednesdays & Fridays: 1-4 p.m.; and Saturdays: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Register before May 18 and be guaranteed a t-shirt. The award winners of the 2018 NCCA-Artsplace Statewide Photography Competition were announced on Saturday, May 5 at the exhibit reception. Photographers and their families and community members waited in anticipation as the first, second, third place winners were announced, as well as the two honorable mention winners.The competition is an annual event that exhibits and acknowledges some of the finest photographers in the state of Michigan. The exhibit and awards this year were selected by Paul Petersen, a professional photographer from Grand Marais.
Award winners are: 1st Place – Diane Zoellmer of Whitehall for “Agave Watermarks and Prickles”, 2nd Place – Justin Stubleski of Muskegon for “Light Just Before Dawn”, 3rd Place – Lisa Medendorp of Muskegon for “No One Can Save Her”, Honorable Mention – Brian Kainulainen of Scottville for “Ikwesen Awakening”, and Honorable Mention – Mark Andrews of Newaygo for “If You Love Someone, Let Them Nose It". This interesting exhibit is a must-see and everyone is encouraged to stop in and take a stroll around the many photographs on display through June 2. NCCA-Artsplace is located at 13 E. Main Street in downtown Fremont. Gallery hours are Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., with Thursday evenings until 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Sarah Potenza and Meghan Linsey will be performing in the Dogwood Center’s Black Box on Friday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. Both Sarah and Meghan have made a name for themselves since competing on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2015 and have gone on to wow audiences across the nation, each with a powerfully soulful and distinctive voice. Potenza left the show as a top 20 finalist then headed to Nashville, where she quickly integrated into the local music scene, becoming a staple at the world renowned Bluebird Café and the globally broadcast Music City Roots program. She continues to earn raves for her big voice, which seamlessly blends roots, rock and soul. NPR Music exclusively premiered the music video to Potenza’s debut album, ‘Monster’. Programmers have been supporting her gritty sound and unstoppable resolve, resulting in ‘Monster’ moving quickly up the Americana Radio chart. NPR Music calls the album a “blistering, riff-propelled personal anthem. Sarah’s album also received rave reviews from Rolling Stone. In 2016, the magazine named her one of the top 10 artists you need to know, stating “Potenza is to the Blues what Adele is to Pop.” In the same year on "The Voice", Meghan was named the Season 8 Runner Up. In 2015 Meghan charted a #1 on the Christian Billboard chart with her rendition of “Amazing Grace”. After her journey on "The Voice", Meghan independently released her pop EP ‘Believer’ which debuted at #6 on the iTunes Pop Chart. Before "The Voice", Meghan was one half of the chart topping country duo Steel Magnolia. The duo’s debut single “Keep On Lovin' You” landed the #4 Position on the Billboard Country chart and was the highest charting debut single from a co-ed duo in country music history. Rolling Stone magazine stated, “Linsey marries soul, blues, rock, country and even a little gospel together in a unique, captivating sound that has seemingly no ceiling to its range.” Tickets are $20.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. By Ken DeLaat I’d heard of the place. Jim Jones a friend from the Cloud (to whom I owe a debt of gratitude as well as a pizza lunch) mentioned it once when we were up in the press box during a White Cloud football game. Awhile later the name came up in a conversation with Jim Maike when he was describing a snowmobiling trek that took them to the location. Each talked about the place with few words other than utter amazement that I had not been there. There was almost a degree of reverence in their reference. Admittedly intrigued it still took a few more months before a concerted effort was made to give it a try. And now, I am unequivocally hooked. Spoiled by the experience to the point of forgoing any other barbeque options that have come my way.. I’m talking about a level of tantalizing taste capable of taking a homesick Tennessean transplant to tears. Today in my mind (or rather in my stomach) there is only one place to savor this genial genre of creative cookery…. The Chase Creek Smoke House. My take? This is undoubtedly one of the premiere eateries in this part of the world. Seriously. For readers who might be geographically indifferent, Chase is located on U.S. 10 between Baldwin and Reed City. Though CCSH is not on the main drag, once you get to Chase its not hard to find. It’s not the kind of town that makes getting lost easy. LSC Lil and I decided on a recent Saturday that a bit of a cruise was in order since it wasn’t snowing out and there was even a hint of sunshine about. There were some random possible destinations in mind and Lil wanted to check out one of her favorite shops in Baldwin. Besides I wanted to scout for any possible shoes along the road (7 already this spring! What can it mean?) and practice for our longer trips when I’ve promised to keep these discoveries to myself….. unless, of course, it’s a particularly puzzling find. I also wanted to take Lil to Chase Creek. I had been there once with a pair of equally adventurous epicureans and found it to be sensational . A return trip was definitely in order and what better time than during a sortee to Baldwin. We landed in Chase mid afternoon and ravenous from the road. Our server was Shelby who was informative, ultra efficient, patient with my barrage of questions and generally in possession of what I would call a superior tableside manner. Thanks to her we found out the place opened in 1999 but in 2012 a fire took it to the ground. A year or so later when the place was rebuilt the long iron handles salvaged from the destruction of the original building were placed on the main doors an action we thought was a rather cool move on the part of owners Patrick and Linda Ringler. A colossal 25 foot fully operational (we saw it in action) fan graces the ceiling of the dining room, a large expansive area with sturdy wooden tables giving it a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. There was one large group and a smattering of folks scattered about the airy room and we sat at a spot near a window. Shelby popped up as soon as we were seated and we began with the questions about the menus items, each answered with nicely woven descriptions. We inquired about the place itself, her length of service (since the reopening), and the fan. As mentioned Shelby was patient and kind in her replies as well as revealing a genuine fondness for the place. On to the food. Lil generally eschews rather than chews meat so she ordered the Nacho Supreme made with beans. I went for the brisket and gouda cheese sandwich with a side of slaw and sweet potato fries. And of course their epic barbeque sauce primed for dipping. Soon Shelby reappeared with our food, an array that presented a veritable feast for the eyes. Lil’s Nachos seemed large enough to require their own zip code, good news for me since there was sure to be significant amount to be boxed and headed for the fridge and thus up for grabs later on. They were presented in an inviting manner and while some places struggle with maintaining the integrity of the dish when replacing a meat portion the kitchen staff here hit it on the nose according to Ms. Lil. Mine was laid out before me with the required small tub of ‘Q’ sauce placed invitingly alongside it, just crying to be sampled and savored. The edible part of the experience began with the slaw. In my opinion a nicely crafted coleslaw featuring a well thought out and daring blend of varying flavors remains a vastly underrated side. Generally one encounters a kind of generic type that pops up in many places and never fails to disappoint but this concoction, my friends, is the real deal. It delivers that just right combination of tastes to transform a mundane ‘cabbage salad’ into a slaw of distinction. Then of course was the sandwich itself. A layer of some of the most exquisitely smoked and sliced brisket one could imagine accompanied in a proper manner by a worthy companion of gouda cheese. The two rested between ample slices of a multigrain bread toasted to that particular level of near perfection and providing a complimentary carrier for the cheese infused brisket. It was a magnificent moment of munchery. Dipping the sandwich into the sauce seemed not only allowed and tolerated but encouraged and once I dove into the unique and pleasing taste of this seemingly magical mixture it became closer to mandatory. To dine at the Chase Creek Smoke House is to capture the culinary culture peculiar to the region of our bipeninsular beauty lying north of our metropolitan areas. It’s big and wide open and yet there is a sense of intimacy in the layout as well. The venue supplies an ideal atmosphere for families friends and twosomes alike . Outside there is an expansive area for summertime fun including a stage and as an obvious shout out to bikers who likely frequent in ever-increasing numbers, a giant Harley Rocking Chair. The service is impeccable. I noted Shelby’s enthusiasm for the place and she replied with a smile “I’m a big fan’. I remember thinking ‘No, the rotating wings above us. That is a big fan. What you are is a really, really good server’. And the food, once again... Simply sublime. Story and Photos By Alicia Jaimes A Who with an overactive imagination. An elephant with a belief. I had the opportunity to join about 40 Grant high school students at the Dogwood Center in previewing “Seussical,” directed by Shayn Doran, before its opening night Thursday, May 3 at 7 p.m. “Seussical” dives into the importance of imagination and the struggle of living in a world where people will try to counteract your “thinks.” Jordyn Raymo as Cat in the Hat gives an energetic performance as not only a friend to young Jojo, performed by Dayna Dekryger, but as a storyteller throughout the play. From school time to bath time, Jojo is a kid who constantly finds himself in trouble because of his imagination and creativity; however, all of this changes after meeting a like-minded soul. Horton the Elephant, performed by Alex Tillery, believes “a person’s a person, no matter how small,” and discovers Whoville, as he’s out daydreaming again, and befriends Jojo. Coming from two separate universes, Horton and Jojo find comfort in one another as they realize that “anything’s possible.” The two will find themselves fighting for what they believe in against the Wickersham Brothers, played by Mateo Rodriguez, Colton Yuhasz and Aidan Petz, and the citizens of Whoville, performed by the Fremont Middle School. Along with this story of strength is a story of love. Gertrude McFuzz, performed by Natalie Hines, finds herself smitten with the brave elephant, but frightened nobody would love her and her unusual tail. Gertrude finds herself in a struggle as her character battles bullies on her way to self-confidence. Rehearsing for a solid two months, the entire performance was memorable, flashy and creative. The Fremont High School and Middle School did an excellent job with this performance; and you can really feel the passion in their voices and see the commitment these students have to their roles.
The resonating voices of Valerie Herioux (Sour Kangaroo) and Jordyn Doran(Mayzie LaBird) will leave you feeling sassy as ever as they own the stage with their triumphant stride and colorful costumes. For those who love shows with crowd interaction, you’ll be left with lots of laughs after attending this performance. “Seussical” is a show for everyone. Bring your kids, bring your friends—you won’t be disappointed. The performance will leave you humming tunes all week. “Seussical” will be performed Thursday, May 3 and Friday, May 4 at 7 p.m. and twice on Saturday, May 5 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Dogwood Center in Fremont. Ticket prices are: $15/adult, $10/student and $5/5 and under and can be purchased by phone at 231-924-8885, online at dogwoodcenter.com or at the box office. Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and two hours prior to the event. |
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