 Photo by Competition Judge Dianne Carroll Burdick The NCCA-Artsplace Statewide Photography Competition is an annual event with the goal of exhibiting and acknowledging some of the finest photographers in Michigan while encouraging greater growth and achievement in the photographic community. With an entry deadline of July 19, photographers across the state are shooting and printing their favorite subjects for their entries in this year’s competition. Michigan photographers, 18 years or older, are encouraged to take part in this juried competition. All photographic processes are accepted and each photographer may submit up to two pieces of work for the entry fee of $30. Members of NCCA-Artsplace may submit two pieces for a reduced entry fee of $25. All entries must be framed and ready to display. Selected works submitted to the competition will be exhibited in the NCCA-Artsplace Ray and Phyllis Jansma Exhibition Gallery August 5 through September 8. The award announcements will be held livestream on August 6 at 6:00 p.m. Photographers awarded first, second or third place will be provided a cash prize. Honorable mention pieces will also be selected. The juror for 2021 is West Michigan photographer, Dianne Carroll Burdick. Competition guidelines and entry forms are available at NCCA – Artsplace, 13 East Main Street, downtown Fremont or by calling 231.924.4022. The guidelines and forms may also be printed from www.ncca-artsplace.org.
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 The Dogwood Summer Youth Theater will be holding auditions on Saturday, May 22 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Dogwood Center for Performing Arts for their summer production of Shakespeare's “Comedy of Errors” for youth ages 12 years and up. Casting calls for a 14 male and female roles with room for a few extras. The "Comedy of Errors" is one of William Shakespeare's early plays with a major part of the humor coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. As the story unfolds, the characters Antipholus and Dromio go to Ephesus to find them after both being separated from their twins in a shipwreck. The other set of twins live in Ephesus, and the new arrivals cause a series of incidents of mistaken identity. At the end, the twins find each other and their parents and resolve all of the problems caused earlier. Young people attending the audition should enter using the canopy covered door at the Dogwood Center. Masks covering nose and mouth are required by all while inside the Dogwood Center. If unable to attend the auditions on May 22, video auditions of a recorded reading of the audition monologue will be accepted through May 23 and emailed to [email protected]. The audition monologue and audition form can be found on the home page of www.dogwoodcenter.com or by calling 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Summer Youth Theater will be directed this summer by Casey Webb. The performance dates for “Comedy of Errors” are July 30 and 31. This program is funded in part by the Fremont Area Community Foundation. For more information please contact the Dogwood Center at 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.  Donations of tackle and yard sale make the magic happen
One of the coolest events in the area is the Russell Gilbert Free Fishing Day held at the Mill Pond in White Cloud. If you have ever witnessed this extraordinary extravaganza no explanation is necessary but if you have somehow missed this one it is perhaps one of the prime examples of what happens when a community comes together for a good cause. The Gilbert clan and their many volunteers do it right and provide a little angling magic to all comers. So donate a little tackle, hit up the yard sale this Friday and Saturday or maybe toss a little money their way. And if you want to witness a slew of kids having the time of their life? See you there on June 5th. Here is some info on donating from one of the organizers, Diane Patrick The Russell Gilbert Kids Free Fishing has asked businesses to volunteer by placing an empty tackle box in their place of business to allow customers to donate new tackle to help fill the box. Once filled they will become prizes for the event which is being held June 5. The response has been more than I can even imagine. The following businesses now have boxes until mid May. J & J SMOKED MEATS X TREME BODY AND PAINT FINDERS KEEPERS CHARLIE'S GRILL HOUSEMANS GROCERY. TRAIL TOWN DINER BUCKY'S HAIR ROSENBERG'S HARDWARE SUBWAY W.C. WESCO W.C. HIS AND HER HAIR CARE STEELHEAD FISHING CLUB. GRAND RAPIDS B.A.S.S. FISHING CLUB WHITE CLOUD LAUNDRY Individuals who are participating THE HANSEN FAMILY JAMES LA BELLE ARNIE CARLSON BARNEY AND AMY BARNHARD YOU CAN ALSO DONATE AT OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISING YARD SALE ON APRIL 30 AND MAY 1 AT 292 BARTON WHITE CLOUD.  L-R Ian Grant and Lynn Thompson Lynn Thompson and the Moonshine Runners at Dogwood Center May 8
For the first time in many moons area music lovers will have the opportunity to see a live performance at our area’s most valued entertainment venue. Lynn Thompson and the Moonshine Runners will be at the Dogwood Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. on the main stage. Performing Mountain Bluegrass music that combines Bluegrass, Alternative Country and Indie, the duo will be sure to have everyone toe-tapping and head-nodding at the Dogwood! Thompson, a singer-songwriter from Grand Rapids, will bring his strong and emotional vocals along with his 12-string acoustic guitar, as he leads the upbeat, intrinsic music. He is a self-taught musician and lyricist and has been exploring creative styles since age 9 and performs regularly on the Michigan and Chicago live circuit scene. He is a real yet elusive artist that the discerning music lover should get acquainted with his clever, original, and inventive sound. Ian Grant will be performing with Thompson on the bass guitar. Tickets are only $15 and are available at www.dogwoodcenter.com, through the Dogwood Box Office, downtown Fremont at NCCA-Artsplace or just click here. Seating style is reserved seating with social distancing. Seating is limited to 75 total. Masks worn over mouth and nose will be required at all times in the Dogwood Center. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont.  Some local and not so local doings.
Been itching for a chance to speak to one of our Local Lansing Lawmakers? On Friday State Senator Jon Bumstead will be available to any and all who wish to engage in a little dialogue, ask a few questions or just stop by and say hello. From 10-11am he’ll be at the Newaygo County Administration Building (red roof) in White Cloud. From there he will make a stop at the Newaygo City offices where he’ll greet guests in the Council meeting room from 1-2pm (48 State Rd). Later in the day if you’ve had your fill of political talk and want to sit back and enjoy some high school sports there are several softball/baseball matchups starting at 4. After last year's cancelled season it’s good to see the players taking the field once again. Fremont’s teams head to Newaygo, Grant visits Tri County, White Cloud hosts Morley and Kent City makes the trip to Hesperia. Track & Field more your style? The Cloud will compete in the Lakeview Invitational Friday and Fremont takes its team to Lowell on Saturday to face a bevy of opponents in the Kathy Talus Invitational. Only one soccer match on the schedule but you’ll have to take a trip down Alpine to see the Newaygo squad take on Kenowa Hills. The Lions are looking to be a lot of fun to watch this season as they have rolled to a 4-0 record. More of a motor sports type? Good news. Berlin Raceway is happening Saturday. Last week they had their annual Icebreaker and this week promises more of everything one might expect on a trip to Berlin. Early start times are in effect. Grandstands open and practice starts at 2pm, with Green Flag Racing at 4pm. All night enjoy $1 Hot Dogs and $2 Domestic Drafts. Super Late Models, Limited Late Models, 4 Cylinders & Mini Wedges Post-Race Party begins at the checkers, featuring performance by Dennie Middleton, of the Bimini Brothers. Nothing like a little mini road trip is there? And if you’ve missed the warm weather festivals small towns are noted for here’s an opportunity to catch one of the region's earliest offerings. The Shepherd Maple Syrup Festival runs Friday through Sunday. Their Artisan’s Row has a boatload of vendors signed up, there's a parade, and of courts, pancakes. About an hour and 15 away unless you’re traveling in the official ride of N3WH because it goes real slow and makes frequent stops at places of interest along the way Here’s the skinny: http://shepherdmaplesyrupfest.org/schedule?fbclid=IwAR3ZkRl-ShjwQmYmqZHi-VBBmDv2dalhzDGT0BV2Y0MPi9y5YT3gQ-O6To8 There you go. It looks to be a rather nice stretch of weather ahead so drink it in Bi-peninsularians. After all, the fun is just beginning, right? Oh and if you know of an activity happening and want to spread the word, send us an email and if we open mail that day or it doesn’t fly into spam or we don’t somehow get distracted (it happens) we’ll try to include it. From N3 World Headquarters & Mulch Mecca  Photo courtesy Michigan Department of Natural Resources “In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” -Robert Lynd From our friends at the DNR: Bird nests can be found in all kinds of places, so don't be surprised if you find one in a hanging flowerpot, wreath or elsewhere in your backyard. In addition to songbirds, mallards seem to set up spring nests just about everywhere. Female mallards, called hens, often build them in landscaping, gardens or other locations that people may find inappropriate – or at least inconvenient. If you spot one, be a good neighbor and leave the nest alone and keep pets away from it, too. The hen will lead her young to water soon after they hatch. "Even if a duck's nest seems quite a way from water, the hen knows how to get her ducklings to the water," said Hannah Schauer, wildlife communications coordinator with the DNR. Schauer also noted that a mallard will lay her eggs over several days. “You might see eggs show up in a nest but no mother duck sitting on them. The hen will start to incubate the eggs once they all have been laid. They’ll take about a month to hatch,” said Schauer. Canada geese sometimes build nests near houses or in parks. Adult geese are very protective and may hiss and run or fly toward perceived intruders. “Try to avoid nesting areas, but if that is not possible, carry an umbrella and gently scare the bird away by opening and closing it,” said Schauer. Bird nests and the eggs they may contain are protected under federal law. It is illegal to touch, move or possess any part of the nest or eggs without the proper permit. Get additional tips and information on handling conflicts with wildlife and what to do if you find a baby animal at Michigan.gov/Wildlife. Questions? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453.  THEN: Newaygo Girls Basketball- circa late 1950's By Marsha Reeves I played girl’s basketball in high school, even as a 5’3”shortie. In my junior and senior years, 1965 and 1966, we played in the gym after school. The gym teachers were our refs and coaches, and there was no play with other schools. Our teams changed every time we played, because the teams' size and personnel depended on who showed up. We wore pinnies over our gym shorts and t-shirts so we could tell one team from another. At that time it was known for sure that girls couldn’t play as hard or as long as boys could, so we never crossed the centerline during play. You’d get a foul if you did. As I understood it then, that was to protect our delicate bodies from overexertion. A guard would get a rebound, dribble to the center line and pass it to the center or a forward. And a jump shot was just that. Two girls in the center circle surrounded by the rest of the teams, jumping up to slap the ball to a teammate after it was tossed up by the ref /gym teacher. That’s how we started the games too. In those respects it was a bit like hockey. Nobody came to watch, not even parents. It was just for us girls. There was certainly no sportscasting, press or photos in the paper. No conference games, trophies or play offs. And we absolutely loved it. Playing basketball was one of my greatest pleasures in high school. Following our Newaygo Girls Basketball team this year has been the highlight of the pandemic. Their prowess with the ball, grace in action, functional togetherness as a team plus their strength of mind and heart have been beautiful to watch. Absolutely beautiful! And at least once a game the old part of my brain marvels at the press coverage, media photos, coaches on the sidelines, real refs, uniforms, filled bleachers, big lit scoreboards and the cheering student section. And they run all the way down the court! Seeing these changes is almost as gratifying as watching ‘our girls’ win game after game and title after title. Almost. THANK YOU TITLE IX and the 92ND United States CONGRESS!!!!!  NOW: Newaygo Girls Basketball 2021- Photo by Alexis Mercer  Book Review by Alison Genter, Fremont Library staff member A book that I would recommend is Taisia Kitaiskaia’s Ask Baba Yaga: Otherworldly Advice for Everyday Troubles. The titular Baba Yaga of Russian folklore fame offers insight and wisdom to reader’s questions. It is a delightful blend of modern problems met with old-world pragmatism. The questions range from romance to one’s own ego and the responses vary from thought provoking to whimsical nonsense. I’m not sure if the lead-in questions are real or not, but I don’t really think it matters. The questions are varied enough and sincere enough that I wager most can find one or two that resonates with them or someone they know. I doubt this book will change someone’s life, but might elicit some reflective “hmms.” And if you’re not looking for anything that deep, this book also offers a lot of humor. The author’s background is in poetry and that is abundantly clear in her use of imagery and phrasing. A small word of warning for the written version as Baba Yaga's responses are written in imperfect spelling and grammar. The trade-off being the fun folk illustrations you miss with the audio version. The advice column setup is nice as it offers the option to sneak complete little portions here and there when you’re able without having to worry about remembering a larger plot. A previous interest or knowledge of Baba Yaga is not necessary to enjoy this book. However, if an advice column told in the voice of an old woman who lives in the woods in a house with chicken legs sounds good to you, you might just be the perfect audience. Both the ebook and eaudiobook are available through HOOPLA (a digital collection) with your Fremont library card. This book can be found in the Hoopla Digital app or by visiting https://bit.ly/2Oq7i3q “The wellness remembers the deep living of the wound, & so is happier than any easy health.”- Baba Yaga  Grand Rapids - In recognition of World Autism Awareness Day, the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Hope Network invite visitors affected by autism and other sensory processing needs to visit for a Sensory Friendly Museum Night on Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 5:30 until 8 p.m. held at the GRPM. The Museum will adapt sounds, lighting and activities within the current exhibits to create a low-sensory experience for the evening. Visitors can add an experience to see Sean Kenney's Wild Connections Made with LEGO® Bricks, as well as a visit to the Chaffee Planetarium to view the GRPM created show, Subatomic: Detecting the Unseen, in which the lighting and sound will be adapted. This Planetarium show will play at 6 p.m. “Hope Network has long been committed to positively impacting the lives of children and families affected by autism,” said Phil Weaver, Hope Network President and CEO. “We are honored to sponsor this event which allows families the opportunity to enjoy a fun night out to enjoy all that the Grand Rapids Public Museum has to offer.” “The Museum strives to create inclusive experiences for all visitors, including being both physically and cognitively accessible,” said Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the GRPM. “We are pleased to partner with Hope Network again to allow families to explore the Museum in a low sensory environment, and to take part in our Subatomic Planetarium show which was designed for audiences with sensory processing challenges.” The GRPM partners with KultureCity to improve the Museum’s experience for guests with a variety of sensory processing needs. A limited amount of sensory bags containing fidget tools, noise canceling headphones and other resources are available for checkout at the Museum’s front desk. Pre-registration for the Sensory Friendly Museum Night is required; visit grpm.org to sign up. To add Wild Connections or the Subatomic Planetarium show, use the “continue shopping” feature and find Wild Connections under the Admission tab and Subatomic under the Planetarium tab. For additional information, please visit grpm.org. |
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