The National Baby Food Festival in Fremont continues its run through Saturday with the carny in town and a variety of family friendly activities, music, entertainment and the opportunity to treat some local folk to a soaking in the Dunk Tank while supporting our local Cancer Center.
Here’s where to visit for details on the schedule: http://babyfoodfestival.com/events/ Ever been to Bitely? Sure you have and that’s why you’re heading there this weekend as the 62nd annual Bitely Homecoming Celebration. This annual gathering of people in search of a good time kicks off Friday with a Horse Pull, Little King & Queen contest, Games, Flea Market, Food, Teen Dance and Spectacular Fireworks. Saturday starts with a 5K Race, a Fabulous Car Show, Mini Horse Pull, Flea Market, Food, Kids & Adult games galore all day. Sunday will feature Crafts, Canoe & Bed Races, more Games for all ages, our Outstanding Homecoming Parade, Live Music, lots of Food and Raffle Drawings. Bitely is a cool place and home of the Bitely Boys a group of bikers who quietly go about the business of benevolence in the classiest manner possible. What’s that? You’ve never done Bitely in the middle of summer? No better time. I remember driving into Albuquerque back in our pre kids days on a lengthy road trip and as we came over a hill there was an explosion of hot air balloons rising out of the desert. It was breathtaking since neither Lil nor I had ever witnessed a hot air launching at the time being it was the mid 70’s a before such lift offs were even a blip on the west Michigan radar. If you want to see of these beauties take to the sky (weather permitting of course) and don’t mind a small road trip to Hudsonville check out the Grand Rapids Balloon Festival Friday and Saturday. Details? http://www.grandrapidsballoonfestival.com/event-info.html And just for a little early warning next Thursday at 7pm the Newaygo Library is bringing in Coy Davis to show his documentary”Whatever Happened To Idlewild” and speak about the history of the town. A few years back Mr. Davis brought his presentation to the White Cloud Library and the response was so electric the event was moved to the County Commission meeting room to accommodate the crowd. Idlewild has a rich history and was the centerpiece of what was once a thriving and prosperous resort community. Mr. Davis gives a compelling account of its rise and fall.
1 Comment
A guide to the area’s best
We are flying through July and National Ice Cream Month. Which makes sense since why would you have ice cream month in, say,January? Not to say this frozen delicacy with its roots in ancient Greece isn’t appropriate to consume in that chilly month with an equal amount of the pleasure it brings in July. After all January is National Soup month but there are those who continue to fill their bowls in the summer, though admittedly we prefer a chilled Gazpacho to a mug of chicken noodle when the temp is kissing the high numbers. In honor of the month N3 will be featuring some vignettes on the purveyors of this popular treat who populate our region. If you might have a favorite stop for that special cone, that one of a kind malted or an offering from the non frozen menu send us an email and we will do our best to check it out on an experiential basis. After all sacrifices sometimes have to be made… Our first entry is from Charles Chandler a true aficionado of good food found in a wide variety of venues. National Ice Cream Day is always on the third Sunday of July. And why not, hot summer weather is the perfect time for celebrating and enjoying this cold, delicious and sometimes messy treat. This year National Ice Cream Day fell on July 15, and many big chains like Ben & Jerry’s and Haagen-Dazs, and Baskin-Robbins had freebie tastings and all day specials. Those big name shops are a drive for most folks so maybe a tour of our favorite local ice cream establishments is in order. An investigative challenge for the Near North Now contributors and editorial staff to be sure, but someone has to do the hard work. First up on this N3 Contributor’s list was Elsie’s Ice Station located at 104 S Division Ave, in Fremont, MI. Elsie’s was a former service station that has been tastefully transformed into is a cute green, white, and pink ole fashion ice cream joint. Owner Paulette Truax-Rossing has done well with this little conversion. According to the posted menu, Elsie’s offers both soft serve and Hudsonville that Michigan favorite in about 50 different flavors. These are delivered in cups, sugar and waffle cones for the minimalist, or in shakes, Sundays and banana splits for the serious consumers. You can pair your selections with flurries, root beer floats, and slushies. Elsie’s staff said that summer favorites were a toss up between the soft serve and the Hudsonville butter pecan. My order was taken by the very helpful Avery and being that it was a working dinner I had an authentic A&W root beer float and a delicious Chicago style Hotdog. What a delight that dog was, it even had that traditional fluorescent green relish and those spicy sports peppers. Elsie’s is getting four stars for decoration and amenities. There is an abundance of umbrella tables and chairs outside, tables in the former auto service bays and swings in the shade accented with beautiful hanging baskets. They have a bean bag toss game setup, hula hoops, and sidewalks chalk to keep the little and big kids occupied while waiting for their orders or after they have dropped, spilled and slurped through their favorites and are impatiently waiting for the older set to finish up. Elsie’s Ice Station is worth the drive. A visit to the Coastal Plains Marshes By Charles Chandler Summertime and it’s sweet long blue Michigan Summer days are perfect for exploring all the natural wonders of Newaygo County. Recently this N3 correspondent had an opportunity to introduce Mr. Erick Elgin our Water Resource Educator with the Michigan State University Extension to Newaygo County’s unique Coastal Plains Marshes. Michigan and Newaygo County have an absolute abundance of these natural communities that include, Marshes, Prairies, Fens, Bogs, Savannas, Forests and others. Curious minds may ask, just what are Coastal Plains Marshes and what are they doing way over here in Newaygo County, a very good and controversial question. According to the MSU facts sheet: https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/abstracts/ecology/Coastal_plain_marsh.pdf “A Coastal Plain Marsh is a grass-, spike-rush-, and rush-dominated wetland community that contains numerous plant disjuncts from the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. The community occurs in depressions on sand deposits associated with postglacial lakes and outwash channels in western Lower Michigan, northern Indiana, northern and central Wisconsin, and the southeastern Georgian Bay region of Ontario.” (This appears to mean that these marshes and the associated stuff living in them are not physically connected to their relatives over in South Carolina). The conservation with Erick around these local Coastal Plains Marshes began on a cold February afternoon in a Conservation Collaborative planning meeting chaired by Marty Holtgren, Director of the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly, and hosted by Drain Commissioner Dale Twing. In that meeting, Erick mentioned an interest in Michigan’s natural communities and helping the various organizations identify the same in their areas of common interest. Once these natural communities were identified then he would help the organizations collaborate and marshal resources to help conserve or protect these communities. Being somewhat new to Newaygo County Erick was asked if he was familiar with the nearby Coastal Plains Marshes. Well, it was blood in the water, since being from Wisconsin he was very familiar with these types of unique Marshes. This was smack dab in his wheelhouse as these Marshes are located alongside the North Country National Scenic Trail, in the Huron Manistee National Forest, along 28th street, and the Diamond #3 snowmobiles trail, all providing easy viewing for Newaygo residents, tourists and stakeholders. During the meeting, an agreement was made to check back after the snow had melted and 28th street was passable to choose a date for a field trip. Given Erick’s busy schedule a July date and time was set for the field trip and some good old fashioned show and tell from a local guide. After the meetup and a short drive up 28th street, it was hello to a new Newaygo County Natural Community. After reading the interpretive sign located at the intersection of the North Country Trail and 28th it was off for the tour. With an excited and professional survey of the first roadside Marsh, Erick the young, very intense Aquatic Ecologist and Water Resource Educator, kindly suggested to his prattling senior guide that he wished to go ahead and do some survey work and collect a few plant samples for further study back in the lab. The senior guide took the hint and said he would totter on back down the road and wait by the pickup truck, but, suggested that there were a number of other Marshes further up the North Country Trail that still contained water and could be of interest as well. After sitting on the tailgate for endless hours swatting mosquitoes and thumbing through countless lame emails and fake news reports on the Iphone, Erick appeared and was ready to head up the trail. It was high excitement when the next group of Marshes came into view and soon the smiling young Erick was head down and ankle deep examining and collecting stuff in what is probably heaven for an Aquatic Ecologist and Water Resource Educator. The fun field trip was soon over and Erick was off to New York for a project and we agreed to continue the discussion about how all the various stakeholders could work together to preserve this unique and beautiful natural community of Coastal Plains Marshes. In a later correspondence, Erick wrote that these Coastal Plain Marshes have a State rank of 2. This means “they are imperiled in the state because of rarity due to the very restricted range, very few occurrences (often 20 or fewer), steep declines, or other factors making it very vulnerable to extirpation from the state.”
Simply put if we don’t love, respect, and protect these rare and fragile natural communities that have survived here in Newaygo County since the last ice age we will lose them forever. According to the MSU Facts sheet the Marshes can contain as many as 40 rare plants. And, they are extremely vulnerable to development or damage by motorized vehicles. Most of the Marshes can be seen with a short easy walk from 28th street or up the North Country Trail. These Coastal Plains Marshes are our valuable yet vulnerable local resources and as mentioned there are many such communities in Michigan. As a member of the MSU Extension team, Erick works with local, state, regional and federal agencies and stakeholder organizations to protect and promote the sustainable use of the state’s distinctive aquatic resources. If you are aware of other such ecological features or natural aquatic communities please contact Erick Elgin our Water Resource Educator with the Michigan State University Extension. elgineri@anr.msu.edu Office: 231-928-1053 Cell: 218-340-5731 5479 W. 72nd St., Suite 206 Fremont, MI 49412 Greening Michigan Institute For additional information or links to articles written by Erick click on http://msue.anr.msu.edu/experts/Erick_elgin. Google Map: https://www.google.com/maps/@43.5003817,-85.7937335,726m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en Great way to start the weekend is to take a little saunter through the Farmers Market at Brooks Park in downtown Newaygo on Friday afternoon.. We all like the idea of having a farmer’s market but for this edible enterprise to thrive and prosper the vendors need to see some action, correct? Well, there is no better time to make the acquaintance of our purveyors of fresh food than the present with the outpouring of farm to table goods increasing by the day. Hitting up the market also provides an opportunity to chat with John Mellema, who always has a few surprises on his table to go with some really fine plants and such. If you miss it on Friday head to Fremont Saturday morning and their Marketplace a block from the main drag. While there stop into the NCCA Artsplace and check out their array of local art. It is well worth a stroll through Friday and Saturday from 9am-6pm The Shack, that delightful oasis of outdoor activity in Jugville will be hosting the Old Engine Club Annual Show. Not into old engines but like someone a lot who is? Then wander the grounds and take in some upbeat bluegrass music, a bit of blacksmithing, ice cream making, horseshoeing and any number of intriguing activities that beg to be observed. Food will be available on the grounds as well. Not sure where Jugville is? Well it’s a bit north and east of Wooster if that’s any help. From 3-6 Saturday the White Cloud Community Library will be hosting a Pig Roast and Community Picnic. Seven bucks ($3.50 for under 8 y.o.) gets you a plate of fine food a drink to accompany it, dessert and there will be kids activities, door prizes and more. Come out for a good time, bump into some friends and neighbors all the while supporting the efforts of those fine folks known as the Friends of the Library. Maybe you didn’t get a ticket to the BlissFest and you’re feeling a little deprived since friends are up there listening to all the great music emanating from the stage,
Never fear help is just around the corner. The Bootstrap Boys will be storming into the Black Box of the Dogwood Center Saturday night and will be ready to knock down some serious classic country sound. You need to check these folks out on youtube because this one looks to be a racuos night of fun in the club-like atmosphere of The Box where you can enjoy an adult beverage or two while listening to music that will touch the Waylon, Willie, Johnny, Merle part of your heart. Here’s the skinny: https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/bootstrap-boys-at-the-dogwood-center-on-july-14 Yoga enthusiasts or wannabees? Looking to try something new? Maybe expand your yoga horizons a bit? Ridge Cider Co. is hosting Yoga on the Ridge Sunday from 1-2pm. It’s held in their taproom and a $15 fee gets you an hour of yoga, a pint of cider and a snack. But you have to bring your own mat, of course. Book Review: The Broken Girls By Alexis Mercer I’m starting to wonder if my Book Club friends have gathered together and come up with a list of books meant only to push my limits of comfort. I can see this month’s book choice going something like this in Amanda’s brain: "Hmmm. What’s an incredibly creepy storyline that is just enough realistic, not ridiculously far-fetched, and so well-written that it will cross the line of comfort for everyone...Oh, and have a 30-something year old main character who is a journalist so that it’s also incredibly relatable to especially Alexis which makes her even more creeped out?" She nailed it. I started reading The Broken Girls and right away knew this would not be a crawl-into-bed-to-fall-asleep-novel. Nope. This would be a middle-of-a-sunny-day-when-many-other-people-are-around-novel. As a result, it took me a while to get through, since most of my reading is done at night. However realistically spooky the book may have been, it was extremely well-written. It isn’t often I read a ghost story I consider to be a literary phenomenon. (FINE, I don’t read ghost stories at all - but part of the reason why is because I never found them well-written when I read them as a teenager.) Simone St. James’s flow and story-telling ability is beautiful. I’m also aware that I probably like this ghost story because there are other aspects to the plot - a cold-case murder, a relationship between a police officer and the main character, families with deep ties to their community. Many portions of St. James’s novel have nothing to do with a ghost at all. To summarize - Fiona Sheridan is the only remaining daughter of Malcolm Sheridan, a legendary journalist from the town of Barrons, Vermont. Her sister, Deb, was murdered at the age of 20 by her then boyfriend, Tim Christopher, the son of wealthy landowners in their town. The body was found on the field of the abandoned, clod down Idlewild, a former school for troubled girls in the late 40s and early 50s. The reader concurrently hears the story of four girls who were roommates at Idlewild as young teenagers: their individual stories of why they ended up at this dreadful boarding school and the stories of what happened while there. One of which includes the horror of the ghost, Mary Hand, who was said to have buried her illegitimate baby in the garden of the school. These two separate pieces of the book eventually come crashing together in a rather unexpected way, and though I couldn’t have predicted the ending, now that I read it, I can’t imagine it ending any other way. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book club pick. Never, ever would I have chosen it myself based on the cover. It’s yet one more reason why I’m so thankful to have found a group of women to share literature with - even if they do secretly meet to create plots against my book reading desires. The Dogwood Summer Youth Theater will present "Robin Hood" on July 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. both evenings. The Dogwood Summer Youth Theater is directed again this summer by Chelsea Webb and involves area youth in all facets of the production.
This version of “Robin Hood” is written by Larry Blamire. The play is a hysterical, sprawling, action-packed drama. The characters include a wise-cracking, superior swordsperson in Marian and a Robin who only by chance finds himself a hero. But true to the legend, of course, all ends well: The Sheriff’s sleazy scheme fizzles, King John’s vicious taxes are rescinded, the Sherwood Foresters are finally legitimized, and a justice descends on England’s green and pleasant land. The production has 36 Newaygo County youth participating in the show. This program is funded in part by the Fremont Area Community Foundation. Free admission with donations accepted at the door to support Dogwood programs. The production is on the Dogwood Main Stage with general admission seating. For more information please contact the Dogwood Center at 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. 'The Voice' to make a visit
The most awarded female vocalist in contemporary Christian music history, Sandi Patty, will be performing at the Dogwood Center on Saturday, August 4 at 7:30 p.m. As one of the most highly acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy® awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three platinum records, five gold records, and eleven million units sold, Sandi Patty is simply known as The Voice. She has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, as an Indiana Living Legend, and has released over 30 albums. Sandi was introduced to the world with her rendition of The Star Spangled Banner during the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Virtually overnight she became one of the country’s best-loved performers. Her version of the national anthem has become synonymous with patriotic celebration, including performances at “A Capitol Fourth” with the National Symphony, the Indianapolis 500, the Dedication of Camp David Chapel, and ABC’s Fourth of July Special. While her thirty-year career is heavily rooted in the gospel music industry, Sandi has had the opportunity in more recent years to extend her career outside the genre. Sandi has performed with symphonies across the country, including the New York Pops, Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Dallas Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, and Oklahoma City Philharmonic. She also headlined the title role in sold out performances of the musical “Hello, Dolly!” with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, co-starring Tony Award winner Gary Beach. In addition to her prolific musical career, Sandi is also an accomplished author. For the bestseller "Broken on the Back Row", Sandi received the 2006 Silver Angel Award. Her next book, "The Voice", will be released on November 6, 2018. Tickets, $30.00 for adults and $10 for children 18 and under, 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. Whoa, that was one hot stretch of weather and from all indications we’re poised to embark on yet another heat wave in the coming week, though I do not believe the ever-popular Heat Index is likely to reach the triple figures of the past week
Don’t get me wrong, I am way ok with it given the time it took us to get past the lingering long-lasting and merciless winter months. But now those 80 some degree days with a little breeze now and then might find folks escaping the air conditioning and venturing out a bit. Did you catch a parade yet? Well one of the best ones in the area will take place in Croton Saturday beginning at noon with activities for young and not so young at the American Legion Post and the Croton campground. It’s an election year so it should be prime candy collecting time along the parade route. Friday and Saturday is the Lakeshore Art Festival in Muskegon with over 300 juried fine art and specialty craft exhibitors, children’s activities, specialty food items, street performers, multiple interactive art stations, and more. Ms. Lil and I made a little trip over to our Metro area to the west this week and took in a few of the kayak sculptures being displayed downtown as well as having an epic breakfast at Carmen’s Cafe (more to come on this find in a later story) and a stroll through the Farmer’s market. The sculptures are impressive, display some humor and are a nice addition to the downtown area. The event is gearing up to be a big one and will run Friday from 10am- 8pm and Saturday from 10am- 6pm. Should you visit the festival there would be ample time to get back to our area for the annual Freedom Fest celebration on the causeway in Croton with live music, a beer tent and food on tap. Festivities begin at 6pm when they close off the causeway and start the party. Museum offers research assistance By Toni Rumsey If you have an interest in family history or local history topics, consider visiting the research department at the Newaygo County Museum and Heritage Center, located in downtown Newaygo. With thought to ease and speed for the researcher, volunteers have dedicated several years to sorting, cataloguing, and scanning photos, articles and documents to peruse. The Museum and Heritage Center, originally the County Historical Society, has gathered information for 50+ years and authored numerous books and booklets about the Newaygo County history. Prior to the volunteers’ work, it could take hours to find answers to questions from visitors. Now, the research room invites visitors to search through digital records by name, place or topic using an index system. Volunteers are available to assist you in your search, or research requests can be made for a suggested donation. Also offered are the county newspapers (preserved on microfilm) available in digital form for you to search by specific names or topics, or just to enjoy reading. The website ancestry.com is also available to assist with family history searches. Visitors with specific questions are encouraged to make an appointment prior to visiting by sending an email to archivist@newaygocountyhistory.org or calling 231.652.5003 and asking for Toni Rumsey, Archivist; Research Department, or Steven Radtke, Director. The upcoming book Newaygo County History and Biographies, Volume 2 is the most recent project completed in the department and has been sent to the publisher. Numerous articles of interesting topics throughout the county are included, as well as family biographies submitted by people with links to the county. The date of availability this summer will be posted at a later date on the Center’s Facebook page (newaygocountyhistory) and newsletter. To receive the newsletter, please visit the website www.newaygocountyhistory.org and click on Newsletter to fill in your information in the pop-up box. The Museum and Heritage Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 to 4:00 and is located at 12 Quarterline Road, Newaygo. |
Features and FunConcerts, Plays, Happenings, Local Recipes, Gardening, Entertainment, Charities, Fundraisers, upcoming events, Theater, Activities, Tech, and much more. Categories“We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.”
- Eric Qualman |