What’s Up This Week

A gaggle of goings-on 

This is a pretty, uh, Republican county one would surmise. If you are on the county commission, or hold any other elected position in the county with the exception perhaps some areas more to the north, chances are if it was  a partisan race you ran as a member of the GOP. 
There are, however members of the Democratic Party here as well and they will be holding their monthly  meeting Monday at One East Main in Fremont beginning at 6pm for those who might be interested in creating a true two party system in these parts. Special guest Mary Bernadette Minnick Weatherly will be giving a presentation on how to identify fake Russian Facebook accounts, handy information for those among us who tend to explore the vast regions of social media.

Great Start is the latest entity to host one of the Talk Early Talk Often programs Tuesday at 5:30pm at the Neway Center in Newaygo. If you’ve missed the vital parental pointers this program presents N3 encourages you to attend. These free workshops are designed to provide resources, tips and empowerment for parents to have conversations with their teen children about abstinence and sex.
Think maybe you don’t need it? Stop kidding yourself and arm yourself with as much information as you can. Our county is rife with teen pregnancy and attending one of these might help keep parents from becoming grandparents sooner than desired.
Dinner and Childcare will be provided.

Holiday rush beginning to get to you? Feeling a tad harried from a busy life? Well in the spirit of what this season is all about Taize services are being held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Fremont Wednesday at 6:30pm. These are a form of group meditation that use repeated simple chant-like melodies, brief Scripture reading, silence, and prayer. The atmosphere is quiet and contemplative, using candlelight and icons as a devotional focus.
If you need to slow it down a bit here’s a chance to  give yourself time to harvest the fruits of spiritual contemplation.

Casting Call! Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:30-9pm LionHeart will hold auditions for the play “Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook” at the Grant Elementary Library.
As a grizzled veteran of community theater whose days on the stage ended in the early 80’s I would highly recommend anyone to get involved in such initiatives. There are a boatload of personal memories associated with these types of  endeavors at Civic, Circle, the Ramsdell and other venues filled with fun times that have that   'we’re all in this together' kind of  feeling you get when you’re part of a group undertaking. And if you’re perhaps not yet ready to put yourself out there to reap the praises of a grateful audience, there  are many roles to be played that don’t involve being on stage. Whether props, production, a walk on part, or a starring role community theater is one of the coolest things going. Give it a shot.

The end of the week brings a much favored Michigan son back  to the Dogwood Center for a Friday 7:30pm show when the Joshua Davis Trio returns. Two previous performances have been outstanding and it is the final show of the year for our beloved entertainment jewel of the Near North so if you’ve not visited in 2017 get thee to the Dogwood and support this amazing venue we are so freaking fortunate to find in Fremont.
See the ad on our home page and click on it for ticket (and Joshua Davis Trio) information.

And remember, a week from Saturday comes Festivus (for the rest of us) so get your aluminum pole set up  and start preparing for the airing of grievances.
Just saying.....