Latest Northern Michigan News

Mike Webb says he’s always been fascinated by balloon twisting – the shaping of ordinary-looking balloons into extraordinary things. The Benzonia resident is the self-styled "chief entertainment officer" for Balloon Dog Productions. In other words, he’s a professional balloon twister.

Wendy Intrieri trained dolphins at SeaWorld for a decade. Now she’s training horses in Leelanau County. Intrieri says she uses positive reinforcement techniques with her animals, a method that can be used with all kinds of pets.

Oligotrophic. It’s a word that describes the oxygen-rich, nutrient-poor environment of Grand Traverse Bay. Nutrients are the enemy of a healthy bay, says former Grand Traverse Baykeeper John Nelson. And he says everyone has a role to play in maintaining the cold, clean water.

If you have your wedding in a public park, don’t forget that anyone could show up. That’s what Lake Ann resident Rachel Jones and her husband learned – and they thought it was wonderful.

Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling “Outlander” series of novels begins by telling the story of a young nurse during World War 2. She travels back in time to 18th century Scotland. Diana has published eight “Outlander” books, and she says her ninth one, called Go Tell the Bees that I Have Gone, should be released in 2019. The books have been developed into a popular TV show on Starz. Diana talks this hour with Deb Leonard, a member of the board of directors for the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, and a bookseller at Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor.

Benjamin Percy’s writing could be classified as genre fiction, but with a twist. His book Red Moon is about werewolves, but it’s also a commentary on the war on terror. And his newest novel, The Dark Net, is a techno-thriller that imagines the sordid corners of the Internet as full of actual demons. Benjamin talks this hour with his friend and fellow writer, Jeremy Chamberlin. Their conversation was recorded at the Traverse City Opera House in September 2013. Percy started the discussion talking about his appetite for books as a child. 

John U. Bacon is a journalist, commentator and educator, and he’s written books on sports and business. His latest book tells the tale of a historical event that isn’t as well-known as it probably should be: the great Halifax Explosion. In 1917, a French ship carrying volatile explosives was hit by another ship in the harbor in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The resulting fire caused the ship to explode, which resulted in a disaster killing and injuring thousands.  John U.

Over his long career in public service, Richard Clarke has been an adviser to presidents Reagan, Clinton, and both Bushes. His 2004 memoir Against All Enemies was critical of multiple administrations for their lax approach toward counter-terrorism before and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and of the Bush administration’s decision to wage war in Iraq. Richard has also written four fictional thrillers.

On this edition of Michigan Writers on the Air:  

Lynne Rae Perkins reads from her new children’s book, Secret Sisters of the Salty Shore.

Historian and educator David Harris will share the story of a writing project that spans more than 40 years, Reasoning with Democratic Values.

Anne-Marie Oomen discusses her latest editing project for Wayne State University Press, Elemental: A Collection of Michigan Creative Nonfiction.

Fleda Brown provides an audio essay on poet James Lenfestey.

The superintendent of Traverse City schools was praised for his leadership last night. The Traverse City Area Public Schools board rated Paul Soma “highly effective” during his annual evaluation.

The evaluation lasted about two hours and happened behind closed doors. No one from the public was there when the TCAPS board came out of closed session and read aloud the superintendent's top marks. Soma scored four - the highest possible score - in almost every category, including student growth and community and staff relations. His final score was 3.885 or 97 percent, which corresponds with a rating of "highly effective."

Tayari Jones has written four novels, including Silver Sparrow and The Untelling. Her latest book, An American Marriage, is a love story challenged by racial injustice. Tayari talks this hour with fellow writer Aaron Stander, author of ten crime novels and host of Interlochen Public Radio’s “Michigan Writers on the Air.” Tayari starts by telling Aaron why she prefers writing her books on a typewriter.