Up North Lowdown

For many seniors, food assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a lifeline to afford their monthly groceries. Drastic cuts this month caught some Traverse City seniors off guard.

Michigan has 1,240 townships. Each township has at least five board members. We're talking about at least 6,200 township officials. But in rural areas of the state, where the population is relatively low, it’s getting harder to fill critical government positions.

Patrick Preusser left a job as the COO of public transit in Denver, Colorado. Now he's the new CEO of BATA. He took a bus ride with IPR's Austin Rowlader.

We check in with Whitney Waara from Traverse City Tourism on what's coming in this year's Food and Wine Festival. Also, The Accidentals stop by the studio.

What do pickles and jazz music have in common? Find out in today's Lowdown. Also, Vivian La's got the scoop on how the recent MI Supreme Court decision on Line 5 invokes the public trust doctrine and could affect future infrastructure projects.

The last Democrat to represent northern Michigan in the U.S. House weighs in on the road ahead for Callie Barr, running in the 1st District. And a new study shows a whole world of rock-eating fungi on the Antrim Shale.

Votebeat reporter Hayley Harding joins us to talk about what we know — and don't — after yesterday's primaries. We'll also hear from voters in Antrim County.