Up North Lowdown

The flood waters are starting to recede in northern Michigan, but they have certainly left their mark. Near Cheboygan County's Black Lake, some homeowners say they've lost everything. The Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex is still churning away at the water backed up behind it. And in Antrim County, there might be renewed interest in efforts to repair the 120-year-old Bellaire Dam. Also: Police have...

Leslie Meyers, operator of dams in Antrim County, talks to IPR from the site of the Bellaire Dam. She says there are reasons to hope, but also plenty of reasons to stay vigilant as more rains are expected Friday night. Also, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer visits the Cheboygan Dam. And at the end of a long week, a couple laughs with a renewed euphoniumist. Don't know what that word means? Listen to the end...

Today on the Up North Lowdown, IPR's Austin Rowlader takes us on a tour of the Bellaire Dam and then gives us the latest on its status — and what could happen if it fails. We also hear about a narrow escape for a road crew that was inspecting a bridge when it suddenly gave way in Grand Traverse County.

In today's episode of the Up North Lowdown, we look around the region at efforts to prepare for the worst while also hoping for the best. We'll hear the latest from Cheboygan, where authorities explained what a flood might look like if the dam there were to burst. We hear about sandbagging in Antrim County and get an update on the Bellaire Dam from IPR's Austin Rowlader. And Vivian La tells us abo...

The strain has increased on dams in Cheboygan and Bellaire as snowmelt and rainfall push huge amounts of water through northern Michigan. In Cheboygan, people are actively preparing to evacuate from their homes, and Consumers Energy is helping the Michigan Department of Natural Resources move water through its dam on the Cheboygan River. In Antrim County, the situation is less severe but no less w...

There were numerous reports of flooding across northern Michigan, and all eyes were on the Cheboygan Dam on Monday morning, where the water was just about a foot below the top of the dam. We'll hear the situation as of Monday morning from Cheboygan and Antrim counties. Austin Rowlader reports from the Bellaire Dam on monitoring efforts there. *** This was recorded at 8:42 a.m. Monday, so condition...

Put a short description of the episode here. You'll have a chance to do a longer description elsewhere. Focus here on the main item in the episode. Then use a second paragraph to talk about what else might be on offer today. That can include a secondary item or a couple of things from a headlines roundup. If the main event is the WHOLE event, go on just a little longer about what was said or what...

City manager Benjamin Marentette wants to know what Traverse City residents want their public spaces to look like. What kinds of ideas is he looking for? He told IPR's Austin Rowlader he wants ideas that "put a smile on people's faces." The best part? The survey asks only two questions. You can take it here. Also, our pledge drive begins today. A few times a year we ask our listeners to chip in so...

Employees from Traverse City's largest private employer are going back to the office. Almost 400 workers at Hagerty Insurance Agency are now making their way to the company's downtown headquarters. IPR's Maxwell Howard checks in with local businesses. Plus, Ed Ronco sits down with Parul Kapur whose debut novel Inside the Mirror will be the subject of a free event hosted by the National Writers Ser...

Local entrepreneur John Velis joins us to talk about how his company is giving Alzheimer's patients access their past. Using pictures, videos, and audio stories 'Memory Bright' gives people suffering from Alzheimer's and their caretakers an easy place to store and play memories from their past, before the disease took hold. It's called 'reminiscence therapy' and a Northern Michigan business is bri...

When you flush the toilet, it has to end up somewhere. That "somewhere" is the Traverse City Regional Wastewater Treatment plant. The plant, which has been at the north end of Boardman Lake since 1932, is undergoing millions of dollars in upgrades over the next few years. We took a fascinating — and, yes, at one moment quite smelly — journey inside to learn what's going on and why it matters.

It's been about three years since millions of dollars started flowing into Michigan — and other states — to help fight the opioid crisis. The money came from settlements with drug makers, distributors and pharmacies. The funds are starting to make a difference but many communities have been slow to spend much of it. Or any of it. That includes Grand Traverse County. Ron French from Bridge Michigan...

Around one in six people in northern lower Michigan has a concealed pistol license, or CPL. That's the highest concentration in the state. Soon, they might not need it. A bill in the Michigan Legislature would allow eligible gun owners to carry a concealed weapon without a separate license or training. Plus, springtime in Michigan means orange barrels on the roads. We take a look at some big road...

After their father was detained at the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin, two sisters from Grand Rapids committed to helping other detainees. When people are released from North Lake, they offer rides through a network of volunteers. They also help reconnect people with their families. We hear about it from journalist Jacob Wheeler, of the Glen Arbor Sun. We'll also hear about an old-but-new...

The 1st District of Michigan has been represented in the U.S. House for nearly a decade by U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet). He's running for reelection. The best known Democrat in the race is Callie Barr. And neither plans to be at a "Meet the Candidats" event held by the group Traverse Indivisible Education & Solidarity. Still, organizers hope people will come see the two Democrats, one Rep...

A year ago — in the throes of an ice storm that had scattered tree limbs and power lines across northern Michigan — Wanda Whiting suddenly needed to get her husband to a hospital. So she drove through the storm's aftermath, right across the power lines. Would any of that have happened if the lines had been buried? And one year later, do we have any plans to do that? IPR's Vivian La digs into that...

The 850 members of the Michigan Nurses Association who work at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City have been working without a contract since March 10. They took their message to the public this week. Their concerns include staffing issues, mandatory overtime and other working conditions. They're planning what's called a "practice strike" on April 9. IPR's Claire Keenan-Kurgan explains what's g...

Two years ago, homelessness advocates in northern Michigan made a longstanding ideal a reality. Goodwill Northern Michigan bought an apartment complex in Traverse City called East Bay Flats and turned it into what’s called “permanent supportive housing,” for people who were homeless. IPR’s Maxwell Howard visited the Flats to see how that idea is actually working in practice. We also have some news...

Maple season is in full swing here at Hidden Acres Sugar Bush in Gaylord, a business run by Jennifer RiChard and her husband. But it wasn’t so long ago that none of this seemed possible. A look at how the sugar bush is recovering a year after an ice storm devastated tens of millions of trees across northern Michigan, including many sugar maples.

Most of the time when you hear about real estate investment, you hear about big banks or private equity firms. They are becoming some of America’s biggest landlords. One group in Emmet and Charlevoix counties is trying to reverse that trend. It’s starting up a community investment fund — with a focus on housing — that would let community members invest in housing in their home towns. We also hear...

A review of court documents shows a disturbing trend — contractors taking money without performing any work. Some of them rack up complaint after complaint but continue to find "work." The court system hasn't been able to keep up. Reporter Mardi Link fills us in. Also, state legislators hope to combat high housing costs by restricting local control over zoning and land use laws.

Our colleagues at Michigan Public, Lindsey Smith and Adam Yahya Rayes got a hold of emergency calls coming out of the North Lake Processing Center in Baldwin. 56-year old Nenko Gantchev died in the facility in December. Michigan Public shares some of the 911 calls from the detention center to emergency dispatchers. We'll hear how a legislative holdup in Lansing put medical licenses in peril. And S...

Today, we look at government transparency with a primer on how to access your local government, and how adept Up North governments are at keeping in touch with their constituents. We also have the latest on the storm. Lights are coming back on. And an Olympian returns home to Boyne City.

Home insurance rates in Michigan are increasing because of climate change, according to new national data. That follows national patterns as states deal with more severe weather and increased climate risks. Climate solutions reporter Vivian La tells us more. Plus, we talk with state Sen. John Damoose about the aftermath of this storm and some newly announced relief money from the last major winter...

The storm seems to be easing. We'll have more snow today, but not nearly as much as yesterday, and sub-freezing temperatures. But a warmup is coming later this week. The National Weather Service brings us up to speed. We'll also hear from two businesses — one in Traverse City, one in Kalkaska County — about how they fared Monday. And the winning word for a 12-year-old, two-time spelling bee champ...