2+ week, 4+ day ago (442+ words) TRAVERSE CITY, MI - As the Beer Week celebration kicked off this past weekend, breweries and restaurant all across this popular tourist town were seeing their seats filled with locals and visitors alike. Traverse City Beer Week runs through Saturday, Nov. 15 and features deals at all the participating breweries, cideries and restaurants. Some of these spots are offering BOGO pints, a dollar or two off their beers, or special deals on growler fills, among the perks. Need a ride or to book a tour that puts someone else behind the wheel? You can check out the options here. A handful of the participating breweries are rolling out some special brews for this event. We stopped in at Farm Club this weekend to savor some sips of their new Best Bitter, a keg-conditioned English Ale that sports a 4.5% abv. Despite the name,…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (87+ words) The full 49-minute film is now available to watch online. How to watch new documentary about police investigation that shook Ann Arbor ANN ARBOR, MI " A new documentary about an Ann Arbor police investigation that had lasting ripple effects in the community is now available to watch online. How to watch new documentary about police investigation that shook Ann Arbor ANN ARBOR, MI " A new documentary about an Ann Arbor police investigation that had lasting ripple effects in the community is now available to watch online....

2+ day, 2+ hour ago (671+ words) GRAND RAPIDS, MI - This Thanksgiving week I have connected with friends from around the country who I grew up with, attended college with or worked with years ago at other companies. Some of the calls were unexpected but they all brought me joy, and we all need more of that every day, not just during the holidays. Since the COVID lockdowns, I have made a conscious effort to stay connected with my closest family and friends because life is short. The holidays are ideal for putting in those calls or meeting up with folk in town for family gatherings. After catching up about family, kids and career, it doesn't take long before the conversation turns to local, state, national and/or international news. An article Monday by John Tunison that's gotten a lot of interest in and outside of the…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (1145+ words) Attorney files $10M lawsuit after Patrick Lyoya protest arrest GRAND RAPIDS, MI - An attorney has filed a $10 million lawsuit after being jailed following a confrontation with protesters upset by a mistrial in Patrick Lyoya's killing by former Grand Rapids police officer Christopher Schurr. John Timothy Klees, a Grand Rapids attorney, sued multiple defendants, including the City of Grand Rapids, Kent County, the county prosecutor, a police officer, and the magistrate, a retired judge. Related: 5 things we learned during ex-police officer Christopher Schurr's murder trial He filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan after being charged with malicious destruction of property, a felony, for allegedly damaging a vehicle with an old police baton. His trial is set for January. The incident happened on May 8 when protesters gathered outside of the Kent County Courthouse. A judge had declared…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (408+ words) TRAVERSE CITY, MI - Nothing says autumn Up North like an outdoor festival that pairs the skills of world-class lumberjacks with live music, some great food, and an array of craft beer, cider and other fall drinks. And did we mention the flapjacks? The Flapjack & Flannel Festival is returning to the Traverse City area on Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort. Tickets can be purchased online as well as at the festival. The day-long event will feature live music, outdoor games, family-friendly activities - and pretty much every variation on pancakes that you can think of. Some will be flipped up as sweet treats, but there will be plenty of savory options for the flapjack connoisseurs. Jalapeno cheddar bacon is always a favorite, festival organizers say. But this year, stop by to sample a new flavor that features sliced…...

3+ week, 4+ day ago (414+ words) Michiganders, it's time to get out the big coat. And maybe the shovel. The forecast models are all showing the same scenario - a blustery weekend for many of us, with rain overspreading the state, and snow showers mixing into some areas by the early part of the weekend. Then, a blast of cold Canadian air is poised to swoop down and make it feel more like December. Our daytime high temperatures will tumble into the 30s across most of the state by Sunday. Then the lake-effect snow will really kick into gear. MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa laid out the forecast earlier this week, saying parts of the Lower Peninsula could see up to 3 inches of snow by next Monday or early Tuesday, while parts of the Upper Peninsula could see up to 6 inches of snow. This is going to be…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (403+ words) We've got some rain - and even some light snow - in the forecast for later this week. But we'll still have enough good weather to get outside and enjoy these late fall days. At least until later next week. By the end of November, we've got what's called an SSM pattern shift that's expected to develop. This particular weather system could make us feel like we've plunged into winter a lot earlier than we expected. So if you still have outdoor work to finish for the season, this week and even into next week will still be pretty mild. Temperatures will be in the 40s to even 50s in some areas. But first, the next rain. Not everyone is going to get rain on Thursday and Friday. It looks like the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula have the best chance for seeing…...

2+ day, 12+ hour ago (418+ words) A significant snowstorm that's already started in the Plains states is now pushing toward the Midwest and is slated to bring more heavy snowfall into Michigan on Saturday. The National Weather Service is warning about travel impacts across a big swath of the U.S. as people returning home from their Thanksgiving holidays run into this storm system. "A significant snowstorm will impact a good portion of the Northern Plains and Midwest starting Friday and carrying through Sunday morning. Several inches of snow will make for dangerous travel conditions, so be sure to plan accordingly as we move into the weekend," NWS forecasters said. Ahead of this snowstorm, a Winter Storm Watch now blankets the western quadrant of Michigan's Lower Peninsula: In a line from Pentwater to Big Rapids to Clare, then all the way down to the Indiana border. This covers…...

1+ week, 1+ day ago (938+ words) TRAVERSE CITY, MI - Lawrence Boyd IV, also known as Larry B. and Duke, was killed last week in a shooting at a Traverse City parking deck. The 32-year-old was an employee of city Parking Services. He was working at a downtown parking deck when he was shot several times, resulting in his death on Saturday, Nov. 15. His body was discovered the next morning and linked to an overnight crime spree. Two teens are charged with murder and a slew of other crimes related to the incident, including larceny from a vehicle and shooting at police officers. Boyd's father reached out to MLive on Friday to tell his son's story. "He was more than just the last 20 months of his life," said Larry Boyd III, of Novi. "He was my best friend, my only child. He was my world." Larry Boyd IV…...

6+ day, 8+ hour ago (420+ words) The Winter Storm Watch that started with just a handful of counties in the western Upper Peninsula has now spread across the U.P. and dipped down into some of our traditional snowbelt counties in the northern Lower Peninsula. These storm watches - which caution about hazardous driving, high winds and more than 25 inches of snow in some areas - are being issued ahead of a powerful storm system forecast to start tomorrow in the top half of the state and be felt by Wednesday in West Michigan, Mid-Michigan and Southeast Michigan. High wind gusts - reaching up to 60 mph in some areas - combined with snow are expected to make travel conditions difficult. Wednesday's high winds could also lead to power outages. Nearly all of western and central Upper Peninsula counties are now under a Winter Storm Watch. In most areas, this storm watch begins…...