Editor’s note:This article was published in the Record-Eagle’s “Momentum ’23” special publication. For more stories from northern Michigan’s economic engine, click here to read Momentum in its entirety online.
The pandemic-influenced surge in outdoor recreation is showing signs of slowing, but if you’re looking to reserve a campground spot for your new RV over a summer holiday in northwestern Michigan, you better get to booking.
Campgrounds and Michigan’s parks and recreation division report another early year of high interest among reservation seekers as factors brought on by the global health issue persist.
People who sought socially distant outdoor recreation made an investment in and found an appreciation for not just camping but also hiking, biking and kayaking, among other similar activities. And while sellers of RVs, hiking boots and other gear aren’t seeing the record sales of 2020 and 2021, the natural beauty of the area and scores of new converts are encouraging, despite how inflation and rising interest rates are affecting consumer attitudes.
“Camping in general has really seen a resurgence of interest,” said Joe Cooper, owner of Kalkaska RV Park and Campground.
The great interest in the great outdoors
That camping as an outdoor getaway experienced a surge in interest amid the pandemic isn’t surprising. People who were told to keep their distance from others were looking for some recreational outlet. Gyms were closed. Restaurants were closed. Flights and their distant destinations raised worries of health risks.
A campground in many ways was a COVID oasis, a welcome reprieve from the staid confines of our homes and the outsized attention we focused on our cellphones and television screens and their continual updates of an uncertain future.
“2020 was really off the charts,” Cooper said. “2021 was much the same. Just people looking for any way to get out and about and do something besides sit at home, especially little children.”
What is perhaps less apparent is how the pandemic continues to fuel camping’s popularity despite the restaurants and movie theaters and trips to the Caribbean being back on. The rise of remote work, for instance, allowed people to work from nearly anywhere, including a campground. Supply chain troubles helped spur high…
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3:30-5 p.m., Carnegie Room, Stoughton Public Library, 304 S. Fourth St.
Would you like to help plan and present teen library events? Join the Stoughton Teen Advisory Board, a super fun group of teens who love to laugh and get creative! Afterwards, the art cart will be out to create and explore. New members are always welcome to attend. Ages 11-16. No registration required.
Adult Craft Club: Sew Write Sashiko Journal
6:30-8 p.m., Stoughton Fire Department Training Room, 401 E. Main St.
Learn some meditative Sashiko stitching and create a cover for a journal. You know you need to write it out and get started on your memoirs or a notebook to keep you on track with your goals! Thread, fabric, journals and stitch patterns provided. Registration is required and begins April 20 at 9 a.m.
Friday, May 5
Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts in concert
7:30-10 p.m., Stoughton Opera House, 381 E. Main St.
Led by free-wheeling frontman Miles Nielsen, The Rusted Hearts have been wowing audiences for years with the diversity of their sound, the tightness of their 4-part harmonies, and the quality of their songcraft. Equally comfortable in a compact 3-minute pop song and an epic 10-minute jam, the band has toured incessantly since their inception in 2011, amassing an army of hardcore followers that have dubbed themselves the Rusted Herd.
Their new album “OHBAHOY” finds the band venturing into a sphere of Americana that feels both familiar and excitingly new. Tight drums, rich guitar tones, gorgeous woodwinds, and sweeping harmonies provide the perfect complements to Nielsen’s immense storytelling gifts and impeccable vocals. The album’s name comes from an imaginary friend Nielsen had growing up, a fitting reminder as we get older to hold tightly to the noble ideals of freedom and creativity that seem so natural to us as children. Tickets are $25. For more information, visit milesnielsen.com
Saturday, May 6
Kiwanis Disc Golf Rally
8:30 a.m. registration with tee off from 8:30-9:30 a.m., Kiwanis Disc Golf Course, Amundson Park, Stoughton
The Enterprise Pilot Club is hosting its annual Civic Night reception to honor the newly chosen Man, Woman, and Youth of the Year for 2022.
The event is Thursday night at the First Baptist Church of Enterprise in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30 p.m.
Woman of the Year nominees are Heather Jones, Stacy Thames, Kimberly Hoobler, and Sonya Wheeler Rich.
Man of the Year nominees are James Tarbox, Jason Berry Thames, and Rodrick Caldwell.
Youth of the Year nominees are Celesia Page, Ella Hogan, Emily Turner, Faith Lett, Arianna Johnson, and Tyler Mitchell.
Heather JonesThe OSCAR Club nominated Heather Jones, who has lived in Enterprise since 1998. She graduated from Enterprise High School and studied at Troy University.
Jones attends HighPointe Church. Jones is a Coffee County Habitat for Humanity board member serving on the Family Selection Committee. She helped plan the Father Daughter Dinner and was a volunteer member of the kitchen staff, service, and clean up.
People are also reading…
Jones was selected by the Coffee County United Way Representative as a loaned executive with Wiregrass United Way Campaign. She has served two years as a loaned executive speaking at schools and businesses to assist with their campaign. Volunteering with the Enterprise Chamber of Commerce she is a member of the board of directors and was selected for the Enterprise Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Team serving as a member for three years and Team Captain for two years. She shares her expertise as a volunteer marketing director for the Alpha Elite Lions basketball organization. Serving with the Wiregrass Board of Realtors she worked with blood drives and as a Salvation Army bell ringer. She gave her time to make Christmas better for seniors and children at Christmas. She worked with AUSA in 2022 to plan and host a trivia night and run their local social media pages. She worked to clean up neglected areas for the Day of Service.
Stacy ThamesStacy Thames is Altrusa of Enterprise’s nominee for the 2022 Woman of the Year. Thames is a native of Enterprise and a graduate of Enterprise High School. She and her husband Berry have two children. Thames works for M1 Support Service and owns her own small business,…
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Erin Stephens, left, shows McKenzie McCormick how to hand stitch a quilt square from recycled cotton material.
Carla Slavey I CJ
What’s more fitting for celebrating Earth Day than a bit of rain and wind?
Not enough to cause too much of an issue for the organizers of the Somerset Community College event, but just enough to cool down what was the promise of a warm spring day in Kentucky.
The Earth Day event took place Sunday — six days before the official Earth Day on Saturday April 22, on SCC’s campus. While the weather may have driven some of the displays indoors, it didn’t seem to dampen the spirits of the attendees.
In fact, the large number of guests to turn out made the day a complete success, according to Kelly Johnson, the chair of the Earth Day committee and an associated professor of biology.
“I think people were really excited that we were having it again, so we’ve had a good crowd,” she said.
It was the first year back for the event, since COVID put the kibosh on 2020’s gathering. Plans had been in place and the event was just over a month away from happening before it had to be cancelled, Johnson said. Then, with the pandemic still taking place, 2021’s and 2022’s plans were scrapped as well.
But Johnson said 2023’s event worked out well.
“I’ve just really enjoyed seeing everyone on campus and having such a large crowd,” she said. “This is one of the largest events that we hold here at SCC each year, and just seeing the community out and taking advantage of our beautiful camps and…
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Dynamic Discs announced last week that longtime company events director, and current president, Doug Bjerkaas, will be leaving the iconic golf disc manufacturer.
Bjerkaas starts a director-level position with the Professional Disc Golf Association on April 1.
“First and foremost, there never would have been an opportunity to work for the PDGA at the highest level, overseeing the most important events in the sport, had I not spent the last seven plus years here at Emporia, Bjerkaas said, “I’ve known Jeremy (Rusco, founder of Dynamic Discs) for a while.”
Bjerkaas’ tenure with the company started in 2015 as a part-time events coordinator, climbing the ladder to president. His contributions to Emporia and disc golf while at Dynamic Discs, have left a significant mark.
“Doug has been an essential driving force behind the Dynamic Discs’ events in Emporia and has so much to be proud of,” said Rusco in an email sent to the Gazette. “He was responsible for making sure that Dynamic Discs and the City of Emporia were able to attract and host so many successful events.”
Under Bjerkaas’ direction, the disc maker developed the Glass Blown Open into the premier global disc golf event for several years. He also served as the tournament director for two PDGA Professional World Championships and three junior world championships.
“The Emporia community has rallied behind these events and should be proud of what we have accomplished under Doug’s leadership,” Rusco said.
Bjerkaas is well aware of the impact and importance these events have had on the sport and the region.
“I don’t think there’s another place on the planet where someone would have had the opportunity to host five different world championships in a seven-year stretch,” he said. “There are communities that are lucky if they get to host one world championship in a decade. And the PDGA has always put so much faith in what we can do here in Emporia for disc golf.”
Bjerkaas said his experience at Dynamic Discs opened the door for his new position at the sport’s Georgia-based governing body.
“And had everything not happened at Dynamic Discs the way it has over the last 18 years when Jeremy first started the company, I wouldn’t have this opportunity,” he said. “So I will forever be grateful to Dynamic Discs, to the city of Emporia, to all the…
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Logansport residents running in city elections this year are gearing up for the May primary election with a candidate forum at 6 p.m. Tuesday at McHale Performing Arts Center.
The forum will feature candidates running for city council, clerk-treasurer, and mayor. The mayor race, which currently has seven candidates running between the Democrat and Republican parties, is of particular interest because of the number of people vying for the position. The Cass County League of Women Voters is working in conjunction with the Logansport Chamber of Commerce, Iron Horse Broadcasting, the Pharos-Tribune and Cass County Online to host the event.
The Indiana primary election is Tuesday, May 2.
Mayor’s race
The Republican candidates for mayor include James McKeever, Johnny Quinones, and incumbent Chris Martin. The Democrat candidates for mayor include Larry Hood, Dave Kitchell, Terry Doran, and Jacob LeDonne.
Chris Martin
Photo provided
Mayor Chris Martin
Martin said his team faced difficulties after he was sworn into office because some plans were delayed for nearly two years due to the pandemic, but he believes his administration was still able to accomplish a lot. During a second term, he hopes to continue building the industrial park, addressing environmental concerns on the west side of the city so it is ready for redevelopment, creating housing at places like Chase and Davis roads, and seeking federal grants for infrastructure improvements like those planned for city sidewalks around local elementary schools.
“We want to continue…
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Dynamic Discs announced the start of a new chapter this week, with news that it was recently bought out by an international venture capital firm.
And if you ask founder Jeremy Rusco, this could be a boon to Emporia.
House of Discs — created by Europe-based Vendis Capital last June — subsumed Latitude 64, Kastaplast and Westside Discs and has now added Dynamic Discs, Dynamic Distribution, Handeye Supply Company, and Spinoff Games to the HOD fold.
“House of Discs will invest in the growth of disc golf as a whole to ensure that each brand that is in the group receives the financial assets and professional expertise to grow to a level that elevates the sport, and the brands, to new heights,” said Rusco in a Mar. 8 press release.
Vendis Capital scales up consumer companies globally, implementing buy-and-build strategies that promote growth via select acquisitions.
Rusco will serve on the House of Discs board of directors, and Dynamic Discs’ new status could help leverage a disc golf-related production facility in Emporia.
“Ultimately, our hope and intention is that it only furthers disc golf in Emporia and only furthers the business in Emporia with the intent to bring a production facility over to the United States under this group,” Rusco told The Emporia Gazette.
The Dynamic Discs leader said if his company wasn’t now a part of the House of Discs, Emporia wouldn’t be considered for the production facility.
“But with us being a part of the larger organization, the way I see it is we’ve got the first opportunity to invest, an investment opportunity, to bring that production facility here and the world headquarters of House of Discs to Emporia,” Rusco said.
Rusco said the facility could create 100-plus jobs for Emporia and believes local leaders will be on board with it.
“I definitely know that our city, community leadership is going to work hard to put something together to make that be an attractive deal for the ultimate decision-makers at House of Discs,” he said. “And I guess I’m optimistic that will land in Emporia.”
Rusco further stated that he doesn’t feel like the community has tapped out its resources and financial capacity.
“They [House of Discs]know what we’ve established in Emporia,” he said. “They know how strong a foundation that we’ve built … and they know a lot of the…
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Because this section is free of charge, community events are subject to run based on available space. Religion items are published on the Saturday church page. Email events to [email protected].
TODAY, MARCH 16
ADULT ARTS AND CRAFTS: Let creativity shine to create a cute craft or inspiring art piece from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Ruby B. Archie Library auditorium. Ages 18 and up. No fee. Registration is required by calling, 434-799-5195.
FRIDAY, MARCH 17
FAMILY GAME NIGHTS: Relax with family and come out for a fun night of board games, sports and outdoor games at Coates Recreation Center from 5:30 to 7 p.m. No fee. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150. Sponsored by Parks and Recreation.
People are also reading…
SATURDAY, MARCH 18
CARS & COFFEE: Old Dominion Classic Sports Car Club will hold Cars & Coffee from 9 to 11 a.m. at Crema & Vine, 1009 Main St. For more information, call 434-548-9862.
JAPANESE CULTURAL EVENT: George Washington High School Japanese class and club will host the third annual Japan Day free event in the GW auditorium from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be Kendo, Taiko Drumming, a tea ceremony, prizes and more. Register online at https://tinyurl.com/yse2tj2z.
CLASSIC MOVIE CLUB: Enjoy a classic movie with discussion following at the Ruby B. Archie Library auditorium from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. “The Adventure of Robin Hood” (1938) for ages 18 and up. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5195. No fee.
ARCHERY 101 WORKSHOP: Learn the basic safety, anchor points, draw and release, care of equipment and essential safety skills with a USA Archery certified instructor for ages 5 to 17 at Coates Recreation Center from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $12. Registration required by calling, 434-799-5150.
HOMESTEADING 101: Learn from local homesteaders Ben and Amber Martin at Glenwood Community Center from 10 a.m. to noon. No fee. For ages 5 and up; registration is required a week prior.
MONDAY, MARCH 20
PRESSURE CANNER LID TESTING: Virginia Cooperative Extensive Office, 19783 U.S. 29 South, Suite C, Chatham, will check pressure cooker lid and gauge used for canning at no cost from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information, call 434-432-7770.
TUESDAY, MARCH 21
THE WRITE…
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GARRETT — “It’s been a very good year for us,” Garrett Mayor Todd Fiandt said in his State of the City address Jan. 26 in City Hall.
As of Oct. 25, some $33 million had been invested in the Garrett, up quite a bit from the previous year, he began.
“I don’t know if it is just dumb luck or the result of trying to make a better business climate for some to come to Garrett to open a business,” he added. “Either way, we’ve been fortunate enough to have several come here to give it a go.”
New activity at the south side of town includes The Rail Yard Center that is home to the recently opened Westwind Furniture, Shear Bliss Salon, Classic Cabinet Company, Coterie Pizza and another addition to Diederich Storage. Other new businesses are Eye Candy, LaLos Mexican Restaurant and Red Stagg Investments who set up an automatic ice and water machine service a few months ago.
Plevna Implement Company has built a new farm implement and garden equipment store at S.R. 8 and Wiant Drive. Van’s Home Center is in the process of building a 100,000-square-foot warehouse at C.R. 19 and S.R. 8.
Additions were also made to F&H Warehouse on Taylor Road, Mossberg Hubbard Spool, Hometown Graphics, Diederich Self Storage and Walmart Distribution Center.
Fiandt is also proud of the 17 roads that were either resurfaced or rebuilt in 2022 though the Community Crossings matching grant program, most of which were on the north side of town. Plans for 2023 include resurfacing of Houston Street from the Judy A. Morrill Recreation Center to Hamsher Street.
Forty older trees along Randolph Street in the S.R. 327 right-of-way were removed as part of the Judy Morrill Beautification Project. More than 70 trees have been planted, as well as new sidewalks installed on both sides of the street for Phase 2 of the project that now extends south near the Dave’s Burgers location. Fiandt thanked Morrill for her generosity in funding the project.
The abandoned Torco Station in the 700 block of South Randolph Street has been demolished and the site has been remediated to state standards. A pocket park has been built on the site that includes a cedar pavilion for the public use, Fiandt added. Plans call for solar lighting and more trees to be planted this year.
A gathering place is planned at the site of a burned-out building at 109 S. Randolph St. that has…
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On Jan. 23, White Hall Town Council voted to grant funds to the Fairmont Community Youth Development Center, Woodlawn Cemetery Co., Marion County Police Reserves, Prickett’s Fort Memorial Foundation, West Virginia Three Rivers Festival, Women’s Club of Fairmont, Fairmont Chamber Music Society Inc., Maple Grove Association Inc., Beverly CEOs, Main Street Fairmont’s Feast of the Seven Fishes, the West Augusta Historical Society, On Eagle’s Wings, American Legion Mountaineer Boys State Inc. and Valley Volunteer Fire Department.
Town of White Hall officials meet with the Middletown Commons marketing team on Jan. 23 to start planning their third annual Community Music Event. This year’s event will be held on July 8 at the Middletown Commons.
White Hall Elementary
Jan. 31: January Terrific Kids announced.
Feb. 1: PTO 6:30 meeting in media
Feb. 8,9,10: third grades benchmark testing
Feb. 9: Parent Teacher Conferences, 4-7 p.m. by appointment with your child’s teacher
Feb. 13,14,15: Fourth grade benchmark testing
Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day snack
Feb. 20: Professional Learning Day, faculty senate, no students, teacher training on WVGSA
Thank you to the Fairmont State men’s basketball team for inviting White Hall Elementary students and staff to be their guests at the Wednesday evening game.
Things to do this weekend
Double Vision Band will perform at Magic’s Bar & Grill, Friday beginning at 9 p.m.
Mommy & Me Painting, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. at Agnes and Alfred in the Middletown Commons featuring special guest Rapunzel. Tickets include all painting supplies, drinks, snacks and meet and greet.
Craft Show, Jan. 28 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Kingmont Community Center
Upcoming town events
The Community Wellness Program is offering Brain Booster Classes at the White Hall Public Safety Building from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. led by Renee Marsh, licensed marriage and family therapist. Classes will be every Monday for four weeks beginning Feb. 6 in the workshop room. Parking and entrance is in the back of the building. Refreshments will be served. To sign up for the classes go to www.reneelorchtherapy.com under “services.”
North Marion Band is hosting a murder mystery dinner for Valentine’s Day titled “My Bloody Valentine!” The band kids will be acting it out for your entertainment, and…
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