Building Bridges with Music presents a unique opportunity to hear one of Michigan’s great musicians perform in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, free for the community. Jeff Haas and his colleagues will be joined by international students from Northwestern Michigan College who will read brief excerpts from MLK speeches as part of the musical presentation.

The community remembrance starts at 5:30 pm with a proclamation from Traverse City mayor Michael Estes and an invocation from Rabbi Chava Bahle, followed by Haas’ presentation of original music including selections from his 2002 jazz suite, “The MLK Suite: Then & Now,” and excerpts from MLK speeches and writings. Haas will be joined by Laurie Sears on saxes & flute, Chris Lawrence on trumpet, bassist Jack Dryden and drummer Jordan Huggett.

“Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches and writings on civil rights were a regular topic at our dinner table growing up in Detroit in the late 50s and 60s with immigrant parents”, explains Haas. “Dr. King’s belief that all of our thoughts and actions are either based in love or fear really made a lot of sense to me as a youngster. And I have always tried to convey that in my music.” He goes on to say, “There’s still a lot of work to be done and I am grateful for this opportunity to come together with my community and recommit to doing the work to see Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream become a reality.”

The performance is free to all, and the State is also showing two movies for free: To Kill a Mockingbird and The Help. Visit the State Theatre website for complete details.

No tickets are necessary but you may reserve a seat at no cost by calling The Bay at 231-271-5800 or emailing thebay@chartermi.net.

Northern Lakes Community Mental Health (NLCMH) serves Crawford, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Missaukee, Roscommon, and Wexford Counties, and directly provides and contracts services for adults with Mental Illness, Persons with Developmental Disabilities, and children with Serious Emotional Disturbance as defined by the Michigan Mental Health Code in these six counties.

The Glen Arbor Art Association is bringing in filmmaker, writer and radio producer Andrea Maio for a one week documentary boot camp course for teens August 9-12, 10 AM - 5 PM. It will be a whirlwind week exploring the many modes of non-fiction storytelling in all its stages; from research and interview techniques to shooting to making tough decisions in the editing room; students will get hands on experience in every aspect of documentary filmmaking. Students will access the rich cultural resources available to them in the Glen Arbor community to make a collaborative portrait of town. The week will culminate in a screening open to the Glen Arbor Community.

Video camera and laptop computer required, but some equipment is available. Tuition is $260 for Glen Arbor Art Association members and $270 for non-members. Registration can be handled at the GAAA web-site or by calling the GAAA office 231-334-6112.

In addition to Andrea's work on numerous non-fiction film and video projects she teaches filmmaking at Interlochen Arts Camp and the University of Missouri. Her work has been featured on IPR's This American Life. Here's a short video she did set in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore:

Sleeping Bear from andrea maio on Vimeo.

Photo: The Mill by LeelanauLens

In northern Michigan, we are lucky to have The State theater in our location, because they bring us interesting and unique films. Coming Monday is Swim with Aliens, video shorts covering a wide range of topics, from Sunrise on the Boardman to Alien Invaders of our Waters. Coming next month is the Red Carpet Premiere of Christina! Summer would not be complete without a little polka music at the Annual Cedar Polka Festival. And although, you may have missed the Artist in Residence, Charles Murphy's Reception and Exhibit at the Old Art Building, he still has events this summer worth checking out.

Week's Weather

June 16: Cloudy & 60 (65/54)
June 15: Rain & 67 (72/61)
June 14: Mostly cloudy & 65 (68/61)
June 13: Partly sunny & 68 (74/61)
June 12: Rain & 64 (68/59)
June 11: Rain & 66 (76/55)
June 10: Mostly cloudy & 60 (64/55)

Post your comments about the week's news, observations of the weather or the natural world or events below! You'll also want to check out the Leelanau Calendar and the latest news and features from Leelanau, Traverse City and the surrounding area in our blog! Here's the June 2009 archives, and Leelanau Almanac: June 3 - 9.

FREE to everyone!

Volunteers for the partner organizations have been hard at work on short videos covering a wide range of topics, from Sunrise on the Boardman to Alien Invaders of our Waters. Come and celebrate our unique environment and the passion of your neighbors at the Green Carpet Gala Premiere event at the State Theater on Monday, June 21, 6:00 PM. There is no charge to attend, though you will need a ticket (available at the State Theater box office).

Anyone who wears green to the event gets free popcorn!

These videos are the result of the Focus on the Watershed project. This is a joint project of the UpNorth Media Center, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Inland Seas Education Association and the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay.

July 1. 2010: It’s been a busy week for Leland-based 8180 Films owners, Rebecca Reynolds and Jim Carpenter. On Sunday, June 27th, their indie drama, Christina, won two more major awards at New York City’s VISIONFEST 10 at the Tribeca Cinemas: Outstanding Achievement in Writing (Larry Brand) and Outstanding Achievement in Acting (Stephen Lang).

Now the 6PM Red Carpet Premiere at Traverse City's State Theatre on Sunday July 18th is a sell-out. A second screening of Christina has been added at 9PM, also featuring a Q&A with the director and cast following the film. Tickets for the 9PM screening are ten dollars and can be purchased at the State Theatre Box Office or online at www.statetheatretc.org

Leland-based 8180 Films presents A Larry Brand Film: CHRISTINA, Inspired by a true story and starring Nicki Aycox, Jordan Belfi and Stephen Lang

The story is set in World War II and tells the story of a young German woman who is preparing to leave the war-ravaged city of Berlin to begin a new life in America with her G.I. fiancé. But standing between her and a hopeful future is a relentless police inspector who is determined to prevent her from escaping her past.

Head over to christinathemovie.com for more about the film!

The GreenFest has something for everyone, bring the kids for a Kite Contest, put their hands to work at the Home Depot® Kid's Corner, let them plant a flower for mom at Green Lake Gardens' potting stand, enter a coloring contest (click here), and enter a Essay Contest. This is the place to connect with people, ideas, information, products and services related to green. Get great ideas from green professionals, discover how to reduce your utility bills, learn about green products and services, and explore green initiatives in our community. Please look at the Schedule of Events here.

There will also be free films at the Traverse City State Theatre ("Ice Age 2", at 10 am, and "Greenburg: A Story of Community Rebuilding", at 8 pm, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio) and in the Con Foster Building speakers (including John B. Carnett, photographer for POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE) to inform and entertain the public and professional communities about the emerging green marketplace and the products and technologies this movement is creating.

Photo: The Beautiful Boardman by OMG its Shortiie

They are offering this event free of charge, and you can pick up your free ticket beginning at 5 PM sharp today (Wednesday) at the box office. You can also call 231-947-3446 and they'll put tickets aside for you. Limit four tickets per person.

Ken's words about Ananda from his flickr page:

... a very special person in the Glen Arbor art community and beyond . . .

and an inspiring person to me

obit is here.

... I've been asked a few times now about this piece and Ananda, so thought I'd
expand on that and how it pertains to this piece . . .

Ananda started the local art group and I joined when I first moved up to this region and knew nothing about 'art' let alone selling it!
... her family was one of the original investors in my first book that helped launch my regional career.
I've always thought highly of her, her husband and kids ... all creative types.
Ananda lived right across from the dune.
I was out Thursday night shooting this piece, not knowing why ...
hours of waiting while the images gathered and my thoughts were going in
their direction since they were across the way ...
I didn't know that she had passed ...
The next day I was driven to edit the piece, but didn't know why, I've learned
to go with my instincts and just kept at it ... got to a point I needed a
break and I went in to sit with the cats, have a cup of coffee and read the
local paper that had been sitting there since Wednesday ...
I opened the first page and it was the obit page, there she was and then it hit me ...
the energy behind the piece . . .
I did a quick re-edit to make it hers just in time to make the gather at their
house that aft and gave a copy to her husband who is a whole other story ...
amazing guy .. .. ..

The eclectic selection of movies, fine food catered by Grandview Catering, and Larry Mawby's Sparkling Wine "Sex" as well as raffle prizes and a silent auction will take place at the City Opera House, 106 E. Front St.,Thursday. Jan 28.

There will be a champagne reception featuring Mawby's "sex" and fine food between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; the films will be shown from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $28. The $28 includes one raffle ticket, and the wine toast and refreshments as well as the films.

"We looked for a unique set of films that people won't see in mainstream theaters," said Kaye Krapohl, one of the organizers behind the Lunar Affair. She and co-chair Julie Goodwin, owner of Posh partnered on bringing these films to downtown Traverse City. "These films are about celebrating diversity within our own community and the world. They are created by women, but the content transcends women only issues, hence the name Lunar Affair." she said.

Read more at about the Lunar Affair at MyNorth.com. Or visit the the Lunar Affair site. For more information on the films and the traveling festival, visit LUNAFEST.

For a teaser of the LUNAFEST films, watch this video:

LUNAFEST 09/10 Films from Mara Sohn on Vimeo.

The selection of short films includes:

• "A Summer Rain," A young Israeli immigrant struggles with her transition to American life.
• "Plastic,” A young woman redefines her self-image moments before a first date.
• "Roz (and Joshua),” Separated from her son, Roz lives for the time when they will reunite permanently.
• "Monday Before Thanksgiving," Through a chance encounter, a single woman learns that the life she lives is exactly what she wants.
• "DIY: Emancipation 101," A playful animation about women and bicycling.
• "The Kinda Sutra," How are babies made?
• "A Vida Politica," A Brazilian hairstylist explains how beauty can be a form of activism.
• "Anjali," When Anjali becomes witness to her father's betrayal, she must decide if she will share her secret and risk devastating her family.
• "Omelette," A mother battles with the challenges of inflation.
• "The McCombie Way," Words of wisdom from a mystic in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

"The movies are all different, but have one thing in common: unique storytelling." Krapohl said.

Tickets are available through the City Opera House box office at www.cityoperhouse.org.
For more information you can also visit www.lunaraffair.org.