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Letters
Only one letter per reader in a two month period will be accepted. Letters may be edited for length or to correct factual errors. Letters must be signed to be considered for print and a phone number is required for verification. Faxed letters are not accepted.

Random Thoughts
Varanasi looks every bit of its 3,000 years old, indescribably dirty, crowded, and crumbling to dust at every corner.

Spectator
We know that 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was returning from a convenience store to the home of his father’s fiance in a gated community in Sanford, Florida. We know he purchased a bag of Skittles and a can of iced tea at the store. We know he was wearing a hoodie.

Public Safety
Shannon Zelma, of Marion, was at the PBS Gas Station on S. Mitchell March 31 when she found a bank envelope in the parking lot. She turned it over to the Cadillac Police Department, who alerted the public and the owners of the cash came forward..

News of the Weird
-- With a National Institute of Justice grant, the Houston Police Department was able to learn precisely how embarrassingly bad it had been in investigating rape cases.

Pot User Shown The Door
The company that then managed the apartment complex called off the eviction in early 2010 amid bad publicity following a Northern Express article and a plea from ACLU attorneys. The attorneys argued that under federal law, landlords are not required to evict tenants for drug use under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act.

Bottoms Up
my visit to The Front Porch (see Tastemakers) in Ellsworth I ordered coffee with my lunch. I was hesitant at first as typically coffee at diners and greasy spoons is not all that good (yes, I admit I am a bit of a coffee snob).

Taste Makers
village of Ellsworth has for years been a destination for connoisseurs of fine food and great wine. Between The Rowe Inn and Tapawingo, Ellsworth arguably not only had two of the best restaurants in Northern Michigan but in all of the state.

Art Beat
This painstaking cutting and gluing takes patience and a steady hand, but it’s not the most difficult part of the process, according to Acosta. “You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to get the images,” she says with a laugh. “Finding the images is the hardest part.

No Whining
Such an award from a major wine competition no longer comes as a surprise for Northern Michigan wineries. In addition to Chateau Fontaine’s 2011 Dry Riesling taking “Best of Show,” Black Star Farms was also a big winner, taking home Best Ice Wine honors.

The Sounds of Two Gentlemen
“Our songs and sound are a good deal like Slim and Slam,” Bean confirms. “They’re heroes of ours. But we’ve found that when we say we sound like Slim and Slam, most people say, ‘Who?’” And lyrically, Bean explains, the duo simply write what they know,...

Bank robbery made fun and easy with Willy Porter
Referred to in reviews as a “blend of salt and sugar,” Porter’s folk-blues hybrid has been influenced by a number of fellow musicians and performing experiences. But it is also solidly his own, from the rootsy bluegrass tinge of “Barefoot Reel” to the tale-telling of “I Didn’t Bring It Up” and the ‘70s sound of “Psychic Vampire.

A Jewel of a Store
Boz says having a store in Harbor Springs turned out to be a dream come true for her. She found a storefront during a trip north, and decided to, as she puts it, “dip my toes in” by signing a three-month lease for last summer..

Stylish in the City:The Men of Intersection
His spontaneous nature influences his everyday looks. In the mornings, inspiration is his guide. He might throw on a simple v-neck and jeans paired with a t-shirt or a more sophisticated jacket, tie, and boots. For him, it all depends on the feel and events of the coming day.

Gear Box
For those connected to the water or who just like to see use made of the three R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – the reclaimed fl oat rope doormat could be your best choice. Handcrafted in Maine, these mats are made from used rope from the marine industry, often from lobster traps.

My Style
Coral is one of Kirsten Sadler’s top colors for spring 2012. She plans to wear the islander hue in the form of fl owy tops and fun accessories. Her style philosophy: wear what makes you comfortable. She also sticks to basics and adds color when the time is right.

Spring Fashion
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Color Your Closet!
Bring a burst of energy to a wardrobe with solid staples. It’s called Color-Blocking and is one of the season’s hottest trends. It is loud, bold, intense, and screams spring fashion. Color-blocking consists of mixing solid color combinations, wearing more than one color at once.

Fashion to fit the exercising season
“We have some great shorts that feature a COOLMAX fabric liner that wicks away moisture too keep the active man dry and comfortable, also mesh paneling for added ventilation,” explained Taylor. “The built in liner is perfect for the gym, running, and cross training.

Hot Dates
They come in all shapes, sizes and colors...but no choice is wrong when you're at the Empty Bowls Project Event, held at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City on April 15, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Purchase a handmade bowl for $15 and enjoy soup samplings while benefitting the Fresh Food Partnership.

Nite Life
4/13 -- Kevin, Kyle & Spencer, 5- 9; Lindsey Lou & the Flatbellys 4/14 -- Funktion Mon. -- Chris Sterr Tues. -- Open Mic Wed. -- DJ Fasel Thurs. -- Levi Britton.

Modern Rock
what they’re calling a “minimal, introverted, and ambient” new album that’s still expected some time later this year… And a new concert series is launching this week on PBS television stations - Front Row Center.

4 Play
It’s a varied and crafty listen, which explains the demand for (and success of) this reissue..

Previews
Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play Schmidt and Jenko, who were opposites in high school and now, a few years later, find themselves partners in a police undercover program that enrolls them in high school.

We The Party
It’s oversimplifying to compare “We the Party” to “The Breakfast Club” because both involve teenagers thrown together into a situation that tests them and helps them grow. A better comparison would be with “House Party” (1990), not least because it features so much music.

On Film
“Mirror Mirror” is a sumptuous fantasy for the eyes and a pinball game for the mind, as story elements collide and roll around bumping into each other. This is not a faithful retelling of the versions by the Brothers Grimm or Walt Disney, but neither is it a satire, nor much of a story in its own right.

Freewill Astrology
kid is so rewarding, maybe more would be even better. I asked an acquaintance of mine, a man with six kids, how he had managed to pull off that difficult feat. He told me quite candidly, “My secret is that I’m not a good father; I’m very neglectful.

“Jonesin” Crosswords
2 Every last bit 3 Mauna ___ (macadamia nut brand) 4 End-of-letter abbr. 5 Went off like a microwave 6 Singer ___ Del Rey 7 Part of IHOP 8 “Brothers” in the 2008 market collapse 9 Come up short 10 It may include an “undecided” option 11 From...

Ask the Advice Goddess
My boyfriend and I are college juniors, happily together 10 months and living together for five. An article I read said it’s healthy to argue with your partner, and I got a little worried. We sometimes bicker about what to watch on TV, but one of us quickly gives in, and that’s it.