Up North Lowdown

The group Youth for Christ is suing Leland Township, which denied its permit to hold ministry activities at a building overlooking Leland's historic Fishtown harbor. Jacob Wheeler, editor of the Glen Arbor Sun, says the case has all the hallmarks of something destined for the U.S. Supreme Court. He walks us through the story and how it's affecting the community.

A Bellaire resident is making another attempt to recall the Antrim County clerk. The League of Women Voters wants you to know about tax proposals. And what's up with the possible sale of a baker's dozen dams in Michigan?

Ten people from the Transom Story Workshop have been at IPR for a week, gathering stories from throughout northern Michigan. They'll present those stories on Saturday in Traverse City. We talk about they've learned. Also, it's been a busy week for Line 5 news. Reporter Vivian La brings us up to speed.

Michigan Department of Corrections inmate Dylan Leenheer alleges his prisoner temporary ID was doctored to make it appear he was wearing stereotypical depictions of Native American garb. Reporter Sierra Nadeau tells us more. We also hear about a 9/11 memorial ceremony planned for Friday and get an update on Line 5 — and Michigan's governor giving a second look at some permits for the controversial project.

Months after historic flooding washed out roads and bridges across northern Michigan, the Kaleva Norman Dickson School District says buses have much longer routes and some students have transferred out to avoid the drive. That costs the district money at a time when it's spending more than usual to handle its transportation needs. Reporter Charlie Brooks tells us more.

Every year on Labor Day, thousands of people walk across the Mackinac Bridge — that iconic span between Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas. It's a tradition that goes back to the late 1950s, when the bridge first opened.

When popular band director John Stanley Ross left Interlochen Arts Academy in 2000, he went on to teach at University of Minnesota-Morris, Cameron University, and most recently Appalachian State — where he resigned earlier this summer while the school investigated sexual harassment allegations against him. His story is a part of a larger phenomenon called "pass the harasser." IPR's Maxwell Howard has been digging into where the abusers outlined in the Interlochen Report landed after they left Interlochen.

What happens when you take Sesame Street, with its puppets and lessons and gentle touch on serious subjects, and mix it up with Blanche DuBois and New Orleans and "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams? A local theater company is finding out. And so will we, in this episode. Also a roundup of northern Michigan headlines.

Carol Rose has worked at the Women's Resource Center Thrift Store for about 40 years. And in that time, she's heard countless stories from women in domestic violence situations, and connected them to help. But the work is actually joyful says Rose, 70, who says she's not ready to retire. She's being honored this week for her work. We pay a visit to the store.

A renewable energy developer wants to build a large-scale solar array straddling Wexford and Grand Traverse counties. Local opposition blocked an application for the project from moving forward, earlier this summer. Now, the developer might use a new law to try to get approval from the state. Also, the village manager in Kalkaska, who is also the police chief, has been suspended with pay as Michigan State Police investigate an incident. And gas prices are going up ahead of this Labor Day weekend.