This Saturday is Opening Day for the Harbor Springs Little League. The warm sun this afternoon sure makes it feel like baseball weather. There is a phrase often used in baseball practice: "Trust the Process." In my line of work, we use "respect the process." The intent is the same. One should focus attention on the steps not on the outcome.

The idea is to deal with what is right in front of you. Young players are unlikely hit a home run if their approach is focused on hitting a home run. Heck, seasoned players won't do much better. By paying attention to the mechanics of putting the ball in play each have a far better chance of success.

Every game, the pitchers and the batters need to learn quickly how an umpire is seeing the strike zone. The goal is that the zone is roughly the same for each game. Finding the edges a particular umpire is calling can mean the difference between winning or losing.

Players might complain about a strike zone, but if the umpire is consistent in the way they call the balls and strikes, that’s what matters. If the ump is consistent, both the pitcher and batter respect the zone and know what to expect. Consistency makes the system fair. Without it, the game breaks down.

Hi there and my sincere thanks.

I have wrestled with what to write after the last few weeks. It's been a heck of a roller coaster.

The sun feels different, perhaps we have finally turned the corner. But it is Northern Michigan, spring today...who knows about tomorrow.

I have been convinced, like the weather, our town has turned a corner. Like spring though, it’s hard to tell. The signs are all there. People, here in town, seem genuinely pleased (and rightly so) with the city's response to our ice storm. Locally, people have been acting like a community in the most genuine and fundamental sense of the word.

Last night, the Parks Board met at City Hall in what seemed like a return to normal. The work the City of Harbor Springs Parks & Recreation staff have done along with volunteers to clean up our parks since our last meeting has been far from normal. In fact, I'd call it downright heroic.

The main piece of action last night centered around another thoughtful group and their efforts to honor those who have served America in uniform.

To commemorate their 50 years of service to Harbor Springs, the Garden Club presented plans for a new garden to ring the flag pole at Zorn Park. The waterfront has long been the site of annual Memorial services for our community.

The overwhelming community support and kindness shown these last few weeks in and around Harbor Springs has been extraordinary. It may sound silly, but we should take a moment to be proud of ourselves.

This last year has been hard on our community. Maybe we needed to be pushed a bit to remember how much we need each other. It has also been a good reminder, that we sometimes need help from outside. For instance, today, there is a crew from Kent County (Grand Rapids) cleaning up M-119.

Over and over, what I have heard is an earnest hope that we have turned a corner--together.

You are AMAZING Harbor Springs! Since the call went out, just two days ago, you have answered in support of the Harbor Springs High School Robotics Team.

With donations big and small, you have donated nearly $10,000 to help the kids get to Houston to compete in the Robotics World Championships. WOW!

This last week, while we were all dealing with the ice storm and its aftermath, the Harbor Springs High School Baywatch Robotics Team was in Saginaw competing in the State competition.

We may have been without power here-but our team was bringing all the power moves against the best in Michigan. There are no school size divisions in robotics, so Harbor's team competed against all the biggest schools downstate. Driving their robot named "Riptide" our little team made it to the State semi-finals!

The team did so well, they qualified for the High School Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas later this month! Talk about punching above their weight!

There has been a parade of utility and public works trucks roaring into town today. Gleaming bright green semi-trucks with skid loaders from our friends in Kent County, Michigan (Grand Rapids) led the way down Main Street followed by dozens of bucket trucks from nearly as many different utilities.

We hardy bunch in the north called for aid, and boy have our downstate friends answered! It is humbling, heartening, and inspiring. Someday we will return the favor, but for now they certainly have our sincere thanks.

Today, is the first day of SPRING! In true Northern Michigan fashion, the heavy snow and slick conditions early this morning closed school and added another day to Spring Break week!

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up-I will be enjoying some time with my family next week and not posting.

The last few weeks, we have focused on telling success stories of Harbor Springs. Particularly, we have been focused on our students.

Wow! Have you all responded!

Last week, the City Council received an update on the Shay locomotive the students at the Industrial Arts Institute in Onaway restoring. Built in 1907 by the Lima Locomotive and Machine Works in Ohio, the engine was invented by our own Ephraim Shay. The plan is that the restored locomotive will join his "Aha" boat in Shay Park later this spring. Given the amazing job the students in Onaway did on the boat, I can't wait to see the engine.

I was thinking about Ephraim Shay as I watched our championship winning Harbor High School robotics team this weekend. Most of those kids went through Shay Elementary. I wonder if his spirit of invention and innovation rubbed off on the team. Our town certainly has a long history of residents, like Shay and his son, finding solutions to complicated problems.

In perhaps the strongest robotics state in the country, with the Big Three motor companies all supporting the competition-the Harbor Springs Rams Robotics Team leaves the weekend as the 4th ranked team out of hundreds in the entire state!

Talk about punching above their weight. There are no divisions in robotics, so Harbor competes against schools 5x bigger, and yet…they are a top 5 team in the whole state of Michigan. And likely sitting in the top 25 in the country. AMAZING!

Just home from Opening Night of Mamma Mia!

The show is AWESOME! I don’t think there is any high school anywhere who is putting on a show as good as Harbor!

The kids did amazing (including mine, who I could not be more proud of)! Anna, Caleigh, MaKayla, Gimi, Onim, Brian, Zavier, Jacob, Stella, Katie, The Ginger, Lukas and ALL the ensemble were funny, talented and just looked like they were having a blast together!

Hi there! I want to take a moment to shine some light on the talented young people that call our community home.

Just a few examples to be proud of:

Both the Harbor Springs High School and Harbor Springs Middle School bands earned "1s" (the highest rating) at festival this spring. If you haven't heard them play, they have a concert on April 30th. It is remarkable how great they sound.

For months, Harbor Springs students have been working their tails off on stage to get ready for Momma Mia this weekend (Friday and Saturday at 7, Sunday at 2). Tickets at Between the Covers It is going to be amazing!

We have an amazing week ahead of us in beautiful Harbor Springs full of talented Rams of all kinds!

It all culminates with this weekend's Harbor Springs Public Schools presentation of Mamma Mia! Donna and the Dynamos take the stage Friday, March 14th at 7pm, Saturday, March 15th at 7pm and on Sunday, March 16th at 2pm. Tickets are available at the box office before the shows or from our friends at Between the Covers

After nearly a year, I feel like our community is turning a corner toward healing after a period of vitriol, personal attacks, and frankly dangerous threats and actions leveled at our fellow citizens and city officials.

We all have a responsibility to one another to continue our journey down the path of civility while seeking common ground. This arraignment in Cadillac today is a good reminder of how easily things can get out of hand. We are better when we root our civic conversations in respect.

This last weekend, while Sara was at Toy Fair, I spent a few days showing the kids New York City. It was a whirlwind (and kinda cold) but we had a blast!

One of our many stops was the Natural History Museum. As we wandered the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Hall, I thought about how upset I would imagine the former president would be about attacks on his beloved National Parks. When we visited the Statue of Liberty, I tried to thank the Park Rangers I saw as we climbed to her crown. It was easy to tell how much they each enjoyed their work and the story of America they were trying to tell with sincerity. To be honest, I found our visit to Liberty Island inspiring…but also heartbreaking.

Hey there. Of all the posts I have written, this one might be the toughest. So, hang with me, please.

Last night, after multiple meetings and discussions with people I respect and care about, I joined the call to discontinue Harbor Springs' pursuit of RRC certification.

I am the resident appointee to the RRC committee. People I disagree with in so many respects were lined up to oppose RRC. People I have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with, and value, spoke out in favor of the RRC.

In the end, the reason I supported and worked for the Council's unanimous decision to stop our RRC effort was straightforward.

As I told Council last night, I just cannot see a path forward where we come together as a community as long as pursuit of RRC certification is hanging over our heads.

Happy Valentine's Day to all you sweethearts of Harbor Springs!

In honor of this day of romance, join me on a trip down memory lane. Back to a warmer time when we were receiving love notes in our mailboxes (nearly every day) about the zoning issue.

I have heard a few question why we need to rewrite the zoning code. I feel like we have missed one BIG reason why we should be working through this process: It is exactly what we were promised was going to happen if we repealed the code.

A few years ago, the kids wanted a pool so we became social members up at Birchwood. The pool was fun, but the price went beyond where it made sense. But we have stayed on the email newsletter list. The other day something caught my eye and made me chuckle.

While we in Harbor Springs are struggling (like so many communities) with the issues of rising home costs and short-term rentals combining to push working folks out of town, Birchwood is announcing a "Building Boom." The home prices aren't particularly affordable to most, but 40 new homes means 40 new neighbors. Overall, that is great!

Hi there! I've got a bit of a cold. Part of the crud that has been going around.

As the plow trucks made the rounds this weekend, I got to thinking that combating the snow takes a lot of both salt and sand. Which creates a crud all their own.

So, with the caveat that this sinus pressure has made me a bit salty, let's talk a bit about sand.