9 & 10 News
June 29, 2021
Traverse City Area Public Schools have announced their virtual release of this year’s Music Booster concert.
For almost fifty years, the benefit concert has helped support student musicians and teachers through classroom mini grants as well as scholarships.
While this year’s concert couldn’t be in person, it did allow students to record their performances in a variety of locations.
The Music Booster’s President Jill Jenkins says students have been eager to perform after last year’s event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
“There’s nothing like a live performance I think for these kids, but I think they just value any opportunity that they have to be able to sing or play an instrument for an audience. Even if that audience happens to be virtual,” said Jenkins.
9 & 10 News
June 29, 2021
Northwest Michigan Works is receiving new funding to help combat the opioid epidemic.
Part of that problem involves finding steady employment for those in recovery, as well as those who have been assisting in someone’s recovery journey.
24 Northern Michigan counties will receive $3 million dollars in funding, with over a million going to counties that Northwest Michigan Works serves.
This grant will ago towards hiring certified professional life coaches to assist getting workers back on track, as well as other services like training and transportation needs.
Northwest Michigan Works! says that they hope to provide a second chance at a quality career for those in recovery.
9 & 10 News
June 28, 2021
Traverse City is continuing to look at expanding the city’s fire department services.
Specifically, they are looking into making the Traverse City Fire Department the primary EMS transport within the city.
Currently, the department has the capacity to respond to EMS emergencies and to stabilize a patient, but they are then transported by MMR services.
They would also look to add more firefighters to the workforce, as they look to increase their “on time” responses from 90% closer to 100%.
“Responding to life and death situations, ninety is not good enough, and I just want us to remember that, there’s a difference between life and death situations and other aspects of work where ninety percent seems adequate enough,” said Ashlea Walter, Commissioner of Traverse City.
9 & 10 News
June 28, 2021
Generations Ahead in Traverse City has received three grants to increase their services to teenage parents.
The Oleson Foundation and the Zonta Club of Traverse City awarded a total of $8,500 to support a new career internship program.
Five young mothers will receive paid summer internships in their desired career fields.
Generations Ahead says that only 40% of teen moms graduate high school, but they hope to keep these young women inspired to continue their education and pursue their dream careers.
“Our hope is that by finding some sort of a career path that they’re interested in, it will inspire them to stay in school, and once in school, then we can help provide all the supports necessary to keep them there but we just don’t want them to leave before they graduate,” said Marjie Rich, Executive Director of Generations Ahead.
9 & 10 News
June 26, 2021
New legislation is being introduced that could increase the availability of lifesaving, anti-overdose drugs across Michigan.
The packet of bills seeks to fight the opioid epidemic in the state, which has seen an increase in overdose deaths in the last year.
The bills look to expand Michigan’s naloxone standing order to allow community organizations to access the drug, commonly known under the brand Narcan.
Currently, naloxone is only able to be dispensed from a pharmacist, but Families Against Narcotics says the more people that can access the lifesaving drug, the better.
“Whether it be in a school setting or downtown Traverse City or here in the courthouse, we need to have it available in as many locations as possible in case there is an emergency,” said 86th District Judge and President of Families Against Narcotics Grand Traverse Bob Cooney.