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What Makes a DDA? The In’s and Out’s of your Local Downtown Development Authority, by Andrew Stafford

ANDREW STAFFORD: What Makes a DDA? The In’s and Out’s of your Local Downtown Development Authority MANISTEE, MICH. – Downtowns form the heart of nearly every city, town, and village. They are where small businesses thrive, and the sense of community is strongest. In many places, the fortunes of the downtown mirror those of the…

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NICOLE KAMINSKI: Finding Home Through the Lens of Travel: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Appreciation

NICOLE KAMINSKI: Finding Home Through the Lens of Travel: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Appreciation MANISTEE, MICH. – I’ve lived in Manistee all my life. 21 years to be exact. Growing up, I always thought I wanted to move away— far away.  Now, I work with the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, where I witness…

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BLADE GATES: Making the Most of an Election Year

BLADE GATES: Making the Most of an Election Year MANISTEE, MICH. – In the off-chance you haven’t heard, 2024 just so happens to be an election year for our nation. Surprise! For many, election years are a turbulent time: where one may feel nothing but excitement, another may feel anxiety. Where some are deeply involved…

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CARMEN KOTT: Manistee Area Leadership Team: A Review

CARMEN KOTT: Manistee Area Leadership Team: A Review MANISTEE, MICH. – Time will always be a funny thing. In writing this, this year’s Manistee Area Leadership Program is coming to a close, when it feels like only yesterday I was welcoming this year’s cohort. Now they are gearing towards their big ribbon cutting to commemorate…

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BLADE GATES: Young Adults, Small Towns: The State of Gen Z and Millenials in Manistee County

BLADE GATES: Young Adults, Small Towns: The State of Gen Z and Millenials in Manistee County MANISTEE, MICH. – Let’s pretend that you are me for a second: a twenty-something-year-old college grad that lived in Manistee for most of your life. You leave for four years, come back a little older, now with a college…

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KAREN GOODMAN: Women I Saw as Influential for Manistee County

KAREN GOODMAN: Women I Saw as Influential for Manistee County It is already March, the time in our Michigan season that brings snow, rain, warmth, and mud. By this description, I believe I have described this past winter. March is a time that we start to consider moving from our winter hibernation (if you are…

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SHERRI PROTASIEWICZ: Winter Adventures: How to Get Involved in Manistee in the Chilly Months

SHERRI PROTASIEWICZ: Winter Adventures: How to Get Involved in Manistee in the Chilly Months Manistee County is known for its 25 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, incredible fishing, river paddling, hiking, and everything an outdoor enthusiast could ever want. We enjoy all four seasons here, so when snow is unpredictable in the colder months, we…

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BLADE GATES: New Year, New Opportunity to Invest

BLADE GATES: New Year, New Opportunity to Invest While it may be too late for me to say “Happy New Year”, it’s great to be writing the first Chamber column of 2024. I don’t know about you, but ever since the spring of 2020 when so much of our world was flipped upside down, time…

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BLADE GATES: What Makes Small Business, Small Business?

BLADE GATES: What Makes Small Business, Small Business? ‘Small Business Saturday’ has become a national phenomenon. As a new employee with the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, I am always hearing the phrase, ‘every season is small business season’… and for good reason! When any business joins the Chamber of Commerce, they invest in the…

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CASSIDY JESSUP: Shopping locally in Manistee County has great impacts

It’s always Small Business season in Manistee County! Don’t miss out on the magic of traditional Christmas shopping – and the small businesses across the county have you covered.  Not only is there a gift for everyone, but you’re also supporting your friends, neighbors, and community by shopping locally. When they thrive, we all thrive.…

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