Mark Urban, Traverse City Record-Eagle Journalist Profile

Articles

'One of a kind:' Naturkas takes love of ballet to new heights

Mar 24, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

MIAMI, Florida — Not many people begin an activity at age 4 and realize four years later it’s what they want to do with the rest of their life. Not many ask to be taught at home in middle school to have more time to dance, then move more than 1,600 miles away to live on their own at the age of 15 to hone their talent. Not many have a professional ballet contract prior to their high school graduation party. That’s because there is just one Taylor Naturkas.
Bel Lago, French Valley earn SIP certification

Mar 20, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

CEDAR — One and one make four. When a pair of Cedar vineyards earned Sustainability in Practice (SIP) certification recently, it doubled the number of regional wineries to earn national recognition. Bel Lago Vineyard, Winery & Cidery, located at 6530 S. Lake Shore Drive, and sister winery, French Valley Vineyard at 3655 S. French Road, announced the attainment of the SIP certification earlier this month.
Narrowing the gender pay gap

Mar 7, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

LAKE LEELANAU — In the 60 years since the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, progress has been made in narrowing the income gap between women and men. After six decades of being reactive to the discrepancy in pay, Joan Hunault said it’s time for the opposite.
Brengman Brothers, Bel Lago score well at AFW

Feb 28, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

MIAMI — The new year opened with Decanter recognizing how the region ranked among the state’s best Rieslings. The 2024 American Fine Wine Competition results showed Leelanau County as being the class of the county’s white wines. A dry Riesling from Brengman Brothers near the base of the Leelanau Peninsula and an off-dry Riesling from Bel Lago Vineyard & Winery in Cedar were named Best of Class in judging for the 2024 American Fine Wine Competition held Jan.
Wells, Rohe take over The Flower Station

Feb 25, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

TRAVERSE CITY — Some people thought buying a floral store two weeks before Valentine’s Day was perfect. Others questioned what Meagan Thomas Wells and Dan Rohe were thinking, taking over Traverse City’s oldest flower shop on Feb. 1. While the truth lies somewhere in between, the staff of The Flower Station has kept the 341 W. Front St. small business smoothly on the rails. Wells and Rohe are the third generation of owners of a business in operation for about 50 years.
'Not a baby:' Leaplings share birthday plans

Feb 25, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

TRAVERSE CITY — Navigating a special birthday can be a challenge for a child. Babies entering the world on Dec. 25, July 4 or Jan. 1 may not fully appreciate the significance of sharing their special day on the calendar with a national holiday, but they likely do in future years. It can be even trickier when your birthday falls on Feb. 29, which only shows up on the calendar every four years or so. Those born on Feb. 29 during a Leap Year are called Leaplings or Leapers.
Brilliant Books appeals for support

Feb 21, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

TRAVERSE CITY — A “long-distance bookstore” in downtown Traverse City is asking its customers for help. Brilliant Books, which opened in 2011 at 118 E. Front St. in downtown Traverse City, announced on its website in a Saturday morning post entitled ”One Final Plot Twist” that it is facing a financial hurdle after what has been a pandemic “rollercoaster for all of us” for more than four years.
Pinball resurgence: Three-day pinball tournament comes to TC

Feb 18, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

TRAVERSE CITY — The title character in the 1969 classic The Who song was a Pinball Wizard despite the ability to see or hear. People from all walks of life and those named Tommy or not will get a chance to become one — or two — with a pinball machine when Right Brain Brewery and Grand Traverse Vending host the three-day Winter Pinball Championship. The Feb. 23-25 event has tournament divisions on Saturday for pin masters, open and women as well as two free tournaments for youth age 17 and younger.
Region wines come up big in competitive categories

Feb 4, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

SAN FRANSICO — Wineries from Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsula came up large in the biggest North American competition. Two of those claimed Best of Class honors at the 2024 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition did so in two of the five most popular wines, according to recent wine depletion sales figures from SipSource in the Silicon Valley Bank’s 2024 State of the Wine Industry Report.
New FAFSA fine, frustrating and late

Feb 4, 2024 | record-eagle.com | Mark Urban

TRAVERSE CITY — The new Free Application for Federal Student Aid debuted at the end of December. Designed to streamline the process for students and parents applying for financial aid, those dealing with the online application on a daily basis believe the new system will work well — in the future.