This spring, Northern Michigan natives Jordan Bates and Jacob Wheeler will relaunch the Betsie Current, a community newspaper that will cover the dynamic, tight-knit communities of Benzie County. The Betsie Current will be your go-to source for local news and events, and coverage of arts, culture and entertainment, particularly in the vibrant communities surrounding Crystal Lake — Frankfort, Beulah, Benzonia and Honor.

Here on our website,  you’ll find upcoming news and events, archived stories and a dynamic community calendar. Please also consider contributing to our Kickstarter campaign, which seeks to raise $3,500 by April 6 to help print the first edition(s) and relaunch this community treasure.

The paper will be distributed at area businesses, free to pick up and funded through advertisements. But we need seed money to pay for printing the first editions. We hope you’ll support this creative endeavor, and throw in a few bucks to help us relaunch the Betsie Current.

In our pages you’ll read about upcoming events such as art fairs, Fourth of July celebrations, film festivals and trivia nights at local hangouts. You’ll also find feature stories about favorite local businesses and the devoted characters who make these towns thrive, both as summer boom towns and as tight-knit communities in the fall and winter. We’ll also run magazine-style stories that analyze larger trends in our towns and in the region at large. What’s happening with the charter fishing industry, for example, or what’s happening in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore?

The Betsie Current will print approximately every two weeks during the summer and fall, but we’ll lead off with a hype edition in mid-April, before the tourism season gets going. You’ll be able to find our paper at local stores, restaurants, galleries and cafes. We’ll post occasional news all year long on our website, www.BetsieCurrent.com, where you’ll also find a thorough calendar of upcoming events.

Please support us as we re-launch what we hope will become an important community treasure. Read our pages, share our stories, contribute content, and help us get this project off the ground.