Crawford County Avalanche

02/13/2025

By Cheryl Holladay Formal gowns and glittering dresses were the order of the day Feb. 9 when Miss AuSable River Festival Brittlynn Elliott and other festival royalty met with young ladies from Grayling for a Royal Tea Party. The formal occasion was held at Hanson House Bed and Breakfast, Grayling, and served as a fundraiser for this summer’s scholarship program. […]

By Cheryl Holladay Formal gowns and glittering dresses were the order of the day Feb. 9 when Miss AuSable River Festival Brittlynn Elliott and other festival royalty met with young ladies from Grayling for a Royal Tea Party. The formal occasion was held at Hanson House Bed and Breakfast, Grayling, a...

02/12/2025

February 13, 2025 Avalanche headlines:

Dining with royalty at Miss AuSable tea party

DOD funding to aid water project

Grayling run water in effect until notified

Michigan native returns to continue the "call" of helping others as new CCCOA director

02/12/2025

Five Grayling wrestlers won Northern Shores Conference championships during the league meet Jan. 31 at Grayling High School. Gavin Holmes (113 lbs.), Owen Lewicki (120 lbs.), Max Huspen (138 lbs.), Jordan Peters (157 lbs.) and Danny Bonamie (215 lbs.) each won their weight classes to earn NSC titles. The Vikings ended up two points behind Charlevoix in the team standings, […]

Five Grayling wrestlers won Northern Shores Conference championships during the league meet Jan. 31 at Grayling High School. Gavin Holmes (113 lbs.), Owen Lewicki (120 lbs.), Max Huspen (138 lbs.), Jordan Peters (157 lbs.) and Danny Bonamie (215 lbs.) each won their weight classes to earn NSC titles...

02/11/2025

Senior Danny Bonamie won his 100th career match as Grayling wrapped up its regular season Jan. 29. The Vikings hosted Traverse City St. Francis, beating the Gladiators, 46-26, and Traverse City West, falling to the Titans, 47-25. Coach Andy Moore congratulated Bonamie on his 100th win, which came in a first-period pin against Josiah Finch of TCSF. Winning two matches […]

Senior Danny Bonamie won his 100th career match as Grayling wrapped up its regular season Jan. 29. The Vikings hosted Traverse City St. Francis, beating the Gladiators, 46-26, and Traverse City West, falling to the Titans, 47-25. Coach Andy Moore congratulated Bonamie on his 100th win, which came in...

02/10/2025

In the backroom of Devereaux Memorial Crawford County Library last Friday, plants, stems, flowers and leaves covered every inch of the tables. Gardeners call the event a “plant swap,” said organizer Destinee McLeod. “I have been going to plant swaps for the last few years now and I was originally going to Traverse City and I thought, ‘Wow, this is […]

In the backroom of Devereaux Memorial Crawford County Library last Friday, plants, stems, flowers and leaves covered every inch of the tables. Gardeners call the event a “plant swap,” said organizer Destinee McLeod. “I have been going to plant swaps for the last few years now and I was origina...

02/09/2025

By Krista Tacey-Cater With the winter winds whipping across the Camp Grayling Army Airfield, two units of soldiers pushed through the snow and cold to complete a tactical maneuver as part of Northern Strike 2025-1 or Winter Strike. Although Grayling isn’t considered an arctic climate, what the soldiers were contending with was difficult as the temperature was 21 degrees, however, […]

By Krista Tacey-Cater With the winter winds whipping across the Camp Grayling Army Airfield, two units of soldiers pushed through the snow and cold to complete a tactical maneuver as part of Northern Strike 2025-1 or Winter Strike. Although Grayling isn’t considered an arctic climate, what the sol...

02/07/2025

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced in a Jan. 24 press release its decision to close the Shawono Center, Grayling. Juveniles will be moved to a newer, more modern facility in Macomb County that officials say can better serve the youths and meet their treatment needs. “While the decision to relocate the services provided by the […]

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced in a Jan. 24 press release its decision to close the Shawono Center, Grayling. Juveniles will be moved to a newer, more modern facility in Macomb County that officials say can better serve the youths and meet their treatment need...

02/06/2025

By Cheryl Holladay and Athena Schrader There was plenty of snow for Hanson Hills Recreation Area’s 2025 Blizzardfest, held Feb. 1-2. The weekend offered free tubing, a poker run, euchre tournament, a “Big Air” competition and the Cardboard Box Sled Race. The Hanson Hills Race Team also wrapped up its four-week season. Members who participated all four weeks received their […]

By Cheryl Holladay and Athena Schrader There was plenty of snow for Hanson Hills Recreation Area’s 2025 Blizzardfest, held Feb. 1-2. The weekend offered free tubing, a poker run, euchre tournament, a “Big Air” competition and the Cardboard Box Sled Race. The Hanson Hills Race Team also wrapped...

02/05/2025

MDHHS plans to close Shawono

Blizzardfest takes over Hanson Hills

Industrial Drive project to benefit developments, commercial traffic

NS '25-1 offers freezing temps, chance to prepare

02/04/2025

With wins over Boyne City and Kingsley, Grayling finished its Northern Shores Conference wrestling campaign undefeated Jan. 22. The Vikings will host the NSC Championships Friday, beginning at 3 p.m. Wrestling at Boyne City, Grayling beat the Ramblers, 56-21, and took down Kalkaska, 72-12. Taking both of their matches on the night were Alex Moore (106 lbs.), Gavin Holmes (113 […]

With wins over Boyne City and Kingsley, Grayling finished its Northern Shores Conference wrestling campaign undefeated Jan. 22. The Vikings will host the NSC Championships Friday, beginning at 3 p.m. Wrestling at Boyne City, Grayling beat the Ramblers, 56-21, and took down Kalkaska, 72-12. Taking bo...

02/04/2025

By Todd VanSickle The Grayling Vikings hit 11 3-pointers against the visiting Boyne City Ramblers Friday night. However, despite having the momentum and the lead for most of the game, the Vikings lost to the Ramblers, 57-53, in the Northern Shores Conference matchup at Grayling. “We knew they were going to play all on Tristan,” Cameron Baker, who led the […]

By Todd VanSickle The Grayling Vikings hit 11 3-pointers against the visiting Boyne City Ramblers Friday night. However, despite having the momentum and the lead for most of the game, the Vikings lost to the Ramblers, 57-53, in the Northern Shores Conference matchup at Grayling. “We knew they were...

02/03/2025

By Athena Schrader In 2014, Carlie Wilson accompanied her “Papa,” Bernie Sorrels, to a ceremony for veterans attending the upcoming VII Honor Flight. “We went all the way to Escanaba from Grayling at like 6 o’clock at night and it was so cold,” Wilson said, adding she remembers sitting in the barn where the ceremony was held and being “so […]

By Athena Schrader In 2014, Carlie Wilson accompanied her “Papa,” Bernie Sorrels, to a ceremony for veterans attending the upcoming VII Honor Flight. “We went all the way to Escanaba from Grayling at like 6 o’clock at night and it was so cold,” Wilson said, adding she remembers sitting in ...

02/01/2025

The AuSable Artisan Village, 122 Michigan Ave., now has a Little Free Art Exchange. Located outside of the AAV, the art exchange is installed and ready for use. It contains mini art kits as well as miniature finished artworks that people can take, and the AAV encourages everyone to make miniature artworks to put in it. It is similar to […]

The AuSable Artisan Village, 122 Michigan Ave., now has a Little Free Art Exchange. Located outside of the AAV, the art exchange is installed and ready for use. It contains mini art kits as well as miniature finished artworks that people can take, and the AAV encourages everyone to make miniature ar...

01/31/2025

Northern Strike (NS) 25-1, this year’s winter exercise hosted by the Michigan National Guard (MING), is scheduled to take place across Northern Michigan’s National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC), Jan. 27-30. NS 25-1 is part of the semi-annual exercise series, which includes NS 25-2, scheduled for this August. “For a decade, Northern Strike has helped our nation’s reserve component forces build […]

Northern Strike (NS) 25-1, this year’s winter exercise hosted by the Michigan National Guard (MING), is scheduled to take place across Northern Michigan’s National All-Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC), Jan. 27-30. NS 25-1 is part of the semi-annual exercise series, which includes NS 25-2, sched...

01/31/2025

Have you ever wondered where all the photos we take go? The answer? SmugMug!
Check out this video to learn how to purchase photos that the Houghton Lake Resorter/ Crawford County Avalanche took!

01/30/2025

By Cheryl Holladay Johnny McAdoo and Tyesha McAdoo-Riley of Grayling are adjusting to their new rental home, following a Dec. 13, 2024, house fire that resulted in Johnny suffering burns over about half of his body. “I’m still getting adjusted to everything,” Johnny said, in an interview with the Avalanche. “But recovery’s moving right along.” He said on the morning […]

By Cheryl Holladay Johnny McAdoo and Tyesha McAdoo-Riley of Grayling are adjusting to their new rental home, following a Dec. 13, 2024, house fire that resulted in Johnny suffering burns over about half of his body. “I’m still getting adjusted to everything,” Johnny said, in an interview with ...

01/29/2025

January 30, 2025 Avalanche headlines:

Grayling family adjusting to new home following fire

"Little Free Art Exchange" now open at AAV

Municipal water extension project to begin soon

Blizzardfest begins Saturday

01/29/2025

By Todd VanSickle The Grayling varsity girls basketball team trailed the Kalkaska Blazers going into halftime, 28-24, Jan. 16 at Kalkaska. However, the Vikings flipped the script in the second half and outscored the Blazers, 23-13 en route to a 47-41 victory. The Vikings’ defense came up big, holding Kalkaska to just four points in the fourth quarter. “The ladies […]

By Todd VanSickle The Grayling varsity girls basketball team trailed the Kalkaska Blazers going into halftime, 28-24, Jan. 16 at Kalkaska. However, the Vikings flipped the script in the second half and outscored the Blazers, 23-13 en route to a 47-41 victory. The Vikings’ defense came up big, hold...