(Friday, Oct. 15) “He’s kinda like the Bob Dylan of the Hispanic world,” says Ricardo Lorenz, Michigan State University associate professor of composition. He is talking about the late political activist and singer Victor Jara.

(Thursday, Oct. 14) "Why do we need so many kinds of apples? Because there are so many folks. It provides more contact with life, and leads away from uniformity and monotony." – Liberty Hyde Baily. Fenner Nature Center executive director Jason Meyer would agree with Baily’s words. Fenner Nature Center hosts its 37th annual Apple Butter Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m Saturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17.

"It's a Breast Thing," held each October, focuses on breast cancer awareness and treatment through a host of activities. But the main event must be the bra decorating contest.

Cadence Jones is not your everyday cop. Her special talent sets her apart from the crowd and that talent is — insanity.Jones, the main character of MaryJanice Davidson’s new book “Me, Myself and Why,” is not the only crazy one. “Everyone in the book has some sort of special talent. Hers just happens to be the multiple personalities she turns into that help her solve crimes and mysteries,” says Whitney Spotts, promotions coordinator at Schuler Books & Music.

Special Olympics athletes from Clinton, Ingham and Shiawassee counties will be joining their families and friends for a day of cowboy activities on Saturday, Oct. 2 at Peacock Tree Farm in Laingsburg. The event includes steer-roping, cow-milking, riding in a horse-drawn wagon, watching pig races, visiting the animal barnyard and touring the 180-acre tree plantation.

In high school, McWilliams came under the wing of trumpeter Kris Johnson, a stellar graduate of the MSU jazz studies area. McWilliams started to get hooked on jazz when Johnson turned him on to classic recordings of Count Basie, Miles Davis, and other jazz giants.