Local cider mill opens its attractions

Long Family Orchard, Farm & Cider Mill in Commerce Township opened its play area for the first time last weekend, according to its Facebook page, allowing visitors to start a new tradition, while continuing an old one, eating donuts and cider. Love for cider

Vittorio Vassilev, a Commerce resident, is a loyal customer. “I have been going to Long’s cider mill since I was 6 years old,” Vassilev said. “The donuts and cider (are) what I come for, it is one of the best feelings and you know it’s fall once they have those two things together.”

“The consistency of loyal customers returning every year is one of the reasons the Long family keeps their business running,” said Bobby Long. “To see the joys on the customers’ faces,” Bobby said.

Gyms in Okemos exercise right to open

Gyms take new measures

As Okemos residents and nearby college students dive into school and work, they are able to nurture their physical and mental health with workouts outside of their homes. Powerhouse Gym Okemos employee Katie Boncore said the gym is taking a multitude of precautions to remain COVID-safe. “The gym is currently enforcing the six feet social distancing rules with every other cardio machine turned off, markers on the floor and all machines distanced,” Boncore said. There are sanitation stations set up very frequently in the gym — these include hand sanitizers, buckets of wipes, spray bottles and towels. On top of that, Boncore said the gym is enforcing the governor’s mask mandate, along with the 25% capacity rules.

COVID-19 is causing chaos in grocery stores

It’s like the holiday rush, shoppers in a frenzy. 

COVID-19 has created chaos all over the world, including a place you might not expect: grocery stores. Shoppers have been scrambling to buy whatever is left, but there isn’t much. “I’m here ‘til like 10 and I don’t see it slowing down that much,” Meijer employee Dylan S. said. But the hot commodity isn’t a run on turkeys, it’s toilet paper. “Every store you go to, it seems like everyone’s bought toilet paper,” Jean Schlicklin said.  “They’re trying to restock them, but they can’t get them restocked quick enough.”

Toilet paper isn’t the only thing people have stocked up on.