TRAVERSE CITY — Hometown filmmaker Michael Moore is this year's recipient of the John Steinbeck Award.
The award is given to writers and artists whose work captures Steinbeck's spirit of empathy, commitment to democratic values and belief in the dignity of people who by circumstance are pushed to the fringes of society. The Center for Steinbeck Studies at San Jose State University in California this week named Moore as the latest award recipient.
Past recipients include Arthur Miller, Garrison Keillor, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen and Sean Penn.
Moore is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and founder of the Traverse City Film Festival. His films include "Capitalism: A Love Story," "Roger & Me," "Sicko," "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "Bowling for Columbine."
Steinbeck penned the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Grapes of Wrath," along with other classics such as "East of Eden" and the novella "Of Mice and Men."
Thomas Steinbeck, author and son of John Steinbeck, said Moore deserves the award named for his father.
"Michael Moore is a courageous man and a great selection for the John Steinbeck Award. My father would have loved him; my father was the Michael Moore of his time," he said in a written statement.
Moore will receive the award Oct. 14 during a benefit event for the Center for Steinbeck Studies.
Region
Related Photos
-
Moore
Moore receives John Steinbeck Award
T. Steinbeck: 'Moore is a courageous man'
-
-
New TC manager earned his gray along the way
Jered Ottenwess described himself during his interview for Traverse City manager as soft-spoken, lacking years of experience and perhaps not the most charismatic person.
Continued ... -
Ex-oil exec sees perilous energy future for U.S.
America is headed for an energy crisis filled with power blackouts and gasoline shortages, making today’s gas prices something to fear for in coming years.
Continued ... -
Townships settle 12-year-old lawsuit with Cherryland
Three holdout local townships finally settled a drawn-out tax dispute with Cherryland Electric Cooperative prior to a full hearing before the Michigan Supreme Court.
Continued ... -
Antrim officials make headway with meth convictions
Antrim County authorities answered a spike in methamphetamine activity with a series of arrests and convictions that they believe should send a message to meth producers and users.
Continued ... -
Benzie drug death leads to heroin charges
Authorities filed drug-dealing charges against a suburban Detroit man after a suspected heroin overdose death in Benzie County.
Continued ... -
Students recognized for math club performance
Thirty math-hungry East Middle School students recently made history. The group of seventh- and eighth-graders was the first at the school to achieve national gold level status for a club called MathCounts.
Continued ... -
Northbound Woodmere closed for two days
The city will shut down the northbound lanes of Woodmere Avenue from Eighth Street to Hannah Street for two days for maintenance of a city water line.
Continued ... - Saturday, May 18, 2013
-
Powerball ticket buyers hopeful as jackpot swells
Garrick Opie hasn’t purchased a Powerball ticket in more than a decade. But a jackpot that swelled to $600 million — the world’s second largest lottery prize — by Friday afternoon convinced Opie to throw in $20 toward the $2 tickets at the 7-Eleven store on 14th Street.
Continued ... -
Co-worker of fired tribal employees: ‘They should have known better’
A co-worker of the six tribal employees who shot a .22 rifle off their office building deck alleged they endangered a nearby residence, potentially polluted Lake Michigan with lead bullets, and violated human resources policy.
Continued ... -
Jury: Local attorney committed fraud
A jury ruled a local attorney committed fraud and malpractice in a case of a business deal gone bad.
Continued ... -
Man facing sex charges
A Traverse City man who faces child abuse and criminal sexual conduct charges also is accused of attempting to assault authorities who tried to arrest him.
Continued ... -
Model airplanes take off today in Thompsonville
If you’re in Thompsonville today, look up. Model airplane enthusiasts say you’ll be in for a treat.
Continued ... -
Trial scheduled for sex crime suspect
A Kalkaska man who faces 16 counts of criminal sexual conduct is scheduled to appear in court.
Continued ... -
Ex-local resident on 'Wheel of Fortune'
A former Frankfort resident will appear on the national game show “Wheel of Fortune.”
Continued ... - Friday, May 17, 2013
-
Parking garage rates to rise
The Downtown Development Authority authorized an increase in transient parking rates at the city’s two municipal parking decks.
Continued ... -
Ex-Traverse City Manager Lewis to head St. Joseph
The city of St. Joseph picked Traverse City's former Manager Richard Lewis as their next city manager.
Continued ... -
Heroin overdose kills man
Benzie County's struggle with fatal heroin overdoses continues. Authorities confirmed Justin Smith, 23, of Benzonia, was found dead Wednesday night of a heroin overdose. Law enforcement officials arrested a suspect in Smith's death, the fourth heroin-related fatality in the county since 2011.
Continued ... -
No food truck buffet rolled out on first day
Diners who hankered for food truck fare on the first day the mobile restaurants were allowed downtown came away hungry.
Continued ... -
Firings anger Grand Traverse Band members
Tribal officials fired six of their Natural Resources Department employees for shooting a rifle off their office’s deck, a move that’s angered some Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa members who said the punishment is too severe.
Continued ... -
Low-flying helicopters are coming
Don’t worry: the low-flying helicopters buzzing through northern Michigan are not from the United Nations or some secret government agency.
Continued ... -
Nursing home promises to repay Benzie $484K
The Maples nursing home officials told Benzie County leaders they will repay $484,000 the county loaned the facility by March 2014.
Continued ... -
Traverse City Light & Power joins SUN project
Traverse City Light & Power board members approved the final step in implementing a community solar project in partnership with Cherryland Electric Cooperative.
Continued ... - Thursday, May 16, 2013
-
Shananaquet to prison for 25-50 years
Tyler Shananaquet expressed remorse for hitting a woman who sought a ride home after a Williamsburg bonfire party, but he maintained he didn't rape her.
Continued ... -
Traverse City eyes bond to fix roads
Winter 2012-13 laid bare Traverse City's street problems and some city officials want to consider jump-starting a 20-year road repair program with a bond program of up to $20 million.
Continued ... -
Memorial ceremony a tribute to TC's Sgt. Finch
It was a quiet, sunny day when Traverse City Police Sgt. Dennis Finch responded to a call about a man with a gun outside a Wellington Street home.
Continued ...
-
