May Business After Hours Delta County: Data Bus, Charity, Newspapers, Food and Business Community

(Illustrative Only)

This is where you 
pass out cards on 
your start-up
and future investment
in the area. 
Suits voluntary.

Delta County MI. has a great networking event called Business After Hours, hosted by the Delta County Chamber of Commerce. While I do not make it to every event, I am always pleasantly surprised by the venue, the welcoming atmosphere, and the strong sense of business camaraderie whenever I attend. In a room of 100 I probably know 30 of them. Working together to enhance each other leads to total gain.

One of the best parts of these gatherings is the opportunity to learn something new. At this event, conversations centered around the Delta Area Transit Authority (DATA) bus system and the benefits it provides to local residents. There was discussion about routes, mileage, and efforts to serve communities throughout the county. I've included a map below to help illustrate the service area. In addition to networking, the event also supported charitable causes and community initiatives.

For anyone interested in investing in Delta County, launching a startup, or growing an existing business, Business After Hours is the type of event you should consider attending. It offers a valuable opportunity to connect with local leaders, entrepreneurs, and community members. We discussed everything from media outlets, charity, new Veteran Service Officer, and more. A few people running for office showed up. 

Catered Food

Representatives from the Daily Press were also in attendance. The Daily Press is a top-notch local newspaper that has served the community for generations. The fact that it continues to thrive in today's digital media environment speaks volumes about the quality of its journalism and its connection to local readers (Eat your heart out NY Times!). For businesses looking to advertise or share their story, the Daily Press remains an excellent resource. Their commitment to local reporting helps ensure that community news is covered by people who understand the area and its residents. Local journalism is something worth supporting.

The event also featured raffles, a 50/50 drawing, and a variety of prizes, adding to the fun and excitement of the evening. The food was excellent as well. The catered snacks received high marks from our table, with the cheese curds and peanut butter cups emerging as the clear favorites. Both were absolutely delicious. I know the person who catered and always does top notch (Chicken grill event for the local classic car parade this Friday. Be there! Ludington Street Cruise. My car not yet ready for it.)

Data Bus Map

Overall, Business After Hours is a worthwhile event that brings together business professionals, community organizations, and residents in a positive and productive setting. If you have the opportunity to attend, I highly recommend it. And if you are interested in starting or expanding a business in the area, reaching out to the Chamber of Commerce is a great place to begin. You will be entering a community of like minded entrepreneurs.

Delta County Business Afterhours 

Delta Area Transit Authority-Data Bus

Escanaba Daily Press (Very long history and helps the community. Subscribe to online if you think of putting your business in this area.)

Rapid River Memorial Day Parade 2026

The Memorial Day parade in Rapid River is one of the largest in the Upper Peninsula and the surrounding area. People from many neighboring communities gather along the small main street of Rapid River, a village of roughly 500 residents, to enjoy the celebration.

Local businesses welcomed visitors throughout the day, while bands, music, fire trucks, and a variety of community attractions added to the festive atmosphere. There were also several individuals campaigning for political positions, including a few familiar faces from the region. Overall, it was a very enjoyable and successful event.

Down at the park, families could take part in children’s games and other activities, making it a great way to spend the holiday together. Events like this are part of what makes the Escanaba, Delta County, and Gladstone area such a wonderful place to live. The strong sense of community, local pride, and family-friendly atmosphere also make the region an excellent place to invest, grow, and develop.

Rapid River Memorial Day Parade

If your a veteran, or a family member of a veteran you can join Amvets Post #123

In the Game of Business and Life Grit Wins for Goal Achievement

Grit is the ability to keep going against the odds, even when times are difficult. It is the commitment to show up day in and day out, consistently working toward your goals until they are accomplished. You have to eat, breathe, and live those goals while still maintaining enough balance to take care of yourself along the way. 

There is an important balance to understand. You can work hard and put in long hours, but if you want to endure for the long term, you also need activities that help relieve stress and pressure. Sustained success requires both discipline and recovery. Ying and Yang.

Grit demands emotional stability, focus, and perseverance, especially when others have given up or failed. Whether you are pursuing a college degree, building a business, or striving toward personal goals, success often comes from doing the work repeatedly—learning, trying, failing, adjusting, and continuing forward. Eventually, persistence leads to growth because you begin to figure things out through experience.

The reality is that meaningful success can take years. Instant results are rare. What separates those who succeed from those who quit is often the willingness to stay committed through setbacks, uncertainty, and hard work. That principle applies not only to business, but also to academics and life itself. Its the journey.

Entrepreneurs Can Create a Better Tomorrow: The Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Grit, Nonfinancial Success, and Societal Impact

• The study examines how entrepreneurial grit influences nonfinancial success and societal impact.
• Entrepreneurial grit refers to persistence, passion, and long-term commitment in entrepreneurial activities.
• Researchers found that entrepreneurs with higher levels of grit are more likely to achieve meaningful nonfinancial outcomes.
• Nonfinancial success includes personal fulfillment, positive organizational culture, and contributions beyond profit generation.
• The article highlights that gritty entrepreneurs often create stronger societal impact through innovation, leadership, and community contribution.
• Findings suggest that perseverance and resilience are important characteristics for sustainable entrepreneurship.
• The research contributes to entrepreneurship literature by linking personal entrepreneurial traits with broader social outcomes.
• The study encourages entrepreneurs and educators to value long-term commitment and purpose-driven business practices.

Kaes, M., Kruse, S., Maus, C., Krieweth, C., & Brettel, M. (2025). Entrepreneurs can create a better tomorrow: The relationship between entrepreneurial grit, nonfinancial success, and societal impact. Journal of Small Business Management, 63(2), 653–685. https://doi.org/10.1080/00472778.2024.2342839

Delta County Board of Commissioners Meeting (5/19/2026)

 If you want to stay on top of the local governance news you can watch the most recent May 19th, 2026 meeting. Any corrections send me a message to the right. 

Delta County Board of Commissioners Meeting Summary

• Meeting Logistics: The meeting took place on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 5:15 p.m. in the Delta County Service Center boardroom, presided over by Delta County Clerk Nancy Przewozny.

• Agenda Modifications: Item #4 (request to fill the deputy traffic clerk position) and Item #10 (MDOT highway easement purchase at the fairgrounds) were both rescinded and removed from the agenda.

• Public Comment (Parks and Recreation): A resident addressed past negative comments regarding the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC). While praising the current parks manager's hard work, he highlighted significant public confusion regarding operational boundaries and whether final authority lies with the County Board or the PRC.

• Building and Grounds (Dispatch Relocation): The committee is actively looking to relocate Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) to free up space to bring dispatch operations over to the service center, which is expected to save the county substantial rental costs. They also recommended funding repairs for both courthouse entrances if finance committee budgeting allows.

• Travel Expense Disputes: During the payment of bills ($72,851.37 total), a commissioner questioned travel expense vouchers from April 2026. The dispute centered on the exact hours charged for a conference versus the actual length of the sessions attended. The bills were ultimately approved via roll-call vote.

• UP State Fair Booth Subcommittee: The board approved securing a county booth for the upcoming UP State Fair to share departmental materials (such as airport, zoning, and drain information). To prevent the burden of scheduling and staffing from falling entirely on administration, the board formed a two-commissioner fair subcommittee to coordinate volunteer coverage.

• Personnel Requests: The board approved motions to fill the deputy probation clerk position and the probation supervisor position.

• Airport Upgrades & Grants:

  • Approved a rent-offset reimbursement for a tenant who financed capital structural/heating improvements to an airport hangar.

  • Approved an RFP to paint the airfield fuel tanks using AEG fuel grant funds before it becomes a compliance issue.

  • Approved the EGLE PAS grant agreement.

• Board Assignments: Commissioner Johnson officially took over the board's Solid Waste Management Authority (landfill) role.

• Brownfield Authority Recruitment: Due to difficulties filling vacancies on the Brownfield Authority, the board discussed publishing a specific, targeted notice in the local newspaper. They are looking to recruit four specialized members from fields like real estate, development, banking, or finance.

Wishing You a Reflective Memorial Day

Let us remember the sacrifices made over the generations. Thank you for your service.

Global Billiards Market and My Improved Game

My friend and I were playing pool, and this time I won. It was close, though. The second game, I lost, but the important thing was that my game improved significantly. Another friend showed me a different way to look at the angles, and honestly, that alone probably improved my game by 20%.

I’d like to get a little better at it. It’s nice to sit around, shoot pool once in a while, have something fun to do, and then head home and cook supper. It does take time to really understand the game. I played a bit as a kid and some when I was younger, but as I get older, I find I know more and more people who play.

It’s always enjoyable and very social. Around here, there are clubs and leagues for people who really enjoy the game, so if someone wants to play regularly, there are plenty of places to do it. Take a look at thei Carbon Fiber Pool Stick. It looks pretty cool. 

I have a fitness trainers license so if you would like some fitness help send me a message to the right or email muradabel@gmail.com. I charge $50 per hour and give about half after expenses to charity. 

Global Billiards Market Trends and Growth Outlook

• The global billiards market is growing steadily due to increased interest in recreational gaming and home entertainment activities.
• Pool remains the dominant segment of the billiards industry, supported by both residential and commercial demand.
• Product innovation, including advanced cue materials and modern table designs, is helping drive continued market expansion.
• North America is a leading regional market, while online retail and entertainment venues continue to support industry growth.

Business Research Insights. (2025). Billiards market report: Industry trends, share, growth, and forecast. Business Research Insights. https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/billiards-market-

Insights From Life Success Studies

Success is something many people chase, dream about, and want to immerse themselves in. But success can mean very different things depending on the person. For some, it means achieving personal goals. For others, it may mean financial security, rising to the top of a profession, building strong relationships, or simply living a fulfilling life.

A recent study explored this idea by examining 111 meta-analyses that included roughly 3,300 studies and more than 2 million participants. That is an enormous amount of data. The researchers looked at how personality traits relate to different forms of life success across areas such as health, leadership, relationships, work performance, and well-being.

What they found was interesting. While many factors contribute to success, two traits consistently stood out when it came to health and long-term outcomes: conscientiousness and emotional stability. People who are organized, dependable, disciplined, and emotionally steady tended to do better over time.

The study also found that people who are more extroverted and open to new experiences were more likely to show stronger leadership, higher engagement, and greater social success. In other words, people who are willing to connect with others, communicate openly, and embrace new ideas often place themselves in positions where opportunities can grow.

So when you combine conscientiousness, emotional stability, extroversion, and openness, the odds of achieving different forms of success may increase significantly. Of course, success is still personal and multifaceted, but the research suggests that certain personality traits can strongly influence long-term outcomes.

Anyway, the study is worth reading if you are interested in the psychology of success and human behavior.

Mapping Domains of Life Success: Insights From Meta-Analytic Criterion Profile Analysis

• The study develops a multidimensional taxonomy of life success, defining success as the accumulation of valued psychological, physical, relational, educational, and occupational advantages across the lifespan.
• Researchers analyzed 111 meta-analyses covering 206 life success variables, representing more than 2.25 million participants across over 3,300 studies.
• The article examines how the Big Five personality traits—emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness—predict different forms of life success.
• Findings indicate that personality traits are meaningful predictors of life success across health, relationships, leadership, work attitudes, performance, and well-being.
• The authors introduce a provisional taxonomy of 14 life success categories divided into three major domains: individual, interpersonal, and institutional success.
• Using Meta-Analytic Criterion Profile Analysis (MACPA), the researchers distinguish between personality profile “elevation” effects and “pattern” effects in predicting success outcomes.
• Results show that personality configuration patterns are important for understanding different success outcomes, although overall personality elevation accounts for much of the predictive variance.
• The study identifies 10 clusters of life success nested within three broader metaclusters: contentment, agentic engagement, and self-transcendence.
• Conscientiousness and emotional stability are strongly associated with health and longevity outcomes, while extraversion and openness are especially linked to leadership, engagement, and social success.
• The authors argue that life success reflects adaptive strategies for managing stability, growth, relationships, and achievement in changing environments.

Wilmot, M. P., Wiernik, B. M., & Ones, D. S. (2025). Mapping domains of life success: Insights from meta-analytic criterion profile analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 151(6), 767–818. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000476