Michigan Eastside Publishing, LLC (MEP) was started in 1983 by myself (Mark C. Powell) and has grown through the last two decades into a strong and opportunistic company.

My very first publication, The Exclusive Homes Magazine, started in the early eighties as an idea backed by my education in marketing to accommodate the local real estate company’s needs for the massive influx of home buyers from the south into the Lapeer County and Thumb Area. After many years of operating this well-established publication from our original Lapeer office, my family and I relocated the main office and ourselves to beautiful, northeast Michigan. Since 1999, MEP has forged ahead in developing many new and wonderful publications including some from up and coming self-publishers. We have also upgraded to new digital machinery and technology, to help us in our future endeavors and to keep our company in stride with the ever-changing process of printing and publishing.

All of our publications are very special to us here at MEP. They are very unique and give our readers a value when either purchasing or picking one up off the stands. Our experienced staff (See Below) is always anxious to help promote our publications or your self-publishing and printing needs. We welcome businesses to advertise with any one of our publications, and believe that we really do carry the best values in advertising in eastern Michigan. Please take time to view our web page in its entirety, look over our publications and let us know if we can be of any assistance to you in any way. Thanks for stopping by, and make sure to get “out and about” here on Michigan’s eastside. It’s a great place to see!

Best Regards,
Mark C. Powell
Owner/Publisher
 

Kendle Nichols
Office, Production

I was born and raised on the west coast. I hailed mostly from California, but also lived in Utah, Wyoming, and more for a short time. After graduation, my life led me to northeast Michigan, where I have lived ever since. I do enjoy the seasons for the outdoor activities (hunting, fishing, etc.), the easy pace and friendly people of the area, it is quite a bit more laid back than the fast paced lifestyle of western US living.
I joined Michigan Eastside Publishing, LLC in late 2001. With me I brought my bookkeeping and tax preparation knowledge along with my sales and secretarial skills.
I am always eager to talk with and meet our many customers and look forward to working with all of you for many years to come.

Marcia Andrews
Sales Staff - Lewiston Area

My name is Marcia Andrews. I have been married to Del Andrews, Jr. for 15 years.
 
I was born in Sandusky, Ohio and lived there until 1968, when I moved to Port Huron, Michigan, where I was the Print Shop Supervisor for the St. Clair County Intermediate School District (now SCCRESA) for 17 years. I have a son who resides in Adrian, Michigan.
 
We moved to Lewiston 16 years ago from Port Huron, when Del began working at Garland Resort. He will be starting his 17th year there in April.
 
My husband and I are very involved with the Lewiston Moose Family Center, the Michigan Moose Association and the Gaylord Elks Lodge.  I am a Charter member, and current Secretary/Treasurer, of the Lewiston Women of the Moose.  I’m a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Lewiston and a past Charter member of the Fort Gratiot Lioness Club, Fort Gratiot, Michigan.
 
Since moving to Lewiston, I have worked at Garland Resort planting flowers, in the office of H.B. Carbide Company. For the past 3 years, I have been Executive Director of the Lewiston Area Chamber of Commerce.
 
My hobbies include: keeping in touch with friends via my computer, reading, travel, knitting/crocheting, and flower gardening.  I enjoy watching & photographing wildlife.

Laurie Diller
Monthly Contributing Staff Writer

I have lived in Oscoda County most of my life but have enjoyed various travels abroad in Europe and most recently in Belize, Centeral America.  I have a degree in Art from Bluffton University, with a special interest in photography.  A few of the varied jobs I've enjoyed include activity director, private school teacher, florist, and presently as church administrative assistant and writer for the Oscoda County Monthly.  I am also involved in other community groups for the promotion and economic betterment of our county and its residents, as I believe we have a lot to offer and have faith that together we can make it a great place to live! 

Warren Stutesman
Monthly Contributing Staff Writer

Hello, My name is Warren Stutesman. Also known as Toad.

I was born in Mio on November 29 1960. I was raised mostly in Mio but lived in the Upper Peninsula, New Mexico, Florida, Texas and California.

I graduated Mio AuSable High School in 1979. In 1980 I joined the Marines and spent 2 years in Okinawa Japan and 2 years in North Carolina.

After release from the Marines I married my wife, Kimberly, and we lived in her hometown of Prescott for a few years before moving to Mio.

We have 3 boys, Zebulon, Caleb, and Nathanael.

I love to fish and watch birds. For a living I am a full time taxidermist.

I have a great love of the outdoors, our country and of course God.

Janice Miller
Monthly Contributing Staff Writer

Greetings to you and hello!  My name is Janice Miller. My husband, Jim, and I have been married for 34 years; we have two grown children and two grandsons.  We’ve lived in Michigan nearly all our lives, and in Oscoda County for 13 years.  We love it here.

I am a journalist for the Oscoda County Monthly.  I hold a B.S. degree from Northern Michigan University and I completed the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s Journey Program which for me was a focused leadership development course of study in writing. I have also done course work in the Christian Writer’s Guild.

I volunteer my time leading a Bible Study and a monthly Worship Service at The Home at AuSable Valley.  I also help out at the Community Food Drop and am involved in Habitat for Humanity’s project to open a ReStore.  My hobbies are reading and writing.  I’m pleased to bring you good news from our county.

Yours,
Janice M.

Tina Musial
Monthly Contributing Staff Writer

Tina Musial is a native Michigander.  She is a full-time freelance writer and editor, with two non-fiction books published, many articles and ghostwritten books.  She is a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University's English program.  Tina loves to work in her garden, read, taxi to school events and sports, DIY projects and volunteer work.  Tina lives at home with four kids, three cats and a guinea pig. 

J. Michael Klemens
Monthly Contributing Staff Writer

Valerie Cryderman
Monthly Contributing Staff Writer

Getting to Know Her…

Valerie Barnes-Cryderman is a life long native to the Hale Area. She was raised on her parent’s dairy farm on Old State Road and graduated from Hale Area Schools.

From there she moved to the greater Detroit area and attended Taylor Town School of Beauty. After living in the Detroit area and then moving to Norman, Oklahoma, she decided to return to Michigan to raise her own family. Once home, she then continued on with her education. Valerie is a Kirtland Community College graduate with a degree in Applied Science, an Alpena Community College Magna Cum Laude graduate in Business Administration as well as a graduate from Las Vegas Institute of Advance Studies in the Health field. She spent 21 years working in the Oscoda area. Valerie specialized in the business offices of an educational institute, for a private practice and finally a health clinic.

Valerie also brings to the Hale-Glennie Gazette experience in the political arena. She served 8 years on the Reno Township Zoning Board prior to moving to the Sand Lake Area. Valerie currently is the Plainfield Township Parks and Recreation secretary, chairperson of Iosco County Project Connect and is a Hale Area School Board Trustee. She works as a freelance writer, hairdresser and pianist. Valerie joined the writing staff of the Hale-Glennie Gazette in April of 2009. If you should cross her path and you know “someone we should know”…tell her!
 

Tim Whiting
Monthly Contributing Staff Writer

Tim Whiting of Luzerne is an outdoor columnist for the Oscoda Monthly.  Before moving to the area in 1993 he wrote about the outdoors for the County Press in Lapeer. Besides freelancing his column Whiting also was the lead columnist for the AuSable River Valley Outdoors, a locally produced magazine covering hunting and fishing Northern Michigan.  He is a past member of the Michigan Outdoors Writers Association.

Tim works for Oscoda County and along with his wife Susan owns ShadeTree Rustics, making rustic cedar and pine furniture.  Tim and Sue have been married forty years and have 3 grown children and a bunch of grands.

Sara Tanton
Layout and Design

I have lived in Port Huron all of my life. I graduated in 1999 and in 1998 I started working for the Port Huron Times Herald as a customer service representative and shortly moved into graphic design. I worked at the Times Herald for 8 years.

One of my favorite hobbies is photography. I also enjoy baking, scrapbooking and working in my flower beds, but most of all enjoy the time I get to spend with my girls.

Barb Casper
Layout and Design

Barb recently began providing layout and graphic design services for Michigan Eastside Publishing. Barb owns and operates her own graphic and web design business, Bay Imaging and Technology Services LLC, (BITS) in Bay City, MI. She has been a graphic designer for thirteen years. Barb's employment history includes eight years of providing newspaper layout and design services for an area publisher. She also worked as a graphic designer for a commercial print shop for 2-1/2 years.

Prior to becoming a graphic designer, Barb was employed for seventeen years as a therapeutic recreation specialist in Bay City.

Barb is the web designer and webmaster for UpNorth411.com. The site was designed to supplement Michigan Eastside Publishing's monthly print editions and expand upon it present news delivery services. Visitors can visit the web site and catch up on the latest news and happenings within their local area, across the state and across the globe. News is meant to be delivered to its audience and what better way to reach our loyal customers than via the Web?

When she isn't working, Barb enjoys gardening, walking and spending time with her husband and two boys, and Allie, the family's golden retriever.