• Things to do in March; Gonzo previews this weekend's show on WILS radio in Lansing (Feb. 26, 2026)
    Feb 26 2026
    It's always a fun adventure on The Morning Wake Up with Mike Austin on WILS-AM (1320) in Lansing.

    On this segment, John Gonzalez previews this weekend's Behind the Mitten show, which continues Gonzo and Amy's theme of embracing winter.

    Then he engages with Mike in whatever he wants to talk about. This week he is interested in opening a restaurant that will serve breakfast in the morning, then close for a bit, and then re-open as a "swanky restaurant with Amy as the chef." You never know what he will come up with next.

    Listen to this weekend's show on all of our affiliates.

    🎙️Radio Affiliates

    Behind the Mitten — hosted by Amy and Gonzo — is Michigan’s premier travel radio show and podcast, airing on 20 stations across 13 Michigan markets.

    📻 Interested in becoming an affiliate?

    Contact Executive Producer Phil Tower at philtower@gmail.com

    📡 Our Current Stations

    🕗 Saturdays

    • 8:00 AM — WBRN 1460 AM / 107.7 FM / 96.5 FM (Big Rapids)
    • 8:00 AM — WILS 1320 AM (Lansing)
    • 10:00 AM — News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM (Benton Harbor)
    • 12:00 PM — News/Talk/Sports 1380 AM WPHM (Port Huron)
    • 12:00 PM — News/Talk 600 and 93.5 WCHT (Escanaba) NEWEST AFFILIATE
    • 4:00 PM — WIOS “The Bay’s Best!” 1480 AM / 106.9 FM (Tawas / East Tawas)

    🕖 Sundays

    • 7:00 AM — Black Diamond Broadcasting Stations:

      🎵 WCFX — CFX Today’s Hits (95.3) — Mt. Pleasant
      🎸 WGFN — The Bear (98.1 / 95.3) — Traverse City
      ☀️ WMRX — Sunny 97.7 — Midland
      🎶 WUPS — The Classic Hits Station (98.5) — Houghton Lake
      📻 WWMK — 106.3 MAC FM — Cheboygan

    • 8:00 AM — News/Talk/Sports 1380 AM WPHM (Port Huron)
    • 1:00 PM — WSGW 790 AM / 100.5 FM (Saginaw)
    • 6:00 PM — WOOD 1300 AM / 106.9 FM (Grand Rapids)
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    10 mins
  • Cheers to 15 Years at Gun Lake Casino Resort (Feb. 21-22, 2026)
    Feb 23 2026
    It's Cheers to 15 Years at Gun Lake Casino Resort and we go behind the mitten to get the scoop on everything you need to know to celebrate this milestone in the proper manner.

    On this episode of Behind the Mitten, we'll kick off the show with Judd VanMelle, Director of Player Development at Gun Lake Casino Resort. The casino is celebrating their 15th anniversary of opening their doors in Wayland Michigan, and have promoation a plenty to celebrate. He gets us all excited about being members of "the club", and after listening to this segment, you'll want to join too. This February, join them on Saturday nights for a special promo where you could bew one of two lucky winners to receive $100 in Free Slot Play every week for 15 years.

    Gun Lake recently opened their much anticipated Wawye Oasis, a tropical paradise that you can enjoy year-round, no matter the weather. We've been lucky to get to experience the oasis first hand, and we'll tell you all about it during segment two. The Oasis is a multi-use space, so we'll discuss some of thier upcoming events and shows, including your chance to bang your head on April 3 when the one and only Quiet Riot performs. Or if gym tan laundry is more your speed check out DJ Pauly D on April 5.

    This is also the segment where we'll share a fantastic gas station pizza stop that we discovered a few years ago in near-by Hopkins Michigan. This is serious news you can use.

    Rounding out this episode is Brian Decorah, General Manager of Gun Lake Casino Resort and Nikki Osborn, the Wawye Oasis Manager. They share more about what makes Gun Lake one of the most unique destinations in all of the midwest, from fine dining to swim-up bars, and an elegant hotel to wild dance parties. It's about so much more than just the casino floor here,

    Planning a visit to Gun Lake Casino Resort? Find all the info you need right here.
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    45 mins
  • Meet the owners of Iron Fish Distillery
    Feb 23 2026
    Gonzo and Amy Sherman sit down with David Wallace and Heidi Bolger, who will continue as sole owners of Iron Fish Distillery after it was announced in January of 2026 that co-founders Richard Anderson and Sarah Anderson agreed to sell their ownership interest to fellow co-founders.

    They talk about what it was like to build one of Michigan's most notable and successful spirits brands in less than a decade.

    Established in 2016, Iron Fish Distillery stands as Michigan’s first farm distillery,
    cultivating grains, distilling spirits, and aiming to perfect the art of barrel-finishing
    sourced whiskey. To date, their library of aged spirits exceeds 2,500 barrels.
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    11 mins
  • Winter Fun in Benzie County (Feb. 7-8, 2026)
    Feb 23 2026
    We return to Benzie County, one of our favorite areas of the state.

    On this episode:

    Segment 1-Rick Schmitt of Stormcloud Brewing Company in Frankfort, who we named best new brewery in 2016. They make Belgian-inspired beer.

    Segment 2-Brittany Butti Primeau,
    Communications Director, and Doug Hand, Golf Operations Manager, at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, where we talk about a new golf simulator to work on your swing this winter.

    Segment 3-David Wallace
    and Heidi Bolger, continuing owners of Iron Fish Distillery in Thompsonville, talk about what it's like to create a thriving business.

    Segment 4- Katie Jones
    , Executive Director of the The Garden Theatre in Frankfort.
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Why Pure Michigan LOVES snow (Jan. 24-25, 2026)
    Feb 23 2026
    We love winter, yes we do, we love winter, how about you?

    This is our question this week, and let's just say our guests come back with a resounding, and heartfelt, YES.

    Segments1-Kelly Wolgamott, Vice President of Pure Michigan
    Segment 2-Amy and Gonzo talking winter adventures
    Segment 3-Erin Ernst, Boyne Mountain Resort
    Segment 4-Nick Nerbonne of Pure Michigan, Resident Ski Bunny
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Amy Sherman previews this weekend's show from Gun Lake Casino Resort on WILS (Feb. 19, 2026)
    Feb 20 2026
    It's always a fun adventure on The Morning Wake Up with Mike Austin on WILS-AM (1320) in Lansing.

    First, Amy Sherman previews this weekend's Behind the Mitten show -- which is all about Gun Lake Casino Resort that is celebrating 15 years with a fun promotion every Saturday night in February -- and then she engages with Mike in whatever he wants to talk about. This week he was interested in starting a lounge act. Yes, a musical lounge act. That's Mike.

    Listen to this weekend's show on all of our affiliates.

    🎙️Radio Affiliates

    Behind the Mitten — hosted by Amy and Gonzo — is Michigan’s premier travel radio show and podcast, airing on 21 stations across 14 Michigan markets.

    📻 Interested in becoming an affiliate?

    Contact Executive Producer Phil Tower at philtower@gmail.com

    📡 Our Current Stations

    🕗 Saturdays

    • 8:00 AM — WBRN 1460 AM / 107.7 FM / 96.5 FM (Big Rapids)
    • 8:00 AM — WILS 1320 AM (Lansing)
    • 9:00 AM — 92.1 FM WGHN (Grand Haven)
    • 10:00 AM — News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM (Benton Harbor)
    • 12:00 PM — News/Talk/Sports 1380 AM WPHM (Port Huron)
    • 12:00 PM — News/Talk 600 and 93.5 WCHT (Escanaba) NEWEST AFFILIATE
    • 4:00 PM — WIOS “The Bay’s Best!” 1480 AM / 106.9 FM (Tawas / East Tawas)

    🕖 Sundays

    • 7:00 AM — Black Diamond Broadcasting Stations:

      🎵 WCFX — CFX Today’s Hits (95.3) — Mt. Pleasant
      🎸 WGFN — The Bear (98.1 / 95.3) — Traverse City
      ☀️ WMRX — Sunny 97.7 — Midland
      🎶 WUPS — The Classic Hits Station (98.5) — Houghton Lake
      📻 WWMK — 106.3 MAC FM — Cheboygan

    • 8:00 AM — News/Talk/Sports 1380 AM WPHM (Port Huron)
    • 1:00 PM — WSGW 790 AM / 100.5 FM (Saginaw)
    • 6:00 PM — WOOD 1300 AM / 106.9 FM (Grand Rapids)
    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • Roadtrips, tacos and French lessons with Gonzo on WILS Radio
    Feb 13 2026
    It's always a fun adventure on The Morning Wake Up with Mike Austin on WILS-AM (1320) in Lansing.

    Not only does Gonzo preview this weekend's Behind the Mitten show -- which is a fun roadtrip adventure to Howard City, Luther and Mesick -- but he also engages with Mike about whatever is the topic of the moment. Typically you would say "topic of the day," but Mike can change course at any point of the conversation, hence the reason we talk about tacos and speaking French.

    Listen to this weekend's show on all of our affiliates.

    🎙️Radio Affiliates

    Behind the Mitten — hosted by Amy and Gonzo — is Michigan’s premier travel radio show and podcast, airing on 20 stations across 13 Michigan markets.

    📻 Interested in becoming an affiliate?

    Contact Executive Producer Phil Tower at philtower@gmail.com

    📡 Our Current Stations

    🕗 Saturdays

    • 8:00 AM — WBRN 1460 AM / 107.7 FM / 96.5 FM (Big Rapids)
    • 8:00 AM — WILS 1320 AM (Lansing)
    • 9:00 AM — 92.1 FM WGHN (Grand Haven)
    • 10:00 AM — News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM (Benton Harbor)
    • 12:00 PM — News/Talk/Sports 1380 AM WPHM (Port Huron)
    • 4:00 PM — WIOS “The Bay’s Best!” 1480 AM / 106.9 FM (Tawas / East Tawas)

    🕖 Sundays

    • 7:00 AM — Black Diamond Broadcasting Stations:

      🎵 WCFX — CFX Today’s Hits (95.3) — Mt. Pleasant
      🎸 WGFN — The Bear (98.1 / 95.3) — Traverse City
      ☀️ WMRX — Sunny 97.7 — Midland
      🎶 WUPS — The Classic Hits Station (98.5) — Houghton Lake
      📻 WWMK — 106.3 MAC FM — Cheboygan

    • 8:00 AM — News/Talk/Sports 1380 AM WPHM (Port Huron)
    • 1:00 PM — WSGW 790 AM / 100.5 FM (Saginaw)
    • 6:00 PM — WOOD 1300 AM / 106.9 FM (Grand Rapids)
    Show More Show Less
    10 mins
  • A snowmobilers guide to Gaylord's best restaurant stops
    Feb 2 2026
    On this special edition podcast, we are joined by our great friend Christy Walcott, Vice President of all things FUN at the Gaylord Michigan Tourism Bureau.

    Christy is actually the Director of Marketing and Communications for the Bureau, which really does mean that her job involves taking visitors out to show them the very best that Gaylord has to offer. It's why we try to have her on as much as we can, because she not only lives in Gaylord, she gets on out there and experiences all the things that this fun Northern Michigan town has to offer. She's been on the show before, sharing everything from summer sink hole lakes for swimming to best places to paddle board.

    One thing she always has in spades is local restaurant recommendations, and more often than not, very specific DISH recommendations from said restaurants. Christy not only wants you to visit, she wants to make sure you try the best things on the menu.

    On this episode of Behind the Mitten, Christy gets extra specific for this 2026 winter season, which is turning out to be a bang up one for the Gaylord region, with oodles of snow piling up all over, creating amazing conditions for all the outdoor winter activities you can imagine. Gaylord is a mecca for snowmobilers, who can use the town as their base, and then explore all of northern Michigan via sled. Christy shares a fun itinerary for a, now get this, snowmobile foodie tour.

    Very cool, right? Christy takes us to places in town like Big Buck Brewery and Benethums, as well as places outside town, like The Thirsty Sturgeon and Paul's Pub, which is located just off Trail #403.

    You certainly don't have to travel via sled to experience all the great places that Christy suggests, you can also hop in your car and drive. But there is something both magical and downright wild about snowmobiling, so if you can give it a go, we highly recommend. There are places where you can rent snowmobiles, and all the gear too, in the Gaylord area. We've done this before and had an absolute blast. Let's just say that NEW snowmobiles are nothing like OLD 1980's snowmobiles, and we very much like the heated seat and handles.


    We also really recommend the Gaylord Tourism website, all the information that you need to explore this area can be found here.
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    12 mins