Rod DesJardins

Rod DesJardins is the writer of “The Place by the Island,” a column exploring the people, places and experiences that shape life in Munising and the central Upper Peninsula. A U.P. native whose family has lived in the region since 1840, he writes about life in the woods and on the water with humor and a distinctly local perspective.

DesJardins has served on the Munising City Commission for 25 years, including 20 years as mayor, and has worked extensively in nonprofit and affordable housing. Writing under the pen name D.J. Williams, he is the author of “Lake Effect.”