Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
 By Jacob Wheeler
Sun editor
In northern Michigan, and across the United States, farming the land is our heritage. Most of us may no longer till the soil or milk the cows with our own hands, but we’re proud to have grandfathers and great grandfathers who did so, and we strive to carry on their work ethic.
Farming communities around the world boast a similar love of their land and deep connection with the food that their land harvests — just as we do in Leelanau County. The same goes for farmers who speak different languages and practice different religions and customs than we do — such as farmers in the Palestinian West Bank. They cherish and need their olive trees just as we love our cherry orchards.
That’s the message that Traverse City filmmaker Aaron Dennis and I will try to convey as we travel to Israel and Palestine next month to document the “Run Across Palestine”, a northern Michigan-organized effort to raise money and awareness around the challenges facing Palestinian fair-trade olive farmers. This is a place where the history, economy, culture and identity are rooted in the ancient olive tree. Forty-five percent of the agricultural land in the West Bank is used for growing olives, employing 100,000 Palestinians. And yet their trade is in danger as water and access to land disappear.
“The olive tree plays a very important role as a symbol of our perseverance,” said Vivien Sansour of Canaan Fair Trade and a Run Across Palestine coordinator. “Planting an olive tree is a huge message of hope. When you plant an olive tree, you’re planting a vision for the future.”
Half a dozen runners — most from northern Michigan — will run a marathon each day for five consecutive days, Feb. 4-8, from Hebron in the southern part of the West Bank to Jenin, with visits to holy sites in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Along the route they’ll stay in villages and interact with local farmers, creating a cultural exchange. Josh Davis, lead vocalist of the popular Michigan band Steppin’ In It, will join them, and record an album together with local Palestinian musicians.
The Run Across Palestine follows on the heels of last year’s Run Across Ethiopia, which featured 10 U.S. athletes running 250 miles to raise over $200,000 to build three schools in coffee-growing communities in the Yirgachefe region, where coffee was first harvested. Both runs are projects of On the Ground, the brainchild of Higher Grounds Trading owner Chris Treter, and both support fair-trade farmers.
“Olive farming is their economic livelihood,” said Timothy Young,” a board member of On the Ground and president of Food for Thought in Honor, Mich. “As a result of the political situation in this region, many have lost access to their livelihood. They came to us and told us ‘Our children will not survive if they don’t have trees to harvest’.”
“We want to make sure there will be farmers to nurture those trees 30 years from now, so we’re providing scholarships to children of these farmers to make sure they can go to school.”
The Run Across Palestine will team up with Canaan Fair Trade, the first fair-trade and organic certified olive growing cooperative in the world today.
“Fair trade puts a face on the food, and fair trade gives us access to those faces,” said Young. “We can see the people who grow our products and we can ensure that there are mechanisms in place that those people will be treated fairly.”
Dennis and I will embed ourselves with the runners, and produce a daily video series that features Palestinian olive farmers. I’ll also post daily blog updates on GlenArbor.com (just as I did during the Run Across Ethiopia), MyNorth.com and other outlets, and write a feature story for the California-based Jewish spiritual magazine, Tikkun.
The Run Across Palestine comes at a unique time, as Palestinian leaders vie for statehood recognition at the United Nations, and as democratic uprisings across the Arab Middle East give Israelis and Palestinians an opportunity to reexamine their complex relationship. In lieu of daily mainstream media coverage that exposes violence and fault lines, we intend to focus on Palestinians’ and Israelis’ common love for the agricultural land, and the food it has provided them for centuries, and how it offers the potential to unite them.
“This is not just a running expedition, and it’s not just a fundraiser,” said Treter. “At the heart of this is an opportunity for all of us to learn more about the rich culture and peaceful people that exist in Palestine, and that’s something we don’t see enough in our news.”
This GlenArbor.com story is sponsored by Misers Hoard in Empire, which recently expanded its business to include new items.
Tags: Run Across Palestine
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Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
 From staff reports
The Bay Theatre in nearby Suttons Bay runs award-winning foreign films monthly between September thru April. The cozy small-town theatre is just a 45-minute drive from Glen Arbor, or 20 minutes from Traverse City.
December 11-13
The Bay Film Series at The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay presents “Life Above All” a film from South Africa (rated PG-13). Based on the international award-winning novel “Chanda’s Secret”, Life Above All tells the story of 12-year-old Chanda whose family becomes the victim of rumor and gossip after the death of a newborn sister in their small village near Johannesburg. Her mother is forced to flee and eventually Chanda must choose whether to stay or go in search of her mother and the truth. A Cannes Flm Festival award winner.
LIFE ABOVE ALL
December 11 – 13
Sunday, December 11 – 2 & 5 p.m.
Monday, December 12 – 6 p.m.
Tuesday, December 13 – 6 p.m.
Non-Subscribers are welcome to attend, tickets are $8.50.
More information, visit www.thebaytheatre.com
This GlenArbor.com article was sponsored by Sugar Loaf the Old Course, which offers the classic northern Michigan golfing experience.
Tags: Bay Theatre, Michigan theatres, Suttons Bay Michigan
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Friday, November 4th, 2011
 From staff reports
Superintendent Dusty Shultz is pleased to announce that Veterans Day Weekend, Nov. 11 through 13, will be celebrated as a fee-free weekend for all park visitors to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in honor of U.S. veterans and current members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Many of the popular attractions at the National Lakeshore remain open during this time of year, including the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire (open 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily); the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive (open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Sunday, Nov. 13); the Dune Climb; and a hundred miles of hiking trails. The Glen Haven Blacksmith Shop, General Store, Cannery Boat Museum and the Sleeping Bear Point Maritime Museum are closed for the season and will re-open in May 2012. Come and enjoy your park during the Veterans Day Weekend or any day. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is open year-round. The Philip A. Hart Visitor Center is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days.
The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture began this annual fee waiver five years ago on Veterans Day. The fee waiver applies to entrance and/or standard amenity fees at public recreation lands managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Forest Service across the country. The fee waiver does not apply to camping fees at the National Lakeshore.
For more information, please call the National Lakeshore at (231) 326-5134 or visit their website at www.nps.gov/slbe. Also, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sbdnl.
About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 395 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
This GlenArbor.com article was sponsored by the Glen Arbor Bed & Breakfast, where you can enjoy a beautifully appointed room, suite or cottage, exceptional hospitality, gourmet breakfasts, and wonderful amenities.
Tags: Glen Arbor, Glen Arbor Michigan, National Park, Sleeping Bear, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, veterans day
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Sunday, July 17th, 2011
 Glen Arbor artist Linda Green demonstrates stitching and construction techniques used in her fabric portraits July 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Center Gallery at Lake Street Studios, 6023 S. Lake St., Glen Arbor.
Green’s folk art-influenced pieces, on display at Center Gallery July 22-28, are rich with hand-stitched detail and embellishment. They are a storytelling vehicle for the artist that depict “the deeply personal and emotion parts of a woman’s life.”
For more information please call (231) 334-3179.
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Wednesday, July 6th, 2011
 New six-county schedule blends, regionalizes routes of five bus agencies
Riding the bus in northwest Lower Michigan just got easier.
The Michigan Land Use Institute and its transit partners have published an attractive brochure listing all bus routes connecting Traverse City with six surrounding counties. It lists exact times and locales for boarding buses serving dozens of cities and villages.
The brochure solves the problem of finding bus routes that travel across county lines.
“Our brochure makes those county lines disappear,” said James Bruckbauer, MLUI’s transportation policy specialist. “Wherever you are, it tells you how to get to where you want to go. It’s the first step seamlessly coordinating many different bus lines.”
The schedule is a product of MLUI, The Grand Vision Transit Subcommittee, and the region’s five transit agencies: Kalkaska Public Transit Authority, Cadillac/Wexford Transit Authority, Benzie Bus, ACT-Antrim County Transportation, and BATA, which serves Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties.
A 2009 BATA study found that the more information people have about route times and locations, they more likely they’ll ride the bus. Most people don’t know, for example, that it’s fairly easy to take the bus from Traverse City to, say, Empire Beach or other destinations—and that it’s often cheaper than taking a car.
“This regional schedule is a great example of how agencies can share information in a handy format that enables individuals to stretch their transportation options beyond one county bus system’s service areas,” said Benzie Bus Director Sue Miller
The schedule moves the bus agencies closer to what Grand Vision participants said they want: more transportation options that better connect cities and villages. Better public transportation increases economic development and can improve quality of life.
Bob Sutherland, owner of Cherry Republic, which has stores in Traverse City and Glen Arbor, said the new publication would make public transit more accessible for everyone.
“As a big believer in having lots of transportation options, I find this very valuable,” Mr. Sutherland said. “Anything that makes it easier to the ride bus is good.”
To view an online version of the schedule, please visit www.mlui.org/nwtransit
About the Institute
The Michigan Land Use Institute is an independent, nonprofit research, educational, and service organization founded in 1995. More than 3,000 households, businesses, and organizations have joined the Institute in support of its mission to establish an approach to economic development that strengthens communities, enhances opportunity, and protects Michigan’s unmatched natural resources.
Tags: BATA, Benzie Bus, Bob Sutherland, Cherry Republic, Glen Arbor, Glen Arbor Michigan, Grand Vision, Leelanau County, Michigan Land Use Institute, public transportation, Traverse City
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Thursday, June 30th, 2011
 From staff reports
Glen Arbor’s celebration of Uncle Sam’s 235th birthday kicks off with a 4 p.m. performance of patriotic music by the Northport Community Band on Saturday, July 2, at the Glen Arbor Athletic Club.
On Sunday, July 3, don’t miss the Glen Lake Fire & Rescue Association’s annual pancake breakfast, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Glen Arbor Township Hall.
Rise early on Monday, July 4, and head over to Burdickville for the traditional Flag Raising ceremony at Old Settler’s Park at 10 a.m. Patriotic Bike Decorating commences at 10:30 a.m. at the Glen Arbor Art Association. The Fourth of July parade lines up in Glen Haven, a mile west of Glen Arbor, and usually departs at noon.
The McCahills, who own On the Narrow’s Marina and will soon open the Dairy Bar south of the Glen Lake narrows, are bringing back the Boat Parade this year. The parade will begin at 4 p.m. in front of the Glen Lake Yacht Club and follow the west coast of Big Glen Lake until it passes through the Narrows Bridge.
Tags: Fourth of July, Fourth of July parade, Glen Arbor, Glen Arbor Art Association, Glen Arbor Michigan, Glen Haven, Glen Lake Fire & Rescue Association, Glen Lake Narrows, Northport COmmunity Band, Old Settlers Park, On the Narrow’s Marina
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Monday, May 31st, 2010
 By Mike Buhler
Sun editor
For over a decade the Glen Lake Community Library in Empire has offered the use of computers and free Internet. A few years ago Wi-Fi was added so that visitors could have access from their personal laptops.
In an effort to reach more users in the library’s district, a computer and Wi-Fi network were added to the health club in Maple City. Meanwhile, the Glen Lake Chamber of Commerce had offered free access and Wi-Fi in Glen Arbor at Dune Wear. This will continue with the changeover to Bay Wear, and features a new computer supplied by the Library.
Through their initiative, Wi-Fi was also added to the Glen Arbor Garden, courtesy of The Cottage Book Shop. Combined with the existing coverage offered by Leelanau Coffee Roasting and Cherry Republic, there is almost a complete Wi-Fi cloud spanning three blocks of downtown Glen Arbor. How did we ever survive without it?
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Friday, January 15th, 2010
 From staff reports
The popular “Talk About Art” series featuring local artists returns for the winter and spring of 2010. The first talk will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 21 at the Glen Arbor Art Association. Sculptor Bill Allen will discuss his work and background as an artist. Please read this feature about Allen’s transformative art in our online archives: www.glenarborsun.com/transformative-portal-the-paintings-of-william-allen/
Bill Allen will give a brief discussion and PowerPoint presentation about the evolution of his art from the welded steel animal sculptures to current abstract mixed media constructions, and he will describe his unusual path to becoming an artist. He will also bring examples of recent work, which will be in a collaborative exhibition with poet, Fleda Brown, opening in April 2010 at the Dennos Museum in Traverse City.
The Glen Arbor Art Association offers “Talk About Art” to give the community an opportunity to meet some of our many accomplished local artists and gain an appreciation and understanding of art and how it is created. The talks are free and open to the public. Others in the series will include: Lynn Perkins, Illustration (Feb. 4), Dewey Blocksma, Sculpture (Feb. 18), Sada Omoto, Regionalism Revisited (March 18), Pam Yee Gianola, Altered Books (April 29), and Edie Joppich, Color (May 6).
The Glen Arbor Art Association is located across the street from Cherry Republic and behind Lake Street Studios in Glen Arbor. For more information call (231) 334-6112 or e-mail info@glenarborart.org.
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Friday, January 1st, 2010
 Contemporary American with flavors from around the world, this is Blu. The daily changing menu sources the freshest local ingredients available with Chef Randy Chamberlain’s unwavering desire to be spontaneous. With an extensive wine list representing the wine regions of the world along with the best selections of Northwest Michigan, certified sommelier Mari Chamberlain can choose the perfect wine selection to compliment your meal. Located in beautiful Glen Arbor, Blu is 26 picturesque miles west of Traverse City and a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan. The glass walled and panoramic atrium dining room features glorious sun set views dancing on Sleeping Bear Bay, North and South Manitou Islands.
Contact information:
5705 South Lake Street … (231) 334-2530 … www.glenarborblu.com
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Here’s a map of of Blu’s location in Glen Arbor:
View Larger Map
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Please read this excerpt from Norm Wheeler’s story, “Eating and art converge at Blu” which ran in the Glen Arbor Sun on Nov. 18, 2010:
 “Proprietors Randy and Mari Chamberlain like to emphasize local sources of everything for the quality that brings to the experience of dining, and our waitress Toni establishes the theme right away. She recommends a Woodland Red from Chateau Fontaine on French Road here in The County, and it is a hearty, full wine perfect for the variety of flavors we are about to sample. With the first pour she brings a nibble snack of Halpin Farm goat cheese with Sweeter Song Farm beets on a tiny square of toast, and we gaze out at the spectacular panorama that surrounds us at Blu. We reminisce about our wedding day all those many years ago in Denmark, the little white church on the hill beside the great oak tree, the all-day feast full of toasts and laughter, the evening banquet of venison at the local Inn, and we notice how the music in the cozy room synchronizes with our memories as Chet Baker croons “There Will Never Be Another You.” (You know how sometimes the music matches up perfectly with the flow of conversation and the unfolding of a meal in a trippy synchronicity, as if you’re in a movie in which even the sound track is scripted to amplify the arc of the evening? This is one of those nights!)”
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Click here for Blu’s dinner menu
Tags: Blu, Glen Arbor, Leelanau County
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Friday, January 1st, 2010
 APPETIZERS
• Duck and pistachio paté $9
• Seasonal soup $9
• Escargot with Beurre de Bourgogne $10
• Assiette de Fromage $10
• Seared scallops with pineapple salsa $12
• French gravlax served with shot of Aquavit $12
SALADS
• Special Salad: Mixed greens tossed with a tomato $7
balsamic vinaigrette, and topped with blue cheese,
toasted walnuts and dried cherries
• House Salad: (included with entrée): Butter lettuce $7
tossed with celery seed vinaigrette and topped with
red onion and sesame seeds
 MAIN DISHES
• Lake Michigan Whitefish sautéed, or baked in a $26
pistachio Parmesan crust, with a sauce of Réoulade
• Pan-Seared Breast of Duck: with duck leg confit & $30
vanilla demi-glace
• Sautéed Noisettes of Veal: with wild mushrooms $34
cream sauce
• Grilled Lamb Rack: with green peppercorn sauce $30
• Grilled Hanger Steak with truffle sauce $28
• Morel Mushroom risotto served in a roasted acorn squash $24
• Cassoulet for Two: Duck confit, Toulouse sausage, $40
and pork meat in a white bean and tomato casserole
• Cassoulet for One $22
• Croque Monsieur $14
 DESSERT
• Warm Chocolate Cake: Individual chocolate cake with $7
molten center, topped with Belgian bittersweet chocolate
sauce, and served with a scoop of Hudsonville vanilla ice cream.
• Profiteroles: Three mini puff pastries filled with vanilla $7
ice cream, and covered with Belgian bittersweet chocolate sauce.
Assiette de Fromage: Plate of assorted cheeses (St. Marcellin,
aged goat, Fourme d’Ambert & Istara) served with crackers. $10
• Créme Brulée $7
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By Jacob Wheeler
