Entries by editor

,

Leelanau picker presents Vintage Leland

Longtime Leelanau County resident, Kris Noble, unveils her 50-year collection of one-of-a-kind wares at her recently launched upscale resell and consignment shop in Leland. Vintage Leland showcases a combination of vintage picks and consigned items from around the area.

National Lakeshore looks for algal blooms on North Bar Lake

Chris Otto, a water resources biologist at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, is keeping a close eye on North Bar Lake in late July and early August—often the warmest time of the summer—for greenish algal blooms and signs of cynobacteria at the popular swimming destination.

,

Miriam Pico Younce plays Old Art Building

The Old Art Building in Leland will host acoustic songwriter and singer Miriam Picó Younce and her husband Ryan Younce on Thursday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. for a free evening of positive, inter-generational music. This family-friendly performance includes some cover tunes along with an array of Miriam’s originals. We caught up with Miriam to ask about this concert, about her inspiration and muse, about the various artistic mediums she marries in her work, and about her perfect northern Michigan summer day.

,

Four Spaniards, 9 Bean Rows, and one giant clay oven

Sometime in late August, Jen and Nic Welty, who own 9 Bean Rows bakery on M-204 between Lake Leelanau and Suttons Bay, will use their new, state-of-the-art, wood-fired clay convection oven for the first time. The oven, which measures 12 feet in diameter, occupies 144 square feet, weighs 70,000 pounds, and emits exceptional radiant heat, was built on-site by a team of four Barcelonians during one week in mid-July.

Glen Arbor Arts Center hosts Beach Bards, August 2

The Glen Arbor Arts Center will host the Beach Bards, Leelanau County’s hometown wordsmiths, for an evening of poetry, stories and music about flags on August 2 from 7-9 p.m. The event takes place in the forest grove behind the Arts Center. This special edition of the Beach Bards is open to poets and writers of any skill level. Bring a poem or story to share. No pre-registration is required.

Introducing the Democratic candidates for State House 103rd District

From staff reports Michigan’s redistricting process has created a new 103rd District, which includes Leelanau County, greater Traverse City, and a sliver of Benzie County. Leelanau previously fell in the 101st District, which included Benzie, Manistee and Mason counties running down the Lake Michigan coastline. Two Democratic challengers are running in this year’s primary election […]

Glen Lake Fire Department hosts open house

The Glen Lake Fire Department’s station # 1 will host an open house on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The location is 6401 W. State St. in Glen Arbor.

Dancing in the barns and fields

The TC Dance Project returns once again to Leelanau County’s historic barns and pastoral landscape. In collaboration with the Glen Arbor Arts Center, the dance performance will be held on Saturday, July 30, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Nash Road Red Barn near Maple City—on property owned by an Arts Center board member.

Summer season Up North: a perfect teaching moment

Today, northern Michigan is experiencing unprecedented growth owing to some unique influences. Most notably, the pandemic provided an opportunity for many to work from anywhere with an Internet connection and through videoconferencing. Some launched their own entrepreneurial dream here. Others have come—and will continue to—to escape climate change impacts such as drought, wildfires, and rising coastal waters. Additionally, there are the “boomerangers”: younger adults who left the region after high school seeking greener pastures, eventually realizing that northern Michigan’s matchless geography, climate, and sense of community make for an ideal place to raise a family. And of course, let’s not forget the tourists, whose numbers continue to climb. Residents, both lifelong and those who have assimilated over many years, greet this influx of visitors and those relocating as something of a mixed blessing.

,

Supporting mental health on the farm

“Growing up on a farm was a wonderful experience. I was surrounded by nature and family,” said Remington Rice, a Benzie County native who represents the fifth generation to grow up on the same family farm in rural Michigan. “Of course, not everything was perfect. The men in the family didn’t really talk about stress or how they were doing. I never heard my grandpa say he was stressed or sad; you just kept working and didn’t talk about it. I think there was this belief that if you don’t acknowledge it, then it’ll go away on its own.” Rice joined Michigan State University (MSU) Extension as a health and farm stress educator in August 2021.