The Shipwreck Cafe, the popular sandwich shop in Empire, has upped its game in 2021 by adding a wood-fired pizza. Owner Steve Nowicki began serving pies the first week of January. Through the month of January, Nowicki said he sold about 50 pizzas per day on Fridays and Saturdays—the days Shipwreck serves pizza. He has sold about 30 per day in February and March.
“What lovely hand-painted glasses these are! Each one so unique!” I exclaimed as we sat down to the beautifully set table on this farm north of Northport. “I found those at the Samaritan’s Closet in Lake Leelanau,” Kathy Garthe told me with pride. Whenever her daughter Nikki comes to visit they go thrifting, and are sure to stop by the local consignment shops, The Roost in Suttons Bay and Jaffe’s Resale and Consignment in Lake Leelanau. I remember noticing the elegant purple satin coat dress Nikki wore with such flare a couple years back, from The Roost, as I stroke the soft cashmere of my camel twin set sweater I had found myself at The Roost last winter.
The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department reported 13 COVID-19 positive cases in Leelanau County on Thursday, March 25—the largest single-day tally since January 15. Nevertheless, nearly 40 percent of Leelanau adults have received their first dose of the vaccine, outpacing the state and the nation.
Within the past week, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department (BLDHD) has reported 48 COVID-19 cases within the two counties, including four new cases in Benzie County and five new cases in Leelanau County today. This as Spring Break looms next week, and many families plan to travel outside the area.
The Leelanau Historical Society and Museum sits overlooking the sparkling Leland River near downtown Leland and historic Fishtown. It’s a most welcoming spot where people often congregate outside on the spacious riverside lawn, or come to see the boats that line up along the long dock. Inside, visitors may peruse collections and archives that contain more than 20,000 items. Here, one can learn of Leelanau’s fascinating maritime history, and even take a virtual tour “onboard” the steamship Leelanau.
The nonprofit Parallel 45 Theatre Festival, celebrating its 11th year, has announced record early demand for tickets as northern Michigan audiences signal a strong desire to reconnect with live performances. Since launching just weeks ago, over 20 percent of available seating has already been sold, with four months left before Opening Night.
Glen Arbor was described in 2011 by the Good Morning America TV show as “The Most Beautiful Place in America.” Today Glen Arbor Township, which has experienced unprecedented growth pressure as a resort destination, faces a community reckoning. It involves a new resident with ambitious development plans, deep pockets, and close partnership with regional heavy hitters; longtime neighbors; zoning irregularities; and old wounds from a 40-year-old environmental controversy.
The owner of the Sugar Loaf Resort property announced on March 18 that pre-demolition work at the property was completed last week in preparation for demolition of the hotel, expected to occur later this year. The pre-demolition work included removal of old maintenance materials, storage tanks and transformers from the hotel and other areas of the property.
The Sleeping Bear Gateways Council—a citizen group that works to engage local elected leaders, businesses and citizens to discuss the benefits and challenges presented by a growing visitor population to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore—will hold a second virtual town hall today to present and discuss the results of its Seasonal Workforce Housing project.
Glen Lake mom Pat Miller’s new book Confushun and Calm honors her late son, Maximillian-Miguel Monroy-Miller, who died of a drug overdose 5 years ago while pursuing his PhD at Michigan State University.