Entries by editor

Celebrating small towns and songs of Leelanau

Our story series celebrating songs inspired by Leelanau County and the Sleeping Bear Dunes continues with Blake Elliott’s “Small Town,” which the singer-songwriter released in 2012 “after a really hard winter.” The song offers an homage to “how our little communities in Leelanau County show up and helped us through.” State Rep. Betsy Coffia used “Small Town” for her first official political campaign song when she ran for Grand Traverse County Commission. The Accidentals took part in the recording for the music video of “Small Town,” which was filmed and recorded at Halohorn studios in Leelanau County with Andy Van Guilder.

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Piping Plover citizen volunteers sought, with Sleeping Bear Dunes employment in flux

Ready or not, here they come. The endangered, migratory Piping Plover birds will return to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in April and set up their stony nests—regardless of National Park staff cuts and federal politics. Sleeping Bear staff might not be able to hire all the seasonal employees it needs to work with the shorebirds—or those workers might not arrive on time—since the federal hiring process resumed late in the winter. In their potential absence, volunteers are stepping forward. Grawn resident Maryellen Newport is recruiting local volunteers to monitor and protect the Piping Plover from predators. Read the story for a link to sign up.

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Bay Books event promotes cultural acceptance in trying times

“The world is held together by tiny friendships.” So explains the wise grandmother character in local author Lynne Rae Perkins’ latest novel “At Home in a Faraway Place.” On March 29, Perkins will be one of two authors featured at an event at Bay Books in Suttons Bay highlighting literary selections for young readers on the opportune topics of immigration and cultural acceptance. The program will open at 10:30 a.m. with Bay Books owner Tina Greene-Bevington reading Thrity Umrigar’s children’s book, “Sugar in Milk.” Described by Running Press as “a timely and timeless picture book about immigration that demonstrates the power of diversity, acceptance and tolerance from a very gifted storyteller” Sugar in Milk made several best book lists and garnered two awards when it was published in 2020.

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Benzie-Leelanau Health Department prepares for measles, holds vaccination clinics April 7-8

With multiple measles outbreaks occurring nationwide and Michigan confirming its first case of 2025 this past weekend, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department is taking proactive steps to prepare for potential cases in Benzie and Leelanau Counties. “Approximately 81-83% of school-aged children in Benzie and Leelanau Counties are vaccinated against measles,” said Dan Thorell, health officer at the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. “That still leaves around 17-19% vulnerable to infection if measles reaches our community.” To prepare for potential cases, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department is working with school administrators to provide information on measles and prevention strategies. Additionally, the department will host measles vaccination clinics with after-school hours on April 7 at its Leelanau County office and April 8 at its Benzie County office, making it easier for parents to get their children vaccinated. The measles vaccine is also available through other local health departments and through your physician.

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Northport couple sells syrup to honor late grandson

For Jim and Jan Brown, ’tis the season. No, not that one, and really not even really a holiday at all. But there is a season for making maple syrup. If there was a holiday attached to it, it’s a safe bet the Northport couple would be nearly as well-known as Santa and Rudolph. Each year around this time, they take to the woods, tapping the maple trees on a portion of their 42 acres south of Northport. They drill the spials into the trees, put out the buckets and gather the sap, then turn it into the liquid gold beloved by so many. “I’ve been doing it since 2009,” says Jim, a.k.a. Pa Brown. That’s what his grandson Rance called him. After Rance passed away from brain cancer in 2010, Jim and Jan decided to sell their syrup under the brand name Pa Brown’s Maple Syrup, and send the proceeds from sales to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Though Rance lost his battle with brain cancer, Jim and Jan were touched by the care and thoughtfulness of the staff at St. Jude’s. “So, I chose to give all the proceeds (there).”

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Leelanau Conservancy adds Phyl’s Forest preserve in Suttons Bay

Thanks to support from Ray and Jan Pezzi, the Leelanau Conservancy has preserved a vital wetland near the Leo Creek Preserve south of Suttons Bay, ensuring the protection of one of nature’s most precious resources. Their generosity has paved the way for Phyl’s Forest to become the newest preserve under the Leelanau Conservancy’s care, joining 29 other protected natural areas and preserves. The preserve, which will remain wild and full of life, is 67 acres and named in honor of Phyllis Stites, the late mother of Jan Pezzi.

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Nourishing body, mind and spirit: yoga and holistic wellness is on the rise in Leelanau

It’s 6 a.m. on a chilly March morning, and Leelanau County residents are filtering into a warm candlelit room for mysore ashtanga yoga. They quietly roll out their yoga mats and begin to move and breathe in a meditative flow. Later in the day, others will gather in a sunlit studio on the Leland River. They will slowly stretch and listen for the messages their bodies and breath hold. Some practice yoga daily, some weekly, and some simply attend as often as they can. All appreciate the benefits they experience in a consistent yoga practice. The yoga and wellness industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, reflecting a global shift toward health consciousness and the prioritization of well-being on all levels. That expansion is apparent here in Northern Michigan, where residents and visitors alike embrace a variety of yoga and holistic wellness practices as perfect complements to the healthy, active lifestyles they enjoy in our lush natural surroundings.

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Irish band Kennedy’s Kitchen part of Bay Theatre slate

It’s a movie house. It’s a venue for concerts. It’s a gathering place for members of the community. It’s a working non-profit. The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay is all of those. “This building has so much history,” says Graham Powers, executive director of the Bay Community Theatre Organization. Built in 1920, it originally served as a livery stable and fire station. It wasn’t until 1946 that it was transformed into a movie theatre. “There’s a great need for keeping these spaces alive,” says Powers. Alive and live, as in the theatre’s “Live at the Bay” series. On March 16, the Bay welcomes Kennedy’s Kitchen for its annual St. Patrick’s Day show. “It’s the fifth year for Kennedy’s Kitchen. It’s become one of our annual favorites. It’s a fun show,” Powers says.

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Your Sleeping Bear Dunes experience this year may feel very different

UPDATE (March 12): The National Park Service once again has the green light to hire seasonal workers, but the late start has hampered the ability of Sleeping Bear Dunes to populate its seasonal roster. As of Glen Arbor Sun press time, approximately 80 percent of the National Lakeshore’s more than 100 seasonal positions remained vacant. The federal government chaos and the inability of seasonals from outside the area to find housing has prompted a slew of declines from candidates who were suddenly called and offered seasonal positions in March. Sleeping Bear Dunes staff have been paralyzed in other ways, too. Government-issued credit cards used by Park staff are frozen. They can’t buy ammunition or ranger supplies; they can’t even buy toilet paper for outhouses at hiking trails.

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Glen Lake Association names Kate Gille as first executive director

The Glen Lake Association has named Kate Gille as its first-ever executive director. Gille will lead the organization in advancing its mission of “preserving and protecting the water quality, natural resources, and quality of life in the Glen Lake/Crystal River Watershed through leadership, education, and collaboration.”

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