Entries by editor

Suttons Bay Artisan and Wine Walk celebrates Suttons Bay

Join the annual fall Suttons Bay Artisan and Wine Walk on Friday, Oct. 18, from 5-8 pm. This exciting community event invites residents and visitors alike to explore the charm of downtown Suttons Bay while indulging in a delightful array of local wines, artisan creations and live music. Stroll through the picturesque streets as over 20 downtown merchants open their doors to showcase the talents of local artists and offer tastings of refreshing local beverages. Whether you’re a connoisseur or simply looking to enjoy a fun evening out, there’s something for everyone at this celebration.

/by

Join the Leelanau Conservancy for ‘Fall for Leelanau’ – A Celebration of Nature, Culture, and Community

The Leelanau Conservancy invites the community to “Fall for Leelanau,” which runs from Oct. 14-20. This week-long celebration features guided hikes, scenic driving tours, and trail stewardship activities, all designed to connect people with the land while supporting vital conservation efforts. Key events include the Harvest Celebration on Oct. 18 and a Super Moon Paddle on Oct. 17.

/by

Empire continues master plan addendum work

A series of surveys and public meetings this summer in Empire has been followed by joint sessions of the village council and the village planning commission. The task: to involve interested parties in the creation of an update to the village’s master plan, to set it up for the next five years and potentially beyond. While master plans are used to provide long-term vision and guidance, it is necessary to update them as circumstances change, whether that is area business, housing, land use, utilities, or transportation.

/by
,

District 1 Leelanau County Commission candidates address housing, clean energy, broadband

The Nov. 5 election will determine which party controls the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners (BOC), and which policies and initiatives they pursue next year. The Commission is currently deadlocked between three Democrats and three Republicans, with one seat vacant. In District 1, which serves Elmwood Township in Leelanau’s southeastern corner, Republican Tim McCalley faces Rick Robbins, who is running as a Democrat after previously serving on the BOC as a Republican from 2020-2022. In his previous term, Robbins was the deciding swing vote—often siding with Democrats—on contentious issues including septic regulations and funding voter-approved early childhood services. The Glen Arbor Sun reached out to all 14 candidates for the BOC and asked about their positions on issues or initiatives that are key to Leelanau County citizens: namely, affordable housing, renewable energy, broadband access and services for both seniors and families with young children. Our questions, and their responses are below. Today we’re featuring McCalley and Robbins, who are vying for the open District 1 seat.

/by

Childless locals care for Leelanau’s future

There are many reasons women choose not to have children, and there are situations where it is not even a matter of choice but a physical impossibility. Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance asked in a 2021 interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, “How does it make any sense that we’ve turned our country over to people who don’t really have a direct stake in it?” A group Vance targeted with this question is one he defines as “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too.” Not long after, while speaking at a recent Trump rally, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Governor and former White House Press Secretary for Donald Trump, claimed that her children are “a permanent reminder of what’s important,” following with a comment about Vice President Kamala Harris’ lack of anything to keep her humble. What Vance and Sanders are alluding to is their belief that women without biological children are inherently selfish and see no direct stake in the future of our nation. At a time when politicians are taking to the national stage to chastise women without biological children, Abby Chatfield spoke to 10 Leelanau women without kids of their own who collectively believe that we all have a stake in the future, regardless of whether or not we bear children. These locals show their dedication to Leelanau County’s future by investing in its youth, improving services for senior citizens, and fighting for the environment.

/by

Dog’s day in the Sleeping Bear Dunes

The Instagram personality FreckledCarrot took this photo on June 26 of her dogs posing in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore overlooking the Glen Lakes.

/by

Biking in Leelanau County: an outsider’s perspective

Coreopsis. Cardinal flower. Spring beauty. Goldenrod. Buttercup. As I biked the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, I repeated these names to myself over and over so I could write them down in my biking journal later. Each new bench I passed was emblazoned with a different flower name in capital letters, and they began to feel like mile markers, a mental record of my journey on this uniquely beautiful trail. I had started my ride from the Glen Arbor trailhead at 6 p.m., hoping to finish before dark. It was cloudy and colder than I had expected, and as time went on, I found myself yearning to pass other people, nervously pedaling faster up and down the steep hills in silence. The more I listened to the insects chirping and felt the rushing wind around me, repeating the flowers to myself like a mantra, I began to feel connected to nature, far more so than the cars rushing by me. It’s a sentiment shared by many of the bikers I interviewed in Traverse City and Leelanau County. In this region, biking is inherently connected to the natural beauty to be found.

/by

Pegtown Station celebrates 20 years in Maple City

As expected, the 20-year anniversary celebration of Maple City’s Pegtown Station was nothing short of a resounding affirmation of owners Mary and Dave MacDonald’s tireless work and dedication over the past two decades. There was a palpable sense of joy in the air that evening. The MacDonalds’ recent celebratory event was an open house, fittingly held right on the premises. It was a most festive evening, complete with refreshments and live music by Elizabeth Landry, the legendary Leelanau County songwriter-musician. The gathering was the MacDonalds’ heartfelt way of expressing gratitude to the folks of the Leelanau County area, as well as to the many summer residents and tourists who have supported them over the years. “Being able to celebrate 20 years with this wonderful community of ours is something that Dave and I appreciate greatly. It means the world to us to know how loyal our customers have been throughout the years,” Mary shared.

/by
,

Trump’s mass deportation threat worries Leelanau’s tight-knit Latino community

They pick our cherries in the summer and our apples in the fall. They care for our vineyards and clean our rental houses. They raise children here, enroll them in public schools and celebrate quinceañeras in local parks. Many have lived in Leelanau County for decades. Out of 22,000 residents—according to the latest Census—as many as 1,000 of our neighbors identify as Hispanic or Latino. Many have an undocumented parent or family member living here in northern Michigan, now as rooted here as the pine trees, though they crossed illegally into the United States years ago. The local Latino community is acutely aware that the subject of immigration is tossed around like a political football during this presidential election season. They hear Republican candidate Donald Trump’s threats to carry out the “largest deportation in American history” and his maligning of non-white immigrant communities—and it frustrates and concerns them. Some worry about being racially profiled; some have grown more cautious about sharing their legal status with fellow community members; some worry about an environment of anxiety surrounding their kids, most of whom were born here and have U.S. citizenship.

/by

Leelanau County libraries release Fall “Tech Tuesdays” lineup

The four public libraries of Leelanau County are excited to announce the launch of this fall’s “Tech Tuesdays,” a collaboration aimed at promoting digital literacy and providing general tech support to community members. This series will rotate between the libraries during the months of September, October, and November, offering both a presentation on a specific topic and personalized tech assistance. Attendees are encouraged to bring general tech questions and their devices.

/by