Entries by editor

Changing the world one free gift at a time

By Jody Arendale Sun contributor Pssst … how’d you like to pick up a perfectly good, slightly used 40-gallon water heater, on the cheap? Or maybe a gas furnace for your drafty old pole barn? Ever dream of having a vintage cast iron claw foot bathtub but couldn’t afford to buy one? What about old […]

Empire Art Encounter

Press release Explore 10 different galleries and professional artist studios during the “Empire Art Encounter,” Thursday evening July 17, from 5-9 p.m. Wander through the quaint village of Empire and see a wide variety of fine art, including painting, various works on paper, photography, furniture-making, weaving and jewelry. Some studios and galleries will be offering […]

Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear Hosts Historic Preservation Projects

Press release Join the nonprofit organization, Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear, in a volunteer project to preserve some of the historic buildings in the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. The group is hosting a preservation project on two buildings at the Ole Oleson farm. The event will take place from Friday, July 18-Sunday, July 20 from […]

Glen Arbor’s Fourth of July Schedule

10 a.m. Flag Raising at Old Settler’s Park 10:30 a.m. Bike Decorating, Glen Arbor Art Association 11 a.m. Parade line up in Glen Haven, departs at noon 12:30-ish. Parade arrives in Downtown Glen Arbor. Kazoo Korps, line up at Christian Science Church parking lot around noon. 4 p.m. Glen Lake Boat Parade: lineup at Glen […]

Licking the competition: Ice Cream Shops from Cedar to Empire

By Pat Stinson Sun contributor News that Moomers of Traverse City won “America’s Best Scoops” in a national ice cream poll conducted in May by ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” caused great celebration among the ice cream shop’s many fans, who cast thousands of votes for the local company online. Indeed, Moomers’ sweet and creamy homemade […]

For “SonBern,” Polka is Life

By Bill Dungjen Sun contributor Even before formally meeting Sonny and Bernie Czerniak, I couldn’t imagine a couple more steeped in the polka. At the annual Cedar Polka Festival (held this year over Fourth of July weekend) it’s impossible not to notice the Czerniaks. At first they appear as a red and white blur on […]

Glen Arbor Township approves Lake Street Garden/Restroom project

By Joanne Bender Sun contributor It’s official. Lake Street will get a lovely garden and public restrooms on the land formerly occupied by the fire hall, between Art’s Tavern and the Cottage Book Shop. The Glen Arbor Township Board approved the garden/restroom project at a public meeting on Monday, June 23, by a vote of […]

Empire’s healing homing pigeon

By Codi Yeager Sun contributor At first glance, the snowy white bird roosting in the eaves at the Manitou Medical Center in Empire resembles the average seagull. That’s what Dr. Douglas Coles, the clinic’s MD, thought nearly two years ago when he first spied the clinic’s unofficial mascot. But “Ouija” (Wee-jee) is not your average […]

Go green with solar panels

By Michael Buhler Sun ad-hoc energy editor My older cousin Marty has always been cool, someone who I looked up to. When I was 11, he showed me his radiometer, which looked like a light bulb, and had black and white vanes balanced inside. When he brought it near the light, the vanes would spin […]

Leelanau Wine Report

By Andy McFarlane Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association Welcome to Michigan’s wine country. June was cooler than in 2005 or 2007, meaning we’ll have a later vintage this year. Bruce Simpson of Good Harbor Vineyards says that while he’d like Mother Nature to bring the heat, some of his longer-lived vintages have come from years with […]