Five years after lockdown, remembering Michigan’s COVID experience

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the date the COVID-19 Coronavirus global pandemic officially arrived in Michigan, prompting a business and social shutdown, political upheaval, and many months of confusion, anxiety and pain. On March 10, 2020, the state’s first two COVID cases were confirmed in metro Detroit, prompting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency in Michigan. Our COVID coverage in the Glen Arbor Sun between March 2020 and Spring-2021 included stories about: essential workers who kept us safe; victims (and survivors) of COVID; businesses and the National Park closing facilities; how public health workers, schools and emergency medical personnel adjusted; our collective reconnection with nature during the lockdown; artistic reactions to the pandemic; how musicians adapted; the pandemic exacerbating educational divides, and frequent updates on vaccination and infection statistics in Leelanau County. Click here to read those stories.

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Reclaiming the remarkable stories of Black pioneers on Little Glen

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In September 2022, two Black women from Philadelphia opened a life-changing Facebook message from a White man in Grand Rapids. Kevin Brooks reached out to cousins Carmen Hopson and Coleen Burton with his discovery that their families were inextricably linked more than 100 years ago in Empire Township. The relationship was not born of freed slaves still economically dependent on their former owners, nor were they hired live-in employees. Rather, the respective families of Joseph Payment and Anna and Levi Johnson were neighboring farm owners and pioneering homesteaders along Little Glen Lake who forged a friendship born of necessity and steeped in mutual respect. What transpired from that visit and a subsequent one evolved into the documentary The Search for Anna and Levi. Subtitled “A Lost History of Black Homesteaders in Leelanau County” it was written and directed by Joe VanderMeulen, a local science journalist and documentary filmmaker. In honor of Black History Month, a special preview screening of the film The Search for Anna and Levi will take place on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 pm at The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay. 

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Long shuttered Empire school ready for rebirth

The Empire schoolhouse may have a second life if owner Joe Van Esley has his way — and gets enough others to buy into his vision. Van Esley and consultant Bruce Johnston hosted a presentation on their plans for the landmark building at a community meeting on Feb. 4, followed by a shorter presentation that evening to the Empire Planning Commission. They mapped out an ambitious plan to restore the long-empty schoolhouse to provide opportunities for various retail, office, restaurant and/or community space. “We’re looking for input,” said Johnston. His firm, Revitalize Inc., is working on the ambitious plans with Van Esley to modernize the building without changing its basic configuration in what they call a historic revitalization project.

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Foreign assistance is as American as apple pie

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As young international development workers in Africa in the 1980s-1990s, we wondered why people often displayed a photo of President John F. Kennedy in their homes. Here’s why. In 1961, President Kennedy proposed the establishment of USAID (the United States Agency for International Development) the same year he called for the creation of the Peace Corps. USAID is not partisan, write Phyllis & Dan Craun-Selka, residents of Lake Ann, Michigan, who worked with USAID for some 35 years in 30 countries. Our foreign policy depends on the 3 Ds- Defense, Diplomacy, and Development working together to keep America safe. Department of Defense leaders will tell you that USAID prevents wars. President Reagan increased the USAID budget linked to a national policy to promote democracy and business around the world. President George W. Bush’s PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief), authorized by Congress, became the most successful aid program ever, so far, saving more than 26 million people. PEPFAR has made America safer and more secure with the AIDS pandemic under better control.

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“Lake Leelanau Spirit of the Lake” screens in Traverse City

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The Leelanau Historical Society proudly presents “Lake Leelanau, Spirit of the Lake,” a captivating documentary that dives into the history and nostalgia of Lake Leelanau—a cherished body of water in Leelanau County. The film will screen on Jan. 28 at 7 pm at The Alluvion, located on the second floor of the Commongrounds Building in Traverse City. Pre-sale tickets cost $12, or $15 at the door. Produced by the Leelanau Historical Society and directed by Keith Patterson of Manitou Films, this film is a heartfelt tribute to the lake’s enduring legacy. The film is a recipient of a 2024 State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan.

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Lissa Edwards: Falling in love with her stories for nearly four decades

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Can a brilliant career be born from a moment of angst while hunched over a bathtub? If you’re Lissa Edwards, that’s a yes. “From the time I was cognizant of anything, I loved Glen Arbor. And I always knew I wanted to be a writer,” she says. Laughing, the proprietor of Glen Arbor Wines professes, “I often say I can write and I can pour wine; those are my only two skills. I have no others!” Nine months ago, Edwards retired from what is now called Traverse, Northern Michigan, where her career as a writer and editor spanned almost four decades. Throughout, Edwards mastered the ability of sussing out compelling stories where no one else was looking. Her ideas were virtually inexhaustible and her process uniquely her own—so much so that her colleagues coined the affectionate term “Lissariffic.”

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Empire pillar, historian Dave Taghon stood in a class by himself

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The sudden death of Dave Taghon on Jan. 3 struck family and friends from far and wide. Despite the fact he spent most of his life in Empire, Taghon’s influence spread far beyond the little village. He was a ready source of information about the area’s history, but more importantly, a vital part of its present and presence through his work on the village council, at his church, with the local Lions Club, and at his family’s gas station for nearly 40 years.

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Grand Traverse Band, New Community Vision, re-acquire Mashkiigaki on former Timber Shores property

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The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and the New Community Vision (NCV) nonprofit have reacquired land historically known as “Mashkiigaki” (formerly called Timber Shores)—which totals more than 200 acres along West Grand Traverse Bay between Suttons Bay and Northport. The Band gets more than 188 acres, including 1,800 feet of pristine shoreline; NCV gets 24 acres along M-22. The transfer deed was recorded on Dec. 26. New Community Vision has worked for two years to acquire and preserve the former Timber Shores property, which developers unsuccessfully tried to turn into an RV park until they were stopped by a ballot referendum in 2022. NCV is collaborating with Peninsula Housing to develop attainable housing on its portion of the land. Mashkiigaki is one of the largest undeveloped coastal properties in the Grand Traverse region.

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So God made a farmer

Award-winning radio broadcasting icon Paul Harvey delivered the impactful words of this speech, “So God made a Farmer,” to the Future Farmers of America convention in Kansas City, Missouri in 1978. This extraordinary speech made the listener pause while underscoring the collective importance of nurturing and embracing our farming communities across America. While it served as a gentle reminder during the Carter-Era to appreciate our “caretaking” farmers, in 2024 this can no longer be just a temperate reminder; the need to protect and prevent the extinction of the American Farmer is paramount—including here in Leelanau County.

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“I know this place.” Stones buy iconic Bicentennial Farm

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Scott Stone, a woodworker and retired metallurgist from Ferndale, Michigan, was at Cavanaugh’s grocery at The Homestead resort in August waiting for his pizza when he picked up a copy of our Aug. 22 edition of the Glen Arbor Sun, flipped to page 2, and read a story about the iconic bicentennial barn property at the corner of M-22 and Bohemian Road being for sale again. The 1890s farmhouse and barn on a 4-acre property in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was purchased in February 2021 by Greg and Heather (Nachazel) Ford. “I know this place,” from biking by it on the Sleeping Heritage Trail, Scott told himself. Fast forward to Oct. 17, when Scott and his wife Tamara bought the bicentennial farm from the Fords, who are moving out of state. The Stones have vacationed in the Glen Arbor area for 23 summers, they love the National Park, the vibe here, the sense of community, and proximity to Lake Michigan. For the past year they’ve been casually looking for a place to buy.

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