Northern Michigan is “bear country” and seeing one of these magnificent creatures may be a highlight of your visit to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) this summer as bear sightings have increased, particularly near the Platte River Campground. In 2010, Park Rangers received over two dozen reports of bears and bear “signs” in and adjacent to the park.
Volunteers are being sought to assist with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore’s avian botulism beach monitoring program. An informational training program for prospective volunteers will be held from 1-4 p.m. on Thursday, June 2 at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) Visitor Center, 9922 Front Street, in Empire.
Following his ill-fated alleged attempt to acquire Sugar Loaf resort in Leelanau County a year ago, Eneliko Sean “Liko” Smith once again finds himself in legal hot water for his role with LV Air, ultra-luxury carrier that was supposed to fly between Las Vegas and New York, and received national media attention when it was announced in February.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (the local branch of the National Park Service) is announcing a new firewood program established to protect park forests from invasive insect and diseases commonly spread through the transport of firewood.
This weekend, May 6-7, the Flow for Water Coalition will team up with the Great Lakes Water Studies Institute, Northern Michigan College and Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation to present the 2011 Conference “Saving the Great Lakes Forever”.
n early March 2011 I invited the Representative of Michigan’s 101st District, Ray Franz to come and speak with my students at Onekema Elementary School about his role in our State’s government, I asked him to speak of current issues in Michigan that would be of interest to a typical third grader, and to answer student questions regarding our natural resources, energy, transportation, and our civil liberties.
A group recently formed in Leelanau County is speaking out for immigrant rights. With Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or I.C.E. crack-downs across Northern Michigan becoming more common, the group of concerned citizens says they want to stand up for the members of our community that don’t always have a chance to stand up for themselves.
Elberta, in nearby Benzie County, could fall prey to Governor Rick Snyder and the GOP-controlled Michigan legislature’s controversial Local Government and School District Accountability Act. This means that debt-ridden and financially troubled Elberta could fall under government financial review and, hypothetically, the town could be disbanded and turned over to non-elected Emergency Managers.
Diane Conners of the Great Lakes Bulletin News Service wrote an informative story today about how legislation pushed by State Representative Ray Franz (who represents Leelanau, Benzie and Manistee Counties) and 14 other Republicans in Lansing would privatize food service for school cafeterias, which could hurt popular farm to school programs.
Making Michigan’s towns and economies more robust through transportation policy reform and smart investments in roads and bridges is the ambition behind Transportation For Michigan (Trans4M). The new coalition was announced today during a statewide telephone press conference.