Wondering what to get Dad or Grandpa for Father’s Day? If he’s a railroad buff, why not give him a few nights in a real caboose? Back in the woodsy shadow of the Sleeping Bear Dunes sits a large, newly painted and refurbished caboose replete with bed, TV and Wi-Fi, a microwave and small fridge, even heat and air conditioning.

When Tina Greene-Bevington looks at the bookstore she has built in only half a year, she sees all the potential it holds. She sees patrons lounging on picnic tables sipping cups of tea, or buried deeply in the stacks, searching for the perfect book.

A local nonprofit aims to bring brand new, eco-conscious multi-use trails and a bolstered mountain bike community to Leelanau County, to provide more outdoor activity options for people of all ages, and to help locals rediscover the natural wonders in their own backyard.

Lou Batori, Glen Arbor’s centenarian who was born in Budapest, survived the Russian advance during World War I, immigrated to the United States in 1929, made his career as a successful engineer, and downhill skied and motorcycled into his 100s, has died at age 107.

What follows is part two of our short survey of adult books by, or including, area authors, poets and essayists, as well as books with a connection to the area. From first-time to familiar authors, their ability to harness words will impress you and leave you impatient for more. Grab the woolen blanket and come along for the ride.

Peter Richards had an unassuming Leelanau County life, growing up in Suttons Bay, and graduating from Glen Lake High School in 2004. And then it hit: photography entered his life as he entered Northern Michigan University that fall.

The beach house overlooking North Bar Lake’s channel to Lake Michigan will be demolished in 2018, says Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore deputy superintendent Tom Ulrich. The home has gone from beautiful to derelict in the two years since its original owner, Edward P. Cole, died. Why will it be torn down and not used for some other purpose? And why was Cole able to stay in his home all this time, when many other land owners literally cried at having to give theirs up when the Park was formed. Here’s the story of what happened and why it’s coming down.

The Glen Arbor Arts Center (GAAC)—formerly the Glen Arbor Art Association—inaugurates its new gallery and exhibitions space with “New Gallery/New Work,” on Friday, Jan. 12, from 6-8 p.m. A reception to open the exhibition begins at 6 p.m.

Just before Christmas, Ian Olmsted and a team from Peninsula Solar completed the installation of 70 rooftop solar panels above the Art’s Annex, the former gas station turned t-shirt shop next to the popular tavern in downtown Glen Arbor. The solar array will generate 30,000 kilowatt hours annually —satisfying 15-20 percent of Art’s energy load.

Northern Michigan’s heritage landscapes are changing as invasive species, urban development and climate change alter, damage or destroy familiar plant and animal communities on the land and in our waters. Longtime science journalist Joe VanderMeulen understands the challenges these developments pose to volunteer conservationists, natural resource professionals and the organizations working to manage, protect and preserve the forests, wetlands, streams and lakes of our beloved region.