Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is restoring an 0.8-mile section of National Park Service-owned dirt track in the Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness in the vicinity of Good Harbor. The unnamed route traveled south from West Lake Michigan Road to Shell Lake.
Northern Michigan’s largest brand puts on one of the best athletic events of the year. At 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, 900 racers will line up for the ninth annual M22 Challenge. The race includes a 2.5-mile run, 17-mile bicycle ride, and 2.5-mile paddle — making it the most unique “tri” event in northern Michigan.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is recruiting up to 10 high school students entering grades 9-12 in the 2017-2018 school year to spend a week in the park gaining backcountry skills, enhancing knowledge of environmental stewardship, providing volunteer service, and building friendships—all while sleeping beneath the stars in the National Lakeshore’s designated Wilderness areas. The weeklong experience will take place from July 30-August 5. The program is free to all participants and includes food, gear, and transportation during the experience. Transportation grants may be available to participants requiring additional financial assistance.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is recruiting one Teacher-Ranger-Teacher (TRT) to spend the summer in the park learning about the resource and developing education programs. The application deadline is May 1.
The Glen Lake Library in Empire will host two special presentations to help celebrate National Library Week: the documentary film Nothing Like Chocolate on April 12 and well-known local author Jerry Dennis on April 14.
In celebration of Presidents’ Day, Superintendent Scott Tucker is pleased to announce that the entrance fee to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will be waived on Monday, February 20. Fees waived include entrance fees and commercial tour fees. Other fees such as reservations, camping, and concession fees are not included.
Jeff Katofsky, the new owner of Sugar Loaf, visited the dilapidated onetime ski resort for the first time on Wednesday, Dec. 14 — a biting cold and snowy day in Leelanau County. Katofsky acquired Sugar Loaf from Remo Polselli this fall.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is happy to announce the winner and runner-up of the kids’ artwork contest. The contest was open from August through October for anyone 12 years of age or younger. A total of 119 entries from young artists living in Michigan were received at park headquarters in Empire, Michigan. The National Lakeshore sponsored the contest in continued celebration of the “Every Kid in a Park” program and to select an image for the front of the park’s 2017 Annual Park Entrance Pass. Engaging with the youth of America is the central goal and theme of the “Every Kid in a Park” program. The National Lakeshore would like to thank all of the participants who dedicated creative time and energies to submit a piece of artwork for this contest.
Jeff Katofsky — a Southern California attorney, property developer, and minor league baseball team owner — is on the verge of taking over Sugar Loaf from the ski resort’s longtime owner Remo Polselli. Katofsky told the Glen Arbor Sun he will close escrow before the end of October. According to Leelanau County code inspector Steve Haugen, the transaction could be official by the end of this week.
In advance of the Nov. 8 general election, the Glen Arbor Sun reached out to interview candidates for Leelanau’s seven County Commission seats (both incumbents and challengers) and two candidates vying to replace John Soderholm as Glen Arbor Township Supervisor. At least one candidate for each County Commission seat responded to our interview request, as did both candidates for Township Supervisor — Bob Hawley and Peter Van Nort.