COVID cases plummet in Benzie-Leelanau; first day without cases since Sept. 5, 2021

According to statistics from the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported yesterday, Feb. 21. That’s the first day without reported cases since last September 5, when the weather was still warm, people still fraternized outdoors, and before the Omicron variant spread. “It is great news that the number of cases is declining in our state and our region,” Lisa Peacock, health officer for the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, said in a press release today. “We want to keep this downward trend continuing and prevent another surge. Therefore, it is still critical that anyone who is eligible get vaccinated and receive their booster shot.”

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Biting the Fish at Glen Lake Winterfest

Miserable weather conditions in the early morning hours of Saturday, Feb. 19, didn’t stop these hearty souls at Glen Arbor’s Winterfest. Fifty-three people braved white-out snow conditions and below-zero temperatures to participate in a perch fishing contest with proceeds benefiting the Glen Lake School scholarship fund. All told, the event raised more than $9,100 raised for Glen Lake scholarships.

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Tusen Takk Foundation in Leland announces 2022-23 residents

The Tusen Takk Foundation is pleased to announce the 15 artists who have been selected for a solo or collaborative residency at Tusen Takk from August 2022 through December 2023. The foundation’s second season brings a group of exceptionally talented people to an inspiring place to work in a variety of media including painting, monumental paperworks, photography, music composition, textile arts, and creative writing.

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Benzie-Leelanau Health Department lifts school mask mandate, February 17

Due to improving conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department announced that the First Amended Order which requires masks to be worn in school settings will be lifted on Thursday, February 17.

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Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes seeks volunteers

The Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes is always looking for new volunteers. If you enjoy being outdoors and being part of a group of dedicated park volunteers, this is the place for you. Some volunteer positions like Adopt-A-Beach, Adopt-A-Trail and Adopt-A-River can be completed on your own or with family and friends, when you are here and when you have time. Other positions provide the opportunity to meet and learn from park professionals and trained volunteers in a group setting.

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Case-Daniels Jewelry & Metalsmithing: eclectic place of community

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By Sandra Serra Bradshaw Sun contributor Case-Daniels Jewelry & Metalsmithing, centered in the village of Suttons Bay, is found off the main M-22 thoroughfare. The establishment, located at the end of a short-and-straight brick walkway, beckons passersby to explore its path. You will find the sky-blue building of Case-Daniels at the end of the walkway. […]

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Glen Arbor Arts Center exhibits Woodland Studios, unveils 2022 summer event highlights

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The Glen Arbor Arts Center (GAAC) is exhibiting Woodland Studies, a small exhibition of black and white photographs by Grand Rapids photographer Rodney Martin. The exhibition runs until April 13 in the GAAC Lobby Gallery. Among highlights planned for this summer, the GAAC will collaborate with Interlochen Public Radio to host their first ever Music in Residency for June. IPR’s Soundgarden Quintet will play impromptu free concerts around Glen Arbor—at the beach, on a hiking trail, maybe a store, and once a week, they will host a free community concert on the GAAC’s front porch.

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Madcap Coffee acquires Blue Boat Coffee in Leland

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Grand Rapids-based Madcap Coffee Company has acquired Leland-based Blue Boat Coffee and will open its fourth café location in Michigan and its first in Leelanau County in March 2022.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes Trail Trekker Challenge checks all the boxes

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Although Leelanau County is fortunate to have a national lakeshore to step into with such little effort, it is easy for residents to forget that the park is 35 miles long and spans two counties. We get stuck in our bubbles and forget to explore other angles and ends. As a new year begins, consider stepping out of a routine, working on a New Years resolution, or getting to know the area better by taking on the Trail Trekker Challenge in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes receives National Park Foundation Open OutDoors for Kids Grant to offer free school programs

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore received an Open OutDoors for Kids grant from the National Park Foundation (NPF). Thanks to this grant, schools can join in for free. In the classroom, students will design, build, and test a small beach cleanup machine. These activities help students learn Next Generation Science Standards.

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