Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes board chairman Kerry Kelly reports that a phantom snow plower is plowing 100 yards of a seasonal road that forms the section of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail between M-109 and DH Day Campground. That inhibits the ability of cross-country skiers to glide, uninterrupted, between Glen Arbor and the Dune Climb.
Kerry Kelly, chairman of the board at Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes, reports on December 22 that new overnight snow has enabled the nonprofit to groom the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail for both classic and cross-country skate skiing.
Art’s Tavern Tim Barr reports that “Art’s will be closed from Monday night, Dec. 23, at 10 p.m. until breakfast at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26, for re-varnishing the bar and other maintenance tasks. “Merry Christmas to all!” he says.
Eneliko “Liko” Smith has told Leelanau County Construction Code Authority Steve Haugen that he will “probably be here some time this week” to prove to Haugen that he is, in fact, the owner of Sugar Loaf resort. The enigmatic Samoan boxer with a dubious legal history has claimed since late September that he owns the long shuttered Northern Michigan ski resort. But Smith has offered no documentation to back that claim.
Kathleen Stocking will give a 30-minute lecture about African-American pioneers on Glen Lake at the Empire Museum at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Please spread the word among friends, neighbors, and while waiting in the grocery line.
More than 200 patriotic Americans, local townspeople and students from two high schools attended an emotionally stirring September 11 Memorial Service at the Glen Lake Fire Department this morning — an annual event in Glen Arbor to remember the fallen, to honor those that serve in uniform and risk their lives for our communities and our nation, and as a reminder that evil still exists today in a dangerous world.
On Tuesday, July 9, the National Park Service (NPS) welcomed the 40 millionth visitor to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Superintendent Dusty Shultz, Deputy Superintendent Tom Ulrich, and Interpretive Park Rangers greeted Mary and Jerry Keller of Cincinnati with enthusiasm and gifts, at the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center in Empire. An announcement was made and the rest of the visitors applauded.
The Empire Area Community Emergency Fund’s Solstice Concert on June 23 in Johnson Park more than doubled the group’s previous donation record, reported Gerry Shiffman. “We raised just under $6,500 including sponsorships, donations and sales of product,” said the admittedly tired, but overjoyed event organizer. “It was a beautiful day and a wonderful experience. The event was a blast, the weather was great, the performers were awesome, and the energy was sweet and mellow.”
What services are imperative for a small town like Glen Arbor? How about a grocery store, a hardware store, a gas station and an active Chamber of Commerce. Check three of four for Jeff and Georgia Gietzen, the Grand Rapids transplants who acquired Northwoods Hardware three years ago (and became sole owners in 2011), who have also become Chamber leaders, and this spring bought the gas station just north of town. Northwoods Filling Station now boasts vintage 1950s signage, sells gasoline and quick bites, and most importantly stays open 7 days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. That’s a big improvement over having to drive to Empire or Maple City for petrol.
This sign at the eastern edge of the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail, as it approaches Glen Arbor, misleads bikers (and everyone else) into thinking they should turn right to access downtown Glen Arbor and its restaurants, shops and galleries. In fact, to reach Glen Arbor, folks should turn left and proceed 0.3 miles on Forest Haven Drive, and then turn right on M-109 (West Harbor Highway) for 0.1 miles. See the Google Map below.