Glen Arbor Sun offers free online ads, appeals to readers for advice during coronavirus shutdown
Fourth of July parade photo by Taro Yamasaki.
From staff reports
2020 marks our 25th year of publishing the Glen Arbor Sun. We love this community, and we endeavor to play a key role in keeping you informed about the goings-on throughout the Sleeping Bear Dunes and Leelanau County. We’re “here to enlighten you” about upcoming events, business and commerce, and to celebrate the unique individuals who contribute to the character of our beloved peninsula.
The Glen Arbor Sun typically prints newspapers between mid-May and Christmas—the traditional up north tourism season. But during this spring like no other, we’ve expanded our role to publish daily stories on our website, GlenArborSun.com, to keep readers informed about the myriad ways the coronavirus pandemic is impacting life in our area. We tell you of the frequent updates about closures at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and important health updates from the Benzie-Leelanau Health Department. We notify you of and explain cancelations of popular events like the Empire Asparagus Festival and the M-22 Challenge. We share which grocery stores and restaurants that remain open, serving curbside, to keep us fed during these trying times. And now we’ve added our “Leelanau Essentials” characters who deserve to be honored and celebrated.
To support our essential businesses, and to provide our readers with a key resource, we’re offering free online advertising between now and June 1 to those grocery stores and restaurants offering curbside-takeout. Check out the righthand side of this page for a list of those businesses. If you’re one of those businesses and want to be added, reach out to us at ads@GlenArborSun.com.
In addition, since most Leelanau County businesses remain necessarily closed to diners, shoppers and pedestrians, we at the Glen Arbor Sun are forced to rethink how, where, and perhaps when, to publish and distribute our print editions once the season begins in mid-May. We need advice from you, our readers, and wonder if you would share your feedback and answer the following questions:
- Normally, you can pick up a copy of the Glen Arbor Sun newspaper inside retail businesses, stores and restaurants throughout the County. That may not be possible during the coronavirus pandemic. So here’s our question: If we invested in outdoor enclosed newspaper stands, and placed them in key spots throughout our villages, would you feel comfortable opening a plastic door and picking up your free copy(s) of the newspaper? (We know that the coronavirus has changed habits.)
- If we delay our print season, we’d like to continue publishing news and feature stories on our website and social media (Facebook, Instagram). Would you the reader financially support this kind of local journalism—either through a one-time donation or a monthly “subscription” similar to the National Public Radio model?
- During this unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, what stories (specifically, or general ideas) would you like to see in our pages, or on our website? What information do you value the most? Which characters, neighbors or business owners would you like to see featured? Which “Leelanau Essentials” should we illuminate?
Please leave comments below, or write to us on Facebook, or email us at Editorial@GlenArborSun.com.
Thanks for your readership, and your support!
Jacob Wheeler
Glen Arbor Sun editor and publisher
