Introducing the Democratic candidates for State House 103rd District

From staff reports Michigan’s redistricting process has created a new 103rd District, which includes Leelanau County, greater Traverse City, and a sliver of Benzie County. Leelanau previously fell in the 101st District, which included Benzie, Manistee and Mason counties running down the Lake Michigan coastline. Two Democratic challengers are running in this year’s primary election […]

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Glen Lake Fire Department hosts open house

The Glen Lake Fire Department’s station # 1 will host an open house on Saturday, July 30, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The location is 6401 W. State St. in Glen Arbor.

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Dancing in the barns and fields

The TC Dance Project returns once again to Leelanau County’s historic barns and pastoral landscape. In collaboration with the Glen Arbor Arts Center, the dance performance will be held on Saturday, July 30, from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Nash Road Red Barn near Maple City—on property owned by an Arts Center board member.

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Summer season Up North: a perfect teaching moment

Today, northern Michigan is experiencing unprecedented growth owing to some unique influences. Most notably, the pandemic provided an opportunity for many to work from anywhere with an Internet connection and through videoconferencing. Some launched their own entrepreneurial dream here. Others have come—and will continue to—to escape climate change impacts such as drought, wildfires, and rising coastal waters. Additionally, there are the “boomerangers”: younger adults who left the region after high school seeking greener pastures, eventually realizing that northern Michigan’s matchless geography, climate, and sense of community make for an ideal place to raise a family. And of course, let’s not forget the tourists, whose numbers continue to climb. Residents, both lifelong and those who have assimilated over many years, greet this influx of visitors and those relocating as something of a mixed blessing.

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Supporting mental health on the farm

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“Growing up on a farm was a wonderful experience. I was surrounded by nature and family,” said Remington Rice, a Benzie County native who represents the fifth generation to grow up on the same family farm in rural Michigan. “Of course, not everything was perfect. The men in the family didn’t really talk about stress or how they were doing. I never heard my grandpa say he was stressed or sad; you just kept working and didn’t talk about it. I think there was this belief that if you don’t acknowledge it, then it’ll go away on its own.” Rice joined Michigan State University (MSU) Extension as a health and farm stress educator in August 2021.

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Enjoy a day with the family in Suttons Bay

Suttons Bay is a 20-minute trip up M22 from Traverse City, a 15-minute ride across the peninsula from Leland, or just a half-hour from Glen Arbor. With young kids in the car, quick trips are key. The accessible location on the peninsula is one of the many aspects of this bustling little town that makes it great for young families. But there’s so much more. Even for those who have been coming to Suttons Bay for years, you might be surprised by a few things.

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Friends of Glen Lake Library hold Home Tour

On July 28, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the Friends of the Glen Lake Community Library hold their biennial Home Tour featuring six beautiful area homes. The cost is $25 per person. Proceeds will support the purchase of general and special collections, fund programs for children, teens, and adults, fund special purchases at the request of the Library Director and Library Board, and sponsor the sale of used books inside the Library and outdoors at “pop-up” sales. Here are descriptions of those six homes featured on this year’s Home Tour.

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Sailing Ladies: Meet the Grand Traverse region’s female captains

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In the Grand Traverse region, being on a boat is almost second nature to many, both men and women. Women are truly, and successfully, contributing to our modern-day maritime way of life. No longer considered an exclusively all male domain, even here in the Grand Traverse region women make their own mark captaining boats of all sizes. “One of the greatest things I like to hear is young women wanting to captain a ship,” said Lily Heyns, Relief Captain on both the Tall Ships Inland Seas and Manitou. Get to know Heyns, Heather Jankens, Rebecca Hancock, and Stephanie Watkins in Sandra Bradshaw’s story published in our July 14 edition of the Glen Arbor Sun.

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North Manitou Light Keepers to host annual rally, crib cruise, July 28

From staff reports
The North Manitou Light Keepers (NMLK) will host its annual Lightkeeper Rally and Crib Cruise in Leland on July 28. This fun and engaging event is open to all and gathers people to share community, learn about restoration efforts and plans for the North Manitou Shoal Light (also called “the Crib”), and take an evening cruise on board the Mishe-Mokwa to see and learn more about the lighthouse.
“People really enjoy getting together and imagining the fun things we can do with the lighthouse while also honoring its history and those who have worked there,” said Daniel Oginsky, NMLK president. “The Crib Cruise is a great time, taking an evening boat ride out into one of America’s most beautiful places and telling fun and interesting stories, people have loved it,” he added.
The Lightkeeper Rally will be from 4-6 p.m. at Main Street Gallery (307 South Main Street in Leland). Light food and drinks will be served by the Leland River, while attendees mingle and NMLK members discuss the status of restoration efforts and plans for the Crib. There is no registration or cost to attend the Lightkeeper Rally.
The Crib Cruise will depart on board the Mishe-Mokwa, operated by Manitou Island Transit, at 6:30 p.m. from Historic Fishtown in Leland. The Mishe-Mokwa will cruise out to the lighthouse, which is eight miles from Leland Harbor and near the Manitou Islands. It will then gently circle the lighthouse while NMLK members tell stories about the Crib, its history, and its future. The cost of the Crib Cruise is $45 per person, with any net proceeds going to support the restoration of the Crib. To attend the Crib Cruise, visit www.northmanitoulightkeepers.org/cribcruise.
The North Manitou Light Keepers is a nonprofit organization founded in 2016. Its mission is to restore the North Manitou Shoal Light Station, make it and its history available to the public for education and appreciation, and cultivate an active community of stewardship for this piece of Michigan maritime history that stands amidst one of America’s most beautiful locations.

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Empowerment on Water: Female captain breaks boating barriers

Whether it is hobby or career they seek, it is difficult for females to enter the sport of boating. Sailing is especially challenging in northern Michigan, where weather only permits a six-month season in contrast to warmer climates that offer more time during the year to practice. “It takes a really brave person to go into hibernation and come out boating again after a long break,” said Captain Stephanie Watkins, a Leelanau County resident and possibly Traverse City’s first female sailing captain.

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