House the bikers, feed the bikers

By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor On Sunday, May 25, roadside onlookers throughout the county will catch bike racers zooming by during the fourth annual Tour de Leelanau (moved from the fall to Memorial Day weekend this year to get a leg up on other national bike races). Among other feats, the pedalers will climb the […]

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Asparagus Festival Recipe Contest Winners

Despite the threat of torrents from above, Empire pulled off its annual Asparagus Festival in mid-May without a hitch. Here are this year’s winners in the Asparagus Festival recipe contest. Photo by Joanne Rettke Judges: Ann Derrick of the Good Harbor Grill in Glen Arbor; last year’s recipe winner, Empire’s Bonnie Nescot, and Patti Cantrell […]

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Park unveils revamped General Management Plan to public

By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor In early June, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (the local branch of the National Park Service) will hold three identical public meetings on consecutive days to present four action alternatives, including the Park’s “preferred alternative,” for a new General Management Plan (GMP), and solicit public comments in the process. […]

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Making a difference, one bear at a time

By Pat Stinson Sun contributor “What you think on, grows.” That’s the firm belief of Empire resident Jan Sikorski, who meditated and slept on the question, “What is mine to do?” after watching the movie, “The Secret,” loaned to her by a friend. In the movie, Mother Teresa’s statement, “Do NOT invite me to an […]

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New businesses, faces on the block open their doors

By Jacob Wheeler Sun editor No, that’s not an outhouse near the Crystal River, steps from Riverfront Pizza. Don’t do your business in there, canoers. That’s actually Hole 6 of Mike Sutherland’s new mini-golf course, The River at Crystal Bend, where an airborne putt into one of the two openings in the outhouse seat might […]

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Get Wild In Your Garden

By Cre Woodard Sun contributor My first landscaping job in northern Michigan involved working on a pond for a friend, a man of grand creative vision and gardening courage. We went all out! At night, I would dream about the rare and exotic plant materials we would buy for the pond. It turned out beautifully. […]

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Sudsy’s Sports Shorts

By Tim Sutherland Sun sports guru “WE LOVE OUR TIGERS!” They are the heart and soul of our Michigan pro sports teams. From the beginning of the 20th century, when Ty Cobb terrorized American League teams with his hitting and base running, to the present day stars like Justin Verlander and Magglio Ordoñez, we live […]

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Travels in Deutschland

By Nadine Gilmer Sun contributor Glen Lake School started its German exchange program 10 years ago when Carla Gipson set up a sister school relationship with the Anne Frank Gesamtschule in Havixbeck, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. Since then, students from our local school district and German students have traveled back and forth […]

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Local restaurants go smoke free

From staff reports Both Glen Arbor and Empire now boast a locale where you can have a drink at the bar (even in January) without smelling like a Marlboro chimney the next morning. The Western Avenue Grill’s manager Bill Skolnik banned smoking in the whole bar on April 1. The few customers who complained about […]

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Fluffy snow, anyone?

Will this winter be a lion or a lamb? Old Man Winter suffered a New Year’s Eve hangover, and a thaw in early January prompted us to ask that question. But by mid-January the ground was white again (certainly to the delight of little ones skiing at The Homestead resort north of Glen Arbor). Last […]

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