Celebrating “Empire anchor” Mike Vanderberg with Dunegrass originals

From staff reports A benefit for the family of Mike Vanderberg and a celebration of his life will take place at two locations in Empire on his birthday, Sunday, September 30, with music from noon until 10 p.m. at Johnson’s Park and an early dinner at the Town Hall beginning at 2 p.m. The main […]

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Making jelly from Wild Fox Grapes

By Judith Kalter Sun contributor The best way to learn to cook is in your grandmother’s kitchen. My grandmother, Mary Ellen Senter Harrison Hoegraver Noe, always encouraged her six grandchildren to help out by punching down the yeasty fragrant bread dough before she fried it up in a big cast iron skillet or let us […]

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My grandmother’s recipes: of food and family

By Holly Wren Spaulding Sun contributor I look around the long table. Our mothers — the three sisters — are presiding over numerous pots and pans, the many dishes required to feed our coterie. They sit down to eat, then just as soon as something runs out, get up to fetch things from the kitchen […]

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Cooperative living in a college town

By Corin Blust Sun contributor Last fall, I moved into a broken-down yellow house on Kingsley Street in Ann Arbor along with 11 other people. Sound familiar to a reality show you’ve seen on television? The only difference was that we were not regular tenants. Our goal was to fix up the house and make […]

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Haunted Hayride returns to Empire

The Empire Eagles will hold their Haunted Hayride at 3805 E Empire Highway (M-72 near Gilbert Road) on two upcoming weekends: October 19 & 20 and 26 & 27. The goblins and ghosts arrive at 7:30 p.m. and charge $10 per victim. Be afraid. Be very afraid!!! Photo courtesy of Laura Sielaff The Glen Arbor […]

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Kineebigag, Snakes

By Lois Beardslee Excerpted from Lois Beardslee’s forthcoming book of poetry titled We Live Here. Past excerpts by Beardslee in the Glen Arbor Sun are from Not Far Away, The Real Life Adventures of Ima Pipiig (AltaMira Press), which is due out in September. That was a difficult conversation The one that Niinooko had with […]

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Firefighters practice their skills

Glen Arbor firefighters demonstrate methods used to extinguish a car fire during the annual Open House. Photo by Joanne Rettke The Glen Arbor Sun has concluded publishing for the summer, but we’ll print three “off-season” issues, on September 13, November 7 and January 17. Look for coverage of the Tour de Leelanau bike race, recently […]

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Chatter au lait … and Coffee, too

By Joanne Bender Sun contributor They meet daily at the Leelanau Coffee Roasting Company in Glen Arbor, winter, spring, summer and fall. Outside or inside, depending on weather conditions. “They” includes the “regulars” and most are “locals.” Why? To talk, to laugh, to chide one another and to have a cup of java. The group […]

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New photographer sends a Ripple throughout local art scene

By Corin Blust Sun contributor Jeff Ripple may be “a Florida boy at heart,” but after marrying local Pam Lincoln last July he has begun to embrace the idyllic rolling hills and gentle landscape that characterizes Leelanau County. Ripple’s breathtakingly detailed wilderness photographs are on display at his new gallery and studio, Ripple Effect, on […]

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Mike Vanderberg: Free Thinker, Anarchist, Village Anchor

By F. Josephine Arrowood Sun contributor Since the sudden death of Mike Vanderberg on August 11, at the site of the recent Dunegrass Music Festival, residents of the Village of Empire and beyond have responded to the news with shock, sadness and a sense of disbelief. This generous, eccentric spirit created and presided over village […]

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