Raptor Sanctuary goes extra mile to save injured birds of prey

,

On Memorial Day, Kaitlyn Bohnet, 34, the executive director of North Sky Raptor Sanctuary, was notified by a concerned citizen that a near-fledgling red-shouldered hawk had been blown out of its nest in Ludington during a storm the day before. The scene of the unfortunate spill was the caller’s yard. Bohnet swung into action, retrieving the distressed bird. After conducting a wellness check on the crash-lander, she contacted the Pere Marquette Township Fire Department for assistance. Given an aerial lift of some 40 feet courtesy of the department’s ladder truck, Bohnet reunited the young hawk with its family in its maple tree nest, safe and sound. In 2023, North Sky, headquartered in Interlochen, rescued raptors in 29 northern Michigan counties, including Leelanau. Outlining their area of coverage, Bohnet explains, “It’s pretty much from Grand Rapids to the Mackinac Bridge, then everything east to west. So, if there’s a raptor in need, we’re here to help.”

Read more
/by

Star party and solar viewing returns to Sleeping Bear Dunes

Mark your calendars. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is thrilled to announce the return of the popular Star Party and Solar Viewing events. Join park rangers and astronomers from the Grand Traverse Astronomical Society at the Dune Climb parking lot Saturday, July 13, from 9-11 pm. Rangers will provide information on preserving dark skies, and GTAS will have telescopes set up for visitors to enjoy.

Read more
/by

Roadside markets and the Steimel Farm Stand

,

Beware this time of year when driving around the Leelanau Peninsula. Cars will suspiciously slow down and then veer off the road seemingly for no reason, almost causing accidents. Why? Spotting an animal? A favorite winery? A picture opportunity? Maybe, but most roadtrippers are stopping for the gorgeously arrayed farm stands throughout the peninsula. This side-business allowed farmers to move product at their discretion, set fair pricing, and cut out a middle-man. The farmers make direct connections to the consumer; the farmers can move smaller batches of crops that would not be large enough for a commercial buyer; the farmers can sell crops that may be too ripe for a grocery store; ultimately, the farmers control the freshness of the final product sold at the farm stand. Every time a consumer purchases something from a farm stand it is a reminder of our symbiotic connection to the earth and the farmers growing the food the public at large consumes. One of the hardest working farm stand owners, Al Steimel, appreciates the important relationship between producer and consumer in the Leelanau Peninsula.

Read more
/by

Leelanau School opens Charles E. Scripps Creativity Center

The Leelanau School recently dedicated the newly constructed Charles E. Scripps Jr. Creativity Center on its Glen Arbor campus. The Center will house the school’s ceramics studio, newly donated woodworking shop, and new Laser Engraving program. The project was inspired and funded through the generosity of Charles E. Scripps Jr. of Montana, a Leelanau parent and grandparent. Mr. Scripps shares Leelanau’s passion for hands-on and entrepreneurial learning experiences. Applied arts allow students to learn elements of creativity and design while acquiring the discipline required to turn ideas into reality.

Read more
/by

It’s always growing season at Lakeview Hill farm

, ,

Lakeview Hill Farm is getting ready to celebrate a birthday. On July 6, its farm market will celebrate one year since opening. Chances are owners Bailey Samp and John Dindia will be too busy farming to worry about blowing out candles. After all, farming is hard work. Not just running the new store, but growing and harvesting crops on around their certified organic produce and cut flower farm while they work to extend the growing season through the use of greenhouses and caterpillar tunnels. “We now have six greenhouses and seven caterpillar tunnels on two acres. A quarter acre is flowers,” says Samp. The flower field now backs up to the market. This is the second story in our series on solutions to the farming crisis.

Read more
/by

At Glen Lake Beauty Salon, the torch is passed to Sara Sanborn

,

The beauty salon stands as a pillar in any town, serving as a place for physical edification, but also as a cornerstone of the community. The beauty salon is more than a destination for a great blow-out or a fab mani-pedi. It is a sanctuary of sorts—a place where friendships are forged, stories are shared, and confidence is nurtured. Glen Lake Beauty Salon embodies this concept, offering a panoply of premiere beauty services while also providing warmth to, and solace for, its many patrons. It is a most significant—and very fortuitous—development for Glen Arbor that Sherri Ricard, the beloved owner of the Beauty Salon, sold her business to longtime, devoted partner, Sara Sanborn, in early June. This proverbial passing of the torch has been met with a collective sigh of relief from the community.

Read more
/by

36 hours? But how would you spend 36 DAYS in Leelanau?

You may have read The New York Times late May story on how to spend 36 Hours in Traverse City and Leelanau County. Oh, but 36 hours is so painfully short! We asked our Glen Arbor Sun writers how they would spend 36 DAYS in our beautiful peninsula—with an emphasis on slowing down, breathing, observing, and reflecting on this special place. Click here for our recommendations.

Read more
/by

Staying cool in Cherry Republic’s Fourth of July Parade bear suit

, ,

Connor Ciolek considers it an honor to wear Cherry Republic’s “Boomer” bear costume in the Glen Arbor Fourth of July parade, which gathers in Glen Haven in the morning and departs for downtown around noon. The company’s mascot has been a mainstay in his life; he has a vivid memory of Boomer showing up at his older brother Jackson’s fifth birthday. This is the second year in a row Connor has volunteered to dress as Boomer for the parade. The job has its trials, though. “It’s very hot. The black costume soaks up all the sun,” said Connor, who has worked at Cherry Republic for eight years. “I wear an ice pack vest on my chest, especially when the parade (temperature) is in the mid-80s like it was last year.”

Read more
/by

Glen Lake Woman’s Club holds Old Settlers flag raising

Join community members of all ages in celebrating the founding of our nation in a joyous and patriotic ceremony. The traditional raising of the flag will be followed by a singalong of well-loved and familiar patriotic songs. Eric Carlson, the featured speaker, is best known in Leelanau County for his 25-year career as a reporter and columnist for the Leelanau Enterprise. He will share his views on the importance of a free press to our nation, especially in times of war and domestic conflict.

Read more
/by

Leland Fireworks saved by concerned citizens

, ,

Watching the Fourth of July parade with her husband, Greg, in front of their home on South Main Street in Leland carries extra special sentiment for Mary Kuntz. Not only is it her favorite part of the celebrations, but it reminds her of how she won the jackpot living in Leland. “It was always my dream to live here,” she shared, but Greg wasn’t initially that fond of Leland. His vacations here were always a steady stream of rain, with the exception of his first visit, when the couple stayed in a rental on Main Street and loved every bit of it. Besides the parade, they sometimes also watch Leland’s fireworks from the end of Pine Street near Main, a grand display that takes place at dusk on July 3 from Hancock Field. With fellow Leland resident Cheryl VanZee (Shorty) as a catalyst and Mary with quick resources, the two set about to save Leland’s fireworks this year.

Read more
/by