empire hill climb

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Paul Skinner helps drive Empire along

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“Come on in,” says Paul Skinner as he opens the door at the Miser’s Hoard. “Don’t mind them. Hush,” he says to Brandi and Gizmo, the Shih Tzu security team. The tall, ungainly building on Front Street in Empire is home to the two tiny guard dogs, Paul and Shelly Skinner, and the Miser’s Hoard, their catch-all store which sells an eclectic mix of gifts, jewelry, furnishings, accessories and antiques—which celebrates 25 years of operation in Empire this year. And more than that, if you want to know the truth. It’s also the headquarters for the Empire Asparagus Festival and the Empire Hill Climb, both of which Paul oversees. That’s quite a bit for one place in the diminutive village in the southwestern corner of Leelanau County. But the Skinners make it work.

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Dave’s Garage owners, Olvey family ready to race or repair

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Cars have been a passion for Craig Olvey for as long as he can remember. The owner of Dave’s Garage in Empire can’t exactly say when his love affair with automobiles began, but it was early on. “Growing up, I always had a fascination with cars,” he  says. “I lived down the street in Cincinnati from a Porsche dealer. I grew up working at a carwash.” And it appears he’s passed his passion on to his sons. Craig and his older son Caden will be participating in the Empire Hill Climb Sept. 13.

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A racing mind: Thompson Racing Fabrication welds Empire Hill Climb

At the Empire Hill Climb on Saturday, Sept. 14, look for cars sporting the blue Thompson Racing Fabrication (TRF) logo as they zoom up Wilco Road. This is the sixth annual race in downtown Empire (it took place from 1964 until 1980 before taking a 34-year hiatus). Runs begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 5:30 p.m.

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Does grocery-less Empire need municipal wastewater?

A big drawback for business in Empire is the village’s lack of adequate wastewater treatment. Amidst the specter of a shuttered grocery swirls an impassioned, at times contentious, debate over whether the village should invest in a municipal sewer system—either to benefit the core business district or to cover the wastewater needs of most residents.

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Empire Hill Climb 2018

The Empire Hill Climb returns on Saturday, Sept. 15, and will include all sorts of race cars from homebuilt monsters, to vintage racers, rally cars and drift cars. Autoweek is this year’s event sponsor. Entries are full but a waiting list is available at EmpireHillClimb.com. The event is free to attend.

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Empire Hill Climb

A hit with race car enthusiasts, the Empire Hill Climb takes place Saturday, Sept. 16, at 8 a.m. Learn more on this Facebook page.

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Top stories of 2014: canopy air walk; Doc Houghton, Sugar Loaf

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The most popular Glen Arbor Sun story of 2014 was an investigative article in February that featured a proposed canopy air walk in Kasson Township, near Burdickville, that never materialized. Local opposition to Mark Evan’s “air walk” was nearly unanimous, and passionate. Our story attracted thousands of views, and 55 comments.

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Racing Empire Bluff

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The Empire Hill Climb, which ran from 1964 until 1980 — once in the spring and once in the fall — returns to action on Sept. 20. Approximately 20 drivers have signed up, and they’ll take turns racing the curvy, half-mile route up Wilco Rd. (toward the Empire Bluffs trail parking lot) between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. A racecar expose from 9-9:45 a.m. on Front Street will precede the main event.

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