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Glen Arbor’s celebrated Fourth of July parade—proudly an “anything goes” fete for 60 years—has a few rules and structure now. But not too much will change. In late founder Stan Brubaker’s absence, the Glen Arbor Township will manage the parade, which lines up in Glen Haven and leaves for Glen Arbor at noon. Water guns, cannons and water balloons won’t be allowed this year. “People have complained in the past, and we’re getting rid of things that can hurt little kids or make older people wet. Getting creamed in the head by a water balloon you weren’t expecting is no fun, especially when you’re 75 years old.” Glen Arbor’s iconic citizen kazoo corps returns to the Fourth of July parade this year, following a three-year hiatus prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Leelanau County, 2022 was a year of new businesses growing in our communities, a year of celebrating historic legacies, and a year of grieving the loss of community pillars who left us. The Glen Arbor Sun’s top 10 most-read online stories of the year included homages to Beryl Skrocki, whose family business Sleeping Bear Surf & Kayak helped popularize standup paddle boarding in Empire and along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, longtime Cherry Republic general manager Kathy Baarstad, and storied Glen Arbor realtor and Sugar Loaf ski coach John Peppler.

It’s a well-known story. Finding an affordably-priced home in Leelanau County is difficult. For Glen Lake School, finding the right superintendent has also been a challenge. Jason Misner started on the job in August. The local community wanted to make sure the Misner family stayed. That meant finding them a home. Up stepped local realtors, who gave them a head start and opportunity to make an offer before a potential bidding war began on the house previously owned by the late John Peppler.

John Peppler, a fixture in Glen Arbor for decades and an affable realtor with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors, passed away on August 9 at age 75. He had spent months at Munson Hospital in Traverse City after contracting a tick-borne disease. 

Codified into laws and upheld by the courts, modern zoning ordinances have evolved to become the “laws of the land.” In Leelanau County, townships possess police power to enact and enforce zoning ordinances, while the county takes an advisory role through its planning commission.

The former Glen Arbor Township Cemetery, located in the backwoods behind Boonedocks, has been buried in a tangle of trees since the brutal storm of August 2015. The place is dear to me because my first book, Aaron’s Crossing, began its life and death saga when I sensed a ghost there.

This is Sugar Loaf, once the region’s premier ski resort and Leelanau County’s largest employer. Three hundred once worked here. Located off M-22, the artery of the peninsula, Sugar Loaf pulsed with traffic and commerce during these cold, quiet winter months until it closed in 2000. This isn’t the story of those who ran Sugar Loaf into the ground. This is the story of her characters and personalities, how they reflect on the resort, and what they’re up to now.

Here’s a quick timeline of events surrounding Sugar Loaf since the resort reemerged in the headlines last September. Below that you’ll also find a list of major questions that remain about Sugar Loaf and its ownership.

In a rare and extensive interview with the Glen Arbor Sun today, Remo Polselli admitted that he is the owner of Sugar Loaf resort, through his share in Rok Investments LLC. Polselli did not specify the extent of his ownership, or who else is involved in the corporation, but added that Liko Smith has no — nor has had any — part of Rok Investments.

Leelanau County code inspector Steve Haugen entered and inspected the lodge at Sugar Loaf on Wednesday, Feb. 5, without the presence of the long-shuttered ski resort’s owners, former owners or wanna-be owners. Realtor John Peppler, who lists Sugar Loaf for $8.7 million, accompanied Haugen, as did County administrator Chet Janek for part of the 3.5-hour tour.