Top stories of 2014: canopy air walk; Doc Houghton, Sugar Loaf
From staff reports
The mysteries surrounding Sugar Loaf resort dominated our news coverage in 2014, just as the saga has in past years. The long-shuttered ski resort in the heart of Leelanau County, and the charade of characters that orbit her, registered 4 of the top 10 most read stories of the year.
But the most popular story of 2014 wasn’t about Sugar Loaf; it was an investigative article we published on Feb. 12 that featured a proposed canopy air walk in Kasson Township, near Burdickville, that never materialized. “High in the treetops above Glen Lake?” introduced readers to Australian eco-tourism guide Mark Evans who sought to build a tourist attraction on land currently owned by Wendy and John Martin. Local opposition to the “air walk” was nearly unanimous, and passionate. Our story attracted thousands of views, and 55 comments. By early spring, the presence of emerald ash borer, and the wall of local opposition, forced Evans to abandon the project.
Our second most popular story of 2014 remembered Glen Arbor’s longtime MD, “Doc Houghton” who died on Aug. 31 after an unsuccessful battle with cancer. Houghton had closed his local practice suddenly, in early March, after 43 years of serving our community. Doc Houghton was a throwback to the small-town doctor of old. He was warm, charismatic and unorthodox. He is dearly missed.
Our Sugar Loaf coverage registered numbers 3, 4, 6, 9 on the annual top 10 story list. On Feb. 6 we reported that Leelanau County’s code inspector had finally entered and inspected the property, and that sheriff deputies were ready to arrest suitor-provacateur Liko Smith if he showed up. The next day, we published an interview with current owner Remo Polselli, who admitted to being behind Rock Investment Advisors. On Oct. 29 we investigate whether a deed transfer, from former owner Kate Wickstrom to Polselli, was imminent. Then on Dec. 12, once the deed had finally moved, we examined why the transaction had taken so long, and whether anyone would face charges for an alleged deed forgery.
Rounding out our most read coverage of the year were stories on the revived Empire Hill Climb in September, news earlier this year that Cherry Republic employees had “re-discovered” Native American pottery in the Sleeping Bear Dunes, and a story last January about the record-breaking winter of 2013-14, when the Glen Lakes froze over by early January and Leelanau County registered its most snowfall, ever.
Here’s our top 10 list of the most read stories of 2014:
1) High in the treetops above Glen Lake?
2) Glen Arbor’s Doc Houghton passes on
3) Is Sugar Loaf deed transfer imminent?
4) Polselli, Rock Investment Advisors, admit to Sugar Loaf ownership; two suitors vying for purchase
6) Leelanau County enters, inspects Sugar Loaf without Liko or Remo present
7) Glen Arbor’s Doc Houghton retires
8) Pre-Columbian Native American pottery re-discovered in Dunes
