Glen Arbor Sun

12/16/2024

With so many reports of bear sightings in northern Michigan—the Michigan Department of Natural Resources estimates there are 2,000 black bears living here, with more than 10,000 in the Upper Peninsula—author Tim Mulherin selected the black bear as a subject of interest as part of his research for a book on Michigan’s wildlife. The Empire "sugar bear" made headlines when it broke into Grocer's Daughter Chocolate this past April; in our May edition of we examined how humans struggle to coexist with black bears as our encroachment upon their habitat continues. Last spring, the DNR connected Mulherin with researchers from Utah State University, who are conducting a study called the Baldwin Bear Project. The project “aims to understand the ecology and human dimensions of black bears in Michigan,” with an emphasis on examining the growing population here.

Photo: Tim Mulherin poses with a trapped, sedated (alive and healthy) adult black bear in the Baldwin Management Area in July. The DNR is collaborating with Utah State University researchers on the Baldwin Bear Project to study bear movement, density, human-bear conflict and the question of coexistence.

With so many reports of bear sightings in northern Michigan—the Michigan Department of Natural Resources estimates there are 2,000 black bears living here, with more than 10,000 in the Upper Penins…

12/16/2024

The Homestead announced that Jim Becsey has been hired as the new manager of building and grounds at the Glen Arbor resort. As such, he will be responsible for the upkeep of resort-owned buildings and maintenance of the grounds, including the resort’s ski facilities. Ski hills are hoping for a La Niña weather pattern, which would bring a more typical snowy winter. While hoping to open just after Christmas, The Homestead will also offer a creative array of family-friendly activities, which could include live entertainment like magicians and jugglers, art shows and collaborations with the Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail.

The Homestead announced that Jim Becsey has been hired as the new manager of building and grounds at the Glen Arbor resort. As such, he will be responsible for the upkeep of resort-owned buildings …

12/16/2024

You can read about how animals and plants survive winter or how to identify trees, but it’s more fun and more engaging to see up close and personal. That’s the premise of the winter experience programs offered by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore rangers. “We show what plants and animals do, evolutionary strategies … like rabbits changing coat colors, cedar boughs have scaly leaves (for) less water loss,” says David Fenlon, the education lead at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

You can read about how animals and plants survive winter or how to identify trees, but it’s more fun and more engaging to see up close and personal. That’s the premise of the winter experience prog…

12/13/2024

Holiday festivities continue this month at the Old Art Building in Leland as they host their third Annual ‘Christmas at the Old Art Building – A Variety Show Spectacular’ on Saturday, Dec. 14. Hosted by Andrew Dost, this retro-inspired performance will include caroling, comedy and holiday cheer. Imagine Lawrence Welk, Dolly Parton, and the Muppets collaborating to put on a festive show. The evening will feature a wide assortment of talented musicians, a jazz combo, sketch comedy, and more.

Holiday festivities continue this month at the Old Art Building in Leland as they host their third Annual ‘Christmas at the Old Art Building – A Variety Show Spectacular’ on Saturday, Dec. 14. Host…

12/13/2024

The Leelanau School, the private school located just north of Glen Arbor on 1 Old Homestead Rd, invites the community to join in an evening of holiday cheer on Friday, Dec. 13, from 7:30-9:30 pm. Stop by the school’s auditorium for music and sing-along at 7:30, a dramatic reading of A Christmas Carol at 8 by local actors Don Kuehlhorn and Drew Gibson, followed by cookies and punch at 9. The event is free, but reservations are requested by visiting leelanau.org/scrooge.

The Leelanau School, the private school located just north of Glen Arbor on 1 Old Homestead Rd, invites the community to join in an evening of holiday cheer on Friday, Dec. 13, from 7:30-9:30 pm. S…

12/12/2024

Twenty years ago, when Paul Sutherland joined the board of Safe Passage, which launched a school for the children of the Guatemala City garbage dump, he also helped kickstart what has become a dynamic and ongoing relationship between Leelanau County citizens and Guatemala. In the decades since then, local schools have sent students, and teams of volunteers have joined cultural exchange trips to the beautiful, yet economically unequal, Central American nation. Since the COVID-19 pandemic abated, Guatemalan nonprofit Planting Seeds International has hosted “service learning” groups from Northwestern Michigan College as well as LIFT Teen Center and Leland. Planting Seeds co-director and Illinois native Mac Philips will visit Leelanau County this weekend to raise awareness about the nonprofit and build support in northern Michigan. He'll visit Grocer's Daughter Chocolate on Saturday, Suttons Bay Congregational Church on Sunday, and students in Suttons Bay and Leland.

Twenty years ago, when Paul Sutherland joined the board of Safe Passage, which launched a school for the children of the Guatemala City garbage dump, he also helped kickstart what has become a dyna…

12/10/2024

Glen Lake Community Schools will not consider turning 180 acres of forestland which it owns on Benzonia Trail into affordable housing—at least not yet. School Board members were to hear presentations at the meeting on Monday, Dec. 9, concerning the property which is currently managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Informational presentations were scheduled that would feature forestry and conservation director Ellie Johnson explaining how Glen Lake’s forest can be used under current DNR provisions, as well as a session from the Sleeping Bear Gateways Council, which was approached by Glen Lake School in summer 2023 to consider how the land in question could be used for affordable housing—an acute and dire need in Leelanau County, where home prices have surged. Instead, Glen Lake superintendent Jason Misner announced that the board would hear no such presentations.

Glen Lake School will not consider turning 180 acres of forestland which it owns on Benzonia Trail into affordable housing—at least not yet. School Board members were to hear presentations at the m…

12/04/2024

Winter arrived in a hurry after Thanksgiving, and Leelanau County and the region are covered in fluffy snow. Here’s the downhill and cross-country skiing, sledding, hiking and tubing report, as of Wednesday, Dec. 4. Drive safe, stay warm, and enjoy! Friends of Sleeping Bear Dunes Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore TART Trails The Homestead Crystal Mountain Hickory Hills TC Timberlee Hills Snow Tubing

Winter arrived in a hurry after Thanksgiving, and Leelanau County is covered in fluffy snow. Here’s the downhill and cross-country skiing, sledding, hiking and tubing report, as of Wednesday,…

11/28/2024

Here's a feel-good story for the day of gratitude. Lorelei, the two-foot-tall mini pony who went missing from Empire Hills Farm on Wednesday, Nov. 20, after the gate was accidentally left unlatched, was found safe on Sunday morning, Nov. 24, successfully wrangled on the second attempt by Brandon Morse and brought back home. Five other ponies were found and returned the day they escaped. Dozens of concerned citizens in Leelanau and Benzie Counties joined the effort to find Lorelei. In the end, however, it was fellow horses, and nature itself, that coaxed her to safety. The pony had just gone into heat and was attracted to the geldings, the male horses, who took part in the search for her. Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club

Here’s a feel-good story for the day of gratitude. Lorelei, the two-foot-tall mini pony who went missing from Empire Hills Farm on Wednesday, Nov. 20, after the gate was accidentally left unl…

11/27/2024

The recount performed by the Leelanau County Clerk's Office yesterday in the race for District 3 of the County Board of Commissioners concluded with no changes. Republican Will Bunek's seven-vote win over Democrat Lois Bahle stood. “I owe it to my constituents and to myself with only a seven-vote difference,” Bahle said earlier this month. “The recount process is also a way to show that the system works. We can have faith in it.” Bahle echoed that sentiment today. "The count process is an amazing demonstration of the organizational skill of Clerk Michelle Crocker," Bahle told the Sun.

The recount performed by the Leelanau County Clerk’s Office yesterday in the race for District 3 of the County Board of Commissioners concluded with no changes. Republican Will Bunek’s …

11/27/2024

Kick off the holiday season in Glen Arbor this Thanksgiving weekend with a warm welcome to the annual Holiday Artisan Market, plus two of Glen Arbor’s favorite quirky traditions, the “PJ Party” and the “Bed Parade,” for a weekend full of local creativity, community, and holiday cheer.

Kick off the holiday season in Glen Arbor this Thanksgiving weekend with a warm welcome to the annual Holiday Artisan Market, plus two of Glen Arbor’s favorite quirky traditions, the “P…

11/26/2024

The Leelanau Conservancy has unveiled its new logo, which offers a peek through trees and toward a grassy hill with sand dunes, open Lake Michigan, and an island or peninsula in the background. The new logo retains its oval—a nod to the shape of the old logo, which served the Conservancy for 36 years. The old logo featured a ship sailing by sand dune cliffs. "The new refreshed logo feels familiar for our audiences, keeping an alignment with the current logo, but removing elements that do not represent our services," the Conservancy stated in a press release. "The refresh also captures the scenic character of Leelanau—the 'peek' through the trees makes you feel like you are here, in Leelanau."

The Leelanau Conservancy has unveiled its new logo, which offers a peek through trees and toward a grassy hill with sand dunes, open Lake Michigan, and an island or peninsula in the background. The…

11/25/2024

Sleeping Bear Surf has released a new short film titled "In Waves: 20 years of Sleeping Bear Surf." The film by Mike King offers a glimpse into the joy surrounding the family-run Empire business that has cultivated a culture of Great Lakes connection. In 2004, the late Beryl Skrocki founded Sleeping Bear Surf with a dream of sharing the potential for freshwater play. Beryl passed away two years ago, but her legacy lives on. Click here to read more about Beryl's life and impact: https://glenarborsun.com/reflecting-on-the-joyous-life-of-beryl-skrocki/

‘In Waves’ gives us a glimpse into the joy that has cultivated a culture of Great Lakes connection. In 2004, Beryl Skrocki founded Sleeping Bear Surf with a ...

11/25/2024

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Suttons Bay Public Schools celebrated the rich history, culture, and contributions of Native American communities through a special Spirit Week. This meaningful event, held from Nov. 18-22, featured themed dress-up days and activities aimed at fostering pride, awareness, and unity among students and staff. Students embraced their creativity and cultural appreciation by participating in themed days such as “Rock Your Mocs or Crocs” and “Rock Your Ribbon Skirt or Shirt”. The week provided an opportunity to spotlight and honor the diverse Native American traditions represented within our student body.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Suttons Bay Public Schools celebrated the rich history, culture, and contributions of Native American communities through a special Spirit Week. This mea…

11/22/2024

With the holiday season comes the panoply of seasonal markets, where artists and artisans, bakers and makers alike showcase their wares. For many, the season starts with the holiday shows in Glen Arbor and Empire that take place the weekend after Thanksgiving. The Glen Arbor Holiday Marketplace kicks off Friday night, Nov. 29, at 6:15 p.m. with the lighting of the Christmas tree and caroling. The town hall opens for shopping at 6:30 p.m. and goes until 8 p.m., then welcomes shoppers again on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Throngs of shoppers fill the room, perusing the displays of jewelry, mittens, art, holiday décor and more. Cre Woodard has no problem signing up vendors, and when she runs out of room, she knows where to send them – just down the road to Empire. If there’s room there. “I filled up very fast,” says Linda Payment of this year’s Empire Artisan Marketplace, held in the Empire Town Hall. Payment has coordinated the daylong event for the last several years, which takes place the Saturday following Thanksgiving, Nov. 30. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

With the holiday season comes the panoply of seasonal markets, where artists and artisans, bakers and makers alike showcase their wares. For many, the season starts with the holiday shows in Glen A…

11/21/2024

TART Trails has unveiled a new art installation at the Fouch Trailhead on the Leelanau Trail called “Wiigwaasi-jiimaan: A Mural for the Fouch Trailhead” by local artist Nik Burkhart. “Wiigwaasi-jiimaan,” the Anishinaabemowin word for birchbark canoe, honors the relationship between water and land, likening it to an embrace that connects communities through nature and history. Burkhart’s mural draws on Anishinaabe canoe craftsmanship, illustrating the remarkable birch, cedar, spruce roots, and pine pitch that historically fashioned these boats and enabled the Anishinaabe people to navigate Northern Michigan’s waterways.

TART Trails has unveiled a new art installation at the Fouch Trailhead on the Leelanau Trail called “Wiigwaasi-jiimaan: A Mural for the Fouch Trailhead” by local artist Nik Burkhart. & #…

11/20/2024

Up North Pride will host a Transgender Day of Remembrance Luminary Walk on Wednesday, Nov. 20, on the Leelanau TART Trail between Farm Club and the Fouch Road trailhead. The half-mile pathway will be lined with glowing luminary bags featuring the names of those being honored with the memorial event between 5:30 and 7 pm. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) is an annual observance that started in 1999 as a vigil for remembering and honoring all trans, gender diverse, intersex, and non-binary people who’ve lost their lives during the past year due to anti-transgender violence. Photo: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore staff held a pride flag during an Up North Pride event in Traverse City in 2017.

Up North Pride will host a Transgender Day of Remembrance Luminary Walk on Wednesday, Nov. 20, on the Leelanau TART Trail between Farm Club and the Fouch Road trailhead. The half-mile pathway will …

11/20/2024

The Crystal River culverts under County Road 675 are gone and have been replaced by an 80-foot timber bridge (Watch our video tour). Grand Traverse Engineering & Construction and the Leelanau County Road Commission completed the work earlier this month, and CR-675 is now open to traffic. Work to replace other bridges over the Crystal River will commence in summer 2025. Click here to read about the "shoot the tube" experience through the beloved culverts: https://glenarborsun.com/goodbye-culverts-hello-timber-bridge-over-the-crystal-river/ Labor Day Monday, Sept. 2, was the last day for kayakers, canoers and paddleboarders to float through the culverts. Their removal was bittersweet for the staff at Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District, which has sent thousands of people down the river in the past three decades.