A beach improvement project in Empire costing more than $400K is underway in Empire. The project includes new roads, sidewalks, buried utility lines, playground equipment, bathroom facilities, and a sand retention wall which some complain blocks the view of the Lake. According to tv7-4.com, local resident Alice Diggins says "I like the old prestige beach when there wasn't too many people. But times change [...] It's different and you have to adjust to change but you don't always have to like it." We agree.

Posted by Publius at 08:40 PM | Permalink

The cherry crop is ripening early this year -- so early in fact that the Cherry Festival scheduled for July 7-14 will be able to use local fruit this year, according to this article in the Freep. One more example of the long-term trend of the cherry harvest coming earlier and earlier?

The first sweets should be ready to eat by the end of the week.

Posted by Publius at 05:22 PM | Permalink

This is fun. Someone wrote to Chowhound.com asking where to eat in Traverse City, and generated a bunch of recommendations and warnings. Not mentioned -- the great sandwiches at Mary's Kitchen Port and Folgarelli's.

Posted by Publius at 10:39 AM | Permalink

George Weeks, dean of Michigan political writers, has a column this week on the Great Lakes and their relation to the developing world-wide water crisis.

Posted by Publius at 10:34 AM | Permalink

Turtles, once plentiful in and near Northern Michigan waters, are on the decline, according to a recent scientific study. Not surprisingly, among the main causes are sprawl and development, which destroy the reptiles' habitat.

Posted by Publius at 10:31 AM | Permalink

A county commissioner in neighboring Grand Traverse county has sued her colleagues on the board, claiming that they tried to block her from taping their meetings, according to this article from MLive.

Christine Maxbauer is seeking more openness and accountability in the way in which local government is being conducted--an important and worthy goal that deserves to be pursued throughout our region.

Posted by Publius at 10:37 AM | Permalink

Leelanau's tourist-oriented business, especially the smaller ones that make up an important part of the local economy, are not effectively represented by existing Convention and Visitors Bureaus (CVBs), says says this article in the TC Business News.

Rick Coates has been working for the past several years to organize an alternative the CVBs that are dominated by large players like the Homestead (and which actually exclude smaller players from participating). The Leelanau Tourism Initiative is attempting to bring together the smaller inns, restaurants, galleries, and wineries that should make the County even more of a draw than it is today. By working together to publicize Leelanau County as a destination, they hope to infuse tourist dollars into the pockets of local business owners and citizens. A worthy goal, and deserving of public support, in our opinion.

Posted by Publius at 10:56 AM | Permalink