Leelanau.com Blog
leelanau county news • traverse city news • michigan news

The Leelanau Enterprise reports that convicted felon Remo Polselii and his wife Hanna are still in control of Sugar Loaf Resort:

Shortly after she purchased Sugar Loaf resort in March 2005, Wickstrom declared publicly that Polselli was “definitely out of the picture” – an assertion she has repeated several times since then.

But facts to the contrary emerged during a hearing Monday in a suit filed by waste treatment plant operator Sugar Loaf Service Company over an unpaid $500,000-plus sewer bill the company claimed Wickstrom owed. Named as co-defendant in the case was the holder of Wickstrom’s mortgage on the resort, Transcapital Bank of Florida, represented locally by Traverse City attorney Roy Jay Montney Jr.

Montney informed Judge Thomas G. Power during this week’s hearing that Transcapital no longer holds the mortgage on Sugar Loaf Resort – a fact that Sugar Loaf Service Company attorney Tom Pezetti, on the other side of the aisle, said he’d learned only Friday. Montney said that a corporation apparently controlled by Hanna Karcho Polselli had acquired the mortgage from Transcapital, and had subsequently assigned the mortgage to yet another bank.

To read more check out the the article at the Leelanau Enterprise.
Check out more Sugar Loaf news at Leelanau.com.

Photo credit:  Leelanau Enterprise

Currently it is 23 degrees with mostly cloudy at 10:41 AM at Leelanau Coffee Roasting in Glen Arbor. The barometer is at 30.29 inches and steady with a relative humidity of 72%.   Partly cloudy today with highs in the mid 20s.  A chance of snow tomorrow, with possible accumulations, and highs in the mid 20s.  More snow on Wednesday with highs in the 20s.

Photo: Unnatural Formations by crlitberg

Coming Events

National Writers Series' Amy Alkon (Feb 11), Winter Wine Wonderland (Feb 14), Ranger-guided snow shoe hikes at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore (Weekends Jan thru Feb), Movie Series at Northport Community Arts Center (Feb 14, March 14, April 11)

Check the Leelanau Calendar !  You can add your events to the calendar for FREE! Not only will they be distributed with our weekly newsletter, but they may be a featured story on leelanau.com!

Week's Weather

Feb 7: Partly sunny & 14 (26/2)
Feb 6: Partly sunny & 17 (27/11)
Feb 5: Cloudy & 27 (33/21)
Feb 4: Cloudy & 24 (32/15)

Looking back, comments, etc.

Click for the Leelanau News Archive from January 2009 and post your comments about the week (news, weather, whatever) on the Leelanau Almanac Week of 7 - 13.

Weather Resources

Weather Underground is just about as old as the internet (the first net weather service) and is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sometimes the above banner will show personal weather system data from Leland, sometimes from Leelanau Coffee and sometimes it comes from a vineyard on Old Mission (it tells you which in the top left of the page it links to).

Bouy 45002 in Lake Michigan is located halfway between North Manitou Island and Washington Island in Lake Michigan. It provides wind and wave data. Also check out Michigan Sea Grant Coastwatch for water temps (the "early evening" images in their archive will give you a better idea of actual temps during peaks swimming hours ... in seasons where you might actually want to swim!).

I know that we are using one of crlitberg's photos on the almanac this week. When I saw this one, an immediate feeling of peace came over me. I knew that I had to use it for our Friday Photo. Be sure to view Sundown on Lake Michigan in the larger size, and check out crlitberg's photostream.

The Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association's Taste this Passion is this weekend, Feb 5 & 6. The LPVA reports that ticket sales have been great, but there are still tickets available for this fun event that combines Wine, Chocolate, and Fun! The weatherman is calling for partly cloudy skies and warmer temps, so get out of the house this weekend and support our local Vintners. Tickets are available online at lpwines.com/taste.

For those of us that can't get enough of Leelanau Peninsula wine, be sure to attend the Winter Wine and Art Fest, which will be featuring not only Leelanau wine, but Old mission wineries, as well. Again, tickets are still available for this event and are available online.

Post your comments about the week's news, observations of the weather or the natural world or events below!

You'll also want to check out the Leelanau Calendar and the latest news and features from Leelanau, Traverse City and the surrounding area in our blog! Here's the January 2009 and February 2009 archive, and Leelanau Almanac Week of Leelanau Almanac Week of January 21 – 27

Photo: 1.22.10 extra ~ Empire Bluff by *ojoyous1*

We had some excitng news from Leelanau Wineries this week the Hearth and Vine café at Black Star Farms opened and Chateau de Leelanau has new owners. Don't just learn yoga, but learn to teach it from Union/Yoga and the Homestead. Looking for a little fun, go to the Northport Promise Follies & Silent Auction. Our photo Friday feature was KAScott_20100121_9842b by Ken Scott.

Week's Weather

Feb 2: Snow & 18 (26/13)
Feb 1: Snow & 20 (22/16)
Jan 31: Snow & 22 (22/16)
Jan 30: Snow & 19 (19/10)
Jan 29: Snow & 10 (13/10)
Jan 28:Snow & 11 (13/8)

Post your comments about the week's news, observations of the weather or the natural world or events below!

You'll also want to check out the Leelanau Calendar and the latest news and features from Leelanau, Traverse City and the surrounding area in our blog! Here's the January 2009 and February 2009 archive, and Leelanau Almanac Week of Leelanau Almanac Week of January 21 – 27

Black Star Farms announces the opening of Hearth & Vine serving dinner to the public Wednesday through Sunday evenings.

Suttons Bay, MI February 1, 2010 - - A new star is born. Black Star Farms, already well known for its award-winning wines and cheeses, is now serving dinner in Hearth & Vine, a vineyard café, at the Suttons Bay farm featuring wood-fired fare in a rustic yet elegant atmosphere, The weekly menu draws on ingredients produced on the farm, including pork and lamb, fresh eggs, 9 Bean Rows hoop house vegetables and hearth baked breads, and of course, Leelanau Cheese Co. cheeses and Black Star Farms wines. It’s truly a celebration of agriculture.

Hearth and Vine is now open for dinner Wednesday-Sunday from 5pm to 9pm. Seating is limited and reservations are appreciated. For reservations, please call 231.944.1297

From late spring through fall, Hearth & Vine is open daily serving delicious wood-fired pizzas and sandwiches as well as soups and salads. Black Star Farms wine is available by the glass or bottle along with soft drinks, coffee and tea. Lunch and snacks can be enjoyed out on the terrace or indoors in the cozy cafe.

On the market side we’re all about local. Black Star Farms farm-fresh eggs and fruits and vegetables from our and neighboring farms are offered seasonally. Pastries, cookies and 9 Bean Rows hearth-baked breads, Black Star Farms maple syrup, verjus and kettle cooked jams and preserves, and the best of other locally produced items are also available.

Black Star Farms is a unique agricultural entity that features two winery production facilities, their adjacent tasting rooms, a distillery, Inn, café, and equestrian facility. We just celebrated our 10th anniversary and are proud to represent the viticultural diversity of Northwest Michigan and its proximity to the 45th parallel that runs through so many of the great wine regions of the world.

Photo: KAScott_20090627_6186 by Ken Scott

The owner of Chateau de Leelanau Vineyard and Winery, Dr. Roberta Kurtz, is pleased to announce that she is selling her winery business to Cherry Bay Orchards and a group of second generation fruit growers. This transaction marks the first winery sale in Leelanau County. The parties’ initial acquaintance began when Dr Kurtz purchased an adjoining farm to Cherry Bay. It further developed over several years as Cherry Bay cared for the cherry orchards on that land. Dr. Kurtz stated, “Selling Chateau de Leelanau to my fruit growing neighbors gives me a lot of satisfaction. After 20 years and a tremendous amount of sweat equity, selling the winery operation has been a difficult decision, but family needs and professional commitments have made it necessary.”

Second generation fruit growers, Matt Gregory, Mark Miezio, Roger Veliquette, and Andrew Gregory are looking forward to expanding on the traditions of the award winning Chateau de Leelanau Vineyard and Winery. The new owners are expressing grateful appreciation to Dr. Kurtz for extending them the opportunity to develop the winery further. “Taking the helm of one of northern Michigan’s oldest wineries offers us many challenges,” said Andrew Gregory “and the fact that we can build on traditions as well as bring new ideas to fruition is exciting.”

The new owners expressed their enthusiasm for being part of something that helps to achieve community goals focused on sustainability and growth. “The positive economic contribution that viticulture and wine making add to the tourist and agricultural industry is definitely noticeable in the Traverse area” according to Roger Veliquette “and we want to be part of that.”

The winery staff will continue to welcome the public, Thursdays through Saturdays, at its tasting room located at the corner of Hilltop Road and M22 in Leelanau County. Wines made from Riesling, Chardonnay, Bianca, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Merlot and Regent are available to sample and purchase. Transferring of ownership will be completed upon appropriate licensing of the new owners.

The Northport Promise is putting on a Follies show that will have about 15 acts from serious to silly. It will include skits, singing, instrumentals, dance and past pictures and videos of previous Follies performances. There will be a silent auction in the lobby.

Edward Perez, a senior, invites you to sample hearty snacks and healthy appetizers that he has prepared in the lobby following the performance. This is his senior project and he is also a second year Culinary Arts student at the Career Tech Center in TC.

Tickets: adults $10, age 12 to 18 $5, 12 and under are free. Tickets are only available at the door before the event with open seating. For more information: gloriat@charterinternet.com

The Northport Promis is also have a Winter Warm Up Raffle. Tickets are still available, and will be drawn at the Northport Winter Carnvial on February 27.

Other great ways to contribute to the Northport Promise: Dine at Stubbs in Northport on Tuesdays and 10% of your tab goes to the Promise. Also, many locations in Northport will accept your Tom's receipts, part of which also goes to the Promise.

Photo: Northport MI Old Northport School House Leelanau County Postmarked 1909 by UpNorth Memories - Donald (Don) Harrison

KAScott_20100121_9842b by Ken Scott