The Record-Eagle reports that in addition to a contest for District 2 county Commissioner Republican candidate between incumbent Mark Walter and Michael Anton, next Tuesday's primary elections feature a ballot measure for a proposed $29-per-household fee over the next five years to pay for and expand the county's recycling program. According to the article:
The seven existing recycling drop-off sites, household hazardous waste collection and electronics recycling are funded through a 50-cent surcharge on landfilled waste. But county officials said those revenues haven't kept pace with the program's $275,000 annual price tag.
Read more from the Traverse City Record-Eagle and also get the information on local races and ballot proposals.
This week's Leelanau Enterprise has much more information on Tuesday's elections.
The Port Oneida Fair is an annual celebration of rural arts and culture that takes place Friday & Saturday, August 4th & 5th in the Port Oneida Historic Farm District of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (located four miles north of Glen Arbor on M-22). It features exhibits and demonstrations over two days at five farms and the Port Oneida Schoolhouse.
More info at the Port Oneida Fair web site
News from the Week
The top story for the week was the huge array of events over the next couple weekends: Art Leelanau, the Suttons Bay Jazzfest and the Cherries Jubilee Musical this weekend, the 2nd Annual Traverse City Film Festival next week and next weekend features the Suttons Bay Art Festival, Sleeping Bear Dunegrass & Blues Festival and Port Oneida Fair.
Other stories included news on the hearing for a proposed development along the Lake Leelanau Narrows and news that the developers behind a proposed Leelanau wind farm will wait until Centerville Township planners have created zoning to regulate commercial windmills.
The Week's Weather
It wasn't quite as warm last week as the preceding week, but we had a lot more clouds. Things were also breezy, making it the best week so far this summer to play in the waves on Lake Michigan.
July 20, 2006: Mostly sunny & 80 (82Ëš/69Ëš)
July 21, 2006: Mostly cloudy & 70 (72Ëš/57Ëš)
July 22, 2006: Partly sunny & mid 70s (78Ëš/50Ëš)
July 23, 2006: Mostly sunny & mid 70s (78Ëš/54Ëš)
July 24, 2006: Partly sunny, evening sprinkles & low 80s (84Ëš/64Ëš)
July 25, 2006: Partly cloudy, muggy and mid 80s (86Ëš/64Ëš)
July 26, 2006: Tremendous overnight storm, mostly cloudy then sun & low 80s (82Ëš/69Ëš)
Click for the Leelanau news archive from July 21st - July 27th, 2005!
The Record-Eagle reports that plans for a wind farm in Centerville Township are on hold until at least next year while the township drafts a zoning ordinance to regulate commercial windmills. Industrial wind company Noble Environmental Power has agreed to not submit a formal application until the wind energy ordinance is completed. According to the story:
The Connecticut-based company, which specializes in wind energy, earlier this year identified about 8,000 acres of land along County Road 645 north of Cedar as suitable for a cluster of wind turbines that each would stand nearly 400 feet tall and could generate up to 1.5 megawatts of power.
Read Proposed wind farm on hold in the Traverse City Record-Eagle and get more information about wind power in Michigan at Absolute Michigan keyword "wind energy".
photo credit: Wind Turbines by Matt LyonsÂ
The annual Sleeping Bear Dunegrass and Blues Festival will be held August 4-6 in Empire. The festival will be bigger (and better) than ever with a star-studded lineup that includes Peter Rowan & Tony Rice, Hot Tuna, Greg Brown, Iris Dement and many more bluegrass, folk and jam band performers (23 in all).
The 3 day event also features camping and you can learn much, much more (including online ticket purchase) at the Dunegrass festival web site. Be sure to also click the "Radio Dunegrass" link at the top of the page to hear some of the musicians who will be there!
The second annual Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF) will be held July 31 - August 6, 2006. Following the opening night, the TCFF features six full days of movies in three indoor movie houses: the Old Town Playhouse, the City Opera House, and the State Theatre as well as free nightly showings on the HUGE screen at the Open Space. There are also daily panel discussions with directors, writers, actors, and other members of the film industry will be held at 10 a.m. August 1-6.
To purchase tickets, learn more about movies and panels and everything else, visit the Traverse City Film Festival web site.
Many more Traverse City Film Fest articles from Leelanau.com
The Enterprise reports that last Tuesday's Leland Township Planning Commission hearing on the controversial Provemont Village site condominium development proposal in Lake Leelanau attracted a crowd estimated at 400 people, which would make it one of the largest public meetings in the county’s history. According to the article:
Commission chair Stephen Clem said an overwhelming majority of speakers opposed the dock portion of the proposal, though most did not take issue with the condominium plan. Speakers said the proposed marina would create a serious navigation and safety hazard, would be harmful to the environment, and would set a precedent to allow similar projects to be constructed along the shores of the Narrows.
Read Hearing draws huge crowd on Narrows plan controversy in the Leelanau Enterprise.
The Northport Theatre Co. presents "Cherry's Jubilee" July 22, 23, 29 and 30 at the Northport Community Arts Center. It's billed as a hilarious musical comedy that evolves from rumor, misinformation, and gossip - all taking place in Leelanau County. Totally fictional, of course, as gossip, rumor and misinformation are something we never see in Leelanau County.
Get more information and tickets at the Northport CAC web site.
News from the Week
The top story from the week was news that Leelanau County is facing a potential $1 million budget shortfall. The board votted to direct county administrator David Gill to draft ballot language for an extra 1-mill property tax levy to help support county operations, including the emergency 9-1-1 system. Without the additional funds, Gill said the county would be forced to eliminate the positions of more than 17 fulltime employees and five part-time employees.
There was a story about beekeepers Bill & Millie Hathaway (their honey is the best & available at the Leelanau Farmers Markets). There were also several photos posted including this funny one from the Leelanau Enterprise of a really big chaise lounger and a stunning photo of the view from Alligator Hill by one of my favorite photographers, Geoffrey George.
The Week's Weather
The weather was hot ... record-breakingly so, with record highs notched Saturday & Sunday at Cherry Capital Airport. We also had some thunderstorms that knocked out power in the Leland area and started a fire and peppered orchards in the Gills Pier area with hail, damaging cherries and apples. All in all, it was a week where the weather stood up and shouted "Look at me, look at me" and most folks wished it would just have kept quiet.
July 13, 2006: Mostly sunny & upper 80s (90Ëš/59Ëš)
July 14, 2006: Mostly sunny early with late clouds (some rain), humid & 80s (87Ëš/66Ëš)
July 15, 2006: Sunny, humid & 90s (96Ëš/68Ëš) Record High
July 16, 2006: Partly sunny, breezy & upper 90s (98Ëš/75Ëš) Record High
July 17, 2006: Early sun, breezy & 90s w/ afternoon thunderstorms (some hail) (95Ëš/63Ëš)
July 18, 2006: Mostly sunny & upper 70s (80Ëš/57Ëš)
July 19, 2006: Sunny & upper 80s (87Ëš/60Ëš)
Click for the Leelanau news archive from July 14th - July 20th, 2005!
The Enterprise reports that the County Board voted 5-2 to direct county administrator David Gill to draft ballot language for an extra 1-mill property tax levy to help support county operations, including the emergency 9-1-1 system. The board is anticipating a nearly $1 million shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year and without additional revenue, Gill said the county would be forced to eliminate the positions of more than 17 fulltime employees and five part-time employees.
Read County eyes tax-hike vote in the Leelanau Enterprise.
Leelanau Winter Festivals in Glen Arbor & Northport! (and maybe Empire)
