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

The Michigan State University Spartans basketball team has once again reached the NCAA Final Four. In honor of this, the State Theatre in Traverse City has reworked their Easter Weekend movie schedule (free movies for those stuck at home!) so that you can come and join 600 other crazed Spartan fans and cheer on the team this Saturday on the biiiiiiig screen. Tip off is at 6:07 pm and the doors will open at 4:30 pm.

They are offering this event free of charge, and you can pick up your free ticket beginning at 5 PM sharp today (Wednesday) at the box office. You can also call 231-947-3446 and they'll put tickets aside for you. Limit four tickets per person.

Photo credit: Glen Haven Beach, MI, July, 2005 by Tom Powell
I didn't realize this picture was a summer picture until I already posted it. Instead of changing it, I thought I'd leave it, and let us have a little summer dreaming.

With Spring Break happening in Leelanau, we had a slow news week. However, we are happy to feature Father Fred and thier Volunteers, who distributee 1,000 Easter Baskets! We are also excited to watch Michigan State at the State! Our Photo Friday feature was Fishtown Reflections by ETCphoto.

Week's Weather

March 31: Partly sunny & 65 (78/51)
March 30: Partly cloudy & 60 (63/26)
March 29: Mostly cloudy & 36(44/28)
March 28: Mostly cloudy & 36 (49/30)
March 27: Partly sunny & 39 (53/24)
March 26: Partly sunny & 28(36/20)
March 25: Cloudy & 32 (41/28)

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 March 2009 archive, and Leelanau Almanac: Week of March 18 - 24.

Father Fred Foundation volunteers will begin distribution of 1,000 Easter Baskets starting at 10 AM on Tuesday March 30 through noon time on Friday April 2.

370 families supporting 837 children, ages 2 to 10 years old, have signed up to receive baskets. In addition to distribution at the Foundation, baskets will also be delivered to the Goodwill Inn, Kalkaska Interfaith Resources and the community Easter dinner, to be held at the VFW.

The baskets were supported by 40 cash gifts along with donations of baskets and materials from church groups, service clubs and individuals. Churches, scout troops and individuals volunteered their time to make sure baskets were assembled and ready.

Each basket this year will have an Easter story, a story book, coloring book and crayons, a stuffed toy, packaged candy or dried fruit, chocolate cross or bunny, tooth brush and tooth paste, and a small cross donated by a local church group.

The Father Fred Foundation is a non-denominational charity providing food, clothing, household goods and financial assistance to families and individuals in crisis who live in the five county Grand Traverse region. For more information on The Father Fred Foundation, visit www.fatherfred.org or call (231) 947-2055.

ETCphoto says about his photo, Fishtown Reflections, "Fishtown is very rich in detail for a photographer... always a fun place to be. This is the bow of the fishing boat 'Joy.'" Be sure to check this one out in it's original size. Along with ETCphoto's photostream.

Photo: Nightscape by michiganartisan

Well, two of our features were about high school basketball and Suttons Bay's advance to the State semi-finals. I am happy to report that Suttons Bay won that game, and will not play tomorrow, Saturday, March 26 at noon at Breslin against Melvindale Academy of Business and Technology for the Class C State Title. We also featured a new booklet being published by local author, Tom Van Zoeren, titled The Thoreson Farm and Its Neighbors. And be sure to support local fisherman by attending, The 2010 Annual GTASFA Membership Banquet.

Week's Weather

March 23: Partly sunny & 36 (49/23)
March 22: Partly sunny & 37 (52/21)
March 21: Partly sunny & 35 (50/19)
March 20: Mostly cloudy & 32 (36/28)
March 19: Cloudy & 41 (50/32)
March 18: Partly sunny & 50 (57/42)

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 March 2009 archive, and Leelanau Almanac: Week of March 4 – 10.

The Suttons Bay Norsemen defeated the Rudyard Bulldogs 76 to 63 in a Class C quarterfinal last night at Lake Superior State University.

The Record Eagle reports Dwuan Anderson scored an impressive 30 points, had 13 rebounds.:

While Anderson was the star, the Norse proved to have too much size and depth for the Upper Peninsula's No. 1-ranked Bulldogs. The Norse led by as many as 14 points in the second half, although the Bulldogs did get as close as seven points midway through the third quarter.

The Norsemen will now take on the Bridgman Bees in the MHSAA Semi-Final at MSU's Breslin Center in East Lansing tomorrow, Thursday, March 25 at 2:30.

Photo credit: Fan photos from Dwaun Anderson by Tara Noffsinger

The 2010 Annual GTASFA Membership Banquet - a night that any Northwest Michigan Angler would want to be a part of!
Saturday, April 10, at NMC – Hagerty Center. All are invited to attend!

Keynote speaker – Mark Romanack

Sponsored by Miller Lite and may local and regional sponsors! Please…support your fishing community and the resources we protect! Interested Guests and GTASFA Members may RSVP on line at: www.gtasfa.com
Pre-registration to can be sent to 401 S. Union St, Traverse City, MI 49684

Photo credit: Vintage Fishing Michigan Cool Boat by UpNorth Memories - Donald (Don) Harrison

From the Glen Arbor Sun:

Tom Van Zoeren has published a new booklet about the Port Oneida Rural Historic District in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore north of Glen Arbor, titled The Thoreson Farm and Its Neighbors, which, Tom says “is based mainly on oral history recordings with Leonard Thoreson, and on his photo collection.”

The book starts with Leonard’s ancestors and the beginnings of the farm, continues through his boyhood there, the eventual sale of the farm, and its inclusion in the National Lakeshore (which is part of the National Park Service).

Thoreson Farm includes a few pages about the neighboring Fred & Ellen Miller Farm, the Watkins Cottage, and the Brunson Farm, and includes maps of all farmsteads based on aerial photos. The book also includes an audio CD with excerpts from Leonard’s interviews, so you can hear him tell stories with your own ears.

The Thoreson Farm and Its Neighbors costs $18 and is available at the Glen Lake and Traverse City Libraries, Laker Shakes, The Cottage Bookshop, Horizon Books in Traverse City or online at VZOralHistory.com. For more information, call Tom Van Zoeren at (231) 334-4608.

The Norsemen used their superior height and athleticism in the fourth quarter to pull away in an 80-60 victory in the Class C regional championship game at Traverse City West. Suttons Bay will now play Rudyard at Lake Superior State University on Tuesday, March 23 for the quarterfinal match of the 2010 Class C State Tournament.

Mlive reports:

Mason County Central, the Cinderella story of this year's boys basketball tournament, was in position to pull off a major stunner on Wednesday night.

The Spartans, who had a 5-15 record entering the tournament, were down by just four points, 56-52, against No. 8 Suttons Bay.

But the Norsemen used their superior heighth and athleticism in the fourth quarter to pull away in an 80-60 victory in the Class C regional championship game at Traverse City West.

The Record Eagle said:

Suttons Bay closed the game on a 24-6 run, thanks to 12 points from Dwaun Anderson.

"That's pretty much my role," Anderson said. "It's what I have to do, even if I feel like I can't. I've always got to push myself for my best. Tonight, I didn't think we came out good enough, so I had to turn it on."

Anderson was also key in a second-quarter run that gave the Norsemen momentum going into the half. The Spartans built a 29-23 advantage with Anderson on the bench with two fouls, but he returned for the last three minutes. He immediately drove the baseline and threw down a one-handed dunk from underneath the basket.

We featured some of Leelanau's young people this week. First, Alisha Glass was the Insight & Inspiration Speaker last week. We also reported on some high school basketball scores, and that Suttons Bay advances to the quarterfinals. We took a little break yesterday to wish you Beannachtam na Feile Padraig! And if you are recovered from yesterdays festivities and looking for something to do tonight, check out Sada Omoto-Talk About Art.

Week's Weather

March 16: Mostly sunny & 41 (55/26)
March 15: Partly sunny & 43 (53/30)
March 14: Mostly cloudy & 42 (49/42)
March 13: Rain & 46 (53/39)
March 12: Rain & 45 (48/42)
March 11: Rain & 47 (62/32)

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 March 2009 archive, and Leelanau Almanac: Week of March 4 – 10.

Photo: Esch Rd Beach View by ETCphoto