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

I took this photo late yesterday afternoon north of Leland.

You can get it larger right here,  see some more photos from the day in this set and watch a little video below.

(note - it starts kind of loud)

In Offers to buy 'Loaf' revealed, Eric Carlson of the Leelanau Enterprise brings us up to date on the state of Sugar Loaf in a well-researched article. He says that numerous offers to buy Sugar Loaf Resort from the "unnamed guarantors" of the mortgage have been made ... and rejected.

Real estate agent Allen Reed is quoted as saying that Kate Wickstrom appears to be out of the picture and also that the buildings are now viewed as more of a liability than an asset. Real estate agent and County Commissioner David "Chauncey" Shiflett of Leland agrees with Reed's assessment.  Shiflett helped establish the county's new Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and new Land Bank Fast Track Authority.

Clearly a "blighted or obsolete" property, Sugar Loaf Resort may present an opportunity for a developer interested in benefiting from special tax incentives as well as government loans and grants available for cleanup and redevelopment through the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

In addition, the county's newly-formed Land Bank Fast Track Authority has the legal ability to "quiet title" on certain properties where ownership is contested, unclear or potentially subject to forfeiture due to unpaid property taxes - circumstances which might describe Sugar LoafResort. Action by the two county authorities could attract a private developer willing to take on project to redevelop Sugar Loaf Resort.

"I have no idea whether the newly seated Leelanau County Board of Commissioners will support the idea of doing something to improve the situation there," Shiflett said. "But I know that trying to do so is something that I will be focusing on. I know that many of our constituents support the idea of the county taking some action to help revive Sugar Loaf."

Chauncey is quoted at the end of the article saying that:

"In some economies, it might not make sense for a county government to get too deeply involved in something like this, but we're not in a normal economy right now – and now may be the right time for the county to help spearhead an effort to revive Sugar Loaf."

Over the holidays, I looked around at the downtowns, and while I saw some activity, to me it looked like every winter weekend back in the day when Sugar Loaf was a going concern. I'm wondering what you think about whether or not the county government should get involved.

DH Day Farm by 1Cher

News from the Week

Stories from the (abbreviated) week included news that it's becoming easier to get fresh & local food in the wintertime, the liquidation of a real estate development company showing that the economic crisis is reaching us here in Leelanau and photos of Holiday Wishes and a beautiful barn.

The Week's Weather

Our weather was once again on the violent side - a record high on Saturday along with heavy rains that destroyed our snow cover followed up by heavy winds and snow.

December 25, 2008: Flurries, a bit of sun and 20s (25/18)
December 26, 2008: Heavy snow & 30s (40/19)
December 27, 2008: Heavy rain (1") and 50 (53/40) Record high!
December 28, 2008: Snow/rain & 40s (52/25)
December 29, 2008: Windy, flurries & 20s (38/23)
December 30, 2008: Snow & low 20s (24/21)

Click for the Leelanau News Archive from December 2007.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle has a cool feature titled Green Through The White: Year-round produce is becoming a reality that looks at a new trend in food that has to make you smile if you're a lover of fresh & local:

Sustainable greenhouse systems, year-round farmers markets and winter CSA programs are cropping up all over cold, cloudy northern Michigan, extending the short growing season and making it possible for locavores to get their greens -- and other veggies -- all year long.

One of the first in the region to go year-round, the Frankfort Farmers Market is offering fresh produce, along with honey, maple syrup, meat, eggs and other products, from its new winter site at the city-owned Recreation Center.

There's a bunch more about where you can get fresh eats in wintertime including the Wellington Street Market in TC and (sometime in 2009) the TC City Market. They mention Black Star Farms' Hoop House and CSA and there's also Oryana. Maybe if enough people express interest, we could get a year-round market in Leelanau County!

Definitely click through to read the rest - at the end, you'll get a tasty recipe from Chef Eric Patterson of The Cooks' House for his Classic French Onion Soup Gratinee!

The photo is Chili & Co. - check out more tasty treats in my Local Food slideshow!

The Leelanau Enterprise reports that McKeough Land Company, developer of the Bay Hill project (Leland Township off M-204 at Hoeft Road) has gone out of business.

“Unfortunately, we just couldn’t weather the real estate and credit crisis,” company president Mike McKeough was quoted as saying in a news release provided in response to an Enterprise query.
“Our cash flow really began to seize up in the beginning of 2008,” McKeough said. “And although we had many terrific properties with apparent equity, like Bay Hill of Leland, we just couldn’t raise the necessary capital to continue operating as McKeough Land Company.”

...A new company, Terra Firma Management, has been established to manage, market and sell McKeough’s holdings, offering many of its properties at “bank pricing” that in some cases may be 65 percent below previous list prices.

Photo: Dark times on Bay Hill by Andy McFarlane

LongingforLeelanau doesn't have too many photos, but the ones she does have a gorgeous - check them out in her slideshow!

As an extra bonus, she uploads them biggie-sized for your computer background!

The photo is Merry Christmas To All! by jsorbieus, and we at Leelanau.com would like to wish you and yours the very best of this winter season.

However, wherever and whatever you are celebrating, we hope for much joy, warmth and laughter for you and yours.

Snow Flakes by John Levanen

News from the Week

Stories from the week included feature on the 1917 shipwreck of the Rising Sun off Pyramid Point, a look at the candidates for the position of Leelanau County Administrator, the new Odaawe Gamik gift shop at Eyaawing Museum in Peshawbestown, a photo from Hohnke Road and a little history & thanks to the Leelanau County Road Commission.

The Week's Weather

The week's weather was - other than a brief warmup over the weekend - really cold. On Monday we had 46 degrees just after midnight and by afternoon we were below 10 degrees!

December 11, 2008: Flurries & upper 20s (31/18)
December 12, 2008: Snow & 20 (22/16)
December 13, 2008: Flurries & upper 30s (37/16)
December 14, 2008: Rain, especially overnight, windy & 40s (44/35)
December 15, 2008: Raging west winds (40+ mph), teens and blowing snow (46/9) How about that range??!!
December 16, 2008: Light snow and low teens (14/11)
December 17, 2008: Light snow & low 20s (23/11)

Click for the Leelanau News Archive from December 2007.

Crystal River Snow by jsorbieus

News from the Week

News - we had lots! The big story this week was the launch of our 2008 Leelanau Gift Guide, stuffed fuller than Santa's sleigh with great gifts made and sold right here in Leelanau County! Other stories included budget woes affecting everything from home heating to snow plowing & road maintenance (though not the maintenance that will close the Glen Lake Narrows bridge). If there's any bright spot to this gloom, it may be that Leelanau County has the lowest unemployment in Michigan.

The Week's Weather

Speaking of gloom, the first time I saw the sun this week was 2:05 PM today! That's some February-class gloom!! That, plus over a foot and a half of snow means that we are all entitled to get cabin fever a month early this year!

December 4, 2008: Snow (2-4"), wind & 20s (25/18)
December 5, 2008: Light snow and teens (20/16)
December 6, 2008: Light snow and 20s, then evening snow and heavy wind (27/18)
December 7, 2008: Light snow, windy & 20 (21/17)
December 8, 2008: Mostly cloudy, light snow and 20s (26/18)
December 9, 2008: 2-5" fluffy overnight snow, then more snow & upper 20s (30/24)
December 10, 2008: Light snow and low 20s (25/20)

Click for the Leelanau News Archive from December 2007.

We at Leelanau.com hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving with safe travels and good food and company. See you on Monday!

Photo: Last apples in the orchard by Jim Sorbie.