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

Looking to spruce up your garden or your yard? Two area communities have plant sales this weekend!

Cedar's Perennial Plant Sale is Saturday, May 25 from 9 AM - 3 PM. Hundreds of perennial and wildflower plants are ready for planting in your garden. Beautify your home with plants that attract butterflies and birds. Prices start at $2.00 with over 500 plants and 50 varieties. This is their major fundraiser of the year to support 265 days per year of free, educational, healthy and intergenerational fun.

The Annual Plant Sale on the Village Green in Leland is on tap for Memorial Day Weekend as well! Now is your chance to purchase native ferns, trillium, and more along with a selection of native trees and shrubs provided by locally owned Four Season Nursery, who will be on hand to answer questions about going native.

Sale runs Friday, May 24th and Saturday May 25th; hours 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. All proceeds help maintain the Village Green and assist with other Conservancy projects. The Wildflower Rescue Committee continually seeks new sites on which to dig. If you are building a home, driveway, addition, or know of someone who is, please contact the WRC so they may have a chance to remove these precious wildflowers before the excavators arrive! Contact Patty Shea: 256-9249 or Joanie Woods: 256-7154.

Photo credit: 20090429_0107_copy(Blood Root) by jsorbieus

Here's a pre-1970 photo of the harbor - quite a change from today!

Check out Don's photo of the Leland Harbor bigger!

BREAKING NEWS ALERT VIA THE ABSOLUTE MICHIGAN NEWS NETWORK!

EMPIRE, MICHIGAN APRIL 1, 2013 - Residents of the sleepy Michigan shoreline villages of Empire, Glen Arbor and Leland were surprised as they awoke to see the Lake Michigan beach covered with the latest Great Lakes invasive species to threaten our shores, lobsters.

Dr. Molly Trapp, director of Michigan Sea Grant's new Invasive Species Rapid Response team (ISRR), is heading the team and was one of the first to arrive on the scene. "There are a variety of ways that invasive species enter the Great Lakes," Dr. Trapp explained. "Many come in in ballast water of freighters are are dumped, while others are pets that people release when they can no longer care for them. That's likely what happened here, and I just wish people would think a little bit before they take on the responsibility of an exotic pet."

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Under Superintendent in Charge of Beach Security, Stan Daround offered comment as well, "We want to assure everyone that we remain the most beautiful place in America despite this crustacean invasion. Park staff is working on a plan to combat this menace."

While Mr. Daraound was unable to provide specifics, he offered that the Park would probably be asking for "a lot of bibs and some of those claw cracker things" in their emergency appropriation request.

The village of Empire, already overtaxed preparing for their annual Asparagus Festival next month, has called all residents to an emergency eating in the Empire Town Hall at 6 PM.

Area resident Michael Buhler offered a simple plea: "Send butter."

For more on invasive species in the Great Lakes (including actual facts) visit Michigan Sea Grant's Invasive Species pages.

Chicago Tonight had an in-depth feature (with video) on the lowest Great Lakes water levels in recorded history that features Leland and Leelanau County that begins:

2012 was the warmest year on record according to NOAA, the nation's climate monitoring service. The Midwest was also in the grip of a severe drought. Those two factors have led to the lowest water levels in history for Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, which is considered one body of water hydrologically. The impact of the low lake levels on those who live on the Great Lakes is heavy.

Leland Harbor is the heart of a northern Michigan town. The small town is quiet in the winter, but the population jumps ten-fold in the summer when tourists flock to the harbor, beaches and quaint shops. That tourist economy is now in jeopardy because of the dramatic drop in Lake Michigan's water level.

Harbor master Russel Dzuba said the lake is down more than two feet from its average, and that drop is threatening to close the harbor.

“The economic impact this harbor has on the community is strong. And when things are slow, the guy at the grocery store, the guy at the restaurant comes down and asks me what's going on. They want to know,” said Dzuba. “So, it’s an economic punch that we hate to think what happens if we cant keep that channel open.”

Click through for the video!

Photo Credit: "... is the Lake Michigan water level low?" by Ken Scott was perfect for this feature!

The photo above by John Levanen demonstrates just how low Lake Michigan is right now. An article in this morning's TC Ticker begins:

As of December 18, Lake Michigan water levels virtually matched a record low set back in 1964.

Andy Knott, executive director of The Watershed Center in Greilickville, says the level was computed at 576.14 feet above sea level, just .02 higher than the 48-year-old mark, bringing with it all sorts of ecological and economic problems.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers measures Great Lakes water levels daily. Mackinaw City is the closest reporting station to Traverse City.

“The water level of Lake Superior is 1 inch lower than its level of one year ago, while Lake Michigan-Huron is 17 inches lower than its level from last year,” the Corps says in a December 14 report. “Lakes St. Clair, Erie and Ontario are 21, 24 and 14 inches, respectively, than their levels of a year ago.”

And the Corps says levels will fall over the next month in all Great Lakes.

Read on at the Ticker.

Perennial favorites Seth Bernard & May Erlewine Bernard return to the Old Art Building in Leland this Saturday, December 22nd at 8 PM.

This is a special Winter Solstice Concert and will also invite the audience to sing along. Come join the fun and warm your spirit with original roots music and songs from May’s recent CD release of “A Long Way Home”. Tickets are $10 at the door.

The video below is from the Music for Chiapas benefit at the Old Art Building a few years ago.

Photo courtesy of Anna Grimm, Moments Captured Photography

The village of Leland invites you to join them for several events during the 2012 Holiday Season.

Leland PJ Party & Sale – "Where the Holidays Begin"

The annual PJ Party & Sale takes place from 8-10 AM in Leland on Friday, November 23, 2012. Stick around to enjoy a great lunch as you avoid the city crowds while shopping in Leland's unique shops.

Merry Market Place at the Old Art Building

This annual Christmas arts & crafts show will be held on Saturday, December 1, 2012 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Old Art Building in Leland.

This year's show features 20 local artisans with fresh and dried holiday wreaths, herbal soaps and lotions, jewelry, specialty foods, pottery, woven wheat, cards, pillows, clothing for children, and many hand knit items.

There's also complimentary cookies and coffee, and you can calll 231-256-2131 for more information.

Leland Holiday Wonderland

The new "Leland Holiday Wonderland" event will take place on Sunday, December 16. Santa will be at The Riverside Inn for brunch from 10am-3pm, and also at The Leland Toy Store. There will be carolers all around town, a gift wrapping station at Soulfish Outfitters, holiday story reading at Leelanau Books and holiday wish list cards at all stores.

The event is in collaboration with Leelanau Christian Neighbors, and we are asking for food pantry donations in return for discounts at stores.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that Battle Creek St. Philip proved too much for Leland in its Class D quarterfinal, downing the Comets 3-0 (25-8, 25-11, 25-10). Congratulations on a great run & season Leland!

Last Thursday night the Leland Girls Volleyball took down Brethren 3-2 to capture the Class D Regional title. The Lady Comets (44-10-4) head to Big Rapids tomorrow night at 7 PM to face top-ranked Battle Creek St. Philip, a longtime nemesis. The Record-Eagle reports:

"It's a challenge, but in order to win a state championship you have to beat them," Leland coach Laurie Glass said after winning the regional title on Thursday. "So the quarterfinals is as good a time as any."

The Fighting Tigers have won the last six Class D state titles. In fact, the last team to beat them was Leland for the crown in 2006.

This is the second straight quarterfinal appearance for the Comets. Last year, state runner-up Wyoming Tri-Unity Christian beat them in five games.

Go Comets!!

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that the Leland Comets went to the seventh shooter in a shootout with Hart to win the Division 4 regional soccer championship.

Tony Mosqueda's goal on that seventh shot ended up as the 2-1 winner, propelling Leland to Wedesday's semifinals in Big Rapids.

The victory puts Leland (25-3) in the Final Four for the first time in decades.

"Someone said 1982," Comets coach Joe Burda said. "It's been a long, long time.

"It's big. These seniors don't want to quit. They're just going with it."

The Comets will face Grand Rapids Covenant Christian (perplexingly) tomorrow night at 6 PM in Big Rapids, which is Halloween.

This weekend only (October 25-28) Leland School Drama is presenting the zany comedy that premiered 10 years ago at Leland and helped launch the legacy of the Leland Drama program.

The play is directed by Jeremy John Evans and performance schedule at the Leland Performing Arts Center:

• October 25 @ 7:00 pm Thursday
• October 26 @ 7:00 pm Friday
• October 27 @ 7:00 pm Saturday
• October 28 @ 5:00 pm Sunday

Reserve your tickets by calling the Leland Box Office at 231-256-9857 ext 3895. Tickets are also on sale at the door and in the Leland Public School office. $12 for adults and $10 for children and students.