The Leelanau News Blog
leelanau county news • traverse city news • michigan news

Got something to say? Click over to the May 2008 Page. For today's weather, weather links, this week's events, a new weekly photo and comments, click the "more" link.

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Sleeping Bear Dunes 0822 by SNiedzwiecki

News from the Week

In addition to some upcoming events, we posted the Leelanau Cherry Blossom Report (which we're updating as the blossoms update!)

The Week's Weather

The weather was what you want from spring, some sun, some rain and not too hot allowing blossoms and buds to develop slowly.

May 1, 2008: Light rain (a dusting of early snow) & low 60s (66/30)
May 2, 2008: Heavy rain, thunderstorms and 50s (62/42)
May 3, 2008: Mostly sunny and 50s with bit of afternoon showers (62/37)
May 4, 2008: Sunny & 60 (62/32)
May 5, 2008: Mostly sunny & low 50s (55/39)
May 6, 2008: Light rain & 60s (66/37)
May 7, 2008: Mostly cloudy, breezy & occasional showers (63/42)

Click for the Leelanau news archive from May 2007 and the May 2008 page!

Fog Bank by John Levanen

News from the Week

Stories this week were pretty much events, but there was a very cool video about "Leland Blues".

The Week's Weather

We had a nice warm end of the week last week and have spent most of the rest of the time in the 40s and 50s. I get the sense from talking to farmers that they're OK with this.

April 24, 2008: Cloudy, light rain & 70s (75/41)
April 25, 2008: Very heavy rain, thunderstorms & low 70s (75/50)
April 26, 2008: Wind, rain & 50s (63/39)
April 27, 2008: Mostly sunny, breezy & 40s (46/35)
April 28, 2008: Sunny, windy & 40 (40/28)
April 29, 2008: Partly sunny & low 40s (44/32)
April 30, 2008: Sunny & 50s (54/32)

Click for the Leelanau news archive from April 2007 and our April 2008 page!

Birch by Andy McFarlane

News from the Week

News from the week included news that Brad Lutz will not pursue his option on Sugar Loaf and the story of not one but TWO state championship teams from Leland in the Michigan Odyssey of the Mind competition, and a cool photo of daffodils.

The Week's Weather

The weather has been great! Lots of sun and 60s and even a taste of the 70s!

April 17, 2008 : Partly sunny & low 60s (63/48)
April 18, 2008 : Mostly cloudy & 50s (57/43)
April 19, 2008 : Mostly sunny & 60s (66/41)
April 20, 2008 : Sunny & 70 (70/40)
April 21, 2008: Sunny & 70s  (75/48)
April 22, 2008: Mostly sunny & 70s (75/45)
April 23, 2008: Mostly cloudy & upper 60s (69/42)

Click for the <a href="http://www.leelanau.com/blog/2007/4/">Leelanau news archive from April 2007</a> and the <a href="http://www.leelanau.com/blog/april-2008/">April 2008 page</a>.

Trumpet Call by greencottage

News from the Week

News from the week included a $300 poster contest for the Suttons Bay Art Festival, Steve Smiley's home energy setup and his thoughts about changing energy generation in Leelanau County, a bunch of national media attention for Leelanau's Black Star Farms and a ton of new items trails, towns & organizations added to our Leelanau Map.

The Week's Weather

The weather for the week (or at least the last 2 days) in a word: FINALLY! In more than a single word, the weekend was certainly not what you want for April, but yesterday more than made up for it.

April 10, 2008: Mostly cloudy, light rain & upper 40s (51/33)
April 11, 2008: Rain (a little thunder) and 40s (45/35)
April 12, 2008: Morning snow, then cloudy, rain & 30s (37/32)
April 13, 2008: Mostly sunny & 40 (41/30)
April 14, 2008: Sunny & 40s (46/25)
April 15, 2008: Sunny, windy & 50s (56/32)
April 16, 2008: Sunny, very windy & 70! (74/47)

Click for the Leelanau news archive from April 2007 and our April 2008 page!

Paraglider by nasunto

News from the Week

Articles this week included features on the Leelanau Peninsula Vintners Association's annual Spring Sip & Savor event and the Leelanau Players upcoming presentation of Perfect Timing, news that the Leelanau Conservancy has added to its Cedar River parcel and a cool photo of the Manitou boats. We also have added a ton of towns, trails, lakes and attractions to our Leelanau County Map - check it out!

The Week's Weather

We had a gorgeous weekend and early week, then things got a little less gorgeous.

April 3, 2008: Mostly sunny & 50 (52/36)
April 4, 2008: Partly sunny, breezy & upper 40s (51/33)
April 5, 2008: Sunny & low 60s (63/37)
April 6, 2008: Sunny, breezy & 60s (64/39)
April 7, 2008: Mostly sunny & 60s (64/42)
April 8, 2008: Cloudy, 40s & evening rain (46/37)
April 9, 2008: Light rain & low 40s (46/35)

Check out nasunto's other photos from the Sleeping Bear Dunes (slideshow).

Click for the Leelanau news archive from April 2007 and the April 2008 page!

Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore by anttler

News from the Week

The top story of the week was obviously the startling sale of Sugar Loaf ... to aliens, which of course took place on April 1st. Sources close to the deal were heard to remark "somebody take that guy's copy of Photoshop away". We had a more standard article about how the proposed 2008 state budget deals with school equity. We have also begun to roll out our new Google-powered map of Leelanau County with entries posted so far for Empire, Glen Haven, Glen Arbor, Leland and Northport with more coming before the end of the day! In the weeks and months to come, we'll be adding things like trails, parks, beaches and businesses - stay tuned!

The Week's Weather

Sometimes when everyone takes off for warmer climes for a spring break, those of us who stick around are rewarded with gorgeous weather. Last week was not like that.

March 27, 2008: Flurries & 30 (34/28)
March 28, 2008: Mostly sunny, breezy & low 30s (35/23)
March 29, 2008: Sunny & 30s (37/17)
March 30, 2008: Mostly sunny & 40s (46/30)
March 31, 2008: Rain & 30s (39/35)
April 1, 2008: Mostly cloudy, morning snow & 30s (37/25)
April 2, 2008: Sunny & 40s (46/19)

The photo above was taken from a sailplane over Crystal Lake - be sure to look at it bigger!

Click for the Leelanau news archive from March 2007 and April 2007.

Every month we add a page where you can make your observations about what's happening in Leelanau & Traverse City, comment on news we might not cover, talk about what's growing and whatever else you're thinking about.

April began with Mother Nature's own April Fools captured by Keith Burnham and some startling news about Sugar Loaf. I hope that before the month ends, there's some better (and more real) news about the Loaf!

Photo: Stormclouds by Andy McFarlane (from a wild storm of April, 2002)

Go to the page for March 2008.

Sap Buckets, photo by Jim Sorbie

News from the Week

The week's news featured a rare upcoming appearance by landscape artist Russel Chatham at the Dennos (Apr 4), a clip from Song of Lakes new Live at Interlochen DVD, a cool ice boating video, news that the courthouse redevelopment in Leland will receive brownfield aid and - for all you seasonally disaffected folks who aren't headed somewhere warm - a neat photo of an iris from a warmer spring!

The Week's Weather

The week's weather featured a lot of sun but not a lot of heat. Jim said that there was maple sap in those buckets - a sure sign of spring!

March 20, 2008: Flurries & 20s (30/25)
March 21, 2008: Sunny & 20s (32/18)
March 22, 2008: Sunny & upper 20s (32/18)
March 23, 2008: Light snow and low 30s (33/19)
March 24, 2008: Mostly sunny & 30 (34/7)
March 25, 2008: Cloudy, light snow, rain, and in between & 40s (45/30)
March 26, 2008: Mostly sunny & 40 (43/26)

Click for the Leelanau news archive from March 2007 and our March 2008 page.

Sixty-nine years ago by John Levanen

News from the Week

Stories from the week included a note about the passing of longtime Manitou passage captain George Grosvenor, a look at "berging" the Leland River and a belated story on 2 Leelanau Odyssey of the Mind winners advancing to states.

The Week's Weather

The week's weather is about what you expect for late March - too warm to be winter, to cold for spring.

March 13, 2008: Heavy early morning snow, then cloudy & upper 30s (50/18)
March 14, 2008: Light rain & 40s (44/28)
March 15, 2008: Mostly cloudy, breezy & 30 (33/24)
March 16, 2008: Sunny & 20s (28/8)
March 17, 2008: Sunny & low 30s (36/18)
March 18, 2008: Flurries & 30s (39/830)
March 19, 2008: Partly sunny & 30s  (39/30)

More about the photo: John writes: In 1939 our Leelanau house was about 40 or 45 years old.
It has been through a lot of Michigan winters. The Honke family owned the house back then , I assume one of them took this photograph. He also has a photo of the Honke Family in front of the house in 1918.

Click for the Leelanau news archive from March 2007 and also see the March 2008 page!