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

Traverse City hosts a Downtown Art Walk tomorrow night (Friday, May 2) from 5-9 PM.

You're invited to enjoy a self guided tour of galleries and exhibits in Downtown Traverse City featuring local art and wine. Visit each participating location, receive a stamp and enter to win a $500 Downtown Shopping Spree. Walking guides will be available at each participating location and the Downtown Office.

Visit the Downtown Traverse City web site for more information!

The Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce hosts their annual Leelanau Business Expo next Wednesday (Apr 30) from 11 AM - 6 PM at the Strongheart Center in Peshawbestown.

The event is free to the public and the Leelanau Enterprise reports that over 100 businesses will be exhibiting.

Event co-organizer Jackie Morrison expects a full house of exhibitors, but said the Chamber will try to fit in any last-minute attendees.

“There is still some room,” said Morrison. Jackie and Bill Morrison are organizing the event, which is held every other year. They are owners of the Business Helper in Suttons Bay.

“But it’s going to be cozy,” she added, with some 112 spaces already rented out to a variety of businesses and non-profit groups. Some businesses, such as the Bill Marsh auto dealership in Traverse City and Stander Marine of Leland, will be showing cars and boats on the grounds of the center.

Read the rest of Big Turnout Expected at Chamber's Expo in the Enterprise.

Photo: Strongheart Center by Andy McFarlane

The photo is Daffodils II, and I'd like to wish everyone out there a happy Earth Day (and tell you that the daffodils came out yesterday!).

Come to the parade in TC Saturday too!

While Earth Day is next Tuesday (Apr 22), the 2008 Grand Traverse Earth Day Parade takes place next Saturday (Apr 26) at noon.

In addition to the parade through downtown Traverse City, there will be a "zero-waste" community picnic at Hannah Park (on the river) following the parade . There will also be a puppet & mask performance, Earth Day Green Fair and music from 3:00 - 4:30 PM by the Earthwork Musicians.

Much more about Earth Day activities and how you can get involved from The Little Artshram.

Photo:  Bee's Eye View by Andy McFarlane (more pics from last year's Earth Day Parade)

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports that the Michigan Senate has approved a school aid funding plan that would allow some of the lowest-funded school districts to gain additional equity payments and also increase all districts' per-student allowance by $71 next year. Traverse City Schools (whuch are among the lowest funded in the state) would receive payments and some Leelanau districts would receive payments as well.

In their excellent editorial calling on Senators Michelle McManus and Jason Allen to champion school equity, the Record-Eagle says (in part):

This is hardly a new issue. Not long after voters approved Proposal A in 1994, the Legislature passed enabling legislation that gave more per-pupil state aid to a handful of districts, most of them the wealthiest in the state. The reasoning was that these districts had taxed themselves more than most and shouldn't be punished for doing so.

The legislation also called for the per-pupil gap to be narrowed until virtually all districts got the same amount of aid, but that hasn't really happened. The so-called 20(J) districts -- those getting higher stipends -- have continued to reap much more than districts like Traverse City.

Today, most districts get $7,204 per pupil, while some 20(J) districts still get more than $12,000. If Traverse City was funded at the level Birmingham schools are -- $12,303 per student -- its state contribution would soar by more than $51 million per year.

School equity is something that everyone in Northern Michigan should be talking with their elected officials about. Learn more about the issue at Citizens for Equity.

My friends Micheal, Ingemar, Lisa and Rick of the band Song of the Lakes have a new DVD titled Live at Interlochen. It features a full-length movie of Song of the Lakes 25th Anniversary concert by Rich Brauer & Brauer Productions and the documentary Journey to Joy by Rebecca Glotfelty of Real People Media.

The DVD premiers at the State Theatre in Traverse City on Tuesday, March 25, 2008. Be sure to come because it's a fantastic show!

They'll have a link to order the DVD from their web site.

(updated Thursday, Feb 28)

Glen Lake pulled off a hat trick by beating Suttons Bay for the third time this year with a 56-50 victory on Monday (see Record-Eagle story). Last night against Charlevoix the Lakers lost a 74-73 thriller (story coming soon we hope!).

In Class D action Leland followed up a 72-31 victory over Northport on Monday with a 79-42 defeat of Beaver Island. Lake Leelanau St Mary likewise rolled into Friday's final with a 79-24 victory over Leelanau School on Monday and 69-16 triumph over Grand Traverse Academy.

Our 2008 Tournament coverage continues...

Celtic rock group The Young Dubliners return to the area after a long hiatus to play a pre-St. Patrick's Day Celebration the concert at the Inside Out Gallery. The concert takes place this Sunday (March 2) at 7 PM and tickets are $15 in advance.

The Young Dubliners are a great band that really rocked when they came to Interlochen several years ago and I have no doubt that fans of Irish music, folk and rock will thoroughly enjoy this show.

More about the band at youngdubliners.com and at their MySpace page.

The Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre will present the full-length original ballet "Hansel and Gretel" this Sunday (Feb 24) at 3 PM at the Northport Community Arts Center. The ballet is based on the Classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale of two Bavarian children who neglect their chores and are sent by their mother into the forest to collect berries for supper.

"Hansel and Gretel" features original choreography by Thomas Morrell, artistic director of the Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre, with music from the Engelbert Humperdinck opera score of the same name. The cast of 23 dancers includes students ages 10-18 as well as five adults in guest roles. General admission tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children 12 and under or seniors. Tickets may be reserved by phoning Ballet, Etc. at 929-2787 or purchased at the door.

Photo credit: Pointe by huxleyesque

Barefoot Tango, a Nuevo Tango Quartet from Traverse City, will be the final concert in the Sunday Series at the Old Art Building in Leland. The concert takes place Sunday, February 24 at 3 PM (call 231-256-2131 for details). From the news release:

Barefoot Tango is a quartet specializing in authentic, gritty, intense performances of nuevo tango masterpieces. Marrying the soul and romance of Argentine tango music with jazz harmonies and the complexity of classical orchestrations, "nuevo tango" produces a darker, more intense, more romantic sound best enjoyed in a concert setting.

Sunday's program will include selections from new tango's most innovative composers: nuevo tango innovator Astor Piazzolla, emerging Swedish composer Per Störby, and Eduardo Rovira.

Here's an interview with Barefoot Tango from Interlochen Public Radio that you really should listen to and also check out this cool photo from a Barefoot Tango performance by Gary Howe. More (including music) at Barefoot Tango's MySpace page.