KenCam News

News Page

Home News Landscapes Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wildlife Page 1 2 Cherries Trips

I'll be adding local news stories and other items of interest to this page as they develop, with links wherever possible.

(6/16/12) Strawberries are coming on the market. They've been hurt by the spring weather, but not as badly as cherries. Click here for an article and video.
(5/16/12) The Maple Street condos were heavily damaged in a fire yesterday. See the videos from Channel 7 and Channel 9 for details.
(4/26/12) It's looking pretty grim for both the tart and sweet cherry crops. Here's an article from today's issue of The Antrim Review.
(4/5/12) With a low of 23° this morning, our hard freezes continue. Channel 9 has an article on possible damage to the tart cherry crop.
(2/6/12) Dan Allensworth ran his 18th Houston Marathon and won first place in his age group despite a fall. Click here to read the story in the Galveston Daily News.
(1/7/12) With the recent interest in fracking for natural gas in Antrim County, this MSNBC.com article seems relevant. It blames earthquakes in Ohio and Oklahoma on fracking.
(1/5/12) The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy is developing the Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area just north of Lake Bellaire. Sharon Gunn forwarded links to the description and map. To view the GTRLC home page, click here.
(11/25/11) Central Foods has been sold to the family that owns the Village Markets south of Alden and in Elk Rapids. Click here to read the Antrim Review article.
(11/9/11) In yesterday's election the Village President recall passed by 214 to 54 and the township ambulance levy passed by 295 to 65. Click here for details.
(9/5/11) Jane Allensworth forwarded this nine-minute YouTube video from a 1949 travelogue about Sleeping Bear, Traverse City, Mackinac Island, and other northern Michigan spots. Keep an eye out for "Old Spikehorn Meyers", who fed bears from his teeth at the age of 80.
(7/29/11) Bill Hardy sent in this article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about efforts in Illinois to use Asian Carp as food. The Illinois and Mississippi Rivers are being invaded by the carp and there are fears that they could get into Lake Michigan and destroy the food supply of native fish.
(7/6/11) In addition to being a urologist, Dr. David Hardy has decided to become a chicken farmer. Click here for a report on Dave's progress.
(5/19/11) The Antrim County Road Commission has laid off 21 of their 29 employees. Here's the Channel 9 article and video.
(5/13/11) The Central Lake Village Council had another lively session last Monday. Here's an article and editorial in the May 12th Antrim Review.
(5/11/11) From Bob Webb: I'm spreading the joyous news: Emily O'Brien (my niece) and Paul Garfinkle are parents of a very handsome son, Michael Ossip, born on Mother's Day in Vancouver... hooray! Mom and son are fine, and we assume Paul's doing ok, too.....!
(4/23/11) Bonnie reports that the Hardys are fine and suffered no damage after the tornadoes in St. Louis. She says "somehow we were between the two supercells and it was silent and no wind. Which was eerie since the two cells were supposed to collide right where we were."
(4/21/11) Click here to read an editorial from today's Antrim Review regarding the situation with the Central Lake Village Council.
(4/19/11) Bonnie sent the photographer's pictures of Will and Molly's wedding. Click here to view the slideshow. Click "F11" for full screen and "F11" again to return to normal screen.
(4/2/11) Sixth graders at the Central Lake Middle School built four platforms for this year's Intermediate Lake loons. Click here to read the article in the March 31st Antrim Review.
(3/25/11) The DNR is predicting fewer tent caterpillars this summer. The bad news is that more black flies are expected. Click here for Channel 7's story.
(3/21/11) The state was going to ban the burning of household trash as of April 1st, but then at least temporarily changed its mind. Click here to read the Record-Eagle article.
(2/14/11) Bonnie Hardy sent the first pictures of Will and Molly's Saturday wedding. Click here to see them. Bonnie will send some of the professional pictures for posting when she gets them.
(12/20/10) John Shahan sent pictures of his and Irina's December 7th wedding. Click here to view them.
(12/13/10) Mary Lamia recently appeared on KQED Public Radio in San Francisco to discuss her new book. Click here for a link to the forum.
(12/12/10) Click here to read the wedding announcement from John and Irina Shahan.
(11/21/10) Besides allowing Sunday morning sales, Michigan's new liquor law will allow wineries to charge for samples. Click here for details of the law, which goes into effect January 1st.
(11/15/10) I received the sad news from Marcia Shahan today that Jean Shahan, Keith's mother, passed away last week. Click here to read Marcia's message.
(11/11/10) The Record-Eagle has an article about Governor Granholm agreeing to sign a law allowing Sunday morning liquor sales. It doesn't say when the law will take effect.
(11/9/10) The guy with the Gaylord webcam who was being harassed by the DNR because deer were eating from his bird feeder finally had his case dismissed. Here's the Channel 7 story.
(10/14/10) Sharon Gunn sent this link to the Michigan Department of Community Health advisory on toxins in Michigan fish. The closest to Central Lake of the lakes covered is Torch on Page 26 of the pdf document (Pages 48-49 of the Brochure). The most serious threat comes from eating Lake Trout from Torch Lake because of pollution from mercury, PCB's and dioxins. The Three Lakes Association has an article on the Torch Lake contamination on Page 8 of its October newsletter.
(10/2/10) Patrick Shahan and Erin Robertson were married in Gainesville, Florida today. Click here to see some pictures taken by Bonnie Hardy.
(8/4/10) A group went to Norwood on Lake Michigan Wednesday. Here are some photos taken by Irina Pak and John Shahan.
(7/22/10) Stephanie Parmley and Clayton Givens were married last Saturday. Here are a few preliminary pictures. They will be sending the official wedding pictures when they're available.
(5/22/10) Northern Michigan has had a heavy infestation of tent caterpillars this spring, but they should be gone by the end of June. Here's the Record-Eagle article.
(5/1/10) Michigan's smoking ban takes effect today. Here's the Record-Eagle article and Free Press Q & A.
(4/18/10) Keith and Marcia Shahan recently went to China. Click Here to see pictures from their trip.
(4/8/10) Click Here to see pictures of the Allensworths' recent European trip that I received from Jane.
(3/14/10) El Niño conditions in the Pacific Ocean have pushed winter storms to the south of us and kept bitterly cold temperatures to the north. The resulting warm, dry conditions may cause an unwelcome acceleration in local crop development. Concerns about the resulting damage are reported in the Record-Eagle.
(3/7/10) Click here to see an email from John Shahan and pictures from his recent trip to Russia.
(1/8/10) I've been having audio problems with local channels on DirecTV for several months. A technician told me that the problem is in the new satellite that's used for the Traverse City stations, but that DirecTV won't acknowledge it. This article in the Record-Eagle seems to bear that out.
(12/11/09) The Free Press has an article about the state-wide smoking ban in public places that will take effect next May. Exemptions include the gambling area of casinos.
(12/10/09) Demolition has begun on the Barnes factory in Central Lake. Here's the Antrim Review article.
(12/6/09) A restaurant and bar is finally being considered for Cherry Capital Airport. The Record-Eagle has an article.
(11/28/09) Rocket Rob's Village Pizza went out of business permanently about a month ago. I missed whatever announcement was posted, but Ann saw a notice in the Antrim Review of November 12th. Here's the picture from the Review. In the same issue was a picture of the gang on one of the final days of the North Perk Cafe in Bellaire. I'm not familiar with the name, but from the address in the phone book the Google Maps street view shows it to be located across the street from the post office.
(11/21/09) According to an article in the Record-Eagle, December temperatures should be above normal in northern Michigan.
(11/4/09) Proposals to install a deep injection well near Petoskey rather than Alba are being studied. Here's the Channel 7 coverage.
(10/17/09) A state record muskie was caught in Torch Lake on September 27th. Click here for details and pictures of the 50-pound fish in Field & Stream. Some cynics think the pictures were Photoshopped, but most readers agree that it's genuine. You can see 19 pictures by clicking "Next" and there is also a long page of comments that you can read by scrolling down.
(9/22/09) Our cold, damp early summer may have been caused by volcanic eruptions in Alaska and Russia, while September's warm, dry weather may be the result of an El Niño condition in the Pacific Ocean. Here are the details in the Record-Eagle.
(9/7/09) This year's grape crop is running two weeks behind schedule because of the cool summer, with some doubt that it will ripen sufficiently to make good quality wine. The Record-Eagle has the story. (9/22: Here's a late-season update.

(8/28/09)   The TCE plume that has threatened Antrim County drinking water for decades continues to expand from Mancelona toward Bellaire. Here's the latest from Channel 7.

(8/23/09)   There's an article about Mary Lamia's new book in the Marin Independent Journal. Click here to read the story and see the picture of Mary and Marilyn.

(8/20/09)  Up to 25% of the cherry crop will have to be destroyed this year because of federal regulations driving the market. Here's the Channel 7 article.

(8/19/09)  The Alba injection well has been put on indefinite hold because of a stay issued by a Thirteenth Circuit Court judge. Click here to read the Record-Eagle article.

(8/4/09)  The Cherry Tree Inn got into trouble in 2006 when it bulldozed the Grand Traverse Bay beach in front of the building. Two years later, the leader of the Ohio group of owners was sentenced to one year probation and 30 days community service. He has now been sentenced to jail for failing to complete his community service. Here's the Record-Eagle article.

(7/22/09)  Sweet corn is two weeks behind schedule because of the cold weather. Here's the Channel 7 article.

(7/17/09)  In contrast to Michigan's worries about the cherry crop being smaller than desirable, Washington's record bumper crop has become a disaster for the growers. Here's the KOMO news article.

(7/9/09)  Mary Lamia was interviewed on a Traverse City radio talk show about her new book. She also made other appearances during her short stay at the lake. Here is the book's website.

(6/28/09)  Because of the cold spring, the Cherry Festival will have to use cherries from other Michigan areas this year. A good local crop is still expected, but will be up to two weeks later than usual. Here's the Record-Eagle article. It will be interesting to compare this year's pictures with those from last year on the Cherry Metamorphosis page.

(6/18/09)  Liz Hardy caught a marlin when she was in Hawaii for a wedding. Click here to see the photos. Click here to see a picture of Liz in the olive grove at Napa Valley's Plumpjack winery last March, and here for a photo of Liz and Dillon kayaking a few years ago.

(6/15/09)  Bill Hardy says he may have seen a bear running through the woods by his place a few days ago. Bears are on the increase in Michigan, with a population estimated to be 19,000. 15% of these are in the lower peninsula. Here's a Record-Eagle article about a recent sighting on the Leelanau Peninsula. Update, June 22nd: Click here to see a picture of an apparent bear at Clam Lake sent in by Bob Webb.

(6/5/09)  Crops have been delayed because of the recent cold weather. The Record-Eagle has an article.

(6/5/09)  Second Chance has delayed its total shutdown until later in the year. Click here for the Channel 7 story.

(5/26/09)  Bob Webb emailed that the family met in Toronto on May 8 for a memorial service for his sister Anne Webb O'Brien, and put Anne's ashes in the niche with Michael's. He said it was a good thing to see them together again. Click here to see Anne's obituary in the Record-Eagle.

(5/23/09)  Click here to see the panorama of the salute to Keith Shahan put together by Keith and Marcia's friends for his retirement dinner from John Burroughs School. Dave Hardy had to take three photos to fit it all in, and I merged them as best I could. You can zoom in with your Adobe Reader and read most of the notes.

(5/23/09)  Tent caterpillars have been more abundant than usual this spring. Although not considered a serious threat, the Record-Eagle featured some hints on getting rid of them.

(5/16/09)  Last week's freeze doesn't seem to have hurt the fruit crop, but there is concern that the cool weather discourages the bees from doing their job. Here's the Record-Eagle article.

(4/30/09)  This year's cherry crop looks good so far, but any May freeze could cause serious damage. Here's the Channel 7 article.

(4/29/09)  Keith Shahan sent the following email: We have news. Our son David and his wife, Susan (Scafati) Shahan, had a little girl this morning at 2:00 a.m. in Austin, Texas. Lucia Ruth Shahan weighs 7 lbs 11 oz and is 21" long. Everyone is healthy and Marcia and I are thrilled.

(4/25/09)  Sheriff Dan Bean is recruiting citizens to participate in the new Lake Watch Program. Linda Gallagher has an article about the program in this week's Antrim Review. The emergency assistance part sounds good, but encouraging marine officers to give out more tickets and fewer warnings may meet with some controversy.

(4/25/09)  The Bellaire Golf Club, including the restaurant and pub, will be reopening soon after sitting idle for more than a year. Here's the Antrim Review article.

(4/14/09)  I was in San Francisco when they announced last month that Tapawingo will not be opening this spring. It's another victim of the economy. Here is the article in the Record-Eagle. Hopefully LuLu's and the new Blue Pelican will maintain their business volume.

(4/10/09)  Today's Antrim Review has an article about small birds in Antrim County dying off from salmonella poisoning at feeders. They recommend not feeding birds during warmer months. Since I haven't had any dead birds at my feeders, I'm going to hold off on reducing the feeding.

(3/7/09)  Second Chance has announced the closing of its Central Lake plant by the end of June. Here's the Record-Eagle article.

(2/27/09)  This article on the increase in property taxes while home values are going down was in The Antrim Review of February 24th.

(2/27/09)  The Antrim County News has folded, leaving The Antrim Review as the only county paper. Here's the editorial in the Review.

(2/11/09)  The Antrim Review has an article giving some detail on the request of several northern Michigan towns that residents on the municipal water system keep a faucet running until spring to prevent frozen water mains. The request doesn't apply to people on wells.

(2/2/09)  As of today, residents of the towns of Thompsonville, Rogers City, Cheboygan, Onaway, Grayling, Roscommon, West Branch, Clare, Manton, and Beulah have been asked to keep a faucet running until spring to prevent frozen water mains. I saw the Central Lake water department digging up a pipe yesterday, but don't know of any local notice to keep a faucet on.

(1/30/09)  The Alba injection well drilling has been blocked while the lawsuit challenging it proceeds. Here is the Record-Eagle story.

(1/28/09)  With all the wild turkeys around here, I thought that this story was interesting. A gang of them have been attacking a mailman and residents of a neighborhood in Rockport, Massachusetts. Click the photo to see the short video.

(1/28/09)  Residents of Roscommon and Beulah have now been asked to run their water 24/7.

(1/25/09)  In a follow-up to the item below, the city of Onaway in the northeastern LP is also asking residents to leave faucets running until spring. The Channel 9 story also has a video segment. Click "Watch Video."

(1/24/09)  I've never heard of such a thing, but Grayling is asking anyone with city water to leave a faucet running until spring because of frozen city water lines. Here's the Channel 7 story.

(1/10/09)  A couple of years ago Ann, Werner, and I went to the unofficial world premier of Michael Moore's controversial film "Sicko" in Bellaire. Another controversy has arisen with the unsuccessful attempt of a high school classmate of Michael's to show an anti-Michael film in Traverse City. Here's the Record-Eagle article on the cancellation, along with a review of "Shooting Michael Moore" on IMDB.com. One objection to showing the film is that it shows directions to Michael's Torch Lake home. That seems strange, since his address is a matter of public record on the Antrim County Parcel Search website.

(1/3/09)  A decision on the lawsuit against the Alba injection well has been postponed until January 29th. Here is the Antrim Review article from the December 23rd issue.

(12/7/08)  Marcia Shahan sent a note saying that Keith has been appointed president of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS). Here is the Burroughs announcement.

(12/3/08)  In further bad news about the economy, the valve factory across the lake, which I think is in the old Texas Instruments building, has announced that it's closing next September when the lease expires. Here's the Antrim County News article. In even worse news if it's true, there is a rumor that Second Chance will close its Antrim County operations and move the jobs to Mexico.

(11/24/08)  One bright spot in the terrible Michigan economy is the early snow. Channel 7 has an article on the driveway clearing business, and Channel 9 has a video on the snowmobiling outlook. Enter "Play Video" for the second feature. In scarier news, a hunter's bullet tore through a day care center.

(11/12/08)  The Antrim County election results can be found on the county website. As usual, the county went Republican.

(10/28/08)  Here's an article by Linda Gallagher in this week's Antrim Review about possible effects of global warming on county wildlife. Opossums were visiting my bird feeder at night last winter, and Ann and I saw a gray fox running in front of my car on Abby Lane last month. At first, we thought it was her cat. The gray fox is apparently a nasty, foul-tempered little creature who climbs trees and feeds on squirrels, birds, and eggs. That sounds like trouble for the turkeys who roost in the Birch Point trees.

(10/21/08)  This week's Antrim Review has the latest story on the Blue Pelican being rebuilt in the old hotel, including a description of the planned restaurant. Here's the article from the Antrim County News.

(10/1/08)  John Shahan stopped by after talking to Mar at Brownwood. She told him that Chris Corbett had told her that he is buying the Lamplighter Inn, will rebuild the restaurant in the old hotel, and will not rebuild the Blue Pelican. No word on the fate of twofers. I'll post the newspaper articles next week.

(9/15/08)  Here's a scary Free Press story about the destruction and danger caused by wild pigs in 63 Michigan counties, including Antrim. Jane Allensworth says that she thinks Emily Garfinkle (Ann Webb O'Brien's daughter) saw a pig with a dog or two in Jeff's field, and that Jane's son David tried to rope a large pig by their compost pile. These pigs were pink and looked like escapees from a farm rather than the feral pigs described in the Free Press story.

(9/10/08)  I received a reply from Rep. Stupak to the letter described in the item below. Be sure to scroll to the second page. I'll also publish any replies that we get from the Senators.

(9/7/08)  Some of us from the Birch Point group signed a form letter protesting the Alba injection well that the Friends of the Jordan River Watershed provided to the Intermediate Lake Association, and we sent copies to the Michigan Governor, U. S. Senators, and our Congressman. I received Governor Granholm's reply to such letters, in which she says that no laws were broken and the state has no choice but to grant the permit. I guess it's up to the courts now, and here's the FOJ's web page describing the ongoing legal challenges and appeals.

(9/6/08)  Here's a letter to the editor of the Antrim County News written by Antrim County Prosecutor Charles Koop. I think it's the most comprehensive description of the Alba injection well issue that I've seen.

(8/21/08)  Friske's is building a barn next to their store and restaurant near Atwood to sell barbeque meat and sauces. The chef, Kevin Heard, is the real estate agent who I bought my house through. Here's the Antrim Review article.

(8/6/08)  Dan Bean defeated Sheriff Terry Johnson in yesterday's election. The Record-Eagle has a short article on the results.

(8/5/08)  The third restaurant fire in the last two months, after Gio's and the Blue Pelican, has closed Lulu's. This one was small, and Lulu's is expected to reopen within two weeks. Here are the articles from the Antrim County News and The Antrim Review.

(7/31/08)  The Blue Pelican restaurant was destroyed by fire on Tuesday, July 29th. Here are the articles from The Antrim County News and The Antrim Review. Chris and Merrie Corbett wrote a Thank you letter that was printed in the Review. Click here and on "Watch Video" for the Channel 9 video of the fire being fought and here to see my pictures of the remains.

(7/29/08)  A recent article in the Antrim Review by Linda Gallagher was nothing but an ad for the Thermacell mosquito repeller, but she sounded so enthusiastic about it that I bought one. I haven't tried it yet, but I'll let you know how well it works.

(7/24/08)  The Antrim Review had an interesting article about loons. I didn't know that the new chicks don't return until they are four years old.

(7/16/08)  The finale of the July 4th Central Lake fireworks show was cut short when one of the crew was injured. Although it required 42 stiches, his injury was minor. The fireworks company has promised a double finale for next year. Here's the Antrim County News article.

(6/19/08)  The Record-Eagle has an article about weather damage to the cherry crop. It looks like at least half of the Leelanau area crop was wiped out by cold weather and hail storms, but I think Antrim countly was less affected. The USDA is coming out with their national fruit crop assessment today, and I'll post it here when I find it.

(6/18/08)  Because of our wet spring and high amount of standing water, we're expected to have an abnormally high mosquito population this summer, Click here and on "Play Video" to see Channel 9's coverage.

(6/10/08)  Gio's Trattoria, on M-88 south of Bellaire, was destroyed by fire early Monday morning. Here's the Channel 7 article and video, and a more complete story in the Antrim County News.

(6/8/08)  The Free Press has an article today about the buyers' market that has developed for second homes in the northern LP. Surprisingly, another article says that prices have been stable in the UP. It's hard to understand how the house at the end of Bell Street, next to the Tyvek monstrosity, can be listed at $599K for 150 feet of lakefront.

(6/4/08)  The Channel 7 item below may have been too optimistic in its assessment of the freeze damage to the fruit crops. According to this article in today's Antrim Review, local farmers are expecting serious damage to the cherry, apple, and strawberry crops.

(6/3/08)  The cherry crop seems to have escaped major damage from last week's freeze, but the apple crop is in trouble. The Elk Rapids area was particularly hard hit. Here's the Channel 7 coverage.

(5/22/08)  This week's Antrim County News has an article about Michael Moore's speech at the Pelican Room last week. He considers Antrim County to be his home now. Love him or hate him, he's the only celebrity we've got.

(5/14/08)  Tapawingo has reopened and the Antrim County News has an interview with owner Pete Peterson. I didn't realize that he worked seven years for the Rowe Inn before starting his own place. In other restaurant news, Tuesday twofers start May 20th at the Blue Pelican.

(5/11/08)  The Sunday Free Press has a couple of interesting articles concerning northern Michigan. The first is about how Traverse City seems to be holding its own in the dismal economy. It mentions how the old mental hospital is housing upscale businesses, including the Trattoria Stella. The second article describes invasive species threatening the Great Lakes and efforts to control those arriving from the Black Sea in the tanks of ocean vessels.

(5/7/08)  Toonies Restaurant in Bellaire has gone smoke-free. Here's the article about them in The Antrim County News. It says that another Antrim County establishment will eliminate smoking by the end of the month, but doesn't identify it. I'll bet it won't be The C.l.u.b.

(5/7/08)  A nursery and produce market has opened across Intermediate Lake Road from the Cabanas. Here's an article in the The Antrim County News and another one in The Antrim Review. At the very least, it should be a good place to get fresh tomatoes. Hopefully they'll sell fresh strawberries and blueberries in season.

(5/4/08)  Here's an interesting history of the Central Lake Hotel from The Antrim Review. It's still for sale.

(4/30/08)  Our 23° temperature last night could be ominous for the cherry crop. Here's the Channel 7 coverage. From the video picture on the right, you can see that the Leelanau buds have opened, as opposed to the King Orchards' buds picture on the Landscapes page. Hopefully the Antrim buds aren't developed enough to be seriously damaged and, also hopefully, Leelanau didn't get as cold as we did.

(4/29/08)  The property owners around Bear Lake in Manistee County are going to have to pay $157,000 ($600 each, plus $188 yearly) to treat Milfoil. No money will come from the state or county. Here's the Channel 7 story. The same problem will eventually have to be addressed for the Intermediate River south of Intermediate Lake.

(4/28/08)  The Record-Eagle has an article about reported cougar sightings near Sleeping Bear. Although federal and state agencies don't have enough evidence to take a position, the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy claims to have proof that the animals are here.

(4/11/08)  Jeff Cullen emailed that the ice broke up at the south end of the lake last night and he saw a pair of loons swimming this morning.

(4/9/08)  I received this email from DNR Conservation Officer Andrea Albert addressed to the Intermediate Lake Association. It requests feedback regarding a request to build a water-ski course south of the launch ramp down by the islands, which puts it right in loon territory. I forwarded the email to Scott Zimmerman and Jeff Cullen, president and vice-president of the association, and Jeff sent it to Linda Gallagher of The Antrim Review. Here is Linda's reply. I think the permit has little chance of being granted.

(4/3/08)  Adding to the economic problems of Antrim County, the Dura factory in Mancelona will be closing this year. The 300 people who will lose their jobs make latches and hinges for cars. Here's the Record-Eagle article on the closing.

(4/1/08)  The 100-year-old dam between Elk Lake and Lake Michigan has the capability of supplying electricity to 700 homes, but was scheduled to be converted to an upscale restaurant. The Free Press has an article about a retired Ford engineer who paid Antrim County $195,000 for the right to operate the dam as a power station.

(4/1/08)  According to this Free Press article, Mackinac Island will have a critical labor shortage this summer because Congress allowed a guest worker program that had been operating since the 1940's to expire. In a related article in the Antrim Review, Richard Friske doesn't expect problems because he doesn't participate in the federal program. The Review article doesn't seem to explain how he is able to opt out or what will happen if some of his workers are caught without proper documentation.

(3/28/08)  Local residents around 1.5-mile long Eight Point Lake in Clare County are trying to keep the state from installing a public boat ramp. Click Play Video to see the Channel 9 story (after a 15-second commercial). Being as selfish as the next person, I can understand why the neighbors want to keep the lake all to themselves. However, I don't see that they have a legal leg to stand on.

(3/26/08)  Bellaire passed a law banning the feeding of waterfowl because of increasing levels of bacteria. They've promised not to bust little kids with bread crumbs, but haven't figured out the details of enforcement. Here's the article in the Antrim County News along with a picture of a swan who tried to attack the photographer when he didn't have any food.

(3/22/08)  The Detroit News has an article describing the difficulties of selling northern Michigan vacation homes these days. It can take years. On the other hand, the "For Sale" sign by Alma's driveway finally says "Sold."

(3/19/08)  A plan to kill 50% of the cormorants at a site near Ludington has received approval. Although they're not an invasive species, they've become so attracted to the breakwater at a pumped storage plant that they're destroying the fishery.

(3/19/08)  An article in this week's Antrim Review says that lake effect snows lower the level of Lake Michigan by drawing water from the lake while system snows raise the level by transporting water from the Gulf of Mexico. The levels of Antrim County's Toad Lake and Mud Lake are raised by both types of snow. These "pothole" lakes west of Ellsworth don't seem to get much publicity from the Chamber of Commerce.

(3/15/08)  Articles in the Free Press and Record Eagle say that this has been the best winter in years for businesses in parts of the LP that depend on snowmobilers. The area southwest of Kalkaska normally gets 85" of snow per season and has had 157" so far this winter. This has taken business away from the UP, which has seen reduced traffic. As you can see from the "Snowfall to Date" button on the Home page, Antrim County has had 151.5" as of last week, almost exactly the seasonal average of 151.6".

(3/11/08)  A couple of snowmobilers fell through the ice on the Elk River yesterday and had to be rescued by emergency crews. The accompanying picture shows the stumpy area to the east of Highway 31. According to this news item, both were taken to Munson, where the woman is in critical condition. Alcohol is thought to be a factor.

(3/7/08)  In a reversal of fears that the Great Lakes might reach record low levels this spring, the Free Press has an article predicting that the level might rise as much as a foot by summer.

(3/7/08)  Here's a short video about how 1994's Proposal A has backfired from its original intent by causing this year's property taxes to increase while home values decreased. Click Play Video below the headline. (You'll have to watch a 15-second commercial.)

(3/7/08)  There haven't been any deaths from snowmobiling or falling through the ice in Antrim County this winter, but a man was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in an ice fishing shanty on Torch Lake. The article doesn't give details on whether the heater failed or was just not for use in small spaces, but I guess a CO detector should be used in any enclosed space heated by gas equipment.

(3/4/08)  We should all have received our 2008 assessment notices by now. Today's Antrim County News has an article and a letter to the editor about how our taxes are calculated. I'm not saying I completely understand it all, but I think the information is there so that we can sit down with our assessment notices and tax bills and figure it out.

(2/27/08)  Like other areas in the north central states, Antrim County has been hit by a salt shortage. Normally, a mixture of sand and salt is used on major highways such as US-31 and M-88 while secondary roads receive pure sand, if anything. The Antrim County News has an article about the situation in today's edition. If they do run out, the major highways will have hardpack and ice on them instead of being bare and wet, increasing the danger. The Free Press has an article about the situation in the Detroit metro area.

(2/26/08)  When Bonnie and I were in the Eastport Brownwood store a couple of years ago, the man in charge told us about all the diseases that could be prevented or cured by their fruit-based products. I remember thinking at the time that he was getting awfully close to practicing medicine without a license. Today's Antrim Review has an article reporting that the FDA has issued an injunction against Brownwood Acres ordering them to stop their illegal claims. You can see the resulting disclaimer at the bottom of Brownwood's website.

(2/24/08)  The Mackinac Bridge was closed for two hours on Friday due to ice falling from the cables and towers. The closure caused a traffic jam of over 1,000 vehicles. Here's the TV 7-4 article.

(2/19/08)  A father and son team has been arrested on suspicion of stealing over $100,000 worth of property from summer cottages over a four-county area near Muskegon.  They helped themselves to everything from snowmobiles to antiques.  The Muskegon Chronicle has an article about them.  Our local burglar from a couple of years ago seemed to limit himself to cheap booze and an old air conditioner, but it's still cause for worry.

(2/19/08)  Yet another invasive species threatening the Great Lakes is the Asian Carp.  They can weigh as much as 100 pounds and could get into Lake Michigan from the Mississippi through the Illinois River.  The EPA has a page describing the threat.  The USDA has an excellent site covering threatening plant and animal invasive species across the country, including our zebra mussels and purple loosestrife.

(2/17/08)  In an update to the item about Sheriff Terry Johnson firing Undersheriff Dan Bean, federal authorities say that the Hatch Act may not apply in this case.  The Record-Eagle has an article about the legalities and another one about Dan's criticisms of Terry.

(2/15/08)  The Charlevoix Marina is expected to be completed by the end of June.  I have a picture of the performance pavilion in the Landscapes section.  The DNR is conducting a gray wolf survey through March 10th.  The UP is home to at least 500 wolves, while three have been confirmed in the northern LP.

(2/12/08)  Antrim County Sheriff Terry Johnson fired Undersheriff Dan Bean after Bean indicated that he would run for sheriff against Johnson.  Johnson claims that Bean is violating a 1939 federal law.  It should be an interesting campaign.  Also, here are more details on the Friske's burglar, including his picture.

(2/11/08)  A patented form of yeast may be the next weapon to be used in preventing zebra mussels and other invaders from entering the Great Lakes.  The Free Press has an article about the company in Troy, Michigan that is developing the yeast.

(2/7/08)  A Charlevoix man was arrested for breaking into Friske's multiple times.  Also, the son of a King Orchards employee received a $4,000 check in the mail, of which he was supposed to keep $400 and send the rest back to the sender in money orders.  Finally, a not-too-bright teenager was arrested for passing counterfeit $100 bills in Mecosta county, west of Mount Pleasant.  I think I'd stick to 20's.

(2/4/08)  Botulism has killed as many as 8,000 water birds, including 2,000 loons, in northeastern Lake Michigan in recent months.  The toxin works its way up the food chain through zebra mussels and other Black Sea invaders.  Here's the Free Press article on the Lake Michigan situation and some FAQ about the risk to humans.

(2/3/08)  After a 13-year-old girl died in a skiing accident at Shanty Creek last month, State Representative Bob Constan of Dearborn is proposing a bill that would require all Michigan skiers to wear helmets.  This would be the first such law in the country, and would be sure to generate a nationwide controversy.  Here's the Record-Eagle article on the proposal.

(1/30/08)  An art gallery will be opening April 26th in the former Classic Video building.  Visitors will be welcome to browse or buy at prices ranging from $5 to $5,000.  Here's the article about the gallery in this week's Antrim County News.

(1/23/08)  The owners of Lulu's have opened a new restaurant in downtown Elk Rapids.  Located in a former antique mall, Siren Hall specializes in seafood.  This week's Antrim Review has an article about it.  Assuming that the menu isn't identical to Lulu's, it might be worthwhile to drive the extra distance to check it out.  Also in Elk Rapids, Short's is opening an expanded facility.

(1/19/08)  The Zebra mussels that have invaded Intermediate Lake apparently came from the Black Sea in the ballast tanks of oceangoing freighters.  In spite of the damage that they have caused, Wikipedia says that they have had some positive effects, including an increase in the size and population of smallmouth bass.  This Free Press article describes a new rule requiring ships to flush their tanks at sea before entering the Great Lakes.  The rule is a stopgap measure to slow the spread of the mussel until Congress decides to take action.

(1/16/08)  Click here to see the Antrim County results for yesterday's primary election.  Statewide for the Republicans, Romney received 39% of the vote, McCain 30%, and Huckabee 16%.  On the Democratic side, Clinton received 55% and Uncommitted - including Obama and Edwards - 40%.  The straw poll mentioned below didn't seem to be very accurate, at least as reflected in the Antrim County results.

(1/15/08)  Linda Gallagher wrote an excellent article about the history of Intermediate Lake in today's Antrim Review.  Among the facts that I didn't know, there actually was a lake called Central Lake which consisted of the most northerly mile of the present lake.  South of that were mostly river and wetlands.  The article also has interesting information on the original settlers and fish and wildlife.  Local native Americans once called the valley the "Valley of Nature's Choice," which sounds like a brand of margarine.   I suspect something was lost in translation.  Richmond Brown, Intermediate Lake Association member, wrote a letter to the editor about his memories of the lake from the 1930's.

(1/13/08)  Michigan's confusing primary takes place next Tuesday.  A straw poll shows that Barack Obama and Ron Paul would each get two-thirds of the vote for their parties from Northern Michigan voters.  The problem is that Hillary Clinton is the only major candidate on the Democratic ballot, and, if voters write Obama's name in the write-in space, their votes will be thrown out.  Here are the sample ballots.  This could be the biggest mess since hanging chads, and I'm sure we'll see much analysis from the pundits about the feud between the national and state parties.

(1/9/08)  After 23 years as Headmaster of John Burroughs School, Keith Shahan announced at today's assembly that he will be retiring at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.  Included in Keith and Marcia's plans is spending more time Up North.  Here are the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article and the Burroughs formal announcement about Keith's retirement.

(1/9/08)  The most active year-round bird at my feeders has always been the Black-capped Chickadee.  Here's an interesting article about the bird in The Antrim Review, including efforts to replace the robin with the chickadee as our state bird.  As I remember, they disappear for a few weeks in late spring, probably to nest, and then come back later in the summer.

(1/6/08)  Snow-related businesses are booming so far this season, but that's going to come to a screeching halt as this warm spell takes hold.

(1/4/08)  Here's a sad little item that I scanned from this week's Antrim County News Sheriff's Report.  It concerns some "good Samaritans" who stopped to help a lady whose car was stuck in the snow.  "Warrant pending" hopefully means that these guys were too stupid to avoid being identified.

(1/4/08)  Here's another item that shows the intelligence of some of our local scofflaws.  I scanned it from a DNR Report of a month or so ago.  I think "CO" means "Conservation Officer."

(12/30/07)  The ice fishing season in northern Michigan is off to a good start, although winter tourism is down.  There are some shanties on Intermediate Lake, but the ice doesn't look very solid at this point.  Two fishermen became lost on the ice south of Sault Ste. Marie and had to be rescued the next morning after their vehicle broke through.  Follow-up (1/1/08): The weekend before New Years was the best in years for snow business in Cadillac.

(12/30/07)  The editorial linked in the item below mentions an island of plastic waste twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean.  MSNBC.com has an interesting two-minute video (after a short commercial) about this trash.

(12/28/07)  The Trichloroethylene (TCE) plume from a WWII-era Mancelona factory is continuing to migrate through the water table northward toward Shanty Creek.  This is one of the largest TCE plumes in the country, and total remediation is apparently not feasible.  This editorial in the Antrim County News accompanied this article.

(12/28/07)  A Mancelona mobile home was totally destroyed when falling roof ice damaged a propane line and the gas leaked under the house.  The explosion occured when the owner attempted to light the furnace.

(12/27/07)  I found a series of articles on the Charlevoix Library website about Earl Young, who designed the Charlevoix mushroom houses including the Weathervane.  He was born in Mancelona in 1889, but lived most of his life in Charlevoix until his death in 1975.  Unlike many local citizens and summer people, he was a supporter of the Medusa Cement Company plant.  One of the articles says that "He never achieved fame outside this small pin-prick on the map of northern Michigan," but his work was certainly unique.

Home News Landscapes Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wildlife Page 1 2 Cherries Trips