5 YEARS AGO April 4, 2019
There are some people who let life pass them by. Eric Royston was not one of those people. Royston, head of school at Leelanau Montessori Public School Academy, lost a 10-month battle against pancreatic cancer Friday morning. He was 47 years old. Royston moved to Bingham Township when he was selected as head of school at Montessori in August 2016. He had worked just 20 months at the school when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in May of last year.But he fit a lot into those months.
*** A Leelanau County resident whose Concealed Pistol License (CPL) was revoked by the county clerk after the resident was convicted of a misdemeanor is now suing the clerk for not reinstating the license. William J. Hendershot of Empire is suing Leelanau County Clerk Michelle Crocker and is asking 13th Circuit Court Judge Kevin Elsenheimer to issue an order that the clerk reinstate the license. Through his attorney, Philip L. Ellison of downstate Hemlock, Hendershot asserts that Crocker as well as Leelanau County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Hubbell are misinterpreting state laws related to firearms licensing. The prosecutor provided an initial response to Hendershot’s complaint, indicating that the clerk was simply following state law.
10 YEARS AGO April 3, 2014
Local governments throughout the U.S. and especially here in Michigan are struggling to stay out of bankruptcy while municipal finances just keep plunging deeper and deeper into the red. Well, that scenario isn’t necessarily so for townships in Leelanau County. One has enough money stashed away in savings and checking accounts to operate for three years without taking in another penny in property taxes or state aid.
10 YEARS AGO April 2, 2009
Solon Township officials aren’t putting all their eggs in one basket when it comes to financing a sewer project for Cedar. Last month a stalled sewer proposal was still among the first initiatives identified for federal stimulus funding aimed at “jump-starting” the nation’s economy. Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm announced in mid-March that Solon Township would be the recipient of a low-interest loan of more than $1.3 million, including a grant of around $300,000, to help fund construction of a wastewater treatment plant.
25 YEARS AGO April 8, 1999
The county is making preparations to finance a building project. Commissioners called a special meeting to discuss formation of a building authority after receiving a financial statement showing $4 million available for a project.
*** A 25 percent hike in gas prices shouldn’t slow tourism this summer according to officials. At the Holiday Station Store on W. Bay Shore Dr. in Traverse City, the price for unleaded gasoline yesterday was $1.09 a gallon. Five weeks ago that same gas would have been only 87 cents a gallon.
*** Rain has arrived to dampen fire danger. Following a soaking rain early this week, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has begun issuing all-day burn permits. Since before the beginning of the month, burning had only been allowed after 6 p.m. due to dry conditions.
50 YEARS AGO April 4, 1974
Suttons Bay School District will vote on the renewal of the 15 mill levy which recently expired. Polls at the High School will be open from 7 a m. to 8 p.m. Absentee ballots are available at the Superintendent’s office from 8 a m. to 4:30 p.m. daily and from 9 a m. to 2 p.m. on the Saturday preceeding the election.
*** Two juvenile males, 15 and 13, listing Greenville and Gowen, Mich, as addresses were nabbed by Leelanau County sheriff’s deputies in a cottage near Northport. After a series of break-ins at cottages in the Northport area and the Homewood Cottages and LaundroMat. A stolen truck owned by the General Telephone Co., reported stolen in Montcalm County was found abandoned alongside railroad tracks just south of Timber Shores by sheriffs deputies at 2:10 p.m. Wednesday, March 31.
75 YEARS AGO April 1, 1948
Empire has received notice that the State Highway department will install a blinker light at the intersection of M-22 and Front street as soon as possible. A light on this corner has long been needed.
*** Shifting ice the past weekend practically destroyed the new dock at the Henry Parsons boat yard one mile north of Northport, in spite of efforts to break up the pressure by blasting with dynamite. The dock, built last summer, was heavily reinforced to withstand ice pressure but the force of the shifting drift snapped huge timbers like matches and piled the dock high in the air. The loss will probably be several thousand dollars.
100 YEARS AGO April 3, 1924
After being cut off from the main land for 44 days, North Manitou Island re-established communications Monday morning when U.S. Mail carrier Tracy Grosvenor, John Kinnucan, and Coast Guard Jack Burns crossed the ice to Leland.
*** Asa Ostrander of Traverse City installed bathroom fixtures in Jacob Schwarz’s cottage this week. He started home yesterday but got only as far as Lake Leelanau, so came back.
*** Harry Firestone ran into a wire fence Saturday while coasting, and cut and bruised his face and chest. He was absent from school Monday.
