5 YEARS AGO June 27, 2019
Some things are worth an extra wait. Following a delay due to Mother Nature’s cooler temperatures this spring, strawberries from Bardenhagen Berries in Leland Township will soon be available for purchase around Leelanau County. Bardenhagen Berries Owner Steve Bardenhagen said harvesting of the strawberries will begin today, adding they’ll also be sold today to county farm stands and local grocery stores including Leland Mercantile Co., Hansen Foods in Suttons Bay and NJ’s Grocery in Lake Leelanau.
*** Plans for another solar array about twice the size as one already in place on M-72 at Bugai Road in Elmwood Township will be the subject of a public hearing at a July 15 meeting of the township planning commission. At last week’s Elmwood Township Planning Commission meeting, planners heard from representatives of Heritage Sustainable Energy who hope to construct a second phase of their “M72 Solar Farm” in the township near Harry’s Road off state highway M-72.
10 YEARS AGO June 26, 2014
A collaborative county high school may be on the horizon due to continued declines in enrollment. But is there the political will to pursue one? Retiring Suttons Bay Superintendent Mike Murray told board members at the last meeting of his tenure that if “nothing changes” in the next 10 years, the district will drop to 430-435 students.
*** Farms have become trendy in Leelanau County, as their numbers have increased to account for growing interest in the “small crop” field of agriculture. The latest statistics summary released by the U.S. Department of Agiculture shows that the number of farms in Leelanau County grew from 449 in 2007 to 494 some five years later. Also growing during the time frame was the number of acreage in agriculture, from 55,751 to 59,481.
25 YEARS AGO July 1, 1999
It could be weeks before State Police fire marshal investigators determined whether the fire at Hansen Foods was intentionally set. But law enforcement and firefighters are wasting no time in furthering their investigation into the incident. A “town meeting” will be held at 7 tonight at Suttons Bay School to provide information about the early morning fire which destroyed the Suttons Bay Market Saturday.
*** County commissioners will beet in special session at 1 p.m. July 8 to discuss nominations of property for county facilities– nearly two weeks after an initial meeting on the subject was canceled. Board Chairman Jean I. Watkoski said yesterday afternoon that commissioners will be briefed next week on property being evaluated by a site “select committee” appointed last month.
50 YEARS AGO June 27, 1974
The Wilderness Proposal for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will be presented at a public meeting on July 12, 1974 commencing at 1 p.m. in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kenneth C. Evans Post, 144 Beulah Highway, Beulah. All interested persons are invited to express their views of the Wilderness Proposal at this meeting or they may submit a written statement in care of Superintendent Martinek’s office at any time up to 30 days following the conclusion of the meeting. Interested persons who wish to appear or have someone represent them in person at the meeting are requested to please indicate their interest to the Superintendent at least two days prior to the scheduled meeting.
*** High praise for the cooperation between various volunteer fire departments and other agencies which battled a 20-acre pine tree forest fire in Betsie State Forest a mile east of Davis Lake in Kasson Township Tuesday was voiced by Leelanau County Undersheriff David Gill. “We were lucky,” Gill said afterward. “The fire was contained to 20 acres. If we had high winds we could have had a major forest fire on our hands.”
75 YEARS AGO June 24, 1948
Lake Leelanau is planning a new public school building to augment its parochial school and will ask the state Department of Public Instruction to assist it financially, William Gauthier, school board president said today. He added that there is no prospect of immediate construction of the building. The board has $7000 with which to start.
*** Work on more than six miles of grading, ditching and culverts on M-22 between Suttons Bay and Traverse City will begin at once, the state highway department announced this week in granting the contract to William H. Gilliand of Alpena. His bid was $155,726.84.
100 YEARS AGO June 26, 1924
Several townships of the County were represented on the Hon. Board of Supervisors this week as follows: Bingham, Perry Lindley; Elmwood, Jacob Witkop; Empire, Fritz Rohr; Kasson, Frank Bloswick; Solon, Rudoph Lautner; Glen Arbor, Frank E. Fisher; Cleveland, John Dago; Centerville, John Belanger; Leelanau, Lewis Anderson, Leland, Theo Esch; Suttons Bay, Henry J. Snohr.
*** Facts About The 75th Annual State Exposition Starts Friday, August 29th — closes Sunday, September 7th. As usual on the Michigan State Fair grounds, northern outskirts of Detroit. Estimated attendance, 500,000 persons. New Buildings opening at a cost of more than a half million dollars. $100,000 in livestock and agricultural premiums to be awarded.
