5 YEARS AGO July 4, 2019
A former tribal official who resides in Suttons Bay is inserting himself into one of biggest environmental controversies in the Great Lakes region and the nation. The former head of the Natural Resources Department of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Desmond Berry, is now trying to facilitate discussions between the company that operates Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, Enbridge, and Michigan’s 12 federally-recognized Indian tribes. “Only good things can happen when you make a point of involving the tribes in talks about our environment,” Berry said this week.
*** Justin Bembeneck, one of two Interlochen people charged with assault with intent to murder, armed robbery and home invasion stemming from an alleged attack on a Cedar family in January is competent to stand trial. A competency hearing held Monday in the 13th Circuit Court at the Leelanau County Courthouse found Bembeneck competent to stand trial on two charges of assault with intent to commit murder, an offense punishable by life, or any number of years, in prison.
10 YEARS AGO July 3, 2014
Beaches have people. Rooms are hard to find. There are even opportunities to wait in traffic — in Leelanau County. The Fourth of July must be close. “Now it feels like summer,” said Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore deputy superintendent Tom Ulrich, after scanning the National Park Service visitors center in Empire. People were lined up for park passes. And a ranger was assigned to the 3-D map that greets visitors as they enter the front door. He had one job: answer questions.
*** Elijah Allen of Lake Leelanau enjoys piloting his unmanned aircraft and taking aerial pictures of Leelanau County’s magnificent sights — but says he understands why he’ll no longer be able to do so at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. National Park Service officials issued a policy memorandum last week directing park superintendents nationwide to prohibit the launching, landing, or operating of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service.
25 YEARS AGO July 8, 1999
Drunk driving arrests have decreased in Leelanau County this year compared to the record number in 1998, according to recent statistics.
*** Most of the county cherry crop survived Monday night’s storm that brought heavy rains and 50 mph winds. The wind may have caused some bruising of tart cherries, but it helped save sweet cherries from splitting.
*** Grand Traverse Band officials received $200,000 from an insurance carrier for Leland and the Village of Northport to cover the tribe’s legal expenses over mooring rights. The Tribal Council voted to put the money into a “Treaty Rights Protection Fund” to pay for future legal battles that may stem from a commercial fishing agreement being negotiated with state and federal governments.
50 YEARS AGO July 4, 1974
Leelanau County’s former jailhouse, built in 1901 and now serving as a museum under a lease with the Leelanau Historical Society, may become a State and National Historical Site. Applications for such desigination by the Michigan Historical Division has been filed by Mrs. James VanNess of Leland, museum curator and trustee of the Leelanau Historical Society.
*** The National Park Service which will consider designation of three wilderness areas for inclusion in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will be asking Leelanau County Planning Commission to ad Pyramid Point, Good Harbor Bay as a fourth wilderness site. The NPS will hold a public hearing at 1 p.m. on Friday, July 12 on its proposals to designate North Manitou Island, South Manitou Island and Otter Creek area as wilderness sites.
75 YEARS AGO July 1, 1948
Michigan Public Service Company is junking the outworn gem rating equipment at the powerhouse in Leland and will sell it as old metal. The waterwheel, however, will remain in place, according to company officials, because it helps maintain water levels in Lake Leelanau.
*** Intensive search of Lake Michigan off Leelanau county has failed to turn up any trace of the private plane missing since last Thursday on a flight from Grand Rapids airport to Munising in the Upper Peninsula. The ship, with Ira Berry, pilot, and his brother, Milton Berry, both of Grand Rapids, aboard, would have passed over Leelanau county on a straight flight between the two ports.
100 YEARS AGO July 3, 1924
A telephone booth has been placed in Dalton Bros, store. This gives even better telephone service than in the past and we are sure the improvement will be much appreciated.
*** Home grown strawberries are beginning to be plentiful on the local market. The fine rains of the past week will make the crop much better than it would otherwise have been.
*** A carload of coal has arrived for the Leland school and is being stored in the school house basement. The school board fortunately procured a fine grade of coal this year at a very reasonable price.
