5 YEARS AGO
February 20, 2020
An Ironman 70.3 bike race that effectively cut off vehicular traffi c between Leelanau County and the rest of the state for several hours on Aug. 25, 2019 will not likely return to the county when the next Ironman Triathlon is slated to occur in the region on Aug. 30 this year. A new proposal for a 56-mile bike route would keep cyclists south of Leelanau County, mostly on Cedar Run Road heading west out of Traverse City through Long Lake Township, turning around in Benzie County’s Almira Township, and returning to the city via Cedar Run Road as well. *** Leelanau County and Cleveland Township officials met with a representative of Sugar Loaf Resort owner Jeff Katofsky at the county government center Tuesday morning and expect the representative to return on March 17 for a meeting with the board of the Leelanau County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Rick Barreca, the chief operating officer of a California-based corporation called JD Market Acquisitions — of which Katofsky is president — had been scheduled to visit Leelanau County last week. However, his visit was delayed until this week due to illness, according to county officials.
10 YEARS AGO
February 19, 2015
If not for a check written to the Sheriff’s Office by a U.S. District Court in Houston, the outcome of FBI raids conducted 16 months ago may have remained a source of speculation in Leelanau County. The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday officially accepted a $1,315.43 check for restitution to cover Sheriff’s Office expenses associated with the operation, which included 60 FBI agents who converged in Leelanau County. *** A grueling 28-word duel between eighth graders Jayden Spencer of Leland and Jayce Knopka of Suttons Bay ended in victory for Spencer, who nailed the word “cobalt” to become the 2015 Leelanau County Spelling Bee Champion. Conducted at Northport Public School last Thursday night, the bee resulted in selection of a seven-member Leelanau County Spelling Bee Team that will participate in a regional bee on March 22 at the State Theatre in downtown Traverse City.
25 YEARS AGO
February 24, 2000
Leelanau County became McCain country. U.S. Sen. John McCain easily won the Republican presidential nod in Leelanau County — even easier than elsewhere in Michigan. County voters came out in full force Tuesday to give McCain 55 percent of the vote, compared to 42 percent for Texas Gov. George W. Bush. Statewide with 97 percent of precincts reporting yesterday morning, McCain outdistanced Bush by a 50-43 margin. *** Hansen Foods received approval to build on new site. Construction of a new, larger Hansen Foods store will begin “as soon as possible” following site plan approval Monday by the Suttons Bay Village Council.
50 YEARS AGO
February 20, 1975
Mrs. Harold (Ruth Ann) Thompson, 36, Rt. 2, Cedar, was admitted to Leelanau Memorial Hospital Wednesday morning for observation and X-rays after her four-wheel vehicle skidded on icy pavement and overturned on County Road 645, at 8:40 a.m. February 19, some .3 mile south of Holy Rosary Church, Isadore. State police said she was momentarily unconscious at the scene of the accident and pinned in the vehicle. She was transported to the hospital by the Cedar Rescue Squad. *** Leelanau County fruit growers will be among those participating in the sixth National Cherry Research Conference to be held Monday through Thursday. Feb. 24-27 at the Park Place Motor Inn in Traverse City. Leading cherry industry researchers from Canada and the United Slates will report on current research and will discuss future needs of the industry at the sessions. Sponsoring the four day Conference are the Grand Traverse Fruit Growers Council, the National Red Cherry Institute and Michigan State University.
75 YEARS AGO
February 24, 1950
Details of a plan to consolidate the schools in the southwest part of this county were made public Monday night by County Superintendent Harry Dumbrille. Centerville, Glen Arbor and Empire school boards, meeting in Glen Arbor, discussed unification of 25 primary districts, with a new modern junior and senior high school to be built some where between Burdickville and Maple City. *** Reports that Day Forest Estate at Glen Lake will be lumbered have been confirmed. Pierce Stocking, Cadillac lumberman and cabin camp operator, has bought the 1,700 acres, will cut the timber in the interior and on the hilltops. He plans to hold the shorefront fringe for sale as cottage and cabin camp sites.
100 YEARS AGO
February 19, 1925
Peter Sairer of Lake Leelanau was among our callers on Saturday last. *** Otto Schwacz caught 5 trout in Lake Leelanau last week that weighed 22 pounds. *** There were autos in town this week from Traverse City and they report the roads were not bad.
