It’s time once again for the Leelanau Enterprise to award thumbs-up and thumbs-down to people, entities and events that have affected our county recently.
A big “thumbs up” to a motorist who stopped in Cleveland Township this week when he saw an elderly man stuck in the ditch. The car would not start. The Good Samaritan then invited the elderly man a seat in his warm car.
Quintessential Leelanau neighborly concern.
Some motorist are not familiar with a new law that requires drivers to stay at least 200 feet behind snowplows engaged in snow and ice removal, snow plowing or sanding and operating its flashing lights. Slow your roll.
Fruit growers had good news at the Northwest Michigan Orchard and Wine Show. They were able to meet the Amy Cohn, the recentlyappointed joint director of the Cherry Industry Administrative Board and Cherry Marketing Institute, and catch up on a recent decision by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which after 30 years is changing the definition of “healthy” as allowed on food labels, has determined that dried cherries may continue to be labeled as healthy despite their sugar supplements.
The reality is that the 2025 crop could make or break many local fruit growers.
For the first time in years, outdoor enthusiasts have enough snow to ski, snowshoe and slide. As of Jan. 8, the county snowfall stood at 42 inches, with additional snowfall in the time since. It’s a big thumbs up for the businesses which rely on the white stuff for a living. This includes snow removers and recreational businesses such as Timberlee Hills (tubing).
The same snow that makes people happy, can make prove challenging to those who have to get to work or go to school more difficult.
Longtime facilities operator Gerry Culman retired at the end of 2024 after more than 30 years of service. We thank him for his service and acknowledge the amount of institutional knowledge he takes with him.
The new facilities manager, Jordan Kiessel, is fully capable but has big shoes to fill.
