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Gubernatorial candidates debate at MPA

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:13:00 -0400

Some showed up, others didn’t.

Several Republican and Democratic 2026 Michigan Gubernatorial candidates spoke at the Michigan Press Association (MPA) Luncheon last Thursday, April 23.

“At a time when voters are seeking clarity on key issues, bringing candidates together on one stage ensures a transparent and informative discussion on the policies and priorities that will shape Michigan’s future,” MPA said in a statement.

Former Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson was the lone democratic candidate flanked by Republicans on his left and right, including former state Attorney General Mike Cox of Livonia, Oakland County billionaire Perry Johnson of Bloomfield Hills, state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt of Lawton and Ralph Rebandt.

Democratic candidate and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson of Detroit, and Mike Duggan, the former Democratic Detroit mayor running as an independent, were not in attendance. Republican John James was in D.C. during the debate.

Craig Mauger, the state political reporter for the Detroit News, moderated the debate.

Republican Tom Leonard dropped out of the gubernatorial race Thursday morning in a statement.

"As the race has evolved, we've taken an honest look at the path forward. And at the end of the day, I'm not willing to compromise who I am or how I believe this campaign should be run in order to win," Leonard wrote in a social media post. "Michigan deserves better. And right now, that means coming together, focusing on what unites us, and doing everything we can to move our state forward in November."

Questions at the luncheon debate ranged from local elections, FOIA, public notices, data centers, and housing, among others.

Plus plenty of jabs between the candidates.

Candidates gave a one-minute opening statement followed by a series of questions.

Opening statements

Mike Cox, the former attorney general, wants a Michigan miracle in his vision for the state.

“We are 44th in fourth-grade reading. …

We are striking out. And I'm running for governor to change that.

I'm a Marine, a former homicide prosecutor for 13 years. I was an attorney general who took on big issues.

Then, I became a small business owner, started with one employee, and built 25 jobs where everyone got paid, healthcare, and a good wage. I have two things to turn Michigan around. Number one, let's eliminate income tax,” Cox said.

”I announced this last March of 2025 because that's what the most prosperous states have done,” Cox said.

Cox wants to see a Michigan miracle in education, on par with the Mississippi miracle, which improved from the bottom of national literacy rankings in 2012 to near the national average by 2023.

“My grandchildren in Mississippi get a better education than kids in my neighborhood, Livonia, Michigan. That's a moral state. As your governor, we are going to turn that around,” Cox said.

Michigan currently ranks 44th.

Perry Johnson opening statement

Oakland County native and billionaire Perry Johnson’s favorite number is $4,747.

“I got my start in the auto industry at a time when I was struggling.

And I introduced the concept of statistical process control. We ended up going from having inferior quality to the best quality in the world. I mean, cut our cost by roughly 40%,” Johnson said. “I've been bringing quality and efficiency to companies my entire life.

I want to bring that to Michigan because I have one basic goal that many of you know. We are going to eliminate the income tax, and we are going to have $4,747 for every average family in Michigan. We are going to reform the property tax, and I'm going to do that without any new taxes because I am going to create efficiency.”

“If you were going to have heart surgery, you probably wouldn't ask an attorney.

And I wouldn't ask a neurosurgeon to do my hair … But I'll tell you this, I spent my life bringing quality and efficiency to companies, and I intend to bring it into our state government.

I intend to get rid of that waste, and we are going to have a better quality of life, and everybody's gonna have more money in their pockets,” Johnson said. “Every state that has eliminated the income taxes has prospered.

Let us prosper here. We once were the greatest state in the Union, let's get to that state again.” Johnson said.

Aric Nesbitt opening statement

“'I'm running for governor so that everybody can make it in Michigan.

Under the Democrats for the last eight years, there have been higher taxes, higher costs and a whole indoctrination of our kids. Giving free housing to illegal immigrants.

During COVID, I couldn't sit next to my wife when we found out we lost our secondborn due to miscarriage,” Nesbitt said. “I'm running for governor so these last eight years will never happen again. The first step is actually showing up.

Our current governor, Governor Whitmer, has not shown up. And we see Jocelyn Benson won't show up. I will show up as the next guy.

I'm going to show up to eliminate the state property tax. I’m going to show up and lower energy costs, rip out indoctrination in our schools, and stand with President Trump, to deport every criminal illegal from the state of Michigan,” Nesbitt said.

Chris Swanson opening statement

Chris Swanson, a former Genesee County Sheriff and Democratic candidate,, wants to make order out of chaos.

“33 years at the sheriff's office, seeing brokenness, pain, seeing people who struggle. I know that you can make order out of chaos.

I've seen it, walking with people, educating inmates, a water crisis, and people had no faith in the government. I'm going to love people unconditionally. I've been a paramedic since I was 20,” Swanson said. “I worked my entire life for this campaign.

For the last 14 months, I have 70,000+ miles and 1,300 events coming to places like this. Standing on the stage here as the only Democrat. But if we're gonna win an election, it's not just for my party. It's for the state of Michigan. That's why I’m the unity candidate.”

Ralph Rebandt opening statement

“I've been serving this state for 40 years. Every morning, I get up and look at a shampoo bottle that says, "wash, rinse, and repeat." The reason why it says that is because they want me to spend my money to make them wealthier.

Lansing has done the very same thing to you. If we keep sending people to Lansing, who are career politicians who haven't fixed the problem yet, though they say they can, we will keep doing the washrooms and repeat. There will not be a future for your children or grandchildren.

There won't even be an opportunity for the American dream. Many of us think that the American dream is on the verge of dying and being on life support. I'm going to take it off of life support by not just cutting the budget, folks, but we have a plan to reduce the budget, actually, to slash the budget on day one.

We have $12 billion. that we have found on our team to remove from the budget. So if you want an outsider who has no ties to the Lansing establishment, no ties to the special interest groups, who doesn't have to make a phone call first to find out if I can sign a bill. Ralph Rebandt is your candidate,” Rebandt said.

Q1: Some of the candidates on this stage have already asked the federal government to get involved in the administration of the upcoming Michigan Governor election. Do you support this idea?

And given the fact that Michigan's elections are run by hundreds of local clerks across the state, what specifically do you want the federal government or its agents to do in this election.

Johnson response

“I'm a great believer that you should have voter ID. I made that clear … I believe Congress passed a law that said, on the ballot that we're going to write on the ballot, it is illegal to vote more than once. And our governor vetoed that.

Now, I cannot understand her rationale for vetoing,” Johnson said.

Nesbitt responds

“Secretary of State Johnson Benson is the worst Secretary of State ever. She has sued more and lost more in court than any of the past Secretaries of State in our history. She's allowed Chinese nationals to rig our elections.

She refuses court orders. And once again, she doesn't even show up for the people. She's not even here today.”

“In the November election, we have the opportunity to pass an election law, that’ll update our Constitution. There are three very simple things.

One requires a universal photo ID to vote. Two, cleans up our voter rolls … and ensures that only citizens are able to vote.”

Swanson response

“We don't need the federal government in Michigan voting. We don't need ICE agents or federal agents at the polls. We don't need people who are scared to vote, whether it's in person or by mail. I trust and support the volunteers who are the eyes and ears of everybody in this room … We are being watched by the world. And our voting system, although it may not be perfect to some, it is trusted. Let Michigan run its own elections. Number two, there is no frontrunner. Not a Republican, not an independent, and certainly not a Democrat. The people on August 4th will determine who the frontrunner is,” Swanson said.

Rebandt response:

“What I'm looking for, in terms of the federal government, is that (Benson) has violated federal law … What I would be doing instead of going to the federal government, I would be looking for everyone in this room (reporters),” Rebandt said. “How come we are not cleaning up the qualified voter roll? That roll is so old, it's so corrupt. There are people who are voting that, yes, they are dead, and yes, there are 24 people at one address somewhere up and down I-75. But my point is, we have to have our people in Michigan hold our people accountable, and that's what I would want you to do.”

Cox response:

“I won the closest statewide race in 100 years when I was elected Attorney General for the first time (2002 over Gary Peters). During the informal county recounts that happened between the first Tuesday and the last Tuesday, 21 days later, Wayne County found 3,000 to 4,000 absentee ballots from the city of Detroit, literally in a bath.

Ultimately, I won by 5,200 and Peters didn’t do a recount. But it always stuck with me... And is it just an old problem?” Cox said. “

I'm going to make my win too big to rig. I'm the only guy who has won before. I'm going to do it again, regardless of what happens.”

Q2: We were expecting to have a sixth person on the stage, Tom Leonard, who dropped out of the race Thursday morning.

When he was running, he vowed to unilaterally sign an executive directive to open the governor's office to open records requests (FOIA). He called on all candidates to ask whether they would do the same.

Nesbitt response:

“It's just common sense. (FOIA) needs to be reformed in the state of Michigan.

There's no reason why you go into a city council, and you ask for some information, then come back to the $120,000 bill. You hear these cases around the state, and if we're going to have an open and transparent government, if people are going to trust institutions again, they have to be able to trust the governor, have to be able to trust the legislature, and I'm the only one here who has a record of actually voting or opening up. Not just the governor's office but also the legislature, and also working to make sure that it's easier for residents, for families, for reporters, for folks to be able to investigate,” Nesbitt said. “My pledge to you is I'm going to continue to work hard, not just on the campaign trail, but when I'm the next governor, to make sure we have an open and transparent government.”

Swanson response:

“To be unclear is to be unkind. And that's what happens when you have obstacles that give people the sense they can't trust, or they don't know.

The answer is yes … The process of being transparent allows you to do your job.

When you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. When you make a mistake or there's some uncertainty, then straighten it out. But more importantly, when you have a nondisclosure grievance, and people are hiding behind that.

You destroy public trust. You see that with local data center developments. We have back-door deals being cut.”

Rebandt response:

”I would sign a bill that opens records in the governor's office in every department under my care. I've been saying this since 2022. When I first ran for governor, that was a part of my announcement speech here in Lansing. I am a Christian, and I realize that everything I do, everything I say is open and transparent before God. So why should it not be open and transparent before you?” Rebandt said. “I will be the most open, honest, and transparent governor you have ever seen, so much so that your children and grandchildren will want to become governor in Michigan. They won't be looking at the office as something that's just a scam artist. The other thing I wanted to say is about the nondisclosure agreement. I mentioned that several weeks ago. I will sign an executive order that anyone who signs a nondisclosure agreement under my administration will be immediately fired. I don't know about you folks in the press, but I am tired of Whitmer giving $155,000 in hush money, and I'm tired of Jocelyn Benson giving $700,000 to somebody to walk away.

I want to know where my tax dollars are going. That's why I'm the outsider running for this governor’s seat.”

Cox response

“The governor could be giving you all the information you're asking for. Any state senator or state representative could be doing the same thing voluntarily … (FOIA) requires public officials to give, but public officials can always give,” Cox said. “I'm going to open the governor's office to FOIA on day one … When I was attorney general, I created a site called TrackYourTaxes.com. where we put all our spending online, we put our vendor contracts online, salaries online.

Now, it wasn't as efficient as it would be now, but if I can order an Uber, and I know the name of the driver, what he or she looks like, their record long before they get to me … As governor, I'm going to make Michigan the most open state in America.”

“Duggan doesn't want to defend his FOIA record in Detroit, and Benson doesn't want to defend why she has to be sued to give the legislature public documents. So you guys make the choice. Thank you for that question,” Cox said.

Johnson response:

“The bottom line is that all of us agree that you have to have a fairly open government, but I'm going to try to explain to you why it's so critical.

You saw what happened in Minnesota, and they had all that fraud. We had a very interesting development. We noticed that there were (over 70) daycare centers that were getting money in Dearborn. We wanted to investigate that so we inquired about it. Now, the very next day, those sites disappeared from the Internet,” Johnson said. “Fortunately, we wrote them down. You have to see what happens in some situations that are bizarre. Let's take a look at what happened with the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center). We have a very interesting development where Benson was on the board at the time this happened.

They were funding the Ku Klux Klan and, at the same time, attacking the Ku Klux Klan.

When you have organizations that are charity organizations, government organizations, you need to know what's going on. If we don't do that, we're in serious trouble. We have to have the mega audit that I talked about. It's my intention that we end up with a clean government that doesn't waste money, because we're gonna know where that money goes … So let's be realistic. There isn't a single candidate here that doesn't think that's reasonable.”

Q3: Should the state stop issuing public notices and local notices in media outlets? This stems from recent law changes in other states.

Rebant response

“No, they should be on church doors, in newspapers, on the internet, Facebook, wherever they need to be. The public needs to know what's going on among the public, among the legislature, among life … I am looking for truth, and people need to be told the truth, and once they're told the truth, they will be able to deal with whatever's going on much better because people hate being lied to and being deceived.

And that's why I'm running for governor, I am tired of the corruption and we are going to fix that and straighten it all up,” ReBrant said.

Cox response

“Yes, much of rural Michigan, there are many people who still aren't connected, and they follow what's posted in the paper … (Public notices) is a minimal cost of a municipality, but it broadens the number of people who may encounter and become aware and can go speak to their government officials.”

Nesbitt response:

“I've been pretty consistent with that over the years.

I look at it, my dad, God rest his soul, passed away six years ago … he was one that was never on the computer, a farmer, three tours in Vietnam, and The Courier Leader that's how he knew what was going on. He'd sit there at the dining room table and read it This goes to the larger issue of how do you also make sure that you inform the public and also have an efficient and effective government?” Nesbit said.

Swanson response

“The answer is yes. I have been in the (FOIA) business for 33 years, operating on court orders, whether it's search warrants, arrest warrants, or trials … We don't want to take away what Detroit Legal News has been doing for decades. There's a reason people go to the paper; they go online … to support that method of communication only shows that we have nothing that's being held back. If anybody is trying to threaten (public notices) this news would not be reported, then they're on the wrong side of history on that one,” Swanson said.

Q4: The opposition to data centers in this state has become an organized, forceful, and has united rural conservative Republicans and progressive urban Democrats. There are very few issues capable of doing that. So in what ways would you, as governor, regulate and rein in data centers? And would you support an outright prohibition on those facilities' mission?

Ironically, Consumers Energy was a main sponsor for the MPA convention.

Cox response:

“The governor took away sighting decisions, battery power, and citing decisions for wind and solar. The local control has not been taken away regarding data centers. Every single community has the ability to put a moratorium on it. I'd encourage every single community to exercise local control, something we had, even before 1837, when we became a state. Rule number one is to maintain and continue local control. Let locals decide. There may be some locals who want it. There are roughly 70 data centers right now in Michigan, primarily in Metro Detroit, Grand Rapids and Alpena,” Cox said.

“If a local community decides they want to have, there's a second step to me, that if you want a piece of my pie, you have to bake your own pie, which means that a data center, in order to be approved, has to establish that it will build its own generation, so that we don't impact affordability, accessibility for any current customers right now in the utility … We don't want data centers coming into local communities or local businesses and ruining them in that regard.”

Johnson response

“It's important to understand that your energy bills have gone up dramatically. You had an increase just a few months ago, and they asked for another 8.1% and 6.1%, respectively.

DTE and Consumers Energy.

I'm thankful for Consumers Energy putting this on. Let's be realistic. This is unbearable. In many of the states, what they've done is they've forced the data centers to actually absorb some of the incremental costs. If they're going to make all that money, they should at least have to make an investment. We have various programs that we can have, such as requiring that you cannot have an increase in the energy cost rather than the rate of inflation.

You have situations that we have to recognize as tainted. Understand that Benson's husband is a salesman who is getting a commission on all these data centers,” Johnson said. “If you're going to have an augmentation of these data centers, the proliferation could be gigantic because the more centers we have, the more money invents its pocket. We have to have a way of regulating this and making sure that it makes sense.

Nesbitt response:

“The first thing with these big tech companies, I don't trust them. They have enough money. The first thing is that the government shouldn't be subsidizing them. I have a clear track record of opposing corporate welfare. We have to grow the economic garden.

And what we've seen from Governor Wittmer, and you'll see it more from Jocelyn Benson, is more of the same. Higher taxes for you, more money out of your wallet, more money for big corporations. $5 billion they spent on corporate welfare.

Over the last seven years, (the current administration) could have fixed every local critical condition bridge in the state of Michigan, three times over,” Nesbitt said. “The next governor needs to deal with data centers, and you do a few things, one, no government subsidies. Two, data centers need to be located in industrial zones. Enough eating up hundreds of thousands of acres of farm and forestland around the state, like what we're seeing from this green new scam.

Three, data centers should mean lower energy rates, not higher energy rates. They have the money.

It also means that they have to have a plan to protect our water. A fifth of the fresh water in the world surrounds Michigan with the Great Lakes…

It should also mean lower property taxes for folks around the state of Michigan, not higher property taxes. That's why I'm pushing to eliminate the state property tax, to make sure hard-working families keep more of what they earn, repeal the green new scam, and make sure hard-working families get lower energy rates.”

Swanson response:

“I'm not taking DTE money, Consumers money, grassroots is what funds this campaign. The problem with data centers is how it's been done. When you shove it down people's throats, and they don't have the ability to go to their local commission and have their voice heard, that's a problem.

When public service commissioners shut down public comment, that's a problem. When there are files that were given, that's redacted to the point where it has no value; that's a problem. When you're not answering questions of what the long-term impact is for that community,” Swanson continued. “They don't want to build anything and have the local community protest why it's happening. And that's what happened to Saline. When you try to take out hundreds of acres of trees in Kalkaska without asking people from Kalkaska, they don't want it, either. You and I have a place that we live and we want to be proud of it. We want our communities to be protected and to have this long-term investment.”

“We are going to divide the state into three colors. Yellow, red, green. Yellow, cities, villages, townships, counties, that have infrastructure, and a desire for manufacturing. They want to talk.

Red, no infrastructure, no desire. Leave us alone. Green, has infrastructure, we're open for business.

Now we are global competitors to people who want to come into Michigan. No tax incentives, no credits. Look at the people in Michigan.”

Rebandt response

“I am against data centers because everything I read about them in my research is that they corrupt our water, they corrupt the environment and they're noisy.

As with solar, as with windmills, now data centers, we get promised the moon.

I've talked with people who are township supervisors, city managers, people who have been told by these various industries that we are going to take care of you … And they never do. Look at their track record. All that it does is separate families; it separates neighbor from neighbor. They get angry with each other when someone sells out to the windmills,” Rebandt said. “All that it has done is create confusion and chaos in our citizenry. I do not want that.

As a governor candidate, I'm not against technology; I would still be riding my pony if I were. But the reality is, we have to make sure we are careful for the next generation to protect the environment for them, to protect their future, to protect integrity and honesty.”

“When you buy a home in a neighborhood or the country, you don't want something like that going in next to you. You want to have a voice, you want to be able to be heard.

And that's the problem, folks. We've gone from a debate community to a cancel culture community to an assassination community. That's where we are right now in our country, and we have to be willing to listen to each other to make progress,” Rebandt said.

Q6: One of the biggest issues here in northern Michigan is the housing issue. I want to know what your plan is to make sure that younger families can afford to buy a home at a reasonable rate. How do you address the housing issues – From Enterprise Editor Brian Freiberger.

Johnson

“Everyone knows how I'm addressing this issue. We are eliminating the state income tax. $4,747 in their pocket every year … There are programs with no money down, $4,747, extra every year is a huge difference. This is tax-free income … We need to make it a state where people want to live because they can have more money. We have to have a more favorable environment for business,” Johnson said.

Nesbitt response

“It's tough to make it in Whitmer’s Michigan, just talk to young families. They make an average of $9,000 less than the average family does nationally.

Yet the costs or expenses are a lot higher. The Michigan Homebuilders Association originally did a study saying, federal, state, and local regulations had $95,000 of cost for every new home. I don't know about you, but as a farm boy, $95,000 is a lot of money.

It adds up …

The average new home buyer, 39, 40-years old; 30 years ago, I was 28 years old (when I bought a home).

One, eliminate the state property tax. Lower property taxes, make it easier for folks to actually afford a home. Two, bring back the trades. For every five people retired from the trades, there are only two people replacing them. I think 25 years ago, we told a half a generation a lie that everybody has to go into college … but also, instead of giving free housing to illegal immigrants, that we've seen from Governor Widmer and that Jocelyn Benson is just going to continue.”

Swanson response

“It's so important for our next generation to be able to stay here.

Co-ops, like they did up in Marquette. They partner with local government, homebuilders, and investors to provide 200 affordable housing locations that may not always be single-family, it could be a condo. They did it up at the UP.

It makes sense.

The state of Michigan's got a serious problem. We are about 130,000 houses short. The majority of the houses in Michigan were built before 1980. You have to work with the Homebuilders Association; you commit to 10,000 new houses in the first 24 months. Just start somewhere … If we don't have part of the housing infrastructure built, how are we going to track new business? Infrastructure is not just roads, bridges, dams, and water lines. It's housing. It's the employment pool that people can draw from. The state has to be serious about being a partner with it …

As a reason why, there's no top runner in the Democratic Party. I make order out of chaos, as I said before, and one of them is homes … I can just tell you whether it's housing, economy, environment, manufacturing or public safety. The way I built my life is through leadership and finding solutions … Starting with 10,000 new houses in the first 24 months.”

Rebandt response

“First of all, we would be looking at removing the property tax completely. I hear my friends up here talk about $4,747. That will only work with people who are in a financial bracket that they're talking about, or a higher bracket, like millionaires and billionaires. That helps them. Removing the property tax helps everybody, from low-income zip codes to high-income zip codes.

What it allows someone who's a renter to get their rent lower. That's why I'm in favor of property tax removal because it'll help young people come into our state. They can see how beautiful it is.

The second thing is, we want to take the Michigan Public Service Commission's authority away from all of the stuff that they're doing that actually increases the state budget. We're going to remove that. We need people who are willing to say, as was mentioned earlier, we can't keep kissing the lobbyists in Lansing. If we keep going down that road, folks, it's wash, rinse, and repeat,” Rebandt said.

Cox response

“My parents both chose to come to Michigan for a variety of reasons. One of them was that homeownership was a hallmark of Michigan. Of all parts of Michigan, and we have to make that the case once again … 25% of the cost of every new home is regulation. So what do you need to do?

we have a DEQ/EGLE that is very slow to give wetland permits, for instance. Investors don't keep their money here … For every permit, for every license that people applied for, there's a clock. And if the government official doesn't meet the clock with a yes or no, the permit fee goes back to the applicant … Because capital moves quickly. And if someone can't get a permit from EGLE, they're going to invest in building homes somewhere else other than northern Michigan. The governor can lead a reform of the building code, which has so many extra rules that are really rooted in 50 years ago. The governor can do that. The governor can incentivize those communities that choose to embrace mini-homes or 3D-homes, to incentivize that in terms of revenue sharing.

We have to increase the supply. We can't have this Governor Whitmer, who's spent two billion more a year through (MSHDA), who now has not increased the homeownership rate at all. We can re-grab the homeownership rate in America.

And it will help folks not only in Livonia but also in Leelanau,” Cox said.

Event set to honor Crocker’s longevity

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:50 -0400

An open house celebration will be held next week in honor of county Clerk Michelle Crocker presently the longestserving employee in county government with 45 years of service.

The event, scheduled for 5 p.m., Thursday, April 30 in the lower level community room at the county government center, will mark the 30th year of her being sworn in as clerk.

Crocker was hired by Clerk Dorothy Wunderlich in 1981 at the age of 20. Upon Wunderlich’s retirement, Crocker was appointed clerk and assumed office on May 1, 1996. She has been reelected every four years since.

An advertisement announcing the event can be found on Pg. 9, Section 1 of this week’s paper. It is not posted on the county website.

The announcement came one week after District 5 commissioner Alan Campbell tried and failed to get the clerk’s recognition on the agenda for the board’s executive committee meeting.

“She’s been a county employee for 45 years … A case like this deserves our attention,” he said during the committee meeting last week.

But the proposal was dropped after commissioners split 4-3 to not place the topic on the April 14 agenda.

“You’re showing your colors,” Campbell said, after his failed attempt to get the issue on the agenda.

District 3 commissioner Will Bunek also supported the recognition.

“The board needs to recognize the clerk and what she does — especially because of the way she’s been treated,” he said.

Tuesday night there was no mention of the open house when commissioners met — only a flier with details about the event sat on a table in the commissioners meeting room.

The relationship between commission- ers and the clerk has been rocky since May 2021 when the county board began publicly discussing the creation of human resources and finance departments within Leelanau County.

This was followed up in October of that year with a resolution transferring duties previously assigned the clerk’s office to finance and human resources, reporting to the county administrator.

However, there’s been controversy over the move, which resulted in failed efforts to fill the finance seat.

Sean Cowan was hired in June 2023 to serve as finance director. However, he resigned months later expressing frustration over the established employment structure.

Cathy Hartesvelt worked in the finance department at the time and last fall she was tapped to take over as finance director. However, the appointment was short-lived.

Hartesvelt was formally placed on administrative leave by Dyer in January. She was terminated Feb. 10, about four weeks later.

Cowan came back briefly to offer some stability to the department which, among other things, processes payroll.

In late March, Dyer brought on Rio Risbridger who began work as finance head on March 23. A graduate of Central Michigan University, Risbridger came to the county with four years experience working for PricewaterhouseCoopers, which ranks among the “Big Four” accounting firms.

Risbridger’s hiring came less than a week after commissioners adopted a resolution finalizing the organizational chart for the department — which will be overseen by Dyer.

But commissioners were hesitant to single out one employee when other recently retired staff with 30 or more years service to the county were not acknowledge upon their departure.

Among them were retired facilities manager Gerry Culman, with 43 years service and victim assistance coordinator Laurie LaCross, who retired in February after 34 years of service.

Speakers at the clerk’s event include Circuit Court Judge and former six-year Michigan House of Representatives member Kevin A. Elsenheimer, longtime school superintendent and 11-year county administrator Chet Janik, and others. A Congressional tribute will be bestowed to clerk Crocker through the office of Cong. Jack Bergman.

Crocker married her high school sweetheart Allan. The couple has three adult children in Joshua, Jonathan and Alex, and eight grandchildren.

Northport School’s ‘Connected by Cause’ to debut April 30

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:40 -0400

A new art show that will debut on April 30 at the Northport Arts Association (NAA) will give Northport Public School students a unique and creative opportunity to use their voice for the environment.

The project titled “Connected by Cause” had students identify an environmental cause that they felt deeply passionate about eradicating, and using materials like clay, costume, poetry, and design, they were able to translate their environmental values into a unified body of work that culminates in a community parade and gallery exhibition.

Since January, middle and high school students were tasked with developing and communicating an environmental cause through interconnected artistic channels including: Creating a logo/symbol and slogan; a clay vessel and clay envelope to hold their written poem/ proclamation; a costume/outfit built through branding, textiles, patches, hats, and accessories; and photography.

Northport Art teacher Jen Evans said everyone has something that they’re passionate about, and when you link together with somebody else as a team working towards a mutual cause, your voice is stronger and it makes it more possible to have a positive outcome and to be able to make a difference.

“When you can have a discussion and be proactive and be doing something positive towards a change, that makes you feel like you’re not so helpless in a lot of these situations that they’ve chosen. Like global warming, how is a 16-year-old going to combat global warming in Northport, Michigan? Discussing it and discussing even the small little things because every little bit counts,” Evans explained.

Following the success of last year’s community-wide art project/show “Origin and Echo,” Evans knew how much people loved being a part of a project where they were able to connect with students they may not otherwise come into contact with on a regular basis. 35 adults from the community agreed to act as “links” throughout the project process, offering support and working with students to hone in on their causes and specifically, their costume designs.

“Equally important was just having the adults in the room. My classroom has turned into over the course of this month now, this multi-generational classroom… When the elderly adults in the community see the younger kids, they now have a connection. I think that this project is going to keep rippling and grow bigger and make connections even beyond this project and it’s going to continue moving through the community.”

Evans provided plain white baseball caps for students that wanted to decorate it as part of their costume, but they also had the freedom to come up with other creative outfits with the help of their adult links if they preferred not to wear one. The custom costumes serve as just one part of the overall project, but people can expect to see students wearing these creations as they make their way through downtown Northport to the NAA opening reception on April 30.

“They’re above and beyond what I thought they would be, so the costumes are really exciting,” Evans said. “In the end, students will have a clay vessel, they’ll have a four-foot photo of themselves holding that vessel, and they’ll have their full costume, and then their voices (a recording) will be reading the poetry throughout the gallery space — so even when you walk into the space and nobody is in there, you’re going to feel the presence of all 36 of those students because there will be photos of them standing around and you’ll hear their voices.”

Additionally, all of the elementary students will be part of the show. Kids in grades K-5 made their own handmade paper, and sprinkled in various flower seeds donated from the garden of fellow community member/master gardener, Barb McCann. The seed paper, about 300 pieces, will be distributed at the art show for people to plant in their own gardens to help support pollinators in local ecosystems.

“It’s really a rich and deep project and there’s lots of layers of connection,” she said. “It’s extensive, but I think the kids feel really fulfilled with it.”

The public is welcomed to attend the “Connected by Cause: Youth Voices for Environmental Change” opening reception on April 30 from 2:30 to 6 p.m. at the NAA. The exhibit will run from May 1-10 from 12-4 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday, and is closed on Mondays.

COMING EVENTS

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:39 -0400

Organizations wishing to have their public events listed in this calendar can email editor@leelanaunews.com or call The Enterprise, 256-9827, before 5 p.m. Friday.

ADDICTION/SUPPORT

TONIGHT - 5:30 p.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous; St. Michael's Catholic Church, Suttons Bay.

TONIGHT - 7 p.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous; St. Gertrude's Church, 701 N. Warren St., Northport.

FRIDAY - 7 p.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous; Leelanau Community Church, Lake Leelanau.

SATURDAY - 9:30 a.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Leland.

SATURDAY - 7 p.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous; St. Michael Catholic Church, Suttons Bay.

SUNDAY - 7 p.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous, St. Michael's Church, Suttons Bay.

MONDAY - 7 p.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous Carp River Group; Leland United Methodist Church.

TUESDAY - Noon — Alcoholics Anonymous; St. Mary Church, Lake Leelanau.

TUESDAY - 7 p.m. — Alcoholics Anonymous, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Suttons Bay.

TUESDAY - 7 p.m. — Al-Anon Family Group, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Suttons Bay.

WEDNESDAY - 7 p.m.—Alcoholics Anonymous; Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library.

CHARITABLE/COMMUNITY

TODAY - Noon - Suttons Bay - Leelanau County Rotary Club; VI Grill, Suttons Bay.

TODAY - Noon — Meals on Wheels congregate meal; Cedar/Maple City Lions Club, Maple City.

FRIDAY - Noon — Meals on Wheels congregate meal; Friendship Center, Suttons Bay.

SUNDAY - 8 a.m. to noon - Empire Lions Club Pancake Feast, Empire Township Hall.

SUNDAY - 5 p.m. -Suttons Bay-Leelanau County Rotary Club, Owen Bahle dinner; Leland Lodge.

MONDAY - 2 to 6 p.m. — Leelanau Christian Neighbors food pantry, Baby Pantry and Financial Assistance.

TUESDAY - 4 to 6 p.m. - 5Loaves2Fish community meal; Leland Community United Methodist Church, 106 Fourth St., Leland.

TUESDAY - 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. - Empire Area Food Pantry and HelpLink: Glen Lake Community Reformed Church, 4902 W. MacFarlane Rd.

NEXT THURSDAY - Noon — Meals on Wheels congregate meal; Cedar/Maple City Lions Club, Maple City.

NEXT THURSDAY - Noon — Suttons Bay-Leelanau County Rotary Club; VI Grill Suttons Bay.

SOCIAL EVENTS

TODAY - 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. - Step Aerobics; Suttons Bay Friendship Center.

TODAY - 10 a.m. - Omena Coffee Hour; Omena museum.

TODAY - 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Leelanau Reads discussion group; Leland Township Library.

TODAY - 10 to 11 a.m. - By-the-Bay Garden Club coffee; Unsalted Mitten, Suttons Bay.

TODAY - 11 a.m. - Senior social hour; Cedar-Maple City Lions Club, Maple City.

FRIDAY - 10 a.m. -Arbor Day Park Cleanup and Recycling Cleanup; Empire.

FRIDAY - 10 a.m. - Walkie Talkies Women's Hiking Group; Lighthouse West Natural Area, Northport.

FRIDAY - 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. - Family fun with 4-H, Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library.

FRIDAY - 4 to 5:30 p.m. - ISEA at the Leo Creek Preserve, explore vernal pools, Suttons Bay.

SUNDAY - 4 p.m. -Peter Antoniou "Psychic Comedian" family-friendly; Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay.

MONDAY - 8:15 to 9:30 a.m. - Step Aerobics; Suttons Bay Friendship Center, Broadway St., Suttons Bay.

MONDAY - 10 to 11:30 a.m.- Advanced Thai Chi; Suttons Bay Friendship Center, Broadway St., Suttons Bay.

MONDAY - 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Thai chi, free; Friendship Community Center, Suttons Bay.

TUESDAY - 1 to 2 p.m. - Tech Tuesday; Leelanau Township Library, Northport.

WEDNESDAY - 6:30 p.m. — “The Librarians"; Glen Lake Community Library.

NEXT THURSDAY - 11 a.m. - Senior

social hour; Cedar-Maple City Lions Club, Maple City.

NEXT THURSDAY - 11 a.m. - Book discussion group; Glen Lake Community Library.

FAMILY

TODAY - 10 to 11 a.m. - Parenting Communities; Keswick United Methodist Church.

FRIDAY - 10:30 a.m. - Storytime; Leland Township Library.

FRIDAY - 11 a.m. - Stories and More; Glen Lake Community Library, Empire.

SATURDAY - 10:30 a.m. - Visible Mending Workshop (registration required) ; Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library.

SATURDAY - 7 p.m. -Peter Antoniou "Psychic Comedian"; Bay Community Theatre, Suttons Bay.

MONDAY - 1:30 to 3 p.m. - Early Art Exploration; Friendship Community Center, Suttons Bay.

TUESDAY - 10 to 11 a.m. - Parenting Communities; Glen Lake Community Reformed Church, Burdickville.

TUESDAY - 10:30 a.m. - Preschool Story Time; Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library.

TUESDAY - 6 p.m. - Scouting America; Keswick United Methodist Church.

WEDNESDAY - 10 to 11 a.m. - Parenting Communities; Northport Public School small gymnasium.

NEXT THURSDAY - 10 to 11 a.m. - Parenting Communities; West Bay Covenant Church; baby feeding group.

NEXT THURSDAY - 10 to 11 a.m. - Parenting Communities; Keswick United Methodist Church

Twp. may pay for decision

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:38 -0400

To the editor:

After months of delay, four Leland Township Planning Commissioners voted to deny Youth for Christ use of a building in Leland’s commercial district.

That vote is troubling not just because of the result, but because of the legal warnings that came before it. A March 17 legal memorandum said attorney Tom Grier’s draft proposed order found that Youth for Christ’s proposed use fit the zoning ordinance and qualified as a “club.” It also warned that a denial could expose the township to serious constitutional and civil-rights claims, along with major legal costs.

Even so, the commission voted 4-1 to deny the permit.

People can disagree about land use. But when officials ignore repeated legal warnings, taxpayers may end up paying the price. If those possible legal bills were coming out of the four commissioners’ own pockets, Leland might well have gotten a more careful and more judicious decision.

That is the point: the public carries the risk, while the decision- makers do not.

Leland deserves decisions based on law, fairness, and common sense, not pressure or politics. Peggy Zemanek Cedar

Kindness in Volunteerism

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:37 -0400

To the editor:

A recent article in the Lions Magazine reviewed the “Kindness Connection.” Have you ever wondered why you feel so good after volunteering or giving your time to a needed cause?

Helping others creates proven medical and mental health benefits such as slower cognitive decline, lower risk of heart disease and stroke, and lower stress levels. The article goes into greater detail, however my reason for sharing this information is to highlight the extent of volunteerism practiced in our county communities.

Like many who have found Leelanau County, we were parttimers for 28 years before deciding to move here full time. Until then, life Up North was filled with visitors and local activities. What we have learned since is that volunteerism is all around us . . . the PEOPLE living here are role models in how to “give back.” And they seem to be active, many well into their 80s. And they seem to live longer lives, many into their 90s and some reaching 100 and more. Of course there are other factors affecting the length of life, but volunteerism helps.

Leelanau has renowned beauty. What may not be as obvious to non-residents is the people who live here and how they contribute to the habitat and scheduled activities that visitors and part-timers so enjoy. I am so grateful and proud to be part of this group now and do my best to practice the volunteerism that truly makes living here so special.

Pam Strawbridge Northport

‘Treat … with respect’

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:36 -0400

To the editor:

At the April 14 executive board session, four commissioners voted to remove a proposed agenda item recognizing Clerk Michelle Crocker for her years of service. The vote was 4-3. According to the discussion reported afterward, Commissioner Alan Campbell noted that Crocker was appointed on May 1, 1996 and is the longest-serving county clerk in Michigan.

That vote did not look like neutral procedure. It looked petty and unnecessary.

What made it worse was the larger context. After years of separating Finance from the Clerk’s office and limiting that office’s role, county leadership is again relying on the Clerk’s office and its institutional knowledge to help close the books and support the audit.

That contradiction is hard to ignore.

The same day also brought discussion suggesting the Clerk’s budget and staffing could face further scrutiny. Clerk Crocker responded that her office is already down staff because of the reorganization and that simple comparisons to other counties miss major differences in duties and workload.

So the public message seemed to be: deny her recognition, question her staffing, then depend on her office when things are not going well.

That is not good governance. It is a revealing double standard.

Leelanau County should treat experienced public servants with fairness and respect, especially when their knowledge is still essential to keeping county government functioning.

Susan Quinlan Lake Leelanau

Scams targeting seniors reported

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:35 -0400

Leelanau County is ripe for the picking as it comes to scams on senior citizens.

In the past week, there have been several calls to the county Sheriff's Office from seniors who fell for the scammers’ nefarious scheme. Other attempts were not successful and seniors called the Sheriff's Office to make a report.

More than 30% of the county is 60 or over, making this age group susceptible to scammers.

Seniors may be gullible — easily deceived, tricked or manipulated — due to over-trusting or naivety.

In addition, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is capable of deceiving elders with believable audio and photographs.

There have been published reports of seniors being tested with phone calls from “grandchildren” seeking money from grandpa and grandma for anything from bail money to address injuries after a motor vehicle accident.

Some are very believable and persuasive. Most recently scammers have impersonated law enforcement officers, requesting payment for fake warrants, a trend increasingly affecting local communities.

Recently, the office received reports of individuals being targeted by callers claiming to be from the Sheriff's Office, asking for immediate payment to avoid arrest.

In response, the Sheriff's Office clarified that they will never contact individuals online regarding warrants or request payments through gift cards or pre-paid debit cards.

We encourage all residents to be wary of calls, emails and letters seeking money.

Don’t be a victim of scammers.

Remembering the bulb lady: Teddy

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:34 -0400

April showers bring May flowers. If that’s the case, we’re in for a colorful season.

But, it won’t be the same as last year or the past several years.

For years, I’ve enjoyed by drives to and from work along French Road — especially in the spring when random bunches of daffodils pop up.

I always look forward to seeing other spring flowers growing in the gardens near French and Gauthier Road. Daffodils (many species) not to mention hyacinths, crocuses and tulips coming up at the Schlueter farm house.

This year, they’ll be blooming without the woman who planted fall bulbs for spring blossoms.

Teddy Schlueter Page passed away around Christmas time.

I was thrilled and surprised when she joined the production crew of the paper.

Teddy worked a day or two a week. And she was kind of a “mother hen” to those less senior on the staff.

We’d chat about what was growing in her garden and other goings-on in Centerville Township.

Teddy was the epitome of a hard worker. She continued her weekly appearances at The Enterprise long after her medical diagnosis with a blood disorder. In fact, she’d schedule her chemotherapy appointments around her scheduled Wednesday shift at the paper. A native of Centerville Township and Leland High School graduate, Teddy was a fount of information about growing up on the peninsula and who is related to whom.

Years ago, Teddy sang with the altos in the Leelanau Community Choir. But it got to the point where she wouldn’t drive in the dark.

A proud and somewhat stubborn person, she declined my offers to pick her up to sing for a couple hours.

Instead, she stayed home with her several cats often glimpsed perched on her windowsill.

This week, a few months after her death, I’m enjoying her garden as I pass by on my way to and from work.

I won’t forget the nice lady who planted the bulbs for spring and daylilies, which will make an appearance later in the growth cycle.

Thanks Teddy for making the county a better place for generations to come.

Correction:

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:33 -0400

County Clerk Michelle Crocker received a certificate honoring her 45 years of service at March’s meeting. A proposal offered at last week’s executive committee meeting was to recognize the clerk as the - longest serving County Clerk in the State - serving as Clerk for 30 years.

‘Not progress’

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:32 -0400

To the editor:

Several recent letters urge Leelanau County to “move forward,” tone down criticism, and rally behind the Administrator. But moving forward is not the same as looking away.

Before the public is told to stop asking questions, a few things should be acknowledged. Serious allegations were raised in Elizabeth Gray’s exit letter. Prior Finance employees also raised concerns about the same allegations. The narrow scope of a prior outside investigation found no violation of the nonunion personnel policy, but that conclusion did not address broader questions about management style, workplace culture, or recurring instability in the Finance department.

Yet at the recent Board meeting, some commissioners praised Administrator Jim Dyer ahead of his one-year review while saying little about the pending investigation or the pattern of disruption that preceded it. That is not accountability, this is image management and diversion from facts.

The same meeting also produced a revealing moment: a proposal to recognize Clerk Michelle Crocker’s years of service was stripped from the agenda, while questions were raised about whether her office should face staff cuts. At the same time, county leadership is relying on the Clerk’s office and its institutional knowledge to help clean up the year-end close and support the audit.

Residents are not “attacking” government when they point out these contradictions. They are describing them.

Moving forward without accountability is not progress. It is just a demand for silence from the public who are requesting answers to important questions regarding treatment of our county employees.

Steve Tostige Cedar

Michigan Dems divided; GOP united behind Trump

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:31 -0400

Up the street in Motown Sunday night the bumbling Detroit Pistons bungled away their first NBA playoff game while down the street Michigan Republicans claim the state Democratic Party was busy doing the same thing at its nominating convention as it took 6 hours for 7,000 plus delegates to pick candidates for a number of jobs including secretary of state and state attorney general.

GOP chair Jim Runestad was quick to fire off a press release when his counterpart, Democratic chair Curtis Hertel told the delegates that the system for registering whom could vote was not working. That included state lawmakers who should have been registered with ease but some how they barred from voting until the glitches were ironed out while delegates waited and waited. Finally around 9 p.m., after the voting was scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., the votes came in.

Mr. Runestad in essence extrapolated from that that if the other guys couldn’t run a convention how the heck could they run state government?

The good news for the D’s was the media focused more on the B.Ball game and in some cases some media outlets completely ignored the delay that kept delegates cooling their heels. It was not a good look but suffice it to say that alone did not have the same political gravity as the actual decisions the delegates eventually made which has farreaching implication for the fall election.

Some of the take aways include: Organized labor scored a mixed bag unlike back in the 50’s when unions pretty much dictated who the nominees would be and that was that.

For example the UAW locked arms with the state AFL-CIO and Emily’s List to warmly embrace Karen McDonald for attorney general. The Oakland County prosecuting attorney made national headlines with her handling of the case against the Crumbley family for its role in the death of four students at Oxford high school. Even though the Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission is investigating her conduct, in a preconvention interview she stood by her behavior and asserted she made no mistakes.

However the Progressive Caucus locked its arms with the People’s Coalition to send Ms. McDonald home minus the coveted nomination in favor of the Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit who once clerked for the former U.S. Supreme court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The upset victory added more pop to the media story line that Michigan Democrats are divided while the state GOP is united under Donald Trump.

Chair Hertel argues, “in the Democratic party we allow you to have all different kind of views,” as opposed to the top down rule of Mr. Trump. “Given the choice I would rather be us than them.”

To be sure some delegates looked at the internal disagreements and applauded that by saying, “this is what Democracy looks like.”

The Secretary of State contest was lively with Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist benefiting from a hy-bred vote of AFL-CIO delegates joining with the Progressive Caucus and the People’s Coalition to send Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum and former state Lottery Commissioner and legal advisor to Gov. Whitmer Suzanna Shkreli back to the drawing board to figure out why the heck they lost. Both were over confident that would defeat the L.G.

Clerk Byrum noted that, “he does not have the work ethic that I have and he doesn’t have that positive election administrative passion that I have.”

You can see a line like that showing up in a GOP anti Gilchrist commercial in the fall.

Perhaps the most concerning fall out deals with events that were thousands of miles away in the Middle East. But the angst on the convention floor between the pro-Israeli and other political factions was obvious. When U.S. Senate candidate Haley Stevens, decidedly pro-Israel, took the podium, the jeers were audible. And even more telling, Jewish U of M Regent Jordan Acher was handed his walking papers as the Progressive wing and allies picked Amir Makled instead.

On another front for eight years, women dominated the top three jobs in state government. The female trifecta of Gov. Whitmer, A.G. Dana Nessel and SOS Benson dominated the news cycle but if the D’s hold onto the offices, only Ms. Benson will still be around. This time as governor, but two men will fill the other two slots.

However two incumbent female members of the MSU Board of Trustees survived a brush with a female opponent who called the board “dysfunctional” as witnessed by the university “having six presidents in the last six years.” Board chair Breanna Scott and colleague Kelly Tebay Zemke denied the charge and obviously the delegates were comfortable with their record.

Which brings us to the ultimate question.

Can a divided convention switch gears and set aside those critical and emotional disagreements and unite behind their ticket in November? Answer that question and you can predict the outcome of the statewide vote.

Chair Hertel thinks Democrats can come together.

The other guys are hoping he’s dead wrong.

Blounts celebrate birthday, Spartan ‘Showstopper’

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:29 -0400

Omena resident Joan Blount celebrated her 90th birthday in great style this past weekend when she and her husband Dale attended a family gathering in East Lansing. The weekend began with everyone attending the Blounts’ granddaughter Erica Brown’s final dance performance as a Michigan State Spartan Showstopper. It was especially exciting to have so many family members there when Erica was honored with the Showstopper of 2026 award, as well as performing her solo Senior dance.

Other family members who traveled to East Lansing included Joan’s brother, Dan Landron, who came from California; Joan and Dale’s two daughters and their husbands, Kristen and Jeff Brown, and Andrea and Jim Makarauskas; their grandson, and Erica’s brother, Dan Brown; and their granddaughter Lauren Milligan and her husband Dallas who came from Indiana with their daughter, Belle.

The four generations of Blounts were joined by longtime family friends from Illinois and Mount Pleasant at a party for Joan at The Kellogg Center. The party had a festive Spanish theme, in honor of Joan’s Puerto Rican birth. The twolayer cake colorfully depicted Old San Juan.

Erica Brown graduates from MSU in May with a degree in Family Studies and Human Development, with plans to become a Child Life Specialist. She will be doing an internship before pursuing her Masters degree. Her brother Dan will graduate from MSU Law School, also this May, and will begin his career with a firm in Southfield.

There’s lots of talent that runs in Omena families. Kanda and Harold McKee went to Ft. Wayne, Indiana the weekend beforelasttoseetwoof Kanda’s great-nieces and great-nephews, Daniel and Finlee Hyde, perform in their high school’s performance of “Singing In The Rain.” They are both on their way to becoming “showstoppers” themselves.

The exhibit of Robert Bayer’s photography at the Northport Art Association (NAA) closes this Friday. It is open from noon to 4 p.m. The wonderful photos are definitely worth a visit.

Dog Ears Books is hosting a reading and discussion with poet Fleda Brown this Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. She is a former poet laureate of Delaware who now lives in Traverse City. She will be reading from her new book, “The End of the Clockwork Universe.”

Then you could head straight over to the Leland Library to vote for your favorite chili in the Chili Cook-Off benefiting the Michigan Parkinson Foundation. It runs from noon to 2 p.m. this Saturday.

There will be a joint Spring Open House at the Leelanau Township Community Foundation, Northport Performing Arts Center, and Northport Arts Association on Thursday, April 30 from 3 – 6 p.m.

Stop by to meet the wonderful teams that keep these organizations going and growing, and hear firsthand about the projects, grants and programs shaping our township this year. It’s a perfect afternoon to connect with friends and see what’s in store for our community!

The NAA is also featuring the debutof “ConnectedbyCause,” a collaborative exhibit by Northport Public School and the Northport Arts Association at that time. Be there for the very first look when it opens at 2:30 p.m. The exhibit runs through May 10, and is open Tuesdays through Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.

Happy 80th Birthday to Les Disch. Happy Birthday also to Peter Van Dusen, Richard Huffman, John Sommavilla, and Lauris Woolford. Happy 40th wedding Anniversary to Stephen and Meriwether Eisenhard.

Empire VC discusses Shalda Park, parking pass changes

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:28 -0400

The Empire Village Council spent a wide ranging work session last week revisiting the Shalda Park master plan, debating enforcement changes for beach parking and golf carts, and reviewing multiple ordinances tied to water systems and sidewalks.

Much of the discussion centered on the planning process for Shalda Park, including how public input was gathered and incorporated into early design concepts.

The council agreed that they will be able to move forward with smaller projects such as gravel parking and the picnic pavilion after finalizing plans and getting price quotes at the next meeting. They will also take a final vote on whether to proceed with Option 1 or Option 2 for Shalda Park.

“The parks committee got together and discussed what we should do about this,” trustee March Dye told the council.” “And I believe we decided that the majority of people did favor Option 2.”

The topic prompted a broader debate among council members over whether additional public input should have occurred earlier in the design process. This issue had briefly been brought up at a previous meeting but wasn’t fully discussed.

Council member Ella Skrocki, who had been frustrated that the process began with ideas from the consultants at Gosling Czubak and not with ideas from the public, acknowledged her role in the debate.

“I think that I recognize that I should have actually brought my concern to the council well before the moment that I did, because I felt like there wasn’t transparency from the get go,” Skrocki said.

Others defended the process. “Everything we did was completely open to the public. There was no lack of transparency,” council member Maggie Bacon said.

“I felt like there was a great representation that night for a small town,” council member Linda Chase said, referencing the public input session that was held for the Shalda Park designs.

Ultimately, Skrocki apologized saying, “I was wrong…I recognize that it was a good representation.”

And council president Dan Davis wrapped it all up with, “We’ve had our public hearings and we’re ready to proceed.”

Council members also spent a significant time discussing proposed changes to the beach parking pass system, including a shift from sticker passes to hanging passes and revision to enforcement language.

The proposal would shift the village away from windshield stickers to passes that hang from a rearview mirror. The idea is that the hanging passes would be easier to transfer between cars within a household and reduce issues with damaged or improperly placed stickers. However it was acknowledged that the hanging passes could get lost easier.

The proposed change is also intended to address longstanding challenges within the village office. Sticker passes have been difficult to monitor leading to repeated replacement requests and limited oversight of how many permits are actually in circulation.

The estimated cost for getting the new system going ranged from roughly $1,500 to $3,000. With that, the possible fee for replacement passes was brought up, with both $25 and $50 proposed. Some said the higher fee could discourage abuse of the system, while others raised concerns about penalizing residents who legitimately lose a pass.

There was also some discussion over the distinction between “ticket” versus “fine” and whether one would be confusing or misleading compared to the other.

“It is a ticket that is put on there, and you will be paying a fine,” Bacon clarified.

The council didn’t take any final action on the parking pass system and will revisit the issue at the regular meeting later this month.

Poet at Dog Ears

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:27 -0400

Acclaimed poet Fleda Brown will give a reading at noon on Saturday at Dog Ears Books in Northport, in a dual celebration of National Poetry Month and Indie Bookstore Day.

It will be Brown’s third appearance at Dog Ears Books, and she will welcome questions from and discussion with the audience.

The event is free and open to the public.

Kids event Friday

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:26 -0400

The Suttons Bay-Bingham District Library will host an event for children Friday, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Family Fun with 4-H will feature special guests from Leelanau County 4-H, including some farm animals.

Expect hands-on active fun with crafts and activities.

No advance registration is needed. A snack will be provided. All are welcome.

Cleveland Township board considers use of AI

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:23 -0400

The Cleveland Township board is considering letting an artificial intelligence (AI) answer residents’ zoning questions following a presentation by the zoning administrator during Tuesday’s monthly meeting.

The proposed system, called “Zoning OS,” would be embedded on the township website and allow users to type in zoning related questions and receive immediate answers pulled directly from township ordinances. The tool was developed by zoning administrator Scott Sheehan and his business partner, Travis Kemp, through their company, Blue Water Intelligence. Board members approved moving forward with a limited test of the system on the township website, after a legal review of the contract.

“You go looking for my name (on the township website) because you have a question. When you get there, you’re gonna see at the bottom, a little pill-shaped button that says ‘Ask Scotty the Zoning Assistant’,” explained Sheehan.

The AI would respond in easy to understand language and also “cite where it’s pulling the information from.” Sheehan explained that the system is designed to only access township documents and not the broader internet.

The system would also track user activity and generate reports for township officials.

“We have what’s called the hub,” Sheehan explained. “It’s keeping track of all those questions that are being asked,” allowing the township to measure “the pulse of the township” and identify gaps or unclear language in the ordinance.

Kemp explained the safeguards built into the system to prevent incorrect responses, including a second verification system.

“When you ask the questions, you’re going to get the answer… and then about a second or two after you’re going to get a green verified check at the bottom of your result,” Kemp said, adding that that green check is an indication that a second AI has verified the answer.

Sheehan and Kemp explained that they want to give Cleveland Township free use of the AI since they both live in the township, calling it “no charge, forever.” The board requested a contract be reviewed by legal counsel before any long term agreement and a usage report after 30 days.

That discussion was the most extensive of the meeting, which otherwise included routine business and policy decisions.

The board approved amending zoning ordinance sections 9.01 and 9.08 as recommended by the planning commission due to the language allowing mining and extracting resources such as gravel and other minerals within the township.

Supervisor Tim Stein put it simply, “there is no mining in Cleveland, which would be contrary to our master plan because we would see impairment of our groundwater, erosion, and water run off into our streams, lakes, and wetlands, which in Cleveland Township is tantamount to disaster.”

The amendments passed unanimously.

In other business, the board reviewed and approved a resolution requesting a traffic study for Darwin Road since concerns were raised about unsafe roadside parking near a trail access point. The study will determine whether “no parking” signs are warranted along the stretch of road in question.

Finally, Stein brought up his concerns regarding the lack of attendance at the annual meeting in March.

“It was an embarrassment, actually, to me,” Stein said, adding that he couldn’t get over how poorly attended the meeting was.

Board members weighed eliminating the standalone meeting and folding the agenda items into the regular meetings. “We could have done a budget hearing before the March meeting,” Stein said.

Township clerk Tracy Olsen jumped in saying, “I think they’re nice to have. I think just because we had one rough one doesn’t mean we cancel it.”

No decisions were made on the matter and Stein requested that the issue be brought up in subsequent meetings for further review.

Glen Lake Restaurant Week

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:22 -0400

Food lovers are invited to savor the flavors of Leelanau County during the 12th Annual Glen Lake Restaurant Week, happening April 24 through May 2. This beloved spring tradition celebrates the vibrant local dining scene with special menus and unique culinary offerings from participating restaurants throughout the Glen Lake area.

From casual bites to gourmet dining, participating eateries will showcase their creativity with prix-fixe menus or featured specials, highlighting fresh ingredients, local flavors, and the welcoming hospitality.

“This event shines a spotlight on the fun food scene here in the Glen Lake area and gives people a great reason to get out and enjoy it,” said Brooke Hazael-Massieux, of La Bécasse. “As restaurant owners, we love the boost in business coming out of the quieter months—it feels great to have full dining rooms again.”

Whether you’re craving comfort food, seasonal ingredients, or a night out, Glen Lake Restaurant Week offers something for every palate. Some participating locations may also feature breakfast and lunch specials, making it easy to explore the region’s culinary offerings throughout the day.

Confirmed participating restaurants include: La Bécasse, Boonedocks, BLU, Trattoria Funistrada, Cherry Public House, Art’s Tavern, Leelanau Coffee Roasters and Good Harbor Grill.

Menus and additional details will be posted at VisitGlenArbor.

GTB announces closing on Boardman Lk. Campus

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:15 -0400

The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians is pleased to announce the closing of its real estate transaction with Northwestern Michigan College for the purchase of the facility located at 2200 Dendrinos Drive, Traverse City, Michigan, formerly known as the Boardman Lake Campus.

The Tribe will use the property as its new central government administrative center serving its six-county service area. The facility will support the delivery of Tribal governmental services, including domestic assistance and other member services, in a more centralized and accessible location for Tribal citizens.

The property includes Boardman Lake frontage and approximately 28 acres of land. The Tribe intends to place approximately 26 acres into its land conservancy to protect and preserve the natural character of the property. The Tribe also intends to submit a fee-to-trust application to the federal government for the remaining two acres, the approximate area covering the present building and parking lot, in order to establish federal trust status for the site of the central administrative center and to ensure that the facility operates under Tribal and federal governmental authority for Tribal governmental purposes.

At the same time, the Tribe expects to begin transitioning certain governmental departments and member services currently provided in Peshawbestown, Traverse City, and other county locations to the Boardman Lake facility in a phased and orderly manner.

The Tribe is also consulting with Tribal members regarding an Anishinaabe name for the new administrative center that reflects the Tribe’s history, culture, and the significance of the site.

Chairwoman Sandra L. Witherspoon stated: “This acquisition marks an important step forward in strengthening the Grand Traverse Band’s governmental infrastructure and improving the delivery of services to our Tribal citizens across our six-county service area. The new administrative center will help us better coordinate programs, expand access to services, and create a central location that reflects the Tribe’s long-term commitment to effective self-governance. We are equally committed to preserving the natural character of this property and to ensuring that this site serves Tribal governmental purposes for generations to come.”

This acquisition represents a significant investment in the Tribe’s future and in the continued improvement of government services for Tribal members throughout the Tribe’s service area.

Lakers, Comets compete at first NWC meet

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:11 -0400

Glen Lake’s Spencer McNitt had himself a day with a narrow 800-meter victory over Benzie Central’s Oliver Graetz, while also taking first in the mile with a time of 4:43 during a Northwest Conference track meet last week.

“I was pretty happy with tonight’s performance, and it was a good start to the season. I’ve been training hard outside of practice, and I’m looking forward to tonight’s season,” McNitt said.

The Lakers took first place in the team events, followed by Benzie Central, Frankfort, Buckley, Leland and Onekama.

Glen Lake freshman Hunter Kemp won in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 42.82.

The Lakers pulled away in the relay events, winning three of the four.

Glen Lake seniors Samuel Dykstra, Hunter Cox, Brckin Nerg and sophomore Liam Palmer won the 4x100-relay (46.41) while the same team narrowly defeated Frankfort in the 4x200-relay (1:37). The 4x800relay team of Abraham Feeney, Christian Feeney, Eli Maule, and Lincoln Bailey won in the 4x800-relay to send the Lakers over the top.

Benzie Central girls track team depth proved too much for the field last week, as the Leland girls finished fourth and Glen Lake finished fifth.

The Lakers will be hoping to bounce back at the next track meet yesterday, as of press time at Benzie Central.

Leland sophomore Sophia Grinage led the pace in the mile and two-mile with times of 5:46 and 12:29.

Glen Lake won one event as Lydia Fosmore, Avery Flores, Janai Misner, and Lilyan Shimunek (4x100, 55.09) defeated Benzie Central (55.15) in a photo finish.

Chaney wins at Mancelona Lake Leelanau St. Mary junior Daniel Chaney had himself a quality early-season performance in the two-mile Friday at the Mancelona Invite with a first-place time of 10:32.

Chaney also finished in the mile by less than a second.

Lake Leelanau St. Mary sophomore Elizabeth Grant finished second in the discus with a personal best of 97 feet 7.5 inches and finished eighth in shot put (28’ 4”).

The Eagle boys team finished 12th, while the girls team finished 14th overall at the invitational.

LEELANAU HISTORY

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:07 -0400

5 YEARS AGO April 22, 2021

Michelle Hemeyer never planned to be so deeply involved with restaurant planning when she purchased the old Tucker’s property at 116 Waukazoo St. in Northport late last June. Today she wouldn’t have it any other way. With building renovations in its homestretch, Hemeyer is targeting early summer to open what will be called Northport Pub & Grille (NPG). *** It was one of the ugliest meetings of the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners in recent memory. A shouting match involving county officials and several members of the public who declined to don face masks before an in-person meeting of the county board Tuesday night resulted in a 9-1-1 call and the intervention of a sheriff’s deputy who remained on the scene throughout the three-hourplus meeting. District No. 4 Commissioner Ty Wessell was one of the officials who dialed 9-1-1 as the incident unfolded.

10 YEARS AGO

April 22, 2016

A civil lawsuit filed against the owner of Sugar Loaf Resort for Construction Code violations has been put on hold because the county lacks a supporting ordinance. The lawsuit was filed months ago, but an ordinance allowing the head of the county’s Construction Code Authority to issue “tickets” to the resort’s owner and request that the 86th District Court Magistrate impose fines on the owner until code violations are corrected, was only last week brought before the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners. *** Leelanau County Treasurer John A. Gallagher III has come under fire for not requiring other units of government including Suttons Bay school, village and township, to reimburse county government for unpaid taxes related to the failed BayView development. Gallagher has been accused of misinterpreting state statutes related to administration of a delinquent tax revolving fund.

25 YEARS AGO

April 26, 2001

Centerville Township residents have been showing up in force at township meetings to express concern about the number of septic disposal sites in their community. More than 40 township residents showed up at the township Planning Commission meeting last week, asking planners to take action to regulate the number, placement and operation of sites in the township. *** The Children’s Discovery Center is in financial trouble and has asked Northport Public Schools for help. But the school district is working its way out of some financial problems of its own, and may only be able to facilitate meetings. Without a new source of funds, the center will close its doors for good after this semester.

50 YEARS AGO

April 22, 1976

Smelt dippers in Leelanau County have been advised to contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to make sure they are dipping in legal areas. The DNR has closed streams that flow into inland lakes to smelt dip, and certain other areas in Leelanau County are also “off limits.” *** The results of a probe into alleged irregularities in the administration of the Glen Lake Community Schools by the Board of Education should be made known “sometime next week.” Roy Godmer, a fact-finder and hearing officer for the Michigan Department of Education, is studying information gathered in a visit to the school district.

75 YEARS AGO April 26, 1951

Michigan Bell Telephone announced this week that it will petition the Public Service Commission on May 14 to raise its rates. The increase asked for Lake Leelanau exchange amounts to from 30 to 40 percent of present schedules. Northport, without area service to Traverse City, suffers less. Chairman John H. Mc-Carthy of the Michigan Public Service Commission said Wednesday he will fight any increase. *** Hundreds of visitors are expected in Leland this weekend for the first Leelanau County Arts and Crafts show, in the gym sponsored by the Leland Community Service Program. The purpose is dual: to discover marketable items produced here and to create hobby interests in arts and crafts. *** Governor G. Mennen Williams released this week a set of highway fund figures to show that under his proposal for a gas tax increase of only three quarters of a cent or one cent a gallon, Leelanau county would receive $61,000 more road funds than it did in 1949.

100 YEARS AGO April 22, 1926

While going to Good Harbor Sunday for afternoon service, Rev. Schmidt lost a rear wheel from his Ford sedan at Robinson’s corner, and traveled the rest of the way with Fred Perrault. He brought his care in Sunday evening after getting the necessary repairs from Suttons Bay. *** The ice in Lake Michigan has been shifting back and forth between here and the Islands during the past week. Today most of it is on this side and extends out nearly a mile.

Morel ‘expert’ to visit Lee. Twp. library

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:05 -0400

The Leelanau Township Library will host “Pickin’ with the Champ — Anthony Williams” Tuesday, May 5 at 6 p.m.

Williams in a national morel hunting champion and the “expert in residence” at the National Morel Festival.

His seminar is filled with stories from his years of picking; tips on when, where, how to pick; including the personal and finer points that made him the champion of finding the elusive morel.

The program will last about 90 minutes along with questions and answers.

All are welcome. There is not cost to attend.

S-B earns green designation

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:04 -0400

Suttons Bay Public Schools has earned its first-ever designation as a Michigan Green School, a statewide recognition awarded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

“We’ve been doing this work for a long time through our curriculum, hands-on projects, and community partnerships,” said high school science teacher Julie Goodyke. “This designation really affirms who we are as a district—committed to environmental stewardship and giving students meaningful ways to care for the world around them.

“This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, staff, and community partners to protecting our environment and building a more sustainable future,” said district leadership. “We are especially proud that this is our first year earning this honor.”

A Comprehensive Commitment to Sustainability

The district’s efforts span recycling, energy efficiency, environmental protection, and hands-on learning:

• A district-wide recycling program collects paper, cardboard, glass, and plastics from every classroom, led by Life Skills students who manage weekly collection — building both environmental awareness and job readiness skills.

• A partnership with MI Farm Co-Op brings locally sourced, seasonal, and responsibly produced foods into school meals, reducing transportation emissions and supporting Michigan farmers.

• A multi-year LED lighting upgrade has significantly reduced energy use, improved lighting quality, and lowered long-term operational costs.

• Students engage in environmental science learning, including units on energy conservation and real-world environmental challenges such as microplastics, invasive species, and water quality.

Students also take part in meaningful, hands-on environmental work:

• Great Lakes and river cleanup efforts, including partnerships with the Alliance for the Great Lakes and ongoing National Honor Society service projects on the Platte River.

• A student-developed native Michigan garden, developed in collaboration with Green Suttons Bay and the Leelanau Conservation District, supporting pollinators and biodiversity

• Participation in “Sturgeon in the Classroom,” where students raise and release a threatened species as part of regional conservation efforts.

Earth Day in Action

This year, the district is celebrating its Green School recognition by expanding its Earth Day efforts into the broader community.

Some of the activities planned for Earth Day include:

• Kindergarten and 1st-grade students will take a walking field trip to Leo Creek, where they will help pick up trash while learning to appreciate the natural beauty of their community.

• Middle and high school students will partner with Leelanau Investing For Teens (LIFT) to participate in a community- wide Earth Day cleanup.

T he district’s partnership with LIFT continues to be a cornerstone of student engagement and service learning. Together, they provide meaningful opportunities for students to take an active role in improving their community while developing leadership and civic responsibility.

“These experiences go beyond the classroom,” K-12 Principal Chris Reeve said. “They empower our students to be stewards of the environment and leaders in their community.”

As a newly certified Michigan Green School, Suttons Bay Public Schools remains committed to building on this momentum — continuing to expand sustainability efforts, strengthen community partnerships, and provide students with real-world learning experiences that make a lasting impact.

For more information about Suttons Bay Public Schools’ environmental initiatives, please contact the district office.

National Honor Society Chapter members from Suttons Bay work to clean up along the Platte River. Courtesy photo

St. Mary seniors ‘serve’ during trip

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:03 -0400

The St. Mary School Class of 2026 recently completed a meaningful service trip to Villa Maria Education and Spirituality Retreat Center, located in western Pennsylvania.

Villa Maria serves as the residence for Catholic sisters retired from active ministry, many of whom have dedicated their lives to service and faithbased outreach. In addition, the Sisters of the Humility of Mary have established and maintained a productive farm that plays a vital role in supporting the surrounding community.

St. Mary students rolled up their sleeves and provided much-needed assistance across the property. Working the fields and throughout the farm, the students helped prepare the land for the upcoming growing season. Their efforts directly contribute to the farm’s ability to produce fresh food that supports families in need throughout the region. Additional produce grown at Villa Maria is sold at the on-site market, helping to sustain the sisters’ ongoing efforts.

This immersive experience allowed students to witness firsthand the impact of service, sustainability, and community support rooted in faith.

“My time span at Villa Maria with my classmates was a meaningful experience,” senior Kaelyn Kelenske said. “We were able to spend time working alongside each other to support the Sisters on the farm. It was a great, lasting memory of us all being together before we part after graduation.”

St. Mary Catholic School remains committed to fostering service-minded leaders through opportunities that integrate faith, education, and community engagement.

HE HAD ONE TOE

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:02 -0400

Acts 1: 8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Have you ever known where you were, but not exactly? We were working an area in East Africa north of Nairobi Kenya, in the Embu province somewhere between Kerugoya and Nyeri.

Not knowing exactly where we were prohibits me from giving an exact location; however we knew Nairobi was south of us and that was enough.

This is in the Mt Kenya (17,057 feet) area. Being the second highest mountain in Africa, it is a sight to behold. With its rugged peaks, that mountain has a beauty all its own.

Traveling through such an area preaching the Gospel is a unique experience and one I would like to have again. We met some unique people and found the Africans to be very gracious.

It was not uncommon for villagers to invite us to a meal. To feast on githeri, a mixture of corn and beans is a pleasant surprise, especially when one has been walking the bush or jungle for hours.

Where there were roads, we had an old Toyota pick-up truck we used for a speaker’s stand. With microphones and speakers in the back, we would pull into a market, town or village and someone would speak to gather a crowd.

Then one of us would provide, with an interpreter, a Gospel message.

The people were anxious to meet and talk with us. One man wanted his grandson to meet me. He left for a while; then returned with a young boy about seven, maybe eight years old.

I was the first white man the little boy had ever seen. He could not take his eyes off me. White man in Swahili is “Wazungu.” He could not stop staring at my blue green eyes. My eye color was a new experience for him.

In one village we were called the “Umbaba” meaning “going around in circles.” The British occupied Kenya until 1963 and the nationals saw them as constantly “going around in circles” thus the name.

In other villages the children always gathered around to get a closer look and feel. They always wanted to feel my arms. The African men have no hair on their arms so here I was the main attraction once again. Thinking of the children running their hands over my arms still brings a smile.

In the market in Embu, was a vegetable stand; it had plantain. I’d never eaten plantain and thought it was a kind of banana. I bought one for two schillings and proceeded to try to peel it like a banana.

My trusty pocket knife managed to get into the “tasty” part. Not realizing it had to be cooked, it puckered me up like a persimmon and the locals couldn’t stop laughing. Laughing when puckered is not easy but an effort was made.

One man that educated the Wazungu wore one flip-flop on his right foot. He only had one toe on that foot and none on his left foot. He was probably seventy plus years old and had walked so many miles on the sandy trails and roads, the abrasion had worn off all his toes but one.

His flip-flop was wired to the one toe. He didn’t seem to be in pain and appeared to be a happy guy. We sat on a log by the entrance to the market. I explained to him the beliefs of Christianity. He prayed to receive Jesus on that log that sunny day in East Africa. What a great blessing that was for both of us!

When we leave such a place, we know we’ll probably never be back. Parting words are usually “If I don’t see you again here on earth, I’ll see you in Heaven.”

Another time we were close to the Indian Ocean. In one village an elderly lady received Jesus. I’ll never forget the tears in her eyes as she heard the Gospel story. No one had ever told her that God loved her so much He was willing to shed His blood and die for her so she could have eternal life.

The next Sunday the Utange church held a baptism in the ocean about two miles from the church. She walked for those two miles, barefoot on a gravely road to be baptized. I will never forget the look on her face when she came up out of the water.

Christ Jesus voluntarily, sacrificially shed His blood, gave His life for the sin of all mankind. Salvation is because of His sacrifice; because of what He did. We have found people of many nationalities, many ethnic groups, many skin colors, and many other differences that embrace Jesus when they hear of His sacrifice because of His love for them.

We must always teach that eternal salvation is attained by a faith based belief (Ephesians 2: 8) in Christ Jesus crucified (Matthew 27: 35) for the remission of sin (1 John 1: 9), resurrected (Matthew 28: 6) and ascended alive in to Heaven (Acts 1: 9).

Reaching people for the Lord Jesus has been one of the most satisfying and blessed things I have ever participated in. We don’t have to go to the ‘uttermost parts of the earth” to find someone to tell. Go for the blessing and tell someone. You’ll be glad you did and so will they.

Van Yandell is a retired Industrial Arts teacher, an ordained gospel evangelist and commissioned missionary.

Email: vmy2121@outlook.com

Centerville prevails over Northgate

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan has sided with Centerville Township in federal litigation resulting from denial of a special use permit for Northgate-Leelanau Pines, LLC.

In a decision released Thursday by the federal court, actions by the township Planning Commission stood up to claims brought by Northgate that rejection of plans to expand the camp denied the company’s constitutional rights and the rights for use of its property — making up its mind before completely reviewing them and ultimately rejecting plans to expand.

The news comes as a relief for the only township in the county without a post office.

“It’s great news,” township Supervisor Ron Schaub said. “I thank (all) who worked so hard and long supplying all the information that was needed for this case.”

Defending township zoning and denying the request has been costly.

“Last year alone we spent $130,000 defending this case, along with some costs this year yet,” the supervisor said. “This does not include the $100,000 the insurance company spent before that and the amounts we spent in 2023 and 2024.”

In 2022, Northgate-Leelanau Pines applied to expand the number of sites at the park from 170 to 342; construct a waterfront pavilion, marina store, boathouse, swimming pools, a splash pad, mini golf, jump pillow, sports court, walking trails and boardwalks. Renovation of the existing camp office and restrooms, a game room, bathhouse and laundry facility was also planned.

During public meetings in August, September and October of that year, the Planning Commission heard the concerns of township residents as well as others living outside the township along Lake Leelanau, opposed to the proposed expansion. Among those opposed was the LLLA, whose representatives regularly attended the Planning Commission meetings. The lake association later sought and received permission to serve as an intervenor in the lawsuit.

Among the biggest concerns was the lakefront development’s impact on nearby Rice Creek and Lake Leelanau.

Township planners denied the permit saying that plans to expand were inconsistent with the township Master Plan and that it is not in line with the preservation of the “scenic aesthetic” assets of the township.

Northgate submitted a revised plan application in August 2023 — the main difference between the applications is a reduction in proposed campsites from 300 to 150; one boat launch instead of two and 82 boat slips instead of 239. Northgate initially filed suit in Circuit Court against the township and its planning commission members. The court also ruled in favor of the township Zoning Board of Appeals.

Northgate alleged that the township was biased against them and their proposal.

Northgate filed hundreds of pages of exhibits, which in their view, represents animus or illwill toward them.

The federal court disagreed. “Event when read in the light most favorable to Northgate, Northgate’s exhibits fail to show that the township acted with any type of unlawful animus,” the decision states.

BLOTTER

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Wednesday, April 14

7:15 a.m. — Centerville Township — Vehicle is going 35 mph and all over the road.

11:49 a.m. — Leland Township — Senior Services called about a possible fraud issue.

12:12 p.m. — Leelanau Township —Caller has withdrawal out of her bank account. Believes it’s a scam.

1:09 p.m. — Elmwood Township — Fraud by a scammer impersonating a bank.

2:18 p.m. — Solon Township — Adult Protective Services call regarding scams.

5:54 p.m. — Leland Township — Gentleman was aggressive to her caller’s husband. Gray, long-sleeve shirt. Also walking a dog. Yelling aggressively. Wanting to know where the caller lives. Headed down the street getting into a green Range Rover.

Thursday, April 15

10:32 a.m. — Leland Township — Unlawfully driving away of an automobile.

11:35 a.m. — Bingham Township — Caller believes his neighbor felled a tree on his fence. Renter got pictures of the tree which did not damage the fence. Part of the tree is resting on top of the fence.

12:28 p.m. — Leland Township — Someone tried filing taxes under caller’s information.

9:35 p.m. — Bingham Township — Three cars seem to be tailgating caller, a truck and possibly two others driving erratically on M-22. Cars all have passed caller. She did not have a further description of them but wanted it noted.

Friday, April 17

7:42 a.m. — Kasson Township — Vehicle stopped. On sobrieties. One detained.

9:36 a.m. — Bingham Township — Caller says landlord entered his domicile without notice and changed the locks.

12:54 p.m. — Bingham Township — Man has returned to the property abutting his along the beach, and it appears someone is bringing more items there. Doesn’t believe the subject owns the property and is either squatting there or is dumping things.

1:30 p.m. — Cleveland Township — Biker going down the middle of the road.

2:52 p.m. — Elmwood Township — Motor vehicle crash with injuries.

3:31 p.m. — Bingham Township — Caller was going to plant shrubs on property line. Setting them up and neighbor two doors down said he was too close to the road. Came to the conclusion he would move the shrubs. Other neighbor came out and interrupted the conversation in a hostile manner. Blowing his leaves at him. Asked if he was going to block the his view of the water.

6:13 p.m. — Bingham Township — Ninja bikes passing cars on double-yellow at 80 mph.

9:17 p.m. — Kasson Township — Caller reports a large burn pile that seems to be getting out of control and it is very windy. (This was an unattended fire. Firefighters extinguished it.)

Saturday, April 18

5:04 p.m. — Cleveland Township — Caller reports there was a 4-wheeler on Darwin Road at 4:45 p.m. and left.

7:35 p.m. — Elmwood Township — Caller thought he heard gunshots across the road and behind his house. Caller doesn’t need to be seen. Would like someone to travel the road and see if they can hear or see anything. He was startled. (Law enforcement checked it out. Didn’t hear any gunshots. However, officer spoke with the caller and informed him that today is the opening season for turkey hunting so it could have been from that.)

7:42 p.m. — Bingham Township — Caller reports someone trespassing on his property. Walking his dogs in the vineyard.

8:13 p.m. — Bingham Township — Maroon, older model Chevy Tahoe revving its engine and hot rodding.

Sunday, April 19

1:33 p.m. — Cleveland Township — Neighbor trouble.

5:32 p.m. — Elmwood Township — Silver Subaru southbound on Bugai then west on M-72. Crossed center line and is driving at inconsistent speeds.

5:35 p.m. — Leland Township — Caller saw someone on her front door camera ringing the door bells and wandering like he’s lost. (Caller called back to say the person she saw is one of her neighbors and she no longer needs a response.)

Monday, April 20

11:01 a.m. — Leland Township — Harassment.

11:02 a.m. — Cleveland Township — Two vehicles driving up to caller house in a stalking manner. Black Subaru hatchback and white Toyota Tacoma. Caller does not want to talk to someone unless they are going to do anything.

4:01 p.m. — Cleveland Township — Abandoned vehicle on the side of the road. Been there almost two weeks. Older model Ford truck. Red. No plates. (Vehicle moved into driveway.)

4:14 p.m. — Bingham Township — Caller is following a vehicle southbound that cut them off in Suttons Bay. Red Ram truck is swerving all over the road at varying speeds.

6:47 p.m. — Kasson Township— One in custody for driving while license suspended.

9:35 p.m. — Suttons Bay Township — Suspicious vehicle. (Per request of owner, vehicle has been locked up.)

10:04 p.m. — Kasson Township — Suspicious person walking the roadway near Maple City and East Kasson roads. (Individual was out for a walk after a tough day, per law enforcement.)

Tuesday, April 21

6:34 a.m. — Bingham Township — Caller gave a puppy to subject a couple months ago. The dog needs a vet, and the subject has not gotten the dog treatment. Caller confronted the subject about this and is now meeting him at 8 a.m. at Tom’s West Bay to get the puppy back. Subject is now making threats to the caller. (Exchange was made without incident.)

Lakers win at Mistwood; Vansteenhouse claims 1st

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

GL, SB, Leland golf previews

The 2026 boys golf season has been off to a slow start, but action finally teed off this week as Glen Lake, Leland, and Suttons Bay saw their first action on the course at Mistwood Golf Course Monday.

The Lakers won with a combined score of 160, slightly ahead of runners-up Onekama and Leland, who were tied with 168.

Frankfort finished fourth, followed by Benzie Central, Suttons Bay, Buckley and Brethren.

Individual Top-10: 1. Hayden Vansteenhouse (Leland); 2. Joel Martin (Glen Lake); 2. Karter Smith (Glen Lake); Carson Bradford (Onekama); 4. Frankfort Cash Rosum; Tyler Hart (Onekama); Jayden Carver (Frankfort); Howie Kropp (Leland); Brody Switzer (Glen Lake); Luke Bradford (Onekama).

Lakers enter new era

Glen Lake is entering the season with youth and high hopes after an era ends and a new one begins.

The Lakers will be led by first-year coach Peyton McDonough, a Glen Lake graduate, who will take over for longtime coach Lee Houtteman.

“It’s a blessing,” McDonough said.

McDonough was a freshman when Houtteman took over and coached him all four years, then helped Houtteman as an assistant for three years before getting the Laker head coaching job.

“I learned everything from (Houtteman) … He taught me everything I know about the game; a lot of our drills and practices come from him and all his knowledge,” McDonough said.

Glen Lake will be looking for a big year with plenty of new faces expected to make an impact.

The Lakers will have to replace the 2025 Mr. Golf recipient, Michael Houtteman, after he captured an MHSAA D4 state championship last season and led the Lakers to a team regional championship.

Glen Lake won a team championship behind an impressive 326-332 win over Traverse City Christian last spring.

The Lakers finished fifth at the MHSAA D4 state championships last season. Glen Lake has a full team of 15.

The Lakers’ lone senior is Brody Switzer, who has been a starter throughout his career. The biggest emphasis early in the season is on the short game and getting up-and-down.

“Attitude is big,” McDonough said. “Golf is a frustrating sport mentally and physically. I’m trying to get them to have fun and enjoy being out here.”

Glen Lake sophomore Karter Smith and junior Joel Martin will be leading the Lakers this season.

Smith is really feeling his wedge game, especially from 100-yards in to get quality positioning on the greens.

“I’m working on playing smarter and deciding when to go for it or not,” Smith said.

Martin is another returning golfer ready for a big junior season with the Lakers.

“It’d be nice just to go out there and hit some good shots … I know I can score, especially around the greens. I gotta get out of my head and focus,” Martin said. “We've got some high expectations.”

Martin finished 30th at the state championships last season.

Glen Lake’s home course is the Dunes Golf Club in Empire.

Norse golf team makes a comeback

After not having a team for the past two seasons, Suttons Bay has returned from the golf cemetery, back onto the course with quality members and hopes of future growth.

Suttons Bay will be led by a familiar face, Tim Smith, who spent many years as an assistant for Todd Hursey.

“I’m excited to get the kids back on the course and teach them the game of golf. My number one goal is to get kids out on the golf course and have them love the game. Once they graduate from high school, this is one of those sports that you can always continue to play,” Smith said.

Leland seniors (from left to right) Howie Kropp, Eli Ulbrich, Ravello Smith and Weston Burda practice at the Leland Country Club last week. Enterprise photo by Brian Freiberger

The Norse have a healthy 10-12 golfers.

Suttons Bay will have one lone senior, Gavin Schichtel, who is ready to put on a show in his first year of golf while dualsporting with baseball.

“I want to get better and be able to compete … I was so happy to hear that we were having a golf team this year, especially with all these guys that are interested,” Schichtel said.

Leelanau County prep golf has historically been strong in Michigan.

“We’ve been through so many different great golfers through the years here, so it’s trying to build that legacy here at Suttons Bay,” Smith said.

The Norse will have two Northport golfers ready to compete.

“(The biggest thing for me this season) is getting out of my head, working on consistency on club face control, and being able to just consistently hit the ball to drop that score” Schichtel said.

Suttons Bay sophomore Jorge Gomez is excited for his sophomore season, especially since it was announced that the team was coming back.

“Coming from just playing a couple rounds with my friends this summer, it means a lot more to actually have guidance and know how to play these courses and what our coach expects from us. It’s a whole different game,” Gomez said. “We got a lot of new golfers and enough to be competitive ... “It’s just a gentleman’s game, playing with the random people you just met. Keeping each other honest.”

Suttons Bay’s home course is Northport Creek Golf Course.

Comets ready to compete with five seniors

The Leland boys golf team will be led by five seniors this season, with high hopes of a quality golf season before graduating in a little over a month.

“Having all five of us on the team only makes it more exciting to play. I think this is gonna be our best season throughout my whole career,” Leland senior Weston Burda said. “We can still win, even if everyone else didn’t do great.”

Eli Ulbrich, Ravello Smith, Burda, Howie Kropp, and Will Sawyer are this year’s seniors.

Friday, April 17, was expected to be the first meet of the season at the TC Tee-off at the Grand Traverse Resort, but it was canceled due to course conditions from recent flooding.

The Comets’ home course is the Leland Country Club.

“I love this course, you can’t beat it,” Ulbrich said. “Anytime I get to be with these boys is fun ... I’m super excited to see what we can do this year.”

This team knows how to win championships, as most of them were a part of the 2025 Leland boys state championship soccer team in the fall.

Leland junior Hayden Vansteenhouse will be relied upon heavily throughout competition this year as the Comet seeks to make some noise at regionals and advance to the state championships. Vansteenhouse finished 22nd at the state championship last season as an individual.

The Comets barely missed qualifying for the state championships last year as Leland finished in the top-10 at regionals.

Leland finished third in the Northwest Conference behind Glen Lake and Benzie Central.

Kropp knows this is the time to shoot the best and go the farthest he’s ever gone as a senior.

“Golf is a lifelong sport, and it’s really cool that we all get to have these high school experiences with it, and really take advantage of getting to play here and around the area every day. I’m hopefully going to put some good scores out there,” Kropp said.

For Smith, golf is most likely his favorite sport.

“I won’t lie. Just to get out here, play free golf, and get better at the game. Why wouldn’t you do it?” Smith said. “I’ve been working on my chipping quite a lot. That’s my weakest part of my game … We just gotta go out there and minimize errors and play the right shots.

U’Ren, Wetherbee score hat-tricks for Suttons Bay

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Comets hang on for early-season win; fall to Glads

Suttons Bay girls soccer earned an 8-0 win over Kingsley Friday or Saturday as the Comets bounced back from a Leland loss last week.

The Norse were led by senior Megan U’Ren who scored four goals in the win. Ada Wetherbee managed a hat-trick for herself and found her teammates for two assists during the impressive performances.

Olive Craker also got on a score sheet with a goal and two assists. Cora Meyer also added an assist, along with Megan Lint and Adrienne Schaub.

The Norse and Glen Lake battled yesterday as of press time in a prime time Northwest Conference battle.

Leland girls soccer held off Suttons Bay 3-2 in an early Northwest Conference match Thursday.

The Comets returned to action Monday against Traverse City St. Francis and came back with an 0-3 loss against a stout Gladiator team.

Leland saw plenty of contributions from across the team to make an impact against Suttons Bay last week.

“We dominated the play on the field. We just didn’t finish. We had some good chances in the first half and got to clean it up, but it’s still early.

We’ve barely been outside. We got a lot of rust to pick off,” Leland coach Joe Burda said. “We’re doing a lot of the right stuff on the field. We’re creating the chances, we’re not putting them on frame. We have to tighten up the defense a little bit.”

Leland senior Addi Waskiewicz started the scoring off first before Suttons Bay senior Clarice Bardenhagen answered with a header courtesy of a cross from senior Megan U’Ren.

Leland sophomore Jaelyn DeFour found Lucy Baldwin outside of the 18-yard line, who lined up an upper-90 shot for the Comets to take a 2-1 lead.

“We’ve grown a deeper connection with each other throughout the season, we’ve been able to play with each other better throughout the first few games,” Baldwin said. “Something we need to work on is our passing and putting plays together. Finishing is a big part of it.”

The Comets and Norse would trade chances throughout the rest of the half as the Comets went up 2-1 at the break.

Most of the second half was a defensive stalemate with Leland getting a majority of the chances.

Leland forward Lilly Connor would give the Comets a 3-1 lead after dodging multiple Suttons Bay defenders to take a commanding 3-1 lead with less than 15 minutes remaining in the game.

U’Ren once again found her senior teammate, Madelyn Hamilton, to cut Leland’s lead to 3-2 with under five minutes remaining.

After a rocky start to the season, the Comets (2-3) won their first game in the Northwest Conference.

The Comets have earned early wins over Hart and the Norsemen while falling to North Muskegon and Big Rapids to start the season.

Suttons Bay earned a 7-0 win over Traverse City Home School Monday, after losing to Hart 4-1 to start the season.

Both teams competed all night long during the first conference game of the season.

“I love the effort. The girls went until they couldn’t run anymore. The effort there, and I couldn’t ask for more on that,” Suttons Bay coach Randy U’Ren said. “To be able to keep one of the best teams in the region close and then have a chance to maybe even get a tie at the end. We persevered and hung in there with them.”

The Norse hosted Bloomfield Hills on Friday.

Leland hosts Glen Lake on Monday.

A Port Oneida Love Story

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:00:00 -0400

This continues a series adapted from the book, “A Port Oneida Collection,” Volume 1 of the twopart set, “Oral History, Photographs, and Maps from the Sleeping Bear Region,” produced by Tom Van Zoeren in partnership with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. Here we continue with the Baker Farm, at the north end of Port Oneida Road, next to Camp Kohahna.

In the Baker Barn, hay was hoisted with a hayfork hung from a pulley mounted high in the peak. The load was then swung out over the mows to either side and released. The hay then had to be spread to fill the mow.

The larger Burfiend Barn had a track running gable to gable (end to end), so the pulley could be hung from a trolley and moved along the track to better distribute the load in the mow. The Burfiends’ hayfork track was made of maple. Jack Barratt: “That was peculiar to me because most barns had steel tracks for the trolley.” As the Burfiends’ track dried out over the years it became twisted.

One summer Charlie Kropp, the Burfiends’ fix-it hand, built a “huge wrench out of wood with the right-sized mouth on it to put over that beam [the track]; and with ropes and a block & tackle we pulled that beam until it was straight and level.” They then secured it with a crosspiece fastened to the rafters. *** George Burfiend told the story he heard of the time Fred Baker rebuilt the fence between the Burfiend and Baker Farms, and moved the fence wires to the other side of the trees along the property line. “My grampa (Pete Burfiend) was, well, I guess you’d say he wasn’t as easy goin’ as my dad was, and Grampa really got mad about it. Of course Grampa said he never started a fight in his life, but everybody else always said he’d fight at the drop of a hat, and drop his own hat to fight. So anyway, he and Fred Baker got into it over there. Now Baker was a young man, and Grampa was an old man, and he looked pretty sad, I guess, after the scrap.”

Sometime after this incident, the Bakers awoke one morning to the “clink, clink, clink” sounds of the Burfiends girdling the large trees along the line (stripping bark to kill them), which provided shade in the Baker yard. “I cried for days,” remembered Fred Baker’s daughter Lucille. Hard feelings remained during the years that followed.

In 1933 Lucille and her good friend Myrtle Kelderhouse decided to get Port Oneida young folks together for a beach fire and a treasure hunt. One of those invited was Pete Burfiend’s grandson, Jack Barratt. Although Jack had spent all his boyhood summers on the Burfiend Farm, because of the feud he and Lucille had never really become acquainted. Wondering how to handle the situation, Jack went to his Uncle Howard, who had by then taken over the farm from his father Pete. Howard responded, “You let bygones be bygones. What happened 20 years ago has nothing to do with you. You go, and you drive the Buick over there!”

So Jack drove the Buick to the party next door, and won the treasure hunt, and more. The party was followed by an invitation to go for a moonlight horse ride along the beach, followed by other overtures. Although the two families had some trouble getting used to it (“What the hell, is she moonstruck?” asked Jack’s brother), Jack and Lucille married and shared 69 years together. The feud is ancient history. *** Here’s a Jack-&-Lucille story from a few years later: As the son of a Coast Guardsman, Jack naturally followed his father into the Guard after high school. Thus, Jack & Lucille spent two years stationed on South Manitou Island.

They recalled one beach patrol when Lucille accompanied Jack. As they sometimes did, they stopped for a swim along the way back. Jack: “When we got out of the water we grabbed our clothes and the clock and all the equipment, and we started running down the beach to dry off, you know; and when we started to dress, she had left her panties, and I had to run all the way back and get them.”

“Or he’d never have heard the end of it from the next patrol.”— Lucille.