Newsmakers 2007

Newsmakers 2007

Top 10 Business Stories: A Mixed Bag

There were plenty of ups and downs in 2007 during a challenging year for northern Michigan's economy and its businesses. The state's battered manufacturing sector and the highest unemployment rate in the country made it tough for residents and businesses to stay afloat. Property values were stagnant, and foreclosure rates in Michigan were among the highest in the country.
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Jan 3, 2008 10:42 am 4 Photos
Top 10: The top local stories of 2007

State Theatre reopens as daily film venue; New direction for Traverse City commission; TCAPS closings prove controversial(tie); Man accused of slaying, burying pregnant girlfriend (tie); Federated projects drag; Meijer admits paying for, manipulating recall campaign; Happy birthday, Mackinac Bridge; Group wants to site huge amusement park in Crawford County; GT County septage plant flush in red ink; Christine Maxbauer jolts GT County board
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Dec 30, 2007 11:15 am 14 Photos
Newsmakers: Justice pushes for change

Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Weaver continued to speak out against alleged misuse and abuse of power by her court fellows in 2007, and she's working to change the way justices are selected to the top bench.
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Dec 29, 2007 10:36 am 1 Photo
Newsmakers: No charges in stabbing death

Those with a stake in Alan Hihnala's violent death still await answers and clarity more than five months after the electrician was killed during a domestic dispute.
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Dec 28, 2007 9:36 am
Newsmakers: Jail theft may not be solved

It appears the person responsible for pilfering more than $16,000 from a Grand Traverse County Jail inmate fund won't face charges. That weighs heavily on Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Mark Henschell, who spent more than a year investigating the case.
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Dec 27, 2007 9:36 am 1 Photo
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Newsmakers: A hole in your heart

The Blaskowski family walked across a snow-covered cemetery, a Christmas card and golden snowman decorations in tow. They were there on their weekly visit, this time with holiday adornments for the grave of Matthew Blaskowski, who died in combat this year in Afghanistan.
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Dec 25, 2007 10:00 am 1 Photo
Monday, December 24, 2007
Newsmakers: Meeting generates buzz

Buzz generated by this summer's National Governors Association meeting far overshadowed any immediate economic impact to the area, local business leaders and state officials agree.
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Dec 24, 2007 10:01 am 1 Photo
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Newsmakers: Villagers put Klan flag incident behind them

There won't be anymore Confederate flags adorned with racist messages flapping over public events in Rapid City, everyone agrees.
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Dec 23, 2007 10:27 am 1 Photo
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Newsmakers: Decision on well on the way

Bob Marsh wants state and federal officials to consider risks to the environment and human health before making a decision that could affect a northern Michigan watershed and those who live nearby.
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Dec 22, 2007 1:46 pm 1 Photo
Friday, December 21, 2007
Newsmakers: Shed contents more ordinary

A room in a maintenance shed at the Benzie County government center is now stocked with power tools, paint and other ordinary things. The same room last year housed stacks of Playboy magazines, drug paraphernalia, a tanning bed and other items linked to a couple of custodians who used the taxpayer-funded space as a personal clubhouse.
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Dec 21, 2007 9:39 am 1 Photo
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Newsmakers: Family moves on after fallout

It's been nearly eight months since the boy, then a 15-year-old sophomore at Traverse City West Senior High, allegedly made statements to a school counselor about hurting himself and classmates.
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Dec 20, 2007 9:41 am
Lawmakers' free trip under scrutiny

Nearly two dozen state politicians and their families enjoyed a free charter fishing excursion on Lake Michigan, an outing that exposed a gaping hole in state lobbing laws.
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Dec 20, 2007 9:40 am 1 Photo
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Newsmakers: Kolke Creek battle continues

Janney Mayer Simpson is anxious for the end of a long-running legal battle she and some neighbors and area conservationists launched more than a year ago. "Every citizen has to be a watchdog in their own back yards," she said. "We're just doing our job as riparian landowners.
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Dec 18, 2007 9:49 am 1 Photo
Monday, December 17, 2007
Newsmakers: Insurance denial still stings

It's been a tough couple of years for Carole Bull and her family. She lost her husband, Terry, to a massive heart attack in May 2006. And through her grief she waged an 11-month battle with his former employer, Sara Lee Corp., over a $33,000 life insurance benefit denied by the company.
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Dec 17, 2007 9:49 am 1 Photo
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Newsmakers: Family survives explosion

Lights glowed on a freshly cut Christmas tree in the corner of Matthew and Sarah Johnson's family room as their 1-year-old son tottered and played with toys. It's a far cry from six months ago, when the young family lay shocked and injured amid the rubble of their new home.
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Dec 16, 2007 9:52 am 2 Photos
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Newsmakers: Teacher's memory lives on

Today's story on the tragic death of Benzie Central High School teacher Katherine Wolterink is the first in a series of "Newsmaker" updates on the people, places and incidents that made headlines in northern Michigan in 2007. Wolterink, 60, a beloved English teacher, died in September when her vehicle was struck head-on by an alleged drunken driver. The Newsmaker series will continue through month's end.
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Dec 15, 2007 10:18 am 3 Photos
Newsmakers: Woman evicted for park

The last Glen Haven resident was evicted from her home Nov. 8 as part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore's efforts to turn the historic village into a public area.
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Dec 15, 2007 10:16 am 2 Photos