Traverse City Record-Eagle

Leelanau County

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  • Jan-Michael Stump

    SPRING GARDENS
March 20, 2010

In Northern Living: Tips for early gardens

By vanessa Mccray

SUTTONS BAY -- Eric VanThomme knows plenty of gardening tricks.

Of course, he has an advantage. His family business PlantMasters of Suttons Bay features a vast complex of greenhouses, a maze of dozens of structures. Inside the protective enclosures, plants already poke through the soil. The garden center grows a large array of goods including flowers, vegetables and herbs, and VanThomme is preparing for the Mother's Day through Memorial Day customer rush.

Gardeners emerge with green thumbs twitching eagerly as soon as the weather begins to break from its icy winter grip -- and sometimes before then. Growing techniques such as cold frames and indoor starts allow gardeners to extend the growing season. VanThomme and other local experts share pointers on how to start some plants earlier than the region's climate usually allows.

Read today's Northern Living story on Page 1E to learn more from these garden guides.

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    Let's Polka!

    Like many at the Cedar Polka Fest, Sandy Isleib never has ventured onto the dance floor. But this year she plans to be in the thick of the celebration with the help of advance polka lessons.

    Continued ...
    Jul 2, 2010 7:20 am 1 Photo
  • Northern People: 25 years of stories
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    The Old Mill Pond Inn is stuffed full of treasures from around the world collected by David Chrobak, an artist, gardener, caterer and originator of the Northport dog parade.

    Continued ...
    Jun 20, 2010 9:15 am 1 Photo
  • Northport Lighthouse and Maritime Festival
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    The Northport Lighthouse and Maritime Festival is meant to become an annual tradition in Northport, a way to bring the small community on Leelanau Peninsula's tip its own festival to celebrate.

    Continued ...
    Jun 20, 2010 7:30 am 5 Photos
  • Leelanau Players stage comedy

    The Leelanau Players will present the adult, romantic comedy "Aspirin and Elephants."

    Continued ...
    Jun 18, 2010 7:15 am
  • Biologists suspect botulism outbreak

    Two dead birds found along the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore beach could signal a toxic outbreak that's claimed thousands of lake-reliant birds in recent years.

    Continued ...
    Jun 17, 2010 7:25 am
  • Friday, June 11, 2010
  • Sugar Loaf purchase on shaky ground
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    Las Vegas entrepreneur Eneliko "Sean" Smith burst onto the Leelanau County scene a few months ago with big plans and bold proclamations for down-in-the-dumps Sugar Loaf Resort. Now it's June, and Smith is back in Nevada. He's no longer allowed on Sugar Loaf property. The would-be deal is at an impasse and appears tenuous, at best.

    Continued ...
    Jun 11, 2010 7:30 am 1 Photo
  • Wednesday, May 26, 2010
  • Leland Harbor open house is June 4

    An open house for Leland Harbor's complex is set for June 4.

    Continued ...
    May 26, 2010 8:00 am
  • Friday, May 21, 2010
  • Critics decry campaign finance bills
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    Political grandstanding is how critics labeled a group of Democrat-sponsored bills designed to limit corporate involvement in state elections.

    Continued ...
    May 21, 2010 8:02 am 2 Photos
  • Tuesday, May 18, 2010
  • Obama appoints local to advisory council
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    President Barack Obama intends to appoint Derek Bailey, 37, chairman of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education.

    Continued ...
    May 18, 2010 7:28 am 1 Photo
  • Saturday, May 15, 2010
  • Some skeptical about school's shift
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    The Leelanau School has existed since the 1920s, first as a Christian Science school for boys and later as a coed, college-prep boarding school. Five years ago, it underwent a dramatic shift in philosophy and now targets students with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

    Continued ...
    May 15, 2010 7:30 am 1 Photo
  • Tuesday, May 11, 2010
  • Frost keeps nipping at fruit

    At first glance, the vineyards at Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay looked devastated.

    Continued ...
    May 11, 2010 8:17 am
  • Monday, May 10, 2010
  • Asparagus season means tasty, wacky festival
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    Empire's wacky, annual asparagus bash promises some tasty plates that utilize the green stalk for soups, crepes, brats and pizza toppings.

    Continued ...
    May 10, 2010 7:35 am 2 Photos
  • Saturday, May 8, 2010
  • Bird facility wins initial round in clash over road
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    A Leelanau County woman who cares for sick and injured raptors has won an initial round in her battle with county officials over a narrow, dirt road that leads to her home and bird rehabilitation facility.

    Continued ...
    May 8, 2010 8:11 am 1 Photo
  • Saturday, May 1, 2010
  • Business in Brief: 05/01/2010

    Horse North Inc. to hold fundraiser; Late applications accepted by USDA; 'Bees to Blossoms' to be held today; CIG grants available through USDA

    Continued ...
    May 1, 2010 3:30 am
  • Speaker to appear at LWV meeting

    Leelanau County board Chair Mary Tonneberger will speak to the Leelanau Unit of the League of Women Voters on Wednesday at noon at the county government center.

    Continued ...
    May 1, 2010 3:30 am
  • Thursday, April 29, 2010
  • Cancer fund devoted to Leelanau residents
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    Diane Pare is intimately acquainted with cancer, but the disease is no friend.

    Continued ...
    Apr 29, 2010 7:47 am 1 Photo
  • Sunday, April 25, 2010
  • Hope, skepticism mingle over Sugar Loaf
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    Many Leelanau County residents hope Las Vegas entrepreneur Eneliko "Sean" Smith's purported $10 million deal to reopen Sugar Loaf Resorts succeeds. But their hopes are tinged with skepticism.

    Continued ...
    Apr 25, 2010 8:10 am 2 Photos
  • Saturday, April 24, 2010
  • Busing raises district concerns over schools of choice
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    Suttons Bay students will not have to to pay to ride public transportation to school next year, a change of plans administrators said was prompted by a neighboring district's overture.

    Continued ...
    Updated Apr 24, 2010 7:48 am 3 Photos
  • Tuesday, April 13, 2010
  • Suttons Bay eliminates busing for students

    Busing for general education students will not be offered next year in Suttons Bay Public Schools, paving the way for a possible arrangement with a local transit agency.

    Continued ...
    Updated Apr 13, 2010 7:02 am
  • Friday, April 9, 2010
  • BATA proposal on Suttons Bay schools agenda

    Roger Merriman doesn't favor a proposal to transport Suttons Bay Public Schools students to and from class aboard a public transit bus. Then again, Merriman won't dismiss a proposal that potentially could save the Leelanau County school district nearly 600,000 dollars.

    Continued ...
    Updated Apr 10, 2010 12:50 am
  • Thursday, April 8, 2010
  • Tribal Council election postponed

    Three candidates for Tribal Council were booted from the ballot, and the election is postponed until next week.

    Continued ...
    Updated Apr 8, 2010 7:25 am
  • Wednesday, April 7, 2010
  • Horse lovers organize to ease burdens
    HORSE RESCUE

    When economies contract, as the national recession has shown, an initial reaction is to measure the effects on people. But what about animals?

    Continued ...
    Updated Apr 7, 2010 7:10 am 2 Photos
  • Saturday, April 3, 2010
  • Entrepreneur plans to buy shuttered resort
    Liko Smith

    Liko "Sean" Smith doesn't plan to dally. The Las Vegas-based entrepreneur has big plans for Leelanau County's long-shuttered Sugar Loaf Resort, and he wants it open in a hurry. If all goes according to plans, he'll plunk down millions and have 100 rooms open at the resorts hotel by July 4.

    Continued ...
    Apr 3, 2010 12:17 am 1 Photo
  • Thursday, April 1, 2010
  • Guest speaker at Leelanau LWV meeting

    Leelanau County Clerk Michelle Crocker will speak at the April 7th noon meeting of the Leelanau Unit of the League of Women Voters Grand Traverse Area.

    Continued ...
    Updated Apr 1, 2010 7:21 am
  • Tuesday, March 30, 2010
  • Music Man's visits enlighten kids
    DOUG HANSEN

    At the Leelanau Children's Center, preschoolers, parents and staff start their day in the usual way: with a sing-along led by the center's "music man," Doug Hansen.

    Continued ...
    Updated Mar 30, 2010 7:15 am 3 Photos