ANTRIM
Cancer victim who smokes pot not yet out
A northern Michigan woman with cancer, at risk of losing her apartment because of medical marijuana, has been given a holiday reprieve from the landlord -- the federal government.
Lori Montroy of Elk Rapids was told she had to be out by the end of the year or face eviction proceedings in Antrim County court because she was growing marijuana.
But the manager of Elk Rapids Apartments said Tuesday the process has been suspended and Montroy's case will be reviewed by U.S. Agriculture Department lawyers after Jan. 4.
"Praise the Lord, if it's true. I won't know until I get something in writing," Montroy, 49, told The Associated Press. "This whole thing has made me twice as sick as I was." Montroy has terminal brain cancer of the type that killed U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy. Medical marijuana is legal in Michigan, but the U.S. government considers it illegal in its properties, said Jeff Gardner, president of Gardner Group of Michigan, which manages the building.
Montroy's marijuana grows in a locked closet in her apartment, in Elk Rapids. She said she refused to open it during an inspection in October but admitted what was behind the door.
Book is couple's gift to community
BELLAIRE -- Mary Kay and Ed McDuffie's written history of Torch Lake is a labor of love, a labor of life, a gift to their community.
For Mary Kay, it's also a dream realized, the culmination of years of work while shadowed by debilitating illness.
"Torch Lake: The History of Was-Wah-Go-Ning" was published this month, nearly four years after Mary Kay, a local historian and the book's lead writer, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.
Since then, finishing the book and seeing it published consumed Mary Kay and Ed, her co-author and husband of 50 years.
"The lake and history has always been part of my life," Mary Kay said. "I think I've been writing this book all my life."
Ed worked "hammer and tong" with book designer Margaret McCutcheon Wagner, Mary Kay's cousin, to complete the book this year.
"I really wanted Mary Kay to see it," Ed said. "It was her life's work and we wanted her to look at it. ALS set the clock. It was the time bomb."
Their book likely is the most comprehensive and captivating history written about Torch Lake and its communities. It betrays their love and stewardship for the lake, its history, communities and people.
It calls readers and area residents to continued environmental advocacy and protection.
"To our Ancestors who taught us to love, respect and protect Torch Lake, and our readers who must carry on the tradition," the dedication says.
CRAWFORD
Au Sable fisherman Rusty Gates dies at 54
GRAYLING -- Northern Michigan lost an iconic conservationist and legendary fly-fishing outdoorsman.
Calvin Hugh "Rusty" Gates Jr., 54, of Grayling, died Saturday at his home along the banks of his beloved Au Sable River after a long battle with lung cancer. He was founder and president of the Anglers of the Au Sable conservation group from its inception in 1987 until his death, and was among the most trusted voices on fly-fishing techniques in the northwoods.
Fellow conservationists, fly-fishers and environmental law advocates spoke of his abundant influence on the region.
"We've lost a giant. We've lost somebody I consider a legend," said Lance Weyeneth, an Anglers board member who fished with Gates on the Au Sable.
Gates is the reason Weyeneth fly-fishes today, and imparted not only skills, but also a love for the river and its ecosystem, he said.
"I really can't imagine that during my lifetime I'm ever going to know somebody like him. He was so studious of the river. The river was such a big part of who he was," Weyeneth said. "And you've never seen a prettier cast. Rusty made it look easy."
GRAND TRAVERSE
Christmas dinner is on Phil this year
TRAVERSE CITY -- Phil Murray will spend Christmas morning preparing a tasty dinner, not for friends and family, but for the community he is so fond of.
Murray, chef-owner of Phil's on Front will host a free community Christmas dinner from noon to 5 p.m. Christmas day at the restaurant located at 236 E. Front St. in downtown Traverse City.
"In these tough economic times, we want to share the true Christmas spirit in the best way we know how -- by offering hospitality and good food to our friends and neighbors in the community," said Murray, who opened the downtown bistro in February after years at Windows on West Grand Traverse Bay.
As a chef with a reputation for exceptional cuisine, Murray plans to provide a holiday meal featuring ham with cherry sauce or beef stroganoff, free of charge to anyone who wants to participate.
"Phil has always been philanthropic in his outlook; it is one of the reasons I enjoy working with him," said John Mitchell, who has worked as Murray's garde-manger, or right-hand-man, for many years.
Mitchell, who suggested the Christmas dinner, is one of 25 volunteers who have agreed to spend their Christmas afternoon serving whoever wants to partake.
Toys for Tots donations are up
TRAVERSE CITY -- Maggie Kent was in a restaurant with her husband at the end of a long day when a woman approached to talk about Toys for Tots.
For 12 years, Kent has helped to bring new toys to the region's needy children during the holidays, but she can't remember a grateful recipient ever stopping her to thank her in person.
"It made my Christmas," said Kent, now the Toys director for northwest Michigan. "It really makes it just a whole lot easier knowing we've got a lot of support out there." Kent can rest assured: Donations to this year's five-county holiday campaign exceeded 19,000 toys, far above last year's total of roughly 14,000.
About 6,500 children in Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties will have new toys to open this holiday season, also an increase from 2008.
Organizers aim to give three toys to each child.
TC Film Festival plans comedy event
TRAVERSE CITY -- Northern Michigan could use some laughs in the icy throes of late winter, and the Traverse City Film Festival wants to make the region smile.
The festival today will unveil plans for the inaugural Traverse City Comedy Arts Festival. Organizers said the weekend-long event Feb. 19-21 will bring in some of the county's top comedy talent for live acts, films and other activities to lighten up the long winter.
"It's the next big thing for Traverse City," said Michael Moore, the founder of the Film Festival and Oscar-winning director who developed the comedy festival with Emmy-winning comedian Jeff Garlin. "It comes at a time of the year when the local economy needs it the most." The event will include concert performances by nationally known comedians, some the country's rising comedy performers, some improv comedy and movies and film premieres. It will also feature a short film competition and a kids' show. A list of performers will be announced in January, which Moore said will range from "very famous" comic talents to "ones about to become famous." "I believe people are going to be surprised and thrilled to hear who's coming," Moore said.
Venues will include the State Theatre, the City Opera House and Old Town Playhouse. Organizers said it will be run by volunteers like the Film Festival and underwritten by local donations and sponsorships. Moore said tickets will be reasonably priced and some events will be free.
NMC looking to ease financial cuts
TRAVERSE CITY -- College students are among those on the short end of Michigan's financial stick this year, and the impact resonates at Traverse City's community college.
Northwestern Michigan College officials are asking for donations to make up for deep cuts in state scholarship funding. In total, local college students lost about $526,000 in state-funded scholarships and other financial aid.
"That is a lot of money," said Pam Palermo, the college's financial aid director.
Record NMC enrollment increases during the last year led to a 27 percent increase in financial aid applications over last spring semester, Palermo said. And NMC expects its largest spring semester enrollment when classes begin on Jan. 11.
NMC is seeing increases in both recent high school grads and non-traditional students, those who are older and returning to school for job re-training, often after being laid off.
Another big project in works for GT County
TRAVERSE CITY -- Grand Traverse County will see at least one more large commercial project start in 2010 due to federal stimulus funding for private business.
The county was awarded $8.2 million in tax-free bonding for private investment and $5.5 million in bonds for public infrastructure projects. Area businesses are already lining up for their shot at the loans, well before the county begins to accept applications in February, said Jean Derenzy, director of the county's Economic Development Corporation.
But use of the public infrastructure bonds remains doubtful, despite the fact the federal government will rebate 45 percent of interest costs on public loans.
County Administrator Dennis Aloia said he's sent feelers to area governments, but there doesn't seem to be any public, shovel-ready projects in 2010 that will require bonding.
"I'm really thinking this will be a difficult one for us to use," Aloia said.
GT board may scrap committee system
TRAVERSE CITY -- The Grand Traverse County board may scrap a committee system that officials said dates "from the start of time."
"I think the committee system served us well, but we're in the need of a new structure," county Commissioner Larry Inman said of the board's decades-old set-up that could be on its way out.
All the board's business presently goes first to one of five board committees. Four commissioners sit on four of the committees, and an issue rejected in committee might not make it to the full board for consideration.
Items approved by committee appear on the full board's consent calendar, where dozens of items are dispatched in a single vote without discussion at the board's monthly meeting.
But because commissioners don't sit on all of the committees, a growing number of items approved in committee often are debated a second time by the full board. Added discussion had pushed the length of those meetings to four and five hours, Inman said.
Commissioner Ross Richardson hopes a new system will result in shorter meetings and less wasted staff time.
KALKASKA
Plan was to charge for board seats
KALKASKA -- A plan by some Kalkaska County commissioners to charge $2,000 and up for seats on a committee to oversee broadband internet expansion prompted cries of foul from other commissioners -- and a state police probe.
State troopers on Monday collected minutes of the county board's Dec. 15 meeting, at which a majority of commissioners agreed a seat on a government committee to research local broadband development could be obtained for $2,000 or more.
Kalkaska County's board chairman suspended the sale Monday after police obtained meeting records from the county clerk. Chairman George Shetler voted for the plan and said he thought a board subcommittee had cleared it with an attorney.
"I thought they'd done all the homework," Shetler said. "Now I've basically put out a cease and desist on anything this committee is going to do until our legal counsel and prosecuting attorney have a look at it."
Commissioner Louis Nemeth made the motion "to form an advisory committee for the purpose of broadband, members to consist of contributors of $2,000 or more," according to the draft minutes of the meeting.
Commissioners Alan McCullen, Debra Kimball, and Shetler and Nemeth voted in favor.
Commissioners Carroll Sexton, Craig Wood, and Robert Crambell Jr. opposed.
