Traverse City Record-Eagle

Opinion

February 11, 2013

Cheers: 02/11/2013

- To organizers and participants in the annual Special Olympics Winter Games at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa, Shanty Creek Resort's Schuss Village and Howe Ice Arena. Eighteen athletes from the Traverse City area were to compete. Nine hundred athletes from 60 Michigan counties are registered. Competition includes snowboarding, snowshoeing, skiing, cross-country skiing, figure skating and speed skating.

- To the late Brian Baker, 47, who grew up in Traverse City and founded a successful nonprofit that used music therapy to help the disabled, including autistic children. The 1983 graduate of Traverse City Senior High and his close friend, Adam Griffiths, perished in Hawaii Jan. 18 when they were swept into the Pacific Ocean by rogue waves on the Kauai shoreline.

- To the late Steven Lee "Wags" Wagner, who died of a suspected heart attack while scuba diving in Duck Lake in an effort to help a man retrieve a snowmobile that had gone through the ice. Family and friends said Wagner, 46, loved the outdoors, scuba diving, four-wheeling, hunting and fishing. He lived his life "adventurously," a friend said.

- To Northwestern Michigan College for hosting the annual Festival of Foods. The event was to feature 16 sessions packed with tips from culinary experts with demonstrations and tastings in every room. A record 125 to 130 attendees are already registered. The Festival of Foods began in 2009 to showcase local foods and college cooking classes.

- To the Leelanau County Sheriff's Department for launching a daily patrol blog that will detail activity such as crashes, break-ins and hazardous driving conditions. Lt. Clint Kerr will administer the page, which is to be updated at 11 a.m. weekdays. Kerr said he will post significant weekend incidents as they occur; other weekend activity will be posted Monday mornings. The blog is at: leelanausheriff.blogspot.com.

- To Diana Cox, who was born in a lumber camp more than 90 years ago and was believed to be one of the oldest members of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians when she died Feb. 4 at age 92. She is survived by three daughters, and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was extremely active in the tribe.

- To Leelanau Christian Neighbors and the Father Fred Foundation's Frostbite Food Drive for working to help the needy. Food and cash donations for LCN's food pantries in Suttons Bay and Northport will be collected at four grocery stores Saturdays, Feb. 9 and 16. Student volunteers will accept donations at N.J.'s in Lake Leelanau, the Leland Merc, Tom's of Northport, and Hansen's Foods in Suttons Bay.

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