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Copyright 2012, Leelanau Enterprise, Inc., all rights reserved.
Vol. 135 — No. 40
Lake Leelanau, Michigan 49653
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Five Sections
72 Pages
Midweek Fourth sparkles brightly By Patti Brandt of the Entreprise staff
TWO BOMBS explode during the Fourth of July Fireworks at Northport. See more Fourth of July coverage, pages 10-11.
Having the Fourth of July fall smack dab in the middle of the week didn’t seem to dissuade anyone from visiting Leelanau County. In fact, it appears that a couple of parades, fireworks displays, a flag raising and even a patriotic sing-along was enough to create a doublebanger — two good weekends
for the price of one. Phil Deering, owner of Deerings Market in Empire, sold tons of beer, pop, sandwiches and other “going to the beach stuff,” not just yesterday, but all week, he said. Instead of having less business for the nation’s birthday, having the holiday falling on a Wednesday bumped up sales, he said. “It actually looks like it’s going to give us two huge weekends,” Deering said. “The park here in Empire was just out of sight. That’s no surprise because of the weather. Once the weather starts hitting 90 degrees you’ve got nowhere to go but the lake.”
Marina parking hits bottleneck Elmwood Township’s plan to purchase the former Brewery Creek development for use as a parking lot across from the township marina on M-22 has hit a major snag. The current owner of the 15-acre development, a Texas financial institution known as Brown Bark I, L.P. is appealing a federal court decision that required the company to pay a $240,000 lien imposed by Traverse City Light and Power (TCLP). “Until TCLP releases that lien the whole deal is in limbo,” Elmwood Township supervisor Jack Kelly said. The development’s purchase is seen as a cornerstone to the township’s efforts to improve and promote the M-22 corridor in Greilickville, billed as the “gateway to Leelanau County.” Peter Doren, a Traverse City attorney representing TCLP, said that if Brown Bark convinces a federal appeals court panel to overturn a previous decision that it must pay off the lien, TCLP might be required to reimburse Leelanau County the $240,000 that came out of the county’s tax revolving fund to cover the lien as well as unpaid taxes on the property. “We already have a federal court judgment against Brown Bark and have already presented oral arguments against their appeal,” Doren
By Alan Campbell Of The Enterprise staff
(Concluded on Page 19)
HAVING A BALL It’s a time when residents and visitors are usually sliding over puddles of cherries spilled from trucks on their way to processing plants. Not so in 2012. One story has it that cherries are so rare that farmers are backtracking to pick up spillage. Beyond the levity, the U.S. cherry production forecast, which was released last week, spells out the problem. Only 5.5 million pounds of tart cherries are expected to be picked in Michigan — compared to 157.5 million pounds in 2011. A rare March heat wave brought cherry trees to bloom far too early; seasonal frosts followed. Michigan sweet cherry harvest was predicted at 3,300 tons, down from 18,600 tons in 2011. In a related development, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared most Michigan counties as disaster areas, making farmers eligible for low-interest loans. In Section Two of this edition, the Enterprise covers the limited cherry harvest first-hand, and how sweet cherries are being driven across the Continental Divide to Leelanau County for processing.
(Concluded on Page 19)
Preschool tax off the table
By Eric Carlson Of The Enterprise staff
Tart cherry report bitter for farmers
The Bear Paw Pizza & Market in Glen Arbor sold well over 100 pizzas yesterday — a record number, said Lakeshore Stephanie Ewing, co-owner. The attendance store also sold lots of cold drinks breaks June — both alcoholic and non-alcohol- record, page 19. ic. Stan Brubaker, organizer and originator of the “anything goes” parade in Glen Arbor, said atten-
SARA SMITH, 13, of Climax, was thrilled to catch a beach ball tossed from a float yesterday in the Glen Arbor Fourth of July parade. More pictures and coverage is on Pages 10-11.
An effort to place a millage on the November ballot to fund early childhood education in Leelanau County may lack legal authority, and will likely be withdrawn. Members of a non-profit group closely aligned with the Leelanau Childrens’ Center that runs preschools in Leland and Northport would be breaking new ground should their plan ever be implemented. The Leelanau Early Child Development Commission (LECDC), which recently gained nonprofit status and is County chaired by county commissioner David unauthorized Marshall, was seeking to tax for to use a mix of private and public funding to education. offer “scholarships” worth between $6,000 and $8,000 to parents seeking preschool education for their children. “I don’t believe there is any possible way (the LECDC) board will approve it for the November ballot,” Marshall said. “It’s theoretically possible, but it isn’t going to happen.” The proposal may have received enough votes from commissioners to be placed on the ballot, as Marshall was joined by commissioner Jean Watkoski on the LECDC, and commissioner Richard Schmuckal said at the County Board’s June meeting that he would leave approval up to voters. (Concluded on Page 19)
Health director demoted due to ‘harassment’ complaints By Amy Hubbell of the Enterprise staff
The director of the Benzie-Leelanau Health Department has been demoted and his salary cut in half amid allegations that he sexually harassed female staff members. The Benzie-Leelanau Board of Health voted 6-1 on June 26 to remove health officer Bill Crawford from the post he’s held since 1999, and reassign him as Female county sanitarian. Action came after a employees nearly hour-long closed session with say former Crawford to discuss director went the allegations. “It was ‘modest’ ‘far beyond’ his sexual harassment, but we had to act role as boss
under the current policy,” said Mary Tonneberger, an at-large representative on the board of health. According to draft minutes of the special meeting, Crawford was accused of having “excessive personal contact” over a period of 1 CRAWFORD ½ years with a specific female employee that went “far beyond” what was needed to perform his job. Activities reported were limited to the Benzie Resource Center in Benzonia. The allegations were contained in a report compiled by Health Board attorney Bryan Graham, (Concluded on Page 19)
INSIDE
County Cribs, Sec. 3
In Section 3:
✓ Lodge turned into work of art, Pg. 5 ✓ Old stone house, rock of ages, Pg. 9 ✓ Low income home, affordable, Pg. 13
In Sections 4 & 5:
✓ Classified ads
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