Archive for July, 2011|Monthly archive page
Breathe Owl Breathe Swoop in to the Amphitheater Sunday
In Calendar, Culture Bluffs, Open Season on July 21, 2011 at 3:39 pmBreathe Owl Breathe are back again this Sunday, July 24, at the Elberta Amphitheater, with a sliding-scale show tuned to all ages. Last year they played through a rather dramatic rainstorm, and this year’s show may be a reprise. Bring your slickers and take a moment to breathe in the summer insanity. 6 pm to 9 pm.
This event is brought to you by the organizational prowess of Josh Stoltz, who seems incapable of not making something amazing happen at least once a month. From the Facebook invitation:
Fresh off their European Tour, Breathe Owl Breathe will be gracing Benzie County with their creative sounds and tree-top inspirations. Kids listen as if the music was made just for them, adults listen as if the music was made just for them, I listen as if the music was made just for me.
Check out their videos if you want to try and label their sound…
WHERE:
Elberta Waterfront Park Amphitheater
WHEN:
6pm on Sunday the 24th
HOW MUCH:
$100 if you bring 10 friends.
$10 if you can afford it.
$5 if you can’t.
$1 if you have to collect cans & bottles for cover.
Good Things Come out of Art’s Garage
In Culture Bluffs, Open Season on July 18, 2011 at 10:43 pm
The renovated Elberta sign tells you where to go.
Art Melendez, a cartoonist, illustrator, graphic designer, educator, and relatively recent full-time Elbertian, has signed on to a lot of local activities: Parks and Rec, the Elberta Arts Council, the Solstice Committee, and the Elberta Alert editorial team. But his most recent standout project has been renovating the Elberta sign, which was reinstalled in its traditional spot a couple of months ago by Art and Ken Bonney.
As long as I have you here looking at Art’s garage, I may as well take the opportunity to mention that Art and his wife, Christine, are having a sale out of said space this coming Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm….
OK, no clothes, but a shop vac! I hope this doesn’t mean Art isn’t planning on messing up his garage anymore, because we sure need him to take on more community projects. Whether or not you can make the sale, when you drive by the new old sign, take a look and note the freshness! And appreciate the Art.—Emily Votruba
Agenda: July Council Meeting
In Calendar, Infrastructure and Planning, Politics on July 18, 2011 at 12:48 pmAt Thursday’s council meeting this week, we’ll have a special guest, Vickie Smith, of Wildlife and Wetland Solutions, who specializes in the eradication of invasive phragmites, which we have a lot of in the bay and inlet. The Friends of Betsie Bay and other concerned citizens plan to begin an education and fundraising campaign to begin the eradication work this fall. Come out and find out what’s what and voice your opinion, at 7 PM, Village Community Building. Here’s the full agenda, courtesy of Sharyn Bower at the Village Office. This is an early agenda and is subject to change.
Council Meeting Agenda 7/21
Call to order
Attendance
Approval of minutes
Approval of agenda
Agenda conflict
Brief public comment
Correspondence
Approval of bills
Reports: Department Heads
Water/sewer/BLUA: Diane Jenks and Ken Holmes
Parks & Rec: Linda Manville
Marina Park/Farmers Market: Bill Soper
Beach: Ross Thorsen
Zoning administrator: Carl Noffsinger
President’s report: Reg Manville
Committees: Budget: Reg Manville, Laura Manville, Sharyn Bower, & Linda Manville; Fire/Safety: Ken Holmes and Diane Jenks; Municipal Buildings: Diane Jenks, Matt Stapleton, Ross Thorsen, and Bill Soper
Employee Relations: R. Manville, M. Stapleton, and R. Thorsen
Master Plan Advisory: R. Manville
AGENDA
1. Parks & Rec Proposed By-Laws and Budget
2. Phragmites Eradication
3. Zoning
Public Comment: 3 min.
Announcements:
Adjournment
One-Minute Reviews: The Frankfort Dog Park
In Culture Bluffs, Open Season on July 17, 2011 at 11:18 pm
Frankfort’s fantastic off-leash dog park is the place to be with your dog Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Started by Jordan Bates, Aubrey Parker, and John Vinkemulder in May 2010, the place has become a hit with local dog owners. Recent head counts have registered up to forty dogs and their masters and the word is spreading fast. Located inside the fenced-in track at Frankfort High School, it’s a safe place to come and socialize your dog. I’ve brought my dog, Schmee, several times, and while never much of a butterfly, the Schmee is gradually learning to romp with the rest. All dogs are off-leash and it’s up to the owner to determine whether their dog will behave, but Jordan, Aubrey, or John, who are excellent with their own and other dogs, are typically on hand to welcome you, give pointers, and monitor pooping. Doggy bags, in a stand, have been available and these and the park as a whole are being maintained by small, voluntary donations. So far, according to John Vinkemulder, there have been no complaints from the public, the school, or the track team about this human and animal playing field. It’s the owner’s responsibility to remove his or her dog’s contributions … so bring a bag to scoop just in case, and a buck or two to keep things running!—Thomas Votruba
Dog Park Hours: Thursday 7 pm to 8 pm; Saturday 10 am to 11 am (Open for approximately one hour both days.)
For more information call/surf: (231) 715-1899; http://bit.ly/benzie-dogs
A Garden for Young Girls in Flower
In Calendar, Green Elbertians, Open Season on July 9, 2011 at 12:42 pmSue King’s husband, Bob King, bought the lot on the corner of Bigley and Glen about 15 years ago. He eventually decided, as a gift to Sue, to put in a spur off the water main and give her a section to grow a garden in.
The other day when this reporter came walking down from the bluff, after having gotten a bit lost collecting garlic mustard for my rabbits, I came upon Sue and her friend Kari in the garden finishing up after a session of weeding and cutting blooms. I had been wondering who was responsible for the beautiful, neatly kept stands of roses, daisies, lilies, and peonies. We chatted a bit and it came to light that the bouquets Sue creates here have a special purpose.
Sue King in her flower garden on Bigley and Glen
“Ron got a little frisky with the edging, see that?” said King as she showed me around the neatly mowed expanse with its curved sections of orderly plantings. In the northeast corner of the lot is a small vegetable garden tended by the Stapleton family. The peppers, tomatoes, squash, and rhubarb are thriving. Sue praised their efforts, especially compared with last year when, Kelli Stapleton avows, she had no idea what a weed was. Read the rest of this entry »
