• Foghorn: Community Wind Forum Tonight, 3/10

    This just in from the Eco-Building Products Facebook feed: “TONIGHT, Understanding Wind Initiatives (UWI), a community forum will take place at Benzie Central H.S. between 6:30 and 8:30 pm. You can learn more about the UWI initiative, ask questions, and participate in small group discussions focused on the benefits and concerns surrounding wind energy. The UWI is being facilitated by the Alliance for Economic Success (AES), in Manistee. Complete Schedule of Community Forums Thursday, March 10, Benzie Central High School, Benzonia, 6:30- 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 19, Pleasant Valley Community Center, Arcadia, 1:00- 3:00 p.m. Thursday, March 24, Frankfort-Elbert School… More

  • Foghorn: Come to the Elberta Master Plan Public Forum!

    Tomorrow night, Monday, at 6 PM, a public forum on the Elberta Master Plan will be held at the Lifesaving Station. This is an important opportunity to discuss wind power, local agriculture and business, the height of buildings in the proposed waterfront development—anything that pertains to the future of the village. Make your voice heard! Planning and Zoning committee members Kelli Stapleton, Connie Manke, Christeen Kibby-Crawford, Marcia Stobie, and Ken Holmes will attend, along with Sarah Lucas, the representative from the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments who is helping the committee develop the plan. Local developer Scott Gest will be… More

  • Vertical Thinking: Elbertian Proposes to Change Elberta’s Name

    During the initial public comment period at the Village Council meeting last night, Kelli Stapleton, Elberta resident and planning and zoning committee member, presented a proposal to change Elberta’s name to Heaven. Among Stapleton’s stated goals was the preservation of our local post office (no plans to close the office are known at this time), an increase in the Village’s revenues, and general psychological uplift.  The proposal produced little reaction, and no discussion ensued. Here is the full text of Stapleton’s proposal, distributed on a handout during the meeting: In consideration of changing the name of Elberta to Heaven: 1.… More

  • Frigid Dare: We Polar Plunged Lake Michigan

    In January, a video depicting two area women was leaked to Facebook. The video, which was recorded on New Year’s Day, shows the women stripping down to their sportswear and taking the wet route off Frankfort beach. Herewith, an Alert exclusive interview. Julia Dodd: It was New Year’s Day, 2011. I would have to guess there was a negative 10 degree windchill. The wind was horizontal and hit our faces like a knife slashing the skin. There were also snow flurries and the beach sand was whipping us. Liz Padalino: A pair of surfers on the scene had long, thick icicles surrounding their… More

  • Potluck Gardening Workshops Build Soil-Esteem

    Vegetable gardens are sprouting up all over the country in unexpected places, from the White House front lawn to city rooftops, in response to the economic crisis and concerns about nutrition and food safety. Some prominent Frankfort and Elberta residents are on the front lines of this trend, participating in Grow Benzie, the two-year-old nonprofit organization that promotes local self-sufficiency—from gardening to cooking to sewing and other job skills. ||| Turns out you should never, ever rototill.  ||| Grow Benzie’s greenhouse now supplies vegetables for Frankfort–Elberta schools and Grow Benzie volunteers are teaching schoolkids how to recycle and compost. The… More

  • Stop Whining and Start W“h”ining: After-Party Will Warm the Shiverers

    Diane “Jinx” Jenks, on the first annual wine festival in the Elberta terroir, Saturday, February 19, from 5 PM… The idea came from my personal winter sport, which is winter “whining.” I whine about the cold, stay in, drink wine, and read. I’m getting quite good at it, and it takes no skill. Every year I say I’m going to embrace winter and suck it up and learn to ski or some winter sport. This year I decided instead I would invite people to learn my sport of winter w“h”ining. So for those that want to be outside playing in the snow,… More