Category: E Beach
-
The Lights Are On …
A report on the regular council meeting of December 18, 2025 EMILY KAY VOTRUBA DEC 22, 2025 In December, if I can, I like to spend quality time reflecting on the year. For me this involves transferring perennial information (birthdays, holidays, meeting dates, important anniversaries and milestones) from this year’s…
-
Water Monitors Need Their Funding Renewed
Links: To view a summary of Michigan Clean Water Corps (MiCorps) accomplishments, click here. To download a sample letter of support for MiCorps, and the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program click here. Please visit www.micorps.net for more information about MiCorps, and the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program. To view a list of Mi House and Senate Natural…
-
Adopt-a-Beach Cleanup This Saturday
Here’s the link to last year’s data collection.
-
Special Council Meeting Regarding Elberta Beach
Update! Kristi Mills came through with a recording of the meeting. Thanks, Kristi! It’s a bit hard to hear and hasn’t been edited for levels and whatnot, but it’s worth a listen if you care about the beach. Here are some images that were used during this morning’s special…
-
Help Shape the Future of Elberta
The Planning Commission will be holding a special meeting Tuesday, August 15 at 6 pm to discuss the results of the survey that was mailed out in June and formulate the community’s vision for our new master plan. Please attend!
-
Baby’s Breath: Scourge of America
Baby’s breath: Nice in a wedding bouquet or a prom corsage (maybe), but not so nice when it takes over your whole beach, pushing out native plants that naturally grow almost nowhere else besides our unique shoreline. You can help work to remove these shrubby masses from our beach by joining forces…
-
Ham from EN64VP
September 18, 2016 A group of ham radio operators are up on the overlook today attempting to “work” some of their colleagues over in Wisconsin. It’s part of a microwave contest. Some plan to stick around all day and some are heading down to Chicago later, sending signals down the coast as they go.…
-
Lines in the Sand
By Andy Bolander Here is an annual reminder of the beautiful frailty our community possesses in the Elberta dunes and beach. It will take persistent and vocal presence for us to protect this resource. Why is it necessary to protect the dune habitat? Well, something you may feel intuitively is actually…
-
Candidate Says Water Management, Passenger Rail, Internet Access Will Help NoMI Folks Stay and Succeed
Meet the Candidate: Lon Johnson Democrat 1st Congressional District Lon Johnson spoke at the Bayview Grille in Frankfort to a group of potential supporters on March 29 from 6 to 7 pm. Here are selections from his remarks, arranged by topic. Meet the Candidate is nonpartisan and offers any candidate…
-
Benzie Emergency Management Seeks Feedback on Its Natural Hazards Draft Plan
Get back to Frank Post, our county emergency management coordinator, by email or phone asap! (fpost@benzieco.net, 231-882-0567) Read and download the draft plan here: 2015 Hazard Mitigation Plan More information is available at the Region 7 website.
-
Elberta Summer Solstice Festival no. 12: Wilder Than Ever
The Elberta Solstice Festival is back for its 12th year, Saturday June 21! Join the teeming masses of music and food buffs descending on our magical Village amid the dune bluffs of Lake Michigan for live music, local food, beer, games, Michigan’s best beach, and other attractions to amaze and…
-
Road Ends Sign Gone
The “Road Ends” sign the Village installed last June has apparently been removed (not by the Village). Jennifer Wilkins sent this photo yesterday, May 3.
-
Fuzz-y Math: Has the Sheriff Made the Case for the Public Safety Millage?
By Emily Votruba On November 5 (tomorrow), county residents will be asked to approve a funding increase for the Benzie County Sheriff’s Office. The 1.5 mill “public safety millage” will replace the jail millage (.9 mills) and is meant to allow the return of 24-hour road patrol, which proponents say…
-
A Soaring Letter regarding the Financial Crisis
The Alert received this letter and photo from Mr. Embertson on October 12. Note that Elberta does not in fact own all of the beach area in question, and so far the Village Council has not proposed to voluntarily sell any beach access to satisfy the Treasury Department. Dear Alert…
-
Village Deficit Crisis: Brief, Important Update
By Emily Votruba According to Reggie and Laura Manville, the state expects to see a plan that might realistically eliminate our $558K+ deficit within the next 5 years.* If the Village does not come up with an acceptable plan by October 17, it’s very likely, again according to Reggie Manville, that…
-
What Do You Think of Our Plan?
The final draft of the Village of Elberta Parks and Recreation Plan for 2009–14 is now up on the Village website. As soon as the official notice is published in the Record-Patriot this Wednesday, the official five-week public comment period begins. This is a very important document for the Village…
-
Council Contemplates Selling Old Library…And Much, Much More
It was another nearly three hour meeting, with lots of decisions made and some deferred. President Reggie Manville was back, after a three-meeting absence. Employee benefits were discussed and a vote was taken on Linda Manville’s proposal that employees begin contributing 20% toward their health-care premiums. This motion was voted…
-
Blast from the Future: Clara Reed
Alert readers love the writing of our area kids. If you or someone you know has a story to tell, send it our way! elberta.alert@gmail.com.
-
Signs Installed to Mark Beach Road
With authorization from Council, Ken Bonney today installed stakes and signage to demarcate the Village’s platted road, known as Lakeside Boulevard. Over the years, the undeveloped stretch has become by turns rutted and covered over with soft sand, and several byways have been cut through use. The long-standing issue of…
-
11th Annual Solstice Festival on Saturday!
Each June since 2002, the Elberta Solstice Festival has brought masses of people to this tiny village nestled amid the dune bluffs on the shores of the Betsie Bay and Lake Michigan for a free festival of local food, beer, games, crafts, and fantastic live music, all capped off with…
-
Beach-to-Beach Cleanup This Saturday
SATURDAY, APRIL 20th Earth Day…just about 13th ANNUAL BEACH-TO-BEACH CLEAN UP 10 am to 11 am Start: Elberta Farmers’ Market Pavilion End: When Trail & Beaches are cleaned! Bring: Friends and Neighbors Gloves and Enthusiasm We’ll Provide: Coffee & Goodies Friends of Betsie Bay have been dedicated stewards of the Betsie Bay…
-
Benzie County Water Festival 2013! (Video)
UPDATE For the third year in a row, the Benzie County Water Festival convenes this coming Friday at Benzie Central High School from 3:30 pm to 9 pm. This year’s theme is: “Under The Surface,” focused on youth and lesser-understood impacts to our water resources. Once again it brings Michigan musicians, panel discussions,…
-
Food Trucks at Elberta Beach?
By Emily Votruba At the February Parks and Rec Commission meeting last night there was some discussion of food concessions down at the beach. Nobody in the room could remember a time when snacks were sold down at the beach, though Katy denHeeten recalled the swingsets and picnic tables she…
-
January Parks and Rec Report: Preparing for Solstice
Regular Meeting: January 10, 2013. The Parks and Recreation Commission meets the second Thursday of the month at the Elberta Library at 7 pm. This report is adapted from the official P&R Minutes written by VP/Secretary Jennifer Wilkins. President Connie Manke called the meeting to order at 7:25 pm (membership…
-
Council Meeting Report for August 16, 2012
Waiting for Somebody to Do Something By Emily Votruba BILL SOPER asked that “Parks and Rec credit card” and “village taxes” be added to the agenda. The meeting lasted two hours. Absent was Ken Holmes, who was recovering from hip-replacement surgery. INITIAL PUBLIC COMMENT Cheryl Gross spoke about…
-
Beach Cleanup, Tuesday September 4
8 am! Meet at the Elberta Beach parking lot. BYO gloves. Bags are provided. Sponsored by Friends of Betsie Bay.
-
Free Movies in Elberta: They’re Baaaaaack
Come one, come all! to free movies Monday (August 20), Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the Elberta Waterfront Amphitheater. It’s the first annual Mushy Peach Festival, featuring films generously supplied by local auteur and Benzie booster Rich Brauer. All the films were shot locally and with local themes. Monday it’s…
-
Council Meeting Report for June 2012
INITIAL PUBLIC COMMENT An unidentified woman spoke regarding the beach: “Whether an ordinance is needed or not, I urge the council to take action and move on protecting the fragile environment.” She cited three clear tracks including the well-established track at the base of the dune. She questioned the claim…
-
Reflections by the Bay at Benzie Shores Library, Wednesday, July 18
A very awesome Reflections by the Bay tomorrow: Shipwrecks of Sleeping Bear Dunes! a talk by Ross Richardson, who should know. 7 pm at Benzie Shores District Library. Explore a treasure trove of history without having to squeeze into a diving suit.
-
Road Blocked to Beach Driving
A barrier has been placed at the end of Elberta Beach road as of this morning. The action was prompted by a rash of calls and complaints about beach and dune driving, including several new paths cut, over the past few weeks. This barrier is a temporary measure until a…
-
Solstice Pre-Party to Heat up Shiver Saturday
This Saturday starting at 4 pm, the Solstice Committee holds its first-ever fund-raiser, a chili cook-off with live music at the Cabbage Shed. There’s a five dollar suggested donation at the door, and five more dollars gets you into the back room to taste and vote on chili—all told that’s…
-
Beach Driving
On November 2 a meeting was held among Village leaders, the sheriff’s department, three local property owners, and three conservation officers including Robin Schmitt from the DNR to discuss the problem of off-road driving on Elberta Beach. By federal and state law, it is illegal to operate a vehicle outside…