Alert Reader
Another Alex Herryman confection
Latest
Kicked Can at End of Road
Benzie County will enter a fiscal crisis if we don’t vote to reset our millage rate and increase our taxes slightly — the way other places in Michigan do on the regular.
Alert Air
Village Election Guide
Check back on this page for hot election takes and updates as they occur.
Take a Breather
A report on the July 16, 2026, regular council meeting. Plus a sneak preview of where the Betsie Valley Trail might go through the new development to E Beach, and a link to the live Elberta Commons Community Survey
A Democratic Candidate’s Corporate Ties Exposed
Is enough enough? When it comes to “money out of politics” Callie Barr’s claims may amount to small change indeed.
County Administrator Leaving for Fremont
Special County Commission Meeting Tomorrow
The Long and Short of It: Council Agenda and Parks & Rec
The Budget, Grant, Finance, and Audit Committee meeting has been rescheduled for tomorrow, Bastille Day, at 8 a.m. For Thursday’s council meeting the list is skeletal but includes a UB Clerk application.
Work the Polls
Gilmore Clerk Amanda Rommell still needs election workers for early voting. The in-person training was July 9, but you can still do a self-paced training anytime before July 25 to get certified. My earlier post suggested you need to be present at the Gilmore Board meeting tomorrow but
Elberta Commons Update
Per a postcard handed out to members of the Parks & Rec Commission at their July 9 meeting, the first charrette will be held September 22–24, with some preliminary activities you can sign up for online, though it’s unclear how exactly.
Council Hires AI-Enhanced Code Enforcement Officer and Things of That Nature
At least one human will use AI to notify the Village within 120 seconds of a potential violation. Council also accepted the UB clerk's resignation and ordered speed humps again.
The Busiest Weekend Ever
March 17–20: Possibly the Busiest Four Days in Elberta–Frankfort History…for more details on the first annual Benzie County Water Festival, see the official site. THURSDAY, MARCH 17 * 4 pm–10 pm St. Patrick’s Day Party, Mayfair Tavern * 7 pm Elberta Village Council Meeting, Village Community Building
Agenda for March 17 Regular Village Council Meeting
CALL TO ORDER, ATTENDANCE, APPROVAL OF MINUTES, APPROVAL OF AGENDA, AGENDA CONFLICT, BRIEF PUBLIC COMMENT, ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, CORRESPONDENCE, APPROVAL OF BILLS REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENT HEADS WATER/SEWER/BLUA: Diane Jenks & Ken Holmes PARKS & REC: Linda Manville MARINA PARK/FARMERS MARKET: Bill Soper BEACH: Ross Thorsen ZONING ADMINISTRATOR:
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
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
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
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'
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
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
Council Meeting Report: Get It in Writing
Meeting date: January 20, 2011, 7 PM The Alert aims to report as thoroughly and accurately as possible on Village meetings; however, we usually have just one reporter per meeting, and some topics may be missed or misconstrued. Please submit any corrections to elberta.alert@gmail.com, or simply comment
"Skin Deep," a One-Minute Interreview, January 7, 2011
The Benzie County Players presented Skin Deep at the Mills Community House for five showings in January. Debbra Eckhout, Rachel Evans Higgins, Josh Stoltz, and Mark Vandeperre starred in this new comedy written by Jon Lonoff and directed by Steve Elrick. Reviewers’ summary: The play was about a spinster woman
Here's the Drill on Fire Department Figures
Frankfort City Superintendent Josh Mills responds to “We Didn’t Start the Fire…” Doug Holmes has always been supportive of the Fire Department, attended every meeting, and voted on the establishment of pay for personnel and approval toward equipment expenditures. I’d like to make a few clarifications regarding fire
Foghorn: Monument to Edison Berryhill!
The Alert recently spoke with a longtime Elbertian about Edison Berryhill, an unsung hero of Village maintenance... There really ought to be a monument to Mr. Berryhill, who was our department of public works person for many years. He collected garbage twice a week and took it to the old