ANTRIM
Man, 84, killed in farming accident
BELLAIRE -- An elderly Bellaire man died in a farming accident on Burrell Road in Antrim County's Kearney Township.
Charles Burrell, 84, was instantly killed around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday when he fell into a saw that was attached to the front of his tractor. He was a longtime farmer in the community, said Dave Kopkau, undersheriff in Antrim County.
Burrell was not on the tractor, but working on the ground near the saw. He died of a head injury, Kopkau said.
CHARLEVOIX
Officials settle dispute over boat ramp
BOYNE CITY -- Boyne City leaders settled a dispute with a local development company over a small stretch of land along the shoreline of Lake Charlevoix, part of the city's public boat ramp.
The disputed property amounts to nearly 3,700 square feet in a triangular area to the south of the city's boat launch on North Lake Street. Devlon Properties of Charlevoix fenced in the area as part of a construction zone, but agreed in a settlement proposal to remove the fence so the land will remain public property, officials said.
The dispute was over whether the city or the company owned the land, confusion that dates back more than a decade to a previous landowner.
CHEBOYGAN
Business burns in Mackinaw City
MACKINAW CITY -- A fire in downtown Mackinaw City has severely damaged at least one business.
The fire broke out at mid-afternoon on Central Avenue in the tourist village at the tip of the Lower Peninsula.
At least four departments were helping battle the fire at one of the oldest places of business in Mackinaw City.
Kelly Vieau, administrative assistant with the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce, says a T-shirt shop appears to have been gutted. She says other businesses may have been damaged as well.
GRAND TRAVERSE
Judge: Officials are free to sue Meijer
TRAVERSE CITY -- Acme Township officials who agreed not to sue Meijer Inc. for alleged harassment and intimidation aren't bound by the agreements and may pursue legal action against the retail giant, a judge ruled.
Acme Township planning commissioner Robert Carstens and up to six other current or former township officials can sue Meijer and its associates, 13th Circuit Judge Philip Rodgers ruled Monday.
The Acme officials in November agreed to release Meijer and other parties from future litigation to settle a host of lawsuits. But that was before Meijer publicly acknowledged it illegally spent more than $100,000 to influence township elections in 2005 and 2007.
Carstens last month sought permission to sue Meijer, along with its former law firm Dickinson Wright PLLC and The Village at Grand Traverse LLC. Meijer and The Village sued Carstens and other township officials on three different occasions over zoning disputes related to their development proposals along M-72.
Other current and former officials who are newly free to sue Meijer include former Supervisor Bill Kurtz, current trustees Frank Zarafonitis and Erick Takayama, planning commissioners Ron Hardin and Clare David, and ex-planning commissioner John Pulcifer.
Administrators see $4 million deficit
TRAVERSE CITY -- A projected $4 million budget deficit and its impact on the Traverse City Area Public Schools fund balance will be a financial risk, some school board members say.
But, they countered, new programs to be offered next year -- despite costing more than available revenue -- will outweigh the gamble.
Board members Monday voted 6-1 to approve a preliminary budget for the 2009 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Megan Crandall was the lone dissenter.
The anticipated shortfall comes after the district closed three elementary schools in what was deemed a cost-cutting move.
In addition, rising costs for natural gas and diesel fuel, as well as declining interest revenue, have intensified the financial challenges the district already faces given the state's economic challenges.
The roughly $1.4 million administrators say was saved in shutting Norris, Glenn Loomis and Bertha Vos elementary schools, mainly administrative and overhead costs, will fund new programs.
But the plans -- including all-day, every-day kindergarten sections at two more elementary schools, technology upgrades and a switch to a high school trimester schedule -- will cost an estimated $1.8 million.
Township planner resigns amid outcry
TRAVERSE CITY -- Garfield Township's longtime planner is out of a job, forced aside amid community uproar over a publicly owned gazebo he commandeered and erected at his house almost four years ago.
Gerry Harsch, 69, dictated his resignation over the phone after township Supervisor Lee Wilson called the vacationing Harsch and asked him to resign.
In 2004, Harsch had a prison work crew relocate a gazebo from a township trailhead to his back yard. The gazebo had been paid for by a developer as part of a zoning permit mandate.
The gazebo was a target for vandalism in its isolated home behind what is now the Office Depot store on South Airport Road, and the developer asked the township to remove it as part of a redesign of the trailhead.
Bids allow for more road projects
TRAVERSE CITY -- Nearly 30 miles of failing Grand Traverse County roads will be repaved this summer after construction bids came in more than $1 million below estimates.
County road commission Manager Mary Gillis was prepared to trim projects, based on the suspicion that higher oil prices would drive up construction and asphalt costs.
Instead, she's preparing a list of more than $1 million worth of new road projects she hopes can still be completed this summer.
Bids came in lower than expected due to a variety of factors, including the contractor's ability to lock in the price for the liquid oil-based substance used in asphalt, the economy of scale from such a large project, and lack of area construction projects.
Roads that will see work include sections of North and West Long Lake roads, Silver Lake and West Silver Lake roads, Hammond Road, South Airport Road, Barlow Street, Cass Road, Peninsula Drive, Elk Lake Road and Hobbs Highway.
LEELANAU
Businesses sold alcohol to minors
SUTTONS BAY -- Police cited six Leelanau County businesses for selling alcohol to minors.
Annual compliance checks were conducted recently at 24 county businesses, according to a release from the Leelanau County Sheriff's Department. Teenage decoys working with police were sent in and attempted to buy alcohol from the businesses.
MC Short Stop in Maple City, M-204 Country Store and NJ's Grocery in Lake Leelanau, Blue Bird Tavern in Leland and O'Keefe's Firehouse Pub and J & J Food Shop in Suttons Bay all were cited for providing alcohol to minors. Violation reports also were sent to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
Sheriff Mike Oltersdorf said five of the six businesses cited didn't ask the teens for any identification. One asked for identification and still sold alcohol, but Oltersdorf couldn't specify which business it was, he said.
Producer, developer plan film studio
Traverse City -- A Los Angeles-area producer and a local developer have big plans for a film studio just outside Traverse City in Elmwood Township.
"Traverse City is this pristine palate that has so many diverse areas to film in," said David Kenneth, president and executive producer of Innovate Entertainment production company and I.E. Effects, a visual effects company.
The region's natural beauty lured Kenneth to this spot, but the state's new film incentive program brought his attention to Michigan in the first place.
"The incentives, we can't ignore them. It's the buzz of the town here," he said. "We're setting ourselves up to be a big service producer to the film industry via our soundstage in Traverse City."
He hopes to do that with the help of his friend, developer Ron Walters.
Walters is a member of West Bay Partners, a group that owns property on M-22, including the current site of Scuba North and the dock for tall ship Manitou.
Elmwood Township planning commissioners recently supported a change in the preliminary site plan to include the soundstage.
Wolverine is trying to bypass statutes
GREILICKVILLE -- Wolverine Power Cooperative is seeking permission from the state to bypass Elmwood Township ordinances and build a contentious electrical substation.
The utility continues its battle with township property owners and some officials to construct a multi-million dollar transmission substation near the corner of Bugai Road and M-72.
An attorney representing Wolverine and its co-op member Cherryland Electric Cooperative sent a letter recently to township officials requesting a public meeting, the first step in gaining authorization from the Michigan Public Service Commission to preempt township approval.
OTSEGO
Camping areas are reopened
VANDERBILT -- The Pigeon Bridge state forest campground on Sturgeon Valley Road just reopened, while nearby Pickerel Lake state forest campground did just before the Memorial Day holiday. Both sites in Otsego County were closed last year because of water well problems, although some sites at Pickerel Lake remained open.
Another area campground recently reopened after water well repairs is Garey Lake Trail Camp in Benzie County. All the well work at the state campgrounds was paid for by grants and state campground operational funds, officials said.
Meanwhile, the DNR halted foot and mountain bike traffic on two portions of the High Country Pathway in the PRCSF for needed bridge repairs.
Two wooden bridges built in 2005 across the Pigeon River and the Black River are unsafe.
Spill from private dam kills fish
VANDERBILT -- A spill from a private dam caused a significant fish kill in the Pigeon River.
Officials believe a gate was manually opened last Sunday night on a private hydroelectric dam in Otsego County. A second gate on the dam automatically opened and large amounts of organic sediment spilled through and flushed downstream, choking the water with silt and killing fish, officials said.
The dam is operated by Song of the Morning Ranch yoga retreat near Vanderbilt.
State environmental officials will try to gauge damage done to the Pigeon River fishery, one of the state's best-known trout streams and a designated natural river.
The state Department of Environmental Quality will monitor water quality and complete surveys of insects and small crustaceans, said Bob McCann, agency spokesman.
It's unknown how long it will take the river to recover and whether the yoga retreat center will face criminal violations or penalties, McCann said.
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