Agenda available for March 11 Administrative Meeting of the Board of Commissioners

The Emmet County Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, March 11, at 2 p.m. for its regular monthly Administrative Meeting. The Board meets in the County Building, 200 Division St., downtown Petoskey. For the most current agenda for Tuesday's meeting, click here.

The Board's regular monthly takes place at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at the same location. An agenda will be posted once its available.

THANKS FOR VOTING PETOSKEY!

The voting for the Locals Only Project is now closed and the results are being tallied ... stay tuned to find out if Petoskey is the winning community!

View the results on March 10:  http://bit.ly/2014LOP

Petoskey has been named one of just five finalists in the U.S. vying to win the “Locals Only Project,” a community-focused promotional effort by Native Eyewear. And this is not your typical contest! The Locals Only Project gives back to the winning community in many ways. Native Eyewear’s team will use the winning community as the location for next year’s product catalog and marketing materials. Plus, they hire local photographers, videographers, writers, tour guides and adventure athletes to help them compile the images, articles and production pieces. And, they give a grant to a local nonprofit at the end of it all, to further help the community that takes home the top honors. To read complete details, click here.

Owl banding returns to the Headlands Dark Sky Park, along with Total Lunar Eclipse, for April programming

Ed Pike shows a saw-whet owl to visitors during the 2013 owl banding event at the Headlands.

Saw-whet owl banding (April 4-5) and ‘Field Trip to the Moon’ during Total Lunar Eclipse (April 15) are highlights of April Dark Sky Park programming at the Headlands

Protecting the night sky means protecting natural habitat, and at no time is that more important than during the migration season of the saw-whet owl, an entirely nocturnal creature that relies on plumage for camouflage during the day and deep darkness for mating, migration and predation at night.

Professional birder Ed Pike conducts research regarding saw-whets at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park each year, and this April 4 and 5 the public is invited to witness his research. Because we are dealing with sensitive nighttime habitat, space is limited and reservations are required for this free event.

The time is 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Participants should meet at the Guest House; more details will be provided by calling for reservations at (231) 348-1713.

At the start of the evening, Pike sets up mist nests and an owl calling station along one of the trails near the Headlands Guest House. He targets saw-whet owls, but there is the possibility of boreal and long-eared owls as well.

In between casting nets and researching the catch, guests are led through a tour of the night sky and the bird-related constellations by Headlands Program Director, Mary Stewart Adams.

For complete details about the saw-whet owl banding program and April's Total Lunar Eclipse program, click here!

Project Connect: A day of services for those in need in Northwest Michigan

The annual day of service connecting those in need in Northwest Michigan with providers and opportunities will take place Wednesday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Community Building at the Fairgrounds in Petoskey.

Project Connect is a free event for those who may be struggling with financial problems, housing issues, employment challenges or health concerns. No preregistration is required. Call 2-1-1 to schedule free transportation within Charlevoix and Emmet Counties to the event.

The day of free services includes: health insurance application assistance; health screenings and information; employment and education information and assistance; income tax preparation and filing (call in advance to schedule, 347-9070); info and sign up for housing, health care and social services; help with budgeting and credit repair; haircuts and chair massages; family portraits; a light lunch served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bring your picture ID, birth certificate and income information to assist with finding the right services to help.

The Fairgrounds is located at 1129 Charlevoix Ave./U.S. 31 in Petoskey. For more information, go online to www.ProjectConnect231.com. For a flyer to download and share about the event, click here.

Local Revenue Sharing Board grants available in Spring funding cycle

The Local Revenue Sharing Board will be accepting grant applications from governmental entities/taxing authorities in Emmet County.

The Local Revenue Sharing Board of Emmet County distributes a portion of electronic gaming revenues from Odawa Casino each year. Under its compact with the state of Michigan, the tribe is required to give 2 percent of net revenues from its electronic gaming operations to the regional community. Priorites for grants are typically related to public safety, recreational and educational needs, though all requests are welcomed and considered.

The amount of funding available from the LRSB varies each year. Serving on the LRSB are Dan Plasencia, Emmet County Commissioner; Don Caird, Resort Township; and Denny Keiser, Bear Creek Township.

Applications will be accepted through 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14. As in prior years, all grant applications must be made through a local governmental entity, such as a school district, township, or city. Grants from individual organizations will not be considered; they must be sponsored by a taxing authority.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LRSB AND THE APPLICATION, CLICK HERE.

2014 Photo Contest: Capture the beauty of Emmet County WATERS

Water in action at Petoskey's breakwater!

Take part in Emmet County's new photo contest!

If there is one attribute that defines Emmet County – both geographically and in the hearts and minds of its residents and visitors – it’s the abundance of water in Northwest Michigan. In the tip of Michigan’s mitten, the Great Lakes are a constant presence, and our inland lakes, rivers and wetlands are magnificent natural resources that are the source of recreation, pride and protection.

To celebrate our unique water resources, Emmet County is holding its second-annual photo contest, Emmet County WATERS. This follows on the heels of the successful 2013 Emmet County Skies photo contest, which drew photographic entries for more than 50 area photographers. The winner of the Skies photo contest was MaryJo Maguire of Harbor Springs, with her unequaled shot of clouds and sunlight amassing over Little Traverse Bay (click here to see her winning photograph!).

The Emmet County Waters contest will operate the same as the Skies challenge: Through November 30, 2014, please send your Waters photos via email to beckerle@emmetcounty.org

Please include location where photo was taken with your submission. Residents and visitors are welcomed to participate, but the photos MUST be taken within the boundaries of Emmet County. The contest does include Lake Michigan and the Straits of Mackinac including and to the west of the Mackinac Bridge.

Photos will be judged by expert photographers, including Shawn Stockman-Malone, whose extraordinary images of the Northern Lights in the Upper Peninsula have circulated the globe and have been published in dozens of digital and print media outlets. Malone has been a guest speaker at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park as well.

What’s in it for the winner? The winning Waters photo will be framed and matted for the winner to keep; it will also be printed on photo board and displayed in the Emmet County Building downtown Petoskey. In addition, the winner will receive a free overnight at the Guest House at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park.

Image size should not exceed 10MB for emailing. Amateur photographers only, please. Participants agree that Emmet County may use the submitted photographs in county promotional materials at any time.

If you have questions about the Emmet County Waters photo contest, call Beth Anne Eckerle, County Communications Director, at (231) 348-1704 or email beckerle@emmetcounty.org

 Imagine magazine

Click here to view the online digital magazine and videos
 

Please note: The 2014-15 issue of Imagine magazine will be available in May 2014!

Emmet County's annual promotional magazine, Imagine, is available online and in print. The 2013-14 issue includes features on the people, places, organizations and communities that make Emmet County a one-of-a-kind place to live, work and play. Here, quality of life is everything.

This year's magazine, published by Harbor House Publishers in Boyne City, also includes a number of enhancements, including numerous videos throughout that further showcase the unparalleled natural beauty and the residents who are invested in making Northwest Michigan a place like no other.

We hope you enjoy the magazine! Contact its editor/writer, Beth Anne Eckerle, with any comments: beckerle@emmetcounty.org, or (231) 348-1704. To have a complimentary copy of the print version mailed to you, contact Piehl at the email or phone number above.