What an incredible Olympics. It is always so inspiring to watch them. This year it was a just a little more exciting, getting to see an athlete with local connections return home with a medal.

Speed-skater Jonathan Kuck is a longtime summer resident on Cathead Bay. The Champaign, Ill., native skated in the men’s 10,000 meter, where he had the top U.S. finish in eighth place, and was part of the men’s pursuit team, which won the silver medal. Jonathan postponed his freshman year at the University of Illinois to train for the Olympics. Congratulations!

Speaking of competition, Omena athletes were well represented at last weekend’s Winter Carnival in Northport. The broomball trophy returned to Knot Just a Bar in Omena for yet another year. The team, sponsored by the Knot, included Landon Browning (of Omena), John Kehl, Alex Voight, Josh Rutila, Jimmy Stannard and Brent Hallett. This team has been the tournament winner every year, except the one year they did not enter. The final game in the tournament was between Knot and one sponsored by Leelanau Cellars – almost as tense as the U.S. vs. Canada game. The Leelanau Cellars team members were Scott Detweiler, O.G. DelaFuente, Garret Korson, Drew Cook, Scott Reese, and Blake Yemmens.

Lauren Browning coached and played on a broomball team that included Meghan Holtz, Sarah Berendsohn, Billy Fegals (who is an MSU student and friend of Cory Connelly) from Rockford, Laura Petroski (who is also an MSU student and Landon’s girlfriend from Chicago), and Chelsie Nowak (who is Tom Lammy’s girlfriend from Manistee). Aric Browning played on yet another team, but they declined to be named, since they didn’t win. The rumor is that Tom Lammy, who was their coach, was fired because of their humiliating loss.

Following the tournament, the group of broomball players was joined by Jack Denton of Suttons Bay, Drew Hemmingway of Leland and Michael “Gov” Heibel of Traverse City for the victory celebration. This was the “Gov”’s first time in either Northport or Omena. They went back to Omena to view the trophy and begin their celebration, which continued with karaoke at Stubb’s in Northport.

The Royal Flushers won the outhouse race. The Royal Flushers were sponsored by Steele and Walker Vineyards, and their entry was powered by a team of Omena and Northport athletes. Ruth Steele Walker said that they were retiring the Royal Flushers after this season. We’ll see.

Jan Morgan’s milk jug curling team won first place. Team members were Mark and Jan Morgan, and Ron and Kathy Baker. Omena resident Cheryl Parker won the first place Northport Promise Raffle prize, a $2,000 certificate to Tom’s. The other winners were Jen Black of Northport, who won the $1,000 in cash; Mary Jo Schmude of Traverse City, who won the $500 Leelanau Propane certificate; Lori Fischer of Gills Pier, who won the Hardrock Mountain bike; and Tom Gennette, who won the $250 West Bay Express oil change.

The sixth annual Northport Winter Carnival was a huge success – again. This year’s co-chairs were Beth Nunnelley, director of marketing at Northport Highlands, and Gavin Bissell, co-owner of Sunset Events. Congratulations to them and to all of the organizers and volunteers.

On a more bookish note, Omena author Don Lystra will be reading from his debut novel, Season of Water and Ice, at Brilliant Books on Friday, March 12 at 7 p.m.

It’s less than two weeks until Daylight Savings Time, which begins on Sunday, March 14 at 2 a.m. It’s particularly important to remember because the Omena Community Euchre Tournament is also on March 14th at 3 p.m., and you don’t want to be late. The tournament is open to anyone – you don’t have to be an Omena resident.

I guess I’d have to say that March came in like a lamb, certainly not a lion – maybe a bighorn sheep? I just heard that on March 1, 1960 it was 27 degrees below zero, and in 1970 on the same date it was 54 degrees. Normal temperature is 35, so we’re about normal this year.

It looks like Omena Bay won’t freeze over this year. I think that’s a pretty safe statement at this point (although I’m typing with my fingers crossed). Last year, we defied the old adage that if the bay isn’t frozen by the end of February, it won’t. It froze over just about March 1 in 2009.

Happy birthday to Beverly Gaudette, Marian Electa Powell, Bob Lewis, and Bette Coste. Happy 30th anniversary to Harold and Kanda McKee.

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By Leslie Disch
Phone/fax: 386-5686
email: phen.omena.2@gmail.com