Explore Michigan's Drive-In theater history

I came across a pretty cool site in my browser's bookmarks that I had long ago saved and subsequently forgotten. Michigandriveins.com lets you explore the few current drive-ins still in operation as well as the drive-ins that are now closed, in pieces, or gone altogether. I find it neat to see a little piece of Americana from Michigan's past. Some of these drive-ins were quite impressive with small scale kiddie trains (the Bel-Aire in Detroit) and some were only in operation for a couple seasons (Constantine Auto Theater July 1948-September 1949).

Anyway, it is a pretty extensive site with photos, old ads, and current pictures showing the decay of some of the theaters and the longevity of the few still in operation. They even have a section devoted to drive-in restaurants both past and present.

WARNING! You will spend a long time at this site. Taking a peak at the past and the "good ol' days" that are now gone is incredibly time consuming.

Michigandriveins.com

Freak hailstorm dumps 2 inches of hail on Marquette

You have got to see the pictures at the Mining Journal of the hailstorm that hit Marquette yesterday afternoon. Apparently the hail fell in the midst of a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm warning. It is surreal to see a guy running through downtown Marquette in "drifts" of hail. Too weird.

Cyclists knocked off their bikes by a deer

A famous lawnmower and tractor company says that, "Nothing runs like a Deer[e]" and two cyclists up in Leelanau county now have first-hand experience to back up that claim. Dan Hofstra and Bob Otwell were riding along amongst a group of 15 cyclists when a deer ran out of the woods and sent Hofstra flying when he ran into the deer and then the deer slammed into Otwell before making it across the road. I had never heard of anyone on a bike having a run-in with a deer before, but apparently Hostra and Otwell join a short list that includes them and Tim Brick in the Traverse City area alone. According to the Traverse City Record Eagle both men suffered the following injuries -

Otwell suffered a broken pelvis and possibly separated his shoulder.

Hofstra received several stitches on his knee and sustained a possible fractured vertebrae.

Don't forget to visit the Anatomy of a Yooper exhibit

This past January I wrote about The Anatomy of a Yooper exhibit at the Marquette County History Museum that began running in April. The exhibit is still open and is featuring traditional U.P. food (I'm thinking pasties) at an open house this Thursday from 7 to 9pm. The exhibit showcases how Yoopers coped with the harsh Upper Peninsula winters and how the conditions in the U.P. created hardened workers with a great work ethic. Numerous pictures and Yooper gear abound in this interesting exhibit.

A great book to read that tells how Upper Peninsula residents made it through the tough conditions is -

So Cold A Sky, Upper Michigan Weather Stories

This book is one of the 2007 Michigan Notable Books.

Ever wonder what a great lakes freighter sounds like underwater?

This interesting video of a dive in the St. Clair river near Marine City shows what happens to divers when a freighter passes directly over them. Everything is calm and clear and the divers are exploring a shipwreck. Then a freighter passes over them.

Turn your volume up and check it out -

If the player does not appear, click here.

Hey, we have a Michigan business tax on the table

Finally. State lawmakers have a new tax on the table that replaces the SBT which expires December 31, 2007. Lawmakers had to have something put together by July 1 in order for it to take effect for the new fiscal year which begins October 1.

Right now it looks like there will be a tax of just under .8% on gross profits minus purchases of tangible property (anything other than real estate or money - furniture would be tangible property) and a tax on profits just under 5%.

I can live with this. There are a lot more details to work out, but at first glance it does not appear that businesses (like ours, for example) will be hit too hard.

As a business owner, Katherine LaMont, was quoted as saying, "The devil's going to be in the details."

It always is. :)

For more information read the article at the Detroit Free Press.