LIAA and the Northwest Michigan Community Media Center will be closed July 3rd to celebrate the Independence Day holiday.

We seek an experienced Program Director with strong leadership and strategic thinking skills to help move LIAA to the next level. The Program Director will lead our development and communications programs and participate in the design, development and management of new programs to help people build more sustainable communities.

We provide a reasonable salary (salary range: $45-55K), excellent benefits, great colleagues, a comfortable work environment, and a cause worth working for. All of this in one of the most beautiful locations on earth.

We prefer a creative and engaging person with at least 5 years of experience in nonprofit work, truly excellent communication skills, a relevant graduate degree (e.g., natural resources, community development, urban planning) and lots of experience with computer technologies.

For more information, please see the Position Description.

For the first time in three years, people will have the opportunity to watch the National Cherry Festival's DTE Energy Cherry Royale Parade live on TV! LIAA's Northwest Michigan Community Media Center (NMCMC) will provide official parade coverage on Up North 2, the region's only public access television station.

The NMCMC will also produce a morning talk show, "The Pit Stop," throughout the entire Cherry Festival. President Mary Marois and executive director Tim Hinkley will highlight each day's events along with the show's host Susan McQuaid. Guests will include many of the volunteers that make the Cherry Festival possible as well as the 2009 National Cherry Queen, Megan

Umulis.

Due to the changing focus of our organization, and the need for more staff space, LIAA has decided to close our Hands On Geography store.

Though this is somewhat sad news, customers will be happy hear that our remaining stock is being offered at a 30% discount!  So, come in and take home some of our books, games, puzzles and National Geographic maps at rock-bottom prices.

Note that LIAA will continue to remain the only reseller of USGS Topographic Maps in northwest Michigan, so see us for all your topo map needs!

The PfC Sustainable Communities Program is requesting proposals from municipalities interested in fostering these community changes. To be considered for a service grant, multi-jurisdictional partnerships must submit an application no later than Monday, September 14, 2009. The PfC Sustainable Communities Service Grants are available in three different project categories, depending on the need of the community, ranging from under $7,000 to over $60,000 in total project value.

For a full program description and copies of the Request for Proposals, please click here or contact the PfC Sustainable Communities Program at LIAA.

A Personal Guided Tour!

Explore the beauty, diversity and culture of the Grand Traverse Bay region with this interactive DVD.

This guide offers you a firsthand look at the landscapes, plants, animals and history that combine to create this unique coastal region.
Follow the experts as they guide you through the specific species, natural processes and historical events that make the Grand Traverse Bay coastal zone a fascinating place to explore.

Special Features

• Naturalist Guided Walks Through 7 Natural Areas
• 62 Separate Trail Stops
• 76 Additional Short Topics to Enhance the Naturalist Talks
• Maps and Web Links
• Over 3 hours of video on 2 DVDs!

This 2 disc DVD Tour is now available at:

Hands On Geography Store at LIAA
324 Munson Ave.,Traverse City, MI   231-929-3696

Great Lakes Children's Museum Giftshop
13240 S. West Bayshore Drive (M-22), Greilickville, MI     231-932-4526
http://www.greatlakeskids.org/ and local libraries in Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties!