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From our Langford Family studios on America’s Emerald Isle, this is the WVBI Community Calendar for Friday, February 25th, 2022. |
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First some news … With Lisa Peacock’s resignation as the Chief Medical Officer and, effectively, director of the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, the question is what’s next for the department. Newly elected Board Chair Scott Hankins says the board’s goal is to make sure the department continues to deliver services to the community in a seamless fashion. “We will work with Lisa on a transition,” he said in an interview with W-V-B-I yesterday. He also said that Dr. Josh Meyerson would continue in his role of Medical Director for the department. As to the circumstances of Peacock’s departure, Hankins said that can’t be discussed at this time because of personnel issues, but that there I smore to the story than was in the department’s press release on Wednesday where Peacock laid blame on what she called a “hostile work environment.” Hankins explained that while some on the board were concerned with some of the decisions Peacock made on masking, among other things, their authority to make a change in leadership was limited by state law. As we have noted in prior reporting, some recent department releases have incorrectly stated that COVID-19 cases were surging when, in fact, they were declining as clearly shown in data from the state. The department has not addressed our inquiry about those statements, and the board doesn’t have input into the releases. As to a new Health Officer for the department, Hankins said there were some internal candidates to take over Peacock’s position, but that the board would be considering all options. Nothing new on COVID-19 front from the Health Center. Their tally has no positive tests in the last two weeks and no tests pending. Next batch of data from the state comes this afternoon. A lawsuit challenging M-S-U’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate has been dismissed with the judge calling the mandate rational, which is the relevant standard raise by the constitutional challenge against it. M-S-U says the mandate creates a safer environment for students and staff. The judge noted that the ruling was consistent with the outcome of many similar cases concerning on-campus vaccine mandates. The plaintiffs say they will appeal. In Lansing, House Republicans have proposed cutting the state income tax rate from 4.25 to 3.9 percent, expanding tax breaks for seniors and putting some of the surplus in the state’s coffers to paying down stat pension debt. The Senate recently approved a plan that would move both the personal and corporate tax rates to 3.9 percent. Governor Whitmer has proposed repealing the pension tax and increasing tax credits for low income working people from six to 20 percent. In what Bridge Michigan calls an unusual move, the State Public Service Commission says it will consider climate change in deciding whether to issue a permit to Line 5 under the straits into a tunnel. Opponents of the tunnel say that shutting it down would increase energy prices, reduce use of fossil fuels and thus help limit their impact on climate change. Enbridge says that analysis is wrong…that other means of transport can be used at the same cost, but that they are not as safe as the pipeline. |
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Now, here’s a look at what’s happening on your island… Here’s your meeting planner for next week: Peaine Township Planning Commission has a meeting set for Wednesday at 9:00 in the morning at the Township Hall. St, James Finance Committee meets that afternoon at 1:00 at the Governmental Center. And, for now, that’s it for next week. More details are in the calendar entries online. On the fun front today, Friday, Pickleball is on—in the Theater at the BIC Center at 10:00. Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program is on up in the Hangout at 10:30 and at noon it’s C-O-A’s winter BINGO game also here at the BIC Center. And, Friday evening the BIC Center continues its Winter Documentary Film Series with Fish and Fishing as the theme. Second show is Jiro dreams of Sushi, which tells the story of a Michelin three-star Sushi restaurant in a Tokyo subway station—and the sushi chef who works there that is regarded as among the best in the world. Showing is at 6:00 up in the comfort of the Hangout. Rated P-G. Bring your own snacks and drink or get something at the Concession stand. Saturday, the Library and Historical Society continue a series of weekly workshops on using the Library Edition of Ancestry dot com. Start time is 1:00 p.m. The workshops will continue on Saturdays through February. Movies are back at the BIC Center Saturday afternoon. The 4:00 show is Tom & Jerry, The Movie. Great mix of live action and animated fun. Rated P-G. At 7:00 it’s The House of Gucci with Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino. Based on a true story of betrayal, decadence, lust, revenge and…murder. Rated R. Both shows on the BIG screen with the BIG sound. Concession Stand open for both. Trailers for those shows and the film series are on the BIC Center website at bic center dot org. Sunday there are services at Holy Cross, the Christian Church, and the Lighthouse fellowship. Times and more details are in the calendar. Monday, Chair Yoga is on at 10:30 up in the Hangout here at the BIC Center. Tuesday, Tai Chi is on up in the Hangout at 9:30. Pickleball is on at 10:00 in the Theater. And the Arthritis Foundation Exercise program is on at 10:30 in the Hangout. Wednesday, Nothing but Needles is on for crafters at Peaine Township Hall. That starts at 9:00. Also, it’s C-O-A’s Chair Yoga at 10:30. Wednesday evening it’s Time for Art at the BIC Center. Thursday, Tai-Chi is at 9:30 and Pickleball at 10 here at the BIC Center. And you can play Euchre Thursday evening over at the Whiskey Point Brewing Company. Cards hit the table at 7:00. |
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BIRTHDAYS: Patti Schoonbeck is celebrating today. Mike Sowa celebrates tomorrow and Sunday Brenna Wearn, John Fiegan, Owen McDonough and Doug Edgar will be blowing out candles. Happy Birthday to Patti, Brenna, Mike, John, Owen and Doug and, if we missed you on the list Happy Birthday to you, too, from all of us at W-V-B-I and your Beaver Island Community Center. |
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TRAFFIC: None, nada, zip. Still, let’s be careful out there. |
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ON THIS DAY in 1870 after two days of heated debate on the floor of the U-S Senate, and with spectators packing the Senate galleries to see this groundbreaking event, a former Union Army chaplain, Mississippi’s Hiram Revels is sworn in as that state’s US senator. He was the first African American senator. (Bing.com) |
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WORD OF THE DAY: embarrass (verb) [im-BAIR-us], which means to cause to experience a state of self-conscious distress. Embarrass comes from Portuguese embaraçar, whose prefix (em-) is from Latin in- and whose base word means “noose.” Although embarrass has had various meanings related to acts that hinder or impede, these days it most often implies making someone feel or look foolish. (Merriam-Webster) |
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Now, to wrap up for this for Beaver Island Friday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day: Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin. On a lighter note: What does Mr. Flamingo say when he is fed up? I’ve had enough. I’m putting my other foot down. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar for this Beaver Island Friday, February 25th, 2022. I’m Kevin Boyle reporting from W-V-B-I’s Langford Family Studios wishing you a great day– and asking you: why not go ahead and make it the best day ever? And, thanks for listening. |
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Today Mostly cloudy, with a high near 21. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 9. Wind chill values as low as zero. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 26. Wind chill values as low as -3. Breezy, with a southwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 20. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 4. Monday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23. Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Wednesday Partly sunny, with a high near 23. Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 24. |
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