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From our Langford Family studios on America’s Emerald Isle, this is the WVBI Community Calendar for Thursday, March 10th, 2022. |
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First some news … Nothing new on the COVID-19 data front from the Health Center today. No new tests. No tests pending. No active island cases. Meantime the data released from the state yesterday continues to show good trends. Running average for new cases is down to 748 a day and there were 10 new deaths a day over the most recent reporting period. No new cases in Charlevoix, but there was one death. Hospital utilization trends continue to look good. Full details are in our COVID-19 update for today on W-V-B-I’s COVID-19 info page at w-v-b-I dot net. With gas prices in some places on the mainland hovering at near island rates, the state legislature is looking at pausing gas taxes to give folks some relief. While there seems to be consensus on that, as usual, the devil is in the detail. House lawmakers want a a six month pause in the 27-point cent per gallon tax on fuel. Their plan is lieklt to be adopted by the Senate. But, the Senate minority leadership wants to spend the 6% sales tax for a similar period. Governor Whitmer wants the federal government to suspend its tax on fuel. Bridge Michigan has a full report on the expected impact of the various proposals in an article published today and linked in our script online. https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/lawmakers-eye-pause-michigan-gas-tax-prices-soar-which-tax There’s a blast of artic air that will bring cold and snow to the mainland at the end of the week driven drive by a spring snowstorm that is expected to bring heavy snow across Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as south into Kentucky and Tennessee. M-Live forecasters say Southwest and Northwest Michigan could get up to four inches of lake effect snow. But, they also say spring like temperatures are on the way at least for downstate next week. It’s Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and groups are spotlighting housing and voting as two major areas of concern. Lily Bohlke (BOWL-kee) has more. |
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:46 Outcue…I’m Lily Bohlke, reporting. To mark International Women’s Day, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities held a virtual event Tuesday. Tameka Citchen-Spruce, a disability justice advocate and former Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2006 who spoke at the event, said it is crucial to make sure every polling place has a working voting machine for people who cannot fill out a paper ballot. And while the affordable housing crisis affects many in Michigan, she said there are additional factors if you are living with a disability. “Finding accessible and affordable housing, as everyone knows, is a tremendous challenge, particularly when you have a physical disability; use a wheelchair, like myself,” Citchen-Spruce explained. Nationwide, roughly 57 million Americans live with some form of disability, and about 180,000 Michiganders have a developmental disability. Citchen-Spruce is a filmmaker in addition to being an activist, and she said advocating for disability rights and storytelling go hand in hand. “I think it’s so important, because we need representation in the media,” Citchen-Spruce asserted. “People need a reflection of themselves and their stories matter. And so that’s why, alongside my disability advocacy, I think it’s so important to create representation and tell stories.” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in Michigan. She said the state Department |
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There’s been lots of discussion about companies pulling out of operations in Russia. What about the big brands in Michigan that have operations there? Here’s a run down from researchers who have compiled a list of 300 such companies. Six Michigan brands are on that list and four of them have either stopped operations or are in the process of doing so. General Motors, Kellogs and Ford all say they have ceased operations in Russia. Stellantis—which is what we know as Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep—says they will be forced to stop operations there soon because of supply chain disruptions. Amway and Whirlpool are the two Michigan companies that have not announced exit plans. According MLive, they say they are focused on supporting their employees and business owners in Ukraine. Whirlpool operates a plant in Russia. They did not respond to M-Live’s requests for comment on their plans. The Boyne City Blaze Robotics team picked up an Engineering Inspiration award at their first competition of the season at Kettering University. B-I Robot, the B-I-C-S robotics team, is busy completing a robot for their first competition on March 24th. I coach the team and as we enter the final push, you’ll hear less of me on the air for the next several weeks—because we still have a lot of work to do. |
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Now, here’s a look at what’s happening on your island… Here’s your meeting planner for the week: Elks Club meets this evening at 5:00 at Peaine Township Hall. That’s it for the week. We’ll have your planner for next week tomorrow. On the fun front today, Thursday, Tai-Chi is at 9:30 and Pickleball at 10 both here at the BIC Center. Tai-Chi in the Hangout and Pickleball in the Theater. Games Galore is on up in the Hangout from 1:00 to 4:00 and stick around for with Heidi Vigil’s ComminiTea Time from 3:00 to 4:00—also in the Hangout. You can play Euchre Thursday evening over at the Whiskey Point Brewing Company. Cards hit the table at 7:00. 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 afternoon join B-I-C-S students to enjoy a screening of the hit film Alaskan Nets. It’s the true story of a basketball team from a remote, indigenous fishing village that wins the state basketball championship in Alaska. Showtime is 4:00. No admission, but a freewill donation will be collected to benefit the sports program at B-I-C-S. Concession stand will be open. The trailer is on the BIC Center website at bic center dot org. Saturday, afternoon there are two more movies are on at the BIC Center. The 4:00 show is War of the Buttons. Filmed in Ireland, it’s the story of the children of Ballydowse and Carrickdowse who go to war after school but have to finish by supper. It’s a rollicking story of growing up in a more innocent time. Great for the whole family. Rated P-G. At 7:00 it’s Waking Ned Devine, another story from Ireland. When one of their townsfolk wins the lottery—and has a heart attack when learning the news, the rest of the town figures they can outsmart the bib city boys and collect the winnings. Here’s to Ned Devine. Another great story and award-winning film. Rated PG. 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 up ion the Hangout. Start time is 10:00. Tuesday, Tai Chi is on up in the Hangout at 9:30. Pickleball is on at 10:00 in the Theater. The Arthritis Foundation Exercise program is on at 10:30 in the Hangout. Wednesday starts with Nothing but Needles at the Peaine Township Hall. That event for crafters 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. Rock painting is the activity. Check out the Beaver Island Rocks Facebook page for inspiration—if you need some. Start time is 5:00. |
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BIRTHDAYS: Mariussa Crandall, Jeff Conor, Killian McGinnity, Delva Burton and Bash Garrett are all celebrating today, Happy Birthday to Marissa, Jeff, Killian, Delva and future B-I roboteer Bash and, if we missed you on the list, Happy Birthday to you from all of us at W-V-B-I and your Beaver Island Community Center. |
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TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. Bridges are clear. But the island beltway is a skating rink as are many of the sidewalks in town. So, let’s be careful out there. |
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ON THIS DAY in 241 B-C-E, the Romans defeat Carthage to end the First Punic War as the fleet of the Roman Republic captures or destroys half of the Carthage fleet ending two decades of conflict. Nevertheless, two more wars between the powers are on the horizon. (Bing.com)
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WORD OF THE DAY: tempestuous (adjective) [tem-PESS-chuh-wus], which means “of, relating to, or resembling a tempest” (which is a violent storm). Its synonyms are turbulent or stormy. Time is sometimes marked in seasons, and seasons are associated with the weather. This explains how tempestās—a Latin word for “time,” “season,” and “weather”—gave rise to tempestuous, an English adjective for things turbulent and stormy. (Merriam-Webster) |
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Now, to wrap up for this for Beaver Island Thursday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day from British Prime Minister Winston CHurchill: “You have to run risks. There are no certainties in war. There is a precipice on either side of you – a precipice of caution and a precipice of over-daring.” On a lighter note: What’s the Tooth Fairy’s favorite dance? The Floss. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar for this Beaver Island Thursday, March 10th, 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 Isolated snow showers before 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. West wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Wind chill values as low as -2. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 16. Wind chill values as low as -5. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 13. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 26. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Friday Night A 30 percent chance of snow showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 8. Blustery. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 19. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 9. Sunday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. Monday A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 18. Tuesday Partly sunny, with a high near 34. |
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Community Calendar for Thursday, March 10th, 2022
