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From our Langford Family studios on America’s Emerald Isle, this is the WVBI Community Calendar for Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022. |
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First some news … Lisa Peacock, the director of the Health Department of Northwest Michigan has resigned from her position. She cited a “hostile work environment” created by the departments board and her health as reasons for the departure. She has been embroiled in controversy since last fall over her last minute mandate for masks in all schools in the counties under her jurisdiction, which includes Charlevoix. Some on the board had sought her removal over that mandate among other things, but the whole board, made up of members appointed by the County governments in the region covered by the department, voted to keep her on. As we reported last week, the most recent board meeting was made up mostly of a closed session concerning a legal matter that was presumed to concern Peacock, but board members came out of the meeting saying it looked like things were on the mend. Bridge Michigan says Peacock gave no indication of her plans and attended a number of meetings yesterday without any suggestion that anything would be changing. The department issued a press release yesterday at 4:30 that likewise made no mention of the change and quoted Peacock. The release emphasizes the value of vaccinations in limiting the impact on COVID-19 if you catch it. There’s a copy on our COVID-19 info page. Peacock says her last day will be April 29th. On COVID-19 data front today, nothing new from the Health Center or the state. Health Center’s tally has no positive tests in the last two weeks and no tests pending. Next state report is due this afternoon. We’ll have a report tomorrow. As the controversy over Line 5 and the tunnel to replace it continues to swirl, there are some new developments in Canada. Lilly Bohlke has more. |
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:57 Outcue…I’m Lily Bohlke, reporting. New research from Environmental Defence Canada makes the case that there’s a path forward to shutting down the Line 5 dual pipelines, which run under the Straits of Mackinac. The Canadian gas company Enbridge Energy plans to build a tunnel to contain the pipeline, but some engineers think the proposal poses safety risks. Canadian officials have supported the pipeline, citing the company’s claims that closing it would put the country’s natural gas supply at risk. But Beth Wallace, conservation partnerships manager at the National Wildlife Federation’s Great Lakes Regional Center, said this report shows alternatives that would not cause major disruptions. “Line 5 is almost 20 years past its useful engineered life, according to the experts that originally constructed the pipeline,” said Wallace. “The location itself, 20% of the world’s freshwater, drinking water for millions of people, it should have never been put there to begin with.” The report outlines possible alternatives, such as rerouting some of the Line 5 supply to another pipeline, Line 78, and other fossil-fuel-transport options. Enbridge says Line 78 is full serving existing customers and cannot accommodate more, and that increasing fuel-transport capacity would take years to develop, and also harm the environment. Wallace added that another motivation for closing Line 5 – not covered in the report – is how fast the transition away from fossil fuels is moving, particularly in the automotive sector. She said the risks to the environment and Tribal water rights are too high to continue operating the pipeline. “Now that it’s 70 years old, we have alternatives,” said Wallace. “We’re transitioning away from fossil fuels, there’s just absolutely no reason why we can’t start to transition, including with this particular pipeline.” After Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered Line 5 to be shut down last year, the Canadian government invoked a 1977 treaty between the U.S. and Canada to block that action. So far, the Biden administration hasn’t supported the shutdown, although tribal leaders and environmental groups note the pipeline violates the water rights of Bay Mills Indian Community, whose ancestral home is the Straits of Mackinac. |
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An Indianapolis man is missing and presumed dead after venturing just ten feet off the beach onto an ice self. The shelf was a bit elevated. A piece of it broke off and the man tripped and fell into the lake, according to a report on N-W-I dot com. Friends with him tried to help as did rescue crews, but they were unsuccessful. https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/man-missing-presumed-dead-after-falling-into-lake-michigan-from-shelf-ice-at-dunes-park/article_70374e8a-5a90-5778-9824-fa69bb02da49.html#tracking-source=home-top-story Registration for Memorial Day weekend’s Warblers on the Water festival opened yesterday and one of the field trips is already fully booked. Event organizer Pam Grassmick says the trips do tend to fill up quickly. “Don’t dally about signing up if you want to go,” she says. You can find full information about the event and links to sign up for trips on the B-I-A website at beaver island association dot org, or go straight to the BIC Center ticket store to register at tickets dot bic center dot org. http://tickets.biccenter.org |
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Now, here’s a look at what’s happening on your island… Here’s your meeting planner for the week: St. James Public works has a special meeting today at 11 at the Governmental Center, Airport Commission Wednesday at noon at the Airport, B-I-E-S-A meeting on Thursday at 2:00 at Peaine Township Hall and the Elks at 5:00 also on Thursday and also at Peaine. On the fun front today, 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. Friday, Pickleball is on again—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. |
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BIRTHDAYS: Babr Kenwabikise is celebrating today. Happy Birthday to Barb, 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 1954 Mass polio vaccine inoculations start. Pittsburgh elementary school students are the first group to receive Dr. Jonas Salk’s new polio vaccine. The disease that for centuries has paralyzed and killed millions will be almost eradicated by the end of the 20th century. (Bing.com) |
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WORD OF THE DAY: parable (noun) [PAIR-uh-bul], which is a story having an ending based on moral attitude, a standard of conduct, or a religious principle. Parable comes from the Latin word parabola, from Greek parabolḗ, meaning “comparison.” The word parabola may look familiar if you remember your geometry. The mathematical parabola refers to a curve that is shaped like the path of something that is thrown forward and high in the air and falls back to the ground. (Merriam-Webster) |
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Now, to wrap up for this for Beaver Island Wednesday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day from Dr. Jonas Salk: Solutions come through evolution. They come through asking the right questions, because the answers pre-exist. It is the questions that we must define and discover. You don’t invent the answer-you reveal the answer. On a lighter note: How did the dad justify buying a boat? There was a sail. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar for this Beaver Island Wednesday, February 23rd, 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 Increasing clouds, with a high near 15. Wind chill values as low as -6. North wind around 10 mph. Tonight Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 2. Wind chill values as low as -6. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 17. Calm wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Thursday Night A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -1. East wind around 5 mph. Friday Partly sunny, with a high near 19. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 9. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 27. Breezy. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 10. Breezy. Sunday Partly sunny, with a high near 19. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 23. Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. |
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