From studios in the BIC Center on America’s Emerald Isle, this is the WVBI Community Calendar for Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021. |
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First, some news… Health Department of Northwest Michigan conducted their third island vaccination clinic yesterday—this time at the school. That worked a lot more smoothly than the clinic at the Health Center a few weeks ago because there was room for people to come inside to wait rather than having to stay in their cars. 75 people got the jab yesterday. Combined with those vaccinated at prior clinics, that brings the total on the island to just over 250 people—approaching almost half the official population. Most still need to get their second shot. 155 will do that at another clinic on the 17th, That will bring the number of people who are fully vaccinated to 180. The high vaccination rates on the island are the result of a lot of hard work from the health department and island volunteers—and driven by the high percentage of older residents along with a high percentage of younger residents who are essential workers. The Michigan Reconnect program goes live today. It’s the result of bipartisan legislation setting aside 30-million-dollars to cover tuition at Community Colleges for students 25 or older without a college degree. You need to have a high school diploma and have been a resident of Michigan for a year to be eligible. Because Charlevoix County doesn’t have a local community college, the assistance is for the applicable in-district tuition of where you choose to go. That’s a gap of $85 per credit at North Central that can probably be narrowed with other financial aid—or by moving to Emmet County for school. Information on how to apply is in today’s script online: https://www.michigan.gov/reconnect/0,9968,7-417-102946—,00.html Let Them Play filed a lawsuit yesterday aimed at lifting the current ban on high school sports. They say that while they understand efforts to fight COVID-19, the data and science don’t support the ban on high school sports. Michigan is one of only two states with such a ban now in place. The complaint alleges violations of the state and federal constitution and also claims that the Health Department failed to follow the rules in implementing the ban. Statewide there are now 65,383 active cases—down again this time by about 8,000. Our region has 1,462—down by 200. Average positivity rates also continue to look good. Statewide is down a half point to 5.1%. It’s 5.6% in our safe start zone—down a tenth. The rate in Charlevoix county is up four tenths to 2.1%. The C-D-C target is 3%. New case per million rates continue on a steady slope down—now for almost a month for the state, our zone and Charlevoix County. And, statewide and safe start zone hospital overall occupancy rates continue to look good—essentially normal. 6% of available beds are occupied with COVID-19 patients. For I-C-U beds, COVID occupancy is 10.3%. There are no COVID-19 patients at Munson in Charlevoix and three at McLaren in Petoskey—all in their I-C-U. On the island, no new tests. No tests pending. No new positives since December 7th. Complete data for our region plus summaries for the state, the T-C safe start zone and the U-P are in today’s script online.
Data from February 2, 2021, 2021 |
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Now, a look at what’s happening on your island… Meeting planner for this week: The School Board’s committee of the whole meets today at 4, and the regular St. James Township board meeting is at 5:30 this evening. Remote attendance is encouraged. Details on that are in the calendar entries online. BIC Center has moved back to regular Winter hours. New hours are 9 to 4 weekdays, noon to 9 on Saturdays and closed on Sunday. The concession stand will be open for dine in and take out during those times. If you drop by you’ll find the Hangout freshly painted—it’s just a tad brighter—and cleaned. In the Welcome Center, the tables have all been refinished. Pickleball is back indoors at the BIC Center—and back to a regular schedule. They are playing Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1:00 to 3:00. They will also do occasional pickup games. Watch social media or listen to WVBI to hear about those. Also restarted are the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program—10:30 to 11:30 on Tuesdays and Fridays—and Games Galore—Thursdays from 1:00 to 4:00. Both of those up in the Deerwood Hangout. Saturday movies are back in the BIC Center Theater, too. 4:00 show this Saturday will be the Fantastic Mr. Fox—great stop action animation that’s good for the kids and fun for mom and dad. And at 7, it’s a Misbehaviour—the true story of the some pioneers of the modern Feminism movement. If you are looking for some Valentine’s fun, check out the C-O-A’s online Valentine Bingo game. For more details, check the calendar entry. |
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Keep up to date on COVID-19 news with the W-V-B-I COVID-19 info page. Click COVID-19 Info in the menu at W-V-B-I dot net. |
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Weather, here there and everywhere – presented every day with the support of Hogarth’s Pest Control: |
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Today Sunny, with a high near 30. Calm wind. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 27. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph after midnight. Thursday Snow showers likely before 2pm, then rain and snow showers likely between 2pm and 4pm, then snow showers after 4pm. High near 34. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Thursday Night Snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 22. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of around 5 inches. Friday Snow showers. High near 30. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of around 3 inches. Friday Night A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 11. Breezy. Saturday A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 16. Breezy. Saturday Night A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 4. Sunday A chance of snow showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 10. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around -1. Monday Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near 9. Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 1. Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 14. |
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TRAFFIC: No delays out there other than folks stopped watching the wildlife or finishing a call before cell coverage drops. But, roads are snow covered and slick, so when you do head out, let’s be careful out there. |
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BIRTHDAYS: Simeon Richards is celebrating today. Happy Birthday to Simeon and, if we missed you on the list, happy birthday to you, too, from all of us at WVBI and your Beaver Island Community Center. |
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ON THIS DAY in 1964 nearly half a million New York City public school students skip class to protest the dismal state of inner-city schools, which largely serve Black and Hispanic families forced by redlining into overcrowded districts. Though marches in the Deep South and the nation’s capital will overshadow it, Freedom Day sets a record as the largest civil rights demonstration of the 1960s. Also on this day in 1959, Rock ‘n’ roll star Buddy Holly, 22, perishes along with fellow hit-makers Richie Valens, J.P. ‘Big Bopper’ Richardson, and their pilot, when their Beechcraft plane goes down in a storm shortly after takeoff. (Bing.com) |
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WORD OF THE DAY: quisling (noun) [KWIZ-ling], which means: one who commits treason : traitor, collaborator. Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian army officer who in 1933 founded Norway’s fascist party. In December 1939, he met with Adolf Hitler and urged him to occupy Norway. Following the German invasion of April 1940, Quisling served as a figurehead in the puppet government set up by the German occupation forces, and his linguistic fate was sealed. Before the end of 1940, quisling was being used generically in English to refer to any traitor. Winston Churchill, George Orwell, and H. G. Wells used it in their wartime writings. Quisling lived to see his name thus immortalized, but not much longer. He was executed for treason soon after the liberation of Norway in 1945. (Merriam-Webster) |
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Wednesday … |
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Here’s a thought for the day from Buddy Holly: “If anyone asks you what kind of music you play, tell him ‘pop.’ Don’t tell him ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ or they won’t even let you in the hotel.” On a lighter note: What did Jerry Garcia become when his daughter was born? The grateful dad. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar for this Beaver Island, Wednesday, February 3rd, 2021. I’m Kevin Boyle reporting from W-V-B-I’s Langford Family Studios wishing you a great day and asking: why not go ahead and make it the best day ever? And, thanks for listening. |
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