News Update

Community Calendar for Wednesday, June 5th, 2024

Just over one point two million dollars is on the way to Charlevoix County as its share of the state’s opioid settlement. Last Friday, the Community Recovery Alliance partnered with Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office to conduct a roundtable discussion on how use those funds.  Stakeholders from Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Otsego and Antrim counties were there. They discussed services that could be provided including mutual aid support groups, peer recovery coaching, connections to community resources, recovery community centers, sober living homes and more. The funds are part of a 26 billion dollar settlement with pharmaceutical distributors Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen along with opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson.

 

A new report ranks Michigan 18th among the states for the well-being of its older residents. Michigan News Connection’s Chrystal Blair has the details.

The “America’s Health Rankings Senior Report” from United Health Group looks at more than 52 measures of health and wellness spanning over a decade. Dr. Rhonda Randall with UnitedHealthcare says one of the most significant improvements is that more seniors can now be online.

 

:15  “Eighty-five percent of seniors in our country have access to high speed internet. This is significant because it helps us connect with our family and our friends. It helps us connect with our healthcare providers whenever we need to see a doctor or access care remotely.”

She says another plus is an increase in the number of healthcare providers in the field of geriatric care. But across the country, the report says more older people are living in poverty – including almost one in ten Michigan seniors.

The report says almost 15-percent of Michiganders age 65 and older battle depression, and too many don’t get enough physical activity. 76-year-old Ann Coleman of Farmington Hills leads an exercise class in her senior apartment community. She believes more activities for older people would help them, both physically and mentally.

 

:15  “They don’t have no visitors and just want somebody to talk to. Some of them just get out of their apartment and they go sit in the lunchroom by themselves. Or somebody else comes in, they’ll talk with them, or go back to their apartments and say them four walls are ‘closing in on them.’ They need something to do.”

And Dr. Randall says for the first time, the report includes data on unpaid caregiving. In Michigan, almost 13-percent of people age 15 and older are caring for an older adult – with no financial compensation.

 

:06  “The burden on those caregivers is important too, because one of the things we see is, they have a tendency to neglect their own health.”

The report says addressing unpaid elder care in the U-S will require policies and programs that support caregivers, such as expanded tax credits.

Mackinac Island is celebrating the opening of a new Nature Center fo Arch Rock there. The 7.5 million dollar facility includes a nature center, gathering space and restrooms. M-Live has a video tour of the facilities that’s linked in today’s script online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBIELrgNmVs

 

Arch Rock Nature Center video from MLive

 

A reminder that tickets are on sale now for all summer events at the BIC Center.  The Celebrate Variety 2024 Event Series include the Pairs as part of the Sustainability Fair on June 21st and on the 22nd, Island favorite Claudia Schmidt will be back at the BIC Center with Sally Rgers.  It’s the first time they’ve been together on the BIC Center stage in at least five years. Claudia will be our guest tomorrow evening on Beaver Island Perspectives. She says she’ll have a special treat for Islanders in the show on the 22nd.

Also, I have a brand new song I’m working on that I actually wrote when I was on the island last August for the wedding the the Crosswhite wedding and and it’s it, it sort of took me over while I was in the Hidden Valley Trail and and it’s called the Old Islander returns or Beaver Island shores and I’m. I’ve never performed it yet. I sort of tucked it away and I’m going to. I’m going to have it ready and and do it that night.

Tickets for Claudia and Sally at the BIC Center are available at tickets dot bic center dot org.  There’ll you’ll find a full lineup of summer events…music, theater, art classes, trivia, dinning and more including Baroque on Beaver, the Music Festival and the Irish Feile. 

Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle…

 

First your meeting planner for the week…

 

Peaine Township Planning Commission meets Wednesday morning at 9:00. B-I-C-S Committee of the whole meets Wednesday afternoon at 5:30. Island Roots Gardening Club meets Thursday at 4:00.  A-A meets Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6:00. And that’s it for the week. Locations and more details are in the calendar entries online.

 

On the fun front today, Wednesday, C-O-A has Cardio Drumming at 10:15. At 4:00, the Whiskey Point Lighthouse will open for tours until 7:00. Wednesday evening it’s time for BINGO at the Gregg Fellowship Center. Doors open at 6:15 for fellowship. Games start at 7:00.

 

Thursday, B-I-C-S students have exams and a half day of school. Pickleball is outside 10:00 to noon on the township courts. Women’s Bible Study is also at 10:00 over at the Christian Church. C-O-A Tai Chi is at 11:00 in the Hangout at the BIC Center. Resale Shop is open noon to 4:00. And Thursday is Burger and a Beer night at the Shamrock at 5 p.m. In the sky Thursday Night is the June New Moon. It should be a great opportunity for star gazing if the weather cooperates.  There’s more info at dark sky island dot org.

 

Friday, Senior and Vets Coffee and Donuts is from 9:00 to 11:00 at the BIC Center. At 10:30 there’s the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program up in the Hangout. Resale Shop is open noon to 4:00.

 

Saturday, there’s Pickleball outdoors on the Peaine Township courts from 10:00 to noon. Also at 10:00, there’s an Artisan Market out at Whiskey Point. Art, crafts, baked goods, plants, produce and more including plants from the Health Center Wellness Garden team. Whiskey Point Lighthouse will be open for tours from 10:00 to noon. At 12:30, B-I-C-S seniors will parade through town to their graduation ceremony on the soccer pitch behind school.  That starts at 1:00. Graduation parties will follow. Also at 1:00, the Fiero coding club with is on at the library. 

 

Sunday, there are services at the Episcopal Mission at 9:00 and at the Christian Church at 10:00, and mass at Holy Cross Church at 12:15 p.m. And, the Whiskey Point Light is open from 10:00 to noon.

 

Looking ahead to next week…

 

C-O-A has Cardio Drumming in the Theater at the BIC Center starting at 10:15. And, Monday Nights at the Movies continue for the Summer tonight with Damsel. A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. It’s rated PG-13.  Showtime is 5:00.

 

Tuesday, Pickleball is on from 10:00 to noon now outdoors on the Peaine Township Park courts. At 10:30 it’s the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program in the Hangout.

 

NAME OF DAY: Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Body. If that’s your name, come on down to the BIC Center to claim a free drink of your choice.

 

BIRTHDAYS: Mary Kay McPherson and Sally Stebbins are celebrating today. Happy Birthday to Sally and Mary Kay, 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.

TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. Island beltway is running smoothly. No bridge delays. But, let’s be careful out there.

On this day in 1956 New singing sensation Elvis Presley makes his second appearance on NBC’s ‘Milton Berle Show,’ this time to perform his single ‘Hound Dog.’ Teenagers swoon, while the older set and most critics are outraged at Presley’s indecent gyrations. Future TV gigs will film Elvis from the waist up. Also on this date in 1967, citing a military build-up near its border with Egypt, Israel launches air strikes on Egyptian airfields, destroying upwards of 400 aircraft. The Six-Day War will grow to include Syria and Jordan, and Israel will capture the Sinai Peninsula, Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights.

On this day image

Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is affluent (adjective) [AF-loo-unt]. Someone described as affluent has a large amount of money and owns many expensive things. Something, such as a place or institution, described as affluent is similarly rich or wealthy.

Visualize with us: coffers overflowing, a cash flow more than adequate, assets that are fluid, an elderly duck in a top hat diving into a pool of gold coins. The images conjured reflect the essence of the word affluent. Based on the Latin verb fluere, [flu-air-ay] meaning “to flow,” affluent is all about flow. (The same image is echoed in other fluere descendants, such as confluence, fluctuatefluid, influence, mellifluous, and superfluous.) The flowing of goods or riches wasn’t the word’s first concern, however; 16th century print examples of affluent tend to be about the abundance of such intangibles as “goodness” and “spirit.” In the 17th century, the flow suggested by affluent varied greatly: streams, poisons, estates, and blood were all described with the word. In modern use, affluent most often describes wealthy people (or ducks), or places where wealthy people live.

Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Wednesday

Here’s a thought for from Elvis Presley: “Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.”

 

On a lighter note: What do you call Elvis sitting on a chair? Pelvis Restly.

That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar for this Beaver Island Wednesday, June 5th, 2024. 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

Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Temperature rising to near 68 by 10am, then falling to around 63 during the remainder of the day. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Tonight

Scattered showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday

A slight chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. West wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Thursday Night

Showers likely, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday

A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65. West wind 10 to 15 mph.

Friday Night

A 30 percent chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Saturday

A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 68.

Saturday Night

A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Sunday

A chance of showers before 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Monday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 72.

Monday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 50.

Tuesday

Sunny, with a high near 72.

Fire danger level on the island set at Low…

Lake Forecast: Out on the big drink…

Today

SSE wind 10 to 15 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms before 4pm, then a chance of showers. Waves 1 to 2 ft.

Thursday

WSW wind 10 to 15 kt. Showers likely, mainly after 1pm. Waves 1 to 2 ft.

Friday

W wind 10 to 15 kt. A chance of showers. Waves 1 to 2 ft.