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Finally a no news is good news day on the COVID-19 front. The Health Center COVID-19 tally shows no new cases—no new tests, and no new positives. The result is a drop in the seven-day positive test count to 33. Nothing new from the state yesterday, but the Health Department of Northwest Michigan released their weekly update covering June first to the seventh showing 31 new cases in Charlevoix in the past week and no deaths. It’s not clear how those numbers sync up with the 33 positive results on the island alone. There have been reports of dead fish showing up out on Lake Michigan and on some beaches on the island. The D-N-R says it is part of a die-off of alewives with the fish showing up on beaches from Muskegon to Beaver Island. Alewives are an invasive fish native to the Atlantic that are not well adapted to fresh water. Mass die-offs like those occurring now have occurred before. Experts say it could be the result of the inability of the fish to control their body temperature in the more rapidly changing water temperatures in the Great Lakes. The big difference in water salinity may contribute as well. Observers say this is the biggest die-off in a decade. Salmon, steelhead and brown trout like to munch on the little fish—indeed salmon were introduced and are stocked in the lakes to control alewives—but so far there seems to be no concern that the die off will impact sport fishing in the lake this summer. If you think it is tough to get in to get work done on your car here on the island, you might take some solace in news that it is an issue state-wide. The problem stems from shortages of qualified mechanics to do the work and parts necessary to make the repairs. Those shortages are an issue both a dealerships and independent garages. |
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Now, here’s a look at what’s happening on your island… Here’s your meeting planner for the week: B-I-C-S Committee of the whole meets Wednesday at 5:30 at school. St. James Township Board meets at the same time at the Township Hall. Elks Club meets Thursday Evening at 5:00 at Peaine Township Hall. On the fun front today, Wednesday, senior Chair Yoga is on up in the Hangout at the BIC Center at 10:30. This evening, BINGO is on over at Gregg Fellowship Center, Doors open at 6:15 for fellowship. Games start at 7:00. Thursday, Tai Chi is on at the BIC Center at 9:30. Pickleball is on, too, outside on tennis courts from 10 to noon. Games Galore is on up on the Hangout from 1:00 to 4:00. Also, Open Mic Night at the Bodega is on and will become Music on the Porch as the event moves outside for the warm weather. Sign-up at 6:30. Performances begin at 7:00. Friday, the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program is on up in the Hangout at 10:30. And, at 12:30 it is time for BINGO brought to you by the C-O-A. Friday starts a statewide Free Fishing Weekend on the island and the official celebration of lilac blooms on the island—and they are out in force…the lilacs that is. On Saturday, Pickleball is on 10 to noon. At 11, it’s time for the annual gardeners day at the Rural Health Center. All sorts of island friendly plants will be available for sale with proceeds to benefit the Health Center Wellness Garden. Sunday there are services at Holy Cross, the Christian Church, the Episcopal Mission and the Lighthouse fellowship. Times and more details are in the calendar. Coming up next week there are basketball camps set for B-I-C-S—both elementary and high school. And, a final calendar note…tickets for the BIC Center W-V-B-I Secret Garden Summer Gala or on sale. You can get them at the BIC Center front Desk or online at tickets dot BIC Center dot org. This year’s event will be in Gene Masta’s beautiful gardens surrounding the old Lifesaving station that once stood at Whiskey Point…and that is now his summer home. Strolling dinner, music, libations, raffles and both silent and live auctions will add to the fun of mingling with your island friends in the Secret Garden. Monday, Chair Yoga is scheduled up in the Hangout. Start time is 10:30. Tuesday, Pickleball is on at 10:00 over on the Municipal Tennis Courts. The Arthritis Foundation Exercise program is on at 10:30 in the Hangout. |
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BIRTHDAYS: Alice Ledbetter is celebrating today. Happy Birthday to Alice and, if we missed you on our 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: Our W-V-B-I virtual octo-copter is flying high in the actual clear blue skies above the island and spies…no delays inbound or outbound to the airports, no traffic on the island beltway and bridges are clear. Fawns dropping and turles crossing all over the place, though, so, let’s be careful out there. |
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ON THIS DAY in 1959 the US Post Office delivers mail by rocket. Three thousand letters streak through the sky at 600 mph, encased in a guided missile shot from the nuclear submarine USS Barbero. This newfangled airmail travels a distance of more than 100 miles in 22 minutes, but Missile Mail delivery will prove cost-prohibitive and won’t catch on. Also on this date in 1949, Newspeak, thoughtcrimes, and Big Brother are introduced as George Orwell’s vision of a dystopian future is published. ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ will be seen as both a great literary work and an accurate warning of the “double plus ungood” rise of totalitarianism and surveillance. Be careful what you say about him lest you be cancelled for using the wrong pronoun. |
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MERRIAM-WEBSTER WORD OF THE DAY: vocation (noun) [voh-KAY-shun], which can refer simply to an occupation, or it can refer to a strong desire to pursue a particular kind of work or course of action. When vocation was first used in English in the 15th century it referred specifically to a summons from God to perform a particular task or function in life, especially a religious one. This meaning is no surprise given the word’s source: it comes from Latin vocation-, vocacio, meaning “summons,” which in turn comes from vocāre, meaning “to call.” Vocation also has a secular position in the English language as a word for the strong desire to do a certain kind of work, or as a word for the work itself, making vocation a synonym of the words calling and occupation. |
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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 George Orwell: “Free speech is my right to say what you don’t want to hear.” On a lighter note: Why did the golfers get kicked out of the library? Their pants were way too loud. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar for this Beaver Island Wednesday, June 8th, 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 67. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. West wind around 5 mph. Thursday Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 67. West wind 5 to 15 mph. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 46. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 68. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Monday Night A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. |
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Out on the Big Drink: |
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Today Variable winds 5 kt or less. Partly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Tonight Variable winds 5 kt or less. Patchy fog after midnight. Waves 1 ft or less. Thursday WSW wind 5 to 10 kt. Partly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Thursday Night W wind 5 to 10 kt. Partly cloudy. Waves 1 ft or less. Friday WSW wind 5 to 10 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. |
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Water Temps: 49 at White Shoal and 54 at Sleeping Bear. Still a chilly 38 at the mid-lake buoy southwest of Gull Island. Little Traverse Bay station isn‘t reporting water temps. Still cold out there. Remember, if you are out in a small craft, remember to dress for the water not the weather. |
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Community Calendar for Wednesday, June 8th, 2022
