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Grand Traverse County commissioners narrowly voted 5–4 last night to back up to $71 million in bonds for Cherry Capital Airport’s planned spring expansion. The move uses the county’s strong AA+ credit rating to secure lower interest costs — savings the airport says will top $16 million over 30 years. Supporters say TVC’s growth benefits residents; opponents warn the county is assuming real financial risk if revenues fall short. An architectural rendering of the proposed expansion is included in today’s script online.
Architect’s rendering of proposed expansion to Cherry Capitol Airport. Image from Traverse Ticker The Line 5 debate took a twist this week after the U.S. Army Corps introduced a late-breaking alternative to the tunnel: horizontal directional drilling, or HDD. The move left many confused and frustrated during a three-hour public hearing, with critics calling it a bait-and-switch. Enbridge says the HDD option isn’t their proposal — and that they still plan to build the tunnel. Comments on the plan are due today. A final decision is expected in spring 2026. The Annual Toy Drive is on, led again this year by Connie Boyle. Toys go to boys and girls in Charlevoix County, including on the Island. Toys need to be new and unwrapped. There are collection boxes at Welke Airport on the Island and at the Charlevoix Airport. Or drop your toy by Connie’s house, or leave it in her or Neal’s car. Deadline is the 15th. The Transit Service has moved to Winter Hours. They are 9:00 to 2:00 Monday through Friday. Service outside that time may be available depending on driver availability at an extra fee. Seniors ride free. Adults are two bucks and kids a buck fifty. Deliveries are five dollars. Call 844-582-6900 to schedule a ride. Here’s another holiday shopping tip. The Boat Company has ornaments featuring the Emerald Isle available to decorate your tree or give to someone else who loves the Island. And, Clarion Vitality will be open this Saturday and Sunday for holiday shopping. Hours are noon to 5 on Saturday and noon to 2:00 on Sunday. You can book treatments there Monday through Friday 9:00 to 3:00. They are located next to the brewery. Also open this weekend with special hours is St. James Pottery. Noon to 4:00 on Saturday. They are on Carlisle Road, which is at the corner by the Health Center. And, in sports, the annual Great Lakes Islands Alliance basketball tourney comes to the Island next weekend with the Islanders boys and girls teams going into action for the first time this season right here at home. Plus, after another disappointing Turkey Day loss to the Packers, the Lions kept playoff hopes alive last night with prime time win over the Cowboys 44 to 30. |
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle… First your meeting planner… A-A meets Saturday at 6:00. Next week, School Board meets Monday evening at 6:30. Transportation Authority meets Tuesday at noon. St. James Board meets Wednesday at 5:30. That’s it on the meeting front through the end of next week. On the fun front today… Friday gets underway with Senior + Vets Coffee + Donuts is on at the BIC Center from 9:00 to 11:00. Pickleball is at 10:00 in the Theater and Chair Strength Training is up in the Hangout at 10:30. The Historical Society has their Holiday Social at 6:00 at the Print Shop, which is all decorated for the holiday including special trees for each of the Island’s non-profits.
A sample of the trees on display at the Print Shop. Photos from BIHS Facebook post [On the radio, Kick off your weekend with our fantastic Friday lineup! After the 6:00pm news, enjoy “That Thing with Rich Appel” featuring top forty hits from the 70s. At 9:00pm, tune into “The Titus Jennings Experience” offering music from all genres, followed by “The Midnight Special” with Marilyn Rea Beyer at 11:00pm for music, farce comedy, and late-night escape.] On Saturday, the Fiero Code Club is on at the library at 1:00 with a new program alongside it called Girls that Code for girls in grades 3-12. At the BIC Center Saturday, it’s a day of Christmas fun. A special visitor from the north will arrive around 4:00 with special treats and picture opportunities for good girls and boys. At 5:30 there’ll be a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony and then at 6:00 it’s the Christmas Concert: Home for The Holidays: An Island Christmas. There’s no charge for any of this, but you do need to reserve a seat for the concert at tickets dot bic center dot org. [On the radio, tune in for Country Classics at 5:00 Saturday evening with host Sheri Timsak. At 7:00, Jackson Smith and Steve Girbach are in with Songs from the Trail. Mark Beltaire takes over at 9:00 with Rockin’ the Boat and continues at 10:00 with the Blues Cruise. Cousin Dan wraps up the evening with the Too Good Radio Show starting at 11:00.] Sunday, there are services at the Christian Church at 10:00 and mass at Holy Cross at 12:15. And at 3:00 it’s the Christmas Cantata. Looking ahead to highlights for next week… Monday is all you can eat pizza and salad night at the Shamrock. And, preorders are do for the Christmas Cookie Carnival. Order sheets are available at the Christian Church, the BIC Center, the Market and Island Energies. Tuesday, there’s Pickleball at the BIC Center at 10:00, and Babes and Toddlers mix it up over at the library at 10:00. And in the Hang Out at the BIC Center, there’s Chair Strength Training at 10:30. Wednesday, there’s bingo at the BIC Center at 1:00 in the Hangout. At 2:00, Little Ceasar Pizza kits will be ready for pick-up at school. And, Wednesday evening, It’s Time for Art at 5:00 at the BIC Center. This week it’s making Christmas Post Cards and Gift Tags with printmaking and stencil techniques. Thursday, at 10:00, there’s pickleball in the theater and Tai Chi is in the Hangout both at the BIC Center and there is Women’s Bible Study at the Christian Church. Thursday evenings are Burger & a Beer Night at the Shamrock, plus Thursday Night is time for Euchre at Whiskey Point Brewery. Cards hit the table at 7:00. Next Friday, the annual Great Lakes Islands Basketball Tournament gets underway with teams for our fellow islands all headed here for a series of games that will run through Saturday. |
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NAME OF DAY: Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Vera. If that’s your name, come into the BIC Center to pick out a free drink of your choice, courtesy of your friends at the BIC Center and WVBI. BIRTHDAYS: Katie Robeson, Carolyn Works, Denny Cook and Mackenzie Gorlewski are on our list today. Happy Birthday to Mackenzie, Carolyn, Katie and Denny and, if we missed you on the list, Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at WVBI and your Beaver Island Community Center. |
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TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. The Island Beltway is running smoothly and there are no bridge delays. But, the roads are super slick with yet another fresh coat of snow so, let’s be careful out there, especially in the school zone. |
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On this date in 1843, the U.S. Navy commissioned the USS Michigan — the first iron-hulled warship to patrol the Great Lakes. It later played a defining role on Beaver Island: helping federal officers arrest James Jesse Strang in 1851, and then, in 1856, carrying his assassins to safety after they shot Strang as he walked to the dock to visit the ship at the invitation of its captain. A piece of the ship lives on today — its prow is preserved at the Erie Maritime Museum.
Prow of the USS Michigan on display at the Erie Maritime Museum. Photo from pabucketlist.com
Illustration of the USS Michigan underway on steam power. Image from Erie Maritime Museum |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is inoculate (verb) [ih-NAHK-yuh-layt], a verb meaning to introduce something like a vaccine into a person or animal to prevent disease. It can also mean to introduce a microorganism into a place where it will grow, or figuratively, to protect an idea by planting it in someone’s mind. The word traces back to the Latin oculus, meaning “eye,” because early inoculation referred to inserting a plant’s bud — an “eye” — into another plant. |
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Friday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day from Walt Disney, born on this day in 1901: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” |
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On a lighter note… What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations? Tinsilitis! |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Friday, December 5th, 2025. 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 Snow showers. High near 31. Windy, with a southwest wind 25 to 30 mph decreasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible. Tonight Snow showers, mainly before 1am. Low around 21. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible. Saturday A 10 percent chance of snow showers before 7am. Partly sunny, with a steady temperature around 26. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of snow showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 18. Northwest wind around 10 mph. Sunday A 40 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 25. Blustery, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Monday A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. Breezy. Monday Night Snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 22. Breezy. Tuesday Snow showers likely, mainly before 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 33. Tuesday Night Snow showers likely, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 24. Wednesday Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 32. Breezy. Wednesday Night A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Blustery. Thursday A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. |
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Air Quality Index this morning was 9. |
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today SW wind 20 to 25 kt, with gusts as high as 35 kt. Snow. Waves 9 ft subsiding to 4 ft. Saturday NW wind 10 to 20 kt. A slight chance of snow before noon. Waves 1 to 3 ft. Sunday NNW wind 10 to 15 kt. A chance of snow. Waves 1 to 2 ft. Monday SSW wind 5 to 10 kt increasing to 15 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 kt. A chance of snow after noon. Waves 1 to 3 ft. Tuesday WSW wind 15 to 20 kt. Snow likely. Waves 5 ft subsiding to 2 ft. |
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Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
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Coming up in our Community Calendar Report… Grand Traverse County Commisioners narrowly back $71 million in airport bonds to expand Cherry Capitol Airport. Plus, last-minute confusion in the Line 5 debate as the Army Corps promotes a new drilling option Enbridge says isn’t theirs. Connie Boyle’s annual Toy Drive is underway, Transit moves to winter hours, and we have more holiday shopping tips for the weekend. And in sports — the Islanders get ready for the GLIA tourney, and the Lions bounce back in prime time. All of those stories plus a run-down of local events, birthdays and more all after this global and national news update from F-S-N. It’s [timecheck]. |
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Today’s featured image: Architect’s rendering of proposed expansion to Cherry Capitol Airport. Image from Traverse Ticker |
