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A new push to protect Michigan lawmakers comes after protesters recently targeted the home of state Rep. Angela Rigas. The Caledonia Republican says she was frightened as activists demanded she drop a bill on undocumented immigrants. Now, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed a law expanding the Legislature’s sergeants-at-arms authority to investigate threats and provide security at lawmakers’ homes. Another bill moving forward would let elected officials remove personal information from public records. Supporters call it necessary for safety; critics warn it could hurt transparency.
Meanwhile, the Traverse Ticker reports that new bills in Lansing could let northern Michigan counties add a 3% tax on hotels and short-term rentals to help pay for infrastructure and emergency services. Representative John Roth says the plan likely won’t pass as written but is jump-starting debate on fair tourism revenue sharing. Airbnb backs the idea, but local tourism leaders warn it could undermine existing lodging assessments.
Bridge MI says Michigan may soon ban sales of the stinky callery pear tree and five other invasive plants. State agriculture officials want to add them to Michigan’s prohibited and restricted species list, saying they spread quickly and crowd out native plants. The rules would apply mainly to sellers, not homeowners. If approved after a public comment period, bans on prohibited plants would take effect a month later, while restrictions on widely-grown species — like callery pear and buckthorn — would begin in 2028.
Island Airways has a holiday ticket sale on ten packs of tickets. Buy a book of ten and get an extra ticket free.
Image from Island Airways
Pam Grassmick has started a Go-Fund-Me project to help Laura Green in her battle against cancer. There’s a link in today’s script online.
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle…
First your meeting planner…
A-A meets this Saturday evening at 6:00 at the Christian Church. Next week AA meets Tuesday, Thursday (maybe) and Saturday at 6:00. That’s it on the meeting front next week.
[In our Dark Sky…several events on the horizon, including “November Evening Planets,” a “New Moon” viewing, “Moon & Teapot,” a “Planetary Lineup” featuring Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury, and even a chance to spot Comet Lemmon. Visit the website dark sky island dot org for all the dates and times of upcoming events]
On the fun front today…
Friday…there’s Senior & Vets Coffee + Donuts at the BIC Center at 9:00 until 11:00. Also at 9:00, there’sChair Strength Training…that upstairs in the Hang out.
Then at 10:00 there’s Pickleball in the theater.
[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.]
Saturday, the Fiero Code Club is on at the Library at 1:00 with a new program along side it called Girls that Code for girls in grades 3-12. At the BIC Center Saturday there is a pair of Big Read Survival movies sponsored by the library. At 3:00 its Wall-E, the Pixar classic about a lone robot left to clean up an abandoned Earth. Before the show, the B-I-C-S robotics team B-I-robot will present a short demonstration that will include a running display of its 2025 competition robot, racing Lego robots and a look at what the team is all about. Wall-E is rated PG. Then at 6:00 its Greenland. The story of a dad working to save his family in catastrophic end of time. Rated PG-13. And remember, Saturday evenings are Prime Rib Night at the Shamrock.
[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.
Looking ahead to highlights for next week…
There’s Let’s Get Quizzical. The Beaver Island trivia game at the BIC Center Tuesday evening at 6:00. Sign your tem up at tickets dot bic center dot org. Wednesday, it’s a Thanksgiving Eve Time for Art. This week, coffee painting on watercolor paper. And on Thursday, there’s an Ecumenical Thanksgiving Day Service at 10:00 at the Christian Church and then at 6:00 the community thanksgiving supper at the G-F-C. All are welcome. Bring a dish to pass if you can.
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NAME OF DAY: The BIC Center Name of the Day is Levi. If that’s your name, head on down to the BIC Center to pick out a free drink of your choice.
BIRTHDAYS: Skylar Marsh, Connie Wojan and Jim Bontrager celebrate today. Happy Birthday to Connie, Skylar and Jim, 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: The W-V-B-I virtual octo-copter reports…no traffic. But, as always, let’s be careful out there, especially in the school zone.
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On this day in 1934, a 17-year-old Ella Fitzgerald steps onto the Apollo Theater stage planning to dance for Amateur Night — but in the moment, she decides to sing instead. Her renditions of Judy and The Object of My Affection bring down the house, win the competition, and launch one of the greatest careers in American music.
Ella Fitzgerald in a photo in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery. Phot by William Paul Gottlieb
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is bloviate (verb) [BLOH-vee-ayt]. To bloviate means to go on and on — speaking or writing in an overly wordy, puffed-up way. President Warren G. Harding is often tied to the term; he used it to mean simply “hanging around,” but his famously long speeches gave it a more verbose twist. The word likely comes from blow plus the suffix -ate, and dates back to Ohio slang in the late 1800s.
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Friday…
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On a lighter note…why did Ella let the turkey join her band? Because he had his own drumsticks.
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Friday, November 21st, 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
A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 4pm, then a slight chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 42. West wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Saturday
A slight chance of rain and snow showers between 1pm and 4pm, then a slight chance of rain showers after 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday Night
Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Southwest wind around 15 mph becoming west after midnight.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. West wind around 15 mph.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Monday
Partly sunny, with a high near 48.
Monday Night
Showers likely, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 41.
Tuesday
Showers. Cloudy, with a high near 48.
Tuesday Night
Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Wednesday
Rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Breezy.
Wednesday Night
Snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Breezy.
Thanksgiving Day
A chance of snow showers. Mostly
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Fire Danger Level on the Island set at Low. Air Quality Index this morning at 8:00 was 3.
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Out on the Big Drink…
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Today
W wind around 15 kt. A slight chance of rain after noon. Waves 1 to 2 ft.
Saturday
NW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SSW in the afternoon. A slight chance of rain and snow between noon and 1pm, then a slight chance of rain after 1pm. Waves 1 to 2 ft.
Sunday
WNW wind 10 to 15 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft.
Monday
SSW wind 5 to 10 kt becoming SSE in the afternoon. Partly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less.
Tuesday
SE wind around 10 kt becoming SSW in the afternoon. Rain. Waves around 1 ft.
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Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org
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Comin up in our Community Calendar Report…
New security powers for Michigan lawmakers after protesters target a legislator’s home…
Plus, a proposed 3% tourism tax could reshape how northern Michigan pays for infrastructure—Airbnb likes it, local tourism groups don’t… And the state moves to ban a half-dozen invasive plants, including the notorious callery pear. Island Airways rolls out a holiday ticket deal… and the community rallies for Laura Green. All of those stories plus a run-down of local events, birthdays and more afte rthis global and national news update from F-S-N. It’s [timecheck].
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