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A tornado touched down in Deckerville last Saturday with no warning—highlighting dangerous gaps in Michigan’s weather radar coverage. The F-1 twister caused damage along a 1.7-mile path, but Doppler radar couldn’t detect the low-level rotation because Deckerville sits in a radar blindspot. Those blindspots exist in several parts of the state—including the Upper Peninsula, northwest Lower Peninsula, and likely Beaver Island, which sits far from any Doppler radar station. Due to the curvature of the Earth, radar beams overshoot storms forming at lower altitudes in those areas, leaving residents vulnerable to “unwarned tornadoes.” A Kentucky-based company hopes to fill those gaps by installing new radar systems. But until then, residents in radar-shadowed regions like Beaver Island may remain at risk when severe weather strikes. A new report warns President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” will create a $1.1 billion hole in Michigan’s budget—just as lawmakers are negotiating a long-term road funding plan. The shortfall could derail efforts on that front and plans to boost infrastructure spending, with both parties forced to rethink their proposals. The report comes from the nonpartisan Citizens Research Council of Michigan. The Northern Express is reporting on rising food insecurity across northern Michigan. They spoke to Feeding America West Michigan to learn that demand for food has surged 70 percent in four years, with 1 in 7 people now facing hunger—including 80,000 kids. Local pantries say the problem is growing. Northern Express has the full story—there’s a link in today’s script. On the Island, the Baroque on Beaver classical music wrapped up on Saturday with another full house perfromance at the BIC Center. The featival added to the string of events drawing record crowds to the Island this summer with virtually every ticketed performance sold out or nearly so. At the Elks Lodge Saturday Wes Leiter won the draw, but pulled the eight of hearts. The Queen is still in hiding. The pot is now over 20-thousand dollars. |
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle… First your meeting planner. A-A meets at 6:00 at the Christian Church on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday same time and place. Peaine Township Planning Commission meets Tuesday at 3:30. And that’s it on the meeting front through the end of next week. On the fun front today… Monday Summer Yoga is at the BIC Center at 9:30 in the Theater with a Basic Flow session followed by a Therapeutic Chair session at 11:00. At 10:00, Nancy Peterson will be at the library leading a session on beading. C-O-A has Cardio Drumming at 10:00 and a Crafter’s Social at 11:00, both out at Peaine Township Hall. Monday evening is all you can eat pizza night at the Beachcomber, and Realtor Ssheri Richards is hosting a Party on the Porch Open House at the McCann House on Kings Highway as you head out of town. There’ll be lite snacks, wine and other drinks. That runs from 7:00 until 9:00. Tuesday, there’s Chair Strength Training at the BIC Center at 9:00. Pickleball is outside on the township courts at 9:00. Babes and Toddlers mix it up at the library at 10:00. At 10:30, there’s C-O-A Walkersize with a walk from Heritage Park out to the St. James Campground and back. At 1:00, drop by the BIC Center Hangout to play Mah Jongg [mah jawng]. Tuesday evening at 7:00, meet Islands of Deception author Chris Thelen at the library. In our dark skies Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the bright waxing gibbous moon will glow near the Teapot asterism of Sagittarius the Archer. The bright moon will likely drown out the dimmer stars of the Teapot. They’ll set a few hours before sunrise. There’s more at dark sky island dot org. Highlights for the rest of the week include… Wednesday, Summer Yoga is on at the BIC Center at 9:30 with a restorative session. At the library, there’s Kids Storytime, Crafts and Art for three years and up at 10:00 and then for 10 years and up at 11:00. At the BIC Center, there’s Bingo at 1:00 in the Hangout. At 3:00 C-O-A has Fun & Gamers out at Peaine Township Hall. And, there’s BINGO Wednesday evening at the Gregg Fellowship Center. Doors open for fellowship at 6:15. Games start at 7:00. Thursday at 9:00, there’s Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts. At 10:00 a trifecta of activities: Tai Chi in the Hangout at the BIC Center, C-O-A Cardio Drumming out at the Peaine Township Hall and Women’s Bible Study at the Christian Church. At 11:00, the COA has a Crafter’s Social at the Peaine Township Hall. At 5:30 next Thursday, the BIC Center W-V-B-I Summer Breeze Gala gets underway out at the Biological Station. Enjoy a plated dinner, beer, wine and other beverages, live and silent auctions, raffle prizes, music from John Ellison and the Carpenter Ants…and the company of Island friends all at an event to support the BIC Center and W-V-B-I. Tickets are at tickets dot bic center dot org. Also Thursday evening, it’s Burger and a Beer Night at the Shamrock and over at the library at Elizabeth Claire Rose will be the artist in residence for the evening. She’s a print maker who works with photography and collage. That starts at 7:30. Friday, kicks with Senior + Vets Coffee + Donuts is on at the BIC Center from 8:30 to 11:30. At 9:00, there’s Chair Strength Training in the Hangout at the BIC Center and Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts. Summer Yoga is at 9:30 with a basic flow session in the theater at the BIC Center. C-O-A has a Walkersize session at 10:30, a walk from Heritage Park to the St. James Campground and back. Island Homecoming activities get underway at 12:45 with Ryley Maudrie playing the National Anthem ahead of the 50th annual Bud McDonnough Memorial Softball Tournament. At 6:00 there’s Cleats and Chaos as the Island’s fiercest females bring action to the diamond. And at 7:00 it’s the Mike Perdue Memorial Concert the Doghouse Boodlers playing rock-n-roll. [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.] Saturday, there’s Pickleball outdoors at 9:00. The Artisan’s Market is on out by the lighthouse at Whiskey Point. That starts at 10:00. At 1:00, there’s a Garden Open house on the south end at Giona Mangra’s and Scot Simon’s Shenanigan’s Garden. That’s to support the Wellness Garden at the Health Center. No charge, but your free will donation will help the wellness garden. Also, at 1:00, the Fiero Coding Club is on at the Library. And, Saturdays are Prime Rib night at the Shamrock. After dinner head out to see a full moon rising over Paradise Bay. [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 Episcopal Mission at 9:00 and the Christian Church at 10:00, and Mass at Holy Cross at 12:15. Looking ahead to highlights for next week… |
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NAME OF DAY: The BIC Center Name of the Day is Colleen. If that’s your name, come on into the BIC Center today to pick out a free drink of your choice. BIRTHDAYS: Brandon Maudie, Keith Teague, Tracy Paquin and Mary Delamater are on our list today. Happy Birthday to Mary, Tracy, Keith and Brandon 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 with no bridge delays. But it is very busy in town when the ferry arrives, and the warm weather means lots of folks at the public beach plus hikers and bikers everywhere. Plus, baby turtles are busy crossing. So, let’s be careful out there. |
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On this date in 1814, U-S forces land on Mackinac Island, aiming to retake it from the British who captured it without firing a shot at the outbreak of the War of 1812. The battle unfolds on Michael Dousman’s farm, near the road to British Landing. The attack fails—15 Americans are killed and 50 wounded, including the attacking forces leader Major Andrew Holmes, a Virginian and friend of Thomas Jefferson. When the U.S. regains the island under the Treaty of Ghent later that year, Fort George is renamed Fort Holmes in his honor.
Painting of the battle to retake Fort Mackinac. Image from mackinacparks.com |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is tapestry (noun) [TAP-uh-stree]. A tapestry is a heavy textile characterized by complicated pictorial designs and used for hangings, curtains, and upholstery. In figurative use, tapestry may refer to anything made up of different things. Several languages weave through the history of tapestry, which comes from a Greek word meaning “carpet” and traveled through Anglo-French and Middle English before arriving in modern English in the 15th century. Tapestry isn’t the only art word that’s developed a figurative “medley” sense; collage and mosaic are both used figuratively to mean “a collection of different things.” |
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Monday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day from John Andrew Holmes who was a poet and politician alive during the War of 1812, but not the namesake of Fort Holmes: “It is well to remember that the entire universe, with one trifling exception, is composed of others.” |
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On a lighter note… When does a joke become a Dad joke? When the punchline becomes apparent. When does the punchline become apparent? After the delivery. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Monday, August 4th, 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 Areas of smoke before 3pm, then areas of smoke after 5pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 74/78. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph. Tonight Areas of smoke between 9pm and 10pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Tuesday Areas of smoke between 10am and 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75/78. East wind around 10 mph. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. East wind around 10 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 80/85. East wind around 10 mph. Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 80/85. Thursday Night A chance of showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Friday A chance of showers before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 81/86. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 81/86. Saturday Night A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Sunday A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 80/85. |
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Fire Danger Level on the Island set at High. |
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today SE wind 5 to 10 kt becoming N in the afternoon. Areas of smoke before 3pm, then Areas of smoke after 4pm. Waves 1 ft or less. Tuesday ESE wind 5 to 10 kt becoming NE in the afternoon. Areas of smoke after 7am. Waves 1 ft or less. Wednesday Variable winds 5 kt or less. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. |
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Water Temperature: It’s 69 in Little Traverse Bay. The North Lake Michigan buoy southwest of Gull is reporting 69 with flat seas.
Mid Lake Michigan photo at time shown. Provided by NWS |
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Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
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🌪️ An F-1 tornado touched down last weekend in Deckerville without alert raising concerns radar blindspots that likely include the Island. We have details. 💸 A $1.1 billion budget hole? A new report says Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” could derail Michigan’s road funding talks. 🥫 Hunger is rising Up North—Northern Express reports a 70% jump in food pantry demand. 🎻 Baroque on Beaver wraps with full houses and rave reviews. ♠️ And the queen is still in hiding at the Elks lodge after Wes Leiter wins the Saturday draw, but misses the Queen. Pot’s now over $20K! |
