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The Island had an almost complete reprieve from the smoke yesterday with the AQI dropping to the high range of normal levels shortly after noon. But the smoke crept back in as the afternoon and evening progressed. This morning the AQI was back up to unhealthy levels on the Island and across the region. The smoke forecast from fire smoke C-A (firesmoke.ca) shows us clear tomorrow morning until about noon, when the haze in our skies is predicted to return.
Image from firesmoke.ca showing projected smoke cover at noon today. Image capture from firesmoke.ca
Air Quality sensor map from PurpleAir dangerous air quality reported across the state and much of region. Image from WVBI PurpleAIr Sensor report
Neither the smoke or occasion drizzle dimmed interest in the Music Festival. There were crowds there pretty much non-stop, with downtown also busy with festival attendees. An impromptu B-I-M-F mini concert on W-V-B-I Saturday afternoon drew almost 60 people to the BIC Center Theater for a short set by Tyler Gitchell and his band.
The smoke did cause issues with air travel to the Island, with many hours of no-fly time. To get packages and medicine that normally come by air across, the Boat Company carried the freight with Island Airways picking it up for distribution at Welke Airport.
The Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning for the Island and most of the mainland coastal areas around us, but that has been cancelled. A Beach Hazard Statement remains in effect, though, for those areas including the Island with dangerous swimming conditions from high waves and rip currents forecast.
The Whitmer administration’s decision to issue permits for the tunnel to replace Line 5 under the straits has drawn furious reactions from those opposed to the projects, including tribal governments. They say their fight is far from over despite state approval of two key permits last week. Environmental and tribal groups plan to appeal EGLE’s permit within 60 days. The project also still needs additional state and federal approvals, while separate lawsuits seeking to shut down the existing Line 5 pipeline continue in court.
Former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has dropped out of the Republican race for governor and endorsed Congressman John James. Cox says President Trump’s endorsement of James made victory impossible. The move leaves James and businessman Perry Johnson competing in the August 4 Republican primary.
And, speaking of that, today is the last day to register to vote online or by mail for the August 4th primary. There’s a link to step-by-step instructions on how to do either in today’s script online. Or you can just drop in to see your township clerk. Just check ahead to see when they will be in. https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Home/RegisterToVote
Over on the mainland, the Venetian Festival is underway in Charlevoix. Look for all sorts of outdoor sports competitions from soccer to croquet, nightly music, street and water parades, fireworks and an airshow. And, lots of traffic. So plan for delays if you are headed across to join in the fun or get something else done.
On the Island at the Elks Lodge Saturday night, Kathleen Wood won the draw and found a queen, but it was the Queen of Diamonds. She won $100. The Queen of Hearts remains in hiding with the pot approaching nine grand. The Queen of Hearts is still in hiding at the Elks Lodge. The next drawing is this coming Saturday. Phot from Beaver Island Elks via Facebook |
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Now here’s a look at upcoming events on your Emerald Isle…
First your meeting planner…
A-A meets Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6:00. Peaine Township Election Commission has a Public Accuracy Test at 3:00 on today and then at 4:00 their Planning Commission has a special meeting. Tuesday at 9:00 the Peaine Township Board of Review meets and at 5:30 the Peaine Township Board meets. Thursday and Friday the Peaine Township Planning Commission has meetings at 9:00 in the morning. Locations and more details are in the calendar entries online. That’s it on the meeting front through the end of the week.
On the fun front today…
Monday, at 9:30, summer yoga is on at the BIC Center. It’ll be a session on Basic Flow. COA has Cardio Drumming at 10:00 and Art Therapy at 11:00 at Peaine Township Hall. At 10:00, the first day of the Historical Society Kids Camp kicks off with a day of Tie Dyeing. At the library, the Senior Digital Social Café with Greg Doig is at 11:00. Also, at 11:00, there’s Summer Therapeutic Chair Yoga at the BIC Center. And Monday Funday at the BIC Center is an evening of magic. Trino and Aerial Ashley will be on stage for a Magic Night Out. Tickets are at tickets dot bic center dot org. And, don’t forget, Monday evenings are All You Can Eat Pizza and Salad night at the Beachcomber.
Tuesday, the Historical Society Kid’s Camp continues with Team Day. Campers compete with human tic-tac-toe or checkers. Camp starts at 10:00. At 9:00 there is Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts. At 9:30, there’s Chair Strength Training up in the Hangout at the BIC Center. At 10:00, Babes & Toddlers mix it up at the library. At 5:00, there’s a National Security Seminar with Tom Ehrhard at the BIC Center. There’s lots going on in the world. Here’s a chance to talk with an expert about what might be next.
Highlights for the rest of the week include…
Wednesday, there’s Summer Restorative Yoga BIC Center at 9:30. At 10:00 there’s American Mah Jongg at the BIC Center in the Hangout, and at 1:00 there is Afternoon Bingo. Protar’s House will be open from 1:00 to 4:00. At 4:00 the Amik Cultural Preservation Center will be open to the public with a member of the Amik Circle Society present for tours and discussions. And Wednesday evening is a special night of horror at the BIC Center with two recent get-you-thinking horror blockbusters on the BIG SCREEN with the BIC Center’s BIG SOUND. At 6:00, its Obsession. Be careful what you wish for. And, at 8:00 its Backrooms. Be careful where you look. Both are rated R.
Thursday, there’s Pickleball at Peaine Township Park at 9:00. The COA has a double feature at Peaine Twp Hall — Cardio Drumming at 10:00 and Art Therapy at 11:00. Meanwhile, there’s Women’s Bible Study at 10:00 a.m. at the BI Christian Church and at 10:30, there’s Senior Tai Chi at the BIC Center. Baroque on Beaver kicks off with Drinks, Desert and Discussion with Festival Music Director Robert Nording at the Print Shop at 7:30. Tickets are at tickets dot bic center dot org. And, Thursday evenings are Burger and a Beer Night at the Shamrock.
Friday, there’s Senior and Vets Coffee and Donuts from 8:30 to 10:30 in the Welcome Center at the BIC Center, plus Chair Strength Training up in the Hangout at 9:30. Also at 9:30, there’s Summer Yoga in the Theater. And at 10:00 A-M Pickleball Outdoors on the Peaine Township courts. And, at 11:00, the Rita Gillespie Memorial Blood Drive gets underway at the G-F-C. Every year, almost, the Island does better than the last. Help make that true by signing up to give the gift of life at versiti dot org slash M-I. That’s V-E-R-S-I-T-I dot org slash M-I.
[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, the Artisan’s Market is on at the Point starting at 10:00. Saturday night, Baroque on Beaver concerts launch with their Opening Night Benefit this year featuring Island favorite Martha Guth with Erika Switzer and Andrea Yun. They’ll perform a selection of Schubert songs alongside contemporary works including the recently commissioned Love, Loss, and Exile by Juhi Bansal. Showtime is 7:30. Tickets are at tickets dot bic center dot org. And Saturday nights 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, take a trip back to the best of the 80s and 90s with the Mix Tape show (that’s a 120-minute TDK cassette tape for those in the know) hosted by WVBI’s Adam Pettigrew. 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 at the Christian Church at 10:00. Mass is at Holy Cross at 12:15. And the Amik Cultural Center is open 1 to 3 PM. Sunday evening, Dave & Kristi play at the Beachcomber at 8:00.
The Beaver Island Music Festival has a bursting schedule of music you can hear at many locations on the Island. Image from Beaver Island Music Festival at bimf.net
Looking ahead to highlights for next week…
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Those are the highlights. Find a full listing of events at calendar dot W-V-B-I dot net. |
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Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Robbie. If that’s your name, come on in to the BIC Center today to pick out a free drink of your choice. |
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On our Birthday List today are Zack Bousquet, Haylie Olson and Elizabeth Smelser. Happy Birthday to Elizabeth, Haylie and Zack, and if we missed you on the list, Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at the BIC Center and WVBI. |
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TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. The Island Beltway is running smoothly with no bridge delays. Still some heavy truck traffic coming up and down West Side Drive, and there is some project paving still ongoing with heavy equipment moving around. So, let’s be careful out there especially in town when the ferries arrive. |
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On this date in 1776, just over two weeks after adopting the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress formally thanks the American defenders of Charleston for their victory at Sullivan’s Island, where they repel a major British attack. And, on this date in 1969, the world watches as Apollo 11’s lunar module Eagle lands on the Moon, setting the stage for Neil Armstrong’s first steps later that evening. The grainy black and white image of Neil Armstrong taking the first step on the Moon amazed people around the world. The camera sending it cost $2.3 million. Photo from NASA
A high-resolution image of the Earth setting behind a view of the far side of the Moon was captured by the Artemis II mission earlier this year as NASA prepares to return humans to the Moon. Photo from NASA |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is raffish (adjective) [RAF-ish]. Raffish is an adjective describing someone or something with a flashy, slightly disreputable style that’s nonetheless attractive or appealing. Think of an old riverboat gambler in a rumpled suit, a vintage convertible that’s a little rough around the edges, or a charming downtown bar that’s seen better days but still has plenty of character. |
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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 Neil Armstrong: “Science has not yet mastered prophecy. We predict too much for the next year and yet far too little for the next 10.” |
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On a lighter note… Here’s an actual observation from Albert Eistein: “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the former.” |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Monday, July 20th, 2026. I’m Kevin Boyle reporting from W-V-B-I’s Langford Family Studios wishing you a great day: why not go ahead and make today the best day ever? And thanks for listening. |
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WEATHER |
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[Current Condition Report, then…] |
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Today A slight chance of showers before 11am, then a chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 74 at the shore, 80 inland. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Tonight A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 8pm and 2am, then a chance of showers after 2am. Patchy smoke before midnight. Low around 63. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible. Tuesday A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly before 8am. Partly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 64 at the shore by 3pm, but steady at 70 inland. Breezy, with a northwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 57. Windy, with a northwest wind 25 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 73/82. Breezy, with a northwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 63. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 74/85. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 74/77. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 74/78. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Sunday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75/78. |
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Air Quality Index at 7:10am was 153. |
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Fire Danger: High |
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Out on the Big Drink…
Photo from the North Lake Michigan Buoy. Provided by the National Data Buoy Center |
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Today-Beach Hazards Statement in Effect SSW wind 15 to 20 kt, with gusts as high as 30 kt. A slight chance of showers before 3pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Patchy smoke. Waves 2 ft building to 5 ft. They’ll be 4 to 5 feet overnight with the wind shifting to the W after midnight. So bear that in mind if you are hanging on the hook in the harbor. Tuesday WNW wind 15 to 25 kt, with gusts as high as 30 kt. Patchy smoke between 7am and 10am. Waves 2 to 4 ft. Wednesday NW wind 15 to 20 kt, with gusts as high as 30 kt. Sunny. Waves 2 to 4 ft.
Thursday WSW wind 10 to 15 kt. Sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft. Friday WSW wind 10 to 15 kt. Partly sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft. |
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Water Temps: 67 at the mid-lake buoy southwest of Gull Island. 70 at Sleeping Bear and in the Straits, and 71 in Little Traverse Bay. |
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Coming up in our Community Calendar Report…
Smoke is back after a brief break yesterday, with unhealthy air returning to the Island this morning and more haze expected later today. We’ll have the latest forecast, reaction to the issueance of permits for the Line 5 tunnel, a change in Michigan’s race for governor, and a reminder that today is the deadline to register online or by mail for the August 4th primary.
Those stories, more local news, a run-down of local events, birthdays and more after this global and national news from F-S-N. [Time check.] |
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Today’s featured image: A high-resolution image of the Earth setting behind a view of the far side of the Moon was captured by the Artemis II mission earlier this year as NASA prepares to return humans to the Moon. Neil Armstrong was the first to set foot on the Moon on this date in 1969. Photo from NASA |
