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Federal disaster aid is still uncertain nearly two months after a devastating ice storm hit northern Michigan. Governor Whitmer plans to request a presidential disaster declaration, but there’s no timeline for action. Local leaders aren’t waiting. Nonprofits Up North have launched a fundraiser to help farmers with urgent repairs. One Petoskey grower says cleanup costs are piling up just as planting season begins. A $100 million state aid bill is also waiting for Senate action in Lansing. Michigan could lose 13,000 jobs over the next five years due to tariffs on cars, steel, and aluminum, economists warned Friday. The auto industry is expected to take the biggest hit, pushing unemployment higher. Still, experts say other sectors like health care and education could keep the state’s economy growing—just at a slower pace. Meantime, a proposed federal budget cut could shut down key monitoring in the Great Lakes. The Trump administration wants to eliminate funding for the Integrated Ocean Observing System, which tracks lake temperatures, currents, and toxic algal blooms. Scientists say losing that data would hurt everything from safe shipping to fishery management. The system feeds info to weather forecasts and helps predict dangerous conditions. Lawmakers haven’t made a final decision, but without funding, Great Lakes monitoring could go dark in 2026. Scientists say the oldest known rock in the U.S. has been found in Michigan, and now it is not some news reporter on Beaver Island. In fact, it’s in the Upper Peninsula in the Ottawa National Forest. It’s called the Watersmeet gneiss [nice] and it dates back more than 3.6 billion years — edging out Minnesota’s Morton gneiss. Researchers used advanced zircon dating to determine the rock’s age. It now stands as the oldest piece of continental crust in the country — though Canada still holds the record for the oldest rock on Earth. If you decide to head up to the U-P to take a look at that old rock or for some other reason, you should know that bad spring weather has delayed joint replacement work on the Mackinac Bridge. Officials say lane closures will now continue through Memorial Day weekend, with work wrapping up by May 29. Drivers should expect delays and try to cross during off-peak hours — especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when traffic is heaviest. Work continues on the Big Mac. Photo from Mackinac Bridge Authority webcam On the Island, the B-I-C-S annual BASH…a formal dinner, boat ride and fun night celebrating the school’s graduating class…was again a big success. The theme for dinner was a spring garden complete with a water fountain, lights and spring greens. The boat ride was a bit chilly, but lots of blow up games in the gym warmed up everyone afterwards. The Historical Society’s Kids Camp is on this summer from July 21st through the 25th. Signup is open. There’s a link in today’s script online. https://www.beaverislandhistory.org/kids-camp/ The Elks Club is hosting a Gratitude Party for the Island’s storm workers. It’ll be at the lodge on May 31st from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend. |
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle… First your meeting planner… Waste Management Committee meets Tuesday at 1:30. Medical First Responder Classes continue Thursday evening at 7:00. AA meets Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6:00. That’s it on the meeting front. More details and locations are in the calendar entries online. On the fun front today… Monday, there’s Cardio Drumming up in the Hangout at the BIC Center at 10:00. Down at the C-M-U Bio station, a week-long birding course is getting under way this morning. There’s a link in today’s script with more info. And this evening is pizza night at the Beachcomber. Info on birding course: cmubs@cmich.edu Tuesday, the AP Government exam is at 8:30 at school. The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program is on at 9:00 in the Hangout. Babes and Toddlers mix it up at the library at 10:00. And there’s Pickleball at 10:00 in the theater at the BIC Center. At 2:30, it’s Story Time at the library. Tuesday evening it’s trivia time at the BIC Center. Let’s Get Quizzical starts at 6:00. Sign up at tickets dot bic center dot org. In our dark skies, Tuesday night is the last quarter moon. Highlights for the rest of the week include… Wednesday, there’s C-O-A bingo at 1:00 in the Hangout at the BIC Center. Thursday, there’s Cardio Drumming at 10:00 in the Hangout at the BIC Center and Women’s Bible Study at the Christian Church also at 10:00. Thursday evening it’s Burger & a Beer at the Shamrock at 5 PM. Also, Thursday and Friday mornings, there’ll be a line up of the crescent moon, Saturn and Venus in the eastern sky just before sunrise. Check out dark sky island dot org for more info. After sunup on Friday, seniors and veterans can enjoy Coffee & Donuts at the BIC Center starting at 9 AM. Also at 9:00, the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program at the BIC Center up in the Hangout. At 5:00 Friday evening Warblers on the Water events kick off with a meet and greet at the BIC Center. It’s an opportunity to meet the field guides and fellow birders. There’ll be light refreshments and appetizers, plus souvenirs and program updates. Then, the BIC Center Theater lights up at 6:30 with Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson in the Big Year…a birding quest for the ages. It’s rated PG and will include an introduction by Warblers Field Trip leader Terry Grabill. [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, summer events get underway with Warblers on the Water Field Trips and the Second Annual BIC Center Golf Tournament. There are still a few open spots for both events. Sign up for birding field trips at tickets dotr bic center dot org. For golf, contact the BIC Center Front Desk. Tee time for the tournament is 9:00 a.m. Over at the library at 10:00 there’ll be flower planting at the library. Drop by to help create a native plant garden to be enjoyed all summer. At 1:30 at the BIC Center, Dr. Nancy Seefelt takes to the stage with the keynote presentation for Warblers on the Water. That’s open to all at no charge. Reserve at seat at tickets dot bic center dot org. Also Saturday, the Fiero Code Club is on at the library at 2 PM. At 4:00 the Tunes Cornhole Tournament is on at the Holy Cross Hall. And Saturday evening it’s the 4th Annual “Is Everybody Happy” party to benefit the Tunes Music Program. That’ll be at Holy Cross Hall starting at 5:00 p.m. And Saturdays 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, Warblers field trips continue. Sign up at tickets dot bic center dot org. There are services and Episcopal Mission at 9:00 and the Christian Church at 10:00, and Mass at Holy Cross at 12:15. And, if you are looking for a Sunday breakfast, the Wild Strawberry Café is now open Sunday mornings for the season 9 until 2. At 1:30, there’s a presentation by Terry Grabill on his Big Birding Year. It’s Tales from the Road and all are welcome. No charge. Reserve a seat at tickets dot bic center dot org. At 8:00 Sunday evening birders will gather at Whiskey Point Brewing Company for a farewell gathering. All are welcome to attend. Looking ahead to highlights for next week… On Monday, a week-long class on Nature Photography starts at the C-M-U Biological Station. Email the station at c-m-b-u-s at c-mich dot e-d-u to sign up. The Print Shop Museum will be open for a morning open house. Hours will run from 7:30 in the morning until 9:30. |
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NAME OF DAY: The BIC Center Name of the Day is Toni. If that’s your name, head on down to the BIC Center to pick out a free drink of your choice. BIRTHDAYS: Cindy Cushman, Lori Glynn, Maddie McGee and Lisa Van Deventer are celebrating. Happy Birthday to Lisa, Maddie, Lori and Cindy, and if we missed you on the list, Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at WVBI and your Beaver Island Community Center! [And, here’s a way to send special birthday wishes to someone on the island: The B-I-C-S National Honor Society will put up a sign in their yard in exchange for a donation of $10 or more to the Build a Cure for Cancer fund. Contact N-H-S president Alyssa Martin for more details. You can reach her through the front desk at school.] |
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TRAFFIC: The W-V-B-I virtual octocopter is flying high in the Island skies and spies…no traffic. But, cleanup work continues down-island. So, watch out for the road crews and let’s be careful out there. |
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On this day in in 2020, after over 36 hours of heavy rain, the Edenville Dam in Gladwin County fails Tuesday, forcing evacuations of roughly 10,000 residents. Downstream, the Sanford Dam overflows as well. More than 200 million dollars in damage is caused, much of it uninsured as most of the damaged buildings are not in flood zones so did not have flood insurance.
The Edenville Dam and spillway after the collapse. EGLE Water Resources Division photo
Sanford Dam powerhouse and spillway after the breach. EGLE Water Resources Division photo |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is antithetical (adjective) [an-tuh-THET-ih-kul], an adjective that typically describes something that is in direct and unambiguous opposition to another thing. Antithetical and antithesis come from the Greek verb antitithenai, meaning “to oppose.” The oldest sense of antithesis refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in “action, not words” or “they promised plenty and delivered scarcity,” and antithetical originally referred to anything that was marked by such antithesis. For example, you could say that the phrase ‘action, not words’ is an antithetical construction. It is more common, however, for antithesis to mean “the exact opposite” and for antithetical to mean “directly opposite,” as in “an idea antithetical to our stated goals.” |
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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 model, recording artist and actress Grace Jones, who was born on this day in 1948, “[B]ling always has something to hide” |
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On a lighter note… Did you hear about the fish that bumped into a dam. It was a Walleye. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Monday, May 19th, 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 Sunny, with a high near 52. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 39. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 53. East wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Tuesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. East wind around 10 mph. Wednesday Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Thursday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Friday A chance of showers before 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. |
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Fire Danger Level on the Island set at Moderate. |
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today NE wind 10 to 15 kt. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft. Tuesday ENE wind 15 to 20 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 2 to 3 ft. Wednesday ENE wind around 15 kt. A slight chance of showers before 1pm. Waves 2 to 3 ft. |
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Water Temperature: The North Lake Michigan buoy is in southwest of Gull Island. It’s reporting 38 with two footers. |
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Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
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