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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will release its draft environmental review of the Line 5 tunnel project on May 30, launching a shortened 30-day public comment period under emergency procedures ordered by President Trump. The review timeline was cut in half to fast-track the project, which would house part of the pipeline in a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac. Enbridge says the tunnel will make Line 5 safer, while critics argue it threatens the Great Lakes and limits public input. A final federal decision could come this fall, but a separate state permit is still required. Proposed tunnel illustration from an Enbridge animation. Graphic from Enbridge, Inc. Down in T-C, East Bay Township planning commissioners will meet Tuesday to review an $8.5 million redesign of the Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park. While the removal of the US-31 pedestrian bridge remains controversial, commissioners will focus on other issues, including pedestrian safety and tree replacement. The Michigan DNR plans major upgrades in 2025–26, including a new entrance, headquarters, and campground improvements. Concerns remain over limited crosswalks, missing sidewalks, and removal of over 500 trees with only minimal replanting planned. The campground will close after this summer’s Cherry Festival and reopen in 2027. Also in T-C, Traverse City Tourism is launching a new late-summer festival, “Traverse City Food and Wine,” set for August 21–23. The event will showcase local farms, wineries, and chefs with tastings, demos, and a Grand Tasting in the Open Space. It aims to fill the gap left by the Film Festival and boost culinary tourism. May is Mental Health Awareness Month with and North Country Community Mental Health is marking it with events across the region. The theme this year is “Turn Awareness into Action.” Highlights include free virtual Mental Health First Aid classes, a Tools of Resilience virtual education series, a traveling art show, movie screenings, and the 25th Annual Splash of Color Fun Run and Walk in Petoskey on May 31. Details including registration links for the virtual events are at the end of today’s script online and at n-o-r-c-o-c-m-h.org. On the Island, the Tunes Program has announced their second annual Cornhole Tournament. It’s set for Saturday May 24th just ahead of the annual Is Everybody Happy Party. Only 16 teams will compete for a $200 top prize, with cash and bragging rights on the line. It’s double elimination, double the fun, and all for a great cause. Registration information is 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… Peaine Township Planning Commission meets Tuesday at 9:00. B-I-C-S Committee of the Whole meets Wednesday at 5:30. Medical First Responder Classes continue with session Wednesday and Thursday evening at 7:00. Saturday, the Irish Heritage Group has a marketing and talent meeting at 9:30 and a board meeting at 10:45. That’s it on the meeting front. More details 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. And Monday evenings are pizza night at the Beachcomber. Tuesday, Talking Threads is on at Peaine Township Hall at 9:30. Babes and Toddlers mix it up at the library at 10:00. There’s Pickleball at 10:00 in the theater at the BIC Center and the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program at 10:30 in the Hangout. That’s followed by Senior Tai Chi at 11:30. At 2:30, it’s Story Time at the library. Tuesday evening is trivia time at the BIC Center. Let’s Get Quizzical starts at 6:00. Sign up your team at tickets dot bic center dot org. 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 and Pickleball at 10:00 in the Theater, both 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. Friday, seniors and veterans can enjoy Coffee & Donuts at the BIC Center starting at 9 AM. Pickleball at 10:00 and the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program at 10:30 are at the BIC Center in the Theater and Hangout, respectively. And, Friday evening is the 3rd through 6th grade play on stage at the BIC Center. It’s Get Up and Go. Curtain time is 7:00 p-m. Get your tickets at the BIC Center front desk. [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 a special Mother’s Day celebration at the BIC Center: Masterpieces for Mom will run from noon to 2:00. Come in to do some diamond flower painting, enjoy some special snacks and treats and also build and decorate a birdhouse that mom can take home. After the kids get home, moms can come back to celebrate B-Y-O-B screening of Bad Moms in the BIC Center Theater. That’s right, this mother’s day weekend moms can party like a mother. Dads and other grown-ups are welcome, too. Party time is 6:00 p-m. Also Saturday, the Fiero Code Club is on at the library at 2 PM. And Saturday evening is 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 brings folks together for worship, with 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. Looking ahead to highlights for next week… Monday, there’s Cardio Drumming up in the Hangout at the BIC Center at 10:00. An at 5:00, there’s Qigong [chi gong] Practice at the BIC Center lead by Tina Carlton. Tuesday, Talking Threads is on at Peaine Township Hall at 9:30. Babes and Toddlers mix it up at the library at 10:00. There’s Pickleball at 10:00 in the theater at the BIC Center and the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program at 10:30 in the Hangout. That’s followed by Senior Tai Chi at 11:30. At 2:30, it’s Story Time at the library. Tuesday evening is trivia time at the BIC Center. Let’s Get Quizzical starts at 6:00. Sign up your team at tickets dot bic center dot org. 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 and Pickleball at 10:00 in the Theater, both 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. And next Friday is the 3rd through 6th grade play Get Up and Go. Curtain time is 7:00 at the BIC Center. Get your tickets at the BIC Center front desk. |
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NAME OF DAY: The BIC Center Name of the Day is Pam. If that’s your name, head on down to the BIC Center to pick out a free drink of your choice. BIRTHDAYS: Pam Moxham, Heather Gillespie, Doug Meaney and Shannon Dutk are celebrating today. Happy Birthday to Shannon, Heather, Pam and Doug, 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 1831 The Detroit Free Press and Michigan Intelligencer publishes its first issue. It is a four-page weekly. In 1836, it becomes the state’s first daily newspaper and today stands as the oldest paper in continuous publication in the state. Also on this date in 1961, Naval officer, test pilot, and astronaut Alan Shepard pilots the Mercury-Redstone 3 mission as he takes a 15-minute suborbital flight to become the first American in outer space. A decade later he’ll venture somewhat farther and visit the moon.
Image from logonoid.com |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is Plethora (noun) [PLETH-uh-ruh], a noun that refers to a very large amount or number of something. Plethora is most often used in the phrase “a plethora of.” Plethora was first used in English to refer to a medical condition marked by an excess volume of blood or other bodily fluid, with associated swelling and redness. (Its Greek ancestor, the noun plēthṓra, refers to a similar excess, or to general fullness or crowdedness.) While plethora conveys a plural meaning, it is a grammatically singular word, which makes choosing whether to pair it with a singular or plural verb confusing. Both can be correctly used, however; choose the singular if you wish to emphasize the grouping or collection (“a plethora of books is available”) and choose the plural if you wish to emphasize the individual elements or components (“a plethora of books have been written on the subject”). |
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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 astronaut Alan Shepard: “I realized up there that our planet is not infinite. It’s fragile. We look pretty vulnerable in the darkness of space” |
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On a lighter note… What do you call a space explorer who tells jokes? A comet-edian! |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Monday, May 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 Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. East wind around 5 mph. Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. North wind around 5 mph. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 40. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 36. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 54. Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 37. Friday Sunny, with a high near 55. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 40. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. |
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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 around 10 kt. A chance of sprinkles between 11am and noon. Waves around 1 ft. Tuesday NNE wind 5 to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. A slight chance of showers before 1pm. Waves 1 ft or less. Wednesday N wind 10 to 15 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft. |
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Water Temperature: 39 mid-lake…between Manitowoc and Ludington |
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Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
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