|
The results of the race for the Democratic nomination for a U-S Senate seat from Michigan drew worldwide attention yesterday. At least ten international news organizations covered the outcome in detail, including the B-B-C. The race drew extensive turnout from voters choosing the Democrat side of the ballot for primary voting, with more than a half million people choosing that side over the Republican side. And, despite polling suggesting a healthy margin for the ultimate winner for the Senate ballot slot, the polling was so close that the race was not called until midmorning the day after the election.
In addition to progressive El-Sayed’s win, a number of other progressives won in Michigan, including two candidates that say they are Democratic Socialists. But, in four races, progressive or D-S-A candidates lost primary races to more center-line Democrats.
In other news, I-P-R reports today that there’s a world of rock-eating fungi deep beneath northern Michigan. University of Michigan researchers sampled water from the Antrim Shale, about a third of a mile underground, and found evidence of nearly 700 fungal species, including 13 potentially new ones. The microbes survive by feeding on organic material in the ancient rock, a process that can produce methane. Researchers say the discovery could change our understanding of how carbon moves beneath the Earth’s surface.
Down in T-C, an effort to recall Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg has fallen short of the roughly 14,000 petition signatures needed to put the question on the ballot. Organizers aren’t saying how many they collected, but say they’re considering their next steps. The petition process allows two additional 60-day periods to gather signatures.
On the Island, work continues at B-I-C-S. In addition to the siding and repair work you can see from the street, the basketball court out back has been replace. That’s part of an extensive drainage project that’s adding proper drainage to the level area behind school and the rear entrance to the gym. Inside, floors are being replaced throughout the building. All of the work is planned to be completed before students return in the fall.
The back yard of BICS has been transformed with a proper drainage system (shown in the top photo) and a new court area. The new entrance to the back of the gym includes a drain to keep water from entering through the doors. Photos by Kevin Boyle
The paving project wrapped up earlier this week with lane markers added to the East Side Drive work. Markers were updated on Kings Highway as well. Now, your lane departure system will work, whether it’s built into your vehicle—or is just you. The centerline was originally adopted to separate traffic on paved roads, an idea pioneered in Michigan by Wayne County Road Commissioner Edward Hines in 1911. In the 1950s, inventor John Dorr championed painting lines along the edge of highways to help drivers see where the pavement ends, especially at night. Studies proved him right: edge lines significantly reduced crashes. Turns out lane-departure technology worked before cars had computers.
Power dropped out on Donegal Bay yesterday at about 10:30 and stayed out for many for a good stretch. It was restored by the end of the day. No word on what caused it.
The Shamrock is looking for a bar tender, full or part-time. Contact Dana Hodgson if you are interested.
Tickets are sold for the BIC Center W-V-B-I Havana Nights Gala, but there still are some available for the Ultimate Mackinac Getaway prize package. The winner will be drawn tonight at 9:00 at the Gala. The package includes round trip air transport from the Island or Charlevoix to Mackinac for eight, hotel accommodations for four at the Inn at Stonecliffe, dinner there and gift certificates for The Pink Pony, golf, a sip & sail cruise, and a carriage tour. Tickets are $100 each and only 200 will be sold. #Events |
|
Now here’s a look at other upcoming events on your Emerald Isle…
First your meeting planner…
A-A meets tonight and Saturday at 6:00. That’s it through the end of the week. Next week, there’s a Community Broadband Forum at the BIC Center on Monday at 5:00. The Irish Heritage Group Meets Tuesday at 5:30…and that is it for next week. Locations and more details are in the calendar entries online.
On the fun front today…
Thursday, there’s Pickleball at Peaine Township Park at 9:00. The COA’s normal Cardio Drumming and Art Therapy is off today on vacation. Those sessions return mid-August. 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. Weekly Bocce Ball rolls start at 4:00 on the courts at the Peaine Township Park. The BIC Center/WVBI Havana Nights Summer Gala is on at the Holy Cross Hall starting at 5:30. Step into the vibrant spirit of old Havana for an unforgettable evening of celebration, community, and giving with lively music and delicious food to raffle, silent and live auction items. All proceeds go to support the BIC Center and WVBI. Tickets are $75 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. At 9:00 A-M Pickleball Outdoors on the Peaine Township courts. Back at the BIC Center at 9:30, there’s Summer Yoga in the Theater plus Chair Strength Training up in the Hangout. Homecoming events get underway at 12:45 with the national anthem and first pitch of the Annual Bud McDonough Memorial Softball Tournament. The start of men’s tournament will fill Friday afternoon, with the women taking to the field Friday evening. Also Friday evening, there’s a Save Gull Harbor Gathering from 5:00 to 10:00. There’ll be D-J music with D-J Butch. Bring lawn chairs plus snacks and refreshments to enjoy while rallying to save access to Gull Harbor Drive.
[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.]
Highlights for the rest of the week include…
Saturday, Homecoming activities continue with the annual Golf Tournament teeing off at 9:00. There’s still time to sign up or sponsor a hole. Call the pro shop at 2301 for details. The Artisan’s Market is on at the Point starting at 10:00. Also, at 10:00, the Softball Tournament resumes. At 11:00, there’s a Peace Pole celebration at the library that will honor peace in all four languages of the Island. Protar’s House will be open for tours from 1:00 to 3:00. A celebration of the life of James Allan Cull is set for 2 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery. There’ll be a memorial ride to the Point, a graveside service, and a final toast at Angeline’s Bluff. And Saturday nights are Prime Rib Night at the Shamrock, and Paul Lamb & Friends will play at the Beachcomber.
[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. And, it’s the annual Homecoming Chicken Dinner at Holy Cross Hall. That starts at 4:30 and runs until the food is gone.
Looking ahead to highlights for next week…
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 11:00, there’s Summer Therapeutic Chair Yoga at the BIC Center and over at the library, it’s the Senior Digital Café. At 5:00, there’s Community Broadband Meeting at the BIC Center. Learn about the fiber connections to the mainland now under construction and the opportunity for Island-wide fiber. Ask questions. Have your say. And, don’t forget, Monday evenings are All You Can Eat Pizza and Salad night at the Beachcomber, so you can go next door to grab dinner before or after the show.
Tuesday, 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. At11:30, there’s drop-off and set-up for the Quilt Show at the Beaver Island Gallery. At 7:00 TUNES has a Traditional Tune Workshop at the Brother’s Place. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Email tunes@tunesmusicmakers.org to register.
The TUNES Workshop events are coming next week. First up is a Traditional Tunes Workshop. Register at tunes@tubesmusicmakers.org. Image from TUNES via WVBI Community Calendar
Wednesday, there’s Summer Restorative Yoga BIC Center at 9:30. Also 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, and at 4:00 the Amik Cultural Preservation Center will be open. |
|
Those are the highlights. Find a full listing of events at calendar dot W-V-B-I dot net. |
|
Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Christian. If that’s your name, come on down to the BIC Center today to pick out a free drink of your choice. |
|
On our Birthday List: Carol Burton is celebrating today. Happy Birthday to Carol, and if we missed you on the list, Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at the BIC Center and WVBI. |
|
TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. The Island Beltway is running smoothly. There are no bridge delays. But, it is busy in town when the ferries arrive and there are lots of folks out hiking and biking. So, let’s be careful out there. |
|
On this date in 1945, the United States drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan—the first use of a nuclear weapon in war. Tens of thousands die immediately, with many more dying later from injuries and radiation. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act, outlawing discriminatory voting practices and giving the federal government new powers to enforce voting rights. And in 1991, computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee publicly releases documents describing his World Wide Web project, helping introduce the technology that transforms how the world shares information online.
The Enola Gay is now on display at the National Air & Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. This photo shows it after it had been reassembled after years of storage and restoration, but before it was raised into its current display location. Photo from National Air & Space Museum |
|
Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is torpor (noun) [TOR-per]. Torpor is a state of physical or mental inactivity, sluggishness, or lethargy. For example: After weeks of non-stop events, the Island seemed to fall into a state of torpor. It comes from the Latin torpor—pronounced roughly TOR-por in Classical Latin—meaning numbness or sluggishness, from torpēre (tor-PAY-reh), meaning “to be numb or inactive.” So if the dog days of August leave you feeling like doing absolutely nothing, there’s a word for it: torpor. And, there’s a cure for it: the Havana Nights Gala. See you there tonight at 5:30. |
|
Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Thursday, August 6th … |
|
Here’s a thought for the day from World Wide Web creator Tim Berners-Lee: “The Web does not just connect machines, it connects people.” |
|
On a lighter note… Seize their memes of production. |
|
That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Thursday, August 6th, 2026. I’m Kevin Boyle reporting from W-V-B-I’s Langford Family Studios wishing you a great day and asking: why not go ahead and make it the best day ever? And thanks for listening. |
|
### |
|
WEATHER |
|
[Current Condition Report, then…] |
|
Today Sunny, with a high near 76. West wind around 5 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 75. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Smoke haze will return tomorrow morning and be with us through early evening. Friday Night A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 74. West wind 10 to 15 mph. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Sunday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Monday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 75. Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. |
|
|
|
Air Quality Index at 7:02 was 61. |
|
Fire Danger: Moderate |
|
Out on the Big Drink…
Photo from the North Lake Michigan Buoy. Provided by the National Data Buoy Center |
|
Today Variable winds 5 kt or less. Patchy fog before 8am. Waves 1 ft or less. Friday SSW wind around 10 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Saturday NW wind around 10 kt becoming W in the afternoon. Sunny. Waves around 1 ft. Sunday WSW wind around 10 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves around 1 ft. Monday NNE wind 5 to 10 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. A chance of showers. Waves 1 ft or less. |
|
Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
|
Coming up in our Community Calendar Report…
Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary results draw worldwide attention. Researchers find hundreds of species of rock-eating fungi deep beneath northern Michigan. And a recall effort targeting the Grand Traverse County prosecutor falls short on signatures. Those stories and more are next.
…all of that plus a run-down of local events, birthdays and more after this global and national news from F-S-N. [Time check.] |
|
Today’s featured image: The back yard of BICS has been transformed with a proper drainage system and a new court area. Photo by Kevin Boyle |
