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A federal judge has ruled Michigan cannot enforce its order to shut down the Line 5 oil pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac, saying federal law preempts state authority and interstate pipeline safety falls to Washington. The state has been trying to close the 70-year-old line over fears of a Great Lakes spill. Attorney General Dana Nessel says Michigan is reviewing options, including an appeal. A separate Line 5 lawsuit the state filed in Michigan court remains active, though Enbridge continues to push that case toward federal jurisdiction — a question the U.S. Supreme Court may take up.
A pipeline marker at the site of Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 near the Straits of Mackinac. Photo by Tony Webster/CC BY 2.0 via Inside Climate News In a separate ruling, a federal appeals court yesterday blocked Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors, saying it likely violates free-speech rights. The injunction remains while the case continues. In Lansing, the Michigan Senate has approved a plan to restore $634 million in funding that House Republicans recently cut, with five GOP senators joining Democrats to pass the bill. The money would go to programs feeding seniors, aiding abuse victims, and more. Senate leaders say it’s about keeping state funding promises, but the Republican-controlled House says it won’t take up the measure and accuses Democrats of reinstating wasteful spending. Without House support, the restored funding effort will stall. In T-C, the Traverse Ticker reports that Northwestern Michigan College is negotiating to sell its Boardman Lake campus to the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. The tribe says it wants to repurpose the site as a centralized government services center, improving access for tribal members. Negotiations continue, and no purchase price has been disclosed. Northern Michigan faces a wild weather ride today as a strong Alberta Clipper pushes across the state. Temps will surge into the 40s, then plunge more than 20 degrees by tonight, creating flash-freeze conditions on roads. Rain and freezing rain will change to snow, with the U-P seeing the heaviest totals and winds gusting to 45 miles an hour. Travelers headed to the mainland should expect hazardous driving tonight into Friday morning, with blowing snow and icy pavement across the U-P and northwest Lower Michigan before conditions gradually improve Saturday. Meantime, the Portage Lake Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock is now open to snowmobile traffic—early than it usually starts up. With the shipping channel closed and the bridge lowered, crews hauled in snow and groomed the lower deck for sleds. The crossing connects more than 200 miles of trails, allowing riders to travel from Copper Harbor through communities across the peninsula just in time for the holidays. |
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle… First your meeting planner… Library Board and JTAC meet today at 4:30. A-A meets tonight and Saturday at 6:00. That’s it on the meeting front through the end of next week and, for that matter, through end of the year save for A-A. On the fun front today… Thursday, at 10:00, there’s pickleball in the theater and Tai Chi is in the Hangout both at the BIC Center and there is Women’s Bible Study at the Christian Church. Thursday evenings are Burger & a Beer Night at the Shamrock, plus Thursday Night is time for Euchre at Whiskey Point Brewery. Cards hit the table at 7:00. Also Thursday evening, the TUNES Holiday Recital is at the BIC Center at 7:00 p.m. The TUNES Holiday Recital is this evening at 7:00. Performers gathered for a sound check Tuesday evening and sounded awesome. Photo by Kevin Boyle Friday gets underway with Senior + Vets Coffee + Donuts is on at the BIC Center from 9:00 to 11:00. Pickleball is at 10:00 in the Theater and Chair Strength Training is up in the Hangout at 10:30. And Friday afternoon at 1:20 the Emerald Isle heads to Charlevoix for her last trip of the season. [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… On Saturday, the Fiero Code Club is on at the library at 1:00 with a new program alongside it called Girls that Code for girls in grades 3-12. At the BIC Center Saturday, a pair of Christmas movies are on tap. At 3:00 it’s Home Alone and at 6:00 It’s a Wonderful Life. Both are rated PG. It’s also Prime Rib Night tathe Shamrock and, our Dark Skies will be especially dark Saturday Night with the New Moon. [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 Christian Church at 10:00 and mass at Holy Cross at 12:15. Looking ahead to highlights for next week… Monday is all you can eat pizza and salad night at the Shamrock. Tuesday, there’s Pickleball at the BIC Center at 10:00, and Babes and Toddlers mix it up over at the library at 10:00. And in the Hang Out at the BIC Center, there’s Chair Strength Training at 10:30. Wednesday is Christmas Eve. The BIC Center will be closed for the holiday, but WVBI will have special entertainment for your last minute holiday preparations and Christmas Eve celebrations with Christmas specials and non-stop holiday tunes. Thursday, the special programs and music on WVBI will continue as we provide the soundtrack for your Beaver Island Christmas. We’ll have the Home for the Holidays concert recorded at the BIC Center, Christmas music specials, holiday radio plays and non-stop Christmas music. |
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NAME OF DAY: Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Vaughn. If that’s your name, come into the BIC Center to pick out a free drink of your choice, courtesy of your friends at the BIC Center and WVBI. BIRTHDAYS: Kevin White, Bill Hirschey and Ben Delamater are on our list today. Happy Birthday to Ben, Bill and Kevin, 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 and there are no bridge delays. But, the roads are super slick with yet another fresh coat of snow so, let’s be careful out there, especially in the school zone. |
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On this day in 1944, the Supreme Court issues an ex parte decision on behalf of Mitsuye Endo, a former government employee who petitioned in 1942 for release from an internment camp. The high court declares that the US has no ‘power to contain a concededly loyal citizen’ like Endo, and as a result, the West Coast is reopened to Japanese Americans. And, on this date in 1892, Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet “The Nutcracker” premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. Despite a lukewarm initial reception, the ballet has since become a beloved holiday tradition worldwide.
A modern performance of The Nutcracker at the Marinsky Theater, where it was originally performed. The Marinsky is now in its 243rd season. Image from marinsky-theater.com |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is jaunty (adjective) [JAWN-tee]. Something jaunty is lively in manner or appearance, like a jaunty hat or confident walk. The word shares roots with genteel — both come from the French gentil — [zhahn-TEEL] — meaning “of aristocratic birth.” Genteel stayed formal, but jaunty drifted toward stylish confidence and upbeat flair. |
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Thursday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day from Steven Spielberg, who was born on this day in 1946: “Failure is inevitable. Success is elusive.” |
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On a lighter note… How do snowmen stay in touch during winter? They use snowmail. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Thursday, December 18th, 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 Showers, mainly after 7am. Steady temperature around 40. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. Tonight Rain showers likely before midnight, then rain and snow showers likely between midnight and 1am, then a chance of snow showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. Windy, with a southwest wind 25 to 30 mph becoming northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Friday A 30 percent chance of snow showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 20. Wind chill values as low as -1. Windy, with a northwest wind 25 to 30 mph decreasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Friday Night A 40 percent chance of snow showers, mainly after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 18. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph becoming south 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Saturday Snow showers likely, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. Breezy, with a south wind around 20 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16. Breezy. Sunday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. Breezy. Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19. Monday A chance of snow showers after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. Monday Night A chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 27. Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31. |
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Air Quality Index this morning was 95. |
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today-Gale Warning S wind 20 to 25 kt, with gusts as high as 30 kt. Rain, mainly after 1pm. Waves 4 to 5 ft. Friday-Gale Warning NW wind 20 to 25 kt decreasing to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 kt. A chance of snow showers, mainly before noon. Widespread freezing spray before 11am. Waves 6 ft subsiding to 2 ft. |
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Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
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Coming up in our Community Calendar Report… A federal judge says Michigan can’t enforce its Line 5 shutdown order. Another federal court blocks the state’s ban on conversion therapy for minors. In Lansing, the Senate moves to restore more than six hundred million dollars in funding—while the House says no. Plus, NMC may sell its Boardman Lake campus to the Grand Traverse Band, and winter weather brings flash-freeze conditions. All of those stories plus a run-down of local events, birthdays and more all after this global and national news update from F-S-N. It’s [timecheck]. |
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Today’s featured image: The TUNES Holiday Recital is this evening at 7:00 at the BIC Center. Performers gathered for a sound check Tuesday evening and sounded awesome. Photo by Kevin Boyle |
