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First some news… Smoke from wildfires in Canada continues to plauge the island and much of Michigan. The Air quality index on the island passed 240 overnight. Although it has dropped to 190 as of this morning, that is in the highest zone of the index. Readings across the region are in the red zone or above. WVBI/BIC Center AQI data. WVBI Graphic generated by Purple Air At a ceremony earlier this week, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians awarded over $706,000 in gaming revenue to 39 Michigan groups. Three grants went to Charlevoix County, including $2,584 to the Beaver Island Rural Health Center. Councilor Brian Napont, who grew up on Beaver Island, congratulated the center in person. The Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department also received $25,000 each. The tribe has distributed nearly $49 million since launching the 2% grant program in 1994. Organizers say Charlevoix’s 95th Venetian Festival may have drawn its biggest crowds ever. They say carnival, concert, and boat parade attendance all hit new highs. That aligns with experience on the Island where organizers of events say there have been record crowds. Down in T-C, Peninsula Township may shutter offices, halt zoning, and sell parks—including Mission Point Lighthouse—to brace for a $50 million judgment in a lawsuit with local wineries. Officials say nothing’s final, but drastic cuts will be on the table at an August 12 board meeting.
Mission Point Lighthouse on the block? Photo from misionpointlighthouse.com A new report says North Central Michigan College pumped nearly $79 million into the local economy last year. That comes from over 1,000 jobs across four counties, with major boosts from alumni earnings, student spending, and campus improvements. |
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle… First your meeting planner. A-A meets Saturday at 6:00 at the Christian Church and next week Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday same time and place. And that’s it on the meeting front through the end of next week. On the fun front today… Thursday at 9:00, there’s Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts. At 10:00 a trifecta of activities: Tai Chi in the Hangout at the BIC Center, C-O-A Cardio Drumming out at the Peaine Township Hall and Women’s Bible Study at the Christian Church. At 11:00, the COA has a Crafter’s Social at the Peaine Township Hall. At 7:30 the Baroque on Beaver Festival Orchestra is on stage at the BIC Center featuring pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko in a performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 and Bach’s Orchestral Suite No.1. Tickets are at tickets dot bic center dot org. And it’s Burger and a Beer Night at the Shamrock. Friday, kicks with Senior + Vets Coffee + Donuts is on at the BIC Center from 8:30 to 11:30. At 9:00, there’s Chair Strength Training in the Hangout at the BIC Center and Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts. Summer Yoga is at 9:30 with a basic flow session in the theater at the BIC Center. C-O-A has a Walkersize session at 10:30, a walk from Heritage Park to the St. James Campground and back. Friday afternoon there’s a new Baroque on Beaver event. It’s Brass on the Bay at 4:00 at the Donegal Bay Pavillion. Patriotic and popular favorites played by the Festival Orchestra’s brass section in the dunes overlooking Lake Michigan. [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, there’s Pickleball outdoors at 9:00. The Artisan’s Market is on out by the lighthouse at Whiskey Point. That starts at 10:00. Baroque wraps up the Festival with their Season Finale at the BIC Center. It’s the Festival Orchestra playing pieces by Astor Piazzolla and Beethoven’s Symphony Number 4. The evening will feature this year’s Young Soloist Competition winner Violet Weizer playing cello and will be directed by Nathan Bieber, the Festival’s new associate conductor. Showtime is 7:30. Tickets are at tickets dot bic center dot org. [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 Episcopal Mission at 9:00 and the Christian Church at 10:00, and Mass at Holy Cross at 12:15. Looking ahead to highlights for next week… Monday Summer Yoga is at the BIC Center at 9:30 in the Theater with a Basic Flow session followed by a Therapeutic Chair session at 11:00. At 10:00, Nancy Peterson will be at the library leading a session on beading. C-O-A has Cardio Drumming at 10:00 and a Crafter’s Social at 11:00, both out at Peaine Township Hall. Monday evening is all you can eat pizza night at the Beachcomber. Tuesday, there’s Chair Strength Training at the BIC Center at 9:00. Pickleball is outside on the township courts at 9:00. Babes and Toddlers mix it up at the library at 10:00. At 10:30, there’s C-O-A Walkersize with a walk from Heritage Park out to the St. James Campground and back. At 1:00, drop by the BIC Center Hangout to play Mah Jongg [mah jawng]. Tuesday evening at 7:00, meet Islands of Deception author Chris Thelen at the library. In our dark skies Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the bright waxing gibbous moon will glow near the Teapot asterism of Sagittarius the Archer. The bright moon will likely drown out the dimmer stars of the Teapot. They’ll set a few hours before sunrise. There’s more at dark sky island dot org. Wednesday, Summer Yoga is on at the BIC Center at 9:30 with a restorative session. At the library, there’s Kids Storytime, Crafts and Art for three years and up at 10:00 and then for 10 years and up at 11:00. At the BIC Center, there’s Bingo at 1:00 in the Hangout. At 3:00 C-O-A has Fun & Gamers out at Peaine Township Hall. And, there’s BINGO Wednesday evening at the Gregg Fellowship Center. Doors open for fellowship at 6:15. Games start at 7:00. |
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NAME OF DAY: The BIC Center Name of the Day is Owen. If that’s your name, come on into the BIC Center today to pick out a free drink of your choice. BIRTHDAYS: Joanie Adams, Ann Miller and Rose Hockey are on our list today. Happy Birthday to Rose, Ann and Joanie 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 with no bridge delays. But it is very busy in town when the ferry arrives, and the warm weather means lots of folks at the public beach plus hikers and bikers everywhere. Plus, baby turtles are busy crossing. So, let’s be careful out there. |
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On this date in 1923, Michigan begins its state-run car ferry service across the Straits of Mackinac, connecting Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. The first vessel is the Ariel, a former riverboat that carries just 20 cars. During deer season, thousands of hunters pack the docks, waiting hours to board. Vendors sell hot pasties car-to-car, and gulls circle overhead. The ferry service continues daily—year after year—until the Mackinac Bridge opens in 1957.
The Ariel was originally built in 1881 as a wooden-hulled riverboat. Image from mackinacparks.com |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is petulant (adjective) [PET-chuh-lunt]. Petulant describes a person who is angry and annoyed, or an attitude or behavior showing the emotions of such a person. Hailing from Middle French and Latin, petulant began its English tenure in the late 16th century with the meaning recorded in our unabridged dictionary as “wanton or immodest in speech or behavior”—in other words, “lewd” or “obscene.” The word eventually softened, at least somewhat, from describing those who are forward in—shall we say—prurient ways, to those who are forward by being merely rude and angrily bold. Today the word is most commonly used to describe someone acting snippy and snippety, snappish and snappy, displaying an often childish ill or short temper of the kind that tends to arise from annoyance at not getting one’s way. |
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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 Milton Friedman who was born on this day in 1912: “One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.” |
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On a lighter note… Why was astrology invented? So economics would seem like an accurate science. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Thursday, July 31st, 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 Areas of smoke before 10am. Sunny, with a high near 75/77. Northeast wind around 10 mph. Tonight Clear, with a low around 60. North wind around 10 mph. Friday Sunny, with a high near 76/81. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 78/84. West wind around 10 mph. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 78/83. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 65. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 78/83. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 79/83. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 66. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 79/84. |
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Fire Danger Level on the Island set at High. |
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today NE wind 10 to 15 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 to 2 ft. Friday Variable winds 5 kt or less. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Saturday W wind 5 to 10 kt. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. |
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Water Temperature: It’s 70 in Little Traverse Bay. The North Lake Michigan buoy southwest of Gull is reporting 70 with one to two foot seas.
Mid Lake Michigan photo at time shown. Provided by NWS |
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Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
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🌫️ Wildfire smoke pushes Beaver Island’s air quality into the very unhealthy zone—readings topped 240 overnight. |
