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Northern Michigan schools are feeling the pinch from Lansing’s budget delays. With state aid payments due October 20, some districts warn they may need short-term loans just to make payroll. Petoskey and Boyne City schools have already pledged to cover free meal programs out of their own budgets until the state comes through. On the Island, Superintendent Wil Cwikiel says B-I-C-S has enough reserve funds to keep operating without any program cutbacks or salary delays…for now. At the Capitol, lawmakers now say a final budget deal could be voted on as soon as today. The agreement reportedly includes a record $10,050 per student—up $442—a continuation of universal free meals, and $321 million for school safety and mental health. Republicans secured cuts to unfilled state jobs and empty office space. For now, government is funded only through October 8, but legislative leaders on both sides say they’re ready to finalize a budget this week. Meantime, the federal shutdown is being felt up north. At Sleeping Bear Dunes, the Empire visitor center, Glen Haven historic sites, the maritime museum, and ranger-led educational programs for schools are all closed. But trails, beaches, campgrounds, the Dune Climb, and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive remain open. Beyond the park, shutdown impacts will ripple across northern Michigan. Federal workers face furloughs or missed paychecks, USDA rural programs that support farming and housing may stall, and nutrition programs like WIC could run short on funds. Local Head Start centers and even federal student aid processing may also see delays if the shutdown lingers, adding more uncertainty for families, farmers, and schools. As some downstate Michigan communities weigh proposals for massive new data centers—a new report warns they could strain the Great Lakes. The Alliance for the Great Lakes says just one hyperscale facility can use as much water in a year as 12,000 households. Most centers rely on evaporative cooling, which consumes huge amounts of water, while alternative systems shift demand to power plants. The group says Michigan and other Great Lakes states lack strong permitting rules and data to manage the surge. The report says that without action, competing demands from data centers, farming, and mining could threaten drinking water and businesses. There’s a link to the full report in today’s script online. There’s a neat event on tap this evening down in T-C. NMC Audio Technology Coordinator Sam Boase-Miller will be at the A-M-C theaters for a screening of the new horror film Good Boy—a haunted house story told entirely from a dog’s perspective. Boase-Miller composed the score for the movie, which was a breakout at South by Southwest. The trailer for it has gone viral with over a million trailer views in just four days. There’ll be a Q and A session and then a showing of the film. It starts at 7:00 this evening. There’s a link to the trailer in today’s script online. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4-CRkd_74g The new film Good Boy features a soundtrack from a Traverse City composer. Image from imdb.com |
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle… First your meeting planner…
On the fun front today… Thursday, at 9:00, there’s Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts. At 10:00: The Trails Association is offering a guided hike lead by Cheryl Kern on the Kuebler Trail. Meet at the BIC Center. Also at 10:00, Tai Chi is in the Hangout 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 Euchre is back for the season, once again at the Whiskey Point Brewery. Cards hit the table at 7:00. Friday, 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. There’s Pickleball at 9:00, too, still outside the outdoor courts at Peaine Township Park. [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 for this weekend starting at 10:00 out at Whiskey Point. The Elks Club will hold their annual Poker Run from 1:00 to 4:30. There are 8 stops around the Island to pick up cards. Choose your five best. Entry fee is $50 with proceeds going to the annual Hoop Shoot Project at B-I-C-S. Fiero Coding Club is on at the library at 1:00. At 6:00 at the BIC Center the movie is The Road. It’s part of the library’s Big Read project on survival. You can check out the book to read at the library, too. Both the book and movie are award winners. They tell the story of a father and young son fighting to survive in a post apocalyptic U-S-A. The movie is rated R. [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… On Monday, the wildlife club is sponsoring a Hunter’s Safety Field Day. You need to complete an online class ahead of time. Check with Levi Connor for details and check hunter dash ed dot com slash michigan. 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. Wednesday, there’s a Medicare Information session at the BIC Center at 9:00. It’s enrollment time again, so here’s a chance to learn th the latest and get help in making choices. Also at the BIC Center, there’s Bingo at 1:00 in the Hangout. And, there is BINGO at the G-F-C. Doors open for fellowship at 6:15. Games start at 7:00. There’s no bingo Wednesday evening at the G-F-C, but they are on next week for the final run of the year. |
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NAME OF DAY: The BIC Center Name of the Day is Gloria. If that’s your name, come on into the BIC Center today to pick out a free drink of your choice. BIRTHDAYS: bIroboteer Sawyer Gazdecki is our list today. Happy Birthday to Sawyer 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, let’s be careful out there—especially in the school zone. |
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On this date in 1959 [SFX:Twilight Zone Theme] ‘The place is here, the time is now, and the journey into the shadows that we’re about to watch could be our journey.’ So intones Rod Serling as his new anthology series, ‘The Twilight Zone,’ premieres on CBS. The science-fiction-fantasy show will develop a cult following with this and its 155 additional episodes and is later rebooted in 2019 directed by Jordan Peele.
Rod Serling in promo materials for his show. Image from CBS |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is atone (verb) [uh-TOHN]. To atone means to make amends—doing something good to show sorrow or remorse for a mistake. The word traces back to the Middle English phrase at on, meaning “in harmony.” When it entered modern English in the 1500s, atone meant “to reconcile,” capturing the idea of restoring peace and harmony between people. |
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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 holocaust comedian, horror film director and Twilight Zone rebooter Jordan Peele: “Sometimes blessings come in strange packages.” |
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On a lighter note… Why is living on the Island through the winter like the Twilight Zone. The ferry’s gone, the tourists vanish… and you can’t escape until spring. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Thursday, October 2nd, 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 70/72. South wind around 10 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 55/54. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 70/74. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 61/57. South wind around 5 mph. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 73/77. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 63/59. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 72//76. Sunday Night A chance of showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 56/53. Breezy. Monday A chance of showers before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 64/67. Monday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51/48. Tuesday Partly sunny, with a high near 61/65. Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 47/44. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 57/60. |
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Fire Danger Level on the Island set at Moderate. AQI this morning was 4.
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today S wind 5 to 10 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Friday SSW wind 5 to 10 kt. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Saturday SSW wind around 10 kt. Sunny. Waves around 1 ft. |
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Water Temperature: It’s 62 in Little Traverse Bay. The North Lake Michigan buoy southwest of Gull is reporting 63 with two to three-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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Coming up in today’s Community Calendar Report: Local schools weigh the impact of Lansing’s budget delays, Sleeping Bear Dunes feels the pinch from the federal shutdown, and new data center proposals could put pressure on the Great Lakes. Plus—a Traverse City composer takes center stage with the score for a viral new horror film. All of those stories plus a look at this twilight zone date in history, Saturday’s movie, birthdays, a word of the day and a bad joke…all after a global and national news update from FSN. [timecheck] |
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Today’s featured image: The new film Good Boy features a soundtrack from a Traverse City composer. Image from imdb.com |
