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St. James Township is seeking applicants to fill two vacancies on its Board of Trustees. Candidates must be registered electors of the township and will be appointed by the Township Board. Trustees help oversee township finances, approve contracts and ordinances, represent residents, and vote on township business. The appointments will run through November of 2028. Anyone interested should submit an application to the Township Clerk by June 15th. Additional information and applications are available from St. James Township.
Despite recent action in Lansing granting Mackinac Island more control of ferry operations there, the parties say the current court battle will go on. The existing ferry contract, which runs through June of 2027, so even with the legislation it won’t have any impact until then. So issues under the current contract will be resolved in court or by settlement.
Northern Michigan leaders are continuing to look for solutions to the region’s housing shortage. During a recent roundtable hosted by U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, local officials, business leaders, and tribal representatives discussed ideas ranging from federal grants and housing assistance programs to zoning changes that could encourage more housing development. Officials say high housing costs are making it difficult to attract and retain workers, including teachers, nurses, and public safety personnel.
Today in our series on issues in Michigan’s race for governor, we look at the issue of aging dams. Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says she would strengthen inspections and create a dam safety fund, while Democratic Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson opposes Consumers Energy’s plan to sell 13 dams to a private company. Republican Congressman John James says any sale should proceed only if a buyer can demonstrate the resources and expertise to operate the dams safely. Other Republican candidates generally place more blame on government regulation and oversight failures. There’s a complete rundown of candidate positions on this and other issues in a Bridge Michigan article linked in today’s script online.
In Island News, after a great turnout for its grand opening event on Sunday, the Amik Cultural Preservation Center has announced its opening times. For June they will be open on Sunday afternoons from 1:00 to 3:00 and Wednesdays from 4:00 to 7:00 with an Oral Tradition Hour at 6:00.
The Amik Cultural Preservation Center will be open for regular times. Graphic from Amik Cultural Preservation Center
The Beaver Island Retreat and the Beaver Island Archipelago Trails Association are looking for volunteers for Step Up for the Trails, coming up June 5th through the 10th. Participants will spend a few hours helping maintain and protect Beaver Island’s trail system while enjoying a complimentary breakfast, trail snacks and drinks, and a free three-month AllTrails Plus membership. You don’t have to be staying at the Retreat to take part. Breakfast begins at 7:30 each morning, with volunteer crews heading out at 9. To sign up or learn more, visit Beaver Island Retreat dot com and click on Promotions and Events.
A full outdoor breakfast awaits volunteers in Beaver Island Retreat’s and the Archipelago Trails Association’s Step Up for Trails project. Photo from Beaver Island Retreat
The Music Festival is looking for volunteers to drive shuttles between town and the festival grounds on West Side Drive. Give Carol Burton a call if you are interested.
And here’s a tip of the hat to our fellow up north public radio station in Interlochen. I-P-R has won four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards. The honors recognize excellence in broadcast journalism and advance I-P-R’s winning stories and podcast to the national competition, with winners to be announced in August. |
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Now here’s a look at other upcoming events on your Emerald Isle…
First your meeting planner…
A-A meets this evening, Thursday and Saturday at 6:00. B-I-C-S Committee of the Whole meets Wednesday at 5:30. Locations and more details are in the calendar entries online.
On the fun front…
Tuesday 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 and there is Pickleball outside on the township courts. At 2:15 there’s a Home School Meet-up at the library.
Highlights for the rest of the week include…
Wednesday, the Open Hands Café: Breakfast Club runs 8:00 until 10:00 a.m. at Gregg Fellowship Center. At 1:00, there’s Seniors BINGO at the BIC Center.
Thursday, the COA has a double feature at Peaine Twp Hall — Cardio Drumming at 10:00 and Art Therapy at 11:00. Meanwhile, 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. And, Thursday evening is Burger and a Beer Night at the Shamrock.
[Thursday evening on the radio, drop in for W-V-B-I’s newest music show. It’s The Underground with Leila Freijy. It’s the underground sound of grunge and more from the 80s and 90s with special features every week. Tune in at 7:00 for two hours Underground.]
Friday, the Island’s Lilacs and Lyrics weekend gets underway. There’ll be music, an Irish Currach Workshop, restaurant specials, guided lilac tours and raffle prizes at local gift shops. Also on Friday, there’s Senior and Vets Coffee and Donuts from 9:00 to 11:00 in the Welcome Center at the BIC Center, plus Chair Strength Training up in the Hangout at 9:30. And, the library has afterschool board game fun starting at 3:30. [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.]
Saturday, is Graduation for the B-I-C-S Class of 2026. There’ll be a graduation parade down Main Street starting at 12:30 followed by graduation ceremonies on the lawn behind school at 1:00, unless it rains ich which case no parade and the ceremony will be in the gym. Right now, though, the weather looks perfect. Also Saturday, the Artisan’s Market is on at the Point starting at 10:00. Fiero Code Club is at the library at 1:00. It’s 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, 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 Missiojn at 9:00 and at the Christian Church at 10:00. Mass is at Holy Cross at 12:15.
Highlights for next week include…
Monday, Open Hands has breakfast at the GFC from 8:00 to 11:00. COA has Cardio Drumming at 10:00 and Art Therapy at 11:00 at Peaine Township Hall. The Beachcomber has All You Can Eat Pizza and Salad night.
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On our Birthday List: Tammy McDonough and Tom Whitman are celebrating today. Happy Birthday to Tammy and Tom, and if we missed you on the list, Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at the BIC Center and WVBI. |
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TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. The Island Beltway is running smoothly save for occasional culvert digging delays on East Side Drive. There are no bridge delays. But, hey, let’s be careful out there as traffic increases with seasonal residents returning every day and the kids and all out enjoying the warmer weather. |
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On this date in 1763, during Pontiac’s Rebellion, Ojibwe warriors capture Fort Michilimackinac at what is now Mackinaw City. They stage a lacrosse game outside the fort, then intentionally send the ball through the open gate. As players rush in after it, women waiting nearby hand them concealed weapons. The warriors quickly overwhelm the British garrison in one of the most famous military deceptions in North American history.
A game of Native American lacrosse (then called stickball) is depicted in this lithograph by George Caitlin. Image from Art collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is crux (noun) [KRUKS. A crux is the most important part of a problem, issue, argument, or puzzle. You’ll often hear the phrase “the crux of the matter,” meaning the key point that must be understood or resolved. Crux comes from Latin, where it originally referred to a cross or stake used as an instrument of torture. Over time, the word came to mean a difficult or puzzling problem. Today, it most often refers to the central issue or essential point of something. |
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Tuesday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day from Guglielmo Marconi, who this day in in 1896 filed the first ever patent for wireless telegraphy or radio: “The crux of the matter, is that people don’t understand the true nature of money. It is meant to circulate, not be wrapped up in a stocking.” |
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On a lighter note… Norse Code. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Tuesday, June 2nd, 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. |
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WEATHER |
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[Current Condition Report, then…] |
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Today Sunny, with a high near 65 on the shore, 80 inland. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 50. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 63/76. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 63/77. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Thursday Night A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Friday A 40 percent chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64/78. Friday Night A chance of showers before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Saturday A chance of showers after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65/73. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 67/75. Sunday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Monday Mostly sunny, with a high near 68/77. |
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Air Quality Index at 6:30 was 8. |
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Fire Danger Level: Very High |
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today Variable winds less than 5 kt becoming W 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Wednesday SW wind 5 to 10 kt. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Thursday SSW wind around 15 kt, with gusts as high as 25 kt. Partly sunny. Waves 2 to 3 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…
Could you help shape the future of St. James Township? We’ll tell you about two openings on the township board. Plus, despite new legislation in Lansing, the Mackinac Island ferry fight is still headed for court. We’ll also look at what the leading candidates for governor have to say about Michigan’s aging dams, and how volunteers can help maintain Beaver Island’s trails while earning a free breakfast and more.
…those stories plus a run-down of local events, birthdays, this dat ein history, a word of the day and more are coming up after this global and national news from F-S-N. [Time check.] |
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Today’s featured image: A full outdoor breakfast awaits volunteers in Beaver Island Retreat’s and the Archipelago Trails Association’s Step Up for Trails project. Photo from Beaver Island Retreat |
