First some news…
The first ferry trips are set for a week from now, but the harbor still has a fair bit of ice. We’ll just have to wait and see how things develop. Photo from WVBI Webcam
Story from UpNorth Live – James Itani, 41, was sentenced to 25-40 years in prison for arson and terrorism charges after setting fire to Michigan State Police vehicles in Sault Ste. Marie. No troopers were injured. He pleaded no contest to three charges, with 14 additional charges dropped as part of a plea deal. Itani was arrested in September 2023 after multiple patrol vehicles were set on fire at the Michigan State Police Post in Sault Ste. Marie.
An 85-year-old woman from Antrim County won $1 million from the Michigan Lottery’s Golden Key instant game. She chose a lump-sum payment of $693,000 and plans to use the money for a new mattress and to donate to charity.
Here’s a weird story about how some big cities are experimenting with “Fast-Walk Lanes” on busy streets. In New York City and Chicago, you can use the inner lane (the one without slow-moving tourists) by scanning a QR code on the ground and paying $0.99 per block. If you walk in the fast lane without a subscription, “proximity sensors” will beep a high-pitched sound from your phone.
City officials say it’s similar to the HOV lane, but for people who have somewhere to be. Just a heads-up, this last story is a playful reminder that you can be immature at any age. April Fools!
Team 6098 BIROBOT
Is looking ahead to next week: Team 6098 BIROBOT heads to the Ferris State District Event on April 9th and 10th. More details to come!
Visit TheBlueAlliance.com for links to the webcasts and find out more about BICS’s FRC team at birobot.org.
Ticket sales for the 2026 Warblers on the Water events, May 22-25, are now open. The festival features new field trips to celebrate Great Lakes Islands biodiversity. store.biccenter.org
The America 250 Writing Challenge invites you to share your thoughts on America 250. Selected submissions will be compiled into a book. Check out the library for more information.
Meeting Planner
Tuesday 6:00pm Beaver Island AA Meeting – also Thursday and Saturday at the BI Christian Church
Wednesday 1:30 p.m. St James Finance Meeting stjamestwp.org application online
Vacant Harbor Master Position Posting Through April 9th
Friday 4:00pm BIRHC Board of Directors Meeting at Health Center
On the fun front
Wednesday
Spring Break – No school
1:00pm BI Senior Advisory Committee BINGO at the BIC Center
★ 5:00pm Time for Art at the BIC Center
7:30pm Dark Sky Event: Venus in the Evening Sky – all month long
10:30pm Dark Sky Event: Full Flower Moon
Thursday
10:00am Pickleball at BIC Center
10:00am Women’s Bible Study at the BI Christian Church
10:30am Senior Tai Chi at the BIC Center
5:00pm Burger & a Beer at the Shamrock
5:00pm Pickleball at BIC Center
6:00pm Beaver Island AA Meeting at the BI Christian Church
7:00pm Euchre Night at WPBC
7:30pm Dark Sky Event: Moon near Spica & Zubenelgenubi
7:30pm Dark Sky Event: Jupiter Near the Moon
[On the radio Thursday evening, drop in for W-V-B-I’s The Underground with Leila Freijy at 7:00 – two hours of underground grunge sound and more from the 80s and 90s.]
Friday, April 3rd – Good Friday
9:00am Senior + Vets Coffee & Donuts at the BIC Center
10:00am Pickleball at BIC Center
10:30am Chair Strength Training at the BIC Center
4:00pm BIRHC Board of Directors Meeting
7:30pm Dark Sky Event: April Evening Planets
[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, April 4th – Holy Saturday
11:30am Community Easter Brunch at the Gregg Fellowship Center
1:00pm Fiero Code Club at the Library
★ 3:00pm Hop – at the BIC Center PG | 1h 35min | Adventure, Animation, Comedy
E.B., the Easter Bunny’s teenage son, heads to Hollywood, determined to become a drummer in a rock ‘n’ roll band. In LA, he’s taken in by Fred after the out-of-work slacker hits E.B. with his car.
5:00pm Prime Rib Night at the Shamrock
6:00pm Beaver Island AA Meeting at the BI Christian Church
★ 6:00pm The Passion of the Christ – screening at the BIC Center R | 2h 7m | Epic, Biblical, Period Drama
Depicts the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, on the day of his crucifixion in Jerusalem.
[On the radio Saturday, tune in for Country Classics at 5:00pm with host Sheri Timsak. At 7:00, take a trip back to the best of the 80s and 90s with the Mix Tape show hosted by 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, April 5th – Easter Sunday
10:00am Beaver Island Christian Church Worship
12:15pm Sunday Mass at the Holy Cross Church
Looking Ahead to next week
Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is April. If that’s your name, come on it to the BIC Center to pick out a free drink of your choice.
On our Birthday List today we are not showing any names but if we missed you on the list Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at the BIC Center and WVBI. [Some may no longer be with us, but we still honor and remember each person named]
TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. The Island Beltway is running smoothly and there are no bridge delays. But, hey, let’s be careful out there, especially in the school zone.
On this date in 1945 50,000 U.S. combat troops landed on Okinawa, aiming to seize the island as a base for a later assault on mainland Japan. The Americans seized two airfields and advanced inland, battling 120,000 Japanese troops. Despite initial success, the Americans suffered over 50,000 casualties, including kamikaze attacks, before the Japanese surrendered.
Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is Shenanigans is an informal word used to refer to activity or behavior that is either not honest or proper, or is mischievous or high-spirited. Its oldest meaning, and the one most likely to be encountered as the singular shenanigan, is “a devious trick used especially for an underhanded purpose.”
// The CEO resigned amid accusations of financial shenanigans and dubious deals.
Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Wednesday…
Here’s a thought for the day ,,, They fought together as brothers in arms; they died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz
On a lighter note, why was the donkey annoying everyone? It was April mules day.
That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Wednesday, April 1st, 2026. I’m Greg Doig 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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[Current Condition Report, then…]
Air Quality Index at 6:30 this morning was 1 .
Today
Partly sunny, with a high near 39. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northeast in the afternoon.
Tonight
A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly between 11pm and 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. East wind 10 to 15 mph.
Tuesday
Showers likely before 11am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11am and 2pm, then showers likely after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy, with an east wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Blustery, with a northwest wind around 20 mph.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 33. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday Night
A 40 percent chance of snow showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Breezy.
Thursday
Snow showers likely before 2pm, then rain showers, snow showers, and freezing rain. High near 33. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Thursday Night
Rain showers, snow showers, and freezing rain before 2am, then rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Windy.
Friday
Rain and snow showers likely before 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy.
Friday Night
A chance of rain and snow showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.
Saturday
Rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Breezy.
Saturday Night
Rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Breezy.
Sunday
A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 36. Breezy.
Air Quality Index at 6:30 this morning was 1 .
Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org
Coming up in our Community Calendar Report…
…all of that along with a run-down of local events, birthdays and more after global and national news from F-S-N. [Time check.]