WVBI Community Calendar Report
July 30, 2026
From our Langford Family Studios on
America’s Emerald Isle, this is the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for Thursday, July 30th, 2026.
First some news…
Today we continue our look at Tuesday’s primary election with Michigan’s race for governor. Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited, so voters will choose nominees from competitive primaries in both parties.
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On the Republican side, voters will decide between Congressman John James and businessman Perry Johnson. James, who has President Trump’s endorsement, has campaigned on cutting taxes, expanding school choice, reducing government spending, increasing transparency, and strengthening manufacturing and job growth. He favors reducing the state income tax, repealing Michigan’s 100-percent clean energy mandate, replacing the state’s utility regulators, and supports an all-of-the-above energy strategy that includes natural gas, nuclear, hydro and renewables. He also says incentives for data centers should be tied to measurable public benefits and transparency.
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Johnson says he’ll eliminate the state income tax, reduce property taxes, audit state government for efficiency, lower energy costs, and improve schools. He opposes taxpayer incentives for data centers, has proposed a one-year moratorium on new projects while the state studies their impacts, and says consumers should have more energy choices and lower costs. He campaigns as a businessman who says Michigan should be run more like a company.
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Democrats will choose between Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. Benson has focused her campaign on lowering costs for families, protecting abortion rights, improving government services, supporting public education, expanding affordable housing, and defending voting rights. She supports Michigan’s clean energy law, stronger oversight of data centers, public hearings before projects move forward, and investment in climate resilience and water infrastructure.
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Swanson says he’ll bring a public safety perspective to the governor’s office, emphasizing education, economic development, government accountability, protecting Michigan’s natural resources, and workforce development. He supports the clean energy transition but wants more local control over large wind and solar projects, says data center developers should pay for needed infrastructure, and favors stronger penalties for polluters.
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Tomorrow, we’ll begin a look at the millage proposals on the ballot. The election is next Tuesday with the polls open from 7:00 in the morning until 8:00 in the evening.
#Election2026
Michigan’s record outbreak of cyclosporiasis has now topped 10,000 confirmed cases. Health officials say the illness, caused by a microscopic parasite spread through contaminated food or water, can cause severe diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps. They continue to urge people to wash fresh produce thoroughly.
#Health
The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled that some people sentenced to mandatory life without parole for felony murder convictions before 1980 may now seek parole. The court says those sentences can violate the state Constitution when juries never determined the defendant acted with malicious intent. Fewer than 100 inmates are expected to be affected by the decision.
#StateGovernance
As the Island continues to see haze on and off from wildfires in the Western U-S, wineries in the region are saying that the heavy smoke we saw earlier in the month is not expected to affect this year’s wine grapes because it arrived early in the growing season and didn’t linger long. But growers say smoke taint—unwanted smoky flavors in finished wines—is becoming a growing concern as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of wildfires, prompting vineyards to prepare for future smoke events.
And speaking of smoke and haze, the smoke models show some on the way to the Island by 6:00 this evening. The models show it coming and going for the next 48 hours.
#Environment
A regional look at air quality monitors show what is headed our way later in the day. Firesmoke.ca says we’ll start to see lowered air quality and haze around 6:00 this evening. Images from WVBI PurpleAir AQI Sensor Report and firesmoke.ca
If you are headed out in your boat around the Island, be on the lookout for net buoys. For the first time in quite a while, tribal commercial fishing has resumed in our waters. Those buoys mark nets in the water, Boaters need to keep a careful lookout to avoid running over buoy lines or snagging fishing gear…which will create problems for the boater and the fishermen. If you do accidentally strike a buoy line or become entangled in a net, please contact Heidi Bearss.
#LocalEconomy
Tribal commercial fishing is underway again in waters around the Island. If you are out boating, be on the lookout for buoys marking the nets. Photo provided by Heidi Bearss via Facebook
Tickets are starting to run low for both the BIC Center W-V-B-I Havana Nights Gala and the Irish Feile. You can pick yours up before they are going by heading to tickets dot bic center dot org.
#Events
Beaver Island Community School is hiring for a full-time school-year position combining food service and custodial duties. The job includes preparing school meals, managing the nutrition program, and helping maintain the school building. Pay is $19 to $21 an hour with benefits. Applications are due August 7. Details are available from the school or by calling 231-448-2744.
#Employment
And the Beaver Island Rural Health Center is also hiring. The part-time position involves evening and weekend cleaning of the clinic. Pay depends on experience. Applications should be sent to Managing Director Ann Partridge.
#Employment
Now here’s a look at upcoming events on your Emerald Isle…
First your meeting planner…
A-A meets Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6:00 at the Christian Church. No other meetings on the schedule this week.
On the fun front today…
Thursday, there’s Pickleball at Peaine Township Park at 9:00. The COA’s normal Cardio Drumming and Art Therapy is off today on vacation. Those sessions return mid-August. 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. Baroque events continue Thursday evening at 7:30 with The Baroque on Beaver Orchestra taking the BIC Center stage for an evening of orchestral masterworks including Mendelssohn’s beloved Symphony No. 4 Italian, Bach’s Orchestra Suite No. 3 and Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C Major featuring Young Soloist Competition winner Bhargava Kulkarni. And, Thursday evenings are Burger and a Beer Night at the Shamrock.
Friday, there’s Senior and Vets Coffee and Donuts from 8:30 to 10:30 in the Welcome Center at the BIC Center, plus Chair Strength Training up in the Hangout at 9:30. Also at 9:30, there’s Summer Yoga in the Theater. And at 10:00 A-M Pickleball Outdoors on the Peaine Township courts.
[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, the Artisan’s Market is on at the Point starting at 10:00. A celebration of the life of James Allan Cull is set for 2 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery. There’ll be a memorial ride to the Point, a graveside service, and a final toast at Angeline’s Bluff. Saturday night, Baroque on Beaver closes festival performances at the BIC Center for 2026 with an unforgettable evening of opera favorites, featuring beloved arias and dramatic scenes introduced by the Island’s own Peter Amster. Showtime is 7:30. Tickets are at tickets dot bic center dot org. Following the performance, raise a celebratory glass to honor Maestro Robert Nordling and celebrate his passing of the baton to Nathan Bieber for the next chapter of Baroque on Beaver. And Saturday nights are 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 Mission at 9:00 and at the Christian Church at 10:00. Mass is at Holy Cross at 12:15.
And the Amik Cultural Center is open 1 to 3 PM. And Baroque closes its season with Brass on the Bay at 3:00 at the Donegal Bay Pavillion with its commanding view of Donegal Bay. Refreshments will be served and Metallurgy, Baroque’s resident brass ensemble formed in 2010 will play. Free-will donations will be appreciated. Those can be made at tickets dot bic center dot org.
Looking ahead to highlights for next week…
Monday, at 9:30, summer yoga is on at the BIC Center. It’ll be a session on Basic Flow. COA has Cardio Drumming at 10:00 and Art Therapy at 11:00 at Peaine Township Hall. At 11:00, there’s Summer Therapeutic Chair Yoga at the BIC Center and over at the library, it’s the Senior Digital Café. Monday is Funday at the BIC Center with movies on this Monday. The 3:00 show is Hoppers. A young animal lover uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination. It’s the latest from Pixar, rated PG. At 6:00 it’s Remarkably Bright Creatures, based on the best-selling book, telling the story of an Octopus and its relationship with two caregivers at an aquarium. Sally Field stars. Rated PG-13. And, don’t forget, Monday evenings are All You Can Eat Pizza and Salad night at the Beachcomber, so you can go next door to grab dinner before or after the show.
Tuesday, at 9:00 there is Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts. 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. In our Dark Skies, you might be able to see Comet 10P/Tempel 2 with binoculars. Here’s when to look, what to expect, and how to find 10P/Tempel 2 in the sky. To check the comet’s position and visibility for your exact location, you can use an app linked in our script online. It will continue to grow in brightness until it reaches its peak from August 3rd through the 12th.
Wednesday, there’s Summer Restorative Yoga BIC Center at 9:30. At 10:00 at the library kids can make clay fossils. Also at, 10:00 there’s American Mah Jongg at the BIC Center in the Hangout, and at 1:00 there is Afternoon Bingo. Protar’s House will be open from 1:00 to 4:00, and at 4:00 the Amik Cultural Preservation Center will be open.
Those are the highlights. Find a full listing of events at calendar dot W-V-B-I dot net.
Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Gabe. If that’s your name, come on in to the BIC Center today to pick out a free drink of your choice.
On our Birthday List today are Suzy Belfy Breden and Mark Belfy. Happy Birthday to Suzy and Mark, and if we missed you on the list, Happy Birthday to you too from everyone at the BIC Center and WVBI.
TRAFFIC: No delays inbound or outbound to the airports. The Island Beltway is running smoothly with no bridge delays. It is still busy in town when the ferries arrive, and lots of bikers, hikers and musicians hurrying to practices or performances, so let’s be careful out there.
On this date in 1619, representatives gathered in the church at Jamestown, Virginia, for the first meeting of the House of Burgesses—the first elected legislative assembly in what would become the United States. Also on this date, in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the law creating Medicare and Medicaid, establishing the nation’s largest public health insurance programs for seniors and low-income Americans.
President Lyndon Johnson hands President Harry S. Truman a pen at the Signing of the Medicare Bill at the Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri. Lady Bird Johnson, Vice President Hubert Humphrey, and Bess Truman look on. Photo by White House Photograph Office from Wikimedia
Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is sultry (adjective) [SULL-tree]. Most of us know sultry as hot, humid weather, but the word has an interesting history. It comes from an Old English word meaning dirty, foul, or dusty. Over time, people began using it to describe air that felt thick, heavy, and oppressive—exactly the kind of weather we’ve been having lately. By the 1800s, sultry also picked up its second meaning: someone who’s mysteriously attractive or seductive. But it all started with air that just didn’t feel very pleasant
Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Thursday…
Here’s a thought for the day from President Harry S. Truman: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
On a lighter note…
6:30 is my favorite time of day… Hands down.
That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Thursday, July 30th, 2026. 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 today the best day ever? And thanks for listening.
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WEATHER
[Current Condition Report, then…]
Today
Sunny, with a high near 75 at the beach and 78 inland. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight
A 20 percent chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southwest wind around 10 mph.
Friday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2pm, then a chance of showers between 2pm and 5pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 69/77. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday Night
Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Saturday
A slight chance of showers before 11am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11am and 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 74/82. Northwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 74/81.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
Monday
Sunny, with a high near 75/79.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 76/79.
Tuesday Night
A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Wednesday
A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75/78.
Air Quality Index at 7:20am was 23.
Fire Danger: Moderate
Out on the Big Drink…
Photo from the North Lake Michigan Buoy. Provided by the National Data Buoy Center
Today
SW wind 5 to 10 kt. Patchy smoke between 3pm and 4pm. Waves 1 ft or less.
Friday
WSW wind around 10 kt. A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5pm. Waves around 1 ft.
Saturday
Variable winds 5 kt or less. A slight chance of showers before 10am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10am and 1pm. Waves 1 ft or less.
Sunday
NNE wind around 10 kt. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less.
Monday
Variable winds 5 kt or less. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less.
Water Temps: 63 at the mid-lake buoy southwest of Gull Island. 70 at Sleeping Bear and in the Straits. 71 in Little Traverse Bay.
Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org
Coming up in our Community Calendar Report…
We continue our look at Tuesday’s primary election with Michigan’s race for governor. We’ll compare the candidates and the issues that separate them. Plus, cyclosporiasis cases continue to grow in number, tribal fishing returns to Beaver Island waters, and will the smoke we experieinced early this month hurt local wines?
More local stories, a run down of Island events plus, our word of the day, this day in history, birthdays, some inspitation and a bad joke are all coming up after a global and national news check from F-S-N. [Time check.]
Today’s featured image: Tribal commercial fishing is underway again in waters around the Island. If you are out boating, be on the lookout for buoys marking the nets. Photo provided by Heidi Bearss via Facebook