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Michigan fish and wildlife regulators will get a sobering update this Thursday on the collapse of lake whitefish in the Great Lakes. The Michigan Natural Resources Commission will hear how catch rates in lakes Michigan and Huron have plunged from nearly 7 million pounds in 2009 to under 2 million today. Invasive quagga mussels are stripping away food, leaving tiny whitefish to starve or burn in unusually clear water. The DNR’s experts say it’s not just a whitefish crisis — other species are at risk too. While tighter fishing limits are already in place, future bans may be needed to save the iconic fish. In T-C, a long-discussed indoor sports complex could soon move forward. TCAPS trustees will vote Monday on a $650,000 design contract for a new multi-sport fieldhouse next to East Middle School. The $17 million project is backed by major commitments from Northern Michigan Homefield Alliance and Traverse City Tourism. Supporters say the 125,000-square-foot facility would give over 8,000 TCAPS students access to year-round courts, turf, and a track, while boosting local tourism during slower seasons. If approved, design work could wrap up by year’s end, with construction starting in 2026. Proposed fieldhouse in TC. Renderings by TMP Architecture The County Road Commission says dust control work is set for this week. On Thursday, crews will spray liquid calcium chloride on Barney’s Lake Road and parts of McCauley’s. On Friday, they’ll finish McCauley and move to West Side Drive, from Paid Een Og to Fox Lake Road. Drivers are urged to avoid the West Side between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, as the large chloride truck may block traffic.
Chloride comes out and dust goes down. Photo from Beaver Island This and That |
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Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle… First your meeting planner. A-A meets Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6:00 at the Christian Church. St. James Township Board meets Wednesday at 5:30. On the fun front today… 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. At 7:00, there’s BINGO at the Gregg Fellowship Center. Doors open at 6:15 for fellowship. Thursday, the Trails Association has a trail maintenance day planned. Meet at the BIC Center at 8:00 A-M with your tools, bug spray and gloves. At 9:00, there’s Pickleball on the Peaine Township Courts and 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. Again, all those events starting at 10:00. At 11:00, the COA has a Crafter’s Social at the Peaine Township Hall. At 5:00 the BIC Center will host another National Security Seminar with Tom Ehrhard and John Manza. At 7:30, artist Paddy Aidan will have a presentation at the library. She works in oil, charcoal and graphite to create works related to weather, natural places and movement of air. She’ll talk about her approach and show some works she has created while on Beaver Island. It’s Burger and a Beer Night at the Shamrock. Highlights for the rest of the week include… 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 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. [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, 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. At the BIC Center, the Celebrate Good Times season continues with Jennifer Westwood and the Handsome Devils including Dylan Dunbar. The music will range from Texas blues to Stax with sounds from Muscle Shoals-era artists all with ties to the sounds of Appalachia. Jennifer and Dylan along with a band of A-listers and underdogs from Detroit bars to the Grammy stage have built a family of fans from New York to Texas and soon here on the Island. 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 and Episcopal Mission at 9:00 and the Christian Church at 10:00, and Mass at Holy Cross at 12:15. At 1:30, the Eve McDonough Music School is back in session for its second and final day. Then at 9:00, it’s Red Deer Unplugged with Shaker Hites playing inside at the cabin. 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. 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. Monday afternoon, the BIC Center will host a Community Forum on Marine Energy, energy from waves and how it might be possible to capture that in our waters all part of a collaboration between the University of Michigan, East Carolina University, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Virginia Tech’s VTechWorks. 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 11:00, there’s Plein Air watercolor painting at the Beaver Island Gallery. Meet there to get supplies and then head out. Afterwards, display your work at the library. Call the gallery to sign up. At 1:00, drop by the BIC Center Hangout to play Mah Jongg [mah jawng]. Then stay up late to see Saturn right next to the Moon at about 3:00 A-M Wednesday morning. |
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NAME OF DAY: The BIC Center Name of the Day is Issac. If that’s your name, come on into the BIC Center today to pick out a free drink of your choice. BIRTHDAYS: Brad Coffell, Jr., Kim Mitchell, Connie Boyle and Ellen Newman are on our list today. Happy Birthday to Ellen, Connie, Kim and Brad 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. Still, let’s be careful out there. |
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On this day in 1995 After delighting Deadheads for decades, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead play their last concert featuring all the band’s core members at Chicago’s Soldier Field, capping a touring career that logged more than 2,300 concerts. Garcia, their lead guitarist and unofficial spokesman, will die exactly a month later. |
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Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is simulacrum (noun) [sim-yuh-LAK-rum] which is a superficial likeness of something, usually as an imitation, copy, or representation. There is more than a crumb of similarity between simulacrum and simulate: both words come from simulāre, a Latin verb meaning “to pretend, produce a fraudulent imitation of, imitate.” At the root of simulāre is the Latin adjective similis, which means “having characteristics in common.” Many “similar” words trace back to similis, hence the resemblance between simulacrum and familiar terms like simultaneous, simile, and of course similarity. |
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Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Wednesday… |
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Here’s a thought for the day from Jerry Garcia: “You ain’t gonna learn what you don’t wanna know.” |
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On a lighter note… How many Deadheads does it take to change a light bulb? None—they’d rather embrace the darkness. |
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That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Wednesday, July 9th, 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 Isolated showers before 8am. Patchy fog between 9am and 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 72/77. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 59. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 71/78. North wind around 5 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 77/85. South wind around 5 mph. Friday Night Showers likely, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Saturday Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 76/83. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 76/84. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Monday Sunny, with a high near 77/85. Monday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Tuesday Partly sunny, with a high near 76/84. |
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Fire Danger Level on the Island set at Low. |
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Out on the Big Drink… |
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Today N wind around 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. A slight chance of showers before 7am. Waves 1 ft or less. Thursday Variable winds 5 kt or less. Sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. Friday Variable winds 5 kt or less. Mostly sunny. Waves 1 ft or less. |
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Water Temperature: It’s 65 in Little Traverse Bay. The North Lake Michigan buoy southwest of Gull is reporting 62 with 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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🐟 Michigan’s beloved whitefish are in serious trouble. Regulators will get an alarming update Thursday on how invasive mussels and a disrupted food chain have slashed catches in lakes Michigan and Huron. We have details. 🏟️ In Traverse City, a long-discussed indoor sports complex could soon become reality, giving 8,000 students year-round turf and courts. 🚧 And a heads-up: dust control crews will be working later this week — avoid the West Side on Friday late morning if you can. 🎸 Also we’ll let you know about a band that played their final show on this date in 1995. |
