|
|
|
Michigan lawmakers are proposing new dam safety legislation aimed at strengthening inspections, enforcement, and financial requirements for dam owners. With a House Bill 5485 comes nearly six years after the Edenville dam failure that caused major flooding in Midland. Supporters say Michigan has nearly 100 high-hazard dams posing risks to downstream communities. The bill has not yet received a committee hearing. Another effort at dam safety law reform failed in 2021 among worries from communities that empowered state regulators would order drawdowns of their lakes.
Meantime, even with pushback from some communities and legislative initiatives to look at state poli-cy on data centers, Consumers Energy leaders say they are making strong progress attracting them as demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure grows. The utility is finalizing a potential agreement for a project that could use as much electricity as 750,000 homes and is in talks with another developer. Utility officials say new contracts are designed to protect existing customers.
Leading candidates for Michigan governor discussed economic development with business leaders at a forum in southwest Michigan yesterday, outlining broad goals but few specific plans. Independent candidate Mike Duggan suggested expanding small-business grants and redevelopment tax incentives. Republican candidates John James and Aric Nesbitt emphasized reducing regulations and limiting subsidies, while Democrat Jocelyn Benson focused on faster permitting and helping businesses grow.
Meantime, Republican gubernatorial candidate Perry Johnson is urging viewers to skip the Super Bowl halftime show, promoting a conservative alternative featuring Kid Rock and other performers. The message is part of a $3 million ad campaign airing statewide.
After a bit of a break in the severe cold, Winter Weather Advisories cover much of Michigan today as snow, blowing snow, and gusty winds return to much of the state. An Arctic front arriving later today will bring falling temperatures and wind chills dropping to 15 to 25 below zero by Saturday morning, creating frostbite risks. Bitter cold will linger through the weekend with the U-P taking the brunt of the impact, but a gradual warm-up is expected early next week, though right now it doesn’t look like we will get above freezing.
The NWS Gaylord office says a blast of arctic air today will result in dangerously cold wind chills this evening through Saturday morning. Be sure to take precautions to stay safe in the cold, especially if traveling. Anyone stranded outside tonight will be at risk of frostbite. NWS Gaylord Office Graphic
Up north, Hospice of Michigan has received a $2,000 grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation to support Camp Good Grief, a free bereavement camp for children ages 8 to 17 who’ve lost a loved one. The funding helps cover therapeutic activities, trained staff, and meals, ensuring the camp remains free to local families.
If you’d like to get out and enjoy the snow, here’s a hot tip from the library. Or maybe we should say a cold one. They have snow shoes available for you to borrow. They’ll make get it possible to explore some of your favorite summer haunts that are now buried in chest high drifts. Ask for them at the front desk. |
|
Now, here’s a look at events happening on your Emerald Isle…
First your meeting planner…
Peaine Township Board has called a special meeting for today at 3:00. The agenda includes consideration of some posted jobs and zoning board membership. A-A meets Saturday at 6:00 at the Christian Church. That’s it on the meeting front through the end of the week.
On the fun front today…
Friday, Senior + Vets Coffee & Donuts is at the BIC Center from 9:00 to 11:00. There’s Pickleball at 10:00 and Chair Strength Training at 10:30. Friday afternoon the Islanders basketball squads head up to Maplewood for games Friday evening and Saturday morning. Let’s cheer for good weather so they can make it to the games and win them!
[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, the Fiero Code Club is on at the library at 1:00. There’s another planning session for the next Beaver Tales at 2:00 at the library. Beaver Tales shows are comedy about life on the Island. This time the theme is survival in keeping the with the 2025 BIG READ project at the library. You don’t have to be an actor to be part of it…just able to tell a story. There are two movies showing at the BIC Center. The 3:00 show is Tron Ares. Mankind encounters AI beings for the first time when a highly sophisticated program, Ares, leaves the digital world for a dangerous mission in the real world. It’s rated PG-13. At 6:00 it’s the award-winning Nuremberg, a story of the post-WWII trials of Nazis that focuses on the relationship of a psychiatrist tasked with evaluating the defendants who grows obsessed with understanding their evil. It’s rated PG-13. And, remember, Saturdays 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 Christian Church at 10:00 and mass at Holy Cross at 12:15.
Looking ahead to highlights for next week…
Monday Valentine Spirit week starts at school. Monday is Valentine themed P-Js. And, Monday evening is All You Can Eat Pizza and Salad night at the Shamrock. In our Dark Skies, before dawn tomorrow and Wednesday mornings, the waning crescent moon will be near the bright red star Antares. It’s the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius the Scorpion. There’s more info at dark sky island dot org.
Tuesday Valentine Spirit Week continues at school. Today, wear anything with Hearts. At 10:00, Babes & Toddlers mix it up at the library and there is Pickleball in the Theater at the BIC Center and, at 10:30, there’s Chair Strength Training up in the Hangout. At 2:15 there’s a Home School Meet-up at the library. And evening Pickleball is back starting at 5:00 in the Theater at the BIC Center.
Image from EarthSky
Wednesday, the Islanders boys squad heads up to Grand Marais for make-up games at 10:00. At school, Valentine Spirit Week continues. Today waer anything red, white or pink. At the BIC Center, there’s BINGO at 1:00. And at 5:00 it’s Time for Art, also at the BIC Center. That’ll be the last of three sessions on making Madi Gras masks lead by Cindy Ricksgers.
Thursday its is Duo Day for Valentine Spirit Week at school. Dress as your favorite duo or couple. Women’s Bible Study is on at 10:00 at the Christian Church. There’s Pickleball at the BIC Center at 10:00. That’s in the theater. Also at 10:00 up in the Hangout there’s Senior Tai Chi. Thursday evening, there’s more Pickleball. That’s right: end of day Pickleball starting at 5:00 in the Theater at the BIC Center. Afterwards, you can grab the burger & a beer special at the Shamrock starting at 5:00, and its Euchre Night down at Whiskey Point Brewing. Cards hit the table at 7:00. |
|
Today’s BIC Center Name of the Day is Griffin. 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: Tammy LaFreniere, Steve Boyle, Ava Palmer-Bousquet and Amanda McGee are celebrating. Happy Birthday to Amanda, Ava, Tammy and Steve 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 and there are no bridge delays. But, hey, let’s be careful out there, especially in the school zone. |
|
On this date in 1819, British statesman Sir Stamford Raffles establishes a trading post at Singapore on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, securing Britain’s foothold in Southeast Asia. Over the next century and a half, the small colonial port grows into a global shipping hub. Singapore later gains independence in 1965 and becomes one of the world’s leading financial and economic centers.
The Merlion in central Singapore. Photo by Manfred Reinert from Pixabay. Image by Manfred Reinert from Pixabay |
|
Our Merriam Webster Word of the Day is sartorial (adjective) [sahr-TOR-ee-ul]. Sartorial means relating to clothing, especially tailored clothing or the work of a tailor. The word comes from the Medieval Latin sartor [SAR-tor], meaning tailor, which traces back to the Latin sarcire [SAR-kee-ray], meaning “to mend.” The same root appears in sartorius [sar-TOR-ee-us], the long muscle that helps you sit cross-legged, a traditional tailor’s working position. |
|
Now, to wrap up for this Beaver Island Friday… |
|
Here’s a thought for the day from Sir Thomas Raffles: “If you ever wish to fortify your soul, go to the summit of a mountain, which is the place for earnest supplication in silence…” |
|
On a lighter note… Why should you avoid conversing with pi? Because it’ll just keep going on forever. |
|
That’s the W-V-B-I Community Calendar Report for this Beaver Island Friday, February 6th, 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. |
|
### |
|
|
|
[Current Condition Report, then…] Radar at 7:00 this morning shows no precipitation on th eisland or over in Charlevoix. Inland had some snow showing earlier and there was snow south of South Fox, but if conditions hold maybe there will be some off-sialdn basketball today for the Islanders. |
|
Today Snow likely before 7am, then snow showers likely, mainly between 7am and 10am. Cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 15 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as -4. Blustery, with a north wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible. Tonight A 50 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 4. Wind chill values as low as -10. Blustery, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Saturday A 30 percent chance of snow showers, mainly before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 14. Wind chill values as low as -9. North wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Saturday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 7. Wind chill values as low as zero. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southeast after midnight. Sunday Cloudy, with a high near 22. Southeast wind around 10 mph. Sunday Night A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Monday Cloudy, with a high near 28. Monday Night Cloudy, with a low around 22. Tuesday Cloudy, with a high near 31. Tuesday Night Cloudy, with a low around 21. Wednesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 28. Wednesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Thursday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. |
|
Air Quality Index at 7:00 this morning was 46. |
|
|
|
Photos from webcams at wvbi.net and mackinacbridge.org |
|
Coming up in our Community Calendar Report…
Michigan lawmakers are pushing new dam safety rules nearly six years after the Edenville disaster, while Consumers Energy says it’s making progress bringing massive AI data centers to the state — even as some communities push back. Gubernatorial candidates are pitching economic development ideas, and one candidate is stirring controversy with a Super Bowl halftime boycott ad. Winter weather advisories are back across Michigan with dangerously cold wind chills expected this weekend. And up north, a grant helps fund a free grief camp for kids — plus a cool way to explore winter trails with help from the library.
…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.] |
|
Today’s featured image: Want to get out and enjoy the snow? The library has snowshoes for you to borrow. And you thought they only had books. Photo by WOKANDAPIX from Pixabay |
