Pathetically Dirty Politics

(Editorial by Joe Moore)

No matter who you think will make a better Judge for the Circuit Court of Charlevoix County, you have to look at the following political flyer and classify it as one of the worst and dirtiest political move in the county. How can anyone accuse a victim of a sex crime as the perpetrator and the cause of the crime? There is no excuse for this type of politics. Perhaps, passing these out at the Charlevoix AppleFest, and talking about this as fact on the radio doesn't outrage you as much as it outrages me.

There is no way that I will post a copy of this outrageous flier. I prefer to place this trash right where it belongs, in the trash. I will comment that this does not help the other candidate for judge. In my mind, there should be an out and out public denial of any complicity in this dirty move by that candidate.

If this is not simple retaliation by an individual prosecuted by Mary Beth Kur, I will be very surprised. I have posted below a letter from the prosecutor of the sex crime case. It was provided by Mary Beth Kur for Judge.

Any attempt to accuse a victim of child abuse and try to make that accusation a factor in the Charlevoix County Circuit Court judicial race is shameful and illustrates politics at its absolute worst.

Shame on those responsible.

Roy C. Hayes Responds

Dear Voters,

This is Roy Hayes. Please be assured that neither I nor my campaign have anything whatsoever to do with "The Pretty Lie, Ugly Truth" Blog. The operators of that blog are not acting on my behalf. I have never met the operator of that website or consulted with her regarding the content of her blog.

I have worked hard to run a clean and positive campaign. I would never resort to personal attacks against someone whom I have considered a friend for the past 20 years.

I encourage all Charlevoix County voters to ignore the negative attacks and focus on the positive attributes of both candidates.

It is my sincere hope that the voters will decide to vote for me because of my extensive and broad based experience over the course of my career in the State and Federal Courts of Michigan and the fact that local judges from Charlevoix, Emmet, Antrim & Grand Traverse County as well as Justice Brian Zahra of the Michigan Supreme Court have exclusively endorsed me as their candidate in this race.

Roy C. Hayes

Cellphone Pictures

There are many times when the editor does not have a camera handy to take the pictures that jump out to hit him over his head. These are a few cellphone pictures taken since last Wednesday.

Gorgeous sunset

Beautiful night flight

Little crane, BIG crane

If you are willing to share some of your cellphone pictures, email them to medic5740@gmail.com, and we'll consider posting them giving you the credit.

Rain, Rain, and More Rain

October 15, 2014, 5:45 p.m., And more rain today, although not quite as much, about half as much. Since the gauge was dumped last night around 8 p.m., we have had only and inch and a quarter today.

October 14, 2014, 6:45 p.m., Since yesterday, there has been almost 3.5 inches of rain. This will once again make the water levels rise. It is forecast to continue throughout the night on and off.

BICS Board Meeting, 10-13-14

Forty-six interested persons attended the community school board meeting tonight, October 13, 2014. Six board members were present. Riley Justis was present and Alice Belfy was present to take minutes. Several members of the public made comments at the beginning of the meeting. An excellent question came from Kathy Speck. She said that several questions had been asked and wondered when and how these questions might be answered. The question was not fully answered. An attempt was made by Jessica Anderson, but the public was awaiting a date and time for the questions to be answered, and that information was not forthcoming. The agenda for the meeting and minutes of prior meetings can be viewed HERE.

Video of this meeting can be viewed HERE

There were several questions asked at the beginning of the meeting during the public comment time. These questions were not answered. Not answering questions can lead to distrust, frustration, and hurt feelings. Perhaps the very first priority should be gathering the questions and publishing answers.

The Perfect Pie

by Cindy Ricksgers

In August or September, when you run across someone over-dressed for the weather in denim or canvas...with all exposed skin shredded as if it came in contact with a major piece of farm machinery...scratching at mosquito bites...with burs in the hair and a smile on the face...the appropriate question is, “Where are you finding the berries?”.

We are foragers here on Beaver Island. Like the weather, it’s a common topic of conversation. The activity often includes secrecy, hijinks and boasting. Good caches of mushrooms are as commonly posted on social network sites as beautiful babies! The best areas for finding them are not revealed, though there is much advice given about where one should look. From the earliest wild asparagus, ramps and morels to Autumn offerings of "Shaggy Manes" and apples, we take advantage of what nature provides. From tiny, heart-shaped strawberries in Spring to bright, cold cranberries in late Fall, we gather berries.

Blackberry season is my favorite, for many reasons. First, their size: it is satisfying to be able to fill a container, set it to the side and then fill another. Anyone who has gathered wild strawberries or the miniature pearls of wild blueberries knows that type of gratification is hard to come by. Second, their abundance. This varies from year to year based on weather and a host of other factors, but when the blackberries are good, this island offers them up from a thousand different locations. One year I froze more than forty quarts of blackberries for winter use! Third, they taste wonderful. Fourth, they are easy to clean. Blackberries are solid. They don’t have the hollow back that raspberries do, that sometimes gives a little worm or bug a hidey place, and necessitates going through each one very carefully.

That same distinction provides reason number five: blackberries make a great pie. Some berries collapse with the handling and the heat. Even when their flavor holds, their texture does not. Often, berry pies have a jam-like filling by the time they are baked. Not so, blackberries! They hold their flavor and their shape through cleaning, sugaring, and baking. A blackberry pie comes out of the oven as plump as it went in.

Reason number six has to do with the camaraderie of blackberry picking. Because it’s a stand up activity, it is great to bring along a friend or two for company. I came upon two raccoons, once, standing on their hind legs, picking blackberries at the edge of Fox Lake Road. They both looked up as I drove by, then resumed their activity and---I imagined---their conversation. I have good memories of berry picking with my aunt, my daughters, and with friends. One year, I ran into Dick DeRosia almost every time I went to pick berries, no matter what the location. Once I came upon Jon and Pat Bonadeo’s parents in the berry patch near my house. For many years after, whenever I saw them, we talked about how wonderful the berries had been that year.

Let me see, reason number seven has to do with the thrill of the hunt and the element of danger from the razor-sharp thorns on whip-like canes...but let’s get back to that pie. All fruit pies are wonderful. Blackberry pies are one of the best.

The perfect pie, though, is a rare treasure. It is based on a combination of fresh raspberries and blackberries, and is possible only in those years when the blackberries come on early enough...and the raspberries hold on late enough...that the two can be found at the same time, in sufficient quantity for a pie. Raspberries collapse in baking, forming nice little cushions of sweetness around the blackberries, which hold their shape. The raspberries deepen to maroon as they bake. Combined with the shiny dark blackberries, the filling becomes a beautiful symphony of purples. The bright effervescence of the raspberries provide the ideal contrast to the winey sweetness of the blackberries. In texture, color and flavor, this pie stands out!

First the picking: blackberries first. Visit your usual haunts, or look in areas that have been recently cleared of trees. Juniper and blackberries are both natural stepping stones in the reforestation of a cleared area, so they often grow together. I have several large juniper in my back field with lovely blackberry canes growing right in the center of them. Let your eyes relax, and you’ll start to see the ripe berries. Before you pluck that first one that shows itself, ripe and ready for the taking, look behind and under. Those berries ripen first, and if you pull the obvious one, it may cause a dozen others to drop to the ground before you can get them. I have an under-handed technique that allows the berries to fall into my palm, but each person will find their own rhythm. Look closely near the ground before you move on, for the ones you’ll otherwise crush with your next footfall. Once you take a step forward, turn around to see the ones you missed, because they were hidden in shadow.

It sounds fussy, I know, but it’s really not. There is no wrong way to pick berries. Even I---who managed to take the fun out of chores and even many games for my children by my insistance that there was one right way to do a thing---could not lessen the thrill of berry-picking. If you accidentally pick one that’s less than ripe, just eat it...or toss it for the birds...or add it to the bowl where a bit of extra sugar will make up for it later. If you pick a berry and it falls apart in your hand, over-ripe, pop it into your mouth! Lick the juices from your fingers! It will likely be the sweetest thing you taste all day. If you have doubt about the exact color or feel of a perfectly ripe berry, taste as you go, until you know for sure.

When you have enough blackberries, it’s time to get raspberries. There is a gravel pit off the Fox Lake Road that has raspberry bushes around the perimeter. The ones near the top ripen first. Later in the season, I look for berries near the bottom of the hollow. Likewise, the logging road that cuts through my property has raspberries leaning in from each side. The ones on the south side are long gone, dried up or fallen to the ground by the time the blackberries ripen. Sometimes, those on the north side are just in their prime. Thinking like that, get what you can, aiming for equal amounts, but happy with what you get.

Cleaning is next. Don’t run water over the berries but, instead, lift or gently pour them into a water bath. Leaves and debris will rise to the top where they can be skimmed off. Lift the berries out one handful at a time, so that you can pick out any discards. From there, put them in a collander to let the excess water drain away. When you’ve gone through all the berries, tip them gently into a bowl. A little moisture is good, as it will help the sugar cling to the berries. I add sugar with a large tablespoon, tasting as I go. You’ll know when they are sweet enough. At that point, you’ll want to assess how much of the mixture you’ll need for your pies, and set the rest aside to add to ice cream, pancakes or cereal, or just to enjoy with milk or cream. To the pie berries, add a heaping tablespoon of flour per pie, and toss well.

Crust. I have always made a decent pie crust, but I used to struggle with it much more than I do now. My recipe called for “five to seven tablespoons cold water.” That rarely seemed like enough. My crust wouldn’t hold together and rolling it out was a nightmare. Though they baked up nice and flaky, making piecrust was a hard job. The senior Darrell Butler, who was raised in a bakery, helped me out with some good advice.

"Get yourself a cup of cold water," he said. "Add it a little bit at a time. Sometimes it will take a little; sometimes it will take all of it. As soon as your dough holds together, stop. If it’s a little wet, just roll it out on a good bed of flour." Just like that, he took the mystery out of piecrust!

My recipe makes four rounds---two double-crust pies---in the eight inch size. I like it because it’s all whole increments, easy to remember, and I don’t have to try to measure vegetable shortening, now that Crisco comes in pre-measured one-cup sticks.

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Put 3 cups of flour and 1 cup of Crisco in a bowl. Using a pastry blender or two table knives held parallel, cut the ingredients together until you have a bowl of flour-covered shortening balls, about the size of small peas. Get yourself a cup of cold water. Add it a little bit at a time. Stir it in with one of the table knives, so as not to over-work the dough. As soon as it holds together, stop. Cut the dough ball in half. Cut each half in two, with a slightly larger portion for the bottom crusts. Roll the two larger portions into nice rounds, and fit them into the pie tins. Let your crust hang over the edges; you can trim it later.

Give the berries a stir to make sure the flour and sugar are well distributed, and mound them into the crusts. Roll out the top crusts, cut a little pattern into them to let the steam escape and place them over the berries. Trim the edges if you have too much overhang, and roll the top and bottom edges together; pinch to seal. I make the exact same fluted edge on my pie crust that my mother always made. You’ll find your own way. Or crimp with a fork.

Place the pies in the pre-heated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375. Starting them out in the hot oven ensures that you won’t have a soggy crust. There is nothing more disappointing in a pie than a doughy, soft bottom. Continue to bake the pies at the lower temperature for about another half-hour, until the juices are bubbling up through the vents and the crust looks golden.

Cool slightly, to let the sugars set up, before slicing. Serve warm...with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is perfection.

But, hey, if---in your quest for blackberries and raspberries---you happen upon wild blueberries ripe for the picking, and if you have a mind to, add them to your bucket, and add them to your pie. They will add another layer of flavor and color. When we’re talking about pie, "perfect" is not absolute. There is always room for improvement. Go ahead...make it even more perfect.

 

*This piece was first published just over a year ago in the Beaver Beacon, our lovely island news magazine. My friend, Bill, stopped me on the street to tell me they liked the story and would publish it. "It will cost you, though," he grinned, "I expect one of those pies...delivered." I laughed and said, "Sure," and then got on with other things. Before I knew it, berry season had given way to the colder temperatures of Autumn.

This year, as the berries started ripening, I thought I’d fulfill that obligation. It looked like it was going to be a good season for blackberries. They ripened, though, one cupful at a time. Enough for topping cereal or decorating a dish of ice cream, plenty for sweet nibbles while walking, but not enough for a pie. Days of rain, then, caused ripe berries to drop to the ground and slowed the ripening process of the green ones. I never did get that pie made.

Bill died this Fall. The loss to his wife and son is tremendous, of course. He was a dear friend to many people here. At his memorial, I heard a dozen people say, “Bill was my best friend!” He contributed greatly to the island in a hundred different ways. He encouraged me and promoted my work whenever he had the chance.

I am not chastising myself for not getting the pie baked and given. Life goes on; things get in the way of even the best intentions. If there is a lesson here (and maybe there isn’t, even...) it is only to live each day to the fullest. That’s the best any of us can do.

Okay, Folks....

It's time for BINN to review it's subscriber list. We sent out emails to most subscribers who have expired. Some were delivered while others are no longer valid email addresses. BINN really does not have any choice, but to remove access for those that have subscriptions that have expired. BINN will start with businesses by removing their advertisements and their access, then move on to those who are expired prior to 2014, and then move on to those expired in 2014. This will give those who still want to get "Today's News As Close to Today as Possible" by renewing their subscription.

BINN really does not want to do this, but with expenses over $500/month, and subscription fees not increased in many years, something has to happen. Perhaps a few businesses that do not advertise, will advertise. Perhaps those who like what they see will convince a friend to help out by subscribing. Perhaps those who have expired will renew. No matter what, November 1, 2014, will be the deadline.

Please check your subscription status, when you paid it the last time, and renew your subscription! You can do so with a credit card by clicking this link:

Renew HERE

You can also renew by sending a check to Joe Moore, P.O. Box 50, Beaver Island, MI 49782. The individual subscription rate is $40. The business subscription rate is $150. We still have video advertisement possibilities as well.

From Holy Cross

This was received from Holy Cross Catholic Church, and at first it seemed to pertain to only off-Island churches and places. After reading the whole thing, you will see how it pertains and informs.

B. I. Historical Society Moves Forward Plans for New Museum

News Release-Click Image below

Electronic Version of Booklet for the Project-click Image below

Good Morning, Beaver Island

Pictures of Whiskey Point going around the harbor

Picture from Whiskey Point

Let there be light and color and sunshine.

Veteran's Administration to Visit BIRHC on October 24th

BEAVER ISLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 

NORMALLY SCHEDULED
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
TUESDAY OCTOBER 14, 2014
HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR
TUESDAY OCTOBER 21, 2014
BEAVER ISLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BUILDING
12:00 PM

15th Anniversary of BINN

Beaver Island News on the ‘Net has been in the business of providing weekly news since 1999, so we are celebrating our fifteenth (15th) anniversary. As part of this anniversary celebration, BINN is moving into video even more seriously. We are working toward doing a multi-camera live-streaming video of events happening on Beaver Island, with the option of moving into live-streaming of sports events that take place in the Northern Lights League at off-Island locations. We will still provide news coverage of events on Beaver Island in photos and text, but expand the video capabilities.

We will not leave our dial-up friends without the Beaver Island News on the ‘Net. This is one of the reasons that we do not change the basic website design that we use. Fancier designs take too long to download for our dial-up subscribers.

Right now, we are looking for sponsors for our upgrades and expansions. If you know of any individuals and businesses that might be interested in inexpensive advertising on our homepage, please have them contact Joe Moore, editor at medic5740@gmail.com.

Timeout for Art: A New Venue

by Cindy Ricksgers

When Livingstone Studio, the little island gallery that carries my work, closes for the season, I usually pack up my work and bring it home. Changes in temperature, dampness and small critters could cause problems if artwork over-wintered there. This year, several large works-in-progress are taking up most of the space in my small studio room. Overflow from that dratted 32 drawer cabinet is still occupying precious other storage. I don’t have room for anything else!

On a whim, I called our Community Center, to see if they’d be interested in keeping my framed work for a few months. They loved the idea! We worked out details, and squeezed out time to hang the work.

It looks wonderful!

Sometimes I walk into one of my sisters houses, and see one of my pieces newly matted and framed, and hardly recognize it. That’s how I feel when I see my work arranged at Livingstone each Spring, and how I feel seeing it now in this new venue. It is elevated, somehow, by the surroundings. It’s hard to imagine that it came out of my tiny studio! I can hardly believe I am the one who made it!

It’s a good feeling.

Cantata Letter

October 7, 2014

Dear Friends,
Just want to inform everyone that Cantata rehearsals will start October 19th for our performances December 6th and 7th. We will meet every Sunday at 11:30 at the Christian Church. The Cantata we have chosen for this year may sound familiar to a lot of you--“I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” Books and CD’s are available right now. They are on the bench inside the entryway of the Christian Church; you are welcome to go in and pick them up. (Unfortunately we do not have the individual parts CD’s but we will have section rehearsals to help with that.) As always, please bring pencils and hi-liters to use during our rehearsals.
ALSO, some of us have really missed playing chimes! Deb Plastrik has offered to do this with us if we have enough people. Please e-mail her at deb@in4c.net if you may be interested in this. We will see how many we can get together.
Please feel free to share this information with those that you think may be interested in joining us. Call me if you have any questions---448-2393 or e-mail---kspeck@tds.net.
Looking forward to hearing all of your beautiful voices again!

Kathy Speck

October's Peaine Township Board Meeting

(9 pm, October 8, 2014) The Peaine Township Board met at the Peaine Hall tonight, October 8, 2014, beginning at 7 p.m. The meeting was short and to the point. The board appointed the election inspectors for the November 4, 2014, General Election, discussed a proposed letter to be sent to the USCG regarding the Fresnel lens from the St. James Lighthouse, included a Fox Point update, some information about the Phragmites treatements, adjourned in less than one half an houir.

Video of this meeting HERE

BIRHC Newsletter Fall 2014

Time for Vaccines-Flu and Pneumonia

Flu Shots and pneumonia vaccines are available at the Beaver Island Rural Health Center. Please call for an appointment 448-2275.

PTA Informational and Organizational Meeting

The parents of school children met at BICS on October 1, 2014, for an informational and organizational meeting. The person from the PTA came to the island to answer questions and give some help to a group trying to get this group started. Fifteen people showed up for the meeting. The teachers were involved in a completely different meeting, so no teachers attended. Perhaps this will change.

The BICS PTA was begun, and officers were elected: President, Judy Boyle; Vice-President, Ralph Williamson; Secretary, Sue Avery; Treasurer, Theresa McDonough.

Video of this meeting HERE

St. James Township Board Meeting

The Township Board met on October 1, 2014, beginning at 7 p.m. All board members were present. Reports included a report from the Emergency Services Authority, Donegal Bay Road Project, and the Governmental Center steps. The old business included the Boat Ramp Grant. The new business included the Dangerous Structure Ordinance and a vacancy on the Library Board. This was all that was on the agenda for the night other than approval of minutes and bills.

Video of the meeting HERE.

School Board Ballot

A picture of the draft ballot is presented below.

For the four year terms, three to be elected, running and on the ballot are Janet Nank, Kathy Speck, Angel Welke, and Susan Myers. In addition to the four on the ballot, there are three others are running as write-ins: Gerald LaFreniere, Eric Naranjo, and Judi Boyle. For the terms to completed and ending on 12/31/2016, three positions need to be filled with only two on the ballot: Dave Avery and Judy Gallagher.In addition to these two, three others are running as write-ins: Angela Kohls, Mark Englesman, and Dusty Cushman.

It can be confusing with all these island people running for the positions, and the procedure for write-ins has not be made public at this time. There was an unfortunate problem with the applications to be placed on the ballot, so these others will have to be written in on the ballot. There are three blank lines under the four year term and three blank lines under the term ending on 12/31/2016.

Meghan Costello, DC Chiropractic

Will be on island Saturday, October 25th. Please contact Dr. Meghan Costello for appointments at 231 922 0048. Please note that this time is set aside for you and if you are a no show for appointment, a $30 fee will be charged to you. You may cancel up to three days prior to appointment.

Thank You

Dr Meghan

Common Core Presentation to School Board and Community

(Information taken from beaverislandforum post by KaiLonnie Dunsmore)

KaiLonnie Dunsmore did a 30 minute presentation last night, Tuesday, September 23, 2014, at the school board meeting at 7:30 pm on the common core and school reform. This was a school board work session on identifying school year goals. KaiLonnie invited community members, parents, and candidates for the school board to attend and get an introduction into the new national standards (common core, next generation science standards, social studies C-3 framework) and research on the practices that effective schools are using to support change.

Here's a brief overview of what she shared:
• What are the new national standards and how did they develop?
• What are the main changes that we should be seeing in our school because of the common core and new assessments?
• How do these standards impact the goals we have on BI for student learning, student assessment, and educator evaluation?
• What are successful schools around the country doing to effectively implement the changes required by new standards?
• What questions should we be asking or issues should we be discussing here in our school to prepare our students and teachers for these new learning goals?

View video of the BICS Board Meeting and KaiLonnie Dunsmore's presentation HERE

New Sewer Ordinance in St. James Township

Dermatologist Coming October 24th

Dr Maury Cotter,  Dermatology Assoc of Northern Michigan is taking appointments to see patients at the Beaver Island Rural Health Center on October 24th.  Please call 231-487-2230 for an appointment to be seen on Beaver Island at the Health Center.

Questions call the Medical Center 448-2275.

Donna Kubic