B. I. News on the 'Net, October 29-November 4, 2012

Carol LaFreniere Passes Away

Carol LaFreniere passed away yesterday, November 4, 2012. Visitation will be Wednesday, 11/7, from 4:00-6:30 at the Christian church, with BINGO in memory of Granny immediately following at the Gregg Fellowship Hall, so bring your dobbers!! In Lieu of Flowers, please consider a donation to the Beaver Island Fire Department Auxiliary's Building Fund. The funeral will be Thursday, 11/8, at 11:00 am at the Beaver Island Christian Church.

Veteran's Day Ceremony

BINN: AMVETS POST 46 will conduct a Veterans Day Ceremony on MONDAY, November 12, 11 AM at the Veterans Memorial Park on the harbor. All community members are invited.

Jim Stambaugh's Letter of Support for Larry Kubic

BICS and BIEMS Team Up

As part of a two-day professional development program, the BICS faculty and staff flew off-Island on Thursday, November 1, 2012. Upon return, and at 8 a.m, on November 2, 2012, the adminstration, faculty, and staff met in the high school commons area for the American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR and AED program for adults, children, and infants.

A watch-and-then-do CPR and AED program

The program was being taught by three AHA instructors, all on the team of Beaver Island EMS-Gerald LaFreniere, Jim Stambaugh, Joe Moore; and BIEMS Executive Director Danielle Dedloff. The program is a hands-on practical skills program that emphasizes the importances of early CPR compressions that are "push hard and fast." This joint effort between BIEMS and BICS is just one example of the cooperative partnerships formed here on Beaver Island.

A picture of the CPR students doing hands-on activities

Avian Botulism a Serious Issue

Beach walkers.... if you decide to clean up the beaches of the bird carcasses, the transfer station will take them free of charge in doubled household garbage bags.

I am also asking for a crew to gather and take care of Sand Bay. Prior to the big blows from SANDY, there were about 50+ birds along the beach (and I only covered about 1/2 of the bay). If we could get several folks together we could divide up the bay into sections, haul the bagged birds to the road and have a pickup gather them up for the transfer station. Call me at 2220 if interested with dates and times you are available.

Jacque LaFreniere,
Avian Botulism monitor for Beaver Island

Team Up For Change Given Opportunity to Respond

Some subcribers have emailed the editor and have suggested that BINN has taken sides and is providing support to only one side. The editor's response is straight forward, "Send me something without negativity, and I will post it." The attacks against one person will not be posted. BINN will not get into a negative campaign position. The "Team Up for Change" group's letters are on this website. Brad Grassmick's video interview is on this website. I have offered to post information or video interviews for this group. BINN has not received a request from any member of their team. An email invitation has been sent to Krys Lyle to provide these options as well. So, just for information purposes, BINN has not taken any side in this election, and all have had equal opportunity to make their case.

Here is a link to the Team Up for Change website response about the airport grant: http://www.teamupforchange.org/update-on-recent-announcement-of-grant-for-the-beaver-island-township-airport/

Pete Lodico's Statement About the Airport Issue

I was at the meeting. There were a number of people there. What was said that I heard loud and clear from the director Betsey Steudle, P.E. Airports Division, Bureau of Aeronautiics was, 'The judgement against Beaver Island 'was not your fault.' We feel that Beaver Island should be awarded this grant from state funds transfered from the fuel tax on air transportation."

Mike Scripps Statement About His Personal Comments

"I will stand by the word 'exonerated'. Dictionary says-to relieve from obligation or hardship, to remove from blame. After talking to four people at that meeting, my best recollection of what was said at that moment was,"It wasn't you'r fault". I'd like to add it was the Island that was exonerated,as well as the committee. The words, plus the actions, in my opinion, make that word appropriate. Now, I'd like to add this. 3 of us gave an entire day to this meeting. I recalled the event as best I could."

Donate to the Live Streaming Project

A Very Nice Story on Paul Welke and Island Airways

http://www.9and10news.com/ story/19977598/special-report

BINN Down Due to Server Crashes

The shared storage of the BINN server, somewhere out there in the "Cloud," had some servers crash somewhere near Chicago. This put the entire website down for about twenty hours. The website came back up on October 31, 2012, in the late evening allowing the afternoon posted story to appear. We hope that this issue, probably related to the Hurricane Karen weather, is resolved and that we can continue to put up daily posts to this website. It is our goal to post as often as we have news available, but definitely much more frequently than weekly. Glad to be back up and in operation!

Getting Close to Turkey Day

While today is Halloween, the wild turkeys are still wandering around near the Kings Highway and Carlisle Road corner. This one ugly turkey appeared to have warts on his head. Further checking provided completely different information.

Turkeys gathering to feed

The ugliest turkey...somewhat like the ugliest duckling.

Apparently, beauty is in the eye of a beholder turkey. Information provided by Nancy Siefeldt suggests that in the spring time, this turkey will probably be considered the "sexiest" tom turkey in the bunch. The wart-like growths are normal for older toms. Thank you to Nancy Siefeldt for the information.

Trunk or Treat Wednesday Night 5-7 pm

At the Gregg Fellowship Center

This event will still take place, but everything will be moved inside!

Wind Lowers Water Level of Paradise Bay

With the water level being down quite a bit this fall, the harbor did not need any help from the wind. The strong winds of hurricane Sandy along with a cold front has the water levels even lower today, October 30, 2012.

Panorama of the harbor from the public beach

Panorama of the marina toward town

Panorama of the point toward Martin's dock

Video of low water all three locations

Cushman's boat high and dry as well as the raft

Old pilings at the marina are completely out of the water.

Video near Beaver Island Marina

Bill Haggard Letter

Ballot Proposals in Michigan for November Election

On the ballot

Dahlwhinnie's Dining Out Menu

The CC Commission on Aging's representatives have approved the menu submitted by Dahlwhinnie's to offer seniors an additional option when deciding to dine out. The addition of a a breakfast menu to a lunch menu provides another option for Dining Out seniors. The menu was available as of Monday, October 8, 2012, and is presented below exactly as presented to BINN with only one thing added. The thing added was the word 'and' in front of the word 'milk.' The following menu items are available from 7-10 a.m.:

#1 1 egg, hashbrowns, orange juice, fruit cup, toast with butter, and milk

#2 1 egg, hashbrowns, orange juice, fruit cup, oatmeal, and milk

#4 Egg sandwich with cheese, orange juice, fruit cup, hashbrowns

#5 1 egg vegetable cheese omelet, hash browns, orange juice

The Dining Out Lunch Menus available from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. is:

#1 Fresh spinach salad with grilled chicken, red onion, honey mustard dressing, fruit, bread with butter, and milk

#2 Chili--(beef, chicken, or turkey) with tomatoes, beans, peppers, and onions, fruit cup, crackers, and milk

#3 Meat loaf, potatoes, vegetable, fruit, roll with butter, milk

#4 Open face pulled pork sandwich, vegetable, sweet potato, fruit, and milk

#5 Hot turkey or beef sandwich and potatoes with gravy, vegetable, fruit, and milk

#6 Tuna melt on wheat with cheddar, fruit, mixed vegetable

Letter from Colleen Martin

Letter from Larry Kubic

Nancy Ferguson Candidacy Video

Prediction of Record Low Water Levels

You can participate and listen to the discussion.

Interesting discussion to take place on October 31, 2012

Thanks to Jim Heit, for this link:
The weekly water levels forecast at the Detroit District Hydraulics and Hydrology homepage has been updated. To see this new forecast please visit

http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/ greatlakes/hh/ greatlakeswaterlevels/ waterlevelforecasts/ weeklygreatlakeswaterlevels/ index.cfm

BICS Honor Society's Operation American Soldier

Beaver Island Emergency Medical Services Busy Today

(Photos by Frank Solle of StillPoint Photography)

Today, October 24, 2012, two island residents needed to be air evacuated from the island due to serious illness or injury. The newly licensed BIEMS/Island Airways aircraft was down for scheduled maintenance, so other options needed to be explored. Since both emergencies occurred within minutes of each other, and since both patients needed transport to the hospital as quickly as possible, BIEMS was challenged to come up with two off-island licensed air medical aircraft, one for each patient.

Because of much research, education, and relationship building, Beaver Island EMS is in a good position to be able to handle these situations. Our Advanced Life Support EMS service helped provide care to both patients simultaneously. The primary air medical transport for Beaver Island is the Island Airways aircraft, licensed by BIEMS. With that aircraft out of service, the secondary option is Northflight air medical transport out of Traverse City. The third option is a two-engine helicopter service with physician onboard from Grand Rapids, named AeroMed. The fourth option is a new air medical transport operation out of Iron Mountain in the UP called Valley Med Flight. The last option,the US Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Traverse City, can only be used if none of the other options are possible and the patient has a life threatening illness or injury.

Northflight was available to handle one of the emergencies. The UP Iron Mountain-based Valley Med Flight was called in for the other emergency. The following pictures may help introduce the Island to this newest option.

..........Landing......... Engine shut down on the apron............unloading equipment

Carrying their cot to the BIEMS ambulance

A look inside the aircraft........look straight in the doorway......front view of the aircraft

Loading the patient into the aircraft.......EMS personnel walk away from the aircraft.....Aircraft takes off..........

A busy day in the life of your local EMS providers working together as a team to take care of two very ill or injured people at the same time......Thank you, EMS! Thank you, BIRHC staff and PA Chris VanLooy! Thank you, Paul Johnson! An excellent team effort!

A little information about the Valley Med Flight Operation

Valley Med Flight is a new critical care air ambulance service that has permanently landed in the Upper Peninsula. Although they work side by side with Northwoods Airlifeline the two offer different services."Northwoods is more of a transportation service," explains Valley Med Flight owner and manager Andy Hay.

This air ambulance takes patient care to the next level -- fully stocking their fixed wing plane with two medics at a time.

The plane can fly 128 mph faster than a helicopter. "Time is tissue," express chief flight paramedic Jacob Keller. "The faster a patient can get to a facility... the better the patient does." An airplane, opposed to a helicopter, allows for a more comfortable trip for both patients and staff. "I can walk pretty much all around the patient," says Keller. "You don't have that option in a lot of medical aircrafts. That's actually one of the mere reasons we chose this airplane in general is we have a lot more room to deal with patient." (information from the website story at http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=817051#.UIiLBYZ-7bw)

COA Events November 2012

Rick Speck Letter to Voters

Joint Township Meeting Live Streamed

Verizon Cellphone Service and Emergency Services Communication System Discussed

The joint township meeting was held this evening, October 22, 2012, at the Peaine Township Hall starting at 7 p.m. The meeting was live streamed on the Internet at http://beaverisland.tv. If you did not get a chance to watch it, the discussion was an excellent one with lots of questions from board members and lots of questions from the audience. The recorded, on demand video of this meeting will be available sometime Tuesday on this website.

The emergency services needs were placed on top of the priority list. Here is the the agreement reached by both townships and the two representativesfrom Verizon. Verizon agreed to put a new emergency services antenna on the top of their tower, the one farthest north of the three towers at this site.Verizon agreed to put new coaxial cable from the new antenna into the old Peaine Township Hall, and provide the connectability at the location of the backup emergency services repeater. This would be completed prior to any demolition of the current guyed emergency services tower. These representatives guaranteed that the back-up emergency services repeater would not be out of working order for more than one hour, probably just minutes.

For those that were concerned about improved cellphone service, Verizon representatives stated that the level of service would be increased to 4G and that the area of service would be increased due to the more powerful antennas to be placed on top of their planned new tower. There was no guarantee that the cellphone service would be Island-wide. The areas that would probably have questionable service would be Port St. James, farther south on the East Side, the South end, and Southwestern areas as well as below the bluff on the West Side. The plan to provide Island-wide 4G service would require equipment placed on the Donegal Bay tower, as well as the Coast Guard tower at the south end, and perhaps also the Green's Lake tower. The representatives suggested that they had not done complete studies to provide Island-wide cellphone service. The first steps in their plan was to upgrade the service to 4G and to slightly expand the service area on the island. When asked about using a different tower location, one representative stated that the issue was not one of distance from the tower to the cellphone user, but instead the weak signal from the cellphone to the tower location. Using Donegal Bay tower would not maintain the current service area. Using the East Side tower would not maintain the current service area. Their first priority is to upgrade the current service area with plans to expand the service area in 2014. The main purpose of the plan from Verizon is to upgrade current customers to a 4G service.

Bob Bradley from CCE Dispatch made a few other suggestions about the emergency services antenna move. He also reported on the bringing back up the towers and communications capability in the fairly newly designed emergency services radio system. A technician came to the island with Mr. Bradley, and this tech tweaked the sensitivity of the Coast Guard tower receiver and the Donegal Bay tower receiver and brought their connection to the main emergency services tower at the East Side Fire Station back online. The originally designed coverage area is now back and is now working.. More than 90% of Beaver Island will have handheld portable radio coverage, and vehicle mobile radio coverage will be increased to almost 100%. The mobile data terminal communications is greatly improved with a data transmitter installed here on Beaver Island. Previously, the signal had to come from Petoskey or Boyne Mountain. EMS providers applauded the effort to get this system working and get the communication towers back in operation.

There were two suggestions for improving individual home cellphone service. One is a piece of equipment purchased from the cellphone provider to use an Internet connection to access the Verizon network making the home the center of a cellphone hotspot, so that users in the house could still use the Verizon network inside the house independent from the tower location. Another idea was a third party cellphone extender that would work only if there was a cellphone signal available on the roof of a person's home. The homeowner's antenna would access the cellphone tower from a wire run into the house from the outside antenna. This would provide cellphone service in the house as well. This would only work if there was a cellphone signal available outside the home, usually on the roof.

Both the St. James Township Board and the Peaine Township Board voted to approve the plan as provided in the documentation with the suggestions of Bob Bradley included. The meeting adjourned at approximately 9:30 pm. The livestreaming video server caught up to the end of the live meeting at 9:45 pm. Approximately eighty unique IP addresses watched this meeting.

Agenda and Meeting Video HERE

The Winner of Where is This?

Ken Bruland of Inland Seas Kayaking has announced the winner of the first one of a series. The winner of the first BINN/ISK Where is This game is Sally Lounsberry. Congratulations on your excellent guess! The location was Grape Island. Now that you know that the location was Grape Island, perhaps the video will make more sense when you watch it.

Where is this? Grape Island

Michigan Study Suggests Merit Curriculum-No Impact

Michigan Merit Curriculum gives small boost to best students, with little or negative impact on lower achievers

October 22, 2012
ANN ARBOR—The class of 2011, the first group of students exposed to the Michigan Merit Curriculum for their entire high school careers, saw mixed results.

The introduction of the merit curriculum reduced graduation rates slightly for students who entered high school with weak academic skills. For those who entered with strong skills, the curriculum did not have an impact on their high school completion rates, according to an analysis released today by the Michigan Consortium for Educational Research.

The consortium is a partnership between the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and the state of Michigan. The results of the research were presented at a conference at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing today.

Performance on standardized tests rose slightly for students who entered high school with strong skills. The impact on test scores was small or negative for those who entered high school with weak skills. The best-prepared students saw better performance in science, reading and math. All students experienced declines in writing scores.

Results show that the merit curriculum reduced the five-year graduation rate among lower-achieving students by approximately 4.5 percentage points (from 49 percent to 44.5 percent). The merit curriculum also appears to have prompted some students to extend their stay in high school beyond the traditional four years, perhaps in an effort to meet the more rigorous curricular requirements.

In 2006, Michigan adopted the merit curriculum, a set of high school graduation requirements that emphasize math and science. The goal was to increase the rigor of high school courses and better prepare students for college. The first students covered by the curriculum started ninth grade in fall 2007 and would have been scheduled for an on-time graduation in spring 2011.

"These findings are for the first set of students subject to the new requirements. The results may change as schools and teachers gain experience with the curriculum," said Susan Dynarski, a professor at U-M's Ford School of Public Policy, School of Education and Department of Economics. "As more students complete their high school years, we will find out whether the curriculum boosts college attendance and success, a key goal of the reform."

Additional findings indicate large gaps across income groups and Michigan's districts in high school graduation and college attendance. Four-year high school graduation rates range from less than 50 percent to over 90 percent across Michigan's largest school districts. Fifty-seven percent of low-income freshmen graduate high school within four years, compared to 85 percent of students with higher incomes. And 31 percent of low-income students attend college within five years of entering high school, compared to 61 percent of students with higher incomes.

The merit curriculum also appears related to some personnel changes. Additional results released at the conference showed that the teaching staff at Michigan's high schools has shifted toward merit curriculum subjects, with those teaching these topics rising from 58 percent in 2004 to 71 percent in 2011.

"Between 2004 and 2011, the overall number of high school teachers in Michigan fell. However, with the introduction of the MMC it appears that schools and districts focused their limited resources on teachers who taught core academic subjects," said Kenneth Frank, a professor at MSU's College of Education.

The merit curriculum requires that students take Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2, as well as Biology 1 and either Chemistry or Physics. Students must take four years of English Language Arts and complete two years of a foreign language.

"The findings of this first study are important and must be seen as a diagnostic tool for our teachers, administrators, and education leaders," said State Superintendent Michael P. Flanagan. "The Michigan Merit Curriculum is the right direction and must be maintained. We need to delve deeper now and see how we can help schools deliver it successfully to every student in Michigan."

The study uses data from 700,000 students enrolled in Michigan's public high schools to examine the effects of the merit curriculum. The research was funded by a grant by the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education.

Joining Dynarski and Frank on the study are Brian Jacob, professor at U-M's Ford School of Public Policy, and Barbara Schneider, professor at MSU's College of Education and Department of Sociology.

The reports are available at the MCER website: http://www.michiganconsortium. org .

A Link to a Very Nice Article About Beaver Island

Click HERE

NRESC Draft Goals and Objectives for Natural Resources Plan

Brian Mastenbrook will be attending our meeting on Saturday and will discuss the draft plan the DNR has released, which includes Beaver archipelago, and the input process. See info below:

The Northern Lower Peninsula (NLP) Regional State Forest Management Plan has been released for public input. The DNR will accept comments on this draft plan through Jan. 2, 2013.

Send your comments and ideas via email to forestplancomments@ michigan.gov .

DNR Press Release: http://us.mg205.mail. yahoo.com/dc/launch?.partner= sbc&.gx=1&.rand=cqt19tslhvjfo

http://www.midnr.com/ Publications/pdfs/ ForestsLandWater/RSFMP/NLP/ NLPMgmtPlanSec4MA1GreatLakesIs land.pdf

More related to the our islands are under special resource area: http://www.midnr.com/ Publications/pdfs/ ForestsLandWater/RSFMP/NLP/ NLPSection5.pdf

Peter Plastrik

Winners of the Northern Lights League Tournament

Congratulations, Grand Marais!

In the final match of the NLL Soccer Tournament, Mackinac Island played against Grand Marais. The game was tied 2-2 when time ran out. The winner of the tournament was to be determined by a shootout. Five persons from each team had to wait at the center line of the field. Each team sent the goalie into the goal as the other team attempted to put shots past the goalie into the goal from the penalty shot line. The teams took alternate shots switching goalies for each shot. If all five players from both teams were to make their shot, then there would be a second shoot out. Grand Marais put all five shots into the goal. Mackinac Island only made four out of the five shots. Congratulations to Grand Marais, the winners of the NLL Soccer Tournmanet held on Beaver Island. Congratulations to the runner up, Mackinac Island. All players on both teams received an award with Grand Marais taking home the first place trophy, and Mackinac Island the second place trophy.

Shoot out and Awards Presentation HERE

Live Streaming from BICS Soccer Field

The Northern Lights League Soccer Tournament begins at 9 am with Beaver Island playing in the first game on Saturday, October 20, 2012..

Only part of the soccer tournament was streamed live due to Internet connection issues at the school. If there was an approximate percentage of success for this tourney it would be 60% successful. The problems dealt with accessing an Internet connection, and there were serious issues with this as the only connection accessible was at the district library and was wireless. This did work, but the connection was poor and the video kept dropping out. This really is a good idea, and it will be wonderful when the kinks get worked out.

There were 206 people in the United States that tuned in to view the live streaming video of the soccer tournament. Thirty-five from outside the US makes a total of 241 viewers (These were all unique IP addresses.) . It's a real shame that the Internet connection kept going down, up and then down again, several times throughout the day. BINN hopes that the Internet issues can be resolved to be able to live stream the basketball games on the Internet this year. BINN will be looking for a backup solution for the Internet issue, in case that it happens again. It appears that having a backup of a backup plan is a really good idea for this. Hopefully, all 241 viewer were not disappointed. BINN is sorry for those that lost connection to the live streaming video from the soccer field on Beaver Island.

Beaver Island Natural Resources and Ecotourism Steering Committee

October 27, 2012, Meeting for Natural Resources Management Planning Process

10 am to 1 pm at the Peaine Township Hall

AGENDA

1. Adoption of Minutes for NRESC Meetings on October 13, 2012 and September 17, 2012.

2. Continuing Work on Natural Resources Management .

a. Work on Draft Goals and Objectives

b. Discuss Community Engagement Approach

(Note: We will not have an MSU facilitator at this meeting.)

Peter Plastrik

School Board Moves Forward in Plan to Replace Superintendent/K-12 Principal

Letter of Support for Bill Kohls

Visiting Priest for this Sunday Mass

Sunday Gathering at Gregg Fellowship Center Canceled for this Sunday

Fr. Joe's sister died 10/19/12 am. Funeral will be in Ohio 10/22/12. Fr James from St. Marys, Gaylord will have Mass at 10 on Sunday. Fr. Joe will be back Friday 10/26/12 and there will be a Mass at noon followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for an hour. Since another priest will be saying mass at Holy Cross, John decided to cancel Sunday's prayer meeting at the Fellowship Hall. Questions call John, 2902, see you at Holy Cross!

Shirley Cole Special Agent of the Year

Steve Walgus, Shirley and Paul Cole

Out of all the agents in the country, Shirley Cole was chosen Special Agent of the year. She flew to Washington on October 17th to receive her award from the Inspector General. Congratulations, Shirley!

Congratulations, Paul and Shirley Cole!

Picture of Shirley's Award

You can watch the entire ceremony at this link:

http://treas.yorkcast.com/webcast/Viewer/?peid=3eb035a5f5304929944bf462e79ccc311d

The beginning is nice with the color guard, etc., and the opening remarks give a detailed overview of TIGTA and its operations. If you skip to around the 18 minute mark, you'll see Shirley's portion of the awards presentation. Here is Shirley's Letter of Commendation:

Facts and an Opinion about the Tower in Peaine Township at the Old Peaine Hall

(an editorial written by Joe Moore)

Peaine Township owned the property. Peaine Township stated, We provided the property. St. James, you need to do the rest. The other thing that Peaine Township needed to do was provide a zoning permit for the purpose. That zoning permit was received on 5/30/1991.

Bill Markey and Joe Moore took them at their word. It was determined that Beaver Island EMS should take the lead on this project. BIEMS did the licensing applications, arranged the frequency coordination, and worked to make certain that the FCC rules and regulations were followed. BIEMS arranged for a communications consultant, Dean Alger, to come to the island and provide advice for improving the dispatch and communicatons capability for Beaver Island.

A communications consultant for SWM Systems, the supervising organization for lower peninsula Michigan EMS at the time, came to the island and provided the Suggested Minimum Technical Specifications for a Proposed VHF Repeater for Beaver Island EMS/Rescue dated November 15, 1990, after a full two months of work determining how to improve emergency dispatch for Beaver Island as well as emergency communications on the island. The emergency dispatch program moved from the fire line of 2319 to a more efficient 24 hour dispatcher at the Charlevoix County Sheriff's Department using the emergency phone number of 2911.

The licensing document was in the name of the Township of St. James. The specific control points of the license granted included the repeater tower with repeater equipment on site, the Beaver Island Fire Department location in St. James, and the CCSD located in Charlevoix. The ownership of the tower itself was in the name of St. James Township. In addition to St. James Township, the other names on the licensing and ownership documents included Fire, Ambulance, Law Enforcement, and Joe Moore. This licensing was obtained on 8/23/1991. Beaver Island EMS, using Gaylord Communications and Electronics, built the tower, equipped the building with the repeater, paid for the warranty, maintained this equipment for the first ten years, and was a driving force behind its continued existence. The Beaver Island Fire Department was responsible for doing the same for the second ten years, and they did so. This is just a little history to put this in perspective.

How important is it to keep the emergency communications equipment on a tower at the old Peaine Hall location? With the Central Dispatch setting up three towers for dispatch of emergency services, the tower on Kings Highway was set aside as a back-up location in case the new system failed. Two-thirds of the new Central Dispatch system is not operational at this time. The only operating tower in the Central Dispatch system is the tower at the East Side Fire Station. The tower on Kings Highway is the only back-up in case the East Side Fire Station radio stops working. Beaver Island emergency services need to have a back-up communications system in case the power goes out to the East Side Fire Station.

The reason why Beaver Island emergency services previously needed a Beaver Island owned, Beaver Island controlled, and Beaver Island licensed communications system is precisely because Beaver Island then controlled the system, the maintenance, the warranty, and the system was about and for Beaver Island and not other agencies on the mainland. If Beaver Island owned the equipment on the Donegal Bay tower and the equipment on the South end tower, we could get it fixed and operable without having to wait for Central Dispatch service providers to have an open schedule to be able to come to Beaver Island and fix a 33%-operable emergency communications system. Now that the communications system is being provided by Central Dispatch, it is more essential to have a back-up system ready to turn on with one switch..

Cell phone coverage is an important as part of the emergency communications system for Beaver Island, but you don't destroy one to create another. If a new antenna and new cable can be placed on a viable tower, at this Kings Highway location, to back up the emergency communications on Beaver Island with an emergency communications company doing the work, it doesn't matter if Verizon demolishes the guyed tower on Kings Highway. If this can't be guaranteed, then more discussion needs to take place.

Emergency communications are essential, and it truly becomes a life and death situation!

NRESC Press Release of October 18, 2012

BINGO is Back-ack!

The Beaver Island Christian Church is licensed to offer BINGO games at the Gregg Fellowship Center. Tonight, October 17, 2012, was the first night of BINGO. There hasn't been much in the way of BINGO on the island except during Museum Week. The BIFD Auxiliary used to have these games up at the Fire Hall in town. Now, every first and third Wednesday of the month, with an exception for November due to Thanksgiving, you can enjoy the game of BINGO at the Gregg Fellowship Center. The games begin at 7 pm, with the doors open at 6:15 p.m.

Rick Speck and Jean Wierenga were the officials collecting the money and determining the prizes.

Everyone getting ready for the games to begin....

Kathy Speck read the rules, and then it was time to begin....Doug Meaney was the guest caller

And the games began....

There were refreshments available in the kitchen with coffee, tea, and cookies....

The winner of the very first game of BINGO in the Gregg Fellowship Center was Elaine West... and the rest of the night continued.......Come on out to the next BINGO night the first Wednesday of November.

First BINGO of the first BINGO night at Gregg Fellowship Center

Panel Makes Recommendations on Future of Michigan Parks, Recreation Areas

LANSING, Mich. ? Encouraging greater connections between communities and their recreational assets can help promote the long-term viability of Michigan's state parks, according to a blue ribbon panel's recommendations presented today to Gov. Rick Snyder.

The finding is one of seven core recommendations offered by the Blue Ribbon Panel on State Parks and Outdoor Recreation, appointed last year by Snyder.

Created by Executive Order 2011-10, the 16-member panel considered the entirety of Michigan's system of parks and outdoor recreational opportunities at the local, state and regional level – not just state-managed facilities – to recognize their collective role in growing the state's economy and improving residents' health and well-being. The report highlights opportunities for these natural resources assets to more creatively meet the needs of current and future generations of residents and visitors.

“We are fortunate to have a well-run, quality network of inviting state parks that add to Michigan's appeal as an attractive travel destination,” said Snyder. “My goal for this panel was to create a blueprint to help state parks adapt for 21st Century growth and investment. This report points the state in the right direction. I want to thank all the panel members and especially the co-chairs, Erin McDonough and Jon Allan, for their good work.”

In order to meet its goals, the panel said the state should collaborate with public agencies, nonprofit organizations and the private sector to plan, manage and invest in natural resources and recreation programs to drive several key outcomes, including:

• Demonstrating the value of the state's investment in parks and outdoor recreation;

• Driving Michigan's economic prosperity;

• Inspiring greater regional identity; and

• Protecting and creating opportunities for the public to experience and learn about Michigan's natural, cultural, historic and prehistoric resources.

“Michigan's parks and outdoor recreation areas are iconic, and represent a portfolio of assets that should be viewed by the state as critical to advancing Michigan's prosperity. They return dividends—social, ecological, and economic—that far exceed the investments made by the state and its local public and private partners,” said panel co-chairs Jon Allan and Erin McDonough in the report. “These assets provide a place to recreate and, at their best, they help make our communities cohesive, connect people to their places and to each other, engender civic engagement, and remind us of our connection to the natural world and to our history.”

Last year, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Michigan state parks and recreation areas earned the National Recreation and Park Association's Gold Medal Award for operating as the best-managed state park system in the country, excelling in long-term planning and resource management and for its ability to address the needs of customers through creative partnerships.

Building on those strengths, the Blue Ribbon Panel made the following recommendations:

1) Identify and protect important natural, cultural, historic and prehistoric resources for the enjoyment and education of Michigan's residents and visitors, and expand stewardship of these resources.

2) Diversify funding and use new criteria to target investments. This includes a recommendation that the state move the Recreation Passport to an “opt-out” system of funding, and pursue expanded revenue bonding authority to address a backlog of priority maintenance and improvement needs at outdoor recreation facilities. In addition, the report recommends re-establishing the State Parks Foundation to accept private donations toward parks projects.

3) Give high priority to investment in the development of regional connected trail networks. The report urges development of a comprehensive trails database available through an easily accessible platform.

4) Encourage greater connections between communities and their recreational assets to strengthen regional identities.

5) Create four to five “signature parks” in Michigan's core urban areas as a tool for revitalizing those areas, and integrate green infrastructure in Michigan's urban redevelopment.

6) Integrate tourism and economic development marketing to fully leverage the economic and social benefits that parks and outdoor recreation resources can provide.

7) Prioritize investment in safety and maintenance of, and access to, parks and recreation spaces.

The report also includes 19 supplementary recommendations, including creating a follow-up panel to address overall natural resources funding; developing a Michigan state park pilot design competition; and enhancing cooperation among health care companies, the DNR and the state Department of Community Health to pilot a health and wellness program centered around outdoor resources.

The panel was comprised of representatives from nature conservancies, trails and marine groups and environmental agencies, as well as other acknowledged experts in recreation, parks and tourism issues. These individuals brought a broad range of perspectives and ideas to the panel.

“Michigan's state parks have already set themselves apart as beautiful, accessible places for outdoor fun and recreation, and as a springboard for creative local and regional partnerships,” said Snyder. “We want to build on that success and plan for a comprehensive network of great outdoor spaces that spark economic growth and improve health and wellness in every corner of the state.”

The Blue Ribbon Panel report is at http://www.michigan.gov/ documents/snyder/ ParksPanelFinal_401816_7.pdf .

Charlevoix County Sheriff's Department NEWS RELEASE

Sheriff Don Schneider would like to announce that the Joint Operational Law Enforcement Team, J.O.L.T., has an anonymous tip line phone number 231-459-8560 available to the community. If you or someone you know has any information pertaining to illegal drug activity throughout Charlevoix County or the surrounding counties, Sheriff Schneider is encouraging you to call or text message this number and leave a message for one of the J.O.L.T. Detectives.

Shamrock " Senior" Menu Available to ALL!

After a discussion today, September 26, 2012, with Dana Hodgson, it is possible to replace mashed potatoes with French fries, so this makes the possibilities on the Shamrock menu a total of thirty possible combinations for food and three possibilities for drinks.

Lots of options and choices...

Dana and Eric Hodgson announced this morning, October 16, 2012, that the senior menu posted above will be available to all ages. If paid in cash, the cost of these menu items, all thirty possible combinations, will be $6.60 plus tax. This means that the menu, listed as the senior menu, is available for anyone for $7. This is a wonderful possibility for all! Thank you, Dana and Eric!

The BINN editor arrived at the Shamrock for lunch today, and suddenly realized that the senior vouchers were not in his pocket, but at home. With this new option, the same lunch was received without any issues and the $7 price was paid instead. This will allow several of the old gang who used to meet at the Community Center an opportunity to congregate again for lunch. Thank you again, Dana and Eric!

Paul Welke Runs for Re-Election as Independent

How to Write In on the Ballot

(The following is not an endorsement. This website is for providing information for any and all.)

You can do a write-in and vote a straight ticket.

BINGO

New Information on NRESC Meeting Schedule

1. The next NRESC meeting for the natural resource management planning process will be Saturday, October 27, from 10 am – 1 pm. Main purpose is to complete the drafting of Vision-Goals-Objectives that will be shared with community/stakeholders for feedback and to determine next steps in our community outreach. A phone conference call in will be used.

2. The NRESC has adopted a regular meeting schedule for the next year, as required. All meetings will be on 3rd Monday of every other month (just like the past year) at Peaine Township Hall at 7 pm. Please note the dates:

November 19, 2012

January 21, 2013

March 18, 2013

May 20, 2013

July 15, 2013

September 16, 2013

Another 100% Pass Rate

Congratulations, Danielle and Kevin!

Today, Danielle Dedloff and Kevin White went down to the Saginaw area to take their National Registry of EMT practical exam. Danielle Dedloff called at 3:50 pm on Friday, October 12, 2012, to notify everyone that both Danielle and Kevin passed this national certification practical exam. They both have to head downstate again, quite likely Traverse City, but the date of the National Registry written exam is not know at this time. Congratulations to both Kevin and Danielle on your success on this exam! Beaver Island is one step closer to having two more paramedics certified by the National Registry and licensed by the State of Michigan.

Chamber Recommends ORV Trails on State Land to NRESC

Letter from Chamber to NRESC

Chamber ORV Resolution

MI ORV Locations

Peaine Township Meeting, October 10, 2012

Tonight's Peaine Township meeting began at 7:05 p.m. with all board members present. The paperwork included a Profit and Loss for the fiscal year April 2012-March 2013, minutes of the last Regular Board meeting and the Special Board meeting, General Checking from the Peaine General Fund and Peaine Township Airport Checking from the Airport Fund. an agenda, and the BIEMS Budget. Also included was the 2012 Tax Rate Request sent to the county for Peaine Township, which included a Taxable Value of all properties in Peaine Township of $71,634,050 and the allocated and voted millages for the township. You can view the agenda of the meeting by going to the Peaine Township Board Meeting Minutes below.

Video of the meeting may be viewed HERE

Candidate Coffee with Bill Kohls

Computer Classes for Adults

Once again, we will be offering computer classes for adults at Beaver Island Community School. The fall class will be a Beginning Computer Class . If you have no experience, you will begin with the basics. If you have some experience, you will be able to start where you are comfortable. We will also be working with Microsoft Word (word processing: used for typing letters, etc.). If anyone is interested, we can also work on Excel (spreadsheets). Should you miss a class, you will not “fall behind”. The classes will meet on

Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30—6:30 pm (Oct 15, 17, 22, 24, 29). (Note: If these days/dates don't work, call Connie and depending on others who sign up, perhaps we can make changes to the schedule! We do need at least 4 people to sign up.)

The cost for the class is $25. Please make checks payable to “BICS” (Beaver Island Community School). You may bring your payment to the first class.

CALL THE SCHOOL OFFICE AT 448-2744 or EMAIL CONNIE TO SIGN UP TODAY!!!

Call Connie Boyle at school or home if you have questions

(email: connieb@bics.us )

Plan your Michigan hunting or outdoor adventure with DNR's Mi-HUNT

As firearm deer hunting season approaches in Michigan – and with many other seasons already under way – the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to begin their outdoor adventures with Mi-HUNT at www.michigan.gov/mihunt .

Mi-HUNT, originally released in 2010, is a cutting-edge application that displays multiple layers of information, which can be customized to fit specific outdoor interests and trip-planning needs. This sophisticated application allows hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to view, print, measure and create custom routing to their desired destinations.

In addition to the original Mi-HUNT features, the enhancements completed this year have made the program more user-friendly.

"Anyone with access to a computer and the Internet now has the opportunity to easily learn how to use Mi-HUNT in a way that caters to their specific outdoor sport," said Russ Mason, chief of the DNR's Wildlife Division. "This program makes it possible to target lands for different types of hunting and outdoor recreation."

The Mi-HUNT updates now make it possible to:

Mi-HUNT development and enhancements were made possible with financial support from the National Shooting Sports Foundation .

This fall marks the 75th anniversary of the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act (PR) – the program that directs funds acquired through a federal excise tax on archery equipment, firearms and ammunition back to state wildlife agencies for wildlife conservation, restoration and hunter education.

The vast majority of all wildlife conservation efforts have been funded by hunters through the equipment and licenses that they buy. The DNR thanks hunters for helping Michigan wildlife. For more information on PR, what the DNR has done, who it affects and how hunters play a role, visit www.michigan.gov/itsyournature .

NEWS NEWS NEWS from the Chamber

You can listen to the WJR Detroit Beaver Island radio interview at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUeUSri2OgA

Steve West did a wonderful job on this interview, and certainly put Beaver Island into the mix of fall destinations!

NATIONAL FAMILY PARTNERSHIP AND DEA JOIN FORCES FOR 2012 RED RIBBON WEEK

YOUTH DRUG PREVENTION CAMPAIGN: THE BEST ME IS DRUG FREE

NATIONAL CONTEST TARGETS TEN REGIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

- Ten schools from across the U.S. will win $1,000 grant for drug prevention -

- Ten families will win an iPad for the home -

The National Family Partnership (NFP) announces the national contest for its 27th annual Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31. Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country. In 1985 after the murder of a DEA agent, parents, youth and teachers in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the destruction caused by drugs. This year, families can get involved by entering a contest to promote awareness in their neighborhoods and win a drug prevention grant for their schools.

Families can enter Red Ribbon Week's contest to win a $1,000 grant for their school and a new iPad for their home. To participate in the contest families and students will decorate the front of their homes with this year's message: The Best Me Is Drug Free

Here's how students and their families can enter to win $1,000 for their K-12 school and a new iPad:

"Students will once again take Red Ribbon Week's message of prevention home to their neighborhoods with this national contest," said the NFP's Volunteer President Peggy Sapp. "By decorating their homes together with this year's Red Ribbon theme, families carry the message to their communities." The nation's oldest and largest drug prevention campaign reaches more than 80 million people nationwide.

The DEA is co-sponsoring this year's national contest. "DEA is excited to partner with the National Family Partnership on this contest that empowers communities to come together to talk about the drug problem," said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. "Red Ribbon Week is also when we honor DEA Special Agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena, who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our communities safe."

Adds the NFP's Peggy Sapp: "Take the Red Ribbon Week pledge across America to help children grow up safe, healthy and drug free." Visit www.redribbon.org/contest for contest information.

BIRHC Health News for Fall 2012

An Interview with Brad Grassmick, Candidate for Peaine Trustee

Brad Grassmick Speaks 1

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Brad Grassmick Speaks 2

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Peaine Township Board Meeting Video of September, 12, 2012

Video of the meeting viewed HERE 

Donegal Bay Road Emergency Tower Not Working

CCE Emergency Dispatch has not repaired this equipment on the Donegal Bay tower.

211 Service in Operation in Charlevoix County

Community Calendar

A completely new feature includes a monthly calendar for each month of the entire year of 2013. Please send me your events and they will be posted so others can schedule their events without conflict. Email your schedule of events to medic5740@gmail.com.

If you or your organization has an event you'd like posted on this Community Calendar, please contact me and I'll add it in.  Please try to get me the information as early as possible.

Career Opportunity for Nurse Practitioner

A unique opportunity to live and work on a beautiful island located 32 miles from Charlevoix, Michigan accessible by ferry and air service

The position

•  - Collaborative practice with another NP in a new beautiful health clinic

•  -Clinic hours, an eight hour shift, three days a week

•  -On-call coverage shared between the two practitioners who work together on developing schedules (minimal amount of monthly calls)

•  -An opportunity to know and treat patients of all ages, providing primary health care, managing chronic and acute problems and developing wellness programs

•  -Provide emergency services in collaboration with the EMS

•  -Collaborate with off-island physician on appropriateness of care

•  -Benefit Package:

•  -Rural Site Qualifies for student loan repayment

The Community

•  -A safe, friendly, small-town atmosphere on the largest inhabited island in the Great Lakes with a year round population of 650 and summer tourist season with a boom of thousands of visitors

•  -Beach walking, hiking trails, kayaking, canoeing, snowmobiling, fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing, All Within Your Backyard!

•  -Drive to work in 5-15 minutes, with no traffic

•  -Family First Atmosphere, with three churches and an excellent K-12 public school with small teacher-student ratios, new building under construction and strong support in the community for funding

•  -A nine-hole golf course where you can play without lines and reservations

•  -Best prices on Lake Michigan frontage in the State

Beaver Island Rural Health Center

PO Box 146, Beaver Island, MI 49782 

Donna Kubic, Managing Director 231-448-2275, e mail donna@birhc.org

Tax Payer Contributions by Township

The information below is reprinted from a previous editorial on Beaver Island News on the 'Net by Joe Moore:

Peaine Township Millage Rates Set

The millage rates for the two townships are presented here for the joint operations, and you can draw your own conclusions based upon this side by side comparison:

Millage rates in the two townships for jointly funded operations

It takes a lower millage rate to raise the same amount of dollars in Peaine Township because the Peaine Township SEV is higher than the St. James Township SEV. It does not take a statistical analysis to see a statistically significant difference in these jointly funded millage rates. An individual taxpayer in St. James Township is paying more to support these jointly funded operations than an individual taxpayer in Peaine Township.

St. James individual taxpayers are paying between 31.17% and 45.28% higher taxes for the jointly funded operations.

At this Special Peaine Township Meeting of March 31, 2012, Bill Markey suggested that perhaps St. James Township should decrease their millages instead of having Peaine increase their millages for joint projects. This certainly will not work since the amount of money raised by St. James Township is just matched by Peaine Township, so the inequity of individual taxpayers will just continue. If St. James decreased its funding, Peaine would just match that decrease. If this cycle continued, the organizations trying to provide services to Beaver Island would eventually have no money to fulfill their mission.

It is Joe Moore's position that any jointly funded accounts should be taxed equally based upon equal millage, so that each Beaver Island taxpayer is paying the same amount of millage tax for the jointly funded operations. Joe Moore's request made at the Special Meeting of March 31, 2012, was to have the Peaine Township Board reflect and consider the fairness of these tax rates for jointly funded operations.

Equity in Tax Bills

Why should a St. James Township property owner have to pay more tax dollars for jointly funded operations than any Peaine Township property owner?

How Serious is the Inequity