by Sandy Planisek Mackinaw News Events in Mackinaw City WEEKLY Senior Chair Yoga - Tuesday 10 am Church of the Straits Food Pantry - Wednesday 10 am - 11 am Church of the Straits Pickleball - Sunday and Wednesday 6 pm; Monday thru Friday 9:30 am (subject to change) or anytime you bring a friend February 11 Monday • Mary Stewart Adams to speak to Mackinaw Area Historical Society, library, 7 pm February 13 Wednesday • Historical Society Board meeting, a call for participants, library, 4:30 pm February 16 Saturday • Free ice fishing at Camp Petosega February 20 Wednesday • Memorial Day Parade Dinner Fund Raiser, Audie’s, 4 - 7 pm February 23 Saturday • State Historic Parks Job Fair, St. Anthony’s, 10 am - 2 pm March 5 Tuesday • Hawk count begins March 10 Sunday • Cabin Fever Dinner by Historical Society, Audie’s, 5 - 7 pm, $10 adults March 13 Wednesday • Audubon Society talk on what birds have declined and increased over 40 years, Cheboygan Library, 6 pm March 19 Tuesday • Band concert, school gym, 7pm Be sure to get up and move at 2:14 on Nancy Dean from the Sam Smith family collection Valentine’s Day in honor of heart health month! February 10, 2019 page 1 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek The Story in Our Stars - Lecture at Historical Society Monday, February 11, library, 7 pm Since the most ancient ages of mankind, human beings have sought to understand and explain their place in the world by reading the stars overhead. In our current age, now more than 100 years after the introduction of the electric light-bulb, many people throughout the United States and around the world live without access to the “unpolluted dark” and its stories. In this presentation, Mary Stewart Adams, Star Lore Historian and founder of Mackinaw’s International Dark Sky Park, will share engaging stories and lively insight into the celestial events for the year 2019, as well as their historical context. Sirius comes to its highest place in our sky on Feb. 11 February 10, 2019 page 2 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Count the Birds at Your Feeder The Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 15-18), coordinated by Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, invites people all over the world to record their bird observations for at least 15 minutes, in their own backyards. • All ages and birding skills welcome. • Join in any or all days. Last year, over 190,000 people participated in this global bird count, and Michigan – with nearly 4,000 checklists submitted – was among the top 10 participating states. Ron Dye sent photos of the Barred Owl page 2 February 10, 2019 page 3 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek A New Literary Outlet for Northern Writers A new organization in northeast Michigan is encouraging writing. This Michigan non-profit is producing an online e-journal twice a year called MI Sunrise Journal. One edition has been produced and can be seen on their web site. The spring 2019 deadline is April 5th. They will accept up to four poems per author, 2,000 maximum word count for short fiction or creative non-fiction. Photographers and Illustrators may submit up to 4 images for potential inclusion. All authors and artists should include full contact information with their submissions. The Spring 2019 edition will feature northeastern Michigan birds. All photography and illustrations submitted should be of birds found in northeast Michigan. All authors, illustrators and photographers retain full copyright authority over their work outside of the Sunrise Journal. We accept submissions from anyone welcoming those who have a strong familiarity with the northeastern lower peninsula. All work must be presented in digital format and delivered by email at [email protected] We consider all forms creative or historic nonfiction, poetry or fiction but not journalism, academic writing, or religious treatises. February 10, 2019 page 4 Let cupid warm you this week Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Village Hall News The Zoning Board of Appeal met to hear the appeal by Miriam Hiser of 800 Lakeside Drive. She is contesting the village- issued building permit for a 3-car garage with living quarters above that was granted to her eastern neighbors, Edward and Cathy Paquet, issued in 2014. The garage’s driveway was built onto village land between the two houses, land constrained by a deed that says “Said property to be improved by [the Village] and used as a street only.” Ms. Hiser contested the decision by Mackinaw’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) that said the permit was properly issued. The case went to circuit court where the court agreed with Mackinaw’s ZBA that the permit was proper. Ms. Hiser appealed to the Michigan Court of Appeals. They responded to the circuit court on November 20, 2018 and found that the ZBA “proceedings were riddled with inadequate and conclusory findings” which were overlooked by the circuit court. They have sent two concerns of Ms. Hiser back to the ZBA. The ZBA was charged with 1) considering whether the Paquet use of the property were “interfering with and preventing the public use of the property and access the lake” and 2) whether the “structures” violate zoning. The court is waiting to hear from the ZBA. The ZBA addressed six issues: 1.Is the garage attached or detached? Because there is a continuous foundation between the garage and the old existing house and the roof lines intersect, the ZBA decided the garage is attached. 2. What is the appropriate setback? Because this is lake-front property with the garage being an attached accessory building, a 10-foot setback from the road is needed and met. 3. Is this a one-family dwelling or two? ZBA ruled it is one. It is exclusively for use by the family and having two kitchens does not mean it is two family. 4. Is parking allowed on the village property? A “No Parking” sign is posted. If parking occurs it is an enforcement issue. 5. Is this village property a street? No, by definition streets allow access to properties. Notice this is plural. This parcel only allows access to one property. 6. Is the landscaping illegally in the right-of-way? Based on it not being a road there is no right-of-way, so this question is irrelevant. These explanations will be sent back to the court. Garage doors page 4 February 10, 2019 page 5 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Village Hall News cont. The budget was approved with a millage of 16.8242 broken down as: General Fund 10.4647 Streets 4.1857 Cemetery 0.8369 Advertising 0.5000 Library 0.8369 The budget amounts for all funds will be: General Fund $2,079,379 Major Streets $278,279 Local Streets $178,646 Municipal Streets $378,277 Cemetery $91,400 Recreation Center $95,717 Downtown Development $37,095 Ironworkers $3,000 Debt Service $217,680 Recreation Complex (ballfields etc.) $30,585 Sewer $802,606 Water $837,450 Marina $599,786 Equipment $417,067 Grand Total $6,046,967 The General Fund budget includes a projected deficit of $296,962 or about one third of total amount of village General Fund savings. Because the budget is very conservative it is hoped that the savings will not need to be touched at all. But . The final budget includes a new police officer who will serve three functions: to become our zoning officer, filling in for vacationing patrol officers, and working in the school. It also includes flowers for downtown and using village irrigation where installed. Finance committee chariman George Ranville noted that he was impressed at how knowledgeable department heads were about their budgets. February 10, 2019 page 6 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Village Hall News cont. The council approved the council’s priority list as follows. This is where the money will be focused. page 6 February 10, 2019 page 7 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Bridge Authority Regular Meeting Tuesday Feb 12th To Be Live Streamed The Bridge Authority meeting is scheduled to begin at 1 pm in the MDOT Aeronautics Auditorium at 2700 Port Lansing Road in Lansing. The meeting will be available to view on the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) LiveStream channel at https://livestream.com/MDOT/ MBAmeeting021219. Agenda items include a report on the 61st annual bridge inspection, a presentation on expanding the structural health monitoring sensors program on the bridge, and updates on the north and south tower painting projects. Children and toothbrushing Many start too late, use too much toothpaste Fluoride use is one of the main factors responsible for the decline in dental caries and cavities (tooth decay) in the United States. Brushing children’s teeth is recommended when the first tooth erupts, as early as 6 months, and the first dental visit should occur no later than age 1 year. However, ingestion of too much fluoride while teeth are developing can result in visibly detectable changes in enamel structure such as discoloration and pitting. Therefore, CDC recommends that children begin using fluoride toothpaste at age 2 years. Children aged <3 years should use a smear the size of a rice grain, and children aged >3 years should use no more than a pea-sized amount (0.25 g) until age 6 years, by which time the swallowing reflex has developed sufficiently to prevent inadvertent ingestion. In a survey of toothbrushing practices, nearly 80% of children aged 3–15 years began toothbrushing at age ≥1 year, approximately one third brushed once daily, and nearly 40% of children aged 3–6 years used too much toothpaste.