by Sandy Planisek Mackinaw News Events in Mackinaw City October 21 Monday • Orionids Meteor Show and speaker, Headlands, 7 - 9 pm • Republican Party of Cheboygan County, Commissioners Room County Bldg., 6:30 pm October 21 - 25 • East side hydrant flushing during daylight hours October 22 • What is Suction Cup Therapy?, Massage Parlor in Recreation Center, 6:30-7:30, free October 23 Wednesday • Lion’s Club Soup in a Bowl, Pancake Chef, 4:30 - 6:00 pm, $10 No October 24 Thursday • Free needle drop-off at Cheboygan hospital, 9 am - 1 pm Paper October 25 - 31 • West side hydrant flushing during daylight hours October 26 Saturday Next • First Annual Community Breakfast, Church of the Straits, 9 am • Ghost Supper, Heritage Village, noon - 4 pm Week October 31 Thursday • Trunk or Treat at Old School Park, 4 - 7 pm • Community Trick or Treat November 13 Wednesday • The University of Michigan Biological Station in our Backyard, talk by Adam Achubel, Cheboygan library, 7 pm • Last day of leaf pick-up Last weekend by Ron Dye October 20, 2019 page 1 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Annual Ghost Supper Saturday, October 26, Heritage Village, noon - 4 pm The Ghost Supper, or Spirit Feast, is a celebration of Native American culture observed in the fall as a traditional time of remembering and honoring deceased loved ones and relatives through the offering of food and tobacco (semaa) at a community meal. The tobacco is offered to the spirit fire, in honoring one’s ancestors at this gathering. The food is prepared to feed the ancestors at the spirit fire. The ghost feast shares elements of All Souls Day and Mexico’s Day of the Dead. “This custom has been practiced for as long as the Anishinabek (Odawa, Ojibwa and Potawatomi) have lived in Michigan,” said Gennie Morgan, a local Anishinaabe Kwe specializing in Ojibwa traditions, the medicine wheel, and drumming. On many occasions when Ghost Feasts are held, the tradition will begin when tribal members use colorful crepe paper to make wreathes which are placed on their ancestor’s burial sites as an invitation to the ghost suppers. With fall generally being a rainy season, the crepe paper wreathes get wet and the color drains out of them – a sign that the spirits of the ancestors have accepted the invitation to the supper. The public is invited to share in this ceremony. Bring a favorite dish of an ancestor to share plus your own table setting. Cider and water will be provided. The ceremony, which will begin at 12:00 noon at the Heritage Village pavilion, will include drumming and singing and enjoying a community meal around the sacred fire. This is an outdoor event so participants should dress warmly. In case of rain, the event will be held in the Chapel. Heritage Village is 1.5 miles west of Mackinaw City off West Central Avenue. This and all programs that take place in Heritage Village, are sponsored by the Mackinaw Area Historical Society and the Village of Mackinaw City. October 20, 2019 page 2 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Lions Annual Soup in a Bread Bowl Supper Wednesday, October 23, Pancake Chef, 4:30 - 6:00 pm, $10 Come for soup in a bread bowl, dessert and a beverage but mostly come to support the Lions Club’s efforts and to have a fun evening out with friends. Over 10 varieties of soup, amounting to approximately 100 gallons, will be available. The funds raised will support the Lions work in: Leader dog Chippewa Prison Puppy Program Senior Center of Mackinaw City Mackinaw High School Senior Scholarships Food Pantry Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids Vision Testing at Mackinaw Area Schools Fort Michilimackinac Pageant Project Kids Sight Community Enrichment Project Graduation Bear Camp for special needs children Mackinaw City Schools Athletic Banquet Historic Village Heritage Festival Special Emergency Needs Free loan of medical device needs: wheelchairs, walkers, Shower chairs, etc. And more. Headlands to host 11th annual ‘Headlands Challenge’ Oct. 26 Saturday, October 26, Headlands, 7 - 9 pm The Headlands International Dark Sky Park will host its 11th annual “Headlands Challenge” Saturday, Oct. 26, when visitors will be encouraged to walk the one-mile paved path to the Waterfront Event Center. During the annual event, traffic to the center will be closed to cars from 7-9 pm to allow participants in the “Headlands Challenge” to safely walk in and out of the park using only luminaries lining the road and the moonlight to guide them to the event center. Upon arrival at the event center, guests will enjoy an evening of surprises and fun to celebrate the completion of the walk. Weather- permitting, free guided observing will take place after dark until approximately midnight with the telescopes outside and staff astronomers on hand to help guide observers. Photo by Ron Dye last weekend page 2 October 20, 2019 page 3 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Special Election Nov. 5, 2019 for Emmet County Residents Emmet County residents will vote on a new millage for Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Currently county residents are paying 0.2483 mill on their taxable property, expiring in 2021. The ballot asks to replace that tax with a tax of 0.70 mills for five years, beginning Dec. 1, 2019. The millage will fund replacement of two of eight ambulances owned by the county in 2020 and three more in 2021. In addition, the funds would replace discontinued cardiac monitors and defibrillator, power stretchers and other equipment. The new millage would raise an estimated $2.1 million in the first calendar year. Wolves in Michigan! October 26 1:00 PM Mackinaw Area Public Library A multimedia presentation by Michael Cromley about the facts and myths of the Grey Wolf and Michigan’s other native canines. Free Community Breakfast at Church of the Straits Saturday, October 26, 9 - 10:30 am Come One, Come All to our First Annual Community Breakfast Church of the Straits 307 N Huron Ave. We will have local musical talent during the breakfast. Come and invite your family, friends and neighbors. Free food and fun for all who come and join us! October 20, 2019 page 4 Mackinaw News by Sandy Planisek Village Hall News In Public Comments the Chamber thanked the village crew for all of their help in moving Fall into Mackinaw into the Recreation Center. Taelar Stewart, owner of Strait to the Roots, wanted to understand the instructor rules for using the Recreation Center and finding a way for both her business and the village to increase revenues. The Special Event “Antique snowmobiling crossing of the Mackinac Bridge” was approved for December 14. The snowmobiles will meet in the Colonial Michilimackinac parking lot. Department head reports Water level is nearing the bottom of the docks Police reports are on par with a year ago. Fire department runs are at the same level or are up for every month this year. Because of the high water levels, the marina is purchasing 20 ice eaters which are essentially underwater fans that circulate the warmer bottom water up to the surface to prevent ice build-up around the north dock’s finger piers. The existing bubbler system keeps ice off the I-beams that support the structure, so now all parts of the dock will be protected. They were purchased with the help of the Michigan Waterways Commission. The council extended the term of Pat Wyman as temporary zoning administrator for six month or until the regular zoning administrator is cleared to return to work. The council sent the recommended 1-1/2 times sewer hook-up fee for non-residents to the ordinance committee. Council is also still waiting for an attorney ruling on the proposed code of ethics. Council voted to proceed to issue revenue bonds up to $5.5 million to fund the water department improvements. This loan will pay for the design, acquisition and construction of repairs to water mains, installing new water mains, a new elevated water tank, a new emergency generator, and restoration of streets after the repairs. Work can begin immediately even if the loan is not immediately acquired. Council also voted to proceed to issue revenue bonds up to $1.4 million to fund sewer department improvements. This loan will pay for the design, acquisition and construction of pump stations, manholes, sewer mains, sewer plant rehabilitation, and the restoration of streets after the repairs. The council agreed to hire Capital Consultants, known as C2AE, to study and then design the changes and improvements needed including a cost estimate, documents needed to get bids on the sewer project, and then oversee construction. For these services the village will pay C2AE $106,000 plus an estimated additional $77,000 for resident engineer services plus that engineer’s expenses including travel, lodging and other incidentals. Lastly, there may be additional engineering services needed such as soil borings, American iron and steel monitoring, and construction testing costing $7,000. The total being estimated to be $190,000. Because of the uncertainties in the contract Enzo Lieghio voted against the contract, the rest voted to accept the contract. The iron and steel monitoring is interesting. It will cost the village $2,500 to make sure that all iron and steel “are either produced in the United States or are the subject of an approved waiver . .under Section 746 of Title VII of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 and subsequent statutes mandating domestic preference.” Regardless of whether American made iron and steel costs more or less, it will cost $2,500 to make sure the law is followed.